If Historical Events Had Facebook Statuses



Courtesy of Jenny.

Monday Night Football

Monday night Jon got free club level tickets to the Titans game.  The night could not have been more beautiful.  After many days with a heat index of over 100 it was a perfect 80 degrees!  It did not also hurt that the Titans beat the Cardinals again, This time 24-10.  You might recall, Jon and I got to see a thriller of a game between the same two teams last November!

Our great seats.

Emily and me.

Phillip and Jon

 Tuan & Matt

Five Thoughts to Ponder

1. Life is sexually transmitted.
2. Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which you can die.
3. Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals, dying of nothing.
4. All of us could take a lesson from the weather.  It pays no attention to criticism.
5. Life is like eating a jar of jalapeno peppers... What you do today might burn tomorrow!

A gratitious post of myself with the Bride-to-be!

Showering the Bride-to-be

This weekend I journeyed to Hopkinsville for the wedding shower for my cousin, Emily.  She is getting married in a few weeks.  I won't be able to be there for it so I wanted to spend this time with her before her wedding!

My cousin Heather planned the shower with some food help from us other cousins.  Emily got so many great things off her registry that they will never have to eat out again!  She even got something to wear on her wedding night....  She was so embarrassed opening it and was forced to show it to everyone!

Emily with her Mom, Beth.

With her Mom and Grandmother, my Aunt Alice.

Opening some of her fantastic presents.

And with the Bow-Bouquet I made.

Pictures of the M&M

A few pictures of Madeline from dinner last week.  She's such a cutie and is loving to roll over and over and over. 

Mid-roll

Wanting to crawl so badly but she just hasn't quite figured it out yet!

17th Street BBQ

Last year the tribune ran a special on a BBQ roadtrip a couple of the food writers went on.  They drove 1,467 miles over the course of one three day weekend ate at 10 different bbq places. 

17th Street Bar & Grill - Murphysboro, IL
Dexter BBQ - Sikeston, MO
Rendezvous - Memphis, TN
Bar-B-Q Shop - Memphis, TN
Gus's Fried Chicken - Southhaven, MS
Big Bob Gibson - Decatur, AL
Dreamland - Huntsville, TN
Mary's BBQ Pit - Nashville, TN
Prince's Hot Fried Chicken - Nashville, TN
Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn - Owensboro, KY

Until Friday, the only one on this list I had been to was the Rendezvous in Memphis. With Sarah's recommendation, Darren and I ventured up to 17th Street Bar & Grill on our way up to St Louis.  We stopped at the one in Marion, IL.  Sarah told us to be sure to try the pulled BBQ pork and the fried pickle chips.  Both were excellent!  Darren got what they called the "Champion's Plate" and from the size you can see why!  In his defense I got the appetizer sampler as my meal with the intention of eating my share of his plate but my plate was also as huge!  We definitely did not join the clean plate club on this night!

Bottom line: If you find yourself in Southern Illinois, hit up this place.  You won't be disappointed!

Happy 1 Year Blogiversary to me!

One year ago I found I had passed the CPA exam and I began this little blog of mine to help keep my friends and family up to date with all the fun I've been having.  This my 228th post.  The next year of my life will hold many big life changes... A move to Indianapolis, probably selling my first home, finding a new job and moving in with Darren. The thought of the things to come is quite nerve racking but I'll (we'll) take it one step at a time.  Also looking ahead, there is a lot of fun planned including a big trip to Europe and another big trip prior to moving to Indianapolis.

Thanks for reading and keep the comments coming.  I love hearing your thoughts on my thoughts!

Love,
Steph

CPA Stephanie

Happy 1 year passing the CPA examaversary!!

It's hard to explain just how happy it makes me knowing I never have to study for that exam again!  Good riddance!!

The Arch

No trip to St Louis is complete without an abundance of picture of and in front of the arch!  Sadly we didn't really have much time to do much sightseeing with all the baseball we had to watch!

Darren & me

Darren with his mom, dad and mom's boyfriend, Jerry.

View of the arch from in front of our hotel.

Weekend at Busch Stadium

Over the weekend Darren and I met his parents up in St. Louis for a weekend of baseball games!  The temperature tipped the scales in the upper 90's and both the game Saturday and the one on Sunday were day games.  It was HOT but at least on Sunday we were in the shade the whole day.

Somehow the Cubs pulled of 2 wins.  They tried hard to give the game away on Sunday but somehow did pull it off.  Darren was pleased that they were 3-0 in the games we had seen this year.  His streak did run out when they lost on Tuesday though.  It makes sad but in the last few years I've seen far more Cubs games than Sox games.

On Saturday before we started sweltering in the sun.

Sunday in the shade.

It was my first time at Busch stadium.  Our seats were great and the stadium was beautiful. Great place to watch a game.

Drink More Beer

Until about 6 years ago I did not like beer at all. As in I would not take 1 sip of it because I hated it to much.  Not sure how that all changed but it did and I haven't looked back.  Beer has become my beverage of choice and not just the Buds and Millers of the world.  If given a choice I'm more apt to choose a Stout or a Belgian over a typical American Lager.  Michigan's Brewers Festival was full of those odd ball good quality beers I love.  Hopefully we'll get a chance to go back one day!

Weekend of Tubing

I spent 4th of July weekend up at Lake Cumberland.  It was nice to get away for a weekend and relax with friends.  Tubing wasn't as hard or crazy as the pictures indicate, but it was fun regardless! :)

Garden of the Gods

After being at the top of Pike's Peak in the mid 40 degree windchills we went ventured over to the nearby Garden of the Gods where it was a balmy 100+ with the heat index.  The views were beautiful though!

Pike's Peak

During our trip to Denver in June we got to drive up the long curvy road to the top of Pike's Peak.  We really need to take a longer trip out to Denver because there is so much that I haven't seen in a lot of years!

Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert

Love this fun layout for Jake & Ashima's Wedding. 

First Run for the Roses

Love the memories from our first trip to the derby.  I think I might be jaded since I won a bit of money!  Next year for sure I will be betting on Calvin Borel!

Chicago Sports Night

One of the highlights of our summer so far was the Murphy's rooftop game which featured the Blackhawks and Lord Stanley's Cup!  What an experience to be there.  I still can't believe how well my pictures came out being over 500 feet from home plate!

January - April 2010 - Scrapbooking

I finished another book this week.  It held January-April 2010.  A lot has happened in the first 4 months of this year!

Our 11 day trip to San Juan and the Caribbean
Trips to Phoenix, New Orleans and Dallas
Laura's baby shower
My first Bear's game

Grads and Tickets... Wha?

I'm almost embarrassed to show you this page! By far not my best work!  I had a ton of movie and theater tickets that I hadn't incorporated in a book for at least a year so I decided to inundate the page of Emily & David's graduation with them.  Sadly the end product was ugly but as Sarah, Jayna and I tend to say, at least it's scrapbooked!

Alan Jackson Said it Best

On how I wish Dallas was in Tennessee
If I could move Texas east
Then she'd be here with me
Then nothin' else would come between the two of us
If Dallas was in Tennessee

If they only had a similar song about Michigan too!  Miss my Eliz!

These pages from our trip in April to visit Elizabeth and Steve (and Reggie & Sophie).

Emily & Jacob

Congratulations to my cousin Emily who is recently engaged to Jacob Curless. Their wedding is September 18th.  Sadly I will be on vacation and won't get to go to the wedding.  Here are a few pictures of them!