Life with Cheryl

2011-04-21T10:43:00.003-05:00

Because I'm sure you've missed reading them...
a few "Scout Stories"

(1)

We are full-throttle into softball season right now, and Sydney is having an awesome time at the bat (just this past week, she hit two home runs in one game) and in the field (she plays the "circle" position and has become a pro at throwing girls out at first base). Gary is her head coach, of course, and he absolutely loves working with girls at this age (and they love him too!).

As we were getting ready to head out to the ballpark early this week for a game, we were battling the rush-rush of almost game time (getting our hair up into a ponytail, finding our cleats, etc.) and Sydney made the comment, "Sometimes it's hard having your dad as the head coach."

I just had to laugh, because it is somewhat true. Dads are always tougher on their daughters than other players; and Gary likes to have everything work out "just right" (getting to the ballpark early, keeping track of everything). So, yeah, it can be hard sometimes.

But it can also be extremely sweet and gratifying. You should see the way she cuddles up with Gary after a long night at the ballpark; and the way she beams when he brags on how great she's playing.

And, when it comes down to it, I'm just so thrilled and proud to have a husband who is also just an awesome father.

(2)

I've also been full-throttle lately into cooking. For some reason, I have just become committed (obsessed) to trying new foods and new dishes for Gary and the girls. (It could have something to do with the fact that I have the Food Network on in the background all the time; or that I've been wearing out my Pioneer Woman cookbook; or that my trip to Paula Deen's restaurant in Savannah over Spring Break got me all fired up.)

In the past month or so, I've made such yummy dishes as Butter & Lime Tilapia, Steaks with Brandy Cream Sauce, Apple Pork Chops, and Creamy Corn & Smoked Sausage Bisque.

Sydney is usually pretty good at trying new things, but she also likes to stick to her overworn favorites.

A few nights ago, I went back to a tried-and-true pasta favorite, and Sydney made it pretty clear how she felt about it.

"If I could pick someting to eat every time, I'd say fettucini, fettucini, fettucini." (Yeah, she loves my homemade fettucini alfredo.)

(3)

As we headed out last night for church (on Wednesday nights, the youth and children both have activities), we turned on the radio and were greeted by Ke$ha's "Blow." Being one of those addictive, I-can't-keep-from-singing-along sort of songs, Delaney and I both instinctively reached to the radio and turned it on up. We were jamming right along to the music, when Sydney piped up from the backseat.

"Reallllly?" (I'm sure you can imagine that voice.) "I'm trying to read the Bible back here."

I guess it's good to know someone has her priorities straight.

2011-04-04T12:31:00.021-05:00

Just Add Purple (Or...How to host a super-fun Justin Bieber party for your 7-year-old!) To celebrate Sydney's birthday last week, I tapped into the heart and psyche of a seven-year-old to discover what really makes them beat. And I discovered that the answer was "Justin Bieber." Sydney loves her some JB, so what better party could I possibly give to her and her friends? The party was a big hit, and included all sorts of special touches to make it work so well...lots of purple (JB's favorite color), lots of yummy treats, lots of family members and sweet friends, lots of sunshine (thank goodnes!), and lots of smiles. But, don't just take my word for it. How about some picture-proof of the big day? I love to set up party tables and displays... Sydney and I came up with titles for the food based on Justin Bieber songs. For example, there's a song called "One Less Lonely Girl." For the party, we had "One Less Lonely Cupcakes"... and "Baby, Baby Oh-reos"... We had to have party drinks, of course, and I was thrilled with my latest find... I also filled the table with lots of purple-themed treats like Purple and White Tortilla Chips and Salsa (which was actually just blue corn and regular tortilla chips, but it totally worked)... and purple (dark chocolate) kisses for Justin...

I also had assorted purple candies (pixie sticks, laffy taffys, mike and ikes) and lots of purple party ware and decorations. And, of course, the appearance of the "real" Justin Bieber behind the party table just topped everything off...

When it came to party time, the girls had fabulous fun with lots of different activities. McKenna and Delaney were party assistants, and helped give all the girls Justin Bieber tattoos...

We played our own version of hot potato, except with purple blow-up microphones and Bieber music as the background. The girls really seemed to enjoy it a lot...

and enjoyed watching their friends play it...

(And, seriously, how awesome is that picture? Lots of smile on little girls's faces. Best. thing. ever.)

Of course, a highlight of the party was posing and taking pictures with the life-size Justin Bieber (and, yes, even the "big kids" got into the action)...

After presents (Sydney was so excited about the American Girl doll she got!), it was time to sing "Happy Birthday" and blow out some candles (and, yes, for some inexplicable reason my child had to wear purple shutter shades while doing so!)...

All in all, it was a fantastic day to celebrate my wonderful, one-of-a-kind, precious seven-year-old. What a joy to get to celebrate with her yet again, and to make her day so special...

2011-03-30T22:44:00.006-05:00

Surprise Birthdays Just yesterday, Sydney and I were at the local post office buying a stamp to affix to an invitation for her party this coming weekend. (Yes, the party's on Sunday,and I was doing this on Wednesday. Good thing that people expect things like that from me!) When the lady behind the counter handed me a stamp that said "Celebrate!" with a bunch of birthday candles on it, I exclaimed to Sydney that it was perfect to put on her envelope. This led to a conversation, of course, between Sydney and the postal worker. (Because Sydney has in-depth conversations with people everywhere she goes.) Sydney: "It's perfect because it's for an invitation to my birthday party." P.O. Worker: "It is?" S: "Yep, because tomorrow is my birthday and I'm turning 7. And today is my sister's birthday. Hers is March 30th, and mine is March 31st." Worker: "How old is your sister?" S: "She's 19 today." Worker: "Wow," (and she sorta looked up at me and laughed a little bit under her breath), "Your sister was born, and then a lot of years later you came along." S: "Yeah. She's in college and I'm just in first grade. She's my big sister." I laughed back with the lady and had a nice conversation with her in which I said things like, "Yeah, she was a bit of a surprise," and "It's different having a child when you're really young, like I did with my first child," and "Sydney keeps us young, that's for sure." And it all sorta made me think a little bit. About plans. About surprises. About how things that you don't expect become, surprisingly, some of the best things in your life. McKenna and Sydney were both surprises (Delaney was the only child who came along when we were really wanting her to). I wouldn't have planned either one of them, really. With McKenna, I was only recently out of college and only two years into my first marriage. I had never even really thought about being a Mom (I wasn't the sort of child to play with baby dolls; books and Barbies were more my style), and the concept was one of those "some day I might do it" sort of things. When I became pregnant, I of course became excited very quickly. But, at 23 (23!!), I certainly didn't know what to expect; I was terrified of childbirth, and bringing a child into this world, and random things like peas-up-the-nose and saving-for-college. As things often go, though, things moved right along and I learned that the old adage is true, "You just do what comes naturally." Fast forward 12 years and our little family was in pretty good shape. McKenna was verging on her teenage years and Delaney was a smart and sassy 8-year-old. Looking back, I would have probably had a third child a year or two after Delaney was born; but, for whatever reason, we always thought two kids were just right. We soon learned, however, that three is a lot better. I'll never forget the morning I finally admitted to Gary that I sure had been feeling sick to my stomach lately, and maybe I should go get a pregnancy test. He was surprised, but I could tell immediately that the possibility of being a Poppy all over again made him excited (he has always loved babies!; in fact, whenever someone at church hands him a newborn, I just shake my head vigorously and remind him that, at our age, we would be pushing her around on top of our walker). Becoming a Mom again at 35 (and Gary at almost 39) changed my life both in every way possible (another family member! a family of 5!)...and also in just a lot of naturally easy ways (we always called Sydney our "go baby" because we'd just pack her up and she'd go with us wherever we had to go with the other girls' activities). Sure, we had to deal with the concept that we'd have an "only" child once Delaney was off to college (in just three and a half years) and that we would be much older parents than most. But, just as it happened with McKenna, it all just came back naturally and we realized that another child just increased our capacity for love and joy in exponential ways. And also that youth is wasted on the young; you are as young as you think; and she, indeed, keeps us young! Life can certainly throw you some curveballs. There are days when you truly know what's going to happen and, when you lay your head down at the pillow at night, you wonder how in the world your life changed so much so quickly. I've learned that those curveballs, those unexpected things, those surprises...even the tragedies and the unexpected heartaches...can develop into something incredibly beautiful. If you expect life to go according to a particular plan, you better be ready for a rude awakening. If you realize it won't go according to plan and then plan accordingly, you will certainly find that the detour you're being taken on can develop into some amazing experiences. And that you'll be blessed with the most amazing baby, and two-year-old, and seven-year-old (today!), and nineteen-year-old (yesterday!), and family. ----------------------------------------------- [Here I am with McKenna. Look at how young we both look... And my sweet Sydney... And McKenna loving on her new baby sister...

The girls today have a special bond...

And we all have a wonderful time together...

Happy Birthday to my wonderful surprises!!

2011-03-19T08:29:00.006-05:00

It's a Family Tradition

Case in Point #1

Gary got them when he was in fourth grade (he thinks so, at least; when you get his age, it's a little hard to remember these things).

I got mine when I was in seventh grade (although I resisted wearing them, until it pretty much became a necessity).

McKenna got hers when she was in second grade.

Delaney got hers in first grade.

And now, Sydney has hers.

It started again with Sydney when she came home and told me she was having trouble seeing the promethium board (yes, glasses! and no, it's not trouble with blackboards or "chalk"boards anymore).

I told her she might need to get glasses like the rest of us and soon was vascillating between not wanting them ("I'll look like a geek!"; I reassured her that geeks are some of the best people in the world), to thinking they might be okay (especially after trying on a million pairs at the eye doctor and deciding that they're pretty "cool"), to desperately wanting them (one night while I was out grocery shopping at ten p.m. she called me to say that she "Needs my glasses right now. My eyes are getting blurrier and blurrier by the minute." I just smiled at ever my near-sided drama queen).

Now that she has glasses like the rest of us (and is part of the proverbial "Blind as a Bat Wray Club"), she's getting used to them. She still forgets to wear them all the time, but is also amazed at how clear things (tree branches! a softball coming at her!) look when she does.

And she definitely does not look geeky in them. Of if she does, she is just joining the cute geek club. And continuing along in a family tradition.

Case in Point #2

It was the summer of 1984 and it marks the one and only time I've ever yelled at my mother.

Back in the 80s (think back real hard now!), most of our cars had something called a clutch and these things called gear shifts. My parents had a cute little 1978 Mustang for me to drive; as I approached my 16th birthday, I had to learn how to drive a stick shift if I wanted to be the proud owner of that little red car.

I had high hopes for my first driving lesson...until we approached the first stop sign on a hill in the very hilly neighborhood where I grew up. I tried to push on the accelerator at the same time I relased the clutch; I began to roll backwards; my Mom began to pant; I began to yell.

We somehow got home safely, and I promptly announced that I would not get back in the car with Mom ever, ever again. Dad intervened, and the rest of my learning-to-drive experience was much smoother than it started out (he took me to a very large parking lot at a nearby softball field and we drove and drove and drove until I eventually "got" it).

Fast forward to 2011 and we have another daughter getting ready to drive (I know, I know, it was just yesterday that McKenna got her driver's license, but you know that thing about time flying...). Actually, Delaney is just approaching 15, but for a while now she's been telling us that she wants a Volkswagon Bug more than anything. Thinking that it might take four or five months to find a good used one that we could afford, we were giving ourselves plenty of time. Lo and behold, though, if we didn't find one right away. Only thing is....the car is a stick shift.

Delaney, however, was simply blinded by the fact that the car is a cute Bug and she swore that she'd learn how to drive a stick shift.

(Thank goodness we have over a year to do so.)

Following another well-traveled family tradition, I assigned Gary the task of teaching Delaney to drive the car (I briefly tried teaching McKenna four years ago, until I had flashbacks of my experience with Mom and quickly handed the keys over to Gary), and she has been wanting to practice non-stop ever since.

She sure looks awfully cute in the car (as does McKenna, who is also learning to drive it; as do I, who remembers how fun it is to drive a stick).

And so goes time, and traditions.

2011-03-02T14:15:00.003-06:00

March is a Very Good Month

Wow.

Hard to believe it's already March (and that I haven't posted anything here for weeks. I say "I'm sorry," as I sheepishly lower my head).

Although it got here a little too quickly, I'm certainly glad that the month of March is here. Put quite simply, it is one of my very favorite of the year.

Why, you ask?

Let me count out the many, many reasons.

There's the beginning of softball season once again.

And the arrival in the stores of lots of Easter treats.

And the snow is gone (whew!), with Spring on its way. (The daffodils in my yard are making me happy.)

Then there are my favorite sports weeks of the year...that thing we lovingly call March Madness.

There's Spring Break. (Boy, will we be ready for it this year.)

And, at the end of the month comes the birthdays of two of my four favorite people in the world. McKenna turns 19 on the 30th, and then Sydney turns 6 the day after.

So, you see, there are lots and lots and LOTS of good things this month.

I can't wait to enjoy each and every one of them.

2011-02-09T20:37:00.004-06:00

I Love...

(or 10 Random, "lovely" Facts About me)

Several blogging buddies (Pam, Phats, and others) have posted "random facts" about themselves recently and challenged me to do the same thing. With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching (a mere four days away!), I thought I'd take a different approach and create instead a post about "10 Things I Love."

These certainly are not earth-shattering or incredibly insightful facts. Most of the items on the list are, in fact, inspired by what's going on with my life right now. Like the fact that, as I type this, I am lying on my bed in my pajamas and cozily watching college basketball on ESPN. Hence, the first thing on my list is...

1. I love basketball. I think all of you know how crazy I am about all sports (and specifically, most recently, for college football), but I also love college basketball and we are quickly approaching one of my favorite parts of the sports year...March Madness. I am lying in my bed right now watching the North Carolina-Duke matchup, but my favorite team is (of course!) the Alabama Crimson Tide. After a disastrous beginning of the season, we have recently rebounded and are currently leading the SEC with a 7-1 record. I am crossing my fingers (and toes, and arms, and elbows) that we make it into the NCAA tournament.

2. I love snow...but in small doses. We have had the snowiest season I can EVER remember in Alabama (we have gone several years in a row without getting any snowfall, and we've already had about four small-grade storms this season). It is actually snowing outside right now and the girls' school day tomorrow has already been postponed to start at 10 am. I am just about tired of Winter and I have had enough snow. (Personally, I'm ready for flip flops and shorts and 80 degrees!)

3. I love my collegiate daughter. McKenna has adjusted so beautifully to college life and she is evolving into this really cool adult (she'll be 19 next month, which I absolutely cannot even begin to comprehend); even though I miss her everyday, I've adjusted more smoothly than I thought to her being away at school. I think it's because I know she's happy.

4. I love my other daughters too, of course! Delaney is just an absolute joy; a teenager (almost 14!) who is well-adjusted and filled with integrity and makes me proud to be her Mom. Scout is as clever and energetic as ever; I especially love hearing her read (she's amazing!) and anticipate every day seeing what I will learn from her.

5. I love Krispy Kreme donuts. I gave in yesterday morning to my hot-now craving and was thrilled to find that my original glazed donut came in the shape of a heart. So fun!

6. I love "Glee" and "Fringe" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." My current favorite shows couldn't be more different, but Glee and Fringe make me so happy every week. And, now that we have a Netflix account, I have discovered Buffy...which, for some reason, I just didn't latch onto when it first came out (my internal nerd finds it especially hard to believe). Now I totally understand why many people list it in "Top Show Ever" lists.

7. I love cooking. I have been on such a cooking kick lately, and have discovered some amazing recipes. In just the last two weeks, I've made my first-ever Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce (how I've never made it before, I'll never know); a delicious Sausage and Corn Bisque; a beatiful and yummy Fresh Strawberry Cake; and a crazy-good Shrimp with Garlic Cream Sauce. (Heavy cream seems to be a recurring theme.)

8. I love church camp. This upcoming weekend is our annual family retreat at Camp Sumatanga, one of the true pieces of "heaven on earth"--and we CAN'T WAIT to get there. We get to have fun times with so many of our closest friends, enjoy some really cool spiritual time, get away from the computer and cell phone and pretty much any connectivity, and get to reconnect with nature (via streams and lakes and mountains and paths).

9. I love thrift stores. In the last month, I have bought some awesome pairs of shoes and some giant piles of books. And when the shoes cost $2 and the books 39 cents, I'm especially happy about it!

10. I love Valentine's Day. I love heart peeps; and childrens valentine cards to exchange with classmates; and date night with my husband; and chocolate covered strawberries; and mushy messages of love; and hugs and kisses.

I hope that all of you are having a fabulous February so far, and I love All of YOU very much as well. (And, oh yeah...if you want to take my challenge, either post random facts about yourself or a "things you love" post on your own blog. I'd love to read your post and learn more about you!)

2011-02-01T10:33:00.008-06:00

On this first day of February

Can you believe it's February already? I absolutely cannot. It's crazy how time is just zooming past so quickly. (It will be Summer before we know it. And, now that I think about it, warm weather...and the beach, and flip flops, and sleeping late.. sure does sound nice right about now.)

But I'm getting ahead of my self. It's February, like it or not. And I prefer to like it.

February is all about love which I..well...love. We will be celebrating love this month with our sweeties, and with good stuff, and with celebrations, and with chocolate (which, really? Isn't that about the best thing you can show love with?).

And so, on this first day of the Month of Love, I thought I'd just share three quick pictures of my three girls.

Sydney, Delaney, and McKenna mean more to me than life itself. And they continue to amaze me with their awesomeness.

I love them oh. so. VERY. much.

(And aren't they just too pretty?)

2011-01-14T20:08:00.006-06:00

Reading Last Year, Reading This Year

Those pictures above just make me happy. Like tingly happy.

Since the beginning of the new year, I have bought more books than just about anything (well, I have bought some groceries; but, books have come in a good second place). And, thank goodness, my girls get just as much joy out of buying books as I do (hence, the pictures of them surrounded by piles and piles and PILES of books).

My favorite place to buy books has always been thrift stores (not that I don't enjoy a good Barnes and Noble. I certainly do. I just enjoy being able to buy books for $1.48), but we've recently been blessed with a new bookstore called 2nd & Charles. It's this wonderful used bookstore that literally towers above you, and around you, and inside of you. (The first time we visited, Scout and I went in with no idea of what to expect. Three hours later, we walked out still reeling. And with our arms overflowing with books.)

So, I have a ton of books on my metaphorical bedside table (because the really don't all reside there; they're all over the place) that I have bought from this new store, and from B &N, and from the thrift store (just had a productive shopping visit there today). I can't wait to experience each and every one of these books.

With that thought, I wanted to share a few recollections of my favorite books from the last year and some insights into what I'm planning on reading this year.

And, since I could go on and on and on about these books, I think I'll just provide you with a few short lists instead.

Favorite books I read last year--

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. (I jumped on the HG bandwagon a little late, but the hoopla was true. This young adult thriller--and the rest of the trilogy? Excellent!)

2. Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott. (Lamott inspires me like no other writer. Her "radical" thoughts on Christianity get me going every time!)

3. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. (It's always good to revisit a classic--especially if you never read it in the first place. All the references to Alice on "Lost" made me go check it out a little late.)

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. (It's also always good to revisit Harry, as I did this year in anticipation of the latest movie. The re-reading reminded me of why this is my favorite Harry book of them all, and in my Top 10 books of all time.)

5. Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton. (I love discovering a new mystery series and author and this was my 2010 discovery. I love, love, love this character and this series.)

6. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. (This was my token can't-put-it-down and I-stayed-up-all-night-until-I-finished-reading-it addition to this year's list. Gothic and atmospheric, and oh so good!)

7. Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner. (Sydney and I read Skippyjon Jones and all the ensuing books in the Skippyjon Jones series more times than I can even think of counting. These books about a siamese cat who thinks he's a chihauhua is fantastic, and an extra benefit is that you get to read them in your best Spanish accent.)

Favorite books I've read since 2011 started two weeks ago--

1. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. (Young adult, paranormal, picked as Amazon's best YA book of the year. Just plain fun, and I can't wait to get the sequel.)

2. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. (I'm not sure why I've never actually read this book before now, since people have raved and recommended it to me so many times. Labeled as "nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality," this is right up my alley. And the writing is beautiful.)

3. The Lost Encyclopedia by various editors. (The tv show "Lost" was and will always remain my greatest obsession, so I've been sucking in all the minutia in this huge tome. And I have loved it!)

Books I can't wait to read this year--

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. (As I do each year, I will re-read my favorite all over again.)

2. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. (I recently realized--after I found a gorgeous hardback copy at the used bookstore--that the last time I read this classic was when I was in the fourth grade. I think it's time to read it again.)

3. A bunch more young adult books. (For some reason, young adult literature really strikes me lately as some of the best written stuff out there.)

4. The Bible by You Know Who. (As always, I'm gonna do my best and read it more than I did the year before.)

5. All those books in the above pictures. And a lot more than that.

And now you know the drill...

I would LOVE to know what books you read and loved last year. And I'd love to know what's on your to-read list for this next year.

2011-01-12T10:48:00.006-06:00

Words for this New Year

I have a thing for words.

And it makes sense that I do. I’m a writer by trade, and an avid reader by choice. Words, then, are part of what I do and what I am.

Words soothe me, speak to me, and make me sigh. They transport, transfix, and transcend. I, for a lack of better words (yeah, I meant to do that), have a thing for them.

Lately, I’ve expanded my love for words from the page and moved it to the walls and shelves of my home. I’ve decided that my interior design of choice revolves not around a certain color, or really awesome pillows, or a preponderance of chickens (which, in the South, is actually considered normal, even “cool”), but around words.

I’ve become a bit of an amateur collector of signs and paintings and knick-knacks with words on them.

There is the standing “Amore” on my fireplace mantel that reminds me of the sweet husband who often sits with me in front of that roaring fire on chilly, winter evenings.

There is the hanging that used to decorate my bathroom wall until the steaming showers buckled the back and destroyed its hanging abilities. I couldn’t throw it away and it now rests on a window sill where its word—“Story”—is now available for everyone (and not just bathroom visitors) to enjoy. It reminds me that we all (each and every one of us) has a story.

There is the “W” which hangs on my den wall. Okay, it’s not actually a word, but the letter is a pretty powerful one for our family; it unites all of us and reminds us that we are The Ws (even my oldest daughter by my first marriage shares a W for her last name).

There is the tin “PRAY” (my best “word” deal of all; $1.49 at my local Hobby Lobby) that hangs behind a sitting chair in my living room. Whenever I sit in that chair, or in any other spot in that room, I see the short word and it reminds me that prayer is available to me right there at that moment, in whatever circumstances I find myself.

There are the three individual white block letters, “J,” “O,” and “Y” that I painted one Christmas years ago to use as a prop for a holiday family photograph. The picture turned out just like I wanted to, but instead of packing up the letters once Christmas was over, I kept them out throughout the next year. I love seeing the word “Joy” on my bookshelf everyday; it reminds me of what I continue to learn as I grow older every day: Joy—in the big, in the small; in the grand, in the simple—is really key to living fully.

Other words pop up throughout the house—“Dream” and “Wine” and “Sydney” and “Roll Tide,” and “Live, Laugh, Love,” and “Welcome”—in prominent places, on display so that I can be reminded of what’s really important (see how I got in college football as a priority?).

With the new year upon us, I’ve heard of many people doing a little twist on the resolution-thing. Instead of resolving to take certain actions or stop a bad habit, they are instead selecting a word for their upcoming year—a word that epitomizes what they aspire to be, how they want to improve, what they yearn for in the next 365 days.

I love that idea (of course I would), but I’m having a hard time nailing down what word I would want to claim as my own for 2011.

There are many that would be worthy.

Words like Improve. There are so many areas I’d like to improve on in the new year…don’t eat so many donuts, be a more patient mother, be a better pray-er, watch less Netflix at 1 in the morning, don’t judge quite so harshly…that it would be an excellent word to choose.

Or how about Commit? A new year is all about committing to do something (or things) you have fallen behind on doing in the past. In this year, I want to commit to walking two miles a day, avoiding fast food, serving more in my church, querying an editor each day, learning to use coupons. In this year, I want to commit to being a better mother, wife, friend, writer, cook, Christian, human.

Or Learn. I’ve always believed that a key to living a long life is committing yourself to a life of learning. I want, this year (as always), to learn more about stuff…small things (how to drink the right wine with the right cheese), big stuff (what’s really going on out there in the universe), inconsequential things (who sang that song?), vastly important things (how God speaks to me). I want to read more books, learn more words, gather more knowledge, understand more truths.

Or…and I love the way this word rolls off my tongue…Revel. I love people who revel in life. You know those people, right? They can find joy in the small things; a smile is on their face much of the time; they just look like they’re supremely enjoying their walk through this life. I want to be that kind of person, so I think revel is a great word for 2011. I want to revel in the birds, and the snow (you wouldn’t believe how much we’ve gotten in the last week here in Alabama!), and friends, and cake, and family, and books, and music, and church, and trees, and art, and jokes, and places, and people.

So, I’m not sure which word I want to claim as my own this year. Maybe all of those together would work well.

Or maybe I should just choose the word Live.

I once heard a quote that went something like this (I can’t remember the exact wording, and Google didn’t help me find it): “Life is like a canvas. We should throw all the paint on it we can.”

In the grand scheme of things (and in the little scheme of things as well), this what it’s really all about. I want to truly Live. I want to experience this life with meaning and joy. I want to truly live (not just breathe in, breathe out; not just get up and go through the motions; not just sleepwalk; not just manage) every, single day.

2011-01-01T16:54:00.042-06:00

Our Christmas Celebrations...via Some Favorite Photos

As we venture into 2011 (Happy New Year to all of you. I hope this next year is your best ever!), I thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures from our Christmas celebrations over the past month.

Christmas starts off with decorating the house. Nutcrackers are my favorite holiday collectible, so I decided to do something different this year and put them on my mantle. I really liked how that turned out!

And then I LOVE my white tree. Especially with its disco ball ornament.

(By the way, my Christmas decorations are still up and intact. I take mine down on January 6, which marks the official end of the Christmas season on the church calendar. Besides, that way I can enjoy them all a little bit longer and not have the stress of bringing them all down.)

We also listened to a lot of good music during the holiday season. Our CD of choice was the Glee Christmas CD.

Christmas, of course, is incomplete without a visit with Santa. The second picture gives evidence that he and Sydney were having quite a conversation.

The children's Christmas play at our church is a highlight of the season and many people say that it really kicks it all off (after the play, you're in the spirit whether you're ready or not!). This year, Sydney had a big speaking role and a solo. She did quite fabulously!

One of the highlights of the season for me is the party we have at church for underprivileged children in our community. My good friend, Ryan, serves as Santa Claus; this year, Sydney helped out in costume; and we provided presents for a bunch of kids. It's always a humbling and meaningful experience.

We always try and enjoy some Christmas "culture" (yes, even in Alabama we have it!), so we ventured as a family to see the Alabama Ballet performance of "The Nutcracker." As we left, however, it began to snow...so we stopped to take a couple of pictures as it began to flurry.

And then, at the performance, a picture of Gary and I all bundled up.

We decided to take a family portrait of the grandkids for Gary's parents. After a few failed (and humorous) attempts, we got a couple that we really liked.

"It's a Wonderful Life" is our favorite Christmas movie of them all and it's especially wonderful when you see it at the beautiful, vintage Alabama Theatre.

I decided to have a little girls-night-out Christmas party, and it turned out to be quite a blast. I decorated a red-and-white dessert table, had martinis, and invited some of my sweetest gal friends (McKenna's boyfriend also showed up, which was a treat as well).

The first family celebration is a Christmas Eve Brunch at my parents' house, where I got these cute picture of the girls (and one showing their silly side).

We then venture to Gary's parents' house for Christmas Eve dinner. This year, we bucked tradition and had an Italian menu for the dinner. It was quite delicious and a great idea! I also got another cute picture of McKenna and Delaney while we were there.

And Sydney and I enjoyed the beginning of snow flurries. (And, yes, believe it or not...we had a semi-White Christmas in Alabama! We had flurries pretty much all Christmas Eve and Christmas Day long, even though it didn't stick for long. But we're still considering that White!)

Back at our house, the girls eagerly anticipated opening presents from Gary and I, and also from each other.

Sydney wrote a special note for Santa Claus. (And as it is quite obvious, this note was just from HER.)

Santa apparently liked her letter because he (aka Gary) brought me all sorts of fantastic presents (two of which really fed the Nerd in me!) and brought Sydney the Rapunzel castle she wanted so badly!

I pray that you all had a wonderful, wonderful Christmas season and that you are anticipating all sorts of good things for 2011.

Thank you for spending another year with me here on my blog. I love you all!!!!

2010-12-22T17:10:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas 2010 (brought to you by the Wray family and Facebook)

As I sit here writing this annual Christmas letter (with just a few days to go until the Big Day; what can I say? I’m a procrastinator) and hear Sydney downstairs, I take a quick break to post the following Facebook status: “Scout is using the fire-stoking tool and mini broom in the fireplace and on the hearth: "The chimney has got to be clean and dust-free for Santa. He will come down the chimney and he will be like, 'Woah, this is so clean. Sydney did a great job.' Cause, you know, he always sees and knows what you've done."

It got me thinking…what a better way to tell you about our previous year than to share it with you via Facebook? Here are some actual, real-live FB statuses posted throughout 2010.

Jan. 7: Celebrated the championship game with Texas and Alabama fans alike. We ended up the happy ones, and Delaney cried tears of joy.

Jan. 12: In Tennessee for McKenna’s first big Winterguard competition of the season. She looks beautiful and, as always, I’m amazed at the ability to toss anything four rotations in the air.

Feb. 20: Family church retreat at Camp Sumatanga has got to be in the top one or two weekends of the year. Nothing like it!

Feb. 27: Visited the University of West Alabama today, and I saw the light go off in McKenna’s eyes. I do believe this is the place. [She ended up picking UWA for her college!]

March 20—Waiting in line for Tinkerbell and the fairies for almost two hours? Suprisingly worth it. (By the way, Disney World bed-jumping pictures are now officially in my FB albums for all of you to enjoy!)

April 10--Just sent McKenna off to her Senior Prom, and she looked mah-velous! (Thank you Jessica McClintock for the dress, Tina for the hair and makeup, and whatever family genes gave her what I couldn't give her.)

April 29--Kindergarterners still learning to read crack me up. Yesterday after school, Sydney got excited in the car and said: "Look, it's Waffle House! Let's go!" Then she stopped and said, "Oh man. That's not waffle house. It says mattress warehouse.”

April 30—Scout has decided to give nicknames to every Atlanta Braves player. We now have Chippyjon Jones, Brian McCandy Corn, Melky Way, and Clucky McClutch (Nate McClouth).

May 4--Noooooooooo! (Delaney and I just watched our dvr-ed "Lost" after coming home from a victorious night of softball.) The episode--especially the beach scene with them all crying over the loss of their friends--had us bawling like babies. “Lost,” you're killing me (and, yet, I love it)!

May 11--Scout's possible championship-winning game and McKenna's Senior Night (where she's giving a speech) are both at the same time tonight. I wish I could clone myself!

May 27--Today is a real "full circle" day! Fifteen years ago today, Gary and I got married...with this adorable little 3-year-old by our side. And today, McKenna graduates from high school.

June 14—I’m exhausted from the Southern Christian Writer’s Conference. But, as always, it was uplifting and encouraging and oh-so-fun!

June 24--Coming back from the beach last night, Sydney made this wiser-than-her-years (and also funny...since, well, it was Scout saying it) statement: "Think about all the dolphins and the fish out there. And the sharks too. Even though they're mean, they're important for this environment." Seeing the oil barriers on our beloved beach made all of us so sad.

July 24--Red-letter day for Scout: She swam "for real" for the first time and now can't get enough of it. ("I can't believe I can swim now!" she keeps saying.)

July 26--Best place EVER to play softball. The pitcher's circle is shaped like Mickey's ears. :-) [Delaney’s travel ball team participated in the USSA World Series, and came in 5^th out of 48 teams.]

July 27--I'm always afraid of looking forward to something and then being disappointed, but that was NOT the case today. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was absolutely fabulous!!! (From Hogwarts, to Olivander's, to the frozen butterbeer, to the chocolate frogs...everything.)

Aug. 3--So good talking to McKenna today. She is doing well, making friends, learning her guard routine, learning to eat at the dining hall, getting used to her dorm. (Whew!)

Aug. 15—Haven Grace’s 4 am heart transplant went great, and her NEW heart is in and beating. We are all crying tears of joy! (Isn't God grand?) [Haven is my sweet two-year-old cousin, and we have prayed so long for her to get a new heart.]

Aug. 26--The doctor who treated McKenna in the ER was named--get this!--Dr. Pepper. And as McKenna was finally going up to her room in the wee hours of the morning we saw him holding--get this!--a Dr. Pepper. Has got to the best. doctor. name. ever. [McKenna had a serious bronchial infection and spent four “fun-filled” days in the hospital.]

Sept. 11--Look for me on ESPN. I'll be the crazy, crimson-clad fan halfway up around the 20-yard line. I'll also be yelling "Roll Tide Roll!!" at the top of my lungs. (I'm sure I'll be easy to find!) SO excited to see the renewal of this wonderful rivalry between Bama and Penn State.

Sept. 13-- Delaney made the all tournament team for the JV volleyball tourney this past weekend. I am so proud of her (and so glad she gets her athletic abilities from someone other than me!!).

Sept. 24-My sweet McKenna is home for the weekend, and it makes me so happy to talk in the kitchen while I cook and get updates on boys, and classes, and friends, and life in general. She seems happier and more content than she has in a long time, which makes me incredibly content myself.

Sept. 26--I cry out to Him, not even knowing the words to say. [On the 26^th, we lost three of our best friends in a tragic carbon monoxide accident. We miss Greg, Karen, and Malorie—one of McKenna’s best friends—so much, and their passing was the greatest challenges of our year. Amidst our grief and pain, though, we learned so much about faith and friends, and have so many awesomely beautiful memories that we are still leaning upon!]

Oct. 6--I want to go along with Mitch and Cam to the Studio 54th of July Party, the Sederday Night Fever Party, and the Oscar Wilde and Crazy Brunch. [Along with “Modern Family” and the aforementioned “Lost,” I also loved “The Big Bang Theory,” “Psych,”and “Fringe.” Gary loved “Sons of Anarchy,” Delaney loved “Pretty Little Liars,” McKenna loved anything “Law and Order,” and Sydney loved “iCarly.” We all loved “Glee.”]

Oct. 7--For homework, Scout had to write down as many -all words as she could come up with. We did the regulars (hall, ball, mall, etc.)and I even taught her a new word, "gall." Then, the clincher...she put yall on the list. Yes, she is a Southern girl!

Oct. 16--I'm missing the Bama game tonight, but it's for the Perfect Reason. We are heading down to Livingston for UWA's Homecoming and I CANNOT WAIT to see McKenna.

Oct. 30 -- I'm ready for the Genie, Wonder Woman, Police Woman, Mad Hatter, and Red Queen to make another Halloween appearance! (I seriously wonder if most 42-year-olds love dressing up quite so much.)

Nov. 12-- Just home from a whirlwind trip to Texas for my Grandma Sloan's funeral. It was a beautiful service that truly did justice to the wonderful woman she was. There were so many smiles and few tears...just what she would have wanted, I believe! [My grandmother, Fay Sloan, passed away at 92-years-of age after battling dementia and illness.]

Nov. 20-- It's almost time for a Harry Potter Date Night with Gary.

Nov. 25—I am thankful. Oh so very thankful.

Dec. 5--Whew. We made it through the children's Christmas play at church. (Can you hear the "Hallelujah" chorus in the background?)

Dec. 15: “You really did have a wonderful life, George.” (“It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Alabama Theatre; “The Nutcracker” by the Alabama Ballet. I love making memories with the family…and I do, indeed, have a wonderful life!)

We hope you have a wonderful, peace-filled Christmas season. May your upcoming year be one with goodness, and joy, and laughter … and the knowledge that you are loved beyond measure by the God who made the awesome decision to be born among us as that sweet Christmas baby. His love is ever-real and ever-present and shows us how to live more fully in 2011!

We love you all!!

Gary, Cheryl, McKenna, Delaney, and Sydney

2010-12-14T18:07:00.003-06:00

(While I'm still attempting to finish my Christmas letter for this year--oh, let's be honest. I haven't started it yet, although I have great ideas for it!--I thought I'd republish an essay I wrote last year for my blog. I used it in my letter last year and it still has meaning for me. Hope you enjoy it again. And I promise that my new letter will be on here soon. Or at least as quickly as I get it written.)

“The One Who Brought Mirth”

Sydney had been helping me get our Christmas decorations set out throughout the house. We'd put up the tree, and set up our Advent candle wreath; my huge nutcracker collection was set out, and random Santas appeared in corners everywhere.

The last things to be brought out were our nativity sets. One went on my fireplace mantel, and the other came to the dining room table.

As Sydney directed the placement of the figures on the table, she decided to give me a little lesson about the first Christmas. And, in so doing, gave me a pretty big lesson about Christmas today.

"I know who the Wise Men are," she said.

"You do?" I answered. "Tell me all about them."

She picked them up one by one and introduced me to the magi.

"This one is the one that brought gold. It's really pretty and valuable."

Yes, absolutely correct.

"This one is the one that brought frankincense. I think it's like a perfume."

Close, Sydney. And I'm just proud that you didn't call it frankenstein (which I was sorta expecting.)

"And this one is the last one. He's the one who brought mirth."

Almost immediately I thought about correcting her. We all know it's myrrh, after all. But I didn't.

I just gave her a hug and told her how I proud I was of how much she knew about the Wise Men and the story of Baby Jesus. And talked with her a few minutes about how we are like the Wise Men today; we give gifts to other people because they brought gifts to the baby, and that we need to give Jesus our own gifts (our love, and kindness, and helpfulness) today.

