Tell a Joke Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Head over to Wayne's site to participate in Tell a Joke Tuesday.

What do cannibals call athletes?
Fast food!

One night a police officer was staking out a particularly rowdy bar for possible DUI violations. At closing time, he saw a fellow tumble out of the bar, trip on the curb, and try his keys in five different cars before he found his. Then he sat in the front seat fumbling around with his keys for several minutes. Everyone else left the bar and drove off. Finally he started his engine and began to pull away. The police officer was waiting for him. He stopped the driver, read him his rights and administered the Breathalyzer test. The results showed a reading of 0.0. The puzzled officer demanded to know how that could be. The driver replied, "Tonight I'm the designated decoy.”

Stellan Discharged!!

I was ecstatic to read that Stellan has been discharged from Boston's Children's Hospital! It has been a looonnnngggg five weeks for this sweet boy and his MckMama. They are flying home today to rejoin the rest of the MckFamily! Please keep them in your prayers for a safe flight home and a smooth and peaceful transition once at home.

Tell a Joke Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Head over to Wayne's site to participate in Tell a Joke Tuesday. He is in the USA right now visiting his beautiful Jenn. I hope they are having a fabulous time!

Q. How do you make holy water?
A. Boil the hell out of it.

Sweet Stellan

Not the photo genius MckMama is, but the thought is definitely there.

Praying for Stellan!!

Please keep sweet baby Stellan and MckFamily in your prayers...they really need them right now!

Looking for a New Kitty!

Only a few days until Saturday when we leave for Orlando to attend my cousin's wedding! We are both looking forward to the change of pace. Between our Lil getting hit and the days and days of rain, we have been downright depressed. I think the sun and time with family and friends will do wonders for our mood.

Still looking for a kitty to join our family. We have decided that we would like to adopt littermates so they will have each other to play with and our older cat can have some peace. It's been a bit of a stressful process as we are specific with what breed we are looking for and we have been contacted many times by folks that are trying to sell unhealthy, unvetted kittens too young. I really wish our older cat would do ok with an older cat as there are so many that need homes. Unfortunately that is just not the case.

Are there any kitty lovers out there? We love the Maine Coon breed but feel Norwegian Forest cats or Siberians may be a great fit for our family as well. We are hoping to find mixes as the fees for the purebreds are astronomical and most importantly there are so many animals out there that need a loving home! We are looking in the areas of North Carolina to Delaware!

Tell a Joke Tuesday

Happy Tuesday everyone! Head over to Wayne's site to participate in Tell a Joke Tuesday. Comic relief at its best!

In honor of St Patrick's Day:
An Irishman proposed to his girl friend on Saint Patrick’s Day and gave her a ring with a synthetic diamond. On learning it wasn't real she protested vehemently about his cheapness. He explained that in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, he picked her a sham rock.

That's all I've got. Have a great day folks!

It's a Beautiful Day!

Getting ready to get outside and enjoy the great weather. I swear, sun does wonders for my mindset!

Gosh, the kitty would have loved today!

Tell a Joke Tuesday

The grey cloud is still heavily looming over me so it was a nice break to see Wayne is hosting Tell a Joke Tuesday. Participating in blog carnivals can be fun and is a good way to keep up with postings even when things are bleak.


Pirate in a Bar
A young sailor was sitting in a bar having a few drinks when he looks over and sees a pirate. The pirate has a wooden peg-leg, a hook for a hand, and patch over his eye. Unable to resist, the sailor asks “How’d you end up with a peg-leg?”

“I was swept overboard during a fierce storm,” says the pirate. “and a bloody shark bit off me whole darn leg!”

“Holy cow!” said the sailor. “What about the hook, how’d you get that?”

“Me crew and I were boarding an enemy ship, a fierce sword battle ensued. One of them cut me darn arm!”

“Absolutely incredible!” gasped the sailor. “And the eye patch, tell me how you got that?”

