Having worked food service for a while now, I have come to expect other food employees to meet a certain standard. Today my expectation was not only not met, but wholly eclipsed.
This episode occured at Hardees on West Main. I rarely ever go to Hardees, not being a beef eater, but today I thought 'Man, those seasoned curly fries would hit the spot. And bonus, they have homemade milkshakes.' So, I drive up and order, medium curly fries and a chocolate shake.
I pull up to the window, and I wait. And wait. Nobody comes and says 'Hang on a sec', nobody comes to take my money, nada. For like five minutes, literally. Finally they come to the window, take my money ($7 for fries and a shake! Crap!), and I wait again. What I received was not worth my time or money, or anywhere close. I got an order of the greasiest, almost not-done fries, and a not full shake that still had two inches of solid vanilla ice cream at the bottom. Literally, as the girl hands me the shake, she looks down at it, and kind of shakes it, like that's going to mix it up and magically fill it.
I was furious. I pay way over fair price for that service and that product? I realize that it's not Harveys or Park Heights, but geez people. If I pay you money for a service, you should at least do your job right if not exceeding expectations.
That's one thing I'm glad PH instilled in me, a desire to go over and beyond in my job. Combined with my parents teaching me to work my best no matter the task, and the joy of working as a servant, I think I'm well served in work ethic. Take a note, Hardees!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
It's A Girl cake
My cousin Chris called me up Monday, and asked if I'd make a cake for his girl who's about to have their baby. I said 'Sure, when's the baby due'? And he says 'Um, like now.' WHOA time crunch! Haha. For real though, it's supposed to be here sometime this week.
She (the mama, not the baby) likes the whole french, paris theme, and they are having a girl, so that's what I had to run with. I kind of like having an open design concept...gives me room to play!
She (the mama, not the baby) likes the whole french, paris theme, and they are having a girl, so that's what I had to run with. I kind of like having an open design concept...gives me room to play!
My first thought in these cases is to hit up Google Images, my idea bff. I typed in 'paris' and 'cakes', and this is the typical result:
I like the pink theme, being a girl cake and all (I just hope the baby doesn't pull a 'SURPRISE' and come out little boy!). And I liked some of the elements from all of the cakes. Just not the poodles. Ugh, poodles. French theme or no, poodles won't be appearing on this cake.
So I started my cake. New cake recipe, amazing! Vanilla cake, vanilla buttercream icing and filling, vanilla flavored fondant. Top layer: white fondant, pink diamond/dot pattern, candy dots around the base, black 'It's A Girl' script. Bottom layer: pink fondant, black and white scroll ribbon trim.
Detail shot
Top of cake
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Icing :)
Everyone always asks me how I do my cakes. Well, it's all in how it tastes of course! The prettiest cake doesn't mean a lot if it tastes nasty. My cake mix is a government secret :) I do use a mix base to save time, but I also add extra ingredients and change up the mixing process a little. The icing however, is fair game.
I use two different types of icing, depending on what kind of cake, the weather, and what I'm decorating. Buttercream is made of shortening and powdered sugar. Pretty much every store birthday cake you've ever eaten has had buttercream icing. It's highly fattening :) yum! and can be flavored most any way you like. It's big downfall - MS summers. Heat and humidity break down the shortening, and you have a droopy cake. Royal icing is my personal favorite. I've been known to eat it straight from the bowl. It's made of powdered sugar, liquid flavoring, and either egg whites or merengue powder. It's lighter than buttercream, can still be flavored any way, and is smoother once on a cake. It dries to a smooth sheen that buttercream just doesn't do. Lots of cookies are decorated in royal, and it's starting to catch on in cakes.
1/2 c Crisco
1/2 c softened butter (unsalted)
1 tsp clear vanilla
4 c sifted powdered sugar
2 T milk
For medium thick icing, cream the butter and shortening in your mixer bowl. That is, beat them together until you can't tell they were ever two separate things. Add your vanilla. SLOWLY add the sugar, half a cup at a time. Make sure to scrape the sides of the mixer bowl every so often. It will look dry, so add your milk at the end. Beat on medium until it's all evenly light and fluffy.
