Taking Notice

What better way to summarize a few funny, quirky and obviously random thoughts than a sharing them in a list of things I've noticed in the last couple of days!

• I realized today that almost every time I reach the final bite of a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, I wish there was another! PB&J just hits the spot sometimes.
• I shutter and shift between pride and sadness when I pick up on Jack saying something correctly that he previously said incorrectly. You moms know exactly what I mean...those mis-sayings are some of their most precious creations. Just like how he says, "I do it my by self!" I almost never correct these slip-ups because they are so endearing. Just last night at dinner, he asked after he finished if he could have a "ba-zert?" It melted my heart, and he of course got a reese's cup shortly thereafter! :)
• How can it be SO much more fun to cook for 240 people than for 4? I guess it doesn't hurt when you've got a fun group of girlfriends gathered in the kitchen to work alongside!

Stay tuned for many more random thoughts!

Versatile?

Since we're in the middle of a crazy week and I have failed to update my poor neglected blog, I've got to pick up somewhere. My sweet friend, fellow blogger, fellow mommy friend, bunco companion, and fellow judgment house participant Lindsey awarded me the label Versatile Blogger. So, here's how it works:

1) Thank and link back to the blogger that gave you the award.

2) Share 7 things about yourself.

3) Pass the award on to 7 blogs you've recently discovered and enjoy.

