Just a little something to make you laugh.

These broads crack me up! Gramma & Ginga, sisters 101 and 96 years old, respectively.

So sweet and so cranky! I love it. The hubs and I have been quoting them for days now.

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Summer Readin'

Hey y'all! What are you reading these days? I tell you, this summer, I've been devouring books. I think I've probably read about a half dozen. Here are some of my favorites!

Blackbird House. Usually I don't care for Alice Hoffman's writings as much as anyone who knows me would think I would. But, there is something about this book that is wondrous and strange and lovely.

Bad Monkey. Sent to me by my sweet buddy in D.C. with whom I have a homemade mail-order book club with. I laughed so hard, so many times. It makes me want to go back to Big Pine Key again and drink out of a coconut while the hubs lets Key deer walk all over him. So good and irreverent!

Telling the Bees. It starts great. Gets slow. Gets slower. Then boom! The action picks up and your fondness for the main character grows. Interesting interesting book. The descriptors seem a little vague at first due to the subtleties of the authors choices until you suddenly realize what a careful tapestry has been woven and you feel transported to each place and time. It's really something. It surprised me, actually.

State of Wonder. Another mail-order book club specimen. Much like Telling the Bees, it has its slower moments and then boom! Action and odd twists and turns. I'd love to know what you think of the ending too. My buddy and I had a great time talking about it.

This One and Magic Life. Oh de-lolly do I love a good magical realism book. This one doesn't overdo it, but it is heady and lyrically fragrant (that may not make sense, but you'd probably agree after reading). The ending is just terrific too. So my kind of ending! Also, Anne Carroll George wrote a series of hilarious Southern murder mysteries that I provably wouldn't have picked up otherwise but have devoured since my Mom gave them to me. Excellent and so funny!

Now I'm beginning The Girl on the Train. I have heard mixed review, so I'm super intrigued to see where I land on it.

What have you been reading? I'd love to know!

Happy Friday!!

Lulu & Kit playing in the grass. She's happy, I swear!

Hey y'all! What have you got planned for the weekend? I'm brunching it with Mom on my day off as well as running a million errands, then working on Sunday again. I hope you have much more relaxing planned than I do!

Here's this week's list of funs, pretties, happies, interestings and what-nots to get your weekend kicked off right! Enjoy!

*Did you take me up on my challenge last Friday to do 3 Summer things? If not, here's a great recipe to try! 

*This video made me laugh.

*This is cool. The 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 method of packing for trips.

*This photographers life and career was changed by one chance encounter.

*Sixteen surprising things about parenting in the Netherlands.

*There's a place where you can swim with baby otters and play with all other kinds of animals. Yes please!!

*I love this! These couples make the best of their rainy day weddings!

*I've posted this before but it makes me genuinely laugh out loud every single time I find it. So even if it was two weeks ago, I'm posting it again. I don't care, it's that amusing to me.

*Mind, Body, Green's 10 songs to make you happy right now! Some of them I can vouch for, some I'm making it to this weekend.

*This is pretty cool. A trove of letters between German POW's in the US and the people who lived in the town around them shines a different light on...well, it's just very poignant, and interesting!

*Eight years after its series end, why the Gilmore Girls fandom lives on.

*Oh the cute sleepy puppy!

*I love this wreath for the Fall!

*This cracked me up! "My baby monitor just produced a paranormal horror movie"! So funny and the teeniest bit creepo!

Have a truly wonderful weekend, guys!

Friday Happies!

It's over y'all. You've made it to another weekend! Got any plans for Father's Day? I have to work all weekend, but I'll be calling my Papa in Nashville (can't say his gift on here because my folks are my most devoted readers- you cutie patooties) and spending time with my B after I get off work on Sunday (I'm lucky enough to have two men in my life to honor- though with wildly differing tastes). So, in honor of those great men in our lives, I've put a few fun gift ideas, some inspirations and some regular ole Friday Happy regulars to get you stoked for your weekend! I hope you enjoy!

*I <3 Dad chocolates! Because he's sweet and deserves a treat!

*This homemade shirt for Father's Day too, because Awww!

*James Taylor releases his first new album in over 13 years! It's great and what a good gift for a Papa in your life (or really anyone, because its so good!).

*How about keeping his favorite radio station pumping out the great music he loves? Donate here!

*A modern classic for him to enjoy. 

*A classic classic for him to enjoy.

*Why not make him a watermelon grill? He may just laugh himself silly! I almost did.

*A great cookbook for him too (as he loves to experiment in the kitchen)! I'm partial to the John Besh one myself.

