Must Love Dogs

The Finals...

2012-02-02T19:47:00.000-06:00

As I am now in week 33 of this pregnancy, it has been FABULOUS so far! I have had a very "normal" pregnancy (as my dr described it). As my belly grows each & every day, I am loving every minute of it. Feeling this little guy move inside me & now being able to see the movements on the outside is a little freaky but at the same time absolutely amazing! My husband has really enjoyed being able to feel our little boy move when he touches my belly. The only complaints I have are that I'm having a hard time getting to sleep at night for going to the bathroom so much. Once I do get to sleep, I only sleep a few hours before the bladder calls again. I guess it's the way my body is prepping me for getting up once the baby arrives.
I do asked by pretty much everyone I know one question..."How are you feeling?" I actually feel fine, but I feel like people think I'm just lying about that. Even if I felt horrible, I don't think anyone actually wants that honest answer. It jsut seems like such a retorical question in the first place. Does it even require a response?

Now I just have so much to think about to get ready for his arrival in 7 weeks give or take some. Finishing the nursery, packing for the hospital (these are really the only 2 things we have left).
The excitement of finally getting to meet Baby Henry is definitely there, but there is also some fear. We're first time parents so the newborn stage is a little scary. We've read books, websites, magazines, taken a class, everything we can to prep for his arrival, but it's still the fear of the unknown. We shall see...

Pregnancy & what it reveals...

2011-12-03T10:56:00.000-06:00

Now at 24 weeks along in this joyous ride, a few "issues" have shown themselves. The biggest being leg/hip pain on the left side. It started about 6 weeks ago, but I thought it was just part of the whole pregnancy hormone thing & would get better on its own....it did not. After talking to my doctor at my last appointment, she recommended I see a physical therapist because that level of pain was not normal. The pain runs from the top of my hip to my knee. It varies from day to day from numbness, pins/needles to a knife stabbing me. There's also a point where it feels hot. The worst is that when these happen, it can make day to day activities difficult. It's your basic nerve pinch problem. The physical therapist has started me on some exercises to strengthen my core (which is great since what I did before pregnancy I can't do anymore) & to stabilize my hips. She also said that since I was so active before the pregnancy that I've basically "shot myself in the foot" for cutting back so drastically because not only are the ligaments loosening as they should, the muscles are going flabby too which just adds to the issue. I've seen the PT twice & the exercises are helping to localize the pain a little more. I would love for it to go away, but if we can get it more manageable....I'll take it!

Halfway there...

2011-11-15T20:58:00.000-06:00

I am now 22 weeks along in this life changing (not to mention body changing) journey. Pregnancy is great (so far). I also love the questions I get asked constantly. 1. Have you felt the baby move? The answer is: I don't really know. I know they say you're supposed to feel it move somewhere between 20 & 25 weeks and I know that the baby is very active as it is constantly moving on ultrasounds. However, I have no idea if what I feel is the baby moving, gas, or just pains from my uterus growing. I have no idea what it's going to feel like when I do feel the baby move. I guess I'll figure that out. Question 2. How are you feeling? I always say "good" or "fine", but I what I really want to say is to remind people that I'm pregnant not incapacitated. Women have been having babies basically forever. This is not a huge deal. Even if I felt like garbage, I'm not a complainer so it's not like I'm going to vent to them (my husband gets all that). I don't really know why they bother to ask. I see it more as a rhetorical question.
The upside is nobody has tried to touch my belly...yet anyway. I do get looks from people as if they've ever seen a pregnant woman before. I always just smile to myself...

Life changes...BIG ONES!

2011-10-29T17:05:00.000-05:00

In July, I discovered I was pregnant with our first child. The doctor confirmed it & we were on our way. I say "discovered" because even though we were trying it didn't take long to happen (the first month). This was a surprise to us because we really expected it to take a while. My doctor had even prepared me for this to be difficult. I have some medical issues (primarily Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) that caused us to expect a long process. NOT to be. We had a hard time wrapping our heads around at first & it's still a bit of a shock even though now I'm 20 weeks along & can't hide it anymore.

Pregnancy has been great so far. There have been a few big problems. 1. Exhaustion- the first trimester I slept all the time! I could not get enough sleep. I know that feeling will return, but in the 2nd trimester I'm doing better. Still can't stay up too late, but can at least make it through the day without a nap. 2. Shopping for clothes- Whoever designs maternity clothes has clearly NEVER been pregnant. I have a hard time finding pants to fit my not pregnant body. I'm a curvy woman with a small waist & larger hips (picture hourglass). Now..it's impossible to find pants that actually fit. I'm on the never ending search for maternity jeans that don't squeeze my thighs like a pair of skinny jeans. It's ridiculous. I really wish that Dockers made maternity pants in the same style I usually buy & this would be so much easier. Same goes for Levi's. Have the designers of maternity jeans ever heard of a relaxed fit. Bra shopping has been pretty easy. I decided to go with the nursing bra so maybe that will last until I deliver. It's amazing to me how much my breasts have changed. 3. Pains - it's odd to have random pains in your abdomen & legs. My doctor says they're completely normal & due to the changes my body is going through. It's just odd. 4. "Superpowers" - my husband says I now have a superpower in that I can smell EVERYTHING. It's pretty tough though at work because I can smell all lunches & meals. The mixtures are usually sickening.

The next 20 weeks (or so) will be an adventure. We're starting to think about what furniture we need to buy & going to register for items. We're not telling anyone what we're having & it's driving our families/friends/coworkers (mostly mine) nuts! I'm also trying to decide on getting a flu shot. I'm not really worried about getting the flu. I'm more worried about sinus infections, bronchitis, or pneumonia. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

NCWTS....Newbies!

2011-07-27T12:51:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, Kenny & I attended our first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Race. It was Nashville Superspeedway. That was our first time at the track. The only track I've ever attended races at is Bristol Motor Speedway. The two could not be more different! Being a truck race, there wasn't a huge crowd (I assume that's normal). But the crowd was so vastly different from that at Bristol. There were very few drunk people & none that were "overserved". They peddle everything in the stands from funnel cakes to lemonade with one exception....NO BEER! I was shocked! Maybe they try to keep the track family friendly...who knows. The race was ok, but with a bigger track is a little boring. There were a few competitive moments, but overall pretty anti-climatic. It was a good way to spend a Friday night, especially since the tickets were free!

The "Nightmare" Never Ends

2011-07-23T21:54:00.000-05:00

After Sissy's emergency surgery earlier this week, she had a setback. She started leaking fluid from the staples in her stomach. It started out simple enough, but the when I came home from work on Thursday it was much worse. It looked like one of the staples had come out. Blood colored fluid was running out the hole. My husband said the kitchen looked like a crime scene because I did my best to keep her there & not on any rugs. We took her back to the vet & they found that she somehow she ruptured internal sutures & had to have surgery again to repair it. She hasn't been doing so well. She's not eating as good (which could be good since a little overweight). She has eaten today at all which is a little upsetting. If she doesn't start eating by tomorrow. She'll have to go back to the vet. She's already been there 3 times this week...AFTER the surgery! I just hope this nightmare ends soon...

Old Habits Died Hard

2011-07-19T21:17:00.000-05:00

Last night, we were awoken to the sound of hacking, coughing, & heaving. Sissy (our youngest & Lab mix) was panicked & trying to throw up. My husband let her out & started eating tons of grass. I noticed that one of our new cloth chew toys was missing & I couldn't find it anywhere in the house. We suspected that she had eaten it. I took her out to the emergency vet. They took x-rays & her stomach was definitely enlarged so she had eaten something... They tried to get her to vomit, but she wasn't able to. The vet did emergency surgery & I was able to pick her up after work. We brought her home then she immediately started bleeding from her staples. We took her back to the vet & they had to wrap her belly in a bandage. She got home & immediately laid down & hasn't moved in over 3 hours. She just looks so pitiful. I thought knee surgeries were bad, but opening the stomach is definitely way worse! I just hope that she heals well & fast.

Roller Derby....I say yes!

2011-06-19T13:58:00.000-05:00

Last night, Kenny & I went to the Nashville Roller Girls bout against the Chicago Outfit. We'd never been before so thought we'd check it out. The first bout was between the "rookies". It was pretty good, but the second bout was excellent! Very competitive, physical & fast-paced. All things I LOVE in a sport! I think I have found my new favorite sport for the hockey off-season. I highly recommend a trip to the Municipal Auditorium if you're in the Nashville area when they're playing.

Addicted to home improvement...

2011-01-30T17:07:00.000-06:00

It's official....I am addicted to home improvement. At the very least, I LOVE to change paint colors. Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse is my FAVORITE store. I love the smell of lumber & aisles of possibility. Some people find me to be an odd woman that I don't really like shopping for clothes (that's because nothing fits my body right off the rack & it's just discouraging)....but LOVE to shop for my home. Most of the time the home improvement things are items I have to wait for because they're too expensive. But it's so worth the wait!

Over Thanksgiving week, Kenny & I tackled some long overdue home improvements. We tiled the floors in 2 bathrooms & the kitchen. We got new counter tops for the the baths & the kitchen also. We did not install those. That's not something I would ever think about tackling. That's just crazy talk. We did the demo for the counter tops because it just amounted to removing the old ones. I was so glad to see them leave! They were a hideous yellow color & had been beat up (burns, stains, cuts, etc.). I also changed the paint color in the kitchen (again). I also had to repaint one of the baths because when the new counter tops were installed there was some wall exposed that had no previously been exposed. I tried to color match the paint on the walls & it did not work. So I repainted most of the room with a brown (called Winter Wheat) that I already had & then an accent wall in the color matched violet (which looked more blue).

