Team Reedy

Maggie - July 2011

2011-11-20T22:59:00.000-06:00

July brought more parties, U2, some visitors, and a trip to Vegas!

At Audrey's first birthday party with Jenn and Cooper.

Kim did such a great job with the decor.

U2 was amazing.

Celebrating the 4th at Crockett Park.

Our friend, Elizabeth Clements, took more adorable pictures of Maggie!

Strong little girl already standing.

Laney and Gardner styling Maggie's hair.

Flash flood!

Arrington

Michelle with all of the babies. She is expecting twins around Thanksgiving.

The puppies love Maggie!

Jamie's birthday trip to Vegas. The first time we left Maggie at home, but it was so nice to get away for a long weekend.

Pool days.

This picture cracks me up.

We adore my niece Bridget.

With Nanu at J Alexander's.

Hillary came in for a visit.

Callie and Wyatt had a fun time at McDougal's.

More pool time.

Mags is mesmerized by daddy's guitar.

Her first time in a restaurant high chair.

Maggie - June 2011

2011-11-20T22:01:00.000-06:00

In June, we celebrated Jamie's 30th, started rice cereal, had my brother visiting, and enjoyed lots of sunshine!

With Sarah and Elizabeth.

The boys.

Calle, Ashley & Josh. So glad the Brimers came to visit!

Matt, Kelly and I.

Mary Beth, Ryan, Calle & I at Holland House.

The Reedys

One of the houses Jamie renovated. (BEFORE)

Aunt Michelle and Mags.

With DeDe at a Crockett Park concert.

Dr. Bill & Gammie.

Sleepy girl.

Tummy time with daddy.

Parker's first french fry at McDougal's.

Dangling feet in Parker's bouncer.

Meeting Jess's baby, Kellen.

At the lake with DeDe.

Grandma Nancy and Laney making Father's Day cards.

We had some storms. Palmer didn't like them. ;)

With Granddaddy Jack.

At Zoe's with baby Ruby.

Going for a morning stroll with daddy.

Lunch with Caroline.

The zoo with cousin Karli.

Jamie's renovation. (AFTER)

Maryland Farms

Modeling her new Matilda Jane dress.

Maggie and Buster.

Not too sure about this rice cereal stuff.

"Bounce, bounce, bounce."

Maggie - May 2011

2011-11-20T20:34:00.001-06:00

May was such a fun month for Mags. She started rolling over, got her first two teeth, went on her first road trip, celebrated Mother's Day (already blogged about that part), and hung out with lots of friends and family. And most importantly, she was baptized at Brentwood Methodist on May 22nd. We are so proud of our sweet baby girl! Here are some highlights...

Baby Caroline was born! They will be in the same grade and Elizabeth and I have already decided they are destined to be buddies.

Such a cute teddy bear bootie!

LOVE putting her and Laney in matching outfits.

Shopping with Parker. Check out those cankles!

We love bath time.

One of her 3 month pictures. (I took a picture of it on my computer, so it's terrible quality).

I adore this picture of Laney, Maggie, Knox and Callie playing outside at Kelly's house.

Oh such a sweetie pie!

At the Odom boys' birthday party. Check out Laney's mermaid balloon.

A gender reveal shower for Allison. I was right, it was a girl! Baby Harper is now here and is absolutely beautiful!!!

Kim's baby, Audrey, who is now expecting a baby sister in March.

The girls.

Visiting Gammie and meeting her first horse.

Happy baby.

Maggie's sweet baptism. She did so great! I drug myself out of bed with the stomach bug for the service but missed the brunch afterwards. :(

Our first road trip with Parker and Maggie. Kelly took the first shift in the third row!

Finally at the beach! Thanks Uncle Bob for letting us visit!

We even got to see Hillary!

And fish with David.

With DeDe.

Parker and Uncle Bob.

Uncle Curtis.

Laney and Ian at our new favorite restaurant at Caribe.

Kelly got these Ralph Lauren sandals for Maggie and I made her wear them A LOT.

Maggie - Very End of April 2011

2011-11-20T19:30:00.001-06:00

So I decided to blog about Maggie tonight and realized just how behind I am! I'm just going to go month by month and post some of my favorite pictures from each. :)

This was at Callie Matwijec's birthday party. It was moved to our house at the last minute because of the weather. Maggie slept on my chest during all of the pictures!

She is going to have the cutest bunch of friends!

Hanging out with Gammie.

Family Easter

2011-06-28T23:35:00.000-05:00

Jamie and I got to host Easter at our house this year. It was so great to spend time with family and friends!


Mom and Friederike made the adorable centerpiece.

The McMillen kiddos were so cute trying to find eggs before the others.

Handsome Jonah.

Luke and Laney. Precious!

James Terrence Reedy III

Dr. Bill and Laney playing some sort of checkers.

Maggie and Seth were chatting it up.

Nanu and Maggie

Seth and Parker were so cute sitting together.

Billie Faye with the magic touch.

Love this picture of Nanu!


The fam :)

God bless!

The Reedys

What A Difference!

2011-05-08T21:49:00.000-05:00

I can't help but think about how much things have changed since Mother's Day last year. Tonight I am so joyful as I assess my surroundings. A loving husband, a precious baby girl, a growing company...my, what a difference a year makes! I am that much more appreciative when I compare it to the heartache I was feeling over our miscarriage this time last year. I am still so sad that we will never know the baby that pregnancy would have blessed us with, but God remains good and has shown himself in so many new ways. Today I am a mother to the baby we lost and to baby Maggie. Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers in my life and a special prayer for those who have experienced that loss.

{My fabulous mom and sister with our little Jean girls}

{Brunch with the fam at J Christopher's}

Four generations! What a blessing!

{Check out those chubby cheeks!}

Love,
Samantha

Maggie @ 11 Weeks

2011-05-05T12:51:00.001-05:00

My sweet friend Elizabeth Clements came over a couple of weeks ago to take some pictures of Miss Maggie. She is starting a photography business, so message me for her info if you're looking for someone fabulous. She is so talented as you can see below!

THANK YOU ELIZABETH!!!

The Reedys

Margaret "Maggie" Jean Reedy

2011-04-30T13:55:00.000-05:00

It's been more than 12 weeks since we welcomed our baby girl into the world! We've been so caught up in her and are loving our new roles as parents. Maggie is amazing and is such a joy! Here are a few pictures to catch you up.

This was about 2 hours before we left for the hospital to be induced:

And here we are just minutes after she was born. Our first family picture with Maggie! She was 6 lbs 12 oz, 19 inches long. She was born January 31, 2011 at 1:36 p.m. Perfectly healthy and so sweet.

So in love!

Maggie had lots of visitors! Here she is with my mom, "DeDe".

With Jamie's mom, "Gammie"

With Jamie's dad, "G-daddy"

With Ryan & Michelle

With my sister, Aunt Kelly

With my beautiful work friends from EMI

Soaking up all of the attention :)

With DeDe again

With Mary Elizabeth whose daughter, Taylor Grace, is a few months older than Maggie. They are sure to be great friends!

With Dan, Joe and Ryan - some of our high school friends.

Heading home to meet Palmer and Daly!

Maggie's first doctor's appointment with Dr. Townsend. She was a little jaundice, so we kept having to go back those first few weeks.

Maggie's first bath. Thanks Aunt Kelly for giving her all of her baths those first two months when I was too scared! :)

She loves being held.

With Friederike, her other grandmom "Omi".

Hanging out at Gammie's when she was one week old.

So many people to love on her.

