Picture of the Week - Yes, Another Cat Picture.

This is Belle who is halfway under our dresser, just relaxing. Sorry it is a camera phone picture, so a bit blurry. I thought she was acting out the scene in Winnie the Pooh where Pooh Bear eats too much honey and gets stuck in Rabbits door*….I think it was a good reenactment. (*Please note I was going to say rabbits hole but wanted to refrain from cheap play on word jokes.  So this is me refraining.)


I enjoy making up funny captions for pictures, and I really love what others come up. So, I thought it might be fun to ask what you think the caption to this picture should be?! I think I might be doing this more often….so get use to it :)

“Don’t ask.”

It is Concert Season Again!!

If you know me, it is absolutely no surprise that I LOVES me some concerts!! If there is a band performing in the area that we love then we are there!



So last weekend Kristen and I and some of her friends went and saw MUSE in concert at the Palace in Detroit. Can I just say their show was flipp’n AWESOME! Seriously, one of the best concerts I have ever gone to! I have heard their shows are pretty great as they use a lot of lights, lasers, and giant screens but being there and seeing them and hearing them in person was just amazing. They had an awesome light show, had three moving elevator platforms for each of them to be on during different parts of the performance, they had giant video screens on and above those platforms that constantly played something that visually fit with the songs, and they had giant balloon eyeballs that popped and sprinkled confetti on parts of the audience! (really does it get better than giant confetti filled balloon eyeballs?! No.) Muse was amazing and they sounded even BETTER then they sound on their CD…which is always a fear sometimes when you see people in concert, that they sound horrible live.  But that was not even close to the case with these lovely gentleman. They managed to give a true rock concert performance and I seriously was in awe.

CLICK HERE for video footage from this tour. It is suh-WEET.

We actually had perfect seats too, second level but first row. (Good job with that K.) We had a perfect view of the stage and the light show and we had no one in front of us which was great because I could just sit there and chill and take it all in. (Yes I said sit, I might be a bit prudish at times.) Muse sounded perfect and really knows how to put on a visually entertaining show. This is a MUST SEE show. They managed to greatly exceed any and every expectation I had. THAT is why I love music the way I do and LOVE going to concerts, I truly enjoy seeing these artists perform and express themselves in the biggest way they can… LOVE IT!



AND, if seeing this concert wasn’t excitement enough for the year the day before we found out that Iron Maiden…that’s right F'N IRON MAIDEN, is touring again and will be around in July! If you remember, their concert was the BEST concert I have ever seen. You can bet your ass that I will be trying to get tickets....which go on sale this weekend!!


Anyone else seeing any concerts this year?!
(I may want to tagalong!!)

Iron Maiden….July 15 at Blossom!!!!

SO Close Little Buddy

"I am so sneaky....no one will EVER be able to find me in here!!"

This picture cracked me up and I thought I would share!  This is our buddy cat, Sebastian, and he is trying to fit into his tiny cat stand.  As you can see, he is just a smidge too big!

I think he really wishes he was smaller, especially because Belle is so tiny and easily fits into all the places he can't.  Poor buddy...he really is a special cat!

Kristen.....Do you think it is bigger on the inside?!

I Have Said It Before....

.....the people at Google are people I think I would want to know and be friends with.  I love all the creative things they do with their logo on their homepage!

I just had to say that, now please feel free to continue to my previous post that I also posted today. :)  Two in one day...wowsers!

I Believe.....

I have written a few (teehee, just a few…..riiiiiight) things, some more serious than others, that I believe in. FYI, it may be long but it reads quick :)



I believe if you make a product like tissue or toilet paper and it has “Soft” or “Fluffy” in the name or description it should in fact BE soft or fluffy.

I believe springing ahead and losing an hour of sleep is just mean but worth it for that extra bit of day light in the evenings.

I believe that Taco Bell will always be the perfect food after a night of drinking.

I believe that gay couples should be allowed to get married and should have every right as a heterosexual couple has under law. If a gay couple gets married it has NO EFFECT on me or anyone else, but not allowing them to get married makes a huge difference to them. If a church chooses to not marry a couple (any couple for that matter) that is one thing, but the Government should NOT be allowed to choose whether couples of legal age can marry.

I believe women should have the right to choose. But I also believe life is a very valuable and precious gift.

I believe that food brings people together and that it is very important to cook together and eat dinner together as a family.

I believe the seasons should be Fall, Fall, Spring, Fall.

