Get Your Grill On!

Oh, in life.....there are just some things I'd think I could endure forever. Here are ten that I can name in less than 30 seconds that fall in that category:

1) Three. Day. Weekends.
2) Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice Cream
3) A Clean House
4) Good Conversation
5) The Last Few Chapters of a Good Book
6) A Napping Baby
7) Shopping in ATL
8) A Phenominal Half Time Show
9) An Off The Beaten Path Store with Nothing You Particularly Need, But Everything You
Could Want
10) Things That End Easily (a whole 'nother story)

So, on this 3 day weekend, I hope you get your grill on (not the teeth cover kind), but the kind where your weekend is just poppin' without the plannin'. What's on your list of things you could endure for A. VERY. LONG. TIME.?

A'ight

This weekend was a'ight. We went to two birthday parties on Saturday. The first was Chloe's, who turned 7. She had a skating party. The second was Bryce's party. He turned six. He had an outdoor party with an obstacle course, lots of food and games.

This is Libby waiting to get skates. We didn't even try the skate thing. I knew I couldn't skate anymore because I tried at the nasty Dalton rink with some students at an Attendance Incentive Time---T total embarrassment. I'm sure it was like watching a train wreck. Never again will I skate.

Libby was getting a pair of rent-a-foot disease, I mean rent-a-skates. I don't know why we didn't bring hers from home. We don't really have all our sense anymore.

She had fun until the "skates attacked her". She says they pushed her down and pretty much demanded they be taken off that second. My aunt put highlights in my hair last week. I hadn't been to the beauty shop in 3 months. Would somebody please keep me together? I don't even notice things. Too bad she doesn't do restilin and lipo at the shop. I'd be set. Oh, the skates were off and now....

She opted for the safer ticket games.

My blood pressure went down about 40 points with that decision.

We went to church on Sunday, and I thought I'd take a picture of Libby at 4 years old. Rarely can you get her to look at the camera. We have rolls and rolls of the back of her head or her as a blur. Finally, we found a camera on QVC (seriously) that catches her.

This was my favorite shot.

She just had to climb the tree. That's all she cared about. She didn't much like the dress or the picture taking. She said, "I climb duh tree, MMMwwwomy."

3+1=4

We celebrated Libby's fourth birthday Saturday at Chuck E. Cheese's. This is the 3rd party she's had at Chuck E. Cheese's. She really likes it. We didn't love this year's party as much as last year's. I guess what matters is that she really liked it. The reason we didn't love it as much as last year's party is because we had to have it at either 10am, noon or later. We wanted 11 am like in years past. We also didn't have my sister there to take pictures for us which was a bummer. We also used a party host and weren't impressed with her-- or lack of her. It just wasn't the same as the past couple of years when we've done it ourselves. Oh well, it was fun for Libby. Here are some pictures:

This looks like a good idea for those times she throws a tantrum. Hey, it's no worse than those kid leashes people have. It would have a fun slide. Okay, we'll leave it as a CEC thing.

Libby didn't want to go near Chuck E. Cheese, so Kaylee posed for the picture.

Libby had a dance off with Chuck E's television camera.

Libby is going to take off on 1 token and a goodbye.

To the left is my stepdad, Xavier. To the right is my dad, Tom. I don't thinkXavier was too amused at Tom asking him if it'd be okay if he just pretended to punch him in the picture.

Libby and Kaylee had fun!

Libby and Kaylee opened presents at home. Usually, you get to open them on the stage in front of your party table, but they cut our time all up. Grrrr. She opened them at home. Some people do that now anyway, but that wasn't our original intention. She got lots of fun things. She got cards and money from family out of state, Barbies, games, puzzles, a Bike, a Dora video with herself in it, a princess tea set, baby dolls, and lots more.

EVERYONE HAD FUN

WITH

THE 1,000 TICKET

GROUCHO EYE GLASSES PRIZE.

