Spending time with my love

This morning has been wonderful. Chad and I got in late last night from Blake's (Friend) birthday at Dave and Busters and decided to sleep in this morning. We slept and woke up and decided to fix french toast and turkey bacon. We made it together:) I guess I never realized how simple it was. 4 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 tsp of salt and sugar. Cooked it on the griddle and added cinnamon afterwards. Yum! While eating I forced Chad and Clay to watch the original 90210 on Soap network. I love it and you know deep down you do to so don't judge. It's on Saturday and Sunday mornings. They laughed of course but they endured. Which reminds me yesterday I watched Lifetime for the first time in awhile. I was watching a movie about a girl who had a baby when she was 16 and they moved to another location to get away from everything. The girl's mom pretended it was hers. While this was going on the school that she moved to their were two teachers there that were having a really hard time getting pregnant. She became very close to the teachers and decided to have an open adoption so they could have a child. Of course I was sitting on the couch just crying when she gave the baby to them and what do you think Chad was doing??? Laughing hysterically at me. I hate watching things with him. Comedies I don't mind but movies like that...no thanks. I don't even attempt to watch Extreme Home Makeover with him because I am pretty sure I cry during every episode. Happy tears of course....
This Friday we leave to go skiing and we are so excited! Borrowed all of the gear we need and we are set! Bring it on North Carolina! Hopefully it will be cold this week. Judging by how it feels right now those chances are pretty good!
I get to see Johnny and Angelica this week (Cousin and Cousin-in-law) and hold their baby for the first time! Cannot wait to see them and hold Baby Boston:)

On the menu for today: Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup (Family Favorite)
1 and 1/2 lb- stew meat
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 can of Okra, tomatoes and corn
1 16 oz package frozen veggie soup mix
2 potatoes cubed
salt and pepper to taste

Trim the meat, place meat in pot (6 quart), cover with water I usually fill about half with water in my big pot. Cook until tender. Add all other ingredients in no particular order and cover. Cook 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours. I do some jiffy cornbread along with it:)
This is really really good:) Enjoy!

SonRise and Leap Year

On Sunday Chad and I began our hunt for a new church home. It still saddens me to say that and accept it. However, driving 45 minutes to church is not going to work forever. Our hunt began at SonRise Baptist Church in Newnan. We were very pleased. The worship time spoke directly to my heart. I grew up worshing to contemporary Christian music. They do not have a choir- they have a band (which Chad and I liked). We felt very welcomed. Everyone was very friendly. The Word of God was amazing and we felt a connection with the pastor. We decided were going to attend for a month and get a feel for the Worship Service and then try another. We want to make sure that we are in the right place:) Exciting times ahead!!

On Monday I spent some much needed sister time with my Jenn. We went and had lunch together...and I'll give you one guess as to where we went...La Parilla of course! After that we went and saw Leap Year. Fantastic! Predictable but nonetheless a good romantic comedy. I was beginning to feel that I was being a little over emotional the last couple of weeks but Jenn made me feel better. During the previews they showed one for Letters to Juliet. As I am watching, I begin to tear up but I'm not looking at Jenn because I don't want her to laugh. I hear a sniffle and look over and we were both crying. It made me feel better:) Thanks Jenn! Now back to Leap Year. Amy Adams once again, incredible! I told Jennifer I think that she is our generations' Audrey Hepburn. Elegant, sophisticated and beautiful. I still love Audrey Hepburn but it was an observation I made after watching this movie. Matthew Goode was perfectly cast for this role. He nailed it! All in all I don't think you will be disappointed :) I had a wonderful day with Jennifer and look forward to many more days like Monday!!

Blessings

I was truly blessed this morning when I came to work. I won't go into details but please know that God is always there and he always all-knowing. He got my attention today and it was such a humbling experience. I am honored to serve such a Almighty God. He reminds of this daily! Hope everyone has a wonderful day and remembers all of the blessings in your life:)

Stupid Saturn!

I have learned it is not wise to say you are going to start saving money. Let me explain why I feel this way. It never fails something will inevitably happen. For example; when you are attempting to leave work on a Friday and your car will not cooperate. Friday was the coldest day we have had in Georgia this year. I panic because that is what girls do when it comes to car trouble. I called Chad who fortunantely had the day off because of the freezing temperatures and ice. The Jump start-Failed. With the help of a few others we pulled my car, behind a Truck, into the heated barn to leave over night. We immediately think we need a new battery. We test my old battery and buy a new one. We head back to work Saturday morning and install the new battery. Still nothing. We then ask my wonderful father-in-law to meet us up there with his trailer so that we can get it home. Chad and Joey push he car while I am driving it onto the trailer. Mission accomplished; Only problem is that I couldn't get the door opened. The sides of the trailer were too high. Lucky for me I get to crawl through my back seats and go out the trunk. One of my co-worker saw me doing this as they were driving by so obviously they stop to see what on earth is going on...Had to go explain all of that to them. I have a reputation to protect ;) We finally got my car home that day and from then on; trial and error. We FINALLY got my car to start tonight! Praise!

