Weekend Wrap-Up

Remember my friend and talented cook, Cheryl?  You can read my previous post about her, here.  She invited me over again on Thursday for a "cooking session" and some relaxation.

It was so wonderful.  This picture of me however, is not so wonderful.

As always, I had the best time!

She taught me how to make a fabulous homemade marinade for steak and chicken.  It was honestly one of the best steaks I've had.  For lunch we had steak, chicken and a delicious salad.  She made her own salad dressing from scratch, using a red wine vinaigrette- and even caramelized her own almonds for topping.

So.  Good.

 

We then made two different desserts.  She wanted me to have a dessert to eat there and something to take home for Troy and I.  So sweet!  We made Oreo mud-pies and a homemade chocolate chip cookie cake.

 

She told me to come to her house comfortable and ready to relax.  I did just that, and even packed my house shoes.  We settled in on the sofa with our mud-pies and watched a movie.  

If you haven't seen "The Help," I highly recommend it.  We both laughed and cried through the whole thing.  It was the perfect movie to watch with a sweet friend.  

Cheryl then sent me home with enough goodies to last a week.  A little later that evening she sent me a text thanking me for spending the day with her.  ????  Can you believe that?  After all SHE did, she thanked ME!?  I'm not sure I've ever met such a selfless, giving, person.  So thankful for her friendship.

Thank you Cheryl for a wonderful day!  I have many close and dear friends, but I'm not sure that I've ever cooked lunch, watched a movie and just relaxed on the sofa in the middle of the day with any of them!?

Can't wait to do it again!

On Friday evening, Troy had a computer game "event" planned with his best friend, John.  They have been looking forward to it for weeks... some kind of new game??  While he was upstairs playing- mom and I decided to have some girl time, so she came for dinner.

Sam and Abby joined in as well.

It was supposed to be a pajama dinner- but Abby was the only one that followed the rules.  We were so looking forward to girl time, but Abby was a little confused.  She is used to coming to our house with both Sam and Jason.  As soon as her and Sam walked in my front door she looked at Sam...looked at me... and then asked, "Where's my Daddy?"  She then asked where "Toy" was.  I don't think she appreciated it being just us girls :)

Loved spending a Friday evening with my girls!  I love all 3 of you so very much!  When is our next pajama dinner??

Have you visited downtown, East Market street lately??  Troy and I were married at a church on East Market street almost five years ago.  At the time- there was nothing there, and it was a rough area of town.  It is now considered to be the new and upcoming area of Louisville- very desirable to local restaurants, shops, boutiques, etc.

The district is referred to as "NuLu" which stands for "New Louisville."  

On Saturday evening, we met our friends Adam, Heather and Mona in the "NuLu" district for dinner.  

We went to "Harvest," which is a restaurant known for preparing their meals with locally grown fresh produce.  It was casual- fine dining with a very unique menu.

Adam and Heather.....  

Aren't these girls beautiful?  They are also gorgeous on the inside.  Both Heather and Mona are physicians, and just couldn't be any sweeter.  I enjoy their company so much!

After dinner, we crossed the street to "Ghyslain," for dessert.  

This place was divine.  They have a full menu, but also specialize in pastries, gelato, and gourmet chocolates.

  

So glad our friends introduced us to, Ghyslain.

Thank you Adam, Heather and Mona for a wonderful Saturday evening!  We can't wait to do it again next month.  What dessert place in NuLu are we visiting next??  Mona- I told Troy on the way home that I couldn't get over you offering to go to Churchill with me.  It made my day :)

Our Sunday mainly consisted of yard work.

My dad came over to help Troy install a few landscaping lights.

I honestly do not know what we would do without my dad.  He is the BIGGEST help to us with all house projects.  Whenever we call him....and we call him often... he is there within minutes to help.  He has been very good to Troy, and has taught him so many things regarding home projects.  

Troy said it wasn't fair that I posted sweaty, gross pictures of them and not of myself.  Someone asked me the other day if I always walked around with full makeup, fixed hair, etc..  The answer is NO- most definitely, no.  I spend many days in sweats with no makeup and gross hair.

So here's to "keeping it real."   :(

After Troy reads this- I'm deleting those pics.

Now you know why makeup is a necessity for me :(

Thank you to my sweet Daddy for coming over and spending the whole day helping us....again.  We can't thank you enough for being our on call electrician, plumber, landscaper, appliance repairman, mechanic, deliverer of all mom's goodies that she's made for us, etc.  

We love you so very much!

Husband- thank you for all of your hard work too- and for only going "baby hulk" a couple of times ;-)  Even yard work is so enjoyable when I'm with you.

To anyone still reading this awfully long blog post..... (hi mom!)....hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Kristin

13 Years Ago ...

13 years ago today... a shy, quiet, high school boy.....asked me to dance at the Senior Prom......

and changed my life forever.

