Avery Kate

Having purchased my baby this Spring, my Nikon D5000, I've been practicing my photography and photo editing skills on many patient subjects. My most recent was Little Miss Avery Kate, born Friday, September 3rd to my friends Tye and Miranda. I can't wait to do another session with her and her parents once she gets settled in. Maybe someday this will turn into more than just a hobby.









For more pictures of Little Miss Avery: http://picasaweb.google.com/113039461180895088683/AveryKateGibson02?authkey=Gv1sRgCLyF64SJ-rWuMQ#

Hot, Hot, Hot!

While Kentucky experienced an unusual cold spell, Woody and I vacationed in Florida during the first week of October. Not only were we able to take part in the wedding of my childhood friend Ashley, but we squeezed in time with Woody's family and spent some time in Siesta Key celebrating our two year wedding anniversary. Reports from Kentucky were temperatures in the 40s all while we couldn't escape the unseasonable heat and humidity of central Florida; upwards of 90 degrees most days. Our trip was fabulous and we quickly returned to the real world. I am so blessed to be married to my best friend, my hero, and my soul mate. I love everything about our life together and our precious mutt, Max. Happy Anniversary to us!

Sunset on Siesta Key

Cousin Nikki and our bargain find: Chanel Sunglasses!

The Bureaucrat

No post in four months but who's counting? Since my last post, I've accepted a new position in the Office of the Governor with the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. Having been there for over four months, it is now official and safe to say that I love my new job! Not only do I love my job responsibilities as a Grant Manager, but I really enjoy the people I work with and being in the midst of the whole Frankfort scene.

Looking back, I see now how the Lord has closed doors for the right reasons and opened new ones. I often ask myself how I got here? How did a high school girl, so "engrossed" in Anatomy and Biology classes, with her heart set on Med School and a passion for surgery, end up in government? The Man Upstairs I tell ya, the Big Guy in the sky! He knew the path that was right for me and the path in which I could make the most difference. I realize now that I wasn't meant to be a surgeon; I still love blood and guts by the way..., I was meant to serve local governments. I was meant to have a family, quite possibly, and not to be on call 24/7 without a family or social life.

In my previous job serving 17 counties and 33 cities and their elected officials, and in my current position serving the entire Commonwealth, I am blessed with the opportunity to help local governments, help thier constituents. "Help me, help you!" is my career motto. More importantly, I am able to serve first responders in my new job, something that is most rewarding to me.

More to come I promise!

Best Good Friends

I bet you didn't know that these are the real Ya-Ya Sisters? Friends since kindergarten through thick and thin. We've been through it all together. Some of us friends even before kindergarten. How is it that we've remained "besties" throughout our lives? I have no idea! Everyone has those that they feel close to regardless of time lapsed between visits or miles between them. I have about 10 of those friends. In June, we all found time in our busy schedules to celebrate Tashena, a.k.a. "T". She is expecting a mystery baby (the sex will be a surprise) in August and I was thrilled to be able to help T welcome "Mystery Baby" with her closest family and friends. Although we are miles apart, from Lexington, KY to New York, NY, we remain "besties". Within our sisterhood there is a Doctor, not one but two Pharmacists, a High School Teacher, a Graphic Designer, the Government Extraordinaire (that's me), and T; the triple major, world traveler, and future lawyer, just to name a few. We are talented, we are smart, perhaps a little competitive growing up, we are beautiful, we are there for each other, and we will grow old together. Here's to you T, Jason, and Mystery Baby!

Curb Appeal

What are the two most important concepts to curb appeal? 1. A cute front door, either a bold vibrant color or adorned with a simple yet sophisticated wreath. 2. LANDSCAPING!

After living in our house for a year and a half, Woody and I finally scraped some change and came up with a fantastic design.

EXTREME "BEFORE"

"AFTER"

Don't Be A Paleface

It's official. The first sunburn of 2009 has arrived. It's barely April here in the Bluegrass and I have experienced my first sunburn of the season. Why do I say this as if I am expecting more to come? Expecting is one thing, however, knowing, despite my efforts to apply 100 + SPF sunblock, that I will receive yet another tortuous sunburn is another.

