I HAVE A TEENAGER!! AGHHHH FLOYD IS 13 YEARS OLD. CAN THIS REALLY BE??

Every year I try to interview my children just to capture in time where they are in life.  Now that Floyd is 13 I can tell that this process will become more difficult.  So here goes...

I AM.......Floyd Melton

I AM IN A....good class

I HAVE A.....dog

I PLAY....sports

I WORRY ABOUT.....school

I KNOW....lots of people

I WATCH....TV

I WANT....respect

I CRAVE....food

I USUALLY.....waste time

I REMEMBER.....nothing

I DISLIKE.....school

I GO.....to many places

I WENT......to Washington DC

I CAN.....play lots of sports

I FEEL GOOD WHEN....I don't have homework

I READ....6 books a year

I WRITE.....paragraphs

I BELIEVE....Jesus Christ

I AM SCARED OF......getting in trouble

I LISTEN TO.....music

I WISH I COULD......dunk a basketball

I LOVE.....my family

I AM HAPPY.....that it's my birthday

I AM THANKFUL FOR......my health

We'll there ya go folks.....the TEEN has spoken!

Anne Craig turned 10 on May 26!!

Yes, sweet gal turned 10 this year. It's so hard to believe. She's such a joy and is everything we could ever want in a daughter. Sometimes I think she has life all figured out even more so that adults. She lives by the motto, "Don't sweat the small stuff, it's all small stuff". Really! I can't even attempt to not sweat any of the small stuff but in my heart of hearts I wish I were that way. It's interesting to parent a daughter who's not quite like you in the majority of ways. But then I think that she's an amazing gift from God who was sent to balance us all out. Anne Craig, we are so proud of you and you are AMAZING! Here's your annual questionnaire with that I ask you each year along with your responses.... I AM...ANNE CRAIG MELTON I WAS...9 YEARS OLD I HAVE...A BROTHER I LOVE...TO SLEEP I PLAY...SOCCER AND TENNIS I WORRY...WHEN MY PARENTS FIGHT I WATCH...DISNEY CHANNEL I CRAVE...CHICKEN I USUALLY...EAT I REMEMBER...WHEN I WAS 9 I DISLIKE...BROCOLLI I GO...FOR OLE MISS I WENT...TO STRONG RIVER CAMP AND FARM I CAN...WRITE CURSIVE I DON'T...PLAY XBOX I FEEL...GOOD I DANCE...GREAT I READ...BAD/ROAD SIGNS I WRITE...OK I BELIEVE...IN JESUS I AM...WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE I LISTEN...TO MY TEACHER I WISH...I COULD FLY I LOVE...JETT, MY DOG I AM HAPPY WHEN...I GET CANDY I AM THANKFUL...FOR JESUS

Personality Types??

Have you ever taken the Myers/Briggs personality test? Well, after consulting with my friends, Lizzie Powers and Emily Riser I gave it a try. If you haven't YOU should give it try too. Just google the name and it'll come right up. Here are my results: EXTRAVERT (67%) SENSING (38%) FEELING (38%)_JUDGING (44%). HMMMM not sure how to interpret that entirely or what it is really telling me about my personality. But if I had to guess I'm outgoing, sensitive, wear my feelings on my sleeves, and a grudge holder....INTERESTING. Am I surprised? Not so much! Well anyway, have a great May! Oh guess what? I'm retiring from the county school system this month. To be exact...May 31! Yay!! Hopefully my blog will be back up and running with regular, up to date posts and maybe a little "catch up" of the last 12+ months. Cheers!

Spring is here FINALLY!

Another short week gone! It's so cliche, but I'm just blown away at how fast time is flying by lately. It's stressful and also a little exciting. There are lots of good things coming this year. :) Even though it's April I still feel like 2013 just started. I can't seem to get a grasp of the time warp we call everyday life. It's exhausting. I'm blessed so I need to shut up and smile!! I am smiling just picture it now...I promise it's there. Here's a toast to Spring that took it's damn sweet time to arrive! Hello sunshine, pull up a seat and stay awile!

Hello 2013! You came around so quickly!!

