Hey there, internet peoples –

So. I was just thinking. It’s been absolutely gorgeous here in Alabama today, and I am of the firm belief that springtime begs for great music to go with it.

Which made me think of my family’s favorite new musical treasure.

And I thought some of you might like to win one.

I mean, you can’t actually win Dave Barnes.

His family would probably object to that. Since I’m assuming that they enjoy having him around and all.

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to give away five copies of his latest CD, Stories To Tell. Why five? I have no idea. It just sounds right, I guess. It certainly sounds better than giving away four CDs. Four just sounds so, I don’t know, even.

I’ll leave this post open for 24 hours, and when the 24 hours is over. I’ll draw for five (NOT FOUR!) winners.

If you’d like to enter to win, just leave a comment. I don’t even have a prompt or anything. Just say hey. Or tell me your middle name. Or tell me what your parents almost named you but didn’t (I was almost an Isabel, by the way).

Happy Spring, everybody!

p.s. Nobody is sponsoring this giveaway.

p.p.s. Nobody asked me to do this giveaway.

p.p.p.s. Sometimes it’s just fun to share something you love.

p.p.p.p.s. I wish I could also share some fried chicken.

This giveaway is now closed. I’ll notify winners by Wednesday night at the latest!

We just got home from the beach. And while a pesky bout of insomnia kept me up most of last night (was anybody else watching The Bodyguard on Lifetime in the wee hours of the morning?), I’m so grateful to have had time with my people to do some laughing and relaxing and staring at the water.

And oh, I can do some fine water staring.

I could probably win some awards, even. If anyone actually, you know, gave awards for that sort of thing.

In addition to watching the water, we managed to squeeze in a few other memorable moments.

1) The Muppet Movie – We watched it one night after supper. I loved it. Laughed out loud and everything.

2) Talking – Seriously. I always think that our little family does a lot of talking on any given day, but being in a completely relaxing environment changes the conversation, you know? The here-and-now always gets so much of our attention that it was fun to spend time talking about the down-the-road. Plus, the little man loves to hear family stories, and it cracks me up to hear him repeat parts of those stories. Yay for talking.

3) Fisherman’s Corner – This little hole-in-the-wall restaurant is tucked underneath the bay bridge in Perdido Key, FL – only a few miles from Orange Beach, AL – and the food is unbelievable. They have great gumbo (and I am picky about gumbo), delicious fried green tomatoes, and excellent seafood. It’s not a place to go if you’re in a hurry, but the atmosphere is fun and your meal will be worth the wait. Also, D says that the bread pudding is out of this world. It was his selfless act of service to vet the dessert menu, of course.

4) Duck Dynasty – I never would’ve expected to like this new show on A&E, even though Melanie has been singing the praises of the Robertson family for the last couple of years. But listen. IT IS A TREASURE. I watched the first episode again tonight with Alex. So entertaining.

5) And finally, this:

He’d chase those waves all day long if he could.

Makes me smile.

All righty. I am off to watch the season premiere of Mad Men and get way too wrapped up in Don Draper’s life. CANNOT WAIT.

Have a great week, everybody!

You know how you tend to be drawn to different music at different times in your life?

Well, you can only imagine how surprised I’ve been to discover that during this particular time in my life – when I’ve consistently listened to The Fray, NEEDTOBREATHE, Dave Barnes, James Taylor, and other folk/rock/indie/alternative musicians that I pretty much adore – an, um, unexpected musical craving has surfaced.

And since I’m not sure how to process it, I’m just going to throw it out there.

Ready?

I’m a wee bit obsessed with Will Smith.

Yep. Will Smith. The Fresh Prince.

I don’t know why, but I do know when it hit me. A few Saturdays ago I was trying to catch up on laundry, and as I walked through my bedroom, I realized that I was humming a long-familiar tune.

Boom! Shake The Room.

Oh mercy. Please help me.

(The quality on the video is terrible.)

(However, that in no way diminishes the awesomeness of the song.)

Anyway, weekend before last I dropped off Alex at a skating rink birthday party, and while I was visiting with a couple of other mamas and waiting for him to put on his skates, the skating rink DJ started playing a familiar tune. And I’ll be honest. I may have embarrassed myself. Because I could not quit singing “Gettin’ Jiggy With It” as it blared over the speakers.

Those are some tender musical memories from the 90s, you know?

Once I reacquainted myself with what it’s like to get jiggy (I totally just typed “jiggly,” and really, that is so much more appropriate at this stage in my life), I decided to revisit the entire Will Smith / Fresh Prince / DJ Jazzy Jeff canon: Parents Just Don’t Understand, Men In Black, Wild, Wild West. It has been a special time. There have even been a few days when I’ve been in the car by myself and CRANKED ‘ER UP.

