Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Life on the Nice List
Hap-Hap-HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I'm about eight hours early on that but I will working at our casino's Sock-Hop themed party at midnight, so I'm saying my Happy New Year to you a little early.
I'll let you use your imagination on my awesome Sock-Hop-Casino-New-Years-Eve-themed outfit I'm currently wearing.
So if you have been reading this blog for any amount of time, yall know by now that I really like my husband.
Like, reallyreallyreeeeeeallly like my husband.
He is just the best, is all I can say. I have mentioned on here before that if you do not have one already, all you gals should go out and get yourself a husband just like mine (sans The Beard, if that's not your thing). I got him at an adult Sip-N-Slide party in Nashville but I'm sure husbands like him are available in your neck of the woods, too.
The reason I say this is because Tom really spoils me rotten with so many things (such as: a beautiful surprise engagement ring, unloading the dishwasher without being asked, giving me some extra spending money every now and then, making me pancakes on demand, etc.).
Ever since we started dating, he always enjoyed surprising me. Starting with small surprises like a glass of wine and my favorite dessert waiting on me when I drove the four hours to Tunica for the weekend. Then going above and beyond with a surprise Thanksgiving engagement. Last Christmas my surprise was an in-home massage after running a half-marathon.
He is a keeper, I'm tellin' you.
This Christmas, however, he pulled off a wonderful, thoughtful, tear-inducing surprise my giving me this on Christmas morning:
I had mentioned various times that I wanted a true-blue-honest-to-goodness-big-girl camera when we started our family (please note that the 'family' is still only comprised of two humans and a dog at this time...no offspring yet), but as the months wore on I just sort of tucked it into the back of my mind and thought I'd press the issue later.
It is a pretty hefty investment, after all.
Tom never puts my Christmas presents under the tree until Christmas morning, because as much as I love being surprised, I am hard to surprise. I ask a million questions, and when presents are involved I will poke and prod and shake until I have ruined the surprise for myself.
So on Christmas morning he made me open this gift very last. He even made me close my eyes as I unwrapped it, for maximum surpriseability.
And boy was I shocked! After making faces like this:
And then this:
I cried. I did. I really did. I cried and said, "This is...this is...um....a really nice present." I know it doesn't sound emotional, but you had to be there I guess.
This camera is the Canon Rebel T2i and I am still learning how to use it. I have been researching a little about things like aperture...
Shutter Speed
Exposure....
And all those fancy-schmancy photography terms.
I might even take a class or something, but I don't know yet. Below are a few pics I snapped on my new toy. Like I said, I'm still learning so most of them are nothing spectacular but before long I think I'll be a regular Annie Leibovitz!
This is the very first picture I took with my new camera. I will remember it fondly forever. heh heh...
I think I'll call it....Myra With Wine.
I call this one....Tom in a Too-Tight T-shirt.
I'm about eight hours early on that but I will working at our casino's Sock-Hop themed party at midnight, so I'm saying my Happy New Year to you a little early.
I'll let you use your imagination on my awesome Sock-Hop-Casino-New-Years-Eve-themed outfit I'm currently wearing.
So if you have been reading this blog for any amount of time, yall know by now that I really like my husband.
Like, reallyreallyreeeeeeallly like my husband.
He is just the best, is all I can say. I have mentioned on here before that if you do not have one already, all you gals should go out and get yourself a husband just like mine (sans The Beard, if that's not your thing). I got him at an adult Sip-N-Slide party in Nashville but I'm sure husbands like him are available in your neck of the woods, too.
The reason I say this is because Tom really spoils me rotten with so many things (such as: a beautiful surprise engagement ring, unloading the dishwasher without being asked, giving me some extra spending money every now and then, making me pancakes on demand, etc.).
Ever since we started dating, he always enjoyed surprising me. Starting with small surprises like a glass of wine and my favorite dessert waiting on me when I drove the four hours to Tunica for the weekend. Then going above and beyond with a surprise Thanksgiving engagement. Last Christmas my surprise was an in-home massage after running a half-marathon.
He is a keeper, I'm tellin' you.
