For the Love of the Bling

If it's one thing I love it is some costume jewelry.  I mean it gives me great joy to go to the Mart and come out with a bag full of baubles for cheap.  As you might remember I went to the Mart last Thursday ( I think I might have mentioned how fabulous it was) and I was on a mission.   Well there is a jewelry store there called Golden Stella and believe you me, this Stella is Golden.  As in, she is the fabulous mecca of all things costume jewelry.  If Stella doesn't have it, ain't nobody gonna have it.   I had seen this on Instragram and fell in like with the whole look.   

That monogrammed bracelet is gorgeous but what I was crushing on was that bling-bling bracelet beside it.  So I marched myself right into Stella's with my photo in hand and asked for said bracelet.  Low and behold, look what mama came home with!  It should be noted that the blingy two-tone watch is also a Mart purchase.  Total expenditure for this entire look: $25.  That's right, 25 American dollars.  It should also be noted that my two buddies came home with the same bracelet.  I mean who in their right mind could resist it?    I know, right? 

 
 And that, my friends, may have been my favorite purchase all day.  Well, that and that pocketbook I got.  I tell you what, I'll show you that next week.  Stay tuned...

I Know This is Random

Over on Beth Moore's website yesterday, she started this blog conversation about finishing the sentence, "I know this is random but . . . " I think I spent an hour reading all of the fascinating responses to this post about all of the random things that people love . . . smelling their dog's breath (really?), reading when raining outside (love that too), baby's feet (oh yes, without a doubt), office supplies (agreed) and hanging out at a book store for hours (done that). Well, I think I'll play along. Random things I love . . .

1. When my big ole boy calls me "momma" and calls my girl "sister." Melt my heart.
2. Any text message from my husband that begins with "hey babe" or from E that starts, "I've just got to tell you this . . ." Again, melt my heart.
3. When I'm reading God's Word and have one of those "ah hah" moments. When I finally put the pieces together about something and get insight into what God's trying to reveal to me.
4. When the fall issues of magazines come out. What is it about the fall? I want every magazine I see that has fall fashions, fall colors or a pumpkin on the front. I have a stack a foot tall right now that I can't wait to get into.
5. When one of our brides says with tears in her eyes at the end of her wedding day, "thank you. It was so much better than I ever imagined." Oh.my.word.
6. A scone from Panera. That's all I'm going to say about that. And maybe a caramel apple latte from the coffee shop at Books A Million. Trust me.
7. When every single time I see my mom (every time) the first thing she says to me, "honey, you look so pretty."
8. The caramel apple hand soap from Bath and Body Works.
9. When my house is clean.
10. When my jeans aren't tight.

What about you? What random things make you smile?

There She Is

I cannot believe I posted yesterday and didn't say a word about the Miss America pageant Saturday night. I'll just be honest, watching the pageant makes me miss my girl. Back in ye olden days when she was at home, we were faithful watchers of the pageant together. We would discuss who had the best hair (or biggest), the best talent and without a doubt, the best evening gown. It was a bonding experience of sorts.

I had forgotten about it and was watching the Falcons game with the boys. Then . . . I get a text from E - "I'm watching Miss America." Whoa. Hold Up. You're what? I spring for the bedroom, turn on my electric blanket and settle in. So since my girl wasn't right upstairs, we did the next best thing and texted back and forth through the entire program. Here's a sample:

"I think the bob is the new pageant hair-do" (which I decided was a myth because none of the girls with the cute bob made it to the top 10)

"Some of these girls have a little meat on their bones. I like that." (We like girls who look like they eat more than a carrot stick a day)

"These dresses. Love the first. Hate the next three." (We have strong opinions about evening gowns)

"I just noticed that Miss Delaware is wearing a wig. Impressive." (She had a disease that caused her to lose her hair as a child)

"Wow. A ventriloquist?" (And a yodeling ventriloquist no less)

"Miss Nebraska is the youngest Miss America ever. Born in 1993." (The snow boots I wore just last week were older than that)

So, Miss Nebraska is the new Miss America at the ripe old age of 17 years old. I just can't imagine if I had been Miss America at the age of 17. I thought going to the Dairy Queen was a big deal back then. I did, however, have good sense about evening gowns. I wore a Gunne Sax to my senior prom. It was The.Bomb. With or without a crown.

