Merry Christmas to My Sweet Grandmothers

Busy day today. Chris, the girls, Ashley's boyfriend, Zach and I drove to Georgia to have Christmas with each of my grandmothers. My maternal grandmother lives in an assisted living facility and we visited her first. Upon our arrival and entrance into the building, we walked around a corner and she was coming down the hall to greet us. I wish that I had a picture of the way her face lit up when she saw us. But then again, she has always been so excited to see her grandchildren when any of us would go for a visit. We sat with her at what she called the "bingo" table and listened to her talk about playing and winning. She also talked about how it didn't seem like Christmas to her because she hasn't been baking cakes for the last two weeks in preparation for the holiday. I couldn't help but reflect on past Christmases spent visiting at her house. Our visit with her came to an end much to soon. I hated to leave her there. It seemed as if we were leaving her there all alone; however, when we left she was rallying her friends for a round of bingo. We then headed to see my paternal grandmother. She lives with my aunt and, as I suspected, she lit up like a roman candle when we walked through the door.  She loves to have her family around her. We ate and visited. It was a wonderful time. Again, it was much to short. 

In case it wasn't obvious a couple of blogs back, I am feeling very nostalgic this Christmas. As I get older and family becomes more precious to me than ever, I wish that I could have them closer.

Happily Ever After is Real.....

Saturday night I participated in celebrating a milestone that most married couples rarely reach these days. I helped throw a surprise 61st wedding anniversary party for a very special and dear couple. They have been like a second set of parents to me since I was a little girl and are two of the sweetest people I have ever known.  And yes, you read correctly.....they have been married for 61 years!!!

They arrived, we yelled "surprise" and later cut a cake that read "Happy 61st Anniversary." It was then when it occurred to me that there are very few couples who stay together this long. My great-grandparents were married for 74 years (my great-grandfather was in his early 90's when he passed and my great-grandmother lived to be 100). Each set of my grandparents were married for over 50 years prior to the passing of my grandfathers and my mom and dad will celebrate their 45th anniversary in April. However, I look around and realize that they are all the exception to the rule not the norm. 

The couple with whom we were celebrating are very happy and seem perfectly content in their marriage even after all these years. This also made me think about my paternal grandparents who acted like teenagers in love well into their 70's. They were always holding hands or taking care of each other in some endearing way. I tell Chris regularly that I want for us to be that way too.  He always answers with "we will be....remember I told you that I'm going to chase you until you catch me."  Fairytales do exist and happily ever after is very, very real......

Note: Reading this blog I realize that each of these marriages have lasted for so long because of the selflessness of the partners involved. Putting your spouse and their needs above your own is the true meaning of love. 

Holiday Reflection and Creativity....

The Christmas season is in full swing and I am already exhausted!! However, I am ahead of the game this year. I started shopping months ago so my shopping is 99% complete. Yay me!! 

This year is really reminding me of how much I miss my girls being little kids. They love Christmas but as they get older the holiday evolves into something more adult and far less child-like. Part of my joy in Christmas was always the look of wonder and excitement in their eyes. The tree, lights and presents created a level of anticipation for them that brought me so much joy. They still get excited but it's different now. I don't have a little one pulling on my leg begging to help put up the decorations anymore. 

Allison and I watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer together last week. It was fun. I made a wreath for our front door today which put me in the holiday spirit. After I hung it, I stood on our front porch looking at my creation, reflecting on Christmases past and giving thanks to God that Jesus is the Reason for the Season. 

It's going to be a very Merry Christmas!!! 

Family, Friends, Food and Football....

Whew!! What a weekend! Started cooking for Thanksgiving last weekend and literally prepared until the minute we sat down to eat on Thursday. As many already know, Chris and Allison each had small mishaps in the kitchen which involved chopping and grating (mostly their fingers instead of the food). Luckily these were only minor injuries. I'm thinking that maybe next year I will have them help with the non-sharp object involved tasks.

We had a house full on Thursday. My family came over from Georgia for the weekend. Chris' family came over too and a few very dear friends joined us as well. We ate until we were miserable. But that was only round 1!! Round 2 was Friday night with some more of our very dear friends. I think that I ate as much Friday night as I did Thursday. Therefore, I do NOT care to even think about casseroles or turkey for a year. This translates into my Christmas menu not containing any of those items. I'm thinking maybe grilling steaks.

We took my nephew to the Christmas tree farm on Friday. He helped us pick out a tree and got to see some reindeer.  I think that he had a good time. He told me as we were leaving "I sure am glad that I came.  This was fun."  He is 7 years old but sounded like a teenager telling me about his epiphany.  The Iron Bowl was on Saturday.  My beloved Alabama won!! YAY!! RTR!! Chris swore that he was going to video me standing on the furniture and screaming at the TV, but I only yelled at the TV and jumped up and down once during the whole game. LOL!!

With the weekend behind me, I am concentrating on finishing up with my Christmas shopping.

