Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving. A time with family and friends to indulge in the usual eating of too much food, watching the game and taking a walk down memory lane. The truth is, love ‘em or loathe ‘em family can be a lot to take at times, especially ALL at once. Lots of hugs, laughter and snippy remarks, poisonous as mistletoe yet just as traditional. In addition to dealing with the immediate family, the in-laws and the out-laws (you know your family has them), I find myself stressing about:

How to prepare a Martha Stewart approved Thanksgiving feast;

How to NOT eat 10,000 calories in one meal and spend the rest of the day wishing you could just pull the old finger down the hatch trick;

How to avoid going postal and making your adorable relatives disappear;

How to swallow the fact that women pretty much slave away in the kitchen while men sit on their asses (with exception to my husband) only to swoop in just in time to carve up the bird (as if they had a damn thing to do with making it) because after all that’s "man’s work;" and

How to manage to find time to feel all thankful and shit.

Seriously. I don’t know about your family, but in mine I rarely have ten minutes to actually focus on what Thanksgiving is supposed to be about. I spend more time running all over the place trying to get everything ready for dinner, cleaning up from dinner and planning out the leftovers than I actually do sitting, enjoying the food, catching up with family and focusing on the many things I have to be thankful for.

I’ve decided being too busy on Thanksgiving does not give me an excuse to walk through my life without taking a few minutes now and then to remember how blessed I am. I may be a few days late, but I am thankful for these all the same:

Brent. My wonderful husband who provides me stability in so many ways and an endless amount of laughter.

My parents, sister, brother, and all of my in-laws, though we can drive each other crazy, I love them all.

My job even though its not my dream job, I am grateful to be employed in this economy.

My friends. Without them I would undoubtedly go insane!

Anders, my dog. She keeps me company when Brent travels, making my alone time more enjoyable.

Freedom.

My health.

My memories of all the places I’ve been and experiences I’ve had.

My dreams that allow me to want something much bigger for myself and my family.

The promise of life eternal.
So many others I am thankful for. What about you? What are you thankful for?

GIVE 'EM HELL TECH!

Between the hedges of Sanford Stadium the Yellow Jackets rise victorious and emerge ahead of Georgia in the polls. Amidst the anthem chant "TO HELL WITH GEORGIA" and the dumbfounded Dawg fans, GT has given new birth to the Old Fashioned Hate that is Georgia v. Georgia Tech. The Jackets’ 45-42 win over UGA has ended Georgia’s seven year streak leaving Georgia Tech on top with the most (eight) consecutive wins in the rivalry.

Congratulations Yellow Jackets!

Happy Everything

I love this time of year. The cool weather, beautiful leaves and the anticipation of the upcoming holiday season really make me feel alive. What I don’t love is seeing Christmas decorations lit up like it’s December 24th and yet I’ve only just put away the Halloween decor. It seems we’ve traded campaign ads (thank goodness) for "holiday" ads (because "Christmas" is so non-P.C. but that’s a whole different blog topic) and it’s not even Thanksgiving.

Remember Thanksgiving? The holiday where you spend all day preparing a feast for your closest family and friends and eat entirely too much and swear you will NEVER do that again? The holiday that begins by watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade anxiously awaiting Santa’s arrival and ends searching for the Black Friday sales?

It’s not that I don’t love Christmas, because I absolutely do. I am the friend that will remind you on June 25th that we only have six months until Santa comes! I look forward to dragging out the Christmas Tree on Thanksgiving night, getting up at 4 a.m. to make sure I don’t miss a minute of Black Friday, watching my favorite Christmas movies, driving around for the annual Holloway Tacky Light Tour (coming soon to a city near you), making cookies, wrapping presents and playing Christmas carols until you just can’t stand to hear another one.

Looking forward to doing all of these things brings me just as much joy, if not more, as actually doing them. However, this early rush to Christmas cheats me out of really enjoying the spirit of the season because by the time the season actually starts, I’ve been so inundated by the commercialism of it all that I find myself ready for New Year’s Day when I can pack it all up and start anticipating once again.

It’s really just a matter of time before you start seeing this...

Have You Hugged a Veteran Today?

Today as we celebrate Veteran’s Day, I remember and celebrate the life of my grandfather Frederick Houston Bray, a World War II Navy Veteran that proudly served this country by choice.

