First Day in Virginia!

Good afternoon! Well we made it to Virginia. The trip was long and pretty uneventful. Oliver had a hard time adjusting to such a long car ride, but he had his moments of calm. Rylie did really well given the circumstances, bless her heart. We left at 9:30am and made it by 7pm. When we got here we had a huge salad and pizza from our favorite pizza place in Roanoke, Grace's Place! Perfect ending to a long day of driving!

After dinner we got Rylie right in bed and headed down to the den to visit and I finally got my first neck/shoulder/foot rub of my trip. Amazing and greatly needed after the drive up (thanks momily-in-law!). Rylie got up around 6:50am...which is pretty normal for her. We snuggled up in bed for a bit and then she was ready to start playing!

Playing in her room.

Walking all over Mae Mae's house!

We had a delicious breakfast too. How welcoming!! Biscuits, gravy, bacon, eggs, coffee and juice...oh my! Rylie was a huge fan of the eggs and the biscuits and gravy. I just hope there is leftover gravy...it's ridiculously delicious!

After breakfast there was more relaxing by Jason and I and more playing and walking all over by Rylie. For lunch everyone else had salad and pizza, my poor pregnant stomach can't take anymore heartburn so Jason and I ran down to the Co-op and I got an organic Turkey Sandwich from the deli there (soooooo delicious) and salad. After lunch Jason, Rylie, Ollie and I went outside for a little sun on the back porch.

This is her cheesy smile.

Being friends with Oliver

Have a great afternoon everyone. Many more Virginia updates to come!

Wordless Wednesday: Halloween Decorations

5 Things I'm Looking Forward to in Virginia!

This is going to be an insanely busy week around here. Tomorrow I have to cook a huge pot of soup and make a Pumpkin Trifle with my sister (small scale catering job), and then Wednesday while Rylie is at school I'm going to attempt to pack up everything I might need for 10 days. Thursday morning we're headed up to Roanoke for our annual fall trip up to see our friends and family in Roanoke (and Appomattox), Virginia. I'm worried about the drive. That is no secret. I'm trying to prepare by making a huge bag of snacks and food, bringing all of Rylie's favorite books and toys and bringing a Yo Gabba Gabba dvd and her Baby Can Read movies. We've never been on a trip this long but we're SO excited to see everyone and just relax as a family.

The second post in my 5 Things series is 5 things I can't wait to do/see while I'm in Virginia. This list could probably be 20 items long...but I'm breaking it down for the sake of continuity.

1. Family and Friends

When I married Jason I lucked up by gaining a wonderful family and some really amazing friends. I'm so blessed that his family and friends have embraced me as their own...it just stinks that they all live so far away! Each time we make the trip up we have so much fun catching up with them. I can't wait for play dates with our friends that have kids and delicious homemade food that my mother in law makes. To say we're spoiled while we're there is an understatement.

Jason and I with my Sis-in-Law and Momily-in-Law. I can't wait to squeeze them!

Rylie got her first kiss from her friend Blaine on our last trip up =)

2. Food destinations!!

Each time we go up to Virgina Jason takes me on a food journey around town. Last year I probably gained 5 lbs from our food-ventures (as we call them). Here are just a few pictures from the places we went last year. We went even more places and I hope to try some new places this year!

Chili dogs from Moore's Country Store. Lynchburg, VA. HOT, but amazing!

The Texas Tavern, downtown Roanoke, VA (a.k.a. The T Room)

My first T Room Cheesy Western. Epic!

Bubblecake!!! Best cupcakes ever. Ever.

Chili dog from The Roanoke Weiner Stand. LOVE going there downtown!

OK, that's enough food. I could go on and on. The food options up there are endless and we are headed up there ready to visit our old favorites and try some new places too!