As always in icing, for thinner icing, add more milk, but carefully. A tablespoon at a time, and beat well in between. For thicker icing, add more powdered sugar, again half a cup at a time.
If I'm in a hurry and and want more icing fast, I add a can or two of plain vanilla icing. It mixes well, and sort of tones the heaviness of the buttercream down.
You can keep a wet paper towel over the bowl while you're working to keep it from drying out. When you aren't using it, keep it in the fridge or freezer in a sealed tupperware container. After taking it out of the fridge/freezer, you'll want to microwave it a little and rewhip it. I actually prefer the icing after it's been frozen a while and then rewhipped. Somehow it's smoother, and the flavors in it have matured.
I use two different types of icing, depending on what kind of cake, the weather, and what I'm decorating. Buttercream is made of shortening and powdered sugar. Pretty much every store birthday cake you've ever eaten has had buttercream icing. It's highly fattening :) yum! and can be flavored most any way you like. It's big downfall - MS summers. Heat and humidity break down the shortening, and you have a droopy cake. Royal icing is my personal favorite. I've been known to eat it straight from the bowl. It's made of powdered sugar, liquid flavoring, and either egg whites or merengue powder. It's lighter than buttercream, can still be flavored any way, and is smoother once on a cake. It dries to a smooth sheen that buttercream just doesn't do. Lots of cookies are decorated in royal, and it's starting to catch on in cakes.
Buttercream
Buttercream is very hard to make if you don't have a stand mixer. However, they now sell it in cans for those who want an easy option. This recipe makes 3 cups or so of icing.1/2 c Crisco
1/2 c softened butter (unsalted)
1 tsp clear vanilla
4 c sifted powdered sugar
2 T milk
For medium thick icing, cream the butter and shortening in your mixer bowl. That is, beat them together until you can't tell they were ever two separate things. Add your vanilla. SLOWLY add the sugar, half a cup at a time. Make sure to scrape the sides of the mixer bowl every so often. It will look dry, so add your milk at the end. Beat on medium until it's all evenly light and fluffy.
As always in icing, for thinner icing, add more milk, but carefully. A tablespoon at a time, and beat well in between. For thicker icing, add more powdered sugar, again half a cup at a time.
If I'm in a hurry and and want more icing fast, I add a can or two of plain vanilla icing. It mixes well, and sort of tones the heaviness of the buttercream down.
You can keep a wet paper towel over the bowl while you're working to keep it from drying out. When you aren't using it, keep it in the fridge or freezer in a sealed tupperware container. After taking it out of the fridge/freezer, you'll want to microwave it a little and rewhip it. I actually prefer the icing after it's been frozen a while and then rewhipped. Somehow it's smoother, and the flavors in it have matured.
Royal Icing
Royal icing is relatively new to the popularity scene of cake making. Buttercream has run the scene for a long time, but people are hungry for new and exciting things.
Like I said above, royal is lighter and more weather friendly than buttercream. I like it because it doesn't taste so...buttercreamy. It's very light, and goes great with vanilla or fruit flavors, but any flavor will work. Using liquid eggs, you get a more sweet icing with a light flavor, because it takes less liquid flavoring. I use merengue powder as well, but it works better if you want an icing with more flavor, because more of your flavoring is used to wet the icing. Here's the recipe for plain icing, using egg whites.
3 egg whites
Powdered sugar
2 T liquid
The egg whites need to be perfectly yolk free. Add your powdered sugar a cup at a time until you get the icing just a littler thicker than you want it to be. You don't need a mixer to do this, just a whisk and a strong arm. After you get the icing to that point, add your liquid. It can be milk, vanilla flavoring, lemon juice, whatever. I like using lemon soda for lemon icing. It makes a creamier icing somehow, and has a crisp taste.
