Wordless Wednesday

Great Day & Weekend...

I was in Arkansas this weekend! I had a great time!

Friday night I got to meet/hang out/eat dinner with some wonderful friends that I hadn't seen in a long time. Saturday I went over to see baby Brylee's room. I can't WAIT for her to get here and meet her.

I've had a wonderful birthday today....I had lunch with Mom, Dad, Blake and Kristen! Mom also cooked breakfast for me and I got to take a birthday nap :)! Now I'm back in Tennessee safe and sound!

I'm glad I got to see everyone while I was in Arkansas!

Thanks so much for all the comments, text messages, calls and facebook messages! I have the greatest family and friends...Love you all!

A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun.

Enjoy the trip. ~Author Unknown

I love birthdays, other people's birthdays and MY birthday! I really don't have any issues with getting older...I'm 32 today! I look forward to another year! I just think birthdays are fun! What's not to be excited about!?!??!

SO TRUE....

Paige found this and sent it to me! I had to put it on my blog! So true! If there is a choice between anything and chocolate...I pick chocolate no question!

Wordless Wednesday...

1 year ago...

Playing along with Paige....here's my post from one year ago today.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Fish Pedicure Anyone?...

Fish pedicures: Carp rid human feet of scaly skin

Watch the video

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Ready for the latest in spa pampering? Prepare to dunk your tootsies in a tank of water and let tiny carp nibble away. Fish pedicures are creating something of a splash in the D.C. area, where a northern Virginia spa has been offering them for the past four months. John Ho, who runs the Yvonne Hair and Nails salon with his wife, Yvonne Le, said 5,000 people have taken the plunge so far.

"This is a good treatment for everyone who likes to have nice feet," Ho said. He said he wanted to come up with something unique while finding a replacement for pedicures that use razors to scrape off dead skin. The razors have fallen out of favor with state regulators because of concerns about whether they're sanitary. Ho was skeptical at first about the fish, which are called garra rufa but typically known as doctor fish. They were first used in Turkey and have become popular in some Asian countries. But Ho doubted they would thrive in the warm water needed for a comfortable footbath. And he didn't know if customers would like the idea. "I know people were a little intimidated at first," Ho said. "But I just said, 'Let's give it a shot.' "
Customers were quickly hooked.

Tracy Roberts, 33, of Rockville, Md., heard about it on a local radio show. She said it was "the best pedicure I ever had" and has spread the word to friends and co-workers. "I'd been an athlete all my life, so I've always had calluses on my feet. This was the first time somebody got rid of my calluses completely," she said. First time customer KaNin Reese, 32, of Washington, described the tingling sensation created by the toothless fish: "It kind of feels like your foot's asleep," she said. The fish don't do the job alone. After 15 to 30 minutes in the tank, customers get a standard pedicure, made easier by the soft skin the doctor fish leave behind. Ho believes his is the only salon in the country to offer the treatment, which costs $35 for 15 minutes and $50 for 30 minutes. The spa has more than 1,000 fish, with about 100 in each individual pedicure tank at any given time.

Dennis Arnold, a podiatrist who four years ago established the International Pedicure Association, said he had never heard of the treatment and doubts it will become widespread.
"I think most people would be afraid of it," he said. Customer Patsy Fisher, 42, of Crofton, Md., admitted she was nervous as she prepared for her first fish pedicure. But her apprehension dissolved into laughter after she put her feet in the tank and the fish swarmed to her toes. "It's a little ticklish, actually," she said. Ho said the hot water in which the fish thrive doesn't support much plant or aquatic life, so they learned to feed on whatever food sources were available—including dead, flaking skin. They leave live skin alone because, without teeth, they can't bite it off.

In addition to offering pedicures, Ho hopes to establish a network of Doctor Fish Massage franchises and is evaluating a full-body fish treatment that, among other things, could treat psoriasis and other skin ailments. Ho spent a year and about $40,000 getting the pedicures up and running, with a few hiccups along the way. State regulations make no provision for regulating fish pedicures. But the county health department—which does regulate pools—required the salon to switch from a shallow, tiled communal pool that served as many as eight people to individual tanks in which the water is changed for each customer. The communal pool also presented its own problem: At times the fish would flock to the feet of an individual with a surplus of dead skin, leaving others with a dearth of fish. "It would sometimes be embarrassing for them but it was also really hilarious," Ho said.

