Good times

Shauna came to visit all last week and we had a great time! It's always good to see her, but often too short. A solid week is just about right! ;)

We ate out a lot, hung with friends, shopped, shopped, and more shopping...and took a quick trip to Rehoboth with Anne. Good times. So hot. But fun. Some fun shots:

This was the only good thing at the outlets...so of course, we took pictures!

Home sweet home!

Latest and greatest news was my recent trip "home." I use quotes, cause after 6 years...DC really kind of feels like home. It's very confusing. :)

Highlights of the trip:

-Keeping BOTH boys all day on Sunday...so fun.
-Meeting Tipper!
-Seeing all the fam.
-Beach trip, pre-oil!
-Quick visit with Shauna.
-Visit with Heather and family.

Good times.



I love this dog already!!!

It was a really great trip--always too short. Big misses: Amy and her brood, no extended family visits, no visiting with LR peeps. It's always a really hard balance between the parentals and others. Working on it. If I missed you this go around....I'll get you on the next one!

A few images...

Well heeeellllloooooo stranger!

Long time, no hear! It's been a year! CRAZY year, in fact. I changed jobs. Big change. Life is busy, but good. I also switched to MAC. :) more to come. At a conference in Baltimore. Let's hope I don't get shot!

It's been awhile...

I have been on Facebook. And Twitter (or Twitler, Tweetler or Twitlet as Megan calls it). I abandoned my first love. But I'm back!

Quick update:

-it's hot here
-it's really hot here and it's only april
-my mom came to visit!
-looking forward to getting a tan

Really...what else is there??

:) Be back soon!

God Bless America.

And God bless Obama! Here's praying for him, for his family, for our country and for our people. It's very exciting that we have elected an African-American President...I hope that he moves beyond this distinction and proves to be a wonderful president. God Bless America.

More good stuff....

Here are some pics from random fun stuff...

Pirate b-day/Alabama Christmas:


Did I mention that I got an iPhone from my friends for my b-day???? LOVE THEM!!!!



SUPRISE!!! Look who's at the front door!



Here they all are! Blow out the candles!



Tres Dias sisters!

So sorry...

I have become what I cannot stand--one who does not update the blog!! :( My bad. But I'm baaaaaacccckkk!!! :)

Lot's has happened:

-Anne's birthday party was awesome--and fun. And I think she had a great time! I'll have to post a pic later...snapfish won't let me post pics from there anymore! At Anne's party, we had lot's of "hot stuff" to eat--satay, atomic fireballs, smores, a real firepit w/ a campfire--it was a perfect nite to be outside w/ a friends and fire! Happy Birthday, Anne-chovie!



-Thanksgiving was sooo muuuccccchhhh fun!!! Anne and I started the day at the Bethesda Turkey Chase--fun! Went to Starbucks--yum! Then I joined the Mancuso's at their family dinner out in Fredrick--it was awesome! So much fun to be w/ Megan and her family. I spent the rest of the weekend with them, too. We had a great time, ate fabulous food, lounged around, watched a movie. Good times.

-Shauna came to visit for 4 days and we had a blast. She and I celebrated our Christmas together and my birthday. While she was in town, we hit all the places she wanted to eat--I took Friday off and we shopped and drank coffee--then Megan joined us for part of the afternoon. That evening, we hosted a "Christmas in Maryland" party and ornament exchange. We had catered bbq, sweet tea and White Zinfandel! The tree was decorated with Alabama ornaments! While we were waiting for everyone to get there, there was a knock at the door--and there they "all" were! My Christmas party was "Pirated!" and became a surpise Birthday Party!!! Anne and Shauna (and maybe Megan and Tango, too)--had come thru w/ a big suprise!! :)



So...that takes us thru the beginning of December...more to come, soon!

Happy Birthday, Anne!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you....Happy Birthday, dear Annnnnneeeeeeeee....Happy Birthday to you!!!! And many, many, MANY more!!!

Happy Birthday, Anne!! Today is a blessed day and I am thankful to be a part of it. You have been such a precious friend to me. The Lord has blessed me mightily through you and I am grateful. Here's wishing you every happiness and good gift that our Abba Father has for you!! For this year--and all the years to come.

Much, much love to you, sister!

Read this.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/huntleybrown.asp

Copy and paste link into your browser...

ACORN 's not just a nut for squirells anymore...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122394051071230749.html?mod=djemEditorialPage

I don't understand how this is not all over the news!! It's crazy he has made it this far...

