Song of the year?

According to my local radio station, "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis was the top song of the year. Eh. Can't we do better than that, 2008?

Check it out: Mummy Deals

Mummy Deals is a great blog. Clair shares some great ways to save money. For example, she'll tell you that a certain brand of shampoo is on sale at Walgreens and that there is a coupon in Sunday's paper. She also talks about online deals (sales on the Yankee Candle Web site, for example) and lists ways to earn money (surveys, etc.). And the deals are for anyone, not just moms. This is one to bookmark!

Good movie, take a tissue

...especially if you have an aging yellow Lab. I liked Owen Wilson. Jennifer Anniston kind of annoys me, but she was pretty good. It's cute, just hit a little close to home.Oh, and it's rated PG, but it's definitely not for little kids.

Well this is a weird little movie

The Tale of Despereaux
Anyone seen it?

How cold is it?

I'm so glad we're in Indiana to experience the coldest weather in a decade. How cold is it? It's so cold that I left a tub of baby wipes in the car, and when I went back out to get them they were frozen solid. It's so cold that when someone opens the front door it looks like they walked out of a deep freezer. It's so cold that I wish I could drive back to Alabama and call my relatives to brag about how NOT cold it is.

Shiver. Tune in tomorrow to learn how I feel about snow.

Things that make me happy

I'd just like to send a big "thank you" to all of the folks who take time out of their busy days to merge rap songs and children's TV shows and post them on YouTube. Cause, dang, it's funny.

My current fave:

Will you see it?

I was intrigued by Will Smith's new movie, Seven Pounds. Until the reviews started coming in. The Entertainment Weekly review gives it a D and calls it an "unintentionally ludicrous drama." Ouch.

Finally! A cup we like.

I've been on a quest to find a cup for my toddler. We could never find a sippy cup that he'd drink out of. Personally, I think that the manufacturers try so hard to make a cup that doesn't spill that they're too hard to drink out of. He used a straw cup for a while, but lately he's just been taking out the straw and dumping out the drink. Anyway, I knew he was getting too old for the bottle, and I was afraid people would start making fun of him the way they do Suri Cruise. Finally I found the Nuby No-Spill Sports Sipper (about $6 for a pack of 2). It's really more like a sport bottle than a sippy cup, and Luke really likes it. Best part: It doesn't spill. Everyone is happy. I need to get more next time I'm at Target.

Christmas Karma

Last weekend was Stephanie's annual ornament swap. It's one of my favorite holiday activities, and this year didn't disappoint. You see, everyone brings an ornament, and we play Dirty Santa. It's always fun to see your normally mild-mannered friends turn cutthroat in the spirit of the season (wait, maybe that's just me). After stealing a great ornament and having it stolen from me, I set my sights on a cute little orange owl bell. Perfect. It would look so cute on my desk by my framed owl print.

So, with great braggadocio, I stole it from my friend Amanda, despite her "I just lost my job!" sob story. Spare me. I know the rules of Dirty Santa, and there is no pity clause! I was the second one to steal my dear owl, so he was going home with me. Score. Amanda warned me: "You better be careful of that owl! You have some bad Karma on your hands after stealing it from me!" Whatever. I headed home, very pleased that I was leaving with the best ornament of the bunch.

I pranced in the front door, ready to show off my spoils, when the little fellow somehow tumbled out of the box and onto the tile floor, where he broke into a million pieces. Curses.

So what did I do? Did I sit around moping and feeling sorry for myself? Well, yes, but that passed, and I decided to take matters into my own hands. I headed out to Urban Outfitters to find a replacement owl. Guess what? There was one of his kind left, and he was on sale. Heh.

Suck it, Karma.

My new owl and his friend (on sale, remember?) will be residing on my desk, year-round.

Please make it stop

For the record, I am not okay with musicians performing duets with dead people. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I don't think Elvis would approve either. I believe the phenomenon began in 1991 when Natalie Cole performed a duet with her dead dad. (We've endured 17 years of this, people!) The special effects have improved, but the creepiness remains the same.

Design Mom's 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!

Design Mom is one of my favorite blogs, and she's hosting a 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway. It should be great. Head on over there on Friday to enter.

Wow.

(from People.com)
Michael Phelps and his new girlfriend. Dang. Somehow, not what I would've expected.

Weird weather

Yesterday we had tornado warnings.