The Weather Outside is Frightful

Why yes, the weather is a little on the frightful; no, not that bad, maybe just a little on the nervous. The wind is blustery (I have always wanted to use that word. It's one that seems only the meteorologist have right to but hey, I can assume the identity on this blog) and there is some precipitation in the air. I'm supposed to go up in the mountains tomorrow to Unicoi State Park to meet with their site manager about a wedding we have there soon. But believe you me, if it's snowing, I'm not going. No need for unnecessary travel, I always say.

Okay, so what's new? D and I had dinner at Roosters Friday night and it was awesome. I love that place - the chicken quesadillas were to die for. After that, we went to see"Nuncrackers" at the Holly Theatre in Dahlonega. Honestly, the best part of that whole trip, other than those chicken quesadillas, was the walk around the Square. It is gorgeous, I tell you. Love that place. Oh wait, there was something else that was amazing - the milk chocolate turtles that we got at Paul Thomas Chocolates on the Square. Somehow, I had totally missed this little chocolate shop on the Square before but I won't miss it again. Those turtles - think manna from heaven.

Yesterday I spent all day, ALL day in the kitchen cooking up baked goodies as a gift for our Handbell Choir. Here is what was the on the menu:
Graham Cracker Bark
Cream Cheese Fingers
Orange Tea Cakes
Peanut Butter Fudge
Pecan Pie Squares and
Drum Roll please . . . . I have created my own cookie. I know. Who knew? I'm calling it "Crevolyn's Christmas Cookie." I know not that original of a title (unless you consider my name which in it's own right makes it original) but I'll be doggone if this cookie wasn't pretty darn good. Especially, for something I created my own self. I'll share this recipe pretty soon. Trying to decide if I should get some sort of patent on it or something. D says they don't patent cookies - I think they should.

Today . . . Well, can I just say our church service this morning was beyond incredible. I tell you, if you didn't feel the Spirit of Jesus this morning in that Sanctuary, you must have slept through the entire thing. The handbells :), the choir, the solos, the orchestra but most of the all, the sermon . . . awesome. Tom spoke on Joy, having the joy of Jesus. He brought it to the table, I tell you. So good.

I'm sitting here for just a few minutes before I've got to get right back out in the cold and head over to the Limestone store for the joy of some children's voices. The Enota Elementary Show Choir (65 voices!) is sharing a special performance right in our store this afternoon. My good friend, Sheila, is their very talented director and I wouldn't miss it for the world. After that, D and I are headed out to do some shopping for our Secret Santa family. While I won't go into much detail here, trust me when I say, I am so burdened for this family. Alot of folks have alot of troubles. Maybe we can relieve just a few of their worries for a little while. That is my prayer.

By the way, because I know y'all have been on the edge of your seats about this, we still have no Christmas cards or picture to go in it. What is wrong with me? Not sure this is going to happen this year and if it doesn't, it's not the end of the world. Just the first time in 25 years that we haven't sent a Christmas card. Can I live with that? Hmm.

Have a good Sunday!

The Long and Short of It

You know it's that time of year when you are in such a flurry you don't know exactly where the time goes. This week has been full of the usual for this time of year - working, shopping, wrapping, and cooking mixed in with a little (or alot) of time spent in the Windowshop. We were there on Monday, Tuesday and went to the Mart on Wednesday to buy for the shop. Folks keep buying and we keep stocking it; trying to make it look attractive. It very well could be a full time job if we let it.

And in between all that, I am trying to do my real job. We are working with three of the sweetest brides ever who are all three planning weddings for next fall. But . . . right now is when all the decisions are being made on things such as vendors, colors, and venues. Their save-the-dates are going out and they are on top of it. They are wanting things done and done right which, by the way, is the way we do things.

