To go or not to go? That is the question.

Thanksgiving weekend offers up many options this year. My mom and I had planned a trip back down to Kimberling City for a weekend of R & R only as it turns out, there are several reasons building for both of us not to go. The list of Pros is being dwarfed by the growing list of Cons.

Perhaps if this were a warmer time of year, the decision would be made much more easily as swimming would be the factor swaying down the list of Cons. Without swimming on the agenda, there really isn't much to do there besides watch movies and eat and go into Branson and spend money. There isn't even internet in the condo, you have to walk over to the club house for wifi. So, with work schedules playing in, my mom just moving, Girl's night would be missed, no swimming, the cost of driving there & 'doing' anything fun to keep from being bored...I think I'll stop losing sleep, giving myself dark circles and just call the trip off. Perhaps next year once the pool is opened again it will make all the difference but for now, we might just have to pass.

Plans for the weekend

This weekend is not riddled with clocking in and out at my second job. Yippy!! However, I do have a morning Miche Bag party to do. Not a big testosterone booster there but that's ok, I'm not trying to boost my testosterone these days :)
Sat. night will actually be spent being social this week, a very nice change from my past pattern of working. Girls night in has a 'baseball' theme this month. I'm not *too* big on baseball but will enjoy meeting the ladies and playing games nonetheless.

Sunday will be church followed hopefully by a visit to the Dalessandros??? Can I get a possible confirmation on that? And then to work at my first job for a few short yours but only because I was short on my time this week and I need to catch back up! It's tough to get 40 hours in when you can't get up in the morning and have something to do every night of the week! Throw in some doctor appointments and you're spending your Sunday evening filling in those last few hours, for sure. Oh well, still happy to be employed so gonna put a smile on and belly up to my desk!

Road trip! Branson here we come!

Pack your bags and make sure the motorhome insurance is all paid up, we're going on a road trip to Branson, Missouri!

Mom and I are going to spend the next 3 days visiting Branson. Man, I can't even remember how long it has been since I've been there with my mom! I believe I was a child asking her for spending money...of course some things never grow old LOL

The plans are to do a little shopping and a whole lot of looking. I hear this will be a busy weekend in Branson but it'll be nice because it should be decorated all up for the holidays with lights and bows and all the trimmings!! I'll share some pictures when I get home :) Pray for safe travels, there should be a lot of people on the roads this weekend. We will come home on Sunday. Have a great weekend!!

Happy Birthday, Me!

Another year older.....another year full of things I wish I had done...things I wish I hadn't. I'm not going to talk about weight loss and diet pill reviews or anything like that. My life isn't all about my weight!

At this point all I can do is learn and move on. Turn the page on yesterday. Much too often I pick it back up and drag it around like a ball on a chain locked to my ankle. Some things happen that I can't control and some I can. So when I can't I will have faith that I will be ok through whatever plan the Lord has for me. Even if it hurts me in the moment.

Lots to look forward to!! Dinner with my momma tonight at Red Lobster, dinner with various ladies in my life at the Old Spaghetti Factory tomorrow night, Little House on the Prairie tickets with friends on Tuesday at the Fox Theater, Thanksgiving, trip to Branson with momma over the holiday weekend and then starts the busy and wonderful month of December with all of it's merriment! Holiday parties, caroling, hot chocolate, being with friends and loved ones... who could look forward to all that and not have a smile on your face?? Do yourself a favor, try to see the brightside of things, even if it hurts. ;-)

It's Fall, ya'll!

Fall is here, there's no doubt! Check your pond pumps, buy a new rake, it's time to 'autumnize' your home. Is that a real word? Now it is :)

If you rent like me, then thank the good Lord and go on a drive and enjoy the fall colors before they are gone...instead of spending your weekends raking up ginormous mounds of leaves that just blow back down before you can fill the bags LOL Here are a few prime choice photos I found when I Googled 'fall foliage'. Enjoy!!

Crazy weather we're having!

