Favorite Fridays and A Few Fun Foughts ...

Okay, I know "Foughts" is spelled "Thoughts".  Give me a break, I was illiterating.

Remember this last Friday?  Well today's topic is

Favorite Romantic Comedy (movie) ...

And I'm not sure this counts, but I'm going to go with it anyway.  Mine is none other than ...

"Aaaasssss Youuuuu Wisssshhhh"

Seriously, if you didn't grow up watching this movie then you need to go home, slap yo' momma and tell her she's deprived you of your basic emotional (and by emotional I mean laughter) needs and then immediately find a Redbox and watch it.  Pronto.  But seriously, don't really slap yo' momma.  Sometimes I feel the need to put "warning labels" like on the Starbucks coffee cups, cups that were made for to HOLD COFFEE, a beverage that is generally HOT, where it says "Careful, the beverage you are about to enjoy is extremely (duh) hot" or on cleaning product bottles where it states ... um ... "Not For Human Consumption" (duh).  So seriously, don't really slap yo' momma, or if you do, be prepared for her to slap you back.

Back to Princess Bride. Where else do you get appropriate in ALL situations quotes such as ...

"Hallo, my name is Inigo Montoya.  Jou keel my fadder, prepare to die."

or

Inigo Montoya: That Vizzini, he can *fuss*.

Fezzik: Fuss, fuss... I think he like to scream at *us*.

Inigo Montoya: Probably he means no *harm*.

Fezzik: He's really very short on *charm*.

Inigo Montoya: You have a great gift for *rhyme*.

Fezzik: Yes, yes, some of the *time*.

Vizzini: Enough of that.

Inigo Montoya: Fezzik, are there rocks *ahead*?

Fezzik: If there are, we all be *dead*.

Vizzini: No more rhymes now, I *mean it*.

Fezzik: Anybody want a *peanut*?

Vizzini: DYEEAAHHHHHH

and ...

Vizzini: HE DIDN'T FALL? INCONCEIVABLE.

Inigo Montoya: Chou keep using that word. I do not think it means what chou think it means.

and saving my FAVORITE for last ...

Clergyman: Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam... 

Clergyman: And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva...

Clergyman: So tweasure your wuv.

Prince Humperdinck: Skip to the end.

Clergyman: Have you the wing?

Clergyman: ...and do you,Pwincess Buwwercup...

Prince Humperdinck: Man and wife. Say man and wife.

Clergyman: Man an' wife.

What is YOUR favorite Romantic Comedy (movie)?  Click the little button up there and link up at A Girl In Pearls and A Boy With Toys and fill us in!

In other news, Maria at Two Hearts Made Four gave me this sweet blog award ...

Thank you Maria, you are TOO sweet to think of me!

Last but not least, I have a GIVEAWAY coming!  Jessica at CSN Stores contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in hosting a giveaway and of course I said "Boy would I!"  So check back here in the next few days for the reveal of what you lucky girls will get to enter to win (I asked her if it was okay if I entered my own giveaway ... she said no.  Why?  Fangit (Soulmatey I love you), I see no conflict of interest?  Psshh.)

And now, I'll leave you with this handsome face.

That's him cooking me Valentine's Day Breakfast last year.  HE did NOT, like me in this post, burn the Valentine's Meal ...

Why am I leaving you with a picture of my mister you ask?  Well (1) because he's sheer eye candy, but (2) and the main reason, it's his BIRTH MONTH!  And I'm a horrible wife/blogger to not have mentioned it sooner.  I mean we ARE 5 days deep into March.  But truth be told, he HATES being the center of attention and will barely, if at all, let me fret over his birfday.  But he can't do ANYTHING about a little blog fretting!  My blog, my right to fret sugar.  Sorry (not really).  So HAPPY BIRTH MONTH to my mister, my best friend, my love.  There will be more where this came from, just you wait 'enry 'iggins, just you wait.  And P diddle S - If you know where that came from I might just marry you.  Not really because did you SEE up there what I'm already married to?  But I'll love you enough to want to.

