Life with my sister

The week after Thanksgiving and I am so very tired of a casserole . I didn't serve one vegetable that wasn't casseroled . My Grandmother would have been so proud, but by Sunday I was craving corn from a can! Samuel made it home from his Boy Scout trip at about 10:30 Sunday night. One of the cars in their convoy kept breaking down, which made them much later than anticipated. He had a great time, even though he didn't call me. Not one time. He says that no one brought their phone chargers on the trip, and the phones were all dying. I think we need to conduct a class on always being prepared for these boys!! HA! Our house is decorated for Christmas. I have scaled back on my decorations over the years and don't have very many any more. I was thinking about having a party but I only have one room decorated. That wouldn't make for a very fun party, would it?! Well, it might be fun but not very festive! Tonight begins the hurried, busy time of December. I'm so excite

This was taken right after we ate Thanksgiving dinner at my house Thursday. We were stuffed! We had so much food. I went a little overboard on veggies this year. It seemed a bit gluttonous, but we're eating it every meal until its gone! HA! When I was cooking Thursday morning. Really I was just managing the over, everything had been prepared on Wednesday. Anyway... I asked everyone if we were dressing for dinner. I laughed as I looked at my motley looking crew, no one had on matching clothes, a couple had shorts on. But a little while later here walks in Daniel with a polo and khaki pants on. I was so pleased. What a sweet boy. Then Anna came in dressed in a cute little outfit she put together herself. Then Samuel came in with khaki's, a dress shirt, tie and a sportcoat that was a few sizes too small. I went and put on my clothes and even some pearls. It was Thanksgiving after all. My other two boys didn't feel the need to get dressed for dinner, but we allowed them in th

"How does my turkey look?" We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my Aunt Babs house in Memphis. It was Henry's first Thanksgiving. Last year I sat in my chair in my den, wearing pajamas, and Randall brought me food on a TV tray that my dear mother-in-law had brought to us. I was on bed rest, days away from meeting my baby boy for the first time. So crazy to think that sweet baby is already a big ole turkey boy on our hip! Spending the holiday with my fraternal side of the family was so much fun. Our cousin Hollye is more like a sister to us than a cousin. We are a tight little group. She and I carved the fried turkey and insisted that a photo be taken with the best cut of meat being placed on the platter. I love being with people wired like me. It is so nice to not have to explain yourself, excuse yourself or hide yourself with the ole kin folk...I love that! I am so thankful for a healthy, happy, active and handsome little boy who lets me dress him up in crazy outfits fo

Are you stuffed from turkey and dressing? Have you been shopping already this morning? I am a positive on both of those! Whew...I do love it and I am so excited about Food Friday in Decemeber! Tis the season to get in the kitchen and cook up all kinds of sugary treats! I love, love, love making Christmas tins of sweets and sharing them with family and friends. Randall actually enjoys it too. Last year Henry sat in his bouncey seat asleep while we made our Christmas goodies. This year I am sure he will play a more active role! This is what the top of my fridge looks like at Christmas. It makes me happy. The big plate came from the resale shop in Julie's town for $5...a brand new Hallmark plate in the package. The santa cookie jar came from a friend in Mississippi. The ornament cookie jar was bought for me to a give as a gift a few years ago but I kept it for myself! The cute little snowman was from Randall's birth mother one year...when she liked me! LOL. But honestly, she doe

I Love 80's music. I can't tell you the name of any songs, or who sings any songs. But I love 80's music! It doesn't make sense, but when do I ever make sense?!HA! The other night I was reading my Kindle (surprised?) and Stephen was flipping through the channels (surprised?). He stopped on the Sirrius station that plays 80's music. Ther were playing the top 40 countdown from that week in 1986. Oh, the memories. I listened and read, read and listened. And then I got to thinking about 1986. That week 24 years ago was not a happy one for me. I had been dating a boy that had made some wrong choices and I was so terribly sad and heartbroken that I couldn't imagine being happy again. CAN YOU IMAGINE?? I was 16, and thought that I wouldn't be happy again! I'm so glad I got over my melodramatic phase of life. HA! So, as I'm laying in bed thinking that this week in the year 2010 is SO much better than 1986 Stephen mentioned that we spent everyday together th

