A Lil Enchanted....

My Very First Review - GlassesUSA

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:04:00 +0000

I have been given the priviledge of my first product review by GlassesUSA.com ! I was soooo excited to try their product.... and I could really use some eyeglasses.... so I accepted immediately. Unfortunately I don't have a prescription so I let Adrian pick out some glasses for himself and since he got the glasses it is only fitting that he also tell you his experience with the company and the product. As for myself it has been such a pleasure working with the staff at GlassesUSA.com.... I'll be soooo glad to get my own prescription so that I can order some eyeglasses for myself. The quality, price and selection just can't be beat.... ordering is easy.... and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable should you need assistance.

But now here is what Adrian has to say about his own experience with GlassesUSA.com:

"I'm nearsighted. Prescription glasses have been part of my daily life since I

was in fourth grade. At age 17 I finally realized my vision had

deteriorated to the point that I needed corrective lenses 100% of the

time. Since then I have purchased eyeglasses through my optometrist, at

major mall outlets and at local eyeglass retailers with widely varying

degrees of quality, performance and retail price.

I was an early adopter of the internet. I wholeheartedly embraced

internet commerce in the mid nineties. I've purchased music, books,

electronics and clothing online-all with excellent results. In spite of

my embrace of internet commerce I have been hesitant to utilize the

internet for eyeglasses. This has been due to a desire to see how the

frames looked on my face and to evaluate the quality of the finished

product before I make a purchase decision. Time and again I visited

online glasses retailers enchanted by the low prices but I still

continued to purchase glasses through my usual outlets. That was before

the recession. I'm one of the lucky ones because I am still working full

time; albeit for a much lower salary.

Recently, I broke my newest pair of stylish prescription eyeglasses that I purchased

from a major mall retailer. I couldn't afford to replace them as the

warranty had expired. I ended up wearing a much more durable (and

cheaper) pair I purchased from a big box store optical department 12

years ago. At this point my wife told me to check out Glasses USA.com. I

figured I had nothing to lose so I typed the URL into my browser.

Immediately I was surprised to find a significant selection of stylish

eyeglass frames. Typically discount online eyeglass retailers have a

limited selection of generic looking frames that practically scream,

"CHEAP!" The contemporary and stylish selection at Glasses USA.com was a

refreshing change. There was a considerable selection of well known

designer styles available at bargain prices as well.

The biggest objection for me has been that I want to see what the

eyeglasses look like on my face. GlassesUSA.com overcame this objection by

creating a way to do this virtually. Through the "Virtual Mirror"

feature I was able to upload a head shot from my webcam (you can also

use a digital picture) and methodically try each frame shape on to

ascertain the best shape and color for my face. I tried several styles

and settled on the contemporary semi-rimless style "Playground Black"

which sells for a base price of $39 with standard single vision lenses.

GlassesUSA.com gives you multiple lens and lens coating options at a very

competitive pricing. I found the thin lenses for an extra $49 and all

three coatings (scratch, UV and reflective) for an additional $17.85 to be an excellent value.

There were also options for Transitions lenses and a polarized

sunglasses lens option and a color tinted lens option. I

gathered my prescription information from my most recent eye exam and

sent in my order.

A few days later my new glasses arrived. I unpacked them and gave them

a thorough examination. I determined the glasses felt substantial and

are clearly very good quality. The prescription was accurate and the

finished glasses fit my face perfectly and look sharp. GlassesUSA.com also

provided a high quality padded hard case and lens cloth with my order.

This unexpected extra completed an excellent experience. I highly

recommend GlassesUSA.com. The experience from beginning to end was smooth

and easy. I particularly liked the easy to navigate website, Virtual

Mirror feature and most of all the value. Thanks GlassesUSA.com!"

Now that you are ready to head on over to GlassesUSA.com and order yourself a new pair of eyeglasses I can offer you one of my favorite things.... a discount!.... use this code when placing your order to get 10% OFF!!!

The code is: Blog10 and it’s good for 10% off your final order! The code never expires either.

Be sure to visit the GlassesUSA Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/GlassesUSA.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Hello Hello!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:36:00 +0000

How is everyone doing here in Bloggyland???

I'm so sorry that I haven't posted any updates lately.... I think I just got major burnout and felt pressured from all of those EC drops and Adgitize clicks and then there was the whole New Orleans fiasco and moving etc.... not to mention my addiction to games over on Facebook.

Well I'm happy to report that we moved into a new home on July 3rd and have settled in pretty well. I have to thank our friends and family once again who stepped up to help us load and unload the truck.... what a job that was!!! I still have some unpacking to do but it will get done eventually...... mainly all of those books and candles and craft supplies that it took me forever to pack. Adrian got back to working full time just in time for us to make the move. There are of course things we miss about our old place.... but new things that we love about our new place as well. It's just a tad smaller which is good because it's not too big and we still have plenty of space without feeling cramped up. It has 3 nice sized decks that we now need outside furniture for..... and a huge yard full of trees with ivy growing up them.... absolutely enchanting! Adrian is only about 5 minutes from work and we're also closer to most of the places that we shop. I do miss being close to the other places I loved to frequent..... and I miss my fireplace..... and I really miss having my son and his little family just down the street. But it's not like they're too far away to visit whenever we want... just not walking distance anymore.

So here are a few pics of our new home.... it's pretty.... quiet and peaceful here.... even though we're in the city limits it feels like we're in the country.

Steffie has just turned 5 on the 1st of this month and is doing well. She had a lil bit of an adjustment period with the move but she is getting back to normal and accepting the changes. I will post pics of her birthday soon. I'm seriously contemplating painting her new room the colors of her old room.... it was soooo cute.... but do I really want to invest the time of painting on a rental home that we have no idea how long we will live in??? Maybe we'll be here for several years... maybe not... we can't really know at this point. She now has 2 rooms by the way... her bedroom and a play room across the hall..... how's that for being a lucky lil girl???

This is what her old room looked like..... the white walls of her new room are just plain and boring.....

That's it for now.... Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Music Monday - Don't Misunderstand Me - Rossington Collins Band

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 03:42:00 +0000

Rossington Collins Band is a lil treasure that not a lot of people are familiar with. I first heard this band waaay back when.... I was about 15 years old.... it was my first concert and one of the best I've ever attended.

If you are not familiar with their story.... Rossington Collins was formed in 1979 by Gary Rossington and Allen Collins after a plane crash killed the lead singer of their band Lynyrd Skynyrd.... sound more familiar now??? They added Gary's wife Dale Krantz to become their lead singer and let me tell you this lady can belt out a song! This whole album is just awesome... one of my all time favorites!

They didn't last for very long as a group because Lynyrd Skynyrd was eventually revived with Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother taking over as their lead singer... but Dale Krantz stayed on the road even then as their background vocalist.

This is a more recent performance from her... but I'm not sure of the date or even the place... just wanted to share an old favorite. Here is Don't Misunderstand Me by Dale Krantz.... you can find it on the Rossington Collins CD Anytime, Any Place, Any Where

Lyrics | Rossington Collins Band lyrics - Don't Misunderstand Me lyrics

I wish I could find a live performance of my favorite Rossington Collins song... but this is all I could find of it... I couldn't even get the video to embed.... so just click the link and ignore the spinning vinyl... and listen to this awesome song.... I did find the lyrics.... so I've included them.....

One Good Man...

I hope you enjoyed this Music Monday! For a lil more info on the band you can visit this web site... it's not official... but I couldn't find an official band site.... Rossington Band

Lyrics | Rossington Collins Band lyrics - One Good Man lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:32:00 +0000

It's been over a week.... and I guess you noticed that the other blog is gone....... here's what happened....

Adrian took the bus to New Orleans on Thursday night... he arrived early the next morning.... tried to sleep and couldn't... called me later to say that he was getting back on the bus and coming back home... and that is what he did.... he got back home on Saturday morning..... and he deleted the other blog without even telling me he was going to do it. So he's been aggressively searching for a job in the last week and has had 2 interviews... but so far no job. He can't get unemployment because he worked that week and a half in New Orleans and then quit.   So we have absolutely no income... and no savings to fall back on.... each day that goes by sinks us deeper and deeper into financial disaster.

We have about a month left in this house before we have to be out... but we can't even look for a place to go until he gets a job.   Sometime in the first few days of may... which is approaching fast... our electricity will be cut off because we won't have the $300 to pay the bill. We are also running out of money to pay our Chapter 13 payments and unless they are made our only vehicle will be taken away and without it he will have no way to look for work or get to work once he gets a job... so... as you can see we desparately need for him to get a job and fast. It will of course take 2 -3 weeks to get a paycheck once he gets a job... so things are not good...

