Weekend Happenings

Good Friday morning!

CHECK THIS OUT - Don't forget to check out Belinda's Project 365 under My Blog List on the sidebar. So far, I'm keeping up! Nine down, 356 to go. It should be a breeze!

NOTE TO BOOSHY - Thanks for commenting. I clicked on your blog today, and I now have some reading to do this long holiday weekend. I love reading new blogs!

AUSTIN UPDATE - It's been a few days since I gave an update on "The Boy," so for anyone interested, here is what's happening in Austin World. He's enjoying all of his classes and so far has straight As. (Also, so far he hasn't had a test or turned in any work, so the straight A thing has been a pretty easy accomplishment.)

He went to the school newspaper the first of the week to see about doing some sports writing after football season, but since he's in the band and he's going to most of the away games, they hired him on the spot to write 250 to 350 word articles about the games. He is thrilled. His first article is due this Monday, and he's going to e-mail it to "his editor" from the house. (Can anyone say, "Everybody Loves Raymond"?)

His first pep rally was last night and he loved it (although it was a little on the small side). His first game is in Atlanta this weekend against Georgia Tech and he's excited. But he's really looking forward to next weekend when he gets to go to Tallahassee for the JSU vs. Florida game. He'll be marching in front of 98,000 people.

He and his roommate, Kristopher, are getting along well. To help with the roommate bonding process, I'm baking a couple of pound cakes this weekend to take back to school. They seem very compatible, and I think they are going to be fine for the rest of the school year. Kristopher has introduced him to CSI which has almost become Austin's favorite show now... Don't worry! He assured me 24 is still number one!

He calls everyday (sometimes several times), but assures us he isn't homesick. Mikie went to Gadsden Tuesday to have dinner with him, and he met his two cousins, Jared and Jared, for dinner Wednesday night. (They live in Oxford... only a 30 minute drive away.)

All in all, except for an occasional bump in the road here and there, he has done very well. I'm proud of him. And I still miss him. And I wish he was still six years-old starting first grade instead of JSU.

But that's a story for another time... between me and my psychiatrist!

Weekend Happenings

Well, like many of you out there, Friday night will be football for Josh and Mikie. We have an away game, but Roxie and I are sitting this one out because of exhaustion (and the fact Josh will not be playing). Instead, Roxie and I are renting Enchanted (with Amy Adams) and scrapbooking for two or three hours before getting to bed early for our big day on Saturday.

The big gold van is leaving Gardendale at 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning headed to Atlanta to watch JSU beat the socks off Georgia Tech. HA! Gotcha! We're going just to watch "The Boy" in the 400-member Marching Southerners band. And to eat afterward at The Varsity. If JSU happens to win, it will be nice, but not necessary to our overall enjoyment of the day!

A quick trip to JSU to pick up Austin's pick-up truck (AND LAUNDRY) and we'll head home for the Labor Day Weekend. (Melia is going to the game with us, so she'll be riding back with "The Boy.")

Once home, we'll go to church, rest a little bit, and maybe cook out and eat on the deck Sunday evening. That sounds good, doesn't it?

Monday will be the last day our community pool is open, and we are contemplating some or all of the Faulkner Five taking advantage of the cool, blue waters once more before fall and winter officially arrive. (I'm being very "laid back." Did you notice?)

And that is pretty much it for us, folks. I will be adding a picture a day on Saturday AND Sunday to Belinda's Project 365... because it is the law, you know. I've made a commitment and I must see it through. (If I start running out of day-to-day Faulkner Five pictures to put on the Project blog, I'm going to have to start coming to some of your homes. Be afraid... be very afraid!

Book

This week's book hasn't been released yet. However, I KNOW it is going to be a great book everyone needs to buy. It is called The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl by Ree Drummond. She starts her book tour soon, so the cookbook will be available for purchase in the very near future.

If you have never gone to her website, please do so NOW. Go to My Blog List and click on Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. Although her story, posts and pictures are wonderful, funny, beautiful, etc., the woman also cooks. Just click on "Cooking" at the top of her blog to see some of her recipes. I think you'll agree this would be a great book to add to your cookbook collection. I can't wait to get mine.

NOTE TO KARMEN - I left her a note to come to Birmingham during her book tour. I was number 387 or something like that on her comment list, but I just KNOW she'll read it and schedule a book signing in Fultondale! If she does, you and I are getting pictures and autographs... Okay?

Have a wonderful weekend. Next week we'll be back with football stories (does anyone know where I can get some of those?), as well as more of the same. Make sure you spend TONS of meaningful, purposeful time with family and friends over the next four days. Check back next week for more ideas, and always remember... If you have ideas to add to the mix, I always like to hear from you (AND YOU WILL GET THE CREDIT).

Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda