TENNESSEE MIMI

Calm...

2012-02-09T10:39:00.001-06:00

Love this room - very calm.

This would work in a bonus room.

Notice the valance.

Image from Traditional Home.

Some new faces...

2012-01-09T10:01:00.000-06:00

Son#3 & his sweet wife are the proud parents of

a new baby boy born after Thanksgiving...

This little cutie showed up on our front porch cold & scared in mid-December.

The kids have named her Emily...

2011-12-13T17:40:00.000-06:00

From Igniter Media...

Absolutely Beautiful...

2011-12-06T11:25:00.000-06:00

Absolutely perfect and beautiful room by Bunny Williams from Architectural Digest - The New AD 100.

Lovely...

2011-12-02T09:22:00.001-06:00

The foyer of Houston socialite Christina Girard...love the table, chairs, rug, eveything!
From Antique Shops & Designers, Volume 7.

Plaid/Tartan....

2011-11-28T17:29:00.000-06:00

Lots of plaid/tartan @Williams-Sonoma...

Thankfulness...

2011-11-28T16:42:00.001-06:00

A Pair of Elephants...

2011-11-21T15:57:00.001-06:00

I found these two darling blue & white elephants @ Gas Lamp Antiques

in Nashville last week. So charming!

Gatlinburg in November!

2011-11-16T09:07:00.001-06:00

Took a quick trip to Knoxville this weekend to watch the girls so

S1 & DIL1 could go to the UT-Arkansas game. We went to Gatlinburg

for the day on Saturday. It was a beautiful day & the town was packed.

We hiked, explored, went to the aquarium, ate @ Subway, got Dippin" Dots,

looked at Mimi's family cabin on Baskins Creek from her childhood,
saw a one-room schoolhouse (Little Greenbrier School) and had a great time!

The first three pics were taken at Metcalf Bottoms in the Great Smoky Mountains

National Park. Two of the pics were taken from the wooden bridge across the river.

The bridge leads out of the park to Wears Valley.

The fourth pic was taken on the bridge outside the aquarium.

Charleston Style Then and Now...

2011-09-27T14:07:00.002-05:00

New book from eBay!

Charleston Style Then and Now,

written by Susan Sully,

published by Rizzoli.

The Nathaniel Russell House

Chinese-inspired...china

2011-09-26T11:45:00.000-05:00

This has been my everyday china for years - Johnson Brothers Blue Willow.

I love this colorful floral design...Castleton Ma Lin by Ching-Chih Yee, a contemporary

Chinese artist. I found this plate @ Second Chance Consignment in Nashville.

I have ordered a few additional pieces from eBay.

This pattern is Aynsley Pagoda. I am considering this one - I really don't need more china!

Royal Crown Derby Blue Mikado

New mirror...

2011-08-12T11:07:00.005-05:00

I live in a small town. Podunk. I visited this mirror for a while before I bought it for....$35!!! It was in a 2nd hand store...if you look hard enough, you can find treasures anywhere!

Ginger Jars....

2011-07-24T07:23:00.003-05:00

Blue & white ginger jar vases provide a nice touch to the kitchen of antique dealer Todd Merrill. In my experience, these are pretty hard to find @ a reasonable price. I never find a pair @ HomeGoods, only one...

Iris Apfel in AD...

2011-05-21T14:26:00.010-05:00

Iris Apfel, businesswoman & style icon, of course has a fabulous apartment in New York City. It was featured

in the June 2011 issue of Architectural Digest. I love this mirror (18th-century English gilt chinoiserie) and the Italian console underneath - fish, blackamoors, & lots of books!

Entra...Online Design & Architecture Magazine...

2011-05-20T15:32:00.003-05:00

The more the merrier...this one is launched by former staffers of Architectural Digest and will feature a paid subscription of $12 a year for six digital issues after the first free issue. Check it out here.

Tortoise Shell Mirror...

2011-05-15T15:11:00.004-05:00

What a beautiful mirror...it's big - 30" x 52"...$1600...available here.

