Sarah's Top 8 Netflix for 2008

8. Juno
At this point I think everyone on Earth has seen Juno, so I probably don't need to discuss it. It was a cute, funny movie and I loved it.

7. Back to the Future trilogy
Okay, I know that Back to the Future came out when I was really little, and my brother and I probably watched it once a week for most of our early childhood. But I hadn't seen it in years until it arrived at my house. And unlike many movies of my youth, it was just as great now as it was then. Although I don't remember Michael J. Fox as being quite so short, he's still pretty awesome!

6. Enchanted
I love Disney movies and I'm not afraid to admit it, so I thought the idea of a live action movie in the Disney cartoon style was a pretty good idea. Turns out I was right! This was adorable, but then again, I love musicals, so it might not be as enjoyable to others as it was for me...

5. Idiocracy
This was a random movie that Netflix recommended for me, and when I saw Luke Wilson in it, I figured I'd watch it. Not a perfect movie by any means, but I laughed at the premise of stupid people procreating like rabbits, while smart people were putting off the miracle of childbirth because the timing wasn't right, or other reasons. So in the distant future, the world is full of dumb people because of natural selection, and an average person from our time becomes the smartest person on Earth. Kind of horrific, but look around you and it seems pretty plausible!

4. Gracie
I'll admit that Gracie didn't turn out as I was expecting. I was waiting for a feel-good soccer movie, like Bend it Like Beckham. I didn't anticipate a movie about a girl who wanted to play soccer on the boys' team, and the resistance that she faced. But I was born a few years after Title IX made it illegal not to give a girl a chance at the boys' team if there was no girls' team for her to play on. I cried a bit during the movie. Well, actually the crying started fairly close to the beginning, but I won't spill any secrets!

3. Penelope
Penelope stars Christina Ricci as a girl cursed with the nose of a pig, who believes she needs to find true love to have the curse broken. Christina Ricci was so cute that I had a hard time believing that people would be so repulsed by her, but I loved the movie anyway. It had that fairy tale feeling to it, almost as if it could be a cartoon, and it was beautifully made. And because of this movie, I'm developing a little crush on James McAvoy, which means I may have to rethink my dislike of Becoming Jane, where I thought he was too short to play Jane Austen's inspiration!

2. The Corpse Bride
This was one of my "Halloween" movies, which are required to involve something like skeletons, ghosts, or ghouls, but not be scary, as I hate having my sleeping patterns disturbed by illogical thoughts that I'm going to be hacked to death with a chain saw, or locked in a basement by a crazy serial killer. (I have a pretty active imagination that requires little stimulation, so a full-out scary movie could ruin my nights for weeks!) Anyhow, this movie was absolutely awesome, and now is on my list of favorite movies of all time. Despite the fact that Tim Burton himself is a little scary...

1. Bride & Prejudice
I love movies about India, because their culture is so beautiful, and I love anything about Jane Austen, because she's basically just awesome all around. So a retelling of Pride & Prejudice set in modern times in India is about as awesome a movie as you could make, especially since the director was responsible for Bend it Like Beckham, which remains one of my favorite movies ever. Elizabeth Bennet becomes a super smart Indian girl who meets her Mr. Darcy, a super rich American. Pretty much everyone in the book is there in one form or another, and it's really quite wonderful. Unless you hate Bollywood-type movies, or Jane Austen. But how could you?

Sarah's Top 8 Books for 2008

These are not what I think are the best books published in 2008, because a) I haven't read all the books published in 2008, and b) some of these weren't published this year. These are merely my favorite books that I read this past year:

8. Change of Heart, Jodi Picoult
This is Jodi Picoult's latest about a prisoner on death row who believes he was condemned for a reason. The twist was so obvious that I won't name the movie that it reminded me of, but you'll see what I'm talking about when you read it. Still, one of the better books I read this year!

7. Love & Louis XIV, Antonia Fraser
For anyone considering this book: it's not a novel, but more like a research compilation about all the women who affected the life of Louis XIV. I loved it, but I'm also a nerd...

6. Me & Emma, Elizabeth Flock
Me & Emma has to be one of the sadder books I read this year, but I couldn't put it down, and ended up rereading it to make sure what I thought happened had really happened!

5. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Gregory Maguire
I don't normally like this author's writing (I think I'm prejudiced toward male authors writing what I classify as 'female fiction', but I really liked this retelling of Cinderella.

