Open House 2009

Each year we have an open house on a Sunday night in December. This has become a "tradition" and we truly enjoy it so much. I thought I would share some pictures. Enjoy!

The Polar Express Rides through Hathcock Drive!

What fun we had watching the Polar Express with Addi, Levi, Lila, Ian, and Maddie. David made hot chocolate and we poured it into their sippy cups! I love these kids.

Christmas is knocking at the door and we are looking forward to making some wonderful new memories.

Thanksgiving has come and gone and we certainly enjoyed being with our family. Aunt Marie left yesterday morning, after a 10 day visit. We enjoyed having her and I only hope that life is as much fun for me at 85. We also had the honor of having Paul's parents spend the holidays with us. Charles and Genie got to see Alabama and Auburn fans in action!
There was some sad news over the holidays, as well. Greg Terry, age 41, dropped dead unexpectedly on Thanksgiving morning. We attended the funeral yesterday. I think it might have been the largest funeral I have ever attended. Please remember the Terry family in prayer. Greg was planning to be married on January 9th. He also leaves behind a young daughter that he was raising. He died much too soon- but then again, death has no age restraints.
Also, last night we learned of the death of little Helen Gray. Helen would have been 3 on December 23rd. She was killed in a car accident yesterday as they were returning home to Georgia from a Thanksgiving holiday visit to family. Her mother, Kristy, has a broken back and is in serious condition. The father, Brian, was treated and released. They were rear-ended. Kristy and Brian were college friends of Katie and Jared and Emily. We have known members of the Gray family for years, and we attended school with Brian's aunt. While I do not personally know Brian and Kristy, I follow their blog. It is funny..when you read about people's lives, you feel like you know them. Helen was a little red-head, and things about her made me think of Lila. I just physically ache for this family in their loss. Just from reading the blog, I knew how adored she was. Her grandparents doted on her, as well as the extended family. As her aunt commented on FB, she was the family's bright star. She is now a beautiful angel, but the earthly emotions that her family will have to deal with are going to be painful. Pray for this family.
If you don't know it...I love you all!
Susan

Cutie Pie

BLOG RERUN- HOPE YOU ENJOY- AGAIN
Thanksgiving – Dixie Style
I received the following from my sister. It was written by my actress niece, Leslie. Leslie now resides in California- which to tell you truthfully, we all find a bit unusual and exotic for our never venture far from their roots family. My sister and I often comment on how our mother would find great joy and delight in the fact that her couch now resides in Pasadena. Anyway, with the holidays not too far away, please enjoy-

Thanksgiving – Dixie Style

When I was asked to write a blog about my favorite Thanksgiving memory, I was flooded with so many, I had a hard time choosing what to write about. When I was younger, Thanksgiving was a time to hang out with my family and eat great food. I really didn’t think much about the holiday beyond that. I left my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama five years ago to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles, and Thanksgiving certainly carries a lot more weight for me now than it did then. No matter what, I go home for Thanksgiving every year. Now, instead of it being about hanging out with my family, it is about reconnecting with my family. While I used to enjoy eating great food, I now savor aromas and tastes I can only get when I make that 2,000 mile trek home. So many things I used to take for granted about that time of year in the South I don’t anymore: hearing the crunch of leaves underneath my feet, feeling the bristle of wind whip my hair around, watching those long red sunsets through the crisp air. Those are just the moments by myself. After spending the better part of the year alone in my little Los Angelian apartment, it is great to be surrounded by my family: loud, boisterous, welcoming, loving, and always ready to have a good time. In addition to eating all the great food (I’ll get to that in a minute), we spend the evening playing Balderdash and other competitive games like it’s the Olympics, draw names for who we will buy gifts for at Christmas and catch up on what’s going on in everyone’s life. The food, ah, the food. Like any Southern family, we have enough food to feed a small nation. It all tastes good, and it is all bad for you. My very favorite dish is my aunt’s peanut butter pie. When I tell people this, they say, “Oh yeah, I’ve had peanut butter pie” to which I quickly reply, “Oh no you haven’t!” How do I know this? I HAVEN’T SEEN THEM AT ANY OF MY THANKSGIVINGS! My aunt makes the best peanut butter pie ever. I’ve always associated peanut butter pie with Thanksgiving, and now that I travel cross-country to eat it, she makes two for good measure. It may sound silly, but knowing I will get that peanut butter pie the fourth Thursday of every November brings warmth and security to my life. I may not know how successful my acting career will be, but hey, on Thanksgiving I get peanut butter pie. I may be separated from my family for the vast majority of the year, but end of November, I get peanut butter pie. If nobody appreciates my talents and sacrifices, I STILL get peanut butter pie. I have friends who moved to LA from other parts of the country like myself, and many of them talk about how they can’t go home because of the cost of air fare, time off of work, blah, blah, blah. I simply reply, “Well, I have a date in Alabama with a peanut butter pie.” I can’t remember who it was who said the simple things in life bring us the greatest pleasure, but I couldn’t agree more. As you can see, the pie isn’t difficult to make, but I think it is the love instead of the ingredients that make it so great!
From my Aunt Susan:
Ingredients:8 ounces Cream Cheese1 cup Powdered Sugar1/2 cup creamy peanut butter16 ounces Cool Whip1 pre-made graham cracker pie crustDirections:In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and cool whip until well blended. Pour into the pre-made pie crust. Refrigerate. For a more peanut butter taste, use 2/3 cup of creamy peanut butter.Leslie McGuirkPasadena, CA