Best-Dressed at the Royal Wedding: Miriam González Durántez

2011-04-30T13:34:00.006-05:00

Ms. Miriam Gonzalez Durántez is the wife of British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. She is from Spain (duh). I love, love, love this outfit - the turban, the splash of color in the corsage, the mesh overlay and LOOK @ those shoes!!! Perhaps she forgot the Spanx but this is so different from most of the outfits seen @ the wedding. Very chic! More images @ Getty.

"a suit by designer Miguel Palacia, with a hat by milliner Conchitta, and shoes by high street favourite Zara. The only nod to her adopted home of Britain is her super-foxy Aspinal of London leather gloves."

Alex Butt - Grazia Daily

Image credits: PA, Crushable, GETTY via The Telegraph, Reuters.

A Beautiful Affair...

2011-04-30T07:54:00.004-05:00

I didn't get up early but I did watch the wedding on BBC America.It was lovely. The queen looked like a yellow Easter peep, the Beckhams looked sharp, & Miriam González Durántez, the wife of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, won my vote for best-dressed guest.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-23T13:59:00.003-05:00

Trad Home...

2011-04-12T19:50:00.005-05:00

Traditional Home has partnered with Lonny to launch an online digital magazine that is updated & geared for a younger audience. Check it out here.

Chippendale Mirror...

2011-04-12T16:00:00.003-05:00

Cooper Classics Chippendale mirror available @ WALMART (and many other places).

Kohler Imperial Blue Sink...

2011-04-12T11:19:00.010-05:00

Image from Fig Studio.

Asian bathroom design by Portland interior designer
Fig Studio Interior Design
Love this Kohler Imperial Blue sink. It comes in several styles (here) & is available on the internet at a discounted price if you search. The Kohler Website says it "was inspired by a porcelain vase created during the Yung Lo reign of the Ming dynasty."

New Old Things...

2011-04-07T20:49:00.004-05:00

Things have very busy around our house. Sadly, Jim Bob had to empty out his parent's condo as they have both moved to a nursing home. He did bring home some nice items that I will share soon. We also got to take a quick trip to Atlanta. I went antiquing while he had meetings. We stayed downtown. The homeless people around our hotel were very friendly. HA. We had dinner with friends @ Maggiano's one evening. YUM.

I found this gold koi candlestick @ the Historic Roswell Antique Market which was just about my favorite antique store there. Lots of dealers and beautiful displays. It was $7.50. Most items were pricier but worth it. The preserved boxwood ball is 6" in diameter. It is supposed to last with a once-a-month misting. It does have an odd odor which I am hoping will fade. Purchased from Bella Marie. I tried several different ball sizes from Sweet Boy's toy box to make sure I bought the right size.

My next purchase was the dark wood bamboo-style table with a brass tray on top. Looks like Bombay Company to me but there are no markings whatsoever. I will use it as a coffee table when needed. It is very light-weight and can be moved out of the way when the grandkids are here, which is almost every day. The table came from GasLamp Antiques in Nashville. Great place, lots of dealers, not too much junk.

My favorite Oscar dress...

2011-02-28T21:57:00.008-06:00

This Brazilian beauty is Camila Alves, actor Matthew McConaughey's significant other.

I LOVE this look - simple, elegant, fabulous.

The dress is by Kaufman Franco.

Photo from Justjared.com

Grrrr...

2011-02-15T16:16:00.002-06:00

I really want this lamp by Laura Ashley. However, it is not suitable for use outside the UK. Wonder if I could have it rewired?

Archer Gold Leaf Lamp

John James Audubon Creole Cottage in the French Quarter...

2011-02-03T15:18:00.007-06:00

I was clicking away the other day & found an wonderful article on the newly restored French Quarter retreat of designer Jon Green. He opened his Houston studio - Indigo Interior Design - in 1993. The cottage was used as a studio by John James Audubon & was built in the early 1800s.

I didn't post all the pics of the restoration - not a fan of the burgundy trim used in some areas, but I am IN LOVE with the bedroom. Love the wallpaper, the Aubudon print, the headboard - nailhead trim on what appears to be velvet fabric, the owl pillow, the feather print throw & the framed de Gournay panels.