4. Airframe, Michael Crichton
Michael Crichton is one of my favorite authors, and sadly passed away this year. This book is a thriller, and also taught me a little about the airline industry. Maybe more than I needed to know!

3. 19 Minutes, Jodi Picoult
Probably the saddest book on my list, I was completely sympathetic towards the criminal and found myself hating the victims of a school shooting. One of my favorite Jodi Picoult books, because I think it might enlighten people and help change attitudes towards bullying in schools...

2. Mademoiselle Boleyn, Robin Maxwell
I've always liked Anne Boleyn best of Henry's wives, and never understood why she was so hated. So when a book came out from her point of view, I naturally had to read it. Awesome!

1. The Tenth Circle, Jodi Picoult
This is my favorite Jodi Picoult book of all time. I couldn't stop reading it, and unlike many legal thrillers, I didn't see the end coming a mile away. If anyone ever reads one of my favorites, this should be first choice!

Did you miss us?

So it's been kind of a long time since I last blogged. Almost two months. 53 days, according to TimeandDate.com. Or 4,579,200 seconds. In other words, I totally suck! But on the bright side, really not much has happened here since November. But to catch you up, here goes:

In early November, not one, but BOTH of my computers crashed. Now, my desktop is over 3 years old, so I wasn't too upset about that, besides being highly annoyed that someone smart enough to create a virus that could ruin my computer was actually wasting their time creating a virus instead of doing something productive like finding a cure for cancer. But whatever. People are time wasters (I'll admit to it!) and I wanted a new desktop anyway.

It was the strange downfall of my six-month-old Dell laptop that was mildly confusing. You see, I was merely watching The Hills Aftershow online because my DVR for some reason didn't record, and right as I was about to hear what Heidi's sister really thought of Heidi and Spencer's faux elopement in Mexico, my computer just died. I almost cried. I also almost threw the computer against the wall. I mean, Heidi and Spencer had ELOPED and my computer couldn't even wait until the end of the show to crash? WTF?

But I persevered, and fixed my laptop and found an awesome new desktop! Yay!!!

It's just so beautiful...*tear*...

My other notable November event was hosting Thanksgiving at my house. By hosting I mean that my mother came and cleaned my house the week before, and then she and my grandmother came down the night before, cooked everything, and then I set the table. It was exhausting.

December involved decorating my house for Christmas and shoveling a lot of snow. Fortunately my mother helped with the decorating. I couldn't find anyone willing to help with the snow. Of course, I didn't offer to pay. That usually brings Ross and Luke to my house in a matter of minutes!

My Christmas Pharmacy Village...I'm such a nerd!

Henry spent a great deal of the month batting at low-hanging Christmas ornaments...

Note the absence of Christmas lights...this photo was taken after Emma ingested a 6 foot extension cord...and yes, it was plugged in at the time...

Sadly, I have no pictures of Ruthie to share. She refused to sit by the Christmas tree, and although caught on more than one occasion sleeping in the Christmas Pharmacy Village Square, I was unable to find my camera to preserve those precious moments. Maybe next year...

Sarah's Top 8 TV Shows for 2008

8. Project Runway
Project Runway is definitely on a downward spiral...this season sucked so bad, it was demoted to my last spot!

7. Animal Cops: Houston
Sure it's sad, but I love when the abusers get arrested and I tear up when the animals get new, happy homes...

6. Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
I'm a little afraid of Jeff Conway, but otherwise this show is mesmerizing...

5. Pushing Daisies
Almost like a cartoon, it was so bright, and colorful, and fantastic...of course, I loved it so much that it got canceled...

4. The Hills
Pretty clothes (that they wear, not design), pretty people (Brody Jenner, anyone?), pretty city (LA)...and of course, DRAMA!!!

3. Criminal Minds
I'll admit, I watched in the beginning because of Shemar Moore being so hot and all, but it really is an awesome show, especially if you have a fascination with psychiatry (okay, and maybe serial killers!)

2. Dancing with the Stars
I love sparkly clothes, high heels, and dancing. How could this not be on my list? Lance didn't win, but I'll still be watching next year...unless Cloris comes back. Then I'll just kill myself instead...

1. The Office
I have loved this show since the first episode, and it just keeps getting better. Jim and Pam engaged, Michael finding a soul mate (even if he lost her), and Dwight and Angela having a secret affair. Seriously, how can this show get any better? And with my future husband John Krasinski starring, how could it ever not be in my number one spot? Please, NBC, don't cancel my favorite show!!!

