Memorial Day Weekend

We are so excited for the 3 day weekend - just to be together for 3 full days is awesome! But on top of it, it's going to be GORGEOUS tomorrow and Monday so we're excited to hang at the beach.

My in laws manage a bunch of hotels/motels on a strip of Carolina Beach. They initially were managing them until they were torn down for a huge new resort that was going up - but the resort plans are on hold so they are managing them until ____. So we love that because they get to stay at this beach house:

and we get to go and enjoy the pools and the house right on the ocean! Wrightsville Beach will always be my favorite - but for free parking a nice house and pools - we'll go to C.B.! :) Both are about 20 - 30 minutes from our house.

Today we are going down to visit them at the beach house even though it's rainy. My mother and father in law - and Pop (who Raymond is named after) and Granny and one of Brandon's brothers and Great Uncle Dennis and Great Aunt Alice will all be there. Debra asked me to prepare my now famous pasta salad so I made that last night to bring!

Pop (again - who Raymond was named after) turned 77 yesterday - and he was also named Coach of the Year for the state! for private schools - baseball! He gave up coaching for a few years because of his heart - but he couldn't stay away and he was named coach of the year!

Then tomorrow we'll go to church and come home and rest and then go to the pool! raymond and I have been in the pool a lot since it opened May 1st - but Brandon hasn't been yet so we're excited for him to come with us! Then Sunday night Brandon has to do some payroll/budgeting things so we'll just hang around the house.

and then Monday - off to the beach house again! We invited our friend Mark & Terri and their 2 kids and also our babysitter to all come down to the house and we'll grill and just have a fun day! Monday night we get our portraits done at church for the church directory!

I love going to the beach no matter what but it's so so awesome to have the house right there - because then you can go in and out (for diaper changes, snacks, when raymond gets too hot, naps) and we also love the pool when the waves are too cold or too rough.

So anyway! What are your plans for the weekend? Love yall! :) Here are 2 more pics of Carolina beach from the new stairs they put in going over the dunes.

Mother's Day

Everybody knows how much I love my Mama & my grandma. On my first Mother's Day last year, grandma celebrated her first Mother's Day in Heaven. This past year has been hard. This year has been incredible. This year has been a life-changing from the inside-out year. I physically and emotionally ache when I remember Mother's Day last year. I am not the same person as I was last year. It feels like it was an eternity ago, it feels like it never happened, it feels like yesterday I was physically with grandma -- all at the same time those feeling exist. I am trying to do whatever I can to just focus on all my blessings and be able to enjoy this mother's day, but it will always be a day that I feel homesick for heaven - to be together with my mom and grandma again. I don't know how much I'll be posting this weekend... so this post will be my Mother's Day post probably.

I hope everybody has a wonderful Mother's Day. I hope each of you know how special you are that God chose you to be a mother, there is no greater role on earth. And I hope this Mother's Day and the year to come, we all feel the necessity and the call to honor our mothers in memory, in our actions, but above all else - in how we love The Lord and how we love each other

Here are some posts from my old blog about grandma from last year I wanted to reference here. I can't even remember who this person was that wrote these --- so much has changed:

• Grandma went to heaven on Mother's Day 2007 - here is the post from the day before. Only God knew what was to happen. I have faith that He had it planned out exactly how it was supposed to be. I can't keep saying to myself....if only I had known, I would have driven up there the weekend before like I ALMOST did. I literally was so close to juast driving up there the weekend before at the spur of the moment but decided not to because of some family issues on Brandon's side....I wish I could have seen her one last time.....I wish when I saw her in January, I would have known that would be the last time, this side of heaven http://therooksfamily.blogspot.com/2007/05/moved-in.html
  
• The eulogy I read for my grandma http://therooksfamily.blogspot.com/2007/06/grandmas-eulogy.html
  
• The next post I wrote, a few weeks later http://therooksfamily.blogspot.com/2007/05/back-to-blogging.html
  
• Sermon and Lessons on Porch Swing (with grandma) http://therooksfamily.blogspot.com/2007/06/frequency-sermon-lessons-from-porch.html


• Memories of grandma http://therooksfamily.blogspot.com/2007/06/my-memories-of-grandma.html
  
• Grandma's Life History http://therooksfamily.blogspot.com/2007/06/grandma-life-history.html


• This day was a total turning point in my life. God did come to my rescue and the struggles drew me closer to Him. After this day, I would begin to feel and understand and see God and the Truth for really the first time in my life http://therooksfamily.blogspot.com/2007/07/i-find-my-discipline-in-reading-bible.html


• November 2007 thoughts http://therooksfamily.blogspot.com/2007/11/grandma-heaven-preaching.html

