Banded Headbands

I've been meaning to write a post about the company Banded for a few weeks now, but haven't gotten around to it. So, I thought I would tackle that task today as there's not much exciting going on around these parts. 

Back in December, I went to buy some scrub bottoms to wear to and from my knee surgery. I figured they would be the easiest thing to pull on and off considering I didn't know how bendable my knee would or wouldn't be. I went by the Parkway Scrubs store at the corner of Governor's and the Parkway and found a couple of pairs for a really good price and when I went to check out, I noticed a display of headbands which caught my eye. I ended up buying a couple of headbands as well and have worn them over and over again when working out, or when I just want to pull my hair back or have a different style. They are super comfortable - the most comfortable of any headband I have ever worn. 

When I was post-Fourth of July shopping, I thought about my headbands and wondered if the company had any patriotic styled headbands and so I went shopping on their web site. Not only do they have headbands (and lots of different kinds), but they also have hair ties. So, I ended up buying two sets of hair ties and an American flag headband. 

My package arrived in the mail a few days later and it was only then that I realized that proceeds from Banded go towards feeding hungry children in Uganda. One headband or set of hair ties provides three meals. So, my purchase of one headband and two sets of hair ties provided nine meals for the children of Uganda. So, when I saw that, I felt even better about the purchase I made. 

If you are like me then you probably want or need new hair ties from time to time or maybe even a headband; so, I encourage you to remember Banded when you make a hair accessory purchase. You can also sign up for their email list which at the time I signed up offered a 15% discount on your first order. These are great not only for you, but also would make great gifts and it's all for a worthy cause. 

They Paid With Lovin'

I'm sure some or all of you saw the McDonald's commercials that aired during the Super Bowl. I actually didn't watch much of the Super Bowl, but I did happen to see the McDonald's commercial where people paid for their food with "lovin'" rather than money and since it had already been an emotional day for me, I, of course, cried when I saw the commercial. Then, I got on Twitter and my cousin Lauren commented about how cheesy the commercial was and that made me laugh since I had just cried over it.

In case you didn't see it, basically, from that day until Valentine's Day, McDonald's is randomly selecting people to pay with lovin' rather than cash. They just have to do something like give the person they are with a hug or take a photo with someone or dance, etc. You get the picture. If they do it, then the meal is free - they paid with lovin',

Anyway, Monday I was perusing Twitter and I saw where someone I follow had posted a tweet about an elderly couple in Decatur who paid for their food with lovin'. The man had to give his wife a big ole kiss and someone took a picture of it and posted it to Twitter and I'm sure multiple other places. I thought to myself how cool it was that someone so close to Huntsville got chosen to pay with lovin'. Then, on my way home, I passed the McDonald's on South Parkway, as I do everyday, and I thought, "I wonder if anyone has paid with lovin' there today?"

Well, as luck would have it, not only did someone pay with lovin' at that McDonald's, but one of those someones was my friend Meri and her family. Meri and her husband Miko took their four kids and one nephew to the South Parkway McDonalds. They ordered four Happy Meals, two salads, and a number six (not sure what a number six is).Their total came to $35.99. At some point while they were ordering or right after they ordered, a manager came over and said something to the cashier and then the cashier asked them, "Will you be paying with lovin' today?" This obviously took the family off guard and Meri said, "Excuse me?" and the cashier asked again to which Meri replied, "YES!"

Their lovin' payment was that they had to take a photo with the cashier, Karen.

Meri asked how many people had been chosen that day and as it turns out, my friends were the 28th people to pay with lovin' that day and that was just at the South Parkway McDonald's. Meri also confirmed that the people chosen are random but we are still unsure of how they decide what the lovin' payment will be.

I was super excited for Meri and her family. I think it is so cool that they were chosen. I would love to know how many people in Huntsville and all across the US paid with lovin' by the time this campaign is over. I'll tell you one thing, I haven't eaten at a McDonald's since 2011 and even I am tempted to go to see if I get chosen to pay with lovin'. Great idea, McDonald's! What a fantastic way to spread a little joy and a little joy goes a long way!

Favorite Things Brunch 2014

The past couple of years, some of my oldest and dearest friends and I have had a "Favorite Things" Christmas party. This year, instead of having a party on a weeknight, we had a brunch. Our friend Kendra recently moved to Nashville for a new job and so we decided to do brunch this year so that she could continue to join in the festivities. The brunch was this past Saturday and we started around 10:00 a.m.

Totally random side note - The Rocket City Marathon was earlier that morning and the new course is about three blocks from my house. I had every intention of going out and cheering on the runners, but because I've been battling this sinus/cold/lung disease lately I decided to stay inside my warm house instead.

Each of the girls brought a dish for our brunch. Erika made delicious cinnamon rolls, Candy brought grape salad and Kendra made a hashbrown casserole. I made a sausage egg and cheese casserole and some hot cider. We enjoyed our meal and spent most of the morning catching up. Erika and I hadn't seen Kendra since she moved and were anxious to hear all about how things were going for her. She and Candy are sisters and undoubtedly talk more often.

Later on during our visit, we got to the "favorite things" part of the brunch. You may have read about our party before, but if not, we each buy something that we love (our favorite) that costs $5 or less and give it to the other girls in our group. Erika gave us all monogrammed key chains. Mine was crimson and white (naturally) and Candy and Kendra's had the colors of that other team. Kendra gave us all her favorite hand soap from Bath and Body Works (Raspberry Meringue) and some Lindt Chocolate and Peanut Butter Truffles. Candy gave us all $5 gift cards to Chicken Salad Chick and I gave the girls a set of coasters shaped like the state of Alabama which are made out of carpet remnants. Erika's were Alabama colors and Candy and Kendra got orange and blue ones. All of the gifts went over well and we were all pleased with each other;s selections. We have done much better in recent years than we did the first year when the majority of the gifts were some form of lip balm.

The girls packed up their goods and headed separate directions around 1:00 p.m. We had a good three hours of visiting together and enjoying time with each other. This is one of my favorite parties of the year and I'm thankful to some of my favorite people for making it so much fun each Christmas season!

Downton Abbey Screening

I feel like I'm way behind on posting because last week was completely insane for me; but once again I say better late than never.

