SawGrass Plantation

Justin and I spent this past weekend with 9 awesome couples from our church at SawGrass Plantation in Gainesville, Alabama. Rachel forwarned us that it was a “step above sleeping under the stars,” so our expectations were low. I mean, l-o-w. A hunting lodge in rural West Alabama is not exactly the Ritz-Carlton. We brought our own sheets and covers and were told not to walk in the home barefoot, and that the showers weren’t even really worth the effort. So, we were pleased when we pulled up to a country home with a huge cedar A-frame addition on the front and a big horse barn to left – a far cry from the grim picture Rachel had painted.

Gainesville is about 2 hours or so from the big city of Birmingham, and is in one of the poorest counties in the state of Alabama. Sumter County is a part of Alabama’s “Black Belt.” Originally named for the soil ideal for growing cotton, it is better known these days for the slave descendants who remain on the land. SawGrass Plantation is used by Rachel’s family as a hunting lodge. With around 2000 acres, including 6 ponds, it’s perfect for tuning in with Mother Nature and… being a redneck. For those of you who know me personally, being a redneck is not exactly what I do best. Although growing up in Alabama my entire life, I am a city girl.

We made the trek to SawGrass with our friends Maghan and Hal. Justin loaded the console in the back with a gallon of Milo’s sweet tea and Zapps potato chips for a snack. We were just getting geared up for a week end of un-healthy eating. After polishing off the last of the sweet tea, we were more than ready for a “pit stop.” Out of pure desperation, we stopped at a gas station on the Boligee exit of I-20/I-59. Maghan and I shared the ladies’ room with a woman with a very lit cigarette hanging out of her mouth, and upon leaving the store, Maghan overheard her say, “Look at them white folks!” We rushed back to the car practically holding hands, and looking out for each other, and for our husbands. We survived. ;-)

After about 30 minutes or so of driving through “the sticks,” we were glad to see our friends Martina and Camron and Rachel and Jared already getting things settled in at SawGrass. Over the next few hours, Bret and Lanie, Ben and Bethany, Michael and Martha, Ben and Jamie, and Mike and Jessa arrived and claimed their beds. After pigging out on Dreamland barbecue and the amazing snacks that everyone brought, we settled down long enough for Bret to bring us a great lesson about God’s plan for our marriages and where we fit into the journey through His story. While everyone else drifted off to sleep, Jessa, Justin and I stayed up until 3:30 discussing human anatomy and quantum physics… ha! That would be really funny if you knew us.

Saturday morning breakfast was as good as any I’ve ever had. Rachel made an amazing sausage and cream cheese casserole with crescent rolls as a crust and a topping. YUM! Afterwards, we “suited up” for horseback riding (I even wore my cowboy boots), but the weather had other plans for us. Just as 5 of the horses were saddled up, the heavens opened up and the rain came down in sheets.

Me and Buddy, the horse.

Maghan, me and Jessa during the rainstorm.

Justin waiting the rain out.

The rain set the stage for some good ole redneck muddin.’ This was a first for me. The sport of muddin’ consists of riding around on a 4 wheeler and/or a stripped out Suzuki Sidekick (in my case), splashing mud on the other vehicles around you, and getting covered in mud in the process. Being in the Suzuki sidekick, I was somewhat shielded from most of the mud, but I still pulled mud splatters out of my hair for hours. For those of you who aren't familiar with this sport, let me help you with a pronunciation guide. Muddin' is pronounced "mudn"... almost as if it's one syllable. If you say "mudd-ING", you will be made fun of in the dirty south. I know this from experience.

Me and Jessa after muddin.' Believe me, this picture does not do it justice.

A big thank you to Camron for your amazing driving skills, to Ben F. for riding the racing 4-wheeler and getting the ultimate mud award, to Jared for paving the way for a good afternoon in the mud, and to Justin, Michael and Jessa for being such great partners in this adventure.

Mike, Jessa, Camron, Me, Justin, Ben and Jared

After tossing around a football with Justin, Michael and Jessa, we relaxed in front of the television to watch some football. Then we watched some football. Then we watched some more football. Then we listened to football AND watched football at the same time. After Auburn beat New Mexico State and Bama lost an SEC heartbreaker to Georgia (sad), we all gathered in the cedar room for a great time of singing in the dark. “Dark” at SawGrass was darker than any “dark” I’ve ever experienced. It was great to be able to worship with friends who share our love for Christ.

