Harrison Happenings

It's times like now when I have a full plate and no time left in my day to devote to blogging that I'm tempted to throw in the towel. And then I read a comment that I have inspired someone to start a personal blog and I'm motivated all over again (Yay Meredith!). Thanks to all of my readers for tuning in and supporting me. It's getting ready to get really exciting in the next few months as I blog about our building process. I hope I can be a resource to others who plan on building in the future. I know the bloggers I follow that have recently built homes have helped inspire me.

Here's what our week/weekend looked like from an iPhone lens. My camera lens has still not turned up since we moved. Am I really going to have to go through every box of storage?? :(

Georgia Grace in her Pa's '77 Camaro. She loves going to the garage with him and "riding" the car and motorcycle. Sixteen years is going to go by way too quickly.

This week was full of pool parties. We were able to make two out of three and she had the best time once she warmed up to the ginormous pool. Lola P was a great swim partner since Mommy had already put her clothes back on!

Another sweet one of GGH with the birthday girl. The grins say it all! 

Two-thirds of us smiling with our eyes open is a win :)

Aiden's birthday party was two nights later and although it was an unseasonably cool July day they still had a lot of fun. She has always been rather fond of Aiden. I think this picture depicts that ;)

Thursday we had a family day just hanging around the house and enjoying the pleasant non-July weather. We went on a family picnic and I captured a sweet moment of Georgia Grace eating her favorite food-corn. This child wants corn with every meal. And for snack. It's a good thing we have so many fresh corn growers in our area, I keep us well stocked.

Friday night was a big night. We met with our architect to pick up our finalized house plans! Two long months of planning, changing, adding, changing back to the original, and adding some more finally yielded the house of our dreams. It's going to be perfectly us. Can't wait to share the details with you soon.

On our way home we stopped at Cracker Barrel to celebrate with some southern comfort food. As we were leaving we had to try out the rocking chairs I took this picture which definitely tells a story. Notice the silhouette of the young man in the background, thus the cause of the dreamy expression. And also note her big toe peeping out of her baby Jacks ha! [baby Jacks from Gymboree but it appears they have been discontinued :(]

Yesterday we worked the church nursery and came home and rocked babies in our own nursery. She loves her "babies" which yesterday included a UK cheerleader doll, a wiener dog beanie baby, a build-a-bear bear and a tub baby. She's the best little mommy.

And then we spent some of the afternoon outside running and playing. I put her in dog ears just to try something different and they were an instant hit. She loved them too. This may be our 'do for the summer :)

Wifi is coming to my Dad's this week so maybe I will blog more regularly or maybe not. Everything else comes first and then if I have a spare 30 minutes I will crank out a post.

Happy Monday friends!

Weekend Wrap Up

It is mid July and I feel like Summer just began. This is definitely one of the fastest seasons I can remember. We only have three weekends left to savor these lazy, fun days until the new school year begins and Daddy is back to the daily grind. I hope they are all as enjoyable as this one!

I worked Thursday (I earned a three day weekend so I gladly did it!) and Georgia Grace took a trip to the orchard with Marcus, Aunt Shanna, Ma and Pa. They were all on vacation last week so it was the perfect time for a family outing for the original Harrison four + the new addition to the lineage :)

She fed the farm animals, went down the big slide with Aunt Shanna and ate some yummy peach ice cream. She loves animals so this day trip was right up her alley.

While she was doing that I was doing this. Two other local dietitians and myself hosted a "MyPlate Grocery Tour" at a local grocery store.

This was my first time ever doing a nutritional grocery tour and it was a lot of fun! This is the rewarding part of my job and I'm thankful for this opportunity. 

Our three day weekend started off Friday with a trip to the orthodontist (bent my bottom permanent retainer and had to have it replaced) and the Depot to look at house pretties. She had fun the first 30 minutes we were in the store but then she started taking her dress off and standing up in the cart and other on-the-cusp of two years of age activities :) We wrapped up our shopping and headed out for lunch.