I love the way the rooms turned out. Now I'm ready to finish the flooring with new carpet in the bedrooms & upstairs and laminate flooring in the living room, hallway, eat-in area & staircase. That has to wait at least a few months. I need a little break.

Here are some pictures of the before & after:

After demo on one of the bathrooms.

I was so happy to see the kitchen counter tops go out the door!

The new counter tops. They are Formica solid surface in the color "Sierra Mist". We picked them out after looking at a sample counter top in the kitchen dept. at Lowe's in the Boro. It looked much more brown there, but I'm glad it looks a little more gray in my house. I love it!

My new kitchen sink. They are 9" deep & it's an under mount sink. Love the deep sinks that hold pots & pans completely.

The counter tops in the baths are the same color as in the kitchen. We did go with the integrated sink in white for the baths.

After the new paint color. It's called "Barley". It's from the Eddie Bauer line at Lowe's. I wasn't sure exactly how it would look on the wall even though I bought a sample & painted a small section. You just never know about these things. This color is the first one that Kenny has actually liked in the kitchen.

A Sea of Red Comes to Town

2011-01-20T22:52:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, we went to the Predators/Blackhawks game at Bridgestone Arena. I LOVE when the Blackhawks come to town. I love to watch them play. Also, AAA sponsored a trip for Chicago fans to come down to Nashville for the weekend. So, naturally, there were A LOT of red jerseys in the house. They are great hockey fans & we appreciate the tax dollars! So...y'all come back anytime!

The game was exciting (as expected). The first period was basically pretty even. The 2nd period however went to the Hawks. The Preds looked like they forgot to pick up their game from the locker room at intermission. The 3rd period, the Preds were on! Jerred Smithson scored the first goal for the Preds & that turned everything around. After that goal, everybody in the place was on their feet. It was fan vs. fan (Preds/Blackhawks)....who can cheer the loudest & longest....really fired the place up! That was the big turn around for momentum. Shea Weber tied the game. Preds won 3-2 in the shootout.

And since I'm talking about the Blackhawks....I have a secret. I guess I can tell the world now that those close to me know the truth...I have a huge hockey crush on Jonathan Toews. There, I said it...
You have to admit that he is a talented player & I can appreciate that as the team captain when he's on the ice he works hard. I personally think that the team captain should be the hardest working man on the ice. I can't stand when the captain plays like he's not there. Anyway, he's also not too bad to look at either (but I have a thing for dark & handsome...just look at my hubby;) )
So here are a few pics from the night...

Predators Captain Shea Weber

Eagleville High School ROTC posted the colors for the night

My husband said this is Zack Galifinakis (sp?), but I'm not so sure...why would he be in Nashville?

Cody Franson #4

Shhh...don't tell anyone....it's my secret!

Blackhawk Captain Jonathan Toews arguing a call...didn't work for them...heehee

Sold out crowd at Bridgestone Arena (over 17,000 people...many of them Blackhawk fans, but I don't care!)

Patrick Sharp (#10) is on FIRE right now! Marian Hossa (#81), well, I'm just not a fan...

Sergei Kostitsyn #74

A Preds pickup from Montreal. He has definitely come over to the Predators way of playing (as Barry Trotz says) & has started to shine.

Jerred Smithson #25 I just love him!

The game went into the shootout. My camera batteries died, so I only got the first shot. It's Jonathan Toews missing the net..oh yeah! Preds went on to win 3-2 with a goal from Marcel Goc against Corey Crawford.

After the game, we went out to The Big Bang which is a piano bar on Broadway. Very crowded, but very fun. I haven't been out in a while (I guess I'm just an old married woman) & forgot how great it was to people watch. Very entertaining....I'll leave it at that!

Family Visit

2011-01-10T15:21:00.000-06:00

This weekend my cousin Ginger came by to visit on her way back to Memphis. It was her first time to come to my house in Middle TN. It's been a good weekend & there were a few firsts for her. We went to the Parthenon museum in Nashville on Saturday. It is located in Centennial Park on West End. It houses a 42 foot tall statue of Athena. It also serves as an art museum. The building was originally constructed as a temporary building for the TN Centennial celebration in 1897. In the 1920s work began to make it a permanent structure. The statue of Athena was not completed until 1990.

The Parthenon

Model of the cornice

Nike in the right hand of Athena

Nike stands 6' 4" tall. Athena stands 42' 10" tall. (I hate that this picture is sideways, but can't figure out why it uploaded that way.)

Athena

Medusa's head on the shield of Athena.

After visiting the Parthenon, we drove over to the Opryland Hotel. I've not been over in that part of town since the May flood. It was very different not having to deal with traffic at Opry Mills. It would've been nice to walk through the hotel & see the renovations, but I REFUSED to pay $18 to park my car. That is ridiculous!
On Sunday, we decided to tour Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville. I had bought passes at an auction back in May, but hadn't used them so I thought this would be a great time to do that. Cumberland Caverns is the largest show cave in TN. The host a show called "Bluegrass Underground" that airs on WSM radio. The show features different bluegrass artists in concert in the Volcano room of the cave. I would love to see that someday. Ginger had never been to cave (despite living in East TN for 4 years & attending Maryville College). It was a great tour. The small crowd (6 in our tour group) made it very enjoyable. I've never been on a cave tour that small. We went to Mammoth Cave in KY a couple of years ago in the summer & of course the crowds were crazy.

It is a National Natural Landmark.

Entrance to the cave....stupid computer with the sideways picture...

The Saltpeter room. It is just at the entrance. The cave was used for saltpeter during the Civil War. Saltpeter is the main ingredient in gunpowder.

The "Moby Dick" structure in the cave

Albino crayfish in the freshwater pond inside the cave.

The Volcano Room

It is set up with tables & benches. It has a stage at the front of the room. There is also a chandelier that hangs from the ceiling that came from the Metropolitan Theatre in New York. (There are better pictures of the chandelier further down).

The Oasis Room

Dead structures in the cave

For a structure to be "dead" that means it is no longer growing

Historical graffiti in the cave

The tombstone room

The chandelier in the Volcano Room

They do a light show from the chandelier...the show isn't great, but the chandelier is beautiful!

Christmas 2010...

2011-01-03T21:37:00.000-06:00

This Christmas we traveled the length of the state to see both of our families. We started out in East TN & were treated to a White Christmas in Goshen Valley. The dogs of course LOVE snow! Lucks didn't get to spend any time in it, but the big dogs loved it...until Sissy realized it was going to be snowing, wet & windy all day...she was not a happy camper. We had a great time with family in both East & West TN.

Enjoying a snow day in Goshen!

Goshen Valley

Chursh Hill, TN

We all received lottery tickets in our stocking. We all won!

My niece opening a gift with her teeth. The look on my mother-in-laws face is hilarious!

My mother-in-law got a Wii for Christmas. Of course, Kenny had to hook it up & try it out...

Bowling

Snow! It snowed all night Christmas Eve. The snow on Christmas Day was beautiful!

Lucky watching the big dogs play in the snow outside....she looks so sad :(

After leaving East TN, we came home for a couple of days, then traveled West. The weather wasn't much better in West TN. It rained much of the time we were there (except the last day). We were only there for a couple of days, but had a good time.

Brownie sleeping in the yard. He looks so sweet & peaceful.

A Great Recovery

2011-01-03T21:07:00.000-06:00

Lucky's recovery is going smashingly well. She is walking than she ever has & thinks she is ready to go! She would love to be outside playing with the big dogs & I know they miss her too. She has adjusted quite well to being a house dog. She acts as if it is the life she's been meant to live all along....

At Nan's for Christmas

My favorite picture of her :)

She has finally gotten used to her kennel. Now she just gets in there on her own to relax.

Canine Knee Surgery....Round 2

2010-12-09T12:10:00.000-06:00

This year, Lucky was the recipient of a cruciate ligament repair...yay! (Can you sense the sarcasm?) Last year Brownie underwent a TPLO procedure to repair the cruciate ligament in his right knee. Lucky had surgery Tuesday to repair the same ligament on the same leg, but with her we did a totally different procedure. Brownie is a big dog who weighs just under 100 lbs. Lucky weighs about 35. Brownie saw an orthopedic specialist, with Lucky our vet did the procedure. Lucky's surgery cost about 1/4 of what Brownie's did.
She also is in a completely different place than he was on day 3. When I brought her home yesterday, she was alert, active & very much herself with a healthy appetite. Brownie was lethargic, had NO appetite, & didn't want to move. He was very doped up on pain meds & could hardly walk for himself. I'm glad that Lucky is doing well. It does seem that her recovery could take up to 16 weeks & Brownie's was around 9 weeks. She is an older dog so that may be a factor.
I'll begin therapy with her as soon as I get clearance from the vet (I'm awaiting a call back for some clarification on the take home instructions...they are very different from Brownie's). I don't think therapy will be easy with her. She loves being out with the other dogs. I think she misses them bunches. I know that Sissy misses her being with them.

