Table Topics Tuesday: guess who's coming to dinner?

The table has been set, the fine cuisine has been prepared, the wine has been opened. Now all that's needed are the guests:


1. Ricky Gervais

Some people don't find him funny, but I think he's hilarious. I love his dry, British wit.


2. Salma Hayek

Sure, she's gorgeous... but she's also funny and smart. I just think Salma would have lots of interesting topics to talk about whilst we dine.


3. Daniel Craig

I don't really think I need to explain this choice.

And, yes... Daniel would be required to attend sans shirt.

Duh.

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Join the conversation!

what three celebrities would
you invite to dinner?

Answer the question in the comments... OR post on your own blog and come back here to link up! Either way, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

If you link your post, don't forget to grab the button (be sure to link your TTT post, not just your general blog URL). And for good comment karma, be sure to visit the other TTT posts!

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Tomorrow's Topic Is...

what three celebrities would you invite to dinner?

I'll leave it up to you to decide whether living or dead... just pick three!


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If you'd like to play along, answer the question on your blog tomorrow (3/30)... then come back here to link up! Don't forget to grab the button!

I can call you Betty. And you can call me Al.

One of the reasons Shane and I had such issues with deciding on names for our girls was the fact that Shane doesn't like nicknames.

(Not "nicknames" as in "Shannie Annie" (which is what my mom called me) or "Fofo" (which is what my sister called me)... but "nicknames" like "Angie" for "Angela" or "Will" for "William")

Ever since he was about six months old, Shane has gone by his middle name. Not by his choice (obviously), but because his mom was tired of explaining to everyone who said, "Oh, Tracy is such a pretty name for a girl" that her baby was, in fact, a he.

So growing up, Shane always had to let people know he went by his middle name. He says the beginning of each school year was such a hassle, with every teacher calling him "Tracy" at first. And even now, some things are in his first name while others are in his middle... he just says it's too confusing. He has to look twice before signing his name to see if he's supposed to sign "T Shane" or "Tracy S".

When we found out our firstborn was going to be a girl, one of the first names I asked Shane to consider was "Carolyn"(after my mom's sister)... but I'd want her to be called "Carrie".

Shane's objection to this was, "If you want to call her 'Carrie', just name her 'Carrie!"

That was also the same reason he shot down the name "Madeline" when I brought it up for our second child... because "You, your mom and your sister will just call her 'Maddie', so just name her 'Maddie!"

I'm a little surprised he chose the name "Michaela" for our second girl. Because while I call her "Kayla" quite often, to this day, Shane has never referred to Michaela as "Kayla".

And I'm sure he never will.


Do you go by a "nickname"? Do you agree with me that my husband's dislike of "nicknames" is irrational?

Bite Me

Most times, my opinion when a book has been made into a movie (or TV show), the book is better. Usually because the movie or TV version differs from the book in such a way that they're not a faithful interpretation.

I've watched "True Blood"; I've read all of the Sookie Stackhouse books. And I can say I really like both. Even with the show having a few events and characters that are very different than they are in the book series.

But there is this one thing about the show that bugs me...

The vampires' fangs are on the wrong teeth! Fangs aren't supposed to be your incisors!

They're supposed to be your canine teeth! Like this:

Even when gazing at the very hot Alexander Skarsgard, I'm distracted by the fact the vampire teeth are wrong!

That being said, the one thing about the show that does work for me?

Ryan Kwanten's abs.

Rawr.


Have you watched "True Blood"? Read the Sookie Stackhouse books? Which do you like better? Do you think books are generally better than their movie versions?

I know it's kind of short notice...

but y'all know I started a review blog, right?



Well, I currently have a little giveaway going on for one of these...

The giveaway does end tonight tomorrow night... BUT, if I get 26 18 more followers to my review blog, I'll draw TWO winners!

So if you'd like to check Reviews from the NutHouse and enter the giveaway, go HERE!

Table Topics Tuesday: "you have to know the past to understand the present"

History has always been one of my favorite subjects. I'm fascinated by all eras and times of the past... from the days of Henry VIII to the Civil War to the roaring 1920s.

This past Sunday, the girls and I sat down to watch "1940s House", the BBC documentary/reality show about a modern family that tries living for two months as a typical family living in London during WWII.

(There's a whole lot from this series (1900 House, Frontier House, Manor House... to name a few). I've watched these before (Regency House Party being my favorite) but have added them all to my Netflix queue, seeing as how my girls have sparked an interest in the series)

Watching these documentaries does give a small glimpse as to what it was to live in the past. I'm interested in every aspect of history... the fashion and fads, certainly, but also how the people lived. To understand what it would be like to be a pioneer wife, sewing my own clothes and churning butter, for example. Or to be a member of King Henry's royal court.

