Musings of Melanie

Moved!

2010-12-28T06:25:00.001-08:00

I moved blog homes!! I joined Alabama Bloggers and moved my blog to a new address.

Come visit - http://queenofmyuniverse82.blogspot.com/

Halloween

2010-11-03T18:33:00.001-07:00

I just realize how long it has been since my last blog. Oops! But here is my Halloween update.
My parents invited us out with them to a Halloween party they were attending. Bobby and I didn't exactly dress up. I was Fuddy and Bobby was Duddy. But we had a blast getting my parents ready and spending the evening with them and their friends.

One thing about their friends, they always treat you like you are their best friend and give you such a warm welcome.

We spent Saturday night before Halloween at a party with my parents. Bobby and I did not dress up so we went as "Fuddy" and "Duddy."

It was a lot of fun helping my parents get ready. My mom had some pretty awesome socks.

I handled the white makeup and mom handled the eye liner but Dad actually did his own lipstick.

My mom is allergic to face paint so she used a TON of green eye shadow. I think she looked great.

Dad as Dracula and Mom as the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz

Mom was tired of waiting for karaoke to start up so she sang along with the Glee soundtrack from my ipod.

She finally got on stage.

Mom and her buddies - Michelle and Nicole

My dad with three (out of four) of his favorite ladies...of course me being the most important. But somebody had to take the picture. :-)

Top 2 in the Costume Contest
Freddy Krueger (Michelle's son Corey)

And the winner! My dad.
I was so proud!

Birthday Bama Game

2010-09-12T09:15:00.001-07:00

Bobby and I were excited to attend the first game of the 2010 season. It was a beautiful day and ended with a great victory over San Jose State.

We were excited to see the Walk of Champions which featured statues of Alabama coaches with national championship victories.

Coach Bryant's wall was full of years!

Coach Saban's statue isn't up yet and I'm hoping his wall gets full!

/We found a tree to hang out under right next to the quad. It was breezy and a perfect place to people watch.

New South Endzone. Beautiful!

Alabama 48 San Jose State 3

Roll Tide!!!

Outakes

2010-09-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

I have learned from working with kids that you snap as many pictures as possible. Not every pictures is going to be ideal for family framing because kids are active, fun, and very opinionated little people. Last weekend I spent a couple of hours with a group of kiddos...all of whom I absolutely adore. These kids are hilarious and I captured some pretty crazy moments. Here are some outtakes....

He was not happy but he's still so stinkin cute.

Baby Gage is so funny. He's learning and feeling his way around the world and he makes the funniest faces!

I told Nicholas to kiss Brooklynn...she screamed. I'm pretty sure her dad would be proud!

He was still mad at us. But all was well when his best bud, Brooklynn, arrived.

We lost Brennen about half way through. He's sooo cute even when he's sleeping.

Brooklynn is crazy about her baby cousin, Gage. I think she tried to give him a kiss and he slapped her. Gotta love little cousins.

New Lens Means Torture for the Dog

2010-09-10T13:01:00.001-07:00

After much bribery, the dog was finally still for 5 seconds while I took his picture. My new lens is a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Prime lens and it is soooo different than the EF-S 18-55mm, f3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens that came with my camera. It is going to take some getting used to. Can't wait to practice!

Meal Plan Monday....on Tuesday

2010-09-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

I am a day late but at least I'm making a menu for this week. We were horrible last week! We MUST stay on track!

Sunday - Spaghetti

Monday - Labor Day Cookout

Tuesday - Chicken Mess

Wednesday - Tacos

Thursday - Dinner out with the in-laws

Friday - Possibly Out....going grocery shopping.

Meal Plan Monday

2010-08-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

We did not follow our menu very closely last week! So, let's try again!!

Sunday - Chicken Skillet Mess (from last week)

Monday - Sloppy Joe's (class night so Hubs is making Manwiches!)

Tuesday - Grilled Chicken Salads

Wednesday - Chicken Casserole or I'll pick something up since it is my birthday!

Thursday - Grilled Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and other random pantry items

Friday - Out. We will probably pick up groceries for the long weekend and grab something easy.

Saturday - Out. We are going to the Alabama game!!!! Very excited about this!

This week looks like a mess! But, we'll see what happens!!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-08-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hubs and I are trying to make a conscience effort to eat healthy and stop eating out so much. This week, we shopped together and made our menu. Then, to help us stick to our word, I printed a menu and put it on the fridge. This will help us stay on track (hopefully!).

Monday - Cheeseburger Casserole. Tonight is class night for me so Hubs will scramble the meat for me to assemble the actual casserole when I get home. Will post a recipe later. This is a favorite of my family's since I was a little girl. And soooo easy!

Tuesday - Chicken Mess. Isn't that a horrible name! This is a fun recipe that a friend gave me. It is full of veggies and flavor. Will post a recipe on this one as well.

Wednesday - Dinner with in-laws. Class night! Hubs is eating with his parents and bringing me a plate home. This week is roast, potatoes, and carrots. YUM!

Thursday - Easy Red Beans and Rice. This is such a quick and easy dinner for us.

Friday - Dinner out with My Family. Mom's birthday = mexican food!!

Photo Moments

2010-08-21T19:27:00.001-07:00

Got to hang out with this handsome guy on Tuesday night.

My in-law's cat...or the cat that rules my in-law's home. His name is Lynx.

I LOVE pickles. Especially on barbecue sandwiches.

No explanation needed.

Sweet girls from Tuesday's shoot. They are precious and full of personality. And, they are best buds. Maylee and Adi.

Weekly Photos

2010-08-10T20:14:00.001-07:00

I took this a few months back. He used to say "cheese" every time I had a camera then he used to run away and now he just accepts that I always have a camera attached to my face.

My books for the Fall semester have arrived! I'm taking Urban Sociology and am mega excited!

Just finished this book. Very sweet story. Deanne Gist is a Christian author and always tells a sweet story usually set in the late 1800's.

Two of my favorite spices in my cabinet!

Yes...I am almost 28 years old and I own a box of crayons.

A Picture Everyday??

2010-08-02T22:09:00.000-07:00

I am reading a highly recommended photography book and I follow a website for photography beginners. I have been absorbing as much information as possible. I love it! One thing both sources said to do is to get daily exercise with my camera. The goal is to take a photo a day. I decided to post them on a weekly basis and go from there. The first set is random pictures from the past few months but starting tomorrow will be my first official day of "exercise."

Our "niece" Ella Kate. Sweetest face ever!

Our other "niece" Ava. HUGE personality! Such a doll.

From a cake tasting event for Heavenly Assorted.
Look them up on Facebook. Great people. Delicous Cakes. Creative, fun, unique designs.

I love this kid. He's getting too big!!

Strawberry Bread. Delicous!

Stacie Grace - daughter of an old friend. Sweet, quiet, calm.

Panama City Beach and my love.

Love These People

2010-08-02T21:40:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Bob and I spent the evening with some very special people. It was a celebration of Emily and Nicole's birthdays. These friends are the ones you can not talk to for weeks or months and it is like you were never apart. They are all so warm and friendly and hilarious. I seriously have never laughed as hard in my life as I did last Saturday. We all gathered at Emily and Tyler's home for food and a crazy game of BINGO.

Emily, Michael, and Katie
Can you tell Emily and Katie are sisters?!?

This family is extremely talented and they have recently taken up various string instruments.
Emily and Ginny showed off their talents (sort of).

Tyler's mom indulged both Emily's new hobby of guitar and mandolin with her extreme obsession with all things Twilight with guitar books for the soundtracks to the first two movies. She was ecstatic!

Nicole LOVES the outdoors and even has her own camper! She just purchased a new camper and is decorating it with Scotty dogs. Her "mom" got her a stained glass scotty for the camper window.

Ginny can play any instrument she picks up. It is really sickening!

So...this family plays a hilarious version of Bingo. The winner of each round gets to choose a prize from the table. The prizes are white elephants gifts that all of the players have brought. Each prize can be "stolen" twice before it is frozen with that last person. It is really amazing to watching people fight over a used board game or cooler. I had completely horrible luck. As evident from the picture above, I went a whole round without any of my numbers being called. Bobby, who had never played Bingo in his life, had beginners luck and won two rounds. Although, I did get a prize for a clean sheet.

Katie snagged a very coveted prize - a kite! Bobby really wanted this kite, again because he has never flown a kite in his life, but couldn't steal from sweet Katie.

One of the loudest, fiercest competitiors was Tyler. He was hysterical - as always.

I am not sure Michael won a round either! But, as always, he was so cheery and so very funny. He has the most recognizable laugh ever and you can't not laugh when he does.

She's Growing Up Too Fast!

2010-08-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I took Katy for some shots. I can't believe how grown up she has become almost overnight! When Bob and I got married, she was our flower girl. She was a tiny little 9 year old and now she's a permit-carrying 15 year old. How tie flies!

