Google or Bust

Oh, Google, how I love you so....I think I use Google more than any other application that is available online....even more than my beloved Facebook.

Google is my "Go To" for EVERYTHING; I might I know that I am addicted to it. I mean honestly what can't the site answer?!?!

I thought it could answer everything until I ran across this little blurb above. It hit me right in the gut because it's so true and we rarely stop to think about some things only God can answer; there isn't an "earthly" explanation for it. We can try to use Google for the answer but sometimes there just isn't one or it's not the answer we truly need. It's an answer only "He" can provide.

So, with that weighing heavily on my mind I may stop trying to always find the answer or reason for all of my worries, woes or concerns. I should just leave it up to him anyway; he will shed light on the situation when the time is right. Sometimes I think we don't even need to know the answer immediately; it's his way of letting it "stew" so we can think about things.

"Always believe in God. Because there are some questions that even Google can't answer"

Chugga Chugga Chehaw!

Today I spent my morning hanging out with my favorite 3 year old at our local zoo (yes, Albany has a zoo). It was a spur of the moment decision because after watching the same "Dora" episode for the 6th time I knew we had to get out of the house.

Parks at Chehaw is really a great little zoo to take the family because it's small but big enough to keep your little (or big) ones occupied for several hours. We spent about an hour and a half checking out the snakes, frogs, lizards, pigs, miniture horses, alligators, wolves, flamingos and the big Rhino. We didn't even walk through the entire Zoo because Brody was anxious to ride the train and I could tell his little tank was about empty.

I bought our ticket for the train and he was beside himself with joy. We had to wait a few 10 minutes before we could board the cute little train and he grew more excited as we were able to hear the whistle and bell in the distance. Finally after swatting gnats for longer than I cared to we hopped aboard and went for a ride throughout the park. It was a nice breeze and Brody was smiling ear to ear. My heart pratically melted (not from the heat) when he looked at me, held my hand and said so sweetly "Look Momma, it's not scary".

TALK ABOUT WANTING TO CRY!!!!!!

In that very moment it hit me that my little boy is growing into a big boy. Even though his Birthday was this past Sunday and his party was on Saturday it really didn't hit me that he was "older". It took riding a little train and having some precious one on one time with him for it to really sink in. Good thing it was hotter than hell outside because my tears were masked by sweat rolling down my face and neck.

If I am this emotional over a simple train ride then I am not so sure how well I will hold up for those "big, monumental" birthdays.

My baby is growing up and as much as I want him to be a "big boy" there is a part of me that still needs to be telling him....."Look baby, it's not scary.".

Happy 3rd, Bugaboo!!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Brody....Mommy loves you!

'The Little One That Follows Me'
Author: Unknown

A careful woman, I ought to be;
a little one follows me.

I do not dare to go astray,
for fear they'll go, the self-same way.

I cannot once escape their eyes,

hatever they see me do, they'll try.

Like me, they say, they're going to be,
that little one that follows me.

They think that I am good and fine;
believe in every work of mine.

The bad in me they must not see;
my life to them, must, an example be.

I must remember, as I go,
through summer's sun and winter's snow,
I'm building for the years to be,
for that little one that follows me."

Birthday Bliss

Happy Birthday, Susie....

Thank you for being you! May your day be filled with lots of laughter & love.

Packing Memories

Tomorrow we will be heading to Concord for a long weekend to celebrate Brody turning three! So that means I have been busy doing last minute loads of laundry and packing as I go.

I always feel so anxious when I pack for a trip because I always feel like I am not packing something I should and it's magnified by 100 when I am planning a party 8 hours away from home!

We decided to have Brody's party this year at my parents because a.) it's cooler there than here b.) our entire family and close friends live in Concord c.) and lastly (and the saddest) this is probably the last Birthday that my Pappaw will be able to celebrate with Brody.

I always tend to over pack which every single time I return home and have 50 loads of laundry to do I remind myself not to pack so much the next time....never fails....I still over pack.