As the quote says, "You have to know the past to understand the present." Understanding where we are in the world today is by finding out how we got here. I'd choose to go back in time, really to any era of the past, and learn how that period in history shaped the way we are today. I think it would definitely put the life I have in perspective.

would you rather live for a week in the past
or in the future?

Join the conversation! Answer in the comments... or post on your own blog and link up! Either way, I'd love to know your thoughts on this topic!

If you link your post, don't forget to grab the button. And for good comment karma, be sure to visit the other TTT posts!


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Get ready to discuss...

would you rather live for a week in the past
or in the future?

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If you'd like to play along, post your answer on your blog tomorrow (3/23)... then come back here to link up your post. Don't forget to grab the button!

Conversations in the Car: Vol. VII

After the girls got in the car from being picked up from school, Hannah noticed Michaela had a picture in her hand and asked if she drew it:

Michaela: "No, I didn't do it. Tyler (a boy in her class) gave it to me."

Hannah: "Why'd he give it to you?"

Michaela: "I don't know. He's my lawyer."

Me: "Did you say Tyler was your 'lawyer'?"

Michaela: "Uh-huh."

Me: "Why is Tyler your lawyer?"

Michaela: "'Cause I need one."

Me: "And you need a lawyer because...?"

Michaela: "Because I'm so popular. Duh."

She gets an "A" for effort, right?

After almost six months of classes, Hannah has taken to tumbling like a duck to water. Her instructor says she's only a few classes away from being moved up to Advanced Tumbling... Hannah just needs to work on being consistent with her back handsprings.

Michalea, on the other hand...

Have I mentioned before that my youngest daughter is a bit of a klutz?

Naturally, she's a bit uncoordinated, too.

Michaela's instructor has said the only thing keeping her held back from moving to Intermediate Tumbling is her cartwheel...

Alas, it doesn't look like Michaela will be moving up anytime soon.

Table Topics Tuesday: My idea of exercise is running the dishwasher.

I'll admit, I don't have the healthiest eating habits. I tend to skip breakfast... and more often than not, I skip lunch as well. Of course, that means by the time evening rolls around, I'm famished (hmmm... I wonder why?) and overeat at dinner and then snack late at night.

But when it comes to exercise or eating healthy, I'm definitely better at the latter. 'Cause exercising is something I rarely don't do. I'm not the athletic type... never have been. (Angie once suggested I try going to her yoga class... I think this cartoon sums up how I felt about that quite well):

At least with food, I try to make better choices. I know when I am craving something sweet, I should grab some fresh strawberries or grapes instead of a cookie (or two)... and I do. And lately I've increased my water intake and cut back on the amount of Coca-Cola I drink daily. If you know how much I'm addicted to my beloved Coca-Cola, then you know how huge that is.

Alas, I have come to the realization that this extra weight I've been carrying around the last few years really does need to come off. Enough with the excuses... it's time to get my rear in gear.


What time is that yoga class?

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Now it's your turn!

is it harder for you to eat healthy or get exercise?

If you'd like to play along, answer the question on your blog... then come back here to link up! Don't forget to grab the button... and for good comment karma, be sure to visit the other TTT posts!


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Get ready to discuss...

Here's the topic for tomorrow:

is it harder for you to eat healthy or get exercise?

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If you'd like to play along, post your answer on your blog tomorrow (3/16)... then come back here to link up your post. Don't forget to grab the button!

monday morning musings

more random thoughts that most likely don't make any sense, whatsoever...


My right eyelid has been twitching for the last week or so, and it twitches all. the. time. I found out the main causes are:

• stress
• lack of sleep
• too much caffeine

Yeah, it doesn't look like the twitch will be going away any time soon.

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I saw this video last week... I couldn't tell you how many times the girls and I have watched it since! Seriously, it is 3 minutes and 53 seconds of pure awesomeness:

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I really, really, really want one of these mugs:

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Spent all afternoon Saturday shopping with my girls. I'm still exhausted.

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What did you do this past weekend? Any shopping excursions of your own? Don't you agree the "OK Go" video is awesome?

She's a miracle worker.

You know how Tonya designed this awesome new look for my blog awhile ago?

Well, she's done it again... this time, with my review blog!

If you're looking for a complete blog makeover or just a personal button for your blog, Tonya is the one you need to go to! Not only does she do a fabulous job, her prices are very affordable and she is super-easy to work with... she's very fast with her work and so patient! I can't recommend her enough!

Tonya has offered a blog makeover as a giveaway on my review blog! If you'd like to enter, go here!

At least this time, it was in my neighbors yard, and not mine.

for those of you who are keeping a running list of the farm animals seen in my (or the neighbor's) yard:

• rooster
  

• goats
  

• horses

• chicken

feelin' lucky?