Bad Blogger

2010-06-19T23:29:00.000-07:00

For the past three months, I have been a very bad blogger. Also for the past three months, I have been in the strangest kind of funk imaginable. I woke up one day a few weeks ago and said "enough!" I jumped headfirst back into photography, crafts, renovations, etc.

What we have been up to....

1. After months of a jam-packed schedule, waking up with nowhere to be or nothing to do on a Saturday was a nice treat.

2. The renovation we started in March is about 85% complete. Just waiting on Bob to finish one more thing and I can hang frames and blog about before and after pictures. Then onto the bedroom and my office!

3. NOTHING! I have spent lots of time in front of tv or just laying around reading. I discovered an Austrailan show called McLeod's Daughters and I was addicted. And, my new favorite author, Charlaine Harris, has several series of mystery books. I love her writing and her stories.

4. We became Losties. After dabbling in Seasons 1 and 2...we became addicated around season 3. We actually spent an entire day in our pajamas and managed to watch every episode in Season 5. So, now was are waiting for Season 6's dvd release and trying to stay away from spoilers.

5. I starting reading some random hilarious women's blog and she had craft projects. I began to search for various projects. So far I have made cake plates using Mod Podge and have a half way finished picture frame that will soon become a dry-erase board

6. I have jumped headfirst back into photography and am really working towards getting to know clients. I launched a facebook business page - that means I'm legit, right? I'm still learning but having a blast.

7. I have learned that the right decisions are not always the easiest ones. In fact, they can be completely heartbreaking. But, I know more than ever that God is the ultimate comforter.

8. We spent 6 wonderful days in Panama City Beach, Florida. It was beautiful and relaxing. Bobby wants to move there. Tomorrow. He even looked into real estate.

9. We have jumped into bulk shopping and I LOVE it. Our cabinet looks like an aisle at Walmart. We have also tried new recipes...trying to branch out both on our taste buds and my cooking skills.

10. I desperately want a new hairstyle and have been on the search for the right style/cut/color. No such luck yet. To cut or not to cut??

Easter

2010-04-07T17:26:00.000-07:00

We spent Easter with our sweet friends, Andrew & Andrea. I took Ava an Easter basket with candy-filled eggs (gummies actually) and a cute summer dress. It didn't even matter that this was her first Easter, Ava threw the dress aside and went to shaking the eggs.

We commented how everyone had on their spring colors. The boys looked particularly good in their matching shirts and ties. After a delicious lunch prepared by Andrea and Andrew's Mom and Sister, the boys got silly and posed like a JCPenney catalog page.

Pretty girls!!

Nicholas Turns Two

2010-03-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

My sweet bud Nicholas turns two this week and will be celebrating at Disney World. Last weekend Amanda threw Nicholas a birthday party. Its theme - Winnie the Pooh. Nicholas LOVES Pooh!

We found a card that would sing the Winnie the Pooh theme song. Nicholas LOVED it. He was so shocked when he opened it and it sang to him.

Nicholas' cute cake. Amanda did a great job with lots of fun food and decorations.

Nicholas and one of his many faces.
I had a great time visiting with this fun boy and his family to celebrate his birthday. It is so funny to watch these babies grow up and become little people.

Bobby found Nicholas a super fun little playset (a castle with knights, a catapult, and drawbridge) but I bought the kiddo a few outfits including this shirt with a little monster and it says "Hungry." This definitely describes Nicholas.

Faces of Ella

2010-03-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

I love this baby.

Another Bobby Quote...

2010-02-05T07:53:00.000-08:00

Late in 2008, my cousin introduced Bobby to his coffee maker - a Keurig. It was a brand new on the market (at least in our price range) and Bobby fell in love! He had been wanting one and we had been waiting for the price to come down some or at least that was my excuse...until my parents bought one. Bobby couldn't stand it. So, on a Sam's outing back in December (on New Year's Eve to be exact), we bought a Keurig.

These coffee makers are very interesting in that you only brew one cup at a time. Here is a quote from the company's website:

"The word "keurig" is derived from the Dutch word for excellence, and it is our promise to you. Excellence guides everything we do, from our patented single-cup brewing technology, to the gourmet brands of coffee and tea that are packaged in our K-Cup® portion packs, to our customer service.
Today, Keurig® is the leading single-cup brewing system in North America-for both At Home and Away From Home. Now, you can enjoy a fresh cup of gourmet coffee or tea, and hot cocoa Keurig Brewed® in less than a minute, without any set-up or clean-up. Keurig's popular coffee, tea and hot cocoa brands offer hundreds of K-Cups® to choose from, so everyone can have their favorite variety."

So, Bobby drinks way too much coffee each day because of this contraption. He loves it. He named it. Klyde.

Last night we were talking about our vacation in May and Bobby says "Umm, can the Keurig go on vacation too? Because if it doesn't go then I don't go!" That's my Bob.

Coby and the Canon are not friends...

2010-02-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

So, my new camera came in today. Since I don't have children and it was dark so there was no going outside, I tried out the new camera on Coby. He was not impressed. I also uncovered him and woke up him for this impromptu photoshoot.

"What do you want?"

"I am old and tired. This is about as energetic as its gonna get."

"Ok, I'm finished now."

"Nooo moooore pictures!"

"Human. I said no more."

"I am ignoring you. You are nothing to me."

Ella Kate

2010-01-03T12:10:00.000-08:00

Our sweet niece was born on December 10th. She is not actually our niece but since Bobby and his best friend call each other "brother" so its only fitting at we are Aunt Mel and Uncle Bob.

We have both completely fell in love with this sweet little girl and definitely are getting into the habit of spoiling of her.

As soon as we arrived at the hospital, Jimmy took us back into the NICU to meet Ella Kate.

Jimmy and his sweet baby

Jimmy was able to stay in the nursery while Ella was bathed and fed

Bobby took him a sub sandwich and we even talked through the glass via an Etch-A-Sketch.

Ashley finally got to meet her sweet baby about 5 hours later and we were so thrilled to be present and celebrate Ella Kate's arrival

Ella Kate and her Aunt Kaley

Uncle Bob getting to hold his niece

Beautiful Girl!

Three weeks later....New Year's Eve

Ella Kate hung out in her seat while Ash and I made desserts for our New Year's Celebration at the church. It is amazing how much she has changed in just three weeks.

Friends Christmas Party

2009-12-27T17:29:00.000-08:00

Before Christmas, we got together with friends for our annual ornament exchange and dinner. We had delicious baked spaghetti and fetticini alfredo. We had a great time and great fellowship. I sat looking around the room as the kids ran wild and our newest little baby slept and thought about how blessed we all are to have each other for laughter and support.

I think Nicholas enjoyed the box more than the present that was inside.

Jimmy, Nick, and Bobby
and their "mad" faces

Michelle and Amanda

Nick became a jungle gym for Nicholas and Brooklynn

Bobby got to love on our new niece, Ella Kate.

Jones Reunion 09

2009-11-15T17:31:00.000-08:00

The annual Jones family reunion was held this weekend. It is always a lot of work but a lot of fun too. We host around 70+ family members at my aunt and uncle's home in Argo. They have a huge porch and patio which is perfect for everything. And, the weather was beautiful!!

This year we chose to do crockpot meals - soups! We had around 12 crockpots with everything from chili, taco soup, potato soup, vegetable soup, chicken and dumplins, beef stew, and on and on. We had crackers, mexican cornbread, rolls, homemade cornbread, etc.

The dessert table was full as well. My mom made a homemade italian creme cake and a chocolate velvet cake. We also had tons of other homemade desserts like red velvet cake, apple dump cake, cupcakes, and cookies.

My uncle butch (mom's older brother) and his son, Chris.
The event is held at my Uncle Butch and Aunt Elaine's home.

My aunt Patty with her daughter Tara and granddaughter Tanslee.

My mom with baby Caden. Caden is the son of my cousin Jonathan. He is also my grandmother's first great-grandchild.

My cousin Melissa and her daughter Haley. Haley sang a Kellie Pickler song all by herself. I have blogged about her singing before. Melissa and her family live in Jacksonville, Florida.

Cousins - Kayla and her fiance, Chris, Candace, and Matthew

Haley and Anna

Uncle Butch and Uncle Harold (grandmother's brother)

Cousin Angela and her husband, Wayne. They are apart of the Florida family.

Andrea and her daughter Abby.

Matthew

Chris

Mom and Granny singing "When He was on the Cross, I was on His Mind."

Oldies

2009-11-15T17:12:00.000-08:00

In honor of the reunion, here are some oldies...

My grandmother

My mom and baby me

My grandmother and my cousin Matthew

Me and Kim

Trip to the Zoo - 1992
(l-r) Chris, Kim, Andrew, Candace, Me, and Matthew

My mom, her older brother, and younger sister.
around 1965

Fried Cabbage

2009-10-27T18:10:00.001-07:00

A friend of ours recently made us this side to go with steaks. It was fantastic. It is a nice change to a bland boiled cabbage recipe. My husband loves this because of the flavor.

