Table Topics Tuesdays

With regards to my attempt to "trim the fat", this question seemed appropriate for this week...

would you stop eating junk food

in order to live 5 years longer?

I don't wanna hear no horror stories...

It's a pretty safe bet that I will never go camping... but if I were, I'd want to go with these four:

And I mean that in a totally non-perverted, non-cougarish way.

I might just suffer through sleeping on the ground and being one with nature, just so I could listen to Gordie tell the Best. Campfire. Story. Ever.

Sincerely.

"Trim the Fat" Thursday

Awhile back I posted about needing to get my rear in gear to start getting this extra weight off. And though I began the path to a healthier and slimmer me in earnest... I have since veered off said path. Waaaaay off.

I started out with the mindset of "I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that..." However, lack of follow-through is my downfall. I get bored easily and what happens is I revert back to my old habits of eating junk and not exercising.

It's been well over a week since I've let Jillian kick my bootay. And while at first I was eating more fruit and less sweets... well, let me just say that my last trip to the grocery store resulted in not one, but three bags of cookies making their way into my pantry (doing the grocery shopping on an empty stomach and while suffering from PMS is not a good idea)

So I've decided to follow Angie's lead by posting my goals each week in hopes to get back on track in my efforts to "trim the fat".

For the next seven days, I'd like to:

• exercise at least 3 times (whether it's a Jillian workout or just using the Wii fit... at least I'm doing some sort of activity)

• drink 3 to 4 glasses of water daily (I know I should strive for 8 glasses of water each day, but baby steps, people... baby steps!)

• write down everything I eat (I really need to pay attention to the food choices I'm making)

Check back next Thursday to see how I've done...

I don't get it...

With both of my girls having birthdays in the same month, having joint parties is inevitable. The first such party was in 2005... the year Hannah turned 4 and Michaela, 2.

The theme for the girls' party that year was "Dora the Explorer"... from Shane and I, they received Dora's Talking House as their gift. And they were given tons of accessories for the house from other family members.

I know my girls got a lot of use out of the toy... it was one of their favorites. But for the longest time, Dora's casa and all the pieces have been sitting in a box, lost in the depths of the garage. My intention has been to try and sell the loot on eBay... but you know how the saying goes: "out of sight, out of mind".

So after sitting in the garage for at least the last two years, I decided it was finally time to purge. I hauled the box upstairs so I could get everything ready to be listed on eBay. I left the box sitting in the living room... walked away to get some laundry started... and when I came back into the living room, I saw this:

My six-year-old and eight-year-old playing with Dora the Explorer. Six. And eight. Playing with Dora the Explorer's Talking House. This from the kids who refuse to wear clothes from Gymboree anymore because "their clothes are too babyish".

Of course, Hannah and Michaela thought I had lugged the stuff out just for them to play with. When I explained I was in fact going to get rid of all of it... well, you would have thought I told them I was selling not only their most prized possession, but every single one of their toys, as well. Sheesh.

Table Topics Tuesdays

what fashion trend you followed was cool then

but looks ridiculous now?

You know you're a mom when...

• You've excused yourself "to go potty" while in the company of adults.
  

• You know the words to the theme song for "Phineus & Ferb"/ "iCarly"/ "Hannah Montana"... and you sing it even when your kids aren't around.

• The only band-aids in your house are of Curious George/ Littlest Pet Shop/ Barbie designs.

• You catch your child's vomit in your hands without blinking an eye.

• You make sure your kids are bathed and wearing clean clothes... but it's been two days since your last shower.

• You know it's a thankless job, but you really wouldn't have it any other way.

my reasons for being...

Hosting my first swap was a lot of work... but it was also a lot of fun. Thanks to all who participated! I'm really looking forward to seeing the goodies everyone gets from their swap partner. So let the "Hometown Swap" parade begin!

Little bit of this, little bit of that...

• My house is being invaded by insects!  ACK!  Spiders, beetles, centipedes... I don't know if they are just trying to get out of the heat or what... but I wish they would stay outside where they belong.

• We leave for vacation in two weeks!  Woo hoo!

• I can't decide whether or not to get my hair cut before we go on vacation... or just leave it. I'm partial to short hair... right now, my hair is shoulder-length, and this is the longest it has been in a awhile.  I've been saying for years I'm going to let it grow out, but then when it gets about to the length it is now, I inevitably cut it. My dilemma about vacation is I know I'll just be pulling it back into a ponytail or in a clip, in order to keep it off my neck in the sweltering heat. But if I chop it off, I won't have to deal with it...

• I have made so many trips to the post office lately, I think they now know me by name...

• I watched my niece and nephew one day last week... the kids had tons o' fun playing on the slip n' slide:

Have a great weekend!

A Weekend of Firsts

My dad has always had an interest in motorcycles. He even had one when I was a kid... but I never rode on it. My brother and sister would hop on the back for a quick ride... but not me. Of course, Matthew and Heather thought it was pretty funny their big sister was too scared to get on the bike and they'd tease me mercilessly.

