Go Seminoles!

Last weekend Brad, Mom, Dad and I packed up and headed to Atlanta to watch the Florida State Seminoles play Georgia Tech. If you know Brad even a little, you know he's a major FSU fan and every year that we've been together he's been able to make a trip to see the Seminoles play.

I equate his excitement about watching FSU in person to a child's excitement about a trip to Disney World. The Seminoles are his Mickey and Minnie. Despite FSU's loss, we had a fantastic weekend filled with fun and tons of incredible food. I love opportunities to get away and it was awesome to be able to spend some time with Mom and Dad. Let's hope the rest of the FSU season is filled with victories (translating to even happier Saturdays at our house)!

It's all about perspective...

There has been some confusion about my last post and I think it's important to clarify. However, I think it's equally important to point out that I don't write to argue or offend anyone. This blog is totally for my venting and not for much else. Until this week, I thought that only my close friends and family read it...surprise!

First, I'm not by any means saying that electing Obama wasn't historic, it obviously was. Firsts are always a big deal. Whether we elected our first African American president or our first female VP, it was clearly a milestone. Our country continues to progress and that is encouraging. I understand how far we've come and I'm grateful for that, which is why I am discouraged by all of the racial issues surrounding this election.

My point in my last post was that it bothers me that the color of someone's skin, or someone's gender for that matter, is a qualification for office. It's not. I think it is sad if people chose to vote for Obama because they "wanted to be a part of history" and it would have been equally sad for those people that chose McCain-Palin based on Palin's sex. That's selfish, that's not putting your country or others first, that's not what our country is about.

I firmly believe that it is our duty to educate ourselves and cast our vote for the person who we believe is the most qualified to lead our great country. "Qualified" can incorporate many things (religion, policy, records, experience, character, etc.) but things such as race, sex, or age shouldn't be factors in the decision. However, I'm not so naive to believe they aren't for some people. No matter how you factor it in, it's silly. People define "qualified" differently and that's okay, I understand that, but that's not what people are arguing. That's why I'm frustrated.

The bottom line is this, we are privileged to have the opportunity to cast our vote for the person that we want to be our leader. A lot should go into that decision and while I'm glad people showed up in record numbers to vote I would be more encouraged about the progress our country is making if there were more headlines about people's faith in Obama's economic policies, or health care plans, or whatever issue is important to you, than those talking about the history being made and the racial divides. History is important and I'm thankful that I live in a country that allows anyone, regardless of race or gender, to hold the highest offices, but what's more important than that is the history that Obama chooses to make himself, history that doesn't involve skin color, history that includes our national security and our economic strength. Sure, he's the first African American president, but was he the best choice to lead our country? Only time will tell on that one, either way the election went there is clearly a lot to be proven and we'll undoubtedly see history unfold over the next four years.

Our country is at a crucial crossroad and we have a lot of ground to make up. People around the world, including me and my family, are lined up waiting to see what happens next. I truly hope that our new president finds a way to meet in the middle, for the benefit of liberals and conservatives alike, and that he is able to unite our country once again. Here's hoping that the next few years hold many unexpected pleasant surprises.

As for political rants, thank goodness election season is over--back to Oliver and the family!

Here We Go...

Well, we've done it. Call it history, call it cracks in the glass ceiling, call it whatever you want, but one thing we can all agree on is--it's over. It's time to move on--pray, hold on to you wallet with all your might and prepare to somehow support the "change" so many have asked for (that's right, I'm trying to be supportive).

Obviously, I'm not pumped about the election results, but there is something that is bothering me even more than that and multiple stories in today's Birmingham News further my point.

For example, a headline (on the front page, nonetheless) reads: "State vote shows racial divide and Obama inroads" the article goes on and on saying things like "Black voters cast ballots in the presidential race in enormous numbers for Barack Obama, while whites voted overwhelmingly for Republican John McCain." Then it thoroughly describes how Obama overwhelmingly won the vote in all majority black polling places and McCain won 4/5 of majority white polling places (wait... doesn't that contradict the point?). Then on the front page of the local section we have: "Davis: A black candidate can win Alabama: Experts say statewide numbers are not a positive sign." Despite the confusing headline the article talks about how Obama might have broken the "biggest glass ceiling," but in Alabama that ceiling is still in place for black candidates. Really? How so? I give ole Artur some credit here, he disagrees with the "experts" on this one, but the paper goes on and on about racial disparities in Alabama and how difficult they are to overcome. We go to great lengths to show racism, when an educated African American himself is saying the "experts" are wrong. What's the logic? Let's be glad we've moved on, why don't we celebrate that?

