Merry Christmas

A little tree with a HUGE bow! (I got a bit impatient this year looking for the perfect tree forgetting the large bow that was ready to go on it. Oh, well.)

M and D before church. The service was WONDERFUL!

Millie tries to be a present.

Mom and Dad

D and M

We've had SO much fun having my parents visit for the holidays. Eating, drinking, and shopping have been our favorite activities. We hope the holidays are living up to your expectations and all of your holiday wishes are coming true.

Morning Beverages!

There are very few mornings when one can sit around and leisurely drink his / her favorite beverages. One of those few guilt-free mornings for me is . . . Christmas morning. I started the morning with yummy coffee, which is a treat for me, as I don't drink coffee everyday. Coffee was followed by water to ensure

plenty of hydration! :) Finally, I got to have my Christmas MIMOSAS! Yummy! I hope you and yours had a very delicious and merry Christmas morning.

The FREAK running in the FREEZING cold!

M on the track in Autozone Park right after the race.

D and M after M changed in to dry clothes.


Courtney ( 1/2) and Mike (full) who both ran personal best times.

M and Courtney. Courtney was a huge help w/ my training.

At around 9:30 on Friday evening, I climbed into bed w/ my Tylenol PM, water, Runner's World, and The Shack. Read a few articles and a bit of my book and drifted off to sleep with relative ease (IE: Tylenol PM takes effect). I was abruptly awoken by my sweet Tahoe running around the house barking. You have got to be kidding, dog. I have to run my first half marathon in the morning. Shut up! I drifted back off and woke again to realize that dog and David were no longer in the room. My sweet husband had spent the night on the couch in the keeping room with the dog, who turned out to be sick, so I could rest. (While "keeping rooms" were supposed to be the warmest place in the house to sleep in the old south, ours is FREEZING!)

My alarm went off at 5:30 am. I asked God to let me push myself as hard as I possibly could today but to know when to stop if needed, grabbed my BlackBerry from the nightstand to read the most encouraging email I've ever received that my brother sent me the night before one last time, and hopped out of bed to get ready for the big day. I remained fairly calm until I couldn't find my race number, which I knew I had placed somewhere carefully the night before so I could find it quickly. Luckily, I found it rather quickly so not too much energy was wasted freaking out about a lost number. My stomach was of course giving me fits, but we had to go so we hopped in the car and off we went.

I went to my corral, which was pretty far back, but that is okay. I was there, and while I would run slower than most, I would run the entire course. After about fifteen minutes after the Elites started, Corral #11 was finally ready to go and away I ran. The race went fairly well for about the first nine miles. At nine miles, I hit a rough patch where energy seemed to be fleeting quickly. I will train better for my "rough spot" next time now that I have experienced it. As I'm running around town, my sweet husband had waited for me at mile 3 for over an hour and never saw me. He grew a bit worried that something had happened. He never heard anything from me so he headed to the stadium. He knew my estimated time of arrival at the finish line and started watching for me, and I didn't come, and didn't come. (I forgot to tell him that I would probably start about 15 minutes after the "official" clock because I'd need to start so far back so my time would be off by 15 minutes on the official clock.) Finally, I made it, and I was so excited to see a face I knew for the first time in over two COLD hours. (All of my friends run faster than me so I'm all on my own on race day, but that's okay!)

My race was dedicated to a little guy Cole Kasper, who's family moved to Memphis to be near St. Jude for him to receive treatment for cancer. He had a 35% chance at surviving and has been declared cured by his doctors. How AWESOME is that? If you aren't familiar w/ St. Jude, it is an out-patient hospital that treats children for cancer, and they never ask for a dime more than the parents' insurance pays. Through work, I've had the privilege of meeting several of the families who are in town seeking treatment at St. Jude and they are amazing.


My soreness today doesn't even begin to compare to the pain these little kiddos are going through. And I can only hope that these children and their families receive as much encouragement and support in their battle with cancer as I received from YOU while training for my first half marathon. I will take a couple of weeks off and get back to running!

Picture time!

Here is the LINK to our family pictures that were taken last week. The password is "cherry". The photographer did an amazing job w/ Tahoe! (The link will only be accessible for about a week.)

Tahoe goes to Camp Lemons!

