Valarie Lea From Tennessee, now in Alabama

Mic check 2 - 1 - 2...is this thing on???

2009-11-04T15:39:00.001-08:00

Well I have been MIA since July 28, here it is 3 months later.....

I wonder if people will remember me, if they will even care. Did you take me off your blog roll????

Ya see I have this problem, its called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. What?? When did I get diagnosed with that?? Oh I haven't been, I sorta diagnosed myself. :) Ya see I tend to compulse over random things and then I don't finish them. This is my list.....

Cross Stitching....I have like 5 projects that have been trying to get completed since 1992. I wonder if my sister still wants those bears I was working on....

Exercising....Yeah that is an ongoing on again off again love affair...sigh

House Work....ok yeah so I never am compulsive about that

TuTus.....yes I now make tutus and I have a lot of Tulle and not a lot of tutus finished. Now I finished the ones that were ordered, but the ones in my head, yeah they are still there....

Crafts....to many to list. My craft room is now the crap room.

Cooking....Oh I was gonna cook a lot of stuff....I have the recipes does that count??

Redoing Furniture....My garage is running over with stuff I thought I would "re-do"

Twilight.......Still obsessed :)

Blogging....My sister said I would not keep it up....she was right. I did make it a year and then something happened. Stupid Facebook....:(

So this is my attempt to get back on the horse! I am want to blog again! I want to feel the wind on my fingertips as I type feverishly on the keyboard. So this is where you come in. If you are my friend on FB you my lucky one get to hold me accountable! You get to say, " I better see a post from you today, and I mean Stat!" So are ya gonna do it??? Are ya gonna help me????? Pretty Please with Sugar on top?????

Oh and just so you remember me and what I look like, this is me.....

Yeah more on that outfit later.....I need something to blog about. :)

Sooooooo.....

2009-07-28T13:07:00.001-07:00

So I have not been around lately....

Sometimes I take things in spurts, I can never stick with anything to awful long. It comes in cycles though. I start thing, I dont finish them, or continue them, and then I pick them back up again. So goes blogging....

Well I am trying to pick it back up again. I miss you guys....:(

I miss knowing whats going on, but my biggest problem right now is finding the time to read everybodys stuff. It might help if I wasn't addicted to crackbook, but its so fun over there....

Well enough of me whining. So how has everybody been, life treating you good?

This is what has been going on with me (in no particular order).....

I have learned how to make tutus and become an Ellerina!

Decided to take up selling ice cream...(not really I just hijacked the ice cream truck! You should have seen the look on the guys face when I hoped in there.)

Jessie turned 19!

Went to Mission Fuge again, but this time I did not break my toe.

Syd was in her first ever beauty pageant...

Its been tractor pull time around here again....

Oh and did I mention, we almost got thrown out of Wally World.....

Yeah so that's been my life in a nutshell. More to come soon, I promise!

~cough, cough~

2009-07-27T08:26:00.001-07:00

Dang at the cobwebs and dust around here! I really need to pay more attention to this place.......:)

Dream a little dream...

2009-05-18T15:31:00.001-07:00

There is a time of sleeping that seems to be a parallel universe. Its a state of consciousness and unconsciousness, a state of vividness. It seems to happen when that first alarm goes off in the morning and you hit snooze. You roll back over and enter a very very strange world. Every now and then when you wake up, you can remember everything. Sometimes you probably wish you didn't remember.

The other morning I had such a dream. It was a place where all me randomness converged into one major story.....

I remember being in front of my Daddies house. Syd and I were in a car. I think I was teaching her how to drive. (I learned how to drive in front of my Daddies house) For some reason though, the car would only go in reverse (I learned how to drive in front of my Daddies house by driving in reverse, then putting it in drive and going back to the end of the road), and the breaks would not work and the accelerator was stuck. The road however seemed to just keep going. Then a car approached us quickly and then passed us. It was a mail car. (My Daddy was a mail man) I was being driven by the Jonas brothers, they were wearing red jackets. (I have no idea what that means)

Suddenly the end of the road was coming at us very fast! I told Syd to hold on and then I reversed it into the ditch across the street hoping it would slow the car down. The car continued on, only coming to a stop in the neighbors back yard. Stopping like 20 feet from a bunch of children that were being babysat by one of Syds friends. (Hi Taylor!)

