a girl named Kourtni

I have some exciting news to share!  No, I am not pregnant.  Just going ahead and putting that out there for those of "yous" with high hopes.  My news is that my old college roomie, Kourtni, has finally started blogging.

The news of this random girl named Kourtni starting a blog may not be quite the excitement to some of you.  But it will.  Just give time.

Reading Kourtni's blog takes me back to 2002 when we first met.  Wow, that is nearly 10 years ago.  Holy time for botox!  And holy eye opener.  I just realized I am one of "those people" that still talks about college like it was yesterday.  You know the type, "Oh I did that in college" or "Oh yeah I remember learning that in college".  I need to get some new, more honest friends.  Some of you aren't cutting it and should have pointed out that I have Letter Jacket Syndrome.  Note taken!

Anyways, I guess I can have one more time to bask in that glory.  I can remember the first time I met this Kourtni character.  We were all excited about the new girl moving onto our floor.  I heard from some girls that she was "soo pretty", so I was a bit jealous of that and a bit jealous that she was moving into the room with my best friend on the hall, Holly P.  Kourtni and Holly couldn't have been more of polar opposites, but they were exactly what each other needed.  Kourtni need a touch of refinement & Holly needed someone to not baby her and give her her way.  And I needed them both.

I remember my first impression of Kourtni.  She came off the elevator wearing a red spaghetti strap tank top and black sofee shorts.  But what I remember most was not her beauty but these horrendous bun pigtails situated at the top of each side of her head.  Kourtni entered our lives with 3 cute guys moving her stuff while she only held onto her old blankey that she wouldn't take away from her nose.  "How does this girl get those guys with that awful hairdo?" was my first thought that will stick with me forever.

The pigtail buns were not my only first impression.  I was so excited to meet her and introduce her to Thursday nights at Banana Joe's and teach her how to use a fake ID that I couldn't contain it and attacked her with an introduction before she could even settle into her new room.  My second impression?  What a b-word to the nth degree!!  Coming from a small town I have never encountered people to just completely blow you off.  Kourtni did just that and never thought twice about it.

Third impression?  I am so blessed that this girl has entered my life.  She was the first person to tell me that it was ok to cry and talk about your emotions.  I was for the first time telling people not from my circle about my parents separation.  Freshman year is such an awkward time for young people (hear that?  I'm getting better with my letter jacket syndrome).  To say it out loud and try to explain it to someone was so hard for me.  I used to have walls stronger than Fort Knox guarding me and my emotions.  I started to crack.  As I went to stop myself and excuse myself from the room (thinking I had made a mistake and burdened these people with my nonsense), Kourtni looked at me and calmly said, "Jean, its ok to get upset.  You really need to learn to talk about things."  Mind you, this was only like the 2nd week I knew this girl and wasn't quite sold on her - in my then opinion she was lucky to be in the company of Holly and me.  Boy was I foolish.

As time passed (which included several fights, a trip to jail, lots of laughs, boyfriends and break ups) I knew Kourtni was someone that would always have a positive impact in my laugh.  Never have I ever encountered another human being quite like her.  She will always be one of my best friends, whether we talk once a year or once every 2 years.  Kourtni is the yen to my yang and its a shame we can't live closer. But this whole social media thing is making it much easier to interact with one another.

What I wanted to let everyone know is that you should take a visit to Kourtni's blog, Confused on Cloud 9.  She is just getting started, so make sure to keep checking back. You will find that she has some of the funniest, yet factual, outlooks on things most would never notice.  She has a unique perspective on the most minute facts of life that will have you laughing and thinking.

P.S. Sorry for my M.I.A-ness.  Again.  Ya'll are the best and I'm glad you always come back for more!
P.S.S. (Remember those on your notes you passed to friends in the classroom?)  I'm not proof reading again because it is late.

a refreshing summer kick-off

Memorial Day weekend has come and gone (and with lightening speed).  It was a beautiful weekend along the South Carolina beaches so I hope everyone was able to get out there and soak up some sun.  We went spent the weekend with family and friends down at DeBordieu Colony in Georgetown, SC.  

As I mentioned last week, we kicked off the weekend with a pre-nuptial party for some dear family friends of ours.  The party could not have turned out any better.  It was hot, but there seemed to be just the right amount of heat to give you that funny feeling.  Oh, I just love it.  I know we, being humans, tend to complain about the heat, but I think its something we take for granted.  Its just not summer without breaking a little sweat.  There's something about standing around with friends in the summer heat with a cold drink in your hand that can't be beat.  Its a feeling I think only true Southerners understand and appreciate.

The party this weekend was true Southern casualness at its best.  Hosted by the coast, there was just enough breeze to cut the thick heat.  The gardens were full of all beautiful plants and huge hydrangea blooms all over.  Larger plants and oak trees provided a cool, shady retreat for everyone to gather under while beach music played in the background.  Everyone in their newly tanned skin and brightly colored outfits painted such a picture that I wish I could capture.  The bride and groom to-be were as pleasant as always and went above and beyond to express their gratitude to the hosts and to their friends for coming out.  The happiness and gratefulness beaming from them set the tone and made for a great evening.

Besides great company and beautiful surroundings, the menu really topped the night off.  Light hors d’oeuvres and desserts were served, but the biggest hit was the signature drink.  Beer and wine were served in addition to the Firefly Lemonade.  Since you all have been such supportive readers, I will bless you with the recipe of the yummy cocktail.  It is the perfect drink to add to any summer party and it was enjoyed by all.

Firefly Lemonade

Ingredients: Firefly Sweet Tea flavored Vodka, Lemonade, fresh lemons, lots of ice

Directions: Mix one part Firefly with 3 parts lemonade in a pitcher.  Add ice and freshly sliced lemons.  Allow the mixture to sit until the ice melts halfway.  The ice melting is the key step - it waters the concoction down just enough so that it doesn't taste so much like tea nor lemonade.  If you skip this step, it will taste like lipton ice tea with lemon, and who really wants to drink that all night?

We couldn't keep the Firefly Lemonade replenished fast enough.  I and several others there don't typically care for sweet tea vodka - with or without lemonade.  But, if done as directed above, it will be your favorite summer drink.  I hope you get to try it out soon and let me know what you thought!  I would also love to get the recipe for your favorite summer drink, so please leave a comment.

Thanks for reading and here's to Jebb & Jamie!  May ya'll have many years of happiness together!

surprise part deux

Where were we?  I believe we ended with John Eric and the pillow (and I’ll just leave it at that).  Nothing more really happened at the house.  Anna and I continued in getting the food ready and eventually getting ourselves ready.  John Eric continued on with his antics.  Then Anna continued playing the buffer between us since I didn’t have my wine. 

We were finally able to get ready and get out of the house.  But a day of cooking isn’t successful without a couple of accidents thrown in.  I forgot to tell you that I nearly burnt my eyebrows off when I turned on the stove top.  We called John Hanna (it was his guest house we were staying in) to laugh about the story and to make sure we weren’t about to burn down the house.  No remorse from him.  His response?  “At least Jean won’t have to pluck her eyebrows for tonight.”  I have to admit, that made me laugh.  I still had to pluck them though.  We didn’t have enough grape jelly & ketchup for the meatballs and we didn’t have any sour cream for my dip.  We are pretty smart gals and we were able to make it work, but those secrets will be left unsaid.  The last appetizer we had to make were Totino’s Pizza Rolls (which are always a hit and the easiest thing you could possibly do).  We made the mistake of letting John Eric finish that task so we would be ready on time.  Lets just say we were blessed that only one pizza roll ended up charred on the bottom of the oven (oops…sorry John Hanna).

After a long ride of listening to Jimmy and John Eric “sing” Willy & Waylon we finally arrived at The Game Changer to get the party started.  John Eric did not have a clue and was completely surprised!  See the look of surprise on his face below?  Or are you wondering what is in the crock pot?

isn't his outfit cute?

The night was filled lots of smiles and laughs...

Kelly & Anna

Michaux, Whitney, and Me

Kris & Chaux acting frisky!

Chasity & Rivers

Jimmy (aka Waylon) & Kelly

Anderson Girls: Me, Ashleigh, Michaux, Whitney

Mama & Carol (Carol is a big fan of this picture.)

The night went on with some PG shagging...

Michaux & Mr. Bubba

then PG-13...

then John Eric took it to a whole new level...Here is a little preview...

Yes, he is taking his shirt off.  Let's just say he put on a very special routine & pulled out some signature moves for everyone.  The rest is history.  "What happens at The Game Changer, stays at The Game Changer."

But he better hope this shoe wasn't left at The Game Changer.

Happy Banukkah

I’ve wanted to write a brief synopsis about this past weekend, but I haven’t been able to find the time until now.  I also wanted to wait until Lauren and Sloan posted some pictures so I could steal and use them for my blog!  Sneaky, sneaky me. 

Friday I headed down to Cherry Grove to have some much needed time with some friends and celebrate John Hanna’s Birthday!!!  Betty Cox-Smith says his birthday must be equivalent to Hanukkah since we are celebrating 8 days early.  Had I been as clever as Ms. Betty I would have prepared myself with a Menorah centerpiece for the weekend.  Don’t you worry…I will be properly equipped for next year’s Banukkah celebration.

John Grainger Hanna’s 26^th Banukkah was a success if I say so myself.  Lauren, Anna, Sloan, and I did our best to commemorate such a milestone.  Only John would think of 26 as a major milestone – in his mind it is time to amp up the anti-wrinkle defense, although I have yet to find a crevice in that lovely face of his. And the little red hat (his reference to his hair on a good day) doesn’t seem to have a glimmer of gray either.  26 was not that good to me and 27 isn’t looking promising either in the aging category.  But I view my fine lines as good memories and my few greys as a good excuse to keep my hair hi-lighted.  The husband doesn't seem to argue with that, but I haven’t quite gotten him on the botox bandwagon.  He says I watch too much of that "Bravo Housewives crap".  With a sigh I say he's probably right.

Woah…talk about a tangent.  Enough about me.  I’d rather talk about others, it’s the Southern way.  Like John Hanna says, "if you have nothing nice to say, come sit by me."  So...Saturday we prepared some hors o’doeuvres and birthday cupcakes to celebrate the 2nd day of Banukkah.  We started with a cocktail hour (or 3…actually 5 if you count prep time drinking) before heading to Fat Harold’s for some shagging.  Allow me share some pictures...

The Hostesses: Me, Sloan, Lauren, & Anna

Our setup - we did out best with what we had



A party isn't complete without presents




The hand painted pot I made for Mr. John Grainger Hanna




The hand painted wine glass I made him.  The back has his signature quote.
I can do these in most monogram styles



Will, Charles, Kevin, & JGH

The night couldn't get started without singing Happy Birthday
and blowing out a candle

How was Fat Harold's you ask?  Let's just say a certain someone was a few crow calls away from getting too personal with the landscaping.

The Old Man's Friend?

My old friend Anna is begging for a new post.  But I haven't felt like anything enlightening has fallen upon me in the past 2 days.  Sitting here in an absent-minded state I concluded that my mind is just "blogged" right now.  I thought the large pine in our back yard snapping in half (but thankfully missing our house) was the most important concern in my life right now.  Thankfully I came out of that selfish blunder and realized that is just a silly ole occurrence that can be fixed. 

The fact that it can be fixed almost makes me nauseous. There are so many other things I would like to be fixed first.If I was given this super-power, I like to think the first thing I would "fix" is my dear co-worker & friend, Paula. 

Paula has such a bright personality, a smile that has never faltered, a glass half full, and a witty sense of humor.  All of these traits still remain 110% true even though her battle with cancer nears the end.  Battle isn't even the right word and doesn't do her justice, it has been more of a war.  The cancer has been hell on wheels from day one of its arrival.  I truly believe most would have waived their flag two years ago.  But not our little pit bull Paula, who is all of 5' tall and maybe 100 lbs when wet.  She has held on tight and I know deep within, that Paula's magnanimous love for everyone else (but herself) is why she has fought so relentlessly for so long.

Last night, I dreaded the news of Paula's pneumonia.  None of us will admit it out loud, but we all know to ourselves that pneumonia is an almost impossible fight for the weak and an omen we fight to ignore.  However, an email from my mama this morning made everything better.  (Well, not everything better, but you know what I mean.  And how is that mom's can turn any scramble into sunny side up?)  Anyways, her email was short and sweet and stated: "I'm sorry -- Jimmy (her husband/doctor) said pneumonia is called the old person's friend, or in this case, a younger, sick person's friend..."  I of course googled this reference since I had never heard such.  I found that, in deed, it is usally referred to as "The Old Man's Friend".  After researching, I learned that pneumonia, though often dreaded, is in fact a blessing in disguise to those who are ready to begin their eternal life.   Apparently, one who is suffering will lapse into a state of reduced consciousness, not really feeling any pain, and will leave us peacefully in their sleep.

Once I had exhausted every search engine, my morning seemed to turn around.  Knowing that my dear Paula can finally get some peaceful rest in her last days on earth (should that be the case) makes me happy and at ease.  If nothing else, she at least deserves one last good nap after this treacherous battle royal.  

I hope we all will find peace knowing there is a disguised friend (name: Pneumonia) with her and others in similar situations, helping each along their way.  In God's time, she will be with Him as her beautiful, healthy, funny self again.  I certainly hope the heavens are ready because they got a little firecracker headed their way!

This story goes to show that good can be found in all things bad.

Paula with her son, Will

Allow me to introduce my characters

This should give you some insight to my loved ones that will most likely be referenced quite often - my husband, two sisters, one brother, awesome friends, four parents, etc.

John Eric
John Eric is by far the world's greatest husband.  There are not words to describe his immense understanding of me and the limitless love he shows me no matter what.  I can be (by 'can be' I mean 'am') very stubborn, hot headed, emotional, and often erratic, but he always finds a way to understand my thoughts and takes the time to bring me back to a stable state.  And, Yes, he does make dinner everynight and even "packs" lunch for the both of us every morning.  My friends find this quite humorous.