There Was Fall Weather, And There Was Also 24-12

26 September 2010 by

The little man and I went to Nashville to see Sister this past weekend. The drive from Birmingham to Nashville is my ALL-TIME FAVORITE EVER, so I was a wee bit giddy when we hit the road Friday afternoon and I knew that I was going to spend the next three-ish hours heading north on I-65. It was the first time we’d been to Nashville since March, I think, and we were way overdue for a visit. NASHVILLE, WE’D MISSED YOU TERRIBLY.

Some of y’all may remember that Sister and B had to tear the first floor of their house down to studs after the Nashville flood this past spring. They lost everything that was downstairs (with the exception of a few keepsakes they managed to move upstairs before they evacuated), and they just moved back into their house a few days ago. The new and improved first floor is absolutely beautiful – and now it needs furniture.

I don’t know exactly how many hours we spent looking at rugs and tables and chairs and accessories this past weekend, but WE PUT IN SOME TIME. We found some gorgeous rugs at super-reasonable prices (Home Goods, I adore you), along with some great-looking dining room chairs on sale (World Market, big hugs to you, too). Sister has a good sense of what sort of look she’s going for, and I took some “before” pictures this weekend so that I can show you how everything comes together over the next few months. I think it’s going to be classic and eclectic and modern and fun. In other words: very Sister-y.

As an added bonus to our weekend, the MSU/Georgia game was on TV Saturday night, and we had a blast screaming for our Bulldogs. OH MY WORD WE HOLLERED. You probably heard us. We spent most of the first half screaming, “WHY CAN’T WE TACKLE?” and most of the 4th quarter yelling, “WE GOT A FIRST DOWN! WE GOT A FIRST DOWN!” Since our husbands weren’t there with us, they were spared the spectacle of us screaming at the TV like a couple of real-live contenders in a hillbilly ‘coon-callin’ contest. Not there’s any such contest, of course. But if there were, I think we’d bring a lot to the ‘coon-callin’ table – what with the sophisticated tenor of our understated elegance.

As I’m sure you can imagine.

Anyway, Alex and I got home tonight, and I’m already planning a return trip. Because when you leave Home Goods with the car looking like this –

– at some point you’ve got to figure out where all that stuff is gonna go.

By the way, when we were in TJ Maxx I saw a pair of boots that I thought were really cute, and I took a picture of them so I could show them to Melanie.

On a whim I turned over one of the boots so I could check out the price, thinking that they were so pretty that they probably cost $80 or $100.

Well.

You’d better know that I dropped that boot like a hot potato. Because EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS?

Since when did TJ Maxx get so fancy?

And who pays $800 for boots?

And if you pay $800 for boots, do you actually walk in them? Or do you put them behind a glass case and admire them from afar, LEST YOU SCRATCH THE PRETTY LODEN GREEN LEATHER?

Obviously I have some questions.

How was your weekend?

Filed Under: Family Fun

Those Of Us Who Are Busy Require Hands-Free Hydration

24 September 2010 by

I went back and forth and forth and back about whether or not I was going to blog about the season premiere of The Office. Last season wasn’t my favorite, and I’ve halfway wondered if I was even going to watch this season.

But who was I kidding? OF COURSE I WATCHED. It’s Steve Carell’s last year on the show. And because of that, my blind optimism and I hopped aboard the season 7 train.

At first things looked pretty promising.

1. Creed on the electric guitar – a promising beginning to season five (and I would also add that you can never go wrong with a musical number featuring Andy Bernard).

2. “Gabe is awesome. He has accomplished so much career-wise and height-wise…it’s been great.”

3. “Oh, look – it’s a humpback whale. How pretty! He’s eating Gabe.”

4. “Dwight Schrute: star salesman, beef farmer, bed and breakfast proprietor, aspiring freelance bodyguard. Add to that list: owner of this building. Then burn the list.”

5. “He calls me The ‘Nard Man. I’m The ‘Nard Dog, okay? The ‘Nard Man is my father.”

*******

Aaaaand it was about that time when I sort of lost interest.

