John Denver, I'm Disturbed

Country Roads is a fantastic song, but could they have chosen a more awkward looking photo for the album cover? I think not.  

I spotted this...

in the international foods section at Kroger.  

Could they have given this product a less appetizing name?

Red Velvet is SCARY!

Ever since I saw Steel Magnolias I have been wary of red velvet cake.  In the film they make a cake shaped to look like an armadillo and it is made of red velvet cake.  So, it looks like the bloody insides of the animal...sick!

So, now I really can't ever bring myself to eat the stuff.  What flavor is red velvet anyway?  Is it just red dye?  I don't get it. 

tag, you're it!

So, Erin tagged me to post seven random facts about myself.  I feel inspired today to post seven random facts about myself in relation to the cooling weather.  

1)  I prefer mittens over gloves...any winters day.

2)  I don't really love the winter.  It lasts too long, I think it should end after Christmas.  

4)  I am wearing socks to work this week for the first time this season. 

5)  The first time I lived in the snow (that I remember - lived in WA til I was 2) was in Provo, UT, attending BYU.  I was so freaked out that on the first day it snowed I wore 2 pairs of pants and two jackets.  I was so hot...in the literal sense of the word...obviously.  

6)  My favorite holidays happen during the Fall and Winter...Thanksgiving and Christmas.  They are wonderful because I love spending my time thinking about and being with the people I love.  

okay, so number seven is completely random

7)  Somewhere out there is a picture of me wearing depends and a t-shirt...that's it. 

Yes, I saw this at Target THIS very week...

Do you think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves?

So, Nashville is out of gasoline.

Since Friday....

I am fortunate to drive a diesel (apparently nobody else does), besides I walk to work.  
  

I especially liked the people making political statements...that shirt is priceless.  I am not sure how voting for Obama is going to help us get more gas right now.  So, it wasn't the hurricane that is causing our shortage...it is the Republicans? Maybe I am missing something?

If you don't, you should

For the past couple years I have been a fan of the radio show "This American Life"

If you don't already listen, you should.  Each week they have a free broadcast (you can subscribe on iTunes).  There is a theme to each show and they talk about pretty much every subject you could imagine from breakups to racism to the recent mortgage crisis to working in a diner (one of my recent favorites was a story of two girls switched at birth...crazy...true).  I love it because these are real life situations and the storytelling is phenomenal.  I look forward to the new episode each week and I have found some favorites on their internet archive of past episodes (you can listen for free).  

"This American Life" has a television series that I have yet to see, but I will as soon as the DVD comes out.  

why?!

I was about to open a new bottle of my face wash and the top wouldn't unscrew.  I swear it's happened to me before.  Am I missing something?...I am twisting it in the right direction, you know the way the arrow points.  This has been the bane of my existence for the last couple of days....until tonight I realized that I hadn't taken out my bathroom trash...the top off the old one works just fine....ha!  Take that Johnson & Johnson!

Mouse Print

Has anyone else noticed the shrinking containers at the grocery store?  

Mouse Print is a great resource to find out exactly how and on what we are getting less of for our money.  

The above cereal boxes for example appear the same from the front but one contains less.  Sneaky.  

Me at 3

My dad just sent this to me.  This picture has always made me laugh.  I am pretty sure there was never a kid with larger cheeks.

Seriously?

The Wake n' Bacon alarm clock.  

Now you can eat greasy bacon in the comfort of your own sheets.  Yikes. 

what's the dif?

The most random thing occurred at work today.  We ordered some binding coils and covers for a project.  Today we received those coils and covers packed with POPCORN.  No, not that boring tasteless white plastic stuff, but the corny yellow and buttery stuff.  
I refused to eat it, but the guys had no problem eating it right up.  Quote from a coworker, "Tastes just like the theater."  Wow.  I love my office.  

She and Him

So, tonight I went and saw the She and Him concert with M.Ward and Zooey Deschanel.  It was amazing.  Zooey has an incredible voice and the concert was way fun.  I was right up front and my camera battery was dead, so I don't have pictures for you.  One thing I oddly noticed was that Zooey has the most amazing skin.  It is white and creamy looking.  It is too bad that people think they have to tan their skin to death in order to look beautiful.  Anyway, Zooey was adorable, has an amazing voice, and I love how expressive her face is.  M. Ward was great too, pretty amazing guitar player I must say.  So, if they are coming to a town near you...I recommend it.  

Why Accents?

Why do people randomly say single words in a sentence with an accent?  It is such a funny thing to me.  I was out to dinner with some friends last night and I was deciding what type of pasta to order.  My friend Kelly dared me to order my dinner with an accent.  So, I did. When the server came I ordered pasta with (my best impression of an Italian accent) ARRABBIATA sauce.  Unbelievably I kept a straight face.  

Got Chiggers?

I do!

Andy and I were doing a photo shoot at a lake this week.  The scenery was gorgeous and green. Perfect breeding ground for pesty little chiggers.  We didn't wear bug repellant...OOPs.  Chiggers bite and leave a wound similar to a mosquito bite...but it is worse.    

