The Bachelorette: Keeping My Word

Yes, it is that time again. Another ridiculous season of the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. I say "ridiculous" because after last season's scripted fiasco blew up in ABC's face, it is hard telling what they have up their sleeve this time. But, as I said when Bachelor Jason ended, I am not going to watch this season. In case you haven't heard, this season has not even finished filming, which leads me to believe ABC could go in all sorts of directions with this to give us a "shocking" finale. I'm sure they have paid Jillian a nice chunk of change to sign on the dotted line and take part in this. From the looks of the previews, the only prerequisite for the 30 guys trying to make a name for themselves in Hollywood is to look good with their shirt off. Enough about that. I took the liberty of finding a few of these hopefuls to blog about...

Jillian... we all know about her.

Mike.  Okay, I think this guy seems a little "too perfect" and looks to be as cocky as A-Rod, but he has two things going for him.  One, his name.  Two, he owns a baseball camp.  How cool is that?

Mike.  A break dancer.  Really?  Did you try out for "So You Think You Can Dance?" and get rejected so you thought this was the next best thing?  Or, are you hoping by appearing on Bachelorette that "Dancing With the Stars" will pick you up and add a break dancing element?

Greg.  The only reason I have him on here is because he strangely looks like a morph of Jason and Jeremy from Season Deanna.  Am I right?

Kipton.  If it wasn't for his name, this guy would be super cute.  Maybe he was named after a grandparent's last name or something.  And, he has the same haircut as my hubby.  I see him making it a long way unless he is a total jerk.  

Juan.  He's a general contractor.  Jillian's an interior designer.  They could have one awesome house if they got married.  And, he's from Argentina so he could have a cool accent.

Caleb.  Thought he was trying out for the David Cook (American Idol winner) look-alike contest.

So, that about covers it.  Since the likelihood of a marriage coming out of this is slim to none, I guess the main draw for this show is which one of these lads can ABC convince and pay enough to be their next Bachelor.

Sleeping on the Couch

Well, work on our bedroom is underway so we have been sleeping on the foldout sofa.  It hasn't been that bad, but it will be nice to have all the furniture back where it goes as well as having a 21st century bedroom.  We decided to go ahead and get the remaining popcorn scraped off in the kitchen/dining room areas so everything will be smooth.  Craziness to come, but well worth it.  I will keep you posted on progress.  

Tomorrow we will learn what is lurking behind door #1...

The only two lights in the entire room...

Don't ever buy a house with 30-year-old wallpaper.  The glue doesn't come off the wall.  Don't you love the hidden stencil that was revealed as well as the stylish wicker fan??

Happy Mother's Day

This morning we went to brunch at O'Charley's. The "Kids Eat Free Everyday" is a nice incentive. Carlie had her heart set on their mini blueberry muffins and had a near meltdown when she found out they had taken them off the menu. Gasp! Luckily they did have mini cinnamon sugar donuts with cream cheese dipping sauce that did satisfy. Guess who ate most of those? No, not me. Noah, plowed through them. I think there were 12. I looked down half way through my first one to see only three left and his face covered with cinnamon, sugar, and cream cheese dip.  That boy can eat.  

When we got home, we took a few pics outside.  

My egg and cheese brunch quesadilla... Yum!!

Ha Ha, I got the last donut!!!

Get your cinnamon and sugar paws off the donuts!!!

Maybe these are better than the blueberry muffins...

Just a Reminder

Today is...

National Day of Prayer

Photo from flickr.com

It's never too early to start, 

It's never too late to start.

He's always listening.

101 Things...

You should do with Your Kids Before They Leave Home. I am a little behind on my book review postings. Believe it or not, I have finished 2 more Patterson Women's Murder Club books and am currently reading the 5th in the series. Anyway, here is a sampling of some things to do with your kids before they leave home... (all photos from flickr.com)

35. Dance together in the ocean waves.

64. Pile up the pillows, dim the lights, and watch a movie.

79. Instill a passion for Thriftiness.

93. Model the value of hard work and self-discipline.

Derby Day

I could really care less that Paris Hilton will be at the Derby. If I were to wager, which I won't, I would put my money on Chocolate Candy. Why? Duh, chocolate candy is the best thing ever invented (besides electricity.) A little FYI, the horse is owned by Jenny Craig. Yes, that Jenny Craig. Odds are 18-1 so that's a big payout should you go with it. Can Paris Hilton spell "D-E-R-B-Y"? Something tells me she can spell Mint Julep.

Financial Peace Revisited

Last night we finished leading our 13-week Financial Peace University class.  I must say it was awesome.  Everyone had tremendous stories of how this class has changed their life.  There were 26 people (some couples, some singles) in the class, including Mike and me.  At the start of the class, the total consumer debt was just under $600,000.  This does NOT include mortgages.  After 13 weeks over $75,000 of that debt has been paid!!!  A big congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. B. who paid off a whopping $17,000 in 13 weeks!!!  That's gazelle intense!!  

We hope everyone will continue to apply the principles they learned.  We look forward to leading another class in just 38 short weeks.  If you are interested in gaining Financial Peace, click on Dave Ramsey under Interest & Insight for more information or click on the FPU logo.

