That’s fine. You go ahead and point your disapproving fingers. But just remember: When one finger is pointing at me, it makes it really hard to get a good grip on the remote.

Between the return of network TV and school supply sales (and, let’s be honest, the cooler temperatures), it’s no wonder that fall is my favorite season of all. And when you add in that both my first date with Mark and Annalyn’s birth took place in October? Well, it’s a miracle I can make it through the dreadful summer!

While there’s certainly a time and a place for discussing all those important parts of autumn, today’s time and place has been reserved for TV and TV alone. The countdown is on, and all my favorite shows (and yours, I hope) will be back in just a few days.

Have you started planning yet? Did you pore over the Fall Preview issue of TV Guide? Do you have a spreadsheet hammered out to organize your schedule?

No? Well, the clock’s ticking, but lucky for you, I’m here to help you figure it all out. By telling you what I’LL be watching, of course. And, maybe if you’re really nice and let me hold the remote, I’ll give you a blank TV schedule of your own.

Monday
If I could only watch one show each week (the horror!), I would choose Chuck, hands down. So to say that I’m looking forward to the show’s season premiere on September 20 (7 p.m.* on NBC) is a massive understatement. Chuck is my favorite show and must-see TV.

Happily, I am able – with the help of my trusty VCR and, yes, a spreadsheet – to watch more than one show a week. I’ll round out my Monday viewing with How I Met Your Mother (7 p.m. on CBS) and Castle (9 p.m. on ABC).

(More than likely, though, I’ll watch HIMYM online later in the week. Because as I may have mentioned, Chuck comes first. After Annalyn, of course – and she doesn’t go to bed until 7:30.)

Shows that don’t make the cut: Two new, though extremely different, shows caught my eye for Monday nights, but I can’t imagine I’ll fit either of them in. The Event is an hour-long, Lost-esque drama on at 8 p.m. on NBC, while Mike & Molly is a half-hour sitcom about two overweight people starting a relationship (8:30 p.m. on CBS).

Tuesday
My second favorite show of all is not hip or cool or cutting-edge. But I tell you what, bajillions of people watch it – even if nobody admits it. NCIS (7 p.m. on CBS) is funny, quirky and interesting – and if you can make it past the requisite autopsy scene, not overly grotesque or nightmare-inducing.

Competing for my attention at the 7:00 slot is Glee, glorious Glee (FOX), as well as a new show called No Ordinary Family (ABC). Since I do just have my VCR and the aforementioned bedtime situation (my personal rule is that we don’t turn the TV on until Annalyn’s in bed), I’m not sure what I’m going to do here.

I might watch Glee online later in the week and rope Mark into watching No Ordinary Family, online as well, over the weekend.

Shows that don’t make the cut: Here’s the thing. I don’t have time to watch all the GOOD shows out there, much less subpar shows that I really want to like. So, with that in mind, Life Unexpected (8 p.m. on the CW) is permanently off my list.

As is The Good Wife (9 p.m. on CBS), but not because it’s less than amazing. As a matter of fact, I think it’s outstanding, but I just can’t commit like I want to. And Running Wilde (8:30 p.m. on FOX) features actors from two of my favorite shows (Will Arnett from Arrested Development and Keri Russell from Felicity), I don’t know how I could possibly fit it in. Unless it’s later in the week, online. (What did we do before online TV?)

Wednesday
No offense to the shows on Wednesday, but I sure am glad to get a break. After last year’s disastrous experiment with a fall season of So You Think You Can Dance, I’m glad to see they learned their lesson.

That leaves me with Modern Family and the poorly named Cougar Town (8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on ABC), and a new show about married spies. UnderCovers (7 p.m. on NBC) looks fun and besides, when have you known me to turn down a good spy show (the very scary 24 doesn’t count)?

Shows that don’t make the cut: Better With You (7:30 p.m. on ABC) looks cute. And it stars super cute Joanna Garcia. Unfortunately, “cute” just isn’t enough to make it in this highly competitive world of Mary’s TV Schedule.