So, last Tuesday, I met up with some of my favorite gal pals at the US Space and Rocket Center for an early screening of the first episode of season five of Downton Abbey. Yes, that's right, old world met new world right here in Huntsville. You may be wondering why the Space and Rocket Center was hosting such an event. Well, as a Smithsonian museum, the Space and Rocket Center feels a duty to share historical information and films, etc. and decided to preview this episode in conjunction with Alabama Public Television.

I found out about the event through a co-worker who knew of my love of dressing up as the Dowager Countess. She had heard about it on the radio and sent me the information. Not only was it a screening, ,but period attire was encouraged and so I knew I would once again bring out my costume. May as well get some wear out of it more than just at Halloween. Leah was kind enough to go by and pick up tickets for our group. The screening was free, but tickets were required and the event was "sold out".

We decided to go to the 6:00 p.m. screening and so I took my costume to work and changed before I left. As you can probably imagine, I got a few interesting looks as I walked out the door looking like I just stepped out of the early 20th century. We met up about 30 minuted before the screening so we could get good seats. There were eight people in our group and three of us dressed up - me, Candy and Leah. In all, I would say about 1/3 of the people in attendance dressed up, including quite a few gentlemen who donned tuxedos and looked quite dapper.

The episode was so wonderful and I was sad when it ended. I'm so looking forward to the new season. After the viewing, tea and scones were served but we skipped out because Erika had prepared luncheon for us at her house. Me, Candy, Leah and Amber went over to Erika's and enjoyed chicken salad, strawberry pretzel salad, cheese and crackers, and fruit. We enjoyed visiting with each other but didn't linger long as the night was already getting late.

It was such a fun evening and I think we are all grateful to the US Space and Rocket Center and Alabama Public Television for hosting this event. I look forward to attending more events like this in the future and I think my friends would agree.

My Tervis Tumbler

I have to share with y'all a story of great customer service. It has to do with y very first and favorite Tervis Tumbler. Tervis is a brand of double walled tumblers that I'm sure you've seen in stores and in the hands of your friends and family members. They keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold and they are just generally all around great. They also come with a lifetime warranty. If your Tervis stops working, gets a crack, etc. they will replace it free of charge. 

I purchased my first Tervis at the 93rd PGA Championship in Atlanta back in 2011. It was the only souvenir I purchased from the tournament and I have used that Tervis more times than I can count. A few months ago, I noticed that there was water between the two walls of my tumbler. I  was so sad about ti because it is my favorite Tervis and has great memories for me and I didn't want to have to throw it out. I knew about the lifetime warranty, but didn't want a replacement, I wanted a new tumbler with the PGA Championship logo in it. 

Finally, last month, I contacted Tervis to see if they could take the emblem out of my Tervis and put it in a new one and what do you know, they could! I filled out a return form, mailed it to them in a bubble envelope and about three weeks later, my new and improved Tervis arrived in the mail. They were able to take out the emblem and put it in a new tumbler and I didn't have to pay one penny. 

I'm so glad to have my favorite Tervis back in action looking as good as new. If you have ever thought about purchasing a Tervis but were concerned about paying a high price for the tumbler, do it. The customer service alone if worth the price. I have been and will continue to be a repeat customer. 

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things - April 2013

I haven't done a favorite things post in a while; so, I thought I would end the week with a quick post of a few of the things that I currently love.

Frontier Soup Mix - Florida Sunshine Red Pepper Corn Chowder 
Jackie introduced me to this soup mix a while back. In fact, I mentioned it in a post because she brought it to me at church, I put it in my purse, then went grocery shopping, left it in my purse and hoped the store wouldn't accuse me of stealing. Jackie found the soup at The Fresh Market where it retails for $6.99. She was introduced to it at her mom's house as someone from church had made up a batch for Tim and Jan and she fell in love with it and then bought some for me. 

Jackie had mentioned to me that it was hard to find the soup at The Fresh Market because it is often sold out. So, a quick search on the Google lead me to the Frontier Soup web site where you can order the Florida Sunshine Red Pepper Corn Chowder as well as a plethora of other soup mixes. I placed an order for four of the Corn Chowders and one French Onion. I have not yet tried the French Onion, but am guessing it will be quite delicious. The Frontier site also sells dip mixes and cornbread mixes and offers gift baskets and discounts when you buy certain quantities. Check out their site and better yet, try one of their soups. You will not be disappointed. 

Cadbury Caramel Eggs
I love the Cadbury Caramel Eggs and am very sad these are only available one time a year. The Monday after Easter I stopped by Wal-Mart before going in to work and found only one box, containing five eggs, left on the shelves. I purchased it and sadly found no more. All the stores were sold out; so, clearly, I am not the only one who loves these. I do not care for the Creme Eggs, just the Caramel. Next year I will have to buy some before they are all sold out. I was hoping that box of five would last me a week, but it only lasted two days - what can I say? 

My cousin Brittany called the other day to tell me that Wal-Mart is now selling Cadbury Caramel ice cream bars so I stopped by to get some and see how they were. They are indeed rather tasty, but not as good as the plan 'ol eggs. Perhaps the ice cream bars will tie me over until the eggs are available again next year.  

The Home T 
I actually saw this on another blog that I read and she listed it as one of her current favorites. I thought the shirt was really cool and decided to order one. I received it a few days after placing my order and I love it. It is super soft and comfy and has a cute design. Part of the proceeds from the sales of these t-shirts go towards MS research which is another bonus because as you probably know, this is the disease that my mother has and a cure needs to be found. 

EOS Lip Balm
This is another product that Jackie introduced me to, even though she probably doesn't even realize it. She used to, and probably still does, keep an EOS lip balm in her car. I became fascinated with it and one day a few months ago I saw it in the check out line at Wal-Mart and bought one. I love, love, love it! It keeps your lips well moisturized so you don't have to apply as often; plus, it's a super cool design and people always comment on it. There are lots of different flavors. So far my favorite is Sweet Mint, but I recently ordered a Lemon Drop and I'm anxious to try it out. 

Our Lips Will Be Well Moisturized in 2013

had about 10 different titles for this post but decided on the one I did for reasons you will soon read. Tuesday night made two nights in a row of Christmas partying for me as I had some girls over for a favorite things party. This is the same group of gals that used to gather once a week to watch American Idol and are thus called, "The Idol Girls". Of course, once Simon Cowell hit the road so did we, and we no longer get together to watch Idol. Instead we just get together whenever we can. In this case, it has been since August 2 since we have all gotten together - so it has been a while to say the least and I was really looking forward to getting the gang together, catching up and having  some good laughs.

