Wow.......It has been way too long!

I think I will take a quick lesson from my dear friend Christie and be a little bit random with this one....

SO much has been going on and SO much is changing and will continue to change.  Gosh, if there was no change sure would be a boring world though.

First off let me just say.....in looking at my FB news feed these days I am just totally amused at the different attitudes and opinions of this "Fifty Shades of Grey"  I mean really if it isn't someone acting like a school aged kid who just got a peek of their friends parent's VHS Porn in the basement while the parents were asleep it is the complete opposite with the entire "You can't be Christian and watch this movie or read the book, it will destroy your marriage"  OH BS on both counts.  My mother-in-law I just know is looking down on this crazy world saying "Ahhh for F@#*& Sake Give Over Already" (ha ha the English can say that btw)  I swear I can hear her in my ear at this moment!  It makes me laugh.  People really do need to get over it and get over themselves.  I could honestly care less one way or the other, watch it, don't watch it,  but dang live your life, make your choices and quit trying to preach to everyone else.  I am 1000% positive you are all flawed in some way just like the rest of us.  Get off your high horses and stop acting like you are so amazingly wonderful and insightful.  Not to mention.......it isn't porn either, so before you start throwing that word out maybe you should educate yourself a bit. In the mean time stop being so stinking judgmental of everyone who is different from you.   Just sayin'

My friends are as eclectic as my musical tastes which most find to be all over the place LOL  This is something I find when reading my news feed.  If you are on my page there is a reason and I assure it is not because we are just alike. How BLAH would that be! Accept that everyone of us is different in some way.  Stop judging and embrace it.  Learn from it, grow from it. 

Our house is so upside down right now and it is driving me mad.  Every time someone says "Oh you don't have long"  "That little baby of yours is going to be here sooner than you think"  I go into complete stress mode!  Yes I WANT him here all safe and sound but I also want this house right side up again before he makes his arrival.  My Husband "We have time"  Me "OMG....this house is never going to be ready on time"  LOL  Good thing we balance one another out.

I have some chores to do here at home so this isn't a long post but it is a start at getting back to this blog......lol

On a final note.....My eclectic music tastes also have a little to do with my desire to understand what one writes/sings about.  Rob Thomas, like many, writes about what he knows.  There is a song called Her Diamonds  The song is about his wife Marisol who suffers from an Auto-Immune disease.  If you aren't familiar with Auto-Immune diseases ( there are a lot ) you should really read up.  You should stop and think in the future before you pass judgement or before you open your mouth saying something you can't take back that will affect another human to the core.  I know several who suffer from various types of Auto-Immune diseases.  Heck I have 2 myself one of which I only learned of a few years ago and the other I only learned of 6 months ago.  Man, it sure did explain some things I had wondered about for sure.  My sweet niece Starla battles one daily!  None the less.....You never really know what is going on with someone at first glance. 

I always like to share a quote.  I just reminded someone of this quote.  I learn more and more that it is SO true!  Quote by:  Theodor Seuss Geisel aka Dr Seuss (although there seems to be some uncertainty out there as to who really came up with this quote)

"Those Who Mind Don’t Matter, and Those Who Matter Don’t Mind"

So, things were very hectic this summer.  It just worked out that I did not get a trip to the beach (Still a little sad over this) Nor did Jearmy or Starla.  So we decided it was time for a weekend road trip!  So, last Friday John and I both left work at lunch, picked the kids up and hit the road!  We drove up through KY and enjoyed the crazy, beautiful fall colors.  BEAUTIFUL!  We arrived at our hotel in plenty of time for dinner so we checked in and headed off to explore a little and find dinner.  We walked below Newport on the Levee and along theOhio River until we picked a place to eat.  Saturday morning we got up early, had breakfast overlooking the Ohio River and the headed out to the zoo.  It was such a gorgeous day for the zoo!  After wearing ourselves out there we decided to have dinner at this little place I came across on the internet.  It was called Maury's Tiny Cove. What an absolute hidden treasure they have there.(Founded in 1949, Maury's is one of the oldest, continuously operated restaurants in Cincinnati ) WOW.....what a find!  I mean a Filet &Chicken Combo for just $24 and it was excellent.  Everyone got bread baked in their own little bowls, (Starla loved that) and the service was great.  We'll go back next time we are in the area for sure. (LOTS More photos to be posted on FB soon!)