Lucky right after coming home from the hospital. She's her usual smiling self for the camera! (Don't know what happened to this picture)

Hanging out with Daddy on her bed

Watching hockey...she's a new hockey fan.

With Sissy
We brought the big dogs in for their nightly medications & of course they have to check on the Luckster..

Bird Watching....from the window

2010-12-05T18:07:00.000-06:00

I always like winter time in my backyard because the bird watching from the kitchen window is excellent. Birds seem to come from everywhere to feed at my 2 feeders (one is a standard seed feed & one is a suet block feeder). They also come for the fresh water at the birdbath (I change it daily escpecially in summer...no need to provide more breeding grounds for mosquitos). The Cardinals have really taken over the feeders in the past couple of years. The females do have a habit of running off smaller birds. In the past few days, I have seen a few chickadee & a few titmouse in addition to the cardinals. If this year is anything like last year, I expect to have many birds coming to my yard. It's a good thing my dogs don't bother them much. Brownie does like to run into the bunch on the ground under the feeder then watch them fly away. He does that over & over. He must be easily entertained. Below are some pictures of a male cardinal at one of my feeders.

This one is at the other feeder. I definitely expect the numbers to pick up on the feeding as cold weather makes its way to TN.

FINALLY! A regulation win by the Predators

2010-12-05T17:53:00.000-06:00

Last night, the Nashville Predators finally got a win in regulation. It's been too long. These overtimes & especially shootouts are more than I take. They are unnecessary stress for fans everywhere. Glad to see the guys end this one in regulation. It was a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. I liked what I saw in the way of teamwork. They really stepped up the defense. Lindback in the net....The Canes scored early & I was a little nervous about how this was going to go. Is it just me or does it seem like the other guys protect the net a lot closer for Lindback than for Rinne? Rinne will apparently be out for 3-4 weeks with a lower body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes Bench

The Preds Bench

Tootoo, Smithson, Franson, Weber, & O'Brien

Wilson, O'Reilly, Sullivan, Goc

Preds Win!

Sergei Kostisyn

2nd Star of the Game

Marcel Goc

Third Star of the Game

Martin Erat

1st Star of the game

What a disappointing defeat....

2010-11-25T22:32:00.000-06:00

The game last night at Bridgestone Arena was disappointing. The Preds started out slow in the first period. The Blues came to play with a pretty physical game. They scored in the first 9 seconds of the game. Definitely took everybody by surprise...on the ice & in the stands. The 2nd & 3rd periods were MUCH better for the Preds. For the game, the Preds out shot the Blues 30 shots to 15 shots on goal. The game went to overtime tied 1-1. We couldn't close the deal in OT so on to another shootout. This time, we lost in sudden death. Disappointing... What is most frustrating is the inability to capitalize on the power play. The team has a great penalty kill, but doesn't score on the power play. I don't know what the problem is.
Here are some pictures of the night:

Captain Shea Weber

Opening face off

The Blues scored immediately after this face off...it was unbelievable.

The Preds Bench

Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, & Pekka Rinne during a timeout

My friend Amy & her brother at the game....aren't they cute!?

The shootout that shouldn't have been....

The game winning goal was scored by Andy McDonald. He also scored the other goal the Blues got.

Several Blues fans were at this game, but NOTHING like when the Blackhawks were in town a couple of weeks ago. I have always been annoyed by these whistles people blow when Jordin Tootoo is on the ice....they're just like nails on a chalkboard for me. The Blues fans have totally topped that! There is a horn that I really just wanted to break before the night was over. And to top it all....someone started blowing it just before the National Anthem. You could hear shushing all over the arena. Talk about rude! You don't have to respect the Preds but you gotta respect the Flag!

I Love When the Blackhawks Come to Town...

2010-11-17T14:11:00.002-06:00

I always love when the Blackhawks come to town! The game is always exciting & I hate to miss any of them. Of course, they have very loyal fans who travel from Chicago to follow their team. There were so many red jerseys in the Arena that if they had happened to win, the Blackhawks could've done their own stick salute & blasted "Chelsea Dagger"...didn't happen, but it could have. It was good to watch hockey live again.

My in-laws were in town, so we took my mother-in-law & my step-father-in-law to their very first hockey game. The crowd was rowdy & loud, and the game was very exciting.

I love the National Anthem & this guy did a fabulous job! He was an American Idol finalist, but I can't remember his name....I know...it's terrible.

The game was exciting & physical (but not as physical as the Penguins game). It was great to see the guys play strong through the 3rd period.

Duncan Keith

Jonathan Toews

Captain of the Chicago Blackhawks

Loved this hat...

Sorting out a call....I call it a bad call...Shea Weber in the box for a double minor for roughing...of course, he was sorting out something started by Patrik Hornqvist (who needs to stop starting stuff on the ice). Hornqvist doesn't fight, there's always a defenseman who jumps in the middle.

The game went to the shootout. Chicago shot first, but missed all three shots. Cal O'Reilly shot first for the Preds & scored! It was the game winner.

The Blackhawks bench

The Preds bench

Cal O'Reilly

First star of the game

Great Hockey when the Penguins come to town...

2010-10-24T12:39:00.001-05:00

When the Penguins come to town, you know you can count on a great, competitive game. There was a sold-put crowd in Bridgestone Arena which is great for a Thursday night. the game was fast paced (at least in the last 2 periods) & very physical. Emotions were running high both on the ice & in the stands. It was also "Hockey Fights Cancer" night for the Preds.

My friend, Amy & I at the game

Gnash & T-Rac (the Titans mascot)

The ceremonial puck drop for "Hockey Fights Cancer". The little girl who dropped the puck was diagnosed with cancer a few months after she had donated her hair to Locks of Love.

Sidney Crosby

Captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins

He is quite a cutie & very talented!

Opening face-off

Sidney Crosby in the box for cross-checking. (At least the refs didn't have a problem calling penalties on him...)

First fight of the evening....Let me set up the scenario for you. Jordin Tootoo was on the boards working for the puck between 2 Penguins players. Evgeni Malkin comes up & hits Tootoo from behind (a blind hit also known as boarding). Kevin Klein obviously takes offense to this & gets involved thus this fight.

Waiting to see if a penalty will be assessed other than the 5 minute major for fighting. The refs did give a penalty to the Preds! I was appalled! Malkin should've had his butt in that box for what he did. Sure, the call didn't lose us the game, but if the NHL wants to crack down on blind side hits then you have to be consistent. You can't give a player the "benefit of the doubt" just because of who he is (or who he thinks he is). He broke the rules & should be punished for it.

The great rule breaker, Evgeni Malkin

Vanderbilt Childrens' Hospital mascot, Champ

The Monroe Carroll Center was the charity for the night.

I will say this for Sidney Crosby....comparing him to Alex Ovechkin against the Preds, Crosby will get in the middle of some action. He didn't stand at the point waiting on someone to pass him the puck. He at least got in there after it & worked for it.

The Preds players wore pink laces in the their skates. These are Joel Ward's hot pink laces.

Brawl # 2

Brawl #3

Brawl #4

As I said, emotions were running high. The refs only let the one fight happen. They broke everyone else up pretty quickly.

The Preds ended up losing in overtime. They are currently the only team in the NHL to have zero losses in regulation, which means we've got a point in each game we've played. It unrealistic to think we can go the whole season this way....that's 82 games....never gonna happen. I just want to make it to the playoffs & past the first round. :)

Funny Aging Pups & a Silly Husband

2010-10-17T14:13:00.001-05:00

The harsh reality I'm finally facing is that my dogs are aging.
Lucky has gingivitis & is losing her teeth. She's always had difficulties eating because of her bite, but now it just seems harder for her. A few months ago, one of her teeth fell out in my lap. She's also starting gaining weight which is weird. We don't really know exactly how old she is, just that she has to be at least 10. She could be any age. She doesn't let her age hold her back though. She loves to run (short sprints) & play. She's still very full of life.
Brownie will be 8 in January & had knee surgery last December to fix a problem. Now, he favors that leg around the yard at times. Sometimes he has a hard time getting up from his bed. He's still active & loves to walk around the neighborhood.
Sissy will be 7 in December. She is the most healthy although she has a problem with maintaining her weight (Big girl loves to eat!). She loves a walk around the neighborhood & loves to run, but has little stamina. That's mostly our fault for not taking her out everyday.
I've come to realize that we have to step up our game on their exercise regimen if we want to have healthy, happy dogs for many years to come. Everyone is on a medication regimen of glucosamine & fish oil. We started Lucky on it about 4 years ago when she really started having problems getting up & would cry out in pain. It has really helped her. Brownie started taking it on the doctor's orders after surgery. Sissy has just joined in as a preventative measure.

Treat time in the Henry house is actually medication time, but the dogs don't know that & don't care!

My husband is just plain silly when it comes to playing with our dogs. He is definitely the dogs' "best friend" (except maybe Brownie...he's a mama's boy). I wouldn't have it any other way!

Kenny put a paper bag on Sissy's head for fun. She's a good natured dog. She's patient with his silly antics. She did let me get the camera & get a picture before ripping it off.

After the bag came off, she was happy to get some loving.

Sissy loves doing high 5's (or high 10s in her case). She also loves to shake. She's the only dog we have that does it. Lucky just looks at you like you're crazy & Brownie has no interest. This picture is a post-high 10.

