Heather of the Hills

Bear At 9 Months

2012-01-18T20:51:00.003-05:00

My little bear is 9 months old, which is terribly hard to believe. Just look at how big he is getting! He no longer likes to stay on the floor. He loves to stand by things. He will go anywhere in the house he can (until we go get him to try to keep him out of some rooms). He does this hilarious thing where he growls as he talks. Sometimes he cannot do it because he gets tickled and will not be able to do the low growl, but he tries. He will turn to go from standing at one place to another as long as he can reach with his hand then step. So many changes from that little newborn we brought home just nine short months ago!

Loneliness

2011-12-19T23:09:00.003-05:00

It has been two weeks since Daddy has been gone and it still seems unreal. I keep waiting for his call so I can come get him. I go to the house I grew up in and wait to hear him walk in the door or the room. Disappointment sets in every time I leave and I do not see him. I am drawn to his room just so I can find something that smells like him. The sanctuary of his office has been changed and it is losing the feeling of being his. I long for the sound of his voice, to hold his hand, to kiss his cheek and tell him that I love him. Loneliness is plaguing me. It is completely selfish, but I desperately wish he was here.

Prayers Needed

2011-12-09T22:02:00.004-05:00

The past month has been difficult, but the past week has been devastating. My Daddy went in the hospital last month for open heart (aorta replacement) surgery. The surgery went well and he was recovering very well. I took him for the first of his follow up appointments on Nov 29th and blood work and exam both came back with good reports. Then last week on Thursday he started feeling poorly and had a dizzy spell.

Friday I went back and he was worse and had a drop in blood pressure and almost collapsed. We took him to the ER and after 2 EKGs and a chest x-ray came back fine we thought he would just stay overnight for observation then come home. I got a call about 1:45am on Saturday morning from my mom and something was wrong. Seems several factors came together to create a "perfect storm" in Daddy's body. He went into cardiac arrest and was unconscious. He was on a fine line and they said it would be a miracle if he came out. I was praying for that miracle! After the first few crucial hours past and he was still declining we were told he might go at any time. My brother lives 14 hours away so we called him and he and his wife were coming as well as my Daddy's younger brother who lives 5 hours away.

Against all of the Doctors and nurses expectations Daddy stayed with us until Sunday morning. My brother and his wife had made it in at 2:30am Sunday and were able to see him. Although Daddy never regained consciousness I know that he knew we were there and he waited until they all got in. I had rarely left his side since 4:30am on Saturday when we first were able to go in the room with him. I was still having to leave every so often to take care of the baby, but I tried to only be gone for 20-30 minutes at a time.

I was with Daddy by myself for those last hours. I talked to him, held his hand, rubbed his shoulder and kissed his forehead and told him how much I love him. Around 6:30-7am Sunday I woke and his vitals were slipping lower. We knew it was going to happen soon. I got the call that little man needed me so I told Daddy that I was going to be gone for a little bit then I would return. I asked him to hang on until I returned. I was gone for about 15-20 minutes to nurse my little man when I got the call from the nurses to hurry back. I rushed back to him and a few minutes later he was gone. I was so glad that I was with him at the end, but I am devastated that I will not see him again until we meet in heaven. I just remember not letting go of his hand for a long time almost afraid to let go of him. Please pray that I will have the strength to help my mom during this time.

Bear At Five Months

2011-09-17T23:41:00.004-05:00

My little Bear is growing quickly! It is hard to believe he has been with us for five months now. Of course it is also hard to believe that there was a time before he was with us. Over the past couple weeks he has started eating rice cereal, sweet potatoes and green peas. He liked the rice cereal and loved the sweet potatoes! The green peas were not such a hit! He started to spit them out after two bites! He has also started to move around more. He turns around and will roll multiple times to try to reach things.

Rolling and playing on the floor

Sitting on the couch with Bubba.

Dressed for the Vols game

Bear At Four Months

2011-09-08T22:30:00.005-05:00

Yes I am late again with posting pics, but here they are anyway! :)

2011 East Tennessee History Fair

2011-08-19T10:59:00.003-05:00

This looks to be an amazing event! Civil war trolley rides to historical sites, historic craft demonstrations, and walking tours led by Knox Heritage are just a few of the great things planned. To learn more go to the event page on the East Tennessee Historical Societies website. The event will be at the East Tennessee History Center, Krutch Park, Downtown Knoxville on Saturday, August 20, 2011 from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Columbia, SC

2011-08-11T01:10:00.004-05:00

I have been to Columbia, SC many times, but this year we saw a few things I had never seen before. I just thought I would share these wonders with you all.

Bear At Three Months

2011-08-03T12:30:00.005-05:00

Here is a little of what has happened in the third month of Bear's life:

Just being happy at home with his family

Butch holding him as he sleeps

Resting with Bubba after touring Biltmore in Asheville, NC

Getting ready to see the beach for the first time

Putting his feet in the ocean for the first time at Sunset Beach, NC

Bear At Two Months

2011-06-20T08:52:00.004-05:00

Boy time passes quickly! My little Bear is two months! He went to his check up last week and all was well. He was 10lb 13oz and 22in. He got his first round of shots and had a low grade fever for a couple of days, but then he was fine. He actually got to spend his two month mark celebrating at the wedding of his uncle and aunt! Here he is with little Miss C!

Bear At A Month

2011-06-04T01:20:00.003-05:00

I am a little late in posting, but our little bear is growing. Here he is around a month old!

Highland Games

2011-05-27T09:06:00.004-05:00

Last week we went to the Great Smoky Mountains Highland Games. We all had a fun time! Here are a few pics.

Border Collie exhibition

Pipes & Drums

Bubba and Joe at the battle ax throw.

Butch threw, too, and got his first one in!

Little Bear

2011-05-11T22:53:00.004-05:00

My little bear has been growing while he has been growling at us. Today we had his one month appointment. He is now 8 lbs and 20 1/4 in of handsome little man! Everything looked good and he is doing well.

Blessed

2011-04-26T21:48:00.003-05:00

Not only have we been blessed with our new little man, but also with the love and support from family and friends. I was greatly surprised at how many gifts we have received. Normally you see gifts for the first baby and possibly when you have one of the opposite sex, but not for your third son. I had a cousin and sister-in-law who have really helped with clothes, a brother who is letting us use his baby furniture, and lots of family and friends getting other gifts for us.

I had put together gift registries mainly for my personal use and for discounts on some of the larger items we might have to purchase. One thing I was looking at possibly having to purchase was a new stroller and also a harness booster seat for Otter. Our travel system stroller that we purchased with Otter is worn and the car seat expires in Dec. I was looking at a double stroller, but figured a single stroller would be best. I had put both on my registry because the stores will give you a coupon for a 10-20% off a registry item that was not purchased. Imagine my surprise when a group of people at Joe's work pooled together and purchased us a double stroller! Then I got another surprise today. A FedEx man delivered a new travel system to my house. I have no idea who has given us this gift and I have not seen a letter, message, or e-mail to indicate who gave this to us, but I was really surprised! We have been greatly blessed!

