I just took a bunch of extra medicine and went anyway!

No matter how sick I am, I never miss an opportunity to spend a day in Auburn, especially watching my beloved Tigers in their season opener!! 

And Baby Girl never misses an opportunity to put in a little gym practice....who knows, maybe an AU gymnastics coach caught a glimpse of her abilities at the tailgate! :)

We made it to the stadium and hadn't even sat down good before it was time to make a trip to the concessions.  But aren't these AU pretzels just the neatest thing??  And yum, too.

                                               

Then it was time....one of my favorite times of the year....I get giddy just thinking about it all over again.....time to watch the 2010 Tigers bust forth from the locker room and take the field!!

And next it was CAM time....oh, that Cam, what can I say, he was fun to watch--run, pass, scramble, you name it! 

You certainly can't miss him, at 6'5" he stands heads above most of the team....and I think he's going to prove to be a great choice as our QB.

And here is my new friend Cam, talking with our 3rd string QB, who happened to go in for a trick play of sorts, and he has an ARM on him as well....he chunked the ball downfield for a touchdown reception! 

I can't leave you without a pic of one of my favorite sideline coaches ever....Trooper Taylor.  However, I wouldn't trade places with him for anything....I'm not about to chest bump Lee Ziemba.

So, all in all, here's the summary:

Our defense needs some work, but I could watch Cameron Newton all day....in fact I think I will do just that every Saturday!

Yep, a day on the plains with all my favorite people---life is good....even with strep throat.

Updated to add:  Cam also received SEC Offensive Player of the Week (thanks for reminding me Michele)

I need your help with something.....

That's what the old preacher said when he called the kids to come down to the front pew for a little children's worship time.  It was a Sunday night service a couple of years ago, and my kids headed down right away, ever the volunteers.

What the preacher went on to show the kids has stuck in my mind ever since....and theirs.  I think of it every day...when I brush my teeth.  Here's his story paraphrased as best I can remember it.  I tried to include some pics I made to make it more visual for you....although it's not the same as seeing the shock and awe on the faces of the kids when the preacher did it at church that night.

He took out his bathroom kit and pulled out a toothbrush.

Then, after fumbling around trying to unscrew the toothpaste and get everything situated atop a napkin on his knee, he managed to ask one of my kids to volunteer to help squirt some toothpaste on his toothbrush.  Which they did, but before he closed up the toothpaste, he decided it needed just a tad bit more....

And so he would up with this mess.....and then asked the kids to help him.  Again....eager to be chosen to help, all three of my kids shot their hands up in the air.   They just wanted to help.....but they didn't know that he was going to ask them to do was impossible.   The chosen child hopped up from the front pew to offer his assistance (I'm sure he thought he would just be asked to clean up the mess). 

It was then the preacher said, "I need you to put the toothpaste back in the tube".  

With wide eyes and a look of disappointment on his face, my child shook his head and said, "I can't".

And immediately he spoke of our speech life, how it's a lot like this toothpaste.....once we've let our words come spewing forth from our mouth, there is no way to put them back in....we can't.

 "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD: keep watch over the door of my lips."  ~~Psalm 141:3

Words are very powerful.  They can be very uplifting or extremely destructive. 

 As a mother, I take my job of family cheerleader very seriously.  Over the summer I read a devotion about family that said words are like seeds, whatever we "plant" or speak, will grow.  Do we want the critical, negative words to grow in our children, among our friends and family, our co-workers? I don't think anyone would say that they want that....but it's exactly what happens when we speak that way, our realm is soon surrounded by negativity.  The devotion went on to say we needed to look for the good in our children, husband, family.  I would add that is also true for our friends, co-workers, church members, etc.  We seek out what is good and speak it, becoming a cheerleader, because everyone needs a cheerleader. 

I know there have been times I have spoken a harsh word to my husband or children....when if I had only corrected with more of a cheerleader spirit....giving them more positive comments to go along with the negative one.  The devotion had a great acrostic to the word THINK that I thought I'd share and close with...

