ms. jackson if you're nastee

these were the days. no cleavage. a little extra body. big, poofy hair. i read today that janet has a daughter. ms. nasty was married at the age of 18 to some old school guy with the last name debarge. his songs are probably on soft hits 96.9 now. it doesn't really surprise me that jan has a kid. what surprises me is that this child is supposedly staying with her oldest sister rebbie. listen, how many stinkin kids are in that family? i thought latoya was her only sister. just when you think you know somebody so well.

new thing

my new thing is polishing my nails. i think that i might try to make it to the guiness book of records and grow my fingernails out. really long and curly, like that guy. and then i can paint landscape scenes on them. so many possibilities, so little time. especially since global warming is happening.

reading group

for those of us that don't have much to do, i'm starting a reading group based on the "supernatural". it's great that america is spending so much money on the space program. let's applaude them by reading this timely book. just let me know if you're interested. for our field trip we can go to space camp in huntsville, alabama. everyone will get their own training suit.

global warming

listen people...i'm tired of 80 degree weather in kentucky in october. advice: start treating the earth better. all of us. we all drive our big SUVs (and other types of cars, of course) and just drive, drive, drive. let's cut down on driving. let's get our lazy asses out and walk or bike (if we are capable). i'm tired of hurricanes demolishing towns that house cafes with great beignets. we've got to be better stewards of this earth. let's get convicted about the gift of life that we've been given. let's stop buying unnecessary objects. start recycling (or keep recycling). maybe i'm a treehugger. i am a christian who hopes to imitate christ in the care of things both small and big. persons and the earth.

it hurts my heart to drive out of lexington and see sprawl. suburbs with house that look very similar. boxey strip malls. big, fat wal-farts. but that doesn't stop me from visiting my in-laws in the burbs. they do have a nice whirlpool tub. oh yeah, that uses too much water. that i do use.

things we can do: buy locally (food and clothing, if possible), drive less, only use the water we need, share resources, learn more about issues concerning care of the earth (esp. locally), etc...

informative website: http://www.ucsusa.org/

rock on. let's not be lazy about this even though we are americans and enjoy sitting around. it's not as hard as it may seem.

where have you been?

important news!!!! air guitaring totally rox. are you born with the gift or does it take daily discipline? listen, reo speedwagon and styx were in lexvegas at rupp arena tuesday night. which brings me to share my latest discovery (actually it was ryan's). there's a new place on 3rd street called "indy's wok & go". it used to be a fried fish place, but then it mysteriously turned asian. this is their slogan..."i know it's only WOK & GO but i like it". god bless indy. god bless rock and roll.

most recent bling

good thing i work alot. this is the newest edition to ryan's mouth. i decided to get a close-up b/c it is beautiful. i love to kiss the diamonds. ryan has decided to be a stay-at-home fantasy football expert. the interesting thing about that decision is that we have neither tv nor computer.

cleaning house

this is me. i take care of childs and clean big, phatty homes. well, one big phatty home. i've realized that cleaning makes me angry. not sure why. b/c the pay is nizzice. and i really need to make the bux b/c my husband enjoys the bling. there's got to be more to life than this.

an update on biscuit

style is everything with zach. he'll be a whole year old this month and still going strong. i've been sneaking him donuts to keep him bulky. we've got to be careful not to lose any of that baby meat. zach wanted to take a close-up of us, so i obliged. he likes those cheesy kind of shots.
as you can see in the bath shot, biscuit is getting some definition in his upper arm area. he's flexing in this picture.

a moment to appreciate the south

top ten things to love about the south:

1. grits
2. fresh peaches
3. college football...war eagle!
4. spring break in PCB (panama city beach)
5. the hospitality
6. college kids who follow jam bands (and some post-college)
7. bluegrass music
8. cornbread dressing
9. fresh summer tomatoes
10. humidity

agree or disagree?