Back in August when we were together I asked everyone if they wanted to do a favorite things party for Christmas and we agreed. A favorite things party works like this, a person decides on an item or items that is one of their favorites and then purchases the item for each person in attendance. We set the limit at $5 per person and since there are eight of us (meaning we would buy seven gifts), we would be spending no more than $35. You can go lower than $5 if you want and you can even buy a pack of something and open the pack and distribute one of each to the attendees - whatever floats your boat. I'm not sure how other favorite things parties work, but this is how ours worked. After all, none of us are Oprah and we aren't going to be purchasing new cars, iPads or Ralph Lauren sweaters for each other - just sayin'.

I was really excited about this party and had been looking forward to it for weeks. On Monday, Candy sent me a text saying she would not be able to come. The father of a man at church had passed away this past Friday and her husband would be speaking at the memorial service. All of her normal babysitters were also going to the memorial service and so she had no where to send her four children. So, she wasn't going to be able to make it. On Tuesday morning, I got to work and had an email waiting on me from Jackie; due to something unexpected, she wasn't going to make it. She has a key to my house so she dropped off her very delicious caramel chocolate brownies and her gifts for everyone. Tuesday afternoon as I was leaving work, Amy sent me a text and said she was not going to make it. Her parents' were supposed to babysit for her, but they bailed on her in favor of something else and she had no back up babysitter. So, she came by around 5:00 and dropped off her food and gifts. So, that was three down for the count, five (including myself) expected to show.

The party was slated for a 6:00 p.m. start and a couple of minutes before 6:00 Kendra arrived and then a few minutes after 6:00, Erika arrived. Around 6:15 I sent a text to Lisa asking where she was and then around 6:20 sent the same text to Sara. Kendra, Erika and I went ahead and started eating and soon after Sara responded saying she had emailed me last week saying she wasn't going to make it. I never got the email, which isn't very surprising as sometimes emails will go to junk or quarantine and I don't happen to notice. I checked my texts from Lisa again and as it turns out, she had sent a text earlier in the day saying she was going to the memorial service and would be late. So, Kendra, Erika and I stuffed our faces and caught up on some episodes of the Pioneer Woman episodes - in other words, it was like a Friday night only with a smorgasbord of food. Lisa got out of the funeral around 7:00 and was at the party by 7:15 and fixed herself a plate and caught us up on how the memorial service was. It was kind of comical because Erika, Kendra and I see each other on a regular basis and didn't have much to catch up on so there wasn't much talking taking place.

After Lisa finished with her dinner, it was time for our favorite things gift exchange - the moment we had all been anxiously anticipating. Since the favorite things had been my idea and since we had never done it before, I went first so that everyone would kind of follow suit. I wanted each person to tell about their item(s) and why they decided on that item(s) and why it was one of their favorite things. My items were a recyclable grocery bag from Publix because I wanted everyone to have a bag to take their loot home in and also because I use recyclable grocery bags (I hate having hundreds of plastic bags around) and love them and I love Publix! Inside each bag was the main gift which was a flour sack kitchen towel. I chose the kitchen towels because they are the most durable and best kitchen towels I have ever used. They are great for drying dishes, hands, etc. and when they get stained and have holes in them, they make great clothes for dusting your furniture. Seriously, best towels ever, I will never use anything but these.

After I passed out my gifts I passed out Jackie's which was peppermint Chapstick which was chosen because her lips are always dry in the winter and a packet of Kleenex because you can never have too many; plus, the packaging was cute. I then passed out Amy's gifts which were coupons for various items of free food from Chick-fil-A. When we opened the coupons, we noticed they were expired, but after texting Amy, she said that Chick-fil-A will accept an expired coupon. I've never tried, so I don't know for sure, but time will tell.

Next up was Lisa who gave us a Carmex lip balm - the new non-medicated ones - and a package of chewy sweet tarts, both of which she loves. then it was Kendra's turn and she gave us a package of Pepperidge Farm Gingerbread mini cookies which she loves and are only available at Christmas time and a tube of soft lips. At this point, we were laughing so hard about the overwhelming number of lip products. Last but not least was Erika who gave us each a tube of organic homemade lip balm which she purchased from everyone's favorite craft site, Etsy. She had purchased a tube earlier in the year and really liked it so she got one for each of us. So, apparently a lot of my friends really love lip balm, which is an item that never even crossed my mind when I was planning what gift to give as my favorite thing. I think it goes without saying that we are all set on lip balm for the next few months.

We laughed and laughed about the lip balm selections - and no two were alike. We decided that next year we should make a list of categories and draw and then the person will purchase a favorite thing from the category so that maybe we won't end up with four lip balms. We chatted for a little while longer, divided up the leftovers, and then Lisa told us about a Jimmy Fallon spoof on Downton Abbey called Downton Sixbey and we looked it up on You Tube and proceeded to spend the next 20 minutes laughing at that. The girls left after our Downton Sixby viewing and I soon went to bed. Even though the night didn't turn out exactly as I had planned, it was still a lot of fun. I am really blessed to have so many great friends!

The Holiday Season Is Upon Us

Greetings friends and fellow readers. Sorry for not posting anything Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. It's been a rather uneventful few days since Thanksgiving and I doubt you wanted to read yet again about my weekend of cleaning house and doing laundry and watching football. So, I just didn't post anything. I really don't have much to write about at the moment either but will go ahead and ramble on for a while so as not to keep the adoring public waiting... or something like that.

I managed to get the inside Christmas decorations put out and also pulled out and decorated the tree, which just so happened to smell a little of gasoline thanks to the fact that it is stored in the same shed as my lawn mower. I keep waiting for it to go up in flames each time I plug it in. Hopefully that will not happen. It actually no longer smells of gasoline - or maybe I'm just used to it. It could have been the Christmas tree bag that had the smell, who knows? At any rate, when I was pulling it out and putting it up, there was a hint of gasoline in the air and I just hope my house doesn't catch on fire because that would certainly not make for a Merry Christmas.

