• Life

    Fall Bucket List 2014

    Fall is my favorite season, so I’m so happy that it’s finally official! I’ve enjoyed getting inspiration from boards on pinterest and bloggers sharing their fall bucket lists, like the one from Adventure Mom and Love of Life . Kids Activities blog also had a great list of things to do with family during the fall. I made a list of all the great things that I try to do every fall. So here’s my Fall Bucket List 2014. What’s on your list to do this fall?

  • Life

    Labor Day at the Braves

    Today I’m sharing about our day at Turner Field watching our beloved Braves play. On Labor Day this year, we went to the Braves Game. It was a blistering hot day, but we managed to enjoy ourselves even though the Braves lost to the Phillies. We found our seats, which were great by the way. Then, we got up to go see if we were early enough to see the pep rally that they do out on the concourse.

  • Life

    He Didn’t Procrastinate… {Homecoming}

    Yes, there was a time when my teenage son did not procrastinate. School started and some of my friends who have kids in high school, reminded me that homecoming this year is early. They mentioned that they were urging their sons to figure out who they were going to ask and go ahead and git er done (as we say in the South.)

  • Life

    letter to dad #1

    Dear Dad, Dad, I know you’re watching from Heavens above. That brings me comfort. Today I am home by myself getting some work done, 80’s music blaring in the back ground. You know 80’s music is by far my favorite music of all time. Now that you’re gone, though, sometimes it’s hard to listen to certain songs without just tearing up. And well sometimes just absolutely breaking down into tears like today. Memories of spending weekends with you, running errands, watching you talk on your bag phone back when having a bag phone was cool. I mean a “cell” phone…

  • Life

    Memories in a Bottle {Cremation Necklaces}

    After my Dad passed away and I started thinking and I thought about ways to be able to keep just a little bit of Dad’s ashes. He wants his ashes spread in the Florida Keys and I hope to be able to go down there soon. I wanted to be able to go down there before the end of this year, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to swing it. Oh, I digress…. Anyway, I found that you could order necklaces. I asked my brothers if they wanted one and if so to pick one out and let me…

  • Travel

    Lake Martin on Memorial Day 2014

    The Friday before Memorial Day weekend, we loaded up the car, with the best camping gifts for a fun weekend of camping on the lake with the F@rrow Family. Among our essentials, we also brought along this Mini Katana for our camping adventure. Drew and his friend, Joe, who the 2nd eldest child of the F@rrow bunch, got to the lake early afternoon. When we arrived they had all of the tents set up. The big canopy tent for us to use for shade as well as the cooking area. Since we had some of the cooking gear with us,…

  • Travel

    Fun at the Braves Game

    A few weeks ago, we got given tickets to the Braves game. Our seats were behind homeplate in the players’ family section. Really good seats! Drew couldn’t go because he had a soccer game. Since we had six tickets we invited Rob’s Step Dad, David, his brother, Nick, and Alex brought a friend along. We had a great time even without a win from the Braves.

  • Life

    More thoughts…and pics of Dad

    I received my Dad’s ashes a couple of weeks ago. I’m thankful to have them in my possession now. So I’ve started to casually look at the costs of going down to the Florida Keys, where he wanted to be spread. I am thankful to have one loose end taken care of and I hope to have more closure when we take this trip. I’ll share more about that as it comes about. I am thankful he picked somewhere beautiful and tropical. I just continue to find myself grasping for something when it comes to missing Dad. I am missing…

  • Life

    Tiffany & Dad

    I am really missing my Dad lately. I was excited to get some pics that my cousin, Tiffany, took in December on a couple different occasions. Here’s one from December 14, 2013 of my Dad and Tiffany. I just look at this picture and I just still can’t fathom that he is gone. His body is now ashes waiting to be “blowing in the wind” in their final resting place. I just can’t believe that just a few months ago, he was living life, like nothing was wrong, not knowing anything was wrong. I am so thankful he is no…

  • Life

    Dad Remembered

    This was in an email that was sent out by the Race Across America (RAAM). My Dad loved RAAM and enjoyed being a part of this huge race for so many years. He gave so much of his time to this cause. Glad they put a blurb in the newsletter last month remembering him. I think he would be surprised. Dad’s (Short) Journey with ALS

