september serendipity.

Well, Houston, we have a blogger today...

I know it's been forever and a day, and I almost posted my "September Favorites", but really I don't have any! September has been an interesting month, but it's also been a good one! It has ended well, anyway, and I'm EXCITED about October. 

Labor Day weekend opened up with a dove hunt with my Daddy! We always have fun going together, and dove hunting is something I don't mind gettin' up early for. So, after the hunt we rode to the barn for a  family "get-together". Uncle Jay, Aunt Dale, and Beau came down to have lunch. We brought Marlee along. The boys fished, and we all visited and had a good time. 

September was also a month with a few birthday's in the friend's circle. Baby A turned TWO this month, and Hollie & I attended her "Alice in Wonderland" birthday party. She was a cute little Alice, and Ashia had the cutest decor for the party.

 

The next weekend, we took Austin to see "Disney Princesses Live". We shopped a little, ate Japanese, and the play was just as fun for Hollie and I as it was for her, and now we're anticipating seeing "Disney on Ice" in December! 

We also carried on our "We Three" tradition by celebrating Megan's 20th birthday at the barn, and she had the cutest cake! We spent a Sunday afternoon together opening gifts, watching "Something Borrowed", taking naps, and enjoying our time together. It really was a great day to celebrate a great person! Welcome to the "Twenties", Megan, we'll have to get used to it together! I love you! ;-) 

September starts my favorite time of the year. Not only is the weather starting to change, the leaves are starting to turn, and FOOTBALL is in full swing. I love high school football, and I don't know if that will ever change. There's a different air about high school football that you just can't find at a junior college game (or in the SEC for that matter), although I love those games too. Anyway, we have been going to all the home games, and we went to our rival away game (that we won, by the way)!

I think that pretty well sums up the month for me! I hope all of you are having a "Happy Fall" so far, and I will just speak for myself about the weather: I am in love with it. I wish it would never leav, but then I guess I wouldn't appreciate it like I do when it finally gets here! :) 

 .."No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace

                      as I have seen in one autumnal face." 

                                         ~ John Donne

two decades! WOAH.

I guess now I have to start going to bed earlier, 

get up earlier, 

make some rules, 

and change my ways.

Since I'm "twenty", I should act like an adult now, right? 

I simply can't blame my "staying up late watching movies all night" on being a teenager anymore. 

*sigh* I didn't even realize how much I abused that negotiation. 

I'm still young.

but I do go to bed early, for the most part. 

So! Monday night we went out to eat at my FAVORITE restaurant! 

Umi's Japanese steak house! 

Daddy & I ordered the sushi, and as always I wanted a Volcano roll, and I let him pick one that I had never tried before, so we got the Tiger roll. 

 

It was DELISH!

(although I'm not sure if Mamma & Mimi would think so now that I'm mentioning that the Tiger roll was raw, but they loved it at the time. Sorry!) 

My sweet parents have made this such a wonderful weekend, and I am so incredibly blessed to call them mine. I am thankful for the relationship that we've grown into over the last few years, and I could not have hand picked better parents for me. 

They always make every moment that they can SO special for me, and I owe them a lifetime of thankfulness.

And you'll see me in the next few photos with my best friends, but Mimi isn't to be left out of that. She's always there for me, from my being at my lowest points to being the happiest red head alive. 

I cannot imagine life without her one call away. I have grown to love (even more) our visits when she comes over in the mornings and we lay in my bed talking about the way life is playing out. 

She is so full of wisdom & knowledge, and if I don't take her advice I usually look back and wish I had. When she hurts, I hurt, and vice versa. 

I just couldn't be more grateful for the family I have. 

------

Saturday, my ACTUAL birthday, we left town around 8:00 and headed to Jackson to shop for the day. I have been loving getting new clothes, but I get REALLY excited about Fall clothing. I LOVE the Fall and Winter. I can't wait for it to turn cool where I can get scarves and sweatshirts back out. 

We ate lunch at Mellow Mushroom, and despite what any of you may think, it was incredible! 

Exactly what I was craving. 

Later, we got fro-yo from "Sweet CeCe's", and it's basically like a Smackers, Local Culture, or Yogurt Mountain. It was also quite tasty! :) 

We shopped until around 5:45 (I think?) I slept the entire way up there, as well as the entire way back. So, it seemed like it took us all of five minutes to return. 

------

Sunday, Megan & Hollie carried on our new tradition by having a little birthday party for me. Last year we each decided we wanted cheesecake as our "birthday cake", but this year we all decided to do ACTUAL birthday cake, and I have been looking forward to it all week! 

We rode out to Megan's around 1:00, and we caught up on all we had been missing with each other. 