The welts didn't show up until the following morning and I was covered in them...about 60-70 bites.  Strange thing about chiggers is they bite you where your skin is the thinnest and clothes fit you the tightest.  So I don't have any bites where my skin was exposed.  But my thighs, hips, back of the knee and stomach are covered.  And, the welts last up to two weeks.  It is taking all my strength to resist itching these nasty things so that I don't leave scars on my skin.  Go here to learn more about chiggers.  (p.s.  I am making my prettiest face possible for you in these pics)

My Home - Room With a View

I currently live in downtown Nashville. I have never lived in a city before and I am really enjoying the experience. These are some pictures I took from my apartment balcony.

This is our amazing couch that Andy bought for us after he signed his record deal. We are working on breaking it in still.
We have an old church next door (I do live on Church Street).

I can actually see my office building from my room. I love walking to work everyday.



I got this artwork at the local Thrift Smart. It was only a dollar, and it is an original signed by the artist. I don't know who Laura Upton is but I love looking at it and wondering who she is. She obviously loved her home and her dog.


This is my happy home!

Mike Rowe on QVC

Many of you are probably unaware that I love the show Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel and my affinity for the host Mike Rowe.  Apparently he had a stint on QVC.  This made me laugh out loud.  

Quilting

Lately, I have gotten into quilting.  I really love it.  I am very much a beginner, but I am learning.  Some people have made fun of me for getting into a hobby like this at my age, but really, it just means I'll be that much better when I'm 70.  

My first quilt is a crochet afghan.  It took forever, it is actually pretty large.  I used a multi color yarn in fall colors and bordered it in a dark green.  It is a really simple single stitch crochet.  My main goal was to keep the edges even, and it is pretty even, luckily.

Below is the quilt I am currently working on.  I got the idea here from Martha Stewart.com. Again a very simple hand quilted blanket.  Simple in that there are not lots of pieces or squares.  I am hand quilting around each flower group.  Very time consuming I must say.  I will show pictures when I finish...probably another month.  I am finishing the edges with an aqua blue ric rak and an aqua green border around the edge (hard to see but matches the dots on the reverse).

The quilt stand has been a life saver.  

Going Dutch

Last night I was sitting in my apartment with some friends discussing a myriad of things.   The issue of dating and who pays on dates came up.  One couple had the opinion that the man should always pay.  The other couple agreed somewhat that the man should pay only until the relationship is exclusive.  I disagree.  

On the first date whomever asked the other on the date should pay.  If the man asks the woman he should pay for the date and vice versa.  I understand that it is customary for the man to pay on dates if he is asking and courting a woman.  This is simply customary.  But why is it important for the man to cover all expenses all of the time when you are both are working equally hard for your money?  You both want to be together, eat together and watch movies together.  So, both parties are equally enjoying these benefits but only one is taking the financial burden.  It seems unfair and frankly, old fashioned.  Free things are nice of course but it does not make it right for one person bear the entire responsibility of paying for dates.  Why is it that women feel insulted by the idea that they should pay for their own date sometimes?

I realize it is not completely reasonable that a couple will split costs fifty fifty 100% of the time.  However, who pays for dates should be based on factors that MAKE SENSE and not on some antiquated idea that a man has to pay because he is male.   

quote - Napoleon Bonaparte

I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man.  Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison.  Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I founded empires.  But on what did we rest the creations of our genius?  Upon force.  Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of people would die for Him.  

It is odd...isn't it?

It seems strange that it costs more to make a penny now than a penny is worth.  And, it costs 7 1/2 cents to make a nickel.  There are actually groups out there that are trying to eliminate pennies completely.  That makes me sad.  While I often find them annoying when I have too many floating around in my wallet, I would hate to see them gone forever.  I like pennies.  I may even love them. Wouldn't you miss them too?

quote - Being Grateful Will Make Us Happy

"Mercies and blessings come in different forms--sometimes as hard things.  Yet the Lord said, 'Thou shalt thank the Lord in all things' (D&C 59:7).  All things means just that: good things, difficult things--not just some things.  He has commanded us to be grateful because He knows being grateful will make us happy.  This is another great evidence of His love."

- Bonnie D. Parkin

food - Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is some of the most decadent and delicious banana bread I have ever had and it is a very simple recipe. Thanks to my sis Anne for passing it along.

Recipe as follows:

1 box Betty Crocker Pound Cake Mix - add eggs and milk as directed on box or make it dairy free by using soy milk and egg replacer

2/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder  (it is the best!)

5 smashed ripe bananas (I put mine in a gallon size zip lock bag and squish)

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips

Bake according to box directions (makes 2 regular loaves).

I have made it several times now and it comes out perfect every time.

I wrapped one as a gift to give to a friend.  I love the aluminum baking tins from the grocery store and they come with great lids.  I just wrapped the base with gift wrap and tied with a wide satin ribbon.  People enjoy it with or without gift wrap just the same though!  I get requests for the recipe when I make it so here it is for you all to enjoy!

song of the day - Bowerbirds

I heard this group on NPR's All Songs Considered.  They are from North Carolina.  I love the accordion!  And yes, I listen to NPR everyday.

The album is Hymns for a Dark Horse.

download the song Hooves by Bower Birds - FREE!!

a wave back in time? North Korea

Somehow this film crew got into North Korea.  Nobody gets in there.  You won't see North Korea like this anywhere else.  The mystery is unveiled here.  Watch VBS.tv's Vice Guide to North Korea. This is well worth your time. 

Present.

I am joining the blog world...again.  I have listed some friends blogs I look at regularly.  If you are not there then I obviously don't know you have a blog and I want to read it and add it to my blog roll!  Let me know!  Love, Meg