I believe that the bullshit between the political parties needs to calm down. I am TIRED of people not passing or even making an effort to pass items in Congress just because they are trying to move their party’s agendas forward. It is about the people…NOT you.

I believe that a day should not go by without laughter.

I believe that a child’s laugh is the best sound in the world.

I believe that if you so choose you should have days where you eat whatever you want, stay in bed as long as you want, and/or do absolutely nothing around the house that is considered a chore.....and not feel one ounce of guilt about doing so. We all deserve a break.

I believe every stereotype has an ounce of truth.

I believe some people’s fear of God & religion molds their opinions and not in a positive way. I don’t fear God, but rather I fear people who fear God (knowingly or unknowingly) and make judgments/opinions on others based on those fears.

I believe that crying for no reason can be a form of therapy and is ok but if you are always crying you should look for help.

I believe it is ok to ask for help when you need it and to also not be afraid to take help when offered.

I believe that having Faith, praying, and being a respectful person who wants to help others is far more important than just going to Church every week solely because you feel you should.

I believe that the song "Fireflies" by Owl City should be banned from all radio stations…that includes my Yahoo Radio Station that plays it at least 5 times a day. I want to punch myself in the face repeatedly when I hear it.

I believe violence isn’t the answer.

I believe Dr. Seuss is the best author of all time. His books really speak to me….and in a rather lovely rhythmic style.

I believe I made the right choice by voting for President Obama and that he has given me no reason to think I made a wrong decision.

I believe that the Girl Scout Carmel deLites or “Samoas” came from heaven and are truly a gift from God and that is why they can only be sold once a year. Too much of a good thing is bad. (I think that is a commandment or something.)

I believe most of the people in the media are full of crap and do nothing more than release misleading or in some cases straight up wrong information to create fear to get people to watch their news. It is about ratings not reporting.

I believe in National Public Radio.

I believe cats are a wonderful pet and get a bad rap…good thing I have cute kitties and no one thinks that of mine.

I believe there are a lot of things we should NOT be entitled to and that our Government should not provide….Health Care should not be included on that list. I believe some form of universal, government funded health care should be available to those who need it/want it and it is very necessary in our country.

I believe one day, when the time is right, we will have a child.

I believe that Terry going to Cincinnati for a year is going to be incredibly difficult but I believe he is making the right decision and it will be worth it.

I believe that even though we are actually very different, Terry is the perfect match for me and I feel lucky that we found each other.

I believe it is important to listen to others, though you don’t always have to agree with them.

I believe blogging has allowed me to open up more and not be such an introvert.

I believe I love not just blogging but the people I have met through it.

I believe Sunkist is the best carbonated beverage ever.

I believe the newest version of “We Are The World” is stupid.

I believe kindness should be one of the simplest gestures to show towards others but seems to be the hardest gesture for people to demonstrate.

I believe everyone should respect other people’s beliefs, even if they are not your own.

I believe I have typed the word BELIEVE far too many times in one blog post and should stop.

What do YOU believe......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTEN!!!

Today is a VERY special day as today is my lovely sister’s birthday!!! Being just a smidge older then my now 22 year old sister, I remember clearly the day I got to see her for the first time and actually hold her. Older sister mode kicked in at that very moment and I think I became instantly protective of her and knew I wanted to be there for her always and never let anything bad ever happen to her. 22 years later I am still protective of her and I still always want to be there to share in good times with her and comfort her in bad times. However, I would have never guessed back then, that K. and I would have this amazing friendship we have now and be as incredibly close as we are. She is my best friend and I feel so thankful to not just have a younger sister in my life but have someone who means so much to me and is far more than just a sister or a friend. Everyone needs that person for whom they can sit on a couch, watch crappy reality TV for hours with while also eating an entire box of Cheez-its in one sitting and enjoy every moment of that time together!

Kristen, I am SO very proud of the women you are becoming and feel so lucky to have you in my life. You mean the world to me and I will always be there to dry your tears, help you up when you fall (or laugh when you trip down the stairs), listen when you need to talk and of course lend tons of advice even when you do not want to hear it. I will cheer you on with all your successes and comfort you when you need support and I will always be there to laugh at the jokes no one else gets. I know you are going to do amazing things in your life because you are a truly amazing individual. My wish for you this year (and always) is that you are completely happy with yourself and find that path in your life that YOU want to take. This is YOUR life and you need to find the confidence to do the things that make you truly happy.