THINK before you speak:

T      = is it True

H     = is it Helpful

 I      = is it Inspiring

N     = is it Necessary

K     = is it Kind

I had good intentions to have a post up today.

But you know what they say about good intentions....especially when sickness gets in the way. 

Yes, it is time for the monthly H3 verse posting, and I have a post coming, with pictures even.  However, I wasn't finished with my thoughts on writing it yet so I couldn't schedule it to be posted ahead of time. 

Then the sickness set in....the dreaded strep throat.  I wondered why I almost passed out yesterday while painting paws at the football stadium....I mean I know I'm elderly and the heat can sneak up on old folks, but this was ridiculous.

With a big weekend planned, I knew I needed to get this in check soon, so off to the doc I went last night.  Strep positive.  BIG extended release penicillin shot soon followed.  Dang, that medicine is thick, it stings, and is more painful than I remembered. I feel really sorry for my kids now....as I've always dismissed the largeness of the needle and the thickness of the liquid inside with a quick, "suck it up, you'll feel much better after you get this shot, it's just ONE shot".

I did manage to mumble to myself to suck it up as the nurse was "prepping" the area and counting to 3.   It still hurt and I immediately wanted to send for the driver to get me and take me home....and then I realized I was the driver. Suck it up.

So, anyway, thanks to the shot I am feeling some better, amazingly, my throat isn't what hurts the most, it's the congestion clogging up my head, I can't breathe.  And your brain needs oxygen.  So, I felt it best not to try to write a post when my brain still feels a little woozie from all the fever, congestion, and exhaustion of recent sleepless nights.  I promise it will be up, but it may be a few days....unless you want some really incoherent thoughts....I mean, more than usual. :)

Right now I can't decide which hurts worst, my chest, my throat, my head, my back or my booty.

And they didn't even give me a cute, colorful, cartoon character-laden band-aid. 

Maybe they can all get together and make a new girl band.

Riding in the car last week, Baby Girl talked and I listened. 

For several miles, and numerous songs, she had a lengthy dissertation on the matter at hand: 

• whether she sounded more like Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood when she sang.

That's why I mostly just listened.

And let her talk it out.

Better for her to come up with her own conclusions on this one. 

However, I'm guessing that since neither I, nor her, can carry a tune in a bucket or a wheelbarrow for that matter, she probably most likely doesn't sound like either lady of the country/pop stage. 


But she sure is just as pretty as they are.

Alan Jackson wrote a song about it.....

.......Way down yonder on the Chattahoochie......and we decided to see for ourselves what Alan knew that we didn't. 

So, off we went for a week to the Mtns. of North Georgia, for an adventure in a lakehouse on the Chattahoochie River.

With these fine girls and their parents.

The lakehouse we rented had it's own canvas covered tubes that allowed us to take a 2.5 hour relaxing float down the Chattahoochie, every day.  Some would fish as they traveled the river, others would race down the rapids with the greatest of ease, and some of us just kicked back and enjoyed the calmness of nature.  No bustling tourists, no crowded areas, nothing to bother you but a small mouth bass, tree trunk debris at the edge of a rapid, or a few extra large rocks that hurt when your feet pound into them.  

The neighbors even had a rope swing the kids utilized.  See how great I am with the camera?  Notice how lovely the leaves of that scrub tree are in focus and my child is blurry. Yes, I know, I'm working on it. :)

As for the adults....well, we spent every night at the table with this game. Love it!

Fun was had by all....in fact, we are already looking into a repeat next year.   Alan was right, it was hot, but the water was just chilly enough to bring a perfect balance to the summer heat!

I ask you, who doesn't love cupcakes?

It is no secret that we love the food network at our house, any kind of cooking shows, food challenges or competitions.  And one of new loves of all things food related tv are these new cupcake shows, do y'all watch any of them?  Who knew you could do so much with a piddly little cupcake? 

Earlier this summer we took our annual "fun" trip with the cousins.  Just a time to gather our kids together and let them enjoy each other....it's a really neat time, everyone enjoys it....especially the nightly swim shows in the hotel pool by my brother in law and myself. :)  Sadly, I have no pics of that....in fact, I don't have many photos of the trip because we were too busy to be bothered with a camera.

