detox week

Seems like the blog trend to announce that you have a little nugget on the way is to go "dark" for a while and then come out with the big NEWS! I'm here to announce that while I've been absent and more blog silent than usual, we have...

NOTHING to report!

{for the record ~ we're not even trying & a baby is not even CLOSE to being on our radar.}

As Allie likes to say... I haven't been making time for blogging. I've been making time for couponing {amanda ~ i took the class!}, exercising {loving jillian's new yoga DVD}, recovering chair cushions, hanging curtains, working, working, working & reading!

This week Mom is in Portugal serving the Lord, so I offered to take her place as Gram's care-taker for a few days. Every few months work gets me worked up into an unbearable state of stress, so this week is the perfect time for a good ole detox and cleanse in my food & my life.

Food Detox ~

No Meat
Dairy
Sugar
Caffeine
Processed

I did this same detox/cleanse at the beginning of 2010 & quickly found out that
1. It wasn't as hard as it initially seemed.
2. It made me feel great. {and 4lbs lighter}

Also, it's a great time for a life cleanse as I'll be away from my day to day job and my normal life routines. Time to reflect on where I want to be by the end of 2010 and see what progress has been made thus far. I want to be a better version of myself and I think for me this starts with forgiveness. I plan on taking time to really try and wrap my brain around issue and figure out where I can start chipping away in my life.

My To-Do lists for the week are written, but now it's time to pack, I'm hoping that I can figure out how to get my pictures from my camera on to my computer, because there might be a picture of 2 of George Strait & Reba McEntire that y'all might want to see! And I'd really love to get back to making time to blog and share and write. Now, let's get this party started!

~Jersey Boys~

I am STILL listening to Jersey Boys 1.5 weeks after the show. When I see shows I get crazy obsessed with them and by the end of this one I was ready to run away with Frankie Valli. I haven't been able to find the soundtrack in town, so my Pandora radio has been keeping me happy. Funny enough, it switches back and forth often from Jersey Boys Soundtrack, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons & the Glee soundtrack! FUN!

So, as you may remember from 2 posts ago... I'm not going to link back, because you can scroll down easily enough, we bought my Mom tickets to see Jersey Boys on her birthday. She'd been wanting to see it for a LONG time and I grew up listening to this music, because she grew up listening to this music, so I was more than happy to take her.

She arrived Saturday afternoon & we got prepared for dinner with friends. Craig came over and grilled delicious steaks for all of us and the neighbors and we watched the Olympics and had a great time. So glad Mom got to meet our little Tupelo family!

Sunday we woke up early so we could get on the road to Memphis and grab a bite to eat before the show. Except... Mom woke up and was horribly sick. I mean horribly. No one else was, so it wasn't the food, but I heard later she got it from the nacho club girls! We kept trying to wait it out, but she was just not getting over it. Poor Thing.

At 11am {show started at 1:30, Memphis is 85 miles away} I knocked on my neighbors door and said ~ if you can be ready in 15 min and put your make up on in the car the ticket is yours. All of you women that have video game loving husbands and other half's will love this. She said, "Oh, I really hate to leave Spencer on Valentine's Day." He barely looked up from Call of Duty and said ~ Babe, you should go! Call of Duty was his PERFECT valentine's day.

I took no pictures, because we were literally RUNNING to our seats and my neighbor did NOT want to be photographed due to the timely nature of her getting out the door and to the show.

All THAT said to say, we.loved.every.last.minute. If you are remotely familiar with their music {which you are} and you are close to a showing ~ go see this show! You will be singing Sherry for WEEKS to come! Just watch this video so you can get the idea of how it all works.




ps ~ I cried real tears at the show thinking about my poor sickly mom not getting to go. life is not fair.

Jersey Boys is kinda like Jersey Shore, right?

I'm kind of a middle of the road Valentine's Day person. I don't swing too far either way. Didn't black hearted HATE Valentine's Day to it's core when I was single and don't Oooey Gooey Butter Cake LOVE Valentine's Day now that I'm married. I think it's fun, so why not embrace it and if you don't have a man to embrace, embrace the chocolate! Chocolate will love you long time.

So, guess what we're doing? Really, I'm so excited... we've had these plans since December!

It is my Mom's 50~ish something birthday, so me and Justin are taking her to see...

I knew Mom had been wanting to see this for a long time and it was playing ON her birthday {which is also Valentine's Day} so Merry Christmas & Happy Birthday! Justin has never seen a Broadway show or a Broadway style show, so I am so excited he gets to see one. He's going to love this!