With that being said, I better quit blogging and get back to packing!

Home.Sweet.Home

This morning I woke up early and decided to use the time for myself and catch up on TV and my computer while enjoying a fresh brewed cup of Kona coffee. As I was catching up on one of my favorite blogs; my dear friend Susie's. She mentioned that her husband made statement that hit me hard...."How are we ever going to live anywhere else?".....wow, that is a bold statement but a realistic one that has haunted my mind as well.

I ADORE  ALBANY (more like LEESBURG), GA.

Did I really just admit that??? I mean, this is the person who was terribly homesick (and still is) months ago and also the person who second guessed moving here. This is the person that cried the minute she walked into the front door, had a panic attack and was sent to the ER for heart palipations the very day we arrived on Doublegate Drive.

However, something has changed my mind and my heart about this quaint little town. Most people that were bred, born and raised here ask the same question "Why in the hell did you move here?".  I can't tell you the number of people I have heard that sentence from....more times than "Oh, you will love it here". I don't think I have ever heard that sentence uttered. Seriously.

Albany is very diverse and it's still very much small town living....although it is very divided it reminds you a bit of Andy Griffith times on occasion. Everyone knows everybody.... and their business. If there is something "shady" going on you will hear about it. People are cordial here and show manners that many large cities are lacking. It almost feels like you stepped back in time....that can be a good and bad thing.

I will be the first to admit that this small town does have it's own share of problems and inconviences. Race is very much a factor here and it seems that the town is still very much stuck in a 1950's "bubble". The phrase that comes to mind is "To each their own". The communities are still divided in a sense but I have never felt any animosity; although I am sure it's there in certain situations.

Living in the "Deep South" also means we are very much a part of the "Bible Belt" so being part of a church is a big thing. I think there is seriously more churches in this town than I can count on my two hands and feet. It's basically a ghost town during worship hours because people are attending a church service somewhere. However, if you ever want to skip church to get your grocery shopping done then that is the best time to do it because you are not part of a huge chaotic crowd....trust me, I have done it and it worked out well....no lines or aggrevation. However, if you are wanting to buy alcohol on that Sunday trip you are out of luck becuase there are no alcohol sales on Sunday in Albany....so you have to plan ahead if your wanting a drink while lounging by the pool or catching up on whatever sporting event is on TV that day.

We also live in what Georgia calls the "Plantation Trace" because there are tons of Plantations in the area. Agriculture is a big deal here and our biggest crops are Peanuts and Pecans. Quail hunting is also another big deal in these parts. We are also the only city in the WORLD to house a World Series MVP, Super Bowl MVP and an Olympic Gold Medalist....so I guess the city is doing something right. We are also the home of Paula Deen (yum!), Buster Posey (Go SF Giants!) and Ray Charles! I can't forget to mention the entire reason we moved here....the Marine Corps! Albany has one of the largest logistcal bases on the East Coast.

As far as educational things in the area we have The Parks at Chehaw (Zoo) and Flint RiverQuarium. There are several other things like the Civic Center, Museum of Art and several theatres of the arts that we haven't had the time to endulge in.....but in due time we will .We also have Albany Panthers which is a SIFL (Southern Indoor Football League) team.  For such a small city there is so much to do and see!

While all of those "perks" are fine and dandy it's not what made me fall in love with this city. My heart is in love with the house and neighborhood we live in. I am happy that our children seem to thrive in this enviroment. Victoria can't be in a better public school system than Lee County and she is so involved in school activities/sports that make her beam with pride. Brody loves his friends he has made in the area and even has a cute Geogia twang that echoes in my ears (ex: Drink =Draannk). I have met some great people whom I am lucky enough to consider really good and dear friends.

There is so much more than I even blogged about that I haven't had a chance to discover yet. I am excited about being here and I am hoping one day my parents can move closer to us because I share the same thought with Susie's husband JB....

"How are we ever going to live anywhere else?"

