THE BLACK FAMILY

The Fair!!!

2011-07-29T21:20:00.001-05:00

Election year at the Neshoba County Fair... as if the midway, Penn's chicken-on-a-stick and sippin' something cold on the porch swing was not a big enough slice of heaven, good 'ol Southern politics was a welcomed addition. The Black family added yet another slice of heaven to the fair experience this year... Miss Ely Reed! She was one happy camper! I think she enjoyed the horses races just as much as Coco (Uncle Caleb)!

And she was oh so cute against the red clay, wet green grass, colorful cabins and patriotic political signs! Of course, she brought a little bit of all of that home with us! :)

Thursday was our only day at the fair with our little bundle in tow, but we were thrilled to share the experience with her. Happy 1st Fair ER!!!

Patiently Waiting...

2011-07-07T20:48:00.000-05:00

If you are like our adorable little girl, you have been patiently waiting for a blog update. After nine months with no blogging I have decided to pick it up again. Yay!
So, life has changed alot in the past months... I have a new job (hence no blogging); we built a deck; er moved up to the young toddler class; we bought a boat; er is walking and talking up a storm; i am more ocd than ever; and our baby girl is now thirteen months old!!! Time really does fly by when you are having fun!

eat it girl

2010-10-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

This morning we tried rice cereal with a spoon!!! ER loved it! We started with about two ounces of milk in her bottle just to give her something in her tummy. Then we moved to the highchair (which was also new - and she loved)! I mixed a few ounces of milk with the rice cereal, and we tried out the spoon! She moved her tongue all over the place, but I think she swallowed some! Ha! If nothing else, she had lots of fun! We had to get to church on time so after about 30 minutes I gave her the rest in her bottle! Good job Ely Reed!

happy girl!

2010-09-29T13:00:00.014-05:00

This is Ely Reed in the morning... she is such a morning person like her Mommy! Daddy gets up her, sings to her, changes her, feeds her her first bottle of the day, watches Boy Meets World with her then sits her in her swing where she smiles and talks (and sometimes naps) before Daddy returns to put her in her school clothes! She is one happy girl! We are truly blessed!

infant baptism

2010-09-26T16:00:00.001-05:00

Congratulations Ely Reed! Our little girl was baptized this morning along with her friends Ella and Emma! She was a little angel... mostly bc she was exhausted and really wanted to just sleep!

Today ER is officially four months old! Wayne and I took her to her four month appointment on Friday morning! She weighed 16lbs 12oz and measured 24.5 inches in length! She is in the 97th percentile in weight - she loves to eat like her mommy!

john polles is married!!!

2010-09-25T22:30:00.000-05:00

The wedding was beautiful! Amanda was so excited, and John was so sweet! They are so in love!

The Delta boys...

My husband is such a cutie in a tux!!!

All of the guys watched the games in the bar! Go MSU!!!

The girls chatted the night away! :)

the cabin

2010-09-19T22:10:00.000-05:00

Wayne, Ely Reed, Dean (MIL) and I traveled to the cabin this weekend for the guys to do some last minute preparation for the upcoming hunting season. The girls did lots of sleeping!!! ER even wore her cabin p.j.'s with bambi and bunnies!!! Too cute!

Of course, we also watched the BULLDOGS play LSU! Wayne & his COW BELLE made lots of noise! ER loves watching sports with her daddy!

big truck

2010-09-16T16:30:00.000-05:00

My husband is so happy... he brought home a new truck today! We have been talking about the purchase for months, but we decided it was time when we had to take two vehicles to the cabin. He is thrilled!

msu vs auburn

2010-09-10T13:30:00.000-05:00

Wayne and I traveled to Starkvegas last night to cheer on the Bulldogs against Auburn. Wayne was a cutie in his official MSU shirt... My maroon dress was comfy (Thanks Jess)... Tailgating was fun... The box was fabulous (Thanks Lukes)... The game was a bit sad... I hope we can attend a WIN!!!

1 year and $865 later

2010-09-06T17:15:00.000-05:00

Yay! The stand is up, and we are officially ready for deer season! Wayne designed the deerstand over a year ago! Then several of his buddies got together and constructed the floor. Last week the guys built the box in our garage in one night. Wayne painted the next night. And this week the structure was put together!!! It looks great, and I cannot wait to shoot a big deer out of the window. Good Job Wayno!

bumbo

2010-09-01T22:04:00.000-05:00

We introduced Ely Reed to her bumbo tonight, and she loves it!!! She sat in it for about 30 minutes! Her adorable rolls made it a little difficult to get her out of the seat though! Ha!

the beach

2010-08-29T21:30:00.001-05:00

The second annual Black family beach vacay took place in Orange Beach. We changed things up this time and stayed at the Caribe, which we loved! We also took our first family photo in the traditional white and khaki! :)

ER absoultely loved to swim! She kicked the entire time she was in her floatie and took some great naps afterwards! I wore my first mommy swimsuit! Fun!!!

We ate some terrific food and really enjoyed some relaxation!!! Wayne and I especially loved that ER stayed in Sissy's room so we were able to sleep in every morning! Yay Sissy!!!

Already looking forward to 2011... maybe we will wear white and bright?!?!?

day of rest

2010-08-15T22:00:00.001-05:00

Isn't ER a doll? Her Sissy (Wayne's mom) makes all of her smocked church clothes!

Ely Reed and I took full advantage of our day of rest... we slept! ha! We both were sleepy heads so we caught up on some zzzzzs! It was great and super refreshing!

ra ra ree

2010-08-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

So, we might have a little cheerleader on our hands!

best friends!

2010-08-08T16:34:00.001-05:00

Ely Reed and Stella... those girls are something else... gotta love those cheeks!

the fair!

2010-07-31T10:00:00.019-05:00

A big thanks to the Luke's for inviting us to the fair again this year! Chris and Melanie joined us! The festivities began with the horse races.

The guys had a great time cooking and entertaining!

Such a fun group of girls... we were ready for the midway!!!

We could not get Wayne to ride the Ring of Fire this year, but he held all of the stuffed animals!

Another great year at the fair!!!

Two Months

2010-07-27T20:56:00.000-05:00

Ely Reed is two months old! Time truly flies when you are watching a little one grow. Speaking of growth, ER now weighs 13lbs and is 23 inches long! Everyone says she is starting to look more like me, but I hope she keeps the long and lean look like her daddy! :) She is talking up a storm and moving like crazy! She loves watching the Atlanta Braves with her daddy! She is truly a daddy's girl!

I offically go back to work on Monday which is bittersweet! I am excited about adult interaction, but I know I will miss her like crazy!

We are so in love with our little princess - or our booger if you ask Wayne!

Sweet Baby Garrett

2010-07-25T21:30:00.023-05:00

My beautiful best friend, Leigha, had her little boy on Friday... YIPPEE!!! Turns out Baby Garrett was actually a big boy, weighing 8lbs 12oz. Today the Black family traveled to Memphis to meet the new addition to the Dawkins family. Garrett is a doll! He has chubby cheeks, loves to be cuddled and has as much hair as his mommy had when she was born! We could hardly believe the difference in Garrett and Ely Reed's size - they are only two months apart! Congrats Leigha and Jason! We love yall!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-21T13:40:00.000-05:00

Ranger Ride!

2010-07-20T20:30:00.012-05:00

Ely Reed went on her first Ranger ride tonight! I think Nova and Neeli were more excited than she was about the adventure! When you say Ranger at our house our black girls go crazy! We had a great ride around the neighborhood (and I got to go in some new houses that have been built in the last couple of months)!!! It was a great family outing! :)

6 weeks

2010-07-08T11:07:00.001-05:00

I can hardly believe that Ely Reed is 6 weeks old! She got her shots today, and they gave her bandaids with characters I know nothing about! I am sure I will be learning soon enough! :) So, the shot deal was not fun! She cried like she was dying so I started crying... it was just a mess! I was by myself this time, but I will be recruiting WB for our next visit! :) On a positive note ER is growing like a weed! She weighs 11lbs, 7oz which puts her in the 95%. She is 21.25inches! She is sleeping most of the day away and wanting me to hold her (which I love)! Now I need to start mentally preparing myself for her 4 month shots!

Guess Who...

2010-06-29T14:54:00.000-05:00

is ONE MONTH OLD!!! Ely Reed!!! She is pretty surprised about it too! ER loves sleeping in her crib, eating all the time, exercising on her back, swinging in her swing, cuddling with her mommy and daddy, bathtime, chilling on her playmat, entertaining her sisters (Neeli and Nova), gooing, gruting and making all kinds of noises, visiting with her Sissy (Wayne's mom), Pappy and Aunt Sara, checking the mail with mommy, Neeli and Nova, sunning in the backyard (every girl needs her vitamin D), traveling in her carseat and visitors!!! We are loving being her parents!!!

Daddy's Little Girl!

2010-06-08T11:34:00.000-05:00

Somebody really loves her daddy! This is her favorite spot in the world!

And if she's wide awake, she just lays on her back in the same spot!

You could say they are both pretty happy to have each other! :)

Ely Reed's Arrival

2010-05-30T15:37:00.000-05:00

Needless to say, Tuesday night was quite sleepless for me. I think I was so anxious that I could not sleep past 2am. That was not such a big deal though. Wayne and I had to be at Woman's Hosptial at 5:30am!!!

Ely Reed Black arrived at 4:33pm on Wednesday, May 26th. She was a healthy 8lbs 2oz and 20 inches long! This is our first photo as a family of three!

