Make Me Laugh Monday-Fun Pictures

For my make me laugh Monday entry, I went cruising around one of my favorite humor sties: gigglesugar.com. It is part of the Sugar network that is awesome (fashion, pop culture, movie reviews, recipes, dog care plus more all in one place!).

All of that shameless plugging so that they will not mind that I put these pics up. Cause they are hilarious and I didn't know how to link them.

Sad thing is that I know offices that would do something like this.


Is this woman selling a house or Doritos? What possessed her to take the shot with the Doritos in the first place? And was this the only decent picture they got...when she was happy about her cool ranch flavored treat?


so, I'm guessing Arlene likes cats? Maybe a little too much.

2 Much 2 Say

Ha, I thought the title looked like a boy band name, which is appropriate for all the noise that is going on about NKOTB.

Anyways, sorry that I haven't written much this week. I had started about 18 different posts, which are forth coming, but I have gotten trapped in other people's blogs. This would constitute my second search of the Great Blogs of the Universe.

And I found some doozies. But more on that to come.

This is a post to say I will be posting more interesting posts but I had too much to say and I actually have to work...even though Curtis thinks I slack off too much...Thanks, CWC.

If you want to see what I was busy with last night, click here (but be forewarned...you will want to set aside an hour or two for it).

Engagement Musts: Parental Pow Wow

So one thing on every engaged couple's must do list is for both sets of parents to meet.

Now unless you've known each other in Huggies or maybe braces, chances are that your parents have never met your fiance's parents. This is an interesting dichotomy of the getting ready to unite two people: even though each of these couples birthed and formed a person who would be form a "perfect union," these two sets of couples are typically not very similar.

While my parents and KW's parents are seemingly alike on paper: Catholic, conservative, pro-life...they are very different in ideals, parenting styles, and personalities. KW had both sets of families waiting for us after he proposed, so we missed that awkward "set up a meeting with parents" event.

My brother, who is recently engaged, did have to go through this.

When my parents met KW's parents my dad did his thang: made sarcastic remarks about KW's dad (note to dad: lawyer jokes are not good to LAWYERS!), poked fun of the little brother, and bet his little sister to eat cake without forks.

What is y'all's Parental meeting of the minds? Please share your story. I will share the highlights in a separate post with my brother's story, which is awesome and embarrassing.

Dashboard confessions

From my sitemeter, I have found a blog that I can't see: http://redandwhitepreppy.blogspot.com/
Are you RedWhitePreppy?
I'd love to meet you!

Movie Review: Lars and the Real Girl

I have befriended a Blockbuster employee and beside that he is my dog's boyfriend...he also gives KW and I movies off of his free movie pass. This means that we get some movies before they come out and he and his wife pre screen them for us.

They gave us Lars and the Real Girl. Now I had read about this movie and I thought that it sounded cool. However, I didn't want to watch it because I thought this would break my 3-sob rule (make me cry like 3 toddlers).

This movie seems to be about a guy buying a sex doll as a companion, but what you don't realize is that it is a sweet story about a nice guy, who has had a rough childhood. His childhood has made it hard for him to deal with life. His fake girl helps him deal with the real world. It is very interesting, very sad, very funny...and just good. I would really recommend it. It is not raunchy or crude...it is touching and moving.

I give it a 4 out of 5 Thumbs Up
and 3 out of 5 toddler sobs

I love so much about the things they choose to be

I love pranks, I love carpentry, I love video editing done in an overdramatic fashion...

Therefore, I love Cara Dee and Brandon's hilarious musings.

Here is the video of Brandon's prank on his coworker.

It was so good it made the news!!!!

This is amazing in so many ways.

I have found a great blog in my great March exploration of blogs.

A MCMeMe

So McMommy tagged me for a Meme

Here is the 5 Things Meme

First, the rules (and oddly, only two of them...why not five?):
1. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
2. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves a comment letting them know they've been tagged and to ask them to play along and to read your blog.

what i was doing ten years ago...
1 Getting my driver's license
2 Only being allowed to drive to piano lessons
3 Hanging out with my brothers and my bestest, Crouton
4 She and I went to see Ever After 4 times in the theater
5 We were not what you would call "cool"

five things on my to-do list today...
1 Send a TON of emails for work
2 Fold the Mount Everest of Laundry
3 Play with the Penny, she has been home alone today
4 Clean my bathrooms
5 Pay bills, esp. rent (due today!)

five snacks i enjoy...
1 French Fries of all shapes and sizes (McDs being the best)
2 Miller Lite/white wine
3 Diet Coke
4 Reduced Fat Wheat Thins and Pepper Jack Cheese/or the fancy version: chips and queso
5 Rice Krispie Treats (homemade still warm!)

five things i would do if i was a billionaire...

1 Travel to everywhere...first on the list: Napa (culinary institute of america and vineyards, what more can a girl ask for?!?)
2 Buy a house...a cottage on a lake
3 New clothes, new coats, new shoes
4 Help my husband start all of his wonderful ideas
5 Have kids and lots of 'em

five of my bad habits....
1 I let clean laundry sit in the basket WAY too long before folding it. Then, of course, it’s all wrinkly. And I’m not an iron-er.---I am the same as McMommy...it is my worst and laziest vice.
2 I drink diet coke and I should stop
3 I check email/blogs way too often
4 I am lazy and hormonal and that's no good
5 I don't work out enough (see lazy in #4)

five places i have lived....
1 Atlanta, Ga (born)
2 Lilburn, GA ('burb of the ATL where I was raised)
3 Greenville, SC (working on the Undergrad at ole FU)
4 Washington, DC (Grad school and newlywedom)
5 Ann Arbor, MI (current residence and hub's law school)

five jobs i've had....
1 T-shirt folder at T-shirt's plus (the wonderful establishment where you could have a kitten or unicorn heat pressed onto a pink sweatshirt)
2 Research assistant for policy lawyer (read a lot of stuff my high school mind couldn't grasp)
3 Event coordinator and researcher for a public policy firm in Greenville while in college
4 Waitress while in college at Longhorn's steak-Rack 'em
5 Event coordinator and development hack at an Internship nonprofit in DC
(6-event coordinator and development hack at the awful branch of Alzheimer's Assoc Great Lakes chapter and 7-admissions and external affairs at Ave Maria School of Law)

Whew! That was fun!
Here are some new people to do a meme (if my usual peeps (Pea, Kels, Erin) want to tap in, I'd love to hear from you!)

