Mom's Surprise Birthday Party

Surprise parties are THE best!!  The insane amount of planning and organizing (and lying) that goes into it can be daunting, but the end result is SO much fun!! After much debate and discussion, we ultimately decided to attempt a double surprise party weekend for Mom.  Our first surprise involved just our immediate family.  McKinley invited Mom and Dad over for a game night with him and his roommate, JK.  This is a fairly common occurrence so certainly no red flags there.  What Mom didn't know is that Jordan and his crew along with Chris and I would be hiding in the kitchen waiting to jump out and surprise her upon arrival.  Worked like a charm!

Mom was no doubt surprised...especially since she had called me just a few minutes before while I casually pretended to be enjoying a relaxing weekend at our apartment in NY.  I'm good, friends! Put me on the surprise squad ANY day! :)  That Saturday afternoon all the siblings just hung out and entertained the kids.  I worked with Brinley and Landon on being quiet as a mouse when we surprised Grandma and Grandpa.  They did awesome while we waited to spring the surprise!

It was a lot of fun to play games and just hang out that night.  We told Mom we were planning to go to church with her and take her out for a family lunch the next day.  Surprisingly, she didn't ask a ton of questions.  We all thought we were in the clear.  She didn't suspect a thing.

And we were right!!  Church was great.  Mom was extremely happy to have us all there together - a rarity these days!  We got some fun family shots outside the church before the rain began.  At that point, we headed over to Old Hickory for our second surprise.

The hostess group was a little lacking on the subtleties and nearly gave us away, but the New Yorker in me took over and just barged through to the banquet room.  Mom said she thought we might have invited her sister to join us, but she never expected to see a whole room full of family and friends.  Since I was in the group that arrived with her, I didn't get a look at her facial expression.  The pictures say it all though.  Mom was absolutely thrilled to be able to visit with so many wonderful people for the afternoon.  We were all relieved we managed to pull it off - a feat we had doubts about from the beginning!

Have you ever planned a surprise party?  How did it go? 

Andrea :)

Saturday States: Kentucky!!!

Kentucky

State Nickname: The Bluegrass State

Year of Family Trip: HOME!!
Bicentennial Tour of all Kentucky Counties from 1992-1996

Cities Visited: ALL!!

Can't Miss Tourist Attractions:
Floral Clock at State Capitol, My Old Kentucky Home in Bardstown, Churchill Downs in Louisville, Georgetown College, Old Hickory BBQ in Owensboro, UK Basketball at Rupp Arena, and the list goes on...

Each square represents one of the 120 Kentucky counties.

Take it from an expert, Kentucky is the BEST state in the country!  Honestly, even if I wasn't a born and bred Kentuckian, I'd still have to admit it is a pretty great state!  It's mostly peaceful and serene.  There are cities...a couple decent size ones...but mostly things are spread out.  I could probably talk forever about Kentucky and all the things to do there so today I'll focus on a few highlights.

A Bicentennial Tour: Kentucky Passport Style

Kentucky turned 200 years old in 1992.  We were young...me at age 8, Jordan at 7, and McKinley just shy of 2.  Mom and Dad decided to make a series of family road trips to collect Kentucky counties over the next few years.  There are 120 counties. We managed to cover them all by 1996.  There were even these fun Kentucky passports that allowed us to gain a stamp at various state park or historical sites.  We sure made some great memories on these trips throughout our state.

 

Jordan Falls

Our family has made more than one stop at Cumberland Falls over the years.  On a trip when we were a tad older - let's say at least high school age - Jordan provided us all with a memorable family moment.  There are several sets of stairs at Cumberland Falls.  And on one of these staircases Jordan, you guessed it, fell.  Hence Cumberland Falls will forever be known to the Heflin clan as Jordan Falls.  Before you start feeling too bad, let the record state that no one was hurt in the making of this memory...though Jordan probably wanted to hurt me after the new name was born!

