F.F.F.

There’s not much I like about Halloween anymore.  As a child I loved Halloween because…like most children…I enjoyed dressing up…going door to door…the innocent decorations.    Now a days Halloween has become Horrorween.  There are not so many cute pumpkins and Casper's.  Some of the stuff out there…even in my neighborhood is down right scary!

I have always enjoyed dressing up for Halloween.  That’s about all I like about this day…I don’t even like to think of it as a holiday.  For years before John came along I would dress up like SpongeBob, pass out SpongeBob candy & home made popcorn balls.   I even went as far as to have a bubble maker & the SpongeBob theme music playing when the tricker-treaters would ring my bell.  The kids always had a good laugh when they would see me – that’s what it was all about – why I would make a fool of myself!!  To this day I will have the same kids come by and ask about SpongeBob…and the popcorn balls!

Now it is my turn to have fun with John…before he gets a chance to decide what he wants to be!!

His first Halloween he was two months old and I dressed him as a Tootsie Roll….and passed out Tootsie Rolls! 

Last year he was a Hare…most appropriately…and I passed out candy in the shape of a carrot. ( Great picture-thanks LeeLee!)

This year John is Hitman Hare!  I found some candy called “sour punch” – it looks like someone is getting punch in the face on the package!  Everyone thinks Randy picked this costume but actually I picked it out.  Randy and I both love boxing and watch it almost every Saturday night.  I am going to dress up as the ring girl and Randy is going as Michael Buffer.  Should be fun!

Hope you have a great Friday….and Happy Halloween!

Self-Consumed…

Have you ever been self consumed??  It’s all about me…and I am the only one that matters?  Admit it…I think every now and then we all get a little self consumed.  I have a Peanuts cartoon that I have carried in my wallet for 20+ years now.  It is Linus & Lucy having a conversation about the universe and Linus finally tells Lucy - “the universe does not revolve around you” and Lucy looks completely stunned and says… “REALLY”!

I get caught up in the world…more than I would like too.  For example…the entire Jon & Kate saga – seriously does that matter??  How is it going to effect my life if Jon spends the $180k on his new girlfriend.   Or…I sure hope Donnie dances good tonight…I would hate to see him voted off.

Or how about when I complain that it is too hot or too cold…or I haven’t had a break from John in…five hours.  How about doing the “dinner dance” with Randy – trying to figure out what to eat, where to eat, and when to eat!!  Or…ugh – I HATE doing laundry, or dusting, or mopping.  Oh poor me.

Then I get an e-mail from my friend Pattie Phillips.  Pattie is a missionary in Sudan.  Then….just like that…everything comes reeling back at me.   She loves her life and the path that God has her on.  She doesn’t complain…she lives in a hut, the food sounds awful, there are many diseases, unspeakable crimes against people, running water…or even hot water is a pleasure.  WOW.

Life – it’s not about me.                                                                           

Who cares if someone doesn’t mention you or your family on their blog…what expensive gifts are we going to buy for the holidays…I hope it doesn’t snow this week….I hope I have lost a pound…why is it important to have the nicer things in life…why can’t I be thankful for what I have??? 

Happiness is not getting what you want but wanting what you have. 

In a book I am reading the author encourages his readers not to focus on their self but on others.  Here is a prayer he suggests praying everyday:  “God whether I get anything else done today, I want to make sure that I spend time loving you and loving other people – because that’s what life is all about.  I don’t want to waste this day.”

Pattie and her name sake.Pattie teaching schoolWhere she lives  Her home

I want to be thankful and grateful for my blessed life.   Thank you for being my friend.  Thanks for listening to my self-consuming rant.  Pray for Pattie.

F.F.F.

The Original Naked Cowboy

I hope this photo…cracks you up

I love this person…very much!

His identity will remain untold…..

As when he sees this I will be beat until I fold!

Governor Rick Perry

I am apart of the re-election campaign for Texas Governor Rick Perry.  The Governor had a "quite" grassroots reception in Amarillo today and I was invited.

About 50 of us gathered at a local restaurant - I didn't see any media.  It was great...sort of like a pep rally with good food!

He bragged about Texas  - which is always good to hear then he had a question & answer session.  He seemed really nice.  He took time to talk to everyone, sign autographs, and took pictures.  One of my favorite things about Rick Perry is his love and devotion to the Boy Scouts - several Eagle Scouts were there for pictures.

The only camera I had was on my cell phone...I am not sure what was up with my hair but it was still cool to meet the Governor of my favorite state!

F.F.F.

Today is mine & Randy’s 10th Wedding Anniversary!  It is really hard to believe we have been married for 10 years!!  Like most marriages we have had our ups & downs but I would definitely go through all of it again.  I have learned it is the ups & downs that help develop character and define who we are. I have learned so much and experiences that  have taught me how to be a better wife & person. Wow – that’s sort of deep for me !

In honor of our Anniversary I thought I would share some of my favorite Wedding & Honeymoon pictures!  Hope you enjoy!

