Here's to being easily entertained....

If you know me, you know I do "tricks." One trick caught the attention of Anne. She decided she was gonna be able to do the "huge stack of quarters off the elbow into the palm" trick, too. Above is the sequence of events (the original was a video--well worth the watch, I might add) from Anne's successful attempt, to her subsequent dance. As we say in the hood-HIGH-LARIOUS.

Thankful heart.

I had the best Thanksgiving ever. I missed alot-my family, my home, my favorite foods...but I really had an awesome Turkey day. Here's the run down.

Wed. nite-Shauna cooked dinner for Anne and I. We had a "Turkey Chase 10k" (of which we did the 2 mile fun run) on Thanksgiving morn. So we carbed up. Had a great time. On the way to Anne's house, it started snowing-HARD. By the time we got to Wheaton, it was sticking to the ground. By the time I had laid on the couch for an hour, there was enough snow for a snowball fight. By the time the snowball fight threats began-there was alot of snow. By the time the fight commenced (inside the house, mind you--against Anne--I won) there was ALOT of snow. Big, giant flakes. It was beautiful.

Thursday--woke up early. Had a race, you know. It was FREEZING. Bitterly cold. I was wearing shorts. Grrrr. We got up, got ready, talked Lisa into joining us, got in the car, drove to Bethesda, got out of the car (i may have cried a little b/c of the cold), ran to the starting line, and watched over 5,000 people start the race! It was CRAZY! It was inspiring! It was awesome! So we watched the crazy people start the 6+ miler...then we lined up for the fun run! Ran it. Afterwards, it was kinda cold...sweaty-so wet, and therefore freezing....not the best combo. But my girls-Anne and Lisa-were all kinds of into the activities. There was the hula hoop contest that Anne almost won (to the chagrin of the 8 year olds she was competing against)...there was the frisbee game we played that almost cost the lives of several bystanders...there was the line dancing to the dj. All good fun at 8 am on a balmy Thanksgiving morn! I finally persuaded the girls to leave-we went and got coffee and a bagel. Laughed like hyenas in the Starbucks (as usual)-drew a few stares. Ran by the store to pick up wine and flowers for dinner. Went home, lazed around, took showers, got ready, went to the movies for "Yours, mine and ours." Cute and predictable-but perfect holiday movie fare. Came home again--picked up Chris (who was joining Anne and I for dinner at the Schmidt's). Headed to the Schmidt's for dinner.

The Schmidt's are Anne's cousin Susan's in-laws. Whew. What an explanation! Stan and Ann. So nice. So funny. And cute to boot. We had a great dinner, great entertainment (thanks, Chris!) and great conversation. After dinner, we went home, went to bed full of triptophan (turkey drug). Nice.

Friday, Anchovie (Anne) had to work-so Lisa and I laid around watching trash tv all day. It was AWESOME. We got out once to go to the po and to pick up lunch. Then we had a happy hour downtown. After drinks we watched a movie at Nancy and Jeannie's. Quietly, tho. No talking during a movie if you're hanging with those kids.

Saturday, we slept late. Went to lunch at the silver diner, hung out in a hair salon for WAY TOO LONG....picked up Nancy and went to see "Walk the Line." GREAT MOVIE. But way sad. I was pretty mellow the rest of the nite after watching it...so moving. Went to bed early.

Sunday, had breakfast with my Russian friend, Anya. Went to church. After church Anne and I did some serious food shopping. We had decided earlier in the weekend (this all began over a craving for brussel sprouts) to have a second, "friends Thanksgiving." Most of us had no leftovers and there were things missing off the table we all wanted that we didn't have. So we made a list and bought it all! We spent Sunday afternoon and nite cooking and eating a second Thanksgiving meal. It was AWESOME. My girl Anchovie can cook now! Here's to you "la petits poissons!" I drove home Sunday nite happy and full. I am blessed.

So why was the best Thanksgiving ever, you may ask?

