Complete Nothingness

Because I am still surrounded by mounds of used tissues and a ton of meds {I did go back to the doctor yesterday and get a shot and more antibiotics and the lovely steroids} I am going to bore you with this random meme of useless information about myself....

1. What is your name spelled backwards? Regnig {I think its kind of catchy}

2. What did you do last night? layed in supine position on my couch, coughing, sneezing, eating yummy homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, visiting with friends that came to offer some TLC, and watched the Singing Bee..oh...and read.. {you can do alot when you're sick and in bed}

3. What was the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? Pictures of the kiddos

4. Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery? ummm...can't say that I have and I'm pretty sure that's a good thing

5. When is the last time you swam in a pool? I honestly can't remember...sometime last year...I had a membership to the pool, but yea...good intentions

6. What are you wearing right now? blue pajama bottoms & Hard Rock Kuwait tee, hair in a towel

7. How many cars have you owned? I think hubby and I have owned 5 each for a grand total of 10...11 if you count our daughters

8. What is the type of music you detest most? Rap

9. Are you registered to vote? Yeppers. I don't always, but I'm registered and have the option

10. Do you have cable? Yes, but just the basic package...no frills here

11. What kind of computer do you use? I just invested in a laptop for the first time...an Asus with Windows7...nothing fancy...again...no frills...just whats necessary {maybe I'm more practical than I realized}

12. Have you ever made a prank phone call? yep

13. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? I'd like to think I would..and its actually on my bucket list...however, I'm terrified of heights, but get an odd adrenaline rush from it at the same time...so I'm weird...

14. What is the farthest you've ever traveled? I really haven't done much traveling...I think Orlando is the farthest...followed by Chicago

15. What is your favorite comic strip? I love "Zits"....reminds me of my life with my own teens

16. Do you know all the words to the National Anthem? technically? no...I know all the words to the first stanza (what everyone else knows) but it has a whole bunch more to it...look it up!

17. What is your favorite pizza topping? Chicken

18. Chips or Popcorn? I prefer chips unless I'm at the theatre...then I want popcorn with EXTRA EXTRA butter

19. Who is your cell phone provider? Cingular..AT&T...whatever they're called now

20. Do you shower in the morning or night? always morning...I need the boost

21. Have you ever smoked peanut shells? I've never even heard of it and thinking you have to be pretty desperate for that...I've never smoked anything....but I can blow smoke up your rear with the best of 'em :)

22. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? Several....my last two were as a married woman in the Mrs. Arkansas America Pageant in 1999 (runner up) and in 2001

23. Orange Juice or Apple Juice? I prefer Orange..it does not prefer me

24. Who were the last people you ate lunch with? probably my Aunt Liz...who is more like a sister to me...we eat lunch on a regular basis

25. Favorite Chocolate Bar? Hershey's of course

26. Who is your oldest friend and how long have you known each other? Amy, we've been best friends since 8th grade...which was a long time ago...roughly 24 years or so...definitely the kind of friends that can not talk for months and then pick up as if we seen each other yesterday

27. When was the last time you ate a homegrown tomato? last summer

28. Have you ever won a trophy? Yep...mostly for beauty pageants, but a few in basketball

29. Favorite arcade game? Mrs. PacMan

30. Ever ordered from an infomercial? sadly, yes.

31. Sprite or 7UP? I detest both...only for when your sick

32. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work/school? Yep, I was a nurse.

33. The last thing you bought at Walgreens? my antibiotic & steroid prescriptions

34. Ever thrown up in public? not that I can recall, and I'm sure that's a memory I wouldn't forget

35. Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love? Definitely true love. Money can't buy everything...but true love can get you through pretty much anything.

36. Do you believe in love at first sight? I do. I've seen it up close and personal, although I do believe that love grows over time into a love that you didn't even know existed.

