10 Blessings of 2007

1. First and foremost we found a church home this year. It is somewhere that we can grow as Christians and live out our marriage like we pledged to do.
2. Wes got his dream job at TVA Brown's Ferry, and though he works his booty off, the job in itself is an immense blessing.
3. We were able to buy our first house and I am so grateful to not have to rent anymore!
4. I had many many friends welcome babies this year and each and every one of those babies is a precious gift from God.
5. Though I have had some ups and downs this year with the career aspect of my life, I am blessed that God has allowed me to take a year off work to make sure I want to be a teacher for the right reasons.
6. I really learned the importance of family this year. I now know to make the most of every moment I spend with them because it might be my last.
7. I believe I have one of the most caring and patient husbands out there. He has had to put up with some major emotional breakdowns from me and he is always there for me. I love you Wes!
8. I was blessed to be able to keep up better with old friends. That was mostly thanks to this blog :)
9. I have been blessed with good health this year. That I am extremely thankful for :)
10. I got to get away a couple of times this year. That is always good :)

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that 2008 is a blessed year for all of you!

New Years Resolutions and Goals

Well 2007 is almost over. Hard to believe. This year has felt like it has flown by. However it was an extremely blessed year for me and my family. Now it is on to 2008. I wanted to state some resolutions and goals that I have for myself for the year.
1. I plan on tackling my terrible habit of procrastination. I believe I am the world's worst at this. It can really bring unnecessary chaos into a persons world. My mom's advice to me is to get the things I most dread out of the way first. That's pretty logical, hence I won't be wasting time while dreading something.
2. I want to be more organized. I am not totally unorganized, but I could stand to be more organized.
3. I want to be in the know about anything and everything baby.
4. I want to explore my more creative outlets this year. I want to learn some new hobbies and crafts. I see all these people who make the cutest things and I think to myself why not? I can learn to do that too.
5. I want to read through the Bible this year. I have a plan for daily reading and I can't wait.
6. You always hear people say I want to lose weight. Well I want to be healthy. I really want to be able to touch my toes again. I haven't been able to do that in a while because somewhere in the last 10 years I have lost my flexibility.
I have other small goals but you get the gist. Now I want to wish all of you a blessed and happy new year. I hope 2007 has been good to you and that you look forward to a fantastic 2008! Happy New Year!
P.S. Here are a few pics from Christmas.


The present was bigger than her!



I have some from Wes' family as well but I will save those for later! Have a great weekend!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

This will probably be my last post till after Christmas. Today I made six containers of cookies for Wes' instructors at work. I made Colleen's Pecan balls and some white chocolate dipped "snowmen" which are actually nutter butters. :)



They kinda look like alien snowmen LOL
Anyway though I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! Hope Santa brings you all good things :) Enjoy your families and stay safe! Love to you all!
Happy Holidays!

Lions...Big Loveable Kitties :)

Today I spent my day on campus at UNA shooting pictures for a Christmas present for Wes' Uncle James. Uncle James is bed ridden in a nursing home in Florence due to a disease that has taken control of his muscular system. My mother in law Kay called me last night wanting to know if I'd mind coming to Florence today to see if I could find a picture of UNA to hang in Jame's room. Well I was pretty sure that it would be hard to find the kind of picture she was thinking of of the UNA campus (you know those big ones like they take of Auburn and Alabama? That's what she was thinking of.) I told her I'd check off campus bookstore for her but I knew that on campus bookstore was already closed for the holidays. Then I came up with the idea to go around taking pictures myself. Well then Wes came up with the idea to do this big collage frame...it's hard to describe but when we finish it tomorrow night I'll post a picture of it. I'm pretty excited about the idea and I think James will love it. I forgot to mention he graduated from there when it was still Florence State Teachers College.
Anyway I also spent a lot of time at the lion habitat with Leo and Una. They are amazing creatures. Even though I have walked that campus many many times I have never really stopped to take pictures or just watch these big kitties. They are very people friendly. If you are ever in Florence and are near UNA's campus between the hours of 9am-6pm then swing by and check them out. Here are a couple of pictures I got of them.

Leo III

Una (pronounced You-nah)

These babies are 5 years old. They were born on November 18, 2002. I remember well when UNA received them in the late spring of 2003.

I couldn't resist adding this picture. I got lucky and caught him in a yawn :)

10 on Tuesday

1. This time next week it'll be Christmas.
2. This time in two weeks it'll be 2008.
3. I am completely overwhelmed and unmotivated today!
4. I really enjoy acting goofy in the car with my hubby.
5. I am done Christmas shopping with the exception of my hubby's stocking stuffers.
6. Have you ever discovered how when you go to the grocery store on an empty stomach and hungry that you buy a lot more?
7. My niece is turning into a drama queen :)
8. I really wish my house phone would quit ringing because every time either I or the machine picks it up all it is a series of beeps....very annoying!
9. I am making the pecan balls that Colleen brought to my cookie swap this week!
10. It is sad that my Christmas cards are just getting out today...oh well better late than never!
Happy Tuesday all!

Weekend Recap

Hello everyone I hope all had a great weekend! I guess I got my wish on the cold weather :) When we left for church yesterday morning we saw snow flurries :) Our weekend was good. We had my extended family Christmas on my mom's side Saturday down in Hartselle. We played a Christmas Bingo game that I had made up for my class last year. That is what these people are doing in the pictures.


My mom took the pictures. She just goes around snapping and doesn't really try to catch one particular thing you know lol! Now of course I have to put one of Macy in here as well.

She was playing cash register with her Uncle Wes :)
We also went to see Little Zach have some of his first taste of Christmas Saturday night. My mother in law doesn't know if she is going to be able to get him on Christmas day when we are all there so she wanted to give him some of his Christmas Saturday.

Aww...my hubby is going to be a great daddy one day :)

Little Zach wanted to join me and Wes in our picture


He knew exactly what to do with the toothbrush :)

Here he is on his new little truck...it took both Wes and my father in law to put this together!
He seemed excited to have some new things to play with but as for him understanding why he was getting it...that wasn't happening. Of course I know that it takes a few years. Macy is two and a half and this will be here third Christmas and she is just now understanding. Susan took her to see Santa and she didn't care for him much...lol. But still she kinda understands what Christmas is. I am looking forward to Christmas Eve when we have my immediate family together and I get to watch her open presents.
Me and Wes also took a picture of us in front of the in laws tree.

I hope everyone has a great week this week!

What is up with this weather?

I have a lot of Christmas shopping left to do and I just can't get into the mood when it's almost 80 degrees outside! Now mind you Christmas is the only time of the year that I want it to be cold. After the holidays it can go right back to being warm warm warm. I usually hate January and February weather! Depressing! So anyway why is it so warm? This can't be good...it can only mean that we are in for some heck of storms soon. I guess this is Alabama weather.
So I finished A Walk to Remember at about midnight last night. I read it in a day and a half on and off. It was very good, sad, and sort of kind of like the movie but it did have some total differences. Usually I like the books better than the movies but the verdict is still out on this one. I am mulling it over. I have moved on to the book Step on a Crack by James Patterson. I think I might have found me a new thrill writer I enjoy.
I am excited because last night we decided that the week of our anniversary this year we are going to Disney World. Wes has never been and he wants to go before we have kids one time. Well since our anniversary is when we are going to officially start trying for baby number one then we figured that we'd have to take advantage of his next non-training (this way he doesn't miss anything important) week and go. Well his next non training week is the first week of July which just happens to fall during our anniversary and the fourth of July. So it's off to Disney for us! I am in search for the best vacation package now :)
I hope everyone has a great hump day! The week is halfway over!

Guitar Hero, Cookie Exchange, and Kitties...A Weekend of Pictures!

This weekend was full of pictures so I'll pretty much let them do the talking!



This is Wes and I playing his birthday present Guitar Hero III! (Please excuse the fact I am in my jammies!)

This was our snacks at the cookie exchange.



This is the yummy cookies the ladies made. They were all fantastic and creative and I really appreciate all the effort they put into it!

Colleen and Monica smile while waiting in line.



Jennifer and Ashley give the camera a smile :)

Me, Ashley, and Jennifer

Colleen, me, Monica, and Klancy
And last but not least a couple shots of my kitties!



Again ignore my PJ's.
Hope everyone has a great week!

Happy Early Birthday to my wonderful hubby!

Saturday is Wes' birthday and I wanted to wish him a happy early b'day on here! I am looking forward to this weekend! Getting to go out to eat twice! And not having to pay either time! Whoo hoo! Also my cookie exchange is this weekend so I'll have pics next week. I'll have pics of the awesome gift I got Wes too...I'm looking forward to it as much as he is lol. So I want to wish everyone a happy weekend...and I'll be seeing some of you on Sunday! Happy Birthday Wes!

