Stella Selfies

My dog loves selfies.

Of course I'm lying: Stella hates having her picture taken.  In fact, I swear she actually knows when it's happening.  If she's doing something cute, she'll stop immediately.  If she's looking at the camera, she will look away at the very last minute.  

Last week I did an experiment to prove my point with this dog.  Although, while I did get some super cute ones, most of them turned out terrible.

She even yawned right in the middle of one.  Crazy dog.

If you have any tips on how to make your dog not look like a complete idiot in pictures, please let me know.

She really is super cute in real life, I promise!!

Also, I'm jetting off to New Orleans this weekend for Oyster Fest!  Hope y'all have a great weekend!

#tbt: Braves Game 2006

Right before I graduated from college, I had some really shitty medical stuff happen.  I haven't talked much about it on the blog, because, well besides having to wear a medical alert bracelet, it doesn't hinder my life in any way.  

But after college, I moved home to Atlanta for a few months while I was re-learning to walk and basically deciding what the heck I wanted to do with my life.

One of my big advantages to this, was that my best friend at the time had also moved back home for the same purpose of trying to figure out what the hell to do next. 

So of course in the summer time, in Atlanta, there is nothing better to do than hit up a Braves game.  I've expressed my love for this team before on the blog, and it's even more fun when you get to go with people you adore.

One of our old co-workers from Ruby Tuesday had decided to come up that weekend, so he joined us at the game.  He was a little crazy, and his main objective was to get on the big screen.  My main objective?  To pretend like I didn't know the kid and to stay far far away from him, just in case he did happen to make his dream a reality.

It was such a fun time!  It was my first Braves game where I could actually drink!  It was a great time, and I miss these two, but as I'm sure I've said before, people enter and exit your life for a reason, so instead of dwelling on it, just let it be.

The Perfect Birmingham Day

Last Saturday was reserved for doing all things Birmingham.

It didn't really start out being planned that way, but it just sort of happened.  I have always wanted to go to Pepper Place Market, and in the five years I've lived here, I have never gone.  I don't even know if it was a thing back when I first moved here.  

Anyway, it wasn't was I expected it to be!  It was humongous!  There were so many stands and so much stuff!  I didn't know where to start.  We walked around the first time, just kind of in a daze, trying to take it all in.  We walked through the food, then through the craft section and back through the food again.  We settled on a shaker of spices from Dak's Spices, some Chilton County peaches, and this guy:

Meet my cute ass succulent, Antoine.

After wading our way through a million people, we had gathered quite an appetite.  I've wanted to go to Urban Standard for so long, sooo of course I won that battle and that's where we went.

I got the iced coffee and biscuit with sausage.  It was so simple, but so good!  It was so awesome that I decided to recreate it for Sunday breakfast.

Theirs was better.  I will be going back.  Next time, most likely for dessert.

Then after much cleaning, shopping, other weekend chores, I was starving.  And the only thing that came to mind was Rojo.

I loooove Rojo, but very rarely go, because of how popular it is and how packed it normally is.  But, I put on my thinking cap, and was like, "hey, it's Memorial Day weekend, maybe no one will be there."  And I was correct.  

I had the enormous chipotle pork and mushroom burrito and pretty much died right afterwards.  I don't remember being that full in a long while.  We also thought it was a brilliant idea to order a pitcher of PBR.  We were reminded that that is almost never a brilliant idea.

Afterwards, we treated ourselves to a few beautiful Birmingham only photos:

I can't wait to have another only Birmingham day!

There is so much to explore in the city!

Memorial Day 2014

Our Memorial Day consisted of laying out in the sun with our mini blow up pool.  I'm aware that we probably look like rednecks, but guess what?  

A fence is going up, so it won't be as visible to the neighborhood as it once was.  Hot dogs were grilled, a pork butt was smoked, Ramen noodle salad was made and a double layer strawberry shortcake was baked. 

Stella went in the pool.  She hated it.  

But mostly, it was a day for giving thanks to our soldiers and remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so we could enjoy all of the above.

this was before she was thrown in the pool.  where she obviously thought she was going to die.  have you ever seen a dog doggie paddle while not even in the water?  this dog is special!

Ramen noodle salad -- see recipe below.

double layer strawberry shortcake.  yep, i'm aware of how ugly it is.

Ramen Noodle Salad

for the salad:

- 1 package shredded cabbage ( I just buy the bagged coleslaw stuff)

- 2 packs Ramen noodles

- 4 green onions, chopped.

for the dressing:

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 Tbsp sugar

- 1 cup oil

- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar

- 1 flavor packet from noodle package

Directions:  

- Mix ingredients and pour over salad.

