"Aunt Keke Loves Us!"

"Aunt Keke loves us!" -Emma Kate

This would pretty much sum up my feelings for my sweet Cooper trio! Emma Kate stated this fact because she knows it's true. I.Can't.Ever.Get.Enough! Kris and the kids were at mom and dad's in OKC for VBS at their church. They started this last summer, they love VBS. So they go to VBS at their church and then come to Nana and Pop's for VBS. 

I was supposed to come earlier this week but had too much going on that needed to be finished before Wednesday. School, Defensive Driving (sadly) and class! Ick, nothing fun! So I left school in Mesquite at 8:30 in the evening and arrived at my parents house around 12:30. It was a surprise since they thought I wasn't going to make it this week. I text my sis when I was an hour away just so I didn't scare them so late at night with someone walking in the house and everyone in bed. 

Mom and Dad were surprised along with the kids! Of course Mr. Noah Paul, "Where's Uncle Dabid?" No hello Aunt Keke, Yay Aunt Keke's here, hug or kiss....just Uncle Dabid :) That's okay though, after the initial shock that David wasn't here he gave me some much needed love! 

I spent the day with Kris and the kids before they left Friday morning. We had breakfast at Panera while the twins were at VBS, shopped in lovely Edmond, picked up Chick-Fil-A, swam all afternoon and then grilled out for dinner. I wish it all didn't end so quickly...I just needed at least one more day with my love bugs :( I don't have tons of pictures to capture our day together, but this is all you need....

Great Grandma Trout and Great Grandad Trout visited the kids on Tuesday and brought Noah this cool new shirt! Pops bought the twins new bicycles with training wheels and helmets. Noah of course wore his spider man helmet the entire week...he even fell asleep in it almost everyday. What a goof! 

Sweet baby Micah after a morning of shopping! This sweet boy is walking now, I love it!!

This one day ties me over until I see them in about a month when they come visit us in Fort Worth. I can't wait!! These precious angels make you love in a way that you never knew you could, it's amazing how much I love them! Just wait till I have my own children, sheesh!

I love you Noah Paul, Emma Kate and Micah Harrison! 

XOXO

Aunt Keke

Show Us Your Life-Show Us Your Singles!!!!

I am linking up with Kelly's Korner today for my friends that are wondering what the heck is going on. Just click the link below to view her blog!

Show Us Your Life...Show Us Your SINGLES!!!

Meet Ashley...

My girlfriend Carrie and I think that you need to know this beautiful, sweet, amazing...all of the above...woman. She is definitely a friend that I can say will be there for me or any of her friends at any moment in time. Ashley has a thirst for life and spontaneity is her middle name.

Ashley is currently living in the Fort Worth area working full-time as a speech pathologist and will be finished with her masters in a year. She has an amazing passion for her work and the children that she works with and is always trying to better herself so that she may be able to provide the best care and skill to her clients.

Ashley's passion is not just confined to her work and education. Her undeniable faith in our Lord is what  defines who she is and the decisions that she makes. She is always seeking a stronger connection with the Lord by attending and remaining very active in her church. She is also very involved with her women's bible study. I can say that she is always willing to share her faith with her friends and encourages others to love the Lord like she does.

Ashley leads a very active lifestyle with a love for the outdoors. She does a-lot! She snowboards, wake boards, runs, rides horses at her family farm and will do anything and everything...just name it, she loves a challenge! Oh and she loves to go dancing...country of course! On the flip side of things, she loves to bake, clean, decorate her home and she loves her sweet cat Zoey!

Just know that this short post does not do Ashley and her fabulosity justice! We love this sweet friend of ours and think that she deserves the very best! Please leave a comment if you are interested in contacting her. 

Happy Belated Father's Day

I Love You Dad!!!!

This is a belated Happy Father's Day, on my blog. I've already spoken to my dad, don't worry. Kris and I got him some lovely cologne because he was running very low. He wears Very Sexy for men, VS. Isn't that so cute?! Dad is playing the guitar in the above picture...I'm not sure if this is HS or college. I love that pic!