Start by heating 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan.

Shred and wash one head of lettuce.

Place the shredded lettuce into the hot skillet. Add at least one tablespoon of each salt, pepper, and garlic. Then, add more to taste. We like a lot of flavor so I usually just pour it all on generously.

Cook the cabbage for 10-15 minutes until all of the cabbage has cooked down completely.

This is Us

2009-10-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

A random text conversation between Bobby and I today:

Bob - I'm miserable. I'm ready to go home.
Mel - I'm ready to go too! And, I need a coke and I don't have any change
Bob - I'm miserable cause my whole face hurts and you need a coke
Mel - Awww. You are miserable b.c I need a coke and can't get one?
Bob - You are mean
Mel - I was asking a question
Bob -Nevermind. Your not following this conversation
Mel - oooh. so you were saying like you are miserable and your face hurts but all I’m thinking about is my coke?
Bob -Yeah. Something like that
Mel - I found some change

Today's really beats Tuesday's random moment:

Bob - "I don't like you anymore."
Mel - "Well, that's not good."
Bob - "'What's for dinner?"
Mel - "Spaghetti"

The Adventure Begins

2009-10-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Bobby was voted by the members of our church, New Century Independent Church, as our new Associate Pastor. I was so proud to hold Bobby's hand and kneel beside him as our church family gathered around the altar to pray for Bobby and thank God for this new opportunity. I am so very excited to begin this new journey with Bobby. He has such a passion for our church and I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for our lives.

For anyone who knows Bobby, he is usually very quiet and can sometimes be quite a cut-up. It is so fun to watch him preach because he almost becomes another person. You can see the excitment pouring out of him as he speaks. He can't even stand still. I love it.

We have a strong passion to work with youth and young adults. Maybe we will see Bobby's ministry service and our ideas meld together in the future.

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

House Renovation - Guest Bathroom

2009-09-23T22:59:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago, Bobby and I finally started on our long awaited house renovations. Basically, we are giving it a giant makeover. We started with the smallest room but one of the most significant - the guest bathroom.

I was scolded by my cousin for not taking before pictures so my descriptions will have to work for now. This room was not one we spent a great deal of time on when we first moved in. The walls were supposed to be a steel gray and ended up much more like a violet or a bright blue. We really never put any accessories or anything in it.

In our house we have two bathrooms except our master bathroom only has a garden tub with no shower. So, the guest bathroom is used for the shower and then of course guests use it. Before, I was so embarrassed for anyone to use it...I would say "just keep the light off" or "shut your eyes while you do your business." I know...crude.

We painted the walls a tan/light brown color called "Delta Sandbar" for Lowe's Vaspar brand paints. We also replaced the aging, off-white plastic blinds with white faux wood blinds. I couldn't find any at Lowe's so I actually bought these at Walmart for less than $25. They are light weight and really easy to clean. The true white looks SO much better than the off-white plastic ones did.

I had originally found a great shower curtain from ABC Distributing but was VERY disappointed when it arrived. I thought I was going to have to give up my black and white theme until we went to Target. I got this great shower curtain from Target for around $25. It is heavy material and very soft. It is also not see-thru which happens with white fabric somtimes.

This bathroom has a shower with large sliding doors. I hate these doors (they are the frosted kind and I think they are unattractive) but there is really no other option so a shower curtain works great to cover the doors.

We LOVE Hobby Lobby. Well, I probably love it way more than Bobby but he goes in order to ensure that won't end up with extremely girly home decor. We were browsing for a basket or something to hold extra toilet paper and/or wash clothes. This bathroom is tiny and there is no extra floor space. We found this awesome little box that matched perfectly.

Bobby is very much into black metal/iron pieces. That was his job at Hobby Lobby. He said he hates that part of the wall and insisted on covering it. I think he did a great job especially since we didn't have any measurements with us. The box was originally supposed to go on the counter top but it turned out to be just a tad too large.

Hobby Lobby has great sales and by great I mean like 50% off. All the time! Unfortunately neither of these pieces were on sale but they were perfect and still not very expensive.

The frame was a gift from Michelle. She saw my original idea for the bathroom and bought this for my birthday specifically for the bathroom. It says "Live graciously, Love generously, and Laugh often."

We chose chrome for the hardware - shower curtain, towel racks, and toliet paper rack. I really liked how they went with the color. We decided on black and white towels and I think they work really well. We bought the towels at both Target and Walmart...no idea why we did that.

The only thing we have left to do is finish up with painting the trim white and Bobby plans to outline the mirror with a small decorative trim.

I think for our first project this room turned out fairly well.

Worst Blogger Ever

2009-09-08T14:24:00.001-07:00

I am seriously the worst blogger ever. I am lazy and don't want to stop what I am doing to come up with witty things to say about our life. But, here I am recommitting to this monster. Here are some random stills from the Armstrong life -

I love this girl. Ava Brooke.
Her parents are pretty alright people too.

My cousin and I through my grandmother a surprise 70th birthday party. She was so surprised. My cousin made 65lbs of baked spaghetti and I decorated everything in the backyard that stayed still. And, there was karaoke. It was fabulous.

I am teaching Sunday School/Small Group now. Young Adults/Couples. This is frightening.

We start a new study called "Heart of a Renegade King" from 1 & 2 Samuel. I am terrified.

We helped move Jim and Ashley into their new house.
And, we had Japanese with Jim and Ashley.
And, we spent a long Sunday afternoon playing board games.

They are having a baby girl in December. Her name is Ella Kate and she will love her Aunt Mel more than anybody else.

No explanation needed.

Other news:
We bought a new, beautiful television. I know nothing expect it is 46' and beautiful and its a Sony and it came with a free blue ray player....and I wrote the largest check ever to Best Buy.

Bobby will preach again on October 4th and maybe the 11th. I am excited.

I bought new pots and pans/utensils/plates. But, since I came down with the virus from the bad place, the only thing I have been able to eat on my new plates is a chicken patty sandwich. Sad. The pots and pans are from the Paula Deen Collection and the plates are square.

Lastly, I bought an iphone. I love it. I adore it. I don't know how I functioned without it. It is way better than Bobby's (it is the exact same except for my super cute pink cover).

Haley

2009-08-06T12:20:00.001-07:00

My cousin's little girl loves to sing and last week she caught Haley singing in the car. I don't know the song but Haley's rendition is hilarious.

See below for the video!

2009-08-06T12:18:00.001-07:00

Baron's Game

2009-07-17T21:21:00.000-07:00

We spent the 3rd of July with a group from our church at the Baron's game and fireworks. We ended up at IHOP for a post-game dinner. We had a wonderful time and had so many laughs.

Miss Brooklynn woke up from a nap as we arrived at Regions Park and wasn't in the mood to smile for "Aunt Mel" and my brother joined us.

We spent the day babysitting Nicholas so by game time he was exhausted. Bobby was just one person who took a turn rocking him.

Mike and Abby

Amanda and Nicholas

Michelle and Brooklynn

Nick and Bobby

Emily and Tyler's Wedding

2009-06-18T18:24:00.001-07:00

This weekend, Bobby and I attended the wedding of some of our friends. I have known Tyler since he a little boy when I first became friends with his sister, Ginny. Tyler is definitely a comedian and a super sweet kid (ok....so he's not a kid anymore). Emily is a sweetheart who is one of my "Twilight Buddies." Their wedding was held at the Rosewood House in Pinson. The ceremony and reception were completely beautiful and had the backdrop of the beautiful, plantation style mansion.

The couple at the reception. I caught Tyler eating! But, we only had a short time to get in pictures before the dancing started.

I have been friends with Ginny since the 7th grade. Wow...15 years!

I have also been friends with Nicole since 7th grade. Nicole and Ginny became roommates right after high school....they are pretty much sisters from different mothers.
Nicole was a dancing queen at the reception!

Bobby wanted to have his picture taken in his new suit.

Gatherings

2009-06-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

Bobby has been leading our Wednesday Bible study since March. He has been doing a great job and has really opened his heart for what the Lord has in store for our lives. I know that great things are happening and will continue to do so. Here are a few pictures from this past week.

Nicholas is our sweet friends' little boy. He is right at 15 months old.

Brooklynn was so tired.

Our friends, Andrew and Andrea, came and brought Ava. Ava is 5 weeks old!

Bobby gets Ava and will not let anyone else have her.

StadiumFest

2009-04-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend a group from our church attended StadiumFest at Samford University. This event was hosted by Rick & Bubba and the Scott Dawson Evangelical Association. We got in stadium around 4:00 p.m. left about 8:00 p.m. We were exhausted from the heat and walking and we had two sleepy babies with us. They are not estimating that throughout the day, the attendance hit 25,000. Wow. This was their first event and I am looking forward to next year.

A couple of the day's highlights include:

Bobby's first time on a school bus (we were shuttled from parking lots onto campus)
Bobby's last time on a school bus (after we thought were going to die on the shuttle back to the cars - Bobby declared that two trips on a bus was enough)
Eating at AppleBee's and having lots of laughs at our bus drivers expense
Grabbing ice cream for dessert after a long, hot day.

