Friday, November 12, 2010

ATL 3Day 2010!

I've been home for several weeks now from the Atlanta Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure 2010.  I have been processing the impact of the event over the past several weeks and I'm still overwhelmed when I think of it. It was, quite simply, one of the most amazing things I've ever been privileged to do. I had so many folks supporting me, and all throughout the event it was evident to see the impact it has on nearly everyone's life. Unfortunately, most everyone knows a survivor of breast cancer.

A few of my favorite things:
Day 1--Sugar Hill Elementary School (the ENTIRE school) was lined along the street cheering for the walkers. By the time I had finished high-fiving every grade schooler out there, I couldn't contain my tears. I'm glad I had on sunglasses. There was something so touching about seeing children cheering for us. I hope it made as big of an impact on their life as it did mine in that moment.

Day 2--seeing camp at the end of the Day was a highlight. What a LONG day! Also, I received sooo many texts from family and friends on Day 2. I felt very loved and then I returned to camp to find my camp mail! My sneaky, but loving husband had gotten friends to write me letters of encouragement. I got to enjoy my mail while sitting in a foot and back massage chair. It was a truly special time.
After opening my mail, I visited the Remembrance Tent. This is an area of camp where there are white tents set up from each 3-Day city. Walkers and crew from each city write names of those they remember who have lost their battle from breast cancer. I could hardly stand to write Mindy McCann's name on Atlanta's tent, but I knew I had to for her and her memory. Although special, it was the hardest part of my 3-Day journey.

Day 3--Walking through downtown Atlanta to Turner Field was very neat. Celebrating with my 2700 newest friends at closing ceremony was tremendous. I can't even describe the feeling of being physically and emotionally exhausted, yet feeling so alive and part of something so much bigger than myself. I was in awe the entire weekend of how many people came out to support us. There were many cheering stations, and if I had taken candy from every person I think I could have filled up 3 suitcases! I felt very unworthy and uncomfortable to have people cheering for me, as I felt like I should not be the one getting the attention. So, I walked through most cheering areas crying and telling everyone "thank you for supporting us!" It was a very humbling experience.

Below are some photos. I've been asked many times if I'm going to walk again, to which my answer is "yes, but not next year!" I loved every minute of it, but I need this next year to spend Saturdays with my family again. However, I'm not done walking! I've got a few more rounds of 60 miles left in me, I think.
 Day 1-Opening Ceremony
Day 2--signs everywhere showing support
 Day 3--finally done!

 Closing Ceremony--survivors circle--walkers/survivors carrying in the 3-Day flags (healing, courage, love, hope, etc)

Friday, October 15, 2010

One week..

Here it is! One week from today I will be walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure event in Atlanta, GA! I've been training since Jan/Feb of this year, and when I hit the streets of ATL I will have already walked over 500 miles in training miles. Woohoo!

My children always notice a pink ribbon nowadays, and breast cancer is almost a daily phrase in our household. They have been so supportive in more ways than I ever could have imagined! We took a short trip to Chattanooga, TN over fall break last week, and visited Rock City. We loved it and my daughter naturally spotted Rock City's support of breast cancer awareness month.

I have had lots of fun experiences during my training walks. My teammates and I jest about some of the interesting things that go on while we are walking. There's always something:  a snake in the path making us jump, or a squirrel throwing nuts at us, dogs barking and nipping at our heels, random people asking us random questions, etc. I've seen parts of Huntsville that I never would have seen before if it weren't for our walks. Some people have gone above and beyond showing us kindness as we walk, and we've been fortunate enough to have opportunities to show our kindness to others. I'm proud to call several women "friend" who were complete strangers to me mere months ago. I've cried on some walks, laughed on nearly all of them, and had some very deep discussions on life, religion, and politics, among other things. I've walked in the sun, the rain and the thunder and lightning. I've walked in almost 100 degree heat and the freezing cold. I've walked until sometimes I thought my feet would fall off. But through it all I've reminded myself that all of that walking is absolutely nothing compared to the pain of breast cancer. So I might as well be wearing an invisibility cloak while I walk because all that walking only matters if they find a cure. That is my #1 prayer and hope through all of the 500 miles and the upcoming 60.

