"Shocolate Ship" Pizza

There is a great little pizza place in Highland, AR called Bia Maria's. They serve buffet style but have very unique flavors, such as chicken enchilada, loaded baked potato and buffalo chicken. They also carry more traditional styles as well, like supreme, pepperoni and sausage.  They also have several choices of dessert pizzas. I loved the peanut butter cookie, but as you can see Carlee is happy with "shocolate ship"!

The coolest part is that they bring fresh pizzas around to your table and offer you a hot piece while they ask if you have a favorite that you would like for them to prepare fresh. It is a relaxed family atmosphere with different sports showing around the dining room on the mounted flatscreens and an arcade a la Chuckie Cheese style where you can cash in tickets for prizes.  

On another note, I'm super impressed by Google+'s ability to put together these cute little gif's out of my automatically uploaded iPhone photos. I did not realize that happened and was pleasantly surprised to discover it this morning while pursuing my uploads for a specific photo. 

Much like my blog, I have not been a very active poster on G+, besides using the "hangout" for video calls with the other little cutie pie in my life and his mommy, but will definitely be using it more and more for this feature. Feel free to connect with me on G+ and I'll add you to one of my circles too. 

P.S. I'm in no way affiliated or being paid by Bia Maria's. I always like to share local places when I find ones worth sharing. We actually have several in my little community worth sharing. :)

Dear Carlee

I decided it was high time I update the blog with some new Carlee Claire eye candy since I have not done so since she was born.  I have just been keeping my Facebook updated so more family and friends can see her.

Excuse me while I write a little personal note to this sweet angel

who has overtaken our hearts. 

 

You my dear have left me with a feeling in my heart that I cannot express in words.

I know....you are not my blood granddaughter, but that does not matter to me and I hope it won't matter to you, because becoming your Grammy has been the most delightful thing! 

It absolutely pleases me to no end to watch you and see what in the heck you are going to do next!  

You totally crack me up and when I see you or talk about you I know my face lights up with PURE JOY! 

The expressions you have are just too funny and your personality is already larger than life!
I could just sit and watch you for hours! 

Well, I could if you would stay still long enough!!

Let's just say you are a tad bit high maintenance! 

I mean this newborn shot of you was taken at 2 weeks old and you wallowed yourself right off the quilt and turned yourself over!
You even lost your umbilical cord during this little photoshoot!  Crazy Girl!

You never stay still long!  

Always have those arms and legs going....so incredibly strong for such a little munchkin!

That pretty red hair keeps getting more red!
A trait from your paternal grandmother, Nana Hall.
Who would have thought you would come out with red hair with two blond headed parents!?  I love it though, it just fits your personality at this point! 

And your eyes continue to stay blue and you always have a little spark in them!  

Another trait that totally matches your disposition at this point of your life. 

You have been pretty fussy so far...colic... (BOO)
and I think you have learned how to work the system just a little bit. ;)
You have such a wonderful Momma though and she takes every measure to make sure you get some relief and works so hard to keep you happy.

We all like to take turns dancing, jumping, moving, and patting to try to keep you content. I prefer to hold you upright and bouncing you up and down while pacing; and of course I love to sing to you!  I am pretty sure you love my singing voice...especially when I make up songs about you or sing "I found a little baby bumblebee."
(It can be our little secret though you don't have to admit outloud that you enjoy my singing)  
wink*wink

Your Daddy really gets wild and crazy when he's trying to make you content...but you love it!  

You sleep pretty well at night...however, you don't take many naps during the day AND you prefer to fight sleep!  You don't have trouble eating and again, your Momma takes every measure to keep herself healthy so she can keep you healthy!   

There are days that I just can't stand not to see you!!!  

Your Momma has been so good to send me and your Grandma Cindy phone pictures though, which I like to call my "Daily Carlee fix".
Those have been the highlights of my days the last month and a half and I like to show them off to my friends.  :)  

You, little angel are truly a piece of Heaven and I just adore and love you to pieces!  

I do hope we can be friends.  

I have tons I want to teach you and do with you and for you. 

Mostly, I want you to learn about God. I want you to know that you are ultimately His child and that with that in your life you will live to your fullest potential.

A most deserving and happy little family.  

I'm pretty certain your Momma and Daddy love you more than life itself!  

They will make sure you are safe, happy and secure.

You are one blessed little person who has enough love surrounding you to fill the ocean!

5211-20

Well you knew this week would include the most precious little sweetheart ever!

Excuse me but I am still high on Carlee Love! 

This was just a few hours after she was born and she already has me wrapped around her finger!

Carlee is here!!!