This one of my most favorite pictures from my wedding - my brother Allen snapped this photo of Ryan (my nephew) kissing me.  This photo is my favorite for several reasons….#1. look at Ryan’s foot – that is so precious and #2.  right before Allen got married when I was a little girl the photographer at his wedding caught me kissing Allen and snapped a picture.  I have always cherished that picture of me and Allen.  Now I cherish this picture and it is hard to imagine that Ryan will be 17 in March!!!This is immediately after the “I Will’s”.My Parents

Randy’s Groom Men.  Kevin his brother was his best man.  He also had Kelly is brother-in-law, Jeff is cousin, Roger is childhood best friend, and Zeb his college buddy. Here’s my girls!  Linda was my maid of honor.  Christi was future sister-in-law, my childhood best friend Christin, my best friend Marsha, and my newest partner in crime Kim.Randy’s new family.     My new family.Our cake was one of my favorite details.  It was Italian Crème and all of the flowers were sugar paste – completely edible!  I still have some of the flowers.  I was going to post some of the pictures of Randy & I tasting the cake…but they honestly looked like we were giving each other mouth exams!  We were nice to each other…we did not smear cake!

The Honeymoon!

When deciding where to go for our Honeymoon we thought of many places to go but Randy decided San Francisco & Monterey Bay.  (To be honest…and Randy knows this now…I thought he was completely out of his mind…SAN FRANCISCO – for our Honeymoon???  I thought that was a place for only people that played on the same team…if you catch my drift!) 

I was COMPLETELY wrong!!  What a wonderful city!  Now…it is one of my MOST favorite places in the world!  I have wanted to go back since I left!  Tony Bennett was right…I did leave my heart in San Francisco!  If you get a chance you must go.  The scenery was awesome, the food was incredible, and there is a ton of stuff to do!  We spent a week in San Francisco doing all there was to do…Coit Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Chocolate, major shopping, great restaurants and of course we had to go down Lombard Street – the crookest street in America!As a wedding gift one of Randy’s business partners flew to San Francisco with his wife…rented a limousine and took us to Napa Valley for the day!  Wow – that was unforgettable.  It was so much fun going to the different wineries tasting different wines and sparkling wines.  It was a very cool experience.Randy did excellent at picking our hotels on our Honeymoon!  While we were in San Francisco we stayed at the Westin St Francis.  The St. Francis is one of the oldest and fanciest Hotels in California.  Needless to say – I was impressed!  We were on the 26th floor and we could see all of San Francisco!  Here is a picture at night from our room.We spent a week in San Francisco and then drove the California Coast line on Highway 101 to Monterey & Carmel, California.  To be honest…I actually cried it was so beautiful.  The ocean and the countryside made for amazing beauty.  We stayed at Highlands Inn in Carmel…to sum up this hotel – check out our view from the balcony.While we were in the Monterey/Carmel area we went to Big Sur, the famous golf course Pebble Beach, and the Redwood Forest.  We did lots of shopping and once again…great food!  It was amazing trip!  

What a GREAT Surprise!

Yesterday when I got back from taking John to the doctor’s office I found a box from the post office addressed to me!

I was so excited!  I…like you…love getting boxes & cards in the mail – they are so much better than bills! 

The first thing I looked for was the return address…it was from my sister Gloria.  I was so excited…like a kid at Christmas!  Gloria is VERY talented when it comes to gifts…everything is done by her hand and is very creative!!  (I don’t know about you but I LOVE homemade gifts better than anything that could be bought!  Homemade gifts take time and really mean so much more to me!)

Gloria made me the most awesomeness blanket.  It is perfect!  It is large enough for me & John to snuggle underneath it together…it is so soft…and the material…well – it ROCKS!!!  And there is NO one else in the WORLD with a blanket like mine!!

It’s a WVU Blanket!!!  How cool is that?? 

But…it gets better!

Flip it over…and it’s a COWBOY blanket!!  I ask you…how perfect is that for me??  On Saturday’s the WVU side is up…and on Sunday’s the Cowboy side is up!

I love it!  And it is the perfect gift!  As most of you know Randy keeps the house…rather chilly and since I have been losing weight I have been getting colder more & more!  Today the high was something like 35…I used my blanket everywhere!  When John & I took our naps this afternoon he had his blankee & I had my blankee!

THANK YOU…THANK YOU…THANK YOU GLORIA!  I love it!  Thank you for thinking of me!  For taking the time to make this…and surprising me!  It MADE my week!

Corrie ten Boom

I read this quote from Corrie ten Boom - it amazes me that a quote made over 70 years ago is still very applicable in today’s world.    Ms. Boom suffered in a Nazi death camp and explained the power of  focus:

“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed.  If you look within, you’ll be depressed.  But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest!”

F.F.F.

In honor of college football season I thought I should post a picture of me and my first college football game.  And yes…it was a WVU Mountaineer game.  I was 14 and freezing my toes off in this picture with the Mountaineer!  I went to the game with Larry, my cousin Sandy & her brother Gary – it was a BLAST!!  The game was in El Paso…we played Oklahoma State.  It was suppose to the warm weather!  Needless to say…it snowed!  I didn’t have socks on with my Keds tennis shoes…a WVU fan gave me their socks to keep warm.  It was so cool hanging out with my older cousins…you know how close me and Sandy are…the game was great - the Mountaineers won…and it was so much fun!!  To be young and fourteen!

