My Crack in The Grigsby Life

Nap Time.

2012-01-16T11:44:00.004-05:00

Nap time is when I can finally get stuff done. And by stuff...naturally I mean everything I used to do on a daily basis.

For instance, I used to do laundry, straighten the kitchen, start with dinner all in one night... Hell I had a career. A real, big girl, full time job! and I got all of that done after a full days work.

Now this sweet baby girl takes up every waking ( and even sleeping) moment!

I was going to try to update you on our past 3 and a half months of figuring out being parents, learning the ropes, the countless number of smiles, new tears of joy, new fears, and new routines... But that would take such a long post... And nap time is all I have. Plus every time I go to do something for myself- she knows and decides that she is going to wake up and want to go on a walk.

Vivi is great, and motherhood really is a dream. I am so incredibly thankful that I am able to stay home with our girl... This week I would have been my second week back to work. She will he 14 weeks tomorrow (4 months on the 18th) and I honestly do not know if I could have done it. Gone back to work that is..

I know that most moms do return to the workforce because they want to and out of necessity, but I feel so blessed and thankful that I am able to be here for everything. It was a decision we had made a long time ago for me to stay home. I had a great job, but I knew that this is what I was meant to do. I am not trying to start a debate on working mom vs stay at home moms. There isn't a right or wrong, it is what's best for your family. This just happens to work best for us.

With me staying home, part of me thinks that I should be able to do it ALL... Pull on my invisible cape and be able to calm crying eyes, get rid of her pain of cutting a tooth ( yes Viv is getting a tooth VERY early!) get laundry done, folded and put away. To be able to keep a spotless house, floors always vacuumed, and even dinner on the stove by the time JM comes home. But that is not how I roll. At all.

Usually we wake up for a bottle at 6. Then back down for a little nap- I could get stuff done then, but no. I usually pull Viv in the bed with me to sleep for an hour or two. Then it is time to laugh and sing and dance. Umm not Viv, me. That is what I do be get her to smile while I am making a cup of coffee ( in love with my Kuerig!) and making a bottle at the same time. I used to watch Live with Kelly at 9. Last week Viv starting hating the show. Turns out she loves Sesame Street. So we watch that... Hey don't judge, I must have my coffee to function now, and she will sit calmly in her MaMa Roo and laugh at Elmo. ( it is the only show she watches besides football of course)

After that we usually do tummy time or we read a book. It's different everyday. Sometimes she just wants to be held close for a nap or wants to 'talk' to me. Today it is be held and take nap while I type this on our iPad. Then JM comes home for lunch to see his baby girl. It's so nice having his job 3 miles from the house! Then it is Viv's lunchtime followed by nap time or errands with mommy. Somedays, a lot of days, we don't leave the house. We do actually get laundry done, we do actually get the kitchen straightened, or we do get dinner started.

I am learning how to pull out that cape and get it done. And learning to also accept that it might not all get done and that it is ok. Another lesson I have learned is to ask for help. My mom, JMs mom, his sisters... Whoever can come over for a while to help with Viv is great! Even if it is an hour. It helps my sanity as well as it helps me get this place clean. Or gives me the time to sew a bib!
Yes I have dusted off the sewing machine and am makin bibs and burp cloths!

But my favorite time of day is when JM is home for the night and we just love on our girls. Yes girls... The cats still need attention too!

This week is a busy one. Getting the house painted. The whole outside- brick and all. We are also having the painters paint the master and sealing and painting the basement. The "ManCave" will be done so soon! JM cannot wait I am sure!
I actually did take before pictures... and we have a TON of other projects coming up too....
Hardwoods on the stairs, painting the hall upstairs and adding a gallery wall up there too!

I know I never posted a New Years Resolution or goals post either... To be honest I am not making them this year. I fail every. single. year. SO this year is to be in the moment, put the phone down more often, and love my family with everything I have got.

I hope the everyone has enjoyed this post.... I enjoyed writing it. Now to go get Vivi up.
Nap time seems to be over.

It's been a while.... and A LOT has changed.

2011-11-30T15:31:00.003-05:00

Well my Google Reader says it has been at least 8 weeks since I last posted... That is a new record for me.
Pretty sure I have a great excuse... and I am going to call it my Maternity Leave.

This was taken right after Miss Vivienne Charles McCracken was born on October 18, 2011 at 1:13pm.

I did write her Birth Story a few days after we all got home and some what settled in... I actually wrote and sent it to a few of our best friends.... I will post it tomorrow, just so that I have a record for myself to look back at one day...

A lot has been going on in our house as you can tell. We have been parents for 6 weeks and 1 day. Yes there have been tears, happy and sad/ frustrated ones, but it has been the greats thing that we have ever done. Thanksgiving was a blast, and Christmas will be magical. Yes Vivi is way too young to understand and get excited about Christmas, but something is different about this Christmas. I think that it is knowing that we are going to wake up and open presents, but that this year having her with us will really be the greatest gift we could have given each other.

Now I know that you all came to see the pictures of Vivi and not read this... these are from our cameras and of course from our iPhones... Tomorrow I will post all of the wonderful pictures that Mrs. Southern Belle (Candace Carroll) took for Vivi's newborn pictures. They are SO CUTE...

Right before we left the hospital to go home... We couldn't believe that they let us walk out of there with her!

This was Halloween!

One Month Old. I cannot believe that she is already a month and a half! Where is the time going?!?!?

And this is me and Vivi on Thanksgiving... she is such a easy going baby... until she shit all over me that night. That is another story for another time... but believe me that I will tell that story when she goes on her first date.

Now I must go and put Vivi down, and tend to the pile of never ending laundry... She has fallen asleep on my chest again. (who doesn't love a baby sleeping on their chest?) Hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday.... I am glad to be back.

XOXO

Becoming more real...

2011-10-02T17:54:00.004-04:00

I know that I am a terrible blogger. There has just been too much going on this past week and a half to post.

Well lets start with off with a little update.
I am now 36 weeks pregnant. Or That is what I thought that I was... I went to the Doctor two weeks ago (right after my last post) and she moved my due date up a bit to the 25th. I, meaning Vivi, was measuring a little big....

Then this past week we had an ultrasound as well as a weekly appointment.

I have one big baby growing inside of me! She is measuring at 6.8 lbs... and also measuring earlier. Moved my due date to October 22. So we talked about an induction. We now know the date that Miss Vivi will be born!!! October 18th will be her birthday!
This is also my brother Chip's Birthday! She is named after my dad and him- Vivienne Charles.

But during that ultrasound they also noticed that while my fluid was " in the normal range"... it was in the "very low normal range" , so I have to have another ultrasound on the 11th. Hey- sounds great to me! I like getting to see her! I have been instructed to take it even easier and drink a lot more water. I dont know how that is even possible to drink any more water than I already am! I feel like I am going to just float away!

So now for a little update! I am sorry that some of them are the same as last post- but the strtech marks, I mean battle wounds, are still there... and the belly button is still flat.

How far along?: 38 weeks! I have 15 days left... unless she decides to come earlier!

*Total weight gain?: Well... since I lost close to 15 lbs in the beginning.... I really am only up a little since the starting weight. And I think that I have hit the max... I had no gain for the past two weeks- or maybe it will all show up on the scale this week? I hope not!

*How big is baby?: According to my ultrasound 6.8 lbs... Babycenter.com says 6.8 lbs and over 19 1/2 inches long!

*Sex: Sugar and Spice and Everything nice! That's what little girls are made of!

*Maternity clothes: I am ONLY in maternity clothes.... T-shirts and maternity jeans every day! Oh and my feet are too swollen for anything but this one pair of black flip flops!

*Stretch marks: Looks like a tiger got me. BUT as soon as they come they fade... I just keep oiling up.... I finally accepted that there is nothing in the world I can do to prevent them. IF they are going to happen they will, and the only way to get ride of them short of lasers and a tummy tuck is to just accept them for what they are. Battle scars on the road to motherhood.

*Sleep: Not good. Not good at all.... Vivi thinks that my sides are punching bags and a treadmill. She is most active at night.... I sleep for an hour or two at a time then get up to go to the bathroom and chug more water. I am constantly thirsty... AND ALWAYS have to go to the bathroom.

*Symptoms: Fat feet, sore hips..... REALLY sore hips! Waking up to numb hands is getting worse.

*Movement: Yes, she is a mover and a shaker! BIG TIME! IF I eat anything sweet then she will go crazy... Most movement is at night.

*Food cravings: Not really anything lately...I feel like Im not as hungry lately. Just VERY cold and juicy fruit, cereal, and more cold and juicy fruit.

*Labor signs: Having some period type cramps occationally and also some Lightning/sharp pains in the cervical area....which I read means things are progressing! I was checked at my Dr... and NOTHING. So really they are just Braxton Hicks contractions! However this weekend it looks as if I have "dropped"....

*Belly button in or out: Flat-ish... At night after I eat and am full... it wants to come out. I want it to stay in.

*What I miss: Being able to sit up, taking a deep breath, walking normal, sleeping on my back, sleeping through the nite, not peeing every 5 minutes, my ankles... I do miss having a Coors Light. Classy right? I mean it is football season... I missed it at the lake this summer as well... I thought I would miss wine- but really? I don't miss it at all. That was last week. This week I still miss Coors Light.

*What I'm looking forward to: Dr. Appt. this Friday... This Friday is also my Dad's birthday AND my wonderful sister-in-law Rachel's Birthday!!

*Best moment of the week: My wonderful Shower!!!! It was absolutely perfect! My Windsor Oaks Mama's are the best! It was so very girly and just perfect. We got everything we needed and more! There were so many beautiful handmade sweaters, hats, and blankets- Those women are talented!
Now to write a ton of Thank You notes tomorrow- and yes I already have the stamps! Picture to come on the shower!
Today we went shopping for the rest of the essentials and ran in to a great couple who gave us some of the BEST advice on what to get and not to get! INstead of the swing that I really really wanted we went with a MamaRoo.... It is the coolest thing I have ever seen and I really would like one for myself. I mean it even has an iPod/ iPhone adaptor. Yes that is right. SO that she can also listen to music off of there! It seriously looks like something from the Jetson's, but it is AWESOME.

Coming up this week I am going to start the washing process. I have my Dreft and I am ready to use it! From blankets, to towels, sheets, and CLOTHES. It all has to get done. As I write this JM is installing the car seat... today he set up the video monitor, set up the carseat adaptor for our stroller. He has also assembled, added batteries, and also is going to hang stuff on the walls tonight! He is so excited because it is all becoming so real. Vivi will be here SO SOON.
And at the same time. I still have no clue what we will do once we bring her home! It will all come naturally right? I have read books on what to do, and I know that I will just "get it"... that or I will be calling my mom and MIL to come right over!

This week I am going to do a post on the nursery! Everything is in there! It is done. And I cannot wait to show everyone! It is my absolute dream nursery... and I cannot wait for you to see it!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

34 weeks and 3 days...

2011-09-20T15:38:00.003-04:00

How far along?: 34 weeks and 3 days!

*Total weight gain?: Well... since I lost close to 15 lbs in the beginning.... I really am only up a little since the starting weight.

*How big is baby?: According to Babycenter.com 18 inches long and 4 3/4 pounds...

*Sex: Sugar and Spice and Everything nice! That's what little girls are made of!

*Maternity clothes: I am ONLY in maternity clothes.... T-shirts and maternity jeans every day! Oh and my feet are too swollen for anything but this one pair of black flip flops!

*Stretch marks: Looks like a tiger got me. BUT as soon as they come they fade... I just keep oiling up.... I finally accepted that there is nothing in the world I can do to prevent them. IF they are going to happen they will, and the only way to get ride of them short of lasers and a tummy tuck is to just accept them for what they are. Battle scars on the road to motherhood.

*Sleep: Not good. Not good at all.... Vivi thinks that my sides are punching bags and a treadmill. She is most active at night.... I sleep for an hour or two at a time then get up to go to the bathroom and chug more water. I am constantly thirsty... AND ALWAYS have to go to the bathroom.

*Symptoms: Fat feet, sore hips..... REALLY sore hips! Waking up to numb hands kinda sucks.

*Movement: Yes, she is a mover and a shaker! BIG TIME! IF I eat anything sweet then she will go crazy... Most movement is at night.

*Food cravings: Not really anything lately...I feel like Im not as hungry lately. Just VERY cold and juicy fruit, cereal, and more cold and juicy fruit.

*Labor signs: Having some period type cramps occationally and also some Lightning/sharp pains in the cervical area....which I read means things are progressing! I get checked for the forst time next week and I am scared... What if she wants to come now? I am not ready for her just yet! Ultrasound in two weeks to see what is going on...

*Belly button in or out: Flat-ish... At night after I eat and am full... it wants to come out. I want it to stay in.

*What I miss: Being able to sit up, taking a deep breath, walking normal, sleeping on my back, sleeping through the nite, not peeing every 5 minutes, my ankles... I do miss having a Coors Light. Classy right? I mean it is football season... I missed it at the lake this summer as well... I thought I would miss wine- but really? I don't miss it at all.

*What I'm looking forward to: Dr. Appt. this Friday... After this one we go to once a week appointments!

*Best moment of the week: I got an AWESOME package from my dear friend in Canada!!! She sent me some awesome loose leaf tea, salsa, and enen a scrapbook of me and JM! IT was a craft project she had on her blog! It is too awesome! Will be sharing pics soon!
Last week was getting my hair done.... this week will be going back to have it fixed. Boo.... I asked for the newest trend... Ombre highlights.... (Thinks Sarah Jessica Parker darker roots, with brighter ends! Very low maintenance....) well there is not enough blonde at the ends! SAD! It looks good, but not what I wanted. HEy if I had the gift certificate then I am going to get what I want right?

So that is what is going on this week...
That and I had a breakdown today. I have not had any serious freak outs until today...
Today I went to Kroger after having lunch with my Grandparents and my Great Aunt Bunny... (Hey Papa! Thank you for the Chinese!) I went to get stamps so I can mail out the thank you notes I wrote LAST WEEK! I have been to the store 3 times for stamps and keep forgetting them...
Today I forgot them again! AND they didnt have JM's favorite yogurt either.
SO when I called JM to ask him to please stop and get them both... I CRIED. Like a baby. I cried all the way down Peachtree Rd. Then I cried when I saw a Pampers commercial when I got home!You know the one I am talking about... I cannot see that commercial without tearing up. Today it was all out boo-hoo tears.

It was terrible. I dont even know why I cried... Because there was not yogurt and that I forgot the stamps? Or because I just want for Vivi to get here? Yup I am thinking that is it... and the hormones are taking over.
I am hot, tired, and sore. But I woudlnt trade it for the world right now. I am so excited that she is going to be here before we know it!

Hope that everyone is having a wonderful week!!!!

A Winner, a Discount, and a few pictures!

2011-09-09T15:46:00.005-04:00

Happy Friday everyone!

Thank you so much to those of you that participated in the Give Away from Adorable Banner Co!
Since there were 4 wonderful commenters on the last post... I had JM pick a number 1-4.

Drum roll please.....

And the winner is commenter #2 Snoopymeg- Meghan... we are so excited about your wedding in a few days! Now before your wedding, I hope that you check this blog! Please visit Adorbale Banner Co's Etsy Shop and email me what color towel and what you would like the monogram to be. You can pick ANYTHING for it to say! It could even say "Go Dawgs" if you are cheering on UGA... in our house it would be "Go Eagles" for GA Southern!

So excited for you Meghan! Email me at kmccracken1030@gmail.com to claim your prize!!!

*****THIS JUST IN! **UPDATE** Trixie, the owner and creator of Adorable Banner Co. just emailed me to tell me that if you would like to receive 10% off your order use the code word MCCRACKEN. Her entire boutique is perfect for thoughtful gifts! I love the towels, banners... all of it! Submit your orders now the discount won't last long!******

So since today is Friday and I am in an excellent mood I am going to share a few pictures!

My dear friend Caroline cave over last Friday to hang out and have breakfast with me and we did a few Maternity Shots! She is an excellent photographer... and we always have SO much to talk about I swear we could talk for 3 days straight! We have such similar taste as well. Next time we are going to have a Pinterest Party... More on that next week.

Today I had a great Dr's appointment! I will have one more appointment in two weeks before I drop down to once a week... crazy! I cannot believe how fast time flies... Vivi will be here so soon. And there is STILL so much left to do and set up!

I have learned that nesting is a serious thing.... and it is making me a crazy person... more on that next week too.

For now I have to get back to putting my feet up and relaxing. PLUS we are celebrating this weekend... My dearest husband, JM is having a BIRTHDAY come Monday so we must celebrate all. weekend. long! That is the rule... it is now his Birthday Weekend... the weekend where I don't complain about baseball or football and I cook whatever he wants! and I cannot WAIT to give him his Birthday Gift... More on that next week as well...

I hope that everyone has a great weekend!

My First Give Away!!!

2011-09-06T12:02:00.003-04:00

So today is the day... My first ever Give Away!

I am so happy that Trixie with Adorable Banner Co. has asked me to host a give away! Now I know that everyone just had their last fun at the pools and beaches this past weekend... but we are giving away a Monogrammed Beach Towel. These make great gifts or even keep it for yourself! This way you will be ready to hit the beach first thing next summer- or even if you take a winter get-away to the beach.
The towels are the finest quality beach towels and can be monogrammed with whatever you want.
If it were me I would want one with Vivi's name on it! LOL!

So here is how it works to enter...

1. Follow my blog and comment letting my know that you already follow or that you are a new follower.

2. Tweet about this give away and comment on my blog letting me know that you did (make sure to use my twitter name as well @kmccracken1030)

3. Facebook! Post about this give away and comment here to let me know about it!

Right there you have 3 chances to win!

To make this a little more fun... in your comment, let me know what you are looking forward to this fall!

I am so excited about cooler weather, all of the fall smells and decorations returning to this house, and we are MOST excited about the arrival of Vivienne!!!! We cannot even wait to meet her!

The drawing will be done on Friday this week so you have until Friday at NOON (EST)! After that we will get the towel to you as fast as possible!

I hope that everyone is having a great Tuesday and that everyone had a long and safe Labor Day Weekend!

Good Luck everyone!

Happy Friday!

2011-09-02T14:19:00.003-04:00

Well I promised I would be back this week (sometime) and that I had a few announcements...

The first is that on Tuesday I will be hosting my First Give Away! I am still ironing out a few details since this is my first one of course... But I do know that the "prize" is AWESOME.
Remember back when I shared about my cousin's new Etsy Shop? Adorable Banner Co.
Well she is the one that I am doing the give away with!

Check out her site Adorable Banner Company- it is great for gift giving!!! And check back on Tuesday when I start the give away! It will end with a winner on Friday!

The second thing is that this morning I had some maternity shots taken... Pics to post next week! A wonderful friend Caroline took them this morning in Dunwoody and I hope that they turn out great! So excited to see them and post a few here!

The third is that we have come up with a name for our little girl. I was not sure if we should announce it in any special way? With a picture? With something cute?
I am still lost on this one. And I am lost on if I should even announce it.
I see where if someone were to want to monogram it for a shower, or if someone were just dying to know... but all of them know the name.
So here it goes. Nothing fancy here...

Her name is Vivienne Charles McCracken. We will call her Vivi for short. We loved that Vivienne is much a classic name (I have always loved that name since I was little!) then Charles is for my Dad and my Brother! Two of my bestest friends in the whole world. We also decided when we were in Charleston that our baby really was a girl (before we found out) that this would be her name.
I have heard the name once before, but then again we all got our names from somewhere... Plus it is not a name that she will hear a lot growing up.
Katie was a VERY popular name when I was born and I remember having like 3 or 4 Katie's in classes... I am sure that Vivi will not have another Vivi in her class. Well I guess you just never know.
We cannot wait to meet her! I cannot even stand it anymore I want to meet and hold her so bad- but a few more weeks and she will be here.

Well what news do you have? Anything interesting???
Next week will be the Give Away and a lot of pictures. Hopefully VIvi's bedding will be done and I can show that off! YAY!

OH and PS.... there is no pink in the nursery incase you are wondering. She will wear a ton of pink clothes I am sure, but I am not about to redo a nursery if the next "one" is a boy... So no pink. Just not my style.

I hope that everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend! We will be at the Lake or at the Pool! But now I must get the floors clean... Time for the "shake down" before JM gets home from work!

xoxo,

What we've been up to...

2011-08-26T12:36:00.003-04:00

Hey there everyone!

I am so sorry that I have been MIA lately. I have no real excuse.((Other then I really love Law and Order: SVU and NCIS) But I have had a lot on my mind lately...

1. JM got a new job! It is going to be great! He only started today- yes on a Friday- but he is so excited about it, a whole new challenge. Not to mention it is 3.6 miles from the house!!!! YAY! So he can come home for lunch, will not be stuck in traffic everyday on the way home, and with this position there is room for growth. He will not be working until midnight and going in at 5 to deal with some crazy deadlines! YAY! Did I mention it is 3.6 mies from the house!!!
(As excited as I am about that, I am also a little worried that since he will not be stuck in traffic, I will have to get my chores done way in advance now so that I don't look so lazy!)

2. Speaking of chores... I have set up a little daily planner for myself. Since I am home and must keep my feet up for a good portion of the day, I have come up with a little plan for me to get the house ready by the time our Girl get here. However I am thinking that washing the sheets once a week, vacuuming the floors once a week, as well as a few other chores kept on a weekly rotation is not going to cut it! Does anyone have a list or a link they could send me to get my house clean in a month... If not then I am going to have to have a team of maids come a week before she gets here!

3. Nesting. This is soon to start. I can feel something changing... and it is like the calm before the storm. Last night (after the 5th time I got up to use the bathroom!) I laid in bed thinking of how I need to get the house ready before she gets here. This was at 5:00 am. I am talking baseboards and trim people. It is not bright white. And I NEED it to be bright white. I NEED it to be BRIGHT WHITE yesterday.
I am also thinking about hair bows. (random I know) But I think that miss priss will NEED them, and I MUST make them soon. I am not sure that I will be putting the massive big ones in her hair, but I think that some cute clips are in order. Bows are a MUST.

4. Modifies Bed Rest is going great! My ankles are not swollen, my blood pressure has returned to normal, and so has my iron level. I feel so much better not being stressed out, not to mention that I don't have to fill up my car twice a week, nor do I eat out for lunch every single day anymore. So we have been saving some money- kinda...
But my appointments are now getting closer. Next on is in 3 weeks, then after that 2 weeks, then down to 1 week in between visits. It is getting real. Really really real. I know that she cannot stay in there forever, but to be honest i am scared to death. I mean this is uncharted territory people.... I just want to meet her already and bring her home.

5. Today is Friday. YAY! That still means the same thing as before to me. No work tomorrow, but now it is JM that will be home with me. It also means that it is a date night to celebrate JM's new job. We both have been craving a good steak! So we are going somewhere I have never been. Bones. I hear that it is amazing... so I will make sure to write about it next week!

6. Tomorrow my wonderful Sisters-in-law are throwing me my first Baby Shower! I cannot wait! This one will be only the McCracken side of our family. I am so excited I can hardly wait.

7. I had mentioned in a post once before that I will be doing a giveaway.... Well that time has come! Next week I will give you all of the details and let you know what it is... Then next Friday I will announce the winner! I am really excited about this!

8. I am also really excited that the next few weeks of blogging are going to be fun! A few announcements to make, as well show off a few pictures too!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend! I will be back next week. Now it is time for another episode of Law and Order: SVU, talking with the kitties, and of course more laundry and dusting to do....

OH and PS. My MOM told me that a bunch of people read this blog and that you all have informed her that I am really slacking over here... I am sorry! Follow the blog then I will know just how many of you are missing out on my updates! IF you don't Follow then I will never know!

Have a Happy Friday!!!!

xoxo

The last day...

2011-07-29T15:42:00.002-04:00

Well today is the last day of work for me. Forever.

Forever is a pretty long time, so maybe I will just say for a really really long time. Like until our girl and future kids are in middle school. Or high school. Maybe even college. We will see how that goes. I am SURE that JM will tell me that I need to find something to do once they are in school... but then I can be class mom right? I can volunteer and try to make the world a better place? I could go and hold babies at the hospital? (OK that is bullshit, all of it... The class mom thing though- I can totally do that!)

Maybe I will have a garden next year. I would like that... and I will be calling my friend Erica for advice there. She is the master gardener (and baker too). She likes me, makes me laugh, and listens to the same music as my JM. I will miss her here. She might think that she is negative (she said it-not me) but I think that she is real, can say it how it is, and she is damn funny. She even gave me suggestions on making a bucket list before baby gets here. That will be next post for sure!

After some tears this morning over breakfast (because my amazing friend Elisabeth brought in breakfast for the entire office for a little going away for me) I have decided that this really is an awesome thing. Yes bed rest, even though it is modified, might suck... being able to be home with our girl once she gets here will be awesome. I am so very thankful that we are fortunate enough that I can do that.

I know that it is not going to be all picnics, dress up, and playing tea party all day. (Well I might have some days like that!) I know that there will be tears from both of us, that there will be a time when I might not get any sleep at all. (I can count on that one right?) But what I do know is that it will be the most amazing thing ever. And that me and JM are going to love her to the moon and back.

While laying down and resting with my feet up watching re-runs of NCIS, Bones, or Law & Order SVU will be nice for a week or two... I know that is what I have to do. Plus I think that JM will like coming home to a few dinners a week. Thank you all for the book suggestions... I am going to start with "The Help" and then start with your books!

I think that this is going to be one hell of an adventure. And I will tell you all about it I am sure.

We are off to the beach tomorrow and I assure you I will not be blogging from there. I will be relaxing in the condo watching the waves. Hopefully I will get down to the ocean some. We will have to see...

See you next week when the adventures of being a stay-at-home wife who is on bed rest begins... I know you are so excited...

Happy-Last-Friday-in-the-Working-world to me,

Short but...

2011-07-27T12:58:00.003-04:00

not so sweet...

So today I had my Dr's appointment for my 6 month check up... I had the dreaded Glucose Test today.
Let me first just say that that drink honestly tastes like 10 boxes of cheap orange Popsicles all melted down into a drink. I will never have an orange Popsicle or even orange soda again...

Well I PASSED... by 1 point. I was so excited... until they told me that my iron levels were really low... and that my blood pressure was getting worse. And then that all of the swelling I have is, in fact, NOT normal for being 6 months pregnant...
All of this news was followed by a shot of Rhogam in my ass. (I have O Negative blood type)That was all before the Dr walked in. Nice right?

She comes in and we walk about the swelling, and I hear the words... MODIFIED BED REST.
As in I am on modified bed rest now... laying down, feet up, no stress- bed rest.

I don't even know what to say about it right now. Considering I am at the office right now and trying to clean my desk out, get organized, and prepare to meet with my boss this afternoon... I am a little overwhelmed with the whole thought of it all. I mean let's be real here... it is not as if I was going to come back to work after our little girl arrives anyway.

So once I talk to bossman I will know more...Maybe I can work some from home? Doubt it since one girl burned that for everyone here...

