Year In Review '08

So I did it last year, Click here, so I thought I would do it again this year. I just wanted to write down some of the things that happened this year that have made this such a wonderful year! Please join in on my blog or your own!

*Terry and I celebrated 2 years of marriage & 8 years together

*My mom celebrated her 50th birthday….in style!

*I celebrated 1 year at my job and I am still lov’n it.

*Obama was elected President

*Buying a new King Sized bed the beginning of the year…..a bed that just so happens to be the BEST bed in all of the universe.

*New blogger friends

*Seeing all my friend’s kids turn 1 year old and start to develop their personalities

*Having the opportunity to live with my sister

*Our orange kitchen

*DQ ice cream birthday cake

*All my friends who found out they were pregnant this year, and there were quite a few!

*Getting to co-host one of my friends baby showers, which was an honor.

*Facebook

*Terry making the decision to go back to school to start a new career – I am SO proud of him.

*Having my first spa manicure….and definitely NOT my last!

*Concerts, including: Iron Maiden, Tom Petty & Les Paul

*Introduction to Polka Floyd

*My parents who are just the greatest parents ever and who do so much each year that I could never begin to express how thankful we are for them and how much we love them.

*FINALLY, getting our wedding books after a mere two years of waiting

*Another year of being healthy

*Being blessed with a wonderful family, a great husband & a stable job


I am looking forward to 2009 a lot! I am excited to turn 29 (just 4 months for those counting down), I am excited to see what happens with Terry and his school, I can’t wait to meet all my friends new babies (there will be one as soon as January), seeing what happens with Obama as President, losing weight & being healthy…for reals, my sister turning 21, and just seeing what this year has in store. I know there is a lot of uncertainty in the coming year, but no matter what I am praying that this year will represent a new start in so many different ways.

My Favorite Things About Christmas ‘08

A little late, yes, but here were some of my favorite things about Christmas this year:

-Just the fact it was Christmas!!!!
-Christmas Eve at our house with the H. family
-Christmas morning with my hubby
-Terry wearing his snoopy PJ bottoms and red and green knitted footsie slippers. (it was adorable)
-My awesome French toast for Christmas morning breakfast
-Christmas day with the H. family
-My parents coming up for the weekend
-Prime Rib & Mashed Potatoes
-Movies, Movies, Movies
-Mario Kart Wii!!!!!
-So many awesome and thoughtful presents (thank you, thank you, thank you)
-My dad getting mad at my coffee maker (it was user error)
-SO much laughter
-Our Christmas tree
-Spending time with our families

There was so much more, but these are just a few! Thank you to our families for such a wonderful Christmas. We love you SO very much! Now on to the New Year!!

Out of Curiosity….

Is it bad that when I was driving into work today I wanted to speed pass the other drivers, fire mushroom shells at them to blow them out of my way, lay banana peels down behind me, and find a star so I was indestructible?!?!

Hmmm…..it has just come to my attention that I may have played too much Mario Kart this weekend.

Nope, Never Again…..Never Ever EVER Again!

So here is the deal…..I STILL have not finished my Christmas shopping. Yes, I am aware that today is December 23 and Christmas Day is December 25…I am working on it.

For those who do not know I typically start thinking about gift ideas towards the end of summer and with the exception of maybe a few stocking stuffers and candy, I am done by Thanksgiving. I like to have my gifts wrapped soon after that. This is the FIRST year I have ever been this late Christmas shopping and let me tell you – it sucks!

The lines sucks. The rude people suck. The traffic sucks. The stress of it all sucks. The deals, though great, are not worth all the craziness that comes with last minute shopping. Again, I hate it. I could not even begin to imagine waiting till the last minute like this every year…not fun. So why am I so late this year, well it has just been a crazy last 4-5 months. We have had so many wonderful and special things going on that we kind of just kept pushing the Christmas shopping back taking the stance that, well there is more time we will do it next weekend. Well here we are, just moments from the celebrations of Christmas and there are no more next weekends left. (deep breathe)

Tomorrow Terry and I will be hitting a few last minutes shops to pick up gift cards and such that we have not gotten yet. I am not worried that we won’t get done, I just hate being so late with everything. I feel somewhat thoughtless in my gifts, though I have put a lot of thought in them…just no action. I would also like the gifts to sit under our tree wrapped for longer then a few hours. I would also like to spend the time cleaning our house and cooking and baking instead of running out amongst the crowds to grab my whos-its and whats-its from the shelves. But that will not happen this year.

All I have to say is that I will NOT let this happen again, though I am not overly stressed I don't like the rushing. Who is going to start thinking about Christmas in May of next year – ME! Oh well, it is what it is.

Anyway, I probably won’t be blogging much the next few days but I did want to wish all of you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! May your travels be safe, your happiness plenty, the love you share with one another overflowing and may we all keep in mind the real meaning of Christmas and those people who may need to be in our prayers over this holiday.

Looking For Unique, Last Minute Gift Ideas....I Got You Covered!

I was looking around for last minute gift ideas and came accross a few I wanted to share. Go to http://www.gifts.com/ for other great ideas! I seriously LOVE this website.

Here are a few of my interesting recommendations for gifts, along with why it would be SUCH a great gift!! :)


1) Framed DNA Print - $550.00 (here)

Looking for a unique piece of art to hang on your wall, well what is more unique then you?! Nothing! So how about getting your DNA turned into a piece of art work?! It comes with easy directions on how to swab your own DNA or perhaps the DNA of the one you love. Then simply pick the color you want for the print and return your DNA sample to the company and 6-8 weeks later - art work! (or proof of something you don't want to talk about)

2) Star Wars Real Storm Trooper Hoodie By Marc Ecko - $98.00 (here)
Who doesn't want to stay warm in this hoodie? Zips all the way up to really impress your fellow geek friends! Seriously, you will be the center of attention at your next Rock Band or Worlds of Warcraft night.

