Montee Is A Palmettogirl

The Four Letter Word

2009-09-27T06:22:00.003-05:00

There is a four letter word that is being used more and more often. It is the new "F-word" and to me is even more disgraceful. This four letter word by itself, is bringing down our society. It has entertwined itself into everything we do today. The four letter word I'm talking about is, "fair." Sometimes I wonder how did this happen? How did such a small word change so much around us? When did it slip into our psyche that everything must be fair for all, that no one is allowed to fail? Fail in itself has become a four letter word that no one wants to hear, even though failure is what makes us stronger.

I think back to when I was in elementary school. I remember, as young as we all were, we were challenged to do our best. We were challenged to do our best in anything from schoolwork to the kickball game at recess. Yes, I remember the kids that weren't really very good at kickball, but they could kick butt in a classroom. They were little geniuses. Everyone had something they were good at and built on that talent. Then something started to change. I really noticed the change when my children started school. Of course I had heard on the news that some schools were not giving grades anymore, because it hurt the feelings of children that did not do so well in the classroom. It just wasn't "fair." That was happening in the far off, strange place of California, where they do everything a little differently. That kind of stuff wouldn't happen in our little Tennessee school. Well, it did. I attended my son's first Field Day. I was looking forward to seeing a little Track and Field competition. Running the race, doing your best and if good enough, winning a blue, red or green ribbon. That is why this certain day is called FIELD DAY. What did I find? A lot of stuff that had nothing to do with competition, no races and everyone got a ribbon. Huh? Why call it Field Day? Did the school not get what Field Day is? Nowadays the Field Day has gone the way of the dinosaur and it is more appropriately called something like "Fun Day." Just think about it though. Think about the fun of competition and what the children today are missing. They are not only missing physical activity, but the teaching of handling success and how to handle failure. That is why I believe we see so many young people lash out with anger, like shooting up a school, because of the "F-word." They don't know how to handle life's ups and downs.

When my children were young, they were not immune to saying that something wasn't fair. I would pick them up from school and cringe while my son or daughter declared, "That's not fair!" I put the hammer down on that pretty quick. It took a couple of years before the "F-word" was completely out of their heads, but I did it. They got "The Look" and a firm talking to about life not being about fairness. I was not going to allow my children to believe that they were entitled to everything going their way. You work hard, you overcome and you succeed. You choose your path carefully, wisely and with God's help, you will find success. That's the American way, right? Determination to accomplish without all the whinning and without being handed everything to make life easier. You enjoy success so much more when you work hard for it, right? My feeling is pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again. Am I in the minority here? Well, it seems I am at times.

So, I come back to how the "F-word" is affecting our society as a whole. It slipped in when no one was looking, kind of like the "Press one for English, two for Spanish," thingy. Many of this generation has grown up saying, "That's not fair," and my generation unfortunately has allowed that to happen. Fairness has become the American way. Our Constitution does not tell us that all will be fair if we live in America, it tells us that we have an equal opportunity to pursue happiness. We are given the opportunity and it all depends on what the individual does with it. As usual, our Constitution has been twisted to the thinking of the people that love to use the "F-word." Our public schools have lowered their standards all in the name of "fair." Sad to say, but our children are not learning what they need to learn and prepare themselves for the future. We now have the "Fairness Doctrine" on the table, where the government will control what is said in media. We need to be "fair" to the have-nots in this country. You know, I really understand that there are people who are extremely poor in this country and it seems like they always hit a brick wall trying to succeed. We citizens, not government, need to and should lend them a hand. Then there are others that did not grab the opportunity baton and run with it. Is it "fair" that they get a free ride? Can you see where we are headed? The "F-word" will eventually bring us to the point where we think that we need not work hard to succeed, but rely on someone to take care of us. We don't need to work from the bottom up, start at the top or don't work at all, is the new ideal. This is where the "F-word" will bring us down. If you watch, you can see it coming like a big, black train. That big, black train is our government, barreling down on us and barreling down on what is really fair for Americans, our freedom. The scary thing is that the future leaders of this country, have grown up using and believing in the "F-word." The "F-word" has been engrained. That is why they see nothing wrong in what is happening in our country. They are being taught in our schools and our homes that Capitalism is bad, that the very foundations of what we as a people believe in are bad, and that the "F-word" should be applied to all.

Think back. Don't you really miss the hard stuff? Don't you miss having to overcome? Wasn't victory so much sweeter when you weren't given something out of fairness and the feeling of accomplishment flowed through you? Don't you remember getting teased about something, in the end being a huge success and having the last laugh? We need that back in our children and in our country. If we don't have that, our children are not going to know those feelings and won't that be a shame? We will see and live in a different kind of place. Then, this little four letter word, will stand on it's own as the foulest of them all.

Stuff About Me

2009-09-21T07:51:00.005-05:00

Cece at WVU Chick, tagged me with Seven Personality Traits. Here goes:

1. I am a little quiet at first, but once I get to know you, I'm a loyal friend.

2. I don't like crowds.

3. I am a "snapper." It takes a lot to get me angry, but watch out if I do.

4. I love my country, and don't like it being destroyed. Never talk bad about Ronald Reagan, please.

5. I like to get up early to get things done and enjoy the quiet.

6. I can laugh at the weirdest things.

7. I love to be creative.

A. Available/Married...Married for 23 years!

B. Best Friend.....My husband

C. Cake or Pie.....Cake!

D. Drink Of Choice.... Coke

E. Essential Item Used Daily.... House Seasoning

F. Favorite Color...Blue

G. Gummy Bears or Worms...Neither

H. Hometown....Sumter, SC

I. Indulgence....Bubblebath

J. January/February...February-My birthday and baseball begins

K. Kids and Their Names....2 Britnee and Brett

L. Life Is Incomplete Without...God

M. Marriage Date....1/25/86

N. Number of Siblings...4

O. Oranges/Apples....Apples

P. Phobias/Fears.....Flying, heights

Q. Quote of the Day....I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me--Phil. 4:13

R. Reason to Smile....The blessings God has given me.

S. Seasons....My favorite is Spring.

T. Tag 3 People..Tracy
Susan
Molly

U. Unknown Fact About Me....I had Meckel's Diverticulum. Only 1% of the population has this.

V. Vegetable You Don't Like....Brussel Sprouts

W. Worst Habit....Talking with my hands.

X. X-Rays You've Had.....Arm, elbow, torso

Y. Your Favorite Food...Shrimp and Grits

Z. Zodiac Sign....Pisces

"A Scary Season For Obama?"

2009-08-30T10:44:00.006-05:00

This morning I was flipping through the TV channels, landing on C-Span and seeing the words on the screen, "A Scary Season For Obama?" I had to chuckle a little. The title should have been, "A Scary Season For America?" If THIS was the question posed to me, I would have to answer with a resounding, "YES!" We have been watching for years the dismanteling of our basic fundamentals in this country and now we have a leadership that has taken up the baton and is forging full steam ahead. In the past seven months, I believe we have witnessed the most radical proposed changes ever witnessed in America. Changes that go against our Constitution and our core beliefs. The change has been coming in little spurts over the years. I remember when President George Bush, Sr. started the "New World Order" ideal. My ears pricked up on this one. I don't know what it was, but something just didn't sound right when I heard that. It sounded Biblical to me or maybe a little "1984-ish." To me, this marked a rush to become a one world government, for America not to stand alone as the greatest nation or as President Ronald Reagan described us as , "That shining city upon the hill."

Nikita Khruschev once said, "We can't expect the American people to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find they have Communism." Take a step back and look at our country right now and I think you'll see that Khruschev was no dummy. It is my belief that our leaders of today have been indoctrinated over the past forty years through their studies in universities and schools. Communists knew that this would be a sure way to destroy our country from within without having to use force. If you read through school history books used in our schools today, you would be surprised at the half truths or no truth at all about the history and basic beliefs of what this country was founded on. I know of two teachers at the high school my son attends (we do not live in the big city)who are trying to indoctrinate their students, one outwardly confessing to be a Socialist. Our President has surrounded himself with dozens of "Czars" and expanded the role of the Executive Branch with very little protest. These "Czars" are appointed without any background check nor with any questioning by our Legislative Branch of government. Please take time to look at what these "Czars" will be in charge of and how radical their ideals are and have been in the past. It is just crazy. We are being bombarded with so many things at once, healthcare, cap and trade, etc., etc. I feel as though Obama is one of the greatest illusionists ever. He talks in circles to confuse. His left hand is doing one thing while he gets us to look at his right hand doing another. I do believe the American people are starting to wakeup to this fact. Washington for some reason thinks we are a bunch of dummies that need to be led around like sheep. I think they are about to find out that outside of their Washington "bubble" is a real America that is no longer going to stand for their arrogant ways. Our leaders kind of remind me of a great-aunt of mine. She was always willing to do something for someone, as long as there was something in it for her. Our leaders are pushing a lot of things to be passed because believe you me, they have stock ( a lot of money invested) in whatever their "cause" may be. The "Green Movement" is one example. They don't believe in "Term Limits" in fact shy away from the suggestion. They've got it made in the shade and it's not supposed to be that way. Governing our country was not originally the career, cushy job it has become. So, I will do my part next November to see they do have a limited term. Any of my Representatives that have been in Washington six years or more, will not get my vote, Democrat or Republican. I could care less about Party for those of you that may have that idea.

I am hoping some of you will start paying attention to what's going on. Ask questions of your children. What are they learning and what history they have learned. You might be in for a big surprise. Do you realize that most young people don't understand what happens to a country totally under government control? The Wall came down and Communism left. Remember back in the day when we would see Russians on the news with no teeth and standing in long lines? All this generation has seen is a Westernized Russia. Pay attention to what is happening in Washington so that you won't wake up one day and say, "What the hell (excuse my French) happened to my freedom?"We have become so spoiled that I think we've forgotten that you must keep up the fight for freedom. You can't just let someone else handle it. We all need to be involved in some way, so that our country does not become something unreconizable. That would be a sad day. Think about it.

Here are a couple of other Khruschev quotes for you to ponder:

"The press is our ideological weapon."

"We say the name of God, but that is only a habit."

"Comrades, we must abolish the cult of individual decisively, once and for all."

Journey Strong!

2009-08-18T08:06:00.010-05:00

A couple of months ago, my friend Susan's son Matt, was brutally attacked. Matthew Wright was in Sacramento, CA. when he witnessed two strangers in a confrontation. A man was in an argument with a young lady. Matt went to defend her and there was a scuffle. The young man walked away, but returned holding a Maglite flashlight. He beat Matt in the head and face, causing Matt to fall into a coma. He was in that coma for 3 weeks. Susan flew out to California and has not left his side except for one day. She flew home to find a facility closer to her home here in Texas. The closest she could find was in Austin, which is an hour away from us. Today Matt will be flying into Austin to move into his new home. He has been responsive for the past couple of weeks and has begun his rehab there in California. I am not sure what his prognosis is, but he and his family need everyone's prayers right now.

The medical bills for this family will be enormous, so this past Saturday, my small town of Bulverde, TX, held a benefit for Matt. The outpouring of love and support from these country folk has been tremendous. There were all sorts of donations for food, drink, the venue and for the silent auction. The benefit raised $20,000! God is good! There will be more benefits to come and people will continue to give and to pray. "Journey Strong" Matt and find your strength from God!

Matt, his mother Susan, his sister Carissa, and his step-dad Bill.

Britnee and me

Lana, me and Patti getting ready for the event

Robert Earl Keen donated an autographed guitar for silent auction

Robin, who was in charge of the benefit and Britnee

Kim (my wonderful dentist) and me

Cookies I baked for the benefit and the benefit T's printed with Matt's self-portrait sketch

Yep...I'm In Texas

2009-08-11T22:17:00.002-05:00

Where else can you fill up and order your DQ Hunger Buster while you pump gas? Yep, I'm in Texas.Chevron Station near Lindale, TX, home of country singer Miranda Lambert.

I'm Traveling....Still

2009-07-24T22:35:00.003-05:00

I'll be back as soon as I can...

Hope And Change Is Within

2009-07-15T10:35:00.004-05:00

My son is attending a baseball camp at Vanderbilt University. The camp began on Sunday and will end tomorrow. We get up early every morning to take him and he gets home late every night. Each day I travel down Wedgewood Avenue here in Nashville. It's a nice drive down treelined streets, past Belmont University and onto the Vanderbilt campus. On one corner of Wedgewood and I believe 12th Avenue, there is a small park with big trees throughout. Every morning I see a man under a certain tree when I take Brett to camp. When I return to the house a few minutes later, I see a couple of more men. I drive back and forth to the camp throughout the day, and each time, I see more men under this tree. They are able bodied men just gathered there, some sitting on coolers. They spend the entire day there. I have no idea what they could be doing. I wonder how a man can just sit there all day, everyday, without lifting a finger? What inside him, keeps him from doing so? Where is his pride?

This past year we have heard a lot about "hope and change." To me hope and change come from within, not from dependence on a president or government program. I understand that things are tough these days. I have family and friends that have lost jobs and are finding it hard to keep afloat. My husband and I went through some bad times ourselves during the baseball strike of the mid-1990's. It was the little man that suffered during this strike, which is what happens a lot of the time. Been there, done that and understand how depressed a person can get. However, I have faith in God and my faith only grew larger because of these hard times. I knew inside myself and my husband there was a raging resolve to get out of the situation we were in. I don't quite understand how a human being cannot have this resolve, especially an American citizen.

We are all given the same opportunities and rights in this country. Our Founding Fathers knew that it was a God given right to have a freedom of choice and opportunity to better ouselves. All of us are given 12 years of education, but many do not want to take advantage of that. They have no resolve. They don't see the hope and change that is inside themselves. They don't understand how great our freedoms are to have choice. How can they not know is a mystery to me. So, the cycle of finding hope and change in something beyond themselves, continues. There is no way one man or a government can change the makeup of a human being. The president and or the government will only make things worse. They are crutches. A person has to look inside themself to find the strength to hope, to find the strength to change, to find a way to change the cycle of their life.

