The Holidays are here

Is it really that time of year again? Thanksgiving is just a few days away and I find my self so excited. All of my life my grandmother has always done the cooking,up until the past few years when we all pitched in because it was just to much on her. And in the past 4 years I have been making dishes and taking them down. When I was single and had my head so far up my butt I couldn't breath I never even thought of cooking. I was good to get to dinner on time. But after I got married and had a family of my own that all changed. For once I took pride in cooking and sharing with the rest of my family. Once year was some Oreo dessert that I totally botched from the normal recipe and couldn't make it that way again if I tried. That's one one my cousin Barrett still ask me to make, another year it was my mother in laws recipe for hash brown casserole, Then there was baked sweet potatoes ( I couldn't tell you if they were good, I don't eat them).

This year as I sat down to rack my brain on just what would I make this year there was only only thing sticking out in my mind PECAN PIE. Mamaw used to have every pie you could think of at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm talking no store bought anything. Good old fashion southern cooking the right way. But with her arthritis and just being 80 there is no way she could spend days preparing these things. She does however still make her chocolate pies. She is the South Arkansas Queen of the chocolate pie. And she says she doesn't want to hear my dad complaining there is no chocolate pie, she would lay on the floor to make that pie just to avoid his disappointment lol. So with all of her energy going into her dressing that NO ONE can make like her and her chocolate pie that leaves out my all time favorite. The one item that tells my body and soul that its the holidays and that's pecan pie.

So I told my self ok that's this years project. I have thought of going all out making the crust from scratch and all lol BUUUUT I am known for chucking food across the house that makes me mad and Josh is the one that has to clean it up while I'm in the corner crying lol. So Ill just buy the crust so we know it edible. I will also be preparing my cheese and garlic mashed potatoes with roasted garlic! Sounds like it should be pretty easy and hassle free. The hard part is getting packed and loaded and down there. I cant wait!! And as soon as its over that means I CAN PUT ALL MY CHRISTMAS STUFF UP YAY!!!!!

This year on turkey day also marks my south Polk county sistas' birthday. Happy Birthday Ashley We love you and Im sorry we will be out of town on your day! I hope every one has a spectacular day filled with lots of memories!!!!! Happy Thanksgiving

The boys in blue

So I guess I'm on a blogger bloggy roll this week. But now that my heart rate is back down I would like to share a little bit with you what it is like to grow up in a law enforcement family. When I was a kid we never really thought anything about dad going to work. He was a state trooper no big deal. He had a cool car, a scary gun that by NO means were we to get anywhere near, and some of the coolest buddies known to man kind. There was never once a thought of this could be the last time I see my daddy. Also back in those days there wasn't all these shows about wild police chases and stuff like that, so we had no clue. I wasn't until 1997 when our family was so lucky to be honered with a stalker.

This was the first time in my life that it hit me that wow my dad has a dangerous job. After MANY months of this guys shenanigans he was busted down from our home setting in his truck with a gun. Then the big state law kicked in about dark tint on your windows due to cops being shot on the hwy. By now I'm in my teens and I catching on to alot more of why mom doesn't sleep well when dads working.

A year later we moved to Polk County. Dad was finally off the roads and was the states newest criminal investigator specializing in sex crimes against children. To me this meant no more late night worrying if dad was coming home. Although he has the most god awful job in the world, and sees more in 8 hours of one day than I want to ever see in a lifetime I thought maybe this job was much safer for my father who is now in his 50's.

This all came to a halt last night after getting a phone call from my mom. I knew dad was in Hot Springs working a homicide mainly bc I had just gotten off the phone from him less than an hour before moms' phone call. I answer the phone and she says "If you watch the news dads ok" WHAT! Well when trying to capture a suspect they opened fire. Shooting 2 Garland County Deputies. Even though I had already heard the words your dad is ok I still panic. Where was he, where was the shooter, is he ok lol. So its only like 7:30 and the news doesn't air till 9 YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WAIT. I am on ever site trying to find a pic where maybe I can see my dad holding up a sign reading"JODI GO TO BED I'M OK" Well now we all know that didn't happen right.

After a few hours I finally get that phone call and heard his voice and was somewhat at ease with that. It wasn't until this morning when mom said he made it home somewhere between 3-6 am that I was ok. When we moved here I really thought we wouldn't have these nights anymore. But then thought about all the other man hunts, robberies, murders, this that yada he has worked in the past 10 years and I told my self he wont ever be SAFE until these last 3 years are finally over with. THEN we will only have my baby brother working one of the most infamous drug running interstates in the U.S. Ah that's what only the next 3o something years of my life lol.

