Let us pause for a moment of Erin...

Lately Dexter and I have a new show obsession - Chopped. Thank you to Food Network for sponsoring an hour filled full of anticipation, tension, and lots of unique food combinations. We sit and watch and critique these professional chefs as though Food Network had contacted us and inquired our opinion. For 60 minutes we really feel like we know as much as Julia Child or Bobby Flay. It leaves us hungry for new ingredients and me a bit empowered in my own kitchen. I see these chefs romp about and toss this and that together and something almost always splendid is the result. I sit there and think, I'm going to try that - or something very similar. :) Tonight was one of those good cooking experience nights. I felt like one of those Chopped chefs. I was bouncing around the kitchen with such ease. I had at least four things going at once with just the right pace. I would add a dash of this spice, a little of this to make a type of sauce - and not to brag too much, but my stea...

As a sad sorrow hits my family, I once again turn to my blog as an outlet for my emotions. My Grandpa Kenny went to heaven this past Saturday. His funeral will be at the end of this week. I find writing to be the perfect way to express myself in moments like these. I wrote something special for my Grandma and Grandpa Williams when they too went to heaven. And now I pay respect and honor to my Grandpa Kenny with a blog in his memory. I also plan to read this at his funeral, as I did for my other grandparents. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, and whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16 This was the first bible verse I ever memorized as a child. Now that I am an adult I can see why this is the first verse we are taught. This verse gives comfort, strength, and understanding in so many instances of life. Today, it gives me comfort. For I know, as do any one who knew my Grandpa Kenny, he is in heaven today. One of the best m...

Life is short, and life is sweet. Words that were spoken at my great uncle's funeral today. So true, and not always recognized by many. My great uncle's death was an unexpected thing. Death is never an easy thing to deal with or understand. Even though it was over a year ago when my grandpa died, there are days when I still feel the loss. Today I not only felt the loss of my Uncle Fred, but of his brother, my grandpa. Fred, in so many ways, was so similar to my grandpa. He looked like grandpa, sounded like him, and also said the same kind of unique sayings. Fred had that soft-hearted way about him, like all the Williams men do- including my grandpa, dad, and brother. But one thing that set Fred apart from the other Williams men, was his way of holding a toothpick perfectly on the tip of his bottom lip. It was a skill that amazed me as a child. Fred, like my grandpa was a phone talker. I remember that my grandpa called the house every day. Fred called dad often to ...

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and I have been reading the posts people have been putting on facebook of what they are thankful for. What a wonderful thing to do, think of something you are thankful for each day. This is something that we should all do. I have been doing this each day. I haven't been posting them on facebook, but I still have been doing the practice. There seems to be a recurring theme of mine each day. I seem to be thankful for love in my life. Love is something that I have always known in my life. Growing up in the household that I did, love was never something that I questioned or thought I was lacking of. My parents showed me love from the first moment I remember to this very day. Their actions always said one thing to my brother and me - we love you! I'm so thankful that I grew up in a house that was full of hugs and I love you's! I watch movies and hear songs that people write where they go their entire lives without saying I love you to...

One day this week, after work, I had to go to the dentist. I had put it off long enough. Even though I didn't really want to go, we get to a point in our lives where -our don't want to's - are outweighed by our responsibilities. Going to the dentist is something I know I must do, at least, semi-regularly in order to have healthy teeth. I am not fond of this practice. There are three main reasons why I lay in that chair holding my owns hands in a tight grip and stare at the ceiling with an intense look on my face. 1. I feel a bit uncomfortable at the fact that there is no designated place to look during the procedure. As I sit in that chair, my head and gaze are directed toward the ceiling. Yet there is nothing for me to stare at. I have often wondered why dentists don't post posters, or better yet a TV screen coming right out of the ceiling. Instead I lay there trying to find something to fixate my gaze upon. There are only so many times you can count the ti...

Tonight is one of the first nights that I have really used my laptop here at home in a few weeks. I realized that my busy schedule lately has left me checking both emails and facebook via Blackberry. Don't get me wrong, I love this feature of my phone, but when wanting to really browse my internet addictions, it leaves something to be desired. That is why, after fixing dinner and cleaning the kitchen, I decided to dust off the purple Dell and take it for a spin. As I checked my facebook and did the normal rounds, I realized that it had been a while since I blogged. This once outlet, de-stressor, and overall pleasure of mine has apparently gone to the waste-side. My last blog entry was MONTHS ago. I can't believe that I have let myself get this busy! So I took a few minutes and thought about what had been keeping me from my blogging. I am in the second month of a new school year. I must say that this is going to be a great year. This group of kids will be loa...

I live on a tiny portion of a street that could only be described as a drive way that is shared by neighbors. There are four of us that depend on this tiny pathway to take us to the bigger streets of Carrier Mills that will transport us to our desired locations. This has never been a problem for any of us. We all functioned on the same respect for the others and did not block this pathway. For the past couple of weeks, this has not been the case. One of our neighbors has been depending on outsiders to come and take care of them. These outsiders have not grasped the respect thy neighbors tiny road to the bigger street concept. These outsiders have been parking in our tiny road in such a way that can only be described as - more than half the damn street! I mean seriously...we all have tiny driveways to park our cars in. AND if we didn't have drive ways, we would park in our actual yards to not hinder our other neighbors from their travels. Courtesy....a lost art apparently....