*Awesome site of dads and kids! Like Iron Man & Iron Son above. Sooooo good!

Now on to the rest of the list!

*I want to try Graze.com's snack line!

*This is a great article not only on the tiny house movement, but on the "New Old" house movement (of which I am super into!).

*The cast of Gilmore Girls reflect back on one of the best episodes of the series, the dance marathon episode (*geek out*).

*Meet Lenore. She is 99 years old, and very interesting and self-sufficient.

*Have y'all heard of a She-Shed? Let's all go have these now, please!

*Well, here's one way to make lemonade. Due to her dog's rampant stealing of food, this photographer created an adorable series of...her dog stealing beautifully photographed food.

*I saw Jurassic World this week. I loved the action, could not ignore the sexism (really Hollywood?) and delighted in the references and Easter eggs hidden throughout. Oh, and I LOVED Jimmy Buffet's cameo! Loved it!!

*Then zookeepers around the globe began making memes teasing at the the image of Owen and the Velociraptors from that very film. It's called Prattkeeping. Silly and fun!

*I am super intrigued by this group of boys (The Wolfpack) and this documentary about their entire young lives spent locked in a tiny apartment together in NYC. Fascinating and resilient young men.

*Why is this photograph of Professor Sydney Engleberg holding a student's infant child during his lecture sparking conversations on parenting? Check it out for yourself, it's pretty great!

*The Elf Whisperer of Iceland?! Yes please!

*There is a facility/day school in Seattle that is for the very young and elderly to be together. It is awesome and makes me very happy to know it exists.

*This restaurant decided to restructure their financial system by barring tips April 1st. What happened? Their profits tripled, y'all! Their employees and customers all report better experiences all the way around. Check out their cool story!

I hope you have a truly wonderful weekend, y'all! Don't forget the first day of Summer is this weekend!

 Keep the love and positivity flowing. Pour your gratitude out every day and make sure you always tell those special people in your life that you love and appreciate them. 'Specially those daddies! Ciao!

Friday Happies!

Pineapples.

Hey y'all! What do you have planned for the weekend? I have a family reunion here and I'm going to take off a few days for myself to recover from the insanity of the past month as well. Yay! I most likely will be going to see this one afternoon to snort laugh by myself. Anyway, here's this week's list of funs, happies, pretties, interestings and what-nots to get you geared up for your weekend whatever you may have going on!

*Have you had fish grilled in pineapple bark? What the what?! It sounds amazing!

*Some guy took a picture of a woman nursing her infant at a restaurant (a total stranger mind you) and posted it to his Facebook, shaming her for feeding her kid in public. She wrote back.

*I love this summer time gift wrap! So cheeky!

*Now that is how I'd wear a one-piece swimsuit (add high wedge heels and dramatic hat and shades).

*I have to bring something to the family reunion this weekend that can get warm and not kill anyone. I'm thinking this. Any standby recipes you make for gatherings like that? I'd love to know!

*It has been said at times I have the sense of humor of a frat boy. National Lampoon's anything, 21 and Over- those are my movies I watch alone while I laugh like Beavis & Butthead. All of this is to say, THERE IS A NEW VACATION coming out!!!

*And the bluegrass side of Ed Helms (who happens to be in the new Vacation film). He's so talented!

*Molly Ringwald at 47. She's so cool!

*This was so sweet! A dad stops the father-daughter dance at his daughter's wedding to play catch with her. Ack! I ugly cried.

*The British Prince and Princess's debut photographs side by side.

*Fifteen words to eliminate from your vocabulary to sound smarter! Yeeeeah, I pretty much use them all...

*A sweet video of an expectant family and their dogs. Aw!

*For the new front porch (my house is yellow).

*Smart kid. He gets paid to wait in line at one of the most popular barbecue joints in Austin.

*This picnic blanket is awesome!

Have a wonderful weekend, y'all!

Friday Happies!

Happy Friday, y'all! I'm ready for a weekend, how 'bout you? I'm working but it won't stop me from putting together a pretty epic and fun list of pretties, interestings, happies and what-nots for y'all. Heee're we go!

*This was fun. Meanings of names!

*BB's processional down Beale Street in Memphis. R.I.P. 

*The prettiest tablecloth.

*Made a garlic version of these and they were soooo good!

*Seven types of bad bosses. Woah. I've had a few of them, certainly hope not to again.

*I like Tiny House Talk. I don't live in an actual "tiny" house (more like smaller than a small house), but I very well may in the future!

*Gemma Hayes has been a favorite of mine for over a decade. Here's a wicked good cover of Wicked Game.

