Looking Ahead

I am ready and waiting for a fantastic 2010! Overall, 2009 wasn’t a bad year, but it was a sad year for obvious reasons. I have faith that 2010 will be a good one. Here are just a few things I have to look forward to in the coming year…

• Colorado Ski Trip – It’s been almost two years since we visited Matt and Jennifer in Denver, so this time around we’re hoping to go in the next couple of months and do some skiing in Breckenridge.
• My FOURTH wedding anniversary – My, how time flies!
• My 30th birthday – Yes, I’ll be turning the big 3-0 in September, so stay tuned for party plans. ;)
• Baby Ferrell’s birth – If you haven’t heard already, Derek and I will welcome another niece or nephew this summer! Congrats, Neil and Katie!
• Another summer at Eagle Lake – my favorite thing to do during the summer… there’s nowhere else like it.

There’s much, much more to look forward to as we welcome 2010, and I'm anxious to see what all lies ahead in the immediate future. Happy New Year!

Another Wonderful Christmas

We had another absolutely wonderful Christmas on both sides this year. We spent special time with family in Hattiesburg and Vicksburg and feel extraordinarily blessed.

The Christmas holiday started with a trip to Hattiesburg on Wednesday. We spent the night looking at Christmas lights with my parents and eating dinner downtown. Christmas Eve morning we opened presents at my parents' house before heading to Granny and Pap's for Christmas with them.

Some highlights of Hattiesburg Christmas were bongo drums for my mom, some new Wii games for us, pearls from my Granny, a Snuggie (yes, yes, I know you're jealous!), gift cards, tupperware, new sheets and pillows, soap galore and an anniversary trip for my parents, just to name a few. We headed home Christmas Eve night and found that Santa had already made his visit and filled up the stockings for Izzy and Bentley. :)

Christmas Day we woke up early and opened up our presents from each other. I felt very spoiled from my sweet husband but very grateful. Among the presents Derek gave me were his mother's diamond earrings, which are absolutely beautiful. I cried, and as Derek's mom used to say, "It's not Christmas unless somebody cries!" So, Candee, it was a very special Christmas moment, to say the least.

After our presents, we walked across the street to have coffee with Ben and Tina and Baby Brady. We couldn't miss Brady's first Christmas, and he even ate baby food for the first time. He is too precious!

We hit the road to Vicksburg around noon and spent the afternoon playing Scattergories and Trivial Pursuit with Derek's dad and sister before everyone came over to open gifts and eat our Italian-themed Christmas dinner. It was a marathon present-opening evening with Ryan Hadley helping everyone open every present. She didn't want to miss anything. She's big into Disney and princesses this year, so one of the gifts we gave her was a Cinderella wig, pictured below. It's entirely too much fun to shop for an almost 3-year-old. :)

We were spoiled once again with all the wonderful gifts from the Greys, including an apron and oven mits for me, a new gas blower and weedeater for Derek, a gorgeous picture frame, an Eagle Lake cookbook, socks, boxer shorts and much much more.

Saturday we spent playing with our new toys just like kids and staying warm by the fire. It has been an absolutely wonderful holiday, and we feel so very loved and incredibly blessed. And a very special Happy 81st to my Christmas Day Birthday Girl, Granny!

Party Time!

Saturday night we hosted our second annual Christmas party, only this time we made the theme Dirty Santa AND Tacky Christmas. We hosted with five other people and had entirely too much fun (this said after I drank entirely too much eggnog). Here are some pics from the night…

Derek organizing Dirty Santa...

A favorite of the night...

Happy Birthday, John and Claire!

Drew with his mullet and a creepy look on his face... :)

Towards the end of the eggnog...

A fun time was had by all, and we look forward to the THIRD annual party next year!

Because I've procrastinated...

Here is our Christmas card.

Well, this clearly seems to be the year of the photo card... and that being said, you will not be getting a card in the mail from the Greys this year because we did not make a photo card. I don't want to send you a card that you will not put on your mantle or on your fridge. I know what you're thinking... "Of course I would put it on the fridge or the mantle!" Maybe so, but you would be a little disappointed when you opened it and it was not a photo card. Admit it. And besides, it's a week before Christmas, and now I've waited too long. My apologies...

We have said for years that we wouldn't make photo cards until we had kids, but this year clearly we have been outnumbered. So consider this our photo Christmas card. Maybe next year we'll surprise you, who knows...

Until then,

From our house to yours,

Merry Christmas and New Year!!