My grandfather grew up in a lower-middle class family that struggled to make ends meet. Playing baseball was his true passion and he was really good at it too. In fact, he was so good, that at the age of eighteen a Cardinals recruiter offered him a contract to play professional baseball. Ultimately, my grandfather passed up the professional baseball career so he could join the Navy and defend this country. He was told several times by the recruiter that he was crazy to make that decision and his own father didn’t understand it either. Why would an 18 year old kid with so much promise pass up such a rare and life-changing opportunity? To trade his passion to serve his country WWII and the possibility that he would never return? My grandfather didn’t see it that way though. He viewed his service to this country as nothing less than what any man would do. He never thought anything heroic about it. He served in WWII and held his best friend as he died in battle. He never once mentioned regretting his decision, he only pondered why he survived when so many died.

After his tour of duty in WWII, he returned home to Atlanta, Georgia and settled down for a simple life of marriage, children and running his own construction company. He never forgot the things he saw and the sacrifice of his fellow men. As he was laid to rest, I watched several Naval officers fold the burial flag. In that moment, I was overwhelmed with pride for the life he lived and the legacy that he would leave behind. I will never forget his courage, service and honor for this country. I am proud to be his granddaughter and only wish I could hug him once more.

Take a moment today and thank a Veteran. Remember their sacrifice and that of their families. God has blessed each one of us through their service.

The sting...

Just something I've been pondering since Obama became our President Elect.

The Ten Cannots

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

-- Rev. William John Henry Boetcker, 1873

Barack Obama has become the first African American to be elected President of the United States. I am proud to say that I now live in a country where the majority of people look past the color of one's skin. This is a proud day for America. Barack Obama has a long road ahead of him and I intend to support him with my prayers.

I feel elated to have experienced history and yet at the same time I am disappointed. Part of me feels like we took a step back today. We now have a House, Senate and Presidency all controlled by one party, the Democrats. I've never in my life voted for a Democrat, simply because I am against larger government and less freedom. I never planned on having my government take care of me. Not only do the Democrats have full control but the leaders Pelosi and Reid are some of the most liberal politicians in Washington, including that of Barack Obama. I am scared that many voices will go unheard during this term. Only time will tell how far across the aisle he is willing to reach and a big indicator will be who he chooses to surround him in his cabinet.

I honestly believe that some people lost site of what was important in this election and cast their vote for reasons other than qualifications. In my heart, I don't believe he is qualified for this job. I don't think he's been honest about his relationships with Ayers and Wright and as much as I would like to say those things don't matter, they do. It matters to me (and it is my vote afterall) that he sat in a church that is known (long before this election) for it's anti-American rhetoric. It matters more to me that he wasn't willing to admit that he heard the sermons and maybe agreed with them (maybe he didn't). Because after all, how does one attend a church for twenty years and have no idea what is being said? I don't think being a community organizer prepares you for foreign relations. I don't think being a senator for 2 years prepares you for the enormous task at hand (economy, taxes, healthcare, etc). I hope and pray I am wrong. I do not wish to be right in this because to be right means that we all lose. We lose as Americans. Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike, we lose.

I pray for President Elect Obama and as he stated in his victory speech, I hope he does earn my vote in the long run.

Goodbye Blog-less Blog.

Since this blog is still blog-less and I cannot think of how to start this darn thing, I figured this was as good of a place as any...