Fun at Des Peres Park

6 kids for a picture- at least we tried...

B. with Mrs. G.

Strike a Pose

Pup pup gets a ride on the swing

Cards Game

Thursday we met Mrs. A (aka R2) at Busch Stadium for the Cards game. Despite the now $20 parking fee (which I find to be ridiculous), we had a fantastic time. Of course, when the Cards win 12-8, and El Hombre hits 2 home runs, it doesn't get much better than that.

If you are planning to bring the family, the Family Ticket Pack is the way to go. For $15 you get a ticket, pretty high up, but the view is surprisingly good, and a coupon for a hot dog and soda. A hot dog and soda at the concession stand will set you back $9, so $15 for all is not a bad deal if you are going to a game anyway. The kids enjoyed it, and thankfully want to go again.

The Infamous Laura Pic Has Arrived...

Cardinal Nation Update

League: National

Division: Central

Record: 8-4

Rank: First

Rachel Says:   Yahooooo!!

Photo: AP Photo/ Ross D. Franklin

Date Night

Last night Mike and I went to hear Laura Ingraham speak.  In case you didn't know, I'm a big fan.  The event was put on by 97.1FM talk our local talk radio station.  We were able to participate in the VIP Meet and Greet prior to the speakers.  Very cool.  Congressman Todd Akin is a class-act.  One of very few conservatives remaining in Congress.  We got to meet the 97.1 radio personalities, Colonel Gordon Cucullu and Laura Ingraham.  I was so nervous to meet her I forgot what I was going to say to her.  Pictures with her were taken separately and will be emailed so I will post it once I get it.  Unfortunately, we didn't get our photo with Colonel Gordon, and I really wish I would have.  This man is from a dying breed who truly love and appreciate this country.  

Laura was great.  I didn't learn anything new since I listen to her show daily.  I could've listened to Colonel Gordon for hours.  I feel like I keep myself pretty well informed of facts on issues, but I certainly learned a few things.   You should definitely pick up a copy of his book Inside Gitmo.  I have added it to my library list.  Or, you can go to the Inside Gitmo website for a factual account of what is really going on there.  I wish my Dad, Uncle Jim, and Uncle Ron could have been there as well as my nephew, Matt.  They all would have loved it.  Next time we will bring our nice camera, as we were very close and could have gotten much better photos.

St. Louis radio personality, Jamie Allman, from Allman in the Morning

U.S. Congressman Todd Akin

Laura Ingraham

Colonel Gordon

Happy Tea Day!!

I hope some of you out there are able to attend the Tea Parties going on.  Because Carlie has Cubbies tonight at church, we are unable to attend.  Remember, this is not an anti-Obama rally.  This is a protest of reckless government spending that has been going on for years by both parties.  It has to be stopped, and we are the only ones who can stop it.  

"A woman is like a tea bag, you cannot tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."--Nancy Reagan

I Want to Move to Texas!!

"Our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state. Returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union."

-- Texas Gov. Rick Perry, affirming states' rights as guaranteed by the 10th Amendment

Life: Beautiful

I picked up a copy of Life:Beautiful magazine, and it is so good I wanted to share and recommend it to you.  It has been out for about one year but is only published quarterly so you may or may not have seen it.  The photography is fabulous.  The stories are inspiring and from a Christian perspective.  One of the best things about it is that, currently, there are no advertisements in it.  So, you aren't paying for a magazine that is 80%+ advertising.  They can be found at Barnes & Noble and Borders among other places.  Please go out and grab a copy.  It is definitely money well spent.  I will be getting a subscription.  Here is a taste of what's inside.  (All photos and magazine summary below were taken from their website.)

Spring 2009
In this issue you’ll find:

*Stylish and whimsical spring finds for every taste and budget
*Ideas for unique garden-related gifts just in time for spring
*Tips for getting out of debt and learning how to use your resources wisely
*Information on the latest sleep research and help for getting a better night's rest

Stories include:
Blooming Branches—Flowering blossoms decorate the trees each spring.

Picnic on Bluebell Hill—Young Dorothy transplanted a few bluebells to dress up her kitchen door more than 80 years ago. Today the bluebells cover the back field of her small cottage, creating the ideal setting for a spring picnic.

Master of Art—Travel to Italy with Life:Beautiful editor Jennifer Ruisch to see divinely inspired art.

Sweet Celebrations—Transform average cupcakes into delicious, eye-catching party pleasures.

Faith of Our Mothers—Five women share testimonies about how God prepared them to succeed in the most important job of all: being a mother.

Happy Easter Part 2!!

Today the kids got their Easter baskets and had a little mini egg hunt in the backyard. Carlie was not happy that she didn't get M&M stickers with her name on them (they didn't have any with her name.) She was happy when she realized Noah didn't get the fancy soaps and toiletries (from the Wynn) that she got. Whatever, I am just glad I found some Peeps because that's the best Easter treat ever invented. I'm sure I will help them eat their Reeses Pieces carrots as well.