Time for Some Father and Son Bonding

Since we had such a GREAT time on our mountain adventure, Marty decided to take advantage of his last day off work, and enjoy the GORGEOUS Alabama Fall weather. Jameson loves to be outside "in the woods", so Marty took him to see a small waterfall not too far from my mother's house.

As a child, I used to hike out to this same waterfall on a regular basis. I probably wasn't much older than Jameson when I first started going out there. I can't even imagine letting him go out there, ALONE, now. He is going to have to be at least driving before he can go out in the woods without a grown-up...lol!

I stayed at home to tackle the HUGE pile of laundry that somehow decided to take over the laundry room (and the bedroom, and the bathroom, and......)

After I got over my huge anxiety attack, worrying about my little man (along with my big man) hiking in the woods alone, I ushered them out the door with orders to BE CAREFUL and take lots of pictures.

They had a GREAT day, and came back with even more beautiful pictures of Fall in Alabama.

I'm having a heart attack just thinking about HOW Jameson got there.

This is a huge, flat rock at the very top of the waterfall.

Jameson at the base of the waterfall. I don't even want to think about the trek from the top of the falls to the bottom!

Strange "X" cut into one of the rocks.

Twisted tree growing out of the middle of all the rocks.

This is what happens when you drop your lens cap into the water, and then put it on the camera lens before it is completely dry. (Hey! It's a great look with no PhotoShopping needed!)

The boys had a great time, and finished off the evening with a little campfire and marshmallow roast in the back yard. (Sorry, no pictures of that....We were having such a good time, I forgot to take pictures).

I am so happy that Jameson loves the outdoors and has a daddy who takes the time to do fun things like this with him.

I hope these are good childhood memories that Jameson will always remember!

What are some of your favorite childhood outdoor memories?

I LOVE Fall in Alabama!

Every fall, our family takes a drive up the mountain, Cheaha Mountain, to look at the fall leaves. We missed last year due to weather and work, but yesterday's blue skies proved to be the perfect backdrop for a mountain trip.

Last weekend, the leaves were not in full glory, so we waited. However, the storms of the past week knocked most of the turning leaves off the trees. We still got some beautiful views, though.

Marty on the edge....freaking his wife out!

Chelsea taking a rest.

The National Parks Service did a fantastic job making the trek out to Bald Rock handicapped accessible. This bridge system is incredible!

This is the only picture at this angle that Jameson isn't complaining about the sun.

Me, looking like a sausage squeezed into that jacket.

Marty and Jameson came across this little gem. This caterpillar was HUGE!

These two trees were grown into an "X"

Waterfall

The lake where my mother lives.

View from my mother's house.

This is why I love fall in Alabama.

Halloween OH Nine

Everyone had a great time for Halloween this year!

Chelsea LOVED getting her hair and make-up done, and has decided that she wants it done EVERY day.....

NOT!

1. It takes way too long

and

2. She looks WAAAAAAY to grown-up to ever let her out of the house looking like that again!

Her hair turned out fantastic! THANKS NIKKI! It looked even better than the "LuLu" pictures! She was getting stares and compliments from EVERYONE.... even people that didn't even know her. I am disappointed that the pictures don't even begin to do her hair justice, as a matter of fact, none of Chelsea's pictures look as good as she really did.

My photography skills are HORRIBLE!

I was shocked to learn that all of our normal "trick-or-treating haunts" were not participating this year. For some DUMB reason, many people decided to "celebrate" Halloween LAST weekend, Thursday night or Friday night.

WHY???

It seems like since Halloween was on SATURDAY this year, that would be the perfect day to celebrate, right?

Who knows what all these people are thinking. I am a purist and Halloween needs to be celebrated on Halloween (unless it's on Sunday, of course).

Fortunately, we did find a few good places to let the kiddos show off their costumes and get some sugary loot!

So here are a few pictures of our fun evening.

Pardon the closed eyes (just like her Daddy), just trying to show the hair here.

Here is her ID badge...thank you so much for the idea!

One tired little GI Joe!

I hope you all had a fantastic Halloween!

It's Halloween Y'all!

Today is Halloween.....one of my favorite times of the year!

As I've said in earlier posts, I just love everything about fall....the cool air, the leaves changing, football, the smell of burning leaves and wood stoves, the gorgeous blue skies (however, nothing but RAIN, RAIN, RAIN here today...GRRRRR).

But one of my FAVORITE things about this time of year is....


HORROR MOVIES!


I know, I know, most of you probably can't stand scary movies, but I've been a HUGE horror movie junkie from the time we got our first VCR and was allowed to rent movies all by myself.

My obsession with the macabre started at a young age. I have always been a avid reader. I was the kid that always had a book in her hand, reading whenever I got the chance. It was nothing for me to read an entire book in one day. The bookstore and the library were my favorite places in the world. (I still love the smell of them to this day)

Once I made it through the typical "kids" books, I moved onto older material. It was at that time I discovered Stephen King.


Stephen King opened up a whole new world for me. His writing was so addictive. I could just see and hear all of his characters, complete with their Maine accents....lol!

