We had visitors :)

How fun is it to have visitors???

*hint hint - more visitors please...stop making excuses and get your butt down here!

I miss everyone.

It sure is nice to have a little North Dakota in Alabama.

Okay, back on subject.

We had visitors this past weekend and it was nice...really nice.

We hit up the beach each day - played a little bean bag toss, played catch, relaxed, and we played 500 (haven't played this since Elementary school).

My competetiveness got the best of me and I was determined to win that game of 500.

 After lots of rough housing and diving in the water, I am proud to announce that I was the winner...I still have it :)

Our first night with guests, we went to one of our local favorites - Happy Harbor - for a low-key evening with live music, pizza, and beer.

Second night...

 The second night was spent at the Flora-Bama - drinking, eating, and dancing = very fun.

Our last night together, the boys grilled buffalo shrimp, wings, and brats. 

The entire evening was spent outside.

We listened to music, sat around our little outdoor table, had a candlelit (one candle, operated by batteries) dinner, and then Michelle and I listened to the boys reminisce for hours.

I would have to say the last night was my favorite.

The trip went by too quickly...come back soon!

Skinny Taco Dip

After perusing the Internet for something fun to make, I came across Skinny Taco Dip.

Normally, I am not a fan of 7-layer type dips.

I do not like cream cheese or sour cream, and refried beans are not my favorite.

So, when I decided to make the Skinny Taco Dip, I was thinking it would mostly be for Dusty and I would maybe try it.

Well, unfortunately, I did try it.

And I proceeded to eat nearly half the pan.

This stuff is delicious...it is honestly hard to stop eating it once you start.

I REALLY suggest that everyone try this recipe.

And then come back and tell me how awesome it was :)

Cookie Cake Bars

I tried out a new dessert recipe - cookie cake bars (that's my creative name for them).

They ended up being pretty darn good.

 

Who doesn't love a recipe with so few ingredients?

This one is being added to my go-to dessert bring for parties...I get invited to so many, so I have to be ready. Ha

Beach Trailer

We created some new wall art in these parts.

Bare wall in the living room needed a little sprucing up...

What do you think?

Pretend that the wall is not that shade of yellow and that I took a better picture and didn't choose the filter that I chose.

I like it - it makes me happy...so bright and cheerful...and it makes me smile.

Beach Trailer sign? My favorite.

We decided we are keeping it forever - it will hang in our garage when we make it big :)

And the best part is...no money was spent.

We had all of the supplies on hand.



Movies, Movies, Movies

Since Dusty's passion is filmmaking and all things cinema, we watch a lot of movies at our house.

Occasionally, Gray gets in on this action.

And when it involves movie night with Gray, we like to hype it up.

We all put our pj's on, crawl into bed with popcorn bowls in hand, occasionally a few starbursts or gummy worms thrown in there too, and we watch the movie together.

Gray loves movie nights.

He watches every single minute of the movie...his eyes never leave the screen.

Maybe he will take after his Daddy :)

Enjoying the weather while I still can.

I've been loving going for walks lately...making sure to appreciate the current weather.

Being the experienced Alabama resident that I am (wink), I know that right around the corner is when the ungodly hot and humid weather will be among us.

I'm hoping I will handle it better this year, but it's unlikely.

Beach walks are my favorite.

Each time I go to the beach, I swear it's prettier than the last time.

My second favorite place to walk is the trail by our house.

It goes on for miles...and it makes me happy.
It's the little things.

Gardening.

To say I have a green thumb would be a bit of an overstatement.

I always thought that if I tried to garden, I would have no problem keeping my plants alive.

Well folks, I was wrong.

Ambition/excitement got the best of us and we bought every type of vegetable seed out there.

We were all "we'll never have to buy vegetables again with our awesome garden we are going to maintain and nurture," or something along those lines.

Dusty was even taking pictures, so I could do a post about it later.

A post including lovely pictures of our plethora of growing, healthy, colorful vegetables.

We watered those things daily and kept them inside by the window - not too much light, but just enough.  They started to grow...all of them.

I was thrilled...and impressed with us.

Having this tray of plants in the house was starting to smell, so naturally I put them outside.

