THE MITCHELL'S

Lake St. John

2010-07-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

After months of planning and keeping a very very tight lip, we (my entire family...about 30 people) pulled off the ultimate suprise birthday weekend for my grandparents at Lake St. John!!! We kicked the wkd off by suprising Tricia and Pappy at The Ducks Nest (a great restaurant on the lake)....

How many people does it take to fix an ice cream maker????

The end result...a "n" rigged ice cream maker...

Only Anut Tina!!! I love her! I told her she looked like the Rocket Man!

Booze Cruise...our boat broke down but we were saved by Eric and Debra!!

Gone Fishin

2010-06-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh....a weekend full of fishing, family and the beautiful outdoors. I couldn't ask for much more! Barrier and I spent the weekend in Bassfield helping my grandparents clean out their goldfish pond (which we consider fun) and also did a little fishing with the fam...

Finally!!! After a long hard battle Barrier finally snagged the big one (in which he properly named "Shit" ...thats what he said after every miss) He caught "Shit" and then he let "Shit" go... what a bitter sweet victory!!!

Pa taught me how to "bottom-fish" for Brim and I fell in love

Introducing Pa's golf cart...You know when he's coming when you hear the cranking of the lawnmower!

He's the greatest

The most beautiful place on Earth!

I love a small town! Some of my grandfather's friends enjoying small talk and a glass bottle Coca-Cola

Excuse me???? Is that Brad Pitt? Nope....just my hunky little brother!

Our Supervisor

Sweet Tanner (I made him run so I could show demonstrate the sports setting on my camera for dad)

Lookin good!!

I'm Back!!!!

2010-06-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day Weekend

We have the greatest neighborhood/neighbors ever!! Our crew ususally gets together at least once a week, if not more, but this weekend we literally never left the neighborhood (except to get beer, crawfish and the coolest slipinslide EVER!

Julie and Scott's Engagement Party

Julie and Scott's engagement party (at her parents house...a beautiful couple and an amazing party!!) weekend in Hattiesburg. Good times with good friends!!!

The Tornado from Hell hits Yazoo City!!!

2010-05-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

While Bear and I were at the beach, a tornado struck Yazoo City leaving several dead and destroying hundreds of homes. When we got back from our trip we headed to Bear's home town to do anything we could to help Mrs. Angie's best friend D'Ann and her parents, which I believe were hit the hardest.

This is what I see pulling into town...

D'Anns parents home ...

Their front yard

D'Anns house...most of the damage was in the back

D'Anns dad collects classic cars...all were messed up except one! This made me sick!

D'Anns back yard...

She's going to kill me for this but...yes, it's what you think it is! While I was cleaning out some things, I ran across this poor mouse in a bottle of oil!!

Beach Trip 2010

2010-05-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a wonderful/very relaxing beach trip with the Gooch's (Phillip and Melissa). Although the beginning of the trip was a little nasty, the weather turned out to be beautiful!

Leaving home...going through a monsoon in Mobile!

Late dinner and martini's after our rainy ride...

My new favorite drink (Phillip turned me onto it) a yummy EXTRA Dirty Martini!!

We never miss a chance to dance!

The next day...

The "Obama" jellyfish

Finishing my 3rd Twilight novel, one more to go!

I forgot to put sunscreen on my nose. Red!

Our Garden

2010-04-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

Since Bear and I were in college and had our little rent house (ya'll remember the one!!) we have planted a garden....oh yes, even in the rent house we had a garden in the back yard!!! Now that we actually have room for a great garden, our seems to be getting larger every year. It's the best thing in the world to be able to go into your back yard and pick whatever vegetable your heart desires at any given time! Plus...it's great time to spend with your hubby when you both enjoy it like we do. Last year we didn't have a big variety (just tomatos, peppers, squash and watermelon) but this year we have it all:

cucumbers
2 types of banana peppers
onions
various types of tomatoes
2 types of bell peppers
brussel sprouts
squash
eggplant
asparagus
+ my wonderful herb garden (that I can't get enough of)

This year we decided we would keep a "garden diary" to track the process.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

2010-04-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

I just had to give a HUGE shout-out to the #1 High School Baseball Team in the NATION:

THE SUMRALL BOBCATS!!!!!!!

