Revival, Nine Weeks Exams & Packing

What a busy week this has been and it's only Wednesday.  We have had revival at our church, beginning Saturday night.  It has been an incredible experience.  I love how God has used the guest pastors to speak directly to my heart on issues that I have been praying about.  Our God is definitely an awesome God.

Our plan is to go trick-or-treating with the Shea's Monday night and then hit the road on Tuesday to head home to Little Rock.  We need to be home and try to get acclimated at least a week before Spencer has his surgery on November 15th.  I've already started packing things, getting rid of things and trying to figure out where we are going to put everything in the car.  It's a good thing I'm married to a man who can pack a grown elephant in a cigar box!

Spencer is going to be taking all of his nine-week exams before we leave on Tuesday.  I don't blame him; I wouldn't want that hanging over my head on the ride home, either.  Fortunately, Cole is two weeks behind Spencer so he won't take his until we are back in L.R. Spencer has been so diligent in his studying and after quizzing him on his English, I can safely say he is ready to take that tomorrow!  You gotta love when he can spell words that I cannot even pronounce.

Kari Shea and the kids came by tonight to pick up Cole.  Spencer and I didn't go to the last night of revival because I have a killer headache and he is studying.  Look what she painted for Spencer...

Isn't that amazing?!  For my friends who don't know what this is, this is "Tusk" the Arkansas Razorbacks' mascot.  She is a fabulous artist.  He already knows where he is going to hang this in his room.

Yesterday, Kari and her cousin Lisa, invited me to go with them to see "Ellen".  We had standby tickets and even though we got there early, we were not able to get in to the studio but, instead, got to sit in the "Rif Raf" room, which is adjacent to the studio and where they have all the Ellen merchandise for sale.  We were disappointed that we didn't get to see the show live but they offered us tickets to her show on February 29th!  We are excited.

Well, guess I will go help Spencer study for his science exam.  I hope you have all had a great week thus far.

"But you belong to God, my dear children.  You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world."

~I John 4:4

Church, Sunday Sports & Go-Carts

We are having revival at church this week and "revive" is just what the service did for me today.  It was wonderful and I am already looking forward to tomorrow night's service.

After church, Cole had his last acting class.  Spencer had me speed home so he could catch the last of the Broncos vs. Dolphins game.  Evidently, it didn't fail to entertain because he texted me the score after it went into overtime.  I think he was switching channels all day between football and the World Series.  It made him very happy.

After Cole's class, we picked up Logan and his friend, Erin, and headed to the Go Cart track.  We found this place by accident (when I was lost, surprise surprise) and Cole has been begging to go ever since.  Our neighbor, Nic, met us over there.  They were so excited.

These go carts are not like any go carts I grew up with...they were fast!  All riders have to wear a helmet, a neck brace and have super size seatbelts.  Kinda scary...

All smiles before the road rage.

Racers, start your engines.

At least, everyone was all smiles after the race.  They had a blast.

After a quick trip to the grocery store, I was so happy to get home, put on my pjs and have a glass of wine.  The boys are finished studying and I think we are all ready for bed.

I'm already anxious about our departure for Little Rock in a week.  Just the thought of getting everything together and traveling for four days makes my heart race and my head hurt.  

Deep breaths.

Hope you had a chance to revive your spirit today.

"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps."

~Proverbs 16:9

Hogs & Painting

The 9:20 a.m. kickoff for the Razorback vs. Ole Miss game came very early this morning...Pacific Coast time is kind of a pain sometimes.  Fortunately, my internal alarm clock went of at 4:33 a.m. (ugh) so by 7:30, I had already showered, been to the grocery store and was in the process of making a breakfast casserole to take over to Kari's for the game.  We had such a good time.

After the game, we all headed to Glendale to go to the movies to see "The Big Year".  We really had no idea what it was about; we just knew it had a good cast with Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and that is was rated PG!  It was based on a true story about professional bird watchers.  Sounds boring but it was good.  After the movie, some of the boys had a little "bird" fun during the credits...

Can you see Cole's shadow of his bird?

After the movie, Spencer and I headed home and Cole went to eat with the Shea's and is spending the night with them.

I finally finished my painting I've been working on this week.  It's a little larger canvas than most of my work but I am pleased with how it turned out...