4) Leave your recipients a note, telling them about the award.

~~~

1. I still remember my favorite shirt from second grade. It had designs similar to clock faces on it and my best friend at the time happened to have the same exact shirt!

2. Me and that same best friend participated in the second grade talent show by lip syncing "He Loves Me" by Whitney Houston. We had that cafeteria rocking...let me tell you. Also, I clearly remember planning to wear our hair in side pony tails and my friend showing up without the agreed on do...maybe that's why she's not my best friend anymore. That and she moved to Illinois after second grade. 

3. In middle school, my dad would make my lunch for me and always decorated my brown paper sack with some interesting artwork. My friends and I always enjoyed seeing what he had drawn when we sat down for lunch. One of my favorites was when he wrote, "This may be Wayne's World, but this is Laura's Lunch."

4. I LOVE Coca-Cola and can't stand the thought of drinking a Pepsi. Restaurants that serve Pepsi, require me to order Mountain Dew, water, etc.

5. My husband and I dated for 5 years before getting married. It's hard for me to believe that we've been together for more than 11 years. Most days I can't remember much about life before him. (Except of course important stuff like talent shows, favorite clothing items, and middle school lunch room laughter.)

6. I once rode in the Goodyear blimp. I was about 3 years old. My grandfather was once the operator/manager of the airport in Athens. The blimp was in town for a big Georgia football game. The only reason I got to go was because my grandfather couldn't get my grandmother on the phone, so he invited my dad. I never got a chance to thank her for being unavailable that day.

7. I've never visited a foreign country (since Jamaica and Canada don't really count), but look forward to changing that sometime in the next three years since my sister is a full-time resident of Germany.

Now, I'm passing the award to some other awesome bloggers:

1. Emily, my sweet sister who pens Red Letters.
2. Sarah, who juggles the fun with the Higgins Hullaballoo.
3. April, who is taking it one day at time over at Chris & April. 
4. Jenn, who isn't getting to blog as much as she'd like because she's too busy using any free time running in the grass.
5. Alicia, who enjoyed her brief stay in the North Georgia mountains but is now back in the big state and left us Seeking Senkels.
6. Kajal, who lives life in the big city, and keeps me smiling, laughing and adoring with shamu the goldfish.
7. Heather, who is also living in a big city, but her's is halfway around the world in Abu Dhabi Adventures.

Tag...You Could Be IT!

So, sweet Julia encouraged her fellow bloggers to answer a few questions. I feel so far behind on all the fun we've been having recently that I don't know where to start to catch up. So, this post is a good way to bide my time.

1) What's your favorite room in your house?
It's a toss up. I love our master bedroom (despite the constant clutter and piles of folded laundry). It's where we start and finish our day. Me and the little guys on most mornings; the whole family on Saturday mornings; watching Curious George; or the most recent UGA game on DVR). My other favorite is probably actually Josh's man cave in the basement. Especially this time of year! There's always a game on, and it doesn't hurt that there's a huge leather couch to spread out or snuggle up (whichever suits your fancy that day), and of course the fireplace!

2) If you had to spend the rest of your life in one season (fall, winter, spring, summer), which would it be?
I'm going with fall. This past two weeks have been gorgeous! The mornings are just a bit on the chilly side, the afternoons are warm with a slight breeze, and you can almost smell the coolness in the air each evening. Not to mention football, blue jeans, comfy sweaters and new tv!

3) Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip?
Mayonnaise,  no question. And, Duke's, if I'm buying....which used to be a source of contention in our household since Josh was raised on Blue Plate. But, he hasn't turned down my mayo yet.

4) What are you most looking forward to?
At this very moment, our extra long, super-sized weekend getaway to Amelia Island Plantation. Most years late October signifies that it's time to make a trek down to Jacksonville for the Georgia/Florida football game. Since the game doesn't always turn out the best for the Dawgs, we've learned to make it a mini-vacay out of it. I'll be so glad to get away from the hustle and bustle for a few days and enjoy some time with my family and catch up with some old friends we don't see nearly enough.

5) What was your favorite vacation as a child?
My most memorable vacation as a child was a trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I can remember touring Kitty Hawk where the Wright Brothers took their first flight...Walking for what seemed like hours on monstrous sand dunes...Staying in what seemed like an old gigantic house that had been subdivided into apartments...Having the swimming pool all to ourselves...And of course, my Coca-Cola Swim Team bathing suit.

6) Books or movies?
Movies. I do enjoy reading, but movies I can enjoy with Josh sitting right beside me.

7) How do you drink your coffee? Do you even drink coffee?
Nope. Love the smell. Hate the taste.

8) What was your favorite childhood Christmas memory?
When I was in about second grade, my grandparents (along with help from my parents and aunt) surprised me with a homemade doll house. It was hidden under a big sheet at my grandparents' house when we arrived Christmas morning. It was an incredible delight...I remember playing for hours on end with that doll house.

If you're up for the challenge, here are a few questions you could answer...
1) What is your favorite month of the year?
2) Your favorite place you've ever lived?
3) Sweet or Salty?
4) Who was your most memorable teacher?
5) What makes you laugh the hardest?
6) Go to the game or watch from home?
7) If you had to pick one item from your closet to wear everyday, what would it be?
8) Worst movie you will admit having seen?

Love/Hate

I know hate is a strong word, but it certainly seems to fit as the opposite of love. I recently thought of a couple of things that make me so happy. I would even go as far as to say I love them, but then there are things that are directly related with these activities that drive me crazy. So, here are a few of my Love/Hates.

LOVE saving money with coupons.
HATE 55 cent coupons.

LOVE walking to the mailbox and getting the mail.
HATE returning to the house with said mail and having to find a place for all the un-fun stuff (bills, catalogs, etc.) until I have time to give them said attention.

LOVE getting great photos and shots with my digital SLR camera.
HATE lugging that giant camera around with me to all the places that I want to capture.

Surely you have something or some things that you Love/Hate. I'd love to hear them.

My Top 5*

So, a fellow blogger of mine recently posted her top 5 favorite shows on television, an idea she borrowed from a friend of hers. Anyway, since I believe all good ideas deserve to be recycled I thought I'd share my list of top tv shows. I try to tell myself I don't really watch that much tv, but then when I found myself trying to narrow down my list to 5, I felt like I was leaving off a few favorites. I guess I've become so dependant on my DVR that I don't really think about the fact that I follow several shows throughout the year. So, I decided to do my top 5, but then also share my honorable mentions!

30 Rock. Hands down my favorite show on tv. No matter what sort of mood I'm in I can always count on 30 Rock to deliver about 22 minutes of solid laughter. Tina Fey is a comedy genius, and I can never get enough of this show. It is also one that Josh loves so it's great to sit around and laugh together. If you've never watched this show, you are surely missing out. I have a few of my favorite episodes just sitting on my DVR. It would just pain me too much to delete them!

The Soup. Without question the only other show on tv that comes close to making me laugh out loud as much as 30 Rock. Take a 30-minute clip show that fills you in on all the ridiculousness and hilarity that has taken place on tv in the last week and combine it with witty (and not bad looking) Joel McHale's dead-on joke delivery and you've got The Soup. This show is the only reason I usually know when there is a popular reality show taking place, as I see all the funniest/most embarrassing/redeeming clips from The Bachelor, Dancing With the Stars, etc.

Mad Men. I first heard about this show when I read about it in Entertainment Weekly a few years ago. I decided to add it to the DVR schedule and give it a test run. The timer hasn't left my DVR since. It is dramatic, interesting and has the advantage of airing mostly during the summer and early fall. Mad Men has the chance to woo you when there really is nothing on tv and then you are hooked. The intriguing Don Draper, the inspiring yet sometimes confusing Peggy Olson, the debonair Roger Sterling, the annoying yet essential Peter Campbell. The list of fascinating characters is endless. Not to mention the whole thing takes place in the 60s. The time warp itself makes for interesting tv.

Grey's Anatomy. In case you've been living on another planet, this show is a medical drama that started by following a group of residents as they started their first day of their surgery residency. I never was a huge ER fan, but I guess I was lacking for a good drama in my rotation when this show began several years ago. Although the last couple of seasons seem to have been lacking in entertainment and a few of the initial characters have moved on, I'm still drawn to the show and interested in what happens to the characters. It also doesn't hurt that this show is one  I can count on to score me a Girls Night Out every now and then.



The Office.  Shot in a documentary style where the characters often make eye contact, gestures, etc. to the camera, this show is one that started slow. Like a fine wine (so they tell me), it has only gotten better with age. Steve Carell has made the fumbling idiotic boss Michael Scott a household name. Another show that Josh enjoys right alongside me, The Office rarely disappoints. I'm a little nervous about next season though. Carell is moving on, and I'm not sure the show will really be able to survive without him or his character.

And since I must share my remaining tv obsessions, here are my very highly ranking honorable mentions:

Law & Order: SVU. Since I couldn't rely on comedy alone, I enjoy the thrill and bit of twists that this crime drama brings. Another show that my hubby and I enjoy together, I've been an SVU fan for many years. Last year brought several great guest stars in some unusual roles.

Hoarders. A reality show that airs weekly on A&E, I stumbled upon Hoarders last year. Monday nights are my evenings to catch up on blogging, the DVR or in this case find new tv programming. Each week the show documents the struggles of two new sets of hoarders as they attempt to regain control of their stuff, their homes, their families and their lives. Incidentally, I have a much easier time parting with clutter these days.

Teen Mom. My other reality tv show obsession, Teen Mom, follows the lives of four young women struggling to find their way mostly because of the consequences surrounding an unplanned pregnancy. Maybe it's because I'm a mom to young kids, but I'm strangely curious about how these teens survive. Some of them make you proud while others infuriate you. Either way, I find myself watching.

Gossip Girl. A definite guilty pleasure, Gossip Girl is my time warp back to high school. It's a cross between Dawson's Creek, 90210 (the original) and Dallas. There is drama, suspense, ridiculous lavishness and often an intensely large vocabulary.

Thank goodness we're just covering current tv. Otherwise I'd have to give big shoutouts to a few of my old favorites, like this, this and of course this (pre-Tori, obviously)!

Simple Pleasures

Over the last few days I've caught myself smiling and enjoying a few somewhat simple pleasures.

Watching the sheer joy a homemade ramp can bring to a pair of automobile lovers!

Getting a haircut. Having your hair shampooed and styled by someone else is sheer bliss, not to mention the adult conversation.

Two dry nights in a row for Jack. He had a bad spell there for a few days, which translated to a grumpy mommy. We're also finally seeing some victories on the #2 front (or rear). Pretty much telling us he needs to go at some point everyday and succeeding!

Seeing your sweet toddler sharing his prized popsicle with his little brother unprompted. This included removing Sam's paci, letting him try the popsicle and then returning the paci to previous position!

Finding some time for leisure reading. Whether it's a magazine or a book. I've found a few moments this week to get lost in the printed words.

The slight breeze (notice I said slight, April!). I'm a lover of warm temperatures, but this summer has been one of the hottest I can remember. I am thankful for things cooling off just a bit...love lunches on the back deck and afternoons outside. I feel like we haven't been able to step outside before 7:30 p.m. all summer long.

White knee socks on fat little chubby baby legs.

Chalk it up as Fun

Five Reasons to LOVE Sidewalk Chalk:

1. It's relatively cheap fun. I got a box of 52 sticks from Wal-Mart for $3. Just try not to factor in that you'll have to wash your child's entire outfit (including shoes) and promptly give them a bath.
2. It gets your creative juices flowing and can make you feel like a kid again. For a moment you can forget about almost anything else that is going on and scribble away. Design anything you like. The world is your oyster, or sidewalk in this case!
3. There are SOOO many colors to choose from, and the colors are so fun and vibrant. How can you not smile after looking at this kind of rainbow of colors?
4. You're never more than a rainstorm away from a completely new design. The rain (or water hose) cleanses your palette and prepares it for a fresh start.

5. Anyone can do it! Here's some of Jack's recent chalk art. Granted I crossed the "A" for him, but he was the one who declared it an "A" (after I asked if it was a "V"...oops!). He's also a fan of "BIG I's" and "little I's," which basically just means long lines and short lines. Won't it be fun to watch his creativity bloom in our own driveway?