I am afraid that today we have too many people not wanting to change that cycle. I am afraid that one day we will not see several men under a big oak in a park, but a forest of Americans who are no longer willing to seek hope and change for themselves, by themselves.

If you are able to help just one person with encouragement, a place to live, food or transportation. If your church can help, do so. I believe that is one of the main functions of a church. Let's get back to the way God wanted us to help people. It is our job, not the government's. If we can be a crutch for a time for someone, that's okay. Instead we have allowed the government, with it's never ending funds, to take over what we need to be doing and to make it harder for people to throw the government crutch away. Encourage the downtrodden that hope and change comes from within.

New Math

2009-07-08T16:39:00.004-05:00

The Golden Calf....Uh.... Casket

2009-07-07T14:26:00.005-05:00

Charleton Heston as an angry Moses in The Ten Commandments

Sometimes a moment comes along that I call, The Golden Calf Moment. That's because there are moments or scenarios that occur which remind me of Moses coming down the mountain, tablets in hand, and seeing a bunch of idiots dancing around a golden calf. I think of Charlton Heston's portrayal of that scene in the movie The Ten Commandments. I think about what God must be thinking about his Creation.

Today we are no different than God's Chosen People whom He brought out of Egypt and who idolized that calf. Most people think we have become so civilized, but I think we are still pretty much the same. Today we idolize money, fame and fortune. Many get into a frenzy over such things and act pretty much like animals. I personally witness this on almost a daily basis. I see the way people treat professional baseball players. Last year, a couple of famous Atlanta Braves were here in Mississippi to re-hab their injuries. I have never seen such actions people would take to get close to one of these guys. If the fans didn't get what they wanted, they would become very angry. That was a Golden Calf Moment. They were worshipping another human being.

I turned on the TV this morning and decided it was going to be a Golden Calf DAY. The King Of Pop was going to be memoralized today as he lay in a golden casket. People were going to sing praises to him and treat him as a god. Sounds like a familiar scene from The Bible, right? The TV coverage on Michael Jackson's death has just about driven me crazy, so I turn the TV off. I tried to watch ESPN, but the guy was being praised on there too. When President Ronald Reagan passed away, I watched his funeral. He was an honorable man and for being President, he deserved that kind of memorial. The Jackson memorial however, is something quite different. This is just a flatout idolization of a man. God has looked down and I am sure, felt anger and saddness, as he once again had to watch idiots worshiping around a golden casket. I too shake my head. Yes, it's a Golden Calf Day and I'm sure, unfortunately, it won't be the last.

Give Us Independence!

2009-07-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

I want to wish you all a Happy July 4th. We need to remember how great this country is and pray that we can stop the "Change" that is occuring.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-07-03T06:00:00.002-05:00

How many guys can say their first job was to catch pro-baseball players in The Bullpen......

Brett

Brett and the pitchers waiting for a 16 inning game to end. Braves won.

This summer, Brett got his first job. His job is to help warmup pitchers in The Bullpen. I think he was a little nervous at first, but now his confidence has grown. Nothing to it. Lucky kid.

A Five Bazillion To One Chance

2009-06-30T23:54:00.013-05:00

It's a five bazillion to one chance, but what the hey, I thought I'd try. Today was the last day to enter the Southern Living Cottage Giveaway. You could choose from four cottages located in Texas, Georgia, North or South Carolina. My favorite was the Georgia cottage that is located in Callaway Gardens. Callaway Gardens is one hour southwest of Atlanta, near Pine Mountain, Georgia. Here are a few photos, courtesy of Southern Living.

Carolina Jessamine Cottage

Living Room-I love the walls and the beamed ceiling

Living room looking into the kitchen

Love the kitchen counters and the chicken wire on the open cabinets

My favorite thing in the house is this bed in the master bedroom

Master bath

The loft. Another bedroom is through the sliding barn doors

Screened porch

If you'd like to view more pictures or take a virtual tour of this cottage and the others, just go to Southern Living to view them. I know the contest is over, but they're still fun to checkout.

New Math

2009-06-30T06:00:00.001-05:00

feeding cattle on a 10,000 acre Texas ranch

oops, used your monthly allowance of electricity, sorry

the new SUV

preparing the fields for corn to be used as fuel, not food

The last few days we have been bombarded by the death of Michael Jackson. While the media was going wild over this, The House of Representatives passed 219-212, (if several Republicans had voted no, this Bill would have gone away)our new Energy Bill which includes Cap and Trade. A lot of you may think, "So, what?" I am all for protecting God's green earth, but some of the things in this Bill are ludacris. Here is one example of what is in this bill...if you want to sell your home, the feds, yes FEDS, will have to come in to inspect your home. Your home must be up to the federal environmental standards. If not, you will have to spend money to upgrade your home or guess what.....you won't be selling. That is only one part of this over 1,000 page Bill. If it passes, the taxes on the American people will be tremendous. The Bill now heads for the Senate. Please call or e-mail your Senator. I know they don't listen much these days, but if you threaten to take them out of office, they may listen. They hate to lose power. I am e-mailing my Senators and telling them this, "If you do not actively fight against this Bill, I will agressively campaign against you when you run for re-election." Please. We have got to try. This Bill will change many, many things for America. A lot of it is similar to the rules California abides by and look at what a mess they are in. Do you want that?

Book Report

2009-06-29T15:46:00.005-05:00

"Mudbound," by Hillary Jordan, is a novel set in the 1940's in the Mississippi Delta. It is about a White family that buys an old, rundown Delta farm in order to grow cotton, and their relationship with the Black sharecroppers on that land. Two boys from both families fight in World War II. The Black boy feels free while he is fighting in Europe, only to return home to Mississippi to find the same old prejudices. The White boy struggles with what he experienced in the war. They both form a brotherhood because of the war and their struggles to fit back in with life in Mississippi. Each character in this book has some sort of struggle that revolves around the hard lifestyle of The Delta. It's a very quick and good read.

An update on "The Help." Apparently the novel is causing a stir here in Jackson, just like it did with the characters in the novel. I am hearing much talk and whisperings around here about it and this morning at the gym, I heard even more. For the most part, the talk seems to be positive.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-06-26T00:23:00.007-05:00

Dad and Me

This picture of my dad and me was taken when I was 9 years old. We were on my grandfather's farm riding his horse, Beauty. My dad looks like a real cowboy here with his hat and gun in his holster. I am wearing my little holster, too. I was such a tomboy. My dad passed away 20 years ago at the young age of 49. I miss just talking to him. He would call me quite often after I married Phillip. He always made me feel better whenever baseball took Phillip and me to a new place. Even though he's been gone for a while, I can still hear his voice as clear as day. My favorite memory of him was on my wedding day when he told me how beautiful I looked and how he was so nervous walking me down the aisle. I hope he knew how much I loved and adored him.

Visit my hostess, Deborah, for more adoring Family Fotos.

What The Heck?

2009-06-23T02:40:00.000-05:00

It is 100 bazillion degrees with 100 bazillion humidity in Mississippi, U.S.A. Why is this young man practicing on a ballfield wearing long sleeves?
Brett

I've Been Here.....

2009-06-22T16:52:00.007-05:00

The past few days I've just been taking in Mississippi. Sitting in a rocking chair on a screened-in-porch looking out on a lake. Listening to Bluegrass Bands play in little hangouts around Jackson. Going to downtown Jackson to Beatty's Grocery (circa 1940) and having them cook up a most delicious hamburger that costs only a couple of dollars. The past few days have been hot, humid and wonderfully Southern. Before I did all of these things, I met up with a wonderful Southern lady. My blogging friend, Marjorie.

Marjorie and I met at the ballpark for lunch. I am sorry to say that I recommended the chicken salad and it was horrible. I found out later that the expert chicken salad maker, Tina, was not there that day. In between choking down our sandwiches, we had a nice visit. Marjorie had her grandbaby, Rissa, with her. I was also able to meet her handsome grandson, Keifer. The best thing of all though, was when I opened a giftbox from the sweet, talented Marjorie and found this beautiful handpainted tray inside......

I can't wait to get this back to Texas and put it on display in my kitchen. Thank you so much!

New Math

2009-06-15T16:25:00.005-05:00

Book Report

2009-06-13T14:43:00.006-05:00

"The Help," by Kathryn Stockett, is one of the best books that I've read in a while. It is so good that I read this 444 page book in four days. I could not put it down. I asked a friend of mine here in Jackson, Mississippi, if she could recommend any books by Mississippi authors and she recommended a good one.

Kathryn Stockett is a Jackson, Mississippi native and this is her first novel. The book is fiction, but is based on Ms. Stockett's growing up in Jackson with "Help." The word "Help" is used to describe the Black maids that affluent Jackson families hired to take care of their households and raise the children of those families. The story is based in Jackson during the early 1960's and the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. It shows the relationships between White women and the Black women who worked for them during this time. There are simularities with the women of both races. The 1960's was not only a time for Black women to be oppressed, but White women were limited to certain careers or to just stay at home. The novel also contrasts the kinds of lives these women had. There is a tug of war between the tradition of having "Help" and the change that is about to come with Intergration and the abolishment of the Jim Crow Laws. Ms. Stockett does a terrific job writing about each of the characters. You feel like you are almost in the story with them. "The Help" will make you laugh and maybe get a little teary eyed. It is a book that you will not want to put down.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-06-11T23:00:00.000-05:00

Brett and Me

Last night was "Retro-Night" at the ballpark. The M-Braves were dressed out in Braves uniforms from the 1980's. They also played like the Braves from the '80's. Sorry Phillip. Brett and I posed for this picture right after the game.

Visit my Foto hostess, Deborah, and you might see a few "retro" photos from other members of the Foto Family.

Blogger Award!!!

2009-06-11T14:15:00.004-05:00

I took a week off from blogging. I went with the ballteam to Mobile, Alabama and had a most relaxing time. When I returned I found that I had been awarded a most special award from Christine at Southern Belle Dreaming. Thank you Christine, I love your blog too!

I am passing this award on to five blogs that I also love...

A Voice For Moms

Ordinary Miracles

Sandy Toes

WVU Chick

Southern Grits and Tidbits

The Livin' Is Easy

2009-06-03T16:00:00.004-05:00

Well, I am getting settled into our little bungalow. I love the cute neighborhood where we are spending our summer. It's full of historic Southern homes, some large, some small. This is a place where everyone knows everyone. Huge trees growing alongside sidewalked lined streets. A mix of artsy people and professionals. It's almost like its own little world. Nice.

I'll post more pictures when I have the time for a long walk around a block or two.

"Ol' Mississippi, She's Callin' My Name"

2009-05-31T20:00:00.005-05:00

Why is this man celebrating?

Phillip is so overjoyed that I am now in "The Sip." He just can't contain himself.

Ranger Q

2009-05-28T15:36:00.014-05:00

Last night, the Rangers came together for a Bar BQ. It was nice to be able to wish everyone a fun and safe Summer, and to say goodbye to the Seniors. A few of those Seniors are going on to play college ball. I don't believe there was much food left after these boys mowed through the buffet.

We visited and ate......

...and ate.....

...and swam...

...and some took an unexpected plunge...

Here are some pictures of Brett with his buddies.....

Brett and Britnee

Colin "The Jackal"

"The Jackal's" dad

Brad, Brett, Andy

Ryan, Donnie, Brett and Steven

Coach Campbell

Matt, Brett, Josh

Brett, Derrick and Coach Koehl

This Week In Ranger Baseball

2009-05-26T06:00:00.002-05:00

The last couple of weeks for The Rangers have been hectic ones. Two weeks ago, they played a one game do or die in Corpus Christi. It ended up being an awfully long night. A three hour drive, 4 1/2 hour, seven inning game. The final score of this quite sloppy ballgame was 15-11, with The Rangers ending up on top. We got home at 2:00am Wednesday morning.

Wounded warriors---Matt and Brett

Victory at last!

This past Friday, The Rangers played a best of 2 of 3 Series against the Austin-Westlake Chapperals or The Chaps. They met in the middle at Texas State University in San Marcos.

Texas State has a beautiful field. The first game was won by The Rangers, 7-0, but it was a different story on Saturday. The Chaps chapped The Rangers' butts and won the first game 6-1 and the second game 4-3. Errors were the culprit for The Rangers and that ended their season. There were some very sad Seniors along with their parents. To tell you the truth, I was surprised they went as far as they did. Those boys played hard until their weaknesses finally caught up to them. They should be proud of what they accomplished with such a young team.

I know it was sad to lose, but at least we had Funnel Cake....

I am looking forward to next year and Brett's Senior season when we'll be rooting those Rangers on once again. It may take me a year to recover from this one!

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Some gave all.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-05-22T13:06:00.009-05:00

I am posting this late today. In fact I was not planning to participate in Family Foto this week because I have been so busy with Brett's baseball playoffs and getting ready to go to Mississippi. Then I found out about a family that is needing plenty of prayer right now. Clarksville Nationals-- Clarksville, TN 1999

Brett is the front row, 3rd from the left(squinting one eye) Adam is the big boy standing behind him with a big ol' grin. Adam's dad is the coach on the far left.

