tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71468448758383582862024-03-14T14:14:35.387-04:00Enjoy the Ride!Carpe Diem. Seize the day.Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-44093851334505378542011-05-20T10:30:00.002-04:002011-05-20T10:55:44.390-04:00It's the End of the World As We Know It....<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">...and I don't believe it for a minute!</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With all this rapture stuff out there saying that supposedly tomorrow Jesus will rapture his church and the world will go into tribulation, I felt like I needed to put my 2 cents out there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">First of all, this Harold Camping person is an idiot. If you follow him and like him, I apologize for that statement, but to me it's the truth. He has claimed to figure out when the rapture is going to happen based on scripture interpretation and numerology. Okay, so he did that. What about the fact the Bible clearly says in Matthew 24:36 & 42: <span class="apple-style-span"><i>“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father...Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."</i>? So since Harold Camping knows when the rapture will be, then I guess he's God? We are warned in the Bible of false prophets.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As a Christian, this kind of stuff infuriates me. When Sunday comes along and everything is just fine, then what? He will look like an idiot and give Christianity a black eye. CNN had a great blog post relating to this. <a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/17/my-take-may-21st-doomsday-movement-harms-christianity/">Read it here</a>.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I read an</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40885541/ns/us_news-life/t/end-days-may-believers-enter-final-stretch/"><span style="color: #c00000;">article on MSNBC.com</span></a></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> written back in January about this. Of all the things and people interviewed in this article, what bothered me the most was this line:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"If May 21 passes and I'm still here, that means I wasn't saved. Does that mean God's word is inaccurate or untrue? Not at all," Warden said.</span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Once you ask Jesus into your heart and accept Him as your Savior, you are saved. Forever. And ever. Until the end of time. Basically, once saved always saved. My heart breaks for this man if he truly believes what he said. No where in the Bible does it say you have to keep getting saved again in order to be truly saved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Okay, so what if the rapture does indeed happen tomorrow? I know without a shadow of a doubt that myself, my girls, my husband, my friends and my family are all going to the same place – Heaven. So if Jesus came Saturday to take us up to paradise, here is what I would do:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Stand in line and have my judgment for what I did and didn’t do during my time on Earth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Find my grandpa and give him the biggest hug I’ve ever given him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Attend the family reunions that would be taking place and meeting relatives that went before my time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Help the girls find their friends, who would be there somewhere with their families.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">5.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Get my comfy chair and my never-ending supply of Diet Coke (yes, I think Heaven would have it) and sit in the edge of Heaven and watch and pray for the people left behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In all seriousness, if Jesus did come back tomorrow, where would you be? I know some people put no stock in religion. It’s a MAJOR part of my life and I truly hurt for those who I know would not be joining me. I hope with all the media going on about Harold Camping that people do start reading their Bible and going to church. It will be an amazing day when we all go to Heaven and see the Father on His throne in all His glory. I hope you’re with me </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-41094117609537534922011-05-05T11:32:00.001-04:002011-05-05T12:08:29.792-04:00There Once Was A ManThere once was a man born on June 4, 1926 and was the second youngest in this family.<br />
