My Favorite Things Giveaway......Minus the Giveaway!

Can you believe we are at the end of 2009? I just cannot get over how fast time goes! As we come to the end of 2009, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some of the items that have made my year. If I was Oprah, I would give these away.....and the audience would be uber disappointed because they are not worth thousands of dollars. But, here it is, my top 5 favorite things of 2009.

5. Reebok Easy Tone Shoes - I know I have blogged about these before, but they are so great that they made the number 5 spot on my list! These shoes are light, comfy, and actually work! I feel inspired to workout each time I lace them up!

4. Dove Pro Age Body Lotion - I am a beauty junkie! I will try just about any lotion, potion, or creme. I have very sensitive skin and have always been a bit obsessive about having soft skin. A few months ago I was on the hunt for something new because my lotion just wasn't leaving my skin as smooth as I wanted. I decided to try Dove Pro Age lotion. I am a firm believer the best way to keep your skin young and healthy is to take care of it as best as I can now. Sure, this lotion may be designed for more mature skin, but it is packed with everything needed to keep skin soft and young. I highly recommend trying it out. It has been the best body lotion I have ever found.....and it is under $10!!

3. Sonicare Electric Tooth Brush - This may have been one of my more expensive purchases of 2009, but I bought myself the Cadillac of all tooth brushes. This tooth brush is amazing! It is like going to the dentist to have a cleaning every time I brush. My teeth and gums have never felt so great. This tooth brush also comes with its own UV brush head cleaner for disinfection.

2. Flintstones Gummy Vitamins with extra vitamin C - I know, I know...what 29-year-old takes Flintstones vitamins, I DO!!! I need to thank my friend Kelly, who is a first year kindergarten teacher, for introducing them to me. They taste yummy and it is easy to remember to take something that tastes yummy every day! I swear that these vitamins are the reason I made it through my first teaching assignment without getting sick, especially during the height of the swine flu epidemic.


1. My I-Phone - I have never been much into technology and all of the latest techno trends. However, I am marrying the ultimate tech/gadget lover and I LOVE him for buying me an I-Phone for my birthday. It is amazing! I love having a phone, email, and Internet all in one. I love being able to surf the net while I am having my oil changed, look up needed ingredients for a recipe while at the store, and see what my friends are up to through Facebook (Dina, I am still waiting for you to join!!). I have gone from techy bah-humbug to techy believer!!

I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday season. Have a fun and safe New Year. Here's to anticipating the wonders that will be waiting for us to try in 2010!!

I Just Wanna Sing!!

This will be a short and sweet post, but for reals people, I WANNA SING!  I LOVE the show Glee.  What I love even more than the show is that the mixes sang on the show are available for download and let me just tell you that driving in the car with those mixes makes the commute much more enjoyable!  Seriously, if I could ask for a talent, it would be to sing!  If I could sing (without having to give up my dance abilities) I would head straight for New York and pursue a Broadway career!  Singing, dancing, and acting for a live audience...Ahhh!!  Would it get any better!?!?! I think not!!

Tonight the Sing Off premiered on NBC and it was amazing!  Seriously, this is raw talent! If you have no idea what I am talking about, please tune in tomorrow.  The Sing Off is a week long singing competition made up entirely  of a capella groups. You have to watch this to appreciate the incredible talent these people possess. The beginning of the show started with all of the singing groups performing David Bowie and Queen's "Under Pressure." It was absolutely incredible to hear every musical element of that performance and think that NO instruments were used! Please, check it out. After watching, you too will aspire to be a singer!

As if I didn't see enough musical performances tonight, I am now watching Straight, No Chaser on Channel 11. This is a male a capella group featuring Chicago's own Dan Ponce. For those of you who are not news junkies like I am, used to be a news reporter and NBC5, his brother, Anthony, is a reporter on ABC7, and his father is a famous face of Ch 11. Dan left his news reporter job to pursue his musical career and the group is really taking off. They actually popped up on my Pandora Christmas music channel the other day....you should check them out as well. They do all sorts of current and old school songs....They do an awesome version of Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours."

Music makes me so happy!! I may not have the best voice, but that in no way stops me! Tomorrow I will for sure be rocking out in my car, I hope you do the same!

xoxo
d

The Power Suit

Today I  am going to make you think!  Uh, I know, we all do it way too much, but this will be fun to think about!  What do you own that makes you feel powerful?  Today's blog is inspired by one of the teachers I subbed for last week.  She was telling me how she had just gotten a new purse and it was bigger than any she has ever had and she just loves it!  She said it made her feel powerful.  Not only did the bigger size make her feel more powerful, but the purse was RED which is a power color in itself!  She modeled the purse for me and it was so cute to see how excited she was about her new purse.  It got me thinking about what I own that makes me feel powerful, and by powerful I mean confident, ready to rule the world, and look darn good doing it!