My Mother Would Forbid This One

My mom would be so mad that I put something this personal on here. However, I think she's quit reading my blog, so the censorship is stalled. As you already know because of my precious friend T Richmond's May blog, I got Teacher of the Year at my school. I wrote that small because I get real embarrassed at stuff like that. Now, I am NOT a bragger. I don't even know how to accept a compliment. However, when I ran across my application, I thought, "What friggin' waste, man". Then it occurred to me, before I trash this, why not post it? The funny thing is when we were standing to receive the yellow copy paper certificate of which I tossed on my way out the door because I thought it was dorky, Ken Richmond goes, "I know I won't win because mine was all about Jesus, but what else really matters....." He was hilarious because of his way of saying things, but very right. So, here goes nothing, maybe it will do more for you than it did for the anonymous panel of people who haven't been in a classroom since they were a student. The award was really something I'd just totally give back to the teachers I work with, they deserve it just as much as I do. So, sorry ya'll, I threw away the copy paper, generic certificate.

THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR ESSAY SCHMESSAY

Factors that influenced me to become a teacher were quite numerous, really. All of the factors, however, centered on a belief that I could “leave it better than I found it”. I can remember watching a lesson as a student and thinking, “That could have been so much better if…” Constantly, I was realizing that I could see more about the art and science of education than even my teachers. I became very interested in how kids learned, as opposed to what kids learned. Most of these education epiphanies occurred as an elementary student.

School was a major escape for me. I moved more than 15 times in my school career. I spent time reading anything I could get my hands on because, often, we didn’t have a phone or cable. Part of my childhood was spent in public housing which also showed me that education was the only way out (and up) for kids who started with nothing, but wanted everything. The fact that education, the way it was being done, was a diamond in the rough intrigued me. I begin to think of the possibility of “teaching kids to think” rather than teaching them disconnected facts. Education, to me, was a sure alternative to changing the future for learners. So, rather than analyze my childhood, I began to focus on learning because I knew that someday, I could be the change factor that I had so desperately needed for other kids.

As a student in middle school, I began to think if learning could be the escape for kids, why couldn’t it create a desire for thinking or even catapult them into greater things? I wondered why learning couldn’t be appealing, rather than just presented. These curiosities led me to the understanding The Paideia Principle which was that “…the schooling of a people does not complete their education…” Figuring out that I could see a need for dynamic, passionate educators who recognized kids’ needs led me to want to do one of three things: take over the class and teach it the way it was meant to be taught, rebel and do something as far from education as possible, or join the frontlines of people who were intervening on a daily basis thereby impacting our future. Eventually, because I knew that learning takes nothing for granted, I decided to be a teacher.

I knew I was gifted to do more for kids than what was ever done for me. I hadn’t realized my “gift” for facilitating and guiding learning, until I was in high school. A teacher called me to the front to explain a problem’s solution to the class. She knew she wasn’t making the class understand the concept. When I explained the difficult geometry concept to the class and was asked, by the class, to “please stay at the front and teach us”, I recognized that all these thoughts about learning were a gift and that not everyone had it. From a few excellent teachers in a sea of less than desirable, my philosophy of education developed. For as long as I can remember, I’ve known that education is the cornerstone of society.

Soon after I realized how crucial education was, I gained clarity about the effects that an excellent education could have on a child. Without an excellent education, the world would become destitute. Believing in the sense of urgency, I began to focus on the learner and not the learning. I knew that when the learner was considered first, the learning would fall into place because the child would have had a desire to learn instilled that was insatiable.

All educators make contributions. Whether an educator makes a positive contribution or not happens with every second that passes. Every single second an educator spends at work, they are contributing to the outcome of that child’s future. I consider every second I spend in education my opportunity to seize the next rung a child could climb or even the next aspiration they might capture.

From implementing the first School-wide Junior Achievement Program in an elementary school in Georgia to working with our county’s curriculum committee, every relationship and partnership contributes to what is being done for children. Mentoring a new teacher, consoling a parent, or soliciting community support---it’s all part of lasting contributions that could be a child’s turning point. It is imperative to make every second a contribution. I can step into my car each afternoon knowing that I have done everything I could do to “leave it better than I found it”.

My greatest accomplishment in education has been leaving a better performing school where my days weren’t as difficult and returning to our county’s highest poverty, highest English Language Learners’ population. Why would I consider this my greatest accomplishment? Because it is proof that I know an excellent education is something I can give to kids no matter the income, race nor environment. Taking the education plunge is not for the weak at heart, it is for those believe that you should teach kids to think and charm them into learning. It is for those, like me, who know that their successes are your accomplishments. Education is to be left by educators, better than we found it.

