and the CUTEST nephew in the world award goes toooooo....

HARRISON!!!! He is just the cutest baby in the whole entire world and I am so proud to show him to you! I have put two pics up of Harrison from over the weekend. Candice was making dinner and she said she heard him saying "Hey Harrison! Hey Harrison! Hey Harrison!".. She turned around and realized that he had found HIS SHADOW and was amazed by it! Luckily, she got to take some pics of him talking to his shadow and waving at it.. I absolutely LOVE these... My nephew is precious!

Avec tout mon couer...

Lace

As Promised...

As promised, I have attached some of the pictures from this weekend's Delta State University Baseball Alumni weekend.. Enjoy!

Avec tout mon couer,

Lacey


Chris "Critter" Clark... Rickey's best friend and teammate




Brett Durand, Rickey's best friend and teammate (Brett is the pitcher that Rickey has caught for over 11 years)





My sweet Rickey in all his St. Louis Cardinals catching gear and DSU uniform.





Rickey Noland... my catch!





Rickey just got an awesome hit!

Rickey catching and Clay Sartain hitting... Clay is Rickey's former teammate and Groomsman in our wedding.

Critter Clark batting and Rickey catching..

MY BOYS... from L to R: Michael Neimann, Brett Durand, Critter Clark, Brancy Cummings, Rickey Noland, Devin Goodwin, Chris Weast... Almost all of these guys are best friends, best friend "teammates" or groomsmen.

Former DSU Player Stuart Cliburn..

Former DSU baseball Alumni Jim Miles...

Coaches... from L to R: Coach Dave "Boo" Ferris, Coach Bill Marchant, Coach Mike Kinnison

Coaches Boo Ferris and Mike Kinnison

All the participants in the DSU Baseball Alumni game

My sweet sweet Rickey.. he LOVED this reunion. It was so much fun!

current DSU baseball players being recognized...

Coach Kinnison and some of his "boys"

Coach Ferris and Coach Marchant with the guys

Former DSU player Chris Tice

Put me in Coach!!

