If you've gotten more than 6 comments from me ever, you have probably noticed that I have a love affair with numbered lists. Today, all I can think of are the random things that don't deserve their very own post... so they're going to co-habitate together on one awesomely random list.
1) I am a 5 minutes kind of gal. When I get to work, or get home, I just want 5 minutes of space. Even if I have talked to Ammon the entire car ride home, I don't want him to bug me when I walk in the door. Those few minutes allow me to adjust, to become human, and if it's the morning time, they let me get enough coffee into my system that I can tolerate human interaction.
My co-workers have children. They do not understand my need for 5 minutes first thing in the morning, because that doesn't exist in their world. I'm certain they are doing their very best to help me squelch my baby fever when that attack me first thing in the morning with their cheer and joy.
2) My phone hates me right now. It's randomly shutting off, and the battery is going from full to drained in minutes. I have 6 months before my next free phone. Eff.
3) I am not a picture-taker. I force myself to do it. Now that my phone is on the fritz, the pictures on this blog might get... interesting.
4) Finals/School projects. They suck. We are buried in them around here. I'm seriously contemplating taking a vacation day to deal with all of it.
5) We had Chipotle for dinner last night, and they didn't cook the beans long enough. This left me feeling like someone could strap a basket to me, then use me as the Goodyear blimp.
6) I almost always get kids meals when we eat out, because it's lots of food for darn cheap.
1) I feel the need to be an awesome baker. All of my family members are very talented bakers, and I have to say, I'm not bad. But after this weekend's baking experiences, I feel a driving need to be better.
Pretzel buns. These were... okay, but they deflated when I did the proofing step.
Croissants. The holy grail of pastry. While they taste okay, they ended up being a hot mess. Fail.
Ammon realized right around the time he went for his 4th croissant that my competitive nature mandates that I perfect my french pastry. He got a dreamy, faraway look on his face as he considered the sheer amount of butter necessary for this.
2) I want Ammon to go to church with me, but I get freaked out about him going to church with me.
This is the church we've been visiting. I get freaked out that he's only attending to make me happy, and that I'm somehow making him miserable. It's not true, but it's the story I keep telling myself.
3) I HATE sharing my candy canes. Hate it. I know Santa is frowning right now, but those are my candy canes... get your own!
And because I'm neurotic, and 3 is my favorite number, we're stopping at 3. Also, you should head on over to our wedding blog and check out our newest wedding planning post about our slow, yet still forward progress!
It's book club day. I love book club day. And this month, we read a book that's title inspired the teenybopper in me. When I found out that we were reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, this song started playing in my head.
Fortunately, the book is a little more deep and intriguing than the song. I say fortunately, because as hot as those boys may have been, the story they tell in their song would not have kept me reading for the duration of an entire book.
That's the cover, in case you were wondering what to look for at the store or library.
The Basis: It's Nick and Amy's fifth wedding anniversary. After Nick leaves for work for the day, he gets a call from his neighbor saying the front door is wide open, and the cat is on the lawn. Amy's gone. All of a sudden, Nick finds himself the prime suspect in his wife's disappearance. Watch through both Nick and Amy's eyes as the story unfolds.
My thoughts: I have to say, this book was intense! I think I said the same thing last month, but holy heck... it's just entirely accurate. Again, this book had a dairy-entry style format, though you are living in Nick's point of view for part of it, you also live through Amy's journal. The POV changes are well-delineated, and clear. I really enjoyed Flynn's ability to change her writing style so dramatically in order to match the different characters. It took me a little while to warm up to this book, but once it got rolling, I really enjoyed it.
Okay, I lied. I really enjoyed it up until the end. I felt like the author flipped me off at the end of this book. I think that for the story she wove, the ending sort-of fit, but not really. You think that there is character development and growth, and in the end... well, no. I don't tend to like plot twists that come right before the ending. They leave me feeling incomplete. It's entirely a personal preference, and I can understand why the author wrote it this way.
I have to commend this author on her word choice, her character development, her ability to bring her world of small-town Missouri to life. My favorite part of this book had more to do with the fact that she conveyed a lot of information, and provided relevant details that came back again and again. It was a well-planned plot.
Buy, Borrow, or skip: This is a complex novel. I get the feeling that I probably missed 20% of it in my initial reading, and on this basis alone, I would say buy. I think this is a book I wouldn't mind reading a 2nd time.
Did you read Gone Girl? I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, so link up with Alyx, Kaylee, and Kim (it's easy, just click on the button!) so that I can go visit you and read your views. Or if you have something to say about my review, I welcome your thoughts in the comments!