Right now, my indigo empire-waist winter coat is my power accessory.  I got it for Christmas a couple years ago.  For a coat, it fits perfectly and I look like a woman and not a marshmallow in it.  The color is great and they style is so chic that it looks like something from J.Crew (let's take a moment and pause for my favorite store that I am only able to shop the sale racks of...ahhh), but my coat is from Target!!  Yep, that's right, Target.  I get complimented on it all the time and I always feel put together when I have it on.  Feeling put together makes me feel powerful!!

So, what did you think of?  What do you have that makes you feel powerful?

xoxo

d

Childhood Traditions that Never Get Old!

For shame, it has been way too long since I have blogged. For the 7 of you that read this, I apologize and will not let it happen again. In my defense, I am working on something new, a new blog to be exact and it will launch on Sunday January 3rd so get excited!!! Totally different from what I am doing now, but have no fear I am still keeping this blog as my new one is not about my likes, loves, and loathes, it is something to help us all have a great year! So please stay tuned, I am really excited about it!

Anyways, back to the real focus.....Christmas traditions that NEVER get old! Growing up, my family went every year to get our very own tree. We all bundled up, jumped in the minivan with the dog and set off on our merry way! We would play Christmas tapes and sing the whole way there....The Christmas Polka was by far my favorite song! What? You aren't familiar with that one? It's an oldie, but I goodie and I highly recommend you check it out....."We've got the spirit of Christmas come on along.  We'll have some polka, what can go wrong?  We'll take the sleigh and go cut a tree so come join the jubilee!!" Oh the good 'ole days. Once we arrived, we were on a mission to find the perfect Christmas tree. My brother, Colin, and I would use any scrap we could find to mark the trees we liked. After we decided on the perfect tree my dad would cut it down, we would have it bailed, get some hot chocolate, and strap that baby to the top of the minivan for our ride home.

This weekend Jeremy and I went and chopped down our very own Christmas tree! It is amazing how little things have changed in the whole process of cutting down a tree. Jeremy and I bundled ourselves up, hopped in our SUV, rocked out to some Christmas tunes on our Sirius-XM radio, and headed to Grandpa's Tree Farm. There we were given our very own saw, hopped on the tractor pulled hayride and went on the hunt for our very first Christmas tree! One we selected our tree, Jeremy chopped it down, we threw it back on the hayride and went back to get some hot chocolate while they bailed our tree.

We had the most wonderful time and it was really exciting to restart a tradition that was so special to me growing up! Here are some photos from our Christmas Tree adventure. I hope you are starting or continuing your own holiday traditions!

xoxo

d

PS: We named our tree Edna Louise

 

 

A Reminder About Shopping Etiquette

As we prepare to give Thanks tomorrow, I am also very aware that this week kicks off the holiday shopping madness. With that in mind, I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the unspoken rules of shopping etiquette...


Store/Mall Shopping:

* Please remember to walk on the right of the aisle. I understand that there are stores on both sides, but it is polite to stay towards the right of the direction you are walking. It allows people like me, who shop with a purpose, to dodge those of you who are lollygagging and window shopping.

* Please do not just stop in the middle of the walkway. Just because you want to stop and yap on your cell phone does not mean all the people walking behind you are prepared to stop. If you need a moment, move out of the way of the flow of foot traffic.

* Please consider rethinking shopping with your double wide stroller and 8 kids in tow. With the amount of people out and about shopping this time of year, I suggest those of you with small children get a sitter for the day and get some real shopping done. Doing so will make you a much more productive shopper instead of child wrangler and it will make the rest of us shopping without children much happier as well. It never fails that the strollers are always taking up the aisles at the already cramped department stores. Also as we shop on a mission walking in the main areas of the mall often becomes more of a "dodge the children" challenge as they run from one side of the mall to the other while mom is trying to wrangle the other children, stroller, and shopping bags about 50 yards behind them.

* Parking. The parking lot is a dreaded place to be this time of year. If you are one of those people that MUST have the close parking spot and will sit with your turn signal on and wait, and wait, and WAIT while the car pulls out of its spot, I have a request......PLEASE DO NOT SIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AISLE! Many of us have no problem parking a bit of a distance from the store and walking, so please allow us the room to drive around you and park. We will already be inside shopping by the time you pull into your close spot!

Now the mall is not the only area of concern with shopping etiquette, with so many family and friend gatherings this time of year, the grocery stores are often just as busy as the mall. So please keep these few tips in mind when shopping....

* The aisles are not that wide for you to keep your cart in the middle while you peruse the shelves. Please keep your cart close to the shelf so I can maneuver around you while you shop.

* The check-out lines are long which means there is no excuse for you NOT to be prepared when you reach the cashier. Your value card should be out, you should have the divider separating your order from the person in front of you and have as much out as possible. This allows for a faster and smoother check-out.

* Finally, please put your cart back on the cart holder. It may be an extra 20 feet from your car, but if you put it away, that lessens the chance of it hitting someone's car and everyone leaves happy!

I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving and a very happy shopping season!

xoxo

d

Keeping Up With The Joneses

Alright people, I have something to discuss and I am not holding back!! Lately I have noticed a lot of people hating on others for what they have and how they live.  Sadly I have heard this talk from people talking about their own friends.  Now I understand it is only normal to talk about what others have and what their homes, clothes, and lifestyles are like, but I am saddened to see so much negativity surrounding these conversations.  Why can't  we just be happy for the people we love and the success and happiness they are having in lives?  Why do feel such need to "keep up with the Joneses???"

Now, I am sure we have all heard of that saying...but have you ever wondered who the Jones family is?  Well I did some research and found out that the phrase originated from a comic strip in 1916.   The Joneses were the neighbors of the comic strip's main characters.  They were often referred to, but never seen.  There is your bit of history for the day, now back to the important stuff!!

The great thing about life is that EVERYONE lives differently and enjoys different things.  That is what makes the world go round; different strokes for different folks!  Instead of criticizing or being jealous of what our friends have compared to us, we should be happy that our friends are doing well and living well.  We need to stop focusing on what we don't have and be happy with what we do have, especially when it comes to friends.

It makes me really sad that I tend to see this behavior and hear these things from the girls more than the guys.  Ladies, we cannot be like this!!  Why do we feel the need to criticize each other?  There is enough bad in the world, we need to be supportive of our girls and be happy for how well they are doing.  I recently heard a story from a girl attending a bridal shower for a friend and she did nothing but complain about everything....the location, the food, how the gifts were opened, etc.  I was so appalled listening to this.  I tried to remind this girl that it was the couple's wedding shower and not hers.  They created a shower that would best fit them and what they would enjoy most.  I know the couple had an amazing time and that is what is important!  I understand it is natural to critique things to our liking, but we need to stop criticizing! 

I know we are all guilty of this, myself included, but I think we really need to step back and take a look at how we tend to compare our lives to the lives of others around us.  Newsflash.....what someone else has and how they live may not work for you!!!  So let's all try to be happy with ourselves, our lives, and be genuinely happy for those of our friends who are doing well.  Thank you and goodnight :o)

I am a sucker and I LOVE it!!

As I mentioned last week, I have a thing for infomercials.  What I should have said is that I love ADVERTISEMENTS period!! (except the ones that pop up on my computer...I don't like those!)  I love watching commercials, I actually look at the ads in magazines and billboards on the road. Marketing companies love me because I am a sucker for their advertisements!  You put up an ad for anything beauty, health, or organizing, and I am all over!

Case and point....

Recently I saw an ad for the new Reebok Easytone shoe.  It claims that these shoes will help tone up your butt and legs just from wearing them.  Seriously, I was sold after that!  As I try to get in shape for our wedding so I can be sassy in my dress I will try just about anything that will make me look better on our big day!  So last night I went to a mall for the first time in forever and bought myself a pair of these shoes!

Ladies and gentlemen I AM A BELIEVER!  I wore my shoes today while running errands and I am actually sore!! Seriously, this is no joke!  I feel it in my hamstrings, up the sides of my thighs, and in my calves.  It is a fantastic feeling.  I can't imagine how great they work at the gym!!  Here they are.....I highly recommend them!  Come on, be a sucker with me, it feels great!!

Photo Courtesy of www.reebok.com

Can I get a What, What?!?!?

It's Friday, oh yeah!!

I do love me some Fridays!! It has been a busy and wonderful week. But no matter how great things are, there are always some moments that make you say, WHAT? Here is a recap of my top 4 "WHAT(S)" for the week! (everyone does a top 5, I am doing a top 4!)

4. Carrie Prejean -- Seriously, WHAT is up with this girl. There is nothing intelligent that comes out of her mouth and the more she talks, the worse she looks! Her PR person is either really dumb or cursing the day she took on Carrie as a client!

3. The new cart return holder at The Jewel (yes I added THE before Jewel). This is a big exciting WHAT that is also very shocking!! We may have a slightly ghetto Jewel by our house and because of that you are never allowed to walk your cart full of groceries to your car.....well Hell must have frozen over because the other night Jeremy and I went to the grocery store and as usual I ran to get the car while Jeremy finished loading up the groceries. As I pulled the car up to load it, Jeremy has this shocked look on his face and is waving his arm to show that the gate was gone.....people, they installed cart return stalls at our ghetto Jewel!! We can now walk our carts to our car and load the groceries in. This truly was a big moment!

