When you lose cable this is what you get to watch...

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Yet Another Reason to NOT Shop at Wal-Mart

WAL-MART ROCKS, but not the way you'd want.

Currently Listening to: STARS

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the end of the week review

It was hot this weekend! I love hot weekends! It was also an awesome weekend! I love awesome weekends!

Quick Recap of Weekend Events:
Friday - Joe worked late. Ordered a pizza. Played with Jude. Gave Jude bath. Slept!
Saturday - Joe and Jude had man morning complete with a stroll along Hillsborough St. to all the best spots, Global Village, Nice Price Books, Guitar Store and School Kids Records. Mommy had brunch with Kim at Cafe Carolina. Did a little shopping sans babe. Family lunch at Chick-fil-a. Bought Velcro at Lowes. Planned Clothes Line. Visited Grandma and Boogie. Picked up safety gate and rocking chair. Played word association on the way home. Watched Yo Gabba Gabba. Birthday Cookout for Matt R. Picnic with the Bonchaks at Fred Fletcher Park.
Sunday - Sleeping In. Church. Lunch at 5 Guys. Jude flirts with ladies at the table beside us. Stop in Target. Don't buy the toy cell phone which proved to be dangerous for young babe. Jude took a 3 hour nap. Mom and Dad clipped coupons, played Lego Indiana Jones, and Cleaned. Ate Chocolate. Watered Plants, Grilled London Broil. Had an awesome dinner. Watched Quantum Leap. Gave babe bath. Read books in bed.

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A Nice Relaxing Weekend

We had a wonderfully relaxing weekend. More details on Monday after the weekend is over.

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My Earth Day Goal

Earth Day came and went. I took advantage of a few sales and freebies but didn't really do anything additional to reduce, reuse or recycle. I think we do a pretty good job already but there is always room for improvement, especially the kind of improvements that can save you money. So this Earth Day I decided to utilize the power of the sun. I'd love to have a solar powered house one day but I don't think our landlord will spring for solar panels. Therefore, I hope to conserve power by line dry most of our clothes. For Christmas Joe's grandmother bought me a drying rack. (It was on my list.) I had only really been using it to dry our cloth diapers but I figure I should probably try do use it for everything. Now my drying rack isn't that large so it won't fit a whole load of laundry but it is holds a fair amount. I've contemplated hanging a line somewhere but not really sure where it would go in our tiny courtyard. So my next option is to get another drying rack. They fold down fairly small for storage and can be used indoors as well. (I like versitlity.) But in my research for an afordable drying rack I came across this site, www.urbanclothesline.com which make drying your clothes on the line so chic!

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My crazy dreams

Anyone that knows me has probably heard tell of my crazy dreams. Usually they aren't bad just bizarre, detailed and highly interesting. I really need to learn how to channel my dreams so I can make lots of money as a script writer.

Here are brief overview of some of my fun dreams. (don't really care to record the scary or disturbing ones)

1. I was working on the set of a music video which was being filmed in the country in front of an old barn on a dirt road. The camera was attached to a pickup truck and a majority of the footage was just driving along old country roads. as we approached the old barn there were three girls standing by the road, they were back up singers. As we turn to face the barn we see the singer, who just so happened to be our friend Jumbo. He was singing some country song with his three back up singers... it was awesome.

2. Joe and I were at church one Sunday morning and the worship team was completely different. Pastor Matt decided to switch things up and put together a gospel group to lead worship. However most of the people on the worship team were middle aged white women that had big hair. One woman played the acoustic guitar and another played the keyboard and there were also 4 back up singers. There were old white guys playing upright bass and drums. There were two saxophone players one of whom was Reginald VelJohnson (Carl Winslow on Family Matters). The band wasn't very good but they tried very hard and the back up singers even had synchronized moves. The congregation was in shock I think and mostly just sat and watched in awe... I can imagine it may have been like watching the disillusioned performers on American Idol.

3. I was a part of a sailing team. Our team were the underdogs and our arch rivals were the snobby rich kids that always won the big competition. This year we were determined to win. The grand prize was $50,000 for each team member, second prize was $15,000 worth of Lays products. Our team was asked to be a part of a shoe commercial. We had to hip hop dance in the commercial and I wasn't very good so my team mates spent alot of time helping me train.

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My little plant project

I've never been into gardening but the thought of growing something you can eat is very enticing. Last spring I planted a few things but didn't have the time or energy to take care of the plants once little dude arrived. So this spring I'm putting forth a little extra effort into my plants and I think things are going pretty well.

I have Mint, Parsley, 2 Tomato, a red pepper, a yellow pepper, 3 cucumber, 3 squash... I also planted basil and rosemary seeds but I think the birds and squirrels may have eaten the seeds although this week I have discovered a few small sprouts.

Currently the biggest challenge is deterring the birds, squirrels and rabbits that frequent our yard.

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Today started off fairly well but within the span of 30 mins a few events occured and I went from happy to thoroughly aggravated. Here's what pushed me over the edge, a post on site I read.

"A Raleigh mom went to Vic's this weekend after the downtown Easter festivities. She took her infant son into the bathroom, and there was no changing table. She got him changed anyway, rolled up a wet diaper and threw it in the trash.

When she sat down to eat again, the waitress appeared with a plastic bag and told her to go fish the diaper OUT of the trash, throw it in the bag, and walk it outside to a trash can down the street. They don't allow diaper-changing or dirty diapers to be disposed of in the restaurant.