Truth.

It's important that we know how we got into this mess. How is $700 billion not enough? Look at these links (cut and paste into your browser). Then tell me how can you vote for Obama? How?? Forget the social stuff--if abortion, marriage, military aren't enough for you...how can you trust him with our $$? (he voted party line 98% of the time--he's the SECOND most liberal Senator!) Take a look...

http://www.city-journal.org/html/10_1_the_trillion_dollar.html

This first link leads to an 8-year-old article by a remarkably prescient author who saw this crisis coming and tried to warn us.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E3D6123BF932A2575AC0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1

This second link leads to an article which appeared in the New York Times in 2003, when the Bush administration called for more regulatory oversight to prevent the bankruptcy of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs&feature=related

This third link leads to 4-year-old video from C-Span showing the Democrats blocking all attempts to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Here you can see the antics they used to block all attempts at regulatory oversight.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091102841.html

This fourth link leads to an article in The Washington Post, which recently published the details showing how Chris Dodd and the congressional Democrats are now playing dumb. They hope their tuned-out constitutes aren't aware of how congressional Democrats created this economic crisis.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122212948811465427.html

This fifth link leads to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal providing a history of this scandal.

This is WAY funnier than the Tina Fey skit...

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/the-lawrence-welk-show/727501/

OMG--I haven't laughed this hard in forever!!!

Deleted.

Happy Amy?? :)

Country first....

After being less than enthusiastic about the choices for president in the primaries (I supported Huckabee, of course, but never really thought he had a great chance for the top slot) I am THRILLED AND ELECTRIFIED in a way that I haven't been for YEARS by the choice of Sarah Palin for the VP slot. Why, you may ask?? Well, let me tell you...

1. She's good people. First off, she's a born-again Christian. The single most important thing in my book.

2. She's a proven reformer. She DID take on the establishment in AK--and she made some compromises along the way. As all in leadership MUST do. Of course she kept the $ that the feds gave her for that bridge!!! But as her interests changed from limited local (Wasilla mayor) to statewide (Governor) her position changed to reflect her constiuent interests. You have to respect that--it's only fair. And seriously, they only spent $30k for a lobbyist for Wasilla. I would bet you a bunch of $$ that is WAAAAY below average for municipalities.

3. She does have executive experience. She's the ONLY one who has it. Go be mayor of a small town...not to mention Governor of a state...then come tell me she's not experienced "to be a heartbeat away" from the presidency. Uhhh....YES SHE IS. She's the only one who is! Executive power is a TOTALLY different beast than legisilative. Period.

4. Who cares if her daughter is pregnant?? I mean--really?? So is like 35% of the rest of the American teenage population. Her family is not immune to the problems that crop up from living in a fallen world. What matters is that she is encouraging good decisions and supporting her daughter as she begins the difficult task of being a teenage mother. Good for her.

5. A woman VP? Oh yeah. And what I love best--she's a real woman. Mom. PTA. Feminine. The whole bit. Work away--even w/ an infant. You can do it!!

6. Troopergate? Please. When you are the Governor, you can fire your commisioners. Period. The commissioner has said she didn't ask for her ex-bro-in-law to be fired. Good enough for me. Besides, based on the Trooper in question (drunk driving arrests both ON and off duty, tasering his 10 year old step-son-at the request of the 1o year old to prove he was not a 'mama's boy', death threats against his father-in-law) should have been fired. But in fact, is still a trooper. Troopergate?? Come on.

7. Banning books?? Didn't happen. Ask the librarian. She has said over and over that then Mayor Palin asked a "what if" question. So why the drama??

8. She is exciting. She's not entrenched. She's new on the scene. Love it. Love it. Love it.

So here you have it...my official endorsement for 2008--McCain/PALIN!!!

Par-tay!!!

Our "welcome to our home" par-tay was Saturday nite and it was a big success!! We had about 32 people come, including 8 kiddos. We actually had lots of room for lots more folks, even!! Space was totally not a problem. The only problem was the heat...it was BLAZING hot on Saturday. We have those old, radiator style air conditioners, which kind of struggle anyway...but REALLY struggle on hot days. Add 30+ people and a 400degree oven for cooking. It was hot. But not too, too bad. I had work peeps, church peeps, Tres Dias peeps, all kinds of peeps crashing together. So fun. The place is about 80% finished. Big things we HAVE to get: living room rug, shelves, bike rack. Things I would LIKE to get: another chair for the Living Room, shelves for my room. A couple more pics for the walls. Overall--huge success. Lots of fun. Good times.

