Late this afternoon I went to the DSW to kill some time (and to try on some flip-flops that Megan recommended) before I met David for supper, and after about 15 minutes in the store, I started to shake my head and giggle.

Because seriously? WHO CAN WEAR THESE FOR MORE THAN SIX MINUTES?

They’re just perfect for an afternoon of chasing kids around the park or the pool, don’t you think?

And please don’t get me wrong: I’m all for a cute wedge or a kicky heel. But if I wore any of those shoes? I’d only be about four quick steps away from a broken ankle.

Now I realize that there are some darlin’ women who are running around this summer in some gravity-defying heels (or as I like to call them: stilts), but Mamaw here needs some arch support. I can still handle a sensible (and dare I say sassy) wedge like this one –

– but if my foot has to deal with a shoe that has more than about a 20 degree angle, I’m toast. I’ll walk around in three-inch heels (and often do) as long as the base of my foot is on a level surface, but as far as wearing shoes that require a steep incline? OH NO MA’AM.

The good news, however, is that my time at the shoe store was not for naught. Because I rediscovered an old friend.

I didn’t buy them, mainly because when I tried them on I had flashbacks of a time when my days consisted of listening to Hootie & The Blowfish and watching the first season of “Friends” and wearing those pleated palazzo pants from The Limited that came in either solid colors or – SHIVER ME TIMBERS – earth-toned floral patterns.

It’s not necessarily a fashion era that I care to revisit. Purely for personal reasons, you understand.

But there’s no question that for sheer comfort, Birkenstocks can’t be beat. I’d forgotten how they’re supportive in all the right places. Well-made. Dependable. And you know what else? I think they’re due for a comeback.

So, just because I’m curious (read: nosy) and because nothing will delight me more than looking at and thinking about shoes all day, let me ask you this: what are your most favorite, most comfortable shoes in the whole wide world? Leave a link if you want. And if your most comfortable shoes are some sort of stiletto-ish wedge, then please know you have my envy and my undying admiration.

My flip-flops and I just think the world of you.

So I’m starting to think that there is in fact some sort of falcon nest in one of our trees, and I’m basing that theory solely on the amount of high-pitched squawking that’s going on in our backyard. I’m tickled, of course, that the birds have found a safe haven right here among us, but they’re going to have to keep the noise down a little bit or I fear I’ll have no choice but to file a complaint with the homeowners’ association.

The nature should always pay close attention to noise ordinances, don’t you think?

We were out of town most of last week, so today my plan is to get my house under control again. The floors need to be mopped, the laundry needs to be put away, and the luggage needs to return to somewhere besides the foyer. I feel like there are papers stacked on every stationary surface – countertops, tables, bar stools – and I have very high hopes that today will be the day that I conquer Paper Mountain. Truth be told, I’d really like to throw all the paper in the fireplace and then light ‘er up, but there’s no way I could stand the heat. It’s 204 outside. Not really the time to snuggle up ’round the fire.

I’m also determined to find an appropriate place to keep all of our library books. I enjoy the fact that reading the books is, you know, FREE, but OH MY WORD AT THE BOOK-RELATED CLUTTER. They’re everywhere. And I think they need a tote bag. Or maybe even a basket. Or shelf. Or something.

ANYWAY, the whole point of this post is to tell you that I just posted a new giveaway for a $100 Visa gift card. And the giveaway for the $50 gift card is still up and running. So, you know, enjoy. And good luck. And etcetera.

All righty. Paper Mountain awaits. If you don’t hear from me by tomorrow, please alert the rescue team.

Thank you and have a lovely day.

When it comes to planning for a trip, I could win some sort of list-making award. It’s part of the fun for me, the getting-ready-to-go, and I like to categorize and prioritize and memorize everything that needs to be done.

I like to think that it’s one of my spiritual gifts. But mostly it’s probably just annoying to anyone who has the misfortune of traveling with me.

Tomorrow Melanie and I are going to take our kidlets on a little getaway, and we’ve already decided that the grown-ups are going to have appetizers for supper every night. My sister-in-law Janie and I did something similar last year when we were at the beach with our boys, and we enjoyed it so much that Mel and I have decided to continue the tradition. It’s the right thing to do.

