moo moo mr. cow

So people have been asking and telling me for "more post, more post, more post!!" (aahheeemm Barrett) but let me just tell you that I find writing everyday or every few very hard. Im not good at just sitting down and telling you what we have been up to the last few days. Im sure you don't want to hear that 'I went to the grocery store today and then I went to Barnes and Nobel for 2 hours and then I came home and watched Martha Stewart, blaah blah blahhh...". I am way better at telling stories of something that happened or waiting a week or two and telling a big congloberation of what we've been doing. Trust me, I've tried to sit down and just type about the last few days or something profound, but it just didn't work. I felt like I was in Cooper Library again desperately trying to type out a 5 page PRTM paper about Tourism Trends in the Mountain South. shoot me in the foot! There's my disclaimer for the day.

Next. Just to update you on our moving status. We are currently still in Wilmington, Delaware. Chris is still working in his cute office cubical on a project that will be "going to construction" in mid-february in NYC. The people he is designing a small tank for have not been cooperating with CBI and giving them answers about what they want, therefore pushing the project back. So we will continue to be here for another 2 weeks or so. Thats if the silly NYC people decide to give Chris some answers! 2nd Disclaimer of the day: If you are reading this silly NYC people, we would like to move on with our lives, SOOO if you could makes a decision on where you want the darn opening of the tank to be, that would be great. thanks. its funny how people have no idea that they are affecting/effecting (don't know which one) your life.

Now. I would like to tell you about the Pennsylvania Farm Show we went to. It was quite fun and amazingly smelly. Its like the farm section at your local fair. But the whole point of bringing your animals to the show is for the incredibly intense competition. Who has the best cow? who's 4 head of sheep are the cleanest? who's rooter crows the loudest? Which bunny has the longest ears? Along with the animal competition you have Hunky Husband's favorite part. Farm Show FOOD! The best milkshakes you've ever tasted. I think they use heavy whipping cream. Deep fried mozzarella balls with marinara sauce and Donuts that would make you slap your mama!

"Don't Fence Me In"


They judge by looking at the butts of all the animals. "would ya take a look at thataone ovr therr" "now isn't she purty." "now thats what ya call a butt boys" I imagine this is what their commentary is.


These cows are treated like royalty.


Life is rough.


I wanted all the bunnies. Riggs would love having a friend.


"Im sorry but I have issues with my ears." I could just wrap myself up in those things!


the loudest room ever.


Life isn't fair.


Mom. Dad. You need to invest in some of these. now.


They have all that craziness because it will attract and impress a mate. Im so glad God decided to take it down a notch and just give men hair.


Yet again, life isn't fair.


Baked goods competition. Hunky Husband wanted to be a judge.


Yes, that is a butter sculpture. It was Paula Deen's idea.


Those would be the deep fried mozzarella balls. Heaven on a stick.





A bib for a sheep so he doesn't get himself dirty.


Sheep love


"Nnnooooooooooo, please sir, pllleaaaassseeee!"


More butt judging.


Death by milkshake.


Migraine.


I decided to judge. "you there! second from the right! Winner!"


Finally something Hunky Husband's size! We'll take two please.


2 peas in a pod. one day i will have you. you, me, and my boots will live a long and happy life together.

So flying back up north from SC was a little chaotic. And I'm going to tell you about it. Never in a million years did I ever think that I would be someone that had hilarious stories that were always really entertaining and outrageous. I was always jealous of those people that seemed to have a great story every time you saw them. But after marrying Hunky Husband, he seemed to liven my life a little and put me in situations where I always seem to come out of it with a chaotic story. So heres to you Hunky Husband for giving my life that extra "umph".

I was all alone on this adventure because H.H. had to fly back early for work. He left Sunday night after Christmas and I left Tues. Totally cool, the only problem was that I was flying back to NYC but I really needed to be flying into Philly. When we booked the tickets, we didn't know where we would be residing at the time so had to guess what city we would be living closer to. I was wrong in choosing NYC.

Therefore being the strong, confident, college-educated, independent woman I fool myself into thinking I am, I thought not problem. I can do this. 1 over-stuffed piece of luggage, 2 heavy carry-ons, and 1 large winter coat in all. Ladies we can do this!


I was trying to get from this city


to this city

No Problem. Strong. Confident. College-educated. Independent.

For starters, landing in La Guardia was a horrific experience in itself. It was one of the windiest days NY had seen since time began. no joke. I was literally being jostled back and forth in my seat as the plane was "trying" to land. People were bracing left and right, and I was thinking I was about to meet Jesus. I swear the mask's were about to pop down and I was going to have to help my elderly neighbor. But the pilots thankfully landed that puppy and I practically ran off the plane. I think I saw a bead of sweat on the pilots forehead as I swiftly de-boarded.

So now that I had landed by the skin of my teeth, I needed to get to Philidelphia. Ok. got it. Go get luggage. Got it. Now, as you might know La Guardia is located on the out skirts of NY. There is no subway that goes directly into the city. You have to take a bus. The Q33 that is. I was not going to mess this up so I took every opportunity to ask those kind Public Transportation desk people that I needed to get to Philly. "Take the Q33 to Astoria and 94th. Get off and take the 7 train into Times Square. From there the get a bus ride to Philly." Yes sir, Right-O! Lets just first concentrate on getting on the Q33.

Ok so I wait outside in the 20 degree winter and finally get on the Q33. It was $2.25 to ride. I asked some girl and made sure I was ready. I didn't want to make a fool of myself. New Yorkers always know what their doing. Fit in. Conform. Check. So me and my little, well very large, luggage are riding along and have to get off on the last stop. The friendly Public Transport guy gave me a map (which I quickly concealed in my purse). Ok here it comes, I get off at Astoria and 94th. As the bus pulls away, I pray that there is a metro station around the corner. Saawweeet! there it was! Ok so I lug me and my belongings up about 40 stairs to buy a pass and get on the train to Times Square. The 7 train. very important. Imagine me trying to get me and my luggage through one of those turn-styles things all at the same time. very, very amusing. Ok. Up more stairs, and now I have to wait for my train. Ok cool. I've made it this far.

So crowd begins to get a little thick as I see the 7 train coming. It stops, and as you can imagine a stampede begins to happen and I begin running from door to door looking for about 36 sq. in. that I can fit me and my luggage in. Come-on people, SQUEEZE! feewww, I made it. I had quite a long ride into center city and the train thinned out as we got closer. It was quite a relaxing ride. But of course. something always happens. I was standing and leaning against the doors, enjoying the ride in. I was holding onto my luggage which had both carry-ons stacked on top of it. All of a sudden the train took a little turn to the right. Yep. BOOM! I took an immediate fall to the floor. My luggage started to fall over and the momentum just took me with it! BOOM! Immediately this man grabbed my hand and pulled me off the floor, this other guy grabbed my luggage and started asking if I was alright, and this other guy was like 'would you like to sit down mam?'. No kind people of NY, I am fine! Strong, confident, college-educated, independent. Just went out with window. I believe I turned a bright shade of red. Not only did stick out like a sore thumb because I didn't get the memo about wearing black. everyone wears black. black jackets, black luggage, black sunglasses. everything. Me not so much. Blazing red hair, cute brown London Fog luggage, large cream and pink jacket. The whole nine yards. Then I decide to make more of a scene and face-plant on the subway. It wasn't even in the slightest graceful. darnit.

Ok so after that ordeal, Times Square better get here, and fast! I finally get off the train and the kind man that helped me after my 'ordeal' let me go infront of him on the escalator in case I had any more problems. At this point I really didn't know where I was going. I knew there was a bus station somewhere near but WHERE!?? Fewww, nice cop lady that I can ask the every daunting question "How do I get to Philly?" ok hun, your going to go up that ramp and at the end of it, take a right and go up the stairs through the doors, then your going to take a left and go straight till you see the sign for bus station, then go down the escalator and you'll see a sign of how to buy a ticket. right-o thank you lady cop mam. So i first just concentrated on getting up the ramp thing, then I would ask someone again. lady cop mam was not that helpful and the directions were a little to long winded for my ADD brain. Ok so I find a man cop sir this time and ask how to get a bus to Philly and they gavr me a lot easier directions and told me that I had the most beautiful eyes they had ever seen. I was strong, confident, college-educated, independent woman again. Thank you man cop sir.

So I proceed to find the bus station and I see that its not the Bolt bus station I was told by H.H. to ride on, but it was the infamous Greyhound. Uhh ohh. Oh well, I've come this far. Got to ride it. I buy my ticket and go wait at door #68 for the bus to Philly. A line had already formed and I thought I was in the right one. wrong. As the nice bus driver began to check tickets, i noticed the end of the line was waaaaaayyy down there. uhh ohh again. I sprinted to the real line. All this time I had already noticed a few sketchy men that I did not, could not, would not sit next to. I had already asked Jesus to protect me from that and didn't think about it again. So I present my ticket and hopped on the bus. Whoa this bus is pretty full. whoa this bus is reallllly full. People...I was the last person let on that bus to Philly. Not only was I the last person on that bus but the last seat on the bus was at the very very back next to the bathroom. yep. and guess who I sat next to. yep. that very sketchy man that I prayed God would protect me from. Just play dead right? right. I said hey, sat down, and closed my eyes. it worked. He fell asleep about 5 min into the ride. I fooled him! HA! Greyhound turned out to be pretty nice. Supposedly they are trying to revamp thier buses because of heat and competition from other companies. It was a pretty smooth and comfortable 2 hour ride.

I arrive at the bus station and find that H.H. is not there but at a different Greyhound station across the city. But don't worry people...this is where the story ends. I just had to wait about 10 more minutes and then I was in his arms.

All in all, I survived with my strong, confident, college-educated, independent dignity intact. BUT I told H.H. that next time, he was just going to have to take a vacation day and come pick me up from the airport.

The End.

long time no see!- Hewitt Thanksgiving

I know, I know, its been a long time since I blogged last. I have no excuses. well...just one...we have moved and lived out of a hotel and car for about a month now. soooo, i think i should be forgiven.


So ill start with a few pictures.
We went to Husbands house for Thanksgiving. Because Thanksgiving rocks at his house. there was tons of food and family and we had a very busy long weekend!


I was a good daughter-in-law and helped that day :)


We went and visited Mamaw. such a sweet lady.


We also went to see the Charlotte Bobcats play the Cleveland Cavaliers. Is that Labron James and Shaq you say? Yes I do believe that is!! Shaq's the big one and Labron is the one with the head band.




The next day we went up to Boone to a Christmas tree farm to chop down a tree! They were all perfect and we had a hard time choosing one.


Got one! load em up and move em out!


family decormeation time


Im a Hewitt now!

storytime

I don't know if I have formally introduced our little booger,rodent,villain,peanut,messer. His name is Riggs. Formally named after Walter Riggs of Clemson University who was the former coach of the football team and president of the Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina (thank you Wikipedia). Also Hunky Husband had all of his engineering classes in Riggs Hall. We pay homage to you Sir Walter Riggsie for giving a place for Hunky Hubster to call home and receive a formal edumecation that has allowed us to wander the country aimlessly. This blog would not be possible without you. OK. Now that that ceremony is over. Here is a picture of our hell-raiser.

This little guy has captured my heart and as soon as I laid eyes on the little sweet-pea that fateful day in Connecticut at the Humane Society I was a goner. He has brought nothing but laughter and more poo into our lives that we could have ever imagined. When we arrived in Crystal River, Hunky Husband had to work the next day. So Riggs and I were left to drive the U-Haul that carried all our worldly possessions and that was towing the hott red car to our new apartment. We get here and of course to both our dismay we find the air conditioning and power has not been turned on yet. Its ok, its just 95 degrees and BLAZING down here! But whatever...just got to deal. So being a pro at moving by now, I turn on my muscles and start unloading while Riggs scopes out the new apartment to let me know of any problems that I may need to tell the Real Estate Agent. We leave the door open to try and let a little circulation through because you know Im sweatin up a storm and Riggs is panting his face off by now. As Im going in and out, I make sure to be a good mom and check on the little booger to make sure he is behaving and staying inside. All of the sudden (sorry had trouble transitioning into what happened next, writing is hard) I couldn't find him ANYWHERE. I looked everywhere in our apartment and I had no idea where he could have gone. Nothing was in the apt yet so where could he be hiding. This is when panic started to set in. I called and called. No. Where. Ok how to react like a mom would. What to do first. Don't cry. Keep it together. What if he had scrambled outside and ran into the deeply forested woods all around us. Ok, its not that deeply forested, but there is a lot of foliage around us. It didn't help either that they were mowing right out front and that could have scared him and caused him to run far far away. AND he couldn't hear me calling him because of all the unnecessary mowing going on! Don't panic. Just keep looking. Riggs! Riggs! Riggs! nowhere. Ok panic. Call hunky husband on first day of work crying hysterically telling him you lost our amazing,innocent,little kitten-poo. "Well just keep looking, ill be home soon". So wonderful and sympathetic. So as I keep walking up and down the street with huge globs of mascara running down my face, meeting our new neighbors in the process who so kindly say they will keep and eye out for him. Right. It's a dumb cat lady. Get it together. Thats what they were really thinking. I continue to press on. He's so good about coming when we call his name, he doesn't know what cars are and that they are very unforgiving, what will he do if it gets dark, he doesn't know his way home because we just moved here!! Uhhhhh. more tears. I don't know what to do, I can't keep moving stuff in with him so helplessly out in the wild world! Its been an exhausting hour of tearful, hopeless looking when I go back up to the apartment and give up. Im sitting on the floor, tears running down my face when I hear something that sounds like a little bell. I think its all in my head because cute little riggsy was wearing a collar with a little bell. I start to cry more. I'm a horrible mom. As I pull my head up, I see a grey little furball come around the corner of the room. He looks at me, yawns, stretches his legs, and then "meow". Was I dreaming or is that my annoying, pesky little trickster that decided to traumatize my life. Im so mad but so happy. Know I really know how a mom feels. "Where were you!!??" boo-hoo, tears as I scoop him up and nearly hug the life out of him. He aimlessly walks back into the bathroom and into the closet where there was only a dryer machine and crawls back behind it. UHHHGG!! fuming, but elated. No power means no electricity to turn on lights so I could see behind the dryer when frantically looking for him. And of course he was to busy sleeping to even acknowledge my desperate cries. Yep, the whole time he was soundly sleeping and trying to stay cool in a dark cool place. right. why didn't I think of that! Oh right, I was to busy CRYING! This is one of many stories about Riggs and the chaos and love he brings into our lives. Hunky Husband laughed when I called him back and told him not to leave work early and rush home to the ever present danger that our cat ran off. ;) He continue to laughs to this day. I think secretly Riggs does too.

JCH

Buckle Down

Because this blog is not only for "keeping up with our lives" purposes, it is also to seal our stories in cyberspace for our future kido's. Therefore, all your readers out there, I am going to catch you up on a few of our tales from Crystal River so far.

Lets begin by us moving down here. Chris begins by telling me that I need to go and pick up the U-Haul truck his company so kindly pays for. hahahah is what I said back. riiiiighhhht....ME, go pick up the truck? That's Dads job. wait. I don't live with a Dad anymore. wait. Then thats the husbands job. wait. He's the one that works during the day and got us into this lifestyle that requires me to, you know, drive large trucks, pay our bills, fix cars, and carry large heavy objects like couches down 2 flights of stairs. HA! No problem honey! I can do this. So I arrive to pick up our 15ft U-haul truck that will carry us and all our worldly possessions to the opposite end of the United States. No problem, yet again. The U-haul man was so nice and I totally had everything under control. Its like riding a bike, right? He puts little stickers on the outside of the truck to indicate the dents and marks that people had previously done driving it so when we would turn it in, they would know that we didn't make those dents and marks. How kind of him! Ok so I climb on in, put my foot on the gas petal thinking it was the break and roar the ingine "VVVVRRRROOOOMMM!". oops. I totally know what I'm doing. As I drive away I shout out the window, "sorry!" to the kind U-Haul man that was probably shaking his head saying, "This girl needs a Dad". Ok so Im going, going, going down the road and I know I have 3 turn to make. Just remember Jennigray this thing is tall and long. 1 down, 2 to go. No problem. 2 down, 1 to go. I see the house. As I look down the road at the house, I think, 'this thing is fun! maybe i'll go whip it around the block'. No problem, right? No, jennigray just get it home. Ok so I decided to just pull it up on the other side of the street (without hitting the curb) and that would be that. No problem. Chris will be so proud. As I pull to a stop. BOOM! My face turns red, "Oh crap" (sorry mom, at least i didn't say the real word) comes out of my mouth. I get out and to my horrified eyes I see above me, the tree that I so confidently went under had this branch that was ever so slightly jutting out had made a huge gaping dent in the top of the truck. Don't freak out, don't freak out. Ok you can handle this. what to do, what to do. First climb on top of the truck and pull out the large chuck of tree in the dent that came from the brach that decided to every so slightly stick out! UHHH!! Ok, check. That looks better. Now go inside the back of the truck and attempt to kick out with foot the large gaping dent left there by tree that ever so slightly stuck out. UUHH!! Ok, check. That looks better. Now the next thought in my mind is...my newlywed spirt comes out..."to tell amazing husband that would have never done this in a million years, or NOT to tell amazing husband that would have never done this in a million years." No, he'll never notice! Yes, of course he'll notice! Ok what can i do...man I wish I had just one more of those stickers that that kind U-Haul man put on the bad spots of the truck....WAIT....yessss...mmmuuuhahahah. Now that sticker right there doesn't need to cover that teeny-weenie little scratch. That sticker belongs on a much laRGER STRACH or DENT that was created by a TREE. There we go! That will fix that! They will never know when we turn it in that we (I) did that! HA! Take that U-Haul! Chris won't even know! So I decided to let things just play out when he got home. Guess what the first thing out of my mouth was when he got home. yep. marriage, it'll do that to you. "I didn't see it! I promise! It was just sticking out! BOOM! I didn't mean to! I was doing so good! BOOM! Stupid tree! Stupid me! Im sorry! BOOM!" The most beautiful sound came out of his mouth when he saw it. Laughter. Good ole fashioned laughter. I almost cried, I was so relieved. I mean I couldn't really see him getting raging mad at me in the first place, but for peets sake we had only been married 3 months and I had know idea what the kid would do! All he said was "I don't care, I'm not paying for it." HA! Take that tree! yeaaa, were not paying for it anyways! He also thought it was hilarious that I so cleverly moved a sticker to try and make it seem like I didn't do it. I didn't think it was funny, I thought it was good ole common sense my mama gave me! As it turns out, when we got down here, we just turned it in. Ha, it worked! They didn't say anything! I think they felt sorry for me because I looked a little rough and was half-conscience due to exhaustion from moving and unloading. But this is one of many stories that we have, of me mostly, doing something dumb. There's many more to come.

JCH

p.s. my amazing husband that wouldn't have done that in a million years said the he would have probably hit the brach too. :)

Here goes nothin!

Ok, Ok, Soooo I broke down and copied everyone else and started a blog...This is going to be an adventure because first off, I don't write. Ask my mom and all my PCA teachers who so tirelessly helped me and yet I still failed to be a good speller and, Lord help me, the word I hate the most in this world...grammar. YUCK! So as I set out on this blogging adventure you will have to look beyond my failed attempts at grammar and spelling and the overall content of my posts. Another disclaimer: due to me being a visual learner, I will be posting more pictures to explain what is happening in our crazy life rather than write about them. I am also blogging because I can't seem to sit my butt in a chair and journal about what is happening in our life, but I can see myself sitting my butt in a chair to type. Odd. I know. And now our lives will forever be sealed in cyberspace so our little kido's and thier kido's will get to know how crazy and hilarious their parents and grandparents were. (This post is already all over the place. I've got myself into some serious trouble). One more thing. I found this blog called the pioneer woman and let me just say that it is the coolest thing ever and I want to be her, so if you happen to go on her blog, don't judge me if you find my blog slightly like hers, cause im attempting to be like her. Ok? Ok.

So now that we've got the little intro outta the way, let me catch you up on what my hunky hubbster and I are doing with our lives. (I'm acting like I have 10,000 followers and you don't know me, when really the only people that will read this is my own family, and maybe MG, Kelly and Lauren, who all know whats going on). We are presently in Crystal River, FL enjoying the cool fall weather and the beautiful changing leaves. Not. I fooled yall! No but really, its 85 and humid here and I can't remember the last time I wore jeans. tear. Chris is working on a nuclear job as the site manager. He bosses people twice his age around all day, and is really good at it. Being in charge that is. Children, if you are listening, thats the power of an education speaking. He still is having some trouble telling men that have been working for the company for 35 years what to do. I am presently unemployed. Children, if you are listening, that is also the power of an education speaking. I kid, I kid, its really that no one wants to hire me for 3 months. Who can blame them? I wouldn't hire me either? Well, maybe I would hire me. Only because I have red hair. I'm not biased. I promise. Anyways, I spend my days grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, and telling Riggs what to do. It may not be people twice my age, but hey, I feel empowered! I know, its a stretch.

Ok, so I think this is all I want to say for my first post. Plus, I'm already a little tired of trying to keep my thoughts together (As I said before, I think I'm in trouble with this whole blog thing). Next time, I will tell tales and of course provide pictures of what we are doing in this unruly place.

Until next time,
JCH