3) Light-up Slippers/ Comfy slippers with built-in LEDs to light the way. - $39.95 (here)

Tired of not being able to find your way in the dark, no worries now! Just put on these fantastic (and SO fashionable) slippers that come with a built in LED light. Sexy, no?! Comfort and style isn't the message with these, it is all about moving at night without turning on a light. Now there will be no more stubbing your toes as you make your way to the kitchen for a late night snack.

4)Wireless Key Finder - $49.95 (here)

Always misplacng your keys? I know I am. Well you won't have to worry anymore with this wireless key finder. As long as your keys are in your home you just need to press a button and your keys will beep. Just remember, don't loose the key finder.

5) Fish Bubble Wall Mount Fish Tank - $21.95 (here)

Afraid that your kids or cats will go after your little goldfish? Well it isn't a problem anymore with this Wall Mounted fish tank! It not only decorates your wall but is out of the way of reaching hands or paws. Just remember it isn't art, it is real...you will still need to feed the fish!

6) Old-School Roller Skates - $69.99 (here)

Take it back to 1984 with these awesome roller skates. You can cruise around your neighborhood having fun and get a work out! Leg warmers and sweatbands sold seperatly.

7) Personalized Rubik's Cube - $29.95 (here)

You can put your picture on anything these days, so why not put it on a Rubik's Cube! You can add different pictures to the cube to create a cute stocking stuffer. Just remember how to get the cube back!

8) Peanut Butter of the Month Club - 3 months $59.85 (here)

Are you a peanut butter connoisseur? No, me neither but I do loves me some peanut butter and this is the perfect gift. Forget the traditional Wine of the Month Clubs or Chocolate of the Month Clubs, Peanut Butter is where it is at. Not a fan of Peanut Butter (as if) no worries because there is also available Olive Oil, Hot Sauce, Lobster, Necktie, or dog treat of the month clubs.

9) Stitch 'n Bitch Nation...Knitting Books - $10 (here)

Looking for something for that crafty person in your life, well then look no further. Enjoy this book that has attitude and great knitting patterns. I personally just really like the title.

10) Mickey Mouse Pop Art Toaster - $49.95 (here)

Kids won't eat there plain old boring toast in the morning as you rush around to get them to school on time, no more worries! How about sprucing up that toast with this Mickey Mouse Pop Art Toaster! Burns on pictures of your favorite Disney Characters...also available in the Princess series!

Adam Walsh Murder Finally Solved

What a relief that the family can finally have closure on this. Click Here

I could never and would never want to imagine going through something like this and for so long. It is wonderful though how much John Walsh has done.

Talk To Me...

First, good luck to my sister who is taking finals this week! I know she has been a bit stressed lately and I know for certain she misses all the bloggers. I am sure she will be back after this week!

So speaking of stress, I know this time of year can be really stressful. So how do you typically de-stress?

For me, this time of year, I like to bake and cook. The funny thing is about 5 years ago I really didn’t know much about cooking. I remember calling my mom and dad and asking them how to boil an egg. Which by the way is a logical question. (boil then add eggs, add eggs then boil, how long) But I defiantly got teased for asking a question like that….and rightfully so. But over the years I have gotten to the point where I do not need recipes as much and I enjoy coming up with new ideas and I think my food is actually good. The time I spend in the kitchen is relaxing….it is the cleaning up after and doing the dishes that stresses me out again!

Other then that music, hot showers, and sappy romantic comedies also help me relax in times of stress.

How do you relax?

"One of These Things Just Doesn't Belong...."

So we noticed this the other day when on 101.5 the River’s website. We were looking at the Top 20 most requested songs and notice one that seemed like it didn’t belong.

“One of these things is not like the other, one of these things doesn’t belong. Can you guess which thing is not like the other, before I finish this song?”

1 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Christina Aguilera featuring Brian McKnight
2 When My Heart Finds Christmas - Harry Connick Jr.
3 O Holy Night - Mariah Carey
4 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Kenny G
5 New Years Day - U2
6 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - Sarah McLachlan
7 Last Christmas - Wham!
8 White Christmas - Tony Bennett
9 Please Come Home For Christmas - Aaron Neville
10 Christmas Time - Christina Aguilera
11 Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
12 Silent Night - Gloria Estefan
13 All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
14 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Vince Gill
15 I Will Be Home For Christmas - Kristin Chenoweth
16 O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Sarah McLachlan
17 Christmas Canon - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
18 Why Couldnt It Be Christmas Everyday? - Bianca Ryan
19 White Christmas - Michael Bolton
20 Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt

I know many may have gone with “Last Christmas” by Wham, but no the answer I was looking for is “New Year’s Day” by U2. I mean really?! Now I am not sure if this is being requested throughout the year so much that it is STILL on the list or if people are actually requesting the song because they think it is a holiday type song. I really hope it is the first, because this is not a Christmas song at all! As Terry said, “This has no relevance to the Holiday season, it is nothing more then just a kick ass rock song.”


What are your favorite Christmas songs this year? (mine in the comments)

I Just Want To Be Liked

So I have mentioned before, some long while ago, that our neighbor doesn’t really talk to us. Most wouldn’t think it was a big deal but we have a condo and share a wall with this lady (duplex style condo) and therefore as we practically live together I think it is good to be friendly to our neighbor. Maybe I am needy….ok I AM needy, but maybe I want her to know we are nice people so if we have a really loud party she won’t call the cops or maybe I want her to like us so in case she decides that she wants to set her house on fire and collect insurance she will think twice because she really likes us and knows our house will be affected as well. Who knows really why I seek acceptance from complete strangers, but I do.

