Election Day, Ashley's Visit Home, Courtney's Trip to GCGMA's

OK...so I'm a day late posting all this, but I needed time to capture my voting moment AT the polls...yes, I actually took a pic of me VOTING! THAT'S where I JUST MASHED MCCAIN!  HAAAAAYa'll KNOW I take my camera everywhere so I can capture the moment...so I snuck it into the voting booth and snapped away as I voted!  heeeeee YES, I'm dedicated!

Notice the green check mark beside John McCain's name!  WOO-HOOOOOOO! Buddy (my political advisor/dog) advised me to vote for Ralph Nader, but I ain't ever heard of him...or any of the other's except Obama, and I ain't voting for him!  So, Buddy is pouting, but he'll get over it...he'll perk up at supper time! hee

OK...so first, Mom was in the hospital.  YES, I do have a picture of her in the bed, but she would KILL me if I put it on here, so I won't.  She was pretty sick too, so you can imAGINE how she looked!  hee!!  She's better now, even tho she still isn't sure what was wrong with her.  She was in the hospital for 7 days and was VERY ready to get home.

The same day she went into the hospital, Ashley came home! Ya'll, she looked SOOOOO good to all of us.  I can speak for everyone when I say that we missed her so much.

This was a pic she took of her new haircutShe looks so much like her Mama!  BAH-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

This was a pic I took of us at Verizon waiting for her to get her phone fixed...Britt even went with us!!!!! WHA!!

Saturday night, we all (minus my parents due to Mom still being in the hospital) went to the Tadpole for supper...Ashley picked the restaurant!I choreographed this pic...notice how they are taking a bite at the same time!?! Yes, I astound my own self!! 

I also managed to bake a ton of cookies and cupcakes for her to take back to her boat for her to share.  Before I knew it, it was time to drive her back to her meeting place to catch her ride back up to Virginia.  

I fixed her up a Christmas box to take back with her to be opened on Christmas day...it's full of wrapped presents.  I wanted her to have something to open on Christmas day.  

Mikes Mother did the same thing, but she copied my idea so don't ya'll be thinking she came up with that, it was ME!

OK...so then it was time to get ready for Courts trip to the GCGMA award show, WHERE she won entertainer of the year for traditional country music!  WOO-HOOOOAAAA!Mike captured this moment fo us to see.  I had to work, so was unable to attend.

Court had a lot of friends there she saw...here is one girl, but I don't know her nameHere is a pic of the girls fooling around before Ashley went back.  After Ashley got back to her boat, she took pics OF her boat...actually the female berthing area..I'm THINKING she said her "rack" is the bottom left...which would explain the pink stuffed animal!  This is a pic of the other side of the room.  VERY small!!!! 

This pic is of their bathroom...mama's always like to know where their babies go potty, shower and brush their teeth!

This next pic is of the girls locker room.  

This pic is of some of them doing something...not sure!That's about all I have for now!  OH...we have a new addition to our family...actuall, it's Britt's boyfriends new puppy!  Harley, a miniture Dachshound.  I don't have any pics of him yet, but I will put them on here on my next posting!

Love to all-

Joan and Herd

Busy....Busy....

I saw where it's been 2 weeks since I posted last and I think of EVERYthing that's happened in those two weeks and it's not wonder I've not posted!

I have pics, but beings that I'm in a hurry to get to work this morning, I'll post all those on Monday when I'm off next.

Lets see what all has happened....We went to Hiawassee, P.J. even came with us and we had a great time and Court did fantastic! Then, I got sick with a cold and called out sick last Thursday morning at 2:30am and then Dad called at 5:30am to tell me Mom was in the hospital!  It's amazing what one can do while sick!  Then that same afternoon, Ashley came home for the weekend! OMG! All that in one day!!

We had a great time with Ashley and I miss her so much around here.  I even miss her getting on my nerves!  HA She is supposed to come home in January for a couple of weeks and have Christmas!  We canNOT wait!

