Wades and the "Early Birds"

For those of you who live around Spartanburg you are very familiar with Wades restaurant. It is a great place to get some good country cooking like Grandma makes.... I love to go there from time to time....especially on a Wednesday when they have meatloaf....

Tonight some friends and I decided to go there.... We were all hungry around 530ish so we headed on down that way.... When we got there we noticed that all the hair we saw was colored gray or white.... we soon realized that we were the only ones in there eating who were born after the 1950's....

This got me thinking about the stereotype that all "experienced" people like to eat early.... I know every one says it is because they get up early so they are ready to eat early....but they like to stay up late too... My great grandma Maudie used to eat at 530ish and then stay up all the way past the channel 7 news.....Surely she got hungry again.... and since we were there at 530 obviously some "less experienced" people like to eat early too...

Regardless of what time people eat... I am sure don't want to run into any "experienced" ladies like this one in the video below when they are hungry... The commercial is in German, but watch it.... She is a pretty sly lady... Have a great weekend!!!

See It, Test It, Drive It Away

For the past few weeks I have been eyeing a new car here in town....conveniently a great friend of mine, Sterling, works at the lot where the car was... I decided today to stop by and take it for a drive today.

Right after we pulled out of the lot Sterling and I heard this crazy loud banging noise...My first thought was that this car was a wolf in sheep's clothing...meaning ...it looked all nice but it had problems... About the time I was wanting to turn the car around I noticed a huge vinyl balloon laying in the road... We had forgotten to take the car dealer's special balloon off of the car before we drove away. The balloon was mounted to the car with this long metal arm and Sterling was like "pull over pull over" "I got to get it" I pulled over in the bank parking lot and there was Sterling running out in the middle of the road after a balloon. It was soooooo funny....

After we drove around a while and I was convinced that I liked the car I needed some time to think about it... I went to the gym, worked hard, and decided to get it... I am the proud new owner of a used (but new to me) 2007 Chevy Equinox. I LOVE IT.... It was dark, and the car is black so I couldn't get any pics on here. I am sure I will get some on here soon.

I must admit though, that it was quite emotional for me to turn in the keys to my Eclipse. I have had that car for 9.5 years... I got it with just 17 miles on it...It now has 111, 029.. We have been through a lot... As I started to clean her out I must admit I got a little teary eyed. She looked so pitiful sitting in the lonely dark parking lot as I left the dealership. I pray some nice young man or woman who is high school would take over the reigns and be good to her. She was a great friend for all that time. She will be missed.

My Favortie Commercials

Many people think commercials are an interruption to their television viewing... I however think they add to the whole viewing experience.... Below are some of my favorites....

1. Citibank Ladies... This is probably my all time favorite commercial.. To this day I laugh my head off when it come on... Something about those voices mixed with the little lady faces just cracks me up!!


2. Doritos... This would be me driving the car!!!


3. Coke Machine.... I like to think this really happens every time I get a coke from the machine!!!


4.Folgers Christmas... Believe it or not I cry when I see this one.. Christmas is such a great time of year!!!

Amazing Love

A friend of mine shared this video with me from a really cool website called Godtube.com Watch it all the way to the end.... Ain't He Just Good!!

Operation Christmas Child Warehouse

As many of you know, I am very passionate about Operation Christmas Child (OCC). I have packed shoe boxes for about the past 12 years. I started doing it when I was in High School, and each year since, my passion for the boxes has just grown and grown. The shoe boxes are sent to needy children all over the world, including here in the USA, to give each child a present and to share with them the love of Christ.

I have had the privilege of actually delivering the boxes to needy children on the other side of the world. I can honestly say it was the coolest experience of my life. The children are just so gracious for all of the little things they receive in the boxes.

This weekend I had the privilege for the 2nd year in a row to work at the OCC warehouse in Charlotte, NC. There at the warehouse all of the boxes from the east coast come in to be sorted and inspected. You work on an assembly line and each box is checked for improper items and filled to the very tip top of the box to insure that the child receives a box slam full of goodies.

