And so goes 2009

Well, here it is December 31st and I’m not sure what I think about that. Time passes so quickly and in some ways it makes me sad. I see my aging mother and in-laws, my baby girl who is now a wife and my cotton-top boy who is now a man. That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it is a good thing. Time just passes. It’s life. While I’m not big on resolutions, let’s just say I’m pondering some changes in my lifestyle.

I want to de-clutter my life. I want to get rid of the stuff I don’t need and give it to someone who does need it. Much to my husband’s dismay, I seem to want to keep everything. “I really might need that someday,” I tell him. And he gives me that look as to say, “I don’t think so, please get rid of this stuff or I’m going to put it in my truck during the night and take it to an undisclosed location where you will never, ever see it again.” Excuse me for a moment while I look up the definition of paranoid.

I want to read more. I want to know more. When I think about all of the things I don’t know, well, that’s humbling. I want to read about the lives of people I admire. I want to read about subjects I don’t know much about. Would you believe that my 80-something year old mother still reads the encyclopedias? She has a set that I think, no kidding, are from the 70s but she says, “most of what’s in here doesn’t change – not historical events or people, not science, not dates or places.” You know, she probably has a point. Does that make you think of a book that never changes? That still remains current, relevant, and sharper than a double-edge sword? One I need to continue to delve into every single day.

I want to give more to others . . . whatever this looks like. Whether it be time, encouraging words, talents or financial resources. I want to be more intentional about using the gifts and talents that God has given me. It’s all His anyway. I just want to be a good steward of what He has entrusted to me. I will never forget the first words from Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life: “It’s not all about you.” When I first read that, I thought, well, no kidding. Any decent, responsible person who has ever tried to parent a child for more than five minutes can tell you that one. But there’s more, so much more. Please read carefully this first paragraph from that same book:
“The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.”

And I want to listen more. I want to listen more carefully to what my husband says to me. You know sometimes when your loved one is talking about grocery carts, coffin cases (those are those frozen food cases that are long and open at the top – creepy right?), u.p.c.’s; a.w.g.; h.b.c. – oh, have mercy. But, I know it’s important to him and thus to me, so I will listen more carefully. He deserves that from me. Listen to my children – not just to what they say, but what they don’t say and what I see in their eyes and on their faces. Listen to my friends – to their hearts. I want to not offer advice to family or friends until I hear them out completely and until I’m asked. Okay, I’ll try. I’ll really try.

So, as we end 2009, let’s look forward in anticipation of what God has for us in 2010. I’ll leave you today with this passage from Matthew 6:32-34 from The Message:

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. “

On the Air Waves

Well, it seems I didn't totally embarrass the radio station a couple of weeks ago, as they have been kind enough to ask me back. I'll be doing a segment on our local AM station, WDUN in the morning during the Bill and Joel Show. These guys are so great to work with as is their producer, Anna. The topic of discussion for tomorrow will be New Years Celebrations - food, decor, traditions, etc. I've posted my notes for this segment on our business website, http://www.wonderfulevents.net/, just follow the blog link.

Oh dear goodness, can you believe we are talking about the beginning of the year 2010? That we are beginning the 2nd decade of the 21st century?

Making any New Years Resolutions?

Our Christmas

Since it is currently the 4th quarter of the Independence Bowl and Georgia is leading 44-14, I'm going to leave it with them. I think they have this one in the books.

A lot has happened since I posted on Christmas Eve. We had such a great Christmas! My sweet momma came over on Christmas eve for dinner and presents. As an added bonus, E and her hubby came late and spent the night with us. So all five of us had breakfast together on Christmas morning. By the way, I made the traditional French Toast Casserole and it did not disappoint – it was awesome, probably full of fat, sugar and calories but I’m not thinking about that at the moment. We opened presents together Christmas morning and then the grandparents joined us for lunch. After lunch, the grandparents along with E and her hubby headed out, G went to the movies with a friend, so D and I decided we would mix it up a little -we played with the wii. Now G got the wii last year for Christmas but we pretty much hadn’t touched it since. G texted me after the movies to touch base and asked what we were doing. I said we were playing with the wii. His response – "just you and dad?” Yep, just us. Can I just say I whooped D’s butt at tennis only to have the favor returned when we bowled. I about pulled out my back doing it.

My "day after Christmas shopping buddy" (and daughter) was out of town and I wasn’t really in the mood to go out by myself, so I gave myself a self-imposed break from that. I stayed home and did something I hadn’t had time to do in a couple of weeks – sat by the fire and read. Oh, it was heavenly. But now it’s Monday and I'm back to the real world and its regularly scheduled programming. Thought I would share a few pictures from our Christmas.

Mimi and my precious children.

Can I just tell you how much I adore these four people?

Every Christmas since he was born, G gets a nutcracker for Christmas. He has quite the collection now. He says this year's choice may be his favorite. If you look closely, you can see this nutcracker is a drummer - wearing sunglasses with a curly ponytail. Too funny!

E has received an angel every Christmas since her birth. This year's addition is the 2009 Willow Tree angel ornament to go on her tree!

Love this man.

Merry Christmas Eve!

The Cookies Speak for Themselves:

It has become a tradition in recent years for E and I to dust off our creative baking abilities and decorate Christmas cookies a few days before Christmas. Well, yesterday was our day. A very special young lady joined us and it made for a totally fun girls day! E and I started the day by wrapping some gifts, making a couple of pecan pies and some no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies. No, let me tell you the absolute truth. The first thing we did was visit our local Mexican restaurant and fuel up on a "Speedy Gonzales" and grilled chicken salad and 2 diet cokes, thank you very much. Okay . . . so after that . . . we started.

This is the result of all of our labors.

Our pecan pies.

This is what G did while the girls decorated cookies:

Christmas in Dixie

Can't you just hear Alabama singing that? "Christmas in Dixie, it's snowing in the pines. Merry Christmas from Dixie to everyone tonight." I used to just love Alabama . . . but I'm a sucker for plaid shirts, lots of facial hair and mullets. :)

As we were driving home from Tennessee this weekend, that song just kept running through my head. Maybe because the path from Gainesville to Tennessee is full of beautiful and interesting Southern things. First you pass the carpet capital of the south, Dalton, where huge mills are still processing vast amounts of carpet on a regular basis. Then as you head up toward Chattanooga, you start seeing those famous words on the roofs of barns, birdhouses and billboards - "See Rock City." I can remember as a child looking forward to going to Rock City on Lookout Mountain just to verify that I could actually see 7 states and fit through Fat Man's Squeeze. The incline railway about scared the bejeebbers out of me, but you have to admit, it was an adventure. My dad loved to go because on the trip down there and back we stopped at every Stuckeys (which were about at every other interstate exit at the time) and by the time we got home, we had pretty much consumed a entire case of Pecan Logs. (oooh). Chattanooga is a beautiful city as the Tennessee River runs right through the middle of it. Just north of Chattanooga, is just one of the prettiest drives ever as you wind through the Appalachian and Cumberland mountain ranges and along the shores of Nickajack Lake. And then there's Monteagle Mountain to cross. Monteagle, by the way for you trivia buffs, is the highest point at 2100 ft. above sea level between Chicago and Miami. So this is where the Alabama song really hit the high note. On the trip back, sure enough there was snow in the pines on the top of Monteagle. You know us Georgians don't see too much snow, so this was a huge thrill for us. All of that to say, our weekend in Tennessee was wonderful. Time with family was great. Just a few pics to share:

The four grands.

Me and my precious hubby.

E and her precious hubby.



