Rainy Day at BATL

So it's storming up here at Lake Burton... the thunder is echoing off the mountains and rolling along the lake onto the back porch where we are sitting in awe of the misty fog that is world around us. It's amazing. We claimed that there is never a time that Lake Burton isn't beautiful. I wish I brought my card reader so you all could see this picture I tried to describe. This picture I found on Google Images doesn't do it justice.

No boat outing today. But here are some pics from last year's BATL...


Marie and Moma soaking up some rays on the beautiful day last year.




This is the new clubhouse that we're going to eat at tonight (THANKS TOM DOWNS!) It's called Waterfall and one day there will be a wedding there for Annie on top of that beautiful mountain...


BATL 2008 Roster (with nicknames)
Pam Downs (Pamela S. Downs Proprietor)
Beth Drew (Happy)
Caroline Bedingfield (Boy Scout) or (No, that's a frisbee)
Tatum Downs (T-Diddy)
Amy Rambo (Angel)
Heather Ligler (International Bad H)
Sally Downs (Salita-when she turns 21 Mojita)
Emily Smith (Em-Kat)
Ashly Ward (Helen Cellar)
Marie Claire (I'll be fashionably late MC) or her favorite (Prune)
Katie Bedingfield (B)

My B

Aunt Jennie "tagged" me.

Sorry Jen!!!

Below is my response - skip the first few lines. :)

Why, thanks for asking! ...not

So I'm sitting here having a pity party for myself because no one "tagged" me about the 10 random things.
I'll pretend like you did...

Oh - 10 random things about me you ask?
Well let me think.

1) I played the snare drum for two years in the Middle School band.

2) I crave a roll of sweetarts just about every day.

3) When I was little, instead of wanting to play "house" like the normal little girls, I wanted to play "office".
I would turn over boxes and use all the desk supplies I could sneak out of dads home office when he was on the phone.

4) I really hate mushrooms - everything about them. The taste, the texture. I don't know how someone could put something so repulsive in ther mouth, let alone CHOOSE them to eat for a meal.

5) About 70% of the time I drive with my knee.

6) I sat right behind the drummer at a U2 concert a couple years ago. (he's no Carter Beauford, but it was amazing none the less) I didn't get Bono's autograph. But one time I did get James Taylors back-up singer "Arnold's" autograph. And I got the set list from that concert.

7) I really like country music. This seems to be really out of place after that last statement... but I can't help it.
I just do - it's so simple and sweet.

8) If I could do anything I wanted to on Saturday I think on of the top things on my list would be four-wheeling.
Dad took me to Vegas for my 21st birthday last year and we went four-wheeling in the desert... SO FUN.

9) I'm dating a former high school teacher of mine... most likely the weirdest thing about me.
Brett and I have been dating for a year since the 15th.

10) I know how to knit.

Now I want to hear from Amy F, Chip and Bekah.

Haiku of Thanks

dirty laundry lots
can not even see my floor
thanks for moma b

Every day is Valentine's Day!

... when you watch this video:



Or if you are Bekah and John Mark...
Which reminds me - while you're in YouTube go to their video page and watch the {HILARIOUS} videos of our weekend 'o fun.

Happy Valentine's Y'all!

Here I am,

sitting in class, not studying for the test I have to take in eight minutes. I'm not worried. It's just Tax Accounting. That's what we have calculators for, right?

I wanted to tell you all something mildly hilarious that happend in class Tuesday...

After class was over, this boy from the other side of the room approached me and said, "You shop at Target a lot don't you?

I replied, "Yes, just about every single day."

He said, "I work in the women's clothing department and figured you did..."

What can I say?
I'm embarrassed.
I'm proud.
I'm a little creeped out of his awareness of what I am wearing every day...

White New Years

So some of you know I headed out to Washington State the day after Christmas to see Brett and meet is family. They live in Bellevue - right outside Seattle. (it's like Marietta to Atlanta)
It's beautiful here! Floating bridges everywhere and evergreen trees and mountains in the distance. He drug (dragged?) me around the city on Thursday - we went on top of the space needle and all around the city. We've been to several dinner parties with his old high school friends and their wives/kids and some family get-togethers. I feel like I've met the entire state! Brett came down with something a few days ago. Most likely a virus of some sort. We laid on the couch all day Saturday and most of Sunday. It was awesome. (not that he is sick, but the forcing us to relax part) Sunday(yesterday) we drove down with his parents and another couple to their cabin on the Hood Canal. I am upstairs in the living room right now looking out the huge windows at the Olympic Mountains.
They look a lot like this...


Except more snow-covered.
Beautiful place. Right on the water. And there's about 2-inches of snow on the ground.
Mom has made me swear I would never move here. I swear. But it's been a great trip and I look forward to coming back here soon.

Anyway, lots of pictures and video footage of our trip that I'm sure (?) I will consider sharing at a later date.

Love to everyone back home and Happy New Year!

School's Out!

Well, for me at least... and only until January 3rd. This Accounting thing is kickin' my butt! But I'm honestly enjoying school (?) and that's the first time in my life I've ever said that... ask moma! Hopefully by June I will have all my credit hours done for my Associates Degree in Accounting and I can start an internship somewhere in the summer or maybe the fall? That's the plan...

So in answer to Bill's question - Yes, I have learned something.
My brain is so full of stuff right now that I'm looking forward to the holidays to sort it though and file away the things that need to be remembered and send the rest to the recycle bin.
College isn't the only thing testing me right now though, dating is hard too.
When people asked me a few months ago, how are you and Brett? I would say, "Oh we're great... still like eachother and having fun". While that is still true, I would add to it, "It's HARD!" You find out so much about yourself and how you argue and how you handle situations with grace and be careful about what you say because you realize your words have so much weight to another person... even more than your best friend. Maybe not more than your mom, but close. Suddenly I realize the power of words and their ability to lift up or tear down. Yikes... I'm a name caller, that's for sure. Something to work on in the new year. But not til then?

I'm watching the Little kids right now... they're pretty darn cute. Especially around bedtime if you can imagine that.
That's when the slap-happy kicks in and the re-donkulous silliness comes out... the best kind of laughter.
Here's a pic of Adeline - she turned 1 on December 1st.


Anyways, they Nyswanders are coming soon - yay!
And we will see those bright and shiny Fritchy faces not too long after.
So many things to look forward to!!!

Peace and Love.

PS - why is it so flippin' hot outside!!! It just ain't right!

I've learned how to knit.

I figure if I'm going to be a godmother I should start doing godmother-type things...
So I'm knitting Isaiah Grace a scarf. And it's gonna get cold up there soon!

Here are the beginnings:


In other news,

1) You can now watch TV while you pump your gas at Walmart on 41.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.

2) I read a sign outside of a church last week that said, "God checks his kneemail".
Equally as wrong.

3) Answer me this... Why do some of the people I love the most have to live so d*** far away?
And reading their blogs seems to make it worse. It's selfish, but I'm mad.

4) I love the fall season. And I really love the season of life I'm in.
But it's so dang busy! I wish I had more time to keep up with you all!
Don't take it personally (AMY) :)

5) I turn 21 in 27 days.

6) I feel like I'm stealing Annie's list-making trademark, so I'll stop at 6 instead of going to 7 like she usually would.

Key Largo

...is amazing!
I landed yesterday afternoon and hit the Miami ground running trying to catch up on all the things my family has been doing for a month.
The house is awesome. Right on the water. And we have a long skinny dock out to our boat that is as useful as a car would be in Marietta. John showed me his collection of frozen sea life, including a shark (about 2 feet long) several mean looking barracudas (makes me want to sing that song) and the ever-loved "Steve" (JohnJohn likes to name things) which the boys found out is a hog fish. But still affectionately known as Steve. They've devised a (made up) point-system for every fish they catch. I think John's in the lead as of late.
Then we hopped in the boat and drove across the bay to a restaurant and watched the amazing sun set and ate delicious fresh yellowtail snapper. Seafood = yum.
It's good to be with my long-lost family again.

How was your Scotland trip?

I think I decided that you will just have to ask me in person.
There's NO WAY I could begin to sum-up all that happened over the last couple weeks in one blog... or even ten blogs! I felt every emotion possible. Everything from the happiest I've ever been - watching another person coming to know Jesus as their personal Savior, to being afraid for my life. It was intense to say the least.
I told mom on the way from the Miami airport (I haven't seen my family in a month!) that it felt like I had to be on guard the whole time I was there. It was like I shifted into defense-mode like we were going to battle. Darkness all around us makes the light much brighter to those who recognize it. I am so greatful and humbled by God's plan to use this team to bring glory to him in the country of Scotland. Those youth are amazing and I can't wait to hear how God uses THEM in this next year. Seeds were planted in them that week that will not be overlooked.
There are a million awesome pictures of sweet faces and fun games, but I forgot my memory card adapter so you'll have to wait until I get back from family vacation to see them...
Annie has them up on a mac website though, I think.

Cutest EVER!

This is Isaiah Grace's pool face.

She was so cute last week when Bekah and her and I went to their neighborhood pool.
Cutest thing in it!
Those Nyse girls are my fav-o-rite.

Love!

What even...

...does this even mean?!?!

Moma, Jeanne, and I went shopping this afternoon and on the way home, sitting in traffic on Polk Street, we stumbled across this little jewel of a saying.

"Wisdom is not attained by years but by ability"

Wisdom is attained by how able you are?
Your ability is how able you are to do something.
Is it saying your ability to learn.
Now I'm confused.
Maybe wisdom is beyond my abilities.

Anyway,
This started a long discussion and we decided quickly that this quote was very insulting to disabled people. Are they forever banished from being wise because their lack of ability?
Interesting concept... seems wrong.

We would LOVE to hear your interpretations...

Reunion

The "fab five" all got together last night for the first time this summer.
We went to Stone Mountain for a picnic and to view the ever-entertaining, never-changing lazer show! It's amazing how a lame summer tradition can be so much fun when you add good friends and food.
Anyways, the show was scheduled to start and 9pm so we got there at 7:30 to get a good seat and eat and throw the football. At about 7:45 when we had our blanket and food laid all out, it started trickle and by 8:00 it was POURING rain. Welp, we're all soaking wet (except for smart, prepared Lauren with her red bulldogs umbrella... so sassy) why don't we go play football?!
Leah, Katie F and I got soaking wet and Katie and I very muddy so we decided it would be an ok thing to jump in the little lake in front of the mountain (yeah, the one where several people have drowned over the years).
At about 9:15 the rain stopped completely and we took our seats for the lazer show.
What a fun memory.
The coolest part of the rain was watching it pour over the side of the mountain like little tiny waterfalls. It bounced off General Lee's (?) horses back.
And all along the smooth surface were these skinny little individual waterfalls.
It was neat, I think you had to be there.

Viva NashVegas!

I know, I know. It's day three in Nashville and I haven't posted ONCE.
Mom's been blogging for Sharliss on Katherine's website. (link to the right)
It's been a busy three days!

DAY 1 - Saturday
We left Marietta early Saturday morning and headed to Tennessee...
It was a surprisingly quick drive. Except Moma sprayed and wiped the windshield EVERY time a bug hit it. (every 5 seconds) It was pretty comical and then it became a joke. (but I knew she was serious) The woman loves a clean car... who doesn't?
When we got here Saturday afternoon, we hit the ground running.
Sharliss educated Moma and I ALL about KJ's meds. A quick grocery store visit to get the supplies we needed while Sharliss was gone... a red velvet cake mix and 4 close calls with the electric wheelchair later. We were off to visit some friends of theirs who participated in the 'Music City 1/2 Marathon' in honor of Katherine earlier that day. They all had on bright pink shirts that said "Team KJ" and on the back, our slogan "We're Going to Win". We took some pictures and visited a while. Then we went to J. Alexanders because KJ requested a steak for dinner... delicious.

DAY 2 - Sunday
Sharliss got up early for her flight to Tampa.
Us girls slept in and then went to Jason's deli for lunch. Then a trip to Target and back home for a nap. KJ slept for 5 hours! Molly (one of her dogs) chewed my toothbrush in half!) Picture soon. So then for dinner we ate Moma's delicious strawberry salad and chicken alfredo. And fell asleep watching a movie.

DAY 3 - Monday
Today we got up early (remember long nap yesterday afternoon?) and called into Vandy to see if the chemo they ordered from Europe for KJ was in... It was so we leisurely made our way over there. We went into downtown Franklin, first. We shopped around and went in lots of cute little stores. One of which was a store where they sell a bunch of homemade soaps and bath things. We all bought a little treat of some sort. KJ just finished up using hers. Smells delicious!
Then to lunch at a cute little restaurant... I forget the name. But ya'll, the coolest thing happened! When we were done with our meal, the waitress asked if we needed anything else, and I said, "no, just the check, thanks" and she said, "oh, it's been taken care of already". Wha? Someone asked to take care of our lunch and slipped out before we had even finished our meal! Wow. I was completely humbled. So sweet... what a blessing.
Then we went to Vanderbilt and Katherine got two big nasty chemo shots. She didn't even flinch. She's so strong and brave. Just completely amazing, that's all.
So after that, Moma got the great idea of calling up our good friends Kevin and Mandy Mann who live in East Nashville. We went to their house and visited for a while and then all went to get ice cream. It was SO GOOD seeing them and Mandy is beginning to show! They are having a baby boy in September and I can't wait to meet him!!!
After that we ran a few more errands and now we are sittin' our butts in front of the TV.
Lucy is in my lap and sleeping. We all will be soon...

I forgot my card reader so you'll have to wait until tomorrow for pictures.
We're heading back home tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for all your prayers... I can feel the hedge of protection around this place.
It's been really cool to be a small, short part of.
The Arnolds are amazing!
Love.

I was tired of looking at that sick picture...

So I will inform you of the holiday many of you, I'm sure, were not aware went on yesterday. It's called - "Administrative Professionals Day". In fact, there is a whole week dedicated to this holiday. For answers to all your questions about this you can visit the site:

http://www.iaap-hq.org/apw/Answers_FAQs_APW.htm

Employers across the world often are unsure of how best to celebrate Administrative Professionals Week® (APW). Some frequently asked questions include:
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Administrative Professionals Week:
1. Who qualifies as an administrative professional?
2. Why was the event’s name changed from "Secretaries Week"?
3. Should my secretary feel slighted by the change?
4. What is an appropriate gift of appreciation for busy assistants?
5. Should the entire administrative team receive recognition, or should it be an optional choice between each executive and assistant?
6. How can individual administrative professionals make this event meaningful, even if their employers don't recognize them during Administrative Professionals Week?

So now you know... Don't say I never taught you anything.
And I apologize if you ARE an administrative professional and you were not recognized as you deserve. You should probably come watch 'The Office' with me tonight because that would make anyone feel good about where they work...
Or at least it hopefully would. :/
Our boss bought us lunch at Applebees, so I feel completely appreciated.
Happy Administrative Professionals week!

I ate octopus

Tonight I found out that I'm a big fat wimp when it comes to trying new foods... oh, AND that I crack pretty easily under peer pressure. We went to eat dinner at a Korean restaurant on Sandy Plains Road. It was Seung Yeon's birthday (Brett's exchange student... we call him Jim) so he and a few of his Korean friends and a big group of us went to said Korean restaurant. Everyone tried something new. Kurt and I shared a pretty harmless beef and mushroom plate. The Dewhurst's had Korean BBQ, which was actually quite delicious. Jim, Arnold and Chul Won had their favorite homeland dishes. Tyler went right for the squid. And Brett had to 'one-up' everyone and go for the spicy octopus. Well, lets just say my stomach feels a little squirmy.

Isn't it funny how cultures are SO different. Yeah, sure, how we look and talk - but what we put in our MOUTH especially. I guess it all depends on you location on the planet earth. Where God has placed certain cultures and what he provides for us in that one small area of the earth and how we adapt to it. I tell you, it opened my eyes a little... my stomach A LOT.

So at the end, things are winding down... and after at least 5 minutes of persuasion on Brett's part... they finally pull the "Oh, ktb, Jim said it's the one thing he wants for his birthday." Oh great, alright - GULP. Eeewww. Thus this blog was formed.

Eventful Day

And to top it off... we walk out of Cafe Intermezzo onto Peachtree Street and it's SNOWING! I'm not talking just a few flurries people. Noticable ammounts of snowage. We were cracking up! It's snowing in April. Easter weekend to be exact. I can't believe it. I bet you don't either...
Here's a pic Annie took while hanging out my car window to prove.



BELIEVE IT!
Georgia weather is CrAzY!!!
I love it...
G'night.

Break at the Lake

This week is Spring Break!
As you've probably already read on Annie and Marie Claire's blogs... we went to the Downs' lake house for these last several days. If you haven't read of our adventures, you should check out their blogs first, because they are way more funny than I am.
One of the highlights was the boat ride Annie took us on. She was nervous at first, but she drove that boat like a rock star. (?) I've never understood that term.
Anyway, her best quote from the weekend would have to be when we finally took off from their dock she said, "My theme for driving a boat is, 'This is my world, figure out how to live in it'."
Haha, I laughed outloud. Almost as loud as I did when Marie and I were taking pictures with Iphoto on Annie's new Mac computer. So funny.
Lake Burton is B-E-A-utiful! And their lake house is no exception. A perfect retreat. It was so good to get away from the city for a few days! Especially with some of the funniest people I know including my mother. Good times were had.
We should have gotten a group picture. That was real dumb.
But here are some that aren't on Annie and Marie's blogs already.
(except I'm still mad at Annie for posting that aweful pic of me from yesterday morning... revenge is coming Annie, mark my words.)















Our lake captain






























The Downs' from the lake.



















The "B.A.T.L. Prince".
We fought over who got to hold this boy ALL WEEK.
He was absolutely precious. So smart. And all smiles.
Babies make everything more fun... especially awesome ones like Jarrett.




















I love this girl... she's my Marie.

New Hobby

No, not cornhole... that's an old hobby. Though I almost beat dad the other day. Don't tell him I told you cause no one has ever beat him.

So... let me tell you of a new hobby I have developed over the past month or so. It's called 'track and field'. A highschool sport, yes. Why? you ask. We'll track and field is very exciting, fun to watch, the team is good, and I maybe have taken a certian interest in their coachy-coach. :)
But seriously, we went to Augusta this past weekend to an Invitational at Augusta Prep and our boys team took first and girls took second. They did AWESOME. Several kids broke their PR's. (personal record - for those who are not track and field savy) Including Andrew Riess and Hillary Davis who are pole vaulters. Their pictures are at the bottom... probably my favorite event to watch. As well as the 4 by 1.
Anyways, that's my new hobby. If you ever get the urge to come with, let me know!
It's crazy fun...
Wanna hear something else crazy? The Fritchmans were in Augusta last weekend visiting Amy's parents... so random! They came by to see us. They make everything fun.























Chatting w/ Coach.






















Awww... buddies. TP and Coach.
















Do we smile? Do we ignore? I dunno...
















Hillary breaking her PR.
















Andrew matching his PR... 1st jump!















Weeeee are the champions!
Boys with their 1ST PLACE trophy.