3. Fall Foliage and the view from Mill Mountain

I think this will be my 5th trip up to Virginia and I looooove that we always go in October/November because the leaves are usually amazing! This year it's been a little warmer so I'm not sure how the trees will look but I do know that between the time we go up there and come home, the leaves will have gotten even more beautiful. The trip home is full of ooooohhss and ahhhhhhs because I can't believe how much they can change in a few days. A good place to see the leaves (and a great view of Roanoke) is the star on top of Mill Mountain. I check it all the time lately to see if the leaves are starting to change.

Here is the view in 2008...it was cold that year!

Rylie and I on top of Mill Mountain last year (her first trip up there!).

Here's the big star! Check out the webcam here! We'll wave at the cam when we're up there!

4. Quality time with my two favorite people in the world: Jason and Rylie.

Anytime I get the two of those all to myself I'm a happy girl. Sure we'll be traveling on a long journey and sure we'll be going places and seeing people, but the 3 of us have a great time on these trips. Even the meltdowns from Rylie (when she needs a nap) bring us closer together somehow. Experiencing things like taking Rylie on her first trip to Appomattox, watching Rylie look out at the view from Mill Mountain and getting breakfast on the way home at a truck stop together...I just love it! Griffith family memory making...here we come!!

Look how goofy we are!! Rylie looks like "HELP! My parents are a cheese-fest!!".

5. COFFEE!!

Hi. Have we met? I'm crazy about coffee. I have been since college but then I somehow found and married a man that was even MORE interested in coffee than I was. With Rylie I had to steer SO clear of coffee. As much as I tried, it just wasn't appealing, plus the heartburn that ensued wasn't worth drinking it. My favorite coffee place in Roanoke is Mill Mountain Coffee. It has it's very own flavor that is SO delicious and distinct. I'm sure it's also lots of nostalgia for me too. On my very first trip to Virginia, the very first night I was there, Jason and I went to the downtown Mill Mountain location....we took my parents twice when they came up in 2008 and last year we took Rylie on her first visit. Good coffee and great memories.

Rylie trying to get a sip of my Mill Mountain on her first trip =)

Ok Virginia..here we come!!!

Weekend Update and a recipe!

Happy Sunday ya'll! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I did some shopping, some hanging out with my family and I even tried a new recipe. The fall air is nice and cool so we've also been outside as much as we possibly can. Friday night I bought the accessories to my reunion dress. Remember the black/gray houndstooth/belted number? Well I got black ruffled shoes, a necklace and a cuff bracelet to go with. What do you think?

I still need some earrings to go with it, I think my Mom probably has some that match really well. I'm also thinking I might need tights because the high that day is in the mid 60's, but we'll play that by ear.

On Saturday Amy, my Mom, Rylie and I hit Market Days on Broadway. It was crowded (probably because of the dreamy temperatures) but we didn't buy anything. We browsed Marshalls where I got an awesome lightweight scarf that was Lucky Brand. It had been $59 and it was on sale for $15. Love it because it's very Missoni inspired! Saturday afternoon my Mom and I tried to bring Rylie to Cooper Creek park and it was so crowded there was no where for her to play so we drove back to the little park in my neighborhood. It was her first time at a park and I think she really loved it!

Rylie liked swinging with Mimi

I think she went down the slide (with help) a hundred times.

This morning I thought I'd try a new recipe that my friend Jessi sent me last night. It's no secret that I love Pumpkin Spice Latte's...but they're nearly $4 for the smallest size. I was thrilled with Jessi sent this recipe my way last night. Here is what you'll need:

Strong brewed coffee, milk, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and splenda (or sugar).

I heated a cup of milk in the microwave and put it in my Kitchen Aid mixer bowl (with the whisk attachment on) added a dash of pumpkin pie spice, a drop of vanilla, 4 splenda (I like it sweeet) and whisked on high for about a minute. Here is how that came out:

See the frothy goodness on that whisk?

Then I put about half a mug full of hot coffee in my favorite mug and added the frothy mixture on top...sprinkled with a little more pumpkin pie spice ( I left out the whipped cream that the recipe called for) and voila...

