Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Zombie Flash Mob

So, it's no secret how I feel about zombies.

Well, maybe not zombies specifically, because I think we can all agree that a bunch of people eaters taking over major cities is not exactly good for our well-being.

But I think you know how I feel about zombie-related shows/movies/publications.

I love 'em.

Can't explain it.

So just a few minutes ago I ran across this post from my friends Courtney and Pete and I was a little more excited than what would be considered a normal reaction to a bunch of people dressed up as zombies and zombie hunters taking over a mall.

Let me explain, I love random.  Dressing up like the walking dead and hangin' out at the food court is beyond random.  Also, I'm obsessed with flash mobs, want to be in a flash mob, want to witness an actual flash mob. 

I'm overwhelmed with  jealousy and anticipation!

Bravo friends.

Ten on Tuesday

Today's questions are on one inevitable truth: summertime is coming/here!  And if, by the end of this post, you're humming LFO's Abercrombie and Fitch, just know you're not alone.




1. From your childhood, what do you miss most about summer vacation?
I think I played a lot.  There was a group of girls I grew up with, and I remember spending time in local pools, running around our back yards, and various sport and church camps.  There is one fond memory, however, and by no means is it fond because it was pleasant, only fond because soon after it was determined he was ok we were able to laugh about it, I was riding my bike in our church parking lot with my friend Amy and her brother Andrew when Andrew fell off his bike and I ran over his head.

He was a little stunned.  But his skull remained intact and we all rode off merrily into the sunset.

After he whined to his mom.


2. Are you going anywhere on vacation this summer?
I live in a spot where people vacation to.  So, this summer I plan on hunkering down and doing like the tourists do.

3. What foods do you like to barbecue?
I've yet to find something that I reeeeeally like on the grill; that magical shishkabob combination, or the perfect hamburger.  But I do enjoy a grilled veggie now and again, possibly a tender chicken breast.

4. How do you celebrate the fourth of July?
Corey and I usually go to his parents' camp on Lake Champlain.  This year we hope to take that plan one step further and sleep in the woods of Valcour Island in Lake Champlain.  It's a very primitive set up, with only one air mattress, but we manage.

5. What’s your favorite beverage to drink in the summertime?
Water.  I save my sugar intake for dessert time.

6. What movie are you looking forward to seeing this summer?
I feel unprepared for this question, I have no idea what movies are coming out.

7. In the car: windows down or AC?
Both, but not at the same time.  Unless I'm freshly showered, then it's strictly AC.  I try to stave off the sweat for as long as possible.

8. Have you ever had a summer fling?
There was a soccer player who played on some semi-professional team in the area one summer when I was 15.  My friend, Jill, and I met him and his teammates at the beach, she lied and told him we were 18.  So one day while at one of his games when he asked what I was doing later on Jill stepped in and said I had a family reunion, when really I had a driver's ed class. 

::::chuckle:::::

Kids.
9. Do you wear sunscreen?
I live in sunscreen.  But not yesterday, when I spent a good hour in the morning trying to tan my legs and ended up with a hefty burn on my shoulders.  Who woulda thunk 10am sun could be so cruel?

10. Do you have any favorite summertime activities?
Here's something I could do everyday: mini golf.  I love me some putt-putt, with the too-blue-to-be-true waterfalls and wooly "sand traps."  The cheesier the better.

I may or may not be developing a putt-putt-crawl for later this summer, in which everyone I can drag along and I tour the best of Lake George's mini-golf circuit, 126 holes made of the finest plastic grass.

Actually, this wasn't in the works, but it might be now.  Details to follow.

...

Happy Tuesday!

Friday, May 27, 2011

Friday Confessions

1.  I get a little too excited when it's time to refill my stapler at work.

2.  Blogger is not letting me comment on my friend's posts.  This is a problem for me because I usually have something to say.  I feel oppressed.

3.  On Monday I was pulled over for talking on my cell phone.

4.  On Wednesday I may or may not have, upon passing the same cop, seeing him see me on my cell phone again, and watching him turn around in the nearest parking lot, taken a few unexpected turns down residential side streets in order to lose him.