Maggie's great grandmother, "Nanu".

Uncle Matt with all of the kiddos. Parker is almost 6 months here and Laney is 3.

Aftin stopped by for a visit. Her baby Ava isn't due for a few months, but we can't wait to meet her too!

And of course Uncle Tommy and his girlfriend Stephanie flew in from Chicago when Maggie was 2.5 weeks old.

And Uncle Michael from New York.

Sporting her Hello Kitty track suit.

Trying to figure out what to make of everything.

And there was a lot of this sprinkled in! Haha.

Hanging out with Mommy while Daddy was in California for work. We survived, but we sure did miss him!

Our photographer used her announcement picture in her ad. So sweet.

Curled up with Daddy in the wee hours of the morning.

Thank goodness for the little lamb swing!

Meeting Taylor Grace.

And this is how tummy time turned into being a tummy sleeper!

Now we enter the smiley, reactive phase. So much fun!!!

First walk at Radnor with Mom and Dr. Bill.

Playing with Callie and Cooper.

Mrs. Carlisle, future babysitter. :)

Starting to get chunky!

The Jean girls after Elizabeth's baby shower.

On the back porch with Dr. Bill.

Maggie's first injury. Of course, I had to be the one to do it. I freak out every time I cut her nails now.

Basking in the sunshine.

Kisses from cousin Laney.

Thank goodness for the Miracle Blanket. It taught her how to sleep through the night. Thanks Kim and Mary Elizabeth for the suggestion!

More tummy time. Not her favorite activity.

Love all of her little faces.

Proud mommy.

Big smiles

Going out to lunch with the girls.

During one of many tornado watches in April and May. Palmer always stayed right by her side.

Talking to DeDe.

Back porch time.

She loves it.

Trying her Bumbo seat for the first time.

Pretty girl at 11 weeks.

As you can see, we are beyond blessed by this amazing little girl. God is so good to us. Maggie is now 12 weeks, 5 days and weighs about 12.5 pounds. More posts to come!

Laundry Hooks

2011-01-27T09:46:00.000-06:00

I'm not really one to start collections, but I noticed myself falling for all of these adorable hooks I would see and suddenly had eight of them. Our laundry room wall was feeling a little bare and needed more personality. We have a pretty wire photo board covered with pictures of friends and family, but there was too much wall on either side.

Here's the before:

And thanks to my handy husband, here is the after:

Left side:

Right side:

And if you know me well at all, you know this one is my favorite:

Hope you like them!

Family Photo Shoot

2011-01-10T16:58:00.000-06:00

I found this cute program (Shape Collage) for my computer where you can make collages, so I thought I'd share some pictures. Here are some that Kelly took of us yesterday after church. You may have to click on it to make it larger so you can see the pictures. I'm 36 weeks, Daly is about 9 months and Palmer turned 2 in August. :)

Happy New Year!

The Reedys

Crafty Christmas

2011-01-03T11:54:00.000-06:00

We had an amazing Christmas with our families this year and hope all of you did too! There is so much to be thankful for as we wrap up a year of highs and lows and head into the year when we'll meet our baby girl! I'm already 70% effaced, so here's to hoping Maggie arrives at least a few days early. :)

One of my big projects over the break was to get the nursery ready. It isn't quite there, but here's a preview. The curtains and bedding should be in next week, so I'll post more pictures then. We also need to hang pictures and will hang Maggie's name over the crib. The first picture gives a better portrayal of the colors...not sure why the second picture looks so pink! :)

We had bought this chandelier for the nursery from Pottery Barn before we moved into our new house, but it needed some white paint so it would go with all of the grey, yellow and white. Here's the before:

And here's the after:

More to come as the nesting continues! Happy 2011!

Meet Maggie!

2010-12-10T16:58:00.000-06:00

Here are the latest pictures of our adorable little girl! Margaret Jean Reedy is doing great and is healthy as can be. She is about the size of a head of lettuce according to my iPhone app and weighs almost 4 pounds. We only have 2 months left till her arrival, so once the holidays are over, there will be a mad dash to get everything ready and finish nesting.

I took pictures of our 4D images with my phone, so the quality isn't great, but you get the idea. :)

Happy Friday from the Reedys!

Wanted: Dog Trainer

2010-09-15T14:26:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness! Our dogs are out of control...Daly especially. I tried to have my mom take a picture of me with them to send to Jamie because he is out of town and they went to the groomers yesterday. It.was.chaos...

Maybe if I sit down and hold them...

Whew! I give up. I think it's time to call in the pros before Baby Reedy gets here!

Manifesto About Life

2010-09-14T15:35:00.000-05:00

Just a little something that caught my eye today...

{found here via here}

Pop!

2010-09-09T16:45:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day that someone asked me if I was pregnant just because I was showing...not because they had heard anything! I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, but it definitely confirms that my belly has popped. Any sign of a growing baby in there is good enough for me, so I'll take it.

18 weeks, 4 days...

Stay tuned for the gender announcement next Friday!

Our New Nephew!

2010-09-01T09:01:00.000-05:00

Parker Alexander Frizzell was born yesterday (8.31.10) at 6:42 a.m. He is darling - as you will see below - and looks just like his big sister, Laney, did when she was born. He weighs 7lbs 11oz and is 20 inches long. Jamie and I are so excited to have a new baby in the family...especially one that will live right next door! Praise God for a happy, healthy little boy. We will be watching closely and taking notes to prepare ourselves for when our own newborn is here. :)

And here is Laney blowing Parker a good night kiss at Friederike's last night. Isn't this the cutest thing!?! I haven't been at the hospital when Laney was there too, so this is the only shot I have of the two of them together. Haha.

We love you, Kelly, Curtis & Laney!!!

P.S. We find out in 16 days what we're having!!!

Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh

2010-08-27T14:13:00.000-05:00

We just heard Baby Reedy's quick and steady little heartbeat! The whooshing sound was such music to my ears. If you know me well, you know I can be a bit of a hypocondriac when it comes to my pregnancy and sometimes my own health in general, so I'm extremely grateful to have finally heard the heartbeat. (The doctor couldn't find it at my last appointment, which scared me to death!) We feel reassured that God is busy at work growing our little boy or girl into the baby we will meet in February. I feel beyond blessed today!

We're in the 17th week now, so Baby Reedy is the size of a turnip and the length of my hand.

Jump For Joy!

2010-08-20T11:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! I just saw this picture on Spearmint Baby, a blog I follow. There's just something about this picture that makes me want to jump for joy, too. Maybe it's because this sweet, tailored little girl somehow reminds me of my grandmother, Margaret, who I dearly wish was still around. :)

A New Dress Every Day

2010-08-18T13:48:00.001-05:00

Now that's a concept I could get used to! I would gladly wear a new dress every day...BUT...not if I had to make them all myself! Check out Marisa's 365-day concept at New Dress A Day. She turned 30 and lost her job, so she decided to engage her creative side by buying $1 thrift store items and turning them into current pieces. She alters the pieces herself (some of which are hideous) and then wears them all day. Amazing before and after pieces are below. Oh, and she gave herself a $365 budget for alteration supplies for the entire year. I could spend that in a day at Green Hills!

Can You Feel The Love Tonight?

2010-08-03T10:08:00.000-05:00

This makes me so happy! What an adorable couple - I hope you can go the distance, Ali & Roberto.

It was so great to see that they're still together and are planning a wedding after the show.

I must say the group of girls I watch the show with every week called Roberto from the minute we saw him on screen. And not to gloat, but I picked Roberto, Cape Cod Chris and Frank that first night too. If only I'd wagered something!