(I talk with my hands)

Then Carl Winslow came out of the house (Must of watched Family Matters before I went to bed) and was the police officer working the wreck.

Then as I was standing in the neighbors yard I noticed these bricks that were on his house. They all had numbers on them. He told me that they actually were there honoring his family who died in the holocaust. They were the numbers that were given to them at the camps.

Now can someone please tell me what in the world all of that would mean!

It was really really weird.....

What's up!

2009-05-11T16:01:00.001-07:00

I know, I know I should just be whipped with a wet noodle, cause I have not been blogging.

Its been a bit crazy around here, things have been taking my time, like the gym, facebook, the kids, facebook, Church, facebook, work, facebook ya know the usually stuff.

Some things that have happened while I have been gone:

Jessie wrecked her car. She is fine the car had some major boo boos, but will make a full recovery this week.

Our neck of the woods got the swine flu. WooHoo schools closed for two days and now we have to make them up at the end of the year and shorten our already very short summer!

Syd got "attacked" at school. She wants me to call it that, because she did not get a lick in. She is fine, nothing stops that kid.

Jess has sprouted wings and is attempting to jump out of the nest. I am not taking this very well. :( God told me to let her go he had her, so I have. Please pray with me that she will make wise decisions.

I have a stye on my eye from crying so much.

I know you wanted to see the stye, but this is just an illustration very similar to my eye. Except I have brown eyes and much longer lashes. :)

And the big one........

Syd now has a learners permit. We got it today. She almost killed us like twice already. Please pray for my sanity.

And just for your viewing pleasure, some picture of Me, Mama, Lisa, and Robin yesterday after we took Mama to eat for Mothers day.

Ok hopefully it wont be so long between post this next time. I might not be around long after posting these pictures anyway. :)

Cause I'm Shameless

2009-04-22T08:12:00.001-07:00

There is this awesome Etsy shop out there in Etsy land, that I think you need to know about!

This place has some awesome items! Just look at some of this awesome jewelry!

LOVE IT!! WANT IT!!!!

This would so go with what I have on right now!

Can you say goes with everything!

Moonshine Jewelry is run by an awesome girl named Amanda, and she just happens to be my niece!!!!! So go now and check her out. You never know if yall go over and order stuff, she might just give me a kickback on something.

~cough cough "green with envy bracelet" cough cough~

Love you Mandy!!!!

(By the way don't call her that, it ruffles her feathers)

Amanda and the most awesomely awesome Aunt evah!

Oh Barbie the place you will go....

2009-04-21T10:44:00.001-07:00

Ya know I have been sitting around thinking about what to blog. I mean my creativity has been a little lacks lately and I just feel that I can't bore you with all my ball stuff. Then on the way home the other night, a random blog post just fell into my lap.

As I was minding my own business, driving down the parkway I see the strangest sight. So I pull out my trusty camera to document what my eyes are seeing....

Do you see it????? This is not just an ordinary Harley! This is a Harley with a pole dancing Barbie!

Oh Barbie the things you have seen.....

Dear Mr. Motorcycle Man,

Thank you for letting me take your picture, even though you did not know it. I have tried to keep your identity save.

kthanx :)

HILL-AIR-E-US!!!!!!!!

2009-04-16T14:09:00.001-07:00

Ok so I just saw this status update from Mr. Archiemck himself.......

Archie

RT @helsinkiwinner: Can't stop laughing at http://myparentsjoinedfacebook.com/ <-- Awesome!

Oh sorry you don't know what a status is? Bless your heart.....

Well its a crackbook thing. Sorry, Facebook..:)

This website http://myparentsjoinedfacebook.com/ is awesome, I don't think I have laughed so hard in forever!!!