What about y’all? Are there any songs from your younger days that you’ve been listening to lately?

I’m willing to bet that somebody out there has been listening to some Journey or Guns N’ Roses or New Kids or NSync.

I just know it.

You know how sometimes you’ll try on something when you’re shopping and go back and forth about whether you should buy it and then decide not to buy it but then a few days later you wish you had bought it?

That’s pretty much how I feel about these shoes.

Aren’t they darlin’? I had two concerns, though: 1) since they don’t have straps, I worried about keeping them on my feet and 2) I thought the animal print might be a little limiting.

So I didn’t buy them. But now?

I MISSSSSSSSS THEM. And my Steinmarts doesn’t have my size anymore. And I’m still not sure that I’d wear them very much, but I MISSSSSSSS THEM.

And speaking of missing them.

(How’s that for an overly obvious transition?)

(AT YOUR SERVICE, I AM.)

I’m spending some time all by myself this week while I try to get some writing done, and the fact of the matter is that I miss my people. They are doing great, of course, and being all sorts of encouraging and checking in to make sure that things are going well and texting to ask if I’m making progress and etc., but I am not used to this much quiet. However comma I seem to need quiet in order to concentrate on the writing stuff (this whole process has taught me that I don’t do so great with trying to work in short bursts, and also I’m not a very strong multi-tasker), so I’m mighty grateful for family members who are willing to share their temporarily empty homes so that I can hunker down and be productive. It’s a luxury for me to be able to work on the book during the week – it’s mostly been a weekends-only thing the last couple of months – and I am trying to make the most of it.

I’m not completely alone, though. Because I brought this little stinker with me.

Oh, I have talked and talked to her. And oh, she has looked at me like I’m insane. We share such a special bond.

Since I knew that I would be dining solo for a few days, I went to the grocery store yesterday afternoon. My goal was to not leave this house AT ALL once I got here – to sequester myself until I’ve written a certain amount (yes. I believe I did in fact set a goal. THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED.) – so I tried to take into account that I was going to need food for several days’ worth of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Or, as we say in the South: breakfast, dinner, and supper.

By the way, I should probably tell you (or maybe warn you) that hearing the word “dinner” for “lunch” conjures up all sorts of wonderful memories for me. It practically screams fresh corn, fried okra, fresh tomatoes, fresh peas, and cornbread sticks that Mama made in one of those cast iron cornbread molds.

And now I’m going to have to stop it with the cornbread talk or I’ll end up winding my way down some long rabbit trail and telling you about the way Mama’s kitchen used to smell when she’d can tomatoes and squash pickle.

Because the next thing you know it would be Thursday and you’d be saying, “Why are you still talking about bread and butter pickles?” And then I would weep because for one thing I’d be tired of writing about all the varieties of homemade pickles, and for another thing I would pretty much give up my left arm for just one more jar of Mama’s homemade sweet pickles.

Which reminds me. Do you know what I need to learn to do?

Pickle things.

Maybe that can be my goal in 2018 when I finally finish this book.

Now. I’m glad that’s settled.

ANYWAY, I can’t remember the last time that I grocery shopped just for me, but yesterday’s shopping trip reminded me of when I was single and used to go to the Jitney Jungle on Highway 51 in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Back then I bought lots of saltines and American cheese slices and bacon and Diet Coke. Yesterday I bought lots of multigrain crackers and cheese and bacon and tea. So I think the lesson is that cheese, crackers, and bacon have been constants in my life for the better part of 15 years.

(I’m not sure if that depresses the fire out of me or floods me with happy nostalgia.)

(But I’ll let you know just as soon as I figure it out.)

So if you need me, I’ll be, you know, right here. Typing and whatnot. Trying to justify eating cheese and crackers for breakfast. Drinking way too much coffee. Talking to the dog. And hopefully making some book-related progress.

Oh, and thinking about those shoes.

I still miss them, you know.

– A Mother’s Dream in Pen and Ink – Veronica Mitchell

I want her to have the chance to throw herself into something she loves just because she loves it. I want her to know the thrill of leisure time spent lost in what fascinates, because too soon she will be grown and her leisure time will all but disappear.

I want to give her the gift of love. Not just the love I feel for her, but the love she discovers for something else.

Even though I don’t have a little girl, Veronica’s post resonated with me like crazy. And if you’re invested in a child’s life (as mama, aunt, godmother, etc.), I think it’ll resonate with you, too.

– Buzz Magnets

If you know kids (or grown-ups) who are fascinated by science-y things, these magnets will delight and enthrall. The buzzing sound will also take up permanent residence in your brain, but that’s a small price to pay for the privilege of seeing people you love totally entertained by, you know, magnets.