However, when we trekked out one afternoon in search of this place (which my cousin tipped us off too), I knew I would need my camera to document the monumental event.

Dreamcakes....where a cupcake costs $3....or if you're in search of a deal you can get an even dozen for the low low price of $33.   Naturally, if you know my sister, you know she is always on the look out for a deal, so we went with the dozen. Not to mention it evened out nicely, Dreamcakes happened to have 12 different flavors....so we opted for one of each.  Because, really, when you are on sensory overload by the sight (the colors and designs), the smell oh to be immersed with the aroma of fresh baked goods) and not to mention the fantastic flavor combinations (banana cupcake with peanut butter frosting, chocolate cake with mocha frosting, white velvet cake with vanilla bean frosting) and oh so clever names of the cupcakes (curious george, caramel sea salt mocha, cinnamon sugar mama, over the moon, paparazzi, maple bacon)  who can decide?

This gal looks sooooo much like her mama....love that big smile.  Wanna see what she's smiling about?

A dozen tasty cupcakes, that's what!

Yes. We ate the whole box.  Between about a dozen of us. And it was divine. Completely divine. No, I don't have a favorite, don't ask me to choose.....unless you are willing to buy me another dozen and let me taste them all again!! :)   So here's the link---Dreamcakes---just in case you feel like shipping me a box....for my birthday, or Christmas, or just because it's Tuesday day. :)

Can you smell it in the air?

Football Season is HERE!!  Yahoo!  My favorite sport, my favorite time of year.  And also the time that you may want to skip on over my blog for the next few months if you don't care to hear or see football related posts.  I'm just sayin'.  I love it.

College ball will be here in just a matter of days----I'm on the countdown!! 
High School ball is in full swing....and we started the season with a big game against a local rival. 

A local rival that is a much bigger school than we are in classification (but not in heart). 
A local rival that was favored to win (but they've been favored before). 
A local rival who tried to create some drama to throw us off balance (but only pumped our boys up even more). 

That local rival lost to us on Friday night.

 Ah, the smell of sweet victory....it was in the air on Friday night. And come what may, that one should last a while!!  It's always nice to get a win, especially in those games.

Thought I'd share a few photos with you:

Baby Girl and her cousin enjoy cheering in the victory line!

Middle Boy, engrossed in the action, ready for the next water break.

Elder Son, looking stellar in his uniform. 

Yes, it was just another Friday night for some folks. But for us, it was a long night, full of action, overwhelming emotions, and excitement beyond compare!  Congrats to our "boys of fall"!

Yes, I realize we've already started another school year.

But I still wanted to document our end of year teacher gifts in May.  Besides, I may want to do it again next year for a new crop of teachers and I will have no way of remembering such things without my second brain dump here on the blog. :)  Not that I can even take full credit for the cute idea....it came from another blogger friend, although she used monkey towels with another clever homemade tagline....but it was such a neat and inexpensive way to thank a teacher----and everyone can always use a beach towel!!

And before next year's graduates arrive, I would be very remiss for not mentioning one of our most favorite graduates of 2010. 

As a measly little 7th grader, it was a HUGE deal to have a senior girl, especially a beauty like Whit and her fantastic football playing boyfriend, pay a little attention to you....in front of your friends, no less.   Elder Son forged a great friendship with the pair and I was thankful for them to have been a part of his high school career.  I think we had like 16 graduates to buy gifts for this year ....and this gal is the only one that Elder Son specially requested he buy his own gift for her.

How does a 1st grader become as tall as his teacher?

Apparently, he grows up....that's how.  

This is a photo taken of Elder Son with one of his former teachers who came into town for a Graduation Ceremony---(at the very end of May--see, I am digging through my photos from May-August to attempt to document we did exist during that time period even though we vanished from the blogosphere).   Her super sweet and adorably cute son, Joshua, was adopted the year she taught my son, Elder Son, in 1st grade.  