We lived in New Orleans for 23 years and I have walked the streets of the Quarter many times, passing nondescript-looking cottages like this one. In many cases, the buildings are restored inside and fabulous, but some are still in need of some TLC.

Images from Antique Shops & Designers Vol. 5.

Antique Shops & Designers

One Kings Lane....& Biggs Powell

2011-02-02T16:19:00.016-06:00

So I finally bought something on One Kings Lane...some plants - ivy ring topiaries, actually. I love the classic look...hope they live! Jim Bob will be skeptical...

OKL's current Tastemaker Tag Sale is designer & antique dealer Biggs Powell of Memphis. I am always thrilled to find Tennessee-based businesses & this one doesn't disappoint. There are over 200 items in the sale. Find his offerings on 1stdibs here.Wonder what Mr. Powell will buy now that he has sold all his furniture? ;-)

French Empire Walnut Commode - early 19th century

1960s Chinese Chippendale dining chairs with green crackle finish

White Alabaster Tables Lamps

Walnut English Late 19th Century Queen Anne Dining Chairs

Late 19th Century Gothic Armchair

Vintage Glazed Lamps

Bronze Laurel Eagle Wreath Mirror

Late 19th CenturyEnglish Pine Corner Cabinet

Writing Desk...

2011-02-01T22:25:00.003-06:00

This beauty is headed my way from eBay. We are converting Sweet Baby's nursery to an office for Jim Bob. :( Kinda sad - no more babies for a while I suppose - Son#2 & Son#3 do not have children yet. Future plans are for this to be a dressing table for me - with an antique shaving mirror in the middle.

Matchbook: New Online Magazine

2011-01-26T09:25:00.017-06:00

I'm always delighted to learn of new online magazines. Matchbook launched January 25, 2011. Their tagline is "Field Guide to a Charmed life". Not so design-heavy - more lifestyle articles. Price points on featured products are in line with the tough economic times - i.e. reasonable! Lela Rose, Jemma Kidd, Miles Redd, & John Derian are just a few of the people featured. Check it out!

Matchbook

UPDATE: High Gloss goes live Feb. 1, 2011. The home of I Suwannee blogger Jamie Meares is one of the featured homes.

Also, Horchow has a new (two issues) online magazine called Horchow @ Home. It of course features their fabulous products & homes of employees of Horchow/Neiman Marcus.

A Touch of Spring...

2011-01-25T09:40:00.006-06:00

We are supposed to have more snow tonight in Middle Tennessee. I love snow but I think I'm done for this year! These spider mums remind me that things will be green and pretty in a bit...

Pretty Pink....

2011-01-20T11:55:00.005-06:00

I love this Bon Bon Satchel by Valentino available from Neiman Marcus. It retails for $1,295.00, so I hope someone knocks it off!

Image from NM website.

SNOW!!

2011-01-10T10:10:00.003-06:00

A Hurried Christmas...

2010-12-28T16:16:00.009-06:00

Snow on the Cumberland Plateau...

Son#2 & Son#3 & wives traveled this Christmas to Oklahoma & Texas, respectively, to visit with their wives' families. Son#1 stayed in K-town with his family, so we had Christmas Eve dinner with OnlyD & her family. I bought a honey ham from Project Graduation. It was delicious as usual and EASY. On Christmas Day we jetted to Knoxville in the snowy weather to see family there. We came back Sunday due to work obligations this week.

Snow, snow...

2010-12-14T22:18:00.008-06:00

After having flurries for a few days, we finally got some significant accumulation in middle Tennessee. Very powdery, so not good for building a snowman. And fly swatters are excellent for cleaning snow off a car! Sweet Baby is hiding between the trees so she doesn't have to come inside.

I may have to have....

2010-11-20T18:32:00.007-06:00

this... OnlyD says I still wear gold jewelry cause I'm old. Haha. True enough! The necklace also comes in silver & you can add a diamond to represent a city or you choose to have the whole state outlined in pave diamonds.

