Lovely day...

Whew!  Blog redesign complete!  Thanks so much for your patience with my incessant can-you-hear-me-now posts. :)

Apart from my irrational fear that I might somehow accidentally delete my entire blog, the whole process was fun -- deciding on a name, picking a style, and working with Liz to nail down a design. 

But my hands-down favorite part was the day I spent with my best friend, Lauren, taking pictures.  Micah and I hadn't had any real pictures taken of us since our wedding, and I wanted a few to add to the blog, as well as some that I could frame and hang up in the house.  And, lucky for me, Lauren just happens to be a fabulous photographer!  (You can go check her pretty pictures out here.)

In addition to the picture over there to the right and the ones I added to my "about" page, I wanted to share some of the others she did because... well, I love them. 

 

(Ha... this one makes me laugh every time I look at it!)

We also had a Pioneer Woman-style step-by-step recipe adventure (with more than a couple of mishaps) which I'll be sharing in a couple of weeks.

Thanks a million, Lauren!  Love you to pieces!

Hey, {tap, tap}... is this thing on?

I've got my fingers crossed that this post popped up on your RSS feed.

If so, pop on over and check out the new design!  Make yourself at home, and let me know if you have any trouble with broken links, etc. :)

Say goodbye...

... to The Ramblings of Mrs. Hargrave.

Say hello to:  http://lovedandlovely.blogspot.com!

Thankful Thursdays (Link Up!)...

I must admit, I'm not sad at all that August is coming to an end.  Although it is my birthday month, it's also an unbearably hot month here in Texas, and I'm ready for FALL!  (I'm always ready for fall...)

So let's just dive right in to this week's thankfuls, shall we?

{I'm thankful} that we have cool air again (and that the repars were covered under our warranty)!  After Monday night's slumber party on the couch upstairs, we were seriously ready to sleep in our own bed.

{I'm thankful} that I finally got around to making Charlotte's Southern Pimento Cheese yesterday.  This stuff is amazing, you guys. 

image via

I hate the crappy pimento "cheese" that you can buy from the grocery store.  I can't even really call it cheese.  But I do love homemade, and this stuff is so good that I don't even care that making it broke my food processor (no clue, y'all...).

We also made Pioneer Woman's Bruschetta to go with it (I was in a meatless mood last night, much to Micah's dismay).

image via

My mouth's watering just thinking about it.  Oh. So. Good.

{I'm thankful} that, although I'll likely have to work some this weekend, I'll be able to do it my sweatpants from home.  Amen.

{I'm thankful} for my sweet husband.  He's been exceptionally precious this week.

Alright, guys.  What are you thankful for this week?  Link up and tell us!

Also linking up with black tag diaries, The Fontenot Four, First Day of my Life, kate says stuff, and  a punk a pumpkin and a peanut.

We're moving!

So I told you guys about a million years ago that I was working on a little project around here, and you guys graciously provided much-need feedback regarding the direction this silly blog is taking.

And I'm excited to announce that a blog redesign is coming soon!  I've been working with Liz at Sweet Simplicity Designs, and she has been fabulous.  We're almost there!

The reason I'm spoiling the surprise and telling you all before it's finished is because, along with a new design, the blog is actually getting an entirely new name and URL!  As much as I hate to say goodbye to this place that's been home for the last three (!) years, it's just time for a change that will hopefully stick for many years to come. :)

I still haven't hammered out the details yet, and I'm not sure whether I'll be (1) exporting this blog to an entirely new blog and leaving this blog intact or (2) just changing the URL of the existing blog.  (If any of you have gone through a transition, I'd love any tips you have!!)  If I go with the latter, the old blog will cease to exist, and the few of you who actually come to my site to read (rather than reading on an RSS feed) will get an error and won't be able to find me unless you make note of my new address.

So if you want to continue following along, go ahead and add this address to your Google Reader or favorites list:  http://lovedandlovely.blogspot.com

I'll be installing the redesign in the next day or two, so it's empty for now, but I'm so excited to share it with you guys!  I went with Loved & Lovely as the title because, for me, life is lovely because I am loved by the King and the most handsome prince that there ever was. :)

Thanks for your patience, and I hope to make the transition as smooth as possible!

Project Scripture: Week Thirty-Five...

With the air conditioner debacle (which was fixed today - yay!), I totally forgot to get this week's Project Scripture verse up!