Here are some examples:

Go on over have a laugh and if you see me on that website, let me know. K? K :)

Oh and by the way... The dog is at the neighbors again, this after Big Logan calls me wanting to know why there is a dog in his garage. :)

LOST

2009-04-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

The other day, Friday to be exact, we had some major storms come thru here. It left a path of destruction and debris in its path. It also left a dog at my house.....

(Not actual dog, this is just a dog that looks like the dog)

We now have a Miniature Collie, or Sheltie running around outside.

You see I got this call right after the storms from Jessie telling me, "Oh mommy, we have a new little dog, he is oh so cute and precious, and well mannered, and pretty, and precious, and can we keep him? Huh Huh Huh Huh.......

Me being the wonderful Mother that I am, I said that dog better be gone, by the time I get home! So they took it over to my sister Lisa's house to try to pawn it off on her. It was close and she almost caved, but in the end she held her ground.

I told the girls, he probably just got lost during the storm, let him run around and he will eventually go home.

Saturday, the dog is still here running around.

Saturday evening the dog is gone. :)

Then I find out that the dog is at the neighbors in the back yard. At this point I am thinking better you than me.

Sunday still no sign of the dog running around, still must be at Josh's.

Sunday evening, the dog is back at my house. (I did not tell the girls, I went in the house and never mentioned seeing a dog)

Monday morning, the dog is walking with my Mother-in-Law... Ugh!

Monday evening (tonight) , I just stopped Jessie as she was driving down our road, on my way back from the gym. She had the dog in her lap, in the car!

Now to make this whole thing worse, other than the fact that Jessie does not want to actively seek the owner, she went and took the dog off the neighbors front porch this evening.

My child is a dog stealer......Lord help her :(

When I asked her what she had to say for herself, this was her response.....

"Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers"

Please, If anyone has lost a Miniature Collie in the North Alabama area, please email me, I think he is at my house.

Paaaaaaalllleeeeaaassseeeeee! I don't want another dog! :(

E.C. VS THE E.C.W :)

2009-04-10T09:05:00.001-07:00

There are times when you see an opportunity and you just have to seize it. Seize it I tell ya!

Pocket Edward woopin up on some wrestlers!

Logan put Pocket Edward down!!!

DDDDDDDD-NOW! D-NOW!!!

2009-04-08T15:40:00.001-07:00

Ok I was a bad bad photographer this weekend. I guess the whole making sure 12 teenage girls get ready and get to where they have to go, did a number on me. I kept leaving the house with out my camera. So what you are about to experience is D-NOW on Saturday evening after we got back from the Church. At this point we had all the girls and the 11th and 12th grade boys. For a total of 16 teenagers.

First It was about 11:00 at night and I hopped them up on sugar, cause I am brave that way. I will look danger in the face and say bring it on in the form of a bunch of teenagers.

*** Disclaimer - I will only stand in the face of danger in the form of a bunch of teenagers, if they are good teenagers. These were good teenagers. At least they were at that moment. ;)

We made Smeeps! What you have never heard of smeeps?? Well let me show you!

Smores with Peeps = SMeeps

What, What!!!!

Mmmmmm Sugary goodness!

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Jake, one of the guys, then took my camera and started taking random pictures.

See my Vacuum? Yeah I heard Martha Stewart say one time that if your vacuum is out when company comes over, it makes it seem like you are all domesticated and stuff. At least I think it was Martha Stewart? Maybe it was Peg Bundy ......

Someone needs a haircut....

Ummm Yeah.........

More to come....well more to come when I get more pictures from Melinda, since she took her camera. :)

My sister made me do this :)

2009-04-07T13:11:00.001-07:00

Cause she is tired of reading my last post. So I am now posting a post to replace the previous post. :)

Once I can get my pictures downloaded, I will show you my weekend for D-now.

Picture this 10 to 12 teenage girls in my house trying to get ready, and then when we would have down time most of the teenage boys were at my house also. So at one point I had 18 teenagers and Little Logan in the house. It was quite and experience. :)

More to come soon.......

I am losing followers :( I am a loser...

2009-03-31T13:19:00.001-07:00

1. I guess that means I should post something. I am tired of giving you my reasons for being gone, because I sound like a broken record. Busy, Busy, Busy lets just put it that way.

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2. So the other day as I was doing my elliptical trying to read, I realized that it was difficult to read and do an elliptical. Your head bounces all over the place and you can't stay focused on the words.

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3. Warning this is a random post

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4. Out my backdoor looking at a storm....

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5. The story about the baby chicks is partially true. Lisa said Mama bought them though after Lisa picked them out of the front window at Koons Department store. We really did eat them, I asked my Daddy to be sure.

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6. Koons Department store burned to the ground. The whole town sat on the square and watched. Including me, I think I was about 8.

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7. I am not sure if thats how you spell Koons Department Store.

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8. It was next door to Carters Drug store. Ya know that saying "Carters Little Pills", well they have a lot of little pills.

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9. The Municiple building now stands where Koons once stood.

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10. One of my first jobs was working at the movie theater downtown.

Its haunted :[

11. I have about 500 unread post in my reader. :( I am sorry I have neglected you. Please forgive me.

Wittle Baby Chicks!

2009-03-25T12:55:00.001-07:00

My friend Brandi just finished with some photo sessions involving baby chicks.

It reminded me of when we were little and my Daddy brought us home some baby chicks.

Not this kind... .

but this kind.....

It was awesome! They were so so cute! I can remember looking into the cage and picking mine out. I really don't even remember what color I picked out. I just remember the fascination and wonder of looking at those colored little chicks!

We watched them grow into gangly little "teenage" chicks, and by then they were getting a little too big for their cage.

One day I came home and noticed my chickens were gone!

"Daddy what happened to my chickens??"

I don't think he ever answered me....

Later that night we sat down to eat supper.

We were having chicken and dumplins.

Coincidence? I think not!

PRAY! PRAY HARD!!

2009-03-25T10:29:00.001-07:00

Stellan is in a serious condition right now. Please lift him up now!

Valarie needs what???

2009-03-24T12:22:00.001-07:00

So my dear Tammy over at Greek Grits had this meme that she didn't tag anyone on, and I am glad, I hate getting tagged. That's why I stay away from playing tag. I am slow. I always get caught. Then I have to chase people around and then because I am slow, I can't ever "tag" anyone else and then I start to pout and then it all goes down hill from there.

Anywhoo, I chose to do this little meme of my own accord, I thought it would be interesting. Apparently you put your name in Google along with the word needs. Lets see what we come up with shall we?

Valarie needs a trust fund (Yes that would be nice, but this trust fund is for a little girl with Aicardi's Syndrome)

Valarie needs to be adopted (Nope I already have a family, but this girl does not, unless she has already been adopted, and I hope she has by a wonderful family.)

Valarie needs a life (Now that's just not nice!)

Valarie needs to go (Go where, I don't know? Maybe to the beach. )

Valarie needs Real Estate Agents (Nope sorry have plenty of them here where I work)

Valarie needs to go to this restaurant (But not planning to go to Jersey anytime soon)

Valarie needs a challenge (Got any ideas?)

Valarie needs to lose the jacket to be one step up from whack (Well I never!)

Valarie needs to lay of those drugs ( I don't do that kind of thing! I grew up with this image in my head people! I don't want a fried brain!)

Valarie really needs a vacation (Yes, Yes I do! At last that one is right!)

So try it, let me know what you need. You never know what it will say.

Don't have a life?? I know famous people, people!!! Don't believe me??? Then look at this.....

No life my foot!

Where to start??

2009-03-23T12:01:00.001-07:00

Warning long post with pictures!!!!!

As you all may remember, I was heading out Friday to go to a Twilight DVD release party. This is even though I already had my DVD, which thankfully arrived at work at 4:30. (You are a lucky man Mr UPS driver, I thought I was gonna have to hunt you down!)

With DVD in hand and Mini-E ready to go in my purse.....

We headed home, to get Syd, Kim, Kelsey and Hunter.

Here we all are before going......

Yes we made Hunter go, Young love will make you do crazy things, like force your boyfriend to a Twilight DVD release party, and him agreeing to go.

Where's Mini-E?