I have not yet put the outside lights up. I plan to do that on Saturday. This past Saturday when I put the tree up, etc., I had a lot of other things going on and just did not have time to deal with the outside lights. I've had time to do it in the evenings, but I'm scared of going out to the shed in the dark - yes, I did just say that. Y'all there are spiders and all kinds of other creepy crawly things out there so the outside lights will have to wait until Saturday when I can pull the storage bin out of the shed in broad daylight.

As far as Christmas shopping is concerned, I am basically done. I just have one more gift card to pick up and then it will officially be a wrap - ha, get it! I started wrapping presents last weekend and hope to finish up in the next couple of days. I had to go out and get a few more boxes because I didn't grab enough free ones from stores on Black Friday.

I still have a ton of Christmas cards to address and cannot seem to get motivated to address them all. Hopefully I will get in the spirit in the next few days because I like to have my cards in the post the first week of December. 

Speaking of Christmas, if you are an ice cream lover, you should try the White Christmas ice cream from Publix. It is Publix brand and it is absolutely delicious. Have you ever noticed that I recommend a  lot of ice cream products and claim I don't even like ice cream that much? Truth be told I just have to be in the mood for ice cream and when I am in the mood I want something yummy and White Christmas from Publix definitely qualifies. 

For those of you looking for some free Christmas activities, I have a few things I would like to tell you about. First, the Huntsville Christmas parade is on Saturday. It starts at noon and is sure to be entertaining. Last year my dad and I went and it was the first time we had gone in many, many years. I think we are all planning to go this year and I am looking forward to it. Here is a link to the route

Next Monday, December 3, is one of my absolute favorite Christmas events - and it's free! It's the Heritage Bell Ringers Christmas program and it is amazing! The program begins at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church on Airport Road. These folks perform Christmas songs with bells and it is so incredible! If you have your Monday night free, I strongly encourage you to attend. I would advise getting there early to get a good seat. I won't be able to make it this year because I will be at Ladies' Night Out for the church I used to attend and it is my last event as the official organizer so it would be kind of rude if I didn't show up. I am really bummed about missing this show though because it is probably my number one most favorite event of the holiday season. Please go if you have the chance. Here is a link to the Heritage Bell Ringers web site for more information.

Thursday, December 13 - Sunday, December 16 is The Living Christmas Tree at First Baptist Church. This is another one of my favorites. My friend Denny's parents are tree singers (I guess that's what they are called) and he got some tickets for me and my family to attend on December 13. These performances are also free, but you must have a ticket. Click here for information on how to get a ticket for this lovely show.

I'm sure I'll have some more Christmas information for you before the season is up. In the meantime, make plans to attend one or all of these three free events. You'll be glad you did.

Two More Favorites

I have a couple of more favorites to share with you this week. These are new favorites and are likely to remain favorites for a while. One is a food product (no surprise there) and the other is a TV Show (probably no surprise there either).

Biscoff Spread - Have you ever heard of Biscoff cookies? I'm sure if you have ever flown on Delta Airlines then you have most assuredly heard of them, as they are one of the treats that is almost always available on the Delta flights. Other airlines may use them as well but I honestly cannot remember. Seems like I may have had them on US Airways before - at any rate, they are known as "The Airline Cookie". I remember the first time I saw Biscoff in stores and I was pretty fired up about it because I have always enjoyed the cookie but Biscoff wasn't always sold in stores. So, you had to take a flight somewhere to enjoy the deliciousness that was Biscoff. After seeing them in the store for the first time, Biscoff has on and off been a staple in my pantry. I don't always have it on hand because I don't want to grow tired of it, but at the same time, it is purchased on a pretty regular basis.

A while ago I had heard something about Biscoff spread and then a couple of weeks back, a blog I read mentioned Bisocff spread as one of the ingredients in a recipe. This past Saturday on my weekly Publix shopping trip, I was buying some peanut butter and noticed the Biscoff spread and got a little excited about it. I wasn't too excited about the price of almost $5 for just ____ ounces, but I decided to go ahead a splurge because you only live once (which has become our family motto as of late - I have no idea how that happened).

When I got home and unpacked the groceries and came across the spread, I immediately opened it, grabbed a spoon from the drawer and gave it a go - it was indeed just as wonderful as I hoped it would be. The spread tastes just like the cookies in a smooth creamy peanut butter type form. It comes in creamy (this is the one I got) and also a crunchy (not sure what it's like). The jar says it's good on apples, bagels, toast, etc. I prefer to eat it straight out of the jar. It is truly delicious.

Grimm - This TV show premiered in last fall and for whatever reason, I didn't watch it. A couple of weeks ago, the premier re-aired on NBC and so I recorded it to see if I would have any interest in adding it to my line-up. The first episode intrigued me and so I got online to watch the others. The first season had 22 episodes and I am here to say that I have already watched all 22 and am now anxiously awaiting the beginning of season two this fall.

The show is about detective Nick Burkhart who works for the Portland PD. In the first episode he discovers he is a Grimm, which is basically the dude who keeps order among the Wesin (pronounced Vesin). Wesin are humans who also have a mythological creature side to them. Nick encounters all kinds of crazy after his discovery. His partner at work, Hank and his girlfriend, Juliette have no idea that Nick is a Grimm which makes for many misunderstood and interesting scenarios. There is a more in-depth plot line that is carried out throughout all episodes in addition to the individual plot line of each episode. My favorite character is Monroe. He is a Wesin and becomes friends with Nick and helps Nick learn about the other creatures and also helps Nick solve some of the crimes.

I wouldn't say this is my all-time number one favorite show, but it is quite enjoyable and it has caused my heart to race and has also made me gasp out loud on more than one occasion. The dark undertones and constant suspense make it scary at times. I'm really looking forward to season two which will start in late August or early September. If you have some time, check it out on the NBC web site and watch the first season before the next one starts.

I Thought of Something Else

So, when I posted about some of my recent favorite things yesterday, I completely forgot about something that I really love. I probably didn't think about it since I'm "done with dairy" for a little while. Since this product has dairy, sadly, I am not partaking of it at the moment; but, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it! The product is International Delight Iced Coffee and it is delightful!

