35 Years

is a really long time. But that many years ago today, my parents were married. I wish I had the pictures of that day because they are really great. Everyone is just as happy today as they were then. How lucky am I that even after 35 years, that my parents are still in love with each other. You can't fake happiness for that long. I love to hear my dad tell the story of taking out this cute little blonde in high school, and then he'll say she's still pretty cute.

God has been and continues to be good to our family, and we are thankful.

Top 10 thoughts on the American Idol Concert

10. Michael was good and got the crowd going.

9. Meghan Joy sounded just like Duffy and her voice made the speakers kinda rattle.

8. Scott was A-MAZ-ING. His voice was so smooth and clear, and the piano was awesome. I want to download the song "1000 Miles" after hearing him sing it. He also did some dancing, and it was pretty good dancing given his disability.

7. Matt started out with a rocking song, but unfortunately I decided to use the bathroom right before it started. He played the piano and sounded awesome on his other songs.

6. Anoop...what to say about him. His niche is in the R&B section, and he didn't disappoint. He even did some pelvic thrusting that got the ladies (and men) to screaming.

5. Lil Rounds was the Beyonce of the night. She pranced around in her high heels and sequins to "Single Ladies" like she owned it. Work it girl!

After a 20 minute intermission, we started back with the countdown. The excitement was building because you knew the really good ones were coming up.

4. As Randy would say "Allison can really sing, dawg." She filled that stadium with rock songs and a soulful voice well beyond her 17 years. And I really like that they didn't slut her up either. She had tasteful rocker chick clothes.

3. GOKEY. Oh my word. I had forgotten about him. He was looking good - all buffed up and had his guns out. He sang 'What Hurts the Most" by Rascall Flatts, and also "My Wish to You". Now, I love me some RF, and he did them proud. On the last one, he talked about his struggle with his wife dying a month before he audition and to not let any tragedy or failure get in the way of going after your dreams. OMG - I got the chill bumps and almost teared up. What a sweet guy.

2. GLAMBERT!!! He was most fabulous in his goth outfit, and he screamed all up and down that stage - just like he did on the show. Oh and he did so much pelvic thrusting, I thought he was going to pull something. I'm not going to lie though - he's a good looking guy. And a good dancer. I was a little disappointed at his song choices though. They were good, but nothing memorable.

1. And then when Glambert left, we all knew it was time for THE AMERICAN IDOL to come out. Everybody stood up and started screaming, and we probably did that for 10 minutes. I can just imagine how awesome it was to have that many people cheering you on. How humbling it must have been. He started his set with "Heartless", which is my favorite rendition (over Kanye's). He sang a couple that he did on the show, and then he led the crowd in Calling Those Hogs. Usually I find doing that in non-athletic areas is redneck, but it was most fitting here. After his last song, the rest of the idols came out to sing one last song. And you know what it was? That's right - my favorite song from Glee - "Don't Stop Believing". Oh my word I love that song. I jumped up and started clapping and singing.

Here's the proof that we were hanging out in the rafters...even the screens looked small.

So today, I was still thinking how fabulous that last song was, and behold the technology that is You Tube helped me relive it. You MUST check it out - especially all of you Glee fans. If you want to only hear that song, go to the 5 minute mark.

You're welcome!

Show Us Your Life

Over at Kelly's Korner, she wanted to know about wedding dresses, so here's mine. My sister, who got married six months before I did, had a very pleasant experience at Low's in Brinkley, so we went back when it was my turn. Mrs. Goldie was a long-time resident of Marianna, and actually knew Brent's grandmother, so I thought it was just meant to be. I tried on what I thought I wanted, and then my sister found this one. I loved it from the beginning. The style a few years ago was "pick-ups", and I wanted some but not all over the dress. My dress had the perfect amount along the bottom, which also helped to poof it out. I felt like a Southern belle that's for sure!

The top halter part had pearls and sparklies, which was just the perfect amount. This is one of my favorite pictures that Matt took. It's me and my dad hanging out waiting to walk down the aisle. It's a special memory that I'll have forever. Well, now that I'm tearing up over the memories of that day, so I think that'll be all for now.

Caitlin and the Water Hose

I had put the water hose on mist, and then tried to show her how to get a drink from it. She wouldn't let me show her, so I let her figure it out herself. It was quite hilarious.

We played with bubbles a lot as well, and she also wanted to do it herself. Except she would stick the wand almost in her mouth and the bubbles would go all over her face.

I love her saying "Lello" when asked what color anything is. She might be saying "yellow" and she might be saying "color." We're not 100% sure - either way, it's precious!

STAY-cation with Caitlin!

So with the family here for the entire week, we had lots of fun planned to entertain Little Girl. Sunday afternoon, she and I went for a walk, and when we got back I decided to water my plants. Since she is in the "I Do It" phase, I let her have at it. What else better defines a traditional Arkansas Summer Vacation than playing in the water hose? She was sopping wet, but had fun. We also did some swinging at Cousin Camille's house! She was such a big girl by holding on, but she wouldn't look up. She just kept staring at the ground. ha! That night we played dress-up with Lala's stuff. Funny story about Lala and her jewelry. We were in the toy aisle at the Dollar Store where she saw some sparkly (but very cheap) necklaces, pointed and said "Lala." Yes baby - Lala likes sparkly necklaces too.

