Weekend :)

Halloween Weekend turned out to be a busy but oh-so fun one! 

I had to be at work at 7am every single day this week. It was a long week for me. Luckily only three of those days were full 12 hour days! 

Thursday I was done with meetings early and was able to go to keeneland with my parents! We acquired box seats so it wasn't as cold as it would have been. I made 2 bets and came out $6.60 ahead! Matt was there with work, Philip was there with other residents, and my cousin Joey wound up meeting up with us as well!

Friday night we had a Halloween Party that one of our co-workers hosted. We dressed up as Daphne and Fred from ScoobyDoo. 

Saturday night I hosted a bachelorette party for my soon-to-be sister in law: Rachel! We had a small shower at my house and then had dinner at Bellini's downtown. The waitresses were all dressed up like celebrities!

Yesterday Philip and I were both off (crazy!) so we got to go to church together and take a Sunday afternoon nap together:) we also got to play with Jackson since it was so nice out!

Last night we went downtown to Lexington's annual Thriller Parade! Beforehand we went to dinner at Onizims. then probably a thousand people dress up like zombies and dance to Thriller on Main Street. They have 'graveyards' where they are dead, and then rise from the dead and walk to the street where they dance. Kind of creepy but so fun! Philip's uncle Gary was dancing in it, so we had to go and check it out! We also met up with Joy, Bruce and Deb, who we havent seen in forever!

I wanted to be a zombie too

I took this picture and had no idea it was Gary!!!

We had such a fun weekend and got to see so many of our friends. Tonight, we trick or treat. I am going with my friend Erin and her little boy Brayden. He will be Elmo. Jax will be SuperDog:) 

Happy Halloween!

super sick & super easy recipe

I seem to have acquired a very nasty GI bug. It starting creeping in Wednesday morning at work, and took full residence in my body Thursday morning. Yesterday it began it's descent out of me, but it's still lingering around. It has not been fun and I have been quite puny the past few days. Luckily my husband has taken very good care of me; providing me with Gatorade, cold washcloths, soup, and medicine:) He is so good to me.

Of course, I also have my Momma taking care of me. I started feeling better today and mentioned I might attempt something bland tonight for dinner.  she sent me this recipe for chicken and dumplins in the crock pot. Philip and I both really enjoyed it. 

Chicken and Dumplins

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

2 cups water

1 chicken bouillon cube

2 10 oz cans refrigerated biscuits

Combine all ingredients, except biscuits, in crock pot. cover and cook on low 5-6 hours. 40 minutes before serving, turn crock pot on high. Tear biscuit dough into 1 inch pieces. Add to crock pot; stirring gently. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 30 minutes or until biscuits are fluffed. 

Enjoy -- we did:)

Mary Spirit

At church this past Sunday, Jon read a passage from a book that really stuck in my mind. Like, when he read it, it caused this epiphany for me. you know how sometimes, someone else can say exactly what you feel but can't seem to articulate? this was one of those moments for me.

so here is the quote. 

"My deepest fear is waking up 20 years from now the same person I am today.With the same annoying habits and petty attitudes; with the same besetting sins and false beliefs. I can't imagine anything more terrible than getting to the end of my life only to discover that God had so much more in mind for me- more freedom, more joy, more peace, more true effectiveness. And I had missed it all, simply because I had refused to change." ~Joanna Weaver- having a mary spirit

I often wonder what I am missing out on because I get so caught up in my own life, that I fail to ask God what He wants me to be doing. If I asked and listened more- what kinds of opportunities would I get? and what do I miss out on because I dont take the time to talk to God about it? What pure peace and joy is out there that I am not fully grasping because I am so stuck in my ways and patterns? 

The thought of standing face to face with Jesus, and finding out He could have done so much more with me, causes me emotions I can't even describe.

Those are my deep thoughts for the week. it helps me to sort my thoughts out when I write/type them out. Thanks for reading:)

Baby Boom!!!

Over the last month, I have had many sweet additions to my life. So many of my friends and family are having babies, and each one of them has such a big piece of my heart! I have fallen in love so many times the past couple weeks. I see them and I just melt. So, all you new/not-so-new mommas - you know who to call when you need a break! I mean, look at these angels:

the 'newest' addition: Jack Armstrong. born 10/15/11 at 11:18pm. 6/4 lbs. he is tiny and the cutest boy ever.

Jack in a baby hat Mom made him

Emma Wilhoite :)

Emma just chillin

sweet Harper Burton. beautiful like her mom:)

Brayden Stearley. I got to babysit him tonight while his parents went out for their anniversary:)

some might say all these babies are a good form of birth control:) or maybe they are giving me baby fever? :) I would have to say both. with a little more on the fever side. but the Overalls have awhile before it is our time:) For now I will just eat up these babies as much as I can!

Pampering and a skunk

Thursday morning we packed up our bags and headed to West Baden Spa in French Lick Indiana. 

