My Husband... The Pear Thief.

Every December my mouth starts to water for pears. Yes. Pears. The fruit you know?

Now these pears are the most wonderful things that you will ever eat. I am not kidding. They will melt in your mouth. I could go in to great detail as to what these pears will do to you and you life, but my family reads this too... We can just say that they will make your "hiney tingle".

They are from Harry and David. A place where they supply the Gods of the world with their fruit. No lie. And they don't even know that I am writing this- sorry Harry and David but the fruit is divine.


Every single year, the week of Christmas my dad and I go shopping for my mom for Christmas, and every year we go to The Avenue (an outdoor shopping mall) and get a few boxes of these pears.It is our tradition, PLUS they are on sale that week... and I am sorry Harry and David, but $29.99 for 8 pears is a little insane. I might pay it, but still I would rather wait until they are $14.99.

Well this morning JM and I had one pear left. We were going to split it last night, but just wanted to go to bed.... cut to this morning.
I took an apple when I left the house. Now I was going to take the pear, but I knew that he would be upset (yes I will cry over a pear) so I decided that I would leave it and we could share it tonight...


Then I got the email.... HE TOOK THE PEAR. AND HE ATE IT. WITH OUT ME. WTF?!?!?

Here are the emails....

JM- "money talks baby...and I listen to it when it comes to this!(we are discussing why I should have wood grain in a new car- I think that I am fightin a losing battle there)
btw, I took the last pear...it was gonna go bad if I didn't eat it today!" (here is where I lose it...)

ME:
OH. MY. GOSH... now that my dear just broke my heart... the last pear??? I mean you could have eaten it tonight with me... it could have waited until tonight... that is not fair... pears talk to me... they are screaming for me to eat them... You are sucking that goodness away from me!!!!!!!! Oh WHY WORLD??? Why is this happening to me???? my husband will not let me have pears or wood grain... what is wrong with the world....

JM: you're funny!
the pear was screaming to me to take it this morning...there was a ray of sunshine gleaming down on it and that is all I saw when I came into the kitchen!
It would've totally been bad if we left it for tonight!
I HAD to eat it!

ME:That is it... I am blogging about this today... Title?
MY HUSBAND THE PEAR THIEF!

JM:it was calling my name honey!!!


ME:OH and all of this email will be cut and pasted it in there as well... I do not care if it was crying to you.... that was the last one... for the season... I even thought about taking it... BUT NO i took a crummy apple instead because I thought that we could share the pear....
The only 2 ways to make it up to me you ask??? (BTW he didn't ask I told him)
Oh they are giving me a baby... or a new car... take your pick. You stole the pear and now you must suffer the consequences...


JM: how about a cabbage patch doll and a barbie corvette?!
would that suffice?!

ME: Well since I cannot drive a Barbie Corvette on the streets nor can I breastfeed a cabbage patch doll.... no they will not work. I need life size and gas eating car... and milk drinking, air breathing baby... one that really cries and that you cannot just toss into a toy bin.


JM:well, I don't think I can grant that wish until next winter! sorry...
if its any consolation, the pear was pretty damn good! :o)

I love you...what do I want for lunch???

____________________________________________________

WHAT AN ASS. He STOLE the pear. AND I lost the battle... I didn't even have a chance. Mark my words JM darling... this will not be the last of the Battle of the Pears!

and now... I my soul has been sucked away with the last pear... over dramatic you say? Well have just ONE of these pears and they will change your life. You will hoard them for yourself- even though it is the season of giving... and when the last one is gone? and you didnt get to have even a bite of the last one? You will be stark raving mad. Just as I am this minute...

And that email? It really happened, I could not even make that up... Oh and I really do want a baby and a new car- I mean is that so much to ask for? HA! Hell yes it is and I know it...
We will start with the car first... I mean we do have a honeymoon to still go on.

Well for the rest of the day I will be cursing my husband about the damn pears... or not.

~Mrs. McCracken

It's The most wonderful time of the year...

Well I am sad that Christmas is over.

I wish that it were all happening again next week, and the next, and the next. Get the picture here? I love Christmas time.
Everyone seems to be in a better mood and saying "Happy Holidays" (EVEN THOUGH- I always reply with a "Merry Christmas")And the music... Ask JM, it has to be Christmas music. I just wish that I had discovered the "Glee Christmas CD" before the 23rd! Next year...

This Christmas was a little bit different. Just as wonderful, but different. IT was time to make a new "Tradition".

It was our first Christmas, and we even got a "White Christmas" here in Georgia too!

We had Christmas Eve Dinner at my parents house. My mom is the best cook I know and she didn't let anyone down with her beef tenderloin, grilled shrimp, and too many sides to mention. My grandparents and my great-aunt Bunny came too! It was the whole family and to me.... Perfect.

We exchange a few gifts Christmas Eve with my grandparents PaPa and Ema (pronounced Eeeee-Ma. Hey I was little and I got to call her what I wanted to. "Grandma" apparently came out of my mouth in the form of "Ema" and it stuck.) Bunny is my Aunts real name. I would name my daughter that too... if I didn't already call JM, "Honey Bunny" or even for short just "bunny" instead of "honey" (hey I am a little weird OK?), then that might have been our future child's name.

Anyways... The night was perfect. We laughed, they drank (I still am never drinking again after that 4 day hangover) and we all had a great time.

Christmas day was the most different. To me at least. Now do not get me wrong, it was still perfect. Again it was the beginning of a new tradition for me and JM.
We woke up at our own house. Weird. I didn't wake up at my parents house and probably never will again on a Christmas morning. Weird right?
We opened gifts with each other at the crack of dawn. It was great. I love that we sat there like two little kids sitting in "Indian Style" under the tree and laughing and hugging. It was just us, our little family. Tilly and Baby Girl sat with us too.

Then we had to shower and get dressed with the quickness to get over to JM's mom's. We opened gifts there then went on to my parents. We ate breakfast with both sides of the family- We made a Baked French Toast Casserole from "Pioneer Woman" that was amazing and so easy to split the recipe in half- perfect since we needed two of them!

Then it started to snow. And it started to stick to the ground. Let me tell you... it does not ever do that here in Atlanta. So when it does people tend to freak out while driving and it causes a world of problems on the roads. Our goal was to get home and get off the roads and fast. Plus we didn't want to be out too late after dark.

We came home and had a Christmas dinner of SALAD- how not-Christmas is that? (We were going to have Christmas Ham at his moms- but the snow... the damn snow.)It was good and felt pretty good to eat something healthy and not get overly stuffed and miserable at dinner. (yes I know that everyone does that on the holidays! Don't lie!)

After that some of our wonderful friends came over and we ate candy, cookies, pistachios, and more candy all while playing "Catch Phrase". It was a blast. Have you ever heard of the game? If not, get up now and go buy it! It was so much fun... and we all stayed up WAY too LATE.


All in all it was a WONDERFUL Christmas. It was our first Christmas, and that made that much better. Not to mention... Santa (well everyone in our family) did a wonderful job at getting us the most perfect things... Me- a killer pair of boots and a cooking class at Viking that we get to go to together! JM- Cooking class and a 20 game pack of Braves Tickets!
Did I take pictures? No I didn't. Why? Because I was having too good of a time to even think about it... that will be a part of this weeks "resolutions" Stay tuned...