Sarah's Top 8 Songs for 2008

8. Disturbia, Rihanna
7. Fall for You, Secondhand Seranade
6. Famous, Puddle of Mudd
5. Love Song, Sara Bareilles
4. Let It Rock, Kevin Rudolph feat. Lil Wayne
3. Circus, Britney Spears
2. Addicted, Saving Abel
1. Fake It, Seether

Review: Lean Cuisine Cheese Lasagna with Chicken Breast Scaloppini

I'm a bit disappointed by my latest foray into the world of frozen diet dinners. It's the first one in a long time that has actually tasted like diet food, and I ended up not finishing it.

It wasn't horrible. The lasagna was okay, although it consisted of two layers of noodles, with some cheese in between. The sauce tasted good, but was a bit runny. The chicken, on the other hand, made me consider revisiting my vegetarian side. I wasn't sure it was chicken until I checked the ingredients. Even now, I'm not positive.

My lunch wasn't horrible, and it'll keep me from starving, but it definitely wasn't worth spending 6 Points on.

Ruthie Says Hi!

Vacation!!

So I've been on vacation for a few days, and it's gotten a little boring. Mainly because we didn't go to Hawaii after all, and my friends are all working. The highlight of my week has been walking over to the middle school to vote. Although the 50% off sale at Coach Outlet might surpass that. I'll update tomorrow if I have any sucess! So I'll leave you with pics of my very photogenic black dog Izzy, and my very surly yellow cat Henry.

I feel no guilt about posting such an uncomplimentary pic of Henry mainly because he tried to bite me today. Biting is VERY inappropriate!

Henry and Ruthie's Scrapbook Page

My desktop got a weird virus, so I had to very quickly save all my photos before the whole system went down. Then I had to go through all my photos, mainly because I love looking at my pictures! And I found one of my favorites of Henry and Ruthie, take just a few months after Ruthie came to live with me:

(I used the "Moody Blues" kit from ShabbyPrincess.com)

We Passed Basic Obedience...Just Barely!

Today was our last class in Basic Obedience training at PetCo. And the girls passed! Well, not that they were actually tested or anything, but I'm pretty proud of them. They even posed quietly for their diplomas!

Izzy, still having some difficulty with "watch me!"

Emma, who has finally mastered the "down" command. Yay!

We learned a lot this time around, probably because Iz and Em were the only two students, and we lucked out and had two instructors! We learned how to walk on a loose leash, leave it, stay, down, respond to "come" with an appropriate finish (sitting at the person's side), and to "wait" as well!

I'm kind of sad that school is over, since it was fun going every week and learning new things. (Yes, I actually miss school, go ahead, make fun of me!) But it was really worth it...I think if we keep practicing, I will soon have two model canines. Now, if I can just keep them from chasing squirrels into the neighbor's yard...

Autumn Decor Is Up!!!!

The Mothership decided to come to town today because Walgreens was apparently having a killer sale, and she had a 50% coupon for ACMoore, so she decided while she was here to help me out putting up the rest of my fall decorations. I have to say, my house is absolutely gorgeous! Of course, I had to take pictures. (I really like to document my various achievements!)

I think, considering my awesome fall decorations, I am totally going to have a beautiful house come Christmas. That is, if I can convince poor Luke to get up on my roof to attach my new icicle lights. We'll see! (And post photos, too!)

Movie Night: Akeelah and the Bee

I've been wanting to see Akeelah and the Bee ever since I discovered it on a preview for another movie. So I was happy when it showed up with my Netflix movies!

Akeelah is a girl growing up in a bad part of Los Angeles, who is enrolled in a very underfunded public school. She has a talent for spelling, so her teachers and principal encourage her to take part in spelling bees, with the ultimate goal of being in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It's a very sweet movie about friends and family and overcoming obstacles. It's actually very similar to a sports movie, which is probably part of the reason I loved it so much. All of the actors in it were amazing...it was almost like watching a documentary, they were so real.

Definitely worth watching. I think I'll suggest this one to the Mothership and the Grandmother, too!

Baby Izzy

I found an adorable picture of Izzy when she was just a bitty puppy, so naturally, I had to make a new scrapbook layout:

I used the "Harvest Spice" kit from Shabby Princess Designs. There are some beautiful kits on their site, so check it out!

Scrapbooking Fun!