Please don't take this as a complaint but we are having some crazy temperatures for the middle of July, the hottest time of the year in the Midwest!

Today's forecasted high was only 70! You heard me correctly...although, the weather.com website says it's actually 77 right now in St. Louis. There is rain all around us but the ground is dry from what I can see out of my office window.

So much for sweating off the pounds, guess I'll have to buy diet pills online! Well, perhaps I can hold off on that....actually this is *perfect* weather for getting outdoor exercise! No beaming sun to burn your skin, no humidity to steal your breath away but you can still get a sweat on! LOL Too bad I'm either working or in class or helping with VBS or at meetings every night this week! Ugh already, I never get to do what I want to do...bleh!

Hello, Friday!

What a great day to enjoy a nice tall hot cup of joe! I like mine sweet and creamy, how about you?

This weekend's plans are a mixed bag for me. Saturday I have off work from both jobs but have alot to do at home. Cleaning and much needed laundry and I *need* to work on my yard sale stuff! So there goes Saturday!

Then on Sunday, I have to be up and at my second job at 7 am! Now for those of you who know me, this is going to be a real trick for me, Queen of late nights and late mornings! Then I need to get some rest because Monday and Tuesday I am working from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm at #1 and then 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm at #2! Two days in a row! It's all good though, I need the cash. I really need to start looking for another full time job again, though.

My boss is hounding my mom about her getting a part time job because he can't afford payroll. Well we have more than enough work here to keep us busy beyond full time so...I don't know what to tell him. Our clients just aren't paying us even though we're doing the work! But I digress, that is for another post entirely!

So, working on Sunday morning means, yep you guessed it, NO CHURCH AGAIN! It has been like 2 months or more since I've been to church on Sunday morning. I just can't seem to get there! That's another reason why it sucks that our church only has Sunday morning service. If you have to miss, too bad for you! You'll have to wait a week and hope for the best....don't get me started!

So that's it! My weekend is already spent and it's still Friday! LOL How about you, any plans for fun this weekend?? It's supposed to rain for the next 7 days here in St. Louis, perhaps your part of the world will have better weather for fun!

Life is so busy these days...

There's work every day, something going on practically every night and sometimes extra work, too. Just seems like there's a lot going on right now...parties of all sorts, graduations, family reunions, holidays, meetings, birthdays, traffic school, court, benefits, hair cuts, car maintenance, bills, cleaning, family, pet meds, losing weight, skin care, sick people...the list goes on and on!Of course, some things never stop knocking at the door...like getting healthy and losing weight. If you don't ever start, you can't ever finish, right?! LOL It's not like I'm going to go out in search of some diet pills or anything like that. I just need to start off by making better decisions. I know I talk about this alot on my blog because I want to be open about my intentions. I need the reminder right in front of me. So keep me in your prayers, all. It's gonna be 'no rest for the weary' for a while yet!

Wow, what a beautiful day in St. Louis!

I can't wait to get outside...I slept in this morning but now I'm ready to get out and about :)

On today's agenda is to vacuum my car, pick up a get well card for a friend in the hospital, meet up with some friends and go visit her in the hospital, dinner with friends and then I'm open! I'm in a great mood, had a great pancake breakfast and I'm ready for just about anything! Well, not shopping for wholesale computers, I'll save that for a rainy day :)

I've missed my blog, haven't posted in a while. Funny how Facebook seems to grab all my extra online time these days....but I'm happy to come back and blog too. How about you? What are your plans for this beautiful day? Anyone having a bbq they'd like to invite me too? LOL

Time to party!

Well, this past Saturday got off to a great start! We had a rummage sale to benefit the women's ministry at church and for no more than we had, we did great! Can't complain there.

Next, it was time for my friend's son's 5th birthday party. They make a lot more 1st birthday decorations than they do 5th birthday decorations...but I think that's because by the time they are 5, they have specific things they like and you go for those kinds. His party theme was Transformers....too fun! It was a simple yet fun party and everyone had a great time, especially the kids who played and played!