And married his sweetheart after dating six weeks and was married to for 61 years.<br />
<br />
There once was a man who was a Army Veteran who proudly served in World War 2 recovering things from Hitler's hideout.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN9MXG1624UUk4MkeEVCBFA8MAHYQgTfRUZFczfSYlWub4yvsP9aY1F5Bg1JSMM9Ibbzm_Jk_ncVZWRt6Fa04_fr0J8R21srrq9whmZqrN3YI4n51xKkidS3nUkDX2B0TV7ptkJY6JQ4/s1600/grandpa1001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN9MXG1624UUk4MkeEVCBFA8MAHYQgTfRUZFczfSYlWub4yvsP9aY1F5Bg1JSMM9Ibbzm_Jk_ncVZWRt6Fa04_fr0J8R21srrq9whmZqrN3YI4n51xKkidS3nUkDX2B0TV7ptkJY6JQ4/s320/grandpa1001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Hot Springs, Arkansas 1945</span></div><br />
There once was a man who was the father of Richard, Linda, Pam and Albert.<br />
And a pet or two.<br />
And grandpa to Lee, Scot, Michael, Melissa, Brian, Mandy, Christi, Alvin, Maddie and Morgan.<br />
And great-grandpa to Christopher, Jacob, Sam, Ansley, Parker, Joseph, Jacob, Sara, Claire and Allie (and after his death, Luke, Olivia, Rylan, Eliza, Mason, Ava, Addison and Anna Kate).<br />
<br />
There once was a man who not only was an insurance man but a Southern Baptist Minister.<br />
<br />
There once was a man who loved his family with all his heart.<br />
Who took his grandkids fishing.<br />
And to auctions.<br />
And hunting.<br />
And the lake.<br />
And to church.<br />
<br />
There once was a man who like to sing "Pretty Good".<br />
<br />
There once was a man who suffered from Parkinson's Disease for over 20 years.<br />
And refused to let it consume him.<br />
<br />
There once was a man who loved the Lord with all his heart and opened his eyes to Heaven on May 5, 2005.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>My grandpa was a remarkable man who I dearly loved and cherished. I miss him everyday. I still haven't gotten over his death. I know without a doubt I will see him again one day. Every time I hear an old hymn at church, I have to choke back tears. The memories of spending weeks of the summer with him and my grandma (who celebrated her 88th birthday yesterday!) will stay with me forever - going to church, walking around the Mingo Wildlife reserve, eating at Taco Bell (LOL - inside joke), dinners at Hickory Log and so forth.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SIzSBKcVyHmadmQQzHqzTLHczzXnalsqnx2xfAqXstnHsgN84lFykAqG8Pzt-y60gECP8rXDd2eh6QKSdpPcigGPuxWpwga-gqrl1vA4cBSwpSQIPBZWUvXxWPd25ri0LvsI9rBwdq8/s1600/grandpa2001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SIzSBKcVyHmadmQQzHqzTLHczzXnalsqnx2xfAqXstnHsgN84lFykAqG8Pzt-y60gECP8rXDd2eh6QKSdpPcigGPuxWpwga-gqrl1vA4cBSwpSQIPBZWUvXxWPd25ri0LvsI9rBwdq8/s320/grandpa2001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My grandparents and I on my wedding day, May 18, 2002</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVS2KLoJgjDPKn5bNSHzB4JM24eBSTUqnigpu7cR8tLmiy7fxRzMOBo9ktKkKxVD4VrA08soYoBkewiCQIHR2zf4uo81agjvjZGvh1jnwoNk7Z84dy1per5DkLlYRNH4g2oVJMpPeaNI/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVS2KLoJgjDPKn5bNSHzB4JM24eBSTUqnigpu7cR8tLmiy7fxRzMOBo9ktKkKxVD4VrA08soYoBkewiCQIHR2zf4uo81agjvjZGvh1jnwoNk7Z84dy1per5DkLlYRNH4g2oVJMpPeaNI/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">On our annual visit grandpa's grave - July 2010</span></div><br />
Most people are celebrating Cinco de Mayo today, but for me, today I am wishing my grandpa a happy 6th Heaven birthday.<br />
<br />
p.s. Mom, I know you are reading this and I'm sorry for making you cry - I know you are :)Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-85630347286141414102011-04-18T14:14:00.003-04:002011-04-18T16:18:27.407-04:00Best Friends ForeverWhile I was at my mom's house over Spring Break a few weeks ago, I came across a movie I've been wanting to see, but hadn't - Sex and the City 2. While watching it, I got to thinking about the relationships I have with my friends.<br />
<br />
