Happy Birthday Floyd!

Today marks Mr. Floyd's 8th birthday!

How in the world?!

We sure love him SO very, very much and he makes us so happy and laugh every day.

Many of you know Floyd is full of his own quirks, personality and loves to do his own thing.  This has never changed since the moment we've had him.  The one thing Floyd does best is doing his own thing.  Part of that is stubbornness of being a hound and I'm pretty sure the other half is just Floyd.  

Knock on wood, he has been so sweet with LM.  He was the star of the show for so long but we are pretty sure now he knows LM is just part of our pack.  

Every day when I bring LM home and let Floyd out,  Floyd runs right up to his carseat and gives him one lick across the face.  I can't decide if its 'Oh, you're still here, yay!' or 'oh man, mama brought you back again'.  I'm going with the first one because it makes my heart happy.  

Every morning when he wakes up he sticks his nose in LM's door to check on him.

He does a great job when we take LM on walks and makes sure everyone knows we are walking his bother and they need to stay away.  

Happy birthday Floyd, we love you SO MUCH!! 

Weekend Wrap Up : Birthdays and Baby Boy

This past weekend my mama came up to visit and celebrate her birthday!

We had a weekend full of shopping and celebrating on our agenda and that is just what we did!

We were on a hunt to find a glider...Target finally to the rescue on that one.

We also managed to pick up a fewwww clothing items.

This little boys closet is growing by the day.

(onesie from The Printed Poppy)

 

But you really cannot deny the cutest of tiny things on tiny hangers.  And why would you want to?!

We were able to find a small scale play pen and Floyd did his duty of checking it out.

'Is dis where I ratch over brother?'

Saturday night we celebrated with steaks and DELICIOUS cupcakes.  The only thing missing was a glass of red wine ;)

Sunday we had the fun opportunity to hang out with my favorite fashion designer, Mayhem.

Sydney and her mom put on an AWESOME event and invited friends to help them make versions of Sydney's pot holders to be sold to help Nothing But Nets.  We were more than happy to help such a WONDERFUL cause and spend the morning with some friends.  The pot holders are currently for sale up on their site...keep checking back if they are sold out, more will be available!

Between that and trying to stay out of the heat, that was our weekend in a nutshell.  It was thankfully wrapped up with a nap on the sofa with Floyd :)

Weekend Wrap Up : Birthday Hangover

I apologize for the delay in our weekend wrap up this week but Floyd's birthday got the best of all us.

It was equal parts busy and relaxing, just how Floyd likes it.

First of all, I am a terrible mother and forgot to hit publish on his birthday post on Friday.  So if you didn't catch (puppy pictures!!) check that out here. 

Friday night we laid low, snuggled with Floyd on the couch and watched Spotlight.

Saturday we ran around town, visited the Lacelet girls at their studio, lunched through Costco and then spent the rest of the day with ol Floyd. 

Including a photo shoot on the porch.  

He was THRILLED.

Sunday we brunched at Sleepy Bee then Floyd and I went on a very special walk.  We drove to a  local trail and let him sniff his heart out (he was in heaven) for a long afternoon walk.  After all the sniffs, and attention from other walkers, it was nugget time.  Being Sunday and all, Chick Fil A was closed but we headed to his second favorite, McDonalds.  He DEVOURED them.  He may also have had pepperoni, peanut butter and lots of treats.  Floyd and I wrapped up the afternoon doing another favorite activity of his, napping.

And an honorable mention from the weekend, I made this homemade sloppy joe recipe and it was SO good.  I used ground turkey and omitted the honey, just fyi.  Also this is simmering in the house today and I have high hopes for it.  

Happy Birthday Floyd!

The big man on campus turns 7 (!!!) on Sunday so naturally we are celebrating all weekend long.

So far on the agenda is the P A R K, nuggets, lots of peanut butter and even more sniffing and snuggling.

I also ordered him this bed for the porch for this summer.  I'm hoping he loves it.

Turns out I have about 47 million photos of Floyd (shocking, I know) but here are just a few of my favorites.

We love you SO MUCH Bubba, you light up our world every single day!

Happy Birthday FLOYD! 

Weekend Wrap Up : I've got the fever

Spring fever that is.  

This weekend was one for the record books.  

I know everyone is talking about the weather BUT holy bananas it was amazing.  

I am fully aware it's going to get cold again but I am basking in the goodness that was 75 degrees for as long as I can.

Friday night Mister and I had a delicious dinner with our neighbors.  I made a very yummy appetizer (if I do say so myself) and will post that recipe soon.  It was very quick and easy to whip up after work.

Saturday was just stellar.

I started the day with a run to bootcamp and a run home.  

Then the plan for the day was to do whatever Mister wanted to continue his birthday celebrations.  We headed straight to The Eagle.  We have been trying to eat at The Eagle for MONTHS.  I wish I was kidding but every time we go it's at least at 2 hour wait and we are always far too hungry for that.

