Birthday Dinner, Tennessee Trip, and Christmas : Part 1

Hmm.....let's see. Now where do I begin?

Last Sunday I started off my adventure by heading to Meridian to celebrate my grandmother, Marlene's birthday. Me and the family met up at Saki Sushi (spelling?). It's a great little Japanese resturant. The food was delicious as well as the show they put on while cooking your food. We all had a great time! Here are a few pictures.

Here's a shot of Marlene's ice cream cup. You can kinda see they waiters in the background banging a huge gong while singing 'Happy Birthday'. Too funny!

The Family.

Me and sweet baby Evan! He is truly a Grimes with his blonde hair and blue eyes! All us Grimes' have those distinguishable traits!

After dinner my grandmother and I headed back to Philadelphia. Later that night we went to her church to watch the youth put on a Christmas Cantata. They were wonderful! I spent Sunday night with them then headed out for Tennessee on Monday morning. Early Monday, before I left for Tennessee, Marlene, Vicki (my aunt), and I ate breakfast at the cutest little coffee shop- The Coffee Bean. The food was good, the decor was great, and the coffee was even better! I will definitely have to stop by there next time I'm in town. I LOVE coffee shops!

I ended up taking part of the Natchez Trace into Tupelo- then headed up Hwy 45 to my mom's house. The scenery on the Natchez Trace was spectacular. I wish I'd had time to stop at some of the historic points. I'm a HUGE history buff. Oh well, maybe I'll save that for a later road trip! Once I got to mom's house we headed out to do some shopping. I was on the hunt for a cute dress to wear on Christmas day. I found the perfect dress- cream colored cashmere, knee lenght, with a turtle neck collar. I paired it with some brown leggings and cute brown heels. I did Christmas with mom then headed out Tuesday morning for home. I was EXHAUSTED by the time I arrived home- I was sick of being in my car! Overall it was a good trip and I enjoyed seeing my family for Christmas!

I'll post about Christmas Eve and Christmas day in Part 2. Stay tuned!

My New Favorite Toy

One of the things my husband got me from 'Santa' was a steam cleaner. I've been wanting one of these FOREVER! After shopping around and finding just what I wanted (it had to have good upholstery attachments), I decided on this one. After getting home tonight from the movies, I decided to give it a try. I'm in love! I vacuum every other day- that's a gurantee. So, I was disgusted to see how filthy our carpet really was! I steam clean every few months, but obviously I need to do it more! Now, instead of having to borrow or rent, I have my own! In six months, I'll have steam cleaned so much that our carpets will be an entirely different color! =)

We settled on the Hoover SteamVac Turbo with Clean Surge. This thing does it all! Plus, it drys the carpet almost completely - no more having to wait for it to dry! Plus, it applies heat directly to the carpet to get out those tough stains!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I had been dying to go see this movie. Finally, it came out and we went and saw it this afternoon. MESMERIZING - to say the least! It stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Brad Pitt is too sexy in this movie. Too sexy! I'm hoping to go and see it again with one of my girlfriends. This is definitely one I plan on picking up once it's out on DVD. If you don't watch but one movie this year- watch this one! I laughed then cried, then laughed, then cried.... It was breathtakingly beautiful! This is now my all time favorite movie! I think it even surpasses The Notebook and several other classics.

Here's a quick preview featuring highlights from the movie. I NEVER go to the movies- today was the first time I've been in about 2-3 years. I'm definitely going to see this again! You should too!

The Aftermath

To me, the worst part of Christmas is what I call 'The Aftermath'. This is where the hype of Christmas is over, and it's time to clean up, organize, put away, and prepare for the upcoming Spring. For some reason, the minute Christmas is over I begin daydreaming of those early Spring days. I know I still have about 3 months to go, but hey, a girl can dream can't she!

Every year I clean up the aftermath on Christmas night. So, true to form, last night my husband and I spent a few hours taking down the Christmas tree, decorations, putting gifts away, and organizing a few things. I'm always so ready for things to go back to normal! I know, I have a complex! It's just that after gifts are opened and breakfasts/dinners are eaten, it feels like Christmas is over- so might as well clean everything up. I know some people who leave their tree up until New Year. That would drive me crazy- I would need medication!