Happy Thanksgiving

Chris and I did our Thanksgiving grocery shopping last week. I can say that it was only mildly painful. I loathe shopping at Wal-Mart but the crowd wasn't to bad and we were able to get in and out pretty quickly. My genius was once again displayed with the cunning use of my Excel spreadsheet!! I know a few weeks back both Chris and I blogged about my creation. He had a couple of suggestions for its improvement and I thought it was sheer perfection. However, we put it to use again last week and I am convinced that my spreadsheet was almost completely responsible for our quick grocery excursion!! 

So we have everything we need to have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Family and friends will be here. The Iron Bowl is this weekend. Roll Tide!! I'm looking forward to having my sweet husband home for a few days. Life is just as it should be. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

CMAs

The 45th Annual Country Music Awards were this week in Nashville. And I suppose this event was the kick-off to non-stop events until after the new year. This trip was a whirlwind for me and exhausting.  I'm sure it was even more so for Chris considering it was a "working" event for him.

Being that I am a very girlie girl, I love, love, love to put on a pretty dress, get my hair done and make-up done. And the best part is going out with my dear sweet husband. We have the best time together.  We can be in a room full of people and be completely lost in each other. Aware of their presence but totally absorbed in one another. It is the most wonderful feeling in the world.  But, I digress. 

We arrived at the venue, hung out a few minutes and then took our seats. I am a people watcher; therefore, it was very cool to stargaze. The ZBB didn't receive an award but no matter the boys performed and it was incredible as always. 

So, with my quick trip to Nashville behind me, I now look to planning, grocery shopping and cooking for Thanksgiving. 

Note: A very special "thank you" to the sweet friends who helped me shop for and choose the perfect dress.

Gatlinburg

Chris was off this weekend so we took this rare opportunity to take the girls for a family vacation. Our destination was Gatlinburg. None of us have been there in years. So, on Friday we embarked on our adventure to the mountains. 

Car trips are always the best. Several hours of quality time trapped together. Stories were told, music was listened to and snoring was done. Chris was driving so I only had to wake him up once! Seriously, we got in the car and almost immediately began talking about how happy we were that this would only be a 5 hour trip versus the 12 hour drive we took to Miami a couple of years ago. 

We arrived around midnight and went straight to bed. 

Saturday morning was beautiful. The sun was shining and the air was brisk. Perfect mountain weather. We walked to the Pancake Pantry for breakfast where we stood in line to get a table for 45 minutes. Crazy, I know. But we were on vacation and had no where to be at any particular time so why not wait. Those pancakes were tasty too!! 

Chris' cousin and her husband met us for breakfast and then we embarked on a drive through the mountains. The foliage was so colorful and the drive so peaceful. We did however stop for a while to visit the final resting place of Chris' dad. It was a bittersweet moment in our day but Chris was very much at peace and enjoyed his quiet moments there by the water's edge where we said our final goodbyes to Pop a little more than a year ago.

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking in and out of shops and just hanging out. Saturday night the girls, Chris and I had tickets to the Dixie Stampede which is a dinner theatre owned by Dolly Parton.  To say it was so much fun would be an understatement.  Dinner at the Dixie Stampede is eaten with your hands "cowboy" style - no utensils while sitting in an arena watching a show all done on horseback. I am such a geek but this was one of the highlights of the trip. Chris had never been to Dixie Stampede. I think he had fun. 

Sunday morning was another beautiful one. Perfect weather. Chris and I decided that we wanted to have "Old Time" pictures made and really wanted the girls to participate but they would not. Apparently, it's not cool to be geeky and have fun! No matter. Chris and I did it by ourselves and had a blast! I think we are going to do this again but next time he's going to be a 40's gangster and I'm going to be a flapper.

We ended our trip with a bit more shopping and then on the road we went. As we got closer to Birmingham, I looked in the backseat. Ashley was sleeping and Allison was listening to her ipod. I turned back around and told Chris that trips like this were going to become non-existent before to long. The girls are almost grown and will have their own lives before we know it and excursions involving just the four of us will be no more.  For a brief moment I was saddened by this thought but quickly reflected on the wonderful weekend and had to smile.

Biloxi

 Great weekend!! And I'm exhausted!! I took a quick trip to Biloxi to see my sweet boy and the ZBB. I always have the best time hanging out with Chris and getting to watch him play.  This trip was no different. Have I mentioned lately how much I love my husband?

 Got home this afternoon and headed to pick up a pumpkin to carve with Allison.  I think we did an ok job. The best part was baking the seeds for a tasty snack. I'm excited that tomorrow is Halloween!! A little sad that my girls are to old to wear cute little costumes and treat-or-treat but we will still have fun.

Air Travel and Music

Awesome weekend with my sweet boy in Charleston!! The Southern Ground Music and Food Festival was a blast!

The weekend got off to a rocky start. I was supposed to fly out on Friday afternoon, but about an hour and a half before my flight was to leave I received a phone call from the airline telling me that the flight had been cancelled due to mechanical issues. There were no other flights to Charleston on any airline Friday afternoon.....really!?! My first reaction was extreme irritation and then sadness because I was so excited to be going. However, in an effort to keep a positive attitude and find the silver lining, I realized that I would much rather a mechanical problem with the plane be discovered BEFORE I was on it and in the air.  Another positive was that I got to spend most of the evening with Allison and just relaxing. I was already packed and ready so there was nothing to do in that regard.