All that I do know is that I have to cut all of my salt intake in half at least. And I do know that I will be at the beach all next week. Which I AM allowed to go to the beach, but it will be in the shade or floating in the pool with an umbrella the entire time.

ALSO I am taking book recommendations as well now. I will have a lot of time on my hands it seems...
Wish me luck!

Lately...

2011-07-19T09:01:00.002-04:00

You know how there are days when you are "just not feelin it"... I have had a lot of those lately. They mostly revolve around one thing. Work.

It is not that I don't like that what I do, because believe it or not, I am pretty lucky to like what I do. It is more that I am getting bigger (what feels like daily) and the process of getting here, being here, making it through the day, and even more getting home. It is getting harder and I didn't think that it would be this hard. (or that it would feel as if my tailbone is shattering every time I sit in my desk chair!)
The 60 miles I am putting on my car a day is beyond making me mad as well... but then again at least I am against traffic and that I don't take my work home with me.

I guess what I am trying to say here, is that even though I am just not feelin it, I am still doing it and trying to see the bright side in it all.
I can say that I HAVE a job. I can also say that today I wore leggings, a t-shirt, sports bra, and tennis shoes... It is wonderful when you can wear what you want and there is no "business casual" mentioned here.

While I may not know what the future holds... I can still try to be happy trying to get there right? Right? crickets...

There are many things that are making me happy these days...

Our health and our baby's health

We have good jobs

The steal I got on a Kate Spade Diaper Bag this weekend... At the outlet... Get this for 50% off the outlet price! (Yes I know snob right? again don't care- it is beautiful!)

That we are going to the beach in 11 days!!!

When we get to see baby kicking me... really cool. She can kick seriously hard! And this makes me even happier when I get upset about something and then feel her moving.

It makes me realize there is nothing more important to me right now than her and JM. Family is what is most important to me right now. I think that I realize that more and more every single day. and I have always dreamed of this... this family when I was growing up. You remember? When we were all playing "House"... The mom, the dad, and the baby. I guess I am living the dream. Tear... and I am damn lucky to be living it.

Family will always be the most important...
Everything else is last.

The Nursery...

2011-07-11T14:59:00.009-04:00

Some of you know that JM has been hard working on the nursery for his baby girl... ( yes we do have a name I am just not sure about announcing it yet- sorry that I am a pretty private person- hell I don't even share pics on facebook anymore!)

So...

It has been a SERIOUS construction project... and man has it ever paid off. There are a few things left to do... The window treatments are being custom made by my wonderful MIL, Terry... and she said that she will help me with the bedding too! YAY! They will be here in the final pics of the nursery to come!

Without further adieu... The McCracken Nursery!

Before... a Guest Bedroom...

While I was in NYC, JM surprised me and when I got home and the room looked like this...

and then add a little crown moulding to the top...

and with some fresh paint and furniture... It looks like this!
Yes I am sitting in the glider... might be my favorite place in the house!

and another... the crib! It was mine... and yes we made sure that it is up to code and is not a death trap...

Here is a pic from the night before (we didn't have the crib up yet) but it is me in the glider... the best chair in the world! It reclines and swivels... and even has a foot stool that glides with it. Will be perfect when she gets here! (and yes we did scrape the windows too!)

We love it! we did not want to do anything girly and keep it pretty gender neutral. I mean what if the next one is a boy? We do NOT want to re-do that room again for a LONG TIME! Once the curtains, valence, roman shades (black out of course!), bed skirt and bumpers are done... it will look 100 times different!
More pictures to come...

6 months down and only a few to go. We cannot wait to meet our little girl!

xoxo and a Happy Monday to you!

What I am loving Friday!

2011-07-01T09:56:00.009-04:00

So I thought I would do a happy post today!

So far I am having a great day... that might have something to do with the fact that I just got an email that we will be closing today at 2:00! YAY!
ALSO I am happy for this weekend! Fourth of July Weekend is one of my favorites- no only because we are celebrating our Country and our Freedom, as well as everyone who has made that possible for us.... I am also because excited because that means family and friends BBQ at the lake! and of course FIREWORKS!!!

There are also a few other things that I am loving today...

1. Coca-Cola Classic. Yes the one that is NOT a diet drink that comes in the red can! And don't yell at me because I am pregnant. I have to have a coke every now and then...

2. Sea Pac Coconut Shrimp. Don't yell at me for eating shrimp when I am pregnant. I have been through enough and will bite your head off. This shrimp is damn good...

3. Tomato Sandwiches... Need I say more? This is a pretty Southern thing, but who doesn't love home-grown tomatoes, Mayo (must be Hellman's), and White Mountain Bread- toasted of course!

4. Oil of Olay! I love all of their products (JM does too- shhh don't tell him I told you!)

5. Stila Eye Shadow in "Kitten"... Caroline (my brother's wonderful girlfriend) showed my this while I was in NYC. I had to have it... and I love it. I am even wearing makie up again. (sometimes) (yes that is the real color and it is AWESOME!)

6. Chanel's Rouge Coco Lipstick #09 "Organdi Rose". Yes I know what you are thinking.. and yes I am a lipstick snob. I am not even going to apologize for it either. This lipstick is AWESOME and the perfect year-round color. (this too is the real color... it is the perfect light pink/ neutral color! Also makes your lips SO smooth!)

7. I am seriously loving my cousin's Etsy Boutique Adorable Banner Company It is AWESOME!!! She makes some of the cutest original and one of a kind applique products.
Please check her stuff out- Everything is heirloom quality and hand made by her. Her talent is above and beyond anything I have ever seen in ANY gift shop! I am going to ask her this weekend about hosting my first every give away... I will keep you posted on that Tuesday next week! ;)

and last... because I cannot think of anything else I love more right now...
Other than my dearest husband... our wonderful baby girl... and our two kitties...

8. I am loving that JM felt the baby move last night. Not once.. but a few times in a row. She likes to dance around 11:30, and JM couldn't believe how active she was! It was so exciting! I cannot wait to feel her move more and more (from the outside of course!)

I hope that everyone has a fun and SAFE weekend!!!! Happy 4th of July!!!

xoxo

NYC... and a few days at the hospital...

2011-06-27T10:31:00.004-04:00

So where do I begin?
The last two weekend have been very interesting and to be honest the exact opposite from each other.

June 16th, the day after my birthday we went to NYC to see my brother Chip and his wonderful girlfriend Caroline! My dad and I flew up there to meet my mom and brother Will for a long weekend for some family time. JM was having a guys weekend in Atlanta!

We walked all over the city and shopped for our little baby girl like crazy. She has got some beautiful new things to wear when she gets here! Including this little number that Carline (and Chip too) got for her!

I promise I will send a picture of her in it to you for your wall.

We ate at our favorite place in Little Italy: Florio's and then went to my favorite Ferrara Bakery...

These are my two favorite things... A Blueberry tartlet and a Chocolate mousse chimney (Ok I don't know how they really spell that... but it is AWESOME!)

We went to FAO Schwartz one day as well. And I found this for baby girl...

That is right- it is a Barbie Foosball Table. For only $25,000 She could have this wonderful thing! HAHAHA!!! That place was a mad house, but really I wish that I could have gotten her a life size stuffed animal. Not that we have room for that or anything... but it would be cool!

Sunday we left and I was swollen, exhausted, and was SO excited to see JM. It was so nice to be home and in bed that night. He had the biggest surprise for me ever when I got home! He had started the nursery and almost got it finished... I will have to do a whole separate post on that! It is absolutely beautiful...

Then Tuesday rolled around...
Tuesday morning I was talking to my friend and co-worker Erica (thought you might like that shout out!) about how she had hurt her back... and we were exchanging stories... Just normal Tuesday banter after talking business. She mentioned how one of her friends got e.coli in the hospital after she delivered and was a nightmare... Was a terrible story, but so glad that it had a happy ending. Everyone was healthy and back to normal.

Later Tuesday by back started to hurt... I just though I pulled it or turned the wrong way. By that night I could barely move. Then around 3:30 am I was crying I was in so much pain and JM was helping me in and out of bed so I could go to the bathroom. (because you go about 5 times a night!)
Wednesday I couldn't get out of bed so I stayed home from work. I called the nurse at my OB and left a few messages. I really didn't think that it was too much to worry about until I took my temperature because I thought I had a fever. It was 101. Shit.
Then I called the "Emergency only" line... and then called JM crying after they just had told me it could be much worse and to head over to Northside Hospital in the Labor and Delivery Unit. Double Shit.

I get there. Takes FOREVER to sign all papers and get a room. I get checked out and find out that I have a very extreme case of "Pylo" what we all know as a Kidney Infection... which was brought on by e.Coli. REALLY?
I was handed a gown, got an I.V. in my hand, and had to record all urine samples. FOR 72 HOURS.
We thought that I would be in and out... a bag of fluid, an antibiotic... Umm no. We are talking many pills, a pain pump, shots, getting woken up every 2 hours to check my vitals and baby girls vitals as well...

We were told we would be leaving Friday by my Dr and another woman Dr in the practice. Then a male Dr (who I will not write his name on my blog) who is an asshole, tapped on my back Friday morning, which still was hurting, and my knees went weak. He said that I will be in there another day and when JM asked a question- because the other Dr's have all said I would be discharged Friday morning... He snapped at JM said "this is not about you is it" and then left the room. I started crying. Hysterically. I had a break down that day.... It was terrible. They had to sedate me... again nightmare.
AND I refused for that Dr to enter my room again. Even to check on me. I told every single nurse what an ass he was and that if he came back then I was out. In my next appointment I will also be letting my OB know how I feel because he is one of the only 3 Drs who are on call at Northside during my window time of delivery... So that is a 1 out of 3 chance he coud deliver her. THAT IS NOT HAPPENING. I seriously want to ask if I can be sure that he will not be near me or my child. Umm EVER. This is why I have only had women Drs.
Dramatic? YES... Do I care? Not one bit. I am emotional, yes, but that does not mean that I am going to deal with a Dr who has terrible bedside manor and who made me feel like a worthless piece of shit... not to mention made JM feel absolutely terrible as well.

And this post had gotten very long. So to sum it up.. I am doing much better. Once the fever was gone for 24 hours I was released. I went home, showered and then had donuts. Yes Chocolate Cake donuts from Dunkin Donuts.

Baby girl is perfect... and I am getting better. Now all that can happen to make this pregnancy even better would be some bed rest. ut hey- I might actually welcome that after what I went through this past weekend!

PS: I realize that I will have to come up with a name to call our baby on here. I am not sure that I want to share her name publically until she is here... or ever on this blog. We will have to see. However I now realize that it might be confusing since our cat's name is Baby Girl. Yes we are crazy... but I love it.

Publish Post.

Pink or Blue? AND Happy Birthday to Me...

2011-06-15T11:58:00.007-04:00

So today has been the BEST Birthday I have ever had. Ever.

This morning I woke up to some beautiful flowers, a bag of Sour Patch Kids (my all time favorite candy!) and Sour Cream and Onion Pringles. Yes you did read that correctly. Hell I am pregnant- and this is what I asked for! I also got two wonderful cards... One from my dearest husband, JM and the other from our little baby. So sweet.

Then we went to the Doctor for our 20 week appointment and Anatomy Scan! It was absolutely unbelievable to see that our baby can go from this...

To this...

All stretched out!!!! To me that is just unbelievable! Would not stop moving long enough to get some very clear pictures... They say it has to do with the FULL MOON and all. (Which means I hope that our friend Kempton is going to have her baby tonight!)

And a profile shot...

All of the measurements came back perfect... 10 fingers and 10 toes. A perfect heart, kidneys and everything! She was even sucking her thumb in the picture above!

AND then...
My Birthday Cake!YES that is right... We are happy to announce that we are having a healthy baby girl!
We could not be happier at ALL!
and for all of those who guessed girl the whole time- YOU WERE RIGHT!
And one more thing... I totally thought it was a boy. All of the "Old Wives Tales" said boy...
But I could not be more excited to find out that she is a girl! A real mover and shaker too.

So there. We did find out. It might have killed me not knowing for another week!

It is also my birthday today. What better present can that be?

I am also leaving for NYC to see Chip (my brother) and Caroline (his awesome girlfriend) tomorrow night! This little baby girl is going to get some terribly cute clothes while I go shop in the big city!

Hope that you all have a wonderful day! I sure will....

Friday! Some likes and dislikes....

2011-06-10T08:58:00.003-04:00

I am SO glad that it is Friday and I know that you are too.

What is it with Friday's? We know that we don't have to sit in traffic and go to work the next day? We know that we get a break from the people we secretly HATE at work? Or how about we know that come Friday at 5:00, that we can mentally "check out" for a few days?

Well I love Fridays... for all of those reasons above. (and yes I do secretly hate/loathe/despise someone at work- don't care either. Because writing that makes me feel better. Even though I know that you are "not supposed to hate anyone" I still do.)

I also am loving being pregnant right now. I feel so much better, still tired, but better! When I finally felt this little baby move for the first time, I think that I realized that this is "real" ya know?... and realizing that we have created this life? Well damn that is just insane to me. Insane to think that two people can do this. This thing called life.
Still amazes me.

I love Yoo-Hoo. There I said it. My name is Mrs. McCracken and I am addicted to Yoo-Hoo. Yes I do know that it is a "chocolate drink" not even milk... but when it hits my lips it can make my day that much better. It is the little thing in life right? Right? anyone out there?

I also love this...

Pure Grace Perfume... I also have the body wash and lotion. It smells just like clean soap and water- and to me it has a hint of sunscreen-smell. Yes I love it. I love that when I buy this every year, it means it is summer to me. I smell like fresh soap and water... and it is heaven I tell you!

I also love paper chains... I am thinking of starting one myself! Tearing off a new ring each week can mean so much, a sense of accomplishment with ripping off one mmore little ring each week. I love the sound of that... and I do love a good countdown.
And I have a few going on...

20 weeks until we get to meet baby! I am half way there...
12-15 weeks... I have a deadline of my own I will tell you about another time.
7 weeks until I go to the beach! YAY I need some sand in between my toes!
6 days until I leave for NYC. So excited to get away for just a few days to the big city!
5 days until we get to see this little baby again- 20 week Anatomy scan on June 15th...
5 days until my birthday. This make me sad, and kinda feel a little old. But I am going to rock it out like always. Celebrate with my favorite person JM- he is taking me to eat at my favorite Thai place in all of Atlanta!
and only 6 hours until the weekend.
I hope that I can make it that long today...

Have a wonderful Friday... and an even better weekend!

PS: IF you are in Atlanta this weekend! Come on out to Pints for Pups this weekend at Meehan's Public House in Sandy Springs! This fundraising event benefits Atlanta Pet Rescue and Adoption!
Event Includes:
Silent auction
Food and drink specials
Dog friendly patios- so you can bring your dogs!
Live music featuring Demartes
It is from 1-4- We hope to see you there!!!
OR follow Pints for Pups at http://www.facebook.com/pints4pups?sk=info

1 Year Later...

2011-05-25T11:39:00.007-04:00

Today is my Blog Anniversary. I cannot believe that I have been sharing my thoughts online for a year. That is just crazy... to be honest I am surprised that I didn't give up!

Some of the posts have been happy and funny, some have been sad or even mad... most of them have been random as hell! And I like that because I am all of the above.

This past year has been one big whirlwind, and I have had a wonderful time. There have been some SERIOUS life-changing events that have happened to me and my wonderful now husband JM.
So today I just wanted to do a recap for myself of this past year... and just now while typing this I decided to "save draft" and go back and read some of my posts...
Damn it was one hell of a year!

Planning a wedding... Attending 12 other weddings... and re-decorating a house. To being married, getting a joint checking account, writing a BILLION "Thank you" notes... Going on trips, JM stealing my Harry and David Pears at Christmas...
So much has happened in a year it is unbelievable... even as I sit here and write this I still cannot believe that love and life has taken me to where I am today.

So lets do some picture from the past shall we?

Engagement pictures by Mrs. Southern Belle

Don't know if I have shown you my rings before now... but DAMN did JM do a great job!

and then we got married! Best day of our lives. Ever. I love you JM!

Baby Girl... JM is her "human"... she loves him WAY more than me.

Tilly... She loves me way more. However I think that she "knows" there is a baby in my stomach because she still tries to sleep on my stomach all the time! Only started once there was a baby in there!

There have been TOO many home updates to post ALL of the pictures... PLUS we have started on a new room... The Nursery!

And how can I forget about this little one... Our BABY! Well now that might be the MOST life-changing thing that has happened yet. Getting married is very life changing I assure you...
BUT once I found out we were going to have a baby. I also realized that it has to come out sometime in the next 9 (really 10) months! It will not just stay in me forever! I also realized that we are responsible for another humans life for the next 18 years. As in raise them to have manners, to teach them, feed and cloth them, and to make sure that they do not become serial killers. I still think that I want our parents to write a book and give it to us!
There are so many fears that go along with being pregnant... I have yet to realize that those fears will only double when they are really here! We are going to get home with our baby and I will say "now what do we do?"
JM's response might be "Well let's call one of our moms."
Guess I need to get a book on what comes after Labor and Delivery!

There is so much more to come on this little space of mine... There will be more fears and tears over the next few months. There will be many laughs and (hopefully) more pictures to come. After that there will be so many questions I will have... and I am sure that I will questions myself on more than one occasion about blogging. But then again I foresee myself having a lot more time for picture taking and blogging in the future.
Couponing too... this is something that I want to get good at... but NOT to the point where I have to buy 150 bottle of ketchup to get a deal! have you seen that show? They are PSYCHO, and I am positive that my dear JM would leave me if I brought home that much crap and had a grocery store in my house!

Well MY birthday is around the corner and I cannot wait... that is also our big Ultrasound Day!
I know that I have said in the past that we are not finding out what the sex will be... Well all of this yellow and green is killing me so it might just be a "game day" decision that we make...

Now this has been one big random post... but I really wanted to thank all of you who read my pretty little blog. It meas the world to me to know that you might be going through the same thing- or already have been. I have made some great friends from blogging... and even joined Twitter to keep up with them!
I hope that this will always be my own little escape... Happy Anniversary to "My Crack in the Grigsby Life".

Have a Happy Wednesday!

and PS. I legally changed my name today... so now I am truly Mrs. McCracken...

xoxo

Random thoughts... and nightmares.

2011-05-18T10:18:00.002-04:00

So 16 weeks pregnant and counting over here. I kinda feel like a slacker for not posting "bump pictures" and filling out a cute little survey about what this past week was like.
So to sum it up... I feel good some days, but mornings are still a little rough. I wish that I felt great all the time and that I could say that my hair is shimmering and I have tht healthy glow! Today I was lucky to get in the shower because all I wanted to do was sleep... sleeping is my favorite thing right now.

I am also still having one of the same nightmares. Over and OVER! It is kinda making me paranoid... so here it is and tell me what you think.

Setting: Northside Hospital Labor and Delivery
Cast of Characters: Me (duh!) JM, and Dr's and nurses. (Sorry no one is allowed in that room! and I dont care how selfish that might be. My vagina. Our baby. The end.)

So this is what keeps happening... I have been pushing for like 30 some odd hours and the epidural just wore off. The nurse says that I cannot have another one and that I will have to have a emergency C-Section and that they are going to be putting me completely under for the precedure... I, of course, freak out but tell them just get baby out and keep up both alive.
I go under...
Then wake up in recovery with EVERYONE I HAVE EVER MET in the room. AND they have ALL HELD OUR BABY! I start crying and tell someone to get everyone out of there and to give me my baby... Everyone starts laughing at me and they keep playing pass the baby.

Now I want to be the first (or even the second if JM wants to first) hold the baby. There will be zero exceptions to that one. I don't want people in recovery if I have to have a c-section.

I wake up in a panic every.single.time I have this dream. Then I have to go pee.

What in the hell is wrong with me? Have I lost it completely? Maybe I have lost it...

BUT this is having me think seriously hard about a whole "Birth Plan" about the day of delivery when it comes...
I do know that I want some time with just me and JM and baby. Alone. Our family. Time for me to nurse, time for skin to skin bonding (that I keep reading about).

But I don't know how "selfish" that could be? I mean I know that it is a little selfish, and I know that this is the first Grandbaby on both sides... and that I do want family there first thing just not during the actual labor part or the after part of clean up and mess! But hell, I carried this baby for 9 (really 10) months, and he/she has made me sick as all get out... it should be MY (really our) plan right?

So ladies (and gentlemen) what would you do? Tell me your stories? Or send me links to your own birth stories...
There is only one goal in my mind about having this little on in the first place. To have a healthy baby. 10 fingers and 10 toes... Everything else will be second.
I know that I have a good 24 weeks left to think about all of this... but the nightmare is really getting to me now.

I will have to tell you about another dream I have been having lately... Pretty much I have this beautiful baby that happens to have my cat Tilly's head. AND I think that it is perfectly normal to breast feed my beautiful cat-baby in public no less. Maybe this is because I wake up to Tilly sleeping on me all the time? Who knows... it is kinda strange.
This might also be the reason I have a ton of dreams about me having a liter of kittens!

Seriously... these pregnancy dreams have me going crazy! Tell me you all had crazy dreams pregnant or not? If so share them with me! I need to feel a little bit normal.

15 weeks! YAY!

2011-05-09T14:51:00.002-04:00

First I want to say Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful Moms out there! Especially my mom, my grandmother, and my mother-in-law. All of you are so special to me I don't know what I would do without you!

Second... I don't want to jinx it, BUT... I have been feeling SO MUCH BETTER lately. I actually feel like a human again.
And for the record I have read too many old wive's tales about being so sick... It doesn't mean that you will have a girl at all. It just means... You are pregnant and that you must deal with it. You must puke and lay back down. Crackers just don't work, and they taste like crap.

I am sure that JM is very glad that I am back to myself... I think that he missed me. Maybe.

So this week we are 15 weeks pregnant! YAY! See I am very excited about this as 1. I am not sick... and 2 I am getting closer to the half way point! I just cannot wait to feel some movement!
I had a Dr appointment this morning and everything went perfect... minus the fact my blood pressure was a little higher. Nothing scary or to worry about. However I was told to stop stressing. As in no stress. Period.

and it has me thinking...
Just how do you do that when you have a job? When you drive 30 miles to work and 30 miles home? When the price of gas is CRAZY expensive? When you have so much on your plate some days you feel like you might drown? I am a worrier by nature. I get so anxious some times I must remind myself to CALM. DOWN.

Well... Frankly, I don't give a damn anymore.
About anything.

I have realized over these short weeks of being pregnant that nothing matters to me anymore but our baby's and my health. OF course JM's health as well! And that family is above everything else now to me.
(This is just crazy to me... I mean I used to think that the latest sale at Nordstrom was the end all be all of things! What has happened to me?! Who have I become!)

I mean is that what happens when you start a family? Does everyone go through a time of complete selfishness... UNTIL they are married and having a baby? Well I did and I can say that I just now realized it.

And to me that is just life right now... I never thought that my life would lead me to the path that I am on. However I can honestly say that I have never been more happy in my life than right now. I have the most wonderful, loving, and supportive husband- who is too hot for words as well! and to also have such a wonderful support system in all of our families and friends.
I never realized just how blessed I would be!

See now this was a happy post...
Happy Monday!

xoxo

Pregnancy... So far. Help me!

2011-05-02T09:15:00.004-04:00

I wish that this was going to be a happy-go-lucky blog post about how much I love being pregnant.
This is more like a post about how I am jealous of everyone out there who has had easy pregnancies... or who have "never been so happy in their lives."

That is just not the case for me right now... and explains the serious lack of posting here!

Let's get one thing clear first- and I mean crystal clear. I love this baby more that I ever thought was humanly possible- and I cannot even imagine when I get to meet him/her in person. We wanted to start a family early... I am so excited, feel so lucky and blessed to be able to be pregnant.

BUT...

I have been so sick for the past 2 almost 3 months it is not even funny anymore. I laughed in the beginning of getting sick... Seriously I would be laughing because I know it is "all so worth it in the end". Well I am not laughing anymore- even though I know it is "all so worth it in the end".

I get sick an average of 5-6 times a day. Some days less... some more. Some days I cannot get out of bed. I can barely work a full day.

I have missed 9 days in the last pay period. And I have run out of all sick, vacation, and comp. days... So these are all unpaid days. (OK 5 of those were unpaid vacation to St. Lucia! but still the others were not)

I want to quit my job. I love everyone here and I like what I do (most days), but driving 30miles to work and 30 miles home while I am so weak and tired has me honestly concerned for my health.

It is not realistic for me to leave my job right now. It is nice to have the extra money right now.. so leaving is just not an option. Yet.

I have been eating whatever I think will stay down lately... BLT's worked for a while. Random right? Well they don't work anymore... So I am looking for a new thing to eat. Thoughts?

Last week I posted on "Facebook" asking people any suggestions as to what helps with "morning sickness"... the responses were overwhelming! and I was so thankful for them all... except that most said "Saltines".
I HATE, loathe, despise, all Saltines. I honestly think that they are one thing I will never be able to eat again.

Some people said to call the Dr to get prescription meds... The Dr. has given me Zofran and Phenagran. (BOTH are safe to take during pregnancy) However Zofran doesn't work anymore as I cannot keep it down. Phenegran does... but it will leave me passed out and unable to move- let alone drive a car.

So this sounds like a lot of complaining over here- but really... So many people go through this with every single pregnancy. I have heard of some people being sick up until their baby comes! I have also heard that people start to feel better when they are 16-18 weeks.
I am hoping that this ends in the next few weeks. I am not sure how much more JM can take from me right now. He is just happy that I am still working right now, I think. Because he knows if it were up to me I would be in bed or on the couch right now and that I would have most likely quit last week.

In other news... some positive news!
My parents are in Ireland and I am so excited for them to be having a great time!

I am excited to say that we (more like JM and a shovel) have fixed up the front yard! Pictures to come... It looks SO wonderful! and I am sure that our neighbors are much happier with us now!

I am MOST excited to have learned that Osama Bin Laden has been taken down! GO USA! Thank you to all of the men and women who have served, who are serving, and who will serve our Country. I hope that this means that we are closer to the end of a war. I still remember where I was on 9-11. I was in Art class in high school... It was one of the scariest days and one I will never forget. Do you remember where you were?

Now hopefully I will make it through today at work. I have lost the battle with breakfast...
Anyone else have any suggestions for morning sickness? Please keep in mind that I am lactose- intolerant, HATE SALTINES, and anything with ginger makes my tongue swell (Gingerale was not so bad, but I have lost that battle too many times and it is on the black list!).
Damn I am a mess.

One day I will do cute "bump pictures" with the size of fruit that the baby is and weekly updates... Sunday I started the second trimester and am 14 weeks. Baby is the size of a lemon in case you were wondering!

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Monday!

Leaving on a jet plane...

2011-04-14T08:54:00.010-04:00

Saturday morning we are off...

and this is where we are going...

Knowing me this is where we will be the whole time...

Or here...

and we are going to have these in our hands the ENTIRE time...
VIRGIN for me of course!

and I know that you are jealous... because I am going to order a side of this with EVERY meal...
Maybe... maybe not. But then again I gotta get my money's worth if I am not drinking on this trip!