Happy 12th Birthday Floyd

Today, February 27, 2013, Floyd turns 12. I'm not really sure where the last 12 years have gone but they have gone by super fast. It's a real wake up call to me to think that after the NEXT 12 years he'll be all grown up!! Amazing how fast life flies by and as Ferris Bueller says, "Life goes pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around every once in a while you might miss it!" Well said Ferris and with that being said I took a minute to interview that sweet child o' mine, Floyd Mortimer Melton IV, and here's what he said to our annual interview questions I am...Floyd Melton IV I was...eleven I have...many things I love to do I play...sports I worry...about school I watch... sports I want...good grades I crave...food I usually...waste too much time I remember...when I was younger I dislike...school I go...to lots of Ole Miss events I went...to Strong River Camp and Farm I can...run 6 miles I don't...whine I feel...happy I dance...bad I read...the newspaper I write...in cursive I believe...in the Holy Spirit I am...scared of messing up I listen...to my parents most of the time I wish...I was taller and bigger I love...my family I am happy... that I have the opportunity to do what I do I am thankful...for my friends Happy Birthday son!! You are such a blessing to us and we are proud of you each and every day. We love you very much!

Thankful!

Well hello there! I don't think I have that many followers to really say hello to and the few that I used to have have probably given up on me by now considering that I only blog about quarterly per year. Terrible....Oh well....life gets in the way and for that I am "thankful". I have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season. An adoring husband, precious children, incredible family and amazing friends. Pretty good!! I am about to hopefully catch up on 2012 in blog fashion. Let's hope that I can find the time to get it done. I'm really wanting to figure out how to blog from my new iphone 5. There's got to be a way right?? If you know please sound off in the comment section below. Still wanting to tell you about turning 40!! Women of Inspiration, Elementary Graduation and Awards, Anne Craig's birthday, beach trip 2012, Girl's Trip 2012, Fall Chaos and Back to School, Miami Trip and last but not least the passing away of my Gooddaddy. I promise I will get to this soon!! In the meantime I will continue to reflect on my thankfulness which is very bountiful indeed! Cheers to the start of the 2012 Holiday Season my friends.

Grandaddy Bill

This past summer my Grandfather, Bill Trotter, passed away. He was 88 years old. He went pretty peacefully after suffering a dibilitating stroke. The remarkable thing was that he was man who worked out regularly at the Y daily and was very healthy until the end. He did not suffer in the least and when it was his time to go he was ready. He was a dear, sweet man and we miss him terribly. Here is a picture from when we were all together for visit in Greenville in his home when The Trotter clan came for a visit.

Soccer girls!

Look at this precious picture I dug up from last Spring! Plus with an added bonus!!! Cousin May May was in town and is in the pic as well on AC's back! I love it when I find fun surprises like this!

Delta Rockers- Rockin' The Delta 2012 Tour

Many of you may know that my Mom, Anne Hamilton Trotter, or aka: Annie, is in a dance group that consists of ladies ages 65+ and is led by Betty Aden. They are called the Delta Rockers and they do indeed Rock! I mean they are really really good! They practice several times a week and tour different towns performing to civic groups, retirement homes and etc.. They even put on local recitals during the holidays. They have even been asked to perform on Carnival Cruise ships and at the Biltmore Mansion in Ashville, NC, in which they did both last year. Who knows....New York may be calling next. This is one of their recent promotional shots for the Fall 2012 tour. Aren't they cute? Way to go Annie! We are proud of you. Keep on dancing!

Anne Craig is 9!! Roll out the red carpet please!

I love a good party theme and what better way to come up with one than hosting your daughter's NINTH bday party. It does help that I have a great friend, Michelle Coppage, who is a professional party planner extrordinaire. This past May, we had the best time taking all of our ideas and bringing them to life. (Thank you Pinterest!!) Anne Craig really had a great time and it was worth all of the effort. May is a hard time of year to have a birthday. Why you ask?? Because everything else is scheduled in May that's why. I too am a May baby and I've been dealing with this craziness for 40 years! Geesh, just finding a day to have a party is a feat in itself. But it all worked out, she had a ton of friends attend and had a ball. Even the adults had a great time!! Here are a few of the pics to tell the story! And the guests begin to arrive!!

Secret Service business is hard work.

Back away sir! I said back away! Private party here!

Wait, was that who I think that was??

Handsome movie attendants ready to escort the guests to their seats.

Even the adults had a great time! Stay tuned for more pics of the "celebrities" and the birthday girl in action!

Pillow Academy Cross Country 2012

Floyd decided to run Cross Country this year. It's the first "official" sport that the 6th graders can participate in. Actually the entire team is made up of 6th graders. It makes me especially proud that he is running because Cross Country was one of my favorite sports. Not to mention my team won the State AAA Championship my senior year in 1989. Needless to say I'm glad his love for running is starting to kick in. I hope it will continue.

Floyd and Cole

The Mighty Mighty Cross Country Mustangs!

