The Versatile Blogger!

The sweet and wonderful Jane at Janie's Porch  passed on The Versatile Blogger award to me!  I am so honored as I truly enjoy blogging and meeting new friends!    I just want to thank you, Jane, for thinking about me.  If you have never visited her blog, please stop by.  She is an incredible woman who in the last few months has just taken charge of her life and has been so inspirational for me!  

A "Versatile Blogger" brings everything to the table - a little of this and a little of that."

Now, here are the rules for the Versatile Blogger Award:

• Thank & link back to the person who gave you the award  (Thank you, Jane!)
• Share 7 things about yourself  
• Pass the award on to (up to) 15 other bloggers who you have recently discovered and think are fabulous  
• Contact the bloggers you chose and let them know about the award.

And away we go...

1.  In high school, I was in beauty pageants.  I was Fairest Junior Miss, Fairest of the Fair, and Miss Merry Christmas.  I have the crowns and sash to prove it!!  It is funny because I have never thought of myself as pretty  especially in junior high and high school.  I just never understood how I won!  What I am proudest of though in my pageant heyday is that I won Miss Congeniality in 3 out of the 5 pageants I was in.  It was an honor since I was chosen by the girls because they liked me and thought I was nice.  Looks may fade, but nice is always in!

2.  I have no athletic ability.  I am serious.  I played softball for a year and won Most Improved.  I think it was a guilt thing as I went from horrifically bad to just pretty darn bad.  I tried out for other sports and never made it.  I was a cheerleader in high school but that was way before cheerleaders had to have a gymnastics background.  I suck at golf, but LOVE to play.  Nobody will hardly play with me because I cuss like a sailor on the course when I get frustrated (which is a lot!).  I don' t normally swear, but when I am on a golf course, I might as well have an anchor tattoo.  I just don't understand why I can't hit a little white ball?!? I embarrass my husband!

3.  I love to read.  I read every single night before bed and have for as long as I can remember.  I love mysteries, scary, suspense, gushy romance and all in between!  I love to read some books over and over.  As a child I loved the Trixie Belden mysteries, Nancy Drew and the Heavens to Betsy series.  As an adult, I love to read just about anything!  I can't go to bed at night without reading.  It is weird to me to get in bed and just turn out the light.  Can't do it.  Must read!

4.  I am a former school teacher.  I taught for 5 years in Tennessee, tutored for a year in Germany, and taught for 5 years in Michigan.  I have taught Transition First, First, Second and Fourth grades.  I love to teach children, but I hate all the politics that go with it, the paper work, stupid parents, and I disagree with the education system right now in how much we are shoving down kids throats that they are not developmentally ready for in order to keep up with other countries.  Hellooooo people... not keeping up!  You don't even want to get me started on that!!!  

5.  I hate vegetables.  Yes, I am Southern and yes, I HATE vegetables!  I know.  It just isn't right, but it is true.  DO NOT give me a pea or bean of any shape or sort.  I hate the taste and the texture.  If you try to sneak them in something, I know it.  I sense it before it even hits my mouth.  Ugh... gag... With that said, I do love salad and if you fry okra or pickle it, I am good, but peas and beans... don't even think about it!

6.  I don't like cereal with milk in it.  I know that is kind of the point of cereal, but who wants to eat a bunch of soggy pieces of stuff?  Not me!  No sirree!  

7.  I love being a mom.  It is the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me.  It is looking like there won't be any more in my future and I think I am o.k. with that.  I feel guilty sometimes that I am not giving Jemma a sibling, but I just know that God blessed us with this miracle of her and I am grateful everyday!

There you have it!  7 things you didn't know about me!

Now to pass this on...  I know everyone is busy so if you aren't able to do this, I totally get it, but there are some sweet people out there that I sure do think a lot of!

