Mingle Monday

I'm linking up again with Meg for another Mingle Monday. Her blog is super cute!

I'm on day 6 of bed rest/house arrest.  As much as I've loved the down time and snuggle time with Busy and Coley B. I'm ready to get back in the swing of things!  I am going back to my part time job tonight, but that's only 2 hours.

I'm currently accepting book & movie suggestions!

Sunday Social

Greetings from my "I'm going crazy, I can't sit still, I'm feeling good, but not great" bed on this Social Sunday.  I'm once again linking up with Ashley & Neely.

1. What is your ideal way to relax?

-Oh a nice HOT bath, with a beer or a glass of wine while I watch some trashy TV show (I tend to run to my parents house and do this as their bathroom boasts a TV in it--thank you previous ownsers)

 

2. Where is your favorite place to be?

-Oxford, MS (thankfully I live here).  A close second and third are Target and Nordstrom.  

3. Who do you consider your biggest role model?

-Definitely my mother, she is amazing.

4. What does your life look like in 3 years?

-Oh lord. I hope I have a job that I LOVE and maybe a husband, or at least a boyfriend (I can hope right?).  I wouldn't mind being in Oxford, but also maybe a bigger city!

5. If you could go back and change one decision, what would it be?

-Leave my comfort zone my freshman year and make friends and not listen to what others thought of the "Yankee" girl.

6. What is your biggest accomplishment in life so far?

-Running in 2 half marathons and graduating with my Master's Degree.

Big Bad Pop Ups Week 2

I decided I was well enough to go to the second week of Big Bad Pop Ups in Oxford this week.  It was a big mistake as I am SO tired today.  This week featured guest chefs from Hog & Hominy in Memphis, TN. My dear Grad School Friend, Mary Elizabeth was in town from Charleston for a funeral so she joined my parent and I, along with sweet Caroline!

The menu

Caroline and her corn dog!

Me & Mary Elizabeth

My sweet  mom and dad

the lamb gnocchi

the roasted carrots

oyster stew

the parsnips, i didn't care for them

the poutine (so great!)

the canoli!

Den & Caroline had happy plates

I'm hoping next week will be better! It wasn't terrible, by any means, but last week was just incredible!

Pit & Peak Week 3

I'm linking up again for the 3rd week with Allie & Brin  for their weekly link up of Pits & Peaks.

The idea:

*Pit (the lowest part of the week)

*Peak (the highest part of the week)

*Link Up and read some other Pits & Peaks

{Pit}

-Having Gallbladder surgery (it wasn't bad, but I'm just sore and tired)

-Missing the Ole Miss Basketball game tonight--we won

-Missing lots of work (I have an amazing boss, but I still hate to be out)

{Peak}

-Resting all week, and the good meds

-All my friends visiting me while I've been "out of commission"

-My aunt getting an AWESOME scan report for her cancer! (best one in 6 years!)

-Getting my book (& goodies) from Ashlea.  We were matched up in a book swap and we both sent each other Kristin Hannah books! Her blog is so cute, check it out!

-Getting the ball running with the Memorial 5K I'm on the committee for!  If you live in the N. Mississippi area (or an Ole Miss fan), come for our 5K! The Hotty Toddy Run for the Roses 5K.

Peace out Gallbladder

After about 2 weeks of grueling pain from my gallbladder, I was so excited to have it taken it out on Tuesday. As much as I didn't want her to do it, my mom BEGGED to document the whole process.  The best part?  She doesn't know I have a blog!

Arriving at the hospital. I then realized I forgot my ID's, Insurance Card, Credit Card

Checking into the Admissions, I was NOT happy with her at this point!

Getting settled in at the Outpatient Center.

My Lovely IV.  My nurse Hannah (who is now my fb friend) was so incredible and really put me at ease.

Wheeling into surgery.  Seriously was frustrated  with my mom at this moment.



I had the surgery around 2 and by 6 pm, I was on my way home.  Yesterday I was a little more sore than I expected, but today I'm feeling a lot better.  I'm already bored, but keeping up with work and the Race I am on the committee for.  

I'm taking any book and or TV show obsessions.

Mingle Monday!

I'm linking up again with Meg for Mingle Monday.  I have really enjoyed reading her blog and finding some other bloggy friends.

