wow...it goes by fast..

... & its not just ANY birthday...

Its the day I have no more '3's' in front of my age... Hello 4's... 40... FORTY?  yep... 40 years old today. 

How can this cute little face be 40 yrs old?

I actually still cant believe it.  When people ask me my age, I honestly have to stop & think about it.  Maybe that's the first sign of old age - not remembering your age.  I use to automatically think, "I'm 18"... no joke... but as the years have passed, now when someone asks how old I am, I automatially think, "I'm 28"... not sure why.  I definitely don't think, or feel like 40.  Although on some days, when my arms & knees ache, I do kinda feel like I'm 60... again, this aging thing can bite somtimes.

30 hit me bad... I didnt think 40 would... I was wrong.  Something about that first number changing in your age that puts things in a reality-light that GLOWS way too brightly sometimes.

So for my 40th birthday, since it's a big "milestone" - I'm just going to think back of some of the big things in my life... the moments that are happy, memorable, that stand out to me...
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40.  Learning to knit... it changed all my free time :)

39.  My high school graduation... felt so proud & happy... & SICKER then a dog.  I had a 102 fever... but was determined to make it through the ceremony. 

38. Moving to our house in Greenville... I still am in love with our home...

37.  All my Steven Curtis Chapman concerts... & the meet & greet where I was actually a few FEET from him... & got to ask a question to him about his hair :)  (I'm a dork)

36.  Getting my first car with AIR CONDITIONER!!! It was a Ford Escort... never so proud of a car :)

35.  Roller skating... did it as a child every Sunday with my friend Julie... who knew I'd meet my husband at a skating rink years later... & still be skating today, teaching the grandbabies to skate.

34. My wonderful friends growing up...

33.  September 11, 2001... I'll never forget sitting at work watching it..

32.  Watching Alaina & Lindsay graduate from high school... then eventually Alaina from college... they were little girls when I came into their lives...

31.  The trip to Gatlinburg that Ricky, myself & Stephanie went on...  I dont think we've ever laughed so much in our lives...

30.  Our trip to Vegas in 1999 with some friends... any trip where you see Mike Tyson walking around has got to be a good one!

29.  Standing with Julie on her wedding day behind the closed doors, waiting with her to go down the aisle...

28.  Every minute I get to spend with the youth group in our church.... they bless me more then I could ever do for them...

Believe Gang of 2010

27.  Every young person I have ever baptized... such an honor

26.  Seeing Ricky get baptized. 

25.  The "Stephanie's" in my life... #1 & #2 ... if you are a Stephanie, you now qualify to be my best friend :)

Me & Stephanie #2

24.  Cameras... have always loved them & now, its taken on a new adventure for me

23. My lisp... I had to go to speech therapy in elementary school for it & I still catch myself (or others point it out) lisping... all this time later.  Call me Cindy Brady.

22.  First time I did Sign Language in my church

21.  Fall Festival in Dale, Indiana... we'd go every year.  Its where my dad grew up & my aunt still lived & I always looked so forward to it.  A parade that threw out CANDY?  Who DOESNT want to travel over an hour for that?  & by the way, when I was little, it felt like the trip took DAYS... & it was only like 65 minutes...

(me, Teenie, Tony & Dolly at my Aunt's house in Dale)

20. My first plane ride with my aunt to Texas... scared to death.  She still laughs about me "yelping" a little when we hit turbulence.  I found nothing humorous about it... at all...

19.  A family vacation to Gatlinburg where we went to Dolly Wood... the water ride with my brother was the funniest thing when he was the ONLY one who got soaked to the bone... & was the ONLY one who didnt even want to ride it to begin with.

18.  Meeting Isaac & Luke for the first time...

This is our trip to meet Isaac... where did his hair go?

17.  All my furbabies, from our first dog, Dolly, growing up... to all the cats we had in our home as a teenager, to Pandora, to our doggie gang we have now... they're all family members...