You need to use this icing right away, and absolutely keep a wet paper towel over the bowl. This icing dries faster, and when it does it dries to a hard, shiny finish. Since it does have egg whites, you obviously don't want to leave the bowl out for a long, long time. If you use pasteurized eggs or merengue powder, you don't have to worry about this.
Thick royal icing is used to pipe fancy decorations or lettering on cakes. Thin icing can be used to fill large spaces with color or ice cookies, and is great for glazing pound cakes.
Once you make icing a few times and get the hang of how it works and your preferences, you can experiment to your heart's desire. Food coloring, flavor oils, citric acid (that's a favorite of mine, it adds a kick to fruit icings you just don't find anywhere else), whatever you like. Hey, it's icing, you can't go that wrong!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Fajita/Nacho Chicken
Okay, so last night we made fajitas/nachos, and that means fabulous chicken. I had someone ask for the recipe, so here it is.
1 pack chicken tenderloins, cut into small pieces
Toss in:
Paprika
A little Season-All
Worcestershire (a lot of this, it's my favorite)
A dash of mild Picante sauce
If you like, you can add some cajun seasoning, garlic, extra pepper, whatever. We just like our chicken on the mild yet flavorful side.
The chicken should be wet, but not runny.
In a roomy non-stick skillet, heat some oil. I use olive oil, but regular veg oil would be fine. Toss your chicken around until it's all cooked through. That part's really cool, cause with the small pieces it's really quick and you can actually see it turning.
We serve it either nacho style over chips covered in melted cheese and paprika, or fajita style with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and salsa.
1 pack chicken tenderloins, cut into small pieces
Toss in:
Paprika
A little Season-All
Worcestershire (a lot of this, it's my favorite)
A dash of mild Picante sauce
If you like, you can add some cajun seasoning, garlic, extra pepper, whatever. We just like our chicken on the mild yet flavorful side.
The chicken should be wet, but not runny.
In a roomy non-stick skillet, heat some oil. I use olive oil, but regular veg oil would be fine. Toss your chicken around until it's all cooked through. That part's really cool, cause with the small pieces it's really quick and you can actually see it turning.
We serve it either nacho style over chips covered in melted cheese and paprika, or fajita style with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and salsa.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Chivalry is dying...slowly and painfully!
I'm smack in the middle of the age where on the one hand my friends are settling down and getting married, starting a family, and buying a minivan, while on the other hand they seem to be settling down into a date-date-date-date-date-die pattern. A few in the middle, like me, are stuck in that 'date' mode, or lack therof, trying to get to higher ground.
I will admit I'm picky. When you're looking for Mr. Right, you get that priviledge. I probably have read too many Victorian romance novels with too many perfectly charming princes. But I'm not heartless. I don't have a checklist of qualities one must have to buy me dinner. I don't make you sit in the living room while my dad cleans his guns and tells prison stories (Mike has never been to prison yall, he just does that for effect). I'm as cheap a date as they come, 'cause you'll never catch me eating a steak, ever.
But geez guys! I'm 22, and I've had my share of 'talking' and casual dates, and legit ones too. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to ask a guy, 'Would you say/do that in front of your mama?' So far I'm getting a pretty long list of things to teach my future sons NOT to do.
Now where I come from, respect is number one. If you put that first, most other things will fall into place. You respect the gal's parents, you respect her, you respect yourself. That doesn't leave much room for bad dating. So that leaves me to infer from experience that somewhere along the way respect got shoved into the backseat.
Take today's example. 'Lancelot' here decided to start up something. Sometimes I'm all for the mass technology our society depends on. It sure makes cases like this easier (i.e. I didn't have to get ugly in public). Lancelot decides to get my number off Facebook and text me hello. Naturally I require a name, but once an acquaintainceship has been proven, I'm cool with proceeding. Lancelot fails to make it three texts into a conversation before becoming a totally rude jerk.
