My protege

I babysat for Tia tonight for two hours. By the time she left she was wearing perfume, had her fingernails painted red and was saying, "No deal!"

Sad. Very sad.

Sadly, this is how I've spent much of the past 48 hours.

Mario & Luigi

My neighbors came home from Thanksgiving yesterday with an old school Nintendo in tow. Yes, Josh decided to bring it home and see if it even worked. I had a blast playing Mario Bros and was suddenly transformed back to junior high. On my agenda today? I have an old school Game Boy to uncover.

Friday's Feast

Feast One Hundred and Nineteen

Appetizer Have you ever changed a flat tire by yourself?
No, when I have a flat tire that requires me calling someone and paying them to change it. It's one of those things I should have learned but never have.

Soup Do you have an "innie" or "outie" belly button?
Innie

Salad
Name a new paint color and describe it.
All of my walls in my apartment are off-white and I'm not allowed to paint, therefore, I have no idea what new paint colors are named.

Main Course
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
When I was a little girl, I would sleep in my sister's bed on Christmas Eve and we'd both sneak out in the middle of the night to see what Santa had left for us. Now, we continue the tradition of opening presents on Christmas morning, one at a time, while everyone watches. In recent years, my parents and I like to go to the movies on Christmas Day.

Dessert
If you were a cookie, what kind of cookie would you be, and why?
Growing up my grandma always made Snickerdoodle cookies so they will always have a special place in my heart and remind me of a time of innocence and comfort. If I am going strictly by taste, I'd be a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. Yum!

Just because...

Carrie Bradshaw: Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous.

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm most thankful for my family and friends. This is a picture of my mother and me just before it was turkey-time. She is both beautiful on the inside and out. I hope I'm able to age as gracefully as she has.

Vacation Rewind

Things I loved most about my vacation.

1. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

2. Fat Pig

3. A taping of the Oprah Winfrey Show. Julia Roberts, Cedric the Entertainer and Dakota Fanning were on to discuss Charlotte's Web which opens Dec. 15. Sarah McLachlan was also on to sing a song from the movie. Fantastic!!

Oprah gave everyone in the audience a cashmere Charlotte's Web track suit. I had to model mine. We also received four books and the soundtrack from the movie.

Windy City, here I come!

It's a 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes; it's dark and we're wearing sun glasses. Hit it!
- - - The Blues Brothers

Tomorrow, I'll be in Chicago. My vacation is long overdue. My suitcase is bursting at the seams and I can't wait to see friends and soak up the city that I love so much.

I heart friends

I love my friends. It's the one area of my life I'm most proud of and know couldn't be any better. Even when I'm being ridiculous, there they are standing behind me and, while they may not always agree with me, they are always loving me 100%. My friends always seem to have my best interest at heart. Even when I'm down on life, I know this is the epitome of true love. My friends are my surrogate family and I am so often reminded of how much I am blessed. I was again reminded of that last night as I laughed with Taina and Rachel. There they were, loving me and laughing with me. I must be the luckiest girl in the world.

School of Rock

Tonight I saw Pete Yorn at the Blue Note. Pete, if I were grading you on enthusiasm, wardrobe or appearance you would have barely passed my class. Good thing I'm grading on your ability to totally rock out.

Stranger Than Fiction

I am a movie fanatic so it's not uncommon for me to see several movies in a week. Maybe one or two at the theatre and one or two on DVD. Since starting this blog, I've watched many; only one has been mentioned. Last night, I saw Stranger Than Fiction. It was wonderful. I left the theatre feeling totally in awe about how great the movie was - writing, acting, everying. I would have never picked Maggie Gyllenhaal and Will Ferrell as romantic love interests but, ironically enough, that's why it worked. I do believe this just made my list of favorites this year.

Immersed

I'll bet you didn't know I love guys who play the guitar. Wait...who am I kidding? Of course, you know I love guys who play guitar. I can't quite explain it. The music makes my heart beat a little faster. I become immersed in what I'm hearing, in who is playing. Last night, at The Blue Note, I was immersed in Marc Broussard. He didn't disappoint.