Please continue to pray for strong feet and perseverance. I've been so lucky to have my team, and I'm so very lucky to have the opportunity in one week to share in such an awesome event!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Another reason why I walk

This little boy, my son, has been begging me for the past 2 weeks to get him a team Pink for Life t-shirt. His sister has one and I have one, so I thought it might just be one of those things that he thought he wanted but really didn't want. So, after 2 weeks of nearly every day requests for a shirt, I finally caved and got him a shirt. I wondered if he would really wear it. I brought home the shirt last night and this morning before school he asked if he could wear it. I said sure. After he got dressed he mentioned that his sister had told him that if anyone at school laughed at him he should just ignore them. I asked him if he thought kids would laugh at him, and I was somewhat surprised to hear him say yes, he thought they would. He said that they might think it was "girly." I asked him if he would mind if they laughed at him and I was equally as shocked to hear him say "No!" He then told me that he wanted it to be his show and tell instead of a toy. That's when I started to cry. I told my sweet boy that I was very proud of him for wanting to wear the shirt no matter what anyone else thought of him. I'm pretty sure he thought I had lost my mind since I was boo-hooing all about it, but I really don't care.
I want my children to know that they can do something special. I want them to know they can make a difference, even if it means going against the flow sometimes. I don't want my son to grow up believing that he has to conform to someone else's world view.
On the way to school my son and I had a conversation about whether or not he thought any men walk in the 3-Day. He said that he thought they probably did and that they probably wear pink as well! Here's where I have to give props to all the great men out there who have walked and will walk in the huge event of the Susan G. Komen 3 Day. I know it must be tough to get out there and pink it up with lots of ladies, along with being exposed to lots of...ermm...interesting and creative names for parts of female anatomy. It really goes against the societal view of being a macho man, I'm sure. I'm so grateful that those guys are putting it all out there for a common cause.

So, the countdown continues:
25 days until I'll be starting the walk----YEEPS! 25?!?!?!
447 training miles walked thus far
$3830 raised
Team Pink for Life total money raised to date: $27, 600!

Please pray for strong feet and no blisters! I know that seems very silly, but we walked 33 miles in the rain this past weekend, and blisters were an issue for several folks (not me, luckily!). There's very little one can do to keep one's shoes and feet dry in the rain. Please also pray that I can keep focused on the many reasons I'm doing this. I frequently will say during a walk, "it's better than chemo" and that is so very true. My feet hurt a LOT sometimes, and while it's very easy to get caught up in the pain, it really is NOTHING compared to anything a breast cancer patient has to face. This is not about me or how much money I raise. It's not about if I can walk all 60 miles. It's about doing something for somebody else. I can't wait for the 3 day journey to continue!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

300 miles!

With only 66 days until the Atlanta 3-Day walk, I've hit 300 training miles walked! Whew that's a lot of walking. I decided to break it down and see what it really looks like:
300 miles @ avg 16 minute mile=4800 minutes of walking
4800  minutes=80 hours of walking
300 miles x ~2000 steps per mile=600,000 steps

This past weekend I walked my first "3 Day" test run. It was a very abbreviated version of the actual 3 Day, but I have to start somewhere! So, on Friday I walked 5 miles. Saturday was 15 miles, and Sunday was 6 miles for a total of 26 miles. I was very pleased with myself. Of course, Day 1 of the actual 3 Day will be roughly 25-26 miles. But my successful completion of those miles gave me more optimism about the upcoming walk. I will keep plodding along in the hopes of being able to complete all 60 miles! I've come to think of my calluses as my ugly, little friends. Yes, they are ugly and a not so glamorous addition to my flip-flops, but come October 22 they will indeed be my friends. I need those suckers all over my previously soft feet so I won't rub even uglier, more painful blisters. So I am embracing my ugly, little friends and together we shall spend the next 70 days. But those buggers better watch out for day 71, because they will be scrubbed and rubbed into nonexistence at the spa.

300 miles down, countless more to go... :)

Thursday, July 29, 2010

It's been forever post

I haven't written in forever. Summer has been crazy! I will post more about that at another time. What I wanted to include today is a link to this blog post because it kept me motivated for today. I love the first few paragraphs of this post. As I've been training for my upcoming 3 Day walk in Atlanta, I've gone through many ups and downs with my emotions about the event. Most of it is excited anticipation, but sometimes I get a nagging doubt about "can I really do this?" Well, I have come to learn that it really doesn't matter if I actually finish those 60 miles or not, but about why I'm there in the first place. I have placed a huge amount of pressure on myself to complete the 60 miles, and I know some of my family and friends really want me to finish it as well. But I'm honored just to be going at all! I've now reached my minimum amount needed to participate ($2300) AND I've also reached and surpassed my goal of $2500! I'm so very blessed. I read as a status on Facebook today: "Walk strong. Walk happy." I love that! I've been needing a mantra to keep me going, and that just might be it.

