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Sunday, October 31, 2010

Congrats, Blake & Andrea!

Last night we went to a wedding at the beautiful Nottoway Plantation! It is gorgeous & the weather was PERFECT for an outside wedding! The reception was inside & i couldn't get over the decor of this place! I loved it! It was really nice. The food was delicious! I was too full for cake, haha. They played mostly Michael Buble at the reception & i just love that style of music! We had a great time at the wedding. I met some of Brad's family that i haven't met before, so that was fun. Ran into some old friends as well. The maid of honor is a girl i went to church with for years, so it was great to see her. My parents & Brad's parents were also there. The groom is my husband's cousin, and the groom's mom & my mom are best friends. We sat with my parents during the ceremony. I haven't visited with my parents in too long! I've missed them! :)

The bride was absolutely gorgeous. When my mom introduced me to her, she said "oh yes! i was actually at your wedding!" & i didn't realize that! I think i did know that, but had forgotten. Funny almost two years ago she came as Blake's date to our wedding... she didn't have a clue then that she would be marrying him! It was just a date & i think one of their first dates! Ha! So that was kinda cool. She was very friendly & sweet. I was kind of obsessed with her dress. It was magnificent. Elegant. And perfect for a wedding at a plantation. I don't know why. It just had kind of an antebellum look to it. I loved it! :)

Ok, pics. I didn't take a whole lot of them. And some are blurry. But here we go...



 Crazy shot of Nottoway from my seat. :) 

 The bride & her father coming... 

 She's gorgeous! 

 Saying their vows. 

 Presenting Mr. & Mrs. Blake Seguin :)

 i'm kind of obsessed with the cello - so i had to take a pic! 

 This is just the side part of Nottoway Plantation.

First Dance! Sorry it is so dark, i was trying to get pics of that gorgeous dress! 

Another shot of her dress! Love it! 


Congratulations, Blake & Andrea! :)

Saturday, October 30, 2010

celebrity sightings?

So the Twilight cast is here in Baton Rouge getting ready to film the next movie.

A lot of people are talking about it. 

This is the thing. I am not really into Twilight. At all. I read the books & enjoyed them enough, but didn't LOVE them. I thought they were weird. I thought they were well-written, but weird. I still watched the movies Twilight & New Moon, just to see the book come to life.. There were some cool things about it, but for the most part i wasn't that into it... I think i could go the rest of my life without watching anything twilight-related. (Actually, i probably WILL watch Breaking Dawn, just because it's filmed in my city & that's always cool.)

However. 

I love actors. A working actor = awesomeness. Celebrity sightings for me mean actor sightings (i could care less about meeting Paris Hilton. It's the actors i want to meet!). I know they are just people, but they are people who happen to be actors. I love actors because i love to act. I am extremely interested in that field & would love to talk to a film actor about their experiences. And though i would never ask for an autograph, i'd love a picture with one of them! So please do not judge me for being excited about these actors being in town! Even if you could care less about celebrities, there is likely someone who is a celebrity to YOU that you would love to meet, to talk to, because they are doing what you want to be doing. Do you know what i mean? 

Anyway... back to celebrity actors...

You may say that Kristen Stewart is not a good actor. It doesn't matter. Maybe Twilight isn't her best, but i am not sure that she would be a paid working actress if she doesn't have some talent. I think she is good. Not GREAT. Not amazing by any means. But decent. And probably better in other things. I want to see her in the Runaways to see what i think. Anyway. She is still an actor & i wouldn't mind spotting her somewhere!

 I would be most excited to see or meet Dakota Fanning. She is a FANTASTIC actress in my opinion. Love her. I see that Maggie Grace is also in this one. She was in LOST as Shannon. She is gorgeous!

Robert Pattinson bought a bike here in Baton Rouge recently. He bought it at Capitol Cyclery where i bought my own bike. I think it would be awesome to call someone & tell them i just sold a bike to Robert Pattinson. They said he was very humble & kind.

Ashley Greene & Joe Jonas were spotted eating at California Pizza Kitchen in Perkins Rowe.

30 of them had a private room at Fleming's Steakhouse.

Taylor Lautner was spotted eating at La Madeleine's in Perkins Rowe. La Madeleine's! That's like my favorite place! I want to know what he ordered. He should have tried the potato soup, but i can't really see him eating potato soup! He seems more like a steak kind of guy. HA! Can you believe me? La Madeleine's isn't even a steak kind of place! I may have to go eat there a few times just in case i see him. HA! 
Taylor is another one i'd want to meet. You know why i like him? No, not because of his looks (i do think he is a great looking guy, but um yeah...he's 18. I feel kinda weird calling an 18 year old "hot"! I am 32 for crying out loud! Yick!) But you know why i like him? Because they weren't going to cast him in New Moon. He wasn't built enough for the role, because New Moon is when we find out he is a werewolf. He was, what, 14 at the time?! Well, he worked his butt off & re-auditioned for New Moon. And he got it. He earned that role. That is what i like about him & that is what makes him a REAL actor. 

So anyway. Here's hoping i see one of them! They are scheduled to be here for the next 7 months!

P.S. I have heard that Patrick Dempsey likes to walk the LSU lakes. Maybe i will run into him one day! HA!

yummy casserole dinner

Yesterday I was having the in-laws over for dinner. Dinner was going to be my Baked Potato Soup & the movie was going to be How to Train Your Dragon. I got all the ingredients several days ahead but failed to review the recipe. Silly me! i got home & was ready to cook - only to be reminded that my favorite potato soup recipe is a Slow Cooker recipe! Um, honey, think your in-laws will mind eating at 2 am?! Ha. Just kidding. I know it can be adapted to the stove, but i didn't know how to do that (& didn't think of it at first!). And i know there are a million stovetop potato soup recipes but i like THIS one! =) So i decided to cook this casserole i'd been wanting to make instead. I'd already bought the ingredients but wasn't sure how it would turn out. I had nothing to worry about. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I got this recipe from a new cooking blog i found & i am sure i will be using many more of her recipes. YUM!

Chicken, Mushroom, Broccoli & Rice Casserole
(i forgot to take a picture of it & it was gone in a flash! her pic is way better anyway!)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 6-8 ounce can of mushrooms, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 box Long Grain & Wild Rice, prepared per instructions*
2 cups chicken breast, chopped
1 6-8 ounce can of water chestnus, chopped
1 cup of broccoli florets*
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of celery soup
1/4 cup light mayo
salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare rice per instructions. In a medium saucepan, cook onions & celery until soft. Add mushrooms & cook a bit longer (if your mushrooms are fresh & not canned, you should do them first). Steam broccoli until just fork tender, and then cool. In a large bowl combine ALL ingredients & mix well. 

2. Pour into a baking dish & bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving. 

*I wasn't sure about the box rice & figured i'd end up using my regular white rice. I am so glad i didn't! Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice was the only brand i could find. It takes 5 minutes & i tasted it before it went in the bowl with everything else...so good!! Definitely use this kind of rice! :) 

*The only thing i would change about this recipe...i would use more broccoli. Maybe 2 cups. But i like broccoli! :) 

SO good!!!! 4 of us ate it & there were no leftovers! So you might wanna double it! It was amazing! :)

P.S. The movie How to Train Your Dragon was also a hit! We absolutely loved it!!

i heart shutterfly

This year i knew i was going to use Shutterfly for our Christmas Cards. Last year, our cards were ordered through the photographer, but this year we are able to get the dvd of images & print the cards on our own. I had already looked around the internet & had already determined that Shutterfly is where i would be getting our cards. Why? Well, first of all they have a FANTASTIC selection. They have every kind of Christmas card you can think of & so many different designs! Secondly, they have really great quality cards. I like the thicker papery kinds (is that a word? papery?) & they have that. And third, their prices aren't too bad at all. 

Then my friend Laura shared with me that Shutterfly is giving 50 free holiday cards to bloggers who blog about them! Woohoo! 

I am not sure which card design we are going to use, because we haven't seen our pictures yet! But there are so many great ideas... 

 This is one of my favorites... i love the colorful way "merry christmas" is written with the black & white pic. 

They have a great selection of religious cards, too, that express the true meaning of Christmas. I like this one.
So sweet! 

Shutterfly also has lots of great Christmas gift tags & holiday party invitations you can choose from! I really can't wait to choose our photo Christmas card! They have so many options!!

P.S. I have to leave you with the cutest one of all! "No Mistletoe Necessary". 
Now, how cute is that?! 


Thank you, Shutterfly!!! :)

Friday, October 29, 2010

5QF!

It's Friday! Whew! Thank heavens! :)


{one}
If you could be a fly on the wall, which wall would you choose?
Oooh, haha! Great question! Can't think of anyone right now though... hmm...

{two}
Do you budget your Christmas shopping or get it done without a budget?
Hm...yes & no. We budget everything. There is a certain amount allotted for gifts & we have to stay within that. But i'm not like "ok, ten bucks for this person, 20 for that one", etc. And we don't have that many to buy for so it's not too bad. I suppose in the future we'll have to budget for it more carefully!

{three}
What is the craziest fad diet you have ever done?
I have never done a fad diet. Everytime i have tried to lose weight, it has been by healthy eating & exercise. This time it's sticking for life & i'm down 23 pounds. =)

{four}
Is there a TV show that you have seen every episode/season of?
No. But close. I saw every episode of LOST except the last season. Don't ask me why we never got around to watching the last season. We will netflix it soon, but now i kinda forgot what happened before...

{five}
What one song always pulls at your heart?
It Is Well
and a whole bunch of others!!



Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! :)



Wednesday, October 27, 2010

whatever's on my mind

"When you're a kid, you assume your parents are soulmates. My kids are going to be right about that." ~Xenia Silva, my recently engaged friend...this was her facebook status the other day & I decided it's an awesome quote. Don't you think so?

{Editor's note: I have just been informed (as you will see in the comments) that this quote is actually from The Office. I should have known. Except it sounded like a Xenia thing to say. But apparently it was a Pam thing to say. Still, the quote holds true for Xenia & Samuel (& myself & brad). :)

 Xenia & her soulmate, Samuel

Warning: RANDOM post that talks about anything & everything. :)


We just invited the in-laws over to watch How to Train Your Dragon Friday night. It came in on Netflix today & i cannot wait to watch it! I'm gonna make Potato Soup. Yipee! The next day we're going to a wedding (also with the in-laws, though i think my parents will be there) & Sunday is Fall Fest. Great weekend ahead! I think it's supposed to get cooler again too! (It's been back to the...80's? I'm not sure, but it's humid. Bleh.)

 Randy, JLo, Steven & Ryan

American Idol. I swore last year i would never watch again. I watched the first 4 or 5 or 7 seasons & loved it each year. Then i missed a year or two. Then i watched last season & hated it. The judges got on my NERVES, it really went downhill! Of course, i loved Crystal Bowersox & Lee DeWyze, but overall...i wanted to strangle the judges. Even Simon, who i always loved for his brutal honestly, was starting to be a bit much. They all say the same things. I love Ryan, but other than that....annoyed! I was pretty sure i would NOT be watching again. Well, i really think it is going to be better this year! I am actually kind of excited! The more i hear about it, the more sure i am that the producers are doing everything they can to salvage this show! I think Jennifer Lopez & Steven Tyler are GREAT judge choices! They are changing other things too... i think it's gonna be good! :) Yipee!


I've been watching the Big Bang Theory. Ohmygosh, i LOVE this show. LOVE!! When i first got married (or maybe was engaged), we went to Brad's sister's house & she was watching it. I thought it was funny but never watched it again. Just not a big TV watcher. Well, recently i saw a current episode & laughed my booty off. So i decided to get the first season. I'm telling you. These guys CRACK me UP. We get the second disc on DVD tomorrow.

I can't wait till Thanksgiving. The holidays are so close. I have discovered that i like having our anniversary on November 14th. We didn't pick that date for any special reason other than it was when my venue of choice had an open date (other factors, too, but that was the main one i think), but i like that it's right before the holidays. I don't know why! I guess, i can look forward to our anniversary all year & then it's Thanksgiving & then Christmas & then New Year?! Something like that! Haha! I enjoy it! So i can't wait... just a couple weeks till our 2nd anniversary. We're staying in town for the Thanksgiving this year & spending it with Brad's Dad's side of the family. I LOVE them. They are funny & goofy & sweet. I found out today that my sister & her fiance will be joining us! Mike's parents are visiting The Holy Land this year & my parents are likely going to Grenada (where my extended family lives). So Mike & Michelle will be joining us & i'm totally pumped about that!

Sad news. 2 dear men passed away on Monday. They were strong men in the church where i grew up. They both have been married for many years & they both have two daughters who are around my age. One died Monday after battling cancer for awhile. The other had a massive heart attack on Monday. They knew each other from attending church together for many years, it is crazy that they both went to be with the Lord on the same day! Mr. Ralph was one of the kindest people i have ever met. He never had an unkind word to say to anyone. Mr. Ken always made me laugh... in fact, i remember the last thing he said to me a few months ago & it was meant to bring a smile to my face! He is hilarious. My heart is so broken for the wives & daughters left behind. I cannot imagine losing my dad right now. Please keep these two families in your prayers if you think about it! Not to mention the congregation at this church! Both funerals are on Friday. I am not sure if i will be able to attend or not. I am going to try to make it, though.

