I hope you are spending this Independence Day with someone you love.  I'm taking the day off, but wanted to celebrate with you by sharing these videos.

The first is one I took after a Tennessee Smokies baseball game.  They are the Chicago Cubs AA affiliate and shoot off fire works every Friday night home game.  Here is just a brief clip:



The other is from one of my all-time favorite movies Independence Day.  As a side note, I loved Major Mitchell (aka Adam Baldwin) before I ever saw him on Chuck or Firefly.



Sadly (or am I awesome) I had this entire speech memorized.

Happy 4th!!!

They're Playin Our Song!

Let me just start out by saying, we can be an unorthodox family.

No clue why my father felt the need to try on the Little Man's 'boggin, but we're all a little crazy like that. 

When we hired the photographer and DJ for our wedding back in 2008, I let them both in on surprise for my dad for which I needed their help. All along I told him we weren’t having a father/daughter dance.  Those are always to corny songs, none of which seemed to fit our relationship.

But as soon as Jay and I finished our first dance as a married couple the DJ moved right along in the music.

When Daddy heard Butterfly Kisses start playing you could see the surprise and delight in his eyes. He started crying immediately. I grabbed him and hugged him tight because I knew what was coming and couldn’t control the laughter.

He looked confused at the record scratch then the familiar stoic opening. “He had plastic bags wrapped ‘round his shoes, he was covered in the evening news...”

Everyone told me that I couldn’t play a song about a homeless guy at my wedding. The only problem was that Almost Home by Craig Morgan is our song. My father is a sap who cries at everything. So when the song came out in 2003, he cried every time he heard it.

And being a good daughter, I mocked him every time. Whenever I hear it on the radio, I quickly call him, turn up the radio, and put the phone up to the speaker.
 
I knew it was the perfect choice for our father-daughter dance.
 

 
It was everything I wanted it to be.  Touching, memorable.  But most of all real.  I love my Daddy, but not in a way a sappy "Daddy hung the moon" song can convey.
 

To honor him this Father's Day, I'm playing the world's most depressing song on my blog.  After all, its so much more than a song about a homeless man. 

It's our song.

The Birthday Report

Side Note: I just wanna ask if those of you with blogger comments (not the kind like mine, the other kind) that comments aren't working for some of us.  I haven't been able to comment on your blogs in a couple weeks.  Not sure why they aren't working, but its not just for me - others are having issues too.  Obviously others are not, as I see comments on your blogs I just can't leave them.  I am still reading - and I wanted you to know that.  Hopefully the issue will be fixed by Blogger soon.

Birthday Post: 

I believe most of you are aware because I shouted it to the world that yesterday was my birthday.  I'm a big kid when it comes to my birthday.  I'm selfish enough to love all that attention.  And pressies.  I love pressies.  It doesn't even have to be something big - when we've decided not to spend money on gifts, I still make Jay buy me something at the dollar tree.

My birthday really started on Saturday.  I had some friends over for game night to celebrate a friend's birthday (hers was the 1st) and my upcoming.  Had hot dogs on the grill then played several rounds of croquet.  (Sorry I don't have the pictures to share.  Will post on facebook...eventually)

Once it got dark (and our headlight round was done) we moved inside and hooked up the Wii.  "Just Dance" is my personal favorite, and Melissa & Jimmy  have both editions.  She snuck our air down to 72* and we danced our booties off.

Then ate cookie cake.  The best cookie cake in the world.

Sunday my parents took me out to a really nice restaurant (I'm pretty sure its just a local chain, not nationwide) for dinner.  They came back to the house afterward and my mom planted some flower bulbs out in the big flower bed out front.

Monday...okay so Monday I didn't do anything for my birthday. 

Yesterday was the big day and I was a bit nervous.  After all I hadn't given Jay any parameters or lists or ideas.  How would he do at pulling things together? 

Before all this my friends and I went to Little Tokyo for birthday lunch.  The Hibachi chicken was good, but I had to wait a little longer than everyone else to get mine.  The chef accidentally gave my portion to another family sitting at the same table as us.

Just as we were finishing up the lights dimmed and the restaurant employees started singing "Happy Birthday"

...as they cook a cake to a little boy two tables away.  My friends apologised, not realizing the restaurant did that for birthdays.  They made up for it with cake and ice cream later in the afternoon. 

On the way back from birthday lunch I got a text from Jay asking if a joke was okay for my birthday as long as I knew it was a joke.   Checking my email, I discovered (what I thought) he was talking about.

