So...I love fall...I do...and I love pumpkins. THAT SAID!? I like to LOOK at pumpkins...not eat them...well, seeds, okay, pies? Pancakes? Lattes? NO THANK YOU! They are, however, VERY VERY PRETTY! And I say this a lot, but how can you look at a pumpkin, and not believe in God. I mean they are a GORGEOUS color...they blend perfect with the leaves...which are another beauty all together, but then they are edible too (for those of you that like them that is...) So...God is real, He is big, and He's all or nothing. I'm just throwing that out there...more for me. Enjoy fall...enjoy every crunchy leaf. (My thanks to Lorrie Hanson for the use of her pumpkin for the photo shoot! Glorious time spent with her and Peter outside of Chi-town!)

BLAHHH!

In a nutshell...it's how I feel right now. Not how I felt on that day at SEARS when I was like 4. Not gonna lie. All I want to do is sleep-but in air conditioning...am I so picky!? WHY IS IT A 100 DEGREES OUTSIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Apparently...this is what happens to me when I'm not on tour. Is it bad that I'm alive on the road living out of a suitcase with total strangers to greet me every day!? Mayhaps...but that's how it goes. The blog is called "ViCarrie"....you know...a play on words...like..."VICARIOUSLY"? And...say...MY NAME? Though...I don't think I'm very good at blogging, let alone at blogging so that you feel you are living VI-CARRIE-OUSLY!!! Sorry...I'd say I'd try to do better, but I've met me...I doubt it! See...my tour days typically start with an alarm in the 6am era...though the 5am's do happen...then we go go go go and THEN GO, in whatever weather, walking however many miles, and smiling the whole time, until I run out of bus driver hours....and then we re-check in to hotel/home, and I check in security, no matter how incompetent they are, and I go to my room....sometime around 11 ish. Do I go right to bed? PAH!!!! NEVER!!!!!!!!! I want to...but I have to lay out my clothes...because what happens when one of my three alarms doesn't go off? And I have to rush!? I have to do my paperwork, because if I don't glue stick daily...well, it's a mess. And then I have to unwind...shower....stalk facebook, and sometimes...prep commentary for the next day. Usually, on kid tours....I'm safe....it's adult tours.....they ask some questions, and they expect some answers....they PAID for answers...and then I wonder...if I'm the best person for the job! lol I AM...by the way. (since all my bosses have access to this!). And then...maybe around midnight, or 1, I go to bed. I try NOT to go to bed past 2, unless it's the last night, or second to the last night, rarely third to the last night, because I can't recover from that....and I get all "woe is me" on me...and it's not pretty. 1 am...is usually my goal. And 5 hours later, the alarms start ringing...is it Ground Hog day!? And is that one word or two...? Groudhog or Ground Hog...?

So there....I did it....I posted in the year 2010. AND...it was something relevant...a window into my life. And just fyi...it's 1:04....I'm not really in real clothes yet....and on the agenda is an un-needed trip to Home Goods-recent discovery.....and church. Don't hate me because I'm plan-less and you've been up since 5. I don't get weekends...or days off on tour...so I take them all together at home. HOWEVER....parents...you don't get those either....so you can perhaps hate me if you want....but just a little.

Love to all...I'll try to be better.

P.S. I didn't take a picture of it...and I should have...but yesterday...while shopping to stay cool...I saw a pepto bismol PINK Mustang. I would like to take the time right now...to say that is not okay...ever. UNLESS that person ACTUALLY owns the pepto bismol company....and I'm gonna sincerely doubt that.