With Love,

Derek and Lizzie

Christmastime in Cajun Country

Road trip #2 of the holiday season... Natchitoches, La., for the Christmas Festival of Lights. We hit the road around noon on Friday and toured the backroads and swamplands of Louisiana for nearly five hours before arriving at our final destination. This was my third trip to this neat little Louisiana river town (once for work in the newspaper days and once for a long weekend with Drew and Kristin) but my first visit at Christmas.

"Steel Magnolias" was filmed here (the Steel Magnolias B&B is pictured above), and it's like a city set back in time. The Christmas lights stay strung over the brick streets year-round but when they actually turn the lights on, it's truly breathtaking. No camera will do it justice, but we tried to get a few good shots anyways.



It was ugly weather all weekend long, but Friday night we had dinner downtown and then spent all day Saturday shopping and sight-seeing. We rented some wheelchairs from a local pharmacy to make it easier for Granny and Pap to get around, and I think they really enjoyed the "free ride." :) We ate some famous Natchitoches meat pies at Lasyone's and then walked around at the carnival down by the river, which is where the picture with the baby gator was taken above.

It was a trip Granny had wanted to take for years now, and I'm so glad we got to experience it as a family. It was worth the long drive and the cold, ugly weather. It really puts you in the Christmas spirit. :)

Move That Bus!

ABC's "Extreme Home Makeover" crew has been in Hattiesburg all week building a house for a family in need. The Heathcock family has three children and is struggling to make ends meet while the the father/husband, Sherman Heathcock, serves in Iraq.

When he's not oversees, Sherman works several jobs around town for extra money including working as a sheriff's deputy, a SWAT team leader, a grocery store security guard, a neighborhood watch group organizer, and volunteers his time to provide security for his kids’ school and coach his son’s football and baseball teams. His wife, Gina, works part-time as a paralegal.

The Heathcocks' house, which is exactly one block away from the house I grew up in on 17th Avenue, suffered some damage from Hurricane Katrina while Sherman was oversees during his first tour of duty. This poor family has just a long run of bad luck and is very deserving of this makeover.

The cool part is that the WHOLE city has come together to get this project done. It really is how you see it on TV. Volunteers, including my parents who have kept the website up and running for sponsors/volunteer sign-up/donations, etc., have been working around the clock.

Today is the "Move That Bus!" day as the project comes to a close, and I would loooove to be there. This two-hour episode is set to air during the first round of TV sweeps during February. I can't wait! It's a great thing for Hattiesburg, for all who have been involved, and especially the Heathcock family. I think it's pretty cool.

For more information about the project, visit the website - courtesy of Bice Advertising :) - at http://www.extremehattiesburg.com/.

Holiday Road

Road trip #1 of the holiday season… Florence, Ala., for the Bice family mini-reunion to visit Grandma. It was a loooong drive (about 6 ½ hours), but we made it all in one piece. Road trips with my parents make me pretty nostalgic. I feel like I’m 13 years old again, listening to Ace of Base on my Discman and reading R.L. Stine books in the backseat.

It was great to get most of the Bice clan together again – Grandma, my parents, Uncle Frank, Aunt Helen, cousin Gef, his wife Stephanie and their two girls, Bella and Ainsley, cousin Lisa and her two kids, Kayden and Reed, and cousin Julie with Baby Burks on the way. Derek stayed home, as did Julie’s husband, Greg. Even without the two husbands, we were 14 strong everywhere we went! Here is Grandma with the grandkids...

And here are my "little" cousins...

Saturday we got out and about for some good, old-fashioned sight-seeing. We started at the Rosenbaum house, one of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses built in the early 1940s. It was actually a lot cooler than I thought it was going to be, and I had a special appreciation for the house since it really was the beginning of the “ranch” style that we live in today.

Then we headed over to Tuscumbia, Ala., where my dad went to elementary school. We rode by his old house, and then even stopped by Helen Keller’s birthplace. It was a very educational day! Here's Helen Keller's house...

And my dad's old house...

We ended the day with a great dinner at the hotel restaurant and then with a pretty in-depth genealogy lesson from cousin Gef. Apparently my heritage is Dutch, and we can be traced back to some famous Dutchman named “Jan the Soldier” whose dad was a mayor in Amsterdam. Who knew?

