Christmas, Sickness, DH

I picked Charlie up from the airport on Tuesday. He was supposed to be there at 12:00, but his flight was delayed and he wasn't there until 12:30. After leaving the airport, we went to Target to get the kids' bikes. We got Kelly's (purple w/butterflies), but they were sold out of the one Sean wanted. (An orangey-red Tony Hawk.)

We came home from there and Charlie put Kelly's bike in the storage building, took a shower and changed clothes. We then went to another Target on New Garden to get the bike Sean liked. There's a Books-a-Million in the same shopping center. We went in to see if they had any of the classics I want in hardcover, but they only had them in paperback. I did see a globe I liked (tan, not blue) as we were about to leave, so at least I didn't leave empty-handed.

From there, we went to Olive Garden for an early supper/belated anniversary dinner. I had wanted to go to Bianca's, but they weren't open yet and I was too hungry to wait as I hadn't eaten yet.

We came home again and Charlie put Sean's bike in the storage building. I then picked the kids up from Mom's house.

I made pecan ball/butter ball/Mexican wedding cookies on Wednesday/Christmas Eve and wrapped some presents. We then ended up at Applebee's for supper. We had wanted to go to Pizzeria L'Italiano, but they were closed. As were our second and third choices, Mario's Pizza and Monterrey's. I didn't really care for the fajitas I ordered, so I didn't eat much of it.

My mom, brother and his wife came over after we got home. We opened our presents from them (bunch of stuff for the kids from Mom; Bratz doll for Kelly from Del & Jennifer, Hummer for Sean; money for Charlie & me from Mom; a framed wedding picture from Del & Jennifer) and they opened their presents from us.

After they left, I wrapped the rest of Sean and Kelly's presents. Then we let them open one of their gifts. Sean opened the Batman sword and Kelly opened the Bratz guitar. They loved them.

By late that night, I was starting to feel bad. I took my temperature, because I was feeling kind of achy and sickly all over, and I had a low fever.

The kids opened their presents from Charlie and I on Christmas once we got out of bed. They loved everything. After they had opened all their gifts that were under the tree, Charlie brought their bikes in. They were surprised and happy.

I didn't make a special dinner. I felt too awful. I sat around taking medicine, feeling crappy and trying to take it easy. I was fevered still, achy, had a sore throat and hardly had a voice. I didn't sleep well that night (sniffling, runny nose, sneezing) or last night (coughing).

Charlie's sister Sheila, her ex-husband David and their children Matthew (from his previous marriage; that wife died from cancer or something) and Samantha came over yesterday. I was in bed with a fever, little voice, sore throat, sneezing, sniffling, fatigue. I didn't see them and they didn't see me, but I could hear a little of the conversation and laughter. I wish I could've been with them, but I just couldn't. They left a couple hours after arriving. Samantha stayed here. Her dad is supposed to pick her up tomorrow afternoon on his way back from fly fishing in the mountains.

I've felt a little better today. No fever, aches or as much fatigue. It's mostly just the sniffles and an annoying cough. We ordered pizza from Mario's for supper and Charlie picked it up. We watched the third Mummy movie after eating.

I have to bring Charlie to the airport in the morning so he can fly back to Texas for work. From there he might have to go North Dakota and Iowa. I don't know when he'll be home.

I was too sick to get groceries on Friday, so I'm planning on going this Monday. I should be well enough by then to do that. I also have to bring the leather jacket I got Charlie for Christmas back to Belk so that they can remove the security tag (which didn't beep when I left with it) that they left on. It's a nice jacket. (Marked down from $280 to $89.99.) Charlie really liked it.

I'm going to put the money Mom gave me for Christmas in the bank and then order a few of the books I've been wanting. (In hardcover, of course.) I'm thinking I'll order Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte, Villette by Charlotte Bronte and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte.

Christmas Gifts

A list of the gifts I bought for family:

Charlie - he reads my blog, so I'll have to wait to tell what I got him.

Mom - a purple purse (she loves purple), Dale Jr. bath rugs and towels (what she wanted).

Sheila - a set of five lotions from Victoria's Secret, each with a different scent.

Jessica and Chris (niece & her dh) - a five-candle centerpiece.

Samantha - a book (all she wants are books for Christmas), The Frog Princess. I think that's what it's called.

Matthew - an NC State football jersey.

Spencer - a black Carolina Panthers pullover hoodie. (Sheila never returned my call about what Matthew and Spencer like, so I'm hoping Matthew still likes NC State and that Spencer likes the Panthers.) Spencer is really into hunting, but I'm sure he has everything he needs for that. I wouldn't know what to get anyway, even though my dad was a hunter.

Del and Jennifer - a $40 Macy's gift card for each of them. Jennifer said she needs new clothes, so this'll get her something. And Del seems to always need new pants. lol

Zach (Jennifer's son) - a PS2 game.

I don't think I can remember everything I got my kids. I know I got Kelly one of the Diamond Castle Barbies, four of the Tinker Bell fairy dolls, a stuffed white cat that moves and meows when it detects motion (it was funny walking around Target with that thing meowing; it kind of freaked the cashier out when she grabbed it to scan it and it meowed lol), a Hannah Montana doll (she asked for it, but has never seen the show) and a Bratz guitar.

I got Sean a PS3 game (a new Need for Speed game; can't remember what it's called), a big Optimus Prime (that thing was 50 bucks!), a Human Torch (from the Fantastic Four) Transformer, some other Transformer, a Hot Wheels set, a Batman sword, a big Iron Man that I guess does something, and a Dale Jr. car and hauler set.

When Charlie and I get their bikes on Tuesday, that'll be a total of 9 presents each for Sean and Kelly.

I've already gotten my Christmas presents. I always get them myself because Charlie doesn't know what to get me. lol I got Tomb Raider: Underworld and Call of Duty: World at War. My mom told me she's giving me money so that I can buy a couple of the books I'm wanting. I'll have to order them from Amazon since I can't find them in hardcover at Borders or Barnes and Noble. I'm planning on ordering Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte and either Villette by Charlotte Bronte or The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte.

Jane Eyre, Friday, Christmas

I've been enjoying Jane Eyre quite a bit. More than I thought I would. I had always heard (and read) that Jane Eyre is a hard read, with its old style language. But that hasn't been true for me. I love that old style of writing and talking.

I finally finished Christmas shopping Thursday and Friday. (Other than new bikes for the kids and a little something for our mail carrier.) I also got groceries on Friday. That evening, after bringing the groceries home, the kids and I went to Barnes and Noble (I got a calendar of Italy and a book that, as it turned out, I already have *sigh* - Book of Lost Tales 2) and Monterrey's.

Before getting groceries (and after shopping for a gift for one of my nephews), I brought some things to Goodwill. A couple movies, a few books (I still need to bring one of the copies of Book of Lost Tales 2 there; as well as The Bourne Identity and The Devil Wears Prada - neither of which I liked enough to read again), a skirt that I had for years and never wore, Sean's black church pants that he can't wear anymore, and two black purses. Maybe some of these things can be good Christmas gifts.

I want to get the presents wrapped on Monday and get them under the tree. I also want to take a couple pictures of the kids wearing nice church clothes in front of the tree.

Charlie is flying home on Tuesday, along with a co-worker. I have to pick them up at the airport at around noon. After PJ's (the co-worker) wife comes to get him, Charlie and I are going to go to Target to get the kids' new bikes. We'll then bring them to Mom's house (the kids will be with her) and put them where the kids can't see them. Then Charlie and I are finally going to get to go out for our anniversary date.