We leave on Saturday and cannot wait until we get there. I have been mentally "checked out" of work pretty much all week- and you know what? I don't even care or feel one bit guilty. This trip has been planned for SO long now that not a single thing can make this a bad trip.

But now do we call this a Honeymoon? or a Baby moon? This is the last trip that JM and I will be taking before we are a family of 3... so I guess that it kinda is both. And we are perfectly fine with that!
OR maybe we can take a long weekend away somewhere... Hint hint, JM

The day that we leave I will be 12 weeks... and hopefully this morning sickness will all be gone. I have my 12 week appointment tomorrow. I am so excited to hear Lil Bunny's heart beat, and to tell them that last night I couldn't keep anything down...

Today is going to be a great day... because I am going to let my mind float away to St. Lucia!

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Wednesday Randoms

2011-04-06T14:44:00.004-04:00

and it already feels like this has been the longest week in history. But that could just be because EVERYONE in Atlanta (andin my office) is on Spring Break right now! Which I do not mind at all because traffic is SO much lighter.

I don't know why but it feels as if the days are creeping by a little slower... and I don't know how I feel about that just yet. Part of me is loving it, but the other part of me is pretty tired and in bed at 8... even if the sun is still out.

This is going to be a random post so stick with me while I get it all out. This is what I am looking forward to over the next few weeks...
I need to write it all out and be positive because this little baby has me running to the "Porcelain God" every few hours right now... and it's not fun when you work from 8-5!

This weekend is the Brave's Home Opener! That I am so excited about it, I cannot even wait. Now I am not the biggest fan of watching every.single.game. on TV like JM (and my PaPa) does... but I do love going to the games... and it makes me even more excited just to see JM act like a little kid walking into the stadium for the first time every year.

Next week we have my 12 week Dr appointment. I am so excited about this! I am hoping and praying that after these 12 weeks pass that the "sickness" does too!

On the 12 week mark we are flying to St. Lucia!!!! YAY! We are so excited about FINALLY getting to go on our honeymoon... There WILL be pictures of that for sure!
We will be in paradise for a week, and honestly I don't know if I will ever want to come back to "real life".

After that I am going away for a much overdue girl's weekend to Smith Mountain Lake. It is the most beautiful lake I have ever been to. Plus it will be so nice to catch up with some wonderful friends. Chelsey, Jean Gray, Whitney, Erin and myself

April is booked solid, and it seems that I never know how this even happens. We make too many plans and we are always busy. Not to mention, I cannot even believe that it is already April. How did that happen? Where did the time go?

Before you know it I will be home with a baby and wrapping presents for Christmas...
Have I mentioned how amazing that is going to be to have a little one come Christmas! I cannot even wait to meet lil Bunny who is making me miserable right now!

AND guess what I am doing this Saturday morning??? Going to the Marietta Square Farmer's Market! I cannot wait to get fresh veggies and fruit all from local growers!

Give me a shout if you are going to be there too!

Hope that today was not too random for you and I hope that you are all having a wonderful week...

Go Braves!

Meet Lil Bunny...

2011-03-28T13:12:00.005-04:00

This is Little Baby McCracken.

Last week we had our first ultrasound! It was the coolest thing I think I have ever seen.... A real living baby. A perfectly healthy heart beat. A little brain developing. Such a tiny little thing. The size of a kidney bean.

So I guess it is time that I do one of those question things... About the baby of course. And no in case you are wondering this blog will not be all about the little baby. It will still be about our lives and the madness that goes along with being a newlywed! Of course there will be a few baby ones in here though- maybe a once a week survey... Like so many others have done before me...

Here we go!

*How far along?: 9 Weeks 2 days

*How big is baby?: The size of a grape!

*Sex: Going to erase this one soon- but we are NOT finding out! We have made it clear to all that know in IRL that we want the surprise- so if you have an opinion- please, PLEASE keep it to yourself... I am hormonal and if you feel the need to call OUR baby a "he or she" then I might kill you. :) We will also let the Dr and U/S tech as well know that we DO NOT WANT TO KNOW!

*Maternity clothes: Not yet... I am a little "thicker in the middle", but just bloated. The Bella Band is a life saver right now! Buttoning my low rise jeans is over-rated right?!?!?

*Stretch marks: Not yet... However I have heard many things on this- if you are genetically prone to them (i.e. your momma got them) then you will get them. Well I have a few already for the ups and downs over time... Do I care? Not so much- but will I try to prevent my stomach looking as if a wild cat got to it? Duh... the answer is hell yes! So any advice of lotion, oils, hell even magic spells? I will take it! Right now just cocoa butter for my extra dry skin!

*Sleep: OK... Right now Tilly (our kitty) thinks that she has to be with me all the time. She sleeps all over me or right in between my legs. She is SO sweet, but it is keeping me up. OH and having to pee all night long keeps me from falling right back to sleep... Oh well. I have a theory that Tilly knows that there is a baby in there, and that she is protecting me... and the pee thing- well just to prepare me to get up every night once LBM gets here. Right?

*Movement:Not yet, but but I cannot even wait for that!

*Food cravings: NO... More like Food Aversions. I will think that I want something only to have it make me sick a minute later. Nothing even sounds good right now.

*Labor signs: N/A

*Belly button in or out: Still in.

*What I miss: Not much yet... I miss not being SO tired. I don't miss the alcohol or anything... But I will miss a cute bikini in St. Lucia! (The girls are WAY out of control!)

*What I'm looking forward to: My next appointment! April 15th! Then the next day we will announce it to the world and leave the country! YAY for St. Lucia! It will be SO nice to get away and relax for a while week!!!

Best moment of the week: Last week it was meeting Lil Bunny McCracken (LBM) and seeing a healthy heartbeat! We also got some great pictures like the one above! It was also getting put on Zofran for the nausea... it is helping some. And this week it was dinner last night. We went our to Alfredo's in Buckhead for my Mom's birthday dinner! We missed chip but it was a great time! and the garlic bread was to die for.

So this past weekend was AMAZING. We left Friday and headed to South GA to see some friends and family and have a good time. That we did for sure! More on that tomorrow...

Hope you are having a Happy Monday!

Morning, Noon, and Night. AND The Waiting Game

2011-03-18T11:12:00.003-04:00

Sickness...

I DO NOT get why in the hell anyone ever called it "Morning Sickness"... because clearly over here it is morning, noon, and night.

Tomorrow I will be 8 weeks. I cannot even believe that right now. It is just so crazy to think that we are having a baby!
Thank you all so much for your sweet comments last week and thank you for keeping the secret. I promise to start "Bump Pictures" after this appointment. To be honest, there is a little one starting, but it is more "bloat" than "bump".

We have our second appointment on Tuesday next week, where we will get to meet Lil Bunny and hear a heart beat! We cannot even wait. I cannot even stand it right now... I wish that I had taken an appointment this week. But then again, JM has been so busy at work, we knew that he would be able to get there on Tuesday. I couldn't imagine him not being there!

BUT back to the waiting part...
I have figured it out that pregnancy is a waiting game. 9 (really 10) months of waiting to meet the greatest love of your life.
Right now I am waiting to see if the rest of my breakfast is going to come back to haunt me in a minute... This morning it was to see if I am going to throw up before or after my shower. Gross huh?

Then I will be waiting to announce it on Facebook at 12 weeks. We have a plan for that which includes us posting it as we board a plane to St. Lucia for a week. That way we can just turn the phones off... So you must keep the secret until then.
Speaking of St. Lucia, yes we are still going. A few have asked, and honestly it is is going to be a blast! I will get to eat what I want, get a massage, and be in the sun! Just because I cannot drink doesn't mean that I cannot have a VIRGIN daiquiri. Plus I am not a big drinker to begin with.
I just hope that the nausea and sickness goes away by then...

Another thing we are waiting on... Finding out the sex.
Some of you are saying- "You are crazy! Why would you want to do that?" "You will want to find out because you will be impatient" "What about the nursery?" "what about the clothes?!?!"
Umm yeah, I have heard it all by now, and your questions are making me want to wait until Lil Bunny makes his/her grand appearance this Halloween even more.
So that is what we are going to do.
We are going to wait until Lil Bunny is born to find out, because I cannot think of a better surprise than that... I cannot wait for JM to scream out "It's a ______!!!!!"
I get all teary just thinking about that moment!

But until then we wait...
We wait for the sickness to pass, wait for the next 7-8 months to go by fast and worry-free, and we wait for the greatest joy of our lives to come and meet us.

Promise to be back on Tuesday with all of the news of the appointment!

It is going to be beautiful this weekend in Atlanta, I hope that everyone goes out an enjoys it! I sure will be...

Have a Happy Friday everyone!

Friday's Secrets....

2011-03-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

Well I don't even know where to begin... I have been a slacker here.
We have a lot going on right now with home projects and just life in general that there has not been time for me to sit and unwind here. And I have not had much to write!
We have just been living in the moment and taking it all in.... There have been lazy days and SUPER busy days.

There are a few more weddings this year... So far we have 3. Not nearly as many as last year, but weddings are SO much fun and the perfect date night with JM that we cannot wait to celebrate with friends. I will definitely write about those! There is nothing more wonderful than two people finding true love.

And there are a few more things going on this year... We will have our 1 Year Anniversary!
It is so great that Halloween is truly our weekend. We always get to dress up and we know that there will always be a party! Maybe we should throw parties on Halloween!!!

We met on a blind date on Halloween (10-31-08)
He proposed the following Halloween (10-29-09)
We got married Halloween Weekend! (10-30-10)
THIS Halloween we are going to have a baby. Est Due Date is 10-29-11.

See a pattern here? Pretty sure that it is sign that it was all meant to be.

And that is also why I have been MIA.

More on that next week. I promise to answer questions and everything...
We are over the moon excited and cannot wait!

Have a WONDERFUL weekend! We will be relaxing and doing some MUCH needed Spring cleaning!

xoxo

Recipe Thursday- A day LATE!!!

2011-02-25T13:55:00.002-05:00

I am so sorry that I didn't get a recipe up yesterday! I am a total slacker right now!
I feel terrible about it because... Well Ashley said that she really needed a new recipe!!!!
Sorry Ashley- it is Friday.

Well we have been busy, and I have a wonderful excuse... I have not planned a meal all week!!! We have had sandwiches, soup, whatever is left in the house...

See I don't want to go grocery shopping unless we HAVE TO GO now. What happens is I go once a week, get too much, then go again the next week! So I am going to start going through the cabinets and coming up with meals.
Last night we had quesadillas... We had the cheese, tortillas, onion, and peppers.
I threw the sliced onion and sliced peppers in a pan sauteed for 5 minutes. Rinsed the pan and added some butter to it. Threw in the tortilla, added the onion and peppers and cheese... fold tortilla in half to cover the inside and then flipped.
Done.
but does that sounds like a recipe that I am going to give you that is wonderful and tastes great? Why hell no I am not.

So here is a better recipe that we make all the time.

Jalapeno Chicken!
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine. (It is equally as light because we dont do anything but add more jalapenos!)

What ya need:
2 chicken breasts
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 fresh jalapeno; sliced ad removed the seeds(Do NOT use the pickled kind that are in a jar. and use 2 if you like the heat like we do!)
8 oz of Pepper Jack Cheese; Shredded. (You have to get the whole 16 oz. block but only use half!)
Pam cooking spray

What ya do:
Rinse chicken and pat dry and put on a plate.
Sprinkle chicken with taco seasoning on both sides. (Use all of it!)
Spray the chicken with Pam. (Totally sounds weird, but it makes the seasoning stick as well as the chicken not stick to your pan!)
In a non stick pan, cook chicken on both sides. Do not add oil... or anything else.
Once the chicken is cooked through add the jalapenos to the top and add the cheese on top of the peppers.
Cover with a lid until the cheese is all melty and cheesy-goodness.

We serve this chicken dish with "Lipton's Rice Sides" the Mexican Rice one... easy as can be and wonderful!

So there you have it Ashley! Low Calorie as well as delish!

PS: I thought that you might like it because you LOVE some spicy food!

Well I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. We have a date night tonight! YAY!
Also I am getting to go to some of my FAVORITE places ever this weekend! First Surin, then The Colonnade with my PaPa tomorrow for lunch and then to a new place Vintage Pizza Saturday night. AND then Oysterfest on Sunday! Even though I don't like Oysters I hope that they have shrimp!

It is going to be a wonderful weekend! I hope that you all enjoy it as well!

xoxo

and I am back!

2011-02-23T08:48:00.003-05:00

Sorry it has been so long since my last post!

We have been super busy in the House of McCracken! We have a ton of home re-do's planned, and just this week added a few more to this list. It is going to be so wonderful when it is all said and done.

I am sorry for the lack of posting, but we were SICK. I am talking cannot get out of bed, coughing so much that I lost my voice, aches- chills- fever... Basically my worst nightmare.
It lasted from Tuesday until Saturday night. So that is why there was not a recipe last week! Nothing even tasted the same so I didn't want to put soup from a can on here.
Lets just say that I would not even wish that sickness upon my worst enemy.

In other news...

I don't have much to talk about. We are doing WONDERFUL. Life is so much better than expected.

We are going to do a recipe this week, but I am sorry if there are not any pictures... we are still trying to think of what might taste great!

We do have a date night planned this weekend and I am really excited about that. We are going to one of my favorite places in the world. Surin of Thailand! Have you been there Atlanta people? It is in Virginia Highlands (which is called VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS... do not call it "the highlands" because that is in the mountains of NC! this upsets Atlantans who have been here their whole lives! Like "Lenox Square" It is NOT to be called Lenox Mall! EVER! It is called Lenox SQUARE! end of rant) and it is by far the best Thai food I have EVER had!
There is so much on our calendar for 2011 already! With more weddings, parties, and life in general there is hardly been time for a date night. Plus with the weekends we do have left open, I want to keep them open! Not make plans! and just relax... I just want to sit back and enjoy the ride!

Hope that you all are having a WONDERFUL week! I know that we are!

xoxo

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T11:35:00.007-05:00

Happy Love Day to all of you out there!!!

We had a great weekend. The best in a while! We were busy NON-STOP.

Friday night we went to Macon to see Bob and Brittany.

We also went to Macon to see JM's Mom and get the piano! It is beautiful... I cannot wait to start playing again. Now I just have to sit there and re-teach myself the basics... My old piano teacher would be so proud!

Saturday once we got back we headed over to Ballard Backroom. It is a division of Ballard Designs. IT. WAS. AMAZING. See we have been looking for a Hutch for the Living Room for a LONG TIME. OR ever since we got married. And we found it... We also found a few other pieces of furniture as well...

This is what we got each other for Valentine's Day.

And for you... a little before and after! (Sorry all of the picture are iPhone shots! we were so busy we didn't even take out the camera this weekend!)

This is a BEFORE-Before Picture... we will call this Pre-K as in Pre-Katie
Then it was this...I guess considered a Before
AND NOW...
Sorry I couldn't get it all in one... see the piano? YAY!!!

The Foyer got a new table...

Before
After

We got another table for the upstairs hall way, replaced the coffee table in the Family Room... and we spent WAY less than we thought we were even going to spend on the hutch! WAY WAY LESS! While everything in there was a steal... you must know that it is more of a "scratch and dent" place. Which means we will be getting some furniture pens and fixing it up.

Last night we celebrated with a very romantic dinner of Shrimp and Scallops with Creamy Grits and a Sherry Cream Sauce. JM did a wonderful job with dinner. That is what we had on our first Valentine's Dinner...Should be a tradition from now on!

and I made JM's family recipe for Pound Cake with berries and cream. Was AMAZING...

Tonight we are making PIZZA with family! Fig and Prosciutto Pizza and a Pepperoni Pizza as well! Maybe that will be Thursday's Recipe Challenge!

What are you doing tonight? Did you celebrate this weekend?

I hope that everyone has a wonderful day filled with love!

Cooking with the McCracken's Thursday

2011-02-09T19:57:00.015-05:00

Once upon a time, I met a man. I fell in love. He knew the way to my heart, which just so happens to be the same way I got to his heart. Through his stomach.

I love JM for so many reasons, but there is one I am thinking of now. The man can cook.

Here is one of the many recipes that he taught me when we were dating. It makes me fall more in love with him.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

What ya need:

4-6 Boneless- Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 cans of diced tomatoes
Chicken Stock (I used the liquid that I boiled the chicken in. 2 bay leaves, 4 chicken bouillon cubes Hey it works for me!)
1 bag of Red Beans and Rice
Chili Powder
Onion (if you have it)
Jalapeno (again if you have it)

What ya do:

Bring the chicken broth to a boil. At the same time... get the red beans and rice on the stove.

Once the chicken is done, remove from pot. Place in a separate bowl, and add a ton of chili powder. A ton. That is a measurement you know and not to be confused with shit-ton.

Add the two cans of tomatoes and onion to the chicken broth.

Add the Red Beans and Rice to the pot.
Then shred the chicken and return to the pot.

Bring it all to a boil and then serve!

Serve with these: Shredded Pepper Jack and Cheddar Cheese. Tortilla Chips (not pictured)

OR you can serve with Jalapeno Cornbread!!!

What ya need:
1 box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1 Egg
Milk (I cannot remember how much- it says on the back of the box!)
1 1/2 Cup of Cheddar Cheese Shredded
1 Can of Mexi-Corn
1/2 Fresh Jalapeno
1 or 2 tbsp of pickled Jalapenos. Juice and all!

What ya do:
Make the mix exactly as it says on the back of the box.
Once that is made, let sit for 3-4 minutes
Fold in the remaining ingredients. GENTLY. I only used a cup of cheese in the batter and 1/2 for sprinkling on top before it goes in the oven.
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. OR until it is golden brown on top!
I will look like this...
ummm I had to have some of it. Just a taste- the corners are my favorite...

Well I hope that you enjoy this for dinner... OR you can make it and freeze it! Let us know what you think....

PS. JM wants you to make sure to add hot sauce when you eat the soup. He says Texas Pete... it is one of his favorites.

PPS. Isn't my camera bad- ass?!?!?! I am in love with it. But not as much as I love JM for showing me this recipe.

Have a great Thursday!!!

America the Beautiful...

2011-02-09T15:59:00.003-05:00

Well this is what I woke up to on Saturday morning. It was beautiful.

This past weekend we went to Blue Ridge, GA. We had a great time! The house we stayed in was beautiful... was a Log Cabin style house. But the views, they were perfect...
Amy did a wonderful job picking out the place and organizing the whole trip! Thank you Amy.

We got there late Friday and left around noon on Sunday. There was good food, great drinks, and the best of friends there. It was relaxing. We had no plans but to relax and enjoy each others company.
I am sure that it will be once a year trip from now on... minus a few of the things. But that is another story for another time.

Other than the mountains... we do not have much going on in our lives right now. This weekend we are headed to Macon on Friday night to pick up a piano! YAY! It has been in JM's family for a while and we want to keep it that way... It will be perfect in the living room. Now I just have to get out the books again and teach myself the basics again. I will re-learn. I want for our (future) children to be able to play.
I want the house to be full of music.
Now to think of someone who can tune a piano. There is nothing worse than an out of tune piano.
Saturday night I am going out for a best friends Bachelorette Party. It is going to be a blast! Dinner with the girls is just what I need!

Well sorry to be so short and lame, but I don't feel that great. Something is just off... no idea...

Well I hope that everyone is having a wonderful week.

There will be a new edition to Cooking with the McCracken's tomorrow... Chicken Tortilla Soup! AND Brandi Nell- The Fish recipes are coming! we go to a Fish Cookery class at the Viking Store on the 19th! So you will all get the recipes from that too!

Apparently it is going to snow tonight... Hopefully the weather man is wrong about GA this time getting snow.

Recipe 1..... Lets give this a try!

2011-02-04T09:34:00.007-05:00

So last night I had full intentions to post this... HOWEVER. I had to make 6 pounds of chicken salad and 5 pounds of pimento cheese for this weekend. We are leaving to go to the mountains with some friends in Blue Ridge, GA right after work to celebrate a great friend's Birthday! Happy Birthday Jason!

Also I didnt hear back from anyone on my post about doing a recipe a week... Hello? This thing on? Anyone out there? I need a name for this recipe thing!

Well today is Maple Mustard Pork Chops. We adapted this recipe from Cooking Light Magazine. Needless to say, it might not be so "light" anymore. BUT it is damn good- and that is all I know.

So here we go... Get out your pots and pans friends.

What ya need:
4 (6 oz) Bone in Center Cut Pork Chops- (JM wants you to make sure to get THICK Pork Chops- they complete him.) (OR you can do this with ONE Pork Tenderloin)
2 tablespoons of butter
4 shallots (or more) diced.
1 1/2 cup of chicken stock
1/2 cup of dijon mustard
1/2 cup of maple syrup. (OK you HAVE to use the "Grade B Maple Syrup" it is not as sweet- trust me here!)
3 tablespoons of fresh flat leaf parsley (or you can just toss in a handful like I do!)
Salt and Pepper (duh.)

What ya do:
In a sauce pan you will make marinade and the sauce. (Chill out- they are the same thing.)
Season BOTH SIDES of the pork chops with salt & pepper and sit aside...

Over medium- high heat begin to melt the butter. Once the butter melts toss in the shallots and add some salt and pepper. Let cook for 3-4 minutes.
Then add chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil.
Once it is boiling, whisk in mustard and maple syrup.
TASTE. I know it is hot, but taste it. You have to check the seasonings- and make sure you like it! If it needs more mustard, add it. If it needs more maple syrup add it. Make sure seasonings are right. If you would like it to be a little sweeter- then add a tablespoon of brown sugar. Again trust me on that one! Delish!
Let this boil for 5 minutes and reduce heat to low. This is when you toss in the parsley. If you dont like parsley- then you are missing out and dont add it. If you love it- go crazy with it.

This is fun right? crickets... hello? anyone out there today?

Once you add the parsley and it cooks down for about 15 minutes turn off the heat and cool to room temperature.
You will use half of this for the marinade and the other half to cook the meat in!

Once it has cooled down pour half over the pork. And let sit for at least an hour or more if you have time.

Get out your Dutch Oven! We want to sear the pork on BOTH SIDES! If you do not have a Dutch Oven , then use a deep frying pan, or cast iron skillet. (We do this IN the Dutch Oven and on the grill. JM's Big Green Egg also completes him.)

To sear the pork chops, drizzle a little bit of olive in the bottom of the HOT Dutch Oven (or pan) and place meat in there side by side. Cook meat on both sides until it has caramalized on both sides. You dont want to cook the meat through. Remove the pork from the pan.
Add the other half of the sauce to the Dutch Oven/pan and bring back up to a boil. If you need to add more chicken stock, mustard, or maple syrup this is the time to do it!
Once it has reached a boil, return the meat.

Then you will cook the meat though while it bathes in the goodness of the sauce. This is key to keep the meat moist and tender. It is KEY to pretty much have the bone fall right out!
Cook for about 20 minutes in the sauce.

Serve the Pork on a platter and cover it with the remaining sauce that was in the pan. Dont waste all of that goodness. You will regret it!

This goes great with Sweet Potatoes and green beans... Just sayin'

MOST OF ALL... Dont forget to say "thank you" when everyone tells you how wonderful of a cook you are!

NOW you have to let me know what you think...
Remember this is not the "Cooking Light" 300 calorie version. There's was boring and without butter. I can give it to you if you want, but hell, everything is better with butter. My pants may not agree... but I didnt ask them anyways.

In other news: Look what I did.

NO it is NOT a wig. My hair really is THAT long. For all for $13 whole dollars I got 2 boxes of hair dye and I cut my hair myself. JM talked me into the bangs, and I love them so far... We will have to see.
As for the long hair. When does hair get TOO long??

I hope that you all enjoyed this first installment of the Recipe of the Week. Let me know what you want to see next!

Have a great weekend!

It's been a week....

2011-02-02T09:53:00.004-05:00

and I have been MIA for a week.

We have not done that much lately... but we did start on a little home project. Well to clarify, it was all JM and my Dad. I sat, watched, cooked for them, and cleaned the kitchen. Do you really think that they would trust me with a saw? No I didn't think so... Hell I dont even trust myself with a saw.

Here are some pictures from this weekends project: A built-in bench in the bay window.

We still are not done with this project...

We still have to add some decorative trim to the front as well as sand, prime, and paint. I am thinking of doing a glaze over some ivory paint to give it that "shabby chic" look, but I am not sure. I do have all of the fabric picked out for the pillows and cushion that will cover the top of the bench.

I just love that we will have another place for storage in the kitchen! We have gotten some lovely wedding gifts, however we didn't have ANYWHERE for us to store them. So the bench will be perfect! Plus it is HUGE!

Other than the bench, we have not been doing much... taking it easy I guess.

I have had a few thoughts over the past few weeks though. I want this blog to be... well, more.

Let me explain.

This is a place for me to share my thoughts and ramblings about what we have going on in our lives and I love that! BUT we also cook... A LOT. Not only do we love cooking, we love cooking for other people. We take pride in what we serve each other as well as everyone else who enters the McCracken House. So I think that once a week I am going to start doing a recipe. See how it goes.
This will not turn into a cooking blog, but maybe just maybe once a week I could share a tried and true recipe with everyone.
Now there is a catch... I want YOU to tell me what you want to cook. What would you like to see? A chicken dish, because you are tired of making the same chicken over and over? OR how about a new pork, beef, or even veggie dish???
This will help not only us try a few new things and branch out, but I think that it would be great for all of you to have a new recipe as well...

What do you think? I need some feed back here? I know that there are only 33 of you reading this... But that means at least 33 new recipes right?

What do you think? JM and I were talking about it, and maybe just maybe I could even get him on here to give some of his recipes up too!

This little blog has brought me so much joy over the past however-many months. Hell I even made a wonderful friend or pen pal so-to-speak! I would have never met her if it were not for this wonderful space where I share it all.

Now I guess it is time to spread some of that joy... So email me or share here on what kind of recipe you would like to appear here. ALSO help me think of a name for this "weekly challenge" that we are taking on...

I am thinking of posting this on Thursday's. So tomorrow's post will be....

MAPLE MUSTARD PORKCHOPS. They are TO. DIE. FOR.

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday.

xoxo

A fresh page...

2011-01-24T15:56:00.007-05:00

So what do you think???
Well I am in LOVE with the new design that Penny Lane Designs has come up with! It is a Prefab Design that I fell in love with!
The yellow and gray- perfect! and EXACTLY what I was looking for!

If you are in need of a face life- for your blog of course- then hop on over to her site! It is wonderful!

So did everyone have a wonderful weekend? I DID!

Saturday started with a shopping trip to the fabric store with my mom! We went to Forsyth Fabric and Lewis & Sheron Fabrics over off of Howell Mill (from those of you familiar with Atlanta!) We got a TON of samples for the house. I have some wonderful ideas... now to put them into motion!

Speaking of ideas into motion... We did a little work around the house!

Starting with a little makeover on some chairs...

