HGTV would be so proud...

We've spent the weekend modernizing our guest bathroom... finally. We're big fans of older homes with character, and while this house has the charm of the 1950s , we were never really fans of the all-green and all-pink bathrooms that came with it. Our master bathroom has gray, white and pink tiles, but we had to have the bathroom floor replaced before we bought it, so they put in new tile that makes it not so Leave-It-To-Beaverish. But the guest bathroom was a different story. The ENTIRE bathroom was mint green. I'm talking, the toilet, the sink, the tub and the tile on the floors, walls and countertops.

Here's what we started with...

We've been wanting to put in a new toilet, new floors and a new sink to neutralize it a little more, so we finally decided to just bite the bullet and do it. Ourselves. It was quite a project, but now it's done, and it's clear that the countless hours we've spent watching HGTV have paid off. :)

It started Friday night with a trip to Lowe's to get all our supplies - a new toilet and all the stuff that goes along with it, the peel-and-stick tile, grout, grout cleaner and caulk. I figured Saturday would be our big working day, but apparently Derek had other plans.

He decided we might as well go ahead and do the toilet Friday night. Well, that was about 8:00, and by 10:45, the old one was out and the new one was in. Not that it was that simple, however... The old toilet was original to the house, which meant we had to struggle with 50 years of gunk and rust to get this stupid toilet out. After a good bit of sweat, a few bruises and several phone calls to Derek's dad the plumber, we finally got it out. It was not a pretty sight, either. The new toilet didn't really take as long to install, except for the leak we couldn't get rid of when we attached the new tank. It just took a little elbow grease on Derek's part in tightening all the bolts underneath while I sat on it trying to make it level. I'm sure you're thinking you would have liked to be a fly on the wall for all this, which is exactly what Derek's dad said, too, but after what seemed like hours, the sparkling new WHITE toilet was installed with no leaks. It was a proud moment. :)

Saturday was spent cutting the tile to fit, which was also not as easy as it seemed, but we did it. We also brightened up the countertops with some grout cleaner, and Derek fixed the one broken tile on the edge of the countertop that's been bothering us since we moved in last June. Then today Derek wrapped up the project by caulking around the edges to give it a finished look.

And.... drum roll, please... Here's the finished product!

My, my, my... what a pretty bathroom now! I have to say, this room was definitely a drawback when we bought the house, and I'm proud to say that now it's actually in the 21st century while still keeping its vintage charm. :)

I'm very proud of us. It's been a while since we had a "work weekend" around the house, and I'm so glad we don't do it very often. It totally wears you out, but it's very worth it in the end. Now if only we could get our own HGTV show, we'd really be in business. Ha!

Bless His Heart

Our boy Bentley used to never be afraid of storms. They never fazed him until the tornado we had in early April. Derek and I were both at work when it happened, and when I got home to see what damage there was (thankfully none to our house), I found every bedroom door open and bed skirts hiked up around all of the beds. Apparently the storm scared him so badly that he tried to fit his big ole body under every one of the beds with no luck. He was traumatized, I'm sure, especially with the fact that our neighbor was home and hid out in the bathtub with her dog while the tornado touched ground. She said it sounded like a jackhammer. And with the wind bending the trees almost to the ground, I'm sure he saw quite a sight out our big window facing the front yard. I'm so glad I wasn't home because storms scare me pretty bad anyways now that we live in the midst of a hundred old pine trees.

Anyways, last night we had quite the lightning show at our house. It was a big tease with lightning that lit up the sky and some threatening thunder, but only about 10 minutes of rain. Poor Bent never strayed far from our feet during the whole thing. We were both home and he still opened every bedroom door in the house and wandered around for a place he felt safe.

He's not to the point of needing doggy downers during storms like Marley (if you've never read "Marley and Me" by John Grogan, it's a must for all dog lovers), but he definitely needs reassurance that everything's going to be alright.

Luckily for us last night, we had just bathed him before the "storm" came, so at least we had a clean, brushed dog under our feet all night rather than a dirty, stinky one. :)

There is no joy in Mudville...

