hooked on yet another reality show.....

........ I just can't seem to help it. I'm a reality TV-aholic! I'm not as bad as some folks... I mean I don't watch the reality tv channel. But, I do like my Amazing Race, Survivor, Dancing With the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol and currently, Big Brother. I avoided BB for several seasons. Then it happened, 2 years ago this month Dan had hernia repair surgery. He was sidelined for 6 weeks. Six weeks of watching BB 3 times a week. We got hooked. That was 2 years ago and I'm just now beginning to figure out how the show works. I know the basic premise but I mean the little things that one must know to "get it". Phrases like "back dooring" and "pawn" just sailed right over my head the first few seasons but now I'm catching on. This season's cast is by far the craziest I've ever seen. The producers even had to "evict" Chima before she was voted off because she broke the rules. Can you imagine? Going through the whole try out process and arranging your life to be on one of these shows and then not following the rules because things weren't going your way.... I assume the contestants take a phsycological evaluation but what kind of results are the producers looking for? "okay, guys this one is border line nuts let's pick her!" Fake boobs and muscles seem to be necessary for at least 1/3 of the contestants too..... I would NEVER, EVER try out for one of these shows. (Okay maybe the Amazing Race, but probably not even that one) But I do like watching these shows... do I need help or am I such an observer of human nature that I can't resist watching these goof balls interact with one another? Whatever it is, I do find it entertaining...... BTW Dancing with the Stars introduced the new line up of stars and their partners for the new season this week and Survivor Samoa starts Sept. 17th. I'm ready!!!
Tomorrow Ned, Kelly and Zane will be coming to Alabama for another weekend with us. They'll be bringing horses. Kelly is ready to start riding again. I started back last week. Dan shod my barrel horse and I came out of my 3 month layoff. I'm just gonna come right out and say it. I was SORE. I'm doing better now though, it's important to ride everyday. Zane's Bama Baby Shower is Saturday. Dan & I are going shopping tonight for some must haves... I'm thinking he needs a "butt wipe warmer"... after all cold weather is right around the corner. No telling what we'll end up with.
Have a great day and don't forget to pray for all the NICU babies everwhere!

79* and Beautiful!

The weather is absolutely amazing! It should be a crime to have to work on a day like today....I should be at home riding. Everything is getting back into an everyday routine with the embroidery business getting back on track after my absence. Yesterday Dan and I made our Sunday trip to see Zane! He grows so fast we don't want to go longer than a week without seeing him. I won this weeks "weigh-in". My guess was 9-11, Dan guessed 9-14, Kelly guessed 10 pounds even and Ned...well Ned didn't guess. Zane weighed in at a whopping 9 pounds and 12 ounces!!! He'll be 3 months old next Thursday and will be at 10 pounds for sure. He's starting to be awake more and more and does tummy time on his "boppy" to help with holding his head up. He smiles some and was really watching his mobile that is attached to his bouncy seat!

Exciting news is that I have finally decided on my new camera! The Canon T1i. I have decided on which lenses I want and which accesories I must have! I found a great deal at B & H Photo out of New York. I'm hoping to have everything here by next week and take it with me to the Ferrell family reunion in Cookeville! Our North Alabama State Fair is in September and I need to get out and "shoot" some more stuff to enter this year! I have a lot of ideas I just need to act on them.....Meanwhile, here are some shots of Baby Zane from yesterday. Enjoy!

It's just not Sunday afternoon unless I take a nap with PaPa....

Snoooooozzzzzing...



Me and my Boppy....

This is a lot like work...

Lets rest for a bit....

9 Pounds and 12 ounces....

Zane's First Trip to Bama!

It was a big weekend for us all! Zane made his first trip to the feed store and to our house! And, he survived! I gotta tell you, it went by FAST! They got to the store about 10am and my mom and dad came right on over to meet their newest great grandchild and the first great grandson! They are certain he's a "keeper"!

Later it was on to Marvin and Kathryn's next door to meet them.

