Elizabeth

Mom called Liz and Don said she was on the porch.  Liz got on the phone and mom said, "ARE YOU DOING WHAT I THINK YOU ARE DOING?" (Liz only smokes on the porch)  Liz answers calmly, "Yes." Mom just laughs, she is so blown away. (Liz is in her last stages of lung cancer) What can you say?  They talked for hours. 

Liz says she is going to do whatever she wants.  Mom says Liz has said that all her life.  Liz is moms first cousin, best friend, partner in crime growing up and an incredible mother. She lives in Oxford, Mississippi and has the MOST fabulous Southern accent! When mom wanted to have some fun, it was always with Liz.  I KNOW they have some great stories!

My mom gave me my middle name because of Liz and her daughters middle name is my moms name. Julie Elizabeth and Shelly Joanne

Liz is the one who has cooked every recipe in the Southern Living magazine, keeps an immaculate house, and loves her children and grandchildren more than anything in the world, all the while with a cigarette close in hand.  That's just who she is.

But everyone knows there has never been anything wrong with Liz's heart.  She is an original. Thank you Liz for giving my mom wonderful, wonderful memories.  

You are beautiful!

Pumpkinfest & the Farmer's Market

                       Keith Urban, Nicole & their baby were there! My sister-in-law saw them and said everybody was letting them enjoy the day too.  Love that!
                                            Yummy Meridee's for lunch

               Doesn't this scarecrow look like the real one from the 'Wizard of Oz?'

         Clicked these guys picture in the parking garage.  Every mother dreams that their grown child will grow up and be a Star Wars storm trooper!  Love it!

                           Savannah & Sydney checking out the preserves.  None as good as their Mimi's!

                                             Beautiful 'llama' yarn felted figures a lady made

                                                             REAL Nashville blue grass
                                    A cute farmer wearing his root vegtables

Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas

Got an email from Les this morning!  She and the kids are coming up Thursday for Pumpkinfest here on Saturday!  I always get excited when they come!  Les and I always pick up where we last left off having fun.  When she gets settled in from driving or flying, she'll say, "Got any new magazines?" or "Have you read anything good lately?"  Every time. I love it! Then we just dive right in on catching up.  Thank Heaven for sisters!

I did get my first book from a publisher to review!  It looks like a great read for the upcoming Christmas season.  Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas by Maria Rodgers O'Rourke.  I think we could all do that!  It looks like just what I need to start thinking about the Reason for the season.  I could just fly past Halloween and be thankful for Thanksgiving and Christmas coming! I'll let you know how the book is!

Back Home

Back from a lovely weekend at the beach with the family.  DH had a much needed break and we were able to have some solid quality time.

We had to race home for our 'Fishers of Men' final celebration banquet tonight.  DH received kudos for having over 30 Bible studies.  We had a great 12 weeks with the group of 11 that took the class with us.

Coming up...

PUMPKINFEST  in downtown historic Franklin on Saturday and Sunday this coming weekend.  It is always a highlight!

Love to Todd (aka Cousin Eddie/brother in law) for being a good sport!

A Halloween Tale

The ones who heard it couldn't believe it. It caused a couple to hide under their breakfast table. One lady literally screamed until her husband could reassure her that everything was alright.

The babies started crying and it took the mothers pulling out bottles and lots of cuddling to calm them down.

A man at the far table almost choked on a piece of bacon.

Everyone was turning around to see what the noise was at the beautiful, relaxing California breakfast eatery.

............It was Todd. Blowing his nose. For those of you have lived through it, know it. That such a small nose on such a big man can have such a sound come out is...truly indescribable.

Sunsets and Old Friends

Now I know what everyone is talking about when they say October is their favorite time at the beach! We came down Thursday afternoon and it has been gorgeous all weekend!

It is warm enough for shorts, but you probably need a sweater in the morning. We went with DH this morning to play a little golf. Sav drove the golf cart and I read my book, except for the necessary times I had to pretend that I was watching DH drive or putt. He said I needed to come more often because his putting had not been better in a long while.

The sunsets are glorious and the water is beautiful, but they have really changed some since 'Gustav' came through. There was a drop-off (cliff) to the water and the wash-out (Grayton lingo) has been totally closed. But it was so quiet and beautiful!! Harvey and Azalea slept so good last night from their frolic on the beach last night.

This morning we went to Don Pedro's for our requisite breakfast and as we were leaving I saw this girl who looked familiar that was getting a to go order. I said "Amy?" and she turned around and her eyes got REAL big! "JULIE!!" It was a friend from high school! Amy Taylor! In 7th grade she was our 'Frog Hollow' Queen and I was a 'princess' with another girl. Isn't that a riot? I remember that my friend Vicki gave me a 'body wave' in my hair the night before and it rained the day of the festival and my hair went POOF! Anyway Amy says she has a 20 year old, a 19, and two more younger. We're all getting older. But it was neat and such a small world seeing her.

Tried to get Les, Todd and the kids to come down too but they had just returned from la la land in California. I heard Todd did something really embarrassing that will be a really great story that I will tell you tomorrow. I am trying to get her to come up for 'Pumpkinfest' next weekend in Franklin (if she will check her e-mail!!)

Mom and Dad are doing great. They got to see moms sister and all her family (my cousins) last week down here. All is well! So much to be thankful for!

Off to the beach for sunset.............