5.  NBC canceled my new favorite Thursday show, Perfect Couples.  I'm on the verge of firing up a severe letter writing campaign.  WHO'S WITH ME?!?

6.  ::::chirp, chirp::::::

7.  People who obviously don't know me well enough, or think I may just sprout memory cells overnight, ask me to remind them of something. 

"Hey Stace, remind me to call...."

"Ok.  Hey daddy, remind me to remind you to call..."

8.  Today I'm wearing my favorite summertime pants.  The same pants I wore on my first date with Corey six years ago next month.  The same (white) pants that have stains everywhere.  My strategy: "Oh no!  I must have dropped my breakfast this morning!"

9.  I say my prayers before I go to bed at night, but I make the mistake of saying them while in bed.  Head on pillow, most comfortable sleep position.  Needless to say, I end up dozing off mid-prayer and have dreams about Newt Gingrich hosting a talk show and inviting Elvis Presley on stage to sing Happy Birthday to Katie Holmes.

10.  My co-workers are aware of my shy bladder.  Is nothing sacred in the workplace?!

...

Happy Friday!  Happy 3-day-weekend for (hopefully) most of you!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Double-fisting


What can I say?  I like my ice cream cold, often and in large quantities.

Free Stuff

Here's a contest you might like, but if you find yourself short on time and unable to enter and reduce my chances of winning I will not be offended:

Our Dandelion Wishes is giving out a bunch of goodies, some of which may or may not be gift cards to Target.

With which I may or may not use to purchase this dress


I have one in black and practically sleep in the thing.

So in conclusion: vote for Stacie, winner of ODW prizes.

Or visit her blog and try to win for yourself.

Thank you.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Ten on Tuesday

Here we are with some Tens; some Chelsea Tens so hang on for a totally random ride.

1. Have you ever used Craigslist?
Oh my goodness, yes.  See yesterday's post on frugalness.  I would furnish my entire house AND buy the house I am furnishing solely from Craigslist goodies.

I draw the line at mattresses.


2. Can you sew?
Yes.  Straight lines, the basics.  For everything else I say, "Hey mom, can you do this?"

3. Do you pour syrup on your pancakes or dip your pancakes in the syrup?
Dip??  Do people actually do this?  I'm a pourer.  It's the only way.

4. Rain storms: Love them or hate them?
Love.  Love.  Love.  The more inclement the better.  Unless I'm planning to get married that day.  But since I'm already married I love them all the time.

5. Do you like swimming?
Yes, however I must have perfect conditions: 95 degree water, crystal clear, and no threat of anything biting my toes.  Otherwise, I'm perfectly content looking at the water.

6. What kind of drink do you order at Sonic?
Well, if we had a Sonic it would probably be a tall, icy cup of water.  I'm not one for sugary beverages.  I'd rather get my calories from brownies.

7. Are you funny?
Pssshh.  No.  Probably not.

8. At what age will your kids get cell phones?
Let's see...I got mine when I was 16 and my co-worker's niece got hers when she was 9.  So by the time my children are five years old they will probably be ready to hit up their friends on their Sesame Street cellies.

See.  Not funny.

9. What’s your favorite vegetable?
Artichoke.  Avocado.  Aardvark.  Just kidding.  Avocados are fruit.  And aardvarks are animals.

10. Were you a Girl Scout?
Yes, I was a brownie.  It was fun; I did a May pole dance, learned how to roll up a sleeping bag, "hunted" for boxes of cereal in the woods and made a nest out of pine needles.  I got what I needed out of the thing, then moved on to other projects.  Important kindergarten responsibilities.

...

See you next week.  Just kidding, I'm sure I'll post something in four days.  (rolls eyes)

Monday, May 23, 2011

Weekend Wrap Up: in one word or less

Jewelry.

Aaaaaand now we move on to extreme couponing.

Totally unrelated, but something that has been on my mind.

I love it.

I'm what you might call frugal-minded.

I enjoy the sport of finding a good deal.