It's playing at...

The Orpheum in Memphis!

It's going to be a fun weekend. Mom's been losing weight & doing more aerobic activity {her words}, so I think I'm going to take her to the gym or perhaps let Jillian punish her. Don't worry ~ I'm going to feed her good too! Can you say steak dinner on Saturday? Here's hoping it's her best birthday in a LONG time!

Happy Valentine's Day to each of you ~ may you get flowers at work or give love the double middle finger. Either way hope your weekend is wonderful and exactly what you want!

xoxo

Merry Christmas

Justin and I are celebrating Christmas in Kentucky this year. We surprised our family and have been enjoying the past few days away. We hope that all of you are having a wonderful time with your family and enjoying all the delicious holiday treats. We won't judge you if you're enjoying the treats more than you're enjoying your family!

ps ~ this was our card that we sent out!

Princeton, KY

As mentioned in the previous post, Justin & I got out of Mississippi for a night and a day and headed up to Princeton, Kentucky for Justin's grandmother's Christmas open house at her antique store. Please ignore the fact that you've already recently seen me in the shirt above, thank you! Princeton is actually smaller than Kentucky, but we enjoy going there especially this time of year, because the fall is beautiful and life is simple. And I always seem to find fantastic treasures at Antiques on Main.

Here's Justin in front of the store. Now that I think about it, I can't believe I didn't snap any pictures inside. Probably couldn't have done it justice and I was too busy looking for what was going home to my house.

First off, I found these Santa mugs and immediately handed them over to Justin for safe keeping. The open house brings the whole town out, so you have to get while the getting is good. I then snagged this beat up wash bowl and old Noel dish rag. I'm thinking this is going to make a great holiday centerpiece on my kitchen table!

Justin had his eye on this 8 paned window, and we already have several windows with glass in them, but we kept coming back to it.

I recently saw this idea on another blog and I'm going to get creative with my pane and figure out a way to incorporate it into a pot rack. New project!

Finally, I took full advantage of the Christmas love ~ my mother in law wanted me to pick something out and I immediately fell in love with this entry way table! It also came with a shelf, but I find myself without a hammer and nail, so this is how it's currently set up. Justin's grandmother was sweet enough to give me 4 milk glass plates that I hope to string with ribbon and hang on the wall.

I just realized that I'm missing a table! I found this fabulous round scallop~ey table that will be perfect once I take my sander to it and give it a fresh new coat of paint! Guess that table will have to have a post all it's own!

Happy thanksgiving week, friends! Our life is about to get CRAZY!

ZDJ

I got a call at 5:30 Saturday morning from my mother. Everyone has a mental time frame of when their family can call to chat and when they call and you know something has to be terribly wrong. This was one of those times and in the split second that it took to register that my phone was ringing I tried to mentally prepare myself for what I was going to hear. I assumed that my Gram had taken a turn for the worse...I never imagined it would be my 21 year old cousin. After, what we believe to be an accidental overdose while spending time with friends, Zach was clinging to life through machines at a Nashville hospital.

I was the closest family member in proximity and there was no question that I should be the one to go, so I hurried around in a state of shock to shower, eat breakfast, pack a small bag and get on the road. For 3 hours I rode in my car going over the details in my head. Holy crap, what the heck has just happened? I felt stunned and numb except for the pit in my stomach and prayed for a miracle that only our God could make happen.

When I arrived I was embraced by my aunt who reassured me that he was fighting. Of course he was fighting, fighting was his job. Zach was a solider and he had spent time in Iraq, jumped out of airplanes and studied at West Point. These thoughts flooded my brain and as I watched him in the hospital bed I kept secretly thinking wake up, wake up, please please wake up. It would have been just like Zach to wake up, look around and crack a joke about being late to the party.

Zach never did wake up & our hearts are all broken on so many levels. I was thinking on the way home, and it's hard to swallow, that our family will never be the same and there will always be a void. Zach and I had a special bond {Justin & I were married on his birthday} & I am grateful for our memories. I keep thinking fondly back to the time that Zach came and stayed 2 weeks with me while I was in Austin. We ate lots of Chick-fil-A and watched hours of Laguna Beach. I laugh thinking of his impersonation of Kristin Cavillari. "SteeePHEN"

As a family of Christ followers, the Lord has affirmed to us that Zach is with Jesus in heaven and that brings a calming peace that gets us through the moments of questioning and the stunned disbelief. It was Zach's wish to be an organ donor, so his organs will go first to help any solider in need and then Nashville, TN and beyond. It is my prayer that the 20-50 people that will benefit from this special gift will live their life with the vitality, fearlessness & gusto that Zach approached every situation he encountered in his life.