In 1999,we were living in Clarksville, TN. This is where Brett first began playing baseball. Clarksville had a very good Little League. There were a lot of good little ballplayers. Brett always had good coaches. Brett was a Pirate for two years. He was their catcher of course. There was one special boy on that team that could really pitch. He was big, threw hard and the opposing team shook in their cleats whenever this boy pitched. Brett loved catching him because he threw so good. This boy's name was Adam Pieratt. We knew Adam would have some future in baseball, even though he was only 8 years old. We kept up with him some and he did do well. Yesterday Adam was killed in a car accident. He was 18 years old and was to graduate tonight. He had a baseball scholarship to a college there in Tennessee and had been highly recruited as a pitcher. Adam's 21 year old brother was driving the car they were in and was also killed. I just found this out this morning. I have not told Brett yet. He is going to be very upset about this, so I will wait until after his game tonight. Please pray for this family. What a great loss to have two sons pass. In honor of Adam, I am posting this picture.

Visit my hostess, Deborah, for more Family Fotos.

This Week In Ranger Baseball

2009-05-16T16:43:00.014-05:00

This has been a busy week for The Rangers. Brett has not been playing because he tweaked his oblique and has to sit. All he can do is sit and get treatment for it. He is finally starting to get back to normal, so hopefully he will see some playing time in the playoffs. Last Saturday the team traveled to Pflugerville, TX for a practice game. Monday, The Booster Club held their Spring Sports Banquet. Brett received the Academic All District Award. The first playoff game was on Wednesday in Austin against the Austin-Bowie Bulldogs. The series is best 2 out of 3. The Rangers beat them handedly, 8-1. We did not get home until 1:30 Thursday morning, so I let Brett sleep in. The second game was on Friday and boy was it windy! It looked like The Rangers would lose this one, but they tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with two outs. It was back and forth until in the bottom of the tenth when one of The Rangers hit a walkoff homerun to win the game. Another late night. It was a four and one half hour game and ended at midnight. Thank goodness we played that game only 20 minutes away. So, The Rangers have survived the first round and will play again either Monday or Tuesday.

Britnee and Brett before the banquet

Brett, Josh, Logan, and Matt

Josh and Donnie trying to get Brett to pose

The Rangers--the coach is speaking about Brett

Warming up in Austin before playing Austin-Bowie. Brett is stretching his oblique and hoping to at least get in to catch. Didn't happen.

Brad and Brett. After the 10 inning marathon, these boys were tired and happy. Brad is a pitcher and will be pitching for St. Edwards University in Austin next year.

The boys were tired and so was mama. Tired and windblown.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-05-15T07:56:00.006-05:00

Brett and Jason "Cowboy" LaRue

When the children were still in elementary and middle school, we would take a week or two and head on down to Spring Training. I have many pictures from those trips. The one above was taken at the Cincinnati Reds Spring Training facilities in Sarasota, Florida. Phillip worked for the Reds for nine years. Jason LaRue of course was one of Brett's favorites because Jason is a catcher. Jason and his family are good friends of ours. They live just down the road from us. He has spent a lot of time with Brett on learning how to catch. We also learned during this particular Spring Training, that Jason and Brett have the same brain type. Go figure. There is a doctor that specializes in testing what brain type a person is. He was testing the brains of ballplayers and Phillip asked him to test Brett. Yep, same brains. I guess that's why they are both catchers because that definitely takes a certain mindset. Jason is now in his tenth year in the Big Leagues and is with the St. Louis Cardinals. Brett is in his tenth year of playing ball and hoping one day to follow in Jason's footsteps.

Y'all head on over to visit my Foto hostess, Deborah, and catch more Family Fotos.

New Math

2009-05-12T17:15:00.007-05:00

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-05-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

My sister Paula, mama, and me--1969

This picture was taken when we still lived in Tennessee before moving back to South Carolina for good. My mother's best friend made these dresses for all three of us. My mother is quite a woman. She has endured many hardships. I watched the things she went through and learned how to be strong and independent. We didn't have a whole lot growing up, but she made sure we had what we needed. I never felt like I did without. I did not realize how much she did for us until I had my own children. I let her know after I had Britnee, how much I appreciated her and all she had done to raise me the right way. Thank you mama for everything. Happy Mother's Day.

Visit my hostess, Deborah, and maybe you'll see more Fotos of sweet, precious mamas.

Goodbye Swine Break, Hello Summer

2009-05-06T22:20:00.010-05:00

Last night we were informed that Swine Break has come to a sudden end. After being told that there was no way that school would start again until May 11th, it is starting May 7th. These people are making me pull my hair out. Can anyone make a decision anymore and stick with it? I know some families that went on a little out of town or state vacation this week, so there will be quite a few students that won't be in school tomorrow. Also, tonight the UIL made the decision to allow sporting events to begin tomorrow. Brett will be playing ball again on Friday and Saturday. So, we will close the book on the Pig Flu, for now.

Summer has arrived here in Texas. I thought I would sit in the sun for a while. It's about time for bathing suit weather, so I have to start getting a little color. I knew it was hot, but I'm going to get my tan no matter what the temperature. There was a breeze blowing, so I thought it would not be so bad. It was nice for a while. I had washed Brett's baseball pants, the breeze would blow and I could smell that clean, bleach smell. Nice.

But then I looked at this......

...and wished our cooler....

...had some of this (bottled Coke-Cola for me) iced down......

I was about to die, so I decided to sit on my bench in the shade and enjoy the

sun, the breeze, and a big glass of....

...sweet iced tea.

Yep, summer has arrived in South Texas and I love it. The hot sun beating down on my skin, a cool breeze in the shade and a glass of iced tea. Nice.

Good Stuff

2009-05-05T18:38:00.010-05:00

High school graduation is right around the corner and we are beginning to get announcements in the mail. The graduate can always use money, but if you feel like giving a special gift or a small gift along with the money, here are a few ideas.Amazon's Kindle2 e-reader. Okay, I want one of these for myself. The Kindle contains 230,000 book titles along with newspapers, magazines and blogs. You don't need a computer to download a book because it uses the same technology as your cellphone. You can take it anywhere. So, so cool, takes up very little room and if you get eye strain, The Kindle will read to you. All of this in the size of a very thin book. Learn more about the Kindle on Amazon.com.

Costs around $360.00

Tom's Shoes Gift Card. I know, shoes sound like a weird grad gift, but all the college girls are wearing these. A gift card to Tom's Shoes is also a gift to needy children. For every pair of shoes you buy, Tom gives a pair to a child in need. Go to Tom's Website and check them out. The graduate can pick their favorite pair and the cost is $44.00 and up.

Whitney Caroline Designs. If you want to give a personalized gift, visit
Whitney Caroline. She has all sorts of things that a new grad could use. Message boards to the bath wraps ($34.00) above. Very cute.

Laundry Bag With Instructions. I found this laundry bag in a friend's boutique on sale for $5.00. I bought several to give to all of Brett's friends that he will graduate with next year. You know boys will really need this bag. I also found it online at Dorm Buys. This site also has some really cool things for a dorm. This laundry bag with a jar full of quarters would make a great gift.

Swine Break Update

2009-05-02T20:23:00.006-05:00

Swine Break is not as fun as you might think. Brett being out of school when he's not supposed to be, has me confused. I don't know what it is. I am continuing my daily routine, but something seems off kilter. I don't know. Maybe it's because I feel like this has all been a knee jerk reaction. San Antonio schools are still in session and you would figure they would at least have a case or two if we do. The first case that was thought to certainly be Swine Flu in our school district, was a false alarm. They say there are 2 cases of students from different schools that are 20 miles away, that are positively Swine. The good news is that Brett's ballteam will not have to forfeit the playoffs. On Thursday, Gov. Rick Perry declared all UIL events in the state are to be postponed until May 11th. Brett will start playing ball again on the 12th. Then there was Brett's nightmarish thought that these days may have to be made up. As of now, no. The students will probably have to go to school one extra day. I don't really understand this decision either, but it's okay by me.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-04-30T16:21:00.004-05:00

Me--1964

Mama and I were enjoying some sun one day in 1964, when she took this picture of me in our backyard. We were living in a house on my paternal grandfather's farm. There were several houses on his property and the one we lived in was known as, "the house at the end of the lane." This farmhouse was at the end of the gravel road that led from a main road and cut through the farm. Below the house flowed the Red River and there was also an old slave graveyard. Fun was had with that graveyard every now and then. I was 1 1/2 years old in this picture. I am probably trying to figure out where I am going to sit in the water because there are so many toys in this little wading pool. Mama loved to have us amongst toys. When I was older, people would tell me that they remembered visiting when I was a baby and mama would have me in the middle of the playpen, surrounded by toys. There were so many toys that the only way they could tell I was in the playpen, was if I moved. I guess it was the same situation with the wading pool. Oh yeah, and it looks like my hair is in those pincurls. Tight pincurls.

Y'all wade on over and visit my hostess, Deborah, to check out more Family Fotos.

Somethin's Wrong With This Picture

2009-04-29T13:00:00.001-05:00

The Truth by Michael D'Antuono

The painting above is titled "The Truth." This painting was to be unveiled today in New York City's Union Square in accordance with Obama's 100th day in office. The artist, Michael D'Antuono, canceled the unveiling yesterday after receiving thousands of angry e-mails protesting the painting. People were angry because of its religious nature. Well, who'd of thunk it.

Mr. D'Antuono says his painting is of a mock voting booth and what he envisioned voters may have thought as they entered to vote for president. In the artist's mind, supporters of Obama would have seen him as their "savior" while right wingers wanted to "crucify" him. D'Antuono said that he did not mean to show disrespect for religion. Uh huh.

Think about the painting's title for a second. I think it is a fitting title. I believe that Obama sees himself as our messiah and the world's messiah. I believe that people voted for him because they feel the same way. I also believe that most of those supporters do not understand a lot of the things he is doing right now. All they know is that they helped make history and that a man of color is now in the White House. Who cares what he does, he's cool. This is unfortunately, "The Truth."

New Math

2009-04-29T06:00:00.002-05:00

Swine Update

2009-04-28T20:34:00.004-05:00

I was just informed that our schools will be closed down tomorrow through May 11th. No extracurricular activities, so Ranger Baseball may be over with for the year. That means no playoffs. I know some disappointed boys. I am not sure yet where Swine Flu has been found to explain why the schools are closing. Oh yeah, government officials want us to now call it H1N1 just so we don't offend any hogs.

Suuu-eeeey! Pig-Pig-Pig!

2009-04-28T10:00:00.001-05:00

The Swine Flu has become big news again after 30 years of silence. It has been all over the news the past couple of days and some cases have been discovered in Schertz, TX., a suburb of San Antonio. A high school there reported 3 cases of the Swine Flu, thus shutting down the school for one week. Yesterday it was decided that entire school district would be shutdown. Schertz is about 40 miles from where I live, so I really did not think much of it. I don't ever go to that part of San Antonio anyway. Then last night we had a phone call from our district's Central Office that had me thinking maybe this thing could be spreading into my area. A school 20 miles from here and in our county, will be shutting down for a week. Apparently an instructor in the GED building connected to Memorial High School, has come down with the Swine Flu. Also, the Northside School District of San Antonio(which is very close to where I live) is reporting 44 cases of students with flu-like symptoms but there is no confirmation yet that it is Swine Flu.

I remember back in the mid-1970's when an outbreak of Swine Flu, resulting in one death, had the nation in an uproar. Not much came of that except a lot of drama and panic. I am hoping that is what is going on here, but we may not know for several more months. Until then, buy stock in surgical masks and Tamiflu.
President Gerald Ford gets his Swine Flu shot--1976

This Week In Ranger Baseball

2009-04-27T17:12:00.008-05:00

The Rangers have continued their winning ways, so there hasn't been anything new to write about. This was their last home game and they will start the playoffs next week. This last home game was also Parent's Night. There was a photographer there to take pictures of parents with the players and if our picture turns out, I'll post it later. The Rangers warm up.

Brett throwing to Colin.

Taking infield.

Standing for the anthem.

After the game, I took a few pictures of Brett with his teammates.

Brett with his buddy Matt

Brett and Senior Stephen Fox

Brett with Senior Justin Beck. Justin is going to play college ball. He broke the school's homerun record.

This coming weekend the team will be traveling to play up near Austin. It's just a warmup game for the playoffs. More TWIRB notes to come.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-04-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

Britnee and Brett---1992

This photo of Britnee and Brett was taken in Sarasota, Florida in the summer of 1992. Phillip was the manager for the Baltimore Orioles' Rookie Ball Gulf Coast League. We were renting a nice condo on a golf course. I believe we were the youngest people living in that neighborhood. Britnee was 3 1/2 years old and Brett 8 months. Brett is a surviving twin and had a rough time of it with kidney problems. Britnee was his little nurse. You can see a bandage on Brett's right arm so we must have gone to the doctor that day. The doctor would let Britnee help by allowing her to hold the little vile of blood that he took from Brett. She wanted to be a Neo-Natal Nurse Practitioner for years. Funny thing is, after all those times helping out with Brett, she decided she could not stand the sight of blood. She wants to be a lawyer now.

I just think they look so sweet and happy in this picture. Big sister taking care of little brother and he loves her for it.

Visit my Family Foto hostess, Deborah, for more happy photos.

Theey're Back!

2009-04-22T18:15:00.001-05:00

When you look at this picture, what do you see? You may answer, "A beautiful little bird." Well, it's not. It is a Barn Swallow, the bird from Hades. Sea Gulls have nothing on this bird.

For seven Springs now, these birds have tormented me. They make mud nests (this is not a pic from my house) that are more like concrete. So......

......I get my handy water pistol out......

..... slowly crack open my back door and take aim and fire at that little concrete nest building, messing all over my backporch, bird. He will circle around and try to dive back in, but like Annie Oakley, my aim is true.

I thought I might get some backup from this fella.....

...but the birds from Hades drop bombs on him too. That's about all he's good for but he does make a good Halloween decoration.

Of course I have the ultimate weapon in getting rid of these heathens, but you see what my special assistant is doing.....