Before:

After:

These are obviously our dining room chairs... I just love the formal print. JM's mom had this left over from a project! So it was FREE! (Of course JM's mom did the chairs... I was a little scared with the Air Compressor attached to a staple gun! So I cannot take the credit!) I will learn though...

AND Can you believe that we have a TON I mean a TON of this left...

(That is JM under all of that fabric! It was twice as long as the living room! We have a ton left- I see drapes next!)

After me and my mom went to the fabric store we tried out a new restaurant that we had heard RAVE reviews about... Flip Burger Boutique. It was amazing. One of the best burgers in Atlanta.
Here are a few shots from lunch Saturday!

(My Burger- Bacon and American Cheese)

(Mom's burger- Blue Cheese and pickled shallots)

(Handcut fries and Vodka battered Onion Rings- taste better than beer batter)

(Nutella Milkshake with Toasted marshmallows!- that was AMAZING!)

Now that was NOT part of my OR my mother's diet plan... but damn it was good!
If you are in the Midtown area you must check it out! There will be a line- but it is oh-so-worth it!

Next up... The Craft Room!

I DID take pictures... but of course you will have to come back to read more on that later! I don't have the "Before" pictures with me now... and what fun would that be to only see it finished!

I hope that everyone had a great weekend... We sure did!

xoxo
PS. I might actually be getting the hang of this blogging thing... See that? there are links in this post!

Happy Monday! (and you know I never say that!)

Friday Fun...

2011-01-21T09:50:00.006-05:00

So I have not been around much lately because well... we don't have that much going on.

So here is some of the randomness that makes up our lives.

I have been eating this almost everyday this week for lunch... and it is AMAZING.

(Shot with iPhone 4 camera- pretty sweet huh?)

A veggie sandwich on a bagel.
But... it is SO MUCH MORE than that- AND keeps me full until dinner!
Here it is....

The cast of characters:
Sesame Bagel- toasted of course.
Onion and Chive Cream Cheese
Tomatoes (I can only find "Campari" tomatoes right now and they are amazing!)
Cucumber
Red Onion
Bean Sprouts
Spinach Leaves
Avocado

Directions
Toast Bagel and slice all of the veggies (except the bean sprouts and spinach)
Once bagel is done spread on cream cheese and let is melt a little (this is key to making it that much better!)
Then layer on veggies however you like. I found that it was easiest to put on tomatoes on first and stick them in the cream cheese really good so they stay put!
(Yes I do love how formal those instructions were- NOT!)
*** You can omit anything that you want- or add turkey too and it will be just as great!

(Shot with Hipstamatic camera for iPhone 4)

So that has been my obsession this week.

AND I have been looking at fabric for window treatments that JM's Momma is making for us! She is AWESOME! and if you are in the Atlanta area and are in need of some custom window treatments, then contact me!

Here is what I love...

Obviously I will not have a blue trim on them, but a gray-ish tan color on the trim...
I think that they are wonderful! These will go in the kitchen bay window (So there will be 3 of them) and we are also going to start building a bench in that window as well... Pictures to come my friends.

I have a ton of plans for this house... but of course we have to take it one room at a time.

Now I just need some graph paper to draw it all out! Or a design notebook to keep all of my ideas for our "Home Projects", fabric samples, and of course the many pictures that I am getting inspiration from.

Also in breaking news... this weekend I hope to get my craft room organized. Right now it is another Guest Room, but soon it will be a place where I can do nothing but create. I am also picking up my sewing machine and table from my parents...time to reteach myself how to sew! I hope that it has the instruction manual still!

I hope that you all have a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!

XOXO- Mrs. McCracken

and I am back!

2011-01-17T09:03:00.004-05:00

WOW! I have been MIA lately.

Well... WE GOT THE CAR from my last post! I absolutely love it! I feels so much more like driving a car then an SUV. JM loves it too!

So this weekend we went to Birmingham, AL to visit our dear friends Dave and Jill. We had such a great time! We were also SO GLAD to get out of our house! and I even got to watch a movie on the way there!(Twilight of course!) It was so nice to sit in the back and watch a movie while JM drove! (don't worry he got his turn on the way home to watch a documentary)

Last week, we were stuck at home (so was everyone else in Atlanta) for 3 days... and by day 2 we were ready to get out.

BUT a few good things can come from being at home and bored for so long.
We cleaned out the master closet!
We got the house back in order and clean.
We also went through the entire linen closet an refolded everything and have 5 trash bags now to donate!

Staying home was great, but I think that we were both ready to be back at work (and those words never fly out of my mouth!)

While we were home I didn't feel like even looking at a computer screen- I should have posted something while I had the time- OR I should have gotten my camera's software uploaded onto the computer....
Oh well. I did get 50+ Thank You notes done in ONE DAY! So this weekend I have to finish the rest and get them all mailed out!

ON to important news...
AS you may know JM and I love to cook or try new places. SO whenever we go out of town we like to try local restaurants... nothing chain because we can get that at home!
While in B'Ham we went to a place for brunch on Saturday (Help me JM- I cannot remember the name) and they had a BLOODY MARY BAR!
We each ordered one... and they bring you a glass of vodka on the rocks... Half full of course.
Then you go over to the side of the bar and they have a few different mixes to choose from and all of the fixings to go with them!
(OF course I had to have one...)
Mine was Whiskey Willy's with horseradish, tons of black pepper, a few pickled Okra, and a lime. No salt on the rim!
Was the best drink on a Saturday morning...

and now I am finding myself wanting one this morning... I mean shouldn't every office have a Bloody Mary Bar? No?... Oh well. Happy Monday.

xoxo-Mrs. McCracken

Happy.

2011-01-06T11:41:00.005-05:00

So the start of the new year has been wonderful.

We have been eating better at the McCracken house, going to the gym, and today...

Yup... Make-up. At my desk. Hey- at least I got it on!
I even look cute today and have straight hair!

I have done all of that because tonight... tonight we are celebrating!
It my dear friend Jamie's Birthday on Friday! That means a girls night, and I cannot wait. It is long over due and I need it so much.
So dinner and drinks tonight in Woodstock. I cannot wait!

Then this weekend... it is going to be HUGE. Well maybe. Hopefully.

Friday night I am cleaning out my car. It needs it. BAD.

This is Blue or the "Flexus" as JM says... I never gave her a name, but she has taken me down many paths in my life and been an awesome car.

Saturday...
Blue is getting replaced!
We hope! I love the car we have found, and according to JM, I am already in the car and off the lot! So we have to drive it, make sure that we love it, ya know all that jazz. BUT we have been talking with the dealership (JM's Best Man (Sam) works there, and has offered us a WONDERFUL deal, one that you do not refuse) and the car is perfect and EXACTLY what I was looking for!

Here she is... Meet the Lincoln MKX.

You can't say that she isn't pretty!

I am so excited to go and see it, drive it, and beg JM to let me have this one... I will even offer to drive on our next trip and let him sit in the back and watch a movie! That's right... there is a DVD player in the back! There is even heat and A/C seats! Really excited about that!
My Dad also has a Lincoln MKZ (the Sedan) and he loves it! Esp. the A/C Seats in the summer! Who ever thought to put A/C in a seat is a GENIUS!

We will see, I will keep you posted on the car... and take a ton of pictures if we leave with it.

This weekend we are also starting Project #1. Organizing the master closet- I can promise pictures to come on that. It is a disaster and I cannot believe that we have let it get this way. JM's areas are clean, mine not so much. Then again I do use all 4 of the closets in the house, so it is time for me to condense, get it all together and get back to being organized.

So 2011, I am ready for you. We are going to organize, clean, and start this already growing list of projects that will be completed this year. There are so so many projects that we want to do around the house... and I promise to do posts on all of them!

So watch out here we come!

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Thursday!

~Mrs. McCracken

I resolute...

2011-01-03T12:42:00.003-05:00

Now it is time for NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS... What is mine you ask?

I have a few...

1. Plan meals for us and cook much more. We have fallen into a routine where we do not think about dinner- we just say- "oh we dont have anything- OK I will stop and grab something on the way home." Now this place where we "stop and grab something" is not a health food store not even a grocery store. It is junk fast food. Pretty sick-nasty. I want to be able to make a few things in advance and be able to put them together and be able to have hot and fresh- most importantly healthier meals on the table once we get home as well.
(Doesn't seem too hard now does it?) Add to this… Lose weight by eating healthier. And put the gym membership to good use… going to the gym AT LEAST 4 times a week. Hell if I do not go straight from work- then I can find any excuse in the world as to why I should no leave the house after I am already home...

2. I want to start to dress nicer. At work, I can wear whatever I want. That means if I feel like wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt then I can (today I have on jeans, a t-shirt and a cardigan with my Uggs of course!) OR I can wear 6 inch heels and a skirt- that never happens. Let’s just say that I have fallen into a pit of despair... Jeans, yoga pants, or leggings, and whatever is clean on top. Lets just say that these feet have not seen a pair of the many Stuart Weitzman’s that are collecting dust in the closet either. I would like to come home and have JM say- "Oh wow you look beautiful today." (He says it now, but I would like to dress much better if not just for him at least for myself)

So we will have to see what 2011 will bring… I am hopeful that it brings much more than dressing nicer, losing a few lbs, and even cooking more…

And of course to add to my list…

3. I need to blog more, and get better at it. I mean I have a badass computer at home that gets barely any love, and a kick ass camera that I need to use and get the software installed on my computer pronto! I need to get better at blogging, photography, and documenting our lives. I need to share more… share what I am feeling, thinking, and seeing… There is just so much that I want to say sometimes. But I never know what kind of reaction I could get….

For instance… (and since I am in a sharing mood) I want a family in 2011… as in a family of 3.
Before I met JM, I never wanted kids. I wanted to move to NYC and never look back… Well life changes. I fell in madly in love with a man who lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, and damn I fell hard. Head over heels hard. Since then I knew that I wanted a family once we got married. Seriously that is what love can do to someone. Hell, it made me want a baby- like yesterday. (Don’t worry, JM knows all of this!) But we still do have a honeymoon to go to in April… and I want to be able to have a great time, in a bikini (hence the #1 goal on this list) and be able to drink and eat what I want… But my dream would be to get pregnant on that trip, even though it is not likely as things do take time…

See bet a few of you might not have known that about me? (Hell I cannot believe how great it just felt to type that….)

A goal of mine is to be more candid and open on this blog. Not for all 27 of you followers, but for myself. I need it. I need to be able to write and know that it is out there… I put it out there so that maybe my dreams and thoughts can be put into actions…

One day, I am going to want to re-read all of this so that I will be able to remember. Remember every chapter of our lives. What I was thinking, feeling, etc.

But this year… it is full of new things for us, a new adventure around every corner, and I can smell it... a good year is in store for us... Another good chapter in the book of “Us”.

What are your resolutions for 2011? They can be anything… I mean the sky is the limit right? I want to know…

Tell me what it is you plan to do with your wild and precious life?

Happy New Year…
Xoxo~ Mrs. McCracken

My Husband... The Pear Thief.

2010-12-28T11:36:00.005-05:00

Every December my mouth starts to water for pears. Yes. Pears. The fruit you know?

Now these pears are the most wonderful things that you will ever eat. I am not kidding. They will melt in your mouth. I could go in to great detail as to what these pears will do to you and you life, but my family reads this too... We can just say that they will make your "hiney tingle".

They are from Harry and David. A place where they supply the Gods of the world with their fruit. No lie. And they don't even know that I am writing this- sorry Harry and David but the fruit is divine.

Every single year, the week of Christmas my dad and I go shopping for my mom for Christmas, and every year we go to The Avenue (an outdoor shopping mall) and get a few boxes of these pears.It is our tradition, PLUS they are on sale that week... and I am sorry Harry and David, but $29.99 for 8 pears is a little insane. I might pay it, but still I would rather wait until they are $14.99.

Well this morning JM and I had one pear left. We were going to split it last night, but just wanted to go to bed.... cut to this morning.
I took an apple when I left the house. Now I was going to take the pear, but I knew that he would be upset (yes I will cry over a pear) so I decided that I would leave it and we could share it tonight...

Then I got the email.... HE TOOK THE PEAR. AND HE ATE IT. WITH OUT ME. WTF?!?!?

Here are the emails....

JM- "money talks baby...and I listen to it when it comes to this!(we are discussing why I should have wood grain in a new car- I think that I am fightin a losing battle there)
btw, I took the last pear...it was gonna go bad if I didn't eat it today!" (here is where I lose it...)

ME:
OH. MY. GOSH... now that my dear just broke my heart... the last pear??? I mean you could have eaten it tonight with me... it could have waited until tonight... that is not fair... pears talk to me... they are screaming for me to eat them... You are sucking that goodness away from me!!!!!!!! Oh WHY WORLD??? Why is this happening to me???? my husband will not let me have pears or wood grain... what is wrong with the world....

JM: you're funny!
the pear was screaming to me to take it this morning...there was a ray of sunshine gleaming down on it and that is all I saw when I came into the kitchen!
It would've totally been bad if we left it for tonight!
I HAD to eat it!

ME:That is it... I am blogging about this today... Title?
MY HUSBAND THE PEAR THIEF!

JM:it was calling my name honey!!!

ME:OH and all of this email will be cut and pasted it in there as well... I do not care if it was crying to you.... that was the last one... for the season... I even thought about taking it... BUT NO i took a crummy apple instead because I thought that we could share the pear....
The only 2 ways to make it up to me you ask??? (BTW he didn't ask I told him)
Oh they are giving me a baby... or a new car... take your pick. You stole the pear and now you must suffer the consequences...

JM: how about a cabbage patch doll and a barbie corvette?!
would that suffice?!

ME: Well since I cannot drive a Barbie Corvette on the streets nor can I breastfeed a cabbage patch doll.... no they will not work. I need life size and gas eating car... and milk drinking, air breathing baby... one that really cries and that you cannot just toss into a toy bin.

JM:well, I don't think I can grant that wish until next winter! sorry...
if its any consolation, the pear was pretty damn good! :o)

I love you...what do I want for lunch???

____________________________________________________

WHAT AN ASS. He STOLE the pear. AND I lost the battle... I didn't even have a chance. Mark my words JM darling... this will not be the last of the Battle of the Pears!

and now... I my soul has been sucked away with the last pear... over dramatic you say? Well have just ONE of these pears and they will change your life. You will hoard them for yourself- even though it is the season of giving... and when the last one is gone? and you didnt get to have even a bite of the last one? You will be stark raving mad. Just as I am this minute...

And that email? It really happened, I could not even make that up... Oh and I really do want a baby and a new car- I mean is that so much to ask for? HA! Hell yes it is and I know it...
We will start with the car first... I mean we do have a honeymoon to still go on.

Well for the rest of the day I will be cursing my husband about the damn pears... or not.

~Mrs. McCracken

It's The most wonderful time of the year...

2010-12-27T16:28:00.002-05:00

Well I am sad that Christmas is over.

I wish that it were all happening again next week, and the next, and the next. Get the picture here? I love Christmas time.
Everyone seems to be in a better mood and saying "Happy Holidays" (EVEN THOUGH- I always reply with a "Merry Christmas")And the music... Ask JM, it has to be Christmas music. I just wish that I had discovered the "Glee Christmas CD" before the 23rd! Next year...

This Christmas was a little bit different. Just as wonderful, but different. IT was time to make a new "Tradition".

It was our first Christmas, and we even got a "White Christmas" here in Georgia too!

We had Christmas Eve Dinner at my parents house. My mom is the best cook I know and she didn't let anyone down with her beef tenderloin, grilled shrimp, and too many sides to mention. My grandparents and my great-aunt Bunny came too! It was the whole family and to me.... Perfect.

We exchange a few gifts Christmas Eve with my grandparents PaPa and Ema (pronounced Eeeee-Ma. Hey I was little and I got to call her what I wanted to. "Grandma" apparently came out of my mouth in the form of "Ema" and it stuck.) Bunny is my Aunts real name. I would name my daughter that too... if I didn't already call JM, "Honey Bunny" or even for short just "bunny" instead of "honey" (hey I am a little weird OK?), then that might have been our future child's name.

Anyways... The night was perfect. We laughed, they drank (I still am never drinking again after that 4 day hangover) and we all had a great time.

Christmas day was the most different. To me at least. Now do not get me wrong, it was still perfect. Again it was the beginning of a new tradition for me and JM.
We woke up at our own house. Weird. I didn't wake up at my parents house and probably never will again on a Christmas morning. Weird right?
We opened gifts with each other at the crack of dawn. It was great. I love that we sat there like two little kids sitting in "Indian Style" under the tree and laughing and hugging. It was just us, our little family. Tilly and Baby Girl sat with us too.

Then we had to shower and get dressed with the quickness to get over to JM's mom's. We opened gifts there then went on to my parents. We ate breakfast with both sides of the family- We made a Baked French Toast Casserole from "Pioneer Woman" that was amazing and so easy to split the recipe in half- perfect since we needed two of them!

Then it started to snow. And it started to stick to the ground. Let me tell you... it does not ever do that here in Atlanta. So when it does people tend to freak out while driving and it causes a world of problems on the roads. Our goal was to get home and get off the roads and fast. Plus we didn't want to be out too late after dark.

We came home and had a Christmas dinner of SALAD- how not-Christmas is that? (We were going to have Christmas Ham at his moms- but the snow... the damn snow.)It was good and felt pretty good to eat something healthy and not get overly stuffed and miserable at dinner. (yes I know that everyone does that on the holidays! Don't lie!)

After that some of our wonderful friends came over and we ate candy, cookies, pistachios, and more candy all while playing "Catch Phrase". It was a blast. Have you ever heard of the game? If not, get up now and go buy it! It was so much fun... and we all stayed up WAY too LATE.

All in all it was a WONDERFUL Christmas. It was our first Christmas, and that made that much better. Not to mention... Santa (well everyone in our family) did a wonderful job at getting us the most perfect things... Me- a killer pair of boots and a cooking class at Viking that we get to go to together! JM- Cooking class and a 20 game pack of Braves Tickets!
Did I take pictures? No I didn't. Why? Because I was having too good of a time to even think about it... that will be a part of this weeks "resolutions" Stay tuned...

What about you? How was your Christmas? Did Santa bring you want you wanted?

xoxo, Mrs. McCracken

2010-12-16T10:47:00.002-05:00

So a little late in updating here.... and as usual, no pictures to follow either. I just do not have time for that right now. There is little time for anything around the holidays!

Last weekend we had a party at our house. A Tacky Sweater Party. It was a blast- from what I heard... I, and a few others as well, had WAY WAY too many Rumplemintz shots. I had done that once in college... and somehow I had forgotten that it was 100 proof alcohol. 100 Proof means you will forget anything that happens and have to be put to bed...
Needless to say, I have sworn off drinking for the rest of my life. No lie. I wanted to die on Sunday... and Monday... and even a little on Tuesday.
It is Thursday and I am just feeling like myself again.

Enough of that...

We had a great time, the clean up was a pain... but still worth the party!

This weekend we are at it again... another party. Hopefully this one will be a little more low-key. Not. What am I saying this one is JM's family party... and they are a BLAST! I still will not be drinking. At all. BUT at least that way I will know that there will not be that much of a mess to even clean up and that I will remember the end of the night as well...

Then next weekend... Christmas. Is everyone ready? Usually, I have pretty presents with pretty bows under the tree... Well not this year. I mean I have barely had time for every one's Thank You notes from the wedding! (BUT I have set a deadline on that one... January 15th. )

I have wrapped gifts, but they were all for the Adopt-A-Family that I mentioned in the last post! JM and I took the presents up there last week, and today they are delivering them to the organization... JM in a Santa Suit and ALL! I hope to get some pictures of that...

We have been so busy lately with so many little things at night that when we finally get done with house keeping it is time for bed... now if only it didn't takeover an hour to get home at night. Man, I am SO sick of this commute, I mean 60 miles. 60 MILES A DAY!!!! Over it. Big TIME.
One day... one day...

Well enough of my ranting, it is Christmas time and there is stuff to be done! Fun stuff like baking, wrapping, and of course finishing buying all of the gifts as well!!!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful day!

Mrs. McCracken

Families First... How can we make a difference?

2010-12-09T10:08:00.004-05:00

So the other day I got really upset.
Why you ask?

Well it started with reading a few different blogs. One person asked what we wanted for Christmas... Right before I was going to put something materialistic (read: Pair of Rebok shoes that tone my ass) I started reading what other people had put first. Of course there were things like a new camera, new shoes, new whatever... but the last two I read killed me. One was asking for more time with their families because they had stage 4 cancer, and the other was asking to not have her chemo on the 23rd because she knew she would be so sick and might miss her daughters first Christmas. This BROKE. MY. HEART. And I cried. At my desk.

Not only did this make me realize how lucky that I am, our families are, and all of our friends too. But it made me want to be able to help with whatever I can.

I remember growing up that my family and many in the neighborhood would each adopt a family from the Women's Shelter in Atlanta. My parents would take the mom shopping for her kids and themselves and make the biggest difference in their lives during the holiday season.
I cannot even remember why we all stopped the tradition...

(insert more crying here)

So of course I emailed JM with how upset I am about this, and started looking at all of the different ways that we could help this year. Toys for Tots, donations, anything to help...

Well turns out JM's company has sponsored a family through Adopt-A-Family this year! I was so excited when I get the family's list, sizes, etc. I decided that I should take one of the kids and get them some clothes, shoes, etc. UNTIL I called JM's offices front desk coordinator, Lorraine. I have not even met her and I am in love with this woman! She is just so sweet!!! I called her this morning to find out what they might need, and also to see what people have already given. (This is when I really started tearing up) She told me that there was only 1 gift under the tree for the family. A few books. Maybe. It could just be one. And that they are taking donations at her desk as well for a Wal-Mart Gift Card.
Let's just say I freaked out! ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME.
I know that they gave us a wish list, but this also means that if we have any gently used linens, or towels, or anything... it would be wonderful.

I know that not everyone has something to give, I know that the economy is shit right now, I know that people are worried about their job saftey, and Christmas for their own kids. I know all of this... I get it. I do not know one person who has not been hurt by this shit- economy.

But those that are doing great, just do not seem to care. OR hopefully they will be coming in late with last minute donations. Hopefully. I am hopeful. I really am...

Because when they all see me, the wife of an employee, show up with a car full of pretty packages for this family. I hope that they all shit themselves. Or at least feel bad enough to bring out their wallets and donate.

I called my mom to let them know about this family in need as well... and guess what? We are going shopping today for them.

This year I hope to make their Christmas great. Better than great. Target today... then tonight I will be going through my clothes since the girl just so happens to be around my size, the linen closet... anything that we may have to make their house a home.
AND Amy, a friend at work, just gave me TWO large bags of clothes for the daughter- that is for you Lorraine.

Since we have gotten so many wonderful wedding gifts, we have not taken the time to go through all of the stuff we had before. It is all almost new.. and it is going to all be going to a great place this Christmas!!!

I just wish that I could see the Christmas smiles that this family will have! I want nothing more than for this family to truly experience the magic in Christmas...

Are you doing anything to help this year? If so let me know! I want to hear! And if not- I hope that this post might have inspired a few of you to help as well. If you don't have a cause you want to help... let me know. You can help make this family's Christmas magic too!

~Mrs. Claus... I mean Mrs. McCracken

Trimming the tree and a little makeover...

2010-12-06T11:06:00.010-05:00

This was one of the best weekends I have ever had. It was SO productive!
Do you ever get that feeling... when the house is clean and everything is put away, that you have had a BILLION pound weight lifted off your shoulders?

Well that is how I am feeling RIGHT NOW!

Friday night was wonderful. Brian and Colleen, came over for a few drinks on their way to a football game... then we relaxed and went to bed early. Not a productive night, but was so nice to see them since we have not seen them in a while and to just RELAX. It was much needed and we knew that we had to get up early on Saturday...

Saturday morning I went up to see Pam Heagi. Since you do not know her... I can tell you a few things about her. 1. She is a ROCKSTAR! 2. She is THE BEST at her craft. 3. She can transform you into a BEAUTIFUL person in a few hours...

This is a picture of Pam, me (as a blonde), and our friend Beth.
as you can see... I had some serious blonde going on from the wedding... The damage was INSANE.

AND this is what Pam made me... A BRUNETTE.Sorry about the picture- however the camera on the new iPhone 4 is pretty awesome.

That was only in a matter of hours that she transformed me into a Sexy Brunette... Now not only does my hair feel better, but I do too! JM said that I was carrying myself differently... perhaps I feel a little sexier! AND I am EVEN wearing makeup!

I have been to SO many hair "Artists" over the years... and let me tell you... I WILL ONLY GO AND SEE PAM from now on. She is that wonderful. A Sheer Genius. And if you live in Atlanta- Quit going to see someone in Buckhead and make the trip to go see Pam. It was Oh-So-Worth-IT!

Saturday was my day to decorate! This year as I mentioned we are having a real tree and a fake one too! Here is the pretty fake one... This tree has all red and gold ornaments on it with an Angel on top!
I just love this tree... it is so pretty when you pass by the house you can see it from the street!

Now our real tree we went and got at Home Depot on Sunday morning. We went there last year to get one, and since they are beautiful trees- not to mention MUCH cheaper then going to a fancy place... but this year we added a little something to our Christmas Tree Tradition. We went to Waffle House for breakfast. It really was SO MUCH FUN... and the food- just the same greasy mess, which is always good. AND believe it or not... I would kinda like to keep that tradition and even take kids there one day. Sure Waffle House is right next to Home Depot and across the street from the "O" or Oasis: The Good Time Emporium. (AKA A trashy strip club) But it sure does make for some interesting people watching... maybe when the kids are older...

We came home and got started on the tree. I made a pot of Chili for dinner- delish, and got to cleaning as well.

The house was a WRECK. We had a dining room full of wedding gifts, and a living room full of stuff that we do not want. Well it is ALL put away! I even cleaned off the desk- and got going on the Thank you notes from the wedding! (If you are wondering why have you not gotten one... well WE are on it now! Will be there soon!)

IT feels SO great to have the house clean and decorated for Christmas. NOW bring on the parties!

This weekend we are having a tacky Christmas Sweater party then the following weekend we are having JM's Family Christmas Party! Both are going to be such a great time... I will keep you all posted with many pictures to come of both the parties, but for now... a few pictures for you!

(My favorite Ornaments- my parents got us these last year- They are a bride and groom)

(The German Couple from Helen GA- Last years Cabin Trip)

(Tilly and the Tree... She is being good- So far...)

and a little surprise for what is to come...

Hope that everyone had a very productive weekend- we sure did!!!!

~Happy Monday (and I never say that!) ~Mrs. McCracken

Christmas is a comin'!!!

2010-12-02T11:10:00.004-05:00

So if you do not know me well...

Then you might not know that once December 1 comes it is time to celebrate! The 25 days of Christmas that is... and this is my favorite time of year by FAR!

Christmas music can be heard from a mile away. I play it non-stop in my car, on my computer as I am typing right now, you get the idea right? JM- not so much and I am thinking that this might be why he loves to drive his car this time of year...

