Linda "Grammy" Godfrey 7/23/1933 - 2/29/2010

Friday morning at 4:40am my grandmother, "Grammy," passed away. She battled the past ten years of alzheimer's, parkinson's, and dementia disease. I arrived in Charlotte Friday morning to be with my family. My aunt and cousin were here with us and my brother and his girlfriend came down from Raleigh. We have spent a long weekend together sharing stories, laughing, crying and trying to realize that Grammy is in a much better place now.

We all will be driving up to Smithfield, North Carolina (30 mins outside of Raleigh) for a service in her honor on Tuesday.

I do have to say that a death brings family together but I honestly have had a great weekend with my family. We have experienced IKEA, driving in snow and ice, drank plenty of wine, watched all movies possible on TV, cooked plenty of food and even went sledding in the neighborhood in plastic storage tubs!

Grammy would have wanted us all together and be happy. That is definitely what we did. Rest in peace Grammy and we all know we have a special angel looking down on us forever. :)

..................

Not much is going on up in Asheville this week.... it is snowing (again!) I'm so ready for this cold weather to move on. I'm probably headed to Charlotte this weekend. My grammy hasn't been doing well and I think it may be that time. Keep her in your thoughts.

*LoVe*

Mondays

I really do not like Mondays....

1. good tv is on until 11pm sunday night
2. usually drink too much on sunday watching football... hello HANGOVER
3. don't go into the office until 9am so I feel behind
4. feel like nothing got accomplished over the weekend
5. everyone else hates mondays so we are all in bad moods
6. you just realized you have five whole days of work before your next day off
7. you are always a week or two away from your paycheck fridays

I could keep going but I'm going to try and be more positive. :)

Welcome Monday!

Rain Rain Go Away

What a blah weekend... dark, gloomy, and rain! I'm so ready for SpRiNg! I want to see the sun shinning.. the flowers blooming.... t-shirt and jean weather!!!

How much longer???

2 Personal?

Tonight, Jesse and I were eating dinner and I was explaining to him a situation I was in today. I explained what I was doing and how this certain person emailed me back and it rubbed me the wrong way. He just states ... "You take things too personally."

I didn't like that. I do not feel like I take things too personally I just think there are BETTER ways of communicating. First problem is that texting, emails and facebook communication is the worst way ever. PEOPLE PICK UP THE PHONE! Well I guess I read this "email" the wrong way.

I'm honestly trying to give people the benefit of the doubt and look at the brighter side of things. I guess I just always try to say the correct thing and in the correct manner. I don't want to hurt anyones feelings or make them feel uncomfortable. I think I'm one of the only ones left doing this these days....

Harsh, blunt, inconsiderate people honestly just drive me crazy! There is always a time and a place but come on.....

*had to vent tonight... well today*

Name Change

It is official..... I finally went to the social security office.


Leigh Ann Ordan

Weird.....

*Happy Weekend*

Work...Eat....Sleep.....

It is only January 14 2010 and I'm worn out already!

I have got to get on a better schedule.. I'm just out of it. I have no energy, I'm not sleeping, I have a to-do list that is full and I still have a house and husband to look after. Yikes!

I'm going to recharge this weekend and then it is ON!!!!!

Thank You Notes

As I sit here looking at my thank you notes I begin to think.... WHY IN THE WORLD DID I NEED TO HAVE SUCH A BIG WEDDING?????????? I love all the people that came to support Jesse and I but I seriously doubt I can write another thank you note. My hand is cramping, I feel like I'm running out of creative things to say, and etc. H-E-L-P!

I just keep looking at the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be over soon. Now I just wish I gave Jesse more to write than I did. Honestly, I'm just glad he picked up a pen and helped! :) Such a good husband.

I'm giving myself one more week and they are going to be done! At least I'm still within the three month deadline.

*Promise Myself*

I'm Going To Be An Aunt!

In March.... I'm going to be an aunt!! Aunt Leigh Ann and Uncle Jesse! My brother/sister-in law are having a baby girl. They have named her Alexandria Charlotte Ordan.

I'm so excited about this! It is going to be so great to have a baby around! Right now baby Alex weights almost 4 lbs and is as big as a loaf of bread.

Stay Tuned for updates and pictures! :)

Momma....

If those of you who read this have had the chance to meet my mother well you have just met one of the most wonderful women in this world. My mother is the definition of what a mother should be.