Tomorrow I am applying for food stamps but I'm not sure we can even get them since he quite his job in New Orleans to come back home.... so we may be on the street soon without even our van to sleep in... and no food either.... we'll see.... I'm also going to start applying for jobs myself... one of us has to bring in some money somehow!

I'm still hoping that something great will happen soon... ei he gets a great job! Something really just has to happen.... right???? I try sooo hard to get through each day without thinking about it as much as possible or I just get worried and stressed and cry and can't sleep... the less I think about it the easier it is to deal with....

Yesterday we celebrated my Grandson's 3rd birthday.... we had fun at his party and it was good to spend time with all 3 of my Grandbabies. But last night Adrian and Steffie were making popcorn... you know how she loves to help cook!.... he had just turned off the burner on the stove and she was trying to get out of the chair she was standing in in front of the counter beside the stove.... she started to slip and reached out to brace herself and her hand landed on the stove burner instead of the counter... she has 2nd degree burns on all of her finger tips and the top of her palm on her right hand. We rushed her to the ER and they gave her cream and meds for the pain and infection... she will be fine... it will just take time to heal... and my heart breaks that she had to feel that much pain.   She slept soundly last night and woke up with just a lil pain this morning... but is feeling great now after getting her meds again and she doesn't seem to traumatized by it... she's playing and happy as usual :)

Of course the financial side to that is... that her medicaid was messed up... again.. and we had to pay $70 out of our slowly dwindling pocket for her meds.... but she had to have it.... so that's what we did. If they can get it straightened out within 7 days I can get the money back... which we really need right now... so let's keep hoping on that one too. And even more so let's hope for her lil hand to heal up quickly and with no scars or damage to the sensation in her fingers!!!

~LaShan~

Tears and Boxes....

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 02:51:00 +0000

So a few more days have come and gone... and so has Adrian... he's on a bus going back to New Orleans... I have no idea when we will see him again. I have cried so many tears you would think there would be no more to cry... they just still seem to keep coming.

Steffie and I will be here alone.... packing up the rest of our belongings... not knowing where we will even put them. By the end of the month we will need to be out of here because things didn't go quite the way we had planned.... not sure where we will go... but at least we now have the van... if I can't get some help from DFCS to find a place for us at least we can sleep in the van on an air mattress.... and at least we'll have nice weather for it...

I feel so alone... and I feel so hurt... I'm not sure if I'll ever feel secure again.... in such a short time going from a home and a regular income to no home and not knowing where we will live... how we will live... I never wanted this kind of life for my child... but then what mother does... it's certainly different from the cute lil house and happy home I had pictured raising her in....

Steffie cried all the way home from the bus station.... she said she doesn't know if she'll ever see her Daddy again.... my heart was broken... she loves him sooo much.... he is her favorite person in the whole world.... now our world is shattered... and we have to find a way to pick up the pieces and build a new one somehow.

I'm just so sad and alone.... no shoulder to cry on... no one to give me comfort... just a lot of tears... and a lot of boxes...

~LaShan~

Airing It Out....

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 22:19:00 +0000

It's been a pretty uneventful week and and a half.... Adrian has been working in New Orleans and Steffie and I have been here at home.... packing... and just being...

We have no vehicle because Adrian drove our only one to New Orleans... so we've just been here at home with the exception of the one day my Mom took us to pick up a few items that we needed. I would have loved to hit our favorite thrift store today... first Saturday of the month is half price day!.... and Steffie could really use some summer clothes... most of what I had saved over from last year is just too small... but maybe I can pay them a visit this week.

I've run through I think every emotion I can possibly feel about our situation and our pending move.... from anger... hurt... sadness... frustration... and at this point I'm just trying not to care one way or the other... just get through each day doing what needs to be done and trying not to think too much beyond the day at hand. Thinking just makes things worse... so why do it... right???

Adrian will be home either tomorrow evening or Monday... not sure when he's going to start the drive back yet... and then we have a few days to figure out what to do from here.... until then I'm going to take Steffie to hunt eggs at my sister's house tomorrow with her kids... and just pretend that my whole world is hunky doory for one more day.... after that we'll see...

