Hey sis, did you hear that Alabama is #2 in the nation?

Happy Anniversary!

My parents are celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary today. Congrats - I love you both!!

NCAA Football AP Poll (Top 5)

1. Oklahoma (4-0)
2. Alabama (5-0)
3. LSU (4-0)
4. Missouri (4-0)
5. Texas (4-0)

Drew Has Arrived!

My sister-in-law had Andrew Dean Sloan on September 22 at 2:24pm. He was 8 lbs, 4 oz and 20 inches with a full head of hair!

That darn paparazzi! I said no pictures!

While Dean and Alissa were at the hospital, I got to spend lots of time with Grant. We had fun together. He would just grab my finger and go! He is saying all kinds of words, knows his letters, and is a very smart boy!

Missing You

I've been gone to Houston since Monday. My nephew, Drew, was born that afternoon. That meant I had to leave George and Gracie by themselves with Pat feeding and checking on them.

George followed me around all day yesterday after I got back. I had to post this cute photo of him snuggling up to my leg.

I think he might have missed me... :-)

Happy Birthday, Alissa!

My sister-in-law, Alissa, turns 30 today! Happy birthday!

If Only We Were Always This Sweet...

That Velociraptor Is Now Limping

Funny quiz I found off Steve's blog:

I could survive for 51 seconds chained to a bunk bed with a velociraptor

Pam

I knew I liked Jenna Fischer from the insanely funny show, "The Office." Now I like her even more, because she rescues cats. (BTW, if you haven't seen the episode where Dwight "takes care" of Angela's cats, you're really missing out.)

"Jenna Fischer's character on The Office isn't a crazy cat lady – that role goes to costar Angela Kinsey – but in real life Fischer has a soft spot for her furry friends.

As a volunteer for the non-profit Kitten Rescue in L.A., the actress has fostered nine cats, including Honey Bear, a 25-lb. feline, who had "hiding issues."

She also dotes on her frail black-and-white cat Andy, who she rescued from a friend's apartment complex when she was a college student 16 years ago.

"In the show Angela has all these elaborate procedures for her cat," says Fischer, who will host Fur Ball at the Skirball, a fundraiser for Kitten Rescue, on Sunday at L.A's Skirball Cultural Center. "I've done all that – the eye drops and ear swabs. I've massaged their tummies."

She even manned a kitty crisis line for a year. "That was like being a social worker for cats. You feel totally responsible when someone calls about an abandoned kitten," she says."

Hurricane Ike

Please keep Dean, Alissa, Grant, and soon to be baby Drew in your thoughts and prayers. Their zip code had a mandatory evacuation, so they left their house yesterday. They traveled to Alissa's parent's house in Bryan. I expect them to be fine, but you never know what hurricanes can do and Alissa is so close to the end of her pregnancy.

20/20

I don't usually watch "20/20," but they are showing Charles Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin. It should start about 9pm Central on ABC.

The fact that the Democrats haven't stopped talking about Palin since the announcement two weeks ago shows how rattled they are. They don't know how to deal with a smart, tough, and conservative woman. They should come down South; there are lots of women like that down here. :)

Chloe

Today marks a year since our beloved family cat, Chloe, passed away. She was 16 years old. I loved cats growing up (still do) and kept asking my parents for one. In 1991 when I was 11 years old, we got Chloe. She was such a cute, little furball!

Chloe took me from childhood to adulthood. She was always there with her sweet but distinctive personality. She really was a member of the family and my sister. Some people would say she was just an animal, but she was so much more.



I remember my parents coming to my house the weekend before Chloe passed. Mom had to tell me that Chloe wasn't doing well, and it was time to let her go. I took that Monday off work and drove to my parent's house. Even though it was immensely hard, I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. I got to say good-bye to my sister.

I remember telling Chloe about George and Gracie about two weeks before her passing. It may sound crazy, but I think she knew I was taken care of and she could let go. I tell George and Gracie how much they would have loved their Aunt Chloe. I know she's in heaven with a full bowl of Meow Mix and all the paperwads she could ever want.

It's Grace in a Box

The other night, Gracie was sleeping in George's box. It's strange to see how they pick up different behaviors from each other. I don't blame her. I always wanted to be like my big brothers, too. :-)

Thursday night's RNC

I think the RNC went very well. McCain did much better last night than I was expecting. I don't know that I am 100% behind him, but I am behind him for the purposes of this election. Cindy McCain also did well. She has come off as cold to me, but she did a great job with her speech and showed a different side of herself. And, how good does Roberta McCain look for 96?!?

Many times during the convention, it was said that this is the most important election of our lifetime. With such high stakes, the elections get more and more crucial. We can't open ourselves to terrorism, no matter how many feelings we hurt.

This was the first time I heard the whole story of John McCain's POW experience. He was and is a hero. Whether it was his idea or his advisors' idea, the choice of Sarah Palin was just what his campaign needed. Until that choice, I had been asleep. The choice was really a lesser of two evils. Palin's inclusion woke me up, made me excited, and changed the tone of the election.

Here are some quotes that I liked from McCain's speech:

"Cindy said a lot of nice things about me tonight. But, in truth, she’s more my inspiration than I am hers."

"In the end, it matters less that you can fight. What you fight for is the real test."

"We have dealt a serious blow to Al Qaida in recent years, but they’re not defeated, and they’ll strike us again, if they can. "

"I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not."

"I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s. "

"I loved (America) because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again; I wasn’t my own man anymore; I was my country’s."

"We’re Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history."

The ending of the speech was perfect as McCain continued speaking while the crowd applauded.