I love you bunches!

XOXO

Jenn

 

So Should I Add Facebook and Texting to my Resume?!

So I was in Cincinnati last weekend and I was in my hotel, bored, and reading through some local papers/ads I had picked up (in an attempt to familiarize myself with the town my husband will be living in for a year) when I skimmed across the following job posting:

"Marketing, Promotions, Event Planner Manager


Hiring for XXXXX in downtown Cincinnati on Fountain Square. This job will require booking parties, Happy Hour events, etc. by e-mailing, texting, telephone answering, operting the company facebook, working with the Convention Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce and others."

Besides the fact that this is just a vague and I feel bad job description, I highlighted a few areas of interest. First being that the word operating is spelled operting. I think accurate spelling in a two sentence job posting is fairly important. Obviously, they are looking for a Marketing Editor as well….if anyone is interested.

Next, since when did booking parties by texting become the appropriate means of which to do business in the Marketing/Event world? I know I have been out of the event world for a few years but is this how things are done now?! “Big prty 2nite @ XXXX. Hope 2 C U there. RSVP 2 me ASAP. CU Soon!!” I mean, really. And BTW (just practicing for the job) when did actually texting become a skill set in a professional job?

Um, telephone answering? Besides the wording of this I just want to say DUH!! sigh Moving on.

Operting the company facebook. Now I realize that facebook is the new thing when it comes to marketing and many businesses are starting a facebook page and I think that is great because it is a fast way to have access to many people but does it need to be added to the job description in a newspaper ad right after telephone answering? Answer - not so much.

My point is, when I was looking for a job a couple years ago I started noticing how sloppy & unprofessional job descriptions were getting both online and in print and how places that I believe to be good places to work seemed to have very shoddy job descriptions. Now granted I know in this economy you can’t turn your nose up to every job just because you don’t like the wording in the job description, but a job description like this makes me think this job is nothing more than a joke. As much as I would love planning happy hour events, operting facebook, texting and telephone answering all day I think this job description sounds perfect for a 16 year old.

And this was not the only job description that had issues. Lazy.

Dear companies – Take a little pride in your available jobs, even if it is just facebooking and texting all day.


P.S. As an actual event planner, I am a bit insulted by how many jobs get labeled “Event Planner”. I think they just throw around that job title on any job that deals with scheduling something for a business because it seems hip and cool to have an Event Planner position. Anyone who has been a REAL Event Planner knows that, though it is a fun job at times, it is FAR more than just hosting parties and putting dates in a planner and it is a job that can kick your ass and is not always easy.

Ok, hold on while I find a way down from my soapbox.

I am not even looking for a job right now, but I can only imagine if this is how bad it is now what it will be like in a few more years!!

John, I Didn’t Expect This From You

Ok, have you seen the previews for the Hot Tub Time Machine? I don’t know what to make of this movie….I think it is a joke and by joke I don’t mean a comedy I really mean a JOKE….this can’t be a real movie can it?!


I seriously ADORE John Cusack and have a totally unhealthy crush on him and love every movie he does, but I don’t understand why he would ever do a movie like this. I mean the title itself “Hot Tub Time Machine” is just simply ridiculous!!

CLICK HERE FOR TRAILER

Ok, I just watched the preview again and started laughing, but it is SO ridiculous and looks so stupid I shouldn’t be laughing. This movie is a conundrum.

Hot Tub Time Machine?! I mean really, how can you take this as a real movie. Oh John, I expect this from other but not from you. But I will still see this and I will always love you in a totally creepy and stalker type way.

Terry has a theory. He thinks it is a total gag movie, all a huge spoof on bad comedies. A comedy yes, but the most intentionally ridiculous absurd comedy out there!! I hope he is right and that this movie is just SO over the top that it is funny, nah hilarious.

I anticipate this movie to be a small popcorn, bag of gummy worms and share a drink! We’ll see :)

Come On, Really?!

Alternative title: That Bitch Be Crazy.


Apparently Lindsay Lohan is filing suit against E-Trade for their Super Bowl commercial with the baby for this dialogue:


"And that milkaholic Lindsay wasn't over?" the baby girl asks him suspiciously.
"Lindsay?" the boy replies, just before a baby girl sticks her head into the frame and slurs, "Milk-a-what?"


She believes they are mocking her and Lindsay’s lawyer says the actress has the same single-name recognition as Oprah or Madonna and she wants $100 million for her pain and suffering. Um, Really Lindsay, you think they are referring to you?

