Happy New Year!

With the roller coaster of a year it has been, I welcome 2010 with open arms. I've watched far too many people hurt in 2009 and I think we all deserve a fresh start. I've got a feeling that 2010 is going to be great. We kissed 2009 goodbye last night with some great friends and Im waiting for pictures to be posted on her blog so I can add them to mine. But it was fun with friends, fireworks, games and some yummy food and drinks!

On my to do list for 2010:
1) Be a better wife/mom/daughter/friend - I know Im a good in all of these catagories, but I know I could be better. I need to make more time for all of these parts of my life and quit half a$$ing it so much.
2) Get healthy -- this isnt just for me - its for those around me. I know I need to eat better, I know I need to exercise more, so I just need to do it. I think Dad's heart problems were a wake up call. "Hello your genetics are calling....get your a$$ in gear or else!" You have to start somewhere.

So those are pretty big in my book. I think starting out with 2 is good. We will see how it goes!

Happy New Year!

Christmas Vacation

With plans up in the air after my Dads surgery, we decided to still go on vacation and Im so glad we did. We obviously missed family, but we invited some friends (although I think I called them strangers when drinking and while they may be strange - STEVE - they are far from strangers!). But we had a great time, relaxed by the fire, ate some good food, drank some brews, saw some trains, hunted for bears, played cornhole, watched football....and had fun. We have pictures to prove it. Im sure Amber will post hers on her blog too and she has a new killer camera so her pictures will be better than mine....so look over there as well.

Our second trip staying in this cabin -- we love it!




This view of it does not show how big it really is -- its a two story with a double decker gazebo with amazing views of the Great Smokies.


See what I mean?


Christmas Morning:








Loving the only bear we saw all weekend...its not for a lack of trying though.




Our great friends who came along for the ride. Thanks for the food, brews, and memories.



Ok...maybe not the Cornhole memories. I was told I need to work on my skills.







Hunting for bears....well looking for evidence of them at least.







Great Smokey Mtn Railroad Museum. Alex LOVED all the trains. For what you can do in there its semi pricey - but I'd go again because Alex liked it so much.




One last look off the gazebo.



Goodbye Lands Creek! See you again soon.

The Grizwolds of MY Family

My cousin goes all out for Christmas every year. I was so sad that Alex was sick and didnt get to go out there to see the lights. They live about an hour from us so its hard to make it out there and I always look forward to Christmas and getting the kids together. Watch this video to the end...its pretty stinking funny!

Melt.My.Heart.

I love this munchkin....

A Cluster Post

First off...DAD is HOME! He is doing ok. He was ready to get home - he saw Alex tonight for the first time since Thanksgiving and I think that perked him up a bit. I hope it did. We love you Dad...keep fighting!

Next -- I got the funniest email today with pictures from Scotty's 40th ShinDig....so without further ado...the debacle:

"This is why I'm hot"

"Or maybe its the company I keep that makes me hot."

"Ok, not alllll the company is hot."

"Is this thing on?"

"Good friends stay sober so they can produce blackmail."


"Chhhhhheeeeeeesssseeee!"

Now I just have to say that we saw Jon Reep (Comedian from Last Comic Standing) perform earlier in the night and he had the luck of running into his fans, his groupies, his followers, his drunk people at Rock Bottom and he was SO SO SO gracious to stop what he was doing and celebrate with us and take a few pictures. I am forever a Jon Reep fan!!!

"40 ROCKS! WOOO HOOO!"



"Party on Scotty!"

"Jon doing what he does best!"

Happy 40th Scotty! I love you even if you dont close your eyes....although it was probably a good thing you didnt...you would have either passed out or fallen backwards....just sayin....

Heart to heart

I think Dad must have had a little heart to heart with his heart last night. According to Mom, they turned down his temp pacemaker today and his heart has started to work some on its own. Still a long way to go, but that wish on my eyelash yesterday after I left the hospital must have worked (Yep, Melanie, I did it too!).

Today was the first day I didn't visit the hospital. Instead I went to see a few friends. It was good to have girl time. I needed it, and apparently I was exhausted because when I got home I crashed for about an hour...with my sweet Alex sleeping in my arms! He never does this anymore. I have missed him a lot this past week.

And....a setback

Dad my have to have a permanent pacemaker put it. It appears his heart wont function without it. What a blow....