Nashville Coven

I've read the Book....


I've got the shirt (thanks Kimberly!).


And now I've officially met the family....

After months of anticipation, I joined the thousands who flocked to the theaters to see the movie. Yes, I'm a true Twilight fan! I actually don't remember EVER going to a midnight premiere for any movie. Go figure that it would be a vampire love story that would get me out with a thousand screaming teenage fans for opening night. Actually, there may have been more women my age there than teenagers, and I'm not sure which group was more crazy...

(I saw this picture on my good friend Christine's blog and couldn't resist. I think it shows just how crazy we all are about Edward...the perfect man... Or.... maybe it just shows how crazy my friend Stacey is. Yeah, I think that's it.)

Yes, I was there too, and I LOVED it! Talk about an electric atmosphere! The audience began screaming when the lights dimmed and the show was about to start. And if you thought they were excited then...you should have heard when Edward entered as the Cullen's made their first appearance on the big screen!

A few months ago a friend of mine decided it would be fun to rent a theater for a group of us who had been reading the books. She named us the "Nashville Coven", and began e-mailing everyone and generated enough excitement that we actually ended up filling two theaters, one of which held five hundred people. There was even a write up about our group in the local paper. We're famous!! Ok so we're not famous, but we sure had a good time. We even combined our forces and brought canned goods to donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank.

After reading the first two books which were given to her by my friend Angie, the manager of the theater decided to join in on the "Twilightmania" and offered to let us see the premiere at 10:00 instead of 12:00. Those of us who were questioning whether or not we could stay awake for a midnight showing, decided we were definitely "in".

Thanks Angie! It was a great GREAT girls night out. Now I'm asking myself did I love the movie or the experience. Truthfully, I wished Bella had more spunk, that Charlie looked more like I had imagined him, and his relationship with Bella had been developed more, that Rosalie was more angry and more perfect looking, and that Jacob....well lets say...he didn't look at all like "my" Jacob! As for Alice...I really liked her, and I still think she'd make a pretty awesome sister-in-law! I was not, however, disappointed in Edward. He was perfect. So, was it the movie, or was it the experience...I have to say...YES!

Honor Never Grows Old

In a lecture to the United States Naval Academy on November 24, 1997, William J. Bennett said, "Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself. The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for?"

Today we celebrate a holiday that began as what was called Armistice Day. Armistice Day was a day of remembrance in honor of the armistice treaty which ended WWI. Armistice Day was incorporated as a holiday in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson. Other countries today still recognize November 11 as Armistice Day.

It was in 1938 that Armistice Day was enacted as an official American holiday. But eventually after WWII, citizens felt that veterans of all wars should be recognized...not just those of WWI. So in 1954 Congress changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day.

Toward the end of WWII, and at the ripe old age of 17, my Dad enlisted in the U.S. Navy. I grew up hearing his stories. I heard how he was exposed to radiation when he witnessed nuclear blasts out near Bikini Island in the Pacific Ocean. I heard about how the ship he was on was nearly swallowed up in the ocean during terrible storms. I heard how he stood up for what he believed in and served his country with honor and pride.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "What goes on around you...compares little with what goes on inside you." To those men and women who have this kind of honor, we owe a debt of gratitude. It is to those who say "Let's roll", when the stakes are high, and those who are there to defend and protect us when the wolf pounds at the door, that I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I hope we will all take a moment and remember and give thanks to those who have served and who are currently serving our country. Happy Veterans Day!

Good Mail?

To my dear friends at the RNC. I mean seriously guys, is this what you call "Good Mail"? Once a month maybe, but every. single. day? I know you appreciated the measly donation my dear husband made to your cause when I wasn't looking, but perhaps you've got us mixed up with his rich uncle or something. Your response has been....well should I say....overwhelming! I mean...those 48 Ronald Reagan calendars will come in really handy this Christmas. We will wrap them up and ding-dong-ditch, I mean...give them to all our neighbors and friends this year. It's also nice to know the Bush's think of us as family now. That's a real nice photo of the two of them you sent to us. Perhaps next time they are in town, we can get together.

I don't want to sound ungrateful, it's just that....well....my shredder is wearing out, and I'd really appreciate if you'd save the money and stop with the "good mail". PULEASE! Oh, and about the one that says "Past Due"...I'm willing to forgive and forget. You'd never send something like that to family now would you? With the economy being in the toilet and all...it would really look bad if we got sent to collections.

