Birthday weekend pics

I realized I had not posted any pics of last weeks Birthday Celebrations.

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

No it is not Christmas, it is the kick off of College Football!! Not just any college football but FLORIDA GATOR football, WHOOO HOOOO!!!!! (can you tell I'm a fan?) Anyways, I love this time of year...football and fall.

I have been a Gator fan my whole life and I have taught my kids to love the Gators too:) Although we have had a few times where a nasty Georgia Bulldog fan tried to turn my daughter against them (Amy Bailey) but it did not work. There was also the time where we met Paula Deen at a book signing in Raleigh, we were at the end of the line and when it was our turn Grace walked right up there and told her "Go Dawgs!" How horrifying, I had to wash her mouth out with soap when we got home!! (not really) But my kids know who to cheer for and they loved their trip to The Swamp last year when we passed through Gainesville.

So tomorrow for the 12:30 pm game against Hawaii, Grace will be wearing her Gator cheerleader outfit with her Gator flip flops:) and when Camden gets home from his baseball practice he will don his Tim Tebow jersey. We will get our Tebow (the dog) and sit around and watch the Gators and cheer them to victory!!

If Urban is reading this, Camden is ready to play football for you, he graduates high school in 2018 so be sure to scout him out and have that scholarship ready:)

The day after...

After having celebrated Camden's birthday yesterday I wake up today knowing that 6years ago today my grandmother, Grace passed away. She was a woman who you did not want to cross but she was a lot of fun too! She was not the nuturing, grandmotherly type but she taught me lots of things through the years like never go out without make-up (although there are days where I let that one slip), and through her actions and humor she taught me not to take any crap from anyone and she loved us all in her own way. I remember that she always used Ponds Cold Cream on her face and I remember the first time I saw her take off her little hair piece- I got off her lap sooooo fast, she would roll her hair in pin curls every night while watching Johnny Carson in her flowing white gown and the bottom drawer of the kitchen was the snack drawer :) She never left the house before 11am because she was in bed until 8:30 or 9am, she had a great style and she had great sense of humor. I have been told that I am a lot like her, so much so that one of my elementary school teachers used to call me Grace. (he grew up with my uncle and knew her well)

I hate that my kids will not have any memories of her. I have pictures of her with Camden on his first Thanksgiving and she got to see him again when he was a almost a year old but she only saw pictures of Grace. Camden was 3 when she passed and Grace was only 5 months old. My Grace is every bit like my grandmother in her attitude, fashion sense, sense of humor and outlook. I guess God knew I would need that reminder of Granny everyday when my Diva was born.

Gobble, Gobble...that is turkey for Wordless Wednesday

Send me a caption...this was taken in my yard one Sat in April.

12:01 am August 26, 1999

That is the day and time my little boy, Camden Wheeler Partin was born! ( a month early and weighing 8lbs 2 oz) So that means that today that baby is 9, yes, 9 years old!! I remember that day just like it was yesterday...I was scheduled to have a c-section and told to arrive at Duke by 7:30am, only when we got there the L&D floor was completely full and they sent us home and said to come back at 3pm. They ended up having to kick out a patient so we could have a room and we were finally put back into a room after 4pm. The nurses blew out my veins trying to get an IV started so they had to get the anesthesiologist to come do it (he got it the first try, why couldn't we just have him from the beginning) and after a lot of waiting around and "trying" to induce me which did not work, I was taken into the OR. I was sooooooo sick the whole time, I never felt the epidural and poor Chris had to hold a bucket next to my head the entire time. Once I was taken back to my room I got sick some more and PASSED OUT until the next morning with the exception of one moment I kind of remember where I was asking for the baby and then out again. After a few days in the hospital we went home and the rest is history...

He has become a big brother, started school, played baseball, been to Disney and accepted Jesus in his heart and been baptized by his late grandfather. In his 9 short years he has done a lot and there is still a lot left for him to do. I have not been the best mother but I have tried and I have loved him the every step of the way. I miss the baby days and sometimes think of having another but I like the fact that they are at the age where we are not having to lug around 4 car loads of stuff just to go to the grocery store and that we are not having to worry about formula and feeding and diapers. Pretty soon Camden will be the one buying formula and diapers but I hope that it is not too soon, I want to live in this moment for as long as possible.

Tonight it is dinner out, Camden picked Texas Roadhouse (even though I pushed hard for Fiesta Mexicana) and cupcakes this afternoon for his class:) Happy Birthday Camden, mommy loves you:)

This week!!

Anyone up for 80's night at Koka Booth in Cary on Wed? Belinda Carlisle, Human League, ABC, Naked Eyes and Flock of Seagulls..whoo hoo!!!

