My Favorite Things 61-70

You know how it is when you purchase a new car...and even though you think you are oh-so-original in your purchase...every other car seems to be the model you just bought?  Yeah.  Well, just so you know, when you sit down to think of your favorite things...you'll start writing about something and that will spawn something else that wasn't on one of the other umpteen lists...and before long...you've gone from 1 to 21. 

It is a bit like Pinterest, frankly.

You hear the word "Pinterest" and you say to yourself..."Self...you need to be up on things and hip and all of that...find out what this 'Pinterest' business is before you end up out of touch and behind the times..."  And so you get an invitation, figure out how to install that ridiculous "pin it" button (because in spite of a YouTube video that walks you through the process like you are in second grade...it still took me getting Brian in here to get it to work and I'm somewhat tech-savvy), and then you...

Do...what...exactly...?  I knew not.  So, I stuck a few things on a few boards and looked around a bit, but I never got all hot and heavy into it because I still didn't quite "get" it. 

Until today.

I think you have to see something that inspires you...or you have to have a purpose for being on...OR you can go to lunch with a bunch of ladies who direct your attention to the "search" box to the left that you had previously ignored. 

Yeah, that whole "search" thing made it all make a whole lot more sense to me. 

So, today, I've been pinning stuff on weddings all over my board.  Not that Jill is anywhere near walking down the aisle (although she turns 22 on Monday...and I was 22 when I got married...)...

Still...I like to plan, dream, and start paying attention to what is going on out there in the do-it-yourself (or DIY for those of you who are totally into acronyms...I get enough of that at work as I'm a banker) world.  I also just like passing through and admiring what other people are doing ahead of me when I don't have a dog in the fight, so to speak.  Plus, my friend, Beve's daughter, Courtney, is getting married this year as is my friend Carrie's daughter, Caroline.  I'm going to get the Cliff's Notes on weddings from them. 

In the meantime...I'm still thinking of favorites...and here we go...

61. Homemade Biscuits

Yeah...I came out of the box with that one, huh?  It is one of my favorite things precisely because I cannot do this.  I've tried since I was a teenager...and with one exception (after which I quit)...my biscuits taste like the ingredients...not like a biscuit.  They tend to be heavy, hard, and crunchy instead of buttery, soft and edible.

Every so often, I just love to go to Hardees or Cracker Barrel and have a biscuit as God intended.  When I was young, my friend, Pam's mother, Becky, could turn out a pan of biscuits with little to no effort.  They were amazing. 

I worry about the future of homemade biscuits because everyone is all anti-carb (myself included right now) and microwave-happy.  MeeMaws don't make biscuits like they used to for Sunday lunch...and I'm afraid in a generation or two...we're going to think that biscuits come from the freezer section at Publix.  My family already thinks that.

So, if you are offered a homemade biscuit...enjoy it.  It is on the endangered species list, I'm afraid. 



62. Playing Jacks

Years ago, I used to be all into playing jacks with my friend, Dee.  She was left handed and better at it than I was, but we played this game for hours growing up.  I wonder sometimes in this technology-driven, kid-centric society if games like jacks ever get played anymore.  They may have gone out of style with the hula hoop, ping-pong, punching balls, Big Wheels, Play-Doh, and that paddle with the ball and elastic string that we played with for fifteen minutes before we tore it up. 

Of course, our mothers located said paddles and used them as weapons of mass destruction (minus the "m", of course) along with wooden spoons, hairbrushes and switches.  Or maybe that was just MY house.

Not too long ago I saw a set of jacks and entertained purchasing them.  They felt lightweight and flimsy...and it made me sad.  But what makes me happy is the hours I spent trying to beat Dee and get all the way through without messing up.  It is kind of like bowling a 300 game...you just keep at it in the vain hope that you will one day persevere. 

And sometimes you actually do.  Which rocks.  Totally.

63. Peacock Feathers

I was born in 1963, which means that I spent my childhood in the 60s and early 70s.  You know...the era of the most gosh-awful fashion EVER...avocado green, harvest gold, and burnt orange appliances...and earthy things...like peacock feathers.  I have always liked the blue and green together and was delighted that my sister, Lara, had peacocks roaming around the grounds at her wedding venue in November 2010. 

Back in the day, it was some serious decorating to have a vase of peacock feathers somewhere around.  But then again, this was also the era of shag carpeting...so...um...whatever.



A few years ago, Vera Bradley came out with a pattern called Peacock that I just loved.  In fact, I bought it for friends and for myself. 



See? Way better, yes? 

64. Mashups

You know how you just love a song...and then someone figures out how to blend another song you like with it to create something entirely new?  In my opinion, rap music has been pretty smart about doing that ever since I can remember.  You'll remember this musical gem...

Which includes...if you recall...part of this song by Queen...

Or how M.C. Hammer's "Can't Touch This" had riffs from "Superfreak"?  Yeah. 

But the mashup is actually two separate songs mixed together to form something entirely different...which totally rocks.  Like this...

"We Will Rock You" by Queen and "Back In Black" by AC/DC. 

Or Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive"?  Absolutely!

Green Day and Oasis?  Uh huh. 

Or the MOST unlikely...Rick Astley and Nirvana.  By the way, why yes, that IS Dave Grohl of Foo Fighers wearing out that drum set.  Rock on.

65. France

I do realize that we are all different, and that many people like to limit their exposure to French culture to French fries...but I'm in love with France.  Part of that reason is because part of my heart is there in the form of my little sister, Linda, and her children Alex and Tara as well as my brother-in-law, Eric and children Thibault, Aurore, Amaury, Benjamin, and Engie.  They live about two and a half hours from Paris...in a castle on property that has dwellings back from the 1200s.  The 1200s! 

Eric is the great-great-great grandson of Georges Clemenceau...the Prime Minister of France during WWI.


Cool, huh? 