Saturday morning was an early one. I had to be up at 4 a.m. for a 6 a.m. flight.  Here is where I digress. Anyone who knows me knows that I like to sleep late.  Noon-thirty is my wake up time on a Saturday morning if I don't have anywhere to be or pressing errands to run. So for my eyes to be open at 4 a.m. takes extreme effort on my part. But I did it. I got to the airport and had completely forgotten that the terminal is under construction and renovation which translates into my parking in the most inconvenient spot available and having to walk forever to get into the terminal. At this point, I'm audibly telling myself "happy thoughts, happy thoughts." Anyway, made it onto my flight and started my adventure (as if I had not already experienced one).

The weather could not have been more perfect in Charleston.  Sadly, I have yet to actually see the city. This was my second trip and because I was there to see my dear husband all I saw was the venue. No matter. I was there to be with him. Not sightsee. I have an ever growing list of cities to which I want to return and actually see but I want Chris to see them with me. I suppose when we retire we will have a really long list of places to visit! :)

To start off the day's events, I attended a Zamily event with Chris and it was so much fun. I had been Facebooking all week with fans whom I have never personally met and who were to be at the event. I finally got to meet, as well as see again those I had already met before, so many of the sweetest people and devoted fans. It thrills me to see how much they love the guys and their music. Saturday night's show was incredible as always. So much energy that I am exhausted after just watching them. I can only imagine how tired they must get.

Chris had family out to see the show this weekend and on Sunday we met his cousin and two of her friends for lunch. To say that we laughed for two hours would be an understatement. Lunch was a good time. The afternoon was filled with just hanging out. For Sunday night's show, I sat in one of the stageboxes. This was the first time I have seen a ZBB show from out front in 2 years. I can honestly say that I prefer watching the show from side stage. I think this is mostly due to the fact that I stand only a few feet away from Chris when he plays and we flirt with each other during the show! Yep, we flirt while he's playing. It's awesome!!

My weekend's adventure ended with a bus right home with my sweet boy. I always love it when I go out to see him play and he actually gets to come home with me. Monday morning sure did come early though. I have come to the conclusion that I am much to old to have so much fun over the weekend and then go to work on Monday morning. LOL!

"Me" Time...

Chris has been on the road this weekend which means that I have had tons of "me" time.  I miss him terribly when he leaves; however, my weekend has been full of things to do. Shopping all day on Saturday with friends, keeping up with our girls' schedules, cooking and cleaning house. With the holidays right around the corner, I am feeling quite crafty. I spent most of this afternoon online finding so many fun things to make.  Some of these ideas will probably end up being Christmas gifts.  If so, I will take pictures and post after the new year.

Politically Correct? I don't think so.....

Brace yourself this blog is going to be extremely opinionated and quite possibly offensive.  Stop here and do not continue reading if you are easily inflamed by pointed and blunt dialog.  Now that I have gotten that disclaimer out of the way.... here goes. (1) I am sick and tired of American society (as a whole) sitting on its big fat butt waiting for a handout; (2) I am sick and tired of all the complaining about Alabama's immigration law; and (3) I am sick and tired of feeling like I am the only person on the planet with any common sense.  What happened to working hard for what we want and need? What happened to setting goals and mapping out plans to achieve those goals. What has happened to humanity?

(1) Government programs were established for temporary assistance NOT for generation after generation to work the system in order to never have to work. (2) America welcomes immigrants openly; however,  if you are planning to live here you must gain citizenship. Why is it that people don't think that same rules apply to America as the rest of the world? If I go to another country and stay to long I would be asked to make application for citizenship or to leave. That is not rude. It is the rules. In order for things to get better sometimes they have to get worse. So everyone who is whining and moaning about the Alabama immigration law please sit down and shut up!! It is what it is. I'm sick of listening to it. (3) I honestly try to not think about this stuff to much. When I do my blood pressure goes up and I ask "why am I not running the country? It's not like it's hard!" I realize this is a very simplistic approach to take but come on people use your brain. It is time to start over. Reform term limits, reform benefits and wages for politicians and reform the way in which taxes are paid. Do I know how to reach this end? Maybe, maybe not but I can say what is being done now is not working. 

If you chose to continue reading this blog even after my warning and you are now completely in disagreement with me and highly irritated or offended, I say this. The beauty of freedom is that we can agree to disagree. If you are really, really hacked off then get off your tail and make a difference. Stop being part of the problem and be part of the solution.

That is my rant for the day. I will try my best to be more light-hearted in the future. Unfortunately, this is what happens if I allow myself to watch the news. UGH!!

The Civil Wars

WOW!!! That is the first word that comes to mind when trying to describe the experience I had seeing The Civil Wars live.  This was the second time Chris and I have seen Joy Williams and John Paul White a/k/a The Civil Wars and it was incredible. We first saw them at Workplay (a small venue here in Birmingham) and then last night at the Alabama Theatre. It was a sold out show and the locale was the perfect setting for this dynamic duo. Milo Greene was the opener. I really enjoyed them and would recommend taking a listen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUazz0gML00

If you have not checked out The Civil Wars you need too!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooTyuRd9zSg

Grocery Shopping and The List.....