New Addition

2011-04-18T11:50:00.004-05:00

We got a BIG surprise last week. Our newest little man decided to come early. He was healthy and showed no issues that can appear with early babies which was an answer to prayers. He did have jaundice and we had to do home phototheraphy, but he is better and doing well. His brothers and sister have been so excited. They fight over who will hold him! Here are some pics of each holding baby brother.

Pics Finally!!

2011-03-31T13:03:00.003-05:00

I finally got to see little man's face today! He had his forearms up by his face, but he did move them so we could get a pic. Here is the newest little one!

Britax B-Ready Stroller Giveaway

2011-03-22T12:15:00.002-05:00

I have been looking at the Britax B-Ready strollers and they are awesome strollers! They can work as a travel system with the Chaperone infant seat (they also have an adapter for several other brands of infant carseats), but they also have a bassinet and a second seat for toddlers. With the three different accessories it has 14 different configurations of how you can use this as a single or double stroller. I love the fact that it can have the child as front or rear facing with the regular seat as well as the infant seat. It has a large under seat storage, adjustable handle height, all wheel suspension and more! Right now The Bragging Mommy website is having a giveaway for one of these strollers. If you want to learn more about the B-Ready stroller or other products from Britax visit the company's website.

Getting Prepared

2011-03-19T19:04:00.003-05:00

I was very excited to get an e-mail with a 20% off code from a website where I have a baby registry. I looked on their site and saw that it would apply to the crib bedding I was hoping to get for our little man. I was able to get a great deal on the set! I am looking forward to being able to get his crib ready for him as soon as I get the bedding!

Two Docs In One Day

2011-03-11T13:03:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I saw my OB for another check on our sleeping warrior. Everything was great! From the measurements he seems to be growing well. When the Dr went to check for the baby's heartbeat he was startled by one of his big kicks! It was so funny because I am telling you I am positive it made my Dr jump back a little! This was even funnier because at my last appointment I mentioned that he was not a big kicker like the others, but instead preferred hitting. After then he has decided to show me just how well he can kick! Yes, all is well with this baby boy!

For a while now I have been dealing with some headaches with no clear reason why. After talking with my OB a few weeks ago he told me to get an eye exam. I admit that the last time I had an eye exam was back in 2001 when Butch poked me in the eye which resulted in blunt trauma to my cornea. That eye has never quite been the same, but I never noticed a vision issue. So yesterday I went and had my exam. Everything looked good. The retina scan (I was told) looked amazing and more like a teenagers then an old woman like me. :) I was told that I had 20/20 vision, but she had a prescription for me. Seems that I have an astigmatism in my left eye. Though she said it was slight it might be the cause of the headaches I have been having. So I ordered a pair of glasses and have to wear them all the time for two weeks, go back for a follow-up to see if it has helped then if it has I wear "when needed." So in the next week it looks like I will be sporting a new look.

Otter & The Cow

2011-03-03T10:53:00.001-05:00

Otter was so happy to be able to hug a Chick-fil-a cow!

Tennessee Theatre

2011-02-11T19:41:00.003-05:00

When JoJo and I went to see White Christmas in December we learned that another classic movie favorite will be showing at the Tennessee Theatre this month. The classic 1954 movie Sabrina starring Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn will be showingon Feb 14th at 8pm.

Baby #4 Update

2011-01-20T13:49:00.003-05:00

Well, it seems that baby #4 (nickname still undetermined) has been growing well over the past month. I had a checkup today and everything looked good with a nice strong heartbeat. Of course he is still moving like crazy most of the time! I go again in three weeks for the glucose test. Yuck!!! I always dread those, but so far have never had a problem. Hopefully this time will be no different.

After my appointment Otter and I headed to do a baby registry. She was excited about looking for stuff for her baby brother. Actually she was a little disappointed that we were not buying stuff for him today! She especially wanted to get him some toys. She would pick out clothes for me to scan for him, too. I must say that although the selection for boy items has improved since I had Bubba, it is still not comparable with all the cute girl things out there!

Honesty and Trust

2011-01-13T18:23:00.002-05:00

Some times we lose sight that being dishonest will gain us nothing but a loss of trust. Some times we say it is to protect others that we are not honest, but more often then not it is to protect ourselves. To lie is being dishonest, but it can also be dishonest to ignore or not tell the truth. The not telling of the truth can also lead to misunderstandings or as a sign of wrongs having been done with no desire to be admitted. Trust must be earned and if you are unwilling to be honest and truthful then do not expect to be trusted. The ones who are dearest to our hearts are the ones who are said to be the ones with the ability to hurt us the most. That is true. Trust is not something that is instantaneous. It takes time to prove to someone else that they can trust us, trust our word. We have to prove ourselves worthy of their trust. When we break that trust it will not be returned in an instant. We have to rebuild that trust. Words are empty when we have no trust in the one who speaks them. Can we ever lose someone's trust forever? That depends on whether we care enough to fix the relationship that we have damaged.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16:10

We tell lies when we are afraid... afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger. ~Tad Williams

Tired

2011-01-11T15:26:00.002-05:00

My sleep is definitely being compromised during this pregnancy. Seems that this little boy is going to be very active. Normally he would get active right before I went to sleep at night and if I woke during the night he would lightly move until I was going back to sleep. Not for the past few nights! Right now he has been quite the night owl! He has been not only active, but his movements are very strong! Poor mommy has not been able to sleep well at night with this sort of activity and even trying to take a little nap during the day has not helped. I try to sleep and he tries to keep me awake. Hopefully this is not a sign of what is to come!

Hanging Out With Bubba

2011-01-04T16:42:00.003-05:00

I had the rare opportunity to spend a day alone with Bubba. The other two children were over at Mamaw's house spending the night. This morning I ask him what he wanted to do and the one thing on his list was to head to the comic book store to pick up a X-men comic that Wesley was missing from his collection (Bubba has borrowed them and has been reading them the past few days). So we get ready and headed out to go a few places. First we went to do a Baby registry where Bubba got to use the scanning gun to add items to the registry. He was going scan crazy! Then we had a wonderful lunch at Chick-fil-a followed by a trip to McKay's. After all that he finally got to the comic book store and found the one he was looking for with just enough time to read it before we got to the grocery store. Seemed like he enjoyed the time with his momma which makes me happy.

And Baby Is....

2010-12-23T10:53:00.005-05:00

We finally had our ultrasound on Tuesday! Our new little one was eager to share some things, but hid other things from us. First thing that we saw as soon as she started the ultrasound was that baby #4 is definitely a BOY! That was no secret at all! We got to see that he is growing at a good rate, measuring right on time. The thing that he was hiding from us was his face. He had his arms and hands covering it the whole time. The ultrasound tech tried to shake on my belly to try to get him to move and had me turn on my side, but no luck. So no profile shot of his little face.