Jaiden Ashley Courington

Jaiden Ashley made her entrance on Tuesday, October 20th at 7:16 a.m. She weighed 7 pounds and 14 ounces and was 20 2/3 inches long. She has very dark hair, and lots of it. She also has long eyelashes- as the doctor said- "The eyelashes delivered before she did!" We think she is beautiful. I was so honored to be allowed to attend her birth. What a special moment. Katie made the process look simple, although I know presonally that it isn't! The doctor almost missed the birth, but the nurses seemed to be able to handle the situation (the nurse had already delivered a baby by herself that morning!)- we are glad he did show up, though!
Hannah assured us that "I will not drop her"- meaning, hand her to me and let me walk around, not just sit on this coach and hold her! All of the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and so many friends were there during the day to visit. I know Katie had to be ready for all of us to leave so she could get some rest.
We are thankful to God for the blessing of this sweet baby. We pray that we will do our part to be good and Godly examples. Children are a gift from God and grandchildren are just an added bonus.
Welcome to the loudness, madness, closeness, and love of this family, Miss Jaiden. You are special!!!!

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Fall has arrived- perhaps my favorite season ever. It is like the gateway to the real holiday season, which I truly love. November and December just have to be the best months, ever! Today is rainy and a bit damp, and I love the feel. The only part I hate is the dry skin I am tortured by once the weather cools down. If I could quit scratching I would enjoy the fall even more.
We have had some great Saturdays with our family watching Auburn and eating! Last night we had ham sandwiches and chips- I baked a butt portion and a spiral cut ham. YUM! We had caramel apple pie from Sam's with ice cream. I tried to be "good" but it is hard. The house is noisy and crazy with our crew- including about 5 other friends- but we love it so much. How sad it would be if the house was quiet!
This week I hope Jaiden makes her appearance. I am so ready for her to be here and to be safe and sound. Jaiden will be a special gift, I know. We are thankful to God that He has blessed Katie and Josh with this little girl and we know that she will be loved so much, as are all the other grandchildren.
Speaking of grandchildren- Addi started her 4th soccer season this week. Her team won 8-0 and Addi scored 2 of those points! We were so excited as those were her first goals. She has really "matured" on the soccer field and is going to do well.
Tuesday will finish up my Cataloging and Classification class for the year. This class takes more time than my other classes because of the detail involved. My students take their final either Monday or Tuesday and then grades will go in and once I hit the submit button, I will be a happy camper. I have spent the past 7 Saturdays grading papers, so I am ready for a break.
On another note, Mary is in the hospital. She was in at the first of the week because her bloodwork was off. She had a biopsy, which basically showed that the liver had extra something or another that probably was related to a drug she had taken. She came home on Wednesday. I actually brought her home from the hospital and she seemed to be okay- just tired. Friday morning she fainted. Then she started running a fever which landed her in the ER- and then admitted again. They think it is a viral thing that about 85% of transplant patients get. It can be treated with medication, so we are hopeful that she will soon be on the road to recovery.
I hope the week will bring great things for all of you. The next time I post I hope to have pictures of one of the five most beautiful newborns, ever!!!!

Happy Day Early Birthday, Josh!

Tomorrow my "sandwich" child will be 28. Where have the years gone. Happy Birthday, Joshua David! Josh made his entrance on September 6, 1981 at 7:49 a.m. He weighed 10 lbs and 12 ounces- yes, you read that correctly. Then he weighed 34 pounds for like 3 years and was the skinniest little kid around! School was never really Josh's thing, although he did well and despite his telling us that we could save our college money, he completed that milestone, as well. He has always been such a hard worker, even as a teenager. He held some type of job from the time he was about 14 and enjoyed being independent. He has not always been perfect, but he has always worked toward perfection. He is a good husband and father. He loves Katie and Hannah, and works hard to be their provider. He will do the same for baby Jaiden, I know. He does not like to "relax" and says it is a bad word. He never seems to sit still long and at times I know he is tired. He loves the Lord, and that is so evident. He leads beautiful prayers and when he speaks, you can see his heart. As a deacon, he takes his job seriously. He has made us so proud. He always tells us he loves us, and it is not just words, but action. Happy 28th, Josh. May God continue to bless you as you have blessed us!