More updates to come...go be a blessing!

Monday, May 17, 2010

The lazy days of May

I wish there were some lazy days in May! This mama needs a break! We just got through our busiest weekend in May, complete with a slumber party and anniversary. This year my dear daughter turned the big 8!!!
Here she is being pounced on by her sleepover mates.. She really did have a fabulous birthday and she's very blessed to have such good friends. Her brother was even super-sweet to her all day and had fun with all the girls, too!


On Saturday, hubby and I celebrated 11 years of blissful marriage! Ok, so we are not always blissful (let's be real, folks...that is the name of the blog after all), but we are very fortunate to have one another and we are lucky to have a very loving marriage. He's even so supportive of me that when I mentioned that I'd like to go on an 8-mile training walk that day, he sprayed my back with sunscreen and shooed me out the door! Must be luv. We did enjoy an evening out and we tried The Melting Pot for the first time. It was fabulous, and I'm glad we hadn't planned anything for after dinner because we were there for 3 hours! It was a very relaxing and enjoyable date. And in keeping with our un-romantic theme for anniversary gifts, we decided to get each other a new printer. I know, I know, it's not nearly as romantic as getting each other a will a few years ago, but I think it's a close second. The great part is that we are both perfectly okay with this arrangement. We are still as crazy about each other now as these kids are about trading Silly Bandz:

Happy May!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

More pink stuff!

My team for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk in Atlanta is named Pink for Life, and we have recently grown to 8 members! We have some really cool items for sale here if you'd like to check it out. You can get your t-shirt, beach tote, and mug all at the same place just in time for summer! If you'd like to help me reach my goal of $2500 then you can always click that link over there========> to make a donation! As the weather warms up, the miles grow long. I'm blessed to have other women on my team who are as crazy dedicated as I am. Together, we can make a huge impact on the lives of people with breast cancer!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Time is fleeting

My kids are growing up. If you are a parent, then yours are too. *gasp* When did that happen? And how do I make it stop?
Sometimes I find myself wanting to freeze time, or capture it inside a bottle so I can remember certain moments forever. I know I'm not alone in this, but I have yet to figure out how to do it! Any help here??

Today my son was disappointed about something and began to cry giant crocodile tears. He was pitiful. In those moments, there is not much comfort I can provide other than a big hug. After the ordeal was over, I started analyzing the situation and it struck me that these moments are not going to last much longer. You see, my children are not always going to want to come running to Mommy for a shoulder to cry on or to get comfort from a hug. Particularly my son, I fear. So while I certainly don't wish heartache and despair upon my children, I do embrace those few and fleeting moments in time that they do turn to me. One day, God willing, they will be grown-ups. Unfortunately this also means their heartaches will be bigger. While I pray that they will turn to me or their Dad for a comforting shoulder or a hug, I also understand that this will most likely not always be the case. My true prayer is that they will always know that we will be there for them, and that God will always be there for them as well. While I can provide temporary comfort, God is their ultimate comforter.

So I will take these fleeting moments while they last. I will fully embrace the love that my children show to me on a daily basis. I will (hopefully) teach them how to show comfort to others, and to turn to God for their own comfort.
Today my blessing is being given the awesome responsibility of being a parent to my precious children. What's your blessing?

Friday, April 9, 2010

Get up on that pink train!

Friday has been my favorite day of the week for-ev-ah and I will tell you why:

*back in school days, it meant that the weekend was about to start, and usually no homework!
*back in working mama days, it meant that I got off work at NOON and the weekend was about to start!
*nowadays, it means that the weekend is about to start and I get to spend time with my precious little family!

So not only is Friday my favorite day of the week, but I get to post about it on my friend Hillary's Friday Favorites!

