the farmer and the southern belle

This Little Piggy went to...

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

My house, if the Farmer would have let me take it!!!

If you know me, you know that I adore pigs!! Especially baby piggies!! The fact that the Farmer raises them, perhaps, could be one of the reasons I agreed to marry him!! hehe..just kidding..or am I!!?! ANYWAY I have been dying to see the baby pigs from the new Sow Unit for FOREVER!!! So we went over to see them on Saturday...I could have stayed there all day if it didn't smell like...well...pigs!! Aren't they the cutest thing EVAR?!??! I told the Farmer I wanted one for a wedding present..he quickly said No way! TEAR!!! I suppose if I can't have one of the cute little piggies, I would settle for a Pandora Charm Bracelet!!! HINT HINT!!! Hahaha!

Pampered Chef Shower!

Wow! What a shower! I actually cooked and racked up on a TON of Pampered Chef items! I honestly could not believe all the fun things I got to order...my shower was a cash shower, so the guests gave me money to go towards the pots and pans I wanted, oh and they all gave me a favorite recipe, written on the cutest cards that fit into a recipe book that the hostess' gave me! Well, not only did I get my 7 piece pots and pan set , I got a stir fry skillet with lid, a trifle bowl, 3 different scoops, set of 3 collapsible bowls, a serving tray thing that you can make into different shapes, a Kernel Cutter, a Core and More (melon baller/strawberry corer), a Finger Guard, a Hold N Slice, a Pizza Cuter, a Serrated Peeler, a V-Shape Cutter, Cookware Protectors, a Drainer, a Specialty Nylon Tool Set, a Kitchen Spritzer, (I really hope the Farmer isn't reading all this!! He left before I started to order all this fun stuff!!), A Large Serving Spatula, a Small Serving Spatula, a Measure All Cup, a Mix N Scraper, Chip Clips, a Small Spreader, a Deluxe Mini Muffin pan, a Mini Tart Shaper, and a Corn Butterer!! I think I may have missed a few things but you get the idea!! I highly recommend having a Pampered Chef Shower...if you are ever asked!! :) When you have a shower in your honor, its the same as being a hostess, so you get all the FABULOUS hostess benefits!! Anywho!! Enough Pampered Chef advertising! Lets chat about me cooking...in front of 20 people!! Yikes!! I'd say I did a pretty good job considering there were no leftovers for the Farmer to sample!! I made these little quiche type things with ham and cheese..they were very yummy!! I don't have the recipe but hopefully my Cousin-to-be will send it to me, since I ordered all the "tools" to make them with!! Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure :)

Me and Melissa!

Cooking!

Me with the Farmer's fab Momma and Grandmas!

Me with the hostesses! Thank yall!! :) Isn't my dress fabulous!?! My Momma got it for me when I was home...I wanted it for the Bahamas, but decided I needed to break it in once before then!

With some of my friends! Minus Cora, she had her baby the night before! :) It looks like I have a basket growing out of my head!

yummy! The ham thing I made is in the right corner!

The recipes and cards!

They all signed my apron!

Thanks to everyone who made my day (and cooking career!!) with this lovely shower!! :)

All you need to know about NW Iowa!!

Friday, June 26, 2009

These "Info Sheets" will go in the Welcome bags! This is just a draft...I need to run it by my proofers for final approval!! I'm not even sure I got the right golf course, but you get the idea!! My sister-in-law and brother did this for their wedding and it was a big hit! Of course there's was in New Orleans, so there were alot more touristy things to do but we like NW Iowa just fine and wanted to share all our faves with our OOT Guest!

Now I'm off to pack up my life!! Wish me luck :)

Rehearsal Dinner!!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

I am soo stoked for our Rehearsal Dinner BBQ!!! The Farmer and I both love BBQ, so it was the perfect choice! One of his friends from South Dakota is coming down to start smoking the beef and pork on Thursday night!! The smell alone makes my mouth water!! My Momma-In-Law (to be) is decorating with boots along with pink and green accents!! Soo fun!! I really want to wear boots too, but my dress is just not a "boots dress"...bummer!! Here is the invite..I removed all the stalker friendly info :)

I sent the Bridal Brunch Invites out last week so that is one more thing off the list!! Erin (Wedding Fairy, Jr.) printed the programs yesterday, now I have to fold them and attach them to the circles that are all ready cut out!

