Living, Loving, Laughing

Yesterday was a perfect day. Even though it was raining for a lot of the day, we still had a good time. The day started out with a trip to The Breakfast Club. If you ever make your way down here, it is a must for breakfast. It's one of those kind of places that deceive you with the outward appearance. Nothing fancy. Nothing fancy at all. But the breakfast food is the best!

I had what they call a PMS omelet. It's an omelet with Parmesan, mushrooms and spinach. Comes with grits and toast and a strip of bacon. So good. Jeff had a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. He doesn't eat breakfast often. His breakfast is three big cups of coffee. As for me, I'd rather have grits than coffee any day.


After breakfast, we rode around the island. No matter how many times we come, we always find areas that we haven't seen before. And it's not a big island. I was in awe of this.

Maybe I live a sheltered life, but I've never seen a real orange tree. It was so cool. There were actually oranges growing on the tree. Some had fallen to the ground, but the tree was full of them. I wonder if they taste good. I'd love to be able to have an orange tree at home.

We looked for the church they built for the movie The Last Song. This time we found it. I am glad they didn't tear it down after they used it. It's such a pretty church. Ironically, it looks a lot like the little ol' Baptist church, Rosemary, that my grandmother loved with all her heart. I mean, it looks a LOT like it.

The church burns in the book, so it burns in the movie too, I guess. You can kinda see where it was made to look burned in places.

I'm reminded of last summer when it was being built. Hollywood really spares no expense that's for sure. I cannot wait to see the movie. I did finish the book and it was very good. I think one reason I enjoyed it so much was because I could associate the characters and the setting so well in my mind. It really made it more fun to read.

The weather was -- well, we'll just say less than beachy. It wasn't too cold, but it was wet. We actually saw a woman get in the ocean. She didn't stay long, but she went in and swam in the waves for about five minutes. She had to have been freezing.

When we got a break in the rain, we set out for a walk on the beach. We found the strangest thing on the walkway of the condo. How did this get all the way from the beach to the building? I don't think it swam or crawled or however they get around. But I don't think it was dropped either because it wasn't broken at all.

I wanted Jeff to make my picture just so I could remember bundling up for a walk on the beach. In the summertime, the sand is so hot it burns your feet. Not a problem in February though.

This tree had washed up on the beach. It was so cool because it had all these shell things growing on it. Must've been in the ocean for years.

It was kinda cool and kinda gross at the same time. I don't know if any of you are familiar with Tree Man. I know Suz is. It sort of reminded me of that. And HE makes me feel sick at my stomach. No offense, Tree Man.

You couldn't get the shells off the tree. They were embedded in it. Weird.

We ate in last night. Then we went to Doc's. Ms. Sylvia was there and she looked just beautiful. I will try to get her picture tonight at her birthday party. 101 years old and she was sitting there sipping a drink and shaking her Maracas to the beat of Roy's singing.

Well, just another day in paradise. The sun and clouds are battling it out right now. It looks like it may be a tie. But no rain. Yay!

Till next time. . .

Happy B'day to My Hubby

Happy Birthday, Jeff! I'm so glad you were born. Had you not been, my life would be so empty. I wouldn't have my sweet boys to enjoy and fuss about. I would never get to see a live soccer game. My kitchen table would be so empty without your puzzle on it. I would have to do ALL the laundry instead of just a little here and there. I would never have learned how to play Spades. I would have no Holiday Barbie collection or Beanie Baby collection. I would always have to take the dog out instead of only 50 percent of the time. I wouldn't have anyone to laugh with on a daily basis. Or anyone to share all my crazy ups and downs. I would never experience some kinds of music. My purse would always stay in the car. I wouldn't have anyone to tell me I was pretty. Yes, indeed, sugar, I'm very, very thankful you were born.

We got to Tybee around 8 o'clock last night. We stopped on the way in for supper. You can't come to the beach without eating seafood, right. We got our first seafood of the trip at this great little seafood place. You may know of it. Captain D's.

It's tradition when we first get here to ride down the main street and check out the island. Not much going on on a Thursday in February. It was soooo windy. I don't think I've ever seen it quite as windy here before.