Mom was in the hospital for 1 week and we still don't know what's wrong with her...all the tests haven't came back yet.  She thinks it's her liver. She is feeling better now tho.

P.J. is working in North Carolina somewhere's now and should be back home this coming week.  Then, he has said, he will be joining the Army! WOW! Britt is being very supportive.

That's is for this morning...I gotta get to work!

I'll post more on Monday with all the pics I took...and some that Dad took.  Mine will be MUCH better!

Joan

We're going to Hiawassee!

Where?!?!  HA!  We're leaving this morning for the Georgia Mountain State Festival...or Georgia State Mountain Festival...whatever. Court will be participating in opening for Connie Smith.  I don't know exactly what she sings either, but it should be fun!!!

I'll be taking my usual TON of National Geographic-worthy pics which I'll be sharing with all ya'll....all 5 of you!  HAAAA

Mean while...Ash sent more pics of her on the boat out to sea....

This is them dancing....More dancing.....they sure do like to dance!Not sure who this guy is either!Not sure who ithis is in the next pic, but be assured her Daddy will find out!  HAAAAAAAA....no, actually I asked her and it's just a "boat-buddy!That's it today!  I'll be posting more tomorrow of out trip today!

Joan

Michael Buble

Courtney and I went to see Michael Buble Saturday night and had a blast!  He was fanTAStic and I'm so glad we went.

I can't put into words how excited Courtney was to see him.  At one point, when he began singing her favorite song, "Feeling Good", I looked at her face and she had the biggest smile on and her eyes were as big as saucers and she said, "Oh MAMMMMA"!  haaaaaaaaa  He even had a chorus of people sing for him too...the sound was incredible!

After the concert, some of Court's friends called her and wanted to meet up and take some pics...So, she did...they are a great bunch of girls...most of them play on the school volleyball team and Court sings the National Anthem for them.It was a great night and I know Couurt and I will be back to see him when he comes back around,

Ashley is back in her homeport of Portsmouth and is SOOOO happy to be there.  She's waiting on her barracks room assignment, which she should get soon.  Maybe since she's one of the few single Coast Guard females there, it won't take long.

Oh, SHE'S COMING HOME FOR LIKE 2 DAYS THE END OF THIS MONTH!  Woo-HOOO! I don't know who's more excited, us or her! One of her boat-buddies lives around here and is driving home then and she's riding with him.  THANK-YOU BOAT-BUDDY! Court can't hardly wait either or Britt!

Well, that's it for the early A.M. edition of my blog.  I'm off to WAL-MART at 5:45am!  I won't bore ya'll with photos this time!  haaaa

Later-

Joan

Hanging out in North Carolina....

I'm glad this past week is over...it's been SO busy.  My working just gets in the way of getting things done!  HA

First, Court's band played in North Carolina somewheres and of course, I was there to record it all!That's me and Mom doint the cake walk!  MOM WON!  

That's Court and Jamie singing a duet together.  They sound really good together.

Just clowning around.  Court has a really good time singing with them and they LOVE her!Another picture of them. OH....let me add BEFORE DAD POKES HIS LIP OUT...Dad took these pictures.  WHICH is why they are only adequate.  Had I taken them, they would be like, National Geographic worthy.  HAAAAAAA

Today, we are switching back to CHARTER TV.  I called Charter and asked them how much it would be to have exactly what we have with Dish....but with Charter...TV and internet.  It's almost $40. a month cheaper to go back to Charter, so I called and they are coming out this morning. I liked Charters DVR better anyways. 

Britt is once again changing her major.  She was Surgical Tech. but with her terrible learning disability, the math and anatomy and Phys. became an imposibility.  I have to say one thing for Britt...she knows and understands her limitations and KNOWS when it's just not going to happen.  Which is where she is now.  SO...she is going to switch over to a PCT.  That's like a nurses aide who can also draws blood and does a whole lot more.  She just wants to work at Shriners Hospital so bad and this is the best way for her.  After she gets there, she can look around and see if there's anything else she would rather do.  With her PCT license, she can also work in like Kidney Dialysis places and Dr.s offices if she wanted to.  That's where she is at the moment.