Dad wearing some awesome pants. I can't tell if they are pj's or just really fabulous pants?? I found this picture this morning and thought I would be doing my dad a disservice if I didn't include it in his montage! I'm thinking he's in his 20's here.

This is one of my favorite pictures of dad. I'm not sure why, he just looks so professional and handsome!  Love it! He's either speaking at his college or for some book thing for his novels.

Just signing a book! Love the tie!

Dad and our little Emma Kate, she melts his heart! She melts all of our hearts, oh that girl. My dad has a soft spot for little girls since he raised two. There are times when he's just not quite sure how to handle Noah Paul, that silly boy! He's ALLL boy, that's for sure!

My most special day. Notice how I'm trying not to lose it! That was me down the entire aisle. I remember saying to my dad right before we walked down, "Don't talk to me, I'm already about to lose it." So he didn't, I would have really lost it! Ha! Love you Dad! You're the only person in the world that would have put up with all of my shenanigans in life... (that's why you don't have any hair ;) (Not really, he shaves his head ;)...and my biggest cheerleader! Love you! 

Annnd I just threw this one in for kicks because I found it this morning and was dying laughing. What a little nerd...no I'm only like 4 or 5, that's normal. I mean, I'm prepared to protect the world...sword, shield and a holster with a gun? Let's not forget the belt, arm bands and the most amazing helmet/face mask!

I can't believe I remembered this...I was thinking Sheva, Sheba...it's She-something. So I googled 80's women superheroes...She-Ra and He-Man popped up in my search. 

Love it! 

I also came across many pictures of my sister and I when we were little. I need to post those because they are so funny!

I'm going to put my princess of power skills to work and breeze through a 6 hour online driver safety class today, create a lesson plan and fly to OKC in just 3 hours! I wish :( 

(You know she's considered the most powerful woman in the universe, right?)

She-Ra to the rescue!!! 

XOXO

P.S. Look at this goof...

My picture reminded me of this picture of Noah Paul. Sweet BOY! Love him :)

Weekend Festivities

So our weekend wasn't too exciting, that's why there will be more pictures than words :)

Friday night we went to Shady Oak something-or-other BBQ off of 35 in Fort Worth. It was a really neat place that David and I will be frequenting with friends. They had a great patio area next to a grassy area with lots of seating to listen to live music...country. It was too hot to sit outside. I have a feeling the rest of the summer will be like this, depressing. We then went to see Hangover 2. It was funny, not as funny as the first one but still funny. There were parts that I could have done without, I won't say anymore, It feels disgusting to even talk about. I must also mention David called on his way home from work, sick and wanting to go on a date. What a sweetie!

Saturday David worked all day, so sad. I met him for lunch and then looked at a couple of houses for sale in Flower Mound. We're not sure where we will buy, but for now we really love Flower Mound. We also won't be buying until next year sometime but I thought it would be smart to start looking. And then of course I was being crafty because what else do you do on a Saturday night when you're home alone...

Another fabric envelope...this one is my second and last because honestly it doesn't serve too much of a purpose other than monetary gifts. I just found the tutorial and thought it was too cute not to try. The flower is actually hot pink with a champagne satin center. This one was a bit more difficult (as a new sewer) because I found the interfacing (heavy stiffness) that I should have used in the last. It's a bit more difficult to sew through the stiff thickness. But I did it and it's not perfect. 

I found another tutorial to embellish my boring first timer pillows. Don't you love the flower? I definitely do. I used a really neat button instead of a rhinestone for the center. I'm very rarely a rhinestone kind of gal...I do have my moments though. 

My next project is kind of a biggie...for me anyway. It may be awhile before I can post it though...because it may take me awhile. 

Then on Sunday we went to Granbury to water my in-laws lawn, take the trailer and 4-wheeler back to the farm and then to the lake to take out my in-laws boat. 