Another perk to it being YOUR birthday is that you get to pick four appetizers/finger foods that you want to eat at your party, so we had:

- rotel

- turkey "pin wheels" (?)

- pigs in a blanket

- roast beef sandwiches

and of course, CAKE! 

Enjoy these next few photos. . . 

Thank you, Megan & Hollie, for making yesterday so, so special for me. For 20 years, we have made it through thick and thin with each other, but we've always made it out alright, and I couldn't be happier to have you both by my side. We share our craziest secrets, and we laugh about nonsense things,

and that is so perfect to me. 

I love you all.

& to all of you who thought enough of me to wish me a "Happy Birthday", thank YOU, too! 

I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to make mine even more special!

Runnin' on Empty!

Thursday night we sailed into Jackson around 8? (I can't remember, it was a long day.) After we went through baggage claim, we headed out to our car & over to Dick's Sporting Goods. Once we left there, I decided I wanted some pizza. For some reason, I had truly missed pizza! Ha! So, we went to Pizza Hut, ordered to go, and headed home.

Friday I woke up & unpacked everything and cleaned my room. After lunch I went & took my Midterm for Algebra and swung by the bank to see Megan on my way home. I showered quickly & dressed for dinner with the family (including Mimi) and Clint. 

We ate at Trailboss, everyone getting their usual meal, (steaks) and I got grilled chicken while Clint ate a steak, too, of course. 

Nat & SG were there with Michael and Tracy, and I was SO unbelievably happy to see them! I missed them so much, and it seemed like SG had grown into a different child after being away from her for a week. 

We rode around for a bit & came back home to watch True Grit. 

I hadn't gotten a chance to go see it in theatres, so I bought it for Daddy for Father's Day! Ha! He had seen it & loved it, though, so it was a win-win situation.

I loved it! The girl (her name has slipped my mind) is such an amazing character, and she plays her part well. I am now being told to watch the original, though. 

*********

Saturday I can't remember what I did, other than sleep. I was extremely sleepy! Hannah came over so we could fix a CD of photos for the slideshow at church on Sunday, and Hollie came to visit too. 

I edited photos until my eyes bled.... 

Okay, they didn't bleed, but it sure felt like they would at any moment. 

**********

Sunday we presented our slideshow at church and talked about our trip. It was good to reminisce, even if it had only been a few short days that we had been home. 

It is so unreal how quickly your joy can be stolen once you're back in the swing of American lifestyle. Anyway, another story for another day. 

I had to finish up classwork due for the week, so I couldn't go out to Clint's for their 4th of July gathering, although he had asked & I had wanted to - I decided it'd be best if I stayed home and did school work. What a nerd! 

BUT by staying home I got to go over to Nannie's and spend an early 4th with them, and I was glad I did. 

These are photos from the afternoon: 

Daddy & I.

Nason & I.

The Redheads!

Nason, Sugar, Me, Noah.

Adding Nannie in there.

Gunner.

Gunner & I with the windblown hair!

My Sister Nannie.

The guhs!

Robs & Nannie.

Their Familia!

Daddy reppin' the Honduras shark shirt, ha!

My beautiful Mimi.

Sugar & I. 

**********

Monday, the actual 4th of July, Clint picked me up around 11:30, and we left for Starkville. This year is the second year that he & I have been able to hang out on the 4th!

We had talked & decided on eating at Abners, which was lovely for me because I'm going to eat chicken regardless of where we go, but they were closed! So, we went to Zaxby's, and they were closed. This was a trend throughout the Mexican restaurant & Oby's as well, so we settled for Applebee's because we had noticed that they were opened when we went by earlier. 

After lunch we went to the theatre (at around 1:15) and sat down to wait for X-Men at 2. I was fine with waiting for awhile since we had a chance to visit, and the movie was amazing too - even though I haven't seen the others - I want to see them soon! 

I love the 4th of July. I don't know if I've mentioned to you that it's my second favorite holiday. I sincerely LOVE it. I am so beyond blessed and thankful to be an American. We really have NO idea how well we have it here. Other places long to be as free as we are. I'm just grateful for the people who got us where we are today, and for the Awesome God we have watching over us. 

Thank you, Veterans & current Active Military.

You are not unnoticed or unappreciated in my eyes.

I guess I should spend my free time now catching up on movies I've been instructed to watch, as well as watching the ones I want to watch, but that will have to wait! 

Beach tomorrow! 

See you soon! 

I've waited so long just to come home to you..

I mentioned in my recap that the girls & I went out for dinner last weekend. 

What I didn't mention is that I wanted a photo of the three of us prior to us leaving because we always look back and wish we had taken one. 

Seems like we got it, right? Well. 

No one was home, we were all fixed to leave, and when no one's home to take a photo & you're ready to hit the road what do you do? 

