A Grimm Cat

Snow!

2011-01-01T21:43:00.004-05:00

We got about three inches here the day after Christmas--a day late for a White Christmas, but we'll take it. The snow was beautiful to watch come down, and not dangerous until the next few mornings when the roads and driveways turned to ice.

Easter loved it, and Joel had the best time throwing snowballs which she would unsuccessfully attempt to retrieve. She also kept eating the snow, as evidenced here.

My Favorite Pregnancy Photo

2010-12-13T13:03:00.002-05:00

2010-11-18T18:34:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow marks 33 weeks pregnant. I need to type that again to ingrain it in my head. TOMORROW, I will be THIRTY-THREE WEEKS PREGNANT. This isn't working. Somehow I feel like I should still be in the blossoming beginning of my second trimester. That's long gone and I'm starting to panic that we have done a whole lot of nothing around here. Yes, the room is painted. Check, did that the week we bought this house. Yes, we have the crib put together. That's about it. Remaining in the room decoration/furniture list are: sew cribskirt, sew valance, figure out changing table, have rocking chair recovered, decide about organization, and clear out the closets. This does not include adding back in baby items to the room such as clothes and diapers. Oy. And to top it off, we don't have a weekend free until December, and those are beginning to fill up! The nights have been busy around here, between Joel's usual work and our bible study and whatnot. The time is slipping through our fingers like sand. Yes, I'm whining. I'll stop now, only I'm headed to get a kleenex, not to break out the sewing machine like I should.

No, I Haven't Just Gained Weight

2010-10-06T19:04:00.002-04:00

I finally look like I'm pregnant. I was starting to wonder myself.

This is from two weeks ago, at 25 weeks pregnant. Where has the time gone? I finally ordered the crib tonight! So much to do, so little time.

Halloween

2010-08-24T16:09:00.003-04:00

So the boys (you know who you are) have coerced me into hosting yet another Halloween party. Now don't get me wrong, I love planning for events and having people over. But people had &@#$ well show up this year. Trouble is, Halloween falls on a Sunday. No big deal except the few faithful people who do make an effort to come are out of town...plus, we all have to work the next morning. Would people still want to come on Saturday even though it's NOT YET Halloween? Plus, there's an ECU v. UCF away game that night, time TBA. Hm.

And...the same boys have decided it's going to be an early 1990's theme. This should be fairly easy, since that involves all things neon. I'm thinking glowsticks for a start. And brightly colored jello for food... Other thoughts appreciated.

Also, costume. Joel wants to be Vanilla Ice. He looks nothing like Vanilla Ice. But last year he was a munchkin for the Wizard of Oz, so I guess this year isn't much of a stretch. I'll be 30 weeks pregnant and all I can think of is Father of the Bride Part II, which came out in 1995.

Automatic invitation to those who comment on this post!

The News is Out...

2010-08-09T11:12:00.002-04:00

…that Joel and I are having a baby! But I’m just now getting around to posting about it, and I’m sorry. We found out the first day of May, and the reality has been slowly sinking in. Excited might not be a sufficient description, perhaps ecstatic. I’ve been busy planning and Joel’s been busy cooking for me, rubbing my belly, and singing made-up songs in that direction. Our second ultrasound was Wednesday, around 18 weeks, and we could have found out the sex, but we want a mystery baby! BUT, we got to see the baby moving all around, holding up one hand when the ultrasound tech started talking about Pirate football (really), and saw the tiny heart chambers, and the profile (which Joel claims looks like me). He swears we’re having a girl. A guy I work with says girl. Everyone else says boy. I should make a poll. Me? I don’t really have a feeling one way or the other! I'm counting down the days until I can feel the baby move...

Easter

2010-05-07T16:46:00.004-04:00

No, not Easter as in the Christ's resurrection. We got a dog that week, though, so the name seemed appropriate.

One Tuesday morning before work, Joel noticed a stray dog in our yard, and beckoned to it. Skittish, it didn't respond until I came outside and bent down. The dog came right over, shy but friendly, and let us both pet. It scampered off when I left for work, and we figured that was the end of our relationship.

Friday night I finally got around to checking my email, and the neighborhood listserv had an e-mail from the town clerk. Apparently the dog was found and put behind the public works building while they waited for someone to claim her. No one did, and with no collar and no dog matching that description in the neighborhood registration, they were supposed to take the dog to the shelter within 24 hours. However, she was so sweet they couldn't bear to and waited until Friday. On a whim, Joel and I went to the shelter the next morning, and lo and behold, the poor dog. She had these eyes that just bear right through yours. There was a four business day waiting period for adoption, to make sure the owners hadn't just lost track of her, so we waited that out and brought her home.

We named her Easter for the season, and she immediately proved to be a sweet dog. Well-trained, she sits on command, sits when food is poured, and waits to eat until given permission. She's housebroken, and we can leave our flip flops by the back door all day and she won't touch them (except once, and I think that's because Joel's huge shoe is the size of her chew toy fish and probably smells about the same). Kidding, honey, kidding. She also tends to think she's a lapdog. About the only thing she doesn't like is not being able to cuddle 24/7 and taking a bath, though she begrudgingly accepts it.

Corvette Show

2010-05-07T16:35:00.006-04:00

So my Dad raised me on old cars, and I developed a tender place in my heart for Corvettes. He has a 1971 Brands Hatch green t-top, with 365hp and a 454 big block engine. Sadly, it's in disrepair, lacking two things: time and money. Joel still swears he married me to inherit the car. That's sort of okay with me, I understand.

Dad met us for a show a couple weekends ago, and there was lots to drool over. I also learned that there used to be fiber optic lines in the console that would lose their light if a headlight or tail light burned out. Can't say my Envoy is that smart.

Miscellany

2010-03-19T10:49:00.005-04:00

I can barely remember what I did yesterday, but needed to catch up from the past few weeks. Sorry. The following events are a scattered composition--I feel like Joel, rambling.

Sunday morning of Valentine’s Day we were up bright and early for church, since the Bishop was preaching. After a quick lunch, Joel’s phone rang, then mine in quick succession. It was Joel’s dad calling to let us know that Jaimee’s water had broken! Waiting for further news, I met Duffy at the gym to walk & talk (my body and my mind suffer without our weekly session). Lilly Jean was born after midnight, and we headed to visit after work Monday. She was precious, and the rest of the family was doing well, even Jaimee! This story would be much better if I had more pictures and my memory could serve.

That Friday night Joel & I headed north to take supper to the Martin household. We got to visit with everyone, play drums with Cole, and hold Lilly. Saturday morning we got ready for Cole’s second birthday party, where more family came to visit.

The last weekend in February we did what I think normal people do. Stay in their own town, eat, visit with friends, and have a good time. We never do this. Yes, we eat and visit and have a good time, but it’s rarely without travel and expense. Friday night Joel and I headed over to church for the Methodist Men’s Pancake Supper. It was delicious (almost as tasty as Papaw’s pancakes, but nothing can touch those), and we got to visit with a table of ladies who regaled us with stories of New York City decades ago. We headed to pick up a $1 redbox movie and saw a friend’s car, leading us to Pier One to visit in the aisles.

Saturday I met Duffy at the gym for Turbo Kick (hilarious) and then we took her adorable kids on an errand adventure. First to a neighborhood church for a “clothing swap” where you bring X amount of clothing and you leave with X amount. Complete loss. 99% of what was there looked like something your badly-styled grandmother would have worn in the early 90’s. The poor woman there said to us, “We need more young people like yall to do this to have a better selection.” Duffy came out with a sweater and shorts for her kids, and I found a onesie with boats for a friend. So I guess it wasn’t a complete loss, since I donated ten things to charity and took three. I stopped by Pier One to pick up some candle lanterns I saw the night before. I felt guilty spending money on something pretty for the house (which hasn’t been done in well over a year), but we had a little gift money to spend and since our dining room has no ceiling light…it was money well spent. Heading home, Joel and I made homemade tacos, which were admittedly delicious. Then the doorbell rang and a friend came by to check on our heat. That is a long story, but with his advice, it’s getting fixed this weekend. Before Joel could jump in the shower, our friends who had planned to come over for supper had come up to the door—they ran for extra drinks while he jumped in. One couple brought a delicious green bean casserole and the other brought five pounds of shrimp, to add to our potatoes and steak. It had been a crazy day and Joel and I hadn’t gotten anything ready, so it was a team effort getting the meal together, but we visited and snacked on some peel & eat shrimp before the main deal. My great-grandmother Nana’s remoulade was requested, so ingredients had to be purchased before we could sit down. It was almost a loss, as the recipe had disappeared, but my memory and chef John Folse’s Plantation Celebration cookbook came to the rescue.

Here is the original recipe I later located:
Remoulade Sauce a la Armand, from Nana:
¾ cup olive oil
1/8 cup vinegar
1/8 cup lemon juice
Celery (finely chopped)
Green onions (finely chopped)
Horseradish
Creole mustard
Imported paprika
Salt & pepper to taste.

Mix well & serve cold.

Sunday was church day as usual, with an excellent sermon by Bryan.
Ingredients for our leftover tacos & wraps we had for Sunday Lunch. Delicious.
That afternoon Centenary held a seminar by Dr. John Rosemond. If you’ve never heard of him or heard him speak, you should. Google him and see whether his non-PC views offend you or encourage you.