Well, i guess that's about it for now...

Hugs!

Monday, October 25, 2010

life after divorce...my sister's story.

My sister & I have always had a wonderful relationship. This is surprising in some ways, because we couldn't be any more opposite than we are! Looks, personality, likes & dislikes, everything. We are polar opposites. Even so, we have always been very close & i think the older we get, the closer we get. I always say that if i have one daughter, i want two. Why? Because i love the bond sisters share. I don't know what i would have done without my sister through those ugly teenage years! She helped me through a lot.

Michelle & Melissa - March 2010

Recently, Michelle had to write an autobiographical narrative for her master's portfolio. She emailed it to me & my parents for us to read. I began to read it & by the end, i wanted to publish it on my blog. I was just sooo proud of her. She has been through a difficulat situation, but she came out on the other side a stronger person. I felt that maybe her story could help others. I wasn't sure if she would agree to publishing this on my blog - but she did. 

As you probably know (if you've been reading my blog for any length of time), lately I've had several friends go through divorce. Or "almost" go through divorce. I was heartbroken; I literally grieved as if someone had died. I was sad because i knew they were devastated. I know how much they wanted their marriage to work. And i know how willing they were to make that happen. If you know me at all, you know that i am not in any way advocating divorce. Unfortunately, sometimes keeping your marriage together is beyond your control. I am posting my sister's narrative in hopes that it can encourage you or anyone you know who may have gone through a similar situation. I know it is long (& i'm making it longer with this intro!), but i felt it was worth sharing. Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your story. I love you!

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My parents have been happily married for over 35 years. They have set an example for my sister and I from the beginning. My parents raised us in the church. As long as I can remember we would attend church together as a family. Our Sundays were an all day affair. We attended church in the morning, went to lunch together, and then returned to church for the evening service. We all looked forward to Sundays together as a family. Before my teenage years, we were raised in a Baptist church. During my teen years until my present age I was raised in a full gospel church. 

My memories of my father, the dominant parent, are of him waking up every morning at 4 a.m. to read the Bible before he went to work. He truly loves theology and would often preach when called upon by our pastor. I remember the first time I heard my dad preach from the pulpit. He preached an evangelical sermon that truly inspired me. I am proud to have him as my dad. 

My father and I have always had a special bond. “Daddy’s little girl” rings true for our relationship. My father never had a son. With my athletic abilities he taught me how to play sports. It was our time together that taught me teamwork and built confidence. My sister, Melissa, is more of the artistic type so she was more interested in reading a book than playing ball. She is very gifted in the dramatic arts. My mother and sister are much more alike in that regard. 

My mother and I also have a special relationship. I am the older daughter. She counted on me to watch out for my younger sister while she was at work. I was expected to do chores and learn how to cook. My mother was more of the disciplinarian in the family. She taught me respect and how to love. I admire my mother and the struggles in her life. She taught me how to overcome. 

I only have one sibling. My sister, Melissa, is 32 years of age. I am the older daughter. I am 35 years of age. I remember the day my sister came home from the hospital once she was born. I was so young, but wanted to hold my baby sister. I remember saying to anyone who would listen, “She is my baby”. I think that sums up how I feel about my sister. I have always protected her and taken care of her. Melissa and I couldn’t be any more different in personalities. She is temperate and quiet, whereas, I am much more excitable. In spite of our differences, we got along famously. Perhaps it is a mutual respect. 

My sister Melissa was very ill as a young child. I can recall many nights where she would run high fevers and my parents would have to take her to the hospital. I worried about my sister. I wanted her to be healthy.
I have always been the healthy one. Luckily, by God’s grace I have been spared any serious illnesses. Only the minor broken arm or sprain from the various sports I was involved in. I feel blessed to have had such a wonderful childhood.

I was always a bright student, but not very focused. I was much more interested in my social life than schoolwork. I always got along with my teachers. As a matter of fact, some have even become friends of mine to this day. My grades were average. It wasn’t until college that I became interested in my education.
Since my dad taught me sports, I have always been comfortable around the opposite sex. My dad taught me how to talk to other boys in that regard. I always had boyfriends or dates to functions. I never dated anyone with an addictive behavior before I met my now ex-husband. 

My ex-husband and I met in a restaurant where we were both working. We became friends. He had a history of drug and alcohol abuse. I had no clue of his past history and struggles. He kept all of it hidden from me. I still don’t know why he lied to me and kept all of this from me. I wish I had an answer for all of it. Perhaps he knew I would never marry someone like that. 

The two of us opened a restaurant together. We spent the first year of our courtship putting all of our hard work into opening and running this business. It was a dream of his to open and own a restaurant and I wanted that dream to be a reality for him. I would speculate that this is the reason he wanted to marry me. I made his dream a reality and I was good for his business. 

We dated for approximately 11 months before our engagement. At the time, he was in agreement regarding the same value system. We agreed to attend church regularly and to raise our children in the church. We agreed that fidelity was an essential part of marriage and that neither of us should break it. The topic and issue of drugs and alcohol never came up because I never saw any issue or warning sign. He was a master manipulator and liar as so many addicts are. 

Most of my friends didn’t know him. We were so busy trying to get the restaurant up and running, we rarely had time for my friends. Only one friend warned me about him. She didn’t like him and I couldn’t understand why. Our friendship ended for a brief period because of her distaste for him. Once we were married, I then began to understand what she saw and quickly reconciled our friendship. 

Once we were married, he told me he didn’t want to have children. I asked him why he changed his mind. He told me he never wanted kids and gave no explanation as to why he lied to me. I begged him to change his mind. He continued to refuse. I was devastated. I desperately want children. 

During the first year of our marriage money began to turn up missing from our restaurant. I thought some of our employees were stealing, so I installed a camera above the cash register. I never saw anyone take any money. I witnessed my husband taking money from the remnants of the register which was placed in our safe in our home while he thought I wasn’t looking. I confronted him to which he screamed at me and left our home all night. 

He also refused to go to church with me. He confessed that he was actually an atheist and did not share the same beliefs. I couldn’t believe he lied to me about children and now about his faith! I didn’t know what to do. What could I do? We were already married. I began praying for him. That is all I thought I could do. 