I think it was just a few years before Hannah was born when Shane's dad bought a motorcycle trike. His mom and dad would go riding a lot, even taking a trip on the bike all the way down to Key West, Florida! Every once in awhile, Tommy would take his grandkids for a spin around the backyard. Just like my brother and sister did when we were kids, my girls would get a laugh out of the fact they rode on the bike while their mom wouldn't!

Well, guess what? I can mark "ride a motorcycle" off the list. Shane recently got his motorcycle license and somehow convinced me to go for a ride this past Saturday. We took his dad's trike out for about an hour or so. While I can think of other ways to have a good time, I wouldn't be entirely opposed to going again sometime (sorry, Angie!)

And I'm not sure what got into me this weekend... 'cause I did something else I swore I would never do.

I am not "outdoorsy". At all. On occasion I've gone out "hiking" (and I use that term loosely) with Shane. I don't garden, I don't go fishing; I've never been camping. Now, I can say without a doubt camping is something I will never do. Unless instead of a tent, there is a camper... with electricity... and running water... and internet connection... (you get the idea)

So are you are surprised to learn I spent my Sunday afternoon on the lake?

Shane, myself and the girls went out with my aunt and uncle on their pontoon boat. Also along were my mom, my Nana, sis Heather and our nephew, The Boy.

After cruising around for a bit, we stopped at a quiet spot to eat lunch. While it was cool enough when the boat was in motion, once we were still it was getting a little warm. Mom and Heather were the only one with swimsuits on... so the kids and I settled for just sticking our feet in the water.

And, honestly? Even sticking my feet in was a big step for me. If the water ain't chlorinated, I don't swim in it. Lakes, streams, rivers, creeks, the ocean... ugh, I can only imagine the nasty things in the water. Fish poo, bird poo... dead fish, fish eggs... I'm getting grossed out just thinking about it!  And don't even get me started on what might be lurking underneath the water...

So when my mom said she'd give me $20 to jump in, I told her she done lost her mind.

My mom then upped the ante to $100.

My sister chimed in that she'd match that bet.

My uncle said I was the crazy one, if I didn't take the bet.

Do y'all think I took the bet?




Let's just say, I've now got the money for my flight to Vegas.

Table Topics Tuesdays

where would you choose to live

if you had to leave the U.S.*

(*or whatever country you call home)

Heather's Swap Package

My lil' sis participated in the Hometown Swap... since she doesn't have a blog, I'm posting about the fabulous package she received from Karla!

Just look at these goodies!

First up is a Cardinal's shot glass (St. Louis is hosting this year's MLB All-Star game)...

Chocolates from Crown Candy Kitchen (an old candy store that Karla says feels like you are stepping back in time ..besides making their own chocolate, they also serve lunch and dinner)...

A deck of St. Louis playing cards to represent the riverboat casinos along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers...

Wait!  There's more!

Chuck Berry, Nelly, and David Cook CDs (they are all MO natives)...

Heather and her friend/roommate, Helen, can't wait to have an "Italian Night" for dinner using Zia's pasta sauce and Imo's salad dressing... 

And finally, some yummy, gooey butter cookies (Heather and Helen's favorite... I even got to try one and they are dee-lish!).  Per Heather's command request, I've already begged Karla for the recipe!

Karla,

Thank you for everything!   I love every item you sent... and the thought you put into your package is awesome!

Heather

p.s. I am so not kidding about the cookie recipe.  We need our fix soon!

I got inked!*

I think this will totally up my street cred, don't you?

Conversations in the Car, Vol. III

from the backseat, whilst out running errands:

Hannah: Oh! Mom! Mom! Mom! Can we stop for ice cream? Can we? Please, please, please? We're the best children in the world!

Michaela (to her sister): Ummm, actually... we're not.

From My Hometown... To Yours!

So you wanna know the biggest perk for being the hostess of the Hometown Swap? I got to choose who sent a package to me, MWAHAHAHA!

In all seriousness... when I first thought about hosting a swap, I just wanted it to be fun, but had no idea what type of "theme" the swap should be.  I then thought of where I would like to receive a package from... and the idea for "From My Hometown... To Yours!" was born.

I've actually visited quite a few states (I think it's 26, at last count)... but I've never been to New England, the Pacific Northwest or California.  And apparently, many of the swap participants haven't visited those places either... it seems just about everyone wanted to "visit" New England or the Pacific NW!  

But when Sam signed up for the swap, I knew exactly where my package was coming from... 

Fabulous goodies from California wine country!  Including guides and maps...

A bottle of a Late Harvest Zinfandel dessert wine, wineglasses and the cutest wine glass coasters... they're flip-flops! 

A jar of black grapes in a Pinot Noir syrup.  The label says they can be enjoyed "with ice cream, cheese, main-course meats"... 

There's also Ghirardelli chocolates (the company is based in San Francisco), seed packets for California Poppies (the state flower), handmade lavender soap and an avocado fresia scented candle...

Sam,

Wow!  Thank you so much!

