New Set Of Wheels

Chris and I just got home from going to pick up his new company vehicle. He is tickled to death about it! He's been wanting a truck for a long time. I think it's a "guy thing".  Pretty snazzy, wouldn't you say?

I do have to share a funny story with you...he'll never know, right?  Well, after we got it, we decided to grab some lunch at Firehouse Subs. Since we were driving separately, I pulled into a parking space right behind Chris.  It, literally, took him 3 tries to get parked correctly.  I just sat there and watched him in my rear view mirror as I snickered to myself.  Then, he opened the door of the truck to get out, and went SPLAT!  He fell out of it!  When that happened, I didn't snicker...I burst out LAUGHING!  Funniest thing I've ever witnessed!  Why is it that when a man falls down, women find it hilarious, but if a woman falls, men better think long and hard about cracking a smile, much less laughing. Do you agree, ladies?  Let's just say that it's going to take us both awhile to get in and out of the truck with finesse.     

Sorry, but I couldn't resist showing you my pretty verbena.  I absolutely love that plant! It comes back more vibrant with each passing year.

It is so HOT here today...and humid, too! I can handle the heat, but the humidity, not so much. It wreaks havoc on my hair! Nonetheless, I'm still looking forward to a warm, sunny weekend.  Hopefully, sweatshirt weather is a thing of the past!  Bring on the flip-flops!

Have a terrific weekend, everyone...see you next week!

Waiting On The Big Reveal

When we moved into our new house in Madison, AL. back in 1996, we didn't have a pantry, if you can believe that. Quite honestly, I don't even recall missing it when we did the walk-through.  Goes to show how observant I can be at times.  Well, in order to have some extra storage for our canned goods, we bought an unfinished pine cabinet for our kitchen and Chris stained it with a light varnish.  Once we moved  into another house that had a pantry (WOO HOO!), the cabinet became a place to store things such as cans of paint, fertilizer, tools, all sorts of odds and ends.  At our home here in Georgia, we've put it in our workout room in the basement to use as a TV armoire. 

Well, on Saturday morning, the wheels started turning in my head.  Chris, usually, knows he better run for the hills when that happens...but he didn't get away this time!  I told him that I'd really LOVE for him to refinish the cabinet for me so that I could use it in our sunroom. I batted my eyes...the whole 9 yards!  The poor fella never had a chance!  So, over the weekend, he braved 40 degree temps. to take the cabinet outside and sand it down.  Now, just to prove how little I know about the process of refinishing a piece of furniture, I thought it would take him about a couple of hours to get the job done. Boy, was I wrong!  He sanded from 11 AM until nearly 8 PM!  

Here he is taking a quick lunch break to enjoy some leftovers.  He was covered from head-to-toe in sawdust!  I could have hassled him about the mess he was tracking through the basement, but I figured it was probably wise to leave unsaid. I want him to be a happy camper while he's working, you know!  

Here's the cabinet laying on it's side...a work in progress.

The stain I've chosen for it is called Mission Oak with a satin finish.  I've taken a peak at what it looks like with the first coat and the wood looks so pretty.  Once he gets it all done, I'll be sure to post some pictures. Just keep your fingers crossed that it fits in our sunroom like I have envisioned. Hmm...I probably should have thought about that beforehand!

Our Shooting Range Adventure

Yesterday afternoon, Chris got this wild idea to take all of us to a local shooting range to learn how to shoot guns. Now, I must admit, I'm not a big fans of guns; they've always made me nervous. However, I knew it was something Chris has been wanting to do for awhile, so I agreed.  I can't think of the last time I've seen him as happy as he was when he was packing up the guns and ammo.  He looked like a little kid in a candy shop.

Thankfully, there were a few other females at the shooting range when we arrived, so we didn't feel too out-of-place.  Boy, was it  ever LOUD!  I felt like I was in the middle of a war zone!  It took me a few mins. to get acclimated to all the noise.  Every time a gun went off, I'd nearly jump right out of my skin!  The girls just stood there and laughed at me.

Brittany was the first one to shoot the .22.  She looked like a pro because she'd taken a gun safety course way back when she was about 9 years old.

Abby was next in line.  She was a pretty got shot herself!

  

Fianlly, I got a turn...and several bull's eyes to brag about!  WOO  HOO!

Not too shabby for three girls!

Next, we tried our hands at the Berreta. You had to hold on tight!

As soon as we pulled the trigger, it gave a kick that none of us was prepared for!

KA-POW!

 Of course, the "master" himself had to show us how it's done...and he didn't flinch one bit!

Abby's favorite gun to shoot was the .38 revolver.

Chris was pretty impressed with our shooting skills and I think we just might have to go back  for another round sometime.  It ended up being a lot more fun than the girls and I anticipated.

