friday favorites #24: week of may 20, 2016

How is it possible that we are at this point of the year already? School got out yesterday. Of course, my school year isn't over until I submit the yearbook. T-minus 10 days. I tend to go a little loopy around this time of the year, so here are five things that are keeping me sane during yearbook crunch time.

1. "Can't Stop the Feeling"
If you haven't heard Justin Timberlake's new single yet, you must. Right now. It is SOOO catchy. And you can't help but dance when you listen! This one has been on repeat while I work on yearbook.


2. Pioneer Woman kitchen stuff
Every single time I go to Walmart, I buy something else Pioneer Woman. It'll stop someday, I'm sure, but I'm loving the things I've gotten so far! This goes with "finding lovely"--I love eating off of pretty dishes, and the Pioneer Woman line is certainly lovely ... and very affordable!

This is my new favorite coffee mug, and I LOVE these placemats--they're reversible!

#Isisthecat is a huge fan of the placemats. I keep one placemat on the table all the time for my meals, and it has become Isis' new favorite grooming spot. If I have you over for a meal, I promise that I'll wash the placemats first :-)

3. Taking a Kitty Break

It's no secret that I love cats. I have much love for my three goobers--Hammond, Skaara, and Isis--which is immediately apparent if you look at my Instagram account. But I also love other cats, especially kittens. So when my mom suggested I take a kitten break tonight, I was all for it!

These kittens were born at the school I work at, and the shop teacher set up a place for them in the shop. Aren't they adorable? I don't know what the plan is for them, but I hope they find great homes!

4. Gardening

When I was a teenager, I swore (SWORE!) I'd never garden. My parents had an enormous garden, and every year, we kids would spend countless hours picking and snapping beans. (Well, we kids minus Blendy. The baby got out of a lot of things...) One year when I was about 15, Dad informed me that he was "giving" me two rows of green beans to care for. I suggested that since they were "mine," I'd just let them die. Needless to say, that didn't go over too well.

Anyway, flash forward nearly 20 years, and I've decided that I do want to garden--on a much smaller scale. I've planted beans, carrots, cilantro, and two tomato plants. 

This may not look like much, but it's my carrots and green beans. I love checking on them every day--sometimes multiple times :-)

5. The Parent Trap and The Parent Trap II

No book recommendation this week because the only thing I'm reading is yearbook pages. When I'm finishing up the yearbook, I often work from home with something playing in the background. It's difficult to decide what to watch--I want the background entertainment, but it needs to be something I don't need to pay super close attention to, or I won't accomplish anything. Today, I watched The Parent Trap (both the Hayley Mills and Lindsay Lohan versions) and The Parent Trap II. I've seen both versions of The Parent Trap multiple times (though never in such close succession), so it was easy to concentrate on yearbook while they played. Not so with The Parent Trap II. I was captivated ... and, therefore, accomplished hardly anything in the two hours it played. It again stars Hayley Mills as twins Susan and Sharon, but this time as adults. Sharon is divorced and planning to move from Florida to New York with her 11-year-old daughter, so her daughter and her daughter's best friend decide to play matchmaker. The story is fairly implausible, but it's so fun! You can buy it on Amazon, or you can find it pretty easily on YouTube.

As always, thanks for stopping by, and feel free to let me know your own favorites! I'm linking up with the usuals: Erika, Christina, and Karli.

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a spectacular fourth!

I intended to post this yesterday, but then I got a speeding ticket and my day went to pot. Now on to happier things!

My mom and I just returned from a wonderful weekend in Indiana visiting my sister and brother-in-law. Val and Greg live in my college town, and it's always fun to go back, especially when we happen to be there on a Sunday and can go to the church I attended in college (which is also the church they attend).

We set out mid-morning on Thursday ... and it was just about the longest trip ever. From heavy rain to me not feeling well to my mom's shingles (which she came down with the week before), it felt like the trip that would never end! (This picture was obviously taken at the beginning of the trip.)

Finally, though, we made it. And we met this cutie:

Seriously, Miss Chloe is just about the cutest thing ever! Just like her "cousin" Skaara, she loves chasing pink fabric.

We slept in on Friday, and then we wandered around the shops in the Village at Winona for a while. We also hit the local T.J. Maxx, which is a bit, uh, classier than the one in Grand Island ... and there I bought some size 10 pants. Seriously? Size 10??? I haven't been a 10 since junior high! (I'm probably closer to a 12 normally, but the 10 of this particular brand is what fit.)

That evening, we ate at The Boathouse, where I longed to have my favorite dish, the chicken & bacon wrap ... but I was good, stuck to the gluten free thing, and had a cheeseburger with no bun. Then we girls saw Bye Bye Birdie at the Wagon Wheel Theatre. I'd heard all about the Wagon Wheel when I was at Grace, but this was the first show I saw there. It was fantastic! The acting was great, and the show was so fun. Bravo!

