Busy Busy Busy

I cannot stress enough how busy the last two weeks have been.  I was traveling for work, and then catching up on work from being gone.  Working on a bridal shower.  Visiting my nephew,  Going to a work function for Michael.  Craziness. 

So, let me just say I have a super adorable nephew.  It is sad he lives in North Carolina and I will probably only see him a few times a year.  I just have to say Gabriel is a Sperry through and through.  I was telling Michael on my return that it was scary looking at him and realizing this is probably what my future children could look like.  I wish I had a baby picture of Steven, because Gabe is really a mix of Steven and Michael.  It is weird, but as Steven put it…Sperry genes are dominant genes.

He was super sweet and very fun to play with, even if it was only for a day.  Next time, Michael has to go out with me.  Gabe was a loveable little boy and a teething one at that.  He loved eating my phone or finger or anything he could get into his mouth.

Quick Update

I have been gone all week.  Well, since Tuesday.  I went to Myrtle Beach on Tuesday until Thursday night.  I was in Myrtle Beach for work and yes I did work.  I am not going to lie, I did enjoy my oceanview room.  The conference I was at was a success in my book.  We definitely should go next year, and hopefully they will have it at the same place.  


On Thursday, I decided late late to drive to Richlands, NC.  It is about 2 hours from Myrtle Beach and about an hour from the airport I was flying back home on.  Why Richland?  Well, my BIL and SIL live there with my nephew.  My nephew who is 4 months old and I had yet to meet.  I am so glad I went Thursday night instead of waiting until Friday.  Gabriel did not care too much for me on Thursday.  I think he couldn't figure out who I was and he was sleepy.  Katie, my SIL, made a late dinner for me.  Yum!  I just stared and coo'd at Gabe and he would give me the occasional smile.  He liked me just wanted to figure me out.  Here is a picture from my iPhone. I will tell all about him later, once I can get all the pictures off my camera.  Lets just say he officially loves his Aunt Jennifer and he is DEFINITELY a Sperry all the way.  

Here he is giving me a smile!

How to make Paper Pom Poms?

I am working on a bridal shower for a family friend and we are doing pom poms for decorations.  Pom Poms are a great addition to any party.  They are super easy and they are pretty.  I always try to find the same colors for a wedding or baby in tissue paper.  Here in Fayetteville, Party City has most of the color wheel in tissue paper.  I went and picked up supplies in purple and orange tissue paper. 

Supplies:

Scissors

Tissue Paper (8-10 sheets for each PomPom)

Floral Wire

1. Lay out 8-10 sheets of tissue paper on top of each other.  I like the look of 10 sheets but most tissue packages are 8 sheets.  You can also alternate colors to make it a little more fun.  If you are making a small one, take 4 sheets and fold in half and cut along the fold. 

2. Fold a 1” fold in an accordion style until it looks like this:

3. Once, completely folded place floral wire in the middle of the folded tissue paper.  You could take scissors and cut the edges of the tissue paper.  Make sure your scissors are really sharp.  I normally do triangles, they are easiest for me.  Rounded ones look good.  Not cutting at all looks fine too. 

4. Fan out the tissue paper and start separately each sheet of paper individually starting in the center.  Once all sheets are out fluff and adjust.  Remember if they are hanging from the ceiling the top won’t be seen and you could fluff more on the bottom.   

Blah it’s Monday!!

I desperately need to go back to bed!  We didn’t really do much this weekend.  We had a dinner and game night on Friday with the Eikenberrys.  We played a little game of Fact or Crap.  It was one of the games we got as a wedding gift.  We registered for games, mainly because we had none and love to play them. 

Here is my sweet hubby playing the game and Gabby looking oh so happy to be sharing a seat with her Daddy.  Michael ended up winning the Fact or Crap game and I came in second. 

I don’t have a lot of random knowledge in my head, but I do feel like the wine helped me get second place.  I was very proud of second place.  Fact or Crap is a guessing game, but I am sure someone in this world probably knows the answers…those people are on Jeopardy. 