Day 1 of Ely Reed's life was pretty exciting! She had lots of visitors, an adorable outfit and lots of loving! Everyone commented on how much ER looks like her daddy which I just love!!! I must say that Wayne is a beautiful little girl!

By noon on Friday, the Black family was headed home with our little princess! She wore the same blue dress that I wore home - it was perfect with her beautiful blue eyes!

Neeli and Nova were very excited that Wayne and I were home. They are still smelling Ely Reed! Nova is a good bit more excited - she is already snuggling with ER and getting in her face! Neeli is keeping her distance, but she is very curious when she thinks we are not paying attention!

38 weeks

2010-05-12T14:00:00.000-05:00

This morning I had my 38 week appointment - still no change! Ely Reed is just chilling and loving every minute of it! And I can breathe and have not had to deal with frequent bathroom trips, so I can not complain!

The appointment was very informative. It appears that the "no change" may lead to a c-section! I was thrilled to have a sonogram - Wayne was so bummed he was not present! She was a wiggle worm while the sweet sonographer was attempting to measure her, but it appears that she is about 6lbs. 15oz. Needless to say, she could be a very big girl! She still has long legs! And she has the cutest little profile like her daddy!

To my delight, when I arrived to the office from my appointment my co-workers surprised me with a baby shower, lunch (i heart some pizza shack) and strawberry cake (beagle bagel is the best)! So fun! And Ely Reed got tons of adorable stuff! We also got to see ER's best friend's mommy, Misti (photo above).

How Far Along: 38 weeks (but it will be two more weeks before she arrives unless something drastic happens)

Total Weight Gain: ummm... still not going to talk about it! I have not yet surpassed the scary number, and that's all you need to know! :)

Maternity Clothes: Still loving my maternity clothes!!! I may look like a tent, but I feel great!

Moment of the Week: Seeing Ely Reed would have to top the list, but I have gotten tons of adorable things for the nursery - its all coming together beautifully!

Movement: She is still moving & shaking!

Food Craving: I heart SWEET TEA! I cannot get enough of it! But don't worry, I drink decaf!

Food Aversion: Anything with red sauce!!!

Morning Sickness: Still dealing with heartburn like crazy and just praying that it will go away when ER arrives!

Gender: It's still a little princess! But since she is dropping I have had so many people ask if I am having a boy!

Labor Signs: Ha! I don't know a thing about those hence the c-section conversation!

Belly Button: Surprisingly its not an outie so I am so happy!!!

What I Miss: Yall are going to think I am crazy, but now that I can breathe the only thing that I miss is the ability to get around and accomplish my to do list in a timely manner!!! Ha!

What I am Looking Forward to: A FINISHED nursery!!!

Weekly Wisdom: An intelligent and well rounded doctor is worth their weight in gold! I just love that my doc is so honest, straight forward and just plain down to earth!

Why I Think My Husband will ROCK as a Daddy: Wayne Black HATES a TO DO LIST yet he is helping as much as he can! It is cute! He would never do it just for me! ER already has him wrapped around her finger!

Baby Names

2010-05-07T20:41:00.002-05:00

Like most girls I absolutely love discussing BABY NAMES! So, I am so thankful that Kelly at Kelly's Korner brought up the topic! I believe I started discussing baby names with Wayne (and his family) when we had only been dating a couple of years (we dated five years before we married). Ha!
Wayne and I love family names! And we both have family names.

Sally Marie Wells

Sally was the nickname of my dad's maternal grandmother - I have heard about her beautiful rosy cheeks and sweetness my entire life. Marie is my maternal grandmother's middle name and the name she goes by!

Travis Wayne

Travis (what I affectionately call him) is not a family name but honors a young boy who passed away in his family's church. Wayne is the middle name of every first male son in his dad's family.

Luckily, both of our families have tons of great names! The only problem is that it's hard to narrow down so many wonderful options when you don't plan to have tons of children! So, I guess that where we should start. We would like to have two or three children. Since our first is obviously going to be a little girl, if our second child is a boy we will be done. However, if our second is another girl, we plan to try again for a boy. Of course, there is always the chance that we will have three girls (which is what I think will happen since Wayne is such an outdoorsman).

Our little girl will be...

Ely Reed Black

Ely (pronounced E-LEE) is Wayne's mom's maiden name and, therefore, his Poppa's last name. Wayne really wanted to name a child after his Poppa (whose first name is Vanis). And since Van Black does not sound so great, Ely it is!!! :) Reed is both of our paternal grandmother's maiden names. Amazingly, we have had her name picked out for six years!!! In the beginning of our pregnancy we just knew we were going to have a boy, but I questioned Wayne one night about what we would name Baby B should it be a girl. He frankly replied Ely Reed as if we had just concluded a conversation on the topic. Ha! We plan to call her by both names!

And should we have a little boy next...

Miller Wayne Black

Miller is Wayne's maternal grandmother's maiden name. Interestingly enough, she is adopted. I love that we can honor the family that chose to raise her. And you know the story behind Wayne. We plan to call him Miller.

However, should our second and/or third child be a girl, we have a few names that rank high on the list including but not limited to

WellsLeigh & Ann Travis

but I did not discuss this with my husband prepost! Ha! For obvious reasons I love the name Wells (if we had a second boy his name would be Wells). Leigh is Wayne's aunt's middle name - she is who I want to be when I grow up! :) And since our third girl will more than likely be her dad's biggest sidekick, she should be named Travis! Ann is distant family name, but it goes so well with Travis.

I must admit that we could name twelve children with all of the wonderful names that we have picked out! But don't worry, we do not plan to have that many children!

They killed GOATS!

2010-04-25T16:45:00.024-05:00

Wayne and Andy traveled 13 hours to a huge ranch in Texas this weekend. It's their annual turkey hunting tradition. The first day they were there they killed goats. Wayne even got one with his bow!!! I thought it would be a grand idea to full body mount one of the goats for our lodge, but apparently none of their kills were big enough to warrant such a mount. I never realized that goats are pretty - I really like the black one in the center! Apparently its horns are suppose to get really big. In college I always thought Wayne & his roommates needed a goat to keep down the grass in the backyard, but that is a different kind of goat altogether!

35 weeks...

2010-04-22T13:48:00.002-05:00

How Far Along: 35 weeks (just 5 weeks to go)
Total Weight Gained: ugh... alot! But I don't want to talk about it!
Maternity Clothes: Thanks to my sweet friend Maghen I have the cutest maternity clothes available! And thanks to Granny I also have some shorts which have been great in this HOT weather!
Best Moment of the Week: Painting Ely Reed's room & assembling her crib, dresser, BOB, etc. Go Wayn-o! Our paint pro friends, Dustin & Amy, lead the painting effort. And Sissy (MIL) helped with the assembly!
Movement: She is moving & shaking & wearing me out, but I love it!
Food Craving: I heart dill pickles; we even painted the nursery dill pickle!!!
Food Aversion: Red sauce or anything that causes heartburn!!!
Morning Sickness: It's more of a continuous heartburn issue, but peppermint gum is helping tons!
Gender: It's a girl! Ely Reed
Labor Signs: None, Zero, Never felt those here!
Belly Button: The good news is that it has not popped so I am happy as can be!
What I Miss: The ability to breathe!
What I am looking forward to: Finishing the nursery!!! Seeing our baby girl!!! In that order would be nice...
Weekly Wisdom: Just bc your weekly appts have started doesn't mean your baby is ready to come! She is still high and just hanging out in there with no signs of arriving anytime soon! For now this is great bc Wayne is going Texas to turkey hunt with Andy this weekend!
Why I think my husband will be an Awesome Dad: Wayne has been such a good sport! Yes! He has a weak stomach, but he is so great during our childbirth classes - he has excellent breathing techniques & he even suggested that we make a list of the items we need during delivery. Although he may give me a silly face, he is happy to help with anything I ask! Gotta love that!

Thankful Thursday

2010-04-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

Ten Things I am Thankful for:
1. Wayne takes the PE tomorrow!!! I know he will do AWESOME! He has studied so hard!
2. We did not have any kids at nursery last night!
3. It's TAX DAY and I am stress free bc our refund is already in the bank!
4. Wayne enjoyed childbirth class this week! He even suggested that I make a list of all of the things that we need! What?!?! I did not know the word list was in his vocabulary! And he was very involved with breathing techniques and massage! I was so impressed!
5. We finally found someone to clean our house! I walked in yesterday, and it smelled like lysol! Yay!
6. Paint will go on the walls in Ely Reed's nursery on Saturday - thanks to the help of our sweet friends Amy and Dustin and Wayne, of course! The color is dill pickle - how appropriate!
7. Ely Reed's crib and dresser have arrived! We just have to put it all together - well, Wayne is going to do that!
8. We had Nagoya twice this week! We usually don't eat out a lot but we both wanted fried rice after cb class. Then Mel and Chris were in town yesterday so we joined them, the Turner's and Caleb for sushi! Yum Yum!
9. My nesting has spread to work, and I am getting so much accomplished! Hopefully it will make my transition to home easier!
10. My visit with Dad and Carolyn this past weekend was great! And I got to love on the most adorable 2-year-old in the world!

wayne's new toy

2010-04-13T17:00:00.000-05:00

Wayne received his personalized duck call in the mail today! It is a Rich N Tone - that is a brand for all of you who are clueless! He was so excited after looking at the call all day and not being able to blow it at work that he made up for lost time when he got home! :) There is nothing louder than an acrylic duck call and wood floors! I personally think it's a bit redneck to have a personalized duck call, but I am married to Wayne Black!

