Miscellany Monday

Today I'm linking up with Carissa at lowercase letters for Miscellany Monday.

ONE -  Weather - I can't believe this heat. Sometimes I walk outside and it almost feels suffocating. The 20 feet or so I walk from my office to my car in the afternoons is enough to do me in. I've said it before, but I will forever be grateful to this man, Willis Haviland Carrier - inventor of the air conditioner.

TWO - Running - After almost 4 years, I'm really starting to love it. Don't get me wrong, it's still EXTREMELY hard to get up at 5AM and get started. And I still ask myself a dozen times while I'm running what is wrong in my fool head to put myself through that BUT - the feeling afterwards is indescribable.

THREE - I'll be an Aunt again in November! (No, not Mama Hen.) Hubs sister, Kay is PG with a boy! I just can't wait for him to get here!

FOUR- I caught an episode of Toddlers &Tiaras this weekend and I've gone from being speechless to ranting to back to speechless. It would be interesting to see a "Where Are They Now" on these little girls in 20 years. Do they even have a chance? So sad...

FIVE - My baby brother turned 34 yesterday. It's amazing how that can happen when I'm just 29...

Have a great Monday!

I cried today

It started slow - just a few trickles sliding down my cheecks. Before I knew it, I was sobbing, my shoulders shaking. I was on my way home from running errands and for some reason, she flitted across my mind - my Grandmother. She's been gone for a few years now, but it can still hit me with powerful force.

This woman, she was like no other - not the typical grandmother you hold in your mind from old movies and books. She was better. She was strong and country. She grew up poor and some of the stories she told me still break my heart.

Like most southern women, she showed her love with food. She never thought we ate enough, even after we all sat around sleeping after a meal because we had gorged ourselves with so much food that it was impossible to do anything else. I don't ever remember there being a time when there was just one meat or casserole or dessert. There was at least 3 of everything. And it was all good - everytime.

My Granddaddy called her Pearlie-Girl and it was the cutest thing you ever heard. He can barely hear but she could be two rooms away, call his name, and he would immediately answer. She was 16 when they got married and loved him with all her heart until the day she died. He will love and miss her until the day he dies.

She wasn't shy about giving her opinion and she was usually right. She was tough and did what needed to be done. She wasn't sentimental. She drove a truck that had a tag on the front that said "Let me tell you about my grandchilden." It's still on that truck. And I hope I can have it someday. I don't know why. I just do.

She had a garden. She made jellies and canned vegetables. I was in college before I ever ate a green bean that didn't come out of her garden. I still have one quart of her vegatable soup in my pantry but I can't bring myself to cook it. I can't stand the thought of there not being anymore left.

Me and Mama Hen and my brother stayed at their house a lot in the summer growing up. We would say "we're going to the country." They didn't have cable and just a window air conditioner but we couldn't wait to get there and were sad when we had to go home. At one  point, Grandmother played softball for the church. She was the pitcher and she was good. I remember going to the games and then we would stop by Dairy Queen and Granddaddy would buy us a hotdog.

I would give anything to have her back for just one day, or one phone call. Praise Jesus, I will have eternity with her in Heaven.

Just Lovin'

Have you ever just glanced over at your man and had overwhelming love? I just did. It wasn't anything he did or said at that moment - just that feeling. Hubs can drive me crazier than any other human in the world, but let me just tell you - he makes me happier than any girl has the right to be.

Just a few things about Hubs that makes my heart smile.

1. He turns the bed down every night and tells me the Bed Fairy came. He had to go out of town a couple of weeks ago and when I got home from work I found a letter on my pillow letting me know that he made arrangements with the Bed Fairy to come early.
2. He gets rid of any leftovers that have been in the fridge too long because the smell makes me gag.
3. He thinks I'm cute when I'm wearing my glasses and no makeup.
4. He searches the channels every night to see if there's a Yankee's game on to surprise me.
5. He's been putting up with me for years and says he wants to keep on for the rest of  his life.

I know - I'm a lucky gal!

Dinner and a Movie

Well, today is the official last day of my vacation. It's been a week filled with all the laziness that I could possibly get in and more TV than should ever be allowed. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do on my last day and couldn't think of a better way to spend it than with my niece and nephews.

Our first stop was at Chick-Fil-A for lunch. I think we had been sitting at our table for all of 20 seconds when Abbie dropped her drink and her cup busted on the floor.

A little later I noticed an older couple looking at our table and snickering. When I looked up, this is what I saw. James was lapping his ice cream up like a dog. I just about busted a gut laughing. Needless to say, we had to make a trip to the bathroom when it was all over to clean him up.

Next we headed over to movie theater to see Shrek. We were super cool in our 3D glasses. It was cracking me up to hear the kids laughing all through it - could possibly be the best sound in the whole world.

Loved today!

Crazy for Coupons

I was sitting around today and finally realized why I've been a bad blogger lately. (I mean, other than just being lazy.) I think it's safe to say I have a new passion. Some might say I've become obsessed. With what, you say?

COUPONS!

The other night when I was over at J2's, she helped me make my "Coupon Binder". I think I'm in love with it.

I have all kinds of tabs inside that are relevant for things that I buy. One problem I've always had with coupon organizers is that they have several tabs that I don't use. I know I could just cross them out but then that makes them ugly and that makes me sad.

I used baseball card holders inside to hold my coupons. I can easily see my coupons in a glance without digging them out like you have to do with an accordian organizer.

 I can't tell you how much money I've saved since starting this binder. Oh wait, yes I can. I've made two shopping trips to Publix and I've saved around $70. The best part about that is I've only spent $100!!! Since, it's just Jay and me, I feel like we have food out the wazoo!

This has been a poopie day. I woke up several times during the night with my throat hurting when I swallowed. Then when I woke up this morning, I had chills and a sore throat. I did what every good Southern girl would do and I called my Mama. She prescribed Nyquil which I downed and slept, and slept, and slept. Oh Nyquil, how I love you. Of course, when I woke up around 2, I was so groggy.

I guess it was around 5 when I felt like I had enough energy to take a shower but of course, after that, I had no energy left. Now I'm propped up in my recliner reading blogs while the Hubs watches O'Reilly. I know, rock star exciting.

I do want to share something with ya'll that I'm lovin' these days. Have ya'll tried the Clean & Clear Warming Daily Pore Scrub? It is wonderful. It's one of the last things I do in the shower and my face has thanked me a thousand times. It really is so warm. I wish I knew how they did that! Unfortunately, this isn't a paid endorsement. This is a freebie from me to you.