These two are gifts.

The boys with "the Nana."

Don't ask.

Cookie - The Swap

Last night was our annual cookie swap - one of my favorites evenings of the Christmas season. It is when the Iron Roses, along with a blossom (daughter of a Rose) come together for food and fun. Here's the drill: First we ate soup and BLT wraps (of course, priorities you know) and then I decided this year we would play a few games. Oh, my goodness. Do you know what it is like when you get a few 40/50 somethings in a room together playing games? First, one has to get her glasses out, then one has to go to the bathroom and then the next one needs a fan. It was too funny! We played the right/left gift exchange game and Christmas Bingo (that's when we decided we were officially getting ready for the old folks home!). Then the much-anticipated gift exchange game where you draw numbers and choose a gift either unopened or from another person. We used to be nice - last night? not so much. But, no punches were thrown or hair pulled, and everyone left happy. Seriously, this group of women could have fun together if we were stuck on a rock.

Then, of course, the reason we came . . . the cookies. This year we packaged our cookies in individual containers to exchange. It was so fun to see each of the ladies creative ideas. Thought you might enjoy this too.

Also, if you are interested in the recipe for Sante Fe Soup or Cowboy cookies, link over to our business website and click on the blog tab.

http://www.wonderfulevents.net/. By the way, I was on the our local mornng radio show this morning discussing entertaining tips for the Christmas season. I'll be posting those tips either here or on the Wonderful Events blog next week!

This is a vegetable can one of the ladies painted - amazing!

Have a great weekend!

"Marry" Christmas

No, I'm not clever enough to come up with the cute little title all by myself. That was the name of the Lifetime movie D and I watched last night. And guess what? It was about a mother/daughter team who were wedding planners. Isn't that cool? I loved it but I love sappy Lifetime Christmas movies . . . and weddings. Speaking of weddings (how was that for a really bad transition), we had a wonderful weekend of weddings! Oh my goodness! I have officially recovered thanks to an all afternoon sleep induced coma yesterday.

This is one of my dearest friends who was married Saturday morning in her beautiful home! I have known this precious woman for years and let me just say, she deserves every ounce of happiness she has found. Love and much happiness to Melissa and Roger!

In Hiawassee, we were in for a full day and night of wedding festivities with this fabulous young couple. The best thing about our job is meeting the coolest people we would have otherwise never had the opportunity to meet. These two are just precious and their wedding was, well, perfection. Funny story about this wedding, though. All day things had gone like clockwork with only a few very minor hiccups which honestly, is unusual. It is not uncommon for something to go a little off track but not this one, not a hitch (no pun intended!) . . . until the exit. The plan was for the couple to exit through a hallway and out into the parking lot where their guests would line the walls waving streamers with jingle bells attached over head as they walked right onto a horse-drawn carriage that would take them off into the moonlight. Perfect plan. Okay, so everyone is in place - guests, photographer, videographer - here we go. As soon as they get to the carriage . . . the. horse. bolts! Runs like the wind. We all stood there stunned not knowing whether to laugh or cry. So we all look at the bride (who you always look to for your emotional que if you know what I mean) and she cracks up! Whew! So, in a few minutes, after the horse with carriage and driver in tow has taken a few laps around the parking lot, the bride and groom successfully make their exit!

Before the run for the roses:

And after.

Thanks to Josh and Laura for allowing us to be a part of your special day!

Precious Memories

One of my favorite things about Christmas is putting up our tree and walking down memory lane with the ornaments. I told you a few days ago about my ornament obsession, especially with those my children made in elementary school. I am forever thankful for those teachers and assistants who gave of their time and creativity to make these ornaments that I now find so precious. I have probably close to 400 ornaments but none more special than these:

My girl - Kindergarten, 1991.

My boy - First Grade, 1996.

My girl - during Middle School

My boy - Second Grade, 1997. This one is missing some of it's adornments.

Our tree.

Can I Just Tell You How Much I Love John Berry

Okay, tonight was a true highlight of my 2009! I just saw John Berry in concert at Brenau's Pearce Auditorium and I just cannot tell you in words how good he was. He absolutely has the purest, most beautiful voice I think I have ever heard. The first half of the concert was a variety of some of his past hits as well as some new songs. My favorite from this half - "Blessed Assurance" - just him and his guitar. The second half was Christmas songs. My favorite from this half - "O Holy Night" - without a doubt. He sings this song to perfection. (Although, "Mary Did You Know?" was a close second). For his encore, he did two songs I had never heard before but am now officially crazy about: "Straight Down Rain" and "Love is a Cross." Both were truly amazing. I can hardly wait for him to record these so I can listen to them all the time. Throughout the concert, he spoke freely about his faith and his personal walk with Christ.

This concert was made possible by Butch Miller and his staff at Milton Martin Honda. All ticket proceeds went to benefit Challenged Child. Butch is a good friend of ours. He totally bailed out my husband this afternoon when D realized he had promised we could go and then found out the concert was sold out. Many thanks to Butch for making it happen!

Oh, and good news, friends! Butch announced tonight that John will be in concert in Gainesville the day after Thanksgiving for the next five years! Think it is too early to get my tickets??

One of the Greatest Inventions since Sliced Bread

Did your parents say that? "greatest thing since sliced bread." What other things do we say just because we have heard them for years?

Oh, one I say is that "I'm having a sinkin' spell." I can remember my grandmother saying that all the time. Have you heard that? You might say it when you are feeling suddenly a little tired or hungry or just need to sit down for a minute. I usually have one of these when I'm paying bills.
"Deader than a doornail." Yes, indeed. My flowers in my pots in the backyard surely are just that dead.
"Pretty is as pretty does." My momma said that all the time when I was little. It's a shame I didn't listen.
"Don't cut off your nose to spite your face." Hmmm. I guess that makes sense.
And, of course, if you live in the South, "oh, bless her heart." We think we can say anything - good or bad - as long as we follow it up with that little phrase.

Okay, I have gotten WAY off track with this post. What got this started is that my new birthday present is truly one of the greatest inventions since sliced bread. It is a Kindle. And I love it. And I want to take it everywhere I go. If you are familiar with a Kindle, you know what I'm talking about. It is fabulous. I''m a reader so I could read all the time if I didn't have to like work, eat, sleep, do laundry, make dinner, clean, etc. So this new little divine bit of technological genius is my new constant companion. I can slip it in my pocketbook or laptop bag and be good to go. My only dilemma is what book to choose - just like when I walk around at the book store picking up every book and reading the synopsis on the back. I have my favorite authors but sometimes, you know, you just want something different. The possibilities are endless with this thing. I highly recommend it. You might want to ask your Santa for one. My personal birthday Santa did a great job. But he always does. Bless his heart.

Looking for a Good Dessert?

Well, if I know anything about anything, it would be dessert. And did I ever make a great one for the family gathering Friday evening. Not to brag. But it was gooood. Unfortunately, I did not have the foresight to take a picture of it. But, I did take a picture of the beautiful cake plate I took it in. This was a gift from a good friend a few years back and I sure have enjoyed it.



Anyway, back to my dessert story. Last week, I was making Sweet Potato Bread to take to Bible Study. Since I didn't have a clue about how many potatoes it would take to make 3 cups of mashed sweet potatoes, I baked about 14. And ended up with about 10 cups of mashed mixture left over. So, what to do with it? This is where destiny stepped in. I saw D's aunt in the meantime and these were her very words: "I've got to tell you about the best thing I have ever put in my mouth." You can imagine my suspense. Well it was A. sweet. potato. cheesecake. Yes siree.

