So now there's a "top tier" of GOP candidates. With the entrance of our governor, the exit of the Minnesota former governor, and the "just barely" win of the congresswoman from Minnesota, we are now looking at Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, and Michele Bachmann as the trio of front-runners. And for the record, I am not excited. Well, I'm excited that we're putting an end to the current administration, and ANYONE currently in the race would be better...but not so much better that I'm getting a thrill down my leg or anything.

Labels: Family, Food, Language, Movies, Political Observation, Sundays, TV, Weather

I've been at the Okla-home for nearly four weeks now. It's been one of the sweetest times of my life, waiting for and then greeting our little preemie granddaughter, Ava June. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was posting her parents' wedding pictures and making sure CJ had all the kitchen stuff she needed? And now they're a family of three...a perfect little family with a perfect little girl that doctors predicted shouldn't be here yet and certainly shouldn't have been strong or well enough to come home yet. We've been reminded that God uses doctors but He doesn't consult them on timing. On my way home from the hospital on Friday, knowing that Ava was just a couple of hours behind me, I was flooded with the praise chorus: 




Don't know why that particular one flooded my heart, but it's exactly what I'm thinking and feeling this weekend...


This week I made the prediction, on Facebook, that the winner of the next election and the next president of the United States will be my state's governor, Rick Perry. I am a far cry from endorsing him, but I just feel it in my bones. That said, I'm growing increasingly interested in Michele Bachmann, a woman for whom I have tremendous respect. I don't know that she has the money or the backing to go the distance, but I'd be willing to bet that she has a future.


Yes to Hobby Lobby. LOVE that store. I'm glad to have one close to my house, but the one in Midwest City OK is the best one I've ever been in! And while I'm not one of those who will never shop on a Sunday, you gotta love a company that still has the courage to stay CLOSED on Sundays. 


While I've been in Oklahoma, I've crocheted two baby blankets...one for Ava and one for Van. It's been a long time since I crocheted, and it was nice to have something to do to help pass the hours in the hospital as we waited for Ava to be released. Now I think I shall make one for Savannah, slightly larger since she's almost 1!


I'm also venturing into another area from which I've been absent for a long time...I'm going to make curtains for Ava's room. This would have been standard operating procedure for me a few years back, but it's been so long that I may have to re-teach myself to thread the machine! 


During my long drives in the past three weeks, I finished A Patriot's History of the United States and Song of Saigon. Both were excellent listens. Echoing my previous recommendation of the former, let me add two points: 1) It's very long. But then the history of the US is, well, long. If you get the audio version and the thought of 50+ hours is daunting, choose the 2X speed. The narrator reads slowly enough that even at double speed it's perfectly understandable. It takes a few minutes of getting used to, but it really helped me to have this option. 2) If you really think you can't get through it all this summer, listen to the second half. We've all gotten much more misinformation about history in the 20th century than in the first few, so a review of the 20th from a non-leftist position will be extremely valuable if you got, as I did, the public school version.


Thoroughly enjoyed watching, via Netflix, the 4-episode Daniel Deronda.


I'll be returning home on Tuesday, with just enough time to do laundry, repack, and stock our van with enough groceries to get us through our one-week stay in Red River, New Mexico. We always enjoy the cool respite from the south Texas heat and the time to do absolutely nothing but rest and visit (well yes, and cook!). This year there will be more than 40 of us congregating in the little mountain motel--I can hardly wait to get going!


Okay, time to pay attention to the littlest Snippet...here are some favorite moments from the past three weeks. Hope your week is fabulous!

This was the very first time CJ got to hold her little one, 24 hours after delivery.

Labels: Babies, Books, Grandparenting, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Political Observation, Sundays, TV, Vacations

Labels: Books, Food, Political Observation, TV

Labels: Books, Church, Food, Grandparenting, Homeschooling, Music, Political Humor, Sundays, Technology, TV

Labels: Books, Food, Good Stuff, Grandkids, Movies, TV

Labels: Devotional, Family, Holidays, Memories, Music, Social Observation, TV

Labels: Body of Christ, Books, Family, Food, Homeschooling, Political Action, Technology, Texas, TV

It's fall. And though usually the beginning of fall is a cruel joke to those of us here in South America Texas, it was actually below 70 before sunset this evening, and that gives me hope. Now if we can just avoid too much rain in the less than three weeks before the wedding. We need to park about 75 cars on our "land" and it would be nice not to have any quicksand, and it would be nice not to experience a deluge during the outdoor ceremony.

