Back Pain

I have been having some back pain for the last couple of weeks but didn't think anything was wrong. It happens every so often and I just take it easy and it gets better. Well, not this time!
It seemed to be getting better until yesterday. I was getting up to get ready to go to work and I couldn't stand up without my back in serious pain. I called Alan in tears telling him to come home and take me to the doctor. I called into work and waited in bed for Alan to get home. Finally I was able to get out of bed and make my way to the bathroom to get ready.
At the doctors office he said it was just muscular and since it had happened before that he would just give me some shots and meds and send me on my way. I got the shots and took my meds and went to work for a few hours. I know I shouldn't have but I needed to catch up on some emails and phone calls. Once I was there I started getting very sleepy and decided to go home and take a nap.
This morning I woke up and no pain just a little stiffness. I went to work and then came home and took another nap after taking more meds. It's getting better everyday and I can't wait to get back o normal. Well that's all for this weekend. Jut taking it easy and resting my back.

Hope and Nathan’s Wedding

Hope Stanford is one of my oldest friends.  We met in Ruston when she was only 6 and I was 12.  We lived next door to each other in the same duplex and our families became life long friends instantly.  Her and her now husband live in Jackson where they got married just a few weeks ago.  I went down to Jackson a few days before the wedding to help her, her mom, and my mom and some friends get ready for this big event.  We had such a good time.  The reason I write this blog in orange is because that was Hope’s color of the weekend.  Everything was beautiful!

We made baskets, decorated the reception hall and just had a blast with family and friends.  The funniest thing that sticks out in my mind was the day before the wedding my mom, Claire, and I went to Luckett Lodge and finish decorating…we put white paper lanterns everywhere.  Guess who was the one to climb all the bushes and trees to put these lanterns around the grounds….that would be ME!  But I had fun and my saying was, “anything for Hopey!” because she is like a little sister to me and I would probably do anything for her.  That night Alan came into town and we had a party out at the lodge with a band and everything.  People where dancing, visiting and just having a good ole time.

July 24, 2010

Hope and Nathan Vancil were married outside under a gazebo at 10am.  The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was fun!

Alan and I spent the rest of the weekend with friends in Jackson.  It was great seeing my family and friends over a fun filled weekend.  And we want to congratulate the happy couple…Nathan and Hope Vancil!  We love you!!

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Florida Vacation

Alan and I went to Tampa, Florida at the first part of July and I’m just now getting around to blogging about it. 

This vacation is an annual thing now and we love it.  We enjoy going to Busch Gardens, the beach, and visiting with Alan’s mom and stepdad.  While we were at the beach we saw the sunset and I got to take some beautiful pictures.  This year was the first year we had gone to the beach as the sun was setting…it was beautiful.  We did what we always do in Tampa, which is go to Busch Gardens and we had a blast.  We rode rollercoaster and saw all of the shows there in the 3 days we were there.  We hope to go back sometime before the end of the year!

 

New Blog

I created a new blog today because I didn't like the web address or my old email being on there.  I realized after I deleted it that I could have just changed it, but oh well.  I tried before deleting but obviously couldn't find the exact place to change all of this information.  Anyways, for those of you who followed my old blog make sure to change it to this one so you can keep up with the Holcombs...because we are so interesting you know.  Well, we have had an uneventful weekend and of course I can't sleep tonight so work is going to be crazy tomorrow.  That's all for now!

Wings Over Columbus

Alan and I to the Columbus Air Force Base today to watch an air show.  We had a great time.  Even though the weather was a bit iffy, all of the performers were able to do their thing.  The pyrotechnic air show Tora, Tora, Tora; which recreates somewhat of what happened at Pearl Harbor was first and it was pretty cool.  We also saw the Army Golden Knights Parachuting Team, a women doing acrobats in a bi-plane, some other planes showing what they do, and finally the USAF Thunderbirds.  There are some pictures below of what we say.  If you ever have a chance to see any of those guys do an air show you should definitely go.  It was really neat to see all of the planes and performers…I will for sure go again when they are in town.

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New Job!

Well, I got a new job with the same company and I'm loving every minute of it. I am the Sales and Catering Coordinator for the Hilton Garden Inn and BancorpSouth Conference Center. The hours are so much better than when I was in the hotel part doing audit at least 2 nights a week...usually more than that.
I help with all the meetings, conferences, and weddings that take place on our property. This has always been what I wanted to do, so I'm glad that I was given the opportunity to promote to this job.
Now that Alan and I both have new jobs that only require working one weekend a month, we can go places on the weekends without wondering if we are going to have to work or not. That means more time with family and friends on mini weekend trips. YAY!!!
Well, that is all the news I have at this point! I just wanted to say I love my new job and am glad that I'm in the Sales Department now. Can't wait for all my new adventures as the coordinator!!!

WHO DAT!?!

Well, it is official...the New Orleans Saints have won their first Superbowl ever in the franchises' 44 years. It was a great game; a real nail biter! I didn't get to go to any Superbowl parties or anything but I enjoyed watching the game with my husband, who by the way doesn't like football. He really enjoyed himself and learned alot about football in the process. This championship means alot to the players, citizens of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana.