Saturday was super relaxing. I read this book for a while, we played Rummy (I lost ... but it wasn't a massacre like it sometimes is), and Greg grilled burgers for supper. Also, Val and Mom conspired to kill me--Val prayed for our meal, and she tacked on a quick "and please help us get good seats for the concert" onto the end. Mom proceeded to mock her, and I couldn't help but laugh ... with a mouthful of water. Basically, I ended up choking--I absolutely could not breathe. I did eventually recover :-)

Then we went down to Winona Lake for the Masterworks Patriotic Pops Concert and fireworks.

Lots of people were already there when we arrived, so we ended up sitting to the side of the orchestra. Val decided that, since we couldn't see very well anyway, we should face the lake, as that's where the fireworks after the concert would be.

So Mom spent the concert like this:

Something about her discomfort at being turned a different direction than everyone else was hilarious to Val and me. And when you think about it, Val's reasoning didn't make any sense, but we all went along with it.

Then, when it was time for fireworks, we moved--so Mom's discomfort was for nothing!

On Sunday, we went to Christ's Covenant (it's always so great to be back, even though I really don't know anyone there anymore) before heading to Fort Wayne for the afternoon: lunch at Granite City, shopping at Target, and watching Jurassic World.

We had to say goodbye to Greg, Val, and Chloe and head back to real life on Monday. This drive didn't feel quite as long as the first, though. Maybe because we stopped for lunch at Cracker Barrel, and then we meandered through several stores at the Tanger Outlets in Iowa. Mom even found a deeply discounted dress and ridiculously cheap dress pants (something like $7)! And we had to get coffee and chocolate at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory before getting back on the road. (My selfie skills were not on point ...)

Really, we made great time! And then I came home to this:

It's not pretty; it's a $35 stove I got off a garage sale. It's not my dream stove by any means...but it is a GAS stove. For someone who learned to cook on gas and hasn't had a gas stove since moving out of her parents' house 10 years ago, this is a big deal! My dad, who stayed home to work on a variety of projects, made running a gas line and hooking up the stove one of those projects. Thanks, Dad! It's very much appreciated :-)

Overall, it was a fantastic way to spend the Fourth of July. I just wish the vacation could have lasted longer ...

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five friday favorites #16: week of april 10, 2015

It's Friday, and oh, how grateful I am! I had four days off for Easter (Friday through Monday), so this week shouldn't have been bad. But it was. Nothing bad happened; it just felt so. incredibly. long. I'm sure part of the reason is that all of my time after work has been going into another project--see #3 below. So my brain isn't exactly getting a break after work, which makes me really, really tired. I went to bed at 9:30 last night. 9:30! I wasn't even doing that during speech season ... but then my brain wasn't working this hard during speech season, either.

Suffice it to say, I'm thrilled it's Friday--and I'm thrilled that I actually am getting this posted! As usual, I'm linking up with Erika, Karli, and April.

1. Skaara
Oh, how little I knew when I posted my last Friday Favorites two weeks ago! Just as I posted my Instagram photo of the happy cats following the vet visit too soon, I also spoke too soon when I said all the cats were healthy. Little did I know, Skaara was in the process of developing a raging urinary tract infection, which turned me into one emotional cat owner. (Seriously. My sister, the one who I'll text and Facebook message and Gchat with but rarely speak to on the phone, called me just moments after I sent her a text saying I'd bawled the whole way home from the vet--I had to leave Skaara overnight for testing--and then I proceeded to bawl through our whole conversation. I was a complete wreck.)

Fortunately, Skaara should be fine ... if I feed him insanely expensive urinary-formula cat food. Which I will. Obviously. I mean, how could I refuse this face?

2. The music of Nashville
I know, I know ... Nashville has already made several Friday Favorites appearances! (Here. And again here.) But I just recently rediscovered it now that I have more free time with speech being over for the year. What I'm really, really loving about it now is the music. And, thanks to Spotify, I can listen to the music whenever I want! I did end up buying "Don't Put Dirt on My Grave Just Yet," simply because I love it so much :-) I prefer the version Juliette did with Luke Wheeler for the military, but that one wasn't available for download. (It is available on YouTube, and the clip also includes a good Deacon/Rayna moment. You're welcome.)



3. My editing project
I love editing--proofreading, copy editing, content editing, all of it. So I was thrilled recently when I was asked to help edit a book ... and I'm getting paid for it!

So all that free time to watch Nashville that I mentioned before has evaporated for now, but that's OK :-)

The book is an account of some Nebraskans who fought in World War II, and so far (I'm about 1/3 of the way through), it's fascinating! Once the book is published, I'll be sure to tell you how to get yourself a copy.

Skaara sometimes makes working difficult, but that's OK--I'm just glad he's still with me!