But I kept what she said...that "he's the one who brought mirth"...and pondered on it it a little bit. (I find that I often "keep things in my heart and ponder them" a lot during the Christmas season, much like we see Mary doing in the story that started it all.)

Mirth is defined in the dictionary as "gaiety or jollity, especially when accompanied by laughter."

How wonderful a concept it is to think that, as that Wise Man actually brought myrrh on that starry night so many years ago, he was also bringing a new era of mirth. He was welcoming something that should bring us all joy and happiness and gaiety and contentment and, yes, laughter.

The Christmas season can be overwhelming at times. We can find ourselves so wrapped up in everything that has to be done...the shopping, the money spending, the holiday events and responsibilities, the rush-rush of it all...that we don't experience what should really be the true emotional feeling of the season...the Mirth.

Mirth and joy and laughter come to me in many forms during this time of year.

They come to me as I pick out the gift that I just know will put a big smile on the face of a family member; or as I buy a gift for someone I've never even met, but know still that it will make their Christmas a little more joyful; or as I bite into a gingerbread cookie; or as I watch and listen to little children perform a Christmas play; or as I lie under the tree and shake my gifts with glee; or as I watch Charlie Brown's Christmas on tv; or as I dig out a few extra dollars and put them in that Salvation Army bucket; or as I light a candle that smells of cinnamon.

Mirth comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes during this time of year.

But, I...and we...must be open to its invitation. We must realize that it's here for us amidst the busyness. We must realize that it's really what makes the season worthwhile.

When we find it, we become a little more wise and we can then carry it to the world around us. And then we can carry it back to the baby Jesus (wrapped not in a box like that first Wise Men did, but wrapped in a smile, and a heart, and open arms) once again.

(And below is my sweet Scout, who taught me that lesson...and teaches me so many more every single day. This is her, by the way, singing at our Christmas musical at church two weeks ago. She sang the solo, "What Child Is This," and did beautifully.)

2010-12-03T11:21:00.013-06:00

These are a few of my favorite things...

The first day of December has come and gone and now we are in full-on Christmas mode. I adore this time of year, for so many reasons (the lights! the food! the gifts! the family!) and I am oh-so-happy it's finally here.

As I look at my life (and the season right now), my heart is bursting with some "favorite things."

Things like...

Family traditions. Here is Sydney reading out some of our "thankful strips" on Thanksgiving morning. Traditions are what bind us together.

Football with Delaney. Here are Delaney and I all decked out in our crimson and white and houndstooth, getting ready to head out to the Iron Bowl last week. Alas, our beloved Bama team lost...but (amidst the wailing and gnashing of teeth), we sure enjoyed our time together with 101,000 of our closest friends.

My sweet, sweet girls. I absolutely ADORE this picture of Delaney, Sydney, and McKenna (which we took on Thanksgiving evening at my parents' house). The girls are just becoming more and more independent and lovely, and I'm proud to be their Momma. (McKenna is away at college and loving it, so we especially love when we get to spend time with her!)

Friends. Here are Chris and I at a recent 8os Silly Supper for the youth at our church. We were absolutely rocking the big hair, tight leggings, and heels (I was going for a sort of Red Version of His Royal Pupleness Prince). Chris is an amazing friend...one among many, many that I'm blessed to have.

Our special Malorie Ornament. We are all still just grieving the loss of our dear friends Greg, Karen, and Malorie, and this Christmas just won't be the same without them. Malorie loved Christmas so much and she also loved fashion. She always was dressed to the nines, and especially loved shoes! So, McKenna picked out this glittery, sparkly high heel ornament for our tree. It's always the ornament I notice first...and I wouldn't have it any othe way!

My white Christmas tree. The green tree is in the living room, the smaller tree is in the den, and the white tree is upstairs in the dining room. And I gotta say that there is something about that white tree, its disco ball ornaments, its sparkly lights, and the giant glittery "Peace" topper that just makes me smile extra big!

A visit with Santa. We went and visited the Big Guy yesterday and this Santa was a most excellent version. He talked with Sydney for several full minutes, and they seemed to be having quite the conversation.

My presents from Gary. One reason I love Gary is so much is that he absolutely understands my love of Christmas, and he indulges me big-time! He wraps my presents early so that I can shake them for weeks, and he always gets creative with his gift tags (it's a little something-something we do; we are required to write cute nicknames on each other's tags).

Music. I've been listening to a lot of Glee music lately (the Glee Christmas CD seems to be our holiday music of choice), which all of us just love (we love the show, of course, too and it's the highlight of our Tuesday nights!). But, yes, you also see some Green Day and Beatles peeking out from under the Glee music.

I hope you are enjoying some of your favorite things this December. If you aren't...what's stopping you?

Love you all, and see you soon!

2010-11-24T21:33:00.003-06:00

So Thankful

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I'm sitting at the dining room table as I type. There is the smell of cream cheese cookies wafting from the kitchen, the glow of the newly-decorated Christmas tree winking at me from the living room below, and in front of me is the box that holds this year's "thankful" strips.

You might remember that we have a tradition in our family that involves writing our blessings down on strips of paper, then reading them with each other on Thanksgiving morning. It's one of my favorite traditions--mostly because it's so simple, and so true, and so honest. It doesn't involve gifts, or a lot of hard work, or expectations. (Those are the same reasons I love Thanksgiving in general, too. It's just easier than other holidays.)

While we won't read our blessings out loud until tomorrow, I can guess what some of the strips of paper will say. Sydney's will probably involve friends and books; McKenna's will most assuredly center on her new (we like him!) boyfriend; and, honestly, Delaney's will probably also involve boys (and the fact that she gets to the Iron Bowl with me on Friday); Gary's will be sweet and mention his wife and kids (and probably hunting).

Mine? Well, mine will include some of the following things that I'm thinking about tonight.

On this Thanksgiving Eve 2010, I have so much to be grateful for. Big and small things. Silly and serious things. A lot of things.

So, here is a list that just sorta tips the iceberg.

1. I'm thankful for sports. And especially for Alabama football. And even more especially for getting to go with Delaney to this year's Iron Bowl.

2. I'm thankful for sweet, sweet friends. Friends who keep me sane. And laugh with me. And enjoy an occasional margarita.

3. I'm thankful for creme brulee.

4. And mashed potatoes.

(You know how much I love food. Those are just two of my latest favorites.)

5. I'm thankful to have McKenna home from college for the Thanksgiving break.

6. I'm thankful that Scout loves to read so much. (And that she reads bedtime stories to me.)

7. I'm thankful for Delaney's strong personality and confidence (even though it can be a challenge sometimes.)

8. I'm thankful for "Glee." (And Glee CDs.)

9. I'm thankful for the wonderful, wonderful memories I have of my Grandma Sloan. (She passed away two weeks ago and I miss her. But, aww, what memories!)

10. I'm also thankful for the sweet memories of friends who left us too early. (Memories--and faith--are about all that get me through.)

11. I'm thankful for my amazing church.

12. And for grace. And more grace. And grace yet again.

13. I'm thankful for "Fringe."

14. And for everything Harry Potter. (Love that I wore my Hogwarts shirt--and carried a wand--to the new movie the other night.)

15. I'm thankful for online friends.

16. I'm thankful for the most awesome parents a girl could ask for.

17. I'm thankful for the beautiful weather we've been having. (Although I'd also be thankful for cooler, more appropriately seasonal weather. If you'd like to consider that, God.)

18. I'm thankful for the promise of Gan Gan's dressing tomorrow.

19. I'm thankful for a home. (So many don't have even the simplest blessings that I have.)

20. I'm thankful for bubble baths.

21. I'm thankful for sweet tea and good wine.

22. I'm thankful for a husband who gets me.

23. I'm thankful for a good night's sleep.

24. I'm thankful for laughter.

25. I'm thankful for white Christmas trees, and pink lights, and shiny ornaments.

26. I'm thankful for Facebook, and my computer, and blogging (I promise I'm gonna be better about posting!).

27. I'm thankful for teenagers. (Yep, you heard that right.)

28. I'm thankful for that some new writing opportunities are opening up for me. (This year has been a tough one for getting writing assignments, but I think things are looking up.)

29. I'm thankful for cameras. And photographs.

30. I'm thankful for having another day to breathe, and laugh, and love, and live. (I'm gonna do my best to make the most of the day.)

I love each and every one of you. And I hope that you all have a wonderful, wonderful Thanksgiving filled with all of your favorite things!

2010-11-08T08:43:00.002-06:00

Roller Coasters

[I'm way behind on posting things to my blog, but I'm going to attempt to do better. I've been feeling a real pull to writing some creative things lately...mostly because some pretty big things have gone on lately; things that have made me think a lot about life and faith and our journey and family and all those good signs of life...so I'm going to be writing more "essay" type pieces. Also, November happens to be Family Stories month and I've got some ideas for that. I also, of course, need to post some pictures of Halloween, and football, and school, and other events/activities going on lately.

But, for the time being, here's something instead. It's something I wrote several weeks ago, after dealing with the loss of three dear, dear, dear friends. They were a beautiful, vibrant family...Greg, Karen, and 17-year-old Malorie...who died in a tragic carbon monoxide accident. We miss them so much and are still dealing with the loss. Thank goodness, though, we have such wonderful memories. And thank goodness I have something I can lean on as we get through it...and any hard times that life throws at us. Love you all, and will see you again soon. I promise!]

A couple of years ago, as I approached the eve of my 40th birthday, I decided to tackle some of the tasks I had sadly ignored for the first half of my life.

Regrets, untraveled trips, untried foods, fears.

At the bottom of my list, because (let’s be honest) I wanted to tackle this thing as much as I’d want to tackle a linebacker, I had written, “Ride a rollercoaster.”

Two years later, the closest I’ve come to crossing this item off my list is riding the Goofy Rollercoaster at Walt Disney World.

But, and this is the great thing about turning 40 (or 50, or 60, or 70, I hear)—I’m okay with that.

While I tried Indian food for the first time, and reconnected with childhood friends, and walked barefoot in the Atlantic, and lay under the stars with my husband, I left that one item empty. Even though I was given the opportunity several times (and had to live with the disappointed look in my three daughters’ eyes; “Come on, Mom, don’t be afraid. Once you get on it, it is SO much fun”), I just couldn’t make myself strap into what I like to affectionately call the steel trap of impending doom.

It makes my head spin, my mouth dry, and my stomach lurch just to think about it.

That doesn’t mean, though, that I wasn’t willing to twist the rules around a little bit—to try a faux version of a “real” roller coaster. (Anything to fulfill my fortysomething wanderlust, and still not have to actually get higher than 20 feet off the ground.)

I decided that I was game to try the aforementioned coaster in Orlando. Even though it’s labeled a “family” coaster and even my 6-year-old was riding it, my husband and girls were all equally shocked when I said I was going to give it a whirl.

“For real?” they all said in unison, and then laughed that laugh you reserve for old people who’ve descended into dementia or for that child with no coordination who decides to learn how to ice skate.

I rolled my eyes, as if I couldn’t believe that they’d doubt me, but then questioned my bravery when I saw how fast it appeared to go around the corners. (At this point, I began to draft my letter of complaint in my mind: “What is this theme park trying to pull over on all of us? This can’t be safe for little children.”) Then I gathered every ounce of courage and loaded into that goofily-decorated car, holding onto little Sydney’s hand; she, for her part, smiled and said it would be all right, Momma.

Our older girls sat behind us and began offering me Roller Coaster Tips 101.

Be sure and keep your eyes open.

It’s not really that high.

And the kicker, from Delaney: “Let go, and it’s so much more fun.”

Is she insane, I thought? Let go of this thing while it’s hurtling through space? No, thank you. I’ll just hold on tightly for dear life.

For the record, I did the exact opposite of what they advised. I closed my eyes; I yelled that “I. Told. You. I. Don’t. Like. Heights”; I gripped hard; I cursed my husband (and the inventors of the theme park) as we dove around the corner.

As I reflected later on the experience, though, I realized that—while I will never overcome my fears of roller coasters (even the little ones; and I’m totally okay with that)—Delaney’s words of advice are actually quite close to the definition I would give if someone would ask me how I am living my life of faith.

“Let go.”

If there’s one thing we humans all tend to share it’s the notion that we can do it pretty well on our own. We are capable. We are strong. We are in control.

I’ve seen it with each of my daughters at each phases of their lives. At two, they pushed my hands away as I tried to turn the pages of their toddler book; “I do it, Momma.” As teenagers, they pride themselves on driving themselves, fending for themselves, discovering for themselves. And that’s natural, of course, because we all have done it. And we all still do it.

Most vividly in my encounters with God have been those where I heard that voice in my ear and in my heart saying, “Give it up, Cheryl. You don’t have to do this by yourself. Let me be a part of what’s going on.”

That voice came to me close to twenty years ago, as I saw myself become—out of the blue, hurtled into the wind–a single Mom to a sweet, blue-eyed, very dependent one-year-old. I cried out to God in fear so many times that my voice became hoarse from the effort. Until one night (I can still remember the spot on the road, right there at a speed bump down the street from my parents’ house) when God said, “Let go of the fear, and let Me help you with McKenna.”

That voice came to me several years ago, as I discovered a strange lumpy-like knot below my stomach. As soon as I felt it, my overactive imagination went into overdrive. Cancer, surgery, “oh no, what will my kids do without me?” rumbled through my brain and, when none of my regular doctors could figure out what was going on (even after ultrasounds and all sorts of poking and prodding), the overdrive went into maximum drive. Amidst the crazy talk in my brain, God interrupted and said, “Calm down, Cheryl, and let go of this. Give it to me and I’ll take care of it, one way or another.” (I listened to the voice and something-so-simple-as-a-hernia was later discovered as the culprit.)

That voice came to me just a few short weeks ago, when a strange, hard-to-believe accident took three dear friends from our world. Comfort came in many forms. Our memories of the father, mother, and daughter were filled with music, and laughter (side-splitting laughter, in many cases), and silliness, and smiles, and jokes, and playfulness (and, my personal favorite, moments on a well-loved beach). Our common friendships. Our beautiful church family. Our knowledge that they gripped their faith tightly.

But, still, the sadness and the worry and the unflinching pull of grief took ahold of us. I saw it especially in the young people around us—teenagers who were dealing with the loss of a vibrant 17-year-old. The answers, in those times, are harder to come by. And, so naturally, you hold tighter to your tears and your tissues and your trepidations.

After things had quieted down on the day our friends were buried and children were back at home watching television and texting friends and eating pizza (normal things, as much as possible), I went back to the cemetery. It was, in the physical sense, the most beautiful day I’d seen in a long time. A Southern afternoon that only reached 75 degrees, no cloud in the sky, the wind blowing ever-so-lightly.

I went and sat down on the ground not far from the pulled-up ground and the pile of accumulated flowers. Then I lay down. Then I looked up into the bright, cloudless sky and I felt God say to me yet again, “Here we are, Cheryl, and you’re trying to handle this on your own. Let me carry it for you for a little while.” And, with that warmth radiating down onto my face, I knew that the admonishment was true once again.

That same voice comes to me everyday, as I struggle through much more mundane moments.

I look for a lost set of car keys. I struggle with how to discipline. I get mad at my husband. I feel inadequate. I get frustrated because I’m somewhere late again. I worry about someone close to me. I let circumstances take control of me.. And in the midst of those everyday things, I do my best to find the solutions; until I realize that my best isn’t good enough. I have to let go again.

On that day at Disney World, after getting off the coaster, we traipsed around the park holding hands and smiling big smiles. My daughters were proud of their Mom who could be so brave, and I felt a little bit lighter in my step.

Sure, I had my eyes closed the whole time. And I screamed like a little girl. And everyone around was much braver than me. But I made the attempt.

And so is life.

I scream and cry and let it all out. I close my eyes sometimes, because I’m afraid of what’s around the corner. And I oftentimes think that everyone else is doing a much better job than me.

The good news is, I’m not stuck on that goofy roller coaster. The good news is that I can get up every morning, grip on tight, but then…Let Go.

2010-08-22T16:36:00.003-05:00

I know, I know.

I've been so good about not posting.

AND, there has been so much going on in the past month.

SO, I do believe I will try and get caught up.

Let's see...

I need to post something about Delaney's travel team placing 5th (out of 48) teams in the softball World Series.

And I need to post something about McKenna moving off to college.

And, yeah, then there's Delaney and Scout's first days of school.

So, I promise I'm gonna be back real soon!

2010-07-22T23:56:00.002-05:00

Random Almost-Friday Thoughts

It's really late (like 11:58 am) on Thursday evening and, since it's been forever since I've been online, I thought I'd share with you (random style) what's been going on lately...

Got McKenna through freshman orientation and registration. Yep, my baby's heading off to college!

I'm so enjoying the return of my favorite Summer show. "Psych" totally cracks me up!

I have been cooking and baking SO much lately. When the kids go back to school in about three weeks, I'm gonna have to go on a serious diet to get rid of all the calories I've consumed via blueberry muffins, chocolate cupcakes, and assorted pasta dishes!

Had a blast leading sessions at our Vacation Bible School last week.

So loving how my Atlanta Braves are doing this season! They are red-hot right now and waaaay ahead in the National League East. Hoping it keeps going all the way to the World Series!

Had dinner the other night with my best friend and one of our mutual high school/college friends. It had seriously been more than 20 years since we'd seen each other. It felt like it had been so much shorter since we'd seen each other...and we agreed that we still all look fabulous!

Delaney's 14-and-under travel ball World Series is this week. Go Team Elite!

I CANNOT wait to see Harry Potter Wizarding World while we're at the Series.

I've pretty much gotten addicted to Facebook...hence, the lack of posts here. But, I love blogging too much to let if fall by the wayside. I'm vowing to be better about posting!

We visited our favorite Gulf Coast beach last month and it was so sad to see the oil up on the beach. Seeing the disaster first-hand just broke our hearts (and I'm definitely going to have write about that soon).

I hope you all are having an AWESOME Summer so far. See ya soon!

(And, oh...did you know that football season kicks off in like 40 days?)

2010-07-03T22:37:00.003-05:00

Happy Fourth of July!!

I hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating Independence Day tomorrow. I wish you lots of good food, time with family, and lots and lots of blessings.

We will be at the softball park for a lot of the day (with Delaney's travel ball team at the NSA state tournament), so we'll be celebrating with a lot of this sort of stuff...

I do hope, though, to spend some time with family tomorrow (and Monday as well). We will invariably enjoy a lot of laughter, and fireworks, and food (especially food). I anticipate getting to make some sort of yummy, patriotic-looking dessert...

Other things I love about the Fourth of July include:

watching all those cool President-themed shows on the History Channel, playing with sparklers with the girls (I still feel like a kid when I do it), eating barbecue and watermelon, getting some sun (and maybe getting wet in a pool or sprinkler), and getting a little teary-eyed whenver I hear the national anthem or any other patriotic tune.

What do you love about this holiday?

How will you be celebrating this year?

2010-06-17T09:03:00.010-05:00

This is what has kept me from posting...

I'm sorry, sorry, sorry (and sorry again) for not posting anything lately. Life has been incredibly busy and, although it's not going to get any slower any time soon, I'm going to do my best to be better about posting. I miss it when I'm not doing it.

Anyway, there are a couple of reasons why I've been awol from here for a few weeks.

