Happy 14th Wedding Anniversary Brian!

Today as I look back with happiness and pride upon the 14 wedded years that you've spent by my side, every memory that we share of dreams we've seen come true,
make this Anniversary Day so special...and I love you!

Noah's First Catch

Check this out...when the weather was pretty last week Noah got to go down to the river with his Daddy where he got to fish. I just love this picture and had to share it. You can also check it out on WCYB.tv in the weather pictures section.

Gladys cracks me up! Watch this!

Click on the link below or copy and paste it to your browser and check out this clip from the Ellen Show...this older lady Gladys is hillarious! Enjoy!

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2007/ellen-gladys-hardy-p1.php?emf=1

4 Commitments for 2009

At church this morning Preacher Phil gave a really great sermon and challenged us all as a congregation to make 4 commitments for 2009:

1. Forget your failures.
We need to forget the past and not dwell on our past mistakes. We can learn from them and gain wisdom from them but we shouldn't beat ourselves up for them...our enemies will do that for us.

2. Give up your grudges.
Grudges destruct you, forgive yourself and then you will be able to forgive your enemies. Turn loose of it and free yourself.

3. Restore your relationships.
We should try to make right any failed relationships, our time here is too short, the fact is that you may not be able to trust some people and this doesn't mean you have to hang out with them, but you can forgive them and show people how Jesus works by overcoming evil with good. Usually evil working in our lives is what causes broken relationships.

4. Turn your back on sin which easily besets us.
We should try to leave sin behind us...we shouldn't continue to be sinful because that is what we are used to, it's what we are familiar with. We should try to live the way God would have us live. It's easy to get stuck in the "norm". He used an interesting example to demonstrate how people stay with what they are used to by telling the story of how in history when the Civil War was over and the slaves finally freed...many of those slaves went back to the masters they worked for and continued to work as slaves...because that is what they were used to. We as Christians should try our best to be free from sin. None of us will be perfect but it gives us something to strive toward.

I just loved his messaged this morning and felt it blog worthy. I know I could work on all of the above and am going to do my best in 2009 to fulfill this commitment.

Christmas 2008 was AWESOME!

Well it looks like Santa was extremely good to me this year...see it truly pays off to be a good girl! What started out looking like it may be a bleak Christmas holiday with my brother in law, Ed, in the hospital with a heart attack and then him having to undergo a heart cath to insert a stint, then him having to go back into the hospital due to some sort of complication that they never did figure out. I did however get to keep my nephew Noah overnight while his Daddy was in the hospital and we had a blast. He was soooooooooo much fun! I have the funniest video of him laughing and dancing. I almost never got him to my house though because everytime we passed a cow field on the way here I had to stop because he was in the backseat saying look look! stop! Moo moo! It was hilarious! He's a cracker jack. The good news is that Ed got out of the hospital just in time for Christmas!

Of course we did our normal tradition of opening all of our presents on Christmas Eve since Ryan is now 15 almost 16 there's no need to wait on Santa, put out cookies and milk and reindeer food, which is kind of a bummer. But I was so surprised to see all of the wonderful gifts Santa brought me this year. I got a bunch of much needed things from my momma in WVa, things I wouldn't buy for myself but truly needed. Then of course money from Dad. Doug and Betty got me the huge roaster oven I've been wanting for 2 years now, and clothes. Brian bought me my favorite expensive perfume, a sweet foot massager, an Airport Express wireless system for my laptop, and a DVD burner for my laptop...so now I can make all the movies and slideshows, etc...on my IMovie and IDVD programs and burn them to disk. It's soooooo awesome! I got the sweetest gift from Whitney it was a picture frame with a pic of us in it that says Our Friendship is a True Blessing...right backatcha girlfriend!

Christmas Day we went to Betty's for an awesome meal and then we were off to visit Mamaw Fugate and let her open all of her presents. I got some really good pictures of her and Ryan, Brian, Doug and Betty. Then Christmas night Jr, Whit and Daniel came by and we ate good food, enjoyed some drinks and all got a big kick out of watching Whitney's and Daniel's DVD that I made them. JR loved his present but if I told you what it was I'd have to kill ya!

All in all Christmas 2008 was a huge success! Thank you to all of my family and friends and I'm looking forward to a momentous 2009!

Little Ones At Christmas...So fun!

I had to repost this picture of Noah on his first Christmas sitting with Santa...this year he has grown so much and is really into opening his presents as I witnessed last night. It is so much fun to watch the little ones as they tear into each gift to see what amazing thing awaits them inside all of that fancy paper. I loved watching him check out each toy and figure out exactly how it worked. It was no different with Eddy's kids at Dad's the other night. Oh how I remember that excitement as a child...somehow it looses a little of it's luster as an adult. I wish I could freeze the kids at this age now so they would never loose that feeling of excitement when opening their Christmas presents or waiting on Santa.

Christmas at Dad's House.

Last night we gathered up everything and headed to Dad's house for Early Christmas. Dad is leaving for Hilton Head this week and not all of us were going so last night was the night for the kids to open their gifts. Nanny ordered pizza and made brownies and the kids couldn't wait to open all of their presents. It was great to watch Eddy's little ones and all of their excitement. I bought Dad a Barack Obama action figure and gift certificate to his favorite book store and the DVD of the movie Radio (he met the real Radio a couple of years ago). He seemed to enjoy his gifts. Afterward we headed downstairs to play pool and the Wii...I tell you this game system is amazing! I will have one. Brian and Ryan loved it and Sarah is awesome at it. We really enjoyed the evening it was great to spend time with that side of my family.

Dedicated to Whitney!

Check out this video I made with my adorable little Christmas squirrel for Whitney! Don't forget to pause the music player first and turn up your sound. Ha ha.

Enjoy
Check out this video: Merry Christmas

Christmas Cookie Night

Friday night was a hoot! Whit and I got the big idea to make Christmas cookies and play cards. I really had a lot of fun. We made oatmeal no bake cookies and sugar cookies. We made blue snowmen, gingerbread men and women, red stockings and candy canes, and green Christmas trees. They turned out great. Daniel and Whitney kicked my but at cards but I'm a big girl I can take it. Just a few more presents to buy and I will be ready for Santa!

Christmas Partytime!!!

Good times! Brian and I always look forward to his company Christmas Party at the Meadowview Ballroom. Great food, good friends, yummy drinks and live music. What more could you want?

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Yay! It's Christmas time! Last night we got the tree up and the lawn decorations out. It was a nice evening for the 3 of us. I think it was just what we needed to get us into the Christmas spirit. I got to thinking about the true meaning of Christmas as well the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

Thanksgiving in the Mts. Of WVa

What an awesome Thanksgiving the Kendrick clan had in the wild wonderful mountains of West Virginia! We enjoyed an awesome dinner on Thursday evening prepared by Chef Mike & Chef Delores. Got to spend time with Steph, Chris, Kaitlyn, Madalyn, Mom and Mike. It was great! Friday morning Brian and I got up and drove the short trip down the Coalfields Expressway to visit Burning Rock ATV and Offroad Park. If you know anyone who enjoys ATV riding this is a must visit park. 8000 unspoiled acres with miles of ATV trails, beautiful views, and chocked full of turkey, deer, bear, tons of wildlife. On the way back home we went through the mountains to the old coal camp town of Stokesbury and it was really neat to see all of the old timey buildings that look just like they did years ago when the coal mine was booming. On our way back we got to see the two MONSTER BUCKS pictured above. They sure don't grow deer here in Tennessee like they do in West Virginia. One was a 14 pointer and the other a 13 pointer. The 14 pointer had one of it's tines broken off but we are still calling it a 14. What a lucky day that hunter had. Amazing!

I am thankful.

Count your blessings instead of your crosses; Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes; Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears; Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean; Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth; Count on God instead of yourself.
~~Author Unknown~~

It's that time of year. It is so hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving has rolled around once again. It is one of my favorite holidays because I love to EAT!!! I love to COOK!!! This is my kind of celebration! Whoo hoo!!!!! Bring on that turkey!

I also like to take time and reflect on things that I am thankful for as do most of us. I am especially thankful for my family, they have really been there for me this year and I have enjoyed them so much. I am also thankful for my friendships, new and old...I've truly been blessed in that department. I have a beautiful circle of friends and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I am thankful for my health. I am thankful for my home (which has recieved many face lifts this year). I am thankful for my job, I love it, and in this economy a person should be thankful to have one. I am so thankful to God for blessing me the way he has and the way he continues to everyday, I am thankful for the lessons he teaches me no matter how painful they may be. I am thankful that God blessed me with a healthy, beautiful baby boy almost 16 years ago, Ryan, who is no longer a baby but everyday turning into a fine, talented young man. Most of all I am thankful for my wonderful, loving, supporting husband who is my best friend in the world and whom I couldn't survive without.

Grape and Cherry and Apple...Oh my!!!

Last night our good buddy Pat stopped by with his latest and greatest recipes...grape and cherry and apple pie...oh my! It was YUMMO!!!!! Whitney and Daniel came by and had their taste test and absolutely loved it as well. We also had a surprise visit from an old friend from high school whom we hadn't seen in quite awhile. We had a great time last night with our friends. Good times, good times!

Last week Abby celebrated her 3rd Birthday. She had a really good party at Papaw and Nanny's house. She really enjoyed her cake and presents. Happy Birthday beautiful girl!

Blog cartoon time!

Gettin' over it.

Well I'm finally getting over this stomach bug that hit me like a ton of bricks Monday night. Ryan was sick with it all weekend and I guess it was mom's turn. I have never, I repeat never felt so bad in my life! I have figured out that as you age it is much harder on your body when you get sick. So my advice to everyone is....DON'T AGE!

Back in the Day...Electric Avenue

It is so funny this morning Brian was working on the new bathroom addition and we turned the tv to Sirus radio and were listening to 80's music. Then Eddy Grant came on singing Electric Avenue. I immediately had a flashback to around 1986 I think. We would always take an annual trip from WVa down to stay with my mom's friends in Columbia, SC. We always had a blast there. They had 3 kids our age and a pool. The weather was always warm there. Anyway...I remembered the kids from their neighborhood and all of us standing on their front porch...we were in two lines on each side. One of the boys had a boom box...it was huge. We turned on Electric Avenue and took turns going down through the middle of the line doing crazy 80's dance moves like the worm, the moonwalk, etc...It was a blast!

From here to there.

Where Dad is sitting while chatting with me just a few minutes ago online...St. Maarten.



What it's like here in East TN...getting very very very cold! Wish I could trade places with him if just for today!

Love this!

Deer Down!!!

Wow this has been a heck of a weekend so far! Doug and Jen's party on Friday night was a HOOT! Had a blast at that! Then Saturday morning another blast was heard...this one coming from Brian's Knight Muzzleloader...bagged this beautiful 8 pointer. He was a happy man! We spent the whole day preparing the meat and getting it into the freezer. Way to go BRIAN! Congrats honey! Special thanks to Ed for coming up and butchering it for us.

WVa Visit

Last weekend I got to drive up to WVa for a really nice visit. I can't begin to tell you how beautiful the fall colors were up there. It was amazing, especially driving up I-77 when you are aproaching the tunnels. You are surrounded by mountains just bursting with awesome colors! God has truly blessed us with a beautiful world to live in.

Ryan and I had a nice visit with my Mom and Chewy. Mike was gone to see his grandbaby go trick-or-treating for the first time. We went to eat at mine and Ryan's all time favorite Chinese Restaurant (Young Chows)...it is the best we've ever eaten anywhere hands down. Ryan got to visit his favorite music store on Valley Dr., by the time we left they had offered him a job. It was a Great time. I wish I could do that more often.

I am so proud!

Wow! This election truly was history in the making and I am so proud of this country and my fellow Americans for getting out there and voting and making their voices heard. Now let's get behind the new President Elect and bring this country back from the downward spiral we have been in for the last 8 years.

Halloween Party 08

Halloween party 08 was a blast! Whitney had a houseful of people. In attendance were me, Brian, Ryan, Rhonda, Brit, Alex, Whit and Daniel, Pat P., James, Dustin and Jessica, Junior, and Stephanie and Andy came by for a bit. We hads tons of food, drinks and laughs.