Books My Dad Loaned Me

1. The Big Sky- A.B. Guthrie, Jr.
2. Jubal Sackett- Louis L'Amour
3. Sons of Texas- Elmer Kelton
4. Sin Killer- Larry McMurtry
5. Beyond The Stars- David William Ross

My Favorite Places In St. Louis

1. The St. Louis Art Museum
2. Bowood Gardens
3. The Penguin and Puffin Coast at the zoo
4. Government Hill area of Forest Park
5. Fitz's
6. Demun
7. The Kemper Home Gardening building in the Botanical Gardens
8. The City Museum
9. The patio at McGurk's
10. Outside at Rosalita's
11. ArtMart
12. Downtown Clayton

What I Need For A Good Road Trip

1. DVD player for the kids
2. Travel-perfect snacks (nuts, squeezies, cheese sticks, cereal bars, fruit, carrot sticks)
3. A clean and organized car
4. Fun bags for the kids (coloring books, tablets, stickers, markers, LeapFrogs, Hot Wheels, books, flash cards, etc)
5. Good music, podcasts, sermons, and earbuds for me
6. Spaced-out pit stops
7. Sunglasses
8. Pack of wipes and tissues
9. Sonic cherry-vanilla-Dr. Pepper
10. Cozy clothes
11. A loose schedule (i.e.- naps, movie, snacks, fun bags, movie, lunch) If you don't have one, you cram everything at the beginning and have a long time of nothing to look forward to

The Ridiculous Amount Of Eating Out We Did While My Parents Were In Town

1. Supper at Chevy's- I had black bean and pepper jack nachos with guacamole and a raspberry iced tea
2. Lunch at Fitz's- Fried pickles aplenty (their's are the best I've ever had), a veggie burger and fries, and a root beer
3. Supper at McGurk's (just my husband and I before The Head and The Heart show)- I ate spinach and artichoke toasted ravioli and a Magner's Cider
4. Lunch at California Pizza Kitchen- I had a Pear and Gorgonzola pizza and raspberry lemonade
5. Supper at Farotto's- I had Red Pesto Tortellini and Sprite
6. Lunch at The Cheesecake Factory- We shared fried artichokes and I had water and a pear, caramelized onion, arugula, and pecan flatbread

Today

1. Woke up early
2. Went to the old lady 10:00 matinee to see Hunger Games with Mis
3. Spent a couple/few hours at her house and left reeking of bacon
4. Returned some items at Bed Bath & Beyond
5. Came home, ate a bowl of cereal, and cleaned up the house
6. My parents came (!) and are staying in STL for a few days
7. We went to dinner at Chevys for a little texmexicana
8. Back to my house while the husband goes out
9. I'm going to watch The Searchers and eat an apple under covers

W's Birthday Plans

1. Breakfast at First Watch with her friend Eden
2. Mani-Pedis with Lucy
3. Lunch at Crown Candy with Eric
4. Ears pierced (if she doesn't chicken out) and a snack with Sonya
5. Pizza and cake party at our house with Albert and his family and Stephen

What $100 Bought Me At Whole Foods

1. A banana bunch
2. Package of whole wheat organic tortillas
3. Package of Daiya cheddar shreds
4. 3 heads of organic broccoli
5. Package of organic white cheddar cheese
6. 2 boxes of Kashi original 7-grain crackers
7. 1 box of Annie's whole wheat bunnies crackers
8. 8 Naked Juice smoothie drinks
9. Bag of Terra chips
10. Large container (89 oz) of orange juice
11. Half-gallon of almond milk
12. 5 small containers of Wallaby flavored yogurt
13. 2 packages of organic whole wheat spaghetti noodles
14. 2 jars of organic tomato sauce
15. 1 quart of organic milk
16. Bag of organic quinoa
17. Bottle of wine
18. Reusable shopping bag
19. 3/4 pound of nutritional yeast
20. Fair trade/Organic (read: kinda expensive) baking cocoa
21. 2 pound bag of vegan cane sugar
22. Bag of organic baby carrots
23. Bag of vegan chocolate chips
24. A bakery white chocolate macadamia nut cookie