I can't wait to go to Lafayette next weekend for Mardi Gras and get in the action of celebrating with the state of Louisiana. We are headed there of Friday night and will enjoy parades and family all weekend.

My weekend was made tonight and it will only continue for the next week and end in a party in Lafayette next weekend!! Who Dat Nation has spoken!!!!!!

Happy, Happy Birthday!!

So my birthday was last Friday and it didn't get off to a great start. My Mom and Minaz had decided to come to Tupelo for the weekend because we didn't see each other for Christmas and they had never seen my new house here. I called them early that morning because they had an 8:30 flight to catch and we were a little concerned about the weather in Memphis because it was predicted to ice and sleet all day. But you never know what the weather will do next so we didn't think it would be a huge problem....boy, were we wrong!!
When they got to Houston getting ready for the next leg of their flight...it was cancelled. So they were pushed back to the 1:30 flight instead. Well mid morning they called and said that all flights were cancelled into and out of Memphis for the next two days. I was very upset because I looked forward to seeing my parents all week, and if you know me you know how I am when my Mom is coming to town. Well, in our family we don't let this stuff get us down so we moved on to plan B...which was traveling to my grandparent's house in Arcadia, La. It was six hours for all of us to drive; so I loaded up my car, packed my bags, and headed south. I called Alan and he was disappointed that they weren't coming here, but he knew how much it meant for me to see my Mom and Minaz...he is such a great man!! He decided not to come because he had to work until 5:30 Friday, and it was a really long drive to just come on Saturday and turn around and come back home on Sunday; plus we would have had to come back in seperate cars and that's boring.
Other than that little dilemma, the weekend was great. We didn't do much but we had a blast. Went shopping in Ruston, toured around town to see what had changed, and went out to supper with the grandparents. It was a fantastic 3 days and I hope we can do it again really soon. Happy 28th Birthday To Me!! Next year, who knows what will happen...you always have to be ready for Plan B or even C with this family!!

RIP Pepe

Our 14 year old dog, Pepe, passed away Saturday night in the middle of the night. I found him when I got home from work Sunday morning. I was very sad, but also happy that he will not be suffering anymore.

He had been going down hill for the past month so I knew the time was coming. In the last week, though, he had stopped eating as much and was hardly able to walk around. At the beginning of the weekend I knew Monday would probably be the day I would take him to the vet and have him put to sleep because he was suffering too much. God knew he was suffering and decided to take him and I am very thankful for that because even though I knew what needed to be done I still held on too long. I worked at an animal hospital for 6 years and helped put alot of animals to sleep for the same reasons, but this was my first animal that got sick and so it was tough.

Alan and I only had Pepe for a short period of time since my grandfather gave him to us because he couldn't take care of him anymore after heart surgery, but he still meant alot to me. I took care of him as a young dog at the clinic where I worked, then he came to live with me for awhile, then I gave him to my grandfather so they could have a friend in each other. He had a great life with all of his different families and everyone will miss him terribly. Rest In Peace Pepster...My old man!!

Snow Days

So it snowed here in Tupelo yesterday. It didn't snow much but it's enough to have a thin blanket of snow and ice on the ground around our house. The temperature is 18 degrees today and tonight it's going to get down to 9 with a wind chill of about -3...so they say. Therefore, what's on the ground will be on the ground until about Monday. I took some pics around our house and thought I would share them with everyone.

Christmas Pics...

Molly playing with her squeeky toy she got from Santa.


Grandmothers enjoying Christmas


Dad and Jackie opening presents

Dad opening his GI Joe toys from my stepmom.

Ross, my brother, and his girlfriend, Lauren.

Alan and our brother-in-law, Aiman

All the cooks in the kitchen.

Christmas was great and I love spending time with my family.

A White Christmas, Family, and A Happy New Year...

...could it get any better!! It's been awhile since I've written anything, but between work and life it's been crazy. First off, Christmas was great. I woke up Christmas morning to snow falling outside. It wasn't much and didn't stick but I'm claiming a White Christmas. LOL!! I had to work that morning but then that afternoon, Alan and I headed south to Louisiana to see the fam. It was the first Christmas that my brothers and sister have had together in a long time. We usually have two seperate gift unwrapping sessions because one of my brothers and I are always working. Anyways, we had a wonderful time spending the weekend in New Roads. We got to visit and eat lots of great food my dad cooked for us. But it was too short of a weekend, we had to leave on Sunday to come back home so we could get back to the reality of work. It was all worth it though. I hope we can get together more often this coming year.

New Year's was alright. Again, I had to work that night so I brought in the New Year by myself at work. Since I was busy Alan decided to go to Florida to visit his Mom. He had a great time and I got alot accomplished while he was away. I took down decorations and tidy up a bit, but there's still more to do...cleaning wise that is. If you know me you know how much I hate to clean. LOL!! Nothing really excited has happened so far in the new year, but I keep waiting to see what's in store for us this year. 2010 should be a great year for the Holcomb household.