Top 10 reasons this was the best T-day ever:

1. As much as I love and miss my family, the lack of family obligations at a holiday is nice. Makes it much easier to relax.
2. All I had to bring to dinner was flowers...and Anne put those together for me!!!
3. Lots of sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. And most of it at the Dawson house--therefore it was cricket free!!! And sleeping in Anne's room is like sleeping in an igloo! Good for the imagination AND she has the most comfy bed ever.
4. I'm not going to blog the details...but the table conversation at the "big dinner" was HYSTERICAL. Even tho the 'boys lost.
5. Movies-2 good ones. And nachos. And popcorn. With nacho cheese sauce. Yum.
6. A second, full, dream-fullfulling Thanksgiving meal. Even better than the first. With leftovers.
7. A race. A short one even. Yummy.
8. Snow. Just enough to see and enjoy--without sticking around long. Love it.
9. The food. It's worth 2 spots on this list. Especially the brussell sprouts. Great job, Anchovie!
10. Precious friends. I was with Anne and Lisa most of the weekend...Susan, Jim and Katie on Sunday. (It was sad not to have Shauna there, too...but it was good knowing she was closer than usual--only Boston instead of AL!) Crazy that these people I haven't known that long have quickly and effectively become some of the best friends I've ever had. I am blessed and humbled by God's goodness to give me great friends.

Here are the members of the "Friends Thanskgiving Party" 2005. From l to r: Susan, Jim, me, Katie, Anne, Lisa.

My precious redneck baby...

In true southern style... So...my brother killed a monster deer...and here's my 5 year old nephew proudly displaying the carcass. For my yankee friends--I can't explain it. But those southern boys and their deer. Sumpin' bout it.

Rocky Mountain High

I'm starting to get really nervous about my trip to Denver next weekend. So much to do to get ready! I leave on the 4th and return the nite of the 16th. That's a long time for a business trip! I just bought our plane tickets yesterday. That's funny because my friend Nancy who's coming out to visit while I'm there has had hers for like 2 weeks! While I'm there, I'll be visiting the BSF class in Denver for the last 2 Monday's of the semester. That should be fun. Otherwise, my hotel has a gym, hottub, bar, restaraunt, wireless internet, Starbucks, all the necessities. We even have fridges and microwaves in our rooms! AND a free breakfast...NOT continental--but a breakfast bar. Nice. I bet I can make many lunches AND breakfast out of that! So all that good stuff....I shouldn't be nervous. I can't help but think there will be snow. And lot's of it! Urgh! And possible flight delays...double urgh. Oh well...at least I'll be on a direct flight! And, once I return, I'll only have 6 days till I go home for Christmas! Wahoo!

Turkey Day is on the way...

I am soooo ready for a long weekend! I am off tomorrow (of course) and Friday! Yeah!!!! Tomorrow I am running in a "Turkey Chase" in Bethesda at 8 am. It's freaking freeeeeezzzzziiiiinnnnngggg here....so I'm not all that excited. What I am excited about is that we are only doing the 2-mile "fun run" and NOT the entire 10k (6+ miles!). Whew. Good news since I haven't ran in weeks! Anne and I are doing the race, then I am joining her in MD somewhere at her cousin Susan's in-law's for dinner. Should be fun! I'm pretty excited about my first "strangers-thanksgiving". Susan and Anne are nice, so the rest should be, too! Hope ya'll have a good Turkey Day! Gobble, gobble!!!

Whew....

What a week! It has been a crazy week and I gotta say, I'm PUMPED it's Friday! My boss has been gone all week, so I've been holding down the fort by myself. That means I've had a class EVERY DAY this week. GRRRRR.... Might not sound like much, but let me tell you, it stinks! I can't believe that Thanksgiving is less than a week away! And that means that Turkey Chase race (10K, which is more than 6 miles!) is less than a week away, too!!! Gulp.

I saw Jarhead last nite. It was way more Full Metal Jacket than Blackhawk Down. It was really good. Sad news--they don't play Kanye till the end of the movie. Total bummer.