Thankful Thursday

2010-04-08T22:00:00.001-05:00

Ten Things I am Thankful for this Week:
1. My 2 week doctors appointment! I gained 3lbs so I guess Ely Reed is officially in her growth spurt! Dr. Carroll gave me some great exercise to help my back pain! And it was a quick appointment! :)
2. My wonderful husband picked up our custom wood furniture from Star Furniture! It is exactly what I was thinking! Pictures to come later! Wayne has also been on a cleaning streak this week - matching socks, washing dishes! I heart that he is joining in my nesting!
3. I was the leader for newspaper sales this week! Yippee! This is a rarity!
4. I cooked dinner by myself tonight, and it was ready when Wayne got home! It was just chicken alfredo but it was good, and we had leftovers!
5. The spring weather is officially here! I began the celebration today by purchasing red adirondack chairs for the backyard! I plan to buy geraniums and ferns for the entrance. And the flowerbeds need a bit more color - I am thinking more yellow!
6. I finally submitted and approved the final proof of our wedding album this week! Yes! We have been married for 3+ years! We should be receiving the coffee table book the week before our first child arrives! Ha!
7. Childbirth classes!!! Wayne did not really enjoy the natural childbirth video, but it lead to some great open conversation at our house! And our teacher is funny!
8. We welcomed seven new families to join our church on Sunday! We had a Meet & Greet on Wednesday to chat with the new female members, and it was well attended! And so much fun!
9. Shoney's!!! Wayne and I had breakfast at Shoney's on Saturday! I had probably not eaten at a Shoney's in 13 years, but it was delicious!
10. I am going to visit my Daddy this weekend! Yay! Although we only live 2 hours apart, we just don't visit enough! I miss seeing him!

Thankful Thursday

2010-04-01T17:07:00.000-05:00

I have so much to be thankful for! I may thank God for an answered prayer. I may mention a blessing to Wayne. I may thank a friend or family member for something they have done. However, it almost seems taboo to discuss my many blessings with others. On the other hand, if I have some drama I am quick to mention it! So, I am going to start a healthy habit of listing ten things I am thankful for each week! Please feel free to join in!

Top 10 Things I'm Thankful for:
1. My husband is a wonderful cook!!! He literally cooks every meal that we eat, hence the nickname Chef Wayn-o! And when I say cook I don't mean Hamburger Helper - although his HH is great! Last night we had fried bream - I caught 'em but he scaled the whole fish with a spoon (Poppa taught him this!) and did all mixes to make the batter perfect! My fav dish he cooks is wild turkey which he marinates in a secret sauce for a few days then wraps in bacon with a dollop of honey and grills! It's amazing!
2. Ely Reed is a wiggle worm! Ha! It is so comforting to feel (and now see) her moving all around. While I am in the shower I usually get a swift kick to the ribs - and if I decide to sleep in it is a good alarm clock! When I drink something cold I feel like she is swimming around! And after I eat she is all over the place - maybe that means she will like food like her mommy! I think all of this activity may mean that she will be a bit hyper like her daddy, but that is perfectly okay with me!
3. I have the best girlfriends! From my college friends to my work friends to my church friends to my mommy friends and more, I am blessed with a well rounded group of girlfriends who are quick to give advice, eager to listen, ready for a girls night, happy to share an easy recipe, etc. I am so thankful for each of you!
4. Tonight I have my breastfeeding class! And yes, I really am thankful for it! I don't know what to expect and I am a bit nervous/excited, but I glad there is a nurse who felt it was her calling to teach women how to breastfeed. And I am so glad there are other women (besides me) who think breastfeeding is so important for their children that they created a need for a class!!! Because I surely am not comfortable asking my (male) doctor about breastfeeding!
5. I heart my job! Yes... we have tons of deadlines! Yes... it makes time fly by! Yes... some days are pretty stressful! But... I have the best clients, the funniest coworkers and tons of fun with it! It's high energy, and I simply thrive in the environment!
6. My Planner & To Do List!!! I do not want to focus on material things, but I really am not sure what I would do without these items - especially with pregnancy!
7. I am off work tomorrow! Yippee! So excited about a long weekend! So excited to have a full day to focus on the To Do List!
8. Two little black girls will be so excited to see me when I get home tonight - one may even be excited enough to pee a bit! Ha! Nova and Neeli make me smile! I love them like they are our children, and, well, they are! In fact, I love them so much that all of the black hair on my wood floors bothers me less and less each day - now that is a big deal!!!
9. Deadline day is OVER! And all of my magazine ads are tucked safely into the folder! Go ME!!!
10. The opportunity to give back!!! I fell in love with community service in college, and cs has continued to be part of my life since! I am so excited to enter my provisional year in JLJ - the new friends, the projects, the fun! Cannot wait!!!

jicama?

2010-03-31T11:49:00.000-05:00

Each week I get an update from babycenter that compares our baby's size to a variety of fruits and vegetables! It is pretty funny! My sweet friend Jess always refers to Ely Reed based on the fruit/veg of the week! The comparison makes her growth so real!

This week Ely Reed is the size of a jicama [HEE-kah-mah]! A what? I had never heard of such, but basically it's a white-fleshed root vegetable that is grown underground. It's also called a Mexican potato and has a crunchy, sweet flesh and once peeled, can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw, it is a great addition to salads. It can also be used in stir-fries or boiled and baked like a potato.

Well, I feel like I learned something today!

i heart netflix!

2010-03-29T17:45:00.000-05:00

So, we don't watch much TV, but I am starting to realize that we are addicted to netflix!

Wayne has always been a big movie fan. Not so much a go-to-the-movies fan - I could count on my fingers the number of times that we have been to theatre in the eight years we have been together - but he loves renting movies! We went through a Blockbuster phase right after we got married (we were trying to catch up on 24 seasons), but we soon became annoyed with traveling seven miles to switch out movies. We did some research, and we found netflix! For a whopping $15 a month we get two movies at a time and can watch an unlimited number of movies! It's fantastic!

So, we watch all sorts of movies! Honestly, Wayne is "in charge" of our que so we watch tons boy movies (think war movies and cheesy comedies - these are Wayne's favs), but I also get to pick some of my favs (think romantic comedies) and lobby for all of the new releases to join our que!

But I mentioned addiction? Yes! I think I did! I noticed yesterday that the average Sunday includes church, Sunday school, lunch with the fam, a movie, a nap, community group, a second movie, bedtime. Don't think at least two movies every Sunday is that bad? I must admit that sometimes in addition watch a netflix movie that Sara has received that we have not watched yet - that's three movies! Not to mention that having two NEW movies at our house on Sunday takes special planning. During the week we often watch at least one movie so we have to calculate the mail to ensure our two Sunday movies are guarnteed! That, my friend, is addiction!

gobble gobble

2010-03-28T18:00:00.000-05:00

Wayn-o killed a turkey! Yay! I was honestly starting to wonder what was going on! Although studying for the PE is taking up tons of Wayne's time, he is still waking up at 4am each morning to turkey hunt! If he can live on such little sleep you will not hear me complain bc I love turkey (i.e. I love to eat it)!!!

From what I gather Wayne has Andy to thank for this gobbler! It was actually Andy's turn to kill, and he had his bow but he could not get in position. Luckily Wayne had his gun!

tv night

2010-03-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

Wayne and I typically do not watch much tv; however, Monday night is the exception to the rule. For us Monday night typically includes a homemade dinner (and dessert) at his parent's house and our three favorite guys... Chuck, Jack and Horatio!!! Yes, it's a little silly, but we are addicted!

At 7pm we watch Chuck! This comedy is about a goofy computer nerd who opens an email which downloads a super secret code into his mind. As a result he is slowly but surely becoming a spy with the help of a sexy female agent, Sarah. It's a bit of a love story with a dose of suspense! And it is so fun!

At 8pm we completely switch gears with 24. Superman meets Macgyver, this high action suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat as each one hour episode documents an hour in the life of CTU Agent, Jack Bauer, who solves a national crisis each season - in 24 hours! Its so addicting, but you have to start from the beginning (Season 1)!

At 9pm we watch CSI Miami. This 'Who done it?' is the only CSI I have ever enjoyed! Although it can be a bit cheesy, I love trying to figure it out before Wayne! And I am pretty good at it! :)

After a long Monday at work (which is newspaper deadline for me), it is great to just relax and watch our favorite shows. And it gives me the rest of the week to get lots done! Ha!

march madness

2010-03-18T15:07:00.001-05:00

it's official! the brackets are complete & the games have begun...

wayne's

sally's

wayne and i have a tradition of completing brackets and competing for the championship! of course, wayne actually likes basketball and follows the sport. i, on the other hand, really care nothing about basketball, but i always love to win! i pick the teams i like based on their names! so, villaNOVA is my fav team! this year our brackets are very different so i can hardly wait to see who wins!

redneck weekend!

2010-03-15T13:00:00.000-05:00

Wayne opened turkey season with Caleb in Macon. From the stories that I am hearing that had a grand time, and Caleb killed a turkey! Yippee!