Thank you all for your well wishes and understanding comments... they sure do help :)

I'm so glad that spring is finally here :).... I'm loving having my windows open and feeling the nice breeze blowing in.... letting the house air out from the winter staleness... now if I could find a place to live where the temp is in the high 60's to low 70's about 80% of the time.... that would be the place I would want to live! That's my kind of weather !

A Lil Enchanted,

~LaShan~

Packing My Life Into Boxes...

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:36:00 +0000

My husband has gone to New Orleans to start his new job... and Steffie and I are still here in Georgia.... my task is a huge one.... to pack up our lives with no certainty of when or where we will go... all I do know is that we will move somewhere in the next 2 - 3 months. It may be a new home here in this area... it may be a new home in New Orleans.... it may be a storage building for our belongings and a van to sleep in for us....

So right about now things are not so great... I'm sad and alone... angry and confused... and I could really use a support system of friends and family... neither of which is available to me.... but I will survive.... I will get through this just like I have gotten through tough situations before.....

And after all... I have a huge amount of packing to finish to keep my mind busy.... 10 years in one place means a lot of accumulated stuff to sort through and pack or get rid of.... and I've only just begun... my bathroom and bedroom are done.... 6 rooms to go.....

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Friday Update...

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:35:00 +0000

Well it's kinda hard to post on this blog without talking at least somewhat about our move to New Orleans because right now that is the main focus of my life... as much as I wish it weren't. I have managed to get a bit of sleep.... though I'm still having issues with it... and we've had some insane events in the last few days... to catch up on all of that you can visit Moving To New Orleans....

Oh and that humongo electric bill... well yeah of course it was no mistake... we somehow managed to use twice as much power as last month... and three times what we used this time last year ... even though we keep everything unplugged when we're not using it and I even flip off the breakers to my major appliances when I'm not using them... the only explanation I can come up with is that my son's friend has been charging his car battery when he's here several times a week instead of repairing his alternator.... can that really use $300 worth of electricity in one month??? That was the only thing we've done differently. Needless to say he's not doing it anymore!!! I could have fixed his freakin car for him cheaper than that!!! Also needless to say he won't be offering up any money towards helping with that bill :(

In spite of our bad news this morning concerning Adrian's job... we decided to enjoy a beautiful day of sunshine... so we took Steffie to the playground and we had a picnic. Then we enjoyed a nice conversation with a new friend that we met there... turned out she lives just around the block from us and is a homeschooler too. Great... I meet her just in time to move away... right... oh well... we can keep in touch through Facebook. I didn't take any pics... but Steffie was sooo happy to be playing outside... and with other kids. She's a very outdoorsy kinda lil girl... and I think she may have met a friend that is even more bossy than she is...lol

Please forgive me if I don't get to visit your blog daily... I've got tons of packing to get done along with the usual daily household necessities... but hopefully after we get moved and everything settles I can get back to my regular visits. In the meantime I'll visit as much as possible... and try to keep posting here... and updating on our move on the other blog as well.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.... 2 more days until SPRING!!!!! YAY!!!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Goddess Please Let Me Sleep....

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:31:00 +0000

so I won't be a bitch. I finally managed to fall asleep at 7:00 a.m..... I've had sleep issues since I was a lil girl... I can remember laying in bed at night crying because I couldn't go to sleep long after the other kids had... and I wasn't allowed to get up either... so I just laid there and cried... until sleep would finally wrap itself around me.

I still struggle with falling asleep... you see my brain will just not shut up and leave me alone.... I'm haunted by my own thoughts of things I need to do.... should have done... should have done differently... and things that happened that day or will happen in the days to come. It seems to come in spurts... sometimes it's much harder than other times... it seems to be brought on by stress and worry about what's going on in my life... and sometimes by some sub-conscious knowing that something just isn't right. I'll have trouble getting to sleep for days for apparently no reason... and then days later something will happen that I didn't expect.... and I know that it was the reason for my problem.

I've learned ways to deal with it over the years.... like reading a book until I fall asleep so my own thoughts can't torment me... but when you have other people in your bed it's kind of hard to do that and be comfortable and not disturb anyone. So I can also watch TV until I fall asleep.... and lately that is what I do... I lay on the couch and watch TV until I fall asleep. Trouble is I have to get to the point in sleep where I can eventually wake up and go get in bed without getting too awake to go back to sleep once I get there... or the process has to start all over again...

