War Eagle

Woo-hoo, SEC CHAMPS!!  Now on to Arizona.

I was a bit sad for the game to be so nearby, and yet here I sat in my living room instead of in the stadium.  John was relieved to have me here, though, you know, in case he got hungry;)  (He did eat two whole things of baby food today and yesterday.  This is victory, and I will take it!!)

And, side note, Scott ordered two new phones for us tonight.  Some of you will not understand why this is a big deal, but some of you will understand, and might even chuckle.  Let's just say that I always joke with my friend Amy (totally joking, of course) that if I ever show up on her doorstep with my bags packed and tell her I am leaving Scott (JOKING), it will be over a cell phone.  Well, our marriage is safe, folks.  I have a new cell phone on the way (that should work much better than the one I have now), and better yet, Scott will have one.  Yes, it's true, Scott thought it would be a good idea to not have a cell phone at all.  I did not agree.  We have reached a compromise:)

Hopefully, hopefully (we shall see), my number will not change.  I will let you know if it does.  All five of you that call my cell phone on a regular basis;)

WAR EAGLE

Really, is there anything else to say?

what a game!!!!!


So intense and unbelievable and crazy, and I am thrilled that we won!!!!

A few images from our day yesterday stolen from my mom's blog.

WE WON!!!!  AND WE CAN'T BELIEVE IT. 

Three generations of Auburn fans.  That's my dad's mom, who was as into the game as the rest of us. 

Watching Cam Newton run around the field, celebrating the HUGE WIN.

And a few pre-game images, John and Andrew are becoming big Buddies.

NERVOUS HERE!!

Possibly a fourth generation of Auburn fans?

Okay, bring on the SEC Championship!!!

My Little Stinkers and the Haircut

First of all, stinker one and stinker two (as I like to call them) this morning, fresh from the bed.

And then later, cleaned up and ready for Church.

I am very pleased with the haircut, which, don't laugh, but I prayed that I would be.  You know carrying around a few extra pounds and still wearing maternity jeans (though I mostly opt to not wear jeans) I really didn't want to add a bad hair cut to the mix.  And when I prayed about, I told the Lord that I knew that my hair doesn't matter that much in the whole span of eternity and in light of His kingdom coming and things like that.  But I also believe that he is an intimate Savior.  My mom had given me this gift card, and it was my one opportunity to get a good hair cut, so I humbly asked for Him to make it a good one.  

I loved, loved, loved the girl who cut my hair.  If you are in the Auburn area, call AP Pearson salon and make an appointment with Ashley--it is worth every penny.  Thanks for the recommendation, Sarah (and so many other people).  She talked to me for a while before she even washed my hair--discussing face shape, hair texture, and time I can spend on my hair each day.  I was so impressed with her, and I totally felt safe saying, do whatever you think is best.  Then, we proceeded to talk and talk and talk for the entire hour that she cut my hair, and we could have kept going.  She was great. 

It was quite a bit of hair that she cut off, and I assured her that I normally have short hair, not long.  I think she was nervous that I didn't realize how short it would be.  I will say that Scott had a funny look on his face when he first saw me, simply because he prefers that I keep my hair long always, but I think he is now used to it and likes it. 

The entire day was lots of fun, as John made his first trip to Auburn and, equally important, Big Blue Bagel.  He did sleep through Big Blue Bagel, which tells me that he loved it!!  And I got to hang out with two dear college friends, both due to have babies in the next few weeks.  We talked labor, nursing, motherhood, marriage after babies, and the list could go on and on.  It was such a refreshing thing to be with friends who have known me for so long!! 

But now I must go, as John is "freshly" fed, and I need to hurry to the grocery store before he gets hungry again. 

Celebrating the New Year

Today was a great day because I got to spend some time with a dear friend who is unexpectedly home from China. Amy and I first met when we were roommates in China the summer after our Freshman Year. We were great friends from then on out. We ended up living together at Auburn (along with 11 other girls), and she was a bridesmaid in my wedding (along with 12 other girls; yes it's true--13 bridesmaids). It was such an unexpected treat to get to spend a chunk of this day with her. Though we haven't seen each other in months, it was as if no time had passed. It was a bit surreal to hug her good-bye, knowing she was headed back across the Ocean for several more months.

Amy and I have spent several New Years together, the most memorable being four years ago. I was freshly graduated from Auburn with my Master's in Education, engaged to Scott, and briefly living at home until our wedding in April. Rambo (Amy's last name and what we call her) was living and working in New York at the time, and she and two of my other bridesmaids went in together to buy me a plane ticket to NY as a wedding gift. So the day after Christmas I headed to New York for one last hurrah as a single girl.

We had so much fun seeing the sights through the eyes of a local, and we ended the fun-filled week with a midnight run through Central Park to ring in the New Year. It was surreal to say the least.

There I was in the middle of that glorious city with two of my best friends, thinking about all that the coming year held. I was this 23 year old college graduate nervously trying to grasp the gravity of the vows that I would make in just a few months, and I somewhat understood that life was about to get very real. I knew, as I ran that midnight race through Central Park, that 2006 would bring much change. Little did I know that I would ring in 2007 with little Ada growing in my stomach.