I'm finally back in a scrapbooking mood, and since all my supplies were nicely put away, I decided to make a new digital layout using some freebies I found online! I know it's a little early for Halloween, but since I'm sitting here with the glow of my outdoor decorations shining in through the windows, I was in the mood for a little fall fun:

The flying bats are courtesy of Bubble's Babbles' Halloweenie elements, and everything else came from Becca Bonneville's Treats kit, which are both wonderful! The picture of Emma is, of course, my own AMAZING work! LOL...I keep telling my mother that my photos would be better if I had a better camera, but I'm pretty sure even the most expensive camera on Earth won't help my inablility to take great pictures!

The high cost of McDonalds (even when your meal is actually free because you have a gift card)

Tonight I decided that, having followed my diet faithfully for several days, I could spare a few points and use my birthday McDonalds gift card at the same time. Saving money and enjoying some tasty chicken McNuggets...what could go wrong?

Well, I pulled up to the drive-thru, and placed my order: a McNugget Mighty Kids Meal, with Diet Coke, and a hot fudge sundae. Oh, and I opted for the Girl toy. I figured this would be relatively low points, right? I mean, it's a kid's meal.

After getting home and consuming my meal, which did NOT come with the girl's toy...I'm sad to report that I got some weird Star Wars/Transformery toy...I headed to the computer to log my dinner. Things did not go so well.

First I searched for a six piece McNugget Points value. It turns out that each McNugget is worth a point. Holy Crap! Sweet N Sour sauce turned out to be one point per serving, but fortunately, I only used half! My small french fries cost me five points, which I've decided totally wasn't worth it. I don't even like french fries! And then my desert, a slightly melted hot fudge sundae, was seven points. I haven't decided if the spoonful of ice cream I gave Henry lessened that Points value, but regardless, that's a crapload of points for a crappy little sundae!

Grand total for my "evening out:" 18.5 points. I've decided that McDonalds is a little too rich for my taste. (But I think the McNuggets were totally worth the "cost.")

I'm such a slacker!

Not too much is happening here on Seward Ave. Izzy and Emma are still going to obedience classes. And Henry, Ruthie, and I all have colds. I'm feeling great, thanks to a combo of Aleve-D, Zyrtec, and Mucinex (gotta love polypharmacy!), but I feel so bad for little Henry and Rue. They're both trotting around with runny noses, and sneezing all the time. I hope they get better soon.

"I'm sick and you're taking pictures of me...what kind of a cat-mother ARE you?"

The girls have been spending lots of time with the Mothership out on the farm, running around the gardens and grape field. I drop them off at 8am every morning and spend the entire day at work being jealous that they're tearing around outside and I'm stuck indoors dealing drugs to people who constantly inform me that I will be voting for Obama. FYI - you make me want to be a conservative, and just for trying to force your political opinions down my throat, I'm going to go get some Sarah Palin bangs. So there!

Today it was so nice out that I let the girls spend most of the day out in the backyard while I did laundry. They're so sweet, everytime I come outside to visit them, they act like it's Christmas or something. They're better than Prozac!

"Ohmigosh...Mom just came outside...woohoo...this is the BEST DAY EVER!!!"

I have to say, having pets really does add some color to your life. For instance, I finally captured on camera (though not very well) what greets me every time I come up the back steps to my house:

Normally, he's not quite so sad looking, but remember, he's sick today, poor boy.

And last but not least, there's my little brown dog, Emma, who is providing us with "Crazy Dog Face of the Day:"

The dorkiest dog I ever met, but I totally love her!

And now I must be off to finish my laundry...I always save the red and khaki for last, even though it's what I need to wear to work tomorrow!

Look at that Face!

Emma, after hearing we were going to visit the lake!

Round Two of Dog School: Basic Obedience

So Izzy and Emma have enrolled once more in one of PetCo's dog training classes. This time it's Basic Obedience, and sadly, the girls are the only ones there. Now, you're thinking that's a good thing, as they'll get extra attention and learn lots, right? Well, it's the extra attention that is embarrassing to me, because all of our faults are on display. Okay, mine and Izzy's. Emma and the Mothership seem to be doing quite well.

(Even when there are more interesting happenings, she is still willing to "watch me!")

Week One went okay. The girls remembered their commands, and the Mothership and I weren't too horrible. (Really, it's the humans being tested in dog school...the dogs are just the means for testing!) Week Two, however, was a different story. Izzy refused to cooperate, and I was SO embarrassed! I think she was punishing me for putting her walk off until after school. Never again! I shall take Izzy first from now on!

(At this point, Izzy wouldn't "watch me!" if she was starving and I was holding a steak!)

