Alabama

Last Tuesday-Friday I drove with my mom all over Alabama doing family history research. I have to say, I've never really been into family history, but I've been starting to get into it a little more as I learn a little more about my ancestors. Especially going to where they lived and seeing actual documents from their time period, it makes them more real and interesting and relevant. And it's kind of fun trying to piece bits of their life together. Here are some pictures from the past week. (this is my mom's side, so for all my bushman cousins, these are your peeps too!)

Original land deed to Benjamin Foscue my 4th great grandfather 

Um, Alabama is gorgeous.

Finding some graves

So my 4th great grandfathers' brother's house is still standing in Demopolis, AL that was built in 1840 and they've turned it into a restaurant! How cool is that? Unfortunately, it's only open for dinner on the weekends, so we didn't get to eat there.

We checked out some other plantation homes in the area-turns out a Foscue married the son of the guy who built this house, and they lived in it! It was really really pretty inside.

Cool Methodist Church (also built back in 1850's I believe) 

Plantation Home City!!!! I loved it. 

Reseraching at the Birmingham Library 

Made some time for a temple trip

It kinda looks like I'm squatting to go to the bathroom here, but I'm not. We were searching this unruly pretty much abandoned cemetery for an ancestors grave. We found out she was def buried here, but there were too many weeds, snake holes, spider webs,  and poison ivy for our flip flops and shorts to check every grave.  

record of 3rd great grandmother's marriage in Rockford, AL courthouse.

Seriously, look how old that book is! I love it.

Found out my 4th great grandfather was a pastor at this Baptist church that was practically in the middle of nowhere. Not the original church, they said it was built over the original.

Stopped in Montgomery to eat and drove by the First White House of the Confederate.

Civil Rights Monument in Montgomery. That black wall has water rolling over it. It gave me chills!

So that was the trip. Yesterday we went to the beach, dinner and saw Batman-really good, but I couldn't help but be scared that a crazy gunman was going to come in the exit door at any minute, and we were not in a good spot for that. Tomorrow we're going to Marianna, FL where these peeps moved to see what we can find there.

Friends and Family

I've been really lucky living here in Florida to (so far) have 2 of my best friends and their families vacation in the area, which means I got to go see them and enjoy the beach. My friends Jenna's family was down here in May in Gulf Shores and Stacy's fam is here right now in Gulf Shores. I went down yesterday and left this afternoon bc my mom came into town for the week (more on that later). 

Stacy has been my friend for SOOOO long. Almost 11 years. She moved to Bentonville the beginning of 9th grade when we were both young 14 year olds. She hated the place but she went to my church and we had classes together and by the next year we were BFF's. And we've been BFF's ever since. It was SOO fun seeing her and reminiscing and cracking up. She is probably the most hilarious person I know. Anyways, here's the 2 pictures I took of us.

I had to post that last pic, bc it cracks me up every time! It was obviously very sunny and I couldn't even see my phone. But we had to take one without sunglasses! Ha.

Anyways, it was so good to see her. My mom came into town today as well to do a family history trip! I guess we have ancestors that are from the Birmingham, AL area and Jacksonville, FL area, so I'll be going around with her this week trying to find dead people. Well, records of them. Should be fun though, I'm actually excited to learn more about my ancestors. Makes me appreciate them more and to feel an actual connection. 

Duke Turns 30

Saturday was Duke's 30th birthday. We began celebrations on Friday by going out to eat at our favorite restaurant in Pensacola-The Global Grill. Everything was delicious, minus my pick for dessert. Note to self-no matter how good ice cream & berries sounds...do not get it! Especially when chocolate cake is also on the menu.

I told him to pretend we found out winston was a puppy again. Apparently that thought doesn't make him as excited as it does me...)

Saturday morning I made him his favorite blueberry pancakes (with freshly picked blueberries!). If you like pancakes, you should probably click that link, bc these pancakes are the bomb.com). And he opened a couple gifts I got him. We also headed to Pensacola's Farmer's Market and went and got our workout on. 

Coffee book picture books of America-just what he wanted! (he looks a little creepy here if you look too long)

Birthday boy & birthday pancakes

That night we celebrated his birthday with some friends.

I tried to make it a really special birthday for him. That night he told me it was the best birthday he's ever had because someone cared about it more than he did. Melted my heart.

 I love you Duke! Happy 30th.

i love bulldoggies

I'm leaving for a family reunion in Indiana this morning. Just wanted to post this video bc it is too darn cute!! (its only 30 seconds)

old pics

I'm putting together a little DVD of pics from my Bland grandparents life for our upcoming family reunion. My cousin sent me tons of photos that I have never before seen and I am loving all the old photos!!! Thought I'd share a few.