As you may know, several months ago, a co-worker mentioned possibly keeping Tahoe while we traveled. She already had two golden retrievers and figured one more couldn't be much more trouble. Honestly, I was ecstatic! I hate boarding or taking him to the farm. I quickly told Cindy that we rarely travel so we wouldn't bring Tahoe over much, which she has since learned to be not such a true little story I told. So I showed up for his first visit complete with his organic food, bowls, leash, all natural treats, towel that smelled like Mama (Get the picture?). I was SO nervous! Cindy and I stepped out onto her back patio for the dogs to play in the yard. Yikes! I completely forgot she had a pool. Tahoe doesn't know what to do around a pool. Lucky for us, the pool was covered with one of those covers that can "hold an elephant". Well, it didn't take Tahoe too long to mistake the pool cover for an addition to the patio. The cover didn't completely hold my "elephant". It dipped down quickly and got his feet wet. He was scared to death. But, I would have looked ridiculous if I'd packed up and headed back home so I left him as Cindy assured me she would take good care of him. Summer came and the pool still scared me. (This coming from a girl who wants to one day have a pool in her backyard and her children swimming in it all summer.) I even spent a Saturday afternoon in the pool trying to coax Tahoe in so he'd know what to do if he fell in. He never came near me. Maybe he'll learn to swim one day.
Tahoe quickly became friends with Bailey and Bear, Cindy's dogs. He developed a huge crush on Bear but had NO clue how to act on it. The crush lasted a few visits until . . .

Cindy's husband brought home a kitten! I think Tahoe spent so much time with Ollie as a young pup that he thinks he is a cat. He loves the new cat Festus and doesn't get too worked up over his old crush Bear. Now Festus is his playmate when Tahoe goes to Camp Lemon.

Tahoe is so grateful to have a warm house to go to when Mom and Dad travel! Thanks Cindy, Phillip, and the whole family!

Happy November!

Oh, where to begin. Maybe I need to borrow a friend's kids for a day or two so I have some good blogging material. Then again, I think I'll just stick w/ what has been going on here on Cherrydale. October was my birthday month, which means my car needed to have its emissions test done. Now, our test is quite different from the Atlanta test. Here, you go to the center, get in a long line, and eventually, you get to the front and the government employee does a few "tests" and let's you go. David was sweet enough to take my car, as I don't communicate well with government workers (not including any who might read this blog). He took the 4-Runner, sat in line, had the emissions test done, took the paperwork to the tag office, and came home w/ a shiny new sticker. Thanks, Babe! As he goes to put my new sticker on my car, he realizes, he just had the 4-Runner tested but his truck is actually in my name and the 4-Runner is in his. Hence, the truck's tag expires in October not the 4-Runner so the wrong car was taken to the emission station. Lucky for us, our bright government workers didn't notice. Oh, well.

My 1/2 marathon is just over a month away. Training is going well. I have been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by very experienced runners who have been nothing but encouraging and helpful. My last "race" before the 1/2 will be in a couple of weeks in The House of Mews 5K. The House of Mews is our favorite no-kill shelter here in Memphis. I can't wait to run for such a good cause. We started supporting the shelter after we lost Ollie Man last year. We have elected to support rather than get another cat. I think Millie will kill us if we bring a kitten in the house. In other running news, we've order an I-Pod Nano to run with. It was supposed to be for David but I can't wait for it to get here. I realize most households already have a Nano, but we're typically behind the times. We also just got our first DVR box. (Again, we're way behind the times.) I think it was so David could watch the UGA / FL game again. Yeah, that won't be happening.

The theme for the month of November: Vote! Especially all the women! There are so many woman across the world who aren't fortunate enough to have this right! Please don't take it for granted.

Happy mid-fall, y'all!

The pets knew early on the FL game would be a nightmare!

Millie never even bothered to wake up for the game.

Tahoe left the game early on and went to bed. I woke him up towards the end of the game to tell him the nightmare was over! He didn't believe me and went back to sleep.

Mixin' it up w/ my new mixer!

This was my fancy b-day gift from my in-laws, Michael , and Kate! I had always wanted a mixer (They look cute on the counter, you know!), but I never imagined one like this! It is quite fancy. I've only been able to look at it for over two weeks b/c I didn't have time to give it a test run. I finally found some time this afternoon . . .

Okay, not too attractive, but yummy!