HIGH-larious...

On the side of the interstate in Alabama b/w Montgomery and Birmingham. In case you can't read it, it says: GO TO CHURCH or the DEVIL will get you!!!

Gotta love it!!!

Beachy-keen....

So...I'm finally digging out from the cloud of depression that has covered me ever since my return from the beach. Now that it has been exactly one week...I'm feeling better and am ready to talk about it rather than cry! :)

Immediately upon arrival, we had a suprise b-day party for Amy complete w/ presents and homemade cupcakes! Fun!!

The view from our balcony.

Straight from the b-day party to the beach!

Each nite we were each responsible for choosing the meal and location and activities. Friday nite was Shauna's nite. After a couple of wrong turns and one rejected locale, we ended w/ a big winner--the Crab Trap for possibly our best meal of the entire trip! Good pick, Shauna-belle!

On Saturday nite--my nite--we went to the Black Pearl for dinner....

A sunset walk to the pier....

Lots of pics...

Amy and Shauna trying to get a pic of them jumping at the same time....to no avail, so they gave up and did the "charlie's angels" instead...

We ultimately ended up Saturday nite at "Howl at the Moon" for the dueling pianos. So fun. We heard "Gin and Juice", but no "Jack and Diane." Sorry, Shauna!!

Our beach. The weather was PERFECT for every minute we were there...but the water got progressively cleaner and bluer the longer we were there (probably from the storms around us). It was absolutely gorgeous every single minute.

Our famous toe pic--we love our pedis! Check out that awesome, white sand!!!

Sunday nite, Amy cooked an AMAZING dinner. We had this awesome Arkansas Caviar dip and special avacodo salads w/ chicken and tuna. It was sooo good.

We had so much fun and as always, it was hard to go. But it's always good to get together. And always bittersweet to go home. Can't wait for the next time!!!

STAY AWAY HURRICANE!!!

I'm kind of freaking out. I'm JUST starting to get excited about my trip to Florida tomorrow, and here are MORE hurricanes coming!! Amy is wigging out, too--which isn't helping--but I can read that the projections are NOWHERE NEAR US!!! Praising the Lord in ADVANCE for giving us awesome weather!!! (amy--it's gonna be FINE, DO YOU HEAR ME???!?!?) :)

Latest and greatest on mi casa:

Into the living area from the hallway--those tubs are no longer there--and there is now a table by the door.

The new couch. Changes--new tv stand not shown. That table the tv is on is now by the door. The shelf the radio is on is now stained and in my "sitting area" in my room.

Dining room. The plant is now up on a white, square pedastal table.

The new fun stuff over the sink. Love it!

Loving the new place! I bet it's gonna be really awesome when I can walk places from there and metro to work!!

Home Sweet Home!

Don't judge me--but my new place is AWESOME. You just aren't going to be able to appreciate the size of the place...the pics just don't do it justice. But it's freaking HUGE. There are certainly some drawbacks--one TINY bathroom, one parking spot, not outside greenspace, etc... But the pluses are BIG!!! Location!!! Size!!! PRICE!!! The Lord has blessed me. And getting Tango as a roomie, to boot!!!

Here are some pics. Ignore the mess--it's better already--these were on Saturday, during the move! It's getting incrementally better all the time!!

Bedroom shot #1. Lots of light...love it.

My room, shot #2--this rug is a 8.10. My room is huge.

My closet. What you cannot tell, is that behind those walls--the closet extends all the way to both walls!!!

Living room/dining room.

Tiny, awkward kitchen. But a cute rug, yeah?

Kitchen #2--into the dining room.

Dining room.

Living room.

Living room into the foyer.

Giant hall closet--not only does my bike fit COMPLETELY in there....on the other side is all of camping chairs, golf clubs and other sports accutriments (sp?). PLUS these awesome built-ins!!!

UPDATES:

Curtains are up in the dining room!

One mirror is hung by the door, one pic is on the wall in the LR. I love to hang pics--it ain't easy w/ plaster walls!! :)

Futon-sold and gone!

Closet/wardrobe-sold, gone on Thursday!

Bed frames--one is sold-gone today at lunch, the other probably sold!

Tried to buy a tv stand last nite--wouldn't fit in car. :(

Furniture (all but sofa) being delivered on Thurs!!!

We have bogarted wireless internet and cable!!!

Cable guy drilled the outside connection we need yesterday--rest of install set for phone, cable and internet on August 26!