It was soooooooo HOT. Below you will find Gus at the farm doing what he does best...

...following his nose and trying to sneak off. Pfff, Basset Hounds. (Tuff was sitting right next to me doing what he does best, momma's boy.)

I'm usually not a self-portrait kind of gal but I was waiting for David inside the truck while he was outside sweating away unloading the 4-wheeler and then the trailer. I think I was outside for about, oh a whole 5 minutes. It seems that being at the farm in the dead of summer is so much toastier than being anywhere else in the same summer heat...I haven't figured that one out yet. 

I'm sure you're noticing the neon yellow that I'm obsessed with...Target, where else? I must also mention this swimsuit to my ladies with hips, this is coming from a lady with hips. You know that we always buy the swim suit bottoms that tie on the sides. This one is not, shocking I know. It's not so tight that it squeezed every inch of my hip/side...whatever you wanna call it...because all Target swim suits do that...except for this one. It's great.

Okay, yet another self-portrait. That's so not like me (not the pouty, puckery lip self-portrait kind of gal...I'm not sexy enough for that...but who is?), but do you have the Instagram app on your iphone? It is the coolest thing. Plus, it makes you look 10 times better than you really do. Even when you're not wearing an inch of make-up. This was out on the boat. 

I must also make note of my sunglasses...because I'm a bargain bragger. These are my most favorite sunglasses that I've ever had...you know the kind. Well, I'm admitting that I bought them at a gas station for less than $5. I would love to have a really nice pair, which I could, but I always break/lose my sunglasses...never fails. So when I buy cheap ones, I don't feel so bad when that happens. Brag over.

We were afraid that we weren't going to get the boat out...the canal was sooo shallow. But we did it, it was a little nerve wracking. Coming from the dock the depth meter, thermometer, monitor, thingy ma-jig read 1.7 feet, um yeah. ( I obviously don't know the boat lingo, this is a new thing for me) It obviously got deeper as we approached the open water. Come on RAIN!!

We had fun, just the two of us. We scoured the lake and then stopped to swim, but holy cow was it windy and wavy...which made swimming a little hard. Still fun though. To top the evening off before the hour commute back home we stopped off to visit with Grandma Clark. Estelle is 93 and still has her wits about her. I love her so much...she is hilarious and completely blunt. She's great! Estelle's real name is Lola, which she dislikes because of the song...What Lola Wants, Lola Gets. Isn't that hilarious?! I've often thought about the name Lola for a little girl. We'll see...we've got 1-2 years hopefully before that happens. 

Okay, so there were more words than pictures. Isn't that usually the case? I know, I'm wordy, I can't help it. Talk to you later this week!

This is supposed to be a paper writing, online driver safety course kind of day...all I want to do is blog, craft and sew! #can'tkeepthefocus!!!! <----(btw, what's the deal with this? Is this a new way to express your thoughts on fb? I'm obviously not with it and probably doing it all wrong, oh well.)

Random interjection because I'm random:

Magnolia Cafe & Bakery from my discussion on my Seriously Salad post.

To-Die-For-Sweet-Treats.

Infamous Thumb Print Cookies...strawberry is the BEST...must also try their chocolate chip cookies!

xoxo

Seriously Salad

I have been on such a salad kick lately...even though I really like salad all of the time, I think it's the heat. Who likes to feel full when it's close to 100 degrees? So I've been thinking about all of the salads that I've eaten and I'm also thinking, "Man, they're good!"

I want to share my favorite salads with you, especially if you're a salad lover...

# 8   BJ'S Brewhouse Caesar Salad...best caesar salad ever! Especially if you get a small pizza to split with someone and the side caesar salad...good stuff folks!

# 7  Cheddar's Crispy Chicken Salad...best crispy chicken I've ever had with amazing honey mustard dressing, yum!

# 6  Chili's Caribbean Salad...Soo good, I usually ask for extra dressing...that's bad, but they never give you enough and it's a pretty light dressing.

