what i've been enjoying ...

Since it's been a while, I thought I would catch you up on what I've been enjoying the last few months ...

* Lauren Graham

All things Lauren Graham!!!!

Gilmore Girls, Parenthood, Gilmore Girls Revival ... yes, yes, & yes!

I can't even tell you how many times I've watched the entire 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls over the past couple of years. I love the quirkiness, the fast dialog, the mother/daughter dynamic. The Revival came out on Netflix the day after Thanksgiving & it was everything I thought it would be! & then, there's Parenthood ... no words. This show is in a class all by itself. If you haven't watched it, get on Netflix STAT! Lauren Graham is unbelievably great in both shows ... so great!

She recently wrote a book about her time on Gilmore Girls & Parenthood entitled Talking As Fast As I Can. If you're a fan of either show (& you should be) you would LOVE the book!

* Historical Fiction

I know, snoozefest, right?!?!?

But seriously, I have been reading a ton of historical fiction set in World War II Europe the last few months. I feel like that last sentence makes me sound a lot smarter than I really am ...

Here are a few of the books that have been my favorite ...

All the Light We Cannot See
The Book Thief
Secrets of a Charmed Life
The Nightingale

I am totally intrigued about this time era & what life must have been like for the European people. Such a dark time in history.  If I had to pick a favorite from this little list, it would have to be Secrets of a Charmed Life ... an incredible book!

* Hillsong's "Let There Be Light"

OK ... Hillsong has a relatively new album entitled, "Let There Be Light" & it has been on constant rotation in my car, on my phone, in my house ...

It is soooooo great! I haven't totally loved some of their recent projects, but this album doesn't have a bad track on it! I can't even tell you my favorite song, because they are all so good! Go on YouTube & find some of the live performances ... you won't be sorry!

* The Crown
I am so late to the party for this one ... BUT for everyone that loved Downton Abbey ... get on Netflix & watch The Crown! Only season 1 is out right now ... it spans time from her childhood through her becoming queen after the death of her father. It's a completely different look at the monarchy. Can not wait for season 2!

So, y'all ... am I missing out on anything?!?!?! Let me know what you are loving right now!

A.D. Observations ...

I'm not going to lie ... the post Spring Break re-entry has not been kind.  Monday morning was brutal, my friends.

I actually told Mister that I think I may have contracted some sort of disease that makes it hard to get out of bed in the morning. He quickly diagnosed it as laziness. Whatever ...

I will tell you one thing I was excited about Monday morning ... discussing my A.D., the Bible Continues observations with Bestie!

Now ... let me just do a public service announcement right now & tell you ... if you are not watching this,YOU NEED TO BE!!!! It is so incredibly well done!

OK ... now for 2 of my very astute observations:

* The living was harsh, y'all ...
The Romans would snap your neck in a hot second. They were an angry bunch of folk. And if that wasn't enough to worry about ... the amount of dust flying around is just insane! Everywhere .... dust!

* Resurrection Jesus's hair is ON POINT!
Just look at this ...

 

Have you ever seen better hair in a Jesus movie??? I was distracted by his hair the entire episode this week.

 

When I told Ash about the great Jesus hair, she said that made it total sense because we would all have new bodies in Heaven & we both decided that everyone would have great hair in Heaven!

 

God is so good like that!

 

 

So, are you watching???? Am I the only one that noticed the incredible hair ... & all the dust??? 

Hatmakers on HGTV .... again!

There's a new show on HGTV that debuts TONIGHT!!!!!

Jen Hatmaker & her husband, Brandon, are starring in Your Big Family Renovation tonight at 8EST!

Last year, HGTV followed the Hatmakers during the renovation of their 100-year-old farmhouse ... we all fell in love with them & now they have a new show where they help other BIG families renovate their homes!!!!

It's on right before FIxer Upper ... so obviously, if you need me tonight I can be found parked in front a television watching all of Texas renovate homes!

little pink couch on the prairie ...