In 2006, Jill, Brian, the folks, a boy Jill was dating who had just graduated from high school and my aunt ended up in France for a visit.  To say that it was amazing is an understatement.  We saw the "Mona Lisa" at the Louvre.  Saw "The Thinker" at the Rodan Museum, the Eiffel Tower, and Impressionist paintings at the Musee' d'Orsay. 


66. Rachel McAdams

I am not judging her acting ability because I'm not in a position to do that...but I can say this...if Rachel McAdams is in a movie...I'm probably going to like it.  I mean...who can beat that performance in "The Notebook"?



Or "Wedding Crashers"..."Morning Glory"..."Sherlock Holmes"..."The Hot Chick"...and "Mean Girls."  Soon, she will be in "The Vow" with Channing Tatum.  Did you read that?  CHANNING TATUM.
Yes.  Just yes. 

67. Pedicures and OPI Nail Polish

I was in my 40's before I sat down in one of those magical massage chairs, set my feet in a warm whirlpool and swore I'd go every month if I could.  Well...I haven't been able to do that...and I'm reminded of this when I actually DO go by the little man who tells me..."You come in more often.  Feet crusty." 

Yes.  Crusty feet.  Me.

At first I was mortified by this...but then came to understand that everyone my age is told the same thing as they bring out the cheese grater and scrape off a layer or twelve of crust.  I get over my mortification, however, when they put that hot towel on my legs.  Talk about awesome!  Wow.

After that, they paint my toenails with a color like "My Chihuahua Bites," "Bubble Bath," or "You Don't Know Jacques" by OPI.  I don't know if it is pronounced "O-pee" or "O.P.I" but...it is the only nail polish I use.  I normally just bring my own to the salon so that I can fix what I will inevitably do the second I walk out of the salon. 

Works for me.

If you are male and reading this...you need to go out right now and purchase a pedicure for your significant other.  If you are female...take yourself on to the salon, girl.  You totally deserve it.

68. People Who Have Your Back

In this day and age, it seems that people are more self-centered than others-centered than ever before.  I know plenty of people who put others first...but as a general rule...times have changed.  Isn't it nice when someone has your back?  When something is said and you are defended because a person is more determined to tell the truth than to fit in?

Awesome, isn't it?

During the junior high years, girls have a way of tearing into each other...and sadly, the mothers join right in.  It is worse for those with pretty daughters or high achievers.  The level of jealousy is just breathtaking and the lengths that some girls and their mothers will go to is actually quite shocking.  So shocking to me, in fact, that I crept silently away and made friends with the "boy moms" in my daughter's class because not only were they judgmental...they were fun!  They are still among my closest friends...and yes...they have my back.

Not only my back...but my daughter's.  She grew up with "other mothers" who loved her and taught her that it is not only possible...but wonderful...to have female friends.   Trust me when I tell you that if you attend her wedding one day and you see several women being escorted in and noted in the wedding program...you'll know how much it meant to her. 

As for me...I already do.  I also know that if you are my friend...I have your back.  Count on it.

69. Goodnight Moon

The other day, my friend, Bette, mentioned "Goodnight Moon" in an e-mail to me.  We worked on a scrapbook page long ago...and apparently something reminded her of it so she wrote me.  This book was one of the two books that Jill demanded as a little girl as part of her bedtime routine.  Never mind that we didn't actually have to read it because we had both committed most of it to memory. 

I don't know if I could recite it all...but I do know that it begins..."In the great green room...there was a telephone...and a red balloon...and a picture of...the cow jumping over the moon.  There were three little bears...sitting on chairs..." and so on. 

I cannot tell you how much I love this book.  But honestly...I don't know if it is the book that I'm so enamored with or the rememberance of the smell of her hair, the weight of her little body in my lap, or the raspy little girl voice that read along with me.  Possibly all of the above.

If you have little people in your life...buy this book.  And enjoy that special, precious, sweet, wonderful time.

I know I did.



70. Dave Ramsey

Although this has been on my "list" for several days...one of my Facebook friends and her fiance' are currently in Atlanta listening to the master of "living like noone else...so that one day you can live like noone else" - Dave Ramsey.

He has a daily radio show, has written books, and has developed a program that helps people get out of debt.  I don't know about you...but I'm a fan.  A big one.  Not only of Dave...but of debt-free living.

I'm a fan of it right now...but I'm not living it.  But I am headed in that direction.  Big time.



Thank you for reading this list and for encouraging me to write more!  I love that you have my back.

My Favorite Things 51-60

Today was one of those days that I needed to wrap myself up in thinking good, happy thoughts and remembering all of my favorite things in life.  Why?  Because my body is at war with my brain over the lack of carbohydrates, it rained most of the day, I stayed in through lunch because I took a longer time yesterday (and, okay, because it was raining) and it is something like 70 degrees outside in January. 

January should be cold.  And most years it is.  But this year it is mild and freaky...which means that the mosquitoes will be bad in July and it will probably snow in April.  Boo.

Anyway, here's the next ten on the "favorites" list for those of you who are reading...and for those of you who are wondering when the madness will end...let's just say...

Eventually.

Until then...

51. Tiffany Blue

I have never been a huge fan of jewelry for myself...I do love the color of the box that something fabulous comes in at Tiffany's. 


Some people love what is in the box...but apparently I am more in love with the actual box.  Or the color, at least. 

52. People Who Are Fit

Several years ago - before I just gave up and went headlong into obesity, I took step aerobics.  I really liked it because of all of those years of dance classes (which meant I could count) but it didn't require any special skill like Zumba does these days.  I know that a lot of people seriously love Zumba...but I think that we've already established that my body refuses to move like that.  I have never been much of a kickboxer, either...because I hate the whole mime-punching thing.  I look ridiculous doing mime...just so you know.

Like that's news, I'm sure.