Here we all are at our fancy finale party! Haha, I know we're dorks, but it was fun!

Firefly Events

2010-08-02T14:25:00.000-05:00

Not only am I growing a baby in my belly; I'm also growing a new venture that I wanted to tell you all about! Michelle Meadows and I have started Firefly Events, a wedding and event planning company. Visit our website or blog for more information and be sure to "like" us on Facebook. I'll post event pictures on our company blog and on this one. Thanks for your support!

PROUD PARENTS-TO-BE!!!

2010-07-28T11:45:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited to go public with our big news! Jamie and I are PREGNANT and are expecting a baby on February 6, 2011!!! After watching our little guy or girl squirm around on the ultrasound monitor yesterday, I just can't keep the news in any longer. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen, and we both fell madly in love with this child and are anticipating the arrival like nothing else.

These pictures don't do it any justice and then I made it worse by taking a picture of them with my iPhone instead of scanning them in. But, I still have to show them off because we just can't believe we have a healthy baby in there!

The heart rate was 160 and all of the measurements looked great. We saw the baby moving its mouth, arms and legs and even rolling around. The intestines have already made their way back into the abdomen from the umbilical cord, which is one of those weird things I had no idea about until last week, but this is a great little milestone.

So far, I've gained about two pounds, so you wouldn't really know I was pregnant just by looking at me. I'm 12 weeks 3 days and the baby is about 3 inches long (the size of a fuzzy little peach).

Lots of love from The Reedys!

Shoe Craving

2010-07-22T15:24:00.000-05:00

I have been drooling over Jennifer Aniston's fabulous shoes for months. She wore a tan version just last week, but I can't seem to find the picture. I. AM. OBSESSED. Too bad they are Jimmy Choos. Do you think Jamie would kill me if I ordered them? I really do need a new pair of black dressy sandals. ;)

Me, A Good Cook?

2010-07-20T09:59:00.000-05:00

The verdict is still out on that one, but the Williamson A.M., our local paper that is distributed with The Tennessean, seems to think so. Vicki Stout did a wonderful piece on my cooking and entertaining habits. And it was so much fun to get the paper that day and see it in person...even though I looked it up on my iPhone first thing that morning. :)

Make sure you copy the recipes at the end of the article. They are 3 of my faves!

For this cook, iPhone goes with grocery cart

Ingredients inspire recipes and sometimes shortcuts

By Vicki Stout

FOR WILLIAMSON A.M.

Brentwood resident Samantha Reedy is one of the new breed of cooks, the kind who uses technology. Not for the preparation, but for the researching.

"I always take my iPhone to the grocery with me. If I see an ingredient that interests me, I research to find recipes and then shop accordingly. I use AllRecipes.com and Epicurious.com a lot. Most of my recipes come from the web or from friends," says the 2000 graduate of Brentwood High School.

She and her husband, Jamie, both graduated from Brentwood that year, went to different colleges and then began dating after college. They married in August 2008 at Brentwood United Methodist Church and have recently moved into a new home in King's Crossing subdivision. They entertain weekly.

"Now that we have this big house, we have friends and neighbors over all the time. In fact my sister lives next door, so they're here often, and we have one couple who eats with us once a week. We have people over two or three times a week," she said.

She and her husband work full time, but still manage to entertain at a breakneck pace.

"My generation is all about shortcuts, and our expectations aren't that high I suppose on food," she laughs.

She says Jamie is great on the grill. He makes quick and easy things such as corn on the cob and a cheddar ranch chicken dish. When she does most of the cooking, he does most of the cleanup.

They entertain with real dishes, glasses and silverware. No paper goods.

She said they've both learned a lot about cooking from their mothers.

"Jamie is one of three boys, so his mom always cooked for four men. She made lots of hearty food, meats and pasta. My mom cooked for my sister and me, so we had lots of salads, cheeses and fruits. She's great at using whatever she has and putting a delicious meal together," she said.

Reedy may entertain a lot, but she's not serving the same dishes repeatedly. She says she likes to mix it up, and loves preparing ethnic foods including Mexican, Asian and Italian.

In addition to her entertaining schedule, she makes meals for those in need in her Sunday school class at Brentwood Methodist a couple of times a month.

All of it is quite the accomplishment for a professional who works full time. She does prepare some things a night ahead, and some guests bring something simple such as a salad or dessert.

"When I do the dessert, it's usually quick and simple. We sometimes use truffle cups filled with Arrington Vineyards raspberry wine, or I'll layer an Angel Food cake with strawberries and cream," she said.

She sure makes it all sound effortless.

Recipe: Pesto & Chicken Bowtie Bake

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 35 minutes. Servings: 8.

2.5 cups chopped, cooked chicken

2 cans cream of chicken soup (I use Heart Healthy Campbell's)

16 ounces bowtie pasta, cooked and drained

1 jar (12 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 (7 oz.) container of pesto

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, cut into strips

Combine everything into a large bowl. Spoon into lightly greased 3 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with more Parmesan if desired. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes

Recipe: Apple, Almont & Goat Cheese Salad

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Candied pecans:

3 ounces chopped almonds

1 tablespoon sugar

Salad:

3 heads butter lettuce, rinsed and torn

1/2 cup dried cherries

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

3 ounces chopped candied almonds

Put chopped almonds in a small skillet on medium heat. Cover with a tablespoon of sugar. Stir continually as sugar begins to melt and coat the almond slivers. Set aside to cool.

In a blender, combine the mayonnaise, maple syrup, vinegar and sugar. Cover and blend on low speed. Gradually pour in the vegetable oil while mixing until fully incorporated. Taste and season accordingly with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large serving bowl, combine the lettuce, cherries, apples, goat cheese and candied pecans. Toss with just enough of the dressing to coat, then serve with the remaining dressing on the side.

Recipe: Molten Chocolate Cakes

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 13 minutes. Servings: 4.

4 pieces (squares) Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate

1/2 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter

1 cup powdered sugar

2 whole eggs

2 whole egg yolks

6 tablespoons flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 4 ramekins with Pam and place on cookie sheet.

Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl on high for about 1 minute, until butter is melted. Whisk until chocolate is also melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour.

Divide between cups.

Bake 13-14 minutes until sides are firm and center is soft. Let stand 1 minute. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Runner Status

2010-07-08T17:09:00.000-05:00

{image via Flickr}

One of the blogs I follow is constantly challenging me in ways the the writer probably doesn't intend. The latest is about being a manager vs. a runner. He's talking about business projects we're assigned to, which is certainly applicable to my life. (There are a few projects I should be running that I'm simply managing, so I hereby vow to step up my game.) But the idea of being a runner in the way that I handle other responsibilities and the way I face life is really convicting. I think I'll let this soak for a little while so I can actually apply this one...

The Joys Of Homeownership

2010-07-08T11:52:00.000-05:00

Jamie and I haven't had to do any major repairs on our new house since it's still under warranty, but one day that time will come. Here's a great tool from Fixr to help you gauge just how much certain repairs and improvements will cost. It's very basic, but gives you a starting place. Go here for details and to see the chart in full size.

{found via Charles & Hudson}

My Mantra Today

2010-07-07T17:19:00.000-05:00

{via Semigloss Chic}

Bree Tanner

2010-07-01T16:52:00.000-05:00

If you aren't into the Twilight series, you are welcome to skip this post. But, for those of you who also went to the midnight premiere of Eclipse this week, I wanted to share some extra reading material. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is the spin-off story of a newborn girl who you meet in Eclipse. I read the first few pages and it is entertaining enough. Click here to check it out and make sure you change the page size on the top right. It's free to read online until July 5th.