Christmas Parade and More

Alan and I went to the Christmas parade this past weekend. It was my first Christmas parade in a long time. We had a blast. It was freezing out, but we bundled up and headed out. Ran into some of Alan's friends from high school and caught up with them. It was a long parade but they had so many great floats and marching bands you couldn't resist getting into the Christmas spirit. Even Alan had fun and he doesn't get into all that stuff like I do. Once we got home I decided to take some pictures of us and the animals in front of our tree. Pepe couldn't get into the fun with us because he was outside and filthy so he will have to take pictures some other time. Here are just some of the pics from the parade...I took too many to put on here. Merry Christmas Everyone!!

'Tis the Season

Alan and I put up all of our Christmas decorations last weekend. And I surprised Alan this week by putting up and decorating the tree while he was at work one day. I love this holiday and couldn't wait to finish decorating. It's our first Christmas in Tupelo together. Last year I was in Tupelo by myself while Alan was still working in Jackson so I didn't put up any decorations or anything. We did get to spend it together visiting most of our families but it just wasn't the same. I love being in Tupelo and seeing all of the city's decorations. It feels more like home then Jackson ever did...it has a more down home feeling. Here are some pictures I took of our decorations and tree. Have a safe and happy holiday season!!

These are the stockings of our dog and cat. We have to get one more for our new dog, must go shopping.


Our Christmas Tree


Mine and Alan's stockings. We don't have a mantle so we have to use our speakers.


My collections of santas, nutcrackers, and other Christmas figurines.


With the lights on it looks much better


The outside. The big ball of light in the middle is a star that is so bright that it doesn't show up well in the pictures.

Coupon Savy

I was surfing the internet the other day and came across this blog about saving money with coupons. It was talking about this woman who can go to the store and spend $4.00 a week on groceries and household items for a family of 6 plus 4 animals. It was amazing... She has a stockpile of coupons that she has saved from everywhere, 5 years worth of toilet paper (that was free), and she has never paid money for her child's diapers (and he is 3). Now, if you don't think that's amazing I don't know what it is.
So, I'm on a new mission now...SAVE MONEY WITH COUPONS!! I know that I won't be as good as she is because she has been doing this for years and knows a thing or two about how it all works. But, I'm determined to use coupons, surf the net for deals, and spend far less money than I usually do.
I have been researching it all week and have found that is it pretty interesting all the stuff you can find and use to save money. I have made it into a little game and I'm becoming super organized with it all.
My first experience with coupons didn't go so well, but I went to Kroger yesterday to buy a few grocery items we needed for this week and saved a pretty good amount of money (to me)...$2.10, not much but it's a start.
My first big deal will be happening tomorrow when I go to Walgreens. They have Arm and Hammer laundry detergent buy one for 6.99 and get one free. I have a $1.00 off coupon and $2.00 worth of register rewards from them. Which means I get 64 loads of laundry detergent for $3.99 + tax. That, I have to say is a very good deal!!
I'm hoping to get really good to where we can cut our grocery bill in half at first...that will free up money to go elsewhere. I'm super excited about my new experience and hope I can get the hang of it to where I'll be a pro like those other people out in the world that don't pay for things of this nature.

A Clean House Does Make you Feel Good

Well, my plans for this weekend changed several times but I ended up staying in Tupelo and taking it easy. Alan and I don't stay home very often when we have time off from work, but it felt great. I do miss the fact that I couldn't spend time with my Dad and the rest of my family, but it was a great weekend non the less.
Friday we didn't do much once Alan got off of work. Saturday we ate breakfast and while Alan was at his granddaddy's house I decided to clean our house spotless. I was very productive which is unusual for me when it comes to house cleaning, you can ask Alan...I don't clean very well and often! HAHA!! But it is very rewarding and makes me feel good when my house is clean from top to bottom. All laundry is done, floors are clean, and beds are made...love that feeling. That left the rest of the weekend to relax and have fun.
Alan went to the HAM radio clubhouse for a competition and I spent the rest of the weekend doing whatever I wanted, which meant pretty much nothing. I hardly ever get to just relax and veg out.
Now that my house is clean and I'm refreshed it's time to go back to work. But the good thing is it's Thanksgiving this week and we only work a few days...
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone...hope you have a great holiday!

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Fall...I Love this Season

Fall is by far the prettiest time of the year. I love to see the leaves changing colors and feel the cool weather making its way in. I love this time of year and all of the holidays that come along with it. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas right there all together. It's funny to see even Alan getting into all the holidays. When we first met he could have cared less, but now he is the one talking about decorating the house and even putting up the Christmas tree. I guess married life will do that to a man...who knew!!
I took some pictures a few days ago around our house in Tupelo and then when Alan and I were driving back from Jackson this weekend I took some while we were on the Natchez Trace Parkway. By the way, that road is gorgeous right now. There may be some more later, but for right now this is enough...I think!