Weekend Update: Catch Up

Well, I obviously missed a few posts. I have the book reviews written but I forgot to post them and I already have things to write about today so I will finish up the other book reviews later this week. Another post that didn't get posted was the yummy Oreo recipe. So I'll just hold off on that one until this Friday. 


But let's catch up with my weekend. I LOVE local businesses. Why, of course, I do...I work for one and spend all my time promoting one! I didn't intend to have a "downtown" day on Saturday but I stopped by two local eateries this past weekend and BOTH were wonderful. I am still stuffed from both. (Don't judge me by the amount of calories I inhaled this weekend!) 


My first stop was fairly new little spot in downtown Shawnee. If you haven't visited sips downtown kafe on main street..where have you been the last 6 months. This place is THE PLACE. They have a wonderful coffee selection. (to be honest, I'm not the world's greatest coffee connoisseur but I do enjoy some sugared-up, creamy coffee drink, you know the kind that really has no coffee in it!) They also have a GREAT lunch menu, I'm talking delicious paninis with yummy local veggies. I am making myself hungry just thinking about it! Although, I have frequented sips other times I have never tried their waffles. I honestly have no idea why. They were sooooooooooooooo amazing. 

Photo courtesy of Amanda Teape!
I shouldn't have eaten lunch on Saturday after such a big breakfast but I did...I stopped by another Shawnee local business. It has been open for a couple of months - Brickhouse Pizza. I had the pepperoni calzone. The waitress told us that this calzone would probably feed two people but me and Rachel decided to get our own. It was HUGE. I think 4 people could have eaten it. It made a nice meal the next day! 

So go support your local businesses. Go visit these two places and I PROMISE you will not be disappointed. 


Oh another note: You may have noticed I can find my way around a kitchen...well one thing I am going to confess to right now is that I couldn't make a grilled cheese without burning it. Not long ago I even had to text message my brother to ask how to make a grilled cheese...but guess what I did this week---PERFECTION.

I'm sure you all are starving now. I apologize!

Weekend Update: Oh wait, It's Tuesday

Hey, I just sat down to blog and was going to write a little something about Monday--and realized it's Tuesday. 


I just wanted to say I'm alive - I hadn't posted in awhile because I was addicted to some fascinating books..which I will be discussing tomorrow. So - come back tomorrow for Trendy Wednesday: Book Reviews!


Seriously, great books..took up too much of my time. Kept me from sleeping..or delayed going to sleep at night. Yeah, some people read to fall asleep. I could put in a movie. I get hooked on books {not phonics! ;) }


I'm sure you are all anxiously awaiting to find out what books I'm talking about...until tomorrow y'all --enjoy this cute little face. 

Weekend Update: Week-long Catch up!

I hadn't really intended on making a week-long hiatus. But, oh well, it happens. I actually met myself coming and going last week..so that means--there's lots to share. 


Falls Creek. 
Oh, there are few places that are comparable to Falls Creek.  Falls Creek has been such a special place to me and my family for many years. Each of my summers growing up involved camp. My mom and I joked last week saying I was pretty close to a professional camper as a child. I attended Falls Creek with my dad years before I was technically supposed to be there. (Preacher's Kid Perks!) Falls Creek wasn't the only camp I attended, there was Super Summer and Southwest Baptist Assembly (oddly enough the smallest - but probably my favorite camp!) I would have happily been at camp every week of the summer. Which thanks to my networking skills as a young sap, I knew plenty of churches I could tag along with to Falls Creek. So enough back story, I was thrilled that my youth minister didn't mind me hanging out with them for 2 days. It is exactly what this former professional camper needed. There's just something about sweating to death and camp showers. (eek!)  But MRBC'ers - be warned - I plan on being there all week next year!


Home.
I got to spend 4th of July with some of my favorite people. My family. They are the craziest bunch of people, but hey, they are mine. Little Sister even declared the weekend as "Sister's Day" (The last time I was home it was Father's Day, she thought we needed a day to be honored as well.)  We are also probably some of the lamest people. We didn't really do a lot but after being at Falls Creek for just 2 days - I was exhausted and enjoyed the down time just relaxing with the crazy people I love. We didn't pop fireworks. 1. Because it is dryer than dry in southwest Oklahoma. The place is about to self-combust. You think I'm kidding..but it sprinkled that Saturday and my sister had no clue what rain was - because she hasn't seen it in her lifetime. (I kid, but seriously it is so HOT and DRY!)  2. We never pop fireworks. We are probably some of the cheapest people ever. We get it from my parents and honestly, none of us kids even care to waste money on fireworks! But I don't mind watching city displays! (Not that it's bad if you do, but we would rather do other things with that money!) 


