Blog Giveaway Winner!

Stephanie, you won my blog giveaway for the Gifts in a Jam!! Please send me your address to pinkcotton111@yahoo.com. I will be happy to mail this to you!! Hope you are all having a great SONday. We have no Sunday School or Church today due to the road conditions. I also am flying out tomorrow given the 7 inches of snow and 4 inches of ice we have received over the last two days!!! That is ALOT for Nashville!!! I plan on finally painting some letters for Griffin's room and baking cupcakes with Paisley. We also are going to make Valentine's for my grandmother who is in the nursing home and a few other shut in's at our church. I am also thinking maybe spaghetti in the crockpot for dinner! Hope you all have a great day!!

XOXO-

KJ

I USED TO BE FASHIONABLE!!!

THIS WEEK ON KELLY'S KORNER BLOG: SHOW US YOUR LIFE! FASHION!

I will admit that being fashionable was much easier before I had kids. I now have a baby belly that I spend lots of time trying to hide. I swear after I give birth to number 2 in a few weeks it will be gone for good. But it is so hard! Anyways, a couple of my fashion secrets!

1. Make-up, Hair, and perfume ALWAYS make me feel better! I am all about some Make-up. I love Laura Mercier and MAC. I am all about a GOOD moisturizer, some foundation and bronzer, NARS blush, and Bobbi Brown's shimmer brick. I think drugstore mascara works even better than the expensive stuff. I am a big fan of Loreal Voluminous. I love Thierry Mugler's perfumes. Angel,Alien, and Angel Innocent are great. I am BIG fan of Viva La Juicy also.

2. Handbags.

MY WEAKNESS!!! I am constantly buying bags. Honestly, they just make me happy and the bigger they are, the skinnier I feel. Here is my dream list!

Valentino

Louis Vuitton Alma

Chanel 3.31 Bag

Gucci Hysteria Crocodile. I would have to sell my child to buy this bag. It is a real dream and will never happen in this lifetime!!! But it is gorgeous!

3. Jewelry.

I LOVE costume jewelry and the real stuff, too. But the cheap stuff looks great to dress up an outfit!! Some of my favorite places are Banana Republic, Stein Mart, Francesca's, and For Love 21. Here are some pieces I bought from Love this week:

None of these pieces were over $10.00.

4. Bargain Shopping.

I am a huge fan of E-bay. You can find great deals on designer bags, shoes, and accessories. Occasionally I will buy a dress off of E-bay as well if I know how it fits or if it is a certain brand. You can save so much by clipping coupons out of InStyle magazine, On-line and mailing lists.

5. Gap, Inc.

I buy LOTS of my daughter's play clothes off of Baby Gap and Old navy and I am a huge fan of their website. It is easy to navigate through and also has VERY inexpensive shipping. Like $7.00 flat no matter how much you buy. I LOVE the fact that if you have a gift card for Old Navy, Banana, or Gap you can use all of them through the site. I hate Old Navy stores because they are such a mess. But online is perfect!!

Hope these fashion tips help!

XOXO-

KJ

SNOW!!!!!!

BANANA BREAD COBBLER

Hands-on Time: 15 min. Total Time: 1 hr., 5 min. (including Streusel).

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 4 medium-size ripe bananas, sliced
• Streusel Topping (below)
• Vanilla ice cream

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Whisk together flour and next 2 ingredients just until blended; whisk in melted butter. Pour batter into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Top with banana slices, and sprinkle with Streusel Topping.

2. Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with ice cream.

STREUSEL TOPPING

This recipe goes with Banana Bread Cobbler

Yield: Makes 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup uncooked regular oats
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

1. Stir together brown sugar, flour, and butter until crumbly, using a fork. Stir in oats and pecans.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Hands-on Time: 30 min.; Total Time: 6 hr., 30 min. Browning the pork chops and onions adds an extra layer of flavor to this dish. We love it served with hot cooked rice and chowchow.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz.) package frozen field peas with snaps, thawed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops (about 3 1/2 lb.)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large sweet onion, sliced
• 1 (10 1/2-oz.) can condensed chicken broth

Preparation

1. Place peas in a lightly greased 6-qt. slow cooker.

2. Combine mustard and next 2 ingredients; sprinkle over pork chops. Dredge pork in flour.

3. Cook pork, in batches, in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side or just until browned. Transfer pork to slow cooker. Reserve drippings in skillet.

4. Sauté onion in hot drippings over medium-high heat 6 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add chicken broth, and cook 2 minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Spoon onion mixture over pork in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 6 hours.

The One Hundred by Nina Garcia

Many of you know that I am a HUGE follower of Project Runway

(a great show by the way if you don't watch it...I am a big fan of the DVR so that way I can just fast forward through the 500 commercials.) Nina Garcia is one of the judges of this show, and also one of the editors of Marie Claire. She is so graceful and charming. I LOVE her!! If you don't buy any other books this year, you have to get this one! You can go here and get it for next to nothing. I LOVE to give this book as a birthday present OR just as a HAPPY because it is a great resource to have about clothing and accessories. I am all about buying things that will take me throughout seasons and that I can have in my wardrobe for many many years.

