Fireflies

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved Summer mostly because of the mysterious but beautiful glimpse that you catch of lightning bugs during the night. I love looking out towards the fields and seeing them filled with yellow specks.

This weekend Charli helped catch fireflies for the very first time. This is the girl that screams, runs and cringes at the thought or sight of any bug. It's simply hilarious but I love watching her get scared of them (Bad Mommy, I know!)

There he goes with his fake smile again!
I didn't even know my Mom took this picture *thanks Mom*

Haha, we both look grossed out.
But I promise that I am not!
This comes from the girl that put a dead copperhead in our kitchen garbage whenever I was child.
My Mom about died.

Miss Mischievous


I promise that my child is not always wearing crazy funky clothes and that I do brush her hair! She loves to dress herself up and hey she is 4 so why not let her do it? Also, the temperature in Kentucky has been hot as hello lately, so C.B.'s curly hair goes POW! and frizzes up everywhere.

The Whistle Stop - Glendale, KY

Yesterday for lunch I was finally able to mark another number off of my bucket list {Eat @ The Whistle Stop in Glendale, Kentucky!}

We headed up towards Glendale to purchase my Dad a new Semi as soon as I left work yesterday morning. It was quite the experience on the way up there from listening to motorcycle dudes drool and talk about how "hot" and "banged up" my sister is (she has a severely bruised knee and leg, another story for another day) all while not having a clue that we were here family sitting behind them. Then we took a ride with Jack and the Bean Stalk; a man that was way to tall to ride in our vehicle, by the way he talked more than any woman I have ever met, and my feet got yelled at by some random man walking by the car talking to himself. Strange stuff happens in Leitchfield, KY peeps...

I have been wanting to try to this place for almost ever now and I could hardly stand the wait.

Charli Beth and I waiting for our fried green tomatoes to come out for our appetizer! Although, I must admit that I was not a fan of theirs and my Moms is the bomb {brownie points!}


You can realllly tell that C.B. was not as excited as my Mom and I were. We were like little kids in a candy store with this place. Seriously though, we're from Kentucky, food is some SERIOUS stuff around our parts! ha.

Open Faced Pot Roast = delish.
Oh my geez!
This was the best.thing.ever and only $5.99!

Banana Pie
Okay, so maybe this was the best thing ever?
I lost count.
But it was ahhh-mazing!

One of the shops that sets in their "downtown" Glendale.
Isn't this bench so adorable!
By the look on her face you can tell that my child was still not so very excited about this.
Until, Nana found her a barbie to buy (yuck-o)

Everything in this store is made in the Bluegrass State.

& this my friends, is yours truly.
I may not be able to cook/bake very well, but I am going to look darn cute while trying!

I purchased it at one of the boutiques in Glendale.
I heart it more than almost anything at this moment.

Not so wordless Wednesday

I finally finished "At First Sight" by Nicholas Sparks the other night and let me just say that it was has been by far my least favorite Nicholas Sparks book. One of the reviews says that it will make you "laugh and cry with such a happy ending" ...What? None of these happened for me and it was such a sad ending!

I set there feeling bad for the poor man and all that he had to go through. There was a few to many twist in this book. We all have our opinions though!

Next up is The Guardian, and I'm pretty excited about reading it!

Have you heard about this ?
I honestly think it is a bunch of crap.
Are we not the country of Freedom of Speech?

So the guy is full of anger, stress and frustration, should that not be expected from the man that is U.S. commander of the war in Afghanistan! I would think so, especially since our wonderful leader has been saying from the start that he is going to bring our troops home {one of many reasons he should be upset.} But look where they are? I do however understand that "talking the talk" and opening your mouth a little to much sometimes can get you in a serious amount of trouble, but once again freedom of speech and slander are two totally different things. This man can get upset about a few harsh words but cannot get upset that BP has ruined so many lives and the oceans.This man really sets me on fire like no other.

And a picture for my NOT so wordless Wednesday:

Charli did this to her Pa while he was napping the other day!
Bahahaha =)
Thats my girl!

Father's Day

I am having a really hard time this year with trying to "hide" Father's Day from Charli Beth. I know some of you are thinking "what the hello for?" Well to be honest, I cannot decide if it is something that I should be hiding. But she is at the "What" "Why" "What for?" stage and most of you know how this is.

Mark, Char and I went to Bowling Green tonight and bought my Dad (may I mention this is my step Dad) a Father's Day gift but I asked Mark to only call this "Pa Day" for her sake.