Nicholas resting on his dad's feet

Amanda, Michelle, and Me

Bobby, Nick, and Brian

Snack Time!

Easter

2009-04-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter Sunday. Church was wonderful and the choir presented their cantata. Nicholas and Brooklynn were precious in their Easter outfits.

After church, we went to Bob's parents' house for lunch and an egg hunt with the girls.
My Easter Bunny Cake.

Bobby and Katy

Coby played outside while we hid eggs. Coby loves rocks and once he finds just the right one, he becomes extremely obsessed.

I can't believe how big the girls are getting. Sarah is 7 and Katy is 14. They are sweet girls with such big hearts.

Been A While Randoms

2009-04-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

1. I hate the Flu.

2. I hate shots of cortisone almost as much as I hate the flu.

3. Listening to Lady Gaga makes me feel like I'm on drugs. So strange.

4. My irrational fear of being decapitated is as strong as ever. Maybe a post about this later.

5. We have had so much rain that not only is my grass a mile high but you need floaters to use the lawn mower. It's bad. However, my weeping willow is thriving!

6. Jim and Ash are having a baby. Wow. I found out that my best friends were having a child while I was standing on the dog food aisle at Publix. Therefore, I will call their child Rover until its born.

7. Vacation is booked!! One whole week at the beach!

8. Spring semester is over in one month! (insert Hallelujah chorus)

9. I found a great new chicken recipe and can even make a rough, knock off version of Rice Pilaf. To duplicate Zoe's rice pilaf is my life goal. If I can reach this goal, my life will be complete (forget kids, college, promotions, retirement. it's all about the rice!) Just kidding. But that would be fabulous.

10. Easter is coming up and we had a great message on Palm Sunday.
Imagine being present as Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day. Imagine as they drug Jesus down the streets. Imagine watching the crucification and standing there helplessly. So, heartbreaking! Now, imagine life if Jesus had none rode in on that day or died on the cross. What a sweet savior!

More Movies

2009-03-30T18:16:00.000-07:00

After I came down with flu-like symptoms (that luckily turned out to be pretty rough sinus infection), we continued our movie marathon. The movies below were watched Monday and Tuesday. Some were technically not "watched" but rather were on while I slept. But, here we go...

"You're in America now, speak American" - Sadie Ratcliff (Bette Midler)

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
- Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin)

"The people who hire me, they don't have to be convinced to save their own lives."
- Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner)

"Well, you know what they say: if you don't have anything nice to say about anybody, come sit by me!" - Clairee Belcher (Olympia Dukakis)

"You mistake me, my dear. I have the utmost respect for your nerves. They've been my constant companion these twenty years." - Mr. Bennet (Donald Sutherland)

"Nothing says home like pink doors." - Dixie (Lindsay Hahn)

"Well let's see. I got mauled by a cougar, my Crystal Gayle shirt is ruined...."

-Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell)

"Reverse! Put it in reverse! Reverse! Reverse!" - Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford)

"Which is why I might live longer if I choose not to cross blades with you, noble mouse."
-Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes)

"You wear black 'cause you can't find anything else to wear? You found your sound 'cause you can't play no better? You just tried to kiss me because "it just happened?" You should try take credit for something every once in a while, John." - June Carter (Reese Witherspoon)

Wow...we were couch potatoes

2009-03-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

After Bob felt very sick all evening Friday, we found on Saturday that he has the flu! We spent all weekend laying around the house - Bobby basically parked himself in his recliner all weekend! With lots of orange juice, medicine, and the following movies...hopefully he will get to feeling better soon!

"I'm your huckleberry" - Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer)

"At the end of this day, one shall stand, one shall fall!"
- Optimus Prime (Hugo Weaving)

"See... I tell you I can read minds and you think there's something wrong with you"
- Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson)

"So I'll stand with you, side by side. Until the end." - Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner)

"They call me Cowboy Gil, as in guil-ty"- Gil Buckman (Steve Martin)

" I know exactly who I am, sweetheart. I'm a guy who came a long way for lunch."
- Doug Dorsey (D.B. Sweeney)

"Well, as usual, the Republican comes up with a plan while the Democrat just aimlessly wanders in the woods." - Russell Kramer (Jack Lemmons)

"I've been blown up, take me to the hospital" - Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks)

"Any guy can sweep any girl off her feet, he just needs the right broom."
- Hitch (Will Smith)

Random Picture of the Week

2009-03-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

Our campsite in the Sipsy Wilderness (a couple of miles down the trail). Bob is on the rock, my father-in-law is sitting and Big Jim is standing. This place was amazing and the river was just below us.

Skillet Chicken with Rice Pilaf and Asparagus

2009-03-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

I tried this last night and it was wonderful!

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Poultry Seasoning (lightly dust each piece of chicken)
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
1 cup Rice (not instant; white or brown)
1 cup Asparagus (fresh or canned)
2 cups Chicken Broth (low sodium)
1 tsp Garlic (or small clove fresh garlic)
Salt and Pepper as desired.

Heat oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until lightly brown on both sides.

Once chicken is brown, remove from pan. Add chicken broth, rice, and garlic.

Bring rice to boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Place chicken back in skillet with rice and add asparagus. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes (maybe less. allow the rice to thicken up).

I made this recipe and added a side of green beans and garlic toast. It was so yummy! I have actually never used that much olive oil. The oil and seasoning gave the chicken a very nice taste! Sorry I didn't take any pictures - maybe next time!

Random Picture of the Week

2009-03-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

T and Bob

Sunday Morning Pictures

2009-03-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Bobby carries a tote to church each Sunday. He teaches Sunday School as well as leads a bi-weekly Bible Study. These are the contents of Bob's tote.

Michelle and her baby

Aunt Ash and Jace

Mr. Independent.

An Off Day

2009-03-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

So, I took a couple of days off work. I had planned to clean out our extra bedroom to get things ready for our church yard sale. Yeah, didn't happen. Maybe tomorrow.

Here's a peek into what I did today.....I was planning to meet Bobby for lunch and run a few errands. So, I set out on a country road.I met Bob at a mexican joint - Bob LOVES mexican food.

Here's Bob. Waiting for his delicious lunch.

A sign at one of the local shops. I love it. It makes me giggle everytime!
I bought Bob some new pants at this place. I returned his some other ones to Academy but forgot to take a picture.

Then, I headed home to "clean" the house. Yeah right. But, I made a pit stop at my Mother-In-Law's House. She keeps children. Wild, Insane, Sweet, Adorable, Crazy Children - especially these three. They also happen to be brothers. God Bless their mother.

Top to Bottom:
Landon, almost 5, Don-Don, age 3, and Michael, almost 2

So, I did manage to clean the bathroom and my bedroom. I also mopped the kitchen and cleaned the top of the stove. See, so I was productive afterall.

Now, we're heading up to my MIL's to have some homemade barbeque and coleslaw.

Nice Off Day.

Real Life Quotes

2009-03-11T18:38:00.000-07:00

This is a snippet of a conversation Bob and I had on the way home....while discussing how he felt dirty after work....

Bob: "I wish you had a job where you got your hands dirty. All you have to worry about is ink."

Mel: "That is not true. The other day when we had cake I got icing on my hands."

Random Picture of the Week

2009-03-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

This picture was from...well I am not sure...maybe '87? We were in Panama City (most likely). I have lots of favorite pictures of my dad and I when I was little and this is right up at the top.

Sweet Babies

2009-03-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

Nicholas (12 months), Brooklynn (22 months), & Gracie (6 months)

After church, we thought it would be sweet to get these three together for a group picture. After 8 or 9 attempts, I managed to get them all looking one way (with A LOT) of help from mom's and grandma's. Nicholas is the super sweet little boy that belongs to Nick & Amanda, Brooklynn is Michelle & Brian's big girl (whom I first held when she was only an hour old), and precious little Gracie. Gracie and her parents live in North Carolina and her sweet grandparents are two of my favorite people.

30 Years

2009-03-02T19:38:00.001-08:00

My parents were married on Friday, March 2, 1979. Today, they celebrated 30 years of marriage. I look up to my parents and they have been an example to me over my 26 years. I love the way my dad loves my mom. I love that they sing karaoke together. They love to travel and shop.

1985

I was born in 1982 and was only child for a little while. My brother, Andrew, was born in 1988.

Andrew's high school graduation - 2006

2008

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

The Weekend That Was

2009-03-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

1. I slept until after 9:30 on Saturday. Loved it!

2. I love Publix. It is my favorite place to shop! I should be in their commercials.

3. My parent's anniversary is coming up so I worked on a special project Saturday afternoon while Bobby helped our friend Andrew go pick up their new baby crib (Baby Ava will be here in early May!).

4. Andrew basically flooded the baby's room while cleaning up a massive amount of spilled paint so we took our trusty steam cleaner and helped suck up the water. Well, Bobby helped, I sat in the recliner and looked through Ava's clothes.