{Zach & Me ~ November 2006}

Natalie Grant's lyrics keep playing in my head & now I fully get their meaning ~ Held

This is what it means to be held

How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive

This is what it is to be loved and to know

That the promise was when everything fell

We'd be held

Kentuckiana

The three of us are loaded in the car and hitting the road to Indiana by way of Kentucky! It's hard to believe that we haven't been back since we pulled out of our drive {pictured above} back in January! It certainly doesn't seem like that long ago. I am very much looking forward to seeing my crazy in laws!

The good news is that I got my computer back just in time for my trip, so hopefully I can get caught up on some blogging & such while I'm away. There was a problem with the motherboard and it had to be replaced. I had a sad mac... er... sad PC.

Of course, I'm supposed to meet Justin in a couple of hours and our suitcases sit empty! Why is it so hard for me to get motivated to pack for two people? Nose to the grindstone people - I am going to be gone for 12 days! Good golly Miss Molly!

My Sister is gonna be a Mrs!

lesli & janna ~ new years eve 2008

I've been away from my computer since Wednesday, but it is with great pleasure that I can announce to the world that my sister is engaged! Ok, well technically she's not my sister, but now that I have my hair so dark we can kind of pass as sisters. She is Justin's baby sister and I was thrilled when Justin and I got engaged that I would have a sister of my very own that I had a LOT in common with!

I mean what is better than getting a sister that has her own little boutique with purses and jewelry and can do all your waxing? She's also a fantastic dinner partner, because she's finally coming over to the WINE side and she'll try just about anything like me.

I miss her and I'm so sad that I can't be with her to jump up and down and scream with at a time like this.

Aaron and Janna, we could NOT be happier for you! Hope your lifetime together is beyond anything anyone could dream up and put on paper!

aaron & janna ~ new years eve 2008

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PS ~ It's FRIDAY and you know what that means... the fat chicks weighed in! You will NOT believe the results this week! www.fourfatchicks.blogspot.com

to all a good night.

My Christmas wish to all of you, my sweet friends, is that you had a classically delightful holiday like you've been dreaming about all month. I let it be known around the table this year that I will be spending Christmas in Hawaii next year. This is the most wonderful time of the year, right? So why can't a girl dream big? It's going on my vision board as soon as I get home. Another item of business on my vision board is that everyone will learn how to use my camera without being shakey-mcshakerson! Love the natural light, hate the blur. Guess you can't have it all.

Christmas List

My mother-in-law asked me for a Christmas list for me and Justin on Saturday, and I was like HALLELUJAH! The only thing I hate as much as wasting money is getting presents that I didn't ask for. I know that's not the Christmas spirit, and it's the thought that counts, but what about the gifts that there was no thought put into and now you're stuck? A Christmas List would have solved all of those problems and curbed much disappointment. And a list can still have an element of surprise... make it long enough and vary the prices and you'll have no idea what you're going to get!

Here are the things on my list. Mom, don't worry ~ I'll be emailing you the real thing.

1. Mercury Glass - I just love the look of mercury glass, and I put it on my list last year and didn't get one cingular piece. It's at the top of this years list, so here's hoping. I'm not picky either, I'd like ornaments, vases, candle sticks, any and all pieces will be welcome in my home.

2. Black sequined fit flops - I've been singing the praises of the Fit Flop since I made my first Fit flop purchase back in April. I know I'll only spend $9 on my dress flats and $50 on flip flops, but I have worn those shoes every day since purchase. If that's not $50 worth of use I don't know what is. The problem I face is I wore my black ones to paint in and they look ratty, so I need the sequined ones to look NICE.

3. Black Sweater Boots - Of course I am not asking for the UGG version of these, and for all of you who were surprised to know that Wal*Mart has cute shoes, you should see these too. I think these are so cute, and for all intents and purposes I would be perfectly happy to have the $23.99 Wal*Mart version. However, that's just too much to pay for them on a regular old day.