Happy Friday loves, have a safe and wonderful weekend!!!

Tea Overview

I am not a coffee drinker.  However, tea is my passion.  I enjoy trying new teas, and find the whole tea experience very soothing.  Of all the teas I have tried, below are some of my favorites.

Rooibos (Red Tea) - Rooibos has been my favorite tea since I discovered it about two years ago.  I'm not really a fan of herbal teas.  Other than an occasional Chammomile with cloves added to it, rooibos is the only herbal tea I drink.  It has a sligthly 'grassy' flavor, and the best caffeine free substitute for black tea I have found.  I love to drink it with milk.  Rooibos is high in anti oxidants, low in the tannins found in regular tea (even green), and may help with digestion.  I have yet to meet a rooibos tea that I didn't like, but I especialy like the selection of rooibos teas from Adagio Teas (check out the almond and vanilla ones - which are great when mixed together). And if you're in Canada (or an online shopper) check out the Rooibos de Provence from Davd's Tea, which combines rooibos, rosehip, black currants, rose leaves, lavender, raisins, red currants, rose petals and dried blueberries.  Rooibos de Provence makes a perfumey tea that tastes like a blend of earthy forest berries.

White Tea - White tea is made from young tea buds and leaves that have been left relatively unprocessed.  Though white tea has the same amount of caffeine as green and black teas, it is higher in antioxidants (which are more concentrated in the younger plants.  White tea brews to a very light color and delicate perfumey flavor.  My favorite white teas come from Adagio Teas.  I recommend the white blueberry and the snowbud. 

Green Tea - Green tea is processed in such a way that it is not allowed to oxidize, and hence its green color is preserved.  Green tea is high in antioxidants, and may decrease your chances of heart disease and certain types of cancers.  The highest brewing temperatures for green tea are 180°F to 190°F (81°C to 87°C), so let your boiled water cool for a few minutes before you brew your tea.  I sometimes find green tea to be a little strong and bitter, so I choose milder varieties.  My favorite mild green teas are Adagio's White Monkey and Pi Lo Chun.

Black Tea - Black tea is allowed to oxidize more than any other tea varieties.  As a result, it tends to contain slightly more caffeine and has a stronger flavor than its more green counterparts.  It also retains its flavor for longer than green teas.  To my palette, black tea tastes best with milk, though some also like to add a bit of sugar to counteract its strong flavor.  My favorite black tea of all time is Earl Grey, and my favorite Earl Grey is from Whittard of Chelsea.  Its virtually impossible to find this tea in North America, so it was the item I always requested from friends and family when they visited the UK.  This Earl Grey is so fragrant and delicious, it is the tea I will be brewing for myself when I finish this post.  Earl Grey is traditionally prepared with lemon and sugar, but I like mine with milk.  I also enjoy assam (my fave is from Taylors of Harrogate) and darjeeling (fave from Adagio). 

 When making tea...

I love to boil my water in the Bodum Ibis cordless electric tea kettle.  It was a little more expensive than the other tea kettles, it brings my water to a boil in a flash, comes in a variety of colors, and has lasted me a long time.  I also picked up a 'Perfect Cup of Tea Spoon' at David's tea, which is perfect for measuring just enough tea for one cup.  You will find me drinking my tea from either the glass Jumbo Tea Cup or glass Mug from Adagio Teas.  I love that these cups both have a fine stainless steel strainer that fits right into the cup, so I can just dump my looseleaf tea in and not worry about bits of tea in my teeth.  I also like the little glass lids that keep my tea warm while it's steeping.  If you plan on getting the mug, be aware that you can get it as part of a tea sampler gift (check under the 'gifts' tab).