We're going to have a nice Christmas dinner (turkey, ham, potatoes, gravy, stuffing, black eyed peas, rolls, green beans), but I'm not sure which day. I'm not sure when Charlie's family is coming up. I know they all have more than one family home to visit just in their area (Raleigh, Clayton, Clinton) on Christmas day, so they might come up on Friday or Saturday. I'm thinking maybe we'll do one of the meats on Christmas day, with the side dishes, then the other meat when they come up, with the side dishes (which I'd have to buy more of for the second dinner). My brother and his wife, and maybe her son, should be having Christmas dinner with us on Christmas day. My mom has to work and won't be able to come over until about 7:30.

I want everything to be nice and stress-free for everyone, but trying to organize it and work it out stresses me out a little. lol

Our niece Samantha (Charlie's sister Sheila's youngest, who will be 9 in January) is supposed to stay with us after Christmas for about a week. Her mom works (and her dad) and since Samantha won't be in school that week (of course), it'll probably be easier on Sheila if Samantha stays with us during that time. Matthew (about 13) will probably be with his dad, Spencer is about 18 and lives with his dad, and Jessica is in her early twenties and married living with her husband. So no worries about Sheila's other kids. lol

I'm planning on making cookies for Christmas. Chocolate chip (the best I've ever tasted, even if I do say so myself) and these other cookies that I've seen called different things - nut balls, butter ball cookies, Mexican wedding cookies, etc. We did pies for Thanksgiving and I don't want them again for Christmas. Other family will probably bring a cake or two.

I've heard sirens tonight about three or four different times from around midnight (give or take several minutes) til about two or three. I wonder what was going on and if it'll be on the news.

Fourteen Years and Counting

Today is mine and my husband's 14th wedding anniversary. I wish he could be here with me to celebrate it. But he's still in Texas working. I miss him. Especially on this special day. Last time I asked, he said he didn't think he'd be home before Tuesday. If he's not done in Texas before Christmas, they'll fly him home for a day or two.

I love you, Charlie!

Opinions and Random Thoughts

I don't think I'll ever understand liberals. They preach acceptance and tolerance, but apparently it only applies to other liberals. If you say something or believe something they disagree with, they call you intolerant. (This hasn't happened to me (yet), but I've read such things written by liberals about those they disagree with.) That makes no sense to me. They want people to tolerate opposing views, but they themselves can't resist bashing those they disagree with. Where's the acceptance and tolerance in that? It's hypocritical.

Freedom of speech is an important right here in America. It's not only for those who speak kindly, but also those who are rude and hateful. If we take away the rights of those we disagree with to say what they want to say, those rights will also eventually be taken away from us. If you don't like what someone is saying, walk away, turn the channel or click the back button on your browser. Since when do we have to put our two cents in or heckle or attack? Why is it so hard to let people exercise their right of free speech and not try to shut them up? Lord knows there are plenty of people I disagree with (Bill Mahr, Michael Moore, Rosie O'Donnel, Kathy Griffin, those crazy Westboro Baptists, to name a few), but I don't want them silenced. That swings both ways. So I just turn a deaf ear to their nonsense.

Why do people do things they don't like (not including necessary things like doctor's or dentist visits, working, etc.) or that they know they will regret? I saw something on TV the other day about women not liking how they look in a bathing suit. I've often wondered why women feel like they have to wear one in public if they don't like it. Why subject yourself willingly to such torture? I don't get it. I've never worn a bathing suit in public and I never will. (Actually, I've only worn a bathing suit a few times in my life. Most of those times being when I was a little girl. The only other time was when I went swimming in an aunt's pool when I was about 14. I haven't worn one since.)

You might wonder why I don't wear bathing suits. Well, for one, the Bible teaches us to be modest and to dress modestly. Bathing suits aren't modest. (I once heard them called glorified underwear. lol) Two, there's no way I'd subject myself to the torture of exposing that much of my flesh in public. Not even if I were thin again. (*sigh* How I long for that day. *shaking my fist at PCOS*) And three, I'm not going to subject others to seeing me in a bathing suit. lol

Doing things you know you'll regret later: Getting drunk. Just why people think getting drunk, acting like a fool and puking your guts out is a good time is beyond me. Even without the puking, it just looks and sounds awful. Not to mention the smell. *gag* I hate the smell of alcohol. Nasty stuff.

Bars and night clubs. I really don't get the appeal. I've never been inside a bar or night club, but I've seen them in friends' pictures, on TV and in movies. They just look so scummy and filthy. Like dens of iniquity. I almost feel like I need a shower just looking at pictures of them or seeing them on TV and in movies. I say again, I really don't get the appeal. Why would anyone want to meet a potential date or mate in such a place? Bars and night clubs don't exactly scream "quality" or "class", in my opinion.

Atheists. Ah, atheists. Bless their hearts, I'm sure they're trying to do what's right for them. I get that, even if I don't agree that they're going about it the right way. It's not the disbelief in God that annoys me so much (concerns & saddens me, yes) as the bashing of religion. Yeah, there's free speech and all. That's fine. I don't want to silence them. (See above paragraph about free speech.) It just baffles me why they view religion as "destructive" or whathaveyou. Don't blame God or religion for what mankind has done with it. There have been a lot of nutcases who've claimed God as their reason for the crazy or horrible things they've done, but that doesn't mean that God agrees with them or gave them the idea. And it doesn't mean that the religion they claim to represent taught them to behave in such a manner.

I've been a Christian (of the Pentecostal variety) all my life and nothing destructive or hurtful has come of it. As a matter of fact, it's always been the ones I know who've walked away from God and church whose lives have been turned upside down and ruined. I've been there myself actually and let me tell you, it's the pits. Not because of what my fellow Christians said or did as a result (they never attacked or belittled or tried to shame me), but because I was no longer walking with God or living the way His Word teaches us to live. You reap what you sew. Bad choices can't bring good results. But God can turn the bad into good when we give ourselves to Him.

What is up with people and their lack of deceny, self-respect and dignity? They shame and disgrace themselves by posting half-naked (sometimes downright vulgar) pictures of themselves on their MySpace pages or other sites online. They have sex with anyone they find "hot". They use offensive, suggestive and profane language. What happened to honor, dignity, class, self-respect? Do people care so little about themselves that they'd let just anyone see their bodies? Do they care so little about themselves that they'd sleep with just about anyone only because he or she is hot, or because they've been on a certain number of dates and it's "expected"? *shaking my head* As with many things in this world, I don't get it.

I have far too much respect for myself (and my husband) to be flaunting my body. (lol Well, not that there's much worth flaunting. My husband loves it though, so... lol) And when I was single, there was no way I was going to sleep with anyone just because he wanted it or because he was my boyfriend. I had plenty of opportunities, but no desire to have sex with someone I wasn't married to. "These two shall become one flesh." The only one I want to be one with is my husband. I did date only Pentecostal guys, so that made things easier. They have/had more respect than your average male. Sure, there was one who had a couple weak moments, but he came to his senses. Not that he would've gotten anywhere with me if he hadn't. Anyway, rambling.

I also care too much about being a good example to my kids and not shaming them by posing or walking around semi-naked, half-naked or completely naked.

Perhaps the lack of morals in so many people is because they're desperate for love and/or approval. "If I look sexy, they'll think I'm sexy and they'll be attracted to me. Maybe even love me." "If I sleep with him/her, it'll prove to me that I'm attractive and desirable. Maybe he/she will even love me."

Sex does not equal love. Nor does it bring love. Love should lead to sex (after marriage), but sex does not lead to love or commitment or even approval. (Because, let's face it, there are many men out there who will sleep with anyone just to satisfy themselves. Then they move on.)

Well, I'm rambling again and getting preachy. lol But it's true anyway. :-)

I could mention many other things that I wonder about or disagree with, but this has gotten pretty long already as it is.

