Anniversary

I got these for our anniversary on Tuesday from the sweet, sweet boy!

Chattanooga

Ok, so here are our pictures from Chattanooga.

• It is only appropriate that I start off with a picture of the train....it is the Chattanooga Choo Choo after all.

Next, this if the view of the aquarium as we were driving in on Friday morning. I was SOO excited...penguins AND otters...holy, cow...I couldn't wait!

This picture is also from the aquarium. The tanks are HUGE and are full of the most amazing fish. It is crazy to think that an aquarium can be 4 stories high!

Next, there was the blowfish. I have seen a non-inflated blowfish, but I have never seen one all puffed up. We actually happened to be walking by when this fellow decided to puff up, so we got to see him puff up...pretty interesting.

The next 2 pictures are of the penguins. These guys were so, so cute. They were jumping in and out of the water and swimming and staring at everyone through the glass. Oh my gosh, I wanted to bring one home to live in my bath tub.

Davis and I hung out at this tank for quite a few minutes. There were sharks and rays in it and you could pet them. It was SOO much fun and very, very cool.

This is Davis. He thought it was really cool to ride with Uncle Kev and Aunt Lauren. He really preferred to ride in the very back seat, but we wouldn't let him unless there were other people in the car too and someone had to sit in the last row. Here is Davis with his wallet. He had "big money" in it...a whole $35.

There was a park down by the river that we took the boys to so that they could burn off some energy. It was a pretty cool park, the had a giant carousel and a water pad for the kiddos. Of course the water part wasn't on yet, but that didn't stop Brock from hanging out on the turtle.

For some reason, I didn't get a picture of Chris and Jenni, but here are my inlaws. They are awesome!

Today

2 years ago today. I walked down the isle on the arm of the first man I ever loved and walked back up the isle with the man that I was going to spend the rest of my life with. 2 years ago today, we began walking down a road that we had no idea where it was going to lead. 2 years ago today, I never could have imagined that I could love anyone more than I did that day.2 years ago today, I made the best decision that I have ever made....I married my best friend. Kevin, Thank you for everything that you have given me. I love you so mucha, alotta bitta! Lauren

• sorry the picture quality is so bad...our scanner isn't the greatest...but you get the idea!

Stay Tuned, Tonite is a BIG post!

In the meantime, here is a listie post thing to keep you entertained. Feel free to repost on your own site!

Place an X by all things you've done, or remove the X from the ones you have not... In your entire life!

• (X) Smoked a cigarette
• (X) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
• (X) Laughed so hard you peed yourself
• (X) Been on a hay ride
• (X) Been horseback riding
• ( ) Rode a motorcycle
• (X) Gone on a blind date
• ( ) Skipped school
• ( ) Watched someone die
• ( ) Been to Canada
• (X) Been to Florida
• ( ) Been to Mexico
• (X) Been on a plane
• (X) Been lost
• (X) Been on the opposite side of the country
• ( ) Gone to Washington D.C.
• (X) Swam in the ocean
• (X) Felt like dying
• (X) Cried yourself to sleep
• (X) Played cops and robbers/cowboys and Indians with neighborhood kids
• (X) Recently colored with crayons
• (X) Sang karaoke
• (X) Paid for a meal with only coins
• (X) Made prank phone calls
• (X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
• (X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
• (X) Danced in the rain
• (X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
• (X) Been kissed under the mistletoe
• (X) Watched the sunrise with someone you care about
• (X) Blown bubbles
• (X) Made a bonfire on the beach
• (X) Crashed a party
• (X) Gone roller skating
• (X) Gone ice skating
• (X)Gone scuba diving or Snorkeling
• PART II.

1. Any Nicknames? Lar, Sugartoes (don't ask), Wife
2. Mother's name? Connie
3. Favorite Drink? Coke, but I don't drink it any more (unless I am having Pizza)
4. Tattoos? None, yet
5. Piercing: Ears
6. Love your job? Most of the time
7. Birthday? June 8th
8. Favorite vacation spot? Beach
9. Ever been to Africa? Nope
10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner: Yes
11. Ever been on TV/or in a movie? Yes
12. Ever steal any traffic signs? Nope
13. Ever been in a car accident? Yes
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door? 2 door on the weekends, 4 door during the week
15. Salad dressing? Ranch
16. Favorite season? Summer and Fall
17. Favorite number? 3
18. Favorite Movie? Hmm, too many to name
19. Favorite Holiday? Christmas
20. Favorite dessert? My Mom's home made Caramel Cake
21. Favorite food? Soft Pretzels (like what you get at ball games)
22. Favorite day of the week? Sunday
23. Favorite month? Hmm, probably March
24. Favorite toothpaste? Crest
25. Favorite smell(s)? Starched Sheets and clean babies
26. What do you do to relax? Relax...what is that? I guess if I had time, I would read, I think that is what I used to do.
27. Message to your friends reading this? What's up Hot Dog?
28. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Married to the Boy with little ones making the house messy
29. What do you do when you are bored? Do silly listie posts
30. What is your natural hair color? Umm, silly question, Dark Brown.

