T Minus 60 Minutes

I haven't blogged in quite some time because it seems like I never have the time.  But today I find myself with approximately one hour on my hands.  My family is having Thanksgiving at noon.  It's now 11:54. 

This morning started with a discussion on the best way for everyone to help prepare our Thanksgiving meal.  The discussion then turned into a debate on management styles, work ethic, and Gantt charts.  Should one person be responsible for a complete recipe or should each person be responsible for one task? 

At 8:45am, with a loose plan in place, the focus turned to today's Thanksgiving lunch.  Everyone played a role:

Grandma and Grandpa chop

Baby E supervises

Dad pours the mimosas

And at 10:45am, thoughts turned to the turkey.  It would need approximately an hour in the oven so it would be out of the oven just in time for our noon lunch...right?  Well, it seems our turkey was bigger than anticipated (because this never happens to any family on Thanksgiving!) so upon checking the package we were looking at 2 hours of cook time plus prep time.  NO ONE in my family laughed.  Except me...but only on the inside. 

Could it have been poor management, a lack of planning, or insubordinate employees that caused my family to miss the mark on the turkey this year?  Whatever the reason may be, it is not one worth worrying over.  Just being together is the best part.  Happy Thanksgiving! 

Group effort for the turkey

Halloween Hijinks

Q: How many managers does it take to change a light bulb? 

A: Three.  One to get the bulb and two to get the phone number to dial one of their subordinates to actually change it.

And in reality, what happened when two people ran across a flickering bulb?  We acknowledged the problem, understood that maintenance would take care of it, and then exploited the situation for own amusement.  And today seems like the most appropriate day to share.  Happy Halloween!

The Mighty, The Muddy

How do you make a 5k run more interesting?  Add mud and obstacles!  Last Saturday I participated in the Marine Mud Run.  There was no good way to prepare for this muddy 5k with Marine style obstacles and there is no really good way to describe the experience so I'll let the pictures do most of the work.

All smiles in the beginning!

Five obstacles in and feeling like a real champion- by this point I had scaled a five foot wall on my own AND my knee was bleeding.  You can also see part of my personal support team/paparrazi in the background...my parents were in town and came out to watch and cheer! 



Wrong way Lisa!!

Last leg of the race 

Even though I consistently stayed at least 20 steps behind my boyfriend, we technically ran together and crossed the finish line together in 35 minutes.  (The clock started when the first group began, 30 minutes before us.)

And surprisingly, all smiles in the end!

No Place Like Home

After multiple weekends of traveling, there is no place I would rather be than my house....unless of course I am at my parents' house.  Here are some of the nice touches that make the house so inviting and my mom a great hostess:

An inviting backyard complete with two comfortable and unique hanging swing chairs much like the ones that can be found here

Fresh flower centerpieces

Decorative accessories like these hanging vases filled with water and living plants

A simple yet elegant shower curtain.  Hung on a curved rod, this white shower curtain has a mesh window that lets the light in and has a snap-on fabric liner that can be removed and washed when necessary.  The best part is this can be found for only $20 at your local Lowes

Of course all of these things are just extras that add to a great weekend spent with family!

Starting Tomorrow...

"Starting tomorrow," "starting next week," or "starting on Monday."  These are a few phrases commonly used by anyone (including me) who has ever wanted to drop a few pounds, improve their eating habits, or increase their overall health.  Since tomorrow is a Monday and the beginning of a new week, it is time for me to begin a different kind of diet: a debt diet. 

A few years ago after a change in jobs I became the not-so-proud owner of a small amount of credit card debt.  Small amount or not, any amount was more than I wanted so I read Jean Chatzky's book Pay It Down!  While not in the same debt situation as before, I do currently have a mortgage and would like to be saving more money so I am re-reading this book.  Not only is Pay It Down! a purposeful book, it is an easy read and helps to keep me to be more conscientious of my spending and saving. 

For anyone looking to increase their savings or decrease their debt, this book is a great resource.  You can also check out Jean Chatzky's blog for other practical financial management books and advice.

7-11

I didn't grow up around 7-11s.  I have heard of them, know what they are about, but have never lived in a city that had 7-11s.  Today, though, I am in Florida, where there is a 7-11 on every corner.  Perfect considering it's 7-11 day...I was able to experience the satisfaction of a free 7.11 ounce Slurpee!

Another satisfied customer...

Fuzzy Math

Men may have better spatial skills than women, but somehow I made this happen on a recent flight:

         1 pair of pajamas

         2 swimsuit cover-ups

         3 pairs of socks

         4 dresses

         3 pairs of shoes

         7 shirts

         10 pairs of shorts
         13 undergarments
         4 swimsuits
+       3 books               

=       1 carry-on bag








While the math might not add up, fitting all of these things into one carry-on suitcase has some definite advantages:

• Saving money by avoiding paying to check a bag;
• Having everything you packed at the ready in the event you end up spending the night in the airport; and,
• Reducing the likelihood that your goods will end up as Unclaimed Baggage.