Boy or Girl

2010-12-21T11:54:00.002-05:00

Today is the day!!! We are finally going to find out what baby #4 will be. I am very excited about seeing the baby. That is the best part of modern technology is being able to catch a glimpse of our newest addition months before we can hold them. Hopefully I will be able to post a picture later today. Off to get ready!

Movement

2010-12-16T15:16:00.002-05:00

I have been feeling baby #4 moving for several weeks now and I have actually been able to feel it move from the outside for a couple of weeks. I have not had success with having Joe feel the baby though. The baby moves most during late night hours and early morning hours when I am normally not around the rest of the family. I was feeling a lot of bigger movements just a little bit ago so I called Butch over. He had been very eager to be the first to feel the baby move. He was the same way with Otter, too! He had felt her move several times before Joe felt her for the first time. He is almost desperate in his desire to be the first. He even asked Joe again last night if he had already felt the baby and was happy when his Dad said no. I think that it was a good thing today since we were quite disappointed to not be able to get my ultrasound today. Due to the ice storm that hit us during the night we could not get out today to go to the doctors office. I will have to try to reschedule my appointment and hopefully it will be soon!!!

Christmas Surprise

2010-12-13T14:45:00.002-05:00

We are excited because this is the week I go in for my ultrasound with baby #4. We will be learning what the sex of the baby is on Thursday if the baby is willing to show us! We were talking to the boys the other night and they thought we should put it in an envelope and they could open it Christmas morning to learn whether it is a brother or sister. So it looks as though we will not be sharing the news with everyone else until after Christmas. This will be hard for me because I am so excited about shopping after my appointment and sharing with everyone. Now I will have to shop and hide it until after they know (and not refer to the baby as a he or she).

Another funny story was something that happened yesterday morning. We put up our Christmas tree Saturday evening, so on Sunday morning Otter came in the kitchen as Joe and I were preparing breakfast to ask if her presents had come while she slept. She had assumed that we put the tree up and that meant it was Christmas the next day!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-02T20:52:00.004-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year! It was so nice to have almost all the family here this year. There were lots of reasons to be thankful this year. Not only the two new additions we are anticipating through births in the next few months, but we also will have another addition through marriage! We are blessed with the wonderful woman that will soon be my new sister-in-law!

The guys had a great time playing flag football again. There were lots of great plays and several funny moments. We even had a guest this year when one of the boys in the neighborhood (that goes to school with Bubba) came to play for a little while. Several of the older members of the family were sore after the game, but I think that the annual day after Thanksgiving hike helped most stretch out those achy muscles! Not my Joe, though! He had to sleep most of Saturday to recover! ;)

Amazing Music

2010-10-23T22:03:00.003-05:00

I wanted to share a link to my cousin's website. I was blessed to be able to spend some time with Andy and his wife while they were in town today. Andy was asked to come and lead music at a local youth conference this weekend. I have heard him singing several times and I believe that he has been blessed by the Lord with his music. He shared some of the recording he is working on for his album with us and I was really blessed by hearing them. Hope that you all head over and listen to his music!

Tabernacle of David

Blessings

2010-10-14T17:10:00.004-05:00

Looks like our family is going to be blessed with a new addition in 2011! A couple of weeks ago we got to see the baby as well as hear the heartbeat. I went in this week and got to hear the heartbeat again which was a huge blessing! All the kids have been wanting another sibling and they are all excited. This pregnancy has been the hardest so far because I have been feeling poorly all the time. This is part of the reason why I have not been on here posting much lately. Sometimes it is just hard to concentrate.

Popcorn Time Again

2010-09-21T09:03:00.002-05:00

Well, it looks to be time for the annual Boy Scout Popcorn Sales. This is the main fundraiser for the Boy Scout Troops each year. The money raised from this funds the activities that the boys do during the year. So please support the Boy Scouts as they sell!

Fun With Granddad

2010-09-14T12:06:00.004-05:00

I took a trip with Joe to Chattanooga yesterday. While we were gone Granddad kept the boys and took them to school and picked them up. On Sunday afternoon Granddad told Butch to bring his baseball stuff with him. He then told us that he was going to take Butch to the ball field to practice his pitching. Bubba asked, "What about me? What will I do?" Granddad responded with "Sit on the bleachers and do your homework!"

Great Labor Day

2010-09-06T17:53:00.003-05:00

Today we had a wonderful day with our families! We went up to Metcalf Bottoms Picnic area for breakfast. My mother-in-law makes the best mountain breakfast! We had a picnic site right by the river which made all the kids happy. They were just eager to get into the water. After breakfast the younger kids got in the water and most of the rest of us hiked up to the Little Greenbrier School house. When we returned we got in the river. It was so much fun to watch the three "boys" (Joe, Wesley & BJ) trying to rearrange stones to get a little pool for us to sit in. They got distracted by all the crawdads, though. So along with the older children we captured the crawdads until we were ready to eat lunch. After lunch the kids were all back out in the water. My little Otter did not want to get out of the water except to eat. She did not want to leave! We were all worn out when we got home.

Computer Woes

2010-08-31T21:50:00.002-05:00

Over the past few months we have been having trouble with our desktop and after trying several little "fixes" with no real results my husband took drastic measures. He completely wiped off the hard drive and loaded the Linux Ubuntu operating system. This has taken some big adjustments for me. The biggest obstacle is the fact that my Family Tree Maker software is not compatible. That is one of my main uses on the computer and I now have no access on my desktop! All of my pictures have also been moved to an external hard drive. Hopefully I will get settled into this new system soon and post more often.

Another Great Reunion

2010-07-28T12:47:00.003-05:00

I was so excited to once again be in South Carolina for my Lane family reunion. I always enjoy getting to see my family. We spent a little more time together this year, though it still seemed to fly by! I actually got to see a few cousins that I don't ever remember seeing before. After the reunion we headed to Dillon to stay with my cousin Theo. All three of his sons were there so we were all able to chat for a little while. Otter decided that she did not like the name Theo, so she called him Gooey. She would not even let us call him Theo! She would try to correct us so that we would call him Gooey, too! I really enjoyed our stay with Theo and his wife Lou! They are awesome cousins!

Humor of a Child

2010-07-10T00:01:00.002-05:00

Over the past week we have had some good laughs from Otter. Here are a few:

She walked into the kitchen (where I was) and ask to watch "Billy" (the exterminator). I turn to see her wearing her cowboy hat in preparation! She said, "I'm Billy!"

She has been "tucking in Daddy" a few times. Each time she goes to get a book to read to him. She climbs up and lays beside him and "reads" him the book. One night she started talking about Cap'n Book. He is the brother of Cap'n Hook and he is "VERY scary!"