I don't want my assistant to kill the birds. I wish he would just sit on the backporch table, look scary and wave his paws in the air. Is that too much to ask for?

So, I will just stand watch with my little water pistol, no matter how long it takes, because in the end, I will win the battle again.

Oh, Happy Earth Day.

A Giveaway!

2009-04-21T22:00:00.003-05:00

Wendy, at The Shabby Nest, is celebrating her 200th blog by giving away a really cute pillow. Click on the button above, checkout her blog, and post a comment to win. You have until 11:59 Thursday night. Good Luck!

New Math

2009-04-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Wearing The Crown That Counts

2009-04-20T13:00:00.003-05:00

Last night I watched the Miss USA pageant. I have watched this pageant for years. In 1980, a girl named Shawn Weatherly from my hometown of Sumter, SC , won Miss USA and went on to win Miss Universe. I know some of these pageants are silly, but it's a competition and I like competition. Last night Miss California, Carrie Prejean, was asked a question about same-sex marriage by judge Perez Hilton. You could tell he did not like her answer (below) at all. In the end it was between Ms. Prejean and Miss North Carolina. I was rooting for North Carolina and she did win. Then the thought came to me that maybe Miss California's answer about same-sex marriage, decided her fate. I saw this morning on FOX news that maybe others (including Perez Hilton on his website) are thinking the same. I applaude Carrie Prejean for sticking to her beliefs. By the way, she is a devout Christian. She could have lied just to win a beauty pageant crown, but instead she was thinking more about the heavenly crown she will receive. Hosts Billy Bush, center, and Nadine Velazquez, right, listen as Miss California Carrie Prejean, left answers a question from judge Perez Hilton, unseen, about legalizing same-sex marriage during the Miss USA Pageant, Sunday April 19, 2009 in Las Vegas. "We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage," Prejean said. "And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised." (AP Photo/Eric Jamison) (AP Photo, Eric Jamison)

Say It Ain't So, BO!

2009-04-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Well, at least he didn't bow this time.

"Hugo, was'sup my dawg?"

Advantage Chavez. I am sure Venezuelans that are living here in the U.S. were appalled by this gesture. I know a few and they can't stand Chavez because he is an evil man. I am sure Israel is not liking this too much either since Chavez is in cahoots with Iran. I really don't understand the mindset of Mr. Obama.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-04-17T06:00:00.003-05:00

Delight, Peyton, Britnee and Corinne

This picture was taken in the late '90's in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Phillip was working for the Cincinnati Reds and managing their AA team, The Lookouts, at the old Engel Stadium. A photographer caught Britnee (in the red checkered shirt)and the pitching coach's family, munching down on some cotton candy. I am to the right of Britnee, wearing a white shirt talking to the people behind me.

Go on over and visit my hostess Deborah for more sweet treats.

Extreme Tea

2009-04-16T16:20:00.011-05:00

Yesterday morning I heard from Janet Napolitano (Department of Homeland Security) that I am an "Extremist." Well, if that means that I love my country and don't want to see it flushed down the toilet, she's right. If that means I want our Constitution followed by my government, she's right. If that means I want my government to work for and listen to me, she's right. I guess I have always been patriotic. My husband thinks I am becoming a political activist, but I see myself more as a patriot. I don't really care for politics. I remember when I was a little girl, I always loved to watch movies with an American history theme, especially the old WWII movies. When I lived in Tennessee as a six year old, my neighbor was a WWII vet. I thought he had hung the moon because he had fought for our country. I was always over at his house, asking questions about what it was like to be an American soldier. Later in high school, I dated a boy whose father was the Commander of the South Carolina American Legion. Talk about patriotic. I really learned to love my country being around those men. I never tire of hearing the National Anthem. I can't count the times I've heard the Anthem. I've heard it at every ballgame that I've attended and that's A LOT of ballgames. When it's sung correctly, that song can bring tears to your eyes. So yesterday was an amazing day for me along with 19,999 others. The officials at The Alamo calculated that 20,000 "Extremists" gathered here....

The special guests that attended were FOX News' Glenn Beck, rocker and avid hunter Ted Nugent and actress Janine Turner. These special guests did not disappoint. I think the highlight was Ted Nugent's speech and he played the National Anthem on his electric guitar. There were people from all over the country in front of The Alamo trying to get our government to hear them. Obama's press secretary claims that Mr. Obama did not know a thing about the Tea Parties. The national and local media practically ignored it. Yes, even the local media. If there were 20,000 people standing outside of The Alamo, shouting Secession, wouldn't you think that would be newsworthy? I think there will be attempts to make anyone protesting our government to be a nutcase. I saw a hint of that on CNN and other news media. I heard someone say that these Tea Parties should not be compared to the Boston Tea Party because that was in protest of arrogant England taxing us without representation. Mmmm, isn't that what Washington is doing now? Nancy Pelosi says the people sponsoring these Tea Parties are some of the rich who don't want to pay their share of taxes. I will tell you right now, I saw no wealthy people. I saw people from lower to upper middle class. I saw people that are just plain tired. I saw patriots like me.

Look at all those rich folks

Glenn Beck is really on that stage. I saw Glenn up close in the elevator at The Menger. That's a guy I would like to have a sit down conversation with.

Bill on the balcony of The Menger Hotel overlooking The Alamo.

Ted Nugent has left the building

New Math

2009-04-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

He Is Risen!

2009-04-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.--Romans 5:20

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-04-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

Me, my stepdad Harry, Mama, and my sister Paula- Easter 1975

The picture above was taken in Sumter, S.C. when I was 12 years old. We were living in an apartment until we could move into a house we had just bought. My grandparents and cousins came over for Easter to eat and have an egg hunt. Mama had set picnic tables up outside of the apartment and as usual we had quite the spread. Since we were having our egg hunt after eating, my sister and I set our Easter baskets out on one of the picnic tables. One of the things that the Easter Bunny had put in our baskets was a little fake chick with wire legs. There was a little girl who lived in an apartment near ours who was playing around with us. She walked by our baskets and picked up one of those chicks, looked at it and ATE IT! I guess she thought it was a marshmallow PEEP. That little girl just ate that fake chick like it was nothing. I don't know how she didn't choke. My aunts and uncles still laugh about that story. They can laugh because that little girl was okay.

Go take a peep at more photos by visiting my hostess, Deborah.

M-Braves Repeat?

2009-04-09T09:17:00.007-05:00

2009 M-Braves shortstop Brandon Hicks

photo-the clarion ledger

The Mississippi Braves (AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves) begin their 2009 season tonight. I want to wish my husband and the team all the best. I hope this season will be as exciting and successful as last year's.

This Week In Ranger Baseball

2009-04-08T18:10:00.005-05:00

This week in Ranger baseball, found The Rangers once again playing those magical Unicorns from New Braunfels. If you recall, those Unicorns came to play on Ranger field, sprinkling their magic dust and defeating The Rangers 13-0. It wasn't quite that way this time. The Rangers outscored The Unicorns, 11-2. I guess the magic wore off that dust.

The Rangers continued their winning ways against Johnson High School out of San Antonio by 10-run ruling them 11-1. The Rangers also got their team pictures this week, so I thought I would share. These pictures are brought to you by Sam Roberts Photography.

Brett

The SVHS Rangers

Brett is sitting, second from the left

The Rangers will play another game tomorrow night in San Antonio against the MacArthur Brahmas. More to come....

Christian In America

2009-04-06T16:03:00.007-05:00

Can this be true? Christianity is declining here in America? Newsweek is at it again. A couple of months ago they were saying that we are all Socialists. This month, during the Holy Week, they are claiming that Christians are fading away in our country. Maybe they are just trying to sell magazines or maybe there is something to this thought. Supposedly agnostics are on the rise and there are some people claiming no affiliation to a religion. They believe in a god, but they have no affiliation with a church. Then you have to look at how our country has been in such decline. God is not receiving our glory, man is. We have many searching for answers, but they are looking in the wrong place. All they have to do is look up for their answer.

Maybe Newsweek should have done a story with the title, "Do Today's Christians Really Understand God?" or "Are Today's Pastors Preaching God's True Message?" Yes, there probably is a bit of decline in Christianity, proof being the crazy things we see happening around us. God is wanting us to turn back to Him and give only Him the glory. God is a jealous God and will punish those that turn Him away. I believe that Christian pastors today do not stress this enough in their sermons. I see a trend in a change in Christianity itself. We have seen these "mega churches" that teach the "feel good" philosophy. Joel Osteen is an example. He has the largest church in the country. Is this because he preaches on the true word or because he makes people feel good? I read his book a couple of years ago and had to shake my head while reading it. He believes if you have a positive attitude and pray to have something, you will get it. Osteen did make mention towards the end of the book that there may be times that God does not answer prayer, but it was such a small mention that it was drowned out by the "feel good" message. You don't pray to "get" something. You pray for God to help you to do His will. You pray to God to give you protection from evil. You pray to God to help you each day to be the Christian he wants you to be. You thank Him for His Son, Jesus Christ, because we are in no way perfect. I am a positive person because I have Christ and I attend church to glorify God, that is what makes me feel good. The amazing feeling should come from knowing that you are loved so much by God.

Think about when was the last time your pastor spoke to you about Hell. God is not just a "feel good" God. God can also be a very, very angry God. Yes Virginia, there is a Hell. There are many today that don't really believe in a Hell. They believe that you will get to heaven by your good works or that God will not punish because he is a God of love. I believe the new age type of Christian churches are teaching this, thus leading many down the wrong path. I believe there is fear to preach about God's punishment in order to keep people coming back to church. In the Bible God tells us that in the Last Days there will be many false teachers of His word. I really did not get that. I thought that maybe more people would turn to cults or turn to someone like those healing "Holy Rollers" on latenight TV. Now that I think about it, the false teachers could be in our own churches.

So yeah, maybe Newsweek has something here. The thing is, Christians could be the main reason for our own demise by not preaching straight from God's word or turning around the Bible's words to suit what people want to believe. God doesn't want this. God can and will punish the church too. As we celebrate this Easter season, remember that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son." That my friend, is the only way for eternal life and if you don't believe, there is a Hell and seperation from God. As Christians we are responsible to get this message out, whether it is preached by our pastors on Sunday morning or not. No, I don't think we are seeing an end to Christianity. I think we are seeing another fight that Christians must take on to make sure the true word of God is known, even in our own churches.

America-Here's Your Sign

2009-04-05T21:39:00.004-05:00

Frat boys-Obama, Silvio Berlusconi (Italian PM), and Dmitry Medvedev (Russian Pres.)

Unless you were under a rock, or just plain didn't care, the G-20 Summit was held last week in London and of course Mr. Obama attended. I did not watch much of the speeches nor the press conferences. From what I hear, European men were in awe and the women, oh those women, they wanted to have their way with "The Chosen One." American media compared Europe's love for Obama to their hate for Bush. The British media even forgave the improper actions of the Obamas towards the Queen. Stuart Varney, a financial commentator for FOX news and a European, had an answer that made sense. Mr. Varney said that Bush wore his Christianity on his sleeve and Obama does not. The Europeans see Obama as on one of them, pagan and Socialist. There was one speech Mr. Obama gave that I did watch a bit of, but wish that I hadn't. I watched a President of the United States grovel and apologize in front of the entire world. He apologized for our "arrogance." Well, he ought to know the definition of that word. He apologized that we in America do not appreciate the leading role European nations have in the world. What?! I ask you Mr. Obama, who has saved the tails of those European nations TWICE in the last century? I agree that we would like cooperation from other countries in the War On Terror. Oops, can't call it that anymore. Well, whatever it's called, Obama could have asked for support without the groveling. I hope he enjoyed the adoration over there in good old Europe because his words didn't help his standing here in the U.S. A.

I posted the picture above because I am not so sure about all of this chuminess. I am sure Vladimir Putin is sitting back in Russia, downing a vodka, with a big grin on his face. That grin ain't from the vodka. I really wondered what went on in those meetings. What did "The Chosen One" agree to? It has been discussed that he has made a deal for a European body to make decisions on world finance. That means American corporations and banks would be under control of a European body. That means they would also decide on salaries. Socialism folks. One world monetary system folks. So that picture above America, is your sign.

I continue to pray that the hearts and minds of our "leadership" in Washington will change. Then again this is all part of God's plan. I feel we are about to see things never before seen. I am just finding it amazing to watch it all unfold.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-04-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

There once was a man who had a boy. The man loved his boy very much and he wanted the boy to grow up knowing he was loved. He wanted the boy to be the best he could be in whatever he did. The man taught him this lesson from the beginning. No matter what your path you take in life, you put God first and then family. No matter what your path, you do things the right way. My father-in-law, James, holding Phillip-1961

A few years went by, and the boy signed up for Little League and the man decided to coach. The boy had found something he loved and the man taught him to be the best the boy could be. The man taught the boy lessons in baseball and used baseball to teach the life lessons he had wanted the boy to learn. The boy became a good little ballplayer, but the best thing of all is that he was learning how to become a man.

Phillip's dad in the sun glasses and Phillip is at the right end, middle row, in front of the other coach.

The boy went on to play high school and college ball, and the man watched his son become successful in his endeavours. The boy realized his dream and was signed by the Atlanta Braves. The boy did his best and the man was proud. Then the boy found that his real calling was not playing baseball, but teaching baseball. He learned that his path was to pass his knowledge and love of the game to others and the man was proud. The boy did his job right and with honor. He put God first and then family. He was successful and well respected. The boy won a championship and a ring. The boy loved the man very much and he wanted the man to know that he loved and appreciated him, so the boy gave the man his championship ring. The man was touched by this gesture.

The man has influenced more than the boy. Through the boy, so many have learned that no matter the path, you do it the right way.

There once was a man who did his best. He was successful and he is loved.

