That’s what CSP calls me. Let an infomercial run on tv and I’m reaching for the phone. I’ve never actually ordered anything off the tv but I’ve been verrrrry tempted on many occasions. Not only do I fall in love with the products, but the infomercials themselves. LOVE all the crazy people in the ads who can’t manage to boil pasta or crack an egg without seriously maiming themselves. Sometimes I’ll get lucky and find these As Seen on TV displays in Target or CVS. I found the ShamWow at Target and was so excited to pick that up. My latest gadget obsession is a reacher grabber thingie. 
I’m short (in comparison to CSP). He’s 6 feet 5 and I’m 5 feet 7. He forgets this and likes to put things up so high you could get a nosebleed getting them back down. He seems to think that our short little step stool is all I need but it’s so not. I’ve dreamt of a reacher grabber thingie for years. CSP thinks I’m just caught up in all the glamour of the infomercial. But I’m not in a trance, I swear!
Month: March 2010
Nothing but a number?
I don’t feel my age. Although really, if you think about it, what should 36 really feel like? I’ve been thinking of the whole age thing since I saw Up in the Air. Afterward I looked up the movie on IMDB. That’s when I learned of Vera Farmiga‘s age. 
I think Vera is absolutely beautiful, but I was surprised to learn that I am 3 days older than her. I was also surprised when I learned Chelsea Handler‘s age. I’m 2 years older than her! She’s only 34. 
I think Chelsea is beautiful too, just not really 34 years old looking. The last time I was at my hair salon another customer asked how old I was and was surprised when I told her I’m 36. When my mom was 36 she was a mother of 3, two of us were already teenagers. My mom’s always looked young for her age, but I still feel like she was so much more grown up at 36 than I am. I mean, I’m responsible and all that. We own a home, we pay our bills, I had a job from the time I was 15 til just a couple years ago. But I just don’t feel like I thought 36 would feel.
I also don’t feel like I look how I thought 36 would look. I think my friends and I all turned out pretty young looking, and that includes bloggy & twitter friends. I’m not going to post all y’all’s pictures here, you know what you look like. And you look good! So here we are, a whole generation of young looking and young feeling people. Not just girls either, CSP still looks like a young stallion. I’d post a pic of him but he always looks drugged and tired in pictures so it wouldn’t really help my point here.
Also, I don’t have old interests. I’m not a huge fan of sitting around debating politics (although I will). I’m still into glitter and cute stuff and being a girl. Here’s a real life example of how I’m basically just a giant girl child…I received a text from my aunt regarding Easter dinner plans: “I’ll have unsweet tea with Splenda and I found you some cool straws.” I wonder if becoming a mother will make me feel my age, or if I’ll still be the same me, just with a mini me running around? (I’m hoping for the latter!)
Over it!
So I’ve shared a bunch of things with you that I J’adore, and now I’m going to share with you some things that I am just OVER.
- High Heels.
I have a few that I’ve kept in my closet for wedding emergencies and what not but I’m just done. I’ve finally gotten to the point/age that I just can’t put fashion over comfort. Luckily Crocs makes some really cute styles that I can even wear at weddings! Woot! - Jennifer Aniston
as THE VICTIM and Angelina Jolie as THE VILLAINa. America, here’s the deal. It’s been like 5+ years and a baker’s dozen worth of kids since Brad & Jen broke up. I know you all feel sorry for Jen that her marriage failed. I do too. It sucks. Since then Angelina hasn’t been running around trying to break up marriages. She’s still with Brad. 
I’m not a part of their relationship but it really does seem like they genuinely love each other and the life they have made together. Plus, they are parents to adopted kids so that earns them bonus points in my book. And guess what? Jen is JUST FINE. She is wealthy beyond words, has good friends, constantly appears in movies, and has since dated a bunch of very handsome men. She’s fine. She’s currently canoodling with Gerard Butler people. YUM. I don’t feel sorry for her one bit. I would, however, like for her to change up her hair. She’s had the same hair forever! - American Idol.
I knew I’d quit watching it after this season since Simon is leaving, but this season has just been boring to me. Even with Ellen (who I LOVE) it’s just lost it’s oomph. So, I’m done. - Keeping Same Sex Couples From Adopting.
America…sigh. Really? I can’t believe it is 2010 and I have to talk to you about this. Here’s the thing America. There are SO many children in foster care who need parents. For some reason the overall idea that the American people have in their heads is that adoption is for either the rich or infertile. SO not true. Even if your ovaries are a burstin’ you can still adopt. It’s true! It’s not a myth! But I digress, it seems America also seems to think that adoption and foster care is also only for heterosexual people. Why? Let me tell you something America. You have no right, NO RIGHT, to tell people, qualified, loving people, that they can’t be parents to the parentless unless you are prepared and willing to parent those children yourself. There was a same sex couple in our adoption classes and they are going to make amazing parents! They are loving, generous people who are so excited about being parents. The fact that they are a same sex couple has no bearing on their parenting skills whatsoever. It blows my mind that the Washington DC Catholic church would rather put an end to their social services program (including adoption) than let same sex couples adopt. Insane. Isn’t a loving home with 2 moms or dads better than no loving home?
Puke fest 2010
Forgot to tell you, so when CSP & I went out for our anniversary at the beginning of this month everything was great right? That is, until about 4am the next morning. I started throwing up and it did NOT stop for what felt like years. I ended up being sick for a good week. Fever, chills, lots and lots of puking. It caused us to miss our last adoption class. I was so upset! Luckily we’ll be able to make it all up. It’s gonna take a while to get it scheduled, but we won’t have to start over or anything. Yay! Also luckily I had exchanged contact info with our favorite people in our class so we can keep in touch. Yay!
Lotsa loves
I’d like to share more of my loves with you. Ready? Ok.
- Lauren Graham. LOVE her. I think she’s beautiful, just beautiful. And fun. I wanna have game night with her.
Love her in her new show Parenthood. Great cast all around in that show. - Zoe’s little back feet. They rank right up there as 2 of my most favorite things in the world. They are tiny and soft and squishy and she lets me squish them and rub them and hold them while she sleeps.
- Movies. Love, love, love going to the movies. Love the pre-movie ritual of loading up on candy at the Dollar Store then stuffing all of it in my purse to sneak in. I love the previews. I love staying through the credits at the end. My favorite place to sit is in the row with those rails so we can put our feet up. I can’t wait to dress up in our pajamas and take our kidlets to the movies. We are very lucky that the movie theatre near us only costs $5 each if you go anytime Monday- Thursday. My family is made up of lots of movie lovers so there’s always someone to go a matinee with. Surprisingly though CSP is not a huge going to the movie fan. He would rather watch dvds at home, which is also fun. Snuggling with the pugs on the sofa. After I watch each movie I always go to IMDB and read all the trivia about it.
- Starbucks Dark Cherry Mocha.
Oh Em Gee. If I could buy this by the gallon I would. It’s like a chocolate covered cherry, but not too sweet. I can’t wait to try it in the frappe form. Because of this drink I am now the mayor 
(love getting a crown!) of my local Starbucks on Foursquare. Now, the photo of the Dark Cherry Mocha on the Starbucks site is shown in a glass mug. That makes me gag. I can not stand hot drinks in see through glass containers. Vomit. I have no idea why but it creeps me out sooo much. - Free Samples. I’m a sucker. I get at least one a week in the mail. I get an email each day that takes me to links for free samples. CSP can’t stand it because it means our names are on lists all over the junk mail world but I just love a free sample. I love anything mini. Just found out I also love Burt’s Bees new toothpaste because of the free sample!
By the way, CSP is convinced the company is called Burt’s Beeswax. - Fruity Margaritas.
- This picture.
Brings me joy and makes me laugh every time I see it.
Peach and mango are my faves. They are my downfall. Because of my insulin resistance I’m on meds that mean I’m not supposed to drink any large amounts of alcohol AND I process alcohol faster than most people. Plus I tend to suck those suckers down with a quickness. Translation: I’m a cheap drunk. One giant ‘rita like this and I’m a squinty, giggly fool.
Wishin’, and hopin’, and prayin’, and dreamin’
I have a wish list at Amazon. I’m sure I’m the only person who has ever laid eyes on it, but it’s fun to have. It actually helps me save money. If I ever obsess over a cute thingy I just “shop” for it and add it to my list. Right now I’m all about flat opera wallets. Like this adorable wallet from Fluff. 
COME ON!!! How cute is this?!? I found it on eBay for a good bit less than it’s listed on Fluff’s site. So I did go ahead and treat myself to this since I needed a wallet. I would love one to go in my Fall/Winter purse. This one is on my wish list: 
Now I’m not normally into pug themed items, but when said item is as cute as this I just can’t help myself! I’ve apparently rubbed off on CSP because he’s obsessing a wee bit as well. Ever since Christmas he’s been going on and on about Le Creuset Dutch Ovens. His parents received one as a present and it is amazing. Plus they come in fabulous colors like this one: 
Love it!
He’s like a 6 foot tall baby, learning about the world
Christina asked in the last posts’ comments “How can they not know about The List?” Girl, you would not believe all the things Papa doesn’t know about. Or at least, things he didn’t know about until his life with us. He will be 60 years old next month and he’s only learned about these things in the last decade.
- Sharpies.