My blogs seem to be few and far between here lately and I apologize for that! I know my dear readers miss me while I am gone ;)... Anywho! I am once again back and tonight (or should I say this morning since its 1am) I am spending the night at my mom's house and blogging from my blackberry.. Rickey and I had one of the most wonderful weekends that we have had in a long time at the Delta State University baseball alumni reunion. Although Rick is coaching here now, he still got to participate in all the alumni functions of the weekend and we had a blast. Friday night some of his friends and older team mates came into town and we all got to go to dinner to have my favorite pizza at The Lost Dog in cleveland.. Naturally, I was the only girl in the bunch (as I usually am) but it didn't bother me because I can hang with the baseball conversations of "who throws the best sidearm circle changeup" and what not.. After we all left dinner, we headed to our friend Brancy's house to hang out and just visit with all the guys. It was so good to see Rickey with these boys again! Granted, some of these guys we see on a very regular basis and are considered our "cleveland family", but when the ENTIRE group gets together its always a good time.. We left Brancy's around one and headed home. Rickey, Brett Durand (rickey's groomsman and one of his best friends from Denham Springs) and I sat and talked about everything in the world for hours and It was soo great to see Durand. We never get a chance to spend time with him since he plays Professional baseball and his time is always limited.. I was amazed to learn that rickey has caught Brett's pitching for over ELEVEN years before he left to play baseball at the professional level, and even then Rickey caught him during spring training while they were with seperate teams (the Marlins and the Cardinals). This made me sooo excited for sat... The next morning we woke up bright and early for the alumni golf tournament and rickey left to go work on the baseball field.. I am proud to say that my dear critter's team won second place and he and durand were excited! Around lunch we headed to the coliseum for the DSU Baseball Alumni Luncheon. This was sooooo much fun! Rickey was recognized with the other coaches as we got started and we got to mingle around with the other 300 sum-odd former players, coaches, wives, and families. We had a delightful lunch and I got to reunite with my friend Brett Leach, who currently plays for the LA Dodgers. I have been friends with his wife for years and years and it was so nice to chat with him about "the big leagues". Coach Mike Kinnison gave a wonderful and emotional presentation about how much he cared for each and every alumni, coach, and player and how each "one of us had a story, and a tale of how we got to where we are and who we are to become". It was very memorable for rickey and myself. We looked at each other so mant times while Coach Kinnison was talking and we just seemed to "know" that the other was thinking of all the sacrifice and hard times we have faced to get to where we are now. It was a beautiful moment. We also got to hear stories from former players of the legendary Dave "Boo" Ferris. This was AMAZING! The stories that were shared made us laugh and cry, and Boo's speech was motivating and wonderful. He is such an amazing person. I loved that at the end of his speech he thanked his wife, and was soooo grateful for her undefeating support for him over the many, many years of his playing and coaching career in the baseball world. I look forward to this current season because I am going to sit and chat with her during games to get advice on being a coach's wife. ;)... They called the luncheon to a close and told all the players and former players to meet at the baseball field for the alumni baseball game. Rickey was JACKED for this, needless to say, and so was I! The last time I got to see rickey play was in Johnson City, TN and I was moreee than ready to watch him on this day! They introduced all the players, old and new, and took pictures before the games. First, the men who played from the 1950's to the 1990's played in the "oldtimers" game. They looked awesome in throwback jerseys and some still seemed like they had it! We cheered and cheered for them and it was so awesome to see them reliving their days on the baseball diamond. Next, we got to watch the "young guns" play (former players from the 1990's to 2008) and they were showing out! Rickey got two great hits and threw out two players! I was sooo happy! I even leaned over and told my friend sarah "this was one of the happiest days of my life!".. It was sooooooooooo awesome to see rickey catch in that red cardinals gear that was sooo sooo familiar and step up to the bat in those green and white uniforms.. I definately fell in love with him all over again. After the boys played, we enjoyed ourselved to a BBQ cookout at the field and ate with the players, friends, alumni, and families. It was a lot of fun. I watched rickey smile and laugh and he was so happy, and I took a minute to say my prayer that day, thanking the Good Lord for rickeys beautiful talent in baseball and the blessings that He gives us to share.. I watched durand pitch during the games, and critter sitting there on third with his "golden glove".. I glanced over and saw clay sartain rounding second and rickey was there behind home plate and it just felt.... Right.. These boys and this place is special to me, and its very special to us... I couldn't ask for a better group to be a part of and I am full of this bountiful blessing called friendship the Lord has blessed me with.. All in all the weekend was wonderful! I will post pictures as soon as I get to a laptop! Hope that everyone had a great weekend as well!

Avec tout mon couer,
Lacey

Happppy Birthdayyyy to MEEEE!

I am usually a "fly by the seat of my pants" kinda girl, but at the young but old age of 25, I have settled into more of a "fly by the seat of my Plans" kinda girl. Friday I left work and headed to see Rickey in Cleveland, thinking that we were going to hang out and have a rainy weekend in the Delta. Once I got there, Rickey told me to grab Abner and load my clothes in the car, cause we were heading to Louisiana. We both did the mad dash around the house, packing and loading clothes into the car, grabbing the pup and throwing him in the bathtub (which, if you know how LARGE abner is, you will understand that his bath is an hour long process) and then heading out of town. Whew! We got to LA around midnight and Rickey was so anxious for me to open his presents. He was so proud of the wrapping job that he did, that I had to take a picture.


Notice the edge........ I loved it.. I opened the first box which was a cute pair of new Nike Twilight Runner SI's (he made me remember the name of them because he says they are so awesome!) and I was sooo happy. I needed a new pair of shoes so TERRIBLY bad and now I feel sporty.. The next present, which could tell was making him more ansy than normal, I opened and had NO IDEA it would be what it was... Rickey had tracked all over the WORLD to find me a 2006 World Series Game Day baseball that was used in the world series and is signed by my favorite player, Albert Pujols. Now, if you know me, I LOVE Albert. He is, no doubt, the greatest player in baseball and has a faith in God that is unshakable. I have always admired him and looked up to him as a man, a husband to his precious wife, and player. This baseball is literally PRICELESS. In 2006, the Cardinals won the World Series, in which this ball was used, and Albert Pujols won the National League MVP. It's literally one of the most prized posessions that I now own. I am so lucky to have someone who loves me so much and who takes into such consideration things that mean a lot to me. This present is amazing, just like my fiance'.