I'll be out of commission this week as I'm having gallbladder surgery tomorrow.  I'm anxious to be "pain free" for gallbladder attacks.  I'm also nervous, but in dealing with my overly anxious, protective (LOVING) parents.  Love them to pieces, but they are already driving me a little bonkers.

Social Sunday, a wedding and a shower

I'm linking up again this Sunday for a Social Sunday with Ashley & Neely.

This Week’s Questions: All about 3′s

Top 3 Favorite Kinds of Food:  

-Thai (from Rice & Spice)

-Soups (any and every kind)

-Veggies

First 3 Things you do in the morning:

-Check my email

-Go to the bathroom (I have a child's bladder)

-Check fb/twitter/instagram

Last 3 Things you do at night:  

-Brush my teeth

-Read my SheReadsTruth Devotion

-Set my alarm/sleep time on tv

3 TV shows you NEVER miss: 

-How I Met Your Mother

-Parenthood

-Modern Family

3 Places you want to visit:

-Australia

-New York

-Austin, TX

3 People you can always count on:

-My Mom

-Jessica (my running buddy/football soul sister)

-Anne & Grace (my childhood best friends/sisters)

This weekend I also traveled to Lake Whales, FL for my dear friend Jason Cook's wedding to the beautiful Courtney!  Jason played football for Ole Miss and we became close to him our junior/senior years.  He is seriously one of the most genuine people ever. He is also one of the most Godly men you will ever meet.  Thank God he's in Divinity School right now.  What a great person. I pray he and Courtney live a long and happy life together!

At 3:00 Eastern Time (2:00 am central), I then woke up to catch a flight home for Angela's "Cooking Shower".  I am so exhausted, but it was wonderful to spend the weekend with some of my most favorite people.

the groom and I

Mrs. Pat, the Groom and my sweet mama!

Courtney and Jason

Jason and his wonderful mom

Pit & Peak

I'm linking up with Allie and Brin again for "Pit & Peak"

 This week was pretty crazy, we had ice storms, "snow days" and overall crazy weather.

{Pit}

• Getting sick last night (stupid gallbladder). Thankfully, I have an appointment tomorrow with the Doctor.
• Lots of crazy family drama that has made my mom super upset lately.
• Over committing myself this weekend (Jason's wedding, Angela's wedding shower!)

{Peak}

• Going to Big Bad Pop Up (sooo great)
• A few "snow days"
• Making my mom's cookie recipe for the first time by myself--I think I did pretty great!  
• Leaving tomorrow for Jason's wedding
• A Semi 3-day weekend!
• Seeing my neighbors who moved to Australia.
• Finishing ALL of my Thank You Notes for Christmas and my Birthday.

Big bad pop up

One of the best parts of living in a college town is all kinds of great local events! City Grocery, an amazing restaurant owned by John Currence (he was on top chef), closed down this month due to a massive kitchen renovation.  So in order to keep his staff employed during this time, he started Big Bad Pop Ups for the month of January.

He brought in "guest chefs" for the entire month. This week, however, he had the chefs at his restaurants come up with the menu! Incredible. Mom, Dad, Jessica and I met for dinner and I think we had everything on the menu.

Our favorites? The Chicken Skin BLT (don't judge) and the Brussel Sprouts.

10 on a Tuesday

I'm kinda in a blog rut...in the sense of nothing original, but that's okay, because I am finding all these new and fun blogs with all these "Link Ups."

I'm linking up with Amber (obsessed with her mustache logo) & Linny for 10 on a Tuesday.  I found this blog from my super social media savvy friend Meghan...seriously check her blog out!

{One}

I seriously crack up at "Mississippi Snow Days'. Two Days in a row, I've gone into work to only come home early because of ice.  If we are going to have an ice day, please let me know tonight, so I can sleep in!

{Two}

I've been emailing back and forth with Jenn @ Munchkin Land Designs about my new blog look, I'm so excited to unveil the new look soon! 

{Three} 

Wedding Marathon 2013 starts on Friday when I fly to Orlando, and I have nothing planned, packed or organized.

{Four}

I bought the book for my book swap with Ashlea (go follow her!). Ashlea, I hope you like my choice--it's one of my all time favorites.

{Five}

Ole Miss Basketball has been on fire this week, we beat #10 Missouri Saturday, and now just beat Vandy in OT.  Hotty Toddy

{Six} 

My training in Jackson tomorrow was cancelled due to said bad weather. I am so excited to NOT drive 5 hours tomorrow!