This Christmas, however, he pulled off a wonderful, thoughtful, tear-inducing surprise my giving me this on Christmas morning:
I had mentioned various times that I wanted a true-blue-honest-to-goodness-big-girl camera when we started our family (please note that the 'family' is still only comprised of two humans and a dog at this time...no offspring yet), but as the months wore on I just sort of tucked it into the back of my mind and thought I'd press the issue later.It is a pretty hefty investment, after all.
Tom never puts my Christmas presents under the tree until Christmas morning, because as much as I love being surprised, I am hard to surprise. I ask a million questions, and when presents are involved I will poke and prod and shake until I have ruined the surprise for myself.
So on Christmas morning he made me open this gift very last. He even made me close my eyes as I unwrapped it, for maximum surpriseability.
And boy was I shocked! After making faces like this:
And then this:I cried. I did. I really did. I cried and said, "This is...this is...um....a really nice present." I know it doesn't sound emotional, but you had to be there I guess.This camera is the Canon Rebel T2i and I am still learning how to use it. I have been researching a little about things like aperture...
Shutter Speed
Exposure....
And all those fancy-schmancy photography terms.
I might even take a class or something, but I don't know yet. Below are a few pics I snapped on my new toy. Like I said, I'm still learning so most of them are nothing spectacular but before long I think I'll be a regular Annie Leibovitz!
This is the very first picture I took with my new camera. I will remember it fondly forever. heh heh...
I think I'll call it....Myra With Wine.
I call this one....Tom in a Too-Tight T-shirt.I love it when Tom wears a too-tight T-shirt.
And I think I'll call this one....Runs After Squirrel
And this one...Kisses With Vigor:
And this one I shall call....Begs for Honeybaked Ham
And this one...Daddy's Girl.
We finally had a few friends over on Tuesday night so I could snap a few of some subjects other than Reba.
Side note: all three of the subjects above are single thirty-somethings in Tunica. Comment if you're interested. Hopefully I'll be able to comment back, giving that they don't kill me when they see this.
And I think I'll call this one....Runs After Squirrel
And this one...Kisses With Vigor:
And this one I shall call....Begs for Honeybaked Ham
And this one...Daddy's Girl.
We finally had a few friends over on Tuesday night so I could snap a few of some subjects other than Reba.
Side note: all three of the subjects above are single thirty-somethings in Tunica. Comment if you're interested. Hopefully I'll be able to comment back, giving that they don't kill me when they see this.So I want to say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to my lovey-dovey, daady-doody, sweetie-pie husband for this amazing gift!
Happy New Year Everyone!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Christmas 2010
Hey Y'all....Happy Thursday!
I have not done a real honest-to-goodness post in over a week and I apologize for that! I am back in action now, and feeling much better. I think I am on the downward slope of this sinus thing I have going on.
*Anyway* I have a ton of pictures to share of a very blessed and happy Christmas in the Withers household. So hold on to your hats...it's a long one!
On Thursday night (Christmas Eve Eve) my mom arrived in town and we had a great time catching up over a (delicious, if I do say so myself) dinner.
I made the Pioneer Woman's Filet Au Poivre. You all have to try this for a special occasion. I followed the directions to a 'T' and it was INSANE! So good.
I also made a cauliflower au gratin to go with it. You can get that recipe here.
Mine looked just like Ree's picture on her blog! I was so proud. :)
I also made some of these little goodies for Christmas guests.
Love these little treats!
With full bellies, we spent the rest of the evening on the couch, getting ready for the weekend's festivities.
When I woke up on Christmas Eve morning and shuffled into the kitchen in my robe and slippers, I saw this out the kitchen window:
Lots of friends and family around = Happy Laura.
I have not done a real honest-to-goodness post in over a week and I apologize for that! I am back in action now, and feeling much better. I think I am on the downward slope of this sinus thing I have going on.
*Anyway* I have a ton of pictures to share of a very blessed and happy Christmas in the Withers household. So hold on to your hats...it's a long one!
On Thursday night (Christmas Eve Eve) my mom arrived in town and we had a great time catching up over a (delicious, if I do say so myself) dinner.
I made the Pioneer Woman's Filet Au Poivre. You all have to try this for a special occasion. I followed the directions to a 'T' and it was INSANE! So good.
I also made a cauliflower au gratin to go with it. You can get that recipe here.
Mine looked just like Ree's picture on her blog! I was so proud. :)
I also made some of these little goodies for Christmas guests. 
