Picture This... Thomas Kinkade

My Mom collects Thomas Kinkade's. My Dad usually "surprises" her with a new one on Christmas. Thomas Kinkade had just come out with this one in November 2007, An Evening at Biltmore (click on the link for history). This mansion is beautiful and it was rumored that the inside of the mansion was designed ahead of its time, with a bowling alley! The minute I looked at this I could picture something like Pride & Prejudice or Emma. Breathtaking.

We had the opportunity to have an Expert Highlighter come in and add some highlights to the painting, shown above. My sister and I were able to add some touch ups as well, with the Expert leaning over our shoulders of course. Thomas Kinkade is known for how his paintings look when they're lit up. Depending on how you dim your lighting or brighten it, the painting takes on a whole new atmosphere and feeling.

The man and women walking toward the front were the owners of the Biltmore.

Random, Random, and More Random

I don't have anything interesting to post about... Just thought I'd throw something out there so as not to bore all you wonderful blog readers.

We had a family dinner for my sister-in-law and her mother on Saturday at her sisters house in Corona. Each of us brought a potluck dish that Sonia liked. I made her favorite pizza, Pesto Pizza, I shared the recipe during the Christmas season here.

We headed home, the drive back to good ol' Orange County was long and full of traffic. My sister and I decided to rent a movie to relax, we haven't done this in ages. We rented a recommended movie that I had been interested in seeing since it had to do with Jane Austen. Of course. The Jane Austen Book Club. I admit, I am a movie prude. Seriously. I forward scenes that I wouldn't let a ten year old see and words that spill out of the mouths of people who at the moment have a desire to become a sailor for second.

This movie had so much potential. I just didn't like some parts of it. Romantic, funny and a little dramatic. Too bad they ruined it with things that I just can't stomach. Are you calling me a prude? Fine. I already admitted it myself.

I must say though that I am anxiously awaiting Becoming Jane! It comes out tomorrow on DVD and I will be renting this.

Enough about the girly stuff, we did not have church on Sunday morning. I woke up at 6:40 and could not sleep so I pulled out Stealing Adda and read until about 9:20. By then my eyes decided that it was time for a snooze. I startled awake at 11:20 and jumped out of bed, panicking that I had missed our churches online service (temporary while in escrow). Come to find out, my clock was about 50 minutes ahead! I didn't wake up at 6:40 that morning, I woke up at 5:50! Just the thought of waking up before 6:30 makes me tired. I don't have kids and I don't have a husband, so why can't I enjoy sleeping in and only think about me? That's how I see it.

We had church on Sunday night at a hotel in Newport Beach, again, while were in escrow. Very different and fun. We sang on this wobbly platform that felt like it was going to give way if you moved too much. All in all, it was so great to be back with the family and listen to my pastor preach. Life was good this weekend.