Sunday morning we got up early and had breakfast again overlooking the Ohio River and watching all of the rowers doing their morning training.  We took off for a little sight seeing, exploring a little of downtown and then on to the Levee where we took a ride on the Ducks.  For those unfamiliar they are WWII Amphibious Vehicles.  They drive you around and then straight into the water where they convert to a boat and then you finish your touch back on land and wheels as you started.  Neat to do if you haven't done before.  I rode them in Branson, MO back in 96.  It gives you a different look at things getting a touch on land and water while learning along the way.  After the Duck tour we headed down to Hooters on the River for lunch and then back down town for a little more exploring.  We checked out the Carew Tower.   Completed in 1930 and standing 49 stories high we took 2 different elevators and a flight of stairs to get to the observation deck.  The views are insane, you can see everything!  We then made our way down and strolled through Tiffany's & Co.  (why not? it was right there! LOL) and then on to Fountain Square where we made a stop at Graeter's Ice Cream (founded in 1870 and loved by Oprah) I am telling you I have never been an ice cream person but good lord, if I lived there I would be HUGE!  The mango ice cream was the most amazing ice cream I have ever had!  LOVE LOVE!  After that we took off to find the Holy Cross-Immaculata Parish.  It is a small church but one with a lot of history.  It was considered to be a beacon/watch tower for this in the underground railroad.  It is also the church that hold the splinter from THE cross.   Once we made our stop there it was back to the interstate.  I guess we dropped the kids in their driveway a little after 10:30 on Sunday night.  We had one very packed but very good weekend!  Road Trips are always great!

(not my photo)

“The world is a book 

and those who do not travel 

read only one page.”

~ St. Augustine

Way too long....

Ok, it has been WAY TOO LONG since I have updated my blog.  Sorry, I have been so busy though!  Not sure where to even start to get caught up so I will just go with the flow.  I will try and post some pictures for you as well.  Starla has knee surgery on the 11th.  It has pretty much ruined her summer but she has been so good about it.  She has been a total trooper.  She will just get a late beach trip this year.  The weather has been crazy here since first of April.  Tornados and everything which generally we do not get here.  Lots of hail!  I have had my car repaired and I am now collecting quotes on the roof.  I hate it had to happen that way but it will nice to have a new roof.   I am thankful I am not dealing which much bigger issues.  We didn't have much of a spring in terms of weather so I am ready for fall.   LOL  I am so not a dead of heat kind of person.  The 70's are for me.  I like comfort and nice breezes.  

I am still keeping up with my Snapshot blog.  We are halfway through the year and I haven't missed a single post.  I am so surprised at myself, I never thought I would be able to keep it up this long without missing a day!

Cades Cove 6.26.11

I started at the Gym June 4th.  I have done well going at least 3 times a week.  I even got up and went yesterday morning on my day off at 8am and I go every Saturday at 8am.  A lot of misconceptions with that place for sure.  I wish I had joined that one last year and I joined Curves.  That was such a waste of money.  Anyway, I am doing it now and determined.  VERY!  I got a "Buddy Membership" so I can always take someone with me which has been great too because when one person can't go with me someone else can meet me there so it helps me to keep it up!

Poor Gracie!  She had like 6 baths in 3 hours!

Let's see, the week of June 14th was rough!  My little Gracie got sprayed in the face by a skunk at 1:30 am!  It was AWFUL!  Oh my gosh, I feel bad for her.  I mean here we are July 5th and she still has a little bit of skunk breathe!  It was an adventure for sure and one I hope to not have to deal with again.  YUCK!  (Only did the gym 2 days that week, had to skip the 15th due to the fact that I smelled like a skunk too!)

Work is still just work.  No major changes.  Still doing the dating thing.  Seems to be going smoothly so far, just taking things a day at a time.  It has been going well though and in a positive direction so I don't suppose I can complain there.

Still getting out and about and everywhere.  Cades Cove is always in there somewhere.  Found a new little local place called Parrot Mountain which was pretty neat.  Some great pics that day.  So many beautiful and bright colors.  This past weekend was sort of a lazy weekend.  Watched movies stayed local.  No day long road trips.  Need those weekends here and there for sure.  Went to the park Sat evening for my "daily snapshot" and ended up getting to watch some fireworks from the over look with just about 15-20 others so it was nice to do that and have no crowds!

This one had personality!

No zoom, you can really get this close!

Great view from Panther Creek Overlook!

Anyway, I will try and do better about updating.  I am SURE I have missed things in this post but hopefully I will pick them up here and there. Hope everyone has a nice short work week!

Hope Everyone Had A Safe & Happy July 4th Weekend!