2. My rockstar lifestyle! Those of you who know me are aware of how wild and crazy I am (please try and imagine extreme sarcasm in this statement!) Well, I have taken Jeremy down with me in my wild ways. This week, there was a night where both of us were asleep on the couch by 8PM. Yes, that's right, 8PM (jealous?!?!). WHAT??? For reals, ugh!! It is times like this that I try and give myself a swift kick in the butt and remind myself that I am 29, not 89.

1. Our football team, the Chicago Bears. Anyone who watched that game last night may have needed to double check to make sure they were watching a professional football game. Hey Jay Cutler, I am thrilled to see that you set a new record for most interceptions.....WHAT the heck! In a perfect ending to an awful game, Jeremy and I were walking home down Division on the sidewalk discussing how the Bears played like Sh*# when I slipped and almost fell. What did I slip on, on the sidewalk of a major street you ask.....SH*@!!!! All over the place....WHAT!?!?! It was very fitting though an evening filled with sh*&^y football was topped off by a slip in the same stuff. I was laughing hysterically and I hope you are as you read this!

Have a great weekend!

xoxo,
d

Infomercials!!!

There was no subbing to be done yesterday since the school district I work for was observing Veterans Day. It is much deserved holiday and while we only designate one day to celebrate those who protect and have protected our freedom, it is something that should be recognized and appreciated every day!

I took some time out of my day yesterday to do some relaxing on the couch with my Chihuahua, Hua. I am a sucker for infomercials and have bought (and returned) numerous items because I was sucked in and I have my credit card information memorized (bad idea!!). Direct TV has several channels dedicated to various infomercials on health, beauty, wellness, etc. Yesterday I was intrigued by an infomercial about the Ab Circle. I proceeded to sit mesmerized for the next half hour watching people who had such success using a machine that looked like so much fun! Not only were there exercises for the abs, but the machine could warp into a bun and thigh machine as well! They were guaranteeing that you would lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks or your money back.

When Jeremy got home last night I proceeded to tell him about this AMAZING new machine I had watched an infomerical on. He immediately began shaking his head and determined to make him a believer I began spouting off testimonials from the infomercial and his response was "you realize that you can do that with regular diet and exercise at the gym, right?" I get that, but this infomercial was saying that I would be able to achieve these results in 3 MINUTES!! I can always find three minutes in my day to workout!

Needless to say, Jeremy was not biting on my Ab Circle pitch so I drug myself off of the couch and went to the gym where I proceeded to use their Ab Circle-esque machine :o) I wonder what informercials will be on today?!?!?!

The Easy Button

In today's busy world with not enough hours in the day, I believe it is the little conveniences in life that make it easier. I recently had a conversation with a colleague who had a different opinion. Let me replay the conversation for you:

Scene: I am in the teachers' lounge getting ready to put my chicken soup with stars (soup in hand) into the microwave.....and action!!

Colleague: Do you really like that soup in a can?

Me: Yes I do. It is the perfect amount and really easy to eat.

Colleague: I prefer laboring over my food. I get great satisfaction over preparing it and putting it together. I get the convenience, but it just doesn't have the same gratification. You know, it is like those premade crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.....

Me: You mean like the Smucker's crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich I have sitting at the lunch table?!?!

Colleague: ...hehehe (awkward laughter)...I guess I just take great satisfaction in preparing my food.

Me: I take great satisfaction in eating my food and not worrying about all the prep work.

And scene!

Like most Americans, I am a busy person! I am often juggling many things at once and instead of skipping the eating part (which is just wrong!!), I prefer to put something together that is easy to eat whether it is sitting down or on the go and it not too terrible health-wise. Do I like to cook, of course! Do I always have time....NOPE!! I prefer using the easy button in life whenever it is needed. Now if only I could find one that folds the laundry and puts it away!!

The Swine

It has taken over the media, our schools, and our minds! Anyone that knows me is aware that I may be slightly over dramatic when it comes to my health....AKA, I am a bit of a hypochondriac. But seriously people, I am torn over this whole Swine Flu thing. I do not know whether to freak out or shake my head at the media frenzy covering this whole pandemic!

As an educator I am seeing first hand how serious The Swine is. We had over 5% of our school population out with "flu-like" symptoms. So I know it is not something to be taken lightly. I know I may not be in the high-risk group, but being surrounded by my little sick ones each day does make me concerned for my health.......but let's be honest, my mental sanity is much more at jeopardy!

I torture myself each day reading awful stories on how seemingly healthy people die after contracting Swine Flu. It is horrifying to read multiple stories like these each day.....I know, I know....then why do I read it? Well, I prefer to be a well informed citizen despite how much it horrifies me.