Here’s one of my favorite pictures from the weekend…

This was about midway through Grandma’s story about how she was on a double date with another boy, her sister Bet and Grandpa (he was the one on the date with Bet, Grandma was with the other boy) and Grandpa turned around in the car and kissed her in the middle of his date with another girl!!! Clearly it all worked out for the best though. They were engaged three days later while Grandpa was on leave from the war and were married for more than 60 years. Now THAT’s a love story. :)

The most wonderful time of year!

I know I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… this is my FAVORITE time of year! I just love it! I love the smell of Christmas in the air when I walk in the door, the warmth of a fire burning in the fireplace, the glow of the Christmas lights on the tree and on the mantle, all the presents under the tree… I don’t think there’s anything I don’t like about this month.

It’s only December 3rd, and I already have 99% of my shopping done (Izzy was happy we decided to use raffia on all our presents) and have already watched every single cheesy Christmas movie that has come on Lifetime or ABC Family. Don’t judge… I’m in the holiday spirit. Last night we watched “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” That one never gets old.

Usually with December comes holiday craziness, and this year is no exception. There’s just SO much going on. Between family road trips, Christmas parties, etc., I’ll be worn out by the time the month is over, but that’s what it’s all about! Fit as much in as possible during the 31 best days in the year! :)

Thanksgiving 2009

We could not have had a more wonderful Thanksgiving break... we were off Wednesday through yesterday, and it was quite a nice little vacay. Thursday we hosted my family at our house, and then Saturday we went to Vicksburg for the Greys' lunch at Mamaw's house.

Here's my summary of our little break:

We fried the biggest turkey I've ever seen (no, that's not it pictured above - I forgot to get my camera out until after we finished eating, and Derek told me then that no one wanted to see pictures of half-eaten food.) Anyways, this turkey was huge and DELICIOUS.

We ate entirely too much tasty-but-bad-for-us Thanksgiving food and leftovers.

We ate entirely too much tasty-but-bad-for-us just plain junk food (pizza, burgers, etc.)

We decorated our house for Christmas. It's beautiful. I wish I could stay at home all day and night and just look at the tree and the fireplace.

We did a little more Christmas shopping. We're about 80% done already, and a tree just isn't a tree until there are lots of presents underneath!

We had our fair share of adult beverages... wine just kept disappearing... I think the elves drank it.

We were total homebodies and could not have enjoyed it more! I love being home for the holidays!

It was a great break, and now it's back to the real world. We'll be busy the next two weekends, so some down time at home was wonderful. And, I'm thinking it's a good thing December is not meant for bikinis because it would NOT be a pretty sight right now. :)

Hard time of year

Derek's cousin Lindsey just forwarded this e-mail to me from my sweet mother-in-law written after Thanksgiving 2007 when we hosted everyone at our house for the first time. This was her Thanksgiving summary sent to the "fam spam" e-mail group. It was SO just like her. It made me cry... thought I'd share. It's going to be hard this first holiday season without her.

hey y'all.....
just turned the old computer on.....
enjoying the "conversations"....

celebrated thanksgiving THREE times....WONDERFUL

derek and elizabeth really put on a fine spread at their home....we thoroughly enjoyed visiting with elizabeth's family and the food was divine...they pulled out all their "finest"....china and crystal....fresh flowers for the centerpiece...just PERFECT....derek fried the turkey and it was great...all the "trimmings" were DELICIOUS...lizzie made a peach cobbler using MY recipe, but it beats any one i've ever made...they had a spinach and artichoke casserole that was fabulous....lizzie's granny made the dressing...boy, was it GOOD...it was perfect...we had hash brown casserole, a favorite....and HAM and homemade biscuits....all of it was great....

when we got home from jackson, i "baked" a turkey breast and made dressing and other "fixins" for ryan and gary....ryan had hunted all day but i didn't want him to feel "left out" for the day....it was enjoyable for the three of us....