The Mom called the owner today to follow up on this treatment, and this is what she had to say:

************ **

"The owner said that they decided not to put diaper changing area in the restroom for this reason....figured kids wouldn't need to be changed in the short amt. of time they would spend at the restaurant any way. (Why have toilets for adults then too right?) He said his policy is for his staff to tell costumers to throw away their diapers outside in the street trash can. Their restaurant is too small for such a thing to be in the trash can. He took a second thought to the wet diaper that I had placed in the bathroom trash. Said (in retrospect) that probably would have been o.k., but if was the other kind, I would have to take it out none the less. The trash area for the restaurant is too far away for how busy they are, that is why they ask the costumer to do it. (I too said that maybe they want to consider having a policy for feminine products then too.)

So moms, be ready to be handed a plastic grocery bag (no gloves)...root around in the trash for your diaper and wipes if you had any. Walk through the restaurant with the bag...down the street a little bit to throw it away.

I will be filing a report with the Better Business Bureau. I just don't want any of you to be as humiliated and mortified as I was since it looks like they will continue to treat people the same as they did me."

*********

Something similar happened to us on our trip back from Chicago. While on the plane Jude needed a new diaper so I changed him on my lap and when the flight attended came by to gather trash we put the wet diaper in the trash bag. She gave us a dirty look and very rudely told us to take it out and that human waste wasn't put in the trash.

When did people become so rude and hateful towards babies or people with babies?

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Easter 09

Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays, mostly because of the whole Jesus being risen from the dead thing but also because of candy, eggs, bunnies, new dresses, and spring. So I was excited to share this lovely day with my family. I got some great deals on candy and other little things for our Easter Baskets and put them out early this morning. Jude didn't get any candy but he did score the newest Yo Gabba Gabba DVD featuring Jack Black. Afterward we had breakfast and went to church. After a great service we had lunch with my parents and watch Marley and Me (sad movie) now we're eating burritos and tater tots and watching the Simpsons. Sounds like a pretty great Easter to me!

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YO DVD

Hooray for a new Yo Gabba Gabba DVD... we're getting a little tired of watching the same 4 episodes.

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Advance09

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Before I blogged...

My blog serves as a diary of sort that other are free to read. Mostly I try to post pictures and details of current events in my life, but occasionally I get on my soapbox. (I'm trying to not do that anymore because I don't think anyone really cares... truth be told I don't usually care about other people's opinions so why would anyone care about mine. Plus I think my blog should be light, fun and entertaining.

So today as I was looking at the calendar I realize Joe and I are coming up on the anniversary of our engagement, April 6th 2007. I then realized I've never posted the details of our engagement. I went back through my email and found one that I sent to a friend and am now posting it here.

Enjoy!


So it happened yesterday, Friday April 6th, Good Friday. Not only did Jesus die for my sins but I got engaged so I'd say it's all around an excellent Friday!


The Long Story
I usually call Joe in the mornings on my way to work. So like any other day I called but this day he didn't answer. So I went about my day. However this day was turning out to be a little stressful and I really wanted to talk to him. (Previously, in the week he'd been training on a new project so I figured he was in training. Later, I received an email from him saying he'd been running late and didn't get to call me and was going to be in a "meeting" for most of the day. Finally, around 2pm he called. He said he was getting lunch and had been in a "meeting" all morning. I could tell he was in the car... I had my suspicions So I got off work early, went home and cleaned. Previously, we talked about going out and doing something fun but didn't really have any plans. So around 6pm I gave him a call to find out when he would be getting off work. He said he was leaving soon and would be at my house in about 20min. So as I
waited I browsed the intern for hotels in London. (where we might go for our honeymoon) I saw him drive up and heard him walk in the door. Sharon was in the kitchen doing dishes. He walked back to the computer room where I was sitting at my desk. In his hand he was carrying a coffee mug with pink azaleas in them.

He said, "I got you flowers in a coffee mug!"
I smiled and said, "Thank You! Did you pick these out of some one's yard?
Joe, "Yes."
"Whose yard?" I asked
"Melissa's" Joe replied.
I look back at him with confusion, "Melissa? Melissa who?"
"Melissa Tyson." he said as he sat them on the desk and proceeded to get down on one knee and pull out the ring.
"Jessica, I love you and I want to spend
the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"
I was completely overwhelmed, speechless, shocked and I started to cry. I thought I said yes but all he heard was a faint noise. I pulled him closer and kissed him. He then asked, "Did you say yes?" I smiled really big and said very clearly, "yes, of course!" *insert more kissing here*
He then placed the ring on my finger.

Afterward we walked into the kitchen to tell Sharon, who was washing dishes when we got engaged. She took a few picture for us. Then we went out to eat at Michael Deans for dinner. On the way we called our families and told them the news. After dinner we went back to Joe's place so he could show me the other half of the ring and how it fit together. We spent the rest of the night calling friends and smiling alot!


About the Ring
The ring is a green sapphire, square cut in palladium. (It's a rare white
transitional metal in the platinum group. It's slightly whiter, much
lighter, about 12% harder, and currently much cheaper than platinum.)
The ring is two parts, the engagement ring and the wedding ring. The
Sapphire is off-set so when the wedding band is added it looks like 1 big
ring. Sharon designed the ring and Melissa and Joe designed the texture. The
shape is modeled after a Calla Lily, my favorite flower... The metal was
wrapped around "my finger" like the petal of a calla lily. The Wedding band
has a rough unfinished looking texture that fades into a smoothed finished
surface onto the engagement ring. This is to symbolize that we are still a
work in progress and that together thorough God we are becoming whole.


Love,
-Jessica (soon to be Lieb)

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