I try my best with vigilant hand washing, antibacterial hand sanitizer, having my students disinfect their tables at the end of each day, etc. I know this is very serious matter, but also having a previous career in television, I know how the media can cause panic among the viewing population. Ugh, why do I fear The Swine IS something to worry about and not just the hype that Bird Flu was. At least I still have my Bird Flu masks.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!!!

It is hard to believe the weekend is already coming to an end. I used to be someone who suffered from the Sunday Blues, now I love my Sunday rituals that help me gear up for the following week. We usually try and cook a nice dinner on Sundays.....although this Sunday we opted for popcorn while seeing Law Abiding Citizen (which I highly recommend). I do all of my pampering on Sunday evening such a deep conditioning my hair, giving myself a facial, etc. Doing these little things make me feel refreshed, relaxed, and ready for a new week. While I have found a way to conquer the Sunday Blues, I know not everyone has. For you, I am giving you this assignment, read below and think of 5 of your own!!

My girlfriend Sonya gave me the book, 14,000 Things to be Happy About. Whenever I need a little pick-me-up, I flip to one of the pages and read. Tonight, I share 5 things to be happy about from page 41....
1. Snow forts
2. Wristwatches
3. Lying motionless in the warm sun
4. Goggles
5. Flipping coins into a fountain

See, doesn't that make you think of happy things when you read those words?!?! Now, it is your turn, think of 5 things that make you happy. Here are 5 that make me happy.
1. Feeling a sense of accomplishment after cleaning the house
2. Warm towels right out of the dryer
3. Hot chocolate with whipped cream and mini marshmallows
4. My dog
5. Spending time with Jeremy

Happy Sunday. I hope Monday starts your week off right!!

Feel the Burn!!

It may be that I have a gorgeous wedding dress to get into in less than 5 months, but let me tell you I am on a workout kick! I am working (job-wise) like a crazy woman and normally would find any excuse not to go to the gym, but I cannot get over how great I have felt lately! Seriously, if you are reading this thinking that you would love to be motivated to workout, I have 1 word for you...BOXING! Boxing has brought my inner athlete back! Not only is it an amazing workout, it is a fantastic stress reliever!! Just think about it....how amazing would it feel to punch the crap out of something...and for an hour nonetheless!!

I take boxing every Wednesday and I am hoping to start taking the Saturday class as well. I have an awesome teacher and I truly believe that the teacher plays a huge role in the enjoyment of a class. He knows his stuff, but he is not a jerk about it. The class has a great mix of males, females, sizes, and skills. Everyone there works their booty off!! Tonight was no exception. We had a new teacher tonight.....she worked with my regular teacher so I believe she is training. She was cute, petite, and totally toned. I thought class would be pretty easy tonight....WRONG!!! Let me tell you how much she kicked our butts! The big 'ole boxer guys in my class were begging for a break with her! Her idea of resting in between exercises was intense jump roping or fast jumping jacks......umm, that is a workout to me. A break means I can be laid out on the floor with my water bottle, panting and wishing I was on the couch.

She taught the first half of class and my regular teacher taught the second half. I do not know the last time I sweat this much! Aside from dancing, this is my favorite type of cardio class to take. While I like to think I workout for the health benefits, I will admit my number one motivator revolves around vanity. I want to look good and I make no excuses about it. I am 3 weeks into my classes in addition to going to the gym 3 other days a week and I have totally noticed a difference in my arms. I have the world's longest and most gangly arms....I could put many basketball players to shame! For the first time I getting total definition in my arms and they are not looking so skinny, it is very exciting!!

So for those of you looking for some motivation or a great stress relief, take a boxing class!! I may not be able to write for the rest of the week because my arms are so sore already, but it is so worth it!! Happy hump day!!

The Good Ole Days

While I do not have children of my own yet, I get to work with almost 500 children everyday as a teacher. As a primary teacher, I often find myself reflecting back upon my youth and how simple the "good ole days" were and how as a child, you can get away with certain behaviors that adults cannot.

For instance, I was walking down the hall on Friday and a first grader was in front of me dancing her little heart out all by herself as she walked the the restroom. I couldn't help but smile as I watched her, without a care in the world, skip and shake her way down the hall. Even when she saw I was behind her, it didn't stop her. Now, as an adult there are times when I would love to skip and dance as I head to the bathroom, but I would most likely get lots of odd looks and hear some whispering behind my back. At what age are you no longer allowed to skip to the bathroom?

This instance reminded me of the FRIENDS episode where Phoebe runs in the park. Rachel asks her why does she run in such a funny way and her response is about how much fun running was as a kid and it didn't matter what you looked like. She definitely has a point. As we get older a lot of the fun is taken out of the things that we do on a daily basis.