April at To Live is To Love
My friend from Ave, K-Re
The Ben Show because she keeps up with me.
Pug Lover 'cause puppy lovin' is a good thing
Trying her Best cause she is tough and funny

ReLINK!

So I forgot to make sure my link to SappyChick's blog was working!
Now the link is working on the original post about my interview.
For good measure though, I will give you the straight link to the interview:
http://sappychick.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/now-i-ask-the-questions/

Go and check her site out...she has a picture of Downtown Greenville on her header!!! I can taste the Underground Coffee coffee right now. And the Blueridge Brewery calzones! drooooool.

The Product of my Round up and yes, it is weedless

So here is some of the things I found on my journey out.

The Diaper Diaries: A link from Make Me Laugh Monday. I admit it, I put things that make me smile or chortle...but this...this made me laugh out loud multiple times.

A Boy, A Girl, A Pug: This makes me feel like I could obsess over my dog a little more before turning into THAT woman...you know the one that dresses her dogs in matching outfits to herself and calls her precious names. Oh crap, does a green harness and a green jacket count as matching? Does calling her Princess Poppyseed count as precious....I may already be there, people.

The non-boring musing of Cara Dee: Found at McMommy's blog, Cara Dee is a fun blogger who found my week spot: LOTS OF GREEN. She also introduced me to this:

TV Reviews

It tells you at what level you are writing at. I'm okay with Junior High. Means I'm pretty reader friendly, right? I'm not looking to write a mensa blog.

Also from McMommy, I found Jimaie.Marie. Both her and McMommy showed the inside of their purses! Their purses, y'all?!?! The inner sanctum sanctorum. I'm contemplating such a highly risky maneuver...but a precursor cleaning may need to be done (Well, I guess taking everything out of my purse to photograph would constitute cleaning...very tricky, McMommy, trying to get me to clean without me knowing!)

This call to round up has been good for many reasons:
1.) Got to find some cool new blogs
2.) Saw some really creative post ideas that I will steal
3.) And some people that I had forgotten to bookmark as favorite sites came back and reminded themselves to me. Like The Ben Show! They are a great family that has gone through a foreign adoption process, adopted Ben from Vietnam, and are looking at adopting again.

Thanks for putting up with this exploration. There will probably be more later as I go in search ::INSERT LOUD BOOMING VOICE: FOR GREAT BLOGS OF THE UNIVERSE

Happy Birthday Choppy

Today, the day before April Fool's Day, is the day of my brother's birth.

John, otherwise known in my universe as Choppy (because the priest that baptized him said he had pork Chop cheeks), turns 25 today. He is my brother closest by age (18 months) and together we could torment our youngest brother, Bo, to my mother's ire.

Choppy and I haven't always gotten along all the time, but whenever it counts (bad times, great times, hard times...) we bond.

When John was growing up they said that he wouldn't talk because I would talk for him. "John wants a popsicle." "john's favorite cartoon is Thundercats." I was the typical older sister and he took this as a typical younger brother would: "YOU ARE NOT MY MOM" was frequently uttered in our home.

But here are some things that you (and I) are learning about my brother:

1.) John is getting married
2.) He proposed to his girlfriend, who is a cool bean
3.) She is a lot of fun and really good for John (She was going to hit him if he didn't say Hi to me for her...that shows that she is good at realizing his weakness: physical pain inflicted by women.
4.) John is studying to become a history teacher in high school
5.) He coaches high school football
6.) He loves football of all kinds
7.) He wants to teach and coach because he sees all of the positive influence that his coaches and teachers were to him
8.) I'm so proud of him for doing all of this.
9.) He is being courted to coach for our rival high school's team
10.) This means that a big time coach KNOWs my brother and recognizes his awesomeness
11.) I am so proud
12.) Chops bleeds Georgia Red and Black
13.) He is strong and I wish I was strong like him
14.) I love when he will talk to me
15.) He doesn't do this all the time because I'm his mini-mom
16.) I think he is a great guy and gives great hugs (when I get one)
17.) I hope that we can become great friends as we grow up
18.) I love how funny and sarcastic he is.
19.) He was always cooler than me.
20..) He always keeps me in check and lets me know that I AM NOT COOL
21.) I am so glad that he always says "I love you" when we hang up on the phone
22.) He is going to be a great dad some day
23.) he will be a great god father to my son one day (John was meant to be a godfather)
24.) He always makes me laugh
25.) I think he is a great guy and I am proud to all him my brother

I called him to wish him birthday and I called my mom and thanked her for giving me a brother. I was meant to be an oldest sister and love being his sister.

Happy Birthday, Chops.
I love you.


This is John and his fiance

Make Me Laugh Monday-Tramp Stamp for Kiddies

So if you have been watching How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) like I've instructed you good people to do. You know that the main character has recently gotten a tatoo after a night out drinking. A tatoo on his lower back...this is also known as a tramp stamp.

Not only is it hilarious but also disturbing.

Quite like this pic I found at gigglesugar.

Not only is it hilarious looking next to the Hannah Montana stickers or that some idiot thought this was a good idea to sell...but it is just sad that some idiot will let their kids buy this.

It's a Round up Y'all

Amber pointed out at her blog: there is a lack of wanting to post when the comments aren't forth coming. I know that is true but yet I have been a posting machine lately. Notice below ::graceful Vanna White hand gesture sweeping you to the bottom of the screen...and then back up::...stay focused people!