So I read this 'prairie radical from the 60's quote' that said: "It isn't the rebels of the world that cause the trouble. It's the troubles of the world that cause the rebel."

Now, that'a a hefty quote. It's one that I'm sure won't remotely help me understand the disobedience and control issues Miss Libby is exhibiting. Honestly, other than a Dr. Brazelton book on colic, I've never read anything that prepared me to not feel like a towel shaken to remove sand regarding parenting.

I sincerely hope Libby's latest rebel acts are tied to something in which she passionately believes---because I'm SO questioning my sanity and ability to trudge through 5 more seconds of one of her rebel moments. You know how celebrities go to posh rehabs to restore themselves back to normal. I think I might need that option. I don't have a drug, nor drinking addiction, but I'd pay any dollar amount at this point for the ability not to lose it inside. People say, "oh, just ignore it when she starts." Right, her wail registers a 7 or 8 on the ricter scale. Come on. When you ignore something, you assumably have the ability to not hear or see it. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMOOOOOMMMMMMYYYYYY--uh uh uhhhh uuuuhh can't be ignored. Are you on crack?

I really wish I could insert a frequency table here so that I could visually demonstrate how often, how lengthy and how ridiculous these things are. I will spare your ears, her reputation and my appearance by not putting a clip of one of her fits in this entry, however. Let's just say that the dramatic moment occurs like this:

Mommy (hands full, doorbell ringing): Libby, would you open the door?
Libby: Not right now, Mommy. I'm busy.
Mommy: Okay, Kaylee, would you open the door?
Kaylee: Sure, Aunt Leia. (*5 year old Kaylee happily trots to the door*)
Libby: (SUDDEN MASSIVE GUTTERAL SCREAM) BuuuuuutIwantedtoopen duuuuuh dooooooor. You said meeeeeee. ***immediately resorts to an incomprehensible not even closed captioning could make sense of it wail with some type of words intertwined"
Mommy: Libby, you were busy and so Kaylee is helping you by opening it.
Libby: *see previous entry*
TEN MINUTES GO BY--same junk---trying corner, trying swat, trying ignoring......
Everyone: *drained and ill*

SO, HERE'S A STATEMENT FROM A REBEL WITH A SURE CAUSE: Heck, nooooo. We don't want anymore. My Goodness. Are you serious? Take her for a 3 day span in which you create boundries, get her to sleep, get her to wear something that matches and make an appearance on time with eveyone's hair brushed-------then, you have permission to ask: Gonna have anymore?

Baby Mama

Yesssssssssss. This going to be the shortest update ever from the "Baby Mama". In case you didn't know, according to someone who recently asked me if I was the "Baby Mama", that's me--- and that means I'm the mother of Steven's child. Interesting, huh? See, keep up with these posts and your days of White Rain and 80's lingo will be rapidly updated. Here's another one for you........ now it's a bit old, but this weekend we went to Pigeon Forge and didn't much answer our cell phone because "that's how we roll". That means we operate in a fashion conducive to what works for us or what is convenient for us, in accounting terms that's our S.O.P. (standard operating procedures). We really didn't have a good signal, so that's not how we roll, it's just how it was. You see what you pick up just by listening to others............G-AAAAHHH I am so 32. Well, here's what the Baby Mama got "burned with" today: Libby wants not a baby brother, not a baby sister, but a twin. How the heck. I actually tried to explain it to her. She heard my grandmother tell a story to me about my dad wanting to be a twin when he was little. She asked me what a twin was. I told her. Now she wants a twin. So, I suppose in the midst of my workday, Baby Mama drama, and the cloning project I have going---I'll go ahead and split her 32nd or some chromosome or something sciencey like that. So, if it works, would I be Babies Mama?