5. Our sweet friends took us to dinner for helping (again...I didn't do anything). We had a great meal with good conversation and LOTS of laughs (Gotta love Rich - our waiter).

6. Church was canceled because of the snow. This made me sad.

7. WOW. Lots of Snow.

8. We got up at before 8 am to play in the snow like 5 year-olds. I loved every minute of it. Coby, our dog, did not enjoy any of this. He went back to bed.

9. The only breakfast food we had in the house was pancakes and we didn't really want those. So, since I had laid out dinner for Saturday night and we ended up going out, we made dinner for breakfast. Yes, we had hamburger steaks and french fries at 9:45 in the morning!

10. I spent many hours in front of the television. I was productive though - I worked on bible study stuff, church directory samples, math homework, and did laundry.

Snow Day

2009-03-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

Coby...who did not enjoy the snow at all! He ran right back up the stairs and back into the house.

Our neighbor's dog who was trotting down the road. Probably looking for a warm place to sleep.

Talking to my mom on the phone. My parents are in Gatlinburg for their anniversary and missed all the snow. It has rained constantly since their arrived in Tennessee.

Bobby playing on his mom's playground. He actually attempted to slide and hit the snowy, wet ground.

Leeds does it again...

2009-02-28T12:32:00.001-08:00

I am once again so proud of Leeds High School. The varsity boys beat Madison Academy (72-64) to win the 3A state championship. This team made a school record - the first state basketball championship in Leeds' history. The football team won the 3A football championship in December and I am just one of many proud Leeds citizens today!

Also, as colorful as Charles Barkley can be, he was present to see the boys win. During Barkley's time at LHS, the team went to state but fell in the finals during his junior year. Barkley remains a loyal supporter to Leeds High School (like by providing scholarships to many seniors) and I am glad he was present to see these boys take state.

Congratulations boys!

Gatherings

2009-02-26T22:46:00.000-08:00

Gatherings is an idea that came about one Wednesday night after our monthly church business meeting. After dining on Mexican food-Nick, Amanda, Michelle, Bobby, and I were all talking about ways to grow our church and reach out to our community. Nick asked why we didn't have Wednesday night services. That one question spiraled into the creation of a Wednesday night Bible study, Gatherings. These events are really a group effort by our young couples and we are really excited to begin this Wednesday. Bobby was asked to lead the study and we have already launched a blog to document our weeks. As the young ones in our church, we have felt that it is our calling to grow our church and reach out the young people in our community.

Gatherings came to mind when I needed a fill space on our flyer. I debated over this name and had to present my ideas to our little group on Friday evening. That same Friday, I was busy working and a verse came to mind (from remembering a conversation I had with my mother-in-law). Matthew 18:20 will be displayed on all things associated with this new intiative. It reads, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Bowling

2009-02-15T18:09:00.000-08:00

I have not been bowling in a very long time and I am quite horrible (or so I thought). The youth hosted a bowling outing for everyone this afternoon and we had a great time. I ended up on a lane with Bobby, Andrew (my brother), Amanda, and Kassidy (who is 8). We played three games and I ended up winning with my overall score. I love these people and spending time with them.Bobby, Thomas, and Me

Michelle & Brooklynn

Bobby and Nicholas

(clockwise from top) - Brandy and Becky, Amanda, Olen & Kassidy,
and Becky & Kassidy

Long Time

2009-02-12T20:54:00.000-08:00

Things have been so crazy yet completely routine so I have not had anything to blog about. Bobby and I have been extremely busy with school and we have started renovating our house so that takes up A LOT of time. When I have free time, I want to read or catch up on one of our shows.

In January I told Bobby that I wanted to read as many books in 2009 as I can and go back and look at my accomplishment. Bobby and his dad are huge readers and my mom always has a book with her. Bobby challenged me to start with one of his favorite series by David Eddings, The Belgariad. So, I started reading in January and finished that series (which consists of 5 books) and now I'm right in the middle of the second series, The Mallorean (which also has 5 books). They are definitely a nice break from my calculus and economics books!

We have spent a lot of time with our bests - Jim and Ash. I love these two. We have decided that we are Lucy/Ricky (Jim/Ash) and Fred and Ethel (Bob/Me). Last weekend we helped another couple move. They are a super sweet couple who have the most precious baby boy. We planned to spend a few hours and ended up spending the whole day but it was so nice to help out and they were so grateful. I'm glad they are just minutes away now! They are also new members of our church which is wonderful. And, we had movie-night with our young couples group, we watched "Flywheel" from the same people that produced "FireProof." It was a good movie with a great message. I posted our pictures to our church blog.

Speaking of church, Bobby has been teaching the youth bible study for a couple of months now and has a true passion to see that group grow. Along with our friend, Michelle, we have lots of ideas for our youth and young couples in the near future. One new project....our church does not currently have a Wednesday night worship or bible study so we are gearing up to start a bi-weekly bible study (1st and 3rd Wednesdays) that Bobby will be leading. He is super excited to be able to "teach" others and Michelle and I are looking forward to organizing these meetings. Bobby and I get so caught up in school and being "busy" that we realize that we have a full schedule because we have a full life. We have church responsibilities, work, and school plus family and friend time. I know that we are beyond blessed and I hope to keep a positive outlook as our schedule expands to add these new events.

Other things on the horizon:
- My parents will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary on March 2nd and I am so excited and proud for them. They are going away to celebrate but I'm working on something special for them. No ideas are coming yet but I have a couple of week.

-My baby brother turns 21 in April. While my brother and I aren't as close as I would like - I would do anything for that kid and he knows it. I think my brother is one of the most intelligent people I know (one other being my husband) and I know that if he will just put his mind to it, he can accomplish great things. I guess because I have always felt the need to be his protecter (he's 6ft and built so he really doesn't need my help) that him growing up has such an effect on me. I feel so old!

-Summer/Fall registration! I'm taking an insane month-long calculus class in the summer but I'm seriously looking forwarding to having May and June off!

Pawpaw

2009-01-26T13:58:00.000-08:00

My grandfather, or Papaw, was (and remains) one of my favorite people in the world. He loved all of his grandkids and I loved him more than he probably ever realized. Today, January 26th, is his birthday.

My Papaw was raised in a little country church, one that his daddy and granddaddy helped to build. He had four children with my grandmother - including my mom who misses him so much. Papaw loved John Wayne and Bear Bryant. He loved dill-pickle chips and grapico to drink. He ALWAYS had a tan line (he owned a guardrail and fencing company and was always outside). He always called me Melanie Ann.

I had just turned 14 when Papaw was diagnosed with lung cancer. I will forever remember my mom telling me that Pop had cancer and I will always remember my dad waking me to tell me that my pop had passed away. My heart broke.

I think in the 12 years since his passing, I have learned even more about who my Papaw was and what he stood for. He was not perfect and he made many mistakes but I think that is what makes me cherish him even more.

Happy Birthday Papaw!

“Talk low, talk slow and don't say too much.” - John Wayne

Worth a Thousand Words...

2009-01-21T13:30:00.000-08:00

At 26 years old...
I can say that I know all five of these men and their individual roles in our country's history.
I have watched four inaugurations (one of those as a second term).
I can say that I have voted in three Presidential elections.

I wonder what my thoughts will be when I'm 46 or 66 or 86. How can I add to my list? What achievements (or blunders) or historical moments will I remember? As of now, I can tell my children and grandchildren that I watched Bill Clinton play the sax, I listened to GW Bush console a nation after 9/11, I lived through the second (as of now) worse economic crisis of our country, and I watched the first African American President take office.

I can tell my children that I watched our Presidents play with their children, make mistakes, overcome obstacles, strive for success, and have many other qualities that make them all 5 just ordinary Americans who decided to dream big and achieve success and who took on the monstrous task of being President of the United States.

Why I Should Always Have Joy in My Heart

2009-01-15T21:40:00.000-08:00

"For most of us, we can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that only God knows the truth of our lives. He's seen the whole shootin' match--and, interestingly enough, He sees all that's coming up, too. And you know what? He's [still] incredibly in love with us."

If you Can't Lost It, Decorate It! by Anita Renfroe

Pillow Talk

2009-01-10T18:22:00.000-08:00

I was making a trip out this afternoon and Bobby asked me to pick up new bed sheets. We had flannel sheets that we both hated so he finally couldn't take it anymore. This idea for new bed sheets turned into a trip for a whole new look for our room. We set out for new pillows, sheets, and a comforter.

Bobby is very picky about his pillows. We went to one store (where they have a whole room just for pillows) and Bobby took turns with each pillow...testing them. I would hand him one (the ones that were on sale of course) and those never felt right but of course he loved the ones that were $112 (for pillows!).