Overall it was quite an enjoyable weekend, especially with the beautiful weather.

Charles Mark Noble, Jr.

2010-03-04T15:14:00.007-05:00

Mom called me right after work February 2 to say that Papaw had passed out and was being treated at the hospital. Joel and I headed to Bible Study, we put him on the prayer list, we checked in with Mom later that night, found her a flight down there and got to bed with him on our mind. Before sunrise, while Mom was waiting to get on the plane, her brother called with the news that Papaw hadn’t made it through the night. As soon as the phone rang in the dark I knew it was bad news, and when Mom was crying when I answered, I knew it was the worst news. It took me back five years to when Mom called me from the same airport to tell me that Grammy had died. Time stands still, and sadness sets in, but reality doesn’t. It’s completely unfair that my mother had to be waiting for a plane a thousand miles away to get that kind of news, especially when she has spent so many months in Louisiana taking care of them. Joel and Dad and I headed down first thing the next morning, and were greeted by the ever-present Davidson family & Mom. We were also greeted with the news that the stomach flu had hit Charlieville and that Uncle Charlie, Erin, and Papaw’s caretaker Deborah were out of commission. Since we were the healthy new crew, we tried to get things taken care of, including eating the food brought over by such caring family and friends and even far neighbors that I’d never met. It’s too bad we didn’t think to photograph the edible love spread on those kitchen counters while we were there. Sometimes words don’t amount to much, but food and plastic utensils that cut the amount of dishwashing do. The next morning, Mom got so sick she had to miss the visitation…and that night I succumbed, followed by Dad and Joel. Mom recovered in time for the funeral the next day, but we looked through the kitchen windows at the little country church and all the cars. The Davidsons rang and ran, leaving a pack of ginger ale and saltines at the door. Just when we thought we were on the path to recovery, Mom knocked on the door while I was in the shower saying, “Another one bites the dust.” My Aunt had gotten the bug, and we found out that one of the deputies that responded to the 911 call was also sick. The doctors think Papaw had it too, and that it precipitated a heart attack. The absolute worst part of everyone being sick is that we couldn’t visit with everyone afterwards and share stories and tears and hugs. Once Dad was on the mend, he headed back to take care of Mama Connie (who is now 98!). Joel had to spend his birthday taking me to the doctor in Louisiana, where I was diagnosed with a sinus infection and bronchitis. Mom somehow in the chaos made time to bake him an apricot nectar cake, which we enjoyed all week long. He headed back on Wednesday, but I was still too sick to fly. Unfortunately, this meant I was also too sick to be of any use to Mom and Uncle Charlie in sorting through stuff at the house. I was barely any comfort to anyone and felt completely useless since she was having to make me tea. I did get to visit with Aunt Libby, who’s really my fake aunt, since she’s Mom’s little sorority sister, but she’s my Aunt nonetheless. It was good for Mom to have her there, too. Then it snowed four inches on Friday. FOUR INCHES IN LOUISIANA.

Mom's Snow Woman she made while I watched through the window.

I thought it was weird enough that it misted snow for a few minutes in January. Uncle Charlie is convinced it’s me that is bringing it, since I’ve seen snow five times there in 25 years. The following video is best enjoyed if you picture Mom trying to make the best of the weather in overalls three times too big, and me couging up a storm on the porch in Papaw's slippers and Grammy's down vest, three times too big for me. Bless our hearts.

Once I recovered and we could find a flight out, we came back late Saturday, where Joel came in the SNOW THAT NC GOT to get us. Bless everyone that helped us through that week. Yall don’t know how much your thoughts, prayers, cards, food, hugs, words, and plastic cups meant. Really. And I can’t explain how much I miss my grandfather. It’s still sinking in, since he was in such wonderful shape last month. In fact, I had just shown him how to bookmark this blog and Joel’s so he could keep up with us through pictures. When I was in middle school he bought me a digital camera so I could take pictures. He gave me money for a newer one in high school, too. I’ll never forget his enthusiasm for technology and the thousands of pictures he encouraged me to take. Between Grammy, Papaw, and me we could fill a house (they sort of did!) So many people came through that visitation line telling me how he fit the description of a gentleman, and that is the truth. He loved family, photos, delicious food, travel, the Boeuf River, farming, and his dogs. And the order depended on the day!

ps. If this post is chaotic, it's a reflection of that week of grief and sickness. Here are some of my favorite photos:

101 Things to Ponder Before Buying a Home

2010-02-24T11:45:00.000-05:00

1. Make sure there’s lights in every room
2. Check outlet placement.
3. Know which switches control what.
4. Cable jacks in the wall or in the floor?
5. Closet space? Functional?
6. Windows single or double pane?
7. Screens in windows preferable.
8. All windows operable?
9. Flush all toilets/run faucets.
10. Check sinks for leaks/drips.
11. Tile is a pain to keep clean. Floors and tubs.
12. Window treatments left or will you have to purchase new?
13. How/when does the sun hit each room?
14. Remember that carpet is tough to keep clean.
15. Storage in bathrooms important. Drawers are great.
16. Linen/coat closets?
17. Low ceiling is claustrophobic. High ceilings cost you in heating/cooling.
18. Check placement of HVAC vents.
19. Inside stairs will eventually need a child gate.
20. Ease of access for older people/people with bad knees.
21. Age of mechanical systems.
22. Water runoff on lot.
23. Roof age? More things in the roof= more chance of leaks.
24. Check for studs in wall for hanging.
25. Established neighborhood?
26. Check house at night for neighborhood.
27. Ask the neighbors about the house/neighborhood.
28. Trees are great for shade, but increase yard work, too.
29. Watch root systems of trees.
30. Cabinets in kitchen should be aligned and drawers slide easily.
31. Where will appliances be stored in the kitchen?
32. Pantry?
33. Gas or electric stove?
34. Septic or sewer?
35. Garbage disposal?
36. What are current utility bills?
37. Heat resistant countertops?
38. Are the washing machine and water heater on a waterproof floor?
39. Location/existence of guest bathroom.
40. Guests and kids share bathroom?
41. Storage space (attic, garage, shed, etc.)
42. Location of attic access(es).
43. Manual or automatic garage door?
44. If no storage in house, shed takes away from yard space.
45. Fence?
46. Exterior material: wood must be repainted and can rot, vinyl must be pressure washed, and brick is easier.
47. Gutter placement & quality.
48. Driveway space/guest parking.
49. Crawlspace or slab?
50. Prior to 1978 check for lead.
51. Ceiling fans?
52. Age of water heater.
53. Doors painted interior? Oil or latex?
54. Comparable prices of area?
55. Insulated crawl space and attics?
56. Neighbors age? (it matters if you want to be social)
57. HOA dues?
58. Deed restrictions and covenants?
59. Room flow.
60. Trees over roof = potential damage and perpetual cleaning.
61. Usable yard.
62. Commute in the morning and in the afternoon to see how long it will actually take.
63. Taxes and insurance.
64. Space for a chest freezer.
65. Lawnmower storage.
66. Convenience to stores (grocery).
67. For the loan: check prepay penalty, required escrow, draft options, salary burden, etc.
68. Popcorn ceiling? Asbestos tile?
69. Cable and internet providers.
70. Home phone? Not necessary.
71. Split level hard for guests, children, laundry.
72. Trash pickup and cost.
73. Plan for the future in guest rooms, kid rooms.
74. Difficult to bring groceries from the car?
75. Covered entry from car in the rain?
76. Dishwasher?
77. Check water pressure/smells.
78. Hard or soft water?
79. Water softener?
80. Water filter cost?
81. Air filter location and size.
82. Two story house should have two thermostats.
83. Spigot outside?
84. Outside electrical outlet?
85. Outside water well or on the city? (Wells are cheaper)
86. If gas logs, cost of propane rental.
87. Is house worth updating?
88. Public room size more important than bedroom size.
89. Decks must be up kept in wood, patios in sand or grout.
90. Driveway quality; asphalt buckles and concrete cracks.
91. Street noise/ambient noise?
92. Safety for kids in the yard (pond, street, etc.)
93. School district?
94. Check for drafts (use a match).
95. Caulking around tubs.
96. Change the locks when you move it.
97. Make the keys matching.
98.Will your furniture fit in the house?
99. Outdoor lighting?
100. Don’t get frustrated with offers falling through. It’s not meant to be.
101. If you don’t absolutely love the house, don’t get it.