That's what happened last night... I fell asleep tried to go get in bed... but once I got there I was wide awake again. I've been in this really difficult state of trying to get to sleep for several months now... my sleep schedule is soooo messed up.... I'm up until 4-5:00 am.... and then and then when Steffie wakes up around 8:00am I'm still wanting more sleep... so I lay in bed and doze in and out for a few more hours while she plays and watches her shows in the next room. I'm really sick of this.... and it's soooo not good for her. I'm so thankful when Adrian is home in the mornings to be with her while I sleep.... but he's not always here in the mornings.... and Steffie is asking why Mommy sleeps until lunch time.

Last night was a really tough one... on top of being really stressed by this whole 'moving to New Orleans' thing.... I made huge mistake last night... I opened our electric bill and saw that our usage for last month was triple what it was for our March bill last year... and double what it was for last month! How on earth can that be??? We've had heating issues... but it shouldn't have made the bill that high... we've had the same issues on and off for years and it never made our bill increase that much.... and of course it's the weekend so I can't even call about it until Monday.... and when I do call I'm sure they will say it was no mistake. But I just don't see how it increased so much. I keep my breakers off for everything we're not using.... stove, washer, dryer, dishwasher etc.... I only flip the breakers on when I'm using them and right back off when I'm done.... and we keep everything unplugged that we're not using as well. I really should not have opened that bill until this morning. So now I'm totally stressed... and looking at another night of major sleep issues. I didn't even sleep in this morning... when Steffie woke me up I couldn't go back to sleep.... does that mean I'll fall asleep easier tonight.... nope... I know from experience that it will not.... I'll just be miserably sleepy and unable to fall asleep... again...

I need a vacation... I need to get rid of some stress and worry... but that just not likely to happen...

I hope everyone has a much better weekend than I'm having...

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

What's Going On....

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:42:00 +0000

So I've taken a bit longer of a break than I had planned. I've just been going through some emotional issues and blogging makes you have to think about things that sometimes you would rather not. So I took a break... and I guess you want to know where I've been... what I've been up to... and what the heck is going on here... or maybe not.. but if you do... here's the scoop....

I've been farming over on Farmville.... cooking over on Cafe World... tending a pet over on Petville... and I even have have a couple of islands of my very own as well.... really exciting stuff... right???.... lol... ok... maybe not... I got lost on Facebook playing these games because it's just easier than dealing with my thoughts and emotions... and it's fun too...

As far as other goings on... we made it through the holidays... I have a new Grandson... Sarah is now in a band and doing well.... Jordan is still living here with us... and lil Steffie is growing like a weed and way too smart for my own good.

And the big news is.... that we are probably moving to New Orleans... whether I want to or not is beside the point... looks like it will happen... and soon. Adrian went down last week for some interviews and he has already gotten a job offer that he needs to either decline or accept by Monday.... after that they want him to start in 2-3 weeks. He will most likely accept the job.... which means that things will happen pretty fast... and will also leave me with tons of packing and all else that goes with a huge move. We have started a new blog together to document our move and our feelings about it etc which you can find here:

So I'll be busy... but I'm hoping to get back to a regular blogging schedule... it's about time... and I've missed all of my bloggy friends that I haven't been hanging with over on Facebook :)

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Music Monday - Nightbird by Stevie Nicks

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:10:00 +0000

This song is from The Wild Heart... it's always been yet another of my favorites... this video is from about 1983 and I'm not sure which tv show it aired on but it's a rare live performance of the song....

So to all of the Nightbirds out there... 'the ones who run away... with their capes pulled round them tight... crying for the night....'

Here is Stevie Nicks performing Nightbird....

Lyrics | Stevie Nicks lyrics - Nightbird lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

American Idol Atlanta Revisited.... Missing Sarah...