Last night this is what she told me this:
Otter: God said that we should obey ours parents, right?
me: Yes, that is correct. He told us to obey our parents.
Otter: God is our Daddy, too, so that means we should obey him, too.
What amazing truths a small child can understand!

Preparing For Family Time!

2010-07-07T09:22:00.002-05:00

I always get excited about July. More specifically, the fourth Saturday in July because that is when the Lane family gathers in Marion, SC. I have always enjoyed the Lane family reunions and getting to see my SC family. This year is going to be good since I will see some that I have not seen in many years! The internet has been a great tool to help with meeting and keeping in touch with many of them, but nothing beats getting to see them in person! I am thankful for those who many years ago decided to start these reunions and for the wonderful memories I have from each of them. If not for these reunions I might not have met many of these relatives and I cannot imagine my life without their love and influence! So for those Lane relatives out there...bring your best potluck dishes, any pictures to share, grab as many of your family as you can and I will see you in a few weeks!!!

Happy 4th of July

2010-07-04T22:08:00.002-05:00

I hope that everyone is enjoying celebrating the 4th of July. Our independence and the freedoms it gives us are precious and cost the lives of many brave men & women. Remembering the sacrifices of all those early Patriots and the men & women in our armed forces from the beginning of our nation to the present make me proud of our nation and the freedom we have thanks to their sacrifices. I hope that everyone has a safe and happy holiday and don't forget to pray for our soldiers who are currently fighting for freedom!

All Day Marathon

2010-05-05T08:43:00.004-05:00

We have come to enjoy a tv show called "Billy the Exterminator" on A&E. This is a funny show, although what he does is serious and dangerous. Today is an all day marathon! Sometimes it is nice to be a stay-at-home mom!!! All day, all Billy! "Billy, I got a job for ya!"

Great Deals In K-Town!

2010-04-29T11:30:00.004-05:00

I learned that Kroger has a great deal until May 1st. If you buy one single day admission ticket to the Knoxville Zoo you get one free! They also have a discount on tickets and memberships with your Kroger Plus Card. $2 off for single day admissions and $5 off memberships with a valid Kroger Plus Card. We love the zoo and I thought I would share this so that everyone else who enjoys going could enjoy these savings, too!

Dogwood Time In Tennessee

2010-04-08T06:59:00.003-05:00

Yesterday officially opened the Dogwood trails in Knoxville! Trails are open from April 7 - April 25. This year the Fountain City trail is the featured trail. The Dogwood Arts Festival happens every April in Knoxville and there are lots of events. Check out the calendar on their site for dates, times, and locations. Saturday there is an all day event that looks very interesting. The Marble Springs Storytelling Festival will be from 10am-10pm at the Marble Springs Historical Farmstead. They will have ghost stories in the evening, too.

Spring Is Here!

2010-04-07T12:23:00.004-05:00

These are all pictures that I took this afternoon as I walked around our yard.

Kerria

Grape Hyacinth

Bleeding Heart

Flowering Almond

Hoosier Cabinets

2010-03-25T19:40:00.004-05:00

I have always been a big fan of the Hoosier cabinets. I remember my aunt had one in her kitchen that was a white enamel with red trim. Those are my favorite ones, but I also like the wooden ones as well. I have been keeping my eye out for one for many years, but I currently do not have a kitchen that would accommodate one. My dream kitchen is a farmhouse style kitchen with a Hoosier cabinet in it. Maybe one day...

Duck Duck Goose Time!!!

2010-03-10T00:30:00.002-05:00

Alright everyone prepare for some amazing shopping in the next few days! Duck Duck Goose is back in Knoxville and they have packed the old Kmart building on Kingston Pike! I was there tonight to help organize and it is crazy how much stuff is there! If you have children or want to buy for children this is the place to be. The public sale starts on Thursday, March 11th. For more info about this sale go to their website: Duck Duck Goose

Etsy Update

2010-03-02T03:58:00.002-05:00

I wanted to let everyone know that I have now opened an Etsy store! I only have a few items listed so far, but I plan to add more soon. I would love for you to go and take a look! Here is the link to my store:

Heather of the Hills

Etsy

2010-02-25T22:15:00.010-05:00

If you have not heard about Etsy, it is worth a look. It is a marketplace for items that are handmade. There are so many different varieties of things on the site, but I wanted to share about one particular store. My friend has started a store there to sell hair bows, ribbons and clips. She has a special gift for making these (she is a former cheerleader who absolutely loves ribbons!). I have several bows, clips and her newest items, fabric flowers on bobby pins. They are all great and I love the way they look in Otter's hair. Otter loves the bows that Em makes for her! Please take a moment and go look at my friend's store!

I Love Red Hair

Additionally I would like to add that I am preparing to open a shop on Etsy in the next couple of weeks to sell my crochet hats and other items. I will post a link as soon as it is set up.

New Quarters

2010-02-04T19:47:00.003-05:00

I was in Hobby Lobby yesterday when I came upon the coin collecting section. I saw a large new book for quarters. The series is officially called the "America the Beautiful" series, but also called the "National Park" series. I was excited and looked at the book. The series starts in April of this year and goes through 2021. Here is a link if you would like to see some of the design candidates or to learn more: National Park Quarters

Another Background

2010-02-04T19:37:00.002-05:00

I was looking at the Hot Bliggity Blog site for my newest background. I love the vintage look and the colors on this one are awesome! There is no name to the designs on this website, but there are lots of backgrounds to choose from.

New Background

2010-01-31T16:33:00.001-05:00

This is the second background from Shabby Blogs. The design is called Rozlyn's Roses.

Cool Websites

2010-01-27T09:08:00.003-05:00

I came across two websites that provide free backgrounds for blogs. I have decided to use several designs to show off some of the very cute backgrounds they have. The first is a design from Shabby Blogs called Orange Blossom. Every time I add a new background I will add a post to share the site and the design name.

The second website is called Hot Bliggity Blog . I have several favorite on this site, but they do not have names. The vintage, shabby chic looks are very much my style. Thought I would share these with all of you. Hope that you enjoy!

Enjoyable Day

2010-01-16T23:33:00.003-05:00

Today I have had lots of fun. This morning I went with my mother-in-law (and the kids) to Sweetwater to go shopping at the Sock Shop. It was so much fun looking at all the different socks and loading up on them, too! I got some more of the Worlds Softest Spa Socks and I am loving them! We went over to Hunter's Bakery and Cafe for a good lunch then walked to a couple of the Antique stores nearby. This evening Joe and I went to an Ice Bears hockey game. They lost, but we did have fun. Now I sit relaxing in my new spa socks (pictured here). Ahhhh. How nice!!

Kalencom Diaper Bag

2010-01-15T11:58:00.003-05:00

My cousin had a link to show a diaper bag that she is wanting from Kalencom. After looking at it I liked it as well. It has straps that help it attach to your stroller as well as a few other nice accessories. I like two of the designs best. Ozz Quilted Morocco Orange and Ozz Printed Nylon Flower Power Blue. A site called The Bragging Mommy has a review and giveaway on their site. I encourage you to have a look if you are interested in diaper bags or other products for children.