New Year's Trip

2010-02-19T12:02:00.006-05:00

New Year's Day (Happy Birthday Mom!) we got loaded up and drove eleven hours to Nashville. On the way we split the driving equally, both taking an hour nap, chatting, reading, and watching license plates. By the time we got back we only lacked 6 states, but we had seen Alaska three times! Arriving at The Hermitage Hotel, our Christmas present to each other, we pulled in front and before we could get all the way in park a bellman in a long black wool coat and top hat was at our window, asking our name and preparing the front desk for our arrival.
Our car was valeted, we checked in at the front desk, given a key card that had everything you ever needed to know and a little map of Nashville, and met at the elevator by the bellman. He escorted us to our room, placed our luggage down, explained where things were, and made sure we were situated. It was a beautiful room, with extra pillows in the closet, a minibar (that we didn’t use), a bathroom with a telephone and table (hilarious), and a soaking tub with television. We headed back out before we got too comfortable and walked around in the freezing cold to Big River for a meal of pork sliders and green beans, bbq pizza made with a beer crust (very soft), and a sampler of their best brews. Coming back to the room, the lights had been turned off except for the dimmers over the bed, where our bathrobes were laid out, and waters and snacks on the nightstands. Since it was so cold we decided on a bubble bath and since college football was on, we watched the game from the tub. I think my husband is spoiled now. The bath products were Molton Brown and absolutely scrumptious. We tucked into bed for the night…and woke up to snow! Mind you, it didn’t stick, but it was exciting to watch it coming down! The shower the next morning was invigorating and had another MB oatmeal soap! When we checked in the night before, they asked which newspapers we would care to receive, and sure enough The Tennessean was in a bag hung on the door, as well as our checkout instructions. Breakfast in the Capital Grille was included with our room package, and they gave us the option of room service, but we decided to head downstairs to see the scenery. The room was neat, the wait staff great, and the food better. Joel got a Jack Daniels French toast and pressed coffee, while I had a spinach omelet with sausage and potato and toast. They brought me a little plate with five different options of spreads for my toast—all in the own little jars. The music was on shuffle, we heard everything from soft jazz to classical tor Bryan Adams (and caught the waiter dancing to himself in the corner; hilarious). Once we had gotten our fill I made sure Joel checked out the men’s room. While the women’s is well appointed, the men’s room is a spectacle. By the time we made it up the steps to checkout, they were aware we’d had breakfast and asked if we would like any help with our bags. We declined, but the desk attendant was helpful in making change while Joel ran upstairs and the man at the desk told me some stories about the renovation projects. Because we’re in our twenties, not wealthy, and since we were on our way to a football game were wearing jeans…you would expect most “ritzy” places to treat you like dirt. But the staff at The Hermitage were incredibly helpful, nice, and friendly. And not in a “polite only” manner, they actually carried conversation. It was wonderfully refreshing. Too bad we can’t afford to do this more often! We spent about 15 hours there and felt like we’d spent a whole weekend.
Once we got in the car, we headed three hours out to Memphis, where we met the guys I work with and their ladies. We braved the cold (under freezing cold) for three hours tailgating, visiting, munching, and chanting at opposing fans that walked by. The seats were good, and we enjoyed the game. The ending, not so enjoyable. ..so I’ll just stop there. Afterwards we went out with the crew to Rendezvous for ribs. That place seats 400 downstairs and 300 upstairs and every Saturday night they feed several thousand. It’s a machine. Then Chad and Kristen showed us around Beale Street, though because of the cold and the loss, it was quieter than previous nights. We once again wrapped back up into our hotel room, though we were so tired and finally warm that I immediately fell asleep in my long underwear and we didn’t care that our hotel experience had been downgraded! The morning came too soon, and making it downstairs we realized the hotel we were in was enemy territory! None of them looked too happy to see me in my ECU hat. We hit the road again with PB&J sandwiches made in the car and some coffee, headed five hours south to Louisiana. You can always tell when you’re getting closer because the roads in Mississippi have an unforgettable rhythm. We stopped at the line for a break and captured Joel overlooking the Mighty Mississippi. Pulling into the driveway at Papaws always feels like home. We visited for a while, recounting our previous day’s travels and catching up on what was new with him and his caretaker, Deborah. Later that night, Uncle Charlie, Lauren, Ali, and her daughter Brianna came by to visit. It’s still hard for me to believe that my baby cousin has a baby, that Lauren is almost 21, and that Erin has a car. The next day we just hung out at the house, chatting, napping, eating venison, and watching football with Papaw. We started out for a walk with the dog, and got halfway down the driveway before Joel noticed it was snowing! Too bad it only stuck to the vegetation and not the ground. Later Frances came to visit (my third cousin once removed. Yes, really.) and the three of us headed to the woods for some quality time with nature. It was muddy. Really muddy. And Joel had on tennis shoes. Luckily, the whole family keeps a pair of shoes in the closet at Papaw’s so we don’t have to travel with them. We went out to the pond, through the trees, across ravines, built log bridges, and made it home before supper. In the morning we went to physical therapy with them, and it’s amazing to see the progress he’s made not only in the past few months but in the past few years. Then we headed to visit a Hatch cousin, who’s memory about a certain graveyard in the forest helped me a great deal in doing some genealogy. Joel and I let Aunt Suzanne finish her afternoon nap and killed some time at Antique Alley. One store had a jinormous collection of Sock Monkeys. They weren’t for sale. After naptime we got to visit with Aunt Suzanne, then Carrie & Frances, too. We chatted, laughed, and snuggled with the dogs in front of a crackling fireplace. Time with those we cherish always ends too soon. That night Deborah made a delicious spread of chicken and veggies, then we headed over to the Big House for cookies. We finally met Ali’s husband (where has the time gone?) and visited with everyone but Lauren (who was on a date…not knowing there were cookies to be had). Joel asked for pancakes in the morning, and pancakes he got. I took a picture of him and Papaw in the kitchen, but they both have such bed hair I’m sparing them the embarrassment and keeping that one to myself. Pulling out of the driveway makes me cry every time, but I just have to count the days until I’m back. It was icy cold when we left and we drove that night to the other side of Atlanta, with Joel following the path of the eighteen wheelers in the snow. We slept in the next morning to let everything thaw, and only saw ice in the ditches and icicles on the car window. These survived several hours in the sun and wind!

Morrisville was our next destination, an impromptu stop for Chris’s birthday. Luckily they let us spend the night and Saturday began with bagels and house discussions. In the two years of home ownership, we came up with a list on the drive home and will share in the next post.

New Year's Eve

2010-02-18T12:52:00.004-05:00

Though I worked the whole week and we were packing for our road trip, we love having company and when Chris & Steph had the week available we said, “Come on down!” and they brought themselves and their sweet German Shepherd puppy. How I didn’t get a picture of Deac (WF Deacons) I don’t know, but she was super cute. New Year’s Eve I came home from work, took a nap, and then we headed downtown for the big 300th celebration. It looked quiet, but apparently everyone was there but just inside a bunch of stores out of the rain. We tried a better vantage point for the fireworks, but that was too much trouble and just ended up walking down to the water for a great view. It must have lasted twenty minutes, and we took some pictures, kissed our spouses, and headed home to bed.

Christmas Festivies

2010-01-29T11:49:00.002-05:00

We actually started decorating the house early enough this year, but definitely after Thanksgiving. Joel and I both refuse to start any earlier, because if you only get the “Christmas Experience” one month each year

(Jesus experience year-round not included) then you treasure the season that much more. Our weird 70’s fireplace leaves us without a mantel, so we hang the stockings that Grandma made us at the top. The open space in the main room is perfect for the tree, complete with outlets at the base of the columns. We went to Moore’s Tree Farm, where you can show up, pick a tree, cut down your tree, and stick your money in a box on the honor system. Though, we couldn’t find the money box this year, so Joel called the help number and the guy was there in one minute with his trusty golden retriever. Joel picked out the perfect size tree, and it barely fit all of our ornaments.

Chris & Carrie had a tacky sweater Christmas party, so Joel and Grandma puff-painted a sweatshirt for him and I found my old reindeer sweater in the closet at my parents. Considering I still had plenty of room in the fifteen year old sweatshirt, what does that tell you about fashion in the 90’s? There was tasty food and cute decorations, and we had a great time visiting. Joel, Terrence and Aubrie won the prizes for best sweater since theirs was homemade, but Carrie had an embroidered vest that was a close second!

Christmas at the Farm is an annual tradition at my parent’s house, just a group of friends that get together every year for a couple of hours. They all feel like family to me! I’d get in lots of trouble if I put pictures of the people who went, but I’ll include some that don’t mind!

Katie came down one night before Christmas and we drove around the area to look at Christmas lights. There is one guy who takes chicken wire and wraps lights around, making glowing ornament balls. His neighbors joined in and the whole street feels festive.

The night of Christmas Eve, after Joel and I lit the advent candle and played Joseph and Mary at church (with a doll for Jesus…yet I had two little old ladies come up to me afterwards and almost tell me how cute our baby was before they realized it was fake. Never mind I casually laid it on the pew with no blanket and ignored it the remainder of the service…) we headed to his parent’s house. On the way we drove past the gingerbread house, which had more going on than I thought possible. Fireworks, rides, lights, music, the works. Cars lined both sides of the highway for what seemed like miles.

When we walked in the door that night, the plastic pieces of a little yellow and red car lied strewn on the carpet of the no-no room.

It was definitely a group effort to pop that thing together! Christmas morning started off with a couple in their aprons, which turned into everyone with their aprons! Once Jaimee and Charlie brought Cole over, the plastic puzzle got some use, as well as the hopscotch rug that Grandma tried out. Presents and paper flew across the room, pickles abounded, and socks ended up on ears. No, we hadn’t started in on the eggnog yet.

Late Saturday night we headed back home to regroup, and started Sunday off with church (Joel earlier than I since he has to work at the 8:50 service). Afterwards we headed to Grandma’s for lunch and company with all three of her daughters and their families (excepting a certain someone & his fiancée in Texas). It was great to catch up and spend some time visiting. Monday was back to work, and then we had the McCullen crew and Grandma over for penne vodka. Delicious food, better company. Alexa made the cutest cupcakes, with initials for each of us!