We had a joint account once we were married. Whenever we got into a disagreement, he would drain our account and disappear all night. I became very ill during this period of time. I had constant migraines and would be sick to my stomach with worry. He felt our money was his to use for whatever he desired. I ran the restaurant and the household while he stayed out all night at the local bar. We fought constantly and he rarely came home. He left me to run our restaurant and manage the household by myself. Luckily we never had any children. Although never physically abusive, his addictive behavior left me fearful of my safety. 

I became aware of his drug use on June 23, 2006. I remember this date specifically because it is my birthday. I woke up early in the morning around 5:00 as I usually do to get ready to open the restaurant. I awoke alone. I began looking for him in the house. I found him hunched over on the sofa snorting some white powder into his nose. I asked him what he was doing to which he was startled and jumped. I asked him what he had in his hands and he tried to hide it from me. It was like a light bulb went off in my head and I finally understood his strange behavior since we got married. The nights alone, the fights, the missing money all became so clear to me why. I called his father immediately and asked him to help me. He flushed the drugs in the toilet and began looking for other drugs in the house to destroy. I closed the restaurant for the day and took him to rehab. We immediately went to the Tau Center in Baton Rouge. They turned us away since he wasn’t an opiate or alcohol user only. The Tau Center recommended a substance abuse counselor in the area. I made an appointment right away and we saw this counselor a few times. Once therapy began getting in the way of my husband’s addictions, he refused to continue treatment. He didn’t think he had a problem and didn’t see the point. 

I began seeing a therapist on my own. I needed a sounding board to get my thoughts straight and figure out what I was going to do now. I decided then that divorce was the only option if he refused to get help. I proceeded for 1 year to get him help. I prayed for him, begged and pleaded with him. He continued to refuse. I can honestly say I tried everything I could to save him. He began staying out all night again. He became unfaithful. I believe throughout our marriage he was unfaithful, not only at the end. He asked for a divorce in July of 2007. Although I didn’t know at the time, he had found someone else. Despite my efforts to try to save the marriage, he didn’t want to reconcile and didn’t want to go to counseling. Once he filed for divorce I left and returned home to my parent’s home.

Due to unexpected life experiences such as a divorce, I began to realize how important a college education is. My mother raised me to depend on myself and no one else for my financial future. I finished college once my marriage had ended. I became driven to succeed after my divorce. I wanted to turn my negative experiences into something positive. I went back to school the last few months of my marriage and earned a degree in Health Promotion and Education. My college professors became advisors and were always accessible. I stay in touch with several of my former professors. They have become mentors and I really respect and admire them. I began working for a substance abuse prevention organization. One unexpected benefit, the path of education and experience were a healing experience for me. Helping others work through their addictions also helped me cope with a divorce. 

I was recruited by the American Cancer Society to work as a field representative. It was there I realized my love for the field of oncology. From there I was recruited by Slidell Memorial Hospital. I am now a certified oncology patient navigator. I enjoy coming into work every day. Working with patients is truly an honor. I feel I can give more if I get my master’s in counseling. 

I have rarely dated since my divorce. I am now engaged to a wonderful man. He has a wonderful network of family and friends. We are looking forward to our upcoming nuptials in November of next year. 

I think my family would say I am a strong person. My family would say I am strong in my mind and will and in my spirit. My friends would say I am an overcomer. My coworkers would say that I am compassionate and caring. Many of my friends have told me they admire me and respect me because of what I have been through and what I have become now. My father told me he admires me. He said that not many people would go through a divorce and come out smiling. I truly believe that God’s grace saved me. I believe that God is the reason I am the person I am today. I could have been defeated, but with God’s help I have overcome. 

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Editor’s Note:
I am currently pursuing my Master’s in Counseling with a concentration in family and marriage therapy.  I couldn’t change what had happened.  I could only focus on my future.  What did I want my future to become?  Something positive or be bound by the past? I truly believe God honors marriage.  I also believe God will pull you out of something to make you grow in the glory of Him.  Growing is never easy.  There is life after divorce.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” 
Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Saturday, October 23, 2010

whatever pops into my head!

This post is gonna be random. Just whatever is on my mind. So... here we go. :)

Hubby & I are not feeling well. I can't stop sneezing, he can't stop coughing. Blerg! But hopefully we will be feeling better in no time, right? I hope so!!

Today i had a hair appointment. Yesterday i was feeling REALLY bad & thought i might have to cancel. But i haven't had fever at all & thought i was feeling much better. Of course, once i got out & about, it started to hit me that, yeah... not feeling so great after all! But I really wanted to chop this hair! Once it gets on my neck, i start hating it! I used to just do a ponytail for that, but then i discovered how great my hair feels short! So i went & got my hair did! Lesli at On The Boulevard. GO THERE if you need a stylist or colorist. She is awesome. Not to mention Yvonne, the chic who washes your hair. She massages your neck & scalp as she washes your hair & ohhhhhhhmyyyyyygosshhhhhhh. It is AMAZING. Seriously. I told her i wished i could have her do that everyday. If i was a rich woman...oh, the things i would do...

After getting my hair done, i went to Target. I am sooo glad i do not have a Target near my house or my work. Or a Chic-fil-a. I could do serious damage at those two places. Thankfully, i ONLY go there if i have to go to my bank or to get my hair done. Which is not often at all (last time was early June). Both the bank & my hair place are right by Target & Chic-fil-a. There is a facebook group called "petition to open a chic-fil-a in central". (Central is a suburb of BR, where my parents live & a lot closer to my house than BR (even though my house technically IS in BR.) I am undecided on whether or not i should join this group. I am not sure a chic-fil-a in central would be a good thing for someone who is trying to quit fast food. Seriously. I love me some Chic-fil-a.

I am currently reading "One for the Money" by Janet Evanovich. i have been looking for her books for too long. I assumed they were just with the other fiction books. Didn't realize they were in the Mystery section. Anyway, i love this book. I love it. Stephanie Plum cracks me up.

Last night we watched Bridge to Terabithia. It was good. I'd read the book in elementary school & LOVED it. That's why we got the movie. I forgot it was a tearjerker, though! But it was still good! Next we get How to Train your Dragon, which i hear is FANTASTIC! :)

I found out that auditions for Crimes of the Heart are going to be November 29th & 30th. I can't wait. I haven't auditioned since 2008, but i'm not too nervous about it. If it was a musical, i would be totally freaking out & considering bailing on the whole thing. But play auditions are easier. You just get up there & read a side (section of the script) with another auditionee. Easy Peasy. Well, not as easy to get CAST, but it's not too scary or embarrassing to get up & do a cold reading! The play is about 3 sisters. There is another girl role, their cousin. It's funny, but not. A dark comedy. The three sisters live in Mississippi. The youngest sister murders her husband. Yeah. Haha. I would love to play Lenny, the oldest sister. Although i would take any of the roles - they'd all be fun to play!

