#teamEmily

So I'm just a few episodes late to the party, but I am on a craze about this season's Bachelorette! I'm not sure if it's because we share the same name, southern accent, and love for sexy men who know how to do house hold chores, but I love Emily!
I'm not sure if I've told all of you, but each Monday night (that I always declare "Bachelor/ette Monday") my mom, 2nd mom, and good friend come over to my house for dinner and yummy man watching the Bachelorette! We started out doing it for Ben's season, and now we're continuing our newly found tradition with Emily's season!  I'll have to give ya'll a little inside scoop on the party next Monday ;)
So unlike the past few seasons, I've decided to steer clear of the spoilers out there and keep the ending a surprise, although I'm already fighting the urge and it's only been the second week!
Here are my top 4...

Usually I only pick 1 and kind of "root" for them the whole season, which in this case would be Mr. Hottie Arie, but I figured I'd pick a few more incase his bad boy race car driving skills send him packing early ;) 

..You know, just a few more to fall back on!

I absolutely ADORE Ryan after last weeks date, so I'll have to admit I only picked Arie over him due to his super fine self ;) 

One F Jef is sweet, plus I think he looks like the guy off of the Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles... You know.. the guy who took Molly Ringwald's panties ;) 

..and well, Charlie is representin' the 615 (like that Gangster talk? That's translated as "he's from Nashville" for all of you non Gangster people out there.. ;) ) so they had to be keepers!

I'm interested in seeing some of your favorites? I really do think she has a lot of good guys!

We'll talk more "Bach talk" on Tuesday ;) 

ooh, and am I the only one out there that seems to voice my every opinion of the show via twitter? I am a crazed Bachelorette live tweeter, so if you see my out there in the twitterverse tonight, I'd love to hear your take on the show, also!

Happy Bachelorette Monday ladies!

Hoppy 1st Birthday, Liam!

I'm sure it's no surprise to any of you that I'm just now getting to post pictures from Liam's 1st Birthday party that was *ahem* two weekends ago...
Whatevs, by now you should understand that goes along with the 'I have a one year old' package..

If you have been following the blog for some time, you know that we refer to my son as 'Frog' (terrible, I know.. but we're working on it..).  So coming up with a first birthday party theme was a no brainer..
I give you, Frog Prince Liam's 1st Birthday Party...

The cakes and cupcakes were made by Publix.  I had researched 'Frog Cakes' online and came across the cutest cake that I had to have for Liam's party, so I printed it off and headed to the Bakery.  I think they did a fantastic job, and the cake looks practically identical to what I had originally shown them!  The cake in the center was for our guests (along with some 'take home cupcakes' to the right!) and Liam's "smash cake" is to the right!

We had our closest friends and family come over to the house to celebrate our little Frog's first birthday party. We all enjoyed some BBQ sandwhiches, each other's company, and the nice weather from our newly finished patio (I'll be showing you all that, soon!).  Unfortunately, while making the birthday plan's, Liam's afternoon nap wasn't taken into consideration when planning the time, so the Birthday Boy himself missed out on the first hour of his birthday party (which Momma wasn't really complaining about... It gave me a chance to make sure everyone was fed, including myself!).

When Liam did wake up, he wasn't exactly in the "partying" mood, and was a little overwhelmed from waking up to 60 or so hands reaching for him (I guess I don't blame him!), so pictures were held to a minimum.

After the birthday boy had gotten use to all of his guests, we stripped him and got him ready for his first bite of cake...

As for the "Cake Smash" Liam was surprisingly not much of a fan.. I guess I wouldn't be either if I had rubbed icing all in my eyes! So before we opened gifts, we gave him a bath and let him eat some more cake (from a fork fed by momma!)

Liam got lots of cute clothes, books, movies, and toys from his guest's!  Here's a few of his "big toys" he had gotten for his birthday (not including a swimming pool from mommy and daddy with lots of pool toys!).. Of course, it took Daddy, Papa Steve, and Uncle Chad to put them all together ;)

 (Wagon from Auntie Amy!)

(Picnic Table from Granny and Paw)

And of course, the biggest gift of all, his first car... (We figured since he still isn't walking we might as well get his drivers licence so he can be mobile...).

It was obvious that he was pretty excited...

We had such a good time celebrating his birthday! I was so pleased with how everything turned out :) 

...Although I still can't believe I am the mother of a ONE YEAR OLD! 

A year's worth of love..

I is Here!