My love of trees and crosses finally mixed together.

We're watching the World Series and contemplating going to bed early (ok, me but not Spencer).

Hope your day was relaxing, too.

"Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have.  For God has said, 'I will never fail you.  I will never abandon you.'"

~Hebrews 13:5

Indian Market Adventure and TGIF!

This morning, Nichita and I headed to the Indian Market that is about 10 minutes from our apartment.  As we were driving, I was marveling at what an amazing person she is at such a young age.  She is only 25 years old and already, she has her double master's degree in philosophy and is working toward a Ph D.  She was teaching at the college in India before she and Jeddup came to California.  Although she has known Jeddup for four years, their's was an arranged marriage and they have only been married since last December and she is expecting a baby next March.  I am amazed at how brave and adventuresome this amazing 25-year-old is and wonder if I was like that at 25. 

This is their wedding photo she has in their apartment.

So, we went to a "real" Indian market so that she could get flour, but not just any flour.  This is a special type they use to make what we would call tortillas.  As we walked into the market, guess what greeted us...

Uh huh, my least favorite animal.  They couldn't have a dog or a cat?

They kept following us!  Every isle I went down, there they were.

We found the flour, made our purchase and were on our way back home in 15 minutes.  If you ever want to purchase Indian spices in 25 lb. bags, I can tell you just the place to go!

This afternoon was the usual workout for Spencer.  I stayed at the gym and observed him working with Anthony...I was amazed.  Spencer has made such huge accomplishments.  I am so proud of him.


We cooked on the grill tonight and Michelle and the kids came over and visited for a while.  Of course, now I'm ready for bed (hey, I made it until 9:00 p.m.) and the boys are outside playing.


Hope you had a great day today, too.


"Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!"
~Hebrews 13:2

Audition & Putt Putt Fun

Today was the most exciting day we have had since Brad was in town.  I think we have kind of been in a rut lately since Cole hasn't had any auditions.  All we seem to do is school and workout sessions for Spencer.  So today, I decided to liven it up a bit.

Cole and I rode our bikes to Michael's Craft Store this morning which is in the same shopping center as Target.  The day was absolutely GORGEOUS!  Clear blue skies and 60 degrees...I can think of no better weather.

At 2:00, Cole and I headed to Santa Monica for an audition.  We were in and out in 30 minutes (if he gets a callback, we will hear from them on Monday) and headed home in the afternoon traffic.  It was kind of smoggy downtown but I never get tired of looking at the mountains...

Beautiful.

Of course, my ride home is always highlighted by the crazy person I am riding with....

I decided to insert some fun into our life so we found a miniature golf course about 10 minutes away in Sherman Oaks (10 minutes if you travel the freeway at 3:00 a.m.; 30 minutes if you go at a normal time of day).  I went ready to win.

These two also came to win.  They are ruthless.

This was the coolest putt putt coarse we have ever played.  

They had cute wildlife, which is always a plus with me!

Hole #5 which was very cool.

After this hole was when it got very interesting... first, Spencer hit the ball and it went into the pond.  On the next hole, he hit the ball and hit Cole in the head!  Somehow, he got his ball airborne and whacked Cole smack in the noggin.  If only I had been filming it and we could have submitted it to America's Funniest Videos!  But, seriously, Cole is fine and this should serve as a warning for anyone playing ANY sport with Spencer.  He is rough and tumble.

I won (!!!!!!!!!) with a total of 52 for 18 holes (picture me doing my happy dance).  Spencer came in second with a 62 and Cole had a 64 and a knot on his head. 

I am so happy we got out and had some fun.  I'm already thinking of something fun to do tomorrow.

What did you do today that was fun?

"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him."

~Philippians 2:13

Painting & Family Time

It was a beautiful, cool autumn day in Southern Cali today.  The temperature actually dipped down to 59 degrees!  It was heaven.

I am working on a new painting project so I spent the morning on the porch in blissful silence.  With the cool temperatures and the time to do something I love, it made for one happy mama for the entire day.

The boys worked hard at school and then we headed to Spencer's workout session this afternoon.  As I pulled into a parking space in front of the gym, this is what I saw parked next to me...

h-e-l-l-o gorgeous!  Sasha was waiting on her owner to come out of Lens Crafters so she and I visited.  So sweet.