THEN....on saturday afternoon, katie and neil came to vicksburg and she and i went grocery shopping and she got in my kitchen saturday night and truly put on a show with dinner on sunday at noon....LORDY that child can COOK....we had a 20 lb. baked turkey, a cajun rice connoction that she "invented"....it was to die for....a sweet potato casserole that beat any i've ever tasted before...some scalloped potatoes...a fried corn pudding casserole that was also better than any i've had before...a pasta salad that she's "refined" and is a signature of hers...rolls....gary's mother brought mustard greens and cornbread and a romaine wilted salad (very good)...for dessert katie made a coconut cake (melts in your mouth) and the VERY BEST apple cobbler/crunch....uuummm, uuummm, GOOD....she is truly missing her calling by not being in the restaurant business....and she LOVES doing it...and just makes it up as she goes....the rice stuff was scrumptious....everybody came and we had a very, very nice time.....little ryan hadley stole the show, naturally....she is just TOO, TOO darling....so....we had some "good" eatin this past weekend....

christmas is really right around the corner....poor derek and lizzie put up their tree and it fell over some hours later....onto the hardwood floor...they lost about 30 ornaments....they are heartbroken....they had some unique, and sentimental things that they lost...

i'm rambling...as always....
everyone take care....
love to all.
candee

I'm a proud daughter

Today my parents are being inducted into the USM School of Mass Communication Hall of Fame. I could not be more proud of them! Not only is this my alma mater, I'm also a Mass Communication graduate.

They’ve been huge supporters of USM since their own graduation from there in the late ‘70s, and they've hired many a USM graduate or intern as well as doing plenty of work for the school themselves throughout the years. Here’s the write-up that will be in today’s program:

Rick and Beth Bice, '78 and '77, established Bice Advertising Inc., in 1978 aiming to provide creative advertising, graphic design and multimedia for clients. Their work spans more than 30 years and includes local clients such as Southern Miss, the City of Hattiesburg, the Area Development Partnership, South Mississippi Electric Power Association and Hattiesburg Clinic. The firm has won numerous awards and honors, including nods from the regional and district American Advertising Federation. Rick was named Graphic Designer of the Year in 2005.

I’m proud to be a Bice today and always, and I wish them the biggest congratulations on their great success! I can't think of two people who are more deserving of this honor. Love you both!

The Great Frozen Turkey Fiasco of '09

Late yesterday afternoon I headed to Kroger to take advantage of the incredible turkey sale that ends today. Frozen turkeys for 37 CENTS A POUND when you spend $10… now that’s a pretty good sale. I’ve never been one to bargain hunt to the point where I’m literally fighting over the item that’s on sale, but I found myself in that exact situation yesterday.

There were about eight people crowded around the frozen turkey bin. I had to weasel my way into a spot where I could stand on my tippy toes and reach down to pick up these turkeys to find one that was the perfect size. I was picking them up and throwing them back in the bin, then picking them back up and throwing them back in the bin again. The other turkey hunters were doing the same thing. Just when I had picked up turkey #11 or 12 and finally decided on one that I thought would work, the Kroger man brought out two more boxes full of frozen turkeys…

“What size are those?” all the turkey hunters asked in unison. Then they all left their prospective spots at the turkey bin and swarmed around the Kroger man, picking out turkeys from the box before he could even unload them. That’s when I had my chance… I picked up one in the corner that was the EXACT size I wanted.

I hurried to the register, feeling like I was on Supermarket Sweep fighting my way through the crowds in under a minute, keeping an eye over my shoulder to make sure no one stole the turkey out of my basket. (I really did feel this way, I’m not exaggerating.)

Moment of truth… an almost NINETEEN-POUND turkey for $6.97. Totally worth it… All the other turkey hunters were left with 13- or 14-pounders while I got the King Kong of frozen turkeys. Bring it on, Thanksgiving... I’m ready for you.

Too early for Holidayitis?

It’s not even Thanksgiving yet and I’m already suffering from teeny tiny bit of Holidayitis. Not that it’s a bad thing… We already have about 15 presents wrapped and ready to go under the tree as soon as we can put it up! I’ve wanted to decorate for the past two weeks!

I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this time of year, and it never seems to last long enough for my liking, so I’ve decided I’ll just start celebrating the holidays before Thanksgiving. It’s not like I’m the only one… all the stores already have Christmas decorations out, and the music channels on television have been playing Christmas music since midnight on Halloween. Now that’s a wee bit too early, I think, but whatever.

We have a very busy December planned this year, and the good news is that starting this week, I won’t have a full 40-hour work week until the beginning of January! Just another reason to love the holiday season… :)

Dream Interpreter Needed!

The past three nights I have had THE STRANGEST dreams, and I’ve remembered every detail in the mornings when I wake up like they really happened. Here’s a recap…

Saturday: Derek and I were on vacation in the mountains with our family friends Carl and Tricia… We went to this resort where it snowed inside and we took Christmas card pictures. There were two little puppies there that needed adopting. We kept saying they were Border Collie mixes, but they looked like really fluffy Golden Retriever/Chow mixes. The dogs were already named (like the little stuffed Pound Puppies used to be) – Carl and Tricia’s brown one was named Caramel and our yellow one was named Biloxi. Then I woke up.

