Friday, October 30, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday Trip
Elephant Rocks
Mom and Dad
Mike and I
Mom and Dad climbing the look out tower at Tom Sauk Mountain State Park, I stayed a couple of stories back! I was too chicken to go all the way up and my knees were beginning to buckle! :)
View from the top of the tower
Tom Sauk Reservoir
Johnson Shut-Ins
Mike and I at Johnson Shut-Ins
Alley Springs / Mill
Mill at Alley Springs
Round Springs. Usually the water is always a pretty bright blue so we were disappointed to find the water mucky!
Mom and Dad
Mike and I
Mom and Dad climbing the look out tower at Tom Sauk Mountain State Park, I stayed a couple of stories back! I was too chicken to go all the way up and my knees were beginning to buckle! :)
View from the top of the tower
Tom Sauk Reservoir 
Johnson Shut-Ins
Mike and I at Johnson Shut-Ins
Alley Springs / Mill
Mill at Alley Springs
Round Springs. Usually the water is always a pretty bright blue so we were disappointed to find the water mucky! 
Weekend
Saturday
Mom and I headed to Rolla for their Annual Arts & Craft Show on Pine Street. Afterwards we ate at Panera Bread, it was very good and I plan to go back very soon! That evening Mike and I went to the movie theaters to watch Couples Retreat. Overall it was a good movie, but not as good as I thought it would be.
Sunday
Mom, Dad, Mike and I woke up early to start our "day trip". We went to Elephant Rocks, Tom Sauk Mountain State Park, Johnson Shut-Ins, Alley Springs and Round Springs. We were a little disappointed with how much Johnson Shut-Ins had changed since the Tom Sauk Reservoir had broke flooding everything. Although they have done a great job restoring what was there, it's just not the same as it was and never will be. When you first enter the park there would be nothing but beautiful tall trees, now there is dried up weeds and huge rocks everywhere. The flood completely wiped out all the trees in it's path. For lunch we stopped in and ate at Baylee Jo's in Ironton, Missouri. It was a long Sunday drive, but well worth it!
Mom and I headed to Rolla for their Annual Arts & Craft Show on Pine Street. Afterwards we ate at Panera Bread, it was very good and I plan to go back very soon! That evening Mike and I went to the movie theaters to watch Couples Retreat. Overall it was a good movie, but not as good as I thought it would be.
Sunday
Mom, Dad, Mike and I woke up early to start our "day trip". We went to Elephant Rocks, Tom Sauk Mountain State Park, Johnson Shut-Ins, Alley Springs and Round Springs. We were a little disappointed with how much Johnson Shut-Ins had changed since the Tom Sauk Reservoir had broke flooding everything. Although they have done a great job restoring what was there, it's just not the same as it was and never will be. When you first enter the park there would be nothing but beautiful tall trees, now there is dried up weeds and huge rocks everywhere. The flood completely wiped out all the trees in it's path. For lunch we stopped in and ate at Baylee Jo's in Ironton, Missouri. It was a long Sunday drive, but well worth it!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
God Works in Mysterious Ways
I recently found this picture online of Sutton's Bluff in Southern Missouri and it just so happens to be the exact spot I fractured my neck when I was a little girl.
I remember it like it was yesterday, one hot summer day back in 1992. My family was camping out at the campgrounds of Sutton's Bluff which was close to where my aunt Judy used to live in Ellington, Missouri. We had decided to go swimming before heading to my aunt's house that evening. Of course my parents being protective made me wear my life jacket even though I had just taken swimming lessons and could swim quite well on my own. To this day I am so happy that decision was made for me, little did I know it may have saved my life.
After swimming and playing in the water for a while, my brothers, cousin and I decided it would be a lot more fun if we jumped off the cliffs. I was only seven at the time and wasn't about to attempt the climb to the top like they did. One I was scared I would fall off and two I'm sure mom and dad would of had a say in that. Mom and dad watched us from the gravel bar and let us know when to jump since I was on the lower spot where they couldn't see. (note: the lower spot I've circled on the picture and believe it or not the higher part where the boys where at is not shown on the picture. It was that high up!) This had went on for an hour of taking turns jumping. Somehow we had a miscommunication and when I jumped so did my cousin. Of course I would land in the water first. I remember coming up to wipe my eyes and hearing a lot of commotion. The next thing I knew, I had felt this weight pushing down on my neck and pushing me to the bottom of the creek. Come to find out that weight was my cousin landing on my neck/shoulder. At the time it was a little sore but didn't seem too major. I sat on the gravel bar and didn't want to swim the rest of the day. Mom was afraid I would be scared of the water and tried to get me to go back out there. A snake had swam right where we were jumping and wasn't planning on leaving any time soon. To this day we think this was a sign from God, the had doctors said one more jump could have officially broke my neck.