"Rigamortis Has Set In"

My only word of advice about visiting Kentucky is be careful in that eastern region.  I grew up in western Kentucky, but spent my fair share of time in the central and northern parts throughout my collegiate years.  And even though I traveled back and forth from Georgetown to Richmond for my graduate courses at Eastern Kentucky University, I didn't really spend a ton of time in that eastern part of the state.  Now, those that grew up there might have a different story to tell, but here's mine.  Way back on one of those collecting KY counties trips in the early 90's, a highly impressionable moment occurred in the backwoods of eastern Kentucky.  We were driving along the crooked roads at a little more than a snail's pace when we noticed a dog in the yard up ahead.  Not just any dog though. This one was lying on its back.  With its legs straight up in the air.  And it wasn't moving.  As we approached, Dad said, "I think rigamortis has set in!"  Someone (maybe or maybe not me...I can't recall) suggested we pull over to get a photo.  I mean, it's not everyday you see something this crazy, right?  We needed evidence.  As we slowed to a stop, we noticed the dog had company.  On the porch sat a rugged old man with a shotgun by his side.  Um. Nevermind about that picture, Mom!!  Let's get the heck outta here!! 

Molly's (Do we really have to go again this year?) Ride

The Civil War re-enactment of The Battle of Sacramento is our home county's claim to fame.  Every May folks from far and wide convene on little ole McLean County to check out the settler's tents and see if the North or South will win the Battle.  At first, it was fun to go.  The kettle corn and cream soda were treats to look forward to each year.  And I always loved Molly's Ride as she went to notify the troops their opposition was near.  But then after year two...and year three...and year four...it lost a little appeal.  If you ever find yourself in McLean County around Battle time though, it's worth a peek for a first time viewer!

"I Love You, Dad"

Working Cincinnati Bengals camp during my undergraduate summers became routine while at Georgetown.  My family usually came up to visit at some point throughout camp.  After a few years of getting to know the coaches and players, I was quite comfortable around this bunch.  Among others, Chad Johnson was always one of my favorites.  And, in true Chad fashion, when I introduced him to my dad he exclaimed "Dad!  I Love You, Dad!" as he embraced and lifted Dad off the ground.  So...here's a family portrait of Dad with all his kids!

A Derby to Remember

The 136th running of the Kentucky Derby is the only one I'll never forget.  It was the year my friend Reba and I completed our own triple crown...and we kicked it off with my family at the Derby!  My dad and I have always enjoyed the track.  We've even won big a few times.  Ok, maybe it was just that once, but we have fun regardless.  The rest of my family wasn't super thrilled about the experience though I recall them enjoying the fried turkey legs!  But, I digress.  We arrived early, brought our chairs and set up shop in the only area that we could see even a sliver of the track.  We were all set.  Or so we thought.  As race after race went by, the infield became more and more crowded.  The day had already begun with a drizzle that turned into full out rain showers that pitter pattered into sunshine so we were prepared for anything.  And by anything I mean drunk frat boys that had been sliding through the mud for hours who thought they could waltz right up in front of our group as soon as the bugle player began his call to post for the biggest race of the day year.  Oh, no they didn't!!  The New Yorker in me came right out and promptly put those folks in their place much to the chagrin of my more mild mannered family.  Minutes later, we saw those horses for the split second they whizzed by our 2 inch viewing window between a fence post and a security station though.  And that made everything worth it!  However, you'll never catch me in the infield again.  If another Derby is in my cards, I'll have a (preferably covered) seat in the grandstands!

Have you ever been to my old Kentucky home?

Literally, My Old Kentucky Home...

Do you have any questions about things to do or places to visit in KY?

Andrea :)

Recent Reads

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

 Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

My Thoughts:

I picked this book up for two reasons: 1) It was written by someone from McLean County (my hometown) and 2) The movie was being released and it looked interesting.  I am so glad I read it!  It is incredible to think that Kody wrote it when she was in high school.  Amazing!  It proved a bit more racy that I anticipated, but the overall story was a winner.  And I really loved the movie!  It was a bit more PG and literally had me LOLing!  Definitely recommend checking out both!

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

A dark and electrifying novel about addiction, fanaticism, and what might exist on the other side of life.

In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. The men and boys are all a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs; the women and girls feel the same about Reverend Jacobs -- including Jamie's mother and beloved sister, Claire. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession. When tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, this charismatic preacher curses God, mocks all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town.

Jamie has demons of his own. Wed to his guitar from the age of thirteen, he plays in bands across the country, living the nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll while fleeing from his family's horrific loss. In his mid-thirties -- addicted to heroin, stranded, desperate -- Jamie meets Charles Jacobs again, with profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil's devising, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings.

