SnOMG 2011

On Sunday, Jan 9 - we got a warning that SEVERE weather was coming our way. Now, I was hoping and praying that it wasn't really coming, but well, this time the weatherman was CORRECT! It started snowing around 6:30 and didn't stop until early that morning. At one point I heard thunder and our local weatherman tweeted "Yes, you may hear thunder! It's called Thundersnow" - which I thought was pretty neat!



We woke up to this - now - my friends that read this blog that live up North. I am SURE you are rolling your eyes. Really. However, the wonderful state of GA was equipped with 8 snowplows/salt trucks.

EIGHT trucks

Population: 5 million

Yeah, do the math. Needless to say, our state was deemed a state of emergency and we were told to STAY HOME. I work in the auto industry and needless to say, we were closed as well. For 3 solid days.



Watching the news got depressing. They showed clip after clip of highways shut down, people stuck in their cars on 285, people stuck at the airport, etc. It was a disaster. We made the best of it and watched movies, cleaned the house (ha ha ha .. yeah right), got organized (again, ha ha) and pretty much ate every ounce of food we had in the house. I finally got out on Tuesday for a quick trip to the store, only to find out they were out of EVERYTHING and closing at 4:00 (it was 2:30). Didn't matter b/c I was only going to pick up my girlfriend Little Debbie and her friends Chips and Salsa. I was the ONLY woman in the entire store. My husband was in PA, but since the storm was moving that way, he was able to get out and get home by Wed morning.

So the kids have been out of school for a week and they are out on Monday MLK holiday. AWESOME! I finally made it back to work today on a reduced schedule but we are business as usual tomorrow. I couldn't be happier. This working mom LOVES being a working mom. Yes, the roads were ridiculous, and everything the weatherman said they would be. Took me over 1 1/2 hrs to go 35 miles ... but I made it safe and sound!

It is all supposed to melt tomorrow and start getting back to normal! Thank goodness and yes, I know if it ever calls for the same weather again, we'll still be just as unprepared!

Wild Child turns 6!

Dear Wild Child:

Wow -- Mommy is late, late, late! I guess we were having too much fun in the SNOW! You turned 6 on a VERY cool day - 1/11/11. We spent the day cooped up inside because the entire city of Atlanta was pretty much shut down to snOMG2011, Snowpocalypse, Snomageddon, whatever you want to call it. We were able to make funfetti cupcakes and you were perfectly fine with that.

This is my all-time favorite picture of you and Pappy -- actually, probably one of my all time favorite pictures ever.



You have adapted SO well in all the changes Mommy and Daddy have thrown at you this year. You love our new home in Georgia, but still ask about Florida, specifically Jack (who you decided is your name sake and on occasion, will ask me to call you Jack), Brody (who you think is your step-brother and have told complete strangers and your teacher that you have a step-brother named Bwody), and if we are ever going to go back and visit your friends (that would be a YES!).


In the past year, you have become an AWESOME swimmer, with not one lesson. You learned to ride a bike, you learned to write your name and all your letters, can count to 100, and can beat every level on pretty much any xBox 360 game. You LOVE video games and while we tend to get SOME slack from people for letting you play them, it doesn't matter at all to us and you continue to be a loving, tender-hearted little boy.

You care deeply for people that you know are special to our family and have no qualms letting them know. You are so sweet to all the Moms in the neighborhood and always tell them you missed them, you love them, and the occasional "DID YOU MISS ME?"

You constantly have us cracking up! I have never met a funnier little boy than you - your facial expressions alone can get anyone laughing. I love your 'speech impediment' and that you still can't say your 'r's correctly. I know it's going to correct itself one day, but don't worry, I have LOTS of video.

Speaking of video, you are quite the mover and shaker and are always willing to put on a show if we're filming! You definitely got Daddy's dance moves (and maybe a little bit of Mommy's - what can I say, we both like to dance).

Your teachers love you. You are mastering kindergarten beautifully and LOVE going to school! It amazes me how quickly you pick up things. You LOVE going to church and that pleases us so much.

I can't wait to see what the next year brings for you! Daddy and I love you more than you will ever know and are so lucky we were chosen to be YOUR parents. I hope you keep your red hair - it fits you so well .. and the freckles .. you are our own red-headed Dennis the Menace for sure!

Happy Birthday to you!! Can't wait for laser tag and bumper cars in a couple weeks! Going to be lots of fun!!