Xcellent 25 Baseball Rankings: Sumrall back on top

Bobcats finished 2009 high school season ranked No. 1 in the country; move up to top spot in prep Top 25 after Bishop Gorman's two losses in Florida.

Monday, March 29, 2010

By: Kevin Askeland

MaxPreps.com Sumrall took nearly three months to rise to the top of the Xcellent 25 National Baseball Rankings in 2009. In 2010 it only took five weeks.
Bishop Gorman losing twice at the National Grand Slam Tournament in Florida, No. 2 Sumrall moved into the No. 1 spot thanks to a spotless record that included three tournament wins in Florida two weeks ago.

Sumrall also has the matter of a 56-game win streak that is slowly creeping toward the national all-time mark of 68, set by Archbishop Molloy from 1963 to 1966. Two straight state championships also boost the Bobcats' resume.

Sumrall is not the only unbeaten among the top 10 teams, however. Menchville opened its season with five straight wins while Wando is 11-0 and Roswell is 12-0. Germantown Academy also made a big jump to the No. 9 spot after a strong week in Florida. In California, Serra is undefeated and on the rise.

Bishop Gorman also wasn't the only traditional power to suffer a loss last week. Two-time Tennessee state champion Farragut also lost a pair of games while Owasso fell to Lake Wales in a tournament in Florida.

Two teams in the Xcellent 25, Walsh Jesuit and Rocky Mountain, have yet to begin their seasons due to poor weather conditions.

MAXPREPS XCELLENT 25 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL NATIONAL RANKINGS

1. (2) Sumrall (Miss.), 14-0

The Bobcats continued their winning ways with three victories last week. Luke Lowery struck out 12 in a 4-2 win over St. Patrick (Biloxi, Miss.) early in the week while Chase Lewallen was 3-for-3 with three RBI and a double in an 8-2 win over St. Patrick later in the week. Sumrall also topped Picayune (Miss.) 13-3 with Connor Barron going 3-for-3 with four RBI and Jackson Posey adding two doubles and three RBI. The Bobcats' win streak has reached 56 games in a row.

Is Sumrall the best high school baseball team ever in the Pine Belt?

April 12, 2010

Sure looks that way

As I've said in the past, I believe strongly in what numbers and statistics say. And in the matter of whether or not Sumrall is the best team this area has ever seen, my answer is unequivocally, absolutely yes.

Let me first state the obvious – there hasn't been another team in Mississippi history to win as many games in a row as the Bobcats. That alone should be enough to convince anyone who disagrees, but for those who need more, keep reading.
As of now, Sumrall has won back-to-back state titles and are poised to three-peat. Taking into consideration the fact that the Bobcats are only losing four seniors (three starters) to graduation after this season, there's no reason to think the streak (wins and/or state titles) will end next year.

My point is, the book hasn't been closed on this team yet, but even though we're still just part of the way through the story, there's more than enough evidence for me to believe they're the best team this area's ever seen.
Contact Jason Munz at jmunz@hattiesburgamerican.com.

Mississippi Spring/Summer Weather = BUGS

2010-04-08T23:18:00.000-07:00

I can not tell you how excited I am that warm weather is upon us in MS but with the good...there comes the bad/BUGS!!! When Bear and I are home, we spend 99% of our time cooking/hanging out on our deck but lately our deck looks like bug suicide 101!!! We decided to snap a few photos of the bug activity last night and ended up with some pretty cool pics!

A VERY detailed view of the a black beatle...hanging on for dear life!!!

A Random Rant...

2010-04-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

Call me crazy, but I believe that people who own pets should TAKE CARE OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!!! Since we moved to Sumrall I have kept a close eye on 2 horses that some idiot owns a few miles from our house. You can tell from the looks of their trashy yard, house, etc that these people are obviously not good at taking care of anything but the living conditions of their horses makes me furious! In their front yard/dump, they have a chicken-wire, mud-bottom pen that can't be any larger than 10x10 in which they "keep" their 2 large horses. About 6 months ago, I had enough and called to report the situation (in which I was told to contact the police to handle it) So I did. The police officer checked out the situation and called me to let me know there was nothing they could do unless the horses were emaciated/dying!!! This really really ticked me off so I let the guy know that I would store his cell number in my phone and call him when the horses are on thier death bed (I'm sure he hates the day he heard from me) Well...that was about 6-7 phone calls ago and nothing has been done! One of these days I'm going to make something happen! I'm tempted to ask the owners if I could buy them but they look like the type that may pull a shotgun on you! My next move....get pics of these poor horses and I will post them. Thats all for now!!!

