Whittaker Woman

Georgia On My Mind

Hunting attire is new to me. I guess I can't say new since we are nearing our 2 year mark, but camo is so definitely not a Cali thing. 
Seanna is getting her south on! H

Georgia On My Mind...

Neighborhood Graduate Congratulations are new to me. I don't know if this is strictly done her in GA, but I have never seen this done before. Each neighborhood community has a sign out with the names of the local graduates on it. I think it is kinda fun. Kinda creepy, kinda fun! :) H

Georgia On My Mind... I Am So Sorry!

So there are a few things that are very different in the South that I have been oh so good at keeping quiet. Do to the fact that I just did not want to offend, BUT today is another day. :) So our roommates have dress their boys when they were younger in a very southern outfit called a Jon Jon. This is something that you will not find in California. You just won't. However the women of the deep south treasure these outfits and they are THE THING to wear! Now not ALL southern people love them. Steph who has taught me the ways of the south is not a fan. All this to say Martha had one of these blessed little outfits and she suggested we put Losiah in it and take a picture. Oh I jumped at the chance! 

Here is the disclaimer on Martha's behalf. She NEVER but her boys in this one. It is a pastel purple with bunnies for heavens sake. AND yes it is for a boy. Another disclaimer on Martha's behalf she draws the line at what age boys can wear these. I have been at church and seen boys as old as 6 wearing these. I mean... that is just cruel! So I hope you enjoy. I am asking you to please be kind and not rude on the comments. It's just different strokes for different folks! 

Georgia on my mind fashion styles! 

Georgia on my mind

This happens in Cali, but IT NEVER HAPPENED IN SO CAL! 

We skipped ice on the lake. 

Made It Big...

What has made it big from  your home town? The A town has many things... Chick-Fil-A, Delta, CNN, but my personal Favorite is Coke. What is your hometown known for? H

Georgia On My Mind... Bows

Bows, the bigger the better, or so it seems. In Georgia, I often see girls with bows as big as their head. I am not sure why they are so big, I just have noticed lots and lots of bows here. There are bows, flowers, and simple clips in CA but these bows are different. They scream the South! 

Georgia On My Mind...Captive

Today, RIGHT NOW, Mark is being buried in Riverside. My heart is there, but I am not. Angie asked my man to play and someone graciously gave him their frequent flyer miles, which allowed him to go. I write this post because it is where I am at this very second. I am mourning my friend, Mark. He was rare, there are not that many genuine, loving husbands and fathers out there anymore and it pains me that Nolan will not have him as his daddy. It hurts to know Ang is alone. I sit here sad.

I know that there are things I will now miss because I am not in community in Riverside. I knew when i moved that moments would happen and I would have to watch from afar, but when something like this happens and I can not go I actually get mad. Why because it is my fault. I made decisions, we made decisions that now have left us unable to afford a plane ticket out to CA, and this time I feel captive. I want to be there. What holds you captive? 

Anyone Want To Walk To The Bus Stop With Me?

Georgia On My Mind

I know I have said it before... We don't call our grandparents Memaw or Papaw in CA... 

These were at a pottery store up in the Smoky Mountains... How appropriate! H

Georgia on my mind

There is nothing like being in the Smokey Mountains and hearing the local musicians play!

I am sure you could find some Blue Grass in CA but it would not be LEGIT! I was in the hills of Tennessee! 

Those are my offspring. They were so excited to be able to play in the REAL BAND! They made me take pictures so we could show daddy! 

I think Losiah got the wrong info on his wardrobe memo!

Then the finale, Its not enough to be hearing some Blue Grass Music in the sticks, but to add a little clogging! Now, I can say I saw me some South! :) H

Georgia on my mind

In Cali lights are on poles... All of them. There is no tangled mess of wires above the intersections. Every time I drive under these I feel like it is going to break and fall on my car. I don't understand why they don't have poles for them? Anyone? Why do they drape wires across the road? H

Georgia On My Mind

One major difference that I feel being here in Georgia vs California besides the Ya'll thing, is the fact that in California you basically have every environment within hours of each other. You have the Highest Mountain in the lower US, you have the lowest place in the US, you have the dessert, 3 different coastal shorelines, you have farmlands, rolling hills, seriously the list can go on and on. And all of it is within hours of each other. I have traveled from Georgia to Florida, Georgia to Alabama, Georgia to Tennessee, Georgia all the way to Virginia, and I have yet to find much more than tree's. There is a slight difference but nothing like CA. However all that said and done... I am glad I am here in Georgia. The seasons make up the difference! 

1pm I was in this location...

2 hours later we had gone home and got our swimsuits on and were here. 

A few days later, but only a 6 hour drive we were here. 

About an hour from Yosemite we were here. 

What is it like where you live? 