Totally changing the subjects…John is sick.  This morning he broke out in a fever of 102.5.  I did all the “fever” reducers and the fever did come down but he was still really sick.  No symptoms except high fever, chills, very tired, and no appetite.  We took him into his doctor at 5pm and he was diagnosed with the Flu – Type B.   Dr. Young said that was the best type of flu if you have to have flu.  (Does that make sense??? Who wants the flu????)  The other issue was “rattling” in his lower right lung.  Dr. Young thinks it may be pneumonia.  I have to give him breathing treatments every four hours…which explains why it is 1:30 in the morning and I am blogging instead of sleeping – I don’t want to oversleep and not get him a treatment at 2am!  The doctor also prescribed Tamaflu.  It was totally insane at the doctors office – at least fifteen children showed up after I got there at 5pm!  The nurses said it has been awful – some of the worst sickness they have seen in a while!  It took Walgreens 4 hours to get the prescription filled and Randy had to wait in the line 45 minutes!  (This Walgreens is the only drug store within 2.5 hours that has the flu medicine!)  John was very chipper this evening and ate a good dinner but by bedtime the fever was back along with a cough.  We go back in the morning for Dr. Young to listen to his lungs and for x-rays.  Please pray he doesn’t have pneumonia and he gets well fast!

Last but not least.  I had an awful week for Weight Watcher.  I had a good stretch for 11 weeks…I gained 4.4 pounds this week…GAINED!  Even though I walk 4 miles EVERYDAY…I wasn’t writing down what I ate and I haven’t cooked all week!  It is so frustrating…but today is a new day!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Ass in the Sand…

While listening to a local country station the song “Toes” by the Zac Brown Band came on…it is quite a little catchy tune but they changed the words…and it struck me odd. As I am singing along…-sing along with me-…”I got my toes in the water ass in the sand”…the radio played…”I got my toes in the water toes in the sand”. I was like where’s “ass”?? It’s NOT “toes in the sand”…your toes are in the water??? Then I figured…it’s a family show…let’s leave the “ass” out…butt (hee…hee…I said butt) there is another verse in the song that goes…”roll a big fat one”…okay I am sure they are not talking about jelly rolls here! So…let me get this straight – we can’t sing “ass” but we can sing “roll a big fat one”??? Hmmm….

Finally F.F.F.!!!

I have been trying to blog all week…but it has been one of those weeks! You know what I mean??

This picture is my Mom and my Aunt Lou – she is married to my Mom’s younger brother Lawrence. This photo cracks me up! Apparently iy was after Christmas…and they were having fun with my brother’s loot!

During our visit to Odessa last weekend we spent some quality time with my Aunt Lou & Uncle Lawrence. It was great. Everyone had a great time and John really had fun! Aunt Lou has a small dog named Coco which immediately became John’s new best friend!

My Aunt & Uncle looked good and they seemed to enjoy our company. John had to give everyone sweet loving!

I made my Mom & her brother get a picture together – they were laughing remembering memories from yesterday.Our hotel was great! Unfortunately my sister Gloria got sick and was unable to come with her husband Allen. (I am just giving my brother a hard time! I have to take a moment and THANK them for the GREAT, WONDERFUL, SPACIOUS, & COZY room! They had pre-paid for the room so they let me have it since they were unable to attend.) John loved it! There was a HUGE bathroom and lots of room to run, jump skip, and hop! He especially loved the large comfy bed!

The Centennial Celebration was good. I was really disappointed by the turn out – hardly anyone was there. I was very thankful that I was able to spend some time with Debbie Friday evening and she stuck with me Saturday night. There were several people that recognized me…hugged me…wanted to know my life story…and had good things to say about me…but darn if I remembered them – none of them!! Debbie remembered ALL of them and gave me little facts to help jog my memory. (Debbie is planning our 20th reunion next year and it is a good thing cause she is in the know! If I go to the reunion I have already talked Debbie into wearing a hidden microphone and let me have an earpiece so that she can clue me into who I am talking too!) On Sunday we drove to Brownwood to meet Julie & Ty. We had lunch at Underwood’s – and it was fabulous! That is my most favorite place to eat in this world! I was able to catch a couple cute snapshots of PaPa & two of his Grandsons.It was a great weekend. We were all tired when we got home but it was worth it!

BTW – On a different note…please prayer for my little dachshund Doxy. She had a mild stroke while I was gone. She is doing better and the vet seems to think she will completely recover. **I lost another 2.6 pounds this week – total shocker…in total I have lost 28.6 pounds in 10 weeks! Many of you have asked me for my recipes…I am planning on starting another blog with recipes I have been making. In fact tonight I made Smothered Pork Chops in Onion Gravy – they were great!! I will e-mail you a link as soon as I finish it.**The Mountaineers won tonight…the Cowboys won on Monday – what a banner week!!