Happily Ever After

Friday, August 1st, Steven and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary. Yes. I. Did. Say. Tenth. In dog years that'd be 70 years, and, baby does it ever feel like it! It really does. Maybe I should have kept that to myself. But, I really didn't mean it in a bad way. I would bore you with how we met, but the story starts so long ago, that we'd have to get out stone tablets to verify it. I'm SO not going to type what all I love about him. If you know me.....well, yeeeeeah, that's not going to happen. It would MORTIFY him. It really would. So, see, I'll just commentate that we've been married for 10 years this Friday. Here's something I'd say to probably an audience that doesn't read this, it comes from my bff''s Facebook (yes, I am SO hung up on that right now)...she listed this as one of her favorite quotes:

Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you are just as pretty without makeup on. One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares, and loves being with you and how he's the LUCKIEST guy in the world to have you...The one who turns to his friends and says, "That's her."

Okay, see for the record, in 1990 when SB and I met, they did not say the word "Hot", things like "Hammer Time" and Aresenio's "woof, woof, woof" were cool. Please keep in mind, that quote from dear Andi, is my "seconding" on some wise advice. If you follow that advice, you'll live happily ever after-- even ten years later after all the wedding guests have all resumed their lives and the gifts are a faint, chipped, but still useful memory-- and you are just Swiffering the floors, swishin' the potties and replaying your child's fave DVR.

Two For Tuesday: Facebook Vs. MySpace

Okay, so I was watching this YouTube last school year entitled "A Vision Of Students Today" and decided that my tail better step it up technology wise or I was going to be so left behind with my paper and pencil self. I made a committment to learn about MySpace and Facebook, which are both networking components. MySpace...........yuck for me. I felt like someone's mom chaperoning a party where people were doing things I wasn't. I did, however, find some former students of mine from the first year I taught---side note: they are 18 now, don't worry about calculating that up---I'm 32 :). All of which I sent messages to them to clean up the language and get more clothes on. After that moment of ministry, mini lesson on modesty, and spelling corrections of swear words, I decided that I'd just delete my account now that my assumptions were confirmed. There are kids on MySpace presenting themselves in ways their mamas wouldn't like, so this mama decided to politely and lovingly remind the former students of how they were taught to act and delete my account. Fair warning.....I will get on there next year to check our kids out and notify their parents if it seems they are presenting things they can't even spell. See, parents, you can rest assured a nosey, well-meaning teacher is watching out for your kids. So, I moved on to explore Facebook and loved it. It is super easy and connects you right up with great folks that you know. Now Mr. B. isn't as impressed as me. He's not the social networking butterfly I try to be. He said, "I don't get it. I just don't." I said, "You don't get what? The layout? The how-to? What don't you get?" He said, "No, I don't get the point." So, it's official, Facebook is cool if SB doesn't like it. ha haaa Anyway, I'd love for you to set up a profile on facebook, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3! You'll love it or it's free. Well, it's free anyway, but you get the guarantee. Now, there's a "Two For Tuesday"---Facebook wins IMHO (I've been trying to learn the lingo for some time....).

Potpourri For $700, Alex

Okay, so you are getting a Potpourri of things today, not too cheap, but not too valuable..........

Now that Libby is getting bigger, Steven and I are able to watch something other than Baby Einstein. If you seriously want to have a desire to end it all, watch one of those two or three times, it will finish your sanity and motivation to move forward in a tremendous way. However, babies like it so---i.e. that pretty much defines parenting. So, Steven and I have started catching up on previous seasons of the tv show "The Office". The weird thing about watching this show sequentially and commercial free is that it kinda gets old because you see the comedic pattern and go "again?, seriously?", however, it's still better than the prior event. So, amidst our working and caring for Libby, that's what we're doing for fun at this time.

Libby has been planning her upcoming 4th birthday party. She wants a "Little Einsteins" themed party. This is not to be confused with the prior mention of "Baby Einsteins". "Little Einsteins" are a group of cartoon figures that do all kinds of missions in a rocket ship to the tune of classical music. It still doesn't quite appeal to me, but at times it keeps Steven rather entertained. Of course, Libby had to pick a party theme that can only be ordered off the internet for the small fee of arms, legs and gasoline. She wants the party at Chuck E Cheese, again. This is the third year in a row she has requested that. She gave us the choice of: 1) Kai Lan from China cartoon to be at a party for everyone at our house or 2) Little Einstein party at Chuck E Cheese. Kai Lan was such a new character, no one knew anything about her, so for obvious reasons, we chose Little E's.

