Big News!!

My! I have turned in to quite a bad blogger! But, I've got news!!  News to share!! I couldn't hold it in, so here goes...

I HAVE A NEW GRANDBABY!!

Meet Miss Madalynn Rae Rowell a.k.a. Maddie

Maddie is Millie's little sister!  Millie loves the baby.

Mommy Chelsea loves her babies.

                   Meet the little family.

Poppa and Ganna (yeah, that's me) with Baby Maddie on Thanksgiving Day.

There is so much to be thankful for!  I love my grandbabies!!!

Quick Update

We survived marching band season. Now on to show choir band.

Still no new grandbaby. Still waiting...

Millie turns 2 on Thursday.

Things at work seem to be getting better since my job split/doubled. (I know. It sounds like an oxymoron. I guess it all depends on how you look at it.)

Can't believe: Kim Kardashian is already getting a divorce. Lindsey Lohan can be so stupid. Michelle Duggar is pregnant with #20. Maks & Hope made it to the semi-finals on DWTS.

In a Funk

I'm in a funk. I hate being in a funk. I'm not sure why it happens, but I guess we all occasionally experience a funk. Parts of my house are a mess, and I just don't have the energy or desire to straighten them. Then when I go in those rooms, my funk just gets worse. I hope I snap out of it soon. I hate having to MAKE myself do housework, as opposed to actually WANTING to do it. I used to get into cleaning moods...not so much anymore. :( Maybe it's because the 3 other males that I live with don't seem to care. I find empty boxes still on shelves or on the kitchen counter. How much more effort does it take to walk 2 steps to the trash can??! So, that's pretty much the extent of my funk at home. Then, there's work...

I haven't taken a day off since I don't know when. I decided to take Monday off. It was really weird being off work on a day when everyone else goes to work and school, especially when you are hardly EVER out! I need to get used to that feeling, and do it more often. We get personal days, and I build up vacation days, too. It's just that, during school days, there's never a convenient time to take off. So when I do, I pay for it the day I return...double the work...and that much more behind. I've been playing catch up since then. Well, I guess it makes life interesting. I DO have some awesome friends and co-workers that make work more pleasant. I look forward to our daily lunch time, when we are able to gather together in the middle of the day and socialize for a bit. Sometimes we vent about things going on at work. Sometimes we vent about things goin on at home. It's what friends do. It's nice. So there IS some light within this funk I'm in. And this funk will pass. It always does. I just hate being in the midst of it, realizing it, and not being able to do anything about it. I just hope that it passes soon.

Maybe by the weekend...

Quick Family Update

Me:  Chugging right along.  Getting used to the new responsibilites at work.  I have some great friends/co-workers that have helped me to get through it.  We are there for each other.  They make going to work something to look forward to.  I do love my job.  It just has those moments when I want to scream.  Guess that's the case with most jobs, anyway.

Kevin:  Had a little bout with unemployment.  Finally found another job.  Found out he had diabetes
about 3 months ago.  That's under control now.

Chase:  Still working at a hardware store.  Still going to the local community college.  Still doesn't know what he wants to major in. 

Jordan:  High school senior year.  Where has the time gone?  Friday night is senior night at the football game.  My baby boy is grown up. :'(  This football season has flown by.  He takes the ACT test Saturday morning.  Hope he scores high.  Need a good scholarship! 

Justin & Chelsea:  He's still working at a carpet mill.  Chelsea is 36 weeks along in her pregnancy.  It won't be long now.  We are gonna have another granddaughter real soon.  Madelyn Rae Rowell, aka Maddie.  Millie and Maddie.  :)

Millie:  She will be 2 on November 10.  The other baby is due November 15.  This should be interesting.  Millie is really beginning to put words together and make cute little sentences.  We taught her the most important phrase...Waaaaaaaaarrrrrrrr Eagle, Hey!  See the cute video...

The Girls Have Caught Up!

Justin and Chelsea found out yesterday that they will be having another girl in November!  We are all so excited!  Millie is the sweetest little thing, and just to think, times that by 2!  The girls have caught up in this family.  It's males, 4 (6, if you count the dogs), and girls, 4!!  Wooo Hooo!!

Keeping Our Heads Above Water

I woke up early this morning with my mind racing about how much I had to do at work and how I was gonna be able to get it all done.  I hate when I do that.  I countered it by getting up and reading my bible.  Praying about it.  Blogging about it.  It seems to help, yet I know that when I get to work there will be a million things facing me that need to be done.  I have to stay focused, and just take one thing at a time.  Trying to squeeze it all into an 8 hour day is hard.  But I don't won't to work overtime every day.  Something's gotta give. 

