Fun at the Fair!!

Ok, so our yearly tradition of going to the fair continued on Saturday. Ronnie Pops and Mama Sig joined us for this family tradition. Mama Sig loves to go to the fair and eat. While I think that Ronnie Pops would be just as happy at home or in his deer stand, I know that he enjoys the time with Tripp. This year, Tripp was a little braver than last year. He rode some of the more "thrilling" rides by himself and stepped out to ride some of the big boy rides. One ride in particular was especially entertaining. It was the one that lifts you up and then drops you over and over again. Tripp was just fine while the ride was going up, but the look on his face when the ride was dropping, was priceless. I think that he left permanent impressions on the metal bars from hanging on for dear life. Of course, we all enjoyed the food - funnel cake, free biscuits, roasted corn, and ice cream. What better than nasty, greasy food to really top off the fair experience.

"You'll always be my friend . . . you know too much"

I read this quote the other day and it got me to thinking - isn't that the truth with my friends. Ya'll are in way too deep now to get out :) Hillcrest 202, USM bookstore, FCC -Atlanta trip, 'the cul-de-sac', car sick trip to Mobile, beach trips, bunko, PPCA (need I say more :}) You know who you are if one or more of these items brings a smile to your face. They definitely bring fond memories to my mind. I feel like so many times, we take our friends for granted - I know I do. Your friends are the only ones there to love and support you next to your family. They are the only ones there to tell you, "that dress is way too tight" or "that is a horrible shade of lipstick". Without friends, we would be walking around looking pitiful and lonely. As I was pondering this thought, I considered all of the different kinds of friends that I have been blessed with: old friends, new friends, high school/college friends, church friends, teacher friends (the ones who can truly appreciate your "school" story), and those friends who know just what to say and when to say it. I am overwhelmed at the outpouring of love my friends showed me this summer. I have truly been blessed with friends that would roll out of bed at 4:00 in the morning if needed and never ask questions or complain one time. Thank you to my friends that are reading this. I love you all. My goal for this year is to become a better friend. To be the friend to you that you have been to me. I added some pics of me and some friends. I wish that I had one with all of you, but these were some that were saved on my computer (yes, for those of you who were not around yet, that is me in my wedding dress). I love you all!!!

Friday Night Lights

Charlie coached in his first high school football game on Friday night. He got to sit in the pressbox and call down things to the head coach. I was so proud of him and all of his hard work. He loves the game of football and has found a way to use his love for the game to minister to kids. As I was sitting in the stands Friday night, I thought about how many kids were standing on the sidelines or playing on the field that knew there was nobody there just to watch them. My parents attended every one of my basketball games my entire life. I can remember my mom being in the hospital and missing one of my elementary ballgames - she was crying and carrying on about how she had to get out of the hospital to be in the stands. The support of my parents meant so much to me in life and it makes my heart go out to the players who don't know that support. It makes me want to wear a button for every player that says "I am here to support #__" Charlie has already made such an impact on the boys on the team. When I sit in the stands and watch him, I know that he has finally found his true calling in life. It makes me proud to be his wife!!

Sticky Situation

As most of you know, our family loves going to spend time at the deer camp in Port Gibson. We decided to go this past weekend so that Charlie could do some work at the camp, and I could help Sigrid with some work in the trailer. The last time Sigrid went down, she found some traces of "critters" and she wanted to put out some sticky pads to hopefully catch them. She put them under beds and behind toilets - places that you would think were out of the way. On Sunday, Tripp was playing with our nephew Gavin in the back bedroom of the trailer. Sigrid and I noticed that they had gotten very quiet, but I just thought that they were playing quietly in the back like little angels. A few minutes later, they walked in the living room and Tripp turned around only for me to see that he had one of the sticky pads stuck to the back of his clothes. Now I don't know if any of you have ever dealt with these sticky pads, but they are covered with some kind of glue on steroids. We could not pull the sticky pad off of his clothes. We had to remove his clothes and then basically rip the sticky pad off of his shirt and shorts. Needless to say, I was none to happy since this was in the midst of the electricity being out and many other destructive acts done by Tripp. When we finally got the sticky pad off of his clothes, we soaked them in hot water and I told Sigrid that I would just try and wash them when I got home. I tried all kinds of things - boiling water and vinegar, ice, etc. The glue did come out of his shirt but not his shorts and of course, sticky got all over the inside of my washer. All I can say is that I give snaps to whoever invented the glue for these sticky pads and mice everywhere beware!!!

The Biggest Loser

As many of you know for the past year or so, Charlie and I have been working out and counting our calories. Of course I have noticed that Charlie is losing weight, but since I see him everyday it really didn't hit me just how much he has lost. When we see people that we have not seen in a while, they always tell him how great he looks and some people do not even recognize him. The other day, I was changing out our beach pictures from two years ago and it was amazing to see the difference. Check out the before and after pictures. I am so proud of him for doing so well. Alot of people ask him what made him do this and of course Charlie goes into his whole ordeal about visiting the GI doctor and how the doctor basically said that he had to lose weight or else. We give all the credit to our dear friend Rhyne - because if it were not for his "choking chicken" we never would have gone to the doctor in the first place. (That is a whole other story!!)

Peer Pressure

Ok, so through a tremendous amount of peer pressure from one of my dearest friends, I have decided to start a blog. I really don't know why I didn't do this sooner, because crazy things are always happening to our family. It is like the moons align above us and if it is going to happen, it is going to happen to us. I hope that you will find our life somewhat amusing and hopefully you will get a little laugh every once and a while.