Easter

2010-04-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

I am blessed to have the most WONDERFUL family in the world!!! Although our fam is very large, we are extremely close and love to "hang out" when we get the chance and believe me...there is never a dull moment with our crew! Friday Night we had a wonderful dinner at Conestoga Steak House (thanks Pappy!) and then hung out at Aunt Tina's house late into the night. Saturday morning Bear and I had Bodie, Tricia, and Pappy out to see the house and then Ramey, Jill, and Brent came to visit. Saturday (late afternoon) we headed over to Aunt Paulas to enjoy boiled shrimp, cold beer and a beautiful day. Although Easter morning came too soon (I wasn't ready for the family-filled weekend to be over) everyone attended a gorgeous Sunrise Service on the 18th hole of the Canebrake Golf Course. I love you all soooo much!

Friday Night - Dinner

How sweet... Brent is going to be a great daddy!

Some of the HUNKS in our family...

The gals (minus Paw Paw and Madison)

Who needed a haircut before church??? Madison (the family barber) ended up cutting 6 heads of hair Saturday night...including mine

Jill giving Madison trimming advice...:)

And yes...this is Jill crying in her moms lap after her "too short" trim

Long Time...No Blog!!!

2010-03-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

Wow...I didn't realize how long it had been since my last blog :) So, before I begin my daily/weekly post again I thought I would start with a "update" blog on what's been going on in our lives since February!

SAINTS WIN THE SUPERBOWL!!!

The cooks...

Jack-A-Roo...showing off his new shoes!

Emily is so creative! She made this shirt for the game...

JAMIE AND TY COME HOME!!

We don't get to see a lot of them, but we love when we do...

Mrs. Beth and Mr. Ricky...my second parents (with their daughters :)

Only Moose...

Ty and Barrier put on a dance show for us...I wanted to attatch the video but I think they would kill me!

PRETTY DAY IN THE COUNTRY...TARGET PRACTICE.

My good looking hubby...

Charlie....

Look how tiny the gun is... it was Bears Great Grandfathers gun.

My first dirt bike wreck...I was so proud! On my leg.

POKER NIGHT...

Several couples in our neighborhood (including Bear and I) have started a monthly " Couples Poker Night" and we were the first to host it. We had a blast...can't wait until the next one!!

Mike and Barrier's Poker Face...

Mandy and Prentiss...

Don't ask...Caleb as the "pant-less cowboy"

YAZOO CITY...

This past weekend we went to Yazoo to visit with the fam and celebrate Bears 28th Birthday!!!

Reeves...He's just PERFECT

Mrs. Angie's little wine glass...

Gooch...

The birthday boy and all his women...

The Steakhouse for dinner...

Johnny and Lindsey...

Bear being an engineer...

KNOCKIN AROUND THE HOUSE

Oh spring is in the air and I could not be happier!!! We have some of the most beautiful old trees in our yard and when they bloom every year I can't resist taking pictures...

This is our "Iron Wood" tree...a type of pear tree. It look like a giant cotton bowl when it blooms and it literally glows at night.

This is my most favorite tree...a Japanese Magnolia

I absolutely LOVE to mowe the yard and I have been waiting for the weather to warm up so I could...this is our pretty yard after my first mowe!!!

My herb garden! I have always wanted one and this year I'm doing it...They smell WONDERFUL and I can't wait to use them for cooking.

Honesty Award

2010-02-05T15:33:00.000-08:00

Rules for this Award

1. Must thank the person who gave you the award and list their blog and link it.

2. Share "10 Honest things" about yourself.
3. Present this award to others whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you.
4. Tell those people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award.

THANK YOU RAMEY FOR THIS AWARD!I miss you!

1. I am in love with the two T.V. shows: Dirty Jobs and 48 Hours...ok, and the Bachelor (but I have to admit, it’s the cheesiest and most dramatic show ever!)