Funny story for ya--sorry they've been lacking this week, just hasn't been much going on, although I do expect some good stuff to happen this weekend! You may have heard me mention my fear of crickets...not just regular crickets, but specifically the kind of crickets that inhabit my apt. Also called Camel Crickets--but I call them tiny, unpredictable, crazy fast, demons from hell. Anyway, I don't like 'em. I was in the kitchen the other nite washing dishes...when I felt something hit my foot. I stood at the sink, KNOWING what was on my foot. But I couldn't look down. I just COULD NOT bring myself to do it. I had a couple of choices at this point. Heart attack, cry, scream and run, etc.... I got ahold of myself....took a deep breath...said a quick prayer...then very calmly said--"I don't know what you are doing on my foot, but you better get off so that when I kill you you don't splash me with guts." I say all of this very seriously without looking down, mind you--cause I think I for real might not ever be the same if I actually SEE the demon on my foot....kind of like looking directly into the sun and burning your retinas. After about 10 seconds I start to wiggle my foot and immediately I feel the demon jump off. About that time, I start to scream, run for the fly swatter and commit insecticide. I'm just not sure I'll ever be the same.

(by the way...here's a pic of one...you have to scroll down to see it--http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/cricket.html)

CONGRATS!!!!!

Shannon and Eric Brown (Littmann) just had a new baby girl! Bailey Ann was born Sunday afternoon. She's healthy and beautiful and weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. Congrats to Shannon and Eric! Yeah for cute babies!!!

Veteren's weekend events...

So it's been a busy week. I've neglected the blog-o-sphere this week. I should have mentioned my "painting adventure" earlier... You know last Friday was a holiday-Veteren's Day to be exact. Thankfully, I work at a government location, therefore, I got off work. I helped my friend Anne paint her bedroom Friday. Pretty much all day and nite. I am just now getting over the soreness (pitiful, I know). We painted her room white. It was fun. It was hard. I am still covered in white paint, despite the 12 or so showers I've had since then. I keep finding odd markings all over myself, depending on what I am wearing. I have a strange paintblot on the bottom of my foot that seems to be in the shape of the Virgin Mary...maybe I should sell it on ebay and pay off my student loans. The good news is, since I just got my hair "striped" or highlighted drastically, you can't make out most of the specks of paint in my hair unless you are up close. Of course, at first it appears to be lice. Oiy.

So Sunday after church, Anne and I went on a long bike ride. About 2 and a half hours to be exact. Long enough to be REALLY ready to get off the bike and off that seat the size of a quarter for sure. It was a gorgeous ride. It was a fast ride. We only took one real break. It was likely one of the last beautiful days around here before Old Man Winter comes and hikes his leg on my parade. He's peeing ALL OVER it today. It's cold and rainy. Ick. Alas, I have the memory of Sunday to think about and the pineapple bits I brought for lunch to remind me of Hawaii... In the meantime, be patient with me for the next few months when I ask, "is it July yet?"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

Today is my mom's 58th birthday! Happy Birthday, mom, and here's to 58 more!!! Thank you for being such a great mother and becoming a good friend. I love you and am praying for many blessings for you this year! Hope you have a wonderful day...wish I was there to celebrate with you!

in gulf shores last summer...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!!!

My dad turned 60 yesterday. Here's wishing him 60 more. He'll never read this ( I don't even know if he knows what the internet is), but it's because of him that I have an easy time believing God is who He says He is. My dad has made that easy for me. I am forever grateful for his love and care. Happy birthday, daddy!

Top 10 things I'm looking forward to at Christmas:

10. Tropical weather. Well, probably not TROPICAL...but compared to here it is!
9. Seeing the new baby girl James...and the big girl James and big girl Brinkley and the big girl Ivey!!
8. Going to Fellowship North for church.
7. Eating at Taco Tico.....mmmmmmm.....
6. Driving my mom's car.
5. Riding the Gator and the 4-wheeler.
4. Feeling like I'm "home" but being ready to go "home", too.
3. Spending time with my family and friends.
2. Presents. Don't lie...you're looking forward to it, too.
1. Parker!!! We get him the entire holiday this year!

