I want to be on Ellen day 1 :)

Happy day before Thanksgiving! I can't help but to be so thankful for our son, our health, my family and friends. Also thank you to all who serve in our US Military Forces. Every year Andy and I try and give back but truly they give to us. I am and will always be a proud Army wife. Andy and I's Thanksgiving over the years have been in Germany where the Turkey didn't fit on the oven but we shared the half frozen one with great friends, in Paris and him in Iraq and the following year just getting back from Iraq. It is a very special time for us.

I have been packing for Thanksgiving with the in laws and so happy to report that after not drying my jeans after I washed them they still fit!!!! Yahoo....Ok, so this is just my arrival out. Thanksgiving is more formal, they wear dark wash in Meadville.:)))I actually packed 5 pair of black pants because lets face it, there are so many contributing factors as to how something may fit. Then I packed the back up dress, tights and boots in case nothing was to my liking. (and my husband wonders why we have three suitcases for 4 days plus two extras for shoes and toiletry's:))) Is it really so wrong to wear heels in snow? Florida girl.....


My main objective is to avoid anything I can actually enjoy tomorrow. So no sides, ugh.... Sides are the best. My Mom was a Georgia peach so we have always been traditional. Green bean salad, deviled eggs, turkey, stuffing (the normal kind) and some sort of potato. I personally do not understand why someone takes a perfectly good sweet potato and covers it in marshmallow's and coconut. On an average people gain 6 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years. What to do!!!! Maybe I will down a turkey leg while on the treadmill!

Still job hunting, life searching and feeling so blessed for my son. On Thanksgiving, this is what is most important.

So Happy Thanksgiving to all! Hug your family, friends and a stranger (but don't get arrested doing it:)

Much love from the Linz family~

Life is funny. There are ups and downs and so many days the downs seem to weigh heavy. I have taken the week to relax, take a break in my home state and reflect on the year. I cannot believe that Christmas is just around the corner. Wow, time flies. Carters birthday is January 2 and we will celebrate with great joy and no doubt a few tears. I cry at everything these days. Throw a good Charmin commercial my way and I am down for the count:)

I have been noticing an interesting trend. It is the debate on proper and when the sins of the past, or last weekend are redeemed. I say this because of the whole Carrie Prejaan debate and her poor choice of verbiage in her media tour. Whomever is her publicist needs to be fired. Seriously, she is doing more harm than good and it is hard to think of her as a victim with her attitude. Now I am FARRRRRRR from perfect. I have never sexted (who wants to see that and frankly I have a hard enough time covering things fully clothed. Naked...ahh...NO......)however; like everyone I have sinned. I guess it is the definition that always throws me. You have those who can quote the bible yet are hypocrites. You have those that are of a different religion or sexual preference who are the kindest people you have ever know yet we judge based on what is in a book and not what is in our soul.

Why can we not sit in judgement but in acceptance and love?

Clearly I need to back away from the yoga mat! Just feeling zen I guess:))

900 miles and I arrived in Florida. Many asked why I drove but lets face it, with Carter being on oxygen, most airlines don't welcome that in travel. Not to mention, I have 14 with me and a portable condenser....can you imagine the baggage charge?:)

It is great to be around family, friends and WARMTH! I think we skipped summer in Maryland as it went by so quickly.

Time with my Brother, Lois Lane and Benjamin always makes me smile. Lois Lane got her first haircut since her hair grew out from chemo and she looks stunning. We also managed to go through old photos and it was fun to see my various haircuts, ex-boyfriends and my parents whom I still miss daily. Who would have thought that I actually looked OK in the Demi Moore do! Hating my hair these days...what to do...what to do. When you get married your hair is no longer your own. Guys have opinions....very strong ones!!!!!

OK so this brings me to a debate/thought. My Brother is a VERY devote Southern Baptist. He teaches, preaches and is very knowledgeable in regards to his denomination. I appreciate his passion and open to conversation and debate. I am NOT Southern Baptist,I support Gay marriage and the belief that as long as you are convicted to your God, I have no right to judge as long as you respect and honor life and love. I see grey perhaps. I may not believe in everything about every religion but I can't help but think that who is to say we all don't stand in front of the same God. Our roads were just different in getting there. To me, God does not pass judgement or love us less because we make mistakes. We are human and we will make mistakes. It is what you take from those mistakes that is the lesson.

Now on to politics....I feel so Palinized :)))))

Is it really almost Christmas?

I swear I thought last Saturday was Halloween yet I must have been confused as my local shopping mart is already garnished in tinsel and lights. I have to admit though I do love the holiday season. Its more about the what if. It is a happy time although I will admit drowning in commercialism. There is an appeal about the twinkle of lights that beyond all redneck scenarios is one that I would invite all year long if I could get away with it.

This brings me to my latest obsession. Ok maybe not latest but shoes that claim to make you fit. I saw a commercial for reebok today promising what sketchers do. I guess if I walk on a ball everyday of my life I will become centered, balanced and fit. I can't help but think that this all reminds me of the time I stepped on a bee in Georgia. The center of my foot swelled up like Texas.

If I had only know that was the answer to all of my fitness goals. Find two bees to balance it out of course and be fit for life....

Eppy pin anyone?

Favorite quote of the day.....

When you make average GREAT, you can make your dreams a reality.

Thank you Oprah and Suzie Ormond

Knees and necks

Today, like many days was one filled with the pondering realization that hey...THIS IS MY LIFE! Here it is, the reality. We had family photos on Saturday. It was Halloween and yet STILL we had not carved the pumpkin but the family all had new costumes. Halo, a mermaid, Jack was Tina Turner, Josie a Jester and Carter..the cutest Monkey you have ever seen. Andy and I just survived as I ate far to many Reese's cups and found myself giving away candy by the bagful to avoid the existence of any morsel in our house.

Fast forward to Tuesday. Pumpkin still not carved( I see a pumpkin pie in our future) and I noticed a few new rings around certain parts of my body. Rings you ask...yes. Rings. See in my effort to look TAN I painted my neck on Halloween. I guess in all of my speedy shower endeavors I wasn't scrubbing the neck area as I should. I was horrified as I thought I would be sporting scarfs for the rest of my life but after some exfoliation of the dried baby formula mixed with body paint was gone, there were no rings ...thank goodness!I hope to never be the women/Shitzu that when we get older our hair just gets bigger and we resemble our pets.

This brings me to one other concern. What is up with the knees?