snow day

from my camera

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snow day

from Carly's camera

wordless wednesday

SPT - "resolve"

Lelly's challenge this week

...... I resolve to take more self portraits with people I love!

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{The end of every day. And what a way to end it!}

winter wonderland

{Tuesday, January 20, 2009...following a beautiful drive into Memphis}

I dropped Carly off at school all hyped up because it was snowing. I couldn't drop her off in car line. We had to park and walk in so we could walk in the falling snow. I left her with the warning that her teacher was only going to take so much of 22 kids juiced up on the prospect of a snow day. I didn't want a call from the principal because she was the one that pushed her too far!

101 Days of School

Carly's class was celebrating 101 Days of School today.

She had to bring 101 snacks to add to the class snack mix. She took mini vanilla wafers. She had to bring 101 items. She took counting cubes (specifically red,white, and blue ones).

It took almost 101 tries to get a decent SP of us because she is a goose!

crystal ball

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Last night was the annual Crystal Ball. A fund raiser for the Northwest Mississippi Community Foundation. It's a fancy affair and a huge production. Kenny has been working on the planning committee so we were there early for him to provide some last minute help to get all the entertainment settled. Since we were inside before the doors were open, I took a couple of pictures.

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The theme this year was Mardi Gras. The entrance was decorated like Bourbon Street. Huge pieces of scenery that looked like the buildings along the street and street performers (musicians, mimes, living statues) scattered throughout.

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More street entertainment. They were "selling" newspapers. Sidenote: They had a little tip jar (part of the decoration) and some of the guests actually left tips. The kids gave their tips back to the Community Foundation. I thought that was really sweet.

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This is one of the living statues. There were several and I thought they were neat. They had these light posts through out with New Orleans inspired names. This one was called "Voo Doo". The opening act was called Ms Zeno the Voo Doo Queen. She was a riot. But her horns section was awesome. They led a New Orleans inspired parade around the building playing "When the Saints Come Marching In".

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There was a live auction with a variety of items including vacation packages here and there, a RV rental with catering, some fabulous jewelry, and more. One of the items was dinner for 4 with Morgan Freeman at his restaurant in Clarksdale followed by joining Mr. Freeman at the blues bar, Ground Zero. There was a fierce bidding war and it went for 14,500. what?

At least it goes to a good cause.

Happy Birthday Kacey!

{realize that Kacey and I do not take pictures together? But here is one of my favorite of her and Carly - Easter 2007}

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31 Random Thoughts about Kacey

1. super creative
2. makes great stationery
3. excellent teacher
4. loves "her" kids
5. super generous aunt
6. gives great gifts
7. loves cold pizza for breakfast
8. gave up sodas
9. makes the best tea
10. and desserts
11. and sausage balls
12. but pretends she doesn't cook
13. she always brings the paper products
14. doesn't like tomatoes
15. or sea food
16. a bargain finder
17. loves sonic ice almost as much as me
18. loves cute pink pigs
19. and cute frogs
20. but not real frogs
21. loves magazines
22. and books
23. but not books where someone dies
24. can find just about anything on the internet
25. does not talk on the phone
26. has lots of fleece
27. and pajama bottoms
28. and fleece pajama bottoms :o)
29. likes to watch Dancing with the Stars
30. Sex in the City
31. and vintage Cosby Show

it is just WRONG

I don't do 14 degrees.

Excuse me while I slip into hibernation.

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SPT - "resolve"

Lelly's challenge this week

I resolve to take more self portraits with people I love!

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you sank my battleship

ready to enjoy

My word for 2009

A quote that sums up my struggle.........

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve my world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." E.B. White

1. Enjoy - to take pleasure in (appreciate, delight in, like, live, love)
2. Enjoy - to have the benefit of or use of (be blessed, experience, hold)
3. Enjoy - to receive pleasure from (relish, savor, appreciate)

I resolve to take the opportunity to enjoy life.

I resolve to make opportunities to enjoy life.

I resolve to enjoy the opportunities I have in life.

I resolve to recognize the things in life that I enjoy.

I resolve to enjoy small moments in life.

I resolve to enjoy life as it is.

new year's addictions

Peer pressure finally got me and I went to check out Facebook. I told myself I didn't have to committ. I could walk away at anytime. Right.

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I added a picture and connected with a couple of friends and then I found the game.

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The game.

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The game.

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I was going to describe it more but all I can come up with is CRACK. I don't know much about crack but I am sure this game is at least AS addicting as crack.

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But just when I was trying to walk away, I was introduced to another drug, no I mean game!

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So, here I am wallowing in Pathwords and Word Challenge. And let me be a lesson to you, DO NOT DO DRUGS (I mean games)!