Thankfully two seats opened up at the bar the moment we walked in.  

They are know for their fried chicken and it did not disappoint.  

The food lived up to its name and all of the hype we've heard about. 

TOTAL splurge meal and TOTALLY worth it 

We wandered around OTR for the afternoon and ended up at Taft's Ale House.  A bar in an old church, if you will.  

The interior is beautiful and very well done.  I was obsessed with all of the wallpaper they used.

I took Floyd on a long, long walk that afternoon.

He's working on building his warm weather stamina back up...

My plan for the weekend was also to get a longish run in on Sunday but because it was so nice on Saturday, I headed out for 5 more miles on Saturday.  I was so glad to have it done but also exhausted.

Sunday was our standard day.  Church, grocery, Aldi's, all that good stuff.  

I also spent far too much time working on a puzzle.  Go ahead and call me a huge dork...I am fully aware of it.

Basset Birthday Surprise

Birthdays are always a big event at our house, especially mine since it happens to fall on New Years Eve.  This year Mister planned a more low key evening and friends dinner party for us (compared to last year) and I was over the moon to celebrate.  But before we had our NYE/Birthday celebration Mister had a trick up his sleeve.  And even before that I had plans of my own (unaware of his secret plans).

Earlier on Wednesday I had it in my mind to pick up a dresser from Ikea for Floyd's room to switch things up in there and create more usable storage.  And when I get those things on my mind I want them done and put together right then.  So that's what I did.  Thinking nothing of it at 7:30 that evening, wine in hand, I went to town putting this dresser together.  

Mister came home with birthday groceries in tow and started cleaning the bathrooms.  This was sort of unusual but I didn't think much of it.  They were on my list to do before the dinner party and I thought it was just helping me out.  Because he was doing that and I was taking on Ikea craziness, we didn't eat dinner until about 10:30 and so by the time I finally sat/laid on the couch I was in and out of sleep pretty quickly.  He continued to be up and around which was again, sort of strange, but not totally.  

During this time, Mister snuck down and opened our front door and a few minutes later I heard the pitter patter of basset feet and knew they weren't Floyd's.  I shot up to see Pierre and his parents Casey and Eric walking up our stairs!! It was THE best birthday surprise.  I had no idea and I could NOT believe they were in our house.  I was literally in my pajamas and here they were having driven from Charlotte!! I couldn't believe it!  

They really all out did themselves and I felt so loved and happy to be able to share my birthday with them.  

Thursday was just the best birthday day.  We lounged around and had coffee, a delicious lunch at Nation, a trip around Party Source and headed back home for our dinner party.  

We had some gifts in there too :)  Mister loves theme gift giving and this year did '31 years means you get gifts for your ears'.  These included headphones, BEAUTIFUL earrings and other goodies.  He really outdid himself. 

He then outdid himself AGAIN with our dinner.  

He (and Casey!) made two kinds of ham (I love ham), asparagus, burgundy mushrooms (told you we loved them) and roasted garlic mashed potatoes.  

We had such a great night with our friends and managed to stay up to see the ball drop.

 The rest of the weekend was spent lounging and hanging and doing lots of basset snuggling. 

 It was perfection.  I was just so so happy the entire weekend, thankful for our friends and just generally over the moon to have such loving friends around me to help me celebrate.

I can't thank everyone enough for such a fabulous birthday weekend!! 

Weekend Wrap Up : Spring Has Sprung

We had a very busy and productive weekend!

Lots of celebrating for Floyd's birthday and lots of accomplishments around the house.

And lots of wine and cheese on the porch...my favorite part.

Friday I managed to get home a little earlier from work and took Floyd on his usual walk.

I told him we could walk wherever, sniff whatever and be gone for as long as he wanted for his birthday.

He meandered for about 20 minutes and then drug me over to a tree and promptly sat down for a good solid 15 minutes and just sniffed the air.  I think he would have stayed there all day.

I mean, I told him he could do whatever he wanted and he sure took advantage of that.  I love how much he loves to be outside and just take in the smells, it makes my heart happy.

The only downside was that before we left I raked my hand in one of our flower beds to get some weeds out and got stung by something.  So the longer we sat by the tree, the larger my finger/hand swelled.  Floyd did not care about that one bit.  

Floyd's evening was rounded out with nuggets from Chick Fil A and a cake baked by his mama. 

(sneak peek at our new rug...more that later this week!)

He throughly enjoyed both.

He also got a new collar from Harry Barker...he looks very spiffy in it. 

Saturday was full of bootcamp, an Ikea trip and other random errands. 

Ikea is conveniently (and dangerously) close to our house.  Why we decided to go on a Saturday is a mystery to me but it was a good trip nonetheless!

Saturday evening I picked up a Redbox (Birdman...I didn't love it) and some cheese and wine.

