It's a Bird, It's a Plane, it's....?

A DOT!!!!=)







A few weeks ago Lee and I found out that we are getting an AWESOME anniversary present!

June 3, 2010 will not only mark our 4th anniversary, but it also our dot's due date!!!



See... we have a Dot! Lee made me wait to post until I was out of the first trimester and that was last Friday. Suffice it to say that I am so hoping that my days of puking are over! I am well acquainted with all of my toilets, the ones at work, the side of the highway... yep, the past 8 weeks have just been peachy. Here's to being able to eat again!

Cruise 2009!

Last week Lee and I got to go on our first vacation since our honeymoon 3 1/2 years ago! We set sail on the Carnival Inspiration on Monday October 19 at 4pm... sailed all day at sea on Tuesday, swam with stingrays and snorkeled on the reefs in Grand Caymen, ran/walked/solved clues for more than 5 miles in the "Amazing Cozumel Race", and then sailed all day Friday to return back to Tampa.

Many thanks to my Grandparents who let us stay over with them and drove us to and from the cruise terminal so we didn't have to pay to park our car while we were gone.

I apparently do not do so hot on cruise ships but I must say, this was the best vacation that I have spent more than 30% of it puking/sick and still loved!

Blogger takes too long to post pics so I'll just post these here... the rest will be posted to facebook once its picture uploading issues are taken care of!

Remember, and never forget

There are many things about 9/11 that I won't ever forget.... one of them that sticks out almost as much as that day, were the days that followed. I had never been more thankful to attend a Christian college than in the days and months that followed 9/11. Professors prayed, cried, and were attentive to the fact that most students studies were far from priority at that point in time.

At the 1 year anniversary, one of my favorite profs, Dr Fragedakis, spent the class period reminiscing about how we, our world, and our views had changed. And then she read aloud the following that I've kept and still have in my scrapbook to this day:

Taken 9/11/02 From the Times of London by Tony Parsons:

"ONE year ago, the world witnessed a unique kind of broadcasting- the mass murder of thousands, live on televesion. As a lesson in the pitiless cruelty of the human race, September 11 was up there with Pol Pot's mountain of skulls in Cambodia, or the skeletal bodies stacked like garbage in the Nazi concentration camps.

An unspeakable act so cruel, so calculated and so utterly merciless that surely the world could agree on one thing - no one deserves this fate. Surely there could be consensus: the victims were truly innocent and the perpetrators truly evil.

But to the world's eternal shame, 9/11 is increasingly seen as America's comeuppance. Incredibly, anti-Americanism has increased over the last year. There has always been a simmering resentment to the USA in this country - too loud, too rich, too full of themselves and so much happier than Europeans - but it has become an epidemic. And it seems incredible to me. More than that, it turns my stomach.

America is this country's greatest friend and our staunchest ally. We are bonded to the US by culture, language, and blood. A little over half of a century ago, around half a million Americans died for our freedoms, as well as their own. How have we forgotten so soon? And, exactly a year ago, thousands of ordinary men, women, and children - not just Americans, but from dozens of countries - were butchered by a small group of religious fanatics. How are we so quick to betray them?

What touched the heart about those who died in the Twin Towers and on the planes was that we recognized them. Young fathers and mothers, somebody's son and daughter, husband and wife. And children, some of them unborn. And these people brought it upon themselves? And their nation is to blame for their meticulously planned slaughter? How?

These days you don't have to be some dust-encrusted nut job in Kabul or Karachi or Finsbury Park to see America as the "Great Satan." The anti-American alliance is made up of self-loathing liberals who blame the Americans for every ill in the 3rd World, and conservatives suffering from power-envy, bitter that the world's only superpower can do what it likes without having to ask permission.

The truth is that America has behaved with ENORMOUS restraint since September 11, 2001.

Remeber the gut-wrenching tapes of weeping men phoning their wives to say, "I love you" before they were burned alive. Remember those people leaping to their deaths from the top of burning skyscrapers.