So, I made it. And it has a caramel pecan topping. And it was all sorts of delicious. And because I love y'all so much, here is the link to the recipe on AllRecipes.com.

http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=sweet%20potato%20cheesecake

Bumpin'-It at the GFIA Extravaganza

Last night was the annual Georgia Food Industry Association Holiday Extravaganza. Wow - that's a mouthful! This event is so much fun - food, faux gambling (they give you play money to lose at Black Jack and Texas Hold 'em), and the much anticipated raffle of fabulous prizes. And I'm not just kidding about the fabulous prizes. We are talkin overnight stays at Barnsley Gardens and Chateau Elan, plasma tvs, Kindles, Macy's gift cards, etc. And guess what? My girl and her hubby won a basket! Theirs was full of gift cards - lucky, lucky them!

Thought I would post a couple of pics from this event. Side note about my hair in these photos because I know you are wondering. I am officially not wearing a bump-it even though it looks like I am. I was thinking I wanted one of those for Christmas but it seems, however, that I will not be needing one. For some odd reason obviously not known to me, my hair decided to bump-it all by itself!

What I Love about December!

Oh, what I love about December. I tried to post this earlier but when I started thinking about it, it was almost overwhelming. All that goes on in December is amazing. All we women accomplish in December is amazing. All we have to be thankful for is just amazing. Just a few things . . .

1. The family. It is just so fun to get to see family members you haven’t seen for months, some longer. To laugh and to share what’s going on in our lives. Then to spend those quiet moments with the ones you love the most– the ones who love you the most.
2. The weather. I love the change in seasons. The wonderful thing about living in Georgia, you have four distinct seasons. And even better, the winters aren’t harsh. Not like where I grew up! They can be cold but snow and ice are rare. I can deal with cold. I actually like it – turning on the fire logs, sipping hot chocolate and curling up and reading. Oooh, that’s my idea of a good time during the winter.
3. Church. I love, love, love going to worship services during Christmas. The music, the drama, the choir, the instruments, the decorations, the inspirational word about the Christ child. Our church has an annual Christmas Communion service I look forward to every year. We stand together as a family around a small table while one our staff presents a short message and then we take communion together. It is quiet, intimate and powerful.
4. Having my son home for a month. Priceless
5. Cookie decorating with my girl. We began this tradition last year. We spent one whole day making sugar cookies and decorating them with all manner of icings and candies. We did Santas, stars, bells – we personalized some, monogrammed some. We got really carried away with our creations but had an awesome day together. Can hardly wait to do that again this year.
6. Playing handbells. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them in my humble opinion. We are playing two songs this Sunday and two songs next Sunday. You really should hear us play “Carol of the Bells.” Many of us in this choir have been playing together for many years so when it gets to be Christmas, it is just a given that we’ll play it. We laugh about the year we played it and we got going so fast, that the director just put his arms down and stood there and watched us. Too funny.
7. Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshakes at ChickfilA. In a most disappointing turn of events I didn’t get one of these last weekend. I am, however, going to have one as soon as humanly possible.
8. White chocolate covered Oreos. The store only carries these at Christmas which is why I highly recommend you stock up. They are great frozen – not like I would know.
9. Choosing just the right gift. Don’t you just love to give someone a gift and they love it? When it is exactly what they wanted and they are super excited?
10. The annual Iron Roses Cookie Swap. If you have been to a cookie swap, you know how this works. Everyone brings dozens of cookies and we walk around the table putting cookies on our trays til they’re all gone. Or this year, we may mix it up a little and do individual bags for a twist. Then we play the gift exchange game where you pick a number and then can take a wrapped gift or one from another person. Sometimes we are really nice – sometimes we aren’t. Then we reveal our Secret Sister and choose a new one for the next year. It is so much fun!
11. Christmas ornaments. One of my absolute favorite things to do is to open the ornament box and remember each one. Now, I’m an ornament collector. I have tried to get one from wherever we have traveled and for every significant family milestone. But my favorite ones? The ones the kids made in school. The kids say every year – why do you keep these things? Because you made it and on the back you wrote your name in your own handwriting – in 1995. But mom, the macaroni is falling off. I say I’ll go get the glue and fix that right now. I wouldn’t part with these for anything. They are so precious to me. Every year I tell the same story about each ornament – where or how we got it and why it is important to me. I hope they remember.
12. Lanierland Basketball Tournament. Well, around here we love our high school basketball almost as much as we love our high school football. This tournament includes all of our area public high schools as well as the private school that G attended. All of them come together, girls and boys, and play two weekends of non-stop basketball. When G was playing, I think I sat one Saturday for seven hours and watched them all play. We still know several of the young people who are playing but now we pick and choose the games we see. It’s great.
13. My adopted sister is going to be a grandmother this month. She called me yesterday and said the doctor says it could be anytime. Her very first grandchild. So happy for her.
14. The food, oh the food. Do you have some things you eat just once or twice a year? I really wish D’s mom would make dressing for every holiday and birthday. And sweet potato pie. And tea cakes. I do have to say this about her tea cakes. Every year for my birthday, she gives me a whole batch of these homemade treats in a box as part of my present. It is great. So for about four days, I have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. They aren’t too sweet or rich - and with a glass of cold milk. Yum.
15. When you go to the mailbox and it is full of Christmas cards from your friends and family. I can hardly make it in the house before I’m tearing them open.
16. A trip to Tennessee. This year we are headed to Tennessee for family Christmas with D’s sister’s family. Traditionally, they travel here but this year we are going their way to celebrate.
17. Piling in the car and driving around looking at the Christmas decorations. I love the lights. Just a big kid I am, I guess. This was probably more fun when the kids were little but we still enjoy it. D and I have been known to go to our downtown square, which is decorated so beautifully, walk the loop around the square and then sit in the car and talk while enjoying the lights. It really doesn’t take much to amuse us.
18. Decorating my house. If you know me, you know I love seasonal decorating. Well, nothing says decorating like Christmas. So, as of this writing, I am in full swing getting out Santas, G’s Nutcracker collection, Christmas photos of the kids through the years, garland, trees, Christmas china, and setting tables. Oh, yes, it’s a lot of work but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
19. I fully realize that the economy is affecting all of us in one way or another. But I would like to say if at all possible, remember your favorite charity. You might not be able to give much but that’s okay. I just can hardly walk by the Salvation Army kettle without dropping something in. It just seems wrong not to. Consider supporting a local toy drive, or a Secret Santa family, or Operation Christmas Child, or sponsor a child through an organization like Compassion International or just help your neighbor or friend who has a difficult time during the holidays. But, honestly, this is not a lesson for December. It is a lesson for always. Let’s just stop and remember the reason we give.
20. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

A Day in the Life

I thought it might be fun to do a "day in the life" post every once in awhile. It might be interesting or you may be bored to tears. Please let me know.

Today . . .

I am thankful for . . . a great Thanksgiving weekend. We had four consecutive days of fun. When is the last time that happened?

I am pondering . . . a great conversation I had yesterday with a heart friend. We hadn't seen each other in over two months and talked non-stop for almost four hours at Panera. She gave me alot to think about, offered her much-valued opinion about some upcoming projects that will involve both of us and just listened. I cherish her friendship.

I am praying . . . about alot actually. Some days wouldn't you just rather go back to bed? Praise God, we can be filled with hope. Because the world can sure fill you with alot of hopelessness and worry if you let it. Now, I'm not saying it is easy to let this go because . . . it's just not. But then you're reminded "in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) And then you have a friend who calls you and says "let me pray for you" and she says the exact words you need to hear . . . you cry, you rejoice, you love. And you just keep on 'keepin on' by faith.