{Seven}

My neighbors are in from Australia and I can't wait to hug on them for a little bit! It's been about a year since I saw Agastya.

{Eight}

I'm so mad that my Biggest Loser didn't DVR, but Hooray for How I Met Your Mother, and us MAYBE finally getting to meet the Mother!

{Nine}

I'm convinced that my puppy, Busy, is the STRANGEST dog in the world.  She ran up to me (I was sitting on the floor), licked my cheek and then scurried away.  Such is the sassy sister.

{Ten}

I finished all my Thank You Notes for Christmas and my birthday (two weeks apart). I was taught the value of a good thank you card. I can look at Hallmark for hours picking out the perfect card.

Mingle Monday

I'm linking up with Meg at Life of Meg for her Mingle Monday.  Her question posted was "What is the prettiest or most unique wedding you've been to and why?"
This question is perfect for me as I have been on the wedding tour (I think I was invited to 14 this year) Every wedding I went to this year was AMAZING. And so true to the couple.  That's my biggest pet peeve, when the wedding is more about the celebration, or isn't a reflection of the couple. I'm going to highlight a few!

• Wedding One: Jacque & Thomas (and Karsyn).  My dear sorority sister's wedding in Tampa where I was a bridesmaid.  Thomas' family coincidentally is from my hometown.  His grandma read the most amazing Poem and they had CUPCAKES (the best ever!)

sweet, beautiful bride

• Wedding Two: Travis & Ellee.  My cousin Travi (what we all call him) married the sweet sweet Ellee in Santa Barbara. AH.MAZING. That's the only way to describe it.  They made it a long weekend since everyone was from out of town. From Thursday night and wayyyy toooo many margaritas to Sunday when I tearfully had to leave, the entire weekend was amazing. It was the first time we were all together in about 4 years.  My family lives all spread across the US so any time we are with together, I cherish it.  Plus my uncle's brother & sister were able to come.  We met so many people that we had only heard about in stories.  The whole weekend was just magical.

I mean look at the view!

• Wedding Three: Katie and Kevin.  I grew up with Kevin (grade school and high school) and Katie is just the sweetest person ever. The wedding was in Lake Geneva where her family has a lake house.  The best part is that they did the wedding slide show in the middle of the reception and included pictures from the actual day.  

They danced all night long!

St. Jude Flyers: Me, Bradley, Kevin (the groom), Anne and Troy.

Now wedding season 2013 is already beginning this weekend as I head to Florida for my friend Jason's wedding.  Oh the age of 27!

Sunday Social

Two posts in one day! This must be a record. But one of my "resoultions" (does anyone else hate that word?) is to blog more and make more friends in the blogging world.  One way that I have found to do this is to link up!!  So I'm Linking up with Ashley and Neely for Sunday Social.  And this week is all about introducing our blogs!

1. What is the name of your blog?  How long have you been blogging?

- The name of my blog is My Mississippi Madness.  I am a former Chicago Suburbanite and I not live in Mississippi, where I'm convinced most of my friends think I don't have running water. 

I started my blog in 2010.  I had just found out my job wasn't going to be renewed and I was so lost.

2. Why do you blog?

-I started to blog as a way to be creative. I've always loved writing and I'm generally a "nosey" person. I say this because I love to hear about others lives, and learn their stories.

3.  What is the first blog you ever followed?

-I love Enjoying the Small Things by Kelle Hampton.  I don't know how I found her, but I absolutely was drawn to her style, her family and everything about her blog! 

4.  What is your favorite post you wrote in 2012?

-Post Race Blues.  Jessica and I did the St. Jude Half Marathon and we had a blast (even though I was super sick!)

5. What are you blogger goals for 2013?

-BLOG more.  Revamp my blog (it looks pretty old school). Make friends in the "blog world".  Host a Blog Swap!

6.  Name your top 3 favorite blogs?

-Oh this is SO tough!  How I Met Your Father (LOVE), The Book of Meghan (one of my AOII sisters), and Moments with the Mays (because I love to keep up with my friend Laura from College and her precious children) 

101 in 1001

As an effort to "expand my horizons" and try new things...I'm creating a 101 in 1001 list.

I'll be updating as I go along, and hopefully I can figure out one of those cool tabs to link it!