Celine's Water Park Home

2010-06-30T14:48:00.000-05:00

I'm in love and I am dying to see the inside! Check out Celine Dion's new home, which is complete with a beautiful water park. It was a $20 million project on Jupiter Island, Florida. Chick here for more pictures and make sure you note my favorite feature...the swim-up bar.

Future Tripping

2010-06-29T16:15:00.000-05:00

My friend, Karrie, shared this insightful article with me and it was good enough to pass along. Most of us are constantly worrying about tomorrow instead of living in the moment. The author of The Shack, Paul Young, writes about these un-realities that we buy into...trips into a future that doesn't exist outside of our own minds. Read Paul's blog post here.

Sleeping Through The Night

2010-06-28T15:36:00.001-05:00

We had our first big milestone with the new puppy last night! Daly finally slept through the night. I got some much needed sleep after two straight weeks of wandering outside with him in my pajamas at all hours of the night. Now if only we can get him completely housebroken...

(Daly at 10 weeks)

John "Daly" Reedy

2010-06-15T16:31:00.000-05:00

Daly moved in last night! Look at this sweet little guy!

He wasn't a big fan of the car ride home and kept trying to climb on top of my head!

But now he's adjusting and has made friends with Palmer. We think he's a keeper! ;)

TOMS Wedges

2010-06-08T11:18:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting a pair of TOMS shoes for a while now, but I never got them because they just don't look cute on me. But now there are these adorable, casual wedges. What do you think? I'll probably order them before the day is over!

For those who don't know TOMS philosophy, for every pair they sell, they give a pair away. Learn more here.

Happy Birthday, Jamie!

2010-06-03T09:22:00.001-05:00

Today is my husband's birthday and since he's half of Team Reedy, I thought I'd give him a shout out on "our" blog. By "our" blog, I mean he doesn't really follow it and has never posted on it. ;) I'll tell him to check it out today though!

{At The Parthenon in Greece}

{Candy Cane Cocktails 2009}

{Vegas}

{he's so fun to dance with!}

{At Caitlin's wedding in DC with Drew}

{with Kellen}

{with his fam}

{Giovanni's}

{sporting Michelle's scarf in Europe}

You are the BEST. I love you, James!

@GMAIL.COM

2010-06-02T08:33:00.000-05:00

My friend, Jon, posted this article called "What Your Email Address Says About Your Computer Skills". It is dead on if you ask me. And no offense to my sweet mom, but maybe you belong at AOL.COM afterall. ;) (I've been trying to get her to switch to gmail for months!)

A Proud Member

2010-05-19T14:09:00.004-05:00

Jamie and I went to Arrington Vineyards on Friday night with some good Sunday School friends. We brought dinner and took over a picnic table perched on top of the beautiful property there. After our tasting, we all poured fresh wine and chatted the night away. I even joined the Kix Brooks Wine Club before we left because I was so enchanted with the experience and wanted to keep going back. If you're interesed in joining and want more information, here are some of the details...

- No cost to join.

- Discounted wine & merchandise.

- Priority seating for tastings.

- Pick up or delivery options.

- Exclusive events.

- Signed bottle in your first shipment.

All you have to do is commit to buy 8 bottles a year and you can be a member. Even if we only go out there 4 times a year, we will hit our minimum easily. Plus you get to choose the bottles you want and can pick them up so there are no additional charges. I really can't think of a reason why anyone who likes wine and lives in Nashville wouldn't sign up. :)

You can call them at 615-395-0102 for more info.

Cheers!

LOVE Nashville

2010-05-18T15:02:00.004-05:00

My talented friend, Katie Moore, has gone above and beyond to support Nashville flood victims. I'm so very proud of her. She designed this fantastic sticker, which is for sale here for $5. ALL proceeds will be given to those affected by the flood via the United Way. Green Hills clothier Billy Reid is even turning her design into t-shirts, which can be purchased here. Way to make an impact, Katie!

Nashville Rising

2010-05-13T16:25:00.003-05:00

Nashville has shown its true colors these past couple of weeks. I'm so proud of my hometown for the way everyone has risen up to support one another. The flood was devastating, but now it is gone and people are working day and night to rebuild not only their own homes and lives, but their friends' and neighbors'. If you haven't seen it yet, this video helps to show just how strong the water was that washed through our dear city at the beginning of May.

Costume Gala

2010-05-06T16:01:00.005-05:00

I just have to do a quick post to tell you how much I loved Sienna Miller's look at the MET Costume Gala.

J Lo wasn't looking so bad either. This is MUCH better than the bedazzled unitard she has been wearing lately!

Those were my two favorites.

Cold Drinks On Hot Days

2010-05-06T14:22:00.003-05:00

I can't wait to try the new version of the Starbucks Frappuccino. I used to get the Caramel Light one, but now they are making them to order so you can get soy, non-fat, sugar-free, etc. If they taste anything like my usual Caramel Macchiato, I'll be getting them at least twice a week all summer long. Try them for half price May 7-16 between 3 and 5 p.m.

Daly's One Week Pictures

2010-04-28T13:52:00.013-05:00

We aren't sure which one of these will actually be Daly, but they are all so adorable that it doesn't seem to matter! They are one week old in these pictures...

This one is Jamie's favorite. His nickname for now is "Leipers".

Cuddling in the laundry basket.

I don't think they open their eyes for another week. What amazing little

creatures from an amazing God!The whole litter with all 7 puppies.

Resting in God

2010-04-05T16:43:00.002-05:00

My sweet friend Katie sent this to me and it is really ringing true. Despite our circumstances, it's so nice to know that God is a part of it all and is walking with us as we journey through life.

There is nothing, no circumstance, no trouble,
no testing,
That can ever touch me
until first of all it has gone past God and past Christ
right to me.

If it has come that far,
it has come with great purpose, which
I may not understand at the moment,
but as I refuse to become panicky,
as I lift up my eyes to Him and accept it
as coming from the Throne of Christ
for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart,

No sorrow will ever disturb me;
No trial will ever disarm me;
No circumstance will cause me to fret.

For I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is,
That is the rest of the Victory.

- Alan Redpath

Twists, Turns, Babies & Puppies

2010-04-05T10:14:00.030-05:00

You really just never know where you're going. All you can do is agree to be along for the ride and wait to see where God will lead you. The next moment can always throw you for a loop and rock your world. Some of the turns Jamie and I have been taking in the past couple of months have been the fun, incredible kind that you lose your stomach on. Others have not been so kind.

We closed on our new house on March 26th and had just found out that we were pregnant. I've never been so full of life or so hopeful for the road ahead. It was the beginning of a new phase of life - a phase we had been working on for months. The new house has been a huge blessing, but the pregnancy was short lived. We had a miscarriage at 4.5 weeks. The aftermath has been sad and full of grief, but not void of hope. I've learned a lot about myself, about Jamie, and about life. I'm not going to go into details, but I will share some of the things I've been learning and thinking about...

Even when I feel despair, I can keep my faith because God is good even when life isn't.
I trust that greater good can come from bad circumstances. I have already seen that happen in our situation and am grateful.
My husband recognizes and acknowledges when he is having a hard time relating to me. He is more logical than I am, but that's part of what makes us such a good team.
My body is able to recognize when there are problems and let nature take its course, as my mom says.
It's okay to get distracted for a while when I don't want to face my problems or feel sad.
It's also okay to dwell in the pain and spend time grieving any loss.
I am now convinced that life begins at conception. A miscarriage is a loss no matter when it happens.
Everyone grieves differently and I didn't really know until now that I need a lot of time to heal privately before I can talk about what I'm going through.