my best friend's wedding

ryan and i just got back from one of the most lovely and fun weddings that we've ever experienced (and this was an experience). our friends, kit and ryan, were married on kit's family farm near selma, alabama. talk about southern hospitality...we ate and played like kings and queens thanks to the upchurch family (kit's side). they can put on the dog. we arrived thursday night to open arms and warm welcomes and chicken pot pie. the wedding party got to stay in a nearby hunting lodge surrounded by 90 acres of cotton.
on friday, ryan was able to go fishing early with some guys and he actually caught two, huge bass. he's such a manly man. we played at the farm all day...swimming, laughing, skeet shooting, catching up with friends. for the rehearsal dinner we went into selma and had the biggest piece of meat that i've ever seen at a beautiful old home and b&b. i love the south.
of course on saturday, you've got to do the luncheon thing. we had shrimp and grits, sausage/egg casserole, etc. at yet another beautiful old home. oh yeah, and we sweated quite a bit. our poor non-southern friends...
the ceremony was amazing. it was outside, next to the barn. a homemade cross hung over the barn opening in honor of kit's grandmother. we sang, shared in communion, cried and witnessed the beginning of a beautiful marriage. afterwards, we celebrated. very much so. "the style band" played while we danced like crazy in an (thank God) air-conditioned barn. and then we finally had to say goodbye to kit and ryan. unfortunately, they have to spend two weeks in hawaii.
i'm ecstatic over their joining, but i'm mourning having to say goodbye to friends. i'm thankful for good memories and moments to reconnect. it was truly unforgettable.

martha's back!

i just want to wish that sweet, lovable martha stewart a warm welcome back to the television world. starting on sept. 12, our angel of the do-it-yourself queendom (or kingdom) will be gracing us with a live show. much like judge judy or some soap opera, it will be a daytime tv show. this is my advice to the diva...poofy hair and more revealing clothes, it's what sells. cheers, martha!

merton wisdom

“Where there is a deep, simple, all-embracing love of man, of the created world of living and inanimate things, then there will be respect for life, for freedom, for truth, for justice and there will be humble love of God. But where there is no love of man, no love of life, then make all the laws you want, all the edicts and treaties, issue all the anathemas; set up all the safeguards and inspections, fill the air with spying satellites, and hang cameras on the moon. As long as you see your fellow man being essentially to be feared, mistrusted, hated, and destroyed, there cannot be peace on earth. And who knows if fear alone will suffice to prevent a war of total destruction?”

From Seeds of Destruction by Thomas Merton
(New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1964), p.183

hot sauce and helping out

when ryan and i were in new orleans over christmas break last year, we met a man who runs a community garden there. he and neighborhood boys plant hot peppers and hand-make a yummy hot sauce. they also raise chickens and do some other gardening as well. they are actually a sub-group of an organization called PARKWAY PARTNERS which does alot with urban families and youth in new orleans. i'm currently trying to get in touch with them to find out what kind of help they need. i'll post it as soon as i find out. you can find them at www.parkwaypartners.com .

reporting the news

now, why in the world do we need to follow the path of a hurricane for two days straight on the news? i'm truly saddened for the people of new orleans, for those whose lives are in danger, those who will be without homes, and for the historical parts of the city. but, it's like we thrive on fear as americans. no wonder we have such high rates of anxiety/depression. i mean, just to watch a reporter on tv standing in a parking lot in biloxi, ms practically dodging sheet metal that's flying around...it doesn't seem right to me. i know that i can't live in a box. nor would i want to, but this is a good reminder to limit tv watching. to stay informed, but not consumed. to read something positive. to breathe. to pray for and help those affected by a catastrophe.

yummy...

this is my hunk of a husband. some think he favors jesus. am i married to jesus?

super hero

this is wonder woman. she saves people from evil. who wouldn't want to be rescued by her? i think she might be in new orleans in this picture.

good stuff

CRAWFISH CHOWDER
1-2 Lb Crawfish Tails
8 Oz Cream Cheese Cubed
1 Med Onion Diced
1 Stick Butter
1 pint ½ & ½
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
2 cans cream of potato soup
1 can white corn with water
1 can yellow corn with water
Tony Chacare's Seasoning (+ salt & pepper)
Wilt onion in butter. Add crawfish for 5 minutes. Add cream cheese until soft. Add all the other ingredients. Let simmer on low, stirring regularly, for 1 hour.


this recipe comes straight from our cajun friends who made this for us last week while we were getting ready for melissa's wedding. make sure everything is full fat, ya hear. it would also probably work well with shrimp.

who shares a birthday with my husband?

look at this beautiful array of cool people that have a birthday on august 14th. this is officially, since yesterday, ryan's birthday month. i'm not sure if we're going to invite these folks to our party, but we'll see. the one on the bottom is not my dad.

the big, phat koch sister wedding

well, it's here. THE WEDDING. i've been helping my sis-in-law, melissa plan her old wedding and there's quite a bit that goes into it. i guess i just forgot. but at least the dj is going to play "whip it" by devo. and "i like big butts". fun times. pray for us all.

my friend mev's birthday week

well, these ladies sure know how to celebrate. we're all here to wish my dear friend mev a happy birthday week. let this be a lesson for all you uncreative folks who complain about the lack of a cupholder. god bless america and mev.