I have been lucky to have this woman apart of my life for 27 years. She is my constant supporter, best friend, gossip chit chat, listener, advise giver, and my role model. My mom will go above and beyond for you if she has known you for years or just 5 minutes. She treats everyone as she would want to be treated. She puts her family and God as top priorities in her life and always has a good laugh.

I've really realized what a great friend and mother my mom has become for me over the past few years. As I grow older I find that I need her more than ever before. She is my first phone call of the day and usually the last (if Jesse isn't at work). Good news or bad news I have to tell my mother. We aren't the ones for secrets between one another and don't let my dad get in the middle of us!

I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for my mom and her gracious self. I'm so lucky to have a part of her in me and help me become the best wife and mother I can be. I wish I would have known before how lucky I am to have my mom.

This year starts a new life for me being a wife and I am so grateful to have a wonderful role model to help guide me. My mother is probably one of Jesse and I's biggest supporters and I can't say how much that means to me. Mom loves Jesse like he is her son and would stop the world for him. She even picks his side over mine sometimes!!

I want everyone to take a moment and remember their mother, aunt, grandmother, best friend, second mom, sister or etc and just say Thanks!

Thank you for being you! Love you!

Can You Do It?

If you dare read below....



Check out the "One Week Digital Cleanse" by John Mayer

Mention to anyone with computer savvy that your laptop has somehow gotten slower over recent months and they’ll ask you the same thing: “have you defragmented your hard drive?” Defragmenting works by taking small slivers of information stored in various locations and consolidating them so that they’re in the same place on the drive and thus easier to access in larger chunks. Hard drive fragmentation is a great metaphor for - if not a literal manifestation of - what’s happened to our brains over years and years of processing small bursts of information. 2009 took fragmentation to a whole new level given the rise of Twitter and the social acceptance of texting people as a substitute to making phone calls.

That’s where the one week digital cleanse comes in. I’ll be defragmenting my mental and psychological hard drive during the first seven days of the new year, and I invite you all to participate.

The cleanse will begin at 9am on January 1. This gives everyone a chance to text and tweet their new year’s well wishes, and theoretically begins upon waking up the morning of January 1. The cleanse will end at 9am on January 8.

Guidelines:

*email only from laptop or desktop computers

*cell phones can only be used to make calls, and no text messages or e-mails are allowed - if you receive a text, you must reply in voice over the phone. E-mails must be returned from a laptop or desktop computer.

*no use of Twitter or any other social networking site - this includes reading as well as posting.

*no visiting of any entertainment or gossip sites. (No need to detail which ones - you know what they are.)

--> I'm debating this... no its not the new year anymore but we all can pick any 7 days and have a digital cleanse. I think I can... I think I can.... well not this week! Ha!

One Of The Loves Of My Life

Skiing in NC

Jesse and I went on our first ski trip adventure together! We can now cross this off our "first to-do" list we have. It was planning on snowing Friday so off we went at 10am! Wolf Laurel, NC is only 30 minutes towards TN border. Great day trip to have!

I felt like the biggest muffin ever! Jesse looked all cute in his ski gear and brand new jacket he bought Thursday night.

It was very cold!!!! Skiing in NC is totally different for Jesse who only goes skiing out West. He said he was probably one of the top 3 skiers out on that mountain on Friday! HA! (go ahead and laugh... i did) :)

I can't wait to go again! Maybe Jesse can take me out West for some SNOW skiing instead of this NC ICE skiing!

one of those days..........

I'm just having one of those days... well I could say week. I've been up since 1am this morning. My mind is racing about ideas, worries, good thoughts, the future and etc. I HAVE TO SHUT IT OFF! It is 815am and I'm offically in the bed... thank goodness for my personal day tomorrow.

No work for me!! Jesse and I are off skiing! :)

Shout Out To Emma!

"Don't Be Tardy For The Party" - The Real Housewives of Atlanta Kim's Song

I just LOVE reality television!!!!

***This post is for my best friend, Emma, so she has some tunes to listen to while she is driving to or from work.**** Love you!!!

I Want Out!

Its official.... I want out of Asheville!