Thursday
I’m not going to lie. Being a member of my church’s choir seriously cramps my Thursday night TV style. Much as I like to pretend like my beloved VCR is all I need, it can only record one show at a time. And on a night like Thursday (or Monday or Tuesday), that doesn’t cut it.

I will record – and watch later that night – Bones (7 p.m. on FOX), which is probably my third favorite show, for those of you keeping track. I’m sure I’ll also watch Community (7 p.m. on NBC) online as soon as it’s live. But – and I’m sad to say this – I’m not sure when I’ll catch up with The Office (8 p.m. on NBC).

It hurts me to say that. It does. I’m a long-time Office fan. I quote it whenever possible. I own Season Two. I cried when I watched Jim and Pam’s wedding, and I laughed with delight at the ridiculous dance their co-workers did at the ceremony. But seriously? Aside from the awesome wedding episode, The Office was bad last year. And I’m just not sure it will be better this year.

Shows that don’t make the cut: I love Big Bang Theory (7 p.m. on CBS). And it drives me up the wall that it’s not online. So the fact that the Network Powers That Be have moved it to the already-crowded Thursday night? Pretty much puts me over the edge. And also means that BBT has moved to my “watch on DVD at some later date” list. So sad.

I also really enjoy 30 Rock (7:30 p.m. on NBC), but it’s on at a bad time for me. So I’ll just catch it online…sometime.

And then there’s My Generation (7 p.m. on ABC), which looks just as so-bad-it’s-good as Reunion, another show about [pretty] people my age that got canceled without resolving the soapy story lines. I anticipate the same ending for this show, so I think I’m going to pass.

*All times are CST. Because I live in the middle of the country, where primetime starts at 7:00, just like God intended it.

This post will be linked to Things I Love Thursday at Diaper Diaries. And, oh yeah, here’s a TV schedule made just for you.

What shows are must-see for you? What shows are you most excited to see return? Are you interested in any news shows?

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This summer, we’ve gone on quite a few road trips. The first one was miserable, as I learned that a newly potty trained toddler just can’t handle long stretches of highway with not a rest area in sight. Since then, though, we’ve gotten into a pretty good travel routine. Here’s what works for us:

1. Put the toddler in a Pull-Up. (Acknowledge that this will set you back a few weeks in the whole potty training ordeal, but recognize that accidents and extra laundry beat pee on a car seat any day.)
2. Pack a sippy cup and at least two bottles of water. (You might think she can handle a little jug of milk from McDonald’s, but you will be wrong. And she will be wet. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.)
3. Keep a basket full of rarely seen toys on hand. We have a set of toys that we keep in the car, and with the exception of a few tantrum avoidance incidences, that’s the only place Annalyn can play with them.
4. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex and a glove box full of napkins. And don’t forget the wipes. I’m just saying. Messes happen, and usually when a rest stop is just a memory but your destination is still a good hour away.
5. Music is your friend. And obnoxious children’s music is, unfortunately, your best friend. About a month ago, Annalyn requested “Bob music,” so we’ve been jamming to Veggie Tales for a few weeks. I swear, Junior is tone deaf, but it sure beats listening to Rubber Ducky – again.
6. Snacks make the road trip! Our snacks of choice (look away, all my healthy friends) are fruit snacks, Cheerios, Goldfish and yogurt-covered raisins. I prefer the fruit because they don’t create crumbs. But any snack that involves small pieces will probably work.
7. If your child is attached to a pair of sunglasses (or headband or necklace or jacket or purse – or all of the above), don’t forget them. But don’t hand them over all at once, either. Dole them out throughout the trip, so he always has something new to whine about fawn over.
8. Always take an extra outfit. For both of you. Trust me on this one.
9. If you have room in the trunk, pack the stroller, the pack and play, or whatever equipment is appropriate for your child’s age.
10. Blankets can serve a host of purposes. Keeping your kiddo warm, giving her something to hold onto as she (fingers crossed!) naps, and in extreme cases, keeping your seatbelt strap from digging into your shoulder if you happen to wear a shirt with a wide neckline.

Did you take any road trips this summer? Do you have any tips for traveling with children?

This post will be linked to Works for Me Wednesday and next week’s Top Ten Tuesday. And unfortunately, the photo is from last year, because I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the completely adorable road trip photos of Annalyn off my camera and onto my laptop. (Technology does NOT work for me.)