Health update, Project, Christmas decor

The ultrasound I had this past Tuesday showed nothing bad or unusual. So instructions are to continue my medication (including iron, as I was just one percent or one point away from being anemic). I found out that I'm supposed to be taking one pill twice a day, not once a day as I was doing. Duh. lol No wonder things weren't really getting better. lol It was clearly marked on the bottle, so I don't know how I missed it.

Sean came home with the dreaded news that he has to do a science fair project, due next month. Blah. I hate science projects. I never did them when I was in school because I never knew what to do. Plus, I didn't want myself or anything I'd done on display. No, thanks. I'll just take the zero. Of course, I don't want Sean to just take a zero. I have no clue about science projects, so I looked them up online. (I had suggested a solar system, but apparently, from what I've read online, that's too simple. Naturally.) I've bookmarked a couple websites for Sean to look at. He likes weather and astronomy, so I expect he'll choose something from one of those categories. I just hope it's something simple and quick that I have to buy little or nothing for.

Charlie's on his way to Texas. He and a co-worker stopped in Mississippi for the night. He thinks he'll be gone about a week. Our 14th anniversary is next Wednesday, but I'm not sure he'll be here for it. :-(

I finally finished decorating our tree Tuesday night. Well, most of it. I bought our ornaments for this year (we get special ornaments from Hallmark every year) and put them on the tree yesterday, then I put the crocheted snowflakes on the tree that an online friend made for me several years ago. She (and her husband) lived in MN at the time. She's since lived in NY (in or near Buffalo) and now lives in VA. I just need Charlie to get the tree skirt out of the attic. I know this sounds silly, but I'm so scared of heights that I can't go into the attic. Believe me, I've tried. But I can't bring myself to go all the way up the ladder. lol

I bought some lights yesterday to decorate the bushes in our front yard. Charlie is the one who decorates outside (when we do), but I'm going to try it this year since he's out of town and I don't want to wait til he gets back. Hopefully I won't make a mess of it.

I finished The Devil Wears Prada a few days ago. It was okay. Now I'm reading Jane Eyre. After reading a few modern books, I want to read a classic.

My appt., Christmas shopping, Baby fever

I went to the doctor on Tuesday. He thinks a cyst may have ruptured in one of my ovaries. (I have PCOS.) I have to go back on Tuesday for an ultrasound to check my ovaries. I'm on medication now that should put things back to "normal". I'll be glad when I stop hurting.

I got groceries on Wednesday and went Christmas shopping yesterday. (As far as pain effecting daily life & shopping, I'm fine as long as I take my medicine before the pain returns, which is usually 23-25 hours after my last dose. I have to take it once a day.) I bought presents for my kids. I'm almost done with theirs. I just have to get them new bikes and order a Dale Earnhardt Jr. jacket for my son that he saw in a NASCAR catalog that belongs to my mom.

I still have to buy presents for my husband (who says he doesn't want anything :-\ ), my mom, my brother and his wife (I already bought a gift for her son) and my husband's sister and her family.

I've been having baby fever for a couple weeks now. My husband doesn't want anymore kids though. I get so emotional lately when I see babies. I was watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 a couple nights ago and one of the characters had a baby. I cried a little when she was in the bed holding her tiny son. He just looked so sweet with his little hand resting on his face. *sigh*

We have the Christmas tree up. I just need to decorate it. I haven't felt up to it, so it's just been sitting there bare for a few days now. lol

I finished reading The Bourne Identity a few nights ago. It was okay. Very different from the movie, which I like better than the book. Now I'm reading The Devil Wears Prada.

Thanksgiving, Health, House update

Thanksgiving was good. My brother and his wife came over. We enjoyed the food and conversation. My mom came at 7:25 after she got off work. Charlie's sister and her family in Raleigh couldn't make it, but did come on Saturday. They were hungry when they got here (around 1:15) and so was I as I hadn't eaten yet, so we all went to Olive Garden for lunch. It was very good. After we got back home, we talked some more and watched Kung Fu Panda. Jessica (our 20-something niece) had to go to her in-laws house that evening (she was meeting her husband there for a late Thanksgiving with them), I think in Burlington, so they left before 6:00.

I haven't been feeling well (personal issues) for over a week now and called my doctor today. I have an appointment tomorrow at noon. Hopefully it's nothing serious. I don't expect it to be.

Well, our house is officially off the market now. I feel like I can breathe easier, but at the same time I want our house to sell now. *sigh* We'll be putting our house back on the market in February. Hopefully it'll sell by summer. There's nothing wrong with this house (other than being too small for us, an open floor plan - don't like those, and in a not-that-great school district), but I'm liking it less and less the longer we're here.

I'd like to get the Christmas shopping done this week for my kids. My mom is off work on Wednesday and Thursday. If I'm feeling up to it, I'll go then when she can watch them for me.

The Holidays, House update, "You Guys"?

The kids are excited about Thanksgiving break coming up soon. They only have two days of school this week. Only one for Kelly though. She had a fever for a couple days so I kept her out today. She's been fine, other than a cough, today so she'll be going to school tomorrow.

Thanksgiving is always at our house since we have the biggest dining room. I'll be making most of the dishes and desserts, as I usually do. Can't wait to eat the stuffing. Yum!

Hard to believe Christmas will be here in a month. I've done very little shopping. I bought a gift for my nephew Zach (my brother's step-son) and new bedding for the kids, which I've already given them because they needed it. I bought Kelly a beautiful Simply Shabby Chic sheet set (trying saying that ten times fast - "Simply Shabby Chic sheet set") and blanket from Target. (Click here - light pink w/little pink roses; and here.) I got Sean a set of red flannel sheets and a Transformers comforter.

Kelly wants about a hundred things for Christmas. lol No, she won't be getting it all. And I told her that. She wants Hannah Montana stuff (she's never watched the show) - dolls and guitar, Barbie Diamond Castle dolls, Tinker Bell dolls, etc. I don't know what Sean wants, other than a Dale Earnhardt Jr. jacket. Charlie wants to get them new bikes. They need them, but there's really nowhere for them to safely ride them here except for the yard, which isn't big.

We're going to be taking our house off the market for a couple months at the end of the month. That's when our contract expires with our realtor. She suggested taking our house off the market. Charlie wants to because he's nervous about the economy and the possibility of work slowing down. I don't like it, but it will give us a break.

The other day, Kelly and I were watching TV and this woman called a group of women "you guys". Kelly asked why she called them guys when they're girls. lol Any Southerner knows that you don't address a group of people as "you guys" if there's even one female in the group. Not that a true Southerner would say "you guys" instead of "y'all" anyway. :-)

We all went out to dinner and a movie Friday night. We ate at Monterrey's (delicious) and then went to the theater. Charlie and the kids watched Bolt. I watched Twilight. It was okay. Not as good as I had hoped it would be. The book is better.

Well, I need to get supper started. I'm about to starve. I'm making baked chicken breasts (in a little concoction I came up with - lemon juice, milk, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, basil), black eyed peas, Uncle Ben's chicken rice and broccoli.

Our Trip

We left around 5:00 Friday evening for Asheville. Just in time for rush hour traffic around Winston-Salem. Very annoying. We stopped at the Applebee's in Statesville for supper. I ordered the Fiesta Lime Chicken without the cheese and ranch sauce. It was okay.

It was about 9:00 when we got to Asheville. We went to an Ingles store for snacks for the room. Something we always do when we take trips.

Saturday morning, I got up some time after 7:00 and when I was about ready, I got the rest of the family up so that they could get ready. We had breakfast at The Moose Cafe that morning. We were seated at a table near a big window that looks out at a small mountain behind the restaurant. Very pretty. Our food was pretty good.

