Between the Pages

Well, I've gone and done it! I've started my own book club.

I'm calling it Between the Pages.

A modest little book club...yet so much more!

I hope to read more, learn a lot & nurture some relationships along the way!

I hope you'll join me in 'discovering what's under the dustjacket'!

http://www.betweenthepages.ning.com/

Guilty As Charged!

Check out this website! It's the funniest thing I've read in a while. A bit vulgar at times, so you've been warned. But, seriously the funniest thing! I'm sad to report that I'm guilty of more than one of the violations he's describing here...but I'm of the mindset that you have to laugh at yourself....everyone else will be, so you might as well join in!

Extreme "Forclosure" Makeover

What a terrible situation. I don't know the details of it all, but it's a dang shame that so much time and effort is given by so many to have it all go to crap due to some mishandling of finances or "poor business decisions".

Extreme Makover: Home Edition is one of my favorite shows! It will reduce me to tears instantly and I'm okay with it. I love the fact that there are folks out there volunteering to do something in their community to better the area, a family in need or just to feel accomplished! Volunteering is something I do a great deal of and I am rewarded everyday for it. It makes me feel wonderful to donate time, effort, energy, manpower or even dollars to help a worthy cause.

I only hope that their efforts are not looked at as less meaningful due to the choices (right or wrong) made by those that were the beneficiaries of the kindness.

What will your Final Lecture be?

Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist whose "last lecture" about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book, died Friday. He was 47.

I have read this book and I can't even begin to say how much it touched me. (I've already chosen it as the first read for my upcoming book club!) I laughed and cried the whole way through!

I hope you'll all get a copy and let it touch your heart the same way it did mine.

One Creative Mama!

So, in all my years, I had no idea that my mama could sew. Me - can't even sew a button. I knew she was capable of that...but check out this adorable dress she made for Hallie! That's a day well spent with the kids if you ask me! She's taking orders and she'd be glad to make your child one too! (I most likely just signed her up for something she didn't agree to...but isn't that what daughters do!?)

I should add that it's the extra mile she went to make it great! She sewed the edges wear the ribbon goes through the top so that it won't come out and leave you having to fish it through with a safety pin. She added the cutest pocket too!

Great job mom! Hallie loves it! She can't wait to wear it to school tomorrow!

I've been Junkin' again!

My latest finds include the following:

This Hershey's recipe box is too cute! It actually had authentic recipe cards with a 1980 copywright on them. I love it!

And this little gem! It's basically just a casserole..but I love it!

I also found a donut pan (can't wait to make donuts!) and an antique muffin tin. I'm so enjoying my new found hobby!

Font Conference

Check out The Font Conference! I'm officially a geek now...but this had me rolling on the floor! (I would have pasted the HTML, but the video is too wide for my layout and that bothered me too much to leave it!) Enjoy either way!

Vacation Wrap Up and other mind-numbing rants!

