Well Thanksgiving was a lovely time for my family. I had mentioned in my last post that we do a pig pickin and wanted to share a few pictures if I may. This year our piggy had his head still attached!! It's really gross looking but too funny not to share!
Poor, poor piggy!!! I have one last picture and this one is pure cute!! This is my cousins dog. This poor dog is deaf and dumb!!! But isn't she precious!!!
Mr. Turkey, you don't have to hide from us!!!
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever" Psalm 107:1
What a wonderful childhood memory!! Just one more picture for fun!! Tweety in gangsta paradise!!!! I must say I've never seen a gangsta Tweety!! :)
Hello everyone! I hope everybody is doing well! I've had a major leave of absence from the blog!! Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things now. I've been very busy lately so I'm sorry I haven't been around but hopefully this is an end to it!!
Ok, finally I'm taking the time in the wee hours of the morning to post this. Several weeks back Rhonda over at A Day in Rhonda's Life had a pay it forward contest and I happened to be one of the lucky winners!!! Rhonda sent me an awesome book and I just can't wait to finish reading it!! So in keeping with the program, I must do my own "pay it forward" contest.
This is how we are going to do this! Send me a comment telling me one thing you are thankful for! I'm not going to draw names on this one! Simply, the last three people to comment me are going to be the winners, so let's go!!!!
I guess I should tell you what I'm thankful for!! I'm so very thankful for the wonderful family and friends that the Lord has provided me! I could not ask for better support!!
Thanks to Mama Kat for doing this each week. There are a few weeks that it has kept me writing.
Today's prompt that I chose is: write a letter to someone you miss greatly. The first thing I thought of when I read this prompt was that you should write a letter to someone who has passed away but when I read A Day in Rhonda's Life I realized that it doesn't have to be someone that has passed. Rhonda, I really enjoyed your post!! So back to business!!
When I decided to do this prompt three wonderful people came to my mind. All three have gone on to heaven but are thought of a lot here on earth. I've decided that instead of doing a letter that I'd just like to talk about each person briefly and tell you what they meant to me.
The first one being my Granny Hazel! Oh what wonderful times we had together! She was a wonderful influence on my life even though I lost her when I was only ten years old. I miss her everyday of my life! She was such a petite and proper woman. She was always dressed nice and always had her jewelry on! I guess this is where I get my love of jewelry!! She got very sick during the later years of her life, she developed a severe case of asthma from smoking for many years, this would be the reason I do not smoke! It was an asthma attack that took her life when she was only 65 years old. She could sew anything you wanted her to, she even taught sewing lessons in the small town of Atkinson where we used to live. There she also owned and operated "Hazel's Fabric Shop" I spent many days there playing while she worked since I was with her during the day because my mom had to work. Granny was a great cook! I always enjoyed getting to eat at her house especially when there was a special occasion. There are lots of other very fond memories that I have of her that will always be in my heart forever! I also share those memories with my daughter Hazel and will share many more with her! Granny, I miss you more and more everyday and wish you were here beside me to share the joys of my life! But I will see you again, someday!
The next person would be my Papa! We had some good times too!! He and Granny were always so much fun to be with! I got to spend a lot more time with him, he didn't pass until I was 17. He would always take me to school and pick me up in the afternoons. Unfortunately the last few years of his life were spent in a nursing home after he had a bad stroke. I will always remember the kindness he showed to everyone. He also owned his own business, the only Amoco station in Atkinson! He was a kind man but he would tell you what he thought about you or a situation in a minute. He was always honest in telling you what was on his mind, no matter what it was. He did embarrass me on a few occasions that I remember vividly! There was one particular time that happened that turned out to be the most embarrassing moments of my life! That was the subject of some English papers that I would have to write in high school about the subject! To my Papa, one of the biggest lights of my life, I miss you and love you very much!! I will see you again, someday.