I want to say a couple of weeks went by and my neck was a little stiff but we still didn't think nothing of it. It had worried my grandma that I couldn't move my neck side to side like normal and knew something just wasn't right. Mom had taken me to the hospital to get x-rays done and still they found nothing wrong with my neck. My grandma had suggested I go to a chiropractor and have them look at it since it was still not getting any better. It only took him a few seconds to realize the problem, I had a hairline fracture. He had told us that with my fracture even the small weight of a quarter dropped on my neck could go ahead and break it the rest of the way. Needless to say I had to wear a soft collar for 6-9 months with a lot of adjustments along the way from the chiropractor.
If it wasn't for the life jacket I may not be here today or would of ended up with a broken neck. God does work in mysterious ways and that day the snake came to my rescue!
I remember it like it was yesterday, one hot summer day back in 1992. My family was camping out at the campgrounds of Sutton's Bluff which was close to where my aunt Judy used to live in Ellington, Missouri. We had decided to go swimming before heading to my aunt's house that evening. Of course my parents being protective made me wear my life jacket even though I had just taken swimming lessons and could swim quite well on my own. To this day I am so happy that decision was made for me, little did I know it may have saved my life.
After swimming and playing in the water for a while, my brothers, cousin and I decided it would be a lot more fun if we jumped off the cliffs. I was only seven at the time and wasn't about to attempt the climb to the top like they did. One I was scared I would fall off and two I'm sure mom and dad would of had a say in that. Mom and dad watched us from the gravel bar and let us know when to jump since I was on the lower spot where they couldn't see. (note: the lower spot I've circled on the picture and believe it or not the higher part where the boys where at is not shown on the picture. It was that high up!) This had went on for an hour of taking turns jumping. Somehow we had a miscommunication and when I jumped so did my cousin. Of course I would land in the water first. I remember coming up to wipe my eyes and hearing a lot of commotion. The next thing I knew, I had felt this weight pushing down on my neck and pushing me to the bottom of the creek. Come to find out that weight was my cousin landing on my neck/shoulder. At the time it was a little sore but didn't seem too major. I sat on the gravel bar and didn't want to swim the rest of the day. Mom was afraid I would be scared of the water and tried to get me to go back out there. A snake had swam right where we were jumping and wasn't planning on leaving any time soon. To this day we think this was a sign from God, the had doctors said one more jump could have officially broke my neck.
I want to say a couple of weeks went by and my neck was a little stiff but we still didn't think nothing of it. It had worried my grandma that I couldn't move my neck side to side like normal and knew something just wasn't right. Mom had taken me to the hospital to get x-rays done and still they found nothing wrong with my neck. My grandma had suggested I go to a chiropractor and have them look at it since it was still not getting any better. It only took him a few seconds to realize the problem, I had a hairline fracture. He had told us that with my fracture even the small weight of a quarter dropped on my neck could go ahead and break it the rest of the way. Needless to say I had to wear a soft collar for 6-9 months with a lot of adjustments along the way from the chiropractor.
If it wasn't for the life jacket I may not be here today or would of ended up with a broken neck. God does work in mysterious ways and that day the snake came to my rescue!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Big Brother Fans...
Jeff and Jordan from season 11 of Big Brother have made it official to People magazine they are a couple.
For three months in the Big Brother house, theirs was the Showmance That Wasn’t. Jeff and Jordan had a chemistry that was undeniable but perplexing — although they made an adorable couple, their relationship seemed stuck at a perpetual slow boil.
Turns out getting back to the real world was just what they needed to turn up the heat because not only did BB 11 winner Jordan walk away with half a million dollars, she also walked out of the house with a best-friend-turned-boyfriend.
“Yes we are!” Jordan Lloyd, 23, tells PEOPLE when asked if she and Jeff Schroeder, 30, are finally an item. “We never really talked about it. It just kind of happened.”
The champ and America’s Favorite Player have been inseparable since the finale. For ad salesman Jeff, being away from the cameras and the competition opened his eyes to a different side of the small-town waitress who ended up capturing his heart.
“I liked her on the show, that was obvious,” he tells PEOPLE, “but after the show ended I liked her even more. I get in trouble when I say that, because Jordan is like, ‘You didn’t like me on the show, and now you like me!?’ but what I mean is that I like her even more now that I see who she is outside of the BB house.”