What about you? How was your Christmas? Did Santa bring you want you wanted?

xoxo, Mrs. McCracken

So a little late in updating here.... and as usual, no pictures to follow either. I just do not have time for that right now. There is little time for anything around the holidays!

Last weekend we had a party at our house. A Tacky Sweater Party. It was a blast- from what I heard... I, and a few others as well, had WAY WAY too many Rumplemintz shots. I had done that once in college... and somehow I had forgotten that it was 100 proof alcohol. 100 Proof means you will forget anything that happens and have to be put to bed...
Needless to say, I have sworn off drinking for the rest of my life. No lie. I wanted to die on Sunday... and Monday... and even a little on Tuesday.
It is Thursday and I am just feeling like myself again.

Enough of that...

We had a great time, the clean up was a pain... but still worth the party!

This weekend we are at it again... another party. Hopefully this one will be a little more low-key. Not. What am I saying this one is JM's family party... and they are a BLAST! I still will not be drinking. At all. BUT at least that way I will know that there will not be that much of a mess to even clean up and that I will remember the end of the night as well...

Then next weekend... Christmas. Is everyone ready? Usually, I have pretty presents with pretty bows under the tree... Well not this year. I mean I have barely had time for every one's Thank You notes from the wedding! (BUT I have set a deadline on that one... January 15th. )

I have wrapped gifts, but they were all for the Adopt-A-Family that I mentioned in the last post! JM and I took the presents up there last week, and today they are delivering them to the organization... JM in a Santa Suit and ALL! I hope to get some pictures of that...

We have been so busy lately with so many little things at night that when we finally get done with house keeping it is time for bed... now if only it didn't takeover an hour to get home at night. Man, I am SO sick of this commute, I mean 60 miles. 60 MILES A DAY!!!! Over it. Big TIME.
One day... one day...

Well enough of my ranting, it is Christmas time and there is stuff to be done! Fun stuff like baking, wrapping, and of course finishing buying all of the gifts as well!!!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful day!

Mrs. McCracken

Families First... How can we make a difference?

So the other day I got really upset.
Why you ask?

Well it started with reading a few different blogs. One person asked what we wanted for Christmas... Right before I was going to put something materialistic (read: Pair of Rebok shoes that tone my ass) I started reading what other people had put first. Of course there were things like a new camera, new shoes, new whatever... but the last two I read killed me. One was asking for more time with their families because they had stage 4 cancer, and the other was asking to not have her chemo on the 23rd because she knew she would be so sick and might miss her daughters first Christmas. This BROKE. MY. HEART. And I cried. At my desk.

Not only did this make me realize how lucky that I am, our families are, and all of our friends too. But it made me want to be able to help with whatever I can.

I remember growing up that my family and many in the neighborhood would each adopt a family from the Women's Shelter in Atlanta. My parents would take the mom shopping for her kids and themselves and make the biggest difference in their lives during the holiday season.
I cannot even remember why we all stopped the tradition...

(insert more crying here)

So of course I emailed JM with how upset I am about this, and started looking at all of the different ways that we could help this year. Toys for Tots, donations, anything to help...

Well turns out JM's company has sponsored a family through Adopt-A-Family this year! I was so excited when I get the family's list, sizes, etc. I decided that I should take one of the kids and get them some clothes, shoes, etc. UNTIL I called JM's offices front desk coordinator, Lorraine. I have not even met her and I am in love with this woman! She is just so sweet!!! I called her this morning to find out what they might need, and also to see what people have already given. (This is when I really started tearing up) She told me that there was only 1 gift under the tree for the family. A few books. Maybe. It could just be one. And that they are taking donations at her desk as well for a Wal-Mart Gift Card.
Let's just say I freaked out! ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME.
I know that they gave us a wish list, but this also means that if we have any gently used linens, or towels, or anything... it would be wonderful.

I know that not everyone has something to give, I know that the economy is shit right now, I know that people are worried about their job saftey, and Christmas for their own kids. I know all of this... I get it. I do not know one person who has not been hurt by this shit- economy.

But those that are doing great, just do not seem to care. OR hopefully they will be coming in late with last minute donations. Hopefully. I am hopeful. I really am...



Because when they all see me, the wife of an employee, show up with a car full of pretty packages for this family. I hope that they all shit themselves. Or at least feel bad enough to bring out their wallets and donate.

I called my mom to let them know about this family in need as well... and guess what? We are going shopping today for them.

This year I hope to make their Christmas great. Better than great. Target today... then tonight I will be going through my clothes since the girl just so happens to be around my size, the linen closet... anything that we may have to make their house a home.
AND Amy, a friend at work, just gave me TWO large bags of clothes for the daughter- that is for you Lorraine.

Since we have gotten so many wonderful wedding gifts, we have not taken the time to go through all of the stuff we had before. It is all almost new.. and it is going to all be going to a great place this Christmas!!!

I just wish that I could see the Christmas smiles that this family will have! I want nothing more than for this family to truly experience the magic in Christmas...

Are you doing anything to help this year? If so let me know! I want to hear! And if not- I hope that this post might have inspired a few of you to help as well. If you don't have a cause you want to help... let me know. You can help make this family's Christmas magic too!


~Mrs. Claus... I mean Mrs. McCracken

Trimming the tree and a little makeover...

This was one of the best weekends I have ever had. It was SO productive!
Do you ever get that feeling... when the house is clean and everything is put away, that you have had a BILLION pound weight lifted off your shoulders?

Well that is how I am feeling RIGHT NOW!

Friday night was wonderful. Brian and Colleen, came over for a few drinks on their way to a football game... then we relaxed and went to bed early. Not a productive night, but was so nice to see them since we have not seen them in a while and to just RELAX. It was much needed and we knew that we had to get up early on Saturday...

Saturday morning I went up to see Pam Heagi. Since you do not know her... I can tell you a few things about her. 1. She is a ROCKSTAR! 2. She is THE BEST at her craft. 3. She can transform you into a BEAUTIFUL person in a few hours...

This is a picture of Pam, me (as a blonde), and our friend Beth.
as you can see... I had some serious blonde going on from the wedding... The damage was INSANE.

AND this is what Pam made me... A BRUNETTE.Sorry about the picture- however the camera on the new iPhone 4 is pretty awesome.

That was only in a matter of hours that she transformed me into a Sexy Brunette... Now not only does my hair feel better, but I do too! JM said that I was carrying myself differently... perhaps I feel a little sexier! AND I am EVEN wearing makeup!

I have been to SO many hair "Artists" over the years... and let me tell you... I WILL ONLY GO AND SEE PAM from now on. She is that wonderful. A Sheer Genius. And if you live in Atlanta- Quit going to see someone in Buckhead and make the trip to go see Pam. It was Oh-So-Worth-IT!

Saturday was my day to decorate! This year as I mentioned we are having a real tree and a fake one too! Here is the pretty fake one... This tree has all red and gold ornaments on it with an Angel on top!
I just love this tree... it is so pretty when you pass by the house you can see it from the street!

Now our real tree we went and got at Home Depot on Sunday morning. We went there last year to get one, and since they are beautiful trees- not to mention MUCH cheaper then going to a fancy place... but this year we added a little something to our Christmas Tree Tradition. We went to Waffle House for breakfast. It really was SO MUCH FUN... and the food- just the same greasy mess, which is always good. AND believe it or not... I would kinda like to keep that tradition and even take kids there one day. Sure Waffle House is right next to Home Depot and across the street from the "O" or Oasis: The Good Time Emporium. (AKA A trashy strip club) But it sure does make for some interesting people watching... maybe when the kids are older...