I have posted and new commenters have poked their head out of the ground and said hello, but old ones have left me for greener blogs. (Seriously, if I could get my blog more green (the color not the movement) you'd be looking at the insides of a leprechaun...I wouldn't do that to y'all. But I do love green that much.)

So to find some new people and to see who is out there...I'm going on a round up.

I'm going to post comments where I've never posted before.

Bring me your popular, your new, your weird, and fun blogs...I will comment...I will persevere.

I will also be posting some of the new blogs I've found. If you have any good directions for me to head off in, please let me know. As we have established before...I get lost getting out of a paper sack.

I'm Somebody!--UPDATE WITH A LINK!

**** The DUDE, Neil, so graciously reminded me that my link to Sappy Chick isn't working! How dopey amd I. Go over, read, and say hi!****So this dude named Neil is conducting THE GREAT EXPERIMENTover at Citizen of the Month. I skimmed through a lot of the finer points... becase that is what I do. So I think that THE GREAT EXPERIMENT is something like this:

take the genes of a chicken...no wait...other experiment...If you are somebody in the blog world you are on lots of people blogrolls, people leave 72 comments for a nothing post, and you get lots of bloggy awards...people want to ask you questions and know your inner thoughts...Neil's experiment makes EVERYBODY a SOMEBODY. You go to his blog, leave a comment and the person ahead of you gets to ask you a lot of questions. The cool thing is that you are guarenteed one more reader and someone who will act mildly interested in you.

It just so happens that my interviewer was from the great Palmetto State that my hubs and my alma mater hail from: South Kahkalaki. You can read my interview over there, but here are some snippets:

7. So being a southern girl, what’s your reaction when you get the “Oh, I LOVE your accent!”? Have you lost any of the drawl living up north?
Sadly, I’ve never had a thick accent. My mom worked hard to lose hers when she moved from (what she terms) “the armpit of the South” and my dad grew up in ATL…now that being said…my accent comes out crazy for two things: talking about Southern things or food. When my friends with southern accents talk, I start slinging the lingo full force. I start preaching to yankees about “FrIEd Peeckls” or the allure of “Geohrgah Rehd ClaAy.” They say my southern is showing. The weirdest thing is southern phrases I never new were southern. Like my favorite: “I get lost trying to get out of a paper sack.” Someone said, what is a paper sack? HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN PAPER SACK TO A YANKEE? Grocery bag.

Read it and weep people, I am somebody...I feel validated::Picture me waving to all the cheering adoring fans::

Global Humor

My former colleague and eternal bad a** has this on her blog. NB: this will need sound, a little patience till the end, and the ability to laugh at loud.

Enjoy.

My husband is sillier than your 3 year old

So in my eternal quest to prove that my 27 year-old husband is sillier than a 3 year old, may I present Silly Item, #2, into Evidence, your honor. (wow, I need to stop hanging out with future lawyers).

KW loves to eat...but he loves to eat A LOT and cheap. There is a story that is legen.....wait for it unless your lactose intolerant...dary involving a lovely establishment named Roy's in Maryland.

KW heard about their crazy sandwiches and had to try it out. Check out down the menu for the Bender Schmender (here is the description):

86. THE BENDER SCHMENDERTM (The One and Only 5-Decker Club.)
Corn beef, turkey, roast pork, chicken liver pate & golden brisket with lettuce, tomato, golden sauce & a psychiatric appointment 23.05

I lost my picture of him with it but let me paint a picture, when it came out it involved cowbells, gongs, a roman ladder carried by 2 men, a sign, and a crowd of onlookers...here is a shot of another guy with it:


KW loved it so much...we came back 3 more times while we were in DC.

But he has learned of something greater on Food Network: the Primanti Bros. Resteraunt of Pittsburgh. KW wants to go and tackle that beast of sandwich so bad he can already taste it....mmmm, taste like heart disease. But never being one to not support my husband even in his crazy dreams, I told him we can go. This has what started the silliness. KW has given me a new nickname:

PUMANTE BROTHERS

yes, it is kinda like Primanti Brothers, but this way sounds funnier and always makes me laugh. Seriously you can't say POO-MAN-TEE without a giggle, even from this jaded girl.

So there you are folks, ridiculous and meaningless nicknames is one more reason my husband is sillier than a three year old.

Easter Feast

So part of our Easter celebration we hosted a "Losers that have nowhere else to celebrate" Dinner. I made a Coke Ham, deviled eggs, mac & cheese, black eyed peas, flake biscuits...the other ladies made turkey and an amazing strawberry shortcake.

Here are some pics of the table I set. I took the pics for my mom with my Macs photobooth feature.

So do not be alarmed that the fork and knife are on the wrong side.



She called me in a tizzy...thinking she had never properly taught me how to set a table. Even though, I set her table for every major party growing up.

I thought the flowers made it seem more springy that it actually was out!
BTW. it was Michigan's snowiest winters on record

Easter Recap AND I'm only a partial dumba**

So this Easter, KW and I did our usual mass at the Veteran's Hospital. For those who don't know: KW started volunteering to take veterans to mass at our local VA hospital about 6 months ago. When he would go to get the veterans, I started helping set up the alter and all the other mass things. After awhile, both of us started to do readings and everything else. So now, we DO the mass...sometimes it is even just us and the priest.

The best is when we did the passion for Good Friday, which drew a chapel filling crowd of 20 people, WOOT! I had to do all the non-passion readings, which is a LOT...but for the passion, KW was the narrator which is A LOT MORE....and I had to be the crowd. This meant that I was saying, "Crucify him, Crucify him" Let me tell you having to say that in church will remind you what the season is about.

On a lighter note: KW laughed at me afterwards because in my hurry to read fast, as our priest asked me to do, because I evidently said "We condemn him [Jesus]" instead of the written "We commend him [Jesus]." Yeah, I love being stupid.