Nevertheless, the hogs were the highlight of the weekend! Really I think they enjoyed playing in the mud and chasing the pigs, but the actual clean up process was a lot of work. I can only imagine since those hogs weigh so much! :)

baby shower

2010-03-14T17:30:00.001-05:00

Miss Ely Reed is not even here yet, and she is already a beauty queen! ha! Isn't her cake just perfect? Her Aunt Amanda did such a great job!

I heart a shower. As I grow older it's rare to have so many of my favorite people in one place - my bestie's from college, my crazy family, my wonderful inlaws, my girls I turn to for advice, my fun-loving friends, my inspiring mommy friends, etc. It's such a blessing to have them all in one place!

And, of course, Miss Ely Reed received lots of beautiful and useful things. So this mommy has lots of organization and washing in store! :) I cannot wait!

And a special thanks to the wonderful hostesses: Robin, Anna, Mary Amanda, Hollie, Melissa, Emily, Amanda, Leigha, Mary Katherine and Jamie. They did such a great job with the food, fun and southern hospitality! I love you girls!

7 things

2010-03-13T23:26:00.000-06:00

A special thanks to Nikki for tagging me in her latest post. Bascially, I have to list 7 things that are going on with me right now! Honestly, life is super busy right now so this should not be a problem! :)

1. April 1 is our official deadline for the nursery! Yes, that is very soon. Wayne has been completely moved out of the space for a couple of weeks now, so its time to get on the ball. The painter is coming early next week. I also plan to order her bed next week. And mom is working on the bedding. So, I am thinking if I can accomplish all of these things next week then I will have a better idea of what else I need. That's possible, right?

2. Daycare demands lots of attention! Ha! Ely Reed is officially enrolled in St. Matthews for August (answered prayer), but the program ends at 1:30pm each day. So, our little issue is not completely solved. I am praying that a stay-at-home mom/sitter will be interested in keeping her in the afternoon or that she will get into St. Francis (open registration is next week).

3. My first shower is tomorrow, and I am so excited! First, I am really excited to have so many of my favorite people in one place. Second, it makes Ely Reed's arrival feel real - she will be her in 10 weeks! Its so surreal!

4. I am officially swelling! Well, at least I think its swelling! My legs are starting to resemble tree trunks! This is not good for my already athletic legs. I have been walking each week, obviously not as much as I should. Today I have been resting in hopes that will spark a change - we will see!

5. My nesting/organization bug is still in full bloom! Are you surprised? I would love to say it is limited to our home, but that would be a lie! It began with our decor, and it has now moved into our budget, food, future home, etc. If I just had more energy I could organize the government! Ha!

6. Wayne is studying for the PE - the professional engineer test! I am so proud of his studying efforts! The test is April 16th. Although its officially turkey season he has prioritized the PE! Well, he is still hunting but he took his books and is studying in his down time! Go Wayne!

7. My favorite black girls (the furry ones that live under my feet) are more needy than EVER! Neeli is in heat so that does not help, but any time I get close to Nova she is nudging me. Nova, on the other hand, lives by my side (which I truly love). This week she got shaved and had to go to the vet for her annual appointment, so its nice that she still wants to snuggle! And I think Neeli misses hunting with her daddy! Today I dressed them in their pink Sweet Thing shirts - so fitting!

Now I am going tag Leigha, Candise, Katie P., Katy P., Amber W., Jessica M., Sarah S.

76 days to go!!!

2010-03-11T17:26:00.000-06:00

How Far Along: 29 weeks

Total Weight Gained: 26lbs. - shooting to just gain 1lb a week for the next 10 weeks!

Maternity Clothes: I heart maternity clothes - they are so comfy! I just wish they were better quality!
Best Moment of the Week: Hearing the heartbeat today at our appt... tear!
Movement: She is a mover - nonstop! It makes me a bit nervous that she may be hyper!
Food Craving: I love pickles, potatoes, sweet tea, red meat, banana popsicles, veggies, fruit!
Food Aversion: Chicken and anything with red sauce
Morning Sickness: None, but the evening sickness is fun with acid reflux!
Gender: It's a girl! Ely Reed
Labor Signs: Not that I know of...
Belly Button: Ugh! It's plush with my belly! If it "pops" I am going to cry!
What I Miss: I miss the energy of my 2nd trimester, but I really miss raw tuna!!!
What I am looking forward to: Our first shower is this weekend, and I can hardly wait to have her room complete!
Weekly Wisdom: Ha! You are what you eat! I have been giving into cravings - things that I would never eat if I were not preggers! So, I guess that explains the weight gain!
Why I think my husband will be an Awesome Dad: It has been so much fun to watch Wayne warm up to this process. From his sonogram moment of "we are having a baby" to him feeling her move to him talking to her in my belly... it just makes me smile! He is going to be such a great daddy!

its been three years...

2010-03-03T10:00:00.000-06:00

since my daddy walked me down the aisle...

i married the most fun loving guy in the world...

wayne and i cut our delicious wedding cake...

we toasted to our future...

we danced the night away to dr zarr...

and i realized it was the beginning of happily ever after!!!

I love a pig...

2010-02-28T19:53:00.000-06:00

but I give up! I am not going to finish this book! I originally picked this book up in September as a good read for the beach, but it is not what I imagined it would be! Now, you may wonder why I ever picked a book titled the good good pig? Honestly, I love pigs! I think they are cute, innocent and simply adorable - and I am not referring to Wilbur from Charlotte's Web. I am a fan of the 750lbs of pork type of pig! I first fell in love with these sloppy pets in college when I would go with my then boyfriend to help him work on his aunts farm. They had two precious pigs that I loved visiting with and petting! I have since decided that when I have a farm one day that I must have a pig named Cecil! So, I thought the pig book (this is how Wayne refers to my latest pick) would be perfect, but it turns out that this National Bestseller is much more about the authors adventures than the pigs. Sadness! Don't get me wrong, the author is a very interesting and adventurous animal lover - she travels the world learning about different types of animals' without fear (think of a female Steve Irwin)! But, hello, I wanted to read about a good good PIG! Nevertheless, I must continue with tradition and pass on this book to someone who I believe will appreciate it! So, I am passing the good good pig to my well-read MIL, Dean, who will finish the 225 pages in a matter of minutes. Maybe I can get her to just tell me about the parts about the pig! :)

thanks dave!

2010-02-25T13:41:00.000-06:00

i heart some dave ramsey... many of you are already familar with my obsession! wayne and i were introduced to dave during our marriage counseling with our pastor, hunter! total money makeover (dave ramsey) was one of three books that we were required to read, and honestly, it is the only one that we have truly applied in our marriage... although i admit that the love languages is a great book and we should apply it more often!!! dave just made sense to both of us! we are both numbers people (dorks), and we both have seasonal spending splurges so we knew we needed a plan!!! now, don't get me wrong, it was not a perfect process... we fell off the bandwagon (can you say infiniti) but we got back up and started again! as we approach our 3 year anniversary it seems right that we are celebrating with a DEBT FREE SCREAM!!! no, we will not be calling in to dave's radio or tv show this friday, but we proudly mailed off our last car (infiniti) payment this morning! now we won't owe a single person a dime for an infiniti!!! ha! now we can move to baby step 3, saving a 6 month emergency fund! yay! i am so excited!

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T20:30:00.000-06:00

Although my sinuses have me secluded to the couch, my wonderful husband made sure my Valentines Day was a delight! The day began with a full breakfast - my favorite pancakes, eggs, and sausage!!! Then we watched Love Happens which is adorable and fun! For dinner Wayne cooked more of my favorites - fried bream, fried okra, mac & cheese and homemade cornbread! Yummy! It was great to have a lazy day to ourselves! I love you Wayne!!!

Snow Day!

2010-02-12T16:00:00.012-06:00

Oh yay! It's Friday, yet I am at home with a fluffy little black girl. Yes, we have so much snow in Jackson that I could not get to work safely. So, I worked from home! The snow started last night around 9pm. By the time it stopped snowing today we had about 5 inches!!! When Wayne returned home from goose hunting we made a snow man and Wayne (followed by two really excited black girls) went sliding down our back yard. It was lots of fun! Happy Snow Day to you!!!

I did it...

2010-02-11T13:00:00.020-06:00

I drank the orange drink!!! Ha! Well, it was not your typical orange drink. These 10 ounces of syrupy sweet orange flavor prepared my body for my Glucose Tolerance Test to screen for gestational diabetes. The good news is that I passed so I won't have to drink it again! Yippee!
The bad news is that I got in trouble for gaining too much weight! Oops! What can I say... a big girl has to eat! After thinking over my diet and searching the web to figure out the calories in my favorite foods, I soon realized the culprit is those delicious mocha frappes from Seattle Drip! With a whopping 464 calories in the 16oz heavenly treat (that is the small) that I enjoy five days a week, it is no wonder why the scale is tipping a bit high! I think I am going to cut down to one per week bc I obviously will have no excuse to enjoy all of these calories after my pregnancy! :)

Bling Bling Duckie!

2010-01-23T21:00:00.004-06:00

Yes! This mallard drake (that means boy) has jewelry on! And not just one piece of jewelry, but two beautiful silver bands! This is quite rare sight in the duck world!!! In fact, this was the first double banded duck Wayne had seen in his life. Too bad he did not kill it! :) His friend Clint killed this lil guy, and Neeli retrieved it! Congrats Clint!

Five Things Survey

2010-01-22T10:29:00.000-06:00

My sweet friend Lydia tagged me in this survey.

Instructions:
1) Answer 5 questions with 5 answers.
2) Tag 5 other bloggers.