Seriously? Should I be doing this. Should I be hiding a day from her? I remember as a child pouting and whining to myself about why I didn't have my real Father around to share this holiday with. I am thankful now and have been for so many years that I do not know him because my sister Ashley and I are truly better off with the Dad that we have. We truly are blessed now. But am I really just hiding this holiday for my own sake? I really do not know how to handle this.

I just cannot stand to think about Charli questioning herself already at this young of an age of why she does not have anyone to call Daddy. I am broken over this, and am seriously sitting here crying, praying that no one walks in and 911 does not ring anytime soon.

Friends have already asked her where here Daddy is and she just looks at them. She knows that he isn't here, we know this. She asked my Mom about the boy that was in a picture with her when she was baby, and wanted to know his name. Why should she have to ask that? She shouldn't have to. I feel so horrible, not that I brought a child into this world to not have a Dad, but that I know the pain that she will experience throughout her child hood, wondering, dreaming and thinking of what it would be like to actually have a Dad. It wasn't my intention to actually have her without a Dad, it was a choice unlike for some people. I made this decision, I knew what was best. I could of stayed, but I didn't and thank God I did not. { Hallelujah! }

We hope and we pray for better days ahead. My better days ahead consist of a family and a man that I know is a blessing to Charli and I.

My heart may ache for Charli Beth now but I know that better days will be ahead of her. She will know in her heart that God gives and takes people in our lives to make us stronger in every.single.way possible! She will know that our lives are better off without someone to bring us down each chance that they get.

She will ask why and about him one day, but for now...this will be celebrated as Pa Day!

-----

Dear C.B.

There are going to be things in life that you will not understand that will break your heart on more than one occasion. You will question why at times, and you will cry at others. But please never let these things make you cold in your heart and think badly of people because of someones mistakes.
I pray that I will teach you about the good in people and how to be forgiving of others something that I have never been good at. I pray that you will not always look at a man and think of him badly just because the one man that was suppose to be here in your life is not.
The Lord has already proven to us both that good Godly men that will be wonderful Daddies do exist and are already in our lives.
I pray that you will never look down on me for not trying a little more for him to be in your life. This is something that I pray for daily. I knew in my heart that we were not where we needed to be. I knew that not only was I better off, but mainly you were better off. I did not try because of this reason and so many people question my decision on this, although they do not matter...only you do. At times you will not understand why I made this decision, but I will ask you to just pray over it and one day we will have our talk, the talk that makes me sick to my stomach. Just please know that I do my best daily to see that you have the best in everything that I can give you. I've learned from the best; she taught me how to be a strong incredible Mother just as she was during the times that I wanted to know why.
I love you and you will always be my favorite girl in the whole wide world.

Random Thursday

We have the prettiest yard this year and I always love our country porch that is always sporting the ferns and black rockers. My Mom has worked hard this year to make our yard cute and she has done the perfect job. {Yes, Char and I still love with them if you are new to our blog.}

You see the black lights around the bottom? Yea, we are probably missing a few because C.B. has a habit of running over them with her gator. We always try to fix them though.

Charli has a very very small garden again this year and it is finally getting some tomatoes growing in it. I think that we may have 5 now?!?I also bought a new pair of shoes today at a consignment shop and I am in.freaking.love! They are brand spanking new and are from Chadwicks. I'm not sure how much they cost orginally, I have tried to find it but I only paid $11.99! Yay =)
Okay here I am all thinking that picture was cool but my legs look goofy as all get out! Oh well you see the shoes now! I'm not sure what I am going to wear them with besides a new white skirt that I also bought for $4 so if you have any advice please share!

Ain't nothin' but a hound dog...

I have a love/hate relationship with my Darling pup Maggie Lou. Whenever I purchased her I had the mind set that Bloodhounds were calm, lazy and slept majority of the time. For the first time ever I was wrong!

She is as sweet as they come although she likes to jump and is a wee bit to big to be jumping on me. I am a short only measuring in around 5'3 but whenever she jumps up she is almost as tall as I am! Not only does she scratch, but she bruises too. So I walk around with long skinny bruises constantly. I can no longer let her around C.B. until she calms/gets older. She will be a year old in July so we have a ways to go until she calms down.

Last week I received her Continental Kennel Club registration papers on her, but I still cannot make myself put an add in the local newspaper. I just feel so bad to be giving her away but honestly she is just to much for us.

What to do =(

What we've been up to

This has been one of those time where we've been bored but busy. I have been working a seriously crazy schedule ever since they made me full time. I almost wish they wouldn't have made me full time. It has done nothing for me so far besides make me even more sleepy. My schedule has pretty much consisted of 2 or 3 days of 3rd and then the rest 2nd each week. I cannot get my sleep or my life under control. This place has ruined me. Blah...