– Kandee Johnson Make-Up Tutorials

One night on the Twitter a couple of friends had a discussion about applying eye shadow. Someone mentioned Kandee Johnson tutorials, and since I have never known how to apply eye shadow (other than swiping one color all over my eyelid), I decided that a little instruction couldn’t hurt.

I don’t spend a ton of time on my make-up every single day, but I feel like I finally – FINALLY – have a better understanding of how to use eye shadow. I’m not big on lots of eyeliner or anything like that, but knowing where to apply what shades of shadow has been a big help to me – especially the How to Make Small Eyes Bigger video. And if I was feeling super-daring, I’d give the Naked Palette Eye Make-up Tutorial a whirl.

– To Those Who Wait: Live EP – Bethany Dillon

I spent most of last Saturday listening to Bethany Dillon’s Waking Up CD. I adore her music, and I was tickled – TICKLED – to see her new EP in the iTunes store late last night. It was $4.99 well spent. Oh yes it was.

– Red Stamp App

Source: redstamp.com via Melinda on Pinterest

Red Stamp is such a great free app, but I’d love it even if I had to pay for it. It’s a brilliant idea.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

We’ve talked about this phenomenon before, I know, but I never cease to be amazed that Southern women will monogram anything. And I get that people in other parts of the country also enjoy monogramming, of course, but in the South we’re a little obsessive about it. I thought maybe we’d reached the end of our Things That Can Be Monogrammed list when I started seeing monogrammed rear window decals in carpool line, but just this past Saturday I saw a girl at Starbucks with a monogrammed clear laptop sleeve on her Mac.

It made me wonder if there will be a time when people will engrave the back of their iPads with their intitials – sort of like our mamas did with their silver trays.

(Oh. Never mind. I just consulted the Google and discovered that there’s already a company that engraves iPads. However, I can’t tell if they engrave big, swirly monograms or not. But if they don’t, they should.)

Several years ago I found out about a company called Initials, inc., and if you like monogrammed stuff, then Initials, inc. is pretty much your dream come true. They have wonderful, durable, products – I have a couple of their totes, a monogrammed vinyl cooler (OH, IT IS ADORABLE), and a great laptop bag – and what I love the most about their stuff is that it’s functional and fun at the same time.

See what I mean?

A few weeks ago the Initials, inc. people emailed me to see if I’d be interested in doing a review / giveaway for one of their resort totes, and even though I don’t typically do reviews, I immediately said yes because I knew in advance that I’d be crazy about it. The resort totes are big but not unwieldy, with super-comfortable straps and a handy cell phone pocket on the inside (along with an additional pocket where I usually put my iPod). There are also snaps on the sides if you need to make the bag a little smaller. I have a polka-dot resort tote that I’ve taken to the beach and the pool for the last couple of years – sometimes with four beach towels, sunscreen, goggles, books, keys, swim shirts, etc. – and whether I’m carrying a lot or a little, it’s always my perfect pool bag.

Since the resort tote is made from microfiber, it dries quickly and doesn’t look one bit worse for the wear if it is the unintended victim of some enthusiastic splashing or diving. It’s also fantastic for travel, and when I go on long trips, my resort tote is my go-to carry-on bag. It has a magnetic closure, so everything stays put, but since it doesn’t zip, it’s super easy to tuck it under a seat and then reach down and grab whatever you need to get out of it.

(Can you tell I’m a fan?)

(I am such a fan.)

Last month I received a new resort tote from Initials, inc. (full disclosure: they sent it to me for review, so I didn’t pay for it), and I was thrilled when I opened the package. I don’t typically pick out super-girly things for myself, but I am crazy about the hot pink pattern and the dark brown monogram. My new bag will be going to the beach with me in a couple of weeks, and I can’t wait to introduce it to the white sand and the salt water. I think we’re going to be really happy together.

(Sorry. A little blurry.)

(Maybe this close-up will give you a better idea.)

Since they’re all sorts of awesome, the people at Initials, inc. are going to give one of you a $50 gift card. If you’d like to enter the giveaway (open until Wednesday, March 21st, at which point I’ll draw for a winner using random.org), here’s what you need to do:

1. Click over to the Initials, inc. catalog.
2. Look around.
3. Come back here and tell me one thing you’d like to buy with your gift card.
4. Only one comment per person, por favor.
5. Please make sure you type your email address correctly.

Just a few things to remember: Initials, inc. doesn’t ship outside of the United States. The gift card can be applied to your order total (which includes order and shipping), and as always, personalization is free.

And if you’re interested in earning some free merchandise by having an Initials, inc. party at your house? You can find information about that right here.

Happy Giveaway, y’all!

This giveaway is now closed.