Workout Songs...

Best workout song...

My Mom even likes this song! :)

Deep down, she is pretty hip.

Just so you know! :)

I've been jogging/walking/tinch of running around the neighborhood this week.

Ended up listening to this song AT LEAST three times!

Another good workout song is...

(I'm not suggesting you watch the video...

just listen to the music...

turn it up...

pick up the living room...

make your bed...

or whatever room your computer/iPad is in...

Is not a new song...but good...

trust me!)

I am ALWAYS looking for new GOOD workout songs!

PLEASE let me know if you have a favorite that gives you an extra boost while those ear buds are in your ears!

Just wanted some of you to check out what a spin class would look like...

if you don't already know!

This is from a Regis and Kelly segment.

But you must know, the BEST part of the workout, is the...

LIGHTS ARE LOW!

It's almost dark in the room.

Another way to get to "spin it out"!

Foyer Bench

I found this fun bench at an estate sale recently.

LOVED it for the foyer.

Thought the blue color would really pop off of our deep grey walls.

I also found two of these pictures at the estate sale.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE art that has texture.

Actually, these days, I don't buy anything else.

Even when I paint a canvas, I add my own texture.

This bench was also in the Delta magazine this month.

They feature it with a thick cushion.

Great Idea.

We will do that in the future...with a fun fabric of course.

I'm really into pink.

I think it is because I am surrounded by boys.

I don't even NORMALLY LIKE pink.

But, in these circumstances, this house needs a tinch more estrogen.

So, that's it.

Pink somewhere in the fabric for the cushion or throw pillows.

Also, now that I am looking at this picture, I think a rug would also look great here.

Not today.

But maybe one day.

Decorating Tip for the day:  The lens gives a whole new perspective!

Take a picture of your room.

Any room you are working on.

Looking at the image through the lens gives you a different perspective.

For instance, I didn't even think about a rug in this foyer, until I saw the photo.

Hope this helps you make your house a little more of a home.

Hope you all have a GREAT day!

HGTV...Do you hear me?

We have made the decision to move forward with the landscape...

BY OURSELVES!!!

But since we have a blank canvas...

horrific..

I know...

believe me...

It drives me BONKERS...

Back to the topic...

Since we have a blank canvas, we started on the design and Round Up yesterday.

We had a plan.

Mapped it out with a water hose, spray paint and our neighbor's help.

P.S. Our neighbor's yard looks AMAZING.  He is always working in his yard and the hard work definately pays off!  Their yard puts ours to shame.  So, we MUST do something about it!

I plan on posting pictures as we continue through this process.

This process will take years.

But, we have nothing but time.

Enjoy.

If HGTV came to my house, I would ask for painted greyish khaki brick, wood stained shutters, thick and substantial wood stained columns, stained concrete porches, new front doors with simple lines and 3/4ths glass, two lanterns flanking the front door with gas flame, pergula built off the front with matching gas latern hanging from the center while whispers of the whisteria dance in and around the beams of the beams...and of course landscaping.

And in the backyard, a covered kitchen including the following:  built in gas grill, built in Green Egg, fireplace with a flat screen tv over the mantle, rustic dining table with mismatched chairs, brick wall around the perimeter and a fire pit encircled by adorandak chairs and tables sprinkled with blooming flowers at every nook and cranny.

I'm just saying.

HGTV...

DO YOU HEAR ME?

We are definately a desperate landscape.

Would love to have a Insides Out backyard.

How do I sign up?

HGTV...

Do you hear me?

Will work for shrubs.

I know how to sweat.

We can find some helping hands.

We will give you good TV.

I will cook the entire crew rice krispie treats to munch on during the yard work.

HGTV...

Do you hear me?

Well, until HGTV comes to the BIG TOWN, we will toil on and create our own little masterpiece.

Mother's Day Weekend

Our Mother's Day was filled with fun times!  Here are some pictures of our Moms!