Things like high school graduation, softball all-stars, and birthdays.

I'm constantly amazed at how time flies and my girls are growing up in front of my eyes. (It's crazy, isn't it?)

Summer is going to be full of activities (more softball, vacations, college move-in, etc. and etc.), so I'm going to do my best to get on here to preserve it all in words and pictures.

In the meantime, I hope you all are having a fantastic Summer. See you all soon!

2010-05-25T09:24:00.019-05:00

And this is how Lost runs over into real life (or, "yes, here's more proof of my insanity")...

In my last post, I ruminated on how obsessed I am about "Lost," the television show. I've been more in love with this show than any I've ever watched (and, yes, I'm saying it...it even beats my ten-year-old "Charlie's Angels" and "Wonder Woman" obsession), and I've spent countless hours watching it and reading about it and theorizing about it, and feeling closer to imaginary characters than is really probably healthy. But, it is what it is. :-)

On Sunday night, the series finale of the show aired (and, by the way, I absolutely LOVED the finale. It's divided a lot of fans, but to me it was a beautiful culmination of the stories of the characters. They got redemption, their relationships were celebrated, AND the island story was still worth every bit of the time we put into it for six years, AND Jack--and Kate, and Hurley, and Ben, etc.--got to save the place and the people. If you want a "real" recap and my theories, just ask me. I'd be happy to provide them with you. LOL).

I had been obsessing over the end of the series since we first found out about it two seasons ago, and it was really on my brain a lot over the last week or so especially. It's only natural, then, that it seeped into my "real" life pretty naturally.

This past weekend, Gary and I spent a wonderfully relaxing time at a simply beautiful place called Dismals Canyon up in the northwest part of the state. There were gorgeous waterfalls, and hiking trails, and creeks, and cabins, and cliffs. We hiked, and held hands, and enjoyed each other's company so much.

And, of course, I spotted a lot of Lost-inspired scenes and posed for Lost-themed pictures (and yes, by the way, Gary did think I was insane).

Like me reenacting the scene were the castaways first found fresh water at the caves...

And me imagining jumping into this waterfall with Sawyer...

And me spotting what I think has got to the glowing river of life-giving light...

And me even finding what I think could be the well where Desmond was thrown...

When we returned home from our trip, we were greeted by even more Lost goodness. Delaney--my cohort in Lost obsession--had spent some time while we were gone decorating the house with all sorts of signs and scene recreations and decorations to honor the show (and to serve as a backdrop for watching the finale that night).

She had a jungle...

And some really cool signs...

And the black and white gamepieces...

And the "magical" wine...

And some "smoky" artwork...

It truly put a huge smile on my face, and welcomed us back to the real world in a really cool way (though not very "real," after all!).

As we approached the finale, we enjoyed some special "numbers" cookies (here is Sydney enjoying "Jack," who was appropriately #23)...

And we reenacted a few scenes. (Delaney sniffing the wine cork, which we really know is just a metaphor for the island!; me considering my reflection, ala the Sideways/Eternal world)...

I'm still saddened by the fact that my favorite obsession is over. It's engaged my mind and spirit so much over the years, and I will miss it. But, still, my best friends (including you all!) may be happy. They won't have to hear my crazy ramblings any more.

On that note...Long Live Lost. May my memories of you be ever sweet!

2010-05-21T09:46:00.002-05:00

7 Signs You're Way Too Obsessed with "Lost"

7. You go to a screening of a live question and answer session with the "Lost" producers at a movie theatre in your town. While there, you seriously bond with other "Lost" nerds and you feel a strange kinship with them. (Delaney and I did this last night and had a blast!)

6. You stalk every "Lost"-related blog, website, and message board you can find.

5. You use "Lost" as the basis of your weekly Bible study class you teach to the youth girls at church. (Yes, my girls got a Lost lesson this past Wednesday.)

4. You DVR each episode and rewatch them at least two times.

3. You also save every DVR-ed episode from the season, so you can go back and watch them again after the season is over. You will have major "Lost" withdrawal, after all, probably the day after the show ends for good.

2. You cry every episode, as if the people on the show are your own family. Yes, I am sadly that connected to this show and the characters.

1. You seriously think about decorating different rooms in your house like the Hatch, the Glowing River of Life-Giving Light, the Beach, Otherville, and other assorted scenes from the show...all for a crazy series-ending finale party.

(I could go on and on and on and on, but I don't really want to frighten you any further. LOL Just know that I am looking SO forward to the series finale of "Lost" this Sunday night. I have so many theories, and expectations, and memories, and favorite moments. It's really touched me, even in a spiritual way. It's truly been my favorite tv show of all time, and I'm sad--and, yet, excited--to see how it all ends.)

2010-05-19T09:04:00.007-05:00

A few "Proud Momma" moments

1. Delaney was given the Director's Award for outstanding female choir member at her middle school this year. (She is an athlete--remember softball from the previous post?--but she adores singing and anything musical as well. And is quite good at it.)

2. Scout's park softball team won the 6-and-under championship, and she was chosen for this year's All Star team!

3. McKenna continues to be recognized for, and enjoy, all the things affiliated with the end of her senior year. As senior class historian, she presented a speech at the senior awards night, was recognized at her final band concert, and enjoyed a special graduation tea that my Mom gave for her.

What proud, exciting, or just cool moments have you had lately?

2010-05-11T12:04:00.000-05:00

Take Me Out to the Ballgame...All Over Again!

I recently came across this sweet note and picture I posted up above. Delaney must have written/drawn in when she was maybe seven or eight. On it (in case you can't read it well), she said to Gary: "You will always be my Poppy and my coach."

For most of her childhood, Gary spent countless hours at the ballpark with her Pop; or Coach Gary, as all the other girls on their teams called him. She started playing at four-years-old and played at the ballpark until she was 11; Gary was her head coach for most of those years. He coached her for two seasons in travel ball, but then soon handed over the coaching duties to other coaches as Delaney moved into more upper-echelon travel programs.

Delaney still plays softball (as any even occasional readers on this blog know! LOL), and she is getting geared up for the Summer travel ball season to start again with her Birmingham Mustangs.

We just finished up, though, with her eighth grade school ball season, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures with you from the year.

She's a lot older now (and is finally getting taller!), but she's still that little girl who loved the game so much and loved her Poppy being her coach.

Of course, watching Delaney play softball has always been a family affair. And now Sydney is right there by Gary to watch all the action.

And then, when Delaney's games are over, Sydney is ready to play!

Gary coached Sydney's team, the Stray Cats, this year and they had a GREAT season. Just last night they hammered down the league championship for the 6-and-under teams at our softball park, and Sydney (or "Scout," as we all call her on the ball field) had some great plays.

Scout played circle girl for our team this year (this is the player that's in what is usually the pitcher's position, although the teams are coach-pitched), and she had a great hitting season. She didn't strike out one time!

Here are some pictures of my softball-loving Scout and her teammates and friends...

It's been so much fun to see Scout develop as a player this year (making catches like that one right there!), but more imporantly to make friends and learn sportsmanship and love something so much!

I only hope that she continues to love it as much as Delaney always has.

2010-05-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

On Mother's Day

Being a Mom is...
challenging, rewarding, infuriating, and yet more joyful than you could ever anticipate.

Being a Mom of a six-year old is full of...
sticky hands, lots of ball and books, lots to write about, and laughter & laughter & laughter.

Being a Mom of teenagers is full of....

sass, trials, changes, but a whole lot of pride.

Being a Mom of daughters is...
an honor, a privilege, a responsbility, a joy,
as you shape the women of the future and sense that yours will make it better.

The older you get, the more you...

appreciate, respect, love your own Mom.

The older you get, the more you...
love being a Mom.

On this Mother's Day, I will....
stop and reflect,
give and receive as many hugs as possible, relish in the "I love you"s I receive,
and hope all Moms everywhere (you included!) have a fabulous day!

2010-04-27T09:13:00.005-05:00

Tuesday Morning Ramblings

>> I'm thanking my lucky stars (and thank you, God) for my wonderful husband. Having someone on your side is an amazing thing.

>> I think it's so sweet that my Mom is all excited about the graduation tea she is doing for McKenna. Petit fours, and centerpieces, and punch...such a beautiful thing to look forward to.

>> Scout and her Stray Cats are doing Awesome. They won the first half of the softball season, and now are in first place for the second half. You should see Scout hit, catch, and throw that ball!

>> I've got a new wedding ring set. I recently lost the diamond out of my engagement ring, and Gary took it as an opportunity to get me a brand new set. It's all diamondy and sparkly, and I love it.

>> I'm wondering what I'll do with "Lost" not being on this week (it's taking a week off). How can I possibly survive?

>> How can so many dirty clothes pile up so quickly?

>> I've really got to get working on that senior year scrapbook I keep talking about. (Along with that Disney World one too!)

>> My favorite quote from Sydney this week? ""Now we have EVERYthing! A big screen tv, and a pond full of goldfish. What more could we want?"

>> I've been watching the first season of "Designing Women" on DVD, and it's as funny (nay, funnier!) than I remember it being the first time around. (Makes me love being a Southern gal!)

>> I'm glad I finally got on and blogged again. It's good to "see" you all here, and I love you all!

2010-04-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

It's Random Tuesday, yes it is!

After a long hiatus, Random Tuesday is making an unexpected appearance today.

So, for your enjoyment (and your participation...join in the fun, and answer these in the comments section or on your own blog), here are some "fill in the blank" questions/activities just for fun.

1. So excited when I bought_____________.
I was so excited when I took a trip to the thrift store and found a completely unworn pair of Liz Clairborne white wedges. They seriously are the most comfortable shoes I've ever put on my feet (and they cost me just $2.49!)

2. If I had "mad" money to spend right now, I'd buy me some ______________.
I'm not going to say anything expensive--although I really want to go on a cruise, and on a weekend trip to NYC!--but I'm going to go easy and inexpensive and say, "If I had mad money to spend right now, I'd buy me all the seasons of 'Designing Women' available on DVD so I could laugh out loud repeatedly at the wonderful, late Dixie Carter. And, oh, also an entire bag of new books. I'm in a book buying mood!"

3. I really shouldn't have ______________.
I really shouldn't have eaten that entire package of Peeps! (Yep, leftover Easter candy is not safe around me. I cleaned out the girls' baskets of all that marhsmallowey goodness, but I probably really shouldn't have!)

4. _____________ made me cry.
When I got word this past week that my precious one-year-old cousin, Haven, will be in ICU until she receives a heart transplant..of course, that made my heart break. (If you're a praying sort of person, please send loads of them up for her and for her parents. They are fantastic people, and we just want to believe that everything is going to work out for Haven.)

5. ______________ made me laugh really hard.
Hanging out with friends at our favorite Mexican restaurant the other night made me laugh more than I had in a while. Being with friends is always a surefire way to get the laughter going, and that's a very.good.thing.
(Honorable mention: The sneak peek of Sue Sylvester singing "Vogue" for the Madonna-themed episode of "Glee" coming up.)

6. _______________ is/are awesome!
"We are awesome!" We yell this often--and loudly--in the stands for Sydney's softball team, the Stray Cats! We are doing so well, and we are having so much fun yelling and cheering the girls on.
(Honorable mention awesomeness goes to: "Lost," "Fringe," date nights with Gary, friends, and McDonald's new frappes.)

7. I just can't believe ___________________.
I just can't believe that McKenna has like twenty-seven days left until she graduates from high school. Crazy!

8. I'm really looking forward to _______________.
I do not like to wish my life away, but there are so many awesome things coming up in the next few months that it's hard to not get excited. There's McKenna's graduation, a weekend getaway for our anniversary, some super-fun Summer trips (including a visit to the new Harry Potter theme park in Orlando!), possible softball All-Stars for Sydney, and lots of mornings of getting to sleep late.
(In the meantime, there is tonight's "Lost" to look forward to. You guys do know I'm obsessed with that show, right?)

9. The weather right now is ____________________.
The weather right now is totally green/yellow! Pollen is everywhere and it's quite disgusting.

10. My mood right now is _____________________.
Positive, and thankful, and "life is worth all the effort it sometimes takes!"

11. I couldn't believe it when ____________ said _________________.
When Sydney told me, "I know what boys like," I thought to myself, "Oh boy, I've already got one 18-year-old and an almost 14-year-old in the house. I don't need you growing up that fast!" (LOL...actually, she had been invited to a birthday party for one of her best friends at shool. She was one of the few girls at the party and, when I told her we could just give Harper some money in a birthday card, she said, "No, I know what boys like. I've got to get him Star Wars, or swords, or guns, or transformers." She ended up getting him a Nerf dart gun set, which Harper said was his favorite gift of the day. I guess she DOES know what boys like.)

12. And now I'm ___________.
Now that I've actually done a blog post (hurray!), I'm off to work on some scrapbook pages (I haven't done any in ages and I am waaaayyyy behind). But first...I'm meeting Gary for lunch (which deserves another hurray!).

Leave a comment to say "Hey!"...answer some or all of the questions in the comments section...post them on your own blog (and let us know about it)...

Whatever you do, Have a Super Tuesday!!!!

2010-04-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Dear McKenna:

It seems like just yesterday that you were dressing up as your favorite Disney princesses...always either Belle or Jasmine (if you'd had a Mulan costume, you would have definitely worn it. You were always a big fan of the strong-minded girls!).

It seems like just yesterday that you were coming home and telling us about the little boy in your kindergarten class who wanted to marry you...and then that first boyfriend in the fourth grade...and then your first kiss (I looked at the expression on your face when I picked you up from school, and guessed it right away).

It seems like just yesterday that Pop (and your Daddy) were your favorite dance partners. And I was your favorite date.

It seems like just yesterday that you were a skinny, bespectacled, and a little bit gangly girl (and, yet, beautiful all the same).

Yes, it seems like just yesterday.

And, yet, here you are. All grown up. Dressed up. Dancing with the other boys in your life. Beautiful.

It makes me sad. It makes me proud.

It makes me sentimental. It makes me expectant.

And so, as I look at these pictures of you on your Senior Prom night, just know that I love the little girl you once were. And the young lady you now are.

Love,
Mom

2010-04-10T09:19:00.000-05:00

Birthdays & Easter...
Because Life is a Celebration!!

Even though I'm waaaaay behind on posting pictures here on my blog (this weekend was Delaney's season-ending county softball tournament; and tonight was McKenna's Senior Prom, and I have lots of pictures of both events), I wanted to go ahead and get caught up by sharing some pictures from our birthday celebrations for McKenna (she turned 18!) and Sydney (6!). I'm also sharing Easter pictures, which ended up falling just days after the birthdays.

We had some good times!

2010-04-04T21:27:00.002-05:00

I hope you had a wonderfully amazing Easter!!!

I will be back soon with pictures of all of our festivities (we had birthday parties, and all sorts of Easter activities this weekend!), but in the meantime I just wanted to wish all of you sweet bloggy friends a wonderful holiday.

I also thought I'd share a status update I put on my Facebook page last night, as I reflected on what Easter means to me.

Based on my favorite Easter-y song (well, not counting "Up from the Grave" and "He Lives," which are definitely my favorite Easter hymns)--"My Redeemer" by Nicole C. Mullen--this is what came to my mind as I thought of what the sacrifice of Holy Week means for me...

The same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken...they conquered death to bring me victory." How powerful is that? The God of EVERYTHING...the One whose mightiness we celebrate tomorrow...loves me, little ole me with His whole heart. That is humbling, and yet overpowering in its meaning. I am worthy...because He is worthy with a capital W.

Love you all!

2010-03-31T20:24:00.002-05:00

Reflections on Little Girls Growing Up

This afternoon, Gary was holding Sydney in his lap. She was feeling somewhat puny--she had checked out of school with a fever--and he was brushing her hair a little bit, holding her hand, generally trying to make her feel better.

What made it even sweeter was that it was Sydney's birthday and Gary was trying to cheer her up with tales of birthday fun and importance. "I can't believe you're now 6-years-old," he said. "You're getting to be a big girl."

Then he looked up at me with some slightly tearing-up eyes. "They're just getting big, aren't they?"

Today was Sydney's birthday...and yesterday was McKenna's 18th birthday.

"It seems like just yesterday that I was pulling her around in that little laundry basket," he reminisced about McKenna. She must have been three-years-old, and she just loved it when she got that exciting ride in the basket. "I guess that's why I have a hard time sometime. I forget that she's not that little girl any more. She really is growing up and becoming an adult."

And therein lies the rub...the two-sides of seeing your little ones grow up.

You're so proud to see them grow and blossom, but you're sad to see the days of holding hands and sharing secrets and being silly fade a little bit.

It's hard for Dads to deal with sometimes...and it's hard for Moms too.

So, on this day today, I am giving tribute to my two wonderfully beautiful, and sweet, and stubborn, and smart, and spiritual, and talented, and independent girls.

Still little Sydney. Six-years-old.

And now "all grown-up" McKenna. Eighteen-years-old.

I can still see McKenna as she was in those first two pictures at the top of my post. So sweet, and blonde, and precocious. And so attached to me.

And I oh-so-appreciate the young lady she is becoming...

My memories of Sydney as a little-bitty one are a lot fresher in my mind (in that picture of me and McKenna at the top, I was just a little thing myself. Only 23, and still trying to figure out what motherhood was all about; when I had Sydney, I was approaching the 40-side-of-life).

She was and is just so precious to me...

We have celebrated--and will continue to celebrate for several more days--these birthdays in fun ways that honor how special McKenna and Sydney are.

The other morning, as I made a birthday breakfast for McKenna, Gary wished her a "happy birthday" and then wished me one too. "It's really more your day than anyone's," he told me.

And I appreciated that comment.

Because, while I absolutely think that the day a new person arrived on this planet is worth a lot of cake and presents and joy and excitement (I'm ALL ABOUT the birthdays; and I absolutely want it to be THEIR day), it was still nice to be acknowledged a little bit.

Because the birthday of your child is a day to reminisce and get a little sentimental.

To celebrate. To remember.

To marvel at how the years go by.

And to be thankful for each and every one of them.

(Blogger's lack of spacing between paragraphs is bugging the stew out of me. Please forgive this post for having the paragraphs crammed up against each other. I'm gonna see what I can do to fix it asap!)

2010-03-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

Finally...

A few more vacation thoughts/impressions and my Disney PHOTOS!!!

Life has been incredibly busy since I last posted (softball games! birthday dinners! getting caught up with laundry!), so I'm just getting around to recording some more thoughts from our awesome Disney World vacation.

I especially wanted to share some photos with you (I have a lot more good ones I could have shared, but I had to cull through them and pick some of my favorites. Because, otherwise, I could have been on Blogger forevvvvver. LOL)

To share the pictures with you all, here are some more thoughts/tips/impressions from our trip.

Any trip to Disney reveals some true "characters"...

And you can't help but slide down the giant leaf (from "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids") repeatedly...

Shows and sisters and (and 3D shows with sisters) are pretty awesome...

Any trip to Disney also involves a lot of pampering (which is something everyone deservess every once in a while)...

Sometimes it's totally worth it to give into your child's Disney product desires...

After days full of eating, shopping, playing (and other "hard work"), it's important to let off steam by bed-jumping...