Start Date: January 8, 2013 (my 27th birthday)

End Date: October 6, 2015

1. Travel to every SEC school (missing Florida, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Missouri)

2.  Watch Star Wars (yes, I realize I'm strange and I never saw them).

3. Travel outside the country

4. Finish a triathlon 

5. Complete a 40 day lenten challenge writing a letter to 40 people in my life (one for each day of lent)

6. Take a road trip (not to Chicago)

7.Go to Vegas 

8. Go to AOII convention in Chicago.

9. Go on a fun weekend trip with just my dad.

10. Take a ski trip.

11. To go New York and visit Autumn and make her take mer to all the tourist spots from my favorite TV shows.

12. Read 26 books (one for each letter).

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

g.

h.

i.

j.

k.

l.

m.

n.

o.

p.

q.

r.

s.

t.

u.

v.

w.

x.

y.

z.

13. Host a Blog Swap

14. Learn how to sew.

15. Host a family reunion for my moms side of the family.  Write down all our family stories to preserve.

16. Run in a race to honor my aunt (cancer).

17. Try acupuncture.

18. Participate in the 52 week saving challenge 

19. Write a children's book with Ashley

20. Visit my guncles.

21. Take a trip to see my aunt and uncle

22. Have a celebrity RT me.

23. Give a bomb ass toast at a wedding.

24. Go on a camping trip.

25. Learn how to knit or crochet and make something for someone.

26. Go to a NFL game.

27. Go to the rodeo.

28. Attend a live taping of a TV show.

29. Learn how to use my camera.

30. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.

31. Host a sleepover for my girlfriends.  Movies, forts, facials.

32. Save $5.00 for every task completed.

33. Leave $$ for a child to find in the dollar store.

34. Retake the GRE and get into a doctoral program.

35. Attend a murder mystery dinner.

36. Take a hot air balloon ride.

37. Visit all 50 states.

38. Go on a fishing trip

39. Create a pinterest board and make everything on it.

40. Go on a cruise.

41. Attend a blog conference

42. Redecorate a room in my house.

43.  Get a t-shirt quilt made from my sorority t-shirts.

44.  Plan a fun overnight trip in less than a week (all based on local recommendations).

45. Meet 10 bloggers.

46. Travel to Philly to see Grace, Tommy and Eli

47. Send my parents on a weekend trip (all expenses paid)

48. Inspire someone else to write a 101 in 1001.

49. Go sailing.

50.  Visit a city I've never been.

51. Go to the Country Music Hall of Fame

52. Go to a Drive in Movie

53.  Take a haunted house tour in New Orleans.

54.  Make a meal using all local ingredients (ie. local meat, veggies from my garden/farmers market)

55. Sing Karaoke. 

56. Watch an episode on Seinfeld  

57.  Meet with a Financial Planner and invest the money from this list into a fund.

58. Take a cooking class

59.  Redesign my blog.

60.  Get the Candy Carlisle Dervaux Memorial Fund fully established. 

61.  Stay up for 24 hours 

62. Participate in a Dance Marathon.

63.  Go fishing on the lake and then eat the fish that night for dinner.

64.  Learn how to boil crawfish from Rocky.

65. Go blueberry picking and then make treats for my friends using the fruit I picked.

66. Join a Wine of the Month Club for a year.

67.  Host a Fancy Dinner Party

68.  Host a Cinco de Mayo Party (make everything at home).

69. Attend a film festival.

70. Make freezer meals for a month

71.  Send someone anonymous flowers, JUST BECAUSE.

72. Buy a nice piece of jewelry for myself that is not a family heirloom.

73. Host a JETS reunion in Illinois for all my swimming friends.

74. rehab a piece of furniture.

75. Attend a summer concert series

76. Make someone's wedding/shower/birthday gift

77. Eat vegetarian solely for one week.

78.  Participate in a half marathon in a random location.

79. Eat from a food truck.

80.  Learn how to change a flat tire.

81. Write a "family letter" for my mom for her Christmas cards.

82. Learn how to golf.

83. Go to an Indian restaurant and let the waiter order for me!

84. Buy my Maker's Mark Whiskey (I'm a Maker's Mark Ambassador).

85.  Go on a mission trip.

86. Take the train to Chicago

87. Get a consultation with a dietitian (ie: Kristen, my friend) and get into a vitamin routine.

88. Attend my HS reunion (and get as many people to come as possible).

89. Scan all my pictures so that I have them on a computer/hard drive

90.  Swim once a week for a month.

91.  Lose 15 pounds.

92.  Take a pottery class

93. Watch all the nominees for Best Picture for the Academy Awards.

94.  Attend a Mardi Gras Ball.

95. Learn to make a really good cocktail

96.  Bring a friend food when they are sick/have a baby

97. Sleep in a Hammock

98. Complete a 365 project (take a picture for everyday of the year!)

99. Send a postcard to Postsecret

100.  Attend a musical

101.  Take a segway tour.

Come join me in this interesting experience!

