When I was getting ready this morning (oh, I even took a shower, oh yes I did), I started thinking about a few of the simple, everyday items that make my mornings a little easier and a little bit more pleasant. These things aren’t necessities by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re helpful. Maybe even a tiny bit comforting.

You know, stuff like Eucerin moisturizer. Because it prevents my skin from cracking and falling off of my face. So in that sense the Eucerin performs a vital role in my skin care regimen.

Or Maxwell House French Roast coffee. Because it’s strong without being bitter. Inexpensive. And delicious, too.

Or my beloved Mentholatum, which costs all of $2, soothes my chapped lips and makes my sinuses snap to attention as soon as I remove the top from the jar. I’ve even used it to minister to some deeply resistant under-eye bags, and it did not disappoint. I heart it deeply.

None of these things are fancy. You can buy them at any drugstore (or, as we say in the South, AT THE WALGREENS). But they’re my early morning support network – I use each of them every single day before I snuggle into my spot on the couch and start what Alex calls “Mama’s quiet time Bible study.” They help me to wake up, feel reasonably presentable, and face the day.

So, internets, what are your everyday favorites? What inexpensive treats make your mornings a little easier? And for the sake of clarity, let’s classify “inexpensive” as less than $10, though I think my Eucerin costs $10.99, so CLEARLY I AM DISQUALIFIED.

Comment away, girls (and guys!). Can’t wait to read about your faves.

This is the second time today I’ve attempted to update you, the internets, on some terribly exciting behind-the-scenes bloggy info.

And by “terribly exciting,” of course, I mean, “so-boring-it’ll-make-your-eyeballs-roll-back-to-your-tonsils.”

But here’s the deal.

My web hosting people are upgrading their servers. And apparently when one upgrades one’s servers, it takes awhile for all the content to “propagate,” which as far as I know is just a fancy term for “show up,” but you probably shouldn’t look to me to explain anything tech-related. Ever.

So my ham hangover post has disappeared, as has last night’s AI post, and while ideally both of them should show up once all the propagation is said and done, I think the AI post may be done forever because today when I attempted to write the first WE’RE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES update, the blog gave that post the same URL as my AI post, because the blog thinks the AI post doesn’t exist right now.

Which means that the AI post has probably been overwritten.

And don’t get me wrong: I know that there was nothing special about that post. I mean, I wrote it WHILE I WAS WATCHING TV, for crying out loud. But a little part of me is sad that it’s gone forever – along with your links in the Mr. Linky – so I’m going to try to reconstruct it or recreate it or rejuvenate it and post it again later today.

I mean, what else do I have to do this afternoon? CLEAN? COOK? OH, I THINK NOT.

And I’m kidding. I’m actually about to start cooking a delicious pot roast for supper, and then I will unload the dishwasher.

BECAUSE I HAVE GOALS, PEOPLE.

So. That’s the latest here.

Good times. Noodle salad.

See y’all later.

Now you may feel like we hardly ever podcast anymore. But the truth of the matter is that we record plenty of podcasts, but we don’t necessarily post them because, well, they’re lame. Or the sound’s even worse than usual. Or we were interrupted 421 times by preschoolers who wanted juice or Goldfish or whathaveyou while we were trying to record.

This week, however, we’re actually posting the WHOLE ENTIRE THING. Even though the sound’s still sort of bad because Big Mama and FryDaddy couldn’t hear me, but I could hear them fine, so I had to turn up my sound output, only on the podcast I’m VERY, VERY LOUD and they’re not as loud, only I wasn’t trying to be loud, and IS THERE AN A/V PERSON IN THE HOUSE?

Also: we laugh a sort of obnoxious amount at things that probably aren’t particularly funny. However, we’re always happy to cast on the pod with our buddy FryDaddy, who has all sorts of great perspective about American Idol and also manages not to SCREAM HIS HEAD OFF when Big Mama and I go ON and ON and ON about a pair of fab wedge sandals.

We also talk about music we loved in high school, Christy Nockels (SHOCK. SURPRISE.), our favorite AI moments of years’ past and our NCAA tourney picks, despite the fact that I had a devil of a time locating my bracket online.