I saw a coupon for this in the Sunday circulars and decided right then and there that I must try this product. It took me a long time to find it anywhere and finally had to search the International Delight web site to see where it was sold. It was sold here at Wal-Mart and Kroger, two stores which I do not frequent. One afternoon on the way home from work though, I did manage to stop by Wal-Mart and pick up a carton of the Mocha flavored and loved it from first taste! This is now carried at my Publix too which was nice for the one time I bought it there before going dairy-free.

If you like iced coffee then you will most likely enjoy this product. It comes in three flavors, vanilla, mocha and plain ole coffee. I've only tried the mocha and really enjoyed it. It comes in half gallon cartons and the price is either $2.98 or $3.98, I honestly cannot remember since I haven't bought it in a couple of weeks. I am terrible at brewing coffee for some strange reason and might brew a cup once every six months and that's only because I need some for a recipe of some sort. So, I found this iced coffee to be very convenient as all I had to do was pour it out of the container. I actually prefer iced coffee over hot coffee. Coffee sometimes upsets my stomach but I've never had the same problem with iced coffees probably because they have so much milk cutting down on the acidity of the actual coffee.

Check it out the next time you are at the store. In fact, thanks to a program I participate in called Vocalpoint, I have about four coupons for 75 cents off a half gallon. They expire later this month; so, if you want one, leave a comment and I'll get one to you. This applies to the first four people only since I only have four coupons. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

It's been a while since I've given you all a list of some of my favorite things - probably because there's not much out there right now that really makes my skirt fly up. I did want to tell you all about a product I love though and thought I would just turn it into a favorite things post because surely I can pull some other favorite out of the proverbial hat. Here we go -

Road ID - LOVE this product! This is a great product for the loved one in your family who lives and active lifestyle or any lifestyle for that matter. Road ID was designed for runners and cyclists who use the roads. It's a bracelet that has a silver plate which has identification information. Living in Huntsville, it seems like there is a cyclist vs. car  accident on a monthly basis and a Road ID is a necessity in my opinion if you are cycling or running on the road. There are two different kinds of Road ID - a basic and an interactive. I actually have one of both. With the basic band, you can put as much information as will fit on the plate. Mine for example has my name, hometown, blood type, medicine allergies and two numbers to contact in case of emergency.

The interactive ID is really awesome. I just recently bought one of these. Because my original ID has Tony's number on it, I decided to get a new plate, but since the plates were almost the same price as a new bracelet, I just got a new bracelet instead and opted for the interactive ID. My interactive ID has my name and then a number to call or web site to look at in case of emergency. On the back side of my plate is a serial number an a pin number for emergency responders to use in case of emergency. Once they call or log on to the web site, they are privy to  a plethora of information about yours truly, including insurance information, emergency contact lists, a list of medications I take, my address, instructions for someone to look after The Tide if I am injured, etc. The first year or interactive ID is free and then the charge is only $9.99 each year after that. For less than $1 a month, I can be satisfied knowing that if I am injured doctors and nurses will immediately have access to all the information they need to treat me.

Road ID comes in various shapes and sizes. They have a pouch you can put on your running shoes, a Velcro (original) bracelet (which is the first one I received), an ID tag and an ID slim (that's the kind I purchased most recently and I wear it every day all day). They also have Road ID for pets in the form of collars. These are great for young children too. I've seen many recounts on Twitter of people whose children had wandered off and parent and child were reunited thanks to the help of Road ID.

Hopefully I've adequately described the product. If you want more information, please visit their web site here. This really is the perfect gift for the runner or cyclist in your life or even a loved one who has a medical condition. It looks a lot cooler than those med alerts, that's for sure.

Right now, in honor of Father's Day, you can receive 15% any order by using the code: pcDadRocks

Silk Fruit and Protein - I'm currently steering clear of dairy products. Yes, you read that correctly. Yes, I may have lost my mind, be in temporarily or permanently is yet to be determined. Long story short, I know more than one person who has managed to drop some weight by cutting out dairy and by George, I thought I would give it a try despite my unyielding love of all things cheese and cheese substitute (I'm talking to you concession stand nacho cheese). So, unable to drink a gallon of milk a week (wipes a tear from her eye) I've had to find something else to satisfy my craving for smooth dairy in the morning. I actually had tried this before my "Done with Dairy" campaign, but have come to rely on it since milk has been banned from my fridge. There are three flavors, but I've only managed to find two  - Mango Peach and Mixed Berries. I have not yet found the Strawberry Banana. It's made with soy and fruit juices and is a great source of calcium and vitamin D which is something we all need in our diet. If you're looking for something new to drink on in the mornings or even in the afternoons, then check it out. You can often find coupons on the web site here.

Well, just when I think I will be able to come up with quite a few favorites, I can't. That's how it goes I guess. Mainly I just wanted to tell you about Road ID because I think it is a really great product and I've never mentioned it before. I hope you'll take the time to look around on their site and don't forget the coupon code if you decide to order something.

Good Customer Service

I wanted to chat with you for a minute about some awesome customer service I received recently. I am pretty sure I have mentioned here before one of my favorite places to shop - Boden. I don't often purchase from Boden because they are quite expensive, but sometimes you can catch a lovely sale and pick up some things for a bargain, well, a bargain for Boden that is. Twice (that I can remember) since I have been a Boden customer, I have received a $10 gift certificate just because I haven't purchased anything in a long while, which was the case this past week. Since I received this surprise gift certificate this past week, I decided to look through the clearance items and found a shirt that I ended up getting for $13 with free shipping. Ye-ah!

While I was on the site, I noticed a little blurb about returns and how it said if you are not satisfied with your purchase you can return your item for up to one year. Back in the fall, I had ordered a couple of items, one of which was an adorable sweater which I love. It has horizontal strips and in fact was worn in my first round of Christmas photos which Jackie took. However, after the first wash, the sweater got a hole in the shoulder, which really made me mad because I liked this sweater a lot and also Boden clothes typically hold up VERY well. In fact, I have a few Boden items that I have been wearing for over six years that still look great. So, after seeing the blurb about returning items for up to one year, I decided to email them (this was on Wednesday night)

Today, I received an email back from customer service saying that they were going to refund my money for the sweater and they also sent me a return label to use to return the sweater to them. Most companies wouldn't dream of treating their customers in such a caring manner; but clearly, Boden has the best interest of the customer in mind, and it is so refreshing.

