I’m very behind on house pictures. It was just reconfirmed for me when I saw the last pictures I posted in June. Goodness! Our summer got really busy after that. We now have a roof, windows and a little bit of brick as you can see below. These pictures were taken Friday afternoon. We (they) started laying brick last week. Hopefully, siding and sheet-rock will begin in a few days. My job will soon become increasingly hard as we inch closer to paint. WOW, how am I ever going to decide on colors?!!! Every time I think I have my mind made up I see something else I like better. I have taken a lot of inside pictures, but it’s hard to tell much about them at this point. I’ll post more once the sheet-rock is in place. On a different note, Brandon started the ninth grade and Westley started the fifth grade last week. It seems like they had a short summer break, but I think they were ready to go back. Jill’s doctor visit last week went well. The doc. said everything looked and sounded great! They changed her due date to Jan 28. He wouldn’t even try to determine the gender this early. So, we are going to have to wait until the 20 week visit. I’m so excited to find out!!! All signs point to a boy, but you never know! Anyway, happy Monday Yall’
Monday, August 13, 2007
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
27 OR 18? Hmmmm...
Happy Birthday to ME, Happy Birthday to ME, Happy Birthday to ME, Happy Birthday to ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay, today is MY Birthday incase you didn’t catch the song up there or the picture totally threw you off. I googled August 7, 1980 this afternoon and was reminded that Mount St. Helen in Washington erupted on this date, the date I was born. How fitting that a mountain should explode spewing forth ashes, smoke and molten rock in honor of my grand entrance into this world. HA! Ok, enough of the sarcasm. I am 27 today! It still seems surreal. I must tell you that I was a little sad about turning 27. Primarily because I know that I don’t have very many more “20s” left. The thought has frequently occurred to me at various times, but I really hadn’t given it a lot of thought in the days approaching my Birthday until Kelly kindly reminded me of it last night…when he brought to my attention that NEVER in my life would I be 26 again. I was thinking about that when all of a sudden I was reminded of something funny that happened to me yesterday morning. I was standing in the kitchen making coffee and talking on the phone to Kelly when someone knocked on the door. I opened the door to a pleasant looking little old man on the campaign trail (Boy, another reason to celebrate this date. It is FINALLY voting day). I politely smiled, took his card and thanked him for coming by. I noticed that he had this relatively puzzled expression on his face. He hesitated for a moment before asking “You are old enough to vote, right?” LOL!!!! Any other time, this would have likely offended me but not this week! I simply said “Um, Yes sir. I’ll actually be 27 tomorrow.” Can you believe it?! I have decided it had to be one of two things:
1.That was his PR tactic to “flatter” me into voting for him.
OR
2.My lack of make-up and ratty pony tail reminded him of someone that would look less than 18 years old.
While I hope to still appear young, I’m not so sure I want to look THAT young. Either way, it was entertaining. I have to conclude by saying that I am very thankful to have lived a happy and healthy 27 years. In the words of one of my colleagues today, “age is just a number, and with each year we get to make new memories, gain more wisdom, and have many great experiences!” I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me at 27. Happy Tuesday!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Life's A BEACH!
Kelly and I are back to the working world from a very fun and much needed vacation to Destin, FL with the Gaskins. We lounged on the beach, laughed A LOT, ate anything in site and even managed to squeeze in a little shopping! Of course I, being the genius that I am, forgot my camera. So, we bought a disposable camera while there and haven’t gotten the pictures developed yet. As soon as I do, I’ll be sure to post them for your viewing pleasure. Until then, check out Jade and Jason’s blog. They will likely have pictures before I can get around to posting any. Happy Thursday!
Happy Birthday Westley, Jill & Billy!
Better late than never, right? My nephew, Westley, celebrated his 10th Birthday July 11! He had a Slip-&-Dip party with friends. The pictures above are of his 9th Birthday when we were at the beach with my family. I came across them a while back and decided to post them on his special day. (or a week later but who’s counting, huh?) What a cutie pie! He is growing up fast! Happy Birthday Westley!!! We love you!!! Many, many more to come! :) Also, another Happy Birthday shout-out to my sister and brother-in-law. They both celebrated birthdays July 18 while at the beach! Isn’t it neat that they have the same birthday? Twice the cake and ice cream!!! I love yall!!
Monday, July 9, 2007
SNAKES in My Head...
You can most likely tell by looking at the pictures above…I have had better weekends. First, let me preface this story by telling you it is going to be L-O-N-G and that there are three things in the world for which I possess phobias:
1.Spiders (the really big nasty ones)
2.Heights-like being way up in the air without walls around me (i.e. on top of a building, sky diving)
3.SNAKES
*The one and only creature in the world that I will attempt to run over with my car AND back over again and again until I’m confident that it is dead.* Late Saturday afternoon, Kelly and I went to his parent’s cabin near the river to cook dinner with some friends. It had rained all day Saturday and was still raining when we arrived. Kelly immediately got out of the car and walked nearby to switch on power to the cabin. I got out of the car in a hurry to get inside out of the rain. I was looking over at Kelly about to say something to him as I was walking…not even paying attention to what was coiled up in the grass a step away from my sandal-clad foot! (It was literally, a STEP away! I’m not exaggerating!!) I certainly believe the good Lord is what caused me to look down right before I stepped beside that hideous monster! At that split second, I let out a strange combination of screams/shrieks/moans and cries while jumping about 5 feet in the air (certainly felt like it anyway). I hardly remember my feet touching the ground I ran back to the car so fast! It was right at this moment that Kelly saw our nicely camouflaged unwanted cabin guest. I’m pretty sure it scared him too! He said with a quivering voice “That’s a rattle snake…a BIG one too!” Yes people, a RATTLE SNAKE (7 Rattlers, I later learned.)He also had this nasty bulge on his side, probably from his last meal.
My legs felt like jelly, and I thought for a minute I was going to be sick. I stayed in the car while Kelly tried to find something to kill it with. Around and around the cabin he searched, and that snake’s head was lifted and watching him the WHOLE time. He finally had to go to a nearby cabin and get a big piece of wood to beat the thing to death. It still jerked around and moved long after it was dead. I sat in the car for about 30 minutes afterwards. I honestly think that was probably the most terrified I have ever been. Granted, I would have been scared silly even if it was a tiny grass snake, but HEY, look at this thing! Even before I almost stepped right beside it I was close enough that it could have probably struck if he had felt so inclined.
Last night, I woke up at 3am because I needed to go to the bathroom but all I could think about was “the snake”. I kept thinking that a snake like that could possibly in our bedroom and I couldn’t see it in the dark! (Crazy, I know). Then, I was thinking about it again today and shortly after opened the door to step outside. Someone had been by on the campaign trail earlier and stuck a card in between our storm-door and the kitchen door. When I opened the door, it slid down and fell to the floor. I screamed…loud…again!! Poor Wendy Gul and Zeek Zeekster didn’t know what to think! Perhaps I’ll get over it eventually. I must also mention that I was walking my usual stretch of road as I do during lunch each day about three weeks ago and happened to come upon a dead water moccasin! Yes, it was dead but still scared me. Nothing like Saturday though! I don’t know what’s up with me and these snakes, but I can tell you that I DON’T LIKE IT! If you have sympathized with me and read this long blog to this point, God Bless you and thank you for your time. May you never experience such a scare! ;)
* Additional note, the pictures were taken by Kelly. No way did I get close enough to take them. My one close encounter was enough!