# 5  Babe's Chicken Dinner House...first of all, if you haven't had Babe's, What?? Who hasn't had Babe's? You live in Texas? The salad is to die for...it's really just the dressing. Some kind of mixture of sugar, vinegar and yummy goodness.

# 4  Spring Creek BBQ Southwest Salad...this is the only thing I get at Spring Creek because I love it so much...once again it's all in the dressing, Jalapeno Ranch-Yum!

# 3  Cafe Express Shrimp & Avocado Salad...Holy Goodness! I don't even need to tell you what's in it because it's just that good!

# 2  Fish City Grill Thai Coconut Shrimp Salad...I can't even begin to tell you how good this is, just try it!

# 1 Trio Cafe Field Green Salad (Colleyville)...okay, I personally think they need a snazzier name because this salad does not taste like a field green salad. It should have the word Heaven in there  somewhere. Heavenly Field Green Salad? (So creative right? ; ) This salad contains avocado, bleu cheese, candied pecans and honey chipotle dressing. Don't even bother trying to make this at home, you can't even mimic the goodness.

If you love salad as much as I do, you must try these! Don't expect to eat salad just for health purposes, some of these have some pretty fatty dressings and hello fried chicken and shrimp!

Enjoy your Sensational Salad Summer! I know I am!

On a side note..I'm meeting my husband for lunch today at Magnolia Cafe & Bakery in Lewisville. This is like a whole new topic Hello Delicious Baked Godds! Goods! Uh oh, typo...hmm but maybe that should tell you how yummy the thumb print cookies and chocolate chip cookies are! My gf Carrie and I LOVE Magnolia! Definitely try it if you are in the Lewisville area! I prefer the strawberry thumb prints--is it lunch time yet?!

6 Months of Wedded Bliss!

I can't believe we've been married for SIX months! I'm loving every minute of it! I've become such a picture snob. The only pictures I like to put up of the two of us are the professional pictures...done by Erin Woolsey-EEPhotography. She's great! I'm trying to put up different pictures instead of the few super favorites that I have and use all the time! On a picture note...I've decided that we are going to have family pictures taken in the fall just in time for Christmas cards. I'm so excited, I'm not sure how Tuff and Gus will do?? Correction, I'm not sure how Tuff will do...spastic!

Mr. and Mrs. Clark! Ahh, every time I look at these I wish I could go back and do it again! Is that normal? I loved our wedding and I loved the feeling and excitement of my own wedding to the man of my dreams.  I also love this picture because of who is in the background--my sis, my bf Carrie, David's brothers and my Grandad. I loved our wedding party. I felt that it was important to keep it small and intimate with the people that you know will be in your life FOREVER. It was very us. Although, David did have about, oh 5-8 guys that he would have included as groomsmen so we decided on the latter because then he wouldn't have to choose between all of those guys. You know, all or nothing right? He was quite the social butterfly in college, SOMANYFRIENDS! I on the other hand had a handful of friends, SOSUPERSHY! I guess that makes us perfect together ;)

I love this one too. Look at David's face...can't get enough of seeing how he looks at me. You don't notice those things when you're in the moment but to see it afterward....(sigh). This is right after David and his Sub-T 16 guys sang their little diddy...the usual wedding tradition. (David would be annoyed if he knew I called it a diddy, haha.) I didn't sing my club song at my wedding, because frankly I was a really bad Kojie. I never did anything with my club when I was in school. Now that I look back I wish I would have been more open to the idea...I was so shy! It's funny how you change when you get older...more confident, not so shy, willing to put yourself out there.

Love! Look how happy we are! Also, I remember being shocked that the sparkling wine (we're in a church friends) was red. I also remember thinking, RED!!! If this spills on my dress, omg! My mother will probably die when she reads this...love you mom! Thanks for the red grape juice ;)

Once again, THE LOOK. The man can make you melt, I'm tellin' ya, with those baby blue eyes! 