We were celebrating Rachel, the bride-to-be. in five weeks. holy crap my brother is getting married in 5 weeks! (FINALLY!) So I drove my mom and Aunt Ellen down there in Vito. and we had the best time in the car. She made us laugh so much. and I would share the jokes, but they are completely blog-inappropriate. 

We got there thursday evening right around the same time Rachel, her sister Noelle, her sister Heather and her mom got there. So we met up with them and checked out the hotel. 

view from our balcony on the inside of hotel

Mom and Aunt Ellen passed out these goodies: 

Then we all went out to dinner at a steakhouse (maybe a lil too fancy for us KY folk:)). After dinner we went to the hotel bar and hung out until we were all ready for bed. which wasn't as late as it used to be, let me tell ya;)

The next day was our big spa day. all 7 of us got to : soak in an aromatherapy bath, get a 90 minute facial, and then a massage. I was in heaven. I could have skipped the bath. It was full of minerals, one being sulfur. and I couldn't so much get past the smell. but thats ok- supposedly it was working magic on my skin. the facial was by far the best part of the treatment. Not only did your face get all kinds of attention, but they massaged your arms then wrapped then all up in hot towels. then massaged your feet and wrapped them up in hot towels. all the while your face was being treated with various masks and wraps. a-mazing. thank you aunt ellen!!!!

After the spa, Mom and I went on a nature hike (we were done before some girls had even started at the spa). it was beautiful there. 

 That night we went to dinner at a winery and then to the casino. I was so excited that I doubled my money in the first 30 minutes we were there! of course I only went from $5 to $11.60, but STILL:)

Mom trying to win Dad the 4wheeler on top

All the while we were getting pampered, Jackson was having his own adventure. As we all know, he LOVES running on the farm with Dad behind him on the 4wheeler. well, friday morning, Jackson made a friend. well, he thought he did. He met Mr Skunk. and Dad said he was so excited to have found a play mate. all the while Dad was yelling for jackson to get away and come to him, Jax was trying to play with his newfound buddy. Needless to say, the skunk did not like Jackson. He turned around and sprayed him. right in the face. and poor Jax was rubbing his eyes with his paws:( So he has since had probably 6 or more baths. Dad tried EVERYTHING to get the smell out of him ( i owe you big time Dad). But I have to admit, in the car ride home, I had to roll the windows down because he still stinks. Poor Lil Buddy. Poor Dad.

It was such a good time getting to spend with my mom and aunt ellen. and I really enjoyed getting to hang out with Rachel and her family. what a great way to start the merging of the two families!:)

thought for the day

"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

-Steve Jobs

well said Mr Jobs. prayers for your family and their loss

Pumpkins

 

Today we got to go to Evan's Orchard and pick out our pumpkins :) I love the Evans Family :) It has become an annual fall tradition to make a pumpkin family to decorate our front porch. And every year when we go, Philip begs me to let him get the biggest pumpkin in the patch. I always say no. I  mean, what do you even do with a 60lb pumpkin?! 

Well, this year I was coerced into letting him get it. He has been working so hard, he more than deserves his dream pumpkin :) 

look at that monster

so happy

We spent the afternoon putting together our little pumpkin family, and I am very happy with the way it turned out! He cut me wire from a hanger, so I can make the pieces stick together. and for the eyes, mouths and tails, i use toothpicks. Philip helped me a lot because I kept poking myself trying to get them through the pumpkins tough skin:)

Maya, Me, Philip, Jackson

We are ready for Fall!!!

Here and There

First of all, congrats to Megan & Brian on the birth of their beautiful daughter, Harper Alan! She was born September 29 at 4:02. I mean, look how cute she is:)

I love her. I am so happy for them and their new family of 3!!!

Today I ventured on a bike ride with my friend Alison. She made us a route and it was a great one:) We bundled up this morning because it was 48degrees out. Luckily by the time we got our momentum going it didn't feel that cold. We rode 9 miles which was good for me. The best part was getting to spend time visiting and catching up on life. *when i wasn't knocking my chain out of gear (which she expertly fixed) or out of breath from climbing a hill:)* I am excited about getting better and maybe one day figuring out exactly what I'm really doing:) 

After our ride we went on a top secret mission :

welcome home Burtons!

This afternoon I met my parents, Auntie Jo, and my friend Ann at festival of the horse in georgetown. I have to say I was a little disappointed in the booths this year. There weren't cute crafts and fun things. it was mostly fried food (they had fried pizza !) and random businesses promoting themselves. But the company made the trip worthwhile:). Plus we all shared a funnel cake- def worth it:)

Then I got to see this sweet baby girl

Emma is getting so big!

Speaking of getting big- someone's Halloween costume from last year didn't come close to fitting this year. So he got a new one:)

SuperDog

Hope everyone had a happy Saturday!