We left empty handed but made one more stop. Bobby compromised his expensive pillow taste and found some great pillows (which were much more reasonable). We also found a super soft down-free comforter in a deep chocolate color. One of the walls in our room is a wine or burgundy color so we used that deep wine color for one set of pillows and I think it turned out fairly nice. We still need artwork for our room but at least we have a theme now!
Bobby testing out pillows.

The One!

New Years

2009-01-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

1. I am ending my holidays sick - sinus infection.

2. Over the past four days - I have not woke up before 10 am each day.

3. The "Get Rid of Holiday Pounds Plus More" starts tomorrow.

4. I hate laundry.

5. I have been a couch potato for days!

6. I have not read as much as I should have been. My New Years Resolution is to read a lot more.

7. I spent all day today in my pjs.

8. I need to devote more time to praying about things than worrying.

9. I have watched 5 movies since 1pm today.

10. I have not accomplished anything significant in 2009 - I washed a few loads of laundry and ran the dishwasher.

Post-Christmas Randoms

2008-12-30T06:36:00.000-08:00

1. There was too too tooooo much food.

2. My mother's fudge is like crack. I cannot stay away from it!

3. Watching Katy and Sarah open presents is the best thing ever. They are always so thankful for their gifts. It makes your heart feel good when you get a Sarah-hug.

4. Bobby's uncle let me cook the meat for Christmas breakfast - fried steak strips and they were delicious!

5. I spent all day Saturday and Sunday afternoon watching movies! I loved it!

6. My brother realized he is not too old for toys and was uncharacteristically thankful for all of the clothes he got.

7. My mom "surprised" us with pjs this year (as she has for the past 15 Christmases). I got soft baby blue ones that I LOVE.

8. Christmas dinner at my parent's house was amazing!

9. I visited with my Granny on Christmas Eve and saw several of my cousins and aunts and uncles.

10. My Christmas tree is still up. It's too beautiful to take down....but maybe that will happen this week.

Pre-Christmas Randoms

2008-12-23T14:09:00.001-08:00

1. I love that I am off work before and after Christmas! A real treat for me!

2. Being a diabetic, I try to watch what I eat (especially sweets) but the one thing I CANNOT seem to stay away from is my mom's fudge. And, on Sunday, she sent home a whole pack of goodies!

3. I love wrapping presents - I even offered to wrap my mother-in-laws gifts!

4. I think it is hilarious when my dad calls me from a store - he needs a little extra confidence when shopping for mom!

5. We get to eat Mexican on Christmas Eve! And, open our annual gift - new pajamas!

6. My Christmas tree is beautiful!

7. I love our BUSY, CRAZY, ABSOLUTELY INSANE schedule on Christmas Day.

8. I wish my church had a Christmas Eve service - I think we know the reason for this season but sometimes we let our schedules and other priorities get in the way of rejoicing that reason.

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord" - Luke 2:10-11

9. I pray for a peaceful and joyous Christmas to all!

10. I can't wait to eat my mother-in-law's gravy for Christmas breakfast and my mom's meatloaf for Christmas dinner! Oh the food!

Kennedy Family Dinner

2008-12-18T22:24:00.000-08:00

So, this past weekend, my dad's side of the family had their annual dinner. We had it at my cousins' beautiful home. We had lots of great food and I made another video :-) and we ended up singing karaoke for hours. The Kennedy clan are some of the loudest people ever but some of my favorite people!

Mom & Dad

Mom, Dad, Aunt Nann, Uncle James, Aunt Carolyn,
Uncle Don, Aunt Jewell, and Uncle Leroy

My Dad is the youngest of 5. The eldest sister, Shirley Ann, passed away
several years ago. Then there is Carolyn, James, Leroy, and my dad (the baby)

Cary, Ann, Jason, Evan, Ethan, Levi, Travis, & David

Daddy

Bergen and Trey's 8 month old, Wells. He is one of the cutest
(& sweetest) babies I have seen.

Bergen, Kasey, Evan, and Levi

Mom & Dad again...

Cary and Kristie

Travis, David, & Dad singing backup for Ann and Cary

Ashley, Kasey, and Bergen

Random

2008-12-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

1. "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." - Abraham Lincoln

2. “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.” - John Wayne

3. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." - Benjamin Franklin

4. "Have convictions. Be friendly. Stick to your beliefs as they stick to theirs. Work as hard as they do." - Eleanor Roosevelt

5. “Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away.” - Elvis Presley

6. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

7. "A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new." - Albert Einstein

8. "Great balls of fire. Don't bother me anymore, and don't call me sugar." - Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind

9. "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

10. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." - Proverbs 3:5

Zoolight Safari

2008-12-15T22:07:00.000-08:00

Bobby and I went to Zoolight Safari at The Birmingham Zoo with our friends, Andrew and Andrea (who also happen to be expecting their first child). It was freezing but we ended up having a good time. Most of the zoo is closed off so Bobby was a little sad that the only animals we saw were the Alabama barnyard animals. We will have to go back when it is warm (and daylight). We enjoyed hot chocolate and got to ride the train (which was scarier than I remember!). Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Three Years Old

2008-12-08T23:12:00.000-08:00

I'm working another slideshow-This time for my dad's family's annual Christmas dinner. I love old pictures - something about seeing the past and remembering special moments makes me so happy. I also found that new, super-fun software that has made editing pictures so much easier. I found pictures of my dad and I at about the same age - don't we favor (I think so, anyway). I thought I would share.

1985

1959

Random

2008-12-07T22:49:00.000-08:00

1. I love my church family. Dirty Santa with church folks is hilarious.

2. When I grow up, I want to be a mommy like Amanda and Michelle - I love their babies.

3. I didn't make cheese dip....Alabama was defeated in the SEC Championship. That's ok though, I'm still so proud of the Tide.

4. I hate laundry and loathe folding clothes.

5. I love my new Christmas tree - when we finished, it instantly put us in the Christmas spirit.

6. Finals are Thursday and then no class until January!

7. I really dislike Christmas shopping - not the buying part but the rude crowds and disgruntled employees.

8. I will serve on the Membership & Outreach Committee at my church again this year and this makes me so happy.

9. I become grumpy too fast these days. When one must pray for God to help them not be mean...there is a problem.

10. Bobby on a billion-foot ladder with a 16 year-old holding it in place worries me. Yay for insurance.

Leeds High School - 3A State Football Champions

2008-12-05T06:36:00.001-08:00

I can't honestly say that I have been a die-hard Leeds Greenwave fan because I haven't attended a game since my brother graduated. But, I have kept up with this season (UNDEFEATED!) and have been really proud each week to hear that they progressed through the play-offs. I listened to most of the yesterday's championship game (Leeds vs. Cordova at Legion Field) and was so proud of these boys - a lot of whom I knew through church or from working at after school care several years ago. (And, it makes me feel very old to see that those cute little kids are now big, muscular guys.) Leeds defeated Cordova 38-21. I think this win was outstanding not only for those boys and their coaches but for the community. Something like this brings out one's pride. For weeks, even before playoffs, storefronts have had their Go Greenwave signs plastered on windows and each light post had green and white bows.

I grew up in Springville and while we never made it to Legion Field - we went to playoffs for maybe five straight years during my time. Springville was a community that was extremely proud and supportive of their teams and I missed that spirit when I moved to Leeds. I'm so happy the community has been behind its players and coaches. Go Greenwave!

Picnik Fun

2008-12-05T06:18:00.001-08:00

My sweet friend, Kristen, introduced me to a fun site called picnik.com. You can edit pictures and play around with colors, lighting, etc. I actually took a newspaper article from the mid 70's and scanned it from a photo album because we were afraid it would destroy the paper. I put the picture in picnik - cropped and edited the picture to make it look 100% better. I was very impressed. So, here are a few pictures I played with recently.

Random Thankfulness

2008-12-02T21:15:00.000-08:00

1. I am thankful for my family - Thanksgiving at my parents house is full of good food and lots of laughs (usually at my expense).

2. I am thankful for good friends who go shopping at 2am just because. Yay for 3 hour naps, middle of the night meals at Waffle House and not caring that you haven't showered and have bed head!

3. I am thankful for Alabama football - seriously. This is a bonding time for my husband and his dad. They are hilarious. A sidenote - I'm thankful that we only have one more game because I am completely sick of cheese dip! :-)

4. I am thankful for a husband who went to see the same movie with me 3 times!

5. I am thankful that my dog hasn't ran away. I never used to be like this but we put him in little doggy clothes now. He looks totally mortified but endures. Thursday we could not find his sweater (I think he has hidden it) so he wore a little red tshirt and Saturday he was showing his spirit in his Bama jersey.

6. I am thankful for an amazing church family who I love to see each week. Bobby started teaching the teen sunday school class and I was sort of talked into taking over our Advent traditions.

7. I am thankful for Publix...it has kept me sane. :-)

8. I am thankful for Christmas and the joy the entire season brings (except at Walmart)

9. I am thankful that my family is healthy and close-by.

10. I am thankful that He has given me so much to be thankful for (even when I'm being silly)

P.S. - I still hate laundry.

Roll Tide

2008-12-01T06:36:00.001-08:00

Courage

2008-11-26T08:56:00.000-08:00

Warning - this will both make you so proud and break your heart.

Best Friends' Wedding

2008-11-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

Our best friends were married this past Saturday. I'm very excited for Ashley and Jimmy and look forward to us all four growing old together! Here a few pictures to highlight our day.

My Favorite Guys!

Getting Ready!

Best Man & Matron of Honor
Bobby and Kaley

Before the wedding - Jimmy gave Ashley the sweetest card and a beautiful strand of pearls. It was so sweet! Of course, we had to touch up her makeup after she cried. :-)

Mr. and Mrs. Black!

The Wedding Party -
Kaley (Ashley's sister), Ashley, Jimmy, and Bobby

Random

2008-11-24T11:34:00.001-08:00

1. Weddings are overrated....I vote elope! :-)

2. My best friends made the cutest bride and groom ever.

3. I saw the Twilight movie twice in one weekend

4. I'm ready to start my Christmas shopping

5. Moe's Southwest Grill should pay Bobby and I...we are there as much as their employees.

6. I hate laundry.

7. My dad's horrible pain has let up and he can at least walk around now.

8. I love cold weather.

9. I bought a super-cute turquoise scarf.

10. My hands are always cold.

Twilight

2008-11-20T11:46:00.001-08:00

'Twilight' movie trailer

Ashley's Wedding Shower

2008-11-15T11:22:00.000-08:00

Ashley sporting her new cleaning gloves

Ash and Jim going through their gifts.

Ashley again with the gloves

Bobby and Jace (Ashley's nephew)

Mary and Sarah

Bosh

2008-11-13T20:11:00.000-08:00

Growing up, most children have an imaginary friend. I was no exception. When I was young (3-4 yrs old I guess), I had an extra special imaginary friend named Bosh. Bosh was my best friend. He went everywhere with me. I made my parents make Bosh a plate at mealtime and kiss Bosh goodnight. My memories of Bosh are kept alive by ALL of my family members - apparently I had such a strong belief in Bosh that random family members still ask me about him.

Bosh was my height - so about 3ft. I don't think he was a young boy but rather old because he had a job - he made nails (as in the kind you use with a hammer).

Bosh - age unknown

Being an only child at the time, Bosh was very real to me. It's pretty crazy that my favorite childhood memories are of my imaginary friend. My pediatrician assured my mother than my "friend" was perfectly normal and I had a very active imagination. Amen to that.

I'm not sure when Bosh went away. I don't know if he hung around until my baby brother was born or if he left when I started kindergarten. But, I thought I would share a moment of my childhood - my friend Bosh.

Alabama is headed to the SEC Championship

2008-11-08T19:43:00.000-08:00

I was not as lucky as my friend and co-worker, Tiffany, to have been in Baton Rouge this afternoon but I was still on pins and needles in the living room of my in-laws house. Bobby, his dad, and I endured the longest game in history but were rewarded with a Bama win - 27 to 21 over LSU in overtime.

I ended up watching the end of the game from the floor in front of the tv....I was sitting back on the couch followed by leaning forward then on my knees as Tiffen's field goal attempt was blocked. I'm also fairly sure I had one eye closed during OT when Jones caught the pass that got us to the line.

I hate overtime.

I didn't make cheese dip this week (see previous posts regarding this theory).

College Football on CBS = 50 million commercials.

I heart Terrance Cody

Bobby has debated on naming our first child Julio.

Costume Party

2008-11-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

Each year, my in-laws and Bobby and I throw a costume party. We have food, a bonfire, and a costume contest and always have a good time. Here are a couple of pictures of our night...

Ashley working on Bobby's eye makeup...

Katy was a turn-of-the-century belle
She won best prize for the teen category for best costume.

Sarah and I....she's getting way too big to pick up. She was a black kitty cat and I
was "Earl - Mechanic for Hire." I got to wear a mullet and had grease stains.

Bobby and I after getting into costume.

Self-portraits.
Bobby won the Adult prize. Since we are the hosts we try not to get in the contest
but we had no choice since he won by a landslide.

Brooklynn was sick so she did not wear her Snow White costume
but Michelle brought her by for a few minutes. She's always a doll.

Michael is the biggest flirt I have ever seen....and he's only 18 months old!
He was a bubblebee - complete with antennas and a little stinger.

Mom & Dad - Dracula and the Wicked Witch

Ashley and her future sister-in-law, Mary.
Mary was a butterfly with cute orange wings. She won the under 10 prize for best contume.

Twilight

2008-11-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

I started reading the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer on Thursday night and finished all four last night (Monday). I couldn't help but to read it fast. I became totally engrossed in all things Bella and Edward. To copy my sweet friend Kristen, "I want a vampire." If you need something to read - definitely try this series.

The series is told from the point of view of a teenage girl, Bella, who meets and falls in love with a vampire named Edward. I loved the characters and the relationship between Bella and Edward - ok I have to stop now or I won't shut up.
The movie based on the first book comes out the 21st of this month so I have already prepared Bobby for a Sunday afternoon date to the movies that weekend.

This Week's Randomness

2008-11-03T21:45:00.000-08:00

1. UAB football makes me sad.

2. I need to open a bakery - I love to bake.

3. I now understand the fascination with Edward Cullen.

4. I'm soooo glad the election is Tuesday.

5. I'm starting to get tired of Chinese food - this is NOT GOOD.

6. I hate doing laundry.

7. My white cat likes to be under the covers. None of my animals are right.

8. I'm secretly glad Jim and Ash are getting married this month - time for a new dress!

9. I cannot live without my calendar...best $7 I ever spent.

10. I love Paramore's new song "Decoded"

How to bath a cat....

2008-10-29T18:50:00.000-07:00

One of our cats has had a horrible time since late this summer. She basically grooms so much that her fur has been falling out. She is a beautiful white cat but with almost no fur on her backside. Sad. So, in an effort to help out her skin irritations and the rogue fleas that manage to get to her - we have been trying to keep her bathed. Do you have any idea how hard it is to bathe a cat? I really don't think it was ever God's intention for humans to bathe cats so that is why He gave them good hygiene habits.

Tonight when Bobby decided to "dunk" Aeris, I thought I would capture a few shots.
Disclaimer - this should only been attempted when your cat is as docile as ours.

I thought about trying to put our older cat in the tub too - but when I found him he kind of gave me like an "don't even think about it"/"I know where you sleep" kind of look so I left him alone.

Random thoughts from this week

2008-10-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

1. I LOVE PUBLIX - I am a newbie Publix shopper and love the place.

2. I hate doing laundry.

3. I am starting to hate eating out. I want to make dinner every night like I used to.

4. It is possible to bathe a cat - 1 new mop bucket filled with soapy water, 2 adults, and 3 large towels to clean up excess water

5. Our costume party is in 6 days and I still have no idea what I'm wearing!

6. I am not a good housekeeper. I become lazy as soon as I walk in my front door.

7. I do not like things grilled over charcoal. Yuck.

8. I'm convinced that by not making my cheese dip last week, I almost jinxed Alabama. This week - extra large batch of cheese dip = Alabama 29 Tenn 9

9. Leftover cheese dip is awesome.

10. Church Supper warms my heart.

Random

2008-10-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

1. I love mayonnaise

2. I enjoy my accounting class.

3. I love John Wayne and Dean Martin. I think they were great.

4. I love apple juice

5. I have GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) aka really bad heart burn

6. I love to bake

7. I'm kind of OCD about post-it notes

8. I love having my nails done but never ever do

9. I used to think I was not a morning person but now I think I'm more a morning person than a night owl and that makes me sad

10. I speed all the time

11. I'm conservative

12. I have two years left in school

13. I am not very spontaneous but love it when I'm forced to be

14. I used to wear braces and think they were taken out too soon but I had the devil as my orthodontist so I didn't complain at the time

15. I am blind without my glasses/contacts - I want to have Lasik surgery so bad!

Reunion

2008-10-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Jones Family Reunion was a complete success. We started setting up Friday (which consisted of riding four wheelers with our Florida cousins and setting up a few tables). We had dinner and played two very competitive games of Pictionary. Saturday morning, Bobby and I arrived bright and early to finish setting up. Everyone started arriving around 11am - 12pm and there were still people there when we left around 11pm. We ate lots of great food, had a guys against girls volleyball game, and sang karaoke for 5 hours. In the midst of activity - we even managed to get everyone together for a group picture and I was able to show my video.

Here are some pictures from this weekend.

Pre-Reunion

2008-10-01T18:38:00.001-07:00

My cousin and I are currently planning a family reunion for the second year in a row - this coming Saturday. This reunion is a celebration of my great-grandparents, Raymond and Margaret Jones. They had eight children - Harold, Martha Ann (my grandmother), Carolyn, Janice, Raymond Jr., Virginia (everyone called her Sister), Earl, and Kathy (who died at age 12). In total, there are 24 grandchildren, over 45 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. We are looking forward to hosting over 100 people at my uncle's house in Argo.