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:00:00 +0000

I Guess you all remember that my daughter Sarah auditioned for American Idol in Atlanta last summer. Well the Atlanta auditions aired last night. I watched it alone and it just brought sadness... even tears... I'm not sure I'll ever watch the show with the same enthusiasm or through the same eyes again. I watched for a small glimpse of a purple haired girl as the opening segment scanned the crowds.... she was not there even for a second... at least not that I could see as they scanned through so quickly.... and as each person auditioned I wondered if she had come into contact with that particular individual. I think though that the saddest part was... not having her here with me to watch together... or maybe she just doesn't want to watch it anymore... the whole thing really left a scar on her... it took a chunk of her self confidence. We usually watch the show together and critique the singers and of course laugh at the really outrageous ones... but last night she wasn't here to curl up on the couch with me and it was just not the same... I found myself missing her terribly (she doesn't live at home anymore... and while I do enjoy the quiet that she left behind... sometimes I do miss her).... not finding any of the auditions to be funny... and really feeling bad for those who left in tears... because now we've experienced the American Idol auditions and I've seen first hand how painful it can be... even to a talented, confident and strong-willed singer. I had hoped she could go there and come out of course as a contestant... but at least to be able to look back on the experience as an adventure.... a fun memory to look back on and fun story to tell for years to come... instead she just says (like many others) "F*** American Idol". Maybe later on down the road her attitude will change.

The tears were pouring as I texted her at 2:30 am to see if she was still awake. I told her that I watched the show.... that I love her and miss her. I wonder if others have felt this as they watch the show after being rejected... or can they still bring themselves to watch. I really didn't expect to feel so sad... I expected to just watch it as I always do... I guess you just never know what your going to feel until it hits you out of nowhere.... maybe just a glimpse of my purple haired girl in the crowd would have brought a smile... maybe having her there with me laughing and telling me about her experience would have made the difference... who knows... I just know that now I just feel sadness when I see those people sent away and crushed... even the ones who really cannot sing... rejection hurts.

And even sadder is... that there are a lot of people who are very talented singers who never make it past the first auditions... just like Sarah... and it really hurts them... and leaves scars on their self confidence.... just like Sarah. Sending her to audition for American Idol is one promise that I wish I had not kept... at least the delusion of it all would still be in place... for the both of us...

Sarah... I love you... I miss you... and I hope that some day you will be able to look back on your experience as a great adventure instead of a terrible experience. You have great talent.... please don't waste it....

You can read my original posts about her trip audition for American Idol here:
http://alilenchanted.blogspot.com/2009/06/im-sooo-nervous.html
http://alilenchanted.blogspot.com/2009/06/sarah-american-idol-update.html
http://alilenchanted.blogspot.com/2009/06/sarahs-american-idol-adventure.html

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Music Monday - (Christmas)Baby Please Come Home by U2

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:09:00 +0000

Just as in the previous few weeks I'm continuing to post some of my favorite songs from my very favorite Christmas CD.... A Very Special Christmas. I didn't mention it before but there are several of these CD's... this one was just the first and my favorite.... each one was recorded to benefit Special Olympics.... so if you want some great rockin' holiday music check these out and do a good deed as well :)

And now here is U2 performing Christmas(Baby Please Come Home)... I think this was in Glasgow in 1987... but that could be wrong... just taking someone else's word for it ;)

Enjoy!

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 02:40:00 +0000

Just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful warm and dry weekend.... have fun... stay safe.... and if you can't behave... don't get caught ;)

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Bon Jovi Here We Come!!

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:46:00 +0000

I'm just really excited to say that I won those Bon Jovi tickets that Julie was giving away over on Momspective!!!! Thanks so much Julie!!! So after Christmas we'll be saving up for a trip to Charlotte NC in April... if I remember right it's about a 5 or 6 hour drive so we'll have to spend the night... and of course we'll need gas and food. But this will be a really fun lil trip for us. I've never seen Bon Jovi live and I don't think that Adrian has either so this will be great! This is the biggest prize I've ever won... what a rockin Christmas surprise :)

Thanks again Julie!! Hopefully I'll see you at the show!!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Wordless Wednesday - Bad Bad Santa

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:46:00 +0000

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Music Monday - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by John Mellencamp

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:57:00 +0000

This is another of my favorite songs from my favorite Christmas CD.... A Very Special Christmas. This weeek it's John Mellencamp... who will always be John Cougar to me.... performing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus on December 10, 1987 in Indianapolis Indiana. OMG... look how young he was back then.... weren't we all!!... and look at that gorgeous long hair!.... reminds me of Brad Pitt's character Louis in Interview With A Vampire... my all time favorite movie. Ahhh to go back to 1987 and redo life knowing what I know now....