This year it was particularly bad. I have been so ready for Christmas to be over for weeks now! I'm not sure why. I usually get really into the season. This year I just wanted it over with! And now that it is, I'm so relieved and ready to enjoy the remainder of my break. So, today Bobby and I are spending the day together in Meridian. We're going shopping (those Visa gift cards are burning holes in our pockets! haha), eating at Outback (of course), and we're going to see 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'.

Sometime tonight or tomorrow I'll blog about my week full of Birthday dinners, travels to Philadelphia and Tennessee, and, of course, Christmas!

So, here's to Christmas being officially OVER! Let the countdown to Spring begin!

Merry Christmas

The Handmaid and the Carpenter

The Handmaid and the Carpenter
by Elizabeth Berg

This is a wonderful book that I read last Christmas. It focuses on Mary and Joseph and their relationship. It's a semi-fiction book on how they met, fell in love, faced challenges, and raised a Savior and King- Jesus. It's a great book to read during the holiday season! I HIGHLY recommend it- I score it an 8 out of 10.

Here's a snipet from a critique:

"In this wonderful novel about love and trust, hope and belief, Elizabeth Berg, the bestselling author of We Are All Welcome Here and The Year of Pleasures, transports us to Nazareth in biblical times to re-imagine the events of the classic Christmas story. We see Mary–young, strong, and inquisitive–as she first meets Joseph, a serious-minded young carpenter who is steadfastly devoted to the religious traditions of their people. The two become betrothed, but are soon faced with an unexpected pregnancy. Aided by a great and abiding love, they endure challenges to their relationship as well as threats to their lives as they come to terms with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the birth of their child, Jesus. For Mary, the pregnancy is a divine miracle and a privilege. For Joseph, it is an ongoing test not only of his courage but of his faith–in his wife as well as in his God."

Another Semester Under My Belt

WARNING
This blog contains a bit of bragging on myself for a job well done in grad school. Continue at your own risk!

I'm just over halfway finished with my Master's degree. Grades were posted this week and.....drum roll please.........I'm still a 4.0 graduate student! Did you ever doubt me? haha I'm taking classes this Spring and then I'll take comps this summer! I should finish up the end of June! Hooray! I'm ready to finish it AND get my pay raise! I'm beginning to get burned out with school- I'm ready for a break. But, true to form, I'm not letting myself relax, stop and smell the roses, and enjoy the fruits of my labor. Instead, I've applied for admission into the Educational Specialist program- which I will start on in August. Admission is a guarantee, I'm just waiting on my letter to arrive so I can stop fretting over it. I'll finish up my Ed. Specialist in a year- so, July of 2010. Yay me! Then it's off to school somewhere else for my doctorate (by then I'll only lack 60 hours)- not sure where yet, but I'm leaning towards University of Alabama.I wish I could stay with Mississippi State - but I want to work there. (They prefer to hire employees who completed their doctorate elsewhere- they want a 'diverse' faculty. Most universities are that way. Crazy, right!) I talked with one of my professors last week about applying to become an 'adjunct' teacher at MSU. I will only be able to teach undergrad, but hey, it's a way to get my foot in the door in case something more permanent opens up. Plus, I'd make a nice little stash of money on the side. Who knows where this road will lead me! Okay, enough bragging!

Ahhh...mazing

Tuesday I wore the cutest pair of boots to work. Love them! However, I've slacked on wearing heels and have been opting for flats to save my feet from sure agony. So, by the end of the day, my feet were killing me. While browsing around in WalMart, I came upon this thing. I immediately put it in my cart and headed for the checkout! haha




It's ahh...mazing! I sat in the living room, read gossip magazines, watched tv, sipped a glass of blackberry merlot, and was in heaven! Bobby wanted to try it out so I was kind enough to let him try it (it was hard for me to part with it, even for my husband!). He fell in love! We're now fighting over who's turn it is to use it! haha

Seriously, it was only $15 dollars! It vibrates, bubbles, and massages your feet at the same time. Go and buy one- you'll be in heaven!