Listen gents, freaking be nice. How hard is that? We, or at least I and the girls I know, try to. Here's a tip. When a lady tells you she's seeing someone, take the hint. Whether we are or not isn't your business, because for all intents and purposes we're currently unavailable, and that's the best way we females have found for saying no nicely without hurting feelings.
Lancelot misses the cue. He asks me if I'm serious about the other person. Well sir, I wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't. Strike one. I respond that yes, we are. End of story right? Nope. Lancelot has the gall to ask if I'm really serious about him. Strike two. You just called me a liar, and no girl likes that. I respond, as icily as one can be in a text, that yes, we are seeing each other exclusively, I just don't like to mix Facebook and dating. Lancelot keeps going, bull in china shop style. He responds with 'Well, I guess that means it isn't really serious sweetie'. Strike three, four, and five. You don't call me a liar, again. You don't get an attitute with me. You do not call me sweetie when you're clearly either drunk off your skull or a top of the line cad. Final straw: he clearly misses the point of 'Yes, it is, and please quit texting me now.' and keeps right on going.
Now boys, if a girl said that to you, hopefully you'd have the sense to drop the phone and back away. That's the problem with texts though. You miss out on the whole 'go away and die' look.
Let me save you fellas some trouble in the future. When a lady says no, stop, go away, etc., just freaking do it. If a southern belle has moved past nice into point blank, you've clearly offended. We were raised to say no as nicely as possible, but sometimes it takes all we have not to wallop you with our purses.
List of things I'd love for Mr. Right to do:
(Not requirements, but I can dream right?)
~Kill and remove spiders, mice, bugs, and general vermin.
~Weedeat - My skills......ain't there.
~Wear matching socks, which I'll gladly fold - it's a pet peeve of mine, my sister drives me crazy with one pink and one blue.
~Not snore. Please God, not snore.
~Remove anything that vomits (pets, kids, yourself) from my sight before I join in.
~Have normal pets - snakes, tarantulas, and indoor pigs are not normal.
~Not bathe in cologne - strong cologne gives me an instant migraine. (I actually went on a date once where the guy asked beforehand if I minded him wearing cologne. Instant brownie points!)
~Read actual books, Sports Illustrated doesn't count.
~Program the DVR/satellite tv - I am more inept here than weedeating. At least I know how the weedeater is supposed to work...
~Be original with presents - Flowers, candy, it's been done. Be creative, use your mind.
~Not be a total packrat - 'That shirt from 2001 with the seven holes, it goes. And the shaggy sweater you hide under the bed, that too.' I'm an avid donater of stuff I don't need.
List of things I will not require Mr. Right to do:
(However, he's welcome to participate if he wishes)
~Shop - I prefer to shop alone, or with other females.
~Join me on some insane lettuce-ricecake-wheatgrass diet.
~Join me in yoga, taebo, or any other exercise thing. I prefer to look the fool alone.
~Fix everything that breaks in the house or put everything together - I'm actually good with tools.
~My clothes - I'm OCD about my clothes being neat, but I don't expect everyone else to be.
~Watch chick flicks, the Golden Girls, etc.
~Overly decorate for every holiday - I'm a minimalist when it comes to cutesy holiday decor. One Christmas tree, a few decorations, that's fine.
~Buy feminine hygiene products. Not eyeshadow, not Tampax, nada. - Habit. My dad stays well away from the world of girl beauty products, so we fend for ourself. Plus, how many guys know the difference in lipstick and lip gloss?
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Growing Up and Moving On
This is my last spring break ever...from a student perspective anyway. I'm more excited about this than I should be, and more apprehensive. As much as some of my friends want to be in college forever (some will be I think, haha) and as much as some of them still want too be footloose and fancy-free, I've always been ready to grow up and be an adult. Like this once when I was little, my Papa was kissing me goodbye and being silly, kissing me from my hand all the way up my arm. I looked at him and said, "Behave Papa!" Haha that's what my parents got for never treating me like a baby.