I love watching Sex and the City (SATC). I've now seen both movies and every episode even though I tended to skip over Samantha's same-gendered relationship phase. Charlotte was always and will always be my favorite character on the show. Miranda was too whiny and Carrie, well, she eventually married Big, right?<br />
<br />
Watching the dynamics of those 4 always left me envious. Not of their single, carefree ways in New York City (even though it was fun to watch) but of their friendship. They were always there for each other, through marriages, divorce, babies, Big leaving Carrie at the altar, whatever was going on at that time.<br />
<br />
I've never had a super-tight group of friends like that. Yes, I have my close friends, but not a cohesive group like that. I tend to have a large group of friends but few I could call my BFF.<br />
<br />
There was my elementary school BFF, J.S.<br />
Then my high school BFF, A.L. in MO and M.F. in GA<br />
And my college BFF, L.P.<br />
<br />
Some of my current close friends have a group like that. One I can think of in particular has 3 other girls she's been friends with for over 10 years and even though we're good friends, she'll always have that super-tight group. The irony is that no matter how bad I want to have a set of friends like that, I won't. It's just not in me. I work better with a few super-close friends and a large group of other friends. My friends and I run in the same circles, have kids the same age, but I can't ever see myself as part of a SATC-type group. I love to have lots of friends and few close ones. Right now I have my husband, sister and 2 others I consider to be super-close friends. Sure, I'll could call some of them my "BFF" but do they think of me the same? Who knows?<br />
<br />
I watch my oldest daughter, A. I get furious when I see some of her friends go off and do things without her, but then, it doesn't bother her one bit. A hardly notices. She has a few close friends and is, in general, friends with everyone. Sound familiar?Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-58057922188746400162011-02-24T14:15:00.000-05:002011-02-24T14:15:56.352-05:00My Tuesday 10...On ThursdayThis has been a crazy, busy week since we are heading into our busy season at work (ice cream, not taxes) so forgive me, I didn't get a top 10 posted on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
Better late than never, right?<br />
<br />
This week's Tuesday 10: <br />
<br />
<b>10 Things That Exist Now That Didn't When I Was a Kid</b><br />
<br />
10. Cell Phones<br />
9. Ipods<br />
8. DVD Players<br />
7. DVD Players IN THE CAR (man, those 8 hour rides to Missouri would have better with these)<br />
6. HDTV<br />
5. Global Warming (well, maybe, but no one talked about it)<br />
4. Satellite radio (LOVE me some XM Radio on long trips)<br />
3. CDs (now they are going out of style - we had cassette tapes!)<br />
2. Digital Cameras<br />
1. the Internet<br />
<br />
I only wonder what Allie's list would look like if she writes one when she's 30...Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-15999108459088403962011-02-21T14:00:00.000-05:002011-02-21T14:00:02.754-05:00A Fine Alabama (or Auburn) EducationThis past week the girls were out of school on Winter Break, so we made our usual school-is-out trek to my parents' house. My parents live in Alabama and I just LOVE it when I can point out something that shows Georgians are smarter (hehe...). <br />
<br />
I often see signs and such that proudly show off the fine education people in Alabama receive. For instance, there's a sign at a tobacco shop outside of the town my parents live in. They spell tobacco, tabacco.<br />
<br />
So now I formally present two fine examples of an Alabama (or Auburn) education:<br />
<br />