Here we are, what seems like a lifetime ago, enjoying a fun dinner before the race later that night. Did I mention that Rambo was born on New Year's Eve. She always gets to celebrate her birthday in style:)

And then in Amy's apartment. (me, Laura Leary, and Amy Rambo)Excuse the quality of the photos. These were taken with a disposable camera.

I can't believe that only four years have passed since that night. It feels like a lifetime. And sure enough, life has become very real. I sat across from Rambo today at a table in Moe's, so very pregnant with baby number two, and we reminisced and caught up. I like to live vicariously through her many adventures--before New York, she lived and worked in Colorado, then after NY, she was in Africa, and now China. There is talk that she might spend a couple of years in the Atlanta area next. I am crossing my fingers.

I am so thankful for the friends that I made at Auburn. The Lord blessed me with so many girls who were very much in love with him. Rambo is one of the many that he has used to mold and shape and draw me closer to himself.

Anyway, four years later, I think I will meet the New Year fast asleep on my pillow. I am 34 weeks pregnant, after all.

update: to answer Mary Ann's question, we did end the night on Times Square after the crowds had cleared. We avoided Times Square before then. We wanted to miss the craziness. There was still confetti floating around by the time we got there, though, and in the wee hours of the morning we hopped on the subway and made our way back to Rambo's apartment. It was the perfect way to celebrate the New Year.

Quick Iron Bowl Post

I need to post about Thanksgiving and all that it involved, but I wanted to quickly say this.

Ada is loving the Iron Bowl. She is so hyper, feeding off the energy of Scott and me. By the way, she said, of her own accord, "War Eagle, hey," just a minute ago. Though she screams whenever either one of us screams, so she is definitely rooting for both sides.

Seriously, she has gone crazy. She is running in circles around the house, with her hands in the touch down position. In fact, a minute ago, I found her blue pacie under the living room chair, and she screamed and raised her hands in a touchdown position. I wish I had a camera.

Okay, that's all. I just had to record Ada's reaction to the 2009 Iron Bowl. (and give my sincerest apologies to the Auburn football team for ever doubting their ability). Hang in there, Tigers!!

Auburn again

Well, the week had to end some time, right?

We are headed back to Auburn today so that mom can reunite with the Corolla and head back to Scottsboro. What does this mean for me? That I will eat Big Blue Bagel for lunch. And it never tastes better than when I am pregnant. Woo-hoo!!!!!!

What else do I want to tell you?

Well, remember this from so long ago?

yes that is my sewing machine that has been sitting in closet for fear that I would break it if I tried to use it. We unearthed it in the midst of the organizing, mom ordered a "super deluxe" manual for it on the internet, and she is taking it home to figure it out. (She is more familiar with sewing machines than me). Next time I am home she will hopefully teach me the basics of using it, and I will be off on my sewing adventures. Thanks again, Amy, I am so thrilled to have it.

Bows are also on the brain. With Ada's pictures coming up, and fall outfits filling her drawers, I have been thinking about bows and needing to order a few from my friend Bethany. (Bethany, my mom paid for one at a Vinings boutique yesterday so I would have it for the pictures on Saturday. It costs so much more than yours, and it didn't have a no slip grip like yours. I will be placing an order with you soon. Yours continue to be the best out there!!) But we did get a red and green one at the boutique yesterday because Ada will be wearing her Christmas dress in the pictures, and the bows are appropriately Christmasy.

Anyway, I think I might try my hand at making a bow. Darby (surely you know about her blog?) has a tutorial for making one, and I am thinking, why not try it? We'll see how that goes. Most likely, I will decide to leave the bow making to you, Bethany.

So those are my thoughts on this Friday morning. What is mainly on my brain? A honey maple turkey bagel with bagel chips and honey mustard. Oh, I can hardly wait.

One more thing...

I had to log back on to say

War Eagle!!!! It's great to be an Auburn Tiger, isn't it? Ada thinks so.

Oh how I wish I had been in Jordan-Hare tonight. It's been too long, Jordan-Hare. One day soon we will reunite. One day soon.

p.s. I felt the baby move for the first time tonight while I was watching the Auburn game. An Auburn fan already.

Let the Games Begin

well, like most of the south, football is on the brain.

I actually had to drive through Auburn today on my way back to Atlanta from Greenville, AL. I drove the four hours to Greenville yesterday evening to spend the night with four of my college roommates. One roommate is getting married in October, and that, of course, calls for celebration. Celebrate we did, as we stayed up until 4 AM!!!!!!!!!! talking about everything under the sun. Oh my word. Am I a crazy woman?

Four hours later, I woke up for the day. At 17 weeks pregnant, four hours is not cutting it. I can barely hold my eyes open.

But

I want to watch the Auburn game. (Thank you ESPN 360!) I want to watch the Alabama game. I want to some how join in the camaraderie of the first football Saturday.