Anyway, the instructor (and my friend), Jodie (who should know that I was convinced at times that the "die"  in her name was by design), kept me on that step and in that class for years.  It was a badge of honor to survive one of her classes...and I tend to do better when there is a challenge.  But to keep coming back...I have to also believe that I have a snowball's chance in Hades of surviving the class.  Jodie was a master at making it difficult enough to make me stick with it...but not so hard that I required medical assistance (although sometimes it was close). 

My friend, Susan, is extremely dedicated about exercise, and she is probably the same size she was in high school...even after three kids.  She encourages other people to work out...but she has never, ever made me feel as though I am closer to Jabba the Hut than Billy Blanks.  Oh, you don't know what I'm talking about?

Jabba

Billy

Any questions?  I thought not.

My friend, Katrina, who has "looking fabulous" as her superpower, has a program that she developed that is called BoxMania.  And while there is no way I will stick a toe in that class until I lose 50  75 a gazillion pounds...not that I'm counting the pounds, you know...I am awed.

53. Free Tickets

Because I am somewhat of a total cheapskate, I don't ever buy tickets to much of anything. If I ever do, it is because I am seriously interested in doing something because I usually tend to wait until it is far too late to do anything about it.  It's quite the vicious cycle.

Over the years, we have been blessed by friends who have tickets to a football game, baseball game, a concert, or a play...and I've enjoyed it immensely each time I've gone. But if you ask me to actually pay for the tickets...I tend to morph into that character from Popeye who is wanting to put off paying for that hamburger.

Seriously?  This actually explains a lot...

This paying for tickets aversion has also carried over to airline tickets as well.  I've been planning a trip to see my sister, Linda, in France for...um...six years...but I have more than enough points...the trip is booked...and I'm headed out (with Mom) on September 2nd (Lord willing). 

Cost?  $82.  Rock on.

The cool thing is that I am super-excited and have even more incentive to get this weight off.  I mean, I am SO not asking for a seatbelt extender.  Not that I've ever had to...but I suppose there's always the chance that it could happen.  Perhaps I should be like those people that put a picture of them in a bathing suit on the refrigerator...except in my case...it would be a picture of a seatbelt extender.  Yikes.


*insert scream*

54. Tailgating

I don't know about you...but tailgating is one of my favorite activities.  Jill has been at the University of Alabama for the past few years, and our very kind friends, Neal and Diane, have invited us to visit their tailgate when we are in Tuscaloosa.  Because of the "we don't buy tickets" thing that I've already explained...we would drive for 2 1/2 hours to Tuscaloosa, find somewhere to park, walk about a mile, help them set up the tailgate, have fun for awhile, see Jill for about 30 minutes, head out about an hour before the game (or 3:30...whichever came first) and drive 2 1/2 hours home.  Why?  Because we like tailgating.

Obviously.

We've gotten to see kids who have graduated or those still at the University...friends that we don't see often enough...and have had the joy of meeting a lot of new friends.  We've even had family up there when my second cousin, David, who was a student at Penn State, came to the game and brought his friends.

Cool, huh? 

So, tell me that there's a tailgate and I need to bring spinach dip...and I am so there.

55.  Sunrise Out My Back Windows

I live in the thriving metropolis of Pike Road, Alabama...about ten miles from Montgomery...but actually that is difficult to really determine because the actual city of Pike Road is a patchwork quilt of communities all within a twenty mile radius of me.  I think that's right, anyway.  All I know is that we have enough citizens to have our own school system and that my property taxes are going up to pay for it...which after a lifetime of tuition payments to a private school in Montgomery doesn't bother me at all...

No, I'm not bitter...although I could be.  I actually voted for the school system.  Have to think about my property value, you know.

Where was I?  Right. Sunrise.

Our lot is on five acres and in the backyard is a pond that we share with several of our neighbors.  Our neighborhood was once a cow pasture, I think, because the only trees we have are those Christmas tree looking evergreens and scrub trees like mock oranges.  We've put in some tea olives and gardenias in addition to the plants around the house, but there is this big expanse of nothingness after the pool that is just the perfect viewing place for stars at night or an amazing sunrise by day. 

And God shows off most mornings...which totally rocks.

I actually have pictures...but I can't currently locate any of them.  Kind of reminds me of my friend, Bette, whose husband had an epic fail in the delivery room...and so there are no pictures of her youngest.  Guess I'll do what she did in her scrapbook and put...

PHOTO NOT AVAILABLE

Except her page was super-cute.

56. C.S. Lewis

When my children were in school (and if truth be told...I actually still do this...) I used to read whatever they were reading so that I could intelligently critique their papers.  Actually, sometimes it was more like...intelligently compose their papers...but whatever.  In the 7th grade, when Jill was supposed to read "Kim" by Rudyard Kipling during the summer...well, I read it too.  It was so incredibly awful that I actually went up to the school to let them know that having a book - however classic - with an opium den and prostitution in the first fifty pages might be just a little beyond what 7th graders at a Christian school need to be spending their summer vacation enduring.  It was so awful that I actually read the book to Jill while she laid on the bed staring at the ceiling...trying to comprehend what I was saying.  Sadly, so was I.

Worst. Book. Ever.

But one of the other books that she had to read was "The Screwtape Letters" (I think) and she had to do a biography on someone from an approved list...and we found the book on C.S. Lewis first.  I read that book, too.

And was enthralled.

I ended up reading everything that C.S. Lewis wrote including the Narnia books that I had somehow managed to miss growing up including "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe."  How can a granddaughter of a librarian who read everything imaginable miss that one?  Well, I missed "Little Women" too.  And most of the books I was assigned in high school...although I did go back and read all of them when I found "Classic Books" at 2/$1 at WalMart and caught myself up after all these years.  I found that I liked "Jane Eyre" and "The Scarlet Letter" as well as "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" and "Wuthering Heights."  That's actually how I got into "Pride and Prejudice" and the other Jane Austen novels.  Up until then I had read Steinbeck, Seventeen Magazine, and Tiger Beat. 

Not necessarily in that order.