After such a nice worship experience, we could have never predicted the highly intense game of CatchPhrase that followed. Allow me to give you some background. For as long as we’ve had a Sunday night small group of young married couples, no matter who is present, the guys ALWAYS win EVERY game. I seriously don’t think there has been one single solitary game that the girls have won. Nevertheless, the girls will not give up the competitive spirit. A few highlights include Rachel’s valiant effort to describe the famous actor Hairy Armpit and the moment when Mike Mullen stopped the game because, even though we were on the wrong track, he liked the energy he was getting from all the answers. For those that were not there, I cannot describe how much fun we have playing this game. It’s truly an experience in itself. Oh, and by the way – guys won. Again. HOWEVER, the girls have put together a “stratego” for victory which is destined to be foolproof!

The Sunday morning biscuits were delicious. Am I the only one out there who has never heard of putting Caro syrup on biscuits? This was another first for me, and not one I’m likely to repeat for a very long time. I’m not even sure what Caro syrup is actually used for, but I’m pretty sure it’s NOT to put on biscuits. ;-) Everyone chipped in to help clean up the cabin, and with so many hands, it didn’t take long.

After one last trip to the barn to see the horses, we were off. Headed back to the big city. The “real” world.

After a month’s hiatus…

Hey y’all! I know there are never good excuses for not posting… ESPECIALLY since I’ve been absent to the blog world for more than a month now. I also know that no amount of groveling will make up for not being there for all of you over the past month, but will you forgive me? Please? Please? So here’s what I’ve been up to…

After the lemon episode discussed in my last post, Justin and I went on the Great Car Search. I gave Justin a list of “approved” vehicles, and he did all the research. Upon reviewing Justin’s research, we both determined that the best car for me was an Acura TL.

My requirements – White exterior with tan leather.
Justin’s requirements – Navigation system.

Seems simple, right? WRONG! We searched coast to coast and found one… ONE car that met both of our requirements. With my planned vacation coming up, the decision to drive to Virginia Beach was easy. Whoa, VIRGINIA BEACH?! Yes! We rented a car from Hertz that we could return in Virginia, and we hit the road on a Friday afternoon after work. We made it to Virginia Beach the next day after spending the night in North Carolina. Amber, too bad you don’t live there anymore! We would have definitely stopped by to say hello. Anyway, the car looked great, and because we had a cashier’s check from our bank in Birmingham, the transaction was quick, easy and painless! We were only in Virginia Beach for about an hour or two before we resumed our journey… only this time, we were off to Florida. This time we spent the night in Georgia just north of the Florida line. Yes, Lindsey, we DID drive through Jacksonville, and I would definitely have called if I had your number. I thought about you nevertheless!

My grandparents own a beach home in Sunnyside Beach, just east of Panama City Beach, and it was great to pull up to my home away from home on Sunday afternoon. We spent a few days at the beach and enjoyed a few meals at a new favorite restaurant, The Great Southern Café in Seaside. We spent an evening on the lawn in the Seaside Town Square and listened to a mediocre oldies band, but the atmosphere was great, and we had fun watching little kids dance, and doing a bit of dancing ourselves! The days off work were rejuvenating, but I still wasn’t ready to get back into the swing of things on Thursday.

The following days were spent mostly at the office, but I enjoyed a night of Bunko, Girls Night with the girls in my Small Group at Sips N’ Strokes, opening season of College Football (ROLL TIDE!), and then, the day we had been waiting for – MOVING DAY!

On September 10th, Justin and I closed on our new home in Ross Bridge. Everything went really well, even though we’re still knee-high in boxes. We’re so glad to be in our own home, and are happy to be “nesting” again. I can’t wait to fill in the spaces that need a decorator’s touch. We love our new neighbors! There are a lot of young couples on our street, and everyone seems to be excited about getting to know everyone better!

Saturday was my 28th birthday, and even though I worked all day, the weather was absolutely perfect and Alabama won, so it was a beautiful day! J Justin gave me a professional decorator to help with the house, and Mom and Dad bought me a Coach handbag. I am blessed to be surrounded by such generous people! Justin also took me to dinner a few days prior to a restaurant here called Firebirds. We had been there a few times before, but it was ESPECIALLY good this time. The highlight of the dinner was the Crème Brule Cheesecake dessert. Combining my two favorite desserts was an absolutely brilliant move on their part! J In fact, I wish I had a piece of that right now. So delicious!