Ashley is on her way back to Portsmouth via her boat.  She is SO excited to get back because her barracks room should be ready for her.  I think sleeping and living in the tiny spaces they use has grown old and she's ready for some ROOM.

As I have promised I would in earlier postings, I wanted to put on here the latest pics Ash sent me....this one was taken at a restaurant she was eating at....

This next one was taken this week when she was on her way to the store before they departed out for Portsmouth. Don't she look just like her Mama!  BAH-HAAAAAAAA...maybe in a few years she will be as beautiful as her Mama....KEEP STRIVING, BABY!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Well, that's all the news from here!  I'm off Monday and Tuesday, so I'll be posting more then....

OH...Court and I are going to see Michael Buble tomorrow night!  AHHHHH....we are SOOOOO excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I plan on sneaking the camera in to take pics. Court said if she was born 10 years earlier, she would be married to him and they would just sit on the front porch and pic and sing together all day.  Awwwwww........

Joan

Floating along...

Nothing much happening around here still.  I was off yesterday and am off today and SOOOO happy about that, it was a LONG weekend.

Let's see what has happened.  OH, Courtney and Mike went to see Brian White (whoever that is) at the Maulding festival over the weekend....

Court has band practice tonight in Travelers Rest.  At least it's not all the way up past Hendersonville.

Britt is doing great!  The Anatomy and Phys. class is kicking her tail pretty good tho.  The daycare center where she works is keeping her employed, so all is well! Her boyfriend P.J. has an interview with Greenville County Sheriffs or Police department this Thurs., so everyone wish him well!  He has a good job now, but he really wants to go into law enforcement.

We haven't heard a word from Ashley...all our emails are coming back "DELAYED DELIVERY", so no email on or off the boat right now.  She sure did a load of shopping tho while in Key West!  Makes a Mama proud!

That's it for here...I think I'm going to go start my Christmas list now.  Not what everyone else wants, but what I WANT!  HAAAAAAAAA  

I'm thinking gas cards (Spinx please), a carpet spot shampooer (Bissel's Green Machine for instance), towels, every day dishes...the cheaper the better since they seem to vanish from my house, another long Moo-Moo since Courtney has taken up residence with my old one, Wal-Mart cards (I'll definitely have to hide them from Courtney)....hmmm....that's it for the moment!  

I figure I'll get my list out early this year...that way when all my loved ones are out shopping and thinking of me, they can SHOP for me!  heeeeeeeeeeee

Have a good day!  OH...Ashley...my emails ain't getting thru...just in case you're wondering why we ain't wrote you.  We misssss you!!!!

Joan

T.G.I.F. at home

Hello all of my small number of readers.  I read on Sarah Palin's "stolen" emails that a better word for "small", as in a small group of readers, would be "intimate".  I have an intimate group of readers!  HA

I actually don't have alot to post about today WHICH IS A GOOD THING. That means all we did this week is work, school, practice (Court) and work.  Did I mention WORK?! I have put in a TON of overtime and I'm bout ready to put a halt to that.  I miss going to Wal-Mart at 0dark:30am and wondering up and down empty aisles.  If I ever get a job there, it will be the early, EARLY shift.

OHHHH....geeeeze, I hope Court isn't reading this...wait....READING?  BAH-HAAAA  Course she ain't!  Anyways, I ALMOST forgot, her birthday was Tuesday....HA!  NUMBER 17!  

Dang, Mike's getting OLD!  HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

So, I just, as I was typing this, downloaded all the pics from that night and I wanted to share with ya'll my FAVORITE PICTURE....

Isn't this the BEST PIC EVER!  YES, Dad, I took it, NOT MIKE.  

I don't want ANYone to think I pick on any of my daughter's boyfriends.  I would NEVER do that, nor would MIKE.  HAAAAAAA  BUT, included in all the great pics I took at the party, was this one.  I tryed to get a pic of everyone....