Crayons

2010-01-21T09:58:00.002-05:00

So I stole this idea from some random people on the internet, but it turned out great! First Joel asked the preschool at Centenary for their old, broken crayons. Then we peeled the paper wrappers and broke them into bits, sorted by color. I ordered some 500 degree, food safe molds off of amazon.com, washed, sprayed with Pam, and we stuck the bits down into the letters, being careful not to stack over the edge. For Cole’s name, we put purple and yellow to make ECU multi-colored ones. Then we put the molds onto a cookie sheet and sent them into the oven, about 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. It’s not a bad idea to turn the oven off and let them set for a few minutes before removing. Let cool (you can stick in the freezer, but if you wait too long they turn brittle. Trust us, we had to do three letters twice). Not that hard of a project (a couple hours) and awesome results.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

2009-11-09T21:35:00.005-05:00

I swore we wouldn't have a Halloween party again this year, since last year so many people either didn't RSVP or didn't show up...(this officially makes me a loser) but Chris and Carrie's request for round two was too tempting, and I gave in. Somehow Joel even got excited about a Wizard of Oz themed party. He made a darn cute munchkin. Thanks to everyone who helped! There was lots of food leftover, and again I'll say this is the last year.... next year no invitations, no decorations, no elaborate food...just whoever wants to come and we'll have a potluck. It's really for the people who want to just visit anyway! There's more pictures on Facebook, but the ones on here are self explanatory!

Poll Results...

2009-10-06T11:11:00.003-04:00

Awesome, 100% of the people reading my blog want me to keep it up. All THREE of you.

Maybe if I actually keep it up to date it will be worth reading? I promise to put something interesting (maybe a photo or something else cool!) by the end of the week. Hold me to this.

Poll!

2009-09-21T19:12:00.001-04:00

Please take the poll to the right, it would make my day!

San Diego

2009-07-15T22:18:00.002-04:00

Jaime has come to visit New Bern twice, so I more than owed her a trip to San Diego, and in God’s perfect timing, my ex-roomie Anna and her friend Neha came to visit at the same time. I may come back and edit an itinerary on here…once I sit down and look through all my photos. I took more photos than Blogspot will let me post, so follow this link to see them:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2270069&id=22211252

But in summary, we had a splendid time talking, catching up, taking pictures, and devouring delicious fare. (Can you tell my happiness revolves around tasty food?) Thank you Jaime for chauffeuring us around your beautiful area.

Graduate Sunday

2009-06-18T17:18:00.002-04:00

Joel has spent many weeks trying to plan graduate Sunday at church to honor the students headed off. His message was good (as always) and I think he’s going to try to post the audio on Facebook. It starts…”Hi, my name is Joel, and I’m a practical atheist.” You’ll have to hear the rest before you come to any conclusions! He also asked for a reunion of Pirates of the Cross, which was great. They all came up with their lovely better halves and we got to visit—dinner and a pajama party, too! They led a first-rate worship service and the congregation enjoyed the variety. Lunch at Grandma’s was a nice way to round out the weekend, and we’ll get to see them all again soon at Mike and Danielle’s wedding!

Chris & Carrie's BBQ

2009-06-18T17:06:00.003-04:00

Yet another Chris is getting married this summer, but this one we know from back in the day. The night Joel and I met Carrie we just knew she and Chris were perfect for one another. Any woman that can balance out the energy of Chris is a keeper—and Carrie is certainly that and much more. Joel and I wanted to do something to get all the “young people” together before the wedding, so we had a casual BBQ at the house. Some people brought drinks, others dessert (thank you Mom and Allison!) and Joel led the menfolk in grilling some delicious pulled pork. It was wonderful to see everyone, especially people we hadn’t seen since high school graduation—we had a mini reunion. I can’t wait to celebrate at their wedding!

Chris & Steph's Wedding

2009-06-18T17:02:00.003-04:00

Joel met Steph, then Chris at Pfeiffer, so I was lucky enough to get to know them as well. They are now happily married and are about to move into their new house! The festivities beforehand were lots of fun, as we got to meet friends and family and visit together. Chris made a handsome groom and Steph a beautiful bride (especially in her hot pink heels)! Thank you both for letting us share in your day. Congratulations!

Jeremiah was a Bullfrog

2009-05-09T17:42:00.004-04:00

We have a new pet. We don't feed him. We don't care for him. We don't give him baths. We do nothing for him, yet he is sticking around. His name is Jeremiah.

Finally! A Garden!

2009-04-10T19:01:00.002-04:00

Gardening fun & springtime in our backyard. A thank you to my husband for lifting the heavy stuff, pinching his finger, and being a good helper. Next week I'm planting tomatoes, squash, zucchini... and the list goes on. Today we got in cabbage, lettuce, spinach, and onions. We also have a separate pot of mesclun mix. Yum. Nothing beats fresh produce. Especially the free kind.

More Food

2009-04-10T18:59:00.002-04:00

Yes, this seems to be our only hobby. Except now we've added gardening...

Weekend Errands

2009-04-10T18:44:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday Joel and I headed out to buy garden materials. First True Value, then Mitchell's Hardware, then Lowes. It's amazing how helpful local people are. We were looking at plants downtown when a random stranger recommended tomato advice. And the owners of the stores were more than ready to help personally. On the way out of town, we stopped at the farmer's market and strolled through, picking up fresh flowers, homemade oatmeal soap, baked bread, chocolate covered nuts...you get the idea.

That night we headed to Greenville for a banquet--the ECU Student Planning Alumni Society hosted a dinner to recognize the graduating seniors. It was nice to see their work on display, meet other planners, and keep up with professors.

Backer?

2009-03-30T22:36:00.003-04:00

If any of you are holding out on me and are loaded, now would be the time to let me know. Joel's taking applications for an investor for his restaurant we want to run. Because this is what we ate for supper tonight:

He made a glazed salmon (secret sauce) and creamy penne macaroni & cheese with green onions, and I made a saute of bok choy on a bed of onions, garlic, mushrooms and sparkling grape juice. Yum. Come over and we'll cook for free. Once we have our restaurant, that'll be $25.

A Day at the Farm

2009-03-30T21:47:00.003-04:00

I spent the weekend with my parents and partially Jaime...but I'm lame and have no photos to document all of that fun.

Please enjoy the artsy-fartsy fun with my camera on my ancestor's land.

Photos Coming Soon...

2009-03-23T21:19:00.004-04:00

...to go with these posts. As soon as the computer likes me again. Although, I don't know why I'm bothering with this disclamer, as I think only four people actually read this. Including me.

Edited to add...photos are now added!

This Past Weekend

2009-03-23T21:18:00.000-04:00

This weekend went by too quickly, as they all do. We had our pastor’s golden retriever Gigi over at the house this weekend, which was wonderful. She’s the most loving dog, and it’s hysterical to watch her follow you everywhere. I mean, if you go from one side of the kitchen to another, she’ll get up and move with you. My Mom came to visit and she said having Gigi was like having a clinging toddler! But Mom didn’t mind, since when she left she wanted to stick Gigi in the backseat and take her home to the farm.

Mom is an experienced gardener (read: she used to drive from Greenville to Bethel to tend a one-acre garden after work…that’s dedication), and I needed her advice before I sited my boxes for my Square Foot Garden I’m planting this week. She helped me locate them and decide on the number of plants. I’m starting small, with only two boxes so as not to overwhelm myself. It will have delicious squash, zucchini, eggplant, basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. My mouth is watering as I type this. Wish me luck.

We also went car-shopping for her, which was fun. By the time we got done with that, we needed to make time to watch Mama Mia, so she picked up takeout from The Chelsea. It was shrimp & calamari pomodoro, black strap pork, and a glass of wine. A good girl’s night in.

Saturday for lunch I headed over to Aunt Karen’s for a Bekgah’s Belated Birthday. It was great to visit with all the family, though I am a loser and didn’t take any pictures. This spring is so busy, but I’m hoping to block out more time to spend with everyone—time is going faster and faster the older I get. I didn’t think that was supposed to happen before thirty. I was wrong.

Joel took the youth on a mountain retreat, and maybe if I say he’s going to post photos on his blog he might actually do it (cough, cough, honey). Our buddy Josh went with them, and they all had a great time visiting and spending quality time in nature.

Friday the Thirteenth

2009-03-23T21:17:00.001-04:00

Friday the Thirteenth was not only ominous in legend, but sad in truth. Our friends Jimmy & Amy are moving back to New York after a couple years down South. He’s been the youth minister at Trinity, and she shares her musical talents in several jobs. Although they’ll be heading back closer to family, we’ll miss them. They’ve been a part of the Youth Ministry Mafia and Desperate Youth Minister’s Wives Club since Joel and I first moved here. Please keep them in your prayers as they “make this transition.” As corny as that sounds, you know what I meant.

Friday we had our “Last Supper” and got some photos of the group.