No matter how much or little you pack, always make sure to pack your patience whenever you travel!

Magic Beans

Earlier this spring I cleaned up and re-worked, er, assisted my boyfriend in cleaning up and re-working my back patio.  Over the past three months, there has been quite a bit of growth and what started like this...

...has turned into this.

I've been very diligent with daily waterings to keep everything alive.  The assortment of flowers includes hibiscus, pansies, dahlias, peonies and lantana.  (Mom, be proud!)  As of two weeks ago, an extra special, and somewhat unique player has joined the garden.  Look closely and you can see it in the upper left hand corner.

As a 'thank you' from his work, my boyfriend received a greeting card of the future...a bean in a can.  Remove the lid, water, and when the bean sprouts, it reveals the message inscribed on the bean.  Very cool idea that turned into a friendly competition among his coworkers: who can grow the tallest bean?  A few days of natural sunlight and watering and the messenger bean made its appearance.  A few days longer and the leaves sprouted.  But not just any leaves; these leaves were big.  Bigger, in fact, than the can the bean came in.

And to put the size into perspective: The leaves are bigger than a man's hand!

It wasn't long before the bean outgrew the can and needed to be transplanted.  Accompanying this move, he also received a name: Frank.  Inspired by the way hops are grown, we tied a string around a tree branch to provide stability and to aid in training Frank which way to grow.  A good move for sure.  Two weeks ago Frank was measuring five feet tall.  Fifteen days later, he is towering above the garden at an extraordinary nine feet!  Now that is one magic bean!

Frank's point of view

The only dilemma now is the figure out where Frank's new home will be since he has maxed out the current location and is now touching the tree branch the string is tied to.  Want to get in on some of your own magic bean action?  Check out Nature's Greeting and buy one for you or someone you know.

Everyone Loves a Parade

New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago all have one.  The one in Chicago has been described by my sister as one of the best events in the city.  Music, candy, outrageous outfits, and sometimes protesters can all be found here.  Given the high likelihood for entertainment, when I found out Knoxville was having a gay pride parade, I had to go. 

I'm not sure how much advertisement was done for this event as about fifteen minutes prior to parade time, there were only a few potential spectators on the streets and cars were still driving down the parade route.  I was unaware of the parade until the day before.  One Camry-driving middle aged woman was unaware of the parade until approximately five minutes before when she rolled down her window to inquire.  Whether it was her lack of support for the cause or her confusion about why my boyfriend and I were there together, when we informed her of the parade, Conservative Carol could not roll her window up fast enough.  Although she did tell us to enjoy, even if it was accompanied by a smirk.

Once the parade finally began, there was a decent crowd of people.  With high expectations for fantastic floats, feather boas, and faux-hawks, as the parade was underway, I was quickly brought back to the reality that I live in the South when most of the "floats" ended up looking like this...

At least this drag queen shaved his legs

Nobody likes to leave their pickup truck at home!

There was no sign of the advertised "glittery floats", but the number of faux-hawks (on men and women alike) was too numerous to count, and the people-watching scene was superb.  So overall, the parade wasn't quite as fabulous as I had hoped but it really was a fun day just being out and about seeing was the city has to offer.  Oh, and never mind the irony that this extremely liberal event was being held in the heart of the bible belt, the parade actually took place on Gay Street!

Manly Monday

Yesterday may have been Father's Day but aren't we supposed to love and celebrate our dads everyday?  I think so, so here is a little something in honor of my dad.  Several years ago I speculated that I was adopted. (Of course I never actually believed that, but who doesn't like a little conspiracy theory?)  But for as many times as I have said "I am my father's daughter", the notion of being adopted could not be more incorrect.  Here are a few of the ways we are alike...

Joakim Noah is taller than both of us

We both love this little guy

We can both fall asleep at the drop of a hat...anywhere:

the movies, the car while driving, a live football

game surrounded by 100k people, mid-conversation...

We will always be spotted on the dance floor at a wedding

My Dad is far better dancer but never lets on

the my skills are sub-par.

Happy Father's Day to my Dad!

And although this picture doesn't feature all 'dads', it makes me happy because it shows all the important men in my life, including my two grandfathers.  I am a lucky girl!

Look for Lisa

A whole month...it's been a whole month since I've added a new post.  Not because I have run out of blog-worthy ideas, but because I am a procrastinator have been very busy lately.  If anyone has been looking for me, I haven't been blogging because I've been....

Cheering on the Cubs

Becoming a Godmother

Notice the gown (no, it's not a dress!)...it is the same one my sister and

I wore at our baptisms and was made by a family member!

Supporting charity

by insuring no one outbid my friend Amanda in the silent

auction for two bottles of Makers Mark. 

She won!  :)

Running

Two 5ks and one 1 mile dash

That's pretty much what I've been up to for the last month.  Hopefully I can stay on the

blogging track and avoid being lost in the shuffle like below.  (Yes, I am in this photo. 