As Terry said that greedy bitch is bat shit crazy. Could someone need some money? Maybe she needs to get a real job.

I agree.  Get over yourself.

Next story.....

Reason #1,368,942 Why I Love My Sister

Because after I am off work for a few days and come back in the “I don’t want to be back here already” funk I find a bunch of post-it notes all over my desk that cheer me up!

This was my favorite!

These are a few of the other notes I found scattered around my desk.

After I took the picture I found two more in drawers. Though I still am not ready to be back to work, this made it easier. I love working with my sister!

Thanks K.!! XOXO

This Post May Not Be Suitable For Men.

I know this is not what some would call “a classy post that a lady should write”, so it is a good thing I am not a classy lady. I just had a few things I was thinking about and since they were all related I thought I would put them in the same post. Lucky all of you!

Disclaimer: This post may not be suitable for men.


1.      I wish tampon companies would make a tampon wrapper that actually stayed on your tampon when thrown in your purse. Yes I am aware they have little containers to keep them in whilst in your purse or I could throw them in a baggie, but sometimes I don’t always have time and I just grab a couple and throw them in my purse. If not used immediately I may just forget about them and they stay in my purse dealing with the constant movement, transferring of items in and out of my purse, or even the slightest waft of air thus resulting in that ultra thin material covering the tampon to just open and instantly decompose. I would like a stronger material around them not just because I am throwing away open tampons and wrappers that are laying in the bottom of my purse but also to avoid situations where the string of a tampon gets stuck in my wallet so when I am at the store and pull out my wallet I also pull out an unwrapped tampon. Yes I would like to avoid that from happening again as it falls under the slightly embarrassing, never return to that store again during those hours, yet somewhat funny category of my life.

2.     Speaking of feminine products, I really wish they would do away with all feminine product commercials. Seeing a tampon commercial where a young model-type girl is jumping in a pond with a bunch of friends while she is on her period just pisses me off. First, if you experience menstrual pain like I do then frolicking around is the last thing on your mind, though I must say I do enjoy a good frolic. I also don’t need to see a girl who looks like she has never experienced a day of bloating in her life and who is just way to happy….especially when I am not happy. Plus I don’t need to see the latest “advances” in tampons. It is a piece of cotton with a string attached that you stick up your who-ha….what else do you need to tell me about your product?! Take a lesson from Massengil Feminine Douche and stop spending money on commercials. Do you remember those commercials?! Horrible, uncomfortable and hilarious all in one! Mother and a daughter walking on a beach “Hey Mom, do you douche?” HAHA Click HERE for the commercial. (I love the word douche.)

3.     I wish some grocery stores would put their womanly products in a more inconspicuous place. I am not at all embarrassed to get my products but I would also like a bit of privacy when I am looking through the barrage of scented, unscented, pearl, plastic, card board, horse hair, natural, un-natural, lite, medium, or tsunami tampons that are available. But, for instance, the Meijer in BG has their female products located in the very back aisle right by the milk, eggs, juice and bulk foods. People gather in that area and watch (or at least I believe they do) as you make your selection. I feel like there should be an announcer calling your selections with people booing or applauding the selections you are about to make. GO FOR THE BLUE BOX! WHY DID YOU PICK THOSE ONES YOU IDIOT! No woman on her period needs that kind of judgment and pressure.

4.     Finally, I must say that I am truly disgusted of going to the restroom at my place of employment (or any place for that matter) and finding remnants from the person before me left on the toilet seat. (I know gross) I work at a small law firm and we have one restroom for the women and it is typically kept nice and clean. I am lucky in that sense, because I know what it is like to work at a place with literally, shitty restrooms. But we are all polite, respectful women and I feel that it is very rude to not check the seat after you use the ladies room to make sure you are not leaving something there that shouldn’t be there. I mean, seriously THAT is gross. I think if you don’t clean up after yourself you should have to wear a diaper. Too harsh? Nah, I don’t think so!


Aren't you glad I am back to blogging?!

My Apologies….

Loyal readers, please accept my most sincere apologies for my lack of blogging of late. I did not realize it had been over a week since my last blog post. I mean, Heavens to Murgatroyd I honestly do not know what has come over me! I will make a much better effort in the coming week to not just write more but also make comments on all the lovely posts written by each of you that I have missed.

Again, I am sorry for my lack of blogging and I hope you will forgive me.