----------------------------------------------------------------

Mama

Gran, also known as Mama, Rose and Lisa (real name)...oh, and Cupcake #1 (my Daddy calls her that, he calls me Cupcake #2), is my NUMBER ONE Mom!  We have gone through many phases in our mother-daughter relationship and we now find our selves at the friendship phase.  For the first 18 years we had the parent-child relationship.  She didn't try to be my best friend, she filled her role as a Mom, as she should.  This foundation is why we have such a strong foundation as friends.  I will ALWAYS appreciate her care and tough love when I was younger.  She taught me right from wrong, even when the lessons were hard to learn.  I now realize, being a mom myself, some of those lessons were harder for her to teach.  You know the old saying, "This hurts me more than it does you."  Well, when I was the one "learning the lesson" I always thought, "YEAH RIGHT...wanna switch places lady?"  Well, now that places have switched, I'd rather be back in my jelly shoes learning the lesson instead of the high heels...or house shoes...I wear now!

Mama I appreciate all you did and continue to do for me and my family!

Hughes and Gran cooking THE BEST cookies in the world!

Kent and I call them "Healthy Cookies"...they are not...but they have oatmeal in them, therefore,

They. Are. Healthy.!  Hughes LOVES these cookies, too!  I'm sure Wiley will start to look for them under the cake plate the way Hughes does when he gets his first taste!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Mama

(Since all of my computer woes...I cannot find the pictures of Ma'Lyn with the boys...

frustration. So, here is a picture of Ma'Lyn and Francie.  I think she looks gorgeous!)

Ma'Lyn, also known as Mom and Ethlyn, is truly a blessing in our life.  Rodney and Ethlyn raised two wonderful children, Mary Love and Kent.  Kent's manners and good nature are the first thing I fell in love with about him.  He was so genuine and caring...hard to come by these days.  His Mom's influence and expectations really formed the man Kent is today.  For her, I will always be thankful.  Kent is absolutely a "Momma's Boy" ... and if she was your Momma, you'd be a "Momma's Boy", too!  I am so thankful for the relationship I have with Ethlyn. 

Now that I have boys of my own, I don't know how she let her baby boy go.  How do you allow some other woman take care of your baby?  Surely, they won't do as good of a job as their Mom has done.  Will they comfort them when they are sick the way Mama does?  Will they cook warm dinners the way Mama does?  Will they pray for his well-being the way Mama does?

Ethlyn, I promise to continue to take care of Kent the way you would want.  I can't promise to ALWAYS...or hardly ever...have ironed shirts ready in the closet, but I promise to love and adore him forever.  Thank you for sharing your baby boy with me.

Attention Future Wives of Hughes and Wiley:  I don't have anything to say here, except,

Please treat my baby boys the way you will want your baby boys to be treated.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Mama Jean

Mama Jean, also known as Jean, Mama, is my Daddy's mother.  She raised five children:  Joy, Bud, Jerry, Sammy and Mark.  Mama Jean is the picture of strength.  If she were to write an autobiography of her life, you would be inspired to stand tall, empowered to be better in everything, craving to love the Lord the ways she lives and amazed...period.  Her boys...and daughter...are also, "Momma's Boys"...and again, if she was your Momma, you'd be a "Momma's Boy", too!

Isn't she gorgeous? Nearing 80 and looks at least 20 years younger! Hopefully, I will get her genes in the youth department!

-------------------------------------------------------------

Grandmother

Grandmother, also known as Mama and Polly, is my Mom's mother.  She has raised three children David, Marty and my mom (Lisa Ann).  This woman is also amazing.  P.S. She can can a mean pickle, jar scrumptious jelly and cook turnip greens so good you would EAT them...and then never eat them from anyone else!  Grandmother is a God fearing, compassionate and strong woman. 

Isn't she beautiful?  It is very rare that she allows us to take a picture of her, but this one will be framed in our house!  Granddaddy is one lucky man!

