And the hits (babies) just keep on comin'

The last few years of my life has brought a steady stream of babies. My 4 baby girls (with another on the way) and then you add friends and other family members to the baby makers, that's a lot of babies.    

The most recent celebration was for Danee's friend Kasey. I love being around these girls, seeing what great little mommies they're becoming. 

Looking for games on my phone

Big brother Mikah got to come to the party too

Tutu party

Love the cake!

So did Miss Myla

Love this face

I'm helping Mama!

xoxo

Lissa

Bathroom reno

I've shown you before what a talented, self taught carpenter/ cabinet maker Adam is. The pieces of furniture around my house are many and he's made a lot of pieces for friends also. 

This particular project came about more than a year ago. Dinner with good friends and a discussion about the renovation they wanted to do on their bathroom and by the end of it Adam had asked if he could build a cabinet for it. I really think it took some time to convince them that he was serious about it, but once Jen & John decided on Midwest Remodeling and Renovation   to do the work Adam started his drawings. 

It turned out better than even I had anticipated! Just beautiful. 

They decided to go with oak. That thing is going to last FOREVER

Door panels were a great excuse for new router bits

Almost there!

The hardware choice and dark stain made it much more contemporary

Jen & John did all their own demo for this project and even found some cool old wine bottles inside the walls. The rest was done by the remodeling company, but the before and afters are so amazing I've got to share. 

Before...

After... the tub and pedestal sink were re-glazed since they are original to the house  

Before

Almost done

After!

It was such an amazing transformation, and that cabinet is absolute perfection. There's still the upper to make when he has time to take a breath. 

xoxo

Lissa

Tailgate food Vanderbilt edition

We have season tickets for Mizzou Football this year, their first year in the SEC. Not that this is magic or anything,  I think it's like taking AP classes in high school .. it's really hard and at first you don't really measure up, but in the long run it makes you better. Now until this year we went to about half the home games each year so when some friends thought they'd let 2 of their seats go Adam bought them instead. 

 This season got started with 3 weeks of home games, all in the evening, and when you add tailgating into the day and the fact that Adam has been working most Saturday mornings, it makes for a reeeealy long day. 

So this week brought Vanderbilt to town and it wasn't the outcome we hoped for with a loss and a few injuries to the team. Also, this week our weather turned from crisp to cold (in my opinion) and even with quite a few layers on, I froze. 

There's always a wide variety of food to eat. I tried a new recipe to take this week, it was good but needs some tweaking.  

Jalapeno Popper Dip

6-8 slices of bacon  Confession- I used the whole pound minus what I snacked on. Don't judge.

2  8 ounces packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayo

4-6 jalapenos copped- you know the rules get rid of seeds and veins if you want less heat

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup chopped green onion  

Topping

1 cup crushed crackers- they suggested Ritz, I used Town House

1 cup Parmesan.

1/2 stick butter- melted

Pre-heat oven to 350 

Combine all the ingredients and mix well. I just put them all in my Kitchen-aid and let it do the work for me. Spread in baking dish- I used a browning pan and it worked well. Obviously, the bigger the pan, the less baking time. Combine the toppings, and cover the top.  Bake approx 20-30 or until bubbling.

We used Frito's scoops but it would be really good on crackers too.

Like I said it needs something... more heat for me I think. Since I wasn't sure who liked spicy and who didn't I played it safe. 

I use a grapefruit spoon to get seeds out

Yummy bacon

Cookies travel well and are always a hit

Here's hoping for more wins, and more warm games! Go Tigers!

xoxo

Lissa

Much loved visitors

Hope you had a great weekend. I know I did. Two of my favorite ladies in the world came for a visit! Kelly & Emerson were here and we did as little as possible. We worked very hard at relaxing.

We did head over to the Farmer's Market just to look around and see what we might need. This week, what I need ended up being some meat and a pumpkin. 

I didn't catch their names but they were really good!

These gourds were so cool

I got a pumpkin with lots of warts

Emerson is a great pumpkin picker-outer

Love them

This kid is one mean bubble blower

Hangin' at the park with Aunt Lissa

  Saturday, my friend Jenny came over for dinner and Adam grilled us an amazing meal.

I'm so thankful for the weekends I have with my friends. 

xoxo

Lissa

Another one turns 1!

Adam's cousin Chad & his wife Jennie's little boy Cooper turned 1 this last week. A birthday party for a 1 year old is an sketchy deal... most of the time the little one doesn't enjoy it very much and yet we put them through  the circus of it.  

Jennie & a friend made the cake and did such a great job.

 And the smash cake looked to adorable to eat

This little guy is a trooper. And he can eat some serious cake! He didn't seem too interested until Daddy put it up to his mouth and then it was on.

This...

 Turned into this! Auntie Erin to the rescue.

 On the way home week took the scenic route and stopped at Peter's Market  for some apples... but mostly just because it's fun.

Hope you're able to take the fun, scenic route soon! 

xoxo

Lissa

A visit to the Titanic

In April of 1912 the Titanic did what everyone thought was impossible. It sank. And since that time the world held the ship, crew and all aboard in complete fascination. 

We visited Union Station in KC with Danee, EJ, Jamie & Miss Myla to see the exhibit for the 100 year anniversary. I've always been fascinated with the subject and it doesn't hurt that Cameron is obsessed with all things Titanic, and has been since he was pretty young. 