Now, onto that pink train... who doesn't love a train, right? If you really love pink, I encourage you to click on that Susan G. Komen link to the right=========>
because you can shop for pink stuff to your hearts content (for a good cause, of course!). I'm not kidding; it's a LOT of pink, my friends. My Friday confession is that pink has never been my favorite color; in fact, too much pink can remind of that certain medicine and when I think about that certain medicine it leads to thoughts of having to take that medicine and that leads to unpleasant thoughts in general. I do like pink, but not too much of it all at once.

I don't think my husband is a big fan of pink either. Judge for yourself:

I'll let you choose your own caption for that lovely photo.  His sister sent him this cute cap since he shaved his head off for her. I guess she didn't want him to catch cold. What a loving sister.

Anyway, on to my favorite for this Friday!!! --I know..you had to read thru all of that to get to my actual favorite!!-- I am so happy this Friday because my sister-in-law is done with chemo!!! I am sure that nobody is as happy about that as she is, but I am positively and absolutely glad that the ginormous hurdle of chemo is over for her! Now on to tattoos and zappers and she will be right as rain. I was going through pics looking for a photo of her that I thought she might not object overly much to me sharing, and I found this one from 2006 taken at her youngest brother's wedding.  I hope she likes it and I hope you do too! She's my inspiration for the 3 Day Walk and I am honored to be doing this for her.

She's the one in the red, in case you couldn't figure that out for yourselves. I like this one because the whole family is all spiffed up.

So, head on over to Hillary's blog and share your own Friday Favorite and read some of the others. You'll be glad you did!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Body, Head and Heart

This blog post touched my  heart today. Although I have yet to participate in my first 3 Day Walk, I'm both eager and a bit wary. This post helped me keep my perspective and will help me as I continue to train for this awesome event!

Miles logged: 64
Days until Atlanta walk: 208

Please click the Susan G. Komen link to the right to view my personal page on their website and to make a tax deductible donation! Even if you can't join in with your body, your head and your heart will thank you. (And so will I!!)

Monday, March 22, 2010

Spring Break Adventures

Here in Huntsville we just got off our week of Spring Break. And it's snowing. Lovely.

However, spring break week wasn't too bad! It was a bit cold and gray where we were, but we had a good time nonetheless. When we left, there was an extra dog in our backyard.  Our own dogs, Baxter and Ellie, weren't sure what to make of the little fella. We named him Carlos, from the movie "The Hangover", which my husband and I had just watched before the dog came to stay a while. My husband ended up having to work the week of spring break, so he stayed home. This turned out to be a good thing, because he was able to put out a sign for the found dog, and Carlos (a.k.a. Buddy) was able to get back to his owners!

Another good reason for my husband to stay home was because he got going on our bathroom project. We decided to redecorate the kids bathroom. Here's the before shot :


I really loathe this room. When we moved in 3 years ago, the walls were painted a dark burgundy, which made the room look like a cave or something horribly sinister. That just won't do for a kids bathroom, so I tried to lighten things up a bit with a bright aqua color! Yes, well, it's still no good.

Here's how it looked when the kids and I left for spring break:


Ahhh....just taking off that hideous counter and getting a nice neutral on the walls did wonders, I think! *Does that uneven, unmatched towel bother anyone but me???* Whiel we were gone doing fun things like this--
--my sweet husband, with the help of a borrowed tile saw from a friend, and the assistance of my self-sacrificing BIL, was able to get the room to look more like THIS:

Oh joy and jubilation! There are still a few small details to work out, such as installing the toilet, putting in the new shower curtain, changing the cabinet hardware, and replacing the crown moulding. *And getting matching towels!* But, I'm so pleased with the outcome thus far.

My dear, sweet husband worked so hard, and the rest of us got to play. Here are some more shots of what we got to do during the week...

These pics were taken from the Albright Grove trail near Gatlinburg, TN. The trees there (tuliptree and silverbells) were more than impressive! My Dad is starring in the last shot and I think that helps give the right perspective of how large these things were. The one up above with the kids and me was taken at Laurel Falls, also in Gatlinburg.

Friday, March 12, 2010

And then there were 3...???

Before anyone freaks out, I'm not referring to children here. I like my cute family just the way it is!

Apparently my dogs didn't agree with me today. They wanted just one more. So they invited in a random chihuahua. I was in the midst of making dinner, when I happened to look out my kitchen window to discover Ellie chasing around what appeared at first glance to be a rat with a blue collar. After closer examination, I realized it was a chihuahua running around my back yard! We have a fence surrounding our yard, so I had no clue how it got in. Did its owner open my gate and let it in? Did my dogs open the gate and let it in??

