Down Came the Rain and Washed the Ticks Out

The rain didn't slow up the rest of our Saturday at SawGrass so Papa put us to work.

WARNING: If you have a weak stomach please do not continue reading.

Me and Calli Jean going to catch some horses in the pouring rain.

Calli feeding Buddy some sugar cubes.

Papa, Daniel and Jared assembling the trailer hitch... guess what? they were able to salvage the ball from the roasted four-wheeler ! :)

Cisco showing me some love... if only he knew what was coming...

Calli, Codie, Leah, Teresa, and Mom watching the rain.

Teresa and Mom looking over house plans.

While I was putting Cisco's bridle on Saturday morning before our ride I noticed his ears were even more sensitive then normal and that they were bleeding... :( So, we sedated him a bit, put the twist on him to razor his ears and see what's the cause.

After we buzzed his ears we found that he had many ticks that were having a picnic in/on his ears... yuck!
After his scrub and with the medicine in his ears.
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While we were at it we cleaned and cut his hooves.

Calli, Leah and Codie the three nurses. :)

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Since we had a fabulous system going on and the rain was not letting up we moved on to all the horses.

Comet loving on Jared.

Me, Jared, Codie and Daniel cleaning Buddy's ears... his were pretty bad too!

This is what a 22 year old horse's teeth look like! Doesn't that make you want to go to the dentist?

Cisco, Comet and Whiskey recovering from the cleaning. :)

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Most all of the horses had ticks in their ears which has become the norm for summer time. As gross as it was this ended up being a fun day at the farm. The next time we'll be at SawGrass will be with our Core Group from church so I now have confidence that the horses are going to be healthy which means they will ride much better! Yay!

Daniel's Fall

I woke up a little after 7 Saturday morning with every intention to go back to bed but Uncle Andy and Aunt Teresa were up too. They were planning to go riding before everyone woke up. When Andy asked me which bridle goes on Full Throttle I decided I was awake enough to join them. We were almost tacked up and ready when Leah walked outside in her pjs… I told her to hurry and grab a horse if she wanted to ride! Daniel then staggered out wanting to ride. It was too late to re-evaluate the horses we had already saddled up so I told Daniel to grab the easiest one to catch, already knowing which one that was going to be… he brought out Red…. :)

We headed out in a heavy overcast with a light breeze and eager horses. I did warn Andy that Full Throttle was going to be a work out, which he was, but the other horses did not handle nearly as terrible as they have in the past while riding with Full Throttle. Once we were past the Twin Lakes I was hoping the rain would hold off for just a little longer. Soon after we passed Anthony the slow rain started (harder then a sprinkle but not quiet raining) so we began to saddle gait, me looking back every 15 seconds to make sure Teresa and Daniel were ok. About the twentieth time I turned back I saw Daniel doing a front flip off Red, hitting his shoulder to the ground… CRAP! I jumped off Cisco and caught Red moments after he stepped on one of his reins snapping it off the bridle. Daniel ran to meet me to hold Cisco (since Red is the dominant horse, you can’t hold him near any of the other horses or he’ll kick and bite them). I checked Daniel out to make sure he wasn’t broken and then started to work on rigging the reins so that one of us could ride Red the rest of the way. By this time it was raining hard and Cisco was acting a fool because his ears were sensitive (we’ll get to that in the next post). We weren’t far from the lodge so Daniel got back on Red and did tremendously! Prayer of sweet relief! Since leather and rain don't mix well, the one rein slid out of my knot once but Andy fixed it and after that we were home free!

Here are some pics of our ride!

Andy, Teresa and Daniel at the beginning of our ride.

Daniel (This is after his fall... you can really see how hard it was raining in this pic)

Daniel riding Red

Andy riding Full Throttle and soaked by the rain.

Teresa and Leah shivering.