Just a couple of things that I think you may need to know in absolutely no order whatsoever.
1. First of all, I just want you to know how much I love the wrapping paper that they sell at Hobby Lobby. Love it. It has lines on the back for cutting and on top of that; it's thick but not too thick; and it is just plain beautiful.
2. I have bought the best Christmas presents this year for my family and friends. I cannot wait to give them their gifts! There is nothing I love better than to give someone something that they love. I am surrounded by good "gift-givers" in my family so that really raises the bar in the whole gifting area. I wish I could tell you about them but I happen to know that at least three of the recipients are frequent readers, so I'm gonna have to keep my mouth shut on this one.
3. I said this last year and I'll say it again, Harry Connick Jr.'s Christmas CD is fabulous. I love it so much.
4. As you know, I'm just not that into politics but I do have an interest in who is elected and what kind of, how should I say this, moral foundation they have. D, on the other hand, reads about it, listens to talk radio about it and watches tv about it. I get worn out with the whole thing in about oh, maybe 15 minutes. However, when I saw the email come through from the Chamber about the Eggs and Issues Breakfast Meeting this morning at the Civic Center, I knew I wanted to go. Our new governor-elect and Lieutenant Governor were both there as well as most of the elected officials from our area. Our governor-elect and Lt. Governor are both from Gainesville which honestly, is pretty amazing when you think about it. As I sat there and listened to all these men speak, I thought about several things.
It's a pretty thankless job.
It comes with alot of risk to the person in office as well as their families.
You have to know alot about alot of stuff. I sat there thinking, how do they know all of this information about all of these issues, serve on 42 committees at the Capital and still have time to run businesses and raise families?
I just know, my prayers go with them as they attempt to make a better place for us, our children and the generations to come.
5. Do you not love getting Christmas cards in the mail? I love the ones with photos. Just makes me smile. We attempted to have our family photo made over the weekend and that was pretty much was a disaster. So I may just have to live vicariously through those of you who send me super awesome pictures of your families this year. If the mood strikes, I might attempt it.
6. I get to go on a date with my husband tomorrow night! I'm so excited. This has been a really, really stressful week for him at work so we are going to forget our troubles and drive up to Dahlonega, have some supper and take in a local theatre production. The play is "Nuncrackers" and if it is anything like it's predecessor, "Nunsense," we should be in for a treat. I'll let you know.
7. It is cold. Cold, cold. Honestly, I don't mind the cold as long as we don't have snow, ice or anything resembling them. In my opinion, the cold just makes the fire warmer, the house cozier and the Christmas tree brighter.
8. My boy has one more final in the morning and then he is done for the semester. Let's just say this has been a most trying couple of months for our family and I'm ready for a fresh start. The boy has persevered through some tough circumstances and for that, I could not be prouder of him.

Well, that's it for now. I've got some cooking to do and I better get in there and do it.
Until tomorrow . . .

I Did It All for the Cupcake!

Greetings, dear friends! Yes, I'm back from the left coast and let me just say, it was fabulous. I told D I would totally live in San Francisco if it weren't in California but in Georgia. But I guess that might cause it to lose part of it's charm. I have tons to tell you and some great pictures but that will have to come at the first of the week when I have more than five minutes to talk.
Once we landed back on Georgia soil (thank you, Lord), it was full speed ahead for me since E and I had a wedding this weekend. Can you believe it? But, thank goodness, we were just assisting with the ceremony and I was able to clear my vacation head to think clearly. Not that I ever really think clearly. And if you asked E if I was thinking clearly this weekend, she might disagree. Let's just say, I had my moments.

Anyway, we got back around midnight Thursday night. Guess who was at our house? Oh, yes, that big, ole sweet handsome boy of mine. Woo.Hoo. I could have hugged his head off. To say I was glad to see that precious child is an understatement. I think after being gone for a week, seeing your loved ones just takes on a special meaning. Do you know that feeling? Okay, anyway. Our flight was delayed and the time change makes it an all day trip. I'll have you know when I got home, since I was still on Pacific Time and it was only 9:00 p.m. in San Fran, I emptied my suitcase, put it away and did two loads of laundry, all before laying my head on the pillow.

Friday morning was spent finishing the laundry, running some errands, and having lunch with my boy. Friday afternoon was spent wrapping my head around all the wedding details and heading out to the rehearsal that night. All went well and we were headed home by 8:00. I came home to an empty house (my husband had gone to the local high school football game) so I took full advantage of it. I put on my pajamas; turned on "Say Yes to the Dress" (muted); got out the new In Style magazine (fall issue - amazing); and tuned in on the radio to listen to the above mentioned football game. The son of some of our dear friends is the starting quarterback for this team and I just had to hear how it was going.

Then, Saturday morning was the big event . . . oh yes, the 5K Cupcake Challenge in Clermont! D and I, E and N were up bright and early, raring to run/walk and at the starting line at 8:30 a.m. E took the best pictures with her phone before the race (fyi -it's always better to take photos before the race). She sent them to me through email just like she thought I knew how to get them to this blog from the email. She clearly overestimates my technological intelligence.
N is like a running machine and practically ran the whole thing by the time I got around the first block. E was amazing too. She finished really quickly. Me, well, I'm pretty much slow as Christmas. However, I shaved about 14 minutes off my time since I did the last 5K in April. BUT, the star of the show was my husband! He won 2nd place in his age group!! (Age group will go unmentioned) Oh yes, he did! And he has a "City of Clermont" mug to prove it. :))