Two days ago, Woody and I took full advantage of a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon and finally landscaped our pitiful, sorry excuse, for a front yard. Not a cloud in the sky, nor a drop of sunblock lathered on my freckled, winter-white skin, we diligently plotted, fabric-lined, edged, and planted. In shorts and a tank top I cheerfully glavanted across our front yard in nearly 70 degree weather for several hours, ignoring the fact that in several hours, I would be on "fire" from my stupidity.

It is inevitable. Until a true 100% SPF is released, I will continue to sunburn. I will also notice every new freckle that graces my skin with its presence. I have accepted it. I will never have a beautiful bronze suntan (unless it is sprayed on of course) and I will continue to be surrounded by those who do tan and tan well. I'm jealous, what can I say? Two days ago we were soaking in the beautiful Kentucky springtime weather. Today, I am bathed in a pleasant reminder of a weekend full of Vitaman E, as a cold 30 degree rainy day sends chills over my bright red splotchy-ness.

"Before" and "After" pictures coming soon...

(of the yard, not the sunburn, get your mind out of the gutter!)

NannerPuss

One of many commercials that repeats itself in my head throughout the day.

http://www.dennys.com/LiveImages/enProductImage_631.wmv

Do you have any coupons?

One of my favorite things to quote, besides stupid commercial jingles and Forrest Gump, is the self check-out computerized lady voice at Kroger and Wal-Mart.

"Welcome Kroger Plus Member!"
"Please scan your first item and place it in the bag."
I repeat, "Place your item in the bag."
"Please wait for assistance."
"Do you have any coupons?"
"Insert cash or select payment type."

Woody hates it when I talk back to her, mimicking her computerized voice. The lady voice and I have practically become BFF. She knows I have coupons so why does she always ask? She should know by now that I am a coupon freak! Self check-out lady and I have a love / hate relationship and sometimes I don't feel like putting up with her attitude.

Yesterday, I called in at work with back pain. I've diagnosed the pain as a pinched nerve that is affecting my whole left arm, my neck, my shoulders, my spine, and my head. After boredom with day-time television set in, I decided to make the trip to Wal-Mart for some Icy Hot and a few other household items. With coupons in hand and a wobbly buggy, I carefully picked out the items that matched the coupon. Nearly 25 items later, I proceeded to checkout. Being somewhat in pain, I decided to go to a real cashier instead of computerized self check-out lady. The cashier bagged all of my items as I handed her $17 worth of coupons. That's right, you heard me, $17 worth. The cashier then got all flustered and voided my entire order to start all over again in an attempt to make sure I had the correct items and that my coupons were not expired. As if! I would like to apologize to the self check-out computerized lady voice for my betrayal and to thank her for trusting my judgement in products and respective coupons. I'm sorry ; (

The "Us" Factor

Nestled in the Smokies with 70 other couples, Woody and I took part in a Marriage Retreat with our fabulous church at the end of January. Now when I say "marriage retreat" people look at me like there is something we are not telling them and that Woody and I are going to work on things. That's not it at all! In fact, three wonderful days were filled with sessions on deepening our marriage relationship with one other and strengthening our spiritual life together. The speaker was very dynamic and focused the sessions around different "vantage points" of marriage. What if the ultimate purpose of marriage is not to make you love your spouse more, but what if it is to give you an environment to learn to love God more? What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy as we compliment one another in unity?

We also uncovered some of "His" needs versus "Her" needs and touched on the 5 Love Languages, an excellent book to learn more about how your partner likes to give and receive love. The 5 languages come in the form of: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.

Her Needs: Affection, Conversation, Honesty & Openness, Financial Security, and Family Support.

His Needs: Sexual Fulfillment, Recreational Companionship, Attractive Spouse, A Peaceful Home, and Admiration.

Interesting huh?