Thursday 13 - # 5

Thirteen family heirlooms/antiques that MomMom brought down for me to see: 1. When I wrote my grandma's life history with her... one of the stories she told was about learning to read.... to read her life history, it's on my old blog....go here: http://therooksfamily.blogspot.com/2007/06/grandma-life-history.html . In paragraph 10, she wrote about learning to read at such a young age. She was an extremely gifted and intelligent woman! Extremely extremely smart. She really credits learning to read at such a young age to her mother's father who used to sit with her teach her letters with blocks. You can imagine our delight when my mother found those blocks as she sifted through all of grandma's 80+ years of collected memories. It was totally special to see these blocks. 2. Along with grandma's blocks that are 80+ years old, we found a top she used to play with. They just don't make toys like they used to :) 3. And since I shared a treasure of grandma's, here is one of PopPop's (my mom's father). I don't know if it will allow anybody to enlarge this image but I hope it will ... after I publish this post, if it doesn't allow it to be enlarged, I will write a separate post just with the contents of this article! I am so proud of my lineage.....I know we are not defined by our past - but I certainly feel blessed because of it - and prepared because of it and I am so thankful for my heritage! 4. Speaking of godly men that I am proud to call my ancestors.... my Grandpa Talley (my grandma's father) was a man. A real man. A God-fearing, wife-loving, wise, strong man. I have so many wonderful stories of him in my memory and written down. I never met him, but feel that I have. My grandma and his other children LOVED him, adored him. And he adored them and my great-grandmother right back. My mom says Brandon reminds her a lot of him. The gentle giant. Steady rock. Wise owl. Slow to anger, quick to listen. He called my grandmother, "the madam". Here is a great picture my mom dug up of him: 5. My mom found a New Testament that he carried around with him everywhere. I loved how worn the pages were, I loved the smell of it, I loved how much this Bible had seen. I was also so delighted and excited to open it and the FIRST thing I found was "The President's Message". How awesome is that!? President Woodrow Wilson wrote an introduction for this New Testament. Again, I hope it will let you enlarge this image. But if not... I am going to type here what it says: The President's Message The Bible is the word of Life. I beg that you will read it and find this out for yourselves - read, not little snatches here and there, but long passages that will really be the road to the heart of it. You will find it full of real men and women, not only but also of the things you have wondered about and been troubled about all your life, as men have been always; and the more you read the more it will become plain to you what things are worth while and what are not, what things make you happy, - loyalty, right dealing, speaking the truth, readiness to give everything for what they think duty, and most of all, the wish that they may have the approval of the Christ, who gave everything for them, - and the things that are guaranteed to make men unhappy, - selfishness, cowardice, greed, and everything that is low and mean. "When you have read the Bible you will know that it is the Word of God, because you will have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness, and your own duty" Signed Woodrow Wilson WOW!!!!!!! I think this might deserve its own post. I will probably write more on this later. I got emotional reading this and copying it! And for another testimony of what a great man he was.... look at what he kept in the last page of his Bible. That is "the madam" herself :) 6. And what did The Madam carry around and close to her heart always? This locket - with of course, Grandpa Talley in it....I don't know the nickname that she called him. I have to ask my mom. 7. Grandma Talley's cuff links. That's what you call them right?: 8. Some doilies Grandma Talley made. That is wat you call them right? 9. The coin in the picture above and enlarged here was found with the doilies as part of grandma talley's things. The date is 1875. yeah that's right - 1875. woah 10. Grandma Talley's side of the family (Keyser).... Grandma Talley is the girl standing up with the ribbon in her head - 2nd one in on top. Grandma Talley's oldest sister - the one sitting with the baby in her arms - is identical to my mom. I mean SCARY identical. I thought that this was either photoshopped - or this was a picture of my mom dressed up in old clothing -- but she promises me it isn't here. Totally unbelievable! 11. Wallpaper piece from Grandma Talley's dining area. I can sort of remember it. 12. The first type of typewriter there was.... don't ask me how it's used :) 13. Here they are in their older days. Grandma & Grandpa Talley Many more stories & show and tell pieces to follow.....

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I love my mommy

Today is always a hard day. MomMom left this morning. She left around 5:30 and when I finally realized what happened at 5:45 - I was like... wait no! I wanted to give her a better hug than that! She's gone! ahhhh!

It's very apparent to me why I had to leave New Jersey and my mom..... I always was extremely attached to her - I mean really attached! I have no doubt that if I hadn't left New Jersey, her and I would just live together as old maids and I'd be a 50+ year old living with her MomMom with a bunch of animals. I used to think that would be okay but then I met Brandon, Lennox & Raymond. As hard as it has been to leave my parents and cleave to my husband - I know that it was God's plan. I answered the nudging of the Spirit and this is what He had designed for my life. It isn't easy - but I'm blessed. I feel guilt for leaving her, for not being there for grandma in her last years....for so many things, but then I look around at my life - and I just know that this is what God had designed for me.

MomMom served us and just lavished on us again this trip. I wish I could do the same for her. I feel so much guilt when she spends spends does does and I have no way to pay her back. I know I will someday though.