I have lived here for a year and half now and I'm over it. Let me just explain why. Do you know those emails that get forwarded around the work place or family members of odd photos taken of people and things found. Example: I rec'd one yesterday about diferent people found all over the United States entering Walmart. WEIRD. A man in biker jean shorts with his belly hanging out in the freezer section with an XS wife beater on. A woman who is wearing stripper heels with shorts and her rear is hanging out the bottom. You know what I'm getting at?

I decided to go to our "local" grocery store Ingles down at the bottom of the hill and you wouldn't believe what I ran into just for the 10 mins I was shopping. You think these people have never heard of the word "FASHION"! I mean these people look like they woke up in the woods and decided they were hungry. GROSS. Then I start thinking they have touched that door, this cart, probably picked up this can of soup and put it back, used this same cash I'm paying for my groceries with... EW EW EW EW EW!!!! FYI - This is why I always use my debit card or credit card for purchases!

Besides Asheville being freezing butt cold, snow, no friends, no family, hippies... THERE ARE TOO MANY BACKWARD A$$ PEOPLE AROUND HERE!!!

No More Folks... I Want Out!!

Frustration.... Need to Vent

The topic I'm about to discuss could cause some debate . . . JUST FYI!

After work I went to the grocery store b/c my husband wanted a certain type of bread to go along with this wonderful dinner he is cooking tonight. It is soooo cold outside but I did it. I pick up some other items as well while I was there. I'm standing in the long line to check out when this woman next to me in another line decides to explain why she was buying what and made sure it was on her food stamp list. This lady went on and on about how it is so tough right now having 6 kids with one on the way.

I guess I just got a little frustrated about the situation. I want food stamps!!!! I want someone to help us buy food!

Jesse and I have both been very lucky so far in our life living on our own and being able to go and do and purchase things we want. We work hard for that money to be able to do those things. The past few months since we have been married have been the hardest money wise (like i'm sure for most people). We have had to watch every dollar spent. No more target shopping sprees, weekend vacations, and just b/c I wanted something purchases. We have even started to buy STORE BRAND items - even Jesse *shocking i know*

I don't honestly want to be on food stamps but Jesse and I are two people who know we can't afford to have another person around as a mouth to feed. Why do others do more than what they can give? Do they know the government will help them? This situation just made me really think... now in an odd mood tonight.

I just need to be thankful for my life, my husbands life, and our life together with Xienna and Nemo. :)

Snow......... Again...........

Attention: Asheville has snow again!

This is getting old... let me tell you! We haven't even lost all of the 18 inches we got two weeks ago! It is supppose to snow today, tomorrow, Thursday and Friday! H-E-L-P! This weather is freezing!!!!! I feel like I live in NY or something!

I hope everyone else is staying warm!

*warm thoughts*

Timeline.Schedule.Agenda.Layout.Map.Projection

If you know me I love to have my life follow the above words. You will always find me checking my schedule, writing to do lists, and planning for the future. I believe I get this from my dad. Dad would do his usual.. dinner, tv, to-do list for the next day. I haven't become like that YET but I usually have a weekly to do list and then a work to do list everyday. I feel so much better to see everything all written down. I know what it is expected of me and what I have to do. I have filled out my calendar for half the year so far... i'm excited to do the rest!

Jesse and I had our first "date night" in Asheville last night. Dinner and a movie! We almost felt like we weren't in Asheville for awhile. Such a good time! Of course we had to have a serious conversation (that I wanted to bring up). When can the babies start?!?!?!?! We had a great conversation and let's just say if everything goes as planned I can put it on my calendar this year! I LOVE 2010!!!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! It is going to be a tough week going back to work for 5 days straight! Boo! :(

New Year Resolution 2010!

Today starts Jesse and I's first official weekend together in Asheville! We haven't been in the same place with days off together in a long time. We have a weekend full of activities planned! We have to put up all the Christmas decorations, going to dinner & a movie, thinking about skiing/tubing in Wolf Laurel, and catch up on some major sleep. :)

Tonight.... Jesse and I talked about our new years resolutions.

LAO: I'm going to try to stay better connected to my friends even though I live in Asheville and they are all in Charlotte & try to be more positive.

JSO: "no idea yet"

I should add a lot more to my list but I think two is good for right now. Our ultimate goal is to both get jobs in Charlotte, NC and move back!!! Yay!!! Hope everyone had a great new years eve! We have so many things to look forward to this new year.... and so much to be thankful for in 2009.