Long time no see ladies! I'm just popping in to let you know that I am alive ;)

Due to my grandmother like tendencies, I am using the evening to catch up with all of you ladies via your respective space of the interwebs, eating yummy ice cream cones, relaxing (hallelujah the craziness has ceased!), and writing this short, sweet, and to the point post!  

Here is what's ahead...

• Liam turns (actually 'turned') 1
• 'Yard Crashers' Cain Family Style
• Liam's Birthday Party
• My progress as a "running is my hobby" runner
• My take on the Bachelorette
• New Blog Design plus a GIVEAWAY!

...All just around the corner!

(See list above if you're wondering why I've been so MIA lately!)

See ya soon!

i need a hobby...

As of late, I am getting extremely tired of being tired of not having any fun extracurricular activities to entertain myself with between all of the hours I spend at work, doing wife like things like cleaning my house and cooking really simple gourmet meals, and chasing after my really energetic (soon to be..) one year old (umm.. that kind of hurt saying that.. I have a one year old?! Ouch..).
Aside from blogging, which don't get me wrong- I love!, I really don't have anything that I enjoy doing (aside from spending all of my husband's money on the weekends at Homegoods and Kirklands making sure my house looks beautiful at all times..)
So, I decided today while I was working that I needed a hobby.
..and not just any hobby.
A hobby that prevents things like this from happening to me on a regular basis.
So what hobby did I decide to take up, you might ask?
I'm going to be a "runner".
Boom. Just like that.. without thinking it through or anything.
...I've been told extremely often once or twice that I'm a bit impulsive.
You might have had the privilege to see that actual moment I temporarily went insane 'impulsiveness' take place per twitter this afternoon...

...and now that I have actually taken some time to think about my decision, I'm debating on deleting this post and pretending it never crossed my mind confident that I will be able to turn what was once a form of absolute torture very relatable to somewhat of a terrorist attack discipline in my cheerleading days, to something I enjoy doing.
Plus i'll be able to a) be able to eat 2 huge donuts every morning without feeling guility fit and healthy b) be all competitive like and race in marathons and trips from California to New York and stuff, and c) have awesome looking legs get my muscle definition back.
...My mom also participated in a 1/2 Marathon last year, and the fact that she has done one in her FORTY'S and I have yet to run so much as a 5k is just not going to fly.. (yes I just used the word 'fly'.)
(Oh and sorry that I just somewhat posted your age for the entire interweb to see, Mom, just know that you totally look like you just walked off a college campus girlfriend..)
Oh, and before you go all "girlfriend thinks she's fat" on me, know that is completely not the case.  I am completely comfortable with my size and my weight, but what I am not comfortable with is  my inability to get out of bed and pee the shape I am in.
...So there you have it.  I'll now go by EmCain the Runner, if you so choose to call me that, starting tomorrow.
...because tomorrow is going to be the first day I run.  Well, I mean not literally.. I've ran before, but tomorrow is going to be my first "running is my hobby" day.
Wish me luck, and if you are a "hobby runner" (ahem, like myself..) have any advice, i'm desperate to hear that you haven't died from doing this all ears!

DIY Colored Vase!

Soo as I told you all yesterday, Liam's birthday party planning has brought out the crafty-ness in me.
...As in I have officially completed one of my first "As Seen on Pinterest" projects!

I kept seeing all of these colored vase pins and thought that making a few might be cute for Liam's birthday party... so last Thursday after printing Liam's invitations, it was off to Hobby Lobby, with my not so excited Husband in tow, to pick some things up for my mini project!

I already had a few vases from previous birthdays, anniversaries, etc. to practice with, so I went with this one...

Then I gathered all of my 'supplies' in the kitchen... (excuse the horrible photos!)

1. Paper towels and glass cleaner

2. Vase or glassware of some sort..

3. Acrylic paint 

4. Sponge Brushes

See? Pretty simple stuff that most of you probably already have on hand (I however did not, since my sorority/ crafting days are and have been over for awhile..).

Once you've gotten all of your stuff together, start by making sure your vase is nice and clean (I used a glass cleaner and paper towels).  

Then you'll just squirt a generous amount of the paint color you chose into the vase, and paint it with the sponge brush!

I chose white, so that I could use it throughout the house (it's currently found a home on the nightstand of our guest bedroom!)..

Let it dry over night, then VOILA!

Hello, pretty new vase!

See? Told you it was super simple!