C.S. Lewis is so impressive to me as a reader because there is NO WAY you are going to speedread through anything he writes.  Not going to happen.  I do tend to speed read...so at first this was a little disconcerting.  Later on...I saw how absolutely amazing what I was reading was to my spirit...and I savored his way with words in his adult works...and was awed by how he could take it down a notch for the Narnia series...without missing the richness and depth present in his more complex works. 

I don't know if you have read anything by C.S. Lewis or not...but he was a contemporary of J.R.R. Tolkein...and was just an amazing person if the biography I read is to be believed.  And I think it is.


57. Weight Loss Success Stories

Part of what I love in any given fitness magazine...are the weight loss success stories.  Sometimes there is an issue of People Magazine dedicated to people who are half the size they once were...and I always am inspired by their stories.  In fact, one day, I hope to be one of them. 



58. The Smell of Movie Popcorn

Although keeping this as a favorite is going to make #56 a little more difficult to say the least...but I love the smell of movie popcorn.  Okay, not when it is burnt and nasty...but when you enter the theater and are assaulted by the most wonderful aroma of gold-plated popcorn.  Yes, I realize it isn't actually gold-plated...but I do know that the theater is mighty proud of it by what they charge.

Years ago, I was at a showing of "Amistad" in a packed theater...when I set my popcorn down when I was through inhaling the majority of it.  The guy next to me leaned over (amid all of the naked people on the ship that was mortifying enough) and asked "You gonna eat that?"

Yes, I gave him my popcorn.

I drew the line at the drink.

59. People Who Are Thrifty

One of my friends, Tracy, is one of those people who hunts a deal down like a lion chases a gazelle...and he comes up with some of THE most amazing deals ever.  I don't know how he does it...but he does throw me a bone every now and again so that I can try to find a deal for myself.  But, you know that scene in Star Wars where Obi Wan Kenobi is trying to teach Luke Skywalker something...and he's a bit dense...well...it's kind of like that.



But I've learned about FatWallet, the benefits of my American Express card and what credit card offer will give me a gazillion points that can be cashed in to buy a first class ticket to circle the globe twice for $75.  Or something like that.

There is nothing wrong with being thrifty...in fact...it is a character trait that I've tried to instill in my children in this day and age of iPhones and Ugg boots.  My kids shop on the sale rack, have no problem with hand-me-downs, and they know how to save up for something they want.  I figured that with Jill...some guy is going to be really grateful that he has a wife who isn't demanding that he buy her everything that her Daddy can on his starting salary...and with Brian...that he is trying to get through college debt-free.

Future son-in-law and daughter-in-law...you're welcome.

I use coupons, check http://www.fatwallet.com/ (already listed as a favorite...) for bargains, and resell the kids' books on Amazon the second that the semester is over.  Why not?  It isn't as if we have a money tree in the back yard. 

I personally believe that trying to get the best deal you can is being a good steward.  Not taking advantage of people or finding loopholes in the "system."  But to do the best you can with what you have...and to be happy with whatever that is. 

60. Romans 12

My favorite chapter in the Bible is Romans 12.  Most everyone has read part of it...but it honestly gives you a blueprint for life that just makes incredible sense.  Here it is:

A Living Sacrifice


1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.


Humble Service in the Body of Christ


3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.


Love in Action


9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.


14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]


21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Okay, that whole "heap burning coals on his head" thing seems a little extreme...but it really isn't...and it works.  I've tested it.  Just like everything else in the Bible that asks to be tested.

Thanks for reading tonight...and I hope I'm not wearing you out with these posts.  I still have several more lists...so until tomorrow...

My Favorite Things 41-50

One of the great things that has happened out of this writing is that I have become so appreciative about all of the things in life that make me happy.  Why shouldn't we?  I mean...it is January...the weather is either freezing cold, raining, or unseasonably mild most days, there isn't a whole lot going on after the busyness of November and December...and the majority of us are either on a diet, struggling with a new exercise program or trying to make some other major change because we've resolved to do just that.

Hoping against hope that this is the year that it works and that we are the conquerors we know we can be...although we look down at the water under the very thin ice we're walking on and we're like.  Oh. Wow.  Yeah.

Just strap on a life jacket (scripture) and keep on walking.  For me...that is Hebrews 10:35-36 "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised."  I am trying not to focus on the words "rewarded" and "what He has promised" and more on the "confidence" and "persevere."  I hope that someday down this path I can shift focus and celebrate that paradigm shift.

Until then...I'm writing another list.  I know!  I have so many favorite things!  Isn't it great?

41. Fireworks

Every 4th of July of my adult life I have tried to find a fireworks show.  Some years were successful...and others were just an entire day of ridiculously hot followed by an absurd traffic jam on the way home from wherever.  But during those fifteen or so minutes...OH...I love (to the third power) it!  I sit in awe and try to imagine a John Philip Sousa march playing in the background as I thank God for letting me live in a country where I can sit on a blanket (or a tailgate...it varies from year to year) and enjoy a free (most years) fireworks show with people I love.

Yeah...exactly like that.

Last year was a bonus year.  Not only did I get fireworks on the 4th of July...but on a Friday night in May.  We were at the rehearsal dinner of my other-daughter, Lauren, and her husband, Tyler, on the top floor of a building in downtown Montgomery.  As the dinner was over, we all went outside to the veranda and watched the fireworks show that was going on at the Montgomery Biscuits (seriously...that's the name of the team) stadium.  It was awesome...and so appropriate to celebrate their upcoming marriage with a fireworks show.  In fact, Jill has said that she'd love to have fireworks at her wedding.

Um.  Yeah.  Okay.  Moving on...

42. Marching Bands

Well, all of that talk about marches got me thinking about marching bands.  I was in the band in high school....playing clarinet.  I actually was a majorette my junior and senior years of high school, and that was really a lot of fun, too. 