So when TLC's Extreme Couponing show aired I was a bit more than intrigued.  And when I finally watched an episode I decided to throw my hat into the mega savings ring.

Except I have no idea how they do it.

Buy $1,200 in groceries and pay $44?  Yes please.

But how??

Dig through the garbage?  No, thank you.  Ask neighbors for their Sunday fliers?  Nuh-uh.  Scour the internets for deals?  Possibly, if I can find eight spare hours in my day.

A tad discouraged, I thought I could still be a moderate couponer and still see a pair of GAP sale jeans worth in savings.

So I started with a few of my own fliers and half an hour.

My success: bottle of Wisk, originally $7-something for $1.49.

Score!!

Except I don't use Wisk.

Eh.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Oliver-dog

Because I'm a total Lame-O blogger this week, I give you....

..

...

......

A post from 2009.

Enjoy dear friends.

...

Corey and I own a dog. Oliver.


Also known to me as Oliter, buddy, bud, buster bottoms, sugarkins, and psycho.

Also known to Corey as dog.



If he had an online dating profile it would read:

My name is Oliver, I am a 4 year old golden retriever who loves the outdoors. Although I'm a cancer, don't expect me to be independent. I will latch onto you like a tick, which I've had. My hobbies are: swimming, hiking, rolling in the grass, rolling in the snow, eating stuff people drop on the floor, cuddling, and chasing my back foot.

I am looking for friendship, anything more is physically impossible. Pee on a stick in Congress Park if you're interested and I'll track you down.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Well, that is how you became a Mother...

Nothing says Happy Mother's Day like 30 minutes of people "doin' it" freaky style.

Monday, May 16, 2011

My Life

"Beetle, where does this go?"

"Upstairs, just set it on my table."

"But where does it go?"

" (sigh) in the little blue basket on top of the white wire baskets."

"Where??"

"In the blue basket!"

"What blue basket??"

"Just put it on my table!"

"But WHERE does it GO???"

"In the BLUE basket on top of the WHITE WIRE BASKETS!!!"

"....??"

"Just PUT IT on my TABLE!!!"

"Oh, do you mean THIS blue basket??"

"YES!!"

"Why didn't you just SAY that??"

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Differences

I have a dog. His name is Oliver. He weighs almost 80 pounds.


My aunt has a dog. Her name is Sophie. She weighs as much as my make up bag.


Oliver sits on the ground.

Sophie sits in laps.


Oliver will die if he is not pet, touched, or talked to every second he is in your presence.
Sophie needs her space.
Oliver prefers to hold your hand in his mouth. Also your foot, wrist or face will do.


Sophie might lick your fingernail.

Oliver needs an hour walk each day.

Sophie keeps trim by running from the front door to the back door.


Oliver snacks on used tissues and other garbage goodies.


Sophie can't be bothered by icky things.

Oliver has thick golden fur on his chest.

Sophie is a girl. Girls just don't have hairy chests.


Oliver stands over four feet tall.

Sophie can't quite reach my knee.



Oliver wants to french kiss everyone who comes through the door.



Sophie wants to kill everyone who comes through the front door.

Oliver is successful.

Sophie is not.
...

We can learn an important lesson from our dogs: accept our differences and focus any negative feelings on more worthy targets.

Squirrels.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Friday Confessions

1.  I cannot braid my own hair.  This was never a problem until I moved out of my mom's house.  Now I will be unbraided forever.  Or until I have daughters...or a lady in waiting.

2.  Last week we ran out of plastic forks at my office so I had to eat my mac 'n cheese with chopsticks.

3.  I keep chopsticks in my desk.

4.  When I was younger my dad went on a men's outing with our church to a baseball game.  I wanted so badly to go with him I put on a baseball cap and taped a mustache I cut out of brown construction paper to my lip.  Didn't work.

5.  I nearly fell out of my seat on Wednesday when an Ace of Base song came on.  I was in the car with my seat belt on.  It takes a lot to almost fall out of a seat belt.

