1. A letter to a Pretty Girl

My friend Annie’s most recent post is so good. Chock-full-o-wisdom for teenage girls. And for 20-somethings. And for any-somethings, really.

2. Lisa Leonard pearl by pearl earrings

I think these earrings are the perfect blend of modern and traditional. You could wear them on your wedding day, or you could wear them with jeans and a cute t-shirt. Love.

3. Otterbox Defender iPhone Case

I’m one of those people who thinks the trouble that we’ll go to to protect, you know, OUR TELEPHONES is sort of ridiculous. But when we switched cell phone providers and got new phones a few months ago, I realized that my tendency to drop my phone + a fragile phone = a need for a good cell phone case. I asked D to order me the heavy-duty case of his choosing – just to please get it in turquoise if he could.

I thought that the turquoise might make me feel better about turning my cute new phone into a glorified vinyl brick.

I have to say, though, I have adored my heavy-duty Otterbox Defender case. It’s very grippy, so it makes the phone easy to hold, and the grippy stuff also keeps the phone from sliding around on my desk or passenger seat or wherever. There’s also a protective screen that goes on top of the real screen, so there’s no risk of the phone getting scratched up in my purse. AND, when I *may* have accidentally dropped my phone on our garage floor a few weeks ago, I picked it up – fully prepared to see all manner of shattered glass – and the phone was totally fine.

Otterbox, you’ve made a believer out of me.

4. OPI I Have A Herring Problem

I have worn all sorts of gray polish the last six months. Gray with a touch of green? Check. Gray with a touch of brown? Check. Gray with a touch of purple? Checkity check check.

I’m a little gray’d out. So when I saw this shimmery dark blue the other day, I thought it looked like a fun change-o-pace. I’ll let you know how it goes after my next trip to the nail salon.

5. Ben Rector – “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”

Like most people, I was so sad when I heard the news about Whitney Houston’s death a couple of weeks ago. I have loads of great memories associated with her music – which is why this Ben Rector video made my heart smile.

Have a great weekend, y’all.

There’s a restaurant here in Birmingham that serves what is, in my opinion, the best chicken salad on the planet. I’m not the only person who recognizes this restaurant’s chicken salad supremacy; in fact, the last time I was there with a couple of my out-of-town friends, they said really enthusiastic things like, “OH MY WORD THIS CHICKEN SALAD IS DELICIOUS” and “YOU WERE NOT KIDDING ABOUT THIS CHICKEN SALAD.”

It is awfully tasty.

But about a year ago, I went to Chicken Salad Heaven (alas, that is not the restaurant’s real name, but it would be an appropriate name nonetheless) with my friend Leigh, and I realized that I wasn’t in the mood for chicken salad. Not being in the mood for chicken salad has only happened to me maybe three other times in my life, so it took me a moment to process this strange and confusing development. However, after I looked at the menu for about 30 seconds, I knew exactly what I wanted to order instead of my regular chicken salad plate: The Cheese Plate.

And that cheese plate?

Well, it may have changed my life.

When the cheese plate (or, I should say, The Cheese Plate) arrived at our table, the first thing I noticed that it was gorgeous. There were four or five varieties of cheeses – some sharp, some mild, some soft, some creamy – along with a beautifully arranged assortment of crackers. I had so much fun trying this cheese with that cracker, figuring out what combinations worked best – it was like the happiest little food experiment ever.

And yep, I really did write that last paragraph. And you know what else? I MEANT IT.

SO, ever since that fateful day at Chicken Salad Heaven, I’ve had a renewed appreciation for cheese and crackers. I’ve been a little cuckoo for cheese and crackers, to be perfectly honest. The only problem is that my husband and my child do not share my affinity for the cheese and crackers combo, and unfortunately they do not consider cheese and crackers to be the most delicious supper in the history of all suppers. It would make meal planning so much easier if they did. As you might imagine, I am praying that we will be able to work through our cheese and crackers differences and trusting the Lord to fill our gaps.

Even still, there have been a few times recently when my cheese and crackers cup has overflowed, so to speak. Weekend before last some friends and I had a little girls’ night in, and would you look – JUST LOOK – at the bounty we enjoyed?