Sunday: Derek and I went to dinner with our friends Wes and Elise on this pirate ship. It was like a pirate ship out of Mario Brothers with the ominous music in the background and cannons firing. But once you got inside, it was like Long John Silvers. The food there was really strange, and I think it made me sick. Afterwards, I left to go volunteer with the Miss America pageant, but it was like the pageant was combined with the Grammy Awards, because I was a backstage “costume changer” for Beyonce. But I woke up before I met her.

Monday: We were running late for an island bachelorette party, so we decided to take a private jet. My friend Claire decided she could fly the jet, but we’d have to fly Santa-style through the snow when we let the top down and the jet turned into a sleigh. We made it to the island after an overnight flight. But then what I thought was a bachelorette party was really a new season of “The Bachelor.” I was the only one who was married, so I left everyone else there and took a train (it was in the air like the Monorail at Disney World) back home. Then I woke up.

I told you they were strange! Anyways, just thought I’d share my subconscious thoughts with you. I’m sure a dream interpreter would have a great time telling me how crazy I am…

Happy 71st and 26th!

We had a pretty quiet weekend as we're still trying to get totally well from these colds we've had all week. We had a few friends over Friday night for some fall deck-sitting, and Saturday Derek went into work for a couple of hours while I had a "me" day complete with a mani/pedi and 90-minute massage. It was FANTASTIC.

We hit the road to Vicksburg late yesterday afternoon to grill steaks at Katie and Neil's in honor of Mamaw's and Ryan's birthdays. It was a bit calmer than last year's Magnolias and Moonshine night at the VFW, but it was fun just the same. Ryan Hadley was as cute as ever and was pretty patient about waiting until after dinner to eat birthday cake.

She did get a little upset when Uncle Derek told her it actually wasn't a birthday party for her but for Mamaw and Ryan instead. Poor little girl... January 9th is just right around the corner. :)

Today we slept late, and Derek did some early Christmas shopping while I went to Pilates. Homemade chicken and dumplings and the Saints game were also on the agenda for this afternoon, both of which I'd consider a definite success.

A quiet weekend was just what we needed after last weekend's fun. Happy Birthday, Ryan and Mamaw! Now we just need to rest up some more for the holidays... :)

Oh, Friday, long time, no see...

I'm so glad it's finally Friday!! This has been quite a week... I stayed home sick on Monday and am finally feeling close to recovered today, but then I passed whatever germs I had to Derek, so he stayed home yesterday with my germs AND a stye in his eye. It's been a sickly week at the Grey house. At least the week's almost over!

I'm looking forward to a NINETY minute massage tomorrow (thanks, Mom and Dad, for that fabulous Christmas gift last year!) and it's coming at a perfect time. Work has been slammed with swine flu business lately, and I'm ready to relax.

We plan on staying pretty close to home this weekend and taking it easy. Last weekend was fun, but I think I am still in recovery mode. I just need a little peace and quiet and some R&R. Weekend, here I come...

Boo!!!

It was a dark and stormy night... and the perfect way to kick off the Halloween weekend! Friday night we made impromptu zombie costumes and braved the stormy weather to go to a party in Belhaven.

I let Derek do our makeup and “bloody” us up to look like real zombies. Who knew sticking wet oatmeal on your skin and coloring it with fake blood looks like fresh flesh? Nastiness… Now we know the true secrets of Hollywood makeup artists. :)

Our ripped and muddy jeans were perfect for the rainy weather, and our costumes were a total hit! I know this because no one really wanted to stand that close to us at the party. I think they were scared we’d bite a chunk out of their arm or something. It was fun to be scary for the night!

It wasn’t until Saturday that we debuted our REAL Halloween costumes… Ringo Starr and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds!!!

We were pretty pleased with ourselves, and our idea proved to be real a crowd-pleaser, too. Derek beat out some really good other ones to WIN the best overall costume at the Crawdad Hole. Yes, he won $60 cash! Here's Ringo making his acceptance speech...

Then later on at Sportsman’s, we WON again the couples’ costume contest, winning ourselves a free bar tab for the night! It was a very successful Halloween, I would say. We had a great time, and our costumes paid for themselves, plus our night out! Can’t beat that! Our hard work paid off... now we just have to step up our game for next year! :)

A little Sullivan

My friend Lauren and her husband, Jay, welcomed their first child, Cooper Jacob Sullivan, into the world on Tuesday. Word on the street is that he "was really long with big feet and came out with a smile!"