TWIRB And Mission Accomplished

2009-04-02T13:31:00.010-05:00

This week in Ranger baseball found The Rangers playing their rivals from San Antonio, The Reagan Rattlers. In their first meeting, The Rangers were victorious, but this game turned out differently. It was close until The Rattlers brokeout and won the game in 11 innings, 10-4. Yes, it was a 4 1/2 hour, 11 inning ballgame. We got home around midnight. I had to get up the next morning to begin my mission and I was tired. The mission was to feed supper to 20 high school baseball players. Once a week, a pair of baseball parents cook for these boys. The supper is held at the home of the Baseball Booster Club Parents, so we cook and cart the food over to their house. My friend Brenda and I got to work. I am a little more tired today and my fingers are really sore from pulling pork, but I would say that our mission was definitely accomplished.

The Pulled Pork

The Dessert- Symphony Brownies

The Spread

The Mission

Josh is trying to get a smile out of Brett

After all of the food was inhaled, the boys played a wiffleball game and that was so much fun to watch. These young men became 8 years old again. I wish they could play with that kind of carefree attitude in the high school games. They played until dark and gave us a few laughs.

Another mission was also accomplished. My son accomplished something for me. He will be graduating in another year and I really enjoyed watching him with his friends playing ball in the backyard. I won't be able to do that much longer, so I treasured every minute.

What The Hail And A Mission

2009-03-31T16:43:00.007-05:00

This morning I was just minding my own business, eating my oatmeal, when all of a sudden it's hailing. We weren't expecting rain. I looked on TV and saw one little red blob on the radar, going across our little town. No other red blobs were showing up anywhere on the map for 100 miles. Not even a green blob. Then, 5 minutes later, the sun was shining. Weird. The grass is gradually greening up and I may be out on the John Deere by Saturday.

My friend Brenda and I have been given a mission. Here are the tools to complete my part of the mission.....
4 Boston Butts

2 bottles of sauce. Y'all do not know how excited I was when my TX grocery store started selling this particular sauce!

3 huge bags of buns

Ingredients for a most delicious treat

Our mission must be completed by 6:00 tomorrow night. I'll let Y'all know if it is a mission accomplished.

New Math

2009-03-28T11:07:00.007-05:00

This Week In Ranger Baseball

2009-03-26T10:03:00.008-05:00

This past week, the Rangers had to make up several rainouts, so it felt as though we were living at the ballpark. One of the teams they played was Phillip's alma mater, Madison High School from San Antonio. The Rangers 10- run-ruled them in 5 innings. In fact, they 10- run- ruled 3 teams this past week. A team from Laredo came up to play the Rangers. I felt really bad for them because they weren't very good at all and only had 2 fans. I had to clap for them whenever they made a good play. I think the Rangers go down to Laredo next season to play that team. I am a little nervous about that trip with how things are along the border. Brett warming up before the Laredo game.

A few days later, the team headed into San Antonio to play the Lee Volunteers. Now, when I saw 3 policemen there, I started to wonder about my just being nervous about the border.

I was told by another parent about an incident after a Freshman ballgame against Lee last year.

Apparently, some Ranger parents' cars were broken into after the game. As the Freshmen Rangers celebrated their victory, the ballplayers from the other team (Lee), broke into cars, stole items and ran into the woods. Makes a mama proud. The police came and said they could do nothing. I am not sure if the players were ever caught. Needless to say, I kept an eye on my car during this game and was happy for the police protection.

Brett, his friend Donnie, and The Volunteers watch infield.

The Rangers prepare to take the field.

It's Spring Break here for the Rangers, but games continue. Next week I'll be back with more TWIRB notes.

Good Stuff

2009-03-22T13:23:00.009-05:00

Spring has sprung and so have my Iris.

John Deere. I love getting on the John Deere and mowing. It's a good time to just ride around and think. Now all we need is some rain so I'll have some grass to mow.

Pawley's Island Hammock. After mowing, I can lounge and do some more thinking and dreaming under my oak tree.

Cookies for a St. Patty's wedding.

Duct Tape fixes anything. Can't comment much on this. I saw this truck in my son's school parking lot and just had to share.

Cheese Grits and Bacon. The nights are still cool and baseball is keeping us busy. There's nothing like a little breakfast for supper.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-03-20T06:00:00.003-05:00

My beautiful grandmother-Pauline in 1918

I have posted several pictures of my paternal grandmother. Well, here she is again. Her 106th birthday would have been this past Tuesday. She was a St. Patty's Day baby. This is a set of pictures taken when my "NanNan" was 16 years old. Her tresses are reaching her waist. She had beautiful, long hair until the day she died. The only difference was that in her later years, her hair turned to a beautiful white with golden highlights. I remember she would somehow get her hair into a chignon. Then at night, she would let her waist length hair down to brush it out. Sometimes she would let me brush her golden waves. She was an angelic woman and God crowned her with that glorious hair.

See more angels by visiting my Foto hostess, Deborah.

Before & After

2009-03-19T16:30:00.013-05:00

I love finding great deals for my home. I really like old stuff. I like to go junkin for anything and I don't always use what I find as what it was originally made for. Well a few months ago, I found a couple of great deals on chairs and did some work on them. Here are the results.

There is a lady I know that is trying to get rid of two barns full of old furniture. She decided to gradually bring these items to an empty little store that her husband owns. Well, I will tell you that this lady had some great deals. I found a lovely white hutch (will blog about at a later date) for Britnee's bedroom in the house she will be renting in the Fall. That hutch only cost me $40.00! Then I found these dining room chairs, five for $10.00! I am using four in my dining room and the 5th will be re-done for Britnee.

Before

I bought a can of black paint and then finally found some fabric to cover the seats. Paint and stapled on fabric made quite a difference.....

After

Last summer while we were in Mississippi, a friend of mine told me that I could have this chair. I later found out it had belonged to her daddy. It is a nice momento of my friend. I think of her whenever I sit in it. Well, it wasn't too pretty so.....

Before

...I had a friend of mine here in Texas who re-covers furniture for a living, work on it. I wanted something to be a little manly since it was going to be sitting in the den. I had a little leather put on the chair along with the leaves and a couple of months later, this is what we have......

After

Heeeeere's...... Barry!

2009-03-18T16:07:00.005-05:00

I know, I know, I seem to be going Obama crazy this week, but I just can't help it. If Y'all haven't heard, Barry will be appearing on The Tonight Show tomorrow night, March 19th. He will be going on the show to discuss the problems our country is facing. Okay Barry, do you not get that the office you are holding is one that you are supposed to respect? To me, his appearance on this entertainment show is very direspectful of the Office of The President Of The United States. Apparently the guy has zero class. First was the huge screwup involving the gifts (DVD's, whoo-hoo) to Gordon Brown, PM of Great Britain and now this. Oh yes, Barry will be cute and charismatic. He will lure people to his side because he is no dummy. He knows our country is in awe of Hollywood and entertainment. Well, this American ain't, Barry. This redneck, country girl would like to say this to you. When our country is facing what it is facing today, your skinny butt needs to be sitting in the chair, behind your desk in the Oval Office. From this chair you need to look into the cameras and make an attempt to speak to Americans. I for one would not believe what you would say, but at least it would be respectful. This is not a time to be silly and giggle with Jay. This is a time to rollup your sleeves and figure out what needs to be done. Oh, but maybe along with not knowing what class is, you are at a loss of what being a true leader that will follow our Constitution is supposed to do. Idiot.

Stupid Pet Tricks, oops wrong latenight show, but so true.

Would They Still Come?

2009-03-17T08:43:00.013-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all! Most Americans have a little bit of Irish blood running through their veins. The Irish came to this country in droves for freedoms and opportunities. They worked hard to become a foundation of this great country of ours. Today I wonder if they would be so anxious to come here. The way America is now quickly heading to become a place we no longer recognize. We will soon become just like any other country. We will no longer be a unique place. A lot of people don't believe anything like that could ever happen. America could never change, but it has already.

We now have a king. Yes, his title is President but if you think about how he is adored here and around the world, he is a king. Plus, he carries himself as a king. He thinks just because he won the election, he has free reign to do whatever he desires. He is very arrogant. He has his Wednesday night parties with Earth, Wind and Fire and they're not feasting on KFC. As he has these elaborate parties in "The People's House," "Rome" is burning around him. He's king though so why should that matter. Oh, and by the way, those of you who don't think this guy loves Socialism, he congratulated the new president of El Salvador on his victory. The new Communist president who says he wants to bring "change" to El Salvador as Obama is bringing to the U.S.

Then we have Congress. Do you ever feel like you are living "Revenge of the Nerds" with these people? They are encouraging (along with the king) massive spending and taxation. They are sneaking little items (along with the king) into our "Stimulus" Plan, that are leading us into Socialism. They want to nationalize banks, business and healthcare. They have pushed us into bed with countries like China. Yes, its gotta be revenge, Comrades.

Congress

For those of you who think this country will never become like other countries, Chicagoans now have to be fingerprinted in order to sell their home. Do you think this sort of thing will just end in Chicago? This law was passed under the darkness of night because I am sure the politicians knew there would be an uproar.

Yes, I still wonder if the Irish, knowing what our country is headed for, would still want to come here. Maybe they would because there is still the average American that believes in what our country is and what it stands for. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. If you think about it, you don't see much about the average American on the news. That's because the king and his nerds have the press on their side. There are some angry Americans out there and our out of control government is awakening a sleeping giant. While the king is eating caviar, prime rib and getting down with Jay-Z, he is not hearing the sound of the growing patriotism coming from middle America. He is not seeing the rising up of people that want to stop government from taking our freedoms. His arrogance is once again getting in the way. We are seeing the resurgence of Tea Parties...

We are seeing groups coming together to voice that we want our country to remain free. Glenn Beck has formed the "9-12 Project" . The man (Glenn) was brought to tears over the amount of Americans who are ready to standup and fight.

Here in Texas, we are seeing these.....

I remember seeing a few of these back in the Fall. Last week I was in Boerne, TX and saw a parking lot of these bumper stickers. They are becoming more and more popular. Here's your sign Mr. Obama.

The Irish blood in all of us, whether a drop or full blown, is about to show. Just as our Irish ancestors fought and worked for a better life in America, we are going to have to do the same if we want to continue being the country that brought immigrants here in the first place. God Bless America. May Irish eyes smile upon Her.

Always Liked That James Parr

2009-03-14T06:00:00.005-05:00

The last couple of baseball seasons in Mississippi, Phillip had a pitcher whose name is James Parr. I always liked James. He is very religious and quiet. He was Brett's fishing buddy. We were so excited when he was called up to AAA mid-season last year and then ended the season in Atlanta. He did a pretty good job in Atlanta and I'm hoping he keeps his job pitching up there this coming season. Last night I was flipping through the channels and landed on Hannity which I frequently watch. Sean Hannity is talking and he says there is a Major League pitcher who does not care too much for Obama. Low and behold, a picture pops up on the screen and it is James Parr. I kind of laugh in disbelief because James would be the last person that would come to mind. James answered questions on SI.com in the Pop Culture Grid. The question given to James was, "I am really tired of hearing about..." James' answer, "Barack Obama." Of course SI was appalled at this answer. Anyone saying something negative about "The Messiah" will be considered an idiot, so they had to get James to explain such a horrible answer. When questioned further he said, "I'm not saying he's bad or good, but he's not the savior..." I always liked that James Parr.

James Parr and Brett- Mobile, AL 2008

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-03-13T06:35:00.004-05:00

Britnee and Brett

This past week Britnee has been home for Spring Break. I can't believe she is almost through her second year of college. I want her to know that I am very proud of all she has accomplished so far. My little BB's is growing up. I love you.

Y'all spring on over to my hostess, Deborah, to view more Family Fotos.

This Week In Ranger Baseball

2009-03-11T17:18:00.016-05:00

This past week, The Rangers played their second district game. They got their tails handed to them by a bunch of Unicorns. Yes, I said Unicorns. The New Braunfels Unicorns to be exact. How in the world do you get beat 13 to zip by Unicorns?! Did the Unicorns sprinkle a magic dust over Ranger Field that put The Rangers into a trance? That's what it seemed like. It was pretty embarrassing. Another question, whose idea was it to have a Unicorn for a mascot? Someone that sniffed the magic dust, I guess.

Preparing for The Unicorns, or not.

The following day, The Rangers began a 3 day tournament in one of my favorite little towns, Boerne, TX. I love Boerne (Burn-nee) and so does everybody else. This sleepy little town is beginning to boom with retirees and San Antonians wanting a more laid back place to call home.

Main Street Boerne, TX. (Shopping Heaven)

The weather was really nice for the tournament. It felt more like summer than March. The temperature was in the low 90's! The one thing that reminded us that it was still March, was the strong wind that would never die. By the end of the tournament, I had a nice wind burned body and chapped lips. Other than that, it was fun. The Rangers did okay, but I still think that they are trying to get into a groove. They are a young team.
Samuel Champion High School ballfield

The Rangers

Brett and Colin (The Jackal).

Before one of the games, Brett points out this guy with "Foreigner" written on the back of his shirt. He thought it was kind of funny. Being a child of the 80's, I of course knew it was the band. My son however was thinking of the irony. (The man was from Mexico)
The object of my son's sense of humor.

