Whittaker Woman

I can do Franklin!

We drove up to Franklin TN, last night to visit some very important peeps in our lives. Franklin is right outside of Nashville if you are not familiar with it. Most Country and Christian artist do or have lived here at some point. We are staying with George and Kathy King, and visiting with Chris and Randy Elrod. Who is Carlos' Blog Father. Anyways Randy hiked whitney with us and we have an amazing connection. So here we are. It was another wonderful day!
      
Franklin is such a great town because it has small town feel but because of all the artist it is very hip! I could do this! They need a Nordstrom's but once that happens we are here!   
          
After dinner we went for a walk to some chocolate place where they had s'mores. Yum!
         
Losiah wanted NOTHING to do with me tonight. All he wanted was Randy. It was such a good time!

It was nice to be around people who KNOW us and still love us no matter what they see. Refreshing! H

Pa you'd be proud

So the picture did not catch my hands like I wanted, but I have a cut and car grease because I got under the hood today. There is just one thing that my dad taught me and that was how to fix cars. We rebuilt my engine once, did countless trips to pick a part, and basically I learned that if its broken I could fix it all by myself. Well today was not a big deal I just had to jump my car. I know kinda lame but it reminded me of my ability and the memories that my dad taught me. Thanks Pa! I love you. I can't wait to get my girls under the hood with me. H

What's your story?

Everyday we pass people and judge them for their looks, their possessions, their personality, but do you ever stop to see who the really are? I have met Cyndi a few times, she is helping us with renting our house, plus she is the mom of our friend and photographer Daley Hake but I have never stopped to hear her story until today. She has 6 boys I think that is a story in its self. However its not, she has lived life and has been so open and honest. Its a great read. The story may take a minute to read but you will be a better wife, father and friend after you go along her journey with her. Check it out and give her some love. H 

I love this...

There is just nothing sweeter that watching my two girls cuddle up next to each other.

One year

Last night we watched this video, it was our one year anniversary of bringing Losiah home with us. I love that my man documented this time in our lives. I love having these video's. Enjoy...

ART

One thing I love about Sohaila's School is that art they show and display. All down the halls (here in GA there are halls) all down the halls there is art posted. Its so great. This is Sohaila's self portrait

And well this is a... well we saw this on one of the walls. Hmm

Its a snake thats right a snake.

My kind of bill!

That's right read it again. I owe . 17 cents to Riverside Gas Company. I can handle this one! H

What is real?

You know I came from a life that I would have considered pretty real. I was surrounded by people who love me, supported me and would have died for me. I felt it, I knew it. But was it real? I am by no means trying to give any kind of guilt out to those of you who are my friends out there. Please hear that! I am NOT trying to make anyone feel bad. I am just wondering what my life was and am being a little bit open about my awareness. You know I had a friend who moved about 3 years ago and she would always tell me "Heather, you are the only one who calls me"  and now I sit in her shoes. (except I don't call myself ). I have lived here for 10 weeks. I have talked to many people but mostly because I call them first. I have one friend who calls multiple times a week. Another that calls at least once. And thats it. I have had 3 other friends call on their own but besides that no one. Out of 100's of people that I would have called my friends. I just wonder what were they? Are relationships based on physical interaction? Think about those you would consider part of your GROUP. Have you reached out and told them how much you love them? I know this is a little more personal than other blogs. My fear of posting more of my inter battles are because I HATE to be fussed over so please no calls. I just wanted to set the question out there. Are your relationships really real? Or are they based on some kind of situation. Work, church, location? Or are they true thru and thru? H

Before and After

I want bangs like you mommy.

Last night Sohaila and were brushing my hair when Sohaila said "mommy I want bangs" I instantly knew I needed to make sure she knew where and when we cut our hair. We talked about the salon and who cuts it. I thought we were good. Then today I was putting her jacket on it and all of the sudden I see this chunk of hair falling in her eyes and it clicked... She cut her hair. The funny part was I was busting Sohaila when came and started to cry. She basically came up and said she did it too. Both decided to play beauty salon. I had to try so hard no to bust up laughing. Enjoy.