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We were all good and wet when we got back to the lodge. Papa had his yummy homemade biscuits, grits, eggs, bacon and sausage ready when we got there! Coffee was a must! :)

Setting Traps and Mud Riding

Leah and I arrived at SawGrass around dark thirty (which is Papa's way of saying a little while after it gets dark). Papa was all smiles when Jared arrived soon after in his new Sidekick! Papa and Jared went out for a while to test the 4WD. His evaluation of his new toy was that he needs to put new mud tires on it... besides that he thinks we got a steal!
Uncle Andy and Papa had cooked us Drunken Chicken for dinner which was soooo good! After dinner Calli, Daniel, Leah, Papa and I went to put bait in all the armadillo/beaver/possum traps. Daniel was such a trooper! He handled the fish heads for us so the girls wouldn't have to do it! Papa broke his toe the weekend we were in Chatom for Mom's birthday so his driving a stick was short lived before I got behind the wheel! Besides a few stalls I did really well... it was good and muddy!
It was way to dark for pics but the stars were out and really beautiful! Calli saw the first shooting star and said it was a good one! :)

Happy Memorial Day

My sis posted about the Significance of Memorial Day last week...

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed by Congress on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence to remember those who have lost their lives in military service to their country."

Read more about the Significance of Memorial Day on Jess's blog.

A Sidekick for a Four-Wheeler

After our explosive week at SawGrass in April, Jared and I have been searching for a Suzuki Sidekick to replace the once fully functional four-wheeler. I found a Sidekick on craigslist.com Monday for a great price and all the extras that Papa wanted. Leah, Jared and I took a road trip Monday night to Anniston to check it out. Leah was the only one out of the three of us who had the confidence to drive a 5 speed. Although our test drive started with a big stall in front of an audience and a swerving car behind us, Leah did excellent!

The money and title was exchanged on Tuesday! (Thanks to Jason for suggesting that we take a Bill of Sale with us!) Now it is all ours and ready to get to it's new home at SawGrass!

Craigslist ad. "1995 suzuki side kick jxl 5 speed, air, heat ,electic windows 4x4 runs great. has crack on passengers side front windshied but does not obstruct view. " - it also has a trailor hitch!

I drove behind Leah on the way home just in case. :)

Leah, conqueror of the 5 speed!

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Wednesday Jared taught me how to drive a stick in the Sidekick. I did pretty good but need to practice. :)

Me, Miami and Jared

This Sidekick is off to Sawgrass this weekend! I'll let you know how Papa likes his new toy!

American Idol Season 8 is Kris Allen

The winner of American Idol 2009 is Kris Allen! Yippee!!
My favorite performance last night was a duet, Keith Urban and Kris Allen, "Kiss a Girl."

GNO - Superior Grill

Our combined Core Group of Young Married wives met for Girl's Night Out at Superior Grill. This was our first GNO since we multiplied at the beginning of the year. I loved seeing everyone and meeting some of our new members!

Heather, Laura, Bethany, and Jamie

Lanie, Maloree, and Audry

Martha, Ashley, and Lori

Martina and Laura

Heather, me, Kinnery, and Lanie

Lori, Jessa, Whitney, and Maghan

Group shot at the table.

(Top Row) Whitney, Jessa, Ashley, me, Martina, Jamie, Martha, and Molly
(Bottom Row) Lanie, Maloree, Lori, Kinnery, Maghan, Heather, Audry, Bethany, and Laura

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Thanks to Lanie for sharing your pics with me! :)

Slip 'N Slid

My bestest friend Stephanie was in town this week for her little sister's graduation from Hoover High School. I met Brittany in 2002 (she was 10 or 11 yrs old) the first time Steph and I carpooled home from Lipscomb together to visit our boyfriends then, husbands now (oh, and to see our families too). So, when Steph told me about Britt's Graduation Slip 'N Slid party I was so in!

Here are some pics of the fun!

Stephanie, Taylor (Steph's cousin) and Me while we are still clean. :)

Me, Steph, Brittany and Taylor about to go down the Slip 'N Slid together.

Lance (Steph's dad) soaped up the slide for us!

Mr Garrett and Todd (Steph's father-in-law and brother-in-law) fixing the giant hole in the tarp... I mean Slip 'N Slid.

Me in front and Stephanie behind sliding down. (I think this is when I scrapped my elbow... ouch!)

Me, Steph and Taylor good and dirty! :)

Steph, Taylor and Todd after eating hot dogs! Yum! :)

Me, Brittany and Steph

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I loved seeing the Rushings and the Garretts for Britt's Graduation Party... I helped Lance count and there were over 100 people there! Wow! :)

Angels & Demons

Jared and I had a date night on Saturday night. He took me to dinner at Jim n Nicks and then to see Angels and Demons. I'm in the middle of reading The Da Vinci Code and have been talking about seeing Angels and Demons for a while! It was really good. I liked it way better then The Da Vinci Code, the movie!