There are lots of wonderfully random photo-taking opportunities...

And there are also lots of opportunities for Sydney to bust into street performances...

Roller coasters are great fun (when they're either the Goofy Roller Coaster, or Space Mountain. Unless you're me, who doesn't like either kiddie or big coasters!)...

So are riding family-bikes across the Boardwalk...

Most importantly, though, a trip to Disney reminds you that every girl is a princess...

Until next time, we will have wonderful memories of our trip...

2010-03-21T16:06:00.004-05:00

10 Lessons Learned from Disney World

1. When you get a week of three daughters getting along perfectly (no squabbling! plenty of sharing and volunteering to hang out with each other!), you feel absolutely blessed (and you live in that moment!).

2. (Practical tip alert.) When it's announced that the park will stay open an extra hour (as it did for us, until midnight, at Magic Kingdom) go back to where the line for princess photographs and autographs was an hour-and-a-half long earlier in the day. Go an hour before the park closes (when, presumably, most of the little kids are exhausted) and you can see the princesses much more quickly. It was wonderful.

3. Waffles are always great for breakfast. Mickey Mouse-shaped waffles are even better. And Mickey Mouse-shaped waffles...arriving on a room-service cart...are even BETTER!

4. "Roll Tide" is some sort of universal greeting among strangers at a theme park.

5. Don't get in a huff about food prices inside the park. You WILL pay $8 for a hot dog. Deal with it.

6. Take as many photographs as possible. And then take some more.

7. If you are wondering what can make a five-year-old, thirteen-year-old, seventeen-year-old, and forty-one-year-old turn into blubbering messes of "Awww, she's so pretty," and "Aww, that's so sweet," the answer is: Tinkerbell, Belle, Princess Aurora, and Cinderella live and in-person, and giving those girls (and one grown-up) real, live hugs.

8. If you have an eleven hour drive ahead of you, leave at 2 in the morning when everyone is still asleep. Your kids will wake up two states away and you will only listen to, "How much longer?" for a couple of hours. (And you can handle that.)

9. (Practical tip alert.) Use Fast Passes.

10. It's never too late to reconnect with your childhood. And it's never too late to connect with your own children.

(Full photo recap soon. I promise.)

2010-03-17T21:16:00.003-05:00

Disney World!

Having a fantabulous time in Disney World, and SO bad wanted to get online and post some pictures of all the fun we're having. And, yet, our hotel Internet connection is realllllly slow and it's taking forever to upload pictures on to the blog (although I did manage to get that new picture up in my banner; and it should give you an idea of the fun being had!).

So, just take my word for it...We're having a great time AND I'll try and get some pictures on here as soon as I can.

I hope that all of you are having a great week so far!

2010-03-11T08:19:00.003-06:00

Random...ummm....Thursday

I used to be good about posting "Random Tuesday" ramblings, in which I did fun little quizzes or reveals about myself or memes that have traveled through blogosphere.

So, even though it's not Tuesday (it's already Thursday; can you believe that??), I thought I'd do something similar today.

Here's just some fun "what's going on in my life lately" questions. Feel free to share your own answers in my comments section, or post on your own blog (and let us know you did it, so we can go check it out).

1. Eaten anything good lately?

I could mention the incredible stuffed grape leaves, and feta cheese spread, and cheesecake I tried this week with a friend at a brand new Greek restaurant...but I'm going with my favorite Easter candies instead. Once Valentine's Day candies are off of the shelves, I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of Easter packaged goodness. And my favorites? Those Cadbury Mini Eggs with the candy-coated shell. I bought a bag of them a few days ago and I can't keep my hands off of them. (By the way, I'm also a big fan of the Cadbury creme eggs and Peeps. March and April are dangerous for me!)

2. Traveled anywhere good lately?

Unless you count travels to and from Delaney's middle school softball games and tournaments, we haven't gone anywhere exciting lately. But...we are heading to Disney World in four days. We are all quite excited!

3. Read anything good lately?

I'm currently reading The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield. It is a totally engrossing, fascinating tale that is gothic and mysterious and full of literary references. I haven't had much time for reading lately, so I'm glad I've found a book that's drawn me in so much.

4. Celebrated anything good lately?

I'd have to go with Sydney (and Coach Gary) winning their first softball game of the season. Their team, The Stray Cats, are having so much fun together (they are 4- through 6-year-olds) and are really learning how to play well. You all know how much we love softball in our family, so it's great to have another child enjoying it.

5. Watched anything good lately?

You all know how obsessed I am with "Lost," so really? Could there be any other answer to this question. This season--which is the final season, for all of you who might not be keeping up--has been absolutely wonderful so far. There is so much to see within each episode (it's truly more than a story; there is symbolism and deeper meaning and real character developments ), and the theme this season for me has been "redemption." This week's episode just turned me into a sobbing, blubbering mess, because of the redemption arc that was created.

6. Heard anything good lately?

Instead of an ode to my favorite music right now, I'm gonna have to tell you that I heard the best news this morning when I heard from an old friend. Debby (she and I were cheerleaders and youth group members together waaay back in junior high; a whole lifetime away!) lives in Texas now and I haven't seen her in years, but I get regular email updats from her. She has been battling cancer for more than ten years now and has been faced with very grim diagnoses over the years, but the latest update I got today was that the cancer-free diagnosis she got eight months ago is still holding on. In July, she will be cancer-free for a year. This is amazing news and literally, absolutely made my day. (She began her message with the words, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow!" and Debby is a shining example of faith in the midst of trials. She is an inspiration!)

7. Learned anything good lately?

I am constantly learning and growing and striving. So, yes, I'm always learning something new and good.

My latest "revelations"...I really don't like rain for a week non-stop; you have to be One Tough Cookie sometimes as a mother; sleep is highly overrated; God's still working on me (and all of us); and life is filled with so. much. good.

(Thanks for stopping by. Steal these questions away and comment or use on your own blog as you will. Have a fantastic day!!)

2010-03-04T22:05:00.000-06:00

I'm handing out smiles

The past week was one of those weeks.

And by one of those weeks, I don't mean what you think. It wasn't bad; or frustrating; or filled with all those sorts of things that make you sigh a little bit and say, "How long is this week gonna last?" (Well, there was that 45-minute span on Saturday night that was a little bit like that. But I'm just considering it an abnormal blip on the radar screen of the past week.)

Nope, it was one of those weeks. The ones filled with so many happy days and moments and thoughts, that you say to yourself, "I wish this week could last a lot longer." The ones where time seems to flit by on floaty wings. It was just a week filled with stuff that made me smile.

I, then, am handing out smiles to you by re-hashing and sharing some of the good moments from my past week; and then hoping you can find some things to smile about too!

To start off the smiles...

I totally enjoyed watching the Olympics during the past week or so. Snowboarding was awesome (Shaun White? Amazing!); I loved Apollo Ono and speedskating; hockey was great; and, incredibly, I got totally hooked on curling (there, seriously, was an afternoon that involved Gary and I screaming in unison, "Yes!" over a wonderfully-made curling shot; even though I had no idea about scoring or the rules or pretty much anything about the sport, I knew it was exciting).

My favorite winter Olympics sport, though, has always been figure skating and there was a lot to get excited about this time around (my personal favorite was seeing Evan Lysacek beat the Russian; I kinda got this 1980s vibe when watching it, as if the Cold War wasn't quite yet over).

The most smile-inducing moment, though, was having Sydney by my side as we watched the men's finals. She didn't seem too concerned about triple flips and lutzes (I relied on Scott Hamilton for that), but did have a lot of fashion commentary to make. Her best take: "That boy's shirt looks like a sweater made by a grandma. A really old grandma." (I'm with her; some of the costumes were quite interesting.)

More smiles came from...

McKenna and I had some wonderful times last week looking for that "perfect" dress for her senior prom (which is coming up in just a little over a month; time is just absolutely flying by!).

Some of the cool mother-daughter bonding time surely evolved from the fact that we were shopping and I was purchasing for her (the Mall is usually a happy place, right?); but I think most of it came with her anticipation for the prom this year.

It didn't hurt that she picked an absolutely goregeous Jessica McClintock dress that she wears like a dream. (And even better? We came home and Gary told her to get the dress she wanted, no matter the cost.) She told me later that she felt like a princess in that dress. That absolutely made me smile.

Also smile-inducing...

Last weekend was one of our most anticipated weekends of the year. Family retreat weekend. A time when we can go together, as a family, to one of our favorite spots in the world (gorgeous Camp Sumatanga). We spend time together, and with some of our best friends. We get away from technology (no computer! no television! no cell phone service!) and instead enjoy conversations, and games, and walks in the woods, and reflection by the lake. We get in touch with our spiritual selves too.

It's truly a wonderful weekend.

This year, though... because of other engagements and responsiblities...we were only able to be there for a night and half a day. Still, that one night and half a day settled my soul and engaged me with nature.

The week also included...

McKenna getting word that she had been accepted at her college of choice and she was receiving an academic scholarhip to attend. Smiles.

My leading a writing retreat on magazine writing, and getting to meet a wonderful group of aspiring and insightful writers. Smiles.

The beginning, in earnest, of sofball season. Sydney's team at our local girls ballpark (with Gary as her coach) began practicing and getting ready for their opening games (which start this weekend). And Delaney's middle school team have already started their season (we have pretty much frozen ourselves in the stands, cheering them on) and are 8-2 so far. Delaney is playing well and having a great time! Yep, more smiles.

Good books to read (The Thirteenth Tale). Good television (Lost, of course!). Good food (pineapple upside down cake. red velvet cake.)

Smiles. Smiles. And more smiles.

So, now, I'm giving you permission to smile. (As Dolly Parton proclaimed in one of my favorite movies, "Smile. It increases your face value.")

Life's too short not to.

2010-03-01T13:47:00.002-06:00

I've got a much more lengthy post coming tomorrow, but I wanted to share this video with you. It's one of the best video shorts I've seen in a long time and it's definitely worth the sixteen minutes or so it takes to watch.

It totally "validates" how one person can truly make a difference to the world around them.

What can you do today to brighten someone's day? to encourage? to uplift? to make someone smile?

(And, remember, you are AWESOME!)

2010-02-21T17:00:00.002-06:00

Photo (and non-Photo) Update!

Since I "talked" with you last, there have been lots and lots going on in our lives. I thought I'd give you a little update via pictures of the activities (and also via some descriptions where photos are sadly lacking).

Valentine's Day, of course, was last week (or perhaps the week before, by now? Time is just flying by!). Gary and I went out to eat and enjoyed some good food and wine and dessert...but mostly just enjoyed some time together.

McKenna got very artistic for the holiday, and painted something special for her boyfriend. (I love that McKenna is a creative soul; I often find her in her room, just painting away. That makes me smile.)

All the girls got candy and stuffed animals for the day, and Sydney was happy to pose with her new Valentine's bear. Of course, she named it "Kiss Me," which like she explained, "is what her sweater says."

I made a bunch of special treats, including these decorated cookies...although they did not turn out as planned. (My very Martha Stewart-like plan was to make perfectly shaped and baked hearts, then decorate them with clever little messages for Gary. Messages that would say things like "I love you more than Lost," and "John Cusack has nothing on you." As you can see, the hearts turned out lopsided and there was no way to get long messages like that on them. Still, they were all eaten, which is really what it's all about. Right?)

I made cupcakes for a customer (and then had six left over, which I promptly ate four of!). They were delicious!

And now for something that took place, even though I have No Photos of it:

We all (well, Delaney and I; and, occasionally, Gary) became obsessed with the Olympics. I always so look forward to the Games and, as a sports nut, it's easy for me to get into them. Still, I'm always amazed at how crazy I get over curling and snowboard cross and luge. (My love for figure skating is a given, however. I have loved it since I was itty-bitty! And I have become a huge Evan Lysacek fan. I cheered SO loud when he won the gold!)

Later in the week, I had a wonderful dinner out with two of my very favorite people in the whole wide world. My friend, Jeff, popped in from NYC and we joined my my bffwwb ("best friend from way, way back"), Angela, for dinner out at the most amazing restaurant. We enjoyed the best food and conversation imaginable!

(Yeah, that would be the trio of desserts we partook in. Chocolate souffle, Chocolate Mousse, and Coffee Creme Brulee.)

And now for another Non-Photographed Event:

We have started softball in earnest, and Delaney has been practicing with her middle school softball team as they prepare for their first game this coming Tuesday. Sydney has also started practicing with her spring softball team, The Stray Cats, to get ready for opening day the first weekend of March. (Gary is coaching her team, and we think they are going to be really good. The team, and all the families, seem great and we are SO excited about getting started! And you all know that it won't be long before pictures of softball will be popping up all over this blog!)

And yet another one:

McKenna and I went and looked for prom dresses yesterday, which was just so much fun. She's looking for a full-length, bright, really unique dress that fits her personality (and you know I will post a picture when we find "the one"). It's hard to believe that it's almost time for McKenna's senior prom; time just goes by so fast, doesn't it?

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful February. (Gosh, can you believe that the month is almost over?) I plan on popping by all your bloggy homes and saying "Hello" very soon.

Until then...

love ya bunches!

2010-02-17T22:17:00.004-06:00

Why This Day Speaks to My Soul

I'm writing this as I put a cap on a day that was all too human.

I snapped at some people when I shouldn't have. I got frustrated at my husband. I felt pulled from one direction to another. I wondered if I had enough time in my day. I sighed, rolled my eyes, and pointed fingers.

But, in the midst of such humanness, I experienced some special moments...sacred moments...that I look forward to every year.

And those moments always seems to arrive at just the right time.

Just as they did today.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the 4o days of Lent which lead us into Easter Sunday. It is a day that a lot of traditional Protestant denominations (and Catholics) celebrate with special services and reminders of what this season means.

A lot of people see Ash Wednesday as a somber event, and it can certainly be viewed that way. We say prayers, and do readings, and hear meditations on things like "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" and "confronting our mortality," and "sin and transgressions and iniquities." It's enough to make some people stay away from the sanctuary.

For some reason, though, Ash Wednesday is always one of the most joyful of occasions for me.

After the service--which involves a lot of soul-searching, and asking for forgiveness, and then the ultimate symbolism of the night (having a cross made of ash imprinted on your forehead--we are told to depart in silent contemplation.

Even though we leave the sanctuary in silence, my soul is usually wanting to "let it all out" and scream with awareness of what being a Christian is really all about.

For it is in the sobriety and seriousness of the Ash Wednesday rituals that I realize how BIG it is what God has done for me.

God is, yes, about singing and dancing and shouting and smiling.

But He is so much more.

He is the silence you feel when you are confused and don't know who else to turn to.

He is the emptiness you feel when you have learned bad news and feel so all alone.

He is the hurt you feel when you know you have wronged someone else, or made a big mistake, or sinned in a way that certainly could never be forgiven.

He is even the chasm which you feel separates yourself from Him.

God is in the sadness and in the loneliness and the misunderstandings. He's even in the doubt and unbelief.

But (and this is the really good part), Ash Wednesday is a celebration because it reminds us that THAT is exactly what being a human is all about. We ARE made of ashes; we ARE limited in our understanding; we ARE small.

And that...is...okay.

Because when you are small, then you have to turn to something bigger.

(It's sorta like when you're a child. You're frustrated that you can't reach the top shelf in the pantry, or you can't climb that tall tree. What makes you grow and learn and ultimately love childhood, is that you have a parent who is there to help you get something down from the top shelf, or lift you up onto that high branch. Or hug you, envelop you, and let you know that it's going to be okay.)

When we realize our limitations (that we can't do it all on our own), then we see how much God does indeed love us.

When we set our pride aside and admit when we screw up, then we see that God wants to cover us in forgiveness.

And, so, I knelt at the altar and received the ashes. And I took the moment to say a little prayer of thanks. A prayer that certainly doesn't do justice to what the day means.

It went something like this:

"Thank you for loving me so much. Thank you for forgiving me when I mess up. Thank you for forgiving me when I don't even realize that I mess up. Thank you for making me human, and giving me laughter and joy, but also sadness and pain. Thank you for this great gift.

And help me to live each and every moment during the next forty days as a true testament to what you mean to me. Help me to live in peace, and understanding, and contemplation, and joy, and forgiveness, and awareness, and love. And be with me through it all."

It's an amazing, amazing thing, and it's why this day...darkness, and seriousness, and ashes, and all...so speaks to my (very human!) soul.

2010-02-12T17:11:00.018-06:00

Attention!
Breaking News!
VERY Important!!

We officially have snow in Alabama.

And here are some fun pictures to prove it...

2010-02-09T16:34:00.006-06:00

Can you imagine what it would be like if we took it to another level and had a show something like "Gary and Cheryl plus 10"?

Just a fun little story for your entertainment today...

Yesterday around noon, Gary called me to say that Delaney was sick at school. She's throwing up and needs to be checked out, he tells me.

(Illnesses seem to be running rampant through our town right now, so I was sorta afraid that we were eventually going to catch some of it. But, as my girls are very healthy--seriously, I can count on my two hands the times all three of them combined have vomited!--I was hoping we'd avoid the 2010 bugs and viruses and flus.)

I headed to the middle school and peeked into the office of a friend of mine who is the school's nurse. Did you see Delaney? I asked her, but was answered with a blank stare. "Nope, she hasn't been in here."

That, of course, piqued the interest of all those who hold holy the rules of middle school (not that I'm opposed to that; we need rules, and we certainly do with thirteen-year-olds!) and was asked, Do you know how she got hold of you? Did she, perhaps, text me that she was sick? (I get a completely "not cool" vibe from the secretary if that's true.)

Nope, I explained. I got a call--well, my husband got a call--from the school.

About that time, Delaney comes traipsing down the hall toward the office. She appears to be the picture of good health and asks me with a confused look, "Why am I checking out?"

At that moment, of course, it dawns on me.

It's the classic Gary Called One Daughter by the Other Daughter's Name Situation.

I laughed as I told the secretary: "Sorry, wrong daughter. I've got to go check out my sick kindergartener instead."

Gary and I are constantly calling the girls by each others' names. Delaney is called "McKenna" and poor Sydney gets the worse of it this time of year, as Gary starts coaching her softball team and calls her "Delaney"--who he coached for years at her same age--more times than he calls her "Scout."

It reminds me of my own childhood when my Mom--who only had two of us, so I have to give her special grief for it--would call me Christopher, call Christopher "Cheryl," and call us both "Solo" (the dog's name).

I can only imagine how hard it would be if we had more than three kids.

2010-02-04T20:10:00.003-06:00

In the Kitchen (and then gobbling it down) with Cheryl

I definitely go through phases when I like to cook and bake a lot. For some reason, I've been in that phase pretty much non-stop for...well, as long as I can remember.

I love to cook and, for some reason, during the long cold winter days of Alabama (okay, they really aren't usually that long or cold, but this January and February have been unusually chilly), I especially love to get into the kitchen and make warm, satisfying things for my family.

It helped that I received the Pioneer Woman Cookbook for Christmas this year, and I've already tried several of her recipes. (Let me tell you that the recipes are great and I highly recommend the book!)

