Bye 2008

hello 2009... Hard to believe that this is the last day of 2008. Where did the year go? It seems now that I am an adult and a working woman that they years just slip by quickly. I seemed like just a few weeks ago I was just learning to adjust from 2007 to 2008 and now we are on to 2009. It has been a fun year and a lot of exciting this happened and I learned a lot. I hope that 2009 is filled with more learning and more growing.
I am just going to put this out there because I think that it will hold me more accountable and I am not very good with asking for accountability so here goes. Andy and I officially started training for a marathon. We ran 3 miles to start off the training and will run 8 by the end of this week. I love training with Andy. I am not a good running partner but he puts up with me and makes me better. Only one of the million reasons that I love him. This will be a test for us. A test of our abilities to push ourselves even when we don't want to, a test of how strong we are physically and especially mentally, and the best part is that we are doing this together. So when you see someone out running in the next oh 5 months, say a prayer for Andy and I. You might just see us out there.
The race will be at the beginning of May and it looks like most of Andy's family will be doing some part of the race. Some will do the 1/2 marathon and some will do the full and it will be fun no matter what or at least it will be at the beginning. I am looking forward to how great I will feel, when at the end I can look back at all of my hard work. So wish us luck...

the Golden Cloggers

Today on my lunch break I drove on over to CSPC (our church) to watch a performance. Now this was not just any performance, this was the Golden Cloggers. I told you how Andy and I went over to Meme's house on Monday for my sewing lesson. Well as we were cleaning up in the kitchen I noticed on her calendar that she was going to be preforming on Friday at CSPC. I told her that since it was so close to my office and because I have never seen her clog that I wanted to come and watch. So that is what I did. They were performing for a senior (and I don't mean in high school) Sunday School Class that is at the church. I got there a bit early so I stood in the back until it was time for her to perform. You know what is awesome about the clogging group... both Meme (Andy's mother's mother) and Gigi (Andy's father's mother) are in the group. I have seen Gigi clog a couple of times, but Meme always had some reason why she was not there on those days. So today I got to see them both clog, side by side. I was not disappointed. The group is so much fun and you can really tell that they all love to clog. I keep telling them that they will need to teach me how to do it. I will have to put that on the list of things for them to teach me. Sewing, crocheting and now clogging. I will be a well rounded person when this is all over!!! Here are some pictures from today. I love these women!!!

This is an action shot. For some reason the picture came out dark so that is why it turned out so bad.

This is post show. They are just the cutest.

Me with Andy's sweet, sweet grandmothers. I look like a giant, I know. They are both just so tiny! I love you Gigi and Meme!

Sewing with Meme

So, I asked Andy's grandmother (Meme) if she would teach me how to sew. I mean I really just wanted her to show me the basics of sewing to see if it is something that I would enjoy before I put down some serious (less than $100 I think) cash to get a sewing machine of my own. I don't want to start making my own clothes if that is what you are thinking. I think that it is evident enough that I need all the fashion help that I can get without trying to design and make my own clothes. I just thought that I would be a good thing to learn and that I could make some simple things for our home or maybe some little ones one day. You hear that one day, I repeat I am not pregnant!!!

At any rate, I got a call last week from Meme asking if Monday would be a good night for Andy and I to come over for dinner and then she could give me some lessons. We jumped at the opportunity, one: because that meant that I was not going to have to plan a meal and then cook it! Woo-hoo! And two: because that meant that we were going to get to hang out with Meme who we don't hang out with enough just the three of us. Speaking of that... Gigi and Granddaddy (I know you are reading this, you are probably the only people reading this) we need to get together for dinner sometime soon. Let's talk and we will work something out.

Back to the story. We had a wonderful dinner and of course she fixed Andy's favorite meal: pot roast with potatoes and carrots, fried okra (she saved some from this summer, what a sweet woman), apple sauce (that was homemade, yummy!) and rolls. What a dinner! Then Meme and I went upstairs to her sewing room to tackle that machine of hers. Well, when I say tackle that is kind of what I did. Meme was so sweet and so cute. She sat down at the machine and showed me how it worked first, then she let me have a go at it. Um, let's just say that I broke the machine about a hundred times. She never once got mad or upset. I totally blamed it on the fact that the machine just didn't like me. I got tons of practice threading the machine and fixing the bobbin thread. (Don't I already sound like I know what I am doing!!!) We had a blast and laughed the whole time, it was so much fun. The funniest thing that she said all night was at one point she said that her machine looked at bit dirty and that she should have a cover for it. I said, "Well maybe I could sew one for you!" She replied, "No!" I guess she did not like what she was seeing so far. I just about fell out of my chair laughing. I said, "Oh come on Meme, you aren't going to let me sew you one?" She said, "Oh I thought that you said sell me one!" More laughter ensued. Overall it was a really fun night. I learned a lot and cannot wait for my next lesson!!!

Next on my list... learning to crochet. I will have to ask Gigi to teach me that so that I can learn how to fix the holes in my beautiful afghan that she made for me as a my wedding present/ welcome to the family present. Gigi, until I learn... I need your help. I have some more holes that need fixing. I guess this is what happens when you use the blanket to curl up on the couch every night. So all in all I think that I am well on my way to becoming a seamstress. Just kidding!!