Maya Brenner

Carnation Arrangement...

2010-11-20T18:01:00.006-06:00

When I saw this post by the talented Eddie Ross I wanted to try something similar with carnations since they are inexpensive & readily available @ our small-town Walmart. I didn't use floral foam - these are in water in my one Waterford bowl - it was a wedding present 35 years ago. Sorry the pic has some shadows, but overall I was pleased!

Happy Turkey Day!

2010-11-18T14:43:00.014-06:00

I know it's not Thanksgiving yet, but Sweet Boy & Sweet Baby are out of school next week so all their holiday artwork came home today.

Hum, I need to think of a new name for Sweet Baby - she's two now!

We are all fighting colds - ugh.

We've had a beautiful fall - not too much rain and very pleasant temps.

Have you seen the new Google shopping site? Boutiques.com. Those Google engineers seem pretty excited about it. It's somewhat similar to Shopstyle.com & the shopping section of Instyle.com.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T13:57:00.006-05:00

Sweet Boy made this cute bat @ preK.

We are headed to K-town to watch the girls while S1 & DIL1 book it to Columbia for the 12:21pm kickoff for the SC-UT game. Too early if you're planning on leaving Sat. am! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend - I love fall!

Oh, NOOOOOOOO!!!

2010-10-04T11:56:00.007-05:00

What a major heartbreak this weekend. Vols win! Vols lose.

S1 went to the game with several friends from college and enjoyed lots of good food. He drove around to see familiar sights from his childhood (we lived in Nola for 23 years).

My comment on the game: Les Miles is the luckiest man in America.

An LSU friend of Jim Bob's said this: We need more, not Les.

Best headline: LSU wins on redoux. Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
UPDATE: Clever headline courtesy of TFP sports editor Jay Greeson.

Even the CBS commentators talked about LSU's incompetence.

S1 also went to the Saints-Chargers game on Sunday so he got to see a win.

Bummer.

Cool View...

2010-09-12T14:47:00.004-05:00

This is the view S1 & DIL1 had for the UT-Oregon game. They won sideline passes @ a charity auction.

Aw, Bruce, Say It Ain't So!!!

2010-09-10T17:52:00.007-05:00

Well, file this under "How could he be so stupid?". Coach Bruce Pearl & his assistants were penalized by UT today for misleading the NCAA in an investigation into improper phone contact with recruits.

Rumor: S1 said they were using throw-away cell phones to contact recruits - no records, no limit on calls. etc.

Here's a summary of the penalties. Pearl loses a cool $1.5 million over the next five years & a $500,000 retention bonus due in 2012 is delayed to 2015. I am sure he has a few bucks in the bank, but that's a sizable amount of money. The salary reductions will hit his assistants harder because they don't make as much. Also, and this is a biggie, he can't recruit off-campus for A YEAR. How can you recruit a kid if you can't visit his parents??? The NCAA may impose more penalties. Major sports @ UTK are swirling the drain.

Photo by Michael Patrick.

Look How Cute!!

2010-08-30T08:50:00.004-05:00

I need these like a hole in the head, but they sure are fun for fall! Available here for $75.

Goooo Vols!

2010-08-28T13:38:00.010-05:00

PGA golfer John Daly really knows how to win over the hometown crowd @ the Knoxville News Sentinel Open.

Photo by Michael Patrick

More Rain...

2010-08-18T20:41:00.004-05:00

Apparently Tropical Depression 5 is dumping lots of rain across the southeastern US. This pic is of a train derailment in Cookeville, TN.

Herald-Citizen Photo/Ty Kernea

Boat Tote

2010-08-08T21:30:00.004-05:00

Just ordered this cool signal flag tote from L.L. Bean.

New Shoes...

2010-07-28T18:14:00.005-05:00

Apepazzo sandals for $36.99 @ Marti & Liz, an off-price shoe chain in Tennessee. Zappo's has them for $148.33, marked down from $183. I love shoes! And a bargain!

New Favorite Show...