4. iTunes Gift Card - I've said it before, and I'll say it again ~ gift cards are way underrated gifts! Christina got me a Wal*Mart gift card for my birthday and her husband thought it was soooooooooooo BeJanky, and I thought it was so thoughtful. I have mentioned Wal*Mart twice in this post... y'all are probably starting to think I am a redneck. I digress...I would definitely use this for all the sweet APPS and new songs for the ole iPhone that I always feel bad spending a whole dollar on. {but I have an iPhone...yeah, I hear ya on the irony thing...}

5. Stemware - Justin and I received all of our dishes and silverware, but didn't get a lick of stemware for wedding gifts! Fortunately, he has a pretty set of regular glasses, but I want the pretty stemware I picked out. I can already picture my beautiful table set with my dishes and stemware and mercury glass! I want to go home!

So there you have. The Top 5 things I want for Christmas, and really that's about all I can think of right now. Mom said and I quote, "All I want is for you and Justin to be here." I'm trying to figure out a way to wrap us up and put us under the tree. Be careful what you ask for!

Now I need to know... what are the top 5 things on YOUR list?

I survived the great move of 2008

I'm blogging this morning with the help of my cell phone. That's a weird thought, huh? The cable guy came and turned our cable and Internet on first thing yesterday morning, because you know justin and lesli can't go more than one night without our TiVo! I was talking to my mom while justin was plugging the 4 million wires that make our tv and possibly the government run and she was like,"you better have that working by the time I get there so I can see how TiVo works." clearly it's more than TiVo that she doesn't know how works. It was hard enough missing design star and food network star. Anyone else shocked that the college station boy went home?

Anyway...right now the Internet isn't connecting and My I.T. Guy is still sleeping, so what can I do. Wonder how I did it before? Oh well- I've tried the usual tricks, and honestly this isn't too bad. It's even correcting my spelling and capitalizing my "I"s. Thank you.

So about the move...justin and I are still married, so that makes it an instant success. The extra bedroom is already so nice. The closet in the extra room houses my clothes, so often it was referred to as my bedroom. It's my closet...I'll continue to share my beautiful new bed with my husband.

On Sunday we were about to start the waxing session (justin's sister does waxing and such for a living ~ yes, I realize just how lucky I am.) when we looked for the microwave and realized there wasn't one. When was the last time you lived in a place with no microwave? I know you think they're only $20, but we're going to try and rough it like pioneer people and see if we can make it without. Update my blog on my cell phone, but go without a microwave. It's pioneer to some people.

I can report that the painting of the furniture turned out better than I could have even hoped for! There will be pictures and maybe even videos a la HGTV before after to come, but I have about 10 more boxes to undo, a bed skirt to starch and press and another table to get sanded and painted! Better go wake my I.T. Guy up!

viva la texas!

i'm headed out the door for a much anticipated trip to texas! wish you could be there to see the smile on my face when the 100% humidity knocks me over!

check back later for my living great in 08 travel tip!

soxy lady

i talk to gram about 3 times a week over the phone. mostly to keep her company and to talk about the really important things like just how smart everyone else in the family is and the meal they're serving for wednesday night supper at the church. and not to get all morbid, but it's totally living great... how many times have you talked to your gram this week? call her!

on one of our recent talks she asked me if i had seen the sales paper for Penney's that week. unfortunately for me, we don't subscribe to the lexington paper because right there on the JcPenney's cover was the stylish new capri suit that my Gram had to have. So as I'm trying to picture 1. a capri suit and 2. my Gram in this suit I can only think of the 3 pairs of casual shoes that she owns. Her huarache sandals and her reeboks in white or black.

Me: Gram, now you know if you wear your huaraches with your capri suit you can't wear socks, right?

Gram: Yes, i know!

which really she doesn't know that socks aren't appropriate for huaraches because i've only seen her wear them with socks, but she's in this stage where she'll agree with you if you call her out. mom, take note! i go on to tell her that i will tell my mom to be sure and get her those nylon sandal socks.

so for mother's day she wanted to be really crazy and go to a high school game. before she walks out the door she looks at my mom and says, "If Lesli could see me right now she'd be so mad."

oh dear... how can you be mad at your Gram when she's just trying to be festive and support her team from the afghan on her chair to her bracelet all the way down to her socks?

"love's the thing... the rest is just tinsel!" -pam brown

Justin and I have been searching high and low for traditions to start for our new family. do we read the Christmas story from Luke? do we open our gifts on the eve or the day? do we wait until we have little ones to form traditions? however, we put one into practice this year that i think will be a cherished tradition for many many years to come.