The girl that I split jobs with seems to be having a trying time, too.  I need to go spend some time with her to do a little training in order to ease her mind about payroll.  But, right now I have to do the accounts payable and get the bills paid for both schools this week.  I hope that I can just check in with her a few minutes today and ease her mind a little bit.  It's the first time that she is doing payroll, and just the steps that you have to go through to do that can be nerve wrecking.  And I feel that if I can sit down with her for a few minutes, then that will help her tremendously.  Yes, I'll have to make time to do that sometime today. 

And time goes on.  She and I are just trying to keep our heads above water, lest we drown in a pool of bills, purchase orders, receipt books, and leave forms.  Just pray for us. 

Looking Forward to a Brighter Day

Friday, August 19, 2011-So, I have just about made it through the first week of school.  This one has been a doozy!  Last week (orientation week) was absolutely AWFUL!!  I must remember this next year and try to take a chill pill or something.  But don't "they", whoever "they" are, say that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger?  Wow.  I must be REALLY strong!!  I'm ready to put these two weeks behind me and look forward to better days.  But enough about me.  How has your week been?

Another Groovy Life Update

I lived at work/school all week.  It's the week before school starts back, and things have been so hectic.  I had some added job responsibilities that have really thrown me for a loop.  But I keep on tryin'...as Trace Adkins sings.  I won't bore you with the gory details of the week.  I just know that I am going to have to develop a time management plan and stick to it no matter what.

Now, onto some family updates:

Hubby Kevin:  He has finally gotten his blood sugar level down to practically normal after being diagnosed with dibetes 3 weeks ago.  We are still learning the best things for him to eat.  He really has to work on exercising.  I don't think lying on the couch pressing buttons on the remote control counts!

Chase:  He passed his summer English 102 class after not doing so well with it during the Spring.  This one was tough because he took it online, AND the teacher was a former military person.  I told him that since he passed her class, the others should be a breeze!  He struggled with it, so I'm glad that it's past him.  Now, onto the Fall classes.

Jordan:  Just finished up his last high school band camp ever.  Yes, he is a senior this year.  He picked his two rookies last week, and all the seniors got to throw water ballons at all their rookies.  Fun times.  It's going to be a sad year for mother, here.  I don't know how I'm going to handle watching my baby boy graduate from high school.  Stay tuned for all that.

Justin:  He has been working at a carpet mill, and he said that word has been going around that the business is not doing too well.  He came to Albertville and put in an application at a grocery warehouse.  I'm hoping that works out, and they can eventually move back closer to us.

Chelsea:  I haven't seen her in a few weeks.  I'm sure that her pregnancy is showing really good now.  They are planning on having one of those cool sonograms.  3D, I think.  We still don't know the sex, so that should tell us.

Millie:  What can I say?  The sweetest baby ever.  She loves books.  She loves to go outside and run around.  She is fully potty trained.  We are going for a visit this weekend.  I think I'll post some Millie pictures on here the next time.

So, that's about it.  Keep me in your prayers as school starts next week.  I pray that it will get easier and less stressful.

August 11 Journal Entry: A Tough Week

It's been a tough, stressful week.  I'm trying to stay positive, but I am failing, miserably.  I knew orientation week was gonna be tough.  I just had no idea that it would be worse than it was last year.  So many demands have been placed upon me, and I am having a hard time meeting them all.  I need some serious girlfriend time.  Hoping for a better day tomorrow.  Hoping the worse is behind me.

August 9, 2011 Journal Entry: Time Passes Quickly

Trying my best to juggle all the new responsibilites of an added job description.  School starts next week. :/ It's my baby's last year, as he will be a senior in high school.  Where has the time gone?

~The days are long, but the years are short.
                                                              Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project

August 1 Journal Entry: Cry

I hate those times when you just feel like crying, but don't really know why.  Maybe everything just suddenly caught up with me.  Maybe a good cry will help...

July 31 Journal Entry: Family Updates

My husband was diagnosed with diabetes last week.  We are learning lots of info to control it.

Work has already gotten hectic again.  School starts very soon.

We still don't know the sex of the new grandbaby that will be here in November.  Other than that, things seem to be going well with Chelsea.

Millie is fully potty trained.  I haven't seen her in 2 weeks.  I'm looking forward to her visit today!

I'm very disappointed in some of the choices my son, Chase, has made.  I'm hoping he comes to his senses soon.