Since it was still early, we went to get something to eat, and since Mini-E does not eat real food, he just watched.

We finally made it to the oh so happening party! (catch any sarcasm there?)

~crickets~

I am sorry, I may be a big Twilight Fan, but this was just wrong!

Edward's hair would never look like that. I mean it does get a little crazy sometime, but that is just a little over the top. Bella dear, you look like you are trying to channel Victoria.

Soon after getting there, they started the Twilight trivia contest.

Let me just say the Syd and I rocked the trivia contest!

Oh it feels so good to woop up on some little 12 and 13 year olds.

________________

Now we had about an hour and a half full of nothing. You can get pretty bored with time on your hands, but with Mini-E around things can get pretty interesting.

He had not hunted in awhile and before I knew it he, had gotten him a grizzly, and a triceratops.

Wolverine started to start something, but Mini-E put him down quickly!

Judo Chop!

Don't start nothing, wont be nothing!!

Mini-E then went and hung out with some of the Superheros.

Him and the Hulk are buds.

He read the directors notebook.

Watch out for that other Dinosaur!

Here I asked him to pose with my new Twilight book. I had the paperback, but wanted a hardback to complete my collection.

While Mini-E and I had fun around the store, every one else just chilled.

and played I-Spy.

When 12:00 hit, we were leaving, and I-spied someone I thought I knew.

Low and behold it was my blog buddy Ashley!

We know each other, but have never "met"

It was so awesome to meet her, and she got to help us explain to the Books-A-Million dude, about how Edward sparkles!

She also got to meet Mini-E!

After that, we went home, and were to tired to watch the movie, but slept well knowing that we had it in our hands to watch whenever we wanted. So the next day Kim and I watched it while the girls were at softball practice. Then I watched it again yesterday, and I may watch it again tonight.

Oh and because if I don't post this picture, Jessie will have a duck fit, here is Mini-E driving her car. :)

He does like to drive fast. Just look at the scenery zooming by!

This precious one needs our prayers!

2009-03-23T10:18:00.001-07:00

Please go here and read whats going on now with Stellan and please put some prayers up for him.

:)

2009-03-20T14:47:00.001-07:00

Got it in my hands!!!!!!

Now I think its time to go home!!

By the way sorry for all my Twilight enthusiasm today, I just can't help it!

I need to wash my brain!

2009-03-20T12:40:00.001-07:00

Guess what I have!!!!! No its not the DVD yet, still waiting on that. (Where are you Mr. UPS man!!)

Sorry about the quality of the pictures.

So Jessie came by work to eat my food as usual, and while she was here I called around looking for my Mini-Edward. :) Well I called Spencer's. They had two, so I slammed the phone down and Jessie and I rushed over to the mall. I think I was there in 0.3 seconds or something like that. Anyway they had him with the other random action figures, right next to the EESSS***YOU KNOW WHAT****XXXXX items. So that is the reason for the title of my post, that place is just so not nice. They did have Mini-Edward though. He was the only nice thing in there.

Tonight he will be attending one of his Twilight DVD release parties with us. There will be lost of photos to follow. :)

Today's the day!!

2009-03-20T09:47:00.001-07:00

Today's the day! The sun is shining, the tank is clean, and we are gonna get out of...

Oh sorry wrong movie....

Today's the day!!!! I am right now at this very moment, this very second, waiting for the UPS man to pull up to the office. I don't know exactly when he is gonna get here, but when he does, I will be soooo happy!!! You see he has my Twilight DVD on his truck right now. I tracked it, I know!

Even though I have pre-ordered my DVD and its on the truck now, I am still going to go to the DVD Release party at my local Books-a-Million. I will take pictures and everything so there will of course be a blog post about it.

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! :) Ok I feel better now!!!

And just in case you don't know what in the world I am talking about watch this...

Dear Me

2009-03-18T19:44:00.001-07:00

Dear Sweet Naive Teenage Valarie,

Do you remember this picture?

Well I was just wondering, do you think you could have gotten your hair any higher on that one side?

Did you also know that they make this thing called an eyebrow brush? They do, maybe you should have used one. Also that is some awesome blue eyeliner you are using there.