Last night The Rangers played against The Johnson Jaguars in San Antonio at Blossom Athletic Complex. This was their third district game with much better results. Johnson High School opened up this year, so this is the first year for team sports. The Rangers beat the Jaguars 9-0. It was a pitcher's duel until the 6th inning and then Ranger bats woke up. The best part was that I ran into an old friend. Twenty years ago, Phillip was teaching and coaching at MacArthur High School in San Antonio. He taught Basic Biology and basic was right. He had the kids with learning disabilities. One of his favorite students was Alan Green. Alan was not the best with his school work, but ask him the stats of any player in any sport, the score of any game, and he could rattle those numbers right off. Towards the end of the MacArthur baseball season, Phillip had Alan dressout with the team and coach first. He really had a special place in Phillip's heart. Well, last night I was re-aquainted with Alan Green. This guy was sitting in front of me and when I heard him talk, I knew exactly who he was. I told him who I was and he got so excited, hugged me and asked how "Coach" was. He even remembered Britnee (yes, he remembered her name) who was just a baby when we saw Alan last. He said that he saw "Coach's" tirade on the computer. We called Phillip on the phone and they talked for a few minutes. Phillip told me that made his day. Alan attends most games at Blossom, especially when MacArthur plays. He told me that he is competing in Special Olympics and about all the medals he's won. I will say Alan made the game a little more entertaining. We plan to meet up again when The Rangers play at Blossom this weekend and I look forward to it.

Big Alan Green - God Bless him

Would Someone Please......

2009-03-11T12:38:00.006-05:00

Would someone please shut this guy up? I know he loves to see himself on TV. I know he loves to hear himself talk, but each time he does these things...... ...this happens...

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-03-06T06:00:00.001-06:00

" Top of the mornin' to ya."

Britnee and Mr. Littleton aka The Wee Leprechaun

There is a little town in the central part of Tennessee called Erin. My sister used to live near Erin. Every St. Patrick's Day, Erin has a big celebration. There is a parade, booths, a children's parade, carnival rides, and all sorts of food and fun. The picture above was taken in Erin in 1996. The picture is of my Britnee when she was 7 years old and a real leprechaun. I really think he was the Real Thing. For one he was a wee man. For another, he dressed the part. I just know he had a pot o' gold hidden somewhere.

Please visit my hostess, Deborah, for more wee Family Fotos.

Off To See Mickey

2009-03-03T16:49:00.015-06:00

That time of year is here again. It's time for Spring Training and a new baseball season. All of the players and coaches are fresh and optomistic about the upcoming season. For many with families, it can also be a sad time. I have been staying home for around 15 years, since our daughter started kindergarten. When school is out, we join Phillip wherever he will be for the summer. Before the season, he is in Spring Training for at least a month. So, we are seperated for 3 months and then another month when we return home for school. You would think it would get easier, but it really doesn't. I probably have it better than Phillip. I have always had the children and their activities keep me very busy. Phillip works all day in the sun and goes home to an empty hotel room. He does have other coaches to hangout with sometimes, but that's not the same as family.

So, this past Sunday, I drove Phillip to the airport and he got on a plane......

....and he flew here.

I was sad and I know he was sad to leave his family and home. Then I started thinking, should I really feel that sad for him? I mean for one month he gets to be here.....

He gets to eat Mickey Mouse Waffles with powdered sugar sprinkled over them every morning.

He gets to enjoy the Florida sunshine and smell the aroma coming from the orange groves.

He gets to eat delicious Cuban food here....

...where they serve the amazing "1905 Salad."

He is surrounded by cute baseball players that do a lot of stretching.

Do I really feel sorry for him? Well, maybe a little.

TRY to have a good time, Phillip. Love you and miss you, M

Roadtrippin'......Round Rock, TX

2009-03-02T19:57:00.018-06:00

This past weekend we took a trip up to Round Rock, Texas, just north of Austin. The Rangers were playing in a pool play tournament. The tournament went from Wednesday through Saturday. Round Rock is the first town Phillip and I lived in as a married couple. We have some special memories there. We stayed with Phillip's brother Paul who lives in nearby Georgetown. Paul is hilarious and kept us entertained whenever we were away from the ballpark. It was nice to spend those few days with Phillip before he left for Spring Training on Sunday. We spent time with family, friends and watching some young men play ball.

Baseball....

...Texas BBQ.....

...friends and family.
Phillip, Brett and John Langerhans(Phillip's high school coach)
We love John Langerhans.

Me and Brett-I was already burning up.

The Rangers get ready to take the field. Brett (5)

Brett did another great job of
hitting....

....and catching.

The weather was gorgeous for the first two days of the tournament. Actually, Friday was in the 90's and I was working on my baseball tan. What a difference a day makes. Saturday we had very strong winds and it was cold! Britnee drove down from Baylor to spend Friday and Saturday with us. She and I braved the cold wind and went here......

Round Rock Premium Outlet

Now I am not really an outlet mall shopper. I can never really find a deal, it's too crowded and just plain makes me grumpy. Neither Britnee nor I found a thing, but we had fun just being together. Then we went here.....

....and found some really cool things. I had never been to an IKEA store and it was worth the trip. Fun stuff. We had to pull ourselves away and go here for the final ballgame.....

Dell Diamond-AAA ballclub for the Astros plays here.

Yes, we went to that last game and froze our tails off. I wanted to take more pictures, but did not dare bring my hands out from underneath my blanket.

My niece, Haley, with Britnee.

Brrrr!!

I am glad we had a fun weekend as a family before Phillip left. I thank God everyday for blessing me with such a wonderful husband and children. Love Y'all.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-02-27T06:00:00.003-06:00

"That bass was THIS big!"

My husband Phillip has been in professional baseball for 20 something years. He will be leaving for another Spring Training in a few days and then go on to manage the Atlanta Braves AA club. Phillip has become famous for his "discussions" with umpires. While managing for the Cincinnati Reds' AA team in Chattanooga, he became famous locally for his arguments. There was once an article written in The Chattanooga Times and Free Press about Phillip's special technique. The owner of the Chattanooga Lookouts made a deal with Phillip that if Phillip would put on a good show, he (the owner) would pay the fine. Plus, the owner knew this would draw more fans. This was the real beginning of Phillip's showmanship. The fans in Chattanooga loved it. Then later he went on to become TOO famous with what we refer to as "The Incident" and worldwide exposure. Not only did Chattanoogans know my husband, but people from here to China were able to witness his acting abilities. The above photo was taken in Chattanooga in 1999. The Lookout's owner thought the photo to be such a great thing, that he made it into a giant banner. He hung this banner outside the Lookout's ballpark for all of downtown Chattanooga to see. So, in honor of my husband's interesting career in baseball, I now post it for all of Blogland to see. If you would like to read more about Phillip and "The Incident," visit my sister-in-law Tracy's blog. She has a very cute post about my husband and our niece that will give you a little chuckle.

Visit my hostess, Deborah, to see more photos and maybe have another little chuckle.

This Week In Ranger Baseball

2009-02-25T23:16:00.013-06:00

This past week found the Rangers finishing up their scrimmages. The last scrimmage was played in Uvalde, TX about one hour SW of San Antonio. That meant a 2 1/2 hour drive for us. The countryside was completely different than the trips to the Hill Country the week before. The scenery to Uvalde was of flat, dusty land. They grow a good bit of cotton in these parts. Some of the terrain was full of cactus, brush and Mesquite trees. There are several hunting ranches in the area, a couple that have been featured on TV. It just seems like a rough place to live. The small towns we traveled through, such as Hondo and Knippa, were once probably booming railroad towns. Now, most of their business comes from hunters. I saw a long, black train near Hondo. Then there were some things on this trip that kind of creeped me out, like this guy's shirt...

the "Unisex" bathroom at the ballfield, ewww....

and nationalized Healthcare.

Then there was the good stuff. A gianormous Coca-Cola from Dairy Queen...

a Five Star eating establishment...

and boys playing baseball.

Brett is catching....

coming up to the plate....

and ATTEMPTING to bunt.

Last night was the first District game for the Rangers. They played their rivals, the Ronald Reagan Rattlers. The Rattlers were (notice I typed were) the number 1 team in the city. They were (notice were once again) number 8 in the state of Texas. Then these two goobers...

Brett and his goofy, lefthanded pitcher friend, Derrick

...helped defeat those Rattlers 5-4. Brett was 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Under the lights in San Antonio.

So, it has been another fun week with the Rangers. More to come....

Joke's On Us!

2009-02-21T16:15:00.003-06:00

Joke's on us folks. I saw on the news this morning that we should feel the affects of the new Obama tax breaks on April 1st. How appropriate. The biggest joke ever pulled, will be on us April 1st. No one will be able to beat this one. April Fools!

What will Y'all spend your extra $13.00/week on?

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-02-20T06:00:00.003-06:00

Me (1966)

Yesterday was my 46th birthday, so for today's photo, I am posting a picture of myself. I believe that I was 3 years old in this picture. Of course my hair had been pincurled the night before. Mama pincurled every night. Of course I had a little bow in my hair and the perfect little dress with shoes the exact color as my dress. Mama made sure my sister and I were always dressed to a tee, whether being photographed or not. My sister recently told me something funny. She spoke to a girl that I went to kindergarten with. I haven't seen this girl in years. The girl said the thing she remembered about me was that I always smelled good, like baby powder. I was not only dressed to a tee, but this conversation helped me to remember that mama would use a whole container of baby powder on my little body each morning. I think she made sure I put baby powder on through the 4th grade. I left a trail of white wherever I went.

For more perfect little photos, visit Deborah.

Naw, You're Not So Smart

2009-02-18T12:23:00.007-06:00

With gas prices going up and down, mainly up, the Smart Car has become quite popular in some areas of the country. I wonder what the Brady Bunch could have done with this car? That would have made a great episode. It probably is a good little car to tootle around in when you are driving within a few city blocks by yourself, but in Bulverde, Texas? I have noticed more and more of these popping up around my little town. I am really wondering if the Smart Car is smarter than some of the people driving them. Now, I am not believing "Natives" of this area are the ones driving these. We have had a huge influx of Californians and people moving in from San Antonio. I am thinking they are the ones buying these tiny vehicles. I don't mean to be ugly, but they don't seem to understand the ways of country living in Texas. We LOVE our BIG, GIANORMOUS trucks. Whenever friends from out of state come to visit, they are amazed at the amount of trucks and SUVs that are driven in these parts. Yep, the people here have kept Ford Trucks in business. These days you pass a few trucks and then all of a sudden, here comes this little skate of a thing, driving down the road. I am really frightened for the driver. Could you imagine being in a Smart Car alongside one of these (actually our friend's vehicle that is just awesome to drive)........
or one of these.....

or one of these....

These trucks are the norm around here. So what do you think? Is the Smart Car really all that smart?

This Week In Ranger Baseball

2009-02-17T15:52:00.018-06:00

This past week was the kickoff of the high school baseball season. It started off last weekend with the Smithson Valley High School Hit-A-Thon. This is part of a fundraiser for the baseball team. The Varsity Rangers are introduced and compete in hitting, little kids partake in a camp and alumni participate in a Homerun Derby. After all that, the Varsity scrimmages the JV. All in all, it is a fun day. Here the Varsity players are being introduced. To find Brett, look for the little boy in the blue jacket. They are always together for some reason.

Introducing the varsity team. Brett has his hand on his hip.

A few members of the Varsity, JV and Freshman teams. Brett is behind that little boy.

Alumnus, Clay Fuller. Clay plays in the Angels organization. He also helps Brett find deer with his dog, Nellie.

My two favorite Rangers. Brett and his friend since 4th grade, Matt.

I caught these two clowns up to no good. Our friend Steve with Phillip.

Ranger ballfield. Brett is catching.

The rest of the week the team traveled for scrimmages in Fredericksburg and Kerrville. These are nice little towns in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas. My favorite mascot had to be the Billie Goats. Oops, not these goats......

....but the Battlin' Billies.

Brett warming up before the ballgame.

Brett catching against those Battlin' Billies. Do you think that umpire looks to be a bit nervous?

Another good inning for The Rangers.

This coming week we will be heading down south to Uvalde to watch more Ranger ball. That will be the last scrimmage before they start playing district games next Tuesday. I look forward to watching Brett play. It is always so relaxing to go to the ballpark and watch these young men play ball. Good luck Rangers! I'll be blogging more from the ballfield soon.

Feeling Like Jeremiah?

2009-02-15T14:28:00.004-06:00

Jeremiah, the prophet

Whenever I hear the name Jeremiah, the first thing that comes to mind are the words, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine......" from the song sung by Three Dog Night. I remember my babysitter bringing her Three Dog Night albums over and we would sing and dance. That song was forever engrained into my brain. The Jeremiah I am thinking about now is the prophet Jeremiah from the Bible. He was known as the "weeping prophet" because he expressed so much sorrow. Jeremiah was a prophet during the time when Jerusalem was controlled by King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The Babylonians were not very kind to the people of Jerusalem and Judea. The Babylonian army came through leaving a wake of devastation. I am sure the people of Jerusalem wondered why God had suddenly stopped blessing them. They thought He had turned his back on them. Jeremiah, however, knew what was happening here. He saw what the people of Jerusalem had become. He saw how they had been disobeying God. He knew that God had not turned His back on His people. God never turns away. He was not turning away when He was blessing His people, nor was He turning away when handing out His judgement. Jeremiah was so saddened by what he saw. You can see this in his depressed writings from The Bible. Jeremiah was weeping for his people because he knew that Jerusalem and Judea deserved the punishment they were receiving. Jeremiah knew God offered the hope they needed and knew that if they would get down on their knees and ask God for forgiveness, that would be the only way to stop the harsh judgement handed down from The Almighty.

