Men, Money and Me

Mini-Adventure time: My time in the Pond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 15:15:00 +0000

I found another adventure. I know surprising right. Ha.

During one of my daily scans of my Facebook newsfeed, I happened upon a post from my Toledo Walleye that they were looking for people to join the Pond Patrol team.

{We interrupt this post to define what exactly the Pond Patrol is...}

The Pond Patrol are the wonderful people that host little games during the intermissions of the Walleye Hockey games. They also get the crowd going, toss out prizes, dance to the random music....you get the idea.

{Now back to your regularly scheduled blog post.}

I've always wondered how those people got those jobs. I mentioned to my roommate that I was thinking about it, and she agreed I would be awesome at that job. Why not. I love hockey. I love the team. I can be silly and amazingly fun. Ok, I'll try out.

And try out I did.

Getting pumped up before I head over to the arena.

We learned a little dance number, played a couple rounds of musical beanbags, and ended with a impromptu solo performance of pretending to wash an imaginary dog. I'm sure we all looked rather ridiculous.

After that they sent some people home and interviewed the other group.

I was in the interview group. :)

I got the call! I'm in! I'm also pretty sure I'm crazy, but this will be quite the experience. Looking forward to learning all the behind the scenes secrets...already learned a few.

If you go to a Walleye game this year look for me!!

High Five For Friday!!!! What made this week awesome?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 11:00:00 +0000

This was a random week! I'm getting ready to run a kids camp next week and will be on my way later today to get settled in. I am very much looking forward to it! Even though I've been a little busy, I have found time for awesomeness...

1) Sunday night was the first Music Under the Stars performance. It threatened rain, but turned out to be a wonderful evening. I very much enjoyed the music, but my night was made when I glanced over and saw a doppelganger! Not sure what a dopplegnager is? Then you need to watch this:

I found Barney Stinson from the CBS TV show How I Met Your Mother.

Credit: CBS

The real Barney when he worked at the coffee shop.

The Barney Doppleganger. I find it ironic that he has a cup of coffee.

The picture isn't amazing, had to be sneaky about it. Believe me....it is him.

It was legen....wait for it....dary.

2) I am attempting to be legendary in my own rights by learning the dance to Thriller.

Challenge accepted. My friend Julie is learning it too and she came across some great videos and the dance "script" on the Thrill the World website. These videos are AWESOME. The instructor breaks the dance down so it makes sense to dancers and non-dancers alike. Super fun so far. And man what a workout!!

3) I get my hair done today! I'm helping a friend who is going to beauty school right now. She needs a hair model. So of course I said yes. Getting a new cut and color right before leaving for camp. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

4) Last evening I participated in an Epic scanvenger hunt. Myself and about 60 other "young professionals" met downtown at the Mud Hens Stadium where we would begin our quest for 5 clues that would take us to the final destination. We walked all around downtown Toledo looking for our next location. Supper fun, but my feet were ready to fall off. You could also get bonus points for other random tasks....

Here is an example of one of the clues...

And it took us to....

My team got third place! And we got a prize! Gift cards to Biggby coffee, which ironically was one of our stops.

5) I went to the zoo! It has been a long time since I went there during normal hours. (The Music Under the Starts is after they are closed.) They recently opened a new Australian exhibit. We have like 5 or 6 wallabies. They are so cute! I might need one.

Another cool thing I LOVE about the Toledo Zoo is the history behind the buildings.

A lot of them were built during the depression era and through the Public Works Administration. This history nerd was on cloud nine.

See you next week at camp!

Why Can't We be Friends???

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Are you singing the song? I sure am.

I love making new friends. I like to think that making new friends is an easy task for me {after all I am a sanguine}.

But for the life of me I have the worst time trying to have more guy friends. I'm pretty sure the amount I currently have would be around 10 and most of them are married. The last couple nights my roomie (hi roomie) and I have had some discussions about this revelation. This isn't the first time this subject has come up here.

Where are all the guys at?

Youuuuwhoooo.....hello....males, where are you??????

(pretend I said that all southern and adorable like, thanks)

And why is it, if a guy somehow stumbles into my circle, keeping him in the circle and being friends is more difficult than climbing Mt. Everest. {Not that I would have any idea how difficult that would actually be.}

One of my few male friends had this to say about the subject....

It's impossible for single guys and single girls to be friends.

WHAT!!! Not cool Robert Frost.
(P.S. If you haven't seen Kid President's video, you need to. That is my favorite line.)

His argument is that guys only want to be friends with girls because they like them, and once they get into the "only friends" category they pretty much disappear.

I said he was wrong. But that was at least a year or so ago, and there might be more truth to that argument than I care to admit. After going out with my "Bold moment" fellow a couple times, I haven't heard from him once. Sure I don't think I want to date him, but I wouldn't mind hanging out with him and getting to know him more. He is a nice guy. But nothing. So was he an instance that he wasn't in to me either and decided he didn't need another friend? Quite possible.

Please tell me I'm not the only one. Were are the guys by you? Do you have lots of guy friends?

High Five for Friday! Snakes, fireworks and a prize...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 16:06:00 +0000

What a week! The first week of my summer vacation has been an eventful one...just to my liking.

I found many adventures this week and if this is an indication of what my July will be like, I will be super happy.

5 awesome things that happened this week

1. Sort of went camping a couple days at the Heartland Conference Retreat Center in Marengo, Oh. I have a rough time with camping. I very much enjoy the campfire, the campfire food, the company of friends and the fun adventures one can find.

{Campfire breakfast, bacon, sausage, steaks and eggs...yummy}

One thing I don't enjoy....the bugs. 6 bites on my legs and counting. If I can go camping without all of them joining me, I think I would go a lot more. {As long as I sleep in a camper... with heat or air conditioning.... and have a real bathroom and shower. My demands are small.} I had a fabulous time, despite the creepy crawlies....