Our school is going well this year, but then again, we've way downsized. John Caleb is doing several courses through a local co-op and is just doing math and history with us. I've got lots of time and space now for one-on-one attention with Tim, and that has been very good for both of us.

If you're looking for a good writing program and don't mind giving it some real effort, please look at Classical Writing (www.classicalwriting.com). This is the program I've been looking for for a quarter of a century, and it's one I'd love to use with younger kids (my grandkids and others) when my own teaching responsibilities are over. I love to write, but teaching writing has always been my least favorite "chore," right there behind Texas history.

Learning to walk again with one leg considerably shorter than the other has been one of my biggest challenges in the past decade. And after two false starts at having shoes made for me that would equalize the difference, this week I'm so encouraged! Our friend Cody Longenbaugh brought me in to his company and they worked on two pairs of shoes for me, and I now have hope that I'm not going to have to spend the rest of my life limping or wearing shoes that look like my grandmother's :-)

This afternoon I watched half of the Ken Burns series on Thomas Jefferson. I can never seem to get enough of Jefferson or of trying to figure him out. He's one of the most interesting figures in all of history to me, even when I disagree with him. A couple of things stood out to me today. One is the quote from Tristram Shandy that would have remained obscure except for the fact that Martha Jefferson wrote it out to Thomas as she lay dying and could no longer speak...

Time wastes too fast: every letter I trace tells me with what rapidity life follows my pen. The days and hours of it are flying over our heads like clouds of a windy day never to return...

And then there's this, a quote from a letter Jefferson wrote to William S. Smith in 1787. It more prescient all the time:

God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.... And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

No, I still don't know what I'm wearing to the wedding. I'm working on it.

To the soprano who sat in back of me this morning and blessed my morning and my worship with your beautiful singing, thank you. You were a gift.

And this week, I WILL make Pioneer Woman's "The Bread." Yes, it's glorified breadandbutter. But I can smell it already. I was going to include a link, but her site is down. You're probably better off.

I hope that where you live you'll be feeling the zip of fall air very soon. I'll be here waiting...

Labels: Church, Food, Homeschooling, TV, Weather, Weddings

After a dream week with Lyric in southern California, I slid up the coast on a short flight into Sacramento, and when I got off the plane, The Papa was there to meet me right at the gate. He flew in 40 minutes earlier from Texas and we were off on the next leg of our end-of-summer adventures! We're now enjoying a lovely mini-vacation outside of Modesto with our newest soul-mate friends. It's been a long time since I spent two weeks in this state, but it's all been good :-)

And one of the best parts is that I got to have an In-N-Out burger on the way to the airport. Just thought you'd want to know.

And of course while we're on the left coast, all eyes were on that "other" coast, watching a half-million or more people gather in Washington DC to raise the standard for honor, freedom, and a restoring of American values. Very inspiring.

Counting down to the wedding, we're 41 days away. All the large pieces are in place and we're just working on the fine points now. I'm still sort of in denial that CJ is moving AWAY...I have no problems with her marrying the man of her dreams, I'm just still thinking that something magical will happen and they'll stick around.

Pizza tastes better cooked outside. And Pear Gorgonzola Pizza is my new fave.

It felt a little funny to get school going and then leave for two weeks, but that's the way things worked this year. I'm anxious to get back to working with the boys and also the fall meetings of our HOPE group.

FIVE years since Katrina? Wow.

My next trip will be a redux of last year's ill-fated vacation in Hawaii. I didn't realize that the pain I was having while I was there was because I was still walking around on a broken leg. Though I was happy to be there, I wasn't able to do much outside of our hotel room, so we're having a do-over. Papa has to be there for two weeks in October/November, so I'm going to go for one of those weeks while the kids take a fall break. Hopefully, this time I'll be able to enjoy all those things I love about the islands!

Can someone please tell me why there are so many voices on TV saying, "Our economy is headed in the right direction"? Are they serious, or is this a case of "Who you gonna believe, me or your lyin' eyes?" (Juan Williams, I'm lookin' in your direction.)

