All for You!

Here ya go, Smalls..just for you! After THREE very long months {and many trys and formats!!}, here's finally your 30th birthday slideshow and videos, hope you enjoy!! :) A huge shout out to all you wonderful peeps out there, that contributed photos and video, to help complete this masterpiece!

Part One:

Part Two:

Lauren:

Jenny:

{Sorry Jen: your video was too large for blogger to upload, so this is the only way I could post!}

Stephen, Jody, & Anna:

The Nelson's & Martin's:

Happy 30th Smalls!!
We ALL love you!! xoxo

Until Next Time!

Drive In, Drive Out.

As previously mentioned, Matt and I took a quick trip up North, Hot Springs Village to be exact..with the Funder5, Matt’s parents, his brother Mike, Uncle Jerry, & GG in celebration of GG’s 80th birthday!! We had a nice but quick little getaway!

After our miserable loss to the Harleton Astros Friday evening, Matt and I were on the road by 7. One quick stop at On the Border in Texarkana, and a few rain showers later, we arrived at our destination just after 11. Half of the crew had already gone to bed, so after a few hellos and goodbye’s, Matt and I did the same.

The next morning, we awoke, and headed out for some yummy breakfast. When we returned, I headed out solo, GPS in hand, on my way to my much anticipated Hot Springs Village massage! What a LET-DOWN! Even though the trip’s sole-purpose was to celebrate GG, that wasn’t going to stop the guys from playing a little golf, so when Matt’s uncle Jerry said he was planning on a massage, I was more than willing to join him. Jerry made his appointment for 3 on Friday, and mine at 12:15 on Saturday. That morning, Jerry raved and raved about his masseuse “Joan”, so naturally I was a little excited about my turn. After arriving safely, and waiting just a bit, I heard a lady approach me, and say.. “My momma sick. I do you” What’s that you say?? To complicate things even more, God bless her soul, she was handicap and deaf!! Oh the predicament. The 97% not so nice Candy would have been out like a light, but the 3% Candy was too mortified to tell the little handicap girl, uh no! So I laid in distress the entire hour of my massage. Never could I get comfortable, and to spare you all the horrific details, was oh so thankful when she was done. $57 later, and I was out.

you’ve got to be kidding me.

I arrived back at the house, a little before 2, and spent the remainder of the evening sitting on the back porch relaxing with MeeMaw, Mik & the boys.

Our 48 hour, Home away from Home!

Our balcony view

Christian Bo, 15, and bored out of his mind! ;)

Some of our mid-afternoon finds:

Alvin the chipmunk

MeeMaw & Mik, decided to go for a little swim, but it was much too cold for the 97% Candy! :)

The guys soon returned, and around 7ish, we all cleaned up and loaded up, and headed to Tranquillos’s, are usual dining destination, while in the Village. A filet, some cheesecake, and happy birthday singing to GG, and we were back at the house. That evening, we talked and listened to childhood stories of GG’s for hours, before hitting the sack.

The next morning, we all visited some more, did a little sightseeing around The Village, grabbed a thunderstorm packed lunch, and headed back South. So thankful we got to spend GG’s 80th with her! What a wonderful blessing!

That same weekend, my mom travelled South and attended a Pine Tree Girls of 73 class reunion. They rented a beach house in Kemah, and talked and laughed the weekend away. I was so excited mom went, and got to enjoy a fantastic girls getaway trip of her own, here’s to many more of them, for her and I!!

Mom & Lola!! :)

Until Next Time!

So much to say..

So much to do! Man, I can really tell we’re fixing to be in the full swing of summer, can’t you?! ..busy weeknights, busy weekends, busy holidays, just busy! Since I left off, Matt and I have done birthday’s, T-ball games, soccer games, races, dance recitals, oh, and Mother’s day!! :)

Back on April 27th, we celebrated MeeMaw’s 59th birthday, and the whole gang met up for dinner that night at Outback, before heading back over to the Funder5’s for some yummy cupcakes!

Happy Birthday MeeMaw!!