The Majorettes...We Rocked...Enough Said...:)

Just so you know if you have never been in band...there is nothing hotter on earth than a band uniform.  And I don't mean "hot" in the positive sense, either.  Our high school had ROTC, so the military band (of which I was a member my freshman year) had to play marches over and over for various functions.  Despite numerous warnings...one or more of us almost always "locked our knees" which just means that we passed out.  I actually never did...but I thought about it.  I figured if it would get me off of that field playing the same march over and over...

Part of the reason that I love college football so much is the bands.  Professional football just seems to be lacking something...and I'm pretty sure that it is the bands. 

(I see all of you Auburn people rolling your eyes...so here's yours...)

 (Better?  Good.)

Anyway, the point is...a marching band adds so much to the atmosphere of a football game.  The time and dedication that the band kids put into those shows is amazing.  Trust me on this.

Back in the day, we changed the "show" in high school every week.  That doesn't happen as much anymore.  Now they perfect one or two shows and go with them for the year.  I truly hate that...in that not only do I tire of seeing the same show every week...but we learned how to do amazing things out there with very little practice on a wing and a prayer.  Most weeks, we got a thumbs up from our band director, Mr. G, which was miraculous now that I look back on it.

Seriously.

43. Gardenias

In my backyard, there are currently three gardenia bushes.  There used to be four...but Big Dave had other ideas as one was beginning to encroach on practically everything back there...but that's okay.  The other three produce a magnificent volume of blooms every May.  Gardenias were the favorite flower of my sweet Gammy, who died in 2004.  Since then, my bushes bloom in May and in August, the month of her birth. 



44. Kickball

When I was in elementary (or grammar) school...I loved playing kickball.  There is no other game that I've ever participated in that I felt like I was more fun...except possibly Monopoly.  The problem with kickball is that it has its season in one's life.  You start playing sometime around the first grade and are forced to retire in the fifth grade.  Sad, but true.

I remember playing at East Thomaston School and getting on base...hoping that I could round the base to home.  With my poor (read that: slow) response time...I could manage a ball as big as a kickball (and later...a basketball)...where the tennis ball was too small for me to chase properly.  The fact that the one photo I have of me at tennis camp gave me a few clues: I was wearing knee high white socks with Keds tennis shoes with my hair hanging in my face.  I mean...who does that?  Answer: Me.

Thought I was exaggerating?  Sadly, not. 

But I wasn't talking about tennis, was I?  Let's just summarize it this way...kickball...good.  Tennis...not so much.

45. Tervis Tumblers

I don't know if you have ever owned one of these or not...but if not...you probably should.  The Tervis Tumbler is a cup or mug that is just short of amazing.  No, it doesn't clean your house for you or automatically fill itself.  But it is as awesome as it can be just short of that. 

No, I'm not a distributor.  Just a seriously happy customer. Want your own?  Wait until they go on sale...but until then..you can see them at http://www.tervis.com/.

46. Pretty Stationary

One of my favorite things in life is pretty stationary.  When I was a little girl, I received stationary as a gift...and I started writing letters to people.  I have always loved getting mail and I found that often when you wrote people...they'd often write you back.  I had a pen pal for a number of years...but I told her that her brother wasn't cute (and I was totally lying) because I thought that all girls hated their brothers.  What did I know?  I didn't get a brother until I was twenty.

I am still a big letter writer...and I love writing letters when the Spirit moves me.  Being able to do that on pretty stationary...just makes me happy.

47. Charles Spurgeon

Several years ago, being the bargain shopper that I am, I was in Lifeway in the sale section.  I was going through one of those times where I was reading what equated to a book every few days...and so I went into Lifeway hoping to find something to feed the beast, so to speak.  Although I have started reading fiction again these past three years...I went for a solid ten year period reading virtually nothing but Christian self-help books.  This was during that period.

I picked up a book written by Charles Spurgeon and it looked interesting...so I bought it and took it home.  I enjoyed it so much that I went back a week or so later and bought another five or six and read through those.  At no time, did I ever turn the book over to find out anything about the author...I was just engrossed with what I was reading...and I enjoyed it very much. 

And then one day it occurred to me to find out something about this "new" author that I was so fired up about. 



Turns out that Mr. Spurgeon died in 1892.  Of course, I've been told that if I were Baptist (I'm United Methodist)...I'd have KNOWN this.  Ah, whatever.  I'm still a fan.

Such a fan, it turns out, that I bought a book of his quotes by topic on eBay a year ago.  I love the way the man wrote.  Here's a few quotes:

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. 


A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. No one is so miserable as the poor person who maintains the appearance of wealth.
A sinner can no more repent and believe without the Holy Spirit's aid than he can create a world.

Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.


Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.

By perseverance the snail reached the ark.

Giving is true having.

(These quotes were from http://www.brainyquote.com/.)

Anyway, if you love to read...check out some of his books.  They almost always have them on the bargain rack at Lifeway.  And what a bargain they are...

48. Southern Living Magazine

I love getting my Southern Living magazine in the mail each month.  I usually am tempted by whatever is on the cover...which, unfortunately, this month is "caramelized banana pudding."  Too bad I won't be trying that recipe.  *Sigh*

I love reading the articles about what is going on all over the South...although their view of "the South" is a lot more broad than mine is.  It is okay, though.  I like learning about Maryland and Texas too.

Although I usually read a magazine from page 1 forward...with Southern Living, I go directly to the back.  That's because Rick Bragg writes a column called "Southern Journal."  According to the notes here, it says that Rick is "...a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and author of several best-selling books, including "The Most They Ever Had" and "The Prince of Frogtown."  I love the way he writes...and I end up reading his column first and then a second (or third) time at another point in time. 

Southern Living was one of the magazines that my Gammy took years ago...but I was too young to fully appreciate it.  I've apparently grown up...because I seriously enjoy my Southern Living!