Today's forecast? Thundersnow.

P.S. On the news this morning, they were talking about the potential snowfall and said that to be prepared we need to have 72 hours worth of food, medicine, and cash. They always mention the first two, but 72 hours worth of cash? How much would that even be? And if you're stuck in your home, what exactly would you be doing with said cash? By the way, it's currently 46 degrees, so the chance of any of the white stuff is slim at best.

Day 2 of being home sick: Temptation to buy products from infomercials sets in

Sorry, I had to get rid of that video. That guy's yelling was driving me bonkers.

To see what I'm talking about click here to go to Mighty Mendit's Web site.

Is it the dehydration, or does this look awesome? It withstands storm-force winds, people!

Beets & paper

I'm thinking Arby's

I've been preoccupied with Arby's new Mint Chocolate Swirl Shakes. Today I indulged. You'll be wanting one too. But wait! First head on over to the Arby's Web site and join Arby's Extras. They'll email you a coupon for a free one. You're welcome.

Now in stock

Check out Now In Stock for all of the hard-to-find items on your Christmas list. Say you're looking for a Wii Fit. Or some Bakugan toys. Just check this site, and it shows you any online retailers that have them in stock.

Will you watch?

Secret Millionaire starts on Fox this Wednesday (8e/7c). I must say, I'm intrigued.

Booty dance

I've been examining the dance moves of my son and my nephew, and I think this video might shed some light on what the future holds for them.

Low-key Thanksgiving for three

There was some debate about what our main dish would be. I wanted to go for something like beef tenderloin. Justin said that it's not Thanksgiving unless you eat a bird, so we went with Cornish hens. His only other request: cranberry sauce. From a can. (By the way, did you know that a Cornish hen is literally a chicken that is less than 6 weeks old? That's just disturbing. I'm glad I didn't learn this nugget* before I ate my meal.)
*No pun intended.

The menu:
Roasted Cornish Hens
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Corn casserole (see recipe below)
Sister Schubert rolls
Cranberry sauce
Apple pie and ice cream

(This recipe is from my mother-in-law's family cookbook. Delish.)
Judy's Corn Casserole
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
8-oz container sour cream
1 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
Mix all ingredients together, and pour into a 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Happy Thankgiving, everyone!

Can you believe this video is 15 years old? I guess some things are just timeless.

One afternoon, two movies

This afternoon we went to see two movies. That's right, two movies. We love going to the movies, and we haven't been together in about a year. It was everything I hoped it would be. The movies we saw weren't stellar, but both were entertaining. And let's be real: I can't possibly complain about an afternoon that involves Vince Vaughn, a bucket of popcorn, and lots of explosions.

I had very high hopes for Four Christmases. It was pretty funny, but it kinda dragged in parts. And it is only an hour and 20 minutes long, so that's a bad sign.
Then Leah and Heinz joined us for Quantum of Solace. You may have heard that you need a Casino Royale refresher before watching this movie. I didn't heed that advice and was a bit confused. Nevertheless, it was entertaining. Just what you'd expect from the new era of Bond (which, to me, looks a lot like the Bourne movies).

All in all, a great Wednesday afternoon!

I'm thankful for...

I know, it's not even the big day, and I'm already feeling thankful. Weird.
Today Luke and I doorbusted at Publix. We were waiting to check out, feeling pretty good about ourselves because we had beaten the crowds and were leaving the store at 7:30 a.m. with everything for our Turkey Day meal in hand (well, at our house it's going to be Cornish Hen Day. More on that later). Also, a kind grocery store employee had unloaded all of our food onto the conveyor belt for us.
Anyway, when the woman in front of us finished up, she gave the cashier $5 to put toward our groceries. For no reason. Just to be nice. So, thank you, anonymous Publix customer! Your kindness is greatly appreciated. And Happy Thanksgiving!

Seriously?

It boggles the mind that this show continues to draw a whopping 19-million viewers a week. Who watches this? Identify yourselves!

Just me?

Am I the only one cracked up by this commercial? I'm not sure what it is: Tony Hawk's goofy smile, ARod's super-serious expression, the fact that Kobe is wearing basketball shorts while everyone else is wearing underwear (I imagine he had a real diva moment about this). I can't explain it. Also, I wonder how much the Guitar Hero folks paid to get these four in a commercial together.

Aw, man.