Remember the hundreds of firemen buried alive. Remember the smiling face of that beautiful little girl who was on one of the planes with her mum.

Remember, and realize, that America has never retaliated for 9/11 in anything like they way they could have.

So a few al-Quaeda tourists got locked without a trial in Camp X-Ray? Please do pass the Kleenex.

So some Afghan wedding receptions were shot up after they merrily fired their semi-automatics into a sky full of American planes? A shame, but perhaps next time they should stick to confetti.

AMERICA could have turned a large chunk of the world into a PARKING LOT. That it didn't is in of itself, a sign of its great strength.

American voices are already being raised against attacking Iraq. That's what democracy is for. How many in the Islamic world will have a minute's silence fo the slaughtered innocents of 9/11? How many Islamic leaders will have the guts to say that the mass murder of 9/11 was an abhorant abomination?

When the news of 9/11 broke on the West Bank, those freedom loving Palestinans were dancing in the streets! America watched all of that - and never pushed the button. We should all thank the stars that America is the most powerful nation in the world. I still find it absolutely incredible that 9/11 di not provoke all out war. No, not a "war on terrorism" but all out war. A real war.

The fundamentalists dudes are talking about "opening the gates of hell," if America attacks Iraq. Well, America could have opened up the gates of hell that you would have never had believed.

The US is the most militarily powerful nation that has ever strode the face of this earth.

The campaign in Afghanistan may have been less than perfect and the planned war in Iraq may be misconceived.

But don't blame America for not bringing peace and light to those wretched countries. Exactly how many democracies are there in the Middle East ore in the Muslim world? You can count them all on the fingers of one hand - assuming that you haven't had any chopped off for minor shoplifting offenses.

I love America, yet America is hated. I gues that makes me Bush's poodle. But, I would rather be a dog in New York City than a Prince in Riyadh. Above all, America is hated because it is what every country wants to be - rich, strong, free, open, and optimistic.

Not ground down by the past, or religion, or some caste system. America is the best friend that this country ever had and we as a British people should start remembering that a bit more often.

Or do you REALLY think that the USA is the root of ALL evil? Tell it to the lvoed ones of the men and the women who leaped to their death from the burning towers.

Tell it to the nursing mothers whose husbands died on one of the hijacked planes, or were ripped apart in a collapsing skyscraper.

And tell it to the hundreds of young widows whose husbands worked for the New York Fire Department. To our shame, President Bush gets worse press than Saddam Hussein.

Once were were told that Saddam gassed the Kurds, tortured his own peopel, and set up rape camps in Kuwait. Now were are told that he likes Quality Street.

Remember, Remember, Please REMEMBER, September 11. One of the greatest atrocities in human history was committed that day against America.

No, please, hear me, PLEASE, do more than remember....

Never forget."

Our newest addition

No no... not another dog! HA! No more for awhile! However, we DID get a new grill! :-) Taadahh!!!

Also pics of the very pretty (but definitely a bomb) 5 spice seared tuna dish that I made... it did NOT work out at all! Oh well, at least it looked nice!

catch up

So we haven't done such a great job at keeping this thing updated! Oh well...either way.... some quick photos to catch up with our life...

flowers....

finally, after waiting a year since getting tickets, a night out and getting to go out to watch Phantom of the Opera and eat at Chima Brazillian Grille (by the way, that place is awesome!!! cowboys prance around the place offering any kind of meat you want... the parmesean pork loin, lamb loin, and filets were fantastic!!!)


dinners while Lee is out saving Charlotte one hoodlum at a time ;-)


Until next time! :-)

In The Course of One Week

In the course of one week my wife managed to...

Give me Reeses Pieces and a king size package of Reeses Cups.

I told you she's great.