The first book of his I read was Pet Sematary (yes, it's spelled that way) and I was HOOKED! I moved onto Salem's Lot, Christine, The Boogeyman, Cujo, Children of the Corn, The Dead Zone, Firestarter, Jerusalem's Lot, The Lawnmower Man, More Tales of Unknown Horror.....on and on and on. Whenever there was a new book out, I had it and read it within the next day.

I remember my mother taking me to the bookstore to buy a book. The next day I would ask to go back to the bookstore. She would ask me what I did with the book she just bought me the day before. And I would always tell her "I've already read it!" She knew better to buy me several books at a time because I would not go to bed until I had read them all...lol!

Well, fortunately for me, most of Stephen King's tales of horror were made into movies. I had enjoyed the books so much, it was only logical that I would want to see the movies, too. Because they were all "R" rated (because of the violence), I had to wait until they came out on VCR tape before I could watch them.

And watch them I did!

Now anyone who is an avid reader knows, the movies are never as good as the books. But they opened my eyes to the modern day Hollywood Horror movie.

I also had a group of close guy friends who loved horror movies as much as I did. It was nothing for us to rent armloads of tapes and have horror movie marathons. It was during these movie marathons that I developed my love for

ZOMBIE MOVIES!

The cheesier, the better.

It all started with the classic Dawn of the Dead, and went downhill from there. Next there was The Evil Dead, The Re-Animator, The Return of the Living Dead, and my ALL TIME FAVORITE, The Night of the Comet. Now, anytime there is a cheesy, B-grade zombie movie on, I am SO going to watch it!

I also got sucked into the whole Rocky Horror Picture Show thing during college, but I don't consider that movie scary, just iconic. (I can still do a MEAN Time-Warp, though.)

Chelsea has started to develop a love of horror movies, too. For her, it started with Stephen King's IT...which is a movie that even creeps me out. I didn't give her permission to watch it, but she failed to let her Nana know that tidbit of information and watched it at her house. She's been hooked ever since!

Jameson is a big 'fraidy cat, and won't even sit through the opening credits of my movies.

Just kidding folks! I would NEVER let my child willingly watch something scary until they are MUCH older. I NEVER watch horror movies while he is in the room. I have enough problems with him being afraid of things without scarring him for life. He just sticks with things like SpongeBob Halloween, and It's a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. He even gets a little freaked out by the Halloweentown series of movies on the Disney Channel (which I adore, too, BTW.)

(All movie covers from Google Images)

So my dear bloggie buddies, what are YOUR favorite Halloween movies?

I'm off to make my daughter look like a Soap Opera star.....

Things just aren't the same.

Not only is this weekend Halloween....

(My all-time favorite time of the year)

It is also Race Weekend here in Talladega.

For two weekends a year, Talladega becomes the most populated area in the state. Horrible for traffic, but great for local businesses.

Normally, there is excitement in the air as our tiny little town welcomes Race fans from all over the country.

I also get very excited because I get to spend time with some of my racing friends.

But not this year.

Because of all the lies drama surrounding my favorite driver, Jeremy Mayfield, most of my buddies have decided to sit out the races this year.....and probably for all future years as well.

This is the first time in 9 years (other than 2002 when I was pregnant/delivered Jameson) that I will be nowhere near the track during race weekend.

I couldn't care less about missing the actual race. Normally, I don't even actually go to the race. Talladega is so big, it's better watching the race on the television. But I do care about something much more important....

I miss my friends!

I miss just hanging out, people watching, eating expensive track food, walking so much that I have blisters on my feet, stalking looking for our favorite drivers, laughing and talking so much that I no longer have a voice, and I even miss driving up-and-down Speedway Blvd, in race traffic, waiting on a certain friend to make his presence known.....lol.

I'm going to miss all of THIS:

Hottie Hubby during one of the last races we went to.

Jameson patiently waiting for Trackside to start.

Chelsea and Gladys

Chelsea supporting her driver at Trackside.

Me and my driver, Jeremy Mayfield.

My best bud Dennis and me. We have been to every Talladega race together since 2003.

Chelsea, while we were eating track food and chatting with friends.

Ms. Wanda, I've really been missing her!

Jan and Jessie. They came over for a huge breakfast before heading back after the race. We had such a great time that day!

Bill showing his hand at the campgrounds.

Paula (Bill's wife) snuggled under the blanket at the campground.

Dennis in April. He had already lost about 50 pounds at this point....he's since lost another 30 pounds.

Gladys and Dennis.

One of my all-time favorite pictures of Jameson. We were at the Talladega airport watching the drivers, crews, and owners fly in.


These are just a few of my favorite photos I've collected over the years. Some others are "locked" in my old computer.... :o(

Fortunately, since the race was moved to Halloween weekend, I at least have something fun to do to take my mind off missing my friends.

However, there is ONE thing I will NOT miss....

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Prayer Request!

My bloggie buddy, Kat Sparks, the winner of my 200th post giveaway, sent me a very touching e-mail yesterday asking for prayers for a family friend, 7 y.o. Ty Boatman. Ty is a sweet little boy who has a stage 4 neuroblastoma (Wilm’s Tumor). He has had a kidney removed and the cancer is also in his lungs.