We live in the land of tacky t-shirts.  Jay's office is right around the corner from this one.  I've joked in the past that I was going to get Jay this shirt.  His email informed me that they didn't have any of the female version of the tee available yesterday. 

Right before I was going to leave work - I noticed Jay commented on my blog.  "I am screwed."  Its hard to know with him.  Sometimes he messes with me and makes me think he hasn't done anything when he really has.  Other times he really hasn't done anything.  Its hard to tell with him. 

On the drive home I was told to drive around a bit while he got everything ready.  I browsed in Family Dollar for about 10 minutes then he told me it was safe to come home, just call when I got in the driveway.

He came outside to greet me and made me close my eyes as I entered the back door.  He guided me through the hearth room and sat me down at the table.  "Open your eyes..."

If you can't read them the book title is "Your big fat boyfriend: How to Stay thin when dating a diet disaster."  The koozies say "Don't look at me - that's not my kid." and  "Don't make me unfriend you."  What can I say we're a classy couple.

Jay said he'd get the pizza rolls cooking, but then had trouble locating the cookie sheet.  "Come help me look," he said.  As I walked into the kitchen I told him they were in the dish  washer.  Only they weren't.  3 plates were missing as well.  None of the rest had been put away.  Also?  I noticed a wine glass on the cabinet and the door to the glasses (we always use cups) was partially opened.

"Where could they be?  Come help me look."  He led me into the dining room where we found the cookie sheets...and a spectacular dinner awaiting us.

He'd fixed steak, BBQ chicken, corn, and red skinned potatoes all on the grill.  Who knew he knew how to cook those things (but you'd better believe that knowledge is the best birthday gift of them all).  He'd opened a bottle of wine and already had a glassed poured for me.

To be honest, I expected some sort of middle ground between pizza rolls and this feast.  Burgers on the grill or something.  The meal was incredible!  Who knew there was more?

Along with the daisies I'd requested (in a round-about way via twitter) he'd found a really pretty purple flower to go in the bouquet. 

And of course, there were 3 wrapped books on the corner of the table, but I was fairly certain those came from the Dollar Tree where he had purchased my other goodies as well.  He wrapped them using newspaper and glue, since he couldn't find the tape.  Unwrapping them I noticed he'd done a pretty good job on titles.  I don't recall them, but they all seemed pretty interesting for $1 books.

In the final book I opened I found something else - I guessed (because I always guess my presents - that's half the fun) that it was a gift card.  Of course I was right, but I was blown out of the water when Jay told me what it was for - a manicure, pedicure, and a 50 minute massage (gratuity included). 

Let's not tell him that I would have been thrilled with one or the other, m'kay? 


Disclaimer: This blog contains an Amazon Associates link.  Clicking + buying = kick backs for me. 

Consider it a belated birthday gift. 

A Confession of the Obvious Sort

I'm a control freak.

There I said it.  Now that its out there let's let it marinate for a moment.  I like control to the point that when not in control, I flip out a little.  Guess what?  Life's about 85% impossible to control, hard as I might try.

As a perfectionist, I have high standards.  Seldom do I live up to these standards, but they are there none the less.  They are not just for me - I hold my family to these standards as well.  Care to guess how often they live up to them?

Last year I turned 30.  I wanted a fun birthday party to chase away any "holy crap I'm officially old" vibes I might have been feeling.  Instead of leaving the party planning to my husband, I took care of it.

What kind of lame loser throws themselves a birthday party?  A control freak terrified that her husband is going to screw it up that's who.

I chose the guest list.  I planned the menu.  I even made sure the house was immaculate before the guests arrived.  Thankfully I had some friends step up to the plate, quite literally, and help out by bringing side dishes.  Jay was the grill master and took care of the hot dogs. 

And there was cookie cake.  I will always be friends with Melissa no matter what she does because she makes the best cookie cake ever.

If I do say so myself, I was an excellent party planner/hostess.  I had a great time, and it seemed like everyone else did too.

Which causes me to question my decision for this year even more.  I've given my husband no instructions other than he's responsible for dinner tonight.  He's received no birthday wish list.  No ideas from me on how he can make this special.

I've given up control.

I realize now that I'm not dictating his every move, he has the chance to blow me out of the water.  Make this birthday the best ever.

But in the back of my mind I still question my decision.  What if dinner is ramen and my gift is something from the dollar tree?  What if the bottle of wine I put in the fridge this weekend is the best part of my evening?

This once, that's a chance I'm willing to take.

After all - you only turn 29 once twice  3 times in your life.

No pressure Jay.

(I'll report back in tomorrow.)

Wanna see a bear!

I will never forget the day of my wedding heading in to Cades Cove (in the National Park where the ceremony took place) my dad shouting at the window to cars stopped in the street "If you wanna see a bear go to the d*mn zoo." 

That's one of those family moments that gets funnier with age.

What can I say - we're a family of crankies.

(That's my dad's brother.  We go to his house every Super Bowl.   One year he went on and on about how he hated Cades Cove and would never go back again.  Jay and I just started laughing - while we weren't yet engaged we knew we were headed that direction and had already discussed getting married in the Cove.  Uncle David not only went back to Cades Cove for the wedding, but went a week in advance to get some good video footage of the leaves during peak season.  He was our videographer.)

Moving right along...

Memorial Day weekend had perfect weather for putting the top down in the Jeep and riding around.  Jay was armed in the front seat with his camera, and I in the back with mine.

As always we stopped at "our" church for pictures.

Don't ask me why Jay didn't change out of his church clothes.  We both packed shorts and a t-shirt because we weren't going home after Worship Service.  He told me not to nag him about it, that he was comfortable.  But its weird right?

My mom would probably kill me for posting this picture.  Good thing she doesn't read my blog!!

Our first wildlife spotting of the day.  Jay was afraid that we wouldn't see anything because we were driving the loop in the heat of the day.  Thankfully that wasn't the case.

I love this picture of me.  I look skinny or something.  :P

Could it be??? Is it??  It is - a bear jam!!

As always please note that I used the zoom on my camera.  Getting too close to bears (especially like this mama who's cubs weren't very far away) kills people!

Then it was time to dip our toes in the creek and read the Sunday sale paper.

Yes - he has a shirt that says "I'm bringing Grumpy back."

The family photographer loves playing with the settings on the camera.  Good thing one of us is good at that kinda thing!

Some one's not happy that he's missing his Sunday afternoon nap!

How'd you spend your Memorial Day weekend?

Today We Remember

Pvt Worth was my great uncle.  He was killed during the Normandy invasion.

Upon my first visit to the cemetery I was confused as to why his death date on the tombstone was 11 days after the invasion, but of course with the high death toll it took a while for him to be moved from "missing" status to officially declared dead.

According to a soldier in the same boat as him, Ray was killed before he ever left the boat.

I know I share his story every year, and you might tire of it.  Ray left behind no wife or kids.  He was survived by his parents (now deceased) and his siblings (only 2 currently still living).  I fear that Ray's story will be forgotten.

He was a simple farmer who was drafted into the second World War.

It is for him - an others like him - that we pause today and remember.

Fancy Dress Friday

I was sick the week following Valentine's so I didn't post my pictures from the dinner and dance.  Hope yall don't mind me posting them a bit late.  (Forgive the duplication, those of you who have seen them on facebook already.)

As if you couldn't tell by looking at them, the handsome couple on the right is my parents.  Okay maybe "handsome" isn't the right word for the Possum (my father's mustache) but we're a good lookin' crew right?  My mom found both of our dresses the week before at JC Penny for under $5. 

Seriously.

Here is my goofy friend Kristi giving someone the what for, and Maria smiling for the camera.  My parents went on and on about how funny Kristi was that night.  Thing is, she's always that funny.  That's why we keep her around.

Callie is one of the reasons the dance exists.  The other reason is her little brother Cale.  They both have Cystic Fibrosis.  The Valentine's Dinner and Dance (along with other fund raisers hosted by Cure Finders) raises money to fun research for a cure.

The event was a success!  As with most every year, all the tables sold out.  In fact, they had to make room for some extras.  Sounds like a great problem to have if you ask me!

What would a charity event be without a silent auction?  Typically Jay buys me a Valentine's gift at the auction to try and cover for his procrastination.  This year, since we'd decided we weren't purchasing gifts, he set his sights on a gift for my Dad's 60th birthday.  I came down to the wire, but we ended up getting it!

As you can see it was a great night.  Service usually doesn't look this pretty.

Tinsel Vixen Wrapping Up

No, I'm not putting a bow on my head as a gift...its the final check in for the Holiday Hoedown!



I didn't finish the challenge on the note that I'd wished, but over all I'd say its a success.  I've kept from gaining (too much) weight and had the opportunity to hang out with some great gals via daily check in emails.

Here are my stats:

Exercise Minutes Logged: 414
I was hoping to get in 8+ hours of exercise, but it just didn't happen.  It is what it is and I'm excited to be starting my taper.  I'll only have to do 12 miles this weekend on the treadmill at Pawpaw's!

Starting weight: 135.6
Last week: 134.6
This week: 136.0

I'm happy with that.  I get that the number went up, really.  But I've gained some good healthy eating habits along the way.  I even learned what pigging out at the office potluck does for me emotionally.  Also, I'm betting that a few of those ounces up there are because Aunt Flow is beating on my uterus to let her in.  Cramping isn't fun.

Neither is water retention. 

Speaking of water that's a goal I did okay on...

64 or more ounces of water daily: 4/7
I only found this a challenge when I drank too much soda.

Abstain from soda: 1/7
The only day I managed not to drink at least a little soda was the day of my long run.  I suppose I was so thirsty I didn't want anything but water or Gatorade.

One problem I'm having is that water gets so boring.  I need to keep those water flavoring packets on hand for giving my taste buds a little change up, although I do want to get away from fake sweeteners.  Do they make them with sugar or am I just going to have to start keeping Kool-aid in the fridge? (I make it with half the sugar it calls for.)

Eat 4 fruits/veggies daily: 3/7
I did manage to get in 3 fruits/veggies those other 4 days, which is a big improvement for me.  I found myself reaching for a piece of fruit for snack  instead of crackers or a granola bar.

Avoid fast food: This is one of the more complicated ones.  I fulfilled the intent, if not the letter of this one.  I did eat out 4/7 days.  One of which was a dinner out after church with my family (I filled up mostly on salad bar).   Another evening I was headed to a friend's right after work and had to provide my own dinner.

The spirit of this part of the challenge was directed more toward my eating fast food for lunch instead of packing.  At the start of the Hoedown, I decided I was allowed to eat 2 lunches out: one with my mother on Friday, as is our weekly tradition and another with my work friends, just to catch up.

I ate Mexican out with the girls one day and Cracker Barrel with my mom on Friday.  Every other day I packed my lunch.  I didn't enter a fast food restaurant to get lunch for myself out of laziness, habit, or craving. 

Finally, the Shrinking Jeans ladies asked us to note something positive about ourselves daily  I managed to do this every day but one.  Here is a sampling of my thoughts:

I hosted a fun party!
At least I try.
I have boobs! (The one benefit of weight gain)
Nice abs/legs (a serious achievement - I saw my quad muscles!)
I can do anything!

And finally - I completed my longest pre-marathon run on Sunday.  20 miles.  All by myself.  No music, no chatting on the phone, no one running beside me.  My IMG tried to speak up a few times, but I think I managed to shut her up.

Disney here I come!!!

Festive Friday

Hopefully today I can keep the chatter at a minimum and get to my Christmas pictures!  Last year after Christmas, Jay and I knew that we'd be purchasing our current home.  We hadn't closed on the house or moved in yet, but we knew it was going to be ours.

With that in mind, we shopped the day after Christmas to get some good deals on decorations.  The first thing I decided was that I was going to have 2 trees.  My regular one in the hearth room by the fireplace, then another in the landing at the top of the stairs.  I'd keep my antique ornaments up there just in case friends/guests with kids came to visit.  My worst nightmare is one of my antique ornaments (that use to belong to my great grandmother) would get broken by a grabby kid who thought they were toys.

Instead of a tree upstairs this year, I'm getting new bookshelves built in the landing and a claw foot tub in the bathroom.  Said claw foot tub is currently residing in my landing awaiting installation.  They will both be gorgeous and wonderful.  I'm trying to focus on that as I spend my first Christmas in the house much differently than expected.

Oh and that lighted garland I bought to string along the hand rail on the stairs?

Totally not there.  I figured it'd just get knocked down with all the up and down and carrying heavy things (like a massive wooden sink vanity) on the stairs. 

Once again it will be worth it.  I just have to keep repeating that to myself.  My only disappointment is that the tub was supposed to be ready this weekend for a post 20 mile run soak and its not going to be.  Oh well, Jay will just have to give me a good rub down instead.

There are some things we purchased that we are getting to use.  Like the stocking holders - since we finally have a mantle to put them on!

Jay gets to be the engine.

And I think it goes without saying that I get to be the caboose.

The set also came with 2 middle cars for the train.  Just in case that biological clock of mine ever decides to wake up.  For now they're stored safely under the stairs. 

Where they belong.

I've had this card holder for a while I love being able to display my cards without having them clutter up the counter.  I hate counter clutter.  With the intensity of a thousand suns.

Seriously.