Sinful Shrimp

A few weeks ago my good friend, Kristen, invited us over for dinner and she made the most FABULOUS meal for us and I *had* to have the recipe because if Mike could have licked the bowls he would have (secretly, I could have too).

She served us a delightful Shrimp recipe with cheese grits and Spinach Salad; the meal was incredible and incredibly easy! I asked for the recipe and have made it twice already!

So, I am going to share all three recipes with you because once you make it, you will continue making it. It would be perfect for entertaining guests or just used as a quick dinner for your family!

SHRIMP RECIPE
- 4 lbs of Shrimp (you can use the frozen kind in the bag, shell or no shell...I personally used the ones already shelled).
- 1.5 cups of butter
- 1/4 cup of Creole Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon of pepper
- 1 tablespoon of crushed Rosemary
- 2.5 chopped Garlic Cloves
- 1.5 cups of Beer (I have used both light and dark)

Saute Shrimp in butter; a minute or so. Add all of the ingredients except the beer and cook for 3-4 minutes (until Shrimp curl up). Turn down burner and add beer...let simmer until desire doneness. I like my Shrimp "well-done" so I cook for another 8-10 minutes but you can cook them less than that.

CHEESE GRITS
I personally used the Quaker Oats Instant Grits (Cooks in 5 minutes). To make them extra creamy half whatever the recipe calls for and add 50/50 milk and water! I usually make the recipe for 4 and have plenty of grits; the recipe calls for 3 cups of water so I do 1.5 cups of Milk and 1.5 cups of Water. Add shredded cheese along with the grits to the boiling water, cover and let cook per the directions. When the grits are done I add about 3 tablespoons of butter....yummy!

BABY SPINACH SALAD
This is really up to you but I also stole Kristen's recipe for her salad mixture and it's served on a weekly basis in the Beemer House. I use Baby Spinach in the bag and add pesto & olive oil for the dressing. Stir in salad to coat the spinach well. Then I add sunflower or pumpkin seeds along with Craisens. Top with Parmesan cheese.

This meal is wonderful and I hope you get a chance to try it!

Flippin' over Duster

If you flew over Albany, Georgia you would think you were flying over neighborhoods on the West Coast because almost EVERY.SINGLE.HOUSE (no matter how big or small) has a pool. The temperatures are so warm  HOT for a long period of time it's also a "must" when purchasing a home in the Deep South.

We loved the idea of having a pool when we first moved into our home but then it hit us that one of our family members didn't know how to swim and loved water. Brody is a few days away from turning three and he's our biggest concern when it comes to our pool.

When we first moved here everyone said that we had to get him into swim lessons with a lady named "Duster". She is supposedly like the "Dog Whisperer" when it comes to teaching your toddler how to swim....so I will call her the "Pool Whisperer".

After putting off lessons (and raising my Mother's blood pressure) for 9 months we decided it was time to get him enrolled in one of Duster's classes. As I expected she was pretty much booked through July so he will start the first week of August. His lessons will be four, thirty minute segments at $10 a lesson. Not bad when you think about this is potentially a life saving class. We did have to buy the cute little flippers that Brody is modeling above as well as some goggles. Right now he thinks these are cool we'll see what he thinks after the first day.

I have also been warned that viewing these lessons aren't for the weak at heart. Her exact words to me were "By day two you will want to kick my teeth in". Really?!? I have been told by a friend that if you baby your child during the sessions she will send the parent inside for the remainder of the session (Insert: Picture of USMC Drill Sgt). Duster is tough as nails and doesn't put up with nonsense. Kind of scary if you ask me but if it gets my child swimming then I can suck it up and put my big girl panties on.

Until the lessons start in August I will keep the cute little image above in mind and tell myself that it's all good.....for now.

Updates coming in early August.

"I can't want it"

I really hate to wish my days away but yesterday was one of those days that you just want to end. It's the day that your kid decides to turn into a mini devil and stay that way ALL DAY LONG. I am not sure what happened while my child slept the night before but he woke up being mean as a snake and thought it would be fun to boss me around all day. He also thought it would be fun to verbally and physically abuse me...as much as a kid can.