I can't believe Jordan, my baby, is now a senior.  Full band camp starts for him tomorrow.

STILL a Mystery!

Chelsea went for her next ultrasound yesterday.  The little booger still would not uncross its legs!!  We STILL do not know that sex of this baby!  As someone said, "I guess it's gonna be very modest."  Oh well.  As long as "it" is healthy, we'll have to just be surprised.  I don't know if she'll have another ultrasound or not.  She wants to have one of those new 3D or 4D ones.  Those are pretty neat.  You can really tell how the baby will look. She had this one done at the hospital.  And, since the doctor was not at this one, the nurse doing it said that she couldn't tell them anything about the fluid level.  They were disappointed at that...and still worried.  They will have to wait on the doctor to get the report.  The nurse did tell them that if something was wrong, they would probably hear something by the end of the day.  At least they never did. 

Chelsea gets so stress out about things.  She is still taking classes for a major in secondary education.  She stresses out about tests and homework so much.  I told her that it wasn't good for the baby, and to try to relax.  Maybe she will.  She deals with mental illness, like my husband, so I worry about her.  She is a great mother, though.  I just pray all will turn out fine.

July 15 Journal Entry: Summer Break??

Can't believe people are already talking about "back to school" stuff.  I haven't had my summer down time yet!

July 11 Journal Entry: Britny's 21st Birthday

My only daughter would've been 21 today.

 Happy birthday, Britny Madison.  I'm sure your mawmaw and pawpaw are having a wonderful time with you.  I love you. 

If you don't know about Britny, you can read the fully story here.

July 10 Journal Entry: Teenagers!

My teenagers are going to be the death of me yet!!!  I feel like I'm losing control over them.  I've gotta stop being so nonchalant about things, and start being a stricter parent.

Still a Mystery

I was hoping to be able to post about the sex of my next grandchild.  Chelsea had an ultrasound yesterday.  That shy little thing kept its legs crossed!  They are. going back for another ultrasound (or sonogram, I don't know the difference...or if it's the same thing) in two weeks because the amniotic fluid is low.  This worried me a bit when Justin told me.  Chelsea is about 21 weeks along.  I lost a baby at 22 weeks on July 11, 1990 because my amniotic fluid was leaking.  But Chelsea hasn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, so we are praying for normal results when she goes back in two weeks.  Please say a special prayer for them.  I'll post about it again as soon as I know something.

Just My Two Cents Worth

Yesterday I was visiting my parents when my aunt and her boyfriend came up.  My aunt was talking about how they had just stopped by her son's house to visit, and he refused to let her in while her boyfriend, David, was with her.  From what my mom says, my aunt's son and daughter have no use for David because basically, David is stupid.  He doesn't have my aunt's best interests at heart.  He only cares about himself.  When my aunt has been battling cancer and needed to go into rehab at the local nursing home, David was the one to keep her from doing so.  My mom even said that David cursed out my aunt's daughter just because she was trying to help out her mother.  I don't know if it's just jealousy on his part...but just from what I know, he's stupid.  Literally.  He doesn't have much sense, at all.  And this brings me to my point.  Knowing that their mother is a sick lady, should her children keep their distance just because they have a problem with David?  Should they throw away this time with her just because they don't agree with her choice of a partner?  I don't know the whole situation.  I know it has to be hard for them to see David go against all that is good for their mother.  But, I don't think she is gonna give David the boot, either.  From her point of view, she has a companion in him...something her children cannot be because they have their own families.  Maybe they should just lay down some ground rules and stick to them instead of alienating their mother altogether.  I know that this is totally none of my business.  And, I would never say anything to them about it.  It's just an observation that I hope to learn from.  I think we should put aside differences for family so that there will not be regrets when it is too late to do anything about it.  Just my two cents worth...

Ganna is Music to My Ears

I've finally gotten around to taking a few vacation days off work.  We went to visit the little family Saturday.  Justin cooked out for us.  Millie is getting cuter and prettier by the minute.  I love that little thing so much!!  I'm not the only one who feels this way either!

She loves her uncles!

She loves her poppa

And even though I didn't get a picture with her, I think she loves me, too.  By the way, you know how I decided my grandma name was gonna be Granda?  Well, as of now, it is Ganna.  That is just fine with me.  In fact, it's music to my ears each time this precious little girl says it. 

On Wednesday, Chelsea goes in for an ultrasound.  Hopefully, we will know what the next baby is going to be!!!  I can't wait!!! I'm so excited!!! Boy or Girl????  Who cares?!!!!  Just another healthy baby to love on is fine with me!!