2010-07-25T07:14:00.005-05:00

Canadian designer Sarah Richardson (Room Service) has a new show (new to me) on HGTV called Sarah's House. In this series, she bought an old farmhouse & remodeled it into a fabulous country retreat. The pace moves much faster than This Old House. I believe it is reruns now. Set your DVR!

Cute Cute

2010-07-24T11:21:00.003-05:00

Darling madras bags from Dollar Tree...

Love these...

2010-07-24T07:52:00.004-05:00

Cool pillows from 1st dibs...$195...

My favorite model...

2010-07-23T19:10:00.030-05:00

Jean Shrimpton..she was the face of Yardley Cometics & the Swinging Sixties. Don't know why I thought of this today, but she is my favorite model of all time. She was on the cover of Vogue 19 times, thanks to Diana Vreeland.

Photos from Flickr.

This is amazing...

2010-07-17T08:56:00.000-05:00

The View...

2010-07-13T20:02:00.003-05:00

The view from the porch at our cabin..

Look Closely...

2010-07-11T16:42:00.010-05:00

Baby photography has changed so much in the past few years...
very different from Olan Mills, which is where all my
childhood portraits were taken...

Photo from Design Mom via I Suwannee.

Photo by Wendy of Blue Lily Photography.

The Weight by The Band

2010-07-10T10:58:00.012-05:00

One of my favorite songs...some of the cinematography in Easy Rider
was beautiful, but overall, I hated the movie...don't know why Peter Fonda
never made it as a movie star...

Waterfall....

2010-07-10T10:41:00.004-05:00

A beautiful waterfall in our area...it's on private property...

Greenbrier - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

2010-07-06T14:38:00.040-05:00

We headed off to Gatlinburg for the Fourth of July weekend. We stayed in a cabin off Hwy. 321 (Parkway East) and found an entrance (Greenbrier) to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park a few miles down the road. Hwy. 321 goes to Cosby. This park road follows the Middle Fork of the Little Pigeon River. It was not crowded at all & we found a good place to wade. Note: Another area of the park between Elkmont & Wears Valley is also known as Greenbrier.

He's back...

2010-07-06T14:30:00.004-05:00

My favorite soldier got home from Iraq last week..

Funny

2010-05-24T12:56:00.005-05:00

This is LPGA player Natalie Gulbis with a Lane Kiffin dart board.
In Knoxville I'm assuming...

Exciting Times...

2010-05-20T13:35:00.003-05:00

Life sure is exciting here in Middle Tennessee...sinkhole on I-24 between Nashville & Chattanooga...

Palm Pixi...

2010-05-20T11:34:00.007-05:00

I have joined the 21st century - I got a smartphone! We have Sprint cell service & we've always been happy with it. Yesterday I upgraded my phone to a Palm Pixi. Jim Bob has the Pre & really likes it. So far, so good. I've been updating contacts & adding music. Had to download "Rocky Top" as my ringtone, of course!

Fun, Fun...

2010-05-11T10:54:00.002-05:00

Sweet Boy demonstrating his fantastic climbing ability...

Rain, Rain...

2010-05-10T12:22:00.003-05:00

The flooding in Nashville is hard to believe because it's NASHVILLE, not New Orleans.

Street flooding is very common in Nola from rain storms. We experienced a catastrophic flood in Nola from a stalled rainstorm, not a hurricane. We had two feet of water in our one-story house. Lost our wedding pictures, kids books, the bedroom suite of a great-grandmother. Not an experience I care to repeat.

Hands On Nashville is a great organisation. They are coordinating volunteer efforts to help the victims. Check them out!

Sweet Boy had fun wading in the water in my LL Bean boots.

Treme

2010-04-20T13:29:00.010-05:00

Have you watched the new HBO series set in New Orleans after Katrina? It's called Treme after a neighborhood there. The focus is on musicians as they try to resume their lives. The show was created by David Simon, known for The Corner & The Wire.

A few personal observations: Everything was brown for a long time - not much green. The streets were not clear in many areas and there was NO POWER for much of Orleans Parish.