As long as I can remember, I've always been ready to move on to the next step in life. I'm definitely a planner, and kind of an OCD one at that. I'm always researching my next step, or the next five steps rather. But, like most kids my age, I've spent the last ten years of my life preparing for and being in college. Now that the end is nigh, I really am kind of lost looking for what to do next.
Sure, I have a ton of options. I am somewhat of a modern day 'Renaissance-woman'; that is, I have a ton of skills, but I'm just not sure any of them are what I'm supposed to be doing. God still has me 'Waiting' for that answer. Dad sent me a cool link about looking for a 'calling' as opposed to a 'job' (here), but I think I'm still kind of looking for both.
This is what I'm sure of: I don't want to go back to school, at least not for a good while. I have had such a sore experience altogether, I'm about as burned out as you can be. Once I get that degree in June, I'm moving on to something else.
I'm someone who needs to be busy. Sitting at home isn't fun for me. When I'm stressed, I want to go do something and work out my tension, not take a vacation or relax. The more free time I have, the more I obsess over and think about the problems I need to leave to God. If I sit at home much longer, I'm going to need several new hobbies. I have a dobro I'm about to learn to play, but I need something more mentally time consuming :) Maybe I'll start quilting or something...
I've started paperwork to be a short term missionary with Global Outreach this fall. I love doing mission work, and I've always been mildly envious of my friends who got to go off for summer missions during college. I thought about doing one of those, but it never was the right time or place in my life or God's plan. Now is perfect though: I won't have school or a job to work around, I'm old enough and responsible enough to go and do pretty much anything they need, and I'm fully ready to be useful to someone, someway.
I don't have a particular place I want to go or a particular job I want to do. I'm leaning towards something in Central or South America because of my Spanish and my familiarity with the people and cultures, but Europe interests me too. I put down for my skills: youth/children work and teaching; music; office, cleaning and organizing work; and first aid/medical work, so that pretty much leaves my options open to anything short of construction and digging ditches. I just want to go be useful somewhere that needs me and my talents especially, and I'm sure Global and God have just that place.
I finish school in June, and have a short mission trip planned already for July, so I'm planning to tell them I'll be ready to leave in August. That gives me plenty of time to settle my school stuff and enjoy summer with my sister before she starts school, and August is when most of the summer missions people leave the field and come home. I plan to stay until Christmas, around four months total.
Don't get me wrong - this isn't set in stone yet. Everything depends on God and his plan; I'm just putting the steps in motion so I'll be as prepared as possible.
I have a few prayer requests for yall:
-Pray that Global comes back to me with a position so perfect, I know it was designed by God. I'm definitely leaving the choosing up to Him, so that I won't pick something wrong for me and for Him.
-Pray that what nervousness I have about his goes away. This is a big step for me, four months a long long way from home, doing Lord only knows what. The devil knows this, and I keep picturing myself being stuck in a hut with a family who speaks no English...and other such nonsense.
As long as I can remember, I've always been ready to move on to the next step in life. I'm definitely a planner, and kind of an OCD one at that. I'm always researching my next step, or the next five steps rather. But, like most kids my age, I've spent the last ten years of my life preparing for and being in college. Now that the end is nigh, I really am kind of lost looking for what to do next.
Sure, I have a ton of options. I am somewhat of a modern day 'Renaissance-woman'; that is, I have a ton of skills, but I'm just not sure any of them are what I'm supposed to be doing. God still has me 'Waiting' for that answer. Dad sent me a cool link about looking for a 'calling' as opposed to a 'job' (here), but I think I'm still kind of looking for both.
This is what I'm sure of: I don't want to go back to school, at least not for a good while. I have had such a sore experience altogether, I'm about as burned out as you can be. Once I get that degree in June, I'm moving on to something else.
