No rBGH for us!!

Look at Ben & Jerry's new ice cream flavor: Vermonty Python
See the falling cows? The back label says, "And now for something completely euphoric. We interrupt ourselves with much hooting through tin horns to bring you this brilliant new ice cream made from dried shrubbery & old cereal packets. Don't be daft-we're just having you on a bit, all right? This is a ripping good flavor, really, so buy it quickly now & run away, silly person, or we shall taunt you a second time."
Isn't that hilarious? It really tasted good to, with the coffee liquor.
Mandy's and my favorite, though, is Everything but the...
It's soooo good! And after eating the two pints of heavy cream, 2480 calories, 88g saturated fat, and 208g sugar....were sure felt good about not having consumed any recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH). Wwwwhheeewwww!! Dodged that bullet!

New Greek frat.....Beta Beta

Several guys from our men's Bible study went to visit Brandon in his rehab center last night and were glad to see his continued improvement. Brandon, second from left, was in an accident last July and has routinely shocked us each time we saw his progress. We prayed over him and spent time looking in on him and his family and know God has a plan for him. We picked up dinner for him and he ate with us for the first time since the accident. Then, he stood for the photo! Before we left, we hung some exotic car posters in his room to brighten his surroundings.
Apparently our last visit caused a rumor among the nurses and patients that we were Brandon's frat brothers. So we laughed and named our frat Beta Beta; Greek for "Brandon's Brothers".

Charlotte Farmers' Market

Mandy and I went to the Farmers' Market Saturday morning, as we've started a habit of doing, to get fresh fruit for the week and a spinach scone. The scones, along with muffins and various loaves of bread, are from Nova's bakery. Mandy loves the spinach scone but I avoid it at all cost. We got there too late though, and for the second week in a row, they were sold out by 9am.

One of the vendors were rabbit farmers and Mandy pointed out Taylor would be horrified if she had seen their sign...




This stand was one of the more colorful and well organized at the market. Can I just say how much I love organized and segregated vegetables?! In fact, I'm a major proponent for more frequent use of the separated plate to maintain order and prevent unintended mingling. If given an opportunity to pose a question to the '08 presidential candidates, I might ask their position on the topic. Segregated or desegregated plates?

At the end of one row, some kids were rolling a ball back and forth on a table. I thought it made a cute photo, but upon closer review, there are actually three kids in the photo. I just can't figure out how the girl standing was able to twist her feet that way!

Blackmail photos

Though Taylor didn't realize it at the time, she provided me with the pictures I can blackmail her with when she has a boyfriend (at 28). Apparently on her last visit, Taylor used my camera without my knowing, to photograph her dispair at finding a cavity. The "cavity" turned out to be a dark particle of food lodged tightly against her tooth and disappeared a day or two later. I suppose she wanted to capture the moment for posterity...indeed she did!

Taylor's new bathroom

Mandy and Taylor joined forces in renovating Taylor's bathroom a little at a time over the last few weeks. Taylor chose a greenish/yellow pastel color for the walls. We've completed the bathroom and are nearing completion of her bedroom. Here are the before and after photos of the bathroom.

Before....


































And after...

Taylor is in our nation's capital....

...that is, if the South and won the war. My little girl is growing up....Taylor's on her first real trip away from home, other than camp. Her academic Beta Club checked out of school Thursday for the Beta convention being held in Richmond this weekend. She'll be staying in the hotel next door to the hospital where she was born until Sunday when they'll return. She's taken her new bathing suit and new dress pants, that she and Mandy picked out, and is ultra-excited! She called Margaret last night and said they'd made it safely are were having a blast.
You know, she's already driving my car around vacant parking lots. I guess we'll be visiting college campuses next week and meeting Mr. Right soon after. Aaaahhhh...to have her the length of my arm again. If I were guaranteed to have her again, I'd want a dozen more kids.

Bad blogger! Bad, Bad!!!

Hey everyone, sorry for being a bad blogger. But I'm still in honeymoon phase, so you've got to give me a little slack, right? One deterrent is that I like to have photos accompanying each blog, but I've shelved my camera the last few weeks, not wanting to look like a Japanese tourist for blogging purposes.
I should've, however, taken my camera last night to GNO (guys night out). We went bowling, which is always good for a laugh, then picked up a pizza on the way back to a tv to watch "24". Monday's are a long day, but it's a good long. Kind of like how Elaine Benice said "beads of sweat, [in a sauna are] good beads".
Taylor spent the weekend with us and we had a good time together. She has been eager to show me her driving skills, so the last time she was here, I let her drive my car in an open parking lot, making a few stops and turns. She's not that bad, really.
So, what's up with Brittney Spears? I have a theory that occurred to me this morning. I think she's so used to being the center of attention, whether for good or bad, that she's jealous of Anna Nicole stealing all the media air time. So Brittney did something she knew would get her back into the limelight.
Ok, time to go. I'll get some new photos up soon.