July 1 Journal Entry: Change

I found out today that there are big changes ahead at work.  I'm not sure how it will be.  I'm a little excited, yet a little nervous.  Change is always hard.

June 30 Journal Entry

My once-a-month payday doesn't look like it's going to stretch a whole month...again.  Oh well, what's new??

Happiness: My Next Step

I've been reading a book by Gretchen Rubin titled The Happiness Project. It details her journey while seeking to make herself happier.  It has some very useful info in it, and it is very interesting.  One of the main points that I think she is beginning to discover is that she was probably very happy when she started her project, but she just didn't take notice of it.  I think that is a lesson for all of us.  There are many things that make us happy that we take for granted.  It's when we become aware of those things that we realize how happy we really are.

 I am not finished with the book, but one thing that she mentioned was that she decided to keep a one sentence daily journal.  This way, she would not feel obligated to write a big long post about the day, but she could concentrate on the main thing that happened each day.  She often includes more than one sentence...but just enough to get her thought all in.  I have decided that I will try this.  What better place than on this blog?  I know I will have other posts along the way, but this will help me to post more regularly without feeling that I have neglected my blog.  I shall start this tomorrow.  I wanted to provide some background info on what I was doing so that any readers out there would know what I was doing...whether it's one sentence or five.  I look forward to it.  I encourage you to pick up a copy of The Happiness Project.  You can also check out her website here.  Let me know if you do, and what you think.

Happy Father's Day

I just thought I'd share some pics of my dad in honor of Father's Day.  

My Daddy is one cool dude!!

This was always my favorite spot to sit.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Just Don't Quit

More Millie Pics!

It's been awhile since I posted any pictures of my precious granddaughter, Mille.  Being the proud grandparent that I am, here they are:

Millie loves daffodils.

Baby's got game!

Climbing on the steps.

Hanging out on Granda's front porch.

How can something be so sweet?!!!!  I love the this little girl. 

Life Ain't Easy, Kid

My husband, Kevin, and I celebrated our 24th anniversary yesterday.  I can't say it's always been easy, but we made it through it.  The trick is to work through those difficult times instead of taking the easy way out.  For better or for worse, you know?  I think that's the problem with so many divorces these days.  People go into them thinking, if it doesn't work out, then they can just get out of it.  Marriage is a lifelong commitment to one another and to God.  It should not be taken lightly. 

I know that when things have been hard, I've often wondered if the grass was greener on the other side.  But, I have a feeling that it's not.  I could not imagine starting over with someone new.  That just stresses me out.  I mean, hey, I know what I'm dealing with now...and most of the time I know how to deal with it.  We have built a life together, 3 sons, and now a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter...and another grandchild on the way.  Life is good, and it's getting better everyday.  Nevermind the little problems that creep in occasionally.

I just don't understand how some people can be married for 30 or 40 years and suddenly get a divorce.  I hope that I am not jinxing myself!  But, if there is any way, I'm NOT going to be one of them!  I told Justin and Chelsea when they got married that you work through your problems.  You don't just give up.  So far, they have made it.  I know that they are young, but they have gone through some stuff already.  But, I think they are learning to work things out.  I pray that they will continue to be able to do so.  Because life ain't easy, kid.  It's gonna throw you a curve ball every now and then.

The trick is how you deal with it.  Step up to the plate, and knock it out of the park!

Happy Monday, everyone.

Big News!

I've got some big news. I've known it for awhile, but I just haven't had much of a chance to sit down and blog about it.  Are you ready?  OK.  Here goes...

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MILLIE IS GOING TO BE A BIG SISTER!!!! 

That's right!  Justin and Chelsea are expecting another baby in November.  Millie will be 2 years-old in November.  We don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, but I have a feeling that it's going to be another girl.  Of course, if it's a boy, it would even out their family, and that would probably be it for them.  So, they are hoping for a boy.  But, a girl would be great, too!  So, pray for a healthy baby for us in November.

Woop! Woop! It's Friday!

IT'S FRIDAY!!!!! YAY!!!  We made it through another week.  This one has been a doozy, too.  The best thing about this weekend is that it's a long one.  Monday is Memorial Day, and I'M OFF WORK!  WOOO HOOO!!!!  Have a good Friday, friends.  <3 <3 <3

A Time To Mourn

My heart is heavy. There has been so much bad news lately. Tornadoes. Cancer. Devastation. Death.