I hastily glanced out my front door to see if I could spot the owner, but instead I see the little rat climbing over the fence into the neighbors yard! You got it; he jumped about halfway up the chain link fence, then scaled the rest of the way into the next yard!

Here's the little scoundrel in the neighbor's yard. At present, my husband is trying to lure the dog closer so he can locate the owner, since the dog doesn't belong in the neighbors yard, either.

This was my Friday Favorite! Check out Hillary's blog to see more Friday Favorites.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

5 Fantastic Favorites

In case you haven't heard, I've been doing a lot of walking lately. This past Saturday as I was going my most recent favoritest route, I was unable to get my iPod to function.  I happened to be alone for this walk, so I decided to go all purist and listen to nature for my musical selection. As a result of two hours of alone, quiet time to think, I came up with 5 things I enjoyed about my walk that day.

5. The sunshine was awesome! I'm quite weary of our dreary winter we've had here in North AL, so I soaked up Vitamin D like it was an oasis in the desert. I so hope this means spring is upon us!

4.  I'm starting to see the same faces over and over again. I've been walking this route for the past month or so, usually on Saturdays, and I have learned that there are quite a few folks who have a similar routine as me. It is kind of neat to start recognizing people on my walk.

3.  For example, there's the guy who walks with his dog. The dog is not on a leash, but evidently he will stay with his master as long as there is a tennis ball in the dog's mouth. The dog doesn't even appear to notice me, but he always has that darn tennis ball in his mouth. I've never even seen the owner throw the ball for the dog or anything; they are always simply walking.  I'm sure the owner is grateful for Pavlov. (aren't we all, really???) I mean, if you are going to be brave enough to let your dog off its leash, at least have the thing well-trained.

2.  Speaking of animals, I see a multitude of dogs on this route. It's a greenway, so it's much safer to walk your dog there rather than on a road. In fact, Saturday I saw a couple of very large Great Danes. Not as big as this one, but I am always impressed by their greatness. :) I also walk far enough south to see some geese. I love listening to all of the birds, and this past weekend I heard a woodpecker. It reminded me of my grandfather, because I could just imagine him having his binoculars at the ready to spot any bird or woodpecker around. He would have outpaced me (as he always did) even with his birdwatching. I appreciate the solitude of nature and the memories it brings with it. If I'd had on my iPod, chances are I wouldn't have heard that woodpecker and thought about my grandpa.

1.  I also get to witness exercise taking on more forms than walking. There are usually quite a few bikers and runners. I even see a rollerblader now and again. However, this past weekend I saw something I'd never seen before. I wasn't sure if I should jump off the walkway or not, because this thing was literally swerving so madly from side to side that I thought it might hit me. I really don't see the point in it, but the guy riding it seemed to be enjoying himself.

In the spirit of keeping my countdown alive, I've now logged 54 miles. Only 228 more days to go!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Happy Mardi Gras!

In honor of Mardi Gras today, I thought I'd share a recipe with you. I made this for the first time during the Superbowl and wouldn't ya know those Saints won?!?!?

Anyway, here is Cajun Chicken Lasagna:

1 package lasagna noodles (I always use the kind you don't have to cook beforehand)
1 lb. andouille sausage (I couldn't find this, so I used hot sausage)
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into chunks
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 (10 oz.) containers Alfredo sauce, divided
1 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large skillet over med-high heat, combine sausage, chicken, Cajun seasoning and sage.  Cook until chicken and sausage is no longer pink. Remove meat from skillet using slotted spoon and set aside.  Saute onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic until tender. Remove from heat and sstir in cooked meat and one container Alfredo sauce.
Lightly grease 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover bottom of dish with lasagna noodles, then spread 1/2 meat mixture over top of noodles. Repeat layers, and cover with a layer of noodles. Spread remaining Alfredo sauce and top with cheeses. *I found that it tasted a bit heavy on the alfredo sauce, so perhaps try cutting the called for sauce to 1 1/2 containers*
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

I must say this is delicious, but quite fattening! But it is Fat Tuesday, so enjoy!!

The countdown begins..