So after 2 years at our house I noticed I was finally getting a pleasant smile from our neighbor, the occasional “Hi”, and on rare cases even small talk….I mean it is like we are practically BFF’s. But imagine my surprise when T. tells me he has had numerous conversations with our neighbor for more then a year now. WHAT?! I mean not the long conversations that involve politics, religion, or the meaning of life but standard neighborly type conversations.....I wouldn't no exactly becasue I was not apart of said convo's. He actually referred to her by name in a conversation the other day. He was all like, “Yeah Cindy asked if we were having problems with our cable” and I was all like “who is Cindy” and he was all “Um, our neighbor”. Yeah, I had NO idea these two were on a first name basis! Now the jealousy is not because I am worried about my man talking to another women without me around – HA, as if....I mean have you met me. (I almost got that out with a straight face.) No the jealousy is because he somehow won her over and I didn’t. Dang nabbit, what’s up wit dat - I am likable.

Now I am aware of my pure awesomeness, and understand it can be intimidating to be around me at times, but that is my burden to bear and people should not feel uncomfortable around me. So as far as I am concerned it is on like flys to shit….I am going to make her my new friend….more so then Terry. Step one learn each others names. Hmmm….I just so happen to be making some homemade cookies this weekend and I think I will have to share them with my lovely neighbor. But only the sugar cookies, I don’t like her well enough to share the really good cookies – I mean honestly.


Should I talk to someone about my competitiveness and neediness – nah, it is just as healthy as my ego is....so I am fine. ;) heehee

It Is Cold, Rainy & I Have Nothing Else to Really Blog About

I really have nothing to blog about at the moment so here are a couple Blogthings quizzes to occupy your time.

You Are a Tree

You love every part of the holidays, down to the candy canes and stockings. And you're goofy enough to put a Christmas tree ornament on your tree!

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

You Are Blitzen

Always in good spirits, you're the reindeer who loves to party down with Santa. Why You're Naughty: You're always blitzed on Christmas Eve, while flying! Why You're Nice: You mix up a mean eggnog martini.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Your Christmas Stocking Will Be Filled With Little Wrapped Presents

You've made Santa a very happy fellow this year. Don't worry - what happens at the North Pole stays at the North Pole!

What Will Be In Your Christmas Stocking?

Movie Review - Step Brothers & Wanted

This week we watched two new(er) movies. Step Brothers & Wanted. I have to say overall both were VERY good choices!


Step Brothers was Hilarious! Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly together are just brilliant. I want to hang out with them. And the absolutely gorgeous Mary Steenburgen, I mean come on she looks better at 55 then most of us look in our 30’s! It was a really good movie! Seeing these two men act like 5-year-old kids is just funny. I mean, there is a predictable plot, the characters are over done, and some of it makes no sense….but THAT is why it is so funny. And you shouldn’t expect more then good laughs and fart jokes. Favorite quote is when Dale (John) hears Brennan (Will) sing for the first time and says, “You have the voice of an angel. I mean, it's like a cross between Fergie and Jesus. I can’t even look at you right now.” HAHA! This is a movie you will just want to keep quoting.

As for Wanted, I have to say I really liked it, though I could say this movie isn’t for everyone. The movie is based off a comic and features James McAvoy (um, yummy), Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie and a few others you would easily recognize. This is one of those movies that is just cool. The movie isn’t always logical, a bit predictable at times, and there are some gaps and moments where you are like…what. But overall it has enough actions and cool special effects to keep you watching and I really don’t think this movie is trying to be anything other then a cool-ass action movie…….the kind of movie that has a lot of fighting, a lot of big guns, and a lot of chasing. The movie moves fast so you don’t ever really get bored watching, which is great. Oh, and did I mention James McAvoy is HOT! Overall, it was good….I would watch it again and I would probably buy it. K. even said, which I TOTALLY agree with: “If it wasn’t for the morality, I would want to be an assassin.” It does that, just makes it look cool to kick some ass!

And the BEST thing about both these movies is that they both featured the song, “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocell! How weird is that! They were in two completely different movies and settings. (p.s. that is one of my favorite songs)

Orange You Glad We Picked Orange!

So the weekend before Thanksgiving we decided to FINALLY get rid of the ugly wallpaper in our kitchen and paint our kitchen. We kept going back and forth between colors for the room. We have a deep wine color in the dining room next to the kitchen, a dark sage green in the downstairs bathroom and a light brown in the living room. We wanted to make sure it all went together and didn't clash. So what did we choose at the very last minute...orange. Yeah, forget trying not to clash. Yep we went with an orange color...or surprise amber to be exact.

At first it was a bit..um...bold, lets say. But now that a week has gone by and all the stuff is in the kitchen I really really like it!! We are not quite finished with it, we want to add a copper backsplash and redue the floors...probably this summer! But for now, here are some before and after pics!! (please ignore the edging, I still have to clean some of that up!)

AFTER: (this looks a tad lighter then it really is)

We are putting a copper tile-like backsplash under the cabinets and then under those small cabinets is the sink and in that space we are going to put new lights and a piece of slate chalkboard! In our heads it looks WAY cute:)

BEFORE: Blech. I personally loved that two different wallpapers

Prop 8 - The Musical

Gotta love them over at Funny or Die...

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

“Well if you don’t want our kids you don’t get us.”

So once again I should probably preface this post by saying that T & I do not have kids and maybe my thoughts are skewed a bit when it comes to what happens to a person once they have a child. Though I will say that I hope I am not SO wrapped up in my child that I forget about how important it is to spend grown up time away from my kids and with my husband and friends.