We have had all sorts of inclement weather this week ... which means snow, no school, horrible roads, a lot of eating & TV. I would tell you there has been very little excitement, but that would be categorically untrue!

See, I have watched so much Little House on the Prairie this week that I'm almost embarrassed to have indoor plumbing. It been an exciting week in Walnut Grove, y'all!

 So far, I have seen the following:

Carrie fall down a well & get rescued
Mary suffer from a horrible intestinal infection & have to go through 2 surgeries
Charles get trapped in a mine
Willie Olsen stand in the corner at school approximately 37 times
Laura steal a music box from Nellie & have nightmares for a week over it
All the school children get trapped in a blizzard
Mrs. Olsen pay $27 for a wig for Nellie to wear in a school play (for price reference, Charles paid $8 for his land ... so obviously, Mrs. Olsen has lost her mind)
Mr. Edwards get beaten to a pulp over a poker game

So, while the rest of the South is at a standstill .... me & the Ingalls family have been living a lot of life.

 

what I'm watching ...

After I typed the title of this post, I realized it sounded very peeping tom-ish ... However, I stuck with it because it goes with my whole "what i'm ...." series. So, there.

Up today ... "what I'm watching"

 

 

 

* Fixer Upper

I love this show & absolutely adore the hosts, Chip & Joanna Gaines! They are a married couple that helps families choose a home to purchase (that usually looks like hobos have been living in it) ...

 

 

& then turns it into something straight out of a magazine!

 

 

Seriously, it borderlines on miraculous what those 2 can do. Not only are they freakishly talented in the area of home makeovers, but they are so stinking cute together!

{HGTV, Tuesday nights @ 9 EST} 

 

* Downton Abbey

Ummmm .... obviously!

 

 

If you aren't watching Downton, then there is no way to possibly describe to you what you are missing. And let me warn you ... don't just start watching now. To fully understand the series & to be able to truly follow each storyline, you NEED to go back & watch the previous seasons. There's no way around it, you just do. However, it is totally worth it!!!!

{PBS, Sunday nights @ 9 EST}

 

* Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

First of all & for the record let me state ... if loving this show is wrong, I don't wanna be right! I love this show & I don't even care who knows it!

 

 

 I love these crazy women & their made up crazy "problems" & parties that always end in screaming & someone being upset because so & so didn't "have their back" ... it is all just fabulous! And don't even get me started about Lisa Rinna & Eileen Davidson (Ashley from Young & the Restless) being on this season!!! Perfection, y'all!

{Bravo, Tuesday night 9 EST}

 

* American Idol

Just like Downton, this goes without saying! Of course, I watch Idol!!!! How could I not!

 

 

 

I love that the show went through a makeover a couple of years ago, so it's not such a circus of freak-shows anymore. They show a lot of really good talent & the judges reeeaaallllly know what they're talking about & don't try to degrade the contestants.

{Fox, Wednesday & Thursday night @ 8 EST}

 

* Little House on the Prairie

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that one of  mine & Priss's new favorite things is to cuddle up on the couch & watch old episodes of Little House together. We've watched so much & she loves it so much she's started calling Mister "Pa" ...

 

 

Can I just say ... they do not make shows like this anymore! Our favorite episode so far was entitled "Haunted House" ... y'all ... it was precious beyond words. Google it, Netflix it, do whatever you have to do ... find it, watch it, & have tissues handy. you can find this episode HERE!

{Hallmark Channel, weekdays @ 2, 3, & 4 EST}

 

Ok ... that's my top 5 What I'm Watching list!!! Your turn .... what are you watching??

keep calm ...

This very disturbing news ran across my newsfeed on Facebook last night ...

DOWNTON IS ENDING AFTER SEASON 6!!!!

 

Is this true, y'all!?!?!



