ABC's of Jared

Finally got Jared to do this ...

A – Age: 26
B – Bed size: Queen
C – Chore you hate: Dust
D – Dogs: Dolce and Diesel
E – Essential start to your day item: Shower
F – Favorite color: Blue
G – Gold or Silver: Silver
H – Height: 5’11"
I – Instruments you play: Drums in 6th grade
J – Job Title: Team Leader
K – Kid(s): None
L – Live: Kentucky
M – Mom’s name: Patricia Ann
N – Nicknames: J-rod
O – Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Appendicitis
P – Pet Peeve: Being late
Q – Quote from a movie:  "You can't handle the truth"!
R – Right or left handed: Right
S – Siblings: 2 brothers
T – Time you wake up: 2:18 a.m.
U- Underwear: Boxer briefs
V – Vegetable you dislike: Green beans
W – What makes me run late: My wife
X – X-rays: A bunch!
Y – Yummy food you make: Breakfast
Z – Zoo animals: Tigers (of course!)

The ABC's of Rian

I borrowed stole this from my friend, Glenneth's, blog. (I'll try to talk Jared into doing this next.)

A – Age: Thirty, Flirty and Fun!
B – Bed size: Queen, but since the King takes up most of the room, we really should get a larger bed. :)
C – Chore you hate: Laundry
D – Dogs: Love my boys, Dolce (Boxer) and Diesel (American Bulldog)!
E – Essential start to your day item: Diet Coke
F – Favorite color: Turquoise and Hot Pink
G – Gold or Silver: White Gold
H – Height: 5’4″
I – Instruments you play: None - I was a cheerleader.
J – Job Title: Marketing Coordinator
K – Kid(s): None ... yet ;)
L – Live: The Bluegrass State
M – Mom’s name: Judy Ann
N – Nicknames: Rianey Butt
O – Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Several ... A recent surgery landed me there a couple of nights in March.
P – Pet Peeve: When guys have long nails, when people pretend to be dumb.
Q – Quote from a movie:  "Nobody puts 'Baby' in a corner." - Dirty Dancing
R – Right or left handed: Right
S – Siblings: Kelly, Jeff and Wil
T – Time you wake up: 6:30 ish
U- Underwear: Yep, I wear them!
V – Vegetable you dislike: Brussel's sprouts
W – What makes me run late: Hitting the snooze button!
X – X-rays: A lot of them these days!
Y – Yummy food you make: I love to cook, but I make a Heath Cake that'll make you wanna slap your mama!
Z – Zoo animals: Everything except snakes! I love the zoo!

Sweet Goodness

I have a new favorite place in Lexington. In fact, it's become somewhat of an addiction. An addiction I don't have to feel guilty about either. I find myself indulging in the sweet goodness at least twice a week. I'm talking about Orange Leaf, a frozen yogurt eatery. If you haven't been to yet, I suggest you make the trip ...like now!













Some might say the reason they love it so much is the low calorie frozen yogurt. There are over 12, maybe even 15, possible flavors and combinations.

























But, here's my thought on that: If they say that, they're lying. That's like when men say they go to Hooters for the wings. Let me explain ... It's more than the yogurt ... It's everything that comes with it ... The atmosphere, the fun and, well, the toppings (sorry for the inappropriate, unintended pun).

Now, when I said I don't have to feel guilty about my new addiction, it's because the goodness or the sinfulness is determined by the toppings. You can choose fruits, candy bars, sauces, cereal, marshmallows, gummy bears ... Anything you can imagine!












My personal favorite concoction is this: confetti cake froyo with kiwi, strawberries, bananas and sprinkles.











And I can't leave out this picture. It's so more much fun to eat with cool utensils!








From what I hear, I'm not the only one with an Orange Leaf addiction. I follow Coach Cal on Twitter, and he's mentioned his froyo passion once or twice too!

Check out their website for locations, flavors and nutritional values. You won't be sorry! Check it out.


Cheers, Rian
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Little Judy

Ever looked in the mirror and wondered "who is that person staring back at me"? Oh yeah, I have too! Actually, I do it every day. The older I get, the more I remind myself of my mother (hence the title of this post, "Little Judy"). If you ask Jared, he'll tell you I'm "Little Kelly" (my sister). Jared never had the privilege of meeting my sweet mama, but if he had, he'd know "Little Judy" and "Little Kelly" mean the exact same thing! Either way, I take it as a compliment. You see, my mom and my sister just happen to be two of the greatest women I've ever known.

My mom had a heart that was always open. She never judged people based on their beliefs or lifestyles. She had faith that could move a mountain. And she supported her children no matter what decisions we made.

If you look in the dictionary under strength, you'll see her name. Well, not really. It's just a figure of speech. But I'm sure if Merriam and Webster had ever met my mom, they would have updated their dictionary with the correct definition (her name, of course).

Let me explain with the short version of the story ... A widow in her early twenties, raised two small children while going to nursing school, a less-than-perfect second marriage, a daughter diagnosed with cancer ... these are just a few of the battles she fought in her short 56 years. And she fought them all with strength, courage, love and faith.

And can we talk about her contagious laugh for just a minute. I used to hear her on the phone talking to her best friend and just giggling away. I had no idea what was so funny, but I always ended up sitting there laughing with them. She was just too darn cute!

Now she wasn't perfect ... but no one is. My sweet mama had a temper like a mama bear if anyone messed with her babies! And, although she was always forgiving of her children, she was known to hold a grudge ... or two.

I wish I could say I had all of my mother's positive attributes, but I'm sure I don't. However, the ones about faith and family I come by honest. I also got my "protective instincts" from her (but she got hers from her mom, and I hope my kids get it from me too - if we don't take up for our families who will?).