*Heh. Teddy. Funny.

*Ah! Want your hear tot grow forty-seven times its size? Here ya go.

*15 types of car radio singers. I'm about fifteen of them...

*Woah. The Little Prince movie trailer!! Jeff Bridges!!!

*Nick Offerman has a new book, Gumption. Dig it.

*Kid keeps his prom-promise to childhood friend!

*I love the heck out of Kate McKinnon from Saturday Night Live. Here's a great article on her bizarre mind and the sister that shares some of the same delightful and entertaining oddities!

*This little girl was shamed and bullied by teachers in kindergarten for wearing a sun dress to school. Her papa surely stood up for her and its awesome.

*Ohmigod,ohmigod! This woman's brain tumor turned out to be an actual EVIL TWIN! AAAAAck!

*This is my new favorite movie, other than Spy.

Have a great weekend y'all!! 

Sign Stealing Lizards...

The little Lu, of Sign-Stealing Lizards fame.

Hello friends! I hope you had a great weekend and a terrific Monday! I finally have an entire day off, and let me tell you guys, I'm stoked. I have a list of things that must be done and things I want to do, plus some major relaxation thrown in there for good measure.

Anyway, the other day my mom and I were laying in the grass and talking about stuff (I know, we can be pretty damn cute) and we started giggling about silly things we used to do, believe or say when we were kids. Things like:

"When I was little I'd sleep with the covers up around my neck because I was afraid of vampires getting me when I slept." or

"I used to think the song 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' was 'Sign-stealing Lizards'."

I personally also would freeze and pretend I was a life-sized doll when my parents would leave me in the car to run in somewhere to do errands (it was the 80's and everyone did it, don't judge). Why a life-sized doll? I thought that no one would want a life-sized doll that wasn't in its original box, but they would want to steal a little kid. In my mind, it was genius. Also, my dad used to think brown cars would taste like chocolate until he licked one when he was about three!

Well, we got so tickled thinking up all the little things that crossed our minds as kids, I thought I would just share it with you because it's silly and innocent and that's how we all used to be. I think it is special and important to stay connected with that little person, because that little person is still in your heart and mind and must be nurtured.

Isn't it funny to remember thinking all of those things and they're nestled somewhere in our minds from our life's journey (which also made me think of the the long-term memory labyrinth from this new movie)?

Our minds are incredible, no? I'm constantly amazed by some of the things it holds on to (such as every word of every episode of Gilmore Girls and Steel Magnolias in their entirety as well as so many lyrics to songs it technically may be obscene.). I'm also likewise quite consistently surprised by the things it releases back to the wild (What was her name again, because I totally know her?! How do you do Geometry again? Where is Montevideo?).

Take some time today to remember those things we use to think about (quicksand!). I guarantee you'll
smile.

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Friday Happies & Happy Mother's Day!

A Mama and her Kit.

Hey y'all! Thank goodness it's Friday, even though I work half the weekend. It's been a week of trials and errors for this ole gal, but I am kicking today off happy, healthier and motivated. Without further ado, here's this week's list of funs, happies, pretties, interestings and what-nots for you to kick your weekend off right! Here we go!

*I love love love this nurse's reaction to her patient who was paralyzed but with intensive physical therapy is now able to walk. So sweet!

*Geek time! I loved this info-graphic of mythological creatures of the world. It's not an inclusive list, but it's pretty great.

*Do you know about Money Trees?

*This five year old little boy is obsessed with Bruce Lee, so much so he has every move he made memorized!

*This lady inspired me. She did yoga every single day for a year, even though she wan't particularly yogic to begin with!

Mama Panda love!

*Woah. Spotting income inequality from space.  Sidenote, I have major nerd-love for Bill Moyers.

*This woman saved her three kids and herself from a violent hostage situation with her husband/boyfriend by leaving a message on her online pizza order. 

*I really dig 86 year old model, Daphne Selfe.

* This Amy Schumer video had me cracking up!

*I really liked some of these thoughts on female friendships.

*Some interesting ideas for Mother/Daughter dates! Aw!!

Pachyderm Mama/Baby love!

*These pregnancy photos are really sweet.

*I"M SO EXCITED ABOUT PENNY DREADFUL!

*Ack! Wolf pup with the hiccups! Wolf pup with the hiccups!!! Also, Buck has the hiccups and is not happy about it.

*Heh. This guy is kind of ridiculous but he did start a company from scratch and sell it for nearly $100,000 like a month later.

*For the OCD in all of us. Inka Mathew matches every day items to Pantone color samples. 