2. Speaking of creepy crawlies...I'm a little weird when it comes to that. Bugs, spiders and the such creep.me.out. As witnessed by my friends when a beetle was flying around the car, dive-bombing at my face on the way home from fireworks the other night. To quote my friend Rachel "Jenny, I wish I could get my voice up that high." I apparently go up a few octaves when I am having a freak out session. Now you might be saying, I don't see how this is weird.
Wait for it...

Snakes, lizards, frogs, basically reptiles and amphibians....LOVE them!!

At the campground I went to they have a nature center with all sorts of animals. Well, mostly reptiles and amphibians. They also have a couple possums, a skunk and 2 chinchillas, but everything else is scaly and possibly slimy. Does that bother me? Not at all. I'm so mad I didn't get a picture. {We go to the same place for kids camp, so maybe I can get some then.} I held 3 different kinds of snakes, a salamander, a gecko and a frog. If I ever have a pet, it will probably be some type of turtle...or frog...or lizard.

Now do you see how I'm a little weird. Bugs- no way, even though they are usually small and can be sqquished. Snakes and frogs- yes...they are so cute.

3. Remember how much I love the 4th of July? So far I have seen 3 nights of fireworks. Hoping to find at least one more. Went to the Mud Hens game again this year for the 4th and saw two fireworks shows in the same night. Double score! P.S. Mudhens people....you did an awesome job with the new fireworks show. Really enjoyed the new types of fireworks.

If you are in the Toledo Area and are looking for some family fun tonight, the Mud Hens play at home and will have fireworks again. As an added awesome bonus they are showing The Sandlot movie after the game. How AWESOME is that!!!! We are so cool. Here is the link to get tickets.

4. Besides enjoying America's favorite pastime, I won a prize!

I don't know about your local ball team, but we have little games and such between innings. Every game I go to I sign up. It totally pays off. I have fun and win something....heck yeah I'm signing up. And because of my "being bold" post the other day I talked my roomie to sign up too. We played a base shuffle game. On the giant screen they show 3 bases with a logo under one, then switch them all around and you have to know which one had the logo. We have gone to so many Mud Hens and Walleye games (there it's the puck shuffle), we knew we had this.

$25 gift card and our new friend Anthony

5. You can now call me Katnis Everdeen. Heartland also has a little archery range. {How cool are they.}

Ok, maybe not quite Katnis just yet, but not bad for my first time. I really liked it, and think I would like to do more. Wait!!!! I think that is on my bucket list! I need to go a few more times before I can justify crossing that off.

Well there you have it, my week. What adventures did your week include?

Hockey with a side of being bold.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Hockey season just ended. (Is it bad that I miss it already. Sigh.)
P.S. Congrats Chicago Blackhawks. I can't be too excited to say that since I am a Wings fan, but well played. (grrrr) And what a final game!!! 2 goals in the last minute. Wow.

Back to the point. This is a story of me being bold. Once upon a week, when the Wings were still in the playoffs, my friend and I went to the local Buffalo Wild Wings establishment to watch our boys play. One such evening I arrived before my friend and found a seat. There I am half watching the game and half listening to this conversation going on next to me. And I hear a plea for help...

"Business casual. What exactly is business casual."

Never fear! I will save you! {Yeah, I wasn't that dramatic, don't worry.} I turn and ask if they would like some input. Yes. I soon make friends with the 3 guys sitting there. They of course are also Wings fans, and we just start chatting and continue to watch the game. Now comes the fun part.

One of the guys, let's call him Jack, was texting a girl making small talk with the hopes of going on a date. He asked for my advice on what to say and I gave it to him straight. Have you gone out with her before. Yes. Then just ask her out. Don't beat around the bush, just ask her out. His friend, let's call him Sam, said that is exactly what he thought. "In fact, see how easy it is." He turns to me and asked me out.

True Story.

Maybe this happens to you all the time, but I wasn't expecting that at all. "Ummm sure, " I said, that sounds fun."

With my past experience, when things like this happen the guy is usually throwing some strong creeper vibes. Seriously. I find some of the weird ones. Remember Mr. Collins?

This guy didn't seem that way, so we went on a date. I had a fun time. And he isn't a creeper at all. He is a really nice guy. We ended up going out another time for some geocaching. A good experience, and I'm glad I said yes and didn't dismiss him right away.

It was a bold moment. I am proud of myself.

This year is the year to be bold. To stretch myself just a little, meet new people and maybe do some things that are outside of my norm. I hope this is just the first of many posts that I share with you about my boldness.

The only way things are going to change is if I do something different. Right.

And that's it. He hasn't text me again, so I'm thinking he's not that in to me. And that's ok. Like I said it was fun.

P.S. GO WINGS!!!!!!!

Some books to add to your summer reading list

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Oh friends! Have I some treats for you. A few weeks ago I spent a whole weekend reading. I know doesn't that sound just wonderful! I can't remember the last time I just got to read and read...ahhhhhh. Anyway! Now you get to hear about what I read that glorious weekend!

I've Got Your Number: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella

Poor Poppy Wyatt. The party was going quite wonderful...until the fire. In the mass exodus she lost her engagement ring. The family heirloom. Giant expensive stone. Engagement ring. Unfortunately, that is just the beginning. Of course things get worse because next goes the cell phone. How will she live without her cell? But perhaps things won't be so bad after all...she finds a cell in the trash. But who should call??? The owner of course, Mr. Sam Roxton who surprisingly wants his company cell back and would like it if Poppy would stop answering emails and going through his messages. The adventure begins. Trouble and many surprises are on the horizon as these two lives cross paths. More than one lesson is learned and it might be a coin toss as to who learned more.

Sophie Kinsella is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and this book is a great example of her wit and humor. Take a moment to check out Sophie's website www.sophiekinsella.co.uk and let me know if you have read her new book The Wedding.