Wife of the Year

Well I have to say that regardless of what any of you other men out there may say... I have the world's best wife. She originally got me tickets to No Doubt live in Charlotte on their reunion tour, but I was unable to attend because of my work schedule. So instead of taking me to the concert, she went with another friend. And yes, while Chaise may argue that his wife is the world's greatest for volunteering to take my place at the concert, I would have to say that he's wrong. Granted Heather is pretty cool.
Well my wife brought me back a concert poster and hung it on my garage wall for me. I know that's awesome right? But hang on I am getting to the really good part.
My wife noted how distraught I was over missing my favorite angry girl band live in concert and suggested that I take a road trip to Raleigh to see them live on my day off. I immediately took to the idea. So tonight she got me tickets to go see No Doubt live in Raleigh.
To give a little credit, my good friend Caleb has agreed to go with me to the concert much to his chagrin. He even volunteered to dress in drag. (j/k)
I just wanted to take a second to share with the world how much I love and appreciate my wife. Nobody has ever worked harder to make me happy. I love her and she is the wife of the year... this year and every year.

50 Questions No One Has Ever Asked You....

50 things you have never been asked...

Once you've been tagged, you have to answer this and tag 15 people, including the person who tagged you.

1. What color is your toothbrush?
green

2. Name one person who made you smile today?
Lee

3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
it's not even 8 yet, but I imagine I will be workin'

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
showering

5. What is your favorite candy bar?
Butterfinger...or Heath

6. Have you ever been to a strip club?
I plead the fifth...

7. What is the last thing you said aloud?
Yay! (Mike brought me a tee shirt from United at work...)

8. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
peanut butter fudge

9. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Diet Coke...what else?

10. Do you like your wallet?
sure, but not as much as the pretty colors of green and plastic that it holds...

11. What was the last thing you ate?
Special K Breakfast bar

12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
Yeah, a pair of jeans...but there could be more, just you wait!

13. The last sporting event you watched?
Carolina hockey game Friday night

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?
white cheddar

15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to?
Jenny or Jason

16. Ever go camping?
yeah

17. Do you take vitamins daily?
most days...

18. Do you go to church every Sunday?
Not EVERY Sunday, but pretty regularly

19. Do you have a tan?
Do I have time to lay out? Um, no...

20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza?
you BITE YOUR TONGUE with that garbage talk!

21. Do you drink your soda with a straw?
yes, the ice hurts my teeth

22. What did your last text message say?
either, "what are you up to tonight?" or "wanna get Offspring tix?"

23. What are you doing tomorrow?
workin' and watchin' Survivor, Grey's and Southland

24. Where's 24?
wherever Jack Bauer is, there 24 will be also...

25. Look to your left, what do you see?
time sheets I have to enter for my guys....and Salt and Vinegar Pringles

26. What color is your watch?
Silver

27. What do you think of when you hear the word Australia?
that boring movie with Nicole Kidman

28. What is your birthstone?
Blue Topaz

29. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
rather the drive thru for take out and eat at my house...fast food places make me feel dirty to eat in at...

30. What is your favorite number?
TWENTY ONE

31. Who's the last person you talked to on the phone?
Lee

32. Any plans today?
I aspire to greatness, today I hope to watch American Idol and Law and Order SVU from last night, watch Criminal Minds and American Idol tonight, and spontaneously loose 10 lbs in the process

33. How many states have you lived in?
Dos

34. Biggest annoyance right now?
my HOA's letter to me about my grass... don't even get me started!

35. Last song listened to?
Til I see You by Hillsong United

36. Can you say the alphabet backwards?
if you put your mind to it, ANYTHING is possible (which is a crock by the way....)

37. Do you have a maid service clean your house?
No, that would mean my house would get cleaned...

38. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
my sperry's

39. Are you jealous of anyone?
i wouldn't say jealous, but i wouldn't turn the opportunity down to look like jessica beil or anything...

40. Is anyone jealous of you?
hahaha... why?

41. Do you love anyone?
heck yeah...

42. Do any of your friends have children?
I am beginning to feel that there is an epidemic other than this pig flu...everyone seems to be having babies

43. What do you usually do during the day?
Work work work

44. Do you hate anyone that you know right now?
nah.... i don't waste time on that mess

45. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
oh yeah...