PIts & Peaks

I'm linking up with Allie at Tales of a Twenty Something & Brin at Bold Butter Baby for Pit & Peak (a la Kardasian).

Pits of the Week

• Going back to work after an extended vacation.
• Saying goodbye to little Elliott and knowing I won't see him until June (Thank God for FaceTime)
• Learning that I have WAAYYY too much work to catch up on
• Finding out that I have to go to a work meeting out of town the same day my old neighbors from Australia are going to be in town--therefore I won't see them (insert me sobbing)
• Getting sick at my birthday dinner & in the car on the way home.

Peaks of the Week

• It was my Birthday!!!
• Getting a Vitamix (and making a milkshake last night)
• Celebrating Elliott's Birthday
• Seeing my "Oxford" friends
• Eating at RPM with all the people that mean the most to me in Illinois
• Spending the weekend in Oxford doing NOTHING except going to the bball game with Jessica!
• Getting ready for Angela's kitchen "spice it up shower"
• Eating lunch with my ole pal Tamara.

So many times we dwell on the negative, I'm so happy I was able to find make more PEAKS than PITS this week!

Let's go BOwling

As I sit here on my flight to Chicago for Elliott's birthday, I am immediately grateful that I went to Ole Miss. I highly doubt that if I would've gone to any of my other choices I'd be as involved in my school as I am today.

Blessed. Completely Blessed.

The Rebs are the BBVA Compass Bowl Champions. While that may not sound important, from a two win season last year---this is a MAKOR improve my.

I'm so proud of our team. Their heart. Their character. Their competiviness.

5 in 2013

After an eventful 10 hour journey, I am finally back in Oxford. Now all I need to do is unpack, do laundry, run a million errands and then repack for the Bowl Game.  Have I mentioned how much I love the Rebels?  Or how proud I am of our football team?  No, ok, well I'm pretty sure I'm going to cry when they run on the field for the game and I'm totally ok with it.

I'm linking up with Jessica at Fantastically Average for her 5 for Five (NYE edition).  I just recently found her blog and it's so great!



I'm terrible at resolutions, but I love to make them and then look back throughout the year.

1. Go to Church more and pray daily for those that I love.  Often, I find myself in prayer begging for God to help me with something, change a situation I'm in, or heal someone.  Instead, I should be thanking him for the blessings in my life.  I also just downloading the SheReadsTruth Devotion on my iPhone and I really like it so far.  I also recently was given a Blessing Bracelet, and it reminds me daily to count my blessings.

2. Connect more with my friends from home and my family.  Often, I feel as if I am the only one that makes the effort to stay in contact with them, and then I am often frustrated when I find out information when I am home.  I'm not going to lie, normally I am super sensitive and tend to get my feelings hurt.  I am going to make the conscience effort to make contact with them (and NOT text message or FB) once a week.  This means a phone call, card (no one appreciates the handwritten note anymore), skype date or email.  My family is really spread out throughout the US. This year, we were lucky and got to see each other often, but I also need to make more effort to visit (umm...hello Santa Monica where T + E live).

3. Blog more.  Very few people know I have a blog (Hey Jessica and Katherine). I had so much fun participating in my first swap where I "met" the wonderful Kim.  I want to participate in more blog swaps, REVAMP my blog look (and learn how to do that) and connect to more bloggers.  Maybe I'll even go public with my blog (ie facebook and twitter...)

4. Eat Cleaner.  I know everyone is saying this, but it's true.  I eat out way too much and therefore spend too much money.  I LOVE to cook, but my long commute makes this miserable.  So really focusing on planning my meals on Sundays. Hopefully a few of my friends are also interested in this and we can plan meals together.

5. Exercise More. I do a pretty good job at this already. I need to get back in my boot camp routine, and I've already signed up for another half marathon.  I also want to do some longer runs, more weights, some swimming and add more yoga into my life. This is the year I will get back in a bikini (or tankini)

Here's to 2013!

xoxo,
Sarah