On the tube...

Well, we have bitten the bullet, and acquired "dish network" once again. I can't say that I was extremely ecstatic at the thought of hundreds of brainless channels at our fingertips. I mean, really...is the home shopping network going to alter the meaning of my existence? I think not. We used to have sky angel, which I enjoyed. It was (almost) all Christian broadcasting, all the time! But we live in Luray...population 114...no, not 114 thousand, just 114. So when sky angel switched from satellite to high speed Internet, we were left in the dial-up-only dust (thanks for your sympathy). Being Christian, it is important to me what my kids are putting into those beautiful little eyes and ears of theirs...after all, the eyes are the windows to the soul. While seeing if Sponge Bob is going to invent a bigger and better Krabby Patty isn't going to scar them for the rest of their lives, there's only so much of "Bikini Bottom" to which I want them exposed...haha...that's the location of the show, for those of you that don't have to pleasure of watching...but if you want to take it literally, that would be accurate as well! :)

OK, that all being said, it's confession time-

Setting: My living room
Date: yesterday, around 6-7:30 pm

Both of the kids went with Luis to say hello to Uncle David and Grandma Carmen. I caught both Desperate Landscapes AND a fabulous episode of Emeril Live (BAM!). I also managed to catch a great T.D. Jakes sermon, on TBN! OK, so maybe this whole dish thing isn't going to be so bad!

Newest state in the union

The boys were laying on their bed last night, looking at a map of the United States. Joshua was reading the names of the states to his brother. Then Jonathan got in on it, and decided he likes "Mrs. Lippy" the best! :)

Josh, bottom right (blue shirt and lucky yellow "Matt-man" socks!)

Josh really loves to play soccer, and especially loves it when Dad teaches him the secret moves that he used, when he played in Mexico growing up. He also loves when Dad AND Uncle David play two on two with him and Jonathan! He just finished a week long soccer camp, here in Hampton. They met every night for two hours of grueling soccer in the Lowcountry heat! Jonathan so wanted to be a part of camp (but isn't four yet), so each night, we would go with Josh and bring our soccer ball and play up and down the empty field. The last day was yesterday, and it was the hottest of all the days. The kids were dripping with sweat after the first half hour, but kept going strong. One of the parents, who happens to be on the Fire Department, brought the fire truck and sent water spraying on about 100 parched, thankful, squealing children! Hampton County has its ups and downs, being a small county in the deep South, but I am really glad that it has such good sports programs for the kids. The fall soccer season starts in about 2-3 weeks, so I am sure that I will be posting a barrage of pictures...this will be his second season playing, and I am getting a kick out of being a soccer Mom! :) As for Jonathan, he'll have to wait another year to start. In the meantime, Dad is training him, so he will be ready to go when his day comes. Jonathan and I went shopping tonight, and found a size 11 pair of white with blue stripes, Adidas soccer cleats, and a soccer outfit to match. As soon as we got home, Jonathan put his full "uniform" on, and he and Josh held a soccer match in the living room. I am blessed to have two beautiful, healthy, active boys!! :)

Today the boys and I went to Lake Warren State Park, that is about five minutes from our house. Josh recently went there for a friend's birthday party, and I had forgotten how pretty is was. We spent our whole time at the playground, and the boys had a ball, even in the scorching heat. Their melted sundaes from McDonald's helped to cool them down between the monkey bars and the slides. Just as we were getting to our car, the thunder started to rumble...we had sprinkles all the way up the driveway...then the bottom fell out of the sky as soon as we all got inside the house. It was a beautiful summer rain, and it is still pretty cool outside. I am starting to love the Lowcountry summers again...

Black gold!

Fond gas memories:

$0.99/gallon-Lady's Island, S.C.-1998

$0.69/gallon-Somewhere outside of Rincon, Georgia, 1999

Ah, yes, those were the glory days! In 2000, we moved to Arizona and the first shock wave hit us. Gas over $3.00/gallon! We would often go to San Diego to the beach or the mountains, and the gas was fifty cents more...so we would fill up at the very last gas exit in Arizona, before crossing over into the crazy "no topping off" world of California. The tank would usually last us all the way to our destination, and then on the return, we would be running on fumes in El Centro (CA)...and have to bite the bullet and get enough gas to make it to AZ. Every night on the news, the hot story of the day is the price of gasoline around the country. (I am sure you are well aware!) I have been noticing that everyone loves to remind us that our gas prices are not so high, if you compare them to the rest of the world. As if this is supposed to make us feel better. Well, here you go. Here's the most complete list I could find. Tell me if it makes you feel better:



Country/Territory US$/gal


Sierra Leone 18.43
Norway (Oslo) 10.33
Turkey 10.14
Netherlands 10.11
Eritrea 9.58
Belgium (Brussels) 9.39
Denmark (Copenhagen)9.31
Germany 9.20
Portugal 9.16
Finland 8.90
United Kingdom 8.82
Italy 8.78
Sweden 8.71
Iceland 8.52
Hong Kong 8.33
Monaco 8.33
Spain (Madrid) 8.10
France 8.06
Ireland 8.06
Israel 8.04
Poland (Krakow) 7.80
Hungary 7.51
Croatia 7.38
Greece 7.38
Guatemala 7.38
South Korea 7.38
Slovenia 7.27
Switzerland (Zurich)7.12
Cyprus 7.08
Romania (Bucharest)7.00
Singapore 6.89
Estonia 6.78
New Zealand 6.13
Peru (Lima) 6.09
Japan 6.06
Uruguay (Montevideo)6.06
Brazil (São Paulo) 6.02
Australia 5.75
Dominican Republic5.72
Sri Lanka 5.53
Canada 5.15
India (NOIDA) 5.15
Ukraine 5.03
Chile 4.81
Moldova (Chisinau)4.69
South Africa 4.66
Philippines (Cebu)4.62
Thailand 4.58
North Korea 4.50
Vietnam 4.28
Colombia 4.05
Honduras 4.05
United States 4.05
Pakistan 4.01
Russia (Moscow) 3.97
Taiwan 3.97
Malaysia 3.18
China 3.05
Indonesia 2.46
Mexico (Mexico City)2.35
Nigeria (Lagos) 2.25
Trinidad and Tobago1.82
Brunei 1.48
UAE 1.40
Egypt (Cairo) 1.21
Bahrain (Manama)1.02
Qatar (Doha) 0.83
Kuwait (Kuwait City)0.79
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)0.45
Iran 0.42
Turkmenistan 0.30
Venezuela (Caracas)0.11



Quite a list! So I began to think about this, and looking at who pays what. The "fabulous five" Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Hmmm...I could go live with my buddy Hugo in Venezuela...Umm...maybe not! Last call for flight # 4125 to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran!! I don't think so. Turkmenistan doesn't strike me as very appealing either. When we lived in San Luis, we waited forever at the local gas station...the long lines of people gave me plenty of time to see where all these cars were from....Sonora....Sonora...Sonora....Baja California...Sinaloa...oh LOOK- there's one from the U.S.! It seemed back then that all of Mexico was crossing the border to buy cheaper, cleaner gas from the mighty metropolis of San Luis, AZ. But it seems like now Mexico is about half the price our of our gas...hmmm...I basically lived in Mexico for 6 years...I could do it again!! Well, maybe not yet...we'll wait it out and see...but one thing's for sure, you have got to feel bad for those people in Sierra Leone! I know I'd be biking it, or buying myself a fancy shmansy pair of roller skates! Well, I guess for now, I'll stay here in little 'ol Luray. I am not trading my SUV in just yet, either.