My Grandfather's brother, Uncle Chuck, and his wife Velma live in Burbank.  Uncle Chuck and Grandaddy reconnected in 1990 after 50 years of being strangers.  They have the same dad but different mothers and Uncle Chuck started looking for family members through a genealogy website.  What a wonderful reunion they had and how our family loves them.  So, Uncle Chuck and Aunt Velma came over to meet the boys for the first time and then took Cole and I out to dinner at the Smoke House, which is a Burbank legend.  We didn't see any movie stars but we had a fabulous dinner and an even better visit.

We are so blessed with a wonderful family.

I've made it till 9:20 p.m. before falling in bed!  By the time I am used to Pacific Coast time, I will be back in Little Rock.  Only 10 days left in LA.

Did you have cool weather today?

"And Nehemiah continued, 'Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared.  This is a sacred day before our Lord.  Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!'"

~Nehemiah 8:10

A Good Day & Another Goodbye

Today was another great and relaxing day.  The boys rocked it on school work and aced every quiz & test that came their way!  So proud of those two!

Today, it was time to say goodbye to Coppelia and Freya, our friends from Australia.  This morning found Coppelia and I heading downtown LA to turn in her rental car.  Because Coppelia is used to driving on the left side of the road, she will not drive on the interstate.  She says five lanes of crazy drivers throws her into overdrive.  So, we drove through town and I saw parts of the city I didn't even know existed!  It was fun.

They will be coming back to California in January for "Pilot Season".   I hope we get to see them right here at the good 'ol Burbank Inn.

Cole went to an actor's workshop tonight from 6:30 to 9:30 so I think Spencer and I are going to go out for a little stroll.  The weather is nice and cool and everyone is out enjoying the evening.

Did you have a good day?

"Commit everything you do to the Lord.  Trust Him and He will help you."

~Psalm 37:5

Paperwork & Painting

Today was an easy-going day, which doesn't happen very often.  The boys were busy with school but because they had a test or quiz in every subject, their classes were shorter and they were both finished by noon.

I worked on paperwork all morning and spent the rest of the day painting.  I told Kari Shea that she had awakened the "painting beast" in me by asking me over last weekend to paint.  Oh my, I forgot how much I enjoyed it.  I will definitely be bringing all my painting supplies with me when we come back in January.

Just a fun little picture today.  I have no idea what I will do with it so if you want it, let me know and it's yours!

We had the usual kids running in and out of our apartment tonight while Spencer and I watched Monday night football (yes, I even watched part of it!).  Michelle came over and visited for a while and it was so nice to have an adult conversation.  

Hope you all had a great day, too.

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

~Galatians 5:25

Lazy Sunday

I could only describe today as l-a-z-y.  Spencer and I headed to the early service at church this morning (it was awesome) and then home to watch football and read the paper.  It was so nice to lay on the couch and not "have" to do anything.

I picked Cole up at 1:00 from the Shea's and he went hiking with his friend, Connor.  I was glad I wasn't with them because when he got home, he was red-faced, covered in dirt and sweat and looked like he had been run over by a dune buggy.  Of course, he had a huge smile on his face and proceeded to tell Spencer and I how much "fun" it was.  His idea of fun and my idea of fun are two different things.

I cooked chicken on the grill for dinner and then the boys studied for two spelling tests, a history test, a science test and an appendix quiz in English.  Makes me tired just thinking about it.

Hope you all had a restful and rejuvenating Sunday.

"All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it."

~I Corinthians 12:27

Crafty Fun & Football

When I woke up this morning I was in such a funk because we didn't have anything planned and mostly, because I was homesick.  I am missing my animals, my friends and especially my husband.   But my attitude improved tremendously when Kari Shea called and asked Spencer and I to come over (Cole spent the night with Logan last night) so Spencer could watch football and she and I could paint!  Oh my, I have missed my arts & crafts.  We had so much fun!

Kari is so incredibly talented!  I love all of her artwork.  She painted two of these to hang in their family room and now, she is taking orders to custom paint pictures but she is donating 100% of the proceeds to Andrew's choir group at school.  You've got to love smart and talented.

I painted my "usual" pictures and Spencer told me it was time to start using brighter colors and different images.  Guess I'll be making a change.

We spent all afternoon over there and it did my heart good.  Don't you just love good friends.