We came home and got started on the tree. I made a pot of Chili for dinner- delish, and got to cleaning as well.

The house was a WRECK. We had a dining room full of wedding gifts, and a living room full of stuff that we do not want. Well it is ALL put away! I even cleaned off the desk- and got going on the Thank you notes from the wedding! (If you are wondering why have you not gotten one... well WE are on it now! Will be there soon!)

IT feels SO great to have the house clean and decorated for Christmas. NOW bring on the parties!

This weekend we are having a tacky Christmas Sweater party then the following weekend we are having JM's Family Christmas Party! Both are going to be such a great time... I will keep you all posted with many pictures to come of both the parties, but for now... a few pictures for you!


(My favorite Ornaments- my parents got us these last year- They are a bride and groom)

(The German Couple from Helen GA- Last years Cabin Trip)

(Tilly and the Tree... She is being good- So far...)

and a little surprise for what is to come...


Hope that everyone had a very productive weekend- we sure did!!!!

~Happy Monday (and I never say that!) ~Mrs. McCracken

Christmas is a comin'!!!

So if you do not know me well...

Then you might not know that once December 1 comes it is time to celebrate! The 25 days of Christmas that is... and this is my favorite time of year by FAR!

Christmas music can be heard from a mile away. I play it non-stop in my car, on my computer as I am typing right now, you get the idea right? JM- not so much and I am thinking that this might be why he loves to drive his car this time of year...

The house is decked out... well the process has begun. The Snow Village is up. (I collect "Christmas in The City" Porcelain houses...) The garland has been decorated- just needs lights.

and last night... I bought a tree. A fake one.

See JM has been working late, but that is nothing new to me as the wife of an accountant, you know that there are time of the year that he works late and that is fine. I am just SO glad that he is not in Public Accounting anymore, and makes me feel bad for anyone who is even in the position!

So the fake tree... that will be the tree in the window that everyone can see from the street. The real tree that we are getting this weekend will be in the den, where we sit and watch TV, right by the fire place with our stockings hung with care...
This fake tree is going to be a "pretty tree", one where there is a theme and the ornaments all match... the fun real tree will be a family tree. Where all of our ornaments that we have gotten together will be, where one day our kids will put their ornaments. (YES Mom, I will let them put their handmade ornaments on the tree one day- see a girl can change right?!?!)
BUT I have to have a pretty tree. I have always wanted one. As long as I can remember I wanted to take home a tree from Macy's that had been professionally decorated! Where colored lights do not exist, and there are pretty glass ornaments everywhere!
Well tonight I decorate, while drinking hot coco, and of course, blasting the Christmas Music!

I hope that it turns out to be exactly what I have always wanted. I will put pictures of all the Christmas Decorations tomorrow... The theme is Red and Gold and there will be alot of it.

There will also be a big change for me this weekend as well... but more on that later...
and there will FOR SURE be pictures of that!

For now, I have two questions for all of you....

HOW DO YOU DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS????? AND DO YOU DECORATE OUTSIDE- WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO THAT WOULD NOT BE TACKY!?!?! (And not cost me a fortune... no Clark Griswold ideas please! and no blow up snowmen in the yard either JM.

I hope that everyone is enjoying the Holiday Season... though it has just begun!

Blog Challenge... Forget it. I failed.

I am a slacker. I cannot finish this challenge.
I dont have the time to write them every day... and I like to write about what I want to write about. Maybe that thing was just not for me- but I was so happy to read others that I thought that it was going to be a walk in the park.
Well, no. Not for me. Another thing that we have not done... gotten Thank You notes done from the wedding. Hell we dont even have room to put away half of the wonderful gifts that we recieved either!

Enough of that...

Thanksgiving was WONDERFUL. We had the best time! First we did lunch with my side, then dinner with JM's. It really is so nice that we do not have to chose which one to go to... They live off of the same exit. We could not be luckier!

Lunch and dinner were so delishious and we were most thankful for each other and our families, the good food and good times that we had as well!

Friday, Dave and Jill came in town to hang out with us! We had dinner at the house and we were all way too tired to go out... so we made S'mores in the fireplace and layed low all night! (Sorry I missed you Samantha and Mrs. Southern Belle!)

I do have a ton of great pictures of family and friends from this weekend- BUT I have not loaded my new photo software into the computer! I have to do that before I start uploading some pictures from the new camera!
By the way, we love the camera... it is AWESOME! and it totally kicked my old point-and-shoot's ass!
Another thing we love...

OUR NEW WASHER AND DRYER! We decided on the new LG frontloaders. We were going to do a color, but decided that white was the best way to go!!!!

Now it is time to really get in the Christmas Spirit! I had put up my Snow Village in the living room, but I went to Hobby Lobby today- that place just makes me happy. Oh the possibilities...

I got a ton of stuff to decorate the tree! and a TON of ribbon! (I know that you are reading this JM- so I am sorry!) It is all 50% off through Saturday! So if you need anything to put you in the Christmas Spirit... then You should go to Hobby Lobby for sure!

I promise that I will get some pictures up one day. Maybe. With the new camera they are just that much better...
Maybe a new desk will help get me motivated... Oh wait I found one of those too on CraigsList today and going to check it out this weekend!
It is a HUGE Roll Top Desk... Hope that it works out!

Happy Tuesday.

PS. I cannot believe that we have been married for a month! It has been nothing short of magic over here!

xoxo
Mrs. McCracken

Day 7: Blog Challenge

Day 7 is.... My Favorite Movie.

I am not a movie person. At all. I get bored and whenever I go to a theater to see a movie I always have to get up to use the bathroom. Every. Single. Time.
Even when we are at home... we dont watch movies because we get bored. Plus I would much rather read the book than watch the movie... that is just me though.

Trying to find a favorite movie is just too hard. So I didn't pick one. I picked 3!

First Movie.

I could read the books or watch the movies over and over and over. And I still love Twilight. Don't judge me. I think that I could watch them all in a row as well... Not get bored, and maybe not leave the couch for hours on end. It will not get old to me, and I cannot wait o see the next movie in 2011... Just hate that it is that far away! AND that the new one is going to be PG-13. That is some shit right there. After reading the 4th book there is NO WAY that it should not be rated R. OH well. I will still love it. Just hope that there is another preview party to attend with some girls!



Second favorite movie of all time...

The Princess Bride.
I just love this movie. Never gets old and always makes me laugh. Plus Wesley was always so dreamy (until I realized that this movie was 20 ears old and I looked up Carey Elwes... not as cute as he once was- sad.) This is one of those movies that is just as great as the book!




Third Favorite movie...

Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
What you may ask? Well this was a favorite of mine growing up. It is such a great story! Need to watch this one again!

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So on to real life...

We are pretty much done with the Christmas shopping!
I am SO excited about our new washer and dryer coming to the house on Saturday! I will post pictures of it soon! As well as WE GOT THE CAMERA!!! The Canon Rebel T1i that I had posed about before. It is so great, easy to use, but now I want to get artsy with it and take some great pictures! Time will tell on that one.