Your Friend,
Jenn

I Love Lent....Because I Love Me Some Fish Sandwiches

So it is that time of the year again…..time to celebrate Lent. HOLA!!

What does Lent mean? It means a time of reflection, sacrifice, self-denial, penitence, prayer, and giving me back my fillet-o-fish…give me that fish. (Seriously, fish sandwiches ROCK and so does that commercial)

The period of lent is very important, and getting in the proper frame of mind, body and soul to get ready for the Resurrection is very import. Part of the process involves doing away with certain vices we may have in our life....and I haves me many. As a Catholic it was always taught, though it is not mandatory (what something not mandatory in Catholicism?! GASP) that during Lent it is also good to either give something up or do something to help others as a way of sacrifice to help us prepare during this time of year.

As a kid I don’t think you really cared about the deeper meaning of giving something up it was just 40+ days without pop or candy or chocolate and no meat on Fridays. I am not saying that the understanding of what I was doing wasn’t there, but really it just seemed like nothing more than a pain in my catholic behind. Plus I would always try to give something up that I really didn’t want that much or something very specific, like I am giving up lime sherbert or starbursts.

As I got older I felt it was more important to do things during that time, like maybe actually go to church or volunteer. I also tried to do things like I will not curse or not be cynical. But shit, that felt like it was more of a chore than a real sacrifice so what was the point. So I stopped doing anything with Lent for awhile. See over the past few years I have really been questioning religion. Not so much my actual FAITH but behind all the incense smoke, kneeling, psalms, and stale bread I have wondered what my role in the Catholic church was and what I believed in and what I didn’t. I know I am suppose to believe certain things or feel certain ways and not questions the church, but WHY should I feel that and why shouldn’t I question my curch?! Plus I feel many of the rules of the Catholic Church are outdated and simply ridiculous.  And as much as I joke and question I am serious about my faith…I just don’t take every detail seriously.

So as I approach 30 I have begun to think about my faith, my religion and what I am really doing with it all. I realized that I will easily criticize and question things within the Catholic Church and I will also ask people numerous questions to try to help me figure everything out (see below). But shouldn’t I be trying to find out those answers on my own? And maybe I shouldn’t be criticizing without a full breathe of knowledge either. I mean, I haven’t even read the bible. Even in Catholic School it was never pushed to actually read the bible, we shouldn’t questions things but just obey. Riiiight. So a month ago I thought, as I try to figure out my religious path, maybe I should actually try reading the bible and then if I want to criticize it at least I will have the knowledge to back it up. See, always thinking.

So back to Lent, I am going to start reading the bible during the Lenten season. I also thought, as this is not really a vice that maybe I should give the giving something up thing another try….but actually give something up that isn’t easy and requires some sort of will power. So I am giving up brussel sprouts. NO, I kid. I am giving up all confectionary treats and pop. Ok, not kidding. This includes desserts of any kind as well as candy or anything that could be considered a sweet treat. I figured if I am going to do this then I need to do it right and go all in. Wish me luck.

On a side note: I actually made a pan of chocolate chip cookies Tuesday night when I decided to do something for Lent just so I could have some cookies before I gave them up for 40+ days. I am sure if Jesus had all the ingredients to make cookies for his last supper he would have done the same thing, however he didn’t because there was no flour. He had asked Peter three times to pick some up at the store but nothing. Dang-it Peter, I would have much rather be having chocolate chip cookies and wine at church than bread and wine. Whatever.


So does anyone give things up or do things for Lent? Thoughts in general on the season of Lent and giving stuff up? Hey, why not….how about even thoughts on your own feelings towards religion and finding your place?

Let it be known, I am SO open to different perspectives on religion and do not criticize someone else’s beliefs. I find people’s beliefs truly fascinating and want to learn about other’s religions and thoughts on religion and this is the one subject matter I don’t like to have any debate on.

I Was Just Wondering….

How old is too old to want to go to the new Harry Potter theme park at Universal Studios?!

I know the answer has to be nowhere close to 30 so I am safe, right?! (Terry told me 15…whatever, what does he know anyways.)




I was also wondering, how old is too old to go to the new Harry Potter theme park AND dress up like a wizard?!

Again, I am most likely fine but maybe I will just take our Marauder's Map and wand as I would hate to come off as too much of a dork. Plus it is hard to wear a cape and hat while you play quidditch.

Two Cats, A Bored Girl, A Camera, and A Blog.