Cole came home with us, showered, packed a change of clothes and headed back over to the Shea's.  Logan was having friends over tonight and Kari graciously offered for Cole to spend the night again.

Cole received his first paycheck today from his music video he filmed a couple of weeks ago!  

After taxes, the manager's fee, the 15% in his savings account and his tithes, he had $80 left!  He was so proud and we are so proud for him.

Spencer and Freya spent some time this afternoon going over Algebra.  Freya is GREAT at math and she has been an absolute Godsend for Spencer, not only as a friend but as a great tutor.

We are really going to miss Freya and Coppelia when they head home to Australia next Tuesday.

Spencer and I are watching the Rangers & Tigers play baseball.  I'm ready for bed but, of course, it's only 7:47 p.m.  I hope I make it to 9:00.

I'm looking forward to church tomorrow and maybe something exciting and fun...you just never know what may be in store.

Hope you all had a great day.

"Now may the God of peace -- who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood -- may He equip you will all you need for doing His will."

~Hebrews 13:20-21

Disappointing News but it's TGIF

We received news today that Cole did not get the role he auditioned for in the new Disney pilot.  He was very disappointed but he said God must have other, bigger plans for him.  We are so incredibly proud of you, Cole.

On a brighter note, it's FRIDAY!  I did laundry and graded papers while the boys finished school work and tests.  Spencer worked out with his trainer for an hour and then had to recuperate.  Have I mentioned that he is driven?!

We had a quiet afternoon and then met the Shea's at the Burbank movie theater.  The girls (Kari, Allie, Olivia and me) went to see Dolphin Tale and the boys (Darrin, Spencer, Logan & Cole) went to see Real Steel.  Everyone enjoyed their movie (Dolphin Tale was fabulous!) and Cole ended up spending the night with Logan.  It will be really quiet at the Ewing house tonight. ;)


Love this picture...

love these boys.


"And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love.  Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony."
~Colossians 4:14

Fashion District Fun

It was another hot day in Cali so I got up early to get in my bike ride.  I saw the cutest dogs today...I'm thinking seriously about that handlebar camera.  Just think of all the cute pics I would have to post!

Kari Shea came over so we could head downtown to do some shopping in the "Fashion District".  Before we went, she got a picture of a monkey we have living here at the apartment...

Crazy boy.


Our neighbor Michelle, and her two cute kiddos followed us downtown.  My, oh my, what an interesting place.

It's 100 blocks of shops...we made it down three!


Kari & Michelle thought I should get this for Halloween but I don't want the City of Burbank to cancel Halloween when I show up in this getup...

Uh huh, I know what you're thinking.


Lots of different people, different smells and a totally different lifestyle.  We had a great time but after four hours, we were done.  Brooke & Brayden were awesome...

two sweeties.


When I got home from shopping, I could tell the boys needed to get out of the apartment so we headed downtown Burbank to visit the Halloween store and walk around.  It was such a nice night.


Once we got home, Cole and I walked a block to Ribs U.S.A., his favorite restaurant.  This boy can put away some food...

We had a great dinner but it makes me so incredibly sad that Spencer is never able to join us.  I just keep praying and thinking, "one of these days, he will be able to eat with us."  God knows what's on our hearts and I need to remember to trust His timing.


Studying is done, showers are done and now I'm ready to hit the hay.  Hope you have all had a great day.


The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.   I will advise you and watch over you."
~Psalm 32:8

So Cal is Soooo Hot

We were so surprised today when the temperature reached 95, and they are forecasting 100 for tomorrow.  Just a little reminder that we are still in the desert in Southern California.

I took a few days off from running & biking while Brad was here so I took a long ride on my bike this morning.  I have decided that I need to install a camera on my handlebars so I can take pictures of cute kitties & puppies without having to stop, get my camera app on my phone and take the picture.  I'm sure I won't look weird at all with a camera mounted to the front of my bike!

It was another quiet day today.  Spencer had his workout, the boys had school, we studied for tests, I made chicken & dumplings in the crockpot (it was yummy) and now I'm ready for bed at 7:47 p.m.  I woke at up 1:30 a.m. this morning and went back to sleep at 5:30.  To ensure that does not happen tonight, I have already taken a Simply Sleep.  I'm ready.