Nicknames I Have For R

1. Chivvis
2. Bud or Buddy
3. Handsome
4. Natty Bumppo
5. Butter Bean
6. King Crab
7. Slingshot
8. He-Man
9. Buster

This Week's To-Do List

1. Clean house- 3 different sets of visitors this week!
2. Start running program and register for a 5K
3. Download sermons for Branson drive next week
4. Get a food plan...I've been floundering lately
5. Work on W's sight word cards
6. Bake muffins and cook adzuki and black beans
7. Buy new hand towels and shower curtain and paper (for a frame) for guest bathroom
8. Finish the book I'm reading

Saturday Playlist

1. Skinny Love- Bon Iver
2. California Dreamin'- The Mamas and The Papas
3. Babylon- David Gray
4. Die Die Die- The Avett Brothers
5. Safe and Sound- Taylor Swift (& The Civil Wars)
6. Hand-Me-Down Tune- The Avett Brothers
7. Missy- Punch Brothers
8. I Work For Everyone- Jon Hardy & the Public
9. Passenger- Lisa Hannigan
10. Look At Miss Ohio- Gillian Welch
11. Wait So Long- Trampled By Turtles
12. Thunder Road- Bruce Springsteen
13. Little Talks- Of Monsters and Men
14. Who Knows Who Cares - Local Natives
15. Sounds Like Hallelujah - The Head and the Heart
16. Gold - Once Soundtrack (Glen Hansard)
17. Make Your Own Kind of Music- Cass Elliot
18. So You Wanna Be a Rock-n-Roll Star- The Byrds
19. Will You Love Me Tomorrow- Carole King
20. He Doesn't Know Why- Fleet Foxes
21. I Think It's Gonna Rain Today- Randy Newman
22. In My Life- Judy Collins
23. Astral Weeks- Van Morrison
24. Whiskey- Trampled by Turtles
25. God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise- Ray LaMontagne
26. Travelin' Soldier- Dixie Chicks
27. Omaha- Counting Crows
28. Rocket Man- Elton John
29. Boulder to Birmingham- Emmylou Harris
30. The Ice Is Getting Thinner- Death Cab for Cutie

What Goes Into My NCAA Bracket Challenge Choosing

1. I can't just take Duke all the way, even though I'm often tempted to, because I have to differentiate myself from the rest of my husband's family pool...they all went to Duke and are huge fans and usually all have them winning.
2. Therefore, I usually take Duke pretty far, but then have them losing in the Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight.
3. I am apt to pull for teams with past celebrated tournament success, like Marquette or Gonzaga.
4. I am usually supportive of SEC and ACC teams, because we all know they are used to playing the best.
5. If Arkansas finds its way back to The Dance, I would definitely have them winning it all. I'm loyal to those Hogs.
6. Sometimes I get a little Amy Poehler if I'm stuck on a particular match-up..."But then I learned that Butler was the Bulldogs! How cute is that?!" I could only find the transcript here.
7. If I have some connection to a lesser team, I always have them winning...like, I have a friend who went to Davidson, so I had them beating higher-ranked Louisville. Last year, I knew a kid who played for Northern Colorado, so I took them all the way to the Elite Eight. (Both of those choices ended up being bad, FYI.)
8. Typically, I just go with my gut, as I always did at Oaklawn (horse races). I did really well for myself at Oaklawn.
9. I never give an advancement to a team I've never heard of, like this year's SDSU, Norfolk St, Detroit, or L Beach St.  Given this, you might be surprised I have VCU winning, but every Duke fan has heard of VCU.
10. I don't "like" Kansas, but my friend Mark does, so I always have them going far so that I can cheer with/for Mark.
11. If I have filled out my first round choices and at least half of them aren't upsets, I'll adjust accordingly. It's no fun winning if you are winning because you only picked higher seeds.