Even as people from my state have been trying to get their lives back in order after the huge tornado outbreak last month, another devastating tornado hit Joplin, Missouri. I watched on the news last night as they spoke to the school superintendent there. Three schools, as well as their central office, were completely destroyed. Many people lost their lives. Some are still missing. It's just awful. My heart goes out to them.

A dear friend and co-worker has recently found out that her dad has bladder cancer. He is 78. He has refused any type of treatment. My father-in-law, Ray, had blader cancer a couple of years ago, so I can relate. And, while Ray did have chemo & radiation, it was hard to see him lose so much weight and be so weak. He made it through it, though. I'm sure it bought him more time with us, before it finally overtook him just last month. :'( I pray for my friend as she goes through this with her dad. I pray for strength to get her through the rough road ahead. She has a strong faith. She is one of the godliest women I know. But, I know that her faith is about to be tested. May she stand steadfast for the Lord. May He comfort her. Lead, guide, and direct her.

On Saturday, one of my son's classmates drowned at a company picnic down at Lake Guntersville. This young man, a junior in high school, had his whole life ahead of him. He was a member of the high school football team. While trying to remember who he was, Jordan told me that he used to play peewee football with him. This was such a sad, sad loss. It has touched this community so deeply. Tonight they will play a scrimmage game in his honor, with a love offering for the family being collected at the gate. How tragic. Make sure you hug your kids. Tell your family that you love them. You just never know...

With all this sadness, a brighter day has to be just around the corner, right? I'm so ready for a glimmer of hope. But, it made me wonder why things seem so dark at times. But then, I remembered these verses from Ecclesiastes 3   KJV:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Yes. A time to mourn, indeed. But I'm looking forward to that time to dance.

God bless you, friends.

The Days Are Long

Angels Among Us

I still can't get the recent storms/tornadoes off my mind.  I have heard some horrific things, but amidst all this someone told of this story that was an awesome miracle.  Here it is as it was posted:

One of my coworkers has been going over to Pleasant Grove a good bit to volunteer. And amid all the disaster stories (trust me, there's a lot), one really stood out to me. Some volunteer workers found a 3 year old baby in a cooler. It had been surviving inside for 4 days. They found the cooler, by chance, while pulling it from the rubble of one of the many destroyed houses in the neighborhood.
They got the child out of the cooler and after making sure it was ok they asked, "How did you get in that cooler?"
The baby responded: "The man with the wings put me there."

But Many Were Not So Fortunate

View form the Guntersville State Park lodge, the morning of April 27, 2011. Courtesy of WHNT 19.

It happened again, only this time it was much more violent. Last year on April 24, a tornado swept through my city and destroyed several homes and businesses. Thankfully, no lives were lost. Personally, we lost a huge oak tree that was uprooted & in turn, took our central heating/air unit with it. We were without power for about 2 weeks then. And, even though my city escaped the massive outbreak of tornadoes that swept across our state of Alabama last week on April 27, many neighboring cities were not so fortunate. Many, many lives were lost, and several people are still unaccounted for. It is total devastation in many places.

It seems unfair that all it caused us was a few days without power. That alone forced my family to reconnect with each other as we did crossword puzzles and went out into the total darkness at night to see the wondrous stars shining, filling up the night sky. Many people were not so fortunate. We were so grateful when our power was restored, but many people have not been so fortunate. We still have our home, our family, our friends, but many are not so fortunate. My heart goes out to them. My prayers are with them. I pray that God will give them comfort and hold him in his loving arms as they struggle to rebuild their lives.

A Sad Farewell

Words fail me. I need to write something, but I don't really know where to start. Let's see...

We've had a low point lately. My father-in-law passed away. He had been sick on and off for awhile. We were trying to figure out why he couldn't eat without getting sick. Little did we know that his cancer had come back. All the tests that had been run lately indicated no cancer. It took a trip to the ER and a series of tests to learn that he had stage 4 cancer. He was then transported to Hospice where he stayed for 3 days before he passed away. It all happened really quickly, but at least we were able to say goodbye. I remember thinking that it would be great for that to just be the end of it, but we had to go through the formalites of visitation and the funeral. I dreaded it so. We all made it through it, and this week we have been cleaning out his apartment.