This weekend, we are going on a retreat with our small group at church, and Justin and I are so looking forward to spending time with 9 awesome couples from our church that we have grown to love! So, here’s a shout out to the Mills, Mullen, Craig, Penter, Hovater, Woodward, Grizzle, Faucett, and Walters families! We love you and can’t wait for Sawgrass!

PS. My photodocumentation of the above events will follow. My internet has slowed so much that right now, my goal is just to get this posted. The cable people have been trying to get it back on track for 2 whole days now!!! Posting this blog should be the least of my worries… yesterday I wasn’t able to check my work e-mail AT ALL!

When life gives you lemons...

It seems that Justin and I have been doomed to a series of lemons. That is, in reference to cars. Last year we bought an '03 Mercedes from a friend of ours who said it drove perfectly. It did, at the time. We had it for about 7 months when it all started, ironically just 24 hours after a routine maintenence check at a certified Mercedes shop. Loooong story short, the transmition was beginning to malfunction, and we needed to get rid of the car FAST before any real trouble set in. Justin found a great deal on a '05 Expedition and we made the trade. Fortunately, we had gotten an incredible deal on the Mercedes, so we didn't loose anything financially. He pulled a few thousand out of the dealership, and I was now the proud owner of a giant SUV. The original idea was for me to drive the new Expedition until Justin's '98 Expedition decided to expire. Then we would get me something I really liked and Justin would take over the '05. Well, the SUV had other plans for our life. On occasion, Justin has noticed a vibration in the car. It doesn't happen regularly. I, on the other hand, never notice ANYTHING car related. "Do you hear that?" Nope. "Did you feel that?" Nope. "That, right there. You didn't feel that?" Nope! I just don't know what look or listen for when it comes to cars... and frankly, we had agreed that would always be his area of expertice because I'm seriously lacking in the car knowledge department. Well, he noticed some more vibrations, and some smoke coming out of the back, so he took the car to the shop.


"Your engine has locked up, and there's no way to fix it without getting a NEW ENGINE." That's what Long Lewis Ford told us. If you are in Birmingham and take your car there, I recommend getting a second opinion. Justin was livid. Basically (because I know my "audience" is estrogen-filled rather than testosterone-filled), when an engine locks up, your car will not start. A new engine means replacing the giant machine under the hood. Justin drove the car to the dealership, the mechanic drove it into the bay, and THEN they tell us the engine no longer works. Hmmm. Justin had it towed to a different dealership (Town & Country Ford is a good place), who quick-fixed it for $850. The car now drives, but one of the rods in one of the cyliders is bent and, like Long-Lewis said, we will need a new engine at some point. That, folks, will cost us 6,500 smackers. Ugh. Makes me nauseated just thinking about that.


I'll keep you posted on what we decide to do, but at this point, it looks like I will be getting a new/different car soon. Please pray this one isn't a lemon!

PRAY FOR THE QUADS

Suzanne, a friend from Harding who is pregnant with Quads, is having an emergency c-section right now. She is only 30 weeks (10 weeks early), but she's done exceptionally well for carryinig quads. No doubt these babies will be in the hospital for quite some time, but pray that they will be little fighters and that all 4 of the babies (and mommy) will be healthy. Click here to view her blog.

I know She and Joe would appreciate your prayers!

Sunday afternoon drive

Lately, Justin and I have been on this classic car kick. His 1998 Ford Expedition has over 280,000 miles on it, and is still going strong, but we know that the end is near. We bought me a 2005 Expedition Limited at the end of last year, but our intent was for Justin to get the '05 when his decides to expire. At that point, we'll get me something different. I must admit that it has really been Justin's thing, but he was slowly convincing me that a classic car might be a really fun thing. He showed me about a million cars from a 1966 Cadillac DeVille to a 1965 Ford Thunderbird. The first one to put a twinkle in my eye was a 1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza - convertible. The body is maroon, the rag top and interior are white. We saw it while driving down the highway headed to Gulf Shores. Today, we went for a drive. Here are a few pictures.

Even though it was 96 degrees outside, and the car has no AC, we felt so cool driving around in this vintage convertible.

No power steering and the brakes were stiff, but it drove pretty well! It had a lot more get-up-and-go than we thought it would.

My turn!

After driving it, we came to the conclusion that it is a great and wonderful "fun" car, but it just doesn't really suit my needs for a daily driver. We would still love to have a classic car sometime in the future, but it's just not time right now.

