Fall is in the air!

I am so excited because it's Fall! This has always been my absolute favorite season. I love to see all the trees turn as they turn shades of firey red and burnt orange. My absolute favorite smell comes in the fall~burning leaves. Someone should make a candle with the scent. At my house in Mississippi, we have this HUGE oak tree that can shade the majority of our yard. We have had so many tires swings hung from that tree I probably couldn't count. The only thing I didn't like about the fall when I was growing up was raking all of those leaves from the oak tree. My mom would always try to make it like a game for me and my sisters or even try to act like it was going to be the most exciting thing for us to do as "family time". I could think of a hundred different things I'd rather do than rake our yard. However, many times we would spend all day raking the leaves into the ditch forming this massive pile of leaves so that when we were done we could take turns on the swing and jump into them. This was one of my favorite 'games' we played as a kid and me and my sisters had it down to a fine art of the whole process. There were three positions for this game: The jumper, the pusher and the raker. Obviously the jumper had the funnest part. But if you were going to be the pusher you knew you had to do a good job so that the next person would push you on the swing so you could get really high for the jump. The the raker was in charge of keeping the pile together.

When we were kids, my mom was always so crafty with us and we would help us make the coolest Halloween decorations and she always made our Halloween costumes. Me and my sisters have been skunks, bumble bees, little red riding hood, pumpkins and so much more all made by Mom. I am so thankful for Mom taking time to do all of this with me and my sisters. She would take time out from doing house work or many other things she needed to do and spend quality time with me and Ashlee and Laura. I look forward to doing that with my children someday too!

Back from Michigan

As many of you know, I'm one who likes to squeeze everything in so that I have to miss nothing. Well, this was one of those weekends. Saturday morning at 10:50 a.m. my plane left for Detroit. I went from the airport to the salon to meet Jessica. We always have the best times when we are together. Here's the run down of the weekend. When I got to the salon, the stylist had just began (I made it just in time to supervise and put in my 2 cents if needed!). Actually Jessica is one of those gals that looks beautiful no matter what. She could have wore a side ponytail with a big ole bow and looked like a million bucks! As soon as hair and makeup was done we rushed to her house to pick up a few things for Jess and grab the iron for me and off to the church for pictures (we were like 30 minutes late, but that's never a shocker for us!) We got to the church and I saw Jon and Stephanie and many of my friends that I went to college with and it was such a great time. After the wedding we headed over to the reception that was decorated so beautifully. I also learned an apparent 'northern' tradition for receptions--everytime people 'clank' their glasses the bride and groom have to kiss. Every time I heard it I kept looking around thinking someone was about to make a toast. Luckily I wasn't the only one who was introduced to this tradition so that made me feel better. When the bride and groom left, it was clean~up time. I know that Jessica and I have met our quota for washing dishes for the rest of the year! But somehow we managed to have fun. We finally got to bed around 2:00 a.m. and it seemed like only 30 minutes later our alarms were going off to get ready for church. One of my favorite things about going up to visit Jesse is going to her church. I have gotten to know many people over the years that I've been visiting and everyone in the church is so welcoming I just feel like I'm at home. After lunch me and Jesse made a fast break to her house and got a quick 30 minute nap and then back to the airport. That was one of the fasted 24 hours I've had in a long time, but WELL WORTH IT!

Fun~filled Weekend Coming Up

This weekend I'm so excited because I'm jumping on a plane Saturday morning and flying up to Michigan to see my best friend from college, Jessica. Her brother is getting married Saturday night so it's going to be a fun~filled weekend with the Locklear's! The good news about my flight up to Detroit is that I found out that I will be having a flying buddy on my plane. One of my Bible professors from college, Dr. Reid, just so happened to be on the same flight. I'm really excited we are on the same plane because he was one of my favorite teachers I had while I was in college. I will never forget my first day of college and walked in to Dr. Reid's class and we all had to write on an index card where we were from and a few other things and he came up to me the next class and asked me, "You're from Amory? Have you ever heard of Bill's Hamburgers, because they are the best!" I thought that was the coolest thing for two reasons-1) He actually knew where Amory was 2) He had actually been to Bill's Hamburgers! He is such a knowledgeable, godly and down to earth man and I have a great respect for him. I'm sure we will have a good time and great laughs on our flight. I will have pics from the weekend soon to follow the trip.

It's Official!!

I'm now an official resident of Tennessee! I spent my entire morning running around to get my Tennessee driver's license, voter's registration (Mom, I know you're proud!), emmission's test and Tennessee car tag. I had heard the horror stories of how long it takes to get your driver's license here so I was determined to get there early so that I could be one of the first one's there. When I arrived at 8:10 a.m. the line was already coming out the door. But I was trying to stay positive and I knew it was all going to be okay because I had my yummy diet coke that I would drink while I waited in line and my zune if I needed to listen to some tunes. As I approached the entrance I saw this huge sign that read, "NO FOOD OR DRINKS INSIDE THE BUILDING". Now, I have been told that I am notorious for making facial expressions that can say 1,000 words without me even speaking--I'm sure I made a fun face when I read that sign. I took my drink back to the car and then I went back to wait in line.

I finally got to the registration desk and I knew all the documents I needed to bring and I had ever so carefully set my book with all of my personal information the night before(thanks mom, it's been such a lifesaver!). Well, I handed the lady my Social Security Card, MS Driver's license, 2 pieces of mail proving my TN residency and my birth certificate...well, at least I thought my birth certificate. Somehow, I managed to get my car title instead of my birth certificate. However, I did have a copy of my birth certificate with me, but the lady behind the desk (who could easily win the prize for Miss No Personality) said that I had to have my original. So I had to drive back home and find the original copy then go back and get in line all over again. I finally got my driver's license though!!

Then I had to go to some other places for the Emmission testing and car tag place, but its all taken care of now! And now I'm off to my church for our first volleyball game!

Favorite Foto Friday!

Last Sunday was Grandparent's Day and me and my sisters have been truly blessed to have such wonderful Christian grandparents who love each of us to pieces. From birth all the way high school graduation we were so fortunate to live about a mile from Mamaw and Papaw and about 30 mintues from Mommy-o and Daddy-o which was great because we were able to spend so much time with them. These are pictures of Mamaw and Papaw (and yes, me and my sisters are well aware we have the cutest little Papaw ever-suspenders and all!) I can't wait to go home soon so that I can see them!

What's with the name?

Hey friends!

Getting started is always the hardest. I thought that explaining the blog name would be a great way to start off. Many of you may know that I've always loved cutting, coloring, and styling hair and I've always said that one day I want to open my very own hair salon and call it Curl Up & Dye. Unfortunately, I can't take credit for the name (watch Runaway Bride), but this name just seems to fit with my personality and humor. One day when I open my salon I expect you all to come to me for your hair disasters you may have (like many of you already do), except then you will have to pay me for it! ha ha.

As far as "The Center Child" that's what my mom has called me since I can remember because she always told me that I was in the center of her heart! Plus, it's something different, which is what I LOVE to be!

This picture was taken a couple of months ago while I was at work. During one of the many crazy days at work, my office was occupied by someone else for a little and I was desparate for a computer right then. The only one that wasn't being used at the time was the one in our supply room. So I just pulled up a handy dandy bedside commode and finished my work. Nancy was in her office and turned around and just burst out laughing. I was so in the zone at what I was working on I completely forgot I was sitting on a toilet with my feet propped up on the cart! We all got a good laugh out of it.