Well, the vacation went just swell. I fully intended to update daily, but the sand and the sea got the best of me! My apologies! The kids had a blast, we all ate too much and after the long ride home, I got to unpack! Unpacking is like the ultimate torture, right? I would make juvenile delinquents do that...right after I made them fold my laundry...oh, and iron it. Ha! However, I returned to home sweet home to discover that it had not been so sweet during our absence. There's been a lot of crime in the area lately and it leaves me uneasy. You may have read my previous blog about how I was followed in a major discount store and how uncomfortable it made me feel. Well, upon our return, we discover that our cousin was at home with her two daughters when two gentleman came to her house and busted her front door down trying to get in. They were scared off when she screamed...but I can't imagine how terrified she must be right now. It seems like it's everyday that there is somethin on the news or in the paper about another robbery, kidnapping or attack. What is the deal? When we were in FL, there was a story about a two year old little girl that has been missing for five weeks and her mother is a suspect. Her mother! I'm astounded. However, on a brighter note, I did get to read two fabulous books while I was wasting away in Margaritaville. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner and the follow up to that called Certain Girls. These two books are just wonderful! They'll be perfect for my book club as soon as I get it going! ;) Finally, I attended a Relay for Life Committee Wrap-Up Party tonight. The events were held at the Talladega Superspeedway and it was great! We got to take turns going around the track at 120 miles per hour! It was up there with the neatest things I've done! But, the focus of the evening was for the 'powers that be' within the American Cancer Society to thank the committee that helped raise over $600,000 toward cancer research and funding! It was very nice of them to put it all together and even nicer for them to recoginze the hard work of the members and their families that sacrifice so much to let them be a part of the organization. A few were asked to stand up and give their reasons for why they Relay. I wasn't one of them, but if I had been...here's what I might have said: For my father, whom I didn't know, that passed away with Colon Cancer; For Uncle DeWayne, whose diagnosis hit me like a ton of bricks; For PaPa Sprayberry, who had the greatest outlook right up to the end; For Mike Cooper, who was one of the last great "family men" on Earth; For Kaylie Claire Ellis, who shouldn't even be having to think about chemo and radiation at four years old; But, mostly for selfish reasons...I relay because I get to be a part of something that fills me so completetly with humility and pride that I can't stop coming back. I relay with the hope that my children will never have to think about fighting cancer. I relay because it feels so dang good to know that I'm making a difference...and being on the Committee is only icing on the cake. That's why I do it.

Vacation - Part 2

Today could not have been more perfect if I'd written it that way myself.... The weather was warm, the ocean was calm and clean and I almost finished my book. The kids splashed and played in the Gulf like they've never done before and that was great to see! We rounded out the evening with ribs at Pineapple Willy's and go carts! You can't have vacation in PC without go carts, right?! I'm pretty sure I located the guy with the worst job in the world...he's in charge of the kiddie go carts at the "go cart place" and we were all in agreement that it probably sucked more than anything else in the world...at the time, anyway. Personally, I'm ready for bed...as soon as I finish my book! To be continued...

Vacation - Part 1

Well, we've arrived! Panama City Beach, FL is growing like crazy! We've managed to visit the pool, the beach and the Publix today and that in itself has been wonderful! I want a Publix back home! Our trip down was full of conversation - something I'm not used to because I usually sleep on the way to anywhere! Mom is along for the trip and that is going just swimmingly! I have an ample supply of books to keep me company and I plan to come back tan and refreshed! We ventured down to the beach this evening - Brent, the kids and I - and Hayden went crazy! Hallie buried him in the sand and he returned to "home base" covered in sand! They're sand free now and relaxing to Ratatouille. I'm headed to the chair with my book and my drink... more later!

Proceed with Caution

For those in and around the local Northeast Alabama use caution! When? Always! My inbox has been overflowing lately with forwards from folks that have been emailed about being followed, questioned by strangers, attacked, robbed or just made to feel uncomfortable. The worst part is that they're all taking place right here in our hometown...in our local major discount stores. We can't be too careful! Everyday it's someone I know or a friend of someone I know that has been followed to their car and approached. My sister-in-law's friend was mugged in the parking lot of her major retail outlet in Opelika....by a woman! The lady sprayed her with mace and took everything she had! Ughhhhh! I found myself in this situation on Monday around lunchtime. Lunchtime! The middle of broad daylight! I never would have thought that anything strange would have happened at this time of day. Regardless, it did! The young gentleman followed me into the shoe department and he was unusually close to me. I had recently made the comment that I didn't think I would notice if someone were following me because I'm always so busy I don't have time to notice what's going on around me! But, this guy was noticable! He was creepy and most of all, he was all over me. It made me uncomfortable and out of sorts. Mostly, it pissed me off! I was so infuriated that someone was getting this kind of control over me and my time at the store! I mean, geez....I can't even go to the store anymore. Nothing major happened, but it could have. Had I been on the phone talking, he very well could have gotten away with my purse and I never would have known what hit me! I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the economy being so bad. Times are tough. People go to extremes. But, I'm not going to stand for it! So, my plea to all of you is to be careful out there. Take notice of your surroundings. As a mother, daughter, sister, friend...you have to take care of yourself! What are all of you doing to make sure you're paying attention more to what's going on around you?

