THE COUNTRY CROCODILE MILE

"Inside every older person is a younger person - wondering what the hell happened." - Cora Harvey Armstrong

AS MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW TUESDAY IS MY 25TH BIRTHDAY..YES I AM GETTING OLDER AND OLDER. IN LIGHT OF THIS VERY TOUGH BIRTHDAY YEAR D.J. AND I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR A LITTLE SLIP-N-SLIDE FUN. THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW MY HUSBAND KNOW THAT HE ALWAYS TAKES THINGS TO THE EXTREME. SO BY 1PM ON SATURDAY I HAD A 5 FEET WIDE, 50 FEET LONG SLIP-N-SLIDE COVERED WITH WATER AND SOAP READY TO PROVIDE ALL KINDS OF SLIP-N-SLIDE FUN TO ME AND OUR GUEST. IT PROVED TO BE A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE WE HAD AN ABSOLUTE BLAST.THERE WAS NOT A SOUL IN SIGHT WITHOUT GRASS MIXED WITH SOAPY DETERGENT COVERED FROM HEAD TO TOE. IT MADE FOR A PERFECT BIRTHDAY MEMORY. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED AND RECONNECTED WITH YOUR CHILDHOOD YEARS. I HAVE POSTED SOME PICTURES OF OUR FUN FILLED DAY ALONG WITH A PICTURE OF MY BIRTHDAY CAKE (THANKS LADIES).

NOW THAT IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." ~Thomas Edison

I AM HAPPY TO NOW SAY THAT WE HAVE NOW FINALLY FINISHED THE REMODELING STAGES OF OUR SWEET LITTLE HOME. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THIS MISSION SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE, WE HAVE FINALLY PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON OUR HOME (BOTH INSIDE AND OUT). AS MOST OF YOU KNOW WHEN D.J. AND I PURCHASED THE HOME 3 YEARS AGO IT WAS IN NEED OF A TOTAL MAKEOVER INSIDE AND OUT, TOP TO BOTTOM. THE KITCHEN WAS A FUNKY LIME GREEN COLOR AND THE BATHROOMS HAD 4 LAYERS OF WALLPAPER SOME OF WHICH WAS STILL HANGING FROM THE 70'S. WITH EAGER HEARTS AND OPEN MINDS MY HUSBAND AND I JUMPED RIGHT IN (OKAY MY HUSBAND MORE THAT ME) AND COMPLETELY GUTTED THE HOUSE. WE EVEN TOOK OUT ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING WORK AND STARTED WITH A CLEAN SLATE. THIS WEEK WE FINALLY FINISHED OUT OUR DOWNSTAIRS AREA, WHICH WILL BE OUR "GAME ROOM/REC-ROOM". ALTHOUGH IT HAS TAKEN US 3 YEARS TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT ,WE ARE SUPER EXCITED THAT IT IS FINALLY DONE, AND THAT 95% OF THE WORK WAS DONE WITH OUR OWN HARDWORKING HANDS. WHENEVER POSSIBLE WE OPTED TO NOT HIRE OUT THE WORK AND TO DO IT OURSELVES. I AM SO PROUD OF MY HUSBAND FOR ALL OF HIS HARD WORK AND DEDICATION THAT HE HAS PUT INTO MAKING OUR HOME SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF.

"D.J. YOU TRULY ARE AN AMAZING SPIRIT AND PERSON. YOUR WORK ETHIC IS ABOVE AND BEYOND ANYTHING I COULD EVER OF DREAMED OF. I ADMIRE YOU DAILY FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR DEDICATION THAT YOU BRING INTO OUR LIFESTYLE. YOU ARE TRULY AND EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. HERE IS TO YOU AND ALL OF YOU ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I LOVE YOU."

OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."-- William Arthur Ward, author and teacher

JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS KEPT MY DAD AND MY FAMILY IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND IN THEIR PRAYERS. I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT DAD HAS FINALLY MADE HIS WAY HOME. AS A FAMILY WE HAVE FELT SO BLESSED TO HAVE HAD SUCH AN AMAZING SUPPORT GROUP THROUGH IT ALL. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR CALLS, TEXT, AND EMAILS. THE PICTURE ABOVE IS FROM MY COLLEGE GRADUATION..SUCH A HANDSOME YOUNG MAN..

BENTLEY HAS BEEN FLAGGED..