  • Life

    New Year’s Eve 2013

    I just realized I never really finished talking about our trip back from Texas. We had flown out there with plans to visit with Dad, help him out with whatever he needed help with, and prepare the truck he was giving us and drive it back home. Well, as you know plans changed while we were in flight to DFW. After the Memorial Service on Monday, Rob and Drew took over the task of getting the truck ready. We also decided to take the trailer that my Dad had as well. Meanwhile, I spent time helping Justin and Jason going…

  • Life

    At the Park with Cousins

    I’m still playing catch up with all my pics and posts. These pics were taken while we were in Texas in December. We took a break from all the memorial service planning, cleaning out of Dad’s house, etc to let the boys play at the park with my Brother, Mel’s kids. It was a much needed break for everyone!

  • Travel

    Church Retreat {2014}

    Friday afternoon, I dropped Drew off for Winter Retreat 2014. I get chills to see the 100’s of teenagers anxiously waiting to load the 7 charter buses to drive away. Shocco Springs in Talladega, AL hosts both the Youth Retreat and the Family Church Retreat.

  • Life

    Here’s the story, I told at my Dad’s Memorial Service…

    Late Saturday night, I sat at my Granny’s bar shuffling through songs on my laptop from Bob Dylan, ZZ Top, and Eric Clapton. I just couldn’t find a song for Dad’s slideshow that I’d made for his memorial service. Drew sat across from me. We laughed at some of the choices, like “Blowing in the Wind” and “Death is Not the End”. I told Drew I was going to look at the Beatles, because surely they have a song that would feel right. “There’s “Hey Jude” or “Yesterday”. Mmmmm…no, I’m gonna keep lookin’,” I told him. Then, I saw it.…

  • Life

    After Christmas (part 2)

    If you missed my first post about the day after Christmas, you can read it here. So Thursday afternoon was filled with calling my brother to tell him that Dad was gone. Going to Dad’s house to clean up some and then talking with family about details with Dad. My brother got into town in the middle of the night, I tried to sleep for a couple hours before going to get him. Friday was very busy, but I’m thankful that my Uncle Brad and cousin Maddie were at Granny’s to hang out with the boys and play games with…

  • Life

    The Day after Christmas

    The day after Christmas the family and I got up early and headed to the airport. I’ve been dreading this trip since a couple weeks ago when we planned it. When Rob and I were visiting my Dad last month, he had us test drive his 1991 Ford Ranger truck. When we got back from that visit, we decided to see if he would like us to get a one-way-ticket and fly back out and drive the truck back. After talking to him a couple times, he finally said it was ok. I don’t know what it was, but he…

  • Travel

    Thanksgiving 2013::Spring Hill, FL

    After Rob and I got home Monday, we had a quick turn around to get ready to hop in the car and drive 7 hours down to Tampa for Thanksgiving. We had originally thought we’d stop part of the way and get a hotel, but we ended up driving all the way. We got in around 2am. Wednesday we hung out with Grandma, Grandpa, and Cousin Tara. We had lunch at a yummy restaurant and then, went to Linda’s house to see her farm. Thanksgiving Day we didn’t have the traditional turkey and dressing. We instead had homemade pasta. Before…

  • Life

    Emergency trip to Texas

    Saturday morning Rob and I got up early, dropped Drew off for his hiking trip, and got to the Atlanta airport. Everything went really smoothly, parking the car, checking our luggage, going through security, so we had time to grab some breakfast. We decided crepes at Freshens. Really yummy! We flew Spirit Airlines out of Atlanta to DFW. So much was running through my mind when we got on the plane, so I just ended up closing my eyes and sleeping most of the flight. Dad called me once we got off the plane and were waiting for the rental…

  • Life

    The saddest post I’ve ever had to write

    I am not ready to say goodbye! God, it’s too early. I’m too young! He’s too young! These are just some of the things running through my head the other night after getting the news that took my breath away. Hearing my Dad try and ease the blow, finally saying he’s got ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. A disease I knew enough about to know it’s a horrible, horrendous disease that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. What’s even worse is that he believes that he’s had it for several years. Today he had another test and it confirmed everything.…