Green Food Ideas For St.Patrick's Day Without You Having To Dye Your Scrambled Eggs Green And Post Photos That Make Me Puke In My Mouth

1. Green smoothies
2. Mini pesto pizzas or pesto bruschetta
3. Kale chips
4. Guacamole
5. Spinach quiche
6. Veggies- green beans, peas, asparagus, broccoli, leafy greens, bell peppers (bp horizontal slices look like shamrocks)
7. Fruit- kiwi, honeydew, green apples, grapes
8. Quesadillas made with spinach tortillas
9. Mint chip ice cream, mint chip milkshakes
10. Pea soup
11. Green lentils
12. Green tea frappucinos from Starbucks
13. Pistachios
14. Green olive, spinach, broccoli pizza (a personal favorite of mine)
15. Green pasta
16. Homemade limeade

Little Things I'm Looking Forward To

1. Going to see The Hunger Games
2. The Hunger Games soundtrack release...sounds so good!
3. The Head and the Heart show
4. My parents coming to visit in a couple weeks
5. The moms from W's class are going out next Thursday night
6. A trip to Branson at the end of the month
7. Getting an actual hair cut soon- haven't seen Ninfa since last June
8. The Summer Olympics! USA! USA! USA!

What Was Happening In 1979

1. Honey Nut Cheerios were introduced
2. The State of Ohio agreed to a settlement for victim's families in the Kent State shootings
3. 1979 was the "International Year of the Child"
4. Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran after 15 years of exile
5. Pluto moved inside of Neptune's orbit
6. It snowed in the Sahara Desert for 30 minutes on February 18th
7. Top songs were My Sharona, YMCA, I Will Survive, My Life, Just When I Needed You Most, The Gambler, The Devil Went Down to Georgia, Le Freak
8. Because of a police strike, the New Orleans Mardi Gras festival was cancelled
9. Jimmy Carter was president
10. The TV network Nickelodeon began airing around New York
11. Notable births: Drew Brees, Heath Ledger, Mena Suvari, Brandy, Norah Jones, Adam Levine, Clare Danes, Kate Hudson, Evangeline Lilly, John Krasinski
12. Margaret Thatcher became the first female prime minister
13. The deadliest aviation accident occured at O'Hare in Chicago when a plane crashes during takeoff, killing 273 people
14. Saddaam Hussein took power in Iraq
15. Michael Jackson released his album Off the Wall
16. ESPN debuted
17. Celebrity Deaths included: Conrad Hilton, Sarah Carter, Nelson Rockefeller, Lester Flatt, John Wayne, Mamie Eisenhower, Peggy Guggenheim
18. Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize
19. The Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series
20. The Iran Hostage Crisis began
21. Eleven fans were crushed and killed at a Who concert in Ohio
22. The "One Child Policy" was enacted in China
23. Happy Meals were introduced
24. "Usenet" (the precursor to the Internet) experiments began at Duke University
25. Top movies in 1979 were Kramer vs. Kramer, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Apocalypse Now, The Muppet Movie, and The Jerk
26. Top TV shows included: Three's Company, Alice, Dallas, and M*A*S*H

The Pits

1. R just filled up on a free cookie at Schnucks and a bunch of blackberries, so he won't eat his lunch
2. Mint is saying that as of the 12th, I am already over my monthly budget for groceries.
3. I did not sleep a wink last night. Literally. I was awake until 6:15 a.m.
4. Puddy has been sick the last few days, so he's got this weird, gross smell about him.
5. I forgot to bring a friend money I owed her today.
6. I hadn't been biting my cuticles lately, but last night's boredom around 4:30 made me cave.
7. Even though it's wonderfully nice outside, our loft is still freezing.
8. I am all out of crackers, my preferred vehicle for my homemade pimento cheese. And I can't go buy any, because I've got no grocery money left.
9. My MRI this week will feature me injected with an IV for the duration, combining two of my favorites- needles and tight spaces.

Draft Requirements During WWII

1. 18 years old
2. At least half of his teeth
3. 5 feet tall
4. Weigh at least 105 pounds
5. Ability to read and write (this was later overturned)
6. Correctable vision
7. You would be turned down when you reported if you didn't pass the medical examination or if you were homosexual

A Quiet Playlist While Babes Nap

1. Be Thou My Vision- Pedro the Lion
2. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing- Sufjan Stevens
3. Be Still- The Fray
4. Amazing Grace- Tammy Wynette
5. Blest Be The Tie That Binds- Rise O Buried Lord
6. My Life Is In Your Hands- Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
7. Faithful To Me- Jennifer Knapp
8. Thy Mercy- Caedmon's Call
9. Psalm 13- Jon Yerby

What I Regret After Leaving The Dermatologist

1. Not ever once applying sunscreen all those years at Kanakuk
2. Eight-hour-long days at the Conway Country Club
3. Baby oil instead of sunscreen
4. Itty-bitty binkinis
5. The tanning bed on Farris Rd by the UCA bookstore that was my second home in high school and college
6. The "Facial Bulbs" at said tanning bed