*The Super from Friends dishes five secrets we never knew!

*THIS is a tiny house, but wowsers is it well-done!

*What happens when you give up sugar for a month. Pretty fascinating!

*Moxie Girl, a comic by 7 year old Natalie McGriff. You rock, Natalie!

Aw!!

I hope y'all have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend planned. I'm going to make something for my mom, but I can't say what because she reads this blog! Hopefully my boys (dogs, Comodino and Seven) will make me some clay paw prints or something. Don't forget to call the moms in your life (I like to send messages to my girlfriends who are moms as well as my mom and stepmom). Have a great weekend guys!

Something new...

Have y'all seen the trailer for the new Netflix original show, Grace & Frankie? I happen to be a huge Lily Tomlin fan (and Sam Waterston and Jane Fonda and Martin Sheen), so I'm super excited. It looks so funny! Check it out!

Do you think you'll watch it? 

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Friday Happies!

Oh Kitty. How we miss you!

Y'all. This week. This friggin' week.

It's all good, but y'all. I need a vacation and I know there's no way to get one until June. But here is everything I could give y'all considering I didn't have internet until nearly 10 pm last night. Sigh.

Anyone up for Midnight Margaritas? 

Here we go!

*I want to try this Southwestern (Paleo) Pork with lime and avocado!

*How to get what you want.

*This is so interesting. Apparently around the 1830's or so blue started becoming prominent in every "masterpiece" and has continued to stay as such even today!

*Check out this info-graphic about how houses have changed over the past 40 years! 

*Miss your old decoder ring? Here's how to access the secret hidden menus on your phone!

*How good is your eyesight? Take this (slightly freaky but cool) test!

*Strong is the new pretty. YES!! Those little girls are something else!

*I'm not usually into the celebrity culture minus a mild interest. But I thought this was kind of motivating!

*A hat. And a hat. Oh! And a hat. 

*ACK! This was so sweet it made me tear up! Okay, I'll be real- big fat tears.

*This couple "retired" in their 30's and travel the world...with their baby. Read their awesome (and wise money management) here!

*Want! Me want! Okay...sorry...use your words, Lulu. Ahem...I would really like this pleaseandthankyou!

*I enjoy Rebel Wilson. A lot.

*I like this tenacious little Irish girl. When her parents laughed at her performance of Frozen, she put them in their place. You can't understand a bloody word, but the tone is unmistakeable!

*This littler girl's papa is an astronaut. She wanted to leave him a message he could see from space, and Hyundai was happy to help. Together they also broke a Guinness Work Record. 

Have a wonderful weekend y'all!!

Friday Happies, the Expanded Edition

A beautiful pink morning. 

Whew lawdy! What a week, y'all. I've been trucking along at work, celebrated a birthday, worked some more, and have been all the while trying to get moved into the new apartment (slow and steady wins the race). This weekend its...well, it's more of the same but I'm going to try to throw some brunch in there somewhere too.

Since I was a loon last week and didn't post our Friday Happies, I've compiled a big, fat, juicy list for today. Here we go!!

*I'm intrigued by gal (Caroline) who has been helping write A Cup of Jo over the past few months. Check out her apartment, it makes me feel a wee bit ashamed that I'm around the same age and have done far less with my apartment (or career) while also being simultaneously inspired to do even more to the new place we're moving into!

*This 40 second video has already saved the lives of 36 babies! Woah.

*I don't have a functioning fireplace, but if I did... I would have this.

*Ten tips for a more mindful home! I'm seriously in need of some more mindfulness these days (what with all the self-inflicted chaos).

*This made me giggle.

*I really like this house. A lot!

*I think this is the prettiest little necklace, and I've always wanted to have something with a moonstone on it.

*Heck yeah! Golden Girls legos?! Vote here!

*While we're on the subject of dynamic women...there's a chance to vote to put a woman on the $20 bill in honor of the passing of the 19th amendment which gave women the right to vote. I vote Tubman or Killman! LET'S VOTE!

*A little organization porn for you guys..."How I simplified & organized my house, room by room".

*In that same vein, this book sounds pretty rad too! I want it so bad, I have a feeling I've already linked to it here at some point.

*Did y'all see this? A woman found 50 pearls in an oyster!

*I thought this was so sweet. A letter to the Trader Joe's Employee Who Noticed My Family.

*Every time I mention meditation to someone they say "I could never do that, I can't sit still or my mind always wanders"...well duh. That's why you should meditate, dude! Here's a practical guide to start meditating every day!

*I just want to spend a day going through this blog.