Tomorrow we are having pics done for our Christmas cards. Every year i find a photographer doing a special & book them for christmas cards. It kind of doubles as anniversary pics for us too. :) I asked Brad how we are going to do this feeling kind of under-the-weather. He said we will fake it till we make it! HA! Sounds like a plan to me! Thankfully it doesn't take too long. I invited Brad's sister to come with us to hold on to Fievel when he's not in the pics. We're going to have her get in some pics too. :)

Well, that's all i got for now. See ya!

Friday, October 22, 2010

5QF & fill-in-the-blanks!

Friday. Finally. :)

I left work at 2:15 today. I went in knowing i would leave early. Yesterday, i felt bad, but i stayed the whole day. Why? Well, it's a long story but i am completely overloaded at work & it's kind of an urgent situation where i have to do paperwork for a WHOLE lotta clients ASAP. Today i went back to work but i felt AWFUL this morning. At least 10 times worse than yesterday. But i went anyway because this paperwork HAS GOT to be done! I worked my booty off getting it all done & did not finish until 2:00! That is without taking a lunch! That is without getting on facebook OR blogger! I mean, i meant serious business. :) I finished at 2 (& i'm not REALLY finished...but what is left to do is stuff where i'm waiting on someone else...), tied up some loose ends of other work stuff & then i was outta there! Came home & had pizza for lunch.

I have decided pizza might be my favorite food. Strange, because as a kid & teen, i liked pizza but it wasn't my MOST FAVORITE food or anything. But NOW... wow. I could eat it daily. I WON'T! But i could! We get digornio frozen pizza at Walmart & it is DIVINE!

Anyway. After this i suppose i'll go take a nap. I am feeling pretty YUCK & am yawning a lot too!

But first. 2 little memes. 5QF & Fill-in-the-Blanks. Yay!



1. Who is the better cook? You or your spouse? 
ME!!! Of course!

Haha... seriously, me. He doesn't cook that much. He cooks eggs & does a great job! And i often get him to season stuff after i've cooked it, because he seems to know how to season it jusssst right.


2. How often do you talk to your mom? 
Not often enough! Probably about every other day, but that is including through facebook or email. I haven't talked to her in person since Sunday.


3. Are you adventurous in the kitchen or stick to the recipe? 
I am getting more & more adventurous! When i first started cooking (while i was engaged), i had to stick to the recipe EXACTLY. I would freak out if i was slightly off in any way. But now i have learned how to substitute things or put more of something in than the recipe says or do without an ingredient, etc. It's more fun that way, too! :)


4. Is your second toe longer than your first toe?
Actually, yes. Very much so. So much so that we sometimes say that i am flipping people off with my toes... Ha! I used to hate it but now i don't really care. :) It's Me! HA! (Besides, isn't that a sign of intelligence? I thought so.)

5. Do you dress up for Halloween? (If so, what will you dress up as this year?)
Nope. I never have. My family never celebrated Halloween. However, even if we had, i probably still wouldn't. I'm terribly boring about that kind of stuff. I don't want to think of a costume! HA! The only time i ever dressed up was for a costume party in 10th or 11th grade. I went as a clown. And in 4th grade, i had a costume party for my birthday party. I was a bunny. :)


1. I am a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend & one day - a mom. :)

2. I wish I could quit my job & not have to find another one.

3. I like pizza, theatre, the lsu lakes, dogs of all kinds, pajamas, white water rafting, hanging with the fam, chic lit, waking up on my own (aka no alarm), romance, cinnamon in my coffee & soup weather.

4. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13!

5. I hope that hubby & i are feeling much better tomorrow! 

6. I think you've just got to have some good girlfriends!

7. I was thankful my boss let me leave work early today!

Yeah!

So what are your plans for the weekend? Ours are to REST & GET BETTER. However, I do have a haircut appointment tomorrow at 1, and we also have a photo session (for Christmas Card pictures) on Sunday at 4! Hopefully we will be much better by then! Don't really wanna reschedule because i think they are pretty much booked till the holidays!

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Chicken Noodle Casserole

This recipe is total comfort food. 
YUM. 
SOOOO yum. 

It's nothing special, really. Just chicken & pasta & veggies. But it was the perfect thing to make when hubby & I are both feeling a little under-the-weather. Felt good on my sore throat, too.

Another great thing is that it came from my Betty Crocker 300-Calorie Cookbook. Every recipe in this book has less than 300 calories (per serving...i didn't catch that part at first. Ha!). So this one has 280 calories per serving & it is pretty durn good! It's super easy to make, too (though it does take about 45 minutes to bake). 


Sorry i do not have a picture of the recipe! Trust me...it looks & tastes delicious! 

Chicken-Noodle Casserole
makes 7 servings

4 cups egg noodles (8 ounces)
1 medium onion, chopped (1.5 cup)
2 medium celery stalks, sliced (1 cup)
2.5 cups cut-up cooked chicken breast (i used a rotisserie)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth
1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 package (9 ounces) frozen baby sweet peas
1 can (4 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained (i actually forgot these! oops!)
Romano cheese (i added this myself, because i am obsessed with cheese.) 

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. 

2. Cook noodles as direted on package, using minimum cook time. Meanwhile, spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add onion & celery, cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. 

3. Drain noodles; place is casserole dish. Top with chicken mixture. (That is the cookbook's instructions. I mixed it all together before putting it in the casserole dish. Yes, on purpose.) :)

4. Cover & bake 30 minutes. Stir, then bake uncovered about 15 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed. (I sprinkled about 1/2 cup romano cheese on top before baking for the last 15 minutes). 

ENJOY!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Good day at the CAAA!

Today was a much better day. Of course, it was our annual event... we have it each year in Gonzales (about 30 minutes from our office) & it's this great big event where all the Councils on Aging bus in their clients. We had around 600 people there, a great turnout! There are booths all over the place for our guests to have screenings, get flu shots, or just find out about certain programs available to senior citizens in their area. They have a coffee station, a cookie station & a soda/water station too...all free to our guests. We are all assigned a spot for the day. This year, i got to work with my [favorite coworker] Tonya. We just took the door prizes from vendors & set them up (& passed them out when it was time). There's a meeting at 11 & everyone is served lunch.We eat after everyone is served. When it's over we don't have to go back to the office...our director gives us the okay to go home! In years past, that has happened between 2 & 3 o'clock...this year it happened at 12:45!! Reason being, because they did the meeting DURING lunch instead of having the meeting & serving dinner afterwards. Great idea, haha!! I took pics today & here are a few. :)

 Wooo, i look rough! TIRED. Haha. This is me with my two favorite coworkers. :) Wendy & Tonya.