Chris has laughed at me repeatedly over the last two days. However, it is I who has had the last laugh!! Sunday afternoon, as I was cooking dinner, I began taking a survey of the grocery situation and started a list for the store.  I thumbed through several cookbooks looking for new menu ideas and recipes I would like to try. As I was writing all of this down, it hit me! An Excel spreadsheet would be perfect for this.  I can create a "staple" list which contains items we purchase on a regular basis and then add new items based on our menu for the week. Soooo, I took my idea to the computer and found the perfect template for completing my vision of organization. After finalization of my pantry and refrigerator survey, I was ready to input the information into my handy dandy spreadsheet. I had everything sorted perfectly. Produce, Dairy, Meats, etc. I checked and double-checked my recipes to assure that all the ingredients I would need for cooking these tasty dishes were included on my list. I was so pleased with myself and this stroke of genius. Upon finishing my list, I printed it and presented to Chris. It was a scene like that of a first grader coming home with her first art project. I was so proud.  Chris looks at the list for a moment and then very calmly looks at me and says "really? you put our grocery list in a spreadsheet?" I was thrilled and said "yes, this way when we shop it will be so much easier, quicker and hopefully we won't forget anything."

This is when he began to laugh uncontrollably. I did not find any humor at all in my beloved creation. At this point, I was still revelling in my extreme ingenuity and Chris is still giggling like a little girl. Apparently, he found this little project of mine cute and quite endearing.  Ahhh! But wait! My sweet husband put the list to work today. He took it and grocery shopped! He said that the list came in quite handy. He only had to call me twice for clarification and improvised on anything else in which we have not had occasion to discuss my labels for certain grocery items. For example: I actually call evaporated milk by its brand name rather than what it is...i.e. PET milk.....this confused my dear, dear husband so he bought evaporated milk AND sweetened condensed milk (which I call Eagle Brand milk....again it's brand name.)

I am thrilled that Chris is willing to do the grocery shopping when he is home and while I'm at work. It is a tremendous help to me BUT he should recognize that he is married to a grocery list making genius....just saying!!!!

ROLL TIDE!!!!!

It is another beautiful college football Saturday and I am watching my beloved Alabama team. If you are not from the South this will not make sense but here football is a religion. We eat, breathe and sleep football during the fall. Of course, boys are expected to enjoy football but us Southern girls LOVE football. I do not have to many girlfriends who do not follow and worship their favorite team each week with complete abandon and total devotion regardless of the team.

Our college stadiums are larger than most NFL stadiums. As Chris and I were driving away from Gillette Stadium (where the Patriots play) back in August, I looked back and then said to him "that is a really nice stadium but Bryant Denny is so much bigger."  I thought of this while watching today's game.  Crazy would be an understatement.

Anyway, just finished watching the final quarter of the game. Alabama won. All is right with the world. ROLL TIDE ROLL!!! Yea Alabama!!!

My husband the critic....

I just finished reading my sweet husband's blog for the night. His rant of the evening was his great disdain for the new reality show the "X Factor."  Actually, not the show but the premise of the show. He is not upset in the slightest that I have forced him to watch it the last two evenings (I stopped watching American Idol years ago but am morbidly curious about the X Factor.....I really like Simon and Paula). He was disgusted by the behavior of the contestants who lacked a smidgen of talent and who would then pitch a fit like a spoiled child when the judges would tell them "no." I think that I may have forgotten to tell him or remind him that the vast majority of the people participating in the show are only interested in being rich and famous (not necessarily the love and art of music). His rantings are funny to me because last year I subjected this dear, dear man to one (yes, just one) episode of The Bachelor and he lost it. He complained for hours. Citing that the dude was horrible and the girls were stupid to objectify themselves like that. As he put it "too much drama." The hours of entertainment I gained watching Chris rant was far more fun than watching the show.  I just might have to turn it on at least once this year just to get a rise out of him. I'm a stinker that way.

However, this week has been somewhat comical where television watching is concerned. Funny because I rarely watch television but for some reason (and I have been doing this for years) I watch the season premier of most shows and the season finale but not much in between. Chris has sat through each and every show with me. He loves me like that. 

In case you might be wondering, the front-runners for this year (and by front-runner I mean a show I might watch more than once) are the new shows: Revenge, Charlie's Angels, The Bunny Club and 2 Broke Girls. I have my old favorites too like Criminal Minds and The Good Wife when I can remember they are on.  These shows have passed the Chris meter as well......

With Age Comes Wisdom....