It was amazing! I'll definitely make it again. The recipe is from Allreicpes.com and here it is (scaled to 1 serving). Try it and let me know what you think. Thanks Jessi!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients

1 cup hot whole milk

1-1/4 teaspoons white sugar

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 ounces double-strength brewed coffee

1 tablespoon sweetened whipped cream

1 pinch pumpkin pie spice

Combine the hot milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice in a blender (or stand mixer with whisk attachment); blend until frothy. Pour coffee into each mug.

Pour the frothy mixture into coffee mug until full. . Garnish each mug with whipped topping and pumpkin pie spice.

So how was everyone else's weekend? Do anything fun and fall-like? Let me know if you try the latte and love it or hate it =)

My Daughter...the walking baby!

Congrats to my walking baby !

Rylie is an interesting kid. We adore her and she's extremely intelligent, but she does things on her own time schedule. When she was about 6 month old I threw out my What to Expect the First Year book because I was driving myself insane and I've never consulted it since. She has strabismis and had her first surgery at 11 months old (and will have her next almost 11 months exactly after her first...November 2nd). So that affects her depth perception (i.e. she really doesn't have much depth perception at all). Besides that physical limitation, she's just an individual. She can read about 100 words or so and she loves books more than chocolate. Walking though. This has been a big one for us. It's a number one question people as us when they see us "is she walking yet?". Well I worried about it awhile and then I just gave up and gave it to God. It was a source of too much worry for me. Well she's been getting better and better and finally yesterday a switch flipped in her head. After dinner she took off. Walking circles around the house. Falling occasionally, yes, but she keeps going! I'm so proud. This is huge for her (and us!). Most importantly it's an answer to prayer.

Click here to watch a video of my baby walking all over Books-a-Million

Five Things: This Week

I'm going to start weekly blog posts entitled 5 things. There will be various topics...just something fun I want to start. This week's theme is...This Week. If you want, comment back to me 5 things about your week (or blog about it and link back to me!).

1. I'm organizing like there's no tomorrow this week.

Kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets, drawers, closets, the basement. Anything that I can organize and purge of stuff we don't use...I am getting into it. I went to the Dollar Store and Walmart and bought storage baskets, and hooks and went to town. On Thursday I'll be tackling my drawers (which are FULL of junk I never use) and then Rylie's drawers. This is not me. I like things neat...but the coat closet? Normally I just don't care. My husband thinks this is the best thing that's ever happened and has dubbed me THE Domestic Goddess. Wow. I'll take it.

2. I'm getting out there and breaking out of my shy (homebody) shell.

Today I went to MOP's (Mother's of Preschooler's). My friend Jessi invited me and as nervous as this stuff makes me (I feel as if I'm awkward, plus I feel like I'm torturing Rylie by making her socialize...judging by the amount of wailing she does when I leave her). I had SO much fun though. I got to relax and meet other Mom's like me, we had breakfast, fun conversation and then a great speaker. All this and Rylie did great! This week we're also having coffee withsomeone new and I'm really excited! Yay for branching out and meeting new people!

3. I'm already dreaming about our trip to Virginia next week!

My husband is from many places if you ask him. Born in Kentucky and moved all over the south when he was young (and as an adult). If you ask him where he considers home he'll probably say Virginia. Either Roanoke or Appomattox. For the past 4 years we've been making a fall trip up to Virginia to visit Jason's friends and family in Virginia. I love our fall trips up. Mill Mountain Coffee, the star on top of Mill Mountain, tons of friends that I was blessed to inherit when I met Jason and our wonderful family. We love to walk down to the little co-op and eat lunch or go downtown on the weekends to the open market in the crisp fall air. Last year was Rylie's first trip and it was different, but it went well. This time we're planning on staying 10 days. I'm not sure we'll make the entire 10 days (remember when I said we were homebodies?), but we'd love to. We're even going to Jason's 20 year high school reunion (seems like alot of years but he IS 9 years older than me). I hope it all goes well....the best thing about the whole trip is seeing my dear Mother in Law and Sis in Law. God blessed me greatly with those two =)

This was taken on our trip last year. Look how much Rylie has changed!