Ok, I am officially bored.

T. is in class 2 evenings a week after work, 10:30-6:30 Saturdays, and works sundays and though I do chores around the house when I am alone, I may have a little too much time on my hands. What do I do when I am bored….I annoy my cats by taking a crazy amount of pictures of them. (You know how some of your pets pose when they see the camera, well the other day I got it out and Belle actually ran away…..damn, I wish I would have gotten a picture of that.)

I know there are people who may not be fans of cats but I have two of the cutest cats ever. (Insert: That's what they all say.) They are like a cross between a dog, a cat, a bunny, and a wild boar. It is awesome. They are not these boring cats that just hid and sleep all day, no sirs; they want you to know they are here and will do anything to get your attention. Of course they also do just sleep all day but they look very cute while doing so.  We have also determined that Sebastian is alot like Terry, pretty chill but can also be a grumpy old man at times.  Belle, so they say, is like me...a bit spazzy, a bit annoying, a bit needy, and totally adorable! (I may have added that last one) And as my blog is entitled wrestling kitties I feel that it is my duty (haha, duty) to post pictures of my cats and will be doing this on a more regular basis. I am so bored I have even taken the time to put captions under the pictures. (Note: I am not a crazy cat lady yet HOWEVER when T. goes away for a year to finish school and if I am posting pictures of my cats every day…. then I may need an intervention. I'm just say'n.)

This is Sebastian. "Think thin, think thin...um a little help here."

This is Belle.  "I am practicing how to be cat-tortionist."

......

These pictures happened within a course of 10 minutes. 

She just likes to see how much he will take.

"Hey, does this bother you?!"

"No?  Ok, I will just sleep like this for awhile."

"What if I do this with all my paws, will that be a problem?"

"What about now...am i too close?"

"How about I just hug you like this.  I feel I need to be this close to you."

"No reaction at all....well what if I bite you now!"

Shortly after, he got off the couch and she slept in the middle of the couch for hours.

.....

"Aw...this is the life.  Where is my SPF 45 and glass of milk?"

"What are you looking at?!  This is between the two of us."

"I really really hate you right now."

"No, you go ahead and take a few more pictures. I am fine."

"Do you think we are freaking them out yet?"

"Holy Shit did you see the size of that rabbit?!"

Um, ok I think I am done....for now.

Well What Other Words Have I Been Saying Wrong?!

So last night we were watching TV when a lady said the word “wheelbarrow”.

I instantly start laughing and say “Wheelbarrow, what the heck is that?! Doesn’t she mean wheelbarrel?!” To which know it all Terry says “No Jenn, she said it right. It is wheelbarrow. It is a common mistake, like when people pronounce it FebUary and not FebRUary.”

Um, what the heck, when did that happen?! I am almost 30 years old I had absolutely NO IDEA that it was wheelbarrow. I mean wheelbarrow doesn’t even make sense and sound right…wheelbarrel sounds so much better.

I seriously feel like such a dufus, however I am 100% certain there are many more words I am not saying correctly.  *sigh*


And for the record:


A wheelbarrow is a carrier, usually having only one wheel, consisting of a tray bolted to two handles and two legs. While known mostly as a device for carrying small loads for the household gardener, a wheelbarrow is often also used in construction and industry for carrying larger loads.


The birthplace of the modern wheelbarrow was China, possibly as early as 100 B.C. One early version consisted of a large single wheel at or near the front of a platform. The load would be placed behind the wheel, and the operator would lift the heavy end and push the load. Sometimes a small basket would be used to carry the load, and was similar to rickshaws.


Unlike Chinese wheelbarrows, European wheelbarrows were designed to carry small loads over short distances. It is difficult to trace the progression of the wheelbarrow from China to Europe. Possibly, Arab traders brought it to the Middle East and Europeans learned of it during the Crusades. Ancient Greeks might have used the wheelbarrow for construction, while the Romans might have adapted it for agriculture. After Rome fell, the wheelbarrow could have remained in use in Byzantium until the Crusaders learned of it during their journeys. However, it is most likely that it was an independent invention of the late middle ages, created by putting a wheel on the two-person handbarrow already in use for carrying such items as stones or sheaves of corn.

MY Fitness Challenge!

Visit my other blog to check out my fitness challenge.

Movie Reviews – Introducing The H-Plus Rating Scale

Over the last couple months T & I have seen our fair share of movies. (I think all we do is watch movies) Some of these movies are new in the theater and some we watched on DVD.

Because we love movies so much, but do not believe the current ratings systems are a good way to truly judge a movie, T & I came up with our own ratings scale. Introducing the H-Plus rating scale below.

A typical movie ratings system will give a movie an A, B-, D+ but what does a B- really mean?! Or what about stars? What does it mean to have 2 stars out of four? Should we see that movie or is it just OK. So one day while we were ranting about movies we came up with our own ratings system. (we do stuff like this) Our rating system is simple; the more snacks, bigger sizes of snacks, and/or better combinations of snacks the better the movie is. How easy is that?! No stars, no letters, no thumbs up/thumbs down….just a system based on food, and we can all understand food. Our philosophy is that if it is a great movie it is worth spending the money to get all the extra snack foods. And if it isn’t as good then it is not worth spending the money on food. I understand this system may not make any sense to anyone other than T & I, but it seriously makes sense to us!



Examples: Please note you can change the foods to fit your favorite movie snacks, these are just ours.

The best movie may consist of: Jumbo popcorn with butter & salt, jumbo Mountain Dew, pretzel bites with cheese, slice of pizza and a box of snowcaps….Then go eat a couple Tums while talking about the movies awesomeness. This is for only the BEST of movies, and a combination of food like this can not be taken lightly. Very few movies reach this pinnacle of notoriety!

Average movie: Medium popcorn with a medium Sprite.

Bad movie: Just chew gum and bring your own can of pop.

So here are a few of my latest movie reviews (there were seriously about 15 new movies we have seen in the last 2 months, so I had to compress my list!):

In Theaters:

Legion – Basically God is fed up with the human race and sends Angels to make a bunch of easily killed but stretchy zombie people to destroy this pregnant girl’s unborn child…a child that apparently will change the course of the world. However one Angel, Michael, comes down to attempt to save the human race from destruction by trying to save this child. I love religious based or apocalypse type movies but there was one small problem with this movie, IT SUCKED. The biblical references were as subtle as genital herpes and there was SO much talking and bad acting that I, for a moment, understood why God was angry with these people.
(Bring a can of orange fanta and sweet-tarts from the picked through leftover Halloween candy.)


Daybreakers – It is a vampire movie, so if you do not like vampire movies and the gore that comes with them this is not a movie for you. However, I adore vampire movies and had high hopes for this. And it wasn’t that bad, though not that great either. The idea is that vampires are the dominant species and are taking the humans blood supply and keeping them in the most literal version of a blood bank. Life is great until they start to run out of blood…oh what to do then?! The movie was OK until the end...I was kind of like is that it?! Again, I liked the idea of the movie more so than the execution and acting of the movie, but was entertained because it was about Vampires.
(Small popcorn plain with a large sprite....vampire movies make me thirsty)

Sherlock Holmes - Really really good! I was a bit weary of this movie because of all the hype, and typically with all the hype comes a half-ass movie. Not the case for this one! Besides the hotness that is Robert Downey Jr, the movie was very entertaining, had a really good flow, great costumes and scenery, and was fun to watch.
(Medium popcorn with butter, Large Pepsi, a box of junior mints, and share pretzel bites and cheese with hubby)


On Video:

Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Darkside – HILARIOUS, stupid and completely ridiculous all in one…what else would you expect?! I laughed and then had moments of “oh no they didn’t” which made it even more awesome. It really is just a longer version of the show, done Star Wars style. If you don't like the show you will not like this.
(Splurge on the Jumbo popcorn with butter & salt but bring your own pop with a screw top cap to prevent spilling while laughing)

500 Days of Summer – I thought this was a really cute movie and I thought Zoey Deschanell & Joseph Gordon-Levitt were very cute together. I also liked the way they jumped from different days during the 500 days and that this wasn’t a traditional “love story”. I would watch this again, infact I would own it for one of those simple and fun movies to watch.
(Share with your significant other a Large popcorn with butter and large Pepsi, but you should each bring your own bag of M&M's)

Whip-It – LOVED this movie! I thought it was cute, funny, and it made me want to be on a roller derby team. (hmmmm, I wonder what my name would be?!) I appreciate these types of movies as even though they are slightly predictable, they are still highly entertaining and really make you feel for all the characters in the movie. Way to go Drew, great movie!
(Large popcorn with butter, Medium Pepsi, box of peanut M&M’s, and a few jawbreakers.)


