We have made the move! At the end of last year, we closed on a beautiful piece of property in Greenwood, SC. We now have 108 acres of pastures and ponds… and the 7 goats, 2 donkeys and the mule that came with it. If you’d like to come along with us on our journey, visit our blog, Life on Sugar Hill Farm.

Yesterday was so much fun! I am one of the South Carolina State Coordinators for Team Huck, Governor Mike Huckabee’s Political Action Committee. The Governor is on a bus (the Huckabus!) book tour for his new book, A Simple Christmas. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you should. It will make a great Christmas gift!

Yesterday he was in Atlanta at Borders Books in Buckhead. Not only was he doing a book signing there, he was also taping today’s Huckabee show, and guess what? I was invited! My husband even got to tag along! We met our other two SC State Coordinators there, DeLinda Ridings and Steven Shumpert. The show was taped in the Borders and besides being 200 degrees in there, it was a hoot! I’ve never been to a “real” taping of a show and it was really interesting to see how it all comes together. My husband wouldn’t let me run out and buy a last-minute gorgeous outfit, but I’m happy with the cute black jacket with leather trim I pulled out of my closet. I wish I hadn’t worn a pony tail though but my curly hair was not being cooperative and we were running late!

Paula Deen was a guest on the show so that was a double dose of happiness for me! She’s as funny in person as she is on TV and man… does that lady have some white teeth! They practically blinded me. As did her very big, very sparkly, very lovely diamond ring. Whew!

After the show taping, we went upstairs for the book signing. The three of us chatted with David Huckabee, the Governor’s son and mini-me, while the Governor finished up signing books. My precious husband was busy snapping pictures!

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Then it was the moment I had been waiting for… one-on-one time with my hero! Governor Huckabee is as humble, nice, sweet and smart as I had hoped he would be. We chatted about South Carolina, the political races here and some future plans he has for the Palmetto State. Shhhh…. it’s a secret. You’ll just have to stay tuned.

He was very gracious with his time, especially considering he still had another bus stop that night and he was already late.

It was a long day of driving and sitting, but it was worth every minute! If you see the show (airing tonight), my husband and I are on there a lot. My son said he thought I’d be more famous than I actually was (apparently he had it in his mind that I was actually going to be interviewed) but my daughter said I was more famous than she thought. It’s a tough crowd in my house!

Thanks, Governor Huckabee, for the invitation and a wonderful day!

People in the South rarely say the words “Civil War”. I didn’t realize that until I moved to the South. Mention the Civil War to a Southerner and you will not get a polite reply. Belles can cover up their feelings most of the time with a smile and a “Bless your heart!”, but when the subject of the War comes up, it’s tough even for the most experienced Belle.

The Civil War is still a sore subject in the South. You will find it called many different things, but never the Civil War. As one Belle put it, “There was nothing civil about it. We didn’t know those people.” And that’s saying a lot coming from a Belle because civility is a way of life. My husband, a South Carolina boy born and bred, refers to it as The War of Northern Aggression. It is also called The War Between the States and The Late Unpleasantness (I particularly like that one). Whatever it’s called, the war is still serious business in the South. I lived in Atlanta for several years, and they still take The War of Northern Aggression very hard. Maybe it’s because most of their buildings and homes were burned down. Dang Sherman. Of course if that hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t have one of the best scenes in Gone With the Wind. I’m just saying….

Most people I know from the North never think about the War. That is definitely not the case in the South. They still hold a grudge. I think that’s why so many people will say, once they hear any sort of Yankeeness in your accent, “You’re not from around here, are you?” Or one of my very favorites, “Who are your people, dear?” Southerners care deeply about the War and also about your family tree. And if your family tree branches up north of the Mason-Dixon line, uh oh.

I love this quote from a true Belle: “I never heard about anything called the Civil War until I went to Maine one summer with my mother. In Alabama, my family and my teachers always called it the War Between the States. And that was only when they were being polite.”

Recently I found this beautiful and inspiring blog through a friend. It is called A Holy Experience. The author is not only thoughtful and faithful, but she is a lovely photographer. Part of her blog is focused on giving thanks and gratitude to our Lord for all his many blessings. It’s something we should make a part of our lives but generally fail to (or at least I do most days but I’m getting better!).

Today is Multitude Monday and here is what I’m thankful for this day:

1. Being able to spend real time with my children without distractions.

6. The Christian music station I found a few months ago. It has made a big impact on my life.

The goal is to get to 1000. Shouldn’t be too hard. What are you thankful for today? God loves to hear our praises for all things, big and little. Give him a shout out or two today!

If you’d like to visit this wonderful blog, go to A Holy Experience.com. It will be well worth your time!