Lucky big cheesing for the camera. For a dog, she loves to have a picture taken. So does Sissy. Brownie will go hide.

Preds vs. Capitals

2010-10-17T13:49:00.002-05:00

Last night, the Preds took on Alex Ovechkin & company at Bridgestone Arena. I have to say that I'm very impressed with the hustle & aggressive play the Preds had last night. Anders Lindback did a great job in the net. Pekka Rinne was injured last Saturday against the Ducks but hopefully will be back out there this Tuesday against the Blues.

The Predators walked into last night's game one of only 4 undefeated teams in the league. The Preds dominated the first 2 periods shutting out the Caps. However, in the 3rd they just looked a little tired. It appeared they had worn themselves out playing so hard in the first 2 they didn't have much left. The game went to overtime & the Preds lost 3-2. Just a note....the only remaining undefeated team is the Dallas Stars.

I wasn't that impressed with the "superstar" Alex Ovechkin. He doesn't actually DO anything. He only took a few shots the whole night from the point. He doesn't get involved in action. Of course, our defense did an excellent job of shutting down any possible opportunities he may have had. I loved it! It'll be interesting to see how things go when Sid the Kid is in town on Thursday.

Alex Ovechkin

The Preds bench

Absolute coverage on #8

It's Opening Night in Smashville!

2010-10-17T13:21:00.000-05:00

October 9, 2010 was opening night in Smashville! It was a great time! The Bridgestone Arena was sold out for the first game of the 2010-2011 NHL season. Kenny, Amy, & I attended the Red Carpet event on the plaza at Bridgestone Arena. Each of the players, coaches, & play-by-play announcers walked the red carpet. They were each accompanied by a selected season ticket holder. Some of the women who were selected were hilarious! They held on to the layer they were walking with like they could take him home & all had huge grins on their faces. Below are some pics from that event.

This year Kenny & I invested in a Flex 10 package of tickets (which is considered a season ticket package). You choose which 10 games you want to attend, what level you want to sit in & then they assign you tickets for those games. I'm really enjoying having this option. I'm thinking of going up to a 23 game package next year, but we'll see what happens. We sit in the 200s (club level) sections. i really like the seats because you see pretty much everything. If I had to choose my section though, I would choose one on the sides of the rink. We've been sitting at the end & it's hard to see action on the other end.

Cal O'Reilly
#16

Joel Ward
#29

Alexander Sulzer

Francis Bouillon
#51

Martin Erat #10
See what I mean about the female season ticket holders....

Marcel Goc #9

Colin Wilson #33

Jordin Tootoo #22

Shane O'Brien #55
We just acquired him from Vancouver.

Patric Hornqvist #27

Anders Lindback #39
He's our new rookie goalie. I'm expecting big things from him. I think he'll be an improvement over Ellis.

Matthew Lombardi

Wade Belak #3

J.P. DuMont #71

Steve Sullivan #26

Kevin Klein #8

Cody Franson #4
He shook hands all the way down the red carpet.

Ryan Suter #20
He's my fave!

David Legwand #11

Shea Weber #6
He's the new captain this year.
So long Jason Arnott!

Jerred Smithson #25

Head Coach Barry Trotz

PeteWeber
He's an announcer on FoxSports.

Terry Crisp
Announcer on Fox Sports
I love Crispy! He cracks me up!

Warm-ups

Player intros

Francis Bouillon being sent to the box after a fight.

View from our seats

The guy on the right is the former lead singer for the band "Kansas". He performed the National Anthem & it was awful. One of the worst I've ever heard done by a professional.

Kenny with "hockey face".

Preds defeat the Anaheim Ducks 4-1

3 stars of the game:
3. Ryan Suter

2. Shea Weber

1. Steve Sullivan

The Preds are off to a great start to the season. Keep it up fellas!

Beautiful Day at the Zoo & the Frist Center for the Arts

2010-09-05T22:33:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago at the Rutherford County 4-H Fundraiser Auction Kenny bought a Nashville package that had passes to the Frist Center for the Arts, the Nashville Zoo, & the Hermitage. We decided to take in 2 of those tours today. We started our day at the zoo. I love the zoo....I love all zoos. Nashville isn't the best zoo I've been to. They have no bears, no lions, no gorilla.....but they do have some unique situations. Nashville Zoo has housed one of a few breeding pairs of Clouded Leopards since 2005 & last year had 3 cubs born. The Clouded Leopard is on the endangered species list & a breeding project is being headed up at the zoos in Thailand. Nashville Zoo participates in the SSP(Species Survival Plan) for several species they house.

Below are pictures of the other animals at the Nashville Zoo:

African Crested Porcupine

African Elephant
Their snouts amaze me!

Masai Giraffe

Meerkats
They are so much fun to watch! Of course they are a huge hit with families with kids.

Ostrich

Zebra

Eurasian Lynx

Bengal Tiger

Rhinoceros Hornbill
This bird was quite interactive with some kids who were watching. It kept making noises & bobbing its head.

Red Panda

Ring-tailed lemur

Cougar

Siamang Gibbon
They were quite active this morning!

The zoo recently acquired a new baby gibbon who is 7 months old. Her name is Ari & her mother rejected her. She has been hand raised for the past few months. They are hoping that their 41 year old female will serve as a surrogate as she has in the past.

They have a new area called the Flamingo Lagoon. These are very fascinating birds. I learned something new today....they are born gray & get their pink color from beta carotene.

After the zoo, we went downtown to the Frist Center for the Arts. They don't have a permanent collection at the Center so they always have interesting exhibits. They don't allow any photography inside the museum:(. We saw the Chihuly exhibit. It's an exhibit by Dale Chihuly. He is a glass artist and his exhibits are fabulous. I really wish I had some pictures....

They also had an exhibit on Couture Fashion from 1947 - 1957 & how the fashion changed post WWII. This exhibit was crazy....rather the people were crazy! Some of these were throwing elbows to get up to the glass to see the Christian Dior fashions from the early 1950s. It was madness. The Chihuly exhibit was empty compared to this one.
We finished the day off with an early dinner (or late lunch depending on how you look at it) at Cheddar's.
It was a great day with my hubby!

Beautiful Gardens, Great music....what more do you need!

2010-08-07T11:22:00.000-05:00

Last night, Kenny & I went to see the Indigo Girls at the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. The show was amazing as usual. They were supposed to be coming with Lilith Fair, which I was very excited about. Lilith Fair would've been Sugarland, Lorretta Lynn, Sarah McLachlan, & the Indigo Girls.....awesome! However, it got cancelled....bummer!
Glad to see the Indigo Girls come to Nashville though! The show was outdoors & I've honestly never had a good experience with outdoor shows. The crowd is usually unable to structure or control itself. I saw Dave Matthews at Starwood (when it still existed) & the experience was horrible. I was actually assaulted by a VERY drunk man. Anyway, the crowds at the Indigo Girls shows are an older bunch so it's a much more relaxed atmosphere. The gardens are beautiful & were a wonderful setting for the show.
Kenny is a big fan & I had actually never heard much of their music until I saw them live at the Ryman. They are some very talented musicians. Here are some pictures of the evening...

Great setting for the show!
Listening to the opening act, Evan McHugh

Kenny is a HUGE fan of the Indigo Girls. He loves acoustic music & talented musicians...both of which you get with the Indigo Girls.
He's the one who really exposed me to their music.

Cheekwood is having an exhibit right now called "Chihuly". There are glass structures placed all over the gardens & are lit at night. This is on one of the ponds.

This is called "Sunset Boat".

The Indigo Girls!
For those of you who don't know, they are Amy Ray & Emily Saliers.
The girls on the accordion was amazing! Her name is Julie Wolf.

With Allison Brown....she is amazing on a stringed instrument!

Amy singing "Romeo".....I missed my dancing friend at this show. He was hilarious at the Ryman.

The crowd at the end of the show.

Another glass exhibit
Stunning!

Election Day & PS3

2010-08-05T22:29:00.000-05:00

Well, it's election day! I exercised my right & did my civil duty by voting this morning. I am hoping now that the Primary election is over some of the mud-slinging campaigns will stop. But in reality I know it will just be redirected. I'm ready for November. Why do political campaigns have to stoop so low? Why can't you just tell me what you're going to do & why you're more qualified? If you have to point out your opponents flaws, I wonder what you're hiding. My political philosophy doesn't matter. I don't care who you vote for, just do some research on the candidates & vote!

On a lighter note, we finally had to upgrade our audio/visual equipment. The HTIB I bought in 2000 finally gave out. The DVD player quit working. We decided to buy individual components so we didn't have that problem again. We bought a PS3 as our new blue-ray player. We figured "why not"! We got 1 game for it.....NHL 10. I enjoy playing it, but I'm not a gamer. There are parts of it that I'm horrible at! I guess I just have to keep playing. That is if I can ever get my husband off the game. He has become slightly obsessed it. I know when it gets cooler, he'll be back in the garage working on his project....a '66 Chevelle. Maybe then I can get some practice time in :)

Dog Days of Summer!

