Drool.

Found this after my previous post & homage to my man, Sawyer. Go ahead--watch and drool. I did.

6:25 p.m.

It's been almost exactly 6 years since I gave birth to my eldest daughter, Miss Mary Elizabeth "Libbey" Litton. Shakespeare once wrote, "Silence is the perfectest herald of joy." Yep...that about sums it up for me today. Libbey, we love you--happy birthday!

Obligatory.

Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy, OH BOY!!!! It's been 253 days since we were last on the Island of Lost. Yeah, who's counting? Tonight my show returns, for at least 8 weeks. And yes, Beckie, I'll be posting lots more about it during those weeks...because it's MY show.

This is Sawyer...he's my favorite Lostie. Not because he's hot--because obviously, he's an Adonis, but because his character is so brilliantly written & performed that I think Josh Holloway (his portrayer) should've been nominated for an Emmy 3 years ago. I'm just saying. (But a big shout-out to Terry O'Quinn who very much deserved his Best Supporting Actor win for "Locke.") And he's from Georgia...'nuff said.
So get your Lost on tonight, people. The review begings at 8 pm central time...the new ep airs at 9:00. No one is allowed to so much as breathe in my general direction tonight. Nuh-uh. It's on!

TRL

Because it's her birthday tomorrow, and because she asked me. Here it is..."Total Request Libbey"...her favorite song. And if we're getting all confessional, I profess my love for both this song and Miss Cyrus. There's a retro-80's-ish quality to this tune...plus, lots of spandex, bright colors, and Cyndi Lauper-wannabe wardrobe choices. It's all around fun! Happy early birthday, Mary Elizabeth!

Ladies Night.

This is Eliza Myers Sanders, or as we lovingly call her, "Lizee." She is 15 months old and pretty much our sweetie. Today Lizee's mommy & daddy told her that she is getting a baby sister in the honorary month of Uncle June. As you can see, she is very excited with the news! Litton granddaughter #4 will round out our gaggle of gorgeous girls, and we are very excited to meet the little Miss sometime in the next 4 1/2 months or so. Who needs boys, anyway?

Yeah, it's a bit of an obsession.

Four more days, my friends...and we have at least 8 hours of brilliant Lost TV. It would be so swell if this writer's strike would end...I'd like a full 16 episodes, please! For those who care, I even pimped out my profile over on My Space. www.myspace.com/lalitton
It's all Lost all the time, y'all!

Randomness.

The past few days have been busy. "Busy" is actually the theme of our family, however we've really stepped it up this past week. I like being busy...it's better than being bored. However, tonight we are home alone...one child is in Richmond with her grandparents, visiting her uncle, aunt, cousin, and cousin-in-waiting, while the other child is with her "3rd set" of grandparents...the Cress family, of course. So we have nothing to do but hang, watch TV, surf the 'net, and blog. And here I am...a welcome reprieve from the busyness of this past week.

If you read one of my posts from a couple of weeks ago (go back & read it you haven't!), then you'll remember my story of the "rule of 3." We proved it once again on Friday. By mid-afternoon we had a house full of folk, all doing something or other to benefit the lives of the Littons. First to arrive was Christina Smith, our fabulous interior designer. She came to measure Caroline's new "big girl" bed & to take one of my Memaw's chairs that we're having reupholstered for our baby to use. Give us another 6-8 weeks and we'll have a brand-new room to show off! Shortly after Christina's arrival, a man from DirecTV showed up to install...wait for it...here it comes...our HD DVR!!!!! WAHOO!!!! It's what I asked for at Christmas...DVR so I can record the entire season of "Lost." Oh wow, I can hardly contain myself.

I'm breaking it in tonight for the very first time, recording "Torchwood," which is on BBC America...one of my "boyfriends" is guest-starring tonight, so I'm using him as my inaugural DVR-ing attempt.

This is James Marsters. He's right up there with Jason Statham (see below). Swoon!

Just after Mr. DirecTV left, Mr. ADT Security System made his entrance and attempted up upgrade our security system...on ADT's dime no less. He was unable to perform the upgrade...mostly because we live in the middle of the sticks, but also because I think he was just a bit incompetent.

