Show and Tell

  Stuffs I See and Saw. Shown and Told.

Because.

So lemme show you a few thangs.

This is a prayer card I have tacked to the inside of my medicine cabinet so I see it every time I brush my teeth and what not.

It goes along with this bracelet:

Each bead or charm is symbolic so you can go through them like a rosary of sorts as you meditate on the prayer.

This is my dog Zoe on our walk this morning.

People are surprised to learn I have a dog. “Why is there not a gazillion pictures on your Facebook or blog?”

One explanation is she is a camera HATER.  Not sure why.

I see this every time I leave my apartment and the splash of color makes me happy, especially on a gloomy morning like today.

 

My new notebook.

 

Adds some sparkle to the drudgery of logging my food.

Speaking of food…

On my Vegetable Fruit Salad post Christine mentioned I should add avocado which I have done.

I didn’t chop the veggies much or mix them — just threw everything (yes that is how I do pepper) on a plate and got down.
Whatever. Totally Fine. I aint tryin’a impress nobody.
(Most of the time. LOL.)

This is a coupon for a new food product I’m in love with and can’t wait to tell you about.
 
Can you guess what it is?

I see this everyday. Yup. I wear make-up every day, and not very skillfully. 

Usually just cream, brows and lashes..necessary for this blonde girl.
(There’s some new things in the basket too, I’ll tell you what I think soon).

Lastly I got mail from my friend who I sent the Lemon Card to. It arrived yesterday – as I was replying to comments on my last post asking about favorite childhood books.

Look what she wrote!
 

Totally freaked me out – as I know she has no access to the internet. Then I remembered I had written her a funky rhyme and talked about Dr. Suess in my last letter so things fell into context.

Phew this is getting long (and boring).
I will end with three words:

Sock. Monkey. Sticker.

You’ve been shown.

Beautiful Schlopp with a Cherry on Top.

Wanna Hear something Marvelous?

One of my closest friends had a baby boy!

Meet Simon.

Brooke and I met in college, and though she lives in St. Louis we still keep in touch.

(Glitter on my eyes in the lower right picture, naturally).

We both share a love of Children’s Literature and once had grand plans to co-author together. Maybe one day… I don’t ever say never.

She is the one who wrote the story of Melissa that I shared here:

Anyways, for her Baby Shower (which I missed) she asked guests to contribute our favorite Childhood book in lieu of a gift so Simon can have a phat library.

How fun!

Of course I picked my favorite Eric Carle.

I kind-of really want that stuffed caterpillar.

I also got one of my favorites from the Dr.

This is one of my favorite lines…..
 

This book is might be my #1 favorite for so many reasons.
Anyone ever read it?

and a Cutie Patootie card that I have to share.

Doesn’t just looking at that make you smile?
Speaking of smiles.. I couldn’t stop all afternoon.

Hanging out with Brooke and her little guy was so much fun I am sure I will have a smile hangover for the rest of the week.

There really is nothing more magical or marvelous than a baby.

• What are some of your favorite Children’s books from Childhood or ones you love now?

TGYWT

Thank Goodness Yesterday Was Thursday Or, TGYWT! Because TGIF is so 1989.  Because I love me a good acronym.

I then use each letter to write about something and post it on the internet. Because that makes sense.

Target.

Full of things that make me smile. No purchase necessary.

 

Grape.
Divine, indeed.

You’d think my parents would miss me when they travel.
You’d be wrong.

 

Tahiti

Greece

Naples

Hawaii

They’ve been all the places. This is just a smidgen. Makes me so happy for them.

When I have the pool all to myself.
Who’s House?  #owningit.

T-Shirt. 
I found my new “favorite Ts” (at Target, naturally). They are super-soft, v-neck, long… perfect.

The face is meant to reflect my caption.

I’m hilarious. (No I’m not).
But it’s true… my Instagram and Feedly are populating with everyone traveling to Blend and the excitement is a little contagious. Even though the only friendly I know there would be Lindsay, I’d like to meet some of the bloggers I stalk.

I doubt I’d fit in though, with all the working out and stuff. Could I sit on the sidelines with a Bloody Mary and just watch? *wink* Maybe next year, if I get my act together and quit smoking start doing burpees. 

• Give me a random T,G,Y,W or T from your week (if you want).

Vegetable Fruit Salad

I have an on and off love affair with cucumbers. I either want them ALL the time or want NOTHING to do with them. Not sure if there is a rhyme or reason to my cravings, perhaps it is seasonal. 

My cravings have been cucumberly and tomato-happy lately. Recently I was craving salsa and I was craving cucumbers and I thought “Why not do both?”

So, with trepidation, I did.

 

Two great tastes that… taste… like two great tastes put together?
It hit the spot fantastic for me that day, but I’m not sure this combo will be making regular appearances.

I think that’s how cravings work… even the oddest combos taste perfect when you crave them (not that this is so strange but in my mind it just doesn’t sound that appealing).
What I’m saying is: Kids? You may not want to try this at home.

Anyways.
Continuing my cucumber and tomato dalliance, I made this quick little number and wanted to share.

I call it Vegetable Fruit Salad.