This first one was Fantastic with a capital F. I love party meatballs (which I usually make with the standard barbecue sauce or grape jelly sauce creation), and when I saw this recipe in the PW cookbook I knew I had to try them. They'd be great as a party food (I'm thinking great for the Super Bowl coming up), but I made a batch of egg noodles to go with them and they made a wonderful entree.

BBQ Meatballs

(for meatballs)
1-½ lbs ground beef
¾ cups oats
1 cup milk
3 ablespoons onion (finely minced)
1-½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper, to taste (I like a lot of it. But I'm a pepper kind of gal!)

(to cook the meatballs)
1 cup all-purpose flour (for coating them)
cooking oil (canola or whatever you like)

(for sauce)
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4-6 tablespoons onion flakes (or powder)
1 dash Tabasco

Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes. After 5 minutes, remove meatballs from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour. Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place into a baking dish.

Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. (I served mine with egg noodles, but these would be great with mashed potatoes as a side or I could seriously see them going on some hoagie rolls for meatball sandwiches.)

Holy Sheesh. They are reallllly good.

And then I gotta say that I LOVE me some hot and spicy food. And with my native Texan blood running through me, nothing's quite as a good as a hot jalepeno (or any other pepper variety). I knew, then, that these stuffed jalepeno popper thingies would be perfect for me.

Only problem is that I ended up being the only one who liked this so hot and I ate them all by myself (I made half of the following recipe, cause I sorta knew I'd end up eating most of them, and I didn't need more than ten; but the recipe here makes 20 and I think you need to make that many! LOL)

Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Jalepenos

20 whole fresh jalapenos
2 blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 pound regular bacon (not thick sliced), sliced into thirds

If you have them, slip on some latex gloves for the pepper prep. (I didn't have any, and I can testify that my fingers hurt for a while after doing this. So if you have em, wear em!) Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (that's where the heat really comes from). Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half. Wrap jalapeno with bacon pieces, and then secure by sticking toothpick through the middle.

Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. You don’t want the bacon to shrink so much it starts to the squeeze the jalapeno. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn’t look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off.

These things are HOT...but delicious!! (And they worked well refrigerated. I ate them for breakfast the next day. Seriously, we native Texans do things like that!)

(Oh yeah. A good glass of wine helps the heat. Just saying.)

After those recipes, I think we need a good sweet thing (don't you agree?). And you all know how much I love to make cupcakes and cakes and all sorts of desserts, so I can't fail you there.

I just made these White Chocolate Banana Muffins yesterday and they were absolutely delicious, especially when they came right out of the hot oven. (They work great as a dessert, but are also a really yummy breakfast or brunch treat.)

White Chocolate Banana Muffins/Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (these are best if a little over-ripe)

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (or oil of your choice)

2 eggs, beaten

3 tsps vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

2 cups white chocolate chips (you can also do semi-sweet or milk chocolate, but I love the taste of white chocolate and banana together)

handful of chopped almonds (again, add what sort of nuts you like. Or leave them out completely)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 24 muffin tins, or line with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, blend the bananas, oil, eggs, and vanilla together. In a large bowl, combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, and salt and mix well.

Fold in the banana mixture into the dry mixture until just blended. Add the the chocolate chips and nuts. Fold in carefully.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin/cupcake tins. I fill it 3/4 of the way full. You wan't these to be large, full muffins. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking batter near the end to see if done. Cool completely. (OR, if you're like me...take one directly out of the oven and eat it hot. These are delicious hot!)

I ate a few as muffins, then decided that I would like them even better as White Chocolate Banana Cupcakes. So I made my favorite, mix-together-in-a-bowl, easy-peasy buttercream frosting and added some to top of each. (To make: soften/almost melt a stick of butter or margarine. Add confectionery sugar, vanilla, and milk (just a little bit) to taste. Frost top of muffins and, voila, delicious cupcakes!)

And then one more, just because I think you need one more. And because this one is so easy that I'm not even using a "real" recipe to describe it.

Easy Chocolate Trifle

Bake your favorite chocolate cake (I used a dark chocolate cake mix, and any kind will work). After slightly cooled, break the cake into bite-sized pieces and layer on the bottom of a trifle bowl (or punch bowl, or any kind of large bowl)

Make the trifle by layering these different ingredients: Cake pieces, vanilla or chocolate pudding (depending on how sweet you like), whipped topping (Cool Whip works well, or be industrious and make your own whipped cream), sweetened condensed milk (my FAVorite part of it all; mmmm!); and your choice of candy pieces (my favorite is Hershey's chocolate almond bars, but Snickers or Butterfingers or Reese cups or pretty much anything works well). End it with whipped cream on top.

This is so easy, and pretty much makes anyone happy (I know it made me happy!).

And on that note, I will close...and go figure out what I might can whip up in the kitchen. Because that post totally made me hungry!

(Love you all!)

2010-02-01T08:39:00.003-06:00

I think I'm gonna love February

Well, can you believe that it is February already?

As I get older, it seems like the days and the weeks and the months go by faster and faster. I love the changes, and am always ready for something new, but I do wish things would slow down sometime. I want to enjoy every moment and every good thing as much as possible!

As another February announces itself to me, I realize that this is one of my very favorite times of the year. There are always so many things starting up again, and so much to look forward to...and it seems especially true this year.

To start off with, tomorrow is finally, almost here and I am SO. EXCITED. I. CAN. HARDLY. STAND. IT.

The final season of "Lost" premieres tomorrow and I have been anticipating it for so long and the excitment just keeps building and building. I'm already sad to think of it ending, but knowing that this is the last season will make it even more special for all of us crazed-Losties. (I truly am probably way too obsessed with it--seeing that I stalk blogs and message boards and websites and so forth--but I reason that I could be obsessed with a lot worse things. Right?)

February also ushers in softball with Delaney's middle school team. She is so excited to make the team again this year and thinks that they could be really good. I love being a Softball Mom and can't wait to cheer my favorite second baseman on to victory!

I also can't wait to cheer on McKenna as she competes in her Winterguard competitions. They've already had one competition this past weekend and did really well (they came in 4th out of 8 in their classification, but were only .2 points behind 2nd place), and February will be full of more contests in Alabama and Tennessee (culminating in a regional championship at Vanderbilt University).

When we talk about our favorite weekends of the year, everyone in our family invariably mentions our Family Life Retreat at our favorite campground in the world. We have ours this month and we can't wait. It's a wonderful time to get away from it all (no cell phone or computer service!), enjoy the beauty of nature, to spend time with family and our best friends, and to smile and laugh a lot.

The month should be filled with all sorts of other goodness...speaking at a writers retreat, going to see some new movies, seeing my friend Jeff from NYC, starting softball practices with Sydney, watching a lot of The Olympics...and, personally, I can't wait for it all. (What is life if you don't have good things to look foward to?)

And, of course, the month of February brings lots of talk of love. (And, obviously, all the chocolate and sweet treats and fun that comes with Valentine's Day!)

What are you looking forward to this week, and this month?

2010-01-28T08:19:00.002-06:00

What are your favorite fictional places?

An author friend of mine was recently spotlighted on a literary blog and was posed the question, "What fictional places would you like to live in/visit?" I loved her answers...Walnut Grove from the Little House books, the island from The Black Stallion books, Narnia, Avalon, and "where" from Where the Sidewalk Ends.

Since I am such a book-lover as well, it immediately made me think about what my own answers would be. I figured it would be easy and that two or three would immediately come to my mind...but, instead, I kept thinking over-and-over about many, many places that I've traveled to in the pages of books.

I thought about the town of River Heights, where Nancy Drew solved mysteries with her friends Bess, George, and Ned. The Nancy Drew books really turned me onto mystery novels, which became and still are some of my very favorite types of books.

My love of whodunits took me also to the streets and lanes of London, and the English countryside (and the many other places abroad) where Detective Hercule Poroit solves numerous mysteries in the novels of Agatha Christie. (If I spent my elementary school days immersed in adventures with Nancy, I truly spent my high school days with Hercule.)

Over the years, I have fallen in love with so many other places...the twinkling city lights and beautiful mansions from F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edith Wharton novels (although, there was much seediness and deception below the glittering surfaces, of course); the dusty streets of Lonesome Dove; the gothic beauty and Southern eccentricity of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; the fantastical halls of Hogwarts.

And, of course, you all know of my love for To Kill a Mockingbird...which, actually, has a setting not too unfamiliar to Alabamians like me. The streets of Maycomb came alive to me like almost no other place I've ever visited through the pages of a book; its smells and sights and sounds breathe vividly under Harper Lee's magical care.

My list could go on and on and on...and isn't that the joy and pleasure of reading? That, with each new book we open, we can become transformed? We can travel to another place, another time, even another reality.

Sydney has grabbed hold of my love of reading, and it couldn't make me happier. She is taking Accelerated Reading tests, and is in the top reading group in her class, and eagerly pulls library books out of her backpack to read everyday after school.

Just the other day we sat down and read one of our favorite books, Skippyjon Jones, for the seemingly millionth time. As we read the story of Skippyjon traveling in his imagination to the land of Banditos, Sydney sighed and said, "I love books. They can take you anywhere."

True, Sydney, so true.

(And now, what fictional places do YOU love?)

2010-01-25T10:28:00.005-06:00

Got a lot going on, and I want to get a lengthier, more "official" post in later on, but for now I just wanted to pop on real quickly so I could wish my wonderful parents a...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!

I love you, Mom and Dad. You guys are the best parents any daughter could ask for.

Just look at the wonderful legacy you have created...

(What's that quote?

"All because two people fell in love.")

2010-01-20T08:53:00.022-06:00

Celebrating, Serving, Performing, Jumping
(in other words...a Photo Update!)

(We've had a very busy several last couple of days--so much so that I have sworn to not step foot out of the house today; I refuse to go anywhere else until I am caught up with my laundry and my DVR-ed tv shows!--but the days were wonderful nevertheless. I thought I'd share some photos of the activities, so you can "experience" it all with me.)

We had a wonderful Martin Luther King Day with my friend, Tina, and her two kids. I really love the fact that MLK Day is recognized as a "day of service" and I think it's just the perfect way to honor King's legacy. So, we decided to celebrate the day by both celebrating his life and then also doing some service projects in our community.

We first visited the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and 16th Street Baptist Church...

Those two places are powerful reminders of where we've come from. Our past is filled with many injustices and atrocities, and by remembering thoses sad moments in our history we can go forward and be more loving, mindful people (and teach our children to be as well!).

The Civil Rights Institute also reminded me of the many amazing words of inspiration that Martin Luther King gave to us.

Just a few that struck me on this day were...

"The time is always right to do what is right."

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

and

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?"

With that last quote in mind, we spent some more of the day at the United Way headquarters doing projects for different agencies. I was really impressed with the set-up because it was designed with children in mind--they were very easy projects that kids could relate to.

They made friendship bracelets for kids in homeless shelters, bandannas for dogs at the Humane Society, "hug" wrappers to go around blankets for the elderly, placemats for the Ronald McDonald House, and "I have a dream" signs to be displayed at one of their agencies...

(Things like this--Delaney wrote "make a difference" on what her dream is--make me think that maybe I'm making a difference myself.)

Our other big activity from the last several days was attending McKenna's first Winterguard competition of the season. It was held in Tennessee, and the girls did so great.

I love seeing my girls enjoy something so much, and when it's a creative activity (like writing, or singing, or painting, or dancing) it makes me especially proud.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of their performance (and then of McKenna and the squad)...

And then, of course!, since we were in a hotel we had to do some Bed Jumping. And, personally, I think that Sydney was involved in one of the first great bed jumping pictures of 2010...

What have you been up to lately? I'd love to hear all about it...and have a wonderful rest of the week!

2010-01-17T19:49:00.004-06:00

Just Some Random Thoughts and Goings-On

* We just returned from a weekend trip to Tennessee, to watch McKenna's high school Winterguard team perform in their first compeition of the season. (Winterguard is a competitive, artistic version of a color guard that performs with a marching band. They perform on their own to music, with dance and flag work and rifle work and different things.) They did really well, and you know there will be pictures soon.

* A hotel for the weekend meant bed jumping took place!

* I'm continually amazed by how much money you can spend so quickly (especially on a weekend trip).

* It makes me extremely happy when I get "I love you"s and "Thank you"s from my girls, and I don't think it's because they want something.

* My Cowboys failed miserablly (and yet, epochally!) this afternoon. I am extreeeemely disappointed.

* I have been doing a lot of redecorating in my house, and it makes me extreeeeemely happy. I especially love the new, funky floor lamp I have in my living room now.

* We have fun (and meaningful) plans for Martin Luther King Day tomorrow. We are going to visit the 16th Street Baptist Church here in Birmingham, and then do a "Day of Service" with the city's United Way. I'm really looking forward to it, and hope that it reinforces what I already try and teach my kids..that we are all equal, we will be loving and tolerant, and that there is no better way to profess that we believe those things than by serving others.

2010-01-14T10:32:00.000-06:00

The One Where a Cookie Takes Me Back in Time

As a child, I loved it when my Mom would go out of town.

Looking back, I'm not even sure that she did it that much. Mom taught high school English, so I don't think she had too many conferences and conventions and out-of-town meetings. But, on those rare occasions when Mom had to leave for a day (or simply just couldn't get home in time for dinner), I loved it because that meant Dad would be cooking for me and my brother, Christopher.

Dad had a couple of dishes in his cooking repertoire. And they did not includes fruits or vegetables or much of anything that would be popular in today's "healthy food" culture.

His signature dish, in fact, was Frito Pie. It consisted of four ingredients. Frito corn chips, canned chili, onions, and grated cheese. And it was delicious.

(Dad was also pretty good at ordering pizza. And he also took me on an almost weekly trek to the Hostess Store, where I got to help select five treats--chocolate cupcakes, honey buns, twinkies--for a dollar. Dad fed my sweeet tooth and my love of indulgent foods.)

While I loved it when Dad made Frito Pie, however, I loved it even better when Mom WAS at home cooking dinner.

Mom was, and is, a wonderful cook and so many of my childhood memories stem from the dishes she whipped up in that small kitchen of my childhood.

Even today, so many years removed from that kitchen, I can smell the scent of Mom's meatloaf, and her macaroni and cheese, and her swiss steak, and her Mexican chicken, and the dish that I'm not even sure ever had a name (it was a wonderful ground beef mixture with green beans, and topped with mashed potatoes and cheese. I guess it was some sort of Southern Shepherd Pie).

As a parent today, I pride myself on being a pretty good cook. And I just hope that I'm instiling some memories of food with my girls.

(McKenna loves my cooking. Delaney is very picky, so very rarely gets to fully enjoy all of my cooking. But Sydney perhaps is my most grateful fan. Just last night she proclaimed that my chicken--soaked in a soy-sauce based marinade, and then enveloped in garlic powder, and then fried--was "the best chicken EVer.)

Every once in a while, my memories of Mom's home cooking intersect with my own attempts to work some magic in the kitchen.

Like yesterday.

My sweet tooth had begun to pester me a little bit and I knew I wanted to make something.

It needed to be easy. It needed to have chocolate. And it needed to...

Well, it needed to be those cookies that my Mom used to make.

I'd come home from school, or I'd come in from a hard day of playing in the backyard, and Mom would have a plate of this goodness waiting for us. They always put a smile on my face.

I loved them then. And I still love them now. (And, this midday--about 20 hours after making them--they're all gone.)

You've probably had them before. (Shoot, your own Mom probably used to make them for you.) If you haven't, though, here's the recipe...so you can share the goodness with your own family and make some good food memories of your own.

No Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups white sugar

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 cup (one stick) butter or margarine

1/2 cup milk

pinch salt

3 cups quick cooking oats

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

In a saucepan, bring sugar, cocoa, butter, milk, and salt to a rapid boil for a minute. Remove from heat and immediately add oats, peanut butter, and vanilla. Mix well.

Working quickly, drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let cool (if you can wait long enough... then eat, and moan, and eat some more).

Once you've finished making and eating these, think back to your childhood. What foods did you love? Maybe you could pass some of that along to the people in your life now?

(And me? Well, now I'm also thinking about a big ole plate of Frito Pie.)

2010-01-07T13:18:00.003-06:00

A Passion for Football…
A Love of Place

My childhood is scattered with moments, and my memory is sprinkled with memories of those moments.

Of Barbie dolls. And bike rides through our gravel-laned neighborhood. And Black Stallion books. And roller skating in the garage.

One of my most vivid of memories, though, doesn’t really have to do with childhood things. It, in fact, is a memory of a place.

When I was twelve-years-old, my Dad received his doctorate from the University of Texas. Always somewhat indifferent (aren’t preteens—even in an era before we were known as preteens—always indifferent?), I labored through the summers of living in Austin and rarely understood the appeal of the city and the campus and the state.

On the evening that Dad received his PhD, however, something changed.

As day turned to dusk and the ceremony ended, people around me turned their faces and held up their arms to the sky and began singing “The Eyes of Texas.” With the famous campus Tower behind us and the music playing, there was something that struck my prepubescent heart.

Dad says he can still remember the look on my face. He can’t really describe it, but he remembers it.

I imagine that it must have been something like the way you look when you first see the ocean. Or bite into your first bite of Cherry Garcia ice cream.

It was a transcendent moment, and it sent me on my way. I was forever linked to Texas (even though I’d been born there, I’d lived away from it for years) and found myself newly drawn to its history and its people and its sunsets.

And its Longhorns.

I became a Texas fan, and have remained so all my life.

But, as I became a teenager and then an adult, another place vied for my attention and soon captured ahold of my heart.

To this day, this is a place I can visit and immediately feel that little tug in my heart. (You know that tug, I’m sure.) I can close my eyes and immediately take myself to its sights and sounds and smells and textures.

My family moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, when I was fifteen, and I did my best to resist. But oftentimes a place is a lot like a teenage boy trying to get your attention; the place is pretty persistent and you eventually give in to its wooings.

The University of Alabama is a beautiful place, with columned buildings (all its buildings are required, in fact, to have columns) and an old-world sort of gentility about it. It’s a place where I made lifelong friends, had my share of adventures, and even got married (Gary and I were married on the front lawn of one of those old columned, antebellum homes).

And where I fell in love with the Crimson Tide.

The Crimson Tide, like its home, is hard to resist. It woos you with its traditions, and its stadium, and its championships, and its pride.

Always a fan of football (any sports really!), I easily fell into the hands of the Tide. I became a fan, and then a student there, and in the process a ticket holder.

And then came this season. The dream season, really.

The last time Alabama won a championship was in 1992. McKenna was not quite a year old; today she is a senior in high school. Delaney and Sydney weren’t even imagined.

So it’s been a while.

And it’s about time it’s back again.

During the season—as we ventured to the games down in Tuscaloosa, or held Bama parties to watch the other games on tv—I just had that special feeling. The feeling that we’d be back at the top at the end of the year. We had the right players—players with great stories, and great personalities, and great attitudes. We had the right coach. We had, it seemed, all the ingredients.

As the season developed, though, I began to wish a wish.

A wish that my memories would come together…my teams would meet…that my places would converge.

My primary attention was always to Alabama. But I also watched Texas as they played out their games. I felt a kinship with their players as well, and I began to think that perhaps this could be their year too.