49. Crowe's Chicken Nuggets - Troy, Alabama

Since I've covered two of my favorite eating establishments in Thomaston, Georgia, I thought I'd skip over to Troy for a shout-out.  When I was in college in Troy from 1983-85, I ate at Crowe's about once a week.  I loved the chicken nuggets...and still do!  When we go to Troy or to the beach...it is necessary for me to purchase these and bring them back to my son...who is also a big fan.



So, if you go to Troy...stop on in...the tea is really good too. 

50. Hugs

Growing up, I wasn't really much of a "hugger."  I hugged family and close friends, but didn't really feel the need to greet new people in this manner.  Boy, has THAT changed.  One of my favorite things in life is a good old fashioned hug.  I love it when I see a kid that I've watched grow up come and greet me in this manner or when I see someone I don't get to see nearly enough.  I think the older we get, the more we need physical touch...or maybe I just like hugs and I'm just throwing excuses on the wall to see if one sticks.

Ah, why not.

Although I do understand that some people are not naturally comfortable with this type of expression...I will also say that I've seen others converted.  Primarily Yankees.

No offense to my Yankee friends who might actually read this.

It's just that down South, we tend to believe that we are all connected somehow (and we usually will figure it out eventually if we are)...so we greet you like family...with a hug.  We might have known you fifteen years or fifteen minutes...it matters not.

I find that I can discover a lot about a person in the way that they hug you.  Some people are comfortable with the side hug and others go full front bear hug.  Me?  Just depends on the situation.  But I will tell you that I can tell if I like someone or not by the way that they hug me.  It is kind of like the handshake of the South.

One of the boys Jill dated didn't mind being hugged because apparently his Mama raised him properly.  The best thing was that he'd wait until you let go and never seemed to rush you.  Granted, I only hugged him for about three seconds at a time...but I remember this.  Weird? Others acted like they'd rather hug a cobra...and the feeling was, unfortunately, mutual.

I just hope that my future son-in-law is a hugger.  He'd better be.

Anyway, hope that you are still reading...and that you are ready for another installment.  It has kept me out of the kitchen...and that's exactly what I'm trying to do.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

My Favorite Things 31-40

There's a couple of you that probably thought I was kidding...more favorite things?  Oh, but yes.  A thousand times yes.  Okay, more like actually couple hundred or so...but if it keeps my hands and mind busy...and introduces you to a new concept (or not)...well, it's worth it, yes?

Most of the things that I am attached to - which is different from my favorite things, mind you - are because someone mentioned it at some point in time.  Why wouldn't you ask a friend for referrals for doctors and dentists, recommendations for restaurants and movies or ideas for redecorating or party planning?  Answer: you wouldn't!  So, maybe in counting my blessings...you are thinking about your own.  Maybe in putting my favorite things on a list...you are seeing something that you haven't thought about in awhile...or you may take for granted a little bit.  Or not.

So...here's the next 10 for your reading pleasure (I write that assuming that someone is reading this other than me.)

31. Dancing

Well, believe it or not...I am a HUGE fan of dancing.  I love to see people who know what they are doing actually moving in a manner that does not resemble a frog in a blender.  Not that I have anything particularly against that...I mean...I married Big Dave and that's the way he moves unless it is a slow dance. 

So, we slow dance only.  And that's okay. 

But, here's a visual "snack" of some of my favorites.  I don't watch "Dancing With the Stars" because the whole premise annoys me and there is usually someone on each season that gets on my last nerve.  Not the case with my mother, though.  She knows exactly what is going on...and it makes her happy...so, ah. 

The Troy Phi Mus - Homecoming 2011.  ROCK ON.

Or how about this...

If you haven't seen "The Evolution of Dance"...well, you totally need to.  It's hilarious!

Or my all-time personal favorite...the Alabama State University Stingettes...

Seriously...how can you not want to be able to move like that?  As for me...alas, no.  Ask some poor Modern Dance instructor in Troy, Alabama in 1982 that gave me an A because she felt sorry for me. 

Modern Dance.  I'm so not kidding.

32. Babies

I'm sure that this is fairly generic but I love being around babies!  I love to try to make them smile, not cry, and enjoy entertaining them.  It is very difficult to have a bad day and let it follow you home when you are in the presence of a little one.  Yes, I know that being up at 2 a.m. is no picnic...but NOTHING makes me feel happier than holding a baby as a general rule.

Fortunately for me, we have had a steady stream of "little people" in the family since my sister kicked off the second wave in 2005 with Alex.  On the Mixon side, I have Jacob and Noah.  Serious cuteness.  Serious. 

33. Daffodils

My birthday is in March, so each year, I know it is about time to be blowing out candles when I see the daffodils start to pop up everywhere.  I believe that it is also the "official" flower of the month of March...although they call it the "jonquil" in some things I read.  Frankly, I'd check, but obviously cannot because Wikipedia is "blacked out" for the evening.  Such is life.

Granted, here in the South, where it can snow in April and it might be 75 degrees in January...the daffodils occasionally get confused and start blooming at some other random time.  However, how can you not smile when you see those bright yellow flowers dotting the roads and neighborhood?  I know I can't resist them.

Several years ago, my friend, Kim, photographed daffodils for me and framed them as a gift because of my affinity for them.  I enjoy that photograph every day. 

34. Clean Sheets

I really love getting into bed at night when there are clean sheets on the bed.  And ironed pillowcases.  Pure heaven!  I realize that the ironed pillowcase thing is more or less unnecessary in this day and age of permanent press...but I do it anyway.  When my grandmother's house was cleaned out,  I ended up in the linen closet hoping that I could find a set of pillowcases that would remind me of home.  I found more than a set...I found the motherlode. 

I iron them because my grandmother did.  And actually, it was probably sweet Ethel who did a lot of that ironing.  But it reminds me of home...and so I do it.  On nights when life is just too much, it is nice to just change the sheets and drift off on a freshly ironed pillowcase.

Awesome.