My father-in-law, Junior Ray, was one of a kind. He loved Jesus Christ, and he lived for Him as best anyone ever could. I admired him so. He didn't have much of an education, but that didn't matter. He was a hard-working father, husband, and pawpaw. I felt so bad for him when my mother-in-law passed away, very suddenly, 3 years ago. I didn't know how he would make it, because they were an old-fashioned couple. By that, I mean that she did the cooking, laundry, and other housework. He hardly had to do anything. But after she died, he learned to do laundry and sweep and mop floors. He never really caught on to cooking, though. He would go out and pick something up, or he would just eat a sandwich. We all would often carry him a plate from our supper. He was content to sit in his living room listening to gospel music and doing his word search books or reading his Bible. There is no telling how many times he had read that Bible through. He was such a great man of God. He loved to lead singing at his church. He was a Pentecostal which meant that he wasn't above dancing a jig up there when the Spirit hit him.

Another thing that I admired about Ray was his love for his family. He would do anything he could for any of us. Oh, how he loved his new great-granddaughter, Millie. She was his first and only great-grandchild. She wasn't around him much since he lives in Scottsboro, so she was hesitant to let him hold her until she got used to him. I wish she would've let him hold her more. Justin & Chelsea brought her to visit him in the hospital after we found out. She did NOT like the hospital, and she definitely wouldn't go to him in his hospital bed. I'm just glad that he got to kiss her before they left.

We all loved Ray so very much. His death has left a huge void in our lives. But, he is now in Heaven with his wife and his Lord. I'm sure there was a glad reunion with all those loved ones who have gone on before. We shall see him again someday.

Please pray for my family as we go through the next few weeks and months without him.

Virtual Choir: This Is Absolutely Amazing

I saw a news story about this a couple of months ago.  This guy had the idea of a virtual choir made up of youtube videos submitted from all around the world of people singing the same song.  You can read the story here.

This first video is of him telling how he got it started:



And this is the marvelous result. I even know one of the choir members! I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Just an Update

Things have slowed down on the kitchen remodel, mainly because of lack of funding, but some because of lack of time and motivation.  I definitely need another panel of beadbord, at least.  I also need to finish out the ceiling and the window.  I wanted to put that old-timey pressed tin on the ceiling.  But, that stuff is expensive!  And, you have to special order it.  I'm not a patient person.  I've got some regular ceiling tiles that I guess will have to work, for now.  At least it will look better than it does now.  I would post pics.  But, it's late and I'm too lazy.  I desperately need to get back my decorating mojo.

So, I haven't updated on my family, lately.  Chase got a job!!  He is working part-time at Marvin's Building Supply.  Can you say, DISCOUNT?!  Wooo Hooo!  Too bad it won't take effect until his 90 days are up.  Anyway, he is working as cashier, but he has had the opportunity to go along on a few deliveries.  He likes it.  He will really like it when he gets his first paycheck next week!

School has been out for Spring Break this week.  Unfortunately, that will end after tomorrow.  :(  Back to the real world.  I actually do a better job around my house when I DO work.  I think it all has to do with being in a routine.  I just get lazy when I've off for very long.  The mind is willing, but the body is weak!!  I have all these ideas and things that I would like to do, but then I lack the motivation.  I wish I didn't do that!!

Millie Jayne is 16 months old now.  She is still the sweetest little thing!  (Of course!)  She is climbing on everything now.  She loves books, and she will sit in the floor with one and act like she's reading.  It's all gibberish, but we get the picture! 

Jordan will be turning 17 next month.  He will also be attending prom.  He already has a date.  We have to go pick out a tux and a corsage.  Show choir season wrapped up recently, so he is enjoying being able to come straight home from school and not having to go back for practice.  He has mentioned trying to find a job, but there are not a lot of places that will hire anyone under 18. 

Justin and Chelsea are doing fine.  Justin is still working at a carpet mill.  He works 12 hour shifts at night.  Chelsea is attending Athens State where she is majoring in secondary education.  They are doing well.  I'm glad, being that they got off on a shaky start.

Kevin still acts like he hates his job.  He has a problem with some of the people that he works with.  I've tried to convince him that he has a good job, and there is nothing else out there that he would like any better. 

I've decided that Kevin and I need to get out and experience life more than we have been.  We've been complacent to just stay at home on the weekends and do nothing.  With the beautiful weather we've been having, I think we need to get out of our rut.  That's why we went to trade day today.  It was a colossal mistake, considering how bad traffic was.  But, it was nice to get out of our little town for a bit.  We are about ready to break out the motorcycle again.  Doesn't that sound like fun?