Well, this certainly will free up some time.

According to Entertainment Weekly, ABC has canceled Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone, and Dirty Sexy Money.

I don't watch DSM, but I'm quite attached to the other two.

The Office: Discuss!

My sister sent me a 911 text asking me to recap The Office for her again. (Nat, did you really send that text before watching the episode? If not, weird! If so, funny.) Anywho, I didn't watch it with the intent of blogging, so I'll just mention a few things.

• The microwave. This scene must've been stolen from my workplace. There is literally a person who leaves notes like that on our microwave.
  
• Michael's reaction to Toby's return. NOOOOOO! NO GOD NO!!!!! Poor, sad Toby.
  
• Creed. Good grief, could he be any creepier?
• Michael's $500 Caprese salad. Hilarious. Anyone else have a hard time believing Michael keeps that kind of cash on his person?
• The house. I was afraid Pam was going to be upset. Loved her reaction.
• Ryan going to Thailand with friends from high school. Well, a high school. (Ryan is taking a leave of absence from the show to film the new Quentin Tarantino movie, so this may be the last we see of him for a while.)
• Best line: Sometimes the ends justify the mean.
  

Guess I'm going to have to watch this...

You probably think this post is about you

Vanity plates entertain me. First of all, I love how the name just gets it out there: These are for vain people. Second, I love the thought that you could go to purchase a license plate and think, "Hmm. How can I make this MORE expensive?" Where I live it costs an extra $50 a year. You really have to believe in your tag to add that charge.

I enjoy the ones that are like puzzles that you have to figure out. Some can be cute. My friend drives a pink scooter with the tag PRETTYN. I saw a little old lady driving a Jaguar with the tag MA'AM. Cute. (And who knew you could have an apostrophe?)

The vast majority are just obnoxious. And they really tell you something about the driver of the car. For example:

• DDYSGRL: Gotta admit, I wanted to rear-end her.
• 1SWTMOM: This one must be ironic, because Sweet Mom drives a minivan, sells Mary Kay, and seems to be afflicted with a nasty case of road rage
• LOST W8: Good for you, dude. Maybe I'll get one that says STL FAT.

There are a few good ones at work...but I should probably not post those.

Anyone have funny vanity plates to share?

Shake it like a Polaroid picture

Finally someone came up with a way to take a perfectly good digital photo and make it look like an old Polaroid!
Check out Poladroid.net.
NOTE: Currently they only have a download for Mac, but a PC version should be available later this month. I'll keep you updated.

When you download the program, a little Polaroid camera appears on your desktop. You simply drag a photo into the camera, and out pops a Polaroid. You actually have to wait while the photo develops before your eyes, and you can save it at any point during the development process.
I think someone could come up with a really cool Christmas card using this program!

Here's the normal picture:

Don't they look like they're from back in the day?

Virtually cool

Next time you're heading to a concert where you might feel compelled to hold your cell phone aloft (cause, you know, you can't do that with lighters anymore), be sure to have the Virtual Zippo app for your iPhone.


It's someone's job to come up with stuff like this.

More Dwight!

Last night's episode of The Office was painfully short on Dwight. This deleted scene from last week's episode helps.

G'day Mates

I know wishing for an ailment is probably ill-advised, but, I don’t know, Foreign Accent Syndrome might be kinda awesome.

Check it out: BookSwim

I heard about BookSwim, which is a Netflix-type service for Books.

In their words: "BookSwim is the first online book rental library service lending you paperbacks and hardcovers, Netflix®-style, directly to your house, without the need to purchase! Whether it's new releases, bestsellers, or classics, we have something for everyone, with free shipping both ways! Read your books as long as you want — no late fees! Even choose to purchase and keep the titles you love!"

I like the idea...but it seems a little too pricey. With their least expensive plan, you can get unlimited books (3 at a time). The first month is $9.95, but then it goes up to $19.95/month. Seems a little pricey, no? I realize that you'd pay $20 for a new hardback, but you'd have to read a lot of books to justify the price. Plus the library offers the same service (without the door-to-door delivery, but still) for free.

What do you think?

Check it out: Food Tidings

This is a great site to simplify the process of organizing meals for a friend or family member in need. When someone you know has a baby, surgery, or a death in the family, you can log in to Food Tidings and set up a schedule and have other people sign up for times to bring food. They even have a place to give special instructions, such as favorite foods or dislikes.

