2008

Wow, can you believe the year is already almost over? Where does time go? This year brought our family many great memories and milestones and one great tragedy.

March the 7th brought 8 inches of snow here on my hubby's 30th Birthday.

May brought Lauren's graduation from Preschool and her 5th Birthday.

In June, we sold our house of 8 years and moved in with Chris's parent's in hopes of building a new house in the country and baby Diesel turned one year old!!

August brought the start of Kindergarten for Lauren, First Grade for Jackson and Jackson's 7th Birthday and Justin and Corie got married.

It also brought the loss of a beloved Sister in Law, Aunt, Wife, Mother, Sister, Daughter and so on. Sally passed away on August 23rd. She was a wonderful woman and will NEVER be forgotten.

In September, Lauren started taking dance classes and loved it!

In November, we were able to move into our new "house". It wasn't our house that we were going to build, but it is/was new to us and we are together as a family and that's what matters!

In December, we had a beautiful Christmas with our family and today, the last day of 2008, I am officially 29 years old!

Happy New Year from our family to yours!

Christmas 2008

Our Christmas started the Saturday before at Chris' parent's house. Both of his sisters and their kiddos came down and much fun was had. We decided to cook steaks this year instead of the traditional since we had just had it at Thanksgiving! It was a nice change. The kids had a lot of fun and all the boys and "grownup" boys played frisbee during the afternoon.

As I have mentioned before, my mom and stepdad come up every Christmas Eve and celebrate with us. They are there for Christmas morning and get to see all of the excitement. I was able to get off work at noon and my mom got there soon after. We started cooking asap and even got the cookies done early for Santa. Chris let me open what I thought was my big present this year, my Wii. We had a lot of fun. I highly suggest one if you aren't even in to gaming. They are tons for fun for the whole family. My mom and stepdad are even going to buy one now that they have played ours!

Christmas morning brought more surprises. The kids loved everything they got. I was super spoiled this year. In addition to my other gifts that I already knew about, considering I was with him when he bought them and I wrapped them, Chris surprised me with a Nikon D40X camera! I couldn't believe it. I have been wanting one for over year and would never buy one for myself. I love it. Later that afternoon, we went to my sister's and celebrated with my family and when we come home, that is when the virus hit my poor Lauren and you know the rest of the story!


Tomorrow, I will be 29 and can't wait. Hope no one else gets sick and we have a safe and healthy birthday/New Year!

Busy, Busy

Due to the dreaded Stomach Virus and being behind at work, I hope to post tomorrow about Christmas. Probably no Tinseltown Tuesday, but at least an update on my family and some pictures too. Hope everyone had a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tinseltown Tuesday

Is Heidi Montag Pratt pregnant? She told Ryan Seacrest that she and Spencer needed a baby ASAP.

Britney's dad, Jamie, has been getting $10,000 a month for taking care of his daughter and a judge just ruled that he can now get $16,125 a month because of the extra work he is doing like getting her tour together. Judge also said that she has to pay $1,200 a month for him an office. He is her FATHER, hello! Isn't that the parent's job, to take care of their child in need? Her brother, Bryan, also got awarded $200,000 for the work he did prior to the conservatorship. CRAZY!

Edward, I mean, Robert Pattinson cut his hair!

Barack Obama's not too proud to eat Spam. He took a break from playing golf the other day and ordered a hot dog, drink and a Spam Musubi, which is spam and an omelette on rice wrapped in seaweed. Yuck-O to me. I can't stand Spam. Do any of you guys like it? We had a get together yesterday and someone made Spam Salad, like ham salad, but with Spam in it. I didn't touch it.

I hope everyone has a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Welcome Baby #18!

The Duggar Family had baby number 18 yesterday. Another girl, which makes it 8 girls and 10 boys aging from 20 years to now one day old. All of their names begin with the letter J and you can see them on TLC. They have a show called 17 and counting.

More Dance Pics

A family member of ours was at Lauren's Dance Recital and got some better pictures. Enjoy!

