Why base a movie from a book if you're going to end it completely different??

LOVED the movie! Hated the ending. I urge everyone to read the book either before or after you see the movie. The book ending is so much more impacting or impactful (is that even a word?)!!

I drove to Valdosta to see it with Dr. Dixey, Carrie, Jennifer, and Bridgett! We had all read the book and couldn't wait to see the film. Before the movie we all stocked up on candy from Walgreens...luckily Dr. Dixey brought tissues (I think we used the entire box), and then we went to dinner at Roadhouse! Overall, a FUN evening!

Take 2!

I realize it is way too late to be blogging. But we've been cleaning and organizing around here like it aint nobody's business! Whatever that means..ha! Now I am squeaky clean and being a nerd by checking up at the posts for my online class. I was thinking about what I need to do tomorrow..and it hit me! I will by running by our Christian bookstore downtown to snag a copy of my very own...by my favorite author and about my favorite fictional characters in my favorite series. That's a lot of favorites! Go support KK! Now I'm going to try to wind down. I'm really enjoying summer...and don't want it to end!!! Oh, I watched the Jon and Kate special tonight...how sad! After I read her book, I really started to like Kate. I just can't believe they are going to continue filming. Hmmmm...

To do list for tomorrow:
-dust furniture
-clean bathrooms
-reply to 2 posts
-get Take Two
-read it in the pool
-think anniversary (it makes sense to me)

Sounds like a plan!

Nothing beats family time!

We went home to Dublin for the first time in a while due to...you guessed it...our busy life! We arrived late Friday night and just had a good time sitting around talking.

We were planning on going to Macon on Saturday, but decided to stay around town. Saturday night, we set up one of Daddy's father's day gifts. A fire pit. And got stuff ready for s'mores! He was watching a movie and we had the fire blazing and called him outside! He was so surprised!!! We enjoyed a "bonfire" and made s'mores for awhile. Luckily, it cooled down Sat. night.




Billy and Matt setting things up!



Sunday, we cooked out and Matt and I made a southern living coffee cake for Daddy. He loves fresh fruit, we didn't follow the recipe..we changed a few things. It was great!!! We were very sad to leave!


Our batter and topping


Doesn't it look good?


After everyone had a piece. My brother picked up his girlfriend in Milledgville and she even had a piece! It was a success all around!

Date Night!

Matt and I don't have a set date night...we just try to go on meaningful dates every now and then. Well, it seems like we'll be having a lot more lately. Matt purchased several gift certificates to nice restaurants for only $3 dollars each. The gift certificates are $25. Isn't my hubby money wise?? There is a catch. You have to dine during the week. No problem!

We went to The Ravine at Kinderlou last week. It was very good.


This is a picture of the lobster ravioli in vodka sauce. Amazing!



We were trying to get a good picture of us...unsuccessfully! But we still had a great time!

After our date, we went to Books A Million! Then met up with B and CBD at El Toreo for a bit.


Isn't that a great pic of CBD and B?
We got back late, but had a fun night out! Summer dates have to be the best!

Completely sucked in!

So, over Spring Break I think, I read the book Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah! I loved it and got completely sucked in to the characters and the writing. I sort of felt like my obsession with the book was reminiscent of the Twilight series. It was powerful! Since then, I've been wanting to read more of Hannah's books to see if it was her writing style or the story line, and I've been recommending her to everyone else that asks for a book suggestion.

Today, I started and finished my second Kristin Hannah book, True Colors, all 400 and some odd pages. I was sucked in again. And I find myself thinking and wondering about the characters. I was sad when I finished the book and didn't want it to end. So now I am hooked and am desperate to read another one! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the following books!

I'm gonna miss this...

I'm going to want you to follow this link (copy and paste in your address bar) and then watch the music video. It wouldn't let me embed it into my blog for some reason!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG9XfJxMY8A

As I was watching the CMT awards last night and Trace Adkins was singing this song. I wanted Matt to change the channel b/c I love the lyrics of the song, but it makes me super sad.

Especially:

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride

In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by

He tells her It's a nice place

She says It'll do for now

Starts talking about babies and buying a house

Daddy shakes his head and says Baby, just slow down
You're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These Are Some Good Times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this

I feel like all we talk about is building our house and having kids...me going back to school....etc.

And we talk about those things because that is the stage we're in in our lives, we are so excited to embark on those journey's...but then I look back to when we were first married...

I was student teaching (no pay) living off Matt's income only. We decorated our house with hand me down things...we repainted and distressed, made old things new, and got a bunch of cheap stuff from The Freckled Frog (thanks to my connections :)). We cooked very simply most nights, didn't have cable, and were in bed watching tv by 8 every night. Life was so simple. We didn't even have Blakely. And somehow, with our limited budget we were still able to treat ourselves and enjoy ourselves. Then for the rest of the year, I got a job (that didn't pay much) and we got cable, I joined a Bible Study, and we got Blakely. I miss those days a lot...even though I didn't think I would.

After that I sprung into even more church activities, and so did Matt. I started grad school, began teaching 2nd grade full time, then Matt got another job too. Life is so busy now!