More movies reviews to come........

You Love Me, You Really Really Love Me

I have been nominated for the Beautiful Blogger award by the lovely Two Pretzels; why thank you very much!! Check out her totally awesome blog HERE. I love this stuff, so here we go!

Here are the rules.

The Rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated me for this award. Of Course!
2. Copy the award & place it on my blog. Done.
3. Link to the person who nominated me for this award. Done.
4. Share 7 interesting things about myself. (See below).
5. Nominate 7 bloggers. (See below).

My 7 "Interesting" things:

1. When I was in middle school we competed individually with other schools to write a commercial for earth day and draw a picture with it. The winner would have their commercial played regularly on the radio and their picture made into a billboard for Earth Day. I was one of the 8 or so finalists and got to read my commercial on the radio so people could vote! I was at a Catholic school at the time and my stuff was entitled “And on the 8th day” and showed this forest and pond with trash everywhere and animals surrounded by trash and even had a duck with a six pack plastic ring around its neck and my commercial were these two animals talking about how we trashed this beautiful world God had made…pretty creative for a 6th grader, right?! I didn’t win, maybe a bit too religious, but it rocked and I got to hear myself on the radio and go to the station to record a commercial like the pros do!

2. My oh so lovely and considerate husband thinks it is HI-larious to grab my big toes or thumbs because when he does I seriously become virtually immobile and will start crying. I don’t know why, but when he grabs my big toe or thumbs I literally become unable to move and I hate that feeling of being trapped. Ok, maybe not so much interesting as weird.

3. During my summer internship at a resort in Florida, I got to dress up in a costume as a giant Toucan and walked through the resort meeting kids and guests. It was hot and stinky and I LOVED it. I think I want to be a mascot when I grow up.

4. Though maybe not really interesting: I slept with my stuffed animal named Kitty until I turned 29. I only stopped because I had gotten 2 eye infections in the last 4 years (one of which was on my 29th birthday last year) so I figured it may be time to retire my germ infested, bacteria laden stuffed animal for good. She still sleeps next to my bed and goes on trips with me though.

5. I am a 3 time hairy buffalo fruit bobbing champion. I have the pictures to prove it. My parents are so proud.

6. I hated avocado up until a couple of years ago. Now I cannot get enough of them, I seriously LOVE avocado.

7. I talk about my sister over at Skulls and Crossbones who is almost 22, but did you know I also have two younger brothers who live in FL. One is 20 and one is 17….boy that makes me feel old as I am almost 30 and my siblings are all so young!


Ok, I nominate: (Sorry, I just noticed there may be duplicates on other's blogs!)

1. My extremely witty and hilarious friend over at My Reality. (Though, like Two Pretzels said, I know you are rather busy with your beautiful new addition and do not expect any comments or blog posts, but we all think you are a Beautiful Blogger!!!!)

2. My new crafty friend who I will be stalking next year when T. is in Cinci., A Couple More Hours

3. My fun friend with great taste in music over at Write Here, Write Now

4. My lovely sister, Skulls And Crossbones, who when she does blog in between school and work is just HILARIOUS

5. To Athena’s Bees who is SO funny and sarcastic (which I love) and is always eager to help others out (which is a very unique & amazing characteristic).

6. To Aimless Oasis who, even though we do not know each other, I can tell is such a positive person!

7. To 2 Peas in My Pod (or now three peas!!) who I enjoy reading her blog because she is not afraid to put herself and religious beliefs out there and I truly admire that!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!

Happy Birthday Dad!!

You are such an amazing father. We are very lucky to have such a wonderful dad and we love you SO much!!


(Though I would never call or consider you a senior (you are just mature) I did read that now that you are at the age you are, you get even more senior discounts!!!! I think you should take advantage. Feel free to visit AARP for deals or here at Frugal Living for a huge list of discounts!! Look at these, I think you would love the Banana Republic one!! :)

Arby's - A 10% discount at participating locations.

Banana Republic - 10% discount everyday.

Best Western
At least 10% off regular room rates. Late checkouts and other offers also available.

Choice Hotels
Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban, Econo Lodge, Rhodeway Inn Everyday. 10% discount with Mature Travelers rate.

IHOP - A 10% discount at participating locations.

Jiffy Lube - Many locations offer a 10% discount.

McDonald's - Everyday. Discounted senior coffee.

Wendy's - A 10% discount at participating locations.

WE LOVE YOU DAD!!!!!!