Oh, and have no fear!  The girls and I have no intentions whatsoever of becoming hunters. We take one look at a deer and our hearts turn to mush.  So, you can sleep easy tonight. :)


P.S.  My bloggy friend, Honey, is having a really neat giveaway!  Head on over to her place at 2805 and check it out!

More Than Just A Walk In The Park

I simply can't find the words to express my gratitude for your prayers and words of encouragement regarding Chris' recent job loss. Your kindness and concern mean more to me and to my family than you will ever know. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! My mantra right now is, "We might get knocked down, but we won't stay down for long!"  I believe it with all my heart because God WILL make a way...I just know it!

Now, as I mentioned previously, I'm going to share some photos I took on our Mother's Day hike at a local park.  Talk about a picture perfect day!  We saw lots of flowers, which always makes me happy!

We even saw a chameleon sunning himself on a stump and a bumblebee busy at work.

I, especially, love this picture of Chris and Abby.

This little beauty was in my own garden and opened up on the morning of Mother's Day...what a special surprise!

All of this goes to show that even through life's trials and tribulations, beauty is still all around.  I'll try to pay each of you a visit as soon as I can!  Big hugs to you all!

Catchin' Up Time!

Well, our 2nd showing must have gone pretty well because they came back yesterday for a 3rd look!  Their realtor called and told me they'd narrowed their choices down to four houses, ours being one of them.  The wife was going to fly back to their home in Denver last night and I think they were going to try and reach a decision by the time she left.  We're waiting to hear back from our realtor on whether or not we have an offer. I'll be sure to keep you posted on any new developments!

On Thursday afternoon, we had such nice weather that Chris was able to talk me into going out with him on the golf course.  Shh...don't tell him, but I had a really good time!  We don't want to make this a habit, you know?  Here he is on the green getting ready to chip and putt.  He definitely has big dreams of playing in the Master's one day! As I always say, "If you're gonna dream...dream BIG!"  

I'm going play a little 'catch up' now because there are a few things I completely forgot to post about earlier.  Well, as you know, April 1st was April Fool's Day.  I tried and tried to think of a trick I could play on Abby, but I kept drawing a blank.  So, I decided to zap her with Silly String, instead. Poor thing never saw it coming, either!  I called her into my bathroom and instructed her to close the door behind her. I had her thinking I had a deep, dark secret to share.  Then, I pounced out of the closet and covered her from head to toe with that sticky, foamy concoction!  It took her FOREVER to get it out of her hair...but it was SO worth it!

That evening, we celebrated Chris's birthday a day early.  I made him a yummy cake and he gobbled it right up!  Of course, no one can hold a candle to his baking abilities. He can make the most symmetrical cakes you've ever laid your eyes on!  It's quite the treat to watch him prepare one!  If I bake a cake that has air bubbles in it, he's sure to point them out to me.  He's definitely set the bar very high.



The morning of his actual birthday, we got in the car and drove two hours to Auburn, AL. to watch Brittany compete in an outdoor track meet at Auburn University.  It felt so good to see her, again, and to be able to hug her! Here she is getting ready to warm up before her race. 



And off they went!  She ran in the 3K and here she is trying to make her move.  

She crossed the finish line with a time of 10:53, which was a PR for her!  She set two more PR's the following weekend in the 1500 and in the 5K!  There is no doubt that all of her hard work is definitely paying off!

She'll be moving back home about the second weekend in May...and I can hardly wait!  I do have one concern, though...where in the world are we going to put all of her STUFF?   That could prove to be the challenge of a lifetime!

Well, I should be all caught up now.  Sometime this week, I plan to tell you about a book I just finished that's a 'must have', in my opinion, for any mother of a daughter. It was so good I could hardly put it down!  It captured so many of the emotions I've gone through this past year with having Brittany away at college and am now facing knowing that Abby will be entering her freshman year of high school in the fall.  I promise...it's a KEEPER!

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend...I'll be making my rounds to pay you a visit real soon!



I Think I'll Keep Him!

I ended up having a wonderful Valentine's Day! Chris made me feel extra-special, so I'm going to fluff his feathers...he deserves it!

When I got up yesterday morning, he gave me a bag of yummy chocolates and a sweet Valentine's card. Then, when I went down to the basement and hopped on the treadmill, he popped his head in the door and asked me if I'd like to go out for lunch...YOU BETCHA!

So, I got cleaned up and off we went to our favorite place...Firehouse Subs! No...it doesn't take much to impress me! We sat there and ate our Hook~n~Ladder sub (DE-LISH!) and enjoyed nice conversation, then it was off to Costco to pick up a few items. When we got home, there was a box for me by the front door. I opened it up and inside was a gorgeous bouquet of a dozen red roses...my favorite! What a nice surprise! Aren't they pretty?

