Mom and Me!

When we were in Louisiana last month, I asked Matt to take some pictures of Mom and Me. I didn't tell Mom what it was for. Matt got some great shots and we used a couple for Mom's Mother's day gift. Matt is getting really good at distressing wooden picture frames so he made some for Mom. Here are a few of the great shots as well as a picture of the frames. Also, we are going to start selling these frames so if you are interested in purchasing one or more, let me know!

Til then-

Did YOU Hear about the Morgans?

Good Deals

Over the last few years, I have started a bookmark of all of the "deals" websites there are. Some focus on children. Some on furniture. Some on misc. type items. I haven't ordered much from them but I know one day I may have a need for them so I have kept up with them. I thought I'd share some of them with YOU!

http://www.zulily.com/   Mostly children, mothers and some misc. items.

http://www.groupon.com  Deals related to your specific area;  This will link to Greenville, SC; just click and find your city


https://www.livingsocial.com Deals related to your specific area; This will link to Greenville, SC; just click and find your city

http://www.etsy.com/  A great place to look for so many handmade items!

 http://www.ruelala.com/access/gate  Purses, Shoes, Clothing

http://www.gigispetals.com/deals/show-deal/ Misc items. Sometimes for children, sometimes for parties or jewelry etc.

https://www.totsy.com/customer/account/login/ A private Sale site for Moms (or women in general)

http://www.plumdistrict.com/ Deals for Savvy Mom's and Families


https://www.sneakpeeq.com/ Style, Home, and Gourmet Food discoveries you'll love

http://www.thriftyseeker.com/deal.html?dealId=255&r= Daily Boutique Deals

https://www.onekingslane.com/ All Sales!

Hope you find some good deals!

Til then-
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500 Days of Marriage!

Today we celebrate 500 days of marriage!

Til then-
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Happy Daughter's Day!

Okay, seriously, I have the best mom EVER! Every year for as long as I can remember she has sent me a gift on Mother's Day with a note that says something like "Thanks for being my daughter. Having you made me a Mother". It's always a special treat and I hope I get to do it for my daughter(s) and that Matt can do it for our son(s) one day. This was my sweet treat this year. :)

Happy Mother's Day to the most amazing Mom in the whole world! I love you!

Til then-
Did YOU hear about the Morgans?

P.S. Pictures to come soon of what we sent Mom for Mother's Day.

What a difference...

....ten years can make.

On this day 10 years ago, I was preparing for my high school graduation. When I think about all of the things that have happened and that I have done in the past 10 years, I'm pretty amazed, honestly. I don't have regret about not doing anything with my life because TONS has happened.

Here's just a brief look into the last ten years. I'm trying to relay them in order but I am sure it won't be exact

-graduated from Oak Forest Academy ranked in the top five, which meant so much then and NOTHING three months later when I walked into college!

-started sponsoring a World Vision Child

-attended LSU for a semester and decided it was just too big for me!

-turned 18

-transferred to SLU and majored in Education

-took my first trip to Disney World (one of 5 times)

-took a phonetics class and decided to become a speech therapist

-worked at the Clerk of Court

-worked at Douglas Kent Jeweler

-lived in Hammond, LA

-did tech work at Professional Physical Therapy

-lived in Amite, LA

-babysat so many children and made so much money. Wishing I had saved some of that :-)

-moved back in with Mom

-Grandmother passed away and on the day of her funeral, I received word about acceptance to ULM's speech therapy program. Decided to move, then decided not to, then decided to move again :) (Thanks, Ellen)

-Dad fell out of a tree and injured his back

-graduated from Southeastern (Dad missed it because he was in the hospital)

-moved to Monroe, LA

-started graduate school

-met tons of new people

-finished graduate school classes

-moved to Birmingham for internships

-Joined Church of the Highlands

-lived in Birmingham for 7 months and met life long friends

-moved to Montgomery, AL and started my first big girl job

-joined Gateway Baptist Church

-met Matt

-taught 4 and 5 year olds in Sunday school with Matt

-went to Passion Conference in Atlanta

-started dating Matt

-took Mom on a cruise

-got engaged to Matt

-visited Upstate Carolina for the first time

-got married to Matt

-travelled to Oregon

-quit job in Alabama

-moved to Spartanburg, SC


LOTS more to the last 10 years but it was getting a little too lengthy so we will stop at that.

