The Honeymooners

We finally did it; we went on our honeymoon 10 months after our wedding. The delay in taking our honeymoon was for many reasons. Life was really busy. First, I graduated December 18, 2009 with my doctorate and second, I am a teacher. I couldn't possibly take off of work so soon.

Anyhow, we went on a 7 day cruise out of Mobile. We went down on Friday night and spent the night with my best friend and her fiance. We had a blast hanging out in the pool and just being with each other.

Stephanie and JC took us to the terminal on Saturday after a delicious lunch at the Dew Drop Inn. Jim and I spent two days at sea, the third day in Jamaica, the fourth day in Grand Cayman, the fifth day in Cozumel, and the sixth day at sea. We had a blast. Jim had never been on a cruise and he was somewhat hesitant, but by the 2nd day he was already saying he would love to go on another one.

Of course the first two days at sea were nice. The weather was awesome and we spent our time laying out and catching some sun. We even watched a hairy man contest. Jim had a "special" part in the contest. A man actually asked him to take off his shirt before he walked down the stairs. Jim reluctantly agreed and it was hilarious!




When we arrived in Jamaica, we took an hour and half drive to Ocho Rios for our excursion. We took a miniboat and waterfalls excursion. Jim got to drive a mini boat in the ocean and then we climbed Dunn's River Falls. Needless to say it was AWESOME! We would climb so many feet and then get to a part of the falls that was like a plateau and then climb some more. By the time we were finished, we had climbed 600 feet.


After Jamaica, we went to Grand Cayman. This was our favorite. We took a catamaran to stingray city. There were only 6 of us on this huge catamaran; just call us lucky. When we got to the docks, the catamaran was pulling up and about 50 people got off. There we were, just the six of us, waiting to get on. The water was beautiful and the experience of feeding and holding the stingrays was so exciting. The female stingrays are huge and very heavy.

(Stingray City in Grand Cayman)

(kissing the stingray, 7 years of good luck I think)

We got to spend the day in Cozumel also. When we arrived, it was raining, but that didn't stop us. We went shopping first, returned our goodies to the ship and then went back out for some fun. Jim asked some guys on the ship about a Mexican restaurant and they suggested La Choza. So, we took a cab to the restaurant...the first time I had ever been in a cab I might add. The food was delicious. We then took another cab to Carlos and Charlies. I have never seen anything like this place before. Everyone was wearing balloon hats and having a wonderful time and so did we. After Carlos and Charlies we headed back to the ship.

( Jim at La Choza...very good!)

(me and some crazy guy dressed up like a pirate)

(me and Jim in Cozumel)

(us at Carlos and Charlie's)

We participated in several shore excursions on our cruise, but we also had a lot of fun aboard theship. We never stepped inside the casino, but we did gamble by playing bingo...it was so much fun. We also enjoyed a show by a hypnotist and we saw a great comedian. Of course the food was delicious...I think I gained 7 pounds.

I think we will be taking another cruise in the future. It was so much fun and we both highly recommend the 7-day cruise out of Mobile.

July 4th Family Reunion

When you think of the 4th of July, I'm sure you think of barbeque and fireworks. Well, when I think of July 4th, the Shelley family reunion comes to mind. Ever since I can remember the Shelley family has held their family reunions around July 4th because my great-grandfather's (big grandaddy, as we called him) birthday was July
4th.

Every year we would meet at his house. Big Grandaddy has 10 children (my grandfather and his 9 siblings), so this was a rather large family reunion. All of my grandfather's brothers and sisters would come to the reunion and all of their children and their children's children. You get the idea. Below are some pictures from family reunions in the past.

(me and my family, years ago, with my grandy and nana and big grandaddy)

(my grandfather, the tallest man in the picture, and his 9 siblings)

Well my grandfather passed away at the age of 91 I believe. Even though he is no longer with us, we still have our family reunion, but we hold it at the church down the road from the old, wooden house. The number of people in attendance has dwindled over the years. Many have bad health or have passed on. Nonetheless, my entire family was there this year. This is the first year, in a long time, I can remember where both my brother and my sister and their families were there. Even both of my cousins were there.

(my brother PJ, his wife Julie, my sister's husband Johnny, my sister Cynde, me & Jim)

(the cousins, PJ, Staci, me, Cynde, and Jenni)

We all enjoyed an evening at Aunt Rose's on Saturday with pizza and salad. Then the reunion on Sunday. Nothing better than some homecooking...dumplings, fried chicken, fried okra, fried bread, and of course you can't forget the desserts. When I was there on Sunday looking around I remembered how we (me, my sister, brother, and cousins) used to be the children running around. It's different now; we are adults now and there are other kids running around.

(Grandy with his great grandchildren)

(my sweet niece, Sarah Atchley)

(my Uncle Roger, Aunt Paula, Jenni, and Staci)

Of course we did have a little drama. As we finished eating lunch, there was a burning smell in the air. The smell was coming from a light fixture. My brother and my husband climbed into the attic and noticed smoke. My husband, being the electrician, figured out it was a lighting problem, so he saved the day and removed some faulty parts. Of course this recognition happend after the fire department had already been called. It was quite funny.

After the reunion, we drove to Auburn to spend some time with my brother and his family. My sister, mom, and dad also came. We went to the fireworks in Auburn and they were spectacular. Can you believe I had never been to the fireworks in Auburn all those years I lived there?

(hanging out getting ready for fireworks)

(Sarah Atchley with her visor, too sweet!)

Anyhow, it was a great July 4th! We really enjoyed being with our family, eating great southern food, and watching a wonderful fireworks show. We'll see what July
4th brings next year.

Easter, Fun, But Bittersweet

This Easter, Jim and I went to Auburn to celebrate with my brother and his family and my mom and dad. We had a great time...started the weekend off with Pj's baseball game (they won), had a fishfry, went to church, and finished off with a great Easter lunch. The weekend was filled with wonderful memories. Pj hasn't played ball in probably 10 years...Sarah Atchley is getting bigger and more precious by the day...and we went to church with my parents, which I haven't done in quite some time. The only thing missing was my sister and her family.

Although the weekend was a great one, it was also bittersweet. Easter weekend brings back memories from many, many years ago. Easter, 2002, was the last sermon my dad ever preached. He preached on Sunday, felt fine and then woke up with a terrible headache in the middle of the night. We found him the next morning (April Fool's Day) in his recliner, unresponsive. We didn't know at the time that he had a stroke at some point during the night. We all have so much to be thankful for! Even though my dad lost his short-term memory; he did not suffer with any paralysis. My dad did have to give up preaching, but God has another plan.

I urge you all to live life to the fullest and don't forget to hug the ones you love and tell them how much you love them. You never know what God has in store for you and how your plans may not coincide with God's plans.

Our Wedding Day

On September 26, 2009, I married the man of my dreams, Jim. I waited so long to meet someone and as the years passed and I got older, I often questioned why I had not met that "special someone" yet. Thankfully, God opened my eyes and showed me he had a plan. Before I went back to school at Auburn in 2006, Jim and I met and started dating. It's all history from there. I wanted to share some of our favorite wedding photos with you all. We got married at the Sonnet House in Leeds, Alabama and it was just beautiful. (By the way, the photography was done by Norris Photography in Homewood and they were great to work with!)

My First Time

This is my FIRST TIME...first time to write a blog that is. I've put it off long enough. I was going to start a blog in January since it was the beginning of a new year and all, but never did. After looking at my best friend's blog and my sister-in-law's blog, again, I thought why the heck not. I have so much I want to say, so here I am, with my first official post. Nothing really special, but at least I got started.