We spent a lot of that year praying for Mrs. P and her future children....and those prayers paid off with blessings beyond our measure.  Not just with this fine young man shown here, but later came another beautiful addition in the form of a spunky, gorgeous, cupcake of a little girl. 

Elder Son will always have a special place in his heart for this lady.....she's an all time favorite on the teacher list!  As well as the friend list for me! ;)   Even if she's short. 

What's even sadder is that Elder Son has grown a couple of inches since this photo was taken.....somebody make it stop.

If you give Middle Boy a vacuum....

.....your carpet might not get completely cleaned,

but abstract art will certainly arise. :)

Junk, mostly.

I bet y'all are tired of all the birthday hoopla going on around House of Bowling. Seriously, we don't need anyone else in our family born during the month of August....enough is enough.  Hopefully a better variety of posts will soon follow after this week of birthday bonanza. Heck, I might just put up a post about summer break....or not.  I tried the other night to sort through photos on the laptop....and there were so many happenings since May that have just been neglected by this blog owner,  I don't think she'll ever be able to catch up.  So, she might as well just trudge forward. Onward troops, isn't that what they say in the military? 

I realize I took sort of a bloggy break this summer, and I'm not going to lie, it was a nice change.  But I'm glad to be back among all of you friends in blogland.  It can be a really cool place. 

Truth be told, blogland serves as my second memory bank.  Okay, that's a lie, it's my primary memory bank.  My brain is apparently full up with such nonsense as "the best band in the history of college parties is the Velcro Pygmies or a close second, Mel and the Party Hats".  You know, REALLY important pieces of information that everyone is envious that I have stored for future reference.  What future reference exactly I'm not quite clear about.

At any rate, I find myself digging through photos that remind me of precious stories that I've yet to tell, yet to put on the blog, the memory bank if you will......not so much for you, but rather for myself.  I also realized not only had the blog been neglected, but the inbox on my computer had suffered a hard break this summer as well.  I opened it up last week to find over 792 unread emails. Yes, it had been a while.  So, I apologize if I have not responded to an email from anyone lately, or last month, or since Memorial Day, or what have you.....I'm blaming it on the Velcro Pygmies.

Gosh, those Thursday nights at the War Eagle Supper Club certainly were fun.

Because she is special, we threw her a surprise party....

Since my sister and her family would be in town for Baby Girl's birthday party, we decided it was a good time to spring a surprise party for our mom as well.   And boy was she surprised.....and a little miffed that we got her so good she had even already changed into her "blue jeans and around the house shirt" instead of leaving her good clothes on for a Saturday night! :) 

Here's the special lady with her three wonderful children...looking from left to right I have labeled the photo for your easy viewing:

the son, the daughter, the mom and the favorite. :)

Yellow roses are her favorite.

We made a great big 70 out of various mini doughnuts from none other than Krispy Kreme.  I neglected to get a picture of the clever arrangement...but just ask any of the kids who were there, it was pretty cool. :)

And Baby Girl and I fashioned this nifty hand painted birthday sign for Granny.....which we had to put up and take down three times throughout the weekend because she kept coming to the house unexpectedly and we didn't want to ruin the surprise!!

I am truly amazed that my mother is 70, or almost 70, her birthday isn't until the 26th. 

I sit around and think, wow, she had to be almost 50 when she had me. :)

Of course reality slaps me hard in the face when I see the crows feet anchoring my eyelids.  Most days I feel like I'll be celebrating my own 70th birthday real soon.....and I can only pray I'll look as good as mom.

He only has his youth for one more year.....

Happy Birthday to the most amazing husband, father of my children, and best friend a gal could ask for....plus he has a baby face as an added bonus! :)

Because she is the RAINBOW of our domain, every.single.day.

Baby Girl was able to celebrate her birthday with a party that occurred...well, on her birthday.   She loves art, especially enjoys painting, so there was no contemplation needed when I asked if she wanted to have her party at ALL FIRED UP this year.  A local paint your own pottery place....where she was the honoree for the day.  It was a first for us, we normally have always had birthday parties at our home.....however I have no pottery wheel in my basement to throw a few pieces together for 10 girls to paint....and besides that, we already had a big surprise event planned for another birthday girl, later in the evening, at our home (more on that in a different post).