Wednesday night's RNC

Sarah Palin did an incredible job last night. Whether or not she felt it, she did not show a trace of fear. Despite what others say, that was not her first rodeo. All I was thinking as she entered the stage was, "Do well, Sarah." It's hard to put your hope in politicians, and I am apprehensive to do so. But last night, I was so hopeful for her and was rooting for her.

She made many excellent points during her speech. I don't think she minds being controversial, and you could see the shock in people's faces. There was one shot of Huckabee where you just knew he was thinking, "Wow, I wouldn't have gone that far, but she's right..." (I do wish Fox News had shown all the speeches from last night. I wanted Huckabee to win the Republican nomination, and I enjoy listening to him.)

The best quote of Palin's speech for me was:
"And among the many things I owe (my parents) is a simple lesson that I’ve learned, that this is America, and every woman can walk through every door of opportunity."

I teared up hearing her say that. Was I actually watching history be made? Am I actually watching the first female vice president, and she's a Republican? I don't want to jump the gun, but she seems like someone who is and will be a great role model for many women. I just imagine a young girl watching her speak and being inspired. That is priceless.

More great quotes from her speech...

"You know, they say the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."

"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities."

"I’m not going to Washington to seek (the media's) good opinion. I’m going to Washington to serve the people of this great country."

"While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor’s office that I didn’t believe our citizens should have to pay for. That luxury jet was over-the-top. I put it on eBay."
(I love that! It sold for about $2 million! And a nice plug for another one of McCain's choices - Meg Whitman...)

"But listening to (Obama) speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or even a reform, not even in the State Senate."

"In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers, and then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change."

Tuesday night's RNC

You have to admit that the best part of last night's RNC was Fred Thompson's speech. While President Bush and the First Lady are inspiring speakers and the Reagan tribute was nice, Thompson really showed his personality and gumption. I had high hopes for Thompson during the primaries, but they didn't pan out. Some good parts of his speech last night...

"(Palin) has run a municipality, and she’s run a state. And I think I can say without fear of contradiction she’s the only nominee in the history of either party who knows how to properly field dress a moose…"

"Now, being a POW doesn’t qualify anyone to be president, but it does reveal character. "

"The Democrats present a history-making nominee for president, history-making in that he’s the most liberal, most inexperienced nominee to ever run for president."

"Apparently, they believe that he would match up well with the history-making Democrat-controlled Congress, history-making because it’s the least accomplished and most unpopular Congress in our nation’s history."

"America needs a president who understands the nature of the world we live in, a president who feels no need to apologize for the United States of America."

Wednesday night's itinerary includes VP Candidate Sarah Palin's speech. Most coverage starts at 9pm Central.

Trip to Chicago, Part 6 (The Yummiest Part)

As our final meal in the city, we went to Pizzeria Uno and ate deep-dish pizza. We ordered a small and were stuffed. It was so good and a great finish to the trip!!

Trip to Chicago, Part 5 (Cubs Game)

We headed back to Wrigley on Friday afternoon. Before we went in, we did some shopping and both ended up with the same shirt. It was too good to pass up!

The Cubs played another game against the Phillies. At this game, a seven-year-old boy threw out the first pitch. His parents named him Wrigley Fields! When asked what he thinks of his name, Wrigley said, "I think it's the awesomest name ever!"

My little '80s heart loves that a seven-year-old uses the word "awesome." I'll have to teach Grant to say "grodie." :-)

Trip to Chicago, Part 4 (Michigan Avenue)

On Friday morning, we had some time to walk down Michigan Avenue. I loved walking downtown and admiring the architecture. Here's my favorite pic that I took while we were sightseeing.

We didn't go any further than the Chicago River. Whenever we come back and have more time, I'd love to walk along the water and see that part of the city.

Trip to Chicago, Part 3 (The Allerton Hotel)

During the trip, we stayed at The Allerton Hotel. It is downtown at Michigan Avenue and Huron Street, across from the Omni Hotel. It was a great location, and we were very happy. I loved the decor!

The lobby and outside the elevators...



The entrance...

Trip to Chicago, Part 2 (Thursday night Cubs game)

On Thursday night of our Chicago trip, we went to Wrigley Stadium and saw the Cubs play the Phillies.






The area around the stadium (Wrigleyville) is filled with street vendors, shops, and restaurants. Here's Pat in front of Harry Caray's tavern...

...and me with Billy Cub! His tip bucket said, "Tip Billy. He's hot!"

We asked someone to take our photo in front of the famous Wrigley sign. After the woman took it, she gave us a sob story about how she just lost her apartment, etc, etc. Despite being panhandled, I think the picture is the best one of the trip!

The atmosphere at Wrigley is really electric and exciting. Pat compares it to an Alabama football game, and he's right! I'm not much of a baseball fan, but I had a great time. The fans really get into the game. We were there to see Aramis Ramirez hit a grand slam! Holy cow! Cubs win!!

Trip to Chicago, Part 1 (Sears Tower)

The trip to Chicago was so much fun! For most of the time spent traveling to Chicago, it was raining. We had a layover in Memphis and then flew around a big thunderstorm to get to Chicago. Luckily, the rain tapered off when we got to the hotel.

We immediately went to the Sears Tower. While the sight distance was only 3 miles, we still saw much of the city. (On a clear day, the sight distance is 40-50 miles, and you can see 4 states!) With 108 floors, the elevator to the top took a full minute!

Here's a cool diorama of the Sears Tower. Finished in 1973, it took 3 years to build and cost approx. $150 million.