2. My worst habit is popping my knuckles, back and neck. I'm going to be a crumpled-up old lady.

3. When I was little I loved the taste of dog food.

4. I think about being/becoming a mother on a daily basis.

5. Unless we have a lot of catching-up to do, I am not a big fan of "chatting" on the cellular...many of ya'll already know this.

6. I always, always pay attention to whether or not people have wedding rings on (male and female). I don't know why, it’s just one of those things. For example: I notice a couple in the store holding hands but the guy has a ring on and the girl doesn't. I know it's wrong, but my first thought is "where is his wife... must be at home with the kids. What a jerk".

7. I HATE pumping gas!

8. My most favorite smells are: fresh cut grass, old books and the way Bear smells when he first gets out of the shower and throws on an old t-shirt and comfy pants!

9. I am slightly OCD

10. I honestly, honestly believe I am a great driver. Barrier would not agree...he needs a xanax every time he rides with me.

I now present this award to: KATIE RIVERS

911

2010-01-29T15:34:00.000-08:00

This past Wednesday afternoon was my first time (and hopefully my last time) to call 911, so I thought I would share! Barrier was on his way home from a business trip in Louisiana and I planned to (like the great wife that I am) have dinner ready when he got home. I took a shower and as I was "trying" to get dressed...I turned on the heat. Moments later, smoke began filling the house and I freaked!! First I called Bear and of course, since he was 3 hours away, he told me to call 911. So I did (and at this point, I had dropped my towel and was now running around the house naked trying to figure out what was burning). Believe me, it was a sight to be seen! The sweet 911 operator informed me that I needed to get myself and all animals out of the house until the fire trucks arrived. I quickly threw some on some clother and went outside to wait.

5 minutes later.....3 fire trucks, 1 ambulance, 2 police cars, and about 8-9 other volunteer vehicles pull into our front yard! Sumrall is a very small town but obviously VERY well-equipped when it comes to emergencies! Long story short...(from what the firefighter told me) it ended up being a piece of lint that was sucked into the "unit" and that’s what caused the smoke and smell. I felt bad for making such a BIG scene, but I was glad to know that it wasn't anything major.

I'm telling you...the thought of our house and everything in it going up in flames made me sick! I don't know if I have ever been that scared. I am very thankful that it was minor!

Proud Godparents!!

2010-01-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

Barrier and I are officially Godparents (we could not be more excited and honored) of the MOST beautiful baby in the world! Phillip and Melissa Gooch were blessed with Reeves Bullock Gooch last night around 10:30. Bear and I are so close to Phillip and Melissa so in our minds, the word "Godparent" just gives a good reason to spoil him rotten! We (and Jam) went to see him today in Jackson...he is seriously a geourgeous baby and as "layed back" as they come.

Introducing REEVES....

Barrier, Phillip (they have been best friends since babies themselves) and Reeves...

The ONLY time he cried is when I held him! Is that a sign????

Very proud daddy Phillip...

Bear is going to be such a GREAT daddy one day! Can't wait (well...maybe another year or so!)

Uncle Jam was a pro! His nickname for Reeves was "Nugget". Only Johnny!

Sweet Jam with Reeves...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY REEVES!!!!!!

Prine

2010-01-13T20:58:00.000-08:00

Everyone gets onto me for posting more about Harley than I do Prine so I thought I would honor Prine with a blog post...Prine was adopted June of 2007. When I told the lady at the humane society that he was the one I wanted, her comment was "Honey...he has to be the ugliest dog we have here. He has a broken tail. Why do you want him???" I told her "if I don't adopt him, no one else will". I could not have made a better decision!!

Anyone that knows us... knows Prine (Barrier named him after John Prine)!! He is literally the greatest dog ever and very unique! He has wiry black "curly’s" (don’t ask me what they remind me of), a natural white Mohawk, a white mustache, a red goatee and a hook tail. He is beautiful. At least to me he is. Barrier swears that if anything ever happened to him, I would be lost. Its the truth!

Prine can be found wherever I am...bath, car, bed, etc. He's my little shadow and has become pretty famous over the years and acquired many nicknames which I had to share:

Prine Shrine
Little Mister
Master Splinter (John Allan)
Co*k Blocker (Barrier often calls him this)
Shrine Prine
Ugly (A lot of people)
Hook Tail
Mr. Needy (Barrier)
Cheetoh (inside joke)
Shriney
Erin's Boyfriend (He is in LOVE with Erin)
Little
PERFECTION (what I usually call him)

And we often get the usual question "What is that??"