Biggest Loser Bunco Style

So I’ve been going to a Girl’s Bunco Night, which meets once a month, for a little over a year now and never win anything!!! Until this past Thursday night!! I was in a “bunc-off” Between two other ladies who also had 10 loses. Oddly enough during the “bunc-off” for the BIGGEST LOSER prize you have to win. Hum? That ended up being good for me b/c I won!! Yippee! My prize was that I got my $10 back! Go me!

Breaking News!!

If you vote for Kris Allen 20 times tonight you could lose 5 lbs!! Wait it gets better, if you send 20 friends this information you could lose 5 times that!! Wow, right? However if you vote for the other guy even once you could possibly gain that freshman 15 lbs instantly... I wouldn't chance it!!

Vote for Kris Allen tonight on American Idol!!!

:)

Mom's Bday Lunch with Fam

Grandaddy, Grandmother, Grandma, Teresa and Calli drove down from Russellville to join Mom, Papa, Luke, Codie, and me for lunch at Cypress Inn celebrating Mom's 50th Birthday.

(Top Row) Mom, Grandaddy, Calli, Luke, Papa, Teresa, (Bottom Row) Codie, me, Grandma, Grandmother

Glad I got to spend the day with my fam! :)

The Year 1909

My Grandmother sent me this forward and I thought it was very interesting so instead of forwarding it on to a dozen people I just decided to post it. Enjoy the fun facts (not so sure they are factual but it sounds right). :)

The year is 1909.
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1909 :

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The average life expectancy was 47 years.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!

The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour.

The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.

Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.'

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school...

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health. ( Shocking? DUH! )

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A.!

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

WiiFit Mii

Jared surprised me with a Wii Fit last Monday and we have been playing it most everyday since. Last Wednesday night our neighbor, Emily, came over to join Jared, Leah and me in soccer, hula hooping, skiing, and aerobics.


Here are our funny characters:

Leah, Jared, Me, and Emily

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Here we are waiting to be chosen to play! :)

Mother's Day and Meet the Parents

After Jared's game of Rook we set out to Tuscaloosa around 1:30 AM and arrived around 4 AM. So naturally we slept most of Sunday morning but Jared did bring me lunch, my Taco Casa fix for the trip (a mild combination burrito with extra sour cream, a small messy nachos and a large Mt. Dew). Love Bank points!

Later on we went to spend Mother's Day with Katie. After our yummy pizza dinner, and Jared and Tom giving Katie and me crap about wanting to watch Sound of Music (granted for my thousandth time) Sam brought his girlfriend, Amy, over for us to meet (Katie and Tom met her earlier this past weekend). So the ice had been broken, melted and evaporated after our talks of arranged marriages, sexually transmitted diseases, taxidermy, get together stories, American Idol and the Deadliest Catch... blush! :)

I hate I didn't take pictures but how awkward would it have been if I said "smile" right after "nice to meet you"? So, here is a pic I got from Amy's Facebook photos! :)

Sam and Amy (aw!)

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WARNING: Be careful who you befriend on FB because your pics might end up on her blog! ;)

Birthday Dinner @ Cafe Bella Rhue

Mom, Jess and I arrived back to Chatom with -15 minutes to change and get pretty for dinner, but we did anyway! :) Our reservations were in Grove Hill at the quaint Cafe Bella Rhue.

Papa and Mom

Jess and Alex

Jess, Alex and Beau

Jared and Me

Jared, Me and Nonnie

Luke, Colton, Lee (our waitress) and Clint

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Lee was so patient with us! This is a pic of Clint's face slightly pink as he attempted his order. :)

The Fam.

Jared, Me, Nonnie, Clint, Alex, Jess, Papa, Beau, Luke Colton and Mom (almost 50 years young today!)

Jared, Mom, Alex and Papa in an intense game of Rook (Clint watching, still learning how to play)

Colton, Beau, Clint and Luke playing Spades (I was on Colt's team).
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Quotes of the weekend:

Do you have that on a stick?

We use to have a flashing light but now it's just the one red light.

Did you see our library?

We got a hospital.

What's that smell, SUGAR!