Tinseltown Tuesday

Dennis Quaid and his wife settled for $750,000 from the hospital that gave their twins a lethal dose of Heparin (a blood thinning drug) when they were born.

More than 130 stars have voted against a Screen Actor's Guild strike, including George Clooney and Tom Hanks.

Madonna shelled out $75 million to Guy for their divorce settlement.

Tara Reid has checked herself into Promises Rehab, which is where Britney went last year.

Have a good week!

Continuation of Tinseltown

Just saw that T.R. Knight has asked to be axed from Grey's Anatomy by the end of the season. He states that he is not happy with his character's storyline and is ready to move on. So sad, I loved me some George! :)

Tinseltown Tuesday

Scott Ruffalo, brother of Mark Ruffalo, died lastnight after suffering a gunshot wound to the head last week. One suspect has turned herself in.

Toni Braxton skipped the Dancing with the Stars finale because of lumps she found in her breast. She had them removed after being eliminated and was still recovering during the finale.

O.J. was sentenced to 9 years in the slammer because of that whole robbery thing back last year or whenever. No comment.

Some guy in Arkansas is suing Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks for siding with the West Mempis 3 and publicly vocalizing that she thought he did it. He was the stepfather of one of the victims. I will never forget when this happened. I was 12 and living in Forrest City and soooo scared to go through West Memphis to Memphis after that.

Christmas Programs

This week was filled with the kid's Christmas programs. Monday night was Jackson and Lauren's school Christmas Musical. I couldn't get any pictures that would show up in the auditorium, so I took pictures before we went. Not sure why the kids always have to pose with a stuffed animal, but they do!

I caught this picture of Jackson going to sleep that night. Hilarious! Definately one for blackmail one day! haha

Lastnight was Lauren's Christmas Dance Recital. Here's a little video:

and some pictures. My little point and shoot cam doesn't do the whole clear picture thing on manual, but you get the jist.

Tonight, the kids are staying the night with a friend of ours and Chris and I are going to finish Christmas shopping. I also have a birthday cake to make for another friend of mine so this weekend will be busy as well.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Tinseltown Tuesday

In case anyone was wondering, I deleted the address request post. I had never thought about it before, but Debbi wondered if I was going to leave everyone's real address on here for anyone and everyone to see. I thought that would be creepy if some stranger started stalking someone, so I took it off. Thanks everyone for making me feel special! haha

Did anyone watch the Britney documentary on MTV the other night? I watched it as it was suppose to be a detailed look with all questions answered and what not. It did show how she feels and shows that she is trying to pick up the pieces, but nothing was ever really said about her behavior last year, which is fine because I would want that stuff to be private as well. I do look for her to write a book one day though. Happy Birthday to her! She is 27 today!

CSI's Marg Helgenberger and hubby of 19 years have decided to take some time apart.

There is talk of a Screen Actors Guild strike. I can't go without my entertainment! The writer's strike was bad enough!

Amy Winehouse has been dumped by her rehabbed/jailbird hubby. He states it's for the sake of her health and that he is the reason she is into drugs in the first place. Hello! Help her get straight! Sickness and Health remember?

New on DVD today:

Wanted

Step Brothers

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Little Tinseltown Tuesday/Wednesday

Once again, we are having the Tinseltown news on Wednesday. It is tiny today because I haven't had a chance to dig into the dirt since I was off work yesterday.

Congratulations to Brooke Burke for winning Dancing with the Stars Season 7! A girl finally won again! :)

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt say they eloped on November 20th at a chapel in Mexico. People are saying this is a sham and that they are just wanting publicity. What do you think? Sham or Wedded Bliss?

Only other news I have is that Amy Winehouse is back in the hospital following a reaction to medication. Surpise, Surprise!

Hope everyone has a GREAT Thanksgiving and weekend!

Please give me your address so I can send you a Christmas cards!! We are one big family here!

yay!