6.  I love Ace of Base.

7.  Guilty pleasure, game I never owned and could only play at my BFF Amy's house: Battleship.

8.  Sorry neighbors, my dog pees on your hasta plants.

9.  Whenever I hear anyone starts a sentence saying, "How about..." I have an incredible urge to finish it with "...how 'bout, how 'bout a color shout!!  GREEN, green, green, green, green.  WHITE, white, etc..."

10.  Whenever I have to spell the word "success" I have to think back to the Full House episode where Stephanie loses the spelling bee.  You know the one I'm talking about.

Similarly, when spelling the last name "McDonald" I have to sing out the letters like McDonald's did in a commercial way back when.

...

Blogger deleted half of this post this morning, along with an entire post from yesterday, and I'm downright postal about it.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

In Celebration...he said wha...??

So, I missed Corey & Stacie's 2nd anniversary, its blogiversary if you will.

Last year four of you may recall me missing the first anniversary, too.

(hey, I don't claim to be superblogger.)

Why do I always think I started this thing in June?!

It could have something to do with being knee deep in wedding plans and borderline crazy for several months straight rendering me unable to commit simple dates to memory.

Or just being a tad spacey on occasion.

Anyblog...in celebration of two wonderful years of telling stories to no one in particular about the dumb things Corey and I do that make us look like a couple-a boogaloos, I'm posting a blast from the past that I randomly stumbled on.

...

On Wednesday, May 5 (ahem, Cinco de Mayo) Corey surprised me with an outing to celebrate my 1/8 heritage!

Technically, I'm not sure if we're Spanish or Mexican, two very different nationalities, but we are so far removed I just say I'm Mexican. Part Mexican. Small part. But I digress.

I received this notice in my email:



I love plans. I love order. I love direction. This was a welcomed email.

We did have hot dogs on the grill and we did go to Hattie's for that frosty beverage that turned into four frosty beverages for a certain husband who will remain nameless.

I can't say for sure if it was the orange soda talking or if it was Corey being Corey, but this conversation did actually happen:

"Yay, it's Cinco de Mayo!"


"I know!"


"Hey, my birthday falls on Cinco de Mayo!"


"Uh....your birthday is the 10th."

"I know, isn't Cinco de Mayo a week long thing?"


"Cinco de Mayo means May 5th. That's today."

"OHHhhh, I thought it was this whole week."


He then felt very embarrassed and told me not to tell anyone.

"But you know I have to put this in the blog, right?"

"I know."

Don't be fooled. He loves the attention.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

But on a lighter note...

Yesterday I went out to lunch with my dad.

me: "The specials look good.  What are you gonna to have?"

dad: "I don't know.  That was a pretty sexy egg salad she was putting together over there..."

Jewelry and math problems

I've mentioned this before, but I feel like diggin' it up again, probably because I'm lacking sympathy...

...kinda like how preggos eat dirt because they need more iron in their diet.

Or worms.

I make jewelry in my spare time.  Which at this moment means every spare minute in which I am not at my "real" job or sleeping...or eating, or folding laundry every third week.

It started a few years ago, I stumbled on a fun little craft and decided to give it a try.  I've always had my hands in tons of different mediums, so why the heck not shear a few sheep and make cutsie little beads out of their sweaters?

So I snagged a few different colors or wool at my local craft store, messed up a few beads, emailed a professional, learned the right way to do it, learned not to use craft store wool, learned that craft store wool made me itch something fierce, and so on.

Let's not make this a normal Stacie post.  Go with the Reader's Digest version today.

Oh dear, I guess I do tend to get carried away with the details.

So let's fast forward to last fall: for some reason I decided to try making money with these little felt thingies.  I took 'em to a store near Albany and much to my surprise people bought my stuff!  There is a felt ball niche; it's small, but there.

Then I thought, "if a few people in Albany like my goods, why not try a craft fair?"  Then I said to myself, I says to myself, I says, "But, not just any dinky little thing in the park where you show up for a few hours and families stroll by on their way to get ice cream, but a real, 30,000 attendees, rules and regulations, entire weekend kind of fair."

What were you thinking?

What was I thinking??