Oh HELLO KITTY! So....here's the Panini Maker story! Doesn't everybody have at least ONE!? We know about my war on my basement. Well, one year for my birthday...I got a Hello Kitty Panini Maker! AND I LOVED IT! I love HK...who doesn't! Well, the gift was appropriate, and I was grateful. That's all. So then, it sat in my basement...you know, for my "someday", when I had a house, when I actually cooked, when I had kids to make them for! I'm over all that...if/when it happens? I'll re-buy it eBay! Anyway, so I finally decided to put it up on ebay. I couldn't find them anywhere online...to steal facts from or get an idea of price. Waffle Makers, Toasters, etc....Panini Makers!? NONE! So...I put it up...make up a description...and voila. Well...I start it at $18...and immediately I have like 15 people watching it and emails...from FRANCE! SO...then...2 days later, I get a letter from-drumroll please-SANRIO THEMSELVES! The company that birthday Hello Kitty 35 years ago...wants my panini maker! NOW! For her BIRTHDAY PARTY in LA! So she wants to "buy it now"....WOW I say, am flattered, and then ask how much. She says $50. I, hem, haw, and then I get home to write her back, and well, someone bid on it already. I always feel bad if someone has already bid. So I tell her so....and she's sad, but will try to bid for it. So that night, I'm talking to my family, and secretly I am hoping for more than $50, because there are 15 people watching it!? So my family/friends say....sell it to Sanrio! How cool would it be for your Panini Maker to help celebrate HK's birthday! So...I knew they were right....and that night...after they all left!? I unposted it from eBay and sold it to Sanrio! She was STOKED that I did! AND? All that...and she ended up paying me $60 AND paid for shipping, AND?!!!!!! SENT ME A GOODY PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GLORIOUS GOODY PACKAGE!!!! I love Kerokerokeroppi, and she sent me a bag, notebook, keychain, and pen with him, then a bunch of pens with Hello Kitty on it, a shirt, and a HOODY! I'm sure this box was worth WAY MORE in product than that Panini Maker ever was! WHAT A BLESSING!!!!! WHAT A BLESSING! So it was awesome awesome! And my Panini Maker was involved in celebrating Hello Kitty! WHAT FUN! So...I love eBay, not just for the part where I empty my basement, or where I get paid, but for GEMS like that! VIVA the panini maker!!!

Tears.

So...it's nights like tonight that I wonder how people without Jesus make it through. I mean where do you find your hope!? What do you hold onto when things hurt? Why bother when things really suck? I mean are you really okay with this world if things were up to "chance". HOPING you make it through another day!? We actually just spoke about God's Providence on Wednesday night, but my heart just hurts for my Hollie. Her sister Heidi, went to be with the Lord this week...it's sad. She has 2 kids, she was only 38, and she was great. And Hollie, has to be the strong one. The thing is too? People say "she's in a better place"....you know what? SHE IS! And she is because of her belief and relationship with God. Someone wrote on facebook that she'll be with her folks in heaven...except? That her father wasn't a christian...so he's not there. My point of that is!? If you aren't a christian....you don't go to heaven. That's it. That's all. It's that simple. So if you believe you go to heaven when you die?! Be sure. Know. NOT EVERYBODY WILL! Funerals...for believers...hurt, but are celebrations-knowing they are with their Lord and Savior. Funerals for unbelievers, are the saddest most helpless things in the world. My friend Nate's mom passed away this week....more sadness...but she was SUCH a woman of the Lord....and they are calling it a graduation to heaven service, and it's true...so we miss her here, but she's dancin' with Heidi, Hollie's sister up in heaven. My hearts heavy with the loss, but I know they are in a better place. I KNOW THAT. If you do NOT know Him, Jesus...you are NOT going to heaven. There IS a hell, it IS eternal...and you'll stay there. Even if you are "good". It's about the relationship with Jesus Christ. It's about your belief in Him, and acceptance of Him in your heart....and that's it. You can't be "good" enough. We're sinners, every single one of us. We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by personal invitation.

The Bible says...

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

Where are you?
1.Admit your need (I am a sinner).
2.Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3.Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.
4.Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Him as Lord and Savior.)

How to Pray:

Dear Lord Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

Step 4 God's Assurance: His Word

If you prayed this prayer,

The Bible says...

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9

Step 4"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:12-13

Receiving Christ, we are born into God's family through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. This is called regeneration, or the "new birth."