Menu Monday - week of Jan 10-16

So I'm back with Menu Monday! Yay!! We are snowed in today and Wild Child is sledding on the golf course with his best friend (yes, there is a Daddy with them, I am an inside cat) and Princess is playing Barbies next door. Life is good!!

Monday: Spinach-Cheese Manicotti

8 oz shredded mozzarella
16 oz cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
10 oz frozen chopped spinach - thawed and drained
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 dried oregano, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t pepper
8 oz package Manicotti
26 oz jar tomato basil pasta sauce

combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, cottage cheese, and next 5 ingredients in med bowl. Spoon about 3 T cheese mixture into each uncooked Manicotti. Pour 1/2 of sauce into 13x9 baking dish coated w/cooking spray. Arrange stuffed shells in single layer over sauce. Top w/remaining sauce. Pour 1 cup water into dish and sprinkle evenly w/remaining mozzarella. Cover tightly w/foil. Bake at 375 for one hour until tender.

****I am shredding 2 chicken breasts in the food processor and adding to spinach mix. Serving with salad and five-cheese bread****

Tuesday: HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILD-CHILD

We will be eating his favorite place: Chick-fil-A

Wednesday: Beef Burgandy (crock-pot meal)

1 3/4 top round, cubes (I bought stew meat)
1/3 cup flour, 2 minced garlic cloves
10 1/2 oz can beef broth
1/2 cup red wine, 1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper
2 T tomato paste
16 oz frozen small onions
8 oz pkg fresh sliced mushrooms

Heat a lightly greased non-stick skillet on high heat. Add steak, sauté 2 min. Reduce heat and cook steak 5 more minutes until brown. Drain. Whisk together flour and next 7 ingredients in crock pot, stirring until smooth. Add steak, onions, and mushrooms, stirring well. Cover and cook on high for one hour and then reduce to low for 5 hrs.

Serve over egg noodles. We will eat with steamed green beans.

Thursday: Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
2 cups water
1/2 c diced green bell paper
16 oz jar salsa
16 oz can pinto beans
15 oz tomato sauce
7 oz mexicorn, undrained
14 1/2 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained

Brown meat in large pot and drain. Add water and remaining ingredients; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 12 min, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips and garnish with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

Friday: dinner with family

Saturday: individual chicken pot pies

1 lb chicken breasts, cubed and cooked
1 1/2 cups milk, 1 cube chicken bouillon - crumbled
10 oz cream of chicken soup
3/4 of 16 oz bag frozen peas and carrots
1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough

In large saucepan, combine cooked chicken w/remaining ingredients - except crescents. Cook filling on medium heat for 10-15 min, stirring often. Add more milk if needed. Cut each rectangle of crescent roll dough in half to form 2 squares. Bake flat dough squares on sprayed sheet @ 375 for 10 min. Spoon chicken mixture into 4-6 soup bowls and top with crescent square.

Enjoy!!

2011 - New Year / New Outlook

We rang in the new year with our new neighbors and had an absolute blast! It was a great time and Big Daddy got to show off his pop n' lock moves - a sure sign of a good time!

We spent New Year's Day using the gift cards that were burning a hole in my pocket (new Uggs for me) and returning Christmas gifts. I went with my sister and we had an absolute BLAST!

We had our dinner of ham, collared, black eyed peas and mac n' cheese. It was SO GOOD! After that, we settled in and watched 'Step Up 3' and 'Easy A' - both great movies!!

We ended the weekend playing Just Dance 2 at my sisters. Loads of fun. Seriously. I think I could play this every couple days and use this as a workout! I attached a video of my neice and my daughter playing it ... and now and then you can catch a peek of my sister! Ha!

Got lots more updates coming - kitchen is almost finished - can't wait to post what we've done!

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2010 Year End Wrap Up

I guess this could also be "where the heck have you been the last 6 mths?" -- life has just been so crazy, fun, sad, worrisome, you name it, I guarantee I've experienced every emotion over the past 6 mths. So I thought I would highlight some of the things that stuck out most to me in 2010:

• Surprised my sister on New Years
• Wild Child turned 5
• Trip to NOLA with my TBM (you will only know what this means if you follow me on Twitter)
  
• Terrible car accident (DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!!)
• Broke news to friends and family we were moving "home" to Atlanta
• Big Daddy's contract ended and he branched out on his own
• Entire family in wedding of our dear friends Bebe and Patrick
  
• Wild Child broke his arm
• Wild Child got bit by dog
  
• Sisters trip to Chicago
  
• Met lots of bloggers & now new friends in Atlanta
  
• We bought our dream home in Atlanta
• Co-chaired a HUGE event for American Cancer Society
  
• Had an amazing 'see you later' party thrown by some of our dearest friends
• WE MOVED!
• Landed my dream job
  
• Had our first visitors (BFF Amber & family came to visit)
  
• Annual girls trip to the Ritz Carlton in Naples
• Big Daddy turned 47!
• Princess turned 8!
  