------------------------------------------------------------

Don't ask why, but I didn't get a picture with Hughes and Wiley on Mother's Day. 

I'm actually pretty upset abput it. 

So, I will post a pic of Hughes and I last Mother's Day.

For the Mother's who have gone before us and I wasn't able to meet, you live on through your children.  We still talk fondly about Grandmama Brown and Grandmama Mortimer.  I love hearing of your travels, stories and our family thrives on the lessons and morals you taught Ethlyn and Rodney. 

Happy Mother's Day Week to you All.

Our Mother's.

Mother's of Mother's.

Mothers who adopt.

Mothers who long for a child, yet haven't been able to.

 

Mothers who have lost a child.

We also think of you this week.

Once a Mom, always a Mom...love, loss and everything in between.

A Mama Song for You

This song is for all you Moms!

Happy!

Bright!

Listen to the words...pretty cute!

P.S. You don't have to watch the video...

Just push play...

Go visit another blog...

Go buy your Mom a gift online...

Write her a letter...

Shoot her an email...

Show some love.

I love you Mama.

I love you Ma'Lyn.

Happy Mother's Weekend!

Just a Dream

On Regis and Kelly...that plays in the background of our mornings of play...

Kelly just had a charity event in a spin class!

(She is working towards promoting health in children.)

Soul Cycle was the name of the gym.

What a dream!

An entire gym dedicated to the activity of SPIN!

I would LOVE to have a small downtown building filled with spin bikes!

Just think of it:

Classes at 5 each day.

5 in the morning

5 at night

One complete hour of a great workout.

The children are still in the bed, so your day isn't interrupted.

Your not taking time from your children to do something good for you!

Great music to move your bum and move your soul!

Kent thinks this is also a great idea,

but we aren't sure enough people would love it the way I do.

(Even though I KNOW they would if they tried it.)

It's also a risk financially.

But, I DREAM of having a small room of spin bikes

encouraging our town

one person at a time

to move their bum

feed their soul

do something good.

Honestly, when I spin, I get to "Spin it Out".

What I mean by that is:

My mind gets to go mindless...spinning all the cobwebs out.

My Dad always says it's good to do something outside/different/physical to get all the cobwebs out of your mind. 

Your brain gets all cluttered by the day to day schedule and riga ma roar!

So, maybe one day, I will have my own little spin room, filled with happy faces, spinning and sweating and smiling...and then not smiling because they are mad that I am pushing them to limits they didn't really want to see today, then smiling again when they get ready for the day.  They leave knowing they have done something amazing for their body and mind today. 

Just a dream.

Maybe one day.

(If you are in the vicinity of a spin class, please go to one for me.  Please.  Drop some sweat on the floor for me today.  And, if you are in Jackson area, you should go to The Club and take Kenny's class.  You won't regret it.)

Just a dream.



Sunshine on a rainy day!

Sunshine on a Rainy Day!

Hughes and Wiley are absolutely sunshine on a rainy day!

Wiley is starting to smile and coo at us!

Hughes is constantly picking up new things and at the moment...

Hughes is sitting on a cushion from a chair, in the floor, holding a book, upside down, saying, "Ree Ree REeeee REee ree REeee!".

I praise him saying, "Very good reading Hughes!"

Then he just got up and said "Maw Mart"...

Me:  "Yes, we will go to Wal Mart when Daddy gets home."

Love how he is rapidly becoming conversational!

Aunt Laura...this one's for you!

Hughes just went into his closet and wanted to wear the shirt you gave him!

AND...

Since it's raining, we thought it was appropriate to have on our frog rain boots from Francie and Harlan.

He looks like such a big boy!

Sniffle..Sniffle..

On the subject of crying, I have been a COMPLETE basket case lately.

I cry over...

commercials...

Osama bin Laden fiasco...

nothing...

What is wrong with me?

Hope you all have a great Mother's Day week!