American Idol top 24...

It's season 10, and I'm still hooked on this show! I miss Simon like crazy, but I'm surprisingly loving J.Lo, and Steven Tyler adds the little neurotic pop that Paula Abdul took with her. The important people who are in charge of judge choices have really never let me down. Keep up the good work, judge pickers.

Now...on to the top 24...

I probably say this every year, but I really think this year has the best contestants. I'm having a tough time choosing my favorites, and there really haven't been any that I think need to go home any time soon. It's gonna be a tough call this year, America!I'm sure my favorites will change from week to week, but after the top 24 performed this week, my favorites are:

Paul McDonald: First of all, he's fantastic to look at; Secondly, he has an amazing voice. Also, he's fantastic to look at. Did I mention that already? Also, he looks like Bradley Cooper. Don't you think?

Scotty McCreery: Good ol' country boy! I love him and his deep little 17 year old voice!
Lauren Turner- I can't really pinpoint what I love about her. Maybe it's the dark curly hair. Maybe it's her initials. Oh, and she has a great voice too.

Karen Rodriguez-She added a little Espanol to her song tonight and she did it fabulously. I liked her a lot tonight!

Lauren Alaina- She's been one of my favorites since her audition. She's only 16 and Randy told her tonight that she was a good mix of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Can you imagine being 16 and receiving a compliment like that? She'll probably be in the top 5.

Pia Toscano- She was amazing tonight. After her performance, she received a standing ovation---and rightfully so! Again, she'll probably be in the top 5 or at least the top 10.

What are your thoughts?

he's just cute.

Yes, the sister has already blogged about this, but isn't it quite obvious by now that the events that include the lives of my precious nephews will also be included on my blog too?

Here are Jones' 9 month pictures taken, once again, by the wonderfully talented Tricia Butts.

I think these are the best ones yet.

I just love that child so much.

my "new" home!

Mom and I both took the day off today to work on my new house. Of course, I mostly just sat because of my beloved ankle, but my mom was a work-a-holic today. Seriously...she's A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Anyway, there are still 2 other bedrooms and another bathroom that we haven't quite tackled yet, but here are pics of everything we did today (excuse the quality of these pics...I took them with my phone because my camera battery charger can't be located at this time!)!

Kitchen...

Breakfast area...

Front entry/foyer...
Den...

Formal living room...

My bedroom....
Master bathroom...

There's still lots left to do, but I'm already loving it!

"Wrap it in maroon and white!"

After being the "voice of the bulldogs" for 58 years, the legendary Jack Cristil (85) is retiring.

He announced his final game tonight and was able to say "wrap it in maroon and white" one more time!

We're gonna miss you, Jack!

change...

Well...after living in my cozy little 2 bedroom apartment/duplex/house--whatever it is!- for almost 5 years, I'll soon be spending my last night there. I've lived there longer than anywhere else (well, besides home with Mom and Dad!), and I am absolutely going to miss my quaint little place. The location has been perfect; and had I never lived there, I would've never met Mandy, one of my dearest friends in life (she rents the upstairs part of the "duplex")! I'll always have memories, both good and bad, of that little house on Hogan. Some of these memories include: bringing Max home for the first time, having morning coffee and evening wine with Mandy, jogging on Main Street and our beautiful campus, going through not-so-fun breakups, snow days, our house FLOOD, etc). It's been such a good home to me over these past several years, and oh how I'm going to miss it!

Now....

Why am I leaving and where am I going you ask?

Well, here's the story.

My sweet Nana and Dada built a fantastic house here in town during the 90's (I think!), and they lived there until they both passed away (Dada in 2006 and Nana last month). The thought of selling their house at this point is just not something that my dad and uncle want to think about right now. Sure, it will probably be a possibility sometime in the near future, but just not now. I was so excited (emotional too!) when my dad and uncle asked if I would like to be the one to move into their house until they're ready to sell it. This is a major change for me. No--I'm not going to be living in a new town, with a new job and new friends, but I will be living in my beloved grandparents' home. It will be hard not to think of Dada everytime I look in at the backyard and see his chair sitting under the big oak tree (trying to pretend like he wasn't smoking a cigarette! :) ). It will be hard everytime I come across a serving piece that Nana used or a blanket that she made. And the house smell? I still think of Nana when I walk in. While all of these wonderful memories will always be cherished, I'm looking forward to making their beautiful house my own. I will add my decorating touch, use my furniture, and bring in "my" smell, and know that Nana and Dada are both smiling down from heaven. It's such a comforting feeling to know that they would want nothing more than for their granddaughter to be living in their home. Their home was always such a happy and inviting place, and I'm so excited to be able to continue making it just that!