My apartment is a disaster area! The Farmer will be here tomorrow afternoon with his brother (God bless him!) to pack up everything but the bare necessities. After my Pampered Chef Shower Saturday morning, we will begin the unpacking/re-arranging of the house process! This makes me very nervous! I hate not knowing where things are...ok, ok stay calm...lets just change the subject! Monday we are going to start making some of the mints for the wedding (they can freeze for like 3 months, so we are good there!) and when I say "we" I mean the Farmer's Mom and I...the Farmer will not be allowed within 20 feet of the kitchen...he would literally eat them as fast as we made them!! :)

My HUGE "door length" to-do list is slowly getting marked off!! That makes me happy :) Once I finish the slide show and the programs, I will be very happy!!!

I only have 18 days of work left until I officially move (I will be working from home after the wedding) woohoo!! My Momma is flying in the 24th of July, so she will be here the whole week before the wedding! Hopefully we wont have much to do and can just relax...yeah right!!! Wishful thinking :)

37 more days until I'm Mrs. Farmer!!! ;)

Now I know...

Why I am obsessed with smiling/looking perfect in pictures!! I pretty much spent my childhood pouting!! As I was going through all my old pictures for our wedding slide show, one thing was consistent...my not happy, pouting, looking like a little old man face! Yikes! But you have to admit I was kind of adorable...hehe! :)

really?!?!?!

Cooking with the Culinary Challenged Southern Belle

Monday, June 22, 2009

A few weeks ago, the Farmer and I decided to grill!! Yea! This is my favorite thing to do in the Summertime! I was in charge of the Dessert/Banana Bread! It turned out fabulous! MMMM..I wish I had some right now!! I can't remember the recipe but it was super easy!!

Yummo!!!!

The Farmer grilled shish-kabobs on our new Pampered Chef skewers (thanks Heidi!) and we did some veggies in this fun Pampered Chef Grill basket! Love the colors!! I can't remember if we used the Pampered Chef grill spices (thanks JoJo!) but we must have since I photographed them :)

Is it done yet?!?!?!

my pretty table setting!!

Soooo good!!!

Mags loved the fact that we were outside playing with her....oh by the way her favorite new toy is my TOES!!! Grrrr!!!

not sure she should be under there!!

now! That's my girl!!! :)

Everything is rolling right along on the wedding front! I have my last shower (tear) this weekend! It is a Pampered Chef one, thrown my Mom-in-law-to-be's friends! Maybe I will learn to cook something else!! The Farmer is coming this Friday to move all my big furniture to his house too!! Wow only like 5 weeks until I officially move!! Time is flying by now!! I still need to get the programs printed and a few other things but for the most part things are looking up!!! :)

Does Ft. Worth Cross Your Mind!!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I can't even tell you how much fun we had!! Mostly because it had been FOREVER since we had all been together!! I can't wait to see them all again at the wedding!! However, I am sad that both of my bachelorette parties are over :( they were soo fun!! You really shouldn't have to get married to have one!! haha! We went to Ft. Worth and a blast!! Take a look at the pics of all the fun stuff we managed to get into!!! Love you girls!!! :)

Our Hotel in Cowtown!!

This was hilarious!! We had soo much stuff!!!

hahaha!

and we all HAD to get on the elevator together!

Soo cute in our T-shirts!!

The backs said Bride's Posse, mine said Sheriff, and my sister's (MOH) said Deputy!!

cute!!!!

posing with the Longhorn!!

They got a clown to make me balloon horns to wear! pink and green no less!

having lunch at H3 at the Ft. Worth Stockyards!

My fun presents!!! Not gonna show them all!! Some things should just be left off the blog!!!hehe!!

my fabulous sister reading the "Panty Poem" she made up!! I had to open a bag of panties for every stage of my life, it was super cute!! I will have to post the poem, if I can find it!! She did such a great job with the whole party!! She is the best MOH ever!!

Towards the end of the Poem...something about keeping the spark alive!! Notice love is written in fire!

The very end of the poem...of course Granny Panties!!

ohh lala!

every bride needs an official hat shaper!! :) Luckily I have a former Miss Rodeo Mississippi as a bridesmaid!! haha!

she did a good job!! hugs!!

Shari (and Diane) came up for the Lingerie Shower!!! They looked FAB in their outfits!!

posing with some Old Gringo boots!! I really wanted those pink beauties!! Maybe next time!

At the Cadillac!!!

Blowing my whistle!!

This was perhaps the best part of the whole night!!! haha!!! I have a love affair with Popcorn..it's cool, the Farmer knows!! ha!

Ohh did I mention, it was soooo hot!!! I must have sweated off 10 pounds the whole weekend! Not to worry, I gained it back at the Pizza Buffet on the way home!!! ha!