Anyone using a great new curriculum this year that you're dying to tell me about? Or complain about?

I have the coolest kids in the world. And I miss 'em.

Did you catch Jennifer Griffin this past week? What a great lady. Her return to FOX News this week FROM AFGHANISTAN, including her coming unglued at the emotion of it all, was about the best thing I've seen on TV all year.

We're going to Yosemite tomorrow! It'll be our first visit there and I'm so excited...I'm sure I'll post some pictures.

Hope your week is as much fun as ours is. Have a great one!

Labels: Family, Food, Homeschooling, The Papa, Theater of the Absurd, TV, Vacations

Recovery is coming along very nicely. The Papa commented a few minutes ago that he's still amazed at how different this one's been compared to all the other surgeries when it took so much longer to bounce back. I appreciate the thousands of prayers that have been prayed for me in the past six months and I believe that THIS is the reason behind the positive outcome. Because there's no other explanation for it. (And even if there were, I'd still believe that God was listening to the prayers of his people!)

Despite the smooth sailing the past couple of weeks, I became aware during the first few days of walking that the difference in the length of my legs is significant enough that I will not be able to walk without shoe lifts. And I don't mean inserts...it's more of a difference than I can compensate for with anything inside the shoe. While I'm not happy about this, I will certainly accept the inconvenience in trade for the pain I've been in for so many years. It won't be easy to give up flip-flops and bare feet, though...

Years ago I played the cello. And I would still rather hear it played than any other instrument except the piano.

I'm deep in books at the moment, getting school all planned for the fall and ordering supplies. I've said before how much I LOVE this part of homeschooling and will have to find a way to get this "fix" even after my kids have all graduated. Maybe I'll hire myself out for school planning, or maybe I'll just force my way into my grandkids' education. The job already takes me a lot less time than it used to: our last remaining students are 9th and 11th grade boys this year. Honey, we shrunk the school!

So as if we didn't already KNOW Tiger was a mere mortal....

While it's been a given for several months that the Democrats will lose a lot of seats in Congress in November, this week it seemed there was a tipping point where an avalanche of observers believe they could lose both houses. I believe this is so important that every voter should be planning now to make sure his/her voice is heard, not only by voting but by writing letters, volunteering, and praying. I'll be using my voice in a variety of ways to install a Senate and House that has the muscle and the guts to repeal every tenet of Obamacism passed in 2009-10.

I'm enjoying the new Next Food Network Star and HGTV's Design Star seasons.

Wedding plans here continue. This week we ordered bridesmaids' dresses and made some other decisions. What a joyful time!

Last night we shared a neat experience with all of our kids and grandkids who are 10 years old and up. We went to a Brasilian "churrascaria," Chama Gaucha, and had one of the most wonderful dinners I've ever eaten. We used this opportunity for an early celebration of Father's Day and my birthday, both falling on the same day this year. This night out was a gift from our dear friend Steph K., via gift cards that we received for Christmas but because of certain unfortunate circumstances was delayed for six months. The waiting only made it sweeter and it was better than we could have imagined. Thank you, Steph!



It's the longest day of the year...Carpe diem!

Labels: Food, Health, Holidays, Music, ObamaNation, Political Action, TV, Weddings

He is Risen! Were there ever words that proclaimed so much hope to humanity?

"...if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep!" (1 Cor. 15:17-20)

I love winter and I'm sorry to see it go, but I must admit that it's sweet to taste the strawberries and asparagus and see the tiny, spring green leaves on the trees outside my window. Sad that we've already had to close the house and turn the air on...early April seems just too...well, early.

My talented son-in-law Dave has spent the past week enclosing our deck with rails and balusters and solar lighting. For several years it's been just a flat 1400 sq. ft. expanse of deck with no adornments. No longer...it's becoming the Cinderella I always wanted. Next phase, later this month: a lovely pergola in one corner, ten feet on each side. It will be a great place to sit and eat and enjoy our few nice days in the summer...or to highlight special occasions ;-) [If you live in San Antonio or the Hill Country and need a great remodeler/renovator/carpenter, you need to get in touch with Dave!]