Bad Beginnings

2010-01-14T10:23:00.003-05:00

This year started on a bad note for most of our family. It all started on New Year's Eve. Butch started getting sick. Then in the wee hours of the morning I got sick. It was terrible. We were both so weak from the stomach bug that we just slept for the next two days. We were almost on the point of dehydration. Joe, bless his heart got it a couple days later. Luckily Otter and Bubba did not get it! Then as soon as that passed and I started getting my energy back I got sinus stuff. Ugghhhh!!!!!! Now there have also been other things to add some stress (plumbing issues, heat went out, more plumbing issues, and a root canal). This has been a rough two weeks. I am hoping that the rest of the year proves to be a lot calmer and less stressful!

Humor

2009-12-28T14:16:00.002-05:00

So we now are the owners of a WII. It was an awesome gift and we are all very excited about it. Today I forced the boys off so I could race on Mario Cart. (I have my own license so I am having to beat the grand prix on my own to get all the new levels, characters, etc.) So I am in the middle of one race when Butch forgets that he doesn't have a controller in his hand and jerks his hands up as if to jump with me. He instead jerked the glass of orange juice that was in his hands and it was very full of orange juice! Said orange juice goes flying out of the cup and lands all around (and on) him! That was so funny! Should they put a warning about that too? "For those who may be watching a race, please put down all items in your hands so that you might not fling them while race is in progress."

Christmas Time

2009-12-23T22:14:00.004-05:00

Well, tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Do I have all my shopping done? No! I am looking forward to the first day of family gatherings tomorrow, though. I love getting together with family (and friends, too)! I enjoy buying gifts for them and seeing their reactions. This year is really exciting because Otter is starting to pick up on more than just presents.

We have a Nativity set and she points out Joseph and Mary, but ours is missing the baby Jesus. He only comes out after they go to bed on Christmas Eve. It is something that was a tradition in Joe's family and we have carried it over into our family. The boys know that when Momma puts out the scene He will be missing until Christmas morning. Now Otter is learning about this tradition. I love it when they start understanding more of what we are really celebrating! The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

This is a beautiful set that I saw last week at our local five-and-dime store down the street. The artist is Jim Shore.

Sales

2009-11-16T22:36:00.004-05:00

Since Butch's school did not reach their $ goal with coupon books they have two additional sales going on now. One is cookie dough, which we do not have a form yet so I have no info right now. The second is reusable bags. These are really nice looking polypropylene bags from the Mixed Bag Designs company. If you go to the link provided you can see the bags. There are four sizes. Prices are listed (the department store bags is listed as $10 on our forms, though) on the site. I have a Green Mountain Coffee bag that is about the same size as the department bag and I love it! It is also made out of the polypropylene. If you would like to help raise money to help the school please let me know! This will only go through next Tuesday, so hurry!!

Dust Off The Dancing Shoes!

2009-11-13T20:41:00.005-05:00

This is the slogan used by the Chattanooga Choo Choo to promote an event that will be held on May 29, 2010. It is the Glenn Miller Orchestra special event. It is a package for two nights that included an evening of dancing to the beautiful sounds of songs like "In the Mood", "Moonlight Serenade", etc. This is an event that would be so much fun to attend! Now if I could only dance like Ginger Rogers or Ann Miller!

Funny Quotes part two

2009-10-18T23:47:00.002-05:00

As we were sitting around the dinner table today we were joking about all the hair that is found around Grandmomma's house. We were talking about the possibility of using hair nets, but deduced the main cause for the hairs was the animals. That was when Butch said that the cats should live in hair nets! We all found the thought of the cats in full body "hair nets" very amusing! Wish I could find a picture of that!

Dating 101

2009-10-10T16:05:00.003-05:00

If you are in a dating situation here is some advice. After you ask about their relationship with Jesus the next question should be "Are you a Vols fan?" If the answer is no shake their hand, tell them it was nice to meet them and WALK AWAY!!

Funny Quotes

2009-10-06T22:41:00.002-05:00

This evening our son just made us laugh so hard! Here is the jest...

Butch: Dad, can you help me with this?
Joe: Yes, but can I get you to do me a favor?
Butch: No, I will not pick your nose or massage your feet!!

Homecoming

2009-10-06T12:57:00.003-05:00

This week is an event that I love to see come every year. The Museum of Appalachia is having their Homecoming celebrations this week. With so much going on there I cannot list it all here, but here are a few things you will find:

Cloggers
Singers and musicians
Blacksmiths
Country Crafters
Tatting
Wood workers
Sorghum makers
Homemade soap and lotion makers
Basket weavers
and a whole lot more!

Bubba found someone to play
checkers with a few years ago

Hubby's Reunion

2009-10-04T00:01:00.004-05:00

Well, Joe had a gathering of people who graduated from his school in the 90's. It was a big event that was created to be family friendly. I was finally able to see some of the people that he has been telling me about for years. It was an enjoyable evening and I was happy to see some of the people that I already knew, but have not seen in the last couple of years.

2009-09-26T23:30:00.001-05:00

Well I thought I would try out the SMS here on blogger. Not sure how much I will use it, but I now have the capability!

Worst Dressed

2009-09-22T08:28:00.005-05:00

Personally I enjoy looking at the red carpet pics to see how my opinions and those of whoever these "judges" are that grade them match up. I saw several that I strongly disagreed with and some I completely agreed with. One dress that fell into the latter category was the dress that Victoria Rowell wore. I could see nothing that would make me like this even if it was not Obama. Even a similar dress with Ronald Reagan would still be an 'F' on my grading scale!

Interesting Sideshow

2009-09-09T18:56:00.003-05:00

On the PBS tv show, History Detectives, there was an extremely interesting story that I wanted to share. In 1933 at the Chicago World's Fair there was an exhibit called Baby Incubators with living babies. For the two years of the fair the exhibit was used to show the incubators and how they helped the babies survive. It is an extremely interesting show that helps a woman in her quest to learn if she was truely one of the babies on exhibit during this time. Here is a link to watch the episode.

PBS History Detectives Season 7, Episode 4

Holiday

2009-09-08T19:57:00.004-05:00

Friday we were blessed by the holiday that Joe had from work and for my Mom who watched our little Otter so we could have some time together. After getting the guys off to school we got the bicycles out. After dusting them off, cleaning the chains and checking the tires we headed off to enjoy the day. We drove to Maryville to ride the greenway out there. Before we left home I looked and estimated the mileage as around 8 miles round trip. We had planned to start in Downtown Maryville, but we ended up starting at the City of Alcoa Municipal Building riding to the Greenbelt Park continuing to Sandy Springs and Pearson Springs Parks. We actually passed Pearson Springs and continued on up to Maryville Intermediate School before turning back. When we finished we came back to eat at my favorite restaurant Puléo's Grille. It was a great day! I told Joe, "Today is brought to you by the letter B and the number 2! Bikes, bottle of water, biking braids, beautiful weather, and my best bud!"