Waterfall {River of Time Series} by Lisa T. Bergren

A romantic/adventurous young adult novel set in the beautiful countryside of Italy. Lia and Gabby Bentarrini, two American teenagers spend their summers in Italy with their mother on archeological grave sites. Boring city. When the girls decide to explore the site on their own, they find some mysterious hand prints that when touched transports them to medieval Italy complete with knights and castles and danger...lots and lots of danger. And Gabi landed right in the middle of it, somehow separated from Lia. With the help of Marcello Falassi and his knights Gabi is on the mission to save her sister and hopefully stay alive long enough to do so. Gabi isn't the usual damsel in distress that Marcello is used to.

Be prepared to read for big chunks of time with this book, not because it is long or tough to get through, but because it is adventure after adventure and I found it hard to put down. You also might want to have the second one close at hand, because the ending will have you wanting more.
See more about Lisa T. Bergren and her other amazing titles at lisatawnbergren.com

Be sure to check out my Book Reviews Page for more reviews!

Pictures from Amazon.com

Friday!!!!! One of the best days of the week.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

School year. is. over.

And I MADE it!!!! It was touch and go there for a while. A lot of cookies were sacrificed for that to happen. And I am grateful. Cookies you are awesome.

Did she say school year? Yes, yes I did. I work at an online school as a high school advisor. I love my job, but there are times...I'm sure you know, we all have those moments. When I work on the computer all day it takes a lot of motivation to get back on in the evening and write. So a little break {that turned into a big break. oops} from the good ol' blog and now I'm back. I missed you all! Maybe, you missed me too? Just a little? :)

Anyway, Happy FRIDAY!!!!!

Photo from The Keep Calm-O-Matic

These little signs are growing on me. I think it's fun when there are other meanings behind them, little pop culture references. Now that you are trying to figure out the other meaning behind the Friday sign, there isn't one....I don't think anyway.

No, I'm referring to ones like this....

Photo from The Movie and TV Store

Chuckle chuckle. Awesome right.

This one confuses me though...do you know what it means?

Do these people really like those little onions so much? That can't be it. Can it?

Next on the agenda.

Awesome news...my sister is going to have another baby! So excited. And we just found out what it is {so I no longer refer to it as baby squid}. Both sides of the family went out to dinner and we each got a cake pop filled with the appropriate color for the baby.

Drum roll please....bbbrrrrrrruuummmm {that is a drum, don't judge}

Ta-dah!!!! It's pink! Another girl!!! This will be fun.

I sat Cassie down for a little heart to heart about how she can be a good big sister.

Which I felt went really well until she saw my sunglasses on the top of my head.

It just went downhill from there.

Isn't she just adorable. Ok I'm biased.

So now that I'm back we have some MAJOR catching up to do. Monday some book reviews are coming your way! Yeah! I'll see you then!

Have a wonderful Friday full of adventure!

I Work Hard for the Money-- Part 2: Cutting food costs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 20:06:00 +0000

Let's face the facts here.

Food prices are up, and I'm pretty sure they aren't going down anytime soon. Eating is pretty essential, so what can we do to get the most beef for our buck? {I know that was pretty bad}

This is definitely an area that I am continually working on, and I have started using some of these tips. Some.

Hey, I'm trying here. Isn't that the goal though...you try your best and see what happens.

Make a list. Those little impulse buys just sneak up on a person {especially me} and you can end up spending around 20% more. When you stick to your list you are throwing less food away too! There are a ton of templates on Pinterest that you can print off. Here is a cool one....

Photo Credit: Simplified Mama

Make a menu. Sit down for 30 minutes and make a plan. Look in the pantry and the fridge, see what you already have on hand that needs to be used up, and make your list from there. Not much of a cook? Check out Pinterest or favorite blogs for some recipes. Another website that is a lifesaver is supercook.com. You can click on what ingredients you have at your house and they'll pull recipes for you. Magical!!!!!

Don't shop hungry! I know, I know tale as old as time....but it's TRUE! Hungry=impulse buys=more money spent. Just don't.

Photo Credit: Advice Register blog

Check out those labels. Just because it's "on sale" doesn't mean it's the best buy. It's time to do some math people! That beautiful unit price box is wonderful. This is a great tool to use to see if buying in bulk is actually a good deal. those stores are sneaky...for instance buying a block of cheese may be cheaper than buying shredded cheese. Hey, those nickels and dimes add up! To see some great examples of this check out this post on Advice Register.

Ice Ice Baby. So you bought some {ok, it was actually a lot} of cheese, or meat, or fruit because it was a great sale, now what. Put it in smaller packages and freeze it for later use!

Look for markdowns. These finds are my favorite. Check out the meat department for "manager specials". You can get some nice cuts of meat for a steal and a half, you just have to cook it right away. At my local Kroger there is a section set aside for goods that are on special maybe because it is a discontinued product or the package has seen better days...it's still good, and now cheaper!

These are all tips that will take you very little time and can save you quite a bit of money. Shop smart. Good luck!

I Work Hard for the Money-- Part 1: Getting started

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:55:00 +0000

I'm a spender. Meaning, I have to work harder at saving money and not just spending it. It's not Confessions of a Shopaholic or anything, but I have quite a few splurges. I am getting better at saving, but there is always room for improvement.

I came across an article in January 13th's edition of Parade magazine that shared some really good tips to shave some spending and put more in the bank.

Let's start at the very beginning (which I hear is a very good place to start):

Start small. Work in to your schedule 15 minutes a day for a week to get organized. Get some file folders, one of those accordion file things or something else to be a central location for all your bills and documents. Sort them out in a system that makes sense to you (alphabetical, when they are due each month, lower to higher balances, etc..) .

What are you dealing with? After you have everything organized, spend that 15 minutes assessing where you are. Check your credit score, balances, review retirement and savings accounts. Make a list of all your debt and the time frame those bills will be paid off if you continue paying what you're currently paying. I see debt as anything that doesn't have a 0 balance every month. Credit cards with larger balances, mortgage, loans...that sort of thing.

Think ahead. Now that you are organized and you see what you are dealing with, make some goals for the future. Start small. Where do you want to be financially 1-2 years from now? Do you want to move? Change careers? Pursue a higher education? Go on a dream vacation?

Now how are you going to make those goals happen? What are you going to change to get there?