I am remembering . . . my dad. Being the only child and a girl, I was joined at the hip with my dad. He worked so hard to give me everything he possibly could. At Christmas, and every day actually, I sure do miss you, Daddy.

I am listening . . . to Glory Revealed 2 and Harry Connick, Jr.'s Christmas CD. Both are amazing.

I am thinking . . . that I need to get to decorating this house. The realtor just called and wants to show it on Thursday. Lots of work really needs to get done by then.

I am shopping . . . for toys to take to an event on Thursday evening to benefit children and families in Atlanta who lost their homes due to the recent flooding. Get this - Target has Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders for $5. E and I played these two until we wore the board out and lost all the pieces. What a deal! But it occurred to me, do children still play these games? With the onslaught of video and computer games, are these board games obsolete? I'm just asking.

I am wearing . . . a poofy vest, scarf, turtleneck and jeans. My girlfriends talked me into buying this vest at the SteinMarts last year and I had my doubts. When you naturally possess your own "poof," if you know what I'm saying, it just didn't seem right to add to it. But, amazingly enough, I kinda like it. And E, my most honest critic, said it didn't make me look "additionally poofy." Was that a compliment?

I am cooking . . . chicken Parmesan for dinner. Actually, I have to be honest, it is left over. But I did cook it . . . a few nights ago. Thankfully, my husband does not mind leftovers. What a blessing.

I am reading . . . a little Christmas book by Debbie Macomber. I've heard about her books for years but have never read one. Apparently, she writes a Christmas book almost every year. I need a little diversion from the craziness of this time of year.

I am working . . . on the weddings coming up in less than two weeks. How did that happen so fast? Both are going to be quite beautiful but very different. One small, with family and friends in the groom's beautiful home. The second in a quaint little mountain church followed by a way cool reception at a local resort. I really need to double up on my vitamins - beginning today.

I am looking forward to . . . another awesome weekend. Family gathering on Friday night, going out with the girls on Saturday while the hubby goes to the SEC championship game in Atlanta. Words just cannot describe how excited he is about that, by the way. His only regret is that his son cannot go with him. G has finals the next week and just can't leave campus. I'm just glad that he chose school over SEC football - wow, that must have been a difficult choice.

I am . . . trying to concentrate on the true meaning of this season. When God became flesh. When He sent the Way, the Truth and the Life to this earth.

May you have a wonderful day in your life.

How Bout Them Dogs!

Georgia 30 Georgia Tech 24

Oh. Yes.

Black Friday Escapades

Well, true to tradition, E, her hubby and I were at Chickfila at 6:30 A.M. this morning. Yes, A.M. - in the doggone morning. It was dark and cold when I left the house. We are the crazies. But, lest we think we are the only ones. The Chick was packed when we got there. Could not even find a parking place in the parking lot. So if numbers verify our insanity, I mean stupidity, I mean shopping savvy - we passed with flying colors. By 7:00 A.M. we were fueled with enough caffeine and chicken biscuits to face the day ahead.

We had a plan. You have to, I'm telling you. A plan we had - yes. But clarity - no. See we knew which stores had which sales, however, we didn't quite have a clear picture yet as to what we were purchasing. Oooooh, bad news. Causes lots of going around in circles. But somehow, someway we managed, and knocked out a good portion of our shopping.

The best part of our day? sitting in the food court watching the people. This exercise was good for two reasons: 1. We got to sit. Yea. My feet were so tired. 2. We got to observe the other shoppers. Now, there were some serious, and I mean serious, shoppers out today. This was my absolute favorite thing I saw all day - several girlfriends shopping together wearing matching shirts that said "Friends don't let friends Christmas shop alone." Loved it. I think E and I will get matching shirts next year. (love you, sweetie)

After 8 hours of shopping, it was time to take a break. The entire family met at the movies - all 11 of us. For what it is worth, I loved and highly recommend "The Blind Side." I laughed, I cried, I cheered and I went away glad I saw this story. It is definitely the best movie I've seen in a long time. But considering my favorite movie is "Steel Magnolias" circa 1989, you'll probably want to draw your own conclusions. That's not the last movie I saw before today, just my favorite. By the way, I feel the need to share my favorite movie quote of all time - from Steel Magnolias, when Clairee says, "the only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize."

And that is . . . clearly . . . enough said.

Happy Thanksgiving!

For most of the day yesterday, E and I worked like crazy going through a mountain of details about a wedding we have coming up in December. Seeing that we needed a relief from this for a little while, we decided to whip up some Thanksgiving treats. I had seen these on the internet a few days ago and thought how fun they would be. So, here is our attempt at turkeys and pilgrim hats. Too fun!

Psalm 100:3-5 (NIV)
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations

Thanking God for them today.

Thankful for Another Birthday - Part 2

I just had to include another very important part of my whole birthday celebration. (after this, I promise to not say another word about it). The Iron Roses got together Monday night and guess what? Yes, indeedy they too, reminded me of how YOUNG I am. Thanks to these dear friends, I now possess a cane, a pill box that can also be worn as a necklace (what every girl needs), a fan for my hot flashes (which I will use, by the way) and of course, a crown that proclaims plainly that I am in fact the "Birthday Queen." You all are so fabulous!

Thankful for Another Birthday

Well, it came and went and I don’t feel any different. The big birthday, that is. I know ya’ll may get tired of hearing about how wonderful my husband is – but it is a fact. He is wonderful. Since he knew this was quite the milestone, he went to great lengths to make it extra-special. During the day of my birthday, he delivered a huge bouquet of flowers to our house while E and I were gone to lunch. That evening, he took me out to dinner at a very romantic restaurant downtown. It just so happened that this was the first night that the restaurants and shops were open on Thursdays nights for Christmas shopping. Santa was there. There were horse and carriage rides. There were carolers. And did I mention the shops were open? He was so sweet to treat me to a little surprise at one of my favorites. It was glorious walking around the square with him, chill in the air, the lights on the trees sparkling, carolers singing.

Well, little did I know that my birthday celebration was not to end there. Imagine my surprise when some friends decided, with a little nudge from my family, that in order to make me feel a little better about the whole “age situation” (as we like to call it), that they would go to great lengths to make me feel young. You just can’t imagine what they did . . . they all dressed up like “old folks.” And I mean old folks. They put gray in their hair! (which is really so funny since we are all trying so hard to cover it up !) Wore toupees! Wore support hose! Wore their mother’s shoes and jewelry! Painted wrinkles on their face! Wore their pants up under their arms! And brought their bag full of pills and fiber! It was simply hilarious.


This was my face when I realized the surprise was on me.




Can I just tell you how funny these two were? They are some of our dearest friends. And you really wouldn’t know it by looking at this photo, but they are quite beautiful and handsome under all of this.




Many thanks to my sweet husband and children for making this birthday so special. My girl even made an amazing chocolate cake for all to enjoy. Many thanks to my friends who ran the risk of public embarrassment in order to make me feel young. It so worked but not just for the reason you might think. You all made me feel young because of the love and laughter we shared. (okay, I’ll admit, the support hose and saggy chest helped). Age is, after all . . . just . . a . . number – so they say. I hear you. I don’t feel any older than I did 20 years ago. I am just truly overwhelmed with the blessing of my life – my marriage, children, family and friends. Grateful? Yes. Blessed? Yes. Thankful? Indeed.