Exhibit A ---------><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd8SIpX1N2SVpv80i2_lLCI71Vqg8-T4Oyuy5mL-grkkKeivlmGh6dJpZpZZzC9OanVtrvieSX57JBfKOZIbOgO58EdEZsBW0F7UC6ACVhmdp0eRvt7FGxH9u0FIrSbqnR2UcNMNm7uk/s1600/DSCN6031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd8SIpX1N2SVpv80i2_lLCI71Vqg8-T4Oyuy5mL-grkkKeivlmGh6dJpZpZZzC9OanVtrvieSX57JBfKOZIbOgO58EdEZsBW0F7UC6ACVhmdp0eRvt7FGxH9u0FIrSbqnR2UcNMNm7uk/s320/DSCN6031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We now spell "pioneers" "pioneenrs".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Picture taken over Thanksgiving at Noccalula Falls in Gadsen, Alabama)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Exhibit B ---------></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-sJ2471dMytsGEIomeLlQi2jwuJz_MhzKnEdWOzfxuSk33M9qwZ0JqnIvdNtzzO0C-wqbuA5pO6UjmcNWAMxRVnB_30IzuVIKegX4h88O9nOLeyqv9rUy4Iw324avvP3RA0np0jb2ek/s1600/DSCN6692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-sJ2471dMytsGEIomeLlQi2jwuJz_MhzKnEdWOzfxuSk33M9qwZ0JqnIvdNtzzO0C-wqbuA5pO6UjmcNWAMxRVnB_30IzuVIKegX4h88O9nOLeyqv9rUy4Iw324avvP3RA0np0jb2ek/s320/DSCN6692.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ladies and gentlemen, we now have a new spelling for the word "poison".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Picture taken this past weekend at the Birmingham Zoo in Birmingham, Alabama)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Let's throw in a bonus. This is not a misspelling, but an actual donut shop (I find the name of it hilarious).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTCEZXAm1oYLNn8ZfYyYaT7GMvst8hpZKRE3lHw8ooQ5nGedP-D2vAMydrNlVEgTfDLyyGPgphUIp-0KqrD1gpXbL4pVOzZkajaZQk_pkD3xNXjA9C61bNJNkJJVW4RP34AKoelVFj5Y/s1600/DSCN6654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTCEZXAm1oYLNn8ZfYyYaT7GMvst8hpZKRE3lHw8ooQ5nGedP-D2vAMydrNlVEgTfDLyyGPgphUIp-0KqrD1gpXbL4pVOzZkajaZQk_pkD3xNXjA9C61bNJNkJJVW4RP34AKoelVFj5Y/s320/DSCN6654.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">OMG! Donuts!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Picture taken this past weekend in downtown Anniston, Alabama)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope everyone that reads this knows I am only teasing Alabama and Auburn fans. We Georgia fans and alumni take our fair share from other schools. I wouldn't dish it unless I could take it. GO DAWGS!</div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-9133458422017783582011-02-15T09:35:00.000-05:002011-02-15T09:35:00.025-05:00My Tuesday 10 - Husband EditionWow - I haven't blogged in 2 weeks! Time just gets away from you. In honor of my husband Ben's birthday tomorrow, my Tuesday 10 is about him :)<br />
<br />
My Top 10 Things I Love About My Husband...<br />
<br />
(of course, in no particular order)<br />
<br />
10. The way he is with our girls - watching a daddy and his daughters would melt anyone's heart<br />
9. The way he can look at me and tell something's wrong even when I try to pretend it's all okay<br />
8. The fact he's a big sports nut - our most fun times have been at Georgia football games<br />
7. His red hair<br />
6. He works hard to provide for us<br />
5. He's my best friend who I can tell anything to<br />
4. He keeps me grounded<br />
3. His intelligence (sometimes he's too smart for his own good ;)<br />
2. His smile when we walks through the door after work<br />
1. He picked me :)<br />
<br />
Happy (Early) Birthday Sweetie!Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-70911486798155914052011-02-04T12:48:00.002-05:002011-02-04T12:54:33.356-05:00Facebook Can Be EVILI am a Facebook addict. I admit it. I currently have over 700 Facebook friends and actively manage 3 Facebook Business Pages. Facebook (from here on known as FB) can be great - it reconnects you with friends, keeps you in touch with your out-of-town family and can keep you in touch with your friends and plan stuff. For business, it's great - free advertising! <br />
<br />
On the flip side, it can be bad for you.<br />
<br />
I think FB is an enabler. We get to see into our other friends' lives - what they are doing, where they are going, what they have recently gotten. We can get green with envy or we can portray ourselves as doing better than we are to present a good face. Other times, I think people post things to throw it in other people's faces.<br />
<br />
FB is rampant with cliques (yes, grown women do have cliques...even in their 30's and 40's) posting on each other's walls about what is going down that night for "Girl's Night" or just one or two friends posting about "had a blast this morning!" or "can't wait to do it again!". If you happen to be that one friend that was not included, this can quite frankly piss you off.<br />
<br />
I will admit I do get jealous when I see that friends of mine have gotten together without me. Sometimes I would have been able to go, sometimes not, but we all just want to be included. <br />