So now we're on to Week Three. I'm not positive about what our homework is this week, as I was so disheartened by my little Iz. I think we're supposed to be working on the girls coming to us, and sitting down at our sides automatically. I'm also working hard on the loose leash walking, since that's what upsets the Mothership most. We had a most successful walk this evening, if you ignore the fact that Emma was whisper-barking at some chick on her cell phone. But seriously, who talks on their cell phone outside at 10:30 at night in 40 degree weather? Someone who is hiding something from her parents, that's who. She totally deserved to be barked at, even if it was only a whisper-bark.

I just can't help but laugh at them. They're so sweet and goofy!

Movie Night: Idiocracy

Sometimes Netflix convinces me to take a chance on movies that I wouldn't normally watch. Take, for instance, Idiocracy, which is billed as being from the creator of Office Space...not one of my favorite movies! But, as I'm not the most discerning of movie critics, I'll give most movies a try. Which explains how Idiocracy ended up in my DVD player.

It was actually a pretty cute movie, although my not-so-secret love of Luke Wilson is probably more responsible for my enjoyment of the movie than the movie itself. He plays Joe, a military test subject for a hibernation experiment who ends up, with his female counterpart Rita, in 2505. It turns out that natural selection, instead of choosing the best and the brightest, picked the dumbest for procreation, and the world is filled with idiots who can't speak in complete sentences. So Joe and Rita turn out to be the smartest people in the world, and try to save it.

Overall, I didn't feel that I wasted my time watching Idiocracy. After all, it had Luke Wilson. And the beginning of the movie, which explains how society grew dumber and dumber as smart people knew better than to have children and idiots took to spawning like rabbits, was especially funny. And the narration of the movie reminded me of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which is one of my favorites. So bottomline, I wouldn't go out of my way to watch this movie, but adding it to your Netflix queue wouldn't hurt you. But if The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is available, it'd probably be a better choice!

Review: Say Yes to Carrots?

On a recent shopping expedition at our local Walgreens, I came across some beauty products called Yes to Carrots. Naturally, I had to try it, so I decided to get the shampoo and conditioner. After a week of using my new products, I'm still not sure how I feel about them.

The shampoo doesn't get very sudsy, which makes me think either my hair is incredibly greasy and thus using up all the shampoo, or it just doesn't work. Suds or not, my hair feels really snarly while rinsing, so I immediately reach for the conditioner, which seems like it gets sucked right up into my hair. Unlike most shampoo/conditioner pairs, I seem to be using twice as much conditioner with this one as shampoo. So my shower experience with Yes to Carrots is poor. But my hair, at least according to others, smells great. I can't seem to smell the fragrance myself, but that could be because I've been recovering from a cold for the past week. And my hair is smooth and shiny. An added bonus, I don't have to worry about it looking greasy with these products, as I'm pretty sure I could go every three days without washing and no one would notice. I haven't actually tested this out though, as I don't like to feel grungy.

Has anyone else tried Yes to Carrots? I'm going keep using this one, at least until my condition is gone. Then I'll pass the shampoo onto the Mothership! I'm not sure yet about trying their other products, although how can you really go wrong with body butter? Unless you're Vaseline Intensive Care and just stop making it, leaving your consumers with few other options to treat horrifically dry skin in the winter months. Yes, I'm bitter...

(Shampoo and conditioner available at Walgreens.com for $7.99 on September 27, 2008 - just click on the photos!)

Sweet Blossom Designs by Sara

Nope, not me, it's a different Sara...no "h" on the end! Variations in spelling aside, her blog is awesome. She's pretty new to designing digital scrap kits, but I have to say, she's doing an awesome job. Lol...considering I've never even tried to design a kit, and can barely make my own pages using other people's products!

Anyhow, check her blog out, it's one of my new favorites for digital scrapping stuff, and it's all FREE!!! So I get to stay within my new "buy-a-farm" budget, and you can too! Check out Sweet Blossom Designs ASAP!

The Office is Back!!!

I feel like I've been waiting an eternity for The Office to come back. I've spent the last four months watching seasons 1 through 4 on DVD, and was so excited for tonight's episode I could barely contain myself. Just as my family or the people I work with. I was a little annoying!

But finally it's back! And it did not disappoint, as Pam and Jim are still together. (We've already discussed my commitment to their happiness!) And so, now that my life is complete again, I think I'll be going to bed. But first, I'll leave you with a little message from Dwight Schrute, that I found over on NBC.com:

(I love it mainly because it's Dwight, but it also kind of reminds me of Luke and Matt and those potato guns they built when we were little. Good times...)