Unlike Me

I have to say that I am not someone who is on the internet and reading blogs of people I do not know. If you are on my RSS reader it is because I know you. However some time ago I did find a food blog and have had it on my RSS reader. Then I got a link from that blog of a girl in Peru who has a food blog. I found it pretty interesting. Today however I decided to write her and ask her a little more about herself. Basically her story, why she was there and things like that. We have been emailing back and forth. She is a missionary in Peru and I have spent the last 2 hours reading her story. She really spoke to me because she talks about the challenge of making friends, about being away from home, and just some great words of wisdom.
Her life blog is... http://gretchennoelle.blogspot.com/
Her Food Blog is...http://canelaycomino.blogspot.com/
Go and Check her out and say Hi, give her a little US love! H

Back in action!!! ("thats for you Eric")

Ok so I am back with the camera and what  fun we have had.
Wednesday we went up to Wendy's families farm and I got a my first taste of redneckdom.
   
Wendy's 9 year old newphew just killed his first buck. His grand-daddy drove 45 minutes just to see it! It was a big deal. It only cost $15 to take it to the butcher and get it cleaned and ready to eat. Thats pretty good, I might be going and getting a gun to get me some cheap meat!
   

We piled in the gator and hit the trails!
   
We then picked up Carlos and headed down to Angela's Parents House.

We had a great night until...

 When Sohaila  woke up burning HOT and I had to make a trip to Wallgreens.

But that did not stop us! We got up I made mash potatoes and we headed to the rest of Angela's families house for dinner/lunch.
   
The Cathy's have five boys and this was what they decided to do with the mash potatoes once dinner was over.

Our new Georgia Family!

I honesty love having friends here in Georgia that knew me before I lived here. Angela and Rachel both have been my friend for years and I am so grateful we were able to spend the holiday with their family. We felt welcomed and loved. So because of Sohaila being sick we decided just to go home and not go to the lake. It was a hard decision but once and a while we like to pull the good parent card. Now we are at home eating left overs watching movies. Happy Thanksgiving! H 

Blank

I really don't know what to post about. My camera is broken so I have no pictures. I can't write like my man so I have no thesis and I have no u-tube video's  because I think its a waste of time.
But I can say that  it is going to be a busy week. Tomorrow we are going to my new friends parents house to play on the farm. Then we head down to  Terrible Spellers parents house for the night, where we will spend the holiday with her family. After the feast we will head up to the Georgia Mountains, where we will  spend the weekend at the Lake Burton with Billy and Joy's family (our landlords). Our weekend continues with one of my best friends coming out to visit and Carlos finally leading me in worship again. So it is an action packed week.  I am sure I will be back on my game with pictures, but until then Happy Thanksgiving. H

My kind of weather

If I could eat every meal like this one I would. Oh and it would have to look like this and be this temp. Perfect!
    

    

    

   

                       

Who has the best parents?

Today Carlos and I volunteered for Sohaila's class. They were having a Thanksgiving Feast. Our camera did not work so this is from the phone, but they are still cute. H

I was setting the table

Table Set!

How cute is this "Turkey made up of paper bags and
filled with Popcorn."

Here comes the Indians.

I learned more about myself today

So today I had an extra 30 minutes from the time I got home from picking up and getting Sohaila. I decided to take this access road that is about 2 minutes from her school. This is what I found...

So then we went to go get Sohaila from school and came back to walk down this road and we found this...

Have I mentioned the bugs here. Wow.
So really I learned how much I connect with God in Nature. I have always known this about me. I love the outdoors. But today I was refreshed once I got back into the car. Full! It was so beautiful. H

Good intentions

We were invited to attend a dinner at  one of the fancy  "clubs" in ATL. It was  to sponsor the Atlanta  Union Mission. It was a great night and  the governor even came.  I laugh at our attempt to take our picture dressed up. Carlos cut his head off. HA!