Anyway, that song just got me thinking...

And even though I'm so excited about graduation in August, I know how much I'm going to miss eating dinner with some of my best friends twice a week, and just learning and going to school (Even though I'm sort of bored already, I vow to never miss all the hw and projects)!

On to the next chapter... :)

The Forgotten Coast??

I know that St. George Island and Apalachicola, Cape Sandblast, etc. have the nickname the forgotten coast. But how scary does that sound??? So, I refer to it as the emerald coast...which I think is really the Destin, Mexico Beach, PC area...but hey, it's all the gulf right? Here are some pics from our cheap, fun, day trip!

What a relaxing day...not to mention we listened to Oyster Country all afternoon! BUT, I am burnt...burnt badly just like our first trip to St. George last year...except this time it is my lower legs, b/c I did learn my lesson last time about my upper legs...haha!

I finished reading The Shack, and Mommywood....great reads!!! Mommywood is going to my favorite book list. Again, I am finding so many similarities between us...it's crazy.

I loved having Matt home today...he and Blakely are outside hitting golf balls as we speak and then he is going to give her a bath...she's really sandy! Tomorrow I'll be nursing my sunburn and working on gifted stuff all day! Then I'm going to the library to check out some new books, cleaning, fixing Matt supper, and hopefully heading to Cherokee Lake when the sun goes down of course :)

Love Dare!

This is kind of like the 25 things - except they are pre-decided questions and it's about you and your spouse/boyfriend, not just you. Come on, play along - inquiring minds want to know!


Do you see us? I'm in the blue sweater! This was taken about a year or two after we started dating.

♥ What are your middle names?
Elaine and Michael

♥ How long have you been together?
About 8 years! We've been married for 3.

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
A year...give or take a few months!

♥ Who asked who out?
Matt asked me out. We had become very close over the summer and the spring before people speculated that we were an "item" ha! But we were just really good friends. I had no interest in my sweet Matty until August of my sophomore year, his junior year!

♥ How old are each of you?
I will not reveal my old age. Matt is 27 :)

♥ Whose siblings do/did you see the most?
Mine....he lives the closest and we meet up frequently in Valdosta, or he drives here.

♥ Do you have any children together?
Just a dog, Blakely :) for now!

♥ What about pets?
Oh, see question above :) A golden retriever!

♥ Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Business. But not too much longer! Matt works 2 jobs and I drive to Vtown a few nights a week for class. Then we do different things at church, and have our own things that we do in the community!

♥ Did you go to the same school?
We were college sweethearts...VSU!

♥ Who is the smartest?
Matt is probably the smartest. I however, am book smart. I study a lot...and have a lot of knowledge!

♥ Who is the most sensitive?
Me....I am emotional and I LOVE it! But Matt can be too!

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Home! Uh, when we do go out I would say either The Bonefish Grill in Tally or Fishbonz's here and that is not all that often!We like to try new restaurants here.

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
We haven't gotten to travel a lot...business again. But we've been down to Boca Raton Florida together...Palm Beach and we've been to New Orleans on a mission trip, and vacationed in Tennessee and South Carolina!

♥Who has the craziest ex?
Ugh Him..if you can call it an ex!

♥ Who has the worst temper?
Matt

♥ Who does the cooking?
Matt. He is my cooking hubby. I used to before my life became consumed. But now he's so good at it, I say why stop??

♥ Who is more social?
It depends. People say that we're both outgoing and social. And we are but there are times where we both withdraw and keep to ourselves....and sometimes we can both be caught talking to everyone we pass!

♥ Who is the neat-freak?
ME!!!!!

♥ Who is the more stubborn?
Matt! I always cave.

♥ Who hogs the bed?
Neither.

♥ Who wakes up earlier?
Me, except in the summer. I always wake Matt up as I'm walking out the door.

♥ Where was your first date?
Texas Roadhouse and a movie.

♥ Who has the bigger family?
Matt I think.

♥ Do you get flowers often?
I do sometimes :)

♥ How do you spend the holidays?
We alternate major holiday's.

♥ Who is more jealous?
Me!

♥ What is "your song"?
Our songs change with the wind. We love music. But "I cross my heart" by George Strait was the first song that we danced to.

♥ How long did it take to get serious?
About a year!

♥ Who eats more?
Matt almost always

♥ Who does/did the laundry?
Me, but Matt will help out if I get too behind.

♥ Who’s better with the computer?
I'm pretty savy at word and excel...thanks grad school and the education profession...but he is better at computers in general.

♥ Who drives when you are together?
Matty Matt. I drive too slow and safe :)


We took this when we were looking for locations to have the rehearsal dinner after we got engaged!

Summer time...where the livin is easy!

My Summer List! You know that I love a good list :)

1. Each night Matt and I drive by the lot we are thinking about building on and we are surrounded by oaks with spanish moss, pines, magnolia trees, hydrangeas, and white crate myrtle trees! Love it!