Debbiedoos Loves Living in the Carolinas

Savvy Southern Style

La Bella Vie

Conversations from the Cul-de-Sac

Adventures in Decorating

Heart and Home

The Gazebo House

Far Above Rubies

Savvy Seasons by Liz

Sailing Simply

Creative Decorating on a Budget

Sullivan and Murphy

Fiona and Twig

Confessions of an Ugly Mom

Fabulous Fashions 4 Sensible Style

Oh Noooooooooooooooo!

I went to dust my pretty new black table and accidentally have dropped/slid a tray across the top and scratched it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so sick right now.  I dabbed some black acrylic paint in the groove which made it not white, but you can still see the scratch.  Any suggestions?????????  :-(

Too match or not to match? That is the question!

So, I just bought a new black, distressed, chippy, round coffee table to go in my new lighter living room!  Now, should I buy a black, distressed, chippy, square end table to go between the new couch and the hubby's leather chair?  Let me have your thoughts ladies!

I am also looking at area rugs.  I really want seagrass, but have heard some say that it is rough on the feet.  I have very delicate tootsies!  Let me know if you have any experience!


By popular demand here are some (unfortunately) lousy pictures!!!  I was trying to not use a flash, but didn't use a tripod so the results are blurry.  I will post some more tomorrow with the sun coming in!

Isn't she pretty?  I think she fits much better here than the ginormous square one I had.

What is that you see?  Yes, I did get some new fall pillows!!!  I will show you these beauties up close when I am all fall-ed out!

They have a square and a round end table that matches that I would put where the big one is now.  

Let me have it and tell me what you think!!!

Back to School...sniff...sniff

My baby started 4K this week.  I am so excited for all the new adventures she will have, friends she will make, and learning that she will do, but I am so sad to not have my baby girl here with me.  All I ever wanted to be was a stay at home mom and now that I finally am, they want my baby 5 days a week!!!  What is up with that???????  I am so grateful to be home with her though at this age in her life.  We do so many wonderful and fun things together that she will remember.  It is also the hardest thing I have ever done and the most wonderful thing I have ever done.  I am so grateful to the BHW for working hard and giving me the opportunity to be with her. It is a dream come true.

Every four year old needs her Barbie cell phone with her!

She is growing into the backpack

Helping our neighbor, Carter, find his room

The BHW got to go with us!  Jemma was so excited!  She must be opposed to smiling at this stage in her life.  What is up with that?

Getting into the groove

Mommy not really wanting to leave...

Our traditional first day of school lunch at O'Charley's 

Here's off to the start of a new school year!  

I am linking up with Heidi for her Gratitude Wednesday at Heart and Home!

The Four Legger

I have been thinking this week about what I am grateful for and here is one special family member that I am very grateful for...

Isn't she beautiful????  This is my four legger baby named Murphy.  We got her in July of 1998.  I have tons of pictures of her when she was a baby, but they are all film and in a box somewhere.  I will pull those out sometime and scan them.  She was just too cute for words!

We went to visit my dad at the horse sale where he works on Tuesday nights.  There was this sweet puppy there and once I held her I knew she was mine.  The BHW wasn't so sure, but after a few cuddles and some serious looking into each other's eyes, I watched him kiss the top of her head.  I looked at my dad and said, "Wrap her up, she is mine!"  She was all of 2.3 pounds and fit easily in my lap.  We got home and I was at Walmart at 2:30 am buying dog supplies!  I was so excited!  I got home and the BHW  had been killing the fleas that had been jumping off of her!  First night down... many to come!

The next morning, we decided she would quickly figure out how to pee on the puppy pad.  Well, she never did especially after she took a detour from the puppy pad to behind the dryer and promptly got stuck!  I took her to the vet that day where she was diagnosed with fleas, ringworm, and heart worms.  This free dog was already costing us quite a bit!  We were told she had some chihuahua in her and wouldn't grow to be more than 13 pounds.  Well... at 32 pounds now she is our precious, medium sized, four legger (as Jemma calls her) baby.

