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Hi Readers,

In the very near future I'll be launching my J.Starr Stylized Weddings & Events Blog.... so I've finally decided it's probably a smart move professionally to make my "personal" blog~ private.  So if you enjoy reading all the random tid-bits about our little crazy world... email me (at jenniferasu@hotmail.com) or comment below your preferred email address and I'll give you vip access.

Thanks for reading and allowing us to share our lives with you. 

 

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"Our Dreams, and they are made out of Real Things"....

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Mom's Birthday

The Month May Equals ~ Moms

Between Mother's Day and Mom's Birthday and Granny's Birthday ~
We do a lot of celebrating in the Month of May!

This time, it was time to Celebrate Mom's Birthday.
 
So, What did we do? We went out to dinner at Tommy's Bistro (is that still what it's called) for a nice dinner out on the patio....the food there is really great, and it's cool because we can walk there from Mom and Dad's Place.  After dinner we returned back home for some gift opening and cake....

A gift from Dad ~ I'm thinking this was professionally wrapped?

Gorgeous Crystal Martini Glasses, Nice job Dad!!

So, a birthday cake for Mom is kind of a running joke in our family.  For some reason, unknown to me each year...between the three of us ~ Me, Dad, and Chase...we can never seem to pull off a decent

 birthday cake for mom. 

All of these years, mom's always gone to these great efforts to always make us all a home cooked dinner complete with our favorite kind of birthday cake. 

It's sad... I think the guys are even more talented in the kitchen than me ~ which is scary...very scary.  We should all really just put Justin in charge of Mom's Birthday meal, I mean really.

So back to the whole "Cake" thing.  After we manage to pull together some decent gifts and get the family all together to celebrate our little Mama Jo... the three us of kind of look at each other dump-founded like... ummm... "did you get the cake"...???... "No"..???.... "did you"...???

In fact one year it was so pathetic I remember Chase I and drove to Chili's to order a slice of dessert "to go"...and when we got back home we realized that they put the chocolate sauce on the side....so we're standing in the living room, stressing out and laughing at the same time trying to "dress up" this ridiculous dessert that was completely melted all over the place.

So this year, I was determined not to let this happen... So I bought a cake, and I found out later Dad bought a cake too.... (double good job Dad!)

But now that I look at the photo, the cake still looks all sad and wimpy....

Aaaahh Mom, we love you. No one can quite get things right the way you do.  We sure do love you. 

Next year Justin will prepare a lovely meal and birthday cake, just for you!!! 

Happy Birthday Beautiful Lady!!!

Muah!

 

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Granny's Lil Birthday Party

Ever since I threw my Norris Grandparents their 60th Wedding Anniversary Celebration I've been wanting to throw my lil Granny Morris a birthday party for some time now.  She's just the sweetest little lady and is blown away by the smallest of gestures. 

So we threw her a 79th Morning Birthday Brunch!! 

We had to get creative with our space, because our two bedroom condo is a bit challenging to host celebrations in....even with only 7 Guests.

For Granny all the frills were a most.... mimosas, Granny slideshows on the flat screen, flowers with peacock feathers everywhere...

And this is part of the blog post where you'll think I'm crazy.  Like I said hosting even a small party in our condo is a challenge, so....somehow I talked my amazing husband into moving our king size bed out of the bedroom so that I could use this space to entertain.... and it turned out so lovely and comfortable.

We showered the birthday girl with gifts...

And delicious "Southern" catering from Crackers and Company

Granny was blown away.....she's so cute

Chase surprised her with a poem written all about her...

She of course cried......

And my doggies are completely in love with her, so they had to join in the fun too...

Following Brunch we did some toasting to Granny and played a
"Granny" Game. 

The goal was to come up with as many "Granny" sayings you could think of. She's very unique with her "Southern" ways and the things that come out of her mouth sometimes are hysterical!

Mom made Granny a birthday cake, completely from scratch!

And we sang to our little Birthday Girl.

And she made a wish..

And life was good on that Sunday Morning in May. 

The celebration ended with the attempt of capturing a family photo.  It was comical how challenging of a task this was for this group~ but at last....we "kind' of got the shot.

Good Times, Love Lady ~ Cheers to Granny!

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Mother's Day 2011

Mother's Day Weekend Started Off: 

With a visit at Granny's House.....

