Winter Wonderland???

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

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

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~

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

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

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~

Thanksgiving Anniversary

Well Thanksgiving is over.... can you believe it.... and Christmas is officially here. We had a nice dinner at my Mom's house yesterday... just Adrian, Steffie, myself, my Mom and her boyfriend Winston. It was a small dinner but very yummy.... and we had a nice visit afterwards just talking and watching Steffie play.

Yesterday was also our 11th wedding anniversary. We were married on Thanksgiving day of 1998. We met online on Thanksgiving night of 1997 in the AOL Stevie Nicks chat room. It was a very magickal time that is very hard to explain... it was just one of those times when the universe works it's own magick to bring certain people together and brings about changes that were never forseen... or planned.... they just happen because they are meant to happen... the timing was right... and everything fell into place exactly as it was suposed to. Many wonderful people came into my life at that time... and it was a time I will never forget and never cease to see the magick in. Adrian lived 1800 miles away in Massachusetts... I of course lived in Georgia... I was in an abusive marriage of 12+ years.... and on the brink of divorce. I felt trapped with no way out until the magick started... things started happening that opened my prison door.... and showed me a way to free myself... and in the midst of the magick and my way to freedom Adrian just happened along as well. For the first time in years I felt hope and actually dared to believe in a better life for myself and my kids. So over the course of that year I divorced and moved to Massachusetts and got my own apartment and a job and started to make a new life. It was pretty scary and not exactly easy... but things did seem to fall right into place beautifully. We were married the following Thanksgiving night in a nice lil restaurant banquet room in front of a fireplace. We never had a honeymoon... and I had hoped that on our 10th anniversary we could do that for ourselves... but we still couldn't.... oh well... there's always the 20th right?! I don't even have any pics of my absolutely exquisite wedding gown or Adrian looking all handsome in his top hat and tails... the camera chose that day to tear up and no one else seems to have taken any either.... but OMG he did look handsome :)... the image is burned into my mind.

So occasionally our anniversary does fall right on Thanksgiving day... the other years we argue over when exactly our anniversary is... I say it is on Thanksgiving because we deliberately picked Thanksgiving for our wedding day... he says it on the 26th... whether it is Thanksgiving or not. I guess we are both right :)

So to my dear husband... Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Anniversary! And I do expect a honeymoon on our 20th!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving... I hope you all enjoy lots of food and family!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Wordless Wednesday - A Christmas Past...

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Win Bon Jovi Tickets!!!.... and Music Monday - I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas by Bon Jovi

Julie over at Momspective is giving away a pair of tickets to see Bon Jovi in concert. The tickets are for their show in Charlotte NC on April 22, 2010... which is great for me because if I win the tickets that will give me time to save up money for the trip. The last time we were in Charlotte was in 2001 to see Stevie Nicks on her Trouble in Shangrila tour and it was the absolute best night of my life because I had front row center seats.... I was at the feet of the Goddess for the entire night!.... can you imagine :). I'm not sure where the Bon Jovi seats are located but I'm sure it will be an awesome show! And at this point it's looking pretty good for me because I'm the only entry so far...lol... I'm sure that will change... but I would love to win these tickets.... Adrian would be thrilled too... we both love concerts and this would be a fabulous lil trip for us.

So hop on over and visit Julie and enter for you chance to win as well.

And since we're talking about Bon Jovi.... how about a lil Bon Jovi for Music Monday...

Recorded on my all time favorite Holiday CD A Very Special Christmas.... here is Bon Jovi performing I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Christmas....




Lyrics | Bon Jovi lyrics - I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas 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~

More Great Mistletoe Madness Giveaways!!!

Jennifer at J. Leigh Desingz and Dee a Two of a Kind have a couple more great giveaways going! This time from
Visit Jennifer for a chance to win the V.Smile Motion.... it's like the regular V.Smile but with more features. You can use the V.Link to go online and get more games and track what your child is learning.... plus it has a wireless controller... you can read more about it on Jennifer's blog and at V-Tech. We got Steffie the V-Smile for her birthday and she loves it... but I wish I had thought it through more and bought this one instead :)

Then visit Dee for a chance to win another great V-Tech toy.... the Jungle Gym: Ride & Learn Giraffe Bike. Isn't he a cute lil guy??? And what lil one wouldn't want to ride a giraffe???! Fun and educational.... V-Tech does both. I think lil Austie would love this guy!

So get a head start on your Holiday gifts and enter to win these fun and educational toys. It sure would come in handy around here to win so gifts!

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Not Bad For A Saturday...

Today was a much better day and I got a lot accomplished... the laundry is done for one. And I got all my coupons clipped and filed alphabetically... there was ton of them. I sat Steffie down with me to clip out pictures of things she wants for Christmas from sales flyers and she had a great time and stayed busy with it for quite awhile. I told her we would glue them in a lil book and mail them to Santa so he'll know what she wants.

I've been doing some great grocery shopping and saving tons of money by using my coupons and some great lists from Sherri at Luv A Bargain and Southern Savers but I have found that where I live we just don't get all of the awesome coupons that other people get. I was using the lists to look up my coupons according to the date of the weekly inserts and about 50% of the time I don't have the coupons that are supposed to be there.... and sometimes I would find them in a different insert from a different week. So now that they are all alphabetical I should have an easier time finding them. It was a huge task and took several hours but it is done!... until tomorrow when the Sunday paper arrives with more...lol... but if I don't let them pile up and get them clipped and filed quickly it shouldn't take nearly as long.
Oh and you know what I filed them in??? A plastic baby wipe container! They fit great in there... it's just the right size to hold them with just enough extra space to keep my envelopes for each store that I shop at in the back. When I plan my shopping I print out a list for each store and put it in an envelope for that store along with the coupons I plan to use there. Of course I take my others along as well just in case an unexpected deal pops up. So I'm ready for payday and next week's grocery shopping... well... almost... I still need to get my lists together and put the coupons with them. But I'm off to a good start. I'll work on the lists tomorrow.

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~