TSwiz the Role Model

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Just another reason why I love Taylor Swift:

She's simply the best. I have so much respect for her. I love that she takes her position as a role model seriously and chooses to conduct herself accordingly. What a great example for all the little girls (and big girls... and guys, too) who admire her. Someday, when I have a daughter, I'll gladly let her look up to Taylor. I'm anxious to watch the rest of the interview and see what else she has to say!

Good luck, turkeys!

You know how I see a bunch of turkeys in the yard of a house I pass on my daily commute? And I enjoy seeing them a whole lot? Well, thanks to the month of November, I have started thinking of them in a whole new light. Turkey day Thanksgiving is drawing closer and closer. And in nearly every respect, I'm super pumped about this (especially for one specific activity, in particular). However, as next Thursday approaches, I'm also growing a sense of dread for my little friends.

They're all great big now; you can't tell the babies from the grownups. I can't even consider what that size may mean to some hungry families. Will my friends make it through the month? Will they last past this week? All this time, I ignorantly drove by them, naively enjoying the treat that they were in my life. How did I not automatically assume that they'd most likely eventually become a treat for somebody holiday table spread?? Poor, poor, turkey friends...

However, that doesn't change my mind about my personal annual menu. I still plan on enjoying some delicious turkey in my Thanksgiving meal. I just hope it isn't one that I personally know...

Another Big Sister

You take one Emily off of your pregnant prayer list just to add another one to it, right away! Kris and Emily are expecting their second blessing in June, 2012!  Hip, hip, HURRAY!!!

[Are you kidding!? Just look at this sweet girl!]

Unlike last time, when Emily and Emily shared the majority of their pregnancies, this time, their pregnancies only overlapped by a couple months. Either way, Liv and Jordan #2 will still be close, seeing as how they'll only be seven months apart. (Charlie and Layla are a mere four months apart, and they are absolutely best friends.)

Actually, all four of the babies will be super close in age. Charlie will have turned two-years-old only a month before Layla's little brother or sister is born. Four kids (at least three of them girls) aged two and under for a whole year! Hill Ridge is gunna be hoppin'!

Imagine what it'll be like if we can toss a baby Mehaffey into the mix, too. Here's hopin' prayin'!! ♥

Liv Joelle

I have a brand new BBF! Today, Emily had baby girl #2. Liv Joelle weighs 7 lbs, 8oz and is 19" long. She.is.perfect.

Praise God for a healthy, beautiful, perfect baby!!

Congratulations Charles, Emily and big sister Charlie!

Happy Veterans Day

All 1's

I love counting days, but there's just something even more special about today. On this eleventh day of this eleventh month of this eleventh year of the century, we aren't really counting at all. That's what makes it so special! Never again in my lifetime (or any of yours), will every number be the same. This only happens once every hundred years. We better celebrate while we can!

PS. Imagine what those folks 900 years ago thought! They were the only lucky ones in history to have all eight numbers in the date be identical. 11/11/1111. I seriously can't even wrap my mind around such an awesome day!

Carving pumpkins, sibling style

While my brother was visiting last month, we took the opportunity to carve a few jack-o-lanterns. Can you believe that Trevor has never carved a pumpkin before?? Oh, that just will not do!

If you're with the Mehaffeys in the month of October,  you're going to adhere to our strict Halloween traditions. No fall is complete without carving a pumpkin! (Or the annual eat-the-pumpkin-goop-from-the-super-scooper-picture.)

For it being Tevo's first stab at carving (ha, see what I did there?), I have to say, I do believe he did a fabulous job! I especially enjoyed both of our attempts at reinacting our pumpkins' facial expressions. Trevor perfectly duplicated that one eye bigger than the other thing. He's a natural.

I love the way they look, glowing in the dark.

Carving pumpkins is one of my favorite fall activities. It was great to get to share this year's experience w/ my brother. I'm so glad I could be the first one to introduce him to the joys of gutting a fruit and drawing silly faces on it.

BTW, Brad oh-so-graciously "donated" his pumpkin to Trevor. Somehow, he didn't seem all that disappointed to be missing out on the awesome tradition. Hmm. His loss.

Big, Baby Brother

Late last month, my little bigger, baby brother, Trevor, came to visit for a few days. I moved away to college when he was only eleven years old, so I haven't really had much of a chance to get to know him very well as a young man. And since we live so far apart, we don't have the opportunity to see each other very often.