34 years ago a cute little boy was born in a small Mississippi town in the Dirty Delta, and for that I am most thankful. He grew up to be such an upstanding, fine young man and for that I am even more thankful. I am so thankful he chose me to be his bride. We have had a fun almost 8 years of marriage. This was taken at Alcatraz. I am so blessed to have a husband who will go do crazy things with me....like watch me run 26.2 miles in San Francisco, and in return make me go to Alcatraz with him. (That is where this photo was taken...we were there at dark... eck !) I am also thankful that he was not too proud to wear that pullover because he looks at this picture and almost dies each time. He was cold and had to buy something to keep himself warm before we got on the boat, and this is all he could find. Nothing screams "tourist" louder than that pullover! He is also the sweet, giving husband who took me to see the Rockettes on his 28 th birthday, which was also the opening d

I am thankful for this cute little booger bear...my sweet baby boy. Abby

This week I had the privilege to help with the annual food drive for our local food bank. I am a thankful supporter of the area food bank. I serve on the development committee, I delivered senior packs until it got too emotional for me, and I give of our family treasure when possible. I can honestly say that is a cause in which I give my time, talent and treasure! I love the idea of helping meet the most basic need. What a blessing to help feed the hungry. Can you imagine being hungry, not having food in your cabinets and having no money to buy any? I can't imagine and I hope to never experience it firsthand. My Meemaw always gave to the Union Rescue Mission at the holidays. I remember the joy it gave her and how she would talk about it with passion. The year she died I gave a donation to the Union Rescue Mission in memory of her and I gave every year after that until we moved out of the area. Now I give to our local food bank. I love how she taught me the joy of giving....and s

I love this girl. This is Julie's youngest, Anna. She makes me smile. Today I was reminded what a blessing she is to our crew. Julie told her to tell me what she wanted for Christmas and she got out the toy catalog and went to town! That made me laugh because her brothers just spouted off a few things and went on their way. I love that she took her time and went to the wishing well, so to speak. Nothing like a toy catalog when you are a little girl! So, she picked out an expensive toy and showed it to Julie. Julie told her it was too expensive. She then responded, "It is ONLY $59.98!" Oh, to be wide-eyed, innocent and have no concept of money. I am thankful for this encounter today. What a wonderful reminder of how sweet innocence is! I am thankful for this mess upstairs in our craft room/office. It means we are 2 weeks away from having a 1st birthday celebration for our sweet Henry Patton. It means we survived a year of late night, early mornings and learning how to pa

I'm preparing for our Thanksgiving meal. This year we will eat at our house, Stephen's parents will come and whoever else that I can convince to spend the day with our family. If there is one thing I'm thankful for its a good Thanksgiving dinner! We have our tradition of Thanksgiving foods, but every once in a while I like to throw something new into the mix. I found this apple pie on The Pioneer Woman's website and knew I had to have it. It is really, really good. Stephen liked it, which is saying a lot since he isn't a fan of my cooking in general. You must try it. It calls for cream. I, of course, had just been to the store where I purchased apples, and pie crust (you didn't think I made my own did you? Of course not, you know me better than that!) for this very pie, but failed to purchase cream. No big surprise really. It happens all the time. So, I found a substitution for cream and added butter to milk. It worked and the pie tasted dreamy! I didn't ad

I am thankful for a warm oven that can cook up smiles for friends and family. I made 2 successful loaves of bread and a yummy batch of cinnamon rolls this past weekend. I got a sweet note in Henry's bag this week thanking me for the yummy cinnamon rolls I sent to school and I got a nice little call the other night from Randall's grandfather who had eaten all his cinnamon rolls and bread. He encouraged me to bring him more...and indeed I will! I love my sourdough bread starter! I am thankful for honest friends and family... I reckon. Ok, I am fixing to share something that will make you laugh, because my husband, sister and friend Brittni laugh at me and tell me "NO" when I ask them to go with me to eat at Ryan's. I love salad buffet and I crave it often. I try really hard to "woo" them to go with me but they never buy into my "woo". No one will eat at Ryan's with me, no matter how hard I beg. I love the "Land of And" commercials f

