Half time tradition...

I look forward to the half time of the Kentucky game each year for 12 days of Christmas! Honestly, I thought they were weak, but still fun:

On the First Day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
More parking spaces for UT
Second: A Bowl game for TN
Third: Another Super Bowl for Peyton Mannning
Forth: An Escalator for The Hill
Fifth (and best in my opinion) The Same Coach Next year
Sixth: 9 championships for the Lady Vols
Seventh: Free texting for every Vol
Eight: Lower taxes for every Vol
Ninth: Lower tuition at Tennessee
Tenth: Best School song in the South Eastern Conference
Eleventh: Peace on earth for everyone
Twelfth: Best band in the whole country

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That's right...

79 yards on the kick off...let's go VOLS!!
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So Blessed...

I thank the good Lord everyday for all the Blessings in my life. As you all know, I've been Blessed with the best parents, sisters, extended family and friends a girl could ask for. I'm extremely thankful that both mom and dad have recovered from their surgeries...Ray's dad is out of the hospital and doing well...I'm thankful that I get to write my Grandma Deen a letter every week...for Lily and that she likes to spend the night and sometimes likes to talk to me on the phone...I'm thankful for the opportunity the Jr League has given me this year as a volunteer at the Lester Community Center and the relationships/difference we've made there...thankful for modern technology and this blog...very little work travel...for weddings and all the healthy babies that have been born to dear friends and the babies on the way...for smiles...Thanksgiving at Ray's Aunts... good attitudes and outlooks on life. I'm thankful for life, love and all the possibilities of ever after! Here's to the Holiday season...
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Thank you...

Postmaster and magazine editors for filling our mailbox today...makes the drive across Tennessee that much easier!
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Busy Cooking...

Lily's busy cooking...while I'm 'busy' working! Emily said when she turned on the mixer and powdered sugar went everywhere, Lily said "I'm a mess!"
This picture made my day...

Oh yes it is...

Pumpkin Roll time...which can only mean one thing...Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Ray just let me know that he needed a dessert for a potluck at work tomorrow...good thing I just happen to have the stuff for a pumpkin roll. I'll be making another tomorrow night to take to Ray's families Thanksgiving or I might make the pumpkin cheese cake along with some of the almost famous Mississippi Mud Brownies (that his grandmother loves), homemade salsa and another dip...I LOVE this time of the year!

I HATE...

Internet Shopping...I just checked my credit card statement and realized that since Monday, I've made 8 online purchases...8 and the sad thing is that only 4 are presents...I have to stop this madness...The bright side is that none of them are from drunk ebay (Ray)!

Hello, My name...

is Brooke Helsley and I have an internet shopping problem. I LOVE being able to make a purchase with a few clicks and the product arrives on my door steps in a few days. I LOVE to have the opportunity to shop in all my favorite stores that Memphis is not lucky enough to have (Nordstroms, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Lands End, Coach Factory, etc). I LOVE being able to search for the best price around and to use promotion codes. I LOVE not having to drive to the store, search for a parking place, battle the crowd, sweat in the stores that think the heat should be on when it is 70 outside, smile at the saleswomen (when you can find one) who tell you everything you try on looks great, wait forever in the check out line and carrying your purchases all over the mall. Now I'm not a scrooge, I still LOVE going in the little shops...the Davis Kidds and the Merry Magnolias of the world, but really that is where my LOVE for shopping ends these days!

Ray has always LOVED to shop online, so I guess that is where I got it from...look how happy online shopping makes my LOVE...

I just LOVE...

this time of the year...I LOVE fall and cool weather and changing leaves and the anticipation of LOTS of family time over the Holidays.

I LOVE Downtown Dining Week - We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Felicia Suzannes' tonight. My Chicken crepes were so light, yet filling and the White Chocolate and Fresh Coconut Bread Pudding with warm TN Whiskey Sauce and Spiced Cream was fantastic.

I'm in LOVE with the pumpkin cheesecake that Molly posted several weeks ago and the new Club Multi-Grain crackers and Wickles (you must try them...Emily sells them at Lily's along with lots of great food baskets) and so far I LOVE Ray's new job (where he doesn't travel as much)!!

Finally I LOVE this picture of Lily and I on the Merry Go Round from the zoo last month...I kept forgetting to post it!

My LOVE post is To Be Continued...

I Fly Again...

Last weekend when Lily spent the night, she was laying on the pillow on the floor while I put my make up on...well Ray thought it would be fun to swing her on the pillow...little did he know he would get a major arm work out as Lily kept saying 'I fly again, pleeeease Ray!'

Ribbon Cutting

Yesterday at lunch, I went to the Ribbon Cutting of the updated computer lab at the Lester Community Center. Check out the story that WREG ran.

Click on the Good News tab on the top of www.wreg.com.

Only in Memphis...

'I mean this pushes Memphis up 5 notches' per Ray Helsley
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Let's go VOLS...not off to a great start...

Let's hope it gets better...
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Good Morning...

Were watching cartoons with our babies and our three teddy bears! Looking forward to visiting an Aardvarks' class later this morning!
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Showing off her masterpiece...

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Lily and Ray

Color as they wait for their dinner.
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I love...

Birthday Cupcakes...
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Maybe we should rewrite...

7-7!
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