One thing I did was set up an automatic transfer from my checking to my savings account every paycheck. I looked at my expenses and figured out what I have to spend each month on my current bills, then decided an amount I can live without each paycheck. I now have over $1,000 in my savings and haven't missed it. I found that using SmartyPig has really helped me, because I can set up different goals, the date I want to reach that goal and it will calculate how much I need to deposit each time (month, weekly, bi-weekly).

Saving doesn't have to be this annoying, restraining monster. I still go to movies, go out to eat, buy myself little prizes. I just play with a little less now, so I can play with a little more later.

So what are you waiting for? Start today! And soon you'll be reaching those goals.

This is the first post in the series. The next post will be tips to cut your current grocery costs.

Oh great! It's Mr. Collins. -- Love lessons from Pride and Prejudice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Last night I popped in Pride and Prejudice to pass some time while I needed to complete some tedious tasks. As I was fluttering about the house, finishing the dishes, making my dinner, and so on, I stopped mid-flutter and just stared at the TV with disbelief on my face.

Mr. Collins had just proposed to Lizzie. And there was poor Lizzie having to turn him down, because let's face it, he's Mr. Collins. And even though she tried to be nice about it, it was no good. She just lays it all out for him and leaves. Sure he has a job and can provide a comfortable living, but he is basically just looking to get married and doesn't care all too much to who.

I have watched this movie at least a dozen times, so it was no shock to me what was taking place in the Bennet family room. But when Mr. Collins managed to trap Lizzie alone so he could propose, I couldn't help but think that I knew exactly how she was feeling.

I am lucky enough to be dealing with my own "Mr. Collins" of late. *Sigh. He has a job and seems a respectable sort of person, but from what I have seen he's really just looking for a girl to marry. Maybe I'm being a little too harsh, but I don't think I'm wrong.

And like Lizzie, the subtle hints that this isn't going to work out, just aren't doing the trick. It's to the point where I get to flat out tell him that he needs to move on.

Lovely.

Needless to say, I'm not looking forward to this.....at all. I believe in being honest with people, but being honest can be so uncomfortable sometimes. Yuck.

The moral of the story....

You have to go through Mr. Collins to find your Mr. Darcy.

So until my Mr. Darcy comes along, I guess I get to deal with my very own {hopefully not too many} Mr. Collins.

There was a little Chronicles of Narnia when I moved

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Moving is one of those times you go through all of your random stuff that you have collected over the years and do a little purging, organizing and even a little rediscovering.

You might find your favorite toy from your childhood or a favorite game...

"Mall Madness it's Mall Madness!" Remember that song? The batteries corroded and exploded so mine no longer works. It was a sad day.

Then there are the random things one {that'd be me} might own...

I bought this sweet trunk at a friend's store Pleasantries. She finds some awesome pieces. Any who.

This is now my kitchen. All these tin signs are mine, and this is probably only half. I bought a majority of the these at a Dick's 5 and dime.

This little beaut is about a foot and a half tall and reminds me of that cute little lamp that comes out for the Pixar logo. Bouncing into our hearts. So cute.

Right?

Now you might be thinking "I wish I was this cool." I know. It just comes natural being so awesome.

Ok you probably weren't thinking that, but maybe you were thinking "I thought she said something about Chronicles of Narnia?"

I did indeed.

The moment you have been waiting for....

It's the lamp in the wardrobe!!! How awesome is that! It's my favorite random thing.

Those are the most random things I own. At least random to me.

Do you have random things?

Christmas+me=a little...um...different

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Did you hunt for hours searching for the best tree?
Did you have to dust off the artificial tree?
Did you know there was another option? The box tree!! Or what I like to call the "I just moved and have all these boxes" tree.

It's pretty awesome.

This is the 2012 model. Notice, if you will, the beautiful ornaments, the alternating box colors, the green plaid tape and the amazing star topper.

It is a one-of-a-kind tree.

But wiat, there's more. It can also serve as a Christmas card display. The box ledges serve as little shelves for the cards you get in the mail.

This is just one fine example of the creativity that is going to happen with me and my roommate.

Don't be jealous.

You think that is the only thing about my Christmas that was different? Think again.

I also took part in the annual Christmas Horror Movie Night, hosted by some friends of mine that have been doing this for 5 years. {got to love Christmas traditions}

Christmas Slay, the 2005 horror movie starring the WWE wrestler Bill Goldberg and Lost's Emilie de Ravin, was the movie this year. Santa isn't the jolly soul you thought him to be. Oh no. He is acutally a spawn of Satan who lost a bet with an angel and had to be good for a 1000 years. And guess what, the thousand years is up and Santa is on a rampage....of killing. It's pretty horrible. The crazy thing is there seems to be a whole mini genre of horror movies dedicated to Christmas.

Who knew.

I guess now you do.

I just wanted to share some of the awesomeness.

Total awesomeness.

And that my friends is why when you add a me to a perfectly normal thing, you end up with something a lot more.

A new Christmas traditon in the making...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:13:00 +0000

Every family has tradtions for major holidays, even if you think you don't...you do. Trust me.

We have many tradtions for Christmas that I didn't even realize until my new roommate (more on that later) asked me one evening while we were eating dinner at IKEA. {Have you had their meatballs!!!}

Here are a few things that came to mind:

Spending the night at Grandma's house
The yearly debate between my aunt and dad about when is the right time to open presents: Christmas Eve or Christmas?
Still getting a stocking from "Santa" on Christmas morning
Having waffles for breakfast
Having a wrapping paper fight (think snowball fight with wrapping paper)
Playing games and laughing until Icry
Watching White Christmas

But as the title suggests, there is a new tradtion that I would love to ~~install~~ ~~commission~~ incorporate into the yearly festivities....taking my niece {and anyone else I can talk into going} to Disney On Ice. This year's show was Disney on Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic.

And it was, dare I say, magical.