35. Rush Limbaugh

Okay, I may alienate a lot of you with this one...but what I am doing at some point in time between 11-2 CST is listening to Rush Limbaugh.  I'm a conservative...and I've found that Rush presents conservatism in a way that makes perfect sense to me.  No, I'm not easily led, and yes, I do get alternative opinions.  I just happen to find his show entertaining and informative. 

I will admit that it took me awhile, though.  When he said things like "with talent on loan from God..." I thought he was being the epitome of arrogance.  Far from it.  He realizes that all of us have God-given gifts, and he's pretty sure that his is talking on the radio every day for three hours.  Most people I know are well aware of their gifts...be it singers, writers, or artists.  You just...know.  So, because he says it in a way that rubs folks the wrong way...he's wrong. 

Hardly.

Anyway, I like the guy.  I like the fact that he sticks to his principles.  I like that he's crazy about his wife, Kathryn, and his dogs.   I even like his tea (http://www.twoifbytea.com/).  We've ordered several cases including the regular sweet tea and the diet blueberry tea.  It is expensive...but it is awesome.  My sister, Linda, who voted for President Obama in the last election - on an absentee ballot - from France - was a big fan of the tea. 

Maybe she won't drink the "conservative kool-aid" but she will drink Rush's tea.  So there's that.


Seriously...the tea's good.

36. People That Go Beyond the Call Of Duty

One of my favorite groups of people are those that go beyond the call of duty.  There the ones who actually visit you in the hospital or show up with dinner for your family.  They send you notes to encourage you and offer to keep your dog while you go on vacation.  They not only do what you ask...they do it beyond your wildest dreams.

You ask them for something and they give you that and more.  They do you a favor...but they've already thought ahead to details you hadn't even mulled over yet and handled them.  The job that you needed help with?  Well, they'll help you through that and then say, "What else can I do for you today?"

Wow, yes?

I have always been impressed when I have been the recipient of someone going all-out.  I feel so incredibly loved!  Recently, we were invited to watch a football game with friends (one of the bowl games during the holidays) and we were treated to a perfectly cooked steak, and an absolutely out-of-the-ballpark with joy experience.  I'm still smiling about it...and it was weeks ago. 

37. The Song "December" By Collective Soul

You know how you have about a dozen songs that you'll listen to at full volume whenever they come on the radio randomly?  Well, here is one of those.  It is in my top three favorite songs...and chances are...you've heard it.  You just didn't know that "December" was the name of the song.  Here it is...

 See?  You've heard it...right?  Cool.

38. Rainbows

I know...who doesn't love rainbows?  One minute you'll be driving down the road...and the next minute you are consumed with the notion that there is a rainbow to your left.  I don't care how many times it happens to me...I always feel like God is giving me a kiss on the forehead when I see a rainbow.

I realize that the rainbow has been used for various groups over time...but the one that I associate it with is the Walk to Emmaus.  Although I have not been involved in the local group of late, I really enjoyed the experience and think about it from time to time when I see a rainbow in a book.

But when I see it in the sky...I know that things are about to get better.  That God is promising just that.


39. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Unless you have a particular peanut butter allergy or chocolate/peanut butter aversion...these totally rock.  I grew up calling them "Reese-ee cups" as opposed to "Reese's cups" but whatever.  People used to call me "Kay-run" when I was growing up...and I've forgiven them for it.

Mostly.

Anyway, if you want to blow 100 calories on something worth it...grab one of these.  "One" meaning one cup of the two in the package.  I know...bummer.  Personally, I like the little ones...by the handful. 

Or I did, anyway before I swore off sugar.  By the way, this is the one thing that I honestly tried aversion therapy with to see if it would work because there are several things that I will no longer consume because aversion therapy normally works.  In this case...um...no.  It didn't.  At all. 

Oh well.
 

40. Free Shipping

I don't know if you order online a lot or not...but there are two things that totally rock my world...a great deal and FREE SHIPPING.  I love that L.L. Bean offers it now...and I'm far more likely to buy when this is part of the deal. 

My recent deal-of-the-century was getting two boxes of 500 business envelopes from Staples for $3 a box...with (you guessed it...) FREE SHIPPING.  I paid $6 for 1,000 envelopes...and they delivered them to my door.

Can we say "Rock On!"?   Of course we can!

Thanks for reading tonight as I've kept myself away from the kitchen.  Other than a serious wish that I could eat a handful (or bushel) of Reese-e cups right now...I'm fine.  Check back tomorrow for My Favorite Things 41-50. 

And, as always, thank you for reading!

My FavoriteThings 21-30

Seriously, people, I am on a roll.  Being the Princess of Overkill like I am...I have several more of these lists.  Oh, who am I kidding?  Several?  The term "several" implies seven or eight.  I have twelve.  And I'm not done.  Of course, you may be done...and I'll respect that...but in my quest to keep my hands and mind busy and away from the pantry/refrigerator/freezer...I'm writing.

My alternative is cleaning.  So...I'm writing.  Seriously.

21. Free Stuff

Years ago, when I actually still could stand in front of a Coke or vending machine without intense feelings of guilt, I used to love it when that little spirally thingy would "accidentally" drop two of something instead of whatever it was that I'd paid for.  This didn't happen often, but it was really cool to get an unexpected surprise.  Today I love getting free samples, gift with purchase, and things that are no longer wanted by the original owner.  I am old enough to understand that nothing is truly "free" in that somebody has to pay for it somewhere...but I do love it when I'm the recipient.  This is probably one of the reasons that Big Dave and I are so thumbs up on Costco...the samples.  Never mind that whole "membership fee" thing. 

22. Photo Albums

When I was a little girl, I enjoyed looking at photo albums and school annuals of my mother and grandmother through the years.  I'd imagine them as little girls and looked to see myself in their faces.  I still enjoy looking at the photo albums of friends and seeing trips, weddings, and new babies.  Time passes so quickly that we hardly have time to notice...but those photo albums are the permanent reminders that we had an awkward stage, were once thin, or we can use them to remember our natural hair color. 

