What a Party! (and surprise! you're published!)

today was BUSY but a pretty neat day!  : )  i just feel like i need a weekend from my weekend... LOL  


here's how this morning was supposed to go - up at 9:30 or so, shower, do my reading, leave the house at 10:30 for brunch.


here's how this morning went - up at 10:35, quick hair wash, leave the house at 10:50 for brunch.  


whew!  brunch was goooood!  met w/ amy, marcie, & trish at the lodge.  awesome buffet!  i had my camera, and i thought about taking pictures for a Menu post, but did i?  uh, no.  FAIL!  i did take some semi-clear photos of the party, at least!

love the chairs, the hunting lodge decor, the whole atmosphere.  i would love to go back for another brunch!  and at $14 i think it's pretty reasonable for a brunch buffet - i mean, you have all your breakfast foods, plus smoked salmon, beer battered cod, pasta, prime rib, pork chops, and dessert!  you're eating essentially two meals, so $7 a meal - woot!  still, not something that is in the budget every week, sadly.  heh.  


we had some great conversation and celebration!  leyton's soccer game was cancelled due to the weather, so i got to stay an extra 45 minutes, too!  : )  then it was time to meet mom back at my house so we could go to great uncle frank's 90th party!  since the game got cancelled, i was disappointed that i wouldn't see leyton today, but when phil called to let me know about the game, he said leyton was spending the night, too!  hooray!  : )  

 he & aunt dorothy lived in hawaii for awhile, and traveled back there at times.  

Lord willing, he & aunt judy will be headed there in january for a 6 week vacation.

i wanna go!!!  (and bring home a nice hawaiian cutie...*grin*)

when we arrived - and phil & leyton arrived at the same time as mom & i did, which was neat - we learned that uncle frank had a possible mini-stroke this morning after church & was in the hospital!  eeep!  so mom ran home to get her video camera so we could record some get well messages & he'd be able to see everyone at the party.  


meanwhile, i checked out the cakes & the photo table.  also, uncle gene had made "frank foolery" buttons, which were pretty cool!

ahhh, Navy & baseball... great family traditions!  : )  

i got some family photos of my own 

& then leyton pulled me into the play room, which is pretty much where i was the rest of the afternoon!  *laugh*  surrounded by the little cousins, the next generation!  

while i was out in the main room talking to uncle gene (allowed only because leyton was in the main room eating cake!  LOL), it was announced that they were releasing uncle frank & he would be able to come to his party!  praise the Lord!!!  :)  he arrived, looking good, & received much singing & celebrating!  

after the party, i went over to mom's, at leyton's request - i had originally planned to just come home! - & hung out.  we watched Rango (my opinion - funny parts, but way too involved and dark to truly be a KID movie - and also, swearing?  really??) & jen & anthony came over for a bit.  it was really nice!  

and OH!  while i was at the party, my purse was off somewhere, and when i asked leyton to bring it to me, i checked my phone & had a message from like an hour earlier, from nicki.  she was asking me if i'd gotten this week's People magazine.  i said yes, but i hadn't read it yet.  she then asked me if it was me in the magazine.  i squealed w/ excitement & texted back that yes, it was.  they had published my letter to the editor regarding Carrie Fisher!  woooot!!!  : )  so, first thing i did when mom dropped me off was get my mail & look at the magazine!!  


i hadn't thought i'd written that much, but they edited it down.  which is okay!  it just sort of does change the tone of the letter that i wrote.  so - check me out in this week's issue of People magazine!  but - just in case you don't normally buy the magazine, here's what they published, along with the letter i sent in its entirety, below.  

Published:

How sad that Carrie Fisher is only comfortable going out in public now that she has lost weight.  There is no shame in being overweight, no matter which industry tries to tell us differently.  

What I wrote: 

First of all, congrats to Carrie for losing 50 lbs!  That is awesome!  And it sounds like she did it the right way - w/ diet & exercise.  However, as one of the many women over 180 lbs (her heaviest weight) who read your magazine, I found it very sad that she equated going to the movies as something she could do now that she's lost weight.  Being overweight is not something to be ashamed of, no matter which industry tries to tell us differently.  I enjoy getting out and spending time with my family at the movies, the zoo, parks, the mall - wherever!  And I don't need to be 130 lbs to do so!  

what'd'ya think?  did you read the article about Carrie Fisher's weight loss?  i kinda feel like the edit changes the tone of what i was saying, but at the same time - 


ahhhh!  *bounce*  thank you, People magazine, for publishing my note!  it is AWESOME to see my name in People magazine, even edited!!  : )  


now i suppose i should finish OLTL & hit the hay.  mondays are always BUSY.  LOL  i hope your sunday, and weekend, has been amazing & blessed.  God is GOOOOD!!!  : )  


ttfn!  
p.s.
ALSO!  uncle gene & aunt nancy will be going to key west this fall, and have agreed to once again do some posts for the Menu!  i am so excited!!!!  : )  thank you both for agreeing to do this!  : )