Like the Good Ole Days

When I was growing up, my family would go to a Braves game every summer, generally over Father's Day weekend. We would go with my dad's family and stay at one point in this really big house and then moved on to hotels when the house wasn't available for use anymore. We started out going to Fulton Stadium..so before 1996 when Turner Field was built for the Olympics. We stopped going probably ten years back, mostly because of busy schedules, but also because my grandpa has had many problems with his knees and difficulty walking around for long distances.

This year Chipper Jones is retiring. You don't really have to be a Braves fan or baseball fan for that matter to know who he is. He is the last standing Braves player that I remember growing up watching. You see if we weren't at the games, we were watching it at home. This is something that I have brought into my home. Sam and I watch the Braves together now! :) My grandma called me over the summer to see if there was a time when Sam and I would be able to get a weekend away to go to a game. Of course we could find a weekend to go to a Braves game, so last weekend, by some miracle, my dad's family along with my immediate family spent the weekend in Atlanta watching the Braves play. Unfortunately, the games that we went to were not wins for the Braves, but we all got to spend time together so it was still enjoyable!

 Sam and I on the first night of games. It had rained as soon as we walked in the gate, but stopped before game time.

 I finally got my Braves shirt after walking around vender street as I so appropriately named it. Finally, a shirt that I can wear to any game without having to worry about a player not being on the team anymore!

 This was the view while we ate lunch. We were on the 2nd level. Our seats were on the 4th, but still had a great view!

 Survived the heat on game two. Luckily, it decided to rain after we had already made it to the car and on our way home.

 My family (minus Moriah who rode home with our cousin Alex) stopped in Chattanooga to eat supper. We ate at Sugar Ribs and man was it delicious! I would go back there in a heart beat. Notice that there are goats in the picture...

 Yes, goats to visit while you eat. This one wanted some attention from Mike. I was a little freaked when he hopped on up to the fence!

We ended our dinner together and a weekend trip with a beautiful sunset. It was really fun to get away with my family. I don't think that we have done anything like that since Sam and I have been married. I do believe that this must happen again!

Four Years Ago..

Four years ago today, this was the view that we were enjoying from our ocean view room in Cancun, Mexico. We were also watching the 2008 Olympics every night because even though we were on our honeymoon, the Olympics only happen every four years. :) Hello? Shawn Johnson killing it on the gymnastics floor, Michael Phelps winning a million gold medals. Yeah...you remember it!

 Four years ago, we were still holding on to Sam's dad. While I refuse to remember him like this, this is Sam and his dad at our wedding. He had been feeling especially bad during the week before our wedding and had made plans on how to show him our wedding from a videocam, so he could stay home. Four years ago, God had us in mind when he gave Mr. Sam the energy to attend every bit of our wedding and reception. We are so stinking thankful that although we didn't have as long as we wanted with such a great man that he could come to the happiest day in our life.

Most importantly, four years ago we made the toughest and most important commitment there is to make. For the past four years, we have been through good times and bad, rich and poor times, sickness and health, and have loved and cherished each other every day. That's not to say that we have liked each other every day. That's not to say that this marriage has been a breeze. We would never pretend that it is easy; it's work and some days it's hard, but it is so worth it. For four years, I have woke up everyday with the love of my life next to me. We encourage and boost each other up whether it's needed or not. We also tell each other that we are being selfish and silly too! We aren't the perfect married couple, but we are pretty awesome if you ask me!

To many, many, many more years...I love you MORE Sammy Shrew!

Sam's Turn

 A month ago, I went and got an awesome tattoo! This week it was Sam's turn to get his tattoo. After much debate and research of languages, Sam decided to get his tattoo on his bicep.

It is love written in Hebrew. Both of our tattoos are in memory of Sam's dad. Sam got love tattooed because that is what his dad always told him no matter what the circumstance. They could have been in an argument or been on great terms, but he always told Sam that he loved him. It's amazing because this isn't anything that seems out of the ordinary to me, but the realization that some people have parents that don't tell their kids they are loved hit hard while talking to our tattoo artist. He can't remember his dad telling him he loved him, which made me thankful for Sam's memory of his dad. It also made me realize how lucky Sam and I are to have such great examples of Godly parents who tell their kids they love them.

Floating Down the Buffalo

 Keeping with the goal of the year of doing new things, Sam and I took off with a group of friends to float down Buffalo River today. We started down the river and come up on one of two rope jumps. Most everyone in the group took a turn jumping off the rope. We hung out here (no pun intended) for awhile until it got crowded so took to the river again.

 We made several stops along the way because what started out as an overcast, dull, not so hot day quickly turned into a humid, pretty stinkin' hot day. It rained quite a bit this week, so we had really high water to swim around in. The current was pretty strong too so we had some fun trying to swim against the current.

