Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is my Daddy's 5__th birthday! Okay so I'm being a good girl. You can guess the number that goes in the blank. Hehe!!!! I have been good to not reveal my parent's ages, even though they are NOT old! Happy Birthday Daddy!!
I did some digging and came across this picture in one of my photo boxes.

Oh Happy Day!

So, most of you may not know about my (our) little addiction that we have done without for 332 days, but I am happy and most ecstatic to announce that my favorite place of all BENIHANA (yes call me a cheese) is opening back up tomorrow. Erik and I did a quick drive by on Saturday just to check on the progress (guilty as charged) and we managed to run down an employee running out of the building. I CAN'T WAIT!

Last February, the 22nd to be exact. I received a phone call from my husband at 9:30am. He called to tell me good morning and in his cutest little "Asian voice" says, "No more fried rice, get too hot." As you can imagine my reply was, "Huh? What are you talking about? Of course I told him to quit acting silly and that is when he said, "Benihana just burned to the ground." Of course I laughed at him and told him to quit lying. "That is some sick joke, Erik!" He immediately told me that he was not kidding, and yet still I didn't believe him. Finally, I took our good ole' newsman, Justin, calling me and saying, "Amy, its true, Benihana did burn to the ground, just watch the news in a few minutes," he said. So, for the rest of the day, I was completely distraught with wonder. Are they going to build back? How am I going to go without Benihana?

Erik and I were regulars. We started going there from the time we started dating and got to know one of the hostesses really well. "Ms. Jeannie" (of course that is her American name)would ask us so many questions every time we were there. It started off with, "Are you married?" Then the answer was no. Then it was, "How are wedding plans?" and finally, "When are you two going to have a baby?" She has been asking us that for almost 7 years. I can only hope that she will be there this weekend so that we can tell her the good news-ha! I can remember when we went to eat there one night. She just happened to be our waitress. She asked what I wanted to drink, and not thinking, I ordered a sweet tea. "Now, you know we don't have sweet tea! How long have you been coming here?", she said. I was so embarrassed! That's pretty bad, huh?

Needless to say, I am ecstatic. We plan on checking out the newly built Benihana on Saturday, and I promise that I will unwillingly stay away from the sushi!

Erik at the Benihana fire 2/22/08
*photo by Roger Cotton

Bad Bad Girl!

Help! I can't stop! Anyone that knows me well, knows that I am not a big sweet eater. I can take or leave ice cream, I don't eat candy, except for candy corn in the fall and my weakness for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and I usually don't go for dessert after dinner. Lets just say that all of that has gone down hill and I have been a very very bad girl! Not only do I want to eat everything in sight, I want chocolate! Chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate candy, and lots of it! This is not a good thing, right? I am doing my best to stay away from it, but its awfully hard. So, today at Walmart, I found myself in the Valentine candy aisle, and imagine this, a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter hearts and a a tub of Valentine candy corn managed to jump right off the shelf into my cart. Ugh...how dare they do that? I never visit the candy aisle so I guess the I looked like a good victim for attack. I guess I will be good and take the candy to work for everyone else to enjoy, and maybe I will only sneak a little bit every now and then. Oh and did I mention my visit to Sonic for a milkshake?

Space Dog

Its a bird! It's a plane! Its....Joey with a satellite on his head? Yes folks thats right, complete with wireless remote and 250 channels, this dog can pick up Animal Planet is 50 different languages! Okay, I know that I should be so ashamed of myself for making fun of my poor pup! I do feel bad for him, but it was our only option. Yesterday morning I woke only to find that the small sore on his neck that was the size of pin dot magically grew into something the size of a silver dollar by the afternoon. He had scratched it so much that his skin was completely raw, bloody, and very tender. This has happened one time before, and I knew immediately that our only option was a trip to Dr. Clay. I was not happy! Hot-spot treatment is very expensive, but if not treated, it can lead to a major infection that can travel to the bloodstream, and if you don't treat it immediately the more $$$ it will cost. Dr. Clay found 2 other spots on his hips that he had started licking, but we managed to head them off before they got too bad. So, one vet trip, 2 shots, a round of antibiotics, and $199.00 (yes you are seeing correctly) later. Our pup is home with a satellite dish on his head.

He's still as playful as ever and nothing will stop him from chewing his ball!