On another point of stupidity...you all are right, I was stalking myself. Sort of. My office is kushnerco.com, which means I was one of the people checking my blog, but so where my coworkers and friends from school. So that explains why it wasn't matching to my log in times. HA, so I am stupid but not as stupid as I thought.

Retraction

I should probably not claim that it stinks to be out of the south on the day that Christ saved me from all my sins.

Start of Spring

So yesterday was the first day of Spring, and I just went outside to this:



Yup, I'm feeling the spring...STBOOTS

I was just checking my Yahoo account and this is what I saw:

Study: Guys are clueless when it comes to reading women

It seems that Indiana University decided that they needed to waste thier money on this research. I bet that this is some sort of great scam. Some researcher petitions a research grant for something obvious...gets paid a TON...uses it for beer and rent...and says genius things like "UH...Guys aren't able to understand women because of SCIENCE!" And that also gets his girlfriend off his back for drinking all that beer.

A Scam I tell you.

I need to get on this.

I have been reading about how some blogesses (blog-goddess: new word!) have been able to track how people found their site.

I was intrigued, I wanted to stalk the people lurking around the blog world (all three of you who come into my part of the blog-o-sphere).

So, I found sitemeter, which is a free service that lets you know how many people come to your blog, when, how long, where did the visit, where did the come from, where did they go after, and where they are from (no surprise, most of my readers are from the south, woot!).

But there is a true intrigue among my new obsession of checking on you lurkers...

There is someone who hails from the website: kushnerco.com. This person has been on A LOT! Has read a LOT of my posts, and spent some significant time on my little blog. I have looked at the website and it is not something I recognize...but it hails from Ann Arbor!

I got worried...I HAVE A STALKER! I have confirmed those worst fears of anti-bloggers (cough, my husband) and gained a weird crazy who is after me!!!!

Then all the sudden it dawns on me...what if I am stalking myself?!?!? What if sitemeter.com is not terribly reliable? Sometimes you only see service providers like several of my readers evidently subscribe to Cox (go South!) and Comcast.

I hope I'm not being stalked by a crazy but I also don't want to be stalking myself. One is scary and one is sad...

So if you, Kushnerco.com, could stop lurking and show yourself...I would feel a little less pitiful. If I don't hear from you, I will assume that I am stalking myself like a true loser...but it sorta fits so I won't be surprised.

However, I love the fact that 3 people have found me by googling the lyrics to an Aaliyah song and stumbled on a this. I feel very street.

Can you say, "Alex's new obsession!"

I should Quantify...err Qualify...

I feel like I should explain something about my "thinking about having kids" issue.

KW and I work, go to school, and live in a very Catholic school environmnet. Both our parents (well my parents are and his parents are quiet) are more progressive Catholics about birth control and having lots of kids early.

The people around here are not so much like that. They are wonderful people and really challange me to better my faith and religious conviction, but you can get lost in reality sometimes. And I have a hard time getting out of that mentality. I really had a hard time last year when all my friends here had 2 or more kids and were 3 years younger than me and thought it was weird that I was not actively trying. You can tell how it effected my blogging.

Anyways, I just want to thank those who offered encouragement and "outside" advice. I have a habit of being sucked into my environmental bubble. I really appreciate the reminder, "to do what is best for you" and "Trust God" with the "babies are wonderful!"

(I'm not really sure why people start with "BUT BABIES ARE WONDERFUL!?!?!" when you tell them that you are not sure about having kids THIS minute--I always want to say, "Really? I thought they were demon spawn sent to ruin me and my figure....Thanks for setting me straight." My sarcasm gets the best of me!)

B*tch and Pitch

So, as KW and I were heading home for lunch today I asked him to take out Penny so I could eat in a hurry...and I said as an after thought, "Please don't B*tch and Pitch about it cause it just makes me feel guilty!"

He looks at me and says, "B*tch and Pitch" is that a local anti-Male softball league?"

We busted out laughing and no one b*tched about making someone do work and pitched a fit for having to do it.

Humor is one of God's greatest gifts.

Update!!! Chicken Spinach Spaghetti

Okay, so I promised a report and pictures...here they are:


Here is the final product on my semi-fancy "china." It's not plastic so you know I am stepping it up for the photogs!

It was a great dish to make on a crazy and lazy Sunday afternoon. If you remember from Notes' notes, you just put the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot (I follow the Emeril rule of cooking...every step deserves some flavor...so I salt and peppered them lightly for me.) You cover the boobs (my mom always called them chicken boobs) with dijon mustard and then stuff the rest of the crock pot with fresh washed spinach. I used baby spinach (i'm not sure if that made a difference but it was a little more spinachy that Notes' seemed to be).

The other things I did differently from Notes is that I added red pepper flake and garlic to the chicken mixture while it cooked. I also had to help the chicken flake a little more than I thought I would. I used the balsamic vinegar and mushrooms with the tomato mixture and penne instead of spaghetti noodles.

Overall it was okay. It was a little bland...I tried to fix it but I think it just came out a little "flavor muddled." But as usual cheese helped!

While I might not make this exact recipe again, I am not fully intrigued with crock pot chicken. My family always used beef or pork in the c-pot. So maybe I'll have to try another thing tonight. I also am very willing to try out more Note's Recipes.


In the pot!

With the tomato mixture!
Please ignore the messy kitchen!

Crazy in Love

I love my job.

This is the first time in my ENTIRE life that I have loved my boss, my duties, my colleagues, my environment....EVERYTHING about my job.

This makes things interesting because it is the first time ever that I wouldn't "rather be pregnant/mom" automatically.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to have a baby, but I would regret giving up this amazing opportunity for my job.

I recently was given a promotion (yea, me!) but it might separate me and KW...

So I am conflicted...

I will take this job but I am sad that I will have to start picking my career over family...
then I start thinking about working when I have kids.

I have always thought that I would be a stay at home mom when I had kids (that is why I am putting my husband through a very expensive law school, right?).