My Sesame Street Personality

You Are Big Bird

Talented, smart, and friendly... you're also one of the sanest people around. You are usually feeling: Happy. From riding a unicycle to writing poetry, you have plenty of hobbies to keep you busy. You are famous for: Being a friend to everyone. Even the grumpiest person gets along with you. How you life your life: Joyfully. "Super. Duper. Flooper."

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

I stole this one from Nichole. I think it's actually fairly accurate except for maybe the sane part. :-)

No surprises here

Just a little over a week ago I wrote about Reece Witherspoon and her husband, Ryan Phillippe spliting up. Now Brittany Spears is filing for divorce from Kevin Federline. No surprises here. If she would have stayed with him I would have thought something was wrong with her (and I still do considering she married him). Brittany, Brittany, Brittany...alas, my interest in celebrity gossip will never cease.

Butterscotch Adendum

Courtesy of my coworkers. I told them at lunch today about Butterscotch and how much I want her.

Lost Treasure

I absolutely love stumbling across forgotten treasures. It might be an old book, perhaps something I read in elementary school, a movie I haven't seen for years or even a song on the radio that reminds me of another time in my life. Recently, I stumbled upon a cd that was still sitting in an old discman that hadn't been used in years. The cd was Heather Nova Siren. Since I stumbled across my lost treasure I've been playing it almost nonstop. I remember when I bought the cd. I was in college and listened to it during my daily commute to and from class. I was a lot younger and things were a lot different. Even though my music taste has changed and evolved I still love this cd. I still love remembering my life at that time and love that one day I will think back and remember my life now as I've been listening to Siren in heavy rotation.

Everybody's workin for the weekend

Amy, Micah and Ellen at Micah's baby shower. (Yes, that's me with a new do.)


Amy, Ellen, Amber and Sara at The Abbey.

I really did have a great weekend. I was fortunate enough to hang out with the Palmyra gals on Friday night at my old stomping ground, The Abbey. I also went to Micah's baby shower on Saturday and then my mom, sister and I went to see Dracula at Quincy University.

One thing I love about my parents. They don't drink. They don't smoke. They do watch a lot of QVC and HSN. Mama Linda proudly showcased a couple new necklaces for me to admire, a new vaccuum and even purchased a microwave/convection oven while I was there over the weekend. I can't wait to see what is under the Christmas tree for me!!

Outta my way kids, I gotta pony to play with

Have you seen this? I want it! I want Butterscotch in a picket fence in my living room so I can brush her hair, feed her a carrot and love her. It's true, I make special trips past the toy aisle at Target to play. I think Meagan and I even scared some kiddos away yesterday with our enthusiasm.

How quirky are you?

Your Quirk Factor: 53%

You're a pretty quirky person, but you're just normal enough to hide it. Congratulations - you've fooled other people into thinking you're just like them!

How Quirky Are You?

The evils of Ritter Sport

When I was in Italy, Monica introducted me to the most decadent chocolate on earth - Ritter Sport. There were days in Italy where the only nutrients that I received were from gellato, Coke Light (Diet Coke) and Ritter Sport. Our favorite bar? Milk Chocolate with Butter Biscuit. It was a hot commodity and if we were lucky enough to score the bar with the brown package it was as good a treasure as any. I haven't seen that package in nearly two years so you can imagine my surprise when I'm checking out at Target last night and that same brown package was staring back at me. Ritter Sport is now available at Target - my favorite store. That is one bittersweet chocolate. Ritter Sport has gone global and it's available at my every whim. My waistline will surely suffer.

Happy November

Meagan reminded me last night of how quickly the past few months have gone when it seems we were just jumping off the diving board and enjoying the pool. Fall is my favorite season. Below are all the reasons why.

-apple cider (hot or cold)
-carmel apples
-anything pumpkin
-brisk air
-turtleneck sweaters
-leaves changing colors
-drinking something hot just to stay warm
-snuggling under the covers on a particularly cold day
-the first snowfall
-all of my favorite tv shows are on again
-memories from long ago of hayrides, homecoming dances and Halloween parties