16.  Growing up with my brother's obsession to punch me & then take pictures of me crying... how messed up is that? Brothers... what can you say...

15.  My dad's "Special bread" he's make on the weekends for breakfast.  I now know it was just pancakes without butter or syrup, but I thought it was the coolest invention EVER & looked forward to it every weekend!

14.  Years & years of Kung Fu lessons with my dad & brother... dont mess with  me :)

13. Being with my grandmother when she passed away...

12. Working as a cashier in a grocery story in high school... there was no better job in the world to me.  I was obsessed with cash registers since I would press buttons.

11.  Having my gall bladder taken out a few months after I got married in 1996... my first surgery.  I was scared to death.

10.  Becoming a runner... never thought it would happen... but 4 Half Marathons under my belt.  A FULL marathon by the time I turn 50?  its possible...

9. The day I got baptized... fun fact:  I had a panic moment when I realize I didnt remember to bring underwear! haha!  Too much info?... I loved my time at Beechmont with my friends & my Pastor... Brother Jerry... or as I'd call him, Bro J... he was an amazing man.

8.  Game Days with my mom... she was always up to play a board game... anytime of the day.  During the summer, it would be nothing to play Yahtzee at midnight.

7.  The birth of my twin  nieces... I'll never forget holding them minutes after they were born.. & getting to carry Sophia up to the nursery.  I always tell her I took her on her first elevator ride of her life :)

6. Having a great job that I've been blessed to have for.. oh my... going on 20 years!

5. Beauty & the Beast... everything about it!  Seeing it at the movies, seeing it on Broadway, seeing it in High School Musicals... & getting a Belle dress!!! 

4.  Having a friend pass away at 18 of cancer... a friend pass away at 30 of cancer... & a friend in her 40's pass away of cancer... things that like change your view of life & fairness.

3. Getting the call from my dad that the things in his spine were NOT cancer.  I'll never forget screaming in my office.  It turned into church in my office.... I just kept thanking God.  That was a moment of pure joy!

2. Dancing with this young man at his wedding.... I'll never forget it as long as I live.

1.  My wedding day.... it was perfect.  I wouldnt change one thing about it.

Here's to another 40 years of memories...

... another 40?  I'll be 80...

Lord, give me strength :)

who knew this would be a blessing?

I'm sitting at my desk, eating my lunch yesterday... nothing special... ordinary day...

chomp... chomp...

wait...what is that?

you have GOT to be kidding me...

My crown came off of my tooth.

If you've been around my blog for awhile, this may seem like a familar story. 

A crown came off this SAME tooth about 4 months ago.

I call the dentist & they get me in within 2 hours.

So I go in & tell them I cant believe this happened again... & I'm a nervous wreck.  Why?  Because when the other one came off, my regular dentist was out of the office - I saw the other dentist that works in the office.  She told me the crown was cracked & I had to have a new one.

... THEN, they told me that insurance didnt cover any crown under a year old.  How that made sense, I dont know.  I raised all kinds of questions & they even sent back the office manager with paper work trying to "explain" it to me... needless to say, it didnt matter, I had to have a tooth, so I just said whatever.  And ended up paying $1200 for another crown...

So it being after Christmas, or any time of the year, I just didnt want to part with another $1200....

The dental assistant told me that it fit right back on, it looked good & there would be no charge... THANK YOU LORD!!!  They think I'm still grinding my teeth (even with the mouth guard) loosening up the grip of the crown.

Then she looked in my chart & said, "Explain to me what happened that last time" - I went through the whole story.

She looked up & said, "You shouldnt have been charged... our crowns are guaranteed for 5 years"...

I almost choked...WHAT?!?!?!?!?!??

She went & talked with my dentist who told me also that I shouldnt have been charged for it....

They are now looking into it & she said they should get back with me in the next few days on what they're doing for me...

....I would have never known this if this tooth didnt come out again....