Even though she is only 1, she very much enjoyed it this year. She was laughing and clapping and doing her little dance during the whole show. Being the huge Disney fan that I am, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

My only complaint is that somehow Princess Aurora didn't make it into the princess bit. We had Snow White, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine and Mulan but no Aurora???

And she's my favorite!

Don't they know who I am?! Oh, they don't? Hm. Still, she should have been there.

Other than that, Disney really delivered.

The costumes were amazing!

They had newer Disney and classic Disney.

It was super cute.

When Christmas rolls around again, I'm going to make sure Disney On Ice is part of the celebrations.

*Feld Family Entertainment provided tickets for me and 3 guests to see the show and give my honest and eloquent opinion. It is definitely honest, maybe not so elequent. *Uhem* Sorry the pictures are a little jank. Phone Camera, enough said.

I love Christmas except for...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I like Christmas. I really do. I have been listening to Christmas music since before Thanksgiving, I've started the yearly movie list, but there are some things about the Christmas season that drive me a little crazy.

Like Home Alone.

Sure it was cute when it first came out, when I was 5!! That cleaver Kevin, who plays it cool when his parents leave without him and ends up having to defend his house against the burglars, using some very creative means.

The first one isn't too bad. I will forever associate "Rocking around the Christmas tree" with the "party" scene from that movie.

But how are there 4 of them?! Really? How many times can we see a kid get left alone and have to get rid of the very unintelligent bad people.

I just don't get it.

I think I would be fine with Home Alone if there were just one or two. In fact, I know I would. Not 4. And rumors of a 5th being shown during the 25 Days of Christmas on ABC Family.

I can't handle it.

I most definitely have certain songs that I can only handle about once or twice mainly 12 days of Christmas and Feliz Navidad.

Anyone else? Hmmm, ok just me. That's fine, I'll deal with it.

Ok, that's out of my system. Now a new love.

This is a newer movie, it was released last year and I saw it for the first time a couple days ago. Arthur Christmas.

*IMDB

Oh goodness. I laughed so hard!

It is about the Claus family. Grandsanta, Santa, Mrs. Santa, Steve and Arthur. Not everything is jolly with the Clause family, in fact they are quite dysfunctional. Hilariously so. Steve wants to be Santa, Santa doesn't want to retire, Grandsanta doesn't want his glory days to be over, and to top it off...a present is left in the North Pole!!!! Gasp!

The cast of voices include top notch actors like Hugh Laurie, James McAvoy, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Joan Cusack, and many more! A very cute story, with some fantastic one liners.

This will be added to the yearly list for sure!!!

You need to go rent it...and then buy it. Because it's that awesome.

A early Christmas present~ Disney On Ice!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 03:40:00 +0000

Guess what! It's after Thanksgiving!

That means its time to win some tickets to see Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic!!!

Who's excited?

Disney characters and artwork ©Disney, Disney/Pixar characters ©Disney/Pixar

Me! Me! Me!

Why am I excited?

Well besides being in love with Disney in general, there is going to be quite the ensamble coming to The Huntington Center in December.

The list of characters include: the one and only Mickey Mouse, the irresistible Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and many Disney Princesses and more! There will be more than 60 characters in all!! You can also expect to be thrilled by exciting moments from The Lion King; Mulan; and Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Toy Story films; in a skating spectacular filled with magical Disney moments!

Disney characters and artwork ©Disney, Disney/Pixar characters ©Disney/Pixar

If you want to go, you have 2 options.

1) Buy your tickets through TicketMaster and save $4 on the $15 or $19 tickets for any show except opening night with the promo code BLOG4. Show runs December 20-24 {Thurs and Fri: 7pm, Sat and Sun: 1&5 pm, Mon: 1pm} at The Huntington Center in downtown Toledo, where my beloved Walleye play.

No double discounts. Additional fees may apply. Offer does not apply to Front Row, Rinkside or VIP seating. Offer subject to ticket availability.

2) Enter below to win 4 FREE tickets to see the show opening night! Must be 18 to enter. Contest ends 12/3, enter now!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disney and Feld Entertainment are not the sponsors, endorsers or administrators of this promotion.

*Hint Hint* Use this as a family Christmas present! Make it the beginning of a Magical Christmas family tradition! You won't be sorry!

The cons of online dating...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Going through my many magazines, I stumbled upon an article in the October 2012 edition of Glamour by Liz Brody that sheds some light on the cons of online dating.

Thankfully, I haven't had any of these issues, but I wanted to spread the word so you don't fall into one of the traps.

1) Giant red flag if he/she asks for money...even if it sounds like a legit reason. There is no reason a person you have been talking to should ask for money. You aren't married, your money is not their money. An even bigger red flag is if they try to lay on the guilt. "Don't you love me?" or "I would loan the money to you." babble is just that...babble.

2) Be cautious if "I love you" is said early on in the relationship. In some cases it was said within a few weeks! Hmmm.

3) If you are having a live chat (IM or Skype) with the person, be aware if they are "getting interrupted a lot" or "sidetracked" when you ask easy questions...that they need to look up some answers to.

4) Pet names are cute, but if he/she constantly uses them instead of your name, it could be because they are chatting it up with more than one person and hey, it's hard to keep them all straight.

The article described many more scenarios, and I would recommend reading it if you get the chance. (I tried to find it on Glamour's website, but no luck.)

So what can you do to protect yourself?

Thankfully they gave several suggestions:

Do a Google Image search of the pictures they have posted. Click on the little camera icon next to the search bar and you can upload a picture. The search will show you were it appears online. So nifty!
There are sites that help with this sort of thing: romancescams.org, romancescam.com, scamsurvivors.com or militarygear.com/asp. Please report a con if you are unfortunate to find one. Save someone else from being conned. Romancescams.org has some quizzes you can take to see if you are being conned, twists on the scams, and a photo album of pictures men and women have used. Makes me sick.
You can check for a foreign IP address. Got to love technology! The romancescams.org can help you find that information.

Now don't get the impression that I'm telling you they are all bad people out there or that I'm against online dating. Most online dating companies have people on the lookout for these con artists and are pretty good about fielding applicants. There are a lot of legit people out there looking to meet people and have a relationship, but it doesn't pay to be naive or uninformed.