We arrived at the gate at Biltmore sometime between noon and one o'clock. It was a busy day there and we were given a ticket with a 3:15 tour time for the house. So we went to the River Bend Farm for awhile. The kids really enjoyed the old-fashioned games and watching the blacksmith and the woodworker. Sean sat inside the little hall listening to the folk musicians for a few minutes. It was pretty chilly (50s) and windy out; a little more uncomfortable than I had hoped or expected it to be.


After an hour or so, we headed towards the Biltmore House. We still had time before we could go inside, so we looked around outside. There's a hill across from the house that leads to a little shelter with a statue under it. I think it might be Diana/Artemis, but I'm not sure. I haven't read Greek or Roman mythology in years. The kids took off running up the hill and Charlie followed close behind. Sean stopped after a short distance and walked the rest of the way with me. I took pictures of the house from the top of the hill, as well as other pictures.


We walked back down hill after a few minutes, then down the stairs to the main area. Charlie took a picture of the kids sitting in front of the fountain and then we went to the Italian Gardens and the side area of the outside of the house. We then walked to the other side of the grounds where the shops (former horse stables) and bathrooms are. By this time it was after 3:00, so we got in line to tour the house.

It's too bad you can't take pictures inside of the Biltmore House. It's a gorgeous place. The kids really enjoyed touring the house. We had headsets telling us about each room we went into. And each room had a Christmas tree in it. Some rooms had more than one. The kids loved that. It's a long tour. Two hours or more. My feet were killing me long before the tour ended.

We did a little browsing in the shops after touring the house. I bought six dark chocolate cherry cordials in their candy shop. ($1.50 each!) They're delicious!

Charlie did the video-taping on the way in. I did the video-taping at the farm and on the way out. We haven't watched the tape yet. Maybe today. Anyway, on the way out, Sean said, "Biltmore rocks!". lol Both kids have talked a lot about Biltmore since we left. They loved it.

After leaving Biltmore that evening, we were pretty hungry and wanted pizza. We weren't interested in Pizza Hut or any place like that. We wanted pizzeria pizza. But we didn't know any good pizza places in Asheville. I told Charlie to type in "pizza" in his GPS and see what comes up. Several places did. He asked me which one I wanted to try (it was between 3 or 4 that "sounded good" lol) and I told him, "Whichever one you come to first." Marco's came up first, so we went there. It was very good. We'd probably eat there again if we're ever craving pizza while in Asheville. :-)

I was pooped by the time we got back to our room. I fell asleep around 8:00 and slept til 11:00 PM. I felt pretty awake at that point and watched some TV. I finally went to sleep around 1:00 or so, but I woke up a few times. When I woke up before the alarm (which was set for 8:00), I still felt tired. I didn't go back to sleep though. I managed to get out of the bed around 8:15 and get ready. I got all our stuff packed and ready to go while waiting for Charlie to get ready.

We ate at The Moose Cafe again for breakfast (same table and waitress lol) and then headed out of Asheville. We had planned to either do something else in Asheville or on the way home yesterday, but I was too tired. I think Charlie and the kids might have been also.

We arrived home around 2:00 in the afternoon. It felt good to be home (especially after having to drive all that way feeling as tired as I did) and our pets were happy to see us. I changed into something more comfortable and fell asleep on the couch between 2:30 and 3:00. Charlie and the kids went to the theater at 3:30 to see Madagascar 2. I woke up when they got home some time after 6:00. We watched the Panthers game, part of the race, The Amazing Race and the news. The kids went to bed at their usual school-night time (after showers & supper) and Charlie went to bed a little after 10:00. I've done a couple loads of laundry and will be putting the last load in the dryer after I get offline and before going to bed.

Asheville

I made hotel reservations online late Wednesday night. We'll be leaving for Asheville late this afternoon or early this evening after Charlie gets home from work. We're really looking forward to it. I found out while checking out things to do in the Asheville area that Biltmore is already decorated for Christmas. The kids will love that. I've seen it decorated for Christmas both times that I've gone. The kids have never been at all, let alone at Christmas. They're excited to finally get to.

I'm not sure what else we'll do while in Asheville. We'll decide while we're there.

Gone Again

Charlie got home from Texas early Sunday afternoon. It was great to finally see him and be with him. That evening, we went to Monterrey's for supper. Kelly had wanted to go and I told her that Daddy might not want to go since he had been in his truck traveling for so long. But Charlie said he'd like to and that he had been craving Mexican food. I was actually very tired myself, but I got ready and we went. The food was very good, though the restaurant was louder than usual (not that it's usually that loud). After we got home and got the kids in the bed, Charlie and I watched Run Fatboy Run on BluRay. I had seen it once before. It's a pretty funny movie.

I got to see Charlie for less than a day. He had to work yesterday, naturally, and was sent to Charleston, WVA. He believes he should be home some time Friday afternoon. He told me to go ahead and make hotel reservations in Asheville. Looks like we (dh, kids & I) may finally get to take that weekend trip we've been wanting to take, as long as his job doesn't ruin it for us again.

The kids don't have school today because of the election. I'll be so glad when it's all over with - the ads and the political talk. I'm really sick of it.

Kids' Clothes, Our Friday/Halloween

Charlie is on his way home from Texas finally. I talked to him a couple hours ago and he (along with a co-worker) was in Mississippi. He should be home tomorrow some time. I can't wait to see him. He's been gone for almost 6 weeks.

Kelly and I did some shopping on Monday. (It was a teacher workday. Sean was with my mom.) I bought her three dresses for church (her older dresses are getting too short) and two pairs of boots (brown and black). That evening, we went to Monterrey's for supper.

On Tuesday or Wednesday, I bought Sean two shirts, and another church dress and two pairs of tights for Kelly. I still need to get Sean some new church shoes.

I voted yesterday for Bob Barr (Libertarian candidate). I had never voted early before. The line wasn't bad. I was there for about 20-30 minutes altogether. I then met Mom at her house (she had been at Wal-Mart with the kids) to pick up the kids. Sean changed his mind though about going, so it was just me and Kelly. We don't celebrate Halloween. Instead, we usually go out as a family for dinner and we get the kids a toy and/or book(s). I never know what to get Sean when it comes to toys, so I didn't get him anything. (He had said before I left that he didn't need/want a toy since it's almost Christmas. lol)

We first went to Petsmart for dog food. We also visited the cats and played with them as we always do. We then went to Target for what grocery items I can get there. I also picked up the BlueRay of Kingdom of Heaven. It was only $24.99. It's about $10 more at Best Buy. Kelly picked out a Polly Pocket toy.

After leaving Target, I got gas (for $2.49 a gallon) and we went to Bianca's for supper. It was a little after 5:00 when we got there. As usual, the food was very good. I got my usual chicken picatta, which comes with a side dish of spaghetti pasta with some kind of red sauce. It's not the typical spaghetti or marinara sauce. Bianca's always does unusual (to me) sauces, like eggplant (it's a light red), rosemary cream (almost pink), vegetable primavera, etc. It's always good. The appetizer for the night was tomato basil bisque. It tasted kind of like spaghetti sauce and, though it was good, I didn't like eating it by itself, so I dipped my bread in it. It was so good! Dessert was some kind of spice custard with strawberries and whipped cream on top. Kelly got spaghetti and meatballs.

From Bianca's, we went to Food Lion for the rest of the groceries. After bringing the groceries home, we went to Border's. I bought myself two books (The Devil Wears Prada and The Secret Life of Bees) and two Twilight bookmarks. Kelly picked out a Tinker Bell fairies coloring book and a Hannah Montana bookmark. I got Sean a book about outer space. He's really interested in that and loved the book. :-)

Kelly and I watched a little TV last night and a movie I rented called Kit Kittredge. It's a pretty cute movie. A good family movie.