....its just funny when things happen that you think are just horrible, turns out to be a blessing....

but Lord, I'm good... I dont need any more teeth falling out to prove anything :)

Christmas Wrap up....

We headed over to my parents for our Christmas with my side of the family.  It feels like its a journey with this bridge thing still, STILL, happening.  Off we went on our adventure.  Luckily, it was a beautiful day.  Nothing like you'd expect of Christmas.  It was sunny, in the 50's... more like early Spring.  (I'll take it)

We started off digging in for some food.  Always love when we get my mom's potato salad.  She puts the hugest hunks of potato in there... the ONLY way to have potato salad!  Mom & dad get a honey baked ham but since I'm going on a YEAR (wow... cant believe its been a year) of not eating certain meat, I was all about a cheese ball my sister in law made. 

The twins were laughing at me because I think I ate a whole box of Triscuits with it... Madi is holding up what was left... & let me tell you, this cheese ball was HUGE... Yes, my name is Rebecca & I'm a cheese ball addict.

If you have little ones in your home at Christmas, you know there is no time to waste to open presents.  The twins were eee--xxx--ciiii--tttttt-eeeddddd to get going into the packages. 

Doesnt it feel like you take days to wrap everything up to see kids devour it in 0.02 seconds?  Its one of those magic things of Christmas ...

Here is a picture of the twins in some Angry Bird blankets I had found.  They had their birthday cake in October in Angry Birds so I knew they would like 'em... I wasnt wrong... I had to laugh because if you saw the picture I took of them a few weeks ago, Sophia had her head leaned over the exact same way ... my mom keeps telling her something must be wrong with her neck :)

The best part of Christmas for me was this little blondie.  She is into football this year.  She watches it with her daddy every weekend & all she told me she wanted was a football & a football jersey.  Well, her favorite team is Green Bay, but I couldnt find anything & she didnt really tell me she wanted a specific team - she just wanted a "REAL" jersey.  So I found this one & went ahead & got it for her.  I gave it to her & said, "I know this isnt probably what you want, but its better then nothing" - when she opened it up, her face just kinda froze.  I thought, "Great, she hates it".... but then, the biggest smile came across her face & she grabbed it & ran in the back room & changed into it... SUCCESS!!!!

I saw my brother & sister in law at the grocery today & she said that they MADE her not wear it for the 3rd day in a row so they could wash it :)  If nothing else worked out for Christmas, putting a smile on this girls face made it all worth it....

I had asked Sophia what she wanted for Christmas too... she wanted a camera.  Come on... a camera?  How could I not get her a camera?  She was so happy to get it... it was even purple ... who doesnt want a purple camera?  I wish my Nikon's were purple! I love the one picture of her trying to figure it out in the corner....

Time for the girls to give their present to their Yaya...

Apparently, my mom was very surprised... or maybe that's just where I get my dramatic gene from, that Sophia has as well... we pass down the good genes in our family....

If you didnt know, my mom is a Wizard of Oz NUT.... Nut doesnt even put it properly... Fanatic?  Crazy? Obsessed?  None of the words seem appropriate... but she didnt have this for her collection so she was just happy to get a new piece.  I love this expression on Sophia's face looking at her.  She either doesnt like it, or she's mimicing the witches face.... my money is on the mimicing... again, with the drama gene.

Madi was checking out her presents with her Papaw.... they are best buddies.  Dad had gotten her something to carry her Hot Wheels in since hers was full & she just didnt know where to put them all.... cue a great Christmas present for her

Here's my brother... doesnt he look wise with his little glasses?  I would have taken a picture of my sister in law, but she did nothing short of threaten my life if I took a picture of her.  She's the one who made the cheese ball I scarfed down, so I owed her one.  And since I didnt take out my camera when I had no make up on earlier, I totally understood.  Christmas at my families is everything relaxed & lay back ... perfection... the best way to spend a Christmas day....