Warning: this is HBO so there is gratuitous bad language & nudity. The first episode must have set some sort of record for usage of a certain four-letter word.

The theme song by John Boutte is very catchy.

Back in Iraq...

2010-04-20T13:20:00.005-05:00

My favorite part-time soldier has been back in Iraq since early March. He will be home this summer. This duty has gone much better than his trip in 2004. He has his own "trailer" & internet access there (for a fee). The work is steady. Being bored there is the worst. We talk via Skype, which is great. I'll be glad when he is home.

Saints!!

2010-02-12T07:49:00.000-06:00

So What by Miles Davis...

2010-02-09T21:55:00.003-06:00

Ouch...

2010-02-09T21:02:00.003-06:00

$430.56. That's how much our electric bill was for Jan. 2010. However, since we use level billing, we pay the same amount every month - much less than $430.56. We bought our house new in '06 and it has many energy-saving features. It was just plain cold here & it still is!!! And windy!!!

Hurricane Forecast...

2010-02-06T21:45:00.001-06:00

Nuff said!!

Super Bowl 2010!!!

2010-02-06T13:18:00.004-06:00

Since our kids grew up in New Orleans, they are all big Saints fans. This has been an unbelievable year!

S1 leaves tonight for Miami - he has tickets to the game. S2 & S3 are going to Nola to watch the game. OnlyD will be watching with friends. We will be trying to stay warm (snow flurries this morning!) and will watch @ home. Geaux Saints!

Big Buddha Rose Bag...

2010-02-05T14:24:00.006-06:00

Love this bag! May have to buy it! Made by Big Buddha. "Rose" is the style - it comes in numerous colors. Similar styles are "Mia" and "Sunny". Apparently Miss Blake Lively has carried the Rose bag.

Unexpected service...

2010-01-30T13:26:00.004-06:00

We live in a small town - in a subdivision in town, not in the country - but I was pleasantly surprised to hear trucks with snowplows going through our neighborhood several times. Yeah for our Public Works department! Our driveway is still pretty icy, but the streets are clear.

Finally the Weather Man Gets One Right!

2010-01-29T12:30:00.003-06:00

Snow, snow!!! It's still coming down.

L. L. Bean Cute Preppiness!!!

2010-01-27T16:35:00.009-06:00

Look @ these darling sweaters from L. L. Bean!!! How cute are they??? They run $49.50 each. Added plus (in my book): three-quarter length sleeves. I might have to have BOTH! I can dream about them while waiting on the next winter storm to hit Middle Tennessee.

Crossing the January Flats...

2010-01-19T14:13:00.005-06:00

It has warmed up some in middle Tennessee - I was very excited to see temps. in the 40s.

I was completely exhausted by the brouhaha in Knoxville last week. I couldn't believe Kiffin ditched the Vols after only a year, but I think we have a better coach now. S1 was able to provide lots of inside dish & Twitter had some interesting info.

It seems as if the past year went by quickly, but it is hard to believe this is 2010! Where did the decade go??? Remember worrying about Y2K? Seems silly now.

Ready for the new year!

2010-01-03T21:32:00.003-06:00

Sweet Boy & I planted this amaryllis bulb a few weeks ago. It has bloomed beautifully. It was a kit from Walmart...

Christmas has come & gone ...my favorite time of year. Wish it lasted longer!

The Vols lost to VA. Tech - can't say I was surprised. They are better but not great yet. Not sorry we skipped the game now.

Tooo bad about the UT basketball players. Scuttlebutt from S1: the car was not their car - so they claim the gun was not theirs either. Police are testing the gun & bullets (!) for fingerprints. Hope they didn't touch it...Still, very stupid behavior.

It is cold, cold, cold in Middle Tennessee! My toes cannot get warm! It will be cold here till April...

Fun Times...

2009-12-19T08:14:00.003-06:00

A Christmas tradition @ our house...making M & M Christmas cookies - with red & green M & Ms of course. Sweet Boy only ate a few - haha! His class @ preschool did a play of the Christmas story this week - he was a wise man. No school till Jan. 5 - yikes!