So here it is. When Terry and I got married we made the decision to not have young kids at our wedding. We had some teenagers there, but decided that we wanted to have an evening where there were no worries about what kids were doing or not being able to dance because of kids (we have been to those weddings) or worrying about the open bar or having to walk around running kids. We wanted people & parents to have a nice and fun night out for a few hours and many of our friends at the time did not have kids anyways, so this decision only affected a small group of people. So when my cousin & his wife said “well if you don’t want our kids you don’t get us” it caught us a bit off guard. Our intention was not to offend anyone, it was just our choice because it was OUR wedding.

So over the past two years many of our friends have started to have kids. Though this isn’t a part of life we are ready for at the moment, we love our friend’s kids very much and think it is fantastic. We even understand that things change and know we may not be able to do certain things with our friends like go to the bars on the weekend, have spontaneous nights out to dinner, or long nights of Euchre and wine like we use to be able to do. But I will admit...we really miss these things.

Now I know some people who have kids say, well we have kids now and you need to be respectful of that, my priorities have changed. (I have been told this) But in turn, I feel that just because we choose to NOT have kids people need to be respectful of that decision as well. I feel as though we are looked at as outsiders when we are with some of these people because we are not in their little “we have kids” group (as they call it).

So, we wanted to have a Christmas party this month. We told a few of our friends who have kids about the party but that it was for adults only. We explained why in a nice way not to hurt feelings....like I guess we did at our wedding. It has been 2 years since our wedding and this is the FIRST time we have asked to do something sans kids. A couple loved it and were excited for a night with the adults. However others were not so open to this decision we had made and said they will not be able to attend. They did not even say we will have to see, it was flat out we will not be there without a second thought. I feel bad they won't be there, I really do, but I don’t feel that I was wrong in saying that it is an adult only party. For one, our house is NOT child proof at all. Marble tables with hard edges, open electrical outlets because we are remodeling rooms, an open door to the basement so the cats can get to their box, cords everywhere, tons of collectible and breakable stuff…I could go on. Our house is just not safe. Plus, our house is not big and when you add a bunch of people and a bunch of kids it leaves little space. And plus, if those were not the most logical reasons, we would like one day…..just one flipp’n day alone with our friends and not their kids. We want to talk about grown up things with them again and not about teething, what food the child eats, if they are walking, who walked first, and so on….we listen to that all the time and we don’t mind because we love our friends and their kids. But just to have ONE night a year where we can have fun without the worries of kids and talk about the things in OUR life as well that are not related to kids would be fantastic. I really do not think that is too much to ask AT ALL. Infact, I am honestly a bit hurt by the whole thing in that it seems they don't even want to make an effort to be with us.

I think we just feel out numbered at times and like we don't really know what it is like to be in their "situation". Maybe I am wrong and so I know many of you have kids and this is why I ask these questions. Is it wrong of us to say no kids to something we do once a year? Is it wrong of us to ask our friends to spend time with us without their kids, even if it was more then once a year? Isn't it healthy to take even a couple hours away from your kid and work on your marriage and friendships by being with other people? Any thoughts on this?

Terry-ism

Terry said this to K & I this past weekend.
....

T: "Why do people use LOL when they text or read something funny online? Are they really laughing out loud every time there is something funny they read? If they are that is fine, use LOL but lets say they are sitting at their desk and type LOL to someone, I am sure they are not sitting there just laughing out loud at a text.”

He then proceeds to laugh out loud in this obnoxiously loud laugh while pretending to have just read something funny.

T: “I like to say LQTMS. Which is laughing quietly to my self. Seems more appropriate most times.”

....
LOL!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and to all those people who are unable to spend today with the ones they love. Whether it is because of distance, work, sickness, not having the funds, or because you are fighting in a war....you are in my thoughts on this, a day full of love and thanks.

In the words of Linus: In the year 1621, the Pilgrims held their first Thanksgiving feast. They invited the great Indian chief Massasoit, who brought ninety of his brave Indians and a great abundance of food. Governor William Bradford and Captain Miles Standish were honored guests. Elder William Brewster, who was a minister, said a prayer that went something like this: 'We thank God for our homes and our food and our safety in a new land. We thank God for the opportunity to create a new world for freedom and justice."

Oh that Linus...always a smart cookie he is!

And on a side note: remember to keep the holiday spirit in mind when you are out tomorrow shopping!

Did You Know....

Leave it to Terry to be full of crazy amounts of random knowledge.

For instance, we were watching TV when out of no where Terry tells me the following piece of information:

T: "Did you know that a Rhinoceros's horn is not bone?"
M: "No, what is it then?"
T: "Just a large ingrown hair. Well it is really just the same material that makes up hair."
M: Just laughing at the randomness
T: "Yeah, fish scales are made of the same stuff. Alot of animals have stuff made out of Keratin."

So I googled and yes he is right (like flipp'n always).

The horns of a rhinoceros are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails.

I just felt I should not be the only person who hears this random piece of information today.

Steamed Milk, Greek Villa, White Flour, Alabaster, Eggshell, Pure White, Aracade....What Happened to Just White?!

Why are there SO many different choices of white?!?!

I just want a nice, not too bright, white color but I seem to be having trouble just finding a plain white!

This decision is hurting my head.

Reason # 268 Why I Love My Sister...

.....she still lets me play dress up with her!

Since Kristen has decided that school is FAR more important then blogging (as if) I decided to share a bonding moment we had together last week...plus I am sure you all miss her, so hope this helps :) She went out last Monday for 80's night and I got to dress her up. I am not ashamed to admit that I provided her with about 90% of her outfit straight from my closet, informed her what "pegging" your pants is, and did her hair and make-up...80's style! Like totally awesome! Here are some pictures. Yes, I made her pose for about 15 pictures.