I am so excited that we got it early because that means that I will be able to take some awesome pictures on Thanksgiving!!!! Cannot wait! Not to mention NOT have to go to the store on Friday... I hate Black Friday, but I am sure that one day I will love it.


I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow! We are looking forward to lunch and dinner tomorrow night with our families and loved ones- hope that you are too!

A very thankful~ Mrs. McCracken

Missed a few days already... Blog Challenge Update... Longest Post ever.

So I even had already written Day 3 of the Challenge... Did I get it posed? No. I had one of the busiest days yet Saturday... From Betsey and Paul's house (JM's wonderful Aunt and Uncle) in the morning to a real antique auction, Home Depot, Target, and then Brandsmart... it was a busy day. Then we celebrated again... Jeff's belated Birthday. Birthday's are big with our friends. We had a wonderful dinner in Buckhead then went to the club. I am NOT so much of a club fan anymore. It was a blast when I first moved to Buckhead... We partied like we were rock stars.
Then Sunday? Well I was the rock star. I made a complete Thanksgiving Feast for me and dear JM, and our friends Pam and Jeff. Turkey, homemade dressing, homemade green bean casserole- NOT FROM ANY CANS HERE- and spicy cranberry sauce. I will post about dinner in another post!

So this was written, but not posted...

Well Happy reading everyone!

This was written Saturday...

Have I ever blogged on a Saturday? No.. I have not. I have been at a wedding every Saturday pretty much for a year!

Last night was wonderful! We went to have a drink with one of JM's friends from college then we had our own date night to celebrate. We went home after Happy Hour and relaxed! Was so nice...
Celebrate what you are asking... Well we are out of credit card debt! How great is that?
I know that there a ton of people doing Dave Ramsey's program (that I know nothing about I might add) and that is WONDERFUL for them. Me... luckily, I married an accountant. It is so crazy to me that he can do some serious math all in his head. He sees numbers, and I see colors. It works for us though!

Well today is DAY 3 on Blog Challenge...

Your Spouse!

Well JM is the love of my life. He is so sweet, caring, and devilishly handsome. I could go on and on about how much I love and appreciate him and everything that he does for me... but I am trying not to get cheesy here.

He is the best husband a girl could as for... only 3 weeks into the forever part though!

JM is the best cook I know as well. (Sorry mom!) He gets so excited about planning dinners for friends and family. And he is even more excited about all of the kitchen stuff that we got as wedding gifts! We both cannot wait to use them all! He takes such pride in what he is serving for dinner it makes me melt. Now he is a cook... not a baker. I am the baker in the house. One day his dream would be to leave the accounting world and open a place of our own! How fun would that be!?

It is so sweet when he comes home in the evening and give me a hug and kiss after a long day. Then he scoops up his Baby Girl (cats name) and loves on her too.
She knows that he is "her human" and it is too cute!

I know that he will one day be the best father in the whole world to our kids. And I cannot wait to fall in love with him all over again once we do have a little one.
(seriously, I know I am talking about a baby two days in a row- still not happening yet)

He is the man of my dreams, my Knight in Shining Armour, my Prince Charming, and I get to call him my husband for the rest of my life! I never thought that taking up a friend on a blind date would have ever led to this happily-ever-after-fairytale- that I get to call "life".
He makes waking up everyday an adventure. Makes me smile when am sad, and can always make a cloudy day turn into blue skies!



JM, Darling... I know that you read this and that makes me love you even more. You are my everything and without you I would be forever lost. You are my better half, and I cannot wait to spend all of eternity loving you.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunday...

Today I am at home cooking up a storm! JM went to play soccer and I have been preparing a feast. Thanksgiving Feast. I really wanted to cook my own Thanksgiving this year.... since we are having lunch with my side, and dinner with his we will not even have the chance to make it for ourselves.
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Day 4 is..
Your Parents...

Charlie and Paula

They are awesome. I know that I have mentioned them before in many posts...

I am truly a Daddy's girl and my Mom is my best friend. They really are the best parents anyone could ask for. IF they would write a parenting book... I would follow it to a T because I am somewhat normal.

They always put us first- at least it seemed that way... My mom was a stay at home mom, which to me is one of the hardest, most challenging, yet the most rewarding job at the same time. We went everywhere with her, and she still made time for playing and fun! She had dinner made- most of the time when Dad got home and on the table.
Seriously... this is what my dream job is. Stay at Home Mom... I cannot wait for that to be my job title. IF I am lucky enough to be able to stay home... I will jump on it for sure!

My Dad is the greatest. HE is superman. He beat and survived Cancer- more like kicked it's ass... and didn't let it kick his.
He can play the guitar, he always knows how to fix anything, is a Mac whiz, and makes the best scrambled eggs EVER. He is also my best friend. If I was ever upset about anything... he always knew how to make it better... or make me realize that shit happens and that it will get better.

Holidays at the Grigsby house were always so important. Thanksgiving is when the whole family extended and all comes to their house and has a party. Not just any party. I am talking bon fires, guitars, and sometimes the cops have shown up to make sure that everything is fine... That kind of party.
Christmas... we count down until it is here! Christmas mornings were the biggest deal. We woke up, waited on Mom and Dad then flew down the stairs to see what Santa had gotten us.
I cannot recall a time in history that we didn't get what we asked Santa for. (I never asked for a Pony though so that is probably why!)
Christmas was not just about gifts, it was more about family. We listened to Nat King Cole and were all in PJ's all day... We watched Christmas Story all day. Dad made breakfast... and we all had each other.

It will be sad not waking up there on Christmas morning for the first time in my 26 years. JM and I still have not decided what we are going to do for holidays just yet though...

My parents rock. They party with us, but at the same time... They are the worlds best parents. I love you both SO much!

___________________________________________________________________________________________
Day 5: MY Siblings...

My brothers are AWESOME. Sometimes crazy fun. Sometimes just crazy- but that is what family is right?

They are Chip, 25, and Will, 22. They are both also my best friends. IF your family is not your best friends first... to me then that is just sad. Plus it is best that I never had a sister. I am sure that I would have eaten her alive... Brothers can keep up... or beat you up.
Growing up with Chip and Will was not easy all the time. We fought like crazy. I mean like pushing down the stairs... murdering baby dolls and Barbie dolls.. and fire.
They would take my dolls and rip their heads off, cut their hair off, or melt their feet to the driveway... I would SCREAM like hell at them and cry to mom of course. I was not all that innocent either though.

Chip and Will fought the most I think... I even remember a time at the kitchen table where a stabbing occurred... with a fork of course! Will stabbed Chip in the arm with a fork. It was hilarious... but that was kinda normal in the house.

We played games and fought about who won. We had a weekly rotation at the kitchen counter as to who got to sit in the front seat and have the remote to the TV... The front seat had special powers you know? We fought about crossing the line in the car. You know the seam in the upholstery... that was the line. If you crossed onto the other side- you were going to get hit hard, but those were the rules. I am convinced this is why I can hit hard like a guy...

BUT there were also times that we all got along. Holidays, birthdays, and vacations especially. We all get along great now. You grow out of the fighting. The fighting makes you normal in the end.