A quiet house

Today  I was cleaning the kitchen, cleaned out a cabinet, then started to pay bills then I realized, it's quite around here. I knew that the kids were in my room and I could hear them once and a while but it had been a while since I had seen them. I went in to check and found this.

reading my Bible to Losiah upside down mind you, but at least reading. There were like this for at least an hour. So cute! I did ruin the moment when I walked in with the flashing lights and camera. At least it was fun while it lasted. H

Working with what I got

So Carlos keeps asking me to do something with his office. He keeps buying random things to go in it and I finally had to stop him. I went in and did the best with what he had purchased. I look forward to coming in and really making it him. But for now...
Before:

After:

My intentions for the lattice looking thing is to make it a bulletin board kind of piece. I need to get some clips and hooks but I am excited about it. H

Carlos does not have a chance

Really those eyes.

These girls have Carlos and they have him good!

Tteokbokki

Ok ATL, Does anyone know where we can get some good tteokbokki?  I have learned to make it but I am wanting some good street food. Anyone?

 

Representing!

Representing the IE and 951! Miss you guys!

Roswell

There is a cute little down town area in Roswell we decided to take a walk and enjoy the fall.

Dear Mary Mother Of All Things Hotness

Hey.  This is Carlos.  I have hijacked Heathers blog.
Why?  Because I just uploaded a new banner of her up top.  If you can't see it you need to refresh your cache or reset Safari or something.  The other reason I hijacked her blog is to tell you that my wife might just be the hottest thing walking the streets of The ATL.  I mean seriously?  Are you kidding?  Look at her.  She is hotter than a stolen tamale. 
Well.  Anyways.  I'm just going to stare at her from down here until she puts another post up. 

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr,
Los

No Camera today...

It froze last night. I grew up where it got cold enough that the grass would crunch and there would be a layer of ice on your windshield in the morning, however my baby girl has not had any experience with cold weather. It was probably in the 30's when we went to school and Sohaila cried the whole way to school because it was cold. She had a coat on and everything! We have some hurdles to overcome! H

My living room is a studio!

So my full size living room is now a studio. Here are my artists at work...

Berry...

Carlos went to college in one of the most beautiful campuses ever. We went for a visit on Saturday our friends David and Aly who live on campus. We had a picnic out front with the deer.

Piggy got stuck up in the tree. You should have seen Sohaila's face. Ha!

We then went to go feed the ducks and they were attacking us. It was so funny. They were mean!

Once we got a stick and got them in the water we had fun. If they tried to get out the girls would regulate. It was so funny to see the power when held the stick. (If I had a nickel! ) It was  a needed escape! We had a great time.

TGIF

So I had my first "volunteer day" at Sohaila's school. I actually loved it. I can't believe how much they teach her. She is learning so much I love it.

Then in the afternoon we hung out with the Henderson's. Wendy is from the south but you would not know it. She was as feisty as me, and I loved it! We went to a park at first the kids loved it.

Then Carlos and I had a first! We got so lost. It has never happened before. Like I said I am good with directions, it was a long story but before you know it we were so lost. We called good faithful Billy and he got us home. We thought we were going south and west, but instead we were going north, east. Totally the wrong way. Plus we went far! But thanks to Billy we are now home. Nothing like the adventures of the Whittaker's.

That's Carlos on the phone with Billy. Oh what will we do tomorrow! H

For those of you who do not read Carlos' Blog

I love my family!

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

I may be crossing the line for some of you but it's blog worthy. So here we go, I put the kids in the shower for their cleaning time. I left to go get their pj's and all I hear is this terrible wailing.  Full on  screaming from the shower! The kind that you can't understand one word that is being spoken because its so rambled. I walk in and see the girls huddling in one corner of the shower pointing. Then I smell it. Steamy poop. Oh it was lovely. The girls were freaking out, while Losiah just stared at them wondering why they were screaming. Oh to be a mother! H