In the middle of all these comings and goings, my sweet friend, Kelli Elliot, stopped by for a visit. We got to chat while showed me how she spent her Christmas day (in Paris...I so hate her!). I also got to see loads of pictures from her recent Caribbean cruise. Thanks, Kelli, for making me supremely jealous. I love you! And everyone, fly United--maybe you'll have Kelli for a flight attendant. She's the best! And we will vacation together sometime SOON!

(Kelli & Libbey, July '06)

Looking back I realize that while we've had a lot of stuff going on at our house, we've also accomplished a bunch. (Decorating Caroline's room, being the last people on earth to finally get DVR, visits from friends we don't see often enough. Oh, and a phone call from an old friend--thanks, Kelly! Just to name a few...) Yes, I reckon it is better to be busy than bored. Then again, I have 2 children under the age of 6...the word "boredom" really doesn't fit in our vocabularly! I'm blessed with a life full of randomness. It's a good thing!

Pray for Ramey!

Lord, I lift up to You my sister, Ramey Reeves. I pray Your healing power over her life, and I claim it in Your Name!

Please pray for my friend, Ramey, and for John, her husband, and their son, Judah. She was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor in her right hemisphere. If you're feeling the need for a blessing, head on over to www.myspace.com/rameyreeves to hear her incredible gift of praise & song. And pray...pray, pray, pray for her miracle!

In its absence, my heart has grown fonder. Much.

Impossible to cram 3 years of brilliant storytelling into 8:15 minutes (and if you are a Lost lover, you know the significance of that number!), but this is a pretty swell attempt. Sardonically humorous, too. Give it a chance, then get thee to the TV next Thursday, the 31st, at 8 pm for a Season 3 recap. The first episode of Season 4 begins at 9:00. To say I'm excited is putting it mildly.

Devastated.

So...I was dealt a crushing blow today. That sounds quite melodramatic, but it's really how I feel about the whole issue. There's a book I reread at least once every year and have for the past 20 years or so. It's a "young adult" book that I bought from the Scholastic book club while in elementary school. It's my all-time favorite in the world...ever...and it's absolutely wonderful, even when read as a 33 year old. (Yikes! I'm 33!)
Here's the love:
It's always been my dream that one day this fabulous story would be told on the silver screen...and that by miracle of miracles, I'd not only cast the film, but also author the adapted screenplay (Ellen Raskin, its author, died many years ago), and produce the soundtrack. Lofty aspirations, huh? Like I'm fond of saying, I dream big. I mean, if you're gonna dream, do it big. Duh!

Today I decided to check on Wikipedia (one of my fave sites!) to see if there was a listing for The Westing Game, and was completely blindsided to learn the book had already been turned into a made-for-TV-movie. I searched it out on Amazon and my disappointment turned to despair. Not only was my book already a moving picture, but apparently it's been very poorly done. The standard rape of the original story had been committed...characters changed (age and race seem to be most prevalent), locations removed, and a simple, basic hack of the storyline. And the cast? Ugh...so not the one of my dreams. Horror of horrors! I'm quite certain Ms. Raskin is shifting in her grave.

Here I've been making this movie in my head for a couple of decades now, only to discover that someone stole my idea. (Because you know I was the only one to ever think of it--most people have never even heard of this book! I'm maintaining this one 'til the end!) And yeah, so my dream cast has had to evolve over the years...Beverly D'Angelo is not quite as young as she used to be, and Pat Morita died years ago. But Chevy Chase, Shirley MacLaine, Tim Curry and Kathy Bates, among others, are still available. And well overdue for a box office hit, I might add.

Now this dream has been diminished--and I don't say "died"--because I could still work some magic on a screenplay one day (hey Raskin family members--give me a call, please!). And I was tempted to buy the DVD from Amazon but my adoration of this little novel would be forever tainted by viewing a less than stellar adaptation, so I refrained...and saved money. Bonuses all around!

Y'all are probably wondering why on earth I'm telling you all of this. Well, (a) it's my blog and I'll whine if I want to, and (b) I'm hoping all this rambling will lead you to go out and purchase your very own copy of The Westing Game. (Amazon has it for $6.99--it's worth way more than that. Way. More.) You must read this book--then report back to me on how we can turn it into an Academy Award winner. Then we can be on Oprah, in People, and basically all-around famous...and I'll finally get to meet Tim Curry. Sigh...

What the world has come to.

This is both humorous and sad. For me, though, it won't be a bit humorous if she's elected next year. And that's all I'm gonna say about that!

House call.

Yesterday Scotty made a late morning house call not too far from where we live. (Yes--there are M.D.s who still make house calls and I just happen to live with one of them!) He surprised me by phoning to say he'd finished early and wanted to come home and see us before Caroline's nap. Oh, and could I please make a peanut butter & strawberry jam sandwich for him? But of course, my dear! Caroline loved getting to see her Daddy during the middle of the day, and she even offered to share her pre-nap snack of yogurt and vanilla wafers with him. Thanks, Daddy, for making our day! Please do it again more often!

Turn Around...

Tonight Scotty and I were playing with the girls after their bath, just before bedtime. This particular evening consisted of Caroline twirling around in her nightgown (or as Aunt Mandy calls it, a "turn-around gown!") while Libbey sat on Daddy's lap and watched from the sidelines. Ever his sentimental self, Scotty wistfully said "Time is flying by...these girls will be grown before we know it..." Libbey cheered him by procclaiming, "Daddy, I'm never moving out--I'm gonna live with you forever!" While that is precious, dear daughter, I said the exact same thing to my parents not so many years ago. And here I am...6.5 hours from home...and right in the center of God's will. Amazing...

Was it just yesterday that Libbey was a 4 month old with a head full of dark brown hair?




I'm certain it was only last week when I posed Caroline in her bathroom, to capture shots of her at 6 months of age...baldy that she was!


Yes, time is flying...I'm taking pictures with my heart, trying to capture it all and store these memories forever. And once again, I'm getting all Hallmark-ish here, but it's just what I'm feeling now. So there you go.

Home!

As of early this afternoon, GeGe is home! Thanks for all your prayers and queries regarding her over the past week. She is doing better and we thank God for that. I made a ton of crock-pot potato soup today, so guess what she'll be eating for lunch tomorrow? I hope it's a welcome change from 6 days of hospital food.
(Picture of GeGe and "Dorothy," taken 10/31/07)

Swag.

Remember the good ol' days--that would be the late 70's and most of the 80's for me--when you'd go to a friend's birthday party? If you were grew up in Warner Robins, GA, bless your heart, chances are you had a party at Olympia (and played the "Dice Game!" or tried to impress boys with your backwards skating abilities!), or Burger King. Or maybe your parents were really cool and took you to Macon for big time fun at Showbiz Pizza. (My parents fell into the cool category--but only Eric got the big Showbiz treatment. Obviously I've never gotten over it.) Even if it was just a party at the home of the birthday guy or gal, it was still a festive event...a couple of hours spent pinning that donkey's darn tail on, chugging Kool-Aid, eating lots of cake and ice cream and ooohing & ahhhing over the awesome Magic Curl Barbie that was just opened by the honored child. At the end of the event you might have been handed a treat bag--a blow-out horn, some candy, or if the kid's parents were totally rad, a jelly bracelet to match the jelly shoes you were ruining your feet by wearing every waking hour. I'm talking Madonna-wannabe here. Anyway, so you came, you partied, you gifted, and you were rewarded with a tiny token of the birthday child's appreciation...the treat bag. Those were the days.

There is a new trend (or new to me at least--correct me if this is old news to any of y'all!) in our neck of the woods regarding birthday party treat bags. Or I should call them what they really are. SWAG. Pure, unadulterated swag for the under 10 set. At Libbey's 5th birthday part last year, we gave out little cellophane bags that I'd filled with fruit snacks (Vitamin C, y'all!), a piece or two of bubble gum, a pair of sunglasses ($3 for a pack of 8 at Target!), and the ubiquitous blow out thingy. Darn fine parting gift, I thought to myself at the time. Excuse me for being so wrong. I hope I haven't offended any of your children. The horror!