Last but not least, Mr. Steve! I spent most of my life without my father but Mr. Steve did a mighty fine job of filling in! My father left my mom and I when I was 3 years old. Mama and Mr. Steve started dating when I was in fourth grade, I think. He was a very special part of my life and my mother's. He was always there for us no matter what. He and my Papa did a fine job being father figures to me but they each had different places in my heart. I remember Mr. Steve buying me the things that I wanted (but didn't necessarily need) that my Mama couldn't afford to buy me. I just can't say enough nice things about him. He never said a harsh word about anyone. He was everyone's friend. He was a hardworking, christian man! I think he worked everyday of his life until he was so sick and weak that he couldn't. I know that God prepared a very special place in heaven for him just as he has a very special place in my heart and in my family's heart!! Mr. Steve, I love you and miss you so so much!! I'll never forget all the wonderful times we had! I'll be seeing you again someday!
Hello friends! Sorry I haven't made a post lately but I've had the "I can't think of anything to write that anyone would give a crap about" bug!! Hopefully very soon I'll come up with something exciting to talk about. Until then, I'm keeping up with everyone else!!
Thanks to http://mamakatslosinit.blogspot.com/ for doing this homework assignment again!
I've chosen the you are 20 years in the future, write a letter to your today's self.
Dear Melissa,
You are 50 years old now, and you thought you were old at 30, you are almost at retirement age! Which is not a bad thing. I must tell you to SLOW down woman!!! Take the time to enjoy all the moments in your life. 20 years from now you are gonna wish you could go back to when your daughter was 7 years old and she was totally into you! Do more fun things with her and don't get so aggravated when you are helping her with her homework! You are one lucky person to only be working hours a day and you have the whole afternoon to spend with her after school. Alot of women don't get to do that and you should know because you haven't been doing it long!! Enjoy that time and savor every last moment of it. Also, you and your hubby need to take more time for yourselves! When Hazel is out of the nest you two will have nothing to talk about because you won't know each other. Don't get so mad at him about fantasy football, he really does enjoy it, even though you have been replaced in his life by Dan! (Josh, I had to throw this in, sorry!!) Try to spend more time with your mother, you will regret not spending the time with her when she's not around for you to see. The same goes for your father as well, even though it's hard for you to let go of the past. He was another person then and he's a much better person now. Love him for who he is now and live in the present and for the future, not in the past!! This goes for a lot of things in you life!! I'll tell you again you can't change the past no matter how hard you try. Never forget your girlfriends!!!! Not that you ever did!! They are such an important thing to have in your life. Well you are not doing bad at all despite all the things I've told you in this letter. Just live, laugh and love!!!!
Love,
Me
As promised these are photos taken at Wrightsville Beach, NC just an hour ago. I was pouring down rain when we first got there but it quickly went to a sprinkle so we didn't get soaking wet! This is the north part of the beach. We went that way 1st because it's usually where all the news people are, and boy were they ever there! As you can see here. This is at the Holiday Inn Sunspree, where I took most of my pictures. Josh and I also met 2 ladies that actually drove down here from Durham just to see the beach with the storm coming in and they are spending the night! I thought that was taking things a little too far! But everyone is different!
Now here's one of me in front of the choppy surf with my nice cup of Cafe Mocha from Port City Java! There's nothing better!! Except maybe the beach with a beer! :) 
The next 2 are taken at the south end of Wrightsville Beach at Masonboro Inlet. If you look very closely you can see the jetty, I tried to get a good pic of it. This was about the time my camera battery died. But no fear, I have fresh charged ones ready to capture some more fond memories of a tropical storm, which is supposed to be a hurricane by landfall later tonight.