Dan left for a horse sale right after lunch and Ned helped me in the store by loading feed all afternoon. Friday night it was supper at Gran & Papa Tom's. Zane provided the entertainment. He didn't really do anything other than look around and be cute but that was enough for us!

Saturday is a half day at the ole Shamrock... thank goodness! By noon Zane was ready for the AC and I was too! Dan & Ned had a rope horse to show so Kelly, Zane and myself were lazy for a couple of hours. That is until the Semi truck load of hay showed up. All I had to do was open gates and get 'em to the right spot. Dan & Ned got the fun job of unloading it on Sunday. Saturday evening was the Sharp/Stults family reunion. I took mother and we both had a really good time.

Sunday morning my cousin Kathy came over to meet Zane.

Kathy's son Hayes was a preemie but you'd never guess it by looking at him now. We compared NICU stories, had us a little "photo shoot" and had a great time hanging out!

PaPa did get his Sunday bonding time in with his best buddy!

After the hay was unloaded Kel and I headed over to Kohls to buy a rug for the living room...We stopped at Olive Garden and brought supper home and before you knew it, it was time for them to head back to Tennessee! The good news is they'll be back in a couple of weeks for Zane's baby shower at Kathryn's. I can't wait!!

Buckled up and ready for the road....






Dan & I think Zane was waving "bye-bye" too!!

Family & Friends

Family & friends, does it get any better? I don't think so! Not for me anyway....

Saturday night was kinda crazy. Dan went to a horse sale in Tennessee. Matt went to his monthly sale in Wyoming, Il. He has been selling this sale for a while now. I think he likes going up there even though it is 5 hours from his house. He usually gets a least one person to make the trip with him. No such luck this time, everybody had prior commitments. Not so bad going but a real bear coming home by yourself late on Saturday night after working all day in a hot sale barn trying to get top dollar for a bunch of horses. Matt called me about 10pm and said he was on his way home. We talked for a few minutes then he lost service. I went on to bed. 11pm, ring ring! It was Matt. I should have his Dad call him when he gets home cause he'll be driving all night. Okay, I had planned to already. We talked awhile then I hung up and dozed off again. Midnight, Dan is home. "Dan call Matt he's driving and may be tired." They talk for 1 1/2 hours each telling in detail about what went on at their sales.... This wasn't really one conversation as Matt would lose service and have to call back...maybe about 3 times, I lost count. Somehow in the middle of all this Dan starts watching Wyatt Earp.... I have no idea what time he finally came to bed but I do know at about 7:30am he was wanting to know if I was going to sleep all day!! Sheeeesshhhh! We had to get going, Baby Zane was waiting on us.....

Our Sunday visit with Zane was a blast. My friend Caroline and her husband Joe came down from Franklin, I had monogrammed one of our "coolest bags on the planet" for their son Clay. Check it out at http://www.shamrockm.com/ Good excuse to get together! Tabby Thrasher and her son Chaffin and daughter Courtney came by and picked up the lap top case Tabby won in our poem contest last week. And, Dalaina Thompson and her son Chance dropped in. Okay, they really all just wanted to see Zane but they got to see me too! We laughed a lot, took photos and goofed off. My kind of day! 8:30 came quick and it was time to give our goodbye kisses and head back to 'Bama. Dan slept all the way home, luckily he wasn't driving! Next weekend Zane comes to our house! We can't wait! I have some photos all the way back to August 3rd, Zane's 2 month birthday! Enjoy!

Moo Moo's getting smaller!




How 'bout a coke?


I can almost taste it....

Me & Daddy...hanging out....



I'm really starting to see shapes and I'm very curious about things around me....



Have I mentioned I have large, chubby cheeks?

Dan says, "okay Tabby, you can hold Zane but I'm right here." I wonder what Chaffin is whispering to Baby Zane.....



Beautiful, "should be a model" Courtney!



AAAhhhhhh, the PRIZE!

Dalaina and son Chance with Zane...Don't you just love that mischievious look on Chance's face while he sneaks a tickle to Zane's little foot?

2 blogs....1 day....