Since early December my girls have attended a few parties and have returned home with gift-sized bags so full of stuff that I accused them of stealing from the birthday gal's stash of presents. "Libbey--you can't take that Barbie or Care Bear--that was Jane's* gift, honey!" (*name changed...duh!) Then I turn to their father, party chauffeur extraordinaire, "Scotty--were you not watching as they pilfered through the pile of gifts? I could kill you--how embarrassing, honey!" What I get from him in return is a very exasperated, "Honey, these are their treat bags." Um...excuse me? Treat bags are little sacks of candy and bubbles. Swag bags are what my girls are bringing home. I'm talking Barbies (the real ones, mind you--not faux Barbie, or the dollar store imposter!), Care Bears, Hardcover books, large tubes of "Raspberry Truffle Body Creme", a big box of crayons--64 in all, lavishly embellished crowns, complete with rhinestones and feathers (please God, women, why do you buy these? I'll pick feathers off the floor 'til Easter, and then it will be the darn green basket grass that I swear multiplies each time you pick a "blade" off the floor...) The list goes on and on. Here I am fussing at my daughters because I'm fearful they're turning into little birthday party kleptos..."Hmmmm, let's see...whose party can we hit next? I bet Bronwen will get some good Hannah Montana loot, and she'll never know it's missing...heh-heh-heh!" Oh no...they're not thieves-in-training...they're just bringing home the swag.

Hey, I've got a brilliant idea! Poop on this writer's strike--we're going to LA next month and raiding the pre-Oscar swag tents...surely we'll be able to find a nice, free iPhone! Better yet, maybe Suri will have an early birthday party! You know that baby daddy is gonna give away a nice Burberry cardigan in his precious child's Louis Vuitton treat bags. Score!

Is it me, or have birthday parties become just a bit too much? This whole goodie bag issue is really bugging me, mostly because I'm too cheap to provide a Toys 'R Us shopping spree for all the little guests who attend Libbey & Caroline's shindigs. But also because it's teaching our kids a not-so-great lesson...greed or gluttony, anyone? Remember when you were excited over that little bag of candy or a plastic spider ring? Thankfully my girls are still very appreciative of the little plastic necklaces or mini bubbles they usually receive as parting token at a party. And blessedly, Libbey has not asked that I start wrapping Ballet Barbie or Transformers for the treat bags we're giving away at her party in a couple of weeks. Actually, we're not doing bags this year...I bought purple plastic mugs to give to each guest, and they are quite cute, if I do say so myself. And I do! (We're doing a Tinkerbell theme--a welcome change from all the Hannah Montana we've seen this year, even though we do love our Miley Cyrus.) I'll stash a little sticker strip or pack of gum in each mug...but that will be all. And enough, I might add.

Happy.

It's truly the little things in life that make me happy. I am fully surrounded by blessings too numerous to count. Of course the biggest ones, such as my salvation, my husband & girls, family, friends, and health, are at the top of the list. Then there are the small things that create comfort in my life...little items/situations/experiences that bring me joy. We all have them, and whether yours are finding a big bargain at Target (shoutout to my thrifty/creative gals, Beckie & Vicki), or taking delight in the latest University of Kentucky basketball win (right, Shannon?), I think it's time we all stop and take a moment to reflect on what truly warms our hearts.

Yeesh...could I sound anymore like Oprah and/or a cheesy Hallmark card? Maybe it would've been better to simply say, "Yo...here's what I dig." But I don't say "Yo." Not too much, that is. Regardless...here's a short list of "diggable" things.

Q-Tips

Much to my sister-in-law's chagrin, I fully believe that Q-Tips are one of the greatest inventions. (To her credit, she is an audiologist and fearful of sticking things into the ear that aren't for medical purposes.) Not a day goes by that I don't use these little white wonders. It goes without saying that I keep my ears squeaky clean with them, but there's so may other fabulous uses...such as setting my eyeliner, wiping smudges of eyeshadow, using them as a "brush" when Caroline & I break out the fingerpaints, cleaning out the crevices of tarnished silver (yes, I'm a southern gal--we love our silver stuff!)...and on and on. Any brand will do--but I prefer the wooden sticks--the kind that are plastic are flimsy, which I just can't abide. Q-Tips...cotton swabs...whatever you call them, to me they rock!