Put your "Look for Lisa" skills to the test and see if you can find me!)

Mom's the Word

It's Mother's Day and I'm going with the obvious and cliche Mothers Day post- my mom!  My mom is great.  She has taught me a lot of important things so here are some of the top lessons:

1. Lying gets you nowhere.  It's true.  Even after she told me this, I tested the theory for myself...and, well, she's right.  It doesn't.

2. It is better to be overdressed than underdressed.  This has been the answer to many a question "What do you think I should wear?"  I find myself repeating this to myself and friends on a fairly regular basis.

3. Don't walk around the house when brushing your teeth.  Sometimes I get bored standing in front of the sink or feel the need to multi-task which usually results in me racing back to the bathroom before the toothpaste drips onto my shirt, a battle I generally lose. Maybe this isn't a rule as much an annoyance to my mom, so everytime I get the urge to step out of the bathroom with toothbrush in hand, I hear my mom's voice in my head.

4.  We have food at home.  For as long as I can remember, whenever I would ask if we could pickup food on the way home or get something frivolous from the grocery store, my mom's response would be "we have food at home."  We had food at home then and I have food at home now.  That answer has stayed with me and saved me from many trips through a drive through.

5. Relationships are hard.  Sure, the good ones will be easy for a good portion of the time, but in my fantasy land, I thought good relationships had to be 100% problem free.  Not true. You will disagree and go through tough times with the person that you love.  Hearing this was a big reality check and helped me put things in perspective.

These are just a few of many, many things that my mom has taught me.  Thanks mom for setting a great example for me!  Happy Mothers Day!

Christmas or Wedding Season?

When asked the question “What do you like better, Christmas or Wedding Season?”, I'm with Mr. Grey: Wedding Season!!  I love weddings- attending them as well as all of the action that takes place between “She said yes” and “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

It's been one year since I last attended this beautiful bride's wedding

Happy Anniversary Mr. & Mrs. H!

And it will be another six months until I'll be celebrating with the next lucky couple.  November will be here before you know it! 

Congratulations Julie and Pete!

Eighteen months without a wedding is the longest stretch I've gone without attending a wedding.  That's eighteen months without seeing the bride's fantastic dress that she's kept secret for so long.  Eighteen months without speculation of whether or not the greeom will cry when he sees his bride for the first time.  (A tear or two is sweet; boohooing at the altar just makes everyone uncomfortable).  And of course, that's eighteen months where I don't get have to purchase a new dress to celebrate in.

I love weddings and everything about them so when given the opportunity to get my wedding fix amidst a matrimonial drought, of course I'm going to take it.  Even if that means attending a wedding I wasn't invited to!



View from the "balcony"



Saturday was a really nice day and after checking out the water spilling over Norris Dam and having a picnic, I just happened to be at the right place at the right time to see my friend Amanda's uncle get married (purely coincidental ;)).  I was able to grab a subtle seat on a nearby park bench and observe the festivities from a distance.  Like most, there was a lot of anticipation leading up to this wedding and thankfully it did not disappoint.  Some of the highlights include:

• Stressed out bride throws her hands in the air working out last minute aisle logistics;
• Officiant inserts humor into the service; some appropriate, some not;
• Token bridesmaid cries through the ceremony; and,
• Excited bride touts her new status of wife following the final kiss.  This bride squeals "I'm married" seemingly for the benefit of anyone who dozed off or forgot the purpose for being at the ceremony.

All in all it was a perfect day for a wedding.  Even though I didn't get dressed up, boldly attempt to blend into a crowd of strangers, or brazenly take a seat at a table which I was not invited to, I think this counts as wedding crashing.  But even if it doesn't, it is a far more exciting way to tell the story!

 

Me and the bride

E is for Easter

It's Easter time and with that comes holiday activities, some traditional, some not so traditional.  Describing this year's Easter fun  in words will take too long so today I'll let the photos do most of the work!  :)

Traditional:  Pancakes and bacon for breakfast

Less traditional:  Bunny, chick, and egg shaped "Happy Easter" pancakes

 

 

Traditional: Dying Easter eggs

Not as traditional: Continuing to dye eggs after you've passed the age of 10.  No age limit here!  Involving the whole family is what makes this tradition the most fun!

Grandma and Grandpa getting in the egg dying action

  

Men at work



Traditional: Easter baskets

Non-traditional: Using Fruity Pebbles as the Easter basket and covering it in quarters and other coins.  Quirky, yes.  But when the recipient likes Fruity Pebbles and collects quarters with which to do their laundry...creative and completely appropriate!

Ultimate tradition: Sunrise church service on Easter Sunday.  Waking up to get to church at 6:30am isn't quite as difficult as an adult as it was when I was a kid.  But regardless of age, no one is immune to the one hazard of attending sunrise service....

...exhaustion resulting in a 9:00am nap!

Happy Easter!