Please keep me in your prayers as I make this move. Pray that leaving my little Hogan house won't be too hard, and that I can move into Nana and Dada's house without being flooded with emotions. Despite all of the emotional stuff I will probably experience in the next few weeks, I am looking forward to this change.

The moving process has begun. I'm in a cast and on crutches, so obviously I'm unable to do much to help, but thankfully I've got fabulous friends and family who are helping me with it ALL. Most of the little things have already been moved, and the big things (couch, bed, etc.) will probably be moved in the next day or so. I'm guessing that my first night in my new home will be either tomorrow or Thursday.

Think of me, will ya?

(Oh...and if you're known for having really good arm strength, feel free to head on over and help me move!).

:)

BeDazzle.

Please tell me you know about the BeDazzler.

I'm pretty sure I wanted one when I was about 8....didn't you? True, I never owned one of these, but I think I've reverted back to my childhood a little. Don't worry--I didn't go out and buy a BeDazzler, but I do feel a little "BeDazzled" right now.

You know about the unfortunate cast, right?

Well, I truly believe that people should never underestimate the creativity of elementary teachers. Here's what we can do:

My casted foot before:

And my casted foot after:

(My students pretty much think this is the coolest thing ever).

Please let me know if you're ever "casted," and my teacher friends and I would be happy to come and help you get BeDazzled.

snow (again!), my ankle (boo!), and my nephews (cute!)

So, Mississippi weather has been crazy lately. This time last week it was 20 degrees, and today it was almost 70. We missed yet another day of school last Thursday due to the snow (about 4 inches!). I've enjoyed the pretty snow, but I'm so very ready for spring weather!

Here I am "hurrying" out of school in my walking boot during a heavy snow one day last week. Thanks for taking the time to help me with my bags take a picture of me, Bambi! :)

And speaking of walking boot, you may be wondering how my fractured little ankle is doing. Well, I had an MRI last week to determine exactly where the fracture was. The doctor was hoping that it was in the tibia (or whatever the "inside bone" is called), in which case, I would stay in my walking boot for just a few weeks. Unfortunately, the results showed that the fracture was actually in the talus, which is the bone that connects the fibula and the tibia (see diagram below). He seemed to be a little surprised and slightly more concerned when he realized this.
The swelling in my ankle has gone down greatly and I wasn't in nearly as much pain, so I had high hopes of leaving the doctor today with a good report! But instead, I left looking like this:
Ugh. I'm in a cast for about 3 weeks. A green cast at that. (I got to choose between pink, purple, green, orange, black, etc. What would you have chosen?). Green is my favorite color + St. Patty's Day is coming up! I'm just trying to be festive here. Also, my teacher friends already have plans to glue jewels on it tomorrow at school--we'll see about that... Ha! The doctor said that I will have the cast for a few weeks, and then back to the walking boot, and THEN I will have to go through a little therapy before I'll be back to running.

Seriously, I'm very bummed about this. I know, I know, it absolutely, most definitely could be worse, but I'm still just bummed. I have a 30th birthday trip planned in New Orleans in mid March, and I'm going to be so sad if I spend the trip in a cast and on crutches.

Ugh.

Can I ask you for a selfish favor? Will you pray that this ankle of mine recovers QUICKLY?! Thank you.

And now onto a much happier topic..

My nephews!

Last weekend my dad took Henry to a rodeo, and I really think Henry thought he was a cowboy. It was precious. Here he is, taking this horse ride very seriously. (And you should probably look at his shirt closely--there are horseshoes on it!). He had a blast. Sweet boy.
My other sweet little guy recently had his 9 month pictures taken by the oh-so-very-talented Tricia Butts. Here's a little sneak peak of:

a). How freaking adorable he is.

and

b). What an amazing photographer Tricia is (you really must look at her blog!)

Happy Wednesday!

no phone zone.

Question: Do you text while driving?

I do did.

That was...until I saw this:

Goodness gracious that was scary, wasn't it? Someone posted this on facebook not too long ago. I watched it and it hit me like a ton of bricks.

After seeing it, I immediately clicked here and signed Oprah's "No Phone Zone" pledge. Won't you sign too?

Since then, when I think about texting while driving, all I have to do is think about that video. It's just not worth it.

I may not have a Valentine....

...but at least I'm not this desperate!!!




Click here to read more!

For guys only...

Not that I really think that there are a slew of males who read my blog, but if you are a male and you're clueless as to what to get your honey for Valentine's Day, this post is for you!

Are you excited? I thought so.

Now, guys, let's suppose you've got $100 that you're wanting to spend on your gal. I've compiled a small list of things that you should not buy:

1. Goodness gracious, please do NOT spend $99.99 on this velour footie/hoodie. Don't get me wrong--it looks super cozy and comfy, but for that price?? Seriously? Just don't do it. If she's a laid back, comfy kind of gal, head to Target or Old Navy and get her some cute pj pants for $15. She'll probably like them better anyway.

Note: These said pj pants should probably not be the only thing you should get her for Valentine's Day though...

2. Want to guess how much this "Playbear Bunny" costs? You guessed it!...$99.99. I'll admit this teddy bear company is very creative (you really should take a look at some of them!), but I just can't imagine how I would react if I received a $100 teddy bear (dressed like a playboy bunny) from my significant other.

3. OK. I know what you're thinking about this one: "Girls LOVE chocolate!" And, yes, most of us do love chocolate. And to be honest, this box of chocolates looks divine to me, but this "divine looking" box 'o chocolates costs nearly $80! If your girl is a fan of chocolate, go to a local bakery and get her a small box of chocolate covered strawberries or a couple of truffles. You'll save money (which can be used on something else for her!), she'll love it, and she won't feel 15 lbs heavier after indulging. (Another thought: You could make her something sweet! That would be meaningful and yummy!).


4. Now. If I have to go into the reasons why you should not buy your valentine an oversized teddy bear, then we have a bigger problem than I thought. Teddy bears like this one...

...can cost $200. Yes. $200. Also, where in the world do you keep a teddy bear that size? Seriously guys, steer clear of the oversized stuffed animals.

I bet I know what you're thinking now: "OK, LT! You're so wise, and you've guided me through the what-not-to-buys, but I'm still hanging here! What DO I buy for my honey?"

Well, here you go...

If you're wanting to spend $100 or less on your girl, here are a few ideas that come to mind:

1. Gift cards. I know they're not always fun to give, but they're great to receive! You could get her a gift card for a massage, pedicure, manicure, spa, boutique, etc...

2. Jewelry. What girl doesn't like jewelry, right? Perhaps you should take her sister or best friend to shop with you for this, though. :)

3. FLOWERS. Yes. They're cliche' and I'd be careful if you decide to go this route. Some girls don't love receiving flowers because it's so common, they can get a little pricey, and well, they eventually die. But I, for one, LOOOVE flowers and could never get tired of receiving them! I don't think you have to spend an arm and a leg, either. And if you want to make it a little more personal, don't just order red roses because it's Valentine's Day. Send a bouquet of her favorite flowers (Tulips?..which are my personal fave!, daisies?).

4. Make her something. Buy a small album, scrapbook, etc., fill it with pictures of the 2 of you, and write in it. If you want to score big points with your girl, create an book of "100 things I love about you" and in addition to filling it with pictures, you could include a list of why you love her so. I know for me, I'd much rather you spend your time than your money on a gift.

5. Finally, think about some thing(s) she's wanted for a while: a book, some shoes, an article of clothing, a scarf, etc. It will show that you actually pay attention to her when she talks to you! Also, this may be a better suggestion for those of you who have been with your significant other for a while! :)

Happy shopping, guys!