As a kid, I can recall asking my mother "why" when she would make an executive decision on my behalf. The "why" was usually because I did not agree with her assessment. I know that I made this inquiry on more than one occasion and can say that each and every time her answer was "because I have lived longer than you and I know best." I didn't quite understand her reply but knew that she was the boss.  Therefore, I accepted her declaration and went about my business. Fast forward to raising my girls. Each time either of them ask me "why" (because they do not agree with my decisions made in their regard) I also respond with "because I have lived longer than you and I know best."  It hit me recently that I now fully understand exactly what my mother meant all those years ago. As it applies to my own life, I don't so much think it's because I have lived longer than my girls, I think it's because I have matured to a point in my life in which I can see passed the right now or the immediate tomorrow. It's having experienced life in ways that have given me perspective and the clarity necessary to help them make better decisions.  Am I wise? Not even close. But I live and learn everyday and hope to share these truths with Ashley and Allison as they follow behind me.....

The Art of Marriage....

It's funny how we decorate our homes with cute stuff to hang on the walls or sit on a table. These things become fixtures in the background of our lives. I might walk by an object many times in a day and not pay it any attention but then for some reason or other a particular pretty catches my eye. I stop and look it and think about what may have been the inspiration for its acquistion. 


Tonight I was walking through our kitchen and was stopped. For what reason I do not know.  However, the photo for this blog entry is what stopped me. I have read the words on this canvas many times since Chris hung it on our wall. Every time I read it the words become more and more clear to me. Truths right there reminding me every day of who and what Chris and I should be to each other. As I stood there reading each of these things, I thought to myself "it really is that simple, why do people make it so much harder than this?" 

Karma....

It's kind of like the domino effect. There is a trigger and events are placed in motion which ultimately reach an end. Sometimes this is a continuous motion and sometimes it can be interrupted before completion. With an action comes a consequence. As I get older and live more life I understand this more and more. With this wisdom also comes the sadness that there are so many who don't get this. People make poor choices and when the outcome is less than they expected or not the desired result instead of looking at their role in the situation they justify the poor choice by blaming others. "Accountability" seems to be an ever growing issue. I could write a novel the thickness of War and Peace on this. My own experiences (as well as the observance of others) has taught me that whether it is now or later the choices I make will ultimately affect me.  I also know that even when I am trying to do the right thing sometimes the outcome is not always going to be what I want. All I can do is accept this and know that I can (with a clear conscience) sleep at night with the knowledge that I did my best. I have blogged about the "Golden Rule" before but it applies here as well. This is where I emphatically state that I am beyond blessed to have a husband like Chris. I have said it before and will say it again...Chris is the yin to my yang. We are the perfect balance. If I am ever in doubt about a decision he is there to check me and I him. 

Note: Misery loves company. Unhappy people want everyone around them to be unhappy. Love these people in spite of themselves. Pray for them but move on and be done.

My husband the floral arranger.....

Girls be envious!! Be jealous!! It's okay! There is no shame in it!!

So I have been decorating my new office and have made going to Hobby Lobby a daily event. (not so much because I'm making any purchases but because I cannot make up my mind on what I want to purchase) I have had Chris escort me to said store numerous times in the hopes that his connection to his feminine side would kick in and he would just make the choices for me and all would be right with the world. BUT NO!! After much contemplation and argument with my own indecision, I purchased several things for my office. I knew that I wanted a cute but simple floral to go on a book shelf; however, I do not have a creative bone in my body so I picked out several things and a container and YEP, you guessed it, brought them home to my sweet, sweet boy and said "here, make this pretty." Fifteen minutes later I had exactly what I wanted. My dear, dear husband had created the perfect floral arrangement for me and I share with you a photo of his masterpiece.

Oh but I wasn't finished there. Tonight I persuaded my patient and devoted husband to make yet another trip to Hobby Lobby. This was it! EUREKA!! His was in full decorator mode and I came away with some really groovy things to hang and place in my office tomorrow!! I am so thankful to be married to the perfect man.....

Priorities....

So I started a new job a few weeks ago. Still working in a law firm though. And as I examine how my mood and stress level have gotten so much better, I have begun to truly think about what motivates people to succeed and at what cost. Try to follow me here. Generally, people are driven to attain the next popular item or social tier in order to feel successful. In the meantime, some lose sight of what is really important.....what their spouses, children and friends think of them.  Over the years I have watched people completely devote themselves to their job and at the end of the day that is all that they have. Let me back up here for a moment and clarify that it is important to do your job well and to be responsible; however, a job well-done does not have to take priority over all else. With that being said, I love my job. I get to do what I love and still be what I need to be for those so dear to me.

Unconditional Love....

Most of us grow up hearing our loved ones and friends tell us that they love us regardless of our faults and short-comings.  What some of those same people fail to mention is the unspoken disclaimer that goes something like.....I love you regardless of your faults and short-comings as long as you don't have any problems or issues that might be a bother to my life.  With that being said, there is a vast difference between self-made problems and life throwing us a curve ball. This blog is not for the people who whine and moan about things in their lives that are easily changed but they choose not to change them. This blog is for those who find themselves in a situation not of their choosing and in need of friends or family members to just love them through whatever it is they are facing without opinion or trying to fix it.  The picture I chose for this blog is not one of a broken heart but one of a heart that is being mended. It is battered and torn but slowly starting to heal.  Which brings me to my next point.  Chris and I are blessed to have each other and a network of friends and loved ones who all love each other and us unconditionally. None of us say it...we show it.  It is a two-way, reciprocating street that we all travel together. If one of us hurts the entire group is in pain. If one of us is standing in the way of an oncoming train we all get hit.  No judgment, no questions....just unconditional love!!!!

