Beauty of the Day

Ahhh..... the first truly beautiful day of the year. The first of the season soon to come.  I swear, I felt so energized and alive today, it was an amazing feeling to not have hair matted to your face, clothes damp and every breath feeling as though it is being wrestled through a straw. Oh there were bugs, to be sure, but aside from that fact I was able to pretend today that we are deep into September and enjoying the splendor of Fall.  Took my baby boy for a walk and breathed in the fresh, clean, not miserably hot air and it was like heaven to us today! 

Sigh....

                                    

25 Days 'till Autumn

I think that's the right count.... regardless, I can't wait!  I got my yearly copy of Martha Stewart's Halloween Handbook and I'm flipping out over her ideas and costumes!  I have mine picked out already, and got some great plans already for Colten's 2nd birthday party!  2nd!  I cannot even believe it, 2 years old. Where has the time gone?  I'm excited about the possibility of still being here to have his party with his friends and neighbors.... we don't know too many people, but after the party I'm planning for my little boy, he's gonna have more people up in this house celebrating him than he'll know what to do with!  It's going to be awesome, that I promise you! I don't care what I have to do or invest in it, it's gonna rock!!!! 

(Last years copy, 2009)

An Upcoming Trip

My husband doesn't know it yet, but we're all heading to Mobile here soon for a 'lil visit! We've never been there and after living here for 3 years, it's time to get over yonder and see how adorable it really is. I have a feeling it will definitely live up to it's quaint reputation. In the meantime, we've got another trip planned as well- heading to the beach for an end-of-summer long weekend together with our family. I cannot wait!!!!

Feels Like Home

So we all know how much I love Fall, and that it is my favorite time of year. Summer is a close second, this is true. But nothing compares to Autumn in my heart. For me, it is just like heaven. So just out of my own need to see the splendor of it in front of me, (since I won't get to see it here in Alabama as soon as I'd like), I'm posting some beautiful pictures I've come across that reminds me of back home in Virginia.... sigh.

Trip to Eufaula

When my Mom was here we took an amazing day trip to an old-timey Alabama town by the name of Eufaula. We had a fabulous day, ate some great Cajun food and enjoyed some beautiful history....

Handwriting

So I've been reading up lately about how handwriting really reflects who we are, and how it indicates our personality types. I have no real idea how it does this, there's some ideas about the slope of your words, block letters or cursive. I guess I can see how all that can give insight into one's personality. I have no idea what mine says about me- I'm a happy go lucky lefty! South Paw all the way, baby!!!! But my parents and teachers worked really hard with me to write properly despite the difficulty of writing left-handed. I see others sometimes for whom it is obviously a bit hard, and I am grateful that my Mom and Dad wanted me to be able to write easily. It is so funny, all of the older cousins in my family are lefties- and none of our parents are! It's very odd, we don't know how that happened! I was secretly hoping that Colten would be a lefty too, but, alas, it looks as though he is a righty. He bats left though, which pleases my hubby to no end, he says it will give him a sports advantage, I have no idea.... but he usually wants to color with his right. I guess it could change, but if he's already comfy with his right, then I'm happy for him that it'll be that much easier for him to write one day.
Incidentally, I came across this cool little signature tool on a blog I found, and it's pretty neat, so I've added it to my post! Pretty cool, huh?

Past Lives

I wonder if there is some merit to the idea of past lives. I think about it alot, and in the religious sense, I'm just not sure where I stand on it,. But in a personal sense, sometimes I just really feel completely as if I can remember living life in a simpler time. Even as I am writing this I feel ridiculous. But truly, there are parts of me that feel like I was born in the wrong time period. I'm not a modern person, about the most "modern" thing about me is my cell phone. Maybe my laptop, and cable.  But everything from my feelings on simpler living, utilizing candlelight and oil lamps whenever possible because it feels more natural to me, to drooling over wood furniture, wood floors,wood and stone houses, little wooden toys, wooden utensils, home decorations, handmade pottery and wrought iron cookware. Handmade quilts on beds and fireplaces in bedrooms..... gosh, the list just goes on and on. I don't know exactly where I'd fit- 1800's maybe? But then there's the music, clothes, hair, cars and mannerisms of the early 1900's that get me too!  I feel like a tourist sometimes when I'm at the mall or in a public place where I see those who definitely fit in the 2000's, absolutely. And I worry for my children. I don't want them be bombarded with the often ugliness of today's culture. I wish I could raise them in a more quiet place.