One of my very favorite things about fall is the start of college football season. Living in the beautiful Upstate of South Carolina puts me directly in the midst of the Clemson/Carolina debate. Fortunately neither my husband nor myself attended either school, so we can cheer for both. Unless they are playing each other…. which they do the last Sunday of the regular season. My husband attended the College of Charleston which he always refers to as the College of Knowledge. I have since learned that, while it is a lovely campus in a breathtakingly gorgeous town, it is not “officially” called the College of Knowledge as he had led me to believe. I also learned that way back when he went there, the girl-to-boy ratio was something like 15 to 1, and I’m putting my money on that as one of the main reasons he chose to go there.

I love college football. I actually love sports in general. I love baseball. I love my Atlanta Braves. People in the South love love love football, too. Try to plan an activity on a Saturday in the fall and you will be forced to look up the home schedules for your friends’ favorite teams. If there is a home game, your event will come second. My poor son is turning 9 this year….. the same day as the Clemson/Carolina game. We will have to have his birthday party another day whether he likes it or not.

Saturdays in the fall start early when Clemson or Carolina are at home. If it’s a noon game, people will begin to gather for their tailgating at 6am. I’m not kidding. And they eat, eat, eat. And drink, drink, drink. And talk about the team, dissecting each player, play and foible from how ever many seasons they can remember.

Is there a difference between football in the North and the South? So glad you asked!

FOOTBALL NORTH vs SOUTH

Women’s Accessories

North: Chapstick in back pocket and a $20 bill in the front pocket.

South: Louis Vuitton duffel with two lipsticks, waterproof mascara, and a fifth of bourbon; money isn’t necessary – that’s what dates/husbands are for, sugah.

 Stadium

North: College football stadiums hold 20,000 people.

South: High school football stadiums hold 20,000 people.

 Fathers

North: Expect their daughters to understand Shakespeare.

South: Expect their daughters to understand pass interference.

Homecoming Queen

North: Also a physics major.

South: Also Miss America. (ouch)

 Getting Tickets

North: Five days before the game you walk into the ticket office on campus.

South: Five months before the game you walk into the ticket office on campus and put your name on a waiting list.

 Getting to the Stadium

North: You ask, “Where’s the stadium?” When you find it, you walk right in.

South: When you’re near it, you’ll hear it. On game day, it becomes the state’s third largest city.

 Parking

North: An hour before game time, the university opens the campus for game parking.

South: RVs sporting their school flags begin arriving on Wednesday for the weekend festivities. The really faithful arrive on Tuesday.

 Tailgating

North: Raw meat on a grill, beer wtih a lime in it, listening to local radio station with truck tailgate down.

South: Thirty-foot custom pig-shaped smoker fires up at dawn.

 Concessions

North: Drinks served in paper cups, filled to the top with soda.

South: Drinks served in a plastic cup, with the home team’s mascot on it, filled less than halfway with soda, to ensure enough room for bourbon.

 When National Anthem is Played

North: Stands are less than half-full, and less than half the people stand up.

South: A hundred thousand fans, all standing, sing along in perfect four-part harmony.

 After the Game

North: The stadium is empty way before the game ends.

South: Another rack of ribs on the smoker. While somebody goes to the nearest package store for more bourbon, planning begins for next week’s game.

        excerpt from The Grits Guide to Life

Of course, this is a bit of an exaggeration in some areas. But not much. I think you’re just as likely to find a good ole Miller Lite in a cup down here as you are bourbon. What I’ve always loved about college football is the sense of tradition. The students, coaches, fans really and truly love their school and love it with a passion that is usually reserved for spouses and children. Teams may have a history of playing each other for over 100 years. Each game counts. A lot. Pride, lost voices, screams, cheers, frustration, joy… you’ll find it all during college football season. And I for one wouldn’t have it any other way.

Governor Mike Huckabee has a new book coming out in a few days. It is called

A Simple Christmas: Twelve Stories that Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit

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From the Publisher: Christmas has become synonymous with shopping, overindulging, competition, and stress. But according to Mike Huckabee (who was a pastor before getting into politics), that was never God’s intention. Going back to the Nativity, Christmas is supposed to be about simple things: faith, love, family, and hope. The hard part, in today’s crazy world, is remembering that those simple things are the most precious of all.

Now Huckabee recounts twelve Christmas memories–often funny, sometimes deeply moving–that range from his childhood in Arkansas to his years as a young husband and father to his time as a governor and then a presidential candidate. These true stories will help you smile, take a deep breath, and maybe slow down your own holiday treadmill. For instance:

As kids, Mike and his sister would sneak open their gifts before Christmas, play with them, then rewrap them so their parents wouldn’t notice. The plan worked great for several years until one Christmas morning when young Mike unwrapped a brand-new football…that was covered in mud. That led to a powerful lesson about patience.

In 1966, like millions of preteens, Mike was obsessed with the Beatles. He dug in his heels, telling his parents that if they wouldn’t buy him a guitar for Christmas, he didn’t want anything at all. He was selfish, stubborn, and obnoxious, with no idea what it would take for working-class parents to find an extra $99. It took many years for him to understand the sacrifice they made for that life-changing gift–or how it connected to the Lord’s own sacrifice.