Questions:
1) Where were you 10 years ago?

1- I was about to graduate from high school!
2- I was headed to MUW to attend the Hearin Leadership Conference (forshadowing event)!
3- I was dating a great guy who taught me a lot about myself (not Wayne)
4- I was starting to highlight my hair bc it was no longer BLONDE! :(
5- I was SO READY to GO TO COLLEGE!!!

2) What is on your TO DO list for today?

1- JR Miss Meeting at lunch
2- Finish selling for next week's newspaper
3- PICK UP my prenatal vitamin
4- Take my fav black heals to the Shoe Healer!!!
5- Make my mom go with me to get pattern & fabric for Ely Reed's bedding
ETC

3) What 5 snacks do you enjoy?

1- mocha frapp
2- pickles
3- popcorn (great meal also)
4- apples
5 - canned pears

4) Where are 5 places you have lived?

1- Tuscaloosa, AL (born there... ROLL TIDE!!!)
2- Vicksburg, MS (as a young child)
3- Clinton, MS
4- Madison, MS
5- Columbus, MS (Miss my W girls)

5) Name 5 you would do if you were a billionaire:

1- Live completely eco-friendly (house, car, food, etc)
2- Set up a trust for my family that required certain things for them to receive the money (is it bad for me to force my morals on others?)
3- Create a scholarship fund for students who deserve to go to college but do not have the financial means.
4- Personally fund MUW so it will never go back on the chopping block - but I have to be able to select the president! HA!
5- I am not sure I would have any money left but I would join the mission to feed hungry Americans!

Now I am tagging:

1- Leigha
2- Katy A
3- Katy P
4- Jessica
5- Candise

one word

2010-01-21T09:43:00.001-06:00

On the way to work this morning I was listening to K-LOVE and Lisa & Eric were trying to decide one word to live by in 2010! The idea came from myoneword.org! The one word is suppose to serve as a lense through which you live your life. The callers had lots of great words: WHOLE, OTHERS, LOVE... By the time I got to work Lisa & Eric had not picked their word for the year, but I had picked mine...

faithful

faithful to spending time in the Word, faithful to my family & friends, faithful to my commitments, simply faithful...

What is your one word for 2010?

What kind of duck is that?

2010-01-11T21:00:00.016-06:00

Well, its a mix! The pretty green head and wing are traits of a mallard while the the grey nose is a trait of a pintail! Not sure if the mom was a pintail and the dad was a mallard or vice versa, but its pretty neat that this happens in nature. Wayne was thrilled to kill this guy on the river. Now he just has to find an equally impressive mount for him! :)

It was a Merry Christmas 2009!

2009-12-27T14:00:00.002-06:00

It would not be Christmas Eve without the Black Family Christmas photo at 10:30pm! Ha! It is amazing little Addie Grace was still awake, but I really think she had the most energy of all of us! Pictured from top left: Skip & Jan (Wayne's dad's sister; Barrett's mom); Sara (Wayne's little sister who was very sick); Doug (Wayne's dad's baby brother); Susan (Wayne's dad's youngest sister) & Rob (they live down the road from Wayne's parents & go to church with us); middle row: Mitch & Dean (Wayne's parents); Memaw (Wayne's grandmother) & Hilton (her adorable husband); front row: Iris (the yellow lab that you barely see; she belongs to Jan); Swayzee (Sara's yellow lab & Neeli's sister); Amy, Barrett (Wayne's first cousin) & their beautiful little girl, Addie Grace (she is the first great grandchild); and us!

Our annual Christmas photo in front on the fireplace! Wayne is in his traditional red sweater that he has worn for the past ___ years! And I am wearing the only thing that fits! Ha! Neeli (and her sister, Swayzee) sported matching jester collars. Nova did not like her red scarf or new Santa hat!

Wayne & I have a family tradition of wearing new Christmas P.J.'s each Christmas Eve night. Seeing this pic makes me happy - and glad that I thought ahead and got a maternity top! And this year we started a new tradition of spending the night at Wayne's parents - it was so nice to wake up & head downstairs for Santa and homemade cinnamon rolls!

Merry Christmas from the Black family...

2009-12-24T08:30:00.000-06:00

Someone is a big girl!

2009-12-21T10:35:00.002-06:00

Well, if you ask her, she will tell you she's a big girl! :) She is so smart and so full of energy! We went to Chuck E. Cheese, the park and visited with Granny & Poppa on Saturday! And we went to church and Grandmommy's for Christmas on Sunday! We had a big time, and Aunt Sally has the exhaustion to prove it!

Baby B is...

2009-12-18T09:31:00.000-06:00

a GIRL!!!

I must admit that we were both a bit in shock at first, but we are thrilled to be welcoming a baby girl!!! Poor Wayne will now have four Black girls to please (me, Neeli, Nova & our baby girl)! Our little girl now weighs 7 ounces, and we were amazed to see so much detail in her sonogram. She is very active and healthy, and we can hardly wait to meet her on May 26th.

On the Move!

2009-12-16T09:49:00.000-06:00

Baby B is officially on the move!
This morning at 3:40am Wayne left to go duck hunting with Chris! Those guys and their hunting!!! Well, for some reason I could not go back to sleep - for TWO HOURS! At 4:08am I was laying on my back (well, I sleep at a 40 degree angle) and felt the baby bump move just below my belly button, so I placed my hand there. Within moments Baby B moved TWICE! I was so excited that I texted Wayne! Of course, I left my hand on the baby bump to be sure not to miss another foot, elbow or head! Sure enough, at 4:28am I left another protruding movement! Yay! This was my first time to feel the little one move! I cannot wait for Wayne to feel it!

Weekend with Wayne?!?!

2009-12-13T13:30:00.002-06:00

Yes, it's true! Wayne stayed home during a weekend of duck season - the ducks simply do not like rain! We had a great weekend of hanging out and watching movies! We had dinner Satuday with Amy & Dustin then we had a Cocktail Party at Caleb & Tallie's house - both were oh so fun! But I must admit that I will no longer be wearing traditional dresses - maternity clothes here I come!!!

Duck Season in the MS Delta

2009-12-07T09:00:00.016-06:00

Well, it's official! It's duck season in the Delta! And the guys are loving it!

Josh and JD joined Wayne and Mitch on Friday! They were in and out of there in no time!

Chris and Michael joined Wayne and Mitch on Saturday morning! And that adorable, huge lab is Neeli's brother, Otis! Isn't he precious?

And on Sunday Mansil joined the group from Saturday! Neeli had a small injury so Otis was a busy boy!

Congrats Emily & Bo Holland!

2009-12-06T10:30:00.000-06:00

Wayne was already hunting in the Delta, so Sara and I traveled up Saturday to attend Emily and Bo's wedding in Batesville. Emily was a beautiful bride! And the wedding and reception were festive and fun!

Thanks to my wonderful SIL I had the perfect empire waist dress for the occassion! Although the baby bump is not evident here it is quite real in person! :)

Let It Snow!

2009-12-05T10:00:00.012-06:00

Last night it snowed in Madison! Yay! It was so pretty when it was falling! Nova loved eating and playing in it last night, but this morning when I needed her to sit in it for a photo op she was not interested!!! :)

Candy Day!

2009-12-04T22:30:00.020-06:00

Our family has the best Christmas traditions! One of my most favorite is Candy Day! Well, it is actually more of a Candy Weekend! And it is so much fun - even though it is also pretty hard work! Today the festivities began! We were blessed with the perfect weather! Here we are making divinity, but we also make rolo thingies, pecan rolls, oreo truffles, haystacks, banana nut bread, millionaires, pralines, etc. After all of the candy is made we assemble it on festive trays and deliver it to family and friends. It's our little way of spreading holiday cheer! :)

14 Week Appointment

2009-11-25T11:20:00.000-06:00

Wayne and I had our 14 week appointment this morning! It was the first time Wayne was able to join me. And aside from a bit of a weirdness of realizing he was surronded by a bunch of women who were going to their "girl doctor" I think he really enjoyed it! I had not gained any weight since my last appt, so I have only gained 1lb during my pregnancy! Shocking! I was secretly crossing my fingers for a sonogram but we were able to hear the baby's heartheat without one - it was 140! My doc is betting on a boy, but he and I are the only ones thinking such! Ha! Overall, it was a quick and easy appointment, and it really is more fun with the husband present! :)
Developmently Baby B is the size of a lemon hence the cute graphic! Baby B can now squint, frown, grimace and suck its thumb! Isn't that adorable? Amazingly Baby B is only 3 1/2 inches long and 1 1/2 ounces!!! And me, I have started feeling amazingly better in the last 24 hours. I actually ate a real dinner last night and had energy! And Wayne, he says he is gaining weight bc he has been finishing off all of our meals when I did not have an appetite! Ha! So, all is GROWING well in the Black home! :)

Starkvegas!!!

2009-11-15T17:36:00.003-06:00

Wayne and I joined Tallie and Caleb in Starkville this weekend to watch the Bulldogs take on the Crimson Tide!!! Although the outcome of the game was not so great, the festivities were fantastic! We tailgated with a great group of friends & saw tons of college friends! We joined Cathy and Bob (Caleb's parents) for the game IN THEIR BOX!!! And we really enjoyed staying with the Luke's at Browing Creek! Now I think I am spoiled...