And please note...
I do not work for Adagio, nor am I in any way affiliated with them.  I think their products are good quality, and I love their sample tins, which allow me to try many different types of teas.  The sample tins are only $2-$4, an last for about 8-10 cups of tea.  Not bad.


Are you a tea drinker?  If so, what are some of your favorite teas?

Thoughtless Thursday ...

Good MORNING loverlies, welcome to the second installmant of ...

My sweet cousins, Jo (by marriage, no my cousins didn't marry each other, my mister's from Arkansas, not I said the fly) and Mikey are moving to Tuscon at the end of this month and I was going through my pictures (trying to figure out which ones I wanted to post for Thoughtless Thursday) and came upon the pictures of their (somewhat joint because their birfdays are close together) 80's Birthday Party and felt that they MUST be posted.  I THINK these were 2 years ago, but it may even be 3.  No matter.  Enjoy friends!

My, much taller, cousin Erica and me ...
Yes I have on jelly's.  You know you're jelly. (that's jealous, for all you that don't get my humor, I'm not actually calling you a spreadable toast topping)

L to R:  The birfday girl, me, my cousin Natalie ...

Birfday girl and (almost) birfday boy (my cousin) ...

PS - CHECK that guy's Run DMC shirt.  Oh NO he dinn't.

Maybe I am from Arkansas, I have far too many cousins ... (PS - all you Arkansas'ians KNOW I'm kiddin', riiiggghhhht?)

Apparently I decided to pick up the birfday girl, she IS small enough to put in your pocket you know ...

E n' me again, check out the AWESOME blue eyeshadow and super de DUPER pink lipstick (which makes my teef look REALLY yeller by the way) and yes, I know you're wondering, my hair is, in fact, crimped ...

We're going to MISS you Mikey and Jo (and your stinkin' adorable little girls)!!! 

Okay folks.  That's all to my Thoughtless Thursday.  Feel free to grab my button and play along.  The idea is just to post pictures of any random thing that pops in your mind, no matter how old they are!  Then, come back here and "McLinky up"!!!

I'll be back tomorrow to tell you about the blog award beautiful miss Maria at Two Hearts Made Four honored me with and I'm sure more incessant babbling.  Happy ALMOST Friday!!!

New to Makeup Series: How I Got Started

All my life I have been surrounded by women who do not wear any makeup.  I have had many questions about makeup from the tomboys in my life.  The first one being, where do I start?  I didn't start wearing makeup until I was in grad school, so I know where these women are coming from.  Not only is the vast selection of makeup intimidating, a girl who never wore makeup is not going to feel comfortable with a full face of bold colors. 

I learned my first regular makeup 'look' at a Mary Kay party.  The consultant is a good friend, and an excellent makeup artist.  She picked out the right shade of foundation for me, and the colors she chose for the rest of my face were very neutral and did a wonderful job of accentuating my best features.  I ended up spending quite a bit of cash on makeup that day, and walked away with the medium color foundation and a 'look compact' of three eye shadows, a blush, a lipstick, and two stubby little makeup brushes.  Add mascara and I was good to go.  10 minutes in the morning to a brand new, more polished me.  And the best part?  I got so many complements on how I looked good, even though most people couldn't figure out what I had done differently!  WOW!  I loved those products, and used them regularly for about a year before I started to branch out into other brands and colors.

I realize now that I was one of the lucky ones.  I have since heard countless accounts of 'professional' makeovers which made somebody look like a clown.  If you have seen the movie The Truth About Cats and Dogs, you know what I'm talking about.  As such, I will be doing this series as an intro to makeup.  So if you're a tomboy like me, or someone who wants a more polished look, or you have a special date or event, stay tuned.  And feel free to ask questions!

Twenties Girl - Sophie Kinsella

Chick lit is a secret vice for me.  I am hopeless (or, as I'd like to say, hopeful) romantic.  Of all the chick book I've read, this one stands out among the most enjoyable, and will definitely be a re-read.