Now that I love my job, I am wondering if I would want to give it up to be with my children. I'm sure I would but I am now having that age old question:

Passion for work vs. Passion for your children.

Did any of you go through this? What do you think?

Wives Without Children

So as many of my 3 loyal readers know, I don't have any kids. I go through periods of being okay with it and sometimes I'm not so much.

But it does bring to mind that there are several bloggers out there that are not part of the mom blogs but are looking forward to being moms. We are not the type that scream, "I am single and lovin' it" but we also are trying to appreciate the time that God gives us with our childless lives.

Whether we be women waiting for a child naturally, planned, adoption...we are typically waiting...for God to make us ready or patient for His timing.

I read a LOT of mom blogs trying to get "pearls" of wisdom about parenting, but I end up being crazy scared about parenting/birthing from all the "horror" stories.

Thankfully, I have a great friend who always talks me down from my freakin' out ledge and makes me smile.

So, I put it out there to all three of you...did you know you were ready for a baby, did you plan for it, what are you doing/did you do in the meantime?

(I am foreseeing a series of posts about this...so be forewarned)

Trying Things Out

So, I have become a regular reader of Notes from the Trenches.

She has wonderful photography and great recipes.

So right now, I am trying out the spinach chicken spaghetti.

I will have to report back how it goes. Thankfully, I have my camera with me, so I will take a picture as well.

Prepare for a report!

An Inspiration: Fun Roaming Southerner Fact #215

So, in trying to find interesting things to talk about and not just link to my bloggity friends sites 24/7, I thought I'd share a little about me. Something that most people don't know.

Fun TRS Fact #215: I know Sign Language.

When I was 8 years old, there was a girl several grades a head of me who was deaf and the first time I saw her when was competing the school wide spelling bee. I was thrown by this fact...that someone could compete in front of the school AND have a disadvantage of not being able to "sound it out." I was so intrigued, I asked my mom if we could get a sign language book asap! I wanted to know some signs in case I met her.

Around that same time, I saw Marlee Matlin on T.V. and once again I was intrigued that people can talk without verbalizing anything. I started to pour back into my ASL dictionary just in case I got to meet Marlee Matlin...that way I could talk to her.

As I grew up, I always read about signing but without the opportunity to actually converse with someone my enthusiasm dwindled.

And then, 3 years ago when I was in grad school, one of my classmates, Matt, was almost completely deaf from childhood rubella. This was it...my chance to meet and converse with someone in sign language. Only problem: my left hand was in a cast. I was nervous that I would make a fool of myself, but one day his translator was running late so I thought I could help by trying to translate what I could or at least introduce myself. Well the end of the story was, that I had a horrible time trying to sign. I "stuttered" and got nervous and every time I'd try to talk I'd get so easily flustered and embarrassed, he would have to read my lips more than anything. I also had a horrible time trying to understand signs. No one has ever signed to me so I couldn't "read" signs as well as I could sign myself.

Matt and I talked on IM about class at times, he gave me some "better" signing books, and really tried to encourage me. Unfortunately, I never got over the fact that I couldn't communicate automatically the way I thought I could and became very discouraged. I also stopped talking to Matt after class because I was so embarrassed that I thought I could communicate with him and he knew how bad I was.

I never realized until recently that he probably was happy with my half-a** attempts and my eagerness to talk with him...even if it was like talking to a 2 year old. I also realized that there is an amazing Deaf community with a long history that is in some ways very exclusive. Matt could have easily have blown me off but he encouraged me more.

These days, I try to learn more signs....sign to myself in the mirror more...and if I ever see that lady on TV who signs in the circle at the corner, I turn the sound off on the TV and try to read her signs. Hopefully, one day if I get to see Matt again, I'll be able to talk to him more clearly.

Also, Marlee Matlin is competing on Dancing with the Stars: go over to Leigh's to read about her cool dancing partner and vote for her if you can!

STBOOTS

I am an acronym maven...
I love to make up new ones...but I rarely use the traditional ones and I NEVER text them.

This might have come from a slightly-intoxicated-acronym-showdown last year, where me and a friend Joe tried to "out 13 year old girl" each other by only conversing in acronyms.

While commenting on my seemingly-seperated-by-blogging-twinsie (I'm going to start calling her that because I keep saying "me too" at her blog way too much...plus, it is my excuse to keep looking at her blog going "ERIN, WRITE SOMETHING!" and stalk all of her awesome links).

Since we are both dislocated southern women, I find myself saying to her "man, it Stinks To Be Out Of The South!" This is the phrase that pays...whether it is in reference to having to ween myself off of the addictive crack that is Chick-fil-A chicken, having my heart blessed less, or mourning the loss of our good friend, the Sun...okay not so much my good friend because me and the sun have to group date with Mr. SPF 50.

But let's face it folks...it always STBOOTS!

St. Paddy's Poem

It's time for Pensieve's Poetic License this month, which I've missed up till now but follow diligently.

Guidelines are as follows:

Theme: none
Form: limerick
Additional: must include one or more of the following words: green, Irish, leprechaun, shamrock, Easter, Spring, kite, windy

So here is my contribution:

St. Paddy's: the day for green,
to drink beer, and act real keen
on shamrocks, and corned beef
and people we just meet.
For me it's every day of the year.


Yeah, people think I celebrate St. Patricks day in August so there you go!

What Works for Me Wednesday

Over at Shannon's, she is hosting a "What works for me Wednesday: Backwards Edition," which allows me to ask you all questions and expect answers (and they better be good ::insert fist shake::).

So my question to you internets is this:

Do you have any good punch/drink recipes (of the alcoholic variety--or can be made to be so)?

I am hosting a party with a bunch of people (guys and girls) and while we will have beer, I wanted to keep costs lower by having one type of liquor drinks.

I would love any suggestions!

The Awesomeness of my Ave Friends

Since working at the school this year, I have made some great friends here (some students, some staff, some "wives of"). When I was asked to hang out with some of them this Friday, I told them that I could not because KW and I are having some (10)friends from DC (that are in town for a convention) over for a party.