Hope you have all had a great day.

"Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.  And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it."

~I Peter 3:15

Lazy Day & New Project

It was quiet today, way too quiet to suit Spencer and I.  I guess we are so used to being busy that by 2:45 p.m. today, I was ready to pull my hair out because we had nothing going on.

Fortunately, Coppelia showed up at 3:00 and said, "Let's go to Chinatown."  Woohoo!  You know I'm always up for an adventure so off we went with me driving and her giving me directions.  I guess I must have taken to driving like a true Californian because when we pulled into the parking garage, Coppelia was gripping the handle above the door like it was her lifeline and telling me that she will now be making a hair appointment to cover all the gray I just put in her hair.  Oopsie.  Guess I need to curtail my LA driving before I return to Little Rock.

We found some interesting items...

Sassy girl.

Cute as a button.

We didn't find anything we couldn't live without but we had a great time and did lots of laughing.  Perfect afternoon.

The boys and I studied for tests tomorrow and now everyone has gone their separate ways.  We have done great in this small apartment but I think we will all be so excited to have our own rooms when we get home.

One thing I have noticed in LA is how many people are standing on the street corner with a sign saying they are homeless or just lost their job.  When I was growing up, we had circumstances that if it had not been for my grandparents, I think we would have been in the same place as these people.  I just want to do something but instead of just handing them a dollar or two, I really wanted to do something more.  So the boys and I went to the 99 cent store and got supplies....

For less than $25, I bought enough supplies to fill 10 bags with a water bottle, a comb, a bar of soap, small pkg of Kleenex, granola bar, lemon drops, chapstick, comb, pen & paper.  I stapled the bag shut and then on the outside I attached a McDonald's gift certificate and a little note letting them know someone was praying for them.

It's always nice to know someone is thinking of you.

Then I put them in a box and put them in my backseat of my car and when I come upon someone, I will have something substantial to give them....

It's not a lot but hopefully, it will make a difference.  I am definitely going to continue to do this when I get home.

Our four day break from school was just what we all needed and it seems to make this week more manageable.  I can't believe we only have three weeks left!

Hope you have had a great day.

"The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever."

~Psalm 121:8

Brad's back in Little Rock and I'm cranky

Of course, our weekend was great since Brad was in town.  Yesterday, we went to the movies to see Moneyball starring Brad Pitt.  It was about Billy Beane, a baseball player in the 90's, and it was fabulous!  I highly recommend it.


We all gathered outside last night while Brad grilled vegetables and steak.  The kiddos all crowded into our kitchen to play a game on Cole's laptop while they were waiting for dinner.

Meanwhile, I was outside stalking a new member of our apartment complex...

Cole said I look evil and the puppy looks scared to death!


This morning's drive to LAX came too soon as we dropped Brad off to head home.  The next time he flies in town will be the last weekend in October when we will be packing and getting ready to head back to Little Rock.  I can't believe the time has passed so quickly.


I went with Nichita today to look at another apartment.  She and her husband, Jeddup, will be in Burbank until at least the end of January and they want to get an apartment closer to Warner Brothers, where Jeddup is doing contract work, since Nichita is four months pregnant.  We met the agent for the leasing company and right off the bat, I was thinking of clawing his eyeballs out.  You could tell by his demeanor that he didn't mind dealing with me but when Nichita would try to ask him a question (she doesn't speak very clear English) he would cut her off or talk over her.  My hackles were raised before we even made it into the apartment.  Once we were inside, Nichita had questions about the utilities, deposit, etc....the "normal" questions you ask when you are renting.  This man was so rude that I stepped in and told him that if he was not going to be polite, we would go look somewhere else.  After he was rude to her again (he told her, "Lady, when you're in America you play by our rules."), I pulled Nichita to the side and told her we should go.  He must have realized that I was ready to jump him and snatch him bald because he immediately backed down and even offered to show us a different apartment that was in a quieter part of the complex.  When we left, I told him that if he spoke to Jeddup the way he spoke to Nichita, I would report him to the BBB.  I cannot remember when I have been  that mad.  I honestly could have punched him and I would not have felt bad at all.  Now, I'm all riled up again just thinking about it!


Deep breath.


The rest of the evening has been quiet.  I am working on school schedules for the rest of this week and the boys are enjoying watching Monday night football.