And those of you who will be spending February 14 with your honey, then a very

Happy Valentine's Day to you!

I'm looking forward to spending my Valentine's Day going to the dermatologist. :)

it was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day (but it could've been a lot worse!)

If you've ever read about the beloved Alexander (as a teacher, I'm a huge fan of this book!), you know that he just had one of those days--he woke up with gum in his hair, his mom forgot to pack dessert in his lunch, his friends were mean to him at school, etc. Nothing went right for him. Bless that sweet Alexander.

Yesterday was my "Alexander day".

To try to make a long story short, I hurt my ankle nearly 2 weeks ago, stayed off of it for a few days (thinking it was nothing serious), waited about a week, and then on Monday, I decided it was OK enough to go for a jog. Bad BAD idea.

I woke up Tuesday morning in way more pain than before and my ankle was about twice the size that it should be. I could barely even walk on it. I was able to get an appointment with an orthopaedist in Columbus, so I went yesterday to hopefully figure out what was going on. Unfortunately, I have a stress fracture. He's concerned that a particular bone in my ankle (I'm not the best with anatomy!) is injured, so I'm going back Monday to get an MRI done on it. If that bone IS fractured, I may have to have a cast. If it's another bone that's fractured (and he's hopeful that it is!), I'll just wear this lovely boot for a at least 6 weeks. Yes. 6 weeks. I'm sure I'm going to not enjoy going that long without running, but it could be so much worse, right?

That's not the only thing that made my day terrible, horrible, and no good, though.

My appointment in Columbus (about 30 minutes away from my house) ended around 5 yesterday afternoon, and as I hobbled out in my sexy boot, I noticed the rain and sleet and got a little concerned about the driving conditions. You have to remember something--I'm a Mississippi girl--so I don't do icy roads and such. Not my thing really. I really thought that if I just drove slowly and carefully, I would be just fine to get home. I had literally been on the highway for 30 seconds and witnessed multiple cars swerving on bridges and saw 2 wrecks. Again, I don't do ice, and was absolutely not willing to risk hurting myself or someone else! I knew I wasn't going to get home last night, so I called some dear friends of mine who live in Columbus (thank God for them!), managed to turn my car around, and stayed with them last night. They were so good to me and I'm so grateful for them ALL of the time, but especially last night. I was planning on taking a sick day today (did I really have another choice??), but fortunately, school was cancelled today anyway.

So...I hurt my ankle, was put in a "boot," and was unable to drive home last night (oh...and I failed to mention that I've got a sore throat and a not fun cold!). It was all kind of a bummer, but I couldn't help but think about what adorable little Pollyanna would say about this situation:

1. Be glad that you HAVE a foot and are able to walk!

2. Be glad that you DIDN'T drive home and get into an accident!

3. Be glad you HAVE such dear friends who graciously welcomed you into their home and took good care of you!

4. Be glad you HAVE an entire weekend to sit around and prop that foot up (in a warm house!)!

So, yes. It was a not-so-good day, but oh how it could've been so much worse!

Now...if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to watch "Pollyanna". In my boot.

The best of all news.

Meredith is cancer free!!!!

I dare somebody to try to convince me that God can't perform miracles!

"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."

John 4:48

release YOUR wrinkles

If you're anything at all like me, you absolutely have no time HATE to iron your clothes.

Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite thing:

You're really missing out on the good things in life if you do not use this product regularly.

No more ironing for me! Now I can spend my time doing more important things...you know..like blogging.

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

I just received some wonderful news!!!

(Read HERE).

Thank you THANK YOU Jesus!!!

A Christmas celebration in January...

Since sweet Nana was sick during the Christmas holiday, my family didn't get together as we normally do on Christmas morning. When Nana passed away on New Year's Day, we knew that it would take some time for us all to be emotionally ready to get together and open the presents that she bought and wrapped for us. However, every single one of us knew that getting together to celebrate is something that she would absolutely want us to do, so we got together this past Sunday. While it was emotional to be there without her, I really believe that it was just how she would've wanted it.

(It was also Jones' first Christmas!)