4. Cashew Milk

Since I've been on Trim Healthy Mama, I've basically given up lattes. See, dairy milk isn't "on plan," and I cannot stand almond milk in my coffee. Blech! But I just discovered cashew milk, and it's actually drinkable! (This is huge, trust me.) It is so mild that it doesn't really flavor my coffee, it just makes it creamier. So I've started making a few lattes again--with cashew milk, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract. Delicious!

*Lest a THM purist see this post, I'll clarify that coconut sugar isn't "on plan," either, but I'm choosing to adapt THM to fit me. I'm not really comfortable with artificial sweeteners, so I'm choosing to use very small amounts of stevia (which is "on plan") along with honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar.

5. The Bound Heart

If you are a fan of romance, then you need to read The Bound Heart. It is simply fantastic! It's book two in Dawn Crandall's Everstone Chronicles, and it would definitely be very helpful to have read the first book, The Hesitant Heiress, first. Fortunately, The Hesitant Heiress is also very good!

But The Bound Heart is something special. I guess you could say I connected with it on a very deep level. It's a serious story about sin and its far reaching consequences, the lies we believe, and the power of forgiveness ... but it's also so incredibly romantic! It's the best book I've read so far this year. Check out my review, and then go get yourself a copy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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five friday favorites #15: week of march 27, 2015

I'm late on the Friday Favorites again because ... speech. We had state speech yesterday, and after I got home, I crashed. Because I'm not motivated enough to get the Friday Favorites finished before Friday, they're late ... again.

1. Getting retweeted ... by Sean Lowe!
As we all know by now, I love the Bachelor franchise. So of course I was going to read former Bachelor Sean Lowe's book! After I reviewed it, I linked to my review on Twitter. And then this happened ...

After having a fangirl moment, I went to my blog stats. Almost immediately, my review had more than 100 page views. At the end of the day, it had more than 300. At this moment, it has nearly 500. My stats are going to look really great this month :-)

Thank you, Sean!!!

2. These kids

As you've probably gathered by now, speech has been consuming my life for the last three months. The season ended yesterday with the state meet. (Insert happy dance here.) Last week, we had our district meet, and we had a completely amazing day. We took 14 entries, and 11 got medals. Of those 11, 8 qualified for state and 3 of those 8 were event champions. Because we had two duets and one OID (drama) in our state qualifiers, we ended up taking 12 kids to state! And on top of that, we won the district championship as a team!!!

We didn't have a great day at state from a results standpoint, but the kids gave it their all, and I think most of them really enjoyed the day. Also, we're a very young team--of the 12 kids who went to state, only four had been in speech prior to this year--so the future looks bright for the Nebraska Christian speech team.

3. Three healthy cats
Last Friday, I posted this photo on Instagram:

We all survived the vet visit and are now back in our happy places.
For the cats, that means basking in the sun. For me, that means #MarchMadness.
I swear, going to the vet is one of the most stressful things... #catsofinstagram

Unfortunately, I posted that photo too soon. About five minutes later, Skaara (in the top right corner) started throwing up. I ended up rushing him back to the vet, and he got a steroid shot that finally stopped the vomiting. Poor guy wasn't himself until about midday Saturday. I'm very thankful that the other two didn't have a reaction like Skaara and that he's feeling better!

4. "The Ballad of Serenity"
Basically, this is two fandoms colliding. After Joss Whedon donated to the Kickstarter for The Letter Carrier, Jesse L. Martin, Carlos Valdez, and Rick Cosnett from The Flash recorded this thank you video. All three are majorly involved in The Letter Carrier.
Actors from my favorite new show of the season singing the theme song to one of my favorite gone-too-soon shows? Magical.

5. For the Right Reasons

So of course this has to be my book pick of the week!

For the Right Reasons is such a fun book! Whether you love The Bachelor, hate-watch The Bachelor, or just wonder what all the hoopla is about, you should read this book. It gives a behind-the-scenes look at this fascinating series, and it's written from a Christian perspective, so there aren't any salacious details.

Check out my review here.

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five friday favorites #12: week of jan. 16, 2015

Once again, I've gone two weeks between Friday Favorites ... and really, I'm lucky to even get this posted on a Monday! Speech is in full swing, and by the time I make it home after a full day of work followed by speech practice, I'm done. The other night, I fell asleep on the couch at 6 p.m. Yesterday, I took an afternoon nap--and I never nap! February 28, the next Saturday without a speech meet, can't come soon enough!

1. This

Need I say more?

OK, I will. One of my best friends had never seen Pride & Prejudice before. Tragedy, right? So a few years ago, I gave her the Kiera Knightley version ... not because I think it's the best version (I don't) but because I didn't think she'd ever sit through the five hour BBC masterpiece. A couple months ago, she finally watched the DVD I gave her. Then, shock of all shocks, she told me we should watch the BBC version when she was home for Christmas break! She didn't have to ask twice :-)

We spent one great afternoon basking in Colin Firth-as-Darcy's awesomeness ... or at least I did. While she liked the movie, she actually preferred Matthew Macfadyen's Darcy. Seriously! In her defense, she is quite a few years younger than me, and her first exposure to Colin Firth was in What a Girl Wants, so she struggled to see Amanda Bynes' dad as a romantic figure. Still, though ... how could you ever pick Matthew Macfadyen over Colin Firth???