We've paid a quarter of a million dollars in supplies and fees (slight exaggeration, I admit), and my daily quota is to roll 20.6 felt balls (I generally round up, it's not quite that easy to tell when a ball is only .6 felted...) and construct 3.5 pieces.

That sounds reasonable.

Pppppshhhh. 

20.6 felt balls...I mean 21 felt balls takes about 45 minutes.  And just one of a certain style of necklace takes 3.5 hours.  Do the math, friends.  That's 3.5 + 3.5 + 3.5 + (3.5x.5) + 45 = STRESS.

And 57.25.  But that's not taking into account the minutes and hours thing where you convert the hours to min....never mind, I've lost track of myself again.

(Warning: even more whining ahead)

People, I am tired: I space out on my drive to and from work.

I have no life: the stinkin' sun is shining and all I can do is look at it from my window or while walking my psycho dog.

I am getting sick of felt: I find it on all of my clothes, my furniture, my FOOD.

I want to not whine about something that I used to enjoy!

...sigh. 

And that's all I have for you today. 

No funny business.

Just pure ranting.

It's like I'm planning a wedding, sheesh.

But just so you know the "wedding" is June 11 and 12, so I should be back to normal after that.

I mean, after I go through a week of decompression.  Like the scuba divers do.

Hopefully then I will be able to stay on topic.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

HaPpy BiRThDaY!!



Today, Mr. Corey Lucas, of Corey & Stacie fame, turns 39 years old.

Not 38, as he believe for the better part of this year.

His bones are aching, he falls asleep on the couch at 9pm, and he can no longer eat spicy wings without already being seated on a toilet, but the guy hasn't got a single gray hair, he's relatively wrinkle free, and he landed a hot young wife.

....that last one might be a bit of a stretch.

I wouldn't consider pimple cream and flannel pjs to be altogether too attractive but to each his own, I guess.

Look at me digressing on someone else's day.

Happy Birthday Corey!!

Ten on Tuesday

I love movies.  Love them.  And I love talking about them.  Thank you Chelsea!



1. If you could watch only one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
As with most things, my favorites change daily.  If you ask me today I'd say Diary of a Mad Black Woman.  If you ask me tomorrow I'd probably say the same thing.  But if you ask me Thursday I might say Baby Mama.


2. Let’s say someone wrote a screenplay about you; what actor/actress would you choose to play you and why?
Katherine Heigl, we seem to have the same quirky, awkward mannerisms.  We were separated at birth.

And by about 12 years.

And by different parents.  But I think you know what I mean.

3. What’s the first movie you remember seeing in theaters?
The Little Mermaid...and it terrified me!  To this day those little squirmy people in the witches lair still creep me out.

4. Did you ever make out at the back of a movie theater in middle school/high school?
Nope.  But even if I did, do you think I would announce it here, where my parents and in-laws lurk?!

5. Are you a Netflix-er, Blockbuster-er or a Redbox-er? (Or none of the above?)
Sadly, none of the above.  I love movies and I used to get a lot out of my Netflix, but now I 1)don't have time to watch movies, 2) don't have a working DVD player, and 3) am married to someone who has the complete opposite taste in movies but couldn't sit still through one even if he did pick it out.

6. Name one actor/actress who you would give anything to have a dinner date with.
Johnny Depp.  I love his movies to pieces.  Some of my favorites are ones he stars in, like Benny and Joon and What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

Actually, they might be favorites because he's in them.

7. What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?
The Wedding Date with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney.  I think he should be in movies but as the tortured soul who is too tortured to speak.  He's pleasant to look at but is as bland as wheat pizza crust when he opens his mouth.  Debra Messing is good but the plot was ridiculous.

Second least favorite: Leap Year.

8. Do you sneak snacks into the theater when you go?
Oh yes.  Bottles of water, crackers, and candy.  My sister once wondered if she should try bringing in a Subway sandwich.  She thought better of it.

9. Movie theater popcorn: love or hate it?
No thank you.  It's so loaded with junk, costs as much as one of my car payments, and I'm not a big popcorn fan anyway.