Tutu Christmas Jammies...

2009-12-05T16:08:00.004-06:00

Working on getting the house ready for Christmas.

Got these cute jammies @ Carter's...

Fun, fun...

2009-11-30T15:47:00.008-06:00

We are gearing up for the Christmas holidays. This is my favorite time of year. It has been colder here recently so we cannot play outside as much. Sweet Boy made a road throughout the house with...toilet paper. Sweet Baby's bloomers came from Etsy.

Beautiful Day..

2009-11-17T08:37:00.003-06:00

We have had some beautiful weather recently. Cool at night but so pleasant during the day.

This is at an area mall - the kids love the pretty fountain.

Stupid!

2009-11-10T13:48:00.006-06:00

I AM FINE. However, I did something incredibly stupid. Until recently, I had not had a mammogram or checkup since 2004!!! Here's the explanation:

In 2004 @ my annual checkup, my doc discovered a very small fibroid. He wanted to zap it, but the procedure required general anesthesia. Jim Bob was in Iraq @ the time & even though all the kids were grown, I wanted to wait till he got back. Well, the next year brought Sweet Boy's & Happy Girl's arrival, marriage for S2, Hurricane Katrina & move back to TN.. Quality medical care is a real problem in small towns so for the past several years I have just wrung my hands & wondered where I should go to the dr. I finally found a dr. in Nashville this fall & everything checked out fine. Fibroid still there (with a few friends) but no problems.

If you need a checkup, GET OFF THE COMPUTER & call your dr.!! It is incredibly important.

Busy, busy...

2009-10-21T23:02:00.004-05:00

I have been a very bad blogger of late. I don't know where the time has gone.

Jim Bob had to do three weeks duty with the Guard recently and then next year it's back to Iraq. I thought the President said we're getting out of Iraq!! GRRRR.

Sweet Boy & Sweet Baby are both in preschool this year, doing well and loving it! I love the beginning of school. They both have wonderful teachers and many fun activities planned for the year.

RAIN, RAIN. Our fall has not been sunny, crisp, & cool. It has been rainy!! No idea why. We have finally had a few great days.

We planned a trip to the north Georgia mountains but had to cancel because my BIL had bypass surgery. I was able to squeeze in some antiquing in Nashville while Jim Bob visited.

S1 & his family just got back from a week in Disney World. The trip was planned during the Vols bye-weekend. They also planned the births of their children to happen after football season. Die-hard fans!!!

Speaking of the Vols, yeah! I'm encouraged! Hope things continue to improve.

The biggest news is that OnlyD got married (again). Sounds sudden, you say? Well, it was. We were not on board at all, but so far, so good. She married Sweet Baby's dad. No wedding to speak of, just them, which was fine with us. Things are quieter at our house, but that's fine.

Happy Birthday!

2009-10-21T22:45:00.011-05:00

Sweet Baby is one! We had a week-long birthday extravaganza! Longer than that, actually. We celebrated with the Knoxville crowd early, over Labor Day. Then party @ preschool, small family party, bigger party for friends. After Sweet Baby carefully ate her small cake from Walmart, she climbed on the table & put her knee in it! Her smocked dress had cup cakes on it...

Oh no...

2009-08-13T14:55:00.005-05:00

Time, Inc. has decided to shut down Southern Accents.

Read about it here.

Soon there will not be any "shelter" magazines left!

Totally bummed!!

At The Beach...

2009-08-11T14:03:00.001-05:00

At the beach...more soon.

A Chef in the Making...

2009-07-17T16:48:00.002-05:00

Sweet Baby checks out the turkey-roasting pan...

RIP Steve McNair

2009-07-11T08:45:00.008-05:00

Jim Bob & I were on our way "to town" to do some some shopping & have a yummy dinner @ the Chop House when his brother sent a text about Steve McNair's death last Saturday. This sad event has been all over the news in Middle Tennessee this week. My dad died when I was five, so my heart is broken for his family, especially his children. Such a waste - so pointless and COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE in my opinion. Like I used to tell my kids, everything you do matters!