And then I went to the beach...for the entire day.

Then I came home, went directly inside (forgetting about the plants), and spent the next day indoors.

The next night, I happened to have looked out the bathroom window and that's when I saw them...scorched and completely dried out - every single one was wilted, brown, and dead.

All of that time and effort down the drain.

I'm over growing my own vegetables.

Dear Mom and Dad,

   Love,

      Kassie

Date Day in Florida.

Towards the earlier part of last week, it was decided that Saturday would be a date day...and Dusty would plan it.

He would be taking me on a special date.

A date that I would love and enjoy.

He would plan it all with only me in mind.

We would take turns planning.  When it was my turn to plan, it would be the perfect 'Dusty' date, not necessarily the perfect 'Kassie' date.

But, this week, Dusty was planning and it was my time to enjoy.

So, on Saturday morning, Dusty told me the agenda - we would be attending a Blue Wahoos baseball game in Pensacola.

The Blue Wahoos are the minor league team for the Cincinatti Reds.

Now, don't get me wrong, I do like attending sporting events, but it seems to me that Dusty possibly had himself in mind as well during his planning process.

Regardless, I was excited.

We were headed to Florida.

Even though it's only a couple of miles away, it still excites me when we cross that border and are officially in the sunshine state.

Besides this pit stop to snag a picture by the 'Welcome to Florida' sign, our first stop was Hub Stacey's in Perdido Key.

Hub Stacey's french dip sandwich?

Yummm...it's our favorite.

And it's on the water, which means you can't go wrong.

Our second stop was at a sports bar in downtown Pensacola.

Now, this part of the date SCREAMS Dusty.

Watching an entire NASCAR race on a Kassie ideal date?

Um, no...absolutely not.

My spirits/attitude gradually rose when the race was over and we left that bar.

And then, when we walked into the stadium, I was back!

A place I've never been to? And it's gorgeous?

New experience?

Our first baseball game together?

Now, this was what I was talking about!

I think it was possibly one of the coolest stadiums I have seen - completely open, clean, on the water, all of the employees were chipper and seemed to be loving their lives...IT WAS AWESOME!

Visitors in the future - if there is a game while you are here, we are going.

Date Summary:

• Hub Stacey's - fun, lots of fun...and the food was delcious, as usual.


• Downtown Penscaola to watch NASCAR - not fun.

Crabby, demanding, unhappy people as customers AND employees - really brings ya down.

(I tried to be cool about this part of our date, which is why we stayed for the whole race.  If I would have said 'can we please go?', we would have...all about give and take, right?)

• Baseball game - AWESOME.  I'm ready to go back.

Date Grade: B-

It's very possible Dusty was purposely leaving room for improvement.

 

Any suggestions on what I should plan for Dusty's ideal date?

Maybe we'll watch a Real Housewives marathon for four hours in between doing things Dusty will actually like :)

Silly Saturdays - Vol. 7

Silly Saturdays - Volume 7.

Volume 7? Amazing! We are on a roll.

Dusty and I had a date day on Saturday (more to come on that)...anyway, our photo was taken during our date:

True love ♥
(Do you like my earrings?  They are red with white polka dots and so awesome :) If you would like, you can purchase a pair for yourself, or for someone else for only $8 right here: www.kgkproducts.etsy.com)

Silly pics:

I hope y'all are having a great weekend!

A few favorites.

I thought I would share some of my favorite pictures of Gray.

They were taken with my phone, so not the best quality, but he looks adorable nonetheless :)

 I ♥ when he lets me put a little something in his hair.

It doesn't happen very often, so when it does, I take pictures to document how freaking cute he looks.

Coloring has been really in these days.

I enjoy it just as much as him, if not more.

Coloring together? A bonding experience, I tell ya.

Silly Saturdays - Vol. 6

Well, this week I am five days late on posting about Silly Saturday  - please forgive me.

AND to top it off, I didn't even participate this week - please forgive me again.

I suppose this just means I'm going to have to really bring it this Saturday.

Luckily, Gray was in the spirit:

Can you find him?

My wonderful family was sending me silly pictures even without me prompting...

xoxo

I will see y'alls silly faces again in t-2 days...yes!