Chip now lives in Manhattan. He is just so cool. Seriously he is. He has a fabulous city life now after living in Costa Rica out of college... two totally different places in the world and he can rock them both out.
HE knows how to party more than anyone I have ever met... I know I had to pick him up at the bars in college. But he is always a great time and might be the best gift giver ever. He is very creative, fluent in Spanish, and is so motivated to make it work in NYC right now it is crazy... He is also the most creative cook I know- but plan to eat late if he is cooking!

Will is the baby of the family. Only because he is the youngest. He is still in school to be in Film Production. He will rock that out and be the next Martin Scorsese. He has an eye for detail and an ear for music like i have never seen. He is the most creative out of us 3. Will knows how to party as well... like a rock star, but even he had to pick Chip up at the bar....

Chip- you know I am just giving you a hard time.

I love you both so much. I would not be the person that I am with out all of them in my life. I would not. I would be boring if it were not for them scaring me, fighting with me, teaching me, and growing up with me.
This is what I want for our kids... To grow up just like I did.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

and then TODAY... Tuesday

Day 6: A picture of something that makes me happy...


Well this is a tall order for me. There are SO many pictures that make me happy! BUT this one comes to mind...

Look at what he got me!
Yes those are my rings... JM is a bad ass at picking out and designing something wonderful- among other things.

This picture makes me so happy because it was the first day that we went to the beach on our Honeymoon. We were so excited that the sun was out and that we were on the beach...

Every time I look at my left hand my heart skips a beat. (Cheesy right?) I know that they are beautiful- but it is so much more than that. It is what they mean. and I cannot even sum that up in words with out crying. So I am not going to... not here.
____________________________________________________________________________________________


Well now I am on track! Hope that you all enjoyed the longest post I will ever write...

I hope that everyone is celebrating Thanksgiving all week... We are. Today is Thanksgiving at work, and I am not only so thankful to have a job, but to be working along side some awesome girls and guys here... They are awesome and I love them all!

Happy Tuesday...

xoxo~Mrs. McCracken

Blog Challenge: Day 2...

Topic: Meaning of the name of your blog...

Well I cannot take credit for the name. JM can though....

When I first decided to take on this wild adventure of sitting at a computer and "blogging" I could not think of a single name for this site. Nothing. So of course, I ask JM.

We had come up with a new different names that were all dumb. We were trying to think about stuff that had to do with us getting married, combining our names in some way... still nothing. Until he sent me an email saying "My crack in the Grigsby Life" .
I thought that it was simple and great! It was about this "crack" not like drug crack.. more like the divide or fault line so-to-speak... Plus MyCrackIn is so very similar to McCracken the Grigsby Life!

On to other news...

Have you checked out all of the Black Friday ads???

www.blackfriday2010.com

I have! We have been to all the websites and have even expanded our Christmas List in the McCracken house!
We have decided that we are not getting each other anything... but we are getting stuff for the BOTH of us. It is about the two of us now right?

Well the updated Christmas List went from iPhones (got those) and a camera... now we have added a TV for our bedroom and a new Washer and Dryer! The deals are just too good, not to mention the TV in our bedroom should be on the wall in the den, and the washer and dryer... well they are as old as me!

Got a big weekend planned.. Hope that you all have a great weekend!

OH and how could I have forgotten to mention! IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!

~Mrs. McCracken

A 30 day Blog Challenge??? Day 1

I have seen a few people do a 30 day blog challenge... and I think that it is about time for me to do this.

Most recently I have read the 30-day Challenge from Julie from The Smitten Mintons (http://thesmittinmintons.blogspot.com - if it didnt link)
Julie seems to be having the greatest time doing this! I was friends with her brother in school, and she is few years younger... but secretly I read her 30 day challenge and I love hearing about her new married life with Doug, their wedding (BEAUTIFUL), apartment, job hunting, and her cat. All great women love cats, so of course I am a big fan of hers! (Julie, sorry I totally didnt even ask permission about this, but I knew that you wouldn't mind?!) and of course if she is doing it then I want to too! Isn't the blog world great?

I totally think that I can do this too... and it will motivate me to blog about something everyday... and not sit at a blank screen waiting on it to write itself...

Along with the challenge I am sure that I will post other topics in with the Day's Topic that I am on...
So let's begin the madness, shall we?

Day 1: Introduce yourself, Current Picture, and 15 interesting facts...

My name is Katie McCracken. I am a 20-something year old girl who lives in Dunwoody, GA. I am a Buyer Relations Director. I love life, my husband, and our kitties- who are more like children...



Me at our wedding 10-30-10. Right before JM tossed the garter. All of the single guys surprised me by singing "You've lost that lovin' feelin'" Best. Night. Ever. (and yes we dyed the crinoline blue... It was awesome!)

15 Interesting facts about yours truly...

1. My first word was "Shoe" and I am Daddy's little girl through and through. He can always save the day! and has many a times. I will never forget when he walked me down the aisle. Still brings tears to my eyes.

2. My real name is Kathryn and sometimes I prefer it...

3. I am the only girl, and have two younger (but not by much) brothers. Chip and Will. They best brothers in the whole wide world!

4. I love the color blue and using the word magic to describe anything or anyone who brings a smile to my face- that Christmas Morning Smile... that is magic ladies and gentleman.

5. I am scared of the dark, being home alone, and bugs...

6. I want a baby. I want one next year. A boy would be perfect... but a girl would be pretty sweet too. Not trying now... so don't ask.

7. I love celebrating the Holidays- all of them. Thanksgiving is huge and Christmas... Well it is nothing short of magic... cannot wait for Christmas music.

8. I am a lover of Apple products... even though I write this mostly from a Windows computer. (I am at work!)

9. I prefer cats over dogs... unless they act like cats (Louie and Foxie are the exception- my parents Pomeranian's)

10. I graduated from college at Georgia Southern in 4 YEARS... witha double major and a minor... Even I am impressed by that!

11. I love to read. I always have... I can tune anything or anyone out if I am reading a book. I get lost in the story... it is like I am there.

12. I didn't always want kids... I used to want to graduate college and move to NYC and never look back! Pretty much wanted to be Carrie Bradshaw.

13. The second I fell in love with JM... all of that changed. I wanted kids, I wanted to hang up my heels and move to the suburbs just to be with him... Everything with him is magic. Serious kind of love huh?

14. My favorite fruit maybe a perfect summer peach... with vanilla bean ice cream of course!

15. My favorite thing to do? Wake up with the man that I love everyday for the rest of my life. (Even though he has to drag me out of bed every morning and lectures me on how I sleep too late and might be late for work!)

and just to be an over-achiever...

16. My mom is my best friend. I love her and look up to her so much! I mean I never would have thought that at 16, but what 16 year old thinks that? She can make any nightmare turn into your fairytale... One day I want to be just like her. Seriously. She can do anything. Oh and she is magical... right now she is currently turning a tiny apartment into a palace for my brother in NYC- guess he is living my dream right? I would love for them to write a book on how to be the best parents and raise kids right- I would follow it to a T.



That is me... and the next 30 days??? Probably more about me, but I am really looking forward to some of the topics. It is going to be fun! Stay tuned...

Loving life, and i hope that you are too- Mrs. McCracken

What is on your Christmas List???

I know that you are all on Santa's "Good List" this year... I mean, he is checking it twice after all.

Well in the McCracken house this year we have VERY short Christmas lists...