Except that I laughed out loud when Kelly stood up to talk in the meeting about Luke.

So apparently The Office and I are still struggling. I think it would be fun to see some wacky hijinks – some Andy and Erin (because Erin and Gabe? ALL SORTS OF WRONG.), some amusingly self-deluded Dwight (as opposed to creepily hostile Dwight), some kindness from Michael that isn’t born out of desperation.

Overanalyze much? Why, yes. Thank you. I believe I will.

I think my biggest issue is that the characters are just a little bit on my nerves right now. But I’m not giving up on them. Because if nothing else, last night’s opening number is worth giving them another chance (or eight).

And listen: even if I was a little disappointed by The Office, I was pretty delighted by 30 Rock. I laughed out loud a whole bunch. In fact, I even wondered if maybe I need to give 30 Rock my Thursday night blog post attnetion and leave The Office alone for a little while.

Best line on 30 Rock, by the way?

When Liz Lemon was awkwardly comforting Carol and said, “I sorry. Don’t…be…cry.”

Made me howl.

So what did y’all think about the return of the Thursday night shows?

Good? Bad? Don’t know or care because you were reading a book?

Filed Under: TV Is My Friend

Oh, The Glorious Initials, inc. Sassiness

23 September 2010 by

I just posted something mighty fun over on my giveaways page.

Click on over if you’d like to enter to win a gift certificate from Initials, inc.

Don’t miss it!

Filed Under: Giveaways

On The Fly

22 September 2010 by

Hello!

How are you!

I am fine!

But somewhat manic!

It’s just been one of those days. Family and work and errands and supper and church and deadlines and emails and last but not least, SO MUCH UNWATCHED TV ON THE DVR THAT IT MAKES ME ANXIOUS.

WHAT IF I NEVER CATCH UP?

I haven’t even watched the Rachel Zoe season finale yet. And I know it was, like, SO MAJOR. And I bet she LITERALLY DIED nine or maybe even twelve times. I also bet that there was some dress that didn’t get to her studio on time and it was A TOTAL NIGHTMARE.

Anyway, this has also been one of those days when I’ve had a bunch (“a bunch” being a very relative term) of ideas for blog posts I’d like to write, but do you know what? I’m not going to write them. It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just that I’ll know that I’ll never get around to it. I’ll write a paragraph or two and get distracted by a football game, or I’ll write a sentence and decide that I need to go to Walgreens, or I’ll write three-quarters of it and decide that it’s garbage.

This is why there are currently – hold on. let me check. – EIGHTY THREE partial posts in my drafts folder.

Apparently I have some issues with finishing things.

Anyway, here’s a list of the stuff I thought about today. In no particular order, mind you. I’m just going to put the list out there so that I can get back to the important business of catching up on “Survivor” as well as the 16 unwatched episodes of “House Hunters” that are currently on my DVR.

Here we go:

1) There are no realistic married couples on TV (at least not on the shows that I watch) except for Eric and Tami Taylor on “Friday Night Lights.”

2) When I look at a church’s website and see that the pastor is featured more prominently than anything else, it makes me uneasy. And maybe a little judge-y. Which is another good reason not to write a post about it.

3) Today I bought a $25 Groupon for $55 of “hair services” at a local salon. It made me so happy that you would’ve thought that I’d won the lottery (however, if I had won the lottery, I’m guessing that THE BAPTISTS WOULD HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH ME).

4) I’m getting my hair cut Monday, and once again I’m filled with blind optimism that this haircut will be The One. It’s been three years since I’ve had a cut that I loved. I think it’s time.

5) I don’t understand how people learn to pair certain foods with certain wines. There was a whole episode of “Top Chef” about this very skill, and I kept thinking that if I were in that competition I’d serve my food and then ask people if they wanted sweet tea or diet Coke. Because as far as I can tell they’re good with everything. You may have picked up on the fact that I’m very sophisticated.