Wordle...Sudoku for dummies!?

I LOVE Wordle! It's so much fun!

Raisin' little boys...it's never dull!

It's not often that I'm late to the punch...but it does happen. My saving grace here is that I never proclaimed that I'd have the latest and greatest movie news on this here blog! Have you seen the Disney movie with McDreamy, Enchanted? No? Go get it. We purchased it through the wonderful Dish on Demand tonight and I must give it two enthusiastic thumbs up! It's a great family movie! We curled up on the couch to watch this one and it got warm reviews all around. However, my little man's response got me grinnin'. I was gushing about how good the movie was (don't get all excited just to be let down about it...it is a kid sort of movie...so you should expect that when you watch it) and Hayden says, "Well, it wasn't that great." Me: "Why didn't you like it?" Hayden: "It was just too....I don't know - sweet." A part of me hopes he always thinks this way. Women will sink their claws into a sensitive man. I gotta get him out of that! ;)

The Balancing Act

It's tough...huh!? Some days I'm left standing in my kitchen, dust cloud settling around me, wondering how I got there. It's everyday events like shuttling to and from school, ball practices, extracurricular activities, housework/maintenance, pets, laundry and add a job (for those that have one) that keep us in a constant state of motion. I wonder if we actually know what it's like to sit still anymore. Gone are the days where the kids play in the yard while the grown-ups hold their rockers in place on the front porch. Air conditioning may have had a lot to do with that, I guess. What happened to the easy breezy days? Not just during Summer time. Everyday shouldn't be a mad dash to make the next big event in our lives. Life happens around us all the time. How much are we actually missing out on by taking it all on? Everything suffers when we stretch ourselves thin. From relationships to job performance - it all takes a beating. All the more reason to evaluate what we've got on our plates and choose what we can do without. With Summer half gone, I realize that I haven't gotten to enjoy much of it. I haven't been the beneficiary to too much relaxation. What I have tried to enjoy has ended up being something that everyone involved wouldn't have chosen...so I tend to bend to the majority. Nevertheless...make the best of the opportunities you have to enjoy life, your family and yourself. This is our only chance to take it all in and I'm going to try and do just that from now on....in stride! What about you?

Time Flies...

Eight years ago today was a Saturday. I was preparing to make the biggest decision of my life (at the time) right here in my hometown.

I've learned so much about myself since the day I said "I Do". Marriage is an ever-changing animal. There are many factors that make up a marriage and I am constantly amazed by how folks make it work. Everyone's marriage is different. Some share loads of laundry while others don't; some marriages have the woman tending to the babies while others have stay-at-home dads. Of all the things I'll list below that I've learned from my eight years I will say that #1 has to be that you can't compare your marriage to anyone else's - NO MATTER WHAT!

The following are from different scenarios that may or may not have happened in my household during the past eight years.

When in an argument with your spouse (no matter the subject) it is not a good idea to utter the words, "Well, your simple mind just can't comprehend this." Nope. No matter how you say it, it won't end up good. Trust me.

When you're trying to get your point across, be sure you've at least pictured a response before you open your mouth. At least then you'll know what to expect. For instance...If you and your spouse are discussing marriage with somone that isn't (married), saying the following is most likely not throwing down your best card: "What you need to do is just find you the ugliest nice person you can find and settle; that's what I did." (Are those crickets I hear in the background?)

Should your spouse lose something of value that just happens to represent the very sanctity of marriage, it might not be in anyone's best interest to inquire as to whether or not they pawned the item in question. Especially if it's during a frantic search of air conditioning vents and sink drains. Not smart - at all.

I have found that raising children is hard work...but it doesn't come close to raising a marriage. It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and even easier to lose sight of how you got there.