It started with breakfast (which is always a fiasco) and lasted until his early departure for bedtime. He woke up not wanting a thing to eat except chocolate chip cookies. I tried everything that is *supposed* to be good for you only to end up caving in just so he would eat something. Next it was time to get dressed and he is now at the age where he tells ME what HE is going to wear. I picked out his favorite Dinasaur shirt to wear only for him to turn into a howling banshee screaminng "I can't want it, Mommy, I can't want it"!!! He later calmed down enough where I could understand what he wanted....he wanted to wear his shirt with the dump truck on it. Go figure. If he has an opinion on what he wants to wear this early on in his life then I am in a world of trouble....I mean, he is only a few days shy of three.

His self absorbed attitide lasted throughout the day when he was upset his Sissy got to go bowling and he didn't. He doesn't understand that Sissy is 11 years older than he is and won't (and doesn't want to be) a permant fixture to his side 24/7! She does have a life and sometimes it doesn't include him. Poor fella. I do feel bad for him when it comes to his relationship with her because he's just too young to understand and too young not to get his feelings hurt when she "disses" him for friends and activities. I tried to make-up for it today by going to his favorite fast food chain; McDonald's.......however, I ordered his usual -- a chicken nugget Happy Meal and that wasn't even right?! The child has never eaten anything else but nuggets from there but once I again I heard "I can't want it". Really?!?

We're also having a battle with the amount of time he is consuming with his favorite TV shows. I like the idea he is learning stuff from Handy Manny, Dora the Explorer, Backyardingans and Oliva but I am also missing out on some of my TV time! He won't budge when it comes to sharing the TV time and it's about to drive me insane. I think we all may have to take a vacation from TV land to prove a point to the little guy. I'm not sure how many times I can keep repeating these cartoon theme songs in my head before I go nuts. It's also sad when you're child answers you in Spanish when his language is English. I brought him a drink the other day and he resonded "Gracias". Wow.

So, I will end with  is..... this Mommy "Can't want it" any more!

Cuteness

One of the major perks about being a Mom is all the sweetness that comes from your child's mouth. usually my child is bossing me around with his mouth and a "beady eyed" look but occasional something sweet pops out of his mouth like today.

Today was a "SKiDO" day so he was excited that he got to see the Fuller girls. My child is like a miniature Hugh Hefner....he loves all three of the girls but Mills is his "main squeeze". This started out as a love (him) / hate (her) relationship but I guess his charming ways have rubbed off on her....or it may be the fact that he let her drive his Ford F150 truck around the yard a couple of months back. Either way, I have a little guy on my hands who is head over heels for "his" Mills. He affectionately calls her "My Mills" when he talks to anyone about his love interest.

This afternoon when I picked my little guy up he went and told Miss Mills good-bye and she grabbed his cheeks and pulls his face to hers and planted a big kiss on his lips. I about died from the cuteness factor....I mean, seriously, that is entirely too sweet for words.

I also have to mention the other adorable thing that happened today after VBS.....Brody has "tickle bites". At first I had no idea what he was talking about but then I noticed he was pointing to his face which has a few mosquito bites on it from playing in the yard yesterday. Seriously, how cute is that!??!?!?

Tickle Bites.

I *LOVE* IT!!!!

Making Music

"God is a DJ, Life is a Dancefloor, Love is the Rhythm, You are the Music".

Wow! is all I have got to say with that quote that I ran across earlier this morning. It instantly made me smile because it rang true in my case. For the past several years the music I have been putting out was a sad set of notes. I wasn't the happy, thriving young lady that I once was. My family and I both missed the sweet melodies that once projected from my heart and soul. I was a lost soul just going through the motions of life. I would wake up every day without that "spark" I once had, do just what I had to do in order to survive, take care of my family only to go to sleep and repeat. I was in sad shape and so was my family and our relationship with one another. Our household was a very sad one and anyone that listened carefully could hear that echoing through the four walls of our house and our outwardly appearance. The worst part of the whole thing was that *I* was the one to blame for the "perfect storm" that was brewing. That storm finally came to a head several weeks ago when I could no longer go through the motions...my body was a mere 76 pounds, I was tired mentally & physically and I had hit my rock bottom.