Oh Come All Ye Thankful

The first words spoken yesterday in our worship service by our Minister of Music were “are you thankful you live in a country that sets aside time to be thankful?” Amen. Yes, I am. So in the spirit of this week dedicated to thankfulness, I’ll share just a few of the many things I am thankful for:

1. That there is a merciful God in heaven who has prepared a way for us to meet Him there someday; who loves us with a love we can’t imagine; and who wants more than anything for us to have an intimate, life-depending relationship with Him. Praise Him! He has already overcome the world!
2. That my family and I are healthy today. That may change tomorrow, but for today, we are. That is a blessing I don’t ever take for granted. My heart is so tender for those who are suffering. May God give them strength, comfort and hope.
3. That I have a husband who loves me. We’ve had some huge bumps along this journey of marriage, but thankfully, because our God is the God of miracles today and everyday, we are happier than we have ever been.
4. That I have the most fabulous of children. I know, all mothers say that but it is absolutely true in my case. Now, don’t get me wrong, they aren’t perfect because they have some big time imperfect parents but hands down, I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
5. That I live in a country where we are free. No, freedom is not free. Many are making great sacrifices every day for our freedom.
6. That I am a member of a church that believes that Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God and that He is the only way to the Father in Heaven. And preaches it.
7. That we are working. That God allows our family businesses to continue. I pray that we are good stewards of what He has given us.
8. That I have parents who show me unconditional love and that they saw the importance of raising me to love Jesus.
9. For friends who model true friendship every day. Thankfully, they choose to see the best of me and overlook the rest. Oh. My. What a blessing.
10. Oddly enough, for the rough spots in this journey of life. James 1:2-4 says “consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds, because the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.” Life is hard but we have a Savior who never leaves us or forsakes us.
11. For God’s Word. It is life to a hungry soul.

Now for the “lighter” side of thankfulness:
12. Kenra Hair Spray –I don’t believe I would ever go out in public again if I did not have it. It works miracles. Miracles I tell you.
13. Air conditioning! Oh. Yes.
14. The washing machine and dryer . . . and the dishwasher, and the oven and the microwave, and . . . I could go on and on. These modern day conveniences should not be taken lightly in my book. If your washer has ever been broken for more than two days, you know what I’m talking about.
15. My cell phone. I fully realize that they can be the most annoying things in the entire universe at times but if you’ve ever had a 16 year old leave in their car for the first time, or a son in college many hours away from home and you want to know he is okay, or a daughter driving home by herself from Atlanta late at night after class – you understand.
16. Diet Coke over ice from the fountain. I’ve told ya’ll this before, there is nothing better.
17. Milkshakes from Chick-fil-A. You do know that the Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake is now available. I fully plan on having one of these this weekend – just to get in the spirit of Christmas, of course.
18. Spanx. These little jewels have changed the world of many a woman. Me included.
19. Books. I love to read and a book that comes to life is a massage for my mind and soul. What I’m reading right now? “Can Martha Have a Mary Christmas?” by Brenda Poinsett. And for fun, the last installment of the Sweet Magnolias series, “Welcome to Serenity” by Sherryl Woods.
20. Oh and speaking of massages, that’s another thing. Pedicures. Oh, yes. Thankful I am. My Secret Sister gave me a gift certificate for one for my birthday. Already been – it was fabulous.

Well, that’s the first 20. I’ll be sharing more this week. But in the meantime, I hope for you a most blessed Thanksgiving week.

Pictures to go with Posts!

Well, today is the big day. I am half a century old. Okay, I'm really, really trying hard not to think about that. So to keep my mind off of this event, my darlin daughter is spending the day with me. She's has taken me to lunch and now we are having a teaching session about the digital world of photos. I am learning so much. So, from now on, who knows, I may be able to post a picture when I blog. Woohoo!

But to catch you up a little, I'm posting pictures I would have posted with my blog entry if I had known how. So here goes:

Soup Swap Girls 2009




Disney World Trip in October, 2009






The Iron Roses at a very special Rose's Bridal Shower, November 17, 2009




Parent's Weekend - Georgia Southern, October 2009


A Family Photo from the J&J Anniversary Sale Giveaway - July 4, 2009

Reliving a Wonderful Day!

Since I wasn’t blogging when our only daughter got married, you may not know that was a little over a year and half ago. There is an extremely long story to explain why we just got the wedding video, but I’ll spare you. Bottom line – we just got it about a month ago. Well, deciding this was cause for a family party/get together/dinner, the family of the bride and groom converged on our home Saturday night for some chili and jambalaya and to watch the almost two hour movie. Yes, while most families were watching the Georgia/Auburn game, we sat glued to the screen reliving one of the most special days in all of our lives.

We all got tears in our eyes when the doors at the back of the church opened and there stood D with the most beautiful girl in the world; when they danced the Daddy/Daughter dance (which by the way, they waltzed and D never stepped on her dress – amazing); and when you could plainly see the sheer joy written on the faces of that precious bride and her handsome groom. We laughed like crazy when D introduced the new business venture he and Steve were beginning; when we all saw ourselves dancing and of course, when D broke out the Soulja Boy. Priceless. Just priceless.

D and I aren’t really known for our dancing prowess. So to save ourselves from ultimate embarrassment, we took dancing lessons for months before the wedding with E, the groom, and his parents. While it might not have been ultimately successful in increasing our dancing ability, it was an absolute blast. But to add to the dancing pressure, D was given the challenge from a certain young lady to “Crank That” Soulja Boy at the reception with her. Well, you don’t give D a challenge and not expect him to man up. So, for weeks, he practiced . . . and practiced. Actually, I think it was a great stress reliever for him to come every night and crank it for a few minutes. Honey, I thought you were super . . . man. (Sorry that was a really bad joke.)

What fun it was to relive that day! You know, on a day like that, it seems you don’t remember half of what happened or even who was there to share it with you. I am so thankful for the technology and the great job our good friend and videographer did with this video. I am thankful for the merging of our two families. I am so thankful for the special people in our lives who wanted to share that day with us. Those that made some major sacrifices to be there with us. Those who told us they wouldn’t have missed it for anything. It was one we will never forget.

I Should Have Posted this Yesterday

I fully realize that yesterday was Veteran’s Day and I let that pass without even a mention. I apologize. I ask you respectfully, to please pause from reading right now and pray for the men and women who have fought, and continue to fight, for our country.

I saw something yesterday, I have never seen before. I know many of us have seen the American flag folded into a triangle - you have probably seen people do it you if have ever been to a military funeral. But did you know that each fold represents something? Maybe you will find this as interesting as I did.

The following was taken from this website: http://www.usflag.org/

The flag folding ceremony represents the same religious principles on which our country was originally founded. The portion of the flag denoting honor is the canton of blue containing the stars representing the states our veterans served in uniform.

In the Armed Forces of the United States, at the ceremony of retreat the flag is lowered, folded in a triangle fold and kept under watch throughout the night as a tribute to our nation's honored dead. The next morning it is brought out and, at the ceremony of reveille, run aloft as a symbol of our belief in the resurrection of the body.

The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life.
The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout the world.
The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in times of war for His divine guidance.
The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."
The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered in to the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on mother's day.
The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.
The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.
The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost.

When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, "In God we Trust."