Be sure to pick up Twenties Girl if you have been loving the twenties trend - flapper dresses, sleek short hair, winged eyeliner and a bold red lip.  It is an easy and fun read about a girl named Lara, whose great-aunt Sadie passes away, only to reappear as a spirit.  Lara is the only one who can see Sadie, who is looking for her lost necklace.  Sadie is a bona fide Twenties Girl, and has strong opinions about style, life, and love.  Lara somewhat reluctantly helps Sadie find her necklace, In return, Sadie gives Lara a head to toe twentie makeover, and teaches her how to live, love and dance with confidence. 

This is a definite winner from Kinsella, who brought you the now famous Confessions of a Shopaholic.

I absolutely LOVED this book!

I Am Now A Four-Eye Card Carrying Member

I got my glasses yesterday after work. It feels a little weird but I can see so clearly. Today is my first day in them and I was actually a little nervous. This is an idea of how they look. They are actually yellow and blue (I know, wacky color choice). I didn't want a pair of boring black or brown frames. I wanted a pair that reflected me: unconvential and funky. I think we found a match. My boss doesn't like them; she thinks I should wear contacts. If that's the case she can put them in for me every morning and take them out at night. I am not a fan for poking myself in the eye or putting anything near my eye for that matter (you should have seen how long it took me to get used to eye liner, lol). But I digress, I am also looking at a pair of navy Burberry glasses with pyramid studs going doen the sides! They are so awesome that I want them now! I'll try and find the picture to post, they're so hot!




image: framesdirect.com

Wishful Wednesday: Winter Olympics

Welcome to Kelsey at The Seattle Smith's fantastically fun feature Wishful Wednesday!  This Wednesday's Topic is ...

'I wish' .... I could have gone to the 2010 Winter Olympics to see one event, and it would have been the Opening Ceremonies!

Okay, don't hate me ... and start gettin' your panties all in a wad (cause seriously, that's really uncomfortable).  And don't get me wrong.  I DO like the Olympics.  And I get very excited when the good ole' US of A wins medals and conquers OUTSTANDING feats for our country.  But I just. don't. watch. like I should, that is.  And generally, the only real time I am overly-conscious of them being on is either when (a) figure skating is on, cause I think it's purty or (b) it gets in the way of my weekly shows (i.e. I almost had a conniption last Thursday when I realized I had to wait until THIS week to see Jim and Pam's labor experience)  But HELLO the Opening Ceremonies!  I am such a sap for premeditated emotion enducing performances.  Even when they're dancing and twirling around huge trees made out of floating fabric that borderline looks like a Cirque Du Soleil production.  SUCK.ER.  Right here.  To start, Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado singing a song that sounded like it was straight out of Disney's "Brother Bear"? (um, LOVED it!  Cornyness n' all)  Yes please.  And HELLO, Sarah McLachlan!  I love love LOVE anything that she does.  You drop her in the middle of the PGA Tour and I'd watch hours upon hours of the most BORING SPORT ALIVE.  If she was the promised entertainment that is.  Ah-mazing.  And then K.D. Lang (which I could do with or without) sings "Hallelujah" (which I can ALWAYS do WITH!) followed by topping it off with someone (who, for the record, I really can't remember) singing Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" which is only one of my all-time favorite songs.

 

And let's not forget the ginormous bear that looked like a gargantuan-sized version of the blow-up ones you (and by you, I mean not me) put on your lawn at Christmas ... who WOULDN'T that give chill bumps to!??!  Hopefully you can detect a LITTLE sarcasm here ...

So there you have it.  I wish I could've been there.  Because it's super cold there and I'd be willing to bet that seeing it live in all it's corny glory would've given me bigger goosebumps than it did seeing it in my warm living room under my snuggly blanket (with my snuggly pup might I add).   What would your answer be?  Well head on over to Kelsey's Blog, grab her button, blog about it and tell her!  Enquiring minds want to know!!!