Skeet shooting

A few months ago Jay and I bought a Living Social deal for a round of skeet shooting. It was a good deal and we both thought it would be a fun weekend activity. The deal was for a gun rental and a round at Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds. I admit part of my fascination with the idea of going skeet shooting was to wear a preppy shooting outfit. I envisioned something like this.

But when Jay came to pick me up he told me I should dress much more casual. He was wearing a long sleeve t-shirt and jeans. So despite my desire to dress the part I agreed and went casual.

When we arrived and I was handed a box of ammunition and a gun without any instruction I started to get nervous. I had held a gun before and even shot one a long time ago but I definitely needed a refresher course. We spoke with one of the shooting grounds' veteran shooters and he gave me a quick tutorial on my gun, where to stand and how to aim at the clay birds as they shot out of the box.

The first round we shot with another couple and in the end the girls beat the guys with total number of "birds" shot. My beginner's luck was short lived though and the next round I only got 3 out of 25.

                                                          

In the end we both left with sore arms but an exciting afternoon of trying out a new sport. We both want to try it again.

Cooking Challenge #1

A few weeks ago my friend Emily invited me to participate in a blogging cooking challenge. Her friend Cassie has challenged herself to cook something new out of all her cookbooks. Emily and several other bloggers (including myself) decided to join Cassie and try new recipes ourselves. Each month we will link back to each other from Cassie's blog and share our cooking triumphs/failures.


Let me start by saying I was hesitant to join this challenge. Not only am I a novice cook but I'm also a picky eater. Often recipes in cookbooks don't appeal to me because of all the ingredients that they call for. In addition, I don't own many cookbooks either. However, one of my goals for 2011 is to eat at home more often so I figured what the heck and told Emily I'd participate.


For my first recipe I wanted to cook something from my family cookbook. Several years ago we had this cookbook put together to save all of our family recipes. The cover shows the Dempsey family in 1942 in front of their house in Greenville, Kentucky. My grandfather is the one on the far right. He is my mother's father. The recipe I chose is cousin Jonathan's enchiladas. When I normally cook Mexican food I do the Old El Paso soft taco kit. It is easy, tasty and (almost) everything you need is in 1 box. This would be a challenge for me to buy everything individually. I stopped by Kroger to pick up my ingredients seen below.

Ingredients:
1 pkg of enchilada sauce mix
1 (8 oz.) can of tomato sauce
2 cans of enchilada sauce (I only bought 1 and it was fine!)
1.5 cups of water
1.5 lbs. of lean ground beef (I used less)
Medium flour tortillas
3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1/3 cup minced onion (optional - I did not use)



Combine sauce mix, tomato sauce, enchilada sauce and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Mix cheeses together (I bought them already mixed). Brown ground beef and onion; drain. Stir in cheese and sauce mixture until cheese is melted.
Spread 1/2 cup of sauce mixture in bottom of baking dish. Put 1 tablespoon of meat mixture on each flour tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in pan. Pour any leftover meat/sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Verdict: I went into this meal thinking I wouldn't like it because typically I think enchiladas are a little too wet. I accidentally only bought 1 can of enchilada sauce but I think that was actually perfect because they weren't as runny. I really enjoyed these enchiladas and they were perfect for me because they were just cheese, beef, sauce and tortillas. They were simple and I liked that. This recipe made 6 enchiladas so hopefully they will also re-heat well too.

Grandmom's 80th Birthday

After the ice started to melt my mom, grandmom and aunt all came to Atlanta for the weekend to celebrate my grandmom's 80th birthday. On Friday we ate at my new favorite pizza place, Antico Pizza. It is delicious and authentic pizza from Napoli. All the ingredients are shipped in from Italy and you eat on community tables inside the kitchen with the ovens.

Saturday we went to the matinee of Beauty and the Beast at the Fox Theater. We were there with every little girl in Atlanta but we all enjoyed the show and I was singing the songs for a few days afterwards. We also ate a delicious steak dinner and opened gifts before watching Miss America on tv. It was a great girl's weekend celebrating my wonderful grandmother.

Ice Delay

Well I had the best intentions of keeping my blog more updated this year but then Atlanta became a frozen tundra and I got delayed a little bit. Last week forecasts called for snow in Atlanta. Some were even predicting up to 6 inches of snow accumulation. Despite the forecast I was determined I could handle the 5 mile drive to work Monday morning. Sunday night around 8p the snow started to fall quickly and heavily. I started to get nervous so I listened to my mom's advice and took up work's offer to stay in a downtown hotel.