GREAT book.

Ok, those of you who have HBO....you have got to check out this 7 part series on John Adams. This week was episode 3, but all 3 of the episodes are on In Demand so there is plenty of time to catch up. Because of this series...I have since bought this book, so that I can read more about John Adams and the early days of out country. It really is fascinating. Check it out!!

Easy Meal, Installment 3

Easy Chicken Parmigiana

• Ian’s Whole Wheat Panko bread crumbs
• Chicken Breast Fillets
• Angel Hair Pasta (We get the low-carb by Dreamfield---DELICIOUS!)
• Jar of your favorite marinara sauce (Again, we recommend Bertolli)
• Shredded cheese of your choice (we use Mozzarella, Provolone and Parmesan Reggiano)
• Little bit of butter
• Preheat oven to 400
• Smear butter all over the chicken breast fillets (it won’t stick really, but it will keep the chicken moist so that the Panko will stick to it)
• Mix Panko and Italian Seasoning (about 1 tbsp) and coat the chicken in it.
• Place chicken on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan sprayed with cooking spray
• Bake for 20-35 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken. For regular boneless chicken breast, it can take the whole 35 minutes.
• Prepare your angel hair pasta while the chicken is baking.
• Approx 5 minutes before the chicken is done, place the cheese on top of the chicken and let it finish cooking.
• Spoon sauce on top and Voila, instant meal!
• This method of chicken works great for a really crunchy, fried chicken like, crispy crust on the chicken, without the unhealthy oil. It is also really good as a main dish with lemon pepper in it instead of Italian seasoning. It is super crispy and super Delicious. Ours is pictured below. I also toasted some deli sliced pepperoni in the oven for some crispy pepperoni chips. YUMMO!

Ciao!

Chattanooga....Get ready

Chattanooga, get ready....here we come!

Friday, we (as in all of Kev's family including his mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, Davis, Brock and Kev's grandmother, Hubbard) are all going on an overnight visit to Chattanooga. I haven't been there since I was like...14 or something. We are pretty excited to be going somewhere with Kevin's whole family since Kevin says he can't remember the last time that all went somewhere (destination wise...not just like out to eat) together. It will be a lot of fun, I think.

Kevin and I are leaving at 6am Friday morning so that we can beat the traffic and have some time to snoop around C-Town by ourselves. Everyone else is leaving at around 10am. We are all coming back on Saturday since it is Easter weekend, but it should be a fun over night adventure!

Sunday with the Humphrey Crew

This is what a Sunday with the Humphreys looks like.....

• Sun + Dirty Cars = Carwash Fun!

I know, nothing glamorous, but our cars were REALLY dirty! We washed, vacuumed, armour-alled and scrubbed the tires of all of the cars. YAY!!!!! Now we are ready for our overnight adventure to Chattanooga with Kevin's family on Friday and Saturday. Ciao!

Foto Friday

I admit it, I forgot to post today. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Here is the random photo for Random Foto Friday.

Hilarious...but quite fashionable

A friend of mine gave me these because she thought they are funny. They are a pair of those rubber gloves that you use to clean stuff. Well that are "embellished" a bit to make them more fun. They even have a size able "Rock" on the ring finger. They are SOOO much fun and they definitely make scrubbing the shower a little more tolerable. ***Please excuse my messy kitchen sink...this was pre-dishwashing with the groovy gloves. Ciao!

Anniversary Presents

So, this is my Anniversary present from Kevin:This is what I got Kevin for our Anniversary. Nothing like dueling guitars to stir up the love, right??

BLAHHHHH!

• That is how I feel. I have had one of the WORST days ever. I have a professor that is just a jack@$$. He posted a test and told us that it opened on 3/7 and closes on 3/10. Simple enough right? NOT! He closed it on 3/10 at 12:59AM. I went to take the test yesterday, naturally, it was closed. I emailed him about it and he basically said "Too Bad." JERK!!!!!

• So, I am thinking happy thoughts and just pretending I am back here:

• And having a romantic dinner with our private butler, here:

• Ahh, hear the waves, much better.

Fill in blog

Hello Bloggers, Lauren is very busy as usual at work. Just a quick note we had a good weekend. Sunday we drove down to Prattville to the Bass Pro Shop. I got a new pair of pants and Lauren got a cool North Face jacket. I'm sure she will post a pic of it soon. Anyway, I love you baby, hope you get time to read this, to everyone else have a good day and stay safe. Kevin

Pet Rules

Ok, I was sifting through some old emails and I ran across this, I thought it was funny and that I would share. For those of you without pets, you can skip this post. For the rest of you...you understand!

PET RULES

• To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height.
• Dear Dogs and Cats,
• The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate of food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
• The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.
• I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.
• For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -- canine or feline attendance is not mandatory.

Have a great weekend. Ciao!

Another quick, and easy, meal!