After the movie, Kelly brushed her teeth and cleaned up some of her mess. She then asked me to read a story to her. Her teacher had read scary stories to the class and Kelly didn't want to have nightmares. lol She picked out Beauty and the Beast and I read it to her in a (not-that-great) British accent, which totally cracked her up. I also did sound effects, which also made her laugh. It was kind of late and I was feeling goofy. Kelly was tired and that may have made it seem even funnier to her. At one point we were laughing so hard we were crying and it took a couple minutes before I could continue with the story. Towards the end of the book, I slipped into a (again, not-that-great) Spanish accent for some unknown reason. This made us laugh also. She wants me to read another story to her tonight, but she told me not to do it with a British accent this time. lol Maybe I'll do country hick instead. ;-)

Tired

Tired of not feeling well (been hurting for a couple days now), tired of my husband being gone and tired of politics.

I didn't feel well for a week. Which wasn't good for more than one reason. It interfered with some things. I finally started feeling better on Thursday and since it was going to rain on Friday, I got groceries that day (Thursday). While at Target, I found some cute boots. They were cheap, of course, so I don't expect them to last very long. But I have a hard time finding boots I like with heels that aren't too high. Hopefully I can find some better quality boots soon.

The kids don't have school today. Teacher work day. Kelly and I are going to go shopping. She needs boots for school and dresses for church. The two dresses that fit her best are getting too short for her. Sean will be with Mom. He hates shopping and lets me know it often. :-\

I also have a parent-teacher conference with Sean's teacher at 3:00. Hopefully I won't forget.

Charlie is still in Texas. It's five weeks tomorrow since he left. He's hoping he can be home by the weekend. I told him that he should remind his boss that election day is next week. It wouldn't be right for his boss to keep him and his co-workers from voting. It's bad enough he's kept him from his family for over a month.

Speaking of the election, just a week more to go before it's over. Lord, I can't wait. I'll be glad when all the political ads and attacks are done for the most part. No matter who wins, I'm ready for it to be over.

I'm currently reading The Bourne Identity. Well, trying to. I've been a little more tired than usual lately and that makes it hard to make it through a chapter.

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged by my friend Amber (blog link in the left margin) and am finally responding.

Eight T.V. Shows I Love to Watch:

House
Lost
The Closer
Heroes
What Not to Wear
Bones
Life
CSI: Miami

Eight Things That Happened Yesterday:

Woke up.
Got the kids up.
Brought the kids to school.
Took the dog out a few times.
Fed the animals a couple times.
Took a nap.
Watched TV.
Cooked supper.

Eight Favorite Places to Eat:

Home
Olive Garden
Monterrey's
Bianca's
Pizzeria L'Italiano
Mario's
P.J.'s in Southport
Ship's Chandler in Southport

Eight Things I Am Looking Forward To:

Our house selling.
Buying a new (to us) house.
Taking the kids to Biltmore.
Spring. (I'm dreading winter.)
My husband coming home from Texas. He's been gone almost 5 weeks now.
The new Tomb Raider game coming out in November.
Fixing up a library in our new house.
Summer vacation.

Eight Things on My Wish List:

Many books.
A blue Mini-Cooper.
A bigger house.
New living room furniture.
New dining room furniture.
I can't think of anything else.

Favorite Quotes

"Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself." -- Rabbi Abraham Heschel

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.” -- Marcus Aurelius

“To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are.”

“We have no right to ask when a sorrow comes, 'Why did this happen to me?' unless we ask the same question for every joy that comes our way.”

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” -- James D. Miles

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.” -- Dale Carnegie

“You can’t talk your way out of what you’ve behaved yourself into.” -- Stephen R. Covey

“The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to include the excluded, and to say, 'I was wrong'.” -- Sydney J. Harris

“Harming others, even enemies who harmed you unprovoked, assures incessant sorrow. The supreme principle is this: never knowingly harm any one at any time in any way.”

“Maturity is: The ability to stick with a job until it's finished; The ability to do a job without being supervised; The ability to carry money without spending it; and The ability to bear an injustice without wanting to get even.” -- Abigail Van Buren

“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.” -- Henri Bergson

“Maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.”

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” -- C.S. Lewis

"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -- Edgar Allan Poe

"Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives." -- William Dement

"No person has the right to rain on your dreams." -- Martin Luther King

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

"If you can dream it, you can do it." -- Walt Disney

"All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers." -- Orison Swett Marde

“By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class.” -- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

"If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?" -- Milton Berle

"You start out happy that you have no hips or boobs. All of a sudden you get them, and it feels sloppy. Then just when you start liking them, they start drooping." -- Cindy Crawford

"They may talk of a comet, or a burning mountain, or some such bagatelle; but to me a modest woman, dressed out in all her finery, is the most tremendous object of the whole creation." -- Oliver Goldsmith

"There's no excuse not to dream."

"When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It's a whole different way of thinking.” -- Elaine Boosler

“I always say shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist.” -- Tammy Fay

"Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” -- Coretta Scott King

“Hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated.” -- George Bernard Shaw

“Hatred paralyses life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” -- Martin Luther King Jr.

“The price of hating other human beings is loving one's self less.” -- Eldridge Cleaver

“Love blinds us to faults, hatred to virtues.”

"I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him." -- Booker T. Washington

"Always remember others may hate you but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself." -- Richard Milhouse Nixon

"Hating people is like burning down your own house to get rid of a rat." -- Henry Emerson Fosdick

"Hatred is self-punishment." -- Hosea Ballou

“A model's just an imitation of the real thing.” -- Mae West

“A home without books is a body without soul.” -- Marcus Tullius Cicero

“A library of wisdom, is more precious than all wealth, and all things that are desirable cannot be compared to it. Whoever therefore claims to be zealous of truth, of happiness, of wisdom or knowledge, must become a lover of books.”

“What we become depends on what we read after all the professors have finished with us. The greatest university of all is the collection of books.” -- Thomas Carlyle

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” -- Confucius

“Books give not wisdom where none was before. But where some is, there reading makes it more.” -- Elizabeth Hardwick

“The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.” -- Rene Descartes

“Reading is to the mind what exercising is to the body.” -- Richard Steele, Sr.

Marriage Quotes

"Being married is like having somebody permanently in your corner, it feels limitless, not limited." -- Gloria Steinem

"In the arithmetic of love, one plus one equals everything, and two minus one equals nothing." -- Mignon McLaughlin

"A good marriage is the union of two good forgivers." -- Ruth Bell Graham

"We learned how to love each other by loving together good things wholly outside each other." -- Donald Hall

"Any fool can have a trophy wife. It takes a real man to have a trophy marriage." -- Diane Sollee

"What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility." -- Leo Tolstoy

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." -- Theodore Hesburgh

"A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' come together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences." -- Dave Meurer

"A first-rate marriage is like a first-rate hotel: expensive, but worth it." -- Mignon McLaughlin

"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years." -- Simone Signoret

"The bonds of matrimony are like any other bonds - they mature slowly." -- Peter De Vries

"The conception of two people living together for twenty-five years without having a cross word suggests a lack of spirit only to be admired in sheep." -- Alan Patrick Herbert

"Marriage is our society's most pro-child institution. If you want kids to do well, then you want marriage to do well." -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage." -- Martin Luther King

"A happy wife equals a happy life."