Since M and C will have to fly here before we hit the road to my brother- and sister-in-law’s place at the beach, I have made it my personal mission to gather as many of our trip supplies as possible. The gathering of supplies serves two purposes: 1) it brings me UNTOLD VOLUMES OF JOY and 2) it eliminates the need for stopping at the grocery store as soon as we get down there because, well, who wants to get to the beach and then have to run errands?

See? It’s all very logical.

Well.

One night last week I made our initial grocery list, and then I typed it all into a Word document because THIS, THIS IS WHO I AM: A PERSON WHO ENJOYS TYPING GROCERY LISTS, IT’S VERY NICE TO MEET YOU. After I typed the list, I emailed it to Mel so she could take a look at it (THIS IS WHO I AM, TAKE TWO: A PERSON WHO ASKS FRIENDS TO DOUBLE CHECK GROCERY LISTS), and once I made some final changes, I moved everything around so that the list would follow the order of the aisles at the grocery store (THIS IS WHO I AM, TAKE THREE: THE PERSON WHO MAKES HER GROCERY LISTS BY AISLE, JUST AS THE GOOD LORD INTENDED).

All that to say: one particular section of the grocery list made me so happy.

Clearly the chocolate chips have a very important purpose, because obviously we’ll need something sweet to balance out all that dairy.

Good times.

Anyway, I actually have a very important (non-cream cheese-related) question to ask y’all, and I do hope you’ll give it some prayerful consideration.

Later today I’m going to run by the Blockbuster to pick up some movies for Mel and me to watch after the young’uns are in bed at night. I’m thinking that this is our golden opportunity to watch stuff that our husbands wouldn’t be able to watch for more than five minutes without rolling their eyes and making a comment about how totally unrealistic someone’s relationship is.

Because as we all know, it’s much more realistic when a rogue CIA agent flips a car that catches on fire but manages to shimmy out of a back window just in time to walk in a drugstore and buy some hair dye so that he can then transform his appearance in the Walgreens restroom and walk back out into the streets completely unnoticed.

So. Movies for the beach. Do you have any suggestions?

Please keep in mind that I don’t watch movies very often. So if you think “Oh, she’s probably seen that,” odds are that I haven’t. And if you have a suggestion for an entire season of a TV show, throw that into the mix as well. Mel and I have never been ones to back down from a TV-related challenge. As I often say, it is good to have TV-watching goals.

Mainly because TV-watching goals often pair quite beautifully with excessive amounts of cream cheese.

Thanks in advance for your help – hope y’all have a wonderful weekend!

I was all set to write a big ole post tonight (WITH SENTENCES! AND EVERYTHING!), but the onset of a delightful summer cold has stopped me in my bloggy tracks. So I’m going to make a list of everything I wanted to talk about so that I can address them at some point in the next couple of days or weeks or years or perhaps even decades.

1) Craig M. on “The Bachelorette” is Wes 2.0.

2) Ali’s more modest take on beach apparel is a refreshing “Bachelorette” change.

3) Last weekend we put a squirrel feeder on our deck, and it has changed my life forever.

4) Seriously. FOREVER.

5) This past weekend marked ten years since we moved to Birmingham. Moving here was one of the best decisions we have ever made. It’s home, and we love it so much.

6) Today is our 13th wedding anniversary – I just cannot believe that much time has passed since I walked down the aisle. I’ve been thinking a lot about the ups and the downs and the sticking it out and how marriage is so much more rewarding than a wedding.

7) This afternoon D printed out a sample ballot for tomorrow’s primary elections so that he’ll be well-prepared when he gets to the polls. You have no idea how much that makes me smile.

8) My heart was so heavy today for a local family whose son was recently killed in Afghanistan. It isn’t lost on me that one reason why #7 is even possible is because of the brave people who serve our country so selflessly. I am grateful.

9) I have a couple of giveaways scheduled to post in a few hours, and since I wrote them before the onset of the summer cold, you can rest in the peace of knowing that there are REAL-LIVE PARAGRAPHS!

(And also: gift cards!)

(FANCY!)

10) Happy Tuesday, everybody.