37. Spongebob or Jimmy Neutron? neither, I'm not a cartoon fan at all.

38. Did you have long hair as a kid? most of the time I did...I had a friend that cut it for me when we were 4...so I had a few periods of short hair which were horrid {makes you wonder why I tried it as an adult...if its not cute on a kid...just sayin'}

39. What message is on your Voicemail machine? "Hey this is Ginger. I can't get to my phone right now, so leave a name & number & I'll call ya back." {how's that for original?}

40. Where would you like to go right now? Happyville :)

41. What's the name of your pet? do kids count?

42. What kind of backpack do you have and what's in it? no backpack...just a cute black purse with my wallet, notebook, carmex, & gum....I travel light

43. What kind of tennis shoes do you have? I splurged here...bought myself some Merrels and I love them...but I'm in need of a new pair

44. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? my Aunt Liz...checking on me

45. Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny? Bugs Bunny...hands down

Ok...now wasn't that just fun and enlightening?! You can thank Amber and Meredith for giving me the idea ;)

Sickness....

Feeling like poo! Would love to actually make it a full week at work, but I seem to have this nasty sinus infection turned ugly! So.......

....I've had some of this ....

....a little of this....

...and ALOT of this!

Here's to hoping tomorrow is a day without a box of tissues and nasty meds :)

Long Awaited Christmas Pictures....

So I finally figured out that Blogger was fine...I was just not being very patient...imagine that! Anyway...here are a few Christmas pictures. Yes, I know it's February (we've went over this already)

So the best part of Christmas was having Q home...Santa brought him a Nikon Coolpix camera to take to Afghanistan with him. He's excited really...I know it's hard to tell from this picture...lol...

Mallorye & Blake opening their cash from Grandma & Pa...you can never go wrong with the green stuff...

Blake & his new basketball goal....which was the huge package under the tree. I'm sure if someone had gotten a video of me trying to wrap that...by myself...we would have won some green stuff on "America's Funniest Home Videos"

Blake, Papa Teddy Joe (my dad), and Mallorye...I think dad kinda looks like Santa Clause...what do you think?

Mallorye, Memaw Vines (my grandma), & Blake

Caleb begging to open presents....that face was hard to resist!

My adorable nephews...Daniel & Caleb

My sister Tiffany & her husband, Daniel....this year has been one of building relationships with my sister & brother-in-law...we are fast becoming best friends...and I love it! I'm sure no one would have thought that 15 years ago!

Matt & Mallorye...she doesn't have a stitch of make up on....so you know it's really love! This was the first Christmas we've ever had a boyfriend "home for the holidays."

Tiffany, Mallorye, & Me

See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures...there were 100's more, but it is February, and I'm just trying to catch up...lol.

He Said, She Said

A banner day in the Bales' household....He said, "will you marry me?" and she said, "YES!"

Matt & Mallorye....newly engaged :)

Ok, so the story. Mallorye & Matt started seriously dating in November 2009, and it was quickly apparent that this was not just a passing fancy. I had an idea early on that this was probably the man that God had chosen to be her lifemate, but I wasn't sure if they knew it yet. {It didn't take them long to figure it out} Quentin & I have prayed since Mallorye was very little for God to bring just the right man into her life to be her husband...we knew it would take someone special...patient, loving, kindhearted, strong-willed....and as this relationship began to take shape, I knew..this was our prayer answered. Mallorye made a list a few years ago {at my prompting} listing specific things she wanted in her soulmate...and God provided.

Mallorye sharing her good news....


a lighter moment and playful fun!

I love the way he looks at her....and loves he so completely....

I see many days of laughter ahead for these two....

and ...the ring! He did an amazing job!

The proposal was definitely memorable. The short version;

He brought dessert. The dessert was chocolate chip cookie cake. It had written in icing "Patients is a virtue" {and yes I know its spelled wrong...was on cake too...which just fits Matt to a tee}. She thought he was being mean. He went down on one knee. Asked "will you marry me?" She said yes. Followed by a big kiss.

Check out Mallorye's blog for her story.

Mallorye's Blogging :)

Check it out!

My daughter, Mallorye, has caught the blogging bug. I guarantee this will be a blog you'll want to follow....deep, serious thoughts to complete randomness.