Don't be too ashamed to tell others or to report the incident. The article says that "women are being scammed out of million of dollars a year!" So you aren't the only one! You can report these con artists to ic3.gov.

Who knows, your help and evidence could help bring justice to these criminals!

What a wild week!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:43:00 +0000

My goodness! This past week has been one grand adventure!
One that I wasn't expecting. at. all.

Last Tuesday as I was coming home from hanging with some of the girls my car started acting really weird.

Sputtering, not speeding up very fast, and being very very loud (and it was already loud).

Not good.

"I think it's time to get a new car", says my dad. "I've driven some pretty bad cars in my time, and I don't even want it. That's saying something."

So car shopping I went. And boy was I blessed with an awesome find!

A 2004 Chrysler Crossfire! I always thought these cars were super slick, never thought I would have one.

I feel like I need to be in a James Bond movie.

I might have downloaded the Skyfall theme for my entrance music.

I've always wanted entrance music.

Anyway so that was one big thing this week.

Number 2 was signing on an apartment! Ahhhhhh!!!!!

I'm moving in with Hannah {you know the NYC and DC adventure accomplice} possibly by next month.

So I'm looking through all my random stuff and thinking... hmmm... I need some things, I guess I have to go to IKEA.

Man, that is tough.

*Grin*

I guess, I also know what I want for Christmas this year.

The apartment is a cute little duplex near uptown Maumee, a few blocks from that cute "little theater". There are also some cute shops within walking distance.

This could be trouble.

And fun.

One Magical word...Disney

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:36:00 +0000

Friends, let me share a little secret with you.

I LOVE Disney.

Like a lot.

Like working there sounds like the perfect job.
{Of course I would have to be ~~Aurora~~ ~~Belle~~ ~~Rapunzel~~ a princess.}

Evidence #1

Totally enjoyed dressing up as a princess, and being in full character for my friend's daughters' birthday party.

One of the moms may have told me I should work at Disney.

And I might have asked her to be a reference.

Evidence #2

Favorite cartoon movie: Disney's Robin Hood.

Evidence #3

I may have jumped up and down and squealed a little when I saw this was coming to town....

Total awesomeness right!!!

Coming to the Huntington Center in Toledo December 20-24 is Disney On Ice celebrates100 Years of Magic, tickets range between $15-$50 (including fees). Now, there is a rumor there will be a code you can enter to get a discount for the tickets, ~~but I have yet to confirm that rumor.~~...Rumor Confirmed!

Go to the Ticketmaster website and enter the code BLOG4 and you will get $4 off the $15 Club or $19 Arena seats!* Valid on all performances except opening night.

*No double discounts. Additional fees may apply. Offer does not apply to Front Row, Rinkside or VIP seating. Offer subject to ticket availability*

But wait there's more!

After Thanksgiving I will be holding a giveaway so you can win your tickets instead of having to purchase them! Merry Christmas! {The giveaway will be for Thursday night's performance}

That's right enjoy this holiday tradition for free!!!
Use it as an early Christmas present, and cross some presents off your list now!

{Instead of being a total procrastinator like some people *cough*}

Check out Disney On Ice on Facebook and Twitter or for more details go to their website.

Love lessons from Meet Me in St. Louis...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 23:54:00 +0000

Ahhhh....Meet Me in St. Louis. A fantastic musical about a family living in St. Louis in the early 1900's.

One word.

Classic.

What love lessons can we learn from this movie?

Boys don't want to kiss girls before they are engaged because they are afraid they'll rub the rouge off.
Who knew?

To get a boy's attention, you invite him to a party at your house and after everyone has left you ask him to help you turn off the lights. Oh don't forget to break into song.
That is a must.

It's perfectly normal to be grumpy because you think the boy isn't coming, and then when he comes... ignore him.

All men need to own a tux, and not forget it at the tailor's the night of the big Christmas dance.
Christmas can be magical.
And world fairs.

Act normal when a guy bursts into your house on Christmas Eve and tells you that things can't go on this way and you are going to be married. No arguments!...and then storms out.
Ok.
Who wants to open presents?

There you have it. If you haven't seen this classic movie it really is a must see.

There's an App for that! 10 Apps I love!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I made the switch to a smart phone because I figured it would be good to have before I headed off to the semi-distant lands of Washington D.C and New York this summer.

{totally practical reasons}

I'm officially spoiled and even thinking of going back to a "dumb" phone has me cringing.

Now, I am slowly *cough* catching the app fever.

Must haves:

{Besides the obvious Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, and Pinterest.}

IMDB- I am now able to answer the age-old question, "Where have I seen that actor before?" Oh and let's not forget being able to watch the latest Hobbit or Iron Man 3 preview at a moment's notice. Free.

Netflix-No more pretending you are doing something fun on your phone while waiting for pizza. No! Now you can re-watch Glee or Doctor Who! Free app with subscription to Netflix.

Soundboards- This probably should be in the "Extra Lovin'" section below, but what is a phone without a fun ringtone? Yep, definitely a must have I have soundboards for Star Wars, Hunger Games, and the 9th, 10th and 11th Doctors from Doctor Who. Yes, I'm a nerd. My current notification ringtone is a R2D2 whistle and my incoming call ringtone is the 10th Doctor's theme music. Free.

Smarty Pig- I can look up and manage my saving goals. I can see that this last quarter I got $.89 on my "Cruise" goal and $1.74 on my "Rainy Day" goal. I don't get that kind of interest from the bank! It is completely secure and safe. I love Smarty Pig! Free.

Swagbucks- Earn Swagbucks when you need to do an Online search. You then cash in your Swagbucks for gift cards or prizes. Free.

Coupons- This app shows you the cheapest gas, and the area stores and restaurants that are offering coupons. Free.

Extra lovin':

Geocaching- Geocaching is a fun outdoor activity alone or with a small group. I seem to have some troubles getting accurate reads on cloudy days, but all in all a great app. $9.99, but worth every penny.