Congrats on the precious new addition, Jay and Lauren! We can't wait to meet Baby Cooper!!

Arts and Crafts Time!!

Last night we finally finished my Halloween costume… without giving away too much, let’s just say it involves lots of cotton balls, some glitter paint, rhinestones, white-out, Sharpie markers, fake flowers and a hot glue gun. I think you’ll be very impressed once you see the finished product!

Okay, here’s a hint…

"Picture yourself in a boat on a river, with tangerine trees and marmalade skies.

Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly, a girl with kaleidoscope eyes..."

This is actually the first time I’ve ever really put effort into making a costume, AND it actually goes with Derek’s costume. I’m pretty excited about it and ready to show it off this weekend!

In other Halloween-related news, we have celebrated the week in true Derek fashion with scary movies almost every night… Sunday night was “Edward Scissorhands” and Monday night was “The Shining.” He’s also recorded every possible sequel, etc., of “Halloween” including the original with Jamie Lee Curtis and of course “Friday the 13th.”

Since this really is Derek’s favorite holiday, I try to humor him. We can watch whatever silly horror movie he wants this week because you better believe we’ll be watching every old-school Christmas movie that I want to record when December rolls around. :)

SMTTT!!!

We headed south Saturday morning for a full day of tailgating for USM's homecoming. It's hard to believe that I'm now SIX years out of school, but it seems like it always hits home once I get back to campus and see all the young kiddos around. It was a beautiful day, and we had sooo much fun!

We even got to spend some quality time with Matt and Jennifer, who we haven't seen since our Denver trip to go visit them in May 2008...

Here we are having our own little party in the parking spot we were trying to hold... as you can see, we bring the party wherever we go. :)

After tailgating (notice I didn't say "the game" because we didn't even try to go, although the Eagles kicked some serious Tulane tail as it turns out) we went across the street to Chesterfield's for dinner, which is where I ran into my two favorite Pierce twins, Cole and Deane. These kids are like siblings to me, and clearly they feel the same way, based on this picture... :)

We ended the night at the Thirsty Hippo downtown listening to a pretty cool New Orleans funk band with brass. It was quite the full day and night, and I'm paying for it today. Ugh... I love me some homecoming, but it's a good thing it only comes once a year because it's starting to take me that long to recover from year to year! SMTTT!

Cold October Weekend

Brrr…. It’s 40 degrees here this morning, and I definitely think cold Monday mornings come a little harder than warm ones. It truly felt like fall this weekend, so we took advantage of it and brought out the warm winter clothes and made our first fire of the season.

Friday night we curled up on the couch and watched “Gremlins.” It was a quiet Friday night, and it was wonderful! On Saturday we bundled up and headed to Ridgeland for the Jackson Street Festival with some friends. It’s a wonder we didn’t turn into ice cubes, but it was nice to listen to some good bluegrass music outside. After a few hours of shivering, we decided to take our little party indoors for a nice dinner at Char. We ended the night with a cozy fire pit in the back yard. We had to stay warm somehow!

Sunday was arts and crafts day as we started getting my Halloween costume ready. I won’t give too many details, but it’s going to be a good one this year. I’ll keep you in suspense for the next couple of weeks… :)

And now it’s Monday already, and it honestly feels like I blinked and the weekend is already long gone. Hopefully this week will fly by so we can head to Hattiesburg for USM’s homecoming! I’m so excited to spend the weekend with old friends. Until then, I’ll be watching the clock for the next five days… Ugh.

Fun at the Fair

Last night Derek and I headed downtown for a sort of “date night” at the 150th Mississippi State Fair. We didn’t go last year, so we’re averaging an every-other-year venture. Even so, it’s a fun experience no matter how old you get.

Everyone likes the fair for different reasons… some like the rides, some like the food, some like the sights, sounds and smells while others like to people-watch. The fair is 10 times better for people-watching than even the French Quarter ever thought about being in my opinion, and that’s saying A LOT. I mean, you see all types of people at the fair. It would be a good sociology project, I think. It’s definitely a nondiscriminatory event. I think some families totally save up for months to go to the fair, and rightfully so! For two of us to go for two hours we spent almost $50. Here’s the breakdown…

$5 for parking
$10 for admission
$6 for chicken on a stick
$5 for a footlong corndog
$8 for two ice cold beers
$4 for a fried Twinkie
$4 for a pineapple whip
$4 for ride tickets

Two hours later, our bellies were full of fried goodness, my head was spinning from people-watching overload, and Derek was dizzy from the one ride he rode, so we headed home.