Moral of this story: Don't say you want to save money.

Church Home

     Last Sunday was a sad Sunday for me. Chad and I have been doing a lot of talking and we decided it was time to find a church that is closer to us. We love First Baptist Church of Jonesboro but it was hard for us to be involved being 45 minutes away. Chad asked me about it awhile ago that he wanted to be more involved. If you know me you know that our church and Sunday School class are very important to us and this was not easy for us. I have attended FBCJ since I was 5 and telling our Sunday School our decision on Sunday of course brought me to tears. I know it is something that we need to do and I know God is telling me that it is time but it does not come without sadness. We love hearing sermons from Pastor Mel and being a part of such a wonderful Sunday School class. I keep reminding myself its not like I am not ever going to go back but it is going to be really strange for me this coming up Sunday. Every Sunday after church we go have lunch with my family and watch football, play the wii or just relax. We thoroughly enjoy this time with my family and will miss it greatly. This time will be made up:) I love spending time with my family and no one cooks like my mom:) There will be Sundays after we get out of church that we will go hang out with them and Sundays that we meet halfway for lunch. Everything is changing, good changing but changing.
     We are going to visit SonRise in Newnan. It is very close to the house and I started looking at their website since September. I was able to meet the pastor of the church on Monday. He led the devotion at Chick-fil-A. I heard nothing but good things from him and about him. They have more of a contemporary worship service which I think I will enjoy so much. They have a Recreation facility and offer Co-ed softball which is a great plus for Chad and I. I am looking forward to their style of Sunday School or their mid-week Bible Study. I did not make any New Year resolutions because I never keep them. Instead, I am hoping that God will lead us to the church he would like for us to be a part of. It will be an interesting journey but I know this is the right move for us. I will keep you posted on our journey to find a new church home.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

And I didn't get one but I did have a wonderful first Christmas as husband and wife. I got off work around 3 on Christmas eve and we headed down to Monticello for Chad's dads family Christmas. We had such a good time seeing everyone and spending time with everyone. Wouldn't you know that on a rainy Christmas eve that we would have to roll over something in the truck on the way back. Yep! We pulled over; Chad, Clay and Joey checked it out. We stopped and put air in the tire and went on our way...Then the windshield wipers started giving us trouble...Good Grief! After the eventful ride home we make it back to our house at midnight. We went to sleep and the kid in me set the alarm for 8:00 to open presents. Waking up next to my husband on Christmas morning was wonderful and new. I called my family to wish them a Merry Christmas and to send my love. I made Cinnamon Rolls (Chad's fav) and then we opened presents while, A Christmas Story played in the background. You cannot miss that movie on Christmas here in GA, they play it for 24 hours on TBS.

Drum Roll Please....

Chad told me what my gift was two days before Christmas. 1) He couldn't stand it, 2) He wanted to make sure it was what I wanted.

Chad set up a ski trip for us at Maggie Valley, North Carolina:) I couldn't believe my ears!! We are going to have our own little cabin for the weekend and be able to ski Saturday and Sunday!! We will be staying in Cabin Number 8 and we will ski HERE Jan 29-31 cannot get here soon enough!

I have a truly remarkable and amazing husband. He must have been reading my mind because that same day when I got home I had been looking at ski vacations due to the fact that I really wanted to go!! I am looking forward to us having time together. Thank you babe!

I received many wonderful gifts from my family (cute new jacket- Thanks sis, New suit- thanks mom and dad). I also got The Office Season 1 and The Office Board game!!! Whoo-hoo! If you do not like that show than you should. I got new red canisters for the kitchen, new steak knives, new sheets for the bed:) and new clothes:)

Christmas night we went to have dinner with Chad's moms side of the family which is always alot of fun getting to see everyone. The food is always amazing! Kudos to Aunt Brenda on the chicken noodle soup. I will be having that tonight for dinner:) I would love to have the recipe;)

Our tree was on it's last leg by Sunday so we spent Sunday afternoon taking the Christmas decorations down. I mean, Really? Where does time go? I need to correct my first statement. Chad and I started taking down the decorations together but then Clay sent him a text that he and Matt were both online for the XBOX. (Thanks Clay) So Chad haaadddd to stop so that he could race them online for a couple races. Well, what seemed like 20 races later he quit and by that point, Yes, everything was boxed up and off the tree. We carried it out the front door and took it to Home Depot in Peachtree City. If you are looking for somewhere, they are taking them.