“A bloody seagull dropping fell into me eye,” replied the pirate.

“Umm, you lost your eye to a seagull dropping?” asked the sailor, admonished.

Embarassed, the pirate answered “It was me first day with the hook.”

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did not use MckMama's foolproof button this week because I just did not have the energy to create my own greeting.

My husband and I did not just take our family out to lunch for Christmas...in March. We would never wait three months to make good on a gift.

I did not tip the waitress when gratuity was already included. I pay attention to every total and would not make that type of mistake...especially when our credit card bill is already through the roof.

I did not not eat for a few days due to depression and then proceed to scarf down everything in sight a few days later. Emotional eating never works and I know better.

I have not spent HOURS and HOURS searching for a new kitty. That would be borderline obsessive.

Hope everyone has a good week!

Excuse Me While I Die.

February 22, 2009

Dear Lil Buddy,
Unlike your Daddy I was never really a cat person. A bunny, bird, and special poodle were more my style. Then I met your sister. She was in a small cage at a pet store because her Mommy had passed away, and she was very lonely as her brother and sister had already been adopted by other families months prior. I went up to her and called her by her first name, Princess (pretty appropriate don’t you think?), and she walked right up to me purring away. She was beautiful…a perfect duplicate of Garfield. I called Daddy and asked if I could bring her home and he said, “Sure!” After a few days of getting through the red tape, I picked her up and brought her home. She peed in her cage on the car ride over.

It took some time for her to settle in but she was soon sleeping in our bed and showing interest in our everyday activities. After a few times of her chasing her own shadow…into the wall I might add…we started talking about getting her a playmate. Afterall, she was used to having two siblings already so she must be lonely. We mentioned to a few of our friends that we were thinking about adding another cat and one week after Mommy and Daddy’s wedding we brought you home.

I remember the day I picked you up. It was raining outside and the traffic was horrible. I arrived at the kennel a little bit later than I had promised. Mommy’s friend Lisa, the one who always calls you Handsome Boy, took me over to the place where you were. You were born in a litter of six or seven kitties. She pulled you out first and handed you to me. At first I was surprised because you weren’t orange. I guess because your sister was I just assumed you would be too. I told you I wasn’t a cat person! One look at me with those big blue eyes which would later turn green, and it didn’t matter though. You were so tiny, so full of wonder, and absolutely perfect.

I didn’t have a carrier but you fit in my little purse. I zipped you up and your little head poked out looking around. You didn’t seem to mind riding in the car so I decided to take you by the grocery store for a quick stop. Daddy was at home and we were hungry for lunch. I remember standing in the deli line and people not noticing you at first. Once they did, they couldn’t believe how tiny and well behaved you were. I told them you were our new kitty and I was getting you a special treat. Daddy and I had reubens for lunch that day.

Your first introduction to Princess, aka Big Momma, didn’t go so well. When I introduced you to her she hissed and ran away. I could not believe it. She had grown up with other cats and we both thought she would take to you as a mother figure. How wrong we were. Shortly after, she climbed on our bed one night when we had just fallen asleep. She peed on Daddy’s foot and then pooped on mine. That was her way of letting us know that she was not thrilled with her new little brother. At that point it didn’t matter though. We had fallen in love.

Your early days were full of exploring. You loved climbing under the couch and even up inside of it. Every time we opened a cabinet you jumped in to check it out. One day I came home for lunch and heard you crying. I couldn’t find you anywhere and then I realized you were in the cabinet where we keep the Ziploc bags. You had jumped in when Daddy was making his lunch and hid so well you got stuck inside while we were at work. When I opened the cabinet you jumped out and were meowing away. I felt so bad that you had been in there all alone for so long and thought for sure you would stay out of them from then on. But nope! Your fascination with the cabinets never waned. You had to know what was inside everytime one opened up.