This rich and disturbing novel spans five decades on its way to the most terrifying conclusion Stephen King has ever written. It's a masterpiece from King, in the great American tradition of Frank Norris, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan Poe.

My Thoughts:

Simply put, this book was not for me.  I knew early on that I didn't really like where it was heading, but I hung in there and finished it.  As a Christian, it was difficult for me to read in many ways.  I did enjoy the character development and found myself wanting to know more about the mysterious Charlie Jacobs.  It was written from Jamie's point of view, but I think I may have liked it more if it has switched between Charlie and Jamie's viewpoints.  It would have also allowed me to see more of the direct reasoning behind many of the things that Charlie did.  Overall, I didn't love this one.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

Ira Levinson is in trouble. At ninety-one years old, in poor health and alone in the world, he finds himself stranded on an isolated embankment after a car crash. Suffering multiple injuries, he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image materializes and comes into focus beside him: his beloved wife Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by recounting the stories of their lifetime together – how they met, the precious paintings they collected together, the dark days of WWII and its effect on them and their families. Ira knows that Ruth can’t possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories, reliving the sorrows and everyday joys that defined their marriage.

A few miles away, at a local rodeo, a Wake Forest College senior’s life is about to change. Recovering from a recent break-up, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke, who bears little resemblance to the privileged frat boys she has encountered at school. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes of survival and success, ruin and reward -- even life and death – loom large in everyday life. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imagining a future far removed from her plans -- a future that Luke has the power to rewrite . . . if the secret he’s keeping doesn’t destroy it first.

Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples who have little in common, and who are separated by years and experience. Yet their lives will converge with unexpected poignancy, reminding us all that even the most difficult decisions can yield extraordinary journeys: beyond despair, beyond death, to the farthest reaches of the human heart.

My Thoughts:

It took me a bit to really get into this book, but it had me hooked once it got started.  I had pieced together how most of it would fall into place as Sparks has a pretty distinct style, but there were still a few loose ends and twists that had me wondering until the very end.  Based on the synopsis, I was expecting the two couples to intertwine much earlier than they did.  However, it was nice to bounce back and forth between two totally different stories for nearly the entire novel.  I enjoyed Ira's reflective voice as he looked back on his life with Ruth.  More than one story from their lifetime left me a little teary eyed.  Sophia and Luke presented a much more modern (and perhaps a bit unrealistic) model of relationship that moved very quickly.  It was fun to watch their relationship grow throughout the book, but I much preferred Ira's story.  I am quite curious to see if the movie does the book justice, but I haven't had a chance to check it out yet.  I can't imagine they'll find a way to include all the nuances and details that made the book so interesting though.

What have you been reading lately?

Andrea :)

Thumbs Up!!

I am proud to be from McLean County, Kentucky - home to just under 10,000 people according to Wikipedia.  We have one high school - Go Cougars!! We have one stoplight in the whole county.  We have to take a 30 minute drive to get to Wal-Mart, the movies, or pretty much any fast food chain.  However, we have some of the MOST caring and community driven people in the entire world (at very least, per capita)!  Today, I want to briefly share the story of a local hero...a local 13 year old hero who recently made national news - that's HUGE!!  I don't know him.  I don't know his family.  But we are from the same place.  To be honest, that is enough for me.

His name is Lane Goodwin.  He has cancer - Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma Stage IV cancer - a rare and aggressive childhood cancer.

It has been attempting to take his life since he was diagnosed on March 4, 2010.  The battle has been up and down since that time, but he has fought...hard!  At this time, from what I can gather, he is home with his family praying for a miracle along with peace and comfort should it be his time to spend eternity with God.  And he's checking facebook to see who has left a new Thumbs Up picture and if his page has reached his goal of 100,000 likes (it is very close!!)*.  Please take a moment to pray for Lane and his immediate family (Angie, George, and little brother, Landen)...and then click here to like his page, Prayers for Lane Goodwin.

It is situations and circumstances like these when I truly realize how amazing it is to be from a simple, small place where you are never really alone.  What a blessing!  It also makes me understand more fully that tomorrow is not promised.  We must approach each day with a Thumbs Up attitude!!

Andrea :)

*Update: Lane has reached his goal now.  But keep on liking his page anyway!!