Oh my goodness......It has been way too long!

So, I just don't know where to start.  I haven't written since December, shame on me!  Anyway as always there has been A LOT going on.  The new job is still going well.  I enjoy being home, I enjoy sleeping better and less stress!!  YAY!!  I have learned lately from questions from various people that there is a huge misconception about my job.  Yes, I work at home.  Yes, I can work in my pjs.  BUT I do way more work!  I am busy all day long.  I don't get much free time at all.  It is OK though, I enjoy it.  I would rather be sitting here at 3:45 and realize that I should have quit working at 3:30 rather than to be sitting there at 1:45 watching the clock and waiting for the day to end.  The job is very detail oriented.  You are dealing with claims, medical coverage and all so everything has to be entered in correctly.  I work for a great organization and one that has this telecommuter thing down to a science.  Everyone assumes that you can just do as you wish and nobody will know....HA!  No, they monitor everything (Wouldn't you?  I would!)  Of course, I have the mind set that if you are doing your job and doing what you are supposed to do then who cares?  I don't.  Of course after explaining all of this to my nephew yesterday he decided it was a bit too much for him that he was not cut out for working from home.  Truth.....not everyone can work from home.  You can't be distracted by everything else around you.  It takes a lot of self discipline and self motivating.  It works great for me but again, no, it isn't for everyone.  I am very happy with it though.


The kids are doing well.  Starla starts high school next year and JD will be a senior......CRAZY!  They are both so amazing though!  


Wedding plans are moving along.  We will be getting married on the hill at Diana at Biltmore on October 7th.  My dress was ordered in Jan.....good lord, I can't believe it takes 4-6 months to get a dress....craziness.  Working with a photographer on our Engagement photos and so long as all goes well we will have him booked for the wedding as well.  So location - booked, music - booked, Cake - tasting is the 21st...YUM, Shoes - purchased and are safely packed away, I am doing my own flowers and have started working on those.  Mom and I are going in the morning to choose fabric for the bridesmaid dresses.  I am working on favor bags and looking at some different options.  So......it is still a work in progress but things are moving along and a decent pace.

I went to school with this designer, check her out!
http://annrothshoes.com/

Gracie is GREAT and spoiled as ever!  How can you not love a face like that.....she is my baby!  John is like her little buddy which is HILARIOUS since everyone knew him to "not be a dog person".  They go on little hikes together and everything.  Ha ha see.....you can't help by love her.

SNAPSHOTS......Well I am still doing this.  Can you believe it?  Since Jan 1, 2011 I haven't missed a single day. I have posted a picture every day.  I am working on my 2011 coffee table book but some of my photos were not uploading the other day....gotta figure out what is up with that.

JEEP!  Yep, got a new Jeep.  Well John traded the C7 and got the Jeep so he could "play" on weekends and I could drive it and he drive my car to work now.  I am good with that because I LOVE the Jeep!

So.......I guess there is a quick run down.  LOL  I will have to get better at this updating for sure!

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the spring weather!

" People are often unreasonable and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. 

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. 

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. 

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. 

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. 

Give your best anyway. 

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. 

It was never between you and them anyway.” 

~ Mother Teresa

Ok.....I have been SO busy!

So, so much has happened so I will try and do a decent but not too long update! Let's see.....The end of October I started a new job!  I am now a Clinical Administrative Coordinator for United HealthCare.  I have a home office which is a big change.  All learning has been virtual but I must say, they have a good set up.  So far it has been a great experience.  Everyone has been very kind and welcoming.  We got a power point today of the veteran staff so that was great to put faces with names and voices.  We have a Christmas party coming up in Nashville so I will soon get to meet a number of them which I am looking forward to. Thankful for the new direction!

Mom says the picture doesn't do it
justice but this is the best I can do.
It's BEAUTIFUL

If you are on FB then you likely already know but if not......I became engaged Thanksgiving Day!  I am sure you have heard me talk before about John and of course he is on FB.  He is from England.  We seem to balance one another well.  Knowing I am a bit of a traditional person he arranged to get my mom and dad bother together the night before for dinner and asked them both.  I love that he did that.  So many just don't do it these days.  We are planning for fall 2012.  Having some issues with the location we originally wanted so not 100% sure on that yet.  I know, I myself never thought I would agree to get married after some of what I have been through.  I feel good about it though.  