What about you?

Thoughts on France...

You know, there is a part of me that wants to say, "See-what comes around goes around and now you're getting a taste of what you deserve for being so unsupportive of the U.S. in our time of crisis." That part of me is also the part that struggles everyday with finding who I am in Christ--and not in Christy. It's the part of me that forgets how grace has saved me from getting what I deserve. It's that part of me that is ugly and unforgiving and grace-less and self-absorbed. The worst part of me.

There is no pleasure in watching a country fall apart. Seeing her people rise up against her in random lawlessness and acts of violent disobedience. Particularly for something like this. It all began sadly with 2 boys running from the police and accidentally being electrocuted. Now, it's turned into a malay. A riot. A complete disaster.

According to the news Chirac is trying to take a stand... "Mr Chirac, who had spoken of a French republic resolved to show itself "stronger than those who want to sow violence or fear"... And for you, Mr. Chirac, I'm praying for wisdom and strength to be bold and courageous in the face of anarchy. Godspeed.

Denver, here I come!!!

So I have to travel the next few months for my job. Kind of exciting. A tad bit inconvienant (considering Christmas is coming up). And a little scary. Cause I really hate to fly. Particularly in the winter. And in snow. And anywhere near mountains. Sooooo....add all those things up and OF COURSE I get to fly to Denver in December. Actually, what you get is a scene that looks terrifyingly similar to Alive. So anyway-that's where I'm headed Dec. 4-16th. I'll be teaching for 2 weeks at the DOJ office in downtown Denver. Good news: Lisa (my friend and boss) is going too--so I won't be alone! Even tho we all know how much I LOVE to be alone. Ahem. Skiing--there is great skiing there! And I'm going!!! AND--my friend Nancy is coming to visit for the weekend that I will be there!!! (yeah, Nancy!!!) And, of course, we're going skiing! I invited a couple of other friends, too...so hopefully, they'll be able to make it out as well--CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A BLAST!!! Also good news...I think with my per diem I can pay for my skiing and maybe some of my Christmas presents, too!!!! (Good thing, cause it's gonna cost me a million to get home for Christmas this year.) I'm very excited. So here's to the mountains!!! May they be taller and covered with more snow than these pitiful specimens at Ski Liberty in PA!! Oh--and may all bones remain in tact!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUSAN!!!!!

This is Susan. Happy Birthday, Susan!!! How funny is this picture??? You had waited on the cobbler for forever...heheehe. Hope you have a blessed 32nd year!!!

P.s. This blog is TOTALLY self-absorbed. I'm sorry. I hope you'll still be my friend tho!!!

I'm an awful dogsitter....

Okay...so...I love dogs, right? I've OWNED dogs. Lots of dogs. I have 2 cats! I mean, I KNOW how to take care of an animal, right??? I mean, I've kept Parker for DAYS AT A TIME!!! And he lived! This weekend I was asked to babysit for "Spark." Spark is a white Westhighland Terrier that lives in Arlington. He's Anne's normal client--but since she was already booked, she suggested me! Which was great, b/c Sparks mom pays well. Let's just say I pimped around all weekend living like I made some cash! Nice. Anyway....I hope I enjoyed it, cause poor Spark's mom ain't ever gonna call me again.

We actually had a great weekend, Spark and I. We had alot of fun. We had a GORGEOUS day on Saturday. So Spark and I took lots of long walks. He was happy, I was content. Anne and Michelle came over Saturday nite to cook and watch a movie. I think it was Anne who noticed that Spark was shaking....like he didn't feel good...actually, more like he'd been poisoned. Then, when I went to feed him his dinner, Anne kind of freaked out. You see, his mom left me a note about how to feed him...1/2 cup of dry, put some water on it...microway 15 sec. and add a tablespoon of the ground beef in the fridge. So I did all that. And there was a package of ground beef on the shelf in the fridge.....then Anne freaked out cause I was giving him raw meat. And I'm like, "he's a dog!!! They EAT RAW MEAT!!! RIGHT???" So she looks around in the fridge....there was a tupperware dish that said "Spark"....and it contained, what else, COOKED ground beef. Oops. By Sunday morning he was fine, fyi. The shaking had stopped. But he was doing this yelping thing....Anne says he has a possible pinched nerve. Oiy.