2. Nikki's Refusal to Throw Juan Pablo under the Bus
It's no secret that I enjoy watching any show the Bachelor team puts out there. So, even though I'm not crazy about "Prince Farming" (seriously, ABC? That's just about as bad as "Juan-uary"), I tuned into the season premiere two weeks ago. Honestly, I find Chris a bit boring, and, after the premiere, I also questioned his judgement. I didn't watch last Monday's episode, and I'm not sure if I'll watch any more this season--we'll see. Anyway, back to the premiere ...

This year, ABC/Team Bachelor decided to kick off the season with an hour long red carpet show, followed by the two hour premiere. (Yes, three hours is excessive. Most of the time, the two hour episodes are far too long!) The highlight (lowlight?) of the red carpet special was Chris Harrison's excruciating interview with Nikki Ferrell, who recently split from last year's bachelor Juan Pablo. I was never a Nikki fan during the season, and Juan Pablo ended up not being my favorite, but Team Bachelor clearly reviles the man--maybe because he didn't play by their rules?

Anyway, Nikki. She went way up in my estimation during the interview. It was painful to watch because Chris was bound and determined to get her to say bad things about Juan Pablo, and she refused. Chris's feelings about Juan Pablo came through loud and clear, and it certainly didn't make me like him any more. But Nikki? Way to be classy, girl! Here's WetPaint's take on the interview.

3. My Crazy Kitty
Oh, Isis. When last week began, I was a little worried about her because she threw up a couple times in close succession. Well, maybe she had a little bug that day, or a hairball, or something, but now she seems completely recovered. The other night, she was tearing around the house, leaping on top of furniture, and "fighting" with anything that would move, all while Hammond and Skaara slept on the couch.

And then this happened:

I got a new Christmas tree that I bought online for 1/3 of the original cost. The box is in terrible shape (blame Walmart or UPS?). I heard a noise and went to investigate. Apparently, Isis has decided that fake Christmas trees are quite comfortable. Silly kitty!

She continued her craziness on Saturday night when she was responsible for this:

But then on Sunday, I saw this side of Isis instead:

I'm so thankful that a "little" thing like getting shot didn't keep her down!

4. Agent Carter
I wasn't sure if I'd watch Agent Carter, but then this review by Rissi helped me decide. I've now watched all three of the episodes that have aired (thanks, HuluPlus!), and I'm completely hooked. I absolutely love the characters, especially Peggy Carter, Jarvis, and Daniel. Oh, Daniel--he's played by Enver Gjokaj (I know, you're probably saying, "Who?"), an actor I've loved ever since Dollhouse. (I think he was the best actor on Dollhouse, even though he played a supporting character.)

So far, this series is completely delightful, and I look forward to continuing it.

5. Breyers Carb Smart Ice Cream
I'm still not ready to talk too much about Trim Healthy Mama, the new diet/eating plan I've been following, though I'll have an update very soon. In the meantime, though, I have to share this amazing ice cream. The last time I had ice cream was sometime before I started THM in December. I love ice cream, but it seemed like too big of a cheat to me because of all the sugar. (THM has you separate fats and carbs and avoid added sugar.) I've made several on-plan shakes that taste kinda sorta like ice cream ... but I was really missing ice cream. Then I read about Breyers Carb Smart, and I thought, how good could it possibly be??? But I saw that Walmart had it yesterday, so I threw it in my cart without even checking the price (yes, desperate times ...)

It. Is. Amazing.

Probably shouldn't eat it every day, but when the ice cream cravings hit, it will be perfect. (It's sweetened with Splenda, which is not a "THM-approved" sweetener, but I'm not really a stickler about that.)

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five friday favorites #10: weeks of dec. 12 & 19, 2014

Last week was nuts. Nuts, I tell you! So I didn't get a Five Friday Favorites posted. This means you get TEN favorites this week. Aren't you excited?!? I'm linking up at A Little Bit of Everything and Housewife Glamour, as usual.

1. Fire TV Stick
Amazon introduced its Fire TV Stick a few weeks ago at the special price of $19 for Prime members. I couldn't pass it up--and I'm glad I didn't! I've been doing my streaming through my blu-ray player, and, more often than not, it either glitches mid-stream or refuses to connect to the network. But the Fire TV Stick has none of those problems! It works like a charm and easily moves from one TV to another. Plus, I can stream all of my Amazon music through it.

This screen makes me very happy!

It does make a funny buzzing noise every once in a while, but other people have had the same problems and have posted easy work arounds. I think it's $19 well spent!