Spoiled

I've decided to spoil myself. I hired housekeepers! I've been meaning to blog about this for a while now. This is the best thing I've ever spent my money on. It's WONDERFUL! I can't explain how nice it is to come home to a sparkling home- and know that you didn't have to spend all day cleaning! When I first pitched the idea to my husband, he wasn't too thrilled. He finally agreed on one condition: our housekeeper had to be someone we know and TRUST! They came Monday and stayed from about 8:30 to about 2:30. I left a list of things I needed done- they did them all and then some! They cleaned everything from my oven, to my blinds, to my base boards, to my washer and dryer, to my ceiling fans and light fixtures, to folding laundry. You name it and they cleaned it. When I came home Monday night and saw how wonderful they did, I cried. Now that I'm working full time and going to grad school, I don't have time to clean as much as my OCD requires. I really hate spending my Saturday's cleaning and doing laundry. Well, problem solved and my OCD has been calmed! I'm in love with my housekeepers! I can't wait for them to come again!

I AM IN HEAVEN!

The Atonement Child

I finished this over the weekend and it was GREAT! I wasn't as good as Redeeming Love, but then again, nothing could top that book. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book! I've always been against abortion, but this book reinforced my opinion through scripture and the main character's struggle.

To sum up the book: Dynah was the perfect, all American girl. She was a devout Christian attending a notable Christian College. She was engaged to a fellow college student, and she was saving herself for marriage. Then, one night she was raped. She became pregnant and from then on struggled with what decision to make. She visited abortion clinics and adoption agencies. I won't ruin the ending by telling what she decided.....but you should definately read this book!

Yesterday I picked up STORI TELLING by Tori Spelling. I am a huge fan! I've been wanting to read this book for months, but it was sold out EVERYWHERE! I finally got a copy and I started on it last night. So far, so good!

Oh Where, Oh Where Has Sylvia Grace Gone?

This week I disappeared, lost 6 pounds, and slept AT LEAST 18 hours a day. What could cause this? THE FLU! That's right- I have the flu. Thus far, I've severely lost this battle- no doubt, the FLU has gotten the best of me. No, I didn't get the flu shot. I've never gotten a flu shot- even when I worked in a hospital during the middle of flu season. This week has changed my view on this topic. Here's a recap of the last 5 days- which will not be much being as how I don't remember much but sleeping!

Over Thanksgiving holidays my Daddy had the flu- I'm assuming this is where I caught it from. Monday and Tuesday I had a stuffy 'head cold'. I felt bad, but not bad-bad. Tuesday I started getting chills- it went downhill from there. Tuesday night my right ear starting hurting really bad. I took some NyQuil (which I am a firm believer in- it cures everything) and went to bed. Wednesday I woke up and hopped into the shower- fully trying to go to work. While in the shower, I felt soooo dizzy and weak. I laid on my bed for a bit and realized I was too sick for school. I had a completely stopped up nose, headaches, chills, body aches, an ear ache, fever of 101, and nausea. So, I called in and went to the doctor. After doing lab work etc...he informs me that I officially have the flu PLUS fluid on my right ear. I get two shots in my booty- for which I cried like a baby in the middle of the Doc's office- a wagon load of prescriptions to take, and a stern warning to go home, stay home, and rest.

I got home from the doctor around 10:30 ish. I took my prescriptions (I have to take then twice a day) and the next thing I remember is waking up at almost 5. I've discovered that one medicine in particular knocks me out cold. Every night I take it and sleep like a baby. Then, when I wake up I have to take it again- remember, twice a day- so then I sleep till late in the evening. I slept this way all day Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and it looks like today will be no different. I've lived off of Campbell's soups, orange juice, and tangerines. Hey, there is a silver lining to this dark cloud- I've lost a bit of weight!

Yesterday I began feeling a bit better- I could slightly breathe through my nose, so I felt as if I'd accomplished something. I haven't had fever since Friday, so supposedly I'm not contagious. Saturday I ventured out for about two hours and had my hair cut- it was all I could do to make it back home. Once home, I passed out! Here it is Sunday, my congestion is gone, along with my ear ache. Now, the issue is my lack of energy. I'm sooooo weak and tired. I feel so weak and weary- I'm almost certain you can see through me, like a ghost! haha I'm DETERMINED to go back to work tomorrow. Today I need to work on getting some serious strength back.

This has been a yucky week. I hope I NEVER catch the flu again! Next year, I'll be the first in line to get the flu shot!