After the race, I ran (not really) back home, got ready in record time and took off to the wedding. And it was beautiful. Gorgeous chapel and surrounding grounds in the rolling hills of North Georgia. Beautiful bride and handsome groom. Like I said, we were just assisting with the ceremony so I was back in Gainesville by 4:00. Knowing my husband would not be home from work for hours, I took the opportunity to stroll through Target. I mean really, there is no better place to clear your head than the aisles of Target. Oh, and it did not disappoint. I got a pair of boots that are killer! And I got a top and a dress - yes, at Target. I'll have to post pictures. It is that good. After that, I came home, cooked supper and crashed.

Got to run. My momma and my boy are coming over for dinner tonight and I gotta get in the kitchen. Just a couple of my "after the race" pictures! Oh, yes and I forgot to tell you - we really did get a cupcake after the race! E and N got red velvets and D and I got key limes. I ate every last crumb. Really, if you're going to run/walk 3.2 miles, the least you can do is celebrate with a cupcake!

Did Y'all Know?

While you might not think this is big news, this is HUGE news for me! Gotta share, gotta share! Are you ready? There is another "Say Yes to the Dress" . . . and it's in Atlanta!!!!! So guess what, Kleinfields NYC you got nothin on us because Bridals by Lori right down here in beautiful Sandy Springs, Georgia is the new home of my favorite show! Well, Yea! and WooHoo! Can you tell I am just a little more than excited about this?

What I'm not as excited about is that I think I may have missed the premiere on Friday night. If nothing else interferes, I usually reserve Friday nights for my SYTTD marathons, but last Friday we were at the farm and it didn't even enter my mind. But I may have a safety net because our DVR is set to record all of them. I'll have to check that tonight and if it's on there you better believe I'm gonna be glued to it instead of the alternative which I'm sure you are aware is The Bachelorette. The Bachelorette just makes me crazy - I get nervous and embarrassed for those poor guys. Stresses me out completely. But for some odd and surprising reason a bride trying on tons of wedding dresses, some twice; in a store full of hundreds of dresses in all shapes, sizes and styles; all the while arguing with her mother, sisters and bridesmaids; constantly documented by an unseen narrator; while salesladies bicker in the background; with Randy constantly telling them what they should have done all along . . . does not stress me out at all.

UPDATE! I paused this post while D and I ate supper and guess what was on my DVR for my viewing pleasure? Yes, indeedy - SYTTD Atlanta! And it did not disappoint. Randy was not assisting these Southern brides but not to worry because Monte was on the case! It was awesome! But let me just give you this spoiler alert, there was more than one "oh my gawwsh, Ah thank thees ees maa da-reess, yaa'aall."

I am sure, however, that I do not sound like that. :)

Tie It Up with a Bow!

I'm not really sure if I can adequately tell you how funny this whole scene with my husband just played out but I'll try. When I got home tonight, he announced that he had made a shopping trip to the Belks today because he needed some shirts . . . and when he got there they had ties 50% off take an extra 40% off so he got ties too. Hey, this pot can't call that kettle black because as you know, I totally get that whole mentality. So, he goes in the bedroom and comes back with the bag. Dark blue shirt . . nice. White shirt . . . good. New ties . . . okay. Then, he gets out this something wrapped in tissue. Well, I've been to the Belks many times and I'm not sure I've ever bought anything that they wrapped in tissue. Needless to say, I'm intrigued. Now let me just preface this by saying that I have known my husband for over 26 years and never in all those years has he ever expressed an interest in owning one of these. Never. Much less interest in wearing one in public. So just guess what he purchased with his hard earned money? He got a bow tie. A. bow. tie. My mind immediately started flashing images somewhere between Winston Churchill and Pee Wee Herman. Stop - don't even go there I thought. So with an open mind I asked . . . "why?" "Well, I thought I might try something new" he said. "Do you know how to tie a bow tie?" I said. "Nope. Sure don't but I can learn."

You know I just have to love a man who's not afraid of a fashion challenge. Life's short. Live on the edge and all that. Nope, my husband won't succumb to petty peer fashion pressure. A rebel. That's what he is.

So he proceeded to go to the place where all useful and essential information can be found: You Tube.
And found Mr. Lucky Levenson (I am not kidding) from Columbia, SC to tutor him in the fine art of bow tie tying.

Now as far as the fabric, it is really nice. Blue and yellow paisley which in itself is masculine yet summery and chic.