Below are 2 videos for you to watch that I filmed at the warehouse along with my friend "Ray" This was her first time at the warehouse and she had a great time as you will see in the video.. Please watch and consider going to volunteer at the warehouse. They are open everyday except Sunday from 8-10 through December 13th, and volunteers are welcome. It is sooooo much fun and you are playing important in an amazing world wide ministry. Please contact me if you are interested in going and I can give you the information you need to volunteer. Enjoy the videos!!!

I Am Thankful!!!

Today I want to list a few things I am thankful for....
1. Salvation through Jesus
2. Provision and Grace
3. My Family
4. My Roommate
5. Good Friends...(you know who you are)
6. My Health
7. My Job
8. My Home
9. I am thankful for the fact that if I didn't have 6-9... I will always have 1-5!!!!
10. and last but not least.... I am thankful for Ketchup... You know me... I couldn't let them all be serious......

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I Think It Is Over!!

For those of you who have been worried about Matt Matt.... I think the Pox are about to be all done.... He still has some bumps but most of them are healing very nicely.... I am so glad he is getting better.

Last week was one of the busiest weeks I have had in a long time....the busy"ness" coupled with the Pox made for quite a week. I am glad the week is over and the holidays are quickly coming....I missed the "Where Did it Come From Friday" this past week because of a banquet I had to attend after a really long day at the tree exhibit... I have it ready and will post tomorrow... Be sure to tune in because it will give you some useless trivia to share with your families as your eating turkey, dressing, and all that stuff...

Speaking of Thanksgiving.... What are your plans??? Anybody doing anything really great..Tell me about it... I am interested in what you guys do... I look forward to hearing from some of you.

I saw this funny cartoon on a friend's blog... I thought you would laugh!!!

Pray for Matt Matt

My roommate Matt has been feeling sick for the past few days with a constant headache and reoccurring fever... Last night at midnight I took him some medicine for his fever...and when I flipped on the light I was greeted with a pepperoni face.....The little chicken pox had busted out all over him....He was covered all over.... There are even more of them today.... He never had them as a child and the fever keeps coming and going. Hopefully he will be done with it in a few days... Pray for his speedy recovery!!!

Where Did It Come From Friday.....On Saturday!!

Here I go….wondering again…. In keeping with the season…This week I started wondering where in the world the whole Presidential Turkey Pardoning came from….

If you don’t know this…every year on the day before Thanksgiving, the president of the United States chooses a prize turkey as well as a runner-up turkey to be pardoned and live out the rest of his life on turkey farm instead of succumbing to the edge of a butcher knife.

This seemed like such a funny thing for the president of the free world to be doing so I decided to see how it all began…. In my research I found that there are 2 stories that seem to be floating around that claim to be the origin of this tradition.

Some historians claim that Harry Truman pardoned the first turkey in 1947, but the Truman library cannot find any account of this event occurring. Presidents since then have participated in the ceremony. According to one website, President Nixon somehow avoided the whole thing…who knows why???

The other claim is that it all began as a result of good ‘ole Honest Abe pardoning the family turkey from being killed for Thanksgiving dinner because his son wanted to keep it as a pet…. Kinda like a real live Fern from Charlotte’s web.

Either way it’s a funny tradition for our country. Apparently on the day of the pardoning ceremony, the guests make turkey jokes and have a good laugh.

After the pardoning, both winner and runner-up have, in the past, resided at a petting zoo in Pennsylvania. Ironically… named “Frying Pan Park.” Currently the turkeys are shipped to Disneyland and live out their days in a Disney style farm.

The White house even has references to the Turkey pardoning on their website. Click here to see some pics and read the names the American public has chosen for past turkeys. Stay tuned to the white house webpage to vote for this years Turkey names.

Hope you enjoyed this Friday’s edition of “Where did it come From Friday?” Tune in next week for a look into the history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

The Results!!!!

I

GOT

IT!

National Board Teacher's Certification

As many of you know.... the last year, plus.. of my life was spent on the process of applying for my National Board Teacher's Certification...

It is an extremely long process that involves lots and lots of writing and reflecting on your teaching ability. It is it then finalized with a 3 hour long exam. The whole process takes about a year and then you wait for months on the results.... I received my official notice from the National Board office last night at 10:30 telling me that scores would be posted at 9 am on Friday....