... Because the Mighty Gators got their TAILS KICKED last night. Boo! It’s a game that we’re going to forget we even played, and it’s a really good thing that we don’t think the league is officially keeping record of wins and losses because this was a big one. All I know is that we didn’t score a single run, and the Bench Warmers scored more than I could count. I stopped counting at eight. Ugh…

And it was the hottest game we’ve played by far. So muggy… our jerseys were stuck to our backs before the game even started. Definitely not fun weather to play softball in, but it didn’t seem to bother the other team. Actually for once we had way more than enough people to play. I think we had about 15 show up to play, so some had to be subbed in halfway through the game.

Derek did a good job as pitcher, but I spoke too soon when I said that I don't mind playing left center because you don’t really see any action out there. Boy, did we! And boy, did I just stand there and stare at the few balls hit directly at me. Pitiful…

Too bad we lost our two-game winning streak, but we’re just going to forget about last night’s game and focus on next week. We’ve got one more game before our double-header, and I think it’s going to be a tough one.

So far we’re 2-3, but it doesn’t really matter. It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game, right? We’ve had a lot of fun, and we really appreciate the generosity of Katherine’s law firm in letting us take two spots on their team. It’s actually made Monday nights something to look forward to this summer, and that's not an easy feat! :)

Stop the Press!

We spent yesterday with some good old friends from my days at the newspaper. It was in honor of Lauchlin's departure from The Post, so it was only appropriate that we got our old crew together for some celebratory food and drinks.

We started the day out at the lake. Our friend Becka, who used to be a photographer at the paper, came into town from New Orleans, and she, Lauchlin, Derek and I headed out to the lake for a few hours to do some tubing. We had a nice time in the new ski boat the Greys bought this summer and got some good sun even though the sky was mostly overcast. It was great to catch up with Becka since we really haven't seen her in about a year and a half, since she and I left the newspaper a week apart.

Here's a few pics from the boat...

It was all fun and games until Derek lost his wedding band. :( Oh, well, we'll get him another one and make sure it fits better this time.

After the lake, we headed back to Lauchlin and Olivia's house where we grilled hamburgers and relaxed in their pool (it's pretty similar to Katherine's but a good bit bigger.) It was a nice time, and it was so good to see everybody. Here's a pic of our old Post group minus Becka.

A good time was had by all, and it turned into a late night, as it usually does with this group. I'm definitely not a youngin anymore, so it's a good thing we only get together once in a blue moon. I'm sure we're all hurting a little today, and it's probably not just from the tubing. :)

Wednesday Night Drinking Club

Last fall, right after it opened, a group of us started going up to The Bulldog every Wednesday night for a few drinks after work. It's a pretty cool bar with like 50 beers on tap and about twice that many in bottles. It started in New Orleans, and I heard a rumor that they opened one in Jackson because the Saints have their training camp here every summer. Whatever the reason, we really like it, AND it's about five minutes away from our house.

So, we got a small group together the first few times for happy hour on Wednesday because you can bring your pint glasses home on Wednesdays. After a month or so, we had quite the collection of pint glasses... enough to fill a shelf in our freezer, actually, so we stopped collecting them. Our little Wednesday Night Drinking Club grew from week to week as friends started inviting friends, and then their friends invited more friends. There was actually one week (an impromptu birthday celebration for Drew and me) when we actually had a group of about 20 or so.

We kept up our little weekly tradition through most of the winter, but for whatever reason, the group started dwindling down in the spring. We've picked it back up now, and while we don't really do every Wednesday anymore, it's still never too hard to get a group together. Maybe it's because by Wednesday afternoon a beer after work always sounds like a good idea, or maybe because all of our friends are pushovers when it comes to alcohol, but regardless, it always makes for a nice couple of hours with good conversation and cold beer.

As for the bar itself, they've since expanded the patio and added a fire pit and a water feature. I think they have plans to add a big flat screen TV under the awning outside before football season. We've seen it grow and are pretty much regulars there now. It's our own little version of Cheers, and sooner or later, everybody will know our names. Is that good or bad? :)

39,000 miles and FREE!!!