It helps to ask yourself what you thought you would do or feel if something like this ever happened to you. Those questions have kept me grounded in myself even as I'm evolving.

I am so grateful to all of you who have supported Jamie and I during this time. Michelle & Elizabeth for your kindness in Vegas and since. The Ryans & Mike for supporting Jamie so well. Our families for the hugs and love. Jess for the beautiful necklace that I will always wear to remember our little apple seed. Ang & Christian for the beautiful flowers. Ona for the book. KP for the prayers and walks at Radnor. Jenn for the wine nights. Jill for driving in from Birmingham. Peter for the flexibility at work and the concern. Rhonda, my nurse, for rubbing my back and telling me it was going to be okay. And so many others who have helped to carry this grief in countless other ways. We feel your love and thank you.

I just got a call today from my doctor saying that my follow up bloodwork from yesterday showed that my levels are back to zero. This is a huge relief and gives me a lot of closure.

And to end on a happy note, here's a picture of our new puppy (not sure which one he is yet)! "Daly" was born on April 17th and should be ready to come live with us around June 12th. Palmer can't wait. :)

Butterflies

2010-03-24T11:15:00.005-05:00

Our closing has been changed to this Friday instead of next Wednesday! TWO MORE DAYS till we are homeowners again. WOW! I can't tell you how excited and stressed out I am. Butterflies are my new normal. We leave Saturday for Vegas with some dear friends from our Sunday School class, so it's going to be one heck of a weekend.

Freshness

2010-03-19T16:09:00.004-05:00

Isn't SPRING fresh? It's like there is a newness in the air today. People's spirits are lifted and God is shining down on us, making us feel a little bit closer to Him. Reminding us to hope, to dream, to enjoy. I'm in love with this weather!

Progress Feels GOOD!

2010-03-17T10:56:00.008-05:00

We had a very successful walk through yesterday and the progress left me itching to get into this pretty house! We are feeling blessed beyond measure and can't wait to make it ours. And doesn't it look better without the stark white columns out front?

Here's the back...And here's a view of the common area and creek in the back yard...I would also HIGHLY recommend buying $5 samples of paint before you commit to a color. Just put two coats on a piece of poster board and hold it up to the wall so you can make sure you like it. Here are a few I'm trying on for size...

Guest Room Bedding

2010-03-15T16:48:00.004-05:00

It's hard to pick paint colors before you pick bedding! Which one do you think we should do in our guest room? I'm torn!

This feminine one...

Or this masculine one...

Still Building

2010-03-12T16:16:00.011-06:00

We aren't closing on St. Patrick's Day anymore, but we are making serious progress. Here are some shots of the house to document. We will be painting the front porch to match the louvered vents and garage doors...This is phase one of our landscaping...
And here is a picture of our adorable mailbox!

Cabinets to surround my Black Friday washer & dryer that I'm still proud of...

The kitchen (the cross is just holding up the granite while it dries). Note our new backsplash and that we will definitely paint the pantry door so it compliments the cabinet color...

Another view of the kitchen to show the before of where the fridge goes. We are waiting for our raised panel ends to arrive and then the over-the-fridge cabinets will be extended to the depth of the oven cabinetry...

The kitchen island is a major work in progress...

That's all for now, but we have our first walk through on Tuesday, so there will be more to come!

Lady A at The Ryman

2010-03-12T13:20:00.007-06:00

Last night, Jamie and I went with his parents to see Lady Antebellum at the Ryman. It was an amazing, fun-filled night. Here's a picture of Kelly and I with Minnie Pearl and (who is he?).

This venue is amazing and our seats were a lot better than they look in this awful iPhone picture.

In other news, I've convinced Jamie to let me get another puppy!!! Here are two options, but we will probably wait for our breeder's next litter to be born in April.

St. Patrick's Day 2010

2010-03-02T14:35:00.009-06:00

UPDATE: Our closing has been moved to March 31st! Boooo...

That's the day we are supposed to close on this guy! It's going to be so much fun to move in and start nesting. Here's a poor quality preview of our new dining room. I'm really happy with how the chandelier turned out! Now if only I could decide on furniture...

The Junque Trunk

2010-03-02T14:01:00.006-06:00

I just fell in love with a new item that I think every girl should have. The Junque Trunk. It's an adorable way to stay organized or transport things. My friend Sarah used one last week to carry groceries in and I've been wanting one ever since. Today during lunch, I ran to Hot Pink to buy one and was surprised to see how many cute patterns and styles they have. You can get them online here. I'm planning to keep mine in the trunk of my car to keep my junk in, hence the name. They'd also be cute in an office or pantry!

Dear Girlfriends,

2010-02-13T17:47:00.003-06:00

Could we please stay friends forever so we can grow old together and have silly moments like this? It makes aging look a lot more fun.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!

Love,

Samantha

Photo found here.

Building Patience

2010-01-22T09:24:00.004-06:00

When Jamie & I contracted on our new house, we were offered a substantial incentive by agreeing to close in December. As most of you know, the house is far from finished and we are on the brink of February. We don't mind though because our townhouse sold in two weeks, Jamie's family took us in, and our builder is honoring the incentive even though the house isn't ready! I drive by our new abode all the time and have found my new favorite creative outlet in picking finishes and decorating. Here's a picture from two weeks ago so you can see the progress. We should be finished with drywall and have a driveway by this time next week. It's looking like it will be all ours at the beginning of March!

Free Tacos

2010-01-13T17:26:00.005-06:00

We went with our friends, the Meadows, to most of the Vandy home games this year. Taco Bell was constantly on the jumbo-tron announcing that if Vandy scored a certain number of points, everyone in the stadium would get a free taco. I found this to be hysterical, especially since a guy in our section kept screaming "freeeeee tacoooooooos". Well, we never made it to Taco Bell to get our tacos, but you can go HERE to get yours. Once you print the coupon, you have a week to redeem it. And good luck with the Drive Thru Diet...yeah right, Taco Bell.

12 Free Workout Songs

2010-01-08T08:56:00.002-06:00

The Biggest Loser and Subway are offering a FREE download the Biggest Loser Workout Mixes. These wouldn't necessarily be on my workout playlist, but they're free, so why not? Click HERE to get 12 free tracks including Love Story by Taylor Swift, Paparazzi by Lady Gaga, Umbrella by Rihanna, Stronger by Kanye West, etc...

Hey Jude!

2010-01-04T15:45:00.005-06:00

This was on Ryan Seacrest's blog and it just so happens to be one of our artists here at EMI CMG! Apparently someone went the wrong way through security and so all of Newark went on lock down. Josh Wilson provided some much needed entertainment...

For the full news article, click here.

Design Obsessed

2009-12-11T10:07:00.009-06:00

We are building a new house, so I have become completely enthralled with all of the beautiful things that we can put inside it. In fact, I'm so inspired by it all that I'm going to be starting a company on the side so I can do more decorating even after our rooms are filled. Stay tuned for details!

The new Lonny Magazine is a great online source of inspiration. Here are a few of the things I'm hoping will find their way into our home...

This is a gorgeous garden stool that I plan to use as an end table by our new sofa...

and perhaps this console table to go behind it...

This Z Gallerie mirror should definitely go over our bed in the master...and then there are two rugs I've been eyeing for some time. This one for the living room or dining room...

