Fall...my FAVORITE time of year!!

Well, I know it's probably a little early to be talking about fall when we are still having temperatures of 85 and 90 degrees, but I can't help it.  When we left the house this morning for church it was 73 outside and it got me thinking of all the reasons I love this time of year.  I look forward to so many things!!

Mums are always on my front and back porch

I love seeing all the leaves change (especially when I am driving back to Rogers on 540, one of the most beautiful drives in the fall.)

Football!!  Matt and I love to wake up on Saturday and turn on game day while fixing breakfast with the windows open.  (unless of course we're tail-gating at the stadium:)

I love fall because this little munchkin turns 2 in October!!

Fall  means getting to spend a lot of time at my parent's house and riding four-wheelers on their land. We each have one and it's something we enjoy doing as a family.

CRAFT FAIRS!!  Kyndall, Carrie, Lindsay and I love this time of year!!  This is when my mom, all her sisters, my grandmother, and the girls get together for some shopping and fun!

I love fall because it means that Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  This was taken last Thanksgiving and I cherish every moment I get to spend with my family!  This year we will be with Matt's family and I am really excited to share in that experience!

I love Yankee Candles' fall scents.  Autumn Wreath, Harvest and Spiced Pumpkin fill up my house!

BOOTS!!!  Need I say more...

I love fall decor at my house, whether it's wreaths or pumpkins.

Fall also means we are one step closer to coats. (Coats are like an accessory to me:)  I bought this yesterday in camel. Love it!!

Now that I have finished this, I am super excited for the seasons to change.  However I am certain it may be a while before the temperatures start to drop. Oh well, guess we can all get a couple more wears out of our summer dresses :)

Shreveport or BUST...

WOW...what a week!!  I have been fighting a sinus infection from Hades for the past 7 days.  I finally started to feel a little better Thursday night (after 4 boxes of Kleenex, Tylenol Sinus, and Mucinex.)  Matt has had his fourth week of clinicals and thankfully will have the next two weeks off.  Well, let me rephrase that...not OFF, but back to classroom time from 8-5, so he'll get a break from those early 5 a.m. mornings.  Our short-term goal now is just 4 more weeks and then he gets fall break and will be halfway through this semester!! We are both looking forward to Sept. 20!! 

Despite the stressful week of balancing work, school and not feeling good, we had a GREAT time this weekend in Shreveport visiting Katie and Clay Harrison.  They've just built a beautiful new home and we were the first guests to get to come and play.  We drove in Friday night and crashed.  They had ordered pizza from Papa Murphy's that was the best pizza I think I have ever had!  We stayed in and watched movies while eating pizza, raw cookie dough (which is my favorite), and drinking Gianni wine (another NEW favorite.)

Saturday we slept in (shocker!) and then Katie and I headed down to the Boardwalk to shop for a bit.  It was too hot so the shopping didn't last very long.  We met the boys for lunch and then all went back to the house. The boys played the Wii, while the girls napped.

Clay and Katie

Someone is SOO Funny!!

Playin some football on the Wii.

Was that a touchdown?!

Saturday night Katie and Clay took us to a hole in the wall joint.  We walked into this bar (not one of the finer establishments I have been to) and tucked away in the back is a restaurant called The Cub.  WOW!!

There were about 10 tables in the restaurant and you can only eat there with reservations.  It was some of the best food I have had in a VERY long time!!  Steaks, shrimp scampi, au gratin potatoes, wedge salads, wine, etc.  We enjoyed it so much that we decided to call it a night and just head back to the house.  I was so content curled up back in the big chair in my pj's watching movies after such a great meal. 

Matt and I at The Cub.  Clay had his hand over the flash :)

SMILE!

Katie and I enjoying this honky-tonk bar

We got back to the house around 3:00 today and are getting ready to get back in the swing of things.  We had such a great time with two wonderful friends that God has blessed our lives with.  Before we left this morning, Katie and I started planning a trip for the four of us to go to Disney World next summer!! I have been twice and it truly is the happiest place on earth.  I am so excited to take Matt and to make many more memories with great friends. 

Now, I need to post this blog and go run.  I haven't been "true" to my work-out schedule since I was sick last week and out of town the week before. Time to get back in gear!! Oh, but one more thing...I have to post the picture below because it's taken with my new camera and so very sweet of our little Jovie.  I love it!

 

Random Fun

I think this weekend has been the best weekend in a while.  It started with being relieved that my VERY busy week was finally over and Matt has been feeling better.  The two things I prayed every day this week (among many other things of course) were #1 - get me back home safely to my husband and #2 - to help Matt get over this horrible nausea he has had.  God answered both of my prayers this weekend.

Friday night we had plans to go to YaYa's for Joe's birthday at 7:00.  We had a nice surprise, when Clay and Jeni Davis (from Monroe) called and were passing through town on the way to Fayetteville.  We were really excited for them to stop by.  We talked them into going to eat with us and staying the night. 

