Chocolate Covered Day at Work! (Thanks Kelsey)

Friday at work was "National Chocolate Covered Day" and everyone was supposed to bring in something with chocolate or covered in chocolate... anything chocolate! Normally I'd do chocolate covered strawberries but it's winter and they are so much $$$$$ right now! BOO! So, I invited Kelsey over to play! We bought pretzel rods, Nutter Butter cookies, rice krispie treats (pre wrapped) we were supposed to also make cup cakes... but that didn't happen. We finished a bunch of stuff but we both had to work early that next day and we had some wine. :)

We made reindeer Nutter Butter cookies. They had M&M red noses and icing eyes then I glued the pretzel antlers on with melted chocolate.



We also made Snowmen Nutter Butter cookies. The had M&M green buttons, icing eyes and mouth then I made orange white icing for the carrot nose. So freaking cute! I loved making the noses.



Another thing we made were large pretzel rods. We dipped them in white chocolate and milk chocolate. Then we rolled them in sprinkles. SUPER CUTE!! Yummy too! Salty and Sweet!



Rice Krispie Treats dipped in white chocolate on one side was the last treat to make. We tried putting them on sticks but that was a huge FAIL! We got the thin sticks because they were cheaper... OoOps! So instead we let them dry then I dipped all four sides in sprinkles. I think they turned out pretty cute.



We had a fun night and the wine make it extra exciting. A few burnt fingers and a lot of chocolate we had some cute treats for work. :)



Baked Apple Chip

While being a Pinterest addict I found this super yummy idea to make apple chips. First off I didn't have an apple corer... so I found a cool pin that showed someone using a potato peeler to core an apple with! OMG it worked too! After I cored my apples I cut them into thin slices I placed them out on a baking sheet. I then sprinkled cinnamon on top of all the apple and baked them. The directions are listed below so get to cutting those apples and enjoy! YuM!

What you will need:

• 2 apples
• Cinnamon

Directions:

• Remove apple core. I most likely did this wrong since half of the apple was missing when I removed it but you get the idea.
• Thinly slice the entire apple.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place apple slices on it.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Bake at 275 degrees for two hours. At the end of hour one flip them over so they bake evenly.

I Believe...

Cooper Thomas

CTW... Sweet little fella! I had the pleasure of taking pictures of my cousins new baby boy Cooper this past weekend. First time taking pictures of a baby too! It was so much fun working with that wiggle worm. He did a great job considering he was naked on a blanket wearing a pumpkin hat in 85 degree weather. His little movements helped me get the perfect pictures. His little butt is so cute and tiny in some of the pictures. Made me giggle with all of his baby wrinkles and flat butt. No bubble butt for Cooper! (Hannah got in trouble when she was little because I taught her to say bubble butt) Of course I didn't hold him because he's so tiny but next time I see him in May for her wedding he should be big enough for me to hold. :)

Cooper Thomas... Aunty MeG loves you little fella!!

Sweet little family

Pumpkin Patch at Maple Lane Farms



We've started a tradition with Ali now!!! During the GREAT month of October and the wonderful start to Fall we have adventures we take our yearly trip to Maple Lane Farms! I love this place! They have Pick Your Own Strawberries in the later Spring throughout Summer. During October they have the Pick Your Own Pumpkins. We pay $2 for a long hay ride throughout the farm seeing the cows and farm life. We hop off the hay ride and venture off into the crops of pumpkins. It's messy too! Dirty pumpkins and dirty hands not my cup up tea! I learned last year to bring hand sanitizer in my camera bag or purse. Clean hands this year! :) We had a lot of fun and THANK GOODNESS did not do the corn maze!! WHEW! I hate corn mazes! ( long story) But Ali did find the face painting booth!! We were hoping she wouldn't want her face painted this year because it was a 2 HOUR wait last year!! 2 HOURS!! But since we arrived right when they opened we were first in line! :) One happy girl! That's what she talked about the whole time.... getting her face painted! We had a great time carving pumpkins and roasting pumpkin seeds. Ali is really into bows right now (another blog coming soon) so we made our pumpkins have bows on their stems. Super cute and girly! We had a great time Sunday and our pumpkins looked great! Enjoy!