We are moved and VERY tired. My feet hurt so bad lastnight, I soaked in my gigantor tub and went to bed. We are going to have to move one of the kids' bed though, because with they way they are right now, they can see each other and talked to each other for like an hour lastnight! haha The drive to work wasn't bad, but I guess I have gotten used to the distance since I have been going up there nearly everyday after work the past few weeks. So far, the only things that I am going to have to call about are that the outlets in our bathroom don't work and the vents in our bedroom don't put out very well. We had a storage building issue. Several pieces of our furniture were covered in mold and several boxes were damaged on the bottom. Apparently some leak occurred. Of course the box with the worst damage on the bottom was the box that had my wedding dress in it. My wedding dress was in a hanging bag on the bottom of that box. I haven't braved it and looked at it yet, because I'm not ready to know what kind of damage has been done to it. Too tired. I'm going to complain to them and the guy that owns the place is a friend of mine from Hermitage. Don't want to make him mad, but I feel I need to say my piece so that maybe he can do something about it before he rents it again.

Hookup?

Been thinking it for a while. Especially after seeing this picture from the LA premiere:

So, I will give you a crisp $100 bill if these two aren't dating (for now anyway). Read Rob's interview here.

Tinseltown Tuesday/Wednesday

I decided to bring back Tinseltown Tuesday this week and got so busy that it will have to be Tinseltown Wednesday! haha

I know everyone (mostly everyone) is stoked about the Twilight movie coming out! I can't wait! It premiered this past weekend in LA and I have to say that although James is a bad guy, he is smokin' hot! He played on The O.C. back in the day and was a drug dealer and eventual boyfriend for Marissa. So cute!

Cody Linley was voted off of Dancing with the Stars lastnight. I'm bummed. I really wanted it to be him and Brooke Burke for the final two. He's such a cutie patootie!

Paris Hilton and Benji Madden? Still an item? She was spotted this past weekend in Miami at a club and talking to her ex, Niarchos Stavros. (awful name!) Benji may have a gagillion tattoos, but he is WAY cuter than the Nacho guy! Jennifer Aniston confirmed to Oprah that she is in fact dating John Mayer again and no, she isn't pregnant.

Bill Murray is apparently going through a mid-life crisis. He is dating 27 year old, Miss USA 2008. He's 58. Can ya say ewwww!

Hugh Jackman has been named People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive for this year. Don't get it, he is not in the least bit cute to me. Everytime I look at him, all I can see is Wolverine with those gigantor sideburns!

For Survivor fans, this season's Ace Gordon was arrested Sunday morning in Naples, Florida, for disorderly intoxication, obstruction of an officer and resisting arrest without violence. He kept telling them how famous he was and they shouldn't treat him in "that manner". Famous, WHAT? He is a reject off of a reality show and he had a smart mouth on the show and wasn't a fan fave, I can assure you. haha

Joaquin Phoenix, Angelina Jolie and now Nicole Kidman are all saying they are retiring from acting. Yeah right.

Britney says her life feels like jail, but that even in jail you know you are going to get out eventually. She is tired of her dad's conservatorship. Her documentary, "For the Record" will air on Mtv on November 30th. It tracks a three month period of her life. I, for one, will be watching it. As much of a train wreck as she has been, I still like her. :)

Last, but not least, Kristy had not heard of the preggo man/woman, so this is for her. She/he (thomas is her name now) was a beautiful Hawaiian girl who decided that she wanted to be a dude. She had her breasts cut off and started taking hormone treatments. She met a chick, married her (since for some reason, she is legally a dude) and they decided to have a baby. She/he's wife had a hysterectomy so it was up to her/him to have the baby since she still had her female organs. His/her wife got a sperm donor and artificially inseminated him/her at home. 9 months later, bam...baby girl. Now, he/she is preggo again. She/he is not the only man/woman to get pregnant it is just she/he is the only one to publicize about it. I hope this is what they wanted and I know they are going to get tired of it eventually, all the attention i mean. It is their (thomas and his/her wife) fault that it is as crazy at is, as they could have kept it a secret. I really don't see the big deal about it, because she/he is not technically a man, she/he was born and woman and has a uterus and what not, therefore just say you are a lesbian and go on about your business. Anywho, not trying to offend anyone...you never know if you say something on here if someone is going to get offended.