The Saga of the Christmas Card

I really hate to admit this but . . . I am totally anal about our family Christmas card. I have driven my family to the brink of insanity on more than one occasion obsessing over the Christmas card photo, card choice and personalized signatures. In our family, photos have always been a point of contention. E and I take pictures of everything on every occasion. One of us, who shall remain nameless, absolutely does not enjoy having his picture taken. He is patient enough for exactly one photo. Heaven forbid, someone has their eyes closed in that first one. After that, all the politeness and good manners his momma taught him fly out the window. You would think by now, he would be used to it. No such luck. But thankfully, he does give me a little bit of a pass when it comes time for Christmas.

So, much to his delight and to alleviate all the stress of the annual Christmas photo shoot this year, I have chosen a photograph that was taken during a summer photo shoot. Let me explain. As an expression of gratitude for D serving as the Georgia Food Industry Chairman the past two years, the organization arranged for us to have a family portrait taken and then presented the portrait during the annual convention in July. Well, if you know me at all, you know there is no greater gift I could be given. To me, pictures of my family are priceless. I was thrilled.

So I was super excited about this session. Let’s just say my excitement didn’t rub off on everybody. But, hey, it was out of my control this time. I could blame this photo shoot on someone else. Yea! So, one very hot June afternoon, we all coordinated our outfits and headed out to a local lakeside park for the adventure. And an adventure it was. We met the photographer there and she proceeded to check and recheck lighting and background details. If you can imagine, we are finally all in place . . . so hoping she takes these photos before we all melt into a puddle of sweat . . . stuck together . . . trying with all our might not to force a smile. Ready . . . set . . . . . wait. We watch in disbelief as this guy, carrying his bright red cooler and his lawn chair plops down right beside us - pops open a cold one and settles in for an afternoon siesta. How in the world could he not have seen what was going on and thought just for one small second that he might be in the picture? Sometimes you just have to laugh.

Also, as a part of the Christmas card experience, I find it very important for each of us to sign the card with our own handwritten signature. Just a weirdness of mine, I guess. So sometime during our Thanksgiving weekend activities, we’ll all gather around the kitchen table and pass the cards around. I call it family bonding time. The boys just call it halftime of the football game.

Well, I have already ordered my cards this year, with E’s help. She worked tirelessly with me half a day last week accomplishing this goal. Thank you, sweetie. Without her, I would not have been introduced to the world of photo card creation on the internet. Names like Winkflash, Snapfish and Shutterfly could have been just some weird breed of mascara, amphibian and annoying insect for all I knew.

We kinda got carried away this year with the card creation. I hope we haven’t gone over the top. I guess you’ll have to let me know when you see it. Until then, consider the importance of staying in touch with your family and friends this Christmas season. It is so much fun getting those cards, photos and letters out of the mailbox during the month of December. Happy writing!

Mystery Trip

Okay, okay where to start. My precious, adorable daughter who is one of my biggest (maybe only not sure) blog fans has been giving me grief about my lack of posting the past few days. I’m really not sure why, she has been with me almost solid for the last three days and then wondered why I didn’t have time to post? Go figure.

So hang on for the next few days, you are going to be bombarded with our life’s randomness. So much going on I hardly know where to start. But let’s go back a week or two. My precious husband had been cookin’ up a trip somewhere for the past several weeks as a surprise to me. He is the best – he loves to surprise me and it drives me crazy. But not crazy enough for me not to enjoy it! I was told to pack comfortable shoes and clothes for warm weather. Hmm . . . didn’t sound like we were going to the beach or north. So where do you think we went? To see the Mouse. That’s right! Disney World. It is the happiest place on earth, you know. And we are after all, big kids. This trip was also a surprise to his Mother. After we boarded our plane in Atlanta, D’s sister and her husband joined us, flying in from Nashville. You should have seen her face. Priceless.

Okay, even if it is central Florida, wouldn’t you think it would be a little cooler than 95 degrees the last week in October? Oh. No. It was hot! And humid. I would stand in front of the mirror every morning working on the hair only to have it go flat and frizzy the minute we stepped outside. But who cares? It was all about being with the family, having no decisions or responsibilities for five days, eating waffles shaped like Mickey’s face and dessert with every meal (we had to, okay, it was included with our meal plan) and enjoying everything Disney. We rode the rides, watched the fireworks and parades, strolled through the exhibits and even went to the Hoop De Doo Review! It was great! You have to admit, Disney knows how to do it right. And even though it was scorching hot, the lines were short and the air conditioning was our friend.

I get tears in my eyes right now thinking about how my precious man spent hours going over the details of this trip, careful not to spoil the surprise for me and his mom. All because he wanted to have this time with his family. Honey, you did great. I loved it . . . and I love you.

Soup Swap 2009

The Monday night girls have hit upon a wonderful new tradition! Last week before Bible study, we inaugurated our very first Soup Swap! In case you might not be familiar with this phenomenon, please let me explain. Each of the girls brought a crock pot filled to the brim with their favorite soup as well as storage containers. I provided corn muffins, tortilla chips, drinks and dessert. Once everyone and their soup had arrived, we took a few minutes to sample each one. Let me just say . . . yum. The girls had truly outdone themselves. First, a choice had to be made as to which one would fill our bowl for that evening. But, no worries, everyone would leave with one container of all the soups. We now would have enough soup for a week’s worth of meals. How great is it to come home on a cool day to great homemade soup!

The following soups were represented: Chicken and Wild Rice, Vegetable, White Chicken Chili, Potato, traditional Chili, Beefy Minestrone, and Taco Soup. Each one very different from the rest but equally as tasty.

Soup Swap 2009 really could not have been more fun! Let me just tell you, it will definitely be repeated with this group. It is, dear ones, a great idea for your next girlfriend get together!

What I Love about November!

Yes, I have been gone from blog land for well over a week for good reason and we’ll eventually get to that. But first things first, it’s time for the first of the month “what I love” post. So without further ado . . .

1. Marketplace is this month – this weekend actually at the Gainesville Civic Center. The Preview Party is Thursday night and tickets are still available. Friday’s hours: 9:30 – 6:30 and Saturday’s hours: 9:30 – 5:00. Tickets are $5 and children under 12 are admitted free. Complementary valet parking and a parking shuttle will be available. It’s a great way to get a start on your Christmas shopping and benefit a good cause.
2. We have a wedding this weekend we have so been looking forward to. It is outdoors (praying for beautiful weather) at a private home that could not be a more beautiful setting. So excited!
3. Since I am an only child, many years ago two of Darrell’s aunts were kind enough to adopt me as their sister. I am so blessed! These two women are just fabulous. On Sunday, we will be celebrating with my “oldest sister” at her very first grandchild’s shower. I think that will make me an adopted great-aunt? Not sure. Anyway, I do love babies . . . and showers. It’s a boy so we are deep into all things blue. He’s scheduled to make his arrival mid-December so my sister is personally considering him the best Christmas present ever. As she should.
4. Our Handbell Choir has had a slow start this fall so we can hardly wait to ring together on November 15th. The song – “Blessed Assurance.” Oh, and is it ever beautiful. I’m constantly amazed at what amazing music a dozen people and three octaves of handbells can make. We will also be ringing during the Christmas season and to me, it’s just doesn’t seem like Christmas unless we play “Carol of the Bells.” Love it.
5. I will be celebrating a big birthday this month. That’s really enough said about that.
6. Did I mention that my son will be home the entire week of Thanksgiving? GSU didn’t get a fall break as many of the other schools did which makes me happy because he gets to come home for almost nine days. Woohoo!
7. Okay, it goes without saying how much I love Thanksgiving. It may be my favorite holiday. - after Christmas, and the 4th of July, and maybe Easter. Hmmm . . . I can’t decide. I love them all. Why do I love it so much? It’s a day when we can just stop and thank God for the many ways He continues to bless us. A day when we can spend with those we love. A day when D’s mom totally outdoes herself. I’ve told you before what a cooking rock star she is and so on Thanksgiving, it’s incredible. This year, our daughter has requested that after the big meal, we all go see the new Sandra Bullock movie, The Blind Side. While I don’t know much about it, it does contain Sandra Bullock and football. So maybe we can’t go wrong.
8. What can I say? The day after Thanksgiving shopping. In the past few years, this has become a family tradition. This is the drill: On Thanksgiving, my girl and I gather all of the area newspapers and pull out the sale papers – lay them all out in front of us. And analyze. Cost compare. Double check with our shopping lists. Map out our path. And go to bed early. Because we must and I mean must, be at Chick-fil-A for breakfast when they open, usually around 6:30 A.M.!! Yes, it is confirmed . . . we are crazy. We know. The key to this whole experience – you have to have a strategic plan. If you don’t, you might as well not go. You’ll just be ill, mean, rude and ugly. You know you’ve seen those people without a plan. Trust me on this one, strategic planning is the key.
9. This year, the entire family is loading up and heading down to the ATL for the big ballgame the Saturday after Thanksgiving – Georgia vs. Georgia Tech. We have a little inter-family rivalry going on so this could get interesting.
10. Family. Togetherness. Blessings. I am so thankful for the people God has allowed in my life. I have absolutely the best husband, children, parents, in-laws, family, sisters, and friends that a girl could hope for. And that truly is what it’s all about.