This is a few days after I adopted him....back in the day

This pic is Prine (recently shaved) showing off his "hook tail"

Wedding Pictures!!!

2010-01-11T11:00:00.001-08:00

For those who want to see our wedding pictures...click on the link below to view our album.

http://www.jcarawayphotography.com/Albums/Jen&Bear10.10.09

Tie-Dyed Sugar Cookies and a Whole Lot Of Love

2010-01-11T10:55:00.000-08:00

Tie-Dyed Sugar Cookies: (Makes 2 dozen)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons brandy, or milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; add dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated. With mixer running, add egg, brandy (or milk), and vanilla; mix until incorporated.

Once your dough is ready, split it into 4 parts (or more, depending on how many different colors you would like to use) and add food coloring to each portion of dough. In our case...we used red, green, yellow and blue. Once this is mixed, take a pinch of each colored dough and roll together creating a "tie-dyed" look.

Roll each cookie in sugar before placing in a lightly greased baking sheet

Bake @ 350 until lightly golden. About 10 minutes

Transfer to cooling rack

Add a perfect little sister to the mix and you have the the most wonderful cookie!!

We made caramel apples too!

Harley likes to help but this is where she likes to lay...in the middle of everything.

We saved this one for her!! She eyed it the whole time we were cooking!

Harry

2010-01-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

While I was feeding the cats this morning (in 20 degree weather!!) I thought about our little "Harry" incident
that happend about this time last year and couldn't help but laugh! Many of ya'll have already heard this story, but for those who haven't....

Two years ago I came across 2 kittens (brothers) at a nearby vet clinic that needed a good home. Not being able to split them up, I adopted both of them and they soon became known as Bert and Harry. Barrier and I have never been "cat" people but we soon fell in love with our two new additions (Harry has always been our favorite because of his very loving personality). Anyway...they have always been outside cats that you rarely see during the day but at night they come to visit. Last year while driving home from work on Hwy 589 (a busy hwy not far from our house) I spotted a deceased cat on the side of the road and freaked out when I stopped and realized it was our beloved Harry! I immediatly called Barrier crying and when he got home, we went to remove our cat from the side of the road so we could give him the proper burial. The conversation between Barrier and I went a little something like this:

B: Baby, I don't think this Harry...it looks like this cat has been here for several days. Plus Harry never leaves the yard.

J: I know for a fact it's Harry because now that I think about it, I haven't seen him around the house in a couple of days. I bet he was chasing Hazel (a female cat that was in heat at the time) and wandered to 589 and got ran over.

(Mind you that this conversation is taking place on the side of a busy highway as we try to decide whether the cat is ours or not)

B: I don't know Jenny...this cat doesn't look as harry as our "Harry" is.

J: Barrier, it's Harry. I promise. I know my own cat from someone elses. Let's just get him home so we can bury him. Oh my gosh! Do you know how upset Bert (his brother) is going to be??? He'll be lost without him. They have never been apart!

B: Okay. I think I'm going to throw up.

So...we get back home with our poor poor Harry and give him the proper burial he deserved. Then we bring Bert inside and dote on him for a couple of hours (because we feel so bad for him that his brother has passed). As the night went on we tried to take our minds off the horrible accident...while Bear was playing the guitar, I decided I would water the plants on the back porch. After being outside for a good 30 min or so I heard a "meow" coming from a near tree. "Uh!!!" I thought...It's that da** female cat that got our sweet Harry ran over. I walk to the tree with the intention of running the cat off so the same thing wouldn't happen to Bert. As I approach the tree I immediatly start crying from shock! Sitting comfortably on a big limb is the one-and-only HARRY!! And he's alive!! You have got to be kidding me?!?!
I grab Harry and run inside to tell Barrier the good news. You should have seen the look on Bears face when I walked in with this cat in my arms! He seriously looked like he had seen a ghost...a cat ghost that is. And this is how that conversation went:

B: What in the hell?!?!?

J: I know! Can you believe it!!!

B: Oh my gosh thats great! But, wait.....if thats Harry then who's cat did we spend and hour burying in our backyard???

J: Uhmmmm...

Harry is the one on the left.