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

~Ronald Reagan

So....I have been OK about updating but not great.  I will continue to improve on that.  There has been SO much going on lately.  Let's see, the weekend of April 9th Starla and I took off on another one of our mini road trips.  We always make it home before the day ends but often get lost a number of times along the way.  That is part of what makes it so fun.  We venture off somewhere new and always see something a little scary and something amazingly beautiful it seems.  We have a good time though rain or shine.  We ended up making a huge day of it and went all sorts of places and found all sorts of "new" places.  New to us at least.  We finished off in Johnson City with dinner and then started our drive home.  It was supposed to have stormed all day but ended up being sunny and beautiful.  Just as we were headed out the rain started.  Just as we entered the Green Co line on I81 there was a tornado warning over the radio and about that same moment we started getting pounded by hail the size of golf balls and even bigger.  Needless to say it made the almost full hour that we sat there, moving no further than maybe a quarter mile if that - VERY LONG!  Let me just say, the abrupt Tornado Warnings is not something that happens around here.  When it does, it usually doesn't end well.  I guess we can say that is one down fall of living in these beautiful mountains!  It was not fun for sure!  When all was said and done and when the reports from Green Co residents and officials were coming over the radio before we even made it home I was just THANKFUL.  My sister said that mom called her and told her when she spoke with me (while I was sitting in the storm with nowhere to go) that I was handling this all quite well.  I was.  I just kept reminding myself (even though I just had my car repainted!) that this is why I have insurance and that Starla and I were OK.  We even got out of it without any broken car windows unlike a lot of other people.  We were safe and in the end that was really all that mattered.  They had a tornado come through when my mom was little and one of her sisters (my aunt) actually got picked up by one and is still with us today!  I will try and remember to upload the video we took on the interstate later, don't have it with me at the moment.

April 27th-28th - This event already has a Wikipedia page!  That is just crazy!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornadoes_of_2011  Of course, this page is not fully updated and will continue to change.  That last streak we had like this I believe the news said was 1974 and even that when did not create the death toll that this past week did.  Over 342 was the last count released over 6 states.  Alabama, they were absolutely pounded by the fury of mother nature.  Greene Co, Tennessee (mind you, where Starla and I sat on the interstate just on the 8th) was hard hit in our area.  They are still cleaning up.  Everyone is still cleaning up in all 6 states and several are still doing "Recovery" and there are news posts of tons of "missing".  It has all just been crazy.  It catches everyone off guard here because Like I said, especially in the area I live in, this sort of thing just doesn't happen every season!  Lots of thoughts and prayers still going on in my heart and mind for ALL who are dealing with this.

His daddy doesn't allow his face on the internet but he is a doll!

April 30th started off with a beautiful morning at the park taking pictures of one of my most favorite little guys ever and with one of my most favorite people!  Good morning with Julie and Dawson and he did pretty good for a 2 year old at the park. He is a joy though.  I just adore him. The only kids I like more are Starla and Jeramy....LOL  After that I headed towards NC with John.  We ended up walking the gardens and trail at Biltmore, exploring a little of the old neighborhood and then decided to take the long drive home over the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It was nice.  Had not done that in ages and I grew up doing it every weekend with mom and dad so it was a nice day.

I love having this park so close to me!

Biltmore Gardens

May 1, 2011 (US)

US forces kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan

'Justice has been done,' Obama says; 9/11 mastermind is buried at sea after deadly gunbattle"

Well now, this has clearly been a long time coming.  From the moment it was announced I have watched the posts on FB and read peoples comments, not saying too much on the matter.  I have a friend currently in the Middle East who will be leaving in another week or so headed for India.  I have another friend, hopefully, on their way here now.  They were in Dubai and headed this way but by the 20th will be heading straight back to the Middle East (using this loosely, I know, can't really give out a specific location).  I hope they both along with everyone else are safe as they travel.  There has been a lot of talk in regards to the US respecting the Religion of this man.  Without getting into religion it can be simply put that we are taught from a young age that "Two wrongs do not make a right".  I think that for us to stoop down to the level of our enemies does nothing but show we are no better than they are.  This is a pretty clear rule that we have learned at one time or another in our lives.  It is also a good thing to point out that in being respectful of that we are not out to enrage others just so we can behave like a bunch of jerks!  If you want to get all religious about it.  As Christians we are taught to love all of God's children.  That does not discriminate between race, sex, religion, region or anything else.  It is a simple and clear rule.  We are taught that it is not our place to judge others, that is God's place.  If we choose to be disrespectful of someone elses beliefs then you are not being very "Christian".  It goes to the whole being a hypocrite thing.  It is like "selective hearing", so many people chose to be "Christian" but only when it suits their current needs.  They have created "Selective Christianity". I would like to say that everyone's disrespectful outbursts will have no role in what the future now holds given this recent and long awaited news but I feel that more than ever it will not go as planned.  I guess only time will tell.  I have saw a few people that have spoken well in their response.  I will share what my friend Rita Davis posted with you as it is the one that resonates with me.

Freedom rings true! Hypocrisy.... sounds about the same. God bless the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for all of us, and may God bring true justice to light. I do not rejoice in someone's death, but in justice being served. I pray that in this instance - we will be thankful and somber at the events unfolding. None of us can correctly judge this man, situation or these people for eternity... let's keep that in mind - we will all stand before God at some point. But by Grace We Will Be Saved! Let's not be self righteous.