Kitchen is organized!!

Paint is purchased for the kitchen!

WOOHOO!!!

Ole west Virginny...

Most of you know that I lived w/ my friend Megan and her family for a month in b/w staying at Nancy's in DC and my new place in Bethesda. I left there this past Saturday morning very early-on my way to move into my new place. Megan had left Friday morning for a weekend w/ her mom and sis-in-law at the Homestead, but my last interaction at her house was a sweet, sweet moment. I was in the bathroom getting ready and I could hear Max outside the door (Max is 7--their oldest son). Finally, I said, "Max, can you use the bathroom downstairs?" He said, "yes, Miss Christy.") Several more minutes of comotion, then I hear, "Miss Christy?" I open the door--and there is Max in his Shrek undies just sitting right in front of the door. "What's up, Max?" I say. He says, "Miss Christy, we are going fishing this morning and my dad wants me to hurry, but I was hoping I could tell you bye before we left." He was sitting outside the door waiting on me. Chucka.

It's strangely hard to write about my time at the Mancuso's. It was far away the sweetest time I've had in a really long time. It was precious and timely and restful and a real blessing. It was just awesome. It was so fun to see Megan every day, to know the boys and Pat better, to have such a nice place to stay, to have dinners and lunches and breakfasts, to be given to so generously. It was overwhelming. I am so sad to leave. So sad. But so glad we had that time. I loved every minute. Every loud, crazy, kid-filled, screaming frenzied minute.

Thank-you, Mrs. Mancuso. And thank the Lord for you.

I think Megan's ready for me to leave...

Stacey has the best teeth EVER.

General Smallwood...

It's been awhile since the General Smallwood Triathlon...but I just got the pics from it. It's really depressing to sit here in my giant boot and look at these pics..but alas...someday when I can run again, I may never stop!! (Somebody remind me of this!!!)

Anne and I pre-race.

Mine and Shauna's tough faces!

The swim! Can you see the giant lochnessmonstermass of algea??? You can't see it, but it's there!!

Anne starting the run.

Shauna finishing the run.

The finish line...run Shauna, run!!!

Team Duck, Duck, Goose in effect!!!

Weekend Fun.

I had such an awesome weekend this weekend. Despite the cankle, I did some major shopping, the movies and a fun meal out. On Friday, Anne came to spend the weekend w/ me at the Mancuso house. She was PRECIOUS. She brought a huge bag of goodies for me that included beautiful sunflowers, popcorn, movies, wine, brie and bread, salmon, veggies, fruit and ORANGE TIC TACS-MY FAVE!!! She was here to take care of me for the weekend and she did an awesome job!!


Friday nite we went to the movies to see "Step Brothers." I can't recommend it b/c it was way, too nasty. There were a couple of really funny parts tho.


Saturday, we got up, ran to the grocery, had lunch then headed out to Leesburg to the outlets.
We made it in 15.5 minutes--which means Anne won the bet (she guessed 17 min.) Shauna guessed (17.5)--no Shauna was not there--it's just a thing we do. My guess was 21 minutes. Too much. I lose. Listen--don't judge me, we have to get our entertainment somewhere. We're a competitive lot. :) We shopped for hours. Anne pushed me around in the wheelchair like a pro. We almost took out a few small children and one old lady, but hey. We came home, Anne cooked an amazing dinner and we watched a movie.

Sunday, we went to church at Reston Bible. Got lost, but made it in plenty of time for a great communion service. What an awesome reminder of forgiveness, grace and Christ's love for us. It was an awesome sermon and obviously divinely appointed. We had a nice lunch, then Anne left. Tango came over not long after. We had dinner, watched a movie and hung out. Won't be long till we do that every nite in our new place!!!

And just like that, the weekend was over. ***sigh*** The good ones are hard to let go of. :)

Update--cankle time.

Here's my cankle day 2. It looks much worse than this now--black and blue and way more swollen, but it feels better.

With my boot, I can actually walk a bit. I'm down to one crutch! Woohoo!!!

On a better note: I've been at the Mancuso house for 10 glorious days!!! My friend Megan is my new Val (of Val and Chris fame). I found myself homeless for a month in between waiting on my new apartment to be ready and staying at Nancy's place in DC which she got a renter for. I am loving it here!!! My friends are awesome! The boys (they have 2--7 and 5) are fun! The food is great! And the accommodations are LOVELY. I have no idea how I can ever re-enter society again. :)