10 Things I remember about High School

Okay most of those who read my blog went to high school with me. So instead of doing a 10 on Tuesday I thought I'd honor the fact that we are about to celebrate our 10 year reunion. So here is 10 things I remember about high school. Feel free to post your ten in my comments or on your own blog :)

1. I remember getting locked in the bus bathroom on our way to Chicago ninth grade year. I was banging on the door and everyone was laughing so hard it took a minute to before someone could help me out. Even the chaperones were laughing. When I got out the whole bus was staring at me!
2. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
3. I remember 11th grade year during football season we were playing stands tunes during 1st period. We had just gotten the sheet music to "Jungle Boogie" and John Griffin had brought the sound track to Pulp Fiction in and we were listening to the song to hear it. I remember Mr. Nichols groovin to it up on the podium!
4. Theresa Godbey having a wreck with Mr. Sloan in the school parking lot one morning before school.
5. The stadium lights going off at Gold Smith Shipman junior year right before the first ballgame and having to wait to use Milton Frank stadium to play the game.
6. Lauren I remember our first ever school bus ride to a football game ninth grade year going to Huntsville and we were sitting near the front and thinking we were going to die because the driver was driving all crazy!
7. One word...Yellowdogs!
8. Another one related to Lauren...remember 11th grade year Solo and Ensemble was at Johnson High School and your mom took me, you, and Laura Phillips but we weren't going to play for like 6 hours? So she agreed that you could drive us back to H'ville later that afternoon in the Topaz :) Remember almost missing the turn off of Rideout Road to the interstate and instead of going down and turning around you whip it over and me and Laura was sure we were going to launch out over the road into the air and onto the interstate. Ahh fun times!
9. Lunch room boycott! I still have the newspaper article about that one!
10. Many Many fun times in 5th period yearbook with Ms. Stroh!

Man I remember so much more! Overall looking back high school was some fun times :) Happy Tuesday!

20 Things about Me!

Okay so Colleen posted this in her blog and so I am going to do it. I'll give the same disclaimer she did. I would love to learn 20 things about you that I may or may not already know. You can post it in your blog or in my comments. If you post it in your blog then let me know you have done it. Okay here is to Colleen for starting this :)

1. I have attended 5 different colleges. My dad fondly calls it the tour of Alabama.
2. I am truly a girly girl. Shopping, mani's and pedi's, the color pink, you name it.
3. I am a college football fanatic. ESPN is a regular channel I watch during the fall. I can thank my big brother for that one.
4. I have been to 19 states and then the Bahamas 4 times, Mexico, Grand Cayman Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Jamaica.
5. I have swam in 4 different oceans: the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic, and the Pacific.
6. I don't have a gall bladder anymore.
7. I have endometriosis.
8. I have dissected an octopus.
9. I have a heightened sense of touch. I love to get massages and have my hair played with.
10. When I am pregnant with my first child I plan on finding out the sex but I am not spilling the name until he/she is born because I don't want someone to sway me with their opinions.
11. My cell phone opens in two different directions.
12. I can waste a lot of time on You Tube. It's my boredom site when I have nothing else to do.
13. I have OCD tendencies. Not for everything but I do have them for some things. Like here is a weird one. If I have already showered and am clean and Wes hasn't showered yet I don't like for him to touch me at all until he is clean too.
14. I am literally afraid of throw up. Yeah funny since I am a teacher. It's not that it just grosses me out, I am terrified of it. If someone tells me they feel like they are going to I am on edge. I freak out, literally. I wonder if there is a phobia name for that one.
15. I am constantly having to spell my married last name to people. What is so hard about McClanahan? But I am always getting this say what look when I tell people my last name.
16. I am a closet Hannah Montana watcher.
17. I always read the bulletins people put out on Myspace.
18. I am tongue tied. I can barely stick my tongue out.
19. If I ever want a new career I am going into real estate. I love houses!
20. I actually like filling these things and other surveys out.

There you go! Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Joining the Bandwagon!

Elf yourself! :)

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1120858681

Happy Weekend everyone!

Okay so I am still pumped up about Auburn's 6th straight win!!

I saw this on Klancy's little sister's blog. I have seen lots of Auburn videos but this is by far one of my favorite.

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1230998979

War Eagle!