Up until a few years ago Papa didn’t know what people were talking about when they mentioned a Sharpie. He knew what markers were, had heard the word “Sharpie”, had seen people use them, but never actually knew that a Sharpie is a marker. - Tuna in a can.
In the early 00s we had a huge ice storm that knocked out power to most everyone in the Charlotte area for weeks. CSP & I were living in our first house which had a wood burning fireplace. Papa, Gigi & Momo came over to keep warm. I was figuring out dinner (no small task when you have no power or restaurants) and I decided on tuna fish sandwiches. Papa: Where are you keeping it? What’s in that can? The man didn’t realize that tuna for sandwiches came from a can. He had never made tuna salad before. He had seen it at restaurants and delis, but he actually thought they made the tuna salad from leftover tuna from the fresh slab of fish. He was wondering where we had been keeping an actual tuna. - Dollar Tree.
This is the most recent discovery. Until just a couple weeks ago Papa had never stepped foot inside a dollar store. Gigi needed to pick up a couple things while her & Papa were out so they stopped in. Papa could. Not. Believe. It. He RAN up and down the aisles: OH MY GOSH! THEY HAVE CLOOOOTHES! FOR A DOLLAR! CLEANING SUPPLIES! A DOLLAR! Baby, I love this place! I wish they’d build one next door to our house!
The List
Do you have a list? A list of people (usually famous) that you and your spouse/life partner have agreed could have relations with your spouse/life partner and you would let it slide. I had a dream, you know the kind, about Antonio Ballatore. I woke up feeling appropriately ashamed. If you don’t know Antonio, 
he’s the most recent winner of HGTV’s Design Star show and now he has his own show, The Antonio Treatment. Some of you may be surprised that I have a crush on him as you may not think he’s my type. But I don’t really have a type. I find many different types of men attractive.
Anyway, CSP & I had never had the “List” conversation, until last night.
Hey Honey, are there any celebs you’d want to put on your freebie list?
Jeesh, what are you reading now? Did some magazine tell you to ask me this?
No, just tell me. If you could have a freebie little love romp with some celebrity, who would it be?
What? Gross! Nobody!
So if Salma Hayek came to the door right now and wanted to get it on with you, and I’d let it slide, you wouldn’t go for it?
No way!
What about Supernanny? You like her.
Not like that!
Well who do you like like that?
Nobody! Stop talking!
I talked to Gigi about it today and she said that Papa had never heard of the List either and was equally as horrified.
So, do you have a list?
Please delete these phrases from your vocabulary
We’ve talked about those grammatically incorrect words & phrases that annoy us (Could care less, etc.). These are grammatically correct phrases that annoy me:
- Gave up for adoption. Let me tell you something right now, any child that has been PLACED FOR ADOPTION has NEVER been given up on. It takes an incredible amount of courage and selflessness to make an adoption plan for your child. Adoptive parents may not know everything about their children’s birth parents but one thing they do know is that terminating parental rights (in most cases) is no easy decision. Allowing your child to be adopted is one of the most loving things you can do. Just think about it, you’re hoping and praying and trusting that your child will now have a better life than the one you could give him. That is NOT giving up on your child.
- Your Own. As in “child of your own”. As in “Oh, since you’re adopting does that mean you can’t have kids of your own?” Implying that our children will be something less than legitimate or not wholly loved because they are adopted. They aren’t rentals, people! They are as much our own as any child we could have given birth to. Please erase that phrase from your vocabulary.
- Seed. Like Duke is the third seed in the basketball tournament. ( I don’t know what their real position is, just using them as an example). The word “seed” makes no sense to me here. Seat would make more sense. Like how violinists are first chair and whatnot. The seed thing always drives me nuts this time of year.
- Sleeping together. Or “I slept with him”, etc. WE ALL KNOW there was no sleeping involved so call a spade a spade! That’s like me saying I went out racing every time I get in the car to run errands. I may never get my car over 45 miles an hour in town but I’m telling people I went racing? Say what you mean!!! I bet you weren’t even tired!
What phrases/sayings get on your nerves?
Shutterbug Winner
I’m sorry I’m late with the drawing of the Shutterbug giveaway, but I got sick over the weekend. Anyway, it’s time to draw the winner’s name! 
I wrote down all the names and Joey helped by mixing up all the entries.
Then Jacob closed his eyes and chose the winner! 
Congratulations SANDY! Thanks for entering my latest giveaway! Sandy, you have won: an 18 x 24 Poster Print on high gloss or semi gloss paper stock. Your poster will be completed in 1 business day from order and you’ll receive free UPS Ground Shipping. Sandy, I’ll email you the details.
If you didn’t win, no worries! Try again next month! Thanks OnlinePosterPrinting.com!
Bless Your Heart 