Home...

Home has many meanings to many different people. Home could be where you live currently, it could be the city where you were born or it could be the place where the majority of your relatives inhabit. For me, the photo in this blog is home. I only lived in this house for four years when I was a child, but the memories made there have lasted a lifetime. When my dad's job transferred him to another city my paternal grandparents purchased the property. So this house has been in our family for 37 years. When I go to visit I become the little girl who once lived there. I can picture exactly where my swing set sat and were my daddy grew his garden every year. There used to be a very large oak tree in the yard that had a tire swing hanging from it and on lazy Sunday afternoons my daddy would sit me in his lap behind the wheel of his pick-up truck and let me drive the quiet country road that ran in front of our house.  I remember breezy summers sitting on the porch sipping lemonade, holidays with my family who came to spend the night and the festivities becoming a big slumber party.  Dropping in to visit my grandparents holds dear memories too.  Cookouts, holidays and family reunions filled the house with laughter and happiness.

It is bittersweet when I visit now. The life that once poured from this place is slowly drifting away. My grandfather passed several years ago and I no longer feel his presence when I visit.  There will come a day when my grandmother is no longer there. I'm not sure what will happen to this place when the time comes. It is my hope that it will stay in the family, if for no other reason, because we love it so. 

The house has a story all it's own. I keep telling myself that one day I'm going to take the time to search the public records of the town and learn the details. All I really know is that it is well over 100 years old and that a doctor built it those many, many years ago. As a child, (and now) I would walk the halls and wonder about the early life of such a wonderful and beloved structure. I truly wish the walls could talk. 

Not much to say...

The Month of "Holly" is well under way and the girls' summer break is rapidly coming to a close. Alabama football will be in full swing very soon and the sweet wife Chris knows will disappear every Saturday until the end of college football season! Roll Tide!! 

Summer has been super busy. Work, travel, and house-hunting for/with my parents. Also, my domestic endeavors have continued to be a source of longing for the whole "Donna Reed Show" way of life.  Over the last couple of weeks I have been reminded several times that Christmas will be here before we know it. So, much to my dismay, I succumb to my overly organized, excel spreadsheet, obsessive compulsive tendencies and started my Christmas shopping list. Believe me when I say I am not happy about planning the holidays when it is only August. But, c'est la vie...

Past life....

Oh how I long for a time that I have never experienced. I often say that I was born in the wrong decade. I miss a more simple time. To say "I miss a more simple time"  is funny to me because how can I miss a time that occurred before I was even born? A time when the husband/father went to work and the wife/mother was a homemaker. A time when everyone had a garden and a clothes line in their yard. A time when kids played until well after dark and caught lightening bugs to put in a mason jar. A time when life seemed to move at a much slower pace. Yes, I guess I would like to live in a "Leave It to Beaver" episode. However, since the 1950's can no longer exist, I will make the most of trying to capture some simplicity in my life. I am on a quest to preserve those things that I remember my great-grandmother, grandmother and mother doing every summer. They would (as they called it) "put up" vegetables so we would have fresh ones to cook during the winter. I have such fond memories of snapping beans, shucking corn and shelling peas. I went several years ago and spent the weekend with my grandmother learning how to make homemade pepper sauce. It thrilled me to have her teach me something she had learned from her mother. With technology being what it is today, I know these recipes can be found online but it meant so much more having her to teach me rather than reading it off of an internet page.  

Nesting mode happens to me twice a year. Now and during the holidays. Right now all I want to do is go to the Farmer's Market, cook fresh veggies, plant stuff and create. A dear friend gave me some bread starter last week. I have been feeding it and made my first batch of fresh bread tonight. It was so good. I had visions in my head of a time when making bread was the norm not a novelty. You know...the scene where the bread or pie is sitting in the window with a checked cloth over it while it cools. 

I often catch myself saying "if I had the time" I would do this or that. I realized tonight that I do have the time. I just need to reorganize it. 

Sleep...What's That?!?

June is flying by so fast. Before I know it the summer will be gone. Where to begin...well, early this month I followed my sweet boy to Bangor, Maine. This was my first trip to Maine and I cannot wait to go back. It was absolutely beautiful there. I finally got to meet several Zamily members at a luncheon I attended. They were awesome (you know who you are!) The entire trip was an adventure from beginning to end. My flight out of Birmingham was cancelled, managed to get on another, my connecting flight was delayed and upon final arrival to Bangor I was informed that I would be staying at a "haunted" Inn.  The Inn was adorable though. Chris and I were able to visit with a dear friend from our high school days before the show on Saturday. We really enjoyed being able to catch up with her. The ZBB show was incredible as always in spite of the fact that I was freezing through its entirety. The adventure continued as I travelled home. More delays but the cool thing was that Chris made it home before I did and was waiting for me at the airport (a total role reversal). No rest for the weary...the following week was the CMT Awards and CMA Fest. Run..run..run. Actually, it's hurry up and wait. Anyway, lots of fun. 