Abner and Rickey holding the signed ball they gave to me for my birthday.



I am so HAPPY!

On Saturday, I woke up and headed into Baton Rouge with Rickey's mom, Mrs. Dana. She made me an appointment at the Bridal Boutique at eleven that morning and we shopped with our sweet, sweet bridal consultant, Robin. I ended up finding two dresses that I was in LOVE WITH and left not knowing which one I would get.. They were both perfect, both in my price range, and both made Mrs. Dana cry!

Awww... After we left bridal boutique, we went and ate at my new favorite place in Baton Rouge, La Madeline's.. It's this precious french bistro that has the most divine salads, soups, and french desserts. We shared cheesecake and snacked and had the BEST time. It is so refreshing to have such a wonderful mother in law, who understands me and who I can talk, and I mean REALLY talk to. She is adorable in so many ways and we had such a great day. After we left there, we stopped by a few other stores that had dresses and tried them one. None of them came CLOSE to the two that I previously fell in love with so I knew then and there I had some decisions to make. Mrs. Dana found her mother of the groom dress and it is soooooooooo pretty! We headed back to the house in the evening and hung out with Rickey, Mr. Rickey, Ryan, his friend Ryan Poe and his precious wife! We watched the LSU game and stuffed our faces, having a blast together. Sunday morning we celebrated with my birthday lunch at my FAVORITE place in LA, Monjunies. This place has the most wonderful italian food that I have ever eaten in my life, and I could LITERALLY eat here every single day. They have the best Spaghetti and Meatballs (which Rickey loves) and I always get the Neopolatin (a rolled and stuff pasta with meat and alfredo sauce. DELISH!)...

YAY for Monjuni's!!!


I couldnt find pics of the restaurant, but I did find a pic of the chandelier that hung above our table sunday... Rickey and I both admired this, and I thought it was funny I found it.. Google finds everything. :)

We were all sooooo stuffed after lunch that we came home and took a nap while watching football.. Rickey and I had to leave to drive back to Cleveland that evening and on the way home I had a lot of time to think about the dresses and which one I want.... and after four and a half hours, two stops to use the bathroom, one visit to the gas station, and an eventful birthday weekend........ I DECIDED..... :)


Avec tout mon couer... Lace

Life lessons to learn sooner.. or later

Since my birthday is Saturday, I am going wedding dress shopping with Candice (my oldest sister), Mrs. Chris (her mother in law), and Mrs. Dana (MY future mother in law). I am really excited and even a little nervous. Candice and I were chatting in our usual thirty-minute-post-work-travel time and she said that "there is just something when you put on that first wedding dress and you get this kinda, WWWHHHHEEEWWWW feeling! Like, 'This is REALLY happening to me' kinda moment". I cannot wait to see what we find and which ones I get to try on. I know that Mrs. Dana and Mrs. Chris are excited since they both have all sons and LOVE all the girly things that come with the wedding planning. I went with Candice and Mrs. Chris when she got her wedding dress and it was very special, so I am excited that all these wonderful ladies will get to spend this special day (AND MY BIRTHDAY) with me just shopping, lunching, and having fun little spa time! Woo Hoo! That being said, my mom isn't going to be able to go with me Saturday because she will be out of town so we went to my pre-birthday lunch together today. Mom has been INCREDIBLE when it has come to planning the wedding and I appreciate her more than she knows. She gave me a great new shirt that I loved and also a book, with a big smile on her face. I looked at the cover of "101 Most Important Things You Need to Know Before You Get Married" and scoffed almost, thinking "Mom got me this book that will be full of funny wedding stuff and jokes"... Once I got home, I pulled it out of my purse and started flipping through the pages, and the quotes and mementos in it are so great. Some are special and apply to Rickey and myself now. Some are funny and are true for life in the future. Many are motivational and all are perfect for a "soon to be bride" like me to read and just absorb. So tonight's blog I will share with you some of the great pages of this book she's shared with me. Feel free to comment with any additional "words of wisdom" for newleyweds and couples. Avec tout mon couer..... Lacey

• The secret to a happy marriage is.... No secrets.

