Happy Weekend to everyone!! We've had a great weekend. Last night we went to EMCA's basketball games. Ashlyn had a great game and we won! She has three games next week.

Today, Ashlyn and I went to the Galleria Mall in Birmingham to continue looking for a Junior/Senior dress. We had looked last weekend and didn't find anything. We went to one of her favorite stores, Jessica McClintock and found exactly what she had been looking for. It's a cocktail-length dress that is swirled gold/creme. It is strapless and she looks amazing in it. We got some lovely big drop diamond earrings, a gold/diamond purse. We didn't see any shoes today; so we'll go look soon. She loves the dress!

We missed Miss America! I was SICK. When did Miss America start coming on in January? I've even had "Miss America" parties. This has been a tradition of mine since I was a little girl. I'd watch it with my Mom and even my Dad would watch it and get up and twirl around horribly and tilt his glasses and act like he was falling down! Since the girls were @ five years old we've always watched "Miss America" together. I was so sad.

We have church tomorrow and then Ashlyn/her basketball team are heading to Auburn to watch the Auburn-Tennessee girls basketball game. Auburn is undefeated!

God bless and have a lovely evening!

Liberty!

Ben & Ashlyn at football game

At LU/Gardner Webb football game - it was SO cold

Josh, Ben, Ash, Britt

Britt & I

Triple Trouble

Can we have a serious picture?!?

At David's Place - LU

Sweet sisters

Ben & Ashlyn

Hanging at the dorms



Joy here ... backwards again!! This is from November :) Work with me people! As I'm trying to do all this - Brittney and I are "IMing" and I can't do two things at one time I'm learning!! No, I really can! Anyhoooo ... we took Ashlyn, Ben, Josh to "College For A Weekend". We drove ten hours one way! To ride with three teenagers is um ... interesting! It was either really loud or quiet due to them sleeping or listening to their ipods and texting. Why must they text each other when they are right there? We got to LU and got the kids checked into their dorms. Ashlyn stayed with sweet Eliza Harper; a FBC, Jax gal; the boys stayed with some of Elizas' friends. We got checked into our hotel.

Brittney had just moved back to Lynchburg that very week to begin her new job at Liberty - so we got to spend the weekend with her. The kids had a blast! So did we! We weren't with the kids much overall; we'd call/connect with them along the way. Ashlyn feels led to go to LU - we know it's an amazing school - Brittney just graduated from there in May and we have several family members who graduated from there. Our prayer for our girls has been pretty basic and trusting ... God's will 100%. Ashlyn LOVED it; so did the boys. We went to some financial aid seminars, luncheons and got to meet other parents; we saw friends, met new ones.

We all went to the Liberty-Gardner Webb football game; it was freezing cold! We had so much fun and yelled for the Flames. Tim/I used to fly up with Daddy and watch my brother, Jon, play for LU back in the day.

Please pray with us that the Lord will reveal His perfect plan for Ashlyn's life regarding college. This is a crucial age.

EMCA Wildcats - Ashlyn on right

Ashlyn & Crystal (Captains)

Before game

Ash & I

EMCA Varsity Cheerleaders (missing a couple)

Cheering our girl on

Varsity Cheerleaders

I realize I'm going backwards on this blog - similar to how I feel some days :) These are just a few pictures of where we spend our Friday nights! We have a blast - we are in the stands with our friends and we have to remember WHY we are at the game - to watch our little angels :) We are all glad it's Friday and we act like it! Now it's over and we realize we only have one more year with Ashlyn until she graduates from high school and I can't even stay on this without boohooing! We enjoyed each of our girls activities and supported them in everything they did/do. Great memories!

Happy 2009!!

Dad, Ashlyn, Mom

Two peas in a pod - Sweet Jon & Carson

Brittney in DC with work

At one of Ashlyn's basketball games.

Good buddy, Renee - at basketball game

Sis-in-law, Leslie - great and wonderful friend!

The love of my life!!

Gag gift from Jim & Leslie - he's such a trooper! You should have seen mine!!

Sweet brother Jim

Ashlyn, Jack, Catherine

Our Christmas babies

Jodi & Mom

Poppy & Brittney

Daddy with the girls

Caroline & Ashlyn

And again ... Caroline wasn't far from my girls!

Mom & I

Brittney opening up her stocking

Ashlyn opening her gifts

Our Christmas dinner - the four of us

OK ... I'm really lagging on this blog and I'm sorry! I do most of my fun time with facebook; but enjoy reading other friends blogs so I'm going to try to get it going! Our Thanksgiving and Christmas was great. For Thanksgiving we went to Dad & Mom's on Wednesday; we spent the night with them; then we ate Thanksgiving with the Williams side at Tim's brother, Randy - he is Pastor of FBC, Cartersville, GA. It's a great town in North Georgia. From there we came home and decorated one tree, did some Christmas shopping with the girls.