So now I ask you, "Feeling like Jeremiah?" I do. I feel I am witnessing what happened in Judea and Jerusalem, happening in my own country. God blessed America for many, many years. Our Founding Fathers put God first in their decisions. Our presidents, Congress and military leaders over the years, depended on God and were not afraid to let that be known. Over the last 40 years, we have gradually eased God out of decisions dealing with our country. We have eased God out of everyday life. We are mesmerized by the heathenistic lifestyles of the rich and famous. We have made being "green" a new religion. We have elected un-Godly leaders to be in charge. Now, we are paying the piper. Our leaders are confused, citizens are afraid and there are many dire warnings of our enemies attacking us again. Some citizens are pinning all of their hope on one mortal man instead of God. Do you really think God is happy about this? Some say that God has turned His back on America, but just as Jeremiah wrote about in his time, God has not turned His back. Do you turn your back on your children whenever they do something wrong? No, you still love them and because you love them, you punish them whenever they need it. This is the same with God. I know that God is a God of hope and mercy. God is waiting for our country to come back to Him. Until our country as a whole decides to do that, I will be weeping for it and I will be feeling like Jeremiah.

Why then should we, mere humans as we are, murmur and complain when punished for our sins? Let us examine ourselves instead, and repent and turn again to the Lord.

--Lamentations 3:39-40

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T06:00:00.001-06:00

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

--1 Corinthians 13:7

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-02-13T06:00:00.001-06:00

Valentines since 1985

This picture of Phillip and me, was taken in the summer of 1985 at my house in Sumter, S.C. Phillip was playing for the Atlanta Braves' A-ball team. We look like babies. He was 23 and I was 22. We would be married about 8 months later. Everyday is Valentine's Day for us.

Be sure to visit Deborah, who is such a sweetheart, for more Family Fotos.

Lordy Me, This Made Me Hot!

2009-02-09T21:31:00.008-06:00

My previous post was short and sweet. I think the cover of Newsweek pretty much speaks for itself. Little did I know that this evening my son would come home and tell me an interesting fact about his new history teacher. Brett's original teacher had to take over a government class, so the AP History teacher had to come teach Brett's U.S. History class. Brett was not in the least bit happy about this situation. He did not like the new guy that was coming in. The man apparently is a big baseball fan because he knew everything about Brett's high school playing time. This was kind of creepy to Brett. I told him it might be to his advantage for a better grade. Well, tonight that teacher is making me feel creepy too. Brett had baseball practice and got home around 6:00 this evening. He proceeded to tell me that his history teacher is a Socialist. Now, we live in a small, rural community that is rapidly growing. I know of no one that wanted Obama in the White House. I know there are probably some out here, but I don't know them. Big trucks, ranches, hunting and guns rule here. In Brett's U.S. History class, they have been studying The New Deal and The Great Depression. Today the teacher decided to voice his opinions on the subject. He said that FDR saved the country. The Republican presidents before FDR had ruined things and FDR had to fix everything. Then the teacher said that Ronald Reagan is the cause of all of our economic problems today. Now to me that is blasphemy because Reagan was The Man. This so-called "teacher" then proceeds to tell his class that he has been called a Communist but he disputes that and says he is a Socialist. He told his class that government in control is the way to go. Lordy me, this made me hot. Now, my son understands what is going on here, but what about the other students that are taking this teacher's words as gospel? I immediately looked through Brett's history book to make sure it was not stating lies. It seems to be okay. This teacher has taken it upon himself to indoctrinate these socialist beliefs on our children. I will be staying on top of this and plan to ask a few questions about this guy. Please parents, be aware of what your children are being taught and what is written in today's school books. I don't care if you live in a small rural "All American" community or a big liberal city. The future of this great country depends on it.

Reveiller l'Amerique

2009-02-09T08:20:00.004-06:00

Does this bother you? It should.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-02-06T07:36:00.003-06:00

Phillip throwing to Brett

This next week, the high school baseball season begins. Our son, Brett, is a catcher and has always wanted to be a catcher. The picture above was taken when Brett was 5 years old. I believe we were in Winston-Salem, NC where Phillip was managing the A-ball team there for the Cincinnati Reds. Phillip is throwing to him and giving Brett a few pointers. I want to wish Brett good luck and success in this upcoming season. I will be there to cheer him on. I don't usually cheer outwardly, but he knows I am always cheering for him in my heart.

Catch more Family Fotos by visiting my hostess Deborah.

The Letter "S"

2009-02-05T16:20:00.007-06:00

My friend, Coco at Ordinary Miracles, is playing the Letter Game. I played this game a while back and thought I would join in again. If anyone else would like to play, leave me a comment that you want to play along and I will assign you a letter. You must then choose 10 of your favorite things that begin with that letter. Coco assigned me the letter:

10 of my favorite things that begin with the letter "S":

1. Sally. My mother's name is Sally and I would say that she is my favorite thing. My mother has had to do a lot on her own and she's done a pretty good job. Love you, mama.

2. South Carolina. My homestate. Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina. Carolina girls are the best in the world. What else is there to say?

3. Shrimp and Grits. My favorite dish. Anything with grits has to be good.

4. Scarlett O'Hara. Scarlett is the ultimate Steele Magnolia. I read "Gone With The Wind" while I was in middle school and fell even more in love with The South. Scarlett became my all-time favorite heroine. The funny thing is that in high school, I dated a boy named Ashleigh and my step-sister dated a Rhett. I do declare!

5. Sumter. Sumter is my hometown. It is one of those towns that is great for raising kids. The kids grow up and anxiously move away, but always come back. Good memories. It also has to be the hottest, most humid place in America.

6. Squeeze Play. A baseball play in which the runner at third starts to run as the pitch is thrown and the batter lays down a bunt in order to score the runner. This is great to watch when it works.

7. Surfside Beach, SC. We used to always rent a house on or very near the beach at Surfside. I spent many weeks during the summers at the Surfside Pier, laying out, taking long walks and feeling the sand between my toes. The best part was sleeping with the sound of the ocean waves crashing on the beach.

8. Sand Dollars. My favorite shells to collect. I remember when I was very young I heard that if the sand dollar is broken, dove will fly out. Well, I did it and the "dove" just fell out into my hand. My excitement ended right there, but they're still my favorite.

9. Santa Claus. I still believe in the magic of Santa. Ho!Ho!Ho!

10. Sunbathing. Yes, I know it's not really good for you, but I like to lounge at the pool or the beach with a good book, a Coke, and the warm sun beating down. I remember lying out on Surfside Beach all day, taking a cool shower and taking a quick nap on cool, cotton sheets. That's nice.

Ozzy's In My Head

2009-02-04T16:51:00.010-06:00

My husband was asking me when I was going to blog again. I told him that I am sure something would get me fired up. Let me just say that this past weekend I did not watch the news, read a newspaper, nor have my computer. It was nice not to get my blood pressure up over where our country is heading. I know Phillip was wanting me to REALLY blog, in other words write about what I am feeling, not just post cute little pictures of what's going on in the Wellman household. I was off in my own world for a couple of days, reading the very intellectually stimulating book by Tori Spelling. Actually, Tori's book is very entertaining. It kept my mind off of flying at least. Yep, I was in my own little world, not hearing about that dadgum stimulus package that we all know is a joke. What is it going to stimulate, Honey Bees? I say Honey Bees because there is several million in this package that is set aside for those little bees. Maybe the authors of this package were confused with human workers and the worker bees. Oh yes, and let's not forget the shelter for prostitutes in Dayton, Ohio. Gotta keep those gals on the payroll and out of the unemployment line and we've got the millions set aside to check them for STD's. The list is getting more and more ridiculous.

Then of course we have Comrade Obama pushing this stimulus package down our throats. He is trying to scare the American public into going along with this mess. Hurry, hurry or our country will be in dire straits! Comrade must have completely ignored his history class. If he had been awake, he would have learned that FDR with his similar plan, The New Deal, took a recession and turned it into The Great Depression. I am afraid we are about to repeat history. In his first 16 days he is sending us down the Socialist Highway. Today he decided to put a cap on executive salaries. These are the executives that run the companies WE are bailing out, for now that is. Who knows if Obama will later demand a cap on ALL executive salaries. This action could open the door for that. I know we are all angry at the spending habits of these greedy men, but the government stepping in like that is wrong. Instead we need to allow the troubled companies to get out of this trouble themselves. The shareholders should meet once a year to decide what their CEO's will make. There should be more oversight, but coming in and doing what Comrade Obama did today, is way too much meddling by government. He likes having control though. Today Obama also signed the SCHIPS Bill to extend healthcare that is provided to uninsured children. Okay that sounds warm and fuzzy, but this bill will make some children that have access to private insurance, to be placed under the government plan anyway. This is the first step towards nationalizing healthcare. Obama pretty much proclaimed that himself at the signing. We are already on the fast track to nationalizing our banks, now healthcare. We have created a Frankenbama monster. We are becoming, dare I say, France.

I wonder how we started in this direction. Who decided all of a sudden that government is our caretaker and that the individual is no longer responsible? Maybe it was the guy who came up with, "Press 2 for Spanish." Let me tell you, with the way things are going now, we will owe government big time and government will make us pay. Socialism in this country has been just under the surface for many years. Now it has found it's outlet through our new president.

So, today as I watched all of this unfold (you know everyday is something new and socialist)I thought of Ozzy Osbourne. I know that's weird but I'll tell you why. Ozzy has a song called, "Crazy Train" and one line in the song is this, "I'm going off the rails on a crazy train." I would say that Ozzy is giving a great description of our situation right now. So hold on, because this is going to be some Socialist train ride and Obama is the conductor yelling, "All aboard!"

I want to urge everyone to please become more involved. I know we can all pray for our country and leaders, but God gave us a voice too. Call or e-mail your Congressman. They may not always listen, but at least your conscience will be clear because you know you tried. Maybe if enough of us do this, we can derail that "crazy" Socialist train.

Comrade

Roadtrippin'...........Atlanta, GA

2009-02-02T18:33:00.013-06:00

No booze, no pills, no problem. Yep, I flew to Atlanta and I did it without help, except from the good Lord who answered my prayers to be calm. I got good advice on flying. My friend Anita, from Savannah, nicely told me to suck it up and fly. Thanks Anita, because Phillip and I had a great time and yes, I sucked it up. I'm not saying that my palms didn't sweat a little. We had to get up at 5 am to catch our flight. You can tell by this picture that we are looking a little haggard. My hair had to be the scariest thing about this trip. My hair just did not want to behave. It is either frizzy or flat, and on this occasion it chose to be flat. Of course whenever I am staying home for the day, it is perfectly coifed. It has a mind of it's own when I am in need of it to look good. You can see in the background the guy sleeping. I believe he was a soldier. There were plenty of soldiers on this flight and in the Atlanta airport. That's another thing that made me suck it up. I figure if they can do what they do, then I can get on a plane for a 2 hour flight. When we were on that little train thingy that takes you to the baggage claim, I spoke to three soldiers. They were on their way back to Iraq. I wanted to cry for them. I just told them good luck, thank you and that we would pray for them. There was a group from the USO there to greet an even larger group of soldiers. They stood and clapped for those soldiers as they came up the escalator. I wanted to cry again. God bless those men and women.

We picked up Phillip's bag and our driver, James, was there to meet us. Yes, our driver was really named James. The bag on my arm contained all of my belongings. I travel light, especially after 20+ years having to pack for baseball. Phillip had to autograph James' sign. Then when we got in the van, Phillip had to sign a couple of baseball cards and a picture of his episode from two years ago. He would sign plenty of those that night.

James took us to the hotel and I was never so glad to see a bed in my life.

I did plan to take a lot of pictures with some of the people on hand for this occasion, but I did not. I think about it but once I get there, I start talking and forget about picture taking. Then I just think of ballplayers as being like everybody else, so I don't get real excited about getting a picture taken with them. Most were ex ballplayers: Phil Niekro, Dale Murphy, and Otis Nixon. The only current player attending was Braves' pitcher, Tim Hudson and his wife, Kim. Kim was getting an award for all of the community service she does for the Atlanta community and she does A LOT. A very nice and humble woman. There was also a special remembrance for longtime announcer, Skip Caray, who passed away last year. Phillip was given the award for Braves Minor League Manager of the Year and two of his players from this past season were also given awards. My camera did not do the best job when taking pictures of the head table or podium, so I am hoping our driver, James who is also a photographer, e-mails me some pictures of Phillip receiving his plaque. Here Phillip is apparently saying someting humorous to pitcher Tommy Hanson and I have the feeling it had something to do with me. The guy with his head down is first baseman Freddie Freeman. He may be with Phillip sometime this coming season. He was the youngest player selected in the 2007 baseball draft. He is now a mere 19 years old. I'll bet anything he's texting. What else would a 19 year old be doing?

The ceremony lasted 4 hours. Needless to say we were tired but we had to go mingle a bit longer. We had Matt Young, Phillip's leftfielder this past year, take a picture of us before we took off again. Yes, we were as tired as we looked.

Now, I have to tell you about a man that I really wanted my picture taken with. His name is Walter Victory. Walter is 91 years old and has been the Braves' photographer for I don't know how long. Walter stood the entire 4 hours of the ceremony, taking pictures. He did not sit down once. Phillip was nervous that Walter would just fall off the stage. I found out that Walter is a WWII Vet. In fact, he was on Normandy Beach on D-Day. He was also a POW. We sat for the 4 hours listening to the acolades and speeches of baseball players and others. Then, at the very end, Walter decided he wanted to say something. He just grabbed the mike. Walter wanted to thank the Braves for everything they had done for him and then he wanted to let us know what he had done. He spoke a little about where he was during WWII and what he had gone through. Then he opened up a box to show the few awards he had received. There was no plaque in that box, but there were a couple of Silver Stars and a Purple Heart and several other medals. So afterwards, I did get my picture taken with Walter because to me he was the man that deserved more praise than anyone else attending that ceremony.

We left Atlanta the next afternoon. It was a bit of a whirlwind but it was nice to be back in The South again for a day. We got home and I just showered, got in bed and slept for 12 glorious hours.