(This came from Brooke, via Stephanie. I waited to see if Steph was going to blog about it, but the statute of limitations is up.)

Pop Quiz: Name that former child actor UPDATE!!!

Kudos to eagle-eye Marilyn for correctly identifying these former child stars!

Recognize this face?

It's Anna Chlumsky from My Girl.

What about this one?

It's Jonathan Lipnicki of Jerry Maguire fame! (I always thought I might have a kid who looked like him.)

Both are trying to rekindle their childhood fame. Anna Chlumsky has been on two episodes of 30 Rock, and Jonathan Lipnicki and his mother have started their own production company.


Don't answer if you watched Good Morning America today.


P.S. Justin got both in about 4 seconds, so maybe they're not as hard as I think.

Funny electoral college map

This map cracks me up. (Click here to see the big version.) My favorites? Arizona and Louisiana. Oh, and all of the states weirded out by Biden's hair.

The Office: Recap

My sister is on vacation, so I'm covering for her slacker self. The Office seemed to be back in top form this week, with Dwight and Jim scoring poorly on their customer surveys. This is a problem for Jim, because it turns out that Pam is a golddigger. Also, Jim is trying to buy his parents' house, and he really needs his bonus. As he points out: "If recent history has taught us anything, it's that you can't go wrong buying a house you can't afford." Turns out Kelly was just upset that they didn't attend her America's Got Talent finale party (HA!), so she sabotaged their surveys. I loved the scene where Michael had Andy and Jim role-playing a sales call.

I thought all of the Jim/Pam Bluetooth stuff was kinda corny, and I've had about enough of Pam and her douchy coffee-buying friend. Come back to Scranton already!

I really can't figure out Angela's game either. (Side note: Be sure to check out Andy and Angela's wedding Web site.)

I'm sure you're agree that there was just one moment that stood out among the rest:

Kelly: "Dwight, get out of my nook."
Pam: "That's what she said!"

Don't forget to check out the deleted scenes on Nbc.com. Here's the first one:

Michelle's dress: Love it or hate it?

While I love the idea of having a young, vibrant mother for a First Lady, I gotta say, I'm not loving Michelle Obama's election night dress. I definitely don't think she needed to wear something stodgy or Hillary Clinton-esque, but something about the pattern and the awkward sash just don't work for me. My fashion-savvy friend Jen tells me that the dress is by Narciso Rodriguez and that it received critical acclaim at New York fashion week. My friend Marilyn, who likes the dress herself, said that detractors are saying that the dress makes it look like Michelle's crotch and chest are ablaze. Ahem. What do you think?

Priorities

It's 7:45 p.m. on the evening of the post important election in modern history. Surely I'm glued to the election coverage, watching the returns with baited breath....right?

Nope. Playing Rock Band.

Someone text me if they declare a winner (only if it's before my bedtime, obviously).

Judging a book by its cover

I hate to admit this, but in today's election I voted against someone based solely on her name. See, a woman named Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh is running for Alabama Public Service Commission President. I'm sure she's a lovely woman, and she my be the most qualified person to be president of the Alabama Public Service Commission (honestly I have no idea what that job entails or who might be qualified for the position, but I digress). I didn't vote for her because her name is Twinkle. Really, I blame her parents. You're just not setting up your daughter for a successful political career when you give her that name!

UPDATE: Too close to call! Looks like my arbitrary vote really did count...

Yay, Amazon!

I was doing some Christmas shopping on Amazon.com today and noticed their great new initiative: Frustration-Free Packaging.

In their words: "Wrap rage" describes the frustration we humans feel when trying to free a product from a nearly impenetrable package. Some products are hermetically sealed in plastic clamshell cases, while others (especially toys) use plastic-coated steel-wire ties.

Today we're excited to announce a multi-year initiative designed to alleviate wrap rage: Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging.

Amazon is working with leading manufacturers to deliver products inside smaller, easy-to-open recyclable cardboard boxes with less packaging material (and no frustrating clam shells or wire ties).

I love it! It looks like their starting with some of their best-selling items, and then will continue to expand in years to come. Great idea!

Check out their "Wrap Rage" gallery here.

Halloween etiquette

FYI: I'm not going to turn away any trick-or-treaters. Even if their parents drive them from house to house. Even if they're clearly old enough to drive themselves. However, I'd like to go on record saying that it is rude to answer a cell phone call whilst standing on my porch asking for candy. That is all.