Amazing isn't it?
I have been incredibly busy today working on bids for awards... it makes my brain hurt. In the middle of all that craziness I did take my Mother to the doctor and went by and rescheduled her INR for next Monday. When I left to take mother I left Tim Wooten in charge of judging the poems. Soooo, when I came back I proceeded to write my blog and announce the winner. Soon after I hit the 'publish' button I received the following email that I just had to share....

Why, you make me wait so long? I have been checking every five minutes and when I wasn't checking I was praying. Please let everyone know as we speak I am taking my victory lap while doing the beauty queen wave, afterwards I will be taking a bow. LOL
I told Daryl last night "Tomorrow is the big day" of course he had no idea what I was talking about "MEN" oh well. Sunday is fine, As of now I have no plans.

Thank you, Thank you
( while grasping my chest, tears flowing down my cheeks and doing the pageant wave) LOL
Tabby

PS Will there be an interview? Trophy? Flowers? hehe

I still laugh outloud every time I read this! And I've read it a dozen times.....at least.

Amidst all of this hilarity I thought about the photos of Zane I took this past weekend. Then I thought "I bet Zane's fans would love to see his photo....again."

Just to fill you in, Zane turned 2 months old Monday the 3rd. This meant a trip to the doctor for 2 month shots. We did have our weekly weigh in on Sunday as usual. I guessed 7 pounds 14 ounces, Ned guessed 7-15, Kelly guessed 8 pounds even and I don't remember what Dan guessed. Zane weighed in at 7 pounds 15 1/2 ounces! Soooo, we knew when he went to the doctor the next day he would surely be at 8 pounds and maybe even 8-2, twice his birth weight of 4-1........guess what? At the doctors office he weighed in at a whopping 8 pounds and 4 ounces! He has a double chin and fat cheeks now! He is absolutely adorable! Enjoy!

Weigh in.......note he is now wearing newborn diapers...bye-bye preemies!



When you go pee-pee in your 'whale of a tub' you have to get in the tiny tub until Daddy gets the water changed out!



Aaahhhhhh!!!

This is what Zane and PaPa do on Sundays....all day long.....




Sometimes PaPa watches TV while Zane snoozes....




Sometimes PaPa snoozes too.....

Too stinkin' cute!

Zane's getting a little chubby.....

ooooohhhhhh!

Zane trying out his new Zanzibar bouncy seat that vibrates and plays music......Zena keeps a close eye on her little friend.

The last time I posted photos of Zane with a black background a lot of you emailed me to ask, "how do you get that black background?" Well it's simple, we use a black velvet cloth. Yes, black velvet. We just drape it over something....

like PaPa....

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner....

Okay, you don't win a chicken dinner but we do have a WINNER and I think you're gonna love your new cowprint laptop case! Check out all the cool bags and stuff at www.shamrockm.com Our judge for the contest was Tim Wooten. Tim is a dear friend and also a Florence Police Officer. When he's not upholding the law he likes to hang out with Dan. I knew he would take "Poem Judging" seriously, put a lot of thought into each poem and come up with a deserving winner.

He did!

He said he really liked all the poems and it was hard to pick one but he did! Thanks to you guys for entering. Dan & I really enjoyed the poems and I will be saving them for Baby Zane's scrap book.

And now for the winner......

Drum roll, please.......

The winner is.....



TABBY THRASHER

Tabby, email me and we'll work out getting your laptop case to you... hint, we'll be at baby Zane's house this Sunday, of course!

July Giveaway Contest is Closed!

Contest is officially closed! Winners will be announced tomorrow!

Three Poems?

Three? Are you kidding me? Only three? I know that there has got to be more than 3 people to write a poem about baby Zane. Come on now...get busy....just start with "roses are red" and go from there. The contest will end at noon on Wednesday, August 5th. I probably won't be blogging Monday or Tuesday as I will be with Baby Zane. He will be 2 months old Monday the 3rd. That means dr. appointment and shots! Soooo, get creative and write your poem. NOW! For all the details click here. I hope when I get back next week I'm pleasantly surprised by the response!!!