In between all this traveling around I've been engrossed in a book series..but more on that another day. 


This last weekend I was at my home..my bed, my couch, my kitchen, my yard. It was just splendid. The first time that has happened since Memorial Day. I plan on having some more lazy Saturday's in the coming weekends. This weekend we grilled out with friends. I hung out by the pool. I also made a slip n' slide and played Sardines (reverse hide-in-seek) and had a near broken bone experience. Pretty much a perfect weekend in my opinion!


I think that brings us to today. A full week back at work..this will not be easy. Yikes!




Oh and sorry for the whole - no pictures thing. I don't think I took a single picture in the last couple weeks. I stink, I know. My bad. 

Weekend Update: Baby Showers

See the sweet little brunette above...she having a baby! Melissa was that big sister I never had. She teased me, she fixed my hair, she bossed me around, she basically got the benefits of having a little sister while getting the benefits of being the baby of her family. Many of my childhood memories involve my cousins. We never had a Nintendo or trampoline but luckily our cousins shared! I have been so blessed to have such close cousins. I am even more blessed that I got to see them all and catch up with them this past weekend and also to celebrate the upcoming birth of " Baby Girl"  Jenkins!

All grown up (minus Miss Priss in my arms)...but thankfully we all grew up and learned how to fix our own hair!  Mothers don't always know best, well when it comes to hairstyles!

And Steph, when I said I liked your bangs - I don't mean circa 1991. ;)

Weekend Update: 2 Weddings, 2 Weekends

So this inaugural Weekend Update post is actually going to highlight 2 weekends and 2 weddings. 


Last weekend, I watched a friend and former roommate marry her best friend. Taylor, Rachel (see her wedding highlights - Life Update) and I had many conversations about weddings. Now both of my former roommates are old married women. We talked about Taylor and Pete numerous times. Taylor and I weren't that close until I needed a roommate and she need a place to live...and fate brought us together. But prior to our housing situation and friendship I had seen Taylor and Pete together and there wasn't a doubt in my mind they weren't for each other. Then through the time Taylor and I lived together I got to watch them get engaged and now married. How fun is that. There wedding could not be more beautiful. It was so them! I wish them the very best. 

This past weekend I spend a little time at my parents. I enjoyed seeing a dear friend from high school marry a lovely lady whom he obviously adores. I wish Reese and Madison the best. Although, it reminded me how fast time flies..didn't we just graduate high school?

Another big reason for going home is to celebrate my Dad on Father's Day. For around 7 years now my church has held a Father/Son Look-a-like contest. Here are our two twinkies: Don't they look JUST alike! 

Guess who else ended up dressing like twins. I wish I could say this is the first time this has ever happened. I also wish this picture wasn't blurry. Thanks Mom ;) 

And the craziest, funniest, "I cannot believe this happened moment" happened on our way back last night. I always make Jonathan drive. He is a better driver and he has a lot of making up to do since I drove him around for 2 whole years until he turned 16. So we are chatting {or most like I am talking and he is pretending to listen} and he yells. We are OUT OF GAS! I look up at the handy dandy fuel range - it says 9 miles. I knew we needed to get gas. I even mentioned it on my way out the door to my mom. We head out of Altus {If you are familiar with the area, we made past Headrick almost to the Red River which is farther than 9 miles from Altus.} We're in trouble. Let me set the scene for you. The car temperature reads 114 degrees. We can only drive 9 miles. I have only had this car a little over a year..I've never had it this low before. I'm not sure just how accurate that fuel range thing is. I am so glad Jonathan is driving because my first thought was drive into Headrick. {If you aren't familiar with Altus, you will know there's not much there} Driving to Headrick would have been a bad idea. So we head back to town HOPING and praying to make it back to the gas station on the edge of town. Our sweet parents did not have much sympathy. We turned off the radio and A/C and sweated it back to town. Luckily, my level headed brother made a wonderful decision and just as we pulled into the gas station and got to the pump we ran out of gas...PRAISE THE LORD. Seriously, I sweated and prayed all the way to that pump and truly believe He knew we wouldn't have made it in the heat..we are both babies. {Which by the way, if you haven't been to hell..err I mean Altus..you don't understand just HOW hot it is there!! 118 at 7:00..I'm not kidding..I saw people working in their yards at 10:00pm because it was finally cool enough! } Anyways, I cannot believe that happened or that I'm sharing it with people. It's pretty embarrassing but I know its just another memory I get to share with my little brother. We've had a few over the last 21 years! 

That's been the first weekend update. Stay Classy, blog world.