Fall is in the Air....

It's that time of year again. The leaves will start to change, the air will be a bit more crisp in the mornings and any signs of summer will slowly fade away.  Fall....to be honest, with the exception of Alabama football and Halloween, there isn't one thing I like about this season. It has always put me in a melancholy mood. I have never really known why other than everything starts to die and I know that the dreaded winter is just around the corner.  As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, hibernation becomes more and more appealing to me. Spring has always been and always will be my most favorite season. Spring brings with it the beginning of new life and a dusting away of the cold, dead winter.

Since I cannot skip Fall, I will embrace it and do what I have done for many years now. The first cold snap will bring with it my overwhelming desire to cook and nest. By the end of October, we will have a freezer full of homemade chili, various soups and sauces,  I will have begun planning Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and will quietly reflect as another year slips into the past.

Boston

 WOW!! The last few days have been super busy but super fun!! Boston is a beautiful city. This was my second visit and I cannot wait to go back.  Chris and I stayed in the cutest boutique-style hotel right in the heart of the city. The ZBB had two shows at Gillette Stadium (both were incredible), we hung out with some sweet friends and made some new friends.

I knew when I decided to take this trip with Chris that he wanted to tour the Zildjian offices. I was down with that but did not anticipate how much fun it would turn out to be for me as well. We spent the entire day on Friday touring the facility and learning how the cymbals in which Chris plays are made. That was neat but I was more intrigued by the history of the company.  All of those little details aside, the best part of the entire experience was to see my sweet husband mark a wish from his "bucket list." I know it might be a difficult concept to process but I had more fun watching him have fun than anything else. I was thrilled to share this experience with him.

Saturday rolled in with clouds, rain and the anticipation of Hurricane Irene. The day was so dreary but we had fun anyway hanging out. In spite of the horrible weather, the stadium was packed. ALL of those fans stood in the rain for hours. I was completely blown away at the dedication of these people. The ZBB and Kenny Chesney have some of the best fans around!! I can honestly say I have never been a big enough fan of any band that I would stand in the rain to see them. (well I would stand in the rain to watch Chris but that is entirely different!)

Sunday was very, very, very windy. Chris and I stepped out on to the street to make our way to lunch and I thought we would get swept away. CRAZY!!

As Murphy's Law is always at work in my life, it would turn out that today was the most beautiful day we had while in Boston and we had to leave. Ahhh, such is life!

The Art of Packing....

So I'm packing tonight. After working on a mountain of laundry prior to trying to make the final decision on what I want to take, I look over and my sweet husband is finished with his packing. Yep! 15 minutes and he was done. Really?! Seriously?! I'm a girlie girl but not to the extreme. It is not necessary for me to take every single accessory or pair of shoes that I own. However, "choices" are a must. If I can't decide what to wear to work on any given day....how in the world am I going to be able to limit myself to just a few things in a suitcase? UGH!! I can do it though and I can get it all into a carry-on (a trick I was taught a long time ago by an overly paranoid person who was always afraid of losing the luggage). No carry-on this time though. I'm going to live on the edge and hope that my luggage makes it to the same destination as I do! Believe me I will be blogging if my underwear doesn't make it.....just saying!

Meant to be...

So a few days ago Chris changed his Facebook profile picture to one of us from our senior year in high school. As most of you know he was on the drumline and I was a majorette (flute player during concert season).  I had marched right in front of him for 3 years or sat across the band room from him for 6 years. The band room was our hangout and solitude. We were part of a group of friends that, to this day, hold a special bond with each other. A bond which is very unique. All of us were part of a culture that has followed us through the course of adulthood. To this day, when I hear the high school drumline practicing in the distance my memories are flooded with the fun and silliness of days long since  passed.

I look at this picture and remember the care-free days of hanging out with my very best friend. A lot of life has happened since this photo. Whether a person calls it fate, karma or spiritual intervention, as time goes by I am more convinced that "this" was meant to be......

Founder's Day and the Southern Boys Band

This is evening's weather was perfect for an outdoor concert. Most of the gang was out tonight. I always have the best time when my peeps are involved.  (I just had a vision of a scene like something from the movie Harper Valley PTA.....except different. We all had our lawn chairs strategically placed so that our group could sit together and easily see the show but still gossip...ummm, I mean....chat.) There is always a very diverse group of people at a small town USA festival and this one was no different. I saw tons of people that I have known forever but just don't get to see on a regular basis. There were kids everywhere running and playing. Fine dining at its best tonight included funnel cake, popcorn and bbq...yum. Although, I didn't have any. It seems that as I was watching the show and smelling all of this tasty goodness that my brother was actually sampling all of it and did not even bring me a crumb. Stinker!

The Southern Boys Band rocked it tonight. I am a bit biased because these boys are very dear friends. However, the show was great and they just keep getting better every time I hear them play.