Here is a picture of my beautiful teacher!!

A new addition...

I feel like I am always making announcements on this blog... but tis the season I guess. I want to announce that our family will be having a new addition this summer. What a funny way to announce this on a blog... (scroll down!)


































Andy and I will be having A BROTHER-IN-LAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!














and you thought we were pregnant... silly you... don't you worry yourselves any Family. We will not announce it on here, first...









Our darling Princess Megan was asked by her totally sweet boyfriend to marry him. She said YES! So, with one word our family went from 8 to 9! Yeah for us, because she picked a really cool guy that along with Andy is totally capable of fixing things. I think that this is a very important a characteristic of a guy. It is so nice to have someone that needs no help when it comes to fixing things around the house. He also loves to hunt. This gives Andy a partner in crime so I can stay home and cuddle on the couch with my warm blanket and a cup of coffee.


I do have a funny story about Scott.


Scott is currently living at Andy and Megan's grandmother's lake house. I know that he loves it because he loves the outdoors and now he can hang out in the woods to his hearts content or at least as long as Megan lets him. Hee hee hee. Anyway, as I said before Scott loves to hunt and there is some land nearby that he wanted to go and check out and see if he could find and deer tracks or antler rubs or whatever you look for when you try to find deer. I should also mention that this happened a few weeks ago in some cold weather.(just a note: I have only been hunting once and was totally scared by a squirrel or something that I thought was hunting me when Andy left me alone and I have not gone again.) He got in the canoe and paddled across the lake (Melton Hill Lake: read one of the coldest lakes in Knoxville) to go check things out. I think that this happened when he was coming back. He got in the canoe and paddled to about the middle of the lake and for some reason the canoe got a bit tipsy on Scott and the next thing that he knew he was dumped by the canoe in the water. This is where it is important that you know that Scott was dressed for cold weather not for taking a dip in the lake. He had jeans, a jacket and his boots on. Well as canoes do it filled up with water and try as he may there was no getting the canoe to flip back over while he was in the water himself. He said that he tried to drag the canoe for a bit but the water was cold (read: um, try freezing) and he was starting to go numb. He ditched the canoe in the middle of the lake (I don't think that there was much traffic on the lake, per usual) and so he swam, clothes and all, to the bank. Then he walked over to this house that is on the point and met a guy who was wondering why in the middle of the winter and fully clothed, why Scott was all wet. Well, lucky for Scott the guy owned a paddle boat and offered to go in it with Scott to get the canoe and tow it back to the house. So Scott ran back to the house real quick to get changed and then met the guy to go pick up the canoe. I think that it was when they got into the paddle boat that Scott realized that they guy had a broken foot and had a boot on it and was not going to be able to help paddle to boat. So Scott paddled (like a bike) the boat and broken foot man out to the canoe. Then he tied the canoe to the paddle boat and had to paddle all the way back to the house. Needless to say when we saw Scott later that day he will still chilled to the bone and was only drinking hot liquids. I guess the best part of Scott is that he rarely complains about anything. I never heard a grumble or anything when he told the story. I would have been mad and probably crying. He just takes everything in stride. He is even-tempered and ready to go with just about anything that is requested of him from Megan or anyone. The number one thing that Andy and I love about Scott is that he LOVES Meg. Evey time they are together you can tell how much they love each other.



Megan and Scott, I know that I have said this to you already, but we are so happy for the both of you. We are happy to have you as part of our family and love that we can call your friends. Your wedding is going to be an amazing celebration of the start of your life together as you become one before God. It has been amazing to see how God has brought you together and we have loved seeing your love grow for one another. We look forward to a lifetime of memories together. We love you both!!!!

Here are some pictures from the engagement night!!! Enjoy!



The happy couple!!!

Meg's ring is so beautiful and I loved watching her yesterday because she could not stop looking at it.

This picture is so Scott and Megan!

Christmas is coming...

and we are totally not even close to being ready. Andy and I are making our plans to get our house ready for Christmas. Last night he was up in the attic seeing if we put our Christmas decorations up there last year. (We better find the before this weekend because that is when we are putting all of our stuff up!!! Eek!) At any rate, I was thinking about how much fun it is to start our own holiday traditions as well as staying true to the traditions of our families. It is hard to find the time to fit everything in with both of our families but it is important to us to celebrate with both. We love our families dearly and love to spend time with them!

This year my mom and I hope to do some baking together and I am totally looking forward to it. For some reason recently I have become more and more excited about cooking, trying new and in some cases old recipes (usually ones that have come from Andy's grandparents or great-grandparents!), and BAKING!!! I love to bake and until recently I had no one to bake for. In the past Andy has not been a huge fan of sweets but with all the running he has been doing I think that it has changed his mind a little...

At any rate, I hope to make this holiday fun and full of joy and I hope that you all do too!! Here are some funny pictures from last year.

Ha! This picture totally makes me laugh out loud. This was last year and I dressed Laney up as her father. She was not really happy about it and the only way that she let me take this picture was because Andy told her to come to him. She will do anything he says. She would not even look at the camera. So funny!

How cute is Nelly. This picture was so hard to get and I think that this was the best one that I got. Nelly like her sister does not like to be dressed up. She kept shaking these off of her head, but I just thought that they were too cute for words. What a doll!

Happy Holidays!!!