 I think that everyone truly needs to make more of an effort to be respectful of others.  I have a lot of friends with very different views in life.  Some are straight, some are gay, they are of all nationalities, some are true Christians and some don't believe.  I DO NOT Judge them based on these things.  It is simply not my place to.  I need to live my life within the boundaries I set for myself, not someone else.  I embrace all of my friends and all of their differences.  If I don't want someone telling me that I can't believe in GOD and I can't believe in loving whom ever it may be that I choose to love then I clearly have no right telling someone else.  They have the same right I have and if I expect them to respect mine I have to respect theirs as well.  In the end, for me, we are ALL children of GOD and it is his place, not ours.  I appreciate the eclectic group of people I have in my life and I learn something from all of them and in the end if they can learn something positive from me, I am happy with that.  If they were all just like me, well I would venture to say my back yard would be filled with holes 6' deep....LOL

My  mom just LOVES the word HYPOCRITE!  Ha ha ha.  I remember one day my brother using that word and mom turned and immediately asked for the definition of Hypocrite, when Brandon could not tell her he ended up writing the definition until he could never forget it!  LOL  Trust me, there is an upside to being the baby in the family.  The first time I told my mom that she "irked" me, I damn well knew the spelling and definition.  I knew better!  Gotta love my mom!

By the way mom, thanks for waking me up!  I call and check on mom every morning as I am driving to work so when I had not called and it was later than my normal time she called me.

I hear this wonderful song in my ear, I keep turning it down though because I am sleeping!  Finally I hear more lovely music in my ear and I pick up the phone and see mom's smiling face:

me:  grrrrr Hello!

mom:  what are you doing?

me:  I am laying here!

mom: Are you still asleep?!?

me: No, I am waking up....geeesh.....

mom: You are supposed to be at work! You overslept!

me: OH CRAP!

mom: You better call work!

bawhahahahahahahaha......Happy Monday Morning!

It is not sufficient to be worthy of respect 

in order to be respected. 

~ Alfred Nobel

Respect for ourselves guides our morals; 

respect for others guides our manners. 

~ Laurence Sterne

Saturday I took off to Sevierville for the afternoon/evening.  Picked up a few things and got some new tennis shoes.  Sunday I got up, tossed Gracie in the car, picked Starla up and headed off to walk at the dam.  After we walked we decided to drive on out that road (which I have never had a reason to do) but discovered if I stay on it and make one turn I will end up all the way on the other end of town....LOL   It was pretty though, a lot of farm land and that way.  Monday I got up and headed over to John's and put the 1st coat of red paint on the bathroom walls.  It was looking more orange so I decided to be funny and write on the walls with it and send him a picture....ha ha He then decided he was a little nervous.  No worries though all is well, it is all the same color now and looking for red since it dried.  I tore the skin off the top of my toe on the ladder and I am pretty sure I covered every single bad word in the book and maybe a few that are not in the book yet!  Made a makeshift band aid and kept on going.I went by to see a client and pick up some updates for her website and got 3 print orders in for the day so that was productive as well. Did a little laundry; which I need to finish tonight.  

he he he

this is a tight spot ppl!

looks more red (as it should)

  


























One of my clients made me giggle yesterday....(if you KNOW me you will know what this was in regards to)...she said "Oh by the way I met 'the daughter', oh my lord I just didn't know anyone could be so clueless.  I don't know how you deal with that so much?"   HA HA HA HA HA HA  She is so funny, right, but funny!

Ahhh here we are, another fun filled week........Well let's just not go that far.  I have so much to do this week and so many that seem to be on a mission to stave off my progress.  Another downfall of not working Monday's; there is always at least 2 additional messes you have to clean up on Tuesday.  Just had a guy be a total jerk on the phone, wait for his boss to leave the room and then start saying "I'm sorry, I am not a jerk, I don't like being this way.  I know you are stuck in the middle like me and it sucks!"  Ha ha ha well at least he can apologize for his behavior.  Most can't seem to do that.  I just don't get how some people can be so stinking incognizant.  Why bother?  On the upside - We are one day closer to Friday.  That has to be good!

The weekend ahead will be a busy one.  Mamaw has a birthday and Jeramy will be 16!  EEEEKKKKK  I can't believe he will be 16.  It is just crazy.  He is not even mine and I don't want him to drive.  It makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it.  Hopefully it will not be so rainy and yucky all weekend.  I may go paint some more at John's as well.  Mom has already decided he is next in line.  I have told her 10 times now to go buy her paint.....STILL WAITING!  I told her she better get a move on before I get out of the mood.....lol

Tick tock lady.....your time is running you!   he he he love you mom.

"Our patience will achieve more than our force."

~ Edmund Burke