I literally threw 1 change of clothes into a duffel bag and hurried downtown to check-in before the roads got worse. When I pulled up to the hotel I saw several co-workers also in line to get a room. There was an air of excitement as the snow was starting to build up and we joked this was some sort of work slumber party.

But that is where the fun ended...

4 days later I was still stuck at the same hotel with the same clothes and the same people.

Atlanta was not prepared for the snow and ice storm that followed and our roads were completely impassible. My company owns 2 snow plows of their own and the entire city of Atlanta owns 8 for 5.5 million people. Now granted we haven't had snow like this in over 10 years but the response was slow and I was stranded.

Most of my friends were posting "cabin-fever" type messages on Facebook and complaining about being stuck in their homes while all I could wish for was to be home in my own bed.

Here is a picture of several of us modeling the t-shirts we were given on Day 3 when everyone had run out of clothes. Finally on Thursday night I made it home. In the end I learned some important lessons and also to listen to my former girl scout mom because I definitely was NOT prepared.

Cheers to 2011

New Years gets a bad rap. People say it is over-done and anti-climatic but I disagree. I love New Years. It's a time for looking forward, people are optimistic, fireworks, fun festive clothes and champagne...what's not to like?! This year was also a celebration of dating Jay for 1 year. Our first official date was last year on New Years when we party hopped and visited several friends' get-togethers.

This year to celebrate our 1st year together we went to Stoney River for a delicious steak dinner. It was so yummy. Then we went to a friend's house for a party. I made these "countdown cupcakes" to bring. The hosts did an awesome job. There were about 75 people there, lots of food, great decorations and even a balloon drop at midnight. We could also see fireworks from downtown on the deck. It was a great way to ring the in the new year with friends.

Going, going.... SOLD!

I love auctions! My mom and I have attended several at Hal Hunt in Tuscaloosa. But recently my mom told me about an auction in Atlanta that was being featured on The Discovery Channel in a show called Auction Kings. I told Jay about it and we decided to check it out.

The first time we went to Gallery 63 we went to a Thursday afternoon auction. It wasn't well attended and we were honestly disappointed in the quality of the items they were selling. It felt more like 1970's garage sale than high-end auction. While we were they they told us about an upcoming Sunday auction where they sell better items and it is a lot more crowded. We decided to give it a 2nd chance and try it again. Jay was particularly interested in some of the items that would be for sale. In the end we didn't win anything but we had fun bidding and signing waivers to be on on TV. They have signed on for a 2nd season so be on the lookout.

Outside of the gallery they had two giant bronze mustangs. I couldn't resist a "pony ears" picture.

Corn Maze

After my weekend in Tuscaloosa I drove straight back to Canton, GA for Buckhead Church singles night at Cagle's Dairy Farm. It was a crisp fall night. We had BBQ under a tent, jumped on an inflatable blob, got lost in a corn maze, took a hayride, made smores and danced to an awesome folk band.

Update on Elizabeth & Hank

Watch an amazing slideshow here.

The pictures are beautiful and the song is one of my absolute favorites!

Trying to catch up...

I'm trying to get caught up on my blogging so there will be several posts here all together.

Back in September Jay and I drove to Tuscaloosa to spend the weekend with my family and go to the Bama v. Penn State game. Jay is an Alabama alum (and actually lived in Tuscaloosa at the same time I did) but we hadn't been there to visit together. We had such a fun weekend tailgating and cheering Bama on to a victory. It was also our first time to see the renovated stadium that now holds 101,600 fans. Here we are outside Bryant-Denny and with famous coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant below. ROLL TIDE!

Also around the same time we got to see Brooks and Dunn's Last Rodeo tour at Lakewood Ampitheater in Atlanta. It was a perfect night with lots of great country hits.

Haynes' Wedding

On Saturday my aunt, mom and I went to Peachtree City, GA to celebrate my cousin Haynes' wedding. It was a fun family reunion of sorts with lots of family there.

Bathroom Paint Project

When I first moved into my house I liked all the existing paint colors except for the master bathroom. It was a sage green and just didn't fit my style. My aunt, mom and I painted the entire bathroom (ceiling included) white and planned to do beige horizontal stripes in the same color as my bedroom walls.

We quickly grew weary from painting and for 6 months the bathroom was just stark white.