So on Sunday morning, I'm trying to get out of the house and make it to church. On the note Spark's mom left me, it said--and I quote--"at 10, let Spark in the backyard and feel free to leave anytime after that." Now....what does that say to you???? To me, it said, "leave the dog in the backyard and go home." Apparently, to Spark's mom that translates to, "let the very expensive show dog into the backyard to pee one last time, then put him back in the house before you leave." I'll admit, I did have a fleeting thought that it wasn't a good idea to leave him outside...but the note said to! Anway...all in all, I think Spark's mom called me 5 times last nite...once for an explanation about why Spark was outside, once to say she understood since she re-read the note saying to leave him out, once to say she couldn't find the key she had given me, once to say oh she did find the key and thanks.... Luckily, most of our conversations were via voicemail...only the last one did we actually speak. No mention of the raw beef.... Lucky me...I was barely able to recover from the "leaving him in the backyard" incident!

Saturday Nite Live makes me furious...

Literally--furious. I don't know if I'm getting old, or crotchety, or what...but I can barely enjoy it anymore!!! Saturday nite they were doing a skit and of course, it was making fun of evangelical Christians. I was so mad for a second that I kind of got sick to my stomach! Don't get me wrong...I haven't lost my sense of humor! I enjoy a good, un-pc joke as much as anybody...in fact I have a few (sprinkle, sprinkle, ya'll!)...and I don't think I have a problem being the butt of jokes, either. But it's just watching that skit on Saturday nite....knowing that SNL was using this as a way to subtly, but deliberately, make Christians--and thus Christ--look stupid and ignorant and backwards and well--EVIL. I was reminded of Paul's call to believers in Romans 12:2--"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

As for SNL--I'll still watch. Not religiously--not even regularly. But those guys and girls are really funny. And I do love the "Bushy" jokes--too bad Harriet dropped out. I can't imagine what they will use for "Scalito." Bring it on!

Just in time for hunting season....how could you shoot this little guy?? He's so cute!

Halloween and Football...

Well-the pagan holiday was yesterday. I ate an almond joy this morning to celebrate. Someone brought in their kid's castoffs and left them in the lunchroom. Lucky me! Last nite at Bible study, Shauna worked with the kids (everyone is suppossed to volunteer at least once a semester...i have yet to volunteer once...ahem) There was only one kid. Poor kid. Little Halloween reject. Mom drug them to BSF instead of letting them trick or treat. Shauna said they had a good attitude tho....but today, I bet that kid is MAD. Everybody at school has candy but him. Sad. But good, too. Maybe I got that kid's neighbor's left over almond joy! hehe.

So Bama is 8-0. SWEET. Roll Tide!!! We have a hard season left, so I'm not holding my breath...but I will say, this has been a GREAT year to be a Bama fan! On that note...Saturday, I went to Stars and Stripes to watch the homecoming game against Utah State. This is the site of the Alabama Alumni meetings...basically, they pay the bar to show only Alabama games on Saturday. So it's alot of fun to be with other fans. Anyway, they do a raffle at half time...t-shirts, mugs, bottles of Dreamland BBQ sauce, etc... The BIG prize is a FREE bar tab! Well, I bought some tickets, watched the first half, and was extremely disappointed when I didn't win a t-shirt OR bbq sauce. And then...guess who won the BIG prize??? That's right. Me. So they paid for the ONE beer that I drank. It was funny...and such a waste. It was on somebody else's tab anyway! The guys sitting with me were so jealous. Ha. I never win anything! :)