This is my Mom's recipe for Chicken Divan. It is a GREAT way to get your veggies. I am not a broccoli fan, neither is Kevin, but I can eat this until I make myself sick. It is SOOO yummy. Enjoy! Chicken Divan

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 package of chopped frozen broccoli
• Bread crumbs (or Panko)
• 1tsp Curry powder
• 1tbsp lemon juice
• Preheat oven to 375
• Boil chicken in water with a bit of salt until chicken is done and then drain and cube up the chicken
• In a separate bowl, mix Cream of Chicken soup, Mayonnaise, Lemon juice and curry powder and set aside.
• Place broccoli in the bottom of a Pyrex dish and spread evenly to cover the bottom of the dish. Place the diced chicken on top of the broccoli and top with shredded cheddar cheese (Approx 1 cup). Next spread the Soup mixture on top and top with the remaining cheddar cheese. Sprinkle Bread crumbs (we prefer Panko) on top of the casserole.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, allow to stand for 3-5 minutes and serve.

We serve it over rice, it is supper yummy (and I am not a broccoli fan). Kevin says it is better the next day with hot sauce on it.

• Enjoy! Ciao!

Flashback

This is a picture from my Bridal Shower, almost 2 years ago. It is one of my favorite photos. All 4 of my "babies" are in it. I remember this day, like it was yesterday. We had brunch at The Club here in Birmingham and we just had an all around great time. This was the beginning of the best weekend of my life. It was absolutely perfect! Anyway, enough of my rambling...on to the picture!

10 on Tuesday

1. I can already tell that this week is going to be a doozie. It is only Tuesday and already it has been crazy.
2. You know that expression “$#it rolls downhill?” Yeah…it’s true
3. We went to Tannehill State Park Saturday with Kevin’s parents and our nephews. It was fun! It was a perfect day to wander around, the temp. was great and it was beautiful and sunny.
4. I got to break out the Sky over the weekend and ride around with the top down. I LOVE this time of year for that reason! I can ride with the top down and not bake at red lights.
5. Half way through the semester…THANK GOD!
6. Kevin made stir-fry last night. I was DELICIOUS! We had chicken, fresh squash and zucchini, onions, scallions and rice. YUMMO! I brought some of the left overs for lunch today…much better than a PB&J.
7. Kevin and I are coming up on our 2 year anniversary. It doesn’t seem possible, it is hard to remember my life before I met him. It has been the best 2 years of my life!
8. My house is a wreck! I need a housekeeper, Kevin won’t let me have one because of security issues. Bleh! (I understand why, I just think it sucks!)
9. Nellie, our yellow lab, has become a major bed hog. We had her trained that as soon as the bedside lamp was turned off, she would jump down and get on her LL Bean bed with the fuzzy blanket on it. Well, not any more. I think that at some point this winter, she decided that it is just too drafty on the floor so now she waits for us to fall asleep and sneaks back onto the bed. Always on my side…I wake up folded up like Origami.
10. Is there such thing as being a blog addict? Seriously, I am ADDICTED to reading other people’s blogs. Can’t get enough…it is a sickness!

Well, that is it. See you tomorrow...Ciao!

A post a day (sorta) Installment 1

I am going to *TRY* to do 1 post per week day, notice I said try, for the month of March. Here is installment # 1.

• This is my recipe for Stromboli. It is SUPER easy and SUPER good. You can also use other pizza fillings in it as well. Kevin likes deli pepperoni, mushrooms and Italian sausage.

STROMBOLI

• 1lb of Publix Pizza Dough (in the bakery/deli section)
• 1 pound of chicken
• 2 cups of shredded cheese (Mozzarella works best)
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 bell pepper diced
• Italian seasoning
• 1 jar of marinara sauce (If we don’t make our own, we use Bertolli Marinara, it is a GREAT base sauce)
• Preheat oven to 425.
• Cube chicken and saute it in a little bit of olive oil and about ¼ Tsp of Italian Seasoning. When the chicken is almost done, add the onions and bell peppers and cook until the onions are beginning to go clear. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Follow the directions on the bag of Pizza dough as far as letting is sit and rise and come to room temperature. (We usually let ours sit on the counter for at least an hour before using it). Cut dough in half and Roll/Press dough out until it forms a oblong type shape.
• Once the Chicken mixture is no longer steaming hot (a little warm is OK, you just don’t want it to melt the cheese…Yet) Mix ¾ of the cheese with the chicken mixture that you have created.
• A little above center of the dough, spoon in some sauce (a good 2-3 tablespoons), spread it down the center of the dough, leaving about 1.5 inches of un-sauced dough on the edges. It should cover make a stripe about 2 inches wide. Take ½ of your chicken mixture and put it on top of the sauce, try to evenly distribute the chicken so that it will cook evenly. Fold the top edge of the dough over the top of the mixture, fold the sides in and then roll it up. Make sure that there isn’t any chicken exposed, it was cause a HUGE mess. When you put it on the pan try to put it seam side down, to help hold stuff in. Do the same thing with the other one. Place them on a cookie sheet with sides and bake for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown.
• Serve with the remaining shredded cheese and sauce and enjoy.