Christmas Eve, Day, and Night...

2009-12-30T21:13:00.000-08:00

Our Furry Kiddos Hangin Out...

Christmas Morning at Moms...

My mom gave us the sweetest gift...her speech (from our rehearsal dinner) that she had framed!! I love it!

My sweet mama opening her gift...

My Great Hubby amd Mom...

Christmas Day at Aunt Paw Paw and Uncle Lee's...

Christmas Night in Yazoo City with the Barrier's...

Tacky Christmas Party #2

2009-12-30T17:41:00.000-08:00

The Mitchell's Tacky Christmas Party (Hathorn side) #1

2009-12-22T18:30:00.000-08:00

2009-12-22T14:57:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was a blast! On Saturday we had the Brinson/Hathorn/Highstreet get-together during the day and then watched football with my grandparents that evening before heading to the Rylands Christmas party that night. Sunday Bear and I had the Hathorn "Tacky Christmas Party" at our house...so funny!! I love this time of year! I posted a few pics below.

BRINSON/HATHORN/HIGHSTREET REUNION...

FOOTBALL AT PA JOHN'S...

I can still do a split!

Me and my wonderful Grandfather...

Watching the game...

THE RYLAND'S CHRISTMAS PARTY...

Don't ask :)...

Harley's Photo Session!

2009-12-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

Awkward Family Portraits!!

2009-12-18T18:08:00.000-08:00

And you thought your old family portraits were bad!!! When the time comes for Bear and I to have kids, I will definitly put a lot of thought into our "family portrait" ....

I thought my bangs were bad???

They must be from Mississippi!!

There is something very odd about this pic...

Oh no she did'nt.....

The kids seem too focused on mom and dad making out...

She probably told them every day that they were handsome...

What can you say...

Brotherly-Sisterly Love??

The CHOKER...

Me, Barrier, and Sweet Pea...

Ghetto Fab...

We all know people that would actually do this...

Save the BEST for last....

Why I love them...

2009-12-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

Jam, Clem, Mrs. Angie, Chrissy, and Deeno

Jam, Jeannie, and Clem

Hunting and Snow!!

2009-12-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

This weekend was all about hunting...and playing in the snow! This coming January will make it 2 years that Bear and I have been living in Sumrall and so far we have seen 2-3 inches of snow each year! I love it!

Target Practice

My oufit equaled: 3 pairs of pants, cover-alls, 3 jackets, gloves, 3 pair of socks (on each foot), water boots...

and a face mask! I looked like the Michelin Man!

A HUGE turkey

FREEZING COLD....letting my toes thaw out in the truck

Harley played in the snow...Prine stayed inside :)

Second day of hunting...

Scoping it out...

Feeding the horses...

Sambo...

Freezing again in the stand...waiting on a "big one"

Christmas Tree Trouble

2009-12-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

I love everything about Christmas....family, friends, gifts, pretty lights, bonfires, music, etc but the one thing I love the most is a REAL Christmas tree!!! Growing up we always had a real tree and the smell of one still brings back so many great memories of my childhood but I've always wanted to wait to get the "real thing" once Bear and I were married. Well, now we are and on Monday we got our first real Christmas tree!! I wanted to surprise Barrier when he got home from work so I went by myself to get the perfect tree......NOT as easy as I had planned.

The twelve things I learned about putting up our first Christmas tree:

1. You don't have to have your hubby with you to pick out, carry, or load a tree....the guys at Lowe's are more than happy to do it all for you once you choose the one you want. This sounds simple but as indecisive as I am, it took me (and my helper) almost an hour! Did you know there are several types of Christmas trees in all shapes and sizes???

2. Loading the tree into my vehicle was simple because I had someone do it for me....unloading it on my own was a totally different story! I managed to get it onto our front porch and that's when the fun began!

3. Christmas tree stands are a pain in the *@!!**. I have never been so frustrated in my life.

4. Just because a tree stand may look sturdy...it’s not! Once I wrestled the tree into the stand and tightened the screws, I stepped back (very proud of my work) and noticed that the tree was leaning slightly to the right. When I bent down to fix the problem, the entire tree fell on top of me with the BENT tree stand sticking in the air!! I almost started crying

5. For people who are slightly OCD, like I am, decorating a Christmas tree takes a lot of adjusting and then re-adjusting (ribbon, ornaments, branches...you name it!)