This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ. To deepen this relationship you should:

1. Read your Bible everyday to know Christ better.
2. Talk to God in prayer every day.
3. Tell others about Christ.
4. Worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached.
5. As Christ's representative in a needy world, demonstrate your new life by your love and concern for others.

It's not a simple life, being His...but it's certainly full of Hope and Grace, and knowing that EVERY single thing is for a reason and His Providence, and that NOTHING is left to "chance"...I mean it's ENCOURAGING! It's worth living for. He died so that we might have life, and life more abundantly. He made us in HIS likeness, we're HIS. It's heavy on my heart, being in trials and not knowing Him. So I pray that you as a reader, are blessed, encouraged, something, with this, and I hope and pray that you choose Him, as your life. He chose to give you life. And you as a believer...be encouraged that Christ has a perfect plan, even when there are lots of tears and terrible situations. He loves us, we need to trust and obey. And feel free to email me, I'm no expert but I'll pray with and help all I can. God is faithful. The picture is Hollie and I in July. Pray for her, Heidi's kids, and Heidi's husband.

So...maybe you know...and maybe you don't...but I've declared war on my basement...it's STAGGERING the amount of CRAP I have down there...and NO NEED! It's not like I have a house! Or like I have kids I'm saving it for....argh...if only I'd met me now...THEN! Oh well....so...eBAY! Oh the joys. Sure...it's a lot of work, it's a little annoying, packing packages is a CHORE...but for a little extra cash, SCORES more than a garage sale, and in the name of "making cleaning fun"....I'm selling. Anything and everything. I LOVE what people will buy! It's CRAZY! And then of course...I buy too...but not NEARLY what I could be buying....that's got to count for something right!? Well, at any rate...I research a little on somethings, you know accurate description, pricing, RECALLS! RECALLS!? Yeah...so I listed my "Mini Lite Brite Keychain" tonight, and it said to check the Consumer Safety website...which, incidentally....is STILL loading, as I type this. So I gave up, I mean I already warned people not to eat the pieces or let their little ones eat the pieces, what more can I do!? BUT, in researching this....I found this write up about old school lite brites-which I still have, and will be eBaying shortly-though not a high value item....and not that any of my items are, but I'm just sayin'. I found this blog "stuff that was cool" and this cats write up about the lite brite was HYSTERICAL...and the Larry King part was great, AND? He made me want the lite brite with 4 sides and BATTERY POWERED! OOOOOoooh! Things like this...make me want kids...a little. Anyway, I remember the Christmas when Curtis and I got our lite brite, we were in Montana...and laying on the floor...I feel like we played with it all day...you'd have to ask mom and dad if that were true. Good times. And it was like cheating if you turned the light on before you were done matching every single light to every single dot or x or whatever! GOOD TIMES! Well...I had hopes and dreams of being in bed before 3 tonight...looks like it might actually be before 1! So...in closing...here's a picture of my lite brite keychain that is being sold on eBay right now.....bid bid bid!

Terrible...

I'm absolutely terrible at keeping this up, I have great ambitions, but alas....to no avail. BLAH! So...here I am...plugging along. I just got back from 3 weeks in Cali....2 tours, and some chill time with the Swaynes, which was great, really great. So now I'm home, it's fall, and I've officially declared war on my basement. EBAY for all! So hopefully, I'll fight a good fight, and eventually, own nothing but what I might need. I'm over the "somedays"...as who knows what will happen, and if I haven't used it in like 7 years...chances are slim I will ever use it! All this is ramblings, my body is still jacked on west coast time, AND I took a nap today! Viva the freezing fall! So for warm feelings...I leave you with this gorgeous rose that I found at V. Sattui, a winery in St. Helena, California. It may very well make the 2010 calendar. We'll see. And? For some tour guide trivia!? Do you know why there are often rose bushes around the vineyards!? They predict disease, and bugs, and all that. So they are the canary of the grape world! Cool right!?