Redirecting for now...

Some of you may know Ben and I were in a serious car accident over 2 wks ago. Family and friends have set up a blog for us to update you all. I will use that blog for now to post things. When I get my cast off I will be able to type a little faster!
Thank you for all your prayers and support!
blog - katieandbenupdates.blogspot.com

Got a makeover....

Since we won't be going into the Disney parks
until the rest of the fam gets here on Sunday so
we too advantage of the time together and
went to Downtown Disney! While there we ran
quickly into Goofy's candy store only
to find the best mirror ever that changed
our bodies and gave us a lovely makeover
to our legs and faces! We had so much fun with
the mirror that we forgot all about the candy!
We also go our rump shakers a bit made over
too with some lovely wildlife!


{on a bus to dwn twn disney}


{oh the cankles}

Photo above....

Okay so I do realize the photo above
(with blog title)is GINORMOUS but I just love it to
pieces! I don't know what it is about
it that I love so much but I think it
is funny, stating a point, vintage,
myterious and so many more things!
I have tried resizing but to no avail!
So, as I am living with it for this
period of time so must you!

Watch out princesses....here we come!!

Disney World or bust!
That is right people we are on our
way to the land of princesses, Mickey, Minnie,
Pirates and many more grand adventures!
We will start making the trek to Orlando on
Thursday morning! We are going to stay a few nights
with just each other soaking in the time that
we have before we meet up with the rest of the crew!
My parents, lil brother Ben and his friend will
be meeting up with us on Sat! Sunday we will start
our park adventures and wander into bed every
night with black dirty feet and pure exaustion!
Although born in Cali, Ben never got to go to Disneyland
so this will be a first for him....bring on the pretty princesses!
I have been blessed to be able to go to DL a few times
but never to the World of Disney!
We are super excited to not only spend time with family
but with each other!

She wore an itty bitty.....

I found this interesting article on MSN today and thought I would share because technically we are in summer!!

"Summer is upon us, which means that Americans are heading to the beach to slather on the sunscreen and slip out of their clothes. In honor of the season, we present a two-piece celebration of the two-piece: In 2006, on the swimsuit's 60th birthday, Julia Turner chronicled the rise of the bikini in America.
Sixty years ago this week, the world's first bikini made its debut at a poolside fashion show in Paris. The swimsuit is now so ubiquitous that it's hard to comprehend how shocking people once found it. When the bikini first arrived, its revealing cut scandalized even the French fashion models who were supposed to wear it; they refused, and the original designer had to enlist a stripper instead!!"

I personally don't think I will be going back to a one-piece any time soon! Ok maybe if I had a large prego belly and it was just not good for the eyes to be upon then I might switch over to a tankini! I will admit that when I swim laps I have on my glam Nike one-piece suit...hey it is slenderizing and have thought of putting it under clothes! Not so much in this hot weather!

Papa....

If I typed on how much
my dad means to me and how much I
love him this could be a very, very
long blog!
He has been my influence, hero, teacher,
mentor, and has been one of the reasons
that I married such an unbelievable man!
He has worked hard in life but in his
own quite way. Slow to get angry and
slow to raise his voice!
My dad will forever be in my heart even
though we are miles away.
I think of him often and wish that I
could spend more time with him!
PAPA...I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

Baby Tathen....

I get again welcome another lil nephew
into the world!
Tathen James was born via a section today
weighing in at a whoppin 9lbs 3oz and
21 inches long! You can see in this photo
that he loves his daddy already because he is
holding his finger!
Lil Tathen deserves a pillow from his aunty...
it just needs to be stuffed!
Love you already lil man!

New fabric...

I bought some new fabric a few days ago.
I loved it when I saw it a few weeks ago but
but it was not on sale. Coupons are awesome
but it went on sale before I could use them
so that was awesome!
I think I am going to make some pillows for my
wicker chair in my kitchen! I just love the
colors in this material! I did by a greenish,
small, stripe material as well to mix in with it.
Off to start another project!

Taggy tag.....

Yup, it hit me again and
this time I will actually remeber
to do it!
Here is the deal...I am to list
up to about 10 things that you may
not know about me! This could be fun
and hopefully you don't already know
these things about me!