So, here we go. Nope. Didn't make it on the first try.

Or on the second try. But closer.

Or the third try. And apparently this face had to go along with the whole look. I just said a little silent prayer that he doesn't make this face when we go out in public together.

And that's what goes on around here. So now between my Twistables obsession and this whole fashion paradigm shift in my husband, I'm sure you're convinced we are one bizarre couple. I will tell you this - there is never a dull moment. And that is exactly the way we like it.

The Biz of Beauty

Okay, girlfriends, have you ever thought about the amount of hair care and beauty products you own? A couple of weeks ago when D and I went out of town overnight, he put everything he needed toiletry-wise in one of those leather cases which is really about the size of a standard shoe box. Everything. I promise you, I had a huge tote bag full of stuff. This whole thing has been on my mind since. This morning I was taking inventory in the shower - shampoo, conditioner, Dove soap, body wash (both have their distinct purposes), razor, two exfoliators and some "body silk" that has the same scent as my perfume. Okay.

Then I get out of the shower . . . I put on deodorant, self-tanner (still trying to maintain that fake tan you know), body lotion, face lotion, foot lotion (thicker) and perfume and that is all before I put on my underwear. Have mercy. I use four different products just for my teeth. And I haven't even started with my make-up. I counted. I used 12!! (that's a dozen) different products to put my face on. Then I have about five to take it off at night. No wonder this is a gazillion dollar business. Then there is the hair. Oh the hair. Since mine wants to curl up and frizz like the devil with all of this humidity, I have to have products to control such. I use Frizz Away, Frizz Ease or something such as that. Then I have the styling foam, the spray shine, and of course, the hairspray. Not to mention keeping the hands and feet looking presentable. That is a whole other product category. Oh, I just gotta tell you, I am getting risky these days - I tried a new nail color on my fingers: Tropical Punch. I think I liked the name as much as the color. Kinda makes me feel like I need a drink with an umbrella in it.

Is it just me or do you feel this? I think I single-handedly keep the beauty business afloat and I do not use all of the things that are available. If you've ever gone up and down the aisles in a place like Ulta, you know what I'm saying. It is mind boggling. Now, I will tell you that if I had an endless supply of money, I might just buy one of everything and give it a try. Except those lip plumpers. They scare me.

Blog Launch!!!

You know they say that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, so is true for "the apple of MY eye." Okay, I know that is a bad analogy. What I'm trying to say is that my precious girl has begun her own blog. Who knew that this outlet would be contagious in the family?

So, without further ado, I am proud to announce the launch of E's blog:

http://www.backtomyskinnyjeans.blogspot.com/

I don't want to take away her thunder but as you might have guessed from the title, she's blogging about her exercise and weight loss journey. You will want to go check it out. While I haven't mentioned it much on the blog, I am on the same journey. Honestly, it's one I'd rather not take. It began on March 23rd and to date I have lost 31.2 pounds. I 've come a long way but I've got a ways to go. I began my journey with a good friend and honestly, without her love and support I'm not sure I would have made it. She was and continues to be a great supporter, encourager and cheerleader. My husband has been fabulous as well. He eats everything I fix without complaint and encourages me constantly in my progress. I'm trying to do the same for my girl. By the way, my good friend has already reached her goal weight and looks fabulous!!

This is the deal: I've always loved to eat. And then once married, I discovered the joy of cooking. While I'm not a gourmet cook, I love to try to new recipes and cook the Southern way. Unfortunately, I enjoyed it too much. So much so that not only did I become overweight and unhealthy but , and this is the worst part, I passed this on to my girl. The men in our family are somewhat immune to this however D has lost some weight since I began my new regimen, has been running on a regular basis (training for the Peachtree Road Race) and overall, feels much better. G has always been tall and thin but even the "freshman fifteen" stung him. It didn't last long though and he lost it his sophomore year. Why is so easy for boys to lose?

So, on March 23rd I began a total transformation in my eating habits. I cut out carbs and now eat only lean meats, salads, most vegetables and protein shakes. I'll be the first admit that it wasn't easy. Why? I had been carb addicted. It's tough kicking a long-established addiction. I'd also been Diet Coke addicted. oooh. That was almost as bad as the sugar. You know I'm a girl who loves nothing better than her chocolate chip cookie and a Diet Coke. The program I'm on allows you a little protein bar (i.e.heavenly sweet snack, manna from heaven) after the first two weeks. I drink lots and lots of water and the occasional unsweetened tea.
Oh, this is interesting. I went through the drive thru yesterday at McDonalds to get a large unsweet tea (which is only $1, comes in a Styrofoam cup and is what I use to fight off the hunger pains) and the sweet girl at the window told me that they sell twice as many unsweet teas as they do sweet now. Isn't that interesting that in Gainesville, Georgia unsweet outsells sweet tea 2 to 1? At least at that McDonalds it does.