Why I Spend Several Hundred Dollars a Month at PetCo

I like to shop a lot. Lately I've been on a budget, so my only shopping joy comes from frequent visits to PetCo, which some people have deemed unnecessary, but I think are absolutely mandatory. Somehow, I don't think I even need words to explain what some call my "frivolous spending," but for those who do not have pets, I will try to enlighten:

Doesn't a cute cat like this deserve a nifty Igloo litter box?

And why shouldn't my boy have the finest Temptations Dental Treats the world has to offer?

And seriously, could you feed these two anything less than Nutro, which is going to keep their joints healthy for years to come?

My babies are cute and fun and loving and totally worth the expenditures. Even if it means our country estate will take a few more years to get! And I think only my Aunt Paula understands, as she sent me a gift card to PetCo for my birthday. It must take one crazy pet person to know another!

PostSecret

My not-so-much-a-secret: I am obsessed with the blog PostSecret. I get up every Sunday morning early, so that I can check out all the new secrets before I have to go to work. It's addictive, and I don't know why. Maybe because I'm always hoping that someone else will share a secret with me. But it hasn't happened up to now. After weeks of feeling alone, waiting for a secret on PostSecret that I could identify with, this Sunday I got not one, but two secrets! Woohoo!

No, I didn't send the secrets in. I just happen to identify with them. So naturally, I have to share!

My literary secret AND my television secret. I can kind of relate to The Little Mermaid secret too, now that I think about it.

Enjoy!

Merry-Go-Round Playhouse: Church Basement Ladies

Church Basement Ladies was an extra show that Merry-Go-Round put on this year. The Mothership and I decided to go, despite never having heard of it, because in general, MGR does a great job with things, and we figured we'd enjoy it.

We were so right! It was a super cute story set in a Lutheran chuch in Minnesota in the 1960's. There were only five actors, and they did a great job. The entire play took place in the church basement, where what I call "church biddies" hang out to prepare food for church dinners, fund raisers, funerals, and whatever else the church might require.

I think the real reason that I found it so enjoyable was that I could identify all the characters with women that I've gone to church with, both past and present. There was the older woman, very judgmental and set in the old ways, the kooky middle aged woman who loves everyone, the mother who might have been a bit wild in the past, but is now dedicated to the church, and her daughter, who was off to college, but still coming home to help out because she enjoyed the church community.

Definitely worth seeing. The songs were cute, and the actors seemed to really enjoy this performance, which always makes it so much better. I'm kind of sad that it's our last play of the year, although this performance has been extended, so I guess I could see it again if I start feeling too lonely!

Harvest Time

Summer is my favorite season, mainly because it means we can spend time at camp. But fall and winter are awesome because of all the celebrations and decorating opportunities! I'm getting ready to decorate outside for autumn, which involves some gorgeous wreaths that the Mothership made me, and orange lights, chrysanthemums, and some gigantor pumpkins that the Fathership planted...I can't wait!

Fall also means that Halloween is coming...yay! I love dressing up, but don't get the opportunity for it, since my employer frowns upon wearing anything but red and khaki. I really, really, really want to dress up as a candy corn witch:

Sadly, I'm pretty sure, this is not acceptable work apparel. (Can you imagine being counseled by a person wearing this? LOL.) Even more sad is that my not-so-secret love of the edible version of candy corn pretty much precludes me from ever wearing such a costume, even while not at work.

On the bright side, this year I have puppies that can dress up! And PetCo is holding a Howl-o-ween party, so now I have something to look forward to! I found canine candy corn costumes, which aren't as cute as the human options, and perhaps a bit too frilly for my labs:

I'm thinking they'll probably end up as pumpkins, since that would be completely cute, or perhaps a devil and an angel, since those are two costumes that I think I am capable of sewing up.

Henry and Ruthie don't care much for dressing up. Not that they've told me in so many words, but as Henry tried to bite me a few weeks ago over the sailor collar that one of my technicians persuaded me to buy at Target, I'm thinking that cats prefer to remain in the altogether. Ruthie, however, is practicing her wolverine impersonation:

I don't think she's quite snarly enough yet, but she's still got some time to work on it.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today was my birthday! I am now 27, which I figure will be a good year. I'm partial to any number with 7 in it, because ages 7 and 17 went really well as far as I'm concerned! I spent the day with the Mothership and the Grandmother, "gleaning" from the garden, which I always enjoy. Then we celebrated with my favorite desert, peach pie. Yum! It was delicious...the Grandmother makes the best pie on Earth! After dinner, the Mothership and I set off for Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, where we saw our last show of the season, Church Basement Ladies. It was very funny...we were actually laughing out loud!