While I was at that party, I got invited to another party for later on that night. A girls night in type party. It was my first time to be invited and I have had reservations about it in the past and was actually kind of relieved I hadn't been invited yet because if I decided not to go, that would possibly cause offense and I wouldn't want that. But where I am right now, I felt comfortable enough to say yes and it helped my other friend since this was also her first time to be invited back since her reuniting with that friend again and she needed someone to drive her with her sight being what it is right now. So it all worked out. Although I wasn't sure it would for me since I had been up since 4:45 that morning to open the rummage sale, ack!

I ended up going to that party after the first party and had fun at both. We ate food and played games and it was nice to see some faces I haven't seen in a while. I'm talking about both parties :) So, party on!

Vacation time dreaming

Every time the weather goes from dreary and drab wintery overcast clouds to bright and warm springy blue skies...I want to get out of Dodge! I always want to take a vacation and go see the world and get out of this office! Ugh...

This has been one drawback of working for a business that prepares tax returns, as soon as the weather is getting nicer, that is when we have to work the most hours! Although I am not directly involved in the tax preparations much around here these past few years, I still can't take any time off until after the April 15th tax deadline because I need to be here to do my job since my boss doesn't have enough time to get done what he has to do, much less having time for my work, too.

So, until then, there will be no flight plans, no road trips, no days in the sun at all!! Ok, I'll stop crying in my soup for now...I'm just satisfied to still have a job in this economy!!

Cirque Dreams, A jungle fantasy! TONIGHT

Tonight I have a ticket to see Cirque Dreams, A jungle fantasy at the fabulous Fox Theater in St. Louis, Mo.

I'm pretty sure it's a sort of Cirque Du Soleil ripoff. But still, I can't wait! I have only been to the circus one time, when I was 21 no less, and I loved it. Also, I've never been to a ballet of any kind so for me this is a fun combination of both! I'm excited. I just wish I would have ordered a pair of opera glasses from ebay by now. I think they'd come in real handy on nights like these. :)

Coming to the Fox Theater: Spring Awakening

Spring Awakening takes its inspiration from one of literature’s most controversial masterpieces – a work so daring in its depiction of teenage self-discovery, it was banned from the stage and not performed in its complete form in English for nearly 100 years.

It’s Germany, 1891. A world where the grown-ups hold all the cards. The beautiful young Wendla explores the mysteries of her body, and wonders aloud where babies come from, till Mama tells her to shut it, and put on a proper dress.

Elsewhere, the brilliant and fearless young Melchior interrupts a mind-numbing Latin drill to defend his buddy Moritz – a boy so traumatized by puberty he can’t concentrate on anything. Not that the Headmaster cares. He strikes them both and tells them to turn in their lesson.

One afternoon – in a private place in the woods – Melchior and Wendla meet by accident, and soon find within themselves a desire unlike anything they’ve ever felt.

As they fumble their way into one another’s arms, Moritz flounders and soon fails out of school. When even his one adult friend, Melchior’s mother, ignores his plea for help, he is left so distraught he can’t hear the promise of life offered by his outcast friend Ilse.

Naturally, the Headmasters waste no time in pinning the “crime” of Moritz’s suicide on Melchior and expel him. And soon Mama learns her little Wendla is pregnant. Now the young lovers must struggle against all odds to build a world together for their child.

I remember teen angst. Not a time I would enjoy revisiting, but I know there would be plenty to do over again-differently-if I had the chance. I have a ticket for the musical on opening night, next Tuesday night. It sounds very interesting, I've never heard anyone talk about it, so not sure what it will be like. They have some videos on their website that seem ok so far. Think there will be any custom promotional products? I'll let you know what I think after...

Wanna get away? Me too, here's the scoop!