I can't take credit though... i read about this in a magazine, and borrowed it and we made it our own. so here's the deal - i bought plain white gift tags... no santa, no words, no wreaths. then instead of writing to: lesli, from: justin we added a special touch. we either hinted at the gift or credited someone famous for the gift. justin's reecord player... from: his favorite dance partner. my photoshop (yes i got it! - i LOVE santa) to: pam, from: jim - may your inner artist grow (a nod to the office). for a "stylish sweater" justin asked for... from: tim gunn. reading the cards was almost more exciting than opening the gift.

because i keep everything, i will keep these for a very very long time. and also because i keep everything we're having a wedding themed Christmas! Somehow i came home with every single bag from every single gift at every single shower, and being the frugal stickler i am, you know i couldn't splurge on Christmas wrapping paper. nothing says Santa like black and white bag with a bride! and yes, our presents are under the tv. flat screen plasmas are the Christmas tree!

we wish you a very merry christmas this year, and so do oprah, and paula deen and brad pitt and whomever makes you happy!

turkey, anyone?

my brain slowed down just long enough yesterday to remember that tomorrow is thanksgiving! how could one be so forgetful?

i've packed enough to fill a small uhaul to get everything we might and may never need to texas for the holiday and the wedding. ok maybe not a small uhaul, but two large suitcases (one of them is just for shoes), golf clubs, bathroom bag, rubbermaid tub of wedding stuff - guest book, boys ties, my hair thing, and several other bags of stuff we can't possibly live without for the next week and a half! oh, and the rings too, they were packed first - wouldn't that be a tragedy to forget.

justin is over the moon to pull up to two thanksgiving tables and eat his weight in turkey and dressing. he's already making mental room for seconds, because he could care less about the sweets, while i'm trying to justify chocolate pie one week before i slip on the dress. but really... what's 700 more calories in the grand scheme of life? isn't that why God invented photo shop? to photo shop out the double chins? would be my guess...

my family is excited for us to be there. my dad called monday to talk about our anticipated arrival. i can tell he's genuinely thrilled to be getting a son in law, and even happier that it's justin. now he has a brand new person he can show around his shop and visit with on his deck. they're similar souls... gentle and kind... both the type of men who enjoy listening to me and humor me by laughing at my stories. dad said, "You know, I've been thinking about Justin, and I can't find one thing about him that's not to love." great minds must think alike.

i have more than enough to be thankful for, and for starters, i'm thankful to be falling asleep under a texas sky tonight surrounded by my loved ones and of course, chocolate pie.

sparse week

this week might be a little sparse for the old blog, because i had to get back to the great state for a little visit because i've simply had enough of midwestern mexican food.

sort of, i mean i've had enough of it, and i have some important things to take care of.

1. seriously, about the mexican food - i've searched far and wide, and NOTHING beats what i enjoyed in austin, texas. even the "bad" mexican food was exponentially better than "good" anywhere i've been.

2. it's high time for a girls night in, girls night out, girls night upside down at my favorite farm house in texas. there are two white rocking chairs on the porch with our name on it. plus our friends from seattle grace will be there.

3. churches and dress and hair, oh my! i'll be knocking some wedding stuff out... got to see that church, get my dress hemmed and fix this hair. not that it's broken, but it's crying out for new color and a cut!

4. that means... i'll have plenty of pictures to share when i resurface. nope, not of the dress. no one is seeing that puppy until it walks down the aisle.

ps - before i fell asleep last night all i could think about was how the word SPARSE was misspelled in the title... ah ya ya... had to wait for morning.

eight... continued

i will only be adding one today, as this one deserves to stand alone. #4 is a fact. i am the proud cousin to an American solider serving our country in Iraq. in the oddest of moments he'll cross my mind and I'll wonder how on earth he really is. i can remember my aunt being pregnant with him and how we hoped he was a boy and even though he'll probably always seem like a crazy old kid, he's doing grown up things that grown up men do. the thing that will boggle most of your minds is that he was born to be a solider, and truly couldn't wait to set foot on Iraqi soil. my heart is grateful every day when he crosses my mind that he is the brave one serving our country. there truly is no better person for the job.

my favorite cousin - the solider on the right.

back to life, back to reality

greetings my friends! i'm back from a whirlwind weekend with my mom in town, which by now seems like an eternity ago! also, got to spend the week with my other half in sunny (and ridiculously hot) arizona where we laughed, worked, played and of course - planned!!

if there was a word to describe the past 12 days, that would be PRO-DUC-TIVE, but i won't bore you with ALL the productivity, at least not right now!