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Annalyn’s birthday is in October, which falls a little too late for new fall clothes. We’ve learned that we can hold out for the bulk of her cool weather clothes, but we have to break down and buy some things to get through the first few weeks of fall.

Over the tax-free weekend, I bought a few pair of pants along with glue, crayons and safety scissors. And this past weekend, we visited the Carter’s outlet store where, of course, the whole store was 20 percent off.

As we head into a new season (and my daughter has grown at least a foot, I swear), I’m reminded of two things. One, I’m powerless to resist the cuteness that is a soft pink blanket sleeper with a monkey face on it – or a satin Christmas dress with white and pink polka dots. And two, for being so small (even when you’re looking at 5T – yes, 5T!), kids’ clothes are kind of expensive!

I guess the problem is that we have to pretty much round up an entire new wardrobe every four to six months. And it can add up.

One way to avoid some of the damage to your wallet is to shop garage sales. I got several super cute fall/winter outfits this summer at a garage sale. I was actually selling a few things, along with several other girls from church. I was so excited that one of my fellow sellers had a daughter older than mine – and good taste in clothes!

[For the record, I did make more than I spent. In case you were wondering. Not that my husband asked as soon as I got home.]

Another way to save money on the seasonal wardrobe upgrade is by participating in consignment sales. My friend Hillary has written a hilarious how-to post for rocking consignment sales, including a reminder to bring sharp elbows and a smile: Tips from the Consignment Sale Guru.

I also read another post recently at Longbrake Living, a top ten list of consignment sale strategy and practical tips from Mary-Carolyn.

It just so happens that my friend Keri is part of a huge consignment sale this coming weekend. Keri has twins just a few months older than Annalyn, and she’s active with a mothers of multiples group. They put on a great sale, so if you’re local – and would like to outfit your kiddos for less than retail – check it out.

The sale is one day only, open to the public and costs just $1. You’ll find tons of gently used clothes, shoes and outerwear, maternity clothes, car seats, bedding and furniture, toys, books, videos and much more.

Children’s Fall Consignment Sale
King of Kings Lutheran Church
1701 NE 96th Street, KCMO
September 11, 2010, 8 am – 2 pm

How do you save money when buying children’s clothes?

I suppose I should mention another way to clothe your children in style: win them on blogs. I won the adorable pillowcase dress on Annalyn (in the photo above) from The Finer Things in Life. It was made by Hot Tots Boutique, and I simply LOVE it!

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Last night I spent a couple hours with three ladies from my small group. We’ve known each other for several years, and recently we’ve decided that dedicating one night a month to adult conversation is a necessity. No whining or interrupting allowed – unless it’s done by someone over the age of 10!

Though we attend the same church and have the same basic values, we still have less in common than we do differences.

To read about how these girls and I are so very different yet manage to encourage each other and just have fun together, read the rest of this article at (in)courage. (And if you leave a comment, you’ll be entered to win a beautiful Dayspring necklace!)

Do you have a set girls’ night out – or a time you get together with friends on a regular basis?

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In what promises to be my most random set of links yet . . .

• Why We Choose Public School [For Now] — We are THAT Family
• Operation Shrink Charlie’s Big Butt: The Dear John Letter
• 24 Impressive Blog Plugins You Should Consider | Social Media Examiner
• Recipe for Beef & Spinach Shells w/ Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce {Faith Family Food & Fun}
• Boots for Wide Calves: You Wanted It, You Got It | The Stir
• S’mores Pudding Pie — A Southern Fairytale
• God, Success, and Failed French Church Plants (by Mary DeMuth)
• Mothering with a timer « A wife loved like the church
• Life on the Wild Side: Starting School

Have you read anything good lately? Share in the comments! This post will be linked to Saturday Stumbles at It’s Come to This.

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A couple weeks ago, I walked into Annalyn’s classroom to pick her up and saw that the room was covered in birthday decorations. “Wow! Whose birthday was it?” I asked.