Life can be stressful, as adults we are very aware of that. When the going gets tough, I think it is time to check in with our inner child and bust out some of our favorite old dance moves while walking to the bathroom or doing the ordinary everyday taks. I hope you are all having a great weekend! Don't forget to shake it!

On the Road Again

Up until 1 year ago my dad drove 65 miles one way to work. He did this for about 19 years. I have recently started commuting 25 miles to work and after 3 weeks doing this, I called my father up and told him what a saint he was and that I could not believe he did this for so long! He said when I have kids one day I will do the same for them......65 miles is a lot though :o)

Some days traffic is just fine. Other days, you would think I was on the road with everyone is the state of Illinois. Like I said, I work 25 miles northwest of Chicago......not bad, except the smallest thing can turn my 45 minute commute into 2+ hours (as it did the other day). Driving past the second busiest airport in the world doesn't help traffic either.

Here is where my issue comes in to play......we live in a city that has 4 seasons; winter, spring, summer, and fall....5 if you include the construction season which seems to last all year long. We have days where it seems like all 4 seasons happen within 15 minutes of each other. So why is it that a simple shower turns my 45 minutes commute into 2 hours!! 2 hours crawling in traffic!! Two hours where I could have been a good wife-to-be and made dinner for my future hubby.....thankfully he is an incredible cook so it worked out just fine.

Back to the real issue. What is the deal? Why is it that people seems to lose their minds the moment precipitation enters the radar? If it takes me 2 hours to get home during a shower, I dread what will happen during the first snowfall. I am a strong proponent of safe driving, but those who are afraid or hesitant of driving in the elements should refrain from doing so! This week was a nightmare for commuting. Not only was there rain this week, there was wind, and last but not least, the ever dreaded "sunshine delay!" I know that looking directly into the sun when driving can be a real pain, but I can't help but crack up when I hear the traffic reporters talk about the sunshine delays :o)

I know with the changes in weather my commute is only get worse. It is time to be proactive so I am ready when it does. I think I am going to get some books on tape....wait, I believe they are referred to as digital books now! Maybe I can finally become fluent in Espanol. 2+ hours is a lot of time to kill, the possibilities are endless!

I hope you all had a great weekend and have a stress-free upcoming week!

To Be or Not To Be?

What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? Where is that one missing sock that did not make it out of the dryer? These are some of life's big questions which begs me to ask, Where do you do your best thinking?

Think about it (haha). Obviously we spend a lot of time in various places thinking, but do you have a place or time when you do your best thinking? My head is always going a million miles an hour! I am always making lists...I should own stock in post-its and I always have a pen and paper on me. But, I do my best thinking away from the papers, away from the noise. My best thinking takes place while I am in the shower. I am not sure if it is the running water, the absence of distractions, or the warm water beating down on me, but that is the place where I have always done my best thinking.

I thought about doing this blog and things I would write about while I was in the shower. Growing up I was a dancer and I thought of much of the choreographing for dances while in the shower. Throughout college I thought of many paper ideas, thought provoking questions, and presentation ideas while in the shower. I think of many lessons plans and creative projects for the classroom while I am in the shower. While I have no pens or papers in the shower, you best bet I have post-it notes within easy access as soon as I get out :o)

Now that I am teaching and getting up so early, I am showering in the evening. This has been a big help in 2 ways......1. I can sleep for an extra 15-20 minutes in the morning and 2. I am able to get all of my thoughts on the day (be it good or bad) and this allows me to hit my pillow much more relaxed at the end of the night.

The bad thing about thinking in the shower.....well for me I do think short thoughts. I am one of those people that will initially over analyze everything and then rationalize my thoughts. Needless to say that is not always a quick process. I try in many ways to be green and help the environment, this is obviously not one of the ways I am helping.....hmm, this blog post is making me feel very guilty all of a sudden.

Anyways, think about it, where do you do your best thinking? I hope you are all having a great week. Looks like it about that time of night.....I will try to make it a quick shower tonight!

Therapy

Therapy comes in many forms; for some it means talking to a therapist, for others it is medication, still others exercise or taking yoga classes. For me, my therapy comes in the form of a big red bullseye that is filled with endless aisles of everything you want and need. My therapy is not so much a what, but a where and that where is no other than Target.

Seriously, I walk into those doors and it is like I have walked into a meditation class. I can spend hours in Target just walking up and down the aisles with my shopping cart. I often start in the beauty section because I am a sucker for latest lotions and potions. After that I walk up and down the cleaning aisles. My therapy session could really end with this aisle as I can spend all of my time in it. The smell of clean laundry and Pine Sol are absolutely heavenly. The only thing that makes me happier than cleaning is decorating. Naturally my next move would be to make my way through home decor finding new things to fill our house with. Then I make my way through clothing, shoes, accessories, and finally wrap up my therapy session in the dollar aisles.