(I apologize for the seasonal cheese spreaders. I was experiencing an unexpected spreader shortage.)

(Yes. I know that is spinach dip. And I know that spinach dip isn’t really in the cheese family. But I felt that we needed a vegetable in the midst of all that dairy.)

Y’all. It was all so delicious. There were about four crackers and six little bites of cheese left at the end of the night, but other than that, we SHUT ‘ER DOWN. I could clap my hands just thinking about it.

And because I am a total nerd when it comes to crackers, I took a picture of some of my favorites. I keep these on hand pretty much all the time. I would hate to be unprepared in the event of a crackers emergency.

My favorite variety of the Lavasch crackers is Everything – oh my goodness they are a treat. I accidentally picked up sesame the last time I bought them, and the sesame will do in a pinch. But the Everything – well, as Rachel Zoe might say, it is everything.

I also love the herb Mary’s Gone Crackers (they might be my all-time favorite), but they’re not in the picture because, well, I finished the box that we had and now I need to buy some more.

As far as cheese goes, here’s what I like: all of it.

What about y’all? Are any of you fans of cheese and crackers? And even better: do you have any cheese and/or crackers suggestions?

(Just thinking about comments devoted solely to cheese and crackers makes me so happy.)

(Is that weird?)

(Please don’t tell me if it’s weird.)

(But I’m pretty sure that it’s weird.)

So far the trickiest part of trying to write this thing they call a book is finding pockets of quiet where I can concentrate and write for an extended period of time. Oh, there’s that pesky business of wanting to have something to say, of course, but I try not to let that part bother me too much. If all else fails I’ll resort to one- or two-word chapters that feature grocery store items that excite me.

Bacon!

Cheez-Its!

Laughing Cow!

Asparagus!

Peanut butter!

See? That’s five chapters. I’m almost half finished.

My work schedule means that most of my mornings and early afternoons are booked solid, and once I pick up the little guy and we head home, we usually tackle homework and then have some assortment of buddies here until 5 or 5:30. That is not a complaint at all; it really does bring me great joy to have a few extra young’uns here in the afternoons. Plus, I definitely don’t want Alex to look back on this time in our lives and think Hey. Remember when my mama wrote that book and she needed for the house to be quiet and my friends quit coming over to play? THAT WAS TERRIBLE.

A couple of weeks ago D and I realized that in order for me to meet my deadline without going Cuckoo McCrazy, we needed to figure out a way to re-purpose some of our time. Maybe he’ll pick up A from school a couple of times a week so that I can go to Panera for a few hours. Maybe he and A will do some fun father-son something-or-other so that I can have four or five hours to write on a Saturday morning. Or maybe every once in awhile I’ll go somewhere by myself for a night and try to build a little writing momentum with all that uninterrupted time.

All that to say: we have options now. And I am such a fan of options.

So yesterday, after we came home from church and ate lunch, I packed a little bag, grabbed my laptop, and drove myself to a hotel. Well, technically I drove to Starbucks first, but that probably goes without saying. Mama’s brain has to have fuel, after all.

I reserved a room through Priceline, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but there were two things that brought me untold joy after I checked in: 1) my room was at the end of the building, and to me that meant that my room would be at least 50% more quiet, and 2) my room was directly across from the ice machine. I know it’s weird, but one of my favorite things in life is to fill up a glass with ice, then let the ice melt a little bit before I enjoy the COLDEST ICE WATER EVER. The proximity of the ice machine meant that all my ice water dreams were quite literally within my reach.

Somebody give the Lord a handclap of praise.

Brings a tear to your eye, doesn’t it?

And this desk? With its adjustable office chair?

It was a perfect little writing spot. However, I should probably explain that I took this picture when I was in the process of unpacking my stuff, which is why my hair spray is hanging out next to my coffee. I certainly wasn’t styling my hair while I was sitting at the computer, though I guess stranger things have happened.

I wondered when I checked in yesterday if I’d actually be productive, if I’d be able to justify the not-quite 24 hours that I spent by myself while D held down the fort at home. But oh my goodness, that chunk of time at the hotel was such a gift. I didn’t sleep that much, but I wrote a whole bunch – more than I expected, even. By the time I walked through our front door early this afternoon, I felt like the book load was a wee bit lighter. Granted, I have a long (loooooong) way to go, but I’m closer to the end than I was when I climbed out of bed Sunday morning.