Our 10th anniversary is coming up. ***crickets chirping, silence, curtain closes*** Lots of people like to create how things were when they were first married for those events and we, too, have done an excellent job of that in that...................WE AIN'T "GITE" NO MONEY TO DO NUTHIN' for our 10th. Ha haaa. Our Gulf Shores vacation zapped the surplus, so I suppose we'll just celebrate the 10 year with a "wahooo" and move on. Maybe we'll watch the VHS tape and tally the hair dos that should be long since gone that people are still wearing, the pounds we've gained, and the people who probably have no clue who we are now. I don't think that sounds too fun, so we'll just finish our watching "The Office" or maybe pick back up with 24. We did leave Keifer in a hut in Iran last time we watched "24" four years ago.

"What is a mess of thoughts, Alex?" "That's correct for $700."

The Curse of the Lottery---PUH-lease

Today I was at home and the TV was on E! TV, you know, that station that provides you with so much knowledge you have to take notes.

Anyway, while my IQ was getting lower just hearing it, I heard an advertisement for the upcoming show called: "The Curse of the Lottery.......An E True Hollywood Story".

PUH-lease. Let me say that again, just so I feel better, PUH-lease.

Okay, I shouldn't even have to do a mini-rant on that, but I'm gonna.........for several reasons: 1) because I am pretty much satisfied with the fact that no one reads my blog, 2) I want to, and 3) I need to. So, here goes:

If your tail can't spend your millions/billions that were given to your tail, you are the curse. What the crap?..........."E True Hollywood...........The Curse of the Lottery". *eye roll city* Really, if the lottery is your curse..........oh, I can't even go there. That's just absurd. Here's the sad part: YOU DIDN'T DESERVE IT, and now you even have an "E True Hollywood Story" about you, grrr. It should have been titled: "E True Hollywood Story....Ridiculous Ingrates".

TTFN

Here's Your Sign

My stepsister, Katie, sent me this as a forward. I thought it was rather entertaining and brief (just like I like things).

Signs To Make You Smile!

Sign over a Gynecologist's Office:
'Dr. Jones, at your cervix.'
**************************
In a Podiatrist's office:
Time Wounds All Heels.
**************************
On a Septic Tank Truck:
Yesterday's Meals--on Wheels
**************************
At a Proctologist's door:
To expedite your visit, please back in.
**************************
On a Plumber's truck:
We Repair What Your Husband Fixed
**************************
On another Plumber's truck:
Don't sleep with a drip; Call your plumber!
**************************
On a Church's Billboard:
7 days without God makes one weak.
**************************
At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee:
Invite us to your next blowout.
**************************
At a Towing company:
We don't charge an arm and a leg: We want tows.
**************************
On an Electrician's truck:
Let Us Remove Your Shorts
**************************
In a Nonsmoking Area:
If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action.
**************************
On a Maternity Room door:
Push. Push. Push!
**************************
At an Optometrist's Office:
If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place.
**************************
On a Taxidermist's window:
We really know our stuff.
**************************
On a Fence:
Salesmen Welcome! Dog Food Is Expensive!
**************************
At a Car Dealership:
The best way to get back on your feet: miss a car payment.
**************************
Outside a Muffler Shop:
No appointment necessary; We hear you coming.
**************************
In a Veterinarian's waiting room:
Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!
**************************
At the Electric Company
We will be de-lighted if you send in your payment.
However, if you don't, you will be.
**************************
In a Restaurant window:
Don't stand there and be hungry; come on in
and get fed up.
**************************
In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
Drive carefully! We'll wait...
**************************
At a Propane Filling Station:
Thank heaven for little grills.
**************************
And don't forget the sign at a
CHICAGO RADIATOR SHOP:
Best place in town to take a leak
**********************
Sign on the back of another Septic Tank Truck:
CAUTION - This Truck is Full of Political Promises

oh-NOOO-she-didn't

You know how you would be in the car or somewhere with your sibling and one of you would start annoying the other by mimicing or tapping the other. THINK SUMMER OF 1985. It goes something like this:

Me at 9 years old: *tap*
Sanna at 6 years old: * smile*
Me: * tap*
Sanna: *annoyed smile*
Me: *tap, tap*
Sanna: stop, Meleia
Me: bigger smile than Sanna, *tap (a little harder), tap*
Sanna: Teeth clinched. Please stop, Meleia.
Me: Teeth clinched resisting smile. Please stop, Meleia.
-----------Full blown fight breaks out. It's just what kids do in the summer. Sorry if you were deprived of such an experience.-------------

The tapping and mocking episode has stopped and now it's the annoying oh-NOOOO-she-didn't episodes. Well, my sister continues (despite the fact I told her my job with a few weeks off wasn't won in a lottery) to hassle me about "what teachers do in the summer." So, in order to annoy her, I utilize my texting package. Whenever I find time, I text her endless paragraphs about random junk I hear or know. For example, a couple of days ago I texted her entire synopsis of the Dateline NBC story about the "Most Memorable 911 Calls". At first, she tried to intelligently respond and then she caught on. Shortly after that, I texted her clips of a reading show about questions that Libby was watching. She spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out "How do sheeps read?". It was just a long e sentence for kids to practice. Anyway, I'm sorry I annoyed her and I can't wait to see what I think of next. Well, to seriously answer my sister's question about, "what do teachers do in the summer?"..........We watch other people's kids when they are in a pinch, catch up on professional reading, spend time with people that never get our undivided attention, cook something that doesn't remotely resemble the cafeteria menu, take elderly family members to their doctor appointments, AND squeeze our own appointments in. I'd love to include pictures of today's "annual experience" as a dear friend of mine called it, but they would be deemed inappropriate and no one would ever (rightfully so) speak to me again. Fastforward or Rewind whichever would be appropriate to a question my sister, who has lots of "common sense", but well.....to keep her speaking to me, I think she barely missed the cutoff for the short bus. (<---my mom will probably have me delete that, so you may just have gotten the early bird special) asked me about "what teachers do in the summer?". So, it was the "annual experience" and I had just told the doctor about my friend Terri's experience with her pap smear truck wrecking....(See The Richmond Blog for that Meleia-Moment)............and you guessed it.........a Meleia-Moment at the "Annual Experience"............she began the exam and said, "uuuhhh, well, I, we don't have a light bulb in this, "...she had to leave me all "ready aimed fired" while she left the dern room to get a bulb because the light bulb on the "post I wouldn't want to be" blew..........dernit.............seriously..............I laid there thinking.........oh-NOOOOO-she-didn't.......she left me....laying.........on..........in.........this........grody.........position.........YUCK! She actually had the nerve to come back, install the bulb and try to continue the story about Terri's paps in the wrecked truck with the labs in them. She said, "All Whitfield County employees who had a pap in this county during that month on United insurance had to have them redone because that insurance company demands that the labs be sent off." Here I was again, oh-NOOO-she (& I'll add jus')-didn't. I guess it's the county school's fault that the bulb went out during my experience, too. Oh--YYYYEEESSSS-it did, now I just have to live for the dreaded envelope of results that come in the mail like a college possible rejection letter. Adavan, please. Oh, yes, I did just demand a narcotic. Cheers to a week of sleepless nights. That's what teachers do in the summer.........

Simply Saturday

I felt like I needed to do a new blog to put the "hand basket" away. I just thought I'd let you know that the cats have seemed to have lessened their apprearances on our back deck. I'm wondering if they read the blog and saw that they weren't wanted. I've finally exhaled----without a swear word.

Yesterday was the Fourth of July and I told Steven that he should blog something interesting about our country. In case you didn't know, Steven's quite the patriotic guy. He said, "no". So, I suppose that you are left with me to share what we did yesterday and today. Oh, here's the only interesting thing he had to say about our country, "NOT Obama '08". I told him that that wasn't patriotic, but it was political. He said that it was patriotic in every sense of the word. I'll take his word for it. He went on to say there's no love for our country like the disdain he has for Obama. Heee heee heee. On with our everyday life---

Friday, we went to my mom's to pick up Libby who had had "Girls' Night" with Kaylee and my mom. We went to Sanna's house and played their Wii. Lastly, we obliged my sister's plan to go to Heritage Point to see fireworks.