So simple, yet so delicious.

Hope y'all had a great Memorial Day!

Dat Dog - NOLA

In anticipation of everyone grilling out and eating hot dogs, I think it's time the world hears about Dat Dog.

They've got three locations in New Orleans - Freret, Magazine and Frenchman street.  I've had Freret and Magazine, but haven't yet made the venture to the Frenchman street location, although I have no doubt that it's just as delicious.

Here's how it works --- you pick your hot dog, then you add any topping you want, and they range from normal yellow mustard to etouffee and guacamole.

Then they have the most delicious cheese and bacon fries, and their chili cheese fries are incredible, too.  The weather was beautiful, so we sat outside.  It was our Easter dinner that day, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Bonus?  It heat up incredibly well as leftovers, even after the five hour drive home.

This place is a definite must go while you're down there...umm, maybe more than once.

It was incredible.  

I hope y'all have a very happy Memorial Day!!

#tbt: Remember When

Do you remember when life was so easy?

Your parents did everything for you.  You were not responsible for how anyone felt; there was no pressure on you to do anything.

Your only obligations were to go to school and do well and eat what was placed in front of you.

I miss those days.

Being able to not have to get up, be responsible for anyone or be held accountable for anything you did.  Hey, you were just a kid, and who is going to blame a kid?

I really miss those days.

My iPhone Life

Yesterday, I decided it was time to back up my pictures from this computer onto my external hard drive.  I have a funny feeling that any day now, this laptop of mine is going to crap out on me, and I'll be devastated.

So I got this thing out, went into copy my pictures, and there were 10,000 pictures that needed to be copied over.

10,000 pictures.  

Holy crap, Laura, what in the hell are you taking 10,000 pictures of?  Well, I'm glad you asked that.  Most of them are in iPhone form.  I am convinced that this summer, I will take back up the task of learning my DSLR.  I mean, I bought the dang tutorials, I should at least put that money to use.

But until that point, I will continue to document my life through my phone.  I'm pretty convinced that it's way easier to pull out my phone than my nice, big, good camera.  I will suffer a tiny bit of quality for convenience.

In this instance anyway.

because I can make fun of myself on the Internet. this is the night the bad storms came pretty close to our house.  i wasn't going down without a fight.

geeking out with stell bell in the car . this was right after her vet visit in which we found out she had a sprained tail.  selfies make her feel better.

one of my sweet drivers gave me money for food.  best exchange ever.  really good lebanese/Mediterranean food.  their hummus is amazing.

a perfect night to watch the Barons beat the Blue Wahoos.

a delicious birthday cake cupcake from Dreamcakes.  yep, that was my lunch.

hanging out on the porch with an old friend.

a delicious Friday treat; the slaw dog from Frank's Hot Dogs & Italian Ice in Irondale.  seriously.  go to there.  you won't regret it.

So there's my life now according to my iPhone.  What would yours look like if someone happened to peek into your phone?

6 Things that Will Never Happen

So every once in a while -- you go through your list of dreams, and just decide that maybe you were on crack when you decided that they were your dreams.  I had a list people -- an honest to goodness list of things I wanted to accomplish in my life.  

As I've gotten older, I've realized that, nope, some of these things just aren't going to happen.  I'm not sad or upset about them; it just is.  I've come to live with it, but I am going to share the list with you.

1.  I will never be able to run a marathon.  I know right?!  I've told myself to get real on this one.  I just don't see how running that long will ever happen.  

Even if he was there waiting for me...nope.

2.  I will never  be able to apply liquid eyeliner.  Thanks, but no thanks Pinterest;  I have no interest in putting scotch tape on my eyes to get that perfect line.  You all will just have to accept me, bad eyeliner and all.

3.  I will never be able to make an over-easy egg.  Nope, just not happening.  Yolk breaks everytime.

(alliwantiscake.com)

 4.  I will never be able to give up caffeine.  I love love coffee, and I'm obsessed with Diet Coke.  You don't want to see what happens to me when I don't have caffeine in the morning.  I guarantee you won't want to be my friend.

5. Marrying Aaron Rodgers.  It's not going to happen. 

but dammit Aaron, I look so cute in your jersey!

6.  Saying I'm going to wait until the weekend to drink and actually waiting till the weekend.  Really, who am I kidding?  Pour me that glass of wine; I deserve it.