Dear Sweet Naive Teenage Valarie,

Did you know that some 20 years later, you would be obsessed with a teenage vampire saga, and not Duran Duran, Bon Jovi, or the Beastie Boys! I know its true.

Speaking of Beastie Boys, did you know that some 20 years later, that your children, by the way did you ever think you would have 3, would be playing a thing called Guitar Hero, to "No Sleep till Brooklyn". Yep I know its crazy!

Yes Dear Sweet Naive Teenage Valarie, you heard me right, you have 3 children. Two girls and a boy. Didn't see that first one coming did you. Best thing to ever happen to you. By the way they are gorgeous and are turning out to be really great kids.

I bet you didn't think you would ever be talking to people all over the world with this thing called a blog either. I tell you I have meet some wonderful people here in this blog world. Learned an awful lot too. You also will reconnect with sooooo many people that you have not talked to since high school on this thing called Facebook.

Yes Dear Sweet Naive Teenage Valarie, life will turn out alright, everything will not always be peachy, you will have some rough spots, but you will get through it and you will enjoy every minute of it. Ok maybe not every minute, but most of them. :)

Love Always,

Your older ( but not by much )self

For more self reflection head on over to Marcy's for some great Fro me to you Post's

Boy you are picky!

2009-03-16T15:14:00.001-07:00

L.L. is quirky like his Mama. So yes he gets it honestly. It is just funny how kids pick up on the same quirks that their parents have.

For instance I only like using certain forks and spoons. I have to use a longer fork with a thicker handle and it must be rounded. On the spoon it has to be the teaspoon and still have a thicker rounded handle.

For example this is pretty close to my silverware:

So last night I fixed L.L. his Ramen Noodles, because thats what the boy is living off of right now. Well most of the silverware was in the dishwasher, because no one in the house can load the dishwasher except me. All that was left was silverware sorta like this:

(I seriously hope you did not think I had all matching silverware)

I put the fork on the plate and waited.

He comes to get his food and immediately started saying .....

"Ew, Ew, Ew, thats an old fork, its an antique (yeah right), I can't eat off an old fork!"

So since all the other type of forks were in the dishwasher he settled for a plastic fork. My boy he does have some priorities he will not back down from.

We're in trouble now!

2009-03-13T12:33:00.001-07:00

16 years ago today, there was a major snow storm here in North AL and Southern TN. Snow drifts were everywhere! It was an awesome sight.

16 years ago today, my Nephew Wesley was born! It was an awesome sight, or so I have heard. I was not there, I was at home, because there was a snow storm and snow drifts were everywhere!

Little did I know that 16 years ago today that I would be so worried about this day. You see Wes and Syd are like this ( I am crossing my fingers) they are tight.

They play on Hay Bales together

She fixes his hair for pictures

She helps spray paint smiley faces on him :)

There Buds :)

So little Miss. Prissy Britches thinks she will be spending all her free time in TN with Wes and all his buddies. At least I know Wes wont let anything happen to her. Actually I don't think she would be able to meet a guy with him around. He probably wont let that happen either.

Today he got this.....

Yep we are in Trouble!

Happy Birthday Wesley Jay!!!!

When you get your license Monday, you better drive safe!!!!

Love your Aunt Bary :)

Perseverance

2009-03-12T08:57:00.001-07:00

I love this guy! :)

Today we celebrate 17 years of marriage! :)

He is my best friend. I can tell him anything, even though he says I always forget to tell him anything. :)

Together we have made three beautiful children!

(this is an old picture, look at how little they are!)

We have been to exotic places. Ok we have been to one exotic place, but I want to go to more. (hint hint)

I also want to be that size again. Oh to fit in those shorts.... :(

We have been through ALOT. We had our first baby when we were 17, and now over 19 years later and 17 years of marriage here we are. :)

I love you honey and I am so glad we have made it.

"Your still the one"
By Shania Twain
Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby

We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday
They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong

You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night

Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'
They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong

Please go visit Marcy over at "The Glamorous Life" for more "Fro Me to You" fun. :)