Enter Kristen from KFD designs. I saw her work and blog mentioned on another great design blog Young House Love and I was so excited when I saw she was from Atlanta. I emailed her immediately and a few weeks later we have the finished product. Kristen did 2 posts on my bathroom transformation. Check it out here: http://kfddesigns.blogspot.com/2010/07/striped-bathroom.html and here: http://kfddesigns.blogspot.com/2010/07/peek.html

4th of July Braves Game

After the Peachtree Road Race I met up with lots of co-workers at the Braves v. Marlins game. We decided to dress up as "American Heroes" and several of us went together at Statue of Liberties. We got on TV and the jumbotron. It was a blast.

Peachtree Road Race

I DID IT!

I ran my first 10K! I had participated in the Peachtree Road Race before but 3 years ago I ran/walked it. This time with the help and training from Jay I ran the entire thing! I was so proud! It was a blast. My mom came to cheer me on and I managed to find her around mile 5. She was such an encouragement. I also ran into several friends along the race and met up with my coworkers Jackie and Alex in the park at the end. It was a great start to the 4th of July celebration and very inspiring.

The Perfect Church...there really is one!

This really exists in Atlanta. It is located near Turner Field. It makes me laugh every time I drive by it. Who names their church this? Crazy!

Harry Connick Jr.

One of my favorite places in Atlanta is Chastain Park Amphitheater. My uncle told me when I moved to Atlanta that I had to go to a concert there and I've been able to enjoy at least 1 every year I've been here. The venue is so fun. Each row is very wide and people set up tables with elaborate picnic settings. It is such a romantic spot. Jay and I go to go see Harry Connick Jr. in June. It was the most chill concert I'd ever been to. We ate pizza and drank wine and relaxed to some great big band style music.

Botanical Gardens

My friends Anna, Elizabeth, Kelly & I decided to try out Cocktails in the Garden to see the new exhibits at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. We had such a fun time sipping drinks and looking at all the beautiful flowers. It was a fun night and the newly expanded gardens are terrific. Check it out if you're in Atlanta.

Girls Weekend in Atlanta

The first Saturday is May is one of my favorite holidays of the year...Derby Day. Yes, I do consider it a holiday! This year while I didn't attend the actual Derby in Louisville I got to host 4 of my very best friends for the Atlanta version. Holly, Brittany, Kristen and Meg are four amazing friends from SMU. Through the years we have remained close and I was ecstatic to get to have all four come visit at once.

Friday we had drinks at Park Tavern in Atlanta's famous Piedmont Park and then dinner on the patio at Basil's in Buckhead.

Saturday we got up early and at brunch with our other SMU friend, Christie and shopped around the Virginia-Highlands area. Afterwards we got all dressed up and headed to the Shepherd Center's annual Derby Day fundraiser. This year it was at the Georgia International Horse Park where they held the 1996 Olympic Equestrian events. We had a blast sipping mint juleps, watch the race on the big screen and dancing the night away.

Sunday we went to Buckhead Church and then to a quick stop at H&M.

It was truly a wonderful weekend with best friends.

YARD WORK

Saturday was a disaster. My mom came over to help me spruce up my yard. Unfortunately the yard man I hired was a no show, it was torrential rain and storms and with my injured finger we weren't able to get much done.

Sunday we woke up early and with the help of Miguel, a guy we hired at Home Depot, we were able to get lots done. I'm really excited about having a pretty backyard and flowers.

Here are some pics:

Stitched Up

On Saturday my mom came to Atlanta to help me fix up my backyard. The Easter Bunny gave me several plants and I was ready to get them planted. While shopping for other flowers I cut my finger on a sign at Home Depot. It wouldn't stop bleeding and was a pretty deep cut. We made our purchases and went to the new Doctors Express, an urgent care clinic near my house. They looked at my finger and recommend stitches to clean it up. I haven't had stitches since I was about 7 and busted my chin open. Fortunately it only needed one and we were in and out in about 20 minutes. This place was great. Everyone was very friendly. I'll be going back next Monday to get the stitch out.

Progress...

For the last month or so I've been training to run the Peachtree Road Race. I participated in the race back in 2007 when I ran/walked the 6.1 miles to the finish. Back then my goal was to finish the race and not be the last to cross the finish line. To my surprise I actually did pretty well and I was able to finish in and 1.5 hours alternating running and walking every other mile.

Flash forward three years and I'm going to tackle the race again. This time I have help training. My boyfriend Jay has participated in 13 triathlons in his life and knows how to push me to do more than I think I can. We have been running with his dog Ellie for awhile but on Wednesday we ran for an hour straight without stopping! I was so proud of myself. I've never done that before and wanted to brag!

This year my goal is to finish the race, not be last and not walk at all. I'm going to run the entire time. Wish me luck for Sunday, July 4th.