California is calling my name!

In just a little over two days, I will be finding myself in sunny Clovis, California. Jason and I are heading out to Jerry & Sherry's home (my mom-in-law & dad-in-law) for a little sun, fun and relaxation. That's right folks - get them puzzles ready! While we're there we also have tickets to go see the Clovis Rodeo - yippe-ki-yea!!! If you know me at all, you know that I love a good rodeo and I've been hearing for the last couple years how amazing this rodeo of theirs is - and it just so happens to be over the weekend of my birthday. (*sigh*) Yes, another year older. I'll be 27. (**giggle**)

For the upcoming trip, I'm going through my typical OCD routine of having to write out a very detailed packing list from detailing every toiletry I own, down to coordinating the color of underwear with each outfit. Jason gets a kick out of it - but I'm compulsive like that and I have to have my systems or I get a little weird. I also got to do a little shopping last night. Isn't it normal for someone to want a few new things to wear when going on vacation? I scored some great deals and found some really cute shorts and tops at Old Navy and Charlotte-Russe. And Lord willing, I'm hoping to return with a tan.

This last weekend was my dad's 49th birthday....er, I mean 47th birthday. :-) We're exactly 30 years apart. Kati did a great tribute to him on her blog - you can check it out by going to my links on the right. I stole this picture from her post, it was too cute not to post again. That's my dad when he was younger - isn't he hot??

Other news worth noting: Jason is continuing to meet with Publishers on a weekly basis. We have yet to hear anything for sure on the Midas possibility, so he's moving forward with still putting himself in front of publishers and getting his name out there. We really believe that when its right, God will open the door for the right publisher to sign him, whether its Midas or someone else. God is good. Along with finishing up some songs in the studio, he's been putting in quite a few hours at Mortons. It is prom season....so pray for him :-) I kid you not, he had this high school couple come in and spend $109.80 and give him $110 and told him to keep the change. Yeah that's correct - 20 cent tip. They were very lucky he didn't catch up to them in the parking lot. However, a highlight was he was able to see Tim McGraw & Faith Hill in all their glory when they came in for dinner last Friday night - now that's class. Jason confirmed that she really is just as pretty in person as she's made out to be in on TV. I would have made a mad dash to stalk them out while they were there, but instead I was on my "date" with Brooke at the movies. We saw In The Land of Women and went to Cheeseburger Charley's for dinner. yum!

Softball season has returned and we find ourselves juggling small group and games every Tuesday night. Last week our small group was moved to Monday so we could all attend a class on The Tomb of Jesus, given by a renowned Archaeologist who is out to disprove the claims that the tomb was recently discovered by Titanic director James Cameron. I'm really intrigued by archaeology and found the class really interesting. But then it also freed up our Tuesday, so not only me, but our friends Ben & Alicia could join us to cheer Jason on at his game. He didn't disappoint either - hit a home run right from the get-go. That's my man! Afterwards we headed back to Ben & Alicia's to satisfy our American Idol fix. Yes, we are addicts.

I'll be sure to bring my camera and get a few shots on our trip in CA and post for all the world to see...at least that's my goal. I wish you all a wonderful and blessed week!

Happy Birthday Tina!

So today's entry is dedicated entirely to an incredible, faithful and loyal friend of mine, Tina Frees. Today is her 31st birthday!

I have so many wonderful memories with Tina - after all, we've been the closest of friends for 21 years!! So in honor of her today, I wanted to share a few of those memories I hold so dear.

When I was in 2nd grade, which was also the year we first met, I received my one and only spanking from Mr. John Hart for talking out of turn in class. I was devastated. I thought for sure my parents would have a fit. We were carpooling on the way home together after school and I was in tears over my situation. I remember clearly Tina trying to convince me it was really ok, after all she'd had her fair share of spankings and detention in school too. She was so sweet to me trying to make me feel better :-)

Jump ahead to Freshman year - 1993. Tina was a Junior and we attended the same high school. What a great year. We were on the drama team together, in the same choir, went to the same Prom (JSB) - and spent more hours playing yahtzee in the back yard that I can count. We would often take her Dakota truck to Country Village where she worked and buy espresso beans to munch on and then just drive around. That was one of the best summers of my life.