Troy and I had our very first conversation .....during that dance. April 23, 1999 is a day stamped on our hearts forever.

We have always said that we fell in love while dancing.....  and therefore sharing a dance together has always been special to us.  

I wish I had pictures of us dancing at the Senior Prom.  But he was not my date that night- and therefore we don't have any photos together.

However, that first dance .....

led to this dance.....

And every other dance I will dance....... for the rest of my life.


13 years ago today... was a very special day.


Did anyone else dance with their husband at both your prom and wedding?


Have a good evening!


Love,


Kristin



Working for the Weekends

Weekends are never long enough.  

I spent most of Friday with my coworker, Cheryl.

She is my "work mom."  She brings me smoothies, gummie bears, Starbucks, whatever my "kick" is at the time- she is so good about bringing me little surprises.

She tells me often that I'm the strangest person she knows.  The sad part is that I know she means it in the most loving of ways ;).  I call her "Weirdo Spaz."  I gave her that nickname years ago and it has stuck.  One day I will have to blog about how she has earned that nickname.  She is hysterical.  

She loves to tease me about all my strange habits, and I do the same to her.  She throws nothing away (and yet at the same time is a neat freak- so strange!?)  and can find a purpose for anything.  I throw everything away, even if it could have a purpose.  She once held up a card board drink holder (like you would get from a fast food place) and said "I hate throwing this away, we could probably use it for something."  After she said it, we both laughed so hard we couldn't breathe.  I told her I was drawing the line there- she was throwing that thing away or else!

The next morning I came into work and there was a cardboard drink holder sitting on my desk filled with my favorite snacks and treats.  Wasn't that sweet?

When Troy was in medical school and would be on call (having to spend the night in the hospital), Cheryl would keep me company some evenings after work.  Sometimes we would go to Target, or maybe out for Mexican.  When we would leave the restaurant she would say "See, now the evening is almost over and Troy will be home before you know it."

I could hug her just thinking about it! 

The other day I called to ask her about a plant for my flower bed.  She has a beautiful yard (it looks like it has been professionally done, and she and her husband have done it all) and knows a lot about plants.  I know nothing.  Zero.  To me, anything green is a bush and anything with color is a rose.  The end.  So I called her and asked her about a plant and within minutes she met me and showed me a few things.

She's good to me.

Anyway, back to Friday night.  After work, Cheryl came over for Thai food.  She loves a Thai restaurant that is across the street from our house, and occasionally I can talk her into coming over to eat Thai food with us!

Chery is awful about letting me take her picture!  She is very attractive, looks 20 years younger then she actually is and yet she won't let me take her picture.  I have to beg.  Plead.  And typically- still get nothing.  I snapped this of her while she was fixing one of my lamp shades ;)  

I love you Cheryl!  You are the best work mom, and friend.  Thanks for hanging with me on Friday......  and for all of those evenings years ago when I was missing my husband.  I will always be so grateful!

We had a wonderful Saturday.  I tried to take a photo of Troy and I before we left for the day, but he said he didn't like any of the ones I took and made me cut him out.  He was pulling a Cheryl.

Troy had to go into work for a couple of hours, so I tagged along.  I told him it was "Bring Your Wife to Work Day," he just wasn't aware of it.

Even though he said he wasn't working on anything important that day, and that I was taking pictures of silly things that didn't really matter- I loved watching him work.

 He was excited to give me a tour of areas I had never seen and to introduce me to a few people that I hadn't met before.  

I wish every day was fake "Bring Your Wife to Work Day."

After leaving the hospital, we headed to Rafferty's for dinner.

And then to Starbucks for coffee.  This will probably be my very last Caramel Macchiato of the season.  I usually only like coffee in cooler weather.

We then headed over to Tinseltown for a movie.  We saw "The Lucky One," and I loved it.  I thought it was much better than "The Vow."  Most Nicholas Sparks books are set in the south, as was this story, which is why I think I liked it better.

Plus- when it was over Troy looked at me and told me that he was the "lucky one."

Yes..... I do want to kiss his face off everyday....  in case you were wondering.

It was a wonderful Saturday!

Our Sunday was pretty laid back.  Troy spent most of the day working on a project.  I would go in and harrass him from time to time. 

My friend/neighbor Jen and I went for a walk.

We crossed over Bardstown Road and into Glenmary.

 Picked out a couple of houses we would like...

We even went into an Open House :)  It kept our exercising somewhat entertaining.

It was a beautiful day and we went off the beaten path.....

Before we knew it we had walked 5 miles!

Jen is 4 months pregnant and is still walking me with me almost daily!  She makes me forget that we are "working out" because we have so much fun.  I know I've said it before, but having a neighbor as a friend..... a dear friend.... is a dream!  I feel so blessed to have her!

That was our weekend!  

Hope you had a great one too!

Love,

Kristin