July 19 Wedding Pictures

Congratulations Grandma and David!!!




the bride and groom...Grandma and David

Malia and Kimmy


me and my mom


me and Peyton dancing

some great friends

crazy


The Bride (in the middle) and her bridesmaids

National Cheesecake Day

National Cheesecake Day !! Can there be a greater day ?!?


Check out the specials at Copelands Cheesecake Bistro. Click on the title of this post to check out the deals.

A great lazy weekend

I had the best weekend, and I did absolutely nothing! Well that's not exactly true. Friday night me, Peyton, and a friend and her baby went to Zea's and ate supper(the best chicken and the roasted corn grits are SO good!) and then went to Target, where I consistenly spend way too much money. Saturday I stayed at home all day and cleaned our ridiculous apartment. Being gone for a week is never good news for the dwelling situation. When you get back there's always a mountain of laundry, a pile of dishes, no groceries, and a husband sitting on the couch. But now I have a sparkling clean apartment. Sunday I ended up staying home again because Peyton has been sick, and she had a rough night Saturday. Arnold went to church, and Peyton and I watched Adrian Rogers on tv, ate leftovers, and played the way nine months old like to play, which pretty much consists of her climbing all over me while I sit or lay on the carpet with her. Or she loves being carried around, that's also a favorite "game" of hers. ;) Either way, I enjoyed having one lazy weekend to just bum around the house.

And now I want to give props to the best daddy in the world. Peyton's daddy is awesome and here is why. For the past three nights, Peyton has been sick and Arnold has slept in her room to comfort her and to watch over her when she has her coughing fits. Now, granted he's very protective of her, but this has allowed me to get some sleep, which I desperately need every night in order to even function at a 40% rate the next day. He takes such good care of his little girl.

Highlights from SC

I have really wanted to update the blog this week, but I have been extremly busy at work, which is usually when I have a chance to update. There was so many great memories from last week, that I think I'll just share some highlights. Pictures will come maybe tonight or tomorrow. So now for the highlights...

-I got to go swimming three times last week with my sisters. We had so much fun! We played Marco Polo, did handstands on the bottom of the pool, and all three tried to get on an intertube. We were laughing hysterically, and I felt like a kid again.

-I got to see my grandmother who is 89 years old and not doing very good health-wise.

-I loved getting to spend so much time with Peyton. I cried Monday when I had to take her back to daycare.

-All the girls (my mom and sisters) got to go shopping. I love going shopping with them because my mom ususally buys me something. :)

-I got to eat at the best Mexican restaurant ever, Bronco's!

-I had so much fun at Tiffany's wedding. The wedding was beautiful and special, and me and Peyton did the electric slide at her reception. Peyton LOVED dancing! I also got to hang out with my friends from seminary who have all moved off now. It was a great day!

-I got to see everyone while I was home, which is always special.

-I got to see the big Peach and eat SC peaches, which are really the best!

-Now for a funny story...At the airport on the way home, I sat down with Peyton to wait on boarding the plane. It was 5:30 in the morning, and our gate was really crowded, so I just had to pick a seat between about four older men. It was very quiet too, probably because everyone was half asleep. Peyton all of a sudden starts making this strained face and then poots so loud. I was SO embarrased. I just said, "Peyton!" I didn't want those men to think I was sitting there pooting.

The more I'm away from home, the more I miss home. I never really paid attention to the relaxed pace of being in a small town, but it was wonderful! I loved going to church and seeing boxes of fresh vegetables on the porch from members who have gardens and want to share some of their produce with everyone. It was nice to hear a lawn mower buzzing at 10 in the morning because it just felt like summer then. I loved walking around the yard bare foot and sitting out on the back porch. When I graduated high school, I wanted to move as far away as I could get and to a big city. Seminary afforded me that opportunity, and now having been away for six years now, I realize that home really wasn't that bad! I guess that means I'm growing up...:)

Back Home

 

Peyton had a great time on the plane...

 

 

 


You have to wonder what Peyton was thinking as she looked out the window. Well, Joy and Peyton are back in New Orleans. It is good to have my family back. In the week they were gone to South Carolina, Peyton is trying to stand without holding anything, opening cabinet doors, and waving bye bye (sometimes).

Joy is gone today for additional training with her job. I will be taking Peyton for her 9 month checkup later this afternoon.

-Arnold

Wedding Podcast

Check out the wedding podcast. Joy is one of the bridemates for her best friend, Tiffany. Click on the title of this post for the link to the podcast. Click on "Click Here for the Live Podcast" It is being broadcast live at 1pm Central Time.