Love these little treats!
With full bellies, we spent the rest of the evening on the couch, getting ready for the weekend's festivities.
When I woke up on Christmas Eve morning and shuffled into the kitchen in my robe and slippers, I saw this out the kitchen window:
Lots of friends and family around = Happy Laura.My mom and I immediately got to work in the kitchen. She had brought recipes for two pies and a cheese ball to enjoy with my in-laws on Christmas Day.
We had a great time just working together in the kitchen and enjoying a quiet day at home.
Mmmmmm...Key Lime Pie fillin'!
I am a regular Martha Stewart these days....
After our day-o-cooking we got all gussied up for Christmas Eve Church and our annual party at Tom's cousin's house. As always, we made a pit stop at my in-laws house to get a picture of the whole crew for 'Happy New Year' cards.
We had a great time just working together in the kitchen and enjoying a quiet day at home.
Mmmmmm...Key Lime Pie fillin'!
I am a regular Martha Stewart these days....
After our day-o-cooking we got all gussied up for Christmas Eve Church and our annual party at Tom's cousin's house. As always, we made a pit stop at my in-laws house to get a picture of the whole crew for 'Happy New Year' cards.Take one (thrown out because that little white blur in the bottom left wouldn't hold still):
Take two (thrown out because said white blur finally held still but put her fingers in her mouth):
Take three (thrown out because of fingers in mouth, and you can kind of see Laura's underwear). Nice:
And I think we have a winner (everyone is still, and no underwear is showing):
Lilly (as always) looks so cute in this picture I think! 
Helen getting ready for her first ever duck hunting experience. She is going to kill me for putting this picture on here but I think she looks so cute!
Here are a few shots of the duck blind. Tom and all the guys have worked really hard this year to 'renovate' the blind. I won't bore you girls with all the details but this is a REALLY nice blind, so I am happy for them. 
Helen admiring all the ammunition:
The 'kitchen:'
It's like a tree house, right!?!? Swiss Family Withers.
Take two (thrown out because said white blur finally held still but put her fingers in her mouth):
Take three (thrown out because of fingers in mouth, and you can kind of see Laura's underwear). Nice:
And I think we have a winner (everyone is still, and no underwear is showing):
Lilly (as always) looks so cute in this picture I think!After catching up with family and friends at the party, followed by no less than 1,287 rounds of wine-induced Christmas Caroling, it was time for bed. I love going to bed on Christmas Eve because you go to sleep know that tomorrow will be a GREAT DAY. What other day the rest of the year can you say that?!
Our alarm went off at 5:15am on Christmas morning for our annual duck hunt!
Of course Tom goes duck hunting like every day but it is my one day a year that I participate. We even talked my mom into joining us! What a trooper.
Here's our fearless leader as we loaded the boat:
Helen getting ready for her first ever duck hunting experience. She is going to kill me for putting this picture on here but I think she looks so cute!
Here are a few shots of the duck blind. Tom and all the guys have worked really hard this year to 'renovate' the blind. I won't bore you girls with all the details but this is a REALLY nice blind, so I am happy for them. Just as a point of reference, most blinds are fit for one person and are simply a little itty bitty shed in the middle of the woods or lake. It is simply for camouflage from the birds.
This blind, however, can hold up to 11 men, has a propane-fueled kitchen, cubbies and hooks for guns and gear, and has a 'decoy boss.' More on the 'decoy boss' later.
Helen admiring all the ammunition:
The 'kitchen:'
It's like a tree house, right!?!? Swiss Family Withers.These pictures make me laugh. We had neck gators on our heads to keep our ears warm.
Goobers.
Tom had a great hunt. Helen and I did not shoot the guns, but we watched in support. After Tom hit is limit (a 'limit' is the maximum number of ducks each hunter is allowed to kill in a given day. In Mississippi, the duck limit is 6 ducks per day per man), he made us breakfast of coffee and cinnamon rolls.
Goobers.
Tom had a great hunt. Helen and I did not shoot the guns, but we watched in support. After Tom hit is limit (a 'limit' is the maximum number of ducks each hunter is allowed to kill in a given day. In Mississippi, the duck limit is 6 ducks per day per man), he made us breakfast of coffee and cinnamon rolls.The stuff dreams are made of here, ladies. Eating cinnamon buns at 7:15 in freezing temps on Christmas morn. While wearing camo.