Pegging & Jellies - heck yeah

Lists, Lists, & More Lists

So I think pretty much everyone knows my love for lists, but this time of year my list making reaches all-time highs and is crucial for me to function on a daily basis. Right about now (especially after the craziness of the past few months) my brain is just fried. I forget to do things like my laundry or buy food regularly, I forget where I put things, and I forget all I want to do over the course of a week or even a day! If I don’t have these lists it is like I can not function at all…..I just come home and things are a mental blur.

My current lists are as follows (these are not mental lists but actual physical lists I keep with me):

- A general list….this is an ongoing list that I add things to as I think of them and remove things as I complete them. It is sort of like a general reminder list that helps me move things to their appropriate lists.
- Christmas gift list. One stress this year is the lack of shopping we have done for people. I like to be done and wrapped by thanksgiving…ain’t happening this year. Currently this list consists of everyone’s names and a bunch of blank spaces next to them.
- Christmas card list. (if we have time this year – boo)
- Christmas party invite list.
- Christmas party menu & ingredient list.
- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day events…..this is currently just a brainstorming list.
- Christmas Cookie list & ingredient list.
- To do around the house before December 12, 2008, list.
- Bills to Pay list
- A list of all my lists, list (kidding)

I LOVE this time of year but I also try to not get caught up in the hullabaloo of the holidays and forget what this time of year is really about. These lists sound like a lot, but really do keep me sane.

What keeps you sane during the holidays?

Me: Lists, Hot Chocolate and Christmas music keep me sane (er).

I Heart Music

So as I mentioned I went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll honors concert for Les Paul this weekend in Cleveland.

All I have to say is that the concert was AWESOME! I loved it. (See who played here.) Just so many fantastic guitarists and of course to be able to see Les Paul himself, at 93 years young, playing his guitar, sharing stories and making jokes was a once and a lifetime experience that I am SO happy I got to see. I love that I was brought up in a house that loves music as much as ours.

Also, it was announced that this years Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will actually be in Cleveland – about time! It has always been in New York or some place OTHER then Cleveland…you know the place where the Hall of Fame IS! I want tickets.

updated: This is from many years ago...but I just LOVE the way Les Paul plays Somewhere over the Rainbow. He actually played it at the concert this weekend and it just made me smile!!!

Attention Holiday Shoppers....

I posted something about this last year, but as a reminder if you are one of those crazy...I mean brave (I kid) day after Thanksgiving shoppers, this is the website for you!

Click here.

It has tons of ads for what will be going on sale for Black Friday shopping and sales that stores may have leading up to the big shopping day.

Totally Awesome Moment of The Day

Todays Totally Awesome Moment of The Day goes to ....

My Parents!!

Reason:
Today I got a voicemail from my dad informing me that they were the proud owners of a Nintendo Wii! Yep, my parents got their very own Wii - AWESOME.

Mom & Dad, I would like to say that there are a few rules you need to keep in mind:

1. All work must be done before you play Wii.
2. No Wii during dinner time. (sub rule: you must finish your dinner if you want to play Wii)
3. All chores must be done for the day before you play with your game.
4. You can take your Wii games to your friends house but do not let them borrow your games because if they brake it or lose it, it is gone forever.
5. This game is for fun and a privilege...do not abuse this and spend all your time on it.
6. Play nice with each other, no fighting....if you do NO Wii.
7. When playing Wii make sure you wear the remote tightly around your wrist. If it flys off and you brake that TV you are buying a new one - with your own money.
8. When it is time to put the Wii away - put it away. No "Just 5 more minutes" will be allowed.


This Totally Awesome Moment of The Day was brought to you by Nintendo Wii - A play system for people of ALL ages! :)

Really HIMYM....You Couldn't Get Anyone Else? I Mean, Really.

So T & I just started watching How I Met Your Mother the end of last season. We actually really enjoy the show, and the fact that Terry enjoys it is saying something because he isn't typically a fan of shows like this. (Never liked Friends, Seinfeld, etc..)

So anywho, I have yet to tell him the news of who the latest guest (not-star) additions are to the show. Click Here. Kim Kardashian, Heidi Montag, and that small-minded asshole who thinks he is better then everyone else and thinks he is actually someone important... guy (I refuse to mention him by name on my blog). Yep, the show is bringing them on.

WHY, HIMYM....WHYYYYYYY?!?!

I mean, you are a cool show. I bet there are tons of cool people that would love to be on your show, and yet you went with those 3 people. I don't want to tell Terry, he may ban this show forever because of this!

The only redeeming quality with this episode is that the reason these 3 tools are on the show is because Marshall feels as though he can't poop at work (thus his magazine covers coming to life I guess). Poop is always funny. So maybe it will be funny because it is about poop, though I am thinking an episode about poop without these extra poopheads in it would be much better.

(I am really not a mean person, but come on!)

Friendly Dave Matthews Band PSA

Because I feel it is important for me to share DMB information.....

In case you didn’t know and are interested, DMB will be releasing a new live CD on December 16, 2008. Live at Mile High Music Festival. Also, starting tomorrow you can purchase some live tracks from itunes. If you just happen to be one of those lucky people who went to a concert of theirs this summer, you can get the itunes songs for free!

Live Trax 2008 from itunes:

1. Eh Hee
2. So Damn Lucky
3. Crush
4. The Dreaming Tree
5. Pay For What You Get
6. Proudest Monkey
7. Bartender
8. Tripping Billies

Live at Mile High Music Festival track listing:

CD 1
1. Don't Drink the Water
2. You Might Die Trying
3. Eh Hee
4. Two Step
5. Proudest Monkey
6. Satellite
7. Corn Bread

CD 2
1. Sledgehammer
2. Stay (Wasting Time)
3. Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back)
4. Jimi Thing
5. #41
6. Tripping Billies
7. So Damn Lucky

CD 3
1. So Much To Say
2. Anyone Seen The Bridge?
3. Too Much
4. Ants Marching
5. Gravedigger
6. Louisiana Bayou
7. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)

bareMinerals – I Can Not Say NO To You Any Longer

So it has happened…I will soon be the owner of my own set of bareMinerals products. I have been persuaded to buy them…..of course this sweet deal also had a lot to do with it!




