Straight Chili'n wins 5th Place!

Josh and I competed in the Chili Cook Off at the lake and did relatively well considering there were 21 teams. Here are some pics!

Really early that morning!

This is a picture from the fireplace (where I spent my morning) looking out at all the cooking teams at about 9am.  The sun was finally starting to shine!

We were trying to get sympathy votes - sign reads "please vote for us so I can pay for her engagement ring".  It was a good idea but didn't work that well - we didn't win People's Choice.  That's ok though, we were straight Chili'n.

Wedding Registry

Wow - this pretty much sums it up.  Josh with a scan gun and a whole lot of options...

First Annual Augusta Pumpkin Carving Party....narrated by Josh McRae

Hey Ya'll!  Get ready for a "Blog Party"...this is my first time so just bear with me here...it was a late night.  Sooo Jamie and I decided it was about time to start a tradition....Pumpkin Carvin' Contest of course!  We've had them before in Charleston but something about Augusta really brought out the best in everyone's carving/partyin abilities.  I was told that my role was to provide food...so we had our Straight CHILI'in competition chili, corny corn bread, and hot dogs, which to my dismay were all gone this morning. As for Jamie, she was to be the Rule Master (all seeing, all knowing, omniscient..."One With The Pumpkin")...come to find out she was under qualified but we made do.  After everyone had their fill-o-food the competition began...fierce but no fingers lost: 

Everyone had 1 hour to produce their finest pumpkin creation....Lil Paul and Hal provided moral support and beer as needed.  All cell phones, PDAs, and/or laptops were confiscated as the finished products were to be judged on Facebook/AMERICA.  Here were the contestants...judge them for yourself....but you know deep down the James Brown Pumpkin is your fav:

So after almost 2 hours of the Rule Master trying to navigate Facebook we arrived to a winner...The Fat Man's Pumpkin!!!  K thanks cause there are 2 Fat Man's pumpkins...o well.  No worries because by this point the Pumpkin Party had evolved into the Plankin Party...1.) dont try this at home.  2) for those of you who don't know what planking is (Jamie didn't either) It's the art of "active laying down."  What follows may be disturbing to some viewers:

"Shootin' the Gap"

"Handicapped"

"The Flyin Squirrel"  Even Capers is like WTF!

The night finally came to a end with a beautiful rendition of Adele's "Someone Like You" by Jamie  and Paul both laid out on the couches.  All said it was a big time.  - Josh over and out.

Heavy Mind

I apologize for being absent....been busy with a few project lately.  One other thing has been heavy on my mind.  One of my best friends has been going through the worst nightmare.  Her post this morning sums it up...

I want to say THANK YOU for the prayers, support, and love - As I write this post... My heart begins to beat faster. This week has been the hardest week of my life so far- On Monday... My sweet angel was diagnosed with leukemia- those were words I never thought I would hear. As much as I want this to be a bad dream- its not...this is real! Words can not begin to describe the hurt we feel- my heart... physically hurts in a way I have never had to feel! But I do know... OUR GOD IS GOOD! Let me share my past few days with you... Not to make you sad or cry.. But to make you take a good look at your life and hopefully make some changes if needed- I want all of you to learn from this experience I am facing- oh! I have learn so much since monday! I learned there is nothing more precious than my family, not to worry about all the silly and small things ( like I did before) let go of any anger you are carrying, love life, smile, forgive others who have hurt you dearly, that I have the best HUSBAND a girl could ever ask for, enjoy the simple things in life, ...I could go on forever and wish I could go back and change many things but I can't... So I start now! My life has been changed forever!!! - and I am a much better person already and it feels good!!! And the journey begins... On Monday- we were hit with news a mother and father would never want to hear!!! At first- I was very angry- I yelled out loud- WHY??? How could this happen to my beautiful, full of life, and innocent little girl who I love dearly- I will never understand it- but I knew I had to pick myself up and get myself together- because I still have to be the MOMMY they need me to be!!! - Tuesday was the beginning of our long journey- ella has her first surgery... A spinal tap, bone marrow tested, and a PICC line put in and chemo! - it was so hard to let her go in the hands of these doctors I had just meet- as she yells for mommy while they are pushing her away! But we made it! She got through the surgery and I snuggled with her in the recovery room! That night- me and ella stayed up til midnight... We celebrated ! This was the first step to recovery! We called all these nights- our little slumber parties! She hasn't eaten in over a week- but that night she had an appetite!!! Someone had sent her a basket full of junk food ( food that I never really allowed to be part of her diet ) but she was loving it- and I let her! Kit kats, cupcakes, ritz crackers w the cheese you spread (ughh) ...and her first cracker jacks ever!!! It was a night I will never forget for sure!!! On wed- ella had another dose of chemo and it went as good as it could go!- two days done and many more to go- the leukemia ella has is 90 percent curable- praise god!!! We can beat this! So- please continue to pray for us- pray for my strength and the ability to stay strong! Also- pray for my sweet anna claire and baby luke- this is affecting their lives tO in sooo many ways!! Its been so hard leaving them!!! I'm missing them so much- I miss the normal routine, - making breakfast, packing lunches, doing homework with anna claire and ella, rocking my sweet boy to sleep at night, eating dinner together- cooking dinner, - all the things before that seemed so hectic at times- oh how I miss them! As I lay here in this hospital bed with ella tonight- I wish we were at home sound asleep - and our morning consisted of me making breakfast , chasing ella around the house to get her dressed for school, finding that matching bow while luke crying in his swing, looking for matching shoe in the shoe basket! Yes ! Our mornings were crazy and stressful- oh- but I miss those times! The simple things we take for granted!!!! I could go on and on! My life has changed so much!!! But I know in the end - we are going to be a stronger family and live life so differently!!! This is hard, it hurts bad, I cry and cry some more, but somehow put a big smile on my face when I with ella, ( the strength I didn't know I had) , pray hard, love like I haven't love before... Again- thanks for all the encouraging words- they mean so much!!! Its very hard to sleep at night... Those are the times the tears are shed... I can go to these messages and find some comfort!!! I love the lord and know he will not let me down!!! He is with me every minute- and I truly feel it! I love all of you!!! Please take this and learn from it- please!!! You all don't realized how blessed you really are- I'm probably the worst writer ever- I'm a much better talker! But I hope you have been touched by the beginning of my journey!