The weather luck I have at the beach is still holding true. It's cloudy and it's gonna be rainy today. Not sure about tomorrow, but Sunday is supposed to be sunny. Doesn't really matter too much. I'm just happy to be here. To see and hear the ocean. My toes will touch the sand before we leave. Right now at 8:42 a.m., I am looking out the patio window and there is someone on the beach flying a kite. What a perfectly windy day for kite flying.

I didn't sleep well last night. Multiple things kept me awake. One of which I won't mention because it's his birthday and you're not supposed to talk about how bad someone snores on their birthday. That's just not nice. I think the heat was set on about 95. At home we keep it on 65. Not sure how that happened, but it WON'T happen tonight.

Going to our favorite place for breakfast, The Breakfast Club. I promise I'll make a picture of the light and fluffy omelet stuffed with spinach and Parmesan cheese. I'll take another one of the buttery grits and the toast covered with jelly.

Ah, I love this place. And I love sharing it with the one I love the most.

Happy Birthday, Jeffer! I love ya!!!

Two Would Be Too Much

My cousin Tracy over at Recipe Swapping Momma wrote a great post about a weight loss contest she was having with some girls from her office. I really thought it was such a good idea the way the contest was being played. I hope you'll go read about it.


I told y'all I've been going to the gym and exercising. In fact, here's a snapshot of some of the girls in one of my classes. Can you pick me out? How about Nan? We're using the belly buster machine and having a LaParilla margarita at the same time.


Do y'all remember those belly belt things? My mom and dad had one when I was a kid. I used to get on it. It would absolutely shake your entire body, even your head would feel like it was vibrating. Hilarious. Evidently they didn't work so well or else they'd be in every home in the country. If it was that easy to get rid of fat and firm your muscles, wouldn't it be great?


But unfortunately, it isn't. So I find myself doing lots of this.

I've taken a few yoga classes and it is so very hard. I know I've heard it's relaxing, but I think the only relaxing pose I did was when we just sat on the floor and breathed. That felt pretty good. But I am a beginner and the second time was easier than the first. And the third time easier than the second.

I haven't seen this little gadget at my gym. I guess it didn't work too well either. Look closely at the ad. Remember the days of COD, when you could just pay your postman for what you ordered. Can't imagine that happening these days.

I wonder how long the company that sold this stayed in business. I doubt very long with their "11" day guarantee. What's up with 11? Why not 10 like most? I guess the big changes occurred on that 11th day.


Now I have seen these at my gym. I haven't seen any men in suits or women in dresses or even men in bathing suits on them though. Thank goodness. That would be kinda gross. I guess this one really works.


What I'm getting at with this post is this. I have this crazy mindset that doesn't let me go on a diet and exercise at the same time. I mean, it's too much. I have made some simple changes in my diet and that's the best I'm able to do. Exercising and getting in shape is taking priority right now.

Perhaps I will look this company down and see if I can still get a can of their product.


Which, BTW, must not have worked very well either since I don't see it on my local grocers shelf.

I hope that working out and the small changes in my diet will keep me from having to order my spring and summer clothes from here.

I would much rather look like her.

And thankfully, I will say that I haven't seen anyone dressed like that at my gym either. But when I get my body to look like hers, I just might.

Till next time, when I'll be writing from my heaven on earth, Tybee, LLL.

The Post With No Title

Jeff's been working on this puzzle for a couple of weeks now. I bought it for him thinking he'd have it done in no time. It's 2000 pieces and it's the painting Starry Night by Van Gogh. Boy, was I wrong. My kitchen table has been turned into a puzzle table. If and when I cook, we eat in the dining room. I think after this one is finished, he's gonna need a puzzle vacation. And I just may have to get some of that puzzle glue stuff and save this one.

Last night we celebrated Reid's birthday at my mom and dad's. Mom made a huge pot of homemade vegetable soup and homemade cornbread in a cast iron skillet no less. She also made something that I'm now addicted to. Stewed tomatoes and rice. Of course, I'm sure if I try to make it, it'll taste like something they sell in the pet supplies aisle. But I really don't see how I could mess it up. It sounded so easy and it was delish.

We had such a good time. Reid got lots of cash for his birthday and an iTunes card. Ross made him a potato gun, which I think he liked a lot. He's officially taller than his mom and has been for a little while now.