Last thing. Right now I’m not planning to do much updating on the book stuff, mainly because I don’t know how to write about it without boring you to tears, not to mention that I really like to blog about the important issues in life – things like snack crackers and reality television and my current goal of learning how to apply eyeshadow with brushes instead of those little sponge applicators. Tonight, however, I wrote about the book-related stuff because the hotel thing was a bit of a novelty, but tomorrow I plan to devote my full attention to my current food obsession: cheese and crackers.

Clearly, bloggy people, THE EXCITEMENT NEVER ENDS.

Love,
Me

1. Voluspa Goji Tarocco Orange candle

This candle is the hands-down, no question, not-even-a-contest best candle I’ve ever owned. It’s sublime, really – a perfect mixture of floral and citrus with just a hint of spice mixed in. Plus, it makes the whole house smell great, not just the room where it’s burning.

2. Udi’s Natural Artisan Granola

I like to make my own granola, but lately things have been a little cuckoo and it’s just been easier to pick up a bag at the store. The Udi’s Original is my favorite store-bought version that I’ve tried so far. It’s not greasy at all, and it’s not in big huge chunks, so I don’t feel like I’m trying to break open a rock when I eat it. I love the pistachios and bananas chips – oh-so-delicious!

3. Sesmark Rice Thins – Sesame

I’ve been buying these crackers for a couple of years, and I’m still amazed by how great they taste with, well, anything. They’re gluten-free, which is a delightful bonus, but mainly they’re crispy and tasty and perfect for dipping.

4. Erin Condren Life Planner

I have tried to be one of those people who keeps a calendar on my computer. I HAVE TRIED. But at the end of the day, I can’t shake my love for writing everything out on a calendar. Yes, my phone has a great little calendar app, but I can’t use colorful Sharpies on that calendar app. End of story.

After my beloved Blue Dog 12-month desk calendar was (apparently) discontinued, I finally broke down and bought an Erin Condren Life Planner. It’s a little pricier than my normal calendars, but if you’re patient, you can get a good deal by using a coupon code. All of the designs are great-looking, and I had the best time figuring out how I wanted to personalize my planner cover. Right now you can get 40% off a personalized gift label / life planner combo while supplies last – just use the coupon code ILOVEACOMBO at check-out.

(Nobody from Erin Condren contacted me about mentioning that, by the way.)

(I just saw it in an email from them, so I thought I’d share it.)

5. Cheeky Maiden Facial Soap

I know that it’s a tiny picture, so you’ll just have to trust me when I tell you that there is a whole lot of goodness in that little bar of soap. It’s 100% natural, smells great (lemongrass & tea tree oil? I believe I will), and it has made my skin very happy indeed. Plus, it’s only $2.99. TWO DOLLARS AND NINETY NINE CENTS, PEOPLE.

6. Obagi 5% Vitamin C Serum for Eye Area

One of the great ironies at this stage in my life is that waking up in the mornings and hopping out of bed is easier than it’s ever been, but sometimes it takes my eyes a couple of hours to catch up with what my body is doing. I’ve tried a couple of different eye creams, and while they kept the under-eye area moisturized, they didn’t really help with puffiness. But this Obagi Vitamin C Serum is a wonder. I dab it under my eyes after I wash my face in the mornings, and it has helped the skin underneath my eyes so much. There are some stronger percentages of Vitamin C Serum available, but the 5% is perfect for me – doesn’t make my skin dry, doesn’t cause peeling.

All righty. I need to go light my candle before I wash my face and put Vitamin C under my eyes so that I can eat granola and sesame crackers while I consult my calendar to see what I need to do today.

Or something like that.

Have a great weekend, y’all!

When I was growing up, I knew from an early age that my mama and daddy didn’t share the same taste in music. There was some common ground, of course – they both enjoyed standards from the 50s and 60s – but Daddy mostly listened to country music (Charlie Pride, Ray Stevens, Willie Nelson, and the like), while Mama preferred classical music. Or pop classical, at least.