Oh, maybe that's just me.

Anyway, what do we do when we go through most of the vitally important passages in life?  We drag out the photo albums.  Most graduations and rehearsal dinners include a slideshow...and we watch them knowing that time truly does fly.  Too quickly.



23. Italian Food

Now, do know that I have moved beyond Chef Boyardee...but if you ask me what kind of food I'd choose out of all alternatives?  Italian.  Preferably a little hole in the wall place that has really super-good homemade Italian food.  It is the absolute best.  Of course, I won't be eating Italian food until sometime in 2016...but whatever. 

24. Refrigerator Art

I am currently looking at a very beautifully colored pictures done by my little French artists, my nephew, Alex, and niece, Tara, that are on my refrigerator.  One of the pictures has balloons and hearts and the other is a meticulously colored jester.  Both reflect the respective artists and make me smile to see them. The days of having my refrigerator lined with artistic creations was over sometime in the 1990s, but I've recently become the beneficiary of refrigerator art that I love so much that I even have two pieces at work to the left of my computer monitor.

25. Fall

While I love the cold weather of winter (especially Christmas), the beauty and warmth of Spring, and the gorgeous azure blue skies and green, green grass of Summer...I love Fall.  Granted, we only have Fall for about two weeks each year...but you know what I'm talking about, right?  The leaves are turning colors and the sky is so blue that it looks photoshopped.  The temperature is perfect...not too hot and not too cold...and somewhere in the background I hear an SEC football game.  Add wings on the grill and an occasional breeze with the scent of tea olives...and I'm happy.  Very happy.

26. People You Can Depend On

In this life, there are people you can count on...and there are people who you can COUNT ON.  Those people who you don't even have to ask...because they are already in the kitchen cleaning out your refrigerator and making you a bowl of soup.  People who say they'll do it and actually do.  Who will offer their time to make your life a little brighter and who you can show your true self to because they don't scare easily.  In my life, I have a lot of family that I can count on...but one person that I know that I could call from jail and he wouldn't even question it...is my stepfather, Ralph.  And just in case you're wondering...NO...I've never placed that call...thankfully.

He is the person that I like to talk to when I am feeling bad about myself and I need someone to remind me of who I am.  He never judges...but tells me things like "I always knew that you could do anything you set your mind to."  I mean...doesn't everyone need someone like that?

I know that I try to be a person that others can depend on...and I try very hard not to take their trust lightly.  I believe that it is biblical for your "yes" to be "yes" and your "no" to be "no" and so that is what I try to do.  But I'm not perfect.  Not even close.  And when I'm not...now you know who I call...

27. The Smell of Fresh Paint

Those of you who know me know that I have absolutely no business whatsoever anywhere near paint.  I can't paint according to Big Dave, and I'm fairly certain that I have no artistic ability in this arena.  Other than one picture that I painted that looks somewhat like it was supposed to...I'm pretty pitiful. 

But I do love the smell of fresh paint.  To me, the smell of paint means that something is refreshed and renewed.  It is comforting...and it also means that Big Dave has worked me into his to-do list somehow.  Both of those are win-win, yes?

Over time, I hope to be able to make some peace with paint...so that I won't feel so awkward and unworthy when I am dealing with it.  But in the meantime...I'll just enjoy the smell of newness.  Works for me.

28. Miracles

In my life, I have seen many tragedies, but I've also witnessed many, many miracles.  In fact, I smile at every pregnant woman I see...because I know that she is participating in a miracle as she awaits the birth of her new baby.  I have seen lives spared, watched families pray children out of dire situations into life, and even watched two friends raise a son who is a miracle child. 

His miracle is that he was saved by a perfect match in the bone marrow of his older sister.  She was three years old at the time.  He is now in the 6th grade...and she in the 9th.  Miracles.

I know that God shows up in a big way sometimes...but other times in ways that only we see.  The decision that you struggled over only to find out that you made the right one years later.  The lump that is benign.  The series of events that brings a person into our lives that we cannot possibly imagine living without.  The fact that we wake up every morning and are blessed beyond measure.

Miracles.  Everywhere.  You just have to open your eyes and your heart to see them.

29. Big Chic Fried Chicken

If you are from Thomaston, Georgia, you know of what I speak...but if you are not...you can only imagine.  The. Best. Fried. Chicken. On. The. Planet.

Seriously.  Trust me on this.

The funny thing was...I really began my love affair with Big Chic with the fries.  The steak cut fries that they'd stuff into a small white bag for the bargain price of $.75.  Okay, that was back in 1981...but fortunately...not much has changed taste-wise.  If you want one of my top 5 favorite meals ever...Big Chic chicken filet sandwich with mayonnaise, mustard and extra pickles...with fries...and a large sweet tea.  Slaw optional.

Yes...Big Chic is at least partially responsible for making me a big chick.  Pun intended.

 

30.  Long Term Friendships

One of my favorite things is that I have a lot of friends that I've been friends with for years.  We may not see each other often...but I still love spending time with my friends and enjoy catching up with them from time to time.  My high school friends and I have been to dinners, a weekend in Warm Springs, GA, and a trip to Panama City, FL.  The funny thing?  It doesn't matter that we went to school together thirty years ago...or that we might have not been the closest friends.  We were together then...and we care about each other now. 

My friend, Dee, is my oldest friend.  She is six months younger...so I've been her friend her entire life...and she's been mine since she was six months old.  Our mothers were friends and so were our grandmothers.  That's possible to do in a small town, you know.  I have friends I went to grammar school with (or elementary school if you aren't from Thomaston)...high school...and those that I met at my two colleges.  I have friends that live up north (Jacqueline) and west (Linda) and all over the country. 

I am immensely blessed.

Long term friendships are something that I think God gives us to get us through this grand adventure called life.  The funny thing is...sometimes we have to grow a little bit to fully appreciate how absolutely amazing someone is.  I know my long-term friends certainly are evidence of this.