The house is decked out... well the process has begun. The Snow Village is up. (I collect "Christmas in The City" Porcelain houses...) The garland has been decorated- just needs lights.

and last night... I bought a tree. A fake one.

See JM has been working late, but that is nothing new to me as the wife of an accountant, you know that there are time of the year that he works late and that is fine. I am just SO glad that he is not in Public Accounting anymore, and makes me feel bad for anyone who is even in the position!

So the fake tree... that will be the tree in the window that everyone can see from the street. The real tree that we are getting this weekend will be in the den, where we sit and watch TV, right by the fire place with our stockings hung with care...
This fake tree is going to be a "pretty tree", one where there is a theme and the ornaments all match... the fun real tree will be a family tree. Where all of our ornaments that we have gotten together will be, where one day our kids will put their ornaments. (YES Mom, I will let them put their handmade ornaments on the tree one day- see a girl can change right?!?!)
BUT I have to have a pretty tree. I have always wanted one. As long as I can remember I wanted to take home a tree from Macy's that had been professionally decorated! Where colored lights do not exist, and there are pretty glass ornaments everywhere!
Well tonight I decorate, while drinking hot coco, and of course, blasting the Christmas Music!

I hope that it turns out to be exactly what I have always wanted. I will put pictures of all the Christmas Decorations tomorrow... The theme is Red and Gold and there will be alot of it.

There will also be a big change for me this weekend as well... but more on that later...
and there will FOR SURE be pictures of that!

For now, I have two questions for all of you....

HOW DO YOU DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS????? AND DO YOU DECORATE OUTSIDE- WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO THAT WOULD NOT BE TACKY!?!?! (And not cost me a fortune... no Clark Griswold ideas please! and no blow up snowmen in the yard either JM.

I hope that everyone is enjoying the Holiday Season... though it has just begun!

Blog Challenge... Forget it. I failed.

2010-11-30T12:28:00.003-05:00

I am a slacker. I cannot finish this challenge.
I dont have the time to write them every day... and I like to write about what I want to write about. Maybe that thing was just not for me- but I was so happy to read others that I thought that it was going to be a walk in the park.
Well, no. Not for me. Another thing that we have not done... gotten Thank You notes done from the wedding. Hell we dont even have room to put away half of the wonderful gifts that we recieved either!

Enough of that...

Thanksgiving was WONDERFUL. We had the best time! First we did lunch with my side, then dinner with JM's. It really is so nice that we do not have to chose which one to go to... They live off of the same exit. We could not be luckier!

Lunch and dinner were so delishious and we were most thankful for each other and our families, the good food and good times that we had as well!

Friday, Dave and Jill came in town to hang out with us! We had dinner at the house and we were all way too tired to go out... so we made S'mores in the fireplace and layed low all night! (Sorry I missed you Samantha and Mrs. Southern Belle!)

I do have a ton of great pictures of family and friends from this weekend- BUT I have not loaded my new photo software into the computer! I have to do that before I start uploading some pictures from the new camera!
By the way, we love the camera... it is AWESOME! and it totally kicked my old point-and-shoot's ass!
Another thing we love...

OUR NEW WASHER AND DRYER! We decided on the new LG frontloaders. We were going to do a color, but decided that white was the best way to go!!!!

Now it is time to really get in the Christmas Spirit! I had put up my Snow Village in the living room, but I went to Hobby Lobby today- that place just makes me happy. Oh the possibilities...

I got a ton of stuff to decorate the tree! and a TON of ribbon! (I know that you are reading this JM- so I am sorry!) It is all 50% off through Saturday! So if you need anything to put you in the Christmas Spirit... then You should go to Hobby Lobby for sure!

I promise that I will get some pictures up one day. Maybe. With the new camera they are just that much better...
Maybe a new desk will help get me motivated... Oh wait I found one of those too on CraigsList today and going to check it out this weekend!
It is a HUGE Roll Top Desk... Hope that it works out!

Happy Tuesday.

PS. I cannot believe that we have been married for a month! It has been nothing short of magic over here!

xoxo
Mrs. McCracken

Day 7: Blog Challenge

2010-11-24T10:54:00.005-05:00

Day 7 is.... My Favorite Movie.

I am not a movie person. At all. I get bored and whenever I go to a theater to see a movie I always have to get up to use the bathroom. Every. Single. Time.
Even when we are at home... we dont watch movies because we get bored. Plus I would much rather read the book than watch the movie... that is just me though.

Trying to find a favorite movie is just too hard. So I didn't pick one. I picked 3!

First Movie.

I could read the books or watch the movies over and over and over. And I still love Twilight. Don't judge me. I think that I could watch them all in a row as well... Not get bored, and maybe not leave the couch for hours on end. It will not get old to me, and I cannot wait o see the next movie in 2011... Just hate that it is that far away! AND that the new one is going to be PG-13. That is some shit right there. After reading the 4th book there is NO WAY that it should not be rated R. OH well. I will still love it. Just hope that there is another preview party to attend with some girls!

Second favorite movie of all time...

The Princess Bride.
I just love this movie. Never gets old and always makes me laugh. Plus Wesley was always so dreamy (until I realized that this movie was 20 ears old and I looked up Carey Elwes... not as cute as he once was- sad.) This is one of those movies that is just as great as the book!

Third Favorite movie...

Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
What you may ask? Well this was a favorite of mine growing up. It is such a great story! Need to watch this one again!

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So on to real life...

We are pretty much done with the Christmas shopping!
I am SO excited about our new washer and dryer coming to the house on Saturday! I will post pictures of it soon! As well as WE GOT THE CAMERA!!! The Canon Rebel T1i that I had posed about before. It is so great, easy to use, but now I want to get artsy with it and take some great pictures! Time will tell on that one.

I am so excited that we got it early because that means that I will be able to take some awesome pictures on Thanksgiving!!!! Cannot wait! Not to mention NOT have to go to the store on Friday... I hate Black Friday, but I am sure that one day I will love it.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow! We are looking forward to lunch and dinner tomorrow night with our families and loved ones- hope that you are too!

A very thankful~ Mrs. McCracken

Missed a few days already... Blog Challenge Update... Longest Post ever.

2010-11-19T11:32:00.010-05:00

So I even had already written Day 3 of the Challenge... Did I get it posed? No. I had one of the busiest days yet Saturday... From Betsey and Paul's house (JM's wonderful Aunt and Uncle) in the morning to a real antique auction, Home Depot, Target, and then Brandsmart... it was a busy day. Then we celebrated again... Jeff's belated Birthday. Birthday's are big with our friends. We had a wonderful dinner in Buckhead then went to the club. I am NOT so much of a club fan anymore. It was a blast when I first moved to Buckhead... We partied like we were rock stars.
Then Sunday? Well I was the rock star. I made a complete Thanksgiving Feast for me and dear JM, and our friends Pam and Jeff. Turkey, homemade dressing, homemade green bean casserole- NOT FROM ANY CANS HERE- and spicy cranberry sauce. I will post about dinner in another post!

So this was written, but not posted...

Well Happy reading everyone!

This was written Saturday...

Have I ever blogged on a Saturday? No.. I have not. I have been at a wedding every Saturday pretty much for a year!

Last night was wonderful! We went to have a drink with one of JM's friends from college then we had our own date night to celebrate. We went home after Happy Hour and relaxed! Was so nice...
Celebrate what you are asking... Well we are out of credit card debt! How great is that?
I know that there a ton of people doing Dave Ramsey's program (that I know nothing about I might add) and that is WONDERFUL for them. Me... luckily, I married an accountant. It is so crazy to me that he can do some serious math all in his head. He sees numbers, and I see colors. It works for us though!

Well today is DAY 3 on Blog Challenge...

Your Spouse!

Well JM is the love of my life. He is so sweet, caring, and devilishly handsome. I could go on and on about how much I love and appreciate him and everything that he does for me... but I am trying not to get cheesy here.

He is the best husband a girl could as for... only 3 weeks into the forever part though!

JM is the best cook I know as well. (Sorry mom!) He gets so excited about planning dinners for friends and family. And he is even more excited about all of the kitchen stuff that we got as wedding gifts! We both cannot wait to use them all! He takes such pride in what he is serving for dinner it makes me melt. Now he is a cook... not a baker. I am the baker in the house. One day his dream would be to leave the accounting world and open a place of our own! How fun would that be!?

It is so sweet when he comes home in the evening and give me a hug and kiss after a long day. Then he scoops up his Baby Girl (cats name) and loves on her too.
She knows that he is "her human" and it is too cute!

I know that he will one day be the best father in the whole world to our kids. And I cannot wait to fall in love with him all over again once we do have a little one.
(seriously, I know I am talking about a baby two days in a row- still not happening yet)

He is the man of my dreams, my Knight in Shining Armour, my Prince Charming, and I get to call him my husband for the rest of my life! I never thought that taking up a friend on a blind date would have ever led to this happily-ever-after-fairytale- that I get to call "life".
He makes waking up everyday an adventure. Makes me smile when am sad, and can always make a cloudy day turn into blue skies!

JM, Darling... I know that you read this and that makes me love you even more. You are my everything and without you I would be forever lost. You are my better half, and I cannot wait to spend all of eternity loving you.

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Sunday...

Today I am at home cooking up a storm! JM went to play soccer and I have been preparing a feast. Thanksgiving Feast. I really wanted to cook my own Thanksgiving this year.... since we are having lunch with my side, and dinner with his we will not even have the chance to make it for ourselves.
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Day 4 is..
Your Parents...

Charlie and Paula

They are awesome. I know that I have mentioned them before in many posts...

I am truly a Daddy's girl and my Mom is my best friend. They really are the best parents anyone could ask for. IF they would write a parenting book... I would follow it to a T because I am somewhat normal.

They always put us first- at least it seemed that way... My mom was a stay at home mom, which to me is one of the hardest, most challenging, yet the most rewarding job at the same time. We went everywhere with her, and she still made time for playing and fun! She had dinner made- most of the time when Dad got home and on the table.
Seriously... this is what my dream job is. Stay at Home Mom... I cannot wait for that to be my job title. IF I am lucky enough to be able to stay home... I will jump on it for sure!

My Dad is the greatest. HE is superman. He beat and survived Cancer- more like kicked it's ass... and didn't let it kick his.
He can play the guitar, he always knows how to fix anything, is a Mac whiz, and makes the best scrambled eggs EVER. He is also my best friend. If I was ever upset about anything... he always knew how to make it better... or make me realize that shit happens and that it will get better.

Holidays at the Grigsby house were always so important. Thanksgiving is when the whole family extended and all comes to their house and has a party. Not just any party. I am talking bon fires, guitars, and sometimes the cops have shown up to make sure that everything is fine... That kind of party.
Christmas... we count down until it is here! Christmas mornings were the biggest deal. We woke up, waited on Mom and Dad then flew down the stairs to see what Santa had gotten us.
I cannot recall a time in history that we didn't get what we asked Santa for. (I never asked for a Pony though so that is probably why!)
Christmas was not just about gifts, it was more about family. We listened to Nat King Cole and were all in PJ's all day... We watched Christmas Story all day. Dad made breakfast... and we all had each other.

It will be sad not waking up there on Christmas morning for the first time in my 26 years. JM and I still have not decided what we are going to do for holidays just yet though...

My parents rock. They party with us, but at the same time... They are the worlds best parents. I love you both SO much!

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Day 5: MY Siblings...

My brothers are AWESOME. Sometimes crazy fun. Sometimes just crazy- but that is what family is right?

They are Chip, 25, and Will, 22. They are both also my best friends. IF your family is not your best friends first... to me then that is just sad. Plus it is best that I never had a sister. I am sure that I would have eaten her alive... Brothers can keep up... or beat you up.
Growing up with Chip and Will was not easy all the time. We fought like crazy. I mean like pushing down the stairs... murdering baby dolls and Barbie dolls.. and fire.
They would take my dolls and rip their heads off, cut their hair off, or melt their feet to the driveway... I would SCREAM like hell at them and cry to mom of course. I was not all that innocent either though.

Chip and Will fought the most I think... I even remember a time at the kitchen table where a stabbing occurred... with a fork of course! Will stabbed Chip in the arm with a fork. It was hilarious... but that was kinda normal in the house.

We played games and fought about who won. We had a weekly rotation at the kitchen counter as to who got to sit in the front seat and have the remote to the TV... The front seat had special powers you know? We fought about crossing the line in the car. You know the seam in the upholstery... that was the line. If you crossed onto the other side- you were going to get hit hard, but those were the rules. I am convinced this is why I can hit hard like a guy...

BUT there were also times that we all got along. Holidays, birthdays, and vacations especially. We all get along great now. You grow out of the fighting. The fighting makes you normal in the end.

Chip now lives in Manhattan. He is just so cool. Seriously he is. He has a fabulous city life now after living in Costa Rica out of college... two totally different places in the world and he can rock them both out.
HE knows how to party more than anyone I have ever met... I know I had to pick him up at the bars in college. But he is always a great time and might be the best gift giver ever. He is very creative, fluent in Spanish, and is so motivated to make it work in NYC right now it is crazy... He is also the most creative cook I know- but plan to eat late if he is cooking!

Will is the baby of the family. Only because he is the youngest. He is still in school to be in Film Production. He will rock that out and be the next Martin Scorsese. He has an eye for detail and an ear for music like i have never seen. He is the most creative out of us 3. Will knows how to party as well... like a rock star, but even he had to pick Chip up at the bar....

Chip- you know I am just giving you a hard time.

I love you both so much. I would not be the person that I am with out all of them in my life. I would not. I would be boring if it were not for them scaring me, fighting with me, teaching me, and growing up with me.
This is what I want for our kids... To grow up just like I did.
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and then TODAY... Tuesday

Day 6: A picture of something that makes me happy...

Well this is a tall order for me. There are SO many pictures that make me happy! BUT this one comes to mind...

Look at what he got me!
Yes those are my rings... JM is a bad ass at picking out and designing something wonderful- among other things.

This picture makes me so happy because it was the first day that we went to the beach on our Honeymoon. We were so excited that the sun was out and that we were on the beach...

Every time I look at my left hand my heart skips a beat. (Cheesy right?) I know that they are beautiful- but it is so much more than that. It is what they mean. and I cannot even sum that up in words with out crying. So I am not going to... not here.
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Well now I am on track! Hope that you all enjoyed the longest post I will ever write...

I hope that everyone is celebrating Thanksgiving all week... We are. Today is Thanksgiving at work, and I am not only so thankful to have a job, but to be working along side some awesome girls and guys here... They are awesome and I love them all!

Happy Tuesday...

xoxo~Mrs. McCracken

Blog Challenge: Day 2...

2010-11-19T10:43:00.003-05:00

Topic: Meaning of the name of your blog...

Well I cannot take credit for the name. JM can though....

When I first decided to take on this wild adventure of sitting at a computer and "blogging" I could not think of a single name for this site. Nothing. So of course, I ask JM.

We had come up with a new different names that were all dumb. We were trying to think about stuff that had to do with us getting married, combining our names in some way... still nothing. Until he sent me an email saying "My crack in the Grigsby Life" .
I thought that it was simple and great! It was about this "crack" not like drug crack.. more like the divide or fault line so-to-speak... Plus MyCrackIn is so very similar to McCracken the Grigsby Life!

On to other news...

Have you checked out all of the Black Friday ads???

www.blackfriday2010.com

I have! We have been to all the websites and have even expanded our Christmas List in the McCracken house!
We have decided that we are not getting each other anything... but we are getting stuff for the BOTH of us. It is about the two of us now right?

Well the updated Christmas List went from iPhones (got those) and a camera... now we have added a TV for our bedroom and a new Washer and Dryer! The deals are just too good, not to mention the TV in our bedroom should be on the wall in the den, and the washer and dryer... well they are as old as me!

Got a big weekend planned.. Hope that you all have a great weekend!

OH and how could I have forgotten to mention! IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!

~Mrs. McCracken

A 30 day Blog Challenge??? Day 1

2010-11-18T15:58:00.005-05:00

I have seen a few people do a 30 day blog challenge... and I think that it is about time for me to do this.

Most recently I have read the 30-day Challenge from Julie from The Smitten Mintons (http://thesmittinmintons.blogspot.com - if it didnt link)
Julie seems to be having the greatest time doing this! I was friends with her brother in school, and she is few years younger... but secretly I read her 30 day challenge and I love hearing about her new married life with Doug, their wedding (BEAUTIFUL), apartment, job hunting, and her cat. All great women love cats, so of course I am a big fan of hers! (Julie, sorry I totally didnt even ask permission about this, but I knew that you wouldn't mind?!) and of course if she is doing it then I want to too! Isn't the blog world great?

I totally think that I can do this too... and it will motivate me to blog about something everyday... and not sit at a blank screen waiting on it to write itself...

Along with the challenge I am sure that I will post other topics in with the Day's Topic that I am on...
So let's begin the madness, shall we?

Day 1: Introduce yourself, Current Picture, and 15 interesting facts...

My name is Katie McCracken. I am a 20-something year old girl who lives in Dunwoody, GA. I am a Buyer Relations Director. I love life, my husband, and our kitties- who are more like children...

Me at our wedding 10-30-10. Right before JM tossed the garter. All of the single guys surprised me by singing "You've lost that lovin' feelin'" Best. Night. Ever. (and yes we dyed the crinoline blue... It was awesome!)

15 Interesting facts about yours truly...

1. My first word was "Shoe" and I am Daddy's little girl through and through. He can always save the day! and has many a times. I will never forget when he walked me down the aisle. Still brings tears to my eyes.

2. My real name is Kathryn and sometimes I prefer it...

3. I am the only girl, and have two younger (but not by much) brothers. Chip and Will. They best brothers in the whole wide world!

4. I love the color blue and using the word magic to describe anything or anyone who brings a smile to my face- that Christmas Morning Smile... that is magic ladies and gentleman.

5. I am scared of the dark, being home alone, and bugs...

6. I want a baby. I want one next year. A boy would be perfect... but a girl would be pretty sweet too. Not trying now... so don't ask.

7. I love celebrating the Holidays- all of them. Thanksgiving is huge and Christmas... Well it is nothing short of magic... cannot wait for Christmas music.

8. I am a lover of Apple products... even though I write this mostly from a Windows computer. (I am at work!)

9. I prefer cats over dogs... unless they act like cats (Louie and Foxie are the exception- my parents Pomeranian's)

10. I graduated from college at Georgia Southern in 4 YEARS... witha double major and a minor... Even I am impressed by that!

11. I love to read. I always have... I can tune anything or anyone out if I am reading a book. I get lost in the story... it is like I am there.

12. I didn't always want kids... I used to want to graduate college and move to NYC and never look back! Pretty much wanted to be Carrie Bradshaw.

13. The second I fell in love with JM... all of that changed. I wanted kids, I wanted to hang up my heels and move to the suburbs just to be with him... Everything with him is magic. Serious kind of love huh?

14. My favorite fruit maybe a perfect summer peach... with vanilla bean ice cream of course!

15. My favorite thing to do? Wake up with the man that I love everyday for the rest of my life. (Even though he has to drag me out of bed every morning and lectures me on how I sleep too late and might be late for work!)

and just to be an over-achiever...

16. My mom is my best friend. I love her and look up to her so much! I mean I never would have thought that at 16, but what 16 year old thinks that? She can make any nightmare turn into your fairytale... One day I want to be just like her. Seriously. She can do anything. Oh and she is magical... right now she is currently turning a tiny apartment into a palace for my brother in NYC- guess he is living my dream right? I would love for them to write a book on how to be the best parents and raise kids right- I would follow it to a T.

That is me... and the next 30 days??? Probably more about me, but I am really looking forward to some of the topics. It is going to be fun! Stay tuned...

Loving life, and i hope that you are too- Mrs. McCracken

What is on your Christmas List???

2010-11-17T11:46:00.007-05:00

I know that you are all on Santa's "Good List" this year... I mean, he is checking it twice after all.

Well in the McCracken house this year we have VERY short Christmas lists...

I mean what else could we possibly need after so many wonderful friends and family gave us the world for our wedding! Coming up with a list this year is pretty hard... It never was before...
I remember wanting dolls, clothes, makeup, games, candy, stuffed animals, the list could go on forever... and I always remember how happy we all were on Christmas mornings, Dad's scrambled eggs, and eating chocolate oranges too. We would wait at the top of the stairs for mom and dad to tell us to run down to see if Santa had brought us anything! Holly (our family dog) would beat us down and jump all over us while we were racing to see what Santa had laid out in all of our spots.

This year is a little different. I don't know if we (because it is a "We" not not just an "I") will be staying at my parents and waking up there... Holly passed away and is not there to chase us down the stairs. I mean it was her holiday after all... Our Holly Jolly Christmas. I guess we just grow up and Christmas changes... but it will be just as wonderful as this is our first Christmas together!

We are "foodies" and love to cook, most people know that so we did get everything for the kitchen with our wedding gifts! So we do not need another kitchen-anything!(Promise Thank You notes are getting done) We know that I do not need anymore clothes, actually I need to give some away! There are just too many of them, I don't wear half of it, and there is simply not enough room. We do not need any more gadgets... except....

NEW IPHONE'S!!!! Well we decided to meet yesterday at AT&T and get some new phones! We are both iPhone fans (I don't care if you hate them, but I am an Apple girl over here), and once we found out that we could upgrade... Why not? Plus have you seen the lines at AT&T or at The Apple Store after Thanksgiving? No thank you. And JM- that is one of our gifts... Merry Christmas!
I am obsessed with all of the different photo apps and the cooking apps as well... Food Network App? HELL YES!

Back to the Christmas list... since the iPhones are off it now...
We have decided that we are getting each other a nice camera for Christmas... (as in going in on ONE camera together)
There have been so many times that I have wished that we had a better quality camera because our picture quality with the point and shoot I have now are well... Crappy.

I need help from all of you ladies and gentleman out there... What kind of camera do you have? Why do you love it?

I am doing the research on this and I am liking the Canon EOS Rebel T1i EF-S and the Canon EOS Rebel XSi EF-S... After comparing them both I love the T1i!

If this is something that we are going to have for a long time, take a ton of pictures that are the proof of the memories that we have made, then shouldn't we get a nice camera? I mean I don't want crappy pictures of us, our one-day babies,family, friends, etc! I want to be able to have wonderful pictures of even more wonderful memories... That is what it is all about right? and I want a kick- ass camera to capture all of the magic of the wonderful memories that we have yet to make... I mean vacations, taking little ones to the beach for the first time, Disney World, ALL holiday's, Birthdays, every little memory that I will never want to forget. Guess we do need a good camera huh?

So for all of you who have a nice camera, have one on your wish list this year, or if you happen to know a thing or two about them... help a girl out!

What is on your wish list this year??? and What are you obsessing over lately?
Me- iPhone and a new camera... I am getting excited just thinking about all of the wonderful pictures I could take on Christmas morning! Christmas Smiles are the biggest ones ya know?

Happy Wednesday!
Mrs. McCracken

The Honeymoon...

2010-11-15T10:14:00.002-05:00

It would have been so nice to have been in St. Lucia, with a drink in hand... toes in the sand... That was the plan.
Well it didn't happen for us. This time at least... Mother Nature can be a real bitch sometimes. This time, Hurricane Tomas. Wonderful.

We got married Saturday- best night of our lives. Ever. The weather could not have been more perfect!
Got up on Sunday morning to go to the airport and when we arrived they said our flight was on time! We made it to the gate, got breakfast, and tried to sleep a little before boarding the plane. This is when the people at the gate made an announcement that the flight was now delayed until 11 that there was a bad storm going though.
We waited.
The flight was delayed again. They said that they could not get a hold of anyone on the island because the power was out. GREAT!
They cancelled the flight a few minutes later...
We left the airport and were told we were to fly Stand By the next morning.
Monday morning... read above. It was as if we had hit replay on the previous day. At least they cancelled the flight a little earlier than the day before.

When we got home my Dad called my and told me to call my cousins about their house! Well I didn't know what house he was talking about. I called Mike and he let us go to their beautiful Beach house for the whole rest of the week!!!! We packed the car in a few minutes, went and got gas and hit the road. Talk about a last minute decision!
We made to Grayton Beach, FL that night and had the best time. We relaxed, walked on the beach... even had drinks in our hands with our toes in the sand. Magic I tell you.

I was not even upset about the trip anymore. (JM was surprised that I was handling it so well!) We had the town to ourselves and I could not have asked for a better time! Just me and him. It was wonderful.

I have not upload my pictures just yet, but I will soon!

and St. Lucia you ask?

We will be there. Don't you worry about that! We are going on April 16th. BEFORE Hurricane Season even begins... It will still be a magical place, where everyone is in love and shows it on the streets- or so I have heard. We are looking forward to a second honeymoon only 6 months after we got married. We even got an upgraded room!

I guess everything happens for a reason... right?

ONE MORE THING...
I have thought about what everyone said to Blog about... Married life. So I will be posting again soon on that. All of the wonders of marriage. What we make for dinner. What we are doing with the house... and maybe one day soon babies. Never know and a girl can dream right?
But today a few things I am loving?

Our Pots and Pans! All Clad that is! They are wonderful... Spaghetti tonight for dinner!
Our new bedding- Slept like a baby last night!
Our new everyday china- Lenox Butlers Pantry- I love it and all of the mixing and matching that you can do with it!
Noticing a theme here???
Just to change it up....
More things I am loving?
Oil of Olay
Kitties- Baby Girl and Tilly
Crate and Barrel kitchen gadgets
Most of all... My wonderful handsome Husband!

and to making a Thanksgiving dinner this weekend for me and JM! Food Network inspired me and we are having a mini Thanksgiving dinner this Friday! Maybe some friends too! More to come on this and that...

I am looking forward to this new "Crack in the Grigsby Life" it is going to be the most fun adventure I ever take on. and I am going to rock this our for the rest of my life...

Pictures to come soon!
Mrs. McCracken

Finally....

2010-11-08T15:23:00.017-05:00

We made it back from the beach. It was the best trip we could have asked for! (All things considered...)

I think that this massive "Wedding Post" might be broken into smaller parts. But maybe not... I am just going to let it flow as I remember most of that entire weekend of awesomeness.
(and I do not have pictures yet from the photographer so bare with me on that one these are from Facebook)

Well two weeks ago I took of work on Wednesday... we still had a few last minute things to do with the wedding. Not much at all, but I felt that I really needed the day to try to relax and get it done before it all ya know?
Thursday was spent cleaning and baking. Why baking you may ask? Well it relaxes me, plus I really love it when people say how good the house smells, or how good the pumpkin bread I made is... So I cleaned, baked, fixed the house, lit candles, and tried to relax while waiting on our guests to arrive. I had made Guest baskets for everyone who came and stayed at the house! Pumpkin Bread, candles, and cookies of course!
Thursday night Erin and Frank, and Whitney and Bryan came in town and we all met up with a few friends that were in town at The W's Whiskey Blue in Buckhead. However the real reason we were all out... Jeff's Birthday! We just had to do something to celebrate with him...
and Bryan... well our Jersey boy had never been out and about in Atlanta! So we had to change that and quick! (I was laughing too hard!)