Babbel- Learn or brush up on a foreign language. There are lessons they offer for free, if you want more challenging lessons you have to pay for them. They have this cool feature that helps you learn the correct pronunciation, too! You speak and it rates how well you say the word.

Bon'App- Allows you to quickly look up how many calories you are about to scarf down. I say "McDonald's Chicken Sandwich" and it lists all 13 different chicken sandwiches they offer. Super easy to use. Free.

Knitting Row Counter- My latest app-dition...it is a simple counter to help keep track of your rows. (No I'm not 80! It's on my bucket list!) You can have multiple counters at one time. Free.

What apps are you in love with?

Costume ideas: 6 Tips and Tricks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Halloween is coming.

And whether you celebrate or not, dressing up in a costume always equals a good time.

Over the years there have been some costumes that I have been especially proud of and some that were borderline disastrous.

Feeling the pressure of getting a stellar costume together? Worry no more!

1) Look for inspiration in pop culture

Flo: White apron, jeans, white shirt, headband. Name tag, logo and I <3 Progressive button printed on copy paper and taped on. Tease hair and add red lipstick and a big personality. Done!

Where's Waldo and Mrs Waldo?: White shirt and red duct tape. Mrs. needs some sweet striped socks and some glasses. Mr Waldo needs a hat and the essential cane and glasses.

2) Be inspired by a theme

I believe this was 70s/80s day at work. The crazy part was I already owned most o these items. I just needed to put them together and add a LOT of makeup.

70s girl: Belted mini dress and scarf as a headband.
80s girl: Layers! Leg warmers, leggings, mini skirt, oversized bright shirt, bangels lage earrings, big hair and a lot of bright eye shadow.

3) Be classic

Being a princess also requires the attitude. I was a guest princess for the girls' birthday party. So fun.

Fake Cinderella: "Cinderella" type dress from a costume shop, choker (ribbon from Hobby Lobby), matching blue headband (headband "frame" and ribbon from Hobby Lobby), ballet flats or glass slippers if you haven't lost them recently.

4) Look in your closet

Like the 80s costume, you never know what you can find in your closet (leg warmers were compliments of my mother's closet)! A simple cowgirl outfit would require a plaid shirt and some low pigtails. If you have boots and a hat even better. Go for the innocent cowgirl and add some freckles using an eyeliner pencil.

5) Buy pieces carefully

Part of the problem might have been that I waited until the last minute to pull this costume together. The other part of the problem is that pictures on packages lie. In the picture the dress went past her knees.

Fail picture. Fail

Sibylline Sisterhood from Doctor Who's the Fires of Pompeii: Red cape, red dress, bangles, eyes on hands with eyeliner pencil.

6) Not feeling creative? Check out some online markets.

You never know what someone else has already created that you can just buy and look amazing without all the hard work.

Check out the Etsy store of Passage to the North for some vintage costumes and some recent beauties like the Mirror Mirror inspired dress pictured above.

And there you have it!

Dare to be creative when pulling together a costume.

Book Review time!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Its that time!! The part of the show where I share my thoughts about my recent readings.

You've missed this haven't you?

Of course you have!

A review of the three books I received for my unbirthday.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

An adorable story that is geared toward 8-12 year olds, but I found it charming and funny.

"Meet the Penderwicks, four different sisters with one special bond. There’s responsible, practical Rosalind; stubborn, feisty Skye; dreamy, artistic Jane; and shy little sister Batty, who won't go anywhere without her butterfly wings." ~ About the Penderwicks

The family is vacationing for the summer at a little cottage called Arundal. Of course Arundal is on a much larger estate owned by the uptight and cranky Mrs. Tifton, who does not enjoy loud and exuberant children playing in her precious gardens. The four sisters are full of adventure and there might be a little mischief in their path. They quickly befriend the mysterious boy they saw in the window of the grand mansion upon their arrival and proceed to have a summer they will never forget.

The Penderwicks is the first of five book series (three are currently written and published). The other books in the series so far are The Penderwicks on Gardam Street and The Penderwicks at Point Mouette.

Full Speed by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes

This is the third book in what I refer to as the "Full series". Jamie Swift is on the hunt. For the biggest story of her career that is. And who should be in the middle of this story but the sexy annoying millionaire Max Holt. She convinces *uhem* him to have her as partner in exposing the crooked (with possible mob ties) minister. Much like Stephanie Plum, Jamie finds herself in bizarre situations and trouble...a lot of trouble. But what else is new.
I love Jamie's spunky personality and determination to make sure she's in on the action.

The Cat Who Smelled a Rat by Lilian Jackson Braun
This series has been on my maybe list for a while and now I can officially cross it off. EVERYONE owned a cat. I get that some people like cats and sure it says cat in the title, so I expected a few of the furry creatures to be in the book. But why did everyone need to own one. I had my cousin read it too, because she is a cat person. She owns two, so maybe she would appreciate the book more. Not so much. Then the main two Koko and Yum Yum help solve the mystery by giving their owner little cryptic messages through their behavior? Sorry Ms. Braun, it's just not doing it for me.

So about the book... The next exciting event for the little town of Moose County is "The Big One", that would be the big first snow for the Alaskan town. So when fires start breaking out at some of the historical mines and someone is murdered the townspeople are all abuzz with the latest gossip. Is it Arson? An accident? Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum are leaning towards arson. How are the two related and how could something like this happen in the perfect small town?

Maybe you will have a different point of view than me. Let me know if you have read any of the other "The Cat Who..." series and if they are in the Amazing, It was ok, or Blah category.

Random Saturday thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 15:39:00 +0000

I've been rather random of late and it is time you ~~were forced~~ joined the fun.

When I least expect it.....

This is what happens when a first grader challenges you....and someone is there with a camera...and puts it on Facebook.

Don't be jealous. {Is it healthy to laugh that hard?}

If you can't do this, you can blame your mom. No really, it's a heredity thing. For the record my mom can still do this. She showed me yesterday. :) Maybe not the cross-eyed part, but the tongue on nose thing yes.