I used to go into Target and pick up a basket to do my shopping. It doesn't matter if I go into Target with a list or not, I always end up with a cart full of items. I have finally given up on the basket and go straight for the cart.

I like to go to Target by myself. Like I said, it is my therapy, my time to meditate and relax.....do you bring people to therapy.....nope! It is nice to have therapy that only costs as much as I spend :o) Oh Target, how I love thee! Anyone feel the way about their happy place like I feel about Target?

Wait Your Turn!!

Kanye West.....do you hear me? You one-upper, greedy, thunder stealer!! Need I say more? I mean the man can't seem to let anyone else have their moment to shine. His behavior at the MTV VMA's was appalling last night. I understand everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but who does he really think he is getting up on stage and ruining Taylor Swift's moment?!?! Seriously Kanye, it was like a monster attacking a kitten. While Kanye may need a few lessons in public etiquette, Taylor Swift could write a book for young girls on how to act! When Kanye lost a few year's ago and got on stage to rant, it was over the top and obnoxious, but I believe what he did last night was worse because he wasn't even a part of the category. Way to try and steal her thunder Kanye!

This weekend, Jeremy and I had some friends over for dinner and we were telling them about a conversation we heard on the radio about people stealing your thunder at very inappropriate times. Two of them involved weddings and both involved members of their bridal party. The first girl had a bridesmaid who got engaged during dinner at her reception and the other......I still can't believe this really happened.......well the other bride was having the symbolic first dance with her new husband and noticed the camera flashes were all going off, but not at them. Another bridesmaid had gotten engaged.....during their FIRST DANCE!! I was horrified for these poor people. What kind of idiots are these girls marrying that would do something like this and how could these girls think it was an appropriate time for this?!?!? Seriously, I was appalled.

Moral of the story.....let people enjoy their earned moments in the spotlight. Karma always wins in the end!!

What's My Age Again?

It was brought to my attention this week that while I may be only 29-years-old, I have the tendencies of a 90-year-old. I was helping out a friend with some work he was doing at a convention center this week and while we were all sitting around talking I mentioned that I really wanted to learn how to knit. Somehow that conversation turned to how the smell of old books is one of my favorite smells. One of the other guys I was working with turned to me and said, "What are you, 90-years-old?"

Ok, so I know I enjoy some things that are often time are more typical of the older generations and that got me thinking about the way I am.....am I really like a 90-year-old?

I once was the girl always dancing on the bar and back in the day I could never imagine myself not dancing on a bar. I would start my evenings at 11PM and end them at 5AM the following morning. Well, these days I am fast asleep by 11PM and up an hour later than I used to get home.

This summer I took Jeremy to Iowa City to show him my old college stomping grounds. It was while we were hanging out at one of my old favorite places that I realized I had no longer has the desire to start my evenings at 11Pm and stay out until 5AM. Instead of dancing on bars, I have monthly dinner clubs with my friends where we have great conversations, food, and drink. Do I miss my old ways......not at all.

I fully embrace the aging process (with the exception of the whole wrinkle thing). I love how my life has grown and how I have grown-up. I look forward to having nice dinners and conversations with friends instead of dancing on bars......that is not to say that if the opportunity to do so came up that I wouldn't be the first person on the bar :o)

I have always been a bit of an old soul. This week I did learn how to knit and it is awesome! There is a craft fair in my neighborhood this weekend with a knitting booth.........guess where I will be tomorrow :o)

Seasonal Anticipation

Labor Day is the "unofficial" end of summer, but I believe many of us see it as the official end of summer. After today, all schools are back in session and most people have wrapped up their summer vacations. Walk into a store and you will see it decked out with all leaves, pumpkins, and fall clothes. I was so excited about all of this that I even changed the wreath on the front door to my favorite fall wreath. As I stood on our front stoop admiring the wreath, my fiancee, Jeremy, asked me what I was doing. I excitedly told him that I changed our wreath to the fall one and could immediately sense that he was not sharing in my excitement for my wreath. It is not that he does not think the wreath is pretty, he told me that "It is still summer, it is too early for this stuff!"

Technically fall does not officially begin until September 22, but like I said, in my mind Labor Day signifies the ending of summer and the beginning of fall. But, I started to think about it and.......well I have a serious issue with people who begin putting their Christmas decorations out on November 1st. It is as if the holidays go from Halloween to Christmas.......Umm, hello, what about Thanksgiving (you know, the holiday that our country's founding is based upon)!! I get very upset when people skip over Thanksgiving and go straight for Christmas. Come one people, lets give Thanksgiving its due. There are plenty of beautiful decorations for turkey day!! Please just wait until Thanksgiving is over to start decorating for Christmas.