Friday night was one of the most fun nights of the summer in my book. Chaney's Dairy Barn hosted their "Ice Cream & A Moo-vie" night and it was Frozen night. It was a nobrainer that we had to attend this night. We met Aunt Paigey and Uncle Eric there and packed a cooler full of nostalgic drive-in snacks. There was so many people, it was the largest crowd they had ever had. We found a small opening on the far right side, threw down our quilt and enjoyed the show. This will be a summer tradition for us!

Saturday was another fishing trip for Marcus. They caught over 200 fish! I seriously don't know how there are any fish left in Lake Malone.

My girl and I found another body of water to entertain us. She became super brave this weekend and was jumping in like a fish and "swimming" with us. We have to be careful to not get her ears wet but that doesn't stop us from having fun!

Sunday was church and a pool party for our sweet friends Lola and Eli. This was Georgia Grace's first trip to the Morgantown City Pool. It's a huge pool and it took her a little while to warm up but once she did she didn't want to leave. All her AKK friends were so excited to see her. They have been on vacation for two weeks so it will be a sweet reunion today when she goes to visit :)

Happy Monday! We've got a busy week ahead of us so I'm just taking it day by day and living up summertime!

A Lovely Weekend

Monday morning again? I don't know why these have to come around so often. This weekend was full of lots of love and memories for me. I watched my best friend become a bride and my little cousin become engaged to her high school sweetheart. Plus I watched my baby grow and learn and just enjoy the simple pleasures of life. My love tank is full.

Shira Beth was my very first friend. We started staying together at Nanny's when I was 6 months and she was 3 months. She is in every childhood memory. Teeball, dance, kindergarten shots, talent shows, basketball, track, proms, graduations...and the list goes on. She truly defines a forever friend.

And here she is 26 years later as the bride. The most breathtaking, stunning bride. Absolute perfection from head to toe. Her dress was to die for, she couldn't have picked one that defined her any better. Love her so much!

It was such an honor to stand with her at the altar. The wedding was at her (and my husband's) home church Morgantown First United Methodist. I love sweet southern church weddings and this wedding was all of those things. More pictures to come soon from Julia Christopher who was also my wedding photographer four years ago :)

Right by the church is an old plantation home owned by a previous church member who has passed on. It was such a beautiful backdrop for pictures and I know Jack would have been so proud his house was used on this day.

Driving away (in the Mayor's car!) on their way to Aruba for the week! My heart is so full of happiness for her. She's found her forever and he couldn't be a luckier man to have Shi-Baby.

More pictures from Julia Christopher soon! No doubt they will be phenomenal!

While one couple was sealing the deal another couple was making the commitment. My cousin Payton is engaged!!! This makes me feel so old. She should still be the little girl Paige and I are packing around on our hip. We love them both! She's going to be a Mrs!!

After a pretty formal weekend of rehearsals, dinners and the wedding we spent Sunday night outside in tshirts and shorts enjoying a warm hot summer night. We taught Georgia Grace how to catch lightning bugs. When we could catch one we would show her and she would hold it and normally smoosh it ha! Poor bugs. And Marcus and I realized catching lightning bugs was much easier as a kid. I guess it's decreased night vision?! I don't know but we struggled. I'm sure we just had an extra fast bunch of them, it couldn't be a sign we are getting older... :)

We had gone all day without swimming which just isn't right according to GGH so her and Daddy (and Owie) took a swim at Grandmomma's at about 8:30. There were lots of squeals and laughter in the yard. It was a great conclusion to a great weekend.  

The Best Weekend

We had one of those busy but blessed weekends around here. We are entering a stage where it's really easy to go places and stay out past bedtime because our little lady is a trooper and doesn't want to miss anything. She makes life so much more fun. We embraced the season this weekend and made a lot of fun memories.

Happy Derby Day!

We went to our cousin Marley's first birthday party in Sweezertown. It was an adorable farm-theme and they had this little plush horse that Georgia Grace rode and rode. The perfect addition to her Derby day attire :) 

She jumped in a bouncy house for the first time independently. Where did my baby go??

The birthday girl! She was such a big girl opening her presents. I cannot believe she is already one. We had such a great time celebrating her. We love you Marley Moo!