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Our Halloween Baby

Dear Kimberly,

It was my first ever Homemaking Day at Relief Society. I was nine months pregnant and nine days overdue. I'd been having some small pains, but nothing too bad. I accepted a ride to church with a friend because I didn't want to go to my first Relief Society meeting by myself. All through the lesson, I watched the clock. The pains were pretty regular, but I thought if it was the real thing, they would be much worse. When I got home that morning, I did what any first time mom would do...I called my mom and asked her if she thought I was in labor. When she told me that she was sure I was, I had to call my sisters and ask them. Then I called the doctor.

Aunt Patti came and picked me up in her van that had no seats in the back, and drove me to the doctors office where I met your dad. It was confirmed...I was in labor and needed to go straight to the hospital. Upon arrival, the nurses informed me that there were lots of moms going into labor that day. They blamed it on the barometric pressure and the fact that we were having our first snow storm of the season. They said it happened every year when the first snow came.

I think back at how young I was and how unsure I was that I would ever be able to care for a child of my own. Imagine, me a mom. At 5:12 p.m. you made your entrance into this world. Absolutely perfect in every way. Every feature, every inch of your little body was perfect. I remember holding you for the first time and being amazed at how beautiful you were.

I continue to be amazed by you. I admire your gentle loving spirit. I admire your dedication and perseverance. I admire your positive attitude and fun personality. You've taught me a lot over the years. Being the first child in our family you have had to pave the way for all the rest. I know that hasn't always been the easiest thing to do, but you have done it with grace. For this and so much more, I thank you...

Thank you for making me laugh. No one laughs like we do when we're together.


Thank you for making wise choices.

Thank you for being such a great mom to my wonderful grandchildren.

Thank you for loving me in spite of my faults, and for being not only my daughter, but also my best friend.

I thank my Heavenly Father every day for sending you to me. You've come a long way baby, but the best is yet to come. Happy Birthday!!

Love, Mom

Quirks, Who Me?

I was tagged by my good friend Vicky http://www.davevicky.blogspot.com/ to share six of my quirks.

Here are the rules: Link the person who tagged you. Mention the rules on your blog. Tell about six of your quirks, and tag six fellow bloggers to do the same. Then leave a comment to let them know they've been tagged.

Sounds pretty easy. You mean I only have to mention six? OK, here goes nothing:

1. Anyone who knows me very well can tell you that I have a very difficult time making decisions. Just ask my husband about remodeling our home in California. When it came time to paint the outside of the house, he decided he would try to expedite the decision making process by convincing me this was an easy decision that could be made by looking at a small paint chip from the store. He assured me I would be happy with the color. Besides, it's only paint...if we hate it, we'll just re-paint. Bad decision. The house looked like a big peach. We re-painted. After the peachy color disaster, we settled on a nice Cape Cod look of grey, white, and navy blue. So if you can imagine the decisions that go into a remodel, you'll understand Bob's frustration. We made it through the whole process and were happy with the results, then we got transferred and built a home.....AAUGH!
2. I fall asleep with the TV on. It's like a sedative to me. They say you shouldn't do it, but I do. It's actually pretty dumb too, because at some point I fall asleep only to be awakened by it to turn it off.
3. I'm a little anal about drying the shower. Yes, we have a squeegee, but I have to take a towel and dry the whole thing out. We moved into a fixer-upper in California and the hard water had really done a number on the shower tiles. I swore I'd never let our new shower look that way. Thus my decision to dry the shower.
4. I can't talk about blood. I do fine when I have shots, but when my blood is being sucked into a tube via a needle, you'd better be ready to catch me. I've gotten much better at having my blood drawn, but have yet to plop myself onto a cot voluntarily and have more than a tube drawn. It makes me weak just thinking about it. And PLEASE don't show me the veins in your arms!
5. I don't like to wear shoes in the house. I'll put socks on my feet, but never shoes. Unfortunately, my DH and I don't share this same little quirk. Does he know where those shoes have been???
6. I'm a little obsessed with dental floss. I always have it with me. I LOVE to floss.

So this was probably a little TMI, but there you have it. Trust me, there's a lot more where those came from. I hope to read your lists revealing your quirks. If you'd like to join in, I'd like to tag: Kimberly, Robyn, Michael, Susie, Purple Diva, and Christie...or anyone who would like to play along.

Friday nights in Music City

Making a name for yourself in Music City can be a challenge, even for the best singer songwriter. Many hopefuls arrive here with dreams of getting their big break, and they take every opportunity they can to perform their music. Because of this, it is not uncommon to happen upon a free concert now and then.

Last Friday, Bob and I did just that. We drove into historic downtown Franklin (which I lovingly refer to as Mayberry) and went to Pucketts for dinner. Sounds fancy right? Yeah, it's about as classy as it sounds. It's actually called Pucketts Grocery. I have to say though that it is a "must see" on the list of tourist attractions. If you visit, you'll want to go there. The food is...well...southern. Yes, that's a good description. There's lots of barbecue, fried foods, and claims of having the best sweet tea in the south. But best of all, there's lots of southern hospitality and atmosphere galore.