Only 5 days left until I'm outta here for a few days! I'm going Eastward to visit some friends and then ride back to St. Louis for them to visit here. I am planning to leave on Tuesday, flying out to Baltimore, Md. On my first full day there, depending on weather, I'm hopefully going to drop off my friend at her office, park at a train station, connect with the metro and then on into DC for a couple of museums. The first one would be the National Museum of the American Indian:

On a leisure drive through DC about 3 1/2 years ago with a friend, we drove past this beautiful organic building amidst the gray granite and marble government buildings near the Capital. It's sandstone walls seem to ungulate in contrast to everything around it. Upon inspection of the NMAI website, my anticipation grows! It has 4 levels and 2 theaters and lots of exhibits to take in. I am told that I have Cherokee Indian in my heritage, although it would be distant, I have always had an affection for American Indian culture and traditions. I'm very much looking forward to this experience.

The second one I'd like to see in DC is the National Museum of Crime and Punishment. This is right up my alley!

The NMCP website describes how the museum shows us the history of everything 'crime' from medieval knights and pirates to modern day serial killers and computer hackers! They also cover punishments, crime fighting, csi topics, the actual America's Most Wanted studio and many fun interactives from police line ups to high speed chase simulators, FBI shooting ranges to an autopsy for those of us who are forensically intrigued. You can even have your child fingerprinted for real!!!

*If* I can fit both of these museums into 1 single day spent in DC, I plan to spend day 2 of my trip more leisurely in B'more. I'd love to visit Mary Alice from Ace of Cakes at the home of Charm City Cakes. What a photo op that will be, even if I don't go inside and disturb them (I'd hate for Jeff or Duff to throw me out!) I can still go by there and snap off a couple of photos for myself and get a feel for it. *Hey, Mary Alice, if you're reading this, let me know if it's ok to stop by next Wed. Dec. 17th or Thur. Dec. 18th :)*

Next, I've discovered there's an Ikea store in B'more! Hello, I would love to wander around there for a couple of hours or so....I have a feeling I could get into much trouble there though LOL

The last couple of days will be spent driving to St. Louis, Missouri from Maryland with my friend so she can have a visit here. We plan to stop in Cincinnati overnight enjoying a short trip to the Creation Museum. I can't wait!! I've wanted to go to there since I heard about it the first time! What a privilege to be visiting during the Christmas season, too. They have a free live nativity from Dec. 12, 08 - Jan. 4, 09 called 'Bethlehem's Blessings'. I'll take lots of pics and give a full report when I get home. Pray for good weather for the trip to and from. I'll keep you updated and I'll try to post here while I'm gone too.

Reflections of God's Holy Land: a book review

Reflections of God's Holy Land: a personal journey through Israel was very much a treat to receive & review.

The cover sleeve on this book is vividly colored with intriguing photos and it’s a nice size, comparable to that of a coffee table style book. The inside is filled with glossy pages; you immediately desire to flip through wildly, your eyes wandering from every photo to its caption. This book takes you on a journey through God’s Holy land and there is much to see and experience. You soon discover the background of the two writers and what perspective they contribute to the project.

Miriam Feinberg Vamosh is a Jew who shares her vast knowledge of Israel’s landscape, history and archaeology along the way as the tour guide and interpreter. Her “Did you know?” sections offer a wonderful physical and historical impression of each sacred destination along the way.

Eva Marie Everson, a Christian, is a Bible scholar, novelist and teacher who had always yearned to see the Holy Land. She shares her own personal “Reflections” on the emotional and spiritual aspects that are invoked along the journey as she soon begins to experience how the bible stories she has studied and taught are now dimensional and tangible. She sees for herself, the impressions the events of the Bible have had on the region.

Each of the biblical sites are paired with corresponding scriptures and fantastic photographs that allow us to glean a greater sense of their experiences first hand.