*A 1,000 year old medical remedy was transcribed detailing a possible cure for MRSA. Wow!! MRSA is so scary!

*I adore this whimsical Easter/Spring table from Lonny. It's so...Seussical!

*I squealed when I found this. I don't know how it avoided my radar for so long. Elvis Costello and the Beastie Boys perform Radio Radio. So rad!

*I love that this weather forecaster handled her online bullies on air! And you know what they were bullying her about? Being pregnant. Good for you, Kristi!

*I don't know if y'all are addicted to the sorta soap opera-y show Nashivlle...but I am. I just love when Gunnar and Scarlett sing and this week's episode did not disappoint.  Check it out, so ethereal and kinetic!

Have a great weekend y'all!!! I'll be back on Wednesday!

Friday Happies!

I'm in a philodendron kinda mood.

Hey y'all! What a long week. I'm working all weekend, but I'm keeping a smile on my face. Here's this week's list of funs, happies, pretties, interestings and what-not's to help keep a smile on your face too! Here we go!

*I weirdly love this bathing suit. One pieces aren't really my style, but I may need to reconsider that because...well, mid-thirties. I like this one too...

*Wanna know what goings-on are happening in the deep ole dirty South this Spring? Check it out!

*Would LOVE this for the new house...but $600...not quite ready for that!

*You know I love those "100 years of" posts! Here's 100 years of fitness. So great!

*And Jane Fonda of course!

*Super Troopers is crowd-funding a sequel fourteen years after the first! Sweet!

*I've never seen an eclipse of any kind. Last week a solar eclipse could be seen (it seems like) everywhere but where I was. So, I found this list!

*Robert Plant and Jack White covered "The Lemon Song". Wild.

*I'd flaunt it too. Good for her.

*I LOVE CAPYBARAS. Let's just get that straight. But look! They all took a hot tubby together! The cuteness...it hurts.

*Dude. The first grade preparedness checklist from 1979 shows a whole lot of change has happened in a short amount of time. I can't say I'm the hugest fan of how helpless people seem to be making them these days.

*Netflix show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, shows the irrelevance of major networks like NBC. Wowsers.

*This woman followed the 90's dating rule book "The Rules" for three months and hilarity ensues.

*Cool. This artist created world maps from food. I love stuff like that. Remember these guys?

*I seem to have a beacon inside me that lures former flight attendants into my life. It makes for great stories and friendships. Did you know they have their own language?

*This lady inspired me this week. She lost 200 pounds and did a 10K! When she started having difficulty toward the end, her son and a police officer helped her finish. Even though she finished last, she's the winner to me!

Have a great weekend, guys!!

Friday Happies!

Google.

Happy first day of Spring y'all! I hear there's a solar eclipse today too, wow! It may not feel like it everywhere you are, but Winter is officially over. I hate to see it go, but I'm excited for a bright, happy Spring!

What do y'all have in store for your weekend? I'm going to a little beach community with my mom to help her with her art show. I'm very excited and I hope we are so busy we can't stand it! I hope your week has not been too hectic, mine was...eventful (more on that later). In the meantime, here is this week's list of happies, pretties, funnies, interestings and what-nots to make you smile even if you have to work all weekend. Here we go!

*Here's what happened when a woman decided to live according to the Pinterest top pins page for a week. She got so over it so fast! Hilarious.

*I'm terrified of all stinging bugs. Though I love bees, I love them from a big ole distance if possible. Anyway, there has been a wasp hanging around my front door and back door and...I'm just irrationally scared of being stung. So here are two posts about whether to wasp or not to wasp.

*Another share from Yes & Yes, I just love her stuff. How to Celebrate Your Birthday (12 culturally different ways).

*A very under-appreciated frozen vegetable, and some ways to turn it gourmet easily.

*I loved this!! What happens when you put your phone down for a week.

*My "personality vs. name" test was, let's say...close! For some they'd say "accurate" for those who know me better, they'd say "close by no cigar"...Names...and nicknames...http://www.first-names-meanings.com/names/name-LULU.html

*I just love this show! Here are the 31 best sight gags from The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. 

*Working mom sends a powerful message without really saying anything about it at all. Good for her!

Google.

*This woman traveled the country in an RV after cancer and losing her husband to help with her grief. Super interesting.

*Did y'all see those beautiful images of the Southern Lights in New Zealand?? Incredible!!
*Seven ways to minimize decision fatigue in your daily life. While you're at it...

*Why you should consider opting out.

*I've had a crush on Stanley Tucci for years, and apparently it is a "thing". So funny!!!