After the drive, we went back to Justin's mom's house and played with the dogs before settling down to watch a movie. I love Sunday afternoons. I wish I had more of them! Most Sunday afternoons for me are spend being a circus monkey in the model home at Ross Bridge - by far our busiest days. Here are a few pictures we took this afternoon in the yard. Too cute not to post.

Justin and me.

Show me those pearly whites, Rez!

Rez and Justin having some bonding time. Yes, Justin did get a very very very very short haircut. It looks nice, although he looks like he's trying to cover up a receding hair line.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, too! It's back to reality tomorrow. Sad.

Birmingham Home Theater

And now, for the official unveiling of the Birmingham Home Theater logo!

A huge thanks to Ashley M for putting her talents to work! Justin's business continues to grow with the help of his very loyal customers who continue to refer their friends and family.

Justin began his company as The Audio Video Connection in 2003. As a practicing engineer at the time, he set up home theaters for friends and family as a hobby, and took on a few customers as they came. As his business grew, we made the decision that he could leave his engineering career to focus on his home theater business full time. The Audio Video Connection turned into Home Theater Solutions which turned into Birmingham Home Theater in 2007. We have finally reserved the website and incorporated his company in the state of Alabama, so bring on the business! Justin can literally do EVERYTHING related to home entertainment - briefly described as home theater sales, installation and service.

Just wanted to show off the new logo and of course throw in a shameless plug!

A time to be born...

Ecclesiastes says there is a time to be born, and apparently this was the week! Congratulations to all my friends who have had babies over the past week. This post is a tribute to you!

Anna Kate Rogers

July 12, 2007

to Michael and Hannah Rogers

in Lakeland, FL

Her big brother is Wesley.

Jackson Robert Sellers

July 16, 2007

to Brandon and Ashley Sellers

in Birmingham, AL

Noah Patrick Cheketri

July 17, 2007

Patrick and Jennifer Cheketri

in Brisbane, QLD Australia

Adler's Boo-Boo...

So many of you are mothers. I am a mother, too... but in a different way. I have two precious baby-dogs. Rez and Adler are, for now, the closest things to children that Justin and I have. They go everywhere with us... vacation, work (well, they go to work with Justin), shopping, they sleep with us, and have even been known to wait patiently in the car while we are at church or eating at a restaurant. They are great dogs - so well behaved. Here is a picture of them just before our walk yesterday. Aren't they cute?!

Adler is very photogenic, but Rez refused to perk her ears up for this shot.

This one is from Christmas 2006.

Hannah, I know you (and probably others, too) think this humanizing-the-dog thing is absolutely ridiculous, but I can't help it. If I've accurately painted the picture of how much we love our dogs, you can imagine my intense concern when I saw the below flesh wound on Adler's back.

I tried to blow up the actual wound so you could see it a little better.

The vet said he could stitch her up, but Justin opted not to because we're not crazy about the idea of putting the dogs under anesthesia. It's so sad to see her in pain, although I think it bothers me more than it bothers her. I've been cleaning the wound with hydrogen peroxide several times a day, and she's been taking amoxicillin to fight any infection. I must say she's been quite a big girl. After about a day of trying to figure out what actually happened to cause such a wound, Justin noticed there was a little bit of Adler's hair on the knob that adjusts the umbrella on the patio table. What are the chances!? Poor Adler... hopefully her wound will heal soon, and without infection!

And because Justin hasn't gotten much face time on the blog lately, I found this picture fitting. Here's my #1 baby with my #2 and #3 babies - my precious family.

Pictures of the new house...

Yesterday I had a little time after work to stop by the new house and tooka few pictures. The trim and mantle are in, and the CABINETS were installed Thursday! I watched the boxes of cabinets sit in my house for three days, so I was starting to get ancy, but they turned out great and the entire kitchen was set up in just one day. I think tile is next, and countertops, and paint. Our good friends, Daniel and Dana (and their son, Chase) are moving in just a few homes away, and they already have paint, tile, countertops, and light fixtures. I think their home is about a month ahead of ours, and it's been fun watching it grow.

This is the exterior of our home... it was a little wet and dreary the day I took this, so I think the one I posted a few days ago looks better.

This is our kitchen! I can't wait to see it all finished out with granite and the backsplash! (Maybe I should learn how to cook now!)

This is the living room.

Looking from the living room into the dining room.

Everything is going really well on the home front. Mom and Dad have actually been wonderful hosts, and Mom and I have really enjoyed walking together most evenings. I think they're going to go through Empty Nest Syndrome again after we leave. Oh well, it's all about adjusting these days! Hope you all are having a great week end!