I mean what else could we possibly need after so many wonderful friends and family gave us the world for our wedding! Coming up with a list this year is pretty hard... It never was before...
I remember wanting dolls, clothes, makeup, games, candy, stuffed animals, the list could go on forever... and I always remember how happy we all were on Christmas mornings, Dad's scrambled eggs, and eating chocolate oranges too. We would wait at the top of the stairs for mom and dad to tell us to run down to see if Santa had brought us anything! Holly (our family dog) would beat us down and jump all over us while we were racing to see what Santa had laid out in all of our spots.

This year is a little different. I don't know if we (because it is a "We" not not just an "I") will be staying at my parents and waking up there... Holly passed away and is not there to chase us down the stairs. I mean it was her holiday after all... Our Holly Jolly Christmas. I guess we just grow up and Christmas changes... but it will be just as wonderful as this is our first Christmas together!

We are "foodies" and love to cook, most people know that so we did get everything for the kitchen with our wedding gifts! So we do not need another kitchen-anything!(Promise Thank You notes are getting done) We know that I do not need anymore clothes, actually I need to give some away! There are just too many of them, I don't wear half of it, and there is simply not enough room. We do not need any more gadgets... except....

NEW IPHONE'S!!!! Well we decided to meet yesterday at AT&T and get some new phones! We are both iPhone fans (I don't care if you hate them, but I am an Apple girl over here), and once we found out that we could upgrade... Why not? Plus have you seen the lines at AT&T or at The Apple Store after Thanksgiving? No thank you. And JM- that is one of our gifts... Merry Christmas!
I am obsessed with all of the different photo apps and the cooking apps as well... Food Network App? HELL YES!



Back to the Christmas list... since the iPhones are off it now...
We have decided that we are getting each other a nice camera for Christmas... (as in going in on ONE camera together)
There have been so many times that I have wished that we had a better quality camera because our picture quality with the point and shoot I have now are well... Crappy.

I need help from all of you ladies and gentleman out there... What kind of camera do you have? Why do you love it?

I am doing the research on this and I am liking the Canon EOS Rebel T1i EF-S and the Canon EOS Rebel XSi EF-S... After comparing them both I love the T1i!



If this is something that we are going to have for a long time, take a ton of pictures that are the proof of the memories that we have made, then shouldn't we get a nice camera? I mean I don't want crappy pictures of us, our one-day babies,family, friends, etc! I want to be able to have wonderful pictures of even more wonderful memories... That is what it is all about right? and I want a kick- ass camera to capture all of the magic of the wonderful memories that we have yet to make... I mean vacations, taking little ones to the beach for the first time, Disney World, ALL holiday's, Birthdays, every little memory that I will never want to forget. Guess we do need a good camera huh?

So for all of you who have a nice camera, have one on your wish list this year, or if you happen to know a thing or two about them... help a girl out!


What is on your wish list this year??? and What are you obsessing over lately?
Me- iPhone and a new camera... I am getting excited just thinking about all of the wonderful pictures I could take on Christmas morning! Christmas Smiles are the biggest ones ya know?

Happy Wednesday!
Mrs. McCracken

The Honeymoon...

It would have been so nice to have been in St. Lucia, with a drink in hand... toes in the sand... That was the plan.
Well it didn't happen for us. This time at least... Mother Nature can be a real bitch sometimes. This time, Hurricane Tomas. Wonderful.

We got married Saturday- best night of our lives. Ever. The weather could not have been more perfect!
Got up on Sunday morning to go to the airport and when we arrived they said our flight was on time! We made it to the gate, got breakfast, and tried to sleep a little before boarding the plane. This is when the people at the gate made an announcement that the flight was now delayed until 11 that there was a bad storm going though.
We waited.
The flight was delayed again. They said that they could not get a hold of anyone on the island because the power was out. GREAT!
They cancelled the flight a few minutes later...
We left the airport and were told we were to fly Stand By the next morning.
Monday morning... read above. It was as if we had hit replay on the previous day. At least they cancelled the flight a little earlier than the day before.

When we got home my Dad called my and told me to call my cousins about their house! Well I didn't know what house he was talking about. I called Mike and he let us go to their beautiful Beach house for the whole rest of the week!!!! We packed the car in a few minutes, went and got gas and hit the road. Talk about a last minute decision!
We made to Grayton Beach, FL that night and had the best time. We relaxed, walked on the beach... even had drinks in our hands with our toes in the sand. Magic I tell you.

I was not even upset about the trip anymore. (JM was surprised that I was handling it so well!) We had the town to ourselves and I could not have asked for a better time! Just me and him. It was wonderful.

I have not upload my pictures just yet, but I will soon!

and St. Lucia you ask?

We will be there. Don't you worry about that! We are going on April 16th. BEFORE Hurricane Season even begins... It will still be a magical place, where everyone is in love and shows it on the streets- or so I have heard. We are looking forward to a second honeymoon only 6 months after we got married. We even got an upgraded room!

I guess everything happens for a reason... right?

ONE MORE THING...
I have thought about what everyone said to Blog about... Married life. So I will be posting again soon on that. All of the wonders of marriage. What we make for dinner. What we are doing with the house... and maybe one day soon babies. Never know and a girl can dream right?
But today a few things I am loving?

Our Pots and Pans! All Clad that is! They are wonderful... Spaghetti tonight for dinner!
Our new bedding- Slept like a baby last night!
Our new everyday china- Lenox Butlers Pantry- I love it and all of the mixing and matching that you can do with it!
Noticing a theme here???
Just to change it up....
More things I am loving?
Oil of Olay
Kitties- Baby Girl and Tilly
Crate and Barrel kitchen gadgets
Most of all... My wonderful handsome Husband!

and to making a Thanksgiving dinner this weekend for me and JM! Food Network inspired me and we are having a mini Thanksgiving dinner this Friday! Maybe some friends too! More to come on this and that...

I am looking forward to this new "Crack in the Grigsby Life" it is going to be the most fun adventure I ever take on. and I am going to rock this our for the rest of my life...

Pictures to come soon!
Mrs. McCracken

Finally....

We made it back from the beach. It was the best trip we could have asked for! (All things considered...)

I think that this massive "Wedding Post" might be broken into smaller parts. But maybe not... I am just going to let it flow as I remember most of that entire weekend of awesomeness.
(and I do not have pictures yet from the photographer so bare with me on that one these are from Facebook)

Well two weeks ago I took of work on Wednesday... we still had a few last minute things to do with the wedding. Not much at all, but I felt that I really needed the day to try to relax and get it done before it all ya know?
Thursday was spent cleaning and baking. Why baking you may ask? Well it relaxes me, plus I really love it when people say how good the house smells, or how good the pumpkin bread I made is... So I cleaned, baked, fixed the house, lit candles, and tried to relax while waiting on our guests to arrive. I had made Guest baskets for everyone who came and stayed at the house! Pumpkin Bread, candles, and cookies of course!
Thursday night Erin and Frank, and Whitney and Bryan came in town and we all met up with a few friends that were in town at The W's Whiskey Blue in Buckhead. However the real reason we were all out... Jeff's Birthday! We just had to do something to celebrate with him...
and Bryan... well our Jersey boy had never been out and about in Atlanta! So we had to change that and quick! (I was laughing too hard!)

FRIDAY
Friday was crazy...
Jean Gray and Nate came into town in the morning and all of us girls got ready to go to the Bridesmaids Luncheon at Cafe Niko in Buckhead. It was delish. All of the girls made it and we had a great time...
A few girls came back to the house with me to get ready to leave for the Rehearsal after that.