News from Nova & Neeli

2009-11-05T10:13:00.002-06:00

Nova: So... Have you heard our news?
Neeli: Blah! Blah! Blah! No! They have not heard our news! Why else would we be doing this?
Nova: Well, it's exciting! I am so excited I think I just peed on the couch! Oops!
Neeli: Can you not control your bladder? Gosh!
Nova: It's fine! Calm down! Mom will clean it up before Dad gets home.
Neeli: Are you going to tell them the news or do I have to do this?
Nova: Me, me, me... I want to tell! Oops! Too excited again!
Neeli: I am missing valuable nap time here!!!
Nova: Okay! SOOO... The Big News... I am going to be a Big Sister!!!
Neeli: Trust me! It's not all its cracked up to be!
Nova: Well, I for one am thrilled! Mom and Dad are having a BABY! I will have my very own baby!!! Oops! It's on the pillow this time!
Neeli: The baby will be here around May 26th, so Dad and I are thrilled it will not affect our hunting season! Although I am sad to report the Man Room is in its last few months!
Nova: But we will have a baby... that is SO MUCH better!
Neeli: Its time for my nap!
Nova: Okay! Remember to check back for the latest updates on Baby B! This is SO FUN!

HRCH Maggy's Super Black Benelli SH

2009-11-02T08:30:00.002-06:00

Yet another COLD bath for Wayn-o! Neeli went 2 for 2 at Magnolia at Kearney Park earning her AKC Senior title. Go Neeli!!!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T11:00:00.051-06:00

Wayne and I hosted a Halloween Party at the Lake Caroline Clubhouse with our friends John and Amanda, Tallie and Caleb & Sara Anne and Brandon. It was so much fun!

Wayne and I were a Critical Patient and an EMT - my jacket was super reflective!

Robin and Jason were the cutest disco couple - I am still impressed that Jason dressed up!!!

Anna and Andy were a mouse and some cheese - they are always creative!

Meagan and Mark dressed as a knocked up cheerleader and principal - they are so fun!

Tallie and Caleb were Lady Gaga and her Poker Face - they could have won a costume contest!

Sara Ann and David were adorable Flinstones - love them!

J. Hunter was supporting Peace & Love, Not War - he came home for our party! :)

Amanda and John were Marilyn Monroe and Elvis - they are precious together!

Jamie and Josh were Harley enthusiasts - the leather, tattoos and all!

I love Halloween!

HRCH Maggy's Super Black Benelli

2009-10-26T09:30:00.001-05:00

While the girls were traveling Neeli and Wayne traveled to Birmingham, AL to participate in a Hunt Test! And I am happy to report we now have a Champion - I guess traveling to all corners of the Southeast with our little athlete has proven valuable! Neeli earned her Hunt Retriever Champion title Saturday following it up with another ribbon on Sunday and a wet bath for Wayne (it is a tradition to soak the owner when he earns a title)! Wayne and Neeli are on cloud nine. Wayne is excited about the title! Neeli is excited about the reward - she gets to sleep with us!!!

Girls Trip to the Windy City

2009-10-25T22:00:00.059-05:00

Chicago was our destination... Four girls on a four day weekend to discover all that the Windy City had to offer - via each and every mode of transportation and with the help of a terrific itinerary!!! Enjoy a glimpse into our FAB TRIP!

The trip began Wednesday night at 5:30pm as we boarded Amtrack in Jackson. We picked up Melissa in Memphis at 10:40pm. And a wonderful 15 hours from our boarding time we arrived in Chicago - that is 9am! It was a long and adventourous trip - well worth the time!!! Here we are in Union Station (Kelly, me, Sara, Melissa)!!!

Of course, one of our first stops was Millenium Park to see the SHINY BEAN!!! Although it was sprinkling we got some great pics! Have I mentioned Chicago is pretty cold and kinda rainy in October?

A trip to Chicago is complete with the JAZZ BAR experience - even though some jazz guys really love their instruments! Ha! Melissa and I were smart to bring an extensive collection of scarves!

One of my favorites was the Architectural Riverboat Cruise... it was very imformative and it really helped your realize where you were even off the boat! Mel and Sara really enjoyed the drinks! :)

And, of course, Howl at the Moon, the duling piano bar, was SO MUCH FUN! Although I think you would have to get there at 6pm to get a seat, we danced the night away to everything from the Michigan Fight Song to Sweet Caroline! Loved it!

Chicago was a terrific choice for our Girls' Trip! We loved the Willis Tower, the El Train, walking, Michigan Avenue, Lincoln Park, walking, Lake Michigan, Navy Pier, shopping, walking, Buckingham Fountain (although it was dry), the friendly Chicagians, all the terrific PIZZA, the noteworthy and being able to actually use all of our Winter and Rain Gear!!! FUN!!!

Lil Pink Monster!!!

2009-10-18T18:00:00.000-05:00

The cutest 'lil pink monster you have ever seen came to visit her Sally and Unc Wayne this weekend! And boy, did we have a big weekend! It all began with a shopping trip to Old Navy for above outfit - Kailee loves to shop and go fast in the buggy! Saturday morning we got up bright and early to walk in a 5k with my friend Katy - Kailee came in first in her age group and, amazingly, Katy and I came in 2nd and 3rd in our age group! Saturday afternoon was spent visiting with family and friends - Nana, Grandmommy, Granny, Dean, Swayze, Lizzy! Sunday we both went to the nursery at church while Unc Wayne went to big church - it was lots of fun to watch Kailee interact with other kids! We had a great weekend - but I am exhausted!!!

The Fair!!!

2009-10-16T13:30:00.001-05:00

Yay! Wayne and I had our lunch date at the fair!!! It was so much fun!

Wayne had been craving fair food - he had not been to the fair (Neshoba does not count) since high school (ten years ago)! Of course, I would rather ride the rides than eat at the fair anyday, but since we was willing to go (for the first time since we have been together) I decided I better seize the opportunity!

Wayne had a Polish sausage dog covered in onions and peppers and mustard - interesting choice! And I had Penn's chicken-on-a-stick - I figured that was pretty safe! We walked the midway to see what we could see - what is it about the fair that brings out the weirdos? Before we left we also grabbed a funnel cake, and Wayne was already talking about our second annual fair trip - What?!?!? Next year I am hoping to incorporate a ride or two!!!

Dinner @ The Black's

2009-10-12T21:40:00.015-05:00

I love Mondays! Each Monday after work we go to Wayne's parents house for dinner! It's terrific! My MIL is a great cook, and she always makes dessert - my fav! Today she had half of a pecan pie waiting for me - Wayne doesn't like sweets very much! So, after a delicious dinner (chicken pie, black eyed peas and fried okra - my fav food ever) I decided I should take a bit of a break before dessert! After visiting with Granny and Poppa for about 20 minutes I anxiously returned for my delicious dessert! Instead, I found my favorite little baby dog, all fours on the table, devouring my precious pecan pie!!! Of course, she is a picky eater - she had carefully taken off the top layer of pecans and placed them to the side (she gets that from her daddy)! Needless to say, I did not get dessert this week! Now I am just hoping that Nova does not get sick! I don't think she has ever had sweets before - she is more of a popcorn kinda girl!

The Black's on the Beach!

2009-09-27T20:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to our first annual Black Family Vacation! Typically, the guys take a hunting vacay (think kill ducks) and the girls head to the beach! This year we started a new tradition of vacationing together! But, of course, the first thing Wayne and Mitch (FIL) see is a double banded pigeon on our balacony! Ha! I guess boys will be boys!

We had a great time relaxing poolside (no beach bc there was no wind), playing cards (Wayne and I won in pinochle), reading (I have the cutest book about a pig), eating at all of our fav places (the guys were impressed) and, of course, the dog races (Dean (MIL) and I almost won all of our money back)!

As the sunset on our last day even the guys were eager to return next year! And that's a big deal!

A Novel Idea!

2009-09-16T10:20:00.000-05:00

Whether you are conservative or liberal this page turner will keep you on the edge of your seat. Although its fiction, this 556 pager is loosely based on the life of Laura Bush creating curiousity and delight around the famous character who is referred to as Alice Blackwell in the novel.

And, of course, I will be passing this novel on. I could think of no better recipient than my enthusiast friend Katy (who is currently the bread winner while her husband finishes through law school). Katy's secret wish is to be the wife of the governor and host fantastic parties at the capital - she is truely the American Wife!

He's Back!!!

2009-09-15T12:54:00.000-05:00

I love Jay Leno - his long chin, his silly laugh, his love of cars - it just makes me smile!!! I am so glad he is back, but I am especially glad it is at a earlier time (some nights I had time keeping my eyes open for his monologne). And, for the most part, I liked the first show - the monolgue, the dan band, Jerry and Oprah were great, but I turned off the TV after the first few lyrics of the JayZ/Rihanna/Kanye West tune (actually Wayne did it bc he actually understood what they were saying)! Ha!

Show us your teeth!!!

2009-09-14T16:31:00.000-05:00

How cute is she? Lucky for her she is super smart too! This is the response I get with "show us your teeth" - good thing Sara has an IPhone! Do you see those big pearly whites? I think she is going to have big white teeth like her Aunt Sally! :)

Us girls had such a great weekend... Grandmommy came to visit! And we went with Sara to Build a Bear - the highlight of the weekend was building Maggy the Monkey who wears a red & white sundress and white sunglasses (lots of work for a two year old)! Thankfully Sara spent the night Saturday night - I am not sure we would have made it to church without her! After church (Kailee loves the nursery) we had lunch with Dean and Sara! Wow! It was a big weekend, but it is such a joy to be around Kailee! Now I need a nap!!!

