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3 girls. 3 personalities.

Three COMPLETELY different personalities.

And if me telling you isn't enough...

See what I mean?

What a joy!

These little firecrackers challenge me each and every day.

I learn, I love, I hope, I pray -- MORE.

I have MORE joy than I ever hoped for...

along with MORE gray hairs than I was expecting.

But...

they're worth all that...

and MORE.

Mugshot Monday

Here's to the promises of Spring! 

Sugar (6)

Spice (4)

Bean (2)

Happy Monday, y'all!

ARWB Bloggers in Bloom - Arkansas Flower and Garden Show Giveaway

**The folks of Arkansas Flower and Garden Show provided the tickets for the giveaway, however; all opinions conveyed are that of yours truly. See below for full disclosure.

What better way to spend an icy cold evening than to hang out with the ladies of Arkansas Women Bloggers while listening to the fabulous plans for the 2014 Arkansas Flower and Garden Show (AFGS). Even if the thermometer read 34 degrees, it warmed my heart to know that SPRING is just around the corner and GREEN is in the near future.

I was beginning to doubt this fun evening was going to take place. The trees created a winter wonderland, and threats of icy conditions hovered over the state. Once Natalie gave the green light -- I began my trek to our state's capitol city.

Thankfully, my journey was without event, and I arrived at the beautiful home of our hosts. Can I just take this opportunity to say that I LOVE getting together with my bloggy gal pals. It's so much fun, and we are given such FUN opportunities. Love, love, LOVE!

We wined and dined on the fabulous fare...

The cork tags and candlestick flower pieces were a couple of my favorite "special touches".

Will Mouw and Kevin Li of Central High School and the Arkansas Youth Symphony serenaded us with some fabulous tunes. They dipped into different genres -- a classical song here, a pop tune there. (They performed a song by Cold Play that was totally my favorite!)

Krista Quinn, executive director of the AFGS, and Darren Irby, an AFGS board member, gave us some background info about AFGS and what they're all about. This is AFGS's 23rd year! Proceeds from the show provide educational scholarships in horticulture-related fields to students in Arkansas colleges and universities. It also funds "The Greening of Arkansas" grant program which provides community beautification grants to communities throughout Arkansas. AND, it's also a wonderful opportunity to consult and bump elbows with the experts in the areas of gardening, landscaping and floral design. HELLO -- that's pretty darn remarkable.

We then heard from CHRIS OLSEN of Botanica Gardens. Okay, can I say I learned A LOT in a small amount of time. Decor is NOT my area of expertise, and Chris just laid it out there, folks. He had a table full of "stuff" and turned it into a gorgeous tablescape that would beautify any home. AND, now I feel confident that I could do it. He "jhemajanged" and "stuffed and crammed" (terms and phrases used by Chris himself) explaining as he went. With each segment, he created a masterpiece! I was amazed at the simplicity, yet artistic thought went into each placement. It really was fabulous. And now I'm fueled with the know-how to be fabulous, too. Or, at least attempt at making my tablescape fabulous!

What a great night! Big THANKS to Natalie Ghidotti, (Ghidotti Communitications), AFGS, Clark Trim and Henrik Thostrup (Colonial Wine and Spirits), and of course all the gals with ARWB. 


Unfortunately, I will not make it to this year's show. BUT - I want YOU to go and tell me all about it! I'm giving away THREE pairs of tickets! All you have to do is leave a comment telling me what you are looking forward to MOST about Spring. Easy as pie. I will choose a winner at random on February 17th (contest ends at midnight CST on February 16th). Hop on over to AFGS's website NOW and start mapping out your day. The hardest part will be deciding when to do what -- there is just THAT much goodness going on! Of course, I'm pretty partial to all things dealing with gardening and GROWING your own FOOD. Oh dear, don't get me to talking about it...I'm sad I'm missing out. All those topics and much, much MORE await!

Now get to commenting and GOOD LUCK!

**Be sure and follow AFGS on Facebook, twitter, flickr and you tube.

Mugshot Monday

Enough of the COLD already!

These little mugs WARM my heart...

Sugar (6)

Spice (4)

Bean (2)

Happy Monday, y'all!

Sugar's Smile

All she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth!

Wait a minute...

Santa has come and gone!

Oh no!

No front teeth is serious matters, peeps.

We're approaching the huge, teeth-too-large-for-the-face stage.

It's totally precious, yet totally traumatic all in one.

A milestone.

A defining moment...

And, just in time for "Ole Geezer Day" during SPIRIT week!

This go-round didn't go quite as smoothly as before.

The hubs has gone ahead and pulled her other three teeth that have been ready to come out.

This one was no different.

So we thought...

It had been hanging pretty loose for several days.

It all went down on a Monday-- and that's our day crammed packed with activities (cheerleading, two hours of gymnastics, AND then dance). I know. Terrible. But, that's another story...

ANYKAHOOIE -- I was already running a few minutes behind when I stopped by the school to pick up Sugar and AB to take them to gymnastics. When Sugar grinned, I was like, WHOA NELLY BOZO -- we need to make a stop to see Daddy and get this tooth taken care of! The tooth was barely hanging in there. I was worried she might do a cartwheel and get choked on her tooth. No WAY was I going to let that happen.

Once we got to the office, Sugar was all smiles. She was acting goofy and probably showing out a little for her friend AB. AB hasn't lost a tooth yet. I was REALLY hoping this was going to go smoothly so the experience wouldn't scar AB for life.

The hubs started his normal drill... (well, not THE drill)

the jelly (to numb)...

they talked about the plan...

AND,

up went the hand.

Wasn't going to happen.

She wigged!

The hand flew over her mouth and there was no moving it.

I was over in the corner making mama bribes, mama threats, I was working it. (I was a prime example of why dentists prefer the parent NOT be in the room.)

AB was at chair-side ready to assist.

The hubs stayed calm as a cucumber and did his thing.

Minutes later...

She had a NEW SMILE! (she just wasn't quite ready to show it yet. AND, it was a little bloody I must say.)

Later that evening...

And, the next morning...(not without event, though. But, I'll save that for another day)

Save the Last Bite for ME

When I was cooking for the hubs and me, I would often put up leftovers. More so than not, one cooked meal would last two, and sometimes three more meals.

Those days are over.

These little Lattes like to eat...

a LOT!

Now more than anything, I find myself putting up SMALL bites of leftovers.

Not enough to make a meal.

Most of the time not enough to make a serving for one person.

BUT,

what I DO like to do is on days when I need a quick-fix lunch -- I make a MEAL of these small bites.

Most of the time I turn them into a fantabulous SALAD.

I'm a salad girl, you see.

This particular day, I had a bite of shelled edamame, a bite of chicken salad, a bite of rice, and some bow tie pasta.

I threw them on top of some romaine I had previously rinsed and spun.

Next I drizzled a little vidalia onion vinaigrette on top.

Lookout now -- mama's got LUNCH!

Love is in the Air...

It's FEBRUARY,  folks!

The Mugshots today were taken by the talented Melanie Mcknight a few years ago...

Sugar (3)

Spice (1)

No worries...Bean was right there with us.

Happy Monday, y'all!