A New Addiction

I have a confession to make....I have a new addiction! Ever since I was in college and seminary I haven't had time to be a big TV watcher and I haven't felt like I was missing out on anything. Occasionally I will follow a season of American Idol but that is the extent of my TV watching outside of SEC football. However, my group of friends recently decided to watch the HEROES series on DVD. The 3rd season kicked off this past week so they had a marathon of watching season one and two to get ready. Nothing about the process appealed to me to be honest. I've missed out on some great bonding time as they have all piled up at Billy and Elizabeth's every night to watch several episodes. Over the weekend Angie convinced me that I needed to watch the show. As she explained it..."it's comic book and science fiction for people who don't like comic books and science fiction." After watching one episode I was hooked. I watched the first episode on Saturday night at about 10:30pm and the next thing I knew it was almost 2am and I was three episodes into the show. The following morning I got up at 6:30am to let Matti out which is our usual routine. After letting her out and feeding her I usually go back to bed until its time for me to get up for church but not this Sunday morning. I looked at the clock and thought " I can watch two shows and still be ready for church on time." After church I went to the grocery store and then came home and settled into the couch for the day. In less than 24 hours I have now watched 16 episodes. I am almost done with season one and because of the writer's strike season two isn't very long. Before you know it I will be caught up and ready to watch the new season! If they discontinue this show after this season I am going to be so mad!

A Win Win Situation

Recently my dad found me a yard sale treasure in the form of a huge chair and ottoman for my bedroom. I have been wanting a chair in my room to sit and read and watch TV. After my trip home last weekend I was able to bring my chair to its new home and as you can see from the pictures I am not the only one enjoying the new chair. Not only do I have a big comfortable chair to sit and read at night but I got my bed back because Matti loves to sleep in the new chair. If you ask me this is a WIN WIN situation. Chalk this up to the biggest yard sale treasure of a lifetime. Matti and I both want to say a big thanks to Pops for the chair!

Auburn Tiger Fans Unite

After living in the state of Louisiana for several years and being surrounded by all LSU fans when it came time for the battle of the Tigers, I decided to go home this year and watch the game in the presence of other Auburn fans. I can't express how good it was to watch the game with my dad and sister....its been way too long. The feeling of having another person cheering for the same team and throwing a tantrum over the same play...I didn't feel alone anymore. I realized this was a luxury I wouldn't have every Saturday because I can't come back to Alabama every week. So, I decided to convert a new Auburn fan in my home. Now granted, she doesn't cheer, she doesn't get mad, she isn't remotely even affected by the games but doesn't she look good in her new game day apparel?

I'm not too proud to admit defeat and now is as good as time as any. Congrats to all my LSU friends on a game well played and won outright. Enjoy your victory until we battle it out next year.

Taste of Louisiana

Well I promised to keep you updated on my progress in our cake decorating class so here it is. I must first admit that in true fashion with my personality type I tried to wing it on making my icing and should have read the directions a little more thoroughly. I didn't add enough of the ingredient that makes the icing get stiff so the icing on the actual cake was a little soft. All in all I was able to salvage my first real masterpiece. I wasn't thrilled with the main color the way it turned out but it tasted really good. I tried the recommendation of our instructor and used chocolate pudding as a filler....it was a hit!

I quickly realized that Elizabeth and I were the over achievers when it came to our first cake designs. Everyone else did the design in the book but that wasn't good enough for this girl. However, my over achieving quickly vanished when it came time to make roses because I couldn't do it. Here's to trying and two more weeks of class to perfect it. Stay tuned.

You Cant Have Your Cake and Eat It Too!

Well I have discovered a new truth to the old saying that you cant have your cake and eat it too. I am about 5 weeks into a new workout routine in a quest to lose 100lbs and get in shape. Its been a challenging but very rewarding adventure. In addition to this new found drive to exercise I have also started taking a cake decorating class at Hobby Lobby with my friend Elizabeth. With most classes the general rule is practice makes perfect so every week during the class I have to make and ice a cake....which I cant eat! Last night I did my first practice cake to see how my skills improve over the next four weeks. Yes, its an LSU cake but my loyalties are still with Auburn. All I can really say is it will be a sweet treat for all who cross my path for the next four weeks.