. . . and this is what I made. It is a pumpkin bread roll. (Sorry the above picture is blurry - didn't realize it until we'd eaten the bread. :)) Time to get to work on my baking and cooking skills. Thanks, guys! It was a huge surprise that I will enjoy for years!

Oh, Happy Night!

After a long trip to Nashville and back today, I came home to a new bed, cupcakes for a belated birthday dessert, and a calm house. After a year of searching for the perfect bed and trying not to buy the generic Pottery Barn bed, we caved in and bought it. I love it. So it is a bit large for our fairly small master bedroom, but I'm so excited to have a bed frame again. (Wouldn't normally post a picture of a bed, but I've been talking about searching for the perfect bed for a year and thought those who have had to endure the discussions would be glad to see the result of their patience.) With the chaos of going home twice in the past month, D and I never really celebrated my B-day w/ cake. He bought us four cupcakes for dessert tonight. How sweet and perfect. I heart cupcakes and we don't need a whole cake sitting around our two-person house. Happy Friday! I get to go climb in my big girl bed!

Who would have thought?

Courtney, Mike, M and D
Courtney and M

After being in Memphis for three years (I know it is hard to believe!), we have definitely concluded that there are very few Dawg fans here. However, I have uncovered one! She is my dear collegue and friend, Courtney. Now her husband could take or leave the Dawgs (I think mostly leave.), but she loves them. And I was so excited to find out she was going home (Commerce) for the game. In the mass chaos of a UGA football game, we managed to find them. They came to sit w/ us for a while. We had a blast!

Prior to the game, Mom and I went to Scott's on Friday and had a wonderful time! I could have spent a fortune but opted for a small pillow cover. D enjoyed a game of golf w/ the guys while I shopped w/ Mom. D and I took a day trip to Athens on Thursday. We had dinner at Last Resort, and I was quite excited to hear the owner telling another table that he is trying to go more organic, including growing a lot of their food supply on his land in Oconee County. We had a great surprise on Sunday morning. David's father was able to join us for brunch. It was great to see him, as we haven't seen him since April. It was a wonderful weekend!

So grateful!

D and I when he met up w/ us for drinks.
Elizabeth and I after dinner. Elizabeth is one of the most inspiring women I've ever met!

I (M) have always struggled to be grateful for what I have. I am so guilty of wishing for more. Let me say first that by no means have I been "cured" of not being grateful, but I'm really trying to frequently count my blessings, and on no day this year has this been easier than on my birthday last week. I was absolutely amazed by the phone calls, cards, and gifts I received from so many of you! Several weeks ago, after reviewing the football games we'd planned to go home for, I knew my b-day would be sandwiched in between traveling weekends and D would be working late on my b-day. Of course, I was a bummed but also reminded myself that it isn't D's job to be my entertainment. So . . . I enlisted my dear Memphis friend Elizabeth to hang out with me. We had a wonderful meal at my favorite Memphis Italian joint. They had taken lobster ravioli off the menu (How could they??), but it was still wonderful. David met up w/ us after work for a couple of drinks. It was just wonderful. Thank you all, though many of you are hundreds of miles away, for a wonderful b-day!

Were we bad luck?

So we went home this weekend for our first football game of the year hoping for a win. Oh, well!

We had so much fun in Athens this weekend despite the loss. I went to my first ever ESPN Game Day. D was able to get Smokey Joe, the grill, going and we were able to see lots of friends from Atlanta. Congrats to BAMA for showing up for the first and second quarters and taking advantage of UGA not showing up until the third quarter.

D makes friends w/ a neighboring tailgate so he can play w/ their "toys".

Steph and Tim w/ some of his amazing ribs.

Dad and Mom before the game.

Also on our trip home, we got to have a picnic on the Chattahoochee and watch the water rise as it was being released from Lanier, much to the Lanier residents' frustration. It was beautiful. David was able to fish while I went for an afternoon run. We got to have dinner w/ my parents and ate yummy chili that my mom made.

We were even kind enough to the Bama folks to help stimulate their economy by stopping for lunch outside of Birmingham. We'll try for a "W" in two weeks when we return home for the UGA vs. UT game. Go Dawgs!

Where in the world have we been?

