How to die in 8 minutes aka "8 Minute Abs"

Lazy Sunday

I love Netflix. The truck broke down and because of a very annoying story that I won't go into, we are unable to order the part for the truck. Thankfully I have a ride to work, but it won't be until Monday that we get a ride to Walmart so we can get a money card so we can open a new paypall account so we can order the car part. Retarded. By the time we have a car again it will have been almost 2 weeks of being stranded at our house. Which brings me to Netflix. How did people function before Netflix!? It has been my sanity this past week. It will be my sanity today, since I don't work and I can't go to church.

I just finished watching the BBC series of Little Dorrit. Rent it. Watch it. Love it.

Another movie I watched recently was April in Paris. Lame. If you like Doris Day, don't watch it. It's one of those comedies where the guy is secretly married, and doesn't know how to tell his fiance. In other movies such as Vivacious Lady or My Favorite Wife, it worked. Why? Because even though the guy is an idiot, you still want the leading lady to end up with him thanks to Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. The guy in this movie was too annoying. When she's free of him, you want her to make a run for it, not go groveling back. Plus there are no scenic shots. Just painted backgrounds. Boring. Only upside is a few hilarious tap dancing scenes and her dresses.

I made a video of all this but Picassa is only reading it as a picture. So until I figure it out, here's some pictures of where I live. Okay, that's not my house! But I can dream! That's our landlord's house. It dates back to pre-civil war era. The house was equiped with all sorts of crazy things before they remodelled it. It had these huge fans inside the house that were turned by slaves outside the house and a pedal on the floor at the head of the dining table that rang for the server. Other things too, but I don't remember. Here's a side view. Check out the dinner bell!

The garage.

Close up of the bell.

Old fashioned horse-drawn tiller. Or something like that.

And of course a carriage. The view of my house was in the video.

We really like living here. It's so green and beautiful! The only downside is the bugs. Still getting used to that one. We are planting a huge garden this year. Picutres to come.

A few weeks back Clark's brother Freeman and his wife, my good friend Kristen, came for a visit. We had so much fun hanging out with them! Mostly tired the whole time from staying up talking and playing games, but it was so much fun! Our house felt so quiet after they left. We're ready for more visitors!

Kristen, Lizzy, and I at Bass Pro Shop. Missouri has the largest shop. It's most recent addition is the ugliest aligator. It's a pretty fun place to go.

Update

I know I'm the world's worst blogger, but when it comes to spending time with my husband or blogging I choose the husband. I don't know how some of those die hard bloggers do it.

Clark took a job as a grounds-keeper for this very nice piece of property in Springfield. We LOVE it. In payment for his work we get to live in this newly remodeled 2 bedroom house. Although we live in the city we are surrounded by wildlife. Last night I came home from work and there were about 7 wild turkeys running around, and at least 2 squirrels per tree. No exaggeration! Occassionally we have some deer and when there's one, there's at least 4. The owners of the property love keeping the wild animals around and sometimes put up feeders. The owner's home is amazing. It dates back pre-civil war. Plantation style. I even found an old carriage in the barn. For anyone who actually read all this (I agree with you Heather, forget the writing and on to the pictures!) you're probably wondering why there's no pictures if it's all so cool here. It goes back to not being the best blogger. I'm not willing to go outside in the snow/rain just to make my blog more interesting. But warm weather is in the future and so are my pictures.

Arizona

Clark and I were in Arizona last weekend for Jules wedding. We flew in in time for the wedding rehearsal and left the day after the wedding. It was such a busy weekend, I'm still exhausted! It was so nice visiting with family. It was CRAZY how much bigger all my nieces and nephews were! Samantha especially! She's so tall now and on Sunday she sang in church and she has the most beautiful voice! Amazing tone quality!

Here's a fun shot of the bride and groom! They met at Target years ago, had their first date at Target, and he now works there again doing maintenance. The ceremony was beautiful! It was outside and perfect weather with a waterfall in the background. We had such a good time and were so glad we could be there for their wedding! Clark gave a speech and did a really good job! He had a serious moment but mostly just made everyone laugh.

I'd have to say my favorite part of the wedding was when Jules mentioned his love for Clark during his vows. I shouldn't have been surprised but I don't think I've ever laughed that hard! So did the bride! Here's a shot right as he said it! It was hard to leave the beautiful weather! When we got home it was raining, 40 degrees, with a chance of snow that evening. Boo. Best part about the flight home was it was over booked so Clark and I volunteered to take a red-eye along with a $900 voucher. Yay! That means we'll just have to visit again soon!

Remembering Lot's Wife

My cousin Karren wrote a great post about Lot's wife from another post she had read. Check them out! If you're too lazy, here's a poem from one of the comments. Very good.
Lot's Wife - Alice Morrey Bailey
She merely turned for one last, stolen look
Before her woman's lingering mind forsook
The home her hands had decked, her smile made sweet,
The memories of her children on the street.
A spirit, set on right, must keep front-face
Forever rigid toward the chosen place
And eyes firm-narrowed in the lane of duty.
No wayside resting place and no lush beauty
Should tempt the soul to longing, no lost
Love or glory, and no treasure mete their cost
In nostalgic indecision, not even pity
For a wanton, doomed, and wicked city,
Lest the will be drawn into the sucking blaze,
Consumed to smoke and ash. The backward gaze
Can bend desire, compel the step to halt,
And slowly, slowly turn the heart to salt.