10. What is the all-time best Disney movie in your opinion?
Also changes daily.  Today: The Little Mermaid.  Because I was just thinking about it.  And I used to stand outside my house singing Part of Your World.

Badly.

And loudly.

...

Enjoy your Tuesday!  Hopefully it's as sunny as mine!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Breakfast

For those of you who took one look at the length of my last post and said, "I just don't have the energy to tackle that," here is an itty-bitty post.

Enough to get your Corey/Stacie fix for the day.

Or week.

Or year if you reeeeeally dislike us.

It's on the subject of love.

Or guilt.

I haven't decided.

Yesterday Corey was not on his best behavior.  The day both started and ended with things not so pleasant.  Luckily this time he knew what was best and did not push the issue as I crawled into bed.

We don't mess with this lady's 8+ hours.

So this morning as I was in my little reading nook, getting some quiet time in before work I heard movement downstairs in the kitchen.

First the microwave, then rummaging through storage containers, followed by liquid poured into a cup.

Next thing I knew I was being handed a bowl of oatmeal, just how I like it, minus walnuts because I ran out, and a cup of orange juice.

Nothing said, just a presentation of breakfast and hasty retreat.

This man gets on my very last nerve, but at least he knows what to do to make it right.

The End.

Weekend in Review: lots of stuff you didn't know you wanted to know

So far in May (and part of April) my weekends have been full of sunshine.

But not literally.  It rains a lot here in the spring.

Last weekend was a healthy dose of laser tag and serious girl bonding over pizza and ice cream.

This weekend was just a hodge podge of random goodness.

First, there was some serious scheming between the girls in my mom's sewing class on Saturday.  They figured out what they want their next project to be, when they are crashing my apartment for a sleep over, and what activities will take place in said sleepover:

"We can sneak into your bedroom when Corey is asleep and put make-up on him!!"

"Oh really?"

"Wait, is he a heavy sleeper?"

"Not at all."

"Ok.  Then we'll give him some sleeping pills, drag him into the bathroom and pierce his ears!!!"

It was too adorable for words.

From there I went out in search of a large silver platter.

See, I have this big craft show coming up and I decided to display my business name (s.j.l. original) on a chalkboard affixed to the inside of a silver platter.  Problem: no silver platter.  Solution: peruse Saratoga garage sales and estate sales.

My first stop was this old brick mansion on the east side of town.

We have old 1800's mansions just hangin' out in the neighborhoods in my town, by the way.  I would show you pictures but you would drool all over your computer and plan extended vacations that would turn into permanent vacations and I just don't want to risk you snatching up my dream house.

Nothing personal.

So I stopped at the mansion and it started to rain.  Some of the goods were covered by thick green tarps so at first glance I wasn't sure if this place would end up a dud.  At one end was an uncovered section of a makeshift table.  On it a tray with a sign that read, "Everything 10 cents."  And on the tray: a mayo jar full of wine corks and old wooden spools of thread.

This means nothing to you, I know.  But to an old junk hound like me I was thrilled.  Not only do I get a whole jar of corks, for which I have no idea what I am going to do, but also a little knick-knack to display with my other knick-knacks for only TWENTY CENTS.

Oh the joy.

But I still needed to look for my platter.  I move on and find two small silver serving trays.  Dang.  Not what I needed.  But there were still several tables covered by tarps.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a large silver platter.  I saw that you had two smaller ones and I didn't know if...."

She lifts up one of the tarps and there, stacked seven deep, were large silver platters.

Jackpot.

Beyond that: old silver plated flatware.

Score.

I left with $10 in goodies.  Treasures.  Supplies.

Corey calls it crap.

He's not yet able to see the potential in others' trash, er, disposables.  We're working on that.

Next I took a quick trip to the grocery store for toilet paper.

It's sort of a staple in our house to, you know, get rid of the dog's eye goopies.

I was a little hungry so I picked up some fixin's for my lunch: mozzarella with tomato and avocado.




Oh dear, sweet, baby puppies was it delicious.

It was the kind of meal you write home about.  And I did.  In a text.