I hope you all had a great weekend and are looking toward a great week.


"Turn away from evil and do good.  Search for peace, and work to maintain it."
~Psalm 34:14

Relaxing Saturday

We had such a relaxing and fun day today.  Cole, Brad and I headed out to the Farmer's Market this morning, leaving Spencer behind to yell at the tv during the OU vs. Texas game.  Needless to say, Spencer was extremely happy with the OU win.

It's amazing all the good food they have at the FM...everything is organic and very reasonably priced.  We loaded up on lots of veggies and honey for me and steaks for the boys.  We will be grilling out tomorrow night with our neighbors.

After the FM, we walked around downtown Burbank to see some of the shops.  I love this part of town.

This is the bike rack....of course, "goofy" just had to show off.

We saw a Halloween costume shop and we stopped in to check out the goods.

Hello, Thor!

After our sight-seeing, we headed home, grabbed Spencer and the neighbors and headed to the park across the street to play a little two-hand-touch football.  I was so glad to spend time with everyone but way too preoccupied to really play the game.  I mean, there was some serious people watching to be done (after all, we are in LA).  I'm like the little kid in the outfield on the t-ball team; I'm doing everything except paying attention to the game.  I don't know who won but I think everyone had a great time.

We headed over to the Shea's house at 4:00 to watch the Razorback game.  I just love them!  They always welcome us with open arms even when they have things going on.  Today was Andrew's 18th birthday and Olivia had an audition at 7:15 p.m. but they still made time for us to come over.  I haven't seen Kari for two weeks (she was out of town last weekend) so it was like not seeing my sister and having to play catch-up.  I love that God has blessed us with awesome friends in this city.

A happy piggie!

We're back at the apartment and just hanging out.  It is so nice to all be together.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  His faithful love endures forever."

~Psalm 136:1

Fabulous Friday

Yesterday was such a great day, mainly because we picked Brad up at the airport last night, but there were other highlights as well.

Since the boys did not have school, it was so nice to wake up and not have to get ready to do anything.  Spencer worked out with his trainer yesterday morning.  We are all putting our heads together and trying to come up with some ideas for ways for Spencer to get involved in sports while here in LA.  He is really missing his friends and, especially, being involved in sports.  Surely, we can come up with something fun for him to participate in.

Cole had his third audition yesterday for the new pilot with Disney.  He met first with the Casting Director and then with the Producers of the show.  There were only eight kids there who got callbacks and of those eight, only two other boys who were auditioning for the role of Wyatt, which is the part Cole auditioned for.  It is amazing to me how these Casting Directors can see hundreds of kids who auditioned for this pilot and somehow out of all those kids, they culled it to these eight.  And the really amazing part is that my child is one of the eight.  It's mind boggling.  We have no idea if or when we will hear from them but if we do, I will pass it along.

After we got home from the audition, I fixed a huge pan of lasagna and we all sat outside and ate (well, the mom's ate and visited while the kids raced around like wild banshees).  The boys and I left at 7:15 for LAX to pick up Brad but his plane was early and the traffic was horrible so he had to wait about 20 minutes for us.  Oh well, he got to do some people watching while he waited.

We are heading to the Farmer's Market in downtown Burbank this morning while Spencer is already glued to the tv for the OU vs. Texas game.  You know you are going to need extra coffee when the yelling begins at 9:00 a.m.

The Razorbacks play this afternoon and then we have a cookout tonight with our friends at the apartment.  No matter what we have planned, it will be a great day because we are all together as a family.

I hope you have a great weekend.

"Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.  Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me.

~Psalm 103.1-2

Another Great Day

As I type this post, I am in awe of the truly blessed life we have and the wonderful opportunity we have been able to experience in LA.  Guess I am feeling a little sentimental.

Today was another great day.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous today...clear blue skies and 70 degrees.  That is my FAVORITE weather ever.  Give me a location with those conditions year round and I would move there in a second.

Spencer has seemed a little more stressed lately and I have really been praying about what I could do to help alleviate that....so today, I decided we were going to take a couple of days off from school.  We will have a four day weekend and will be school-free on Friday and Monday.  I could immediately see a sense of relief in Spencer.  He works so incredibly hard at school to make good grades but even the most diligent workers need a break.  We are all looking forward to a long weekend.