In preparing for this event, I went through old photos and created a slideshow that ended up being 12 minutes long! I can't wait to show it off.

I thought I would share some of my favorites...

Update

2008-09-14T18:10:00.001-07:00

Bobby and I celebrated our 4th anniversary on August 21st (which also happened to be our first week of the Fall semester). We decided to take a trip to Tennessee for the weekend. Here are a couple of pictures to hightlight our trip.

Bobby at the WonderWorks Museum

Eating breakfast at The Old Mill We had a great trip (minus the 45 minutes we were lost in Knoxville but thanks to our GPS, Lola, we found a detour) but it definitely was not long enough!

August 27th - Happy Birthday Mom!

September 16th - Happy Birthday, Dad!

We have been so busy with work and school that I have not updated in so long! We also took a trip to Tuscaloosa with the in-laws to watch the Alabama/Tulane game (pictures to come). I have several events coming up so maybe more updates too! Oh yeah, I bought myself a little something for my birthday (which was September 1st and I turned 26!!!)....

Yep....NKOTB! haha. I'm not ashamed!

What Happens At Stone Mountain....

2008-08-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

….Should never be experienced again.

I graduated from high school in May 2000. I had a summer of activities before starting college in the fall. In mid-July I went on a youth group trip with my church. We spent a week at camp at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. We had no air-conditioning and no hot water after two showers plus we had to get up insanely early. We left on a hot Friday morning and returned home on an even hotter Wednesday afternoon. I knew my parents had made plans to go camping at Stone Mountain in Georgia and I thought my plans were to relax, sleep a lot, and use as much hot water as I wanted. I was had…..

To keep this story from being 10-million words – I’ll break down our trip.

1. The starter in my mom’s van had to be fixed while I was away. Basically, the key just wouldn't go back in the ignition. We arrived at Stone Mountain and stopped to check in at the front and that’s when our first mishap took place. We returned to the van only to realize the starter had died…the brand new one. So….what do you do? You take two redneck men (I mean….my wonderfully crafty dad and his redneck friend).... They managed to make the ignition stay on the entire time – so every time we stopped we had to pop the hood and pull the battery cable. I usually jumped out and ran ahead so it would seem that I was not with them....

2. My parents are NOT campers – their idea of roughing-it is a cheap motel. So, behind our van was a trailer packed full of “essentials.” We had a massive tent where my parents slept in one “room” and I was in another. We also had two air mattresses – sounds reasonable right. Well, I mentioned it was mid-July….. The next things my dad unloaded were two window-unit air conditioners. He rigged them up at each end window of the tent so while the outside temperature was 109, our tent was a chilly 65 degrees.

3. On our second night in hell, I mean Georgia, we started to make dinner – grilled chicken and steaks. About mid-way through cooking, the tornado siren goes off and we are told to evacuate. My dad – not going to let anything happen to the food – ties down the grill, turns it off but covers the food with lots of foil so the lasting heat helped the food keep cooking. We spent two hours walking around a Target store before returning to camp. We had no damage (both A/C units were still intact) and our food was ready to eat!

4. The last major highlight of our trip was the enormous amount of yellow jackets at our campsite (which by the way was not made for tents but rather travel trailers – which our friends had). Just FYI - We had originally intended to stay until Sunday. Saturday morning, my mom our her friend made breakfast. They made pancakes. Uh…DUH! While watching my mom fight with yellow jackets for food – I decided to pass. I’m horribly allergic and not even pancakes were worth that. I think at this point everything caught up to my sweet mother – the heat, the bees, the tornadoes, my dad’s redneck motel, and the van – so she took her last bite of pancake (flicking a bee off first), put her fork down and turned to my father. She smiled the sweetest smile and said “We are going home. Now.”

At youth camp, we were encouraged to keep a prayer journal. Mine came in especially handy during this trip. As for my plans, I got no sleep (especially when my air mattress deflated and the A/C leaked in the tent and I woke up floating), there was no relaxation to be had, and I had to wear shoes in the shower.

"Real" Family Values

2008-08-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

A co-worker suggested I write down some of the crazy stories I tell him. I thought I would start incorporating these stories into my "regular" blog. I'm not a very consistent blogger.
Disclaimer for stories - names have been changed to protect...well me.

A little about me:
I tend to be a little sarcastic. I'm very quirky. I like to think that I "think outside the box" but the truth is that I'm pretty average. I married an equally quirky soul but we jive together just fine. We are the "parents" to Coby (an 8-yr old dachshund), Snickers (my precious 2 yr old cat), and Aeris (pronounced Heiress....she was a stray with beautiful white fur and bright blue eyes who now thinks she owns my house). We are also permanent foster parents to an ornery little hamster who does not have a name (although we imagine that if he could talk he would have a scottish accent) and he's not very friendly and we don't get along - in fact I sometimes tap his little bed just to make sure he's still alive. We (the husband and I...not the hamster and I) will likely have real kids one day but we enjoy this selfish time.

From the beginning - I was born to two wonderful people. My mother was the first prom queen at her high school, has great taste in clothes, and is the most beautiful woman I know. My dad taught me everything I know about Elvis, he can fix anything!, and he loves my mom more than anything in the world. I have a younger brother who I think is a genius although he doesn't use his talents. I was raised in a small town in St. Clair County, Alabama and, for a short time, lived near Oakland, California. I have loads of family as crazy as any other normal American family - plus, when I got married, I gained a whole new load of people (and later stories) to call my family.

Etc. - I am a Christian - this should probably be up in from the beginning because it is as much the truth as the fact that I have brown hair. I have a wonderful Church family and aspire to have God in every part of my life. I love to take pictures- but never be in them. I love to go camping and backpacking. I love to read and I am an internet nerd. I am a jackie of several trades but master of none. I like to make people laugh and use sarcasm way too much.

When I Think About the Lord

2008-08-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

When I think about the Lord
How He saved, how He raised me
How He filled me with the Holy Ghost
How He healed me to the uttermost
When i think about the Lord
How he picked me
He set my feet on solid ground
It makes me want to shout
Hhallelujah! Tthank you, Jesus!
Lord, you're worthy of all the glory, and all the honor
and all the praise!
Hallelujah! thank you, Jesus!
Lord, you're worthyof all the glory, and all the honor
and all the praise!

Lyrics by Shane & Shane
Ephesians 2:4-7, 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Dark Knight

2008-07-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Best movie of the year for me...at least until Harry Potter comes out in November!

4th of July

2008-07-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

Bobby and I started our holiday on Thursday and woke up with a stomach virus! We felt much better by Friday and went to his mom's for dinner and a few fireworks. I started grilling and it started pouring down rain! My father-in-law got some great shots of me in the rain with his new camera. By time our food was finished, my umbrella was useless because I was soaking wet. I tried to keep the grill dry and not so much myself. So, Bobby brought me dry clothes and we enjoyed our barbeque. Here are a couple of pictures from our evening.

Katy cutting into ribs.

Sarah enjoying homemade ice cream (with a little chocolate and caramel)

After grilling in the rain and being drowned - Sarah and I relaxed...well I did she doesn't sit still.

Katy and Jimmy took care of the fireworks.

I thought we were taking a sweet, serious picture....she had other plans.

Happy Birthday Bobby!

2008-05-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

Accomplishment

2008-05-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

I returned to school in January to finish my degree. I really am doing this for myself. Years ago, I started school because I wanted to and not because I was forced to or that it was expected of me. Then I took a break - 3 1/2 years. I returned to my studies determined to finish what I started and prove to myself that I can reach this goal. I was worried about my classes only because it had been a long time since I was in the "student" frame of mind. But I tried, not as much as I should have to begin with, and completed my first semester last week. I was disappointed in myself when I saw that I did not do as well as I had hoped on my sociology final. But, my hard work did pay off. I ended the semester with a B in each class. I could have made A's but I am proud that I managed to take two classes, complete every project, and finish with a B - all while working full-time.

Bobby starts classes this summer so things may be hectic around our house. I am taking two classes this summer - one online and one evening class. In the fall, I will add an additional class to make it 9 hours. I am actually looking forward to the summer semester starting on June 2nd. Although, I am enjoying my time off. I have been reading for my leisure and spending hours in front of the television.

Happy Birthday, Brooklynn!

2008-05-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

One Year old!

Bobby, Jimmy, and Vera....

2008-04-15T16:28:00.001-07:00

(Jimmy, Bobby, & Vera)
Saturday morning Bobby and our friend, Jimmy, decided to make a potato gun. They went to work designing and building their new toy and within an hour, they had their masterpiece. The gun, now known as Vera, is an interesting contraption. They stuff half of a potato into Vera's barrel and then use a combination of Lysol spray and cheap hairspray to activate the spark from the trigger. They used a small lantern liter as their trigger. I was very surprised Vera didn't blow up in their faces. I managed to catch a couple of pictures and videos (hopefully to come later).