Well for starters, D has been traveling more and M had her annual trade show at work last week so blogging topics and time have been a bit sparse! D has been going to St. Louis 2-3 days a week, which he's enjoying. We ordered a new bed frame after a year-long search for the "perfect" one. I can't wait for it to be delivered. My preparation for the 1/2 marathon is still going well. The cooler weather is making running much easier.

We've joined the young adult Bible study at church, which we're really enjoying. We're starting at the very beginning of the Bible and working our way through. We're still in Genesis and it is nice to not be rushed. The rector of the church leads the study. He has so much knowledge and is able to share how many other cultures/religions view Biblical stories. It's a Bible study like I've never experienced.

Tahoe's corner: Tahoe has just returned from a joyful trip to Camp Lemon, where he spent the weekend while we went home for the Alabama game. He'll be making the next two "football" trips with us. Hopefully, he'll bring better luck to the Dawgs than we were able to this weekend!

Happy Fall!

Tahoe is very distressed watching the Dawgs against USC!

He couldn't bare to look up at the TV anymore! He left the room and went and laid down in the bedroom for the end of the 4th quarter. Thanks Dawgs for pulling that one out!

One last beach trip - now football season can officially begin!

I've always thought football season shouldn't begin until October. This year, we decided to make it a reality in our home. So we gave into the high-rise condo with the giant pool but no character, but we had a wonderful time at Orange Beach. We arrived incredibly late on Thursday night. If you've ever stayed in a one-bedroom condo in America, you've probably noticed they almost all have the bedroom on the back side of the condo away from the beach! How stupid is that? If I'm going to the beach, I want to hear the ocean constantly. So . . . my dear husband at 1:30 am Friday morning moved the mattress out of the bedroom and into the living room so I could be closer to the ocean. How sweet! We had great sun, food, and drinks! The only downer was that we thought we were going to get to watch the UGA game and were bummed that it wasn't carried on the cable in the condo. If you can handle missing a football game, I highly recommend a September beach trip.

Welcome, UGA VII

Loran's Best - welcome to the UGA family! Poor dog has no clue what has just happened to him!

She's here!

Cricket Sol Peeples arrived this afternoon in Asheville, NC. Baby and Mom are doing well. Congratulations Gary, Molly, and Madeline! We love you and miss you!

Truly a post for those who really want to know what we're up to . . .

David spent some of this afternoon practicing what he learned in Golf School until I interrupted for help in the kitchen with our dish for a Carmax potluck we're going to this evening. I ran the Overton 5-Mile Classic on Saturday and it was a lot of fun. The course included pavement, grass, and trails so there was never a dull moment. D and I are both now planning to run the St. Jude 1/2 Marathon in December. I am posting about this so YOU will hold us accountable for our training. (Especially me because I tend to get to about ten miles and get bored.) This morning we went to church and think we're just about ready to join. Hallelujah! Church hopping isn't much fun. The church is St. John's Episcopal . More to come on how this progresses for us.

Saturday we worked in the yard (Surprise!) and shopped. D ordered new running shoes for his extra-wide feet. I found the cutest Easter plate at the Williams & Sonoma outlet for cheap, cheap, cheap. For a shopping break, we took part in an American ritual that we NEVER do. We went to Startbucks, sat on the patio, and had a coffee and smoothie. I think it was a smoothie D had - looked fruity/frozen and wasn't coffee. It was practically a whole new experience for us. (I know, it is shocking for you Starbuckolics out there!) The best part of Saturday was going to bed at 10:00 and not getting up until 9:00! Tahoe wasn't too pleased, but I was!

In Tahoe's corner this week, he has found something new to bark at! Our neighborhood has hired a security patrol and the patrollers ride through the streets on bikes. Well, everytime one rides by, Tahoe has to tell us. I'm so glad we have our golden retriever to warn us of the scary patrolmen!

We're waiting!

This little family, plus Mom most of all, is waiting on the arrival of our second niece. Every time the phone has rung this weekend, I've dashed through the house to grab it hoping for news from Gary of a little lady on the way, but nope, she isn't ready. We wish and pray for a speedy and safe delivery for Molly and a healthy baby for all!

Short on pictures but big on FUN!

David was kind enough to go see a local production of High School Musical with me. A friend from work was playing Coach Bolton. I thoroughly enjoyed. D says he did. I'm not asking any questions!