Happy 6 months David Jeffrey Clark! I love you! xxxo

30ish days of stuff...(this will be long)

Oh my. Let's see here, where to begin? It's been about a month since I was able to blog...I blame my May-mini for two weeks of non-blogging. Then just being busy busy for the other two weeks. 

Things that have been going on at our house...

We went on a vacation to Red River over Memorial weekend, it was so fantastic! That will be a post all by itself though, so much to talk about and so many pictures to post. First, I must figure out how to download pictures from my husbands camera.

Ugh, I had to take a May-mini and it was awful. I'm so tired of school! I'm currently mid-way through my Summer I class...let's just say that it is a complete joke, it's almost as if I'm not even taking a class. So I'm not complaining about this one and hoping that my Summer II class is just as easy! 

On a more exciting note, I've been really crafty lately...or been really crafty in my mind and have not yet put those crafts into tangible items.

My parents came for a visit the last weekend in May which was super delightful because they hadn't been to our house since we've moved in. It was so fun! My mother and I basically spent all day Saturday together doing girly stuff while Dad and David hung out and went to the movies. 

Mom and I went antiquing, duh, and then to a couple of fabric stores. We went to the Queen of all fabric stores...The Cabbage Rose Quilting! Love it! (I made a correction..I had previously posted cottage rose?? Not quite sure why I did that, woops!)

This picture really doesn't do it justice at all. It's amazing! This was definitely my favorite. We also went to Berry Patch Fabrics, which was Mom's favorite...I think because it's less overwhelming.

So let me back up a little, my mother is teaching me how to sew. When I was in middle school I used to make pillows on her serger but I never learned how to use a sewing machine. I have really been wanting to do all these projects...but sewing is crucial. So mom came for a visit and we had a one day "Sewing Camp." My sister went to sewing camp when she was younger and then took home-ec in middle school so she is pretty great, but me on the other hand...I didn't even know how to thread the darn machine. So here is my first project after mom gave me a little tutorial....

Not too shabby, eh? I didn't want to do a whip stitch, so I just closed it up with the sewing machine. Whip stitchin' it was just too advanced for me after learning how to do this :) But now, I think I'm ready for it! (Honestly, I just really wanted to complete the project because I was too excited about what I did!)

Earlier this week I found a tutorial on a blog that I LOVE and made this...

So this was just supposed to be a practice one so I used "ugly" fabric, that's not really ugly...just not the pretty fabric. This is too easy, anyone can do this. I did learn that I needed super stiff interfacing because it wasn't siff enough since the elastic wraps around the fabric envelope. This is for gift cards and money...just to snazzy up your monetary gifts. Really cute idea, I thought I could make a few to have available when I need them. I could have really used this about 3 weeks ago when I sent out two graduation gift cards. Oh well, there's always next time. And, I learned how to make that fabulous flower!...with the wrong fabric, but it still worked.

I'm working on a few other things and will post pictures soon. Here's a little sneak peek of what I will be working with...

Yes! I know you're loving these, who wouldn't?! I have this new found love and appreciation for sewing and FABRIC. I've already decided that I want to be really good at sewing, it is so much fun!! 

Random Interjection:

We went to Riscky's BBQ when mom and dad came for $9.99 all you can eat ribs. One of David's favorites!

Cute Parents! 

My lovely hubs! Doesn't he look so good in that blue shirt? Dreamy! If you could see up close, his eyes were as bright as his shirt...prettiest blue eyes ever! (That was the first thing my mom and sis noticed when they met him for the first time :)

Let's talk about the house...(I'm tellin' ya, this is 30ish days of random material.)

So I've been working on this for some time now...

It's taken me forever to finally get almost all of my plates. You can't just put any ol' plate up. Like mentioned previously, I like greens and blues. So I've been on the look out for plates, I'm so particular. But I found all of these that I love! They range between $2 and $12. I really don't like to pay more than $10 but I stalked one plate at my fave antique store for like two months and it went from $29 to $12 and I HAD to get it. It wasn't going to get any cheaper without being snatched up. I need two more and I'm finito! (That's finished right?)