Well, it may not exactly be free, but my car is now PAID OFF!!! I wrote the last check just a little while ago, and I feel totally liberated now. With a little help from Mom and Dad along the way, I've been able to pay off my Passat in a little under three years, and that feels so great.

It seems like just yesterday I was test-driving that car right after Derek and I got engaged. That was October of 2006, and now almost 40,000 miles later, it's a totally done deal. And for the most part, it still looks like a new car (when it's clean) and it definitely still drives like one. I think I'm stuck on Volkswagens now, and it doesn't hurt that the fancy new dealership is now less than 2 minutes away.

The Passat hasn't traveled nearly as far as the Camry did, but that was college. The Camry went skiing in Colorado, to a Dave Matthews concert in Virginia Beach, to New Orleans a few too many times, and to spring break in Destin both junior and senior year. I think the Passat has only ventured into Louisiana a few times and to Destin, but it's made PLENTY of trips to and from Vicksburg for a good few months before we moved here and back and forth to the Coast on many a trip for showers and weddings. But it makes sense... the Passat's my "adult" car. I'm not as adventurous as I used to be. :)

I see this one lasting through at least one future Baby Grey in kindergarten and another one in preschool, I hope. And as long as the gas stays as high as it is now, I'll gladly drive this gas-saver until the wheels fall off if I can.

When I drove off the lot, that car had 11 miles on it. Eleven! Talk about depreciation... But that's okay. Everybody needs to own one brand new car in their lifetime if possible. It's the best feeling in the world, even if only for a few miles. :)

All you need is love

This weekend was a pretty eventful one for some friends of ours. First of all, our friends Bobby and Keever got married yesterday in Meridian. It was extra special to us because they actually met at our wedding and have been together every since.

If you haven't heard about the fight at our reception, it was Bobby who got beat up and pushed down the concrete stairs outside the Cultural Center. But he really did deserve it after being so drunk that he was pulling girls' skirts up on the dance floor. I think he just messed with the wrong guy's girlfriend, and that's all it took for a swift punch in the face. Needless to say, it was quite a memory for all of us. Too bad that part's not on video. And we don't have any pictures of it, either, but the one above kinda sets the stage. That was about 5 minutes before the fight. You can see Bobby being obnoxious on the right, and Keever's actually the one in the back of the group of girls almost wrestling for the bouquet. :)

And here they were yesterday as bride and groom...

We got a nice shout-out at the reception for "introducing" them, even though we really had nothing to do with it. Nevertheless, I don't mind taking credit for match made in heaven. :)

And also, I'm very excited to say that my best friend Cassidy is ENGAGED!!!! John proposed Thursday night on the beach, and they're planning on getting married next July. They started dating just a few months after Derek and I did, and I love them together. Their five-year anniversary is next weekend, so he surprised her a couple of weeks ahead of time. I'm so happy for her and can't wait until the wedding.

Here's a pic of the happy couple. :)

I just love it when things work out, and this weekend was a perfect example of that. These are four people who deserve a happy ending, and it looks like that's just what they've gotten in the Book of Love. :)

I'm a dancing queen!

So, after watching "So You Think You Can Dance?" last night and going to my Zumba class today, I do think that I have some rhythm. I'm nowhere near ready for Broadway just yet, but when it's just me in front of a mirror or anything that shows my reflection, I'm a dancing machine.

I really did take dancing lessons from 3 years old until about 10th grade, and I loved it. There's no better way to stay in shape than just listening to good music and shaking your groove thang. It's really empowering.

If you've never heard of Zumba, it's a lot of fun. Our gym offers it, and it's a cross between a little hip-hop and salsa. The music's loud, the steps are pretty easy to pick up, and it's a GREAT way to end the week. The class is at 5:30, and I try to go every time, even if I don't make it to the gym any other day during the week. You work your butt off and walk out of the class soaked with sweat. But it's all done with a smile on your face because you really feel like you can shake your stuff, and it's soooo much fun.