But here is Baby Girl, in all her 9 year old glory, partying and painting!   

We, okay me, the mom, was a little behind in getting things geared up for Baby Girl's birthday this year.  Specifically my thoughts.  I seem to often have a problem with gathering my thoughts, birthdays aside. :)   Anyway, the point is I forgot to call my favorite cake ladies from The Dessert Box to get Baby Girl a knock out cake!  So we had to make do with some cupcakes made on the fly.

But surely I couldn't just make plain ol' cupcakes for Baby Girl's celebration.....so we made RAINBOW cupcakes.

And even some reverse rainbows as well.  Yes, time consuming, but oh so fun to look at and yummy to eat!!

All in all, it was a SUPER party, where we had SUPER fun painting, with SUPER friends and family, to celebrate one SUPER girl.....

my Baby Girl.

Baby Girl, the birthday girl.

Happy Birthday to our sweet little brown eyed girl!

Oh summertime, wherefor art thou, summertime?

It's back to school time....already.  I'm so bummed....I'm gonna miss having these 3 with me all day, every day....I must say they are quite a fun bunch of chaps!

P.S. Is it me or do they look like they are growing up?  Before my very eyes, and yours. Ugh. Sadness to follow. 

P.S.S.  By the way, how about this, a post with a picture...and not just a bunch of words! :) Maybe I'll get back in the swing of things soon....after a few days of mourning the ABRUPT passing of summer break.

A Panting Soul.

I promise I'm going to get going again on the blog...hopefully one day soon.  Of course, you may not care at all of our absence....it may have been a nice little break. :)   But we've just been enjoying the summer....and while I have tons of pictures and stories I could tell, memories of our summer of twenty-ten,  I've just been soaking them up for myself lately.  I'll get around to sharing them, pinky promise. :)

However, for now, you'll just have to survive on another H3 post. A new verse to meditate on for this month. And with it comes my own little post with jumbled up thoughts that may or may not have anything at all to do with what the Lord had intended, but it often helps me remember what His word says anyway! :)   Bear with me, here we go.

"As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, O God."

~Psalm 42:1

Where ever you are, tell me, have you been experiencing a hot summer?  We have.  Especially the last few days.  I hear snippets on the radio or tv stating weird things like "heat index of 108" and true temps in the triple digits.  Seriously, we've topped 100, on more than one occasion.  Now, I don't know about you, but that's hot to me. Even the sun lover that I am can only take so much, before I curl up in the air conditioner with a cool glass of lemonade and watch countless episodes of Deadliest Catch....I already miss Captain Phil.

Anyway, back to the hot summer.  I worry about our animals.  Our beloved labrador and even that pesky feline.  Fresh, cool water is a necessity for them during these harsh summer months. Ever hear of the "dog days" of summer? Well, we, my friend, are among them as we speak.  And what I've noticed is that once you've been outside for more than 1.8 seconds during the dog days of summer, you're gonna sweat. Regardless of how much Clinically Proven Degree you swipe across the pit.  Just sayin'.

Have you ever noticed though that a dog doesn't really "sweat"?  Not as we think of sweating....their sweat glands are located in the pads of their paws....not the best place for secreting sweat when you're burning slap up in the throes of summertime in the south.  

So, dogs pant.  They pant a lot.  If you have a dog, or have ever been around any dog, especially outside in the summer, you will have noticed this panting.  Sure they do it when they get anxious, scared or excited too. A few months ago, if you remember the story entitled Man's best friend and a leap of faith, then you will rememeber our dog Sadie was panting incessantly....from the trauma of being hit by a car.  But most often, Sadie's panting (and that of other dogs) is a way of cooling off.  Panting is like their own personal way to release body heat and lower their temperature. 

