Still hanging in there...

I'm becoming quite the Friday poster here! My substance for blogging material has been rather bland. I'm quite sure you all aren't interested in my study habits I've developed or my slight encounter with two razorbacks in our work parking lot this week. (It was no encounter, but rather sighting of them heading for the hills...I'm not kidding! Our work property...in the middle of 280 Birmingham backs up to the Waterworks land preserve.)

I'll recap last weekend and hopefully I will have something wonderful to tell you all this week....

Last weekend, one of my childhood best friends and tribal sorority sisters, Alecea and her fiance Josh came for the weekend. We all went to the Brad Paisley & Miranda Lambert concert on Friday night. It was hands down one of the top five concerts I've been to! Saturday was spent staying warm and watching SEC basketball. We blended Alabama and Tennessee fans well in our home!

Sunday, Chase's parents came into town to celebrate their birthday with all the Allen kids and significant others. We convinced them to spend the night with us and had an impromptu Super Bowl party. Who dat! Chase smoked a butt on the Green Egg and I made the BEST BBQ nachos ever. I'm tooting my own horn on this one, because they were awesome....I have to give it up to Emeril Lagasse for the recipe. I found the recipe on MarthaStewart.com. Click here for the link!

I also finished painting my front door to give our front facade a little "pop" as you drive down the street. I can't resist a red front door!


Well, that about sums up our weekend. I've spent the rest of the week with my nose the Interior Design Reference Manual and Chase has been in New Orleans for work since Wednesday. We're awaiting our predicted BIG SNOW today and the arrival of my parents and sister from Kentucky this evening! It should be another enjoyable weekend! I hope yours is too!

Is your family as photogenic as mine?

I'm still wet behind the ears when it comes to working my new camera. I forgot to take it off automatic timer....it actually took about 10 times!

September visit to Kentucky

I try to get home as often as I can. For this busy body, it's sometimes hard, but I ALWAYS make time to go home. There's something about the smell of your childhood home, sitting in your living room...it gives me warm fuzzies. Nostalgia kicking in again...

Elk Creek Vineyard Amphitheatre

This trip was jam packed with good times. On Saturday, Mom and I went to celebrate my birthday a little over a month late in Owenton, Kentucky at the Elk Creek Vineyard. This is Kentucky's largest vineyard...and it's beautiful! What did we do there? Oh, my sweet parents got me tickets to see THE TEMPTATIONS! They were amazing! There is only one original living member and he still performs with them! We kept cracking up, because one of the members looked just like Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Belaire. I kept waiting for him to break out and do "The Carlton" on stage the entire night. Upon arriving and getting settle into our amazing seats, I noticed that many folks were carrying around wine, so my nosed sniff out the concessions and came back to my seat with an amazing $10 bottle of wine in an ice bucket! Can't beat that!

Sunday we were heathens and skipped church to go eat Sunday lunch at the park during dad's lunch break. {Mammoth Cave National Park for non-South Central Kentucky natives} I ran into old friends, and went and visited my old colleagues in the ticket office! {I really do miss working in the Visitor Center!} After lunch, we headed back home so that we could visit with my best friend Amy, her daughter Ellie Kaye and Amy's mom, Kaye. I have known Amy's family my entire lives, as they are some of our family's best and dearest friends.

As sweet as she is....she didn't make me catch a fever!

Ellie Kaye and her sweet Mama! She looks just like Amy's baby pictures.

This weekend, though I wouldn't mind going home for another visit, I am staying home for the first time since June! I'm pretty excited for a weekend of football, church and hanging out with Chase!

Did I mention that we had these three, grey ankle biters all weekend long?
They definately are the Three Musketeers!

Salt air it ain't thin, it'll stick right to your skin. It'll make you feel fine, make you feel fine...

Don't you just love a good Jimmy Buffett song? Tin Cup Chalice has to be my absolute favorite. I grew up on that stuff. Anyway...