<br />
Then there are times FB can make you feel like a third (or fourth or fifth) wheel. Friends will comment on stuff you were at or involved in to each other and it would be like you were not even there. I could go on forever about me and A lately feeling like third wheels, but that's another post for another day.<br />
<br />
I've seen this happen to people I know and it's happened to me. For all the glory FB gets, there's this downside that no one talks about. It can make a person feel horrible. Guilty. Depressed. Left out. I do my best not to let the little things get to me, but as a human woman (hormones and all) it does get to you no matter how you try not to let it. And yes, I was inspired to write this post after seeing something posted on FB.Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-33422640450118832772011-02-01T12:50:00.000-05:002011-02-01T12:50:54.666-05:00My Tuesday 10I love to eat. I go to Weight Watchers because I love to eat. <br />
<br />
I present My Tuesday 10...<br />
<br />
<u>10 Favorite Restaurants</u> (in no particular order)<br />
<br />
1. Cheddar's (Pooler or Macon, GA)<br />
2. Spanky's (Savannah/Brunswick/Tybee Island, GA)<br />
3. Ruth Chris Steakhouse (Savannah/Atlanta, GA)<br />
4. Barberito's (Statesboro mainly)<br />
5. Mellow Mushroom (Statesboro or Athens, GA)<br />
6. Rafferty's (Athens, GA)<br />
7. Hickory Log (Dexter, MO)<br />
8. Lambert's Cafe (Sikeston, MO)<br />
9. Truett's (Atlanta, GA)<br />
10. Happy Joe's (Muscatine or Iowa City, IA - haven't been there in years, but was my favorite as a child).Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-51391619506569444942011-01-28T16:11:00.000-05:002011-01-28T16:11:04.164-05:00Diary of a Former School Bus RiderToday, as most days, I get stuck behind a school bus on my way to pick A up from school. The school bus - ugh! Seeing a school bus, no matter where I am, makes me <i>cringe</i>. Seeing a school bus always invokes painful memories of being made fun, picked on and taunted.<br />
<br />
In Jackson, Missouri if your mom did not stay home all day, if you did not lived close enough to walk or had an older sibling pick you up, you rode the bus. <i>Everyone</i> rode the bus. This was the thing I dreaded most from 6th grade until I was a freshman (my sophomore year got better - I had friends with drivers licenses :) I remember at least one day a week I would come home and cry after getting off the bus. <br />
<br />
See, I was the fat girl on the bus. Looking back, I was not big at all by today's standards, but I seemed to always be the biggest girl. As like a majority of them, middle school boys can be mean - very mean. I was always the target of fat jokes and the such. I vividly remember buying a candy bar (okay, I know) from someone selling them for a club fundraiser and these 2 boys - Travis and Mark - started up. It took everything I had to act like I couldn't hear them and try not to cry. These are the same 2 who taunted me for a week after falling down on the way to the piano in the 6th grade Talent Show (I went on to play a perfect "Fur Elise" by Beethoven with a room full of happy applause, thank you very much :) <br />
<br />
I'm sure everyone has those moments from school they can't forget no matter how hard they try. We aren't perfect. We've made fun of people and have had people make fun of us. I think this just helped me develop a thick skin for that kind of ridicule. It's funny though, once we got past 9th grade (which was located at our junior high/middle school) everything stopped.<br />
<br />
The 2 boys? I don't know what happened with one - he just kinda faded into ordinary. The other, he started dating a girl 2 years older than us, "fell in love", they ran off from their parents bound for Vegas to get married (he was 16, she 18) but got apprehended by the cops somewhere in Colorado (I think it was...) after their parents alerted the police. They broke up a year later.<br />
<br />
I'm thankful that A goes to a school that they only way you would ride a school bus, is on the way to a field trip.Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-64367874878217896992011-01-25T13:24:00.000-05:002011-01-25T13:24:42.754-05:00BenYesterday my husband calls me to make fun of me for 1. creating a blog, and 2. posting it to Facebook. I asked him, "If I did a post about how great of a husband you are, would you still make fun of me?" His reply, "I would "like" it on Facebook."<br />