FRIDAY
Friday was crazy...
Jean Gray and Nate came into town in the morning and all of us girls got ready to go to the Bridesmaids Luncheon at Cafe Niko in Buckhead. It was delish. All of the girls made it and we had a great time...
A few girls came back to the house with me to get ready to leave for the Rehearsal after that.

The Rehearsal and Rehearsal dinner were SO MUCH FUN! The dinner was done all by JM and his family.

We had a whole pig (BBQ of course!), BBQ Chicken, and of course all of the sides!
John Michael's mom made EVERY. SINGLE. TABLECLOTH. and every decoration of course with the help of Rachel and Sarah... my new wonderful sisters!

JM with all 12 of the Groomsmen

Me and my parents

Me... eating of course!

Then the entire day of the wedding was PERFECT. PERFECT WEATHER... just everything was so so special to both of us... and there were a few moments that we got to take it all in too. I will leave you with some pictures of the day of the wedding... getting ready, then Church and then Reception! I can really only day that my shoes hurt so damn bad that I had to get rid of those and quick during the pictures... Once they were off.. I was spinning and floating on cloud nine. I did the whole night barefoot. From the end of pictures, down the aisle, dancing the night away, and even to when I changed into the short wedding dress to leave the night... Even was carried over our own doorstep to our house barefoot. AND that I would not change for the world. Sure my feet were sick and black as the night, but I didn't care at all. And I am sure that no one noticed either...

The whole day and night were MAGIC... Just like a fairy tale. Our own fairy tale... and I would not change one single moment of the entire day. It truly was the dream that I had envisioned all along.
Everyone says that time goes by way too fast that day and to "soak it all in- you only get one wedding day" I can say that it DID go by too fast... but I remember every minute.

Here are some pictures from everyone that we love- who also posted them on facebook!

Getting ready in the morning! Me and mom... she looked SO BEAUTIFUL!!!

Getting ready at church...
Me and my girls...

Family pictures!

A few flowers... center piece and mantel...

JM with his girls... Whitney, Erin, and Jean Gray... and First Dance!

Bouquet Toss and Garter Toss!

Cakes!

Me and mom "taking in" all of our hard work!

and finally Mr and Mrs. McCracken!

and I have one questions for all of you.... What should I blog about now? What should I name this blog? Help a girl out!

Hope that you have a great night! I will blog about the beach trip and Honeymoon soon!
xoxoxoxo
The new Mrs. McCracken

The best day of our lives... and then...

2010-11-01T23:03:00.003-04:00

SO We are married... and it was perfect. Know how everyone says... "something might go wrong, but you wont even care?" or how about when they say... " It will go by so fast!" Well you know what? I remember it all... and I was floating on cloud nine.
IT was everything I imagined and more... one picture to show...

We had the best night of our lives...

And then we went to bed at 2:30 am made it to the airport, flight was cancelled, tried to get on another flight Monday mornings... no such luck... Hurricane Tomas. I mean the island.. No power, trees down, no flights until Wednesday. Just as we were about to give up on or dream of a beach... My wonderful, awesome, amazing, caring, and loving cousins let us go to their house at the beach...MIke and Yahaira, John and Erin, and David Grigsby.... we love you all!!!!
Will post much more later when I am back from from a fabulous beach honeymoon! Promise that all pictures, and REAL wedding story post to come. I do remember it, and just how fast it went... This place is just too amazing to sit here and type. Florida we love you...

Love from Florida! Happily married, and having a wonderful time! Rain or shine... our toes are in the sand, drinks in hand... Cannot believe we are married.

Mrs. McCracken

Rainy Mondays...

2010-10-25T10:01:00.002-04:00

I hate Mondays. Doesn't everybody? I have never heard someone say "Oh I am so glad it is Monday... I just love Monday's" If they did then I would know that they didn't work on Mondays!

Well this Monday is just a little different. For me at least...
This time next week I will be waking up to a breakfast of lobster and eating on the patio of our wonderful suite in St. Lucia... I say lobster because JM has already said that we will be having lobster for every meal. Then we will go and run in the waves roll in the sand, drink "Dirty Bananas", lay in the sun too long, and of course... eat lobster again!
BUT today I am sitting in my cube (AKA Pit of despair) and working... or trying to work at least. I have so much to do before I leave, but my lack of motivation is only getting worse. (For those of you UE girls/ guy that read it WILL get done)

This week is all about getting ready for a day that will for sure go by entirely too fast. (Everyone has told me already!) We have been cleaning all weekend and getting ready! I think that even once everything is clean I will still not know what to do, so I will bake.
This week baking something special for our guests and of course it is our dear friend Jeff's Birthday on Thursday! So he, of course, needs some cookies! Plus baking relaxes me... hell even baking my skin in the tanning bed relaxes me right now.

With so much going on, I hope that I have time to blog again before the big day.... I should since I will be working until Wednesday!

I cannot believe that I have been counting down the entire time. Do you know that I wake up and tell JM- "I am so excited that we are getting married!" or I will look at him at night and say " wow we are really getting married". I am sure that he s sick of it ( because I say it EVERY morning)... but I am just so excited to spend the rest of our lives together that I don't want to rush a thing anymore. We have 5 days... and right now I hope that they are long days. It seems that when there is a countdown involved, time just flies a little too fast...
So day, please go by slowly so that I can get everything done... and one more thing...
I wish that there was some sort of "Pause" button on time so that once I am at the reception I could pause everyone but me and JM so that we can take a look around to see everyone who came to celebrate our love with us. Would be pretty cool...

So tonight we are making Monday special... It is date night! JM is taking me to Atlanta Fish Market to have one last date night as an "engaged couple"... I mean we gotta make some time for us somewhere this week!

I hope that everyone has a good Monday... it is making me wish I had taken the week off work!

xoxo
K

10 days and a really fun weekend...

2010-10-20T11:28:00.002-04:00

Sorry I have been MIA for a week! I promise that it was only because this wedding is taking over our lives.

This weekend was the best weekend ever. It was my Bachelorette Party/ Weekend get-away to Helen, GA. My wonderful Bridesmaids all rented a cabin in the mountains for the whole weekend... and it was only about 10 miles outside of Helen. All of us had the best time... dancing, singing, baking, eating a TON, and of course a hot tub!
I seriously could not have asked for a more perfect weekend. We stayed in on Friday night and ventured down the gravel mountain side that we stayed on and made it in to town for the afternoon. We drank and ate on an outside patio all afternoon and even made it to Hansel and Gretel's for some candy apples. I do not know if I have ever laughed so hard in my entire life. My stomach still hurts from laughing a TON and eating way way way too much.

Saturday night the ladies baked me a cake shaped out "something Bachelorette- themed" Take a guess! and threw me a lingerie shower! Never have I laughed so hard. Everything that they got me was perfect! Not only does it all fit, but it is all super cute or slutty depending on how you look at it. I cannot post about what it is, since I want that to be a surprise for JM... and because my family reads this too. I will have more than something for every night of the Honeymoon... and that will be fun.

This weekend was the most memorable one of my life. I will never forget how sweet and caring all of my girl friends are. I mean what more could a girl ask for... Eating, laughing, drinking a lot, and dancing on coffee tables. Sorry that I cannot share pictures, they are incriminating and we all have jobs people.

On to wedding news.
We are 10 days away from the big day... that means tomorrow is single digits. We are so ready for this. I have done everything that needs to be done. Just one more meeting and we are in the clear.
Next week I am full of appointments... hair, nails, waxing (yeah waxing everything... and trust me it is the best thing ever- I don't care if anyone thinks that is "gross or slutty"... it rocks! and don't knock it until you try it- I don't know one person that has not liked it afterwards), luncheon with my ladies, rehearsal dinner, and then the big day.

I really cannot believe that it is here. I know that I have said that a billion times, maybe a trillion, but I think that every girl dreams of how her wedding will be one day...
and this is exactly what I had dreamed of. I am just so very lucky to have found JM and for him to have let me have my dream wedding too!
(If were up to him, we might already be married, and it might have happened on a beach, in Vegas, or even a courthouse... but he loves me so and has let me do what I want)

I am most excited to see what he thinks of everything when he sees it for the first time. I don't know if he will notice the flowers, linens, or every single detail as I will that night... but he might now that I have mentioned it??? I do know that he will notice me! LOL!

I have been dreaming about this wedding, our wedding, for the last 20-something years... and now that it is finally here... I would not change a single thing. I got my Prince Charming meeting me at the alter and then it will be all "Happily Ever After" right??? HA!

I cannot wait... even though I have heard many people saying "This is the wedding of the century" it really will be to us...

10 days until I have to change the name of this blog... there will no longer be "a crack in my Grigsby life"... It will be "The McCracken Life" but I gotta think of some good names...
and what will I write about? What it is like to be a working wife who commutes 60 miles a day total? Boring... I will think of something though so don't you worry... Maybe we will have a baby soon... who knows what is next? I don't...

and as always sorry for the randomness of this post. My mind is going a million mile a second and I am just writing what I am thinking...

I hope that everyone has a happy Wednesday and I promise to post sooner than later.

Love and kisses!
Katie

And so it is planned...

2010-10-14T09:23:00.003-04:00

Done. Done. Done.

Monday night my mom and I met with our Wedding Coordinator for the day of the wedding. It was a dream come true and if you are on the fence about to have a wedding coordinator or not... DO IT. AND if you need someone in Atlanta I highly recommend Lisanne McDearman with Watermark Weddings. Never have I been more impressed.
She came over and we went through a 22 page check list to go over ALL details and stuff we want done for the wedding. It was in 10 point font, and I was shaking. Did we cover everything? Do I have everything I need? and am I ready for this?
I was ready- hell yes I was! Had it all. Covered more bases that I thought.
My mom and I have met with all of the vendors, done all of the planning, reviewed and updated all proposals, paid all deposits, did it all.... and now I had to hand it all over to her.
If you don't know... I am a control freak when it comes to planning. And I just let someone take over. Completely. She is now my only contact and she will come up with time lines and coordinate the arrival of EVERY. LAST. DETAIL. I have nothing left to worry about and it is scaring the shit out of me- it is a great thing though.
She is doing so much more than I even imagined that day so that me and my mom can have a great time and not worry about a single thing. Even bringing food to the church for the wedding party to have while we get ready! This is great, but why am I nervous?
Is it my dresses?
The flowers?
What if I trip down the aisle?
What if I cannot stop crying?
What will it be like with 250-300 sets of eyes on me at once?
All of this has been going through my head the closer that we get.... but yesterday JM said the most wonderful thing....

"we'll be just fine...just show up...that's all you gotta do...I'll take care of the rest...
once we are standing up there together, hand in hand, there's no stoppin us...that is our comfort zone, so we'll get thru it together... "

He is so cool under pressure. He amazes me. And I know that all nerves and every thought will completely leave me right there at the alter when I take his hands. Just like magic.
There is going to be an overflowing feeling of love in that church on October 30th. Our love and every ones over-flowing love for us.

Until then... I sit back, Gym- Tan- Laundry, and get the house clean and ready for our wonderful friends who are staying with us at our house the wedding weekend.

AND this weekend? Bachelorette Party. MINE that is! We are off to Helen, GA tomorrow for Oktoberfest. My bridal party is taking me to a kick-ass cabin this weekend to do nothing but relax, eat, drink and of course be merry.
I cannot wait. Legwarmers and sweaters... what could be better?

T minus 16 days. AND then we are off to the beach as Mr. and Mrs. McCracken. Sand, cocktails with umbrellas, and warms salty water are calling our names... and I can almost hear them...

More updates to come.

filled with love,
Katie

I throw my hands up in the airs sometimes...

2010-10-11T09:55:00.002-04:00

"I throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying ay-oh, gotta let go.
I wanna celebrate and live my life
Saying ay-oh, baby let's go.
Cause we gon rock this club
We gon' go all night
We gon' light it up
Like it's dynamite.
Cause I told you once
Now I told you twice
We gon light it up
Like it's dynamite"

YES that is my favorite song right now... and it is in my head all. the. time!

As of today we are in the teens my friends! THE TEENS. Can you believe it? NO I cannot. It is so exciting that we are going to be married in just a few short weeks. 19 days to be exact...

Well this weekend we had one last wedding to attend... It was number 10. It was fun and so great to see all of our friends. There are MANY "Congratulations" in order on this post... So we will start from the top. (Sorry I don't have pictures from every wedding with me at work- I finally put them all on my computer at home)
CONGRATULATIONS TO....
Mr. and Mrs. Adam Foster (4-9-10)
MR. and Mrs. Brian McElroy (4-10-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Tommy DeFreitas (5-8-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Piper (5-15-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Franklin (5-24-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Nate Mohs (6-19-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Finney (7-10-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Hank Puryear (7-24-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Cox (8-14-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Auferio (9-5-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Casey Colclough 10-9-10)

We wish you all the best in your new lives together! All of your weddings were WONDERFUL! and we had the best year celebrating with each and every one of you on your special days!

We are NEXT... Last but certainly not the least... Saving the best for last... whatever you want to say, it is OUR TURN. And we cannot wait to see all of you at our wedding.

It has been one hell of a ride, but we cannot wait to get off this ride, to be married, and of course live happily ever after. I am sure that I have driven JM completely mad sometimes... that I have been a diva at moments (only a few)... and that I know I have gotten my way. A lot. BUT you know what?
I have had a blast. Everything that we have planned, I know has a personal touch for us. It has been the most fun year of my life. So much excitement, tears, laughs...
and most of all...

I just wanna throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying ay-oh, gotta let go.
I wanna celebrate and live my life
Saying ay-oh, baby let's go.
Cause we gon rock this club
We gon' go all night
We gon' light it up
Like it's dynamite.

19 days y'all... and it is ON.
Tonight I have my final fitting. AND we are meeting with the "day of" coordinator to get all this straight. Then I think that we will all feel a 10,000 lb weight lifted off our shoulders.
Of course I will keep you posted on the last minute stress.
I hope that everyone had a fabulous weekend.

xoxo
Katie

Friday... Are you in love?

2010-10-08T10:57:00.007-04:00

I AM!

A few things that I am loving about today, besides the fact that it is FRIDAY, are:

My family is coming to dinner tonight for my Dad's Birthday Dinner!

The Hot Apple Cider that we are making tonight to go with some Maple- Mustard Glazed Pork Chops! YUMMY!

That Chip, my brother, is living her for a few more weeks until he decides his next adventure! (He got a job working for a company, GANZ LLC, that all moms know... beacause they make Webkinz!) He has a few cities across the country to choose from and has to make a decision by October 30th! (Date sound familiar???) He will be moving while we are in St. Lucia... so I gotta see him A LOT before he leaves again. BUT at least I know that we can go and stay with him where ever he goes! (I am secretly but not so secretely hoping that he picks NYC!)

and of course that we have 22 days until the big day! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

What are you loving this Friday?

What will I do....

2010-10-07T09:34:00.002-04:00

So this morning when I was working out with Rachel, my trainer and friend, we were talking about the wedding. How close it is, do we have most of it done?, everything.... I swear she knows more details about it all than anyone! But a thought came aacross my mind...
"WHAT WILL I DO ONCE THE WEDDING IS OVER?"
What is going to take up my time??? I have been planning and prepping for a whole year... and once it is over, what will I plan for? What will we do on weekends? I am so excited to NOT have to do it all over again, but at the same time I know that I will miss it.
My mom might miss it.. and what will she do? She has been busting her ass to get stuff done while I am at work... and thank you mom- we will never be able to thank you enough!

Also the LAST wedding before our own is this weekend... and I am excited that it is the last one, and I dont think that I will miss going to all of the weddings either. It is sad, but I am wedding-ed out! We have enjoyed every single one of them. And watching all of our frineds get married has been a blast... but this will be 10 for the year. I mean who goes to 10 weddings in a year and saves the last for their wedding.... WE DO!
and we are going to rock it out for sure! You know what they say, "Save the best for last..."

But what did you do after your wedding and honeymoon were over? I am thinking that the house will be much cleaner and that the little projects will finally get done.

23 days until I am a Mrs. I still cannot get over that.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Fall, oh how I have missed you...

2010-10-01T11:50:00.002-04:00

All of you know how much I love Fridays... I love them almost as much as I love fall. I wish that it was fall all year long. Not just because we are getting married in the fall... but there is just magic in the air in the fall, followed by the warm smell of Hot Apple Cider on the stove. And y'all I am making Cider tonight.

There are just so many things to love about fall. The smell of fall s in the air outside here in Georgia and we are even lucky enough to NOT have a day that is over 90... not even over 80 and I am loving every minute outside. Even though I am trapped in this pit of despair, my litter box, shit hole, formally knows as my cube at the office. Everyone who has been in my office to visit always says "how depressing" Guess I need a lamp or something? I love my job promise... it is just that with fall makes me want to knit something, paint anything, redecorate a little, spray the house with concentrated aromas that smell like "fall", light candles, and be more creative than any other time of year... how will I have time for all of that? (Cube walls closing in now)

The bonfires that come with grilling out... the Football games that gather friends like family and family like friends. Fall leaves, pumpkins, the warm colors that will appear on my long drive home from work. I love everything that there is to love about fall. Candy Corn included. I mean really how could you not love fall? You are weird in my book if you don't!

One think that I really really love about the fall is clothes. yes that is so like me...
BUT I really can appreciate a handmade scarf from some that loves you. Thanks Mom for all of the wonderful scarves and making me learn to knit... Knitting next week I promise!

My Ugg boots... I don't care if they are "out of style"... they are too comfortable to not wear. They are perfect with leggings and a long sweater. My vintage leg warmers... They are Navy Blue Cashmere- thank you to my wonderful Aunt Bunny. I am sure that she got them when they really just came out at somewhere super fabulous... they are the best hand-me-down I have ever gotten. Ever- hands down. and they are so wonderful with a huge over sized long sleeve T to wear to bed...or wear them with ANYTHING they are that wonderful.

This year I have decided that I am going to jump back into knitting. AND I must learn to crochet... MUST LEARN. There is so much that I want to make... Blankets, Hats, Scarves, and of course... Leg Warmers for everyone! I want yummy delicious vibrant colors to wear! I can wear all the black in the world I want... as long as I have bright knitted accessories this fall... and with that I have decided my signature look for this fall, maybe even winter, Black leggings, long sweaters, and knitted every king of accessory you can think of, with a wonderful headband. Will post pictures of that soon!

Another fall ritual I have... going Brunette! It will be here soon enough... Gotta get married and for that I will be blond- just as everyone has known me forever!
Once we get back though... you can bet your ass that my hair will be dyed faster than you can say "roots".

One last thing.
Congratulations to Daniel and Elisabeth! Happy One Year Anniversary! We love you both so much! Elisabeth is one of my best friends and she has such style, grace, and most of all class. Yup you got it girl! She is an excellent cook, who always shares her recipes, who always lends an ear to my "stories", and who will always come and visit me in my pit of despair... Love you!

and for those of you who might be crazy- and don't like leg warmers... Make fun of me all you want... and all I will say is "Go to hell"... but I will rock of those leg warmers until spring! Starting tonight... with a bonfire, the grill master- JM cooking something wonderful, and me lounging under a blanket while I soak in everything fall... there will be a lot of soaking it all in to come.

I hope that everyone is enjoying their beginning of fall...

PS. We have 30 days until we say I do. How fast do you think that will fly by??? and no I will not freak out. Everything will get done... it always does especially when your mom knows magic.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

XOXO
K

The Carnival is here!!!!

2010-09-29T09:12:00.008-04:00

So sorry that I have not gotten these up sooner!
This weekend was one of the best weekends that we have ever had... ever.
Reasons it was the best. weekend. ever. in no particular order...
Jean Gray, Nate, Erin, and Frank all came in town for the party...
The Carnival...
and Chip, my brother, got JM a BIG GREEN EGG!!! IT is our "couples shower, wedding, gift, and Christmas gift... for the rest of our lives. On the card he wrote- "Welcome to the family" on the outside... on the inside..." You owe me beer and cook outs for the rest of your life!" and that is just SO Chip you have no idea...
HE gave him the card first then opened the trunk to show him the big surprise... it was INSANE!
So today is not a long post... but a TON of pictures. Finally right? ENJOY!

Entering the Carnival

How awesome are those lights! I really really want trees in our yard now so that I can have some up year round...

Two out of the 10 Fabulous "Witches of W.O."

Me and JM - Can you believe that Mandy made ALL of these games and boards for us to pose with!?!?!?

This might be MY FAVORITE picture of the night! My brother Chip, My cousin Ryan, and My brother Will!

Caroline (Chip's Beautiful Girlfriend), Chip, Jessica, and Colleen

Lauren and Kaleb in the car! Too cute!

Look at Frank's face (on right) how great is he posing for the pictures!

Games at "the midway" Thanks everyone for the quarters!

At the end of the night at the bonfire!

We had such a great time! Thank you so much for everyone that came! I wish that I had had 10 minutes to talk with everyone there... JM and I tried the divide and conquer approach... but I missed him and barely saw him. We have 1 picture of the two of us from that night. So at the wedding we will stick together!

PS. 31 days left. Time for the last month shakedown! I cannot believe that in 31 days I will be Mrs. McCracken. It is just crazy how fast this month will fly.

xoxoxoxox- K

A whole lot of fun....

2010-09-23T09:51:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, as I mentioned before, we went to see Dave and Jill in Birmingham, AL. We also got to see one of my best friends Kathy too!!!

We had the best time! Of course we stayed up too late on Friday, drank entirely too much, and of course played some card games... but Saturday let me tell you... Jill and I had the best time! While all of the guys went and played TWO rounds of golf that day... we rocked it out!
We got up early- everyone did! Went to the Farmer's Market and got some veggies for dinner. At the Country Club close to their house they have a small Farmer's Market with local farmers and artists selling their wonderful crafts! We made our way through there then went off in search of some much needed coffee so Starbucks we went! We sat outside for an hour chatting, sipping, and looking at a ton of pictures... then off to Publix for the rest of the dinner that we were making for the guys...

Since we were done with all of our errands way earlier than we had thought we decided that we should drink mimosa's! What could be better right?!?!
We made the guys a wonderful dinner and of course played more drinking game and and card games...
The next morning we got up early again and went to "The Egg and I". It might possibly be our favorite breakfast place! Our little treat when we go see Dave and Jill!
Thanks for having us guys!!! and thank you Jill for all of the laughs! I had the best time sight seeing all over town!

When we came back... I was not feeling too great. BUT it is AMAZING what all you can get done when you don't feel well if you refuse to lay there. I got the craft closet organized, all guest bedrooms made and decorated for this weekend! Got a TON of stuff packed up and donated from the "old" kitchen, Got my dress fitted for the second time, went to the Country Club where the reception is being held and did the food tasting and planning session (food was WONDERFUL), even went to the Church for some "Premarital Counseling", did my trial run with my hair, and got the programs decided on and picked out! Now we just get to make them... all 300 of them.

The food at the Club was great! I cannot wait to see how they have it all set up! I think that it will be wonderful... and the Counseling part... there is NOTHING wrong with JM's and my relationship-just to clarify. Everyone who gets married in a church, most of the time, has to go though this. Sometimes it is intense hours of counseling and some people have to go on couples retreats... but for us... We were in and out in 30 minutes. In no way am I saying that we are perfect AT. ALL. But you know when it is right when everyone around you can also see that it is too... because this is not about the wedding. It is about us. The wedding is just one day and one night to celebrate the unity of two people. We both know that and we want more than anything just to be married because we will celebrate us for many many years to come. Not to mention...to be on that beach at the end of it all. St. Lucia, we cannot wait to meet you.

There is SO MUCH left to do, plan, order, and organize... and I am committed to NOT getting stressed. I am just not going to let it, the stress, sink in is all. I know that something is bound to go wrong, something will get left behind.... but you know what? I don't care.
I am so excited just to get to marry the man of my dreams, who just so happens to be my best friend in the whole wide world too!

This weekend we have the finally Couples Shower... more like Carnival! and that is going to be one hell of a party! We cannot wait for our friends and family to meet and have a wonderful time with us!
Dear weather Gods, Please don't rain this weekend... I beg you! because rain or shine you can bet your ass that I will be dancing under those stars!

I promise to post pictures one day... I am really really bad at that and currently have over 1000 images on my camera to edit and put up... maybe I will do a 'year in weddings wrap up'... Who knows? one day you will see them...

Until then I have 37 days to get my ass in gear and get this wedding planned... I cannot believe how time really does fly by.

ciao
xoxo
Katie

Just some Friday randomness...

2010-09-17T10:00:00.003-04:00

Dear Diary....
I am so glad that it is Friday. Just like every week right?

I really did start writing in a diary. and let me tell you it is wonderful. JM put up some lights next to the bed so I can now lay in bed and write at the end of the day.... I really just needed something that I could write in at night... the pen, paper, and the freedom to write whatever the hell I want is WONDERFUL. I know that I can do that here, but really the sound of the pen scratching on the new paper. Heaven.
Seriously... second best stress reliever I know of!

So this weekend is our last trip out of town before we become Mr. and Mrs. McCracken. Although we have so much to do at the house- cleaning, organizing. and everthing before the wedding... IT CAN WAIT. We have gotten really good at letting things wait. There are more important things in life... Like family and friends... because our frineds are all like family and our families are our best friends. Right now it is just nice to leave for a weekend because wedding planning can wait right? So Alabama here we come!

We are going to visit our dear friends Dave and Jill. This couple is awesome. They are so much fun and everytime that we see them we know that we will be laughing so hard that we cry...

I first met Dave and Jill was at Dave's birthday two years ago. I was scared. Scared as hell. With thoughts running through my head "Will they like me?" "Will they accept me as his new girl friend?" Jill is great friends with JM's ex. So of course I was nervous... these were some of the first friends I was meeting. OF course they were and are wonderful! I love them... and really dont know why I would have ever thought that they would judge me at all! I laugh about that now.
I love all of JM's friends. They are not just his frineds anymore... they are mine too. He has some of the best friends people could ask for! SO DO I!

A few things that I cannot wait for...That will bring me so much joy and happiness over the next week...
My brother Chip is coming home next week!!! We are all so excited to see him it is crazy... That boy loves to travel and he had the best summer a traveler could ask for. He got to see places I never will... From California to Maine he traveled to a ton of fairs and events all fro a company called Webkins. Yes that is right. The boy is good. And it is so sweet to me that he wanted to do something like this- to see how excited or crazy the kids get over these things... It is like Beannie Babies on crack.

Our Couples Shower is next Saturday. It is being hosted by the most wonderful people in all the land. By land I mean Windsor Oaks where I grew up and my parents still live. It is going to be a fall festival. Fall festivals mean cotton candy, funnel cakes- we call then belly busters, margaritas, daqueries, corn dogs, hot dogs, burgers... the whole nine... Even cut outs for people to pose behind for some great pictures! Games and dancing too! What could be better than dancing under the stars with frineds and of course cold cold beer. But that is not until next weekend... and I am still hoping that it will be a little cool outside so that it will really feel like fall.