I had a life changing experience two weeks ago that left me renewed, refreshed and ready to start life over again singing a new tune. I was able to take a break from my "real life" to focus solely on myself and my problems without the issues of my every day family life. I was able to get away from my household for 5 LONG days to take time to heal inwardly and outwardly. I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who allowed me to remove myself from my family so I could take time for myself....time to fix me so I could fix our family. If that isn't a blessing I don't know what is.

After taking time out of my busy life to concentrate solely on me and my own faults I was able to see that I have been the root of all the chaos in our family. I was unhappy and miserable with myself and the music that I was putting out echoed loudly in the ears of my family and friends.  The only music they heard was a sad melody and that in return made them upset, unstable and on edge. Once again, all the ingredients for the "perfect storm".

I have learned more about myself in the past 2 weeks than I have in my 32 years on this earth. I have learned that I need to ask for help when I need it. I have learned that you can't heal overnight, deep scars and wounds take years to heal. I have learned to start putting myself first and doing that *isn't* selfish; it's what you have to do in order to stay healthy to take care of your family. I have learned your family really does know more than you do when you are at your lowest point in life. I have learned that your actions, sharp tongue and attitude rubs off on your family and in return they start reacting in a negative manner. I have learned that getting professional help isn't a sign of weakness; it's a sign of strength. I have learned that FAMILY is the most important thing one can have. I have learned that love is unconditional if it's *true love*. I have learned that your children do love you unconditionally...Thank God. I have learned that at the end of the day no matter the riches you possess that you're no better than the homeless. I have learned to be humble and patient. I have learned that church really is good for the soul and that GOD is good....you just have to trust and believe in him. I have learned the power of prayer and that things happen on *his* time....not yours.

Above all, I have learned that the music I project is what my family dances to and for that very reason I am done with sad & angry lyrics....I am ready to dance to something joyful and uplifting. So you better get your dancing shoes ready because I have a lot of goodness to sing about!

xoxo

Give Me Your Eyes

Lately I have been listening to "The Message" in the Suburban and I must admit that I am really enjoying the music that comes through the speakers. I heard this the other day and thought it would be a good song to share on my blog! Great song.

Weighing In!

Anyone that has known me for a long period of time knows that I am a petite girl who has been skinny her entire life. I have been accused more times than I care to count of having an eating disorder or having some type of sickness. I have learned to let it slide and ignore the comments made by others because those who truly know me understand where I stand on the whole "weight issue".

I have been working hard lately to pack on the pounds because I need to gain some weight after losing pounds that I really can't afford to lose. I'm underweight as it is so losing weight is not good in my case. It's an issue that I have struggled with for as long as I can remember.

Recently my Doctor switched some of my medicines around and put me on something that helps with depression/anxiety and the side effect is weight gain. In my case this is "killing two birds with one stone". I am getting better mentally while adding weight which is great for me physically!

I am proud to say that I am at 90 pounds today and just a week ago I was 76 pounds! Yes, I said it, SEVENTY SIX (76) pounds. When I get stressed or overly anxious I tend to lose my appetite....most have the opposite problem. I had let so many stresses from the outside world that I let my body slip away to a measly bag of bones. Seriously.

So, I am jumping up and down at the fact I have gained weight! Go me!!

Hello There!

Hello World....I took a short break from life and I am back and ready to blog. I didn't have access to my phone, Internet, laptop or Facebook for several days and needless to say it was, well....weird and refreshing. Can that actually be a feeling?!?!? 


Ready to blog and it will be a doozy when it hits blogger. It will take me some time to compile and get it together but when I do it will be funny and humbling. 


Until then smaller blogs will have to do....Hope everyone had a great 4th!