Candles


Our house always has candles burning in it...we are not the "they're too pretty to use" or "we only light them when company's over" types. If I'm home, my candles are glowing in the kitchen and living room...always! This is a perfect gift item for me because it's something I can and will always use and enjoy. Christmas brings pine-scented candles, so our faux tree will have a real scent. When it's cold and bleak outside, inside my house is filled with the wafting fragrance of fig or currant, which instantly warm. In spring I love to have tuberose and peony scents burning...it's the easiest way to have that fresh-cut smell. Summertime is when I break out one of my favorite scents ever, "Sun & Sand" by Yankee Candle. This thing smells exactly like the beach--a mixture of citrus, musk and something quite Coppertone-ish (and we adore the smell of Coppertone!). If I can't be at the beach all summer long, there's no reason my home can't smell like it! In the fall, of course, I look forward to lighting up my favorite autumnal scents such as clove, pumpkin, and cinnamon. Scent is a powerful sense, and something as simple and easy as lighting up a fabulous-smelling candle just makes me gleeful!

Lipstick


Hi, my name is Leigh Anne and I am addicted to lipstick. It is my crack, my meth, my drug of choice. Because I was brought up right and surrounded by good, southern women, I have never left the house without something on my lips. The phrase "corpse" comes to mind when my lips are bare. A good lipstick or gloss can instantly make me feel better, even on a bad hair day. It's the single item of make-up that I buy constantly. Some of my favorites are on the pricy side (Chanel's "Moire" comes to mind--but man, is it fabulous!), and then there's the bargain L'Oreal gloss that I could purchase by the barrelful. A tube of Bonne Bell Lipsmacker in the Dr. Pepper flavor sits on my bedside table...it's the last thing I put on before climbing in to bed each night. I might not always have the perfect outfit, or the most fabulous pair of shoes...but darnit, my lips are always well-accessorized. Sigh...bliss.

A Good Book


Since the age of 4 I have been a lover of reading. I'm constantly devouring the printed word, whether it's the back of a cereal box, a friend's blog (2 years worth on Kelly's!), or the latest bestseller. I try to read a book every couple of days. Some reading for fun, such as the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer (way wonderful!), and some is for instruction, hence God's command that we love and learn His Word. The "Mark of the Lion" trilogy by Francine Rivers (the best!) taught me a lot about ancient Rome and what life was like not long after Christ died and rose. (These books area fiction--but very historical and MUST-reads!) And I get excited whenever Beth Moore releases her latest, as I know it will teach me to understand more about my God. Books are just "it" for me...a way to relax, escape, grow, and learn. If I could describe my perfect day, sitting on the beach with a fabulous read would definitely play a part.

There are many other "happys" in my life. These are just a few that I find pleasure in...Scott & I are always saying, "It's the little things that make us happy!" It doesn't take much...some swabs, a candle, gloss and a book and I'm the happiest gal on the planet. Woo-woo!

Everyone needs a GeGe.

Grandma Litton (or whom Libbey affectionally named "GeGe") was put into the ICU yesterday evening by her loving, yet concerned grandson. She has bilateral pneumonia & we are praying for God to heal her quickly. We love GeGe. We want her to feel better soon. Upon seeing her at the hospital tonight, I said, "You sure know how to grab the spotlight, don't ya? Lying here in a hospital bed, letting us fuss all over you...I know that was the plan all along!" She laughed...and agreed!
(GeGe, the girls, and Mamaw Pene, photograped in August '06)

Most Beautiful.

Taking a moment to count 2 of my biggest blessings. Ever. I am unworthy, but I am also thankful He saw fit to give these precious ones to me. Sigh...
(Libbey & Caroline, August 2007, Hilton Head Island, SC)

Rule of Three?

My husband's precious grandfather, the late Papaw Smith, always said when stuff breaks, be prepared for two more items to fail you..."things break in threes," he'd say. Well...our family proved that theory not once, but twice in the past 2 weeks.