This isn't the first time I have had a pleasurable experience with Boden customer service. At the same time I purchased the sweater I had purchased a dress which didn't fit well (it was too big and looked like a potato sack on me) and so I sent it back the next day. After a couple of weeks, I had not received an email notification (yes, they email you when they receive your return) nor had I received a credit to my card so I sent an email to them asking if they had received my return because I had never had the process take so long. They had not received the dress, but went ahead and refunded me my money. I have no idea if they ever received the return but the fact that they went ahead and refunded my money is enough to make me a customer for a lifetime!

I don't know about you, but I am often frustrated with the "customer service" I receive and it is so nice to actually deal with a company that care about their customers and offers superior customer service Another company I recently dealt with, Coldwater Creek, also showed great customer service. I returned a dress to them as well and sent them an email asking about it and they responded within 24 hours and offered further assistance. I don't know about you, but these are the types of companies I want to shop with for years to come and I am happy to share their names with you.

Some other notes:

I have something scheduled for every Saturday between now and April 14 - just the thought of all those Saturdays with something on the calendar makes me exhausted. Not to mention the fact that at some point during that time lawn mowing season will start back up. I should probably try to stockpile some sleep before spring.

I think I may have mentioned (or not) that the circus is coming in April. The tickets go on sale Friday and I've given my dad the assignment of going to pick up some tickets for us and also Erika who will be joining us once again this year. It's a new show this year and looks like it will be pretty good. I don't know how it has ended up that the circus comes to Huntsville every year. They used to only show up every other year, but for this will make four years in a row that the circus has come to town! Awesome!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

A Television List

Yes, I know, there was no post last night. I do apologize. I had not written anything prior to leaving for church and then when I got home from church, I wasn't really up to turning on the computer and writing so I just let it be. I do hope you understand. I'm going to make it up to you by posting tonight (Thursday) and in the morning (Friday).

So, today, I'm going to chat with you a bit about television shows. I don't know about you but it seems like every day I'm a little less impressed with the shows the networks are picking up these days. Glee, for example, was really great during season one, now every storyline is about a gay couple and it's more than a little overdone. The only reason I still watch is because I do really love the songs; but if I couldn't watch it anymore I really wouldn't be crushed.

So, I thought I would share with you the shows that I really do like a lot and hopefully you can let us know in the comments what shows you really love - even those of you without cable!

1. You probably guessed it, Downton Abbey. This is the best show that has been on television maybe ever. I seriously cannot wait until the next episode airs. Set in the early 1900s in Britain, this show is prim and proper and full of intrigue and sometimes scandal. Will Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley end up together? Will Sybil run off with the chauffeur? Will the Countess give up her title of #1 flower grower in the county? Will Lord Grantham have an affair with a maid? There is no foul language, no cleavage in your face, none of the lewdness that is so common among the shows of today. If you haven't seen it yet, you must check it out. Season one is available through Netflix and iTunes and season two can be seen on PBS.com. Both seasons can be purchased from the PBS Store. However you go about it, please try to find a way to watch it - you will be so glad you did!

2. Parenthood - This show comes on NBC and is in the third season I think. I've watched it from the beginning and every season is better than the last. The show is about the Braverman family and they are every bit as dysfunctional as your own. The shows deals with all sorts of problems that are common to you and me and I find it very relate-able - people get laid off, some are dealing with trying to have a baby, some are dealing with adopting, others are surprised by a later in life pregnancy, the patriarch has heart problems, the teenagers dabble in drugs and forbidden relationships, one father is an alcoholic, one child has Asberger's. There is a truly eclectic mix of people and problems. Just like Downton, when this show ends, I cannot wait to see the next episode. It seems like there is a cliffhanger each week. It's well cast, well written and an overall joy.

3. Smash - Another NBC show, this one just started on February 6. It stars Katherine McPhee (you may remember her form American Idol - did you have the McPhever?) as well as Debra Messing (from Will and Grace), Angelica Houston (I will always think of her as Morticia Addams from The Addams Family movie) and a guy that was in Pirates of the Caribbean (too lazy to look that up). Anyway, I watched the first episode and loved it. Best I can tell it's going to go from the beginning to the end of writing, developing, casting and making a Broadway musical. I haven't watched this week's episode yet but I'm sure it is just as lovely as the first. I love a good musical and this show has all the makings of one; so all you fellow Broadway lovers out there take a look. You can catch up on the first two episodes on NBC.com

4. Who Do You Think You Are - Yet another NBC show. I have a love of NBC! This show is GREAT and very interesting! This is the third season for this show which was created and is executive produced by Lisa Kudrow (you know, Phoebe from Friends). Each season a different set of celebrities traces their family roots and researches their family tree and let me tell you, these people have found some very interesting things. I am fascinated by genealogy and would love to do this for my paternal side (someone else already researched my maternal side). If they ever make this show with regular people, I'm going to petition to be on it each year until they finally choose me. If you have any interest in this sort of thing you will find it just as fascinating as I do.

So, if I had to choose only four shows a week to watch those would be the three. Some others I really like are:

Revenge - it's a new show this year and is quite a surprise. Jackie told me about this one and I had also read about it on another blog. I had to catch up on the first seven or so episodes online but am now all caught up and each week brings another vengeful act by the main character. My heart has raced on more than one occasion during this show.

CSI - This one doesn't need any explanation and is always rather interesting. I've been watching this show for about 10 years now and still really like it which says a great deal about the writers and actors.

NCIS and NCIS LA - I've watched NCIS for a long while and NCIS LA since the beginning and love both of them. I think if I had to choose one over the other I would probably choose LA because I do love that Hettie Lang; but Jethro Gibbs is also a great character. Both shows are quite good and well worth the watch.

There are a few others I watch, Blue Bloods, Unforgettable, Person of Interest, Survivor and The Amazing Race. I seriously watch way too much TV which is why I don't get in nearly as much reading as I should or would like. I'm actually looking forward to the summer when the TV schedules dies down and I can have more non-TV time. Well, I guess technically I could have more non-TV time now, but well, that's probably not going to happen.

So, that's my television list - what about you - what are your favorites right now?