I thought my fun was over for a minute after returning from Nashville when......Allison (who NEVER wants to go to anything ZBB) asks to go to BamaJam. No biggie. Enterprise, Alabama is only 3 hours from Birmingham. Soooo, we loaded up Chris and headed South. Now remember, I am also working a full-time job while having all of this fun. I AM EXHAUSTED!! 

The girls have discovered the show "Supernatural" and have been trying to catch up on episodes via Netflix before the Fall season begins. This translates into me and Chris being hooked on the show too. Family time is now between 11pm and 2am. Have I mentioned that "sleep" no longer exists in my schedule? I have, what I now refer to as, long naps. 

Finally, as my routine is getting sort of back to normal, I came in from work today to find my sweet husband mopping our kitchen floor. Ladies, be jealous....be very jealous! I have the perfect man....

School, Pampered Chef and an Anniversary....

FINALLY!!! The school year is officially over for Ashley and Allison. I have no idea who is more exhausted. Them or me! I cannot believe that Allison is going to be a senior in high school next year. This is my last true summer with her and next year will be so busy. I plan to enjoy every minute with her. I have felt very nostalgic lately with regard to my girls. I am so proud of the young ladies they have become but a bit melancholy that they are not little anymore.  However, I am ready for our next adventure!

Last week Chris and I hosted a Pampered Chef party. I normally have a PC party in the Spring. They are usually a great success and this one was no different. Lots of fun and good food. Chris was to sweet. He actually placed his own order to help me with getting more "free" product from PC (truthfully, he wanted to make sure that he got the goodies he wanted). I'm most excited to be getting some more fantastic tools for cooking!

This week (May 22 to be exact) Chris and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary. It was a great day! I have to pinch myself sometimes in order to realize that the fairy tale is real. I am also volleying for "best wife ever" as Chris' gift from me was a hammock for two. He isn't fully convinced that I didn't buy it for myself! The last couple of evenings have been so relaxing laying with him in "Our Happy Place." We are in complete agreement that our home is our refuge and solitude from the busy pace of life. So what better addition to our home than something we can use together to facilitate tranquility? Chris has already won "best husband ever" by just being himself and being so completely wonderful to me and the girls but he further solidified his position by giving me a shiny pretty for our anniversary.  Oh how I do so love my sweet boy!!! 

California, NHS, Hedgehogs and Exhaustion....

I know it has been a hot minute since I last blogged. However, I have been busy lately following Chris out on the road, working and helping the girls bring their school year to a close. I have changed time zones so many times in the last few weeks that my body clock has no clue what time it is and I would love to just sleep an entire day. Alas, I will not be sleeping all day any time soon. I seriously do not know how Chris travels like he does AND plays a show AND then comes home to yard work and household "man" chores. He is Superman!!

I followed him to California a couple of weeks ago. This is the third or fourth time I have been there and have seen very little of the state. (Note to self: take an actual vacation to California) I ate at an "In-N-Out Burger" in L.A. If you have never had a Milo's burger or a burger from Mcguire's in Pensacola, FL then it was good.  The weekend was a wonderful adventure with my sweet boy. We saw some old friends and some new ones. We really enjoyed every minute of getting to visit with them all. When I got home it was right back to work. I love my job and have a fantastic boss so getting to travel is even more enjoyable!

Last week was eventful as well. Allison was officially tapped into the National Honor Society. She has worked so hard for the honor. I am so proud of her but a little bit proud of me too!! ;-) The school year is drawing to an end and both of my girls are exhausted. Projects, papers, tests and study groups seem to be the theme of their week until mid-May.

Saturday has been slated as "Get Allison a Hedgehog Day."  So we are ending a very busy week with a trip to Dodge City, AL. Somewhere in there I have to squeeze in cleaning house and doing laundry. I'm starting to think that a fairy godmother is in order!

Have I mentioned that I'm exhausted?

Vegas, Friends and An Award Show.....

Whew!!! What a weekend!! I survived my first trip to Las Vegas. And I do believe I will require a return visit. I never left Mandalay Bay and would like to go back and sight-see. Chris was very busy rehearsing for the ACM Fan Jam so I was left with some time to burn. As it turns out, some friends of ours had coincidentally planned a trip to Vegas for the same weekend. So we all got together and I have not laughed that hard in a while. Thank you Matt, Laura and Alyson for being hilarious!!! 

As I sit here reflecting on the weekend, I'm thinking that the best part by far was getting to spend it with my sweet husband. Even though it was rushed and he was busy those few moments of quality-time here and there made the trip special. 

For those who might be wondering, I TOTALLY forgot to take my camera so no pictures :(  I guess if there isn't any photographic evidence what happened in Vegas really will stay in Vegas!?!