This game has recently made a reappearance in my life. I played this in middle school all.the.time.

It's not a super popular game, and is hard to find in game stores. It is really fun and worth hunting down to the ends of the earth!

{Dramatic much}

Or you can buy it on Amazon.

You have a pile that you need to get rid of faster than anyone else. And you do so building piles in the middle going 1 to 10. But everyone is adding to those piles so it gets crazy. :)

Someone compared it to Nertz? I've never played Nertz so I have no idea. I do know that I'm kinda awesome.

Last week I went to a preseason hockey game with my dad. You know, the guy that told me lies as a child.
We could sit anywhere in the arena. Guess where I picked.

Right behind the bench. *sigh* Tonight is the opening game. Yeah! Let's get a win Walleye!!!

Last random thought for the day....

I'm trying to brush up on some Spanish. I bought this fun book to help me out...

They break Spanish words into English words so you know how to pronounce it correctly.
So con gusto becomes Cone Goose Toe.
Lol. Hey, it works!

Oh wait I forgot one!

Have you heard Adele's new song for the James Bond movie Skyfall? In typical Adele fashion...it's awesome!

Very important question....Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

Be cool *uhem* like me and post it on Facebook. Tag Men, Money and Me!
Even if you can't quite reach I want to see you try.

You know you are trying anyway.

More from the Tube of You...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 11:00:00 +0000

~~People showed me~~ I found some more videos on YouTube that you NEED to see.

I don't just pass on any video that crosses my path. I only send the really good ones your way.

First up.....

I'm not an Ohio State fan, but this. is. amazing! You need to be at least a little bit of a video game person to fully appreciate this, but if you know anything about Mario Bros., Tetris, PacMan, or Halo you'll enjoy it.

Ok, I take that back....

Even if you don't know much about those video games you'll enjoy the choreography.

Seriously. Amazing.

Next on the docket...

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. You've read Pride and Prejudice. You've seen the A&E version with the amazing Colin Firth. You've seen the newest rendition with Kiera Knightly. You may have even gone as far as watched the Bollywood version called Bride and Prejudice.

**Bride and Prejudice tangent** If you haven't, you need to put that on your need to watch list. Hilarious.I might have convinced my sister I was going to do the "Cobra Dance" at her wedding.

Now there is the story in vlog format.
I'm kinda in love.

I apologize now for getting this song stuck in your head....

He's sooooo cute! Waddle Waddle. Got any grapes. I love how angry the Lemonade Stand guy got.

Was it at least a little funny. You laughed, right?

It gets a win because it is Doctor Who. It is also a win because there is more fake David Tennants than fake Matt Smiths. (Sorry, Matt, I just love David Tennant.)

It's cute, but I'm pretty sure the Ohio grrls could make a better one.

There you have it, for your Tuesday viewing pleasure, some slightly funny and very cool videos.

Sherlock vs. Sherlock vs. Sherlock

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 19:29:00 +0000

I love Sherlock Holmes. I think I first fell in love with him when I saw the Wishbone episode: Slobbery Hound (Hounds of Baskervilles). You remember that cute little dog don't you?

*Blast from the past alert!*

Lately there has been an out break of Sherlock Holmes. And I'm not the least bit upset by it.

But, dear Watson, which Sherlock is the best?!

In this corner we have the dashing team of Cumberbatch and Freeman in BBC's Sherlock set in modern day London.

Things I love: The use of modern technology. Sherlock prefers to text over talking on the phone and Dr. Watson's journal is a blog. Having read the incredible stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I appreciate how they modernize the classic stories. Second seson they did their rendition of the Hounds of Baskervilles. Happy. We also come across familiar characters like Moriarty (played by the brilliant Andrew Scott), Irene Adler, Mycroft Holmes, and the loveable Mrs. Hudson who insists she's not a house keeper. The characters are splendidly written and cast, and you quickly fall in love with their quirks.

There have been two seasons, but with only 3 episodes at an hour and a half long, I can't seem to get enough. Thankfully they are on Netflix instant watch so I can get my fix anytime I need it.

In this corner we have the equally dashing Robert Downing Jr. and Jude Law combination in Warner Brother's Sherlock Holmes movies, set in...um not so modern day London.

Things I love: They also do a marvelous job pulling from the book. Here they highlight Sherlock's ability to be the master of disguise and being brilliant in almost everything, except being nice to people. He doesn't get along very well with Watson's wife, but I love the interaction of those two. So funny. Again we do see familiar characters from the book, but they have focused so far on Moriarty and Irene Adler. I'm ok with that. I have thoroughly enjoyed the battle of wits among the three of them. Can't wait to see what they do in the next one (which according to IMDB comes out in 2014).

And the newest contender is Miller and Liu in CBS's Elementary set in modern day New York.

Things I love: Maybe love is too strong of a word for this section....

Things I am intrigued by: (That's better) Watson is a girl?! Hmm....I'm sensing a possible romantic story line in the future. Let's see where this goes. Another interesting twist....we're in NEW YORK! Apparently there was some epic and dramatic reason Sherlock is no longer in London (this was brought up by Watson, but brushed over by Sherlock). Sherlock was just released from rehab. He will no longer do drugs and Watson was hired by Sherlock's dad to be his sobriety coach-keeper-person. Interesting.
He is still his eccentric and horrible-people-person self, but somehow not as charming as the other Sherlock greats.

Having only seen the first episode (Thursday night at 10) it is too early to give my complete assessment, but I will say this....I'm not in love.

I was in love after I watched the first BBC Sherlock. Just Sayin'

Not so much here.

To Elementary's defense it's not completely fair comparing it to the other Sherlock Holmes preceding it. They are obviously trying to take it in a new direction and I'm willing to watch a few more episodes before I decide to not like it. I'm trying VERY hard to be objective.

Very very hard.

So we'll see. I am curious to hear your thoughts. Especially if you haven't seen one or both of the other Holmes.

:)