I Heart Old Buildings

2009-03-23T21:16:00.002-04:00

Edgecombe Community College is offering an amazing Continuing Education program for Historic Preservation, and they’ll be offering degree programs starting in the fall. I took the Decorative Arts class last month, and start the Window Restoration class next Saturday. That will be lots of fun, as we get some hands-on learning. But first, some photos from our class trips to the Blount-Bridgers House in Tarboro (where we had our wedding reception), Hope Plantation’s buildings, and Historic Halifax. I would DIE for built-ins like this.
The King-Basemore house...so neat! And moved to it's location by a local farmer, only dislocating two bricks in the process.
I don't mind sewing, but I'm glad I don't have to make my own thread.
I have a fascination with old locks. They hold secrets.
*Notice the humongous mortar & pestle and ginormous bread bowl in the above photo.

A Miscellaneous Post…Kinda Like My Life Lately

2009-03-23T21:12:00.001-04:00

Friday I got off work after a long week to find a pink camellia on my windshield. Only my husband would leave a flower on my car when he’s the one headed out of town and I didn’t send him off with a surprise. Kind of hard since he packed while I was at work, but still. Sigh. One day I’ll make it up to him.

Also, I had to photograph my linen closet to show Mom. Folding towels was one of my chores growing up, and it paid off, because now I’m compulsive about a neat linen closet. I have absolutely no idea why.

Sadly, few people here celebrate Mardi Gras, so Joel and I had to create our own fun with an old mask and some hard-won beads to celebrate on Fat Tuesday. Just kidding about the beads, of course.

Happy Birthday to my Favorite Nephew!

2009-02-22T17:25:00.007-05:00

First...I will eventually account for December, January, and most of February....

In current events: Cole turns one tomorrow, so we celebrated this past weekend. Joel and I headed up Friday after work to visit with his parents, Charlie, Jaimee, and Cole. After a Waffle House breakfast, we got to work preparing for the big party.

Cole was busy pushing his walker *quickly* all over the house...it's hard to believe he's moving on his own.

We had lots of fun, but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Seven Years

2008-12-12T09:55:00.004-05:00

Seven years ago yesterday Joel and I started dating. And somehow in my half-awake sleep that morning I remembered to tell him happy anniversary. Usually he wins, but yesterday morning a miracle happened. Until I was shown up when he brought me roses during lunch. Unfortunately, I had meeting tonight and didn’t get home until late, but when I walked in the garage I could smell something delicious. He was pouring red wine and had cooked shrimp & grits and roasted brussel sprouts. This is especially amazing since I can’t ever eat shrimp & grits because of the heavy dairy…but because my husband must love me a lot he made it from scratch without. I’m the luckiest woman on the face of this earth, and I know it. It’s just a good thing that seven years ago I told him I liked him, or he may have never worked up the nerve to ask me out! Though we “dated” each other’s friends in middle school, neither of us dated during high school.I had a rough time being a girl who no one ever like or ever got asked our or told she was pretty. After a year of anger and resentment somehow I found the strength to pray for patience to wait for the right guy. And after a few years (God’s timing is SO different from ours) Joel and I finally realized that our blessed friendship was meant to be a blessed relationship. We count ourselves truly lucky to have known since junior year who we would marry, to be with only that person, to know we married our best friend. And we know we’ll make it in the long haul, because this week we put lights on the Christmas tree together and neither one of us was found dead the next morning by the cops.

The Wedding Weekend

2008-12-12T09:41:00.005-05:00

Thursday night after work Joel and I headed across the state to visit the McCullens. Sadly, we didn’t get to visit much while we were there, as we were gone during the afternoon and night, Uncle Bob was out of the country until Saturday night, and school beckoned the remainder of the family during the day. Friday we headed to the church to meet Daniel, and we headed to a very late lunch with him and his friend Wes to enjoy his last few unmarried hours. Back at the church, we met more friends and family, and a couple of us not in the wedding visited during the rehearsal. The BBQ at the rehearsal dinner was tasty, but not as tasty as Eastern NC style, and it never will be. Afterwards the “young” people headed out to visit. It was great to catch up with Joel’s college friends and meet a few new ones too. The original plan was Dave & Buster’s, but Jimmie Johnson had rented the whole place out, so we settled on Quaker. Saturday morning we got to visit with Aunt Chris & Alexa, while Matthew was taking the SAT. ECU was playing the conference championship game, so Joel called out the score to me while I was in the shower, and amazingly we got Pirate Radio in the car on the way to the church. Joel, being a groomsman, was stuck in the basement with nothing but Gametracker, and out taking photos. Luckily it wasn’t too cold, so I stayed in the car and put my makeup on while being serenaded by the Pirate win. The wedding was beautiful, and the bride and groom just glowed with joy. The reception was lots of fun, as the DJ was clean but funny and sentimental, and tons of people got up to dance. Joel and I got back to the house exhausted, only to find the whole family awake, so we sat around and visited until I started falling asleep in a fluffy pink chair. I’ll let you guess whos room that was in. You’re probably wrong. Sunday I was half dead from exhaustion and somehow slept through the family heading off to church, which I’ll have to make up for next time we see them by making circus waffles. Joel and I got back on the road home, the end of yet another road trip.

Preacher Man

2008-12-12T09:37:00.002-05:00

Joel preaches every fifth Sunday, so November 30 we filled an entire pew with family (and Kelly Taylor!). The message was “He is the potter, we are the clay.” I won’t even try to summarize, because it will be a pathetic interpretation that doesn’t do him justice. Centenary is blessed to have him, and I don’t just say that because he’s my husband. After church, we headed to lunch and then over to Grandma’s to visit. Cole kept everyone laughing, between chasing Grandma across the floor to hugging Santa. In the other corner, Bekgah and Joel and I wrestled the tree into place. I do mean, wrestled.

Thanksgiving at the Farm

2008-12-12T09:35:00.002-05:00

Since my mom had been in Louisiana tending to Papaw, Joel and I headed to Mama Connie’s to visit. Joel kept her company while I climbed in the attic to fetch out Mr. and Mrs. Claus to take their respective seasonal position in the front chaise. Joel has never seen Good Morning, Vietnam, so we stuck that in the VCR to wind down for the night…but we got TOO sleepy and didn’t finish. Next time. I’m starting to believe that the guest room upstairs has a time trap that keeps people asleep twice as long as they mean to. Every time someone sleeps in that thing, it’s into the double digits before they wake up. Be warned. While we waited for Mom to get back from the airport, Mama Connie and I mixed up a huge batch of her Party Mix. I didn’t take a picture before we ate it. Sorry. Come visit me and you can eat some instead of looking at it.

Black Friday

2008-12-12T09:29:00.002-05:00

We learned Friday morning that Mom Mom would need surgery on her neck after a nasty fall, so much time was spent praying and debating travel plans. We packed up the leftovers and headed over to Charlie & Jaimee’s to visit before Bill headed up north. I’m happy to say that she’s recovering well, though slowly. Since plans were a bit skewed, we stayed home and watched the Pirates play their best game all season (in MY opinion). Though we couldn’t be there in person to cheer them on, we got to visit with everyone. Cole was crawling all over the place! Though everyone else in the room doubted us, Jaimee and I even got their tree up and lit without a fistfight. Who says trimming the tree has to be stressful?

Thanksgiving with the "In-Laws"

2008-12-12T09:20:00.004-05:00

Somehow I ended up as the Safety Officer for our department at work, which leaves me in charge of conducting a monthly safety meeting. After our last one, I made everyone go around the table and say something they were thankful for. I got responses ranging from “my job” to “my family” to “God.” I closed, being thankful that I could look forward to enjoying Thanksgiving with my in-laws. Few people are that lucky. Joel stayed at home baking stuffin’ muffins (Tasty. Very Tasty.) and pumpkin bread while I worked on Wednesday. After work, we hopped in the car and headed north to his parent’s house. We had put on pajamas and were reading on the couch and visiting when the phone rang to announce that Chris and Carrie had gotten engaged! Though we knew it was coming eventually, we were so excited we had to pull ourselves together and put pants back on to head out and celebrate. Since the first night we met her, we knew they’d get married. After a good night’s sleep, we arose and attempted to help in the preparations, but there was little left to do, so we visited with family. Grandma and the Reeds came up, as well as Jesse who we adopted as family for the day. The meal was delicious, but the company is always better. The men folk tossed the football around, and the women complimented the Barbie tree and played Beatles Monopoly.

TSO

2008-12-12T09:16:00.001-05:00

Joel has always wanted to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra live, but they’ve never been close enough. This year, they made it to Raleigh on November 22, so that made an easy Christmas present for my husband. He was super excited, and we counted down the days till the concert. Luckily we left in enough time to stop and get cash, because parking at the RBS center was $10. Now, can anyone explain to me why I should have to pay another $10 to see a $100.00 show? Why wasn’t this included in the ticket price, or at least written on the ticket? What about those unlucky people who didn’t happen to look on the website and see the cash only fee? Oh well. It was worth it. Once inside, we opted against the $10 longnecks and made our way down to our (excellent) seats. The concert was great, with a light show and music throughout. Joel was like a kid in a candy shop, and while I also enjoyed it, I was enjoying the show through the filters of my sunglasses and earplugs. Go ahead and laugh out loud. It started off the Christmas season for us, and though we try not to think about it until after Thanksgiving, we found ourselves singing Christmas songs on the car ride home.