1 - When Ben and I are both working we would tend to go to bed before 9pm! I know....we are old! It is close to this time again!
2 - I will admit that I do not shave my legs everyday even in the summer!
3 - While in Hawaii we went body surfing one day and I hit a wave and lost my top....I didn't even know it....I was just celebrating the awesome thrill of the wave and threw my hands in the air!
4 - I am a very organized person....everything has to have a place!
5 - Moving I enjoy but I have to know where, when, how, and all that, now that I am married to a man in the military I will never know...it is forever changing!!
6 - I was home schooled for most of my schooling years so going to college was...people think home schoolers turn out weird but I think I turned out ok!
7 - I have 11 neices and nephews with one more on the way....who knows how many more to come due to six other siblings!
8 - I love, love, love the beach! Give me a little hut and I could live there!
9 - My dream is to work either in the pediatric intensive care unit or neonatal intensive care...i love me some kiddos and babies!
10 - We want babies but just don't know when.....

So, now you know a little more about
me and now it is my turn to tag a few
more people to get a few things from them!

I tag -
Melody @ preppy chic bride
Jenn @ just plain mommy
Stacey @ kisses from the Father

Thank you...

Thanks to Aubrey for the One Lovely Blog Award!
It is my first one and it was fun to recieve!
I am passing the joy around to the following:

Melody
Amy
Stacy

One of my journeys.....

As some of you know I have been trying to get this body toned and it has not been easy. Yes, people see me as being thin but that doesn't meen that I am "in shape" or healthy! I do cook healthy but of course still have my treats. I have picked up spinning, road biking, and some other forms of working out to try and get this body healthy. I think I am on the right track and am improving! I do not weigh myself because that is to confusing and has to be done everyday at the same time and it gets me in trouble!
Ben got camera happy on the boat yestday and one of the shots he said I had to do a tiger pose.....whatever that may be it did not turn out like a tiger pose at all....just goofy! Of course I would like to use the paint program and erase a few things but I am grasping onto the idea that I don't have the highschool body anymore and never will! I am proud of who I am and am in a place where I am content with what God has given me and I am blessed with a healthy body! I am also grateful that Ben loves me just how I am!


{just don't laugh @ the funky tan lines and thick bike legs!}


{crouching tiger....}


{i love this man with all my heart}

Do the chop....

As you can see of the CFA cow add below we were to "do the chop eat the chicken!" We went to an Atlanta Braves game the other night with my brother Sam and had a ton of fun! Of course the Braves lost and we left early but the field was beautiful, the hotdogs delicious and the rain STAYED AWAY! Oh and it was 1970's Braves hat give away night so of course we had to wear them in support of the team!

Pillows...

I started a new project a week ago and have been slowly
working on them to finish them up. They are the first two
that I have done so very rough draft of the finished project!
The "k" is made with leftover fabric and the "b" is made from
ribbon that was not quite wide enough so hence the stitching up
the middle....my machine also goofed on the "b'....if you can see
it! I had fun with them and plan on making some more soon!

Smells of Hawaii.....

I bought a plant that I have been wanting for some time now!
It is a hyacinth tree!! The smell of this plant reminds me
of the flowers in Hawaii! They are beautiful and so bright.
I am not going to plant it so that if we move I can take it with me.
I would like to find a big pot to put it in but for now it will sit
on my front porch so I can take in its beauty and fragrance!




{a bud about to bloom}

Palm trees and white sand.....

Oh the glorious beach! I cannot live without it but somehow I am 4.5 hours away from one!
Friday afternoon we took off to go to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, AL! It was a long drive but we got to our hotel around 8pm. Of course Ben was hungry (after a dinner and snacks) so we walked around and he did not find anything he wanted so it was back to the hotel! I tried to suggest some of the food that I had brought and I sold him on a few things.
I think I mentioned in an earlier blog that one of the things we get excited about in a hotel is TV! We don't have cable at home so to lay in a comfy bed and surf the channels is always a highlight for us! I know, so mundane but yet oh so fun! Of course there was nothing really on!
Saturday I was awake by 0645!! Come on now...I am on vacay! I guess my body is just used to getting up for spin class on Saturdays! Ben was ticked because he wanted to sleep in but I guess I woke him up with watching TV! (haha cannot get enough of it, although again there was nothing good on!) We found an Island Pancake house on the beach to have some breakfast and that was tasty!
Of course because of the crazy day on Friday before leaving (a long story) I was not thinking what we would need at beach so I forgot sunscreen, beach towel, mats, old flips and the list goes on! We went to a beach store and bought some mats and sunscreen and then snuck out pool towels from the hotel!!
I could have stayed ALL day at the beach! The weather man said thunderstorms all day but God BLESSED us with blue skies, cool breeze and a lovely temp!
That evening we headed to the wedding! It was on the beach and there were about 30 people there....it was lovely! This is where I interject and let you all know that I FORGOT my camera! I was so bummed....so no lovely photos of the bride and groom!
We went to the grooms mom's house for the reception and had some good times!
Sunday we got everything packed up and of course the thunderstorms hit!! We went to a few stores but didn't want to battle the rain anymore! I do have to say that I FINALLY got some good sunglasses! My eyes are super sensetive because I wear contacts and such. I found some nice black oakleys that are super polarized and that work really well with the glare! You will note that in these photos I have on my old cheap ones....and you can tell!!