100 Things About Moi


1. My name is Amanda.
2. My friends call me B.
3. I have an older brother and younger sister.
4. I hate wooden spoons.
5. I love to cook and write my own recipes.
6. I am a paralegal and want a career change yesterday.
7. I love to travel.
8. I’ve been to London twice.
9. I spent my honeymoon in Italy.
10. I’ve been to Santiago, Chile and could retire there.
11. I love rap music.
12. I collect handbags.
13. If you ask me how you look, I will sincerely tell myself how I feel.
14. I am not graceful.
15. I am a T.V. junkie! (Brothers & Sisters, Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Private Practice, anything on Food Network, Lipstick Jungle, Raising the Bar, The Closer, Sex & The City, just to name a few.)
16. I bitch therefore I am. Get over it.
17. I love children and can’t wait to have a few of my own.
18. I do not understand people who lack self-esteem because I love me.
19. I love to sing, unfortunately no one enjoys listening.
20. I do not like balloons.
21. My favorite band of all time is U2. (Though I am highly disappointed with Bono these days) *Sigh*
22. I cannot use chopsticks properly.
23. I am a neat freak. A place for everything and everything in its place.
24. Martha Stewart is my hero.
25. I love a British accent!
26. I have been spoiled with first class airplane seats.
27. I do not play well with those that do not understand sarcasm.
28. I am an extrovert.
29. I love dogs though I don’t like little fru-fru ones.
30. I have a Great Dane.
31. I had my dream wedding last year and cherish the memories.
32. I do not have a favorite color.
33. I am good at tongue twisters.
34. I can tie a cherry stem in a not with my tongue.
35. My favorite movie is Love Actually.
36. I believe in ghosts.
37. I hate mayonnaise.
38. I prefer the OB/GYN over the dentist.
39. My favorite flowers are hydrangeas and peonies.
40. Cupcakes make me smile.
41. I met my husband in an internet chat room and we have been together for 7 years.
42. I have a dimple in my left shoulder.
43. I am allergic to eggs and cream cheese. But I can eat eggs baked in cakes.
44. I speak enough Spanish to get by.
45. I will watch the movie Spanglish anytime it is on T.V.
46. I’ve never had the chickenpox or the vaccine.
47. I’ve read Where the Red Fern Grows at least 6 times and I always cry.
48. I don’t play any musical instruments and I wish I did.
49. I quit Girl Scouts in the 3rd grade because Margaret brought her cello and I thought that was lame at the time.
50. I am a gift wrapping Nazi. It must be perfect!
51. I adore Les Miserable and have seen it 6 times (once in NY, once in London, 4 times in Atlanta)
52. I despise people who harm animals and believe the punishments for such should be far more severe than they are.
53. I have never smoked a cigarette.
54. I have never tried drugs.
55. I had my first alcoholic beverage at the age of 21.
56. I had detention once in high school for using improper grammar.
57. I have little tolerance for people who cannot accept responsibility for their actions.
58. I believe in God and Jesus Christ.
59. I must sleep in matching pajamas.
60. I am greatly blessed and have far more than I deserve.
61. I enjoy biking.
62. I work out at least 3 days per week.
63. I am a caffeine addict.
64. I like the idea of home schooling.
65. Red wine is my favorite, specifically Cabernet Sauvignon.
66. If not drinking wine, I love vodka & grapefruit with a splash of cranberry & lime.
67. I was addicted to the soap opera Passions and wish it were still on t.v.
68. I love to read.
69. My favorite books Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee.
70. I actually love my in-laws and have a great relationship with them.
71. I miss my paternal grandparents.
72. I am not a strong swimmer.
73. I am afraid of small, confined spaces. I would rather climb 500 stairs than get into a suspicious elevator.
74. I am a Google-a-holic. In fact, I’ve probably Googled you.
75. I wish I were skinny but not enough to deprive myself.
76. I fear childbirth and have often considered adoption.
77. I look forward to being a stay-at-home mom.
78. I have very conservative views when it comes to raising children.
79. I do not enjoy sci-fi films.
80. I appreciate all the my husband does to make my life wonderful.
81. I love to win.
82. But I don’t enjoy seeing others lose.
83. Surprising other people brings me so much joy.
84. I love my friends and would do anything for them.
85. I will not put up with backstabbing. I deserve better.
86. I am not a germ-a-phobe as I used to teach preschool.
87. I am an obsessive list-maker.
88. I like to make people laugh.
89. I love taking pictures and carry a camera with me everywhere.
90. I despise fennel.
91. I do not tan. Nor do I try. I have embraced my whitest white girl image.
92. I have a crush on Bobby Flay.
93. I require symmetry in my life. One pillow must balance another, etc.
94. I prefer smartasses to dumbasses.
95. I enjoy discussing politics.
96. I listen to talk radio.
97. I love planning vacations as much as the actual vacation.
98. I could be a professional organizer, baker, chef. All sound better than babysitting grown folks (which I currently do).
99. I set off the alarms in airport security every time which requires a full pat down.
100. I want a hippopotamus for Christmas.