You find a tall object, another thick book, fiddle with the camera settings, press the shutter, and RUN to get into place before the camera clicks at the "10 Second" mark. 

Truly an act of congress, I know. 

BUT nevertheless, here we are! In all our rushed glory.

Megan has been busy with school and work in the afternoons, but we have managed to get a good conversation in each day on the phone, but it was good to see her face. 

Hollie and I usually talk everyday as well, but it was also good to have her home so we could all spend the afternoon/night together.

I don't really know how we could each talk to each other everyday like we do and still have so much to say when we see each other. The conversations are never ending, the laughs never fail, and I always shut the car door to go inside after it's over knowing that I've been blessed with two wonderful friendships. 

I look forward to these nights during the summertime and any other time, really. 

These girls have two totally different personalities, and where mine fits amongst them is probably the real question. I guess I'm the "quirky" of the group, always interesting in weird things such as: music, clothing, odds & ends (from antiques to nail polish), movies, and I'm sure they could name others as well. The truth is, they give me an even amount of support and the same amount of advice. I always know where I stand with them, and I don't know what I've done to deserve their friendships.   

snow...night?

SNOW NIGHT 2011

our entire town shuts COMPLETELY down at the sign of snow, but

today was forcasted to be a little different because ice was to be involved.

I, myself, am not a huge fan of ice due to the last experience I had with it. It was around Christmastime when I was 7 or 8 years old, and we (Mom, Hollie, & I) were watching a Christmas movie - Jingle All the Way - when the phone rang.

Mom answered it. Daddy & Matt were off hunting. She spoke with the lady for a minute, and then asked her to hold on for a moment while she went to the office to check out some paperwork for her. She left Hollie & I in the back content with a movie. 

In the midst of her being gone, the phone was off the hook & the movie still played when out of no where a limb flies through the "dining room" window sending Carolers through the air slamming against the floor. 

I took one look at the limb that had made itself right at home inside MY home, and I ran towards the office, only to be greeted by the same running method from Mom. She heard the commotion through the phone, and headed back in our direction. 

Full panic took on then, and we turned the light on in the viewing room to see caskets strowed out across the floor, and a gigantic oak tree sleeping soundly inside my home. Upstairs in Matt's room there stood a gaping hole. 

All I remember about it, really, is that I screamed "CALL 911" for a good thirty minutes until Mom reassured me that no one was hurt or dying, and then I just wanted my Daddy. For some reason I thought that maybe if he was home, the hole in my home would go away. 

Cell phones were a tad unheard of at this point, but the news of this newfound growth in our home was spreading like wildfire, and soon I was taken to Hollie's for the evening while our church came to help seal up the holes. 

I hated every form of weather other than sunshine for awhile after that. I didn't sleep good for a while after that, either. I have a vivid memory of the branch piercing through the window and sending one of my Mom's favorite decorations to the floor. Do you know that none of those Carolers were damaged? Sure, the labrador has a chipped ear, but none of them broke into a million pieces or shattered to the point of no return. 

And tonight, the "Ice Storm/Blizzard/Snowlacoust/Iceapocalypse" whatever you may call it - has proved to me that not all forms of cold are bad. 

Tonight has been fun.

Mom & I baked cookies at 9:00 which is rare because normally she's been in bed for 3 hours by 9, ha! :) Love you, Mom.

Daddy came up with a hot chocolate recipe. Ya'll have to try it! It's SO good!

Fill your cup with milk

Place Half of a HERSHEY COOKIES AND CREAM candy bar in the milk

Heat the milk up until candy is melted

Add 1 bag of instant hot chocolate

Stir

Add other half of candy bar

Heat until the candy is melted

Stir again,

and enjoy!

AMAZING. 

Later, I went to Hollie's on my 4wheeler. 

Top left to right: 

Cary (neighbor), Anna (Hollie's sibling), Hollie, Me, Steven (Anna's twin) & Leigh Kathryn in the front.

We had a block party that involved snowball fighting, hiding behind bushes, bruises, chasing each other down the street, lots of yelling, tons of laughing, and not taking heed to the fact that we're 18-19 years old here. 

We were children tonight.

Snow brings out the inner child in us, and that's okay because snow doesn't happen too often around here. 

We have to take advantage of these things while they last!

Tonight made me wish that I had gone sledding with Randi Jo & Trevor in Montana.

...Maybe next time? Ha!

Then I "drove" home.

I hate it when snow melts.

It feels like Christmas afternoon when you sit down & realize that all you've waited for (or prepared for in this case) is over. 

It's so depressing.

It's been fun.

That is all.

ps-

(maybe) the most important news: Class is canceled tomorrow. Thank you, snow. Thank you, living in the South. Thank you, Lord!

 :)

THAT is all.