Click here for the special deal. (It said I saved over $145 when I checked out – um, awesome!)

Only 2 payments of $29.99(plus S&H)


Your bareMinerals Get Started Kit includes:
2 shades of bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation
Mineral Veil finishing powder
Warmth All-Over Face Color
Flawless Application Face Brush
Handy Buki Brush
Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush
In-depth How-To Guide that details every product and how to best apply your bareMinerals

4 FREE Special Bonus Gifts:
Limited edition refillable Mirror Compact with cover
bareMinerals Bisque for concealing imperfections
Precision Concealer Brush
Leslie's Get Started DVD

As a person who likes make-up but does not like the feel of things on my face or spending a lot of time putting make up on, I have been told by a very reliable source that this is for me! I can’t wait to try it…should be arriving in the next couple weeks!

Talk To Me....

How do I get rid of and/or treat dark circles under my eyes?

I have bad dark circles under my eyes. Over the years they just keep getting worse and I have no idea what works, what doesn't work, and if it is even possible to at least, minimize the circles I have under my eyes. I also very rarely wear any make-up, which I am sure if I did it could cover them a bit...but really I am looking for something I could use to reduce them.

So any suggestions? Home remedies, skin care products, under eyes treatments?

I would prefer to not look like a walking zombie who just got beat up every day.

The Sky Is Falling, The Sky Is Falling…Sort Of

This morning as I left my house I noticed the ground was covered with beautiful fall leaves that were falling at a rather fast and frequent pace down on me as I made my way outside. It instantly reminded me of the scene below from Edward Scissorhands where he is cutting that ice sculpture so it snows down on a blonde, pre shoplifting, Winona Ryder.

Well except for the fact that leaves were falling on me - not snow, and the leaves were coming from a tree - not a giant hunk of ice, and it wasn’t a scar faced leather clad Johnny Depp with scissors for hands making the leaves fall – just the wind blowing the leaves off the tree, and I wasn’t in a white dress spinning in circles under the snow – I was in my work clothes spinning in circles under the leaves. But still, it was almost exactly the same.

It made me happy, I love the fall.

Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut….

(…and sometimes you are a nut.)

So I had a bit of self-discovery last night. Something that I believe has truly changed me as a human being.

I like cashews! I know, it surprised me too.

Though I do enjoy peanuts and the occasional slivered or chocolate covered almond, I really have no interest in any of the other nuts out there. I don’t even want to give these nuts a chance; I refuse to even try to like them. Yes, I believe I have a bit nut intolerance.

I never was interested in cashews because, well, I don’t like the way they look and I don’t like their name. Cash-EW. Their name implies they will not be good. And cashew is also very close to the sound I make when I sneeze, so how can this nut be any good? I also had concerns about this nut because it is one of those nuts that may taste good, but it has a limited amount of anything else going for it. I mean you don’t put it in a pie, or make cookies with it, or make into a caramel candy delight – it is just a plain old cashew, what’s up with that?

I have to say though, after trying this nut I was pleasantly surprised, and dare I say wrong about the cashew. I moved pass my ideals of what makes a good nut and gave this nut a chance and I am glad I did. It was very enjoyable! For me to hate this nut all this time just because of how it looked, its name, without knowing anything about the nut, or my predetermined feelings of what this nut was all about was WAY wrong of me. So I have decided that I am going to put my idea of what makes a tasty nut aside and try to be more open to all the nuts out there. Well, except for pecans….those things look like a rotten piece of wood or something (ok, I need a little more work on being fair to ALL nuts.) Though I may still not be 100% convinced at this time that this nut is my favorite nut ever I cannot deny the admiration I have for its nutty goodness and I am sure over time I will learn to love this nut for its own unique qualities as well as it’s taste.

Thank you cashew – for opening my eyes and changing the way I feel about you. Maybe other people who are unsure about you will just give you a try and learn what I learned - that you are a good nut we can all learn to love.

(No I was not at all implying anything other then liking a cashew in this post.)

Election Results (Widget Style)

Oh that Google...

...They are some clever and funny folks over there! I always love their special Google Homepage designs! Thank you Google for keeping me smiling.






GO VOTE!

Let Us Lighten Up All This Election Stuff a Bit (This is NOT Political at all)

So tonight as I was verifying my voting location I read the back of my voter registration card. I found this very humorous so I thought that I would share. I have bolded my favorite parts!


"Voters must bring identification to the polls in order to verify identity. Identification may include a current and valid photo identification, a military identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than this reminder or a voter registration notification, that shows the voter's name and current address. Voters who do not provide one of these documents will STILL be able to vote by providing the last four digits of the voter's social security number and by casting a provisional ballot. Voters who do not have ANY of the above forms of identification, including a social security number, will STILL be able to vote by signing an affirmation swearing to the voter's identity under penalty of election falsification and by casting a provisional ballot."

I mean couldn't they have just shortened it up and said something like:

"We prefer you bring identification that shows you are really a legal citizen of the United States, but hey if you are lazy or are not a legal citizen we don't really care and will let you vote no matter what."

This made me smile :)

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday, a day late, to my brother Alec! He turned 16 yesterday and boy do I feel old!

Here are my brothers, Matt (who will be turning 19 this month and is on the left) and Alec (on the right). They moved from Ohio over 10 years ago and currently live in Tennessee. The last time I saw them was 2 years ago at my wedding :( I miss them dearly and it breaks my heart that I do not get to see them often and be a part of their lives as regularly as I would like. But i love them to death and wish Alec a FANTASTIC birthday. P.S. I asked him what he got and he said the instinct. I then asked him what the heck that was! For those like me who are not up on the technology, it is the new Sprint touch phone. (aw)

So anyways - happy Birthday brother!! I love you and miss you!