Here is John Mellencamp rocking it to I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus...

Lyrics | John Mellencamp lyrics - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus lyrics

Let It Snow!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:17:00 +0000

We woke up this morning to about an inch of snow... I know it's not much to most people but last year we didn't even get this much.... so this was a great surprise to wake up to! Steffie went out to play with her brother Justin and lil Austin and Hannah.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Today was a drop and run kind of day..... Steff and I went with my Mom for dinner and the local Christmas parade.... and if this lil hick town does anything right it's a parade! I didn't get any pics... I was just trying to keep Steffie from running out in the road to grab candy and enjoying the parade. I've been to quite a few small town parades and this lil town I think holds the best one so far... it lasted for over an hour. Steffie got a couple of handfuls of candy and a balloon and she was tickled to death to see Santa going by. We didn't stick around for a Santa visit because our toes were numb from the cold... but hopefully we'll visit with Santa another time.

We might go to another parade in one of the nearby towns tomorrow... we haven't decided yet... there are 4 to choose from tomorrow night... so we'll see. It would be great if everyone didn't do them on the same night... we would be able to go to more. But Steffie does love a parade... so we'll get to as many as we can. It would be so much better if Adrian was off work and could go with us... just wasn't the same without him.

Oh and we might get a few flakes tonight.... we'll see.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Christmas Countdown Art Project

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:31:00 +0000

We did an art project today... Steffie and I made a paper chain Christmas Countdown to hang on her door. She had lots of fun... but then what kid doesn't when it involves glue and glitter?

First we made a Christmas tree and decorated it with glitter... I didn't get any pics because my hands were too busy trying to keep the glitter under control.

Then we glued our paper strips to make a chain... we had to include purple because it's her favorite color

Showing off her work...

She was singing while she worked so I had to get it for posterity....

Counting the links...

Then we attached the links to our tree and hung it on her door

She can remove a link each night until Christmas. She was soooo excited when I explained to her how it worked.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:47:00 +0000

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Winter Wonderland???

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:57:00 +0000

You know how every area seems to have one house that is decorated for the holidays with so many lights and displays that everyone knows about it and makes a point to go there every year to see it? Well there is such a house here in our area... we call it Winter Wonderland... I know... not very original... but it's what everyone calls it... because it is. These people are so nice and friendly... they decorate inside and out... and even invite their visitors inside... it's just an amazingly beautiful holiday display hosted by an amazingly sweet family. They use so much electricity in the month of December that the electric company has to install a second meter to their house for that month.... donations are always welcomed to help pay for the bill but never requested... you donate if you can and want to... or don't if you can't... there is no pressure... no expectations. The parade of cars driving by begins the night after Thanksgiving and seldom is there a night that the lights are not turned on. We get out of the car and walk through the beautiful scenery displayed in their yard... lights and animated characters of all kinds.... go inside for a look around when they are accepting visitors... and profusely thank them for their hospitality as we admiringly ooh and ahh at the beauty of it all. It has become a tradition to visit this house.

Tonight we were very excited... we had decided to go for a visit at Winter Wonderland... we drove around the area to look at other Christmas lights... none of which can ever compare... not around here... anyways... and finally we arrived at our destination. As we came over the lil hill and around the curve... where we can normally see the grand display... there were no lights. "Oh well"... I thought..." we can come back another night"... but as we got to the front of the house there was nothing in the yard... nothing but a sign. My heart sank as we read the sign stating that they were taking the year off.... they will be back at it next year... but I was so sad... it felt like Santa was taking the year off.

I hope all is well with this very sweet and generous family... we will miss our visit with them this year and the beauty they bring so many people every year with their generous gift. I am so glad that they plan to be back at it next year... it's just not the same without this amazing place to visit.

Wishing a very Merry Christmas to this special family... may you have a wonderful year... and I can't wait to see you next year!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Music Monday - Merry Christmas Baby - Bruce Springsteen

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:38:00 +0000

Another song from my favorite Christmas CD.... A Very Special Christmas.... one of my hubby's favorites... Bruce Springsteen performing Merry Christmas Baby in Buffalo NY on November 22, 2009.