Music Box Dancer, anyone?

Oh, my mama loved it. She also loved the soothing stylings of Ferrante & Teicher, a piano-playing duo whose eight-track tapes filled Mama’s Ford LTD glove box to overflowing.

Wouldn’t you love to know where they got those jackets? And those wigs?

Mama always claimed that it was “sooooo relaxin’” to listen to instrumental music in the car, and I think she was right considering that I typically wanted to take a nap after listening to one of her eight-tracks for five whole minutes. What I couldn’t understand, though, was why she enjoyed that music as much as she did. It just sounded so boring to me. Plus, I was more than a little aggravated that I couldn’t listen to my music from Xanadu or Grease while we ran our errands. Thankfully I had an older brother and sister who loved to listen to The Doobie Brothers and Kenny Loggins and James Taylor and Earth, Wind & Fire, but if I was riding in the car with Mama, I might as well accept my pop classical piano music fate. She adored it.

And really, why wouldn’t she?

That’s my musical heritage, y’all.

Like most children, I vowed and declared that when I was a grown-up, I would never listen to instrumental music in the car. I told myself that when I became a mama, I would be sure to listen to really cool music that kids would also like. You know, awesome stuff like The Theme from “The Greatest American Hero” and Jessie’s Girl. Or maybe even Tainted Love if I was feeling particularly sophisticated – since the people who sang it had fancy British accents and all.

When our little guy was born, I really did make a point to be Very Intentional about what we listened to in the car. We wore out some Veggie Tales CD’s until he was about four, and then we gradually made the switch to Christian music – mostly praise and worship. Eventually we added our favorite singer / songwriters (Dave Barnes, Ben Rector, Gabe Dixon) to the mix, plus bands like NEEDTOBREATHE and The Fray. I’ve always used sports talk radio as a fall-back if I wasn’t in the mood for a sing-along, but over the last year I’ve noticed that the language has gotten increasingly colorful and not so appropriate for little ears. I’ve tried listening to Christian talk radio, but to be honest it’s a little difficult for me to get interested in a radio host’s thoughtful analysis of dispensationalism when I’m trying to run five or eight errands in a 90-minute window between school and soccer practice.

(And listen. I know that right now some of you are probably thinking, Why do you have to listen to anything? Why not just ride around with the radio / CD player / iPod turned off? Why not just enjoy some silence?)

(Well. Because that solution would be way too simple. And also way too quiet. That’s why.)

A few weeks ago I decided to hit the “scan” button on my radio and see if there was something new or different that might work as a more laid-back listening option, and I ran across a jazz station that’s run by Samford University. I figured I’d give it a try, and I have to say that much to my surprise, IT IS A DELIGHT. There are no screaming DJ’s, no commercials – just “Birmingham’s Smooth Jazz.” The little guy has been a good sport about it, even though a couple of days ago he reminded me of my own eight year-old self when he said, “Gosh, Mama – we sure have been listening to this music a lot lately.” But I’ve been surprised by how much I enjoy the fact that there aren’t any lyrics; it’s a nice change of pace, especially in the mornings.

Today we were on the way to school, chatting on and off while my new favorite station played softly in the background. We had just pulled up to a stop sign when I thought, Hold on. That sounds a little familiar. I think I might know that song. And when I turned up the volume, this is what I heard.

WAY TO ROCK IT, MAMAW. I mean, I don’t know what kind of full circle moment it is when you start listening to the jazz / easy listening version of music from your junior high days, but I confronted that milestone this morning. And I’ll have you know that I not only confronted that milestone; I walked around it, stared at it awhile, wondered how I felt about it, then threw my arms around it and happily embraced it for several minutes. Because regardless of how much I loved George Michael’s music when I was a teenager, it turns out that an instrumental version of his songs suits my 40s just fine.

And while I can’t say for sure, I have to admit that there’s at least a small possibility that I’m going to hop on the iTunes in the next day or two and see if there’s any Ferrante & Teicher music I need to download.

Clearly Mama was on to something. And as much as it kills me to admit it, I’m guessing that it probably would be “sooooo relaxin’” to listen to them now.