  

Isn't that AWFUL!  hee

This is another of my favorites...

Here is a slide show of all of them...I have too many to put individually on here.

I also wanted to show you two pics that Ashley sent me from Key West.  It seems they ported there this week, but left back out yesterday...

She had taken this one of her self at a Subway in Key West.

This next pic was taken on board her boat.  

She had written underneath this pic..."sunset on some island".  

Well, that's about it for me!  I have to work all weekend, so I won't have any photo ops, but know that I carry my trusty cell phone with me with awesome camera in it and I am always ready if opportunity calls!

Ashley...if you're reading this. EMAIL ME.

Joan

Mauldin High Football Game AND The Band performs

Well, alot has happened since Firday. Court, as I mentioned I THINK before, got the opportunity to sing for the Mauldin High Varsity Football team Friday night and did great AND Mauldin BEAT T.L. Hanna (Remember the movie "Radio", it's his team and Radio was there). Dad has the good pictures of that night, and he put his here....
http://picasaweb.google.com/larryandjewel/CourtneySingsNationalAnthemAtMHSFootballGame12Sep2008#5245928024346477682 I LOVE this picture...she's looking up at the Mauldin Cheering section in the stands and they were hollering her name out.....
Then, last night, her band performed in Hendersonville at the VFW there.

Let's see who all was there...ALL the Arnolds, Grandma Terry, Doyle and Ellen...then My Uncle Harry and Aunt Esther, Aunt Aurelia, Mom and Dad and their friend (and mine) Dot.

So, Esther decides she wants to dance and DRAGS Aunt Aurelia on the floor with her! I looked at Uncle Harry when they were on the dance floor and he had his head down! HAAAAA

So, I looked around to see what Silker and Grandma Terry were doing and LO and BEHOLD.....AY Lawwwwwwwwww........HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Mike's Dad and his cousin were video taping in the corner...Here the rest of us were...I think we were mesmerized by the dancers!

And of course, there was a line for the bathroom....ain't these pictures great!

And Mom and Dot..mostly Mom...talked, and talked and talked etc.....................OH yeah...and the band still played....and Silker and Grandma Terry got done with the buffet line and then THEY started talking!

I also wanted to add this pic...notice how they are dressed alike! Who's that I see in the top right corner...OH....Silker and Grandma Terry still eating.....HAAAAAI thought that was neat.

Anyways...we had a great night and Court's band did great.

Courtney was SOOO happy everyone came out to see the band!

Dad is working on fixing up his pictures, so I'll post the weblink to those when I get it...I'm sure his pictures won't the superior quality as mine, but he's learning! BAH-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

More later...and THANKS for EMAILING us, ASHLEY...she finally emailed!!!!

Joan

Courtney's Band

I don't know if I mentioned it before, but Courtney is in a band now! I don't know if they have a name or not, (Courtney keeps forgetting to ask) but they have been practicing and they perform this weekend at the V.F.W. in Hendersonville, NC. They are a traditional Country Music band and all of them are great musicians. I can't wait to hear them!

We haven't heard from Ashley is a few days and I have been worrying over the weather, the Russians and whatever else I can come up with.

ASHLEY, IF/WHEN YOU READ THIS, EMAIL YOUR MAMA.

I know she's having the time of her life and she keeps telling us how much she loves the Coast Guard, but we miss her. Even the dogs miss her.

Well, that's all from me. Britt just got off work and Mike and Courtney are in the den watching TV and I'm fixing to get my clothes ready for work tomorrow and go to bed and watch the weather channel till I fall asleep.

More later....

Joan and Herd

Video from Grandma Terry's Birthday Party

I was reminded the other day that I hadn't put any pics on here of Grandma Terry's 90th Birthday Party.

Well, sure enough, I hadn't - WHICH is a humble reminder to myself that I am only one person!

My head is so full of knowledge, things sometimes gets stuck.

SO, I created a little movie of the pictures. That way, I can get them all on here at once. MUCH faster!