So without further ado:

James 4:17 "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

Have a wonderful Tuesday, y'all.

Enchiladas, Brazilian steakhouses, and 50 years...

Y'all, I made 60 enchiladas this weekend.

60.

We're talking 60 tortillas, five whole chickens, 12 cans of enchilada sauce, 72 ounces of shredded cheese, 48 ounces of sour cream, two large jars of salsa, and two cans of sliced black olives. 

Now, when I say "I made," I really mean "my mom and I made."  Thank goodness she came over and helped me shred up the chicken, mix up the filling, roll up the tortillas, and top them with lots and lots of cheese.

Our Sunday School class did make a pretty good dent in them at our game night party, but we still ended up with two whole pans leftover.  I was able to send one pan home with friends, so it looks like Micah and I will be enjoying the rest for dinner this week. :)

We also celebrated my Dad's 50th birthday last night!

We went to Texas de Brazil (a Brazilian steakhouse), and it was delicious!

But the best part about dinner was watching my Dad open his present.  Or try to. 

I had seen this idea on Pinterest.  So a couple of months ago, I sent emails around to Dad's friends and family, explaining that I was putting together a compilation of memories and sweet thoughts about my Dad for his 50th.  In response, I got tons of emails, text messages, facebook messages, and even a few hand-written, snail-mailed letters.  I put each response in an envelope, added in some old pictures for a total of 50 envelopes, and tied them all together with twine, labeling it "50 Years of Memories."  Similar to the original idea:

image via (because I was finishing it up at the last minute, I wasn't able to take any pictures)

The first one he opened was from my Mamaw (his mom), and it sent him into tears immediately.  So he decided to open the rest at home when he wasn't in the middle of a crowded restaurant.  A few hours (and tears) later, he got through them all.  Anyway, it was a really fun thing to do for him, and I think he'll cherish it for years to come.

So those were the highlights of our weekend.  Well those plus the fact that our air conditioner went out yesterday.  Lovely, right?  Fingers crossed we can get that fixed tomorrow at the latest!

Thankful Thursdays (Link Up!)...

Oh wow!  This week has just gotten away from me, y'all!

I'm working on several briefs at work this week, and my brain is just mush when I get home.  Which is slightly troubling because our entire Sunday School class is coming over for game night on Saturday, and I haven't even started getting things ready.  We're doing a Mexican food theme, and I'm planning on rolling up approximately 60(!) enchiladas.  I'm going to use a few different recipes, and I'll do my best to remember to snap some pictures and get the recipes up next week. :)

But enough about that... there is much to be thankful for this week!

{I'm thankful} that my handsome husband had flowers and a card and some sweet little birthday gifts waiting for me when I came home from work on Tuesday night.  I ended up buying myself almost everything on my birthday list, but Micah wanted to go with me to pick out my watch, so we're going to try and do that this weekend or next. :)

{I'm thankful} that my work friends took me out to lunch yesterday and that it was cool enough to sit outside.  Hallelujah! 

{I'm thankful} that Micah and I are catching up on The Office.  We stopped watching about a season and a half ago for some unknown reason and remembered about a week ago that we needed to back and watch Season 7.  I just can't help but love that show (plus, one of my co-workers is related by marriage to Steve Carell and confirmed that he is, in fact, the nicest guy on the planet - which makes me even sadder that he left the show).

{I'm thankful} for Mexican food.  Amen.

Alright, y'all.  I could keep going, but those briefs are calling my name.  What are you all thankful for this week?  Link up and tell us!

Also linking up with black tag diaries, The Fontenot Four, First Day of my Life, kate says stuff, and  a punk a pumpkin and a peanut.

Weekend recap...

Things we did this weekend, in no particular order:

1.  Joined my family and best friend at Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my birthday (27, I'm coming for you!).  It was pouring when everyone was trying to park and make it up to the restaurant, but we had a blast anyway. 

And seriously, you guys, have you ever had something that wasn't absolutely scrumptious at the Cheesecake Factory?  Yeah, me either.  (I'm quite partial to the Pasta da Vinci and the Cashew Chicken, but it's all yum.)  We were too full to eat our cheesecake at the restaurant, so we got it to go.  When we got home, Micah pulled his out of the bag, grabbed a fork and headed to the couch to enjoy it.  And then it fell right off his plate and plopped on the floor, Rachel Green/Chandler Bing style.

via

He resisted the urge to to eat it off the floor, and I was sweet enough to share my piece of red velvet cheesecake (yeah, I said it) with him.  He's lucky I was feeling charitable...