My Beloved Brown Shoes

About 100 years ago, or at least 12 years ago anyway, I bought a pair of brown shoes made by Steve Madden. I remember the day I bought these shoes as if it were yesterday. I couldn’t tell you how much they were, but probably around $50 if I had to guess. I remember there were a dark brown pair and a light brown pair of the same style and I opted for the light brown, or camel colored pair. I guess you could say it was one of the best purchases I have ever made because to this day, I still wear these shoes – at least once a week, often more than once. They w ere even the shoe of choice in my 2011 Christmas card.

Needless to say, after wearing these shoes for at the very least 12 years, quite possibly longer, my beloved brown Steve Madden shoes are about to meet their demise. Parts of the tip of the shoe have chipped off and now the top of the sole in the right shoe has cracked and basically, I have got to break down and get a new pair at some point. The problem is that I’ve had these beauties for so long that every other brown shoe on the market pales in comparison. Why can’t Steve Madden just make me a new pair of these? After all, most of the Steve Madden shoes on the market now are just atrocious! I think good ole Steve ought to bring back this classic pair that goes with everything!

I may take these to the cobbler to see if he/she (I’ve never known a female cobbler) can do something with them , like resole them and give them a good polishing or whatever it is you do to these type of shoes. I don’t think polishing is the right word but they need some sort of sprucing up, the cobbler may not be able to help my cause, but it’s worth a try I suppose. Perhaps if the cobbler can help these shoes will last another 12 years and by then, Steve Madden will come out with a retro line that will have these shoes in it. A girl can only hope.



Here are some photos of my beloved browns:

The Best Birthday Gift

I don’t normally give myself a birthday gift and I don’t suppose you can really qualify this as a gift, but in my opinion it’s the best gift I could have ever given myself. As of February 1, my birthday, my student loans, accumulated over five years of college, are officially paid off. I am not kidding when I say that tears are forming in my eyes as I type this. Twelve years removed from receiving a degree, I am finally out of debt to the Department of Education. I could not be more overjoyed!

My parents did me a solid on two accounts: first, they made me pay for my own education and second, they helped me procure loans in my own name through the Department of Education. For those who may not know, the interest rates for the government loans are a whole heck of a lot cheaper than those you may get from a bank or credit union.

I’d like to address that first point a little further. My dad paid for his own college education by working and perhaps securing loans, I honestly don’t know if he got a loan or not but I do know he paid for it all on his own. He also paid for his high school education at a private school. As a result, I suppose he felt like his kids needed to pay for their own education as well

So, when I headed off to Tuscaloosa in the fall of 1995 as a wild eyed freshman, I went in knowing that I would be paying the way. I did earn a small scholarship or two that first year and my last and fifth year was paid for by my GA position in the athletic department. I can’t remember for sure, but I think my parents may have paid for my place to stay freshman and sophomore years and I did receive the occasional spending money from them and other family members; but, for the most part I was on my own. I worked at the library at University for spending money during the school year and in the summers, I held down at least two part-times jobs and sometimes additional babysitting or whatnot to pay for my sorority, books, and additional spending money.

Now, here I am 12 years after graduation and I am finally paying off those pesky student loans. To me, having to pay my way through school definitely made me appreciate my education a lot more than I think I would if someone had just written a check on my behalf. I’m so proud of myself for doing it on my own; I wouldn’t want it any other way… now. At the time, I probably thought it was unfair. I went through periods of deferment because I was unemployed, or really poor, but in the end, it’s all paid off and it’s the best gift I could have ever given myself.

I really get annoyed when I hear about or see storylines in shows about parents who go into an immense amount of debt to pay for their child’s education. If you have the money, well, that’s one thing, but if the parent has to take out a loan that’s another. I don’t think any parent should go into debt for their child’s education. The parents have earned the right to kick the kid out and enjoy their lives without going into debt while their kid is boozing it up at State U. I just personally think that the child should find a way to pay and if that means loans, so be it. If all goes according to plan, the child can spend the next 12 years paying off the loan rather than the mom and dad. I could go on, but this is kind of a soap box issue with me and I think I’ll shut up for now. I may get some hateful comments on the subject, but this is my blog and this is how I feel – make your kid pay for their own education.

All this to say, thanks Mother and Daddy for making me get my own loans and thanks Mother for filling out all the paperwork to get those loans while I was off boozing it up in Tuscaloosa (I don’t think this comment has really come as a shock to anyone). Without your having made me pay my own way, I don’t think I would appreciate my education as much as I do and I just really couldn’t be more grateful!

Yogurt Woes

I’ve been a yogurt lover for a long time. I don’t know how long, but for about as long as I can remember. I’ve tried all different kinds of yogurt and for about the past year or so, I’ve bought the Publix low fat yogurt because it’s at a good price and also tastes pretty good and has a variety of flavors. I know a lot of folks are all into this Greek yogurt craze, but I’m here to tell you, I am not one of those. I think the Greek yogurt tastes awful!

When I was in France this past summer, yogurt was always served at breakfast; but, the yogurt in France tasted a whole heck of a lot better than it did here in the States. One of the guides that is American but lives in Paris said it was because there weren’t all the preservatives we have here in the States and I have no doubt that is indeed the case.

Recently, I was in Publix looking at the yogurt and something caught my eye. It was Dannon Activia French Yogurt. It was more expensive that the Publix yogurt I had been buying, but I was curious and wanted to give it a try to see if it was similar to the yogurt I had while in France. I bought a couple of them and tried it the next morning. Y’all, it was so good. I was transported back to the summer and could hardly believe the taste on my tongue. I’m sure there are more preservatives in this French yogurt than there were in the yogurt I had while in France but it was the closest I was going to come to have that delightful yogurt from the summer of 2011.

Since that first purchase, I have only bought the Dannon French Yogurt and have enjoyed every single cup. This past Saturday, I went in to Publix for my weekly shopping trip and went over to where the yogurt was and much to my chagrin, the Dannon Activia French Yogurt was on clearance! It won’t be available again after this month! I’m not sure if this is only at Publix or if it’s everywhere. I asked the guy stocking the shelf about it and he said he didn’t know if it was being discontinued only that they couldn’t get it anymore. I’m so sad, people; so, sad! If you happen to see it at your store, pick up a cup and give it a try before it’s all gone.

A Diet Coke Moment

Diet Coke atop my Christmas Tree

(Thanks, Candy!)

Well, I’ve run out of fun and interesting events to write about. That’s just how it goes some weeks. I didn’t do anything exciting on Tuesday night and Wednesday was church and no one streaked through the church building, so nothing to write about there.