I planned a trip for my significant other and I for a spa getaway this past weekend to celebrate eight years of putting up with each other. After a while you get comfortable. There's something to be said for comfort, I think. I mean, ladies, you can wander around in no make up and rollers in your hair and not worry...cause you're married. Guys, you can.....well, we all know what you do when you get comfy...and not worry, cause you're married. That being said, I think nurturing that "first date" feeling could go a long way.

We were "sight-seeing" around the venue and got off the beaten path a bit. My significant other proceeded to do that thing guys do when they're comfy around you....my eyes rolled. "Now if this were our first date, you wouldn't have done that!", I said. (My point here was that after eight years I hope I still give you that "first date" feeling of nervousness.) "If you're looking for first date antics, you're in the wrong place!", he replied. "That's why you get married - so you can be comfortable!" There's truth in both statements, I think. While the comfortable feeling that comes with it is grand, first date feelings are not overrated! It all takes nurturing and it's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget how you got there. You forget who was with you along the way. And sadly, you can forget who you were when you started the journey.

Appreciation is often the first thing to go. I got news for ya'...that ain't good! Keep it out front and use the words, "Thank you! I appreciate that!", as often as you can. We don't think twice about saying something that could hurt the other's feelings...but for some reason we'll go months (or longer) without uttering these words. Think about this...if you're having a party and a guest offers to carry the trash downstairs for you, you wouldn't dare let it happen without a thank you to that person, right? But, on your average Monday evening when supper is going, kids are hollering and dogs are barking it's easy be miffed when your significant other might not think to take it out when it's full. You might ask and they comply...but how easy it is to forget to say "Thanks" when they do. There's the element of expectation there. Don't get me wrong...some expectation is good. But, what if simple thank you's along the way helped make them more frequent. Would that hurt? Not at all. And the beauty of it is that it goes for the guys and dolls!

Learn "I'm sorry". Learn when to insert it into the conversation. Timing is everything. It will only be beneficial to you - I promise.

Make it your goal each day to brighten that person's day somehow. In today's techno savvy world, a "thinking of you" is just a text or email away. Make it happen.

Bottom line...you have to laugh. Everyone else will be, anyway. Life is funny...don't think God sits up there watching documentaries and dramas all day! A little comedy is good for the soul.

Now...go; nurture; act like it's your first date...let me know how it goes!

Happy Birthday, Hayden!

My little man is six years old! May 23, 2002 he made me the happiest person on Earth by making me a mommy! It's the greatest job I've ever had and I couldn't have asked for a better little guy to be mommy to.

As I approached the hospital around 6AM that morning, I was eerily calm. It was as if this was the job I had been waiting for all my life. My labor was mild, didn't last very long and the end result was more than I ever could have hoped for. I can't remember what it was like before I was called mommy...but I'm sure it was boring!

Hayden is my thinker. He's articulate and precise with every move he makes. He wants nothing more than to please others so that they're proud of him and that's exactly what I am! I thank God each day for allowing me the privelege of being mother to such an amazing little guy.

My mom tells me how lucky my kids are to have me as their mommy and my husband for their daddy. In some ways, she's right and I know that.

Truth be told, I'm the lucky one....by far!

A little Friday humor for ya!

Remember "Voices That Care"? I do!

This is a pretty hysterical twist on it...

but in case you were wondering what those that

participated have been up to, here you go!

(Click on the mulletard below to see the video - thanks LOTD!)

Happy Friday, everybody!

Snakes, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails!

The following is an email I received from Hayden's teacher yesterday:

"Today during PE Hayden was running behind someone and a rock flew up. Hayden says that it went into his mouth and he swallowed it. I told him that it would come out later when he sat down on the toilet. Hayden was worried but seems to be fine now. He is playing and doing math centers. I am not sure what he swallowed. I wanted you to know what happened at PE. Please send a reply so that I know you read this email."