 Jan & Tracy (Tracy is my boss!)

the great grandparents of the kids i used to nanny... i love them! Was thrilled to see them. aren't they cute?! :)

 My coworker Billy...he CRACKS me up! (He's supposed to be giving out cookies, not EATING them! HA!)

Brand new mama Alaina & soon-to-be mama (with baby #3) Tonya.

 Judy & Debbie...love them! 

All of us at Capital Area Agency on Aging.


Usually i carpool with people from work, but this year i decided to go on my own. Why? Well, next to the Expo Center (where the event was held) is a huge outlet mall. So many were planning on going shopping after the event, but  i knew i'd want to go home. Well, as i'm leaving Gonzales, at the last second i hopped into the turn late to hit the mall! I only went to one store though...Old Navy Outlet. I got myself three shirts & Brad one shirt. His shirt & one of mine are what we will wear for pictures this weekend! One of my shirts is a black light sweater & it says LOVE on it. I LOVE that! :) And they were VERY inexpensive! SCORE! I ran to the grocery store after that & then came home. Brad is home sick today - he went to the doctor & has a bronchial infection. I'm not feeling too great myself. YUCK. But i'm cooking us some hot & healthy comfort food tonight.


Anyway, thanks so much to all of you who prayed for me & encouraged me after my post yesterday. It was a tough day, & i always am reminded of my regrets & wishes regarding career & education when i have days like that. However, on days like today, i am reminded that it really is a good job & that some of the horrible things about it will get better. And that this isn't the end.... God has great plans for me & no matter what that means i know that it is all for my good. :) Not to say i won't look for something else in the future... but i can take a deep breath & be content with what i have right now. I was amazed at all the comments here & on facebook & emails sent to me last night & today - FULL of encouragement. It truly meant a lot! HUGS!!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

career or love?

Not so long ago, a friend was complaining to me about how unlucky in love she was. How she couldn't find the man of her dreams. She'd heard some silly quote that you either find a great career or you find love, but not both. Obviously, i disagree with this. I know people who have been lucky enough to find BOTH. But i keep thinking about it because you know what? It's true for me too, except the other way around. I think i have been VERY lucky in love. But career? Not so much.

Last week, i wasn't really unhappy with my job. It comes in waves. Today? I came home in tears. But last week, everything was just fine. However, i started thinking about being an Ultrasound Tech last week. I just think it would be a cool job. I started looking into it. Dead ends, everywhere i look. Unless i want to move, which i am not at all opposed to, but i can assure you that my husband wouldn't go for it!

Today i had a really bad day at work. I have those often enough. But sometimes they are REALLY bad. Some days i just want to find something to do that i LIKE! And really, is that too much to ask?

Apparently, it is.

I didn't finish college. I regret that, i assure you. My major was education. I wanted to teach english. Unfortunatley, even to teach english, you must pass basic math & science classes. I couldn't do it. I tried. I couldn't pass tests to save my life.

I started to work. No job has been something i'd want to make a career out of, except working with kids but those jobs do not pay very well (unless you have a degree...& i know teachers think they don't make much, but trust me! Compared to my salary, it is a FORTUNE!). Finally, sometime last year, i decided to look into being a teacher more. I looked into going back to LSU. I looked at my transcripts. Despite the fact that i have OODLES of hours, it would STILL take me at least 2 years to finish, because none of my hours all go toward one degree. And then there is that slightly minor fact that i still would have to pass math & science class. SIGH.

I later thought, well, i'll just be a Para. A teacher's aide. I would love to do that. I could take a test & do it. Then, i find that they make less money than i do already! Seriously?! No. That's not going to work. 

So i gave up on it. I got a raise & a promotion & i liked my new position a thousand times better. "I can stick this out, until i get to be a stay-at-home mom," i thought. Thinking that would be soon. But you know...we aren't trying for kids yet... & even if we were & even if i was prego... that still doesn't guarantee that i will get to stay home with them. Unless we start getting in some extra income, that won't be possible. I will have to work part-time, at least. And the thought of staying at my current place of employment indefinitely makes me want to have a nervous breakdown.

Today was really bad. I came home & called Medvance immediately, because i had been looking into their program online & they had called me, but i hadn't called them back. After coming home in tears, i called the woman back. She interviewed me over the phone & i just wanted to yell, 'I just want to know the COST & the LENGTH of the PROGRAM!" but NOOO...she isn't allowed to tell me the cost over the phone. The program is 24 months. And they don't have an Ultrasound Tech program.

I get online & look at Remington. They don't have one either. Delta doesn't either.

I get online again & find that there are no schools in Louisiana, but there is the online school University of Phoenix, which has a Ultrasound Tech program. How they can teach me that online, i don't know, but i decide to hit the link that says "i'm interested, send me info". Then i discover that they do not have that program available in my state. What? I thought this was an ONLINE program, thus eliminating any need for it being local? Deadend again.

Then i said, "Hey. i've always been interested in being a dental assistant. Let's look into that." Dead-ends there too. The only place i find has daytime classes only. I have to work during the day, people! And my husband would not go for me quitting  my job!!

So yeah. It's back to work tomorrow. And this week might be the death of me.

I wouldn't trade it for anything... i mean, if i have to be lucky in love or in career, but not both, i'd stick with love. I love it! Being married to your best friend is WONDERFUL & i wouldn't trade it for anything!

But is it too much to ask to have a career i enjoy as well????

Please pray for me if you can. I'm so unhappy right now...

Monday, October 18, 2010

an exciting announcement!

I am really very excited today...




Today i am a guest blogger at Girl Talk! You should go read it! You can do that here! Please leave a comment here or there... it would make my day!!

It's my story on Sticking With It. No matter what. You can read it to find out more!!

P.S. My apologies to those of you who thought the title of this blog meant a baby in the belly! :) HA!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Chicago @ NSULA

So, we went to Natchitoches to see our friends in Chicago, the musical. Tim & Marion (who i met in my first show Beauty & the Beast at BRLT) are dating & going to NSULA. They both got lead roles in Chicago. Tim played Billy Flynn & Marion was Mama Morton. I kid you not. They were fantastic! I was so excited that some of Tim's family was there...family that's never seen him perform! I am sure their jaws hit the floor. Tim is incredibly talented. As my husband said, there is only one Tim Callais! I promise you will see his name hit Broadway one day! Marion is amazing, too. She has a fantastic voice & is a great character actress. She is hilarious, too. Love her!

Brad & I with our friends Tim & Marion after the show!