Here's the note that came attached to them. I am one lucky girl!


Chris and I have been together for 22 years...married for 21. He is my ROCK, my SWEETHEART, and my BEST FRIEND. We've been through a lot together and I don't know what I would have ever done without him. Lasting relationships,undoubtedly, take lots of hard work and nurturing. I hope and pray that we never grow out of falling in love with each other, over and over, again.

A Little Bit Of This And A Little Bit Of That

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Hope you're blessed to have people in your life who love and care deeply about you...I know I am!

We had a gorgeous weekend here in Georgia! I don't think there was a single cloud in the sky and the temps. were in the lower 60's...felt like heaven! Abby had a friend over on Saturday, so Chris and I decided to head outside and trim the shrubs and tidy up our landscaping. He'd gotten a very POWERFUL leaf blower for Christmas and wanted to try it out. I've never seen a man so happy in all my life! You know how men can be with their "toys". It's any wonder he could keep his feet planted on the ground!

Shortly after I snapped this picture, he spun around and pointed that thing straight at my head and my hair stood on end! He thought it was so FUNNY! Don't worry...his day is coming! :)

My pretty little pansies endured the cold winter that we had and are beginning to make their appearance known, once again. They're a sure reminder that Spring is soon to arrive!

You probably recall that I wrote a post recently about CSN Stores. Well, in exchange for doing so, I was given a $35 credit to use in their stores. So, I shopped around and decided on two items. First of all, I got a set of brightly colored nested mixing bowls that are made from 100% recycled plastic. They come in a 2 qt., 3 qt., and 4 qt. size. I just love them and can't wait to put them to good use!

Then, Bella convinced me that she needed a little something, too. So, I got her a fleece chew toy that leaves her licking her lips every time she plays with it.

So, guess that's a wrap for today from my little corner of the world! Enjoy your day and remember..."All you need is LOVE"!



P.S. I took Abby to see Justin Bieber's movie "Never Say Never" yesterday afternoon after we got home from church. I don't know who enjoyed it more...me or her! We had the best time! I admit it...I have BIEBER FEVER!

Date Night...And A Change Of Plans

As you may recall, Chris and Abby had reservations for "Daddy-Daughter Date Night" at Chick Fil-A on Saturday night. Well, Chris and I had to go out and run a few errands on Saturday afternoon and when we got home, we found this note from Abby sitting by our computer.

She had located a video on YouTube of a "Daddy-Daughter Date Night" at a Chick Fil-A in another state. Chris and I hit the 'play' button as we were instructed and, sure enough, there was not one picture of a teenage girl in attendance. All the girls were about 4-9 years of age. Chris and I looked at each other and decided that Abby would probably feel very humiliated if we made her go...and if word got out to all of her friends...HEAVEN FORBID! She's at that "funny age", you know, when what your peers think is what really matters! Let me just add here that Abby knows exactly how to work up a sweet deal!

So, Abby got herself all dolled up and Chris changed into a nice shirt and off they went. They ended up going to an upscale Mexican restaurant called Fuego's. We've never eaten there before, so they wanted to try it. Abby had a chicken tortilla salad that she said was DE-LICIOUS! Here she is looking mortified that Chris was snapping a picture of her with her mouth full!

After they finished their meals, they walked next door to Charming Charlies. It's a favorite place of mine and Abby's! They have some of the cutest jewelry around! A girl could spend days on end in that place! Chris told her to pick out a necklace and earrings and he'd buy them for her...he threw an extra necklace in there just to make is really "special". Here she is trying to decide which piece of jewelry to get.

After they made their purchase, it was off to Steak-N-Shake to satisfy their sugar craving with a yummy milkshake!

They were gone for about 3 hours and I got to enjoy a little time to myself. Now that I think about it, I believe Abby got a better date out of Chris than I usually get! Hey...wait just a minute here! Ha! Oh, well, they both came home with big smiles on their faces...and new memories tucked away in their minds and hearts. I'm sure they can't wait to do it, again, very soon!



P.S. I ended up having to go to one of those walk-in medical clinics yesterday afternoon. I was in such pain on Saturday night that I had to sleep in the guest room for fear of keeping Chris up all night long. My neck and right shoulder have been killing me! The doctor seems to think I could either have a pinched nerve or a herniated disc in my neck (I hope NOT!) He has me on a muscle relaxer and pain medication. If it doesn't get better in a week-10 days, I'm supposed to go see my family doctor for an MRI. I was able to sleep better last night, thanks to Tylenol with Codine, but I'm still having some pain this morning, though not as severe. Please say a prayer that my neck and shoulder will heal SOON! THANK YOU!