<br />
Soooo.....<br />
<br />
This is a post about how great my husband is. He's a great friend, listener and father. He cooks a mean steak. He know how to make me feel better. He loves me at my best and at my worst. He's been with my since I was 18 and is my best friend. <br />
<br />
So sweetie, are you going to make fun of me now???? Love you!Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-29473181649469622572011-01-25T13:19:00.000-05:002011-01-25T13:19:15.647-05:00My Tuesday 10Just glancing at this blog, you know I love Top 10 lists, so today I present...<br />
<br />
<b>My Top 10 Favorite TV Shows Of All Time</b><br />
(10-2 in no particular order)<br />
<br />
10. Boys Meets World<br />
9. Felicity<br />
8. Friends<br />
7. Dawson's Creek (I know, I know, I'm a dork!)<br />
6. Avonlea (it was on the Disney Channel in the early 90's - an Anne of Green Gables spin-off)<br />
5. Fringe<br />
4. Kids Incorporated<br />
3. The New Mickey Mouse Club (you know, the one where Britney and Justin were still kids)<br />
2. Glee<br />
<br />
and my all-time favorite show is...<br />
<br />
1. LOSTMandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-74060317254871142362011-01-24T12:50:00.003-05:002011-01-24T16:15:26.794-05:00All About MeMy Wednesday morning Bible study just started back this week and this semester we are doing <a href="http://www.lifeway.com/product/005264295/">Priscillia Shirer's "Jonah"</a>. It's all about life's interruptions. I was doing our daily homework yesterday and came across something that struck a chord with me...<br />
<br />
<i>"Your life involves you but is not ultimately about you."</i><br />
<br />
I had to read that 5 or 6 times to let it sink in. I am the most selfish person I know. Everything is about me - how can<b> I</b> do better, what will make <b>me</b> happy, what do<b> I</b> want,<b> I</b> want it now, etc. Aside from my girls, which I tend to be sometimes selfless about, I am extremely selfish. Bless my dear husband for putting up with me. After reading this, it got to me. I am a Christian and I strive to live out God's will for my life, but whether or not you know it or I show it, I'm selfish. Just ask my husband or my sister.<br />
<br />
Reading this statement and it's passage stuck with me. We are put here for God's glory. We are a miracle in and of itself (seriously, 2 cells make a human being?). She says "In the tale of your life unfolding right now, <b>HE, NOT YOU</b>, must be the One in the spotlight." My emphasis on the bolding. Whoa nelly.<br />
<br />
I know this study is not about that statement alone. It's a tiny piece to the whole puzzle. So I will aim to do better - put my husband and my girls more ahead of myself. What <b>they </b>want, not what I want. If I can show that change, it would be a true testament to the Lord himself.Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-89172753555009720652011-01-21T13:34:00.001-05:002011-01-24T12:54:51.403-05:00I listen too much to...I love my iTunes. I love my iPod. I listen to it daily while I work on my laptop. Since I LOVE Top 10 lists, I figured, let's list out the Top 10 Songs I've listened to (or played most) on iTunes on my computer...just don't judge - LOL.<br />
<br />
10. Hoedown Throwdown by Miley Cyrus<br />
9. Poker Face by Lady GaGa<br />
8. Just Dance by Lady GaGa<br />
7. Waterloo by ABBA<br />
6. I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas<br />
5. Never Think by Rob Pattinson (Twilight Soundtrack)<br />
4. Let Me Sign by Rob Pattinson (Twilight Soundtrack)<br />
3. Bad Romance by Lady GaGa<br />
2. Naturally by Selena Gomez and the Scene<br />
<br />
and #1 is....<br />
<br />
Right Round by Flo Rida<br />
<br />
I said don't judge!<br />
<br />
Side Note: I recently updated iTunes, so this isn't 100% accurate :)Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-8906673896269336902011-01-20T15:43:00.000-05:002011-01-20T15:43:32.772-05:00The Carpool LineAhh, the carpool line. Nothing frustrates me more than idiots in the carpool line. The private school my oldest attends has, what I would call, an unorganized carpool line. If you get there early, you can pull right on up and station yourself in front of your child's classroom. A's room is the last room, which just happens to be at the front of the carpool line.<br />