It was so nice to have him visit and be able to just spend some time hanging out together. (Even though, I'm pretty sure our friends and Bra and I are totally old and lame compared to what he's used to!) In an attempt to earn some street cred with the hipster, Brad and I took him downtown to enjoy some of Music City's finest.

It didn't take much to turn him into a genuine country cowboy; a hat and boots and the whole deal. He even bought an authentic Johnny Cash album from Ernest Tubb's record shop. That's about as legit as it comes 'round these parts.

Honestly, I hadn't realized how much I've missed Trevor. It only took an impromptu visit to remind me of how much fun he is to be around. We spent the entire time he was here enjoying each other's company, laughing at each other (and at Madea), and just talking about life. And best of all, I can totally see God working in him, and it's so encouraging. :)

Every once in a while, it's nice to remember that I'm a big (even if littler) sister. I kind of underestimate the influence I may have on my younger brother(s), as well as the influence they can have on me. We should probably make a point to visit with each other more often in the future. After all, God gave us family for a reason. I'm jussayin.

Running across the state

This past weekend, Brad joined a twelve-person team as they ran from Chattanooga to Nashville. Yeah, you read that right. They ran from Chattanooga to Nashville. Obviously, they're crazy.

The annual race is called the Ragnar Relay, and they each take turns running three different legs of the course. They were split up into two group of six runners, and one van would rest/eat/drive while members of the other van consecutively ran their sections. At each exchange, they passed off the baton slap bracelet so the next person could start his/her portion of the relay.

Someone from their team was running every minute for the 30+ hours it took them to arrive in downtown Nashville. Brad's middle run was at 2:30 in the morning. Like I said, these people are crazy.

I've never even heard of people doing such a thing. Who just sits up and thinks, "Gee. I sure would like to take a jog from Chattanooga to Nashville and enjoy the autumn scenery"?  But I can tell you this: I can somewhat understand the sense of accomplishment they must feel. I was tearing up simply watching them run (as a whole team) across the finish line along Nashville's riverfront.

 

I'm so proud of Brad. He trained really hard for this race, kept a faster pace than he expected throughout the entire thing, and helped his team complete the course quicker than they projected. He definitely deserves that medal that so appropriately displays their slogan, "Run. Drive. Sleep? Repeat." Even if he is crazy.

Twenty-Eight

Yesterday, my One and Only turned 28 years old. That's so many candles for one little cake to hold!

We had a pizza party with our neighbors best friends. Then we watched our favorite shows on TV as we gobbled some delicious birthday cake with rainbow chip icing. Yum.

When you're this old, you don't necessarily need a big birthday bash to celebrate. Sometimes a laid-back night with your besties (and Ron Swanson) are all ya need to make your special day special.

I'm just impressed that he managed to blow out all of those candles with one great big huffandpuff!

Happy Birthday, darlin! 28 is going to be a good year; I can feel it!

Pirate Paaarrrrrty!

Yo, ho, ho! Hill Ridge loves it some themed Halloween parties! This year, the Jordans hosted a pirate party for all of our scallywag friends and foes!

Since Kris was in charge, legit invitations were created and distributed in prep for the event.

Once Halloween was upon us, his house was transformed into a blimey tavern for us buckos, complete with hand painted signs, creepy skulls, fish nets, and cobwebs covering every surface.

No party is complete without some yummy grub! We feasted on soups and chili before we indulged in some buccaneer treats - pirate, mummy, and pumpkin cake pops, cannonballs (buckeyes), gold nuggets (cheese cubes), and fish of the sea (goldfish) were some of the biggest hits.

Of course, we all had to take turns at the photo booth.

Kris, Emily, and Layla

Charles, Emily, Charlie and Liv (in Emmy's tummy)

Wes and Stacey (He's a Samali pirate.)

Bret and Jessica

Walt, Cristin, and Harper

Steve and Zoia

Aaron and Tara (He was another Samali pirate.)

And shiver me timbers! Look at these sweet little pirate lasses!

We couldn't end the evening without a giant group shot in front of the house amidst the spooky fog machine and giant skull & crossbones.

I love dressing up and being silly with best friends! Halloween is even more fun as an adult than it is as a kid. It's not all about trick-or-treating and swapping candy with your brothers. Who knew? ...not to imply that there wasn't trunk-or-treating or swapping candy with friends, though, even as a grownup!

What'd you dress up as this year? Did you go to a party and/or trick or treating? Enjoy the candy!

[Complete Pirate Party photo album]