"In a Heartbeat"

So, being the good mother that I am (ok, or maybe we just have a lot of time on our hands =) ), I signed Brylee up for the Library summer reading program (which apparently we were very organized b/c she is the FIRST child with her name up on the wall at the Farragut library as having finished her reading/listening - lol, poor thing!  I just made her a dork at the age of 2! =) ).  The reason we got it done so fast?  Well, I'm kind of a pushover, because when she's only supposed to get three books read before bed, it usually ends up being five, ten, you get the idea...she just keeps saying "more books" so she can stall bedtime, and well, since she's so sweet and cuddly, I usually keep giving in =). 

So anyways, while I was at the library, they have a program for adults that if you read four books in the month of June you get a chance to win a free iPad.  Since I barely ever have time to read, I decided to try out the program.  And since my main form of exercise is walking right now, I figured it would be easy to read while I'm on the treadmill.

Now, it's June 24 and I've only completed one book, but whether or not I finish the program, I am SOOOO GLAD I originally decided to try it out! I just completed the BEST BOOK EVER! And I was SHOCKED that this book was good! If anyone is looking for an inspiring read, "In a Heartbeat" Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy (the family featured in the movie the Blind Side), is a good one to pick. It starts off kind of slow about their backgrounds, but quickly picks up steam. This is a couple that when they were first married and dirt poor (and unsure as to how they were going to pay their light bill), were giving money away to underpriviliged children to help pay for their school physicals. Obviously, they ended up becoming extremely wealthy but they still give away 25%. Anyways, the book is very inspiring, impressive, and makes you think about new ways you could be helping others!

Free Borders Book =)

I saw this on another blog and thought I would pass it along.  If you have a child under the age of 12, and you read them 10 books (or obviously, if they're old enough to read 10 books on their own, they can do that too), they can get a free book at Borders!
Just fill out this form for them http://www.borders.com/online/store/MediaView_double-dog-dare?cmpid=SA_20110506
Then go to Borders after June 1 and your child gets a free book (have to pick one of 20 different titles - but it includes books like Cat in the Hat, Amelia Bedilia, etc..). Cute idea, and Brylee LOVES when she gets to pick out a new book =).

What a Terrible Name! :0)

Being the overparanoid prego that I am, I had been debating for the last month about getting my hair highlighted.  I actually went to get it highlighted a month ago, and then decided I couldn't do it, and just got a haircut instead.  Well, I've been working on Brylee's "1st Year Album" and looking at how terribly two-toned my hair was at her delivery (I'll spare everyone from having to see another picture =) )... and with my youngest sister graduating college this week, I decided to do it! 
So I made an appointment at an Aveda salon, b/c their hair stuff is 97% chemical free, and I decided I should go with the healthiest version of highlight material I could find =). 
I have not been to this particular salon since we moved back from Louisville, KY, and seeing as how I made my appointment earlier this week, of course I got the new guy. 
Upon seeing my baby bump, we had a conversation about kids.  And he asked me if I knew the name of the baby yet, and I said no, and told him I have a 1 year old named Brylee.  He said "I have to go mix your color, but remind me when I come back to tell you about a TERRIBLE name that my brother is naming his child due in September." 
I was thinking to myself as he went to mix the color, that it was smart that he had asked if we had a name for this baby yet, etc... and that I had told him the name of my other daughter before he mentioned the story.  Because that would be really embarrassing if one of them had this TERRIBLE name he was referring to!
He comes back, and I ask him about the name...and he's like "Yes, get this... it's BROOKLYN (for those of you not aware, my middle name is Lyn!)!"  I sat there shocked, and looked to see if he was joking (I mean, I just met the guy, maybe he's a prankster).  But he goes on for about 1 1/2 minutes ranting about the tackiness of naming your child after a city, etc...
So, everyone asks me if I told him my name, the answer, NO!  Lol, the only thing I could think to say was "So, what's the middle name?" =)