When we moved to Germany, people asked, "Are you going to take Murphy?"  Helllllloooooo.... would you ask someone if they were going to move their kids with them?!?  Of course we took her and what a time she had!!!  Where else could she go to restaurants with us?  Go into a dressing room with me while I try on clothes?  Ride on a water taxi in Venice?  She has been to France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland!  How many dogs can say that?!?

Here she is visiting the World's Largest Cuckoo clock!

And a German castle where we spent many days walking through the trails!

Water taxi in Venice.  I don't think she is too sure about this one!

She was alway up for meeting new friends!  This little dog was all dressed for Carnival in Venice!  

This sweet girl was my best friend for most of our time in Europe.  Because of her, I would take off in the car, drive for a while, find a nice place to walk and off we would go.  She had to go out and I was the one to do it and in the process we found so many wonderful places.  

This is a picture of one of our last walks!  See the Black Forest behind us.  It was so lovely!

We would walk for any where from one to three hours a day through the fields by our house.  Tom and I would walk on the weekends, find a spot, sit and talk while Murphy would dig for mice or bones and just run and play.  I would walk through the week with my best German friend, Marina.  I really learned my German from her!  Murphy and Marina's dog, Kiara were best buds and would have fun running through the fields and going for a dip in the creek!

Here is Murphy in her most famous begging pose!  She is well known for this and could sit upright forever!

We moved back to the States and she was still my main motivation to go out, exercise and walk.  Since she was a puppy she slept in the bed with us.  She would always start off under the covers in the crook of my knee or back and then she would move to the top of the covers.  While in Germany, she hurt her back.  After crystals swung over her (very holistic vet in Germany!), acupuncture and laser therapy she was better, but suffers from her back going out from time to time.  We bought a new king bed in Michigan and she couldn't jump on or off the bed because it was so high so what do any good parents do?  They build a ramp!  The BHW built a wonderful ramp for our four legged baby with matching carpet and everything!  

Then... Jemma came.  

I am not going to say that we forgot about her, but I will say the walks definitely took a downward turn (especially in January and February in Michigan!).  I hate to even mention it, but on one of our first visits out to see friends with the baby and Murphy, we left without Murphy.  We figured it out before we were out of the driveway, but we did leave her.  I am blaming it on new baby, our dog, their dog,  their two kids and a flurry of activity before we left.  We have all been there.  Right?  :-)  

Murphy took little or no interest in Jemma until the food started falling from the high chair!  Then she was her best buddy.  Since hurting her back, Murphy doesn't like to be around kids. She is afraid they will hurt her back so she just avoided Jemma.  We taught Jemma from day one to always be gentle, and I am proud to say that Jemma has always been so sweet to her.  She even tells other people to stay away from her back because it hurts her and that she is "old and crotchety!"   

The look on Murphy's face hasn't changed very much!!

She tolerates the kisses

And they have come to a mutual love and understanding!

I am so grateful to have this dog in my life.  She has made me explore and exercise.  She has shown me nothing but unconditional love.  She is my snuggle buddy and always my friend.  Now she is showing Jemma how to be respectful to animals, care for a pet and love.  She has been with us for 12 years.  As she gets older, I know the day will come that she won't be with us and I have to say that it breaks my heart.  I can't imagine her not there to snarf down any food that we drop or to push my hand up when she needs a little love.  I can't even begin to think about those big brown eyes not looking at me with all the love in her doggie world.  

She is and always will be my first baby.

My Murphy.

I am linking up with Heidi at Heart and Home for Gratitude Wednesday!  Thanks Heidi for always making us stop to think about all the special things in life!

Also linking up to Debbiedoos Pet Party!

Busy week

This has been a busy week, but I wanted to show you a few highlights!

Last Friday night Jemma attempted her first sleep over.  Mind you, I said attempted!  She was so excited to go!  I was the one having a hard time.  She is my baby!  She isn't ready for sleepovers yet!!!  Not in my mind anyway!!!  She came in our room at 7:30 Friday morning with a backpack on and asked if she could go to Zoe's!  It was a long, but very exciting day for her!  We talked about all the things they were going to do and I tried to show how excited I was for her (even though my heart was breaking!  4... she is only 4!!!)  The time came and she packed her bag and paused for just a moment for me to get a picture!