Get it? Cucumbers are technically a fruit. Tomatoes are a fruit (unless they are in pizza sauce in which case the Government declares them as technically a vegetable serving).

But really? I know we all think of them as veggies.

Anyhow this salad? This I can recommend.

I chopped some onions, tomatoes and cucumbers and added a few dashes of red wine vinegar and about a tbsp of Greek yogurt. A sprinkle of sweetener and a hefty helping of S&P and shook it like a Polaroid.

Speaking of pictures (forced segue), come play with me on The Instagram. Please?

  

  

• What are you craving lately?
• What is your favorite way to eat cucumbers?

OMMM…..

Deep Breath. Inhale….and….exhale. Ahhhhh… Ommmmm…..shanti…शान्ति.

OMMM- On My Mind Monday – Where the breathing is deep, but the thoughts? Not so much.

Here’s what it’s like inside my head:

Why does McDonald’s call their hamburgers sandwiches?

This is a burger.

This is a sandwich.

Actually, let me do better than that… THIS is a sandwich.

 

That would be peanut butter and mayo and lettuce and yes it is MF delicious and shut up you jealous mayo-haterz. (Okay, full disclosure I am not a mayo fan but I LOVE vegenaisse and am convinced it can turn anyone on).

I digress.

In pursuit of an explanation, I went to the interwebs where the plot thickened. McDonald’s online menu has a section that is burgers AND sandwiches… mainly using “sandwich” for the chicken items.
 
Yet in advertising and company literature “sandwich” overrides “burger” as an umbrella term encompassing both.

The marketing geek in me really wants an explanation.

It’s a meal disguised as a burger described as a sandwich…

Which one is it? Can we just pick one?

It’s all very confusing.

The burger vs. sandwich thinks were brought about by a McD’s radio commercial. The word “sandwich” was repeated so much my brain cells fixed onto it. Suddenly it was all I could focus on. (And for once it wasn’t due to starvation…lol).

You know, like when you are listening to someone speak and notice they say “Ummm” or “like” a lot. The rest just fades into Charlie Brown Adult interspersed with”like” or “Ummm” or whatever filler word they’re into.

Or when you are listening to Evangelical Christians pray and suddenly all you can hear is “Just” and “would” and “would just.”

I’ve been thinking about that too.

I wish I could say it’s because I’ve been going to church thrice weekly but mainly it’s due to my reality television fixation.

Preacher’s Daughters anyone? Can I get a witness?

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil…but feel free to exploit yourselves all you want. Oh… that show. I love it. I hate it. It entertains the heck out of me.

• Would you rather have a burger (turkey, vegetarian… whatever) or a sandwich?
• Is their a filler word you say often? I am guilty of “like” but in the way that most people my age are.
  A co-worker of mind used to say “go ahead and” before ALL the things and, bless her heart, some of us wanted to choke her
  but that’s probably because in general she was…um… challenging. Bless her heart. *wink*

Screw ALL the Things!

I found the perfect Mother’s Day card a couple weeks ago at Target: 

It’s entirely what my Mom needs, trust me.

Tuesday I realized that I needed to get a gift together quick, because my parents left for Europe yesterday for a few weeks.

Like I said, I really wish there was a “screwitol” pill my mom could take. Perhaps that’s why I spontaneously created this to go along with the card:

I created a secret board on The Pinterest and pinned quotes and what-nots, which I then printed and cut into little take-a-ways she can grab when she felt the urge to scream cry shake someone relax a bit.

Some were inspiring truths…

And some were more direct…

I added some funny one’s as well.
She got a real kick out of this one:

Anyways, I have de-privatized the board so if you want to see it help yourself.
Maybe you’re in need of a dose of screw-it-all yourself?

I’m considering making a similar jar for myself filled with things I need to read often like scripture and quotes that tell me I’m not fat inspire me.

*What are you doing for Mom’s Day?
*Did you know you can make “secret” Pinterest Boards?
OH and I need advice:
*Do you know a way to privately upload photos from your phone to your computer using the web (I don’t have a cord)?

Love what now, honey???

I read something amazing today and wanted to share:

Love your sadness. It won’t last.

"Sadness gives you the chance to be still with the most tender place of your being.
Sadness is an opportunity to deeply appreciate your losses and your longings.

Sadness brings you eye to eye with your desires.
Appreciation is fuel for change.

Love gives your sadness the energy it needs to move through you… so it can move on.

By loving your sadness, you’re respecting your truth.
And freedom always follows truth."

Excerpt from Danielle LaPorte

I am ALL THE TIME trying to escape the sads, because it just doesn’t feel like me.

Also because I get distracted by glitter and butterflies. Nene Leakes.  Peanut Butter. I never get a chance to fully “sit with” the feelings.

I run, I numb, I allow the feelings to be dimmed by the beautiful light so abundant in this world…
But I need to pay more attention to them.

I wouldn’t share this if I thought this wasn’t something universal to us all.

I hope it gives you cause for pause next time you find yourself feeling annoyed by/embarrassed of/frustrated with your sads.

Show them some love.

Also? I’m on The Instagram now.
Just like all the cool kids.

Check it out and “follow” me (if you want) so I can follow you!