It teaches you how to be trendy with the inexpensive and spend your money on the things that will last you a lifetime!

ENJOY!

The lovely Nina Garcia

Fashion by Ruben Toledo

XOXO-

Katie Jane

SNOW DAY!!!

Well, we started out with nothing on Friday around 11:00am this morning....

Then moved on to this around 2:30pm

So were predicted to have a Winter Storm tonight and tomorrow, with around 3-5 inches. Now it is 10 inches!!! That is ALOT of snow for Nashville! This entire city was a little hesitant because the last time they predicted this much snow, it never came! Well honey it came today!!! It has been crazy but fun! The bad part is my husband is stuck about an hour from our house in a hotel in Tullahoma and cannot get home. They closed down portions of our interstate today, so he is stranded. Thank goodness there is a Cracker Barrel next door so hopefully they will feed him!! I decided this morning (before I knew all this) that I would cook a big dinner, thinking we would be snowed in tonight!! HA! So much for those plans. I made some Slow Cooker Pork Chops and rice and a Banana Bread Cobbler that were both delicious. I got the recipes out of my February Southern Living.

I will post the recipes separately.

They both turned out yummy and not hard at all!! Your stomach will thank me!

So I am completely full and going to bed soon...

(Paisley went down at 5:00pm. Might be a new record for her!! )

And here we are tonight with snow still coming down at 9:45pm...insane!!

It is still going strong with ice and sleet!!!

I am guessing we are at 3-4inches by the looks of things!!

Have a great night!! I will take more pictures tomorrow of us playing in the white stuff!!!

XOXO-

KJ

MY MISSISSIPPI!

In case you didn't know, I am a Mississippi girl through and through. I love my sweet tea, decorating, warm weather, front porch, and most of all some good food. You can look at my rear and tell that. I think life is too short to eat gross food (or Yankee food as I like to call it. That is meant to be a joke since I married an Ohio boy). Us deep south folks think anything above Memphis is considered the North! Ha! Anyway, since I am craving all kinds of food right now, I wanted to tell you about my favorite places in Jackson, Mississippi where I am from.

1. Jerry's Catfish House in Florence, Mississippi. If you are ever heading up I-49, you need to stop by this place. It is RIDONKULOUS in the words of my husband. It is nothing fancy, but the best food you have ever put in your mouth!! It seriously has the best food on earth! You get hushpuppies, fillet or whole catfish, cole slaw, and the best fried dill pickles EVER. And who could forget sweet tea??? It is the best!!

2. Kiefer's in Jackson, Mississippi. This place is right off of Fortification Street on I-55. It is the best southern version of Greek you have ever tasted. I have found nothing in Nashville that even compares. They have this dip called feta dip. I could literally turn up that souffle cup and eat it straight!! They have yummy vinegar cucumbers, salads, and the gyro's. My favorite is the chicken yavne. And the potato waffle fries. SOOOOO good. This is probably my first stop on my way home from Nashville. My family knows we will be eating here at least once while I am home!

3. And last but not least, The Elite in downtown Jackson. We have been eating here my entire life. This is a family owned business for 30-40 years probably. They have these homeade rolls that are so hot and gooey and they bring this come back sauce to dip on them. Oooooh weee, it is good!! And they serve bottle Diet Coke's in little glasses with crushed ice. It is the best! We always get the Veal Cutlet, the brown gravy, the salads, and the Spaghetti and Meatballs. If you EVER go through Jackson, this place is a MUST. It is by far, one of the things I miss most about Mississippi.

A couple of others:

4. The best furniture stores EVER! (The Mill Store)

5. And home accessories store (most people in Mississippi know how to decorate, VERY WELL)

6. Brent's Drug Store (an original soda fountain with homeade pimento cheese that is SO good).

7. Ole Miss and the Grove. Whether or not you cheer for the Rebels, the grove is southern tradition at its finest. As my husband (the Ohio State Buckeye) once said, "Y'all might not win football games, but y'all know how to cook and tailgate. And make things pretty."

8. Bridgette's Monograms (which is the cheapest place I have EVER found to get monograms done in my life!!")

9. The nicest, most hospitable people on Earth.

10. And the greatest FAMILY ever!! I miss y'all so much!! MWAH!

XOXO-

KJ

PS- I did NOT forget The Canton Flea Market, Bops Katies Crunch, PopFizz, The Mill Store, Two Rivers, Roosters, Little Tokyo, and The State fair!! I know I am leaving some stuff out..you girls will have to help me remember!!! What's your favorite thing in Mississippi???

WORKING MOTHER!

The term working mother is so redundant! HA!

I am home tonight after two days of work in Memphis. I really don't mind going to Memphis, it is just a long couple of days. I have SO many doctors there I can't even see them all!! It is becoming harder to go because my sweet baby Paisley is now realizing that I am going out of town. She called me twice this trip (which she has NEVER done) and said, "Hey Mommy, I miss you. I wuve you!"

Breaks. My. Heart.

I was so ready to get home today. I SO could not have my job if I did not have a great support system. My in-laws help me soooooo much. We are so happy to have them moving here to be closer. Paisley loves them to death.