The girls both got an "Etch N Sketch" too... I didnt even know they still made them.  I was reminded that even Buddy uses them in Elf... OH YEAH! :)  But we cracked up when one of the twins played with it & then asked her mom, "Where's the button to clear the screen?".... yep, this generation is different from mine.

Madi couldnt take it any longer... she still had her football & it was nice out, so her Uncle Ricky came to the rescue.  Outside to toss the football.  Madi's pretty good too... I think this was the highlight of Ricky's day too.

And then Sophia was out taking pictures of her sister with her new camera.  I was behind her taking pictures of her, taking pictures... but love this look she gave me when she saw what I was doing :)

The sun was setting so time to come inside... you see Madi didnt stop with the football action...

but it's fun to just sit around with family & tell stories & enjoy being together...

I can just hear my dad's laugh when I look at this picture....

We got ready for our "journey" home & we actuallhy stopped at McDonalds for some sweet tea.  I cant believe they were open... & we sat in the drive-thru line for 25 minutes... for sweet tea.... but we didnt mind.  Ricky & I just sat back & gave a sigh of relief that we made it through Christmas...

Oh yeah... & we got home & had one last thing... our Birthday Cake for Jesus!!!

I try to have one every year for the twins, so they definitely know what the day is about... & on the way to my mom's - 40 minutes away from the house, Ricky said, "Do you have the cake?".... DAAANNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!! I forgot it... so no cake for the twins... but a fresh cake for us when we got home.  There's the final sigh of Christmas... a sugar rush :)



JESUS went all 80's with His birthday cake :)  Look at that neon pink & green... totally RAD!


Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas day with friends, family & celebrating our Jesus' birth.

And for the record, Ricky & I went out the day after Christmas... I have 6 gifts already for next year... go me!

First part of Christmas....

Christmas Morning....

We woke up early... around 5:00 am... that's actually sleeping in for us (how sad is that?)

But it was nice to sit & turn on the tree & while it was still dark outside, the glow of the tree was just beautiful.

...& no joke, Ricky would randomly sing "Happy Birthday Jesus" all morning long...

it was actually getting on my nerves a bit... but it had a cuteness to it, so I didnt say anything.

Here's our Santa in our living room that is even giving a big "holla" to Jesus...

Our friends, Ryan & Chasity came over for breakfast.  I am about making breakfast food.  Fast & easy.  We had turkey bacon, eggs, biscuits with Julie's homemade Blueberry Jams, & some chocolate chip pancakes... we were stuffed at the end....

Its also the one time of year I get to pull out my Christmas glasses & get to use them...

I cant believe I didnt get a picture of Ryan & Chasity over here... But I think it was because I didnt have on ANY make up... not a lick... so I dont dare think about pulling out a camera in case someone turns it on me.

But I have to show you one of the presents they got me... because it left me speechless... completely & utterly speechless.

Chasity had the idea of making me a "portfolio book" for my first year of my Photography Business....

She broke it out in different categories...

I was simply amazed at the thought & time she put into this book....have you ever seen anything so thoughful?  I literally have looked through this book probably 159 times on Christmas Day alone.....

Thank you again Ryan & Chasity... we just love you two so much & was so thankful to spend a part of Christmas day with you....

Then Ricky & I had our Christmas together.  Its always fun to try & surprise each other & take a bit of time to enjoy Christmas Day together...

He knows me so well ... got me loaded up on some running goodies...a new running jacket that he picked out himself.  It fit & I LIKED it... I'm impressed.  He also got me running gloves that I can use with my iPod & a new running headband... pink was the theme of my running gear... LOVE IT!

But I also loved, he got me a book by Ryan Hall... He's an amazing outspoken Christian that is one of the top marathon runners in the USA.  This has his running plans, tips & also just more about his life & faith... cant wait to devour it!