6. Make sure, ahead-of-time, that ALL your strands of lights work before you wrap the entire tree with them and then find out the middle strand doesn't! This will cause you to say a few select words out loud!

7. Trees need WATER! I forgot to do this until 3 days later....but I think it's going to survive

8. Don't expect your husband to jump up and down with excitement when you surprise him with yall's first Christmas tree...it's just a tree to them, they don’t get it

9. Great Danes like to eat ornaments OFF THE TREE....hook and all. Our tree now looks bare.

10. I thought the tree I picked out looked tall and full.....it's full alright but lacking height so now it looks like a mini-me in our den

11. I don't think my tree will ever be as pretty as my mothers or Tricia's (my grandmother) :)

12. Do they make trees that come fully loaded...ornaments and all? I may look into this for next year

The Holiday Hussle!

2009-12-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Through the years, Barrier and I have perfected the "Holiday Hussle". With most of his family in Yazoo City and most of mine in Hattiesburg, we do our fair share of traveling between the two each year. So this Thanksgiving was no different. Our day began with lunch in Hattiesburg at Tricia and Pappy's and although we were missing a few (more like 15) family members, it was still great! After eating our weight in dressing and turkey, we headed to Madison to join Bears family for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. Friday and Saturday consisted of football and leftovers...can't get any better than that!

My BEAUTIFUL Grandmother...Tricia

Aunt Tina and Mom

Photo Session!! :)

Cade...So serious!

Somebody in MS Loves You

2009-11-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

To my best friend, Annie (she bought me this vintage T a while back and had it mailed to me)...
Someone in Mississippi Loves You and Misses You!

Basketball Bound!!

2009-11-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

Alexis's basketball game in Laurel....they won by a long shot!! She's #19

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Miller!

2009-11-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

Holly and Matthew are officially "husband and wife" ....as of yesterday! The wedding was beautiful and the bride was stunning! We had such a great time!

Holly is getting HITCHED!

2009-11-20T11:08:00.000-08:00

Holly Hathorn and Matthew Miller will be saying their "I do's" tomorrow in Bassfield, MS and I'm soooo excited!!! I can't believe how fast time flys.....I found a few pics of Holly and I when we were little and thought I would share. Enjoy.

Please look at our bangs in this pic ^^ I will never do that to my children :)

Little??

2009-11-19T17:59:00.000-08:00

My 2 handsome "little" brothers!!!

Old Pics

2009-11-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

Daddy's Little Girl

Barrier "packing cotton" as a child

Me and my BEAUTIFUL mom

Bear, Honey, and Gan Gan

Bear and Mr. Van

One of my favorite pics of Dad and I

I just had to stick this one in here....hotty!

Tails of a Great Dane

2009-11-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

I decided to start "Tails of a Great Dane" because Harley keeps Barrier and I in stitches all the time with her peculiar sleeping positions, noises, attitude, etc. She just turned 1 in September and is constantly getting bigger...but still believes she is tiny. When Harley was a puppy, she followed Prines every move, which included sleeping on top of the couch. Even though she has grown MUCH bigger, she still thinks she can fit on the couch and there is no telling her otherwise :) As you can see in the pics below, it is no longer suitable for her size, but she makes it work! This is how we found her last night...dead asleep!

Pics

2009-11-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

Barrier snapped these 2 pics this weekend while hunting (with his phone!) I thought they were so pretty!

Sunset on Black Creek in Bassfield

Beautiful pic of camp on Pearl River

Tanner and Dad

2009-11-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

Tanner (he is growing up!!) and Dad before the wedding and a pic of Tanner at his last PCS football game this year...I have a beautiful family!

Mom and Dad

2009-11-11T14:38:00.000-08:00

I had to share this picture with my parents because as you can tell, they are the first two people I look for as soon as Barrier and I head back down the isle. As nervous as I was, I probably would've fainted if I turned around and they were not there :) Love ya'll!!

My FAVORITE day of the week is...