Robert Grant Miller

Robert Grant Miller (the best Grandpa to ever live) was born on February 23, 1922 and passed away at 89 years old this past Friday, March 25 at 9:03 a.m.  March 25 just happened to be my Grandmother (his wife of 62 1/2 years) birthday!  He was able to tell Grandma "Happy Birthday" that morning, and then passed away with my mom, Grandma, Aunt Sarah, and Uncle Bob at his home. 
     I was so happy I had made the decision to drive to Berne with Brylee the Wednesday before Grandpa passed.  I got to talk with grandpa briefly on Wednesday and Thursday night (just for like 5 minutes, because he wasn't feeling well, and it wore him out if visitors stayed over 5 minutes he was so weak).  He made sure to tell me how much he loved me, and wanted me to let Sam know that he loved him too.
     Sam flew into Fort Wayne, Indiana on Saturday, and then we had the viewing on Monday with the funeral Tuesday morning.  One of the things set out at the viewing was the UT hat Sam got Grandpa two years ago for Chrismas.
     I hadn't ever known this, but Grandpa had written a story about his life a few years ago, and the part I thought was SOOO SWEET was when he talks about "a beautiful, young blonde named Louise" that lived across the street from the farm he grew up on.  He said "...the best thing I ever did was to court her, and we were married September 5, 1948."
Anyways, Grandpa and Grandma's marriage was such a good example of a loving, devoted relationship, and Grandpa is one of the best Christians I have ever met.  I know we will all miss him, but I'm happy for him that at 88 years old last summer he was still riding his bike, mowing the yard, etc..  It wasn't until the last few months of his life, when the cancer had spread, that he ever had any health problems.  So anyways, when I get sad about his passing, I just think about him riding his bike in heaven =) and how healthy he is again!
In the picture below, Grandpa is walking on the beach with Brylee on a vacation at Hilton Head South Carolina last October.  A month after returning from this trip is when we found out Grandpa's cancer had spread and that it was terminal.
 

 Grandpa and Grandma Miller with Brylee at 2 months old when we went to Berne for Swiss Days.

 Grandpa and Grandma Miller... He LOVED a yearly trip to Hilton Head with family =)

Grandpa with Brylee on her first halloween

The Warrior Dash!!!!!!

Ever heard of this?  Well, guess what?  2011 will be the FIRST YEAR they have one in TN!  It's a race that encourages costumes and has obstacles like the junkyard dash, arachnophobia, a blazing wall of fire, etc...
A race with obstacles?  Sounds like my college steeple chase days, only more fun =)  For those of you that don't know what steeple chase is, here's a pic from my senior year right before I jump into some chilly water...

Do you know running this up north in Indiana they sometimes had to put de-icer spray in the water pit b/c it would freeze over?  Think it wasn't cold that day?  The girl's face in the water in front of me, says it all!  Anyways, the steeple chase is a 2 mile race that you jump five barriers each lap, one per lap is over water. 

Which brings me back to the Warrior Dash.  While I would be scared to do one in Florida or Louisiana (they have them running through swamps), the one in TN doesn't look too bad!  Sam was like, "But you could run into a copperhead or other snake in the junkyard"... Oh Sammy, that is why you NEVER SIGN UP FOR THE FIRST HEAT!  There's like 8 different starts 1/2 hour apart... wait till a few have gone through, then all scary bugs/animals have  A) already bitten someone else  or  B) been scared away by the first 500 competitors going through =). 

Anyways, I always get a little bit nostalgic about running when I'm pregnant.  Because I see all the other people I ran with in college qualifying for the Boston Marathon, still running 5 minute something miles, etc.. and then I miss having abs/buns/legs of steel, haha.  So my due date is August 10 and I'm not allowed to work out for six weeks, so I'm trying to decide if I could run this year's Warrior Dash on Sept. 17 (I'll be honest it probably is not going to happen). 

But for those of you not currently prego and interested in running, here's the website.  For my Indiana/Ohio people, there is one in Ohio in June!
http://www.warriordash.com/register2011_tennessee.php

SuGaR, sUgAr!

So, there's no sugar in cake, right? =) 
P.S. I plan to start updating this blog twice a week (at the very least), b/c I have so much to catch up on (aka. we're having ANOTHER BABY!!!!!!!!!! =), vacation pics, Brylee updates, etc...).   Now, that I'm out of that first trimester phase I feel great and don't need so much sleep anymore...so blogspot I will quit neglecting you =). 