Let me know!!

Hard to believe...

that today is the first day of school for lots and lots of kids not only here in NC but all across the country. Yet for my kids we are starting week 6 of the first 9 weeks of school! We got interim reports this weekend and I am pleased to say the kids are doing WONDERFUL!! in their new school. Just 3 weeks until we track out and that means just 4 weeks until baby Addy arrives (hopefully).

It is hard to believe that a year ago during track out we were in Fl and enjoying Disney and visiting family. This year there will be no Fl because there is so much other stuff going on. Hopefully we will get back down there very soon, that is one of the joys of year round school, vacation comes every nine weeks:)

Fall baseball is in full swing now too. Camden has moved up to the minors and he got to pick the name of his team. He decided on the Durham Bulls:) They will practice 3 times a week (that is the most any of his teams have ever practiced) until games start in about 2-3 weeks. Chris has been to the first 2 practices and says that the team looks really good this season.

Grace starts back to dance next week after Labor Day. We are doing 3 classes again...tap, ballet and hip hop. Not only that but we are trying out on Sept 6th for the Carolina Ballets "The Nutcracker" again. Last year she did very good in her tryouts but was too short. Hopefully this year will go just as well and she will make it as a mouse for this year's production.

We are almost done with the painting that we started several weeks ago. All we have left is another coat or 2 of the red on the accent wall and the kitchen. I really want to do a backsplash of some kind in the kitchen but so far I have not found anything I like. Keep your fingers crossed we get the kitchen done this week.

Well, tomorrow is big day here at the Partin house but you will have to wait until then to hear all about it. I am sure it will involve cupcakes and dinner out:)

Color me...what!?

Here is a conversation between my Diva and I this morning.

G: Can I have Color Me Gems?

Me: What is that?

G: These gems that you can color and stick on stuff for decoration. I saw it on TV.

Me: We'll see, maybe we can put it on your Christmas list.

G: I have the number for you, here. (pulls out a scrap of paper with the phone number and proceeds to call it out to me)

She then adds: "You know if you would just go ahead and buy me that pink cell phone I want I could order it myself and then decorate my phone with them!"

Uh...no I will not buy my 6 year old a cell phone and now I am taking away the TV:)

Do I look like a grandma?

So, I go to do my lunchmom duties for Camden's class today and this evil ( I mean cute:) 3rd grader comes up and says " Your hairstyle looks just like my grandma's!" Do what!?
I didn't know what to say and out of habit I said "Thank you!" boy am I an idiot. Then I looked at her and the only other thing I could think of was "I sure hope you have a young grandmother!" She nodded her head yes and immediately ran out of the room. Apparently I was a victim of insult and run, who knows?

How she could tell what my hair looks like I don't know since I keep my sunglasses pushed back on top of my head all the time, that is how I roll, maybe grandma does the same. I just don't know how to take that....

Poor Poor Puppy

My fluffy and happy Tebow (before) My naked and not happy Tebow. (after)

My poor dog!! We took a trip to the groomer today and it did not go well. If you have seen the pics on here or on facebook you know that we have a Lhasa Apso. If you know anything about Lhasa Apsos it is that they have fairly long hair although we keep Tebow kind of short and shaggy.

Well, I am not sure what happened between his last groom just over a month ago and this one but now he is a naked Lhasa Apso. He had mats in his coat that just could not be brushed out and so the shears came out and all his fur is gone!! I got back from my trips the other day thinking the dog had really put on weight and then when I picked him up today he looks like an anorexic dog!! That is how much fur he had cut off. I keep telling myself that at least it is Aug. so he won't be so hot but I REALLY want my fluffy puppy back:(

So here are a couple of pictures for you, a before taken just about a month ago and an after taken today. Please be kind:)

Wordless Wednesday

You provide the caption!

Discuss...

I wish I could have gotten the whole picture in the shot but this is most of it. I was saving it for a Wordless Wednesday but just couldn't wait. Discuss and I will be back later today.




Added:
Ok...I saw this picture on one of those home decorating shows, one that is no longer on, and I told Chris that was going to get that picture for our house. No, I don't have pigs everywhere and No, I do not decorate my house in a country theme. I find things I like and I put them in the house and somehow they just work. Well, Chris was not impressed by this picture but I was determined to get it. Finally, 2 yrs later I found it and got it! It is now being framed and will hang over my buffet. There is just something about it that puts a smile on my face and I hope it does the same for you or maybe even gave you a little chuckle today:)

Huh!?

