Harvest Time

I'm in McGehee this weekend hanging out with my mom and Nannie while Brent is in Fayetteville on a bachelor party.  I took off at noon yesterday (there were tumble weeds rolling through the halls), and decided to stop by Ma's house on the way down.  I heard that the cotton was really pretty this year because it has been so hot, and I wanted to try and get a special shot of it with Ma's house.  I was inspired by a family friend who took a similar shot, so I raced to Wells Bayou to get some shots.  They were picking the field and I only had a few minutes, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.  I put my rain boots on and took off through the field with my camera, knowing how ridiculous I looked.  I wished that I could have gotten directly in front of Ma's house, but they had already picked that side of the field.

Where the trees are is where Ma's house is, and then there are the grain bins off to the right.  This spot is where my grandfather was born and what others refer to as the "old home place."  Even after everybody I know is gone, this place will always remain special to me.

This is probably my favorite one with the sky too. 

Harvest Time also means that it's Football Season!  We're excited that the Razorbacks are good this year, although I am betting that they will loose today against Bama.  (You can blame my dad for my pessimistic attitude).  And because it's football season, that means that Owl Pride is flying high here in McGehee.  Things are especially optimistic because the city just passed a new millage to keep the schools open.  If it didn't pass, citizens would still have to pay a higher millage, but the students would have to be bussed to Dumas.  And if the school closed, then that would certainly mean the end of the town.  I sent out a prayer request on the day of the vote because I would hate to see McGehee go away with one vote.  I was SO thrilled to learn that the Save Our Schools campaign was successful, and the next morning I heard "God of the City" on K-Love.  I knew God had answered many prayers by allowing the vote to pass, but I immediately prayed that the citizens of McGehee would take this opportunity to improve their city and reach people for Christ. 

You're the God of this city

You're the King of these people

You're the Lord of these nation

You are

You're the light in this darkness

You're the hope to the hopeless

You're the peace to the restless

You are

There is no one like our God

There is no one like our God

For greater things

Have yet to come

And greater things

Are still to be done in this city

Fall Starts After Labor Day!

Over Labor Day weekend, we really didn't have any plans whatsoever, and since the weather was perfect, we decided to go to one of the last Travs games of the season.  Let me give you a little back story on the Travs.  SPP graciously purchases 16 seats for the entire home season at Dickey-Stephens and it is my job to promote the games and pass out the tickets.  Luckily it's an online system, but still it's a lot of emails from people wanting seats, how many, what dates, parking pass issues, etc.  It's definitely not a difficult task - it's more of a chore than anything else.  This is my second season to hand out tickets, and this one has been much easier because it's been 130 degrees the entire summer and nobody's wanted to sit in the oven and watch them loose.  But when the weather finally turned the oven off over Labor Day, it was the perfect weather to enjoy the Travs.

So we invited Sarah, Jeremy, and Lucy Jewel to come with us.  Here we are waiting on them to get there.

 When Brent and I went on our first date, Sarah and Jeremy went with us.  Sarah was four months pregnant with Lucy Jewel at the time, and I got to know Brent and the Clements during that special time in their life.  She had a good time at the game giving high 5's to Shelly the whateveritis, eating french fries, and asking when it was time to leave (right after the first inning) ha! 

And even the baby needed to see! 

Labor Day is also known for the great deals, and we spent one day looking for some cute patio furniture that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg.  We went all over central Arkansas and ended up with this set from Walmart (again, on sale).  I'm so thrilled with the pop of color, and it's so comfortable too.  In fact, I sat on the love seat on Sunday afternoon after lunch and actually fell asleep!  We're really enjoying our outside space now that it's cooled off.  We also bought a table-top propane heater that we can use when there's more of a chill in the air.  Oh yeah - and all of this stuff is being considered my birthday present.  Along with 4 new tires on the Civic.  So Happy Birthday to me! 

Now, onto fall decorations!  I'm not a big seasonal decorator until it comes to fall and Christmas time.  I went to Hobby Lobby last week and they had fall decor 50% off, so I took advantage of the discounted sparkly pumpkins.  You can never have too much sparkly fruit in my opinion.  And yes, the cook is usually on strike 95% of the time. 

Here's my piano ready for fall.  Never mind the stack of magazines that I need to get rid of - that's another project for the winter.  

More pumpkins...

I usually don't decorate my bathroom for fall, but I had a few leftover pieces and couldn't resist.  We have two bathrooms in our house, and the one that I use is actually the hall/guest bathroom.  The other one is off of our master bathroom, and Brent keeps it very manly.  So I like to keep mine cute and pretty with seasonal hand soap.  Another favorite thing of mine is the wallflower scent thingy I have plugged up in the hallway.  I bought some new flavors (Creamy Pumpkin and Leaves) and they smell so good!  I was afraid Brent was going to complain about it, but he hasn't so far.  So don't tell him, because I'm sure if he thinks about it, it will bother him.  Or maybe he's learned that he won't win that argument. ha!  