Blogging in tandum....a romantic interlude!

Since the blogging  bug bit me my brain has been flooded with random ideas and topics to write about but then "life" happens. I am finding that writing about the everyday things that seem to only happen to me are way more interesting and funnier than any topic I could choose. I'm about to hit you with an example.

Imagine, if you will, a quiet evening. Kids are doing their thing. Chris and I are enjoying some quiet time. One might think this would be the prime opportunity for meaningful conversation or light chatting. They would be right but not on this night. Oh no! I am on one couch. Chris is on the other. One might ask...And? We are blogging!!!! Yep, you read that right. We are blogging in tandum.  Ooooo, I think I may have just invented a potential Olympic event. (This one is way better. The last one Chris and I came up with was tandum pooping.....that was just a bit to gross to think about and really how would a judge properly score an event like tandum pooping? Yes, we are demented on so many levels.) We are blogging and Ashley comes in and now all three of us are on a computer. Family time!!!

Dinner, Friends and Police Officers....

My life is a constant adventure. Chris and I went out to dinner tonight and we were on our way to pick up a friend who was going with us. [side note: if you have ever been in the car with me and Chris it is like two hens gossiping and talking about our day. We get completely wrapped up in the conversation and forget that there is traffic on the road or anyone else around.] So we were cruising down I-65 and entered a construction zone....still just a talking....when I heard sirens. As I am hearing the sirens I'm thinking to myself...someone is about to have a bad day. Well that someone was US. Chris pulled to the side of the road. We were patiently waiting for the officer to walk to the window and ask for license, insurance and registration. And the whole time I'm thinking "was Chris speeding?" I say this because Chris drives like a grandpa. Snails move faster sometimes. Actually, I do believe a turtle passed us just the other day. (I have no doubt in my mind that my sweet husband will NEVER have a blood pressure problem or a heart attack. He never gets into a hurry. This is another example of his "yin" to my "yang." I will have the blood pressure and heart problems for both of us.)

Apparently, Chris was speeding...to the tune of 50mph...but the posted speed limit was 45mph so I am now calling him "Speedy."  To make a long story short, Speedy was given a warning and no ticket. Thank you very nice police officer!! But I can say without hesitation that I do believe I could have walked to our destination faster than the truck was moving.....just saying!

Bunko Babes, Men and Country Music...

Bunko night!! The one night of the month that the girls get together to have some good, clean fun.  This game is primarily reserved for the ladies; however, it seems that my sweet husband has become an honorary member of the group. He isn't always available to attend. But more often than not he goes with me. Somehow he has managed to become "one of the girls." I seriously think that I overheard him giving hair care tips tonight (or was it lawn care...I forget).  The Bunko Babes seem to love him and I love that they do. The hostess for tonight had country music playing through the TV and I wondered how long it would take before we heard a ZBB tune (I do not listen to country music so this was even funnier to me).  About half way into the evening Chicken Fried came on and the entire room roared.  We ALL looked at Chris and said "do you want to play for us?" He is so good-natured about the teasing he gets. I might add that he is a mighty fine Bunko player too!!

 

New Adventures.......

Today was officially Allison's first day of her junior year of high school. Where does the time go? I remember her first day of kindergarten. Ashley begins her sophomore year of college on Thursday and again, I am in quiet reflection recalling the first day I pulled up in front of the elementary school and she climbed out of the car to walk to the door. I drove away with tears in my eyes on each of their first days of school. It was a tradition for many years for me to take a "first day of school" picture of each of them. I'm not sure when it stopped but, as I recall, it was somewhere around the time they each started to high school. To this day, they run when I pull out a camera. I am looking forward to wonderful school years for both of them.

Today also marks a new beginning for me. I started a new job. Still doing the law thing but somewhere new. As much as I dislike change it is good and necessary sometimes. We do not grow without change. I am super excited!!

Best Birthday Ever.....

Whew!!! What a day!! Chris got home from New Jersey around 5am this morning. I was sleeping and didn't hear him come in. I was startled out of a deep sleep and almost punched my sweet husband in the nose as he was leaning down to kiss me as I slept. Sweet gesture but I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I was awakened a few hours later by a phone call from my precious nephew, Christian who called to wish me a happy birthday. The day started slow but Chris and I finally got out and headed to the grocery store. (yep, I grocery shopped on my birthday) Now, when we grocery shop it is usually a long ordeal because we shop every single isle of the store. But today it seemed to take even longer than usual. We bought our groceries and headed home and the drive seemed to take forever. Chris made a stop and a detour and all I could think about and finally said to him was "dear we have ice cream in the groceries that is going to melt if we don't get on home with it."  We finally made it home and started unloading everything. Ashley comes into the kitchen and says "mom I need you to come and look at something." I walk around the corner and my living room is full of people who yell "surprise!" I can honestly say without hesitation that I was totally and absolutely shocked to see everyone there. It took a few seconds for me to process that they had shown up for my birthday!! My sweet boy and sweet daughters had put together and pulled off a surprise 40th birthday party for me.