10 on Tuesday

1. I have decided I don't like sundried tomatoes. They are way to sweet.
2. I am checking out three books today at the library. A Walk to Remember, The Devil Wears Prada, and Taking Charge of your Fertility.
3. I saw two good movies over the Thanksgiving weekend. Knocked Up...it was funny, but I really thank Lauren for giving me the heads up on it being graphic during the birth scene...me and Wes were like WHOA! Beauty Shop was great! I really like Queen Latifah. I had a hard time dealing with Keisha Knight Pulliam (aka Rudy from the Cosby Show) being then character she was in this movie. She was kinda a prissy girl. But over all it was a great movie! Oh yeah a week ago we went and saw Beowulf at the theater. It was Wes' pick. It was pretty gory but not a bad movie. Definitely more of a man movie though.
4. We made two shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child through our church. I really enjoyed getting to buy little presents for the boy and girl that we made the boxes for.
5. I was listening to my Ipod this morning and I realized how broad of a range of music I listen to. I am not that much of a music person. I listen to it in the car, or when I am working out or cleaning house. Sometimes when I am studying. But my Ipod has a mixture of 80's pop, alternative, 70's funk and disco, classical, country and rap on it. I put songs I like on it. I guess I am diverse in my music.
6. So I have to cook more dinners at home this month. We have been really bad about eating out over the last month and that isn't really acceptable when we had perfectly good food here waiting to be cooked. Since I am not working, and I have all day to do my school stuff I should be having home cooked meals for Wes every night but I am failing miserably in that department. So I have been scouting out Kraftfoods.com.
7. I need a haircut but I don't know what I want my hair to look like. Hence I haven't went to the salon. Sometimes I think I want to go short again. My mom thinks I look better with short hair. But other times I like the freedom of pulling my hair into a clip if I don't want to fool with it. So who knows what I'll do.
8. I am putting up my Christmas decorations this week!
9. I am happy to say that I have gotten 75% of my Christmas shopping done!
10. I hope everyone has a great week!

Macy and Desserts

I don't have much to say but I do have a couple of cute pics of Macy and a couple pics of the two yummy desserts that I made for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was relaxing for me. We went to Wes parents for lunch and then we went by mom and dads that evening. Me and mom did venture out Black Friday but it wasn't too awful. I didn't find anything that was just an awesome find though. Wes was sick most of the weekend which sucked for him because he had a four day weekend and he doesn't get those often. We lounged on Saturday watching football. It was a good weekend in football for both of us. My husband the Tennessee fan is super happy that Tennessee is going to the SEC championship. I of course and happy that Auburn made it number 6 for beating Bama. Now I present to you my culinary masterpieces LOL :) and a some pics of my hamming it up niece.

This is just a chocolate dessert...I don't have a name for it but it was heavenly. Maybe I should name it Chocolate Heaven?

This was my pumpkin cheesecake. Boy was it good. I pretty much used the same recipe Lauren has on her blog I just tweaked it a bit. It definitely deserves a Yum-O!






Hope everyone has a great week!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I really meant to do this early but I have been pretty busy this week. So ya'll probably won't get this till after Thanksgiving. Oh well it's the thought that counts :)
I want to wish every one of you a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday. I am grateful for every last one of you. You have all made some sort of impact on me and I am so thankful to know you and call you a friend. Enjoy your turkey and have fun shopping on Friday if you go. Have a blessed holiday and I love you guys :)

Oh yeah and one more thing.......

WAR EAGLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A new low for an overpaid Alabama coach...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3120600&POLL315=80000000000000000000000000000

I really think this is a total stretch and don't know if I am surprised by this or if I actually expected something like this to happen. Either which way it's a new low for The University of Alabama.

Fridays are Fabulous!