Then there was Masters Commission - 1997. I was living over at the Rogers house and pretty consumed with my super busy schedule and didn't have much time for anything else. Throughout that whole year I received numurous cards from Tina saying how much she loved me and how much she valued our friendship. Then for my birthday that year, which was treated just like any other day in the life of an MC Student - I received in the middle of class, one dozen long stemmed Sterling Roses. She knew these were my favorite roses from one of my all-time favorite flicks, Bed of Roses and she looked ALL over town to find them. I will never forget that, she made that day, a day I'll never forget.

I also remember the time when we went to the FAO Schwartz book signing fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House downtown. Afterward, we stopped at the apartment cabana in Kirkland where Courtney was working, sneaked into the pool wearing borrowed swimsuits we found in the Lost & Found. When we finally got redressed after losing power in the girls bathroom, we drove home in my parents blue Honda Prelude, where we were followed by those crazy boys who tried to ram our car & followed us backto my parents house and the cops got called!! Now that was a memory!

There are so many great things we've shared over the years and I'm so excited for the many more memories to come. I love you girl & wish you the best birthday yet!

A Little Loveless

I happened to be browsing through my camera and found a picture of my parents at the Loveless Cafe while they were here for their visit. All the other pictures were taken with my mom's camera which I have yet to get copies of, but I thought at least y'all might enjoy this one.

How Rude!

So it's Monday morning - probably my least favorite part of the week. I'm a little slow moving and not the most social person until I get my first cup of coffee in me. I pull into the parking garage and find a spot that has open spaces on either side and turn the engine off so I can finish applying my makeup (yes, I'm one of THOSE drivers). Within a few moments a guy pulls in next to me in his nice new black toyota camry and gets out of his car. I literally thought he was banging on my window - no, that would be his door slamming repeatedly into the side of my car as he's getting out!!! HOW RUDE IS THAT? I got so steamed I was only seeing red. Is this guy for real? Instead of getting out of my car and freaking out on him - I pulled out a big torn piece of white cardboard and left him some words of inspiration on his windshield. ;-) What a jerk....or worse. I figured, better to leave a nasty note than key his car, which is very much what I was tempted to do.
Arghh!!! Seriously, if the parking spot your pulling into is too small to the point where you bang the crap out of your neighbors door - find another spot!

***Sniffle***

This is me at work. And I usually have to ask someone to repeat themselves once or twice before I can actually hear them past all the stuffiness in my head.

I've had a cold or flu or whatever you want to call it, where I've gone through 4 boxes of Kleenex since Friday night. Jason has been simply amazing taking care of me when he happens to not be working. I've been pretty much a drugged up zombie and don't recall a lot of the weekend, except that Saturday morning he made me Cream of Wheat and hot tea before he headed off to work. And on Sunday, after having to get up and take a hot shower at 8:30am with my Shower Soother (which are fabulous by the way if you haven't tried them) just so I could breathe, I ended up falling back asleep in the guest room with kleenex shoved up my nose. Around 1:30 in the afternoon I came to and forced myself to wake up enough to spend a little time with Jason before he had to leave for work. I soon discovered that while I was asleep he had not only cleaned our bedroom and made the bed, but he had cleaned the kitchen, emptied the dishwasher, washed two loads of laundry, picked up the living room which would include my PILES of kleenex sitting around the house AND, just cause he loves me THIS MUCH, he cleaned out the kitty litter and moved it back into the hall closet. (And let me tell you, for Jason to deal with kitty litter is REAL LOVE right there). He later told me that while moving her litter box, she got so upset over someone other than me handling her litterbox, that she worked herself up into such a frenzy she threw up in the hallway - and yes, he even cleaned that up too. He's been the best putting up with this sad excuse for a patient. When things get to be a little more exciting other than the sqeaking noises my ears make when I blow my nose, I'll be sure to post more.

Oh - and yes there is lots to share of my parents visit to Nashville, but unfortunately all the pictures were taken with my mom's camera and I haven't been able to get my hands on those just yet.

Stay tuned for more from the Keith household...