• Surprised my best friend for her 40th birthday
• Went to see Jake Owen at Ga State Fair
• Two of my BFF's surprised me for my 35th birthday (one was surprise, one was surprise ruined by Facebook)
• Ran AND COMPLETED my first 5K
• Celebrated 35th birthday with lots of new friends
• First year in 4 yrs we didn't have to travel for Thanksgiving
• First Christmas at our new home and first Christmas I've celebrated with my parents in almost 10 yrs!

We have certainly seen our share of sadness and heartache this year. Things just didn't go as planned - however - God is good and we are happier than we've ever been. It's not worth going into detail, but I know that I know that I know (yes, I meant to say that) - we are HERE because we are SUPPOSED to be. We found a wonderful church that Big Daddy and I have jumped head first into and are becoming extremely involved with - we absolutely LOVE it. My Dad has been sick, so sick that I thought we were going to lose him. By God's grace, we haven't and he is doing well.

I would not change ONE single things about 2010 - no regrets. Our Pastor said this past weekend "The past is just a reminder of the things God CAN and WILL do for you" -- man, isn't that perfect? I remember laying in my floor this past summer, face buried in the carpet, crying, begging for mercy -- looking back now, I can see where God delivered us. We certainly walked through a desert and we are still walking, but it's OK.

Considering blogger likes to upload pics in whatever order they want, I'm just going to label the pics instead of painstakingly putting them in order:

Wild Child and his Pappy (October 2010)

Big Daddy and Brody (See You Later Party June 2010)

Big Daddy and Princess - Cheer Comp (Jan 2010)

Finishing first 5K - 35th Birthday (October 2010)

My best girls surprised me - eating at Doug's (YUM!) Shawn and Shannon (October 2010)

Ritz Chix annual beach weekend (July 2010)

See You Later Party - Best Friends a girl could have! (June 2010)

Celebrate Life Gala - American Cancer Society (May 2010)

Chicago (April 2010)

No explanation necessary (April 2010)

BFFs Wedding (March 2010)

Taylor Swift (I can't remember 2010)

Chicago (April 2010)

NOLA @ Commander's Palace - Top Chef Table (Jan 2010)

Erin from Blue Eyed Bride and me - April 2010

and lastly:

Blooper from Christmas 2010 Family shoot

I know I've left out stuff - but honestly, it has been fun going back through and looking at pictures - which reminds me - MUST TAKE MORE PICTURES in 2010. I am missing some though (BFF's surprise party, more going away pics, etc) - I do believe they are uploaded on another computer - which leads me to ANOTHER 'goal' for 2011 - download all pics!!

Anyway - I've really missed blogging. I hope I'm able to get back into it. I've found that blogging/twitter is such a great place to vent and meet people you may never have met living where you live. Can't make any promises, but I can promise that I'll try :)

Rock on Y'all!
Much Love, Natalie

Happy New Year!

Wishing you more blessings you ever thought you could receive in 2011!

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Supporting Local

Ever since we moved here, every Saturday and Sunday, I would drive by a certain intersection and see the cutest old man selling homemade dog feeders. We had been wanting one for Delilah and I just never had the opportunity to stop. This past Sunday, after church and on our way home from a delicious breakfast at Doug's, we decided to stop. My sister and I took bets on how much the handmade feeders cost.......Big Daddy went to talk to him, came back to the truck and told us $75!! WHAT!?! Noooooo it was only $30 and so we decided to buy one. It reminds me of the woodwork my grandfather used to do. The funny thing is, we had to write him a check and Big Daddy asked the man to just write his name on the check. The man held up his hand and 2 of his fingers were missing!! He laughed and told Big Daddy "Sanding is a hard job!" ....come to find out he worked at Stetson Hats for yrs and lost his fingers in a work accident.

Happy Wednesday!

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