...and one of these for the media room.

I'm also on the hunt for some pretty wingback dining chairs to use at the heads of the table. Let me know if you see anything! I'm picturing something like this but with darker nail heads and in a neutral pattern.

Have a great weekend!

Musical Goodness

2009-11-11T13:57:00.005-06:00

There are two great things online that you should check out today. The first is Butch Walker's version of Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" and the other is a full stream of Nora Jones' new album that releases on 11/17/09.

Walker produced Katy Perry, Pink, All American Rejects and many others. Start this video at 2:48 to listen to the song. I love his version...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOQAjsi0YQA

Once you've listened to that, go to this link and enjoy 45 minutes of Nora Jones' new album, The Fall. It's lovely, and I will be buying it when it comes out next Tuesday. (Plus, she is an EMI artist, so I feel some pride to work in her label family.)

Update On The Sell

2009-10-23T10:49:00.006-05:00

Please say a quick prayer for us today. The agent who showed our house on Wednesday called Jamie yesterday to let him know an offer would be coming in today!!! God is so good to us.

We're also praying that God will be good to my sister & her husband. Did I mention that she's selling her house and is going to be my neighbor soon? Yay! Isn't her house adorable?

Somewhere Between Past & Future

2009-10-19T11:37:00.014-05:00

Moving is so bittersweet. We can't wait for our new house to be ready (hopefully in December), but we're also leaving the first home where we started our marriage and have so adored. Now our townhouse is on the MLS and the foundation is poured on our new lot. All of the excitement and planning that goes into building a house for our future is met by all of the anxiety and cleaning that goes into selling the house of our past. We are praying for the right buyer and are also praying over the new house where our family will grow and hopefully flourish.

My photographer friend, Austin, came to take pictures of our townhouse for the MLS. I'll share a few more of our favorites below. We have no idea how much longer we'll be able to enjoy this place. With the tax credit deadline quickly approaching on 11/30, we are hoping to get some more traffic soon!

We think Palmer knows something's up!

Turning Twenty-Eight

2009-10-02T14:15:00.008-05:00

I'm feeling so blessed that I just have to blog about it. My birthday isn't until tomorrow, but I have already felt so much love that you would think it was over. It started with Supper Club cupcakes at Anna Clare's on Tuesday and then a surprise invitation for Michelle, Elizabeth and I from our sweet husbands on Thursday night. They'll be taking us to Patterson House & Giovanni's (two of my very favorite places) in a limo tomorrow night to celebrate the October birthday girls. I also walked up to my beautiful office this morning that Katie and Jess got here early to decorate. Check out their handy work!

Then came the lunch with all of my amazing co-workers at Chile Burrito (another fave). I'm so very luck to know each of these people.

Not shown are Chris York, Dave Parker, Jon Arnold, Katie Moore, my mom, sister Kelly, and niece Laney. We took over the restaurant and the amazing owner, Jason, bought my burrito. Jess got the rest of my lunch including yummy queso that Jamie will be sad he missed!

Thanks to my friends/co-workers, family and sweet husband, 28 isn't looking so bad anymore!

Facing Loss

2009-08-28T10:52:00.004-05:00

There are so many character-defining moments in each of our lives. This week was one of those moments for my family, and I couldn't be prouder of the way everyone has handled it and supported one another. My sister was about six weeks pregnant when she started to experience symptoms of miscarriage at the beginning of the week. She went to the doctor so they could confirm what she pretty much knew was happening. With lots of grace and hope for the future, she has faced this head-on with the best attitude. I have grieved for her with many tears, but we both know that this is likely God's way of protecting her family from something much worse, or as Jill said, a lifetime of pain. Sometimes He points us in a different direction than what we believe is best, but I will choose to follow His path rather than mine and trust that even when facing loss, God is good.

Moonlight Trail

2009-08-27T16:02:00.009-05:00

The other night, Jamie and I spent some time wandering around our soon-to-be neighborhood together. We are going to be moving to the suburbs at the end of the year and will be building a house next door to my sister, her husband, and our adorable niece, Laney!

Here's our new lot...

Kelly's new lot...
And our new street!

We can't wait to start this new journey together. Our one year anniversary is Sunday, so it feels like a good time to shake things up!
Cheers!

My Favorite Chocolate Cake

2009-08-06T13:38:00.004-05:00

It's my favorite chocolate cake ever and guess what...I made it all by myself! The Pioneer Woman featured the recipe on her new Tasty Kitchen site, so I followed her directions (with a few substitutions of my own), and wa-lah, four yummy molten chocolate lava cakes! I recommend substituting real butter for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. You couldn't tell and it isn't as fattening. That way you can have more vanilla ice cream with it and not feel as guilty!

Photo by Ree, The Pioneer Woman, found here.

Prep Time 15 Minutes
Cook Time 13 Minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
4 pieces (squares) Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate
½ cups I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
1 cup Powdered Sugar
2 whole Eggs
2 whole Egg Yolks
6 Tablespoons Flour
2 cups Real Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons Sugar

Step-by-step
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Spray 4 ramekins with Pam and place on cookie sheet.
Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl on high for about 1 minute, until butter is melted. whisk until chocolate is also melted.
Stir in sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour.
Divide between cups.
Bake 13-14 minutes until sides are firm and center is soft. Let stand 1 minute.
Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

I'm Taking A Poll

2009-07-31T09:52:00.007-05:00

Which wrist do you wear your watch on? I got the Michael Kors watch I blogged about (yay!), but now I keep switching wrists throughout the day. I can't commit. Since I'm right handed, shouldn't I wear it on the left wrist? I feel like I should, but I keep switching back to my right.

What do you think? Does it matter?

P.S. The Dillards in Green Hills has been having buy one get one half price on all of their jewelry!

Pei Wei Just Made My Day

2009-07-31T09:23:00.006-05:00

What can I say, I'm a big fan of Pei Wei. The lettuce wraps and honey seared chicken have always been my favorites, but now they have something even better...sesame chicken. Go try it, people. It's only here for a limited time, but maybe if enough of us eat it, they'll keep it around for good! And the best part is that I just tried to get the picture of it from their website (couldn't because it's flash) and they have a make-it-at-home recipe! I'll try it and let you know how it goes!

In select markets, you can order online and save 25% too! (Brentwood location doesn't seem to work).

Sesame Chicken Home Version
Serves 4

Sauce
Soy Sauce ½ Cup
Hoisin Sauce 2 ½ Tbsp
Sugar ½ Cup
White Vinegar ¼ Cup
Shao Xing Cooking Rice Wine 2 ½ Tbsp
Chicken Broth 2 ½ Tbsp
White Pepper Pinch
Orange Zest 1 ¼ Tbsp
1. Place all ingredients in a sauce pan, whisk together, and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.

Chicken
Chicken Breast-boneless, skinless 2 lbs
Potato Starch 1 Bag
Whole Eggs 1 each
Milk 2 Cups
White Pepper Pinch
Salt Pinch
1. Cut chicken breast into ¾ inch squares.
2. Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and white pepper together.
3. Place potato starch in a mixing bowl.
4. Dredge chicken through egg wash, then dust in potato starch.
5. Shake chicken in a strainer to remove excess starch.