2010-07-28T17:05:00.000-05:00

It has been HOT in TN this summer! Record temps not to mention the heat index & the humidity. Sometimes I wish I lived somewhere cooler. I know that my dogs have been suffering through this, but with a smile on their faces. They don't do much & our daily walks have stopped. When it's 80 degrees at 7am, that's not a good sign.
Lucky & Sissy went to the vet last weekend & we are facing the harsh realities of owning an older dog. The Luckster's teeth have started falling out. She lost a tooth the other day in my lap. She has gingivitis & I know her mouth has to hurt. She's been put on an antibiotic, but it won't fix it. I guess that's what happens to a 9 or 10 year old dog. I've never had dogs as long as I've had these. Something always happened & it usually ended sadly (run away, hit by car, etc). On a positive note, Sissy lost 6 pounds...sadly, Lucky found them (& didn't need to).
Since I haven't posted anything about my pupalups in a while I thought I would share the most recent & a few pictures.

Treeing a squirrel
They never catch the squirrels, but have fun with the chase (I think the squirrels like it too!)!

Sissy's favorite place to spend a hot summer day...in front of the fan in the garage.

Brownie

Alaska - The final day

2010-07-28T16:23:00.000-05:00

Our last day in Alaska we spent the day in Anchorage. It was our most relaxing day. We walked down 4th Ave. which is the "tourist trap" of the city. It's where all the cruise buses drop their tourists for a day in Anchorage. There are souvenir shops everywhere! This was the only time we entered one of those. We are not huge fans of souvenir shops. We rarely buy souvenirs. We just take lots of pictures & have our memories & experiences. We did happen upon the ceremonial starting line of the Iditarod race.

We also drove around parts of Anchorage we hadn't seen yet. Mostly residential sections. I love Anchorage & Alaska. I'm sure the winters would be hard to adjust to, but the summers would be fabulous!

The day was a great ending to our vacation. Our flight left Anchorage at 10:30pm for Chicago O'Hare. The flight was late leaving & I was afraid we wouldn't make our connection. No problems there & arrived in Nashville around 10am on Sunday morning pretty exhausted.
I would love to go back some time & see other parts of the state. Amazing experience & Alaska should definitely be on your "bucket list"!

And remember.....moose are dangerous creatures!

Alaska - Day 7

2010-07-23T22:09:00.002-05:00

Day 7: This day was my absolutely favorite! This was one from my "bucket list" & I highly recommend it. We traveled to Katmai National Park to go bear viewing. So many firsts for me on this day. We traveled by small plane to Kulick Fishing Lodge.

Our plane to/from Kulick Lodge
Weight distribution was very important for the plane so we all had to be weighed before getting on.

The cabins at Kulick Lodge

Kulick Lodge is one of three fishing lodges managed by Katmailand. At the fishing lodge, we got on a float plane to travel to Brooks Lodge.

In the co-pilots seat

I had never been on a float plane before. The trip to Brooks Camp wasn't bad at all. I thought that landing on water might be rough, but I think it was easier than landing on land.
At Brooks Lodge, we got off the plane & immediately went through our bear etiquette training. A ranger meets you at the dock & explains that you can't have any food, gum, candy, or flavored drinks on you while you walk around the camp. There is a food/gear cache to store your goods in for the day. They have a few designated areas where you can eat food (however, these areas are not "bear proof"). They also make you aware that the bears are using the same trails as you. After going through the training, you are sent on your way with a map of the camp.

The trail to Brooks Falls

Our first stop was Brooks Falls. This is where the bears stand to catch fish as they swim upstream & try to jump the waterfalls. This was an absolutely spectacular experience! They have platforms set up for you to safely watch the bears.

Once you get on the platform walkway to the falls, there are a couple of doors like this one along the walkway. The rangers are very strict about not stopping on the walkway.

The first bear we saw at Katmai National Park.

A little perspective picture on just how close you actually are to these animals.

Bald Eagle

Kenny at the lower platform....with a bear behind him.

When this big bear showed up, every other bear in the area left.
When you're looking at one bear, it seems so large standing there. When a bigger bear shows up, it's interesting that you didn't realize how "small" the first bear was...

The only way to get from one side of the camp to the other is to cross a floating bridge. If a bear comes within 50 yards of the bridge, it closes. You're told when you get there to be sure to be on the correct side of the bridge at least an hour before your flight leaves. The rangers call these "bear jams".

There are only about 25 rangers in the entire Katmai Park. However, the rangers are more visible in this park than I have ever seen in any national park. They are everywhere! Most of them are seasonal because the tourist season is so short.

The bears are also everywhere....

This bear started walking down the trail as we were getting ready to leave on the float plane. It definitely did not obey the 50 yard rule.

It was rather cold that day with a very strong wind.

After a rough plane ride back (on both planes), we landed in Anchorage. We were both tired from a very exciting day.
I haven't really mentioned exactly how much daylight there is late at night. The picture below was taken from our hotel room around 11:00pm. I NEVER saw it dark in Alaska! That was something I did miss.

Alaska - Day 6

2010-07-20T13:48:00.003-05:00

Day 6: We woke up & took a tour of the dog sledding kennels at Earthsong Lodge. They give winter dog sled tours into the Denali park. Something else to add to my bucket list! The kennels have about 27 dogs (all of which are working). The oldest dog is 12 & he is really defying the odds right now. Dog sled dogs are not a particular breed. At Earthsong Lodge, John (the owner) said he wants a good mix breed with a lot of variety. He says it makes for healthier dogs with more longevity. In his opinion, a diverse gene pool is essential. The commonly known sled dog breeds such as Alaskan Malamute & Siberian Husky came about from the geographic isolation of the sled dogs when they came over from Russia. This led to inbreeding & therefore a "narrowing" of the gene pool. The dogs have very thick fur & a thick undercoat. They also have very large paws that are insulated & a specialized circulatory system to keep their core organs warm in the winter. After the tour, we drove back to Anchorage.

The kennels at Earthsong Lodge

The dogs are very friendly & love the attention of visitors.

Kenny with one of the pups.

I made a new friend!

Pippin
When they have a new litter, they name them with a theme. There was a Star Trek: The Next Generation theme, Battlestar Gallactica, & Hobbits

Frodo
He is currently the lead dog.

Bart the Lab
He is a pure bred Lab & is just there as a pet.

Eight mile lake
It is a few miles from the lodge.

Over 20 miles down this road was where Christopher McCandless became stranded in a bus. The movie "Into The Wild" is based on his story. We were on Stampede Rd.

The coffee shop at Earthsong Lodge
Henry's Coffee shop

On the way back to Anchorage, we stopped at the Iditarod Race headquarters in Wasilla. It was very interesting. I really didn't know anything about the race until visiting the headquarters. It was first run to commerate a very improtant day in the history of Nome, AK. Disease hit the town & a snow storm hit that grounded planes in Fairbanks. A dog sled team took the medication needed to the town of Nome.

Joe Herrington Memorial

He was the "father" of the Iditarod race.

At the headquarters, they give sled dog rides. Personally, it's a little cruel to make these dogs work in the heat. They love to work (that's what makes them good sled dogs), but it has to be hot for them.

We saw this sign by the road near the headquarters & had to take a picture.

Alaska - Day 5

2010-07-20T13:01:00.000-05:00

Day 5: We spent the day in Denali National Park. The transportation inside the park is school buses. Personal vehicles are not allowed past mile marker 15. We traveled to Eielson Visitor's Center about 4 hours into the park. After being on the road, I completely understand why there are no cars allowed on it. It is narrow & curvy & it's dirt. I can't imagine what a typical "bear jam" would look like....We saw quite a bit of wildlife & got to see Mt. McKinley! Apparently, only a small percentage of the visitors to Denali actually get to see the mountain. The buses do stop for wildlife. However, you don't get to sit there long. They do try to keep moving so the buses don't get backed up. It's usually covered with clouds. Here are some pictures of the great park.

On the bus in Denali...self-portrait

Mt. McKinley
Named for former senator & former president, William McKinley

Grizzly bear

This was the first wildlife we saw in the park.

Golden Eagle
Beautiful birds...

The park has some very beautiful scenery.

There is a visitor's center/bookstore that is a tent. It's pretty interesting. The rest stops were at porta-potties or outhouses. This stop had outhouses.

More grizzlies

Fox

Mt. McKinley from Eielson Visitor's Center
You can see both the south peak (left) & the north peak (right).
It's almost unreal that you're seeing this.

Eiselson Visitor's Center
They monitor the sounds of the wildlife & the human intrusion.

Another shot of Mt. McKinley
I couldn't take enough pictures!

The road in Denali...very curvy & narrow...

Caribou

Dall Sheep
Denali Park was created as a wildlife sanctuary to protect these animals in 1917.

Gray wolf

After the bus ride into the park, we hiked around a few of the trails around the entrance. On one of the trails, we topped a hill at the same time a female moose did & startled her. She, of course, charged. We, of course, ran. It was a little stressful because after she turned off the trail, we tried to continue hiking, but she doubled back & we had to deal with her again. After she did move on, we hiked a little further. But we turned back as we had already been charged...how much more excitement could lie ahead.

A moose track

Alaska - Day 4

2010-07-19T22:12:00.000-05:00

Day 4: We traveled north to Denali National Park. It was a nice drive up. There was a lot of road construction & it took a while to get there. They rip up all of the asphalt & start over. You have to drive across a dirt road. The sections are so long that they have a lead vehicle to guide the traffic through. It's a pretty smart idea. It was especially handy with the sections that had been paved with wet oil.