My Kitchen Renovation

My groovy life has been humming right along. I've become quite the homebody.  I love piddlin' around the house.  Yesterday was a rainy Saturday, so my goal was to not get out, at all!  I accomplished that goal. :)  Unfortunately, today I will have to get out to go to the store for some snacks, dog food, and hair spray.  I'm sure I'll come up with some other things while I'm there. 

I spent most of the day yesterday trying to get some things back in order from our kitchen renovation. I was so sick of my outdated, cramped, red kitchen!  I recruited hubby, bless his heart, to help me.  He is not the most patient person, especially when it comes to remodeling projects.  But it looks so much better now!  We ripped out all the cabinets, put in unfinished base cabinets (I plan to paint them white), a speckled black counter top, beadboard on the walls, and a new faucet.  For now I am going to use open shelving on the walls.  I may add some upper cabinets later...when money and time allows.  This is how the kitchen looked before. (Excuse the mess!):

See that cabinet on the right? I had begun stripping the paint so that I could begin painting my cabinets white.  Those cabinets are history, now.  Actually, a neighbor came and got them from the side of the road, so someone has benefited from them.  See how cramped the kitchen was?  Look at it after the new cabinets were put in:

Ahhhh!  So much better!! Don't you think?  We are still not finished.  Actually, I have done a few more updates since this pic.  I plan to paint those cabinets white and put some drawer and cabinet pulls on them.  I am currently working on the open shelving, and I have taken that red cabinet on the right out & replaced it with this:

I got it out of my late grandmother's house.  It seems my granddaddy (whom I never knew) built it.  It has history.  It has character.  It means something.  I love special touches that add character to my home.  However, it needed a bit of an update.  This is what it looks like now:

I painted the inside only.  I've put a few things inside, but that is subject to change.  I am still arranging, and organizing, so we'll see how it ends up.

We still have a ways to go before the kitchen renovation is done, so I'll update along the way.  I'm so excited to have a new kitchen!  It is so fun to change things up.  It keeps things interesting.

I've linked up to

Toomer's Oaks

Trees

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

 

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

 

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

 

A tree that may in Summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

 

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

 

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

  (And 1 sick idiot can destroy it!) ;)

~ Joyce Kilmer

"You can kill us. But you'll never kill what happens on this corner."  (Tweet by @toomersoaks on Twitter)

WAR EAGLE!!

I Know He Loves Me When...

First published two years ago, this is the ultimate Valentine's Day post.  I'm bringing it back today, and I've even gone back and added some more.  Feel free to add your own in the comments.
Have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your sweetie!
_______________________________________________

When you have been married for 21 years like I have, the mundane tasks of life interfere with romance. In our fast-paced lives of children, housework, bills, home repairs, and dinner, you begin to wonder what happened to the early years when you were first married and how much your husband showed you that he loved you. And we, as wives, are just as guilty. We are always tired from the daily activities, that we also fail to show/tell our husbands that we still love them. You feel like he doesn't show you his love like he once did, so why should you return the feeling? Maybe you just need to think about it a little more. Maybe he does show you that he still loves you, just not in the way you think. I bet if you really think about it, you will realize it, too. I started noticing a few things from my husband lately that I thought I would jot down. Things that make me feel loved by him. As I became aware of these actions, it started making me feel special to him again. It has brought about a new appreciation/love for him. Here is what I came up with...

I KNOW HE LOVES ME

I know he loves me when...he opens doors for me and lets me enter ahead of him.

I know he loves me when...I grab his hand and he gently squeezes it.

I know he loves me when...he scolds the kids for "talking back" to me.

I know he loves me when...he calls me from work to tell me he's having a bad day.

I know he loves me when...he calls me from work to tell me he's having a good day or something good has happened to him.

I know he loves me when...I have been gone running errands a little too long, and he calls to

check on me.
I know he loves me when...he always wants me to go along with him when he runs the errands.
I know he loves me when...he passes by me and always reaches out to touch me.
I know he loves me when...I am riding on the motorcycle with him and he reaches back and squeezes my leg.
I know he loves me when...he brings in the heavy bags from the grocery store & I bring in the bread.
I know he loves me when...I turn over when we are asleep, and he rolls over, too, just to put his arm around me...even though he's still asleep.
I know he loves me when...he wants me to stop doing housework and lie on the couch with him to just watch television.
I know he loves me when...he takes me to the movies to see "New Moon" even though I know that he doesn't really care to see it!
I know he loves me when...he always wants me to go to bed when he does because, according to him, he sleeps better when I am there beside him. <3  


Notice how none of this involves gifts or money. They are simple actions performed with love. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor. There are many other ways to show your love for one another.