Of all the stops along their way, one of them in particular spoke to me the more than the others. The Jordan River. I’ve always been a country girl at heart, growing up in Missouri which has no shortage of rivers for hot summer days’ delight. I was taught to swim in the cold and swift spring fed waters of the Current River by my grandmother who also taught me about Jesus. She would tell me stories of how they used to have ‘dinner on the ground’ services on very hot (or sometimes very cold) Sunday afternoons where new believers would be baptized in the river and they would sing songs of praise and glory! Yes, I have always been drawn to the waters of rivers and the Jordan River is no exception.

Biblically speaking, baptism is a public profession of an inward decision, a symbol of how God washes the old sins away and cleanses believers with His spirit. Miriam gives us much information about the Jordan River, from where it begins as snowmelt from Mount Hermon to its final destination 100 miles away spilling its waters into the Dead Sea. Eva on the other hand tells of being ‘drawn to the water of forgiveness’, how the murky and dark waters the Jordan River offer a symbolic view of the dirty sins that are washed away inside our hearts. Her writing is eloquent and I really enjoyed reading her words of enlightenment and spiritual revelations. This book was a very nice addition to my library and I will enjoy it over and over again as I will most likely not be able to travel the Holy Land myself any time soon.

Crush alert: Peyton Manning

As some of you already know, I have a HUGE crush on Peyton Manning. The guy is incredibly down to earth, funny, handsome, tall, a great football player (Super Bowl 41 MVP to say the least), the list goes on and on. Tonight while enjoying my weekly viewing of House, I watched a very entertaining commercial for Master Card starring Peyton:


So I visited the website and created a personalized suite talk greeting just to see what it was all about. Too funny!!! Peyton said my name and gave a pretty good pep talk to a friend of mine. Anyway, I just wanted to remind everyone that I have a big ol' crush on Peyton Manning, just in case anyone forgot today. Peyton, I luv ya! :)

What's the deal with the warm weather lately?

It's almost difficult to get excited about fall with such warm weather like this. Here in St. Louis, it was like 80 today! I went outside at one point to dispose of the trash and it actually felt hot in the sunlight! It's the middle of October and they are prediction mid 80's temps all weekend, I'm blown away! Usually this time of year, it's getting cooler and you're starting to shop for sweaters and going online to hunt down the coolest UGG Australia boots for that first snow.

I keep hearing people say, "Notice all the wooley worms this year? That means it's going to be a hard winter." Well, I suppose we'll skip right past fall. We'll go straight from short sleeved shirts to Parkas!

I have to stop watching television!

Watching TV just makes me want to go on vacation. Every time I see a show filmed in England, I want to take a European vacation! Every time I see a show filmed on the strip in Vegas, I'm looking online to price Vegas vacations! I realize it's been a year since I went away on a trip, that explains the 'itch'! I suppose for now, I'll just have to stick to dream world in the boob tube. With this economy, I don't think anyone is going anywhere anytime soon.

Take a stroll!

How long has it been since you've taken the kiddos out on a stroll? You know, they've come a long way baby, in stroller technology. There are strollers of *ALL KINDS* out there now! They come with drink holders, sport wheels, special light weight materials....they fold down with the click of a button, you name it! Some are even specialized for parents who like to jog!

Of course, you will always do well to get one system that can grow with your child. They have stroller systems that can accommodate the baby bucket when they are very small all the way up to school aged kids if you like! The point is, don't let your old squeaky stroller keep you parents from getting out and about, get yourself a new one and go, go, GO!

4 Day weekend ahead, yippee!

It's time for some of us to put away our work filled Zero Halliburton briefcases and pack a holiday bag for a 4 day weekend, yahoo!!!!

Most people only have a 3 day weekend coming up but I chose to use a vacation day on Friday giving me 4 days off in a row, nice! I have plans to visit my cousin and her baby on Friday, not sure about Sat., Sunday is our 5th Sunday dinner after church and then no plans on Monday! It sounds boring but honestly, I need some sleep, so bring it on!

Although, I do wish I could have planned a fun short trip *somewhere*. How about you? Any fun plans this holiday weekend?