It turns out that the next day (Monday, because that day was Friday) was Mr. Todd’s birthday, and they wanted to surprise him. Mr. Todd is the classroom’s lead teacher, and he opens by coming in at 6 a.m. every day.

As we walked to the car, I told Annalyn that I thought we should make a card for Mr. Todd. She thought that sounded like a brilliant plan. (Her words, not mine. Okay, they weren’t her words. But I’m sure she was thinking it.)

So, we went home and grabbed the camera, some paper and markers. I wrote, “Happy 30th Birthday, Mr. Todd” on five pieces of paper with the most worthless markers I’ve ever seen. (Seriously. Someone needs to buy markers around here.)

Next, I picked out several different outfits for Annalyn to wear. All the while, I was promising that yes, she could color after we made Mr. Todd’s birthday card. No, she could not use the markers yet (or EVER).

For each new piece of paper, I put her in a new outfit (although I forgot about the last one, so two are the same. Pretty sure nobody cares. Right?) and snapped her photo (or 20) while holding the paper. (“Hold it up. No, not in front of your face. In front of your tummy. NO, don’t look at your tummy. Okay, right there. Now smile. No, don’t wrinkle your nose. Just smile NORMAL!”)

I lucked out and got a pretty good shot of each pose, printed them in a 4×6 collage and stuck them on a card. Annalyn took it to Mr. Todd on Monday, and he LOVED it. I know that because he actually gave her a thank you note saying that it was his favorite card of the year.

Awww!

This post will be linked up with Sara’s brilliant idea, YOU:create. Seriously, I love that she encourages (pushes, maybe?) us to be creative in some way, every week. And then to share it! So, here I am, sharing.

Have you done anything creative this week?

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And there was this video, just waiting to brighten my day. Enjoy:

As you know, whether it’s watching my favorite dance movie or a reality TV show, I do love me some dance. Sometimes, I can even find it in my favorite non-dance shows, like Psych. I loved the episode a few weeks ago that featured Gus and Lassiter tap dancing. And check out this video. Could it get any better than a Psych/Glee mash-up? (Unless the video quality were better, but beggars can’t be choosers.)

For more about my obsession with love of dancing, check out these posts:

• Dancing by myself . . . in the mirror . . .
• I Coulda Been . . . a Dancer?
• There is nothing ironic about show choir.
• And if he still doesn’t answer, I simply say . . .
• Saturday Review: Flashdance

Do you enjoy dance? What’s your favorite dance movie? (Or TV show?)

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Today I’m at the beach with my sisters from (in)courage. (More about that SOON!) But not everyone will be here. Lisa-Jo and Ann are in Guatemala, meeting hundreds of children who are served by Compassion.

You can support them – and the others on this Compassion Bloggers trip – by praying for them, reading their blog posts and sharing their words in all your social networks. Here are a few details:

Pray for:

1. Safety
2. Their families at home
3. Finding the right words
4. Adjusting when they return

Links to check out:

• Compassion Trip Page
• Group Twitter feed
• A Holy Experience
• Lindsey Nobles
• The Gypsy Mama
• Baby Bangs
• Compassion Blog

Have you been on a mission trip before? Tell us about it and how it affected you.

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If I had to rank all the subjects in school, science would come in last every time. But somehow, armed with a tiny lab coat, beaker and pipette, science became fun when I recruited Annalyn for a little laundry experiment.

The new Wisk with Stain Spectrum Technology™ fights all kind of stains. Apparently – not that I’m telling you science nerds anything – stains fall into several basic categories such as proteins, carbohydrates and oils. This week’s experiment focused on the protein kind.

Protein stains can come from eggs or baby formula, but the best-known culprit is grass. Wisk sent me a grass-stained swatch, a science kit and some simple instructions. Here’s what happened:

First of all, I put the tiny lab coat on Annalyn. To say she got into her role would be an understatement. Later in the day, she wore her goggles to the store. I guess you never know when you might run into a science experiment.

I filled the beaker with warm water. Then I poured a small amount of Wisk detergent in the cap and filled the pipette. (Pipette?! When was the last time I said THAT word? Oh yeah. High school. College chemistry. Ugh.)

Then I drew a big A on the protein-stained swatch with the pipette.