Anyways, two weeks ago I made another cake!  A friend of mine, and a former co-worker msg'd me and asked if I could make a zebra cake for her open house.  I was a little nervous, b/c I've not made a zebra cake before, but I was super happy w/ how it turned out! Here's a few pics she took at the party =).  Hope everyone has a great V-day wknd!

CLOSE but No Cigar

Unfortunately, Sam and I found out yesterday we are HGTV rejects!  Lol, let me explain. 
     The beginning of November, I received an email from one of my friends that works for a production company that makes shows for HGTV.  HGTV had just signed on for a new show that will begin airing in June called "Run My Makeover" and she thought Sam and I would be good candidates for the show.  So she put me in contact with the producer, and I was given a 20 + question application to fill out about Sam and myself, the space in the house we'd like made over, etc..
We had to pick three spaces and explain why we needed them done.  We have a 2,000 sq. ft. unfinished basement, so it was very easy for me to pick three spaces, and as you can tell by the pictures, they definitely need makeovers! =)

Space #1 - This is our main area of the basement and the spot we were really hoping they would pick! If they finished it out, I bet I would have gotten a fireplace in here... if my husband finishes it out, I don't think my fireplace is going to happen =).

Space #2 - This is the "front room" as you enter our basement... I thought this would make a good space for Brylee's toys, or if they could knock out the wall between the big room and this room, put our air hockey and fusball tables in here, etc...

 Space #3 - A media room

So, after I filled out the application (and dreamed big about what I'd love to see done with the spaces), within two days I got great news!  We had made it to the second round of the application process, and the producer wanted to come meet with us in person and take video of Sam and I on camera and our space.  We set up a meeting for the beginning of the next week. (My friend that works there, told me this was a big deal and that a lot of people don't make it to round 2!)
     Well, that weekend I decided to head to Washington, DC to visit my younger sister since she was doing an internship there.  In the course of the weekend, I COMPLETELY lost my voice.  I mean, not even a whisper!  What are the odds!?!?!  So, I had to email the producer back, and she really wanted to meet with us soon, so we pushed the meeting back from Tuesday to Thursday.  I went to the doctor on Tuesday for my voice, and he told me just not to talk for the next 48 hours!  Not talking was the only way I could have a chance at my voice being back!
     So Thursday arrives, and I try to talk... I sounded like a man (had the whole, low husky thing going on), but it was much louder than a whisper so I was thankful for that! But the producer comes and stays for a couple of hours, interviews us, asks us about the spaces, etc..  And we get MORE GOOD NEWS!  If they pick us for the show, they are definitely going to do the big, main room! 
     Just a side not about the show, if you get chosen you are 100% agreeing that you have no say in how they decorate your room.  HGTV will post a thing about you online, and people on the web will vote on what they would like to see done.  So everything from paint colors, flooring, decorations, etc... is voted on by America.  In Sam and my case, you have seen the space... ANYTHING they would have chosen to do would have been an improvement, and also, FREE! =)  So we figured if we didn't like the paint color/carpet or something we could just change it out afterwards. 
     Anyways, at the end of our meeting with the producer, she told us that she was going to edit our tape, and turn us in to the HGTV execs.  So great news again, we had made it to the LAST and FINAL stage of the process!  BUT it was completely up to the HGTV head honchos, she and the production company would no longer have any say.  And they also would not receive any explanation as to why certain people were/weren't chosen.  It might range from they had too many basements to do, I could remind someone of an ex-gf, they don't like your shirt, or the project was too expensive for the show's budget.  It could be ANY REASON AT ALL, and all she would hear back is a yes or a no, and it would probably be within 4 to 6 weeks. 
     So Sam and I were thinking we would know something around Christmas... we didn't!  We FINALLY heard back yesterday and we weren't chosen.  We were disappointed, but Sam is already making plans to try his handyman skills (haha, his skills kind of scare me... I affectionately refer to him as "Tim the Toolman Taylor").  I, on the other hand, am still mourning the loss of my fireplace! =)