Last Saturday, Ty was able to make 1 play for his football team. Here is the link to this incredible story.

Please go to Kat's blog and read his entire story.

Cancer is a scary, scary thing. I've lost many family members, and most recently, my father, to cancer. I cannot even imagine the fear and pain his parents must be going through. Many thoughts and prayers headed their way!

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They MADE me do it!

I LOVE Blogging!

Really, I do.

Why else would I have 220+ posts since December of last year AND spend hours a week reading through all of my favorite blogs?

BUT....

There is one thing I HATE about the whole "Blogging World".

Anyone wanna take a guess as to what that one thing is?

Let me give you a few hints....

plersel

sessed

undosi

defout

Does anybody have a clue yet?


WORD VERIFICATION!

These are just four of word verifications I have encountered today.

I don't know what it is or why it is, but my tiny little brain CANNOT comprehend these jumbled mix of non-sense letters!

I mean, letters are supposed to form WORDS for goodness sakes!

Right?

RIGHT?

I swear, I probably give up leaving comments on so many blogs because I can't figure out the stupid word verifications!

I start typing, and the "logical" part of my brain starts automatically putting in different letters to make up actual words.

Italicized letters are the WORST. I can't even figure out what some of those letters are, much less what order I'm supposed to be typing them in.

If I still can't figure it out after two or three attempts, I just give up.

PLEASE tell me that I'm not alone!

Anyone?

ANYONE?

Well, once I really got into this whole "blogging thing", I decided to make leaving comments as easy as possible for all of you. I removed ALL security measures that I could. I didn't want ANY road blocks in your way.

Well, I guess that kinda came back on me and bit me in the bootay. My new "buddies" from India decided to launch an attack, promoting their wares not just on one occasion, but TWO.

My poor itty-bitty blog.....victimized.

**SIGH**

So, I have decided to put the dreaded, mean, and impossible WORD VERIFICATION on my comments section.

I am SO SORRY!

Please don't hate me and if I BEG, will you try more than three times to leave me a comment?

PLEASE?

Thank y'all for being so understanding!

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}

Your Order Has Been Shipped

And I am SOOOOOO excited!

You wanna know what I'm getting?

Wait for it.....



Wait for it.....



THIS!

And not just this, but also.....



THIS!

TWO COPIES of Pioneer Woman's brand spankin' new cookbook!

I haven't been this excited in, like, FOREVAH!

I hope to be able to get BOTH of them autographed on December 7th in Atlanta, if I can get over my fear of crowds and strange places.

Ugh, now I started thinking about crowds and strange places and my tummy hurts and I feel anxious.

Hopefully I will make it.

It IS Pioneer Woman, after all!

OK, going back to my happy place now.


I just wonder what in the world I can do with my second copy?

I mean, I can only use ONE copy at a time....

Right?

I guess I will have to think of something to do with my other copy, after my attempt to get it autographed, of course.

Crowds.....Strange Place......

Happy Place, Happy Place, Happy Place...

**whew**

I feel better now.

Speaking of Pioneer Woman, aka: Ree Drummond, Did any of you see her segment on the Bonnie Hunt Show today?

I'm sure I would have LOVED it had I been able to see it.

You see, my wonderful ABC affiliate decided to bust in during her segment to report a non-injury shooting that they had absolutely NO INFORMATION ABOUT!

UGH!

I yelled so loud (at the television) Jameson started crying. He thought something really bad had happened.

It HAD, Jameson just didn't see it that way.

Here is a snippet of the show.

Pioneer Woman on The Bonnie Hunt Show

Isn't she just the most precious thing?

Hopefully I will be able to catch the whole segment one day.

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Onto another subject.....

Y'all's responses to the "Great pumpkin mystery" has had me laughing hysterically!

Honestly, I have no idea what happened, but I have a few theories....

1. The pumpkin just had enough of this crazy, rainy Alabama weather and decided to give it up (or "melt" as my cutie-pie next door neighbor said to me).

(However, the other two pumpkins are still solid and non-mushy)

2. Since that particular pumpkin sat on the bottom step, it's possible that two little boys who were learning to ride their bicycles, using the bottom step as a jump-off point, could have bumped into it a time or two (or 100) and finally dented it enough to allow the elements to attack it.

OR

3.

This little dude, who is no longer so "little".

He's been frequenting my front porch a lot lately and has already destroyed chewed on my corn cobs and some of my fake pumpkins.

I'm sort-of leaning towards #2 AND #3 being the cause for the pumpkin's demise.

Since it is only a few days before Halloween and I don't normally have ANY trick-or-treaters, I will probably just leave them as-is. Who knows, ghosts saying "BO" may become the new style!

(Oh, and for the making them with fake pumpkins comments.....I wanted to make them with the fake pumpkins, but the only place I could find them (Hobby Lobby) wanted $23.00 EACH for them, and they weren't even the bigger sizes. Even with their usual 50% off, they were still way too expensive. If I can find any cheaper, I will definitely use them the next time. The fake one's would be much easier to paint and decorate, too.)

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OK bloggie buddies....it's the week of Halloween...

What are your BEST costume ideas for this year's Halloween??