Thunderbird Falls
This was an easy hike up to the falls. It is in the Chugach State Park.
Very pretty.

We drove through Wasilla, AK....the home of Sarah Palin.
My grandmother is a huge fan of Sarah.....so I just had to have my pic made in front of the welcome sign.

We stopped in Talkeetna. It is a tiny town that has become a tourist trap. When you drive into town, the train & cruise tour buses are dropping people off & these poor people are wandering around town wondering what they're doing there. I really didn't get the attraction.
The locals do say that it's a much nicer place when it's not tourist season. On a different note, it is said that Talkeetna was the inspiration for the town in the show "Northern Exposure" (Cicily, AK).

A view of "The Mountain" from the road to Denali. It was cloudy that day so you couldn't see the peaks....(but I'll get my chance)....

Our lodge was in Healy. It was a beautiful place & about 11 miles from the Denali park entrance. It was away from all the "cruise tour bus chaos" (thank goodness). Traffic was crazy in that small section of highway. I have discovered that I don't believe I could ever enjoy a cruise. I need more space & freedom than cruises allow I think. Anyway.....we stayed at Earthsong Lodge & it was wonderful. I highly recommend it if you're in the Denali area. It is set up as individual cabins. They are very cozy. They have a coffee shop that serves breakfast & dinner. They will pack a sack lunch for you if you are heading in the park. The coffee shop is called "Henry's". They named it after one of their dogs. I knew then they were my kind of people. The owners are John & Karen Nirenberg. The story of how they met is interesting. Pretty much totally random. The story was featured in Ladies' Home Journal a few years ago. Unfortunately, I don't remember the details :(

Our cabin at Earthsong Lodge
"The Eskimo Room"

The Earthsong Lodge

Alaska - Day 3

2010-07-18T15:26:00.000-05:00

Day 3 was a little more relaxed. We drove down to Girdwood to go panning for gold. I expected it to be really "touristy", but it definitely was not! We only saw 2 other groups of tourists while we were there. We went panning at Crow Creek Mine which is a National Historic Site. Gold claims were first made on the site in 1897. It still contains some of the original buildings which are the oldest buildings in the Anchorage Metro area. The current owners are a husband/wife. The wife's family moved to the site in 1969 & kept it open for tourists. It is not currently being mined commercially, although there are a few "professionals" who come out to mine on the weekends. None of the buildings have electricity or running water. It is truly a page in Alaska history.

On the road to Girdwood

At the entrance to Crow Creek Mine

The road to Crow Creek Mine
It's about 3 miles off the main road. The road turns to dirt about half a mile in...

Kenny panning for gold at the creek.

The few small pieces at the top are actual gold. They give you a practice bag to work with so that you know what you're looking for. That was the only gold I saw in my pan all day.

If you look closely, you can see the blue hose & machine behind the bush. There were several of these left at different locations along the creek. They are used by the semi-professional to help them sift through the dirt faster.

View of Crow Creek
It was absolutely beautiful & peaceful. In a word....untouched.

Kenny found his own piece of gold. We were very excited about the find. It's amazing how hard you have to work for such a tiny piece.

The most beautiful vending machine I have ever seen.
Because a lot of the water is glacial melt, it is all very cold (even coming out of the tap). This is a genius idea to keep Cokes cold. You just dropped your dollar into the bucket hanging there.

View from the entrance of Crow Creek Mine

After panning for gold, we drove back to Anchorage & spent more time downtown & exploring the city. We rented bikes & rode along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. It is an 11 mile trail from downtown Anchorage to Kincaid Park (a city park). We only rode about 6 miles in then turned around.

As we rode along, about 5 miles in we saw this moose cow & her calf on the trail. The encounter was harmless since she knew we were there.
She & the calf turned toward the woods & disappeared.

Just right around the corner from the first moose encounter was another moose cow with 2 calves. She was less concerned about the cyclists & runners than the first.

Moose calf running down the trail.

Alaska 2010 - Day 2

2010-07-18T01:39:00.000-05:00

On day 2 we traveled south to Whittier to take a glacier cruise. Our cruise was with Phillips Cruises & lasted about 5 hours. The cruise was amazing! The temps did get a little cold though on the water even at one point getting as low as 38 degrees!
The drive down was absolutely breathtaking! There are no words to describe the scenery.

The "beach" is actually glacial silt. It's pulled up by the moving of the glaciers & deposited in the water. It looks very gray in color & is beautiful.

I had to take a picture of this gift shop. I thought it was a very appropriate name for gift shops. If you haven't guessed, I'm not a fan of the "touristy" gift shop.....although I usually end up in one before any trip ends.

This is the entrance to the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. It is the only route from the Bear Valley area to Whittier and is 2.5 miles long. It is used by both cars & trains.

Inside the tunnel...very interesting...

Only in Alaska!

The Alaska Marine Highway
It is one of the National Scenic By-way.
The ferries run from the Juneau area to the Kodiak islands.

Sea lions sunbathing on an island.

An Orca whale.
There is known to be pod of 9 nine females living in Prince William Sound. Unfortunately, they are all over breeding age so no one knows what's going to happen when they start dying.

Surprise glacier
It is a glacier that is calving.
Very interesting sight to see...

A Harbor seal

Sea Otters

A glacier calving

At this point on the cruise, the temperature was down around 38 degrees.

Glacial ice
The black bits are pieces of rock & dirt.

Bald Eagles feeding on fish

The tour was incredible. The town of Whittier is tiny & I can't believe that it's a cruise stop. Other than fishing or taking glacier/wildlife cruises, there's not a lot to do. However, the drive is well worth it!

Alaska Trip 2010 - Day 1

2010-07-16T23:46:00.000-05:00

For our vacation this year, we have traveled to Alaska! It's a place that has been on our list for a few years now. We left out of Nashville at 6am on Frontier Airlines. By the way, I would never fly Frontier again. I don't fly often, but on a trip that is 5 hours long, the least they could do is provide entertainment & a bag of pretzels. I have a lot of issues with domestic flights but that's another story. We arrived in Anchorage at noon (Alaska time). Our first stop was to our bed & breakfast. We checked in & once we got to the room there were no blackout curtains. REALLY!?! Who the crap has no blackout curtains in Alaska in the summer? The sun is up until around 11:30pm & rises at 4am but never really gets that dark. We tried to nap & it was so loud & it sounded like a crop duster buzzing the house. After being there for 3 hours, we decided to leave & check in to a hotel. The owners were very understanding & patient. We ended up at the Holiday Inn Express & it was fabulous (compared to the bed & breakfast)!

Our first siteseeing venture took us to downtown Anchorage...

The Alaska Railroad station

The Alaska Statehood Monument

Dwight D. Eisenhowser at the Alaska Statehood Monument
He signed the document making Alaska a state in 1959.

A view across Cook Inlet

Earthquake Park
It is the site of the largest earthquake in North America.

Captain Cook Monument in downtown Anchorage

Life & the busy path I live...

2010-06-27T20:06:00.000-05:00

June has been such a busy month for us! I worked at the Central Region horse show the first weekend in June, had a week at the office, then a week at 4-H camp, a week at the State 4-H Horse Championships. Next on my to do list is a science day camp next week....then.....VACATION! We are traveling to Alaska this year. I am very excited about our trip! Anchorage, Denali, & Katmai....it's going to be fabulous! Temperatures in the upper 60s, but probably a lot rain. Pictures to follow soon....
We made a purchase of a new toy....a Glock 9mm. We went to the shooting range today & it fires beautifully. I love going to the shooting range.

Stanley Cup Playoff Hockey = Great Hockey!

2010-04-24T13:06:00.001-05:00

I attended my first Stanley Cup playoff game on Tuesday April, 20, 2010 with my friend Amy. Amy is a new hockey fan & I'm glad to have her to watch games with. Kenny tolerates hockey, but it's not his favorite sport. Playoff is amazing hockey! I have NEVER seen that kind of energy in the Bridgestone Arena. I loved it! I wish every game could be that exciting. It does have me wondering where these people are during the regular season. We had great seats. I love being on the side behind the penalty boxes.
Since the Preds have made the playoffs I've been seeing more Preds gear (license plates, flags, clothes, etc). Where is it during the regular season? Are they just fair weather fans? I guess any support is good support....
Game 6 is Monday night & I SO wish I could be there. Unfortunately, I scheduled a rocketry class at work that night. BOO!!!!! Next spring, I will NOT be planning anything other than the standard meetings after March. I have learned my lesson :)

Warmups

Michael W. Smith sang the National Anthem

German Olympian Marcel Goc (#9 Nashville Predators)
Olympic Silver Medalist Patrick Kane (#88 Chicago Blackhawks)
Loved Kane in the Olympics....not so much in the playoffs

Shea Weber & Ryan Suter
My friend Amy has a MAJOR hockey crush on Shea Weber.

The Preds bench from our seats

Jonathan Toews
Captain of the Blackhawks & 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist

Another shot of the bench

The Preds coaching staff

Preds win 4 -1
It was the first time in franchise history that the Predators lead a playoff series.

Pekka Rinne
He has proved himself to be an amazing goaltender.