I was reading a story in a book the other day that was talking about this very thing....various animals, sweating and the heat.  I wanted to share a bit with you....it's important and ties in so cleverly to our verse:

"Basically, all warm-blooded animals need some way to regulate body heat in warm weather.  This can be done through sweating, panting, bathing, or all three.  Most animals follow their instincts and seek rest, shade, and a nice, long drink when the temperature soars.  Not a bad approach. Frankly, we humans should do the same."

I couldn't agree more.  During the remainder of this scorcher of a month called August.....remember to pant, remember to bathe yourself, in the Lord.

A new school year is fast, and I mean fast, approaching.  Fall will show itself soon with a calendar filled to the brim with activities for families all around.  Hardships will come.  Many have already arrived. Many in the friends and family we share with here on the blogosphere and in our personal lives as well.  Work duties are calling out, even louder, because the vacation is over.  It's time to buckle down, get to the nitty gritty, gear up for what is to follow the dog days of summer.

Friend, can I tell you that the easiest way through this heat,
through the busy life that never seems to slow,
through the endless problems that surface in your workplace, in your church, in your home,
through the pain and sorrow that comes to us all through trials, death, divorce, broken hearts, gossip, burdens, etc.

The easiest way through every moment this life offers is to seek rest in Him.  To take our bibles, study and contemplate these words written so many years ago.....to take a long drink of this life giving water only He can provide. 

That's the only way to truly mend our souls.  To have our soul pant for the Father, as the deer to a stream of water.

Don't let the devil scorch you with the evils of this world.  And certainly don't allow the devil to scorch you in the afterworld. 

When the fires are burning around you...remember this verse: 

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." ~Psalm 42:1


Drink Him  in....and soak up His mercy. 

A schedule.

I love a schedule. I hate a schedule. Summer is a wonderful time for me to reflect on this love/hate scenario.

Seriously, I love the lazy days of summer, I do.

But I must say, there are those moments, when the wise old owl inside of me begs for the scheduled days to show their face again....to get back in a real routine.

It is then that I tell the owl to SHUT IT.

Being Free.

July rolls around and what first comes to mind?  July 4th. Family. Food. Fireworks.  Normally in that order. :)  I also think of Freedom.  Freedom to spend time with my family.  Freedom to eat as much as I want of blackberry cobbler, homemade ice cream, and BBQ ribs.  Freedom to watch the night sky lit up with all variances of color bursts in a display of American beauty. Freedom to attend church.  Freedom to pray to an Almighty God.  The one and only Almighty God.  Without fear.

And these freedoms I speak of...well, at times, myself and many others, take these for granted. We've always had this opportunity to live in the land of the free, home of the brave.  Freedoms that our service men and women have sacrificed their time, their families, their comfortable way of life, their air conditioned, king size bed, hot water, slow drive on Sunday afternoons, firefly catching with their kids, grilling hot dogs by the pool, having an afternoon nap because they splurged on the ice cream, watching all the cousins enjoy that brief moment of sparklers before someone gets burned by a fly-a-way spark.   Yes, all those freedoms that our soldiers have to miss out on, so we can sit back enjoying our American life, while they guard the heart of America.  

Man, I'm thankful for our freedoms.  I'm so thankful for the folks who have given so much of themselves to serve others, those who have sacrificed it all, so we can continue to say we live in the land of the free, home of the brave. 

But let me tell you what all of this has to do with our H3 verse for the month.....oh, yes, it's about freedom, but I bet you could have figured that out by now, right?  While the freedoms we have here in the good ol' USA are wonderful, they are nothing compared to the free life offered to us by the blood of Jesus.  

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

~John 8:36

Have you been set free by the Son?  If not, please do so.  One man gave his all for you.  Like many of our war heroes, He sacrificed his life, for your freedom....your freedom that doesn't just matter during your life in this country, but rather for all eternity!   

For July, and all year really, remember to thank those who serve or have served under our stars and stripes, remember to pray for them and their families. 

And for July, all year, the remainder of your life, remember the words held in John 8, verse 36.  Tell them to a friend.  Share them with someone, anyone, don't keep them to yourself......encourage others to know true freedom. Freedom in Jesus.  Forever.