I was blessed with 21 amazing years with her by my side. She helped me get ready for dates, made sure I always had the cutest clothes and never failed to ask me every day, "did anyone tell you how pretty you look today." Of course, as a teenager, that question drove me crazy. Who, other than Jennifer Lopez who was voted People's Most Beautiful Woman in the World, gets told that EVERY day? Guess how often I wish I could hear her ask me that now?

I must not leave out her "coolness factor." She took my friends and me rolling yards in the green dragon (her Volvo station wagon), let me go to Panama City on senior week ... as a junior AND a senior and only sent me to live with my sister for two weeks when I got my belly button pierced (trust me, that was NOT punishment so she must have secretly liked it <well, that's a stretch>).

So, when I look in the mirror and see my moms eyes, nose and, unfortunately her thighs too, it makes my heart giggle a little. I'll take the good and the bad (although I'm hoping the treadmill will take care of the thighs), because if I can grow up to be half the amazing woman she was, I'll be doing pretty well.

Happy Mother's Day to my mom, my sister, my mother-in-law and all the other amazing moms in my life! Love you all!

Mom (prego with me)

After I was born ... still in the hospital.

Can we talk about how beautiful she was!

Mom and her sister at Kelly's wedding.

Twins?

My sister and two beautiful daughters. She's a terrific mom!

The friend I mentioned who always made her laugh ... this is her ... dressed as a clown! Now I know why they laughed so hard!

Little Judy

Ever looked in the mirror and wondered "who is that person staring back at me"? Yep, I have too! Actually, I do it every day. The older I get, the more I remind myself of my mother (hence the title of this post, "Little Judy"). If you asked Jared, he'd tell you I'm "Little Kelly" (my sister). Unfortunately, Jared never had the privilege of meeting my sweet mama, but if he had, he'd realize "Little Judy" and "Little Kelly" mean the exact same thing! Either way, I take it as a compliment. You see, my mom and my sister just happen to be two of the greatest women I've ever known.

My mom had a heart that was always open. She never judged people based on their beliefs or lifestyles. She had faith that could move a mountain. And she supported her children no matter what decisions we made (now this doesn't mean we never got in trouble though).

She wasn't perfect ... no one is. My sweet mama had a temper like a mama bear if anyone messed with her babies! And, although she was always forgiving of her children, she was known to hold a grudge or two.

I wish I could say I had all of my mother's positive attributes, but I'm sure I don't. However, the ones about faith and family I come by honest. I also got my "protective instincts" and grudge holding from her too (but she got hers from her mom, and I hope my kids get it from me too - if we don't take up for our families who will?).

So, I guess the things that some might call imperfections, are things I wouldn't have changed about her for anything in the world. And when I look in the mirror and see my mom or my sister staring back at me, it makes me so very proud of the woman I've grown up to be.

Remembering ...

I remember walking through the back door at the formal wear/salon where I worked part-time while attending community college. One of the ladies I worked for (who is also one of my dearest friends) was already there cutting a local police officer's hair. From the back I could hear them talking. Their voices echoed with fear and sadness. As I listened and realized what they were talking about, I too became overwhelmed with fear, sadness and even loneliness.

I didn't turn the TV on that morning. I remember it like it was yesterday. Just six weeks before the 9/11 attack on America, my mother passed away. She was taken from us suddenly in a car accident, and my mind and heart still hadn't quite adjusted. So, it wasn't unlike me to get ready for work in complete silence. It was usually the time I took to pray. I would pray for a peaceful day, for God to give me the strength to make it through and always for the safety of my family.

At the moment I realized our nation was under attack, I didn't feel any of those things ... peaceful, strong or safe. I turned the radio to our local Christian station and listened to my pastor explain what was happening and try to comfort his listeners. I called my family, and, of course, they were all safe, but they were feeling the same emotions as everyone else. I remember going home and watching the video of the towers falling, hearing story after heartbreaking story on the news and realizing what it meant to truly feel patriotic from the hair on my head to the polish on my toes. Eventually, I knew every word to Toby Keith's song, American Soldier, and "Let's Roll" became a motto I wanted to live by too.

Today, I sit here with a mix of emotions. Again, the patriotism I feel is taking over. I've known several who have fought and are still fighting for our country ... in this war and those before. There aren't enough words to describe the gratitude I feel towards the men and women who risk their lives for me, my family and our safety every day.

The news broke, and the death of Osama Bin Laden was celebrated. And, yes, I know without a shadow of a doubt that he "got what he deserved" as so many are describing the event on Facebook and Twitter. I too am celebrating the work and courage of our Navy Seals, the CIA and all involved. But for a minute let's stop and think about what this all means.

The families of those who suffered and died on September 11 can finally have a little bit of closure. Although, when a family member is taken from us, I don't think we ever really get complete closure. Hug those you love today, and never miss an opportunity to say, "I love you."

And, now maybe our troops can come home. I know there are moms, dads, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends who haven't seen their loved ones in a long time. Don't take advantage of the fact that your family lives five minutes or five hours away from you. Embrace every opportunity God gives you to enjoy each other.

Lastly, think about what it means to be patriotic. You don't have to serve in the military or fight in a war to fulfill your patriotic duties. You can serve this land we love and the freedom we share right where you are. Volunteer for a local non-profit, support the things you believe in and exercise your freedoms.

We shouldn't celebrate the death, but rejoice in the cause. Today, our country and our world are safer than they were yesterday. Today, we have the opportunity to realize our patriotic role and make a difference. Today, we can change our lives and the lives around us by just focusing on making a difference. As a mentor of mine posted on Twitter this morning, "let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me."

God Bless America!