One Year Later...

(I just wanted to share some thoughts....)


So I have been at my current job for a year now, click here. For those that don’t know this is basically What Happened…The whole thing was very shady and an eye opening experience.

So I have been working as a secretary (or Administrative Assistant for those who want to be politically correct) at a Patent and Trademark Law Firm for a year now. Previously I was a Special Event Coordinator, a job that I liked in theory but often left me feeling unfulfilled, unappreciated, not able to be truly creative, frustrated, stressed and often times resentful of my choice in careers. So as much as this change was unexpected and hurtful at the time, I was extremely open to try something completely new and different.

Today I am at a job where I am in one word - HAPPY. (Though I do miss dearly some friends I use to work with.) The people here are great, I feel respected, I feel like they appreciate not only the work I do but also who I am as a person. I don’t feel as if they are judging or care about “status”…they truly like me for who I am. I feel like I can be myself and you know what, lately I have realized I really like myself :) I know this sounds silly, but these were the things lacking by my previous employers (my bosses). To me it is FAR MORE important to be at a place where I feel welcomed and appreciated and not just a pawn in a person’s game.

So now a year later and I really feel like my time at this place and away from the stresses of my previous job have allowed me to gain a better idea of who I am and what I want in the years to come for my life as well as out of my employers. When the time comes to eventually move on, I know this place is going to be a hard act to follow. I mean all jobs have their stresses, but overall this place really makes me happy.

I know in the grand scheme of things, a year is not that long but so many decisions about T & my future have been made this last year and just working here and being away from the stress has really provided me with the opportunity to see things in a new light. So what have I learned….. I know I want to be surrounded by positive people and a positive working environment. I know I want to be appreciated and respected where I work, and I deserve nothing less then that. I know that I like to be busy but not so busy I miss out on my life (such as not taking a honeymoon b/c i felt I should put my job first). I know that it IS possible to have a job where you actually want to get up and go to every morning....or most mornings! I know that just because you leave a place it does not mean you will lose the friendships you have made. I know I don't need to change the type of person I am to do my job. I know I want to be somewhere for the moment that will allow me and also support me to continue my education. I know I want to get my masters degree in College Student Personnel. I know I want to stay here while Terry goes back to school and I go back to school. I know I want to have my first child while working here. I know one day, in time I want to work for a college in the student affairs office. I know that many of these people have made a huge impact on my life and came into my life at a time where I had very little confidence in myself as not only an employee but overall as a person, and I am truly grateful for that. I know that, more then ever, I cherish the friendships I have made over the years and though I may not say it I love each of you dearly and am so happy to be a part of each others lives. I know that I feel closer to and that I love and appreciate my husband more today then I did the day I married him. I could really keep going.

Overall, as frustrating as my previous two jobs were, they did allow me to meet some of my most favorite people ever and I would never change any of it! I mean, I wouldn't even be blogging with all of you if I hadn't taken this path in life. I feel like I have grown so much over the last year and I love where my life has come over the years and I can’t wait to see where it will go in the coming years. I never thought this is exactly where I would be at this point in my life. Many things were put on delay and have had to be changed along the way, but such is life and today I feel more blessed then ever. I know this may seem a little deep....it is just a job, right?! People loose jobs and find new jobs all the time. But there was more - I wasn't happy with myself. I felt as though I lacked confindence in myself, my talent to perform my job, and my choice in a career. I was lost. To me the past couple years have not been JUST about losing a job and finding a new one but more about finding who I was, what I want out of life, what my husband and I want out of our life and feeling like I actually matter and make a difference somewhere.....beyond just the friendships I have made and being a nice person. I know I don't and shouldn't have to change who I am to be accepted and at the end of the day your job should not define who you are but who you are as person and how you choose to live your life should be what defines you.

Even through all the ups and downs these past couple years, it has been one hell of a ride and I am so happy to be at this place in my life, both physically and emotionally. And I feel privilaged to have you all, blogger friends included, in my life.

Just Because I Want to Share Her Cuteness With the World!

My cousin sent me pics of her beautiful daughter today and I thought I would share!













Some one is bored.....

National Chocolate Day!

Of course this is one of a few National Chocolate Days each year….chocolate lovers need a bunch of these! Click here for the history of chocolate.

In honor, here are some chocolate-ish related questions:

1. Favorite kind of chocolate? White, milk or dark?

2. Favorite chocolate candy bar?

3. Hot chocolate, yes or no?

4. Favorite truffle filling?

5. Favorite chocolate covered fruit?

6. Do you crave chocolate, salt, both or neither?

7. If you had to choose which would you pick? Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting; chocolate cake with white frosting; white cake with chocolate frosting.

8. Favorite “chocolate covered” items?

9. Do you like Nuts in your chocolate?

10. Finish this sentence: I eat chocolate ____________.

Halloween Fun

That's right....you better watch out ;)

You Are a Werewolf

You're unpredictable, moody, and downright freaky. You seem sweet and harmless, until you snap. Then you're a total monster. Very few people can predict if you're going to be Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde. But for you, all your transformations seem perfectly natural. Your greatest power: Your ability to tap into nature Your greatest weakness: Lack of self control You play well with: Vampires

What Kind of Monster Are You?

Vanity Card of the Week

Big Bang was not new this week...so this is a funny one from a month ago.