You also had a great love of people food. We had to lock you up when we ate your first few weeks at home because we couldn’t keep you off our plates. Tomato sauce, chicken, and fish were your favorites. You always helped Daddy eat our leftovers and he always made sure to bring you a special treat home. A special treat for a special kitty. I adored when you were tiny and you would lay on my chest for a nap under the green blanket. You loved that blanket! You would jump up on it and start kneading, then came the purring. You were never a huge purrer for me but just a few weeks ago you jumped up on my lap for the first time in what seemed like forever and started kneading and purring on that blankie. I didn’t want to move because I loved when you did that so much.

You were only a few months old when you started jumping in the window peering outside. When springtime finally came we took you in the backyard for the first time. You were so precious tip toeing through the grass. I remember watching you chase a yellow butterfly and wishing I had my camera. Pretty soon you were running all around and Daddy and I would chase you, sometimes even throw the Frisbee. You loved the Frisbee. We also had fun squirting water from the water hose at you and running sticks through the grass. You always wanted to play and you loved being in the backyard paling away with Daddy. I would watch you both from the kitchen window and think about how lucky I was to have two such fine men. You both looked so strong back there and the name Lil Man couldn’t have fit you any better. You knew how to be the perfect companion to both of us and we will miss that so much.

Once you got more comfortable in the backyard you started venturing towards the front yard as curious kitties do. I hated that as I was always afraid you would get hurt, but as much as we tried, we couldn’t stop you from venturing away. You loved the neighbors plants because you could hide in them and see everything that was going on. I was also worried that you wouldn’t come back. But you always did…sometimes on your own terms, but you always returned. I liked to think it was because you wanted your Mommy and Daddy but it was probably because you were hungry. Daddy trained you to ring some bells we had on the backdoor and it made us light up everytime we heard them. We thought you were so clever to know how to tell us you wanted in. Both of us still hear those bells just like you’re there ringing them.

As you got older you enjoyed your outside time even more, even when it was cold. You would get restless around 5:00 am, sometimes earlier if you had been inside all day, and start jostling the blinds to wake Daddy and I up. You wanted out! We couldn’t keep glasses of water around because you would knock them over. You were always knocking things over for attention. So much so that Daddy and I couldn’t even have reading lamps by the bed! One time you picked up an entire antique globe and smashed it on the floor. We were finding glass for months. I think it was after that episode that you earned the nickname Focker.

You had a girlfriend that would come and visit. I think you were in love but you still would chase her out of the yard everytime Daddy or I came into view. You were protecting our home and while we were happy you had a friend, we loved you for wanting to keep us safe. We even had a chuckle when you got those noisy birds. You looked so funny with a bird in your mouth! Most of the time we were able to catch you and make you let go of the bird so they could return to their mommies and daddies, but just recently, you managed to drop a bird at Daddy’s feet…inside! Very gross Little Buddy, but I know you were bringing your Daddy a gift and he was very proud of you for it.

Mommy’s new office is only a few minutes away and lunchtime was the highlight of my day. I was able to come home and spend some time with you and your sister and catch you at the time I craved most…you sleepy and cuddly with a trill greeting and ready to lick my hand as long as I wanted you to. Your sister doesn’t like to give kisses and I cherished yours so much. Yesterday when Daddy was in the shower you were taking a mid morning snooze on our bed. I came over to pet you and you started licking me all over. I kissed your face and you licked my nose. I kissed you again and then you licked my mouth. I remember thinking that if anyone saw that exchange they would think I was the grossest person ever. I don’t care. I cannot stand the thought of never feeling your sweet kisses again my baby boy.

Your Daddy and I are so, so, so sorry we couldn’t protect you from getting hurt. I am trying very hard not to dwell on why you darted in the road but it is so hard. Were you spooked out of Rob’s yard? Were you chasing a bird to bring to your Daddy? Were those squirrels ticking you off again? Were you coming home because you wanted to hang out in your own backyard with Chase? I just don’t know. What I do know is that our hearts are broken. We are absolutely devestated that you were taken from us so soon. Our hearts literally ache we are hurting so bad. We had big plans for you Lil Buddy for many, many years to come. You were the funnest, bestest, greatest kitty that anyone could ever ask for and we wanted to give you the best life possible. I hope you know that we tried our best to do that for you. We really, really did.

