Hello, blog world. I am a terrible blogger. Mostly because I never do it. And I'm obsessed with reading Pioneer Woman.

Today I am procras, I mean, writing a research paper. I've done ok today considering I'm scared to death of it. My other counselor friends convinced me I'm a perfectionist because I'm afraid to start because I'm afraid of failing at it. I would rather study for a test every day of the week than write this. I know, I'm singing a different tune from those English/Journalism days! Maybe that's why I didn't get the best grades?

My topic is Examining Dual Relationships in a Church Community. Help.

In other news, our garage door is fixed, I got my spring schedule, two people in our family are with child, I skipped church for the first time in 2 years (glory be!), I got A's on both midterms, we haven't gotten a pumpkin, and Pandora.com is a life saver. In more news, we still recognize quesadilla night every Thursday night, I am currently caught up on laundry, Jack is into mideval fiction, and I got a new student to tutor.

There. I feel better now for contributing a little something to the blogosphere. Back to citing everyone on the planet and calling it writing.

Happy Fall Ya'll

I still don't have anything that says Happy Fall Ya'll! Two years ago when we were first married, I just broke down crying one day because I didn't have any fall decorations. So Jack, in all his wisdom and understanding, said, "Wellll... go buy some things?" So I did and I love them still. Two whole years later. I'm going to put out some decorations today. I don't do loads of things, but just a few pumpkins here and there. I do love fall. I'm still sort of in shock that it's actually here. I feel like it should still be July.

This is the first weekend both of us have been at home, just us, since August! It's been very quiet and lovely. Today we will watch football, well, Jack will, and I will study. Study.... I love it so.

School is still awesome. Linda asked me what my favorite and least favorite parts were and I said, "Well, I don't think I have a least favorite!" And the president of the school had a meeting with us the other day and said, "If you all don't speak up, I will assume everything is perfect." And I gave him an encouraging nod. When you start your class day off with prayer requests and prayer and all your teachers love God and love their work, how can you have a least favorite? I guess the only thing I wish could be different is that I could spend more time with Chattanooga friends.

On another note, for those of you who like Old Navy, sales, deals, or clothes, please know that Old Navy is having 50% off their clearance. I got a long sweater thingy for $9. There were shirts for like $5 and $6. Go there! Get things!

Ironically, I am cleaning out my closet this weekend and am deciding the best thing to do with all my stuff. I'm giving some things to a friend and then hoping Planet Exchange will buy some stuff! Any other ideas?

I will leave you with this one final thought:



Amen and amen.

It's Been a While...

But I've been busy. This month is really the craziest we've seen in a long time. Thank you, Lord for Harry Potter and pool days! We are headed to Atlanta for a class for me and work/church stuff for J. After that, the schedule should calm down since my intensives for the semester will be over.

In the meantime, this is why Richmont is the best school on the planet. We watched this in class today:





Please enjoy, compliments of Dr. C, the coolest professor you ever did see.

Oh Boy Mucinex

Today was a new day in our lives. Jack discovered Mucinex and I discovered the Oh Boy sandwich at Tomato Head.

Mom and I went to Tomato Head in Maryville today. For those of you not familiar with TH, first of all, that's a shame, and second of all, it's a great local place focusing on fresh, organic, vegan/vegetarian food- sandwiches, salads, pizza, calzones, quesadillas. Come to Knoxville and we'll go.

I have always eaten the Southwestern Salad or the chicken quesadilla. Sometimes pizza. I have never gotten a sandwich because I generally do not like sandwiches or the sandwich bread. But today I branched out and got one. I got the Oh Boy. I know why they call it Oh Boy. Because that's the first thing you say after your first bite. Here is the description:

fresh spinach free farmed chicken benton's bacon sundried tomato monterey jack

poppyseed dressing mayo heated

I discussed this sandwich with Cousin Patrick who is known around these parts for his intense love of the Oh Boy. He's convinced it's the Benton's Bacon. He said it changed entirely after TH started using Benton's Bacon. ( I did 3 seconds of research and see that Benton's Bacon is in Madisonville and is $21 for 4 lbs.) And also the homemade wheat bread that is toasty on the outside and squishy in the middle. (My stomach just growled.)

I think I will need a few more Oh Boys to decide what makes it heavenly. The poppyseed dressing is always a delight. Poppyseeds are one of those secret ingredients like cinnamon. Almost anytime anyone asks what the secret ingredients are, it's either poppyseeds or cinnamon. (I stole the cinnamon part from Seinfeld.)