On the day of the SEC Championship Game, I wore my Alabama clothes proudly. I yelled “Roll Tide!” and beamed with pride as they hoisted that trophy after defeating Florida.

But then I went upstairs and changed into my burnt orange t-shirt and I screamed at the tv as the Longhorns barely escaped in the Big 12 championship game.

And then I sighed a sigh of relief as I realized that the two moments and memories and places were set to meet.

As I get ready to watch the national championship game tonight between Alabama and Texas, I feel a little pull at my heart because I’m giving up on my second-favorite team. I’m going to have to root against the team that grabbed my attention and passion as a child.

But, when it comes down to it, the only colors for me tonight are crimson and white.

(My Dad has found a way to be equally supportive and says he will wear an Alabama t-shirt for one half of the game and a Texas one for the second. I can’t quite make myself do that. I have to be fully committed to just one.)

It will make this the most anticipated championship game in my forty-one years, and it will either be wonderfully exciting or a bit bittersweet.

But, either way, it will be a really gratifying full-circle experience…as I remember that burnt orange sky I appreciated for the first time back in 1980; and then think on the lawns, and the monuments, and the classrooms, and the people, and the team, and the traditions that somehow pushed that sky to a smaller corner of my mind.

I will whisper "Hook em Horns," but I will yell boisterously "Roll Tide Roll!"

2010-01-05T08:10:00.004-06:00

Looking Forward

It's an extemely cold morning here in Alabama (and when I say extremely, that's what I mean...it was 15 degrees as we woke up this morning; we Southerners are not used to that sort of craziness!), so I dreamt this morning of what a warm, 70 degree day might feel like. It will be on its way sooner rather than later (because the South also has this strange tendency to jump from freezing to tropic in mere hours), but it's definitely worth looking forward to.

That made me think of the other things I'm looking forward to.

And, every January as we celebrate the dawning of a new year, it's fun to look forward. (And, since I've decided that I generally don't like making resolutions, looking forward is a good way to celebrate the new year.)

This morning, then, I thought I'd share some of the Things I'm Looking Forward To.

They're really quite simple...

1. The BCS National Championship Game. Just two days away now and we are crazily exited down here in Alabama. I crossed my fingers all year for this match-up with Texas, and I've been crossing my fingers for another national championship since it happened last (waaaay backin 92).

2. A lot of Cleaning and Organizing and Redecorating. I started taking down my Christmas decorations just yesterday (I always wait longer than most people, I know!) and am hoping to finish that up today. But then I have plans for some new bookshelves, and new lamps, and new pictures, and new furniture, and generally a new feeeling in the house.

3. The Return of "Lost." Remember my "Lost" obsession? (How could you ever forget?) It will be back soon, with the beginning of the final season at the beginning of February. I am absolutely giddy, and am already theorizing and anticipating (and thinking that I need to have a Premiere Party!).

4. The Return of Warm Weather. (Enough said.)

5. A Spring Break Trip to Disney World. We got a lucky break when Gary's computer training/conference for this Spring was scheduled in Orlando...during the same week as the girls' Spring Break. It's been four years since we've been last, so we are already eagerly anticipating the trip. Sydney doesn't remember much about her first trip, so she's especially excited; McKenna didn't get to go last time because of school stuff, so she's especially excited; Delaney just loves Disney World, so she's especially excited. And Gary and I? Yep, we feel the same way!

That's as far ahead as I'm traveling right now in my anticipations, because I'm not quite ready to tackle what's after the time of the Disney World trip. It will involve things like McKenna's last prom, her high school graduation, and other important "lasts." Those are a lot of good, exciting things, but they're also prone to make me a little teary-eyed...so I'm pushing them back just a little bit and, instead, thinking about Mickey Mouse, and the mystery island, and warm weather, and Bama winning big!

And now, since it's Tuesday and I haven't done a Random Tuesday post in a very long time, how about the rest of you sharing a list of things you're looking forward to in the new year? Share in my comments section, or post it on your own blog (and let us know where to come find it!).

Here's to anticipation, and new things! It's what makes life interesting and entertaining and joyful.

2010-01-01T17:59:00.000-06:00

The Year that Was 2009

2009 was filled with all sorts of wonderful moments, and because of this blog, I can relive my memories whenever I want to.

I thought, then, that I'd recap the past year by sharing some of my favorite moments from my blog.

Some of the special moments included these...

We cheered for Bama as they won the SEC championship, and cheered for Sydney singing a solo. See it HERE.

We enjoyed Halloween (as always). Read about it HERE (but be forewarned, there's also Bama football and a beauty pageant in there too).

I bragged a lot on my girls. Like HERE.

I baked a lot of sweets, but especially loved my new favorite, homemade cake. See it HERE.

Sydney started Kindergarten, and told us all about it. Read it from her HERE.

We went to a World Series and the beach (for a 2nd time!). Read about it HERE.

Delaney became a teenager. Read about it HERE.

Gary and I celebrated our anniversary with a bed & breakfast, Shakespearean geaway. Read about it HERE.

McKenna went to her first prom (and also celebrated Sydney's 5th birthday within a day of each other). Read about all of it HERE.

I wrote some poetry. Read some of it HERE

It snowed. See it HERE

I got to be part of an awesome spiritual retreat (where I was a leader and speaker). Read it HERE.

Delaney made the middle school softball team. Read about it HERE

I also learned a lot of lessons. These posts aren't really related to any particular event or activity, but they were important in that they touched me, inspired me, amused me,"grew" me, etc. Like the story of the tie (HERE), and how God's love doesn't fit in a cup (HERE), and how Mother's Day made me reflective (HERE), and how Summer memories are some of the strongest (HERE), and how it's so cool to see your kids "get it" (HERE), and how sometimes it's just fun to share random information with my blog friends (HERE)!

That was fun...fun to remember a lot of those moments!

I'd love to see some of you do that on your own blog. (I guess that's a challenge to you!) If you don't, though, maybe you could just pop by and tell me what your favorite memory from 2009 was!

And I guess this is a good time and opportunity for me to tell you all "Happy New Year!" and to wish you all a wonderful, blessed 2010!

2009-12-27T18:40:00.000-06:00

Favorite Moments from Christmas 2009

The Christmas trees are still decorated and lit-up and in their places (I pretty much let them stay up through Epiphany; I hate to take them down so quickly after Christmas); the cinnamon candles are still burning; boxes of Christmas candy and cookies are still out on the tabletops for anyone to indulge in (although I'm indulging in them a bit too much!); and my gifts are still out and being enjoyed (new books, new pajamas, new bubble bath, new movies, new music).

I want to savor the season a little bit longer, so I'm trying to let things linger for a while.
So, then, I thought I'd share some of my favorite moments and feelings of the season with all of you. Really in no particular order, here are some of my favorite moments/memories/ impressions from the last couple of days.

* We spent the night at my parents' house on the 23rd, which made getting up the next morning for our annual Christmas Eve brunch so much easier. It almost felt like waking up on Christmas morning as a child, and it made the day go by much slower and relaxed. Those extra hours of not driving just continued on throughout the festivities, and things seemed much more easy-going. I just loved not feeling like I was rush-rushing to every event and activity.

* Opening a big gift bag and pulling out an Alabama t-shirt, and then another Alabama t-shirt, and then another, and then another...until I got to a signed Nick Saban football at the bottom. (My parents bought it at a charity auction and had been excited about it for months!)

* Gingerbread cookies, decorated sugar cookies, croissants, fried turkey, cheese straws, sweet potato pie.

* Experiencing Sydney's fascination with Santa Claus all over again. (And seeing Delaney totally get into with her!) They tracked Santa's voyage at the Norad website, and then Sydney threw out "reindeer" food on the lawn and wrote him a last-minute Christmas Eve note ("Santa, I love you. Love, Sydney").

* Watching Sydney ride her new bike on Christmas Day.

* Glee t-shirt, Martha Stewart cupcake book, houndstooth jacket, an original painting by McKenna, The Beatles' "Revolver," The Pioneer Woman Cookbook, "Star Trek" on dvd. Just some of the wonderful things I received from my wonderful family and friends!

* Having McKenna tell me on Christmas night how much she loved her painting gifts. She received a standing easel, a lot of canvases and paints and supplies, a book on acrylic techniques, and a sketchbook (all from "Santa"); when she told me with gratitude how much she loved them, it gave me such a nice little "mother thrill."

* Celebrating the last night of Advent--and lighting the final candle--with Gary and the girls.

* Enjoying the day after Christmas with a movie marathon. Delaney and I went to see "Avatar" (visually stunning! and so fun to see with one of my girls by ourselves!), and then that night all the girls headed out to see "The Princess and the Frog."

The last week or so was filled with many wonderful moments, and I tried to stop and enjoy them all as I was experiencing them.

If you'll remember my story several posts back about Sydney teaching me about mirth...I tried to embrace mirth and joy and contentment this holiday season. I wanted to sit back and enjoy the moments; and I feel like I really did this year.

I hope that all of you had a wonderful holiday season as well. I think of you all often, and pray that you will have a blessed rest of 2009. I will "see" you again soon!

2009-12-22T22:39:00.009-06:00

A Few More Christmas Moments...

With a focus on creativity and cuteness!

I thought I'd share a couple more pictures with you all, since we keep having all sort of fun Christmas activities and events.

The girls have all been very creative and crafty over the last couple of days (and you all know how much I value creativity!). Sydney enjoyed crafting our homemade ornaments for this year (we always give a homemade ornament to our various family members, straight from the hands of "Santa's Elves"...aka, McKenna, Delaney, and Sydney). We did foam trees decorated with foam paint and rhinestone ornaments...

Delaney decided to make her friend, Jaeylyn, a candy castle (since Jaelyn is all about candy). She loved it...

McKenna has been painting up a storm, and she is giving hand-painted canvases to most of the people on her list (I promise to get some pictures soon...but since most of them are gifts, I don't have permission to yet).

And then I have to share the traditional Santa pictures!

We found ourselves in an hour-and-a-half-long line to see Santa, but it was worth the wait. Because I got these now-favorite photos of the girls and the Big Guy...

More (probably! LOL) to come!!!

2009-12-19T09:46:00.002-06:00

How do we spend the days and weeks before Christmas arrives?

Well, I'd like to say that we light a fire every night, kick our feet up in front of the fire, grab a good book or have a nice conversation, and totally relax in anticipation of the big day.

But then, of course, I'd be lying.

I'd be doing a great disservice to all of the busy, busy, busyness we've experienced in the last week or so (which is why I, sadly, have failed to put a post here for an entire week) if I said we had done anything as relaxing as reading a book or kicking our feet up.

Of course, there will be time for all of that soon enough (more sooner than later, I hope!), but for now we have had a lot of fun activities in preparation for Christmas. We've had family activities, and church activities, and mostly school activities.

So here, then, is a short recap of our activities of late.

We've, first of all, gone on a field trip (Sydney's first ever, which was very exciting) and learned about holiday celebrations around the world...

Then we enjoyed our community's annual Christmas parade. For the first time in forever, McKenna wasn't in the parade (she marches with the band, and serious sleet and rain were in the forecast, so they didn't want to risk the instruments' well-being). So, we (and she) enjoyed bundling up as much as possible and watching such small-town-parade sights as beauty queens, giant cows, trucks-turned-Rudolph, and Santa Claus...

We celebrated the holidays with Delaney's softball team...

And then, we took a little bit of a break from Christmas so we could all focus (i.e., obssess over) Alabama running back Mark Ingram's quest to win the Heisman Trophy (the first-ever for Bama, if you can believe it).

We'd already planned to go to the Alabama vs. Purdue basketball game, so we got dressed,

stopped to watch the Heisman announcement on the concourse televisions, and then celebrated wildly with all of the Bama fans there. It was so exciting to see Mark win, and what a great way to see it...

They showed his acceptance speech at halftime, and we all texted everyone the news...

We did decide to watch a little bit of basketball, and cheer on our favorite team...

(These Purdue fans were really sad while we were ahead of them. Of course, they became happy at the end when they pulled out a victory!)

We also enjoyed a Christmas party with our church's youth, where McKenna's Dirty Santa gift made the rounds until it was finally safe and won (it was the best Dirty Santa gift of the night, if I do say so myself--a singing and dancing Christmas tree hat!)...

We attended a couple of Christmas peformances, including the awesome one put on by McKenna's high school band...

and Delaney's middle school drama team (the play was called "a Groundhog in a Pear Tree" and featured the 12 Days of Christmas on strike...

We watched our very favorite Christmas movie of all--It's a Wonderful Life--at the most beautiful movie theatre anywhere! The Alabama Theatre is a gorgeous, restored theatre from the 2os and there's no better place to enjoy George Bailey, and Mary, and Clarence (and sing "Buffalo Gals" along with the organ)...

We ended the week with a super fun Christmas party for Sydney's class...

And imagine? This list of activities doesn't even include...

* Shopping for gifts (then shopping some more, and shopping some more)

* Making a scrapbook for McKenna's color guard sponsor

* Making cupcakes for various events for the girls

* Going to Gary's Christmas lunch at work

* Decorating the trees and house (inside, not out! I'm not that brave)

* Shopping some more

The holiday season is always so busy, but the good news this year is that it doesn't feel overwhelming. I don't feel hectic as I have in the past, and I'm feeling more joy in the midst of it all (I'm guessing that has something to do with age; do you agree?).

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful time in preparation of next week. I'd love to hear what is going on with you!

(Please forgive the weird spacing in this post. There are extra spaces in some places, and then the paragraphs are bunched together in others. That really bothers me, but I cannot figure out how to fix it!)

2009-12-11T09:05:00.005-06:00

The One Who Brought Mirth

Sydney has been helping me get our Christmas decorations set out throughout the house. We'd put up the tree, and set up our Advent candle wreath; my huge nutcracker collection was set out, and random Santas appeared in corners everywhere.

The last things to be brought out were our nativity sets. One went on my fireplace mantel, and the other came to the dining room table.

As Sydney directed the placement of the figures on the table, she decided to give me a little lesson about the first Christmas. And, in so doing, gave me a pretty big lesson about Christmas today.

"I know who the Wise Men are," she said.

"You do?" I answered. "Tell me all about them."

She picked them up one by one and introduced me to the magi.

"This one is the one that brought gold. It's really pretty and valuable."

Yes, absolutely correct.

"This one is the one that brought frankincense. I think it's like a perfume."

Close, Sydney. And I'm just proud that you didn't call it frankenstein (which I was sorta expecting.)

"And this one is the last one. He's the one who brought mirth."

Almost immediately I thought about correcting her. We all know it's myrrh, after all. But I didn't.

Mirth is defined in the dictionary as "gaiety or jollity, especially when accompanied by laughter."

Mirth and joy and laughter come to me in many forms during this time of year.

They come to me as I pick out the gift that I just know will put a big smile on the face of a family member; or as I buy a gift for someone I've never even met, but know still that it will make their Christmas a little more joyful; or as I bite into a gingerbread cookie; or as I watch and listen to little children perform a Christmas play; or as I lie under the tree and shake my gifts with glee; or as I watch Charlie Brown's Christmas on tv; or as I dig out a few extra dollars and put them in that Salvatian Army bucket; or as I light a candle that smells of cinnamon.

Mirth comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes during this time of year.

But, I...and we...must be open to its invitation. We must realize that it's here for us amidst the busyness. We must realize that it's really what makes the season worthwhile.

2009-12-07T14:00:00.004-06:00

Weekend Recap...
Roll Tide!
Merry Christmas!

I'm gonna start off with the absolute highlight of my weekend--and it didn't even involve the Alabama victory in the SEC Championship game (if you can believe that?).

On Sunday night, our church had its annual Children's Christmas Play. It was a wonderful story ("The Best Christmas Present Ever") with a wonderful message. And there was this adorable little five-year-old girl who performed a wonderful solo.

Seeing and hearing Sydney up there in front of the audience, putting her whole heart into the song, made me so proud and joyful. I cried (as did a large portion of the audience, if I believe what everyone told me) and it just tipped off the Christmas season perfectly. I am now absolutely in the mood (although I was just about there already!).

The other event--the MAIN event--of the weekend was the Alabama-Florida game for the SEC Championship and a berth in the national championship game. Alabama just dominated the Gators and they played as a true team. It was so exciting...and we were all yelling, and loud, and crazy, and just giddily excited about how it turned out. I doubt if I will come down off of Cloud Nine for a good while!

Here are a few pictures from the gameday festivities...

(Yep, after the Bama game, we changed into our Texas gear and cheered the Longhorns on too. It's my dream match-up!)

And then a few more pictures from the Christmas play...

2009-12-05T00:50:00.004-06:00

12 Reasons You Should Cheer for Bama to Win the BIG Game!

12. I earned two degrees from the University of Alabama. My Dad teaches there. Gary and I got married there. I tried briefly to talk Gary into giving Sydney the middle name "Crimson" (it didn't work). It's just a good, good place.

11. The great traditions--twelve national championships (hence the 12 in this post's title), The Bear, umpteen SEC championships, Joe Namath, houndstooth, Big Al, and on and on and on.

10. Despite all those great traditions, our last national championship was won way back in 1992. We've had some rough years and we've weathered through them all. It just feels right to be back on top.

9. Come on. You really don't want Florida to win the national championship again, do you?

8. I've been sick all week just thinking and worrying and anticipating the game. So my health really depends on it.

7. Crimson and white are so much more fashionable than orange and blue. (When's the last time you saw that on a runway?)

6. Coach Saban talks all the time about the power of the fans. Do your part!

5. Tim Tebow's already saved the world and survived a brain-shattering concussion. What else does he need? (And, seriously, some of the boys on our team are pretty awesome too!)

4. Our fight song says, despite the fact that we haven't played at the Rose Bowl since like the 50s, "Remember the Rose Bowl, we'll win then." Guess where this year's BCS championship game will be played. Yep, Pasadena. Don't you want to be on the side of karma and fate?

3. Just because you like another team doesn't mean you can't join our cause just for today. If you don't have a team you pull for, we'll welcome you to the family!

2. If we lose, I might whine and talk about it for awhile on this here blog. If we win, I'll try and not talk too much about sports and will (instead) talk about food or the girls or really clever things that happen to me. (At least until the bowl game...or sooner, if I really need to!)

1. It would sorta feed my obsession. And I'm selfish like that.

UPDATE--
Of course, we are on absolute CLOUD 9!!!!! Alabama played so well against Florida...really a dominating performance...and we are all just proud of all the guys and how they played as a team. And then, to top it all off, my second favorite team (the Longhorns) clinched the other spot in the national championship game. It was a very good day!! I have a ton of pictures from the game, and then from Sydney's Christmas play last night at church. I will do my best to get some up in a bit. In the meantime, I hope you've had a wonderful weekend. And thanks for helping me pull the Tide to victory!!! :-)

2009-11-30T18:23:00.026-06:00

Happy (late) Thanksgiving..
Roll Tide!!..
& Hello December...
(all in one photo post)

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and that December is treating you nicely so far.

Thought I'd share some pictures from our numerous festivities over the last week or so. I hope that's okay with you. :-)

Every couple of years, Gary's birthday rotates around to make him a Turkey Birthday Boy, and this was one such year. So, we had to begin Thanksgiving Day by giving him some gifts (Sydney, of course, had to help him open them all)...