In addition I'm exercising consistently, mostly walking on the treadmill or track with D and doing a little weight lifting. I've discovered that I can listen to an entire Andy Stanley or Francis Chan podcast while walking. It's great. When they're done, I'm done. About 45 minutes and I've walked over 2 1/2 miles.

I'll have to admit I enjoy shopping alot more than I did. I went to one of my favorite stores TJ Maxx last night and discovered I could get my rear (the biggest part of my body) into a significantly smaller size than what I had been wearing. Never one to celebrate alone, I sent E and D a text message to tell them! It was a small and huge victory all at the same time. By the way, the clearance aisle there was amazing. I got a pair for Calvin Klein black linen pants for $12. TJ Maxx love.

So there you have it. Go check out E's blog and keep up with her progress!

I love this!

This is my quote for today (so true for this girl):

"When I stop talking, you'll know I'm dead."

I'm Still Here!

Happy May!

In case you thought I had kicked the bucket, I'm just checking in to let you know I'm still around. I have so much to tell you it will take days. But I promise I will get back to you as soon as I possibly can. I just have so much to share: our last two weddings, the recipes on the What's for Supper segment, exciting news about WEC, a trip to the Fox Theatre. Heavenly day, life has sure been fun lately!

Stay tuned . . . regularly scheduled programming will return very soon.

I Did it!

I did it! I walked the 5K tonight in 53 minutes! That is 3.1 miles in less than an hour. You should have seen E and I - we sprinted to the finish line in order to not go over that 53 minute mark. Too funny! This may not sound like a major accomplishment to some but to me - it was a big huge deal! Exactly one month ago today I began a weight loss and exercise program. To date I have lost 16 pounds. And I kid you not, it is undoubtedly one of the hardest things I have ever done but so well worth it!

Thanks to my sweet daughter for being my inspiration and encourager to walk the 5K. Thanks to my dear friend Tracy for being my encourager, sounding board and supporter along the weight loss journey. I have a ways to go but I'm going to take the lead from the Old Testament's Daniel and have resolve! I'm determined. I'm gonna make it.

It's Wednesday

Well, it's Wednesday and I thought I would be Nashville this week with my sweet husband enjoying some reading, eating at good restaurants, relaxing, and maybe a little shopping. But unfortunately the business of the world, at least our little world, got in the way. Actually the legislature of the State of Georgia gave D an invitation he couldn't refuse. So there you go. My vacation plans were over-ruled by a bunch of politicians. I can't decide if I should be irritated or thankful for the opportunity given my husband. Okay, I'll be thankful.

D is never one to be shy about speaking out for what is right and just. And there is something going on in the retail business world that is neither right or just. So given D's connection as the former Chairman of the Georgia Food Industry Association and an independent business owner, he was asked to speak to this issue at the session today in Atlanta.

I'm going to ask him to guest post and possibility share of little bit of his testimony here. I could try to tell you about it but I'd probably wouldn't get the details right and end up dwelling on the fact that the Country Music Hall of Fame was calling my name. D is the informed political mind in our family partly out of necessity for the business but also out of sincere interest. He even reads political journals in his spare time. What in the world? Consider me perfectly happy that Southern Lady, Southern Living and InStyle do not report on the price of commodities in China and how that affects global warming and whether or not they had a summit about it.

Makes you wonder how I got through business school, doesn't it? I know that's what you were thinking.

I Eat My Words (Again)

Edited to Add: I totally forgot to tell you the very best thing that happened at the Hawks game. If you've been, you know that during timeouts and between quarters they play games and do fun stuff. Well, during the first half, they had a young lady out on the court to play the Home Depot Higher-Lower price game. Well . . . this young lady was on her third price guess, when they flipped the card over to reveal the question . . . "Will You Marry Me?" And there behind her, down on one knee on the court was her boyfriend holding a ring. The Jumbotron was flashing "will you marry me?" and the crowd went crazy! Awwww. That, by far, was my favorite moment of the entire evening. Romantic that I am. I actually started crying and I didn't know these folks from adam's house cat. Since my husband would clearly not understand these emotions, I sent E a text message to tell her all about it. Thanks to her, my femininity was affirmed and all was well.

