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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Mother's Day

So, we got the house cleaned up, dolled up, just a bit to honor the beautiful women in our world.  
I gotta say, I like the way it turned out.  The food was awesome, the boys did some art, and the weather was perfect for a garden party!  I don't know why I haven't done this sort of thing before, but I will definitely do it again.  
Enjoy the photos:



The Menu:

Spinach and Bacon Quiche
Southern Sausage Balls
Maple Bacon
Assorted Muffins
Sunrise Punch with or without Champagne
Made from Scratch Biscuits with fresh strawberries 
 & chocolate sauce
Homemade Sour Cream Cheesecake
Tomato Pastry
Mint Fruit Salad in Waffle Cones
Juice and Coffee











































Hmmm....Now what to do for Father's Day?

Monday, May 16, 2011

May Flowers

Speaking of rebuilding, we are Alabama and we ain't waiting, y'all.
I have never been so proud of my state.  Volunteers have poured in from all the other counties, and we are already 6 months ahead of where people were after Katrina.  
The spirit of giving is in the air.  You can actually smell it, and it's lovely.  I guess in Alabama, we know how to do football, and get together and help out some neighbors.  If the government would like an example of how it's done, leadership means sacrifice, and that's whats going on here.  

So many acts of service and examples of giving are going on, I can't even begin to list them all.  Hopefully you have seen it on the internet, but unless you are here, unless you have volunteered, you haven't felt it.  Thank you, survivors, for letting us volunteer and feel that love.  How else would I ever get the chance to go to the house I grew up in and do yard work?  As hard as it was to see the beautiful home my Papa and Mother built together in that shape, it was so good to see that my old home has been well lived in all these years since, and form relationships with the people there now raising their 4 babies. 


Well, clean up is clean up, and after 5 weeks of April have gone by, and little boys (and big) tracking in muddy feet, it's time to stop neglecting this old home place too.  

Coco to the Rescue!!!
My Coco comes once a month to help me keep this place deep cleaned.  She's the best.  She doesn't speak English, but she doesn't need to.  She shows me and my children love and affection, helps us with a little Spanish every now and then, and cleans like a machine that needs no instruction.  




Yuck Yuck Yuck!  And I promise I haven't disclosed the worst of it.

But, just 2 days later, at my Mother's Day Brunch, we had things cleaned up a bit.  Check out my next post for all the {lack of} dirt.

  

Friday, May 6, 2011

April's Fury 2011

So, if April showers bring May flowers,
then what does April's fury bring?

My answer?  An outpour of sacrificial Alabamians rolling up their sleeves and dawning pretty pink work gloves.  

As soon as the clouds parted, we got to work rebuilding.  




This was the house I grew up in.  We did a lot of clean up in the yard and are praying they don't have to bulldoze it due to structural compromise.  


At a friend's house across town, the outpour of volunteers was unbelievable.  

At this rate, Cullman will be as good as new in no time.  But sadly, I can't say the same for nearby towns...



Please pray for Alabama as we rebuild.