On Saturday, we took Gabby and headed to the pool.  Gabby is so funny.  One of these times I am going to take a video of her from the time she gets out of the car until she gets in the pool.  She runs to the door to the house and runs back to me until I open the door and then she bolts to the back door, where she barks and whines until we open the door.  At that point Gabby runs and jumps straight into the pool and swims.  We always keep an eye on her, but she is very capable of getting in and out on her own.  We will sit inside sometime and watch her through the window and she just swims around and around.

Gabby has a new favorite pool item.  The mat.  In the above picture she actually knocked me off the mat and took over.  I was in the deep end of the pool when this happened and she just jumped right onto the mat and made herself at home. 

This picture was taken a little later.  She really loves laying on the mat.  I think it is a good resting spot for her.  She is smart, because she can get up on the sucker all by herself.  It is just too cute.

TGIF

WOW Finally it is Friday!!  This week has been SLOW or maybe I just haven’t been that busy.  It could be that I have a work trip next week to Myrtle Beach, SC.  Even though it is a work trip…I can’t complain when I get to go somewhere so beautiful.  I really wish someone was going with me.  I tried to get Michael or my parents to go.  Oh well. 

Tonight I am cooking dinner.  I am going easy and using the crockpot for dinner.  Pork Tenderloin and veggies.  Perfect easy meal.  I love the way it smells when it’s cooking. 

So, I have been doing a lot of thinking about invitations.  For those who don’t know, Michael and I did our own invites for our wedding.  We did our own because most invitation places are completely outrageous in prices.  I looked into doing it myself and MORE than cut the price in half.  I loved designing it and making all the fun touches.  I have gotten to do a few invitation for my own personal reason.  Baby Showers and Bridal shower and even parties.  Michael thinks I should start a side business and do invitations for all occasions.  Where is this coming from?  I have been making an invite for an upcoming shower and I have been having lots of fun making it.  It is pretty and I love it, but I love most of the invites I design.  I think I love them because I get excited and then put a lot of effort into colors and putting it together and picking out a pretty font, etc.  See where Michael’s thoughts came from.  Here are some of the ones I have done:

Furniture

I have been dying to get new or redo our living room tables.  Mainly because we have three different colors going on.  It does not bother Michael but it DRIVES me nuts!  I have been looking for awhile for new a coffee table and end tables, but I hate everything.  I wanted something in black and I wanted something to store stuff inside.  Well, I cannot find a thing I like and if I like it, Michael hates it.  I had asked him a long time ago if I could redo our coffee table.  Sand and paint it black so our three colors goes to two.  Well, he told me no on more than one occasion.  Last weekend he agreed when our friend made the suggestion.  Really?!?  I did not hesitate and I ran to Lowe’s to buy supplies.  So, I have been sanding and painting for about a week.  It is complete and it matches our entertainment center! YAY! Now if I could only figure out how to do the end tables. 

Summer Pool Time

This weekend was going to be a relaxing weekend of doing nothing.  Well, that did not last long.  I am working on a furniture project, which I will share later, and that took up a lot of the weekend (waiting for the paint to dry).  In between paint drying, we went to Michael’s Mom’s house and swam.  Friday night we swam, Saturday day we swam, and Sunday…well Michael jumped off cliffs at the lake and I went to his Mom’s house. 

Saturday, Gabby, Tyler, Stella, Michael, and I all went swimming.  We first stopped at our neighborhood block party, with a hot air balloon, and ate some lunch.  It was a great party, to showcase our new model home.  After lunch we all went swimming!!  It was a blast.  Gabby loved it and so did the rest of us.  We really have to work on Gabby not trying to “save” everyone who is swimming.  Michael has scratches all over and I have a few.  She thinks she is helping, but if you need saving she will be the last one to really help.  I think I am going to research teaching her how to actually help.  I can grab her collar and she will drag me through the water, so it is just teaching her NOT to climb up a person that we must work on. 