Despite the MSM's attempts to marginalize and demonize the Tea Party movement, they are going to have trouble explaining the increasing number of independents and Dems who are, shall we say, dipping their bread in the tea.... Disgruntled Dems Join Tea Party

I think it's about time they rename it and make it official: FOX News is now CNN. Cleavage News Network. I simply cannot take the news seriously when it's delivered by a girl in a prom dress or a negligee. There are just some things I don't need to see. I'm wondering if when FOX says they're "fair and balanced" they mean they're balancing their conservative viewpoint with a licentious and many times silly atmosphere. And please...don't even get me started on Shepard Smith.

PLEASE read Son of Hamas. I finished it this week and highly recommend it, even for your kids, say, 12 and up. Especially boys. It's a quick read, a very inspirational true story about the son of the co-founder of Hamas who is convinced to work for Shin Bet (Israeli intelligence) and then becomes a Christian. His account of all sides is very balanced and compassionate, but he doesn't hesitate to show the darker side of all sides in the Middle East.

Well, it's totally appropriate in my mind that my next surgery, the one that I'm praying will give me a new life, will fall on Easter week. I will go in early Wednesday morning for what's expected to be nearly an all-day surgery, followed by a week in the hospital and perhaps a couple of weeks of inpatient rehab after that. It will be a difficult road, perhaps more so than any of my other hip replacements and revisions, but I am looking forward to this one like no other. By Wednesday I will have been sitting/reclining for three full months, and I haven't walked since December 22. So this is really going to be a new beginning, very fitting for the week of Easter! Praise God for His faithfulness!

"Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all..."

Labels: Books, Health, Holidays, Political Observation, TV

It's sad saying goodbye to the Olympics. They've been a pleasant companion to me the past two weeks. Not that boredom is ever a problem for me, even in these months. I can find things to complain about on bad days, but boredom is never one of them. Still, the Olympics filled the afternoons and evenings with a completely different element and I will miss them...

But just about the time I am bidding the Olympics farewell, I get a little care package from Lyric with one of my recent favorite movies, The Time Traveler's Wife. I don't watch many movies more than once (Fiddler on the Roof and The Sound of Music would be about the only exceptions), but this one was such a delight that I will be watching it again soon. As in tomorrow night. She also sent a CD that I'm listening to tonight: The Canadian Tenors. Divine harmonies.

In the month that I've been home from the hospital but still confined to my room, I've been getting a stream of flowers at the rate of one arrangement a week. They come from friends all over the country and have brightened my days more than anyone knows. But it took me about three weeks to figure out that the regularity with which they were arriving smacked of some kind of benevolent orchestration. I'm not asking any questions, I'm just enjoying the color, aroma, and kindness these bouquets represent. Thank you so much to all of you who have blessed me this way!

While I have my own thoughts about who "won" and who "lost" in Thursday's health care kabuki theater, it seems the country and the pundits are rather divided on its success. Nevertheless, I don't think it got us any closer to the Dems' goal of Health Care Reform Destruction than we were on Wednesday. So have we dodged a bullet? Or will something be pulled out of a hat at the last minute to give Madame Speaker her slim majority? If I were inclined to bet, I'd be putting my money on her. And that's not a good thing.

When I'm tempted to complain about our medical insurance, I sometimes forget how much our Tricare has been worth to us in the past eight years. The bill for my 23 days of hospitalization in December/January arrived: $420. That's the total...nothing else for doctors, tests, drugs, anything. Since '02 I've had over a dozen surgeries on my hips, legs, and other places, and our contribution has been a pittance compared to what I've received. Yes, military care can be exasperating at times, but the benefits gained from The Papa's years of service turned out to be much more valuable than we ever dreamed they'd be. Thank God for His provision.

Another blessing...Dave and Kristen (our second-oldest daughter) and their children have "moved in" with us during The Papa's latest trip to Hawaii. Because I currently need a lot of care, it's so helpful to have extra hands, cooks, drivers, nurses, etc. around. Plus the fact that they're just plain good company :-) And it's good to hear the foot-patter of the elves once again. Thanks so very much, Slaughters...

It's okay for Michelle Obama to tell us all what to eat and how much to exercise, but Barack is still sneaking out the back door for a smoke.

I haven't gotten all the way through The Help yet...but it's one of those rare pieces of fiction that I'd don't want to ever be over. So I'm listening...slo-o-o-owly.