As you can see the sun actually started coming out a little. It's trying to peek out now at our house, we are only a 15 minute drive to the beach. Well I will post more info and pics as I have them! For now we are just relaxing and having a beer and waiting for Hanna to get here! :)
Here are 2 pics that describe my weekend! Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to make landfall tonight. The people in Wilmington are going nuts!! You can hardly find bread, water or milk. You would think Hurrican Ike was approaching us! I think this one sounds like a good reason for a storm party!! :) Of course we have the necessary items like bread, bottled water, batteries, beer, wine, beer, wine! :) I'm almost always prepared with batteries because finding those at this point in this town would be like finding a needle in a haystack! That's not streching the truth! So for now we just sit and wait for Hanna. I'll post later about how things are going. I'll try to take pics to post of water and damage also, although I don't think there will be too much, damage that is. I think we may ride to the beach later on so I'll get some good pics of the surf to post!! It's pretty eerie looking when there's a storm out there!
You can actually teach them to do housework!! Here's little Hazel loading the dishwasher after dinner tonight, BTW, my child is not a towel head, that is a twisty towel for drying your hair after it's been washed. This was just too cute to not have a picture of. This has become her nightly chore. She also dusts the furniture! Hazel actually enjoys doing her chores, especially on payday!
Even though she helps out with little things here and there Mama still has lots to do!! Thanks for your help Hazel!!!
My family did absolutely nothing exciting over Labor Day weekend! Friday was Hazel's birthday so we had our very first sleepover party! It was full of pure hell!! To start things off a kid throws up all over the carpet in Hazel's room. She's just a throw up child, anything makes her throw up so we figured she'd be fine. She played and was feeling perfect, we ordered pizza for dinner and I was fixing their drinks and plates. Everyone wanted root beer so I put ice in the cups and grabbed the root beer and start to open it and............it explodes all over me and my kitchen!!! I've never had a bigger mess (except for the throw up a little earlier) OMG, I thought I'd never get this spill cleaned up! Do you have any idea how sticky root beer is?? I didn't before but unfortunately now I do. Ok, that mess cleaned up except that I haven't yet scrubbed the floor, so we are walking on it with this sticky texture. After this mishap I HAD to have a shower! I had root beer on me from head to toe!! We have opened presents and are getting ready to eat some cake when "throw up child" says she doesn't feel well again. So she proceeds to throw up on me and the carpet again! Now I call her parents to come pick her up, then another one of the girls gets scared of the throw up and starts panicking! She was scared she was going to throw up! She starts yelling for her mommy and I have to call her to come pick her up! What a mess!! Then Hazel starts crying saying she doesn't understand why child #2 has to leave, she's not even sick. After explaining that to her, she and the other 3 guests left start playing and having the most fun ever! My poor husband at this time is still running the carpet cleaner to clean up the throw up and that kitchen floor is still sticky! I take shower #2, since I got thrown up on!! I feel very clean by this point, after all I had taken 3 showers in one day!! After the 2 kids go home the one's that were left had the best time, so Hazel actually had a great sleepover after everything was cleaned up!! I will try to post a few pics from the eventful night later today.
On Saturday I had to mop the entire floor with super hot water and Dawn dish detergent to get the sticky off the floor! After that we pretty much crashed for the rest of the weekend! I didn't get out of my PJ's all day Sunday. We watched several movies and lots of TV shows. Yesterday we watched the hurricane come in via TV. And found out we will probably have our very own hurricane coming in at the end of the week. Hopefully it won't land right in Wilmington but you never know. We just have to keep a close eye on it!!
Here's Hazel with her special birthday breakfast! She had some yummy Toaster Strudel complete with a candle!!
Here she is all dressed and ready for school!! The happy face just means that her and 5 of her friends are going to drive me to drink when they have their sleepover tonight!!! Somebody PLEASE pray for me!!! HELP!!!
My how time flies! Just like the song says "don't blink" It seems like only yesterday that I was laying in the hospital in the most horrible, good pain I've ever felt and now she's 7 years old. I have learned in the past 7 years to treasure each and every day that God gives me. I'm so blessed to have such and wonderful and healthy child!I'm so excited!! I was picked as one of the winners on Rhonda's "pay it forward" contest. Check Rhonda out at http://adayinrhondaslife.blogspot.com/ Look for my "pay it forward" contest coming soon!!