In addition to devoting time to the "us" factor, we also met many wonderful people that also go to our church and bonded even more with folks from our Sunday School class.

Snow Day

It has been snowing, raining and freezing since Monday night here in Lexington. For the first time in years my office is closed and I feel like a kid again with a snow day. Amber, a friend since childhood, is snowed in with me and it has been such a joy having her here. She is in her last year of pharmacy school at UK and doing a rotation in Lexington at a diabetes clinic. Her car has pretty much been coated with ice and snow over and over again and her tire remains frozen to the curb. We tried to move it into the garage this morning but quickly gave up. Below is a picture of our house this morning just as another blanket of snow was falling. Our little tree in the front yard is weighed down with ice and I woke up this morning to the sound of large branches breaking and falling in our back yard. As you can see, the grill is frozen and Woody forgot to put the cover over it again after it was used last. It's hard to believe we (Woody) will be cooking burgers, hot dogs, chicken and steaks on it in just a few months. Mmmmm....

The Bachelor

Since the inaugural season of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, I've been a loyal fan. Not only do I love the shows for their entertainment value, but they are a constant reminder of the blessing in my life I like to refer to as Woody. As I listen to the lonely hearts and and the dreams of all the wishful women that hope to land the attention, love, and possibility of proposal from The Bachelor, I realize that I too had some of those same feelings being single. There is something missing inside. Something you long and yearn for but seem to look in all the wrong places.

The days of middle school crushes, high school flings, college relationships and adventures made me the person I am today. I don't regret for a second past relationships of any sort. Whether they were merely friendships or romantic relationships, I quickly learned the characteristics I wanted, or the ones I wasn't necessarily looking for, in a relationship. Was I looking for a husband in particular to alleviate my need for stability and security? No. Did I find someone I fell in love with and couldn't imagine a day living without? Yes! God blessed the broken road that led me straight to Woody. Our timing was perfect for finding each other. Without the experiences and trials before meeting Woody, I wouldn't appreciate loyalty, trust, complete love and devotion, friendship, and all the other things I love about him and our life together. Woody is my best friend, my hero, and my soul mate. It says so on his wedding band.

My advice to those with a missing piece in their lives:

1. Praise the Lord for all the blessings in your life no matter how small or insignificant they may seem.

2. Make a list of the things you are looking for.

3. Make a list of the things you are definitely not looking for.

4. Get involved at church, at school/work, and in the community.

5. Be yourself! Compete love and devotion comes from someone who loves you for you.

6. Don't apply to be on The Bachelor because your "eggs are rotting".

7. Patience is a virtue. The lessons learned and the wait are all worth it for Mr. or Mrs. Right.

8. Learn as much as you can about yourself.

9. Ask the Lord that you may find happiness and fulfillment and to bless you when the timing is no less than perfect.

10. Ask my friends who have followed this advice. The results may surprise you.

Free Fallin'

Yes we did it. Woody's family talked us in to jumping out of a "perfectly good airplane" at 14,000 ft (approximately 2.5 vertical miles). This is past the point in commercial airliners when the flight attendant informs passengers that they can now operate electronic devices. The jump consisted of a 9,000 ft free fall in about 60 seconds and an excruciating ascent in a plane, with no seats, to our "final destination". There were about 15 jumpers in our group packed in a small plane like sardines. Most were single jumpers, some military, and three tandem jumpers with thier instructors. Woody and I each had a photographer/videographer and were forced to become instant best friends with a perfect stranger whom we were strapped to, very tightly, at the shoulders and hips from behind. I chose Bob becasue he looked as if he would cushion my fall should we encounter a crash landing. Woody didn't have a choice. The jockey-sized instructor always got the big guys to even out the weight for the parachute.

Instructors: "Who get's Tiny? Aren't you late for your NBA game Dude?"

Woody: LOL

Instructors: "How tall are you?"

Woody: "6ft 6in"

Jockey: "I'll take him!"

I drilled Bob with questions hoping to have a bonding experience before "risking my life for a thrill" as the instruction video put it.