Shortly after being seated, we realized we were going to be treated to a free concert by a group called Baillie and the Boys. This group isn't a bunch of wannabes...they've actually been pretty successful. If you listened to some of their music, you'd recognize it.

These pictures aren't too great, but they're the best we could get using a cell phone....

Baillie and the Boys

The Roys

Kathie Baillie introduced their guest band "The Roys" and said they have just released a new single called "Grandpas Barn". I guess they just toured with George Jones, so they're not totally unknown.

It turns out this was a benefit concert in behalf of the 100 Club which raises money for the families of fallen police officers. We were happy to donate when the hat they passed around for donations came our way. It was a good night with good people, good music, all for a good cause.

Overheard

Something I heard at dinner tonight has got me thinking. What if? What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about?! Whoa Dude...that's heavy!

Back on the Blog

I've been off my blog for a while...a bubble off, a taco short of a combination plate, or maybe even a few bricks shy of a full load. Yep...that's how I've felt. I think, like many of you, I have felt as though I've just run a long "401K" race and gotten my "you know what" kicked. Luckily for my DH he was away this week in beautiful New Jersey. Notice I use the word "beautiful" to describe this place I've never been. I guess it's just that those business trips always sound so glamorous! I know they're not, but when you're home and you've got tough decisions to make like what show to watch, which cereal to eat for dinner, or whether or not you'll finally finish your last "vampire" book, that business life sounds a little more exciting.

One night I actually did all three of those things simultaneously. And I thought I couldn't multitask. HA! I turned on Grey's Anatomy, ate a bowl of Kashi Strawberry Fields, and finished "Breaking Dawn". In the end, the only thing I wasn't disappointed in was the cereal. Grey's Anatomy may never be added to my TIVO (that is if I ever get it) if the story line keeps going the direction it is. As for "Breaking Dawn"....I LOVED it up until the last two chapters. I had to FORCE myself to read the last two chapters of the book. (If you haven't read these books, you may not want to read the next paragraph.)

I guess I wanted a good fight with an exciting victory. I'm glad it ended like it did, but disappointed it all went so smoothly. It just didn't seem right that all those vampires could work together better than our real life Congress. I mean even the Volturi Coven were able to reach across the aisle. Do you suppose they're Democrat or Republican? I do think, however, that Alice would be the best sister-in-law ever!!

Take a Hike Ike

What do you see when a hurricane hits the Gulf Coast? You see this! Since our gas comes from Houston Texas, we see LONG lines and HIGH gas prices! Although they were telling people not to panic and run to the gas stations, we decided we'd better try to fill up. So we did. We filled both cars last night, and luckily were able to get it for under $4 per gallon. Those east of us were not so lucky. Our stake president called Bob last night and told him that he had just paid $5 per gallon.

Some gas stations were completely out of gas, so we were content to wait our 25 minutes in line. By the time we drove our second car down for gas, we had to buy premium because that was all that was left. Is there a bright spot in all of this? Well they did end up cancelling stake priesthood meeting that was scheduled for tomorrow night. And... it looks like the hurricane went west. The UCLA Bruins were caught in it! And what a hurricane it was.....GO BIG BLUE!!

I remember...

Like many of you, I remember, with great detail, the morning of September 11, 2001. I remember the phone call telling me to turn on my television and see what was happening. I remember being puzzled and horrified as I watched the second plane strike as the live coverage of the first was being reported. I remember the sadness, fear, and anxiety that sunk in as I realized our nation had been struck by terror. I remember going through the motions of living that day, and feeling anything but normal.

In the days that followed, I remember seeing crowds gathering on street corners with candles burning and flags flying. I remember crying every time I passed one of these gatherings. I remember the sincere feeling of pride I felt as I saw American flags everywhere. I remember stores running out of American flags and people asking one another where they could find one.

It has been seven years since that fateful day, but it is still fresh in my memory. Although it is a day that will go down in history, unfortunately, it's not quite history yet. We are still living it. Our lives are forever changed.

As I thought about this, I decided I could fight back in my own way today. I will:

• Say a prayer of thanksgiving.
• Fly the American Flag
• Take a walk and enjoy the beauty all around me.
• Love my family.
• Be a little kinder.
• Laugh.
• Forgive.
• Have some fun.
• Have the kind of day the terrorists thought they could take away.

May we always remember to be thankful for those who have made today possible for all of us. Have a great day! God Bless America!