Our home will never be the same without you. You were so much more than just a pet to us. You were our best friend. We will attempt to find solace in the fact that we loved you more than words can say and that your ending was quick and without suffering.

I love you always and forever my sweet boy,
Mommy

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?

Last week I was in Orlando for work and was lucky enough to catch up with family, and then spend the weekend with one of my besties, "A." Overall it was a fantastic trip and hey, 80 degree weather! What a shocker to return to Virginia and the temperature be 39!

The visit with "A" did leave me with a bit of a helpless feeling and I've been worrying about it for days now. "A" has been friends with "M" for almost 25 years. Understandably they have been through a ton together and have witnessed the ups and downs of each other's lives over the years. Only thing is, "M" is a complete a$shole. While he is polite and tolerable to everyone else, he is degrading, jealous, disloyal, mean, and downright cruel to "A". It hurts "A" very deeply but despite how bad he is treated and how many times he has asked "M" to stop, he continues the friendship.

I, as well as many of his other friends, have tried expressing our concern about this relationship many times. NOBODY deserves to be treated like this, especially "A." He has a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone. He is there for his friends no matter what with no strings attached.

Even though "A" and "M" are not romantically involved, "A" is in a textbook abusive relationship. He is in denial and constantly makes excuses for "M"'s behavior. He can't seem to move past the excuse that he and "M" have history, and it's important to keep those ties in your life. I appreciate the history, but I can't make him see that the history he has been creating the last few years is full of hurt and very unhealthy. Friends are supposed to build you up, not tear you down.

Can anyone recommend any books or support groups that I can suggest to "A?" Even though I am 14 hours away, I would like to get some resources in his hands. I doubt they will help, but I have to try. Afterall, that's what real friends do.

Not Me! Monday

Greetings! It's time for Not Me! Monday. Hop on over to MckMama's blog to find out more so you can join in on the fun!

I did not stay home from work today and tell my boss it was because I had cramps. My boss is not a male!

I did not eat bits and pieces of EVERYTHING because I am craving everything.

I did not get a tiny bit disappointed that not one soul seemed to find my turkey meatball recipe enticing. I was not at all sad that they weren't a hit. *sniff*

I am not even a tiny bit excited about my trip to Orlando this week. Seeing one of my bestest friends does not make me smile from ear to ear.

I am not leaving my hubby alone on Valentine's Day.

I did not have a great weekend enjoying some warm weather.

I did not eat out Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. We would never make dinner plans with people three nights in a row.

Have a great week!

YUM.

GOOP is one of my favorite newsletters I get each week written by Gwenyth Paltrow. Each issue shares information on a different category: make, go, get, do, be, see.

I have been curious about turkey meatballs for sometime so last week's "make" post was a Sunday dinner that I had to try (minus the peas). I did make a few minor adjustments: spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti (trying to stick within our calorie limit for the cleanse!), asiago cheese instead of parmesan (it's what was in the fridge) and a little extra garlic all the way around...ABSOLUTELY delicious!! I made a double batch in an effort to use more of the fresh herbs and froze 1/2 of them without the sauce.

Definitely a keeper!


GARLIC BREAD


SERVES: 4
TIME: 15 minutes
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) lightly salted butter, room temperature
5 cloves garlic, pushed through a press
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Stir together the butter, garlic, parsley and pepper until well combined. Cut the baguette in half horizontally and spread each cut side with the garlic butter, being sure to use every last bit. Sandwich the bread back together, wrap in a sheet of tin foil and put in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler, unwrap the bread, evenly sprinkle the parmesan over both sides of the bread and broil until the cheese is melted and browned. Check after one minute. I burn mine by accident 50% of the time, so keep an eye out! Cut into pieces and serve.

