Normally, we babysit our friends’ kids Jack and Sheridan, which is always fun!  However, for the next year or so, we get to babysit a piece of electronics that Corey and I are quite excited about!

Since my niece Carlee moved to London for a few months and is going to be working on a cruise ship for another nine months, she needed a place to keep all her stuff while she’s gone.  My sister Becky and her family came out this week to pick up her stuff, which included her car.  It would’ve been a long, uncomfortable ride to Nashville for my nephew Ben with this in Carlee’s compact car.

I casually volunteered to take the widescreen TV off their hands. Plus, it’ll be easier for Carlee to get it back when she moves back to Utah.

The TV’s quite clear and makes watching movies a lot of fun!  Our TV will have a nice home in our bedroom when we finally move.

I know the picture’s kind of dim, but can you tell what movie Corey and I are watching?

Happy belated birthday, Cavin!

Corey and I spent Thanksgiving with his family this year.  It was a lot of fun and we had good food!  My sister-in-law Jen did most of the cooking.  She did a great job.  Her yams and stuffing were to die for.  My only regret was that I wished she would’ve made more yams so I could bring more home.

Corey’s niece Brooklyn took an instant liking to me.  I haven’t seen her for over a year so she was a little shy at first and then wanted to hang out with me most of the time.

After dinner, the grandkids wanted to show me how they dance to “Move It, Move It” from Madagascar 2.  It was a lot of fun to watch them have as much fun as they did.  I even got into the action a little bit.

I’m glad Corey and I decided to spend Thanksgiving with his family.  It’s the first time we’ve spent Thanksgiving with family in a couple of years.  Even though Thanksgiving is less hectic when we spend it alone, I think it’s more fun when you spend it with someone else.

Since yesterday was Thanksgiving, which I’ll post about a little later, I decided it was a good time to reflect on the things I’m thankful for.  I’ve had a lot of opportunity to do that in the last couple of months, which has been nice.  I’m thankful for:

• Corey. He’s such a good husband.  He always tries to make sure I’m taken care of and happy.  Even though he may not be feeling the best, he always puts my needs before his.
• My cats. They’re such good kitties and they bring me so much joy.  I always feel loved when they come and sit on my lap or rub up against my legs.
• My belief in God and Jesus Christ. I know I would be nothing without Them and I’m so grateful for Their love and constant guidance in my life.
• My family and Corey’s. Even though I may not see them very often and things aren’t the best with my family right now, I’m still grateful for them.  Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today.  And, for the most part, they do help make my life more meaningful.
• The Vigues and Meyers. They’re awesome friends!  In fact, Corey and I consider them family.  My life is so much fuller because of them.  I love hanging out with them and I especially love to be Jack, Sheridan, and Henry’s surrogate aunt.
• Twilight, or Stephenie Meyer to be more exact. Without Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, I would never have met my “Twilight” friends, who are more than just “Twilight” friends now.  I love spending time with them and I’m so happy they’re a part of my life!
• My friends. I love my friends and I’m so glad I have good friends I can count on and that enrich my life.

Happy belated birthday, Parker!

Ali and Tyler, our closest friends, have a new addition to their family. Henry James Lawrence Vigue was born Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at 6:22 pm. He weighed 8 lbs. 15 oz. and was 20.5 in. long.  Ali and Henry are doing well and returned home this morning just in time for Thanksgiving!

While Ali was in labor, Corey and I watched Jack and Sheridan.  Jack knew where his mom and dad were, but he was just too excited being a little four-year-old boy.  When Tyler called us to let us know Henry had arrived, I told Jack.  After about a minute, Henry’s arrival finally hit him and he exclaimed, “Baby Henry is out of Mommy’s tummy!  I love him so much!”  He wanted to go to the hospital right then and didn’t want to wait until the next morning.

We went to see Ali and Henry in the hospital yesterday afternoon.  Tyler, Jack, and Sheridan were there too.  While we watched Chip and Dale with Jack and Sheridan, I got to hold Henry.  He was so cute and tiny, and he looks just like Jack did when he was a baby.

Congratulations, Ali and Tyler!

Happy belated birthday, Dad! Happy birthday, Karen and Noah!

Here are this week’s words:

1. Deleterious: harmful; injurious.
2. Demagogue: a person, esp. an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people.
3. Denizen: an inhabitant; resident.
4. Denouement: the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel.
5. Deride: to laugh at in scorn or contempt; scoff or jeer at; mock.

Before I say anything about the prom or movie, I didn’t take my camera because it’s old and the battery dies quickly.  I had to rely on my friends, which I knew I could.  They’re always awesome about taking fun pictures at our parties.  Thanks so much everyone!

My friend Danylle emailed my group of friends last month about the Twilight Movie Premiere.  At first, I was a little skeptical about going because it was $45/ticket.  But, being the die-hard Twilight fan I am, I decided to go as well as most of my friends.  One of our friends from Ohio, Julie, even came out for the event.

Some of you are probably thinking, “Why would you pay $45 to see a movie?”  It’s due in part because of the extra things that came along with it, but mostly it’s due to the company I was with.  My friends are the greatest friends ever and I love spending time with them!  We always have so much fun together.

The prom consisted of appetizers, food, dancing (I danced a little, which is a rare treat … er … sight), promotional gifts, costume contest, fashion show, and you could even get your picture taken prom-style for $10.  We passed on that. We have all the photography genius we need to remember our fun!

About an hour before the movie, we went to the theater.  We all received a fun gift bag with lots of candy, gift certificates, a Twilight hat, and lots of other fun stuff.  The atmosphere in the theater was so much fun.  Everyone was so excited and we couldn’t wait to watch the movie.  Most of us laughed when they showed the wrong Half-Blood Prince trailer (coming this November ), and lots of us screamed (me included) when the opening credits came on.

Tawnya and I had joked beforehand that we hoped the teens wouldn’t scream too much.  However, when the Cullens first walked onto the screen, the anticipation and excitement was just too much and I joined in with the screaming. The screaming just added to the experience and, thankfully, everyone wanted to hear just as much as the next person, so we were all quiet when it counted.

I had planned to see the movie three times opening day.  (It just kind of worked out that way.)  I was worried that I wasn’t going to like the movie well enough to enjoy seeing it a second and third time.  Luckily, I didn’t have to worry about that because I only ended up seeing it the one time and I loved the movie.

The movie was very different from the book and it’s definitely not as good as the book.  However, I loved it for three reasons.  First, the Twilight essence was kept intact, meaning the dynamic of Edward and Bella’s relationship felt the same.  Second, it was so much fun seeing everything come to life.  Third, it was fun to see Stephenie in her cameo role and see little references to the books here and there.  I can’t wait to see it again. And, even though I have other books I want to read/am reading, I really, really want to reread the series now.

I know that I would’ve enjoyed the movie had I not gone to the prom or with my friends.  However, being with my friends made the whole evening so much fun and I’m glad I went with them.

I still don’t have all the pictures I want to show you from the Twilight movie premiere.  Hopefully, I’ll have the pictures by tomorrow.

I just received this e-mail from Summit Entertainment, the company that made Twilight.  I’m so excited! Hopefully, I don’t cry too much.  If you’ve never read New Moon, you won’t understand.