2009-11-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

When I get to have my perfect little sister for the night! I usually pick her up from school on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon and we immediately decide what we're going to cook for dinner that night. The last 2 times she stayed, we had spaghetti with homemade meat balls (which I have to admit were pretty good considering it was my first time to cook them) and chicken fajitas. She plays with the animals while I cook and then she always helps with the deserts! After dinner, we usually watch a movie (we watched Marley and Me last time…and we both balled our eyes out) or just goof around before going to bed. In the mornings, we get her ready for school and off she goes :( If I ever have a little girl I hope she's as perfect as Alex is!

Eating breakfast before school.....I can't fix her hair like mom can :)

Halloween

2009-11-11T10:34:00.000-08:00

We weren't planning on dressing up this year for halloween but neighbors of ours wanted us to join them to a party, so....we did! I'm dissapointed though, because these pics dont show Bears whole outfit (which was a huge duck he had strapped to the top of his head all night). It was hilarious!! My dad also joined us for a little while as the Marlboro Man. What a fun night!

Down On The Farm

2009-11-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

It's hunting time for all the men in my family...so preparation is very important. It's also a good excuse for everyone to get together and have some fun! Here are a few pics.

Honeymoon!!!

2009-11-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

Barrier and I left for our honeymoon (Secrets, Maroma Beach, Cancun) two days after the wedding...we had the time of our lives!! Like any honeymoon, we did a lot of eating, sleeping, reading, sailing, sunbathing, drinking, eating, shopping, walking, eating, swimming, eating! Anyway, we had the best time! We were there for a week and werent ready to leave but at the same time we were ready to get back, visit with family and friends, and get settled in as Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell!! We posted a few pics below...

OUR WEDDING!!

2009-11-05T17:53:00.000-08:00

10-10-09
THE REHEARSAL DINNER....BUS RIDE TO RESTAURANT

THE CEREMONY....

THE RECEPTION.......

Spotted!

2009-05-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

HATTIESBURG AMERICAN…
-We spotted Jennifer Hathorn, 26, of Hattiesburg while doing work outside of JavaWerks recently.
-She's engaged and scheduled to marry in October.
-What kind of work are you doing? I'm working on some reports for work.
-What type of work do you do? I sell industrial and environmental supplies.
-How did you get into that, and how long have you been doing this job? I learned about it from a friend, and I've been with the company for about a year.
-So do you work from home or do you have an office? Both... but Im mostly on the road.
-Do you travel all over? No, I travel strictly in Mississippi and Baton Rouge, LA for now
-What do you do when you're not working? I love to read, cook out with friends, and spend time with family
-What about music? What do you like to listen to? I like Norah Jones and Ray Lamontagne. and many more
-Do you like to travel other than with your job? I love to travel but we dont get to as much as we would like due to our crazy work schedules
-If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? I'd go to Australia because of the beaches.
-You're engaged. What's his name and how'd you meet your fiancé? His name is Barrier Mitchell. We met in high school and then didn't see each other for years. ..we started dating and have now been together for five years!
-How did he propose? He proposed at his grandparents house in Yazoo City, MS. It was totally unexpected!!

Barrier's Bday

2009-05-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

Bear turned the big "27" this March and his mom had this cake made for him. How perfect!!

Our Home

2009-05-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

Our Home

We are in LOVE with our home and where we live (Sumrall, MS). Our house is over 100 years old with the original hardwood floors, windows, built-ins, etc. Although it's been completely remodeled, it still oozes uniqueness and history. Oh.....if these walls could talk! It's also very cozy...it feels like we've been here for years, but its only been since January of 2008. As much as we love our house, we also love our yard (where we can be found almost every afternoon). We both have a bit of a green thumb so we love piddling, planting, watching things grow and hanging out with ALL of our animals! Another added bonus is our great neighborhood in which we have made so many wonderful friends. Everyone has golf carts, so whenever we want to visit or borrow a cup of milk, we just cruise on over.

Mr.P

2009-05-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

The love of my life........Mr. Prine!!! He's not the cutest thing, but he's the BEST dog anyone could ever ask for. He has a white mohawk, red mustache, and white go-tee! Like I tell him all the time..."he's perfection". He also rules the roost and can be foud anywhere I am :)

"Sweet Pea"....RIP 4/09

2009-05-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

Ms. Bitty B

2009-05-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

This is "BB"....she loved playing in the snow but she's so tiny she was literally freezing to death, so I "Paris Hilton'ed" her and she stayed warm! But hated me :)