The Beauty and the Beach

2008-11-20T09:49:00.006-05:00

Finally Joel and I took a mini vacation and headed to the beach. We figured this was a delayed anniversary weekend, since all we did on the real day was get takeout (It was from the Chelsea, though…) Since I work Monday-Friday and Joel works Sunday-Thursday, it’s almost impossible to make decent weekend plans. While I should be counting my blessings that my husband isn’t in the military or an emergency room doctor, I’m still not at peace with our schedule. So, I anticipated this break with salivation. (That wasn’t supposed to sound gross.) A “friend” let us borrow their house at Emerald Isle, nestled between the calm sound and the unsettled ocean. We basically spent 48 hours doing nothing (Read: Watching reruns of NCIS, cooking, sleeping, sitting on the beach.) The weather was rather chilly, and if you know anything about the Outer Banks, you know it’s more windy on the beach than inland. This kept us inside mostly, but we could see a sliver of the ocean and 160 degrees of the sound from the den, so we were satisfied. The only thing we really missed out on was the outside shower—I guess we COULD have experienced intimacy with nature, but I don’t think I would look back on that memory with fondness. Joel made a shrimp, potato & corn stew to go with clams the last night before we packed up, and we had leftovers the next couple days to remind us of the beauty we’d just left.

Shells always remind me of Grammy.

Joel became a bird photography fiend. It's a good thing the camera has zoom; I am not a fan of birds close to me. The gorgeous sunset.
This came out well considering we took it ourselves and it was pitch black.

....ashes to ashes, fish to sand... My cutie pie.Some days I miss gymnastics.

My cutie pie dancing. Yes really.

Another Excuse to Get Together

2008-11-03T10:45:00.003-05:00

Someone asked me last week if I would be willing to host a Southern Living party, and while I'm not usually a direct sales type of girl, it's a good excuse to round up some female hormones for the night. I'm thinking about brewing coffee & desserts to sweeten the pot, so to speak...so if that sounds tasty to you, let me know! We'll be feasting on Monday the 17th at 7pm.

Finally...After Much Prodding...

2008-11-02T16:49:00.011-05:00

Kitchen, Guest Bath, Flour Pantry, Back Hall After...

Yellow Room before...and after.

Sitting Room before...and after, after.

Powder Room before...and after.

Master Bedroom before...and after.

Green Bedroom before, before...and after.

Dining Room before...and after

Den before...and after.

Halloween Revel

2008-11-02T15:47:00.006-05:00

Come over and have leftovers! We have a whole pot of apple cider left! Bekgah asked me if I was submitting this to Semi-Homemade for a tablescape. I'm not that good yet, but the food was pretty tasty if I do say so myself. And Joel made the cupcakes all by himself! Renaissance man.

Guess what Joel and I are?

White with the fallen angel...

Our priest & his maid..

Guess who decided on this costume?

I Love Food

2008-10-23T17:28:00.000-04:00

It finally feels like fall outside! Good thing I decided to brew coffee for us this morning, and a better thing I whipped up a batch of pumpkin bread last night to go with. I volunteered to make a loaf for Catacombs at the church (Ghostwalk is this weekend) and figured I’d make some for us, too. The batch made a HUGE amount, which we savored last night with a dab of cream cheese icing. Yum.

Super Sunday

2008-10-23T17:27:00.002-04:00

Sunday my church I grew up in had homecoming and we got to visit with my parents, Mama Connie, and Joel’s parents. The sermon by Mr. Bedsworth who was there twenty years ago was special. He spoke of unforgettable characters of the bible and related them to unforgettable characters of our church who showed the love of Christ. Several of them even I remember, like Miss Chattie, who played the piano for the children’s choir. And the food was amazing as always—no one can beat an good old-fashioned church homecoming. Both my parents had been to auctions the day before—Mom found some decorative stuff and a silver chest, and Dad got a swivel chair for a dollar and a 16mm film projector for eight dollars. He didn’t know what film was left on the reel, so I joked it was a homemade “adult” show. Turns out it’s an educational film on pregnancy and labor: the result of adult shows! Dad had also found some vintage Halloween decorations so we put those in the car and headed into the sunset.

The Wonderful Rainy Day

2008-10-23T17:24:00.002-04:00

Friday after work we met Joel’s side of the family at Luigi’s for supper and caught up. Saturday morning we wakened into a cold dreary world. We headed to the game and after sampling steak, crab dip & ribs from R.J. Rucker’s we enjoyed the Golden Knights parachuting into the stadium. That was not only an amazing feat to observe, but a moment to reflect on the pride we have as Americans. Once they all landed, the stadium (only half full since it was well before kickoff) broke out into a chant of “USA.” The game was one of the best I’ve seen ECU play in years, and they beat Memphis 30-10. By halftime, it was raining and thanks to Jaimee’s classic pink ECU jacket, I was safe. ***Note, I have videos from the game and if anyone can tell me how to downsize them from 280MB to 100, I'll be able to share them...***

After the game, Joel and I went to Katie’s to visit (I miss that girl something terrible). Sadly we were all hungry and headed to Chili’s around 4:30 with the old folks. We thought about telling the waiter that Katie was Joel’s ex and we felt bad that Joel and I got together so we were taking her out to supper. Only funny if you know they dated in middle school and that I was egging them on under the treehouse to kiss.

It's Here! It's Here!

2008-10-23T17:22:00.001-04:00

Friday the table was delivered! Lucky Joel was waiting at home for it and not me, because he had to help the two delivery guys carry it in! They brought it preassembled and it was only one inch smaller than our patio door. It looks huge in the room with both leaves in, especially from the angle at which Joel took the photo, but all the better for huge dinner parties. Hospitality, friends, and gathering of family is something Joel and I treasure. Last year we had Thanksgiving at our house and with the delicious dishes made by us and our family, we fed nine and one half. Jaimee was pregnant;) And we had to borrow a long table from the church and put a king size mocha colored sheet on it (those of you who were there, you now know our secret…)

Poll

2008-10-15T14:01:00.002-04:00

Hello, is only one person who reads this voting in the election or does no one want to take my poll? I hope you're all registered to vote!

BLOG TAG

2008-10-15T13:57:00.005-04:00

I received these questions and must answer them:

How did you meet your significant other?
Joel and I met in fifth grade AG class. He remembers me doing a parody of Whistler’s Mother, and he was doing a skit that involved lots of hammering and Band-Aids.

Do you shower at night or in the morning?
In the morning because I have pathetically limp and oily hair.

What’s the last thing you ate?
Trail mix: sunflower kernels, raisins, cashews, peanuts, pumpkin kernels, and almonds.

If you had to choose between meat and cheese for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
Well, it looks like God already chose for me, since I’m lactose intolerant.

What’s the worst song ever?
The Wheels on the Bus. Baby Bumblebee is a very close second.

If you won $1 million, what would you do with it?
Pay off his school loans, our car, our house. After that, in no particular order: Buy a subsistence farm. Save for retirement. Start college & wedding funds for our unborn children. Make sure our parents can retire. Travel. Buy good red wine. Build a screen porch & carport. Buy a new car for Joel. Get a golf membership. Have private ballroom dancing lessons weekly. That’s the short list. I reckon I should tithe some of that, too…

What’s your favorite holiday?
Christmas. Cliché, I know. Though Halloween is looking promising since we’re having a party.

What’s your worst habit?
Taking everything personally. Mom told me years and years ago it’s because I’m self-centered since I’m an only child. Looking back, she was probably right.

What’s the last thing you bought?
Technically, a dining room table, since the check was cut yesterday. (It gets here Friday, YAY!)

Do you have a bunch of acquaintances and a few good friends, or 70 best friends?
Acquaintances and a few good friends. Some I’ve had since elementary school, and others I met only a few years ago and yet feel as close to them.

Who’s your youngest relative? Who’s the oldest?
Youngest: Cole, my nephew at eight months. Oldest: Mama Connie, my grandmother at 96.

Random fact about yourself:
In kindergarten I would get so bored during the reading lesson that I would start tapping my feet and count up into the hundreds. The trick was that everything HAD to be symmetrical so I’d have to rotate limbs and keep track of the numbers until after lunch or whenever I was interrupted. Sad, huh?

Now I get to tag other people: Jaimee, Jessica, Amanda, whoever else!

Grrr...

2008-10-14T09:00:00.002-04:00

No, I didn't turn into a bear. I'm irritated because the wireless internet has been down at our house for two and a half months, making me dependent on Joel's laptop when he remembers to bring it home. Now the internet is down at the church (stupid city workers cut through the lines) and will be for the remainder of the week, and he has to leave the computer there. So during lunch he gets to forward me my hotmail since he'll be at the library anyways. I can't check that at work, and now I learned that some emails recently haven't gotten to me at work AT ALL. Oh well. Technology.

Joel Made A Blog...

2008-10-13T21:36:00.005-04:00

...and you should visit it at http://centyouth.blogspot.com/. Because no one has yet, and maybe if you do it will encourage him to actually post something interesting on it.

Prayers Needed

2008-10-09T11:24:00.001-04:00

Please pray for all those involved in the Rose student's death, especially Joel's dad. They really need it right now.

Meet Virginia

2008-10-06T11:58:00.004-04:00

Thursday Joel and I left work and headed north to pick up my parents. While Mom was packing, we got to visit with Mama Connie & Elsie. We flew down the highway once we got underway so we could make it to the hotel in time to watch the debate. After changing into our pajamas and raiding the drink machine, all four of us watched with supreme interest. I think she did well, especially considering he’s got 35 years of senatorial debate speak on her. We went to bed satisfied and slept easy.