2.  Met Micah's parents for Italian food.  I managed to order a salad, which was a small miracle.

3.  Made it to church for the first time in three weeks.  It was good to be back.

4.  Purchased new perfume...

Chanel Chance Eau Tendre

... and nail polish.

Butter Nail Polish in Snog.

Love them both.

5.  Met my blog friend Kristen for dinner (although since we met up on Thursday night, this technically didn't happen over the weekend.  Whatevs.). 

It was so good to finally meet her, and we had a great time munching on Mexican food and chatting about anything and everything.

6.  Ate lunch with Micah's parents' for (yet another) birthday celebration.  His family is seriously the sweetest.

7.  Ate dinner with Micah's friend, Cody, and his fiance.  Cody grilled some squash and mushrooms on the grill in just a little butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powser, and they were to. die. for. 

8.  Got a massage.  Which was tons better than the last time when my masseuse fell asleep during my massage.  Yeah, it happened.

... and I think that about covers it.  I never said it wasn't an incredibly busy weekend. :)

Project Scripture: Week Thirty-Four

How was your weekend?

Ours was fairly fabulous (and I've got an update coming soon!), but first I wanted to share this week's Project Scripture verse.

Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Here's to desiring pure hearts and steadfast spirits! 

Ten years later...

August 19, 2002.

Ten years ago I was just a small-town girl mending what I thought was a broken heart. 

You were the quarterback of the football team and the most handsome thing I'd ever seen.

You had been slowly working your way into my every thought, and, as crazy as it seemed, I had already started falling for your quiet kindness and gorgeous smile. 

So when you asked me to be your girlfriend that night as I sat beside you in your old white Chevy, I said yes without so much as a second thought.

I will forever think of that instant as the smartest decision I've ever made.

Since then, you've been by my side during every significant moment in my life.  My parents' divorce.  Three graduations.  A move to a scary, big city.  A walk down the aisle in a white dress.  My first big-girl job.

And I will never, ever stop being thankful for you.  You and this love that makes me the luckiest girl in the world.  My heart has been unmistakably yours for ten years, and I can only pray that you'll keep it for many more.

Thankful Thursdays (Link Up!)...

via

I'm having a bit of writers' block this morning.  And it isn't that I don't have much to be thankful for.  

I think I actually have too much to be thankful for. 

Rain.  An easy-ish week at work.  A fun birthday dinner to look forward to on Saturday.  A silly puppy who wanted to snuggle this morning.  27 years of a blessed and beautiful life.*

Life is good, y'all. :)  What are you thankful for today?

* I just realized how much this post suggests that today is my birthday.  It isn't actually until the 22nd, but this is the last Thankful Thursday before then, so I suppose I'm celebrating early. ;)

Also linking up with black tag diaries, The Fontenot Four, First Day of my Life, kate says stuff, and  a punk a pumpkin and a peanut.

Two for one...

{I shared this recipe in a guest post over at Established: 2008 a few weeks ago, and I wanted to post it here in case any of you missed it.  I've made this dressing at least three times now, and I'm absolutely in love with it.  Hope you guys enjoy!}

So, although I hate to admit it, I feel like I have to tell you that I harbor an unadulterated, unforgiving hatred of... bottled salad dressing.

It all tastes plastic and devoid of flavor to me.  It's something I'm working on, but until then, I'm going to have to stick to homemade.  ;)  Thankfully, there are tons of quick and easy dressing recipes for any of you who also suffer from this affliction.

One of my favorites is this Creamy BBQ Dressing which, coincidentally, is fabulous on top of BBQ chicken salad.

BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy BBQ Dressing
(recipe adapted from here)

Ingredients

BBQ Chicken Salad
1 cooked rotisserie chicken, de-boned and shredded (the original recipe actually calls for you to marinate and grill your chicken, but this girl doesn't have time for all that)
1/2 to 3/4 c. BBQ sauce (I used KC Masterpiece Hickory Brown Sugar)
3 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 can of Mexicorn, drained
5-6 green onions, chopped
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. tortilla chips, crushed into pieces

Creamy BBQ Dressing:
1 c. mayonnaise
1/3 cup milk
1/3 buttermilk
2 T. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 T. lime juice
1 t. white vinegar
1 t. granulated sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/8 t. black pepper
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 to 1/2 c. BBQ sauce (I used KC Masterpiece Hickory Brown Sugar)

Instructions
For the dressing, combine all ingredients together and whisk vigorously to combine.  You could also run this through a blender or food processor to make it more smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the chicken, take 1 1/2 c. of shredded chicken and add 1/2 to 3/4 c. BBQ sauce (depending on how saucy you like it). Microwave in increments of 30 seconds until warm.

For the salad, in a large serving bowl, toss romaine with corn and green onions.  Top with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and warm BBQ chicken.  Serve with Creamy BBQ dressing and faint from yum.

Y'all, this stuff is good.  The dressing is the perfect combination of tangy, sweet, cilantro-y goodness, and the salad, itself is the perfect combination for summer.

But the best part about this recipe is that it makes for an easy two-for-one meal.  You'll have a ton of chicken left over after you use a couple of cups for the salad.  Mix some more of it up the next day with even more BBQ dressing, throw it on a tortilla with some more shredded cheese and sliced green onions, and have yourself a delicious BBQ Chicken Quesadilla.

Take it to the next level and dip it in the Creamy BBQ dressing, and then faint, again, from yum.  If you're like me, you'll enjoy it with a side of Israeli melon (which I gushed about here - think extra-sweet, extra-juicy cantaloupe.  So, basically heaven.).

So if you've never taken the plunge into the land of non-bottled dressing, this recipe is fabulously easy and delicious one to start with!

Meal Plan...

Last week's meal plan definitely helped us eat out less and use up the food we bought, so we're going to give it another go this week.

Gouda & Apple Croissant with Spinach (I'm adding bacon to make it a little more man-friendly so that Micah will eat it)

Rotisserie Chicken and Cheesy Zucchini Rice

Jalapeno Beer Cheese Soup

Summer Spaghetti

What are you guys cooking up this week?

Friendsies weekend...

This weekend was fairly fabulous, if I may say so. 

My law school friend, Kimi, flew in from Houston on Friday evening and we were busy until I took her back to the airport on Sunday afternoon.

Her flight came in at 6:30, and I wanted to take her somewhere fun for dinner, so we headed to Ocean Prime, which happens to be right across the street from my office.  We both enjoyed scallops and risotto (two of my faves - there was no way I was ordering anything else!) and caught up on life for a few hours.  After stuffing ourselves silly, we headed back to the house and watched the rest of the Olympics (oh. so. sad that they're over).

On Saturday morning, I woke up fairly early, so Micah and I sat on the back porch for an hour or so, drinking coffee and enjoying the "cool" weather that blew through for a little while before the oppressive heat made its return.  After we got going and got ready, Kimi and I headed to grab some sushi for lunch and then made our way to Pottery Barn (where else?) to take a peek at their new stuff.  Shockingly, I walked out of the store empty-handed.  I'm not even sure who I am anymore, y'all.

We then made our way over to Pinkberry for some frozen yogurt because I had driven by several times and wanted to try it.  Plus I figured it'd be a relatively healthy cheat on my sugar fast.

Turns out, it's the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten.  Ever. 

I'm not sure why I couldn't get over the super tart, yogurt-y taste, but in true McKayla Maroney fashion, I was not impressed.

So we immediately headed to the cupcake shop next door so that I could get the vomit taste out of my mouth.  Miraculously, I managed to order a cakeball and miniature French macaroons instead of a giant cupcake. 

I won't even try to explain how delicious these were. 

After dessert, we wanted to see a movie and settled on Hope Springs.  I'm a Meryl Streep fan and figured it'd be funny.  Turns out, it was mostly depressing and awkward.  I think maybe I just couldn't relate to the struggles that the characters were struggling with...

We grabbed dinner at On the Border, which neither of us had had in awhile.  (And if you've never experienced the deliciousness of brisket tacos, I feel like I should be the one to command you to try them the next time you see them on a menu.  Oh. so. yum.)

We then drove home and had an impromptu visit with my brother and sister-in-law, who were in the area and wanted to drop by.  LOVED that!

