Countdown to Vacation: 5 days!!!

We leave this Saturday for Europe! I am so excited and almost ready. I bought a new suitcase over the weekend. It is so awesome and about 8 pounds lighter than my last one so I can bring more stuff. It also has 8 wheels and you are able to swerve it all around. Christine and I finished up our shopping over the weekend and I have almost completely finished the itinerary, just a little bit of tweaking here and there is all that remains. I am very proud of the itinerary, it is my masterpiece. I still need to make one for the Disneyland Paris portion of our trip though. The value of the Euro continues to fall and I am glad we waited until last week to book some things because we saved a lot of money. Here are some of the more unique things we have planned:

1. Wine Tour de France - We are going to a wine cave and learning all about wine and champagne! I am excited for this as I am a recent convert to wine and its wonderfullness.

2. We are meeting up with an American that now lives in Paris and she is giving us and 4 other people a tour of Montmarte. I think this is going to be really cool. Montmartre is where much of the movie Amelie was filmed.

3. We are having dinner at a man named Jim Haynes on Sunday evening. He is famous for his "Sunday Dinners" where he cooks for travelers all over the world. I know this picture is scary but here is his info: http://www.jim-haynes.com/index.htm. I have read lots of blogs and reports about the dinners and how cool they are.

4. We are doing a night bike tour and wine cruise throughout Paris. I am stoked about this!

5. We plan to hit a bar in a cave as well as a bar in an old dungeon!

6. The second part of our trip will be with Theme Park Review. I list this because it is also unique. How many times have you heard of 70 people from all over the world getting on a bus and travelling throughout Europe visiting theme parks? It was a blast over the Deep South last year and will be the same this year. If you are interested in this, check out www.themeparkreview.com

7. We are going to Disneyland Paris (DLP). I have heard it is the worst of the worldwide Disney properties, but I don't care. I am sure it will still be fun. Our travel buddy, Renee, scored us tickets to a private party there on Saturday. Also, Captain EO just opened there! Woohoo!

That's all for now!

Why is Hillsongs so awesome?

I love this song, we have been singing it at our church for the last year.

"Desert Song" by Hillsong

This is my prayer in the desert,
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need,
My God is the God who provides,

And this is my prayer in the fire,
In weakness, or trial, or pain,
There is a faith proved more worth than gold,
So refine me Lord through the flame,

I will bring praise, I will bring praise,
No weapon formed against me shall remain,
I will rejoice, I will declare,
God is my victory and He is here,

This is my prayer in the battle,
When triumph is still on its way,
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ,
So firm on his promise I'll stand,

All of my life, in every season,
You are still God, I have a reason to sing,
I have a reason to worship,

This is my prayer in the harvest,
when favor and Providence flow,
I know I'm filled to be emptied again,
The seed I've received I will sow.

Our pastors talk a lot about "seasons" of life and I think that is a great way to describe it. I am not sure what season I am in right now. Don't think is a battle or a fire but not sure if it is a harvest or a desert. I am kind of not sure about some things right now, not necessarily in a bad way, just not sure exactly where parts of my life are going.

Europe Update: Flights

Flights are currently sooooooooooooo expensive! We are flying LAX to Paris and then Amsterdam to LAX and I can't find anything less than $1500! People keep telling me to be patient and wait but it is so hard! I really hope we can get it closer to $1000 but we will see! I can't believe the trip is in 5 months and 16 days!

Good Things About 2009 #1 - Friends

I was considering writing a blog about why I am glad that 2009 is over, but I decided to take the high road and write things each day about why it was a great year. So, withour further ado . . . .

Good Things About 2009 #1 - Friends

I have such a fantastic group of friends. I mean it, I frequently think my girlfriends and I don't realize just how lucky we are to have each other. I have what I consider to be a relatively large group of very close girlfriends. These friendships have sustained years of growing up, marriage, divorce, babies, deaths, job losses, moves across the country, sickness, heartbreak and some tough situations; yet we all seem to come back to each other. I think that each one of us has "another" circle of friends but at the end of the day, when the chips are down or I have wonderful news to share, I want Christine, Sarah, Anne, Kim, Summer or Shelley. They are all so unique and yet I love them all the same. This was a "growing" year for me and I learned so much about myself and I really feel like my friends were so supportive and patient with me. I couldn't have made it without them and all of their prayers, phone calls, emails, texts and love. I am so grateful for them and feel amazed and blessed that God has given us such an amazing gift. We are all doing a Girls Weekend this February and I can't wait!

I also am grateful for my Small Group girls, Lyndsay, Jen and Megan. I guess we are technically no longer in a Small Group together but I will probably always consider them to be that. I did not know any of them until we started meeting and now I can't imagine life without them. I miss them sooooo much since we do not meet regularly. There is a safety and accountability with them that fills a distinct need in my life. They are all intelligent, witty and attentive girls. Again, I can not believe God blessed me with them. Hungry Howies Forever!

Europe 2010

Next year Christine and I will be heading to Europe for 5 days in Paris, 3 days at Disneyland Paris and then we fly to Milan to meet up with the group from http://www.themeparkreview.com. We will go up through Germany and end the trip in Amsterdam. We went with this same group through the South last summer and had a blast. I am so excited and really hope to blog about this trip either while we are there or after. This week we secured an apartment in Paris! It is cheaper to rent an apartment than to stay in a hotel, plus we will have a mini-kitchen and the experience of living more like a true Parisian. The cost was only 120 dollars per night, which is pretty good. We have to walk up a million stairs to the front door and there is no elevator (our room is on the 4th floor) but hopefully we will be in great shape by then!

Here is the link to our place: http://www.vacationinparis.com/images/100_bed.jpg



It got some great reviews on TripAdvisor, whom I consult before booking any hotel. We will be staying in the 5th Arrondissement on the Left Bank. This is where the famed Latin Quarter is, it is the oldest neighborhood in Paris and where most political uprisings have begun. I am so excited!

Pregnant Pictures

I just don't "get" taking all these professional pictures when you are pregnant. Maybe I will feel different when I am pregnant, but I just think it is weird. Especially when the women are half naked with "sexy" poses and faces. I mean, pregnany is beautiful, but what are you going to do with those pictures? Hang them up on the wall?

Modern Family

Please tell me you are watching this show! It is awesome and so funny, yet touching at the same time. It is on Wednesday nights at 9 on ABC.