Til then-
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Roasted Cabbage

We had this tonight...you must try!

We left out the fennel/caraway.

LOVED IT!


Here is the link to the recipe:
http://www.marthastewart.com/315062/roasted-cabbage-wedges

Enjoy!

Til then-
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One of our Favorite Recipes

Matt and I love to cook and eat at home. We have had a busy 4-6 weeks and because of that and being out of town, we haven't cooked much. We really miss it! Today, Matt made one of his specialties and I thought I'd share it with you.

Stir-Fry by Matthew Morgan

1-2 tablespoons of oil (we use Coconut Oil)
1 onion (thinly sliced)
1 bell pepper  (thinly sliced)
1 container of mushrooms  (thinly sliced)
cooked rice, we made a box of brown rice
Teriyaki and/or Soy sauce
Meat/meat substitute of your choice (today, we used tofu)

Cook rice as directed on package, put aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook meat until done. Today, we used tofu and Matt cooked it with some teriyaki sauce, draining as needed. Remove from skillet.

After meat is cook, saute veggies in oil. Remove from skillet.

Add rice and sauce to pan and stir until warm again.

Combine all items together and eat!

So quick and so yummy!

Til then-
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Meeting New Friends

Linking up with Kelly at kellyskornerblog.com today!

I'm Leslie. My husband and I live in Upstate, SC and we just moved here in November. I'm a Speech Language Pathologist. I recently began crafting and have a love for it. I love to cook for my husband and spend free time with him. We attend Restoration Church in Spartanburg, SC and we are hard at work on our 101 in 1001 list.

We love our life!

Til then-
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Louisiana Trip...Stay Tuned

Matt and I went to Louisiana to visit my family and some of our friends. We were there from April 19th-April 24th. Lots of pictures to share. Stay Tuned!

Til then-
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101 in 1001---April Update

Our Goals

1. Add a member to our family :)

2. Pay off all student loans.

3. Visit NYC...We are discussing a trip next Spring. We want to take a train one way and fly back. 

4. Take a long road trip. (think this would be covered with the above mentioned train ride)

5. Sell something on Etsy  

6. Have Dad's Crawfish in Louisiana.  DONE on April 22, 2012

7. Take a trip to Louisiana at least once a year. (done for this year)

8. Host a holiday in our home.

9. Go camping.

10. Build a real fire.   

11. Rent or buy a house.

12. Decorate the outside of a house for Christmas.

13. Stay at the Biltmore.

14. Serve in a soup kitchen.

15. Grow our own tomatoes.

16. ******* ;)

17. Give an item away each time we buy something new (clothing, housewares, etc).  

18. Go on dates at least every other week.  (I am keeping this on here because life can change over the next 2.5 years, however, we go on dates usually once a week)