<br />
I usually get there REALLY early so I can be right there in front of her room. Sometimes, I'm just not quick enough. Here's what frustrates me...<br />
<br />
1. Grandma of a child in the other kindergarten class stops just far enough that a car cannot fit in front of her. She just does not pull up ALL THE WAY! She lolly-gags and blocks the line while waiting for her older grandchild whose class is all the way at the other end. When grandpa picks up, same thing. Grrrrr....... if you are going to be first, PULL ALL THE WAY UP! I don't want to walk down 3 classrooms to get my child when if you had just pulled up in the first place, I would not have to.<br />
<br />
2. When you are the first one in the carpool line, there is not a parking space in front of you. The end of the building is where the line begins. People will just pull up in front and cut you off from turning out or leaving so they can bypass the line and "hop out for a minute" (which is like 5 or 10) to get their child. If it's not an outlined parking place, IT'S NOT A PARKING PLACE! Take note, Wal-Mart shoppers who do the same thing!!!!<br />
<br />
We do have a nice gentleman who does "police" the carpool line....only he does it when a car without a driver has been idling a while.<br />
<br />
The school is great, it's just some of the picker-uppers need to know the rules.Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-8651373840171586312011-01-17T22:16:00.000-05:002011-01-17T22:16:20.254-05:00Back In the Saddle AgainAs you can tell, I'm getting back into this blogging thing again. I may be weird, but several times throughout the day, I'll have random thoughts or commentaries run through my mind and I'll think, "that's a good Facebook status" or "I really need somewhere to vent". So I decided to get back on the old blogging wagon or train or horse or whatever you want to call it.<br />
<br />
Thanks y'all!!Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-63991733363437607892011-01-17T22:14:00.000-05:002011-01-17T22:14:13.833-05:00Bruster's!<div style="text-align: center;">I SCREAM! YOU SCREAM! WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvynlanKn0vRqd3TXqhnrqSKB337SJDerxmiF16DthSEb8hBUXLfSlnkGdO6ALF2HQkgp9_yQ4iJJNv_tolnG97leQ4F1nsMyMi7GvYn2o_uGuScQCV8qU0afRpo7rJMPW6t5rVd-_5E/s1600/coupon_cone_birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvynlanKn0vRqd3TXqhnrqSKB337SJDerxmiF16DthSEb8hBUXLfSlnkGdO6ALF2HQkgp9_yQ4iJJNv_tolnG97leQ4F1nsMyMi7GvYn2o_uGuScQCV8qU0afRpo7rJMPW6t5rVd-_5E/s1600/coupon_cone_birthday.jpg" /></a></div><div><br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Yes, this is a plug for my job. I am the Marketing Manager for Bruster's Real Ice Cream/Nathan's Famous of Statesboro. I've been doing this for a year and a half and I LOVE IT. Marketing is truly my calling and as my hair stylist commented when getting my hair cut Thursday, "You really love you job. You just light up when talking about it.". That sums me up :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>So in an endless plug for my job, we are currently booking fundraisers and seeking Ice Cream Eating Contest Opportunities for this Spring/Summer! Contact me for more info!</div></div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-19748755791196713162011-01-17T22:07:00.001-05:002011-01-24T14:48:19.848-05:00Things I LoveAfter posting things I can't stand, I feel I must offer something positive....now, Things I Love.<br />
<br />
1. My girls. Without end. (Amen...sorry, George Strait comes to mind)<br />
2. My husband<br />
3. My Lord and Savior<br />
4. Cuddle time with my girls<br />
5. Snuggling with the hubby<br />
6. PIZZA<br />
7. My friends<br />
8. The feeling after a great Georgia Football win<br />
9. Listening to my children laugh<br />
10. Watching Ben with the girls<br />
11. A nice morning of coffee talk with some of my favorite ladies<br />
12. My job - seriously. I am so meant to do what I do :)<br />
<br />