It grosses me out a little but I think I would do it!

What do you think?

Book Review...

Have you read Redeeming Love? If you have you loved it I'm sure...I did. I have a book series for you Mark of the Lion by Francine Rivers. It is a three book series. I read the first two books really quickly...I'm one of those readers that will stay up late into the night reading when I have a good book! I didn't think she could write another book that was/is as good as Redeeming Love but the first two books of this series are AWESOME! I haven't read the third book but I've been told that it is just as good as the first two.

The books are Christian novels...which normally that is a total turn off for me...because most of the other Christian novels that I have read are totally CHEESY! These books are different. If you haven't read Redeeming Love you should. If you want to learn more about Francine Rivers and her books...click here!

Nashville....

Sunday we went to the Adventure Science Center in Nashville. The museum was geared more for kids we still had a good time. We finished up the day at Joe's Crab Shack. Pictures are below...

Can you find Blake in this picture?

The Nashville sky line from the science museum

I had a lot of fun with Blake and Kristen while they visited! It was a busy weekend but a blast!

Chattanooga, TN...

On Saturday we were on the road again to Chattanooga! We went to the zoo and the aquarium. They were both AWESOME! We had a lot of fun!

Down by the river!

View of the river from the aquarium

Jelly fish my favorite!

Kristen touching the sting rays...

At the zoo!

Loved the camels!

Me and a statue of Hank the chimp!

Lynchburg, TN...

On Friday afternoon Blake, Kristen and I went to Lynchburg, TN to tour the Jack Daniels Distillery. Even if you don't drink Jack Daniels it is a very cool tour.....very educational.

Statue of Jack...it isn't to scale!

On the National Register of Historic Places.


The natural spring where the water comes from for Jack Daniels

Fire Brigade

Picture of Mr. Jack...to scale...

he was 5 feet 2 inches

Inside the visitors center

Blake playing checkers....with Jack.

The county where the distillery is located...is dry.

The distillery can only sell commemorative bottles.

The stores in the county can't sell it at all.

Really the only thing to do in Lynchburg is the distillery!

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and

certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

What A Weekend!!!...

I'm still super tired but I had a GREAT weekend in Arkansas! I visited with old, great friends. I spent time with the family. I spent some time with the Condrays so much fun! Kennedy spent the night with me on Saturday...she is so funny!

Friday morning Melissa, Misti and I met at Cracker Barrel to visit! I as I said in the last post the three of us had not all been in the same room since we graduated high school! We had so much fun laughing and catching up! We needed more time! Can't wait until we get together again...plans are already in the works!

Saturday afternoon I picked Kennedy, we ate dinner and did a little shopping! I had a great time!

Kennedy story: On Sunday we were getting ready for church. I had a dress with very thin straps to wear to church. Well I had a jacket to go over it. While we were getting ready Kennedy asked, "Why do you have a jacket to go over your dress?" I said, "Well I don't like the way it looks without the jacket." So we finished getting ready. I put the dress and just before I put on the jacket. Kennedy looks at me and says, "You're right it does not look good." Got to love the honest of a 4-year-old!

What is it with me and storms?!?!?! On Sunday afternoon while I was driving back I hit three different storms. Below is a picture of a storm that I was about to drive into!

This upcoming weekend will be another busy one. Blake and Kristen are coming for a visit! I'm so excited! I'm sure I will have pictures from their visit!


I hope everyone has a great week!

Various Things...

I thought I would do a quick blog post before I get on the road for Arkansas!

1. Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone has a very safe holiday weekend!

2. Happy Anniversary to Blake & Kristen (Saturday)!

3. If you have read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers and loved it! I have a book for you. I will post more about that next week!

4. I'm very excited! I'm "getting together" with some friends from high school on Friday! We have not been in the same room since high school...14 years ago....I'm I that old?!?!? Surely not! Anyway we have been planning it and waiting for months...it is finally here!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!