 This is the group of girls, plus Blake. He thought he was being a pretty big ladies man getting in on our picture. It was really fun getting to know other people today.

 We had five canoes and two kayaks joined together floating down the river. I think we had several people confused when they passed our convoy or watched as we passed by from the bank having a mass of canoes all banned together. We definitely perfected the art of teamwork! :)

This is the last picture that was taken on my camera from the trip before Sam and I flipped our canoe. I got cocky and took the camera out of the wetproof bag and kept it with me to take pictures while I was in the canoe instead of only getting pictures after we docked. Well...that proved to be a not so great idea when Sam and I couldn't avoid a tree in time and flipped. I have the worst luck with technology. Luckily, the memory stick still reads. I'll have to see how the rice bath my camera is sitting in turns out in the morning. :/

Everybody had such a great time today! We were all worn out, but met back up to eat a Mexican feast before heading home for the night. A good night sleep in heading our way for sure!

Tattoo Time

 Ever since Sam's dad passed away I have wanted to get a rose tattoo as a reminder of an awesome father in law that I only got to have for 3 weeks as my for real father in law. Mr. Sam always called me "Holly Rose", so it only seemed fitting to get a tattoo of a rose. I had been telling Sam for forever that I wanted to get this tattoo, but we kept saying we would do it and then not do it. Finally we set goal for ourselves to work toward getting them. I wanted to lose 20 lbs and then I could get the tattoo. In March, I finally met the weight loss goal. In April, I met the goal of running the half marathon. Not it's about time I get that tattoo, so today I did just that! I decided to go with the top of my foot. Turns out this is a pretty painful spot to tattoo. I actually think anywhere is going to be painful, but the skin on the foot is so thin that you feel everything!

 This was my face pretty much the entire time. My sister, Libby, came with me to keep me company and take pictures of all the faces I was making! :) I think she enjoyed herself!

 My friend Rachael and her husband Mike came to see us while we were there. She recommended the tattoo artist I was seeing, so she came to see how things were going. It was a nice distraction to say the least!

 At this point, everything was done except for the highlighting. I thought it wouldn't be too bad. I was wrong.

 At this point, I am just trying to stay still. The highlighting was a beast to get through, but it was finally over!

This is the end result! I love it! I will forever be "Holly Rose"! I am looking forward to people asking me about it to get to share some awesomeness of a man that I wish was still here.

Change is a Good Thing

I've never been keen on change. I don't like it, but sometimes change is a good thing. This spring, while giving the TCAP test to my students, I noticed two pictures of Sam and I side by side and we looked SO different! You see, I had plenty of time to really get a good look at these things because I wasn't allowed to do ANYTHING while the students were taking their test....NOTHING!! Anyways, back to the point, I realized that the pictures were taken exactly a year apart because Sam and I always take a picture together when we go down to the river to watch fireworks for the 4th of July.

Sam and I decided at the end of 2010 to start getting our act together and get into better shape. The proof of the need to do that is below in this picture from the 4th of July 2010.

In January of 2011, Sam and I got right to it and started working out and watching what we ate. There is a pretty clear difference in our appearance and it was only a year. Here we are July 4th, 2011.

 Granted these pictures aren't taken exactly the same, but you get the point I am trying to make. We have been working so hard and to be able to see the results and change is pretty awesome! Here's the most recent picture from this year. (Side note..I really wish I had my long hair like last year but that's what happens when you kill it with hair color and straightener. :( Also I look so pasty compared the picture above...oh well.)

 I am so glad to reach a goal and enjoy doing it! It's more of a habit that we both want to do instead of having to do it. We enjoy working out now..which is something that I didn't think we would ever say.

July 4th with Friends

 For the past 4 years, Sam and I along with friends have set up a space down in Nashville, grilled out, and watched fireworks. Each year, the number of people that come down grows either by the addition of kids or more friends. This year was no different. It was the biggest group we have had yet! We set up our canopy tents, got the grill going, and played some cornhole. The kids this year were an entertainment in and of themselves. Finally, the fireworks were in full force and they did not disappoint. Sam and I think that this year the fireworks were the best they have been in a while. Here are some pictures from the night.

My nephew Boone was having a blast walking around everywhere with a walk behind toy. He was actually running more than walking to be honest.

 Some of the girls

 Don't be fooled..we are not in sand, that's just really dead grass.

 Kellie, Josh, and Caleb

 Our yearly 4th picture

 The sisters

Notice all the cars waiting to leave in the background. We stick around and keep eating and playing cornhole while they just sit and watch us. An hour later we are ready to go and don't have to sit in traffic! It's really a genius plan if you ask me! This year I made homemade chocolate chip cookies and then cake mix cookies, but did not want to take any home. I decided to walk to cars and give the cookies out to people while they were waiting to leave. I ended up getting rid of all of them! Next year, I am going to charge! :)