How would you like to win this pretty little piece of jewelry?

The gorgeous and very talented Kristen has offered her "My Lucky Charm" hand-stamped necklace as a giveaway on my review blog.


So head on over to Reviews from the NutHouse to enter!

Table Topics Tuesday: save it for a rainy day

My apologies for not getting the topic announced yesterday... our internet provider was having "technical difficulties" (whatever that means)

Anyway, today's topic is:

what is the best way to spend a rainy day?

Yesterday was a gorgeous, sunny day... the official high for Soddy Daisy was 74, and it was bliss.

Of course, all good things must come to an end.

Sigh.

Rain and cooler temps are in the forecast for the rest of the week. But that's ok. I actually don't mind rainy days...

that is, as long as I don't have to get out in the rain.

My idea of the perfect way to spend a rainy day would be staying in bed... staying snug and cozy, listening to the rain. Curling up with a good book... watching a movie or two.

How would your perfect rainy day be spent?


If you'd like to play along, answer the question on your blog... then come back here to link up. Don't forget to grab the button... and for good comment karma, be sure to visit the other TTT posts!


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I ought to make her pay for my next visit to the hair salon.

From the time she started walking (which was around 10 months of age), Michaela has been somewhat of a klutz. I even took her to a pediatric opthamologist to have her vision checked, because it seemed as though the poor girl was always walking into walls and furniture or literally tripping her own feet (I'd joke that it was a miracle someone hadn't yet reported me to DCFS, since Michaela was usually sporting a bruise of some kind).

(Her vision was fine, by the way. My opinion is that she just started walking too soon, trying to keep up with her big sister... and she has just never learned to walk "normally"!)

Anyway, of my two girls, it's Michaela who falls down. A lot.

And this past weekend was no exception.

Saturday afternoon, the girls and I were out doing some shopping with my mom. While I was checking out, I heard crying behind me, but it didn't register that it was my own child who was doing the crying. It wasn't until I heard Hannah say, "Michaela fell down!" that I turned around and saw Michaela on the floor. Somehow she slipped and landed on her knee.

After we got home later that evening, she was still limping and complaining of her knee hurting "really bad". I wanted no repeat of the broken arm incident... so we headed to the after-hours pediatrician. Better to be safe than sorry, right?

Luckily, Michaela's knee just seems to be bruised. The doctor wrapped her knee in an ACE bandage and prescribed ibuprofen for the pain. She spent most of the day Sunday like this:

While I think she'll be fine, I firmly believe that every single gray hair on my head can be attributed to this kid. So I only think it's fair she foot the bill for my next cut and color.

Scrambling the Oscars

playing along today with Justine's "Sunday Scramble"

• Yay, it's Oscar Sunday! I live for award shows... the red carpet, the fashions, the speeches, the upsets. I love it all.

• So there are 10 Best Picture nominees this year... and I've only seen one of them! And it was Disney's "Up". I think this one will win Best Animated Feature.
  

• Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock are both nominated for Best Actress... and both have one at previous award shows this year. I think it's Sandra's year, though.

• Speaking of Meryl Streep... I thought "Julie & Julia" was a good movie. I recently tried to read the book the movie was based on, but I just couldn't get into it and gave up.

• I haven't seen "Avatar" and I've heard good things about it... but I really hope it doesn't win Best Picture. Nor do I want James Cameron to win for Best Director. I'm just not a fan of his.
  

Will you be watching the Oscars tonight? Which film are you rooting for to win Best Picture?

imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?

Like mother,

like daughter.

Proof my sister loves me.

Table Topics Tuesday: wipe those tears away

what's the last thing you cried about?

I'm the type of person who cries very easily. Watching the Winter Games over the last two weeks, I couldn't tell you how many times I saw this commercial...



I can tell you that it made me teary-eyed every. single. time.

(side note: am I the only one who wants Morgan Freeman to narrate their life?)

But the last time I really cried (and I'm talking doing the "ugly cry", where your eyes get bloodshot and puffy, snot runs out your nose, and the skin on your face gets red and splotchy)... that was two weeks ago when the girls and I were in a car accident.

Other than a few bumps and bruises we were fine. But as soon as we got back home... it all came blubbering out. I've been in two other minor fender benders before but this was the worst accident I've been involved in. And the fact that Hannah and Michaela were in the car with me... when I came home I guess it just hit me how lucky we were. Instead of focusing on "Thank God for watching over us", the thoughts of "but what if something worse had happened?" just overcame me.

(in case you're wondering... my minivan was declared a total loss, so I'm now the proud owner of a new 2011 Kia Sorento!)

Are you an easy crier? What's the last thing you cried over?


If you'd like to play along, answer the question on your blog... then come back here to link up!


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