First of all, I'd like to say thank you to http://mamakatslosinit.blogspot.com/ for coming up with "Writers Workshop Wednesday". What an excellent idea!! I've had writer's block for several weeks now.
Oh my dear sweet blankie that's now in three pieces. Yes I said 3 pieces!! I slept with this thing until I was at least 13, and the only reason why I stopped was because it was falling apart!!! I do mean falling apart. There's no telling how many times I asked my Mama to sew it back together. It is called "piggy blanket." Why piggy blanket you ask?! Because it has the three little pigs on it. I wish I had a scanner and I could post the old polaroid of me around six months old with this blanket hanging out in my swing with me!! Since I can't post that pic I will post one that I took today of "piggy blanket"
So you see I did not tell a lie, it's REALLY in 3 pieces and looks just pitiful!! You can barely make out what it's supposed to be. It actually has the 3 houses, one of sticks, one of straw and one of wood with the little pigs of course.
Also, just to add something else in, my daughter also has a beloved blankie. She calls it "kankie", she has toted this thing since she was 6 months old. Ok, I must admit that this is the 2nd kankie, the first got lost when she was about 4 years old but this one serves the purpose. She still talks about the one she lost! BTW, Hazel will be 7 years old on Friday!!!!
I have a desk flip calendar titled "God's Way, Day by Day" by Charles Stanley which I read every morning when I get to work. So reading this particular one has inspired me to do this post. The bible verse at the top is "love...bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" I Corinthians 13:4,7. This takes me back in time almost 11 years ago when I met the love of my life. We had a sort of strange meeting but still I think it was love at first sight! It was a hot August day that I decided to visit one of my friends at the tanning salon where she worked. I also was tanning that day. As she and I were talking I see my friend Adam drive up and he had this really tall guy with him. I was thinking gosh this guy is hot! Well as it turns out this tall guy was my future husband! What a strange place to meet, but it doesn't matter how or where it happened, it was meant to be. It's so hard to believe that was 11 years ago and we now have been married 9 years and have a almost 7 year old daughter. It just so happens that she was born on Aug 29, just one day before the 4 year anniversary of our meeting!
This verse also takes me back to our wedding day, the first happiest day of my life. Just like at most weddings this verse was read during the ceremony. It just makes me understand that love really does bear all things. If it were not true, Josh and I would not be together. My husband is something that I thank God for everyday of my life, without him I would not be complete. We have had our struggles just like everyone else but our love for each other and our love for God has ALWAYS seen us through it.
Josh, I love you very much and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you!!
Well I've been trying to think of something to post for a week now and I've finally come up with something! Caro, you have inspired me with your mosiquto story! I have a similar problem but a different pest. FLIES!!! They are everywhere and I mean everywhere. They always seem to show up when we are grilling on the patio. I guess they smell the good food!! I absolutely hate flies with a passion! If one gets in the house I immediately get the fly swatter and chase it around the house until I kill it. The are just nasty!! Anyway, when we are grilling every fly in New Hanover county comes to visit us!! Of course when the door is open the line up to march in! I counted 6 in my kitchen on Monday night!!! So here I go chasing flies. I just don't know what to do to get rid of them. I have pondered the idea of getting those sticky things to hang around the door to the patio but how tacky would that look? We'd look like trailer trash!! Well that's my gripe session for the day! If anyone has any ideas please give me comments!!