-arnold

P.S.
Joy is the hot chick all the way to the left:)

SC Pictures

Our picnic shelter at Kings Mountain National Park

Peyton waiting to eat

Mama, Keri, and Peyton

My cousin's child Ronan

Peyton dreaming about playing on the playground one day

 
Peyton and Joy after church

Joy and Peyton after church.

I tried...

I tried to upload more pictures, but I'm having some problems. I will try to post some more tomorrow when I get the problem figured out! Stay tuned...

Peyton's First Airplane Ride

Peyton on her first airplane. More pics to come...

Big News

Okay, so I think it's time now to announce the big news that I referenced in another blog post a few weeks back. Sorry it took so long to write about it, I have certainly not forgotten, but couldn't blog until it was officially official. So for the news...........drum roll please...........I have been named the Director of Student and Administrative Services at my job! It all came about a few months ago when my boss said that she was leaving. A few days later she called me into her office and told me that she was recommending me for her position. I was floored....and honored! I have already started training for the job, which started July 1, but I will not assume the position until the middle of August. I am excited about this new opportunity, and thankful for the Lord for providing for our family and for this open door He is allowing me to walk through. Keep me in your prayers! -Joy

Only 3 More Days of Work!

Next week Peyton, Keri, and I will be heading up to South Carolina to visit family, and I am so excited. I cannot wait to wake up late(if my mom is willing to wake up with Peyton :) ), sit out by the pool, and bum around. I also cannot wait to see family and friends, and to go to my friend Tiffany's wedding. I know my family has already bought Peyton some new toys and clothes. I tell you, once that grandbaby or niece or nephew comes, forget about the parents! Peyton's getting a bunch of new stuff, and all I'll probably get is some coupons my mom clipped from the Sunday paper. :) But I need a vacation and am excited! I am sad that this will be Keri's last week with us in New Orleans. She has been fun to have around, and she's a big help. I know that Peyton is really going to miss her too.

Peyton finally cut a tooth the other day. You can't really see it yet, but you can feel the little sharp pointy thing poking through her gum. I was starting to wonder about that tooth, since she's almost nine months old.

A Happy July 4th Weekend

This weekend was awesome! I had been looking forward to it ever since I found out that our good friends Noelle and Dee were coming to the New Orleans area. I have known Noelle and Dee since college. I think I met Dee at a Chick-Fil-A in Greenville, and I met Noelle through a mutual friend. We crossed paths frequently at North Greenville but didn't become really good friends until they moved to New Orleans to attend seminary. We went to some baseball games, played Monopoly a few times, ate dinner together, watched movies, and just had fun hanging out. Noelle introduced me to Jane Austen movies, and I have been hooked ever since! (Arnold really thanks you for that ;) ) Then Katrina hit, and they moved to Charlotte. We had a fun year with them until mean old Katrina changed everything. I loved hanging out with them in New Orleans, but you know you really don't appreciate your friends until they are gone. Good friends are hard to come by these days, and I didn't realize what a good friend I had in them until they're not here anymore. So Noelle and Dee, thanks for coming...we miss you guys....please move back! :)

Here are some pictures of our fun weekend...we went to the zoo, had a cookout, went to church, went to eat out twice, and of course, watched a Jane Austen movie! Noelle and Dee have a 1 1/2 year old, Elizabeth. (Peyton had a blast with her! She followed her around the whole time, crawling just as fast as she could.)


fun times at the zoo


Elizabeth and her cool shades




This picture just doesn't capture the intense heat and humidity penetrating every inch of our bodies...man was it Louisiana hot!

The Greatest Show on Earth!

The Greatest Show on Earth!!!


The announcer clown, baby Gabriel, and me with bright red circus eyes


a guy balancing a hat on his big red nose


My sister Janna...no wait, that's the circus elephant haha :)


a woman doing cool things on a ribbon


My friend Kathrene and her baby Gabriel, Joy, my sister Keri, and Kathrene's son Michael outside the arena


We went to the circus Friday night and had a blast! I think I've been to the circus three times in the last four years. :) We had great seats too, so that made it even better. We saw people walking the tightrope, trapeze artists, a guy and a girl climb up a tall swinging pole, dogs do tricks, scary tigers, some contortionists(that was really amazing), and a husband and wife shoot out of a cannon. The circus is great too if you have ADD because there's always something to look at, usually two or three things going on at the same time. Peyton didn't get to go because she's just too young to enjoy it, but maybe next year. If the circus comes to your town, you should go too!