When I was in graduate school, we studied Kubler-Ross's model ... better known as the 5 stages of grief. The stages are as follows ... denial, anger, bargaining, depression, & acceptance. Somehow, I think that Ms. Kubler-Ross forgot to add pure, unbridled devastation.

{apparently, Lady Mary has already arrived at stage 4: depression}

I can tell you this ... right now, I am caught in between stages 1 & 2 and already not looking forward to stage 4.

How am I supposed to live vicariously through the Grantham family ... with a ladies' maid, cook, & a sundry of staff that spend a lot of time in a special closet for shining shoes???

I just can't bear to think of it ... {obviously, suffering from stage 1 ... the denial}!

I'll just enjoy the rest of season 5 ... soak up season 6 ... & pray that the Dowager Countess isn't killed off at any point ... because all of the feelings!

How the Hallmark Channel has changed my Christmas ...

A few months ago, our cable provider had some sort of domestic disturbance with some other company & ended up dropping a bunch of our channels (thank the Lord, Bravo was not a casualty). At the time ... I was very upset, because how am I supposed to get through my weekend without watching CMT's "Making the Team" ... it has been a struggle.

Well, one of the new channels now offered is the Hallmark Channel, & y'all ... I don't know how I've ever survived a Christmas without it! It's like a non-stop, never ending buffet of sappy Christmas goodness over on that channel! 24 hours a day of Holiday movies!

I am almost certain that on December 26th I will go in complete withdraw & have to go through some sort of 12-step detox program ... which I am sad to say will probably include Lifetime movies.

I have enjoyed all of the predictable story lines & sub-par acting so much this season ... 

Of course, we have also enjoyed our usual Christmas favorites like Elf, Polar Express, & Home Alone ... & it's just not Christmas at our house until we've seen Clark Griswold kick his plastic Santa across the lawn in Christmas Vacation.

How about you guys??? What are your favorites????

the moment we'd been waiting for ....

If you watch Dancing With the Stars, last night was the moment you ... nay ... all of America has been waiting for. The very last dance of the night ... the heavens parted ... the angels sang ... and this happened ...

... and then there was a great joy that filled my heart!

I can't even tell you how many people messaged me to make sure I had seen the moment that all of the world is talking about today ... the moment Alfonso Ribeiro brought "the Carlton" back to life!

On behalf of the world ... thank you, Alfonso!

i hate to say it , but ...

Last night was the season premiere of Dancing With The Stars. I have very little say about it except .....

I TOLD YOU SO!

 

 

Alfonso Ribeiro killed it! And I stand by what I said here! I am almost sure after last night Tom Bergeron has already engraved Alfonso's name into that mirror ball trophy!!! Just so some of the other contestants don't feel left out, here are a few honorable mentions ...

 

 

best dimples .....

total toss up between Sadie Robertson & Antonio Sabato, Jr.

 

most unfortunate wardrobe malfunction...

Michael Waltrip

 

most flexible ...

Betsey Johnson

 

most relaxed ...

Tommy Chong

(pending until drug test results come back)

 

most in need of extra material for their dress ....

Julianne Hough

 

 



cast #19, you poor souls ...

It is no secret that I have an unusually large affection for all sorts of reality television ... and one of my absolute favorites of all time is Dancing With the Stars!

Yesterday the season 19 cast list was leaked which made me absolutely giddy!!!!

But, before we get to the cast ... can we please discuss how in the sam hill is it already season 19?!? Are we counting seasons in dog years now? Bless ... 19 just seems to be a lot.

OK ... back to the important issue (& I use that term loosely) ... the cast list. Honestly, I don't recognize 3/4 of the celebrities (& again, I use that term loosely). I was reading through the list just a tad bit discouraged about the lack luster cast until light shone down from heaven & I swear to you, I heard a choir of angels singing a Tom Jones classic, because look who was last on the cast list ...

 American's favorite cousin .... Carlton!!!!

yes, I am aware he has a real name, but

he'll forever be Carlton in my heart!