Thursday changed our lives forever!

I really don't know what else I can say except to show you:

I present Carlee Claire Whitten

 

Words cannot begin to describe how perfect she is. SERIOUSLY....I really am not just being biased because she is part of the family.  She came out NOT looking like a newborn.
Don't you agree????

Carlee's stats:
Born 8:23 AM, Thursday, May 12, 2011 @ White River Medical Center in Batesville, AR
HERE is the link to her hospital pictures: WRMC Babies
Dr. Keith Harville
She weighed 7 pounds 2.2 ounces
She was 18.75 inches long
She has fuzzy blondish hair with a hint of strawberry
Long fingers
A sweet little dimple when she purses her lips
Beautiful dark eyes
She can poop with the best of them!  (I know TMI, but it's for posterity's sake) ;)
Amy (her mom) had a c-section and although sore and exhausted is doing well.
She already has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger!

If you have followed my blog at all you may remember me posting about Case Lee Whitten, who would be 5 years old this summer. I know Case is watching his little sister from heaven and will be her guardian angel.

It's been a rough few years on my stepson and DIL, Cody and Amy after losing Case at 5 days old with a serious and rare genetic disorder, but the amount of prayers that have been lifted for them is probably not measurable on this Earth.
 
I honestly had no doubt that God would make this child completely perfect and I am so full of pure JOY that Carlee has made her debut and all apprehension that our family and friends had completely melted away Thursday morning when this blessing arrived.

I just give thanks to the Lord for his mercy and rich blessings on our family for allowing us to spend many years to come with our angel on Earth, Carlee Claire Whitten.

Heart-shaped-strawberry-pink-ice cubes.

This is a sort of tutorial. I mean really you probably don't need a tutorial to make ice cubes with fruit, but humor me if you will, I felt like a genius for doing this!

Last weekend was my stepson and daughter-in-law's baby shower for Carlee Claire who will be here soon! I helped with said shower and was in charge of punch, decor, and tableclothes. Well, not only did I get a little crafty with the decor (enter tissue paper pom-poms) but I decided to jazz up the sherbet punch.  I chose raspberry by the way so the punch would be girlie and pink!

I had some strawberries on hand and thought I could make some ice cubes for the punch for a little added fun.

Wasn't wanting to use ice cube trays as that would be boring (plus I didn't have any) so I opted for a muffin tin.

Told you I was genius!

I then decided the ice cubes needed a little color so I went digging for some food coloring to mix with water...then it hit me....pink lemonade!   Which I didn't have on hand, but I did have these Crystal Light pink lemonade packs that you mix with a bottle of water.

Shazam! pink ice cubes!

Thought if I cut the strawberries just right they would resemble hearts. 

(these would be cute for a Valentine dinner or banquet too, don't you think?)

So I added a heart-shape slice and added a little lemonade - 

I probably filled up my tins one-third or so. 

I put my tin in the freezer and waited till they were frozen. 

Then voila....I had my sweet little pink strawberry ice cubes! 

They popped out of the muffin tin super easy and I just stored them in a plastic dish in the freezer. 

Little strawberry hearts frozen in pink! Can you get any more girlie and sweet? 

And here is the final product...pink sherbet punch for a pink girlie baby shower! 

The ice cubes ended up in the cups and were a nice surprise for guests

Oh, I didn't mention this is served in my Grandmother's antique milk glass punch bowl.

Thanks Mom!

How awesome did this shower look with all the delicious food, decor, friends, and family!?! 

Since a baby girl is coming into my life real soon, 

I welcome any links to other projects and baby-girlie DIY's.  

I have started a new board in my Pinterest called Baby Delights 

so I can keep all my found baby inspiration in one spot. 

Have I mentioned how much I love Pinterest? 

I do, it is the most visually inspiring thing ever!

I hope to have another cute tutorial posted soon for a simple and fun idea 

for a baby shower gift that was inspired by something I found on none other than Pinterest!

It has a cupcake theme. 

wheeeee!

5211-16

Week 16 is a tribute to my family that I married into...the Whitten's
That lady there in the middle probably shouldn't even be alive right now, but her strength and faith has given her more life to live.  The other reason she is her is that baby bump you see over on the right...that would be Ms. Carlee Claire Whitten, aka "peanuts" and she is coming very soon and making me into a grandmother! {it's really weird to type that!}

This was taken at Amy's shower last Sunday and represents the majority of the women tied to the Whitten family.

And since we are talking about this baby shower event, I thought I'd share some more photos from the day:

 

 

 

 

We cannot wait for your arrival Carlee Claire!!!