Today the princess (my daughter) and I will be attending a building dedication at my Mother's church. You are probably wondering why I've titled this "in honor of my hubby" So I'll tell you! This building is their new fellowship hall. My hubby designed and drew the plans for this building so this is just "one" of his babies. The princess and I are so proud of our Daddy!!!! He works so hard to provide for our family and we really appreciate him and his hard work and dedication. So, I thought that since I was thinking about him and honoring him I would post one of his favorite receipes. I don't cook this much during the summer but we sure eat it a lot in the fall and winter!! He actually named it, I just called it Potato Soup but he thought it should be personalized so it's Mel's Potato Soup! BTW, he's the dude that started calling me Mel!! We think I should open a restaurtant named "Mel's Diner" :)
Without further adue here's the famous Mel's Potato Soup! I love you hubby!!!
Mel's Potato Soup
8 to 9 potatos, peeled and diced
6 to 8 slices of bacon
1/2 stick of butter
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup half & half
3 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 cup sour cream
Cut bacon into small pieces and fry. Drain the bacon on paper towels. Add the butter to the bacon drippings and melt. Add onion and cook until transparent. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add potatoes, mild, broth, salt, pepper and heat throughly. Stir in half & half and parsley and cook until potatoes are almost done. Stir in sour cream and cook until potatoes are tender.
**You may add the bacon back into the soup or sprinkle it on top of your soup with some cheddar cheese.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July! Don't eat too many hamburgers and hot dogs!!! And once again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CAROLINE!!!!!
It's so nice to have a day off work and at this moment I have to house all to myself!! Yeah!! This doesn't happen ofter. My hubby and daughter are off to the mall to buy her a Nintendo DS. She's been saving money for it for months and the day has finally come for her to go buy it!! Did I mention how very excited she is?! She's been doing lots of various chores to earn her allowance and all her hard work has finally paid off!! Now she has to save that chore money so she can buy her souviers in Disneyworld when we go in December!! Well I'm gonna go enjoy a little ME time!!
Okay, I'm gonna start something and try to do this once a week. Each week I'm going to try a new recipe for dinner and if it turns out good, I'm going to post it! I absolutely LOVE to cook!!! I try all different kinds of stuff and make up my own!! Here goes nothing!!
We had this for dinner last night and it was a hit!! After I got this idea in my head, which was after the food was gone, I happened to think that I should have taken a picture of my finished product. So I will do that next time.
Basil Grilled Chicken
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 chicken breast halves (I used a boneless skinless breast)
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil leaves, plus 2 tablespoons freshly minced basil leaves
1/3 cup (5 tablespoons) butter, melted, plus 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Prepare grill.
Press the coarsely ground pepper into the meaty side of the chicken breast halves. Stir the chopped basil into the melted butter. Brush the chicken lightly with this mixture. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced basil, Parmesan, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Beat on low speed or just mix together with a spoon until smoothly blended.
Grill the chicken over medium coals for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, basting frequently with the remaining butter mixture.
Serve the grilled chicken with the basil-butter mixture. I just spread my butter on top of the chicken breast.
I got this recipe from www.foodnetwork.com.
It was wonderful!!! Even my six year old was talking about how good the chicken was!!
First of all I'll start by saying that I am my own worst enemy! I'm very critical of myself and I sometimes don't give myself enough credit for the things I know or things I'm good at doing. Yesterday I had a request from someone that I've known since I was a teenager (we are about the same age) she happens to have her own dance studio. She actually asked me to be a judge at her auditions for her clogging team!! Unbelieveable!!! Even though I've been clogging for 25 years, I sometimes don't think that I'm just as good as everyone else. This request really thrilled my soul. Just the idea that she thinks I'm good enough to judge other people. I was so honored that she asked me! This gave a big boost to my self confidence on my clogging experience. And I'm honored and thrilled to be a part of judging such talented girls. I love clogging and I also love competing in the competitions! I have passed the love for this on to my daughter, which I am very proud of. She will be clogging in Disneyworld with her team in December. I just couldn't be more proud!!!!!
Well this is it! I've finally decided to create a blog. I love reading my friends blogs and thought it may be interesting for me to have a place to post my thoughts. I'm totally new to this so please bear with me while I'm learning
