Once Upon a Saturday (at Eli's Cheesecake factory store)

I really did have these plans, and they really did get broken for that reason:

Totally worth it, too.



Did somebody say samples?


A few minutes later, after sampling the cheesecake on the tray next to the one pictured above, I sent out this tweet:

It happened again after I got it home, too. I am shameless.



We had lots of people to buy cheesecakes for.



Trunkload o'cheescake!

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Public Service Announcement: The difference between bad & good baby gifts

Before reading any further, take a deep breath.

Please remember that I have a good sense of humor, and know that I understand the idea of the joke for stuff like this, I really do. However, you'll never convince me that it's actually funny, or cute, or charming in any way:


So many questions, starting with why would you spend money on these kinds of things? and for who? and why?!

Take it in. "My Mom is Hot"? "My Dad's a HOTTIE"? Dumb. Do. Not. Buy.

The parents of my favorite twins are, to be sure, HOTTIES... but their kids don't need bibs embroidered with those sentiments, and it's not because they're too mature or uptight. When the 3 of us are together, most of our time is spent working as many "That's what he said/That's what she said" responses into a conversation as possible.

Being a good gift-giver takes thoughtfulness, time, research, and taking personality/likes into account. I pride myself on it. Finding the perfect gift for the people in my life offers up a satisfaction I can hardly describe, but if there is a word for smugness you keep to yourself*, that would be the exact feeling I get every time.

The following is the right move to make when your friends have kids. Trust. Especially if they're adorable twins**. What we have here are the girl and boy versions of "Conserve Water! Drink Chocolate Milk." t-shirts from Target. I bought them both too-adorable-for-words jeans from Target, too. His were just plain dark denim, and hers had that girly cut with pink embroidery on the cute pockets (which you can kind of see in the last photo):


©HouseofJulesPhotography. All rights reserved.


©HouseofJulesPhotography. All rights reserved.


One parting shot of little Miss Thang, working her new outfit from Aunt Julesie:

©HouseofJulesPhotography. All rights reserved.

I didn't spent a truckload of cash, either. Both outfits (2 shirts + 2 jeans) cost less than $30 TOTAL.


*Though technically, by writing this post I'm no longer keeping it to myself!

**It's surprising how many people ask if they're identical. Identical twins are IDENTICAL, which means that if one is a boy and one is a girl, there is no scientifically possible way they could be.

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Today is a BIG day!

After 4 months of hard work on behalf of others (which I alluded to HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE), today is Stage 1 of sharing it with the surprise recipients.

By the time you read this, my friend/partner in this undertaking & I will have already made our presentation, while shedding some heartfelt tears with everyone in the room, after which we've no doubt moved on to high-fiving each other, laughing giddily from adrenaline/sleep deprivation and talking about how we can't believe we pulled it off while knocking back a couple of beverages, if you know what I'm saying. And I think you do.

I am beyond excited! More on this whole thing next week after I get back home and get some sleep.

Until then, I'll post daily about other things...but MAN OH MAN, there is a good story coming!

Somebody was Honkin' on Bobo, but it wasn't Steven Tyler

I love Aerosmith, but one of my friend LOVES Aerosmith. L-O-V-E-S, LOVES. Namely, Steven Tyler, though not in "that" way.

She emailed me on Monday with a link to an online article, quoting Joe Perry talking nonsensically to whoever would listen. He said he hadn't spoken to Steven in a minute, how that obviously means Steven has probably up & quit the band, and therefore Joe was gonna go right ahead and find a new singer for Aerosmith so they could keep right on touring.

Anyone who has seen their "Behind the Music" wouldn't doubt the last half of what he said. Joe Perry is ready to do EVERYTHING without Steven Tyler. I did have a hard time finding the truth in that first part; equating Steven's non-responsiveness to Perry as him quitting the band.

I replied to my friend with, "Steven hasn't even made any kind of official statement yet. Maybe Joe Perry could allow the man talk before holding auditions for new singer?!" Then, yesterday, she sent me a link to this short video of them on stage together at New York's Fillmore on Tuesday night. Just before performing, Tyler had something to say to everybody, with a very specific message for Joe Perry :


"I just want New York to know I'm not leaving Aerosmith and Joe Perry, you are a man of many colors, but I, motherf--ker, am a rainbow!"

He's a rainbow! Just like THESE GUYS!


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You are not forgotten

Today I wanted to thank all Veterans for your service and sacrifices, with much love and respect to each of you; but especially:

Dad
Willy Springer
Mike Pinksaw
Jim Leigh
Jim Carolyn
Dave Minto
Ron Clough

...and all the other top notch men of the 60th LCC Jungle Eaters; US Army.


Michael Kopaczewski, 1st Cavalry; US Army

James Wells, USS Theodore Roosevelt; US Navy

Roy Fenstermaker; US Navy

Tom Filz; US Army

Jeff Genner; US Army

***It is in your honor that I continue to adopt soldiers who are forging ahead in your tradition of excellence and bravery. You're all my heroes.****

If anyone is interested in adopting a soldier, you can find a number of websites through a simple internet search. The below hotlink is the one I have used to adopt no less than 30 soldiers over the past 4 years, and the one I still use today. The process is extremely straight-forward. The soldiers really just ask for basic things that we take for granted every day; like socks, soap, razors, deodorant, sunscreen...and pretty much anything at all you'd like to send them. It's a great thing for school teachers or scout leaders to involve kids in, as well.

I've found that what the soldiers crave and appreciate the most is a reminder that they haven't been forgotten; and the kindness of a stranger will work wonders for every one of them. What will end up surprising you the most is how much it does for YOU...

Click here: Operation AC: Adopt-A-Soldier


Thanks Dad!


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Worth 1000 Words

Or a gajillion dollars, not sure which.