Daddy walked her over

Two excited girls!

Sure is a long way away from home.  Don't you think?

I am proud to say that I did not cry!!!  And we totally took advantage and went downtown to eat at a highly rated restaurant called S.N.O.B (Slightly North of Broad).  I had a steak with a lump crab cake on top and the BHW had grilled fish with a yummy side of spinach and mushrooms wrapped in a potato pancake!  We finished it off with Sour Cream Apple Pie!  Yummy!

No sooner had we walked in the door around 11:00 and the phone rang.  I hate to admit it, but I was doing a small happy dance!  The thought of going to bed without her there was so weird.  She wanted to come home so the BHW trekked all the way across the street to bring our girl home!  She said she was a member of our family, not theirs and she just wasn't comfortable!  Oh well, we will try again!  Not in the near future probably, but maybe when she is 15 or something!  :-)

This week also brought our first gymnastics class.  Jemma informed us after ballet camp this year that she was retiring from ballet as she wanted to take gymnastics and learn how to do a somersault.  I am all for letting her try whatever she wants, so we signed up for an introductory class from the Little Gym.  I told her to check it out and if she liked it, we would sign up and if not, she could do ballet again.  From the minute she walked out there she had a smile on her face that did not go away.  She loved it and I will say that I am very impressed with the Little Gym.  They know what they are doing!  She danced out saying, "I am going to take gymnastics!"

Monkey girl!

She had told me that she wanted to do the uneven bars, but I told her that she would probably do that when she got bigger.  I was wrong!  They started out on the low one and in a few weeks they will let them swing on the high one!

She also said she wanted to do a somersault.  I informed her that you have to learn how to roll first.  I don't think a somersault is too far behind for this kid!

A little help from Miss Nicole

Then she was off!

It is official... we are retired from ballet!

She also decided this was the week to play on the computer.  She just hadn't shown a lot of interest before and would get frustrated with it, but when she sets her mind to it, there is no stopping her!  

I love this next shot.  This is what we see when we come in the office.  Just a little bitty head sticking up barely over the chair!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

My "First Photo Shoot"

Well, I am really, seriously trying my hand at this whole photography thing.  I am taking some more classes, trying to decide what post editing package to buy, and just taking lots of pictures.  Being as we live at the beach, I thought I would try my hand at it.  I haven't done any post processing on these except for some antique finishes so please bear with me.  My next class is a Photoshop class and I took these pictures to submit for the class!

There is something to be said for DIVA LIKE MODELS  who won't come when you call, look at you for more than 1/2 a second, sit in the sand soaking wet, throw sand in the wind which comes back and sticks to their face, and twirls and sings (o.k. the twirling and singing, I don't mind at all!).  I got more pictures of her backside than I did of her face!

With all that said though, I think I got some pretty shots!  I have to tell you... I showed her some pictures on the beautiful blog,  Flora Bella Collections and showed her the little girls.  Her work is exquisite.  I can only hope to be that good one day!  I just thought it would be neat for her to see how little models look.  I kept asking her to smile tonight and she told me, "Momma, I am looking like those other models looked and none of them were smiling."  Serves me right!

Let me just say that when I do a real shoot with "real" people, I will not threaten them with no dinner and no sprite at dinner.  I'm just saying...

Let me know what you think.  Really what you think.  I will not get my feelings hurt.  I just need to know if this is a look that people might like and buy!  I will take any tips and/or advice!

Thanks for bearing with me through all the pictures.  I think this is something I would really like to do.  I just don't have a lot of confidence in myself.  I am lucky to have the BHW who has encouraged me to really go for it if I want to.  He is my biggest supporter and I am so grateful for him.  

So, let me know what you think!