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SPT - "resolve"

Lelly's challenge this week

I resolve to take more self portraits!

.......

Lelly says.........."i love a new year. i love the chance to start over. and i know you do, too!! so, if you've been absent from spt, or if you haven't gotten up the nerve to link up, or if you are lurking and haven't yet picked up that camera, now is the time to come along! how about you make a resolution to join in the fun?"

check out other "resolve" SPTs

december reads

1. Born Standing Up by Steve Martin....I managed to miss out on Steve Martin during his decade (as he called it) the 70's. I didn't grow up watching Saturday Night Live and I have never seen "The Jerk". But, I really enjoyed this story about Steve Martin's persistence to develop his own style of comedy ("what if there were no punch lines?) and to become a great comedian. It makes me want to search out some of his stand up acts like "Wild and Crazy Guy".
2. Christmas Train by David Baldacci....Good story for the Christmas season. A huge departure from Baldacci's typical fast paced mysteries but more like a Hallmark Channel holiday special. It was cute, full of colorful characters, and still had some twists.
3. Thriller:Stories to Keep You Up All Night by various authors...Great collection of 30 mysteries/thriller short stories. James Patterson wrote an intro to each story which connected most of the stories to characters from the authors' other books. And, on top of enjoying the short stories, I now have a list of 27 new authors to explore!
4. Letter from Point Clear by Dennis McFarland...Recommended by my friend Keetha, I enjoyed this book full of complex characters and even more complex relationships. A story centered around 3 adult siblings and their growing pains. It is also fun to read a book set in an area that you know and can imagine the characters sitting on the sun porch of their fabulous waterfront cottage.
5. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall....I got caught at Mom and Dad's over Christmas after I had finished the book I brought without anything else to read. And as my sister said in surprise, I didn't get any reading material in my stocking. Carly on the other hand got several new books in her stocking so I swipped one of hers. This is a super cute kids' book and Carly will really like it when she gets to it. It is a story about 4 sisters' summer stay in a cottage behind a mansion. The author's description is "a summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits and a very interesting boy".

it feels like christmas

round 3 in Silver City

at Mom and Dad's

Mom and Dad's tree full of presents ready to be handed out.

We ate breakfast before and during present opening...pigs-in-the-blanket, sausage balls, blueberry scones, fruit.

the guys during a present opening break

It only took a couple of hours this year, going around in a circle, opening one present at a time. The guys don't love it but it is nice to see what everyone got and just enjoy spending time with each other. Mom definitely won the present prize this year. She was opening long after everyone else was done!

Carly and Kacey - Aunt Kacey and Uncle Rocky gave Carly her very own (orange) digital camera which she loves. I can't wait to share some of her photography!

Aunt Donna Sue and Finn mixed in with all the fun wrapping paper - lime green and red definitely dominated this year!

Finn and Mom

Carly with her stocking "bag" - stockings are serious business! I wrote down what Carly listed for a friend when she was asked what was in her stocking....lots of books, books on tape, art stuff, clothes for Julie, bath stuff, games, guitar picks, gift certificate, and other stuff too!

game play - "Whoonu"

later that day

We ate what was initially scheduled to be brunch but as I explained to Carly that when you eat the meal at 8:30 it is just called breakfast. We had biscuits, sausage, hashbrown casserole, and fruit. Yum! There was some discussion of pulling out the leftover ribs but we stuck to the more traditional sausage.

Carly opened number 25 on the countdown box which has traditionally been a poem containing the clue to find a new family game. This year's was multiple clues which we all decided were too easy for Carly. The last clue said

"you are so close to seeking me out,

I better not see you pout.

Sorry to cause you so much strife,

but if you fell in the water, I might save your life."

which led her to her life jacket where she found the game of Life

MamMam and Grandaddy's Christmas morning photo Carly gives Kenny and I presents. This year she gave Kenny a pottery box she had made, a new photo for his desk, and a cool paisley shirt.

She gave me a new hammock for the backyard.

Carly got a couple gifts from us -

a new game for the Wii and a new pair of camo pants.

a wonderful laid back day full of family time

santa has been here!

"Santa Rocks!"

Julie got a new bed, fun linens, a rug and a bean bag!

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Things from Carly's letter to Santa showed up like clay, iTunes gift card, webkin, stuff for her American Girl doll, and treats for Gabby. And of course there were surprises like tennis balls and hopper, books, Kung Fu Panda the movie, a friendship bracelet kit, and that crazy finger pointer (like Daddy says we are easily amused).

A typical Christmas morning photo - pajamas, no makeup, sleepy faces, and bed hair.

The aftermath....

"santa" paper from Santa with sticky premade bows.

It is the same every year :o)