While we are on the subject, lets discuss a certain Chicago radio station's need to start playing Christmas music on November 1st. While I LOVE Christmas music and all of the fa-la-la's that come with it, two months of Christmas music 24/7 is a bit much. Again, the Christmas music can wait until after Thanksgiving!! Deep breaths, and I am calm again!! :o)

While Labor Day signifies the "unofficial" end of the summer, to me summer is over. I begin my new career as a teacher tomorrow and can't wait to get into the swing of things. New seasons bring new beginnings and I am so excited!

PS -- Call me a hypocrite, but I really want to keep my wreath up....just the wreath, I will wait to do ALL of my fall decorating until fall officially begins!!

"URLAME"

**Disclaimer** This post is not intended to offend anyone, and if you happen to be one of these people, you really do deserve to be made fun of!

When purchasing a vanity license plate I do believe there should be a list of acceptable protocol when picking out your plates.

Acceptable:
* Initials
* Special Dates
* Non douche bag nicknames : dayzlvr, girly12, surf80, etc

The following should not be allowed to be put on license plate:
* The type of car you drive: We can see that you are driving a BMW, it is totally unnecessary to have the license plate "MY BMW" It is really a good thing you clarified this on your plate because we were all concerned that you might be driving your sister's BMW. We can see that you are driving a BMW and to be honest, we really don't care!

*Thinking your cheap old car is the ultimate ride with the plate: TOGD4U (too good for you) -- Let it be know that I did see this on a Ford last week. I would love to just spend 5 minutes talking with the person that chose this plate. Actually, 5 minutes may be more than I could stand.

*And finally the plate that tells us from miles away that you think you are all that -- HOTEZCR. Just because you are driving in a hot pink car with hot pink french manicured nails does not mean that you are a hottie! The kind of people that create vanity plates like this are also the ones who pop their collars and are "like OMG, we are totally hitting up the clubs tonight!"

While I am a firm believer in "to each their own," I feel that anyone reading this will totally agree with what I am saying. There should be some statutes of limitation on what is acceptable and inappropriate to put on your vanity plates.

I wonder who has the plate, IMADBAG?? I am sure you can think of a name to fill in.

I Would Like to Buy a Vowel

Today I would like to talk about the wonder that is Vanna White. Last night I was watching Wheel of Fortune and couldn't help but wonder a few things:

1. How has Wheel of Fortune been on for 25 years and Vanna has not aged at all?
2. How much does she make just to tap the letters (remember in the 80's when she actually had to turn them around)?
3. How can I get her job when she is ready to retire?

Seriously, she might just have the greatest job ever. She gets paid (I am guessing VERY well) to get all dolled up and strut back and forth for a half hour with a smile. Granted she does have to smile and laugh at Pat's cheesy banter, but it only lasts for 5 seconds.

She definitely struck the gold mine in regards to easy, well paying jobs. This week they are in Orlando at Sea World and she has been doing these segue's into commercials where she is playing with the whales, dolphins, sea lions, etc. Ahh, the wonder that is Vanna.

I would like to solve the puzzle........BEST JOB EVER!!

Instant Gratification

Hello All!

Thank you for stopping by and reading my blog. I have entitled my first posting, "Instant Gratification." Why you ask? Well, let's be honest with ourselves, we all want instant gratification. When I buy a new wrinkle cream, I expect to see results the next morning. Or when I go to the gym for the first time after an extended hiatus (by extended I mean at least six months....most likely more) I want to see a six pack and a firmer butt when I leave the gym.

Is this too much to ask for? I think not!

The reason the topic of instant gratification came about is because my fiancee, Jeremy, and I have been working on a wedding present for my best friend and her husband for almost 4 months now.....did you notice I said husband and not fiancee.....yea, they have been married for over a month now and we STILL ARE NOT done!

When I came up with the idea for the wedding gift (which will be revealed once we finally finish the gift), I thought it would be a nice weekend project. I couldn't just buy them something from a registry, this is my best friend since 2nd grade, I had to do more! So I came up with the idea of something we could hand craft that they would be able to have for many years and possibly even pass down to future generations.

As I mentioned, our weekend project is now going on 4 months. I had no idea the amount of time and detail that would go into this. There have been many a day where extreme power tools and lots of measuring were involved and let's just say it was much safer for me to read Perezhilton.com than to work on any of this. I have a new found respect for craftsmanship and the patience it takes to complete a project. I might have all the patience in the world with children and animals, but when it comes to projects and results, I would prefer if the results were instant......obviously that will never happen.

I look forward to sharing photos of our finished project. I am so proud of what we have done and how everything looks. I guess there is a reason the saying, "Good things come to those who wait," exists.....Looks like I will be going to the gym again in the morning :o) Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog!! Talk to you soon!

xoxo

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