That includes what Jordan has decided to do with her newfound wealth, which is to stand by her pre-show promise and buy her mother a home. “Right after the show,” she says, “I got on the Internet, but I couldn’t find anything, and to make matters worse, my mom was being so picky. But I finally found something, and when my mom looked at it she fell in love with it!”
Another effect of Jordan’s run on the show, her newfound celebrity, came into play when sitting down with the builders of the house. “We closed on Wednesday,” she tells PEOPLE, “and I had put an offer on the house that was lower than what they were asking, and they took it because they were fans of the show, and they knew who I was. They just wanted an autograph, not even an autographed picture!”
And what does a new Lloyd family home mean for the happy couple? Well, for the first time in years, Jordan, who unabashedly admitted on national television to being forced to share a bedroom with her mother, finally has four walls to call her own. “I got my bed back!” she says. “My bed was at my best friend Chelsea’s house, and now I have that back for my room.”
After being locked up together for three months, and non-stop side-by-side, it’s hard for the pair to say that things have moved fast, but in the short period since season 11 ended, there have been trips to each other’s hometowns and meet-the-parents moments, although to these BB veterans, those weren’t big feats.
“I thought that the biggest hurdle in a relationship was taking a dump in front of each other,” Jeff says with a laugh. “We cleared that in the BB house. As far as the relationship goes we have a leg up. We’ve fast forwarded a year!”
As for whether or not things have gotten intimate, or to use Jordan’s bizarre euphemism, whether or not “booger” is in their immediate future, the Southern belle plays it close to her chest, and says with a laugh, “I think he’s waited long enough.”
– Reagan Alexander
For three months in the Big Brother house, theirs was the Showmance That Wasn’t. Jeff and Jordan had a chemistry that was undeniable but perplexing — although they made an adorable couple, their relationship seemed stuck at a perpetual slow boil.
Turns out getting back to the real world was just what they needed to turn up the heat because not only did BB 11 winner Jordan walk away with half a million dollars, she also walked out of the house with a best-friend-turned-boyfriend.
“Yes we are!” Jordan Lloyd, 23, tells PEOPLE when asked if she and Jeff Schroeder, 30, are finally an item. “We never really talked about it. It just kind of happened.”
The champ and America’s Favorite Player have been inseparable since the finale. For ad salesman Jeff, being away from the cameras and the competition opened his eyes to a different side of the small-town waitress who ended up capturing his heart.
“I liked her on the show, that was obvious,” he tells PEOPLE, “but after the show ended I liked her even more. I get in trouble when I say that, because Jordan is like, ‘You didn’t like me on the show, and now you like me!?’ but what I mean is that I like her even more now that I see who she is outside of the BB house.”
That includes what Jordan has decided to do with her newfound wealth, which is to stand by her pre-show promise and buy her mother a home. “Right after the show,” she says, “I got on the Internet, but I couldn’t find anything, and to make matters worse, my mom was being so picky. But I finally found something, and when my mom looked at it she fell in love with it!”
Another effect of Jordan’s run on the show, her newfound celebrity, came into play when sitting down with the builders of the house. “We closed on Wednesday,” she tells PEOPLE, “and I had put an offer on the house that was lower than what they were asking, and they took it because they were fans of the show, and they knew who I was. They just wanted an autograph, not even an autographed picture!”
And what does a new Lloyd family home mean for the happy couple? Well, for the first time in years, Jordan, who unabashedly admitted on national television to being forced to share a bedroom with her mother, finally has four walls to call her own. “I got my bed back!” she says. “My bed was at my best friend Chelsea’s house, and now I have that back for my room.”
After being locked up together for three months, and non-stop side-by-side, it’s hard for the pair to say that things have moved fast, but in the short period since season 11 ended, there have been trips to each other’s hometowns and meet-the-parents moments, although to these BB veterans, those weren’t big feats.
“I thought that the biggest hurdle in a relationship was taking a dump in front of each other,” Jeff says with a laugh. “We cleared that in the BB house. As far as the relationship goes we have a leg up. We’ve fast forwarded a year!”
As for whether or not things have gotten intimate, or to use Jordan’s bizarre euphemism, whether or not “booger” is in their immediate future, the Southern belle plays it close to her chest, and says with a laugh, “I think he’s waited long enough.”
– Reagan Alexander
Monday, October 19, 2009
Weekend Recap
Friday
I decided to stay home and do my routine cleaning and laundry I usually do on Sundays.
Saturday
Met up with some friends and headed to the bridal shop in Jefferson City to pick out bridesmaid dresses for Lindsay's wedding, which is June 26, 2010. I love the dress and can't wait to wear it on her special day, just hope the weather decides to play nice that day and not be as humid out. After I got home I was starting to feel a little under the weather so I took a nice long nap which seemed to do the trick. That evening Mike came over and we went to Rolla to eat at Sirloin Stockade and do a little shopping at Wal-Mart.
