Things I Love...

...just because.

The weather has gotten to be downright springy here in Chicagoland, which leads me to believe Apocalypse is coming because spring doesn't exist in Chicago - we go right from parkas to swimsuits. But warm weather has perked me up, and as such, I felt like sharing the love of some new finds:

*Arrested Development. Yeah, I know I am a few years behind the curve here, but someone bought it for the Hubbs to entertain him while recouping from surgery, and I just loves it. Also, Jason Bateman is my new TV boyfriend. Sorry Alton Brown. It's smart, and funny, and I want to watch it all day.

* These rain boots. I ordered them a couple of weeks ago, and I've worn them several times. Without rain.

* These wedges in yellow. Angels sang when I pulled them out of the box. And I cried, for the beauty was so great. One of my storytime kids told me they were the best, and that she couldn't take her eyes off them. Win. Plus, I love Steve Madden like a fat kid loves cupcakes, except, you know, I haven't really tried to eat them. Yet. But these may tempt me, with their little perfect rosettey goodness. Omnom. Nom.

* Marshmallow Peeps. Only yellow chicks or pink bunnies, thankyouverymuch.

* Crystal Light Lemonade. I always get a hankerin' for lemonade when it gets warm out, and combined with my increased consumption of Peeps and my desire to not look like a beached whale in Mexico, I've started drinking this stuff like it's water. Because, well, technically, it is.

* Hot boys sans shirts. Yummo. I mean, I only have eyes for my husband and never look at the scenery. Because that would be wrong, righ?

* My new bike. Guess who can ride it like a big girl with no training wheels? This kid right here. I am a few handlebar streamers away from full-on lurving it.

* The History Channel. Shut up, I'm a nerd. I get it.

* Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. Oh. My. Word. If this book was a guy in a bar, he wouldn't even have to buy me a drink to get me to go home with him. Its awesomeness probably deserves its own blog post, but alas. I heard the movie rights were optioned by Tim Burton. If that actually comes to fruition, there will be much swooning. Loves.

The one where I relearn a skill every kindergartener has...

Do you remember the episode of Friends where Ross finds out Phoebe never learned how to ride a bike, so he buys her one and tries to teach her, with comically disastrous results? What, like every adult just *knows* how to ride a bike?

So...in an attempt to get fit, get fresh air and have more o' that coupley-quality time that we lurve so much, the Hubbs purchased me (used, from Craigslist) a fabulous hot-pink mountain bike. I went with him to pick it up, but refused to test it out. "You do it," I told him, "since you know so much more about them," (do I know how to stroke an ego, or what?).

He sees, he likes, we pack it up and get in the car to head home. Halfway through rocking out to "Hotel California" (which might be one of the greatest songs OF. ALL.TIME), he turns the radio down (bad move, mister).

Hubbs: So, why didn't you try it out? It's yours, you know. You can ride it.
Me: Oh, you know, I don't really know much about breaks and gears...
H: Um, do you know how to ride a bike?
M: Of course I do? Who doesn't know...okay, maybe I haven't been on a bike in 17 years. And maybe I've never been on a mountain bike. And maybe the only place I was ever allowed to ride is up and down the sidewalk in front of my parents' house, so I've never really been able to "ride" ride, per se...
H: *laughter* You are going to fall on your butt in front of all the kidlets in the neighborhood and they are going to laugh at you. This is going to be great.

And that's the supportive relationship I'm in. The bike, by the way, has been sitting in the garage for a week, just waiting for me to hop on...

Words of Encouragement and Calorie-Free Love, Please

So we're going back to the Mexico again for a little taste of heaven. All inclusive in Puerto Vallarta was calling our name, and we answered.

Sadly, this has meant a complete overhaul of current lifestyle-ness. Back to dieting, back to the gym, and thanks to the beauty of a little ol' thing called Craigslist, hopping on the for-reals bike to burn some cals and tone some booty.

By the time I get to Me-hi-co, I am going to be in desperate need of every frozen drink they will give me.

Seeing Red

For most of my college life, I was a redhead. Not naturally, of course, but courtesy of my good friends at Clairol. I liked being a redhead, it made me stand out in my group of friends (because really, when all your friends are hot, smart, and funny, there's no sense trying to corner the market on one of those). It gave me license to let me temper flare. It was more of a lifestyle choice then a hair color.
But, one instance of grabbing ruby instead of auburn, and gone was the sexy Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge look. Here to stay was the Ronald McDonald's crazed offspring look. So I kissed red goodbye and went back to brown.

Until Saturday. At the behest of the hubbs and a couple of other friends, I told my stylist I wanted to go red, but natural looking red. She lit up with glee and got to work a-mixin' some goop. She oohed, she ahhed, but alas, this color is only found in nature on tropical birds and poisonous lizards...but I think I love it anyway.

Hopped Up on Gasoline and Conversation Hearts

This morning, the smell of gasoline greeted me at the door of my workplace, which is not a bus terminal or mechanic's shop but a library. Second time in a couple of weeks. It seems the ventilation system keeps grabbing air from near the snow plow storage area. Good times.

Also, I'm having an unusually difficult time finding the regular Necco conversation hearts. Yes, they taste sort of like chalk. Yes, they are full of empty calories and will probably rot my teefs out. But alas, I loves them and their cutesy-wootsy messages. Now all I can find are the fruity ones, and they sort of have a Windexy taste to them (I prefer the sidewalk chalky originals by far).

Probably Not Welcome at Disneyworld...

There is a mouse

living in my house

He's quite a louse

And so I grouse

To my spouse

And I will douse

This little mouse

...with toxic chemicals

So last week, I was up in my study (okay, so it's not really a study, per se, just a spare bedroom with a bookshelf and a shoddy desk), and I decided to do some organizing.
The hubbs and I had placed a bag o' Christmas joy up in the study right after the holiday, and I forgot it had some chocolate treaties in it. I pick up the bag, one of those "re-use me and save the trees" bags from La Target, and there is a big hole in the bottom. Odd, I think, since it was intact last I saw it. Then I see the poopies. I do not like poopies of any sort floating around my house, and these were clearly the excrement of a rodent, either mouse or perhaps wild dwarf hamster. I was annoyed that we had a critter, but living in the middle of cornfields and suffering through the Arctic temperatures we've had in Chicagoland lately, I thought nothing of it. I'd just get one of those humane little boxes and catch the bugger, then let him go in some other subdivision.

Then I saw what was apparently worth chewing through a bag for.

Candy wrappers, shredded like confetti. The little bastard ate my gourmet chocolates.

Gone was my earth-mother, peace-keeper, animal-loving urge to play catch and release with Mickey. Went to the hardware store, bought some traps. Homeboy's in trouble now...if only I could catch him...

I Like Big Baubles, and I Cannot Lie

Is anyone else as thrilled as I am that ginormous costume jewelry is making a comeback? I was out shopping the other day, and it seems like every where you turn, there's something huge and beaded. Things that are eerily reminiscent to the dress-up days of yore...

I had some Christmas gift cardage to spend, so I went out last week, looking for some goods. Not that I hop on every trend bandwagon (maybe I do own a pair of leggings from Miley Cyrus's Walmart collection, so sue me), but as a jewelry lover (and designer), I'm really psyched about this one.

I ended up grabbing a huge silver sparkly flower ring, and I've been sporting it every day since.


How's that for fab?