So....hurry...go read her first post at Living Life FEARLESS

Christmas 2009

OK..so yea, I know..it's February and I'm just now blogging about Christmas. I even considered just forgetting it, but my OCD tendencies wouldn't let me!! {it is a curse}

the presents....

it took me 2 hours to wrap that huge present in the back...and the sad part is...Blake had already seen it, so I didn't need to bother...ugh!

Christmas this year was made wonderful by the fact that I was able to pick up my soldier a few days prior to spend the holidays with us :) We weren't sure if or how many days Quentin would get for leave and were ecstatic that he was able to be home for Christmas and New Years.

Christmas at my mom's was postponed because we were drenched with torrential rains that made the roads impassable. {this resulted in WWIII...but definitely not getting into that} My sister and her family ended up coming to my house and we had Christmas breakfast that night...the first time I can remember making chocolate gravy by myself. It's my favorite tradition and it definitely didn't disappoint. We had a blast, just watching the kids open gifts...playing...laughing....creating memories.

We made it to my Aunt Liz's on Saturday...we had to park at the end of the road and be shuttled in because the roads were under water. It was definitely interesting! My grandma thought she would try to navigate through the "lake" and let's just say....her truck will never be the same & I'm pretty sure she'll never try that again!

Christmas Day was spent sleeping in {you can do that when your kids are teenagers} and just enjoying each others company. We try to keep this day as stress free as possible. We played games, slept, laughed...knowing Q would be going to Afghanistan soon.

Later that week we had a "open house" for our friends to come and tell Q goodbye. It was bittersweet. It was nice to see the outpouring of love, but bitter because I knew it meant that our time was getting short.

And if blogger would cooperate...I'd share more pictures, but it's not...and I'm determined to get this posted tonight :)

Where To Begin....

Wow! I'm so far behind on blogging I think I'm ahead!! I'm not even sure where to begin....

I guess first I'll try to explain my absence in the blogosphere...let's see...

(1) my husband has deployed for a 12 month tour in Afghanistan and has been in Wisconsin since

the beginning of November...

(2) we moved! which was totally not planned!! Our house changed hands in November and

rather than live in a house that was going to be actively shown to sell, we opted to move...

or I should say...I chose to move...'cause hubby is deployed...

(3) the kids went to Nicaragua over Thanksgiving break (which is also the week I moved...aargh)

(4) Christmas came and went...and hubby was able to come home for a brief leave

(5) Mallorye competed in Miss Arkansas Teen USA in Bentonville...

(6) I'm still writing for Army Wife Magazine and just submitted my 4th article for publication :)

(7) and of course...we're in the thick of basketball season around here...

So, as you see, there's definitely not been a shortage of topics...just a major deficit of time!

I never know the best approach for catching up, so I think ...I'll work backwards...this could take a few days...lol!

Basketball season is in full force right now and Blake has finally got his game face on. The season started out a little rocky for him...lack of motivation, laziness, etc...but he finally has come alive the past couple of games and is averaging 10 points a game. His defense has never been better and I am loving cheering him on!

The magazine is doing incredible and just continues to get better and better...challenging my creative writing and grammar. I still have a hard time believing that I'm writing and it's actually being published...and that I have a monthly column...I pinch myself daily! If you haven't had a chance to check it out...go here now...we have some of the most talented writers around.

Mallorye competed last weekend in the Miss Arkansas Teen USA Pageant in Bentonville. This was her first State pageant and she did incredible! I was so proud of her...she didn't place, but she had an amazing time and made friends & memories that she'll cherish for a lifetime. Matt (the boyfriend) came with us to cheer her on...oh yea...that's the other thing that's happened..she has a boyfriend and they seem pretty crazy about each other (more about him later I'm sure). So...how about a few pictures of the pageant and I promise to be back soon with more pictures and updates ;)

Blake & Mallorye after competition on Saturday night...one of the few moments we actually got to see her up close & personal

Mallorye & Matt at Friday nights banquet...don't they look amazing?!

Me & Mallorye at the banquet...and yes, I'm in a dress...doesn't happen often, but I thought I cleaned up pretty well ;)

Mallorye on Sunday morning after her interview...getting ready to go to more rehearsals. I'm pretty sure we was pooped out at this point, but soaking up the memories!