Next up, Ricky really surprised me with some camera gear... things I wasnt even expecting... this being one of them.  A tripod!!!! Not just any tripod... the Mac-Daddy of ALL Tripods!!! Who knew they made tripods like this.  I think this baby cost more then my first camera cost... which blows my mind!!!!  I love how Ricky is one of my biggest encouragers in my photography...

let's just take a moment & ohhh & ahhh this tripod.... even if you dont want to, do it for me... do it for Ricky :)

We also were surprised by some presents from our Texas gang.... & Julie gets me so well... when she was up here, she heard me say how badly I wanted a wood cutting board.  So I was giddy when I opened up the box & found one, with a chopper/scraper she loves herself.  Julie being "Mrs. Gourmet" herself, I know its a winner!!! .... I cant wait to chop my first veggies on it... (I'll have to take pictures)

It was a busy, hectic morning & then we're heading to my mom's house for Christmas...

That will be in tomorrow's post... you'll want to check out the pictures.  They involve a lot of 2 twin little girls that are the CUTEST little faces EVER... why wouldnt you want to come back for that?

And in the meantime, here's another cute little face of a little girl who was waiting patiently for her bone that she KNOWS Santa brings her every year....

You can ohhh & ahh over this picture too... I know you want too

Until tomorrow....

Christmas in 50 words

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!

JESUS IS BORN!!!!

Friday Fragments

Its the Friday before Christmas.... amazing...is it bad to say I'm still in denial?  I have made progress though.  Only need to stop & get about 5 more things & I'm done... fingers crossed they let us out of work half a day today so I can finish them up without Ricky... mainly because the 5 things involve him.  I'll figure it out... until then, let's frag...

*****

Its always so weird around the office this time of year.  Half the office takes their vacation now, so I am the one doing 4 things at once to keep things caught up.  It makes me exhausted & ready for my own vacation after everyone gets back. 

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Are you going to have a White Christmas where you're at?  Around here?  We're looking at 50 degree, sunny weather all week long.  I know people are upset about it... they want the cold & white stuff for the Holiday.  Me?  I'm giddy.  I told Ricky, I can run every day this week, outside... in shorts!  That's actually a big thing for me because I'm loosing my "runners tan", which is the outline of my shorts on my legs.  My legs NEVER tan & to see the tan line disappearing, its been a tad depressing.... solar rays?  Attack my legs this week please.

*****

I just saw where Walgreens, the Family Dollar & McDonalds are open around here on Christmas Day.... really?  We live in a country where we cant live without a Big Mag for 24 hours?  That just blew my mind...

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CUTE ALERT!!!!! ... I was talking to Madi (my 7 yr old niece) on the phone the other day.  I asked her what she wanted from Santa.  She told me she didnt tell him, but she told Charlie, which is their puggle dog.  I asked what that was & she said, "I want Santa to get Charlie fit, because he's getting too fat" .... isnt that the cutest thing?  I just hope she doesnt bring my name up in that same kinda sentence....

******

I cant tell you how many times I've misspelled "Santa" as "Satan".... my Scrabble mind is always at work, I guess.

*****

Here's the picture of the grandbabies in Texas with Santa....

Isnt Isaac's face the cutest?  Julie said he told her he was wasnt shy anymore & jumped up in Santa's lap... guess he showed her :)  Then she said he kept whispering in Santa's ear "Iron man toys"... the funny thing is, that's exactly what Ricky did too! :)

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SPAT OF THE WEEK:  The Wrapping Station .... My kitchen has been destroyed the past few weeks.  I just wrap as I go, so I leave out the wrapping paper, tape, name tags, ribbon, pens, markers... geez!!!! Why is there so much stuff to wrapping a gift?  See why I dont put it all up after wrapping a gift?  Needless to say, my counter just stays "the wrapping central station" until Dec 25.  So I'm wrapping presents when Ricky comes home from work... & puts his keys & wallet, right in the space where I have to roll out the paper.  OK... I was nice about it at first. "Sweetie, can you move your keys, I need this area"... he was nice about it at first too, moving them.  I wrap a gift.  I turn around & what's there?  A 64 oz cup of tea.... Ricky laid it down in that space again.  "Sweetieeeeee, can you move your tea, I need this area".... he moved it.... wrapped another gift.  Turned around & there was a knife & flashlight there.... "swweeeettttiiiiee" - by this time, I'm saying it through a gritted teeth smile.  Honestly - I thought he was joking because EVERY TIME I turned around, there would be something there.  A few gift cards, a bag of chips... & get this... literally, his socks he found in the back yard that Sydney had taken through the doggie door.