Introducing... Anna Kate Rogers!

Click on Hannah's blog to get the full update!

Eye Emergency and Celebrity Look-Alikes

Am I the only one who glances through my entire blogroll about once a day? Sometimes I don't get a chance (like the last 2 weeks in June this year), but I usually try to click through to check for recent updates... even if I just skim the post and don't get a chance to comment or write a post of my own. Well, I have begun getting sad sometimes when I check day after day and there's not a new post! I know that most of us have more to do than sit around pounding out new posts on our laptops every day, but I really enjoy getting the daily updates... no matter how trivial. So tonight, after parousing the blogroll, I noticed that my last entry was 6 days ago!!! If I were someone else, I'd be wanting me to post!!! (Um, does that even make sense? Oh well.) Anyway, my life mainly consists of of the basic mundanes, with the spice of life added every now and then, so I KNOW that most of you are not waiting on pins and needles, clicking on my blog every day for an update, but here you go. And I'll be brief. Ha!

We had a great time at the beach. Justin and I just hung around mom-in-law's house and watched movies, slept in and just enjoyed spending time with each other. I put an away message on my voice mail so I could leave it off GUILT-FREE! It was wonderful. Anyway, Saturday while cleaning my contact lens, I tore it. Not sure how, it just tore. Unfortunately, my prescription was expired (by 2 months), so I had to go to the eye doctor. Now, two visits, two sets of contacts, and two optometrists later, I'm hoping to get fitted in the CORRECT prescription tomorrow. The doctor in Gulf Shores made such a mistake that I can barely read street signs while driving until I have practically passed them. I have an optometrist friend named Dr. Bonnie Mallard, and I am seeing her tomorrow to get this all cleared up (pun intended). Thanks Bonnie!

I'll leave you with this. I've seen this before several times, but for some reason, tonight I felt like adding it to my blog. I'm curious to see who YOU look like! Do you agree that I look like these celebrity ladies?


Aloha (from what I hear, this can be used as hello OR goodbye in Hawaii... ooh, I want to go there...NOW!)

Update on our house...

It just occurred to me that I haven't posted an updated picture of the house in quite some time. This is an old picture, but the outside really hasn't changed very much from when this was taken about 3 weeks ago. Our home is now completely sheetrocked and I expect cabinets to go in sometime next week. Please let September come soon!

Still waiting on those red brick columns to balance it all out, but as you can see, it's coming along! We were a bit worried about the yellow because almost all the homes around us are in earth tones, but we were so pleased at how well it turned out. The brick columns will certainly lessen the blow. I really can't wait to see how they change the look!

Tonight we met Justin's brother, sister-in-law, and our neices for a surprise dinner. They live in Mobile and we try to see them as often as possible, but unfortunately it's been a few months. The little rugrats grow like weeds, so it's always fun to see how the girls have changed. Meghan is 9 1/2 going on 19 and Caitlin is all about being an almost-4-year-old little girl. She and I have the same birthday, so she's my special buddy. She always puts her hair next to mine and tells me it "matches." Her mommy has red hair and her daddy has dark hair, so I think she feels a special bond. ;-) I like to think so anyway. Also joining us for dinner were Joel and Che, some of Scott and Hilary's friends who used to live in Mobile. So, here is a picture of the girls from tonight.

Well, leaving for the beach super-early in the morning, so I'm off!

Lehitraot (Hebrew for bye-bye!)

Workin’ Like a Dog. Oh, and Happy Birthday, America!

I wish I had good excuse for not blogging in a while. Such as basking on a yacht in the Caribbean. Or building homes in Honduras for those who don’t have them. Or possibly even traveling so much visiting friends and family that I haven’t had time to blog! But no. My “excuse” (if you can call it one) is that I’ve been working non-stop from dawn until well past dusk every single solitary day since Father’s Day… incidentally, the day after my last post. No kidding, y’all. No weekends, no light days, no time off in the middle of the day for a pedicure, no leaving early because all the work is done. This has been 8am – 10pm for over two weeks… until today… which has quite possibly been the laziest day I’ve had since I was in college. I proudly let everyone in the house know that I was going to have a “ME” day. Everything was going to be on MY schedule including when I get up, when I eat, when I exercise, when I shower, and when I go to bed. It’s almost 10:00 now, and this has been the most wonderfully relaxing day. Thank you, God, for days like today.