Happy November to You!

Wonderful Weekend Activities

The Iron Roses took a road trip way up to the top of a mountain at Big Canoe yesterday to tour one of the most beautiful homes I’ve seen in a long time. This gorgeous home is Atlanta Magazine’s 2009 Mountain Dream home. Just the master suite alone is 1,500 sq. ft. of loveliness. I could have curled up by one of the five fireplaces in this house and been content for days. Now it is a long winding road up there but totally worth the drive. And admission is free! It runs Thursdays through Sundays from 10-4 now until November 15th. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon.

Tomorrow, Sunday, October 25th, afternoon if you’re looking for something fun to do, check out the

Food for Thought – A Tour of Kitchens
To benefit Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Inc.
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Six homes featuring their beautiful kitchens will be on the tour. Chefs from area restaurants will be preparing their specialties at each home. You know this is my kind of event – beautiful homes . . . food . . . I’m there.

It's Been a Week!

So sorry I haven’t been in touch lately but it has been a whirlwind of activity in my little world lately. I’ve hardly had time to sit down much less write about it. I literally have about five big projects going, three different studies, and a host of responsibilities that it seems only I can accomplish. Such is the life of a woman! Let’s hit the highpoints since the last time we talked.

· The Monday night girls and I had a great time together this past Monday. This night found us discussing the very serious subject of loving our husbands well, what it means to be a godly wife, respecting our men and the art of submission to God first and then our husbands. This was a great time of authentic and transparent sharing of our triumphs and struggles. Call it sheer relief, but we about laughed ourselves silly. I really don’t know what came over us except maybe it was the realization that we aren’t rowing alone in the marriage boat. Somehow knowing we’re all piled in there together brought us great joy!
· I am in the process of a fun decorating project for a client right now. This is a start-from-scratch, blank slate of a room. I’ve just started collecting fabrics and paint chips, making furniture choices and brainstorming rug, art and accessories needs. Put me in a furniture or fabric store and I might never come out. I am continually amazed at the creativity of folks that devote their lives to creating beautiful things, whether it be fabric, furniture, art, jewelry, clothing, whatever. Our God is a God of creativity to be sure. Think about all of the amazingly beautiful things He created. I am so thankful that the Creator allows us to share just a little glimpse of that.
· I was at the Mart all day yesterday with a friend on a buying trip for the hospital gift shop. Whoowee –a day at the mart is a day of mixed feelings. First, the nagging feeling that we aren’t spending our own money. This is money that is filtered through to go to the betterment of the hospital system. We must spend responsibly. Second, the overwhelming feeling from the vast amount of product choices available. We must make wise choices. And the exhausted feeling of hitting the high points of three, 18 floor buildings. We must wear our comfortable shoes. I, however, did find it necessary to make a personal stop at the jam-packed costume jewelry store. Now, I find this store fascinating. . My friend, however, gets the jitters at the overwhelmingness (that’s not really a word but it works for me here) of it all. But it is totally worth it when I came out with a multi-strand pearl necklace and bracelet, a brown necklace and two pair of earrings for $40. $40 for heaven’s sake. Totally worth it.
· After that long day, I treated myself to heart-to-heart talks with two fabulous friends. Both of these women are truly spirit lifters which I needed because the body was weak, believe me. Many thanks to both of them for listening to my words and my heart. They are prayer warriors of the serious kind and I’m just thankful they allow me to walk this journey with them.
· On top of everything else yesterday, my battery died on my car. Died . . . dead . . . at the Circle M while I was making a half sugar-free-french-vanilla-cappuccino-half-hot-chocolate stop. My poor husband had to come over and jump the car off while everyone in the parking lot getting gas and in the store getting who-knows-what, looked on. This nice young man, bless his heart, must have thought he was doing his good deed for the elderly as he came over to assist D with the procedure. I couldn’t help but smile as I was standing there as the center of attention sipping my above mentioned concoction. Oh the joy brought from life’s little annoyances.
· This morning I was deep into the book of Esther with a dozen ladies and Beth Moore. The session was on time and timing. And don’t you know I needed to hear that. While I could go on and on about that – I don’t have . . . time.

My husband has a rare afternoon off and of all things, has a wild hair, and is out there in the garage cleaning. I better go since I am, after all, his helpmate, the Bible tells me so. I’ve always thought that really sounds like something to do with a chess game (no disrespect to God’s Word intended). D may get carried away and starting throwing away my yard sale treasures. I better go check . . . mate.

Family Weekend at GSU

I only have just a minute to catch up you up on our weekend. We headed down below the gnat line on Friday afternoon to enjoy Family Weekend with our boy. G is in Statesboro but we waited too late to make our reservations so we were “forced” to stay in Savannah. While it goes without saying that the highlight of our weekend was the time we spent with our son, we so enjoyed being in the beautiful city of Savannah. While I didn’t see Ruby or Paula, don’t think for one minute I felt cheated. This town is so beautiful. Friday night we had dinner with our boy, his girl and her parents in a City Market cafe then took a leisurely stroll along River Street enjoying the brisk cool evening. It was delightful. I couldn’t help but wondering “if these walls and streets could talk” what great stories they would tell. The juxtaposition of the new with the old in this town is just fascinating.

Saturday we spent the day in Statesboro (“the boro” as the locals call it). We hadn’t seen G’s new apartment or met one of his roommates so we were thrilled to be able to do both. Then we did what every parent in this town was doing – took our child shopping. It was chaos. Now I love to shop but great goodness, we could hardly move in TJ Maxx. But we toughed it out and were successful in adding to G’s wardrobe. Then it was . . . drum roll please . . . game time. Let me set the stage: College – Football – Fraternity – Tailgating. You get the idea.

G was great about including us and introducing us to his friends. And hopefully we did nothing to embarrass him. Except maybe when my chicken sandwich flew off my plate and hit one of his buddies in the leg (it was windy, okay). We did go to the game – for about 30 minutes. Then it started to rain so that was that. We took a unanimous vote and decided to go meet some friends at a local restaurant and do what every die-hard fan does when such happens. . . watch it on tv in a warm, dry comfortable place that serves sweet tea, chicken nachos and key lime pie.