David Legwand & Steve Sullivan

A weekend at the beach

2010-04-18T15:45:00.000-05:00

Over Easter weekend, Kenny & I made what is becoming an annual trip to the Gulf Coast. We went again to Gulf Shores, AL. We love that place! We had a great time & beautiful weather. We spent an entire at the beach & of course, being the fair skinned person I am, got sunburned despite the fact that I was wearing sunscreen (SPF 50). I hate being fair skinned.

We also spent some time at the national Naval Aviation Museum. We both love that museum. It's a free museum that is absolutely incredible! If you like mechanical things and/or aviation, that is the museum for you. We also got to climb the Pensacola Lighthouse. It was 177 steps. The view was beautiful. I love lighthouses! They are so fascinating to me. I don't really know why, but I do.

Kenny has a couple of friends from college who live in Ft. Walton Beach so it was great to meet them for dinner. It's been a long time since we've seen them.

Here's a few pictures from our trip.

View of Gulf Shores beach from our balcony

Pensacola Lighthouse

Painted pelican in front of lighthouse

View from top of lighthouse

At the top of the lighthouse

Fat Albert & the Blue Angels
taken from the Pensacola Lighthouse

The light at the lighthouse

Inside the National Naval Aviation Museum

A tri-motor plane

Flying Tigers
Really cool exhibit

The regalia of Japan's Emperor during WWII, Hideki Tojo
They were given to one of the MPs who guarded him during his imprisonment.

The Spirit of Naval Aviation

In Downtown Pensacola
The historic district

Park in downtown Pensacola

Predators 4/10/10

2010-04-18T15:32:00.001-05:00

Kenny & I attended the final game of the regular season for the Nashville Predators against the St. Louis Blues....they won so on to the Stanley Cup Playoffs & the Chicago Blackhawks! The game was great! My friend, Amy, attended her first NHL game with us that night. She had been to minor league games in Knoxville (the Ice Bears), but not NHL. She loved it! I think we have created a MAJOR hockey fan. This could prove to be great for me because Kenny is not a huge hockey fan, but goes with me because I love it. I think he'd like it if I had someone else to go with.

You gotta love Smashville!

Gnash dropping in

I am a huge fan of the FoxSports Tennessee hockey sportscasters,

Pete Weber & Terry Crisp

Here they are in the press box during the game.

During the intermissions, they had an acrobat perform. She was called the Red Panda Acrobat. She was amazing! She rode a unicycle & tossed bowls onto her head....quite fascinating....

She did up to 5 or 6 bowls I think.

Amy & I at the game

2010 Spring Racin' in TN!

2010-03-27T20:33:00.001-05:00

March 20 & 21, 2010 was racing time in TN once again. A time when a small town in Northeast TN on the VA border becomes the largest city in the state for the weekend. Where thousands flock to Bristol Motor Speedway "The World's Fastest Half-mile". The weekend was great. Saturday was beautiful, sunny and warm. Sunday....not so much. It sprinkled a few times on Sunday & was colder, but it's to be expected for March. Below are pictures from the weekend.

The view from our seats. We became season ticket holders last year & I was super excited. In the past, it's been impossible to get season tickets.

The start of the Nationwide race on Saturday.

Nationwide race

Nationwide race

The big wreck during the Nationwide race. It was surprising there weren't more wrecks since they moved the wall in 2 or 3 ft. in turns 2 & 4. I hate to see wrecks. They just slow everything down.

Justin Algaier won the Nationwide race. I'm always glad to see a Nationwide only driver win. I have an opinion on that, but I'll keep it to myself for now.

Sunday's race was a good one. Good side by side competitive racing.....LOVE IT!

Jimmie Johnson's pit

Kasey Kahne's pit

Tony Stewart's pit

Clint Bowyer being interviewed after having an engine problem early in the race.

Kyle Busch's pit

One of the great things about races is the people watching. As you can imagine, people are there in all stages of sobriety. I especially enjoy watching what I like to call "mega fans". These are people who talk to their driver throughout the race even though the driver can't see or hear them. They are usually the only people standing. Often they get excited when their driver is passing lapped cars. They are quite entertaining. Below are 2 fine examples. The guy on the right had a woman with him even more entertaining than he was, but I couldn't get a good picture.

Mark Martin being interviewed after a wreck.

Jimmie Johnson won at Bristol (finally!). He is my driver, but has never been successful at Bristol. It's great to see that the master (Chad Knaus) has been at work on that program in the off-season.

Victory lap

A new experience

2010-03-26T16:42:00.001-05:00

Today I did something I have never done before....I got a bikini wax. I wasn't sure what to expect, After having my eyebrows waxed for years, I expected this to be quite painful. It really wasn't. It was not bad at all. The wax was very warm & that was m0re uncomfortable than having the hair "ripped" out. I can't believe I haven't done this before. This is going to be SO much better than shaving (I hate razor burn). I would absolutely LOVE to do laser hair removal, but it's just so expensive. Something to ponder though. I would highly recommend a bikini wax to those who have never experienced it. Obviously, there are no pictures of this experience. That's a little too personal to share.

Sensitive skin & a new entertainment center

2010-03-16T16:55:00.000-05:00

Let me start by saying that having SUPER sensitive skin is a nightmare! It all started back in December. I had been getting a rash on my face that would itch, burn & get a crusty film on it. This went on for months. I had changed little about my face routine so I didn't know what the problem might be. I went to see the dermatologist. The only thing she could tell me was that I was having some type of allergic reaction. Basically, it's contact eczema. She told me to quit using everything (cleansers, moisturizers, makeup, etc.). I started using Cetaphil, using a steroid cream she gave me & going without makeup. It cleared up & I felt much better. The problem was that it started coming back as breakouts once I started wearing makeup again. I went through patch testing (where they place small amounts of chemicals on your back & you can't wash it for a week). Nothing showed up. There's not much else they can do medically. She said it's just trial & error for me from here. The doctor had suggested Neutrogena or Almay makeup because they are gentler. I have ALWAYS been sure to use sunscreen everyday (especially on my face). I burn easily so it's not an option. I got some Cetaphil moisturizer with sunscreen & I chose a base from Neutrogena with sunscreen in it not thinking much about what sunscreen components were there. I started having horrible outbreaks that actually hurt my face. After doing some internet research, I have decided to stick with 2 sunscreen components....zinc oxide & titanium oxide. I threw out the moisturizer & makeup. I wore my new makeup for the first time today. My skin doesn't itch, but we'll see how it is in a few days. Hopefully, I've found something that works.

ON a positive note, Kenny & I have entered the 21st century (sorta....we're getting there). We invested in a new TV. We did our research (for about 2 years) & settled on a Samsung LED LCD TV. The only problem was that after we had made our selection we knew that we needed a new home theater setup. I couldn't find any furniture that I liked & matched our decor so Kenny got an idea from a friend to build a flexi-rack. It looks great! What was wonderful was that he could design it to hold all of our components perfectly & symmetrically. The TV is pretty amazing. I didn't realize how different it would be watching hockey.
We also moved the couch back about 2 feet so that's taking some getting used to. We moved the old TV armoire into the office to use as a bookcase. All we need to do now is get some shelves in it.

Getting ready to drill holes in the wood for the flexi-rack

Staining

Our new home theater set-up

My new living room arrangement

Snow Day & Brownie's Recovery

2010-02-19T20:11:00.000-06:00

After many long weeks of recovery, Brownie was released by the vet 2 weeks ago with a clean bill of health. His knee has healed nicely & we're working on building his muscles back up. He loves getting out in the yard again & playing with the girls. He's not out in the yard full time yet. It's been too cold to leave him out there because he's been inside since the end of November. I don't want him getting sick. He does spend the day out if it's warm enough. These are some pictures of the snow day & the dogs playing the yard.

My front yard

The bird feeder was a popular hangout....I had trouble keeping it full.

It was also of interest to the squirrels....notice the squirrel in the bush....

The squirrel tried many different ways to get to the bird feeder, but the birds crowded him out. Finally he gave up.

Sissy loves playing in the snow.

Brownie enjoying the snow.

Lucky chasing birds.

Brownie's Recovery Week 3-5

2010-01-08T21:43:00.000-06:00

Time is flying by on his recovery. It's hard to believe it's been 5 weeks already. He's recovering really well I think. We've stepped up the distance & pace of his walks over the past few weeks. We're trying to rebuild his confidence & I think it's working. It's been hard the past couple days with the ice/snow. He's much more confident on the ice than I am. We've also added some stairs, but probably need to step that up. I'm ready to see him out running & playing. He is ready for that too at times. The girls are ready for him to be back outside with them playing & running.

Brownie's Injury Week 2

2009-12-20T14:02:00.000-06:00

It's the end of week 2 with Brownie's knee injury & he's been been making great progress. He did run out of Rimadyl & that was a bit of a problem because he started not wanting to use the leg. The vet suggested putting him on 325mg aspirin (3 pills twice a day), but we need to find his "least effective dose". I have to play around with it & see what dose is most effective. He did have an upset stomach today & has vomited twice. We'll see how this goes. His incision looks great & we're stepping up the physical therapy. He's getting longer walks with more complicated maneuvers like figure 8's, step ups, stairs. He also needs to walk on big gravel, sand, dirt...pretty much anything to change up what he's doing & work the leg differently. I hope he keeps up the progress. Below is a picture of his incision after the stitches were removed.