When it is nice out we do our best to spend as much time as possible outside.

Wine and cheese on the porch with my boys is one of my most favorite things in life.

Sunday we did lots of house work and crossed a big item off our 2015 list!

I painted an accent wall in our kitchen and we LOVE it...more on that later this week too!

We closed out the evening with more wine and cheese and our first grilled burgers of the season.  

Hope everyone had a great weekend and got to enjoy this fabulous weather! 

Happy Birthday Floyd!

The four legged love of our life turns 6 today!

Happy Birthday, Floyd!

I know I say it every year but I cannot believe he is another year older...at all.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, let's look at some puppy photos...deal?

The day we picked him up...be still my heart.

Also note, the day he knew he had us wrapped around his chunky paws.

There's literally nothing better than puppy belly.

It is so funny to Mister and I to look through these photos because even though he's bigger...Floyd has not changed too much.  He still sits the same, tilts his head the same way and looks at us in the same manner.

He still sits in those EXACT same positions.

Funnily enough, over the years, his ears have changed from black to brown and he definitely has more spots but he is still THE cutest boy in the world.

We LOOOVE you Floyd, to the moon and back!

All of your quirks, your silly, funny personality.  Your stubbornness and determination.  Your love, sweet, sweet demeanor and your love to snuggle (on your own terms).

We have a big night planned for you, Bubba...get ready!

Besties, Bassets and Birthdays

This weekend we had the pleasure of having Casey, Eric and Pierre (!!) in town to visit and celebrate Mister's birthday.

Fun is an understatement for the weekend.  We had been planning, counting down the days and looking forward to this weekend for quite a while.  We were excited to show them a few new places around town and spend time together with the bassets snuggled on our laps.  

Almost more than having precious friends stay the weekend, having two bassets trotting around makes me SO happy.  

Friday Mister and I snuck out of work early to greet our guests and get an early start on the weekend. 

We had a little mini tour of downtown and had a great time showing them Rhinegeist.

We had every intention of swinging by the store and picking up food for dinner.  But by the time we headed home we decided pizza and wine was a better option.  

Turns out it was.  Delicious pizza, fabulous wine and good friends around the table was the perfect way to end the night.

Saturday Casey and I hit up bootcamp to work off some of said wine and get a good start on the day.  We rounded out the morning with banana bread, multiple cups of coffee and, of course, basset snuggles.   

Saturday night we headed back downtown to Goodfellas Pizzeria for crafty cocktails and...pizza.  Again.  

It's a good thing we all love pizza because we sure had a lot of it.  Goodfellas knocked it out of the park.  The cocktails were SO interesting and delicious and the pizza was some of the best I've had in a very long time.  

As for the rest of the weekend, I will let the photos do the talking.  

Bassets in the sun warming their bellies warms my heart like none other. 

And a very, very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my handsome MISTER!! Floyd and I (and Pierre!) hope you have THE best day, you deserve it!  

#totalthirtycase

Welcome back to reality.  Back to work.  Back to blogging.  

Let's talk about more exciting things...like my birthday party.  

And grandmother's fur shaw that needed to be worn. 

(dress)

Since our wedding was before the era of hash tagging events, it was only right that my 30th birthday party had its own hash tag.  So #totalthirtycase was born.  And it was a great time by all.

Seriously, I keep thinking about the party and want to relive it again and again.  

I put a lot of time, effort, planning and about 4,000 lists into the party and it was SO fun to see it come to fruition.  Not to mention getting to celebrate with (almost) all of my loves.   There is something so heartwarming about having a large majority of your favorite people all in one room.  

I insisted on making my own cake (because I'm crazy) but I was obsessed with how it turned out.  I followed this recipe and the polka dot cake was born and devoured.  I used food coloring to make plain white frosting BRIGHT pink and finished off with gold glitter and sprinkles.  

Because nothing says 30 like glitter and sprinkles #amiright  If you are crazy enough like myself and want to attempt this cake, feel free to email me and I can give you some pointers.

Besides cake, drinks and champagne (of course, it was New Year's Eve!) we had a make your own taco bar, pulled pork sliders, cinnamon sugar pretzels and bacon wrapped crackers.  Sadly, I was having so much fun I had ZERO to eat.  

It was so fun to have an evening celebrating and getting dressed up all snazzy.

And that concludes the pictures that I can show on the internet ;)

We wrapped up the evening with a big ol slumber party at our house just like the college days.  I was in heaven having so many friends stay at our house, it made my heart so happy.

My only regrets are not taking MORE pictures and not recording the super cute toast that Mister said as I blew out my sparkling candles.   And to that I say, let's do it again next year! 

Thank you thank you thank you to everyone that helped us celebrate the big night!  I had an absolute blast and a really, really fabulously spoiled birthday!  Definitely one for the history books.

Happy New Year!