On Sunday, we headed to my Mom's house for an early birthday lunch.  My mom has gotten me the same chocolate mousse birthday cake for the last 14 years, and it's divine.  She also made chicken spaghetti, which was as delicious as always.  But after almost a month with virtually no sugar, the several pieces of cake sent me into a sugar frenzy, and I felt terrible for the next several hours.  That was definitely enough to keep me out of the candy jar until September 1... 

After visiting with my sweet family (including my perfectly perfect niece, who I managed to get ZERO pictures of!) for a few hours, I had to take Kimi back to the airport.

(I had a blast, love, and am looking forward to our next girls' weekend! :))

Once we got back home, Micah and I took it easy (he watched Avatar while I read my book) and made it a relatively early night. 

And that was our {busy!} weekend!  What did you guys do?

Project Scripture: Week Thirty-Three...

We had a fabulous weekend and I have an update coming soon, but first I wanted to go ahead and get this week's Project Scripture verse up.

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

I'm excited to memorize this verse so that it can serve as running inspiration for me when things get difficult.  This girl needs all the help she can get in that department... :)

Show Us Your Life: Decorating Tables...

Although you've probably already seen these pictures in separate home tour posts, I thought I'd combine them all here and link up with Kelly to show you guys how we've decorated our dining room table, coffee table, and side tables.  My style is pretty simple, but we're pretty happy, for the most part, with how things look right now (although it'd be fabulous if you could ignore our chandelier... I've been searching for the perfect thing and am having so much trouble!).

This is our dining room table (from Pottery Barn, chairs also from there, as well).  I found these cloches at World Market last Christmas and ended up putting pine cones in the smaller ones with the candles in the larger one for the holidays.  After we took down our Christmas stuff, the smaller ones stayed empty for what seemed like forever until I stumbled across the greenery at Southern Simplicity a few months ago.

I had also picked up the table runner (on Etsy) last Christmas but felt like it was too busy with all other stuff on the table.  I added it back a month or so ago and really like what it adds to the simplicity of the cloches, so it's staying for now. :)

Here's our coffee table (from here).  I scored the lanterns on clearance last year, and the candles are from Target.  The book was a Pottery Barn find.  After coveting it for a few months, I finally broke down and bought it.

Here's the side table in our living room (from here).

More glass, apparently.  The pears are from Target, and I can't remember where I found the greenery.  The @ is also from Southern Simplicity.  The messy stack of books definitely need to find a new resting place.

As a bonus, here's the buffet that sits in our dining room (from here).

I'm actually not in love with what we've got going on here, but there are too many other projects in line before this one for me to even think about changing it right now.

So that's how we've accessorized our home so far.  Do you guys have any tricks/tips you can share?

Thankful Thursdays (Link Up!)...

This week has been fairly fabulous for us, so I'm going to get right to it this morning!

{I'm thankful} that my firm sprang for mani/pedis for a few of the girls at work and the female summer associates yesterday.  There's nothing like leaving work early to head to the spa...

{I'm thankful} that Micah agreed to go see The Dark Knight Rises with me on Sunday.  Oh. So. Good.

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{I'm thankful} that Kimi, one of my good friends from law school, is coming to stay with us this weekend!  I see a lot of yummy food, some time by the pool, and a Harry Potter marathon in my future. :)

(November 2011)

{I'm thankful} to have discovered A Discovery of Witches (by Deborah Harkness).  I'm only about a third of the way through the first book, but I'm hooked.  It's sort of Harry Potter meets Twilight-ish.  If you're into that kind of thing, you should definitely check it out.

{I'm thankful} for another day with my loved ones.  We had a pretty tragic death of a young man in my (very small) hometown this past weekend, and it's such a sobering reminder of how fleeting this life can be.  Hug the ones you love, y'all.

Also linking up with black tag diaries, The Fontenot Four, First Day of my Life, kate says stuff, and  a punk a pumpkin and a peanut.

Make this... now

You guys. This Creamy Garlic Pasta (see earlier post from today for the recipe) is phenomenal.

If marrying pasta was considered socially acceptable, I would totally marry this pasta. Since I can't, I'm just going to eat a ridiculous amount of it. And you should too.

Meal Plan...

It has been awhile since I made myself sit down and formulate a meal plan for the week, but I was feeling ambitious yesterday and actually managed to plan our meals AND shop for the food we needed to make them!  It was practically a miracle.

