Out with the GO Phone, In with the NEW Phone!

I had to get up to date.  That obnoxious Go Phone ring tone has GOTZ to GO!   About a year ago or so, I bought the new fangled (at the time) smart phone.  I had it for a week and then one day, I think I set it on top of my car.  I'm sure when I spun out of the driveway, my phone spun into the ditch!  Back in the day, I have punished my girls and refused to allow them to upgrade phones as long as I thought they were irresponsible.  hmmmm...well, I guess I didn't want to be hypocritical so I punished myself.  I refused to allow myself an upgrade.  That's the truth.


 

Finally, Terry's slick & fancy (in 2006!) Razor cell phone was starting to not hold a charge.  We were in Sam's today and I guess I realized that Mama & Papa were ready for an upgrade.  We picked out a couple phones today.  They are not the fanciest but an upgrade none the less.  The guy recommended that we purchase the screen protector sheets that required cutting to fit.  Our sweet Kayla took on the task.  She is the type that gets things done.  Whatever is in front of her, she just goes about taking care of things and knocks that little job out.   Terry and I, on the other hand, make a pot of coffee and think things over.  Seriously, procrastination is our number one game.  I ain't proud of it, but I ain't too proud to admit it. 







Today is my Birthday!

So, today is my Birthday!  Thanks to my great parents who brought me into this world and brought me up in a loving home!  I love you Mama and Daddy!  I have tears rolling down my face as I type this.  I do not know why today is a weepy day for me. 

The weepies started when I read a facebook post that one of our best friend's daughter was brought to the hospital today.  But, don't be alarmed!  It is good, good, good!  They are going to be proud, 1st time, grandparents today.  She is going to have her baby boy today!  ON my Birthday!  Our prayers are definitely going up for safe delivery for their daughter, Morgan and her tiny precious baby.  I have happy, sentimental weepies.  ON my birthday.  So, don't cry for me Argentina. 

As I was washing dishes, I put my playlist on some sentimental music.  Actually, I kinda consider these particular tunes as a modern type of folk music.  You know..the kind that tell a story.  The tracks that are playing have titles such as, Leave Me Here by Hem,  A Place Called Home by Kim Richey and Simple Life by...The Weepies!  No kidding...The Weepies.  Here is a link to my playlist if you want to check out more of my music choices. http://www.playlist.com/playlist/19406021899 

When I first discovered Playlist, I would spend hours looking for music that I could use as background for my blog.   Lately, I have posted so many slideshows with a sound file attached.  For that reason, I muted my playlist on my blog page.  I think I have about 3 pages of Playlists.  If you like some of my music, take it!  Who said, "Here honey have some of mine."?  Oh yeah, that was Rizzo from Grease!  :)  Yep, you can create your own Playlist.  It is easy.  I love to find tunes that I really WANT to listen to.  I can't hardly stand Top 40 radio anymore.  That music does not appeal to me.  I guess I am at the age where one might start listening to Country music as an alternative.  I like Country but would not choose to listen to it all day.  Different strokes...ya know?

Well, I am going to put my post on hold for now.  I will pick up a little later today..

...to be continued. 


It must be a dream!  An elf must have slipped in here and folded my laundry.  And, look how perfectly folded they are.  Who knew?!!!

 I walked into the living room where I left a pile of clean clothes to be folded and what do I see?  I had to do a double take!  My sweet husband folded clothes.  Now, having your hubby fold clothes might not be a shock for you.  But, for this wife/ hubby combination...SHOCKER!  My cousin, Frances told me she loves it when her 'elf hubby' does something for her too.  Early today, Terry asked me if I wanted HIM to take ME to a movie.  He is a movie buff from waaay back and going to the 'movies' is his favorite thing to do.  Then, he asked me if I wanted HIM to take ME out to eat.  ahemmm....They don't call him Big Daddy for nothin'.   Know what I mean?  So, this morning, when he suggested dinner and a movie for MY birthday, it didn't really feel all that special.  But, when he folded the clothes?  That made me feel special.  Yes, I had a Happy Birthday.  I love a Simple Life.

We did go out to eat at the Outback as a family.  I appreciated the good food but much more than that, I loved the company.  Terry and I have spent our entire lives doing everything with our girls.  And, I mean everything!  What ever we did, they went with us.  With the money we saved on babysitting, we spent on family togetherness.  The payoff?  I believe the payoff for us is that we really KNOW our girls.  On the flipside, they really KNOW us.  I am so thankful for every moment and every memory that I hold in my heart from almost 23 years of raising our two daughters.  Now, that they are grown, we do outings separately more than together.  Actually, it is a rare occassion that we all 4 go somewhere together.  My adult children have boyfriends, work and interests of their own.  They do their own 'thang'!  I respect that because I certainly did my 'thang' when I was their age.  For tonight, the four of us sat around the round table at Outback together in our familiar family circle of love and comfortable companionship.

Talladaga Weekend Slideshow of Days 1 & 2 Combined

HALLOWDEGA!!!  October 31, 2010

Terry and I traveled with his work buddies and their wives to enjoy a NASCAR Race at the Talladega SuperSpeedway on October 30 & 31st.  Chris and his wife, Lycia, brought up the idea of going to experience Talladega as a group.  Dicky and his wife, Patty were up for it.  They had already been to several NASCAR Races in different locations.  Terry and I, nor Chris and Lycia had ever been.  Lycia made the initial purchase of tickets for each of us.  Then, she shopped around for a Bed & Breakfast.  She found a wonderful quaint B&B located in Columiana, AL. 