I gave up... I'll finish wrapping when he sleeps tonight....

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My dad sent me this picture... I wish I could find a way to put it on Ricky's birthday cake tomorrow...

it'd probably be the next "spat of the week" though if I did

Source: bl166w.blu166.mail.live.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

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I know a lot of you are going to be missing from Blog-World with all the Holiday-Happenings... so if you dont stop back by before then... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

... & Happy Friday! :)

Vincent Christmas 2011 ... part 2

...so last we left off, we just finished opening presents...

I got my first UK Sweatshirt.  I need to get a picture of me in it.  Ricky considers me the official "Biggest Jinx of UK" so I'm not allowed to have anything UK.  Well - a big HA goes to him, because I got a UK sweatshirt AND a UK headband to run in... oh yeah... I'll be decked out in my blue :)

After settling down from the presents, we were all craving some sweet stuff... I had no idea, but they wanted to surprise Ricky for his birthday.  He turns 50 on Christmas Eve.... so they kept him occupied in one room & got the candles in the cake.  Then to call him in....

He saw the candles & everyone in the corner of the kitchen & BOLTED out... no picture except for a blur :)  But everyone signed a card & he had a great time reading all the digging & support of turning into an "old man" ...

I love this picture ... even though its not focused on Ricky reading his card, but his brother, I just am glad to see that smile.  Michael was in the hospital a few days before & had been in for a little over a week.  We were worried about him & his health... praying for complete healing... can you all do our family a favor & just lift up a prayer for Michael?  Thank you.... & appreciate it :)

Then with all the family around... & me having a camera... it was time to take some family pictures...

Here is Melissa & her husband, Jason... they got married young & still are just like the same couple they were on the day they got married...

... well, maybe not the same couple... they added to their family :)

Here are their kiddos... Austin & Alexis...I am seriously amazed when I see how big they are getting.  Austin is about equal in height, if not a tad taller then Ricky.  I remember holding him in the hospital when he was born.  He is seriously the sweetest young man I know... anyone with daughters?  This is the guy you want dating her.  And Alexis?  They call her "Little Ricky" because she has no fear of anything... & always getting into something :) ... doesnt she look just like her daddy though?

And here are the Vincent Boys... Again, I'm just glad we had Michael there celebrating the Holidays with the family.... & I just love this picture of my handsome husband.  His eyes look so green here... Ricky is ever the big brother.  Not showing much "affection" to his brother, but loves him more then anything & worries about him.  Aren't men funny?

And the Sisters of the family....

I A-DORRRRR-EEEEEEE this picture.  I had so many to choose from.  A few serious ones where they were looking at me with good "posed" smiles... but then they got giggling... then full out laughing & I just kept clicking... I loved this one best of all.... Pam (the one on the left) was making everyone crack up.  Look at her face.  She had us all in tears... it was a wonder I had ANYTHING in focus.  But I can just look at Melissa & Sherry's faces & start to laugh again. 

There's just nothing like REAL laughter, is there?

Put the momma in there, even though she hated it & kept refusing to look at the camera... but when you just keep snapping away, you actually can grab a picture of her looking at me :)  SUCCESS!

So glad to spend the Holidays together.... Bill, Ricky's dad who passed away in 1990 would love to see the family still together, laughing & loving....

And because I was behind the camera for all but one picture, here's how I am adding myself into the mix....

Merry Christmas from the Vincent Family....

...& yep, there will be more pictures of Christmas to come... Christmas with my nieces is still yet to happen :) Happy Days still ahead.