And to top it all off, I got to watch the beautiful fireworks explode over the Birmingham icon, Vulcan, and listen to patriotic music. I love goofy military band tunes and old American favorites like “You’re a Grand Ole Flag,” “God Bless America,” and their more recent counterpart, Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.” The fireworks were great, and so were the ribs, baked beans, slaw, peach shortcake and ice cream that I’ve been indulging in throughout the day.

If you are curious to hear about the class reunion update, I’ll give you a brief rundown. Nothing had changed. Seriously, about 3 people looked different. It was very nice to see everyone, and I really did have a good time, but it definitely took me back to 1997. And 1996. And 95, 94, 93, etc. I wonder what 2017 holds in store! Gosh, that seems so far away!

We're beaching it again this weekend for the first time in a month. I'm going through some serious withdrawals. Will update soon!

Cheerio!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that...

Sorry it's been so long since I posted, but I've pretty much been in the same routine for a few weeks. Work work work, steal away to the beach for a few days, then work work work again. So is my life right now. Only thing different is that tomorrow is my TEN YEAR HIGH SCHOOL REUNION!!! It actually started tonight with "Happy Hour" at Oak Hill Bar and Grill in downtown Homewood, but I passed on that in an effort to find the perfect shoes for the dress I bought for the big shin-dig tomorrow night at SoHo Square in the center of my lovely hometown. I've been trying to find the perfect outfit for tomorrow's picnic at Homewood park, and I finally settled tonight. I'll post pics and a full update after tomorrow.

But anyway, the past few weeks. We had our frame review on our new house this week, which means that we're THAT much closer to completion. The drywall is sitting inside the home as of this afternoon, but has not yet been installed. The outside will probably be painted soon, and as soon as they build the columns, it won't look so top-heavy!

I've been down to Gulf Shores a few times to bask in God's glorious sun on the most beautiful sugar-white beaches in the world! Last time I was down there, I got new running shoes! Asics DS Trainer Xi. These shoes help protect my feet from overpronation (basically... my foot rolls in a little too much each time I take a step. This supports my arch, so that doesn't happen so much). So far, so good. No blisters yet, but my "long" run has been only 2 miles. We'll see over the next few weeks how they do. Here's a picture...

By they way, I still hate running, but it's just something that you have to do sometimes in order to not be the size of a small yacht, ya know?

Living with Mom and Dad hasn't been too bad. They still get irritated if we come in late, or don't "clean our room," but most days it's just fine. Keep praying for us!!!

Well, y'all, as interesting as I know this post has been, I'm sure you are all just dying for more. BUT I'm signing off. I'll leave you with this halfway interesting blogthing. According to this, I was apparently born a few decades late!!

You are a 1950s Diva

High heels, pretty dresses, classic makeup... You're a feminine beauty who knows how to play up her assets!

What Decade Diva Are You?

Over and out!

Home sweet home... again.

How weird is it to wake up in your old house, surrounded by your old things, but only you've been gone for well over 2 years? When my alarm goes off in the morning, not only do I have my husband wanting me to make it be quiet, but my mom and my dad, too! And me? I like to listen to the radio when I wake up. And I like it loud. And I like it early. I want to lay around and listen to my funny radio guys for an hour before I actually get out of bed. This habit seems to annoy the other people in the house, so I have to make personal adjustments. And not to mention that when I moved out of this house, it was VERY wrong to sleep in the same bed with Justin, and now... well, you know! ;-) We are approaching our third night at Maison de Leach. We're still not really settled, but we will be in time. The sooner the better in order to keep the peace.

We did set ground rules. We discussed what Mom and Dad's expectations were for Justin and me; and what ours were for them. They expect us to keep our room and bathroom neat, help out with the dishes and do our own laundry. Deal. We expect them to provide wireless internet and to stay out of our business. I was surprised the first went over so well. I kind of threw it in there as a freebee, but I'm now hooked up to their brand new wireless connection! Hooray! The second is easier said than done. I know. I live it. Daily. They mean well, I know, but there's a fine line between caring and meddling. The latter would be disasterous to this living arrangement.

Today, we closed on the townhouse. What would have normally been an hour closing lasted two hours, but other than that, it was smooth. So long, Inverness! We had a nice 10 months, but we're ready to get back to the familiar - back to where we are within 10 minutes of friends, family, church and work. The countdown to September has begun. Approximately 120 days until we move into our new home... let's hope for sooner.