Baby's 1st pic

Today was our 1st real-deal OB visit. We had to be there at 1:30, so needless to say, I literally walked in from work and we hit the road. Everything went great. I am officially 8 weeks and 4 days pregnant, and our little peanut has the sweetest heartbeat we've ever heard. Yep, we heard the heartbeat today. My nurse said she wanted to give it a try since I am so small. Dr. Stern was betting that she wouldn't find it, but she surely did! He was very surprised. Erik and I were just there for the ride. I was expecting an ultrasound today, but they were thinking that they were just going to do one so that they could make sure the baby had a heartbeat. Well, after hearing the heartbeat, the ultrasound was "off." So, with my pitiful little voice, I asked, "Are you not going to do an ultrasound?" He said, "Well it really isn't necessary now that we've heard the heartbeat, usually you can't hear it this soon." Ha! During my blood work he managed to work me in. They had a new machine today and were running a little behind, but I didn't mind the wait. It was so worth it. Everything went great!

Happy Birthday MOM!

Today is my Mom's birthday!!! Happy Birthday MOM! Unfortunately we were unable to formally celebrate today, but plan on doing a little catch up celebrating tomorrow night at the place of her choice!!! I am so glad that we are FINALLY making her a grand....something! We have strict instructions that she will not be called "granny!"

My cousing Barbara sent me this picture of her!

Baby's 1st Gifts...

This week, baby Beasley has received some pretty neat stuff, from some pretty special people, and I say that with a BIG smile on my face. Its almost like Christmas.

Surprise #1: Ryan and Christi, and the boys bought a cute little onesie from baby Gap. Unisex of course, with his or her astrological sign. Lets just hope that baby Beasley won't come any later than Aug. 23!!

Hmmm... "born leader, loves the limelight" uh oh! Isn't it too cute?

Present #2: Our good friend Melissa from Lakeland (she and her husband both work with Erik, and had their first child in 2007), found this book and decided to pass it on to me. It is such a sweet book! I plan on passing it on to the next new mother in my circle of friends or family...and NO, we are not the last to have a baby-ha! Believe me! There are more out there :)

Present #3: Pulling into the driveway tonight, I spotted a bag tied to our front door. Inside the bag, a baby gift bag with the softest little "snuggle sleeping-bag". Liz, your memaw is the sweetest!!!! The gift was from Mrs. Joyce Turner whom I have known my whole life. Her grandchildren, and I, along with my cousins, were neighbors and grew up together. Oh the trouble we got in! In the bag a note, "Congratulations!, Brandon told me your good news!"

We are so thankful!!!!

So Fresh and So Clean

I finally took our poor pooch to the groomer today. I have been a terrible doggy mom! Joey used to go once a month or two, but as you remember from my previous post "Rub a Dub, Joeys in the Tub" my groomer had quit, but had recommended her sister in law in Arlington. Finally, today our poor Joey finally got his hair cut and is smelling extra nice :) I am so thrilled. Vicki said that she had a mound of dog hair that she removed with the shedding comb. I should be embarrassed! Regardless, she did an excellent job, and was so patient with him when he was trying to jump the dog gate. He was not wanting me to leave! She even had our old groomer's box of clients so that she would know what we preferred. How easy is that? I love our new groomer!

Thank You

Just wanted to say a special thank you to all of our special friends who left your sweet comments of congratulations. Sorry I am just now getting around to the thanks. I also wanted to let some of you who left comments and don't see them posted, well...I accidentally hit the reject icon instead of publish. I believe it was about 4 that didn't make the board. I am so sorry!!!! I did read them. You are more than welcome to try again-ha! If not thats fine. I'll try not to be so careless again.



LOVE,

Happy Birthday Morgan!...BIG 16!

Yesterday, my baby sister (who's not a baby anymore) turned 16 years old. I can't believe it. Talk about something that will make you feel old. Erik and I met the whole gang at Huey's for lunch, and then it was off for bowling. Lets just say that my bowling skills have gone down the drain. ( Not that I had any to begin with, but yesterday was pure proof!) Morgan won't be able to get her license until tomorrow, and I know shes so excited. You only turn 16 once! Oh, and all of you drivers out there, look out! Ha! Just kidding. I couldn't resist.

The Oh So Yummy Cake!

Erik showing us how it's done

The Birthday Girl is happy about her STRIKE!