Another Emma

2009-08-29T13:42:00.004-05:00

In early 2010 Masterpiece Theatre Classic will be airing the new adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma here in the USA. Here is a press release about the new movie from the BBC site:

Emma is a fresh and witty serial adaptation of Jane Austen's comic masterpiece by award-winning writer Sandy Welch (Jane Eyre, North And South, Our Mutual Friend).

Romola Garai (Atonement, Vanity Fair), plays the "handsome, clever and rich" Emma Woodhouse, a young woman who dominates her small provincial world of Highbury. Misguidedly believing that she is a skilled matchmaker, Emma repeatedly attempts to pair up her friends and acquaintances, often with regrettable consequences.

The cast includes Jonny Lee Miller (Endgame, Melinda And Melinda), Michael Gambon (Harry Potter, Cranford), Tamsin Greig (The Diary Of Anne Frank, Green Wing), Robert Bathurst (Cold Feet) and Jodhi May (Einstein And Eddington, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard).

A Bafta-winning writer, Sandy Welch unfolds Austen's compassionate and humorous story of self-deceit and self-discovery in four hour-long episodes, providing a rich insight into one of the author's most complex characters.

Here is a YouTube Video that is somewhat of a trailer. So far it is all I can find.

Back To School

2009-08-21T20:05:00.003-05:00

Once again it is time for school. The guys are somewhat happy with returning, but me... I'm ecstatic! Well, that is rather exaggerated, though I do enjoy the one-on-one time with Otter! I was very pleased when Butch came home this week and told me he had made it into advanced math! They gave a test and based off their scores placed the kids in the appropriate math class. I was hoping that he would get in since it will help lead into advanced math in middle school as well. He was very proud, too! It was great to see him so excited and working hard. Bubba is also in advanced math (now that we have his schedule fixed). Band has started for him, too. Once again the clarinet will be heard in our neighborhood! I am just praying that we are all up to the challenges ahead this year.

Rocky Start

2009-07-28T13:30:00.003-05:00

Well, I sit here on the balcony looking out at the ocean and enjoying the nice weather here in the shade. I can look over and see the ocean, watch the waves crash, and be thankful that I have not had to drive anywhere today. That is where our vacation troubles have been!

On Saturday we had planned to leave by 9:30ish. Well, nothing was going as planned (should have known that!), but we finally left around 10:30ish. Our first destination was my family reunion in Marion, SC. We get there, all be it at least 30 minutes late. I am thinking at least I will still be able to visit a little after the meal. Nope. People start leaving before I finish my dinner. A redeeming point was when we were able to go to aunt Dora's house to visit with some of her family after the reunion. We leave there and arrive at the beach after 11pm. Then my little girl decided that she did not want to go to sleep until at least 1:30am! Ugghhh!

Next morning we finally get up and moving by 10am. We head down to the van so we can get breakfast only to find a flat tire. UUGGGHHHH! So we get the spare out (by we I mean Joe and Butch). Only after then do we find out that our spare is not a correct size spare for our van. It doesn't work on the front due to brake stuff, so Joe puts the flat back on the front and goes to take the back tire off to use on the front, while placing the spare on the back. While taking the luge nuts off the back tire one of the stems for the luges breaks due to someone putting a incorrect luge on previously, but that is another bowl of chowder for another time! Now poor Joe is getting really frustrated. "We will laugh at this one day" he tells me. "Not today, and probably not next month, but one day. Maybe." We take the van and drop it off to be fixed. There was a Cracker Barrel right beside it and we were able to eat while it was fixed. After a good meal we find the van taken care of with only a loose valve on the tire, whew! Praise the Lord! Go back to the condo for naps and a restart later in the evening.

Monday we head to the beach after breakfast and have an enjoyable time. Joe and I get burnt, but it is all good, right? After lunch and getting Otter and Joe down for a nap I prepare to go the the grocery store to get our food for the week. Huh...now what could possibly happen you might ask? I check the tires...all good! I get in the van and...click, click, click...click, click, click...the van won't start! UGGHHHH! Back upstairs to wait for my poor husband to awaken from his slumber to fix another problem! After the nice man from the office gives us a jump we head to find the Advance Auto. Directions from the locals over the phone have not been extremely good either day, but we find it faster than we did the Sears the previous day. The guy there checks and the diagnosis is a dead battery. Praise the Lord again! Even the $90 for that is better than a bad alternator, etc., right? Finally get to the grocery store to get our food. Come back to have grilled hamburgers, fries, and baked beans for dinner. The boys swim in the pool while Daddy cooks the burgers. It was a good evening.

Today...well, we went to the beach again this morning. The boys got an inflatable boat that they played with. Otter let me sit in the water (only on the edge) without crying (Grandmomma, she liked it until she got into the water yesterday. She doesn't like the waves and the current as the water goes out back out). Luckily there was an area that was almost like a baby pool with hardly any waves and I was able to sit with her in my lap. She was holding onto me and laid her head on my shoulder, but it was an improvement. By the time that the tide started moving in and the waves were a little more on us, she was doing much better. A little while later we were told by the "boss" that she was ready to go back. She was so wore out that she only ate half a banana before she climbed in my lap to fall asleep. So far we have had a good day! Of course we have not gone to the van yet ;), and every time the boys pray it includes "please don't let any thing else bad happen to the van." Oh the stories we will have after this vacation! Hopefully the rest is utterly uneventful!

Interesting Wedding March

2009-07-24T22:19:00.003-05:00

A friend of mine posted this and I wanted to share it here. It was such a cute video. I thought having Star Wars music as we marched out of my best friend's wedding was unique, but this takes the cake!

The Yorktown

2009-07-13T14:06:00.007-05:00

We boarded the Yorktown and I learned that I was going to be staying in the "Officer's Quarters." It was SO sweet! The room I was initially taken to had four beds. I learned that another member of our group was in a room by herself. She offered to share her room with me. We went and looked and it had only two beds! I like the top bunk best, which was good since she had the lower one. The first evening was rather relaxed. I once again skipped the movie Tora, Tora, Tora! A group of us adults just sat out on the side landing and talked.

The next morning we took a boat ride over to Fort Sumter. This being my fourth trip I did not do much touring around. Butch was part of the flag raising ceremony, though instead of helping raise the flags he was chosen to lead the pledge afterwards.

Later in the afternoon we had free time to tour the ships. Since the Destroyer and Coast Guard Cutter were closed I did not plan to do much touring on the sub and the Yorktown. The boys each caught me and took me on tours on the Yorktown, though. In the evening there was a big celebration at Patriot's Point. There was live music, lots of tents set up with food, and inflatables for the kiddos. After dark we were treated to a wonderful display of fireworks off the deck of the Yorktown. I decided to try out the fireworks setting on my camera. It would have helped if I had my tripod, but I did the best I could. Here is a couple of my favorite shots.