I hope that everyone enjoys some dancing under the stars this weekend... I will. For sure.

Oh the possibilities...

2010-09-14T17:06:00.003-04:00

Today when I ran out of the office for lunch to run a few errands I decided that I would get a journal.
Not just any spiral notebook or something that I would have used in school... It has a real leather cover and a pretty satin ribbon for a bookmark.

Oh how I cannot wait to pour my heart out and write. Possibly cry, definitely laugh at all the mess, and be so happy that I will get to relive it every time that I read it.

I have decided that this one will be about every last detail that we have planned for the wedding. I want to write every thought, every emotion that I may have had while planning. I want all of that to be ON PAPER... yes I am going old school on this. And I cannot wait.
Of course I will share pages from this book with you because after all that is what this blog was supposed to be about. I was going to write about all 11 of the weddings...and you know what? They were all perfect. All different in their own ways. from all over GA to NC and VA... simply perfect. BUT there are somethings that I don't write about on here. There are somethings that are just for me.

I even asked JM to write in a few of those pages, just so that once we are on the honeymoon we can read and write more together. (it is a great idea... but I wonder if that will really happen- the whole "him writing" part) BUT it would be so great to give to a daughter once she is engaged... Just a thought for 25 years down the road.

ONE thing I will have to do. ONE thing that I must remember to do in this journal is write about the wedding day. How I felt walking down that aisle... what song was in my head? What was I thinking as all 300 something were looking at me? What was the look on JM's face? (this will be the first time that he sees me that day...)
I will have to remember to do this on the plane...

'cause we will be OFF. For a week we will be in St. Lucia... as newly weds and it will be the best week of our lives. Toes in the sand and drinks in hand... ALL. DAY. LONG.

Then after that I want a break. A break from weddings. I love them, they really are the best date night ever. They are SO romantic and perfect... but really when you go to 11 in a year... you want a break.

AND I am SO GLAD that ours will be the last wedding of the year. The big blow out... Until then I will be writing here and writing on paper too...

You know something?... I cannot wait for what the next 46 days hold. And then to see what is to come after that... we have a lifetime to share together and I am going to live and drink up all of the love that we share because what we got is special... real real special... Love.

"Love alone lightens every burdon and makes rough places smooth. It bears every hardship as though it were nothing, and renders all bitterness sweet and acceptable."
Thomas A. Kemps

XOXOXOXOX
-K

A lot on my mind...

2010-09-13T11:43:00.002-04:00

Some might say this is a "stream of consciousness" post...

I have been thinking. Thinking a lot... about what projects we have taken on and what might not get done.... for a LONG.TIME. AND thinking about what I want to do next, what I other projects I might want to take on... or even a new camera... or a car... Get it? My mind wanders all the time. Right now... Music.
***How many play lists do I really need to come up with when I like indie rock and JM everything else but...? I keep saying we have time... even though we don't. Couples shower on 25th... need that play list now. The theme of that night will be a lot of classic rock mixed in with a touch of everything we have decided.***

Maybe if I write it all out. Maybe if I start using this blog as a place for me to have a journal or even a diary... that you will read and let me know if I am just insane... or maybe even normal. Maybe I should write on paper too... later on that.

This weekend for JM's birthday I spent Saturday cleaning like a mad woman... like a mad woman who was on something. I cleaned every floor, ever surface that was covered in some pile of papers... Even the litter box. ( I scooped it out at least.) And it felt great. I hurt, but it was so nice at the end of the day... To shower right before getting in a bed of cool clean sheets...

Since we take weekend trips all. the. time. It is so nice to have all of the laundry done, folded and put away... nice to have a bleached kitchen... and even nicer when all of the carpet and floors are cleaned! Even the kitties were happy!

Then once that was all said and done I went to the grocery store. Most people dread the grocery store... I love it. I love it when I go alone. (Sorry honey, you use the phone in the store and that is a "No No" when you go with me.) It is a place for me to think as I roam each aisle. Yes, I said it, I go to the store to think. I try not to look at my watch, or answer the phone, but then again I know not to stay so long that the icecream is melting out of the carton. I like that I can see all of the babies helping their moms pick out groceries- or just knock them off the shelves... I like the pretty displays in the produce section. One day when we have children this will not be the case anymore. I will be like all of the other Dunwoody moms... taking their children to the store with them, and making sure that they dont scream the entire time... looking at my watch to make sure that we are not late to soccer practice.
BUT until then... I can think and day dream all that I want in the grocery store.

For JM's birthday I decided to stock the house with new groceries... Laundry detergent, bleach, all food that he loves (sorry I forgot the pickles and pork rinds-gross), and even a new pair of tooth brushes...
He said that he didnt want anything for his day this year. Just a clean house and dinner.
and I was so happy to clean, plan this weeks dinners, and make cupcakes too! The maple bacon recipe was great, but they might only get made one more time... when you know how bad they are it is hard to make them again.

Now back to thinking of all of the wonderful projects that I could be doing right now... Guess they will have to wait until after I am done with the 9-5.... one day I might get my dream job... until then...

We have 47 days until we are married. And let me tell you, I cannot wait until I get to be a wife. This has been the most exciting time in my whole life and in no way am I "wishing it away" I just cannot wait to finally walk down that aisle.

One more thing... Thank you Mom and Dad for everything that you have done for us. We will be able to pay you back one day! As long as you accept grandchildren as your payment! I love you both so much!

xoxoxoxo- K

Happy Friday... and Happy Birthday!!!

2010-09-10T14:22:00.011-04:00

Happy Friday everyone. I am SO GLAD this week is about to be over. I am counting the seconds until 5:00 today.

(Birthday Boy!)

Sunday will be a very special day in our house... It is JM's Birthday!!! I just love love love birthdays. They are special and so important to me. I just love when someone you love opens a gift from you and they LOVE it...

(JM's Dad hold him on his first Birthday!)

I have decided to do a few thing for my dearest for his special day (he already knows what I am going to tell you all since he actually reads this- and cheers me on to write more!), and you will get to hear about his present later! Sorry it is not the 30 gifts for 30 years like last year!!! BUT you will love this one the same.

(JM Birthday! I will make sure that you have candles this year too)

Saturday, I would love to sleep in, but I have been told we are going to the gym... it is his birthday weekend right? Then I am going to clean the ENTIRE.HOUSE. I am talking all of the laundry, scrub the floors- maybe the litter box. (FYI I hate cleaning it out it is SO GROSS- he doesn't like it either, but he loves me that much!) I will even take all of our clothes and kitchen stuff that we are donating over to Good Will.

(JM (Yes he did have long hair) and his dad- We all miss him so much, everyday. We love you JWM)

IF that all gets done then I will bake him some wonderful cupcakes. I have seen a recipe online for a while... Maple Bacon Cupcakes? I mean really... two words got me craving this. Bacon and Cupcakes. What could be better? I will post the recipe if we love them.
JM is a big bacon fan as well so I thought that this would be a nice Birthday treat!
Hopefully I will get this all done before he comes home on Sunday morning.
He is spending the night out for a friends bachelor party. They are even taking the camper (yes we do have a pop-up camper) to go camping that night.

(JM and his 3 BFF's Jean Gray, Erin and Whitney- We love you all so MUCH!)

(JM and my brother Chip at a Brave's game- JM's favorite!)

I was supposed to go out for a bachelorette party, but I have too much other stuff on my plate (wedding and all) to have a girls night out... plus it will be SO NICE for me to be home alone with our fur babies baking!

(Look how proud he is of that ring! That is me crying by the way... the night that he proposed!)

(I love you!- This is how we take a ton of pictures!)

Happy Birthday JM, my Honey Bunny. I love you so much you don't even know. I cannot wait to celebrate your Birthday this Sunday!

XOXOXOXOXOX

Happily Ever After.

2010-09-07T16:06:00.006-04:00

This weekend we made our way up North for a wonderful wedding celebration! Whitney and Bryan began their new lives together as Mr. and Mrs. A at 5:30 on September 5, 2010 on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia.

It was one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever been too! Everything had a personal touch from B and W! The music, food, location, and wedding colors were perfect for celebrating their love! Even the two diferent cultures- North meets the South! New Jersey and North Carolina all together in Virginia!
Whitney is one of JM's dearest friends from Greensboro, NC, where they grew up together, and Bryan is from New Jersey. They live in NJ and we were lucky enought to go and stay with them last fall too!
Now there are 3- no make that 4 ladies (not including me or his own Mama) in JM's life that we would travel the earth to see that you need to know about. All 4 of them made him the most wonderful man in the entire world. Thank you to Jean Gray, Erin, Whitney, and of course Mrs. Ellen D. I am one lucky girl! Even luckier that I love all of these ladies so much too!

(Jean Gray, Erin and Whitney from left to right)
I cannot believe that Jean Gray got married in June to Nate who we love too!, Whitney this past weekend and we are next... That means that we will have seen everyone 4 times this year alone! Erin is married to a wonderful man, Frank, that loves her more than anything in the world! I didnt know JM when they were married- but I have heard all about how wonderful that wedding was- hand-dipped corn dogs and ALL! I am so lucky to marry in to this part of JM's family too!

Now back to Whiney and Bryan!
Her dress was beautiful. I had never seen a more beautiful and calm Whitney before. She was radiant in that long, flowy gown! It seems as if it were made for her. She was stunning! So were you Bryan! Bryan was in all black and has never looked more handsome!
Their colors were Light Blue- some would say "Carolina Blue" (JM is a Duke fan- we will not go there) and Orange. It was such a beautiful contrast together! Blue hydrangeas and Orange gerber daisies!
Music- EVERYTHING! Bryan has some of the best taste in music and timing! Every song was played at the perfect time! It was perfect and reflected both of them! It was so much fun to dance all night long!
Location- At Whitney's parents Lake House. It was in the back yard on the lake- Big white tent and all! The weather was PERFECT! Not a cloud in the sky!
Food- LOVED IT ALL! IT was a whole North meets South thing... There was a Southern bar and an Italian bar... VERY fitting since Bryan is Italian- how could I have left that one out! The food was wonderful! Being from the South I should say that I loved the Southern food the most... BUT the Italian food was just too good! All of it was wonderful and I could not stop eating, but the chefs that were right there making pizza was amazing! Then we were all passed out a desert. Neopolitan icecream in between two hot waffles... this is a Atlantic City Board walk thing... and it is something I will probably crave from now on!

All in all the wedding was about one thing. LOVE. The love that they have for each other and the love that everyone has for them. Everyone who was there to celebrate, those that couldn't make the trip, and those that they have loved and lost celebrating from above were watching over this couple this past weekend as they started their new lives together.

So here's to Bryan and Whitney... We love you both so much! Congratulations.

xoxo,
KATIE

Diamonds really are a girls best friend!

2010-08-31T16:51:00.004-04:00

So I am so excited to say that two months from now I will be a Mrs. McCracken. I cannot wait.
Happy Tuesday everyone!
I had a weird and exciting weekend this past weekend and yesterday was still too upset to write about it all...
Friday night we went up to Lawrenceville to eat and have a few with some great friends! We had a few too many ( I didn't have too many) and then went next door to our friend Jeff's Jewelry store! Benton's Fine Jewelry and Repair ( Check him out at http://www.bentonsjewelry.com/) is the best place to go and shop for something new for your someone special!
We went there to look for some diamond wedding bands for me... but since JM had the ring custom made, nothing would wrap or curve around it! BOO! BUT he said that he had a guy who could make me one...
Well I am stubborn. I decided to go to the Apparel Mart the next day and continue my search... to find NOTHING that would work there either. I was SO UPSET I just wanted to cry... and I did a little... For some reason I thought that it was just going to be easy.

Fast forward to today... Jeff called in a favor and now we are having a diamond wedding band AND a new setting made for the Engagement ring too!!!!! So now I will have diamonds on the band of the Engagement ring as well!
Now for those of you that have seen my wonderful ring dont think that I am crazy! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my ring! It is a HUGE Cushion Cut Diamond with a plain band. The diamond is BEAUTIFUL. I love the ring and I am so happy that he will be able to use the gold from it to make the new one!

I promise to post picture of the current engagement ring and the new one! OF COURSE we are using the same diamond...

As for the wedding plans... Everything is coming along great! I had my first fitting yesterday! The dress is WAY too big now! Made me feel wonderful and we scheduled the next one for 3 weeks out! I cannot wait to see it fit me correctly... and I cannot wait to see JM's face as soon as the music starts playing, the doors fly open, and my Daddy walk me down the aisle to give me away to him. I know that I will have to remember that look, that feeling, what my Daddy says, and the excitement all around both of us walking towards JM for the rest of my life.

Count down has begun... 60 days.

Until them we will celebrate the love of Bryan and Whitney! We are going to their wedding this weekend on Smith Mountain Lake in VA. This couple could not be more perfect for each other.
I will never forget the moment that I met all of JM's friends on a trip to this very lake house last summer. I have never felt more welcomed in my life. Each and everyone one of them are so much more than I imagined, and they even sang me Happy Birthday day on my b-day! I love them all! With out JM growing up with all of them, he would not be the man that I love today. I love you all Greensboro Crew...

Here's to Bryan and Whitney... We love you both!

All about me...

2010-08-26T10:35:00.003-04:00

So I have never told you about myself. What I do. Why I started blogging. Nothing. I just kinda started writing one day.

Well my name is Katie. I am a 26 year old girl, living in sin with my fiance, JM. We live in Dunwoody, GA. I love that we are so close to everything that there is to do in Atlanta! We are so close to both of our families it is great. (Will be great one day when we have kids too!) We have two fur babies, our kitty children, Baby Girl and Tilly. We love to redecorate the house and seem to always have too many projects going on at once.
I work full time. I am a Buyer Relations Director for SIX SHOWS. The Company I work for runs and hosts a ton of Gift, Souvenir, and Resort Trade Shows all over the country. I really love everyone I work with. It is such a laid back environment. I can wear whatever I want to work! Jeans and t-shirts everyday! I dress up sometimes... rarely.
BUT I dint get to this job right out of college. Out of college (I went to Georgia Southern University and got a BS in Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Design) I started an Internship with Nordstrom. It was a great experience. So great that they thought I would make a great Department Manager.
When I started the Management position, my best friend Kerry and I moved into an apartment in Brookhaven about a mile from work! It was a great experience... taught me that I hate working retail. HATE IT. My feet always hurt, I worked nights and weekends, and it was getting to the point where the job consumed my life, my social life that is. I had to get out. FAST.
I did. One of my neighbors in our apartment building asked me if I wanted to give him my resume to give his boss. Wouldn't hurt right... I knew that the job was in outside sales. I knew that it was selling Copiers. I thought that I could do it, but little did I know that I would pretty much have to sell my soul to do it! That job SUCKED SO BAD. I am sorry if you read this and sell copiers! I was not good at it at all. I really liked everyone I worked with and it was great that I only had to work until 5 and had my weekends back...
While I worked there I made some great friends. One of them, Mike, thought that I needed to meet his roommate that we would be a match. Then another friend, Erika, thought that I needed to meet Mikes Roommate too! This went on for a WHILE. Finally we met on Halloween. I was a "Sexy Queen of Hearts" and JM was an Ex-AIG Employee Looking For Work. ( Yes he had that written on a sign and he wore it out with a suit on.) NO he did not work for AIG. Ever. BUT he is an accountant.
We starting talking that night and never stopped...
We dated for a few months and then he left his job in Public Accounting. (THANK GOD) He traveled all the time... was ALWAYS working. So he went over to Private Accounting. He loves his job now and is great at it. Bores me to death, but if he loves it then SO. Do. I!
That summer I was fired from my job as a copier sales girl. That was such a great day! I didn't know whether to cry tears of joy- OR jump up and down in my old bosses face and say THANK YOU! I just couldn't bring myself to quit. That was one of the best days of my life. Getting fired from a job that I hated so much that my eyes were red and puffy every day I walked in because I was crying on the way to work every day. I hated it that much.
So I had a summer off. I cooked dinner, I cleaned, and of course looked for a job. I have never heard of a stay at home girlfriend have you?
Then I found the job doing what I do now! All thanks to a great friend from college that I interned wtih and worked with at Nordstrom. Thanks Elisabeth!
So here I am 3 jobs after 4 years of college... but I think that I found the right one. It is great, by far my favorite job ever...

The reason that I started blogging in the first place was because I read someone Else's blog every morning with my coffee. Mrs. Southern Belle thank you so much for the inspiration to be able to write it all down! Mrs. Southern Belle and I were roommates in College and she even did my engagement pictures!
After much encouragement from my mom, who is my best friend for life, I decided to write about our crazy year that is all about weddings. We have 2 more left now. BUT before I started I had already been to 5 of them! They have all been wonderful. Every Bride has been beautiful! I have taken SO many notes on what I like and don't like for my own wedding. Not that I would be copying ANYTHING that anyone did, but I just took notes about random stuff... (IE.do high or low center pieces so that people can talk)

I am planning my own wedding. I started the minute we got engaged and I cannot wait to see all of it come together! All the flowers, music, food, decorations, etc. I promise to post all of the picture that I have or just post the link to the photographers website after the big event...

BUT WE have one last shower before the wedding! All of my parent's neighborhood and family friends are throwing us a Fall Fair or Carnival Themes shower... that means funnel cakes, cotton candy and fun games and dancing!!!! I cannot wait! I promise to post some pictures from that one!

I think that is enough about me... for now...

PS Sorry I write so much... I write a little then stop and save then come back and write more. I am shocked if you have made it this far...
Have a happy Thursday!

To be happy or sad....

2010-08-24T14:17:00.003-04:00

Happy...
My family threw me a shower this weekend. It was all family and a few of the Bridesmaids could make it too. This shower was so nice because it was JM's family and mine too! They had not all met before so this was the perfect way to introduce everyone (ladies ONLY) all at once. The food was wonderful! They even had a chocolate fountain! YUMMY! Mimosas were flowin too. Such a great time!
Happy... We got wonderful things for the kitchen. AND it was a Recipe Shower too. With every gift there was a wonderful recipe attached. I cannot wait to try them ALL- after the wedding of course! I mean do you actually think that I can eat Caroline's Recipe for Krispy Kream Bread Pudding with a Butter Rum Sauce and stay on this weight loss plan!? I don't think so... but we will have that for Christmas FOR SURE! We even got rid of the old stuff in the kitchen to make room for all of the new!
Happy... That I was measured by my trainer at the gym today and lost a ton of inches... I mean 4 from my bust ALONE. (For those of you that know me... the girls are huge. Thank you to my Grandmothers for that!)BUT I am sure that this is from my back too!
Happy... I still have an hour-glass figure... (Yes I have a bubble butt too!) AND I feel my whole body is tightening up too!
Happy... I get to go home to the most wonderful family! There is always someone (or some kitty) waiting to be loved when I walk in from work! (Read the previous post about them!)
Happy... The laser treatment on my face went wonderful! and is healing more and more every day (Insert Music... "you're so vain...")
I had a wonderful weekend... but also a sad weekend as well...

Has anyone ever had to ask a Bridesmaid to step down? Even though it hurt so bad and didn't want to do it at all? Well that was my weekend... and it is consuming my thoughts into Tuesday.

Sad... She didn't show up for a single thing... and I never got an answer as to why.
What if she didn't show up for the wedding? Rehearsal dinner? Isn't that really unfair to the other 11 of my Bridesmaids who have been at everything?
Sad... that I feel that 11 other bridesmaids were thinking "I told you so". Even though no one would say it out loud because they don't want to see me hurt. This is a much watered down version of the events leading up to this... believe me.

Happy... am I happy about this... No. No I am not. I am sad, angry, frustrated... BUT I do know that I have 11 amazing friends who are willing to fly or drive to be with me. AND that they are only a phone call away. I love all 12 of them, even though only 11 can be by me when I marry my Prince Charming.

I wish that things were different... but I know that they are not. I do not know what the future holds at all.
I do know that I am in love with the most wonderful man in the whole world, and I get to marry him in 67 days. And that we have wonderful friends who love and support us both.

Neither of us are perfect, and we don't think that we are. We know that when anything is going wrong or I'm just having a stressed time, all I have to do is call him or think about him and what we have and I cheer up or I realize that nothing is that bad b/c we have found each other and no matter what happens there will always be us...
and there will always be people that love and support us too.

Thank you to both of our families and friends who were at the shower this weekend... or there in spirit. We love you all and couldn't thank you enough for all of the wonderful love and support that you have given us both... Only 67 days until the big party!

Comments... if you are nice enough to comment and follow on my blog, thank you. Thank you all for reading and keeping up with me on this journey of madness... And no one has before, but please don't pass judgement. I don't need any blog drama too. BUT if you do want to make a suggestion... then what would you like me to name my blog? I want to change it once we are married... since I will no longer be living a "Grigsby Life" Think of something clever... McCracken will be my new last name!

Thank you for always being there blog world!

Friday I'm in love! Pictures!

2010-08-20T11:00:00.009-04:00

I just love Fridays! They are my favorite day of the week (next to Saturdays OF COURSE).

This particular Friday I am a little nervous. At 1:30 I am having a little laser "surgery" ON. MY. FACE. Now please listen there is NOTHING wrong with me or my face... but there is a little pink spot that came up two years ago and every time I look in there mirror I see it. It is NOT dangerous at all ( I have had it checked out by a Dr.)- so please no comments on that. I am just simply THAT vain to where I want it gone and NOW. Getting married in 71 days really makes me want it gone and HEALED. Now I take very very good care of my skin and hope that one day there will be no signs of aging AT ALL. My mom doesn't even have a wrinkle! Since I was blessed with her skin I hope that one day to look as wonderful as her! AND Oil of Olay is my secret- Moms too... I think that I have used that since I was old enough to wash my own face... a bar of Dove Soap (Yes a bar of soap- I dont give a sh*t either.. I have never had any acne either) AND Noxema... Love that smell...

These are a few of my favorite things... my loves.

Introducing... My Fiance, JM! I just love him so much... brings tears to my eyes to think that we have found eachother...

The sweet way that JM proposed! We were set up on a blind date on Halloween 2008, and he proposed a few days before Halloween 2009. Getting married on 10-30-10! I cannot wait! How cute is this! Thanks to JM's sister (YES she carved the pumpkins!) and his mom for getting this all set up before we came home from dinner... and yes he did get down on one knee, AND said my full name when asking me to be his wife! I love him!

Baby Girl. Yes that IS our kittys name!

Tilly... She is our crazy kitty! She is so sweet though, just wants to be loved and petted by anyone. She is our dumpster baby!

Both kitties were rescues! BG- from Humane Society... and Tilly is from Animal Control! Can you imagine these two kitties in Kitty Jail???... I think NOT! These are my babies... for now...

This is me and JM. I dont think that I have ever posted a picture of me! He took me to NY this past fall- was amazing! And I am much blonder now...

This is our little family... What do you love on this Friday???

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Feature on Mrs. Brandi Nell's blog AND Wednesday's Random thoughts...

2010-08-18T11:07:00.007-04:00

So one of our friends (REAL world friends and blog friends) Brandi decided to feature my last post on her blog!!!! You must check it out! She is so creative- check out some of her previous posts about her and her Husands DIY journey though their house- it is BEAUTIFUL! I just love everything that they have done!

http://brandinell.blogspot.com/2010/08/home-makeover-katie-jm-edition.html

So... today is Wednesday. Boring. I cannot wait until Friday, and it seems that everyone week I am counting down until Friday. This week is no different... and the countdown began on Monday... Ok more like Sunday night!
BUT this week is a little different! I have something wonderful to look forward to! My Kitchen Shower! We love to cook, try new and old recipes, and have people over for dinner so this is very fitting for me and JM. All of my wonderful cousins are throwing me the shower. And I will never be able to thank them enough!! Thank you so much Kay, Lynn, Sissy, Trixie, Lisa, Aunt Nanie, and Aunt Jackie! I love you all so much!
This shower will be a little different though... All of my family will be there, and so will all of JM's family! LADIES ONLY of course! I had decided that I wanted a shower where all of the family got to meet before the Wedding Day! So all of the ladies will be getting together for a shower FOR ME! I am so excited I cannot wait.... and one thing that is SO EXCITING (since we are really really into cooking) is that all of the Invitations had recipe cards attached! So everyone will be bringing me a recipe from their kitchen! AND I have just the place to put them!
My dearest and one of my oldest friends, Lauren Rose,(who si also a Bridesmaid) gave me the most wonderful Recipe book from Anthropologie! She and I share this love for anything Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People... she also gave me the most beautiful measuring cups at the last shower too! They look so great in the new kitchen! I cannot wait to bake something so I can use them! The Recipe Book is so perfect- (she knows me so well- even our moms are best friends!) I will be able to tuck all of the new cards in to the perfect little slots I CANNOT WAIT. Thank you Lauren Rose! Love you!

BUT there is ONE LITTLE PROBLEM... Since the 1st Shower, thrown by all 12 of my wonderful Bridesmaids, we still have not moved the gifts to the kitchen... they are all sitting in front of the fireplace! It looks like Christmas in the summer, but we have not had anywhere to put anything... SO this Sunday we will replace all of the old with all of the NEW... This I am even more excited about! I cannot wait for the first dinner party on all of my wonderful "Everyday China" by Lenox Butler's Pantry... it is to-die-for pretty!

I cannot wait to see both of our families meet and get to know eachother this weekend! I will let you know all how it goes... until them VISIT Brandi Nell The Southern Belle's Blog! Thank you Brandi!!!

Have a happy Wednesday!

While you were out...

2010-08-16T10:13:00.006-04:00

So this weekend, as you know, JM was gone at a wonderful Friends wedding in NY. Congratualtions to the new Mr. and Mrs. Cox!
While he was out I decided to do a little makeover. I have to thank my WONDERFUL Parents! Without them it would have never gotten done... and to be honest it would have looked like sh*t if it were just me... AND I cannot forget to thank Caroline too! With out her in the dining room, it would have been a disaster!
Now I said before that this was a "little makeover" this was more like an overhaul... The house went from a Bachelor Pad to a Home... a home where grown ups live... which is fitting since we are getting married in 75 days! So here are some before and afters of ALL 4 ROOMS that were redone this weekend! I hope that you all enjoy them... I cannot wait to have people over for dinner now!

This is the former Pool Table Room... See Bachelor Pad.

AFTER... Beautiful Formal Living Room! (NOTE: All of the chairs will be recovered by my wonderful Future Mother-in-Law! So this room had only begun!)

BEFORE: Ugly Kitchen... this picture even has the old floors and everything!

AFTER... BEAUTIFUL Kitchen!!!! Look at the beautiful new Chandelier!! Thank you so much Daddy for putting that up!!! AND the new Kitchaide Dishwasher! So quiet and pretty!

Before... Bright Blue Dining Room. I love it but only for a year. When I couldn't find ANY fabric to match... I knew that it had to go!

AFTER... New Dining Room! Brighter, lighter, and makes the space seem so much bigger! (Excuse the crap on the table!) ALSO Replaced all of the shades on the Chandelier!

BEFORE: Old Foyer... Look at that tile! and the white walls had to go...