These were in no particular order. It was much easier to come up with things I love rather than things I can't stand.Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-29820413221570622612011-01-17T22:03:00.000-05:002011-01-17T22:03:19.034-05:00Things I Can't StandOkay, so today I was not in the best mood. Rudely awakened by my eldest and the mood swings from a new medication are horrific. So, in light of this aggravated mood, I decided I would just flow with the negativity and list things I cannot stand (or just dislike)....<br />
<br />
1. People who do not drive at least 10 over the speed limit<br />
2. People who drive SLOW in the FAST lane<br />
3. Stupid People<br />
4. People griping about the Georgia football program when they did not attend school there and/or are not season ticket holders (come on guys, unless you have a financial claim to the school - hush!)<br />
5. Children who do not listen<br />
6. Hypocrites<br />
7. Stupid People<br />
8. People who are on Welfare and will not get up off their lazy rears and get a job (yes, there are jobs out there people!)<br />
9. A messy house<br />
<br />
So 9 things was all I could come up with. Hmm....Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-19053173013681525332009-08-25T20:29:00.001-04:002009-08-25T20:30:08.050-04:00Top 10 Movies...As I was getting the girls bathed tonight, we started singing movie songs - "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "Tomorrow" to be exact. That got me to thinking about the movies I loved to watch as a child so I've put together my Top 10 Favorite Movies As a Child...<br />
<br />
1. The Wizard of Oz<br />
2. Annie<br />
3. Cinderella<br />
4. The Neverending Story<br />
5. Labyrinth<br />
6. Dirty Dancing (was COMPLETELY shocked mom let me watch this after watching again at age 15)<br />
7. The Muppets Take Manhattan<br />
8. The Care Bear Movie<br />
9. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom<br />
10. Girls Just Wanna Have FunMandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-16666403782051347942009-08-25T18:44:00.001-04:002009-08-25T20:30:36.604-04:00REJOICE!Tomorrow is the first official day of our Rejoice Bible Study. We had an awesome kick-off last week. I'm doing Haylee Free's "Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed: A Study of David" by Beth Moore, Kay Arthur and Priscilla Shirer. SO SO excited! I did the Beth Moore "Esther" study in the spring and fell in love with her. I'm looking forward to studying this amazing character with good friends :o)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lifeway.com/e6/shop/?id=141586585X">Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed: A Study of David</a>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-68910958011133880662009-08-25T16:00:00.000-04:002009-08-25T16:00:33.916-04:00Picture Day in Athens!We went up to Picture Day in Athens over the weekend...these were my 2 favorite pictures...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrd4kY-M_xrMBBprKVmPGi6Z_CYt91XwHxxzG6AlYnptRzMIQh3phmNXLSkTlGhgK0PXG35xLj8e_Fn0mdUrWE_ujmj3viQUo2UbRwWkukNeMHMUvvMuZ6tvjXBrDadKE4r4HEtvreDM/s1600-h/1128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lk="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrd4kY-M_xrMBBprKVmPGi6Z_CYt91XwHxxzG6AlYnptRzMIQh3phmNXLSkTlGhgK0PXG35xLj8e_Fn0mdUrWE_ujmj3viQUo2UbRwWkukNeMHMUvvMuZ6tvjXBrDadKE4r4HEtvreDM/s320/1128.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Allie with the cheerleaders</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBzRJ-0i4NR4isysHrgCWTdgSrpu8nQkeIRGJ8BSDdYUJDMXNLYLp36NAkZcOjHTxz9rCPDGYJiyPr4eE5wf2bLkOqiW5zF_bFWKKvHDBzUmwOnfuMr8tfCP3UHrICLkjUxV9eI6GHDE/s1600-h/1151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lk="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBzRJ-0i4NR4isysHrgCWTdgSrpu8nQkeIRGJ8BSDdYUJDMXNLYLp36NAkZcOjHTxz9rCPDGYJiyPr4eE5wf2bLkOqiW5zF_bFWKKvHDBzUmwOnfuMr8tfCP3UHrICLkjUxV9eI6GHDE/s320/1151.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Allie with our QB Joe Cox</div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146844875838358286.post-55028623889985114632009-08-25T15:47:00.000-04:002009-08-25T15:47:25.273-04:00WOWOkay, I NEVER thought I would get into blogging. Seeing how some of my friends have them, I think I will give this a go. I will probably get addicted, but hey! I need a new addiction since I'm over FarmTown.Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11572863617080955142noreply@blogger.com1