Babies, Birthdays, and Graduations

We went to Bainbridge this past weekend, and it was a very eventful weekend. My nephew, Kevin, graduated from high school Friday night. He was supposed to graduate Thursday night, but graduation was rained out. I am probably the only person who was happy that graduation was rained out! I couldn't go Thursday, because graduation was at 8 pm, and I had to work Fri. It was the last day of school, and there was no way I could miss. About 7 pm Thursday, I checked the school's website, no news about cancelling graduation. I checked the local news...no news about cancelling graduation. I checked weather.com, and there was only a 10 percent chance of rain. Doggone it! But about 9:15 my sister called. I thought it was awful early for graduation to be over, and it was. They were rained out about 1/3 into the program. YAY! God made a way for me to be there! I left work a little early, and we made the long, slow ride to Bainbridge. Because graduation would be held inside, students only got 6 tickets. Frank and Jacob couldn't go, but Paige and I could. We got to Bainbridge, ate at Dairy Queen, changed in the camper in the parking lot, and made it to graduation in plenty of time. I don't know if it mattered to Kevin or not, but I sure was glad to be there. I started squalling as soon as he walked up in his cap and gown. After that, I was fine, no more tears. Paige really enjoyed seeing my old high school stomping grounds. Of course, I didn't do a lot of stomping, I was more of a tip toer. Frank was the first graduating class to graduate in the Coliseum (gym) and Kevin graduated in the same place 20 years later. We sure are getting old!

Saturday, we celebrated Frank's dad's 60th birthday with a picnic at Lake Seminole. Paige met a few of her cousins that she didn't know, including....BABY RJ! We finally got to see this sweet baby and Paige couldn't get enough of him. There are no words for how sweet he is!

(I added the pics after I typed this, and I have no idea how to get my text above the pics without retyping it. Pretend like the pics were a big surprise at the end of the post, hahaha.)

Show Us Where You Live: Dining Room Edition

It's time for Show Us Where You Live Friday: Dining Room Edition. Please go over to Kelly's Korner Blog to see all the beautiful dining rooms!

I didn't get to participate in the Guest Room Edition, because I have two guests who will be staying in my spare bedrooms for at least 18 years! I also didn't get to participate in the Kitchen Edition because I couldn't get my act together in time, but since my dining room and kitchen are together, I did sneak in some pics of my kitchen!

Here is the dining floor. I think it's beautiful! We originally had carpet, and had a little bit of the wood floor from the kitchen left over. The wood has been discontinued, so we couldn't get more to replace the carpet with. My wonderful husband made a border around the room with the wood and tiled inside the border. I love it!

This is the view from the back door entry hall, and the French doors go to the screened in porch and pool area.

Here is the view from the kitchen. I love how open it is. We usually eat at the bar, but when we have guests, we serve the food on the bar.

And here is the opposite view from the dining room looking back into the kitchen.

This round table is very special to me because it belonged to a dear friend who is in Heaven now.

My china cabinet belonged to my Granny.

This is another one of my favorite parts of the room. This was originally a den, but I repurposed it as the dining room and turned the original dining/living room combination into our family room. My husband didn't like my idea because "you aren't supposed to have a fireplace in the dining room". But I love how it turned out, and I think that he does too...secretly.

Of all of the special pieces of furniture in this room, this is truly my favorite. This desk is the last Christmas present my mother ever gave me. She saw me admire it at a flea market, and then gave it to me months later for Christmas...much to my surprise!

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my dining room. There are things I'd love to change about it...1971 panelling, obviously, but I love the room so much, that I hardly even notice that any more. Have a great weekend and feel free to comment!

Ronald William Sams Jr. aka My Nephew RJ

RJ has arrived! Caryn went in at 4 am for antibiotics and induction was started at 7:30. They broke her water at about 10, she got an epidural and was at a 5 about noon, and he was born at 1:36. After a week and a half at 2 cm, it happened pretty fast! (said by someone 2 hours away with absolutely no contractions, haha) He weighed 7 lb 8 oz and was 20 inches long. I haven't had the chance to talk to her yet, but will as soon as she is rested and ready to call.

Happy Birthday to Frank

Last Monday was Frank's birthday. Since he was in Myrtle Beach for his birthday, we celebrated it tonight. We had one of his favorite foods, lasagna, with some of his favorite people. We will be adding another May birthday to our family soon...hopefully even tomorrow! My sister Caryn has to be at the hospital at 4 am to have RJ. She has to take some antibiotics first, and then have labor induced. Tonight was my nephew Kevin's Baccalaureate. He graduates from High School Thursday. I hate that I can't be there! He was born the year I graduated from high school. I just realized that there is as much age difference between me and him as there will be between him and his little brother! I will be going down there Friday for a long weekend, and will get to meet my newest nephew and congratulate my oldest nephew in person. This will be a long week...it's the last week of school. And tomorrow is going to be a long day...waiting for RJ. I will update with baby news when I have some.

When the Dads Away...

The Mama does as little as possible! Frank is on a golf trip in Myrtle Beach this week. He'll be back Thurs. night. Monday, I came home and laid around watching tv and the kids ate leftovers. Tuesday, I took Paige to the dermatologist, and picked up Zaxby's for dinner. I was so exhausted from all that, I ended up taking a nap. But after my nap, I watered the flowers and sprayed the gardenette with soapy water to try to get rid of the hungry worm that has been eating the pepper plant leaves. I also did two loads of laundry. Today, I came straight home and, you guessed it, laid around. I will be taking the kids to get something to eat, then going to church. Tomorow, the plan is to lay around, I mean go out to eat with the other abandoned wives. Daddy will be home tomorrow night, late, so things will get back to normal. But until then, his vacation is mine too!