As a child addict of Smokey & The Bandit and Cannonball Run movies, the awesomeness of this image is pretty much the only thing getting me through the past 2 weeks.


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AWOOGA!

My friends & I all watch Keeping up with the Kardashians. At first it was kind of as a joke, but there is just something about that entire family that turned us all into addicts. Bruce Jenner and the way he gets continually disrespected for one... but let's not go down that road, because I really like Bruce Jenner. Turns out I also kinda like everyone else in that crazy family; while simultaneously wanting to tell them all to shut the hell up.

Of the 3 sisters, Khloe has always been my favorite. She's seemingly the most down-to-earth one of the entire bunch (with the exception of brother Rob, but he's a dude and is hardly ever on the show) and says exactly what she's thinking exactly when she thinks it. There was an entire show based around how she was convinced she was adopted, stemming from how different from the rest of the family she's always been. I think she could totally hang out with my friends & I, while Kim, Kourtney and their mom Kris go spend money at Versace, is all I'm sayin'.

Last night was the big 2-hour Khloe & Lamar Odom engagement/wedding episode. Lamar, if you don't already know, is an L.A. Laker.

I usually don't really care about people's engagement/wedding rings. I mean, I will compliment you on yours and will genuinely be happy for you; but I'm not moved by the size of the rock on your finger. I know too many women who wear pretty rings but have ugly marriages. That's real talk right there.

So, when Lamar proposed to her and the camera focused on the ringbox, I actually had an unexpected eye-popping moment:


I have never had that reaction to a ring. Other things*? Yes. Jewelry? No.


Judge all you want about the fact that they got married only one month after they met... the man can sure pick out an engagement ring:


AWOOGA!

I don't know if the marriage will last, but diamonds? Diamonds are forever! Or so they say.


*Ask me about my 25th birthday sometime. Unless you're my parents. Then, don't.

photo source

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Weekend Girl Talk, Part 6: Hot like Fi-yah edition

Last week, my friend D. & I were on the phone when somebody rang her doorbell. She asked if she could call me right back, but I was heading out and told her we'd just finish our chatting sometime this weekend. Cut to earlier this afternoon when the phone rang and her name flashing on my caller I.D.

The only other things you should know before reading any further is that for the purpose of this post, I'm referring to her husband by his first initial, which is P.; that they once had a kitchen fire so bad the local firefighters showed up; and that they live in a really small town*.

D.: "Hi! Sorry about our conversation getting cut off so quickly last time, but there was a fireman at my door, and there wasn't even a fire!"

Me: "There was one AT YOUR DOOR for no good reason? I wish they came straight to my door! I need to move to a small town."

D.: "He was about 90 years old."

Me: "Interesting. I've never thought of firemen's hotness having an expiration date. Maybe that's because I've never seen one out of my target demographic, if you know what I'm sayin'. What was he doing there, anyway?"

D.: "Selling tickets!"

Me: "To what, his antique GUN SHOW?"

D.: "HA! No, it was for their fundraiser. I ended up just giving him $10, but after he left P. came downstairs & he said, 'Ten dollars isn't enough! Remember, we had a house fire once!' But, I was just trying to think fast, so I grabbed a $10 bill."

Me: "Well, maybe that'll teach them to start sending the young, smokin' hot ones out for fundraising. I'm surprised that isn't just a given. In fact, if they sent the hot ones out wearing tearaway pants & carrying a boom box with "Leave Your Hat On" cued up they'd get more money than they could handle. Of course, it would be all dollar bills."

D.: "Yeah! If they did that, I would've yelled up to P. that he needed to stay upstairs no matter what he heard going on down here."

Me: "P. would later wonder where all the money in the savings account had gone, and you could forever sleep soundly knowing it had all been for a good cause."

D., {sighing}: "I need to bring this idea up at the next town meeting."

Me: "You're welcome."

*It's so small that once, when D. had surgery, I called the local florist in her town to get flowers delivered. When the florist answered, I mentioned that my friend D... (used her entire first name-- but FIRST name only) was healing at home after surgery & I wanted to get her a cheerful arrangement, then answered the other questions the florist had, and went on to give my payment information. As we were getting ready to hang up, I realized something important had been left out of the information exchange and said, "Wait, don't you need her last name and address?". The florist said, "Oh, don't worry. I know D. and I know where they live!"


Want more Weekend Girl Talk? Click HERE!


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Oh, it's "magical" alright!

A few weeks ago, I was in the checkout line and saw this hanging to my right, in the section that should be marked, "Things you'll buy at the last minute in a misguided attempt to fill the void in your soul", but is actually marked "Gum".

For the record, I did NOT spend my hard-earned cash on this, I simply took a quick picture because I got such a kick out of it.

Ladies & Gents! May I present...

SQUIRMLES®, The Magical Pet



I was laughing when I took the picture, so it's a bit blurry. I'll go ahead and list a few of the "magical" things SQUIRMLES® can do!

1. Jump
2. Twist
3. Crawl... Magically in your hands!




It's so very magical that "You bring it to life!"

This is one of those things from the 70's that somebody decided to re-package and bring back in an attempt to rob our generation's children of their allowance by selling them what is really just a bloated pipe cleaner with googly-eyes attached to it.

MAGICAL!

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Happy birthday from moi to vous!

Today is (was!) my sister's birthday.


You know you're the bomb, even though you're way too happy in the morning (but good for you! Seriously... GOOD FOR YOU!!!!! Just keep that joy away from me before 10a.m.!) I'm so glad you're my sista! Happy birthday, FOOL!

I promise your birthday post next year will be more in depth, but for now, here's a fantastic video featuring your fave muppet, Miss Piggy!




With love from your sister, Fozzie Bear

Wocka! Wocka! Wocka!


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