Tennessee Titans

Steve McNair Foundation

Update: No will! I'm not surprised.

More 4th...

2009-07-10T16:21:00.006-05:00

S2 & DIL2 came for a visit & brought Boudreaux (bassett hound)& Nola (dachshund). Sweet Baby just had to get those ears! Both dogs are great with the kids.

Maxi Priest w/Shaggy - That Girl

2009-07-10T13:28:00.007-05:00

Can you say Don King???

2009-07-10T12:58:00.007-05:00

Sweet Baby is a very pretty girl & was born with a head full of dark hair. Well, that all fell out & the new hair is a bit lighter & some of it stands straight up! We have to put "product" in it for formal pictures or special occasions.

Fireworks! Sorta...

2009-07-10T12:25:00.004-05:00

We only bought items that were supposed to SPARK or FLAME, but the packaging neglected to say that they also made a loud SCREECHING noise that hurt all the adult ears! Sweet Boy was not too sure about all this at first, but he soon joined the fun. Sweet Baby was completely "chill" with everything. We had trains, tanks, a globe, a tractor and other fun stuff.

Hum, what is up?

2009-07-03T20:54:00.005-05:00

Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska announced that she will resign on July 26, 2009. I think she is great, but I really hope she doesn't run for national office. Remember Dan Quayle? The press will never let her succeed. Watch her phenomenal speech @ the Republican National Convention here.

Banana Republic...

2009-06-26T12:15:00.004-05:00

Ruffles, ruffles, ruffles! Love it! Available here.

Steve Jobs of Apple...

2009-06-24T21:13:00.009-05:00

Hum, where did Apple CEO Steve Jobs go when he needed a liver transplant?? Why, TENNESSEE of course! The New York Times examines the questions raised by this event here.

PAUL SAKUMA/ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Lake...

2009-06-20T16:40:00.005-05:00

Chattanooga Trip Part 2

2009-06-18T20:58:00.009-05:00


Choo Choo Sign	Trolley (Actually a Nola Streetcar!)

Clock @ the Choo Choo	Beautiful Landscaping

Playground @ TN. River Park	View from TN. River Park

Lots of Shade Trees	One of Five Piers/Hwy 319 Bridge

The Train Zooms Past the Station	Pulling into the Station- Tn. Valley RR

Car in the Railyard	Turning the Engine

Garden & Gun

2009-06-18T08:53:00.004-05:00

This might be my new favorite magazine! I just got my first issue & it is chock full of great articles about the South. Pat Conroy, Julia Reed, Roy Blount, Jr., & Rick Bragg are just a few of the writers who contribute. There was only one "gun" feature in this issue - not opposed to guns, just not interested in reading about them all day!! I learned about this publication in a (woman) doctor's waiting room! Here is an article from the New York Times on Sid Evans, who left Field & Stream to become the editor of Garden & Gun - apparently a shocking move in NY publishing circles.

I Must Be Tired...or Old...or In A Hurry...

2009-06-17T19:40:00.004-05:00

This afternoon I buckled Sweet Boy's sandals for the nth time today so he could go outside. He has two pairs of these fabulous sandals made by the Hoy Shoe Company. Notice anything?? One navy, one brown...LOL. My kids wore the same brand when they were young...

Great News!

2009-06-16T11:20:00.004-05:00

I had posted about the loss of sweet baby Cora to cancer here & here. Well, wonderful news - her parents are expecting a new baby!! What a blessing for this young family as God continues to heal their hearts. Yeah!

The Macs

Chattanooga Trip Part 1

2009-06-15T18:21:00.019-05:00


Walnut Street Bridge from Coolidge Park	Carousel in Coolidge Park

Coolidge Park Fountain	Sculpture in Coolidge Park

The Delta Queen	Downtown from the North Shore

Wading @ the TN. Aquarium	Playing in the water

River Journey	Ocean Journey

Sweet Baby!!!

2009-06-09T21:54:00.002-05:00

Look @ that cute swim suit! Rashguard shirt & ruffle butt!