Mud On The Tires

Funny title. huh? But in reality it's not. See, when W and I were dating, Brad Paisley's song Mud On The Tires appropriately described our relationship. He was a country boy. I was a city girl. Yet somehow, someway (fate maybe?) our paths crossed. And pretty soon, this city girl was head over heals in love with that country boy. Every waking moment I had, I wanted to be with him. Every breath I took, I wanted to take them with him.

That has not changed. This city girl is still head over heels in love with that country boy. Except now, I'm more of a country girl than a city one. And he made me that way. He took me out of my city house and put me in a country one. He taught me that riding 4-wheelers was tons of fun. That fishing is fun (though I still refuse to bait my own hook or remove the catch from the line), that swimming in the river and the lake aren't bad at all, that sometimes it is ok to get dirty, and about a million other "country" things.

No matter where we go or what we do, I'm happy as long as he is by my side. No matter what we face or what we have to overcome, we can because we are together. We've had our moments. Lots of moments. But we've come through, stronger, better, than we ever, ever were. I am thankful, I am blessed, and I am loved. By this man. He is my rock. He is my fortress. He is my strength. He is my other half.

My Sunshine

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey, you'll never know dear how much I love you, so please don't take your sunshine away!

Meet my sunshine. This is A. She is playful, tomboyish, sassy, serious, artsy, adventurous, beautiful~inside and out, my heartbeat, my reason for breathing, smart, amazing, silly, a dress-hater, a t-shirt and jean short wearer, softball player, part little girl~part big kid. 100% amazing.

A is a good mix of her dad and I. I like to think she is the best of both of us. She's serious but silly. She's a thinker, always has been. She was the best baby. She is the best big kid.

I used to sing the "sunshine song" to her every night as I gave her her bedtime bottle. It was OUR time. I still get to sing it occasionally as somehow bedtime as turned into her and her Daddy's time now. Which is ok. I'm here with her all day (I'm blessed), he's not, so if bedtime now belongs to him, then I can accept that. Though I do love the nights he is away (for whatever reason) and I get bedtime. And on those nights, she always requests the "sunshine song".

She is the sunshine of my life. She is the best thing ever, and I thank God for her every.single.day.

Can I Have a Moment?

To discuss the fact that after this Friday, Friday Night Lights will be gone? FOR EVER? That after this Friday, I will no longer spend my Friday evenings with the good-looking specimen of a man known as Eric Taylor? (Or, in reality, Kyle Chandler?)

Really? How could you let this happen America? How is that a country can embrace the Kardashians or Snooky or Paris Hilton but you can't get on the bandwagon of one of the greatest television shows ever?

I love football. I especially love high school and college football. I'm not really a fan of the NFL because I feel like once you get paid megamillions to do something, you no longer play with the same heart and passion you played with before. And here, here was an honest show set in a football-crazy town (and yeah, I live in one of those) centered around the star players and the super hot coach. It was classic TV people. Yet somehow the people of this country never embraced it. The fact that it survived 5 seasons is almost a miracle.

So on Friday night at 7:00, I will hold my own little memorial service for this amazing little show. Or maybe I'm not the only one?

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Just A Pinch....

Do you have a recipe that you could never actually write down for someone? You know, one that they would have to watch you make? And one that would require them to know what a "pinch" and a "smidgen" and a "dollop" are?

My mashed potatoes are like that. I could never actually write down exaclty how to make them, because I never make them the same way. Sometimes they require more butter or more mayonaise or more sour cream. Tonight I had to add more salt.

Isn't it funny how recipes like that work? You can't write them down, even though the ingredients are always the same. I always use mayonaise, butter, sour cream, salt, pepper, and a "smidge" of ranch dressing. But sometimes it is more mayo, sometimes more sour cream, and sometimes more butter. But NEVER more ranch. I've never actually added more than just a "smidge" of ranch.

Funny thing about these mashed potatoes though, I learned to make them from my Grammy. But I LEARNED to make them. She didn't write down her recipe, she taught it to me over time. And now, I am teaching A to make them, as she is the official mashed tater taster around here.

So what recipes can you not write down?

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Crayons and Pencils and Rulers...Oh My!

I'm linking up this post with Tickle Me Tuesdays over at Yes Teacher!

Since A will be starting the Third Grade in less than one month, school supplies are tickling my fancy this week.

I love school supplies. Always have. I remember how excited I was as a little girl when my mom would take me shopping for new pencils, crayons, construction paper, and a ruler. It didn't change when I got older and crayons and construction paper were no longer on the list. Why? Well because then I got a Trapper Keeper, and I thought I was the coolest kid.on.the.planet.

And now I get to take my very own munchkin shopping for school supplies! I was positively giddy when I went to Wal-Mart last week and saw them beginning to put school supplies out.

But please, don't get me wrong. I am not ready for summer to be over. I am not ready for A to actually NEED these supplies, just to buy them!

So, what's tickling your fancy this week? Let me know and then link up with Yes Teacher!


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Plans

~"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11~

This has always been a favorite Bible verse for me. When W went through a big shake up at his former place of employment (and thank God was spared), it gave me comfort. When an amazing job opportunity opened up for him in September, it gave me peace. When I was struggling with my former job and how unhappy it made me and how much time it took away from my family, God provided it to me again. When we took a huge leap of faith and I went back to school, there it was again.

And now, when we are dealing with some other things, it is back again. God always seems to put it in front of me when I need it. Nevermind that it is printed out and taped to my dresser mirror, it was the Bible verse and topic of my daily devotional today.

Just when I think I need to do things "my" way, God reminds me to slow down and do things "His" way. To wait for him. To listen to him. To seek his guidance. To remember what HIS plans are. To remember that HE has a plan, and HIS plan is to prosper me and my family, to give us hope and a future.

Isn't it funny how God works sometimes? Just when you think you have it all figured it out, He throws in a wrench. Or he provides when you feel you are at the end of your rope and have no where else to go. I've often heard that if you want to hear God laugh, just tell him YOUR plans. Because most of the time, our plans aren't necessarily GOD'S plans. God is so good, all the time. We just have to remember to be still and listen. To be patient and wait for his timing. This is not easy for me as I am a "want it now" type person, but just when I try to get ahead of myself, God slows me down. God reminds me that HE is in control, not me. And isn't that just a wonderful thing? He provides, He loves, He gives. And He has a plan. It might not be MY plan, but that is not what is important. HIS plan is.

~He says, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10~

Tickle Me Tuesdays.....July 4th Edition.

Welcome to Tickle Me Tuesdays, brought to us by Yes Teacher, where we discuss what is tickling our fancies this week.

For me it was 4th of July-inspired food. I love the red, white, and blue. I was obsessed with creating the "perfect" 4th of July party food for our family get together. In the end, I went with easy and we did strawberry, blueberry and whipped cream parfaits. And they were delish! But here's (some) of my inspiration:

Red, White, and Blue and very yummy-looking cake:

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Another red, white, and blue cake with berries. I LOVE fresh berries.
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Or finally, what I went with. Hey, it was easy! And it was yummy!

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So what about ya'll? What is tickling your fancy this week? Please share with me and then go back and link up with Yes Teacher!

And I hope that each of you had a safe, fun-filled, wonderful Fourth of July. Happy 235th America!