2. Christmas Choral Concerts
While I think it's okay, I'm normally not a huge fan of choral music. When I have a choice about what music I listen to or concerts I go to, I would never choose to listen to a choir ... except at Christmas! There's just something special about Christmas music performed by a choir.

For the past six years (and one other year before that), my Decembers were so consumed by Singing Christmas Tree performances that I didn't really have time to enjoy other Christmas concerts. But this year, since I'm not in the Tree, I'm taking the time to truly enjoy the season. So far, I ...

Watched the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas special (with special guest Alfie Boe!). It reminded me of the Christmas specials we used to watch with my grandparents in Kansas when we'd visit for Christmas. Here's one of the songs from the concert--it's not a Christmas song, but it is one of my absolute favorites.

Attended my mom's Lone Tree Singers concert.

Sat in the audience of the Singing Christmas Tree for the first time in eight years.

Sang in the Festival of Lessons & Carols at Nebraska Christian. The video is pretty terrible, but the audio is good. My mom sings a solo at 30:30. (You can't see her, but you can hear her!)

And the fun will continue on Sunday, when we attend the candlelight service at my sister's church in Omaha. 'Tis the season!

3. Camera Lens Coffee Mug
Today was our last day of school this semester. (Hallelujah, Amen!) One of my yearbook students gave me this travel mug. Isn't it fantastic?

4. The Wishing Season

Ever since I read The Convenient Groom six or seven years ago, I've been a fan of Denise Hunter's writing. Though not every one of her books has gone onto my you-absolutely-must-read-this-book list, I've liked all of her books and loved most of them. (If you're looking for a place to jump in with Hunter, I'd recommend The Convenient Groom or Dancing with Fireflies [review], with Seaside Letters and A Cowboy's Touch [review] right behind.)

Now, there's another Hunter book to add to your TBR pile: The Wishing Season. I got this book for review through NetGalley, which isn't my preference for my favorite authors' books, simply because I like to keep some books on my bookshelf! But I wasn't offered a print copy for review, I've blown all my disposable income on Christmas presents, and I didn't want to wait until January to read this book, so I went ahead and requested it. I'm so glad I did!

I started reading The Wishing Season after work one night, and I finished it the next day. It was so, so good! Maybe not quite on the same level as The Convenient Groom and Dancing with Fireflies, but close. Very close. You can easily pick up this book without having read the others in the series, so why not make it a Christmas gift for yourself or for the romance lover in your life?

5. Middle Names
I'm not one of those pet owners who gives their pets their last name. Isis, Hammond, and Skaara Ritta? No thanks. (If you do that, more power to you ... I just think it's a little weird.) My cats are just Isis, Hammond, and Skaara. Period.

Until now.

Isis has been particularly naughty recently. It probably started out innocently enough on her part, but she now knows how to work the system. A couple weeks ago, she was sitting on top of a bookshelf, and she decided to try to pull down the garland (see picture below). In an effort to distract her, I pulled out the laser pointer my aunt gifted the cats with a while back. She went nuts for it. Problem solved, I thought. Nope. You can probably guess where this is going ... Now every time she wants to chase the laser, she hops up on the bookshelf and tries to pull down the garland.

Anyway, sometime between the first time she pulled the garland down and Monday night, I began calling her "Isis Marie" when I was especially frustrated. I have no idea why. But I do like the sound of it, so I decided to give the boys middle names, too. Skaara Samuel and Hammond Alexander. Like "Marie," they have no special meaning; I just like the sound.

Isis Marie. Skaara Samuel. Hammond Alexander.

Just don't throw Ritta onto the end!

6. Gina Rodriguez's Golden Globe Nomination
A few weeks ago, I told you that The Flash was my favorite new show of the season. While I still completely adore the show and Barry Allen, another show has topped The Flash: Jane the Virgin. Now, before you run out and start binge watching, let me warn you that Jane is definitely an adult show. Not adult a la Sons of Anarchy or Game of Thrones with lots of language, violence, sex, and/or nudity, but adult as in please don't watch this show with your kids.

The setup is completely ludicrous: Jane is a 20-something Latina living in Miami with her (rather promiscuous) mom and grandma. As a child, she saw the damage her mother's lifestyle caused--plus she was pressured by her grandmother--and she made a commitment to remain a virgin until marriage. When Jane goes in for her yearly pap, her distraught-because-of-her-partner's-infidelity substitute gynecologist artificially inseminates Jane instead of the woman in the next room, making Jane a pregnant virgin.

Throw in a fantastic narrator, Jane's telenovela star father, the super hot baby daddy, and twists worthy of, well, a telenovela, and you've got such a fun hour of TV. On the CW, of all places. (I now watch four CW shows: Jane, The Flash, Arrow, and Hart of Dixie. That's more shows than I watch on any other network. Crazy, huh?)