As you enter this month that is said to come "in like a lion and out like a lamb," I hope you'll enjoy the crocuses and tulips coming up through the last of the snow. As for us here in the unfrozen south, we'll be watching for the first bluebonnets. Happy March!

Labels: Books, Family, Friendship, Health, Political Observation, TV

Today it feels like spring in south Texas...not that I've been outside to enjoy it, but the chill is gone from my room and I know that spring is not far behind. But I'm in no hurry...I'm looking forward to a couple more cold snaps before our inexorable march toward heat and humidity.

I've now seen my original target date for being through with the antibiotic treatment come and go and I'm still waiting. I'm still hoping for a surgery date by at least mid-March but that is looking less likely with each day that passes. The wait is hard, though I've become used to the routine and I've found plenty of things to keep me busy. My days consist of: reading, both books and on my Kindle (which I can also access on my computer and it's easier reading that way); enjoying audio books, currently listening to The Help; working puzzles in my book of Brain Games; helping the kids with schoolwork; doing a little work and other writing projects; and devising creative strategies to keep lunch down. Sometimes the latter takes precedence over everything else, and I find that sleep is about my only weapon when the nausea is bad. But at least I have lots to keep me busy in the in-between times :-)

As if that's not enough to keep me busy, I'm poring over The Teaching Company's catalog, trying to decide which course to "take" next. I'm leaning toward something in the American literature area, perhaps one on the American short story. If you haven't ever considered this route of expanding your knowledge in some field, you should. These courses are terrific! (Just make sure you never buy anything that's not on sale. Every course goes on sale every year, and you just need to wait for the ones you want to come around!)

I'm fascinated by the current duel between those who say that the ObamaCare strategy to destroy health care is "dead" and those who are still saying it will be rammed (or "Rahm'ed) through within 60 days. I still think that something will be passed; I can only hope that whatever it is a mere skeleton of what the Left wanted and that the harmful parts will be repealed by the next Congress before enough people get sucked in by dependence on government coffers. It's really hard to vote no on something once you've gotten a check. (And I include myself in that. I would hate to give up my mortgage credit on our income tax, and yet I believe that the government should not give such credits. If anything we should be encouraging saving, not borrowing. But then that's a whole other argument.)

As predicted, the Olympics has been such good company for me in these waiting days and I'll be sad to see them end. I don't necessarily enjoy every event (watching hockey as I write, and it's certainly not my favorite), but I've kept it on no matter what the event. I'm proud that USA is, at least now, far ahead in the medal count and representing us well!

Another distraction: Tim Challies has a project this year of reading every New York Times bestseller and reviewing them on a blog he calls 10 Million Words. How this guy can manage to fit in reading all these books into his already crazy-busy life is part of the attraction for me. Whether or not I ever read anything he's reviewing, it's a very interesting blog to follow. And then again, there are a few books that have caught my attention that I might never have thought to read without his recommendation, such as The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Put this blog on your Google Reader or Bloglines and follow a fascinating project.

I must buy a new computer. I must buy a new computer. I must buy a new computer. I would rather endure bamboo shoots under my nails. And it has little to do with the expense. It's just such a headache. Not only the choice, but the transfer of everything in my life to a new machine is more than I can bear. So this one limps along.

I'm having fun helping Shelley plan her senior piano recital. She's working hard on the music and I and some good friends are working on the reception. This will be the first time we've ever done this, and I'm really excited about displaying and honoring all her hard work at the keyboard!

Snip, snip, that's all, folks!

Labels: Books, Health, Political Observation, TV, Weather

I so hope this turns out to be untrue:

NEW YORK (WPIX)-- It appears Jon Gosselin isn't ready to part ways with reality television. The former star of "Jon & Kate Plus 8," is reportedly slated to appear in a new show in which he'll date Octomom Nadya Suleman.

Former "Cheaters" producer Bobby Goldstein told In Touch Weekly that he heard Nadya had an "insatiable desire to spend time with Jon and put their families together." The comment apparently prompted Goldstein to come up with an idea for a pilot called, "Jon - Kate = Jon Octomom."

Suleman apparently gushed to an online website that she had a crush on Gosselin.

