Oreo Cake

I love it! Oreo cake pans! YUM!

Proper ingredients to make an Oreo Cake:

1.) Kitchen Aid Mixer with amazing buttercream frosting

2.) 2 "Cookie Cake Pans" from WS + ingredients to make brownies + patience + WINE (for me of course!)

3.) No self control to eat healthy!

4.) A double stuffed Oreo to compare!

Little Birdies Outside My Door!

We have new birdies! Some a mom and dad bird made a nest outside our door on the EXIT sign.  *and no, you cant hear them, which is a nice change from my bedroom at my moms at 6am that wake me up EVERYTIME i got home*

Andrew and I named them Chocolate (female, always in the nest) and Peanut Butter (male, always outside the nest). We were curious if there were eggs in the nest. Its too high for us to see but we kinda assumed there were. Well one day we came home and there were little baby birdies in there. There are about 5 that we have seen so far. I like to call them little morsels (only appropriate coming from Chocolate). Mom is very protective over them. If we get close to the nest, she kinda goes crazy, which I would probably do the same!

They are actually really cute and I love looking at them..except all the poop they leave below the nest--gross! So I guess if we cant have a dog right now, Ill settle for looking at these little ones! I told Andrew we should go get little worms from them but he assured mom, Chocolate was providing the proper nutrients for them! 

I know, its kinda scary so close up! haha! That is Chocolate sitting next to them. Im happy with them residing near our door...that is unless I start waking up to them. So far, So good! 

Austin on Memorial Day!

Sunday morning in the car, on the way to Austin! 

This past Sunday Andrew and I decided to retreat out of Dallas! So fun! It was a sweet little surprise he had up his sleeve. We got to stay here and eat amazing food. This is the little courtyard outside our room.

However, before we got to Austin we stopped at the Czech stop. For those of you in TN/AL/NC/GA.....any other residing states, the Czech Stop is a truck stop off I-35 that has amazing kalochies. AMAZING. We stopped bc everyone told me we had to stop and try one. They were right! Delicious. While we were off the eating for a little morning snack Andrew found a CJ-7 he wants....I told him it needed a paint job and he disagreed! =) 

We arrived in Austin and ate lunch at the Hula Hut on Lake Austin. Austin is very hippy/green/earthy. Did not know that. HOWEVER--Austin in the ONLY place in TX that I have seen a hill larger than the curb where I park my car (ok...so we have tiny hills here in Dallas, but Austin--I felt like I was back in the south where there are trees, greenery, hills). It was a nice feeling. Its a pretty little city, a bit bigger than Birmingham. 

After lunch, we just explored, checked in, explored some more, got ready for dinner. He booked reservations at Eddie V's.....

OMG.

Best Food I Have Had In A Long Time! Ok, not really bc we spoil ourselves with food weekly. But it WAS the best seafood I have had in awhile! Here was our glutenous menu:

Appetizer-spicy tuna tar tar+ delicious crab cake

Missy Entree-steamed sea bass Hong Kong style (you know thats Missy friendly!), it was sitting in sliced ginger and a soy sauce (YUMMO per rachel ray!)

Andrew Entree-bacon wrapped scallopns...very Andrew friendly!

Dessert-Banana's foster upside down butter cake....very Morgan friendly! OMG! Like melted butter with every bite! 

The food exceeded our expectations! We had a great time and then headed to the bar area and listened to a great musician...you would have thought David Grey and The Fray were there playing. We were very impressed! You know..Austin is known for its music (so I heard?).

Sunday we ate breakfast at this little "joint" downtown...Andrew enjoyed coffee and I had some ok pancakes (I think I can make better!).  We saw all these bikers and heard music so we decided to walk down to the river and there was a triathlon going on. We were just in time for the pro-women group to start their swim. We stood on the bridge, watched the swim, then finished our little walk around downtown. We came across TX's capital building..guess it was good to see since...TX is now my residing state (yes, that was hard to write!)

Andrew is obsessed with burgers. So what did he research all week for lunch on Monday...a burger joint! We ate at Huts Hamburgers...did not exceed/meet our expectations. He is an expert on picking amazing burger joints but...we gave the burger a 7, the onion rings a 9 (that was his judgement...not mine, would have been lower if I scored them), and the fries a 8. So the quest for the most perfect burger still exist! Right now he says Jakes Burgers in dallas wins until we find a better one. 

After we stuffed our bellies with a subpar burger, we decided to just drive around Austin and find cute little suburbs. It was fun, we love that stuff. We also went in some cute stores, I bought some cute little 1 flower clay vases...adorable! Then, it was time to hit the road!

What a great weekend! 

Oh yeah, this is the flatness of TX...outside of Austin.

PS--we found some Mr. Beason look alikes while wondering the UTexas campus *I cant bring myself to write UT and mean TX, not TN.  A picture was necessary! 

One MINOR detail missed....

So I did this:

What do you think this is?

If you think its black honda paint on a yellow concrete pole you guessed right! I was driving. I was NOT driving MY car! Opps!!!!

Great Weekend!

May has its perks...

Spring like weather (sometimes!)

Cinco de Mayo

Memorial Day

Seeing fabulous friends!

It means only 6 more months till a week in WaterColor with my 

favorite niece and nephew (and of course my favorite sister, brother in law, mom, lee, and husband!). 

This weekend had its perks! Fabulous PERKS!

*Great food*Great friends*Great time with baby Rhys*Great shopping*Just Great*

I got in to the ham Friday night. Met Kali, Lo, Natalie, and the new Dr McGoldrick at Jackson's. It was great-have I mentioned that May and this weekend were great?