It was a great being in the midst of my boy’s home away from home; to see a snippet of what life is like for him there. We had a great time.

I Squealed with Delight!

I admit it. I confess. I am a magazine junkie. Honestly, I could read magazines all day. So imagine my delight yesterday when I was at the grocery store and spotted the new Southern Lady Holiday Issue. Oh. My. Goodness. I put that thing in my buggy so fast it would have made your head spin. I practically skipped out of the store. Now keep in mind I had company coming yesterday and I knew I wouldn’t have time to even look at it until late last night. But I had to have a quick fix. So I dug it out of my shopping bag as soon as I got in the car and at every stop light, I looked, oohed, aahed. It truly is a work of art.

I am a total Southern Lady magazine compulsive . . . and a Christmas compulsive. So you combine the two into one issue and my heart skips a beat. This magazine is pure eye candy. Even the advertisements are gorgeous. I don’t know the editor of Southern Lady, but I like her. In every issue on her editor’s page, there in big bold letters is printed Proverbs 31:10.

Now, I have not had time to leisurely devour each page but when I do, I’ll let you know. I can hardly wait.

Entertainment Tonight

I love to entertain. I love to have family and friends in my home on a regular basis. But that hasn’t always been the case. It used to make me really, really nervous – probably because of my perfectionist tendencies. You know, you want everything, and I mean everything to be perfect. But I eventually sat myself down and had myself a talkin to. I said, “listen, girlfriend, perfection is not going to happen around here so get over it.” Get over the fact that I don’t have that chair recovered in the great room, that I didn’t have time to run the vacuum, that I didn’t make a homemade dessert. That is totally not the point of entertaining. The point is to welcome people into your home, sit around the table together and enjoy some great fellowship – to build or enhance relationships.

Sounds like I’m in my comfort zone now right. I thought so too. Until today. D invited some friends over for dinner tonight. He knows them quite well as they have had a close business relationship over the past several months. I, however, did not know them as well and okay, I admit, my perfectionist tendencies were out of control! Not only were they coming for dinner but they were coming mid-afternoon to discuss some issues that are very important to our business. So that meant I had to have most of the meal prepared by 3 as well as have some hors devours out for us to snack on while we were talking. Now, don’t get me wrong, these folks are great. We love them. It was totally me, just me, who was putting the pressure on myself. So feeling totally overwhelmed I did what any good hostess would do – I sat down and put my feet up for a minute. I opened the laptop to an entertaining blog I read regularly. There in big bold letters was what I needed to see – “Hospitality is not about having the best, newest or most beautiful. It’s about sharing your heart and home with others.” Amen, sister. Got it.

So, all that to say, we had a fabulous time with these new friends. I took a deep breath and enjoyed every minute of it. I want them to come back next week. Just in case you were wondering, this is what was on the menu:
First - Shrimp Cocktails. I may be biased but our store has the absolute best shrimp in their seafood market. I even hung those babies on the side of my cute little bowls like a professional.
Main Course – filet mignon. Since D didn’t want to stand in the rain while these were on the grill, we cooked them on the stovetop in the grill pan. If you don’t have a grill pan, you should. It will change your life.
Baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon/honey butter. Here’s your tip for today. Soften a stick of butter; then mix it with about 2 tablespoons each of cinnamon and honey. Put it in one of those cute little glass butter jars they have at the Targets. (wish I knew how to post a picture – I would show you) and put it back in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. Yum! Baked asparagus. This is super good and super easy. Just drizzle asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic sea salt. Put on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for about 12/15 minutes. I love it – I eat these like French fries! And a fabulous salad complete with the last of the home grown tomatoes.
Dessert - sad news. There was none. These folks are on a sugar strike so I did not want to tempt.

So, I challenge you today, step right out of your comfort zone and invite some folks over. Share your heart and home with others. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Love is in the Air

Please tell me y’all remember that 1977 disco song by John Paul Young. “Love is the air . . . everywhere where I look around . . . love is in the air . . . every sight and every sound.” Sound familiar? Yes, I did my fair share of dancing around the disco ball in my day, mostly to songs I really don’t care if I ever hear again. But this one I actually really like. I’ve been humming it all day. Maybe because it doesn’t have anything to do with being a brick house, igniting a disco inferno or going to the Copacabana where music and passion were always the fashion. Wow – sorry, how did I get off on that?

Love is in the air. In the past 24 hours, I have had the pleasure of sitting down and planning with two brides who are marrying within the next two months. Somehow, I just can’t help getting caught up in all the excitement of planning such a wonderful day. It just energizes me! Both of these couples are so special. Both are maybe, you might say, a little older than the average marrying age. Now I really didn’t know what the average marrying age is so I went to the trusty Wikipedia, where all random facts are found. It says the average marrying age in the United States is 27.7 for men and 25.6 for women. Interestingly enough, the oldest average marrying age is in Greece – 35.3 for men and 29.2 for women. Isn’t that fascinating? Don’t you wonder why that is? I bet I know - in Greece, they have that Grecian Hair Formula so nobody really knows how old they are because all of their gray is covered up!!

Obviously, I really cannot stay on topic today. I think I’ve had too much tea from Chick-fil-a.

I’m just going to take my random thoughts and go. I’m off to meet my accountability and prayer buddy. Surely, she can keep me on track. She certainly has her work cut out for her tonight.

Scripture Memory

A few weeks ago I gave my Monday night study group this challenge – to memorize a verse or passage of Scripture before we complete our 9-week study, which should be around the end of November. Really, this is as much a personal challenge as it is a group one. I need to memorize Scripture - that is all there is to it. I need to know it and speak it. So I am calling you all to be my accountability partners as well. I will be back to you by the end of November typing these verses from memory.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers (sisters), in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2.

To my Monday night ladies – we can do this!
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

The Birthday Meal

When given the choice between going out to his favorite restaurant or having his momma cook for him for his birthday dinner, guess what that boy chose? Yep, some good home cookin from mom. I chose all of his favorites and it was a menu of southern comfort food if there ever was one.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf. I created this recipe combining my traditional recipe with inspiration from Paula Deen’s recipe. Her recipe calls for mayonnaise. In your meatloaf? Yuck. Needless to say, I didn’t add it. But to make up for the deficit in the calorie department, I topped it off with a few of those fried onion rings. Yum.
Party Potatoes. This takes your basic mashed potatoes and adds butter, sour cream, cream cheese – topped with bacon bits and shredded cheddar. E made these - amazing.
Macaroni and Cheese. Classic Southern Living recipe. The best.
Broccoli and Cheese Casserole. When I married D, I also married the cookbook from his family’s home church. Lucky me. There is absolutely nothing better than this church cookbook. I’ve used it so much, it is now held together by a giant binder clip. My children always request this dish.
Fresh-from-the-Grandparent’s-Garden Green Beans – oh, heavenly day, these are good. And were undoubtedly the healthiest thing we consumed.
Sister Schubert’s Yeast Rolls . That’s right, I let the Sister make these and she never lets me down. These can be found in your friendly local grocer’s frozen food aisle. Melt in your mouth.
Dessert. Well, my boy is not a dessert eater. A trait he did not receive from me. So he let me pick out the dessert. What did I choose? Yep, the Harvest Apple Pound Cake – topped off with 20 big candles!
As you can see, we consumed our fair share of fat grams and calories but it was worth every one of them. A most happy of birthdays.