Anyway, I think Knoxville rejoiced with me when the Oh Boy fan club gained another follower. Seriously, come to Knoxville so we can eat Oh Boys together.

Next, Jack discovered Mucinex. I had some in our medicine drawer that I had forgotten about, but he took some and is a new person this afternoon. That is certainly not as exciting as the Oh Boy and poppyseeds and bacon, but I'm glad he had a good day as well.

This is what I'm doing rather than studying. Writing about bacon.

Oh, and please check Pioneer Woman today- HILARIOUS.

Let me just say....

.... (in typical hyberbolical fashion) that I LOVE RICHMONT. I can't believe it has taken me until now to begin grad school here. My first day of class was yesterday and I was continually blown away by the welcoming atmosphere, the passion of the professors, the kindness of all the students. When my first professor opened up the class and the day with prayer requests and prayer, I thought Where AM I??? Is it a school? A church? No... it's just Richmont. Being awesome.

I have Ethics, Personal and Spiritual Life of the Counselor, and Clinical Assessment. And two other weekend courses I'm sure I'll talk about later. I am trying to convince Hubs we need to move to Chattanooga so I can go to class every day, not just one day. It might take some work, considering our whole life is in K. But.... I'm a good convincer-er-er.

I will blog more about my exciting new life. Exciting in that my tail bone hurts today from all the driving, sitting in class, and sitting to read today. Exciting in that I am starting to learn new words. Exciting in that I am obeying God although I don't know where the heck our lives will be in three years. God is good. And big. Gooder and bigger than me.

Our Quick Getaway

So last Thursday night, Jack and I decided we should skip town for a night. Friday morning we packed up the Jetta and drove to Abingdon, VA. It's about 2 hours from here. It was really fun to spontaneously get away. We stayed the night at a B&B called The Shepherd's Joy.

Apparently, the lady "Joy" has lived here all her life and she and her husband "Jack" have turned it into a B&B. I think she channeled Mamaw in her decorating style.


The thing that we didn't like about it is that we had to eat breakfast with the other guests. At 8:30. Breakfast with people you will never see again is not our idea of a good time. But we obliged. Thankfully, one of the other guests was also a pastor and I don't think he wanted to eat breakfast with us either, so he and his group weren't too inquisitive. If you run a B&B, you have to give people the OPTION to eat alone or with people. Or in the company of others but not at the same table. There are lots of options. And lots of other times. Times that are double digits. And "Joy" really wanted us at 8:30, but I think we surprised "Jack" when we came down at that time. Oh well. At least it wasn't a hotel.

Our little room:


Does this not remind you of Etowah?


Jack looking over things:

We ate at Willa Jack's. Delish.


My dinner: grouper topped with crab and shrimp in a wine butter sauce. Ahhh-MAZE-ing.

Jack digging into his salmon. (Mine was better but he didn't admit to order envy.)



I was really proud to be staying at a mamaw's house:


The next day, Saturday, we went to play tourist. We visited an old mill in Abingdon. It was extremely crowded with an over 70 tourist group, as was every other infamous establishment in Abingdon. This is Jack at the mill. I asked him to stand in a certain place and he cooperated without really knowing why. Bwhaha.


We partook at the local winery and did a brief wine tasting. It was nothing like California, but it was nice.


Jack outside the winery. And the edge of my face.


And finally, us at the local Soda Shoppe in town. We had to get a coke float before we left!


It was a fun time to get away and a good end to the summer. Or start of the school year.

First day of class is Tuesday for me!

Domestic Goddess

Since this is my last week without working or schooling, I'm doing some last nesting things before it hits next week. I love to be busy, don't get me wrong, but I just want to feel "ready." Nesting.

This is what I did today.

Before:

After:

This is the fabric for those of you who are interested:


And then....
this is my favorite domestic project I have ever done! I almost forgot to take a before picture, but here is a little peek of the before:


Our friends gave us an armchair. Great size, comfy, etc. So I wanted to recover it. I wanted to use little to no money. So I thought, "what is big enough and soft enough to cover a chair?" Sheets, of course! So I used back to college sales, coupons, and store credit and paid ZERO for a pair of jersey sheets and a throw pillow. And... (drumroll please)....



That, my friends, is a chair covered with sheets. I tucked and tucked and used upholstery tacks. Of course, now I can't get it in the room where it's supposed to go, but that's what husbands are for.



And this is the little secret...



Sorry about the picture, I don't know why it won't flip. But the next time you are over, don't look at the back of my new chair!