Dish
Vegetable Oil 1 Qt
Red Bells Peppers, large dice ½ each
White onions, large dice ½ each
Chili Sauce, asian 1 Tbsp
Minced Ginger ½ Tbsp
Scallions, cut into rings, white part only ¼ cup
Sesame Oil 1 Tsp
Cornstarch 1 Tbsp
Water 1 Tbsp
1. Mix water and cornstarch together

Prepare
1. Heat vegetable oil in a large sauce pan.
2. Once at 350 degrees cook chicken dredged in potato starch for 2 minutes or until cooked all the way through.
3. Drain on paper towels and reserve.
4. In a flat bottom wok or a large sauté pan heat 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil until smoking hot.
5. Add minced ginger and chili sauce, then sauté for 5 seconds.
6. Add red bell peppers and onions, then sauté for 20 seconds.
7. Add sesame sauce, bring to a boil.
8. Add cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce.
9. Add chicken and toss together, coating all of chicken evenly.
10. Add sesame oil and toss together.
11. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

The Pioneer Woman

2009-07-29T11:12:00.006-05:00

Her name is Ree and she is the kind of blogger I aspire to be. She is a 30-something wife and mother who shares a wealth of information about various topics including photography, gardening, "confessions", raising children, and cooking (see her new Tasty Kitchen for incredible recipes with step-by-step instructions). She has four kids (below) and a husband she refers to as Marlboro Man. Learn more about how she ended up on a ranch here.

Mad Hatter

2009-07-27T16:41:00.010-05:00

I'm looking for the perfect hat to take on my cruise to the Mediterranean in September! Which of these Urban Outfitters finds do you think suits me the best???

I know what my favorite is but need help deciding!

Speaking of "Arnold Palmer"...

2009-07-27T16:18:00.010-05:00

Our newest best friends, Michelle & Ryan, turned us on to a great summer drink that you should all try (only if you drink...no pressure!) We call it an Arnold Palmer because it's an alcoholic version of the lemonade & sweet tea mixture that has adopted his namesake. Jamie & Ryan upgraded it to a John Daly though because of the alcohol factor.

To start, make a pitcher of Crystal Light lemonade. (Any lemonade will do, but this is an excellent low-calorie version.)
Get a glass of ice and pour a shot of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka in. Fill the rest of the glass with the lemonade, mix & enjoy!

Mmmmm....

Arnold Palmer

2009-07-27T16:11:00.007-05:00

Our resident photographer I told you about in "My Precious Goddaughter" has a knack for photographing our puppy as well! While we were in Philadephia this weekend, Austin puppy-sat for us and got these amazing shots of Palmer. You can compare them to our blog header to see how much our little guy has grown since Christmas! He's almost 30 pounds now.

New Moon

2009-07-23T10:20:00.005-05:00

If you haven't jumped on the teenage bandwagon and read the Twilight series, I can't help but recommend it. I liked each of the four books better than the last, but I didn't care for the first movie. The New Moon movie, however, looks MUCH BETTER!!! (Thank goodness)! Check out the new trailer here. It comes out on November 20th if anyone wants to go!

http://www.newmoonthemovie.com/

Healthcare Changes

2009-07-23T09:28:00.003-05:00

I promise I won't start posting lots of political blogs, but my sister sent me this link this morning and I thought it was worth sharing. The healthcare debate is one that will affect every one of us, so check out this petition and then ignore it if you disagree or sign it if you agree. America allows you to make that choice!

http://www.freeourhealthcarenow.com/

Closer To Love

2009-07-22T16:52:00.001-05:00

My husband and I have been loving the new Mat Kearney album, City of Black & White. It's one of those great CDs that you can listen to all the way through over and over. Check him out on Conan tonight too!

Baja Fresh - Free Burritos

2009-07-22T14:23:00.003-05:00

Today only, Baja Fresh will give free burritos if you purchase a drink and bring this coupon in! I'll be at Virago or else I would definitely go take advantage!

My Precious Goddaughter

2009-07-21T11:09:00.010-05:00

Last year, my husband and I received what I believe is one of the biggest honors we will ever have in this lifetime. My sister Kelly and her husband Curtis asked us to be godparents for our niece Laney! We are still gushing over this role in her life and feel so blessed. It has been so much fun watching her grow up!

My friend Austin has been taking pictures of Laney for us since she was just a few months old. He gets more and more talented each time a shoot comes up. I want to show off my adorable goddaughter and also our master photographer, Austin Gros. Check out the Matilda Jane blog he got Laney featured in too!

http://www.austingros.blogspot.com/

http://www.matildajane.typepad.com/

Ding & Rapid Rewards Dining

2009-07-15T15:34:00.005-05:00

Southwest is my favorite airline, so I wanted to make sure everyone has signed up for Ding and Rapid Rewards Dining.

Ding allows you to find flights from your favorite departure city to multiple cities at a deeply discounted fares.

Rapid Rewards Dining gives you points towards a free flight just by listing your credit card numbers and eating at various restaurants in your area.

Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions!

The Sounds & Smells of Summer

2009-07-15T14:32:00.012-05:00

I love the sounds and smells of summer. Burgers on the grill, splashing kids in the pool, flowers in bloom...all of these things make me especially happy this time of year. And how great has our weather been these past few weeks!?!

My friend Aftin told me about this website where she gets perfume. It's called Unlimited Perfumes and they offer designer perfumes at deep discounts. If you don't own Just Cavalli for Her, it is one of my favorite summer perfumes. You can get it on this site for $18.90 if you don't mind it coming without the box. They sell the testers that were never used or you can get it for $24.95 if you'd prefer the full packaging.

What are some of your favorite things about summer?

Do You Believe In Ghosts?

2009-07-14T11:31:00.012-05:00

I'm not quite sure if I can answer that question. I believe the Bible, so I believe that there are angels and demons, but I don't allow myself think about whether or not there are dead people haunting the world in some other dimension. Creepy!

Last weekend we were in Cleveland, TN just north of Chattanooga for a wedding with a bunch of friends. We walked over to a beautiful mausoleum to take pictures of the wedding party and the photographer told us the story behind the blood stained marble there.

Apparently a little girl named Nina (born in 1864) was killed at the age of 7 in a tragic accident in which she was hit by a train. Her family, the Craigmiles, was devastated by their loss and built the mausoleum in her honor. Soon after, these blood stains appeared on the entrance. They are said to be Nina's handprints.

The marble has been cleaned and even replaced, but the blood stains somehow find a way to resurface. Each time another Craigmiles family member was buried in there with Nina, the stains grew darker. Needless to say, I was uneasy the entire time we were there taking pictures and wanted to get away from that place asap!

What do you think about ghosts?

College Football

2009-07-14T09:57:00.005-05:00

Jamie and I love us some college football! We even cheer for four different teams. LSU & Vandy for Jamie and UT & UF for me. This year, we are getting season tickets for Vandy games. I must admit that after going to games at the Swamp and Neyland stadium, it feels a little odd to support Vanderbilt this year, but it's my husband's alma mater so I've married into it. Does anyone else go to Vandy games? We are starting a tailgate if you'd like to join us!

Etsy Finds

2009-07-09T15:55:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite places to browse for beautiful things is Etsy.com. It's full of handmade and vintage items and you can even search only local vendors. I recently fell in love with these necklaces, but handmade items can be a little pricey.

Stay tuned for more information about my very own etsy store I'm creating for my paintings. :)

Wish Lists

2009-07-08T10:52:00.005-05:00

I just learned about Amazon's Wish Lists and suggest that everyone have one if you don't already! It's a personal registry that you create so people know what you actually want for your birthday, Christmas, etc. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all about surprises, but for the gift givers who want an actual list from you, this is genius.