I have to work this weekend, so today is "clean the house up" day. Yesterday was "go grocery shopping and take Court to the eye dr." day. I actually took a pic of Court waiting on the Dr. to come in...un-beknownst to her! hee hee!! She HATES it when I do that! HAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAA! Don't she look THRILLED to be there!!!!
Well, that's about it for the moment!!!!
Have a good weekend....
Joan and Herd

Thrusday....

As I stated in my previous blog, this morning, I arose at my usual 0dark:30 and as if on autopilot, I hopped in the van and took off to McDonalds and got my large cup of coffee and headed Verizon, my 3rd home. It seems as if my camera lens on the back of my cell phone had cracked and I had to get it fixed. So I did.

THEN, I headed to Wal-Mart. Woo-HOO! Ours ain't nothing fancy, just functional. It looks as if there are alot of cars here, and I was amazed! Could it be that other people do as I do?

Well, in I went and it was mostly empty. Good

Notice the empty asiles (sp?)? My kinda store.

I would actually have been in the store earlier, but I sat listening to talk radio in the van and I drank my coffee.

Sarah Palin. Now, THAT'S a woman!

Which, then left me perplexed.

I thought finally I would vote Democrat since Hillary is gone and Obama hates war. Now, here comes Sarah.
Geeeze.
Now I'm gonna have to make a choice. But then I thought, hmmmmm...I'll just do what I've always done in these elections when I can't make my mind up....

I'll let the dog decide!

Not Cujo, because he doesn't speak a lick of english...he REFUSES to learn english, only spanish.

Boomer is only in it for the food. he wants lower grocery prices and lower sales taxes so his double cheeseburgers and strawberry milkshakes (his FAVorite) I get him from McDonalds don't cost so much. period.


Now, Buddy....
He helped me with the last election...in fact, he even went with the to the polls! He had to wait out in the car tho. We're going to take this very seriously this time and watch the debates. He's SO excited!
Well, that's it for today!
Courtney gets to sing the National Anthem tonight at the volleyball game at Mauldin High School and Britt has to work. OH...Big Brother comes on tonight too! Mike likes that one!
Ya'll have a great day!
Joan

Heard from Ashley...FINALLY!

The baby called FINALLY. First, she emailed and said she was fine. She was a little sick the first two days they were out, but got over that.
She is tired from working so many hours, but today, they got to their first port...the Keys, in Florida! Only for 2 hours tho, which gave them time to gas up before they head out again.

She LOVES the sea! She said she saw sea turtles, dolphins and flying fish!. Anyways, she called me just when I got off work today and was SOOOO excited, she was talking a hundred miles an hour about everything she could see.....which is where these pictures come in.

This is a view from where she was standing watch....At first, I wondered if there was hedges IN her boat, but I realized that was on the pier BESIDE her boat. DOH!


This second pic is of the boat beside them...it looks like a buoy tender to me, but what do I know! I watched "Dirty Jobs" one episode and they had this on there...



Anyways, that's all the pics she sent...these are from her cell phone. She said she hopes to go snorkeling at their next port, wherever that is.
Picasa has revamped itself and I quickly, and with my usual expert abilities, put this together of Haley's birthday party pics...I will be able to add music to it and other neat things after I figure it out...

I'm off work these next couple days and I am SOOOOOOOOOOO excited about that! I like my job, but it sure is nice to not have to set the alarm clock. NOT that I sleep any later...I always DREAM of sleeping till like, 7am, but I still wake up around 4:30-5am.
Mike and Courtney have gone to the fairgrounds. I didn't want to go because i don't Habla de lingo piquito whatever.
Britt has gone to the firing range with P.J. or Peeeej, as we call him. She BETTER get home and study for her Anatomy and Phys. class.
Well, I'll post more tomorrow after I sleep in till like, 5:15am! ha I think I'll get up and head to Wal-Mart when I get up..what a better way to start your day than sunrise at the Wal-Mart parking lot.
I think I'll even stop by McDonald's and get a cup of coffee on my way there... Ahhhhhh yes....living the dream!!!
Joan