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." ~Roger Caras


OKAY SO TODAY I VENTURED OFF TO THE VET WITH MY LITTLE "BENTLEY BOO." IT WAS THE TIME OF THE YEAR THAT BOTH D.J. AND I BOTH DREAD....THE YEARLY EXAM. FOR BENTLEY THIS MEANS SHOTS, SHOTS, AND MORE SHOTS, AND FOR ME IT MEANS LITERALLY DRAGGING A LITTLE BEAGLE DOG INTO THE VETS OFFICE WHILE SHE SITS SHAKING LIKE A LEAF WAITING TO SEE THE DOCTOR. AS BENTLEY AND SAT WAITING PATIENTLY ON THE DOCTOR (BENTLEY SHAKING, ME COMFORTING) I COULD NOT HELP BUT TO THINK THERE HAS GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS. RIGHT ABOUT THAT TIME DR. YOUNG COMES IN SAYS HELLO AND TAKES BENTLEY TO ANOTHER ROOM????? "WHAT" I THOUGHT?? "HE NEVER TAKES MY LITTLE BENTLEY TO ANOTHER ROOM TO GIVE HER, HER SHOTS?? WE JUST ALWAYS STAY IN HERE." ABOUT THAT TIME I HEAR A CRYING YELP..WHICH I KNOW IS MY LITTLE BENTLEY BOOS DISTINCTIVE CRY. A EMPLOYEE WALKS IN AND I QUESTION WHY THEY TOOK MY DOG TO ANOTHER ROOM?? I STATE, "YOU HAVE NEVER TAKEN HER TO ANOTHER ROOM BEFORE?? WHY NOW?" AT THIS POINT THE SWEET LITTLE EMPLOYEE PICKED UP BENTLEY'S CHART AND SAID, "MS. YOUR DOG HAS BEEN FLAGGED," "FLAGGED." I SAID?? "BY WHO?" VERY REASSURINGLY HE TELLS ME THAT SOME DOGS ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN OTHER AND THE ONES WHO ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO A SEPARATE ROOM TO RECEIVE THERE SHOTS. GREAT I THOUGHT, NOW MY DOG CAN ADD "FLAGGED CHART" TO HER LONG LIST OF ALREADY A ROTTEN HISTORY... POOR BENTLEY BOO-BOO....

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

"A great trademark is appropriate, dynamic, distinctive, memorable and unique." Primo Angeli

OKAY AFTER BEING TAGGED MANY TIMES I DECIDED IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO SHARE A FEW UNIQUE/WEIRD THINGS ABOUT MYSELF. HOWEVER WHEN I WAS DONE POSTING, I DISCOVERED THAT THESE THINGS WERE NOT REALLY WEIRD??? (WELL NOT IN MY OPINION, HA) THEY WERE MORE OF JUST "QUALITIES" OR "TRAITS", THAT I OWN UP TO. EITHER WAY HOPE YOU ENJOY READING A FEW OF MY UNIQUE QUALITIES THAT MAKE ME, ME..

1. In the words of Ricky Bobby, "I like to go fast"! I AM A SPEED DEMON! I'm not sure why I drive so fast, but I do!! Its one habit that I am trying to break! I'm really not even sure how I still have a Tennessee state licence, but I do, so watch out motorist!!

2. I have self diagnosed OCD. Not really compulsions, but I am probably one of the most organized neat freaks you will ever met!! I believe that everything has a place and when it finds its place it needs to be organized! From the pots and pans in my cabinets to the clothes in my closet. I do however understand that this may sound a little weird, but I get it honest, my mom and dad are the same way!! Most of the people in my life embrace this quality about me and that's usually why I am the one that is put in charge of organizing events and planning functions.

3. I absolutely love to entertain! I tell people all the time that they are more than welcomed at my home, and I truly mean it!! My husband and I don't have much but when you come to my house I want you to feel like you are at the freakin Hilton!

4. I love to antique shop. There is nothing better than finding that special piece that you know is so unique and different from everything else that you have. Its like finding the golden egg on Easter!

6. I am scared to death of staying home alone, especially at night. This makes for an interesting arrangement that my husband and I have being that he works nights and I work days. When I first moved in everyone would tell me that with time I would get used to it and come to love it, but 9 months later I still feel my heart jump a beat every time I hear any funny little noise. However, I have invested in a pellet gun and plan to use it on anyone who attempts to enter my home anytime past 8 o'clock on Monday-Thursday!!

7. I believe in the good! I feel that even the people with the worst souls have some good somewhere inside of them. Even though this is one of my best qualities, it is also one of my worst. Anyone that knows me knows that I would give someone in need my last 20 bucks, while I go broke for the rest of the week! The thing is, it doesn't really matter what they spend it on, the point is that you gave. I believe that the only thing worse than not giving, is having the means to give and not giving.

8. Believe it or not some of my closet friends live the furthest away from me! When I moved back to my home town 5 months ago I moved from a place that I had made a home for the past 6 years. I have Krista, Sarah, Donna, and Jenna in M'boro, My sweet West in Ashville, NC, and My wildflower Kara in Denver, Colorodo. Although I regret not being able to spend as much time with all of them as I wish I could they are all still very close to my heart. They say in life if you get the chance to met at least one of your soul mates you are considered lucky. I must be very one lucky girl, because I have met 6 of mine!!

9. And lastly...I have and addiction to coats. Yes, I said coats. I'm not sure how it started really or why I even have this addiction, but I do. Maybe its because you can really only wear them for about 4 months out of the year?? Either way, the key to my heart is a cozy Northface jacket. I am now up to 4 Northface jackets and one pull over. Sheesssh...it sounds crazy even writing this!!! Now, I am doing things to correct this addiction. This year was the first year that I didn't go out and buy a new one!! However, now I think my husband might have a Northface jacket addiction!!!!!!