AFTER... NEW Foyer.. SO much more inviting dont you think???

PLEASE Let some comments below! I just have to know what everyone thinks!!! IF you would like the paint colors I have them, just ask! AND I am sure that my Mom will want to know what everyone thinks too! I am so happy that it is all done!

Can you believe that we got all of this done, AND did some wedding stuff too! We picked out the music for the Church! We met with the Organist on Sunday after Service. After that we went to the "JV" OR some know it as The Junior Varsity. The location on Lindburg (Buckhead) is closing next Sunday... SO SAD. Our Grandparents used to take us there all the time! Thanks PaPa for all of the wonderful memories! I love you and Ema!

Now for the fabric in the New Living Room! and some curtains on all of the windows! The house will be transformed... BUT... We have two bedrooms left, the master bath, and of course... the outside of the house and finishing the basement! Those are NOT one weekend projects... So follow me to see what happens next!

P.S. JM absolutely loves the house too! He got in so late but I stayed up just to see his reaction after all of our long hard work on our house! HE loves it and he wants to thank Dad, Mom, and Caroline too!!!

Taping, Priming, and Painting...

2010-08-13T10:45:00.003-04:00

So as you know by now... we love to do home projects to make the house look new and updated. BUT this time I may be biting off more than I can chew. I am seriously painting all of the rooms in the downstairs of our house. BY SUNDAY. BY 10PM Sunday night! I really want it to be a surprise for JM. He doubts me! and THAT I cannot have... plus that is the deadline I have given myself. I have some help coming over which will make the project fun, but I think that even they think I am crazy. BUT before I forget... thank you Mom, Dad, Will, and Caroline! It is going to be a very fun family affair!
I am so sick of the yellow/ gold kitchen ( I love it last summer when I painted it) and the very blue dining room (ditto). What was I thinking painting the rooms those two colors? I have no idea now. It looks like some serious Georgia Southern people live there. OH wait they do... we both went to school there! That is not what I want the house to reflect though! Did I mention that the living room is mint green? IT IS SO GROSS. Whay in the world did I think that all of those colors would lok good together!?
After searching through every Southern Living I have had my Mom hold on to for me, we (no it is just me) decided on ALL NEUTRALS! I figure with some very light tan in the kitchen a Suede tan in the dining room and foyer, and a cream in the living room how can I go wrong!? I can always accent with colors in the rigs, pillows, fabrics etc!

I have already taped everything... I HATE TAPE! AND how EXPENSIVE it is! But the blue painters tape is the only thing that will work! Tonight I will prime all 4 rooms and finish some of the taping I left for tonight (I might be up all night!) and then tomorrow the color comes in... I also have a little surprise up my sleeve for the fiance too! Cannot tell you now- he might actually read while he is away!
BUT he will love it!

I hope that I am not too crazy in taking all of this on in one weekend! I promise to take some before and afters! Then I can post all of the wonderful redo pics of the house!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Monday, Monday

2010-08-09T12:47:00.005-04:00

So this weekend the tile in the kitchen and foyer was finished!!!! Thank you to my wonderful Fiance! John Michael... or of course the one who did all of the work... Roberto! He was wonderful and did the most amazing job on the floors! We could not be happier with them.
I even got a brand new dishwasher!!! It is so pretty and shiny... I cannot wait for it to be installed this weekend! Hopefully it will come on Friday! IT is a black (all of the appliances are black) Kitchenaid. IT is so wonderful... and I NEVER in my wildest dreams would have thought that a new dishwasher would make me so excited... but it does! All of the new little washing features... steam clean and sanitize! Wow... that is sad that I am so excited.
Here is the kicker of home renovations... tonight we get to go home and clean everything... and I mean EVERYTHING. The tile was cut IN THE HOUSE!!! Everything... I mean EVERYTHING is covered in dust! It is on every glass, dish, fork, spoon... table top... the list goes on... EVEN the cats are covered in dust! IT is gross and I cannot wait to have a clean house again.
AND I am counting down the hours until this weekend!!! I am sad that JM is leaving me to go to a wonderful friends wedding in upstate NY, but I get some alone time... Every now and then it is nice to have the house to yourself. (Even though I am scare of the dark and hate being home alone) BUT that is not the real reason that I am excited about having JM gone... I have recruited my family to come and help me paint! The kitchen is going to be "Coffee and Cream" by Valspar (even though we bought Behr Paint and had them match it)The Dining room will be a darker tan and the formal living room (formally the Pool Table Room) will be a cream color... WITH a gold-ish ceiling!

Is is sad that it is a Monday and I am excited to go home and clean and start prepping for the weekend? Since JM will be gone, and not coming home until late on Sunday... I am hoping to get house cleaned and back in order before the weekend... but there is a ton to do! Next week I will post some pictures of My DIY Weekend!!!

Hope that everyone is having a good Monday! (Even though there is really no such thing)

New floors and more!

2010-08-05T10:23:00.003-04:00

Happy Thursday everyone!
I am so glad that this week is almost over, but at the same time... I cannot wait for this weekend to be over!!!
Now don't get me wrong I love love love my weekends... but this one is different! We are getting new kitchen and foyer floors! Which means that the house is a disaster! John Michael started getting the house ready on Tuesday night by moving the dishwasher, the fridge, and the stove... which means that we cannot cook this week! BUT I am so excited about getting a new dishwasher as well as the new floors. I cannot believe that I am excited about a dishwasher! I used to be so excited about a new pair of heels, new dress... but a DISHWASHER? Come on! Ours is really really loud and sometimes doesn't get everything clean... so today I get to look for a new one and I am so excited about it!
And I am even more excited about the floors. Right now we have, or now had since I am sure that it is all ripped out by now, some 1970 looking tile in the foyer. (it is at the top of the picture above) and we have wonderful linoleum in the kitchen- white with green faux tiles (bottom of the picture) BUT what I didn't realize is that you just put linoleum over linoleum... they had just layered it all on there! We got a wonderful surprise when we saw all of the past years of CRAPPY FLOORS!!!! I really do not get the golden maize color floors... or tiles... it is gross to me! I guess that it was wonderful in the 70's, but since I am a product of the 80's I just don't get it.
We- (I keep saying we, but really it is JM and a guy named Roberto doing all the work) are getting some porcelain tile that looks just like slate tile... it is a light tan with some white going through it. Almost giving it a marble-ish look. IT IS BEAUTIFUL!I will post a picture of the final product in the future...
AND once the floors go in... I have to start taping and painting! I painted the walls a golden color yellow last summer and regret that color choice! From now on I will wait to paint the walls almost last when re-doing a room! I hate that I have to repaint a room! IT will be worth it in the end!

ON A WHOLE OTHER TOPIC....
I had my first shower this past weekend!!!! It was SO MUCH FUN! We drank punch.. some really strong punch! I got to see so many of my friends that I have not seen in a long time and even their moms too! It was so nice! Thank you so very much to all of my bridesmaids who threw the wonderful shower! I got some wonderful gifts... and that is really why I cannot wait for this weekend to be over is that we are going to clean out the kitchen of all of the old stuff and start using some of OUR new stuff!
I really like that it will be OUR new kitchen stuff! but now I have to think of where we will put all of the old stuff until we are done with the wedding! Thoughts??? We plan of giving it all to our families who want or need it... for example Chip and Will (my brothers) they will both be moving sometime soon, and they don't have kitchen stuff... and I am sure that Rachel and Sarah (JM's sisters) would love to have some of it as well...

Ladies- when you got married, what did you do with all of the stuff? OLD and NEW??? HELP me out here???

Hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend!!!

Picture Recap!

2010-07-29T09:08:00.004-04:00

So here are a ton of pictures that I never uploaded!!!! Sorry I am such a mess! We have been to been to SEVEN weddings so far this year... and we have been planning our own as well! We have 3 left to go before our own!!! I cannot wait to share all of the details... but that will happen in November (which seems so far away!) after the wedding!
So since I am not good at posting pictures AT ALL on any website the only way that I know how to do them is to them all at once... I cannot figure out how to put a caption on each one... SO if you do know then HELP!!!

100 days and counting!

2010-07-22T09:49:00.002-04:00

So today marks 100 days until our wedding! and let me tell you, I CANNOT WAIT!
I feel like we have most everything planned or we at least have it on the list of To Do's. We just did the invitations and they are the most beautiful invitations I have ever seen!!! They are so elegant, super traditional, and really plain! I would post a picture, but I dont want to ruin the surprise!

So let me do a little recap of this past week... and I will post all the pictures tonight or maybe tomorrow. JM has my camera because he sent a guy some pictures of the pool table we are selling!!!! I hope that this guy wants it...
So last week I posted about my favorite summer thing... tomatoes! and I have had at least one a day since then!
Saturday morning I got up super early and drove to Marietta to meet my mom to go to the Farmer's Market in the Marietta Square! Everyone was so so wonderful and let me take pictures of their wonderful produce and even a few pictures of them too!!!! I promised everyone that I would put up links to their websites if they have them. BUT OF COURSE I forget the camera today so I can post some pictures.
When we first got there we went straight over to Dan the Tomato Man!!! I just love love love him and his wonderful wife! They could not have been a nicer couple! Their tomatoes are the BEST I have ever had in my life! I have made tomato pie and had tomato sandwiches for the past week and I will never get sick of them.
On the list of what we got at the market was...( I am sorry if I don't remember everyone names, but they will be in the pictures that I post later!)
Blackberries form Marietta
Peaches from GA
Bacon from a farm in Avondale (of course ate this on BLT's Sunday night! picture of that too!)
Banana peppers
Jalapeno Pesto- this is from Hope's Garden and it is by far the best pesto I have ever had!

and a few more goodies that I have taken pictures of as well!
Tonight I will try to post all of the pictures that I took (with their permission of course!) and even give out a wonderful recipe as well... Tomato Pie!

Monday night we had a little dinner party at the house with JM's family! Uncle Danny and Aunt Susie are in town from Australia!!! Also their son (JM's cousin) Drew and his beautiful new bride Amie were on their honeymoon in the US! We had everyone over to have steak sandwiches, fish tacos, and tomato pie! Little random menu, but everyone loves the fish taco's that JM makes and the steak sandwiches we saw on Food Network on night and just had to make them too! For dessert, JM made is wonderful Creme Brule! He really is the master chef! Since we both love to cook and entertain this was so much fun to have everyone over for a big family dinner! We had 12 over for dinner! (Picture to come of course!)

The rest of the week we have been laying pretty low... and I have been eating tomatoes!

I hope that everyone is having a great Thursday!

Promise to post pictures soon!

Love is in the air and the fruit is plentiful!

2010-07-16T10:31:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday everyone! I hope that everyone has had a great week... and that you will have a better weekend!
So...
Last night I was invited to the future Mrs. Woolley's (Amber) house for dinner! Amber and Matt just got engaged on June 16th, 2010, and they have already begun the planning... and that is why some girls were invited over for dinner! She asked all of us to stand up by her side as she marries the love of her life, Matt. AKA- asked us to be Bridesmaids in her wedding! Let me tell you this girl is on it! She already has the wedding planned! The wedding will be in Mexico on April 1, 2011! I am so excited to be in the wedding- AND get to go to Mexico! Now that I think about it... Amber is this why you made Mexican for dinner? ALSO- I will be getting you a cutting board and some knives... Dollar Store knives will be trashed!
Also a shout of to my girl Rachel Young! CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement as well!!!
Love really is in the air!

On to the fruit!
You might be wondering why I have tomatoes on the top of this blog... Well tomatoes are a fruit. AND I am obsessed! I have been craving good, summer, home grown tomatoes for weeks!!! My Mom had some yummy tomatoes over the 4th of July and since then I have had nothing but tomatoes on my mind!
This week JM's whole family has been out of town and we were able to go over to his Uncle's house to pick some tomatoes! Only the grape tomatoes were ready and for every 5 we picked I ate 2 while in the process! But this is not what I am craving...
I want a huge fat juicy tomato! And tomorrow morning I will get my fix! Mom is taking me to see the "Tomato Guy" who will be at the Marietta Square for the weekend farmers market. I might get 10 or 20 tomatoes! I have so many recipes that must have tomatoes in them to make... Tomato pie, tomato sandwiches, BLT's.. I could write a book!
Is it sad that I am so excited about tomatoes I can hardly wait to go to sleep tonight because I will be that much closer to having my tomatoes!
BUT First is a long overdue GIRLS NIGHT OUT! and tonight we are celebrating Beth's Birthday!!!!

One more thing! as requested by a few of the girls at Amber's house last night I will be doing some blogging on cooking, baking, and all food relating things! There will be some new, some old, and some I have never tried! I will make sure to have pictures as well! They will be up on Tuesday's! Gotta think of a name for Tuesday's new blog! Tasty Tuesdays perhaps!

Sorry the posts are always so long! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

Monday, Hair Color, and of course... Weddings!

2010-07-12T13:55:00.000-04:00

So today I really didnt have much to say... But I know that I do hate Monday's. For soem reason I am a little more tired on Modany morning than any other day! I cannot even think about getting out of bed before 7:15, even with JM's countless efforts to get me up, even the threat of dragging me out of the bed by my ankles doesn't phase me anymore. The weekends really just take it all out of me!
And this weekend, just like almost every other weekend in the McCracken/ Grigsby House we left for a wedding! (Side note- I cannot wait to just say McCracken House!)
This weekend's wedding was in Macon, GA! It was beautiful! Everything from the church to all of the details at the reception were stunning! The new married couple, Laura (beautiful Bride!) and Tim (dashing Groom) made a beatiful couple! Even though it rained a little, everything was wonderful- even the Jamacian Rum Punch that I had all night!
Now that I think about it the rum could be another contributing factor to my Monday hatred...

On to hair color... tonight I am going to the salon to get a little highlight touch up... these roots are getting straight up trashy! and I am in desperate need of a trim! I never cut my hair anymore and to be honest you could color my hair purple (again) and I would welcome that- BUT a bad hair cut to me is so much worse... Once the hair starts falling to the ground (even if it is just s centimeter) I start to tear up! I think that it stems back to a time in highschool when I did one of those "hair make over" things! She cut like 7 inches off all in one slice! I cried instantly, like a two year old! So I admit I have a problem about cutting my hair... but today is the day to have another centimeter cut off- its all about baby steps right?

and one last thing... and everyone PLEASE COMMENT as I am lost on this one!!!!
So JM and I have been trying to figure out what the last song at our wedding will be... I dont want it to be some cheezy "last dance song" that you might hear at a prom! BUt at the same time he has proposed a Lil' Wayne song, a Beasty Boys song, AND a Queen song. I CANNOT imagine the last thing that we dance to on that special night to be "we are the champions" ... I mean really??? Everyone please let me know what you think! All that he keeps saying is "Babe, it's all about compromise!" Well last time I checked compromise is NOT me dancing to "Fight for your right to party" by Beasty boys either!!!!!

I guess it is just another "Manic Monday"

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-06T11:50:00.000-04:00

We had the best weekend! AND it was wedding-free!

on Friday night we went to the Brave's game, and they won in the 11Th inning! It was a great game! We got some great tickets and went went with some great friends, the Fosters. We had a blast and the win made the Friday night fireworks that much better!

Saturday we went to the lake with my family all day long! That night we had the most amazing BLT's in the world... there really is nothing better then a fresh summer tomato!

Sunday we went back to the lake for some more fun! The Fosters came along for the ride too!
We rode around and all the boys got on the tube- JM is still sore today! That night we docked at a good family friends house and watched the fireworks show! The fireworks this year were amazing! The show went on for 30 minutes!

Since it was a 3-day weekend... we had Monday off as well! We slept in and did some home projects! We are getting our laundry room organized! Some shelving and storage bins (to hide the mess of course) for organization.... I cannot wait until it is all said and done! It might actually make laundry fun... or at least not as painful as it normally is....
I promise to post some pictures of the house one day... but right now the kitchen is not finished... and we are still looking for a buyer of a wonderful pool table!!!!

Hope that everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!!!

Last weekend...

2010-06-25T09:45:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was the most beautiful weekend... ever. JM and I went up to Hendersonville, NC to Camp Kanuga to witness the most perfect wedding where the most perfect couple were getting married.
We left early Friday morning to get out of town and get to the lake with some of our good friends... All of JM's friends from Greensboro, NC where he grew up. We met Jean Gray (Bride) and Nate (Groom) once we arrived, and went to check into our cabin. All of the guests stayed in 4 bedroom cabins for thw whole weekend f wedding festivities! The camp was honestly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. AND it reminded me of where I went to church camp when I was growing up (Camp Glisson)
Now if I went through the whole weekend of events then this would be the longest blog ever... but everything, and I mean every last detail, was very thoughtful, heartfelt, and perfectly planned by two of the most creative women I have ever known, Jean Gray and her fabulous momma Miss Ellen! I am sure that Nate helped out as well.
The whole weekend these was about "tying tight knots" and I can say that we tied some tight knots with many friends that JM has not seen in a while, and of course I got to know everyone much better!
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Mohs! Jean Gray and Nate we love you dearly!!!!

and an update on redecorating and renovations... I promise to post pictures soon! This weekend we are going to pick up my grandmother Kitty's old kitchen table so that we can refinish it! Once we get the floors and table in- the kitchen will be done....
NOW if we can just sell the pool table we can have a wonderful living room!!!! We already have the furniture and all, but need to find someone who would like to buy a pool table for cheap!!! Let us know of you have any friends who want a pool table, everything comes with it! AND you have to come and get it too!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!

25.....AGAIN....

2010-06-15T14:43:00.000-04:00

So for those of you who did not know, today is my Birthday!

I cannot believe that when I woke up this morning I was a year older... and I have turned 26. Gross... 26. No way... that is exactly why I have said, for years now, that I will never age a day past 25.
When I was laying in bed this morning I could not believe that I had to go into the office on my birthday (as if it is a National Holiday or something!) I have never worked on my birthday, always taken off work... But then I decided that I was going to get up, shower, and actually straighten out my hair, put on make-up, AND wear a dress! (this rarely happens in our house) Most mornings I sleep until the very last second, jump in the shower, throw on some jeans and a t-shirt and go across town to work.
Today was different, I woke up feeling great... still feel great...

and when I walked out the door this morning, I said to myself (and my cats) that there is nothing wrong with lying about your age... I will remain 25 from here on out!

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful day!!!

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Friday!

2010-06-11T10:49:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday everyone!

I am so glad that today is Friday!
So only a few things to blog about today...

We got ANOTHER wedding invitation in the mail the other day... so NOW we have 11 to attend and #12 will be our own! I cannot be invited to another wedding this year! I just cannot! That will make ours #13! Of course the #13 doesnt mean a thing to me, but still it is adding up quick!

We finally booked the Rehersal Dinner spot and I cannot wait! It is exactly what JM wanted and I know that he is really really excited about it! To be honest I am even more excited about the BBQ that we will be having! The space is absolutly beautiful as well! Great job McCracken Clan- it is wonderful and everything that we could have hoped for!

Also this week we decided that we will have a Day-of Coordinator for the wedding... There is going to be so so much going on... and the last thing that I want is for me and my mom to worry about it all on that day! Last night I went and met with Watermark Weddings, and I could not even believe everything that they will take care of! I was honestly shocked and surprised about all of the stuff that we were forgetting about... So anyone who is thinking about having a day of coordinator, go and meet with them!

On to the music...
I am so greatful for my wonderful family who is playing music at the ceremony! My cousin Sam, the Trumpet Genious will be playing at the ceremony! This will be so special to me and everyone in the family to hear him play... I know that I am going to cry my eyes out as soon as the first note hits and my Daddy walks me down the aisle...
Also Billy is playing at the wedding as well... for those of you that have not been to one of the Grigsby Family Thanksgiving parties, Billy is a musical genious! Hopefully the Organist at the Church will allow all of this music to be played! Fingers crossed...

I know that my blog posts are a little random... but that is just me. I am just so excited to share the news with everyone that it all kinda comes out at once!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

Let them eat cake!

2010-06-09T11:58:00.001-04:00

Last night my mom and I went to meet with The Frosted Pumpkin to sample and look at a few cake designs. We had their cake at a good friends wedding a few years ago and thought that it was the best cake that we have ever had! She gave me their name and they just so happen to be the preferred vendor at the country club where our reception is being held!
All of the cakes were wonderful and beautiful. I was so excited to bring home samples of the cakes that we picked out that I didn't wait for the new samples that they gave us to thaw all the way out for JM to try! I was so excited to have him try the cakes that I loved... He had a few bites of the semi-thawed cakes and wasn't as excited as I had hoped for! Hopefully the thawed cake will more to his liking tonight!

check out some of their cakes at http://www.frostedpumpkin.com/

I am so excited to say that we have 143 days until our wedding... and I love JM more and more everyday! It is crazy to think that we met on a blind date a year from the day we got engaged!
I cannot wait!

A wonderful long weekend!

2010-06-01T18:58:00.000-04:00

I had the best time this weekend. We did not have a wedding to go to and we got so much done!
Friday was great! I was told that we could leave the office at 2! I was so excited to miss Atlanta traffic on a holiday weekend that I sprinted out the door right at 2. I went home and got all of our 'Save the Date' envelopes labeled and stuffed. I thought that it was going to be an "all night long" project and it only took me 2 hours!
JM got home just in time for me to be finishing up... But he went to work on the tile backsplash in the kitchen, and I got to lay on the couch and get some good TV time in and went to the kitchen to see how it was going once in a while...
Saturday was the day that I had been waiting for for months- but I will get to that later...
We went to the gym first thing. (We have been trying to do this more and more often- and it makes me feel great all day!) When we were on the way home we remembered that there was a garage sale going on across the street. I have been looking for some chairs for our formal living room (it currently has a pool table in it- but the beer signs are gone), so I was hoping that maybe they had one good one. We got there and introduced ourselves (Is it sad that they live two doors down and have never met them?), and out of the corner of my eye I spotted two chairs that looked perfect for the living room, after recovering them of course! Then she told us that she had another chair in her room that she didnt bring down yet. We followed her up and I took one look at the chair and knew it had great potential! Plus is matches the one that JM's wonderful momma gave us a few weeks ago!
So we got all 3 chairs... and only spent $70!!!! I was so excited because they have a chair that is very very similar at an antique store across from my office for a few hundred $!

BUT that is not even why I was so excited about this Saturday... I was so excited about this Saturday in particular because MY WEDDING DRESS IS HERE!!!! I met my mom and MOH (the best MOH in the world, Kerry) at the bridal shop and tried it all on... Shoes, crinoline the whole nine yards! I truely felt like a princess right then and there. I have never been so excited to wear something in my entire life! OF course I can not share a single detail because JM is reading as well...but I can tell you that I cannot wait to see his face as I walk down that aisle! As Kerry says the dress is "show stoppin'"

After the Bridal Shop we headed over to Buckhead to have lunch at Cafe Niko. We decided that is where the Bridal Luncheon will be... not only because the food is great, but the Bloody Mary's are to die for!
Then we picked out the Wedding invitations! They are beautiful- but you will have to wait see them!

Saturday night JM went to a Brave's Game (Go Bravos!) and I had the house all to myself... I read and watched some girl-y TV!
Saturday could not have been a more perfect day!

Sunday JM went to another Brave's game with my PaPa, dad, and brother. And I got to hang out with Kerry again! We hung out all day on the couch and it was just like old times!
Sunday night we relaxed and went to bed early again!

Monday was an eventful day! We woke up and went back to the gym and then came home to finish the rest of the backsplash! IT IS DONE!!!! HE put the grout on... or in the crackes... I dont know how to word that the right way, but I wiped it all off... IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL!!!! Next step is the tile floor... However I am not sure if we are going to do that ourselves or not now... might be easier to just hire someone. We will see...
Monday night we went out for a Mexican dinner with a group of neighborhood friends! I am so excited that we have two great couples that live with in a mile of us!

Sorry for such a long post, but really I could not have had a better weekend and just had to share it with you!

Crazy

2010-05-26T15:25:00.000-04:00

So today is day 2...
Last night this little girl woke us up at 5 am. All that she wants to do during the day is bite us and Baby Girl (our other cat), and at night she wants to be loved on- even if we throw her off the bed 10 times! This little psycho is named Tilly... or Tilly Monster.
I don't know what I will do if she wakes me up again... I am so tired my eyes are crossing!

Enough about that cat...
Tonight we are finally going to put up some tile on the back splash in the kitchen! I am so excited to see what it looks like with the new sink and granite counters that we had installed! Tonight I will learn what it means to "measure twice and cut once" a very wise man once said... I WILL NOT be doing any of the cutting of the tile. I will leave that up to JM, who thinks that I need to learn to cut tile. Sorry honey, I dont think I need to learn that one! and what happenned to "you just sit there and look pretty"?

I was thinking this morning how I should put up some of the pictures of the kitchen, but I dont want to ruin the surprise of the finished product.
All that we have left is the tile back splash, tile floor in the kitchen and enterance, paint 5 rooms and strip wall paper in one bedroom, refinish my grandmothers kitchen table, build the bench in the kitchen window.... and that is not even the half of the projects we have going on inside the house... The outside is a whole other list!
For now I need to find a wall color and fast to get rid of the yellow paint I thought looked so wonderful in the kitchen last summer!
I also need a Southern Living Magazine ASAP for some more inspiration...

Wedding planning is still in full swing as well... Trying on the dress for the first time this weekend! I am so excited and hope that this "diet" will make me feel like a confidant Bride (not to mention have killer waist line and arms)! I am also starting to think about the tux rental dead line! We have until October for the wedding, HOWEVER all 12 groomsman (YES we are having 12 bridesmaids and 12 groomsman)must be fitted for their tuxes by June 16th... or else I will be the one getting harassed to get them all in there... What fun that will be!

As for now I must harass my wonderful fiance to get all of his addresses ready to mail out the "Save the Dates' by FRIDAY! We dont want to be the last ones to send them out now do we...

Day 1

2010-05-25T14:51:00.001-04:00

I cannot believe that I am actually "blogging", and that I really still do not know what I am doing.
It all started when my mom said at lunch today "well I would follow you and I know that you are a good writer". I feel like all moms should say that... So thanks mom for the courage to have my own blog! And thanks to JM, my fiance, for the wonderful name!

So... the reason that I started this blog in the first place was so that I could share my crazy life. It seems that there is no time to really relax this year. We have been to 5 weddings so far. It is only May 25. We have 5 more to go... and that makes our own wedding #11.
We really have seen it all and I can say that every wedding was different... and that I have taken a few "do's and don'ts" from them all so far. But I have come to the conclusion that weddings really are the best date night that you can have! Think about it... you both dress up, go out for dinner and dancing, and it is always a good night because the theme at every wedding is LOVE!
Since we have had so many weddings, been in weddings, and have 5 more to go... I had to plan it all as fast as I could. I would not change a single thing! I cannot wait to walk down the aisle to meet my prince charming...
I also cannot wait to leave the country for a week after that as well... Once we are on our honey moon the year of weddings will be over...
But until then check back and I will post more about our home projects ( we are doing the kitchen ourselves right now) and all of our wedding planning!
Much love!