This Christmas was very new/different for me. Not waking up in the home I grew up in was weird but I handled it very well I think. During the church service on Sunday they did things a little different. It was a Celebration of Life Service. Meaning Celebrating God's gift to us and Celebrating those who went home to be with the Lord this year. During the service they carried in this large wooden cross down the aisles and held it at the front during one of the songs. I would like to think if that doesn't hit you in the heart, something is wrong. I cried. It is that and so many other things during the Christmas season that reminds me of all my Savior has done for me. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband, a wonderful family, a wonderful-new family that I have married into, new sister and brother who I don't get to see as often as I would like, a beautiful new home, and good health. Most importantly I have been blessed with eternal life. I asked the Lord to come into my life years ago and he has never left my side. I would encourage you to reflect on all of the blessings in your life and if you haven't accepted Christ as your Savior to do so. It will change your life in ways you cannot imagine.

Hostess- I can totally handle it or Can I?

I think it is safe to say that I comletely underestimated what being a hostess entails. Let me elaborate.


Chad and I (well I volunteered our house) for our Sunday School Christmas Party. What a crazy day leading up to the party!!

It is humorous now but at the time not so much. We were running around that morning trying to get plates, cups, napkins, etc. We ended up going to what seemed like 20 different stores. I was having a hard time finding a tree skirt that I liked. Can I just say that I think tree skirts are wayyy over priced. I couldn't believe some of the prices I was seeing. I have been looking for one for awhile! Needless to say we found one that will suffice until I find one I am in love with at Hobby Lobby.

When we arrived back at the house we did some quick cleaning and then the cooking began. I think the temperature is a little off in my oven. I started baking some cookies that I have made atleast 20 times before and they burnt (yucky smell). It was weird; they were at the right temp and they cook for 10 minutes at 8 minutes I could smell them and they were burned. Any ideas on how to check things out with my oven? Everything we cooked that day was a little on the well done side and I don't know why that happened. Rather frustrating!! I haven't really tested is since but I guess I will attempt to make the cookies again and go from there and see what happens...

I thought I was going crazy. I found by the end of the night the party was a success and we had a wonderful evening. My advice to you future hostesses out there: Timing is the Key. My mom tells me it gets easier with experience. When you are baking desserts and casseroles timing is everything.

We had a wonderful evening of opening presents, stealing presents from each other, and wonderful fellowship. I can only imagine how sad I will be when we begin our search for a new church home closer to our home.



Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!!

It Snowed

If you have not heard Meaghan Smith's song, It snowed, you should. I just heard it this week and I love it! If you are into Big Band/1940's style music then you will enjoy it :)

Have a great day!

Meaghan Smith

SEC Championship Game 2009

I volunteered to work the SEC Championship game in doing this I received two free tickets to the game. What was my job at the game you ask? I was the BEST Cow handler you have ever seen! In better terms, I was the Cow's bodyguard. I underwent intense training with Louis (Personal Trainer) in the weeks prior to the game to buff up and make sure I was ready for this challenge. I wanted to make sure my muscles were busting out of the Chick-fil-A shirt provided. Go ahead and ask me, "Did my cow get taunted or attacked?"

That answer is definitely....not ;)

My cow went unharmed. All I had to do was flash the guns and they knew better.

On another note, I took my sister to the game and we had a wonderful time. Talk about intense fans. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to spend time with my sister. Granted, we are not really fans of either team we pulled for Alabama. I just wish I would not have been sick. I was on antibiotics for a sinus infection and man was my head pounding by the end of the night.

As we were leaving the game we saw Alabama fans hanging an alligator from the top of their RV. Hilarious! The picture did not turn out otherwise you could see it for yourself.

The ride home will be a memory for Jennifer and I alone. Good times. Love you Jenn:) I'm glad that we are always cracking each other up :)

Reichert's Christmas Tree

This is a real tree and we had to do a little work on the shaping of it. All in all I must say I think it is beautiful but I am a little partial:)

We got lucky with this tree too! We have super high ceilings and if you know me at Christmas my motto is go big. However, huge trees didn't fit our budget. We found this 10 ft tree in the 8-9 ft. section and got it for $50!! Go us!