"It takes a loose rein to keep a marriage tight." -- John Stevenson

"Don't marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can't live without." -- Lord Byron

"The secret to having a good marriage is to understand that marriage must be total, it must be permanent and it must be equal." -- Frank Sinatra

"More marriages might survive if the partners realized that sometimes the better comes after the worse." -- Doug Larson

"Many marriages would be better if the husband and the wife clearly understood that they are on the same side." -- Zig Ziglar

"Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord." -- Proverbs

"A psychiatrist is a person who will give you expensive answers that your wife will give you for free."

Sean, Shopping, Book, DH

I haven't been feeling that great since Thursday, but have managed to get a little done around the house. Not that you could tell it now. :-\

I met with Sean's teacher after school yesterday. (Mom picked the kids up from school and they went with her to a big church conference.) We filled out the paperwork to get things started on testing Sean for ADHD. He (Sean's teacher) said it could take a little while.

After leaving the school about 25 minutes later, I went to Target for what grocery items I could get there, got gas ($3.13 a gallon unleaded) and then went to Macy's (which is across the street from the shopping center Target is in and from the gas station). I wanted to get a new gray sweater. Something more stylish and better fitting. (The one I have now is a little big on me and doesn't really have any shape to it. It's not very flattering.) I couldn't find a sweater I wanted, so I walked towards the shoes. (I needed a pair of comfortable black flats.) On my way to the shoes, I came to the coats. I browsed the coats and found a gray one I really liked. It's a nice wool coat that goes down about to my shins. It was on sale for $100 marked down from $200. I could use a new coat also, so I bought one. I then looked at the shoes and found a cute pair of black flats on sale.

From Macy's, I headed to Food Lion and got the rest of the groceries. I was pretty hungry since I hadn't eaten yet that day and picked up a few things that weren't on the list.

I was too hungry to cook anything, so I ate a bowl of the Target version of Lucky Charms for supper. It was pretty good, especially since I was practically starving. :-)

I watched my Friday shows - Life and What Not to Wear. I also watched House Hunters and House Hunters International. I tried to watch the new show, Crusoe, but I fell asleep less than an hour into the 2-hour premiere.

Mom brought Kelly home some time after 10:00. Sean is spending the night with Mom. They're having some kind of carnival where Mom works and she's supposed to bring the kids there. I might go watch a movie if I feel up to it. I'd like to see The Duchess. Kelly and I will probably go out for supper tonight.

I finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns yesterday. Really great book. Moving and powerful and real. Full of turmoil with just a few bright spots. The ending was sweet and brought a lump to my throat. I haven't decided what book I'm going to read next. I was thinking maybe John Adams or The Bourne Identity. Or I might read an older classic. We'll see.

Charlie is still in Texas. It'll be a month this Tuesday since he left. He thinks he could be home by Wednesday. I'll be so glad when he gets home. Since he couldn't get home this week, we obviously didn't go to Asheville for the weekend. So now we're going to try to make it the coming weekend. I really hope we can.

Visit NC

visitnc.com where to go what to do where to stay events travel tools Hello Niki, Come celebrate the autumn with us in North Carolina! The annual march of spectacular fall color across the state has begun, so check out our weekly leaf reports to find out when and where to catch NC’s colors at their peak. If you prefer catching fish to foliage, we’ve also got coastal fishing reports to give you the inside scoop on where they’re biting. Rhinos and Race Cars and Rescues, Oh My! Fall is the perfect time to visit the NC Zoo to see animals from all over the world in their native habitats. Or, if you’re feeling the need for speed, come check out NASCAR’s future superstars at the Hickory Motor Speedway. We’ve also got fascinating tales of history and heroism on the Outer Banks, where the brave men of the US Life-Saving Service rescued thousands of souls from the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Romance is in the Air, and the Water Something about the brisk breezes of autumn can really light the flames of romance. Re-live the big screen passion as you see real-life locations from the movie “Nights In Rodanthe” on our film trail, or hit the road on some of our other scenic drives. If you’re looking for a little relaxation with your romance, head up to the Hot Springs Resort & Spa, where you’ll find natural mineral water hot tubs, scenic beauty and massage therapy. Featured Destination: Raleigh Raleigh has all the fun, excitement, and attractions of a great city, combined with the approachability of a classic Southern town. NC’s capital city has excellent entertainment and cultural opportunities, a mild climate and natural beauty. Everything you’d expect in a metropolitan area, uniquely wrapped in Carolina style. This month, Raleigh even has the North Carolina State Fair, October 16-26! Featured Destination: Lexington Lexington is the “Barbecue Capital Of The World” and home of the 25th Annual Lexington Barbecue Festival on October 25th! Come taste our ’cue and pair it with some Fine Swine Wine from Lexington’s own Richard Childress Vineyards. We’ve also got the Bob Timberlake Gallery, the Lexington Home Brands Furniture Outlet, the Richard Childress Racing Museum, and Historic Uptown Lexington. Two Chances To Win! This month, you’ve got two chances to win a great getaway to North Carolina! You can win a three-day, two-night trip to inspiring Blowing Rock in our Mountain of Literary Adventures Sweepstakes, or enter to win a great golf getaway at the Etowah Valley Country Club in the Great Smoky Mountains Golf Sweepstakes. Hurry! Both sweepstakes end on October 31st. In the fall, North Carolina has it all! visitnc.com where to go what to do where to stay events travel tools

Our weekend and Yesterday

It's been a kind of dull past few days, with a few nice moments thrown in.

The kids and I went to Olive Garden for an early supper Friday before getting groceries and then going to Best Buy and buying Batman Begins on BlueRay. I also bought Sean a few long-sleeved shirts at Old Navy and Dillard's and a pair of khaki pants at Old Navy. I bought Kelly a cute, red, short-sleeved sweater dress at Target (along with black tights and a black tank to wear under it - it's kind of low cut) and a gray dress with a gray and green plaid skirt at Belk. She wore it to school yesterday. It looks really good on her. :-)

Mom picked up Sean Saturday afternoon. Later that evening, around 7:30, Kelly and I went to Monterrey's for supper. While we were there, Kelly drew a picture of one of her dolls that she had brought into the restaurant with her. Our waiter looked at it over her shoulder and told her it was very good. We've been going to Monterrey's for, gosh, about 13 years now. Maybe longer. They all know us, of course. Whenever we go and Sean and/or Charlie aren't with me, they ask where he/they are. At the register, they have a few little, clear plastic jugs of candy. Kelly and I always get four Tootsie Pops each. I only like raspberry. Kelly likes cherry, grape and chocolate.

Kelly and I got home from Monterrey's at about 9:00. I made chocolate chip cookies for us and we watched Enchanted on DVD. Such a cute movie.

I did a little bit of cleaning yesterday. Not that you could tell it now. :-\ At about 2:00, Charlie called wanting me to go to UPS for him to ship something out to him overnight. I picked Kelly up from school at 2:30, came home, found what Charlie wanted me to ship to him (something expensive and hard to get where he is in the middle of nowhere in TX), took a shower, got ready, picked Sean up from school at 4:30 (he had tutoring) and then we went to UPS. With that taken care of, we came home and I changed into something more comfortable, cleaned out the litter boxes, vacuumed and cooked supper.

After eating supper (steak, au gratin potatoes, corn, great northern beans), I helped Sean with his homework, made the kids get in the bed (Lord, they can be difficult about that), and watched Little People Big World, Heroes, CSI:Miami, and One Tree Hill (DVRed). Then took the dog out, fed the animals and started reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. (I'm on chapter four.) I finally finished reading The Age of Innocence yesterday morning.

And now I must get in the bed myself and get a few hours sleep before having to get the kids up and ready for school, then drive them to school, come back home and get a few more hours sleep.