Lyrics | Bruce Springsteen lyrics - Merry Christmas Baby lyrics

The Great Escape.... More About My Time In Massachusetts

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:27:00 +0000

When I left Georgia to move to Massachusetts it was pretty scary for me... I'm southern girl and had only been out of the south on a couple of vacation trips when I was small... once to NYC when I was about 2 years old that I don't remember at all but I've seen pictures... and once to Indianapolis when I was about 7... it was a trip to visit my stepdad's friend and we were at their house the whole time so no real vacation fun... I just remember playing with their kids and the loooong drive. I'm not the type to take huge risks... I like to play things pretty safely... so packing up everything I owned and my 3 kids and moving up north to make a new life for us and possibly be with someone whom I had never met in person was very unlike me... but it felt so right that I had to do it... I couldn't not do it... every part of my being was pushing me to just go.

The other thing was that I could only tell a very few people what my plan was... Adrian knew of course... and my Mom and my sisters and my best friend from online Cyn.... I couldn't tell anyone else... not even my kids... because if their father found out he would try to kill me... he had already cut my phone lines in the middle of the night 3 times.... and he had told me repeatedly over the years... and even in front of my kids... that if I ever tried to leave him he would cut my head off. So yes I was terrified... and thrilled to be going as far away from him as possible. I still feel bad that I couldn't tell my kids and let them say goodbye to their friends and family.... but it was necessary for my safety to keep it from them.

I got an apartment in Mass and a job as an assistant manager at Fashion Bug.... I hadn't worked in 8 years since my boys were born... we received help and counseling from a Women's Services agency... and Adrian was just wonderful as our relationship grew in the following 18 months in Mass. All was good until someone called DSS on us.... they were accusing me of neglect because I was under court order to send my kids to visit their father... if I didn't send them for the court ordered visit I would be arrested... and if I did send them DSS would take them from me and put them in foster care... along with other things that they put my family through.... I was between a rock and a hard place so to speak. I knew my kids would be safe because their father was living with his parents and they would not let him hurt them. And soooo my second escape from abuse... this time from DSS.... was planned.

So when summer came I put my kids on a plane to Georgia for the last time... and I felt such huge relief that they were safe from DSS... I no longer had to worry about them showing up to take my kids every time someone knocked on my door. And it was very strange to actually be relieved that I was sending them to be with their father. But I knew they were more safe with him than they were in Mass. We loaded up all of our belongings onto a truck for the second time and headed back to Georgia a month later... we had to get everything in order financially before we could leave. I was never so happy to be back home in the south and to see the mountains that surrounded me all of my life... I never knew I would miss looking up and seeing those mountains. It was so good to see my family again.... we were home... and we were all safe. And so we have been back in Georgia for 10 years now. Our life has never really been easy... but we have made the best of it.... we have survived! Adrian has been a wonderful husband to me and an amazing role model and parent for my kids. We have gone back to Mass to visit a couple of times... Adrian's family is there..... and I love to go to Salem. But I don't think I'll ever move back up there. And that is my story... the short version... even though it was pretty long.

Thank you all for your wonderful comments and Anniversary wishes.... and I'm glad you liked the pics of my family :)

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Thanksgiving Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (A Lil Enchanted) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:48:00 +0000

We all got together for dinner at my sister's house today and after we stuffed ourselves we piled up on the couch for some photos and some laughs. My sisters always do Thanksgiving with their in-laws so we had our lil get together today instead. We had a great time so I thought I would share some pics.

Pictured above is Jack (my brother in-law), Val (my sister), Abby (my neice), Gracie (my neice), Jackie (my sister), Steffie, me, Jonathon (my nephew), Sandy (my Mom), Winston (my Mom's boyfriend).... Adrian was at work :(... and Todd (my sister's hubby) took the pic.

Princess Steffie

My Sister Jackie and Princess Jonathon

Gracie and Steffie

Me and Steffie

My Grandma and Nephew Josh

My Sisters.. Jackie, Valerie and me

The guys... Jack, Todd, Jonathon and Winston

Jonathon, Steffie, Mom and Gracie

Steffie and Gracie making funny faces

Jonathon, Gracie and Steffie jumping on the trampoline... it was all good till Gracie puked!
Rule of thumb... don't jump on a trampoline after stuffing yourself!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~