Bill & his wife Margaret also drove out to see Tim & Marion's performance.  We got seats right by them. We enjoyed their company! Bill always cracks me up. He is hilarious & a very talented actor as well. 

Bill & his wife, Margaret

Me & my man.

I also met my friends Tim & Amber (often called "Timber") in the cast of Beauty & the Beast. This Tim played Lafou, Gaston's sidekick (the other Tim was Lumiere)! He & Amber were dating back then & are still dating today! He also goes to NSULA & played the Sargeant in Chicago. Well, guess what? After the show, he proposed to Amber on stage!!! It was SO exciting! I knew about it, because Tim emailed me & a few others to let us in on the secret. He didn't want anyone to say "i would have come if i had known!" I was thrilled that we were already planning on being there that night! I watched Tim in the last number & you could tell he was only going through the motions. The dance steps. His mind was a million miles away! After the curtain call, he called Amber up there. Apparently, she thought she was going to be bringing roses up for the two lead actresses' last performance. But that was all a ploy! He told the audience how he met her on a stage 7 years earlier & that their whole relationship has been on stage. He got down on his knee & proposed. I was crying! She was crying! Everyone was applauding! it was GREAT. I was so excited for her!! Tim & Amber make a great couple & have been together a long time now! Now they will be getting married! Amber had no idea & was totally surprised! 

 Click the pic to see it larger. 

 Me & Amber!

Us with Tim & Amber. 

We had a great time & are so glad we got to be there for both the show & their engagement! YAY! :)

not exactly as planned...

So...our little roadtrip did not go exactly as planned. Yes, we arrived safely. Yes, we arrived at the Church Street Inn. Yes, we saw our dear friends in the musical, Chicago.

But after the show, we headed straight home. 3 hour drive at 11 pm. Yikes!

We left Baton Rouge at 1 & i was so excited! We had a 3 hour drive ahead of us, but it went by pretty quickly. We got to the hotel which was SO cute. I loved the whole town actually. I think we should move there! It's clean, cute & quaint. I loved it. We went inside, checked in, got our gate code (for parking) & our room key. I was so excited! We got in our room, which was too cute. It was stuffy, but we could hear the a/c running, so we assumed they'd just turned it on & it was taking awhile to cool off.

I took pics of our room. I changed into some comfy clothes, still excited & got in the bed. I was so tired & just wanted a little nap before the show.

In no time flat, i was pouring sweat. My cheeks were red. It was HOT in there! Brad looked at the a/c unit thingie & it was putting out hot air. After playing with it for a bit, i called the front desk & told them i thought our a/c was broken. She said she would be right up. I put my jeans back on.

She came up, looked at it, apologized & said she'd call the a/c man. I was not upset YET, but i was getting there. Haha. By this time, it was 5:00 & i was thinking a nap wasn't going to happen if they couldn't get the problem fixed right away!

About 5 minutes later she calls & says that the a/c guy cannot come until tomorrow. She was like "so, i mean, um, is it going to be unbearable?" I told her yes. It's HOT! She said she would "try" (with emphasis on that word) to find us a fan while we were at the play. Um, no...we need a fan NOW. I want a nap NOW! I have paid for this room & i was told there would be air conditioning!! She made no indication of giving us a discount or anything! Just a half-hearted apology & a half-hearted "i'll try to get a fan for you". There were no other rooms available.

I was mad. I acted like a brat, i'll be honest. See, there were other things also going on. #1, i'd worked 15 hours on Friday & was EXHAUSTED. #2, i had gotten up early on Saturday & didn't get enough sleep. #3, It was that TOM. #4, i REALLY needed a nap. HAHA. Melissa & exhaustion do not make for a calm, even-tempered woman. Haha. So yeah. I kinda threw a fit. I was crying, i was cussing, i was not happy.

Brad suggested we just go home after the play. Neither of us felt like going through the trouble of finding another hotel. Especially if we weren't getting money back! And once he got it in his head that we could go home, he was pretty set on it. I was in agreement with that, because i didn't want to spend any more money & i didn't want to find another hotel & get situated again! It was really close to time for the play now. I'd rather just stay where we were, get ready for the play, pack up the car, watch the play & go home. However, i was still REALLY upset because i was SO looking forward to this weekend! Not only because of the play, but i love getaways, it was a romantic hotel & i was looking forward to a romantic evening with my hubby. Even if it was only for one night.

Brad went downstairs to talk to the girl at the front desk. I usually take care of that kind of stuff, but he was clearly the more even-tempered person at that point! :) I wanted to see if we were going to get some kind of discount even if we did stay. Brad came back up a little while later. He had gotten half of our money back & said we were going to leave after the show. He said the girl was very nice & apologized but that was all he got back...half. We'd put down a deposit when i first booked it. That part was non-refundable. However, we never would have canceled if the a/c had worked properly! So i really think we should have gotten ALL of that money back. Brad feels the same way now & is going to contact them about it tomorrow. We will see what happens. Maybe they will make good on it. :) And seriously...even though we should get our money back... if we don't, i'm not that worried about it. I mean, i'd be thrilled if we got all of the money back but half is better than nothing & i don't feel like making a big deal out of it. It was a super nice place, i just wished they'd had another room to put us in.

After it was clear that i couldn't take a nap in that heat, we went & sat on the balcony. It was SO nice outside. I was calming down from my little hissy fit. I touched my eye because it felt dry & i usually just move my contact a little bit & then it will feel better. Well, i realized...there was no contact in my right eye!! I'd cried so much, i apparently rubbed it right out of my eye! I have been wearing contacts since 6th grade & it has been a very long time since i've done something like that! I was like, "what is the deal?!" Thankfully i had my glasses, because i cannot see without them & i'd be mad if i had to watch the play like that! & i can't wear just one contact or i'll get a horrible headache!

Brad & i were like, "Seriously?! What is our deal with roadtrips?! Are we cursed or something?!" LOL. Because the last trip we went on just the two of us for our 1 year anniversary? Yeah, we broke down halfway there. Had to leave our truck in Beaumont & take a rental the rest of the way to San Antonio. And our honeymoon wasn't too bad but we got pretty lost trying to find our ship for our cruise! HA! It wasn't too bad though! Brad says apparently we can only survive trips if other people are with us since the one to Florida with my parents was smooth as could be! I told him we WILL have a successful trip, just the two of us, one day! HA!

After the show, i was in much better spirits! I was pretty much over the whole ordeal. A little sad, but okay with going on home. We stopped at a gas station, got some snacks & a drink & took off. Brad drove the first 2 hours & i drove the last one. We made it home at 2 am. Yikes! Went straight to bed & slept till 11 o'clock this morning! Woah!