Suz always makes her kids birthday cakes. She never buys them. She's made some pretty cool ones. I have to say, though, that the one she made for Reid is my all-time favorite. She got it from Pioneer Woman. It's her chocolate sheet cake and OMGoodness, it was soooo good. What wouldn't I give for a piece of it right now? Anyway, yeah, it was very good. I suggest going to her blog and getting the recipe.

During the course of the night, Alayna got her feelings hurt. And believe me, one person's feelings you don't want to hurt are hers. You may be able to tell in this picture that she can pop that bottom lip out and end up making you want to cry. And you can definitely see my dad's fist in this picture. He was directing that at the person who hurt her feelings. You don't mess with her. He says if you mess with her, you mess with him. Guess that's normal for a man who is daddy to three girls, huh? He's definitely a softie where she's concerned.

And then there was Eli the acrobat. He has been practicing his handstands. Only doing a handstand wasn't quite good enough for him. Now he's working on doing a handstand with only one hand. Pretty good, huh? He has endless energy. He was doing flips and handstands after spending the entire afternoon at baseball tryouts. Oh, to be five again.

Ethan's football team won the superbowl and they got trophies and superbowl rings. Yeah, you heard that right. Ten-year-old boys got superbowl rings.

I thought that was just about the cutest thing I've ever seen. I hope I'm wrong, but I predict he'll have lost it by spring break. I think it'd be neat to hang on to it and share it with his kids one day. But he is after all only 10.

Saturday night Reid had Cam and a few friends go to the movies with him for his b'day. They saw Avatar. Jeff, Suz, Jason and I saw Edge of Darkness with Mel Gibson. I have never screamed so many times during a movie before. I'm a jumpy person anyway. I was caught off guard several times by the special effects. I thought it was a pretty good movie.

I went to the gym today. I've been doing good and I'm actually enjoying it very much. I try to take the classes when I can, but if not I work out with the equipment. I can feel myself getting stronger. But I am so darned tired. I mean, so, so tired. Like I'm sitting here wondering if it's a bad thing to go to bed at 8 o'clock. I'm wiped out.

I also went to Target and got some stuff to make my cousin Justin a package. It was lots of fun just looking around and thinking about things he might like. He's in Afghanistan and when he comes home, he's going to be the most spoiled Marine ever. He's got so many people mailing him packages and cards and goodies. He -- and all the others too -- deserve it. I will be so glad when his boots are back on the ground in the good ol' USA. I admire his mom, my aunt Cindy. I know it's been incredibly hard to have him out from under wing, not to mention being put in harm's way. Y'all say a prayer for him and all the other troops. One thing you can never have enough of is prayers.

My hubby and I are heading to Tybee Thursday. It's his birthday Friday. We go to celebrate his birthday and also one of the locals there that we just love, Ms. Sylvia, turns 101. She plays her tambourine and Doc's Bar, our favorite hangout. I'm so ready to go. My work's been kinda stressful the last few days, so a break will be nice. Just not long enough.

Okay. I think I'm heading for the sofa or the bed. Hmmm. I think if I get on the sofa, I won't feel so guilty if I just so happen to "fall" asleep.

Till next time. Live, love, laugh. Oh, and pray.

Happy 12th Birthday, Reid

Twelve years ago today was one of those days that Ms. Melanie Hamilton in Gone With the Wind referred to as one of the happiest kind of days. It was the day a baby was born. The baby was my sister Suz's firstborn. Jason Reid Parks.


He seemed to have been born a little man. Even as a newborn baby, he was very observant of the people around him. And when he was 17 months old, he got a baby sister. He seemed so grown up even then.

I have thousands of memories of Reid because he and Cam have been buds since he could walk. They've done lots of things together. Even though Cam is six years older than Reid, they've always been close. Reid's the one who gave Cam the nickname Mun. Now everyone else calls Cameron Mun. Everyone that is except Reid. He calls him Cameron.

Reid is good at a lot of things. He's an athlete. Good at baseball and football. He's smart. He's in all the advanced classes at school. He is responsible and looks out for his brother and sister. He's handsome and quite a ladies man already. His wit oftentimes catch me off guard. He has the happiest giggle you've ever heard and his love of mischief will surface every chance it can. He likes to have a GOOD time. One of the things I love most about Reid is his hugs. Since he was old enough to give a hug, he will NOT hug you without patting your back as he's hugging you. And I would be crazy not to mention the fact that he is the Original Candy Kid. I've mentioned before to y'all that he can eat sweets like there's no tomorrow. Even dark chocolate. Even raisins.

