Good Mail

Who does not like to get mail? No, I do not mean credit card applications and overdue notices. I mean "good mail"! There is just something about old fashion snail mail. It just makes me smile to open the mailbox and see "good mail".

I have loved mail since I was a little girl.... birthday cards, pen pal letters, post cards, packages, and don't forget magazines. I can still remember being at summer camp, standing at mail-call and the counselor calling my name! Doesn't that make you smile. But sadly, there is just not enough good mail out there. I love email as much as the next person and there is nothing like a phone call to reach out and touch someone, but neither has the same effect as a personal letter, card, invitation, thank you note, announcement, or care package.

Not that long ago, I ran across a blogger friend of my sister's who has the same love of mail that I do. It is the first time I had heard the term "good mail" (click here to learn more). In her description of good mail, she says "Guarantees a "natural high," smile, and slight giddiness in both the sender and the receiver". Now what can beat that for 36 cents?

I told you all that, so that I could tell you about my recent good mail. Yesterday, Monday (yes it was, all day long), I came home from work to find the mailbox empty. That typically means we got a package and the mail is at the front door. And, that is just what it was, a package for Carly and I from my sister. Seeing a package has to make you smile in anticipation of the fun that is inside! Carly and I had recently placed an order from Doodlebugs and I was expecting the items we had ordered...new bag tags for Carly for the start of school, an address stamp for me, and mommy notes. But to our surprise there were LOTS and LOTS of fun goodies packed in that box.

There was a handwritten note from Kacey and goodies for Carly and I both.

For Carly: Small name stickers for labeling school supplies, pink cheetah bag tag, camo bag tag with orange name (she is still trying to decide which goes on the backpack and which on the lunch box), fun "C" napkins for lunch box, fuzzy stickers, and cool erasers for school.

For me: Address stamp (LOVE IT), mommy calling cards(PERFECT), flat notes & matching address labels (CUTE), a new magazine subscription(EXCITED), Splenda for Sonic teas (YUM), and

new "square" bag tags. Check these out. I love being the guinea pig for "potential" Doodlebug products. Mine went right on my camera bag because my old bag tag was looking a little worn.

Thanks Kacey, We Love it All!

4 Generations

My grandmother, mother, aunt, and sister came for a visit.

We had a good girls' visit. We get together frequently in Silver City but not often at my house, so it was a special time.

Somehow I managed to NOT get my camera out until the last minute, but even then I got huffed at by Carly. I did catch Finn and Carly together before they hit the road.

4 things about me...

I got tagged by Kacey.....

.

4 jobs I have had:

1. office manager for an entomologist
2. office worker in Office of Research & Development at Delta State University
3. graduate assistant in Heath Science Dept. at University of Central Arkansas
4. speech-language pathologist at LeBonheur Children's Hospital

4 places I have lived:

1. Silver City, MS
2. Cleveland, MS
3. Conway, AR
4. Memphis, TN

4 films I can watch over & over

1. Pretty Woman
2. My Cousin Vinny
3. Somethings Gotta Give
4. Hitch

4 favorite T.V. shows:

1. CSI: Las Vegas
2. Criminal Minds
3. Closer
4. Two and a Half Men

4 favorie foods:

**does Diet Coke count?

1. tomatoes....fresh fruits and veggies
2. eggs
3. birthday cake
4. I was going to say bread but I think sushi might win out, or it could be pasta or maybe Mexican food. I can't decide.

4 places I want to be:

1. relaxing place "away" (beach, lake, cabin in the woods)
2. bathtub
3. library/bookstore
4. traveling to somewhere new

Gorgeous Day

or maybe I should say...GLORIOUS!

"This is the day that the Lord has made

let us rejoice and be glad in it."

We spent a lot of time outside today because it was really nice. In Mississippi, you don't get too many tolerable days in July. Carly and I took a bike ride, played Frisbee, did some swinging, and even played tennis. I hope where ever you are that your day was fabulous too.

Fun with Friends

Carly enjoying the boat ride.

Last weekend, Kenny, Carly & I went to visit friends (Marty, Kendra, Andrew and Stormi) at Heber Springs, Arkansas. They have a wonderful cabin in the woods, and they either: like us enough to tolerate us for a weekend, feel pity for us, or use us to bring the pimento cheese:). Whatever the reason, we love to go over and we always have a BLAST! We always keep our fingers crossed that they might invite us to come back.

Andrew, Carly and Stormi getting ready for a ride.

Carly and Stormi taking a break from jumping off the top of the boat.