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #214


We confuse naming a thing with knowing it. For instance, how does one know a chair? Well, what is a chair? Is it the word? The sound, "chair?" The image in your mind of four legs, a seat and a back? Or is it wood from a tree that sprouted into existence from a seed that has travelled from tree to tree for millions of years, each tree's survival dependent upon a fragile ecological balance, a perfect blend of minerals, sunlight, weather, and, ultimately, sub-atomic particles that have been zipping around since the birth of the universe? Add to that the billions of years and infinite forces essential to creating the conditions needed for human beings to exist, cut down the tree, haul it to a mill, carve it into smaller pieces, send it to a chair factory, shape it into a chair, ship it to a store, purchase it, stick it in an SUV and drive it home so that an equally complex ass can sit on it, and you begin to know a chair. In other words, when we truly look deeply into the one thing, we see it is, in fact, the all, and, of course, contained within the all, is the one thing. Which is why I never get upset about winning or losing an Emmy. How can I? I am an Emmy. Right now Tina Fey is sitting at home clutching me to her relatively ample bosom. Feels good.

Polka + Pink Floyd = AWESOME!

So tonight at Howards in BG we are going to see our favorite Pink Floyd cover band - Polka Floyd!! I couldn't stop talking about how great they were before and I am really excited to see them tonight!

So like their name suggests they play polka versions of Pink Floyd songs! See their site here. You don't think it should work, but it does! They are just great, I mean really great!

I think they go on at 10...maybe later....I foresee a LOT of coffee in my future!

What the Blog?

So blogger has changed a bit and you may have noticed it, on mine at least. I didn't do this but I think it is because I don't use a pop up box for my comments. I may change to the pop up comment box because I don't know if I like this new layout to leave comments.

In the meantime let me know if you like this or the pop up comment box better.

Also, I learned if you are signed in and leave a comment and hit subscribe it will send follow up comments to you if you want.

*Update: I changed it to the pop up comment box...hopefully that is better!!

Talk To Me....

So I do not know what the proper etiquette is for this, so please share your thoughts.


What is the etiquette for holding a baby shower for the second child?

Now I understand that each child is special and should be celebrated....but do you hold a large shower for each kid you have? Does it make a difference if one is a boy and one is a girl? Does it make a difference depending on how far apart the births are? Should you just do whatever the hell you want?


I am interested in your thoughts as I just got an invitation for someone's second shower and I got a little annoyed with this and maybe I am overreacting. As a side-note: When my friends/family have kids I get them gifts...whether it is for their first child or tenth. It isn't about the gifts as I LOVE giving baby gifts, I am talking specifically about holding another baby shower.

From 28 to 75 Overnight.

I know that over the years you are with someone you get to this level of comfortableness that you share with no one other then your significant other. You may reach the point where you can use the restroom in front of them, maybe you shave less frequently or not at all, you actually have contests with each other to see who can burp or fart louder, when you run into a wall it is no longer embarrassing – just normal, or you see each other doing even the most secret of morning or night time rituals.

But when should one draw the line on HOW comfortable you get around each other so to not loose that passion or “fire” you have with one another? Well, perhaps it is when you are slowly turning yourself into a 75-year-old lady at the age of 28? That could possibly be happening to me and I may be reaching out for help. First step to recovery, admitting what you have done………So I have recently purchased nightgowns to sleep in during the ever so cold winter nights. Yes, a nightgown or nightdress - is a term usually designated to describe the sleeping attire of someone more than twice my age.

Now, if anyone else chooses to wear the occasional knee length floral pale pastel colored nightdress, please tell me so I don't feel so old. But so far my husband, K, and even my mom have chuckled at my sudden desire to wear nightgowns. Or maybe it was the fact that I had a nightgown on over a pair of fleece pants and then had an insulated shirt over that?!

Anyway, I have to say the nightgown does have a comfort level that I enjoy in these cold months. And maybe the nightgown isn’t so much of the problem, but it could be that along with my ensemble I sleep with a night-mask on and the occasional spots of Vitamin E oil on my face. Yep, that might just be what bumps me up a couple boxes on the age scale. All I need now is to put my hair up in curlers and throw on a hairnet to go to bed and sleep in separate twin beds and I think I may just need an intervention!

So could this just be a rut, a phase or pure comfort around my husband…..hmmmmm, maybe a little bit of all three. But it doesn’t really matter to me. So in the meantime, if you need me, I will be sitting on my couch in my nightgown & socks with slippers at 5:30 pm watching Wheel of Fortune, doing a crossword puzzle, and eating half a ham salad sandwich and then a butterscotch candy for dessert.



I know, I know - You are thinking, seriously what a catch. How could Terry NOT want to tap that.

Vanity Card of the Week

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #222

The Racism of King Kong

"In all three film versions of the basic story, we are led to believe that Kong regularly feasts on native girls. Female human sacrifice is how the locals appease him. Then, in each re-telling, he is transformed from mindless, blood-thirsty carnivore to smitten, suicidal love monkey by a skinny, blonde-haired white girl (Fay Wray, Jessica Lange, Naomi Watts). Given this behavioral trend, it is my contention that King Kong would eat Halle Berry. This troubles me deeply and I wanted to share it with you."

Another Fun Weekend.

So this weekend was the final "event" in my mom's big 50th birthday celebration month!!

This weekend we went back home for an Open House with our family and friends. It was fantastic! Nothing is better then hanging out with your family & friends, laughing, reminiscing and eating some kick ass cake! We also headed out to Amish country and got some great Amish goodies!!

Here are just a couple pics:


This is my BEAUTIFUL mom at her party standing next to her cake. (Her cake said 50 and Fabulous...because she is!) Also our scrapbook that we made for her.



















This is my totally adorable "niece". She is my cousins daughter and just the cutest / smartest kid ever!! Meet Macey Jo




















Hey Iris - here are some more vanity plates we saw on our trip home.
(Side note....I guess the bad economy is not stopping the sales of vanity plates....I swear everyone is getting a vanity plate these days.)