He's growing up way too fast. He's 12 years old today. This picture is him at his 10th birthday party.

And here he is at his 11th birthday party with the family at my house.

We'll be celebrating his birthday this weekend. Saturday night he's having some friends over and then Sunday night at supper we'll really blow it out with the whole family.

I'm excited to watch Reid grow up. I look forward to watching him play high school football and baseball. I'm anxious for him to bring his first girlfriend to Sunday Night Supper. He brings me much joy and I love him very much.

Happy Birthday, Reid! There will always be a space in my heart saved just for you.

A Day of Retail Therapy

From time to time every girl needs to get out and have a little fun. Fun can be anything that the girl likes. Yesterday I got to do two things that I consider fun. Well, three actually. 1. I got to spend time with Suz and the fam. 2. I got to have Chinese for lunch. 3. I got to shop from 1 o'clock until 5 o'clock.

We went to a Chinese restaurant in Buford. It's been there for years and is reputable for having very good Chinese food. Well, I'm pretty sure someone told them I was coming for lunch. They decided to have an off day. The soup was excellent. The egg roll was good. The rice was awesome. The chicken was terrible.

Even though my food wasn't very good, I still had such a good time. Suz and I were cracking up because the restaurant must have been playing a CD with love songs from the early to mid '80s. It was hilarious. The Commodores. Air Supply. I didn't know corny love songs were the music of choice for Chinese restaurants. Oh, well, maybe it's something new.

After lunch, the shopping began. Neither of us were shopping for anything in particular. We needed to get some stuff for Reid's birthday and she wanted to look at things for her house. During the four-hour shopping trip, we went to TJMaxx, Party City, Target, Wal-Mart and the Dollar Tree. Party City has the neatest things out for the Super Bowl.

Suz would definitely be ready for the game if she bought this. But she didn't.

Once upon a time, I could shop for hours and hours and hours without ever getting tired. Now that I'm 44, my back hurts, my knees hurt, my hips hurt and my feet hurt. I was pooped. But, you know, it was the good kind of pooped. The kind of pooped that comes from shopping with your sis for hours. Ah, retail therapy. It's a good thing. A very, very good thing.

Till next time. . .

Onion Rings & Too Much Rain

Reid spent the night with us Saturday night and Sunday night we met Suz and the family at the Varsity in Gwinnett. Onion rings and Frosted Orange. It doesn't get much better than that. Oh, and don't forget the fried apple pie ala mode. Uh, yeah. It's a very healthy place to eat.

But before we went to clog our arteries and fleshen our hips, we had a huge pine tree fall in the yard. It was raining pretty hard at the time and the ground is just completely saturated. We have a creek running beside our house and the tree just simply washed away. We heard a couple of big cracks and I knew it was a tree falling. Then we heard a big boom. I was scared to go out to see what the damage was. It was dark and raining, but we could tell it was big.

Yesterday morning I made this picture.

I'm thankful it didn't fall on my house. And I'm sad because it did take down a big limb of a hardwood nearby. I love my trees and the privacy they give.

But now the cleanup begins.

Thankfully, I have a son who loves to cut wood. Ross has a major infatuation with power tools. Especially mighty ones like a chainsaw. And with his body build, honey, he can tear a tree up. He loves cutting them, but it's the hauling he's not particularly fond of. Not sure what we'll do with all this pine. It would be nice if we knew how to build furniture. But. . . we don't. So I don't know what we'll do. Or rather they'll do. That's not really my department.
He and a friend cut wood for an hour or so yesterday. Then they got tired of that and decided to go work on something else.

I hate to say we're supposed to get some more rain this week. It'll be August before we dry out. The ground is just soupy.

I'm off to work today. Ugh. It's a translator deposition. You know the ones I hate. Twice as long, three times more boring. I'm glad I have a job, and I'm also glad God created me and He understands frustration and forgives me when I grumble.

Y'all have a good day! I hope it's sunshiny where you're at. Enjoy it while you can!