Merry Christmas from Shutterfly!

Christmas is a wonderful time of year! Between giving gifts, the lights, decorations, and family, its by far my favorite time of year! One of the other great things about Christmas is the cards. I love to send and receive Christmas cards. I started sending Christmas cards the first year that I was married. Its great to be able to stay connected with friends and family that you don't get to see all the time. When I create my cards I use Shutterfly! They have a promotion going on now that you can receive 50 FREE holiday cards for bloggers! That's amazing! They have so many different cards to choose from. Then, once you pick your cards, you can customize them with photos and messages. It is easy to use and your cards look great!

Visit these websites to choose any of your Christmas photo needs and much more:

· Christmas photo cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards

· holiday cards http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

· calendars to http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars

· canvas wall art to http://www.shutterfly.com/home-decor/canvas-wall-art

· Holiday photo cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery

· Christmas invitations to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-invitations

· Choose your favorite products from our Cards & Stationery page

Ive been to these sites and here are a few of my favorites:

These are only a few of my favorites! There are so many to choose from and so many different designs. There is definitely something for everyone! So head on over to SHUTTERFLY and full fill your holiday photo needs! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

College Football 2010 Starts.....NOW!

I LOVE College Football! I just love this time of year, when the weather gets cool and crisp and Saturdays are filled with football. I am a huge Alabama fan (RTR!) and my husband, a huge Auburn fan. We are both the type that never cheers for each others team. Needless to say its gets pretty ugly around the 3rd Saturday in November (Iron Bowl). But its all in good fun! Well the season started off on Sept. 4th. We had a few people over to watch the Auburn game. The Alabama game was on PPV and they were playing San Jose St. I have faith in my team to win and didn't want to waste the $30 =).

Another one of my favorite things about Football season is the food. (Go figure) So I went with the football theme and ran with it. I had a football cheese ball, football Ritz crackers, football serving pieces, and UA and AU hand towels.

In the end both Alabama and Auburn won their opening games. I had to hold my own, being the only Bama fan in a house full of Auburn fans. It was fun and I cant wait to do it all again next weekend!! Roll Tide Roll!

Surprise for Kaye

My Mother in law is possibly one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. On top of that she is a huge animal lover. For 12 wonderful years they had a great addition to their family. Buddy, a red Golden Retriever, was the epitome of the perfect dog. Sadly, Buddy's arthritis, along with other health problems, took him from us sooner than wanted. This past July was 2 years since Buddy passed. My brother in law, sister in law, Kevin, and I thought that for Kaye's September birthday that it was time for a new puppy. I found him in the paper on a Friday and we were all picking him out and taking him home on Sunday.

Because we weren't going to be giving "Duke" to Kevin's mom until Tuesday, Kevin and I said that we would keep him at our house until then. Though they didn't mind having him around, I think our dogs were just hoping that we weren't keeping him.



Before giving him to Kaye, I took him to my vet. I gave him a bath and he was checked out and given a clean bill of health. Finally, Tuesday arrived. We had called Kaye and Tommy the day before to see if we could all get together at their house and have some dinner. They knew we were coming for dinner, but they had NO idea that we were coming with a puppy in tow. We all walked in the door together, with a bow and balloon around Duke's collar. Kaye was floored to say the least! She kept asking, "Is this for real?", "Is this a joke?". My father in law wasn't the happiest of all, but we knew that he would get over it and would fall for those big brown eyes. However, there was a brief period of time when Kevin and I thought that we were about to have a new 4-legged addition to OUR family instead.
We took him outside to let him see his new backyard. He LOVED it! He raced through the bushes, jumped into the monkey grass, sniffed all the trees, and almost jumped into the pond.
Needless to say, he is living a great life with Kaye and Tommy. His new name is "Duke", just like the "Bush's Baked Beans" golden retriever. He is very smart and very spoiled. No one can ever take the place of Buddy, but it is nice to have a new puppy to make memories with. Happy Birthday Kaye!!

"I Love Your Love the Most"

On Saturday, July 31st, 2010 we went to see Eric Church in concert at Sloss Furnace. We went with Steve and Laura. It was actually pretty neat. I wasn't sure what to expect because the only other times I have been to Sloss Furnace was for the haunted house. Needless to say, there were no ghosts there, that I saw. The only problem with an outdoor concert in July (in Alabama) is the humidity! That was the only awful part of the whole night. Eric Church is quickly growing to become one of my favorite male country singers (Not that I have forgotten about Kenny, Brad, and Tim). He sings some great songs that you probably didn't know he sang. Check him out!




When he started playing his song called "These Boots", a lot of people in the crowd started taking off their cowboy boots and holding/swaying them in the air. It was pretty awesome! It was so crowded I didn't even try to get one of mine off because I probably would have fallin onto the person in front of me. That would have been a sight! ha ha.

Me and the hubby enjoying the concert!

Westin Heath Waldrop

Meet Westin Heath. This little love was born on July 16, 2010 weighing 7lbs 10oz and measuring at 20 inches long. I went that afternoon to the hospital to see his proud Mommy and Daddy. Little Westin also has a proud Big sister, Ava Reese. We were going to have our Girls Night on baby Westin's Birthday but only a few of us could make it that day. Jami, Nikki, and I (some of his many Aunts) went to visit him. He was sleeping the whole time we were there. He would open his eyes for a few seconds, only to close them again due to a bright camera flash. (Westin, that is only the beginning of bright camera flashes for you.) His great grandmother, Memaw, made him this ADORABLE door hanger with his name and an elephant in the middle to match his room. I was so thrilled that I was able to meet baby Westin! I cant wait to have more wonderful meetings and watch him grow. Congratulations Ashley, Heath and Ava Reese!!! We Love you!