So in case you are in need of a little inspiration for dinners this week, here's what we're having in the Hargrave house! (Click on the names of the dishes to get to the recipes.)

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Tacos (we actually ate these last night, and I can't express how DELICIOUS they were!  And the easiest recipe I've made in awhile.  Thank God for crock pots.  We loaded our tacos up with blue cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and sour cream, but the possibilities are endless.)

Creamy Garlic Pasta

via

Southwest Chicken Chop Salad

via

Red Velvet Pancakes

via

Skinny Turkey Ranch Club Wrap

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Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

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(And yes I do remember that I've given up sweets until September 1.  I'm making these for a friend who is coming to stay with us this weekend and am praying that I'll have enough self-control to avoid eating the whole darned batch.)

My Music Wednesday...

It has been awhile since I shared any music with you guys, but I just couldn't help myself.  It's Natalie Grant's Your Great Name (the acoustic version), and I love it.

My very favorite line in the whole song is this one:

The enemy, he has to leave

At the sound of Your great name

Every time I hear it, I fight to hold back tears at the thought of Satan fleeing as I lift up praise to my King.  He is high and lifted up and worthy of so much more than the meager portions He has been getting from me lately.  But by golly, He is also my Redeemer, and it is a beautiful thing knowing that in Him I can be made new. So very beautiful.

Project Scripture: Week Thirty-Two

I know I'm late... so sorry!  But thankfully this week's verse is short, so I think we'll still have plenty of time to get it memorized.

Psalm 128:1 "Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways."


(Plus, 32 is "my" number, so I'm feeling extra confident about this week. :))

Broken Bow (and a semi-mortifying video)...

We had a fabulous weekend in Broken Bow, Oklahoma with our besties, Lauren and Eric, and my family (isn't it crazy that my mom/stepdad and my uncle and his family decided to head up to Broken Bow the exact weekend we had already planned on going with our friends? It worked out so perfectly!).

We left on Thursday afternoon, and the drive was a breezy-breeze.  We stayed in a cabin which was about a five-minute drive from the water.

So adorable, right?  After we got there, we dropped our bags off and headed immediately to go see the lake.

Y'all.  The pictures can't really do this place justice.  It was gorgeous.  I kept saying that I felt like we were in another country because we were surrounded by what were either very large hills or small-ish mountains.

While we were driving around, we actually drove right past my mom and stepdad (who had been circling the lake for about an hour trying to find the lodge where they were staying), so we met up with them and headed to dinner, which ended up being pretty fantastic.

After Lauren and I watched Gabby Douglas kill it in the women's all-around gymnastics final (how adorable is she?) while the boys got ready to fish the next day, we called it a night.

On Friday, Lauren and I woke up and went into town for a little while.  When we got back, we had lunch and then joined the boys out on the boat.  They fished while we tanned and splashed around in the water. 

While I was trying to get some color on my vampire skin, Lauren thought it would be real funny to (1) take secret pictures of me...

and (2) make me think she caught me dancing on video, threaten to post the video on facebook, and then proceed to let me squeal and squawk until she stopped recording.  I wasn't going to subject you guys to this, but it was too funny not to share.  I was laughing so hard at the thought of people seeing me dance that I could barely get words out.

There were also a lot of little islands throughout the lake, so we were able to beach the boat on the shore while we swam around and played in the water.

For dinner that night, we grilled steaks (although there was apparently a burn ban in effect - oops!) and watched even more olympics.  Can I just say how much I heart Missy Franklin?  Love, love, love.

The next morning, we grabbed breakfast at the cute little diner by the cabin.  Then Lauren and I headed off in search of a tube or raft that we could tie to the boat so that we could float along behind the boys as they fished. 

Turns out that we actually found a little mini-boat.

Poor Lauren was just a teensy bit paranoid about us sinking/drowning, but thankfully we survived. :)

That night we met up with my fam for some yummy pizza and then we all headed back to the cabin to play games/watch the olympics.  We may or may not have played a game of charades, and I may or may not have drawn "Christian Grey" as one of my words.  Can you believe that I pelvic-thrusted and fake whipped my little heart out and no one guessed it?  Shocking, I'm sure...

After everyone calmed down from the excitement of my Christian Grey impression, we called it a night and headed home as soon as we got up the next morning.

Moral of the story:  we had SO much fun and are looking forward to going again sometime in the (hopefully) near future! :)