 

Can you even get over it!?!?!? And as far as I am concerned ABC shouldn't even bother with season 19, because I am declaring Carlton the winner! If you question as to why .... just watch this video of fine dancing ability ....

 

If you can not watch this video on your particular device, I implore you to search "carlton" on the You tube & just behold the magic!

 

And by the power vested in me by no one other than myself, obviously (& counting the amount of hours I have spent watching reality TV ... I am totally qualified), I hereby reserve this mirror ball DWTS trophy for Carlton ...

 

 

... others need not apply.

today is a day i have been waiting for ...

I have been waiting for this day to get here for months!!!!  I know a few of you have too, because you've told me...

Tonight, on HGTV, a new show is premiering & you will NOT want to miss it! Trust me on this! So, I want all of my people to get all of their people together & watch!

Jen Hatmaker (Christian author, blogger, Jesus lover, expert in sarcasm) & her family are starring in "My Big Family Renovation." She & her husband, Brandon, purchased a 100-year-old farmhouse & HGTV is documenting their reno.

{HGTV}



If you have never heard of Jen Hatmaker, check out her bio HERE.  She is a best-selling Christian author (check out her books here) & also happens to be the Mama behind the blog post entitled, "Worst End of Year School Mom Ever" that went viral & landed her on the Today Show a couple of years ago. She just has a way of being so honest about the struggle that a lot of mamas & wives try to gloss over ... especially all of us who try to live up to the Proverbs 31 version of what a Christian homemaker should be. Jen tells it like it is ... the good, the bad, the ugly. I love that!

So, you can imagine that following her, her hubby, & their 5 (yes 5!) kids through a renovation project will be full of all sorts of goodness.

{HGTV}

you can watch a clip from the show here

The first episode airs TONIGHT at 11pm & there is another episode at 11:30pm. Now, I suggest if you are like me & struggle with all of the staying up lateness ... take a nap, set your DVR, drink a Red Bull ... but don't miss it!

monday night on NBC ... thanks for the remider!

You all know I am a reality TV junkie ... I {heart} it! Well, Monday nights on NBC are now a reality TV lovers dream!

A new series, "Running Wild With Bear Grylls" started last night. Basically he takes a different celebrity out in the middle of nowhere for 2 days & they do super fun (or as Zac Efron kept saying last night, "legit") things like jumping out of helicopters that are actually flying in the air (I prefer jumping out of the ones on the ground) ... sleeping in caves ... repelling down 150 foot drops into ice cold water. Like I said ...  SUPER FUN!!! Now, while I am not a particular fan of the outdoors ... I do enjoy watching others in survival type situations. I feel it serves as a good reminder why sleeping out of doors is just a bad idea.

And I have to say, having Zac Efron as the first celeb ... well played, NBC, well played. Other celebrities like Ben Stiller (can NOT wait to see him next week), Deion Sanders, Tom Arnold (I can't imagine this will turn out well), & sweet little Tamren Hall (from the Today Show) are going to be tortured guided by survival specialist Bear Grylls over the next few weeks.

After an hour of all of the jungle surviving, American Ninja Warrior comes on.

If you haven't seen this yet ... it is basically people doing things that are not natural & not supposed to be humanly possible ... So, apparently Monday nights on NBC are adrenaline junkie ... or as I like to call it "let's remind America how unexciting their lives are & just how out or shape they are" night on NBC.

Thanks for the reminder, NBC.

Favorite Things Friday: angelina, new shoes, yelling, & a traveling man ...

Happy Friday!!!!!

a few of my favorites from this week ...

* movies with the kids ...
I took the kids to see Maleficent this week. I had been on the fence about taking them ... with all of the fighting, magic, Angelina Jolee, & what not. Obviously, it was a great choice, because Priss spent 3/4's of the movie with her eyes covered. My review: a cross between Narnia & Wicked ... Quite a bit of fighting, but no gore ... overall, a really sweet storyline. If you're on the fence about going, check out the review HERE from Plugged In. I use the Plugged In website a lot to make sure movies, TV show, books are Big Brother/Priss appropriate ... a really great resource!