I have about half a second to tell you that I totally take back my lukewarm attitude about the Hawks experience last night. Shame on me. The game was great. The "entertainment" at timeouts and half time was excellent, the food in that suite was exceptional, . . . so I have to eat my words. I will write one time: I will not be less than excited about a Hawks game ever again.

We are leaving in 15 minutes to go to Alpharetta for dinner with E and N and then onto see Josh Turner and Alan Jackson!!! WOO! HOO! Pictures and details to follow.

Enjoy your weekend!

10 More

Last week, or sometime, I did one of those 10 random things posts. If it's one thing I do have, it is some randomness in my life. And if that isn't all well and good, I'm always glad to share it. I'm an over-sharer like that. So . . . y’all may not give a hoot or a holler about this, but give me a break, blog subjects aren’t always the easiest thing to create.

10 more random things about me.

1. My husband and I had our first date on January 10th, got engaged on March 22nd and married on June 2nd – of. The. Same. Year!! (1984)

2. On our honeymoon, we missed our plane and when we got to our destination they had already closed the luggage office with our luggage locked inside. Now if you’re following me here, you are understanding that we had no luggage on our wedding night and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

3. My first car was a 1975 orange Chevrolet Camaro. Yes, I said orange and it had a white vinyl top and it was totally awesome and I wish I still had it. I could tell you some adventures surrounding this car while in high school, but my mom, inlaws and/or children might read this. So I won't.

4. My second car was a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am - just like Burt Reynolds drove in “Smokey and the Bandit.” Except mine was white with a blue bird on the hood. All the college boys wanted to go out with me just so they could drive my car. Interestingly enough, I had the same boyfriend for all four years of college. He drove my car. We broke up the week after we graduated.

5. My favorite dessert is hot chocolate chip cookies and very cold milk.

6. As I’m driving in the neighborhood at night, I like to look in people’s houses when their lights are on and you can see inside. Not in a weird way – just to see how their houses are decorated. Okay, that may be weird.

7. One of my greatest joys in life is giving someone I love a gift that they love.

8. I cannot stand flip flops because that thingy between my toes drives me insanely crazy.

9. I only paint my fingernails OPI Red or OPI Dutch Tulips. I wear Red from about October through February. Then switch to Dutch Tulips from March through September. Kinda surprising given my personality, isn't it?

10. I love to talk to my children while in the car. I call it having a captive audience. No music or radio. Just good ole conversation going down the road. While this wouldn't necessarily be categorized as random, it just reminds me of my love for my children - more than words can even begin to express. Those two young people are the absolute joy of my life. A mother's love, no one can fathom. Just gives us a glimpse of our Heavenly Father's love for us. Amazing.

If My Garmin Had a Southern Accent

I read this the other day and it cracked me up. It is so true.

What if My Garmin (GPS) had a southern accent? Your directions might go something like this . . .

Honey, I'm terrible with directions. I'll have to give you directions from my house, since that's the way I would normally go. You know how to get to my house, right? Y'all came to the Sunday School Christmas party last year, although that was at night, and if you're like me, I'm terrible with directions in the dark. Plus, I don't drive at night since I had my cataract surgery.

So, you'll have to bear with me while I try to give you directions from my place. Okay, you pull out of my drive like you're going to Winn Dixie, but then you turn before you get to the stoplight. I think you turn left at the light. You'll have to sit there a sweet forever because that light is so long, and don't go when school is getting out or the speed limit is 25, and that crossing guard will shake her finger at you. You know, she has been a crossing guard for nearly thirty years? She really should retire because the arthritis has been giving her fits.

Turn there at the light and go past the Cut 'N Curl until you see the pretty yellow house with the black shutters. That's Louise's house. This time of year she has the prettiest bedding plants, but I don't think she's planted any yet, you know, because of the weather we've been having.

When you pull into her driveway, be sure not to park near the old tree. She lets her dog go over there and one time I got out of the car and stepped in something awful and ruined my good shoes I got from Steinmarts. They were on sale, too.

When you see her, tell her I said,"hello" and ask her how her mama's doing.

What's that?

You need directions to Gladys' house?

Oh, I have no idea how to get to her house, but I heard she's already planted her bedding plants and you know they're going to be ruined with this weather we've been having.

And she doesn't have a dog.