In other news, D has taken up golf lessons. For those who play with him, I'm sure you're estatic! Of course the pro (Is that what they're called in golf?) has already recommended him get news clubs. Thanks, Man! I went to Charlotte last week for a conference and of course had a wonderful time. We had the chance to go rafting at the US National Whitewater Center . The rapids were man-made but I still had a great time. The Center offers a variety of outdoor sports including kayaking, running trails, climbing walls, rafting, etc. and is an amazing complex. I would love to have one in Memphis. I would go all the time.

A few have asked about the bathroom counter from Home Depot. Amazingly, the replacement was perfect and it has been installed with the help of a great handyman who was able to cut it to fit our oh, so tiny bathroom. The next home improvement project will either be a fence or a new master bathroom. I'd prefer the bathroom, but if you saw my dear neighbor's yard, you'd know why we're considering the fence. (Hate to be negative but prefer to be honest!)

Have a great week.

It's Elvis Week! Let's Run!

Tahoe tries on the race shirt. He doesn't seem to mind it!

I think I'm getting him a sweater this winter. Just don't tell D!

D by the gates of Graceland

M in front of Graceland after the race

Please help me be grateful for the seasons and where did my parsley go?

Just like anyone in the south, Memphis is in the midst of the Dog Days of Summer. I am struggling to be grateful to live in a place with four defined seasons. Those who know me well know that I have a budget spreadsheet for ever element of our life. However, it is so hot, I no longer care how high our next electric bill is. I just want to be cold. From my first footstep onto Memphis soil, I have said this place is hotter than any place else due to the humidity. Just last week, I found someone who agreed. Our vet's office has a new vet that grew up in Mobile. Even he said Memphis was the hottest, most humid place he's been, and he grew up within a short drive to the beach where it is supposed to be hellish in the summer. The heat is making running a nightmare. Yes, I am getting up to run at 7:00 am, but the heat index is already close to 90. I've told a neighbor I'll run a 5 mile race in August that is dedicated to her boyfriend who recently passed away. I cannot back out, but am truly getting very worried about finishing in the heat. I've even talked other folks into running with me so I've got to show up AND run!

In other news on Cherrydale Rd., I typically have a large supply of parsley in my herb pot. However, over the past few days, I've noticed the number of leaves decreasing, and decreasing until today there were none. Could someone tell me what to do to keep the squirrels, chipmunks, or the unmentionable Memphis rodents out of plants I want to put in my mouth? I know parsley is just to add some color to a dish but I do have a recipe that really tastes better with fresh parsley and now I have none!

Finally, those (Gary) who are concerned about our consuming processed food and wasting aluminum through getting our dinner from Supper Supers (click here to see Super Suppers post) will be happy to know we've returned to fixing our own dinners. Super Suppers is great for Super busy families but I just don't think we qualify.

One more thing. In my next life, I am going to be the CEO of a high-end, customer-satisfying, mega-home improvement store. Going to the two big-box home improvement stores is pretty much a constant, particularly with our old house. These are two of my least favorite stores. Why? Because on top of facing the challenge of poor Memphis customer service, we have to battle the poor customer service that will come with the big-box store. Case in point: We ordered a small counter top for one of the bathrooms. It was only about 25 x 18 inches. Surely a small slab of rock can get delivered to the store in one piece. Nope. David went to pick it up and it was in THREE pieces. How can such a small piece of rock end up in so many pieces?

Stay cool!

What a great surprise . . .

Today squashed in between junk and bills was a copy of the July Gourmet magazine. How exciting! Why was this particularly exciting you ask? Because I haven't subscribed to it but love it. If there is a magazine fairy out there who has sent this to me, please do tell so I can properly thank you!

We've had a request for pictures of Tahoe . . .

Annual snow (March 2008)

Tahoe chilling on the couch this past winter. (Sorry Jeannie - that is an afghan Grandma Monk made and I promise Tahoe doesn't normally cover up w/ it!)

Tahoe actually adores Anna, who is hugging him, but he does look like his eyes might pop out at any moment! Anna's father and step-mom keep Tahoe when we travel and we are SO grateful to not have to board him much anymore. They have two children, three cats, and two golden retrievers. Needless to say, Tahoe is a bit bored with us when he comes home!

I want this . . . (M not D)

Who doesn't want plates with golden retrievers on them? Okay, maybe just a few to hang on the wall!