Now I just need some fresh flowers to go in it :)

Grandma's back...

Eek! I've gone missing for the past week...
I've managed to have quite the past few days, per Grandma EmCain fashion.

Sunday night I woke up to go to the bathroom (because that's what child birth and getting old will do to ya..) and managed to THROW. MY. BACK. OUT. in true Grandma fashion...
No ma'ams.. I kid you not.  Miss young thang over here (ahem.. so I thought.) paid her first visit to the Chiropractor Monday morning because I literally could not walk.
Turns out I had 2 slipped disc and a rib out of alignment (??)
..I know. I didn't think that was physically possible, either.
Naturally, whiney tweets ensued for the rest of the day...

Because I swear to all of you, you would've done the same.

The chiropractor managed to 'pop' me back into place just in time to feel 'limber' enough to stand for 4 hours at the Van Halen concert that I attended Friday night.
It goes without saying that I had the best time and that I was totally crushing on 56 year old, Eddie Van Halen (you would too, girls. You would, too..)
I do believe I might have been born in the wrong decade ;)

...although I think the '80's Eddie is a little more attractive ;) 

Am I saying all of this out loud?! Haha :) I may wear my pearls and preppy attire on the outside, but I'm a little rocker deep down ;) (my husband hates it! haha- Love you, T!)

In other non related news..

I've been busy with Liam's birthday party planning, and getting our back yard ready for the summer time (we just poured a patio!).

..I'll give ya'll more details (and pictures!) soon, including a few cool DIY's I've managed to complete (Quite the Craft-ster I've become!)!

What have all of you been up to? 

Is everyone getting ready for summer time like we are?

Have a great Sunday ladies!

xoxo-

Liam meets the duckies!

About a week before Easter, a lady that works with my mom had bought a few ducklings to use for pictures... She had done my wedding photos and offered to take a few of Liam with the ducks, so we were excited to take Liam to his "Mini Easter Shoot"!  We were so surprised at his reaction to the ducks... He LOVED them!  At first he was very gentle with them and would lightly pet the tops of their little heads.
..But then the aggressiveness ensued that would come from any 11 month year old's tiny little hands.  He would pick them up by their eye balls (please don't call animal services on me...) and try to toss them off the chair, and he even tried to PUT ONE IN HIS MOUTH! (We couldn't help but laugh at that, right after screaming LIAM, NO, of course ;) )
Take a look at a few of the pictures..

...when the aggressiveness ensued.

..and of course he had to pout after the many LIAM, NO!!'s

It's so neat to see him experience things for the first time!

I can't believe we're on the countdown for his ONE year Birthday!

New pretties!

So I just finished up a new design for Miss Chelsea at As Chelsea Sees It... I am so glad that she is enjoying it, and that I could help her out with the design!  She's a fellow momma, so I know how busy girlfriend can get, and I was happy to give her part of our crazy little community a bit of a face lift ;)
Take a peak..

Yay Chelsea!

P.S. Girlfriend is currently having a GIVEAWAY for a free design by yours truly! If you so happen to win and you'd rather not have the design, that's cool , too- I can be your go to gal for anything else you may need/want for your blog!

Just click here to get the deets!

I'm excited to find out who i'll be working with-- Chelsea, I had so much fun with you (even with our hectic mommy texting!) and am so glad you're happy with the design!

SO late Easter recap!

So this really isn't much of a 'recap' as it is a few pictures of our Easter weekend!  Since Taylor was having to work on Sunday (I know, bummer!) we went to church Saturday evening with my family, then celebrated with a family get together at my parents on Sunday... Here's a few pictures of Easter, um, Saturday..

I got Liam's Easter outfit at a Children's Boutique in Nashville called Lizards N Lace.  Of course, in true southern gal fashion, I had to have his name put on it!

I got Liam's Easter Basket at Enchanted Threads, a monogramming place in Goodlettsville, since he's still too little for all of the eggs and sweets, we just got him a few toys (and I had to throw in a Chocolate Bunny for the Easter Bunny ;) ) He got a tractor, gardening tools, and a bathing suit, oh- and a precious frog ;)

 We really didn't expect any reaction from him when he came into the living room to see his goodies, but to our surprise, he let out a huge gasp and a gigantic grin! I had the camera ready and luckily I caught his face!

...naturally the mom in me came out, and I had to stage a picture!

All in all I think he had a great Easter, I'm still surprised that he acted so excited!

How was your Easter (ahem- that was last weekend...)