Copied from http://this-aint-new-york.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-wrote-post-reviewing-our-weekend-and.html

10 Things You Might Not Know

Today on Beth Moore’s blog she listed “10 Things You Might Not Know.” So I’m going to follow Beth’s lead and blog about 10 random things you might not know about me.

1. I once sang on stage with Porter Waggoner at the Williamson County Fair.
2. I have talked on the phone to John Denver – a major highlight of my life, by the way.
Both of the above events occurred while I was working for an advertising agency during graduate school in Illinois. This also was the one and only time my boss tried to date me. That’s a whole other story for another day.
3. I didn’t get my ears pierced until I was 22 years old.
4. At age 5 I threw my “Sunday” shoes out the car window because they hurt my feet. When my dad saw what I had done, my feet weren’t the only thing that hurt. I will never ever forget it and to this day do not throw shoes that hurt my feet out the car window.
5. I eat only the pecans and cashews out of a can of mixed nuts – drives my husband crazy.
6. I love to dance. However, I am horrible at it and only do it on selected occasions (or when nobody's watching).
7. The first time I saw Steel Magnolias I cried so hard when Shelby (Julia Roberts) died that I got hives.
8. I once totaled a parked car.
9. I love, I mean I LOVE babies feet.
10. My favorite part of the day is when my husband and I sit down together after dinner and talk and snuggle. And I always say to him, “have I ever told you this is my favorite part of my day?” And he always says, “yes, you have and it’s mine, too.” Love that man.

I'm such a Phone-y

Okay, I admit. I am crazy about my new phone. Now, you have to know my phone history to appreciate how far I’ve come. About a year ago, E and D took me to lunch under the pretense of a pleasant meal at Zaxbys. However, once there they told me that they had brought me there for a phone intervention. They said, “Honey/Mom, you will not be allowed to return home until you first go with us to the phone store for an upgrade.” But I love my Motorola flip phone that I’ve had for six years, and it only takes me 10 minutes to send someone a text, I said. I’m really okay. You know, change is always scary. But I reluctantly got in the car and went with them to the store and came out with a Blackjack that I soon warmed up to. Yes, texting was definitely a breeze compared to ye olden days. I learned a long time ago if you want to communicate with your young adult children, you must learn to text. So that feature was definitely a plus. Now I had taken that first step and had ventured out into the world of new phone technology. As I was feeling fairly confident about it, my gaze was caught by something with even more features and wonders. Oooh, I sure did like what I saw. But no, I couldn’t justify it. After all, I had stuck with Mr. Flip forever and now was I really going to dump Mr. Jack after only a year for something that could do practically everything but wash my hair? Am I really that fickle? Yes, yes apparently I am.

D had asked me a couple of times what I wanted for Valentine’s Day. You know, it’s a fine line between being subtle and getting something that you really would like to have. He is just a great gift giver because he usually listens so well and remembers what you said you would like to have. But this time, I was straight up and straight on. I want what you have, honey . . . I want an iphone. He knew I did because I had been practically drooling over his shoulder at his for several months.

So ladies and gentlemen, I am the proud owner of this new piece of technology. It’s pretty amazing. Warning to non-iphone users to avoid you a yawn and a snore: I’m going to talk apps for a minute so if you’re not into it, you have my permission to be excused.

My favorites (these are all free):
Benjamin Moore Color Capture. Allows you to snap a picture of any color inspiration and instantly match it to any one of the 3,000 hues in the BM system. Cool, huh?
CheckPlease – you just put in the total of your restaurant check and the percentage of tip you want to leave and it calculates the tip and total. Very handy.
Sudoku – supposedly this will help with my brain function. I need all the help I can get.
All Recipes –This is my favorite! I love it! E told me about this one and I am hooked! I love the AR standard website but I think this app even trumps it. It has what it calls the “Dinner Spinner.” You choose the Dish Type, Ingredients and “Ready In” time. It spins like a slot machine in Las Vegas and comes up with recipes to match your choices. Super cool!
Words with Friends – it is an ongoing Scrabble game that you play with others. Right now, E and I are playing and she is beating me – bad. I have a Q, F, D, A and 2 Hs. Have mercy.
One final one – the Kindle app. As you probably know because I have blabbed on and on about it, I have a Kindle that I adore. Well, last Friday I got an email that there was a Kindle app to go on my iphone. Get this - I can sync my Kindle with my iphone and read from both places. The screen on the iphone is so small compared to the Kindle that I wouldn’t do this on a regular basis but it just might come in handy while waiting in a waiting room or for Mother to shop at the Belks.
What are some other cool apps? Let me know.

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.