I don't know why she loves me like she does. And I mean that. I know I am not as good as she thinks I am.....and I know I am completely undeserving of her constant approval, love and encouragement. I don't understand why Brandon and her (and God) love me at all sometimes. I can be impatient, quick to anger and absolutely murderous with my tongue at times.

I feel so undeserving to have her as a mother.

I am so thankful for this time we had together....

I am so thankful for cell phones to be able to call her 3+ times a day (one of the treasures my mom brought from grandma's house, as she is still sorting through her things, was letters from grandma to grandma talley (my great grandma). They lived states apart and of course had no phone. THAT I can't imagine. Obviously God allowed me to be born in 1983 for a reason. We found the letter that grandma wrote to grandma talley announcing that her and PopPop have decided to get married. Amazing to read their letters and to know what was going to happen. They had so many questions about their future and so many decisions to make....knowing what the outcome was and what was to happen to them as I read these letters was just a weird feeling. Like seeing things from God's perspective!! As grandma wrote about getting married and how they just thought it was time - little did she know that they were being nudged by the Spirit to go ahead and get married because a few months after marriage PopPop would be drafted and leave to fight in World War II) ....

I am also so thankful for web cams so Raymond could see her face....and for the fact that I know we will be together very shortly again!!!

and I sure am thankful that it isn't raining today...because I couldn't take mama leaving, Raymond being so cranky because of his yeast infection on his bottom and 2 splinters in the thumb he sucks AND a sky ful of clouds. THAT would be an environment for a complete breakdown. Thank God it's a beautiful sunny day and we're going down to walk at the Loop at Wrightsville! Now it's time to get back on track as far as fitness goes! While MomMOm is around we feast --- now it's time to get back to reality hehe.

Thank you God for "cita", for my past, for my present and for my future. I don't know why you love me like you do!

Thursday 13 - # 4

Thirteen snacks, meals, treats (whatever you want to call them) I've been wanting to blog about but haven't: 1. At Food Lion (and I'm sure it's at other grocery stores to) in the bakery/food ready to eat now section, every few weeks they have this AWESOME salad and whenever it's there I buy them out of it hehehe (so sorry - if you go to my Food Lion - you'll probably never get a chance to buy it)..... it is Chicken, Cranberry & Walnut with raspberry vinagrette dressing -- good stuff people! :) and only 290 calories! :) 2. At Costco, one of my fave shopping places, we buy this Mango Salsa and I'm telling you -- good!!!! :) I love the sweet from the mango & peaches, salty from the chips and spicy from the salsa yummm - about 160 calories for the whole snack 3. Brothers All Natural fruit crisps -- another Costco fave. 40 calories for bag people! Dried fruji apples or asian pears....mmm 4. Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches - don't buy them in a box- buy them in the plastic pack of six. I'm telling you - the pack of 6 in plastic has a crunchier outside, much better ice cream, I don't know why it's different, but it is - 140 calories each! :) 5. and how about key lime pie from the Oceanic --- with coffee... light and sweet, please - you can't get better than that - a meal overlooking one of the most beautiful beaches in the whole world (says I) followed by key lime pie & coffee -- 10,000 calories and worth every single smacking one!! 6. I gotta keep promoting Costco -- MomMom has hit the jackpot with this place. I never really went THAT much - but she has been going for 10 plus years and has been trying to convince me too and now I get it..... how about 4 HUGE wraps of chicken salad for $8! We made THREE MEALS out of it! wow 7. Costco --- chicken alfredo -- $10 - 6 meals! 8. Island Way frozen fruit sorbets --- I won't eat the pina colada or coconut, but the lemon, lime, orange mango and pineapple -- YUMMM :) 9. Again - Costco -- stuffed chicken - $10 - over 4 meals -- and the thing about the Costco meals is that they are so so quick - 350 for 30 minutes, you're ready! :) slop it on a plate with salad - good to go :) 10. watermelon -- just plain and perfect watermelon - my fave summer treat !:) Raymond and I could eat a whole watermelon together without even blinking 11. strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries --- don't you love summer? 12. when I'm running really low on creativity and funds - I just throw some greens in a bowl, throw in some sliced almonds that come in a package (and are so cheap) and add some raisins and italian dressing and there's another meal! looks way more gourmet than I ever thought it would 13. and finally --- we took Raymond to Blackhorn's (?) at Carolina Beach and got him fried mac and cheese! I tell you what - those people are smart! You can take those suckers on the beach, and mac and cheese is finger food --- yes they are probalby HORRIBLE for him, like any other fried food - but for a treat once in a while -- YAY! :) so there you have it --- you can tell MomMOm is here because all I am thinking about is food and I've been consuming a LOT LOT LOT of it....... it's feast time! :) love you all --- be back next week after MomMom leaves...I hope you all will give me some love, I'll need it. I will be so sad when she goes again...

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