Before:

After:

Have a good week!

update

C & L STILL has not done a dad gum thing!!! I called them yesterday as they were suppose to do our electricity this week and now they are saying it will be next Wednesday! I so wish there was another company to go with, they would be so fired! We put our order in on October 28th! They said it would not be more than 2 weeks. They guy that I talked to said that he just received the order on his desk yesterday morning. WHAT? I called the "house" place and asked if the finishers could go ahead and come and just use a generator? He is to call me Monday and said that they will go ahead and come next week with the generator and maybe the electricity will get turned on while they are there, but at least they can get started. I really, really want to be in my house by Thanksgiving. Mainly because I am off for four days counting the weekend and that way we will have a couple of weeks to get settled and decorated for Christmas and it is so important to me that my mom gets to come up and stay with us for our yearly Christmas visit. I really need to work on my patience. I know it seems to everyone that all I have done is gripe about this house thing, but there have been happy moments too! I can only take so much and then I explode and this blog has been my major venting place! So bare with me. Oh and did you guys hear that the man/woman is prego again? I've thought about bringing Tinseltown Tuesday back...thoughts?

Cancelled????

I don't know if anyone else watched this but me, but Lipstick Jungle that comes on NBC has been cancelled. WHAT?? This show was really good and I don't understand why the ratings would not have been very good? It originally came on on Tuesday nights and recently they switched it to Friday for some reason. There are still 5 episodes left that have been taped, but they don't know if they are going to air them or not. This show was based off another book series by Candace Bushnell, the chick that did Sex and the City, which I also LOVED and they are making another movie of, yay! Did anyone besides me watch this show?

Still Nothing

This weekend and came and went and still nothing on the house. All we are waiting on now is C & L. I swear, my patience are growing thinner and thinner everyday. I called earlier today to ask when they thought they would be over there. Even after they are done, we still have to have an electrician friend of ours set the meter loop and hook the power up to the house. I worry that by the time they get this done, the finishers will not be able to come after Thanksgiving as that is week after next. I'm getting to the point, for the first time, that I wish we would have just stayed where we were at. If we were building a house, I don't think I would regret it at all because it would all be worth it. This house, to me, isn't worth all this trouble and waiting because it is not what I really wanted.

Anyway, I attempted to take a picture of this kids this weekend. This is what we ended up with:

I have never done the picture card thing, but since all my bagillion Christmas Cards are packed up and not going to be found by Christmas, I opted to do that for this year. Chris' parents both killed 9 point deer this weekend. I do not do the whole deer hunting thing so I went to Lowe's and purchased some more stuff for the house. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

YAY!!

Well, much to my amazement, yesterday when I went to my house to see if the guy ever showed up....he had shown up alright! I had not heard anything from him all day and I really felt like he had blown me off again...boy, was I wrong!! He not only had my water line ran, but had the water office already out there to inspect and had the meter put in the box, the water on AND my septic tank put in!!! WOW!! I guess it pays to get a little crappy on the phone, in a nice voice of course! I was so dreading having to start over, to find someone new to do all of that. Now, we have another issue with C & L. They never could find the man who owns the land across the road, so they came up with another plan and had stakes in the yard where they were going to put the poles and what not. They were planning on coming soon to do that. Well, the water guy removed some of the stakes and put the septic tank fill lines where they were sitting. I called and reported it, we'll see how that goes now. Pray for us!

This is completely off the above subject, but a friend gave me a copy of this quote yesterday as I am having a hard time finding a church around here that I want to go to and had a bad experience at a particular church after my sister in law passed away...I thought I would share because it is so true:

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It never was between you and them anyway." ~ Mother Teresa