Now, because of the number of these people, and that our DC friends are quite different than our Ave friends, we were not planning on mixing the groups. (I should add that different does not mean worse for either party--one just a little more of a hardier party stock while the other is more quiet).

Typically for one of my many Ave parties (I like to have people over a lot, to KW's shagrin), if you invite more than one couple, you have to invite 6 others...we're all friends of friends and someone will be left out and that is no good. So small parties are just not available.

Nervously, I was afraid that when I told them of this party that they would want to be invited too...and my small apt can not accomodate that many people...

Each time I told someone of my impending party. Each and every one of them asked if they could help...could they make something for me, go shopping with/for me, help me pick people up from the airport. And I know this was not a "i'll help and get invited" kinda thing. It was just pure awesome selflessness.

I am a lucky girl.

God is Good-As he is known to be

So, I failed less than I thought I would.

I finally got some students to come to my event today...
They came, it went smoothly....

God answered my prayers to make this work out and taught me a lesson:

to be patient and faithful in his timing.

I told my boss that this event "might not work" because I didn't want to surprise him at the end of the day. But mainly, I wanted to clear my conscience and face the worst of it. If I had waited, I would not have to have shown him my failure.

God is good and teaches lessons all in one full swoop.
Also, my friends and husband are the most amazing and helped me with no warning and with enthusiasm.

Found the Funny

Didn't take long but I read my last post (after posting)
and said...
well I didn't fail as much as
Succeed in Failing
Accomplished some major suckitude
Kicked a Winning Field Goal in the Crap-ER Bowl

now I just have to wait to face the inevitable looks from my coworkers.

I Failed

I failed at something at work (well...not technically yet, but I will be 9am tomorrow)...without going into boring details, I was supposed to set up a conference for high school students at the law school...

I let things slide
I procrastinated
I thought the high school counselors I talked to could get their students together
I thought I could pull it together no problem (while those who did it last year said it would be tough)

...needless to say, I slung out my pride and said, "I can do it better and with less effort than you!" And I failed or I am in the midst of failing...

and I hate that.

I hate being wrong or doing wrong or disappointing people.
And I did it all.

I'll try to wax light soon and find the funny in this situation.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

I love love love this movie. I love the book...I love reading sequels/prequels/requels...I love the Bollywood version: Bride & Prejudice, the Mormon version (yes it exists), and I hate the Keira Knightley version of P&P.

When I am feeling hormonal, lonely, sad, happy, bored...I watch this and it makes me feel better.
I also like to think that my taciturn, shy, stubborn husband is a bit Darcy-esque....I have started calling him Fitz.

Thought I'd make a call out there for all other P&P lovers, and make some more out there.

What is your fav. P&P, do you read the different versions, when did you fall in love with Lizzie & Darcy?

CoWorker's Cross Country Cruis Causes Coveting and Alliteration

My coworker, Kathi, has already discovered the wonders that is the Carolinas. She and her husband and toddler are planning a trip to the Asheville, Hendersonville, Greenville (I'm trying to convince them to hit up G-ville!). The toddler isn't planning per se but she is definately part of the details.

Kathi asked me about some places to see and stay in the area. So I put this out to you internets...any suggestions for Kathi.

She likes to hike (but not too hard with a three year old), she likes the cute towns of the Carolinas and she needs a place to stay. She wants to stay in a place that has cabins or something that has its own kitchen if possible.

I have suggested:
The Carl Sandburg House in Hendersonville (KW's fav)
Biltmore House....obviously
Sapphire Falls
Jones Gap Falls
Caeser's Head
Pretty Place
(this is wear GranolaGirl got married!)

Any suggestions that you might have, she would love to hear.

Doing some research for her, I got crazy jealous about her getting to go...but who wouldn't looking at these pics.

You know....?

Do you know what makes me want to write?

No, it is not the pleasure I get to putting words and ideas from my crazy head into some semblence of order...

No, it is not the time I get to spend in self reflection...

No, it is not my love of literary labels (thats right, I just popped out some alliteration in your face...booyeah!)

It is the comments.

The feedback that I get from people stopping by and saying..."hey that 10-30 min. that you spent today did not go to waste...unlike that piece about clandestine spying for lawyers that will ultimately go the way of electronic trash can."

And nothing gets me jazzed more than the double figures of comments....seriously.

Now I work hard for some of those comments...I scour the internet commenting on random peoples blogs...you know who you are....
but in the process, I have "met" some pretty cool people and some pretty cool blogs. This is why I have had so many "linky" posts.

So why don't you make these last few minutes worth something and leave a comment?!?!?!

Preferably about what makes you happy to blog...or what makes you happy...we can make it a veritable Sound of Music rip off....call me Sister Maria.

Make Me Laugh Monday-Lolcat edition

okay, I am not a cat person, but I am a Lolcat person. Go to Icanhascheezburger.com and check out some really funny pictures that people caption for fame and fortune...Okay well maybe just fortune...what no money is involved...SO it's just for weird internet pride. But if you are a blogger than you understand that.

Here is my contribution to MMLM:

Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!

Quick and Dirty

Leigh had asked for some photoshop hair advice...so here it is: what do you think she should do:


Her Now:

Meg Ryan



Lisa Rina



Martina



Mandy Moore




Okay these were quick and dirty, but hopefully they will give her a looksee. I think the Martina is the best!

What do you think!?!?!

Wordless Wednesday-My Best Friend's Wedding

I don't usually participate in Wordless Wednesday, this pic just seemed to fit.



wordless wednesday

Make me Laugh-a day late

Okay, I have been cruisin' the blogosphere and found Absolutely Bananas. It is absolutely hilarious.

She has started something to make me look forward to Mondays (even better than my short lived, More-than-less-Moot Monday). It is MAKE ME LAUGH MONDAY.

Now I don't have kiddos to laugh at, but I have youtube!