19. Complete a blog series together. (in process) 

20. For one month, don't buy anything extra.

21. Contact our family members at least once a week.

22. Go to a shooting range. (Matt and Granddad and talking about doing this soon) 

23. Go sailing.

24. Get involved in a community service group.

25. Go on a mission trip.

26. Read at least one book a month for a year. 

27. Start a small business. 

29. Buy a new Christmas ornament each year.

30. Get a massage.

31. Send a card to a friend or family member just for fun.

32. Begin a photography business (big or small).  

33. Eat at a local/non-chain restaurant every time we travel.

34. Visit a new place once a year. (So far this year, Charlotte, Asheville, Columbia, Chimney Rock)

35. Ride in a hot air balloon. (this is planned for the end of May at the Freedom Aloft Festival in Simpsonville, SC)

36. Attend at least one festival a year in the state where we live.

37. Stay at a B&B.

38. Floss more- at least once a week. (WE HATE FLOSSING) 

39. Give a 100% tip. 

40. Go see a musical.

41. Eat a new type of foods (Korean, African, etc)

42. Repurpose a piece of furniture.

43. Watch a sunrise and photograph it.

44. Explore secret paths.

45. Do something nice for someone anonymously. 

46. Pick fruit at an orchard. (This is planned for early May. There are some great orchards here) 

47. Get a library card. (This is also coming soon because Matt has some business research he wants to do)

48. Go to a garage sale together.

49. Celebrate our Golden Birthdays in style! (half way there, we celebrate Matt's last month)

50. Make homemade ice cream.

51. Learn a new hobby together. (we are talking about becoming fishermen :))

Leslie's Goals

52. Lose my desired amount of weight.

53. Continue to utilize this blog to document our lives especially once we start having children.

54. Get a Skype account and use it. 

55. Paint something worth looking at (not just a wall) :)

56. Add at least one cross to my cross collection.

57. Learn to make the best sweet tea my husband has ever tasted. (I'm very close to this!!!)

58. Make homemade marshmallows.  4/2/12

59. Sell/Give away at least one cake or cupcakes that I've decorated for a party/gathering/birthday/etc.

60. Plan a scavenger hunt for Matt. I did this on 4/6/12 for Matt's Easter Basket. I placed items all over the apartment with clues to lead to each of them. It was super fun and I would LOVE to do it again!

61. Bake and decorate each of Matt's birthday cakes.

62. Rake someone's leaves.

63. Meet up with at least one other blogger whose blog I read.

64. Complete a blog series or post about our wedding, including the planning. Just for my own sake :)

65. Continue mailing out birthday and anniversary cards to our friends and family.

66. Invite someone to stay with us for a weekend or longer at least once a year.

67. Complete a vlog.

68. Go fishing.

69. Make a point to call my closest friends as often as possible, not just texting.

70. Take a continuing education class related to Autism or other childhood disorders-even though I don't currently work with children.

71. Find a yummy Low Country Boil recipe and cook it.

72. Take at least one picture of Matt and I every time we travel.

73. When we take a long trip (5+ hours one way), drive so that Matt doesn't have to.

74. Take a trip to visit a few special friends (we know who they are).

75. Take a cake decorating class.

76. Read a book, write a blog post about it, and link up with a book club blog. (Hope to do this one next Month)

Matt's Goals

77. Run a 5k. (He has started training. Hoping to run one in September) 

78. Take a photography class. 

79. Take Leslie to an air show. (this is planned for May 5th/6th. The air show is in Sumter) 

80. Make a picture frame out of an old or hand made window frame.

81. Go to a college football game.

82. Get a dog.

83. Get a new camera lens. (we are in the process of saving for this. Our goal is 9/13/12)

84. Make my wife cry in a good/romantic/sweet/you get the idea way.

85. Give Leslie a love letter at least once a month for a year. (Doing well on this 4 down, 8 to go)

86. Visit Chimney Rock, N.C. Done on 4/9/12 

87. Wear a suit, and look good doing it. ;)

88. Visit a new, to me, zoo. 

89. Watch the Flyers destroy the Hurricanes in Charlotte (hopefully with Leslie).

90. Fix something for someone.

91. Cook something new and exciting.

92. Swim in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

93. Make something from scratch.

94. Do something with Granddad. This happened on 4/13/12. Matt and Granddad went out to a "Guys only" dinner while Grandmom and I were at a ladie's event at the church. Living here, we hope this will be the first of MANY things Matt gets to do with Granddad. As he said last night after dinner and a night full of stories with him, "I already knew this but I love my Granddad" :)

95. Journal more often.

96. Learn all the words to or learn how to play one of Leslie's "high school days" favorite rap songs.

97. Teach something to someone. (Matt is considering teaching some photography classes :))

98. Ride a horse.

99. Surprise Leslie with surprises.

100. Spend an entire day, literally the entire day, in bed. Hopefully not while sick.

101. Figure out how we will finish all 101 things on this list. (HAHAHA)

(14/101 completed

Til Then-
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