Today....................well just check out the pics:

Lunch at PF Chang's (crispy honey chicken, yum)

Watched the carriage rides go by on a walk through downtown after a Ben & Jerry's drink.

Libby and Steven jumped in the fountain at the Aquarium.

Libby "drove" the antique bookmobile from the bookstore in downtown Chattanooga.

Free Tip: My oh-so-cute Oka B's weren't exactly what I would recommend on a walk downtown.

to WHERE in a hand basket?

okay, i am losing my sanity and i so know there are way more things to lose it over, i can't make myself even use punctuation, except the air/ground macaroni, ie the comma/apostrophe, so what i am i losing it over, something that i know is not even worth it, there's way more stuff to lose it over, but you know if you chisle away at anything long enough, it will either make something or break something, anywho, we have $90 worth of frickin' cats on our back deck and i am not an animal person, so all night and day, i hear this annoying jumping and leaping, and to some people i know it's cute, but to me, it's not, and because i am married to the most animal sensitive person in the world, we can't do anything unless it's a no kill shelter, stupid itty bitty dalton doesn't even have a no kill shelter, so we will have to pay some random cat get guy $90 to round them up and take them to a place, did i mention the psycho doberman next door loves the cats too and it's increased its rate per minute barking, i feel like my sanity has gone to h*l# in a hand basket, oh the cats arrived on our deck during our vacation, and btw the shelters, the one's other than the $90 guy, want us to round them up to bring them, yeah right idiots, i can't stand to even look at them because they make me hivey, like i'm gonna round their tails up, i just might like the warm place in hand basket...................jump, bump, leap, bark, bark, bark

Is anybody home?

Libby's last night at the beach.

Libby enjoying the beach in I have no idea whose chair and umbrella.

Shells were everywhere!

This is Libby making faces at herself after we told her to stop making faces at us. Resourceful, I'll admit.
This is Libby looking out at the beach from the living room balcony of the condo.

Libby was having a fun time in I have no idea whose boat.

Is anybody home? We are! After getting stuck in traffic in Newnan, Georgia for 4 hours, we are home. Have mercy. God was SO with us because Libby actually slept through half of the wait time, and most importantly, we weren't in the 6 car accident. And here's a triple out of the ordinary miracle: no one had to go pee on I-85 during the four hours. Well, maybe people had to, but no one in our car did. Need I go into detail as to how my stop at Target and my relentless search for a toile neckroll actually could have saved our lives? I won't go into that detail, my shallow thoughts shall stay in my head. Along with our Target stop, I stopped at a store recommended by my sister---Priester's Pecans. Now, if you are like me, you are like, "oh, thanks but no thanks...I'll leave the pecan love to my Mayfield's Butter Pecan indulgence and just stay on the road to getting home,".....HOWEVER, that's where you would t-totally miss out because this store (and there is one in Perry, GA) is a MUST VISIT. I'll go ahead and let you in on a little secret from my shallow thinkin' head, I was just going to run in the store and check it out so we could get on the road. When I got in the store, I was just awestruck with the cool things. They had a monogrammed everything, a who would even think of that anything, and that special obscure something! When I got in the car, I told Steven, "sorry it took me so long (30 minutes isn't really that long). I hope heaven is something like that store. Gosh." He rolled his eyes and said, "if you make it to heaven, you'll probably be disappointed because I have feeling this Cracker Barrel on steriods store won't be there." Don't you just love the half full, hopeful point of view. Maybe that'll be my special post in heaven one day, to open the gift shop God's always needed. You know there may just be some people who stop in and need to pick up a little something. See that was way shallow. Sorry you had to partake. We're home, the average Dalton IQ has just increased, thanks to Steven and Libby's arrival!

More of the Big VayCay in Pictures

Unit #302---Where else could you have a surf board in the hallway as decor?

Rodney, Sanna and Kaylee out for a beach pose.

Kaylee and Libby playing in the sand.

Us, of course.

Libby and her bear, Val, were ready to see the beach.

Mellow Mushroom was hearin' it from Libby!

Libby and Kaylee enjoyed a morning with The Blue Angels practicing.