Neeli earned a RIBBON!!!

2009-09-13T19:00:00.000-05:00

Neeli had such a fun time with her daddy this weekend. They ran the West Mississippi Hunt Test at Kearney Park. I honestly am not sure who gets more excited - Wayne or Neeli! But they both were thrilled to return home with a ribbon this afternoon. Go Team!!! Only three more finished passes to go, and we will have a Champion Hunter!

Song of the Day

2009-09-10T10:26:00.000-05:00

Do you listen to KLOVE? If not, you should give it a try! In Jackson the station is 100.9, and I listen anytime I am in my car (unless Dave Ramsey is on Talk Radio)!!! Ha! This morning I heard a song that just spoke to me... "He is" by Mark Schultz!

Father, let the world just fade away

Let me feel your presence in this place

Lord, I've never been so weary

How I need to know you're near me

Father, let the world just fade away

Till I'm on my knees

Till my heart can sing

He is

He was

He always will be

Even when it feels like there is no one holding me

Be still, my soul

He is

Father, let your Holy Spirit sing

Let it calm the storm inside of me

As I stand amazed

Lift my hands and say

He is

He was

He always will be

He lives

He loves

he's always with me
Even when it feels like there is no one holding me

Be still, my soul

Through every fear

And every doubt

And every tear I shed

Down every road

I'm not alone

No matter where I am

He is

He was

And He always will be
He lives

He loves

he's always with me

Even when it feels like there is no one holding me

Be still, my soul

Be still, and know

Be still, my soul

He is

DOVE SEASON!!!

2009-09-07T20:19:00.000-05:00

With Labor Day comes the official beginning of hunting season. We embarked on the Delta for a weekend of food, fun and hunting doves! Wayne will soon disappear into his hunting rituals, so the opening weekend is a great time for us to spend some time together in his favorite place. And it was a successful weekend as well with a total of 353 doves joining the messes of game in the freezer.

Happy 60th Anniversary

2009-09-03T10:13:00.000-05:00

Granny and Poppa celebrated their 60th anniversary yesterday!

Their story: Granny was just 16 when they married, and Poppa was 22! Ha! Poppa found him a young girl! They married in Mobile, and they told no one what they had done! They spent the afternoon of their wedding day (a Friday) at a baseball game. Then Granny stayed with her Aunt Gladys and Poppa stayed with his family that night.

Wayne and I (and the rest of the Ely clan) joined them for dinner at Bonefish (Poppa loves Bang Bang Shrimp) and then Dairy Queen cake (Yum! Yum!)

We love yall!!!

Here Goosey Goosey

2009-09-02T09:55:00.000-05:00

It's official!!! Goose season is here! It actually opened yesterday, but Wayne and Neeli got started this morning. And I think Neeli had just as much fun as Wayne. Nonetheless, both of them were giddy early this morning - they woke up a 3:30am - that is a big deal for Wayne!

The hunt was a huge success! The guys (Wayne and four friends) had a five man limit - that's 25 geese! Neeli retrieved 18 of them so I am sure she will have a sore neck (geese are much bigger and heavier than ducks), but she is as happy as a lark!

Crawdads... Happy Birthday Charles!!!

2009-08-30T21:45:00.002-05:00

John and Amanda let me hitch a ride to Cleveland - I loved riding with them bc John just loves every part of the Delta! Wayne (after a work day in the Delta) met us at Chris and Melanie's house! Of course, the birthday boy had no clue we were actually there to celebrate his BIG 3-0! The BIG SURPRISE came Saturday night at Crawdad's!!!

Wayne and I love Crawdad's - especially the fried mushrooms!

The girls pilled up in the back of the Excursion for the night's festivities!

Wayne and Chris celebrated with a Prom pose! What can I say... They really love each other!

Mel and I on the front porch - she is my fav fashionista!!!

And then there are the rowdy guys - Charles (the birthday boy), John Polles, Brad, Chris and Wayn-o!

We had such a great time!

Decorating in Layers

2009-08-25T17:10:00.005-05:00

If you are like me monetary and time restrictions force you to decorate your home in layers! Needless to say our home is a work in progress! I originally shared our master bedroom with you a few months ago, but I have added a layer!

Do you see notice the three new additions? And no, those adorable black girls do not count! Let me help... Do you see the tweet little green bird on the bedside table to the left? It brings in some of the green accent color I am going for, and I got it for $10 at Smitten! Do you see something new on the bedside table to the right? It's says love (kinda like a master bedroom), and I actually stole it from the living room but I think I got it from Kirklands a couple of years ago!

Now, for my most favorite addition... a personalized accent pillow in apple green velvet from Ballard Designs!!! I actually found the pillow on a decorating blog, and since I needed a solid to complete my "stripe, pattern, solid and something black" formula I could not pass it up! Plus, it was green - my accent color! AND it was only $22!!!

And, although I have never shared our living room here our recent updates require some recognition. Finally, I talked Wayne into letting me move our TV to the center (I am a libra; I love balance). The TV was over to the right at first, and it simply did not work! Our super fantastic friend (and electrician), Matt, did the handy work and made all of my cords disappear. To help Wayne cave I volunteered to bring in his duck prints! I still have lots of updates planned but, like I said, decorating comes in layers.

And last but certainly not least, the BIG WALL! Wayne bought this beautiful huge painting (60 X 60) for me for Valentines Day! After all, nothing says I love you like a beautiful field and traditonal red barn!!! I have been searching for the perfect piece to anchor this area, but I have not found anything I love for what I want to pay!

What do you think of my latest layers?

A Must Read!

2009-08-24T17:15:00.003-05:00

So, I have decided to start reading again - see previous post for the motivational moment! Thankfully, I could not have picked up a more appropriate book to renew my interest!

For anyone girl has a close knit group of girlfriends, The Wednesday Sisters is a great read! You may not watch the Miss America Pageant together or write novels together like the Wednesday Sisters, but you will fall in love with their quirky personalities. You will identify with novels mentioned! And, if you like history, you will laugh through all of the historical references! And yes, you will cry, laugh and call a girlfriend just to say hi!

So, I could not possibly keep all of this fun to myself (not to mention where would I store all of these books I plan to read)? I have decided to pass on each book that I read to a friend who would enjoy it! The Wednesday Sisters will be going straight to my good friend, Shelley. Before I even finished a chapter I realized Shelley would be my Wednesday sister should I have the freedom to choose a sister for myself!!! Love you Shally! :)

Now, go pick up The Wednesday Sisters! Target has the best price!!!

Our Redneck Weekend!!!

2009-08-09T21:16:00.003-05:00

Wayne and I had a great (and very productive) redneck weekend! Wayne insisted that it was just a normal weekend, but for me there is nothing normal about sunbathing with a good book while your husband bushhogs!!!

And yes, that is exactly what we did - and yes, we planned it that way!

Wayne's parents are on vacay in Alaska (yes, we are jealous too), so Wayne was placed in charge of the preliminary preparation of the dove fields. Of course, I did not want to miss out on the fun!

Of course, I really came for the early morning chicken biscuit from the curbstore!

So, I scouted out the perfect book for about a week, and I ended up with The Wednesday Sisters (great book, will post more about that later). I packed an old swimsuit and my favorite hats and I was ready to go! My plan was to tan and read while Wayne worked, and I had so much fun - not to mention lots more color! I also got to ride the tractor on the trip to the game camera and the fuel tank! Yippee!!!

Wayne worked really hard - the bushhogging at Crowder took over four hours and Lambert took nearly three hours! But Wayne loves being on a tractor - if I did not know better I would think he was a farmer's son!

We had a great day together - even though we did run out of fuel in the truck on the way back to the cabin and we had to call in backups!

Is anyone else as excited about dove season as I am?

The Fair 2009

2009-08-01T17:19:00.005-05:00

Thanks to the Luke Family for inviting us to closeout the Neshboa County Fair! Wayne and I were happy to join the joyful alleys filled with red dirt and colorful cabins early Thursday morning. Of course, the fair fun began with the horse races. There is no better way to lose money than one dollar at a time with the glee of excitement from friends!

After a gourmet dinner of ducks by Wayne we made our way back to the tailgate of the truck to listen to Neil McCoy. There is just something that the fair that makes me momentarily like country music. And, of course, no night at the fair is complete without a game of booray, which Tallie (with my help) managed to sweep!

Friday was the final day of the fair, but we did not let it get us down. We walked to the midway for a lunch of fair food - you have to have chicken on a stick at the fair. And we returned to the horse races for the championships. Later we enjoyed more country tunes with Little Big Town and were wowed by the 23 minute fireworks show - it was the best I had ever seen!

The highlight of the evening was the family trip to the midway were we visited the bunny rabbits, played some of our favorite fair games and rode the best rides - even Wayne pushed back his fear and rode the ring of fire (it is the first ride I have ever seen him ride)!

We ended the evening on Sunset Strip with booray and beignets! And I am already looking forward to next year!

5 Foods I Could Not Live Without...

2009-07-29T14:51:00.005-05:00

HORIZON YOGURT TUBES: Every morning I have these for breakfast! I usually pair them with a banana! It is the ideal meal on the go!
OZARKA SPRING WATER: I am so picky about the way my water tastes, and I love this water! I guess I have become a brat bc I refuses to drink purified water. RAW ALMONDS: I do not like any additives on my almonds! These are great to carry around in my car in case I get a craving during the day. Delicious!!!