Me: "How many times have you done this, hundreds?"

Bob: "Thousands."

Me: "Have you ever been hurt?"

Bob: "Never."

Me: "Have you every had anyone pass out on you during the free fall?"

Bob: "No"

Me: "Be honest!"

Bob: "Okay, only one. It was an man with a chronic illness in the last stages of his life."

Me: "Have you ever been peed on?"

Bob: "No, but are you in to that?"

As we became up close and very personal with our instructor during the ascent, we straddled the poor soul in front of us. There was no time to think, no time to back out. We walked to the door somewhat unwilling. WHOOSH! It was exhilarating yet beautiful. A little loud and windy I might add. Your mind cannot quite comprehend what you are about to put your body through. Will it be like a rollercoaster, like a dream of falling from a cliff (or out of the bed)? Neither! Words cannot express the feeling. And before you even know it, the experience is over. Would I do it again? Yes! Was it worth it? Absolutely! How much was the aerial photograpy and video? Priceless!

Bottles and Cans & Devil Ray Fans

In mid-October, I was sent to Tampa, FL to attend a Solid Waste & Recycling Summit, exciting I know. But these are the thrills and the kind of issues that I deal with when working for local governments: 33 Mayors and 17 County Judge-Executives precisely. Mom tagged along for the week and while in Tampa, we had the opportunity to spend time with long-lost cousins we had never met and visited my long-lost childhood friend Ashley. Ashley and I have known each other since birth; I litterally greeted her on the day she was born on my way out of the hospital as a newborn. It just so happened that during the Summit, games 1 and 2 of the World Series were being played at "The Trop", Tropicana Field, and the actual trophy was on display at Tampa City Hall. Too bad the Rays lost because I spent a fortune on Christmas gifts at the Tampa Bay Rays Official MLB store. And no I'm not revealing any soon-to-be Christmas gifts because Woody charmed me into giving his early. What can I say? I give in easily when hiding something. Ask my friends; I laugh hysterically when I am lying. Here are a few pics from our fabulous trip.

Clearwater Beach

Childhood peeps at Longboat Key


Longboat Key


Mom with 2008 World Series trophy


Tampa City Hall

On Top of Ole' Smokey

A few pics from a weekend getaway celebrating our 1 year wedding anniversary. Not only did we find a luxurious establishment named after me, but learned that Woody had grown a whole inch this year!

Max-A-Million

Meet Max. He is a 5 month old, or so, mutt with calico hair and deep brown eyes. He loves walks in the neighborhood, wrestling with his cousin Zaxby, aggravating Iddy Bitty and Jasmine, chasing cats, rolling around in poop and eating bugs. He is the pride and joy of the Wood family adopted from the Nelson County Humane Society on September 27th, Weasel's birthday.

Max was a stray found in Bardstown, KY and doesn't like to eat dog food out of a bowl. He is a finicky eater, just like me, and prefers to eat off of the ground, just as any stray would. No, I'm not saying that I was a stray and like to eat from the ground, I just know what I like and how I like it. Max was formerly named "Scruffles" by his Humane Society friends but prefers Max, Maxwell, Maxamillion and sometimes, Snugglemuffin.

Max's adoption day was very emotional; one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. There were so many homeless animals in the shelter that day but I gave myself a pep talk before walking in. "You are here for one dog and one dog only." I forced myself into tunnel vision without having to look into the eyes of another soul in need.

Earlier that day, we decided to pass along an opportunity to adopt a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix found along side I-64 with his litter mates. There were about 80 others waiting to adopt him and Woody and I decided that "Scruffles" deserved a chance more so than one who had a line of people waiting to adopt him. Max was located on petfinder.com, a website filled with hundreds of thousands of pure bred and mixed homeless animals, from puppies to seniors, all across the U.S. Max's face just spoke to me.

If you are wondering, "What, exactly, kind of breed is Max?"; we believe he is a pure bred mutt. A little terrier, a little shih tzu, a little schnauzer, maybe some beagle thrown into the mix, it doesn't matter. Max is a wonderful addition and has already added so much happiness to our family.