In other news...Paige has to have the mole removed from her leg after school is out. She isn't happy, but it has to be done. Better safe, than sorry. My good news is that 100 percent of my class passed 100 percent of the CRCT! WOO HOO! Only 5 more whole days, and 2 half days, then schools out for summer! AND we are still waiting for my nephew to make his grand entrance into the world. I will update on that as soon as he arrives!

Show Us Where You Live Friday

Today is another blogging first for me...I am joining my very first blogging carnival! I am linking to Kelly's House Tour, and it's fantastic! Make sure you go over to her blog, Kelly's Korner, and check out the other beautiful rooms...and I hope you join the carnival with me!

The fabric on this pillow was the inspiration for my room. It was a Waverly pattern from Target. I have valances in this pattern, with a cute light green polka dot underneath, and my drapes are the matching stripe.

My living room was originally a living/dining combo, but we turned another room into the dining room. The room is long and narrow. To make it more cozy, I created a little reading area at one end of the room. I got these chairs from Target, too! I used my old dresser for a sofa table, and the storage is great!

This is my favorite piece in the room. (Sorry for the flash) This was from my mother's home, and all I did to it was change the drawer pulls. I didn't put the handles on the bottom doors because they don't match the holes. I love the white piece that is in there (also from her house) because it shows up so well, and I can't wait to get more pieces to go in it.

This view is from the kitchen door. I know, I hung my drapes too high, but the first time, I hung them too low. That is tops on my "to do list" once school is out. I want some colorful pillows for the sofa.

This is the view from the foyer. I have no idea what that spot on the picture is...sorry. When we bought the tv cabinet, my husband insisted on getting one with doors, but we never close the doors. Please excuse the basket of books next to the tv, I need to find a better way to hide my stuff!

Well, there's my living room. I love this room, and we really "live" in our living room. As a matter of fact, I'm writing this on the couch, with my feet on the coffee table now. And now, I'm going to look at some more of your living rooms!

...But I really was gonna cook tonight!

After the great fluffernutter supper of '09, I thought it would be appropriate for me to cook a real dinner for my family. I had it all planned, chicken and dressing casserole, vidalia onion casserole, and fresh squash. I had the chicken in the oven, and was mixing up the onion casserole when Frank came home. Rick was bringing Frank's truck home that he borrowed while his truck was in the shop (truck v. deer). I was in my nightgown, cooking, like a good wife, and I told Frank that I was really sorry that we couldn't ask Rick to stay for dinner, because I had only made a small casserole, because no one at my house but me will eat leftovers. Frank went out in the yard to give Rick a ride to the shop, and he turned around and came back in, almost immediately. He said Rick wanted to go eat Mexican before he leaves Saturday for Missourri, and he hated for him to go by himself, could we please go with him. You know I can't tell Rick no, so I put my clothes back on (I hope someone doesn't start reading this in the middle and get the wrong idea) and we went to eat Mexican. I did remember to turn the oven off, by the way. So now, the casserole is finishing cooking, I put the onions in the oven too, and I've got a good start on tomorrow's dinner! Now the question is...Did Frank use Rick because he wasn't excited about what I was cooking for dinner? hmmmm....

The Best or Worst Mother

I've decided that I'm either the best or worst mother ever. I went to the grocery store today, with the best of intentions on cooking a vidalia onion casserole and chicken and dressing. When I got home, Frank said he only had about 15 minutes before he had to head to the church for a meeting, so there went my supper idea. Instead, I made a homemade recipe I have never made or even eaten before. These were my main ingredients...

Yep, Fluffernutters for Dinner!
Please don't laugh at the fact that they were on hamburger buns. It never occured to me to buy bread at the grocery store. They were delicious!

So, best mother for making something utterly sinful for dinner, or worst mother for making something utterly sinful for dinner?

Cinco de Mayo aka Jacob's Birthday

Today is Jacob's 13th birthday! It's hard to believe he is already a teenager. I was thinking today about when he was in preK and kindergarten at my school, and had to run out of line and hug me each and every time he passed me throughout a day. In first and second grade, he'd just show up in my room at all times of day to say hi. By third grade, he was getting too cool for me, and now, he's just happy that he is much taller than I am. We started celebrating his big day Saturday with a "party" with his friends. He doesn't like the word party, he just wants to "hang out". So, he "hung out" with his peeps (is that still the right word to use) swimming and eating, then Frank, being the coolest dad that Jacob has, took the guys to see the new Wolverine movie. AND he bought each and every one of them their own popcorn and soda. How's that for an exciting time? They came back to the house for brownies and ice cream, then played video games in the basement. I got a few pics in the food line, when they couldn't hide from the camera, and they agreed (ok, they were forced) to pose for a couple of group pics. After all, a kid only turns 13 once! Tonight, his official birthday, we went to Macon to buy his gifts...a punching bag, boxing gloves, and a stereo. We ate dinner at Outback where he had something really special...a bacon cheeseburger. If you have ever eaten out with J, then you know how he always gets a bacon cheeseburger no matter where we go. It was a good night, a good birthday, with lots of laughs, too much food, and a few gifts thrown in for good measure. Here are the pics of his fiesta.

A Gourmet Feast of Hamburgers and Hotdogs Prepared by the Best Dad Jacob Has

Yo, Yo, Yo, the Birthday Boy and His Peeps

And This is the "Normal" Picture I Begged For

Happy Birthday Jacob!