Enough of the complaining!
Charli Beth attended a Vacation Bible School last week that was called "Saddle Ridge." I wasn't able to attend {because....duh, work!} so my wonderful Mom took her and also snapped some pictures.If you are new to my blog then you probably do not know that Charli's goal in life is to be a Cowgirl. Yes, a cowgirl and a cheerleader. Great combo, huh? So this bible school was perfect for my little dreamer-of-a-cowgirl

She rode horses, made crafts, sang, listened to stories/plays/music. She had the time of her life at this bible school and all while learning about Jesus. What more could a Momma ask for?!

This also reminds me last weekend whenever all of us girls went out to yard sales, Charli proudly says "Momma, I know who jesus made first!" and I said "Who honey?" "Orville and Eve" ---Orville? "No baby it's Adam, are you thinking about popcorn?" hahahahaha =) LOVE HER!!!


We also started to go to the YMCA today to swim although as soon as we walked inside it thundered and the pool had to close for at least 30 minutes. So we grabbed lunch and headed home to do this....

Such a kid!

Charli in her "kini"

Proof that I do have a little bit of fun ;o)

The finished product...
What a mess!

Friday Fives

{once again, I am an hour and twenty minutes late - it is now Saturday. Opps!}

If you could have lunch with any 5 people who would they be....

1.} Jesus. Should I have to explain this one?

2.}My Pappaw. The one person that I have very few memories of although he has made one of the biggest impacts in my life. I would just love to be able to know him and the love that he had for my Mom, sister and I. I know that he was truly a good man. I would like to sit down and explain to him how thankful I am for being his grand daughter and even though he passed around while I was a toddler my love for him is as strong as it could ever be. Charli Beth is named after him and I just know that they would of been the best of pals.

3.} Princess Diana, I have always found her very interesting and would love to know her views on so many different things.
4.} The love of my life{...just kidding!} Katherine Heigl - She is just so much darn fun and have I mentioned how gorgeous she is. I would first ask her why she decided to leave Grey's Anatomy, without asking me first of course. I would also like to know how she came to the decision of becoming a parent whenever she adopted her daughter. I could mix a combo lunch date of her and Sandra Bullock because it looks like that Sandra is Katherine's hero in this article. 5.} Elizabeth Hasselbeck, this chick just totally rocks my world. I love how feisty, knowledgeable, beautiful and daring that she is. She has always been my pick on the crew on "The View" and I love how she is never afraid to speak her mind. My kind of girl. We would have tons to discuss from politics to babies!
My "I would not be able to eat, because I would be drooling to much" category:
Channing Tatum, Chris Young, My super adorable boyfriend that I never get to have lunch with as it is, Trace Adkins, George Strait...I would go on but it's time to leave work, have a great weekend!

Might be redneck..

But they are smart =)

I doubt I have to say this because everyone else in the world has already but...
Shame on BP
and especially your CEO that "wants his life back"
forgive all of these poor men and women that lives have been effected by your mess for intruding in on your perfect life.
Shame on you.

Wedding

Last Saturday after returning home from Florida my family was invited to attend a wedding that my older sister Ashley was the maid of honor in. I was very excited to see this couple get married. They have been dating for almost as long as I can remember. They were high school sweethearts I guess you could say, and were prom queen & king. Not to mention they were getting married at the Narrows (Barren River Lake) and their all hippy like so I knew it would be cute as can be.

I over heard a while back from my sister that Tori (the bride) was going to be making her own dress. How neat is that? She is wayy more brave that I could ever be! Her parents also made their "arch" for them to get married in front of. It was very primitive and it was sooo pretty!How adorable is she?!

She is all hollering and he has a "did this just happen" look! haha

I wanted to share the pictures because I think they're such a cute couple and not to mention my sister looked absolutely gorgeous that day (like any other day!)My lovely parents!

YMCA Soccer Awards Night

CB had her awards night at the soccer field on Tuesday for her first team. She was very excited to be able to get her trophy from her coach. The lady in the blue (Mrs. Julie) was her head coach and the other dude (have no idea what his name is) was the assistant.

Yay for her first spring soccer season!

I think it's pretty cute? The arms and legs bend so thankfully it can't be broken!

So very proud!

She had me to take a tan of pictures of her and her trophy. She has tons of trophies already from doing pageants but this is the first sport that she has played and earned a trophy for! I am very proud of her, although it does make me realize once again that she is growing up to fast!

Speaking of growing up to fast! WHERE IS HER HAIRBOW?! Ahh, Miss Priss is making me bump up her hair now like I do mine. It is super sweet I know. But I am already starting to miss my little bow head! She is for sure to cute though!

I walked in from work Tuesday morning and found her like this: