Chris turns 40!

Chris hit the big 40 on 1/4/13!  

Several of our friends met us at the Smoky Mountain Brewery in Maryville for dinner.  

Food, Fun and Friends!  Great fun!



Niece Amber and cousin Sarah




Friend of ours Rusty




Two great friends! Brittany, expecting a baby in 12 days, and Kelley




My sister-in-law Bridget and Kelley




Brittany and Kelley




My niece Amber and cousin Sarah




Friends....Kelley, me and Brittany. Can't wait to see Brittany and Hank's baby.
They will be great parents.





Cousin Sarah and me




Chris doesn't like the restaurant's Ranch dressing.
So he takes his own, as you can see in my camera bag....




Cousins Sarah and Jeremiah




Me and birthday boy




Me and Chris. 40 year old man...




Friends Elisha and Michael




Missy, Brent and Bridget




Kelley and Rusty




Brent and Missy, so happy together




Brent and Missy




Amber trying to carve Chris's CH into the cake





Amber was having a hard time caving the CH




She got it right the second time





First 20 candles are on!




Chris and his cake




I was worried about the sprinkler system....and candle wax on the cake by the time they were all lighted.





Wow. What a deep breath!




And they are out!





Chris isn't the greatest at cutting cake.





Amber and Bryce. He did good on her ring!  Nice.





Chris and his niece Amber.




Sarah, Chris and Jeremiah




Sarah, Chris and Jeremiah. Wake boarding buddies and cousins.




Chris and Packy




Rusty and Chris




Bryce and Amber




I don't know what was so funny?




Chris and Packy. Packy was Chris's best man.




Funny?  Maybe what Bryce is looking up on his phone?





Funny I guess?




Chris's fork trick. He hasn't done this in years.
Had a hard time with it that night. Out of practice.




Chris just couldn't get the forks right for the trick.



Emancipation Proclamation - 150 Years Ago Today

The Emancipation Proclamation
January 1, 1863

A Transcription

By the President of the United States of America:

A Proclamation.

Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:

"That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.

"That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States."

Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:

Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.

And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.

And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.

And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh.

By the President: ABRAHAM LINCOLN
WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

Christmas Necklace

My sister Lynette gave me a necklace for Christmas. When I was little, I have no idea how old, I had an autograph book. My mom was the first to sign. Lynette took the page she signed and had it made into a necklace.  The front says "To a sweet little daughter. I love you very much". The back is signed "Mom".

Shop Vac

Lessons from a Shop Vac

Shop Vacs have input and output switches. If hooked to the wrong connection Shop Vacs will blow everything from the barn into your living room. Shop Vacs are extremely powerful to use for small areas but do not work well over an entire hardwood floor. Do not aimlessly throw hose around-pay attention-Shop Vacs cannot suck up anything in their path, such as Kleenex, curtains, socks, plastic bags, etc, even though they try and sneak the attempt by you. It's much less time consuming to use the Shop Vac on things it's supposed to clean than to have to slow down and dig out something stuck. (And who wants to waste more time cleaning than they have to?) When reaching into to corners to suck up things you cannot see you'll hear stuff going up the hose and might wonder if it was something you were missing and might need someday. Don't worry about it. Even though sneaky at times, the Shop Vac knows what to take in and what to leave behind. And if you didn't know what was in that dark corner then you didn't need it anyway. All in all cleaning with a Shop Vac is highly entertaining even if at times frustratingly slow. I highly recommend it....every four or five years. More than that and the love affair will end.

Whorls

Horses have whorls/cowlicks on their foreheads. Most horses also have cowlicks on their neck and hips.  Whorls are like fingerprints in people.  Each is unique and never changes. Some breed's require documentation of these "fingerprints" in order to register a horse with their association.

Some believe the shape and location of forehead whorls can lend a hand in knowing the temperament and trainability of a horse. 

These are a few I can think of:

• Right between and above the eyes is ideal.
• Whorls below the eyes mean a horse is very smart and can be a tricksters, learning to open gates, escaping their stall, etc.
• Whorls left of the face can mean a horse is sensitive but can be trusted.
• Horses with a whorl to the right aren't very cooperative.
• Long whorl line are usually horses that love people.
• Two whorls together equal a moody horse who is hard to handle and thus aren't good for newbie/beginner riders.
• Three whorls on the forehead are the least desirable.  Horses with three are often mean horses and can be "crazy" acting.