JULIA’S TURKEY MEATBALLS


SERVES: 4 (makes about 2 dozen small meatballs)
TIME: an hour, plus at least 20 minutes of simmering
2 tablespoons olive oil plus 2 additional tablespoons
1 large yellow onion, very finely diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
coarse sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, pulsed in a food processor with their juice or crushed by hand
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 pound ground turkey (preferably dark meat)
1 egg
1 pound spaghetti, cooked just before serving
1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly torn

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about eight minutes, sweating it without giving it too much color. When it’s soft, add the garlic and fennel seeds and season generously with salt and pepper (about a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper should do). Sauté for an additional three or four minutes. Remove and reserve half of this onion mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the remaining mixture in the pot, turn the heat to low and simmer while you make the meatballs. Be sure to put a little water in the tomato can, swish it around and add it to the pot (don’t waste a bit!).
To make the meatballs, combine the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, parsley, thyme and rosemary with the reserved onion mixture. Add the turkey and egg and mush it all with your hands (the best tool for this job) just until everything is well-combined, don't over mix. Form the mixture into 1-1/2" balls with your hands (of course you can make them whatever size you like). Heat the last two tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Making sure not to overcrowd the pan, brown the meatballs (should take about five minutes). Put the browned meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce and let them cook, shaking the pot occasionally to roll the meatballs around, for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour and a half. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Serve with spaghetti and the torn basil.

STEAMED PEAS


SERVES: 4
TIME: two to three minutes
2 cups freshly shelled or frozen peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
a squeeze of lemon
a pinch each of coarse salt and pepper
a few leaves of basil, torn

Steam the peas for two to three minutes. Serve plain for the kids and dress with olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper and basil for the adults.

Not Me! Monday

It's "Not Me! Monday" time! Thanks to MckMama for hosting the fun! Glad you, PC, and Stellan had such a great time on a well deserved vacation!

I did not resume my old habit of blog stalking and not post a single time on my own blog. I am committed to posting everyday and would never regress back to a said stalker.

I did not cheat on our cleanse a few times when the hubby wasn't watching. That would be SO unfair to make him stick with the rules while I did my own thing on occassion.

I did not skip my weekly happy hour in favor of a massage instead. I am way more social than that!

We did not just buy our SECOND truck in six weeks. We would never have the bad luck of two vehicles dying around the same time.

I did not skip out on ALL the Super Bowl parties we were invited to in favor of my couch because I did not have the energy to go to three different places in a four hour period of time. I would not send my hubby out to deal with the masses on his own. The giant zit on my chin would never hinder me from going out either. I am not that vain.

Have a great week! Even though I am headed to Dallas this week I will do my best to do better about posting!

Greetings!

Hello lovelies! I just wanted to do a quick post as I missed "Not Me! Monday" and it's been awhile since I've checked in. Hope things are going well for everyone. Work is picking up, which is a good thing, and the next few weeks are going to be insane! On top of that, my hubby and I started our cleanse. Today is day #2 and I just became really depressed because I realized I can't eat the next two days in a row. Are you freaking kidding me?!

Change.

No matter what your political beliefs, there is no denying that today is an AMAZING day! May we all put our differences aside and recognize that change CAN happen, and change CAN be good. God Bless America, and our new President, Barack Obama.

change

change the poem, change the line,
change the meaning, change the rhyme,
change the outcome change the plan,
change the mood, change the man.

change your looks, change your smile,
change your going, stay awhile,
change your past, change your time,
change your future, stay be mine.

-william greer

Not Me! Monday

Not Me! Monday is here! Thanks to MckMama for hosting the fun! Check out her blog for a daily dose of humor, patience, love, and understanding. Love her!

Also a quick thank you to those who left me comments this week. They made getting through my week away a bit easier!