I worked this afternoon for the first time since Sunday. It seems like I've been off forever, but really it breaks down like this... Monday was Memorial Day and Justin and I were at the beach through Tuesday (my day off). Wednesday (my other day off) the movers came, and we got everything loaded into storage. Today, we had a sales meeting this morning, and I left straight from there to go to the marathon closing, and didn't return to work until 3:00. I was so behind that I worked until 8:00 tonight to get everything done. I have a meeting in the morning, and a contract appointment early afternoon, so I won't be able to tackle any other work tomorrow until around 3:00. What a drain! I'm so happy to be taking it easy tonight. Well, that is, AFTER we loaded the fine china and our oil paintings into the cars and then into the storage unit. I finally got home around 9:15. I left this morning at 8:30. That is definitely a heckuva day!

On that note...

Adieu

Beach, FUN! Packing, UN-FUN...

So, this is me procrastinating. I just can't pack one more thing tonight... and we've barely even started. I want to go back to the beach! Why don't we flash back to our wonderful weekend trip to the beach. I'll tell it in pictures...

Saturday, Justin and I headed to the beach to spend the day at a beach house in Fort Morgan. The house was BEAUTIFUL! A stone's throw away from the beach, and it even had its own pool!

Our #1 favorite thing of all time, is to go to the beach. We even got engaged at this very beach. I thought this picture was super-cute... especially of Justin.

The beach is extra fun when we can share it with friends. Here's a picture of Jill, Lexy and Me. We were all neighbors in Homewood, and met at the Dog Park in our neighborhood. Our dogs were friends first!Jill's son, Will, loved the water! The only thing he DIDN'T like was being held by anyone other than "Mom" or "Dad." By the end of the day, he let me hold him, but only after an amateur rendition of Take Me Out to the Ball Game and Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes in English AND in French!

Lexy's daughter, Sweden, loves the POOL! Then again, she likes pretty much everything. She can even hold her breath under water! Such a cute little guppy!

Even Rez and Adler were able to enjoy one of God's finest creations! I think the beach is their #1 favorite thing of all time, too.

So, back to reality...

This packing thing is way overrated. Can't you just see the sheer joy on my face! I can't wait to get settled into our new house and stay there for many many happy years. Until then, I'll keep you posted on our grand adventure at the 'rents.

10-4

Does this carpet look frayed to YOU?

Today, we received the home inspection results from the buyer, and there were only two items on the list! We were pleased, in general, but are still puzzled about one of the items.
1. Broken lock on window. Yes, I know. It's been broken since we moved in, and we will have it repaired.
2. Carpet is frayed where tile meets carpet when going from kitchen to dining room. Do WHAT? I got down on my hands and knees tonight to see what in the world the inspector could be refering to. You be the judge.

So, does this carpet look frayed to YOU?

Now, I must point out two things.

One. Since when is a home inspector supposed to look at carpet??? Does the alleged frayed carpet affect the structural integrity of my home? NO! It's purely cosmetic... assuming that it actually IS frayed.

Two. I'm no home inspector, but I know of at least 3 other items that should have been on the list that weren't.
1. There is a ring around my shower ceiling that was caused from the overspray of the oil-based paint that was used for the crown molding.
2. The light above my tub in the second bath does not consistently come on and off because the insulation causes it to overheat.
3. There are 2 pieces of trim on the exterior of the home that need to be repainted to avoid any rotting in the future.

And, I knew about the lock on my window, so that would have been my #4. I will have all the above items repaired before I move out (without being asked). But FRAYED CARPET? Um, no.
The buyer's agent is coming tomorrow to look at the carpet to determine if it is, in fact, frayed. I hope he thinks the inspector is looney, too.

On a different note, tonight I went to an art class and painted the below masterpiece!

There is an artist here in Birmingham who teaches a class almost every night called Sips 'n Strokes. You pay about $30, she furnishes all the supplies, and teaches you how to paint! It's so much fun to go with a group of girls and let loose. Tonight, I went with Dana (her hubby is Justin's best friend), Annette and Kelly, who are 2 of my Bunko friends. Wendy, the instructor, says the more wine you drink, the better your painting will be! I usually play it safe with a Mountain Dew or Diet Cherry Coke!

Tomorrow, I'm off to Gulf Shores for a few days! A few of our friends are there now, so I'm going to try to make it down for an early dinner, but we'll see. I have a closing in the morning, and I can't leave until afterwards.

Anyway, until next time...

Mother's Day and More!