How's Married Life?

There is an unwritten rule for topics of conversation with newlyweds; "How's married life?" As the newlywed-ness wears off, conversation leads to "When ya'll gonna have a baby?" We've come to expect this question, nonetheless, and I'm here to say, I love being married but I'm not ready to be a mother... just yet. In fact, I still don't feel like a grown up. I don't feel old enough to be a married woman, let alone old enough to be a mother. I don't feel old enough to have the responsibilities of 401Ks, IRAs, health/home/auto insurance, mortgage, bills, and all of the headaches that come along with grown up things. I'm only 26 for goodness sakes!

But the truth of the matter is, I am one of the happiest married women you will find. Yesterday was our 1 Year Wedding Anniversary and boy what a year it has been. I feel so blessed to be married to my best friend, my hero, and my soul mate. I don't know were life would have taken me without the love and support I get from Woody. Although neither of us really love suburban life in Lexington, we do our best to make each other happy with what the Lord has blessed us with. He has truly provided for us this year with a wonderful church, a house, one fabulous car, one heck-of-a V8 "Big Boy Toy", stable jobs, very little debt with the exception of our house, and more recently, Max the Mutt. Our house has slowly transformed from college hand-me-down mis-matched rooms to a home of furniture that reflects our personalities, well almost. Oh what a joy it is to finally have matching furniture! What a feeling it is to feel taken care of by my husband and provided for by our Lord. What a blessing this year has been! Our dreams of country living and having children will come soon enough. We will welcome the opportunity with open arms when the timing is right.

More to come on Max the Mutt and our Anniversary weekend in the Smokies...

YO - HO, A Pirate's Life For Me

There are so many topics to write about since my last post and so little time between our latest great adventures and our next great adventure. So today I've decided to celebrate International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Yes, that's today! To view your pirate name and personality, hear pirate songs, or for a pirate translator, visit: http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html. The picture above was taken almost a year ago on our Honeymoon. Woody was in charge of off-shore excursions for our day in St. Lucia. We were all aboard a pirate ship, featured in Pirates of the Caribbean, and I must say, it was one of the most memoriable days of our Honeymoon. Lots of RUM!

Ahoy Maties!

Licensed to Conceal

Woody has been "aiming" to get his CCDW (Carry Concealed Deadly Weapon) license for years now. It just so happened that some friends of ours were taking the class and Woody jumped at the chance to take the day-long course. I decided I might as well take the course with him, just in case I happened to be pulled over while driving his "big boy toy" (what I call his Toyota Tundra) with his concealed weapon lurking in the glove box. And, just in case I feel the need to pack heat in my car or on my ankle. There are a few sketchy locations in Lexington where I would feel safer packin' heat, but I also feel gun laws in this nation may soon change, or not depending on November 4th, so I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. Obtaining the license and passing the 20-shot field test also makes "Weasel" (Dad) very proud of his sharp-shooting, NRA-supporting, rifle-aiming, pistol-drawing daugther. Besides, Dad taught me from a young age to always respect and care for firearms the same whether they were loaded or un-loaded.

What qualifies as a concealed deadly weapon you might ask?

• Any weapon from which a shot, readily capable of producing death or serious physical injury, may be discharged.


• Any knife other than an ordinary pocket knife or hunting knife.


• Billy, nightstick, or club.


• Blackjack or slapjack.


• Nunchaku karate sticks.


• Shiriken or death star.


• Artificial knuckles made from plastic, or other similar hard material.

So the next time you see me, I may be concealing brass knuckles, a billy club, revolver, or slapjack. I'm licensed to conceal baby!

Disclosure: Woody refused to pose for the photo "shoot". He thought the shadow man with holes didn't compliment his outfit while in the deserted rock quarry.