If any of you who watched my vlog last week thought I was joking about wearing a holiday sweater on Friday, you were oh so wrong.
This is my least tacky grandma/kindergarten teacher holiday sweater, so naturally it has to be paired with a snowman pin. Nothing wrong with a little flair.
So, I am aware that there are some people who get more excited about Christmas than others. I am falling smack dab in the middle this year, and it's the most Christmas cheer I've ever had. Usually, I only get excited about 2 things. They are eggnog and cookies. Lots of cookies. But this year, the every sassy and lovable Christmas elf Michelle and I decided to host an online Christmas party, and we want YOU to come! So here are the details:
1) We'll be google chatting it up on Friday, December 7th at 7:30pm Eastern
2) Because it's a google hangout, we want to keep the attendance small enough that everyone gets to chat. So for this reason, we're going to limit the space to 10 other friends. So if you are interested, make sure you email me or Michelle ASAP! We will be taking alternates if someone can't attend at the last minute, so don't fret if you aren't one of the first 10... you might still be a part of the fun!
3) The best part of an online party is that you don't have to leave home... so come festive, but comfy!
4) We're wearing our favorite Christmas sweaters, and I'll be drinking some 'nog and noshing on cookies. Don't hesitate to get your fave beverage and treat too!
Those are the details I can remember... other than Michelle and I REALLY want to party with you guys!
Hope that this Monday isn't too rough... I know we're all coming of of a holiday, and that always sucks. I'm crossing my fingers that your day is better than great!
I have to admit, that when I woke up this morning and looked at my blog feed, I was less than excited to catch up on blogging. Blog after blog featuring black Friday deals, and shopping guides. Since I believe in full disclosure, I want to tell you right now that there are a few types of posts I will skip over 96% of the time:
1) Fashion posts. I don't give a flip about what most of you think is fashionable. If Audrey Hepburn would laugh at you if you asked her to wear it, I'm probably going to laugh at you as well.
2) "My must-have" posts. Truth be told, I've considered doing one of these, because they're easy. However, they bore me. I don't need your opinion on every beauty product at Ulta. Really, I just don't.
3) Shopping guides. Yup, top 3 for dreaded types of posts. I am not a good shopper. I hate it, and thus I don't plan it, I just suck it up and go. I know that I have a lot of friends who really enjoy Christmas shopping, and planning, and picking the "right" gifts, but that simply is not my style. I buy my dad the same thing every year. I almost always get my brother something from Best Buy. My mom is tricky, but a woman, so as long as it's pretty she usually likes it. For everyone else, I usually find things here or there, and then have a 50% shot at remembering to wrap and distribute them. So really, your shopping guides just remind me of what Christmas failure looks like. Maybe next year I'll try harder.
So instead, I want to talk about an industry that really deserves far more credit this time of year than what it gets.
The toilet paper industry.
If we really stop to think about it, is there really a more important invention at this time of year, except perhaps the flushing toilet? After a nice big meal yesterday, I remembered to give thanks for the wonderful bounty of soft and strong toilet paper, and the 24 hour stores that sell it. When I mentioned to my parents that I feel a strong love for the toilet tissue this time of year, my mom suggested black Friday be renamed brown Friday.
...Too mcuh? I thought it was hilarious. Because this is what my family jokes about. We find fake farts hilarious too. Not real ones, though. We're 3rd grade style, that way ;-).
As I write this, I'm getting excited for what's going to be happening in a few hours... food, family, gratitude. Today I want to share with you one of our Thanksgiving traditions, wherever you may be. I hope you enjoy it!
Yes, it IS long. But it is hilarious. We listen to this at least once every Thanksgiving, sometimes twice. And we'll usually find excuses to play it throughout the year too. But always when we're gobbling it up.
Well hellooooooo ladies. As you can see from the above little button, we're vlogging it up today. I know that some of you do not watch vlogs, and I can appreciate that. I can also appreciate any hesitation to do your own vlogs. They're awkward, and uncensored, and they're more intimate that words on a screen. I love them, because I can pretend we really know each other, and are conversing intimately.
I love letting YouTube randomly pick an image. This one is perfect, and probably the most flattering possible cover image from the whole thing. Bravo, YouTube, you gave me yet another thing to be thankful for today.
Since I want to share the love with everyone, not just vlog lovers, some ecards to start the holiday right:
I do have a sweet little treat for you tomorrow, a Thanksgiving tradition in our family, so come back and share it with us, won't ya? Have a great last day of work before a mid-week holiday!