Scott got super lucky and scored a free ticket to the Alabama game from a friend from church, so I am here alone. I am happy that he gets to go, but I can't help but hope that Virginia Tech walks away with the victory. He knows my heart on that issue;)

And, as I mentioned, I made a quick pit stop in Auburn on my way home today. I couldn't help but feel left out as I saw the sea of orange that was College Street. I quickly ran into Zaxby's to grab some lunch, not foolish enough to try to venture further into Auburn than that, and even that small glimpse made me long for my college days. Will I ever stop wishing that college had never ended?

So, now I must turn my attention to the game.

War Eagle, ya'll!

From Auburn

hey ya'll.

I am sitting on a couch in Auburn, AL. I travelled to Evergreen, AL for a family wedding this past Friday, and due to the threat of bad weather, I found myself spending this day in my old stomping ground.

Scott's parents were in McDonough with Scott helping care for Ada, and my car is rather unreliable, so Scott and I agreed that I should hang out for one more day.

I have taken full advantage.

I managed to fit in three chais over the course of the weekend. I spent all afternoon hanging out with my dear friend and kindred spirit, Amy Speakman, and I got to know her precious 6 month old baby girl. She has cheeks that are oh so squeezable.

I am about to die to wrap my arms around little Ada, though. I can't stand to be away from her this long. I feel a little empty.

And that's all for tonight. I felt the need to check in to my blog because I have been away for so long. What have you been up to these past few days?

Me, I'm playing college.

Suddenly I am remembering the hard part of college

If you know me well at all, I tend to remember my years at Auburn in a bit unrealistic fashion--as in, life was perfect, Auburn is paradise, etc. etc.

And, I still think those things. Really, I do. But this week, as I was tutoring at midnight and longing to be in bed fast asleep, I had flash backs to papers that were written at 4 am, after spending all day locked in a study room in the library with a lap top and books too confusing for me to understand. I remember driving down college street at midnight to pick up a coffee from Taylor's wondering if I would ever live life on a normal schedule again. Ahhh yes. That part of college all came flooding back.

Just between us, though, I even miss that part. The crazy rush that comes from staying up all night long and sliding that paper under my professor's door at the last second, then going home to spend the rest of the day in bed, catching up on the sleep I lost all week.

the week's menu and a weekend recap

I have been out of town all weekend living the college life for a few nights. It was quite fun (and tiring). I was sleeping on my sister, Sarah's, couch, and Friday night I arrived in Auburn around 9 pm AL time. Sarah, Kate, and her roommates were all hanging out, and I ended up staying up as late as they did, which I think was 2 am. (3 am GA time). I then woke up at 8:30 am because my body does not know how to sleep in. 8:30 is sleeping in for me. I then spent the day with all of my college friends, celebrating the coming birth of Shannon Farrar Vinson's baby. It was so much fun talking and laughing and catching up. We laughed so hard. And reminisced. And caught up. The shower started at 2 pm, and a few of us extended the party into dinner at one of our favorite AU restaurants, Amsterdam Cafe. We finally said good-bye around 10 pm on Saturday night. We just didn't want it to end because the visits are few and far between these days. It was incredibly refreshing and encouraging to be around these girls who know me so very well.

I then headed back to Sarah's house, where I proceeded to stay up until 2 am again. There was some college girl drama, which I found myself in the middle of, mainly because I have been there, and being on this side of things, I tried to give a bit of perspective to the situation. As in, this too shall pass, and it will pass quickly. At 2 am I finally climbed into Sarah's bed and left her and the other girls up watching a movie. She said she would sleep on the couch if I needed to go to bed, and, indeed, I did need to go to bed. It was so much fun playing the college role again, going to Sonic at 1 am for diet coke and a snack, and coming back to find out who my celebrity husband is (Ryan Gosling--if you were dying to know). What a fun time college is--hanging out with your best friends until all hours of the night, the future ahead of you full of endless possibility, more freedom than you will ever have again. It's just fun. There is no better word to describe it.

Anyway...I am now back home and back to the reality that is my life, which is, you guessed, meal planning (or that is one aspect of the reality of my life). So...here's the plan for the week

Monday--frozen pizza because I forgot to take out the meat that needed to defrost. Never fear, a Tombstone pizza is in the freezer for just this occasion.

Tuesday--spaghetti, bread, broccoli (the ground beef is in the fridge, so that it will be good to go tomorrow)

Wednesday--chicken enchiladas (never made these last week)

Thursday--probably Arby's because we have a coupon for a free sandwich with the purchase of anything else. It expires soon, so we want to take advantage of it this week. And Thursday's are crazy days, so Arby's will be perfect.

It looks like it will be an easy cooking week for me, which is good because I am back to tutoring online after I get home from tutoring in students' homes. I am looking at some late nights this week, so I need easy cooking and cleaning to make up for the late nights.

For many more meal ideas, go to Organizing Junkie every Monday.

p.s. there will be some changes around here soon. As you know if you read this blog often, it isn't so much "All Things Ada" anymore, so I am planning a blog title change. I am in the process of creating the heading. Stay tuned...