Da Boyz

Floyd running strong

Hardy, Floyd, Cole and Porter

"Bertie" RIP (January 23, 2000- April 6, 2012) You were too good and we miss you terribly.

Floyd and Bertie on one of her last hunts of last season.

Bertie, and our older lab Belle, with Little Floyd. I guess this picture was in 2001 sometime. Precious!

This past summer we lost a valuable member of our family. Bertie, was our second black lab and she was just a year older than our first born child so we considered her indeed a priceless member of our family. She was a duck and dove hunter at heart but mostly she was a lover of all. She was truly the kindest dog...faithful and true. She'd strugged with her health for a while with tumors here and there but ultimately her health got the best of her. She was 12 years old and she will never be forgotten. I personally took great pride in her name, Bertie. She was named after my family's plantation here in Leflore County, which was named by my Great Grandfather (W.L. Craig) after Bertie County, North Carolina, where our Craig family descendants settled in America when they came over from Scotland. GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN SWEET BERTIE!

INSANITY- the most wicked fitness regimen in the mix!!

Give it a try...you'll see!! For the past 8 weeks Floyd and I have tried to tackle an exercise regimen called INSANITY. "Insane" is the key word....it's completely insane alright!! Well, believe you me it's tough to say the least. I've done it ALL and this is by far the hardest thing I have done but remarkably I really do love it. When we finished the Viking Half Marathon at the end of March I knew it was time to shake things up. I was tired of my hips hurting from the reps of running and spin class day in and out. McLean recommended Insanity not only because of the results he had achieved but because it also had a great stretching program, especially for the hips. Husband Floyd had a bit of a casualty around week 5. His ankle took a turn when it caught under the upstairs couch where we have our home "makeshift" workout area. After "pop, pop, pop" he was down....Remarkably, he didn't break his ankle but the sounds of bones and tendons cracking was LOUD and he's pretty sure it'll ever be the same. I completed the program a few weeks ago with a few workout friends and I truly do really feel fit and in better total shape than I have in a while! Shaun T (the instructor) rocks! He's great. Bottom line....I recommend Insanity! Check it out at www.beachbody.com

Happy 9th Birthday Anne Craig

My sweet baby girl turned 9 on May 26! It seems like yesterday we were just having her 2nd birthday party. Where on Earth do the years go? Heck, where on Earth did the month of May go?? I truly cannot imagine our life without Anne Craig in it. She is very different than her type A control freak Mom and has a whole different laid back style on life. I learn something from her each and every day. Isn't it amazing how God gives you the children you need!! This year for her birthday we had a fabulous Red Carpet Themed birthday celebration. That party in itself will get its own post for sure. In typical interview fashion that I like to do with each birthday passing, here are some of her interests at this stage in her life. I AM....Anne Craig Melton I WAS....8 I HAVE....a cat named Tom Stacy I PLAY....with my friends I WORRY....about getting in trouble I KNOW....how to play the piano I WATCH....Good Luck Charlie I WANT....a phone I CRAVE....goldfish crackers I USUALLY....swim I REMEMBER....when I was little I DISLIKE....school I GO....out of town to play soccer I WENT....to New York last May I CAN.... snow ski I DON'T....eat veggies I FEEL....good I DANCE....at Martha Geeslin's I READ....Diary of A Wimpy Kid I WRITE....letters to friends I BELIEVE....in God I AM SCARED.... of robbers I LISTEN....to our preacher I WISH....I could fly I LOVE....tennis I AM HAPPY....that Gooddaddy is still alive I AM THANKFUL....for my family

Happy Easter Everyone!!

Floyd's 5th Grade Cotillion

Inaugural Viking Half Marathon and 5K....Results a Total Success!!

Sweet Anna came to run with us and did awesome!

Floyd is ready to run that 5k!!

Job well done I must say!

Floyd with me and Jaime (chair and co-chair)

Deer Valley 2012

Look out mountain!!! Get ready cause here we come!!!

Hot Chocolate and turkey chili break!!

The McLean Trotter family

Floyd and Anne Craig

Anne Craigie!!

Cousins!!

It was DERNNNNN cold this year! February skiing is COLD!!

Did I mention it is cold??

Daredevils

Good Times!!


Look out "Stein's Way" here I come!

Mission Accomplished


Lisa, Cham and McLean- our yearly ski pose since 1980 "the older generation of skiers"

"new generation of skiers"


Awesome Time!!

Thanks Papa!! What a wonderful trip!

Oh Dear!! They look so big!!