Anyway, the Golden Globe nominations were announced last week, and, shock of all shocks, Gina Rodriguez (Jane) was nominated! Shows that I love very rarely get any awards love, so this is great. It's a well deserved nomination, and I hope this will be enough to keep the show on the air for another season!

7. Serial parody from Funny or Die
So you know that I've been a bit obsessed with Serial recently. The first season ended yesterday, and I guess I'm as satisfied as possible, considering we still don't know if Adnan is guilty or innocent. (My theory is that he didn't kill Hae but was at least somewhat involved. Of course, I can't prove anything.) Anyway, Funny or Die released a Serial parody video right before the last episode, and it is spot on. (There is some harsh language.) If you're a Serial fan, you'll get a kick out of it!

The Final Episode Of Serial from Funny Or Die

8. Lemon Poppyseed Breakfast Cookies
I've recently started a new diet called Trim Healthy Mama. You may have heard of it--it's pretty popular right now. The basic concept is that you shouldn't eat carbs and fats in the same meal, and when you do eat carbs, they should be from low glycemic foods. I've only been doing this since Monday, so I don't really have any results yet--except that after feeling terrible the first three days, I'm not crashing mid-afternoon anymore. I'm sure I'll talk about this more in the future.

All week, I had steel cut oats for breakfast--I make them in the crockpot overnight, and they're good, but by this morning, I was pretty sick of them. So I went in search of another quick on-plan breakfast, and I found these breakfast cookies on All Day I Dream About Food. I did adapt the recipe a bit, using 3 tablespoons Truvia in place of the 1/2 cup of Swerve, leaving out the Stevia because I don't have any, and adding an extra tablespoon of lemon juice, as I like my lemon items to be very lemony. Also, I didn't add the glaze. They aren't incredibly sweet, but they scream LEMON!

They are amazingly delicious! They taste like poppyseed muffins. Yummy! My picture isn't nearly as amazing as the ones on Carolyn's site, but it'll give you an idea:

9. Ulta Gift Bag
Ulta had an amazing sale on Butter London nail polish on Cyber Monday. Since Butter London is my new favorite brand, I couldn't resist indulging. Not only was the nail polish half price, but they were offering a gift bag full of samples for anyone who bought $60 worth of products. But here's the kicker--your items just had to be worth $60--you didn't have to actually pay $60 to get the gift bag. Let me tell you, this gift bag was better than any ipsy bag I ever got, except for maybe the first one. Everything pictured below, except for the nail polish, was free. So far, I've used the Purity face wash (works really well but smells awful) and the Big Sexy Hair blow dry volumizing gel. That, I'm in love with. I'm pretty sure I'll be purchasing it once my sample runs out--it definitely adds body to my thin hair!

10. Nashville
I know that Nashville has been a Friday Favorite before, but it's even more fitting now than it was then--I am completely obsessed. I just started Season 2, and I have to say, if Deacon & Rayna aren't part of the showrunners' end game, I may throw a fit. And don't even get me started on Juliette. I swear, I go from loathing to liking her so often it's making my head spin. Just when I think she's making strides, she goes and does something incredibly stupid ... and to hear my friend Joanna tell it, that's going to go on for quite a while! Nashville is so, so soapy--and I love it! (Also, one of my soap favorites, Jonathan Jackson from General Hospital--I talked about him here--has a major role as aspiring singer Avery. I absolutely hated him at first, and I hated that I hated him, since I loved him on GH. But lately, he's been growing on me, and Joanna assures me that I will eventually love him!)

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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five friday favorites #9: week of dec. 5, 2014

"Beware of December 5th!"

If you know what book that quote comes from, I will be forever grateful! Back when I was in junior high or early high school, I spent the night with my cousin, and we read this story that was in an old volume of Reader's Digest Condensed Books. The story had something to do with a woman who escaped from an abusive relationship and met a seemingly wonderful man who turned out to be evil. Or something. I think there was a toy train involved somehow. But I am positive that she received a note that said, "Beware of December 5th." I've been trying to figure out the name of the book for years to no avail.

Anyway, it's December 5th, and this is my 9th Friday Favorites! It's been an interesting week here in Husker Nation ...

1. The Hiring of Mike Riley
On Sunday, Nebraska Football Coach Bo Pelini was fired. I wasn't one of the many Bo haters in the state, and I thought the firing of a coach who won at least nine games in every season as head coach was a bit ludicrous.

Yesterday morning, I was in a meeting when someone got a text. "Nebraska hired Mike Riley," he said. So, we all immediately whipped out our smart phones to find out who on earth Mike Riley is. (In Nebraska, football news is worthy of interrupting a meeting.)

At first, I thought hiring him was crazy. The man has a worse record than Pelini, and Pelini's inability to take the team to the next level was cited as a reason for his firing. Then I started reading articles about Riley. He seems like a genuinely nice guy, he laughs with refs, and he did a decent job at a school that doesn't have nearly the level of football resources that Nebraska does.