First things first... check out that button to the right there ===================>>>
The one that says Susan G. Komen 3-day-walk and click on it!!! It will take you to a fabulous page where you can make a donation to help me "earn my stripes" before embarking on a 60-mile walk over 3 days this coming October in Atlanta, GA. I'd really appreciate any help you can give. I'm not a great fundraiser (that may be why my daughter's PTA just gets a check from me each year instead of a form filled out with wrapping paper orders), so the thought of having to raise over $2000 is a bit daunting to me. Eek!

But all that aside, I'm thoroughly enjoying the challenge that this walk is bringing to my life. Other than pregnancy and my wedding, I can't think of any other time that I had to plan this far in advance for something. It's refreshing with a bit of mystery. The refreshing part is that I have something major to work towards, and the mystery part is if I can actually do it.
I'll bet you $1 that I make it!

I've been training with different folks. I've trained alone, with my sister, with my Dad, and with another woman who is registered for the Atlanta walk. I'm glad to have found her, because honestly, if I'm going to share a tent with someone for 3 nights, I'd rather know them first!

All of this to say that I would greatly appreciate any and all forms of support, whether it's by financial donation, prayers, or general wishes of well-being sent my way. I've logged 31 miles in training thus far. I've got the socks, I'm saving up for some sweet shoes, and I've got the gumption to get this done.

459 days left. Countless miles to go.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Big 'ol bloga nuthin'

That's the fate of this poor blog lately! :( Time and life is swiftly passing by, and as a result my blog has suffered from severe neglect. Let's see, a run-down of the past 3 months or so:

Thanksmas in Citronelle, AL-- celebrated Thanksgiving with my in-laws (who have dubbed the time together as "Thanksmas" since we not only commemorate one holiday, but Christmas as well). So very happy that my SIL, BIL, neices & nephews were able to join us. It was a good time, as usual. My kids love, Love, LOVE seeing their cousins!

Breakfast w/Santa, holiday parties and more--  I was painfully behind on my Christmas shopping and so this past holiday seemed more stressful than usual. It turned out fine, and it was a bit different this year since we did a progressive Christmas. Typically we just go to my parents house, but last year my sister and her family moved to town, so we had 3 houses in the area to visit. We had brunch at my sister's, Christmas dinner at my parents, and dessert at my house. It was pretty fun!

School & work-- back to the grindstone there.... I increased my hours at work last fall, and so I'm working roughly 10 hours a week now. My son is only in preschool 3 days a week for 1/2 a day, so I don't have nearly as much "free time" anymore. I've gotten a better routine going now, but it was quite an adjustment! It's also been an adjustment having to give up some of the extracurricular things I once enjoyed doing. I didn't realize how much of a sacrifice it would be, and I admit it is a bit more than I initially anticipated. But, as a result of working more, I was able to pay for a Disney cruise without killing our budget...more on that later. School is going well for both kids. Melody is maintaining A's in 2nd grade and is a read-a-holic. I received Gannon's kindergarten registration this week! Yikes! The current plan for him is to do Kindergarten twice, because of his age. He'll do private Kindergarten at his preschool, then repeat it at public school. A tough decision, but I feel confident that we are making the right choice.

Now on to our most recent adventure....


Disney cruise-- we just returned from a 4-night cruise to the Bahamas! It was fantastic! It was everything I'd hoped it would be, plus some, and I didn't even get seasick. Perfecto!! We're already talking about doing it again in 4-5 years. Of course by then, we may just want to go to Disney World, but I really did like the cruise and how relaxing it was to not have to worry about anything. Disney is currently building a new ship which will launch next year. It's Waaay bigger than the one we were on, so I'm sure it will be just as nice or nicer. I have to say...Disney knows how to do it right!

Upcoming-- February isn't typically very busy for us, but for some reason it is this year! Most of our weekends are already booked up. Then comes Spring Break in March, where we'll spend the week in Seveirville, TN hiking and shopping, etc. I guess 2010 will be just as busy as 2009! Melody is starting piano lessons this week, and she's very excited about that. Gannon will have a go at tee-ball in the spring. I think he would play any sport as long as they give him a trophy when he's done. :) I'm not sure that's a great message or outlook to have, but hey, at least he's a kid who knows what he wants.

....And how could I forget that Alabama won the Nat'l Championship!!! Roll Tide Roll!
....And the Saints are about to play in the Superbowl!!!  Who Dat?!?! *could this possibly be the PERFECT year for football??????* I thought big print might jinx it...

I hope you and yours are having a blessed New Year!