Sunday, Michael went fishing and cliff jumping with a friend and left me home alone.  YAY!!!  Just kidding, but it did give me time to clean house.  I went to Michael’s Mom’s house to grab a shampooer and some freebie stuff, and ended up spending several hours helping and getting stuff.  Fun!  After, I left her house it was already close to 2pm and I rushed home to clean.  I was expecting Michael would be home and didn’t want him messing with my cleaning.  I got two room shampooed before he made it home!  Sunday night, Michael took me to see the new Transformers movie in 3D.  I have never seen a 3D movie, so that was fun, but I really don’t see what the big fuss is over the 3D movie.  I think I would have rather seen it without glasses.  Anyway…enjoy the pictures from our weekend: 

Gabby's Tricks

Michael and I work with Gabby all the time on "tricks."  We believe it helps develop her mind and in stills good behavior in her.  She is a quick learner and almost all the things we taught her were when she was young (she is a little over a year old now).  Other people teach Gabby tricks too.  Michael's cousin, Lindsey, taught Gabby crawl.  It is time for us to come up with some new tricks to teach her.  If you have any suggestions let us know.  Also, you will notice we don't do rollover.  Gabby knows how but really doesn't like to do it, and I don't know why.  My Mom taught her rollover at her house last summer, but we don't practice it like the others.  Enjoy Gabby's video!!

Cutest Things Ever…

My dog is adorable and definitely has a cute personality.  Lately she has been clingy and loveable.  Last night, Gabby and I went for a walk with Rachel and Stella.  We stopped at the Eikenberry’s new neighbor’s house and Stella ran to her house (where Michael and Tyler were playing basketball) and grabbed some ice, she then brought it back over and gave it to Gabby.  When we got to Rachel and Stella’s house, it was time for Stella to go to bed.  Stella said, “Bye Bye Gabby.”  Then, she ran down the driveway and gave Gabby a big hug and ran back to her mom.  So very sweet!!


Gabby loves swimming in the pool and the lake.  Here is a cute video of her and her Daddy playing in the pool. Happy Thursday!

4th of July

Michael and I were extra busy this weekend. We went to the lake early Friday. We both took off work on Friday and got up early and went to the lake. It was perfect. We got there had lunch and headed out on the boat. Most everyone was already at the lake, so I am glad we went down early. This weekend it was just my parents and Michael. My brother stayed at home. I think it gets a little too crowded for him. Friday night we all went out at sunset and fished and relaxed. It was perfect. The weather was not too hot and not cool.

Saturday, we got up early and went out on the lake. We stayed out for hours! Amazing! Of course, everyone was out. I always love seeing 5 or 6 boats tied up together. It is a beautiful sight. It was hot and we all spent the majority of the time in the water. I got my tan on and enjoyed soaking in the sun and Michael enjoyed a little salmon skiing. It could not have been a more perfect way to spend the holiday weekend. Saturday night we were treated to smoked ribs. Awwww…I think I can still taste them. It was potluck style, and so of course all the food was yum yum. It was great to just sit around with friends and family enjoying the company and the weather.

We left the lake on Sunday. We knew we had a lot to do at the house, like mow the lawn. When we got home, we decided it was too hot to mow and drove up to Michael’s mom’s house for a swim with Gabby. Gabby loves the pool. She gets so excited and is like a little kid. She loves to swim with Michael. Everywhere he goes, Gabby goes. She get worried if she can’t see him and will almost get into a panic if he is under water “too long.” In our next house, we will definitely have a pool. Pool Party at my nonexistent future house. We were so sleepy when we got home, that I passed out for who knows how long.

Monday, we finally mowed the lawn. It was cloudy in the morning and so the weather was a little cooler. Perfect for mowing the lawn. We had plans to go to our neighbors for a 4th of July party and cookout. It was hot, but it was fun. We brought Gabby and she had a blast. There were a few kids at the house and one would chase her and I think it made her really happy. Favorite games: chase and keep away. After three days in the sun and heat, I needed to rest and relax. Monday night was fireworks night!!! We went to the Naturals fireworks display. It was good and loud. The traffic leaving was awful! I think next year I will stick to the lake fireworks display with no traffic. Here are a few pictures from our weekend.