And then we had to move on to our Thanksgiving business, most notably the traditional reading of our blessings. We got out the paper strips that all of us had written on and shared the things we're thankful for with each other (Cute boys! Football! Family! Books! Church! Grace!)...

My favorite moment in the midst of it all was when Sydney read her strips out loud to us. Since she is reading and writing so well, she wrote them all herself. This one said "My. Sisters." Pretty much the sweetest thing ever, huh?

Once we finished with that, we got dressed and ready for the very busy day ahead. Even though we'd be traveling from place to place, we knew that it would be fantastic because, well, it's Thankgiving Day!

Our first stop was Gary's parents, where we ate more food than can possibly be legal. It was asolutely delicious (and his grandmother's dressing lived up to its awesome reputation!)...

After we were sufficiently full (the pants unzipped, the sleepiness closing in), we packed up and headed down to another celebration at my parents' house. Since we couldn't possible eat another thing (at least for another hour or so), we took some time to play football outside...

and pose for some cute pictures as dusk began to settle in...

We were absolutely thrilled that my cousin, Lacy, got to visit this year from Texas, along with her sweet husband Brandon and this angel child...

We had never met Haven, even though we had praying for her since her birth. She has a rare heart condition that is life-threatening (she has spent many, many nights in ICU in Dallas), but she is doing really wonderfully right now and she is surrounded by the most amazing parents and grandparents and friends and people who just shower her with love and let her know that God is taking care of her.

We could not got enough of her sweetness! She smiled all the time, fell in love with everyone she met, and just radiated contentment.

We took SO many pictures of her and with her...

We were not focused solely on Haven (although there's nothing wrong with that!). The girls had a wonderful time with all of their cousins. (There's nothing like cousins, is there?)

(and could be pretty silly with them too...)

The other big thing on the menu (other than a ton of sweet potato pie; seriously, I think I ate an entire pie by myself!) was football! On Thursday night, we even got Haven interested in the Texas-Texas A&M game (thank goodness the Longhorns pulled that one out!)...

On Friday, we all watched (and screamed! and high fived! and hid our eyes!) the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn. The game was incredibly close and we were all a bit traumatized by it (or at least Delaney and I were), but we won and now all that's standing in the way of a national championship game is Florida in the SEC championship.

We spent two night at Mom and Dad's, and then headed home to enjoy rehearsals for this next weekend's Christmas children's play at church. Sydney is doing so great, and she has a solo!

I absolutely LOVE the play every year and if it doesn't get you totally in the Christmas spirit, then you crazy (or an honest-to-gosh Scrooge!)...

After the rehearsal, our church held its Family Christmas Tree Decorating service. It's one of my favorite celebrations of the season, as we all gather for a potluck meal, lots of great Christmas songs and carols, and a decorating of a tree by all the different families in the church.

Delaney and her friend, Kayla, performed "Jingle Bell Rock" for the audience and it was wonderful! (I wish I'd recorded it, so you could hear Delaney's sweet voice. I need to do that sometime.)

After the service, we came home and decorated OUR Christmas tree, and then did our first night of our Advent together (every Sunday during the Christmas season, we light a candle on our Advent wreath, sing songs, read parts of the Christmas story, and talk about the "real meaning" of the season). It's times like these that make it all worth while...

And now, December is here. It's just hard to believe that the Christmas season is upon us!

I pray that you all had a blessed Thanksgiving, and that your December is starting off well (I would love to hear all about it!). I think of all of you often, and love you bunches.

2009-11-30T13:11:00.002-06:00

We had a wonderful, WONDERFUL Thanksgiving with so much fun with friends and family! And, to top it all off, Alabama won a great game against Auburn (Roll Tide!).

I plan on posting pictures very soon.

Until then, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well. Love you all!

2009-11-24T13:08:00.006-06:00

We are all so thankful...

It's Thanksgiving Week, which means the wonderful onslaught of so many things. Turkey and Gan Gan's dressing. Sweet potato pie. Visiting with my uncle and cousins from Texas. Football and more football. Mashed potatoes. Birthday cake for Gary.

And basically being overwhelmingly grateful for all the wonderful blessings in my life. I have a wonderful family, and fantastic friends, and a healthy body, and a life filled with so many little things that make me smile each and every day.

Because I am so blessed, I really like to have the focus at Thanksgiving on all of those blessings. Amidst the food and the family and the football, I like to encourage me, and Gary, and the girls to think about all the things for which we should be thankful.

So, then, another thing that is an integral part of Thanksgiving Week at the Wrays is a little family tradition we have done since McKenna was just a toddler.

At the onset of the week of Thanksgiving, I set out strips of construction paper and pen and instruct everyone: "It's that time again! Come write down the things you're thankful for."

Throughout the week, I find people sitting at the dining room table writing little notes on the paper strips. Then they put them in a glass vase sitting there, and I'm overwhelmed by how many things touch the hearts of my husband and daughters...if only we stop and think about them.

By the time Thanksgiving Day arrives, the vase will be stuffed to the brim and overflowing with our blessings.

As we wake up on the morning of Thanksgiving, and before we head out to all of our family gatherings, we will read them out loud with another.

Yesterday I put first few strips into the vase and this is what they said...

"I am thankful that we have enough money to pay our bills each month, and have enough left over for ice cream and movies."

"I am thankful for God's grace."

"I am thankful for words and books."

"I am thankful for sports, and the joy they give me when I enjoy them with family and friends."

"I am thankful for my girls."

And since today is Tuesday (and I haven't had an official Random Tuesday post lately here on my blog), here are two questions to share in the comments section or to put on your own blog:

Do you have any special Thanksgiving traditions?

and

What are you thankful for today?

2009-11-19T16:40:00.000-06:00

Some Sydney-Sized Life Lessons

In my prayers, I am daily thankful for my three daughters. And when I say a prayer of gratitude for Sydney, I often whisper a statement something like this, "Thank you for the wisdom Scout shows me. Her words, and insights, and laughter, and stories, remind me of what's really important. Thank you for using a five-year-old to get lessons through my thick skull. Because, otherwise, You know that sometimes I'm not listening very well."

Five-year-olds do indeed have a way of getting to your mind and to your heart, and putting things into perspective. Granted, the lessons sometimes involve potty stories or nose picking...but they just as soon involve love and friendship and (the one that gets me the most, because it shows me how God really does think kids are the coolest!) spiritual things.

Just last night, Sydney socked it to me three times in the span of about three hours.

I thought I'd share her wisdom (funny! meaningful!) with you all.

We are living in typical November Alabama weather (i.e., cold in the morning, up to like 70 in the day, cold again in the evening), so last night Sydney needed to wear something long-sleeved to church. She kept on the black leggings she wore to school during the day, and I pulled out some possible shirts for her to pair with them. When I showed her a black shirt (cute, stylish), she shook her head and answered, "I can't wear black and black. I might be goth." What can you say to that response? I just smiled and said, "You've got a point."

Lesson Learned:
When younger kids have older, teenaged sisters, they know a lot more than you realize. When they go to school, they learn even more.

Later that evening, as we got ready for bed, Sydney asked if she could fix my hair. I was sitting on the computer and randomly flipping channels, so I was basically doing nothing of real importance. I set the computer down and answered her, "Sure you can." She then proceeded to fix my hair in piggy-tails...piggy-tails that were uneven (one up my ear, one down by my shoulder) and, how shall I say it?, unkempt. She then asked if she could do my nails. My nails were already painted, but I offered up my toenails to her, and she literally "went to town" on them and painted them a lovely bright pink.

Lesson Learned:
Sometmes it's good to say "Sure you can," give in to the inner child, and receive lots of smiles and hugs in return.

In between the Goth Episode and a visit to Sydney's Style Salon, I sat down to watch "Glee," my favorite tv show of the season so far. Sydney is also a lover of the show, primarily for the music (you should hear her sing "Sweet Caroline" word for word, and also "Bust a Move," both from the Season 1 soundtrack. I'm incredibly proud of her affection for "Sweet Caroline," and have to also give myself a little mother's high-five for teaching her the joy of music by Young MC.). "Glee," though, does have some storylines that are not necessarily appropriate for a 5-year-old. I try, then, to let her hear the songs and then sidetrack her when Kurt professes his gayness or Quinn talks about being a pregnant teen Mom.

While singing some Neil Diamond together she did, however, notice the reprimand Quinn was getting from her parents, who eventually threw her out of their house because she was pregnant. She looked at me with that look in her eye, like she just didn't understand what she'd just seen. And I knew it was coming.

"Why did they tell her to leave her house?"
"Because she's going to have a baby, and she's too young to have a baby and her parents are mad about it."
"But parents should never make their daughter leave."
"You're exactly right, Sydney. They should love her no matter what."
"Yep. Because parents love you more anything...well, not more than God or Jesus or Mary [note to self: find out if Sydney is getting Catholic training in her public kindergarten]. But they love you almost that much."
Imagine too: she is saying all of this with her arms wrapped tightly around my neck; and looking into my eyes earnestly throughout the conversation.
"I love you, Mommy."

Lesson Learned:
Children undertsand what love is all about. And they can teach us quite a bit (don't you think?).

2009-11-16T12:45:00.003-06:00

It's a Cupcake Battle Royale

I think you all know me pretty well.

Any time is a great time for sweets...especially cupcakes!

This past Saturday we were home for a rare Alabama football game on television (instead of being at the game) and, when there's a Bama game on tv, there's a Bama party.

In fact, I watched a lot of college football in general (after watching Delaney play some softball), and I decided that it was a good day to make some college football-themed cupcakes.

I made some fun Alabama cupcakes...

And then I made a Boilermakers cupcake for my Purdue fan and friend, Phats...

And, even though it was hard to do so, I made a Notre Dame cupcake for Delaney (as a reward for her playing softball so hard all day long). Sorry that I couldn't make Notre Dame win a game for her (they are baaaad this year)...

And then I had to have my Bama cupcakes involved in a "Battle Royale" with their opponents for the day.

So, the chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting (the "good guys," aka the Crimson Tide) did battle with the chocolate cupcake with the chocolate frosting (the Mississippi State Bulldogs)...

It turned, as expected, into a pretty ugly thrashing, and there was only one cupcake left standing...

2009-11-13T08:34:00.002-06:00

Giving Thanks

Do you all realize that it's less than two weeks now until Thanksgiving? (And I'm not even going to mention how close that makes Christmas!)

I love Thanksgiving more than any holiday. There's somethng about the cool weather, and all that delicious food, and the time spent with family (and the fact that gift-giving doesn't get in the way).

What's best about Thanksgiving, though, is the heart of what the holiday is all about.

It's right there in its title. It's not called Turkey Day, or Football with Family Day (although those would work pretty well with how we celebrate the day).

It's called Thanks. Giving.

We give thanks.

So, as we venture closer to the Thanksgiving celebrations, I thought I'd get into a thankful frame of mind here on my blog. I'm going to start today by posting some things that I'm thankful for, and then I'm going to continue doing so until we get to Thanksgiving.

Why don't you join me in thinking about the good stuff...the people and things you're blessed with...the things that we don't stop often enough to give thanks for...the big and the little things.

Here, then, are a few things I'm thankful for on this Friday:

~ I'm thankful for a five-year-old daughter who is learning to read and is absolutely loving it. It's so wonderful to see her eyes light up as she sounds out the words and reads books all by herself. Just last night she told me, "I love, love, love to read." It gave my heart a wonderful little jump.

~ I'm thankful for the promise of getting to see Delaney play softball tomorrow. I've been unable to watch her (because of the Alabama football games I've gone to), but I get to watch her all day tomorrow during the day. She's having an awesome Fall season and I can't wait to cheer her on!

~ I'm thankful for Chinese food. I craved it yesterday, and promptly went and bought me a takeout lunch. Yummm.

~ I'm thankful for friends. Friends from far away, and friends from just down the road.

~ I'm thankful for the beautiful days we've been having lately. A little 45 degree nip in the morning air; warm, sunny, and 70 degrees by mid-day.

~ I'm thankful for my family. I am blessed with wonderful daughters, wonderful parents, wonderful people all around me.

~ I'm thankful for another day to live and love and laugh and learn.

(I'm also thankful for You. And I pray that you have a fantastic Friday, and a blessed weekend. )

2009-11-09T18:43:00.024-06:00

Every Girl's a Princess

I pride myself on raising girls who are strong, independent, and free-thinking. Girls who are intelligent. Girls who are comfortable in their own skin. Girls who know who they are. Girls who don't need a boy to define them. Girls who like themselves.

I have also always been proud that my girls like girly things, yes, but that they aren't too girly. I guess that's not fair to all the girly girls out there (because I do think that little girls with hairbows and pressed dresses and all that good stuff are incredibly sweet!), but that's just not who I am. (I tell people all the time that I'm just glad when I can get Sydney's hair brushed before she goes to school in the morning.) My girls are beautiful and have their very fashionable days, but they also like to get dirty on the softball field and feel comfortable wearing jeans and a t-shirt to school.

Anyway...despite my belief in Girl Power...I do have to give in every once in a while to the idea that princesses are pretty special to 5-year-old girls!!

Every girl is a princess, pink is powerful, and there is nothing more special than meeting Princess Aurora in real life.

Sydney attended a very sweet party this past weekend, hosted by a good friend of mine who decided that her daughter (whose had some tough times lately) just needed a special day.

So Sydney, and several other real-life princesses, got to meet Princess Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty) and got to enjoy such things as talking one-on-one with the Princess, eating pink cupcakes, spinning in their big dresses, learning to curtesy, and getting a special dancing lesson.

What a wonderful reminder of how important it is for little girls to be little girls, and to believe in the power of make-believe and princesses. (It's probably something all of us...no matter our age...need to do more often!)

2009-11-06T08:22:00.003-06:00

The Game's On!!!

(UPDATE:
All the good guys won this past weekend!!! Delaney's travel team, the Birmingham Mustangs, won their tournament on Saturday!! Then--of course!!!--Alabama got a HUGE win Saturday against LSU. The game was loud and fun and exciting...and I will have some pics up sometime soon. And then last night, my Dallas Cowboys won again and took first place of their division. A good weekend for sports!)

I was born in Texas. So I love the Longhorns.

I lived my elementary and junior high school years in Fayetteville, Arkansas, so I still cheer on the Razorbacks (despite my girls being quite embarrassed when I show them that I can "call the hogs").

For some reason, Delaney cheers for Notre Dame (while we mostly make fun of her).

And I cheer for several other teams, because I have friends and family who love them. (My blog friend, Phats, has made me a Purdue fan. I cheer for Nebraska, since an old junior high friend is an avid Cornhusker. I even hope the Dawgs win, since my favorite cousin is a Georgia graduate.)

But you all know that Alabama is my One True Love.

I love the school, the campus, the colors, the traditions, the championships, the everything.

And tomorrow...well, tomorrow is our biggest game of the season so far!

Gary and I will be there in-person to enjoy the rivalry and craziness that is the Alabama-LSU game. Seriously, that game is always the most intense and loud and fun game of the season--mostly because of the LSU fans (it's the one game I would question taking my kids to, because the LSU fans can shout some pretty ugly things at you...just for standing there!).

If you're near a television at 2:30 tomorrow, turn it onto CBS and catch a great game full of fire and passion...and really good defenses! And if you don't have a team to cheer for, I give you permission to adopt my Crimson Tide.

To get you fired up (okay, really, it's to get me fired up again!), here's one of the videos that's shown pregame:

(And then also check out my gameday picks as the Guest Picker on Phats' awesome blog.)

I hope you all have a great weekend.

And I hope that your favorite team wins!

2009-11-02T22:00:00.002-06:00

What Have I Been Doing Since I Talked with You Last?

Well, I did post a few Halloweeen pictures on my last post to give you a glimpse into our festivities. But once I decided to sit down and post the rest of my favorite Halloween pictures, I realized that we'd done A LOT more in the last week or so.

So...how about an overview of all the fun we've been having?

Last week we had the Alabama-Tennessee game and it turned into a very exciting, nail-bite-inducing, stomach-churning game (we won on a blocked field goal at the end of the game, and I was pretty much hiding in the bottom of my stadium seat with my eyes covered!). I took my nieve, Lori, who had never been to an Alabama game. She had a great time, of course!

Here are a few pictures from inside Bryant-Denny...

Then, of course, it was almost time for Halloween, which means Pumpkin Carving Time...

I also made a bunch of cupcakes. Like these princess cupcakes and tie-dyed cupcakes...

Sydney had a Fall Festival at her school, and Gary and I had a great time watching her have so much and meeting her sweet friends...

(I especially love that last one of Sydney and Leslie. Sydney just loves her!)

Then, it was time for Halloween Bunco. My friend Lisa came as Susan Boyle from "Britain's Got Talent"...

And there was Bleeding Cake...

On the Wednesday before Halloween, our church hosted a Trunk or Treat. It was a lot of fun and we had a ton of kids from the community show up. The girls and I got to unveil our 2009 costumes (Gary was in Las Vegas on business during the entire week, so he was sad that he had to miss the fun!). Sydney kept telling people she was the Wicked Witch of the West, but she couldn't convince anyone that she was anything but the Cutest Witch Ever...

I was a Flapper...

Delaney was an 80s Girl (LOVED her leg warmers and glasses!) and McKenna was a Robot (not bad for a homemade costume, if I do say so myself!)...

Here are some pictures from the evening...

We also celebrated Senior Night at the high school football game, when they recognized all the seniors who are cheerleaders, football players, and band members. The two senior color guard members were Captains McKenna and Stacey...

and when they recognized McKenna, and her girls gave her a gift basket and big hug, she just about lost it...

On the same night, we had to get ready for Delaney's middle school beauty pageant! There was a lot of primping to do before the event...

and then getting ready with her friend Kayla.

I LOVE these before and after shots...

Here's a good view of Delaney's dress...

She did great on stage...

And, before she knew it, it was time to pose with her friends afterwards! I am NOT a pageant sort of person, but Delaney has the right attitude about it. She just loves to dress up and then have a good time with her friends (thank goodness! because if that attitude ever changed, she would not do it again!)...

(I just love that one of Delaney and Jaelyn! And aren't they all just beautiful girls? You know...we make them pretty down South! LOL)

After the pageant, we got a bite to eat

and I got this picture that I love of Delaney and McKenna...

(by the way, Sydney was sound asleep with her head on the table at the restaurant. 10:30 pm was late for her, especially after a very busy day!).

And here are some cupcakes I did for Halloween (the first two are actually cupcake "cakes"--cupcakes frosted to look like one cake)...

On Halloween, Gary made it back into town and got to dress up with the rest of us. Here we are as a Flapper and Vampire...

And some more fun pictures from the evening (some with the help of a fog machine)...

We loved posing at some of the decorations...

and Sydney especially cracked me up...

Boy, that was a lot of pictures!!!

But, you know? I love having all of these pictures to help me remember these wonderful family moments!

I hope you all had a fun-filled Halloween too, and that you are having a fantastic week so far!

2009-11-01T00:05:00.002-05:00

We hope you had a super fun Halloween...we sure did!

More photos from all of the festivities (plus beauty pageants! high school senior stuff! cupcakes!) coming very soon.