*Genes are crazy! Check out these parents (and some grandparents) and their kids looking pretty near identical!

*I've been working on a post with a similar theme for about a month now. I'll still totally check this book out though: That's Not English: Britishisms, Americanisms, and What Our English Says About Us. I love this kind of stuff!!

Have the most spectacular first weekend of Spring ever!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Clover image from Google.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, kiddos. It's always been a special one in my family and friends and I'm celebrating quietly this year. Y'all be safe whatever you do. 

XOXO

Gotta love Charlie in Always Sunny! NSFW.

Have a truly lucky day!

Friday Happies!

Just the essentials, ma'am.

Y'all this week...ugh. I've been working my hiney off to stay positive and stay on track lemme tell ya. Whew lordy! Well, y'all know what day it is! It's time for this weeks list of happies, pretties, interestings and what-nots to usher you into your weekend with a smile on your face! Here we go!

*Slang from all over the country! My favorite is the one about the kittens in the oven- whuh?

*We got gators down here. Don't believe me? Just watch!

*These Molasses Clove Cookies sound divine. DIVINE I say!

*In case you missed it, a "visual story" I made called Lazy Sunday Morning. 

*I love this photo project. It makes me want to clean my purse out (in a good way)!

*Ten tips for a more mindful home. I love it!

*I am kinda obsessed with Foodiggety.

*Did y'all catch Alabama Shakes on SNL two weeks ago? Man oh man. That band is good and that girl can SANG!!

And another one because they're seriously one of my favorite bands.

*This is absolutely my new favorite show. I watched the entire season two nights ago. I couldn't stop. She's so positive and well- unbreakable. Plus I love that the theme song came from them auto-tuning the news. It's like 30 Rock (because the Fey produces it), but with way more heart.

*I'm really enjoying Ella's blog, Deliciously Ella. She changed her diet and her life when diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I love the things she comes up with.

*Did y'all see the huge swatch of seabed that had these naturally occurring metal spheres in it? So weird! Our planet is so incredible!!!

*Apparently men in the UK think heterosexual women want something very different in a man than they actually do!! It's comical, really!

*Tallahassee, Florida has claimed the porch swing as its symbol to represent the laid back, Southern "come sit a spell and visit" small town mentality. So cute!

*What's your go-to midnight snack?? Mine's usually a grilled cheese or a tortilla smeared in spicy mustard with cheese and turkey pressed in a skillet.

*Planting seedlings in eggshells. Spring is on it's way y'all! Apparently this helps with end rot!

One week until Spring is officially here! Take some time to enjoy what is left of Winter and to bid it adieu. Have a truly wonderful weekend!

Friday Happies- Viva Nashvegas!!

Hey y'all! Well, we made it through the snow up to Nashville to visit our family up here. It's crisp and lovely out (though I'm sure they'd all prefer the North Florida sunshine!). I'll be Nashing it up all weekend, but here's this week's happies, pretties, funnies, interestings and what-nots to get you geared up fro your weekend! Here we go!

*My FAVORITE place to eat. Period. It just happens to be in Nash.

*I enjoyed this dad's ideas and tips for traveling as a family with an infant.

*Passionate multi-cultural conversations about clutter (and what to do- if anything- about it!). You know I love that!!

*Awesome apron. So chic, so simple!!

*Ooooh, wearable works of art, you say?

*THE 2015 COOKBOOK COOK OFF! Otherwise known as The Piglet! I'm so in!!

*Kids playing classic rock on xylophones?! Yes please!!

*Norm MacDonald's riveting look behind the scenes of the SNL anniversary. It explains a lot! 

*Button Box! A super interesting-seeming book of historical fiction set in New Orleans. What a great name (and so Southern) for a book! On the list!

*These guys wanted to report on the superhuman strength of pregnant women and moms. So they did something a little...bold! Dig. Pretty confident dudes, I think it's awesome. 

*The hubs adorably calls my romper a "rompy". I think this rompy is particularly ladylike!

*Well that's one heck of a grown up Easter basket!!

*I could use these this weekend! Or...all the time!

*Don't these look delicious?!

*This is one of my favorite shops in Tally, it's all about olive oils and balsamic vinegars! So yummy!

I hope y'all enjoy! Have a truly wonderful day!!

Thoughts on Time Part 5

Alright friends, today's the last day of my series on time management and it is a long one- but it's worth it! I know I've learned a lot, have you? Well, today I have four simple tips that are usually reserved for organizing and decluttering projects that are, in fact, extremely helpful for time management. But I also have a breakdown of how to apply everything we've learned so far. So, without further ado...here we go!