I also got some killer presents. First up, I finally got the present that the Mothership purchased ages ago at MacKenzie-Childs. She told me she bought my birthday present but refused for over two months to reveal what it was. I turned out to be correct in my guess that it was a rooster, but I never would have guessed it was a rooster made out of glass beads! He's awesome:

I'm so proud that I actually received a present from MacKenzie-Childs!

Seriously, how cool is this rooster?

My Aunt Paula sent me two great presents: a giftcard to PetCo, which is one of my favorite stores, and some pumpkin scented lotion that I absolutely love. It's from Bath and Body Works, but I can't find it at their online store. I'm kind of sad, because I really want the body splash too. I'll have to go to the mall tomorrow and see if I can scout some out!

And one of my technicians, Denise, brought us some tasty mini-cupcakes at work. Sadly, I have no picture to post, because we made short work of them once the package was open;)

So thanks everybody for my lovely presents. And as a reminder, there are only 364 days until my next birthday...it's coming up, you know!

Becoming a Gentleman Farmer

Apparently I am the only person who has ever heard of being a "gentleman farmer." Most likely because I love cheezy romance novels from the 60's, when there was apparently an abundance of gentleman farmers just waiting to snatch up pretty little women visiting the countryside.

A gentleman's farmer is someone with a farm that has an independent source of income, so the farm doesn't need to make a profit. It's farming as a hobby instead of a career. Which is why I will always be considered a "gentleman farmer" should I move to the country, because I have neither the stamina or the know-how to be a proper farmer, plus I actually enjoy being a pharmacist, and I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my career just yet!

I really don't want a huge farm, just 10 or 15 acres, so I can have some vegetables to freeze and fruits to can, and farm animals mainly for atmosphere. I don't envision myself milking a cow, and besides, how does one go about pasteurizing one's milk? I've always been desperate for a horse, and my grandma has decided that "we" must have some chickens as well, since eggs are getting so expensive. I have to take her word for it on the price of eggs, since I detest grocery shopping. Regardless, chickens would be fun!

And my current "livestock", consisting of Henry, Ruthie, Izzy, and Emma, would absolutely love life on a farm. Iz and Em could tear around all day, and I might even consider letting Henry and Rue outside on occasion...they're so desperate to go out I feel bad!

And yes, Mel, I do have plans for my country estate! Knowing me, they'll probably change a few times in the next 10 years, which is how long it will probably take me to get to the country, but nonetheless, this is what I'm dreaming of right now:

(image from eplans.com)

I know it's not that attractive from the outside, but as my country estate will be in the middle of nowhere, the interior is far more important, and as you can see, the kitchen is spectacular:

(image from eplans.com)

As is the deck, complete with an outdoor fireplace...I will have to find a lake for my country estate so that the deck can face it:

(image from eplans.com)

Oh, and the great room isn't too bad either, the windows look out onto the deck, so you can enjoy your gorgeous view even during the winter:

(image from eplans.com)

I suppose I should note that all my pictures came from my favorite home-plan website, eplans.com. To visit this particular plan, search for "Tranquil Living."

The Girls (and Henry) Decide to Move to the Country!

That's right, at least for the summer months. The puppies, cats, and I weren't able to stay at camp at all this summer besides driving out for day adventures, because of bathroom issues at all three camps. You see, built back in the 1940's, before there was such a thing as building permits and codes, the owners of our little cottages used whatever materials they could scrounge up. Which means in our gray camp there is gas pipe used as water lines, the green camp's toilet is unfortunately unable to cope with the sediments in lake water, and as for the red camp, everyone is a little scared to even turn the water on over there. So, as I would be unable to shower or go to the bathroom, we've been spending nights on Seward Ave.
 

(image from lowes.com)

But now we have a plan! You see, in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, Lowe's started selling what they call "Katrina Cottages" which are plans for real little homes that are cheap to build, rather than those expensively sad little FEMA trailers they were trying to shove people into. Katrina Cottages are super simple designs that utilize inexpensive materials, making them very affordable. So we're going to build a super cute one where the gray camp is:
Now, if all goes well, it will be a real, finished, winterized structure, which means that our little family would be able to stay there most of the year, and rent a cheap apartment during the few months of unpleasant weather. That way, I'll be able to save lots of money, and eventually start building my "gentleman's farm" where I intend to have a gorgeous house perfect for entertaining, a large barn for a horse, cows, chickens, and goats, and some apple and peach trees. And no, Dad, there will be NO grapes. So sorry! Anyhow, even if my little farm doesn't work out, at least we'll have a place to stay on the lake with a working toilet! What a dream, right?