So, what realizations have you come to that let you know that your husband still loves you? Please comment below. I can't wait to hear your responses!

I'm So Ready For This!!

I'm SO ready to see these beauties springing up everywhere!!

Millie and Daddy Come To Visit: A True Story

On Sunday, Millie and her daddy, Justin, came for a visit to Granda & Poppa's house. Millie played with the miniature Radio Flyer wagon and Peachy Bear that Pops Ray sent over. I'm sure Millie's MawMaw Patsy was looking down from Heaven as her great granddaughter played with the little wagon and bear that had been stored away in MawMaw's closet for so long. 

Millie sat in the little red chair that her great granddaddy, Jerry, painted for her.  She liked to stand in it, but Granda & Poppa were afraid that she would fall and get hurt.  They had to watch her very closely.

Millie looked at books while sitting in her little red chair.  The Little Mermaid is one of her favorites.

Millie took a break from playing to sit with Uncle Chase and have some juice.

Later, Daddy returned from practicing with his band. He fed Millie some cereal.

Millie got caught putting Cheerios in Poppa's boot!  I wonder if Poppa will remember before he puts them on tomorrow!

Daddy tickled Millie, and she laughed and laughed.  Her Daddy loves her so much.

Millie got Poppa's cell phone. Maybe she was trying to call her mommy.  Mommy was ready for Millie and her daddy to come home.  She missed them very much.

Millie and Daddy went back home to get started on another week.  Hopefully they will be back to visit Granda, Poppa, Uncle Chase and Uncle Jordan very very soon.

I've Been Busy Today!

I finally got around to some of the little projects that I have been wanting to do.  I got my dining room decorated.  I still have a little bit of clutter to get rid of, but it looks 100% better.  The best way to explain it is just to show you some before and after pictures. 

BEFORE:  

This is what my dining room window looked like. Yes, that's a smoke detector right there smack dab in the middle.  I had taken it down when I painted my walls, and the only nail was right there.  I knew I would get it put back in it's proper place, eventually. 

AFTER:

Ahhh!  Much better!  I had had the curtain rod for awhile.  It was just waiting on me to do something with it.  And look!  No more smoke detector!  I replaced it with this cute little sign.  Look closer...

BEFORE:

My mantle has been looking a bit skimpy since I took all the Christmas decorations down.  It was seriously getting on my nerves.  All the clutter around it is a bonus. ;)

AFTER:

I may do a little bit more to this, but I think it's a good start.  The 2 small pics in the middle are my granddaughter, my son and his wife.  I had gotten them printed in black and white, and I spray painted the thrift store frames black.  I have more frames to spray paint, and I have more pictures to fill them with.

BEFORE:

This is a thrift store find. I loved the frame. The picture, which was just a page out of a magazine, was nicked. But, I bought it for the frame.  It was $1.99.

This is what was on the back of the picture. It was helping to hold the picture in.  It's an old 1966 Southern Bell telephone book cover.  Pretty neat, don't you think?  Well, it had to go in order for the plans I had for it...

This wall doesn't look too bad.  I actually just stuck this stuff up there until I could come up with something better.  That's my bookpage wreath on the right.  So, here's where the old frame comes into play...

AFTER:

I added a coat of spray paint to that frame & then I propped it up here with the rest of the items.  Don't look too closely or you will see the dust on the shelf. o_o

Here's another view. I wanted to get a good shot of the bookpage wreath that I made in here somewhere! :)

BEFORE:

I'm bearing my soul when I show you my cluttered dining room table. Sadly, it looks like this more often than it doesn't! Those chairs are at just the perfect spot for hanging stuff!  Does yours ever look like this?  Tell the truth!

AFTER:

Ahhh! Much better!  Yep, there's still stuff hanging on the chairs, but I'll get that cleared away, eventually. I pulled out my $4 thrift store table cloth. I had to iron it because it was recently washed.  I folded over another thrift store find: the toile fabric. I added the thrift store place mats that have been stored away for a couple of years just waiting on the perfect time.

The tablecloth was a little too long, so I tied up each corner with some pretty green ribbon.



 The centerpiece consists of a Dollar Tree tray, and some random vases with candles. I needed some "filler" for the candles, so I just used some rice.  It was the long-cooking kind, so I was never gonna cook it, anyway!  I think it turned out well!

Here's one more look.  I'm loving all the changes.  It acutally looks like a decent person lives here, now! :)  Even my son commented that it was lookin' pretty nice.  That's the best compliement I could've gotten.