The Rehearsal and Rehearsal dinner were SO MUCH FUN! The dinner was done all by JM and his family.

We had a whole pig (BBQ of course!), BBQ Chicken, and of course all of the sides!
John Michael's mom made EVERY. SINGLE. TABLECLOTH. and every decoration of course with the help of Rachel and Sarah... my new wonderful sisters!

JM with all 12 of the Groomsmen


Me and my parents


Me... eating of course!


Then the entire day of the wedding was PERFECT. PERFECT WEATHER... just everything was so so special to both of us... and there were a few moments that we got to take it all in too. I will leave you with some pictures of the day of the wedding... getting ready, then Church and then Reception! I can really only day that my shoes hurt so damn bad that I had to get rid of those and quick during the pictures... Once they were off.. I was spinning and floating on cloud nine. I did the whole night barefoot. From the end of pictures, down the aisle, dancing the night away, and even to when I changed into the short wedding dress to leave the night... Even was carried over our own doorstep to our house barefoot. AND that I would not change for the world. Sure my feet were sick and black as the night, but I didn't care at all. And I am sure that no one noticed either...

The whole day and night were MAGIC... Just like a fairy tale. Our own fairy tale... and I would not change one single moment of the entire day. It truly was the dream that I had envisioned all along.
Everyone says that time goes by way too fast that day and to "soak it all in- you only get one wedding day" I can say that it DID go by too fast... but I remember every minute.

Here are some pictures from everyone that we love- who also posted them on facebook!

Getting ready in the morning! Me and mom... she looked SO BEAUTIFUL!!!





Getting ready at church...
Me and my girls...




Family pictures!





A few flowers... center piece and mantel...



JM with his girls... Whitney, Erin, and Jean Gray... and First Dance!



Bouquet Toss and Garter Toss!



Cakes!



Me and mom "taking in" all of our hard work!


and finally Mr and Mrs. McCracken!



and I have one questions for all of you.... What should I blog about now? What should I name this blog? Help a girl out!

Hope that you have a great night! I will blog about the beach trip and Honeymoon soon!
xoxoxoxo
The new Mrs. McCracken

The best day of our lives... and then...

SO We are married... and it was perfect. Know how everyone says... "something might go wrong, but you wont even care?" or how about when they say... " It will go by so fast!" Well you know what? I remember it all... and I was floating on cloud nine.
IT was everything I imagined and more... one picture to show...

We had the best night of our lives...

And then we went to bed at 2:30 am made it to the airport, flight was cancelled, tried to get on another flight Monday mornings... no such luck... Hurricane Tomas. I mean the island.. No power, trees down, no flights until Wednesday. Just as we were about to give up on or dream of a beach... My wonderful, awesome, amazing, caring, and loving cousins let us go to their house at the beach...MIke and Yahaira, John and Erin, and David Grigsby.... we love you all!!!!
Will post much more later when I am back from from a fabulous beach honeymoon! Promise that all pictures, and REAL wedding story post to come. I do remember it, and just how fast it went... This place is just too amazing to sit here and type. Florida we love you...



Love from Florida! Happily married, and having a wonderful time! Rain or shine... our toes are in the sand, drinks in hand... Cannot believe we are married.

Mrs. McCracken

Rainy Mondays...

I hate Mondays. Doesn't everybody? I have never heard someone say "Oh I am so glad it is Monday... I just love Monday's" If they did then I would know that they didn't work on Mondays!

Well this Monday is just a little different. For me at least...
This time next week I will be waking up to a breakfast of lobster and eating on the patio of our wonderful suite in St. Lucia... I say lobster because JM has already said that we will be having lobster for every meal. Then we will go and run in the waves roll in the sand, drink "Dirty Bananas", lay in the sun too long, and of course... eat lobster again!
BUT today I am sitting in my cube (AKA Pit of despair) and working... or trying to work at least. I have so much to do before I leave, but my lack of motivation is only getting worse. (For those of you UE girls/ guy that read it WILL get done)

This week is all about getting ready for a day that will for sure go by entirely too fast. (Everyone has told me already!) We have been cleaning all weekend and getting ready! I think that even once everything is clean I will still not know what to do, so I will bake.
This week baking something special for our guests and of course it is our dear friend Jeff's Birthday on Thursday! So he, of course, needs some cookies! Plus baking relaxes me... hell even baking my skin in the tanning bed relaxes me right now.

With so much going on, I hope that I have time to blog again before the big day.... I should since I will be working until Wednesday!

I cannot believe that I have been counting down the entire time. Do you know that I wake up and tell JM- "I am so excited that we are getting married!" or I will look at him at night and say " wow we are really getting married". I am sure that he s sick of it ( because I say it EVERY morning)... but I am just so excited to spend the rest of our lives together that I don't want to rush a thing anymore. We have 5 days... and right now I hope that they are long days. It seems that when there is a countdown involved, time just flies a little too fast...
So day, please go by slowly so that I can get everything done... and one more thing...
I wish that there was some sort of "Pause" button on time so that once I am at the reception I could pause everyone but me and JM so that we can take a look around to see everyone who came to celebrate our love with us. Would be pretty cool...

So tonight we are making Monday special... It is date night! JM is taking me to Atlanta Fish Market to have one last date night as an "engaged couple"... I mean we gotta make some time for us somewhere this week!

I hope that everyone has a good Monday... it is making me wish I had taken the week off work!

xoxo
K

10 days and a really fun weekend...

Sorry I have been MIA for a week! I promise that it was only because this wedding is taking over our lives.

This weekend was the best weekend ever. It was my Bachelorette Party/ Weekend get-away to Helen, GA. My wonderful Bridesmaids all rented a cabin in the mountains for the whole weekend... and it was only about 10 miles outside of Helen. All of us had the best time... dancing, singing, baking, eating a TON, and of course a hot tub!
I seriously could not have asked for a more perfect weekend. We stayed in on Friday night and ventured down the gravel mountain side that we stayed on and made it in to town for the afternoon. We drank and ate on an outside patio all afternoon and even made it to Hansel and Gretel's for some candy apples. I do not know if I have ever laughed so hard in my entire life. My stomach still hurts from laughing a TON and eating way way way too much.

Saturday night the ladies baked me a cake shaped out "something Bachelorette- themed" Take a guess! and threw me a lingerie shower! Never have I laughed so hard. Everything that they got me was perfect! Not only does it all fit, but it is all super cute or slutty depending on how you look at it. I cannot post about what it is, since I want that to be a surprise for JM... and because my family reads this too. I will have more than something for every night of the Honeymoon... and that will be fun.

This weekend was the most memorable one of my life. I will never forget how sweet and caring all of my girl friends are. I mean what more could a girl ask for... Eating, laughing, drinking a lot, and dancing on coffee tables. Sorry that I cannot share pictures, they are incriminating and we all have jobs people.

On to wedding news.
We are 10 days away from the big day... that means tomorrow is single digits. We are so ready for this. I have done everything that needs to be done. Just one more meeting and we are in the clear.
Next week I am full of appointments... hair, nails, waxing (yeah waxing everything... and trust me it is the best thing ever- I don't care if anyone thinks that is "gross or slutty"... it rocks! and don't knock it until you try it- I don't know one person that has not liked it afterwards), luncheon with my ladies, rehearsal dinner, and then the big day.