Now, I'll probably wake up tomorrow sore again from working muscles that haven't been used in a few weeks (I've skipped the last two classes), but that's okay. My dancing skills are improving, and hopefully I'm shedding a few pounds while I'm doing it. :)

Beautiful Birthday Girl!

Today we're celebrating Izzy Girl's birthday. I'm actually not quite sure when her actual birthday is, but I do know that I adopted her at 6 weeks old right before school started my senior year of college in 2002. That makes that pretty girl SIX years old!

When my roommates and I decided we wanted a pet for our apartment, we adopted two sister kittens, a pink and gray one that was mine and a yellow and white one that was Katie's. We named them both Isabella and called them Izzy and Bella. When we saw them at the adoption center, they both had on cute little Garfield handkerchiefs. How could you not fall in love with these precious things?

Izzy was the runt, but she made up for it by gaining some weight, and now she's a little chubby, but that's just more to love! We've battled the weight-gain issue most of her life, and I usually put her on diet food at least once a year. It doesn't matter to her, though. As long as there's food in that silver bowl, she's happy. And believe me, she'll let you know when she's not, too. :)

If you've never met this cat, she's the most un-catlike cat ever. She comes to the door when I get home from work and she LOVES some lap-sitting. If you let her, she'll cuddle right up on your chest at bedtime and snooze away. She's so incredibly sweet and one of a kind. She doesn't sleep with us anymore because I'm super allergic to cats. I knew this when I got her, but I just couldn't say no to that sweet face when she wanted to share my pillow.

This baby girl has traveled all over Mississippi - from my apartment in Hattiesburg to Jackson to live with her sister, Bella, while I was moving, then to my apartment in Vicksburg, my house in Vicksburg, and then to Jackson. She's even spent a week with my parents while Derek and I were in New York.

We introduced her to her brother, Bentley, three years ago, and I thought it was about to be World War III around our house with both of them. But she got used to him, and now they're the best of friends because he opens all the doors in the house when we're not home so she can nap on the beds.

I have to say, Izzy has been my sweet baby girl now for most of my adult life, and I love her for that. She's as sweet as they come, and everyone who meets her just falls in love. I really do think some people come to visit us just to get some Izzy-lovin. :)

So, Happy Birthday, Izzy Bella Marie Bice-Grey! Our world wouldn't be the same without you.

A little updating never hurts

So, with inspiration from Meredith, I ventured out and changed my layout. I hope everyone likes it! :)

I headed back to the gym today after about a week and a half off because of total exhaustion from softball. We played our third game last night and actually WON 8-7! It's really a lot more fun when you win, amazingly enough. Now we're getting the hang of it and really playing pretty well as a team. It just took us a couple of games to get warmed up, I think.

Not much else is new our way. We're still a little pink from the weekend, although not nearly as red and miserable as Neighbor Ben. Ugh... Sunburns hurt. I've just been trying to keep lotion on my face and shoulders so I don't start peeling. I think peeling is just as bad as burning sometimes. It's annoying, and it itches, and it's ugly. So maybe the lotion will help keep me bronzed and beautiful. Ha!

I forgot to mention that a mama bird made a nest in my flower arrangement in the carport, and now the baby birdies have their eyes open and are chirping all the time for food. They're not very pretty actually. And if you think about it, they haven't learned how to fly yet, so all bathroom business is done in the nest. Gross... and somebody will have to clean all that out when mama bird decides to take the babies and leave her humble abode. Guess that will be me. Joy. I guess I'll just take it as a compliment that the mama thought my fake flowers and pine straw looked so realistic that she wanted to make them her home. Now if only she would clean up her mess when she flies the coop. :)

A Fantastic Fourth

This long holiday weekend has been wonderful. We're worn out, sunburned and enjoying a lazy Sunday on the couch watching it rain. We had a great weekend out at Eagle Lake. It started with some boat-riding on Friday afternoon followed by some good food and a fantastic fireworks show that my father-in-law did. The show lasted about 20 minutes, and we all sat on the pier and oohed and ahhed as the colors lit up the sky. The patriotic cd that Ben made really seemed like it timed out perfectly with the fireworks, too! I even think everyone else on the lake stopped what they were doing to watch from their piers and boats. It was great to have a "private" show so big that the whole lake could enjoy.