Only a year after Mike and his wife, Janet, had gotten married, she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the shocking age of twenty. That Christmas of 1975 was the most terrifying and upsetting they would ever know, as they wondered if they would ever get to share another one. But in retrospect, it’s a Christmas they will treasure forever.

If you’re looking for a little clarity, sanity, and inspiration at this insane time of year, you’re sure to enjoy A Simple Christmas.

We are really going to try to keep Christmas simple this year and to refocus our family on the real reason we even have Christmas. My children will be 5 and 9 at Christmas this year, so it is a little hard to completely give up Santa and Rudolph and presents and all the magic that comes with those wonderful things. But my husband and I have made a pledge to each other and to our Lord that we will do our best to keep the focus on the Christ part of Christmas this year.

Governor Huckabee has scheduled a book signing tour for A Simple Christmas.  You can see the full itinerary at http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?Page=SimpleChristmasBookTour.  He will be here in Greenville in November and I can’t wait. I’m hoping I can use my State Coordinator for Team Huck muscle (if there actually is any!) and bypass waiting in line. Hoping!!!

Do you have any ideas to share on how to simplify Christmas and make it more Christ-focused? I’d love to hear them!

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Yesterday dawned cold and rainy. I’m not complaining. I actually enjoy a cold and rainy day on occasion. And I really enjoy delicious aromas emanating from my crock pot on a cold and rainy day. So yesterday I decided to make my Taco Soup to which my children squealed “Yummy!” Being the Facebook lover that I am, of course I felt it necessary to update my status with the coming arrival of said Taco Soup.

It seems that a lot of my Facebook Friends also enjoy a good Taco Soup and several have since asked me for the recipe. So here it is. It was as good as always, as easy as always, and even garnered a recipe request from Magnolia. How can you go wrong?

Chicken Taco Soup

1 onion, chopped
1 16-ounce can chili beans
1 15-ounce can black beans
1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 can or bottle of beer
2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (I usually use Rotel), undrained
1 package taco seasoning
3 whole, skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese
sour cream
crushed tortilla chips or Fritos

Put the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer and diced tomatoes in the slow cooker. This is the toughest part of the recipe. Opening all the cans. Add the taco seasoning and stir. Lay the chicken breasts on top of the mixture and slightly press down until they are just covered. Cook on Low heat for 5 hours.

Serve with lots of cheese, crushed chips and sour cream.

Easy and delicious. Enjoy!

Brrrr….. there’s a chill in the air here in Upstate South Carolina today. It’s a rainy, grey Monday morning and I love it! Is there anything better than snuggling under the warm covers with an open window bringing in cool, crisp air? Okay, there’s a few things better, but that has to rank right up there! Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. I put out some of our Halloween decorations yesterday and my son exclaimed, “Oh! You’re putting out our October stuff!”

This area is beautiful in the fall, especially up in the mountains of Western North Carolina. If you’ve never travelled to this part of the country, you should. So many great little towns surrounded by the majesty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The apples are ready and it’s time to plan a trip up to the orchard. Last year all we picked were Gala apples and they were beyond yummy!

What do I love about Fall: cooler weather, low humidity, college football, apples, beautiful colors, mums, apple cider, caramel apples, pumpkin pie, trips to the pumpkin patch, baseball playoffs (dang Braves!), Thanksgiving, my childrens’ birthdays, my anniversary…. I could go on and on. It’s the perfect time of year and it’s the prelude to the holidays which is just the icing on the cake pumpkin pie.

Happy Fall, y’all!!!

I was just talking with my friend Jen last night and we were lamenting the end of big hair. Boy, I loved my big hair! I had awesome big hair. My hair is thick and wavy. It stayed however I put it. Oh and my big bangs… tease, spray, hit with the dryer. Stiff as a board and so great! It was pretty hard to mess up big hair. The bigger and messier the better. Stick some hair accessories in and you were golden. This straight hair of today never looks right. No matter how much I flat-iron and blow dry, it’s never exactly right. Way too easy to see a hair out of place. I constantly envy other Belle’s swinginess and shininess. And my hair doesn’t like to be straight so I start to get little rebellions going on all over the place. Southerners have always loved big hair. A few years ago my stylist told me big hair was coming back in style and I practially skipped all the way to my car. But alas…. I’m still waiting for that to materialize.

Here are some of my favorite big-haired girls and Bon Jovi because frankly he belongs in any post.

Designing Women

Those ladies knew how to rock some serious hair!

The cast of Dynasty

You know I have to have my man Bon Jovi on here. He had beautiful big hair!

I could go on and on. I didn’t really like shoulder pads or acid-washed jeans, but I did love the music and big hair of the 80’s. Maybe someday…
~susanne

I found this quote online and loved it! Thought it was quite fitting for us Belles.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.