Let me start off by saying that I cannot imagine what it must be like in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia right now. This morning when I left for work, there was a think smokey haze outside. Not only was the air thick, but it smelled of burning leaves. "Something's burning nearby!" I thought to myself as I got in my car. It wasn't until I got to work 15 miles away, the air still thick with smoke, that it finally hit me (with the help of my work partner).

In Birmingham, Alabama, 300 miles away, we can see and smell the smoke from these fires that have ravaged almost 1000 square kilometers of Georgia and Florida. If it's this bad here, I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE THERE!

On a different note (and we'll work backwards, I suppose), Sunday was Mother's Day! I actually had the day off work, so I spent the day basking in the sun at our community pool. We had dinner with the whole fam that night at Bonefish Grill (Mom's pick... well, her second pick. We couldn't get a reservation at Brio). Here's a picture of Mom and me at dinner.

And here's one of her with my sweet daddy.

Mom's are special, and so much of who I am today is because of my mom's influence. I really do have a great mom. So great, in fact, that she is letting us move in with her and Dad while our new home is being finished! I've been promising pictures, so here's the most recent one.


This is what our home will look like for the remainder of this week, and part of next. This week end, the Regions Charity Classic Senior PGA Golf Tournament is being held in Ross Bridge, the community where our home is being built, and where I work! As a resident (and a sales agent), we get free tickets to the tourney, and special parking passes. It's such a blessing to work in a community that has so many fun events. AND, it really helps to work for a smart builder who builds such cool homes at such a great price!

Off my soapbox. I do enough of that during the day.

A quick rundown of the week...

American Idol tonight. Although I'm a FAITHFUL watcher and supporter, I am completely apathetic about who I want to see in the finals. Last week, I voted for Blake because I didn't want LaKeisha to be in the finals. But now, I just don't care! I think they're all good. Jordin has made a great comeback, and shows such talent at such a young age. Melinda has been consistently incredible ever since her audition. And Blake has a fresh unique musical style that I can really respect. I didn't vote this week. I decided to let the rest of America decide!

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 is our home inspection. Please pray it goes well!

And finally, at the end of the week, we are GULF SHORES bound! I'll try to remember to take pictures this time.

This should be plenty of reading material until next time!

Out.

SOLD!

After 36 greuling days on the market, we received an offer on our home! Now, a few days later, it's final... and 21 days from today we will be homeless!!! A little scary that we will be nomads until September, but we feel so blessed that our home sold so quickly! Best of all is the peace of mind that comes with it. We don't have to face losing our new home, or taking on two mortgage payments.

Now, pray the home inspection goes well, and that we can get everything packed up and in storage in exactly 3 weeks. Also, we are going to try living with my parents, which could be a really good thing, or a really bad thing. Let's hope it's a good thing!

Where's Whit!

So, I'm sure some of you are wondering where I've been for so long! After all, it has been, what, almost a year since my last post? Truth is, I was sucked into MySpace after so many of my Birmingham friends began using it to keep in touch. After time, my blog just fell by the wayside. I apoligize to those of you who are faithful bloggers, but your prodigal sista has returned! Well, I'm not making any promises, except that I will vow to post more frequently this time around.

So, what HAS been going on in the lives of Justin and Whitney?

1. Justin has been doing some business expansion on the Gulf Coast. What does this mean for us? Long times apart, but good quality time when we're together. I sometimes think we're able to spend more quality time now, than when we were living in the same city! Sometimes it seems that "life" just gets in the way of the things that are most important to you. Anybody agree? The traveling will end for the most part around the end of July, and Justin can "move" back home! We're counting down the days! Here's a recent picture of Justin... isn't he the cutest?



2. We are building a new home! Our current home has been on the market for about a month now. We have been so pleased with the activity we've had. Today, there are 2 showings, we have 1 so far tomorrow, AND we are negotiating an offer even as we speak. Not sure if it will work out because the people are just being a bit unreasonable. They aren't willing to give us what our home is worth. We are only about $3K apart, but we just can't go down any more.

Here is a picture of the piece of land where our new home will be built.



Our home is actually a lot further along than the picture shows. It actually has first floor walls and everything, but I left my camera at my mom-in-law's. I'll post another pic soon. We were able to choose our lot, floor plan, and all of the interior options for our new house. It will truly be "ours." I'm so excited, and can't WAIT until September when it'll be ready.

3. WORK! Yes, folks, seems like that's about all I do these days. BUT, I do have the best job in Birmingham, and I'm pretty sure the whole country. So, I can't complain.

So, life is good here in Birmingham! Hope you're doing well, too! Ta!