• I didnt marry you because you were perfect. I didnt even marry you because I loved you. I married you because you gave me a promise. That promise made up for your faults. And the promise I gave you made up for mine...And when our children were growing up, it wasn't a house that protected them; and it wasnt our love that protected them- it was that promise." - Thornton Wilder

• Marry someone who lifts you up, not casts you down; who encourages, not discourages. Marry for brains, not looks; marry for love, not lust.

• "Marriage is not a noun; it's a verb. It isn't something you get. It's something you do. It's the way you love your partner every day." -Barbara De Angelis

• Start each day on a clean slate.

• "If i have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." -1 Corinthians 13:2

• Opposites may attract but it's the similarities you share that will hold you together in the long run. Find and hold on to things you enjoy doing together.

• Always stand together through the trials and joys of life; two are always better than one.

• "Don't smother each other. No one can grow in the shade." -Leo Buscaglia

• When the baby's crying and the bills are due, still speak kindly to each other.

• "The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining." - John Kennedy

• Make sure your foundation is strong and the Lord is the head of your house. If God's not in it, it's not worth being in.

• Make sure that you are the kind of husband or wife that you would want your child to marry. (Mom turned down the page on this one, for me to always remember)

• Focus on the good and thats what you'll get. Good things come in all size packages. The secret is to open them all expecting good.

• Teamwork works in marriages just as it does in football. Get a game plan and stick to it. Everyone's not the quarterback. It takes all team members working together for success.

• Your spouse will not be a mind reader. If you want your needs met, then you have to tell him what they are.

• "Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you." -George Mueller

• If your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall.

• Make sure you have an understanding about the "Big 3's" before you walk down the aisle - Money, Children and Religion.

• No matter how busy you get, save at least two nights a month for date nights, especially after the babies start arriving.

Harrison

I just have a short and SUPER SWEET blog tonight about one of the "other" precious men in my life, my little nephew Harrison Drake Kidder. He is sooo absolutely precious and I cannot wait for him and his mommy and daddy hurry up and move closer to me and Rick! Love you Candice and Glenn, and ESPECIALLY HARRISON! How cute is this child, really?....

Harrison and his cousin Charlie, both my sweet boys.

He's not camera shy at ALL.

Little Superman.

Harrison's first real Photo shoot. HOW PRECIOUS!

Avec tout mon couer....... Lace

Life as we know it in the Delta....