Christmas was crazy, busy but great. Brittney flew back down and got to spend the week with us for which we thankful; with her being a "career woman" now - her vacation days are precious to her and we were glad to get to share some of them with her! The Vines gang went to our annual Pigeon Forge cabin week. We all live in four States - do you know how hard it is for us all to be together at one time?!? Crazy!! There are alot of us; it's very loud - but we wouldn't change a thing! We shopped, hung out, ate. Carson and Jack were our main entertainment. The grandkids range from 21 to 3! We had so much fun! I'll post a few pictures. Christmas afternoon I began feeling bad (sore throat, fever). We left the cabins and headed to Tim's Dad's in Georgia. I stayed in the entire day at the hotel and missed the festivities. This is the first one I've missed in 23 years of marriage. I slept all day.

We are right in the throes of Ashlyn's basketball season. She only cheered football this year so it's not been so hectic for her. We enjoy watching her play!

Yesterday I watched a new President be sworn in. I watched a lot of the ceremonies, the balls last night. I've always been intrigued in this part of history for many years. No matter who you voted for; it is our responsibility as Christians to pray for this new President. I know I am - I pray He will make good choices. I have strong concerns regarding the war, abortion, same-sex marriages. We'll see what happens. It was enjoyable to watch, President Obama's daughters are darling - I pray they will be spared as much as possible, the spotlight and just let them "be". Michelle Obama's dress for the Inaugural Balls was lovely. I couldn't help but tear up when I saw President and Mrs. Bush leave for the final time. They handled everything with such grace. I know Texas is looking mighty good to them. President Bush did an amazing job in his eight years. I'm so proud of him. I am praying ... please pray with me! Regardless, God is still God and He is on the throne. He knows what is going on and we can rest in this - I do.

Thank you Brittney for fixing my blog cute; I haven't gotten the hang of it yet to know how to put the cute backgrounds!

God bless you!!

I've been "Me-me'd" ?!? What is that?

Hi Everyone! HAPPY FALL YA'LL!! I did not realize I have not blogged since July. Goodness. Well, today it won't be a full blog ... I'm cleaning the house as we speak - ha ha! Had to stop and take a break. I was given a "meme" by my friend, Tracey, from "Show Me State ... of Mind". She's a riot; so anything I get from her; I must stop and read! I am on facebook for the most part; but will keep up this blog. You'll get a blog from me soon - promise! But ...

I was tagged by RealEstateGirl to do this meme, so here goes. What you are supposed to do is copy/paste, type in your your answers and tag four people in your lists! Don't forget to change my answers to the questions with those of your own.

A) Four places I go over and over
Church
Grocery Store
Ashlyn's sports
Bathroom (like that one Tracey)

B) Four people who e-mail me regularly
Brittney
Family members
Dana
Kara

C) Four of my favorite places to eat
Longhorns
Kabuki
Jason's Deli
Home (if I must)

D) Four places you'd rather be

BEACH (any will do)
Mountains (Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge)
Anywhere my family is
Home isn't bad either

E) Four TV shows I could watch over and over

Army Wives
House Hunters
The Office
Lifetime Channel

F) Four people I'm tagging

Brittney at Running in high heels
Kim at The Glass View
Cassandra at Momma Needs a Time Out
Jamie at Patrick Paradigms

Jodi's visit

Out to dinner
Waiting at Outback
Sweet sisters
Heading to church

My sweet sister Jodi came for a visit from Jacksonville. She flew into Birmingham and stayed with us for the week. Dad & Mom came into town for two days. We had a good time. Jodi and I went shopping, watched movies, laughed, went to a fun "Chick Flick" at church. We had a great time together.

We Are Family ...

The girls are in their own little world together. This Mom loves it!
Brittney and I
Brittney loves her Daddy!
Happy Birthday America!
The girls with their traditional "Old Navy" t-shirts.
Best Buds
Our Sweet Daddy
A lovely sunset from the front door of our condo
Another Daddy's girl
Glad our first-born is here!
I beat her in a game. She always wins - had to document this.
Our baby girl
Heading out to dinner
Ben & Ashlyn at Johnny Rocket's at The Wharf
The Wharf - Gulf Shores
Sweet Sisters
The favorite people in my life!


"That's how we roll"
Picking Brittney up from the airport!
She's here!
The Williams Girls
Our Babies
I'm officially the shortest :)
Mom & Ash
Ben & Ashlyn at LuLu's
Sweet Couple


It is time for a vacation!! We were in need of some time away :) We've had a busy Summer. We went to the beach; our favorite spot. We stayed this year in some condo's right on the beach in Gulf Shores. We had so much fun. We baked in the sun during the day, ate out for dinner each night; then would either go shopping or play games, sit out and watch the sunset. We loved watching the little ones at night go out and look for crabs with their flashlights. It would be pitch dark on the beach and there would be 40-50 flash light everywhere! Ashlyn's boyfriend, Ben, came down for two days. We took them to a new shopping area called "The Wharf". It was fun; there are cute shops, a huge ferris wheel. We took them to Johnny Rockets for dinner and there are little juke boxes at your table. We played some old tunes (when did the Commodores become old?!?) Oh well ... we sang and sang and had fun. Brittney flew into Pensacola from her new job and got to spend a few nights with us. The girls are best friends and you can't separate them when they are together. I love it!! We got to enjoy July 4th on the beach; then after dinner we enjoyed great fireworks on the beach. It was great to spend time together as a family. We didn't want to come home.