{see the blue skies??!}


{self photos are hard to capture for me!}




{ben stole my hat to shade his eyes}

To my love....

There is nothing
in all the world I want but you -
and your precious love.
Don't you think I was made for you?
I feel like you had me ordered....
and I was delivered! ZS





{love the quote and the photo}

Rock a bye baby.....

I don't remember where I found this nursery room but from the moment I saw it I fell in love with it!
No, I have no news to tell you all except that I refilled my birth control today because we are still in "talk" and taking no "action" mode! :)
I am not a frilly person but I do like details, clean lines, and simple colors.
That is probably why I like the theme in this one. I am also in love with monkeys for a toddler room but that will come later.
This can be used for boy or girl by just adding or taking away a few things!
Simple yet still that calming baby presence!

My future bed to dream in....

I love this bed! I found a photo of it on e-bay but it actually comes from a store in NC! I love that it is black, has a high head board and a low foot board. One requirement of Ben is that it does not have a high foot board. Our matress is quite high so this bed will be perfect! The selection of bed coverings that they have on this bed is not something I desire but of course this just means that I would use what I have or go shopping for something new! Maybe with the leftover money we get for an enlistment bonus.....




{love the detail in the headboard}

Joyful....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my lovely sis-in-law and wonderful friend JOY! She is a lovely lady and has been a good wife to my brother and also a great mother to little Bailey boo (and a lil guy on the way the end of June) Love them all!

Ben found enjoyment.....

Last Saturday the weather finally went our way (it stopped raining) and we were able to take the boat out again! We try and take it out every weekend day that it is sunny so that we can escape the heat and humidity!
I forgot to put my facial lotion on that morning so I ended up with some lovely racoon eyes and a nice lobster glow to the face! My face has not burned in forever...I like to keep it somewhat healthy so it won't sluff of at an elderly age!
When in the bathroom trying to take photos Ben came in and started getting camera happy! He is usually hemming and hawing over the fact that I am always taking photos...so for him to get camera happy was astounding! Here are just a few of our after boat day...granted no make up and hair job in these photos so brace yourself...they are far from glam!






And that is us crazy kids....

Falling forward....

I came across this photo on msnbc's photo gallery of the week! I love looking at their photos because they are unique and taken all around the world! I saw this one and could not help but laugh but at the same time feel sorry for the man! I don't know how he got in this situation but it doesn't look good!
I must say that I have never seen anyone carry an umbrella before while riding on their bike but I guess you have to do what you have to do!

Could you say laziness.....

So, below you will see a photo of my neighbors house's front door across the street from us! It started out with one box, then another, then another until it has piled up to what looks like 9 or so! You are prob thinking, Katie you are crazy and spying on your neigbors house...uhhh no, it just happens to be right there to look at! They are HOME, they use their front door and I have watched them (of course to see if they will take them in) walk right past them! They are now wet from the rain (I have a good zoom on my camera) and who knows how much damage has been done! Most likely they are things that they do not care about but seriously....over a week and that many boxes!!! I don't want to judge but I would consider that pure laziness! I should tell them....Hey, if you don't like getting packages in the mail then send them over to my porch....I will gladly take them inside! Oh and if you all ever decide to send me a package, please know I will take it in right away! Any thoughts???

table project.....

I have been wanting new couches and tables for my house but right now it is not in our budget nor a priority at this point! I had bought some end tables and coffee tables some years ago for $30 at Target....all three! They were a dark brown in color and they have been a good purchase. I am still using them now but I wanted a bt of change without the possibility of buying new pieces. I had some leftover black paint and thought that it would do the job. As much as I like the antique look to furniture these would have to do for black. I sanded them down, painted them and now they await some type of updated decor! I like them so much better then the brown color! Now to be on the lookout for things to put on them!

(old color)

(new color)

(coffee table)