Brownie's Knee Problem Week 1

2009-12-12T13:26:00.000-06:00

About a month ago, we noticed Brownie was limping & favoring his right back leg. At first I thought it wasn't any big deal because he would still run. As time went on, it seemed to get worse. I took him to see our vet & she recommended he see a canine orthopedic surgeon.

I took Brownie to the surgeon on Friday, December 4. After the examination he told me that Brownie had a cranial cruciate ligament injury. From the x-ray, it looked like something that had been going on for a while. There was a lot of scar tissue & the vet believed that the ligament was tearing a little bit at at time. The vet performed the surgery that afternoon. The procedure that was done is called a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). The way the vet explained it is they basically cut the bone below the kneed & position it so that the pressure & weight is carried more on the calf muscle than the front of the leg.

The next morning we went to pick Brownie up from the vet's office. He had a really rough time. He was heavily medicated & couldn't really even walk. It just broke my heart. Getting him into the truck & then the house was challenging. We finally got him in & settled, but then we had to figure out how to confine for the next 8 weeks. Since he's an outside dog, we weren't prepared for this. We had to purchase the largest kennel we could find (Brownie weighs around 95lbs.). After this first week, I think we've all got it figured out (a little better at least).

He has a pretty rigorous physical therapy schedule. He has to be walked twice a day (at least) for 5 mins. this first week & increasing. There are range of motion exercises that have to be done along with icing the knee & massage therapy fro the leg. He really enjoys the massage & ice...he just tolerates the exercises. He's a really laid back dog which makes this much easier.

At first he wasn't exactly comfortable being in the house ALL the time. He would much rather be outside with the other 2 dogs & have things back to normal I think. The other day he tried to chase the neighbor's cat. He is not allowed to run, jump, play or really any off leash activity. another issue we're dealing with is his lack of an appetite. He also doesn't drink very much water. Getting him to eat is an ordeal sometimes. I hoping his appetite will pick back up soon. Well, one week down, 7 to go!

The wound the day we brought him home

He looked pitiful that day. He could barely keep his open.

Jacked up on morphine

Much more relaxed as the week went on. He loves his new bed.

He's been doing a pretty good job of leaving the stitches alone. They come out on Friday (Dec. 18)

He has been sleeping a lot.

Nashville Predators

2009-11-29T11:49:00.001-06:00

We attended the Predators game on November 21, 2009 to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We started the evening with dinner at Ichiban & then the Preds. We usually only attend one Predators game per season. I would love to attend more often, but...time & money is a factor. Anyway, we had great seats for this game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. We were 3 rows behind the visitor's bench. I do have to say that I like sitting a little higher up because that low you have a limited view of anything happening up next to the glass to the right & left. A few rows higher & you can see everything.

Warm-ups

I don't' really understand having "dancers" at a hockey game, but notice the stiletto boots. I mean...REALLY!?!...heels on ice?...seriously!

The visitor's bench from our seats

It's not a hockey game without at least one fight.

Still trying to fight

At the first intermission, they brought out the peewee hockey teams. Very cute!

The game went into overtime then the shootout.

Preds win!

Willie Nelson at the Ryman

2009-11-29T11:20:00.000-06:00

Kenny & I went to see Willie Nelson at the Ryman Auditorium earlier this month. Great show! Of course, he is Willie Nelson & it was at the Ryman. I had a great time. These are some pictures of the evening.
I really enjoy the people watching at concerts. I love the "mega fans". They are so entertaining!

The great Willie Nelson

Willie did need a teleprompter for a few songs, but as Kenny says....he's old.

The crowd for the show. They kept turning the lights up on the crowd so he could see us.

This guy was rocking out!

Willie Nelson signing autographs after the show. I've never seen a performer do this at the Ryman.

The crowd waiting for an autograph.

My Beautiful Nieces

2009-10-19T17:49:00.001-05:00

It has a been too long since I've last blogged. I have so many things to blog about. It's going to be hard to get caught up. More blogs to come!
This blog is about the trip we took to East TN at the end of October to meet my new niece Erica.
The pictures tell the story.

Mamaw Linda with Erica

Kenny doesn't really breathe when he holds a newborn. They make him really nervous. He's afraid he'll break them.

Mamaw playing guitar & singing with Courtney.

She loves the guitar! I hear that's what she asked Santa for.

Nervous Kenny

Beautiful Erica

My in-laws dog, Lucy

My in-laws miniature donkeys

A beautiful fall day in the Appalachians

We're in the market for a new handgun so we've been trying out some different ones. We've been to OnTarget to shoot a Glock, & a Beretta & my in-laws have a Sig 9mm so we took the opportunity to try it out. My step-father-in-law Thomas is a great shot.

Kenny wouldn't let me put my hand near the trigger with him at this angle.

The Sig shoots pretty well, but I really prefer the Glock.

Adventures in Agriculture Day

2009-10-10T17:22:00.000-05:00

Rutherford County Extension held the inaugural "Adventures in Agriculture Day" at Lane Agri Park on Oct. 3, 2009. It was a huge success with about 500 people attending that day. We had perfect weather for the event. The purpose was to teach about agriculture & its impact on our everyday lives. We had livestock (dairy cattle, beef cattle, poultry, goats, sheep, horses, pigs), demonstrations on heritage skills (crocheting, knitting, weaving, etc.), exhibits on field crops & alternative agriculture. There was also an area where kids could be a "farmer for a day". We even had hometown celebrity, Wilbur the Pig, in attendance. Wilbur was featured on the cover of the latest edition of "Charlotte's Web". Below are some pictures of the event.

A team of Belgian horses
A local farmer actually uses them to tend his farm.

Donkey

Beef Cattle
(Angus to be specific)

Dairy Cattle
(the one on the left is a Brown Swiss; the one on the right is a Ayrshire)

Piglets

On the left is the book cover with Wilbur on it.

Wilbur the Pig
It's hard to believe he used to be the size of the piglets above. Now he's about 500 lbs.
He's very friendly & loves a photo op. As a coworker put it, "He's 500 pounds of sweetness".

Me & Wilbur

Sheep

Chickens
The ones on the left are Foghorns; the ones on the right are Bardrock

MTSU was there with their chocolate milk. It is incredible! Tastes like melted chocolate ice cream. Love it!

Sammy Soil

Ruby Raindrop

Smokey the Bear

Rutherford County Master's Gardeners exhibit

Pat Whitaker, UT Extension Agent, did a demo on canning.

a loom

spinning

Lil' Acres Farm
Where kids could be a "farmer for a day"

An alternative fuel car

Riverdale FFA raises tilapia in an aquaculture class.
I love to eat tilapia, so it was very interesting talking with them about the fish.

Tilapia
They are a very meaty, muscled fish. Very firm to the touch. The white ones are a hybrid breed. They grow faster on the same amount of food.

Indigo Girls at the Ryman

2009-10-10T16:57:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, Kenny & I attended an Indigo Girls concert at the Ryman. I had never been much of a fan, but Kenny loves acoustic music no matter who's singing it. Let me tell you... for 2 girls with nothing but guitars...they rocked! The Ryman is an amazing venue anyway (I even think someone with no talent could sound great there). It's probably my favorite venue for concerts. We had great seats for the show. We were on the floor about 6 rows from the stage. I've never been so close at the Ryman.

Of course, the show drew a crowd of a certain sexual orientation, & a few guys who were mostly there with their wives/girlfriends. There was one guy on the 2nd row who was "mega fan". He danced & sang to just about every song. Until that night, I wasn't sure how you dance to the Indigo Girls....now I know. There was a woman in front of us who "danced" to a few of the songs, but she wasn't nearly as entertaining as him. Anyway....below are some pictures from the evening.

The opening act was Allison Brown.
Her band plays instrumental folk music. It's almost bluegrass. She can make a banjo sing!

The piano player in the band is amazing.

The Indigo Girls

If you look closely (past the khaki hat) you can see "mega fan" in one of his "dances".

Allison Brown joined them on stage for a few numbers.

Chattanooga Aquariunm

2009-09-27T11:33:00.000-05:00

We recently traveled to Chattanooga to take in the Aquarium. We also had lunch with a friend & his lady friend. It was great to see him & get to meet her. Here are some pictures from the Aquarium.

These 2 fish spent a lot of time together. The little one just hung out swimming under the larger fish. It was pretty funny.

Turtles in the turtle nursery.

Frogs

Timber Rattlesnake

He was very active.

Aquatic Caecillian

American Alligator
The mound behind her is the nest she's working on.

Sea Turtle

Fish in the "Nemo" tank

Sea horses

They had a jellyfish exhibit. It was absolutely beautiful. They are very fascinating creatures.

Sea Walnut

Umbrella jellyfish

Blubber jellyfish

Incredible!

Nettle

Shark

Shark
I thought this was a pretty cool picture.

Pharoah Cuttlefish

Penguins
It was really hard to get a decent picture.
It was very crowded.

Brown Banded Bamboo Shark

Otter video

Coker Tire

Honest Charley's Speed Shop

"Wild"life around the house

2009-09-27T11:27:00.000-05:00

Kenny found this black widow spider in a crevice under our garage where our dogs had dug out a resting spot. It was feeding on 2 wooly worms. Unfortunately, she had to be killed because it is a place where our dogs like to lay. I couldn't risk them being bitten.

Sissy

Kenny & the pups
We can never get everybody to look at the camera at the same time.