Friday started with a yummy hotel breakfast (no, really). Since Joel has never been to rural Virginia, we gave him the tour of the Hillsman House, High Bridge, Double Bridges, and other stops on Lee’s Retreat. Our favorite stop is the Lockett House, still in the hands of our family. In fact, they’re in the process of restoring it so they can move back in. The house still has bullet holes from the Civil War! We visited with them for a while and got a tour and a souvenir: a brick made right there on the farm in the 1800’s and a ballast brick that came off the ships crossing from England during the 1600’s. How neat is that? [Note: I collect old bricks, so keep me posted…] The scenery there is breathtaking. Each time we rounded a curve I wanted to stop for pictures—especially with all the beautiful abandoned houses. One in particular has been covered with vines since my childhood. It’s hiding behind that trailer. I promise. Lunch was had at the Mad Hatter in downtown Farmville, and we strolled around the town for a while. Joel and I even happened upon a dining room table that we LOVE. It seats twelve comfortably, and fourteen in a pinch. I think we’ll put a sign on it that says, “We went to Farmville, VA and all we got is this darned table.” After that score, we hopped back in the car to visit cousin Byrd. I’ll have to check the family chart before I attempt to explain how we’re related. She reminds me so much of Grammy. She makes you feel like you’re her own grandchildren the moment you meet her. She’s also an avid food-pusher. You know the type. “Catherine, don’t you want a fourteenth piece of Chess pie? You can’t possibly be full yet.” Once dusk started to set in, we climbed back in the car to head to Orange, and Mom even danced to some hip hop music in the car. Priceless. Once there, we found a restaurant called the Silk Mill Grill, which was converted from a, guess what, old silk mill building.

Saturday we headed back onto the road to Montpelier, the home place of James Madison. The National Trust just reopened the site after a several-year, twenty-four million dollar restoration. Joel and I got discounted admissions because we’re members of the National Trust. Yes, I know that makes me a geek. Our cousins George & Dawn and their adorable kids met us there to tour the house and grounds. It was great watching them grind coffee, nutmeg & cinnamon, make beaten biscuits, run down hills, collect walnuts, and run away from butterflies. Hopefully next time we make it up to Virginia we can go far enough north to go by the house and visit!

Sunday after church we ate lunch and relaxed, and when Joel left for AMPLIFY, I decided to finish the invitations for our Halloween party. Being clever, I thought, I went outside on the patio and held the paper over a cast iron cauldron we just happen to have (don’t ask) to burn the edges for a spooky effect. I hope people like them, because I think I inhaled too much smoke and was lightheaded the rest of the day. Oh well.

A Little Less Conversation...

2008-10-02T08:32:00.002-04:00

Project Runway frustrates me more than a television show should. Why can’t they just nix Kenley-The-[Insert Word That Rhymes with Witch]? Even though a few of her outfits in the beginning were cute, the attitude has to end.

Today Joel and I are headed up with my parents to visit family in Virginia. Byrd is a dear cousin who lives among Civil War battlefields, where my family helped lead the Rebels to safety. It’s a long story that I would share, if I could remember all the names and how exactly we’re related. Saturday we’re meeting up with George & Dawn & their crew of children at Montpelier. We’ve been wanting to visit them, and also to see the finished restoration of the mansion, so I’m glad this weekend worked out. We’re going to make sure we drive up fast enough tonight so we can be settled in the hotel to watch the VP debate. It should be interesting. Though Palin hasn’t had much to say yet on the trail, I think her spitfire will blaze tonight. Between her and Biden, the debate will definitely be more exciting than McCain/Obama’s last week. The Republican ticket could be stronger, but when it comes down to it, I always vote conservative. Even if I was more liberal, Obama’s just all talk. Reminds me of a song, “…a little less conversation, a little more action, please.”

Crayon Colors

2008-09-30T22:03:00.001-04:00

Coolest website of the month: http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/2008/04/22/all-120-crayon-names-color-codes-and-fun-facts/ . I'm a fan of Midnight Blue, but it was a tough call.

Busy Weekend

2008-09-30T21:51:00.005-04:00

Friday night Joel drove to the coast to attend Rose’s football match and spend some quality time with his Dad. Luckily, they came away with a win.

Saturday Joel and I got up early and drove north in anticipation of a full day of activities. First Joel and I met Mom at Jos. A. Banks where he picked up his new tuxedo. I think now that we’re married I’m allowed to publicly state that he looks really hot in it. It just made sense to bite the bullet and shell out the money since he’s in a couple of weddings this upcoming year (I LOVE WEDDINGS.) Mom asked me to be her personal assistant since shopping isn’t her forte, and we headed out. Within several hours and two stores, we had filled her closet and emptied her pocketbook. A couple shirts are my size, so perhaps there’ll be some sharing! I dropped off my watch for a new battery & they cleaned my rings while I waited. It’s remarkable how sparkly they can get it. I got to take pictures of Jaimee’s pretty ring later that day, but the reason is a secret…shhhhh! Joel picked me up after lunch and I squeezed in the car with his parents and Charlie. We got in the stands and watched not only ECU play a horrible game but also witness some dehydrated high school band students. Directors, what were you thinking making those poor children dress out in full polyester uniform? I was sweating in a lavender polo and capris, downing water! Through that, though, it was nice to visit with family, especially since they’d had a rough week. Joel and I both saw people we knew at the game, from my co-workers to people from my hometown. That includes the one drunken fool who in my mind is still ten years old. I hope he’s at least 21 in reality, not that that really makes it better. When we dropped off Charlie we got a brief visit with Jaimee & Cole, my favorite sister-in-law and our favorite nephew;) I cannot believe how much he’s grown. He even propped himself against my legs and almost balanced himself standing! We wanted to stay and visit but had promised Whitney we’d see her & Rod and didn't want to make them sit at the restaurant forever. We had a great time catching up with them--it had been months. Rod even gave me some simple, yet helpful advice with the manual camera aspects. We tried to make straw flutes as Chris taught us months ago, but failed miserably. Oh well. Such a fun night with them. I even saw Kristen, a friend from dance years ago. You can’t go anywhere around here without seeing someone you know, and I love that.

Sunday: Church, lunch, AMPLIFY, bible study. Though my bible study has no peers, the discussion was better in part because it has diminished slightly in size. Poverty of spirit was the blessing of the week. I always struggled with that phrasing, but our table came up with a better definition.

Monday I made breakfast for supper, even though Joel’s not a huge fan of that theory. We had animal shaped waffles, turkey bacon, peach slices, and eggs (that Joel made when he got home….his are much better than mine are.) Delicious. I may have even converted him!

Downtown Delight

2008-09-25T10:12:00.002-04:00

Saturday, Joel and I took the trolley ride around town (finally). Our tour guide was as entertaining as he was informative. We then had a quick seafood lunch downtown in time to take the architectural walking tour. The old houses among where my family walked almost three hundred years ago capture so many stories, so much character, so much quality. It started to mist at the end of the tour, but we stuck it out. After that, we picked up fabric for drapes and headed home to watch the football game. The Pirates let me down, and that’s about all I can muster to say.

Alfresco

2008-09-25T10:10:00.002-04:00

Friday, Joel and I had a few people over for supper. It was “Bring Your Own…MEAT” and we provided the rest. The weather was perfect, and we moved the tables outside, lit some candles, and dined on the patio. The conversation spanned from graphic injuries to childhood playground equipment. What a great time visiting with new friends. Too bad after everyone got there I forgot I had a camera, being so used to being without!

Fun With The Camera!

2008-09-25T09:41:00.003-04:00

Ants in the flower
Trixie

Leaf on the drive
Who knows what kind of plant this is?
Mum on our front step...and my feet.
ECU Pirates Plant
Joel is obviously not camera shy

Hydrangea

Photos Coming Soon!

2008-09-17T14:08:00.002-04:00

This week has been a blur. Sunday after church, we ate bison burgers with sautéed mushrooms, tomato, spinach, avocado, and a spicy Thai sauce. Yum. Monday was Allison’s birthday (Happy Birthday Old Woman!). Tuesday we had more birthday celebration at the office for a couple people, and since I’m the unofficial birthday coordinator, I got to pick up a couple dozen doughnuts at Christian Crème. Yes, I spelled that right. I think they’re a church that sells them for a fundraiser. There are “rumors” they just buy Krispy Kreme and resell them, but everyone around here is just so excited no one seems to care!

Last night, I went to a Creative Memories party. Now usually I am not a big fan of direct sales, but it was nice to just get out of the house and be around a bunch of estrogen. Especially because one of the women there has her 40 week due date today! I’ve been meaning to scrapbook a ton of pictures from a while back, especially those from our honeymoon. Luckily, I made a journal the last day we were there or I would have forgotten everything.

Lunch today was nice because the NC Association of County Commissioners held an appreciation luncheon for employees who helped with their annual meeting. The banquet was held at the Flame, complete with a guest appearance by Smoke. I know this means nothing unless you are from here. Jason thought about tackling the guy to get his shrimp bisque recipe but his better judgment won out.