I worked Monday and Tuesday, but on Wednesday I started my official STAY-cation (a vacation where you stay at home). That afternoon, we went out to Miss Lera Beth's house to do some swimming. Grandmama and Lera Beth are BFFs and taught school together in Cabot for many years. (Her husband also did our patio out back). Anyhootles, she had a small, but fab pool and we had a good time lounging around.

Oh yes, Grandmama, you do have Caitlin's swim underpants on wrong. ha!

After a while, she decided she wanted to float with Aunt Lala.

Cheesing with Mommy.

Thursday we took a road trip to West Memphis to see Grandpa Gary and Dottie (Brent's dad and step-mom). They had not met Caitlin in person, so it was a special trip. I think she was a little cautious of the wheelchair, but liked it better once she found out it beeped.

She would not look at me or smile, but I thought this one was sweet.

Here's the queen of the hour with Grandpa Gary and Dottie. She was very good on the trip over there, and loved petting their dog Lefty.

When we got back home, we had to get some juice and walk around on Aunt Lala's skis...I mean flip flops.

On Friday, we settled in for a long day of relaxing at home. She and I went outside and filled up the pool and splashed around until lunch time. She wouldn't sit in the water, but I think it was because it was too cold. After nap time, we got back out there and the water was much warmer (can you say bath water?), and she was blowing bubbles. We had to have all of our toys there as well.

Oh yes - we are a pair!

That night, I cooked a traditional southern dinner -fried okra, squash casserole, sliced tomato, and homemade peach cobbler. All fresh produce from Holland Bottom Farm in town. Brent smoked pork for the meat, and it was all yummy. Miss Catie-bug had to help Aunt Lala with the produce, and this ended up being my favorite all-time picture. She is for sure a mess!

It's true that all good things must come to an end, but I was sad to see them go on Saturday. I do wish we lived closer because she and I had so much fun together. She is a really good girl (not a baby anymore), but I do believe the Terrible Two's have begun. I have a whole new respect for mother's of toddlers. They definitely do wear you out!

The rest of the weekend was spent getting the house put back together and getting ready for going back to work. I loved having time off, but I also am a routine person, and I was kinda glad to get back on one. We'll see how I feel about that come Tuesday!

4th of July

We had a good and busy 4th of July this year! Our niece Caitlin (and her mommy and Grandmama) are here for another visit, so we met up with my parents at Pops on the River for the symphony concert and fireworks. Miss Caitlin just took to my parents like she had known them all her life, and I think they enjoyed having a little one around. (Nobody get any ideas here).

Here's dad showing off his SPP-support and eating a traditional funnel cake.

Here's the Queen of the night. She also liked the funnel cakes...and corndogs...and cotton candy.

Here are two corndogs right here...

A Dem0crat-Gazette photographer took this, and I was so scared it was going to end up in the paper the next morning shoving my face.

I'm not crazy about this picture, but it is amusing. Please note the man between our heads. Classic.

Stay tuned for more from our STAY-cation!

Eat Your Heart Out LeVar Burton

I grew up a child of the 80s, and one of my favorite shows was Reading Rainbow. My mother instilled in my sister and I the importance of reading and a love for the library. When school ended almost two months ago, I decided that I would spend this summer reading. I didn't have any projects to do in my spare time, so I headed up to the Arlene Cherry Library in Cabot and started browsing. I've had a few duds, but for the most part, I have made myself finish every book that I've started. So for those of you readers out there, I thought I would make a list of what I've read and what I thought about them.

Here they are - in no particular order:

1. The Piano Teacher - Janice Y. K. Lee

I'm about half-way through with this one right now, and it is good, but not one that makes you feel good. Maybe it will by the end, but in the middle is a little uncomfortable. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. I think sometimes we need to be uncomfortable to appreciate our current situation.

2. Sweet Potato Queens Big A-- Novel - Jill Connor Browne

So I love love LOVE Sweet Potato Queens very much, and her novel did not disappoint. It has some colorful language, so I would caution you about that. The story and characters were hilarious and I couldn't put this one down until I had finished it.

3. The House at Riverton - Kate Morton

I had a hard time getting into this one for whatever reason, but once I did, I was enthralled. It was set in the 1920s in England when there was still very much a class distinction between the aristocrats and their servants. I couldn't wait to figure out what happened to Hannah, Emmaline and Grace.

4. The Associate - John Grisham

I finished this one up a while ago, and I will admit that it took me FOR-E-VA to get through it. I don't know whether I wasn't in reading mode or whether it just didn't particular appeal to me. It was interesting, but the ending wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I would say this is your typical John Grisham, although I would say that I'd rather watch Tom Cruise in The Firm more. Who doesn't like to call out all the places in Memphis they've been that are in that movie!

5. The Help - Kathryn Stockett

This book was probably my most favorite read of the summer so far. I love reading about how things were in another time, and it is amazing how far we have come since the early 60s when women were supposed to get married and not have a career. It also goes into the thoughts of African-American hired help who worked for Southern white ladies and the issues they had. Very interesting!!! And to think I almost didn't read it.

6. The Color of the Soul - Tracey Bateman

This was another Southern book (I like the theme in case you can't tell), but from a Christian writer. Set in the 1940s, the author paints a wonderful picture of family and how things seem on the surface aren't always they seem. She's got some other books that look interesting, so I might add them to the list.

If you have any good books that you've read lately and would like to recommend them, leave me a comment. I'm always looking at Amazon to see what the latest bestseller is, but a personal recommendation is always better!

Enjoy the video...and sing along - you know you know the words!