I believe the next weekend, was full of T-ball tournaments and movie marathons, but unless I take pictures of actual events, it’s usually all a blur, so moving on.. the following weekend, Saturday May 8th, Melanie & Mom and I, attended our 2nd Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in Tyler!!

This year, we graciously picked up a few new racers, and we also rose to the challenge, and committed to the 5K!! These three ladies,

Gynger, Mel, & Sally

actually RAN the entire 3.2 miles, while me-mom-ashley & dylan- casey- casey’s mom & step-mom- and casey’s friend audrey, walked..at a semi-fast pace!! :)

Dylan, all decked out in her pink! :)

We had an amazing walk, perfect weather, fought for a great cause, all while honoring MawMaw, {Melanie’s Mom}, as we quickly approach May 15th, the day that marks 3 years since we lost MawMaw in her courageous battle against breast cancer! I love that this race is always on Mother’s Day weekend, such an awesome event!

After the race, we rushed back to Longview, to make Brennan’s last soccer game of the season.

Later that afternoon, we headed off to Demi’s last dance recital of the season. Man was this an event. It was held at Kilgore College’s main auditorium, so you can imagine the amount of people that attended this recital, when Matt and I got there, it was already standing room only, and for an hour in a half, I stood, sweating, for Demi to perform one song people, ONE song! Girl better know I love her!! ;)

After the recital, we all headed West on 31, and met up for some dinner at The Country Tavern {Yum-O}

We’ve got another busy one planned this weekend as well. This time, heading North.

Until Next Time!

Georgia

Last Friday, April 23rd, was my grandmother Georgia Nin or “Nini” as we affectionately call her, 80th Birthday!! 80, can you believe it?! She is exactly 50 years older than I..crazy to imagine all she’s seen and been through. I think I developed a LOT of Nin’s characteristics.. she’s a feisty one, so you can only imagine how excited she was about turning the big 8-0! She made it very clear, that she did NOT want a party {ha, is what I said to that!} ..and a party’s just what she got! ;)

On Friday morning, I called to wish the bday girl, a very happy 80th birthday, and she about took my head off when I said..the number. “Don’t say that out loud,” she barked! :) That evening, My dad and his wife Donna, My uncle Mike and his wife Becky, and my aunt Teresa and her husband Robert, all took Nini and her husband Bob, out to dinner at Roadhouse. Little did she know, that wasn’t even the beginning of her celebration. We let the weekend go by pretty quietly, and on Sunday, we headed over to Mike & Becky’s for her birthday lunch (a traditional lunch we usually do every Sunday after someone’s birthday..it’s just immediate family, so she thought nothing of it) I had sent out “formal invitations” the month before, and during lunch, all her guests were secretly arriving next door at her sisters! The day progressed, until she heard a knock on the door..

to say she was shocked, would be an understatement, and she welcomed in 40 of her nearest and dearest! :) Teresa and I quickly went over to do a “How pissed are you” check, and to our delight, she was good!!

The Cake!

The kids..enjoying her birthday balloons!!

.. a few of her guests..

Nin, and her sisters: Snookie, Patsy, & Shirley

The girls, with one of their brothers, Sunny

For Nin’s gift, and everyone’s enjoyment, I created a slideshow of her last 80 years.. I spent an INSANE amount of time on it, and come Showtime, the video wouldn’t play!! (Sound familiar, Smalls?!..don’t worry yours is next!) I was almost in tears, when after several attempts, my step-brother lil’ cody, came through! He thought he might have a cord to connect my computer to the TV so he ran home to grab it, moment’s later..

SUCCESS!!

I think everyone {esp. Nini} really enjoyed it, and that made me very happy..so here it is, for your viewing pleasure as well! ;)

some of my favorites..

doesn’t this look like a freakin post card??! She’s the oldest one..

This is my Nini, and my grandfather Papa, My Uncle Mike, Dad, and aunt Teresa!!!

Nin’s parents and brothers & Sisters

Dad, Teresa, Mike {Is that not Aaron?!}, Nini & Papa

Nini & Mom, I suppose SHORT shorts were in!!

@ my 30th birthday!

Happy HAPPY Birthday, Nin!! Love you so much..here’s to the NEXT 80 years!! :)

Until Next Time!