This is the year I was pregnant with Rylie.

4. I started an online bible study with my sister and I'm really enjoying it.

It got off to a rough start. I was on the wrong lesson feeling lost and confused. Realized I'd read the wrong verse, was in II Samuel instead of first (no wonder I was confused). Finally I got on track yesterday and I love the format. We're a week behind but it's OK. We're just going to stay a week behind and enjoy it. I've never done a bible study in this format but I'm loving the content, the teacher and I actually enjoy having homework...using my brain (and my heart!).

Here is a link! Feel free to join in a week late like us: http://www.wendyblight.com/

5. I'm going to need help accessorising an outfit. Help please?

I'm going to Jason's 20th high school reunion. This makes me a tad nervous. I've met several people he went to high school with (and really liked them). Well, a few weeks ago he informed me they were a class behind him (whaaa), so I know no one. They're all 9 years old than me AND on top of all that....hi...I'm a little shy until you get to know me. I really really am excited for him to go though and for me to meet all these people he talks about. So the dress code is anything from cocktail dresses to jeans and I'm hoping to fall somewhere in between. I bought, correction, my MOM bought me 2 options and I'm leaning towards one. Here is a picture from the website.

Close up. 3/4 sleeves, black patten belt and grey/black houndstooth.

Another view of the dress

The other dress option was dressier, more flowy and more "blingy". Jason liked this little black option best. I think it's more in the middle of what we'll see there as far as clothes go. My questions are these. What shoes? Target has some cute black patten pumps, yes? Also jewelry. I want to add a little bling and more of a girly feel (my style) to this dress. Also do I wear sheer back hose, tights or none? I'm so confused. And folks I want to look good....with my daily growing belly. Help please and thank you!

Thanks for letting me share my 5 things! What are 5 things about your week? Ok, I'm off to do my bible study session this morning. Jason got up at 5 and even though I wanted to sleep, Rowan was doing the electric slide in there (guess he wanted Daddy and Rowan time). Today is all about preschool and then an OB appointment for me. I hope everyone has a great day =)

Fun weekend =)

This weekend was full of fun and family...and it was a little exhausting! Saturday they put carpet in our 3 bedrooms so Rylie and I had to evacuate all morning, by the time the carpet was in it was nearly time for Amy's baby shower so we just stayed up at my Mom's house...this meant Rylie went without a nap. Risky, but she did fall asleep in my Mom's lap for about 30 minutes. Here are some pictures from Amy's shower. My Aunt and cousin were the hostesses and they did a great job with the monkey them (from Elliot's room).

Elliot's cake matched his bedding, it's so cute, and tasty!

The beautiful table with all the brown and green monkey decorations.

Pregnant Wonder Twin Powers unite! =)

Just a shot of part of the loot (there was more!).

We had a great time and I think the guests did too. After the shower we went to dinner with friends and family for my Mamaw's 86th birthday dinner. How blessed we are to have her here with us for another year. She is truely a gentile souther woman and has wonderful advice and stories to share with us. We just adore her!

Sunday was spent organizing. This house is all over the place (partly because of the carpet install). We have SO much stuff and this house is not very large to begin with. I think I'm getting the nesting bug (finally, I never got it with Rylie). I cleaned and organized for hours yesterday before going up to my Mom's for lunch. Today I'm going into organizing mode again. Never in my life have I felt a sense of excitement in my belly about organizing...seriously? I have problems, LOL. I might run out and buy some organizing bins for the bathroom, kitchens and closets, OH MY! I'll post before and after pictures if I remember to take some. Ok, all this talk about organizing has got me excited (who am I???). I'm off to get my clean on!