Wherever we go, laughter will be

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T10:19:00.003-04:00

...I almost see a smile...he looks kinda harmless here :-)

rewinding to more holiday fun

2010-02-13T17:02:00.008-05:00

I know, I know, it's almost been 2 months since Christmas. However, I feel it necessary to include the fun I had with my PT buds. Since UNC played in the Tire Bowl in Charlotte, it was silly for us not to have a mini-reunion. I must credit Sean with this most fabulous idea. Erin gets credit for our Carolina blue sweatshirts, so brilliantly coordinated.

We tried to have a bit more fun with the available letters. We had quite a few more words, but not necessarily appropriate for your viewing.

...like Donkey Kong

Now to the game...a disappointing loss, but only made better by a marching, I mean stand-still band. They had TWO drill sets in their entire half time show!!! and a Carolina snuggie.

i hate college marching band

holler!

my sweet gal pals :-)

I am sad to say that I do not get to see these friends very often. When we have to opportunity to hang out, it it just like we never left each other :-) So nice to have friends like that. I wish that I could keep all my buddies within a 30 mile bubble of me.

Alright, time to get cleaned up. JP and I are heading to the basketball game at WCU tonight. Catamounts are having a pretty good season and bringing in great crowds. Go Cats!

snowed in...finally some free time

2010-02-13T11:32:00.004-05:00

Good golly, Molly! Never thought I could spend so much time away from home or survive on such little sleep. It has been a whirlwind of a few months and will continue to be so for the next couple of months. Managing my time between 2, sometimes 3 jobs has not allowed me much energy to do anything other than sleep when I am at home.

We are snowed in this weekend...different from most previous snows, in which I had to work. Boo.

We had a fantastic Christmas and were able to spend time with both families.

Toya and Gavin at JP's grandma's house.

JP's mom and step dad at their house

Christmas morning with the Boone's

me and cousin, Olivia. such a little lady!

at JP's Aunt Dot's house with his sister and boyfriend, dad, Aunt Judy, and his brother's family

Got some awesome metal mixing bowls, a knife sharpener, more wedding china, some teapots, clothes, and a fantastic camera!!

Many of my evenings and free time has been spent teaching winterguard at North Buncombe High School. It is quite the undertaking for my energy and creativity...not really my forte. I am happy to help my dad, though (he is the band director there). The kids a lot of fun. Weather has been our biggest enemy this season and the largest reason we are still not finished with the show. I love snow, but am very ready for it to go away and stay away!!

Speaking of the snow....some of the most recent white stuff....

top o' the tree

a snowy firepit

a fallen soldier...it was already leaning WAY over, i'm surprised it lasted through the other snows

our lost friend

B-E-A-UTIOUS!

Christmas with the PrimusPair

2009-12-09T18:52:00.003-05:00

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...

rocking chair in the yard

....forever and always will be my favorite Christmas ornament

even squirrels decorate their trees.

Feeling Like Christmas

2009-12-04T15:13:00.003-05:00

I am so excited that Christmas is approaching....

Christmas decorations are out of storage,

bought the tree today,

love all the Christmas music on the radio,

and plan that my house will be decked in red and green before the end of the night!

Pictures soon to fa-la-la-la-low :-)

Place Your Bets....

2009-09-27T21:41:00.002-04:00

JP and I were talking today about the stuff we need to get done before the upcoming weekend. On the "To-Do" list: laundry, clean house, laundry, weed-eat the yard, laundry, pack our suitcases, laundry, hang curtains and pictures, and did I say laundry? Anyway, he decided he wanted to go play basketball with some friends this afternoon. Our conversation on his way out the door:
JP-"I bet you won't weed-eat the yard."
K-"What if I do?"
JP-"If you weed-eat the yard, I will do the rest of the laundry."
(I have to interrupt the conversation to say that laundry was a part of JP's 'pre-nuptials'. We sort of had an agreement that unless absolutely necessary, he would not ever do laundry or go to the grocery store. I don't like the way he folds my clothes and he has no patience in the grocery store. So, neither part of his 'pre-nuptials' really bothers me.)
K-"Really??"
JP-"You won't do it."
K-"Okay."

I was relaxed on the couch under a cozy blanket, watching TV as this conversation was going on. But, as soon as he got down the driveway, I went into overdrive. I hustled into his NAVY coveralls, put on my boots and sunglasses for eye protection, poured some gas into the weed-eater and went to town. After one tank of gas, I realized the string needed to be changed....did it all by myself, thank you very much. I quickly went back to work. I was trying so hard to get done before JP drove up. Didn't make it.....I had about 10 minutes of work left when he got home. Wish I had a picture of his face when he saw me. My victory picture will have to do :-) I won.....and JP has a lot of laundry piled up.

for the ATL...

2009-09-21T23:26:00.002-04:00

Saw this on Facebook.....too funny to not share.

It's raining, it's pouring

2009-09-21T23:00:00.003-04:00

I need some sunshine, desperately.....went to Kate Murphy's tonight for dinner and the river was nearly flooding her road. Idiots were standing on the non-existent river bank watching the water come right at them. Please, Mr. Sun....come out. In case you forgot, this is what you look like.