The Golden Age of Blogging

Have we all about decided that we do not have time to post anymore? I am finding it harder and harder to keep my blog updated. I keep up with everyone on Facebook, but I still enjoy reading about the day to day activities of my friends and family.
The Couringtons have been busy. The weekend found me grading papers for my university students, preparing food for a Sunday fellowship meal, and on Saturday, we covered the pool. We have never covered this early, but coupled with the very cool nights and the fact that I needed to buy some algaecide (water was a beautiful dark green), we decided that it was not going to be used any more this summer. I guess Global Warming has cooled my pool!
I hope you all have a great week. September is knocking at the door and fall is just around the corner- my favorite season of the year- football, family, fun, chilli, and the beginning of the holiday season.

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

Today is Hannah's third birthday. How we love her!!! She is such a ball of energy and life. She runs and yells- "GRANNA!" and I usually respond with- "HANNAH!" and then we laugh. She is beautiful, smart, and I can't imagine life without her. She is a busy bee and such a social butterfly. We love you Hannah Elizabeth, and don't ever forget that!!!!

Could this be my 6 year old granddaughter?

Addi ready for the Jonas Brothers! Cool girl!!!

Back on Track

The past several months I have struggled with staying focused on my "diet". The summer was not kind to me, with camp (yes, most of us gain weight eating 3 full meals each day, including dessert at two of those meals and hot buttered yeast rolls daily!), then vacation, etc. Happily I have not had a complete backslide, but I had slipped into the next 10 pounds of numbers (the upper end of the next 10 pound range!)- somewhere I did not want to go. I have managed to shed several of those pounds in the past couple of weeks, but it will probably be another 3 weeks before I get back to my "low"- of course my "low" was a weight I was at one day! I have not abandoned ship and I think this is the longest period of time I have successfully kept off a large amount of weight before regaining all of it, so for that I am thankful. My motivation is still high and I am going to win this battle! I have so much that I need to be healthy for- but most importantly for myself. So, say an extra prayer for me that I can withstand the evil forces of food (well, of the wrong choices and quantity in food), and continue to see the scales head south!

School Days

Tomorrow the children of Wilkerson Middle School will return. The 6th graders will try to be brave, but they will be afraid, for the most part. The 7th and 8th graders will come in excited to see one another and for a while, all of us! The 8th graders will be the "seniors" and they will certainly let the 6th and 7th graders know it. I will have to use sign language to help with the Hispanic parents and children. Watching these children learn English is exciting, and they are very sweet and respectful children. Yes, tomorrow will be a good day. By the way- that is my library. The architects that remodeled the school several years ago made these pics.

Catching Up

A lot has gone on since I last blogged. We made a trip to the Gulf and had a really nice time. Billy and Mary went with us for 1/2 of the week (Mary actually stayed the entire week) and Marty and Susan came down for the second half of the week. We stayed on water that emptied into the bay and it was really a nice place. We ate some great seafood, shopped, slept a little late and stayed up late. We ate too much and I hate to report that the camp pounds that I had just lost returned! I still have about 2 pounds to get rid of from vacation and then a few more that had crept back on. Hopefully in a few weeks I will be back at my low. It can come back so quick, for certain. In other news, school is right around the corner if you need reminding. I had fun shopping for Addi some school clothes while on vacation. I found some pretty good deals on some things for all the kids. I wish I had as much luck for myself. I have picked up a thing or two, but just not finding anything much that really rocks my boat.
It is hard to believe but Miss Jaiden will be making her entrance before long. We are looking forward to another beautiful grandbaby. If all goes as planned, when she arrives we will have 5 grandchildren ages 6 and younger! I think we are going to get the "bulk" of our grandchildren in a short time span. I am thankful that they will have the opportunity to be close in age and enjoy growing up together. Perhaps the next 5 will all come in a 6 year span, as well!
We are looking forward to being back at Sylvan Springs in the morning. We have been gone a couple of weeks and we have missed everyone.
I am looking forward to bed- I have clean sheets! Is that not the greatest feeling to climb into your bed and the sheets are so clean and fresh. If it were not so much trouble, I would change them everyday.
I am going to post a few vacation pics to share- enjoy!

Publix Mini Trip

I just made a Publix mini-trip. I spent 26.80 and saved 72.88. Did I buy things that I did not need- no, just perhaps bought them before I might have. What did you get, you might ask (the photo makes it hard to see)-

3 Bic Lighters

4 Cool Whips

6 Publix Soft Drinks

1 Publix Gallon Ice Tea

4- 75 ft. Reynold's Aluminum Foil

2 Large Packs Lays Chips

1 Bag Tortillia Chips (penny item)

4 cartons of sour cream

1 bag of M & M's

6 cans of baked beans

1 Bottle of A-1 sauce

1 Bottle of Kraft Salad dressing

1 Jar of Kraft Mayo

1 Box of Kellogg's Blueberry Cereal

1 Box of Bagel-fuls

2 very small Hagan Daz Ice Creams

Pretty good, I think!