Later on that night was the Kentucky Derby.  Kind of a big deal in a horse racing town like Saratoga.  A local racing hot spot, Siro's, (the same Siro's mentioned in Clare Boothe Luce's The Women, btw) opened for the day to everyone who wanted to be at Churchill Downs but couldn't come up with the $12,000 box fee.

A steal, if you ask me.  But I digress.

I wasn't thrilled to be there.  I'm more of a pjs and barcalounger type and tend to avoid fancy clothes and stand-in-uncomfortable-shoes situations.  But what made it all worth it was the free burrito and enchilada buffet.

People, I will forever possess the poor college kid mentality that you take whatever freebies you can get.

And this was not only cost effective, but darn tasty.

The rest of the night came and went, as did a few dozen felt balls, and then we woke up to Mother's Day.

I love my mom.  She likes to be all up in my business about a lot of things but I don't mind because she's usually right.  Annnnnnd she makes sure I'm safe.  And happy.  And healthy.

"Ok, so you can take the train out of DC and you'll be in Albany in only seven hours and it will only cost $250."

The dear knew I did not enjoy my extended stay in the Washington DC airport.

She takes care of me.

So we took her out for breakfast after church at this cute little cafe that serves a mean cinnamon raisin bread.

I filled up on peach pancakes.

I'm noticing all of the good moments of my weekend surround the food I ate.  I may or may not have an eating problem.

Afterward Corey and I went north to Lake George where we met his parents for lunch.

Yes, this was immediately after breakfast.  Needless to say neither one of us was hungry.

Until it was time for dessert.

Again, I may or may not have a problem.

My mother-in-law is pretty special too.  She never had a daughter so I try my hardest to fill the gaping void having one very active, sometimes troublesome son leaves.

Corey has some stories.

Like knocking over gas pumps, and swiping lawn ornaments, and running shopping carts into glass doors.

Lord help me when I have his babies.

The rest of the day was less about food and more about relaxation.

And laundry.  But that's always a Sunday thing.

The weekend ended with putting fuzzy wool earrings together on the couch while watching Obama talk about nailing the nastiest man in Stacie's 28 year history.

And that, my friends, was my weekend.  A great end to a busy week.

Or is it a great beginning to another busy week...

It was great.  That's it.

...


Bachelor Mansion.

A block from my house.

You can stay here when you come.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Friday Confessions

1.  I spent Tuesday night sniffing glue.

2.  It was for the sake of my craft.

(them earring posts ain't gonna stick themselves.)

3.  Honey is best out of a bear shaped container.

4.  While sitting in a crowded theater I would catch the occasional whiff of nachos.  I thought, "Oooo, mmmmm..."  And then I realized I was in a crowded theater with no nachos in sight.

Nacho burps.  I was smelling nacho burps and from then on I started breathing through my sleeve.

5. Guilty pleasure, movie edition: Waterworld.  I may or may not have stayed up to watch all four hours and taped it for later.

6.  I bought salad dressing because I liked the color.  It tastes ok.

7.  I have been itchin' to use the word "bugaboo" in a sentence.  Please tell me what the corect usage would be so I don't sound like a doofus.

8.  Guilty pleasure, music edition: anything 1990's Mariah Carrey, before she became diva queen.

9.  I plan on being one of those old lady bingo players.  I also plan to be a not-so-old lady bingo player.  I caught the bug in elementary school when that was the game of choice on rainy days.

10.  Should a Head's Up Seven Up league form somewhere in the northeast I will be all over that sucker too.

...

Enjoy your Friday!  And don't forget the Kentucky Derby tomorrow!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Busy, but not too busy for laser tag

Hey.  Remember me?

Yeah, I used to post stuff here.

Stuff like how I walked around town with my fly wide open every other day.

Or how Corey thinks pee comes from a uterus.

Those were the good ol' days.

Now I've got a million things going on all at once and writing out a blog post has fallen below such crucial activities as performing the duties for which I'm paid, keeping myself alive and smelling good, and watching Seinfeld.

(it relaxes me, don't judge.)