Sometimes I don't know if I can fit anything else to do in my already crazy enough schedule, so please excuse the decline in my blog postings... But I'm awake and I'm back! Woo Hoo, the Blog continues... It really is a fun way to let people know what we are doing and how life is treatin' ole Rick and myself when we seem so far away from our friends and family in Baton Rouge, Denham Springs, New Orleans, New Jersey, Houston, and the ever close Oxford. A lot of times I can even call it my "therapy", when I'm stressed or annoyed or just want to brag on my cute little fiance'. Anyway... Life is good. Busy and hectic but enjoyable and blessed. Rickey and I have been trying to get past just the "wedding planning" and figure out "life" plans, such as jobs and school and where to live, etc etc... That being said, the thought of "oh my gosh I am going to move to Cleveland and have NO contacts and NO job lined up and know NO ONE" began to set in and therefore my worry went sky high. So I have been on the hunt for jobs, and homes, and friends. We are still in the process of "church shopping" as I like to call it and found a few that seem to be right up our ally. The two that we like offer supportive communities, we believe the word that is being said, and feel at home in the church and church family. This was very important to me when we moved to a new place and starting a fresh, young marriage. I heard someone say that "a marriage is not just two people, but its a trio of God, a husband, and a wife" and that just really made sense. So church shopping is good for us, and in that, my fears of meeting people subside. The home situation is so-so. We are looking for places to rent. Buying a house in Cleveland, Mississippi is... well.. not really something that we want to do. After checking out the market, houses seem to be over priced and the resale for houses dont look too hot.. Plus, we have set a rule that we dont intend to buy a house if we dont plan to live somewhere two years or more. Our hearts are somewhere else, and unless Rickey is offered a big time big time big time coaching job at Delta State, we see ourselves moving to the Baton Rouge/Denham Springs area in a few years. :) I can see Big Rick smiling as he reads this right now. So, needless to say, we are searching for the right rental home, in Cleveland, that wont cost us a fortune- in rent or utilities, that also allows for a dog the size of a horse. What we have found meeting that enormous criteria is slim pickins.. But we are praying some nice little graduating college students will help us out at the end of the semester and MOVE. Keep your fingers crossed. As for jobs, I ended up landing a job at the hospital in Ruleville, that I will work every other weekend as they need me until we "officially" move. Once I move, I got the clear to work full time during the week on a 3/2 split which is good (Work three days, off two-Next week work two days off three kinda thing). We will see how it goes. I like the hospital, its small and quaint, but Im not working with OB or the little ones that I love, so Im sure I will find something to fit my niche' better when everything is settled in. And then again, I might just LOVE it there.. Options are open for anything. As for Rick, he is just loving coaching and I continue to be so proud but I can tell his longing to "play baseball" more and more. Delta State hosted a Parent's Weekend for all the baseball players families to come into town. On Saturday they had an intersquad exibition game for the parents and friends and it was so nice and refreshing to see all the boys back on the field, throwing and hitting. I got to meet some mom's I never knew, and see my friends that I missed from times back. It was nice and made me ready for baseball season to REALLY start! I sat down in my little seat and looked out on the field during the second inning (I got there late, naturally) and there was MY RICKEY, wearing that familiar green and white catching gear and being an UMPIRE. It was so different because I wanted him to be playing-being that captain of the field like i know him to be, and I missed seeing him behind the plate. But I knew that he was loving coaching and this was where our life was going now. Rickey did a great job, tag teaming coaching the boys and umpiring the game, and even made some loud (and very entertaining) "SSSSTTTRRRIIKKKEEEE" sounds. After the game, I ran to get him some food because I knew he was starving and met him outside the baseball offices. We ate and were lazy for the rest of the day, watching football and hanging out with all the guys, those who I like to call our "Delta Family". Critter (Rickey's best friend and Groomsman in our wedding) was sick and so I made him grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup and took care of Rick with the six other baseball guys that were there. On our way home, Rickey told me how much he missed playing and how bad he wanted to "just grab a ball and throwdown to second base". I missed it too and we just kinda looked at each other for this LOOONNNNGGG minute, knowing how bad it was hurting not playing, but also having this silent understanding that life was changing.. This change is new and its good, but it's definitely taking some getting used to... This weekend is my birthday and I am planning (CROSS YOUR FINGERS) on Rickey and myself to get to go to LA to see his family and wedding dress shop. IF it continues to rain in the Delta then the boys might have to practice this weekend and we wont go home. I really want to be able to go and I am SO EXCITED you just dont know. I have been waiting until the right moment to shop with Mrs. Dana and Candice for a dress and it's finally that time! Rickey is also really excited about this birthday present he's worked on for me, and goodness only KNOWS what this is that he's done... He's such a good present-giver, I can only imagine. I love when he makes me things, so maybe thats it. Cross your fingers for clear skies so that we can travel and see the people we love the most.. and then go ahead and cross your fingers for our travels TO SEE the people we love the most with our huge mini-horse that we haul around named Abner. ;) Avec tout mon couer..... the future Lacey Noland.

More of my precious Coach Noland.

Delta Family.

Sleepy baseball boys.

Oh my little nemo.