The day before Christmas--of course--my fabulous "high efficiency" washing machine came down with a "virus." The computer in it is failing miserably, and while I can still get my clothes april fresh, one load takes about 5 hours to complete from start to finish. Ugh. It ain't looking so highly efficient right now, I'll tell ya. The next day, something malfunctioned in our fabulous "top-rated by Consumer Reports" dishwasher, and the spring in the door is kaput. Like the washer, it still works, however the door slams to the floor with the faintest touch--my feet have the bruises to prove this. Ugh. Later on in the same day, our ice maker broke...we have the kind that's built in under the counter--it's not a part of our fridge, that is. The sound of ice tinkling in my glass is a faint memory. (Oh ice, my dear, how I didn't appreciate you as a presence in my life 'til now.) Ugh.

Three major appliances on the fritz...well, that just proved Papaw's rule of three theory. Great. Just what we needed. Thankfully the washing machine & dishwasher are both under warranty, so we are out no bucks. Regrettably, the ice machine's warranty is a dream that once was. Now we gotta buy a new one. Merry Christmas to us--now we know what we're gonna do with all the Christmas money we received from family.

In one of the previous posts I regaled you, dear reader, about our plight on the side of the mountain. No flat tire will ruin Scott & Leigh Anne's date night, oh no! Even before the tire issue, Scott had an encounter with a tree that left his right side mirror in a mess. So there were our two auto mishaps. My mother-in-law reminded us, "Things happen in threes, as my Daddy always said." Yeesh. Just what we need!

Indeed, while driving to Knoxville, TN, this past Saturday (not in our car or the truck--the minivan!) my friend, Kim, glanced over at my side of the windshield and asked, "Is that a crack in the glass?" I didn't even have to search for it...OF COURSE it's a crack. I mean, things happen in threes, right? At least they seem to for us.

Rather than being bogged down and playing our "Oh, woe is me" card in all this, we decided to look on these events as blessings. I am trying to find more blessings in my days, rather than stressings. I'm grateful for my semi-new appliances (we built this house in '04/'05) and for the vehicles parked in our garage. Even if they do fail me every now and then...or in threes...at least I have them. Everything's fixable. And now that it's after-the-fact, it's kind of funny. Not hysterical, mind you, but mildly amusing.

"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

The wait is almost over...

Myspace Countdown Clock

Jason Statham

I'm just saying.

Boy, did we ever need a date night!

Our dear friends, the Cress family, asked if they could have our girls for the evening, and since we are loving parents, we decided to take them up on their offer...because we want to share our children with those who love them! I had visions of a night at home, cleaning as usual, or maybe even my favorite treat, "book/bath/bubbles/bedtime." To my delight, Scott called me yesterday afternoon and said, "Hey, since the girls will be gone, ya wanna go out to eat?" (And let me preface this by stating that since we live in the middle of nowhere, "going out to eat" at someplace that isn't McDonald's involves a minimum drive of 30 minutes.) I jumped at the chance for a date night--our first of the new year! Yippee!

After delivering the girls to Bill & Kim's place, I came home and proceeded to go through my beauty routine...I mean, after all...it's date night in full force so I had to get gussied up! Just as I was slipping into my too-cute boots, Scott walks in with a very dour expresssion...and I knew my date night was over before it began. He'd had a mishap with his truck...the right side mirror is now dangling...and I won't go into more info because I love him enough to preserve his integrity/pride! Never fear, though...he said a good steak would help him get over the truck trauma, so we were still on for our date. We're not ones to let damage to our truck spoil our good time...no sir! Especially when we have babysitters keeping our children overnight! Hooray!

We'd been in our car less than 2 minutes when I started hearing a weird thumping noise. When I inquired about the source of the noise, my husband blew me off. (To be fair, he was on the phone with his father--so waving his hand and shaking his head was his way of telling me to chill.) Another 2 minutes later and the noise hasn't subsided. Scott begins giving me what we refer to in our family as "a lesson," (which I get from him at least once a day!) whereby he informs me that we've had temperatures in the single digits for many days now, and the car hasn't been driven...so the tires are cold and they just have to warm up. Blah-blah-blah and all that. Well...OK...what do I know from cold tires?