We Loooove Kids

2009-07-08T10:32:00.003-05:00

This is my favorite picture from the first half of 2009. I'm holding our adorable little cousin, Tyler and Jamie has her brother Ethan and our neice/goddaughter, Laney. They are literally a hand full, but we had so much fun with them over Memorial Day this year.

The King of Pop: In Memory

2009-07-07T16:10:00.002-05:00

There are many faces that we can remember Michael Jackson by, but I must say that this is the one that will come to mind whenever I think of him. It was taken around 1985 when he was about my age (27), and I think it's the one that suited him the best. RIP Michael.

Please Advise: DIRECTV

2009-07-07T10:33:00.004-05:00

My husband and I are thinking about selling our Tivos and switching to DIRECTV so we can cancel our phone line and hopefully save a little money. We want atleast one DVR, the basic channels, and HBO, but there are way too many options to sort through online! What do you think we need?

Windy City Festivals

2009-07-06T14:32:00.012-05:00

I know it's only been 10 months since I became Mrs. James Terrence Reedy III (whoo hoo), but it feels like I've been part of his family for much longer. I'm lucky to have such great in-laws, and thankfully my husband seems to feel the same about my family. At the beginning of June, Jamie's mom flew us up to Chicago with her to visit his little brothers.

Chicago was teeming with festivals that weekend, so after the art festival in Old Town, we went to RibFest. Prior to dating Jamie, I had never had a rib or chicken wing or anything requiring me to eat meat right off the bone. That has since changed, but I still look a little timid doing it...

One of the great things about his family is that his brothers are all great friends and have a lot in common. I'm looking forward to getting some new sisters from them one day too - there is a slight imbalance of testosterone in the Reedy clan right now. ;)

Thanks for a great trip, Kelly! We hope to visit you again soon, Chicago!

Bacon & Potato Casserole

2009-07-01T17:10:00.006-05:00

One of the fun things to do in your first year of marriage is to try new recipes and break in all of those tricky kitchen tools you got off your registry. If you asked Jamie what his favorite thing is that I make for him, I bet he'd tell you it's my Bacon & Potato Breakfast Casserole. Enjoy and let me know how you make it your own! I adapted it from one I found on Pillsbury.com.

INGREDIENTS
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 bag Green Giant® frozen roasted potatoes with garlic & herbs
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
8 slices of turkey-bacon (microwaved)
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Parsley (I use the parsley in my spice rack)

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350°F
Spray 13x9 pan with Olive Oil Pam
Unroll dough into pan and press to cover bottom and ½ inch up sides to form crust
Bake dough 5 minutes
Meanwhile, microwave potatoes for 2-3 minutes
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, add milk, bacon and 1 cup of the cheese, potatoes, salt and pepper
Spoon mixture over crust
Cover with the remainder of the cheese and sprinkle parsley over top
Bake for 25 minutes

500 Days Of Summer

2009-06-26T14:33:00.006-05:00

My lovely friend Rachel turned me on to Zooey Deschanel's blog. Not only do I want her bangs (I'm getting those again at the end of the summer), but I also got to see a post about a new movie she is in called 500 Days Of Summer that I'm ready to see! It comes out July 17th...anyone want to join me?

My sweet husband also took me to see The Proposal last night. I had so much fun dragging him to a chick flick and watching him actually enjoy it! It was a good movie, and Sandra Bullock remains to be my favorite actress. My favorite part of the night was that as we're leaving the theater, Jamie shared that he thinks he would make a really good actor because he's so cool under pressure. I think a man crush on Ryan Reynolds might have inspired that comment!

Facebook Username

2009-06-24T09:33:00.003-05:00

I was just prompted to set up a facebook username. I'm now www.facebook.com/samantha.reedy. I'm not quite sure that means anything, but I thought I'd share.

I also want to wish my friend Kate a happy birthday. We celebrated with lunch at McDougals & dinner at La Paz last week. I hope this is a great year for you, Kate!

Summer Fridays

2009-06-19T14:53:00.003-05:00

My office has this program during June and July where you can leave at 2PM on Fridays if all of your work is done and your boss says it's okay. We usually don't get off till 5:30PM, so this is a HUGE treat for me. I adore this program and got to take an earlier flight to Chicago last week because of it. However, right now I'm stuck in the office waiting to set up my boss's new iPhone 3GS with 32 gigs that I'm going to be insanely jealous of...all while wishing I had discussed an early departure with him this morning and that my Sprint plan would expire already!

If you live in a cave and didn't know, the new iPhones came out today. I usually don't care about having the latest technology, but this summer, I find myself drooling over this phone...

And just in case my husband or anyone wanting to buy me some jewelry is reading this, I'm also crazy about this watch right now. :)

Enjoy your weekend!!!

Wild Thang, I Think I Love You

2009-05-19T11:11:00.006-05:00

The books we read to our children can sweep them into worlds of imagination far, far away from the safety of our homes. Books can introduce us to new friends and unbelievable places. I'm so thankful that I have inherited my parents’ love of reading and want to share a movie that's coming out based on one of my childhood favorites.

“Where The Wild Things Are” is being made into a movie. It will be in theaters this fall, and I can't wait! Check out the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NOkQ4dYVaM

Baby Season

2009-05-05T10:12:00.006-05:00

Life has many wonderful seasons that it has presented to me over the years. I won't even mention the not-so-wonderful seasons in between because, hey, it's only my 4th post...how depressing would that be!?! So the season that we now find ourselves in is Baby Season. This happens just after the season where a different wedding, shower or bachelorette party awaits you every weekend. It's the season where new life and miracles abound. And it's a season that I am completely hot and cold in. In my "25 Things" post on Facebook, I confessed that I'm currently fighting off the urge to start having kids. It's especially tempting when 4 of my bridesmaids are pregnant, and one just had her adorable baby girl, Callie Monroe Matwijec, last night! I think for now, Jamie and I will admire all of the little ones in our life from afar and then go home to Palmer. We'll see what 2010 will bring...

Meet Callie Monroe Matwijec (5lbs, 18.5in, born 5.4.09)...

I got to hang with her rockstar mommy, but only saw Callie through the nursery window...

I think Joe, Nathan and Jamie were a little stunned at how quickly Mike became a daddy...

We are so proud of you guys!!!

Love,

Samantha, Jamie and our "baby" Palmer

Meet Palmer

2009-04-30T13:57:00.009-05:00

If you're going to follow our blog, it's necessary that you meet our puppy, Palmer! His full name is Arnold Palmer Reedy...obviously Jamie loves to golf. Palmer was born on September 26, 2008 and was a birthday gift for me from my sweet husband. We love him and feel like more of a little family with him around.

This picture was taken at the Centennial dog park last week. Our friend, Austin, took him out for the day while Jamie golfed and I worked.

Twitter @samreedy

2009-04-30T10:30:00.003-05:00

That didn't take long! I'm already twittering...or tweeting...or something??? Thanks @ktphillips for helping me figure out what the heck is going on. I feel a little old today, but I'm going to test it out and see what the fuss is about. If you are on there, let me know so I can follow you. Mine is @samreedy.

Inagural Post

2009-04-30T09:56:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone (or no one since I just started this blog and haven't even told Jamie)! Welcome to the Team Reedy blog. I'm not sure how often I'll update it, but I was talking to some of my best girlfriends last night, and it appears I'm the only one who doesn't have a blog yet. I caved and started this one first thing this morning. I'm such a sucker! I will probably join Twitter next since I'm also that last person left who isn't constantly bombarded with the happenings of friends and strangers alike.

Enjoy and don't judge! I'm new at this. :)

Samantha