Political Talk

I'm a member of several discussion forums. A few of which have political sections. Not surprisingly, there are more Democrats than Republicans at most of them. (Independent/third party voters are even fewer.) Or so it seems since they're the most vocal. I don't say much in the political discussions. Anything you say that they don't agree with can get you attacked. And the moderators do little to nothing about it.

The ignorance displayed is amazing. Especially from Democrats and their opinions of Republicans/conservatives. Southern Republicans/conservatives get the worst of it. According to them, we're all racists, stupid, inbred, lack understanding of how things work, only listen to country music, are intolerant, drive pick-up trucks, shove the Bible down people's throats, are against the poor, and on and on. Then in practically the next breath they say that Democrats are compassionate, fair, tolerant, accepting of differences. It boggles the mind.

I'm a Southern conservative. I've voted Republican in the past, but am thinking about voting for a third party candidate this year. I feel like I can't completely trust McCain (what politician can be trusted?), Obama even less. The candidates I'm considering are Ron Paul, Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin.

Anyway, as I was saying, I'm a Southern conservative. I'm not a racist (I've lived in a pre-dominantly black neighborhood for 10 years now; no racial term has ever crossed my lips or my mind; I'll be friends with anyone who's nice); I listen to all kinds of music (rock and black gospel being my favorites - click through my music player to see, or hear if you choose, some of my favorite songs); I don't drive a pick-up truck; I love to read classic literature and have no problem understanding it; I believe in God and read the Bible, but I don't "shove it down people's throats" (I'll answer questions when asked); I've never slept with or even been attracted to a relative lol. I'm not still fighting the Civil War (I don't even think about it that often) and I don't think that all Yankees are bad. Nor do I think that all Southerners are good.

Moving on.

It shows a lack of understanding, fairness and intelligence to blame our country's woes on one person or one party. Politicians from both parties are to blame for the mess our country is in. It doesn't help at all to point fingers or spout negativity. Frankly, I'm getting pretty sick of both Obama and McCain. I hate the negative ads. When watching the debate last night, I would get disgusted and roll my eyes anytime either candidate talked negatively about the other. "Actually, so-and-so voted this way or said this or did that." Ugh. I want to know where they stand on the issues and what their plan is for fixing things. Not what they think about the other candidate or how they're different. Just stick to the issues.

The more I hear from Obama and McCain, the more seriously I consider voting for a third party candidate.

If Obama wins (and he very well could), I hope that he does a decent job. I don't trust him at all and the thought of a socialist president scares me. But hopefully there'll be some in Congress who can keep Obama's most socialistic ideas from happening and keep things as balanced as possible. Hope is all we seem to have at this point, so we should hold onto it no matter who wins.

Our weekend, DH, Biltmore, Update

In my last entry, I mentioned not being able to find any long skirts for Kelly. I remembered seeing long skirts at Old Navy's website some time back. At that time, the site wasn't working properly and I was unable to order anything. They've since changed things a bit and I was able to order Kelly two long skirts on October 1st. One is denim and the other is twill/khaki. I received an email from Old Navy yesterday telling me that my order has been shipped and is due to arrive 4-9 business days from the time I ordered the skirts. It's already been six days, so I expect the shipment to arrive by Thursday.

After getting groceries and gas, the kids and I went to Monterrey's Friday night. Since I was unable to find any hardcovers of the remainder of the books I want, we went to Best Buy after eating and I bought two movies on BlueRay that we already own. (Just as I want to replace my paperbacks with hardcovers - two more to go, I want to replace our regular DVDs with BlueRays. Movies really do look much nicer in BlueRay.) They were the first Tomb Raider and The Mummy Returns. I have a mental list of movies I've seen available on BlueRay that I'd like to get to replace our regular DVDs. Enchanted, Batman Begins, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Kingdom of Heaven. I'm sure I'm forgetting a couple.

Saturday evening, we went to The Children's Place at Friendly Center. I needed to get Kelly a new gray tiered skirt to replace the one she already had that has a rip in it that I can't repair. I didn't see it at first and then saw it practically right under my nose. Had it been a snake it would've bit me. lol I also bought her several long-sleeved shirts in different colors. (They didn't have her size in the blue, so I went to The Children's Place at the mall yesterday and got it there.) After paying for my purchase, the kids and I went to Brixx for supper.

Sunday was a do-nothing day. Not because I didn't want to do anything; I just didn't feel like it. I watched the Panthers-Chiefs game. Wow. What a blow-out. Carolina beat Kansas City 34 to 0. They're now 4 and 1. I also watched most of the race. As usual, I fell asleep watching it. It was a typical Talladega race. Lots of close racing with a couple big wrecks. Unfortunately, Junior got caught in one (he really had nowhere to go) and instead of a win, which he stood a great chance of getting, he finished 28th. :-\ Oh, well.

As I mentioned a couple paragraphs ago, I went to The Children's Place yesterday to get that blue long-sleeved shirt for Kelly. I also got her a pair of tights there (cold weather will be here before we know it) and a dress for school (on sale for almost $28 after tax) at Belk. I want to go this weekend and get Sean some long-sleeved shirts. That's really all he needs. He only has two or three. Kelly needs more tights, a pair of boots and a few sweaters.

Charlie is still in Texas. He says he expects to be home by Saturday. He's been gone for two weeks now.

We're hoping to go to Asheville the weekend after next. The kids have never been there and they've really been wanting to go to Biltmore Estate. Especially Kelly. Charlie and I have been twice; both times close to Christmas. In addition to the gorgeous house, they have outdoor activities for children and families. I hope things work out that we can go. Charlie expects he'll be off work that weekend (he works most weekends), but I told him to ask for it off anyway to be safe.

No news on our house. No showings in about a month. I think people are just being cautious because of the current economic situation. (Something that concerns me also. I plan on calling our mortgage company today with a few questions.) Though houses are still selling. A house just sold in my neighborhood a day or two ago after being under contract for a very short time. And I see houses under contract at listingbook constantly. I had thought about lowering our price again, but we're currently about in the middle compared to the prices of other houses in our neighborhood. (Ours is one of the nicest, yet not the most expensive.) So I think I'll let the price remain as it is for a little while longer.

Sleeping Beauty is coming out on BlueRay today. I'm thinking about going to Best Buy and buying it. It was my favorite Disney movie when I was a kid. :-)

I'm still working on The Age of Innocence. When the characters are actually having conversations, it's interesting. Unfortunately, most of the book is narration. It can be quite tedious. Perhaps though it seems more tedious than it is because I'm really looking forward to reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. However, I don't like to start one book before finishing another. I would read my current book faster, but I can't seem to read more than one chapter at a time. I either get tired of it after one chapter or I fall asleep. I did manage to read three chapters in one sitting a couple days ago. I think that was a first for that book. I am more than halfway through now. About ¾ of the way through, actually.

As for the many books on my list I've yet to buy, I'll probably have to order them from Amazon. I haven't been able to find them in hardcovers at the bookstores.

There was more I was going to say in this entry, but it's already getting long and what I was going to write about would make this entry quite a bit longer.

Shopping, Gas, Debate

Charlie is still in Texas and expects to be there for at least another week. I'll be glad when he gets home. I miss him.

Haven't done much this week. I bought two more books (one of them is two books in one) yesterday after getting groceries. Shirley and The Professor, and Aesop's Fables. I bought them at Barnes and Noble at Friendly Center. Sean bought himself an instruction book on drawing airplanes.

I got groceries without the kids. It was windy and rainy yesterday. It's difficult enough getting groceries in the wind and rain without the kids. Having to deal with them and shelter them from the rain, while sheltering myself and pushing a buggy, is a real hassle. Mom picked the kids up from school while I was out.