2. Sonic!

3. Reading all my books! I will post a book blog: summer must reads later!

4. Napping with Blakely!

5. Right now, VBS, and lunching afterwards downtown and seeing a sea of orange shirts everywhere we go!

6. The Y Pool being packed!

7. My online gifted class...so far at least (very interesting)!

8. Summer reality shows (Tori and Dean, The Bachelorette, Jon and Kate, Cake Boss)

9. Morning Shows! Today, Regis and Kelly, The View (My loves)!

10. Watching movies whenever I want!

11. Walking at Cherokee Lake and having time!

12. Upcoming beach trips and visits from family members and friends!!!!

I just have to share a quick quote from my girl, Tori Spelling..."I'm not a phone person. I NEVER answer my cell phone or CHECK my voicemail--the mailbox is almost always full and not accepting new messages. Sometimes I just clear it all without listening to the ninety or so messages that have accumulated." Come on? We are just alike! I've never met anyone that doesn't check their messages like me. Now I feel like it is justified...when people tell me that they tried to leave me a message but can't b/c my voice mail is full..haha! It's a waste of time and I'm just so glad I'm not alone :)

sTori Telling is great, and it is making me crave 90210 (I was diehard about that show back in the day...t-shirts, sleeping bags and all)! I'm going to be watching reruns on SOAP soon, I can just feel it!

Done, Done, and Done!

I just checked 3 HUGE assignments off of my to-do list! I worked like a mad woman all throughout Maymester and we shared a lot and worked in the lab a lot. But our 3 main assignments were due at the very end. I got them all printed today. One unit was about 70 pages. The other was almost 90. And then I had my powerpoint! Whew! I even managed to upload everything to LiveText and burn hard copies for my proferssor on Cd's!


I was trying to show off the thickness! And it only took 15 days!
Now on to my last class ever for my Master's! It's completely online...so I can happily say! Welcome Summer Vacation!!!!!


Matty made blueberry pancakes for breakfast the other day and I just thought he was so sweet for doing it and they turned out great!


He made me a "N" for my name :) He is going to be a good daddy!!!

I'm in the middle of reading Tori Spelling's first book right now...which I am liking a lot! So, I'm off to spend some time preparing for tomorrow's Bible Study and to do a little bit of reading!

All Aboard!

I've been turning a sunday school classroom into an Aussie Adventure for 4th grade girls and boys all afternoon with a youth worker and my friend Laura. I know the video is cheesy! But you have NEVER seen a church go all out with VBS like my church! I love the songs each year and the sweet, simple, phrases and verses that speak to people of all ages..including myself. We had our Outback training and lunch on the barbie as a break for the hundreds of people setting up today! We got our shirts too...which we wear for 5 days straight!

The boomerang express is already starting out fun this year! We're keeping it simple in our room because last year LeAnn and I went crazy! We went overboard...and this year's theme is that it all "comes back" to Jesus! Let's hope Monday goes smoothly!

Matt and I are going a well deserved date in Tallahassee tonight! I can't wait!
Follow...worship...Live through Him!

The early bird gets the worm...

It is 7am, and I've been up for about an hour. Far too early for my first Friday without class or school...and Matt is even off today! The weird thing is that I went to bed super late last night and so my head is in a fog and my eyes hurt....if not, I would definitely work on some Root work. I have a good day or two's work still ahead of me for her class. My poor Blakely is up with me and I think she's tired too! Ha!

But what do you do this early? Should I clean the house? Watch tv? Read? I am so not used to this free time!!!

I guess I'll read a book...I'm currently reading My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It hits the movie theaters in a few weeks I think.


I do have to say...it feels great to be done with my writing class...minus my units! I gave my presentation last night, turned in my powerpoint, then celebrated by a visit to one of my favorite places..TARGET! Then I went to my brother's girlfriend, Miranda's, house and visited with her and Billy for awhile. Then my sweet hubby was waiting for me at Applebee's and we enjoyed a celebratory dinner! We NEVER eat at Applebee's but we had a coupon for $10 off....and it was really good. I am very thankful for my friends and family that celebrate the "small" things in life with me!

One more thing! Beth Moore and I had our second session last night on my way home from class! It was about psalms and songs! Very insightful!


This is good 7am worship if you ask me! :)

Reasons that I LOVE/hate my Maymester class!

Love:
Turns out, I am learning tons.
Am motivated to teach the stages of writing to my babies (I already teach genres)!
Have lots of new CUTE resources.
Made a really cute editing/proofreader's marks poster.
Have had to work my butt off and feel like a better student and teacher from it.
Know so much more about accommodations and modifactions....and got lots of great tips!
Making new friends...I don't feel so old when I'm around them ;)
My book!
The plethora of knowledge that I am gaining every second about writing and teaching! I am quite surprised about all the pros for this class!
Finishing in 15 days! Although it has felt like 100! :)

Hate:
Too much work! A crazy amount at that!....in such a short amount of time!
Driving everyday!


Ok, on to more exciting things! I am LOVING that Tori and Dean is back on Oxygen. Tori is my long lost sister, I'm sure of it. And Matt loves it just as much!