We visited the permanent attraction in Branson , a few years ago and I really enjoyed it. They kept me happy with the history, even teaching me a few things. But kept it entertaining too. 

This exhibit was smaller than I thought it would be, but just like the introduction said, it really is an an artifact exhibition. A lot of heart wrenching, take your breath away artifacts. Shoes, glasses, a brief case.The thought that they once belonged to someone, held by them, worn by them... Wow.

I got in trouble for taking pictures. Yes, I'm very well aware that photos are not allowed inside an exhibit. When we walked in I took the 2 pictures above. The little old lady (Walmart greeter variety) at the door made a comment about this being the last room I could take photos in. What she MEANT was that the entry was the only room. I took one in the foyer of some period costumes and she went Photography Nazi on me. So I apologized ( a little) and off we went. 

We each got a boarding pass- even Myla. They chose a random male or female card and in we went.  At the very end there's a wall with the names of all passengers and you search until you find what your fate was.

Adam's passenger- he lived

My passenger- I lived too. 

Pete was pouting when we went to meet them. She had been standing on the coffee table so Mommy called her a  "bad baby". Think she  knows how to play that one?

After Union Station we went to The Cashew  a cute little spot downtown with great sandwiches. I've wanted to go for ages but never think of it when we're close by so this was the day. 

She was such a good girl even though it was a long day for her.

It was a good day. But what day isn't when you can hang out with some of the people you love the most.

Summer Olympics 2012

I LOVE the Olympics. I love them so much that Adam hates it. Obsessed is a pretty good way to explain how I am those 2+ weeks every couple of years. It's not even a specific event, although the  standard favorites are mine also I'll pretty much watch any of it. Case in point: Adam walks into the living room on the first Saturday of games. I'm watching, well something. "What is this?!" He sounds a little exasperated. I answer the only way I can, " I have no idea, it's the Olympics." Oh, by the way it was handball and it's nothing like what I THOUGH handball was.
The Opening & Closing Ceremonies are sacred. Gymnastics, swimming, diving, synchronized swimming & diving, equestrian, weight lifting, rowing I could keep going but I'll spare you.... I will admit I have a hard time with badminton, table tennis, water polo & now handball.
As a kid I watched as much of it as was on TV, or at least as much as my mom allowed. Even though at the time I didn't understand the significance of it, I was "there" when Nadia scored a perfect 10. And when the hockey team preformed a Miracle on Ice, my butt was planted right in front of the TV. From 1976 on, if it happened at the Olympics I probably saw it.
I downloaded a couple of handy dandy free apps and all the games, athletes and results were at my finger tips. In fact social media added a whole new avenue to my experience. Checking in on GetGlue gave me a stream of people watching the same thing I was, cheering and adding a perspective other than my own. I loved reading the comments while watching. Just like all social media, there were some idiots out there just to get a rise out of people. But, as a whole, it was a very positive addition to the experience.

Screen shot of London 2012 app

NBC's app

London 2012 medals

The London Games, of course, hold a really special place in my heart. It's no secret that the time Danee and I spent there made it one of the very best place I've been. Top 3. But also when we were there was when London was making their last, big push to be a host city. Sometimes I'm really glad I keep stupid stuff!

Some of the highlights from London for me were Michael Phelps becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time. Keri Walsh Jennings & Misty May-Treanor on the podium for their 3rd straight gold medal in beach volleyball. The girls of the Fab 5 taking gold in the women's team gymnastics competition. Gabby Douglas winning the all around. Every single thing about Oscar Pistorius. 

Do you want to know a really cool fact?! As I'm writing this, right this minute there are:  519 Days 15 Hours 19 minutes until the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Aaaand there are 1429 Days 21 Hours 19 Minutes until the 2016 Summer games in Rio! I'll be watching!

xoxo

Lissa

Double the birthday fun

My 2 favorite Leos' birthdays are 17 days apart so 5 years ago someone came up with the idea that when Kelly turned 40 & Adam turned 30 we would combine the party and take a cruise. Well, 2012 is that big milestone birthday year buuuuuut life has a way of changing, and with all the changes that have taken place in the last couple of years that birthday idea had to change too.

Kelly decided that her birthday still needed to include water, although of the river or lake variety. So she set her best friend Meg to the task of finding a house and inviting some of her very favorite people. The decision was finally made on a house on the Grand Lake of the Cherokees.
Meg did a really great organizing that many people. Each person or couple was responsible for a couple of meals and it worked out perfectly.
Adam came home from work on Wednesday and could not find his phone so Thursday morning while I was finishing up the grocery shopping he popped into the T-Mobile store and did a little upgrading. It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it might, and in no time we were on the road and headed for a birthday mini- vacation!
We spent from Thursday afternoon until Sunday afternoon relaxing, playing cards or games, pool, reading, swimming, pretty much whatever you wanted to do you did. Adam and I even turned on the TV the last night and watched some of the last night of the Olympics.
It was a great way to celebrate 2 amazing people. My life would not be the same, or nearly as good without either of them.

The birthday girl & boy. Love them fiercely. 

Fun right?!

The view was so relaxing

Our room

Morning coffee looking out at the lake

As the Summer Olympics were in full swing synchronized swimming was incorporated into the fun

I took pictures. I don't care for lake swimming. I can't see my feet. 

Family dinner on our last night.

Cards and gifts were given. 

Really good ones

Just beautiful

xoxo

Lissa