My husband feels the same way about himself as well. And we both don't really like where culture is headed. It seems girls are growing up so much faster now than we did when we were young. They know about so many things that I just didn't, and frankly had no interest in whatsoever. I occupied my time on having fun with my friends and enjoying life, instead of the things that in my opinion are distorting ,like MTV and the E! channel. They glorify stupidity and "prostitution" and then, in turn, so do many of their viewers. Scares the ever livin' out of me. I apologise if I've offended anyone out there, I don't mean to. I just feel like a lot of things today have gotten really, really out of hand and we're so used to it that we just let things go that are not good for our children to have paraded in front of their faces every time they turn on the television. Whatever- I guess it is what it is, and to fight it is futile. But if I could raise my family out in the country, somewhere quiet and friendly, maybe a little old-school in it's personality, why.... I think we'd fit in just fine.

Painting by John Feight

Unexpected visitors....

Right now my house is full of children! The neighbor kids just stopped by and asked to play with Colten!! Colten's laughter is infectious, my living room is in chaos, I can't hear myself think, Webster is flipping out with all the fun and commotion....
and I'm loving every second of it!

Family Pictures

My Aunt compiled over 1,000 of my Grampa's 50+ year-old slides and had them restored and transferred to disk, and I got my copy today. It was unbelievable! Photographs taken from when Papa and Grammy got married,my Aunts and my parent's weddings, my birth and those of my brother and cousins, and even cooler, those of my Mom, Aunt and Uncle! It was just amazing, I felt like I was in a trance and I couldn't stop looking at them! My heart actually sank a little bit when it was over and I'd seen them all! I want more!! Can't wait to go through them again....

Continued from yesterday.... (Rizzoli and Isles)

Just a few more remarks on new shows that've gotten me hooked. And then I'll stop, I promise!  Rizzoli and Isles!  LOVE IT!!!!  I've been reading Gerritsen for about 2 years and love her characters- I was unsure about how these two gals would pull it off, being that we only know these characters from books the way we see them in our minds. I don't know exactly what I imagined before, but now, there is NO ONE I could have chosen better for the rolls of Jane and Maura. These ladies are fantastic actresses and now as I am reading the latest novel by Gerritsen, Ice Cold, all I can see in my mind are them. And it fits like a glove. 

That's all.   

                              www.examiner.com

More than just my daily life....

I usually just write about my day to day experiences, but tonight I'm writing about a new favorite show.... True Blood was psycho to me the first time I saw it, but when I heard about a creepy new program set in the gloriously spooky south, I was in. I watched the first episode with my husband, and within 5 minutes, shut the dang thing off and left the room. I really was disappointed, because I had a feeling I would really like it. I love the south, I love creepy, and I'm crazy about spooky, so it seemed like a perfect fit. Come to find out, the "1st" episode, was actually the first from season 2. So no wonder I was lost as to what the heck was going on, and disgusted by the randomness of what I was seeing.  
So, needless to say, I started from the beginning, (thank goodness for Netflix, seriously),   and the rest is history. I enjoy vampire stuff- books, movies- not because it's really cool right now with the whole "Twilight" thing happening- (which incidentally, I also really dig), but just because I just do. Always have. I remember watching Nosferatu with my Dad when I was younger, and I loved the black and white, and the ambiance it added to a real classic monster film..... If it's creepy I love it. But only if it is actually creepy, realistic (or at least semi) and believable. Something you can let yourself fall into and extend belief. I'm not someone who believes in any of it, but I'd really like to. Actually,I'd love to. Makes things interesting. I consider myself a skeptic who desperately wants to believe..... so far, the only scary movie that I just physically cannot watch, is Arachnophobia. Nope, not ever, never going to happen.
So, True Blood.... it's getting deliciously psycho right now, and both my hubs and I are hooked. Sunday nights are our "movie night" together, and we love it. Then he watches Entourage or some such thing, and I come in here to write. Tonight I just felt like sharing my new found obsession. Although,I do have to say, I am really irked that so far in Charlaine Harris' first book, "Dead Until Dark", (which is the first in the series of novels which True Blood is based off of), Tara is nowhere to be found!!!!  Why is she not in the book but in the show?? I love her character and am confused as to why HBO just created her and put her in. But I am really glad they did, and who knows, maybe I just haven't read far enough into the book yet to find her. Maybe she's in there after all. 