Not A Morning Person

Here I sit in my office at a few minutes past 8:00am and I can honestly say....I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON. I take after my father in almost every way but this is just one thing I did not inherit. There is no cup of coffee that is strong enough, no shower that is hot enough and no breakfast that is yummy enough to match or surpass the comfort and enjoyment of being in my bed. In fact I would venture to say that one of the greatest inventions of all time was the snooze button. I am daily amazed at how hard I can sleep in just 5 minutes. When I am somewhere that I have to share a room I try to be considerate with my snooze button but when its just me in the comfort of my own bedroom I hit the snooze for about an hour. By that time I have either talked myself out of the need to take a shower or any other number of things to shave minutes off the getting ready process. All this at the age of 30. I think somewhere deep down in me there is something that longs to be a morning person....something that wants to believe that to sleep past 8am means I have wasted half the day away...but I am just not there yet. Is this a characteristic that comes with age or will I be the only 80 year old who loves to sleep late on Saturday mornings?

Man's Best Friend....I Think Not!

I've been contemplating this lately.....the saying that a dog is man's best friend and diamonds are a girl's best friend. Now don't get me wrong, I can't wait for a good man to put a rock on my finger! But, to say that a diamond is a girl's best friend is quite a stretch. And to be so gender specific to say that a dog is man's best friend...I THINK NOT because I have a canine that lives at my house that I love dearly.

I wanted to take this opportunity to let all those who read this blog meet a very important "person" in my life. I am the proud owner/mommy of a year and a half old boxer named Matti. I came up with the name Matti because it is the female version of Matthew which means "gift from God." Now before you question my theology about God's gifts just know that this dog was a blessing in my life at the time she came into it. I was tired of living by myself in a small town and the joy that her puppy dog face brought can't even be described. Matti has enough personality for about three dogs and she wears her emotions on her sleeve. Who knew a dog could pout and make you feel guilty? For now she truly is the love of my life! There is no one in my life that gets more excited to see me walk through the door than this dog....so excited in fact that her whole body shakes. Now that's LOVE! And nothing is funnier than watching her stick her heads through the blinds when I leave until my car is out of sight.

With all that said....everyone meet Matti....this girl's best friend! (not literally so please don't be offended if you fall into the human friend category)

Unexplained Passions

So I discovered today that I am passionate about something which I have zero control over and yet it controls me tremendously. Whats that you ask? College football...more specifically, Auburn football. I know its ridiculous and yet I love it. I love the game...I love seeing those boys take the field in their white pants and blue jersies...I love the cheers, especially the ones with cursing. I love college football plain and simple and life seems lacking when the season comes to an end. I unashamedly admit this only hours removed from watching my Auburn Tigers STRUGGLE to pull out a 3 to 2 win over Mississippi State. Thats right....3-2 because Auburn got a holding penalty called on them in the end zone giving Mississippi State a whopping 2 points. Talk about your disappointing game. Its a rare occasion that Auburn is televised in Louisiana so this was a big day for me to finally see my boys play on TV. By the time the game was over I had a headache the size of Hurricane Ike from the stress and with very little pleasure all I could think was "a win is a win!"

The only thing good that will come out of this ridiculous game is that some Auburn season ticket holder will want to escape the embarrassment that next weeks game against LSU will be and I will score some free tickets to the game. I still havent given up hope that the Auburn Tigers will pull out the win and I want to be there to see it.

Get Jonah Out of the Boat

Well I figure there is no better time to start blogging than now. Its officially hurricane season in the great state of Louisiana and it seems like the little town I live in can't get a break. I expected this kind of weather when I lived in New Orleans and I put up with it when I lived in Baton Rouge....but come on....I live in Central Louisiana....we should be far enough in to escape this mess!

We courageously or stupidly road out Hurricane Gustav and swore we would never do it again. Louisiana College was fortunate not to get more damage than it did but we still got enough to keep us busy for a while. We had about 40 students we had to move from their rooms to a new location and that was no small task. As the waters worked their way back to where they belong, here we sit just one week later watching Hurrcane Ike pound the coast of Texas and we are getting all kinds of rain and tornadoes.

All that to say....Remember the time I was OVER hurricane season? I am convinced we've got a Jonah in the boat and he needs to go, whoever he is!