46. What color is your car?
gray or navy depending on which one I am driving

47. Do you like cats?
uhm, NO

48. Are you thinking about someone right now?
yeah, hoping the dogs don't keep Lee up all day like they kept me up all night..

49. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Yep, but the real question should be, have you ever broken down on the side of the Jersey turnpike in a school bus driven by your youthgroup leader and had to site for 6 hours waiting for it to get fixed on the way home from Six Flags when you were 14....whew, that was a long sentence!

50. How did you get your worst scar?
honestly? I was 8 or 9 and I thought that Aladdin was the best movie ever... I loved the Genie and when he sang and slid across the floor I thought it was cool... I kept doing it and ignored (shocker) my mom who told me to stop.... one more slide....and I crashed into the moulding by our garage door and did a job on my left knee....

or when I walked into the open door of the 500 degree oven at Dunkin Donuts and heard my flesh on my arm sizzle....

oh the good times...

house guest

Contrary to popular belief, we are not entering into the dog kennel business... between finding and keeping Baxter/Jack Haller Bauer for the month of February, to keeping little Louie last fall, we found ourselves keeping our friend Tabitha and Grant's dog Daisy. Poor Tab ended up in the cardiac unit of el hospital with open heart surgery after they discovered a blood clot in one of her heart's ventricles... who would think a 25 year old would have to undergo open heart surgery?
Crazy to think about. Either way, we had Daisy chill with us at our house for the past few weeks... she has been awesome but did have a penchant for bread... full loaves of whole wheat to be exact... she figured out how to get them out of the closed toaster oven even! Crazy pup... poor thing did all of the leg work to get the bread loaves, but my other 3 ended up eating the bread leaving her with nothing...lol. We had a good time with Daisy and on her last day with us, we did a quick photo shoot with her to catch some of her awesome (and drooly/slobbery) expressions.

A Very Pink Wedding

2 weeks ago my boss's daughter Candee got married to Jordan in a very pink (and brown) ceremony/reception. It was an awesome ceremony with tons of pictures and laughs to be had. Candee gave Jordan a rubber gasket to wear as a ring...and Jordan didn't pass out!

for all my girls out in mental health.....

So, I stole this from Jen...my buddy from The Relatives.... we got into the mental health field together... learned a TON of what to (and not) to do when working with clients, and had a lot of fun in the process....She's now working as a social worker,and I, well, we all know I stopped working in mental health after 4 years....

You know you work in mental health if...


1. You think $40,000 a year is 'really making it'.
2. You don't know what it's like to work with straight men.
3. You know all the latest lingo for drugs, where to get them, and how much they cost, and how to administer them.
4. You routinely start a sentence with 'So what I hear you saying is...'
5. You’ve had 2 or more jobs at one time just to pay the bills. (yeppers... bartended through more than half of my mental health work)
6. You tell people what you do and they say 'that's so noble' or 'why?' (as they try albeit unsuccessfully to mask their disapproval)
7. You have had to explain to people that not all social workers take away kids and not all mental health workers are therapists.
8. You use the words 'coping skills', 'prompt', 'validate,' 'appropriate' and 'intervention' daily.
9. You spend more than half your day documenting and doing paperwork.
10. You think nothing of discussing child abuse over dinner.
11. People have said to you 'I don't know how you do what you do'.(see #6)
12. You’ve never been on a company-paid business trip or had an expense account.(but I've paid for my own conferences and to take continuing ed classes to keep to my job).
13. You meet new coworkers on a monthly basis and know that 85% of them will leave the profession for another within the next 5 years.
14. You’re very familiar with the concepts of entitlement, ignorance, and displacement.
15. Staying at a job for 2 years makes you "senior" there.
16. Your phone number is unlisted for good reason.
17. Your professional newsletters always have articles about raising salaries...but you still haven't seen it except on the higher up administrative level.
18. You’re very familiar with the term 'budget cut'.
19. You can't imagine working at a bank or crunching numbers all day (or to have a job where you can go more than a few hours without getting cursed out).
20. You’ve had clients who liked you just a little too much.
21. Having lunch is a luxury many days.
22. You’ve been cursed at, threatened, and assaulted...so many times that when it happens again you barely notice it-it stopped bothering you a long time ago. (true that, i've been kicked, punched, spit on, snot on, had desks thrown at, pushed down stairs so many times that few things with the "crazies" actually phased me by the time that I left)
23. Your job orientation has included self defense... and you've used it on more than 1 occasion to keep yourself from having an unplanned trip to the hospital courtesy of your clientele.
24. You have the best stories at any cocktail party...or any party... and everyone wants to hear how "crazy" how some of the kids really are...
25. Your parents and spouse don't know half of the stuff that you've dealt with at your job...and they think you're crazy to do it for what little they do happen to know!
26. You know all the excuses clients use for a failed a drug test, missed appointment, skipped school class, or blown welfare check.... by heart, and can anticipate it before they even say it.