Apples & Oranges.

#1. Group like with like.

This helps not only with organizing your stuff, but also with your tasks. Instead of running errands on different ends of the planet all the time, group tasks, chores and errands into categories. I also like to plan a route so that I a) save gas b) save money c) save time d) save my sanity. Keep this in your mind, there will be a visual example at the end of the post!

...

               

#2. Divide and conquer!

As with grouping like with like, dividing tasks into workable groups or sub-groups helps to take huge chunks out of your list with far greater ease than if you just made the list and started going with bullet point number one and worked your way down. Threes work for me. Three types of things that need to get done. I can look at that and take whatever is in the group I choose first and knock it out. Keep this in your head too, kiddos! It's all going to be revealed to you visually shortly.

#3. Handle things once.

This has been a huge help to me. I had a boss say it at work almost ten years ago and it has stuck with me. I've always been kind of a walks-in-circles kind of person. I live a lot in my head and when I get overstimulated especially I have a tendency to wander. It's taken a lot of hard work to teach myself to just pick that thing up and put it away where it belongs and be done with hit. In the past I would have carried it through every room of the house before I found a place that didn't bug me as much. It works with possessions, paperwork, and especially tasks on your to-do list. If you sit down and dedicate a given amount of time to a task and just get it done, it won't haunt you or grow bigger or nag you and make you feel bad or overwhelmed. It will have simply been handled, once. Handling something once can be done every day too. So instead of checking emails 34 times a day, do it once at a given time...period. Unbelievable time saved.

Cut it out!

#4. Ruthlessly cut away the unimportant.

I've touched on this a bit when I explained time thieves. However, a lot of unimportant things occupy our "to-do" lists. There are a million things we all do that aren't necessary but for some reason we still waste/piddle time away doing them! Think back to that time audit you did...where is your time going? What are the things that are unnecessary, outdated, annoying, or unimportant that you could cut from your life?

I know I waste time complaining about work. If I added up all the time I spend in a week bitching about stuff that happened at work and put it toward learning to sew (something I've longed to master for years), I'd be making a garment or decorative pillow a week (and I'm not kidding)! Or I could have put out a dozen more applications for another job in the meantime until my creative things take off more. I have to learn to cut the unimportant things too. We all do.

And don't worry, baby steps are the most important steps of all!!

So that brings me to a visual example of all the things that I have talked about these three weeks. Here's the summary:

1. Time management is energy management. AKA, Know thyself.

2. Develop a sleep routine and start getting to bed (and waking up) earlier. It's what the cool kids are doing.

3. Use the concept of "control" a little more wisely. Time management is about working smarter, not adding more stuff to do so you have no peace. Peace and joy are the goals here, people!

4. Write everything down and utilize a calendar. 

5. Determine what is urgent vs. what is personal priority.

6. Get the no-fun stuff done first, freeing up more time for the stuff that makes you happy and fulfills you!

7. Plan. Plan for tomorrow, then have a contingency plan (or two).

8. Delegate.

9. Learn to say "No."

No.thank.you.

10. Eliminate (or greatly reduce) distractions.

11. Be aware of your time thieves.

12. Focus on the tasks that will accomplish the most (the Pareto Principle).

13. Do a time audit. See where your time really goes (be honest!).

14. Learn how long it takes you to accomplish your tasks and be real about that too.

15. Schedule time to relax. Leave room for the joys of life!

16. Group like with like. 

17. Divide & conquer!

18. Handle things once. Even if its every day.

19. Ruthlessly cut away the unimportant. 

Here's a to-do list for my day off as an example. Before time management and after...

Before

1. grocery shop for the week (U)

2. do laundry (U)

3. get oil changed in car (U)

4. write blog posts for Monday and Tuesday. (PP)

5. make dinner (U)

6. pick up Mom's birthday gift (PP)

7. get hair cut (PP)

8. check emails and respond (U)

9. clean upstairs bathroom (full clean) (U)

10. wash the pup (PP)

11. call out of town friend to catch up (PP)

12. work on sewing project (STG)

13. call Credit Union with questions about IRA. (LTG)

I went ahead and added identifiers to the list to immediately indicate which items are urgent, which are personal priorities, and which were either short-tern or long-term goals. 

After

Morning: Out of house errands (arranged in a horseshoe/circular pattern so the first and last tasks are closest to home). Starting at 8:30 a.m.:

1. get oil changed and use the wait time to...

     *call CU with IRA ?'s (should take 5 minutes). 