I'm someone who needs to be busy. Sitting at home isn't fun for me. When I'm stressed, I want to go do something and work out my tension, not take a vacation or relax. The more free time I have, the more I obsess over and think about the problems I need to leave to God. If I sit at home much longer, I'm going to need several new hobbies. I have a dobro I'm about to learn to play, but I need something more mentally time consuming :) Maybe I'll start quilting or something...
I've started paperwork to be a short term missionary with Global Outreach this fall. I love doing mission work, and I've always been mildly envious of my friends who got to go off for summer missions during college. I thought about doing one of those, but it never was the right time or place in my life or God's plan. Now is perfect though: I won't have school or a job to work around, I'm old enough and responsible enough to go and do pretty much anything they need, and I'm fully ready to be useful to someone, someway.
I don't have a particular place I want to go or a particular job I want to do. I'm leaning towards something in Central or South America because of my Spanish and my familiarity with the people and cultures, but Europe interests me too. I put down for my skills: youth/children work and teaching; music; office, cleaning and organizing work; and first aid/medical work, so that pretty much leaves my options open to anything short of construction and digging ditches. I just want to go be useful somewhere that needs me and my talents especially, and I'm sure Global and God have just that place.
I finish school in June, and have a short mission trip planned already for July, so I'm planning to tell them I'll be ready to leave in August. That gives me plenty of time to settle my school stuff and enjoy summer with my sister before she starts school, and August is when most of the summer missions people leave the field and come home. I plan to stay until Christmas, around four months total.
Don't get me wrong - this isn't set in stone yet. Everything depends on God and his plan; I'm just putting the steps in motion so I'll be as prepared as possible.
I have a few prayer requests for yall:
-Pray that Global comes back to me with a position so perfect, I know it was designed by God. I'm definitely leaving the choosing up to Him, so that I won't pick something wrong for me and for Him.
-Pray that what nervousness I have about his goes away. This is a big step for me, four months a long long way from home, doing Lord only knows what. The devil knows this, and I keep picturing myself being stuck in a hut with a family who speaks no English...and other such nonsense.
Fifi
Ashley Grant, you wriing that post about Mr. Junior got me all stirred up in my head. I sat here remembering all the people I've got to look forward to meeting again in heaven, like my greatgrandparents, and my Granny, and Tiffany. This March 4th would have been my aunt Tiffany's birthday. Sometimes it doesn't seem like she's been gone all these years, but then again it always seems like she's been gone too too long. If you never got to meet her, you missed out meeting one of the most amazing people God's ever made.
Tiff died six years ago, from ovarian cancer. She had been fighting for years, back and forth between amazing times and pretty bad ones. But I don't think I ever saw her defeated, or depressed, or discouraged, or anything less than hopeful for God to do something great. She even tried to keep all of us laughing, in spite of the battle she was fighting. If I could have just a spoonful of her faith, I'd be an infinitely better woman.
Me and Fifi were so close. That was my special name for her, Fifi. Maybe because I was the first baby to come along, and the only one for years; maybe because we spent so much time together as I grew up. She was just like another mother, except she'd let me do stuff Mama never would and she'd tell off on stuff Mama and her used to do as kids. She taught me my first real song - Chattahoochie by Alan Jackson -and I think I wore out three tapes singing it with her. She loved playing with my hair, even when I was a teenager. Sorry Caleb, you never could quite fit the bill on that one haha. She'd spend hours playing with me, whatever game I came up with, just having a ball together. I loved going up to Family Time Video when she used to work there. That was the coolest place on earth to me.
As I got older, she'd take me to her house and let me just hang out with her, not just like aunt and niece but like girlfriends. She taught me how to drive when I was thirteen, without Mama and Daddy knowing it, driving down Hurricane bottom in her little red Grand Prix. She helped me through those awful middle school growing up years, through bad hair styles, through shopping woes, even eating the caramel part of the Snickers bars when I had braces so I could still get the taste. We'd act purely retarded together in public, and drive Mama and Grandmama crazy. She even helped me go out for the only beauty pageant I ever did, and even though I didn't win she still made me feel as beautiful as if I'd won a crown. I have no doubt if she'd lived into my older high school and college years, we'd have spent way more money than necessary on clothes and makeup, talking about boyfriends and college, and if she were here today, I'd spend a lot of time asking her for advice on where to turn when life goes crazy.