Recycling is Fun!

"I spend a great deal of time in the recycling bin...I love Mother Earth!"
~Ruthie, on why she likes to "blue bin" it.

Merry-Go-Round Playhouse: Little Shop of Horrors

I have to say, I was kind of disappointed by Little Shop of Horrors. The performers were great singers and dancers, and the props were spectacular, but I guess I was a little unprepared for such a strange show.

The music and lyrics were written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, so I thought this would be the best show of the summer, since they are also responsible for the Disney version of The Little Mermaid, which is my favorite Disney musical of all time! And the music of Little Shop didremind me a bit of The Little Mermaid. But not enough, so I have to say in the end, I didn't really enjoy this theatrical outing. I was glad to be going home at the end of the night. Fortunately, we still have one show left, and on my birthday, no less! I have no expectations regarding Church Basement Ladies, since I'd never heard of it before buying the tickets. So I guess the Mothership and I will just have to see how it goes!

Little Shop of Horrors is still playing for a few more days, so go see it, especially if you're a fan of the old movie...my friend Courtney apparently is, and couldn't believe that I didn't enjoy the musical!

Merry-Go-Round Playhouse: The Producers

I've been so busy with work and puppies and camp that I completely forgot that the Mothership and I attended a show at Merry-Go-Round last week. We saw The Producers, and enjoyed it thoroughly. The actors were great, especially the two who played Leo Bloom and Ulla. (And the girl who played Ulla looked exactly like Katherine Heigl - Izzy from Grey's Anatomy...it was freaky.) The entire performance was incredible, and the Mothership and I had the good fortune of having the two rows ahead of us completely empty, so we could see everthing on stage. It also made it possible for us to catch the carnation that the producer throws out at the beginning of each show - I've been waiting all season! Sadly, as it's turning into fall, it's also getting towards the end of the season. Only two shows left: Little Shop of Horrors, which we see September 3rd, and Church Basement Ladies, on September 16th (my birthday!!!) Can't wait!

The Reverend Jack Van Impe has REACHED OUT!

For a very long time my father has talked about the Reverend Jack Van Impe, and how he changes peoples' lives through his televangelism. I largely ignored him, since he does tend to elaborate when telling stories, and I couldn't imagine anything that strange being real. Then one night, after spending 10 hours in the emergency department only to come home hopped up on Zofran and unable to sleep, I turned on the television, and found the Reverend Jack Van Impe and his lovely wife on my screen. I seriously thought I was either hallucinating or it was an incredibly funny SNL skit. Either way, strange. But no, it turned out that Zofran doesn't make you imagine elaborate infomercials, and SNL isn't really funny. The Reverend Jack Van Impe is very real.

For a while after discovering that my father wasn't lying about the hilarity of the Reverend Jack Van Impe's broadcasts (they really are funny, seriously, you should be on the lookout for them!) I forgot all about him, and his lovely wife. And then, inside a box of books I bid for and won on ebay, I found this:
I am so touched. The Reverend Jack Van Impe has reached out, TO ME!! He wants me to pray for the millions of lost people, pray for his ministry team, and mostly pray that God's people provide the financial resources necessary to meet the needs of the ministry this very summer! I am honored. Thank you Reverend Jack Van Impe, for believing that I am not one of the lost ones, and that I have the power to change things through prayer (and a hefty donation to your ministry.) It really means a lot. I'll start praying for you just as soon as I finish bidding on my latest box of cheezy romance novels!

Henry and Ruthie are completely INAPPROPRIATE!

Henry and Ruthie have discovered a new trick. They like to sleep on top of the cupboards in the kitchen. To access their favorite area requires jumping on a stool, leaping to the counter, walking over the stove, through the sink, jumping on the refrigerator, and then one giant leap to napping bliss. At first I thought it was cute, as evidenced by the following:

"I am highly offended that you are disturbing my slumber."

"I'm kind of embarrassed that you had to witness this..."

Then one day while my mother and brother were babysitting, one of my rooster plates smashed to the floor. I have to say, it's not so entertaining now!

The accident doesn't seem to be keeping Henry awake at night...