     *call out of town friend to quickly catch up (5-10 minutes).

2. get hair cut

3. pick up Mom's birthday gift.

4. grocery shop for the week (30-45 minutes).

Early afternoon: In-house tasks. Starting around 12:15 p.m.:

5. start first load of laundry and...

6. prep food and snacks for dinner and lunches (30-45 minutes)

     *switch out laundry and...

7. assemble dinner in the crock pot or oven 

     *switch out laundry and put away. (30-45 minutes)

8.while upstairs and laundry is put away...

     *use the time upstairs to clean the bathroom (takes 30 minutes for full clean).

Late afternoon: In-house tasks:

9. check emails and respond while last load of laundry dries. (30 minutes or so).

10. work on Monday and Tuesday's blogs (30 minutes for Monday & 15 for Tuesday). 

11. Finish up the last of the laundry and put away. (30-45 minutes)

You are done. It's about 4:35 p.m. and the rest of the night is free to do what makes me happy like work on that sewing project I've been wanting to do or getting in a little yoga. I can have New Girl or The Mindy Project streaming in the background as I do so too! The things that make me truly happy get a chance now, all because I got all that no-fun and urgent stuff out of the way in a well-thought out manner. I bet you'd feel better with those big, urgent ones out of the way as well as those personal priorities too.

Exactly how I feel now after my to-do lists!

Do you think you'll use any of these ideas? I know I have been incorporating them bit by bit every day. I hope this series has helped, y'all! And I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Friday Happies!!

This is Colby. He is not digging the snow & ice currently swallowing Nashville whole. This is what he listens to to keep warm! Donate today!

 Happy Friday y'all! What a week! Birthday, Valentine's AND Mardi Gras! I'm beat. I hope y'all have made it through your week relatively unscathed as well. I know there is some real scary weather out there right now (it's below 25 degrees in Florida this morning!), and my thoughts are with all of you dealing with ice and snow and cabin fever.

I'm working all weekend again, I hope you aren't- but either way, here are this week's funs, happies, pretties, interestings, and what-not's to usher you into a fun weekend regardless (it's all about the attitude, right?). Have a great weekend you guys, I truly hope it's wonderful! Here we go (and stay safe and warm out there)!

*Bless her little heart. When her baby wouldn't come on her due date, she decided to do the entire dance from "Thriller" to jiggle herself into going into labour. She did a damn good job too!! Get down girl, go on get down!

*I love this infographic/quote about time (#14). It really resonated with me.

*Cool! The 7 types of English surnames! 

*Heh. Suburban Funk (soccer mom parody of Uptown Funk).

*Oooh! I'm such a sucker for a beverage dispenser. These are so pretty!

*This sounds like a fun dinner experiment for next week...Italian-style Meatloaf. Mine's already pretty damn good (if I do say so myself), but I think this recipe sounds yummy!

*Y'all know I'm about the cosy! I'll add this to the pile of incredibly snuggly throws I'm collecting thankyouverymuch!

*I must get this book. MUST!!

*This poor fella. His guilty conscious got the better of him. So funny!

*I had never heard of Horn Island until I found this article. My husband is from Biloxi and even he has never mentioned it. I must admit, I'm super intrigued!

*I love a good themed collection! These rustic candleholders are perfect for Spring, Summer, St. Patrick's Day and even Christmas in varying shades of greens!

*From looking at these pictures, I feel I should step up my pajama and lingerie game. Seriously!

*I'm a sucker for a good buddy movie, particularly once that looks slightly cheesy. Hot Pursuit looks like  it may fit the bill I will go alone, and laugh super loudly in a partially-empty matinee theatre.
That's how I roll, y'all. Don't hate.

*I was given a beautiful white hyacinth bulb for my birthday this year and, having never cared for them was unsure how to care for it so I can enjoy its magnificence again for years to come. Since this is the time for hyacinths, I thought I'd share some tips with y'all too! It's such an enjoyable blossom!

*Did y'all know this trick for drying a load of clothes faster if you're in a hurry? I didn't and I'm totally going to try it!

'Tis just a flesh wound!

I'd had slightly more grandiose plans for today's post. However, I had a hell of a mishap in the kitchen last night and am too grumpy and bandaged up to do much more than this. Promises that tomorrow will be better (that's what I'm telling myself anyway!). 

And I don't care who ya are, "Bitch Stickers" are for tough-ass bitches (if I left this nonsense exposed I'd be all gangrenous and Master & Commandery...ain't nobody got time for that! 

I'll be normalish and rationalish soon, I swear. I hope you have a wonderful day!