After leaving Target, I went to the Sheetz station I usually get gas at, but they were out. I went by the Kangaroo station after leaving Food Lion. They were out of gas too. I remembered the BP station near the kids' school and went there next. It's kind of in an out-of-the-way place and I figured I'd be able to get gas there. Thankfully, I could. I had heard that there's a gas shortage, especially in western NC. I didn't expect it to be this bad though. But, I did get gas, which I really needed as I only had less than half a tank.

I came home and put groceries away after getting gas. Then I picked the kids up from Mom's house. We went to Olive Garden for supper and did a little shopping after that. I wanted to get Kelly a long skirt and looked everywhere, but couldn't find one. I don't understand all the short skirts they sell for girls. Hopefully I can find a long skirt for her soon. It's nearly October. It doesn't make sense to sell shorter skirts for Fall and Winter. I did get Sean a long-sleeved shirt at Belk. I need to get him a few more as well as some for Kelly. Kelly bought herself a doll at The Children's Place, so at least she didn't leave empty-handed.

I watched the presidential debate last night. I don't agree that Obama won. Neither won, in my opinion. McCain was impressive with his knowledge of and associations with foreign leaders. I think he could possibly do a better job dealing with them. But, as I said, neither candidate clearly won overall.

I've done some cleaning today and need to do some more before going to bed. Especially folding and putting away laundry.

House update, Books, DH

On Tuesday, the 16th, we had a showing. I haven't heard any feedback from that one. I've been feeling kind of depressed since then. I want so much for our house to sell and to get moved into a new (to us) house. I really thought that when we lowered our price (again) that we would get an offer. Yet here we still are. *sigh*

I did get some possible good news from our realtor yesterday. She said that she got two phone calls from people who saw the sign in our yard and are interested in seeing our house. She said that we could get a couple showings soon. Possibly today. I'm trying not to get my hopes up though. There've been a few times when it looked like something good could happen.

I had thought about lowering our price again another $1000. Then I got that email yesterday, so I'll put it off a little longer.

Two books I ordered from Amazon came in on Friday. (For anyone reading this who wants to order books online, Amazon delivers faster than Borders.) The Portrait of a Lady and My Antonia. On Thursday, I went to Borders and bought War and Peace. I had a hard time deciding between it and Bleak House. I may get that one next time.

I didn't feel well over the weekend and did very little. By Sunday evening, it showed. I've been cleaning and putting things away since then. The house is looking much better now.

Charlie left for Texas this morning. He's not sure how long he'll be gone. Last time he went there for work he was gone for about a month or more. I hated it. He was in Texas a couple months ago for school and was gone for a week.

The kids get out of school early today. I need to go ahead and lay down for a nap now. After getting them from school, I want to go to the video store and rent Made of Honor and Leatherheads (which was filmed in the Piedmont area of NC; mostly Salisbury, I think). I've done some cleaning this morning and will do the rest later. There's not much left to do.

Going to the Chapel...

After staying up much later than planned, I finally got in the bed around 5:30 AM. It'd been awhile since I stayed up that late. I got up today shortly before noon and got in the shower some time after noon.

I had thought that my Aunt Robin and Uncle Mike would be meeting me at my house and following me to the park. I talked to Mom while I was getting ready and she told me that they were going straight to the park (they had gotten directions), but that Uncle Marty and Aunt Stella would be meeting me at my house and following me. I wanted to be there by 2:30 (it takes about 10-15 minutes to get there from my house), but when they still weren't here at 2:45, I called Uncle Marty and he told me that they were already at the chapel. *sigh* I got in my car (I had already put the gifts in the back) and got there as quick as I could without speeding.

Like most weddings though, this one didn't start on time. As a matter of fact, I got there before the bride. lol (She rode with Mom.) So it turned out okay anyway.

The wedding took place in a small chapel at Hagan Stone Park. It was a small, simple wedding. Nice and sweet. I took a lot of pictures, of course. :-)

It was nice seeing some of my family again. Uncle Marty, Aunt Stella, Uncle Mike, Aunt Robin, my cousin Christian and his wife Kim. As I said in my previous entry, I hadn't seen them since Dad's funeral over 2 years ago.

The reception was in the chapel. While we were outside, after the ceremony, taking pictures and getting ours taken, tables and chairs were set up inside for the reception. We had a good time talking, eating, drinking (no alcohol) and taking pictures.

Around 5:30 or so, Kelly and I came home. (She rode with Mom to the wedding.) It felt good to change clothes, take my hair down and recline on the couch.

Charlie and Sean got home from Charlotte at about 7:40. It was good to see them again. I had missed them.

No plans tomorrow. I wish I could just relax and do nothing, but that's just not a good idea with our house on the market. I need to make sure the house is show-ready.

This and That

As I was getting ready to leave the house on Friday afternoon, Sean's teacher called and told me that they had found a tick on Sean's head. Now there's a call you don't expect to get from the school. When the school's number came up on my phone, I figured it would be either a recorded announcement (what it usually is) or someone telling me that one of the kids was sick. Thankfully, the tick had just been crawling, looking for a "good spot", and hadn't bitten in yet. They're going to keep the tick for 30 days, they said. Mom's going to go look at it on her next day off.

Once ready, I went to Wal-Mart for a gift bag and tissue paper. I also looked for the Iron Man action figure Sean wanted, but when I looked at the several different ones they had, I wasn't sure that any of them were the right one. So I left Wal-Mart (after checking out, of course) and went to Target. I found the one Sean wanted there.

By then it was nearly 2:00 and I called Mom to see if she was picking up the kids from school. She said she was, so I headed to Borders. (If she hadn't been able to get them, I would've picked them up and then gone to Borders.) There I bought Les Miserables and a book of three stories by Edith Wharton - Ethan Frome, Summer and Bunner Sisters. Do I even have to say anymore that I bought them in hardcover? :-)

The book I ordered from Borders (Tess of the D'Urbervilles) came in the mail (finally!) on Friday. I was glad it finally came. If it hadn't arrived by Monday, I was going to contact them.

I got home from Borders around 2:35/2:40 and called Mom to see if she had the kids yet. She did and was just leaving the school with them. I told her to come by the house so that I could give Sean his new Iron Man. Needless to say, he was surprised and very happy that I bought it for him. :-)

I did some cleaning on Friday and yesterday. The house was pretty much clean, I just had to pick up the mess that Charlie and the kids had made mostly. I also did a little dusting (nothing was really that dusty) and, of course, vacuumed the house.

We had that dinner for Del and Jennifer yesterday. It was just them, her son Zach (he'll be 7 in November), Mom, Kelly and me. We all really enjoyed the food. For dessert, Mom had brought a small ice cream cake. I ate very little of it.

Charlie, Sean, James and Christopher all arrived safely in Charlotte for the drag race. Yesterday was qualifying and today is the actual race. I asked Charlie if it was famous racers like John Force and he said it was, but that John Force didn't qualify. He mentioned some other racers, but the only name I recognized was Ashley Force. Drag racing is really not my thing at all. I hope they have a good, safe time and that they arrive home safely.

Kelly is spending the night at Mom's. So it's just me and the animals here. Kelly is going to church with Mom in the morning (today) and then riding with her to the wedding. My aunt Robin, uncle Mike (Dad's sister & her husband) and their son Christian are supposed to meet me here at my house and then follow me to the park. (Christian's wife Kim, who's expecting their first child, isn't coming, I don't think.) I haven't seen them since Dad's funeral over 2 years ago. I don't think they've ever been to my house.

Uncle Marty (Dad's youngest brother & sibling) and Aunt Stella are also supposed to be going to the wedding.

Speaking of our house, now that we've lowered the price, I'm expecting to get some showings this week. As each day passes, I want more and more to get this all over with and to get moved into our new (to us) house.