New experiences this year, new friends, new job, new future.........I truly did set out on a mission this year though.  I set out not with any one particular "resolution" but I set out to CHANGE the way I did things.  I made myself get out and do things I wouldn't normally do, hiking by myself, seeing a movie by myself, I challenged myself to make changes in the people I surround myself with; focusing more on those that have a positive influence in my life and reducing the focus on those that don't.  I challenged myself on my snapshot blog and as of today I have not missed a post for every day this year.....personally that was one I didn't think I would accomplish!  LOL  Maybe those are the resolutions we should be making for ourselves. Not always big things either, sometimes just the simplest changes make such a huge impact.  Make yourself step out of your box.  It really has made such a difference in the past year. 

My little Gracie turned 7 on December 11th!  

We took her to see Santa and then of course took her annual photo. 

I just love her.  She is so rotten!

Well there is my update for now! 

 Hope everyone is getting ready for CHRISTmas 

and has a wonderful time with their loved ones!

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time."

  ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Well, not sure where to start.  The past month has been CRAZY!  Lot's going on, ups and downs.  I guess my last blog was when I went to Cincinnati.  That has been a while.  So I received a call on my birthday with a job offer.  What a gift!  There were a lot of security and background checks in the process so it took a few weeks to get everything in order.  I started the end of October.  So far it is going great.  I have looked for over a year and it has been such a relief to have finally found something that worked for me.  I now work for United HealthCare. I have a home office which I must say I am enjoying so far.  I spend my days by the french doors and with my little Gracie under my feet.  I am looking forward to the first snow for sure!  There has been quite a bit of classes and training and more to come but even with that it has been a very refreshing change which I am very thankful for.  My nephew (my brother's son) passed away a month ago in a tragic accident.  He and his wife are struggling still, very understandably, and can still use LOTS of prayers.  My heart aches for them daily and I so wish I could fix it for them but I just can't.  Starla's birthday was the 2nd as well, she had a wonderful day and I think she got everything she asked for!  After that it was on to new job, new training and getting ready for my sisters wedding. Yes, all of that jam packed into just a few weeks.  My sister got married on 11/11/11 and I think now has a lot of her stress and anxiety relieved so that is great.  She can chill a little now.  Jeramy is doing great, good in school and with friends.  Starla decided (on her own) to start volunteering at Riding High.  A local stable that works with horses and special needs children.  Very proud of her for doing this at her age and she has  really been enjoying it.  We have a program here called TAG (talented and gifted students).  They do these classes each winter at the local college.  Children must be referred by a teach and a counselor so it is not something they can just sign up for.  Jearmy did this both 7th & 8th grade, the only years it is available for them.  Starla hoped to go in 7th grade but didn't.  This year, SHE DID!  She has been so excited about it and has already picked up her classes.  So over winter break she will actually get to go to the local college and take courses.  There are only so may student chosen from the surround areas and they narrow those down so it is a big thing.  Class has been pretty heavy the past 2 weeks so I am looking forward to a 3 day work week and a long weekend!  It has been over a month since I have blogged so this is just a quick summary blog.  I will try and do better as things start to settle down!  Hope everything has a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving with those they love. Enjoy every moment, take nothing for granted.....We are not promised tomorrow.

Misty & Joshua 11-11-11

"If you treat Thanksgiving Day as a mere custom, then you are missing out on the true meaning of the holiday. As much as we enjoy Thanksgiving for the dinner and the festivities, we must also rejoice for our good fortune. So, have fun with your family this thanksgiving, but don't forget to say 'thank you.' And if you are fumbling for meaningful words, read these thanksgiving inspirational quotes for a push in the right direction."

~ Izaak Walton

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

Funny Things.............

While organizing I discovered why the birthday card I got from my father this year sounded a bit familiar; turns out it was the same one I got from my mother the year before!  bawhahahahaha


So, mom's has black writing while dad's has raised purple writing but you will notice on the back that mom got the better deal!  She paid $2.99 while dad had to cough up $3.39 LMAO!  Just thought it was funny and I would share.

"Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told,

 'I am with you kid Let's go!"

~ Maya Angelou

Everglades National Park - Simply Stunning!

Oh my goodness........It has been TOO long since I have posted.  I have had SO much going on though.  I will try and do a few posts to cover rather than one HUGE post.   LOL  August, well mid August John's Mom, Step Dad and Brother came from England for 2 weeks.  In the middle of their visit we all went to Florida.  It was great to get away for sure!  We went to the Everglades, enjoyed and Airboat ride, got to hold the little gators, explored the Miami Zoo and just enjoyed the time away and all getting to know one another.  Love the Everglades BUT I must warn you, if it is hot....DON'T GO!  The mosqitos will eat you alive!  Aside from that it was a lovely trip though.  The zoo was great.  It was beautiful all day!  We got to feed the giraffes which instantly turned me into a 4 year old!  ha ha ha I loved it!