My stomach immediately tied in knots.... At first I thought the email was my score report, then I realized it was telling about the score posting... I was so shocked to receive this email because the scores are normally posted the week of or following Thanksgiving....

Pray for my and other candidates calmness and peace as we await 9 am tomorrow. I am really putting myself out there by telling you this because now all of you will be awaiting my results with me...that means if I do not get the certification then I will have to tell you guys too....

If I do not certify, I do have 2 more years to keep trying, so its not the end of the world....I will just feel like that for a few days... Hopefully I will have some good news to share with you tomorrow morning.. Please check back tomorrow for the results!!!!!!!!!!

Where is It??

Don't you just hate when you need something and you cannot find it.... It seems that I lose something or misplace something at least twice a day... Matt always reminds me of what his mama says..."Move something" usually when I move something I find what it is I am looking for... Here is a list of things I always seem to be huntin' for....

1. Car Keys
2. My Wallet
3. Cellphone
4. Scissors
5. Tape
6. Ipod
7. One Shoe from the Pair
8. My Day Planner
9. Chapstick
10. Nail Clippers
11. Tweezers
12. Matches/ or that Flame Throwing Lighter

Add to my list.... What do you seem to lose?????

Extra Time

It is not everyday that we get to enjoy an extra hour....Didn't you enjoy turning the clock back this weekend....Lord knows I did....

The choir and praise band from church not only got 1, but 2 extra hours as we traveled to Alabama for a great week of singing and encouragement. We were able to just love on some hurting people this weekend and it was a really great time...not to mention that we got to grow together as a family of believers.

With my 2 hours extra time, I went to the Lone Star restaurant and had a chop steak and then like the computer nerd I am quickly becoming, I found a really cool website where you can play Scrabble online with people from around the world....Click here to go it Go by there and get a name and let me know what it is and I will add you to my play list. It is pretty neat. You can chat with your opponent while you a re playing....

I know that wasn't the most exhilarating way to spend 2 extra hours, but it was relaxing to me and that's what counts right???? So tell me...what did you do with your extra hour???.... Or better yet did you forget to change your clock and end up somewhere really early....Let me hear about it!!!

Where Did It Come From Friday????

Many of you who know me really well know that I often have these ridiculous thoughts.... I wonder how Scotch tape got its name.....or Who invented scrambled eggs..... I think about things like this for no apparent reason...Ill just be driving along in my car and BAM out of no where my brain will be pondering the most ridiculous things....

In an effort to feed my brain my brain with senseless trivia and to entertain my readers, I have decided to create a regular weekly posting title called "Where Did it Come From Friday????" Each week I will let you into my brain to see what ridiculous thought I have had for the week...

That said, let's begin.... The other night, I put up a scarecrow in my yard.... It has a nice clown like face, and there is nothing really scarey about him....He adds to the decor in my yard, and looks quite nice in his burlap overalls....I got to thinking while I was putting it up.... Who in the world thought to put a fake man on a stick to scare away birds....Yes...it is a great idea....but who thought of it first....With a random thought like that they must be related to me..

I did some research and here is what I found....

The Scarecrow is one of the most familiar figures of the rural landscape throughout countries around the world. His ragged figure has been recorded in rural history for centuries. His image has proved irresistible to writers from William Shakespeare to Walter de la Mare as well as to film makers since the dawn of the silent movie. Yet, despite all his fame, the origins and the development of the scarecrow have remained obscurred in mystery.

According to one website I found, there is even a scarecrow god in Japanese mythology called Kuebiko. The mythology claims that he could not walk but knew all about the world. The stories of Kuebiko were written in 712 A.D. So apparently they have been around a while...

So to answer my first "where did it come from?" I have to say...who knows???If you like scarecrows and have kids that like to do fun, creative, artsy things...check out this website. It has lots of neat things to do with scarecrows.

I hope you enjoyed this first and most random post of this series....Let me know some of the random things you have wondered about......I will do the research and let you know!!!!