I love these kids.

I am SO SICK OF THIS ELECTION. But I'd be willing to let it drag out a little longer if I could see more of these kids.

Check it out

I do lots of my shopping online, especially when it comes to Christmas gifts. But shipping charges can add up quickly. Freeshipping.org makes it easy to find stores with deals on shipping--they have a listing of more than 800 stores that offer shipping discounts and give you the discount codes you need to take advantage of the deals. Check it out!

Mmm. Cake.

My friend Libby made this cake for my birthday: Chocolate Marble Sheet Cake with Mocha Frosting (from the October 2008 issue of Southern Living). Very tasty. (Mom, this would be a good one to take to your meetings.)

WARNING

Know what I love? Reading warning labels on products. I saw two funny ones today.

• (On the gas pump) Do not siphon gasoline with mouth.
• (on a commercial for Triaminic children's cough medicine) Do not use for the purpose of making your child sleepy.

Can't say they didn't warn you.

You'll be wanting one of these

I've been coveting Pottery Barn's Bedford Smart Recharge Station for a while now, and Justin got me one for my birthday. It's pretty sweet. It has a power strip inside of it, so you can plug in your cell phone, iPod, camera, etc., in one place without the cords hanging out all over the place.

In case you missed it...

Put a little Stephanie in your life

You know my friend Stephanie, right? If not (where have you been?), you should know that she has a great sense of style. You should also know that she'll monogram anything that doesn't move (check that--her car moves, and she monogrammed that too). Steph is putting together a gift club, and for a very reasonable price she'll send a little piece of her fabulous style right to your door every month. I'm signing up. Check her blog for details.

Lost Season 5 Promo

SWEET.

Things that creep me out: Madame Tussauds wax figurines

DAH!

Cry for help

Tonight I made this Shrimp Scampi and this Cheesy Garlic Bread for Justin's birthday dinner. Needless to say, there was a lot of garlic involved. Whenever I cook with garlic, my fingers smell like it for days. How can I get rid of the stank?

Try this: Italian Jambalaya

I tried this recipe for Italian Jambalaya a few weeks ago, and it's very tasty. It uses orzo instead of rice. I left out the pork chops because it just seemed like way too much meat. Justin asked that I include shrimp next time. This makes a ton of food, so you'll probably have leftovers.

The Office: Deleted Scene

Sarah Palin on SNL

Set your TIVOs. She's going to be on Saturday Night Live this weekend. I fully expect my head to explode when I see her and Tina Fey on the screen at the same time. I might not be able to tell them apart!

Check it out: Cafe Johnsonia

Head over to Cafe Johnsonia. It's a food blog with lots of recipes with step-by-step photos. I think you'll like it.

Rent it: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Disclaimer: Don't rent this if you are offended by foul language, sexual humor, and/or full-frontal male nudity. (You can't say I didn't warn you.)

Welcome back, Eli

Eli Stone returns tonight! I'm excited in spite of Katie Holmes's guest spot. Whew, my Tuesday schedule is packed.

Etsy gallery

I promised you a gallery of things I've bought on Etsy.com, so here it is. (Perhaps it's time to stage an intervention.) It may look like I'm driving my family into financial ruin, but all of these items are very inexpensive. I bought them over the course of several months, and they cost less than $100 total. Plus, it's nice to know my money is going to a real person instead of Wal-Mart or something. So don't you judge me! If you click on the picture, it should link you to the artist's Etsy store.


Mini snap wallet.


Tote bag.

Alphabet print for Luke, Owl print for my office.

Growth cart for Luke. Card for a friend.

Handpainted blocks for Luke.

Pushing Daisies

Watched it. Liked it. I added a season pass for this one.

In case you're keeping track, I've now officially picked up the following shows:

True Blood

Fringe

The Mentalist

Pushing Daisies

That seems like a lot, but in exchange I've dropped these shows:

Heroes

My Name Is Earl

CSI

The Shield

Survivor (maybe)

Blogger ornament exchange

I joined this Bloggers Ornament Exchange. Just sign up here, and you'll be assigned a partner. Then you send your partner an ornament (either homemade or store-bought) and receive one in the mail. Sounds fun to me! Visit http://pamperingbeki.blogspot.com/ for the instructions.