Marty and Kendra, all kidding aside, we had a great time. Thanks again for having us over. It is always fun!

Girls' Night Out

The girls went out on the town last night. Typically we gather at each others houses but decided to take the show on the road this month. Here we are at On the Border. Much fun was had by all, well I'm not sure how the waitress felt about it.

I had to laugh...

or I would have cried.

Friday, I was at home, alone. I had the washing machine going and I had marked a few things off the to-do list.

Excitedly, I sat down at the scrapbooking table which had been neglected for weeks. I went to work. Enjoying myself, as my husband says, in my own little world.

I completed a couple of pages and was working on the 2nd set. I typically use my CM tape adhesive but I wanted to glue down this really thin piece of paper and the tape was just too wide. So, I got this bottle of scrapbooking glue. It has a tiny little tip which is what I needed for my thin strip of paper. I nipped the end off the tip, as instructed. I gave it a gentle amount of pressure, knowing I only needed a tiny amount. Nothing happened. So, I tilted it up, looking at the tip, and gave a little more pressure. Still nothing. So, obviously I increased the pressure and THAT is when it happened. The whole tip flew off the bottle! My scrapbooking table faces the dresser in the bedroom with the T.V. on it. The tip of the glue hit the wall beside the T.V. and bounced back, almost hitting me. Before I could even look up, all I could think was "oh, #d&$"! When, I did look up there was glue all over the dresser, T.V., DVD player, dresser mirror, the wall, the carpet, a stack of pillows (because I hadn't made the bed), the scrapbooking table & stuff, and ME! It was even in my hair.

It is hard to believe that much glue came out of that little bottle. Needless to say, not much scrapbooking went on after that. I cleaned the wall, furniture, T.V. and carpet first because I didn't know what would happen when the "fast-drying" glue did dry. All that work was done before it occurred to me to take a picture. Here is one of the point of impact!

I can laugh about it, now.

Happy Birthday America

I love holidays. Usually I start at the end of September and make my way through February on a holiday high. I move from a house full of pumpkins and cute little witches to turkeys and all out by the time Christmas comes. I round out the fun with 2 birthdays and Valentine's Day in February. I LOVE holiday season, as I refer to it.

But I have never gotten geared up for July 4th. July 4th has always been just another day in the summer mindset....out of school, taking it easy, playing in some kind of water, and eating homegrown veggies. It is usually dominated by the mindset that it is just TOO HOT to move. But this year has just given me a whole new appreciation for this holiday. We had a wonderful weekend at the lake playing in the water, eating "traditional" July 4th food, enjoying family. Then, we spent the evening on Hernando town square surrounded by red, white, and blue. And last night, we went to see fireworks. And, I mean FIREWORKS! What else can you ask for?

Happy Birthday America......

Small Town U.S.A.

It felt like we were IN a movie. Sometimes Hollywood has to try really hard to capture the Norman Rockwell-small-town feeling. But, last night Carly and I were right in the middle of it. I don't think any set designer or movie director could have made it more perfectly "small town". Carly and I went downtown to Hernando's Town Square. There were American flags everywhere only to be outnumbered by some of the cutest all-American kids that you have ever seen. Everyone was gathering for the "kid parade" around the square.

I could not talk Carly into it. She wanted to watch.

We got out at the square and Carly rode her scooter around. We ate popcorn and hotdogs and watched the people. We enjoyed being outside and got ready for the fun.

The fire truck led the way. Kids were everywhere. Some were walking but most were on scooters, bikes, riding toys, and even a unicycle. There was red, white & blue everywhere! Flags and more flags were being waved. Some kids had worn red shirts and shown up on their bikes. Some kids (and parents) had gone ALL OUT! I had to take a couple of pictures.

After the parade was over, everyone came over to the Courthouse lawn where the fun was just beginning. There was lots of visiting , some partiotic singing, words of rememberance, prayer, and picnicing. I'm not lying to you when I say that I saw people with hotdogs, fried chicken, BBQ, AND watermelon.

Everyone spread out blankets and set up chairs because the feature of the night was an outdoor movie on the Courthouse steps. When I tell you, the movie was My Dog Skip based on the book by Willie Morris taking place in small town Yazoo City and filmed in small town Canton, your starting to get the picture, right?

I told you, it was perfect!

Blogging Contest

Check out my sister's stationery site http://www.doodlebugspaper.com/

including her blog.

She has a contest to win a gift certificate. Just leave a comment on her blog with your name and mine and WE could win!

At the Lake

We spent the weekend with the Wise clan at the Lake House.

We had lots of sun, lots of food and lots of fun!