On a side note, I am not ashamed to admit how much I enjoyed Twilight. I'm just not. It really brought back some memories for me, the way I myself felt sometimes in High School. I didn't care as much for the rest of the saga, but that first one.... wow. Loved it.  I plan to read it again soon,  First I need to get crackin' the spine of the newest Tess Gerritsen novel, "Ice Cold."  LOVE her books. They are set in Boston, and for many historical reasons, I want to go there so badly, I just can't even tell you.... But, that's for another blog entry....    :)   Next time I may write about my other latest obsession - House M.D.  Seriously, I have a problem, and I may need an intervention. I'll let you know.    :) 

An Uplifting Afternoon

Today, I had the oportunity to watch over my neighbors 2 month old son, Parker, and it was a really great experience. The poor little one, though, was quite tearful, anytime I tried to lay him down to sleep he would wake up within minutes and cry. I loved holding him, though, so it was hardly a burden at all. It was really tough, though, being attentive to my own son and my dog, (and their dog-we doggy-sat too)....  needless to say, it was a busy day. And it was totally worth it.   :)

Going for a Walk

It is a delightfully gloomy day today, it is just barely drizzling and cloudy, and my boy is down for his nap, so I am going to a walk. The Hubs is staying behind, so I think I'll take Webs with me. He's a great companion, except for all the stopping to sniff everything he fancies. But he's a pup and that's his way so I don't mind. He keeps me safe, so for that he can smell anything he pleases!   :)

Unbelievable!

Well..... I guess "Welcome" is on order.   Grrrrrr......  (eyes slanted and glaring at the computer.... at Google, in particular.) 
Tonight I lost my original blog....it is gone, maybe forever, I don't know yet. And with it, I lost most of my followers. Great. I still have Carl, though!  My best blogger buddy!!  :)  Carl, you've been so helpful and supportive in my time of blog-crisis... thank you!    lol   :)

In the mean time, I am attempting to re-create it the best I can. Luckily I tend to save random things, and I saved several of the emails that Blogger sends us once we post something new. So, I have posted them and a will start anew.   Wish me luck, and welcome to the new Fireside.    :)

Motherhood

Motherhood is definitely better than I ever thought it would be. I had an idea about it just from friends and family members, working with kids for 7 years before getting married myself and really thinking about it. My husband (then boyfriend) was collecting Disney movies for our future children before we'd even gotten engaged, I thought about the top layer of motherhood and the fun stuff. Fantasies of playing in the backyard, going for walks with my kids on my back or up on my husbands shoulders.  I didn't have one clue how much love I would be filled with. How much joy it would bring into my life. How utterly blessed I would feel and how grateful I would be to have my little boy. He is the love of our lives! What an joy it is to watch him grow and learn, see him figuring things out in his mind, hear him speak new words! Just yesterday he was born, and today he is a toddler! Amazing.....    

A Visit With My Mom

My beautiful Mom has come for a visit, and we have been having an awesome time!! It's been going by so fast and we really haven't done too much stuff, mostly sticking close to home as a result of this vicious heat. But we've had a wonderful time together. I am so happy that she was able to come up before she started the school year. She is a teacher and they start school very realy here in the South for some reason. Maybe it's everywhere, I don't know. But all I remember is when I was a litle kid, school started in September and ended in June. Not so much 'round here. Ends in June and starts mid August. So unfair to those kids, but especially the teachers! What a crappy short summer break if you ask me! But, at least it's a break. Andshe was able to come here and hang with us so that's what counts!


We may go to Birmingham on Friday, I am very excited about that. There is so much history there, and so much to see and do. I worry about the heat though, but you know what? I'm gettin' pretty tired of missing out on the outdoors and doing fun stuff because of it being so hot, so unless it is dangerous for us, and especially my little boy, we'll get on out there and have some fun, and stay in doors as much as we can.

I want to tell the world how much I love my Mom. I appreciate her so much, and especially now that I am a Mom myself. I see her as a friend too, and I always have, but it is so much more now, and I'm so grateful for ou rrelationship, and the understanding and appreciation I have now for her, and for all she's done for me as my Mother. Thanks Mommy, for everything! I love you so much!