It is also worth noting that Big Mama and I managed to record an entire podcast without mentioning our hair. Clearly the Lord has done a special work in our hearts.

And seriously, thanks for your patience with our sound limitations. Big Mama and I would like to tell you that we’re diligently working on our sound ish-ahs behind the scenes, but the truth of the matter is that we’re pretty much flying by the seat of our pants. However, when we are flying by the seat of our pants, we try to wear pants that are sassy. Because that’s important to us when podcasting.

Click here to listen on the web. Or, you can go here and then click on the speaker next to Episode 11.

Subscribe via iTunes here.

Subscribe via RSS feed here.

And as always, we thank you for your patronage.

LOOK! A HANDY LIST FORMAT!

1. Big Mama’s blog has moved to a brand new location. And she has a mighty sassy new design courtesy of Jules. And I recognize that you probably know all of this already, but I always try to err on the side of redundancy.

(Attention! Big Mama’s blog has moved!)

(See what I mean?)

2. I have been doing a lot of cooking for the last couple of days, which is why you’ve had to look at the post about unfortunate bedtime smells for the last forty eight hours. But all the cooking has reminded me that this recipe? And this one? Gold.

3. I’ve also made a couple of batches of cheese grits. And as I made the cheese grits, I wondered how many of you have never eaten grits before. Because grits are a bit of a staple in these parts. So perhaps some kind of informal survey is in order. Oh thank you.

4. So I’ve tried to not talk too much about the basketball for the last couple of weeks because I know that many of you don’t enjoy it when I talk about the basketball. But the problem with that is that I really, really QUADRUPLE LOVE the basketball, especially when my beloved Bulldogs are in the NCAA tournament, and even moreso when my beloved Bulldogs win their first-round tournament game.

Up next? A little team called Memphis.

They are sort of good.

5. There’s a new podcast on the way.

I KNOW!

We probably won’t post it until Monday because, well, tomorrow is Easter, and somehow it seems wrong, all wrong to commemorate the day of Resurrection by asking you to listen to Big Mama, FryDaddy and me talk about American Idol.

So it’ll keep until Monday.

And we haven’t stopped recording podcasts, I promise – but the last two just have not been up to our lofty standards of mediocrity. Believe me when I tell you that our heart’s desire is to be the highest quality of all the low-quality podcasts (bonus points if you can name that reference), and we will settle for nothing less.

So be patient with us while we shoot for the shrubs.

6. I don’t really have a number six. But for some reason I do not want to end on an even number. Odd numbers are so much more interesting, don’t you think?

7. Happy Easter, everybody.

I promise that eventually this week I’ll write about something that’s not music-related, only not right now because OHMYWORD I just got Dave Barnes’ new CD courtesy of a UPS driver who was none-too-happy about having to navigate our steep driveway, and PEOPLE, I AM LOVING THE LATEST DAVE BARNES MUSICAL STYLINGS.

This CD is unbelievable.

Well, I mean it’s actually quite believable in the sense that I’m listening to it and looking at it rightthisverysecond and all. But the music is somehow old school and totally modern at the same time…every single song is thoughtful and clever and as a matter of fact most of the songs will make you want to dance (WATCH OUT, BAPTISTS!).

And in short comma the whole CD just reeks of springtime.

What? You don’t have CD’s that remind you of springtime?

I only have about twenty: Shawn Colvin’s Cover Girl, Dave Matthews Band’s Under the Table and Dreaming, Tracy Chapman’s New Beginning, Blues Traveler’s Four, Hootie & The Blowfish’s (HOOTIE! I MISS HOOTIE!) Cracked Rear View, Indigo Girls’ Nomads Indians Saints, John Mayer’s Room For Squares, Chris Tomlin’s Arriving, and what? This isn’t interesting? To take a walk down my springtime musical hall of fame? What? Should I stop?

Anyway.

I just wanted to mention the new Dave Barnes CD because, well, I am giving away ten CD’s tomorrow. Right here on the blawg.

Just in case you’re interested.

Which you totally should be.

Because, hello, IT’S SIXTY FOUR KINDS OF AWESOME.

See y’all in a little while.