So it makes it hard when most Christmas decorations are supposed go on a counter type surface.  It makes it more difficult finding a surface where some one's not going to lose a limb.

At the other house the nativity was stupidly placed on the bar near the sink.  A wise man may or may not have lost a nose because of the mistake.  Super Glue is a wonderful invention isn't it?

Our tree is kinda sad.  Over the years some of the lights have went out so its only lit in splotches.  Instead of using the pre-lit lights, we bought a strand of lights to cover it.  Only we didn't realize the lights were connected with a white rope instead of green.  Giant bargain hunting fail.  So we opted for some blue lights left over from a political/Christmas float Jay was on in the town parade a couple years back.

My husband is a good photographer.  He always impresses me with his shots, which is why I only take pictures for blogging purpose and he takes the pictures for everything else.

Now why couldn't that have been our Christmas card picture??  Oh yeah that's right.  Cause I hadn't decorated yet.  And even doing the picture when we did we still haven't received them yet.  I suppose I can always just write "Happy New Year" on the back.

Oh and one other decoration that I didn't buy on sale after Christmas.  Probably the most gorgeous one.  One that you can't buy anywhere.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Festive Friday

Only 15 days until Christmas!!!!  Are you ready?  Haven't even started yet?

I'm starting to get stressed out.  For some reason I thought it was a good idea to do the following:

1. Training for a marathon - including 18 & 20 mile runs.
2. Remodel my bathroom - using my formal dining room for storage.
3. Take a long weekend to visit a State Park with my family.
4. Host a Christmas party.

Now that I type it out, it doesn't look like all that much, but add to those things daily chores and I'm one exhausted girl.  Even the thought of pulling out my Christmas decorations makes me tired.

We've got them out and partially put up now.  The tree is up and half decorated.  I'm out of ornament hangers, and somehow we lose them every year.  That reminds me, I need to steal paper clips from work buy hooks before going home.

Not sure how I'm going to fit cleaning and decorating into my weekend, especially given that I have 2 Christmas parties and a baby shower to attend as well as an 18 mile run to complete.  With the snow forecast for Sunday - it looks like I'm going to have to fit the run in with the shower and one of the parties in on Saturday.

I thought I'd share with you some pictures from last year since I don't have any this year yet!

This year we actually have a fire place to hang our stockings from - I'll have to wait until Jay builds a nice fire and get a picture of them for you!!

This is a source of stress for me.  We've been using our formal dining room (which is much larger than this one was) as a storage space for our bathroom remodel.  Its a big room and largely goes unused.  I'm just concerned that they won't be done with the remodel in time for me to have my family over next Saturday!

Actually I told a lie - I do have a picture from this year to share with you - the picture taken for our Christmas cards.

We hope your Christmas is blessed (and stress free) this holiday season!

Merry Christmas!!

Love, Brooke & Jay

Now its your time to brag (or make me feel better about my own slowness):

Have you decorated yet?

Finished your shopping?

Wrapped your gifts?



Wednesday Already??

I'm cranky.

Probably because of poor eating choices I've made the past few days months.  Sorry Tinsel Vixens! 

To keep the crankiness out of this post, I'll keep the words short and sweet.  I was able to log almost 6 hours of exercise this past week - half of which was spent in Jay's Pawpaw's basement on a treadmill.

For my long  run, Jay had initially said he was going to go with me.  He hasn't ran in over a month and thought somehow he could tackle 17 miles.  Oh to have that sort of self confidence!

As you can see, it took a little effort to get him up and going.

And after only 2 miles, he decided that he'd had enough.  I told him to get rested up and then check on me in 30-45 minutes.  By then I thought he would have recovered enough to save me from the dreadmill boredom and we could get a few more miles in outside.

Instead, when he came to check on me, he said he was just then recovered from those two miles.  He offered to bring me water.  I had already gotten the "low battery" warning on my IPod, and I feared what might happen if I did have music to entertain me.

I knew due to lack of Internet service, Jay wasn't using his computer.  So I asked him to set it up for me and see if Pawpaw had any DVDs at his house - other than Silent Night (a war movie set near where he was captured as a POW during WW2). 

The only other option was a movie belonging to Jay's mother "Thomas Kincade's A Christmas Cottage" based on Kincade's early years - a story about how he found his inspiration.  Because of the noise of the HVAC unit as well as the treadmill, I couldn't hear the dialog.  Jay put the captions on for me and I was on my way.

My non-scale victory of the week?  A 17 mile run (15 of which was on the treadmill).  Only 9.2 more to go!