Georgia On My Mind

Not only do I miss Mexican food but I miss Mexicans. Yes there is actually a large amount of people from Mexico in Georgia, but the Californian vato is just missing. Orale Ese!  H

 

Georgia On My Mind

Last week when we hiked to the top of Stone Mountain, there came a time when we passed the tree line and we could actually see the horizon. Which is one thing we desperately miss from California. As we were hiking I heard Seanna with a voice of pure thrill exclaim, I CAN SEE!  We talked about how great it was and kept on hiking. What I did not realize was how it was brewing in her little heart. When we got to the top, this is what happened. 

She walked off by herself. She sat there for quite some time. Finally Carlos went to talk to

 her and found her in tears, because she missed California! Heart Broken. 

How sad is that. It is amazing how much a five year old understands and feels. I was in 

heaven that day there was not a moment of from my heart of wanting to be in Cali. H

Georgia On My Mind

Oh I love living someplace where there are seasons! This does not happen in So Cal. in October! Whats your weather? H

Georgia On My Mind...Go Dawgs

I have always known that the South LOVES their football. College football to be exact! I
enjoy people seeing life differently, however I have come to realize that here in the south football is a religion. For those Southerners who don't know any different, sports are big in other areas, but it is a recreation. Something that is extra on the side. It is not your life.
Let me explain myself a little. I was in a substitute teacher training full of women, and the trainer made some kind of reference about Georgia Bulldogs, aka GA, Georgia, the dawgs. Then all of the sudden I was swarmed by barking dogs. EVERYONE began barking. What the tar? Where am?  I suddenly thought I may have been in a bar with a bunch of men. But nope, I was in a room of women ranging from age 30-65 and everyone was barking. Now that would have never happened in Ca, unless we were at a college function or our team just won a championship or something. Not in a substitute training meeting.  That is the south! Oh and the picture above is a Georgia Bulldog Bible Study. I tell you it is a life here. H

Georgia On My Mind...Tortillas

When I was out shopping for the food for my Mexican dinner I went to 3 different stores to try to find corn tortilla's, but all I found was flour. This was at one store here in the south who has one of the largest selections of Mexican food items of any grocery store so far. And still no corn tortillas. Flour tortillas are an item you need if you are going to make burritos, or quesadillas and everything else I make I use corn! Posole, taco's, enchilada's, huevos rancheros, I even use corn tortillas for our quesadillas.  Finally I gave up and went to a  carniceria and bought a huge bag of them. So I ask you... Corn or flour?

Georgia On My Mind...Garage Sales

This weekend I was looking forward to selling all of our junk that we have piling up in our garage. You would think that after moving across the country we would only have what we need, but we don't. We have a ton of things that need to go!  I guess with 3 growing kids things just pile up. So I decided to have a garage sale.
Garage sales are big here in the south. Which for those who were wondering were big in Cali too. 
The difference is that in California garage sales usually take place on Saturdays only. Here in Georgia people have garage sales on Friday and Saturday. I was actually excited about this because Carlos has Friday off so it would totally work with our family schedule. 
I woke up early on Friday and began the chaos. It was around 8 o'clock when Seanna began to whine...
"Mommy why doesn't anyone want to come to our garage sale?" Her feelings were hurt that no one had come.  And that is when I realized that not only is there a difference on the days people garage sale here but also the time they garage sale. In Cali if you do not have your stuff outside and ready by 6am you have missed the boat. People start at the crack of dawn in Cali and by 11 am people are done shopping. Yesterday it was after 8am when we had our first car. Most signs I see around here say that they start around 8 and go till about 3pm. That is a long day of selling.
Finally it was around 11 am when I realized how conditioned I am. There is a five hour window of patience that I have for garage sales. Once those hours are past I AM DONE. Pack it up, give it away... I am finished. So I conclude that even though people here in Georgia have two full days of sales this California girl can't do it. I will give 5 hours of my life to selling junk after that it goes off to the Salvation Army. H

old Pic new story

Well my sis shelly and her family are moving here from New York! Her husband, 11 month old son and three cats have been traveling the country for the past 12 days. They are on their way to live in the land of palm trees and plastic, smog and good food, traffic and family. What else would you want in life. There are four things that keep me in So Cal... In and Out, family, Sandals and good Mexican food. Come on I am in heaven! Welcome to Cali  Sis!

First response.

This is my question.  When you see these what do you think? Whats your first response? I have driven from Atlanta to Nashville, from Atlanta to Savannah, Atlanta to Miami. I have experienced highways and explored back-roads, and each time I am here in the South I question one thing. What's with the Steeples? We  all know the hand motions to "Here's the church, heres the steeple, look inside and see all the people." But I don't understand them. The people here don't think twice about it. They see them everyday, it's part of their culture, its normal. But I am not from here. I am born and raised Californian. And so each time I travel around the South I wonder why are the steeples so stinken Huge?  Why does every church have one. Its like they are boys comparing "Mines bigger than yours" They just are bigger and bigger. I dont get it. Where do you stand? What's  your initial response. Are they normal or do they look like mormon churches? Look how big this one is. See the second telephone pole that one is in front of the church. See it in comparison it is tiny.