Oh notice the lamp, remember my Wal-Mart lamp? It was actually $15 instead of $25...shade from Target (I own two of those shades, LOVE! They look like burlap lamp shades and you know my love for burlap.)

I found this earlier this week...

It's an old whiskey jug. Okay, so background...I have seriously been on the look-out for one of these for MONTHS and you know I'm a bargainer. There are plenty of these at my fave antique store but for like $70-$125! You must be crazy to think that anyone would pay that for a jug! Found it for $25--STEAL!

Another steal...

Kroger! Yep, the grocery store. Normally $150 and bought it for a whopping $60! Ahhh, love it! (the rug, not the table) :)

And finally a little change that makes a huge difference (in my eyes)...

Notice the old hardware still on some of the drawers, I should have taken a before and after picture. I think it makes a world of difference. Loving the new hardware, so pretty and so updated!

Movin' on into the kitchen...

Jordan Jolly McCall told my sister, who told me and I've since told my SIL-Merry about dough balls from SAM'S. If you go to the snack bar, you can get a case of about 20ish dough balls for roughly $15-16. Amazing pizza crust!! We have homemade pizza at our house once a week, mmm! I love experimenting with the toppings  each week, my favorite so far..pepperoni, mushrooms and jalapenos. David loves the meat lover's pizza, any and every kind of meat imaginable. 

Instructions:

Place dough ball in fridge day/night before to thaw.

I roll mine out on the counter and then transfer to baking stone to prevent it from sticking after you bake it. 

Do not use flour, it makes the dough very hard to roll out..I learned from experience twice.

Bake crust alone at 400 for 8 minutes.

Take out and put sauce and toppings on.

Bake at 400 for 17-25 minutes. Okay, so that is a big range and I'll tell you why. It's been different for me every time. I think it has to do with how evenly you roll your dough out and how much topping you put on it. I now bake mine for 20 and then slice it once to find out how soggy the bottom of my pizza is, I usually end up putting it back in for 5-6 minutes longer. It's usually perfectly crispy on the bottom after that. You'll just have to experiment.

My sis and SIL make pizza bites, which Merry loves and the kids love them too! I need to try those..I'll get the instructions for those soon or if you know my sister or Merry, you can simply ask them.

Other things...

I'm still training for my half marathon. I'm on week 5 (which is a repeat of week 4). This Saturday I will run 5 miles. I decided to repeat week 4 this week because last week I completely slacked on my running and did not want to move on and suffer. Smart move, right? So, next week will be my long run of 6 miles. Now this is a crucial time in my training only because last summer when I was training, I quit after 6 miles. I CAN'T quit this time. I'm just gonna keep on keepin' on...on the treadmill, because who runs outside when the temps are between 90 and 100 degrees. That's insane. 

I'm working with a trainer today, will be sore tomorrow. I've got all these sessions that I haven't used so I figure now is the best time since I'm running so much. 

July is crazy for us on the weekends: the 4th, wedding, wedding, Cooper's come to celebrate our men (birthdays are the 23rd and 24th), then who knows what the last weekend will be...I'm sure something will come up!

We bought a microwave! So lame, I know. The house was supposed to come with a microwave and it didn't and we just failed to buy one for really no reason at all. So we went 4 and 1/2 months without a microwave. You never realize how convenient they are until you don't have one. 

I get to see my sweet trio on Monday & Tuesday, they will be at my mom's for VBS. So pumped! And, I'm buying a mommy swim suit top...even though I'm just an auntie. We are going to the water park and I've learned over the past couple of years that to swim with 2 and 3 year olds, you mustn't wear a bikini top unless you want the world to see what you got. Learned that the hard way, will not risk that at a water park!

Okay, I'm thinking that's it for now. Soooo long. Have a great weekend! Will.Blog.Sooner.Than.30.Days!