Our hosts at the B &B were owners, Diane & Andrew.  They made us feel very welcomed and provided wonderful and gracious accomodations.  Diane woke up before everyone on Saturday and prepared a breakfast feast!  She knew that we would be leaving very early on Sunday. So, on the night before, she prepared blueberry and banana nut mini-muffins for us.  She left little bags out alongside the muffins for us to take to the races.  I really can not tell you enough about their wonderful hospitality.  Not to mention, the house was a charming Victorian with an interesting history.  Andrew and Diane purchased the house a few years ago and worked very hard to fully restore the old house.  They have refurbished it beautifully.  Diane has placed her special touch to every nook and cranny of this house.  Terry and I woke up extra early on Sunday and sat together in the sitting room and enjoyed a cup of coffee.  While we relaxed, we were able to look around and appreciate the many unique features of the historic house and furnishings.  If you wish to travel to northern Alabama and stay in a Bed & Breakfast, please take a look at Columbiana INN.    Diane and Andrew are so friendly.   You will feel right at home at Columbiana INN.  http://www.columbianainn.com/

Here, I created a slideshow with my images captured on both Saturday and Sunday Race days combined. Saturday was a truck race.  Sunday is big race day, of course.  I chose to use Lynard Skynard music  for the slideshow.  I think NASCAR & Skynard go together like rice & gravy.  What do you think?  Also, I added captions to my images for Day 2 (Sunday's Race).   I hope that all of my captioned information is accurate.  I was trying to remember what was happening throughout the day as I reviewed my images.  It is difficult to recall all the details, even after only a couple of days.  For this reason, I think I am going to start using captions a bit more often.  This will make it sooo much easier for future recall.   With information documented, you will always know exactly when, where, why and of whom a photo was taken.  I have a huge stash of pictures that I need to go through, sort & label.  Time has a way of blurring all those important memories.

NASCAR Race Weekend, Day 1 at Talledega Super Speedway

Below is a smilebox slideshow of images from Day 1 of our very first NASCAR Race Weekend in Talledega, AL.  This slideshow is a Truck Race that we saw on Saturday.  It was exciting and I picked out a driver right away.  He was #23.  He stayed in the top 3 but rolled the dice...decided NOT to re-fuel.  I think he didn't have enough gas to finish out like I had hoped.  Darned ole Chris chose the favorite and 2 time winner, Kyle Busch #18.  #18 did choose to re-fuel and he ended up doing the Victory Burn Out for the crowd!  So, Chris' guy won!

I have captioned each picture in the smilebox.  Hope you enjoy it!

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Ashley & Preslee

My cousin, Ashley, had a baby girl! She named her Preslee. Ashley has been a girly girl from the time she was born because her mama dressed her up so prissy & pink! She grew up to be a very feminine, beautiful lady. Guess what?! She and her husband were previously and joyfully blessed with three rambunctious boys!

At this point in her life, Ashley didn't think she was going to have any more children. As the story goes, the unexpected happened & her pink dream came true!

 

So, I am proud to present Ashley and her pink princess Preslee at 2 weeks old.

Lauryn is 4!

Lauryn turned 4 yesterday.  She told Kayla that she wanted Barbies!  So, Kayla and I went to bring her some pink birthday presents.   Oh, she was so cute!!!  I don't think she was expecting us.  She greeted us at the back door smiling ear to ear and exclaimed, "You brought me pres-thents?!" 

Of course, I just  had to make a smilebox because anytime I am around Lauryn she makes me SMILE!  :) 

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High School SENIORS photo shoot October 17, 2010 - Baleigh & Tiffany *Bonus Pics from my sisterCHICK...!

Baleigh and Tiffany were at the photo shoot bright and early Saturday morning.  And, when I say 'Bright' and early, I mean that sun was poppin'!  Now, I love that big beautiful sun. But, when the sun is so high overhead, it makes photography very dfficult.  We had a hard time finding even light. 

With all that said, I am happy to say that Baleigh and Tiffany's beauty outshone the sun! 

Gorg-E-O-so!

Thanks girls for bringing your smiling, willing faces to our photo shoot.  I wish I could have spent a bit more time with y'all actually.  I knew that you had your Jackette dance camp to attend so didn't want to keep you too long.  Oh, but believe me...I could have photographed you all day!

Bonus Pics from my sisterCHICK!

Below is a slideshow created using only pics taken by my partner photoCHICK, Melissa!  I love having Melissa around and working with her.  She is a blast and has such a passion for photography.  At one point, one of the girls looked down at me and said laughingly, "Look she's on her back on the ground over there!"  Then, she looked at Melissa and cracked up!  She said, "...and so is she!"  Yep, me and Melissa looked at each other with grass stuck in our hair and clothes and started giggling.  Both of us will do anything to 'get the shot'!  I hope you enjoy the slideshow with the files that she brought to me.   I enjoyed creating this slideshow.  Even though, we had the same model in front of us at the same time, our images have a different look.  She did a tad bit more tweaking to her color balance to create a more stylized effect while I left mine more natural.  I love seeing how every photographer's creations have their own signature look.