"The Real Housewives of Orange County" Try to Keep it Together

"The Real Housewives of Orange County" were back tonight with the first new episode of the New Year and they didn't disappoint. Tonight was filled with battling spouses, romance, teen angst and some religion thrown in for good measure.

First, a postscript on the controversial Girlfriend Getaway to Florida that turned into a Couples Retreat. Miss Vicki was pretty clear she intended the trip to be a girl's trip and never said husbands or boyfriends were invited. If your policy as a couple is to never travel alone (Jim and Alexis, Tamra and Simon), great, if that's what works for you. If a trip is presented to you as "no significant others," then respectfully decline the invitation and call it a day. Don't insist your husbands come (or if you're the boyfriend crashing the party, Sleazy Slade) and then get indignant when the person who instigated the trip feels her weekend was hijacked.

Alexis claimed in her blog she didn't know it was a girls only trip, yet a few weeks ago, she told Gretchen if her husband couldn't come on the girls trip, she wouldn't go. Make up your mind, Alexis! It was pretty clear the men, particularly Simon and Sleazy Slade, delighted in sticking their foot in Miss Vicki's craw over the whole thing, which made the situation even worse. This is destined to go down in the annals of "Real Housewives" history as one of those classic moments that people will buzz about for years.

Alright, enough about last week. Still smarting from the botched Girlfriends Getaway, Miss Vicki and her long-suffering husband, Donn, spent some quality time on the beach. Miss Vicki reaffirmed how grateful she was to have a husband like Donn. Miss Vicki was full of good cheer where Donn was concerned. To celebrate their 15^th wedding anniversary, she decided to whisk him away to Turks and Caicos Island for some fun in the sun. While they were there, she asked him to marry her again, presented him with the custom wedding band she had made a few weeks back and planned a wedding ceremony on the beach. Donn bawled like a baby and it was really cute to watch them reconnect with each other.

While Miss Vicki and Donn were making up, Tamra and Simon were breaking up. As they discussed the Florida trip, the conversation turned to Miss Vicki and Simon's feeling she's a bad influence on Tamra. Tamra went on to say she thinks she should make amends with Gretchen, something Simon was vehemently against. Tamra says Simon is controlling and later laments to her mom over fondue were it not for her kids, she'd leave Simon in a heartbeat. Ouch. Haven't heard any rumors of a divorce, so I guess this is one of those "stay tuned" moments.

Gretchen reached out to Lynne's youngest daughter, Alexa, who Gretchen feels is headed for some kind of catastrophe. Gretchen took her shopping and let the teen know if she's depressed and needs someone to talk to, she's there for her. Alexa did cry and let on that she does feel as though she doesn't have anyone. Later, when Lynne grills her about it, Alexa ripped Gretchen a new one and called her old. I think Alexa was embarrassed, which is why she turned on Gretchen. Lynne thought the whole thing was uncool, however, she did bring in the "teen whisperer" a few weeks back because she was so concerned about her daughters, so clearly she thinks something's wrong too.

Most of Jim and Alexis' story tonight was devoted to their faith. They headed to church, one of those hip, happening places where everyone wears jeans. Tamra muses she wouldn't have pegged Jim and Alexis as the churchgoing types and thinks "the Devil wouldn't mind humping 700 ccs," a reference to Alexis' rack.

Next week, Vicki throws a slumber party, the gals TP Jeana's house and Gretchen and Slade decide to school Lynne on parenting. Even more exciting than all of that, next week will feature a sneak preview of the upcoming season of "The Real Housewives of New York City." Hands down, "The Real Housewives of New York City" is my favorite entry in the "Real Housewives" franchise and I can't wait to see what they have in store. Ramona cut her hair! Bethenny's posing naked! Kelly's her usual loony self! The only downer seems to be a rift between BFF's Jill Zarin and Bethenny Frankel. New York's version of "Laverne and Shirley" on the outs? Say it ain't so!