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-01-29T06:00:00.001-06:00

Brett (4) and Britnee (7)- March, 1996

Snow Days. Every now and then I miss those Snow Days in Tennessee, but not too often. I remember the Winter of 1995-1996 when we lived in Clarksville, TN. I remember all of the snow that Winter and how about the time this picture was taken, I was getting the Cabin Fever. It was March for goodness sakes! Phillip was already in Florida for Spring Training and as I recall, it wasn't all too warm down there either. The sign next to the cute little snowman says, "Florida or Bust." We were really missing daddy or maybe just some warmth.

Visit my host, Deborah, for more Family Fotos.

Up, Up and Awaaaay.......

2009-01-28T09:14:00.004-06:00

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of sound mind.

--2 Timothy 1:7

Scene from the movie, "Airplane."

My husband, Phillip, found out a couple of weeks ago that he will be receiving an award. The "400 Club" of the Atlanta Braves, is giving him an award for their Minor League Manager Of The Year. Yes, I am so excited for him. When Phillip told me about this, I was really happy for him and then he made THE request, "Montee, I really want you to go with me to Atlanta for the ceremony and that means you will have to get on a plane." Say what?! Yes people, I am afraid to fly. Just the thought makes my palms and soles of my feet break into a sweat. Just the thought of being 2 miles in the air with nothing underneath my sweaty feet. Just the thought of some terrorist deciding that he wants to use me as a path to his 72 virgins. Just the thought of something happening to Phillip and me, leaving our kids without parents. Just the thought of not being in control........but wait, I need to remember that I am not the one in control here. As a Christian, I should be ashamed. I know for goodness sakes that there is only ONE in control. So why must my mind think the worst? Yes, I am ashamed. How can I claim to trust God? So, I will pray because I want to be there for my husband and I want God to help me conquer this fear I have. I will pray when I start to sweat. I will pray that my mind believes I am just riding a bus down the road, which by the way is more dangerous. I will pray that God will take care of that terrorist for me. I will pray that God will be returning me safely to my children and I will remember that HE is ultimately in control of all. I'll be sure to let Y'all know how it turns out. It could be quite comical.

My fear of flying seems to be common knowledge around these parts. A friend gave me a little liquid courage and a cross with some Saint of Protection. I am not Catholic, so I do not know his name. Okay, these along with Tori Spelling's book and a little Michael Buble, might help a little. Ultimately though, it is all in God's hands and that's where I'll leave it.

Etsy Shopping & Giveaways Part Deux

2009-01-26T14:42:00.002-06:00

Yes, yes, more exciting giveaways! For those of you who may have never heard of Etsy, it is a place where creative people sell their unique creations. Bella Casa is having an Etsy Party with 18 great giveaways. Go over and check Bella out. My friends Kari and Kijsa are giving away one of their creations too, at the Etsy Party and on their own blog. Happy shopping and good luck!

A Giveaway!

2009-01-25T20:02:00.006-06:00

Monogram Chick is giving away this cute travel mug. Monograms and polka dots, nothing cuter! So go over and visit Sarah, make a comment and mention that you saw this cute mug on my blog. If you mention me, and if you win, I win too! You have until this Wednesday, January 27th, to enter. Oh, and be sure to checkout all of the cute stuff the Monogram Chick is selling!

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-01-23T06:00:00.016-06:00

Phillip and me. January 25, 1986

This Sunday will be Phillip's and my 23rd Wedding Anniversary. Phillip and I have had an amazing life together. God blessed us with two beautiful children and a marriage that I could not have dreamed up myself. These 23 years have flown by. We've had the highs and lows that come with life, but each situation has only brought us closer.

I met Phillip in May of 1985. He was playing on the Atlanta Braves A-ball club in my hometown of Sumter, SC. I had read about the team coming into town. I read an article about one player and his picture was next to the article. I told my mother, "He's kind of cute." Little did I know, the "he" was my future husband. A friend of my grandparents' lived in the apartment above Phillip's. Allie was her name. She told me that I could come layout at her pool and that there were some Braves players living over there. Well, I could have cared less. She introduced me to Phillip and I still could have cared less. I thought he was too cocky. The days passed and I would go to the pool and here Phillip would come out to sit and chat. We talked about all sorts of things and I started to really like this fella. Eight months later we were married. All my years growing up, I had my engagement and wedding planned. A year long engagement and a June wedding. Nope, 8 months and a January wedding planned around the baseball season. Planning around the baseball season has been a part of our lives ever since. Yes, we have had an unusual life together from the beginning and I am looking forward to the years ahead of us. Phillip, I love you with all my heart.

I was always grateful for my grandparents' friend, Allie, who introduced us. Actually I was also grateful to Allie because if not for her, I would have not been on this earth. You see, about 50 years earlier before she introduced me to Phillip, Allie introduced my maternal grandparents and eight months later they were married. How about that?

Be sure to visit Deborah for more fotos and the unusual stories that go along with them. If any of you would like to participate in Friday's Favorite Family Foto, just let Deborah know.

So, You Think You Know Me?

2009-01-21T20:24:00.006-06:00

Here is a list of things a person may do in his/her lifetime. I highlighted the things I have done. So you think you know me, read on....

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5.Watched a meteor shower.
6. Been to Disneyland/world
7. Climbed a mountain.
8. Held a praying mantis
9. Sang a solo
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Taught yourself an art from scratch
14. Adopted a child
15. Had food poisoning
16. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
17. Grown your own vegetables
18. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
19. Slept on an overnight train
20. Had a pillow fight
21. Hitch hiked
22. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
23. Built a snow fort
24. Held a lamb
25. Gone skinny dipping
26. Run a Marathon
27. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
28. Seen a total eclipse
29. Watched a sunrise or sunset
30. Hit a home run
31. Been on a cruise
32. Seen Niagara Falls in person
33. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
34. Seen an Amish community
35. Taught yourself a new language
36. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
37. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
38. Gone rock climbing
39. Seen Michelangelo’s David
40. Sung karaoke
41. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
42. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
43. Visited Africa
44. Walked on a beach by moonlight
45. Been transported in an ambulance
46. Had your portrait painted
47. Gone deep sea fishing
48. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
49. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51. Kissed in the rain
52. Played in the mud
53. Gone to a drive-in theater
54. Been in a movie (heck yes…home video!)
55. Visited the Great Wall of China
56. Started a business
57. Taken a martial arts class
58. Visited Russia
59. Served at a soup kitchen
60. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
61. Gone whale watching
62. Gotten flowers for no reason
63. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
64. Gone sky diving
65. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
66. Bounced a check
67. Flown in a helicopter
68. Saved a favorite childhood toy
69. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
70. Eaten Caviar
71. Pieced a quilt
72. Stood in Times Square
73. Toured the Everglades
74. Been fired from a job
75. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
76. Broken a bone
77. Been on a speeding motorcycle
78. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
79. Published a book
80. Visited the Vatican
81. Bought a brand new car
82. Walked in Jerusalem
83. Had your picture in the newspaper
84. Read the entire Bible
85. Visited the White House
86. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
87. Had chickenpox
88. Saved someone’s life
89. Sat on a jury
90. Met someone famous
91. Joined a book club
92. Lost a loved one
93. Had a baby
94. Seen the Alamo in person
95. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
96. Been involved in a lawsuit
97. Owned a cell phone
98. Been stung by a bee

If you would like to let others know more about you, copy and paste this list to your blog. Go down the list and highlight the things you have done.

Pray

2009-01-19T20:32:00.002-06:00

Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

I think this verse should be on the desk of every government official, from the President of the United States on down. If followed, how blessed would our country be?

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-01-16T06:39:00.006-06:00

Uncle Bill, NanNan and Penny

This is a picture of my great-uncle Bill, my paternal grandmother and my great- aunt Susan, aka, Penny. I would say it was taken around 1912 or so. I think they were beautiful children and each definitely had different personalities. As adults, they all lived on their father's farm. Uncle Bill died when I was pretty young, but I can still remember him. He owned horses, as did my grandmother. I remember one pony that would just take a seat as you would ride him. Uncle Bill may have trained him to do that because he was quite the character. He was the youngest and probably a little more worldly than my great-grandparents and his sisters appreciated. He once went to Hollywood to try to make it in singing and acting but did not quite make it. I am not sure what he did for a living, just can't remember that. He did like to laugh, drink a little too much and have a good time. I think his sister, Susan, loved him but thought he was a bit of a heathen. My NanNan grew into a beautiful woman, inside and out. Oh my, I cannot say enough about her and how much she influenced me in my younger years. I loved spending time with her and did every chance I got. She graduated from Belmont University (Nashville) with a degree in Music. She played the piano beautifully. She would play in church such heavenly music. Then Sunday afternoons after our big lunch, she would be convinced to get down with playing jazz or the blues on the piano. She was also a wonderful horsewoman and taught me how to ride. I do miss her so. My daughter, Britnee, favors my grandmother so much, especially in this picture. Then there is my great-aunt Susan, who I called Penny. My dad called her "Toome" so I guess I turned that into "Penny." She was always known as Penny after that. She was definitely a character. The most stubborn woman I have ever met. I know that she loved me and I received a lot of attention from her. She was a school teacher and would show me off when mama would take me to her classroom for a visit when I was a baby. Penny was married at one time to the Law Dean at Vanderbilt. He was a lot older than she. He passed away before I knew him. They had quite the life. They knew J. Edgar Hoover and would visit Washington many times for Dean Arnold (that's all I knew her husband as)to lecture the FBI on evidence. They were also invited to dine with some of the "upper crust" in the state of Tennesssee. When Al Gore was running for the Democratic Nomination against Bill Clinton, Penny said Al was a mama's boy and she would never vote for him. She said whenever they would go to the Gore's home, Al would cling to his mama's skirt the whole time. Should have known. Anyway, Penny lived the longest of the siblings. She stubbornly lived to be in her 90's and was preaching the gospel the whole way.

Be sure to visit Deborah to see more wonderful photos and the stories behind them.

Thank You Mr. Bush

2009-01-13T14:57:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, President Bush gave his last press conference. It was a time for him to reflect back on what he accomplished and the disappointments in eight years of being our president. The first thing you notice about President Bush, is how much he's aged. All presidents age. I mean who wouldn't with the pressures of running this country and being considered a World Leader. The beginning of his first term in 2000.

2008

He looks so young and vibrant in 2000, ready to take on the huge responsiblity. Little did he know what lay ahead for him. I think this president has had to deal with things like no other before him. He was blamed for all that went wrong. He was even blamed for causing the huge Hurricane Katrina to form. How ridiculous was that? I think Katrina just took the wind out of him. After that, I know he tried to be the same man, but I don't think he was. I voted for Mr. Bush both in 2000 and in 2004. I knew that no matter what, he would stick by his beliefs and I knew he would rely heavily on God. I did not always agree with his decisions. I am totally against all the bailout stuff and how immigration was handled, but then I think that there are many things that the public is not privy to. I also wish he had spoken to our citizens more often than he did. In yesterday's press conference, I saw the George Bush that I wanted to see. He defended his actions and showed a little anger. Where was this man for the last 4 years? I wish he had stood up in front of us and told us what he could about the situations this country had facing it, from war to the economy. In the end, history will tell us how successful or unsuccessful the Bush presidency was. In my opinion, history will be kind to him. If I ever get the chance to meet this man, I will thank him for what he tried to do for our country. What he tried may not have always worked, but he tried his best to serve his best.

"You can all go to hell, I'm going to Texas." --Davy Crockett when he left Washington, DC

A Joyous Day!

2009-01-12T19:26:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I witnessed my daughter being baptized. I witnessed the most important day of her life. How I held back the tears of joy, I do not know. Afterwards, her brother asked her how she felt and Britnee replied, "Clean." She is now clean and white as snow!

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

-2 Corinthians 5:17

Friday's Favorite Family Foto

2009-01-09T07:44:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday, Paula!

My little sister, Paula and me

Tomorrow is my sister Paula's birthday. In honor of that, I thought I would post this lovely picture of us both. I believe this was taken by my dad around 1970 in front of his Vega. I think we had gone over to see my grandparents on their farm. We must have been going somewhere else later on, because our hair is done up in pincurls. Mama would pincurl our hair so tight sometimes, that my scalp became immune to the pain of having my hair pulled. We always had great looking hair though. Anyway, either we were embarrassed or mama wanted those pins kept in place, so she plopped these hats on our heads. Apparently for some reason the hats were not as embarrassing as our hair pinned up. Don't ask me why because those are some pretty ugly hats.

Visit my host, Deborah, for more lovely Family Fotos.

Blogger Award!

2009-01-08T20:34:00.007-06:00

Ahhh, refreshing lemonade! Coco at Ordinary Miracles has bestowed The Lemonade Award upon me. I am thrilled to receive such a refreshing award. Now I am passing this award on to 10 other refreshing blogs. Here are some rules that go along with this award:

1. Post the lemonade logo on your blog.

2. Nominate 10 refreshing blogs that are deserving.

3. Show the links to these blogs in your post.

4. Post a comment on their blog to give them the news.

5. Post the link to the wonderful person you received the award from.

The 10 Lemonade Award winners are:

Our Crazy Blessed Life

Kari and Kijsa

Nesting Place

Monogram Chick

Pink In A Sea Of Blue

Tracy Brothers

Good Stuff.....Favorite People of 2008

2009-01-07T09:14:00.008-06:00

This will probably be the last of my 2008 favorites. I need to get on with 2009.

The Atlanta Braves. Yeah, they stunk, but they are a great group of guys. They'll be my favorite team no matter what.

Michael Buble. So smooth and romantic.

Gary Sinese (aka Lieutenant Dan) Hooray for Mr. Sinese! He is a great supporter of our troops.

Glenn Beck. Yes, him again.

Mike Huckabee. My first pick for President.

Randy Pausch. He left a great gift for generations to come.