After the fireworks, we all headed to Chotard for my favorite lake band, Magnolias and Moonshine. This band is a real treat, especially with their American flag outfits that they wear annually just for this holiday. Here I am with Katherine boogieing to the band. No, we're not the only ones on the dance floor, but we tried to stay at the front so they could clearly see who their biggest fans were. :)

Saturday we all slept in and then got the boat decorated for the boat parade. This is one of my favorite things at Eagle Lake. Everyone who's there for the weekend either rides on a boat or sits and watches from their piers. Supposedly there are winners every year, but we have yet to figure out who the judges are and what you get if you win. Nevertheless, we were super patriotic this year, complete with Katherine dressed up as the Statue of Liberty. Here are a few pics.

Katie and Derek decorating the boat for the parade...

Tina and I riding. Yes, that's an American flag bikini top I'm wearing, and no, I don't think it's that trashy. Fourth of July only comes once a year!

Lady Liberty herself assuming the position as our nation's most famous landmark...

As you can see, a good time was had by all. Now if all of our temporary tattoos will wash off, life will be good! :)

I'm really not a hypochondriac, I promise...

Well, last week I was convinced that Derek had West Nile virus.

All the symptoms were there - well, really just fatigue and sore muscles. He's never really been one to be sore after a good workout, especially now that we've actually been going to the gym. Nevertheless, he was complaining of his legs hurting all week long. And I guess working at the Department of Health doesn't help matters since diseases are talked about all day long, along with the thought that most people are walking around with diseases (like West Nile) and don't even know it.

Now, after we played softball game No. 2 last night, I can rest assured that it wasn't West Nile. I think it was a case of just using muscles that haven't been used in a while. We're both hurting today. Bad. Derek's pitched both games, and last night before the game even started he pulled a muscle in his leg. It's not his hamstring, I don't think. I think it may be his quadriceps? I don't really know my muscle groups, obviously. Anyways, by the end of the game he was hurting pretty bad in BOTH legs. I played catcher (or tried to) last night, and after one inning of squatting, I spent the rest of the game with my legs feeling like Jello. Today I'm hobbling.

Anyways, I'm glad Derek doesn't have West Nile. Now if we could just get our muscles to agree that more exercise is better, then life will be good. In the meantime, they (the muscles) just want to sit on the couch. And I'm really not fighting them on this one. :)

Pool time pageant party

So, this weekend we spent Saturday afternoon lounging in a 2-foot-deep baby pool in Katherine's backyard. It might not sound like much, but it's plenty of water to keep you cool on a hot afternoon. Too bad it really wasn't that hot, though. In fact, after it rained for about an hour, it was actually not hot at all. The water was almost chilly after that. It still felt good, though. The whole plan was to have a pool party/pageant party to watch Miss Mississippi, but what started with a crowd of about eight of us had dwindled down to only four by pageant time. Of course, I LOVE watching pageants, so the fewer people to distract me, the better. :)

Being a past pageant "professional" myself, (NOT in competing, but in covering it for the newspaper - Ha!) I really was not that impressed this year. Even my Granny, who ALWAYS picks the winner, wasn't impressed. I really remember being a little girl and watching the pageant with her and being sooooo enamoured of those pretty young women. They seemed so grown-up. Now they seem like such babies to me! I remember being a little sad when I turned 25, the magic age at which you can no longer compete in the pageant. It's not that I ever, ever, ever had intentions of actually competing, but I guarantee you many a girl in Mississippi had a fleeting dream of wearing that sparkling crown on top of her head at one point or another. Just imagine how incredible it would feel when they called out your name and the crowd went wild. Wow... Too bad for me the closest I ever got to the crown was writing about everything pageant-related in Vicksburg for a few years. But, to be honest, I loved every minute of it. :)