Music at the Mill

2009-09-20T14:23:00.007-04:00

This weekend helped to reaffirm why I am so happy to be back in NC. For the past 3 years, my aunt has hosted "Music at the Mill", as an event fundraiser for the Francis Mill Preservation Society. The Francis Mill has been owned by my family since 1887, when my great-great-great-grandfather (William Francis) built it.

taken around 1900

He acquired the surrounding land after courting and marrying a lady named, Polly. Her father was apparently a very rich man and gave them one square mile of land as a wedding gift. Anyway, the mill is water powered, turning a wheel to grind corn into corn meal, grits, and corn feed. My aunt is the current owner and began a restoration project of the mill in 2003 that was completed in 2007.

taken in 2001, before the restoration project

This is the first year I have been able to attend "Music at the Mill." I have either been too far away or busy with graduate school. My aunt has done an awesome job restoring the mill. She and her husband were very patient in diligent throughout the process, as it took nearly 4 years to complete. I am very proud to say that I am a "Francis." Even more so, I am proud that a piece of history and culture has been saved.

the wheel turning for the first time since 1976

I told myself a million times, "Kadee, put your camera in your purse"....I still forgot it. So, I don't have any pictures from this weekend. (boo) I'm hoping Abby will pass a few my way. I had a good time listening to local musicians and hanging out with my family. A good crowd, decent weather, cool to see how the mill works, and money made for continued preservation! I look forward to next year!

Abby and Bryan had their wedding at the mill in June 2009

Yard Warriors

2009-09-10T15:19:00.006-04:00

Our yard is un-mowable. Thanks to JP's mom and stepdad, we have a weed-eater that will be seeing lots of labor the next couple of years. Takes close to 2 hours to get it all done....not a big yard, but very uneven and rocky.

.

Here is my hubby with his first go....

Our yard looks so well manicured now.....he did a good job :-)

While he was doing that, I was pulling weeds and had my own little "rock party".....looking for rocks in the yard to toss into the woods, down to the fire pit, wherever.....just so they weren't in the way of the weed-eater. I'm sure we'll have another party. We'll be sure to invite you.

a "Welcome Home" from the fog

2009-09-03T19:43:00.002-04:00

....too pretty not to post....fog settling in when i came home today.

Not a very good start....

2009-08-30T19:24:00.006-04:00

I thought I was going to be more on the ball with this blog....not so much, huh? Nearly 6 weeks have passed and I haven't put up anything else. It has been a busy 6 weeks and lots of things have changed.

Started my new job at Mission Hospital. Moved to Sylva, NC. We are enjoying our house and mountain filled view. JP started school at WCU. It has been a different kind of change, a culture shock of sorts. Feels weird that the closest mall and Target are over an hour away, I have a satelitte dish in my front yard (it's the only kind of cable we can get), we have to leave the car in first gear to get up the driveway, our neighbors are trees, and bugs and critters are knocking at our doors and windows....spiders to be exact. We don't do spiders in this house.

This is what we see from the front of the house!

...from the front corner of the porch

We are happy for now :-) It's taking JeVone a little longer to get used to things. I think he'll come around.

We have already had out of town visitors, too!!! It helps that we are closer to most of our family and friends.

Matt and Kristi came for the weekend. No picture from their visit, but I'd like for you to meet them. They are some of our favorite peole.

JP's parents and his sister's family came to stay with us for about 4 days. Some highlights from their visit...

Our friends Julie and DeWayne are supposed to be coming next weekend. Maybe we should open a bed and breakfast???

The Beginning, The End, and a Fork

2009-07-06T23:29:00.000-04:00

So, we (or maybe just me, Kadee) have been wanting to do this for a while....blog, that is. I keep up with a few people this way and am reminded of how convenient it is each time I read. When I have thought about starting this in the past, it hasn't really been a good time to do it. However, mine and JeVone's life is getting ready to take a major fork in the road....so, what better time than now?

A little background, if you will.

JeVone and I met nearly 10 years ago at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. Literally, one time at band camp. Trumpet player met colorguard girl in set zero, and despite all those people who said he never could, JeVone pursued until he could pursue no more.

This picture was taken by a hallmate at WCU.
He looks thrilled to have my arms around him.

We will be married 2 years, next month. Those 8 years of dating were a blessing in disguise. We had no surprises when it came time to say, "I do." So far, our life together as a married couple has been divinely favored.

from our wedding reception...and our awesome photographer, Regina Holder

before the reception, a cool mural in downtown Asheville, NC (photographer, Regina Holder)

We have been living in Memphis, TN since our wedding. JeVone's work in the NAVY brought us here. Until very recently, he was in the Navy band. (enter fork in the road) JeVone decided that the Navy is not the path he would like his career to take from here. As of July 3rd, he is officially separated from the Navy. He is going back to school this fall for his Master's in trumpet performance and Doctorate/Ph.D in who knows what. As a result of this decision, we are leaving Memphis and headed back to the mountains of NC, where we met.

If you had asked me 9 months ago if I would leave Memphis, I would have emphatically replied, "When do I pack my bags?" Wouldn't you know that in the past 6 months, JeVone and I have made some great friends and nurtured other acquaintances that have become very important people to us...and I kinda don't want to leave now! I have 9 days left here before I move to start my new job in Asheville. JeVone will join me at the end of the month.

So....here's to the upcoming changes, the beginning of our blog, a new life in the mountains, and the end of our time in Memphis. A post or two to come soon on our final days and memories of the Navy and Memphis.