Am I going overboard on the posts? Deal with it because I am bored, my house is actually somewhat clean for once and after being gone for 2 weeks I am used to being on the go and now I don't have anything to do except catch up on 20+ hours of dvr recordings. I could bathe the dog but why do that when the kids can when they get home from school. So you all get to hear all my ramblings until I get tired and decide to take a sabbatical from blogging, hopefully that won't happen though:)

Ok, I really want to be a funny and witty blogger but I just don't feel that I am. Chris finds me funny, he HAS to, but that is in person and not online. Jenna told me the other the day I was funny, she had not slept all week. My kids only find me funny in the car singing and dancing to 80's music and Mamma Mia! soundtrack. My sister just rolls her eyes at me and everyone else is just being nice and not wanting to hurt my feelings.

If you have any ideas on how to make me more funny and witty online please send them to me and I will try them to see what works best for me.

New subject, here is where my title "Huh!?" comes in...if you have read Jen Jordan's recent blog about bereavement gifts you will know that Jenna and Brent have received a few odd things. I will get into that in a minute...when my dad passed away we got the usual, food , food and more food, Hello! He was a Baptist minister and Baptists know their food:) My mom also received phone calls/emails/cards and money from people and we got enough flowers and plants to open our own florist. The kids were given toys and I had some great ladies give me the gift of taking the kids for playdates during that stressful time. Well, if you have not read Jen's post here is what Jenna and Brent have gotten...cards and money, emails and phone calls, a lamp and pots and pans.
Really, a lamp!? Absolutely!! Pots and pans!? They are actually from an old college friend!! Maybe people just don't know how to show sympathy, maybe they need to have a yard sale? Whatever it is I find it odd yet humerous:) Jenna and Brent have too. So I started looking around the house to see what I might could send them and here is what I found...

1. a bowl of fake lemons, you won't be able to make lemonade with them but they are a nice touch of color on a kitchen table

2. some benadryl...to help you sleep. Won't make you do the things Ambien does (inside joke)

3. a vaccum...I do need to have a yard sale and that is one thing I have too many of, you know what they say "Cleanliness is next to Godliness!"

4. a purse because according to Chris I have way too many, scratch that, I am keeping my purses, sorry:( But if you come this way for a visit you can borrow one, well Jenna can because Brent would look too funny with a cheetah print purse with gold chains (it is a cool purse that was my granny's because she was "Cool like that!")

5. the curtains from my bathroom window, I am redoing my bathroom and have no use for light green sheers anymore (back to the yardsale thing)

Ok, I hope that I have brought a little humor into your day. I also hope that this makes you think twice before you send someone a bereavement gift unless you want to be the one laughed at and blogged about. By the way when you Google "odd bereavement gifts" the first thing to pop up is a link to Jen's blog, I find that quite amusing:) Now I will go think about another topic and maybe grace you with my presence again this afternoon or this evening. Hold on to your hats!!

Addictions

I have quite a few addictions! I am not ashamed to admit it and here are some for you to ponder over...

1. Diet Coke-anyone who knows me already knows that one. It was the first thing I asked for after I gave birth to my son almost 9 years ago. I gave it up for him for 9 months, couldn't do the same for my daughter 2 yrs later, maybe that is why she is so much like me, hmmm...

2. General Hospital- this started in high school thanks to friends who watched it. Now I DVR it everyday b/c I am usually in carpool while it is on. I love Jax:) My husband secretly gets into it too!

3. A few reality shows that I am addicted to are Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, Gene Simmons Family Jewels and Chris and I both love Project Runway (he does a podcast on Wed and all 3 of them work around the PR time slot so they can watch it and only 1 of them is female...seriously!)

4. 80's music- anything 80's rocks, except for that awful song by Aha "Take On Me", can't stand it!!!!!

5. Right now I am completely addicted to the Mamma Mia! soundtrack. On my recent solo trip to Hotlanta I had my very own concert numerous times over and I sounded AWESOME!!

6. Vaseline or Aquaphor for my lips. Use it several times throughout the day and at night.

7. HGTV- we watch it all the time, really into Hidden Potential and My House is Worth? right now.

8. Florida Gator Football- come on, we named the dog Tebow after Tim Tebow. I really wanted to name him Tebow Heisman Partin but Chris vetoed that one...whatever, I secretly call him that during the day:)

9. craigslist-I am on there all the time, I don't need anything, just looking around. We did get our dog from craigslist, seriously. I look for job opportunities for Chris in other parts of the country (mainly where friends and family are like Florida and Hotlanta) I also look at real estate quite a bit, found a housing swap in Italy:)

10. Nancy Grace- love to make fun of the callers and her "lawyers" that she "unleashes" for comments every night. I already have my speech planned out if I ever call in, which oneday I will, keep listening and then you can make fun of me:) NG is cool!

ok, I was bored and that is why I started this, now I am tired and need to sleep. If you enjoyed this and want to know more let me know or if you have questions I will take those too. Disclaimer: Due to the prospect of being overwhelmed with responses I may not get to every question but I will try my best. I also reserve the right not to answer questions that I don't want to answer:)

Recent pictures

This was Camden's first time eating crab legs and he LOVED them!! Grace is just being her usual entertaining self.