Fast-forward about 5 minutes later, as we are speeding down a mountain...the car starts pulling, the noise gets much louder, and my husband heaves an enormous sigh and admits, "I think we have a flat." OK y'all...score one for me, because I didn't utter a word...not a single syllable, which was killing me, as those of you who know me personally will attest. We pull off onto the gravel--did I mention we were traveling down a big ol' mountain--and determine that yes, indeed, we do have a flat tire. Well...I'm not one to say "I told you so." Actually, I am, but in this instance I refrained. Seriously! Still, I was thinking it, of course.

Thirty minutes later, after summoning my in-laws with a pitiful, "We're stuck on the side of the mountain, please help--and bring a jack!" and with the spare tire almost installed, I see my sweet hubby of almost 8 years take a tumble. Thankfully he didn't roll down the mountain...but he did slip on some black ice (it's been way too cold here!) and after he assured us that he was quite fine, thank you very much, my mother-in-law and I laughed. Out loud. At him. Because it was funny. So glad he wasn't hurt, though. I mean, we still had the promise of a fabulous meal at our favorite restaurant, AND we had a giftcard to use to defray the bill. And by this point in the evening, we needed a good laugh because I couldn't get Murphy's Law from running through my head on a loop..."This would only happen to us....this would only happen to us..."

About an hour and a half after leaving our house (and returning back to said house to fetch our minivan), we finally arrived at our destination, "The Chop House," in Kingsport, TN. Yes, we live in Virginia...and yes, we eat and shop in Tennessee. It can't be helped. We had our delicious meal (Shrimp Bisque soup, Filet, a skewer of grilled shrimp, and cheese grits...divine!) and even went to Target (oh Target, my beloved!) to take care of some shopping. Then we came home and continued our date 'til bedtime...

It took a slightly-wrecked truck, a flat tire, and a fall on some ice to make it happen...but we got our date. And that's what matters!

Oh...and tonight, my in-laws want our girls to stay with them...and that's fine, but Scott and I are staying HOME! We don't need anymore mishaps this weekend, please God.

New Year, New Chances...

So...
I don't make resolutions. But I do have goals for 2008, so here goes.

First of all, I received the most fabulous Christmas gift from my husband...the Rosetta Stone French course. Yes, that's right...I'm going to learn to speak French like it's my JOB. My goal is to sit at some chic little bistro in Paris and order a fabulous meal without sounding like Clark W. Griswold. I started my lessons last week and they are FUN. I'm learning lots...but I still sound worse than the Griswolds (remember "European Vacation?"), so I have a long way to go. Au revoir!

Secondly, we built a new garage last summer and added a nice-sized room above it. We painted, put in carpet, added some heat/ac and now the room is ready to be used. Since we are not the skinniest of people, Scott and I decided to use this new addition as a home gym/hang-out room for us and the girls. The BowFlex is already up there...so is the treadmill. Now I just gotta get a TV, some mirrors, and some jammin' tunes so that I can start working my flabby booty out. Oh...and I need a sofa (not for me--I'll be feeling the burn, remember? It's for my girls!) and a few other things. But the goal is to get that room in order and USE IT!

Finally...as a child of the Most High, I have decided that I need to know Him better. For Christmas I have my sweet husband 2 books on Bible maps/timelines/charts, etc. and they are fascinating! I wanna learn more about Biblical history. (Gee--don't I have a degree in this already?) I wanna learn more about my Jesus. I wanna study the Word more. Basically, I just wanna grow. Well...I want my physical body to shrink, of course, but the spiritual stuff needs to keep on getting bigger and bigger. And how awesome is it that these two can exist together???? God is good.

This blog thing is way new for me...I have a lot to learn, so hopefully this will get more interesting for you, dear reader. Stick with me...


p.s. The countdown has begun...my beloved "Lost" returns on Thursday, January 31, at 8 pm on ABC. If you haven't delved into the Lost world (and why the heck haven't you? It's only THE best show. Ever.), get your sweet little act together and rent all 3 seasons on DVD now so that you can get caught up. I'm serious. Run to the rental place, or get them in your Netflix queue...whatever you do, get ready to get Lost again. 28 days and counting...