The fair is a one-of-a-kind event, and I think it’s a great tradition, especially now that we live in the “big city.” We’ll probably make our way back down there in October 2011.

A fair adventure every other year works out well for us, I think. That way it’s only like dropping $25 on fair fun a year instead of $50. Although once we add munchkins to the mix (especially based on all the "Mama, please!!" moments I saw last night) we may need to start a "FAIR FUNds" piggy bank... :)

To my dear friends...

Congratulations!!! I couldn't be more excited for you two. We wish you nothing but the best and a lifetime of happiness.

Margaret's Grocery

I'm a little sad today after learning that Margaret Dennis, wife of the Rev. H.D. Dennis in Vicksburg, passed away this week. She was 94. Mrs. Dennis was the namesake of the crazy, colorful folk art castle her husband built for her on North Washington Street in Vicksburg. The landmark is called Margaret's Grocery, and the story behind it is as colorful as the paint.

I interviewed this sweet couple back in 2005 when I worked at the newspaper. It was definitely one of the more unforgettable interviews I did there. They were such legends, and I felt extremely fortunate to be one of many to write about their personal story and the legacy they left. I found the story in the Vicksburg Post archives online, and I thought I'd share.

She was one of the most genuinely inspiring people I've ever met, and the two of them were so in love. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to meet her...

The paint is peeling and chipped now, and some of the letters once nailed to perfection are crooked, but the Rev. H.D. Dennis' Biblical castle on North Washington Street still stands strong after 20 years.

Dennis and his wife, Margaret, for whom he built the roadside phenomenon, both turn 90 this year, and as they reflect on their years together, it's clear their love for each other and for God and his word are as passionate as when they first met. But not all is as bright as the colors on the castle. His health is declining, and he's lost most of his hearing, said Margaret Dennis. A downturn in the number of visitors, which she attributes to terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, have made paying medical bills and electric bills tough for the Dennises.

In December, the couple learned the castle needed a new breaker box for the lights that illuminate the structures outside. It will cost $632. "We don't have that kind of money. We get donations here and there from visitors, but during the winter we don't have as many people come by. The church took up a donation, but we still don't have enough," she said.

Margaret Dennis said she knows they can't live forever, but she has no idea what might happen to the place after they're gone. "We haven't really discussed that. He has two children, but I'm not sure what will happen," she said. Still, the two keep a positive outlook. "Everything we have is God's," she said. "We own nothing. Everything belongs to him. He'll help us through the hard times," she said.

The two were married in June 1984 after being introduced by two of her friends. They were both 69, though she is two months older. "I robbed the cradle a little bit," she said. "My friends said, 'Margaret, we know a man that's here in Vicksburg. He's a preacher. He needs a wife, and you need a husband.' Then we met, and he asked me to marry him by promising to turn my store into a castle," she said.

The two were married six months later, and H.D. Dennis got to work on his promise. The store, Margaret's Grocery, had been her home and workplace for 39 years. He started by clearing the inside shelves for candelabras, Bibles and trinkets and decorating the walls and ceilings with red and white paint and tin foil. Then he started on the outside, using scrap iron and wood to make signs reflecting the couple's belief in God and equality for all.

For diversity, Margaret Dennis added the pink and yellow paint, which she said also reflects their love for all mankind."We don't see black and white, so the colors here are for everyone. We only see God's children," she said.H.D. Dennis pointed to the sign above the roof."All is welcome Jews and Gentiles here at Margaret's Gro. & Mkt. and Bible class."The castle has been written about in numerous newspapers, magazines and travel guides throughout the South, across the United States and some other countries.

Vicksburg artist and Attic Gallery owner Lesley Silver said Dennis has made his home a treasure for all to see."It's not just artists that appreciate it, either. He's made it an environment that I think is somewhat obsessive in him. He felt the need to do it, and we can all appreciate the end result," she said."People come from all over just to see what he has done. He brings the ordinary to life and makes it extraordinary," she said.

Silver said the structure is something many Vicksburg residents take for granted."Many people might ride by and point because the fear of the unknown scares some people, but others seek it out. His castle is something that should always be preserved because there will never, never be anything like it," she said.