Sunday
Sunday Mike and I went to my church and had a meal afterwards that consisted of soup and sandwiches. I had the potato soup with bacon, it was very good. On our way home I decided to go look at the river from Belle Chute, it was nice drive there and the scenery was beautiful with the colorful fall leaves on the road. That evening we played liver pool rummy with mom and dad before dinner was ready. For dinner dad smoked a pork tenderloin and mom fixed corn, green beans, homemade french fries, molasses cookies and peach cobbler.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Little Nathan
Last night we had the opportunity to watch the new baby, Nathan while his mommy and daddy took his big brother Blake to the Circus. Here is some pictures I captured from last night.
Just waking up after he arrived at our house
Just waking up after he arrived at our house
Yawning
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Pictures from Iron Works
Mike trying to eat his smoked turkey leg!
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Ann
Big Red skimming the molasses
Molasses cooking in the different stages
My cousin Dustin and my brother Todd skimming
Mike, Grandma & Grandpa Feeler and Lizzie
My cousin Xander playing with the water hose thinking no one was watching...
A painting my uncle Wayne painted of my grandpa sitting at the press while "Big Blondie" the mule pulls the sweet pole.
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Ann
Big Red skimming the molasses
Molasses cooking in the different stages
My cousin Dustin and my brother Todd skimming
Mike, Grandma & Grandpa Feeler and Lizzie
My cousin Xander playing with the water hose thinking no one was watching...
A painting my uncle Wayne painted of my grandpa sitting at the press while "Big Blondie" the mule pulls the sweet pole.
Weekend Recap
Saturday
Woke up bright and early to start getting ready for two weddings. The first wedding was in St. Elizabeth for Daniel and Abby. It turned out to be a very nice day for it, I was a little hesitant about how the day would turn out considering the two previous days was rainy and just nasty out. A little later in the afternoon we headed to Waynesville for yet another wedding with Mike's brother Randy, his girlfriend Elizabeth and her little girl Kylie. It was a nice drive there but very long. I was glad I got to sit in the front, I tend to get car sick very easily! I wish I would of took my camera in and capture some goofy/cute moments of Kylie, who is 1 1/2 years old. She kept everyone entertained dancing to the live band. Needless to say we didn't stay very long and decided to head back to St. Elizabeth to attend the reception of the first wedding. Capped off the evening dancing and getting to talk to friends we haven't seen in a while.
Sunday
Sunday we headed to the annual Iron Works in St. James. We go every year since my family does our annual molasses making there. It made for a very long day, but well worth it spending it with family.
Monday
Yesterday was my Sunday! Mom and I both took the day off to go shopping in Columbia. Seems like we spent most of the day eating, or it sure feels like it anyway. I think we ate enough yesterday to feed an army. Overall it was a nice relaxing day away from work and household chores.
Woke up bright and early to start getting ready for two weddings. The first wedding was in St. Elizabeth for Daniel and Abby. It turned out to be a very nice day for it, I was a little hesitant about how the day would turn out considering the two previous days was rainy and just nasty out. A little later in the afternoon we headed to Waynesville for yet another wedding with Mike's brother Randy, his girlfriend Elizabeth and her little girl Kylie. It was a nice drive there but very long. I was glad I got to sit in the front, I tend to get car sick very easily! I wish I would of took my camera in and capture some goofy/cute moments of Kylie, who is 1 1/2 years old. She kept everyone entertained dancing to the live band. Needless to say we didn't stay very long and decided to head back to St. Elizabeth to attend the reception of the first wedding. Capped off the evening dancing and getting to talk to friends we haven't seen in a while.
Sunday
Sunday we headed to the annual Iron Works in St. James. We go every year since my family does our annual molasses making there. It made for a very long day, but well worth it spending it with family.
Monday
Yesterday was my Sunday! Mom and I both took the day off to go shopping in Columbia. Seems like we spent most of the day eating, or it sure feels like it anyway. I think we ate enough yesterday to feed an army. Overall it was a nice relaxing day away from work and household chores.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Apple Dumplings with Mountain Dew
I'm sure most of you have came across this recipe already, but I wanted to share it with you anyway. And for those who haven't tried this, you're missing out!! We've made this recipe so many times that my family is a little burnt out on it. Definitely a dessert worth not passing up!!
2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew (I just go ahead and use a whole can, 12oz.)
Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.
2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew (I just go ahead and use a whole can, 12oz.)
Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.
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