I did not choose to eat at PF Chang's while in a new city simply because they had a free table and I wouldn't have to wait. I ALWAYS seek out new places when traveling and would NEVER choose a chain restaurant over a local spot.

I did not come within six inches of Rob Zombie and not know who he was. I then did not proceed to exclaim out loud that his eyes were creepy.

I did not wear the same pair of jeans four days in a row. That is just gross.

I did not spend my entire Saturday napping, napping, and more napping!

Have a happy week folks!

Five Things You Didn't Know About Me!

Barbara over at looking2live was recently "interviewed" by one of her readers and I thought the idea was neat and wanted to participate. Basically you receive five questions and post your answers on your blog. Then, you send five questions to anyone else who is interested in participating. A quick way to learn something about your blogging buddies you may have not known before!

And now my answers to Barbara's questions:

1. If you had $1,000,000, what would you do with it?

I definitely believe in sharing the wealth but my immediate responsibility is to my family. That said, first and foremost I would make sure my family's future was financially set.

Then I would start helping causes that I have been interested in for some time:

Alice Waters & the Edible Schoolyard - The aim of education is to provide children with a sense of purpose and a sense of possibility, and with skills and habits of thinking that will help them live in the world. A key way to learn these skills and habits is to learn how to eat well and how to eat right. A curriculum designed to educate both the senses and the conscience–a curriculum based on sustainable agriculture–will teach children their moral obligation to be caretakers and stewards of the finite resources of our planet. And it will teach them the joy of the table, the pleasures of real work, and the meaning of community.

Camp Woodward - The pinnacle of action sports parks/camps. A safe and encouraging place to foster the creativity of action sports.

Fender University - Fender University is an exclusive new music education program for guitar enthusiasts worldwide.

Investing for Kids - I think our education system fails miserably when it comes to teaching financial managing and planning in school. These life skills should be taught throughout our children's entire educational journey. The younger we start, the better the foundation will be built for their adult life.

Since there are so many projects I would like to donate to, I would have to do some serious planning to make sure I could do it effectively. I would really want not only my financial donation, but my time to make a difference.

2. How did you and your husband meet?

My husband and I have been together for six years, married for a little over two. We met when I caught up with my best friend one night after work. She was hanging out with my husband's roommate and invited me over for a nightcap. My social anxiety in those years was pretty severe so I'm not sure what it was that actually made me feel ok to go someplace with folks I had never met before. When I arrived, my husband was restringing his guitar so he could teach my best friend a few notes. We started talking music and discovered we had a band in common that not a lot of other people knew about. The band was coming to town in a few weeks and we both had tickets but no one to go with...hence our first date!

3. What living famous person would you most like to have as a dinner guest, and why? What would you serve?

I'm going to cheat a little on this question...
I would love to meet Mario Batali. I think he is able to create culinary masterpieces with the greatest simplicity. I love that he is comfortable in himself and doesn't care wearing shorts and orange croc's no matter what the occassion! If you haven't seen his new show on PBS with Gwenyth Paltrow, check it out!

I also love Rachel Ray. She is so cute and relatable...almost like one of my girl friend's. I also like her yum-o organization. Always a great thing when a celebrity can use their fame to make a difference!

As for what to serve...hopefully we could work on that together since they're the experts!

4. If you could re-do one thing in your life, what would it be?

I am a firm believer that the past is what has created my present and without it I wouldn't be where I am, so to some degree I don't really believe in redos. However, I do regret not focusing on my Bachelor's degree as seriously as I should have after high school, and since. 10+ years later I am almost done...better late than never!

5. How did you come to start your Blog? How did you find my Blog?

I began reading blogs about eight months ago and have toyed with starting my own for just as long. I love the idea of a place to share life's happenings in an environment that is as anonymous as you want it to be. Sometimes it is great to get perspective from those who are not directly involved with your everyday life.
I came across Barbara's blog while poking around on Blogger. I first noticed her post which was about an organic farm that was featured in my local newspaper the weekend prior. I was interested in visiting the farm and I appreciated her take on things. I also found her postings on the recent election interesting. Although I did not agree with everything she wrote, I did with most. I admired her hard work in getting involved with her community, not just with the election but in her everyday life. The world needs more people like her.