My Grandpa Bland-guessing this was his Air Force uniform

1932 my grandpa on the left at age 13.

yellowstone. love this pic

My grandpa and aunts and uncles. Love the old sign.

1961

my pops

my dad, my mom, brittany when they still lived in provo and were finishing school

my mom, me, britt and my dad

my grandma bland and a cool old car. I think it was a thing to take pictures with your car back then.

Blueberry Pickin

We finally got around to picking some blueberries on Saturday. The farm we went to was only 10 mins away and it was $1.50/pound! So i'm pretty sure I'll be making a few more stops there before the season is out. It was fun though! They even had these handy-dandy buckets that buckle around your waist! Fanny pack style! We also talked with southern accents the whole time we were picking, bc it was just more fun that way. I would recommend it. 

Per Duke's request I made a blueberry pie when I came home, which was extremely delicious and extremely easy! Also my first time ever having blueberry pie!




Also, I cannot forget to mention that today is also my dad's birthday and Father's Day of course! (2 birds, one stone, thanks dad). So happiest of birthdays to him and I'm so grateful that he is my father!

I'll leave you with the pie recipe just in case you decide you want to make a delicious blueberry pie as well! 

Blueberry Pie

**I ALWAYS use the pillsbury rolled up crust from the dairy section. (not frozen) I'm a big believer in things made from scratch, but i think this crust tastes great and obviously super easy. So I will pretend you are using that crust too :) 

Ingredients:

2 pie crusts

7-8 cups blueberries 

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup all purpose flour

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

1 egg yolk

1 TBSP milk

Place blueberries in large bowl, and with your hands, mush up a few (recipe said  about a 1/2 cup's worth...i mushed like 1/4 that...) Add in sugar, flour, lemon zest and juice; stir to combine. Place bottom crust in pie dish. Spoon (or pour) berry mixture into pie dish. Slice up other crust (I use a pizza cutter) into about 1 inch strips. Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern and crimp up the sides to look pretty.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and milk. Brush lattice surface and pie border with egg wash. Refrigerate pie until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack placed at the lower third. Line a baking sheet large enough to hold the pie dish with parchment. Place pie on the baking sheet and bake until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350. Continue baking until crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling in the center, about 40-50 mins more (I used about 6 cups of berries and my oven cooks fast, so i turned down the temp at 15 mins, and cooked for about 40 mins after that..also put tin foil on top after about 25 mins so it didn't overbrown the crust!)

Enjoy with a scoop of yummy vanilla ice cream (preferably Haagen Dazs or Blue Bell :)

June Brain Dump

I don't have any fun pictures to post today, but I just felt like writing some things down about life lately.   In no particular order here are some thoughts/happenings as of late:

1. A few weeks ago at work, I brought someone into my office to interview them, and I said, "My name is Brittany......actually it's Mickelle...I don't know why I said that." It was a really really strange experience to say the least. I debated correcting myself and decided I had to...but I'm pretty sure the guy was freaked out. I was a little freaked out too.

2. I've been looking at puppy pictures/video way too much lately. It's a borderline obsession. I just wish they could stay cute and small forever...but alas...

3.  Duke has finally admitted that Winston likes me the best in the family. And it's obviously true. He follows me EVERYWHERE and pretty much only wants to play with me and he could care less about Duke when I'm around. It's kinda adorable, kinda annoying. Bc sometimes I want to be left alone and he'll sit there and bat at me with his paw or whine bc he wants to play. And Duke gets to just sit there and do whatever, bc Winston doesn't even care about him. But i love him and am not-so-secretly happy that i'm his favorite.

4. I only have 2.5 weeks of work left and I couldn't be more thrilled. Well, I'm kinda bummed because I have made some good friends there and it's fun to see them everyday and talk. But I beyond thrilled bc I'm only going to be working part time from HOME!!!! For spingo--the company my sister also works for. It's pretty much a dream come true. I have dreams of a clean house, meals cooked, and a gym that is actually visited frequently.

5. Duke started helicopter school. I forgot what it's like for him to be studying all the time. Kinda a bummer for me, bc I need a lot of attention.

6. I'm kiiiinda baby hungry. It's really weird. I don't know who I am anymore!! Up until a few years ago, I didn't even really care for kids. They just didn't do anything for me. Then I started finding them completely adorable. And now I want my own! But I'm also incredibly frightened at the same time. It is SUCH a huge decision! How do people just decide to have a kid?!! You can't really return it. Anyways, its still a few months off at least. But I want one. haha.