Charleston

2009-07-08T20:31:00.004-05:00

On Friday of last week we spent the day in Charleston, SC. We woke early and drove over to E. Bay Street and parked the van. Then we walked all over Charleston! We hit the open market first. Bubba found an alligator head he just had to have! The guys also decided I needed a floppy brimmed hat to wear around, so they found a great hat for me and some sunglasses to match. We're walking...we're walking...then lunchtime at Bubba Gump. We're walking...we're walking...see some churches, stores, and other cool sights. Then we headed to our main destination. Patriots Point and the USS Yorktown! I will talk about that tomorrow. Until then enjoy some of our pics!

Rainbow Row (on E. Bay Street)

Butch and me at the cemetery at
the Circular Congregational Church

Lunch at Bubba Gump.
Joe, Butch & Bubba with the Shrimp

The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon

More Garden News

2009-06-09T22:00:00.004-05:00

Our garden continues to do well. Our broccoli was very good! The lettuces are giving us plenty to eat. Both Romaine and Buttercrunch are growing splendidly. We also harvested our cabbage this past week. It was also very good! I cooked the first cabbage head for Joe and Bubba. I, personally, hate cooked cabbage unless it is in an egg roll. Today I planted more things. Watermelon, okra, black beans, and more peanut beans. I am hoping to see all of these doing as well as the others.

Our Garden

2009-05-26T17:29:00.003-05:00

I went and got more stuff to plant in our garden today. I got eggplant, zucchini, crookneck squash, tomatoes, green peppers, turkey beans, and cucumbers. I got most of it planted right before a huge downpour hit the area. So I was soaked before I could get under cover, but I did not have to water the plants. God did it for me!

We ate some of the broccoli and lettuce that we had planted a few months ago. It was really good! I am so glad we tried the broccoli!

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-25T01:07:00.005-05:00

On this Memorial Day I hope we all remember those who have fought for the wonderful freedoms we experience everyday.

My Plants

2009-05-20T12:20:00.004-05:00

Last night I was working outside and thought I would try to propagate some of the plants I have in the back yard. Here are a couple that I am trying currently:

Common Names: Japanese Rose or Kerria Rose
Latin Name: Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora'

Common Name: Aucuba 'Gold Dust'
Latin name: Aucuba japonica 'Variegata'

Prayer Request

2009-05-12T12:23:00.003-05:00

As many of you know I lost an uncle in January. Yesterday I learned that I lost another uncle. This was the husband of my mom's sister, Fannie. Grant has been in declining health for some time and it has been very difficult. Please pray for his family during this time. Thank you!

My Dream Refrigerator/ Freezer

2009-05-05T14:23:00.004-05:00

For many years I have known exactly what I would love to have in my dream kitchen as my refrigerator/freezer. I saw it in a store once, but after that it was never out for my viewing pleasure at most appliance stores. Today I found them online and also in a local store. Here it is...Frigidaire makes a full size refrigerator and freezer that are meant to be side by side. Aaahhhh! How wonderful! This is my dream (minus the stainless steel look, it is not for me!). Of course, in my current kitchen it would possibly be overkill!

Llama Llama Red Pajama

2009-04-27T15:34:00.004-05:00

I went with my friend, Em, to see Llama Llama Red Pajama put on by the Penguin Players at the Fountain City Library. Of course it was for our daughters to be able to see it, but I admit it was really cute. They are making a circuit around the Knox County Libraries, so if you want to see it look at the events calender at the library web site (link). Both of the girls seemed to enjoy it. Otter watched the whole time!

Griffin Is Here!

2009-04-23T21:10:00.002-05:00

Since BJ and M did not get many pics today, I thought I would add a picture of the new little one.

The whole family together

Weird Crafts

2009-04-17T06:28:00.006-05:00

Today I was looking for some images to create my own background for my crochet blog when I found this...A knitted dissected frog! It is mounted on a frame to make it look like it is pinned to a tray, just like in Biology class. This is really weird! Just had to share it so you could get a laugh, too!

Oh, by the way...the artist selling these art pieces on Etsy has a category called Knitted Dissections. They have three different animals for your choosing pleasure! And Joe...the artist is in Burlington, VT! To visit the site of The Crafty Hedgehog here is a link: CraftyHedgehog

Diaper Cake

2009-04-14T06:29:00.004-05:00

If you have never seen a diaper cake it is a very interesting concept. It is a way to give an expectant mother diapers in a more creative way than in the original packaging. I just finished one that went to M and her little GJ.

My Endangered Plants

2009-04-06T13:33:00.001-05:00

It seems that when you get men together to mow a yard there is always the inevitable killing of plants. I thought that my yard was safe, until within the last few days. Today I was outside, in the cold I might add, to look over the plants that are coming up right before our current cold spell takes effect. I had watched as my son trampled upon my lilies as he was turning the mower around on Saturday, but what I did not see was the most horrifying, atrocious act. I have always loved lilac bushes. Preferably the old fashioned lilac, but I enjoy others as well. I had last year purchased a Josee Lilac which is a beautiful pink and a rebloomer. I was so excited to see that it had grown from last year. How sad I was when I was out today and found it chopped down to a couple of inches and the copper marker in front of it was obliterated! I guess I must make sure to make a larger barrier around my plants until they are large enough to be noticed!Now I am left to hope that it is not killed by this act, but will grow back with no visible damage as quickly as possible.

Duck Duck Goose

2009-03-30T00:13:00.002-05:00

This week is the Duck Duck Goose consignment sale. If you have never been it is a huge sale of children's clothing and related items. The sale is Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week. Next Monday is the half price sale. Here is a link for more information and for location/ time details. Duck Duck Goose

Almost A Ride

2009-03-06T17:22:00.004-05:00

Today Joe, Otter and I packed up our bicycles and heading to Oak Ridge for a ride. The Melton Lake Greenway stretches over a four mile trail paralleling Melton Hill Lake. We have driven by before, but this was our first time to ride there. Sadly enough we did not make the full trip. We biked for almost two miles before having to turn back. Otter was fussing most of the way down so we decided to turn back. It ended up that she was so tired that she was asleep before we were three miles down the road. Evidently her fun day with Daddy yesterday wore her out! Oh well, maybe next time!

Scout Banquet

2009-02-28T22:45:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had our annual Blue and Gold Banquet. It was a Patriotic theme this year. Once again we did a Father-Son cake bake. Might I just say that when I informed Joe of this several weeks ago his response was "Ugghhh! Who do I have to thank for this, again!";) Well, I must say that he and Butch did a wonderful job when all was said and done. They decided to do an Uncle Sam cake. For having only made two cakes (which includes this one) in his life, Joe does much better than you would think. The cake turned out very good looking and tasted great, too! Here is a picture of their beautiful, manly cake!