Here is a good Mom meets YouTube via Brooke Shields.

Happy Late Monday

The Cold Hard Truth

UPDATED: Erin's link corrected. Sorry!

So, as you probably can tell, I have not been in a chatty mood the past week or so. Why? For a number of reasons:

1.) Work has been crazy. Everyone I work with has decided that I look like just the person to pick up their slack. I do not say no easily, so here I am with a mound of work and 0 time.

2.) My house has been crazy. There are clothes EVERYWHERE! They are clean clothes mind you, but for some reason for a week and a half...I would take clean clothes, fold them...stack them...and then have to shuffle them into a closet or pile somwhere because "COMPANY STOPPED BY!" So I have to have to have to take care of this. We are down to wearing the same clothes over and over again because we can't figure out where our clothes are! Also, our light bulb in the closet burned out...so I can't see the clothes that are hanging up.

3.) My husband has been working crazy. KW has been wonderful for the first part of the semester. None of his usually crazy "I HAVE TO WORK 110% OF THE TIME!" All the sudden it hit again in full force. This is why I have had no help with the laundry or light bulb fixing. (However, he did take Penny in for her day of beauty without being asked!)

4.) My dog has been crazy. We went to the vet with what we thought was a cold and was told...NO, probably not but here is some medicine anyways (my doctor never gives me drugs "just in case" does yours?). Anyway, I started giving her the medicine and we noticed an odd change in her behavior, she would sleep all day and then bark all night. She has never done this EVER! On her first night with us, she slept like a champ in her crate. She is an early riser for food and busies (yes, that is what my family calles dog business: little busy-pee, big busy-poop. She is getting good at responding to them.) So for 3 nights in a row, we were up every 2 hours with a whiny dog. We thought it was for food, outside, boredom and we tried everything...finally it dawned on me that it was her medicine. So we took her off of it, played with her a little more before bed and she was gold (so far, I hope I didn't speak to soon!).

5.) I have been feeling crazy. My hormones are nuts (PMS anyone). I feel completely gross because I have caved in my New Years, Lent, Weight Watchers resolution. So I probably need to get to the gym. Urgh.

All this to say, I haven't been posting, but I have been reading. Here are some sites that I have really started to get into:

Mrs. Fussypants-she writes a lot of stuff about being good to your husband, which I could always use a reminder.

Kelly at Filtering Life...another one from Erin's blogroll. I just love her photography.

FanFiction for Jane Austin: this is where normal people write sequels, redos, and anything related to their favorite book. I love the Jane Austen section because I have become obsessed with retellings of Pride & Prejudice and I have read every one that is out in print. So this is a good fix, without the cost.

The McNulty Quads: I don't remember how I became "introduced to this blog." Maybe it was Erin, I don't know. But thier story about raising quadruplets is awesome. Both posters (you get mom and dad) are hilarious and have funny captions to their pictures. They also just love thier kids and love learning their different personalities. I also secretly think (when I get freaked out by the perfect parenting/birthing blogs)...well, if they can do it with four babies maybe I might be able to handle one baby.

Better than a Leg Lamp

ITS A MAJOR AWARD, AND I WON IT!
(sorry Leigh, I had to steal it...)

Leigh over at General Ramblings gave me this:


Not only does this awesome blogger make my day daily with her antics (she always has a great story to tell)...she has great taste in music and can take some kickin' photography (which for those of you who don't know, I'm trying to learn more about).

Thank you Leigh for giving me my first award! And like yourself, I have looked on at others awards in envy. Saddened that I was not cool enough, not witty enough, not popular enough to warrent an award...BUT NOW I AM! WOOT!

Part of the award is passing it on:
(I feel like the batchelor..."and I give a rose to _________, because she makes me laugh and brightens my day." Sadly, I don't watch the show, so this is the only thing I know from it!)

First up: Butcherfam...gotta give it up to my sister (soul and sole). She keeps me updated on her kids when I haven't seen (well, one of them...EVER!) in awhile.

Secondsies: Huckfam...She doesn't post a lot, but when she does, she'll make you wet yourself. She's just like that. And she continues to be a quiet, sweet, Christian influence on me.

Thirdly: Erin at Peach Livin in the Everglades...cause she is a transplant like me and has introduced me to some great blogs on her blogroll.

Fourths: Is Rachd over at Life with Hannah and Lily. One of the blogs from Erin's blogroll. This woman has a great spirit. Her story is touching, hard, unbelievable, and basically full of love. She doesn't know me...but I want to know that she makes my world a brighter place.

And I give my last rose to....can you feel the tension...I should give it to anyone who reads this post (cause, all 4 of you have either given me the award or are already given one....)...So I officially give the last rose to Katherine at Raising Five. I always look forward to reading her post. She talks about hard issues, is going through a big move right now, and seems to have this fun-indelible spirit. She is a big deal in the blogging world-cause she has gotten many very legit awards, but hopefully she can squeeze this one in the back of the pod.

I hope you all have had a great week, I am sorry that I haven't posted a lot. Work is going crizazy. But more on that later!

Some Insight to My Hubs

Now, KW is not going to like this, but I am going to expound on some of the virtues that is my husband. This is "important" for two reasons: the more you know of him, the more you know of me, and I had an awful dream last night where he had a blog (he hates blogs, fyi-i try not to hold it against him) and was saying all sorts of stuff about me (not bad, just stuff) and he didn't tell me!!!!. So dream payback is a b*tch. And I will tell him that I talked about him and this will be met with eye rolls and a groan.

Besides being a kind and thoughtful man, my hubs is usually pretty patient with me. And I test him. On Saturday, I was feeling pretty angsty and just wanted to groan and whine and kivetch like a toddler. No real reason. Just felt the need. When he wouldn't play along (like he usually does), he started to get irritated and then finally he figured out how to get me out of my upsetness funk. He danced. I have shown evidence to this before. I love that he makes me laugh.