Our manager contacted us today to let us know Cole has another callback tomorrow and a meeting with the Producers for one of the Disney pilots he auditioned for earlier yesterday.  He will be meeting with the Casting Director tomorrow at 2:00 and with the Producers of the show at 3:00.  He is pumped!  

Cole had his last ADR session today for "The Odd Life of Timothy Green".  He really enjoyed the experience and we got to meet some very interesting and exciting people.  I love walking through the Warner Brothers compound and seeing all the unique settings.

An old VW bug in front of a "fake" neighborhood.

It was so nice to come home tonight, put on my pj's, grab a glass of wine and sit out by the pool and talk with Coppelia and Michelle.  I am so grateful to have met such wonderful friends here in LA.

We are counting down the hours until Brad arrives...only 22 1/2 hours to go!

"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.   Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God."

~1 John 4:7

Awesome Day

We had an awesome day today.  A big THANK YOU to all of our prayer warriors because we made it, safely, to all of Cole's auditions.

It rained all morning and that was fine with us because we were home snug as a bug in a rug.  I graded papers, washed clothes and worked on paperwork while the boys were busy with school.

Spencer had his workout today and once we got home from that, Cole and I headed to his first audition.  That went great and then we headed downtown for his second audition.  The prayer warriors must have been working overtime because by then, the rain had stopped, the skies were clear and we made it in record time!  The audition went great and she wants to see him again next week!  Woo hoo!!!

After we got home, Spencer and I studied and then Coppelia and Freya came over to watch "Modern Family" because our friend, Paleigh Knight, had a scene in the show.  She was the little girl who was walking Stella the french bulldog.  We met Paleigh and her mom, Tara, a couple of months ago when they came back to film the show.  They are awesome!

We also got some more exciting news tonight.  Cole found out that he has gotten the role as Jem in "To Kill a Mockingbird" at The Rep in Little Rock.  He auditioned before we left town.  Rehearsal begins in January and the show will run January 27th - February 12th.  Should be interesting how this will all work out.

I hope you have had a great day.

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

~Psalm 91:1

RAIN!

We woke this morning to the beautiful sound of RAIN!  It has not rained one day since we arrived on August 20th (the last time they got rain was the end of June).  Oh how I love the sound, the smell and the coolness the rain brings.

All the talk on the tv and the radio yesterday was reminding the great citizens of LA not to freak out when it started raining.  I was laughing.  It sounded so much like our weathermen in Arkansas when we get snow.  People were literally standing in the parking lot at Target and looking expectantly toward the sky.  These people should come to AR.

I ran errands all morning while the boys worked on school.  When I went to Staples, the Burbank Adoption Agency was next door.  Lest you think this was a children's adoption center, they have the adoptees in the window...

Baby sweeties!  It was all I could do not to rush in, do a "snatch and grab" and then explain to Brad Ewing that I "found" this baby in the neighborhood.  I didn't think he would fall for it and I am absolutely positive Kobe would not be happy with a new addition to the Ewing feline family.

Cole worked with Josh, his acting coach, for an hour and a half going over his scripts for his two auditions today.  At 4:30, he has his third Producer's Session callback for a pilot with Disney and at 6:00, he has his second Producer's Session callback for a different pilot with Disney.  He is pumped!  The only thing I am concerned about is the distance between the two auditions...the first audition is in Burbank and the second one is smack dab downtown LA.  I may have to start driving like a true Californian.

We all slept late this morning, which is so unusual for Spencer.  He must have been lulled by the rain.  He got up, got ready and started working on school.  Cole, well not so much...

he was perfectly happy to stay snuggled under the covers and play on Facebook.

Brad will be here Friday night and we SO EXCITED!  He won't be able to stay for a long weekend but we are happy with two days.  The next time he flies in town will be the end of October when we will be driving home.  I can't believe the time has passed so fast.

Tomorrow I will tell you about our adventures with Nichita, our neighbor from India.  Cole and I took her to the grocery store and tomorrow I am taking her to Best Buy.  I am definitely going to have Coppelia accompany us because she understands Nichita and all I do is constantly ask her to repeat herself.  Ugh.

Hope you all have a great day!

"When the ground soaks up the rain that falls on it and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has the blessing of God."
~Hebrews 6:7