While I was in Memphis, I went to Hobby Lobby during lunch and bought some things for Griffin's room. I am nearly done with it! Yippee! I am going to try and finish it this weekend! I will post some pics when it is done. I promise!

Hope you all are having a great week!
XOXO

Katie Jane

CIRCUS PICS!!!

Wheel of Death!

The Tigers!! My favorite part!!!

It amazes me what these tigers are capable of!! So cool!!

The Elephants!!! They were beautiful!!

The cannon shooters!!

Our attempt at a picture...not very good!

The dogs!!! They were so cute and her favorite part!!

Paisley LOVED the circus!! She is at the perfect age right now! Hope you all had a fun Saturday!!

XOXO-

KJ

SUPER SATURDAY!!!

We had such a fun Saturday!! Cleaned house somewhat, worked on POTTY TRAINING (what a pain), went to the circus, and finished the day by dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. Whew!!

Potty Training is hard work! Paisley does great at home, but when we go out, not so much. However, she did poop on the potty this morning which makes me so happy! Hopefully she will keep it up!! She also knows how to work the system...she expects CANDY when she goes! She is already my little saleswoman!!

Saturday morning consisted of washing sheets, doing an expense report, and also making a grocery list for this week and next since I am going out of town to San Diego next week. Just normal Saturday stuff. Nothing too exciting.

But then we headed downtown to the Sommet Center and went to the Ringling Brothers circus (I will post our circus pics separately) and had so much fun. Stephen and I are trying to eat better so we skipped junk food at the circus (except for popcorn and M&M's...thanks to my BFF AHH, I can't eat popcorn without them), and headed to The Cheesecake Factory for some yummy salads. Except I didn't get a salad. I had grilled shrimp instead that was delicious!! HA!

We had to wait an hour and a half (which is RIDICULOUS) but I do LOVE this place!!

While we were waiting, Paisley and I headed to Baby Gap to do some shopping for her! She picked out some skinny jeans,two dresses, some ballet flats, and some Robeez for baby brother. All was 20% off then an additional 40% off of sale items! I LOVE me a Baby Gap sale!!! Afterwards, we headed to Tiffany's to look at charms and Louis Vuitton to daydream about bags. Paisley LOVED her some Louie. Let me show you what she picked out:

She liked the $1600.00 Marekemi limited edition bag that was "shiny and colorful." And $1600.00.

It's a real good thing her daddy likes to work! He is in BIG TROUBLE!!

Hope you had a great weekend!!

XOXO-

KJ

PREGNANCY

This pregnancy has felt so different from Paisley. I feel like I have been one big emotional mess, my skin has been broken out constantly, and I felt so much pressure in my lower stomach. I do feel much better this go around knowing what to expect as far as delivery (I am a scheduled C-section), nursing, and that sheer fact that pregnancy only lasts 9 months. And that if I gain 60 pounds like last time, it is going to take me 2 years to get it off!! HA!

I am so excited about having a sweet boy and trying to figure out what to do with him. Thank goodness I like sports! Maybe we will have that in common. I also could be interested in hunting if I had to be. Star Wars is a stretch!! Seriously, I really don't care much about his interests, as long as he has some! I feel we are pretty easygoing in that department!

Now, onto my cravings! This pregnancy has definitely been about the vegetables and the salty more than the sweets. Right here at the end, I have started craving some sweet stuff! I feel like I could eat at Jason's Deli everyday!!

And what about those Gingerbread muffins at Jason's Deli!? Yummy!!!

My other craving has been Sonic. I can't tell you how many days I have eaten Jalepeno Poppers from Sonic and washed them down with a Vanilla Diet Dr. Pepper. For breakfast!

Then last, but certainly not least, my other craving has been cookies. And not just any cookies, The Great American Cookies from the mall. The doozies!!!

What did you crave while you were preggo?

XOXO-

KJ

ONE MORE THING...

Is this not the CUTEST thing you have ever seen? I cannot WAIT to put her little hiney in this! I really hope I can find a good deal on this one because it is BRAND NEW.

We might be waiting until next season!!

Ha!

XOXO-

KJ

ETSY and EBAY

I was web surfing tonight and found these cute clothes and shoes that I just love!!!

(Just an FYI, this is why I will ALWAYS have to work.)

Dressing my babies is just too much fun.

Something about buying shoes in a mini size makes me so happy!! ha!

Can't you see Chuck wearing this?!!

LOVE these little deck shoes for church!!!

Some cross trainers!!

Sweet little kicks!!!

Boy clothes are like searching for buried treasure. It is so FREAKIN' hard to find cute boy clothes, but when I find them I get all giddy!! With Paisley, I went completely overboard. I will admit, I am being choosy this go around. I am not really into themes, so I am having to search high and low. Below are a few things I have bought:

E-bay purchase

Some burp cloths from Etsy

LOVE this preppy clip!! Etsy

And an Argyle gown! How Chuck Bass is this? Also from Etsy.

Ok, I will stop now.

I am so bad. But I want him to be cute! I can't wait to dress him!!!

XOXO-

KJ