Good Things Come To Those Who Wait!

As I have previously reveled I am planning a trip for my family to Paris, the South of France, Barcelona and Malaga Spain for September 1-15. We had sort of already set these dates due to a tour we signed up for in Provence. I forgot that September 1 would be a holiday and hard to find cheap fares. Well low and behold I have been scouring the internet for WEEKS for a cheap flight. As I looked and looked at every travel sight I could come up with...well me and Clark Howard could come up with...I set a goal price of $750 for the round trip tickets. Pretty ambitious seeing as how the cheapest thing I could find was $1178. So, last night I am surfing, surfing, surfing...every travel site and even sites the sites I am searching suggest. Finally I find a fluke of a deal for $365 ROUND TRIP to Paris and return from Barcelona. I am sweating...I call my sister who has been working 15-17 hour days for the past 3 weeks...she works for an accounting firm. Her response...”who is this?” It was after midnight. So I finally calm down and tell her the details and she says “get it!” so I go to book it and the website says...”Sorry this fare is no longer available, it is now $979” Ugh...I won't give up. I search and search some more, call my parents and get them on board, search and search...finally a fluke happens AGAIN and I find the same fare. OK, so now I know it is not a joke. I am determined. Sparing you anymore details like the website trying to charge me for all 6 tickets....I am finally able to book all 6 of us from Atlanta ~ Paris, We'll then take the train...... to Provence and from Provence to Barcelona and Barcelona to Malaga then back to Barcelona and then fly from Barcelona ~ Atlanta. The plane tickets were only $455 with taxes and fees. I paid for 3 and my dad paid for 3. I am good!

My 5 Favorite Things Today!

Today, being Tuesday, I thought would be a good day to tell you about the 5 things I love best right now. That and the fact that my radio station talked about it this morning too.

1. My very most favorite thing right now is "Prison Break." I am so happy it is on Monday nights because it gets me over the Monday hump. Only 2 more episodes this season and I am going to be so sad when it ends. I have faith Paul Kellerman is going to do the right thing.

2. My second favorite thing is getting ready for my vacation. I am going to the Dominican Republic in just a little over a month. I have been shopping and checking out all the cute spring clothes. I also spend a lot of time in the evenings reading all the reviews of my resort. I'd have to say it is about 50/50 with folks who liked it and those who do not. I have learned so much.

3. My third favorite thing would have to be my new Vera Bradley Bag I "won" at our preschool auction. It is in my newest pattern and if you keep up with Vera at all you know how quickly the pattern you love retires. So as soon as I picked this new pattern it was already gone. Now I have several small pieces and this one big bag I just bought to go with my old pieces that do not match. E-bay here I come!

4. My fourth favorite thing is my co-workers. They are all pretty chipper today and no one is getting on my nerves too bad (never you bossy). I love having lunch with them but sadly we don't do that enough these days. It is just not the same eating in which I did yesterday for the first time in a long time. It wasn't so bad but I just don't like it. I'm an eater outer!

5. Last but not least I've got to say it...My Tab! I can't believe the number of people who ask me every day if they still are making Tab.....well not every day but all the time! In Asheville this weekend a young lad saw the can and thought we were from another planet. "WOW, Cool, look at that retro soda!" Retro???? Tab has been around longer than you young man. It has never been off the market and I am praying the Coca Cola company will listen to me and never retire it.

Have a good Tuesday!

I AM a real adult!

As I was coming home on Thursday afternoon I run into my 12 year old neighbor. I say "Hi Christian, How are you?" "Not so good", he says. "I have to do a project this weekend". I wished him luck and we get into the elevator. "What floor?" he asks. "Dude", I say trying to be all 7th grade hip, "I am your neighbor"...He forgot. So we go along and again I wish him luck with his project.

This morning at 10:20a.m., which is really 11:20a.m. I must note, I am still lounging around getting ready for my dinner party tonight when I hear a tiny tap on the door. As I open it I am pleased to see my little neighbor with pad and pen perched on my doorstep. "Um...can I see your mother?" He asks..."My mother?" I reply.."Does not live here. Can I help you?" "No" he says, "I am supposed to interview real adults". "Dude", I use again to show my 12 year old mind, "I AM a real adult" "Oh" he says and turns away...to my other neighbor who is exiting at this point. I quickly duck behind my door so Mark Paul Gosselar..aka my neighbor... can't see me in my pj's as he heads out for a jog. As I duck behind the door and pretend to be all cool for a 41 year old I hear Junior asking Mark if he can interview him. Hello! The man is like 25 years old I think. Yet I am not a real adult! I guess I should be thankful he moved on... the question he asked.."Why do we have different seasons of the year?"

50 Days and Counting!

Dominican Republic Here I come! After not making it to Puerto Rico due to my friends kidney stone I was so pumped to find this awesome deal to the Dominican. We get 5 days and nights at this resort in Punto Puerto, all your meals from the 9 restaurants, all your beverages including alcohol, and tickest to the Ocean World where my sister will swim with the dolphins and manatees while I take pictures...AND your airfare. All for only $600 and some change. We loved the deal so much we talked our friends from Hawaii into coming along as well.

March 7 is finally here!

If you happened to check out one of my very first blogs you may remember how much I L-O-V-E Country Music singer Gary Allan. I saw him in concert over the summer and he came out later to watch the other act and stood about 20 feet below me. I was so distracted most of the show trying to debate how painful and what would happen to me if I jumped. Yes, this was taken from my seat of Gary Allan and Rascal Flats.

I found out several months ago he had a Greatest Hits Album coming out in March and I have been counting the days. I mean who wouldn't be attracted to the smoky sad eyes...his wife committed suicide a couple of years ago. So Gary, if you are reading this I got your album today from itunes...CALL ME!

PS ~ BBW I miss you already!

Back In Business!

OK, so after a week of trying every angle I knew to get into my old blog I started a new one. Finally, Finally, blogger wrote me back and gave me my e-mail and password. I'm B-A-C-K!

41 and holding

I'm sorry it took me awhile to recover from the weekend. Yes, I can barely still fit in my clothes. Luckily my mom bought me a whole slew of new clothes when we were at the outlet mall. Friday night was great. The girls were toned down. Stac was recovering from a week long illness, her husband was babysitting skymiles 2 kids also, and Boston girl moves this week. SO...we did have fun anyway. After dinner we went to have drinks at The Capital Grille. My new favorite spot I guess. It was an early night. On Friday brother called to wish me a happy birthday and made some comment about how he wasn't sure if he and wifey could afford to hang with the big dogs at Atlanta most expensive restaurant. I had already heard his tirade over the Thanksgiving weekend several times. I got right on the phone with wifey and told her plans had changed I was keeping skymiles baby and I didn't know when she would get back and we weren't going out. I didn't even flinch and she bought it all. True, I was keeping skymiles baby for the afternoon and wasn't exactly sure what time she was coming home....but pretty much knew it would be before 8:30 which was the time of our reservation, she got home at 6:00. Wifey didn't even know what day my actual birthday was on. Go fugure. She wrote me a check...a nice check but still...whoa...thoughtful! Let me just say it was a MUCH more pleasent evening and a quieter evening....and FYI it was cheaper than the other night at Blue Ridge Grille...and a zillion times better. Sorry bro.
Monday with my work crew was one of the best times. It was a fun celebration as usual with this group. For some reason they think I am funny.

Great Birthday ~ even if I did have to get another year older.