Jami's 25th Birthday!

One of my great friends Jami turned 25 on June 25th. We started our evening with a surprise birthday dinner at Pablo's Mexican restaurant at Lee Branch. While we were there we had a delicious dinner and a very yummy birthday cake. Afterwards we went down below the restaurant to a bar called The Back Nine. One of Jami's, and mine, favorite bands was playing. They are called Deputy 5. They play a little country, rock, and a little something for everyone! We spent the evening dancing the night away! Kevin and I had a Wonderful time and I KNOW Jami did too! Happy 25th Birthday girl! Glad you had fun and that I was there to share in it with you! Love!

A Little Mud on the Tires

About a month ago we went to a mud bog out in Eclectic. Its "out there" believe me.

Not even 30 minutes into being there Daniel D got his 4-wheeler stuck. Kevin was more than happy to help him out. Boys will be boys I guess (even if they are 26).

This was a vehicle that people were actually "muddin" with. It was a minivan that someone had cut the end off of and put mud tires on it! It was classic! Gotta love it!

Don't think that I'm one of those wives who always just hangs on and enjoys the ride. I enjoy being the driver every now and then too! =)

"And then with a little luck, we might just get stuck."

How cute was this little boy?! After most everyone was done playing in the mud, this little boy pulled out his John Deere truck and was going through all the mud holes too! It was too precious.

Nothing like getting a little mud on the tires.

After all the fun we had, they held a concert. We saw Rhett Atkins, Ashton Shepard, and Matt Steelewell. Needless to say, I think we will be back.

Beach Trip 6/9/10-6/13/10

I know I'm behind on my posts and I'm making up for that today. On 6.9.10 we left for the beach with 2 other couples: Steve and Laura; and Daniel (Spears) and Meredith. Kevin's parents were nice enough to let us stay at their house on the bay side of Orange Beach. While we were enjoying our long weekend at the beach there was hardly any oil. We swam in the Gulf every day. There was no smell, or taste, or sheen to the water. Very pretty.

(That is seaweed that you see in the sand, not oil)

We spent our days on the beach, for about 7-8 hours each day. The boys were learning to skim board and the girls reading magazines and chatting. We also threw the football, my favorite, and relaxed in our chairs listening to music. A nice little vacation, not far from home.

While laying out on the beach a banner flew overhead, you know the ones that the planes are always advertising with, and that is what it said! I completely agree! There was one every day that we were there with a new day on it each time. At this time it was 54 days and still nothing done about the oil spill.

This is the "A team" storming the beach. Or at least that's what it looks like to me. haha!

This was our first night out at the FloraBama. (From left to right: Spears, Meredith, Laura, Steve and Kevin and I)

Our second night out we had dinner at Guy Harveys, yum, and hung out at the Wharf. We rode the Ferris wheel and the girls had our picture taken with "Sharky." BTW I didn't realize that I was a little leary of heights until I was at the top of the Ferris wheel. Exciting but nerve racking too. =0) On our third night we just spent more time on the beach and then came in and grilled out and hung out at the house for the evening. The beach takes alot of you, believe it or not.
On our final morning at the beach the oil started to come in. This is a tar ball that I picked up. (I know I prob shouldn't have touched it, but it was fine) It was very pliable and weird. It started to creep into the bay, as you can see. All under the dock is oil. Its very sad, but crews were and are doing everything they can to keep the beaches clean. We still had a fabulous time while we were there!!

Kevin's Birthday

Kevin turned 26 on June 13th. We went to the beach (post to come) with friends for his birthday for 4 days. When we got home I had him a Cheesecake Birthday Cake. (He would rather have cheesecake than regular cake any day of the week.)

Happy Birthday Love!

Caroline Turns 2!!

Happy Birthday to my niece Caroline! She turned 2 on June 10th and we had a party the weekend before. Her party was Elmo themed. She just got the hang of these little blowers when I was taking her picture.

The Birthday girl with her Uncle Kevin and Aunt Lauren. She loves her Uncle Kevin!

For her we got, a cute little dog that blows bubbles out of this mouth when you hold the handle and then we got her a Mrs. Potato Head! Mrs Potato head came with a whole purse full of extra parts. Too cute!! When Caroline opened it she said, "Oh wow!" This coming out of a 2 year old's mouth was pretty cute.

She had fun playing with the balloons and as one of her presents she got a walking, talking, singing, tickling, Elmo. She loved it!

Dr. and Mrs. Whitworth

On June 5th we went to a wedding for one of the Doctors I work for. This is Dr. Whitworth and his new wife Lindsay. Arn't they just a cute couple?!

This is Dr. Stronach and I having too much fun at the reception. The reception was held at Workplay downtown. The room was beautiful and the food was delicious.

Me and some of the girls I work with danced the night away. I didn't get to gather a group shot of everyone from work.

They left in this beautiful classic car. Congratulations Chase and Lindsay on a wonderful life together!!!