Date Night

2009-02-20T23:40:00.004-05:00

Tonight we had a wonderful evening together. After having dinner at home we headed downtown to watch the Ice Bears game. Of course it is not a real hockey game without a fight (there was one, by the way!). It was a good game and the IceBears beat the FireAntz 6-3.

Afterward we went to Coffee and Chocolate again for a killer chocolate dessert. It was great! It is called Dynamite cake, chocolate cake on the bottom, chocolate mousse in the middle and chocolate fudge on top! Fabulous! (very similar to the picture to the right)

Family Outing

2009-02-16T22:29:00.004-05:00

Today we had a very enjoyable day. We got ready this morning and took a scenic route to Sweetwater, TN. There we had lunch at a quaint little place called Hunter's Bakery and Cafe. I had their Smokey Black Bean and Cheddar wrap. It was very good! You can see the cafe in the background of the picture below.

We then headed to Athens, TN to take a tour of the Mayfield Dairy plant. As soon as we got there Otter got excited to see the huge Jersey cows outside. We kept hearing "cow" and "moo" until we got inside. We watched a short video about the history of the company and about how they make their products. We then put on hair nets and went on the tour.

It was very interesting to see how they make the jugs, how they are filled and sealed. We also were able to see the ice cream area. The machines closest to us were not in use at the time, but some machines in the back were in use. After our tour we stopped off in the Visitor Center for some creamy Mayfield ice cream. The kids seemed to really like that part! Wonder why? Want proof? Look at Butch's face below!

After the ice cream we went back to Sweetwater to visit the Sock Shop. Bubba and I got some socks. I got the spa like socks just like the ones Aileen got me. They are very warm and sooo soft!

Ahh...Spring!

2009-02-14T00:01:00.003-05:00

Today was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, it was warm...ahh, the feel of spring! To celebrate the gorgeous day Joe, Otter and I went bicycling around the riverfront and World's Fair Park area. That was wonderful! For the past several months we have not been able to bike due to the cold weather, but the past few days have been really nice and I was eager to go riding. So today we did! I was loving the wind in my face and the fun time with Joe and Otter.

Ideas For Valentine's Day

2009-02-12T20:17:00.005-05:00

There are several things happening in the Knoxville area for someone who would like to do something special for their valentine. Here are just a few:

For the Romantic:
Tennessee Riverboat has three different cruise options with multiple sailing times.

Volunteer Princess also offers cruises. There are four different options with two already sold out.

Romantic Picnic Apple Valley Riding Stables offers a 2 hour horseback ride to a picnic on a mountain top. (this sounds wonderful and I think it would be awesome, but it will never happen for a girl like me!)

For the Unconventional:
Vols VS Vanderbilt need I say more?

Knoxville Rugby VS Chattanooga

Great Porsche Show Off will be in Market Square on Valentine's Day

Knoxville Icebears VS Twin City Cyclones what is better than a good hockey game with the possibility of a good fight!

Going Home

2009-01-21T14:08:00.005-05:00

Today my uncle Allen went home.
Please pray for my family during our time of loss.

This is Allen with his sister, Dorothy.

Snow!

2009-01-19T16:27:00.003-05:00

For most of the day it has been snowing here. We do not have much of an accumulation, but it is pretty! Here are a few pictures I took.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T22:57:00.001-05:00

Happy
New
Year

May God bless you in 2009!

Games And The Guys That Love Them

2008-12-28T01:10:00.004-05:00

Last Christmas Joe was dying to get the boys a board game called Samurai Swords. It is no longer being made so you really just have to find a used one. Well, it did not happen last year, but he made sure that he got it this year. This was originally a game called Shogun, and it is somewhat similar to Risk.

The guys (Joe, Bubba, Butch, Wesley, and BJ) got together on Friday evening around 8pm and started playing between 9:30-10pm (after all the setting up and learning rules). I came home and put Otter to bed around 10:30ish. Would you believe that the guys played until almost 4am! I could not believe my Joe was able to function at that time of the morning!

To show how bad it was the guys all slept in to around 10:30-10:45am Saturday morning. If you know my two boys, then you know that they never sleep past 8am. What was more surprising is that they were ready to play again within a hour of waking.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T10:13:00.000-05:00

I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas with your families.

Nadolig Llawen (Welsh)

Movie Night

2008-12-19T10:15:00.003-05:00

Sunday night is our movie night at Church. We will be watching Prince Caspian if anyone wants to join us. Food, fellowship and a movie. What more could you want? I was reminded of this as I was listening to the Switchfoot song This Is Home today.

Favorite Christmas Songs

2008-12-17T17:31:00.002-05:00

I thought I would share a few of my favorite Christmas songs.

Once in Royal David's City
What Child is This (Third Day's version)
White Christmas (Bing Crosby)

A favorite album is Third Day's Christmas Offerings.

Great Evening

2008-12-13T01:04:00.006-05:00

Tonight we had a date night. We dropped off the kids and headed to dinner. We ate at a local Japanese restaurant. I was a little worried because the last time we were there they would fling rice clumps at you (you were suppose to catch them in your mouth). I had forgotten my bib at home! What to do...what to do? Well, we did not have any food flipped for us to catch in our mouths. Whew! What a relief!

After dinner we decided to head to downtown Knoxville to walk around. We parked on Gay Street and headed to Mast General Store. I love that place! We were looking around for gift ideas when I found something that was totally awesome. It was a deluxe lap harp (plucked psaltery). It looks like a lap sized hammer dulcimer. There were music sheets that you slide under the strings. It has the notes for a song that coordinate with the strings. Here is a link that I found online (link). After looking around a little longer ( in the camping section for Joe) we went towards Market Square. On our way we stopped at a quaint little placed called Coffee and Chocolate on Union Ave. We shared a turtle cheesecake and had hot chocolate and coffee.

To wrap up our evening out we stumbled upon a horse drawn carriage waiting by Market Square (on the Union Ave side). It was so much fun! Even with the chilly weather I have to say that this was a wonderful idea! For about 30 minutes or so we traveled around through downtown looking at the Christmas decorations and the wonderful architectural details of some of the historical structures. As we walked back towards where we had parked we stopped to see everyone having fun ice skating in the Market Square rink.
Tomorrow I have been told that we will wake up early to go to a turkey shoot (yes, this will be the third in a row for Joe!). We will see how this goes. Maybe it will be fun!

Our Christmas Tree

2008-12-06T23:07:00.003-05:00

Our sad little tree seems only half dressed. I guess that is because it was only half decorated. As we were trying to decorate the tree today we learned that Otter would not respect the tree and the ornaments. Oh well! Last year we did not even put any ornaments on the tree, so I guess this is an improvement! ;) Of course the kids had tried to decorate the tree with stuffed animals first.