Annalyn watched carefully as Wisk’s Stain Spectrum Technology started to work.

After a minute or so, I put the swatch into the beaker of water. Then we swished it around. (Yes, that’s the technical term. Duh!)

After we took the swatch out, we could see just how well – and how quickly! – the detergent works. Where I’d drawn the A, the stain was gone.

As you can see, Annalyn was VERY impressed.
And did I mention how GOOD Wisk smells?

This post will be linked to Works for Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family and Wordful Wednesday at Seven Clown Circus.

Disclosure: This sponsored post on behalf of Wisk laundry detergent was facilitated by One2One Network. While I will be compensated for this post, the experiences and opinions expressed are my own.

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Do you ever find yourself watching a TV show and loving it – except for that one character? Have you ever wished a certain character would meet an untimely demise, as they say?

But what if he could change? What if she promises it will be different this time? What if they really mean it? Today’s Top 10 Tuesday is about TV characters who started out driving me up the wall . . . but ended up being my favorites (or at least bearable).

1. Morgan Grimes (Chuck): When my favorite show of all shows debuted, Chuck’s best friend was super annoying. While Chuck’s nerdiness was charming (and slightly unbelievable), Morgan’s was irritating and kind of made you watch to trip him in the hallway. But somewhere along the way, he calmed down and became someone you root for, and his discovery of Chuck’s spy status was one of the best parts of last season.

2. Madeline Westen (Burn Notice): I remember when this show first came on, I read several reviews complaining about Michael’s harpy of a mom. But rather than limit her time on screen, the showrunners made this character work. And this season, she’s become a full-blown member of the team, even helping them rob a bank.

3. Andy Bernard (The Office): Talk about a character reinvention! When Andy’s character was first introduced, he was an arrogant tool with an anger problem. But anger management classes worked wonders, and the New Andy was funny and sweet, though still really foolish. You may recall I denied my love for him a while back. I’m sticking by that post, of course.

4. Addison Montgomery (Grey’s Anatomy): From the moment her character was mentioned to the moment we met her, we were conditioned to hate Addison Montgomery. After all, she was the woman who broke McDreamy’s heart and the one who might come between Derek and Meredith. But it didn’t take long before Addison was one of the most sane, adult characters on the whole show. Let’s not talk about what happened when she moved to That Other Show, though.

5. Randy Disher (Monk): Somehow, while we were figuring out who killed Trudy and debating the merits of Sharona vs. Natalie, Randy went from a bumbling idiot to a real cop in the forty million seasons that Monk was on the air. I even kind of liked him toward the end.

6. Sheldon Cooper (Big Bang Theory): I’m not sure Sheldon really counts for this list. Being annoying is part of his character. He’s supposed to be weird and irritating. But while it seemed over the top at the beginning, it’s charming and lovable now. Did he change, or did I? I may never know . . .

7. Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother): It doesn’t make any sense. Why would I love a womanizing creep like Barney? And yet, I do. Even in a lackluster season like we had last year, he consistently had the funniest lines of every episode. You might say he’s legen…dary.

8. Marc and Amanda (Ugly Betty): These two characters were horrid. Just wretched. They were cruel and ugly and judgmental and, well, I could go on. But I won’t, because by the end of the series, they were truly Betty’s friends. And while they could still be catty (and hilarious), they were also pretty sweet.

9. Tracy Jordan (30 Rock): You might disagree with me on this one, but a lot of people think Tracy Jordan is funny. [I’m one of them. Don't judge.] I know. He’s ridiculous. I agree. But over the years, his mania and idiocy has gotten funnier and funnier – and sometimes is the only laugh-out-loud moment in an otherwise grin-but-don’t-laugh episode of 30 Rock.

10. Gob Bluth (Arrested Development): Don’t tell me you don’t still think of old Gob when you hear those familiar notes of The Final Countdown! And while he may have seemed annoying at the beginning, it didn’t take long for “I’ve made a huge mistake” to warm my heart. Okay, maybe not. But I can’t help but love Gob.

Has a TV character ever grown on you? Which TV characters do you find most annoying?

Affiliate links were used in this post. Also, this post will be linked to Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.

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