Another thing about KW is that he loves his adventures. Now, I've alluded to this before. But he loves to find free stuff around town (or out of town) and go to it. This can be when it is raining, snowing, 110 degrees. He is the postal worker (and my postal worker is good so I will not say anything negative here) of adventurists. Now we do not climb things, we do not dive into mystical deep waters...we do silly things.

Like go to a little place called Hell, Michigan...when it snows...so we can get this picture:


A snowballs chance in hell.

You'll notice KW's eyes behind Penny in the Lil' Devil one. We took the Princess (we call her that and it fits!) with us for her first car ride that wasn't medical or drop off related (just for funsies)...and she enjoyed it.

He also dragged along the ever willing Montagninis to come visit the birthplace of Motown

It was actually really fun and our guide was awesome!!!! It was in a sketchy area of Detroit (sadly, a lot of Detroit). And I typically would not have let KW drag me downtown on an early cold Saturday morning, but I went with little protestation since the Montagnini's were coming.

This weekend, here were the options he gave me for entertainment:
Go look at Chinese water symbols, Irish clog dancing, or a poetry reading. I opted for none: it was -2 here!!!! I can't support going out in that weather!!!!

He has also recently taken me to UofM women's gymnastics meet (SO FUN!) and men's diving (also a good time!).

All of this to say, that he drags me to and fro but I always have fun and love him for wanting me to be next to him for all of life's significant and insignificant goings.

Lenten promises

Growing up I always gave up french fries and potato chips for Lent. I have really learned the benefit of doing something positive for Lent rather than just depriving myself. It doesn't help that I usually end up not sticking to my guns by the end.

So this year, I am going to go back on Weight Watchers (although, my anger at my quasi-boss is making it harder for me not to drink all my points) and work out every night for a minimum of 30 min. a day.

Also, KW and I are working to pray together more regularly together.

I am also praying a prayer that I made up every morning:


Dear Lord,
Bless my eyes to see your glory (open my eyes)
Bless my ears to hear your word
Bless my mouth to speak your goodness
Bless my hands to serve those in need and
Bless my feet to walk your path (put feet on floor)

Thank you Lord for this day, let me use it to your glory.


Thought I would keep myself accountable on my blog!

Suck it Merriam-Webster Dictionary

This is a first for me. When I was done with my last post, I hit the spell check button (which I try to remember to do for everything) and nothing happened. I thought that blogger was not working. Something must be wrong, and now I can not post because all of the grammar freaks out there will laugh and mock if I mess up. So I pressed the button again and had a shocking realization. I DIDN'T MISS SPELL ANYTHING!

Look, I think I'm pretty smart but I will tell you laziness and carelessness get in my way of being a FANTASTIC speller. Until now! I should go on that ESPN spelling bee contest. I am a spelling genius. Watch out world.

Update...spoke too soon, spell check really isn't working. In my efforts to fact check after posting...like all good reporters. I copied and pasted my post to Word and got several angry underlined red underlined words. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

Bucket Lists

So a lot of people I know now has been inspired by the movie, the Bucket List, to make their own list of things they want to do before they die.

I initially thought, "Wow, that's kinda fun...what would I do..."

Some people said they wanted to live to know their grandchildren as adults, see their kids fall in love...and while I hope I get to do all those things, I don't feel that is appropriate for this list because you can't really actively do those things. Their just wishes.

Some people listed that they wanted to write a great novel (sure, I'd love to do that), paint beautifully (eh, I can paint mediocrely and I'm okay with that), accomplish great things with their career.

Here is my problem...I don't care if I do anything!!!

With my life, with my day...

I'm not the kind of person that says, "I feel so useless, I didn't do anything with my day." KW is like this...he has to see new things, meet new people, go places, contribute to the world and his future all in 16-20 hours.

He also frequently asks me, "what do you want to do with your life?" "Are you doing what you always wanted to do?"

Big Clue To The Insight Of My Soul: I never had any goals or fixed plans for my life. I assumed I'd get married at some point, have kids after that, and live in the south. Well, I got married a little earlier than I thought, am going to have kids (God willing) later than I thought, and haven't moved back to the south yet...but I'm okay with all of that (but I miss the south constantly). I never aspired to do anything magnificant career wise. I just wanted to be happy and serve God and my family...however that came about.

All this to say that you will never see a bucket list from me. And if you forced me the only thing on that list would be:

Snuggle for 48 hours straight with my husband and dog.

maybe I'm just lazy

Rockin' It Since 2001

I love CBS's tv show How I Met Your Mother. Now my brother gave me the DVD of seasons 1 and 2 for Christmas (he is a great brother!)...and I watch them all the time. Simply hilarious. But CBS also has the some later episodes online. During this time of writer's strike, it can fill your non-primetime viewing.

A great episode is when two of the main characters get married. During their makeshift vows, Lily (played by Alyson Hannigan-cutie!) says to Marshall (who--as a character--is a law student at Columbia and has been with Lily since the first day of freshman year in college)...I love you because you made me a sweatshirt that said "lily and marshall rockin it since 1996." I loved the idea of a cheesemo shirt that I designed a logo for me a KW.

I told you I am ridi-que-LOS with the photoshopping.
Here (hopefully) is one of my favorite clips from How I Met Your Mother:
background--Robin is Canadian, hilarity ensues.

Another Victim to my Photoshop

Now, if this is weird, forgive me and tell me to stop.

I have been reading Leigh's blog, General Ramblings, and I have loved getting to know her spunky attitude (you should see the dance routine she is learning!) and her love of Loretta Lynn (who I happen to adore).

Since Leigh has a shiny happy picture of herself on her blog, I thought "Leigh likes Loretta Lynn so much, I should photoshop her into some big Loretta hair and dresses."

So that is what I did. Leigh, I am sorry that you can't meet Loretta today but you can play digital dress up as her!

Again, I know this is silly...I'm sorry. I like to challenge myself to see if I can do the silly ideas that come into my head.