Photo Shoot with Ali

We had Ali on Sunday and I couldn't wait to take pictures of her for Jason's desk at work and for his family in Memphis. Well of course I couldn't wait to use my new camera too! Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Sunday.

Ali- Age 7

NEW CAMERA NEW CAMERA NEW CAMERA!!!!!!!!



O.M.G. I went for the plunge and bought a BIG GIRL camera!!! Man oh man was that a stressful moment when trying to decide which camera to buy! I was sweating and a nervous wreck but thanks to good ole Jaclyn she coached me through the purchase! (THANKS JaC)

Jaclyn and I went to oh so yummy Cracker Barrel a few Saturday mornings ago for breakfast then off to Best Buy for the new toy! If you know me you know I LOVE taking pictures... of anything and everything. I have a camera tattoo and I will be helping Jac in Oct with shooting a wedding! SO EXCITED!!!

I had a tough time deciding between a Nikon or a Canon camera. I wanted the bundle package that came with an extra lens and a memory card. After sweating and picking up both camera a few times I went with the Nikon D3100 and the 55-200 lens. I'm so happy with my purchase! My first BIG GIRL camera and I'm pretty much on cloud 9 with it!

Oh course I had to take it with me to Pop and Gran's that next Sunday to show it off to Gran because she also shares the love of photography! Then it was SHOW TIME!!!! Blue had a photo shoot that Sunday... and he did really well. Me on the other hand needs to learn how to use the camera and all of the tools and tricks. I also did a little photo shoot of their fat ass Yorkie Camie... (21 pound Yorkie... yikes I know)

Am I in love...YES!!! I can't wait to work with Jac and her amazing eye for shots in pictures.

First photo session...Blue. Second photo session a WEDDING!!! EEK!

Oh no... I must buy a cute camera bag for my new baby!! I think I'm going to order this one from Etsy.com

The BAG!!!! So in love! It screams my name!

The inside! Pretty in pink!

So... I bought a strap for my camera too! This was an awesome price too!!! $10 and $2.50 shipping!!!



Happy Harvest Day!!!!

Getting nervous!!!

Today I have my egg harvest!!! All finished and the family is now in charge of those little eggs. Make a baby that you will love and give your life for no matter what! I wish I could hug the mom and tell you how happy I am to offer her this amazing gift. I wish we could cry together and for her to know how happy I am she picked me! I would also tell you that I was a spoiled brat when I was a wee little MeG... Ha! I would then hug her again and wish her the best of luck and a safe and smooth pregnancy!

I was able to sleep last night which was awesome! I was super nervous and ready for my alarm to go off at 4:45a.m. AHHHH!!! I wont up on my 2nd alarm going off at 5:10 jumped in the shower, brushed my hair and teeth, grabbed the makeup bag put some clothes on the I was on the road to pick up Pop and Gran!
Off to Chattanooga we went and got there with good timing. We went to my special waiting room and I took a picture of Granny and I on the couch like we did last year. Then after being there for maybe 10 minutes I took a picture of Pop already passed out in the the waiting room chair like I also did last year!

Oh memories from this journey!

I had to sign all of the paper work then took me off to the procedure room. Put on my fancy hospital gown and my knee socks I wore last year! *My Official Egg Donor Socks* Had my iv put in and waited for them to roll me back. Once I was in the operating room I got up on the table with CrAzY stirrups and a square cut in the wall where they can transfer the disk or tubes of eggs through to the Embryologist. PEEK A BOO!!!??? Yeah big time! They gave me my anesthesia and I passed out! I woke up and everything was over. My sweet nurse gave me a mini orange Gatorade and they waited for me to wake up. I wasn't in pain at all just so sleepy. I still have been mini cramping all day. I feel like this time around was much better!!
I wasn't told how many eggs were taken this time they said I would find out next week. Hopefully enough for this special family! I felt bloated enough to have 50 in there!!!

Prayers for this family and fingers crossed!!

Pop asleep after 10 minutes of being there

Granny and I on Harvest day!!

waiting for my iv

 Good Luck Egg Donor Socks!!

 Super fancy sheets they have!! I wish they were pink though!! :)

Just got home and now it's snuggle nappy time with Blue!!