I'm feeling optimistic.

2. Nashville
About two years ago, my friend Joanna started talking about this show called Nashville. I didn't know anything about it except that it starred Mrs. Taylor and the cheerleader and it was all about country music--and one of the actors was the goofy Chip from Whose Line Is It Anyway.

I started watching Nashville about a week ago--I'm not even sure why--and I absolutely love it! It's still hard for me to wrap my brain around seeing Chip (who now goes by Charles) in a serious role. I mean, this guy?

And he is absolutely my favorite part of Nashville!

3. Shawn & Cory Reunite
Boy Meets World was one of my favorite shows in high school. When I heard about Girl Meets World, I was giddy. Then I actually watched an episode and realized that it was absolutely, most definitely geared toward pre-teen girls, and I basically lost interest ... until I saw this:

I have no idea if the episode will be great or a train wreck, but you can bet I'll be watching! The episode airs tonight at 7 on the Disney Channel.

4. This Cat
Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to embed it, but trust me, it's worth the click. Go here.

5. A Weekend with No Commitments
This has been an incredibly long week, capped off by an absolutely insane work day today. So my last Friday Favorite for this week is the fact that I'm now home, and I don't have to go anywhere until church on Sunday. I'm going to savor this weekend--speech Saturdays will be here before I know it!

What things are you enjoying this week? Be sure to check out the other favorites in the linkups at A Little Bit of Everything and Housewife Glamour, too!

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five friday favorites #7: week of nov. 21, 2014

Look at me, posting my Five Friday Favorites on Friday! This is progress, people! Today, I'm linking up at Housewife Glamour and A Little Bit of Everything.

1. Michael W. Smith's Christmas Music
There is so much Christmas music out there, and I love listening to a variety, but I'd really be happy with just three things: Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You," Amy Grant's Home For Christmas, and all the Michael W. Smith Christmas music I can get my hands on. I even created a Spotify playlist for myself that's just MWS Christmas music, and I've been listening to it on repeat at the office. (I know, I know--it's not even Thanksgiving yet. But I held out a whole 17 days longer than I did last year, and I waited until after our first snow. I think we can officially be in the Christmas season now.)

This year, MWS has a new Christmas album out, and, as you'd expect, it's absolutely fantastic! You can listen to The Spirit of Christmas free on Spotify, but I'd definitely recommend buying it. It's so great! Here's the trailer to give you a taste:


2. Chatbooks
Have you heard of Chatbooks? I hadn't until I saw a post about them on Michelle Money's Instagram. (Why, yes, I do follow several Bachelor/ette people on Instagram!) Chatbooks takes your Instagram photos and prints them in 60-page books for $6 each (free shipping). I just got my first shipment in the mail, and I'm in love!

3. Cat Collars
Not very glamorous, I know, but these are definitely a favorite this week. Let me explain ...

When my cats were outdoor cats, I kept collars on them all the time. And they ditched them all the time, so I spent a small fortune in cheap cat collars. Since we moved, each cat has been in the same collar the whole time. I wasn't too concerned about the collars, though, because they're indoor cats. Then, just over a week ago, Isis decided to jailbreak. Fortunately, my friend noticed her outside, and I was able to get her back in with no problem. But now that she's had a taste of the outdoors again, I'm afraid she'll keep trying to get out. (If you know Isis at all, you know this a strong possibility.)

I decided the cats needed to have ID tags ... and then I found these on Amazon. A collar with name and phone number embroidered on it is genius! These collars also came with free tags, so I went ahead and got them, too. The collars came earlier this week, and I'm thrilled with them. Here's hoping no one will ever need to use the collar info to contact me, but it gives me peace of mind to know that my cats are "marked."

4. The West Wing
Earlier this year, I marathoned The West Wing in two months. (I talked about it here.) It easily ranks in my Top 5 shows of all time. The other night, I was looking for something to watch while making dinner, and, for some reason, The West Wing came to mind. I put on the pilot episode, and now I'm once again hooked. Josh, Donna, CJ, Charlie, Leo, Danny ... these are like long-lost friends! If you've never watched The West Wing, you really must. I watched it on Amazon Prime, but it's sadly not available there anymore. If you have Netflix, though, you're in luck. This show is most definitely worth your time.

5. Tonight Show Videos
Normally, I read on my lunch break. But not this week. This week, I've become rather obsessed with Jimmy Fallon's celebrity games on The Tonight Show. There are so many funny videos, but this one made me laugh so hard I cried:


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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five friday favorites #6: week of nov. 14, 2014

It's hard to believe I've been doing these Friday Favorites for six weeks now! (Thanks for the suggestion, Val.) Some weeks the list practically writes itself (like last week), and other times I really struggle to come up with five favorites (like this week). But I will prevail--even if I have to post on Saturday again! Once again, I'm linking up at Housewife Glamour, and this week, I'm also linking up at A Little Bit of Everything.