* Mama got new shoes ...

{target}

*Don't worry, honey ...

I had a gift card & got my Red Card discount*



I've been in search of a low wedge that would be cute with shorts & that I wouldn't break my ankle whilst walking in them ... these fit the both of those requirements.

* The return of Kate Plus 8 to TLC ...
Bless! Have I missed that woman, or what! I've had this on my calendar for at least a month. What I didn't know was that the fine folks over at TLC were having a John & Kate Plus 8 (turned Kate Plus 8) marathon for MOST OF THE DAY!!!!  Y'all, I was in reality TV heaven. However, by 11:18 I couldn't take the yelling anymore ... Obviously, my parents should have yelled at each other more (or any at all) so my tolerance level wouldn't be so low.

* Mister has been out of town all week on "business" ... & I say "business" because he kept posting & sending me pictures of himself at football stadiums.

(Alabama's stadium)



(at LSU ...working rather hard)

(at the end of Brett Favre's driveway ... bless!)

I started to become very suspicious that maybe he was really on some sort of secret tour of SEC football stadiums & not really working.

However, he did send me this shot of himself hard at work ...

(that's him being dragged around the floor on a parachute by kids while being filmed)

He's working on a fun little project that hopefully we can share soon! He had a blast & I'm so glad he had the opportunity to be part of such a fun gig ... and the tour of SEC football stadiums!


What a week!

Hope you have a fun weekend!!!!



favorite things friday: home training, agreement, public restrooms, & lightning ...

Our first week of Summer break has been a true success!!!! We have slept in, we have been lazy, we have had fun, we have been to the beach, the pond, the pool, IKEA, & we have participated in 2 camps in 1 week (bless!) ... needless to say, Summer & us are getting along juuuuuuust fine!

Here are a few of my faves from this week:

* I have a super-sweet friend, Marianne, & she shares my undying devotion & love for the Target. Apparently, she has passed this love on to her daughter, because her husband posted this during their vacation this week ...

Home training, y'all! A visit to Target AND new shoes ... well done, Madeline, well done!

* THIS ARTICLE BY BOO MAMA {one of my favorite bloggers} about TV characters we miss. I agree 1000000% with 3 of her all-time favorite characters that she misses: Matthew Crawly (Downton Abbey), Pam & Jim (The Office), & Suzanne Sugarbaker (Designing Women). If I had to add 2 more to round off my top 5 most missed it would be Monica (Friends) & Bonnie (Life with Bonnie ... which, if you ask me, was taken off the air entirely too soon!!!)

* This favorite is both informational AND helpful: After quite a bit of exhaustive research done by bestie, me, & our ununsually small bladders on our IKEA road trip this week ... we have come to the conclusion that Sheets has the cleanest public restrooms in the great state of North Carolina. As a bonus ... they also have "skinny mirrors" .... Very valuable information for all of your summer travel plans! You're welcome.

* This weekend is Father's Day! So, don't forget to be sweet to your Daddy. I hit the jackpot on a Father's Day gift this year & I can't wait to see Daddy open it. I'd go ahead & show you, but heaven forbid Daddy get struck by lightning & learn how to turn on a computer & see what he's getting before Sunday. I'll be sure to show you next week!

Hope you have a fun weekend!

Be awesome, y'all!

the stars have aligned!

We are experiencing one of my favorite times of year ... the time of year when all of the stars align just right... it's magical! I'm not referring to Spring, end of the school year, or even left handed awareness day.

I'm talking about reality television magic! This time of year is pure perfection ...  Dancing With the Stars comes on Monday night, The Duggars & The Little Couple on Tuesday, American Idol Wednesday & Thursday! I'm not sure about Friday night, because despite what you've read so far, I do have a life!