I really can't believe that we are already at the middle of September.  After Labor Day, time just seems to snowball.  I actually had a little freak-out moment when I turned the calendar a couple of weeks ago.  After September, comes October, and then someone I know is going to be 30 +1.  YIKES!  Where did this year go and why did it go so fast?

Evolution of the Garden

I wanted to give a final update on the outcome of my very first garden.  It was an interesting adventure to say the least, and I will probably do it again next year, just on a smaller scale.  First of all, my 8 tomato plants did not produce one single, solitary, stinking tomato.  Experts say that it was because it was too hot, but whatever.  I will try and do them again next year, but maybe just a few plants.  THe Squash burned up in the first few weeks of planning, and the bell peppers did OK, but I wasn't impressed.  Okra, on the other hand, did fabulous.  I couldn't pick them fast enough, and by the end of the season, I was really sick of okra. 

6-10-10

7-21-10

8-17-10

9-4-10

Seriously - these okra plants were as tall as I am. 

The biggest okra plants you've ever seen!  I literally had to take a hack saw to them so they would fit in four garbage bags. 

These sun plants got out of control, and were a haven for bees and wasps, so I was kinda glad to see them go. 

This is what it looks like now.  Clean and bare - with the exception of one wild mushroom in the middle.  I did leave my basil plant up because I'm still enjoying the leaves every now and then.  But it's days are numbered. 

When I pulled up the sun plants, I put down a few plants of monkey grass and a couple of mums.  It looks much cleaner, and I really like the green color better than the other plants. 

Here's my cute new flag I bought on sale.  I've got a garden flag in the front of the house, and you can still see this one from the driveway.  

Stay tuned for fall decorations and fun events we've been doing!

Totally 80s!

A couple of weekends ago, Brent and I attended an 80s birthday party in honor of our dear friends Terri and Bracy Cross.  I was so excited about it, and started planning my outfit the weekend before.  It really blew me away that a lot of the accessories that I got were actually on sale!!! This is the trend these days, so it's true that style trends to come back around.  If that's the case, I can't wait for the modesty of the late 90s. (Maybe not all late 90s trends though).  

So anyway, I got the gloves at Claire's the clothes at Walmart, and the shoes at Savers.  I even got some blue eye shadow and applied it liberally! So I got all ready, and we headed to the Oyster Bar.  I was feeling really good until I realized I was going to have to walk into a full restaurant in this outfit.  HA!  Brent wouldn't even walk beside me on the sidewalk - he was laughing at me 10 paces behind.  

But I do love Teacher Terri and Big June, so this is what we looked like:  

Here are the birthday folks. 

Brent didn't have time to find an outfit at Savers like everybody else, so I got him these flip up sunglasses like the guy on A Different World.  And there's really no words for Bracy.  He said this was his Miami Vice look. 

I got this picture from another blog, so pardon the pixelation.  The person shall remain nameless, but he had the best costume of the night.  I don't know anybody else who would go out in public (or at home for that matter).  

Since the party, we've had a really busy couple of weeks.  I had it in my mind that I was going to begin school at PTC this semester and teach another group of industrial students.  I had my first night class papers all printed out and ready to go, and then I got an email from the department saying they had given my class to a full-time professor.  At first, I was aggravated, but then I realized that I would have a free night, and then I didn't mind so much.  I think maybe God was closing that door in preparation for another door to open, but it hasn't yet.  

For all of the other things that have been going on,  we have been put into situations that have made us totally rely strictly on our Heavenly Father. We've seen Him answer prayer in our lives, and we're now waiting patiently to see what happens next.  

Ok, I guess that's all I got in me tonight.  Time to find some dessert and watch the DVR! 

Blog Catch Up

Oh I know I need to blog, but I'm having a hard time actually doing it.  I promise I will have an update this week.  Maybe even tonight....

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Thirty-six years ago was a special, special day. 

It was the day that God made and I know He was smiling down on Hopedale Missionary Baptist Church in Winchester, Arkansas.  My parents were married, and we are so blessed to have their example of a Godly, Christian marriage.

Here was my dad's facebook post today:   ‎36 years ago today, God brought into my life my best friend and love of my life. She is a great example of a great Christian wife and mother. God promised Joshua that if he would obey His laws and meditate on His Law that he would be prosperous and successful. God has done his part in our lives. Happy Anniversay, Linda, forever and a day, I love you.


Mom and Dad, I pray that Brent and I, and Sarah and Josh too, will be as happy and content with each other as you and dad have been all these years.  We love you very very very much! 

People of Walmart

Brent and I went to McGehee this weekend to have some quality time with my mom, dad, sister, and brother-in-law.  On Saturday, we went to Monticello to catch a movie. We got there really early and when you have time to kill in Monticello you go to Walmart.  (Don't ask - it's just what you do).  So after seeing a few people - and you ALWAYS see people there you know - I spotted the Kentucky Mud Flap in the wild.  Oh yes people - this lady had a ponytail cut INTO her head.  It. was. priceless.  I would like to say a big thank you to the people who thought it would be fun to have a camera in the cell phone, because without them, I wouldn't have this...

You're welcome.