Little Projects Simmering Around My House

1. Lining and/or re-lining some of my drawers and cabinets
2. Installing a pull-down spice rack in my high cabinet
3. Switching out art
4. Reorganizing kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinet (I would like a congratulations for operating a family of four out of one 19X20 bathroom cabinet)
5. Touching up paint
6. Purchasing photo albums and making photo books
7. Starting to get ideas to re-do the guest bathroom
8. Re-grouting our bathroom (I think I'll actually save this for my dad on his next visit)

What I Discovered Googling Myself

1. I was a bridesmaid in this beautiful Conway wedding. It really was lovely.
2. Here is my engagement announcement from our paper.
3. I made the honor roll a lot in high school. And they published it every time, which is so funny to me. Here is my recognition for graduating with honor.
4. I was in this other beautiful wedding. Those weddings were my two best girlfriends in college.
5. Randomly, a few pinterest links pop up saying who follows me on their website.
6. You can find out that I am a fan of Sweet M's Cookies, which I am proud to say is true.
7. I am listed in the program for the St. Louis Art Fair.
8. Our daughter's birth announcement in my husband's high school alumni paper.
9. That I attended a seminar taught by my pastor friend Scott
10. We supported Annie's Hope
11. You can find my old blog that I wrote on when I had lots more time on my hands
12. A shout-out we received on our friend Patrick's old blog. That photo of his kitchen is hilarious if you've ever seen the glory of their new beautiful, huge house.
13. A bevy of reunion, classmates, mylife, etc. websites that I've never signed up for, but claim to have information on me.
14. I'm surprised my collegiate-level intramural badminton championship isn't preserved on the internet. Come on UCA, you really dropped the shuttlecock on that one.
15. A man with my same name but nicknamed "Handsome" seems to be a bit more popular than me.

What's Going On This Week

1. I have a neurology appointment tomorrow...and probably another MRI, also. It's fun to be me!
2. I also have an appointment with my dermatologist on Wednesday.
3. We have friends from Arkansas coming in Wednesday and Thursday.
4. W's school Auction/Trivia Night Saturday night at the City Museum with people coming over here for drinks before
5. I need to do some exchanges at BabyGap
6. Because we are having company 2 nights this week, I need to deep clean this house.
7. On the menu this week is olive bread, chia pudding, quinoa cakes, fajitas, chocolate cake, roasted potatoes and vegetables, and little pizzas.

Right Now

1. I am still wearing my pajamas/clothes I wore yesterday. Call them what you will.
2. I am eating "triple dip"- three bowls of goodness- vegan cheese sauce, Xochitl Asada Verde, and guacamole with blue corn tortilla chips and drinking pink lemonade.
3. My husband is eating a turkey sandwich and chips and watching College Game Day- Duke vs. Carolina!
4. We are on a lunch break from our Fringe marathon.
5. The kids are at a show and lunch with their grandparents.
6. Now A is on the phone with one of his Duke cronies- Matt or Stephen.
7. I am really full, but continuing to eat full-speed.

What I'm Loving Lately

1. R.W. Knudsen Just Juice
2. My children's artwork
3. Salted avocado slices
4. The Sorceress on He-Man
5. Red Scalloped shorts
6. Nikki Lane, First Aid Kit, and the No Depression: What It Sounds Like albums
7. Warmer weather!
8. My new shirt I've been wearing entirely too much
9. Healthier nachos
10. Project Runway All-Stars
11. I've been wearing this green all week
12. Salsa verde
13. My sweet girl in her sweet boots
14. The new star missions in Hanging With Friends
15. Starbucks Earl Grey soymilk frappucinos
16. Green olives
17. Great Harvest and Whole Foods free samples

What I Did On My Day Off From The Kids

1. Made many, many color copies at Kinkos for future boards
2. Dropped off our overdue books at the library
3. Went to Target and bought a few clothes for the kids
4. Went to BabyGap to buy the kids Easter outfits
5. Drove home and made chickpea salad for sandwiches
6. Watched a Tabatha's Salon Takeover
7. Cleaned the kitchen
8. Finished up some laundry
9. Made this list