STARBUCKS MOCHA LIGHT FRAP: Yum! For 167 calories for a grande it is worth every sip!

WEIGHT WATCHERS FUDGE BAR: These are a rare treat but are perfect for that chocolate treat after dinner.

A Southern Reception

2009-07-25T18:00:00.001-05:00

Congratulations Will and Jaime! The happy couple married in Canada in June (Jamie is from Canada) and made it home (Will is from MS) this weekend to celebrate their nuptials Southern style. The reception was beautiful! The food was delicious! And the company was great! Sara and I got to spend time with Kelly (Sara's BF and the sister of the groom)! The next stop on this jet setting couples list is France, where Will has taken a job! Best wishes!

Happy Birthday Kailee Marie!

2009-07-19T23:45:00.002-05:00

The happiest little girl in the world officially turned 2 on July 17th!!! Isn't she the cutest thing you have ever seen? Grandmommy and I traveled to Hattiesburg yesterday to celebrate her big day poolside. It was so fun to see her swim like a big girl, jump in her new bouncy and talk to everyone there! She dove right into her birthday day - one of those things she gets from me! Happy Birthday Kailee Marie!

DR. ZARR

2009-07-18T11:40:00.001-05:00

Wayne and I heart some DR. ZARR! After all, they have been a part of some of our greatest memories together, including our own wedding reception! So, when we learned they would be playing at Club 43 (yes, its a hole but its really close to our house) we were game (thanks for the 411 Josh)!!! By the time Friday night rolled around we were so giddy we could hardly wait to Shake Our Groove Thing!

Who does not LOVE 80's music? Or those adorable costumes? DR ZARR Rocks! I especially enjoyed the many MJ tributes!

And yes, I brought my camera in a bar! And the pictures are worth it! Jamie and I are planning to be DR. ZARR groupies - if our legs can stand it!

Wayne and Paul - the dancin' machines!

And, of course, no night is complete without the Ellis Shuffle!

"You say it's your birthday" - The Beatles

2009-07-16T21:50:00.005-05:00

Sara (SIL), Dean(MIL) and I traveled to the Hard Rock in Biloxi to celebrate Sara's 23rd birthday! She is growing up so fast! :)

And, of course, we celebrated in style! We had dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, played a few penny slots (I won $20) and boogied the night away with The So & So's (the band)!

We were having some much fun that we hated to see Sara's offical birthday go, but we still had another 1.5 days of fun ahead of us!

Day 2 was spent at the pool (do you really want to see those pics?)! Of course, I am happy to share our FAB sunburns with you! We had dinner at the buffet (you cannot go to a casino and not enjoy the chocolate fountain)! We also played more penny slots (I doubled my money then lost it all - let me just say I was the closest to winning)! And no night is complete without The So & So's!

Sara, your birthday rocked! Thanks for letting me be part of it! I love you like a sis!

Kailee's back!

2009-07-12T19:30:00.002-05:00

Wayne and I had a great (but very busy) weekend with Kailee! Girl has so much personality (she is a clown) and she never meets a stranger so it makes life very eventful!

Instead of a play by play I will focus on my favs: she is a dancing machine (wonder where she gets that from); she hearts Dora (I can now say hello and goodbye in four languages); she loves water (and the tub is just as much fun as the pool); she repeats everything you say (everything!); she will grab anyones hand and say "Come on" in order to be able to do what she wants (its a really good trick for new people); she sings Boom Boom Boom (its cute); she melts my heart when she says "Hold me Sally"!

Can you believe that she will be two next Friday?

Happy Birthday Emily!

2009-07-08T22:30:00.001-05:00

My beautiful, creative, artsy friend Emily celebrated her 30th birthday today at Easely Amused! We had great food (loved the pink cupcakes), great wine and happy paintings! Emily is the ultimate party planner (and mom of three beautiful girls) - we had SO MUCH FUN!!!
We painted Poppy Don't Preach - love it! The birthday girl's painting (center) is like a Picaso! Painting is one of her hobbies! Katy had 29 poppies - we called it overpopulated, but it was oh so cute! And mine ended up clean and minimual - very much my style!

Wayne goes fishing!

2009-07-03T23:46:00.000-05:00

Wayne traveled to Venice, LA today to go deep sea fishing with several of his engineering buddies. He hearts deep sea fishing! This is the group with their take!

Although Wayne did not catch the tuna he was after (the blue water had moved out about 100 miles) he caught this big boy! And he had a big time!

Show Us Where You Live...

2009-06-26T17:14:00.005-05:00

Master Bedroom...
I absolutely love reading Kelly's Show Us Where You Live Friday! With thousands of people reading her blog each day there are tons of inspiration rooms to peek at; however, this is my first time to be able to post bc my house is not decorated (although I have lived here for two years).

First, you must see the before! It was a HOT MESS!

You may notice a certain little black dog that likes to be in the photos.

Now this is the view coming in! The other door is our master bath. You can see that I trashed the footboard and added "black dog friendly" (they sleep with us) bedding from JCPenney, two black bedside tables (actually desks) from Target, glass lamps and black lampshades from Target, moonglow faux silk curtains from Target and a palm from Kroger.
I also brought in my bridal portait from the living room (that was so two years ago). The armoire was a gift from Wayne for my birthday many years ago.
I also added the black frames from Walmart with some of our fav photos of us! I still hope to paint darker tan vertical stripes around the room but it has come a long way!

Remember the Time...

2009-06-25T18:30:00.002-05:00

Today I received a text from Wayne that said "MJ died today". The first thing I thought was "there is no way Michael Jackson is dead, who is MJ?". Sadly, I quickly learned that in fact it was the King of Pop who had passed. You may laugh, but my eyes filled with tears. As a child of the 80's Michael Jackson will forever hold a special place in my heart. MJ taught me my first dance moves (and yall know how much I love to dance), made me appreciate quirky fashion (who did not love the signature jacket and glove) and sparked my love for giving back and all things organic (we are the world). In fact, I remember when MTV hosted the (now infamous) "Stay a Micheal Jackson's house" event - my brother and I would call every time a MJ video came on and we racked up a pretty big phone bill to no avail! In college my social club, Lockhearts, did a MJ Tribute for Songfest (we danced to everything MJ)! To this day the King of Pop has a significant presence on my itunes and Remember the Time (my fav tune of all time) will forever be on my ipod. Today I pray that Michael Jackson is in a better place... RIP!

Southern Miss Fan!!!

2009-06-14T22:12:00.000-05:00

The cutest lil Southern Miss fan came to visit this weekend! My niece, Kailee, came to see Neely and Nova. It was just a month ago that she last visited, but she has grown so much and is talking so well. We had a great time visiting family, playing outside, loving on the puppies and shopping at Walmart (really, we went to Kroger, but she calls it walmart - she loves it bc there are so many people to talk to)! Isn't she adorable?

I heart the beach!!!

2009-06-07T21:25:00.002-05:00

Nothing is better than a beach trip with the girls!!! Sara (sister in law), Dean (mom in law), Chris (aunt in law) and I traveled to Perido Key this past Sunday to soak up some sun! We had SO MUCH FUN!!!

My favorites included our condo (Spanish Key) which looked like a showroom for Ballard Designs, the adorable cabana boy who positioned our umbrella (total cutie), nightly visits to the hot tub (and coordinating White Russian), eating way too much seafood (my new fav place is Cobalt), dancing at Flora Bama (even though we were the youngest people there), Sara's delicious jello shots (strawberry kiwi is the best)...AND... drum roll please... my first visit to the DOG RACES!!! The Kennel Club in Florida is a dump, but it was the best $20 I have ever spent! I stuck with dog #8 and won $7 but I almost won $21 more! Big Winner!

Wayne hearts the Delta!

2009-05-31T11:47:00.002-05:00

John Polles, Amanda, Wayne and I traveled to Cleveland this weekend to visit Melanie and Chris (and our new friends Bevin and Charles - love them)! John Polles and Wayne love the Delta so much that I can hardly believe that they ever moved away, but Chris living there gives them a really good excuse to visit often! Of course, we started the weekend off with dinner at Crawdad's. And as you can see in the photo, Wayne had lots to drink (he is not smoking, he just likes to have a smoke in his mouth?) but he still was under the legal limit (another story). And then, we danced the night away in the Reed's living room! After a trip to McCarty, we spent Saturday on the lake in the party barge with Stinky Gringo! Fun times...

American Idol

2009-05-21T22:00:00.001-05:00

Although I could never remember to set my DVR to record American Idol this season, I have been keeping up with the show via youtube! I especially liked Danny (saw him in the beginning and admired his story) and Kris - I love that they are using their talent to glorify God! Well, Kris Allen is already setting a new standard, check out his rendition of God of this City! He rocks!

Banana Pudding

2009-05-17T22:00:00.001-05:00

I always love a good girls trip! As we get older, I think our time together grows more fun and exciting - even though we do not have the energy we once had! Melissa (pictured far right) and I traveled to Memphis this weekend to stay with Leigha (pictured far left) for our quarterly girls weekend. Of course, we stayed up too late catching up! Some exciting news from MelBel - she got a hybrid car & SHE IS PREGGERS! Some exciting news from Leighabug - she only has one week of school left & she has the most beautiful outside kitchen in Desoto County! We shopped, ate too much and had a great time just being girls! I love yall!