I remember just before she died, her sitting down with me and us planning out my wedding, as much as a fifteen year old girl can dream about. She knew she wouldn't make it until then, but she was determined to be as much of a part as she could. We talked about everything, the dress, the flowers, the ceremony, anything that could be imagined. I didn't like cake back then (crazy huh?) so we even planned for me to have a cookie tower wedding cake. I'm still doing that, even though I make wedding cakes for a living, and I'm dedicating it to her. She even gave me a set of jewelry to wear. I had always loved this jewelry of hers, always begged to wear it, and now it's in my room in a box with all the other jewelry of hers I have and the notes she wrote me, waiting on that special day. I hope when it gets here God lets her have a one day pass, just to come watch.
When she died, I didn't think I'd ever be able to stop crying again. I cried for days, and still as I write this I'm crying. If you know me any at all, you know how rare that it. I never cry, never get emotional. But losing Fifi hit me hard for a long long time. I did get in a laugh the week I went back to school though. I sat at lunch every day with the same kids; Ashley McGee, you were one of them. One of the more airheaded ones just hadn't been paying attention I guess, and he asks me, trying to be nice, 'So how's your aunt?' Before I can even get upset, I see Ashley beating the snot out of this poor boy yelling 'You IDIOT! She DIED! Didn't you know she's been out all week at a FUNERAL?! Oh my God, I can't believe you!' And before I knew it I was laughing at my erstwhile bodyguard and her poor victim.
My uncle Gable is now remarried, to an awesome lady named Barbara. I swear Fifi just leaned over to God and said 'Yep, that's her' cause nobody could be a better wife for him and a better mama for Caleb than she is, and a better aunt, daughter, and sister to my family. Her and her daughter Lauren fit in like they were made for our family. Caleb is going to be 14 this summer, and is bigger than me, and he looks and acts just like Tiff sometimes. He's never forgot anything about her, and won't. Tiffany spent years making him scrapbooks and videos about them together, and even though he may call Barbara 'mama' sometimes now, she makes sure she reminds him every day about his real one.
I can't wait until I get to heaven and see her jumping up and down to see me. I bet she's even done something funny with her angelic robe, just for me. Probably found a big ol golden bow for her head! Haha
Here are some of my favorite pics through the years. Excuse the photo quality. Our scanner decided it didn't like me, so I just took pictures of pictures :)
Tiff died six years ago, from ovarian cancer. She had been fighting for years, back and forth between amazing times and pretty bad ones. But I don't think I ever saw her defeated, or depressed, or discouraged, or anything less than hopeful for God to do something great. She even tried to keep all of us laughing, in spite of the battle she was fighting. If I could have just a spoonful of her faith, I'd be an infinitely better woman.
Me and Fifi were so close. That was my special name for her, Fifi. Maybe because I was the first baby to come along, and the only one for years; maybe because we spent so much time together as I grew up. She was just like another mother, except she'd let me do stuff Mama never would and she'd tell off on stuff Mama and her used to do as kids. She taught me my first real song - Chattahoochie by Alan Jackson -and I think I wore out three tapes singing it with her. She loved playing with my hair, even when I was a teenager. Sorry Caleb, you never could quite fit the bill on that one haha. She'd spend hours playing with me, whatever game I came up with, just having a ball together. I loved going up to Family Time Video when she used to work there. That was the coolest place on earth to me.