Now, having said all of that, I feel it is my obligation to let you know my predictions for Dancing & Idol. Discernment is one of my spiritual gifts & I feel it comes in very handy when any sort of reality TV competition is involved.

Dancing With the Stars-

I think Meryl & Maks have it in the bag! Flawless!! & does anyone else get anxious whenever Erin Andrews interviews them after they perform? I'm always afraid she's going to crazy ex-girlfriend on them ....

American Idol -

If Jena doesn't win ... she was robbed! She is the total package. The girl can sing, play, & entertain! I have very strong feelings about who needs to go home this week, but I won't  air them because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings {because, obviously, my opinion has so much weight attached to it with my discernment & all}.

So, how about y'all? What are your predictions?
 Do you agree with me or do you think I'm way off???

favorite things friday: a quiz, nesting, & surviving

Ummm ... Could someone please tell  me where April went? I seem to have misplaced it!

May is in full swing, which means all of the end-of-the-school year shenanigans ... concerts, field trips, parties, graduations. This is the time of year you can hear me singing the old gospel tune, "One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus ... That's all I'm asking from you!" I'll be breaking into my 3rd performance by 11am each morning. Feel free to stop by for your listening pleasure.

Here's a few favorite things from this week ...

* THIS QUIZ ... that's been going around Facebook! You answer 5 questions & it describes your personality in 1 word. My word ... "sensible", the bestie's ... "impulsive" & if you have ever spent more than 28 seconds around either one of us you are probably shouting a big loud "AMEN!" to both assessments! Go take it & let me know what your word is!!!!

* The Nester's book, The Nesting Place, is definitely a HUGE favorite from my week!

 

{www.thenester.com}

Every page has inspiration dripping off of it! Find yourself a copy ... it's great!

* OK ... I'm going out on a limb with this favorite, but I'm just going to spill the beans. I am loving the new TV series Surviving Jack.

I usually only watch reality TV ... don't judge, Jesus doesn't like it ... but Surviving Jack is hilarious & I secretly love it! I stumbled upon it a few weeks ago because it comes on right after Idol on Thursday nights. It's set in the 90's ...the music, clothing, cars, hair ... it is a beautiful thing! You should watch, but keep in mind my TV standards are not really aligned with Proverbs 31. I don't drink, smoke, cuss, or chew ... I gotta have some guilty pleasure!

And that does it ... 

I'm off to spend the day with my impulsive bestie!

Have a great weekend ... be awesome, y'all!

and the winner is ...

I've mentioned my renewed obsession with American Idol a couple of time already this season. I had totally sworn off AI after the Adam Lambert fiasco & when they started getting all weird with the judges. Now, I appreciate weird in a Paula Abdul kind-of way, but NOT a Nicki Minaj kind-of way. I am very picky about the weirdness I like to participate in ... standards!

Well, I have to say this ... American Idol has hit it out of the park this season! The JLo, Keith Urban, Harry Connick combination is pure GOLD! I love the way they've showcased more of the real talent & not a lot of weirdness in the beginning of the season (see, I told you I'm very selective in all of the weird). I love the faster pace of the competition & eliminations, so far. AND I cannot tell you how much I love that Randy Jackson is now like the AI Godfather!

{source}

O, it brings me joy when he is sitting in his big 'ole chair counseling those contestants & giving them advice. I just love it!

I have a bit of trepidation about the "spiritual advisors" they now have for the contestants ... I'd like to know their actual advising credentials. Jen Hatmaker, a Christian blogger & author, mentioned yesterday she'd love to be pegged spiritual advisor for next season, because she'd be spiritually advising the heck out of those kids!!!

& I have to tell you ... I already have a gut feeling who the winner of this season's American Idol is going to be ....

Mr. Harry Connick, Jr.!!! or Keith Urban's hair ... it could go either way ...