Thrifty Granna

Yesterday we had to go get our eyes checked (glad I did- I had an eye lid infection) so once we were through I told David I wanted to go to Burkes. For those who are Burkes shoppers, you know that the "Dots" change on the 1st day of the month. Wow- I got some great deals. I had 29 items and spent $17.00. I got Paul 4 pair of khaki pants, Josh 2 pair of pants and about 8 shirts (not certain on the number), and also bought some other shirts for friends. I had a pair of black dress pants and got Kim a pair of brown dress pants. We also bought books, I-Pod speakers, a 4th of July plaque and several other items. Everything I bought was 95% off. Great day at Burkes. Oh yes, one of the 65 cent jackets had a coupon for a free years subscription to Field and Stream ($10.00 value) so I sent it in Casey, because Josh and David both get the magazine already.

I also had a great Publix week. I saved $99.45! I spent about $44.00. I am working on my trip for next week, although it is going to be a "mini- trip".

Happy Anniversary to Daniel and Mandi. It is hard to believe that it has been 4 years- but it has. They are enjoying a brief trip to Gatlinburg but will be with us on the 4th.

Have a great 4th!

Facebook Campisms

As I have been mindlessly spending too much time on Facebook today (in reality- I am tired and don't want to do anything- our air is still not working correctly and I am tired from camp) I started reading all the camp comments. What a great week we have just returned from. Unless you have ICYC in your blood, these comments are hard to understand. I also want to thank my great kitchen helpers- Sally, Donna, Mia, Phyllis, Kent and Mary. What would I do without all of you. What fun we have- even though we don't get out of the kitchen much, we truly get to enjoy the kids and all the fun from our side of the serving line.
Enjoy some of the Facebook comments I have copied and pasted below-

Alex Courington What a wonderful week of camp i just returned from! Definitely one of the top 5 weeks ever! Sadly we had to come home :( I can't wait to go back next year! Camp this year definitely assured me of what i wanted to do with my life!

Kim Kelsey I'm not ready for camp to end!! But I'm pretty tired!


Paul Kelsey Enjoying camp!

Phyllis Garrison
I am back from camp and had a great time. Did not want to come home from ICYC. Well I have started washing clothes now and boy do I have a lot to wash. Alissa and Allison had a great time the sang all the way home and talk about camp.

Tyler Sanford at 5:36pm June 26
it was greeeeeeeat,


Sydney Maddox
had the time of my life at camp :] and finally found my happiness :]]]


Jasmine Courington is depressed...I can't believe I'm not waking up at camp this morning...growing up is so hard...=(

Daniel Courington at 8:20am June 22
I could not agree more.

Josh Courington Just got home from cutting grass, and a week full of camp fun. I really enjoyed my time this week at camp , but missed my family. I want to give a big thanks to all the young men in my cabin for acting so well. I look forward to next year!

David Courington
We had a great week of camp at ICYC. There was tons of fun, great fellowship, and best of all several came back to Christ and 5 were baptized. Only time and eternity will tell how much good may have been done. More than 30 years ago a group of teens(including me) went on a mission trip. Today, 2 young boys who were bapt. by us have brought many to Christ and are faithful. We give God thanks and all the glory.2 hours ago

Jared Sanders
Yea I am tired from camp really sore and may have suffered a brain injury but it was worth it. As you all know I have plenty of brain to spare. Thanks to all whom I shared the week with for making it great one.14 hours ago

Okay...maybe this is a bargain blog!

I had a nice day today. David had work to do and other fish to fry, so I headed to the thrift store. I did not have much luck there so I headed to Burkes. I needed a few pair of capri pants and luckily found 2 pairs- one at the regular price (9.99) and the other pair- woo hoo- 65 cents! Last week we bought David 2 new pair of dress slacks at Burkes- 75 cents a pair!!! Then I headed to Ross where I bought a new shirt for 49 cents. It is a bit small, but I was not going to leave it hanging for 49 cents! It will be incentive for me to continue on the diet path. See pictures above.

Now let me tell you about Publix. I will post the picture from I madethis week. I made a "mini" trip this weeek, just to use the coupons that I had for the good deals. Since we are going to be at camp this next week and since I had already made a run on Monday, I just picked up a few things. I bought 3 drinks that were not on sale (79 cents each) and the rest of the order was coupon deals. I spent $11.26, including the drinks, and saved $42.52. The bigger order from the first of the week was $37.56 with a savings of $57.61. What fun!!!!!