Grace always has to strike a pose when the camera comes out. Camden is too cool!

First day at their new school. Don't they look adorable in their uniforms:) Thales Academy here we come. (By the way, the wall behind them in these pics is now yellow.)

Traveling and Tears

Please bear with me as this will be a very long post:)

Wow! In the last 2 weeks I have been home a grand total of 36 hours!! First my mom and I traveled to Knoxville to see my aunt and uncle other family members. My mom's aunt Nora has recently been put in a nursing home, she will not be leaving but she does not know that yet. My mom wanted to come see her before she passes away, it could be today or 5 years from now but she is in frail health and recently fell at the home and broke her ankle. She had her moments while we were there of knowing what was going on but she also had several moments of where she thought my grandmother and another of my mother's aunts were still living. Please keep her in your prayers. It was so sad to look at all those people on the alzheimers ward with her, locked in and unable to come and go, bathe themselves or even know where they are.

We had an enjoyable time with my aunt and uncle while we were there. My mom and Janyce and I went antiquing one day and shopped the outlets in Pigeon Forge oneday. We had other family members up for dinner (they live on the family "farm" where my grandparents retired to ) and then on Sunday we took a trip up to Cades Cove. We drove the 11 mile loop with the van doors wide open and just took in the wonders of God's beauty. We saw numerous deer and turkeys and 3 bears. There were some oriental tourists who were trying to get the attention of the bears and started walking right out to where they were in the trees. You may hear about them on the news soon. After the trip through the cove we had a picnic at the river and the weather was absolutely gorgeous!!

My mom and I started back home on Monday, much to the relief of Chris who was Mr Mom all week. He did very well getting the kids to school (although they did try to stay home a couple of days but it did not work) and getting lunches packed and laundry washed. Camden was not so sure of the sweet tea Chris made but he drank it anyways. I arrived home around 7pm Monday evening and at 7:30 I sat down to check some email. I was shocked and saddened to hear that a my dear friend Jenna and her husband Brent had lost their precious little boy Carter. Jenna was 22 weeks pregnant with their first child and started having some complications while I was out of town. On Saturday August 9th she delivered their precious Christopher Carter Spears and after 1 hour and 21 min he left this world and entered the arms of Jesus.

Chris immediately asked me when I leaving for Atlanta ( I had only been home 30 - 45 min at this time) because he knew I wanted to be there for Jenna and Brent. So I spent Tuesday buying groceries and doing laundry before heading for Atlanta on Wed. I spent the night in Spartanburg with my wonderful friend Kellee Cogdill and her family. I enjoyed playing with her 4 kids ( I am going to bring Emilee home with me ) and then headed out Thursday morning for Atlanta and Carter's funeral service.

The service for Carter was beautiful. Lots of praise and worship music and their pastor Dr Frank Cox at North Metro Baptist in Lawrenceville delivered a wonderful message on finding joy in the tears. The graveside was very nice and was delivered by a dear friend of theirs who also married Jenna and Brent. The spot they picked out for Carter is surrounded by children and it is just a beautiful and peaceful space. Please be in continued and constant prayer for them. They are doing very well but I know that once everyone leaves and they are finally able to just be by themselves with each other there will be many hard and tough days ahead. They are extremely strong and have used this as an opportunity to minister to others in their this their time of grief.

After the service we went back to Jenna and Brents house and had a wonderful time of fellowship and laughter. Jenna and Brent are surrounded by so many people in Lawrenceville who care for them and it was so wonderful to see how much they are cared for not only at home but by others from throughout this country. Not only did I drive in from NC but they had a dear friend fly in from Texas and another drive in from Louisiana and that does not include all the emails and cards they have received the last few days. ( I guess I need to send a card:) ha ha) I left them last night in good and capable hands and will continue to lift them up in coming days, weeks and months.

I am now home and very tired from my drive from Atlanta today. It is raining outside and even though it is only 7pm I am ready for bed. The kids are at grandma's tonight and will be home tomorrow so I can sleep in tomorrow morning. I thank God for my safety the last 2 weeks, the new people I was able to meet and for allowing me to be there for my friends and worship with them and grieve with them.