"Change in America...."

...or what I like to call, the end of American capitalism as we have known it....

I have done well not commenting on the recent economic and political "changes that have come" upon America as of late...

However, my friend Joel posted this quote by Henry Hazlitt that I found to be an insightful and amusing commentary on our current state of affairs....

"The whole gospel of Karl Marx can be summed up in a single sentence: Hate the man who is better off than you are. Never under any circumstances admit that his success may be due to his own efforts, to the productive contribution he has made to the whole community. Always attribute his success to the exploitation, the cheating, the more or less open robbery of others. Never under any circumstances admit that your own failure may be owing to your own weakness, or that the failure of anyone else may be due to his own defects - his laziness, incompetence, improvidence, or stupidity."

Our Photoblog

We started a photoblog... who knows how much it will get updated, our goal is each of us upload pics daily of what we are doing while the other is at work (so don't expect any shocking or ridiculously exciting pics) in an effort to stay more in touch with us working opposite shifts. Who knows, at least it's off to a start tonight with some pics :-)

www.saundersphotoblog.blogspot.com

chalk up another one....

Well, for anyone interested... I am a big loser... not The or even One of the Top Biggest Losers,... no no, just a big ol' loser....
What a fan-tas-tic way to start a Monday morning...

You had me at hello

a video that I used at small group this week... I figured since we spend so much time seeing poor relationships played out on tv, it wouldn't be bad to pull out an oldie but a goodie in Jerry MacGuire as he fights for his wife :-)

things you always wanted (or not) to know about my husband.....

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
if I'm home? House or The Office
if I'm not home or he thinks I'm not paying attention? Mash, Family Guy, or Discovery Channel.

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
vinegarette

3. What's one food he doesn't like?
orzo pasta, polenta, and couscous make him turn up his nose.

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?
margarita with extra salt, extra dirty vodka martini, or an apple martini

5. Has he ever played a musical instrument?
no but he wishes he did

6. What size shoe does he wear?
12

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
classic cars

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Subway's sweet onion chicken teriyaki

9. What would this person eat every day if he could?
spaghetti and salad..with Oreos and milk for dessert.. he did when he lived by himself in Asheville.

10. What is his favorite cereal?
he's not a fan of ceral... but will eat some dry with fruit.

11. What would he never wear?
anything "gay" ie... that fits him, has the color pink, or might not be able to conceal his new handgun

12. What is his favorite sports team?
Georgia Tech... and he loves to cheer for the Panthers but he will sell them out in a heartbeat if they start to suck... he also loves to cheer for whoever my favorite teams are playing AGAINST...

13. Who did he vote for?
McCain I think... only so he could have the "right" to complain about the presidency for the next 4 years... lol

14. Who is his best friend?
I would say me... but it is so Jason... I mean, he and Jay have "date night" "game night" "work on car mornings" and have a "special place"... Hardees, and yes, he absolutely refuses to "cheat" on Jason and eat with me at Hardees without Jay...and he is worried about tight fitting or pink clothing...ha!

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
ask him so many questions... leave the refrigerator door open in an ADHD moment...