A Tribute to Blake

Two years ago, I received one of the most devastating phone calls of my life. One of my best friends, Blake, did not survive a car accident. Blake had just celebrated his 25th birthday and had recently been granted custody of his son, Lucas. I had called Blake several times throughout the last couple of weeks and was awaiting his phone call. I was so happy for him and Lucas and his entire family. I never got the phone call, but over the last two years, I still have dreams about the memories we shared, dreams about him not really being gone, dreams about the terrible news, and some dreams where he just randomly shows up. Here are a couple of things that bring back sweet memories of Blake:

AC/DC

Lynard Skynard

Rolling Stones (he loved the song, "Girl I Miss You")

Pink Floyd

David Alan Coe

Rebel Flags

Gibson guitars

Alabama "Crimson Tide"

Football

Chevy Trucks

"Roy-al with Cheese"

Mane N' Tail Shampoo

Crown and Coke

The only 6th grader with a beard

Snowsking in coveralls

My friend Lori tanning his name on her stomach in Middle School

Making "concoctions" with his school lunch leftovers

Referring to himself as "Bwake" (his little brother's name for him when they were kids)

Blake lived life on the edge and sometimes I feel he was a little misunderstood. Mom tells me, "Maybe he just had a lot of living to do in his 25 years." Blake holds such a special place in my heart. He was also a great listener. I always told him he should be some kind of therapist or social worker for his abiltiy to put my thoughts and feelings into words when even I couldn't.

One Christmas, Blake gave me an Atlanta Braves hat. He saw me eying it in Hat World at the Fayette Mall. Turns out, my husband had a thing for the Braves and would spot the "girl in the Chi-O jacket and Braves hat" on campus that he could only dream of dating. Little did he know, I would be his wife someday. I give Blake credit for the "tall baseball player guy" finally noticing me.

Friends come in to and out of your life for a reason. Without Blake's friendship, I wouldn't be the person I am today. He made me appreciate, well, the "southern" things in life. And, my husband may never had noticed me without my treasured Braves hat. He wanted the best for me and for all of his friends and family. Blake will always be a best friend and he will always be my watchful guardian. I miss you Blake!

Bodies

While Woody was in Nashville for a guys weekend, I organized a fun mini road trip with a couple of girlfriends this Saturday. I've been "dying" to see the Bodies exhibit since Lana raved about seeing the exhibit in Chicago years ago while I still worked at Root-A-Bakers.

Medicine has always been a big part in my life. With parents in the medical field (Dad no longer) and having a fascination of the human body, I've witnessed surgeries, explored cadavers, and become engrossed in Discovery Channel presentations on the subject.

Seeing these perfectly preserved bodies at the Cincinnati Museum Center made me realize why scientists, doctors and researchers still have so much to learn about the body's complexity and response to disease. Why wouldn't I want my otherwise decomposing dead body to be studied and possibly contribute toward a cure for disease? Well, ultimately it is a decision for my family, but I thought the exhibit was very respectful of the deceased.

You may have heard the controversy surrounding the Bodies exhibit. That these unclaimed, unidentified bodies were the remains of incarcerated Chinese prisoners. Whether they are or aren't, the exhibit honors the bodies just as the Egyptians honor mummies, without all of the jewels of course. On second thought, maybe I did see a few jewels. LOL, oh I just crack myself up. Should they just be placed in an unmarked grave for all to forget without a proper ceremony? What I witnessed was a respectable presentation of science and human life. From the moment our LIFE begins in the womb (fetal exhibits died in-utero), to birth defects, to the display of lifestyle habits that eventually become fatal.

I would be honored to be preserved, parts of me or the whole thing. I think I would make a fine specimen. However, I think my husband and I will stick together and rest in peace along side one another someday in our earthly bodies. And someday we will be together in Heaven, spiritually, with our Father.

After spending the day with the Chinese, we treated ourselves to The Cheesecake Factory. I had ice cream for dessert, because I think the words "cheese" and "cake" don't belong together and the thought of the two together really grosses me out. Our meal was fabulous but our waiter was, what Woody would say, " a few chicken nuggets short of a happy meal".

The exhibit and the entire day was, well, to die for.

http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/