Little Changes

Today I went around the house and removed the rabbit pottery, eggs and other Spring/Summer decor and generally just cleared out a lot of knick knacks that were sitting around on tables.  I pulled out throws for the backs of the sofas, set some pine cones in a basket, set out some acorns and changed out candles for the smells of fall.

I had not done that yet and I had visited a few friends houses who had and it made me come home and make a few changes.  I guess it is a good way to welcome each season.

On Sunday I made homemade Spice Tea and homemade hot chocolate so when it does turn cold I will be ready to scoop some out into cups for my company. Yum! 

Just little changes make such a difference in the home you love.  I want DH and Sav be glad to come home.  I want it to be their refuge.  I want to curl up on the sofa under a blanket and talk in the dark by fire glow.  I want all our cares to fade away for a while and just sit and 'be'.  

A Fun Monday

What a lovely day I have had today!  First off was my Monday morning Bible study with my ladies.  We are studying scripture and encouraging one another in our marriages.  These are just five of us that have been married anywhere from 23 (me) up to 38 years.  It is sharing marriage encouragement, wisdom, tips, and most importantly praying for our husbands.  Things really are a whole new ballgame at this time in our lives.  It's better and harder at the same time.  I guess sometimes you can get too comfortable, huh? Got to always be working on it!

Next, I headed up to Brentwood to my friend Kimberly's house for a lovely lunch on her gorgeous covered patio, overlooking her new outdoor stone chimney and all the beautiful falling leaves and the cool breeze.  She set a  yummy table with our own place cards, linen napkins and each of us had our own take-home fall leaf pottery plate with a glass candle.  (My scented candle was Macintosh Apple, fab!!)  The tableware was a pretty pink/brown melamine plates, bowls and goblets, perfect for outdoors.

The conversation was great too!  Kimberly, me, Jeana, Muffy, Mary Lee (was my R.A. at Lipscomb) and Neila caught up on what has been going on in our lives and we got tickled with laughter, exactly what happens when us girls get together! Thanks Kimberly for another fun filled day!  Can't wait to head to Birmingham in November for our Junior League Market get-away and spa retreat!

Busy Birthday Girl

 Savannah checking out her presents...she had an incredible birthday week.  Spirit week at school had them wearing neon t-shirts (proceeds going to Africa) on Friday.
Cookie Cake

No picture please Daddy!
Mani/Pedi with the peeps:  Sav, Katie G, and Katie C
Amy and Holly

Savannah had a great birthday week!  It was spirit week at school so they all had fun dressing up.  First up was Tuesday at her Aunt Julie's house for a party for Aunt Julie (DH's sister), who was also celebrating her birthday on October 8th. Savannah got some great gifts also from family.

Wednesday was the big day for Savannah. 17!  I can't believe it!  I carried two California Pizza kitchen Hawaiaan pizzas and red velvet cake to Savannah and her girlfriends for lunch at school.  She was all smiles.

She was also excited because her chorus class sang Happy Birthday to her at school too.  After school we went to Ulta cosmetics store for a little shopping.  She is crazy for make-up!  But thank heavens she has a light hand with it.  Followed by dinner at Olive Garden, Wednesday night Bible class, and back home for cookie cake.

Friday after school, she and 4 of her closest friend went to get manicure/pedicures before the big Friday night football game.  (Undefeated!!)

And Thursday we are off to birthday party some more with the other side of the family in Florida!

Savannah had an AWESOME (her words) week!  She is a joy and such a blessing to us!

My Baby is 17 Today!

Happy Birthday Savannah!!!

Hoping to Go One Day to...

1. Egypt & Petra

2. Greece & surrounding islands

3. Prague

4. Spain

5. Provence, France

6. Jerusalem & the Bible lands

7. Budapest

8. Vienna

9. Marrakesh & Casablanca, Morocco

10. Norway, Sweden & Iceland

Next Weekend In Nashville

May I Have Another 'Mary Russell' Please?

I have started reading a book I have had for probably a year.  

Touchstone by Laurie King.  She is an excellent writer and I absolutely love her 'Mary Russell' series which started with The Beekeeper's Apprentice.  

This is a stand alone novel and is a little heavier and deeper than her other two series. But I am a die hard fan of her writing so I am bound to enjoy this one too.

But, please could you write another 'Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes' story please Ms. King?

Powerful Reading

I just finished the book our book group is reading this month,  A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.  I am in awe by what these women go through in Afghanistan and Pakistan!  I had read Hosseini's The Kite Runner a few years ago and thought it was powerful.  

It's the story of two women who learn to survive with insurmountable odds.

My friend Charlotte had told me that it was one of her favorites that she had read and that she had enjoyed this one even more than Kite Runner, so I was intrigued.  And she was right! 

I think being a woman, I sympathized with them more.  We should all be thankful of the rights and freedoms we have in our homes, communities and country. Dogs were probably treated better than some of these women.  The strength in these women made them beautiful and made me ashamed of so many of the privileges that we take for granted here.

Next Thursday is book group and I know we will have a great discussion.  Laila, Miriam, Tariq, Jalil and Rasheed are names that I will not forget for a long time and the stories they bring to mind.

Happy Birthday Dear Elaine!

Happy Birthday Elaine!

I'm sorry you and Phil are sick! 

Ya'll are too sweet to be sick!

I wish we were back on the boat heading to 

Monhegan Island!  Great adventures!!