Congratulations "Cuz" Hope

I can't believe my little cousin Hope just graduated high school and is heading off into the air force!  Seems just like yesterday me and my dad were driving to downtown Evansville to go to the hospital to visit David and Becky and their new bundle of joy, Hope Angeline Stewart.  I was in college in her younger years and remember spending lots of my college lunches and breaks driving across town to visit her for only a few minutes and then driving back across town to make my next class.  There was lots of times I babysat her, and even plenty more times we were headed to Chuck E. Cheese driving down the road blaring "Oh Mickey" on the radio and being silly! 

She was given, what was supposed to be, a "surprise" graduation/going away party, but somehow I believe she found out about it.  Me and Shawn picked up mom, and we already had Gavin from a previous event that day, and headed to town to attend her party.  Dobie, Charlie, their grandson Trenton, and my Uncle Popeye joined us.  We had a great time visiting, eating yummy food, dancing, and just enjoying each other's company! 

And while I don't see her nearly as often as I used to or should, she'll always be my little "Cuz" Hope!

Cuz Hope....this video is dedicated to you!!  Love ya girl!!

Wordless Wednesdays :)

Dinosaur World

Back in April, Shawn and I picked up Gavin for the weekend and headed to Cave City, Kentucky, which is right outside Bowling Green, Kentucky, to go to Dinosaur World.  I had known this place was here for many years, but forgot about it until a friend posted some pictures from it on Facebook.  Gavin has been on a dinosaur kick lately so I thought it would be the perfect day trip for us to take.  Shawn picked up Gavin the night before and we left bright and early Saturday morning.  There was lots to do once we got there!  We did the dinosaur walk where we walked around a trail and saw lots of giant dinosaurs and plants.  We did the fossil dig where Gavin got a shovel and a little bucket and got to dig through the sand to find all kinds of fossils.  He filled his bucket up in no time!  After filling the bucket up, he got to sift through all of them and pick 3 fossils to keep.  We played on the playground for a little bit.  We went through the dinosaur museum, and then spent alot of time in the gift shop picking out just the perfect toy!  He ended up with a package of 8 different dinosaurs.  We also got him a dinosaur backpack and a dinosaur bootie grabber (that's what we called it!) 

After we left Dinosaur World, we drove around Cave City for a bit before heading into Bowling Green to eat dinner and shop at the mall.  We ate dinner at Montana Grille and they have the BEST jalapeno cornbread ever!  Beth and I ate here a few years ago for her birthday and I wanted to go back.  After dinner we went to the mall and did some shopping and then headed home for the evening!  It was a great trip and I enjoyed making memories with Gavin!

Telling me that the Triceratops dino has 3 horns on his head!

Looking for Wolly Mammoths...and we found some too!

Making a smashed penny from Dinosaur World!  (I looking collecting smashed pennies from places we go.  I even have a smashed penny collectors book to keep all of my smashed pennies in!)

After we left Dinosaur World, we drove around Cave City some.  The Bumper Boat place (which is now rundown) was one of me and Beth's fave places to go while on vacation in Kentucky.  Everytime we drove through this area, my dad would stop and let us ride the bumper boats!  I was bummed that it was closed cause I wanted to ride them with Gavin, but glad that it was still there for the memories it brought back!

Showing me his dinosaurs that he got today.  I couldn't get them out of the package fast enough for him!

A day of pampering myself

On the Saturday before we left for vacation, I spent the afternoon pampering myself!  I went to Impulse Hair Studio to get my hair foiled with my favorite hairstylist Justin :)  I had just got my hair cut the week before, but realized that I probably should of got it foiled too.  Here is a picture of my new do...

Then I headed to Princess Nail Spa in Newburgh to get a mani/pedi and my eyebrows waxed.  They have all been long over do. 

First up the soaking...

Then the warm towels....ahhh.....

Then the polish... 

And the finished product......OPI's Flashbulb Fuschia.  I got this fun color on my fingers too.

And a look inside the Princess Nail Spa from my pedicure chair.

Little Brooklyn's new baby blankie

After I got my sewing machine, and then became addicted to Pinterest, I became a crafting fool!  When I found out that our Pastor's wife was having a baby shower for her daughter Jennifer, I knew immediately what I was going to make her.  I've been searching baby blankets on Pinterest for a while and knew I wanted one.  It was such a simple project to do.  The hardest part was picking out the right fabrics, and then figuring out the easiest way to work with minky fabric (the brown fabric for the backing). 

The proud soon-to-be new mommy with her baby blanket I made her :)