6) Tonight at church I heard a sweet woman telling a joke about her husband’s gift of discernment, and I wondered how many times a day people (okay. Baptists.) use spiritual gifts as a punchline. WE’RE SO WACKY.

7) “Like Incense” by Brooke Fraser Ligertwood is a gorgeous song. GORGEOUS. The second verse makes me teary-eyed. A chorus by Rich Mullins never hurts.

8) My sister-in-law and nephew got home from Uganda yesterday. They met all four of their Compassion kids, and I can’t wait to share some of their stories with you. A couple of nights ago I looked at my nephew’s pictures on Facebook and just bawled. The kids’ smiles were like pure sunshine.

9) My hoop earrings with multi-colored beads are hands-down the best accessory I have ever owned. Sometimes I think about what my life would be like without them, and it makes me sad. In a completely superficial way, of course.

All right. I’m all better now. Might even be able to sleep now that I’ve set the crazy free.

Thank you and by all means have a lovely Thursday,
Me

Filed Under: Rambling

The Funny & The Giveaways

21 September 2010 by

– I just posted a new Kellogg’s $100 Visa gift card giveaway. Just so you know, there’s a winner every single week – it’s not that all the entries from each week get thrown into a pile at the end of all 12 giveaways and there’s one $100 winner from my blog. OH, NO. There’s a winner every single week. I just drew for the last three winners, in fact. So if you enter every single week, you have a chance to win every single week. Just so you know.

– The third Laughing Cow $150 giveaway is still up and running. And again, every time I publish a new Laughing Cow post, you have a chance to win.

– The Juicy Juice giveaway doesn’t close until the end of this month. Just FYI.

Why am I feeling a little bit like Bob Barker right now?

– Do the Compassion blogger trips waste money? Shaun has some answers.

– There are very few people who make me laugh like Mr. Barnes does. (link via Annie)

Happy Tuesday, everybody!

Filed Under: Daily Awesome

Kellogg’s Love Your Cereal – Post 7

21 September 2010 by

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Kellogg’s.

I really wish that I could take some credit for the happy mornings in our house.

Really, I do.

But the fact of the matter is that cheerful isn’t my typical disposition early in the mornings. Oh, I try to fake it. I say “good morning!” like I mean it, and I do my very best not to grumble. But the fact of the matter is that I have about a thirty minute window between “awake” and “civil,” and the first key to a good morning around these parts is that I experience the window on my own. Up thirty minutes before everybody else. Or the morning goes downhill and fast.

(I’m really not that bad.)

(I just like to wake up gradually).

However, despite my questionable disposition in the mornings, there is another force at work in our house that always seems to counter – and I’d even say trump – whatever grumpiness I might have going on. The other force is about four and a half feet tall, about sixty pounds, and he’s never, ever, EVER met a morning that he didn’t absolutely love. He’s a seven year-old dose of cheerfulness and light every. single. day.

Don’t worry. We’re not requiring him to show up at the breakfast table in a suit a bow tie. But the expression on his face in that picture? It’s the way he looks as soon as he wakes up. That is to say: happy as a clam.

Even though I don’t have to do a whole lot to keep the morning mood light and upbeat (thanks to our resident Cheerful McHappyson), I do try to keep our mornings predictable. It does us all a world of good when we don’t feel rushed or hurried or dead-dog certain that we’re running 15 minutes late. I like to have breakfast on the table by 6:30 at the latest, and while we’re eating I typically look up our verses for the day and read them out loud. After that I put on my make-up while the little guy is getting dressed, and by 6:55 we’re ready to head out the door – usually without incident.

You’ll be happy to know that by 7 in the morning I have usually found my way to my early morning happy place. It just takes me a little while to get there.

So what about you? What do you do to get your family’s mornings off to a good start? Leave a comment with your answer, and you’ll be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card (and come back next week to enter again – because these giveaways will continue for the next 5 weeks).

And be sure to visit the BlogHer.com Kellogg exclusive offers page – you have 24 other chances to win $100 every single week that this program is running!

Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.

This giveaway is now closed and the winner has been notified.

Filed Under: BlogHer Reviews
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