I took pictures, though! And i made Brad promise to take us back! It is the cutest town! I always say i want to move to Savannah Georgia or Charlotte North Carolina just because i have this idea of what those places look like. Well, Natchitoches fit that visual as well! I told Brad we should move there! HA! It was nice! I will tell you about the play in another post. :)




Breakfast at LaLou's - & a surprise!

So, 2 of my best friends are Amanda & Becca. I love them both dearly. We all started going to church together years ago, but i didn't know either of them very well. Becca led a ministry where she would go with some other girls from our youth group to Springhouse, a home for troubled teen girls, and lead a Bible Study. At some point Amanda & I joined this ministry as well. I was a part of that ministry for 7 years...maybe more, i'm not sure. It was during those years that Amanda, Becca & I became really good friends. We still are to this day & even though we don't go to the same church anymore (Amanda's not even in our state anymore!), we love & think of each other often!

Amanda got married in July & that was the last time i saw her. I've talked to her some on the phone & facebook since then but of course miss her like crazy! I also miss Becca. She lives here & we always try to get together but it just never happens. Becca & i finally set a date! I was heading out of town around noon on Saturday, so i suggested breakfast. She agreed & we set the date for 9:30 Saturday morning at LaLou's (aka Another Broken Egg Cafe...they changed the name).

Well, a few days after we planned all this, Amanda messaged me to see if i had plans Saturday night. I told her we were going out of town & she was kinda bummed. She told me that she had come in town at the last minute. I was like, "well, what about saturday morning? because becca & i are having breakfast together!" She was like "OMG ARE YOU KIDDING!!?!" She asked if i minded if she imposed but of course i did NOT. Most of my Becca memories include Amanda - it would be more complete with her there!! I told her to join us & we decided to keep it from Becca. Make it a surprise!!

I got there first & planned to text Amanda when Becca arrived. I was told there would be a 15 minute wait, so i took a seat. After awhile, i decided to tell the hostess because i didn't want her to say "Melissa, party of 3" & becca wonder who was joining us! So i told the hostess what was going on & she loved it! I told her our mutual friend from Cali was in town & becca had no idea. She said she would call for "Melissa, Party of 2". Well, Becca comes in & sits next to me. The restaurant entrance was right behind her. Becca & I got to talking while waiting for our table. That area was full of other people also waiting for a table. Anyway, I see Amanda coming in right when Becca was in the middle of telling me a story. I said, "Becca. Turn around." She turned, saw Amanda, her eyes got HUGE & she was like "OMG!!!!!". I can't even describe - it was like she had the shock of her LIFE! Everyone in the area was watching us & smiling! Amanda jumped next to her & hugged her & they just hugged & hugged! Becca started crying, as i knew she would! Right then they called for our table & we went to be seated, Becca crying the whole way! HA! The waiter came & Becca is all wiping her tears & going, "Omg...that was the BEST EVER!" HAHAHA! It was GREAT!!!! :) :)

And we had an awesome breakfast just talking to each other. I love love love those girls! So glad Amanda got to come in town for a bit to visit! & so glad i got to have Amanda-Becca time! HA! :)

 Amanda & Becca

Love these two!!!

Outside at LaLou's

It was an AWESOME morning & i'm so glad we got to do that! Love y'all!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

it wasn't so bad!

Well, there was a lot of whining going on today on facebook... my facebook, i mean. Yeah. If you don't know already, i pulled a muscle in my back on Tuesday evening. Wednesday & Thursday were spent in bed with a heating pad... it hurt that bad! I couldn't even turn to look at something without excrutiating pain! Well, i had to go back to work today & was not looking forward to it. I figured i could deal for 8 hours, especially because i knew i'd be busy, but after that i had to work at the Manship where i work a few times a month. That means a 15 hour work day with a hurt back. I knew by the time i finished working at the office, i'd be dying to lie down for awhile!

Well, good news! It wasn't so bad! My back got to hurting REAL bad around 3 & I got a bad headache to go with it! I was kind of freaking out a little that i would not get home until about 11. But i couldn't find anyone to take my shift at the theatre, so i had to go.

Well, i got there & within just a few minutes i started noticing my back was feeling MUCH better. It still hurts slightly when i do certain things...so i try not to do them, haha. But i realize more & more that it's getting back to normal. Thank God! :)

The performance tonight was HAIR. It was a Puerto Rican theatre company! How cool! They were all beautiful & SO nice. I do not think i have ever met such a sweet cast, so appreciative of everything. They spoke Spanish to each other & i loved it. :) I was backstage so i only got to see the beginning of the show. They sounded amazing, though.

One of the lead guys was named Orlando. He was cute. He kept flirting with me & the other Rep & gave us both a necklace. I found out later it was his debut... the rest of the cast toured the show in February & March but he was the new kid on the block. He was hilarious.

As i ALWAYS do with my job at the manship, i decided i didn't need my camera. ACK! I hate when i do that! I do that all the time there, thinking i won't need it & then ALWAYS a great photo opportunity presents itself! Liz & I would SO have taken a pic with Orlando. :) One day i am going to put it in my purse & KEEP IT THERE! Ha!

Liz is a new rep - tonight was her first night. I was training her. We hit it off immediately! She was cool & sweet & we seem to have a lot in common! She made 2 years of marriage in July & i will next month. She runs & so we got to talking about exercise. And she also has baby fever, haha. We had plenty to talk about! I look forward to working with her again!

I am so excited about the weekend! I'd started to be kinda bummed, because i had this awesome weekend planned, but then i hurt my back & was starting to think it was going to ruin it all! But it's so much better now, yay! Anyway, tomorrow i'm going to have breakfast with a very dear friend. And then i'm going to come home, pick up brad & we're heading to Natchitoches to see some friends!! I can't wait to blog all about it!

I am going to end this post with today's Fill-in-the-Blank Friday...

1. Blogging is a wonderful place for meeting new friends! Some of you guys are very dear to my heart & i hope to one day meet you face to face. :)

2. A current fashion trend i wish i was brave enough to wear is huh. I have no idea. Most stuff i want to wear but don't is because it's not going to be flattering. Not because i'm not brave enough...

3. My greatest accomplishment in life thus far is performing as Little Becky Two Shoes in Urinetown, the musical.

4. If i had to choose between a mountain & a beach vacation, i'd choose...well, this is really hard, but i would choose the beach. I guess. But don't get me wrong! If the beach vacation was taken away & the mountain one was left, i would not feel upset in any way. I love both! But i do love the beach just a little more. :)

5. A talent i wish i had is tumbling.

6. A talent i do have is singing.

7. This week was a pain in the neck...literally!

Happy Weekend!