Jeni and Clay

The birthday boy, Joe, with Heather and Lane.

Beautiful Sis

#2, #3, #4, and #1  (gotta love an inside joke)

Outside YaYa's

The boys at Bar Louie

Bar Louie was on the agenda after leaving YaYa's and oh how we enjoyed the people watching.  Matt and I are an old married couple now, so we were ready to head home around midnight.  It was a great night full of great company!

Saturday, Matt and I didn't get out of bed until 10:00!  It was pure bliss!  Since I was gone all week, I spent the day buying groceries, cleaning the house, going to Target, etc.  By the time 5:00 rolled around I had everything done and was ready to head over to Ryan and Heather's to grill out.  There were 10 couples and 7 kiddos.  The girls had a great time catching up, while the boys went fishing for a while on the boat. 

All the girls

Two of the three Heather's and Me.

Heather B and Me

I love this picture because it perfectly captures the words on my glass!

We enjoyed today at church and I just got back from seeing the movie Eat Pray Love with the girls.  I thought it was great!!  Maybe because it is partially filmed in Rome and I have been there twice - it's one of my favorite cities in the world.  Who knows?!  I thought it had a great message though and really liked it.  Perfect way to end a relaxing weekend with friends.

Next weekend we head to Shreveport to visit Clay and Katie. YAY!!  I am going to try and get a new camera before then because obviously (as you can tell from some of the pictures above) mine isn't working as well as it use to ;)

All Work and No Play

I have been spending the recent days wondering if things are going to slow down anytime soon.  I am working in Minneapolis right now and am looking so forward to being home.  I LOVE my job, yes, that is correct...I LOVE IT, but I know that the rest of this year is going to be C-R-A-Z-Y.  My traveling is starting to pick up, we are preparing for the launch of a new drug, partnerships are continually in the works, and Matt is in the middle of the hardest semester he will have.  I don't want to wish my life away, but I CAN say that I am very much looking forward to December 2010. 

It is so funny how life just happens right in front of our eyes.  I know things are always going to be busy, and truthfully, they will never slow down to the pace I would like them to be (although I'm such a go-getter that I would probably be bored if they did)  So, it's the times like these that I don't want to complain, but just ride the roller coaster and hope that the next round is more like the ferris wheel.  Speaking of ferris wheel, it reminds me of our mini-vaca to Chicago...such a good time!!  I am taking off a week in Sept. and we haven't decided yet where we want to go.  I can tell you that if this hectic schedule keeps up, I'll be spending those five days laying around the house doing absolutely nothing!! 

Next weekend we are headed to visit friends in Shreveport, LA and we're really looking forward to it. This weekend, once again, I want to do absolutely nothing.  This will be our third weekend in a row at the house and it's been fantastic.  I like to soak up the simple things...sleeping late with Matt, going for a run (before it's 100 degrees), making honey butter biscuits together, going to the Farmer's Market, taking a nap and watching movies, a quiet dinner just the two of us.  These things make me so happy!  Maybe we will have time to fit in some Play into our All Work schedule after all.  :)

One year ago today...

 

The Whole Caldwell Clan

Me and my little ring bearer, Jack Henry. He did such a good job and at the age of 2!

The best DAD in the whole world, giving me away.

My little flower girl, Olivia Kate in her princess dress.

Maid of Honor, Best Friend, and Sister

I loved my cake!!  This picture doesn't do the reception justice. The huge flower arrangements

were not yet on the tables here.

Matt's grooms cake was a HIT with the kids, especially JH.  He eyed that sucker all night until he could eat it. 

Let the PARTY begin!!

I love this picture, it was after Kyndall's toast.

We had so much fun on the party bus and had a great time

taking pictures outside in the fields before the reception. This photo isn't even a glimpse of the good ones that were taken.

With all my cousins, the 9 honorary bridesmaids and Brandi and Kyndall, two of my bridesmaids.

Yes, I had 8 bridesmaids and Matt had 8 groomsmen.  (We were at 12, but had to tone it down a bit!)

Dancing with Dad

We were so blessed to have such an amazing wedding/reception and to be able to share it with SOO many people that we love.

This weekend we celebrated with doing absolutely nothing!!  WE LOVED IT!  Friday we ordered pizza and picked up some movies and hibernated in our bed.  Saturday we spent time together running errands and then enjoyed dinner with two of our closest friends, Clint and Sarah Davis at Sushi Cafe'.  (this is where Matt and I ate on our first date in LR).  This morning we enjoyed church and went to brunch with Kyndall and Charla at YaYa's. We took a two hour nap this afternoon and just finished watching our wedding video.  GREAT MEMORIES!!

YaYa's, enjoying brunch.

The last year has been full of so many wonderful memories. I don't even know where to begin...

We just thank God every day for bringing us together and for allowing us to help each other become better people and better christians. I love Matt for so many reasons (one day I will list them all ;) and we look forward to making many more memories together in the future.