As I got older, she'd take me to her house and let me just hang out with her, not just like aunt and niece but like girlfriends. She taught me how to drive when I was thirteen, without Mama and Daddy knowing it, driving down Hurricane bottom in her little red Grand Prix. She helped me through those awful middle school growing up years, through bad hair styles, through shopping woes, even eating the caramel part of the Snickers bars when I had braces so I could still get the taste. We'd act purely retarded together in public, and drive Mama and Grandmama crazy. She even helped me go out for the only beauty pageant I ever did, and even though I didn't win she still made me feel as beautiful as if I'd won a crown. I have no doubt if she'd lived into my older high school and college years, we'd have spent way more money than necessary on clothes and makeup, talking about boyfriends and college, and if she were here today, I'd spend a lot of time asking her for advice on where to turn when life goes crazy.
I remember just before she died, her sitting down with me and us planning out my wedding, as much as a fifteen year old girl can dream about. She knew she wouldn't make it until then, but she was determined to be as much of a part as she could. We talked about everything, the dress, the flowers, the ceremony, anything that could be imagined. I didn't like cake back then (crazy huh?) so we even planned for me to have a cookie tower wedding cake. I'm still doing that, even though I make wedding cakes for a living, and I'm dedicating it to her. She even gave me a set of jewelry to wear. I had always loved this jewelry of hers, always begged to wear it, and now it's in my room in a box with all the other jewelry of hers I have and the notes she wrote me, waiting on that special day. I hope when it gets here God lets her have a one day pass, just to come watch.
When she died, I didn't think I'd ever be able to stop crying again. I cried for days, and still as I write this I'm crying. If you know me any at all, you know how rare that it. I never cry, never get emotional. But losing Fifi hit me hard for a long long time. I did get in a laugh the week I went back to school though. I sat at lunch every day with the same kids; Ashley McGee, you were one of them. One of the more airheaded ones just hadn't been paying attention I guess, and he asks me, trying to be nice, 'So how's your aunt?' Before I can even get upset, I see Ashley beating the snot out of this poor boy yelling 'You IDIOT! She DIED! Didn't you know she's been out all week at a FUNERAL?! Oh my God, I can't believe you!' And before I knew it I was laughing at my erstwhile bodyguard and her poor victim.
My uncle Gable is now remarried, to an awesome lady named Barbara. I swear Fifi just leaned over to God and said 'Yep, that's her' cause nobody could be a better wife for him and a better mama for Caleb than she is, and a better aunt, daughter, and sister to my family. Her and her daughter Lauren fit in like they were made for our family. Caleb is going to be 14 this summer, and is bigger than me, and he looks and acts just like Tiff sometimes. He's never forgot anything about her, and won't. Tiffany spent years making him scrapbooks and videos about them together, and even though he may call Barbara 'mama' sometimes now, she makes sure she reminds him every day about his real one.
I can't wait until I get to heaven and see her jumping up and down to see me. I bet she's even done something funny with her angelic robe, just for me. Probably found a big ol golden bow for her head! Haha
Here are some of my favorite pics through the years. Excuse the photo quality. Our scanner decided it didn't like me, so I just took pictures of pictures :)
This is where the golden bow comment comes from. Its my favorite picture of Fifi ever. I think this was her last Christmas with us, but she still felt good enough to act crazy, as you can see. I have this pic framed on my bookcase, 'cause it's as close to a true picture of Fifi's attitude and spirit as you can get.
This is me and Fifi in Disneyworld. Some amazing friends of my grandparents paid for Tiff, Caleb, and my family to go right after Tiff found out she had cancer. It was a great trip, all of our first times in Disney, and I think we'd have stayed forever if we could have. This pic was when Tiff and me went and got matching necklaces. I still have mine, in my box.
Tiffany in high school. She loved basketball. Funny enough, even though Gable pushes football and baseball, Caleb does too.
Prom, the year I was born
Mama and Tiffany
Tiffany and me when I was little.
Tiffany and me again, at my grandmama's family Christmas
This is my favorite picture of Tiffany and Caleb. This was taken at the resort we stayed at in Disney.
This was our last family picture, fall 2003 I think.
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