16. What is his heritage?
English I think...?

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
carrot cake

18. Did he play sports in high school?
soccer

19. What could he spend hours doing?
looking at stuff for or working on his car and apparently, watching "The Deadliest Catch" marathons on tv

20. What is one unique talent?
uhm, he likes to pick things up with his toes?.. he also snorted milk out of his nose last night while laughing with me, Chaise, and Heather... now THAT was a good time!

anyone surprised? :-)

Officer J. L. Saunders

This one deserved it's own post... Lee graduated the police academy and became an official CMPD officer 2/18/09! We celebrated the weekend before with a not-so surprise party for him with friends, and then dinner out at Chili's with friends and family afterward. The graduation ceremony was awesome. I am such a dork when it comes to patriotism and pride in the police force....I definitely got goosebumps watching the recruits march in and get pinned. I am so proud of all of the hard work that Lee put in... he received 4 honors: Top academic in his entire class, and 3 team honors: Team Best Physical Fitness Score, Team Best Academic Score, and Team Best Driving Score. Yay for Team 3 HollyWood (or HollyHood as they refer to themselves as). Check out the cake that I had made for Lee to celebrate his graduation.. mmm, chocolate with raspberry.
So to everyone who was able to come to graduation, talk with us, hang out, or were just praying for us through Lee's whole experience with the police dept thus far.... THANK YOU is simply not enough... but seriously, THANKS! We love you guys!

Bobcats Game!

Well hello there! It's been awhile, but we've been up to a whole lot. Lee graduated from the academy but that deserves its own post...I crossed off 2 things off of my "Life To Do" List:
1) have a local chef create a tasting menu for us (Chef Tom at M5 is incredible and I have only had 2 dishes more delicious than his duck confit with duck liver pate bruschetta... it was soooo good!) ANyways, that's what we did for Valentine's day.... Lee was actually off and was finally done with studying so we went out for a night on the town at M5... and then to Coyote Joe's which is by far the most redneck place I have ever been to in my entire life.
We were finally able to find a home for Baxter (now named Jack Haller Bauer) with our dear friends the Hallers :-) So come Friday we will back to a 3 dog household! :-)
Then #2 on the to do list... Jesus gave me Bobcats tickets... no seriously, I have always wanted to sit courtside at a pro game.. its on my list of things to do. Anyways, Lee took the BLET that morning and was feeling than excited about it...so on my way home from work I was praying and I asked God to help me to be more supportive and that even if he was in a horrible mood and refused to do anything with me that night I would still try to be nice... (which I realize now makes it sound like I am usually horrible to him but anyways... it's not like that. Anyways...) So I come home, Lee is in a poor mood but not horrific, and we stand in the driveway for like 20 min debating on what to do for dinner... we get in the car and this couple from our neighborhood that we have never seen before come up to our car. The guy asks if we would take his courtside tickets that he got to the Bobcats that day at work but that the game is in 45 min...(insert "ahhhh" moment from heaven here). So off we went to the game... awesome! There are also some pics of these kid gymnasts who performed at halftime...they were great!

look who showed up?

This poor guy showed up at the fence in my backyard this afternoon much to poor Brutus' dismay.... poor thing was limping, wimpering, and starving. I took care of getting him something to eat and Lee and I tried in vain to walk him around the neighborhood to see if he knew anyone or anyone knew him... nada. I'm pretty sure he has been abused as he is really skittish but wags his tail and wants to be loved. He took to me faster than he took to Lee but he has still sat at Lee's feet as I walked away.

He is currently in our backyard asleep on a little pallet... we can't keep him but we couldn't just turn him out, already hurt to just wander the neighborhood. Humane society has a 3 month waiting list and animal control will kill him automatically since he has PitBull in him... but I think he is mainly Lab/Weimereiner with a pit head. He gets along well with Paige and keeps dragging himself to his feet to wag his tail and lean over to be petted.... but otherwise I haven't heard a peep out of him.

I have sent requests out to local rescues but is anyone looking for or knows someone who is looking for a dog?

He is ADORABLE!

See??