Girl talk. Friday night. Loved it.

Saturday we woke up, breakfast was the least favorite part of the day. I guess I have been spoiled by these muffins. So when we went to Magic Muffins, I was highly disappointed. However, a diet coke never disappoints. After the hard, stale muffin, we went shopping!!

My favorite b'ham places were visited! We got to go here and to Three Sheets, which fun purchases were made at both places! =)

The Summit was the next visit.

Lunch was amazing, always is when you eat chicken salad from this amazing place. Emily and Eleanor made time to eat lunch with Natalie and me! What a great visit.

After lunch, I got to play with this little guy!!! PRECIOUS! And visit with Shireen and Russell!

He is so precious, wish I could see him more!

After a quick and much needed visit with the Wrights, all three of them! We of course, well--did more shopping!

Dinner Saturday night was amazing! I got halibut from Bottega! AMAZING! 

*AMAZING dinner with AMAZING friends! AMAZING night*

Laura, Rachel, and I suprised Natalie with the MOST AMAZING cake from Edgars Bakery! If you have never had a carmel cake from here, you are missing out! I then had it for snack on Saturday night (after my accident in natalie's car), breakfast Sunday morning, snack Sunday before I left. 

I think if I had it for every meal the rest of my life, I would be content! 

I love May! 

=)

I get to go to this great place this weekend (the ham!)

And get to see all these fun people!!! (plus more fun friends!)

And...eat at this amazing restaurant!! Yum! Oh how I miss the food of Birmingham!

One Year Ago

A year ago today! Crazy! It all started when Andrew asked me if I would be interested in taking a job in dallas as we knew one day Feb 28th, 2009 would come along! God is so good. It's been a year and quite the transitional year. I interviewed at Children's Medical Center in April 2008 and before I knew it I was starting my first day on May 5th, 2008. Dallas has been interesting, good, but interesting. Some things from the past year:

I have realized how amazing my friends are.

I have missed my family *esp seeing my favorite niece and nephew grow up more than EVER*

I have lived in 2 apts, moved into my second one so it could fit another body, my husband! =)

I have realized the south is very southern and hospitable, meaning TN, AL states! 

I have realized when people say I still live in the "south" they dont know  what real southern hospitality is, guess you gotta live there to really know the real south!

I have realized that shopping is no better here, or at least I havent found it to be yet (still working on that one).

I still miss La Paz shrimp fajitas but Dallas does have better food! Mexican and all other cuisines!

I miss Hot n' Hot shrimp and grits so much!

I love how quacamole is now a household staple.

I have finally somewhat gotten over my fear of flying.

I never thought I would fly so much in my life.

I transitioned from working with adults to children and I love it SO much more.

I transitioned from working with one of my great great friends to no one I knew. But have loved getting all the amazing girls I work with. They make me laugh and make the days go by!

I have had the best meals of my life in Dallas.

I got engaged.

I went from having all my best friends surrounding me to having no friends, still working on that!

My brother-in-law had his third brain surgery. 

I lost my sweet sweet granny.

My sweet little niece turned one and my precious nephew turned 3!

Im still trying to find a church like my old one but today (yesterday when i wrote that) might have been a start to finding a home church body for us.

I have never seen such a flat city in my life.

I bought my first pieces of big girl furniture. 

I do like being in a big city with all the fun buildings but miss the Birmingham size city also.

I admit, I like the Dallas skyline better than Birmingham but not Nashville (not yet..not sure I ever will, I mean its home!)

I went through the biggest transition of my life thus far. Im know more will come in life.

I have realized how much more diverse Dallas is than Birmingham or Nashville. 

I got married!

I miss girls night and sipping on a crisp glass of vino with my best friends.

I miss running hills (oddly).

I miss the quaint villages of mnt brooke.

I miss walking to La Paz, walking to Clumpies.

I love having Sprinkles around.

I now have a husband and love living with my best friend.

Im learning to love Dallas....shh, dont tell Andrew (ok, not really LOVE but its more LIKE Dallas).

Im STILL adjusting and transitioning! 

Its crazy bc people say it takes about a year to get fully acquainted. I remember the days of driving around Dallas wondering where the heck I was and then I would realize Im only a block from my apt. When I got lost, I would "somehow" always find my way to Sprinkles! I had a theory of eating a Sprinkles everytime I got lost.  That had to stop! =)

When I first started at Childrens, I felt like I knew NOTHING about pediatrics (and I didnt!). I have learned alot this year but I know Im still learning. Not just in work but in life, in marriage, in my walk with the Lord. Im still adjusting from moving, I guess Im a slow transitioner. I didnt think it would be as hard as it was. It was definitely worth it, I love not having to get on a plane to see my best friend. Now I get to roll over in the morning to see him. Its wonderful. I still go through my times of missing my family and friends more than I thought I would. But I guess thats why God made airplanes! 

Oh the day of packing..or month of packing all ended up in this uhaul that Andrew drove! So precious. Natalie rode with me and kept me entertained for 10+ hrs! Wow, longest road trip for me! I dont think I have ever spent so much on gas in that uhaul. Hopefully we wont have to do that many times, except maybe one day....one day....way in the future....when we maybe move! You like that--one day, maybe, in the furture! ha, i would say that phrase is Andrew friendly! 

One of our many rest stops!

Welcome to Texas!

We finally made it! 

One year and counting.....

May 5th will be my year marker at work. I still cant believe its been a year. Thanks for everyone's listening ear, advise, laughter, joy, prayers during this transition!