Chase and I ventured down to the Gulf Coast this weekend to spend some quality time with his family. I have to admit, I really love living a quick car ride after work down to the beach! We didn't do much special, just spent quality family time together. I am very thankful for the wonderful family I married into. I have always felt right at home with them...and that's a good, warm feeling to have!

Chase and me

Chase

My sister in law Taylor and me


L-R: Madison, Valerie, Hunter, Barbie, Eddie, Taylor, Chase, Alice

Happy 2nd Anniversary Winston!

I couldn't sleep the entire night. It might have been that we had spent the night at Chase's parent's house and it wasn't my bed. Perhaps the Sundrop I drank a little close to bed, but I think the thing that kept me awake too late that night was that I was going to meet my new best friend the next morning.

Chase and I woke up super early to meet a representative from Schnauzer Love Rescue, Inc. in Tupelo, Mississippi. I can't describe the feeling that I had that morning in the rainy, Cracker Barrel parking lot. I remember seeing this sweet little face looking up at me from the red VW Beetle and I was instantly in love. Little did he or I know all the fun we would have together.

We don't really know much about the first 5 years of Winston's life. We know he came from Washburn, Missouri, which is only 20 minutes from where my dad grew up. He came to the Bartlett Animal Shelter in Barlett, Tennessee somewhere around May 10, 2007. He was tied up to the front of the shelter, or as they workers at the shelter called him, a "Door Dump," As sad as it sounds, a wonderful woman who volunteers with SLR by the name of Nita came to his rescue. A few weeks from his rescue from the shelter, he went to live with Miss Dottie, his other foster mom. From there, it was only a matter of weeks until Winston would come to Birmingham with us to live in his "furever" home.

I owe Winston's life to SLR. Without them, he may have been brought back to another terrible experience, euthanization or a life on his own. They help bring spunk back to his personality, restored his trust in humans and got him on the track back to being a normal dog. I cannot express the joy adopting a "rescue" dog has brought to my life. I have been given the job of bringing a scared little dog back to life. True, puppies from a breeder have the cuteness and knowing where they came from, but they'll always get a home. Rescuing gives such a sense of accomplishment, improving another being's life. I urge you, if you're looking to get another pet, seek out a rescue group or your local animal shelter. These animals have such gratitude for you....it's written all over their faces and in their wet kisses!!!

Happy Anniversary Winston...County....Little Man...Dubya, you are the coolest dog ever! Chase and I love you very much!

Leaving the Bartlett Animal Shelter...just adopted into Schnauzer Love Rescue.


Meeting for the first time on July 7, 2007

One of his favorite pastimes...

Busted!

When the cat's away, the mice will play! (And I will update my blog!)

I am still alive out there! I promise! The past month has been SUPER busy and with very little breathing room! My boss is out of the office today, so I thought I might make use of a little free time this morning and catch up on my blog. Things have slowly started picking back up at work which means that there are a few brave souls out there buying homes. In the meantime, I have been drafting 4 new homes (with a 5th not too far behind) to fit in with this economic crunch. I can't really go into too much detail yet, since we haven't unveiled them, but this a two story shot-gun style. I'm excited! I got to take a break from drafting the 3rd week in March and we took a vacation with the Allens to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It was a rather warm week out there with temperatures in the mid-50's. Crazy huh? Nonetheless, we had a great time skiing, drinking and eating! I skied for the first time since my rather small 6th grade class ski trip! (I about had a mild panic attack when I put my boots on the first time!)We also celebrated Chase's 28th birthday out there! Since we've been back, we have been celebrating upcoming marriages in true 20-something form, by helping host parties. This month as of right now, we have 5. Whoa. Where's my spare time? Also, upon our return, I have finally begun my quest to update my house by painting! We are thisclose to being finished with our front hallway. Only one wall of trim to go and a quick second coat. Starting Wednesday, I am beginning the DINING ROOM!!! Because it is so dark, I am going to have to super prime the walls, but when we finish, it will be a crisp, light blue! Pictures will soon follow, as my parents and sister are coming to help paint this Friday! That's it for now...I've caught you up, and hopefully after this week, my drafting will slow for a bit (I need a break in the biggest way!) and I can keep you more informed....and dish a few new finds and creative ideas again!