On Friday, i went down to the bridal shop, and little miss indecisive found her wedding dress in one hour! read that again, will ya? ONE HOUR!!! it's not what i always thought i would wear, but nonetheless, it is beautiful and perfect to me and for me and i loved it the instant i slipped it on! i will NOT be posting pictures, because the only pictures i have are of me in it, and my other half would like to wait to see that until i walk down the aisle, so that means everyone waits!

i tried on a couple veils here and there, and am i the only one that thinks veils are kind of a rip off? if you get them in a bridal shop, they will run you (from what i saw) $250, but look like the same tulle that you could find at the fabric store for $1.00 a yard? so, i began to weigh my options and decided to do something completely different.

this bride was my inspiration:plus, i love that she paired big chandelier earrings with the flowers. remember, everything is bigger in texas=)

after looking online, i found this one. it would work, and certainly serve the purpose.


but God gave me creative instincts, and i intend to use them. for $40 less, this was the result...

i bought a few strands of tiny pearls to add if need be, and added those jeweled pieces to the middle for added sparkle. what do you think?

hair it is!

there is nothing like a trip home. especially with this kind of art work proudly displayed in just about any and every parking lot in town.

the weekend was great. i think i ate enough calories for an african village to survive on for a year, but it was the best peach pie i had ever put in my mouth. not to mention the "designer" cupcakes that were made especially for me and the homemade salsa allie brought. oh the homemade salsa... i haven't eaten salsa that garlicy and good in many many chicago moons. i think i can still taste the garlic=) hopefully all the laughing put a dent in the caloric intake, somehow!

my uncle has recently caught wind of this blog, and made it his personal mission to spread the word to every living and breathing soul he came in contact with. the boys put their heads together and changed the blocks from "welcome justin" to say "blog it lesli" here it is boys, and if you're reading this because my uncle told you to - well, bless your heart.

just as i suspected, everyone loved my other half, and the fact that he lived in texas for 5 years was selling point enough for my grandmother. "I think he fits in with us, and he was raised in Texas, so that's why he is nice."

fortunately for my other half, he got out of the marathon shopping trip and got to steal away to the golf course for a few hours with my uncle and a retired marine general. lucky for him, because what he did later showed his true colors.

as if asking him to dry my extensions wasn't too much to ask, he spent saturday evening with 4 chatty girls at a hair salon listening to all of our stories, our gossip and our theories on men. i'm pretty sure he was bored, but you would have never known it. i think this means there are many trips to best buy and many action movies in my future. what a man!

here is my most accomplished friend Ali in her new salon... you go girl with your business woman self! isn't that buffet/cabinet thing just fabulous? she should probably be a professional shopper as well. i've never known anyone with better taste/style/antique luck!

the beginning of the transformation - i woke up a few weeks ago hating my hair. it had to go, regardless of the season - i was sick to death of the blonde!



oh and look who else took a spin in the chair...

and here is the new me with ali's little man, milo! my hair wasn't all the way dry, because the other allie counted and it now takes me half an hour to dry my hair! ok that might be exaggerated, but it takes longer than the two minutes it used to!



dark, huh? total incognito, and i love it!

breaking my rule

i've said for a long time that i would never take a guy home to meet my family until after the wedding. that way the deal would be legally sealed and no matter how crazy he might think they are, we'd be legally bound by vows.

this weekend, the jig is up. i clearly haven't gotten married in the past week or so, and me and my other half are heading to texas. i am confident that my other half will not be heading for the hills this weekend. he might feel like he's gotten a free weekend at the circus with all the crazies, but he's in this. it doesn't hurt that my senile gram has already promised that she'll be nice to him. he might be the only one=)

i did however get away with a little pre-breaking in last week when my aunt asked if she could go by his current location and pay him a visit. i gave her the go ahead and instead of asking i just mentioned, you know - smart girl tricks - that she and my uncle would be stopping by. this worked like a charm and weeded out the excuse of being uncomfortable without me being there.

based on the phone calls that me and mom received, i'm not sure it could have gone better. my aunt called me practically in tears about how wonderful he is and my uncle called my mom and said, "he is awesome - we couldn't have picked a better person for her if it had of been left up to us."

i knew that they would like him, but my heart swells when i think of how they will love him. so, now i'm going into the weekend without a worry in my head. yes, it will seem like a circus to him, especially since my mom invited 20+ people to the cookout, but much like the circus - the family sticks together, and only 3 of the invites are not in our family.

speaking of circus - there might as well be three rings in my own apartment with my to do list before i take off tomorrow, but i wanted to warn you to be thinking about my other half as he embarks on unchartered territory - no man has gone before him in this role! i'll let you know if he's still here on monday=)