We went to my Mom's after the party to watch the Derby. Our friends James and Ashley were at Churchill Downs so I lived vicariously through them. I will go to the Kentucky Derby someday!

Saturday night we went to watch Uncle Jake race. I didn't know how this would go with all the loud noises and the late night it would be but of course she had the best time. She watched her first dirt track race, ate her first frito chili pie and saw her first fight ha! It was a very entertaining night and I'm so glad we got to go support #23 :)

My good friend Jan snapped this precious picture Sunday at church. Our little politician was swooning everyone sitting behind us. I love that she captured a picture of us in our element.

Another one of the highlights of the weekend was helping host a wedding shower for my childhood best friend. She is getting married in June and I am honored to get to stand beside her on that day. I decided to have a cutting board engraved with a hand-written recipe on it by her Grandmother Regina who passed away last year. Her mom found the perfect one-her wonderful orange juice cake, the last thing she baked for Shira and Wade. We both cried! She was such a special lady and I'm glad I was able to honor her on such a special day for Shira.

Here is a close-up of the cutting board. It turned out better than I could even imagine. I am amazed at all the ways we can personalize things now.

The beautiful bride and her bridesmaids
Love these girls!

We had one more event this weekend and it was a cookout honoring me for my YDOY award. Marcus took care of everything and all I had to do was show up :) We had both of our families over and he grilled on the Big Green Egg. Some of the neighborhood kids joined us to play cornhole and eat dessert. It was a great night of hospitality and I am blessed to have a husband that honors me like he does.

Making some final memories on Tyler Street

It was one of the best weekends I can remember. We are a blessed family with a full plate but it's the best kind of full. And we are so ready for summer so the easy late nights can continue!

Sweet Moments

How do the weeks go by so slow and the weekends so fast? We had another beautiful weekend in April, I hope this Spring is an indication of what kind of Summer we are going to have.

Saturday we attended the wedding of our family friend Justin. I helped his parents host their wedding shower last month and the sweet Young family mean so much to me. Their wedding was at Olde Stone and it was absolutely gorgeous. The wedding was outside and they couldn't have picked a better day for it.

I stole this picture from a Facebook friend-congratulations Justin & Randa! She was a beautiful bride and his sweet vows started the waterworks for me. I ALWAYS cry at weddings :)

The reception interrupted naptime so we improvised. She was just playing and talking to the people at the table and all of a sudden fell over asleep! Gammy's lap is one of her favorites for napping.

She was all dolled up for the wedding but had started to unravel when I got a picture of her ha! She is loving the barefeet life all of a sudden. She was such a good girl at the wedding and reception, I was so proud of her. She makes it easy to go places and attend events.

Saturday and Sunday morning I was treated to breakfast in bed! I love how my husband loves me. Owen was interested in what was on Mommy's tray. He eventually hopped up to check it out a little closer. I'm thankful for easy weekends we can spend doing the little things.

Which included this moment. She usually naps in her crib but I decided to just hold her Sunday afternoon while she napped. Those finger dimples, sweaty curls and Sunday naps on Mommy are my favorite things. Her head on my chest and fingers on my heart-there is nothing better. Babies don't keep.

Today is a big day as Roman Henry Ross will make his grand debut!! I can't wait to get to the hospital today, please say a prayer for a safe delivery and healthy baby! Happy early birthday sweet boy!

Kentuckian

I am always proud to say I am a Kentuckian but this week I especially am. My birthday is not until Monday but we celebrated this weekend with a trip to Keeneland for opening weekend. This was my first horse race experience so it made for a special birthday memory. Before the races we tailgated with friends outside of the track and watched the first race from where we are standing which was really cool.

Keeneland is so picturesque. You can see rolling, green hills for miles and everyone is dressed fancy. This was the view from our seats when we headed into the grandstands. Hubby did a great job picking these! The men were up and down wagering all afternoon and the girls stayed bundled up in a blanket enjoying the sights :) It was sunny but chilly.

I did have to dabble in the betting just to say I did. When in Rome, right? Here I am placing my first ever bet. Marcus thought that called for a photo op. My horse finished show but I made a win bet so I didn't win any money. It was exciting though, I won't miss that $2.