Followed by some quality time with Grandma later that evening....

And....a noisy little weenie dog~ she needs to work on her manners...

The next day...on actual Mother's Day, we decided last minute to take a trip down to Tucson.

And somehow on the way down we ended up at the Ostrich Ranch in Picacho Peak.

It was quite random... Justin met a new Girlfriend. 

This was one of the weirdest thing I've ever seen........

Ostriches scare me.....

Winds were blowing it was hot and we were covered in dust.... just an odd, odd, experience.

Later we arrived in Tucson... and shopped the shops and had lunch

Here's Momma and her kiddos....

It was a hot and dusty day in Tucson, but we had fun......

I had to convince my brother to pose in this shot, I thought it was cool...Chase thinks I'm a dork too.

After we got back to CG from Tucson, it was time for some relaxing outside and time for Mom to open
her Mother's Day gifts....

Meet Sweet Cheeks, my parents Cockatiel...

For Mother's Day, mom had requested a basket for her beach crusier and a mirror....and additon I thought it was only fitting that she also get a squeaky horn.

Meet Katie Bug ~ My Parents 11year old Jack Russell

And Olive, she always insists on stealing the show.....

Happy Mother's Day to my little Momma, I Love You!!!!!!

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"Berried" Treasure Pie

A New Traditon Begins... to Honor a Very Special Mother....

Barbara always made these delicious pies on Thanksgiving and Christmas for the family.  She always made several of them, making sure that there was plenty for each of her children to take home and enjoy for the following week.

I could never pass up Barb's Berried Treasure Pie ~ it's just heavenly and was just one of the many things Barb did to show love. 

The night before Mother's Day we decided to make Barbara's "Berried Treasure Pies."

I was truly excited because although I had savored the taste many times during the special holidays, I had never made one before.  So Justin and I decided we would make

a night out of it.  (This Marks # 2 on 101 in 1001)


Complete with all things that Barb Loved....

Wine Spritzers and Jazz Music

We decided to make 3 Pies Total ~ One for Granny, One for Mom, and One for Grandma...and then delivered them the following day. 

And of course "Dings" and "Dolls" got in on the action too.

We hope to make this a yearly tradition and in the future share with our little ones special stories
 about "Grandma Starr"

Happy Mother's Day Mom Starr ~ we love you and we miss you.

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Hot Lanta

I had such a wonderful time when I went to Georgia to visit one of most people in this world:

Miss Aimee Sloan. 

It was just one of those times in life when I knew I just needed some one on one good ole Aimee Sloan girlfriend time.  I always have a blast with her, the most fun is had typically when we're not doing much of anything. 

We laugh...a lot, sometimes we cry a little, and we lounge around, we over analyze, we talk about boys, we spend ridiculousy amounts of time putting on make up and typically listen to the same songs over and over and over again.  Oh, and one more important thing: we eat!! 

There was a period of time in our college years when we spent nearly every day together. 

Now that the years have passed, times have changed, our time together is far and few ~

but I always appreciate those times!

Georgia was just lovely!  It was my first time to the "South" so I really appreciated all the GREEN!! 

 We did so many fun things....attended 12 Stone ~ Aimee's Sunday hot spot, Walked in the Tribble Mill, drove through the Georgia Bible belt.   I was loving all the hills and winding roads....

And...we ate good ole Southern Food.  It was my first time experiencing

~ Sweet Tea, Green Fried Tomatoes. and Collared Greens~

The home Aimee is currently living in with some darling roommates is just stunning.... I was so impressed by the size of the homes in Georgia ~ so big and so beautiful!!

This was the view from her back deck

We did a lot of driving.... even through some of the scary streets of downtown Atlanta. 

One afternoon we ended up at the famous Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles ~ and of course

 ate Chicken and Waffles. 

Then more driving...even scarier because Aimee was driving...

Our last night we out for a special dinner at this charming little restruant in the city called: 

Cafe Intermezzo  

It was a short visit...but so much fun to catch up and see the sights of the South

And though we're umm.... 30 now...

It's nice to know....that not much really changes....

We just get a little less more mature with age..... and dare I say...perhaps better looking??? ;) ha!

Love You Shlonger, Let's Plan Another Trip Soon!!!!

And this marks off # 18 on my 101 in 1001!!

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