Jon - Kate + Greed = 22 kids

Labels: Theater of the Absurd, TV

Is public opinion on abortion nearing a tipping point? What you never thought you'd see on network TV:





As you can imagine, not everyone shares the same opinion. Some of the fallout here.

hat tip: Dr. P.

Labels: Sanctity of Life, Social Observation, TV

Our stay-cation is coming to an end. Lyric heads home tomorrow and I will TRY to discipline myself back into a routine containing more than naps and movies and Sonic and long talks. This year we're not starting school full time until after Labor Day, but I need to get myself in gear before I expect my kids to do the same. I had big plans for their summer--regular math and music theory and typing--and it all pretty much went down the you-know-what when I broke my leg. They haven't complained, of course, but we do need to find some equilibrium again. Did I mention, though, that these quiet days have fed my soul?

I'd like to say that physical therapy is still going well, and really all I can say is that it's still going. It often feels that I take one step forward, two steps back. In truth I'm sure it's more like two steps forward and one back, because overall I am getting stronger and slightly more stable. I just want to know where to sign up for the course that teaches me how to banish fear--of crowds, of walking, of falling...

Guy Fieri makes me smile.

Three of the kids start back to college (here in town) tomorrow. Which necessarily means that our checking account is sitting near empty. No, not tuition, BOOKS. There must be a special place reserved in the underworld for the publishers of college textbooks. Really.

Please, go shop at Whole Foods. Just go.

I have to be slightly pleased that current polls have both leading Republicans beating Sen. Harry Reid in Nevada next year. Oh, that would be just too delicious.

Yep, I'm hooked on HGTV's Design Star. I admit it. That's part of how we'll be spending our evening...

And now, I need to dig into my Sonic supper...an almost-guilty pleasure :-)

Labels: Food, Friendship, Fun, Homeschooling, Sundays, TV

It's been a fun and varied weekend. Well actually, I suppose any house with twelve people living in it is bound to have some variety, but this weekend was especially so. Set-building for the musical, a tea party, a trip to a water park, homemade cookies and other treats, cleaning, reorganizing, movies, work, job-hunting, potty-training (ok, that's our grandson, but it was happening at our house!) and who knows what else...at least it's never boring.

On Wednesday my sweet cousin and best friend from California will arrive for a twelve-day visit. It's her vacation from work, and getting this far away is about the only way we can keep her days off from becoming just another work day. During Lyric's time here, she and I will get away for a girls' fun trip to a Hawaiian/Texas-themed bed and breakfast in the Hill Country, where we will be deliciously stranded for two days of reading, sleeping, watching movies, and ordering room service. We THINK we can handle it :-)

And then...when that's over I will have to admit that summer is over despite how short it seemed. We'll get down to business with school, jobs, meal plans and chore charts...in short, to routine. It's something I think I don't like until I've been without it for three months; at some point I begin to long for the predictability of the days and the welcome rest of the nights. But since I don't remember half of this summer it doesn't feel like I'm ready for it to be over!

I haven't read nearly as much this summer as you'd think I would with so little else to do. But I am still savoring John Piper's The Pleasures of God. It's one to read slowly...

For six weeks now, Anne and family have been with us and we're still having a great time. No jobs have come through for them yet, so we don't know how much longer the situation will last, but we're enjoying every day. Sure, things are crowded with twelve people in one house, but life has been surprisingly smooth and the only casualty so far has been one dishwasher :-)

It's fun to have a 12-year-old who still loves to build with Legos.

I'm not one for much reality television, but I do enjoy the "Next Food Network Star" and HGTV's "Design Star"...maybe because they're pretty clean and don't involve fake romances and break-ups LOL. I was tickled to see Melissa D'Arabian win the Food Network Star competition and look forward to seeing her show. Nobody yet beats Guy Fieri in this category but we'll see what Melissa can do. And I'll have to admit I'll enjoy Design Star much more when most of the men guys are eliminated (though the two girls they kicked off were pretty bad).

I'll be back, hopefully later today, with pics from the fancy tea party that my kids and I threw for my three youngest granddaughters on Friday. It's funny how quickly a fancy dress, china teacups and bonbons can create genuine princesses!

Happy Sunday!

Labels: Books, Family, Friendship, Summer, Sundays, TV