To my sister in law. Just know that you are not alone. I guess it just comes with the territory. Welcome to a law enforcement family! I am so proud of both my father and little brother for being so brave and putting their life on the line everyday to serve and protect us

THANK YOU PING.COM for making a ladies life easy!

Could it be can I make one post and it goes to my Twitter,Facebook,Myspace and Blogger all at once!!! IM IN HEAVEN!

Catching up with the Looks

It been a while since I wrote any form of blog. With being on facebook ALL the time there really wasn't need for a blog since people know your every move lol. Since my last blog we have gone through a 5 month lay off at Josh's job, Kiah started preschool, My grandmother fell ill and I went to South Arkansas to take care of her, Josh started a new treatment to help try to heal his kidneys, we survived another county fair and Halloween, And Last but not least all four of the Looks were in my brother Jermiahs' wedding on top of Mt Magazine.
It def has been a busy few months and with the holidays a week around the corner there is no sign of it slowing down. I head back to UAMS in January for my 6 month scan and fingers crossed nothing has grown. I am confident in my Dr's and know that if anything is wrong they will address it immediately.
Josh's treatment just started so there really is no way of knowing if it has done any good. It's a pill form that he takes once a day and his Dr said that he has had 2 patients go into remission on this pill. He does all his lab work in Mena and as long as nothing elevates he won't go back until March.
Kiah is doing amazing in school. In fact he missed today since his dad and I are suffering from a stomach bug and he was not happy over it. He begged all morning to go to school :( He really needed to have that social interaction with other kids and get out from underneath mommy. It was ruff at first but now he loves it and has made lots of new friends.





My grandmother is doing great and luckily they don't need any help at the moment which is awesome. At 80 and 81 they want as much Independence as possible and I don't blame them one bit. They do know that when the time comes they are in good hands. I was nervous about leaving them at first but my mom made me realize that they needed this time that they have, and she was so right. It is hard to see them age. They have always been there for me no matter what I needed. And this is my way of saying thank you for all those years you put into me.





Josh went back to work last week THANK GOD! Lets just pray he stays there and NO MORE LAYOFFS. Motors are doing weekly layoffs every few months but thankfully this past one he actually got to work through it YAY! He goes back to school starting in January. I won't be seeing much of him but it is def something he needs to do for himself and his family.





Halloween, Oh what a awesome story to share. We had planned on attending Boo at the Zoo this year BUT...... With medical bills piling up and no work coming in, it just wasn't in the finances. On facebook one day I saw that at such and such time call this number be caller such and such and you could win 4 tickets PERFECT! So I comment on the post YAY maybe will will win so we can actually make it. Well that started a conversation that would lead to a life long friendship and a day at the Zoo we would never forget. Debbie works in marketing at the zoo and she also is in charge of the zoo's facebook page that I keep close eyes on. She sends me an email that she wanted to personally invite us to the zoo and our tickets were handled. When I got the email of course I cry. I email her back saying how incredible that was and I am so thankful. After a few more emails I share our story with her. I tell her about Josh and his kidneys, the tornado,the lack of work and then on top of that this whole breast cancer scare. An hour or so later I get a phone call from Debbie. She tells me that after reading my story she wanted to do something nice for us. She booked us a room at the Marriott, she personally gave us a tour around the zoo (and we didn't even have to walk!) She took us out for lunch in the cafe that used to be the lions den and we ate in the cages, She then set it up for us to feed the giraffes (which was AMAZING and Kiah still talks about), Then she set us up with our boo at the zoo tickets. It was a day I cant even begin to put into words. I can't thank the Little Rock Zoo for giving us this amazing gift.





And to Jermiah and Jyme beth. They were married this past weekend on Mt Magazine. It was the most perfect weather for an outside wedding. She was stunning and he had a smile plastered from ear to ear. Addie was a bell ringer, Kiah was a barrier, I was a bridesmaid and Josh was an usher. I cant even express how beautiful it was. Even though I had a baby with double ear infections we had a blast!





We all stayed at the lodge and on Sunday the whole family got up and met in the restaurant to have a duel birthday party for my grandparents. We were missing my some of my cousins but thankfully for my grandparents they had all 3 of their kids there. It was a beautiful time with family. Happy 81 and 80 birthdays Papaw and Mamaw







So I guess that pretty much catches you up on us for the past few months lol.