Ideally I would have had on a Lilly dress and wedges but early April doesn't always bring spring temperatures so it was coats and boots instead. Just another reason to go to Derby also!!

We went with our good friends Mary Beth and John and Paige and Eric. I love spending time with these two couples! Hopefully the Bennetts will be moving a little closer to us in the future so we can see them more. We are kindred spirits! And Paige and Eric always make events fun. I'm still laughing about the food they packed-lunchables and string cheese :) Just babies I tell ya.

While we were in Lexington, Georgia Grace spent the day with Grandma. Baths are her new favorite past time so they decided to make it an extra fun bath. I think this is her saying the Cats are #1 and going to win the championship! :)

Speaking of the Cats, we kept with tradition and went to James and Ashley's to watch the final four game (and I wore the final four shirt that was wrapped hanging on my door from them when we got home-they know me so well!!). Just like every other game of the tournament we were on pins and needles until the bitter end. When Aaron Harrison hit the 3 to put us up by 1 I think you could have heard us from Arlington! Unbelievable. We sat on the 2nd floor balcony to watch so Georgia Grace could play in the upstairs TV room so this was our view of the game. So much fun!

Horses, sunshine and Kentucky basketball made for a perfect birthday weekend. If they can bring home the title tonight that will make this birthday over the top!

Blue Love

Was this weekend even real life?!?

If you don't know what I'm talking about then crawl out from under your rock because we are in the Final Four!!!

I still don't think it has set in that this team is two games away from a national championship. They play Wisconsin Saturday night and if we are victorious we will play Monday (winner of Florida & UConn) on my birthday!

The celebrations started early as Georgia Grace and some of her AKK buddies wore their UK blue to school on Friday. I'm glad she is surrounded by kiddos with such smart mommies and daddies ha!

We beat Louisville Friday night in an unbelievable game to advance to the Elite 8. You won't hear any Louisville bashing from me. I'm just happy to be part of BBN and the SEC-the best conference in the nation!

Saturday was a rainy, yucky day that was only good for a slow start with morning cuddles in our bed. This has become a weekend tradition for us and I look forward to it so much. I hope that the little things are etched in her memory just as much as the big things.

And I think it should be noted that she is totally still celebrating with her three goggles ha!

The slow morning gave way to a slow afternoon and a slow night. Georgia Grace spent some time with her grandparents for a little while on Saturday and I took some time for myself and started reading The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. I took the love language assessment pre-Mrs. status so I doubt it is accurate and will take it again once I am finished reading. I learned so much just from reading the first 50 pages. I know I say this all the time but the best gift we can give our children is a strong marriage full of grace and love and that is Christ-centered. I want to do anything I can to harvest that.

Sunday was a normal Sunday for us. We went to church and volunteered in the nursery and then we went to mamaw's for lunch.

I mentioned Friday that we are learning our animals and sounds so I couldn't wait to show Georgia Grace an actual cow on my grandparent's farm. She mooed at them and wasn't a bit scared.

We had a busy, excited girl this weekend so pictures didn't happen often but when they did she was on the move mostly. I had to document her UK attire (her UK squeakers came from Cracker Barrel). We went to James & Ashley's Sunday to watch the game. We are a rowdy crew and GGH got spooked a few times when a big roar would erupt so we went outside and played in their front yard a while. I went back in just in time to see the big Aaron Harrison "3" to seal the victory!

Final Four bound and headed to the big D!

And a BIG birthday shoutout to our fur baby who turns 5 today! I have no idea where the past five years with him has gone. I remember the day they brought him home. We drove to the dollar store for puppy food and he sat on Marcus' shoulder ha! He had huge paws as a pup so we knew he would be a big boy. Life has been 148204 times more fun with him along for the ride. Messier? Yes. Sometimes more stressful? Yes, but we take it all in stride and wouldn't trade it.

When you turn five you get a BGE grilled steak!

Happy Birthday sweet Owen! Or "O-wa" as your sister calls you. You have officially made me a dog person. We love you so much big boy!