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!

Apparently I'm on a Winning Streak

I'm late posting today and I'm sorry. I didn't write anything over the weekend to auto-post on Monday and it's been a busy morning at work so it took me a while to carve out a few minutes from my day to write something. I don't really know how or why it happened, but one day I started winning things and since then, I've been pretty lucky. In the words of Erika, I am "the LUCKIEST person" she knows. Seriously, y'all there is no rhyme or reason to it.

I told you last week about the bag that my favorite cycling team sent me. It arrived over the weekend and it is hilarious and awesome wrapped into one HUGE bag. I neglected to take a picture of it, but will try to get one taken this week to show you. Seriously, it is so cool and I am super excited that they sent it to me. Well, since word broke that Garmin-Sharp was sending me a banner bag, I've won two more things, the first of which prompted Erika to email and tell me I'm "the LUCKIEST person" she knows.

The first item I won was from the hilariously funny cooking blog Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. Erika actually introduced me to this blog a few years ago and I have been a follower ever since. I have made quite a few of Peabody's delicious desserts, my favorite being the Orange Cupcakes for Two. A week or so ago, Peabody wrote about using Cougar Gold Cheese in a Mac and Cheese recipe and since this particular cheese isn't readily available across the US (It's made by Washington State University), she gave some away. Imagine my surprise when I checked my email and saw an email titled, "Cougar Gold Cheese", which at first I thought was spam. Clearly, it was not spam, and in fact, I won the cheese. I'm anxiously awaiting it's arrival.

Then today, I was checking my blog email address and discovered I had an email from another blogger. Last week I entered to win a copy of Big Mama's Sparkly Green Earrings which came out on Friday. I read The Big Mama blog each weekday and I think Melanie's book will most likely be as hilarious as each of her blog posts and so I've entered just about every giveaway for the book I came across. Today when I checked my email, I had won a copy of the book. Sadly, I did not also win the giveaway that included a pair of green earrings, but you can't win 'em all as they say. At any rate, I'm really excited about this book. I checked out the preview on Amazon last week and I think it is going to be great. If I like it as much as I hope I will, I may do a giveaway of my own. Stay tuned as they say.

Seriously, I have no idea how it is that I win things from time to time. If there was a secret formula, I might sell it to the highest bidder; but, alas, there is not. I just seem to get lucky every now and then and it always comes in spurts. I'll win something (or three somethings) and then nothing for a long time. My only advice is to enter as many giveaways as possible, so long as you are interested in what is being given away. For example, I wouldn't enter a giveaway for a new duck call. Just sayin'. If only this luck could continue with the lottery. I've never actually bought a lottery ticket, although maybe a trip to Tennessee this afternoon might be a good idea the way things are falling in my favor at the moment.

After I originally posted this, I realized that I actually got some more goodies over the weekend. I was chatting with my friend Meri here at work who also happens to attend church at Mayfair. Yesterday I attended Mayfair 101, which is the gathering for new members where we get a tour of the building and have lunch provided for us after the tour (which takes place during class time). Even though I know my way around the building (for the most part) and have been attending for a few months now, I still went to the orientation and I'm glad I did. I got a nice tote bag, a coffee mug and a pen as well as a church directory and then from the ladies' group I got a cookbook, and some lotion, soap and a loofah. I suppose they want us to have good hygiene at church - actually they were just being nice and I appreciated the gesture. The lunch was delicious as well. I am definitely glad I went and yes, Melissa, I saw your comment and promise to soon tell the story of why I changed churches!