1. This Guy

He adores me, and I adore him. In fact, he's sleeping on my lap as I type this.

2. Reading Excellent Books
As you know, I read all.the.time. I enjoy most things I read, but sometimes I come across books that I just can't get enough of. This happened to me twice this week. First, it happened with Julie Lessman's new release, Surprised by Love. I read the entire 400-page novel Sunday afternoon and evening. I absolutely could not put it down! It's book three in her "Heart of San Francisco" series, and, while I felt a little off-kilter at first since I hadn't read the first two books, I quickly adapted. This book will most likely make my "Top 10 Books of 2014" list. You can see my review here.

The second "can't put this down" book was a novella in the Where Treetops Glisten anthology: "I'll Be Home for Christmas" by Sarah Sundin. Sundin has been one of my favorite authors for several years now, with each book of hers that I've read appearing on my year-end Top 10 list. This novella is just as good as any of her books, and now I'm really wishing I didn't have to wait until next August to read her next novel! My review of all three novellas in the book is here.

3. Hot Drinks
We have this problem in my office: the heater doesn't keep up. I work in a very old building, and the boiler went out last year. Instead of replacing the boiler (we don't know how long we'll still be using my building), the administration decided to put in a heating system. The problem? The heat comes through the vents the air conditioner uses ... in the ceiling. So the air just kind of hangs out near the ceiling, and we're left freezing several feet below. We tried a myriad of things to keep warm:

My coworker Daurice hung this blanket over the student mailboxes to help with the draft, as the hallway is no longer heated. It makes a huge difference!

We wore blankets, scarves, and gloves throughout the day and brought in space heaters for our feet.

My coworker Steph came to my office for a meeting and closed the door. What a difference! This wasn't my favorite solution, as I don't like being shut off from everyone else, but it definitely made the rest of the work day more comfortable.

Then it was my genius father to the rescue! He had the brilliant idea of taking the diffusers off the vents so the heat would shoot directly down into the room. (This is a shot up into the air vent.) We still need the blankets for our laps and the space heaters for our feet, but overall, the office is now bearable.

My favorite way of coping with the cold is by drinking hot drinks! We went through so much hot water in the office this week because we were all constantly getting something hot to drink. I drink a lot of hot tea, but sometimes you need something with a little more substance. Enter Alton Brown's hot cocoa! This stuff is fantastic--it has a deep chocolate flavor and isn't too sweet. And one cup lasts me a long time--with coffee and tea, I drink really fast, but, for whatever reason, I just sip this hot cocoa. If I need a bigger caffeine kick, I just sprinkle in some instant coffee, which we have in spades in the office.

4. The Nine Lives of Christmas
I talked about this a little bit in my latest Movie Mondays post, but it deserves some expounding upon. Before I watched it, I was skeptical because sometimes animal movies don't come off so well. (For example, the completely dreadful My Boyfriends' Dogs, another Hallmark original.) I think this one succeeded because the cats were a part of the story but not the focus. Also, the writing is a step above most Hallmark fare. Veterinary student Marilee (Kimberly Sustad) is completely likeable, and fireman Zach (Brandon Routh) may be a little dense when it comes to love, but he is absolutely adorable. Gregory Harrison has a supporting role as the wise fire chief. (Harrison starred in one of my other favorite Christmas movies, A Christmas Romance. I reviewed it here.)

This photo makes me laugh because these two were never together in these outfits in the film ...
but they do make a striking pair! (Photo from the Hallmark Channel.)

I've now watched The Nine Lives of Christmas twice (it was on Hallmark again last night), and I think it's safe to say it's my favorite Hallmark Christmas movie. Period. Unfortunately, the demand for the DVD seems to be higher than what Walmart (who is the only retailer selling it) anticipated. I preordered my copy on Monday, and on Wednesday, I got a message stating it was unavailable, and they didn't know when it would be back in stock. Boo!

Seriously, can you look at this photo without smiling?
The scene it's from is completely adorable, too. (Photo from the Hallmark Channel.)

5. Misfit Shine
I can't believe the Misfit Shine hasn't been one of my Five Friday Favorites yet--quite the oversight on my part! I purchased this activity/sleep monitor (like a cheaper Fitbit) in July through a Kindle Special Offer. If you have a Kindle Fire and don't have special offers enabled, you're missing out. Every so often, Amazon will offer a deeply discounted item that's only available for purchase through a Fire for a limited time. Most of these items aren't ones I'm interested in, but every so often, a gem comes through--like the Misfit Shine. I love that it tracks my steps, but even more than that, I love that it tracks my sleep. It took years, but I've finally realized how important a good night's sleep is for me. It may sound crazy, but now that I'm actually tracking my sleep, I'm more inclined to go to bed at a decent time. This thing is worth every penny I paid for it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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