Yesterday I went to the doctor for my annual exam. Sorry guys. When the doctor asked if this was my yearly appointment, I 'fessed up and told him I hadn't been to the doctor in 6 years. He decided it was my decade appointment! I found a friend. I went by myself. That is a rare occurrence . I remember taking David and Daniel with me when I would have check-ups when I was pregnant with Anna. Sometimes they really shouldn't have gone. But this time I was alone. Just me and my Kindle . Have I told you recently how much I love my Kindle? So much! I love all gifts that are given to me (with the exception of a pair of purple corduroy overalls my mom bought me when I was in high school. I don't think either of us is sure why they were purchased) but my Kindle has to be my most favorite of all of my recent gifts. My Kindle was a hit at the doctor's office. All the nurses, and the doctor wanted to look at it, know about it and hold it. It was like a baby they way it got ever

A few years back I walked into our Aunt Janet and Uncle Mike's house and saw spinning ornaments on their always beautiful Christmas tree. I was so impressed that Randall and I left their house and headed straight to Hobby Lobby on Christmas Eve and bought all the spinners they had left. I have had spinning ornaments since then and I heart them so very, very much. I have had them for three years now. I hang my finer ornaments from them. Last year all of Henry's firsts hung from them. It was so special. The spinning ornaments always gather lots of attention from our holiday house guests. It is pretty unusual, I reckon. This year I am having spinning dilemmas. I know there are bigger issues in this world like war, starving babies, drought, etc., but if you know me, you know my Christmas tree is just about as important...well, to me at least. This will be my first year to have fully decorated trees in both sitting rooms. I say this will all humility, of course. My mother-in-law ga

Today I would like to tell you that I'm thankful for my church. It sounds like a good preacher's wife thing to be thankful for doesn't it?! I can't help it! We have been at this church for 4 years. The month after we came here, the Singing Christmas Tree was erected. I didn't think much of it. The announcements were made that the tree was going up but I really wasn't interested and didn't understand what the big deal was. Well, I was wrong for my dis-interest. The tree is HUGE. HUGE! We only have the tree every other year. And this is the year. It's our 3rd year to get to enjoy the putting up, singing in and taking down of the tree. Yesterday was the day we put the tree up. And when I say we, I mean I was there watching "us" put the tree up. Because, I am a member of the church family, and members of the church family were putting it up. So.....we put the tree up yesterday. And man, is it a job! There were about 15 men working hard making sure

I feel so blessed to have such great friends who love Jesus. Here I will highlight a few of them. I could never highlight them all though...not enough room! God gave me this ole girl when I was 4 years old. I can't imagine one single day on this earth without her. We have literally been through it all. No exceptions, really. We are as close as we were growing up, even with all the miles between us. She gets me like no one else does, and for that I am supremely blessed....because frankly, I am one odd duck! She was my first friend in Jonesboro. We had an instant bond because she and I have several personality similarities. She is that friend I cannot talk to for three weeks, but the one I can drop in on with wet hair and pajama pants on late at night without a second thought. She is also the only one outside of family to ever keep Henry. She was also the only non-relative at the hospital when he was born. I love having a friend like that. This is my newest dear friend, and one

Well, here is the bread. It was not the best bread but every time I make it, it gets better. I had left home for the day and thought I would get back in time to bake it accordingly, but that did not happen. We got home about 4 hours after the fact and we had a mound of dough sticking up from each pan. I punched it down and baked it....not smart. We had the thickest bread you have ever eaten. It was not hard, just thick and heavy. I threw it out and it weighed down the kitchen trash bag. We laughed. I have attempted cinnamon rolls and have a little ways to go before I master them. Anyway, it is a learning process and a lot of fun! I am thankful for a warm oven, hands that can work with dough, a husband who supports my attempts to master way too many things, and the smell of fresh bread baking in my house. I love Paula's holiday edition. This is not the current one, but a photo of the first one I ever bought. I bought it in an airport in Phoenix the week before Thanksgiving. I used

Schools all across our state are out of school today. And since the kids found out about it they decided we shouldn't be in school either. And since I want to give them a semblance of the public school feeling (crazy hair day, spirit day, and pj day) I went with it. So, no school at Beavers Academy today! Since there is no school, some high school football games are being played tonight and the others are being played tomorrow night. Our beloved Bulldogs play tonight. In the cold, wet, wintry weather! I can hardly wait!!! Some years ago our church began hosting the Bulldog Breakfast the morning of every football game. The players, coaches, and cheerleaders come to the church for breakfast, a devotional by a guest speaker and pep talk from the coach and awards from the previous week. It is a fun time, and a highlight for many of the players and cheerleaders. Stephen and the boys get up and leave the house at 4:30 every Friday morning to cook, and help set-up for the breakfast. Anna