Ice, Ice Baby!

So last weekend I made a venture home to South Central Kentucky. *Que "My Old Kentucky Home" to the stereo! My parent's bought my sister and me tickets to see Wicked in Louisville for Christmas, so that is why I dare say I went up further North, because last week it was rocked by one heck of an ice storm.

My dear ole Dad works at Mammoth Cave National Park. As of Sunday, the ranger station was still running off a generator. For the first time in park history, they had to close off the park, because of the destruction of the ice. We drove out there Sunday to take a look and I'm upset I didn't take any pictures. Actually...I'm not upset. I wish I could share my pics, but I was so heartbroken to see it looking this way. However, here are a few photos my dad has sent me over the past week.

Needless to say, many folks in Kentucky are still without power and/or adequate drinking water, because of power outages. Please say a quick prayer for those who are helping to restore everyday lives to those who have been devastated by the storm.

Caldwell-Allen Family Ties

I have been feeling extremely inspired to continue making my house a "home" to come home to. My newest venture in the next few months will be FINALLY painting the front hallway and living room.

Last week, Chase and I assembled our BEAUTIFUL and quite grown up looking wall unit! Thank you to my sweet in-laws for the WONDERFUL Christmas present. It has inspired me to continue on with my quests.

Family Gallery: the newest project. I have started collecting old family pictures as well as some new pictures of mine and Chase's "roots" to start a gallery in our front hallway. Over the years, I hope to add to the wall. As a child, I was brought up knowing my family's rich history, and it is my wish that my children know their heritage as well. This past Saturday, I bought my first 3 frames to start framing and getting things in order. I thought I would share some of the first photos I plan to include on this fantastic and exciting project!




My great-granfather "Daddy Bugs" a former bootlegger, 2nd from the left with a pistol in his pants. Classic!



"Flash and Floss" - My maternal grandparents, lovingly known as "Nunna" and "Poppy", not long after they were married.




My first hometown and a place that I hold in a very special part of my heart. Mammoth Cave National Park.

Happy New Year!! (And 13 days!)

So maybe I wasn't cut out for the blogging world, but I'm giving it one last shot. Rather than rambling on about our lives (which aren't that exciting) I am going to use this blog to do the following:

A) Keep you up to speed on the happenings in our lives
B) Utilize this blog as a way to express what's going on in my head.

In case you didn't know (and how did you not?!) The creative wheels in my mind are ALWAYS turning. ALWAYS. I have so much stuff I want to do, but as quick as the ideas come, I forget about them. So in all great efforts, I will share with you my home projects, crafts, good finds, recipes...hell, just call me Martha Stewart! I promise to keep you posted on my life, but at the same time writing and posting about things that are my passion.

The Sun Shines Bright on My Old Kentucky Home....

That's right ladies and jinks. Today at 4:00 (unless we get to leave work early like last Friday *crossed fingers*) my right hand man, ahem, dog....and I will be heading up 65 to my beloved HART COUNTY KENTUCKY!!!! I have been incredibly homesick the past few weeks and I couldn't be more thrilled to get home. I have longed for a Saturday morning where I can sit on MY front porch in my pj's and eat cereal. (One of my long time summer traditions, though I can't tell you when I started doing it.) I can't wait to drive all 3 seconds through downtown Horse Cave and be in my childhood hometown.

There is not much of an agenda for me. Birthday dinner and cake is in order for me on Saturday night with mom, dad and Sally. Laura Beth may possibly be joining us for supper as well. The only things I know that are definate are finding an antique wash stand for the house, visiting LB's grandfather (at his request) and I have my last wedding shower (yes, even though I am married...we just ran out of time) at my church in Munfordville. I am quite excited to have this one, as it is a recipe shower!!!!

Where is Chase going to be, might you ask? Ah, The Big Easy on a bachelor party. Nice, huh? I kissed him goodbye this morning and warned him to to go too far down Bourbon Street. That could be a bachelor party gone really wrong....

Alright....back to work.