Most exciting this week is that I finally picked and bought a camera. Yay! It’s currently in the mail and should be here tomorrow. The winner was the Canon PowerShot SX110 IS.

Another Pirate Win

2008-09-13T19:37:00.003-04:00

Was anyone as worried about the Pirates as I was this afternoon? They pulled it out, but boy, are they going to get an earful from Skip on the plane ride home. Mistakes, boys, mistakes. Mom called me with five minutes to go in the game saying she was in the drive and going to leave some fudge on the car so as not to interrupt. I decided to let her and a couple of her friends in anyway, so they wouldn't have to finish listening to the game on the radio. I think they were just as fired up as we were!

This morning I woke up at 7:41 and opened all the drapes, the light was just pretty on the dew. We sat around a bit and then braved the commotion for some errands. First the fabric store where I was hoping to find drapes for almost each room of the house, but to no avail. Joel did find an olive-green print that will go in the salmon room. Then to Belk for a new over sized down comforter and bedskirt bought with a gift card (love those). Then to Wal-Mart (ugh) for a few things where we ran into Aunt Karen & Uncle Michael. How they brave those crowds for groceries each weekend I'll never know. Last stop was New River Pottery for a purple/blue planter and some mums for the front stoop. Back at home, Joel made fried calamari with a chili Thai sauce for lunch. Yum. All I did was make the batter. Now that the game's over we're making salad (mmmmm, avocados) and heading to bed. Just a day in the life.

ps. If anyone is good with drape colors/shapes, I'll take all advice;)

Is It Friday Yet?

2008-09-11T14:31:00.001-04:00

First off, our prayers are for the memories of September 11, and for those fighting to keep America a safe place.

Well, Sunday Joel and several other youth ministers got together and hosted a Back to School Bash at the high school. I think they had about 350 youth. That is fantastic. All his programs are being kicked off this week, so keep him in your prayers.

Sunday night I started a bible study, which I haven’t done since my freshman year of college. The Good: It’s a quality bible study. The Bad: There were only two or so of us that hadn’t been through menopause. This should be interesting. I mean, there is always something to learn from the wiser, but I need at least a few more in my generation! Luckily, this may have spawned a new get together for some women at the church that would include me. I’m definitely looking forward to it. I need some girl time like whoa. All my girlfriends are spread all over this good nation!

On a less important, but more entertaining note, how about Project Runway last night, huh? Eliminating TWO designers. I can honestly say that is the only TV show I’ve watched each episode of an entire season, and then watched each season. It’s just that good. It makes me want to break out my sewing machine. Too bad I have to work for a living and can’t pretend I’m a farmwife cooking, sewing, and gardening. Maybe one day.

Hanna

2008-09-06T10:11:00.006-04:00

Well, we've seemed to weather Hanna that came through last night. Much better than the Piedmont. All we have is a few limbs down (one across the driveway) and about three tons of pine straw. And all the family we've spoken to last night fared well. My parents finally lost the old walnut tree that had been threatening to die for years. In fact, sometime in my childhood we had a snake lay eggs in the base of that thing. It remains to be seen if we got any water in the river house. I'm betting two feet.

Soon we'll be headed to visit with the family and cheer on the Pirates against West Virginia. Last time we played in really nasty weather, we beat Syracuse, so maybe that's a sign... By this afternoon I think all that will be left of the weather will be wind, but we'll be in the stands regardless.

Joel's in the kitchen making french toast and scrambled eggs. I didn't feel well last night nor when I woke up this morning so maybe breakfast will help.

Edited to add: GO PIRATES. Way to beat West Virgina into the ground. Man, what a showing this does for us nationally. The rest of the season is bound to go as well. Though I was stuck at home watching on ESPN instead of reveling in the sights and sounds of the Pirate Nation, I did get to watch and hear some fantastic praise by the commentators. Plus, they featured B's BBQ. Good pick.

A Real Weekend

2008-09-02T18:22:00.003-04:00

I think we finally had a "real weekend" where we had two full days off (though not consecutive) and did fun stuff the whole time. I would love to see the county switch to 4-day weeks so Joel and I could have two days in a row. We'll see.

Joel and I headed across the state to Charlotte Friday after work to stay with Uncle Bob, Aunt Chris, Matthew & Alexa. We were exhausted but managed to stay awake long enough to visit for an hour before hitting the sack. Saturday we woke up and had a breakfast prepared by Uncle Bob...I think Joel and I ate 4 pieces of bacon out of the 4 pounds each of bacon and country ham! Then we headed off to the ECU vs. VT game at the Panthers stadium in downtown Charlotte. Parking was a nightmare, especially because none of the event staff standing around seemed to know where our lot was. We saw plenty of people we knew outside, including the Heltzel family (minus KT). I guess we can still be friends even though Al & Shelly were in orange and maroon instead of purple and gold. We sat with another VT couple, Daniel and Jeana, and enjoyed their company. Even saw Chad and his wife right across the aisle. Joel is probably the better person to explain the events of the game, but I will say that the Pirates had me worried in the beginning making a few stupid mistakes. But in the end they were the better team and even VT's coach conceded. Maybe this confidence will help them with WV this weekend.
After the game, we headed to Uncle Bob's office for an eye exam along with Jaimee. I got some cute new frames and new, darker, sunglasses (finally). We then headed to supper with the rest of the crew. The drive home was dark and lonely on the roads; we got home around 1 am.

Bright and early the next morning Joel got up and preached at all three services on who God is and how we should respect his power and have faith in all he has done and will do. He will be who He will be. My parents and Mama Connie came up for the service, as well as Joel's family. After that we headed to lunch for some more visiting.

Because we hadn't gotten enough family time in yet for the weekend, Joel and I headed to the river house Sunday afternoon and spent the day with Mom and Dad and Mama Connie sitting on the porch enjoying the breeze, the drinks, and (sometimes) winning in solitaire. After a supper of boiled shrimp, we settled in for the night and slept like rocks. The next morning we caught up on the news of Gustav and called the Louisiana family to check in. They're still in our prayers. Mom and I taught Joel how to play Botticelli. And then he promptly beat us. I can blame my moment on lack of breakfast...I don't know what Mom's excuse is ;). We then inflated the raft and paddled out...we did much better on the way back after some practice. We saw eight dolphins! Supper was Grillmaster Joel's steak, some potatoes, salad, and cake for Dad's belated birthday. Our friends the Paulsons came over and we had a great time sitting on the porch in the breeze. The stars were out and we hated to leave and head back home. Less than a half mile down the road a tiny cocker spaniel/poodle ran out in front of us and looked lost, so we pulled over and spent a while trying to find its owner. Finally I guess it had an epiphany and ran home. Joel was hoping it was a sign we were supposed to get a puppy. Oh well.

Joel made me promise to have as much fun each day as I did this weekend, and I'm going to try!

This Week Needs to be Over

2008-08-28T14:47:00.004-04:00

Sunday Joel had to break it to the youth that they're not going back to CCC next summer, but going on a different mission trip instead. Though he knows it's the right decision, it didn't make it any easier to have kids upset with him, no matter how much comfort I tried to offer. I think once they get into the planning process, the excitement will overwhelm the apprehension.

And...Joel and I have both been sick this week. Blah.

And...I have a meeting tonight at work.

But...we're packing after that meeting to head to the Charlotte area this weekend. We're doing a combo trip of visiting Uncle Bob & Aunt Chris, getting new glasses, and watching the Pirates whoop VT.

Jaimee's Birthday

2008-08-28T14:36:00.003-04:00

We travelled North this weekend with Grandma to celebrate Jaimee's birthday with the family. It was great to see everyone, including our *so cute we may steal him* nephew.

I would share pictures, but that's right...I don't have a decent camera. For over a year now I've tried and tried to pick what I want but I just can't decide whether to shell out the money for an SLR or just buy a nice digital and wait for the SLR until I have a justifiable reason to lug one around. Hm. Until then, I'm relying on other people and an old digital camera that works about 2% of the time. Don't get your hopes up for fantastic photos on this blog anytime soon, people.

I think Jaimee has a couple of photos from this weekend on her blog.

Who's Birthday ISN'T the 21st?

2008-08-28T14:28:00.003-04:00

So Joel and I went to a Republican BBQ on the 21st with Dad on his birthday, and got to see quite a few nominees including Elizabeth Dole. The best part though was spending time with him and listening to him telling jokes and stories with us and the shall-not-be-named nominee at our table. (Actually his name is Bob Crumley, he's running for Attorney General and I support him.) I'll save Dad's pride and not share his age, but I would like to point out that several other people share this date: My Faux-Aunt Libby, Thomas Byrd, Joe Gaddis, Bruce Akers, Jason's Sister (I should get up and go ask him what her name is...), Marle Jones, maybe? Is turkey an aphrodisiac?

Papaw's 80th

2008-08-28T14:17:00.003-04:00

Though Papaw's birthday is July 7, we celebrated August 10 with a cookout at "the Big House" in Charlieville, Louisiana. Lots of family (though we were missing a few!) got together and ate, told stories, hugged, ate, laughed, cried, ate, took picures, ate...

A Toast

2008-08-28T13:56:00.003-04:00

A toast to beginning a technological documentary. Since there's a chance people might actually read this thing, I'll be more inclined to track my life. I never seem to get around to journaling, or scrapbooking...