My point, in citing these articles, is how disheartening it is that this election (which was supposed to unite the country) has somehow even further divided us. We're bringing up all sorts of old racial hostilities and somewhere along the lines phrases like "black power" have become politically correct again. I'm confused.

Why is it that if someone chose to vote for McCain instead of Obama, they're racist and it's assumed they don't want a black president? The numbers show the opposite )and personally I don't consider physical appearance a factor in my choice for Commander in Chief). More African American people voted straight for Obama (based on the color of his skin, perhaps?) whereas plenty of white people chose Obama too. Wouldn't that show reverse racism? We don't talk about that. It's okay for a black person to vote for Obama simply because he's black, but if a white person chooses not to vote for him it must be because he/she is a racist? It makes no sense and I'm truly sick of the argument. If anything, I hope this "historic" election puts some of this nonsense to bed. Let's move on. Let's talk about the things that matter--what's the next step? You've got your history, now lets see some results.

I'm frustrated that this election has become more about historic moments than what is best for our country. If you think Obama is the most qualified leader, then fine, I'm okay with that, but if you're rejoicing in the streets simply because our next President is black... you make me sad.

Pray for our country, pray for our current President and our President-elect. Here we go!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

We're off to Atlanta for the FSU vs. Georgia Tech game tomorrow!

Progress...

After almost a full week of sickness, I think (fingers crossed) that Oliver is finally on the road to recovery. After multiple blood tests, two vet visits, including a night in the "Veterinary Hospital Intensive Care Unit" (who knew that existed?) and two IVs, Oliver is finally making progress. He hasn't been sick since we picked him up on Friday. Fortunately, he's eating his special food and showing signs of more and more energy each day. Tonight he's a little tired (and I'm paranoid), but I think his body is still trying to get back in the swing of things.

Over the weekend Brad and I tried to spend as much time as possible with the little guy. We ate a few meals and visited the Mt. Laurel Harvest Festival and church, but other than that we've stayed close to home with our little buddy. Oliver is loving all of the attention and he's becoming more and more spoiled every second. Oliver has never slept with us, mostly because he's a wild man, but we've let him snuggle up with us for the last two nights; he's absolutely loved it. I actually had to wake him up this morning. Maybe it's the meds, or his way of recuperating, but either way Oliver has turned into quite the cuddly guy and we're loving every second.

HUGE thanks to everyone who helped us out during all of our doggie drama. We all appreciate it very much!

Quick update...

Quick point--when you work in a creative environment with all sorts of people having all sorts of crazy personalities, creating a small Lean Pocket smokey mess is no small feat. My day was filled with people playing the Hot Pocket commercial and various songs about fires and smoke (including Disco Inferno, We Didn't Start the Fire, etc.) over the office intercom and a running line of new nicknames. I was also repeatedly reminded of just how horrible it smelled (as if I didn't notice) and "welcomed to the o2 family." Nice start, huh? Fortunately, we're all okay and let's just hope the smell dies down before tomorrow morning.

As for more important issues, Oliver is still sick. My fantastic and super sweet neighbor came over to check on him during the day today (she saw just how ferocious our guard dog can be) and then Mom came by after work and kept him company. I was hoping that all of the visits and attention would be unnecessary because he would be feeling better, but no such luck. We finally were able to get some medicine in him tonight (thanks to Cassie, aka the dog whisperer), but he won't eat anything and his little face is pitiful. He will act "normal" for a minute and then he goes back into his sick sad mode. It's killing us. Please say your prayers that he starts feeling better soon. We've decided if tomorrow afternoon he's not improving, we're going back to the vet.

I'm off to care for our sick pup--HUGE thanks to everyone who helped us out today. We're a little crazy when our baby is sick and we all appreciate your love!

Where there is smoke...

Okay, a little before lunchtime and I decide, I'd like my Lean Pocket. I go, as usual, and put it in the microwave, set it for 2 minutes and run to the restroom. I get back, not even 2 minutes later, and the entire kitchen is filled with smoke and the microwave is hidden by an enormous black cloud. Somehow, I caught my hot pocket on fire. And, that tiny little sandwich thing that doesn't manage to keep me full throughout the afternoon, is fully capable of creating enough smoke to not only fill the entire second floor (people were coming out acting like they were choking, complaining about asthma, worrying about the sprinklers going off and ruining computers), but also enough smoke to permeate through all six floors and cause an array of calls asking if we should evacuate. Clearly, I freaked out... not even 2 months on the job and I'm already creating literal fires... great. Plus, I'm supposed to talk to a church group today. Oh, I smell really ready for that.

Some very sweet people were super helpful and tried to minimize my embarrassment, but... too late. Not only did I ruin my lunch, but now I'm sitting here starving and smelling like burnt toast. On the bright side, there were some funny jokes, but mostly a lot of people just pissed about smelling like firemen.