I'm still learning about wine, so the guides will definitely come in handy.  And I can't wait to try the dessert wine and grapes.  The "tacky treasures" that are the flip-flop coasters are the best... you know me so well.  I also cannot tell you how thrilled I am to finally have wineglasses that are not Christmas-y!  And the chocolates are my favorite variety... milk chocolate and caramel, YUM.  You put a lot of thought into your package... and I love every single thing!  Thanks again!

Natalie's Hometown Swap package

One of the participants from my Hometown Swap is Natalie... as her blog is set to "private", I told Natalie I would post about her package of goodies on my own blog.

Here's what Natalie received from Erin:

And here is what Natalie had to say about her goodies:

Erin from Florida sent me Saltwater taffy (which we devoured that very day), pumpkin scrub, coffee, key lime coconut chocolates, a picture she took of her beach, a postcard, a map, light up flamingo necklace (which my 2 year old loves), a key chain from her local surf shop, and a leaf from a native tree.  Thanks Erin!! 

Table Topics Tuesdays

would you be likely to survive

alone in the wilderness?

Move over, Roger Ebert

I want to be a film critic.  

'Cause there are a lot of movies I'd like to see this summer... and how awesome would it be to see movies for free and/or get paid to do so?  (can we say "dream job"?)

First up, is this one, which I've been waiting for since July 2007:

Oh, how I've missed you, Harry.  And you, too, Ron and Hermione.  

Then there is this one:

It's Transformers 2, in case you're wondering... and it's about as sci-fi as I'll go.  The fact that the movie stars this hottie might have something to do with why I want to see it.  Just a little.   

The girls want to see this one:

I've seen bits and pieces of the first one, so I'll have to Netflix it and get caught up before seeing #2.

This one looks really good:

Or maybe it's just Johnny Depp that looks really good.  Eh, either way... I still want to see the movie.

And every time I see the trailer for this one, it makes me want to see the actual movie more and more:

I am slowing falling in love with Jack Black.  And Michael Cera is just too a-dork-able for words!

So what about you?  What movies would you like to see this summer?

Makes Me Happy

Ashley and Jane want to know 6 unimportant things that make me happy:

• Quantum Leap reruns (Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell, I heart you both)

• my new nail polish (it's called "Fuchsia Bling Bling" and it's the perfect shade for summer!)

• flip flops from Old Navy (they're cheap, comfy and oh-so-colorful... what's not to love?)

• carbs!!!  

• Netflix

• 80's pop music (think: Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, Wham!, etc...)

Wanna play along?  What "unimportant" things make you happy?

For your viewing pleasure...

I admit, I am addicted to TV.  Shane says I watch too much, but I can't help it!  I have so many favorite shows... The Office, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Dirty Jobs (why, hello there, Mike Rowe... how you doin'?)

One show I do not watch, however, is Man vs. Wild.  Sure, Bear Grylls is hot, but I don't want to watch him eat a fish straight out of the stream and drink his own urine (um... eeewwww!  That is just beyond disgusting!)  

To my knowledge, Shane doesn't watch Man vs. Wild, either... but I noticed this past week's episode on the DVR.  Curious as to why Shane had decided to record this particular episode, I had to watch I saw it featured Will Ferrell.  Say what you will about him, but I think Ferrell is pretty darn funny.  

So I watched the episode... and I laughed many, many times.  And, yes... I fast-forwarded through the part where they ate the caribou's ...gag... cornea {shudder}

While we're on the subject of TV...

I don't know why, but my girls love this commercial.  If they're not in the room and they hear it come on, both girls come running to watch:

Does it remind anyone else of Munchkinland in The Wizard of Oz?

"'Tis one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall"

Yeah, well... I fell.  Hard.

Because ever since Angie posted about these delectable goodies, I'd been craving them.  So after a trip to the local bakery myself... I came home with:

Beautiful, aren't they?  But did you notice someone couldn't wait to get a taste?

Hannah went straight for a chocolate one.

I've brought this girl up right.

Michaela, on the other hand, went for the pink icing with sprinkles!

Sprinkles just make everything taste better.  

You'll notice there is no photo of me eating my cupcake.  That's because the image of me devouring the chocolaty goodness in 3.2 seconds is not one I want posted on the 'net for all posterity.  

More Kooky Keywords

Once again, it's time to see what words or phrases weirdos normal people have "Googled" and were directed to this little blog o' mine:

• i am in charge of the nuthouse  {well, then get your boo-tay over here and take charge!  this place needs to get organized!}

• is your wife a disney nut?  {first of all, I don't have a wife... but if I did, it'd prolly be her, (uh... not that I want to do it with her or anything like that, it's just we have a lot in common and I enjoy spending time with her)... and yes, she is a disney nut}

• valium for goats  {so that's what they were on!}

• it's been awhile since ive believed a word ive said   {ummm... maybe you should see someone about that!}

We have a winner!

Congratulations, Lynsey!

And thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway!

Table Topics Tuesdays

Of all the Table Topics questions I've asked so far, I'm most interested in seeing your answers to this one...

which is more important... 

intelligence or common sense?