And then there's the planning of a major fundraiser, making sure my dog is walked and psycho-free, and massive felt ball production also keeping me from sharing the most intimate and ridiculous details of Corey's and my life.

Sor-ry.

From now on I'll try to leave little tid-bits while I sort through the flim-flam:

Last Saturday was laser tag day for my mom's sewing class.

You know I love laser tag.

It was my idea.

And you know I'm not exactly 28 years old.

More like 12.

So we had a blast.  There were nine of us: five kids, two parents, and two "adults."

I use the word "adult" loosely when referring to my sister Kimberlie and myself.

We all played, along with a 10-year-old boy's birthday party guests.

There were alliances.  There were strategies.  And there were team meetings.  People, we played to win, and those boys knew how to win. 

Sadly, the girls' best strategy was to follow a single member of the other team the entire time. 

Eh, they're still learning how to fight.

Because it's not already in their genes (ahem).

(that was a probably too vague reference to my disapproval of women in combat...we're lovers not fighters, but i digress)

Afterward we stopped by Pizza Hut for stuffed crust pizza, soda, heavy duty hand washing, and a "you don't look almost 30" from our waitress (thanks shirley, and thanks mom for feeling the need to tell strangers how old your children are).

Pizza was directly followed by a walk in the park and Coldstone ice cream.

In conclusion:  Best.  Day.  Ever.

And yet, I can't remember a time when I've been more tired.

Being 12 is exhausting.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Ten on Tuesday

Love the questions for today.  On a randomness scale of 1 to blue, I'd say these questions are a pineapple.



1. What is the weather like in your city today?
Tuesday morning: 60 degrees and very cloudy.  We're supposed to get rain and thunderstorms the next three days.  Yay.

(but secretly, I really do like inclement weather...)


2. Do you like the zoo?
I have mixed feelings about zoos.  I love animals.  Love, love, love.  And I like going to zoos where they really take care of their animals.  But then there are some that use the animals to make money and that makes me want to break in and rescue them.

My landlord barely allows a dog of Oliver's size.  I can't imagine he'd be too happy about monkeys and tigers and emus and reindeer.

3. Do you eat coconut?
I could take it or leave it.  I'm never really itchin' for some coconut cream pie, but if my choice is between that and a carrot cake I'll take the coconut every time.

Carrots do not belong in cakes, but that's for another time.

4. Have you ever hammered a nail? Are you good at it?
I have not only manually hammered a nail, I have nail gunned a nail...if that's the proper use of, um, never mind.  I'm a big fan of nailing stuff together, but as an apartment dweller I don't have much use for a hammer and nails, besides hanging pictures which is so boring.

5. Does your family have a vacation destination that you visit often?
Corey and I usually go to Palm Beach in the early spring.  It's a nice little getaway.  We know what we like: walks on the beach, Charlie's Crab, Norton Museum of Art, City Place, laying by the pool.  And what we don't like: Checkers, Dixie Highway, IHOP, Florida drivers.

6. How many pillows do you sleep with?
I start with two, then I get a cramp in my neck and end up with one.  And every single time I go through this pillow rotation/elimination process I think to myself, "Why do you even try to use two pillows?  It never works!"  But alas, I never learn.

7. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Check my email then check the weather and hope it's too cold/raining to walk the dog.  Getting up at 5:40am is actually not my favorite part of the morning.

8. Will you send your kids to summer camp?
Hecks yeah.  I had so. much. fun at all of my summer camps.  My kids will be going.  And they will like it.

Side note:  anyone ever watch Bug Juice on the Disney Channel?  I was soooo hooked.  (I had younger sisters, don't judge.)

9. What do you put in your baked potatoes?
Regular potatoes: tub o' sour cream and whatever we have in the fridge.  Sweet potatoes: brown sugar and maple syrup...mmmmm.

10. Did you take swimming lessons as a kid?
Oh yes.  I went all the way up to the dolphin level, I even took diving lessons.  But I stopped before the top level, the shark, because they had to touch the bottom of the deep end and I had this minor issue of, well, panicking under water.

...

See?  Random.  Now go show Chelsea some love for breakin' her brain over 'em.