Let's carry this interview forward! If you're intereseted, leave me a comment and I will pose you five new questions. Looking forward to getting to know some of you better!

I'm Back!

Greetings! I am back from an INCREDIBLE trip to the west coast! Although it was a super short trip for work, I had an absolute blast. Spent the days at the music industry trade show, NAMM, and the nights eating good food, drinking great wine, hanging with new friends, and listening to live music. So awesome! There were many popular musicians there, Gene Simmons, Alicia Keyes, Blind Melon, Rob Zombie, Whitesnake, but there were two smaller acts that especially caught my attention: Bill Clements a one armed bass player...completely AMAZING, and the Tyler Bryant band, a 17 year old kid from Texas who was a blast to watch! You will hear his name again one day soon, I assure you!



On the last day we had a few hours to kill before our flight home. That meant my first ever trip to Beverly Hills! Traffic, traffic, and more traffic but I was pumped to be there. Admittedly, I was a complete touron taking pictures at every stoplight, but I don't care! It was so exciting for me to see some of the sights I've dreamed about since I was a kid. The Hollywood sign, Rodeo Dr, the Beverly Hills hotel...woo hoo!



Spent yesterday recovering from the red eye home. Still a little tired this morning but nothing I can't get through. Got to get my energy up to go watch football this afternoon!

Only a few more weeks until the Super Bowl. Who are you hoping will make it?

Not Me! Monday

Not Me! Monday has arrived! Thanks to MckMama for hosting the fun! And also a big CONGRATULATIONS that baby Stellan is home healthy and happy!

I did not check my blog a few times a day this week with my fingers crossed that somebody, anybody left a comment. I am not a comment whore.

I did not get stuck in KY all week and miss my trip to Vegas because our show schedule was interperted wrong. I always read through the schedules at least twice and there is no way that that was my fault at all.

I did not tell my coworkers I had previous dinner plans so I could sneak to this AWESOME sushi place on my own. I did not eat there three nights out of four. That would be sushi overload!

I did not completely stuff my face this weekend in preparation for the cleanse my husband and I are about to do. I am not a squirrel about to hibernate so consuming all those extra calories is not going to help me. I am not going to starve, I am not going to starve.

I did not feel a heart pain when I heard my buyer is voluntarily deploying to Kuwait. I did not get all sappy after a few martinis and tell him how I think he is just the greatest. I am way too cool for that!

I am excited to read some more Not Me's!

The. Best. Sushi. EVER!

Over the past few years my sushi tastes have expanded greatly. Right now it's what I crave several times a week. In fact, we're researching options on how to make it at home to protect the pocketbook a little bit! Yesterday was a hard travel day for me and all I wanted was a quick dinner and my hotel bed...did I mention I love the Marriott? I did a quick check and found a write up on a new sushi bar that is about 4 blocks from my hotel. Unfortunately for us Americans, most Japanese restaurants are closed between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm. With a little bit of time to spare I pulled up a stool to sample a bit of that good ole Kentucky bourbon. Feeling a hop in my step, I trekked on in the rain to Caviar. I placed an order to go, Spicy Tuna Roll and an Alaskan roll (salmon, avacado, scallions, and cucumber)...SO GOOD. Not fishy at all and beautifully hand rolled. I loved it so much I faked previous plans to my coworkers and went back there tonight. I think I feel a "Not Me" moment post coming on!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a fantastic New Year's and has started 2009 off on the right foot! I myself am looking forward to some much needed rest this weekend. We did a lot of running around the past month and I begin traveling for work Monday. I am excited to get back on the road again. Since August, we have been working our butts off to get some buyer appointments scheduled and now our hard work is paying off. Louisville, Las Vegas and LA here I come!