Oh, what a day...

Oliver has a friend!

Sadly, Allie's first puppy, Bentley, had a serious disease and he had to be put to sleep on my birthday. We were all obviously heartbroken by this, but it was very clear that he was incredibly sick and there wasn't anything that could be done.

Since then, on a much happier note, Allie has gotten another adorable little guy, Baxter. Mom was babysitting Baxter on Saturday and she brought him by to briefly meet Oliver.

Baxter and Oliver

I have never seen Oliver so happy! Baxter was super playful and they had a great time chasing each other around. Both of their tails were wagging at a speed I've never seen. I'm convinced they are already BFF. They were supposed to get to hang out tonight, but Oliver's sickness obviously prevented that.

I know Oliver can't wait to play with his new cousin again!

Our sick baby...

Our sweet fur baby is sick again. At 5 a.m. I woke up to Oliver barking a bark I've never heard before. Usually when he wakes up before morning Brad gets up with him, but this morning something told me I needed to go. I found him in his house with throw up everywhere (sorry for the grossness). I took him outside and without going into details, he was clearly super sick. I brought him back in and made him a bed in the kitchen. When I went back to check on him he'd gotten sick again and the process continued throughout the morning. By 7:30 I'd gotten dressed and gotten him ready to head to the vet.

By the time Oliver and I got to the vet I was in major panic mode. The sweet vet was very patient and talked me through all sorts of possibilities. He tested little Ollie for parvo and a variety of parasites and all tests came back negative. I was relieved that the most serious options were no longer part of the picture, but if that isn't it... what is it? He proceeded to get sick four times in the vet's office and the vet took his best guess and diagnosed him with a virus. He gave Oliver a shot and sent us home with three prescriptions, ,special food and strict orders for no food or drink for 24 hours. Oliver was miserable.

Fortunately, Charles (Brad's dad) was planning to come over and wait for the alarm people today (another rant for another day) so he was able to check on Oliver during the day.

Oliver seems to be feeling at least a little better tonight. My awesome mom came by before we got off work and dropped off dinner so that we could spend all of our time tonight with our little buddy. We've been giving him all sorts of love, but unfortunately we haven't been able to get him to take his medicine. How do you get a dog to swallow 2 pills without any food or water? He absolutely hates his liquid medicine, therefore giving him that ended up with him getting about 2 mls of the concoction in his mouth and the other 3 mls were split evenly between the kitchen floor and my face (I was holding him while Brad tried to give it to him). I'm hoping to mix the pills in with his special food in the morning and that he'll come around to the liquid. If anyone has any suggestions on how to make the medicine process easier, I'd be super happy to hear them!

Say a little prayer for Oliver tonight; let's hope he's on the road to recovery.

Incredible Irony...

"LOS ANGELES - Oliver Stone thinks George W. Bush was unqualified to be president. However, the filmmaker found him an irresistible figure for drama."

Okay, I couldn't resist re-posting the above lead for a story about the upcoming "W" movie (read the full story at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081013/ap_en_ot/film_stone_s_w).

Oliver Stone, the film's director has been repeatedly quoted saying he "doesn't take sides" when it comes to politics--funny, huh? Does he honestly think anyone is buying that? As for me, not for a second. The film, especially the timing of the release, will obviously further a liberal agenda and I'm willing to bet that the irony is even greater. He'll attack George W. Bush saying he's "unqualified to be president," yet I imagine he'll cast his vote for a man who has never really proven to anyone that he's qualified to be president, or even qualified to be a senator for that matter. Funny how that works, huh? I wonder what 'ole Ollie Stone uses as his prerequisites for the most important job in the world. Hmm... point to ponder.

Liberal agendas, liberal media... if I wasn't so afraid of the outcome, I'd say I can't wait for this election to be over. For anyone who isn't registered to vote, you have until 10 days before the election to do so (Oct. 24th if I'm counting correctly) so REGISTER ASAP, unless you plan to vote for Obama, haha, just kidding--sort of. http://www.voteal.org/register.htm

My birthday...continued!

I rounded out my birthday weekend with tons more fun. Mom, Dad, Allie, Brad and I went to dinner at J. Alexander's Friday night and then celebrated at Mom and Dad's with cake, ice cream and all sorts of fun surprises!

Saturday I spent most of the day out and about with mom (and catching up on the phone with friends calling with sweet birthday wishes) and then some of our fantastic friends came over for dinner and more celebrating. Have I ever mentioned that I have the best friends in the world? I most definitely do. Sissy made me awesome funfetti cupcakes and there were all sorts of other yummy treats (Brad's still talking about Amy's cheese dip). Most importantly, Brad and I were able to really hang out with some of our friends that we don't get to see nearly enough (I think I saw Amy more when she lived in Florence) and some of our friends that we are fortunate to see most every day (they're our neighbors). It's nice to have the opportunity to celebrate with friends from all aspects of our lives. I had a great birthday and can't thank everyone enough for all of their thoughtfulness. I am eager to see what God has planned for my 24th year!

Me and Amy

Sissy showing that my Halloween decoration is also functional

Yes, he rocked the seminole shirt all night long, it was good luck

Let the celebrating begin!

If you know me at all you know that I absolutely love birthdays. You can't blame me though; for as long as I can remember my family has made a huge deal about celebrating the day we were born. I used to wake up to breakfast in a kitchen draped in streamers, or fun balloons, or anything else festive Mom could dream up. The festive-ness of birthdays has continued over the years (including the year I was in Mobile thanks to Melissa and Sissy) and my excitement over that hasn't weaned even in the least. While my actual birthday isn't until tomorrow the celebration has already begun and I couldn't be happier.

My celebrating began with lunch at Taziki's with Rachel. We really were getting together to catch up, but she brought me a super fun surprise and kicked off my weekend of celebrating! I left thinking... I can't wait until tonight when I get to celebrate some more... back to work, blah.

I was at my desk working away when the front desk called to let me know I had a delivery. My sweet husband sent me beautiful flowers (the picture doesn't do them justice) as a pre-birthday surprise--I was pumped, another tally for my "I love my birthday" list. Just as I was getting ready to head back to my desk to admire my lovely flowers, Holly told me she needed to talk to me in the kitchen (I panicked thinking something bad had happened); I was surprised yet again. Miranda (my cubicle neighbor) made me delicious funfetti cupcakes (yep, they picked up on my favorites already) and I celebrated with a sweet card and gift from my friends at work. I was completely shocked and incredibly grateful; I've only worked here for a month and I wasn't expecting anything at all. I am very fortunate to work with such kind and thoughtful people.

Birthdays aren't so much about the celebrating itself, but more so about the fun you get to have with the people in your life. That's why I love my birthday--I get to slow down a bit and hang out with the people that mean the most to me. Yay, for another year... let the celebration continue!

Funny question...

Stopped at a traffic light on my way to work this morning I started flipping through the e-mails that piled up on my phone over night. After scrolling through a list of nearly 20 forwarded messages (sweet Nana), a Sephora ad and some pet pedicure solicitations, I noticed one with the subject "Quick Harmless Question," from a friend that lives in St. Louis. The e-mail included updates on her adorable daughter and then a question that surprised me--"What do you think of Sarah Palin?" She and I have always respectfully agreed to disagree on our difference in politics and I was intrigued by her interest in my thoughts.

What do I think about our potential Vice President? I was incredibly impressed by her at the convention and I thoroughly disagree with the intense, biased criticism that she has faced, but other than that I don't have a long list of pro's or con's. I've had to focus too much on the craziness that the actual candidates have elicited.

Hollywood?

However, as for Palin (I want to call her Sarah, but we're not quite there yet) no matter how much people want to taunt her for "inexperience" I like to believe that her experience in Alaska has prepared her to make tough decisions when it counts and to work under pressure. I also like that she's made controversial decisions and she's not afraid to do what she believes in. Perhaps, the kind of change she'd bring to Washington is exactly what we need. She hasn't drank the kool-aid yet, and if McCain plays his cards right come January she may be one of the only people in that town that has avoided the juice and finger prick. She's refreshing, she's not caught up in a bunch of partisan nonsense and her lack of time on the Hill gives her the opportunity to start fresh with some of the oldest names in the business. I honestly like the thought of her, and her enormous family, in Washington. Experienced or not, I'll take my chances with her over Obama any day.

Watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYEnDepMKwE for a glimpse at what we could have to look forward to. If it doesn't bother you at least a little bit, I am worried about you. I am disturbed by this and clearly some people on the Obama campaign are too (now that the public is scrutinizing it) because it has been on the official campaign site until yesterday. And seriously, this film was produced to share--it's not a casual home movie. It has an eery resemblance to the videos of kids signing and pledging allegiance to Hitler. I'm not sure about you, but I think we have freedom and I don't think we need to be saved by a president. That's the first step towards a major digression from everything we are founded on. Okay, I'm getting terribly side tracked, so I'll save more ranting for another day.

Watch the debate tonight and I'm interested in your feedback. I won't be able to check it out until tomorrow because we'll be at a fundraiser tonight (featuring Martha Reeves and the Vandella's none the less), but I'll certainly review ASAP.

REGISTER TO VOTE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!

Oliver's new cousin!

The Walls family seems to keep growing--first Allie and I get married, and now we both have furry kids. Allie adopted little Bentley (he's a malti-poo) about two weeks ago and Oliver got to meet him for the first time on Saturday. On a scale of 1-10 Oliver's energy level is an 11 and Bentley's is about a... 1.5? Needless to say, Oliver's friendliness was a little much for Bentley, but I think he'll eventually grow on him. Despite the puppy madness, Mom, Dad, Allie and I watched the Auburn game together and were able to hang out, just us, for the first time in a long time. It was definitely nice; I have the most incredible family in the world!

Bentley

Oliver...again (I know I post too many pictures of him)

It's almost a new week (my birthday week!!)... time to iron clothes and get ready for tonight's all new Brothers & Sisters!!

Have a Happy Monday!

No worries...

Well, it turns out all of my worries were completely unwarranted. I picked Oliver up from the vet Thursday afternoon and he hasn't slowed down yet. Fortunately he appears to be in no pain and is completely fine.

Since I wasn't sure what sort of state he'd be in, I passed up going to Auburn today and Brad invited his dad to go. They left this morning to go and cheer on the tigers. Oliver and I are going to do some things around the house (Halloween decorations anyone?) and then go to Mom and Dad's to watch the game. War Eagle!

P.S. Presidential debate last night--wow! I have way to much to say about that. I'll post about it once I can condense my thoughts. However, think about how many times the phrase "You're right, John" or "John's right" was used... hmm...

Say a little prayer...

Oliver's Pre-Surgery Bath

Tomorrow Oliver will be getting neutered and staying overnight at the vet. Yes, that's right, despite Brad's arguments we are having the procedure done. I've read 1,000 articles about how important it is to increasing longevity of life and preventing certain illnesses, so we agreed--why not be proactive?

Although I know it is best for him, I'm a bit nervous. He's obviously never had surgery and we haven't ever boarded him, so he's not used to being in an unfamiliar place. North Shelby County Animal Clinic will be doing the procedure and they come highly recommended, so I know they'll take great care of him; I just have to be a bit more trusting. They kindly let you bring his blankets and toys from home, so hopefully that will offer him some comfort. I can already tell that I will be counting down the hours until we pick him up on Thursday. Say a little prayer for Ollie!

Obamanomics...

When I ran across this column (in the Black and White of all places) I immediately knew that I had to re-post it. The columnist couldn't be more on point with my concerns for just one of the many "changes" we could have in store over the next four years. He gets it, and I pray that more and more people will continue to take off their rose colored glasses and see what's in front of them. Read the below article and really think about it... Philanthropy is one thing (and something I'm a passionate advocate for) but, government mandated wealth redistribution is an entirely different ballgame.

Seeing through Obamanomics

By Jeff Jacoby, Boston Globe Columnist September 14, 2008


ALL THROUGH the spring and summer, opinion polls tracked a growing confidence that Barack Obama could handle the economy better than John McCain. Just before the Democratic convention in August, Gallup had Obama leading McCain on the economy, 54-38 - a 16-point margin. But now Obama's lead has nearly vanished. Gallup's latest numbers show the candidates nearly tied. Just 48 percent say Obama would be more adept at superintending the economy; 45 percent choose McCain.

Looks like voters have started paying attention to Obama's economics. On Sept. 8, Fox News broadcast an interview between Obama and Bill O'Reilly that focused on taxation and the economy. Obama repeated his pledge to cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans, while raising taxes on the tiny fraction who earn more than $250,000.

"That's class warfare," O'Reilly objected. "You're taking the wealthy in America, the big earners . . . you're taking money away from them and you're giving it to people who don't. That's called income redistribution. It's a socialist tenet. Come on, you know that."

"Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill," Obama replied. "Teddy Roosevelt supported a progressive income tax." He acknowledged that he doesn't enjoy paying taxes either - "you think I like writing the check?" - but that "there are certain things we've got to do." His tax proposal, he explained, was a matter of civility:

"If I am sitting pretty and you've got a waitress who is making minimum wage plus tips, and I can afford it and she can't, what's the big deal for me to say, I'm going to pay a little bit more? That's neighborliness." If that is Obama's rationale for making the tax code even more steeply progressive than it already is, it's no wonder voters are having second thoughts about his economic aptitude.

"Neighborliness." Perhaps that word has a nonstandard meaning to someone whose home adjoined the property of convicted swindler Tony Rezko, but extracting money by force from someone who earned it in order to give it to someone who didn't is not usually spoken of as neighborly. If Citizen Obama, "sitting pretty," reaches into his own pocket and helps out the waitress with a large tip, he has shown a neighborly spirit. But there is nothing neighborly about using the tax code to compel someone else to pay the waitress that tip.

Taxation is not generosity, it is confiscation at gunpoint. Does Obama not understand the difference?

Perhaps he doesn't. Eager though he may be to compel "neighborliness" in others, he has not been nearly so avid about demonstrating it himself. Barack and Michelle Obama's tax returns show that from 2000 through 2004, when their adjusted gross income averaged nearly a quarter of a million dollars a year, their annual charitable donations amounted to just $2,154 - less than nine-tenths of 1 percent. Not until he entered the US Senate in 2005 and began to be spoken of as a presidential possibility did the Obamas' "neighborliness" become more evident. (In 2005-2007, they gave 5.5 percent of their income to charity.)


Obama claims his proposal would lower taxes for 95 percent of Americans, but well over 43 million tax returns, one-third of all those filed, already reflect an income tax liability of zero. In fact, Obama says, his plan would eliminate income taxes for an additional 10 million taxpayers. What he is really proposing, therefore, is not tax relief but a bald transfer of cash - $1,000 per family, he pledges - from the wealthiest Americans to everyone else. In 1972, George McGovern advocated something similar - a $1,000 "demogrant" for every US citizen. Just last year, Hillary Clinton suggested that the government start off every new baby with a $5,000 savings account. Voters didn't take the bait when McGovern and Clinton offered it. Here's betting they won't take it now.

Why not? Because you don't have to be rich to be skeptical when a candidate argues that the top 1 percent of taxpayers, who already pay 40 percent of federal income taxes, aren't being taxed enough. Nor do you have to be an economist to wonder about the grasp of a nominee who tells 95 percent of the public that they can have something for nothing. Obamanomics may look pretty at first glance. But voters are focusing more closely now, and they can see beyond the lipstick.

Vote--It's important!

This will probably be the first of many entries highlighting my intense belief that this election could be the most important one so far in my lifetime (thus explaining Oliver in his campaign shirt to the left). I want to urge everyone to seriously research the candidates and know what they stand for. Charisma only goes so far...does charisma win wars? I think not. Does charisma save an economy? Nope. Will charisma matter when your paycheck decreases while your bills increase? Not even a little. The arrogance and charisma clearly exhibited by one of the candidates may very well be what makes you want to throw the remote at the television when you realize what this charismatic superstar wants to do to our country.

While issues like health care, taxes, education and the economy are key on the election trail, and certainly factors in my decision, character, a strong faith in God and morals and values in line with mine are equally important when I cast my vote in November. The differences between the two candidates (4 if you add in the potential VP's) are monumental and you better believe that this election will greatly impact some of the things you hold most dear. This election could change the face of our country in a way that no one has ever seen. Everything that we pride ourselves on as a country--freedom, free markets, independence, strength and dignity will be challenged.

It is my hope that more people will come to realize this. Realize that we can't have the best of both worlds and pay close attention to the messages your candidate spread. Are the messages strong and consistent across all playing fields? Can you only tax the rich and then expect jobs and wages to increase? Noway, the rich are the ones hiring and paying. With the current state of the economy can you afford to pay more taxes? Not me. Is it the government's job to take care of every individual, regardless of their abilities? No. It is essential to look beyond the flashy talking points and think about substance, consider the effects of certain changes. Think about what it means for you, your family, your community and your country.

We're less than two months away from election day. Now is the time to do your homework, learn about these candidates, their records and their beliefs and make your choice. Pay attention to the upcoming debates, pay attention to what the candidates are saying and learn to ignore extreme liberal media messages.

Study up, register to vote if you haven't and go to the polls on November 4th. The choice is ours and the stakes have never been higher.

When one door closes, another one opens...

My office...before I started packing up

My final days at the CCC were much harder than I originally anticipated. While there was little sadness regarding leaving the actual work, leaving the people I've spent so much time with over the last year and a half was tougher than I ever dreamed.

Josh, Rachel and me at Gala '08

My final week was filled with thoughtful celebrations. Tuesday the "old CCC gang" ate lunch together (not because I was leaving, but for old time's sake) and it was really nice to catch up. They were the original team, the reason I ever came back to the CCC to begin with. Thursday Rachel and Josh took me to a fun lunch at Taziki's where they gave me this awesome print-out of all of my "favorite things" (Obama and the color purple being the most obvious) and very sweet cards (insert tears here). It was after that lunch that I realized I wasn't dealing with the transition as well as I'd hoped. How was I going to make it without these people that I'd come to rely so heavily upon? Friday was much of the same--discussions about fun memories and thoughts of what the days ahead would hold. The whole office took me to lunch at John's and it was nice to have everybody together again, one last time. I managed okay until it was time to leave. Rachel, Josh and I walked out just as normal and everything was fine until that moment. The one where I realized this entire chapter in my life was coming to a close and I would no longer have this familiarity and comfort. Rachel and I cried (I cried the whole way home), but I'm reassured that although we won't work together anymore, we'll always be friends. You don't meet people like her very often, and I' so grateful for the friendship we've built.

Now it's time for another chapter to begin--one with much less certainty and a whole new list of characters. Tomorrow should be a fun day--or at least an educational one. I can't wait to see what's in store!

Happy Birthday Kaley!

Tonight we celebrated Kaley's birthday with dinner at San Antonio Grill and cupcakes at our house. We were a day late with the celebration, but that just made Kaley's birthday extra long--she's been celebrating since Saturday! The kids were all in silly moods tonight, so see below for their funny pictures. We love getting to see all of them! Happy Birthday Kaley!

She refused a "normal" face
Kathryn and Oliver
So silly...
Maci
All of the silly faces!
Yikes!

Not so beautiful day in the neighborhood...

From the very first day I moved into our little house I have loved our neighborhood. It's clean, people are friendly and I've always felt safe. I lived alone there for more than eight months and never once felt uneasy about my safety. Well, that all slightly changed yesterday.


I was standing in my neighbor's driveway chatting after work when another neighbor from down the street pulled up. She was kind enough to explain, in detail, that her house and her neighbor's had been broken into sometime yesterday between 11:00 and 1:00. I was shocked--are people really brave enough to break into a house, one that's barely a driveway's distance from the next none the less, in the middle of the day?!? Obviously so! She hadn't figured out what all was missing yet because her home was completely torn apart, but she did notice that both hers and her husband's jewelry was gone and the kind intruders spilled drinks all over her bed! I really can't get over the nerve, and sense of entitlement that some people have. It's truly disappointing!

Needless to say all of the activity in the neighborhood has made me a little nervous. I freakishly checked the locks last night and was extra cautious going in and out. I'm not usually one to get scared, but this time it was a little too close to home. Our house is already wired for a security system, so who knows, maybe we'll activate it? I'm planning to check into some different providers. I hate to overreact, but on the other hand, I would die if I came home to a kicked in backdoor, a destroyed home and... well who knows what would happen to little Oliver! Better safe than sorry, right?

My all important review...

Thanks to our recent weekend at the each, I have finally finished my latest read--Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger. I was hesitant to even begin this book because while I loved the movie version of The Devil Wears Prada I was incredibly disappointed by the book (which doesn't usually happen, movies are typically far less entertaining than the story in print). However, with my upcoming move to a more defined role in Public Relations I was interested to read about the lead character, Bette's, leap into the PR world.

As I muddled through the early chapters I feared that the story would be a complete repeat of Devil Wears Prada--plain Jane steps out of a lack luster life and into NYC mainstream chaos (take out Runway fashion and insert a high profile PR company and there you have it)... well, that proved true, but despite the glaring similarities to her first book, Weisberger managed to create characters I was able to root for and scenarios that actually bordered on realistic. Reader beware--there is not much mystery here. I am usually the last one to figure out who the "bad guy" is, but in this case it was embarrassingly obvious not even half way through the book. However, that aspect of the story line isn't what kept me reading--it was the love story. An unpredictable love triangle kept me turning the pages, pulling so hard for my favorite leading fellow (side note, if this man existed in real life I would insist that my friends pursue him like man eaters).

All in all, I'd definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a simple, entertaining story. There's nothing complicated to understand and it's definitely a quick read. Overall, I'd give it a solid B. Now, I need to move on to another book. Maybe this time I should venture into something a bit more... challenging or informative? Any suggestions?

Family Vacay!

We embarked on yet another family vacation on Saturday. We were up and at 'em early that morning and arrived in Destin by lunchtime. We kicked off our weekend of eating excessively and enjoying the sunshine by feasting on a lunch (of complete fried goodness) at the Back Porch and then continued to eat just as much for the rest of the trip. I ate snack foods that I never eat (E.L. Fudges, donuts, Doritos, etc.) and topped them off with incredible dinners at places like Louisiana Lagniappe, Graffiti's and Harbor Docks. I still can't believe all that I ate in such a short amount of time (hey, it's vacation!).

For the other parts of the trip we lounged by the pool (where I caught up on some reading), shopped and genuinely enjoyed each other's company. I realize more and more everyday how fortunate I am that my family gets along so well with my husband. It's nice to all merge into one big happy family. Tuesday came too soon, but all and all it was a fantastic trip! I didn't take many pictures, but a few are below.

Yes, they showed up Saturday morning in matching uniforms

Mom and Dad

My family!