I really cannot believe that it is here. I know that I have said that a billion times, maybe a trillion, but I think that every girl dreams of how her wedding will be one day...
and this is exactly what I had dreamed of. I am just so very lucky to have found JM and for him to have let me have my dream wedding too!
(If were up to him, we might already be married, and it might have happened on a beach, in Vegas, or even a courthouse... but he loves me so and has let me do what I want)

I am most excited to see what he thinks of everything when he sees it for the first time. I don't know if he will notice the flowers, linens, or every single detail as I will that night... but he might now that I have mentioned it??? I do know that he will notice me! LOL!

I have been dreaming about this wedding, our wedding, for the last 20-something years... and now that it is finally here... I would not change a single thing. I got my Prince Charming meeting me at the alter and then it will be all "Happily Ever After" right??? HA!

I cannot wait... even though I have heard many people saying "This is the wedding of the century" it really will be to us...

10 days until I have to change the name of this blog... there will no longer be "a crack in my Grigsby life"... It will be "The McCracken Life" but I gotta think of some good names...
and what will I write about? What it is like to be a working wife who commutes 60 miles a day total? Boring... I will think of something though so don't you worry... Maybe we will have a baby soon... who knows what is next? I don't...


and as always sorry for the randomness of this post. My mind is going a million mile a second and I am just writing what I am thinking...

I hope that everyone has a happy Wednesday and I promise to post sooner than later.

Love and kisses!
Katie

And so it is planned...

Done. Done. Done.

Monday night my mom and I met with our Wedding Coordinator for the day of the wedding. It was a dream come true and if you are on the fence about to have a wedding coordinator or not... DO IT. AND if you need someone in Atlanta I highly recommend Lisanne McDearman with Watermark Weddings. Never have I been more impressed.
She came over and we went through a 22 page check list to go over ALL details and stuff we want done for the wedding. It was in 10 point font, and I was shaking. Did we cover everything? Do I have everything I need? and am I ready for this?
I was ready- hell yes I was! Had it all. Covered more bases that I thought.
My mom and I have met with all of the vendors, done all of the planning, reviewed and updated all proposals, paid all deposits, did it all.... and now I had to hand it all over to her.
If you don't know... I am a control freak when it comes to planning. And I just let someone take over. Completely. She is now my only contact and she will come up with time lines and coordinate the arrival of EVERY. LAST. DETAIL. I have nothing left to worry about and it is scaring the shit out of me- it is a great thing though.
She is doing so much more than I even imagined that day so that me and my mom can have a great time and not worry about a single thing. Even bringing food to the church for the wedding party to have while we get ready! This is great, but why am I nervous?
Is it my dresses?
The flowers?
What if I trip down the aisle?
What if I cannot stop crying?
What will it be like with 250-300 sets of eyes on me at once?
All of this has been going through my head the closer that we get.... but yesterday JM said the most wonderful thing....

"we'll be just fine...just show up...that's all you gotta do...I'll take care of the rest...
once we are standing up there together, hand in hand, there's no stoppin us...that is our comfort zone, so we'll get thru it together... "

He is so cool under pressure. He amazes me. And I know that all nerves and every thought will completely leave me right there at the alter when I take his hands. Just like magic.
There is going to be an overflowing feeling of love in that church on October 30th. Our love and every ones over-flowing love for us.

Until then... I sit back, Gym- Tan- Laundry, and get the house clean and ready for our wonderful friends who are staying with us at our house the wedding weekend.

AND this weekend? Bachelorette Party. MINE that is! We are off to Helen, GA tomorrow for Oktoberfest. My bridal party is taking me to a kick-ass cabin this weekend to do nothing but relax, eat, drink and of course be merry.
I cannot wait. Legwarmers and sweaters... what could be better?


T minus 16 days. AND then we are off to the beach as Mr. and Mrs. McCracken. Sand, cocktails with umbrellas, and warms salty water are calling our names... and I can almost hear them...

More updates to come.

filled with love,
Katie

I throw my hands up in the airs sometimes...

"I throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying ay-oh, gotta let go.
I wanna celebrate and live my life
Saying ay-oh, baby let's go.
Cause we gon rock this club
We gon' go all night
We gon' light it up
Like it's dynamite.
Cause I told you once
Now I told you twice
We gon light it up
Like it's dynamite"

YES that is my favorite song right now... and it is in my head all. the. time!

As of today we are in the teens my friends! THE TEENS. Can you believe it? NO I cannot. It is so exciting that we are going to be married in just a few short weeks. 19 days to be exact...


Well this weekend we had one last wedding to attend... It was number 10. It was fun and so great to see all of our friends. There are MANY "Congratulations" in order on this post... So we will start from the top. (Sorry I don't have pictures from every wedding with me at work- I finally put them all on my computer at home)
CONGRATULATIONS TO....
Mr. and Mrs. Adam Foster (4-9-10)
MR. and Mrs. Brian McElroy (4-10-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Tommy DeFreitas (5-8-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Piper (5-15-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Franklin (5-24-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Nate Mohs (6-19-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Finney (7-10-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Hank Puryear (7-24-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Cox (8-14-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Auferio (9-5-10)
Mr. and Mrs. Casey Colclough 10-9-10)

We wish you all the best in your new lives together! All of your weddings were WONDERFUL! and we had the best year celebrating with each and every one of you on your special days!

We are NEXT... Last but certainly not the least... Saving the best for last... whatever you want to say, it is OUR TURN. And we cannot wait to see all of you at our wedding.

It has been one hell of a ride, but we cannot wait to get off this ride, to be married, and of course live happily ever after. I am sure that I have driven JM completely mad sometimes... that I have been a diva at moments (only a few)... and that I know I have gotten my way. A lot. BUT you know what?
I have had a blast. Everything that we have planned, I know has a personal touch for us. It has been the most fun year of my life. So much excitement, tears, laughs...
and most of all...

I just wanna throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying ay-oh, gotta let go.
I wanna celebrate and live my life
Saying ay-oh, baby let's go.
Cause we gon rock this club
We gon' go all night
We gon' light it up
Like it's dynamite.


19 days y'all... and it is ON.
Tonight I have my final fitting. AND we are meeting with the "day of" coordinator to get all this straight. Then I think that we will all feel a 10,000 lb weight lifted off our shoulders.
Of course I will keep you posted on the last minute stress.
I hope that everyone had a fabulous weekend.

xoxo
Katie

Friday... Are you in love?

I AM!

A few things that I am loving about today, besides the fact that it is FRIDAY, are:

My family is coming to dinner tonight for my Dad's Birthday Dinner!



The Hot Apple Cider that we are making tonight to go with some Maple- Mustard Glazed Pork Chops! YUMMY!




That Chip, my brother, is living her for a few more weeks until he decides his next adventure! (He got a job working for a company, GANZ LLC, that all moms know... beacause they make Webkinz!) He has a few cities across the country to choose from and has to make a decision by October 30th! (Date sound familiar???) He will be moving while we are in St. Lucia... so I gotta see him A LOT before he leaves again. BUT at least I know that we can go and stay with him where ever he goes! (I am secretly but not so secretely hoping that he picks NYC!)




and of course that we have 22 days until the big day! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

What are you loving this Friday?