Okay so HERE is the decoy boss:
This little gadget controls all the duck decoys that are out in the duck hole. See, when the real ducks see all the decoys in the water swimming around, they think they're missing out on a party and frisky girl-ducks so they come flying down to join in on the fun. Then we shoot 'em. Kind of sad, but it's part of it.
Okay so HERE is the decoy boss:
This little gadget controls all the duck decoys that are out in the duck hole. See, when the real ducks see all the decoys in the water swimming around, they think they're missing out on a party and frisky girl-ducks so they come flying down to join in on the fun. Then we shoot 'em. Kind of sad, but it's part of it.There are over 300 decoys in this duck hole:
After eating breakfast, we loaded back up in the boat and headed out. Here are a few shots of the scenery around the blind.
Here is the blind from the outside:
Tom, leading us home to open presents!
A beaver hut! This lake is known as 'Beaver Dam' because of all the beavers that inhabit it. The beavers build various dams and huts all over the lake, around the cypress trees. They are sneaky little guys, but one time I saw one. He was bigger than Reba.
So there you have it....a first-hand look at what Christmas morning involves in the Delta. 
We spent the next hour or so opening our stockings and presents from from another. Just me, my mom, Tom, and Reba of course. She loves opening presents because I think she likes all the squealing that goes on.
Post-present-opening:
After opening gifts at our house, we went over to my in-laws to meet everyone and open gifts with them. Lilly was in full force. She was more interested in playing with Big Bubba and Louise than opening gifts. I think she is still a little young to know what's going on.
Bubba and Weez are so sweet and funny with Lilly! Love these three kiddos:
I have mentioned before that the tradition we have is to sit in a big cirlce, each with their pile of presents. We go around the cirlce one by one and open gifts one at a time. It is fun, and it always takes about 5,486 hours. 
Tom was able to distract Lilly from the dogs long enough to open a tea set:
Mamie and Boo got Lilly a tricycle. She was pretty good at it, too!
After we were done with presents and lunch, some cousins came over for a quick visit and broke out the dress up box Lilly got from 'Uncah Tome and Ann LaLa.'
She was hilarious running around in that blue tu tu all afternoon!
The rest of the day included napping galore, and playing with all our new 'toys!'
After eating breakfast, we loaded back up in the boat and headed out. Here are a few shots of the scenery around the blind. 
Here is the blind from the outside:
Tom, leading us home to open presents!
A beaver hut! This lake is known as 'Beaver Dam' because of all the beavers that inhabit it. The beavers build various dams and huts all over the lake, around the cypress trees. They are sneaky little guys, but one time I saw one. He was bigger than Reba.
So there you have it....a first-hand look at what Christmas morning involves in the Delta.After we arrived home, I donned my red union suit to open presents. Tom was being a grumps and wouldn't put his on for the picture. Party Pooper.
We spent the next hour or so opening our stockings and presents from from another. Just me, my mom, Tom, and Reba of course. She loves opening presents because I think she likes all the squealing that goes on.
Post-present-opening:
After opening gifts at our house, we went over to my in-laws to meet everyone and open gifts with them. Lilly was in full force. She was more interested in playing with Big Bubba and Louise than opening gifts. I think she is still a little young to know what's going on.
Bubba and Weez are so sweet and funny with Lilly! Love these three kiddos:
I have mentioned before that the tradition we have is to sit in a big cirlce, each with their pile of presents. We go around the cirlce one by one and open gifts one at a time. It is fun, and it always takes about 5,486 hours. 
Tom was able to distract Lilly from the dogs long enough to open a tea set:
Mamie and Boo got Lilly a tricycle. She was pretty good at it, too!
After we were done with presents and lunch, some cousins came over for a quick visit and broke out the dress up box Lilly got from 'Uncah Tome and Ann LaLa.'
She was hilarious running around in that blue tu tu all afternoon!
The rest of the day included napping galore, and playing with all our new 'toys!'Oh my stars we had such a lovely Christmas. I have just been basking in the spirit and grace that God has given us this season!
The week has been back to reality, back to work, back to boring-ole-non-holiday stuff.
Hope you have a great day today, and a safe and happy NYE tomorrow!
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