Allie and Brian with us

Two weeks notice... good idea!

I have a new understanding of why most employers only require two weeks notice upon resignation. No one wants, or needs to work more than that--it's simply a bad idea.

I am starting week two of my nearly 4 week notice and I am confident that whoever thought that a month's notice was necessary, or even a good idea, was seriously mistaken. I have worked at the Cancer Center for about a year and a half and in that time, in my natural way, I have kept everything I am responsible for in an order that could be picked up and executed by any one who comes behind me, thus making the transition easy. Having these sort of things done, I assumed that should my time to leave come I would happily be able to work out a bit of a notice and then be on my merry way... not so much. I am SLOWLY transitioning (thanks to all of those folks) and then picking up every meaningless task along the way. Want to know who's organizing other people's e-mails? ME! Hooray, I love really making a difference.

However, the upside is that all of the nonsense that continues to fill my days is making it easier to part ways with an organization that I truly do care about. Some of the people I work with are undeniably some of the nicest people I've ever met and thinking about not coming in and "debriefing" with them in the morning is somewhat depressing. Oh how things work out... I won't even begin to explain that I'll be working the entire weekend FOLLOWING my last day of employment. Yes, that's right I won't be an employee, but am somehow required to come. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about fulfilling responsibilities, but this is far from that, this is payback... Nice!

I'm not going to ramble about this anymore... well at least not today. I'm simply trying to look forward to August 25th!!

Better late than never...

Pre-wedding Dinner at Cocina Superior

(Hallie refused a "normal" face)

The girls at dinner (minus mom and Lynne)

So pretty!

The Bride!

Princess Hallie

I've been really bad about not posting updates lately, due in part to a lack of overall excitement paired equally with my laziness. One important event that I've failed to mention is Lindsay and Adam's wedding. They got married on July 19th. The pictures above are from the festivities. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Daniel!

Changes...

I have super exciting news! Yesterday I resigned from my position at the Comprehensive Cancer Center to pursue a new career opportunity at o2 ideas public relations. I am super excited about this new challenge and can't wait to see what's in store for me there. Everyone I met there was incredibly nice.

Unfortunately, my supervisor here at the CCC isn't budging much on UAB's one month notice policy, so I'll be at the Cancer Center until August 22nd and I'll start at o2 ideas on August 25th. Oh well, more time to enjoy my fantastic friends here at the Cancer Center!

More details to come...

Happy 4th of July!

Our 4th of July weekend was pretty much fantastic (well, with one exception, but I'll get to that). It started out with a "date night" Thursday at Firebirds, which was so so fun! Brad hadn't really planned a night out for us in a while, so it was nice. He pulled out all of the stops like the old days--opening doors, insisting we eat nothing but our favorites and ultimately just being his normal wonderful company. We had a great time just hanging out and I LOVED not having to make any decisions about where we were going or when.

Friday I started off with a visit to my Mamaw in the hospital. She has pneumonia and at 85 that can be pretty serious, but surprisingly enough she was doing great (she's now back at home). Dad and I spent some time with her and then I headed home to start working on all of the festivities. We had a bit of a neighborhood celebration for the 4th. All of our fabulous neighbors and their families (and ours) celebrated with a low country boil and all sorts of other amazing treats (not to mention beverages). We had a great time and got to know some new friends in the neighborhood which is always nice.

We had red, white and blue covered, coincidence? I think not.

Some of the girls

Casey and Rebecca, so sweet!

Saturday was mostly low key until Dawn brought Kaley and Maci to hang out. We went and ate Mexican and attempted to make homemade ice cream (I'll stick to letting others do that or buying it at the store from now on). After that I started feeling sick and that's when the weekend took a bit of a dive. I was in bed all day Sunday and Monday with some sort of stomach bug. It wasn't fun, but I think I'm finally on the road to recovery. I only worked a half day today so tomorrow I have some catching up to do. Oh well, it's better to rest and be safe than get everyone else sick, right?

Oliver meets Hallie!

Lindsay and Hallie came over on Wednesday night to bring me my bridesmaids dress. Hallie was so excited to meet Oliver, but she did not like how excited he was to see her. He kept jumping on her legs and she was not going to have it. After multiple "NO DOG!" commands she decided they'd be better friends if he just played in the floor and she took pictures of him. She actually got some really good pictures of our little guy. Thanks Hal! Although they didn't technically play together, she still managed to tell me at the end of the night that she was sorry because she probably made Oliver sad by coming over and then leaving so quickly. We agreed that they could be best friends--she is such a sweet girl!

Brad says this is Oliver's smile--cute, and sort of scary.

Sweet boy!

Hey!

I think he knows he's cute?

Oliver and Linds