My leg is doing much better and in fact my plan is to finally return to the gym tomorrow (Thursday) night. I absolutely cannot wait because people, the pants are getting tight and I am in desperate need of some physical activity. I know I will feel better after the first day back and am looking forward to shedding some of these lbs I’ve put on in my four week absence from the bike.

I did want to tell you about something exciting that happened recently. Well, you may not find it so exciting, but I sure as heck did. As you probably know, I love Diet Coke. In fact, I wrote an Ode to Diet Coke in the early days of ye old blog. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t have a Diet Coke, well, rarely a day anyway.

Last week on Twitter, Diet Coke (yes, I’m a follower of Diet Coke on Twitter) tweeted “Final exams are coming up. You know, we make a pretty good study buddy.”

To which I replied, “Amen to that. I became a Diet Coke addict during college finals over 10 years ago and love it still.”

It’s true people; when I was in school at The University of Alabama, I put a dollar in the coke machine in Bidgood Hall and much to my chagrin the machine was out of Coca-Cola and I had to settle for a Diet Coke, probably because I was in immediate need of caffeine; either that or I couldn’t get my dollar back. At any rate, it was the first Diet Coke of my life and I never turned back – I’ve been a DC drinker ever since.

So, back to the Twitter – Diet Coke responded, people! Diet Coke responded to my tweet by saying, “That’s extraordinary. Here’s a Diet coke toast to 10 more years with you by our side.”

Needless to say, it was a defining moment in my life; well, my Twitter life anyway. Diet Coke responded, to little ole me! I could hardly believe it. I think a tear formed in the corner of my eye! Oh, Diet Coke, you do not have to worry. I’ll probably die holding you in my grasp!

Something Yummy

It’s been a while, or at least I think it’s been a while, since I posted some of my favorite things as of late. So, without further ado, I give you, somethingI like right now – because I could only think of one.
Run, don’t walk, to the nearest Williams-Sonoma and pick up some of their Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Mix. I’m a big fan of Williams-Sonoma hot chocolate. It is the best I have ever tasted. It’s made from real chocolate shavings, not powdered chocolate, which helps. The directions on the back of the can are for one cup of milk and five Tablespoons of Hot Chocolate mix, but I use ¾ cup of milk and ¼ cup of heavy cream because I’m crazy like that.

Each year the Williams-Sonoma hot chocolate mixes come out the day after Halloween. For years they have had the original mix and the peppermint mix, but this is the first year they’ve had salted caramel. I don’t buy these mixes often because they retail for $19.98, which can be a little steep for an indulgence. After Christmas they go on sale and that’s typically when I try to buy; but this year I went on November 1 and took the full price plunge. I bought one original and one salted caramel and I’m here to tell you the salted caramel is absolutely delightful. I’m pretty sure I’ll be buying another canister of two before the hot chocolate selling season is over. If you have an extra $20 lying around, be sure and pick some up, you’ll be glad you did!

My Newest Obsession

As you may well know, I like to share with you all my latest food findings so that you too will know about all the latest delicacies the junk food aisle has to offer. Today, I’m going to chat with you about ice cream, which doesn’t happen very often as I am not really an ice cream eater, but I have found a flavor that may have changed me forever.

Last Saturday morning, I went to Publix to do my weekly grocery shopping. I saw a few signs for the Publix limited edition holiday ice cream flavors and thought about buying the pumpkin pie flavor, but didn’t want to get a whole half gallon. Last year I bought the half gallon and only ate two or three scoops out of it. The ice cream was good, but not good enough for me to eat the whole half gallon. I’m just not big on ice cream.

Anyway, I thought to myself that the ice cream companies should make pints of their limited edition flavors because sometimes that’s all we non-ice cream loving folks need to satisfy what we think is a craving for some pumpkin flavored ice cream. I looked through most of the major ice cream brand section and didn’t find any small size containers with pumpkin. Then I reached the Ben and Jerry’s section and was pleasantly surprised to find a pint of Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream. It looked promising and so I threw it in the cart, despite the price. When I was checking out, one of the cashiers saw the ice cream and told me it was really good and she had to make herself stop eating it. Even more promising I thought.

I didn’t give the ice cream a try until Saturday evening and oh my word, I’m not really sure I can describe how amazing it was. It is one of the best ice cream’s I have ever had. The ice cream was very creamy, not icy, and had the most wonderful taste. It was like a spoonful of heaven straight out of the freezer. The ice cream has a pumpkin cheesecake taste meaning it’s not overpowered by the pumpkin but has a cheesecake-ness about it as well. It has swirls of graham cracker in it and when you get a bite of that graham cracker in your spoon, there’s nothing better.

The Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream from Ben and Jerry’s is a limited edition flavor and will only be available, well, for a limited time. I don’t know how long that limited time it, but it is definitely worth buying a pint. I will probably buy another one or two when I hit the grocery store this weekend; in the meantime, I’ve got to figure out how to keep from eating all of the pint that’s in my freezer right now.

Thanks For The Salad, Deb

Last week I wrote a post about the Taco Flavored Doritos that have made a comeback and about the salad my mom used to make when I was a kid that was ever so tasty. Well, good ole Deb is a loyal reader of my blog and she made that salad for me this past Saturday. I should have taken a picture of it so you could see all the salad-Dorito goodness, but we were too hungry to take time to stop and do that. The salad was delicious and just as wonderful as I remembered it being. My dad liked it too and so did my mom. I’m not sure about my granddad; he didn’t say much, but he’s more of a sweets man anyway.

My mom didn’t have a recipe and just kind of made it up as she went along. Here’s what all she put in it in case you want to give it a try yourself:

Lettuce – a head of, not the bagged kind
Chives
Tomato
Avocado
Ranch Dressing – Just however much you think is appropriate
Crushed up Taco flavored Doritos

Mix the first four ingredients together then crunch up the Doritos, pour on top and mix again. Serve immediately – otherwise you’ll have soggy Doritos and that’s never a good thing.

You can add other ingredients as well. I remember this salad having cucumbers, but that may just be because I’m a cucumber lover and like to think of all things salad as having cucumbers. We didn’t think about putting cheese in it until the end, but you can obviously add that too. Just make it your own – I promise you it will be delightful!