When I stopped laughing, I composed myself enough to email her back and let her know that she had made my day with this story! I'm reminded of a day (way back when today's fashions were first in style) and I was playing outside in my neighbors yard. Yeah, we used to play outside all day long. You weren't allowed in the house unless you were eating or sleeping. Nevertheless, I happened upon a patch of wild mushrooms in the yard and joked with my friends about eating them. I didn't...but for some bizarre reason unbeknownst to myself, I went back to the house and announced that I had consumed the wild mushrooms in the yard. Sigh...perhaps it was a cry for attention; perhaps I was just bored and wanted to see how much she would believe. Regardless, I'm sorry I did it. No sooner did the words leave my mouth, my mom was administering Ipecac syrup by the spoonfuls and I was in misery in no time!

If she weren’t so concerned about the possibly poisonous mushrooms that I didn’t eat, she might could have been concerned about the eating disorder I could have developed from it all…but I guess she was smarter than that, huh? I learned my lesson…I never lied about eating potentially poisonous mushrooms again…ever!

The Losing Game!

Do you remember something you lost that was really valuable to you? Loved ones aside, of course. Do you remember how attached you were to this particular ‘thing’? Do you recall what it represented to you? Do you think back to it often?

I lost my wedding ring. Actually my wedding set. My engagement ring and the jacket were connected together to prevent wear and tear on the prongs holding the solitaire in place. Accompany me on the journey I’ve been on since Wednesday, May 14th, 2008.

I’m a creature of habit. I operate by routine. You can usually set your clock by me. I have a pattern in place for getting ready in the morning and a similar (yet reversed) pattern for when I get off work and get home. So, Wednesday afternoon consisted of wrapping up some loose ends followed by dinner, bathing the kids and bedtime. Whoo-hoo! Another evening wrapped up nicely. If only I’d known what the next three days would hold….sigh.

Thursday, May 15th, 2008 I awoke Thursday morning to find that my ring was missing. I was pretty sure I remembered returning it to its hiding place the night before, but it wasn’t there…immediately, my mind started racing, trying to rehash my steps throughout the day and all I could come up with was removing it in the car to put lotion on, laying it in my lap, forgetting to put it back on and then getting out of the car. That means, it could be in only about 30 places. Great!

So, most of my day Thursday was spent in tears…while searching frantically and understanding that everyday that went by was going to make it harder to find. I took Thursday evening to dissect the house and car (again) to ensure that I hadn’t left any stone un-turned.

Friday, May 16th, 2008 After much searching of my house, car, desk at work & numerous parking lots within a 30 mile radius I determined that the time had come for me to place an ad in the paper. I live in Anniston, AL and I spend most of my days in Gadsden, AL because it’s my territory. It’s only about 30 miles North of Anniston, but when you’re searching for your lost wedding ring, it’s heartbreaking to know that your coverage area is that large. So, I decided to place the ad in The Anniston Star (where I work) and I opted to include The Gadsden Times as well because they can reach an audience that The Star cannot. It’s a shot in the dark because the odds of someone finding it are slim…then banking on their honesty in today’s society….not good odds, huh?

I had all kinds of folks convey their sympathies to me in the form of “Good luck! I hope someone honest finds it or you’ll never see it again” or “I’m sorry you lost something so valuable to you – I know it was pretty expensive.” Anyone with sense knows that it’s not about the dollar amount that the ring appraised for. It’s about all that the ring represents. It represented the fussin’ and the fightin’; the wailin’ and the cryin’; the laughing and the babies! All of it seemed to be erasing with the disappearance of my ring like the picture of Marty McFly’s family in Back to the Future!

Saturday, May 17th, 2008 Saturday proved to be a busy day before I even got out of bed! We headed off to the hubby’s company “fun day” at the local Nascar racetrack where the kids had an absolute blast. After that, we had to be at the T-Ball party by 4:00 pm. We made it to Party Central and as we were entertained by the kids playing I mentioned to my husband that I’d been absentmindedly adjusting my ring with my pinky finger all day…out of habit. I received that look from him. You know, that look that is so sorrowful and says, “I know, Jenn. But, I’m afraid we’re probably never going to see that ring again.” It broke my heart a little. I don’t like to disappoint and by losing the ring in the first place, I had already managed to do so. Accidental as it was, I was absolutely sick over it.