I do believe it is like one of my most favorite days of the week! Hope everyone has had a great week. Weekend plans? Wes' mom's b'day is Saturday so we are going to Flo-Town or more appropriately G'hill to do some celebrating with her. I tell you she is the easiest person to please sometimes. All she wanted was for her family as a whole to go out to eat together. Since Zach is coming home tonight for his Thanksgiving break...yeah Auburn gets the whole week off....it works out perfectly that we can give her what she wants. And as a bonus we get to take Little Zach as well. :) So we are going to Texas Roadhouse and Wes could not be happier because they have the best chicken fingers and rolls!
Before we head to G'hill though I am going shopping with my momma in the morning. She is really wanting to get her Christmas shopping done and pretty much all she is lagging is Wes. So I have to go show her some things he would like. I also need to get him a birthday present while we are out. His b'day is the 8th of December. You know what's funny? Both of my parent's in law children have b'day's around Christmas. Susan's is the 5th of January. I'm glad mine is six months after Christmas. It spreads things out nicely :)
Speaking of Christmas...what is on everyone's wish list this year? I couldn't really think of anything I wanted. I have stuff for the house I want but as I told my mom...I will buy that stuff before I would buy stuff for myself. So I am trying to think of personal stuff. The only thing I can think of that I would like is a Northface Jacket. Does anyone have one of these? My brother in law has one and loves it. It seems like it would be the perfect all weather jacket.
I also think I would like a larger George Forman...I have the single serving one. I used to have a larger one in college but somehow it got broke and how that happened is still a mystery to me. But anyway I don't hardly use the single one because when I am using it I am making for both me and Wes and it just takes too much time and hassel when you can only cook one at a time.
Okay jumping to another random thought...backing up to Wes b'day actually. I am probably getting him Guitar Hero Three.....that game is awesome...and addicting I might add. So I think I might get my mom to get him Guitar Hero Rockin the 80's....lol I think that may be more for me though because I am all about the 80's music :)
Well Monday I will have pictures of my do it yourself coasters made out of tile...they are turning out nicely. I just have to put the backing on them and seal them. I will finish them over the weekend. I am on a mission to organize my office today. I want it to be more sufficient than it currently is. I also have to clean bathrooms today. You know I think that is my most hated household chore. Although I will admit ironing is up there as well.
I have noticed around here people are already decorating their houses for Christmas. My firm rule is to wait till after Thanksgiving. We usually do it the weekend after Thanksgiving. My across the street neighbor is already decked out including the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree came up the day after Halloween. I want to celebrate Thanksgiving first personally.
Well happy weekend everyone! I bet next week is a short week for most :) Have a good one!

New pictures of Macy

Hey guys. Susan had some new pictures of Macy taken for Christmas. If you want to look at them you can go to this website.
www.mon-el.com
go to shopping cart
password is hancockchristmas

10 on Tuesday...okay maybe 5

Happy Tuesday to all! How many of you had a three day weekend? I am going to do a 10 on Tuesday just because I want to :)

1. I love fall. I believe it is my favorite season. I have noticed around here that we have some gorgeous leaf changing going on. I stare at it every time I am in the car. I want to go around taking some pictures of some different places around here soon. For now though I have a picture of some trees that are near my house. Isn't the different colors so pretty?


2. Me and Wes struck a deal yesterday at Target. We have a few babies that we are buying Christmas for and one of them is this little cutie.

Little Zach. Well this is little Zach's first Christmas. He will be one in January. Target was having a HUGE clearance on some baby and toddler clothes. I got little Zach 2 outfits for less than 10 dollars. Now that is a steal. They had all sizes. I also got some stuff for Macy. There was some really cute little newborn girl clothes Patrice and Roz...just a little heads up.

3. I am in the process of doing a DIY project. It was an idea I got off of the Nest.com. It is coasters made out of tile. I'll post a pic when I have completed them. If these go good I may make a few for some Xmas presents. Hopefully I'll have some pics by the end of the week.

4. As you all are aware black Friday is a week from this Friday. Every year me and my mom go. This year Susan and Macy are joining us. Are we crazy to bring a 2 year old to black Friday. YES!!! But my mom want to (her words " see Macy's little face light up at all the Christmas stuff" ) so hence she is coming along...we'll see how long she lasts :)

5. Okay so this is going to be it....sorry it turned out to be a 5 on Tuesday....but in order to not make this post not any longer I am quitting :) So I leave you with I hope you all have a great week! Yeah not the greatest 5 on Tuesday :)

Friday Happenings

TGIF! Hope everyone's week has been great! Here is some randomness that is going on in my world.
1. I found this sign at Hobby Lobby for $7 this week! It is going in our entry way :) I also found one for our bedroom as we make the color transition that says "Always kiss me goodnight" I got it for $6. I love me some Hobby Lobby!

2. My love has to work days tomorrow (Saturday) so I will be watching football games all by my lonesome. I am starting to think I am weird because I tell you I get into these games like a man does. That is thanks to growing up with a big brother who lives, breathes, and eats football.
3. We are going to be going only to my husbands family for Thanksgiving this year. This is a first for me. But certain circumstances are enabling us from going to both sides. I am okay with this though because I see the same extended family lots, and will be seeing them like two weeks from Thanksgiving at our big Xmas gathering.
4. There is only 5 weeks left in my semester!
5. Who's ready for Christmas? Yeah that's me. More importantly I am ready for black Friday!
Okay so reading back over these I really realized that I didn't have an eventful week :) LOL! Some this really was a random post! Happy Weekend everyone and War Eagle!