We took them to Biltmore, Cades Cove and all sorts of places.  I think they enjoyed it and enjoyed the sun since they don't seem to get much of that in England.  I recall when my mother went there with my mamaw when I was in 5th grade that they said it was cold and rainy the entire time!  Anyway, lots more to update since I am clearly so behind but again, one thing at a time.  


Hope everyone has been doing well!

Everglades National Park (yep just at side of trail)

Everglades Alligator Farm

Everglades National Park

Everglades Alligator Farm

One of my favorite shots of the trip!

"My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others. That is nice but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success"

~Helen Hayes

Ok, ok.....I must admit.  My update skills are continuing to lag.  Things have stayed a bit busy though.  A lot of out and about as always.  Snapping away and keeping up my snapshot blog, at least I have done well not to miss a day so far on that one!  LOL  Full time work has not changed much.  I think we would all like to see some improvements but on the upside we still have our heads above water.  Better than being completely under!  My business is still steady.  Two new clients the past few weeks so I am totally happy about that.  One is a new print client and one is a new website so a little variety is good too.  Oh yeah, and apparently one of our local magazines used some of my photos, and maybe a couple of John's on their cover for this month.  Of course I haven't seen it yet so I have no clue what it looks like.  Took the kids one evening and snapped a few pictures.  We'll have to get out and do more soon.  They said it looked great though, I will have to check it out when I get my copy!  I have still yet to "fully" clean my house but I am starting to get a little more caught up so at least that is a step in the right direction.  Took all the blankets and sheets to the laundry mat yesterday, ok a boring hour but man, sure was nice to have it all done at one time!  It would have taken me forever at my house.  Had lunch after that, went to the grocery store, picked up some movies and cooked dinner at the house.  It was just a "regular" Sunday.  Seems a bit odd since I am always on the go but every once in a while we need just a regular day to get regular stuff done.  Been trying to spend some more time with the kids so one weekend we took them to the Haunting at Ramsey Plantation (fundraiser), they enjoyed that and then we went to Chop House for dinner and of course they enjoyed that!  LOL  Last weekend we took the kids out for a FULL day.  Picked them up at 6:30am and dropped them at home at 7:45pm!  LONG day but we had so much fun.  We took them to Cades Cove, got out did a little walking and exploring.  We went into Gatlinburg and had lunch at Calhouns and then back on the road again.  From there we went to Cataloochee.  Hoping for them to see the Elk but in the heat they tend to hide.  We did see a couple though.  Saw a nice turkey and saw the Biggest bear I have ever seen outside of a zoo from 15'-20' away!  Yes, way too close to be considered safe viewing distance but we sure didn't approach her she was just there, with her 3 cute cubs!  It was Starla's first time seeing a bear outside of the zoo and she was able to get a picture too so that was pretty neat.  I must admit I was VERY excited, my goal for the day had been to get a picture of a BIG bear and I was so bummed when I left Cades Cove not seeing a single bear!  

I mean for the past couple months every time we have been to Cades Cove we have seen bears, a few weeks back one even jumped right in front of my car!  I was totally excited to see this BIG bear.  It made my day.....LOL    Ha ha ha I just love where I live.  I love that we have so much of beautiful mother nature for us to appreciate on any given day.  It is great!  Took off this past Saturday on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.  Not sure why we had never taken that one since we are out and about in the GSMNPs every weekend but none the less we hadn't.  It was nice, a lot of little trails around the cabins and and found a few trails/hikes to check out once the weather cools off a bit.  The heat and humidity have been AWFUL here.  I have a vacation coming up in a couple weeks, I will not be getting away from the heat and humidity at all but it sure will be nice to really get a way for a few days!  Off to the Everglades, Keys; off to see something new again.  Can't go wrong there.  Still doing good at the gym.  3-4 times a week since June 4th!  lol Ok well there is a bit of an update as scattered as it may sound.  I will post some pics as well.  Hope everyone has a great week!

The BIG Bear!  LOL

"I love to think of nature as 

an unlimited broadcasting station, 

through which God speaks to us every hour, 

if we will only tune in." 

  

~George Washington Carver

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

Introspection.........

"...why should we not calmly and patiently review our own thoughts, and thoroughly examine and see what these appearances in us really are?" 

~ Plato

 

Introspection......I feel like my entire year thus far has been filled with it!  I guess I have to take blame for that though.  I set out at the first of the year and decided it was going to be a year of change for me.  I was going to make some big changes, I was going to do things I would have not done in the past and so on.  I have to say, I have done a little better at this than I originally thought I would and we are not even half-way through the year so I am pleased with that.  Of course with all of that introspection comes the good and the bad.  There are light and easy days and there are heavy days.  Days that you just feel a bit like the weight of the world is planted firmly, centered on your chest.  My nephew informed I had been changing quickly....lol  I told him only because I pushed myself to do so.  He said there were things he would like to change about himself and I told him he had to just make it a challenge for himself as I have done.  Approach one thing at a time and most importantly, start before I did!  HA!  

Anyway......More on all of that later.   I took Starla to see Bridesmaids on Sunday.  It was actually pretty funny.  Then we took a ride, had to have a snap shot!  Speaking of, when I got home from the movies I checked my messages to find a message from someone who said:

"I went hiking today and took several pics which had me thinking of your daily post, wow you have some great shots and just want to know that your post were enough to get me out and shooting some."

" I guess I kinda wanted to thank you cause I had a great day shooting and hiking, which I've not done as much as I used to, so thanks for being you"  ~ Bri

Wow, thank you so much for sharing that with me.  It means a lot to me that you took the time to actually tell me.  I know there are a ton of people that read my blogs and check out my daily snapshot blog without ever speaking a word.  I am totally cool with that, don't get me wrong.  My blogs are set up so that anyone, anywhere can read them, comment on them or even just click next if they have no interest.  It is always nice to know though that somewhere they have a positive impact on someone. 

The snapshot blogs was one of my new challenges.  I am happy to say that so far I have done good, there is a post for every day of the year!  I love photography.  I am by no means an expert and I have a lot to learn.  Maybe, just maybe, one day I will save for a more proper camera and maybe even take a class.  Who  knows.  Although I have always been more of one to learn by trial and error.  I know this is not always the best or easiest way but I think that in the end all that you learn, good and bad, tends to stick with you more!  Just my opinion, we all have those ya know.  Either way, it has been good for me and it has allowed me to open my eyes and sometimes see something crazy beautiful in something that just months before I would have driven right past and not taken a second look.  It allows you to appreciate so much more in life, you take more time, you really take things in. Who knows, maybe I will go crazy and continue it through 2012?  We shall see.  I will start working on my book soon.  I think that if I don't start uploading and placing photos now that when I am ready to do my 2011 Coffee Table Book I will be completely overwhelmed!

Well, it is Monday, as much as I truly do not want to I suppose I should get to work! 

So, I have been a bit slack due to the simple fact that I just haven't been home much!  So today I took my nephew to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean IMAX 3D movie.  We made a trip by Dillards so I could pick up a few things and then we headed to lunch at Calhouns.  Food was great as always and our waitress was quite entertaining as well.  My nephew cracks me up.  As most know I sort of swore off dating for some time and well recently I decided to get back into it.  So, my nephew decided it was time he tell me what HE thought was important for me to focus on.  (He is 16 so that makes it that much better)  So listed below are the things he thought were Important:

• He has to be very good to me
• He should be able to get along with him (my nephew - ha ha ha, gotta love him)
• He should make me laugh
• He should take me nice places 
• He should have a good job
• He should enjoy some of the same things that I enjoy doing
• He should not enjoy something that will occupy too much of his time and take attention away from me (this one made me giggle)
• More importantly he says, this guy should NOT hurt me.  If he does he will break his legs and .....Well I just wont repeat the rest of that but I am sure you get the point there.
• Oh, and he said that he needed to be quick and witty.  Since I am...lol
• He said that he can't be easily intimidated.  
• He has to be able to keep up.
• He said in some aspects he needs to counter me.

We discussed marriage and kids and all that stuff.  I also discovered that there are "bonus points" added for the one that actually asked if my nephew approved!  LMAO!  He was not too keen on the idea of me possibly getting married in the future.  He said that when people are not as good as they should be that Divorce ends up causing a lot of hurt and that he does not want me to be hurt that this would really, really upset him.  He is an insightful little thing isn't he?  So, even though he is in this stage of "I want to be a BA"  (bad ass, of course the fact that he doesn't even say it says a lot)  lol  It is very clear that he is a smart and loving young man.

IMAX was good as always - Can you go wrong with a 60' screen?

So tomorrow will be Starla's day.  We have plans to go see Bridesmaids.  I hear it is pretty funny.  She is a little in "girly" mode and decided that POTC 3 was just of no interest to her at this time.  LOL  No biggie, I haven't seen a lot of movies in the theatre lately so I am happy to take her.

I am way behind on house cleaning so I am hoping this next week to get caught up on that for sure!!  I can't stand that my house is so dirty!  Good lord, I have become my parents!  EEEKKKK

So, anyway there is a quick little update on things.  I will try and write more later!!

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than youever dreamed yourself to be.

~ Patanjali – the author of Yoga Sutra