Saturday night, upon our return home, I received a phone call on my cell phone from a gentleman that claimed to have found a ring that may match my description in the ad placed in the paper. After I finished screaming into the phone, I gave the gentleman an in-depth description of my ring and he followed it with the sweetest words I’ve heard in a while, “Yes, ma’am. I’m pretty sure this is your ring here.”

On the drive up, the hubby and I discussed the odds of someone finding the ring and being honest enough not to pawn it! Or the odds of that person actually picking up the paper to try and locate a lost and found ad. We were both betting that all odds were against me finding it. Upon arriving at the gentleman’s home, I was greeted not only with my ring, but by the most wonderful man. His name is Darryl Brown and he is the pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Gadsden. But, that’s not the weird part. By my calculations (based on where he found the ring) I lost it around lunchtime on Wednesday in a strip mall parking lot. Included in this strip mall is a Subway. He and his wife eat at Subway every Wednesday afternoon. So, my ring only laid in the parking lot a couple of hours. He told us how he was planning to run a “Found” ad in the paper to see if someone might see it. I forced him $100 for his honesty and he begrudgingly accepted and indicated that he’d use it as a sermon piece.

I was so blown away by all these circumstances. It’s just too hard to accept as coincidental. You just can’t write this stuff. I’m still having a little trouble wrapping my head around it all. Nevertheless, my ring is back – a little battered and bruised – but back. I’m grateful that someone of good moral fiber happened upon my lost ring and not someone that would have skipped Subway and gone next door to the Jewelry and Pawn Shop. I recognize how lucky I am to have been reunited with my it – loose diamonds and all. My faith has been restored…which may have been just what the Dr. was ordering for me.

Eerie, huh?

Sanity...Who Decides?

Most are probably familiar with the case of Lauren Burk - the 18 year old freshman at Auburn University that was killed in March. Her body, found on Hwy. 147 was suffering from a gunshot wound that she later died from. As an Auburn alumni, I'm more than familiar with Hwy. 147. It's a rural "cow-town" road that is adapting to change as each incoming freshman class approaches "the lovliest village on the plains".

When this story broke it hit a little too close to home.

Now that Courtney Lockhart has been indicted on three capital murder charges, you would think that the family of Lauren Burk might be able to finally take a breath. The loss of a child is something no one ever asks for...nor should they have to encounter. This bright young girl was headed toward great things in her life. Maybe she was into art, athletics, music or reading. I bet she was a great friend. Mostly, I bet her parents were proud to call her their daughter...and this senseless act took that right away from them.

I have to ask myself how I might handle something like this and of course I'm left speechless. I don't think anyone can answer how they would respond. However, I am intrigued by the report that Lockhart's defense attorneys are preparing an insanity defense. WHAT?!!!!!!!! Why? I'm no judge here...or a jury for that matter...but I'd be willing to bet my stimulus check on the fact that he knew full well what he was doing. He forced her to remove her clothes before he robbed her; he was also indicted on a charge of robbing a business in his hometown of Smiths Station. Sorry, but this doesn't scream insane to me...it screams repeat offender. Lock his butt up before he does it again!!!!!! Please!!!!!

This does make me question the whole 'insanity plea' thing. My opinion (not that anyone asked): If you murder someone, you belong behind bars. If the reason you did it is because you're INSANE, that's just one more reason for you to be locked up. You are a danger to others and a detriment to society. It's common sense, folks. I understand due process, blah, blah, blah. But, I challenge anyone to bear the loss of a child to a cold-blooded killer and try to find it in themselves to be okay with that person wandering around FREE all because their attorneys came up with a dang good "insanity defense".

I'm all for forgiveness and I would trust in God to help me with that, but there has to be a line drawn. Your thoughts?