Many people will tell horse owners/breeders/trainers to walk through their barns.  The best horses in their barn will have center whorls on the forehead which are slightly above the eyes.  


(All in great fun. Also blog on color of horses, whorles, cowlicks on other parts of a horse's body.)

Above center  - toward right eye

Center - toward left eye

Center above eyes

Center- above eyes

Center

Slightly above eye toward left eye

Longer whorl toward right eye

Crochet

This is my niece Jessie and the blanket I had a lady at work crochet for Baby Mallie Belle's Christmas gift.  Mallie is Jessie's baby girl (my great niece).  The blanket turned out so beautiful; soft but the weight is heavy from good yarn crocheted together with firm, dedicated hands.  Reminds me of watching Jessie raising her two babies-Jack who will be 2 in 2013 and little Mallie Belle.  Such a good momma she is-raising her children with soft, but firm where needed, dedicated hands.  It's so surreal  think about Jessie being a woman with children.  But a wonder to watch how natural it's coming to her. She was made to be a momma and what a fine one she is indeed.    

Need Candles?

Chris and I could never be survivalist. I have some flameless candles which run off of batteries. The power was out and I was trying to put new batteries in one of the candles while Chris held the flashlight for me. The power came back on. I worked away..... Chris said, "Marna, the power is back on. I don't think you need the flashlight now to help you see to put in the batteries."

Re-Gift?

Hmmmmm.....I already used one of the presents I got Chris for Christmas. Wondering....
is it considered a re-gifted gift when he opens it in a couple of days? 

I like UFC but was not a Chael Sonnen fan. While flipping through the book on the way to wrapping I couldn't put it down. Pretty interesting read that I really enjoyed. I think I read the book in two days! Chris isn't a book type person. But I hope he enjoys his used gift.

Chris with his Christmas gifts. The Chael Sonnen is a re-gift or used.
However one want to look at it I guess.

Flip Phone

My wonderful niece Amber totally called me out at Embellished Elegance yesterday when I bought my leggings. The store runs your debit card and the receipt is sent to your phone (email). Amber said, "She doesn't have a Smart Phone. Will she still be able to get the receipt?" Five minutes later, text message pops up on the ole flip phone, receipt message that is. Thanks for looking out for me Ambie. 


(I'll keep using my flip phone, just like Kate, just in case that'll make me as cool as she is.)

The Hobbit

Chris and I watched "The Hobbit" last night. While watching I remembered the exact moment I crawled in my mom's lap while watching the cartoon version in the 70's, terrified out of my mind. I also realized that cartoon is probably the reason I hate scary movies to this day. Why didn't she turn the channel? (Actually, I think she did.) That cartoon was extremely traumatizing.....

Christmas Gifts 2012

This year Chris gave me a ‎"Painting with a Twist" gift certificate. I've always wanted to do that. Chris also gave me a Ipod dock for Christmas. He is a great gift giver, always surprising with things I've mentioned in the past or being creative with new things I'd like. (I'm thinking of two Big Cat series DVD's last year of which I haven't watched yet because no one will watch with me.)

Delayed Gratification

Do you know how frustrating it is for a kid to open a Christmas gift and realize that "batteries are not included"? To have a new toy on Christmas morn but can't play with it till Wal-Mart opens the next day? I know the feeling. The first time was a few years back when Chris surprised me with a Kindle. I hurriedly charged the battery only to find that our house in the sticks couldn't pick up any sort of 3g or WiFi....  This year it's an Ipod dock I'm surprised with as a gift.  The problem?  My pesky Ipod isn't working.

"Mankind: The Story of Us"

"Mankind: The Story of Us". Truly a great documentary on the History channel every Tuesday night. I believe there are only one or two more episodes. I highly recommend watching. What I've taken from the story (other than fascinating history facts) is the trend of having to defend what you have because someone else wants to take from you/your wealth. Greed and jealousy guide much of history. All the way back to Cain and Able. Wanting; always wanting something someone else has. Some are explorers and those who test boundaries are not necessarily in the thrill for monetary gain but just quest for knowledge born out of man being curious, wanting to push boundaries of knowledge. Once again not for monetary gain, but of intellectual gain.

More to come..........