Margaret Dennis said in her years living at the castle and in Vicksburg, she's seen a lot change."I want to say I've been here in Warren County for 64 years now, and I've never met anyone nicer than these people," she said."There used to be houses all across the street there and along this side, too. Now, there's not really anything left. Everything's changing now. Oh, goodness, how things have changed. But I'm satisfied," she said.

People in general are more loving now, she said."I think racism is much better now. People are learning better. I just think there are good people, and then there are those who are just ignorant. I tell them you can't hate for something in the past. It happened a long time ago, and the people now didn't do anything to you. God made you the color he wanted you to be, and there's not a think we can do about it," she said.

As for the castle, it's in need of a few cosmetic repairs, but Margaret Dennis said they usually stay on top of things, even at 90."It's holding up pretty well. We usually do what touch-ups we can in the spring," she said.Times have changed, but H.D. and Margaret Dennis have stayed strong."He has good and bad days. It's not Alzheimer's, but it's something like that in his mind. We think it's from he was wounded in the head in World War II," she said.

Though his health is slowly fading, the reverend wakes each day with the same mission he had when he was ordained in 1936 - to preach the word of God.His walk is a little more feeble now, and his voice a little more shaky, but the message is the same.

"We're all supposed to be sisters and brothers, but our country is divided. Mankind is divided. We're all supposed to live together in equality," he said."I've seen people from all over the world stop by here to see this church, and I've given them the word of God. I hope they listen," he said.

Granny better step up her game...

I didn't know you could technically "beat" Wii bowling, but Derek bowled a perfect game this past weekend!

Derek and my granny have had a long-standing rivalry at this game. Granny used to bowl semi-pro back in the day, and once she discovered you could bowl on a video game, it got her back in the competitive spirit. She injured her shoulder in July and hasn't been able to play since, but hopefully she'll get the all-clear in a few weeks and be back in the swing of things.

I have a feeling our next family bowling tournament will be intense... :)

Original Artwork

Yep, just call us the newest pair of Picassos. Ha! Friday night we had a "date night" at Easely Amused, and the theme was Picasso style. As you can see, we got in touch with our creative sides and had a blast painting our own original artwork.

Derek's painting on the right is more Picasso-esque than mine on the left. He did a great job! I think mine turned out looking like a cross between a Muppet, Sponge Bob and Maurice from "Little Monsters" (one of my favorite movies back in the day, by the way). All in all, we were pretty proud of our work!

This place was super fun, and they even let you bring in your own adult beverages to help you get creative. I'd love to go back again when they have another fun theme. In the meantime, we'll just have to figure out where to hang these two fabulous new pieces of art. I think they'll fit right in with the rest of our collection. :)

Best Weekend Ever

We had an AMAZING weekend that started out with birthday dinner at my parents' house in Hattiesburg. We headed down Friday afternoon and had a great time spending the evening with family.

Saturday we got up bright and early and went south to Lumberton for Derek and Gary's skydiving adventure! The weather was iffy, but it turned out to be perfect and they had so much fun! The peanut gallery (including me, of course) on the ground had an equally fun time watching. Here are a few pics...

After they were done we came back to Jackson to get ready for my birthday dinner out at Ro'Chez in Ridgeland. We had never been there before, but we absolutely LOVED IT! Great food, great friends, lots and lots of wine... it was incredible.

Here's Chef Roache going over the menu for the night...

Thai Pork - Peanut Satay of Pork Tenderloin served atop Thai Slaw on a Sesame Cracker
Chicken & Shrimp Dumpling - Moose of Smoked Chicken and Shrimp formed into a Dumpling served on Baby Lettuce with Sesame Dressing
Polynesian Filet - Jerked Filet Mignon on Roasted Potatoes and Onions Smothered with Coconut Hinted Demi
Citrus Scallop - 5 Spice Seared Scallop on Pineapple Fried Rice Finished with Roasted Citrus Butter
Bourbon Berry Crêpe - Bourbon and Berries in a Crepe with Ice Cream

We had our own private dining room beside the restaurant and right after the third course my favorite local musician Ralph Miller made a surprise appearance and entertained us for the rest of the evening. It could not have been more perfect!

We had to take a group picture Chef Roache and Ralph in it before we left. :)

It was a wonderful end to an absolutely incredible day... I can say that I will welcome my 29th birthday with a big smile on my face tomorrow. We truly celebrated in style!