It all makes sense to me now. For a week, it seemed that everyone was avoiding me like the plague. I had mentioned to a couple of people that my 40th was coming up and these same people who are normally very talkative (i.e. the Bailey boys) clammed up and were quiet as church mice. I thought it odd but didn't think much of it. Jennifer had an excuse. She just got married and has been on her honeymoon.   Sabrina normally emails, calls or texts but I had not heard from her. We have all been busy getting ready for school to start so I wasn't concerned. BUT, Chris had not said really anything about taking me to dinner or any plans for my birthday (for those of you who know me well, my birthday is the one day of the year that I am very, very sensitive about and want it to be a good and special day). I was seriously beginning to wonder what was going on. I had asked Ashley and Allison, "do we have any plans for my birthday?" They both answered "I don't know."  Well all of those stinkers were either in on it or knew about it!!!! Even Stephanie was in on the whole thing. That sweet girl drove from New Orleans where she had been with friends to be here to ring in my Fabulous Forties. (this is huge because she lives in Nashville...not exactly a trip down the street) Rhonda and Lesley, my sisters from another mother were here too!! The evening was perfect!! Thank you to the rest of the gang ~ Lori, Doug, Lec, Hunter, the Baileys, Kristi, Austyn, Gooch, Brandi, Heath, Mike, Isabella, Christy, Jim, Brad, Robbie, Jason, Raegan, Blake, Kel, Lani, Sydney S., Nicholas, Sidney W., Mason, Gage, Alexa and Javan!!!! (if I left anyone out I apologize. I'm 40 now and they say the memory is the first thing to go)

A very special thank you to Chris and our girls for planning my special day and for the beautiful gift you gave to me. I have been looking at a peridot (which is my birth stone) ring for almost a year now and it is finally mine!! I love the three of you with all of my heart!!! This has been the best birthday ever!!! Words will never be enough to express what the three of you mean to me! To many more birthdays and Fabulous Forties!!!

Happy Birthday to ME!!!!

Well MY day (AUGUST 14th) has finally arrived!! The one day of the year that I claim as my own and as being all about ME!! Yep, I am turning the big 40! I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about this milestone event but I can say that I have never been happier.  I am welcoming what I am calling my "Fabulous Forties." The adventure has just begun. I'm ready to take on this decade with my sweet husband and to see what wonderful things our forties hold for us.  It's too early to reflect and make profound comments on my day, but I will check back later!!

Say what you mean....mean what you say....

Many would probably argue this point with me but our society has become far to "politically correct."  Now before I get into what I mean I will digress to my previous blog regarding the Golden Rule. Be careful not to be hurtful. Sometimes speaking the truth is not what society wants to hear but what it needs to hear. I am not a politically minded person so I'm not even going to go near that topic (especially in a blog) but I do have very pointed religious views and ideas of how human interaction and co-existence could be better. As a society we worry to much about what people think of us. Should we throw good manners to the wind? Of course not, but there is a time and a place for everything.  I say all of the time if you don't want my opinion do not ask for it. Chris and I laugh because when he says to me "I need your opinion" I always answer back with "well you know that I have one are you sure that you want it?" We also laugh because he knows that I don't hold any punches when it comes to the way I feel about any given topic or circumstance. My world is very "black and white" with very little "gray." Although, over the last handful of years I have learned that to have balance there must be a little more "gray." (that part is still a work in progress) I attribute this mostly to Chris and the fact that he is the "yin" to my "yang." We are polar opposites in so many ways but then alike in so many ways. I suppose this is why we have been the very best of friends for so many years and why our marriage is so wonderful.....but that is a topic for another blog.

Perception is reality....

No truer words have ever been said to me. At the time they were spoken, I did not realize how profound the statement would become in my own life.  Think about it.  It is human nature to form opinions based on perception. It doesn't matter if that perception is about people, politics, religion or sports. What we perceive becomes our reality. Whether our reality is indeed the truth is another topic all together. Something to think about...too deep to process? Try it.

Do Unto Others....

It's a simple little saying but do we really pay attention to the Golden Rule....Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You.....Have you ever thought if everyone lived by this rule how much different our world would be? "Please" and "Thank You" have become obsolete and when they are used it is (many times) not sincere. Just imagine if more people stopped thinking about what everyone can do for them and started thinking about what they could do for other people what life could be....

Happiness is...

I am very new to this "blogging" thing but I'm going to give it a try. I haven't quite figured out the fascination with writing a blog but apparently there must be a therapeutic property to it so here goes....

I used to think that happiness was something reserved for everyone around me but not specifically for me. I spent many years just accepting that life had offered all it had to me and that (at the time) "this" was it, nothing more and nothing less.  Mediocrity was the norm.  Without boring any reader of this blog with unnecessary details of my life's events, suffice it to say that I have been through some trials and tribulations.  Those experiences have taught me that Happiness is.....a choice. Happiness is waking up everyday and knowing that God has a plan for me. Happiness is not tied up in another person, place or thing but is found within myself and who I am. I am blessed to have a wonderful husband and wonderful children who add to my happiness and complete me in ways I cannot express in words. Is my life perfect? Of course not. However, it is very, very close.