The museum was a major photo op.

The Blue Angels were totally awesome!

LuLu's had some fun places to pose...........notice the sign, they were just following orders.

Having lots of fun.............only 3 more days. Now, where should we go next? We need to start saving and planning now! :)

Gulf Shores, Ala-bam-I-A

Gulf Shores, Alabama: Days 1 and 2

Steven and Libby are walking in the "zero entry" pool. It looks like they are walking on water.

Libby is ready to get in the elevator! Oh if you only knew how long it takes us to get to this point each day. Finding all the accessories, sun lotioning up...............

Kaylee and Libby are passing time until the outing. Kaylee was pushing the smile.

Kaylee had Sanna bury her in the sand. Each morning we've been walking to the beach. We love the condo we have, it's right on the beach.

This is Lamberts "Home of the Throwed Rolls". In case you haven't eaten here, they walk through the restraunt and throw hot rolls to you. They also walk around with big pans of food and dish it out upon request. It was like being at your Granny's house just eating away. We ate here last night and at Mellow Mushroom tonight. Tomorrow night we plan on eating at Lulu's.

Rodney, Sanna's husband, Steven and Libby are ready to order.

Mommy and Libby, who has found something more interesting than the camera to look at.

Go Georgia?

Imagine leaving for vacation in the wee hours of a Saturday morning. You arrive to the easy, breezy life of beach living. Now, imagine that you get a text message with a picture of a Georgia banner in your front yard. Imagine it being there for a week because you are gone 7 hours away. Realize, that there is no violation to a Vols' fan like that of a Georgia banner implanted illegitimately in their yard. May dogs across the land have a new place to...ahem...pee.



Love, The Vacationing Bridenstines

You've Heard of the Federalist.....Meet The Literalist

This is a humerous forward:

I just want to thank all of you for your educational emails over the past year. Thanks to you, I no longer open a public bathroom door without using a paper towel. I can't enjoy lemon slices in my tea or on my seafood anymore because lemon peels have been found to contain all kinds of nasty germs including feces. I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving because the #1 pass-time while driving alone is picking your nose (Although cell phone usage may be taking the number one spot). Eating a Little Debbie sends me on a guilt trip because I can only imagine how many gallons of trans fats I have consumed over the years. I can't touch any woman's purse for fear she has placed it on the floor of a public bathroom. Yuck! I must send my special thanks to whoever sent me the one about poop in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet sponge with every envelope that needs sealing. Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason. I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time. I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program. I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa's novena has granted my every wish. I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers. I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day. Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an email to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes. Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains. I no longer can buy gasoline without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer won't crawl in my back seat when I'm pumping gas. I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr Pepper since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put 'Under God' on their cans. I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer. And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face...disfiguring me for life. I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS. I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me. I no longer receive packa ges from UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise. I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support our American troops or the Salvation Army. I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for or which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore and Uzbekistan. I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now have their recipe. Thanks to you, I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites my butt. And thanks to your great advice, I can't ever pick up $5.00 dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg. I can no longer drive my car because I can't buy gas from certain gas companies! If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at5:00pm this afternoon and the fleas from 12 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician... Have a wonderful day... Oh, by the way..... A German scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity read their e-mail with their hand on the mouse. Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late.

Conversation Peace

Q. Did you know "conversation peace" is usually "conversation piece"?
A. Yes, I know "peace" is usually piece...........

Q. Well, I'm here, so what's that word about?
A. It was the title of the Bible Study I referred to a few months ago.

Q. Oh, yeah, how'd that study work for you?
A. Well, it was a 7 week study and...

Q. Why'd the update take so long?
A. Because I am only on Week 4!

Q. Well, update???
A. I've learned that what you say can have lots of effects. In addition, I've learned that your (something we've talked about at school, too) thoughts become words, words become actions, and actions become your destiny. I've learned that you have to (as E Hildebrand historically tells people) "get your heart right", the study adds to that "in order for your fruits to be good." Learning to listen was also crucial. The study said you have to train yourself to learn to love to listen. At this point in the study, I'm learning about the high gates of battle and the keys to unlocking them.

Q. Would you tell us more when you finish the study?
A. Sure.