Thirty Days of Thankful - Comedy

I'm of the opinion that there is ALWAYS something to laugh about, if you just take a minute to look around and find it.  I love to laugh.  I'm such a geek, and the dumbest things make me laugh.  Life would be miserable if I couldn't laugh! My goal is to have my cubicle makes ask me what the hell is so funny at least once a week.

Here are a few of my favorite comedians these days.  Are you familiar with them?  Have any I should take a look at?

Even though I don't have human kids, this is one of my favorite routines.  I die laughing!

Sorry...I had this set up to show you videos, but Blogger is being naughty and keeps stripping them out!

If you can get through this bit by Jimmy Carr on annoying things, I envy you!

Bill Engvall always gives me a good giggle!

Trevor Noah is great for a laugh (and sometimes comedy that makes you think...).

Lastly, Matt Bellassai of Buzzfeed videos don't seem to embed for me all that well...so I'm just going to tell you to click HERE and go watch some of his "whine about it" episodes! I look for a new episode every Wednesday! 

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Eight Photos of Happiness

I have been nominated for the ‘8 Photos of Happiness Tag’ by Bridget over at Expat BS.  I followed Bridget back when she was an Atlanta blogger.  Now she's "crossed the pond" and started a whole new blog.  :-)  I'm really enjoying reading as she and her hubby-to-be get settled into their new life!

Here are the guidelines for the tag:
1.Thank your nominator/s and link them in your post.
2. Link the creator Ariel's Little Corner of the Internet
3. Post your 8 photos of happiness
4. Pop in a brief description of the photo, why you chose it, or let the photos do the talking!
5. Spread the happiness and tag up to ten other bloggers!

This is my cousin Kristin and I at a wedding earlier this year. (The wedding story will be another post soon.)  She is one of my best friends and I'm so lucky to get to have her in my life. 

This little one is baby Vivie!  She's Kristin's little girl and will turn a year old just days after my birthday.  She has such a big, happy personality and I just adore her!

From my gram's 90th birthday party.  She was adamant that she get a big party when she turned 90 and so she that's what she got!  Gram was thrilled! This picture is bittersweet, as it's the last picture of gram with all four of her children.

It's not the best picture in the world, but I have such great memories of my first trip to the UK the summer I turned 16.  Here are my brother Josh and I getting chased by sheep...it was a recurring theme during that trip!  I can't wait to be in England again this fall.

As a little kid, my grandparent's had a summer home on the lake in New Hampshire.  So many awesome family summers!  Here's a picture of my dad and I when I was really little.

My herd.  They bring me such joy every single day.  So much personality, love, silliness and utter devotion in such TINY bodies!

These girls!  They are all absolutely beautiful inside and out.  We do a yearly group picture at Christmas and here's our 2014 picture.

Ok...so this isn't a picture of me, but it is a picture of the rag quilt I made for baby Vivie.  I love to craft and take such pleasure from it.  That counts, right?!

Now it's my turn to nominate some bloggers to take on this challenge. I'm still getting into the swing of blogging again so I don't have 10 bloggers to tag, but if you read this post and would like to join in  please do!

• Sara at Running from the Law - I've loved Sara's blog for years.  Even during my blog hiatus, I kept up with her and her adorable kiddos on Instagram.  :-)
• Karen at A Peek at Karen's World  - Another awesome blogger that I've followed for YEARS!  She just moved her blog from blogger to Wordpress on her own, which makes her my technology hero.
• Rachel from Countdowns and Cupcakes - I've only recently found Rachel.  Her blog is super cute and she's a fellow dachshund mom!
• Carolyn from Life, Love and Puppy Prints - Carolyn is another recent find.  I love her sense of humor.  She just might be one of blogville's cutest pregnant girls too.  :-)
• Jennifer from Crazy Shenanigans - Jen is another blogger that I've been following for quite a while.  Like Christmas or Elvis?  She's your girl!
• Dory and her mom at Dory's Backyard - Dory and her siblings are Lhasa Apsos and ShiTzus respectively.  They (with their mom's help) have lots of adventures and share life from a dog's perspective!
• Puddles and her mom at We 3 Doxies - Think dogs don't have a sense of humor?  You haven't met Puddles yet!  We know dachshunds are a huge part of my life - and Puddles (with her mom's help) shows all the personality in their little bodies!

A Day At Gillette...Or Why I Now Have Office Keys

Those of you that follow me on Twitter or Instagram know I was at a conference at Gillette Stadium last week with some of my co-workers.

First, let me say - the parts of the stadium you don't usually get to see during a game are gorgeous!  I was skeptical when I heard that we'd have approximately 500 people at the stadium for the conference, but I couldn't have been more wrong.  The marketing, sales, security and catering staff are pretty darn awesome!

Great views of the field (and the occasional football and soccer player)

Now, let me tell you a little of the back story...  We were supposed to load up my car at 6 AM and be at Gillette by 7 or so.  Around 5:30 AM, we realized that no one had keys to the office.  Don't look at me like that!  I'm not the one that had lost their keys days before cough *Eric* cough.  After lots of calling around (and an attempt to wake up my cousin/co-worker Kristin at 5:50 AM), we finally got in and were only marginally late.

Max and I having a little fun. :-)

 

 

Stephen, Max and Eric (l-r) By the end of the day, our team was exhausted to the point of "jazz hands" or almost tears.  The boys are a liiiitle hyper, so I might have chosen tears too. *giggle* (Note: Max wasn't actually crying, just making faces.)

 

Before our next conference (a two day affair), I'm demanding a raise.  Or more coffee...  Yeah, probably just the coffee.



 

 

Favorite Quotes

I've seen a few people share their favorite quotes and thought I'd play along.

As a mom to four dogs, dog rescuer and all around "dog person", I couldn't agree with this quote more.  There is such trust, joy and unconditional love that dogs give you - that you don't get ANYWHERE else.

 

This is one of my favorite quotes and could be my favorite movie quotes ever.  There's such truth and openness to this; giving it such a good perspective on "every day" love instead of the romantic love that so many instantly think of when they're asked if they love others in their life.

The key to my heart is laughter.  If you can have an argument with me and still make me laugh afterwards - you win!

What are your favorite quotes?

May Blogging Challenge

I've mentioned this before, and I know I'm not alone - once you get out of the habit of blogging, finding your rhythm again is HARD! 

But I'm committed to blogging.  After all, some of my very best friends live in the computer.  :-)

When I saw April's blogging challenge for the month of May - I knew I had to jump in and play along.  I hope to get my bloggy mojo back, and make a few new friends along the way!

And...The Winners Are:

Um...so life got a little busy and and I totally forgot to post who my two winners are.  Sorry about that! 

On the bright side - there are two winners instead of the one I mentioned when starting the giveaway.  :-)

And, the winners are:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'll pack up your prizes over the weekend and mail them out on Monday, Karen and Ashley!  Just shoot me an email (allthelittlestuff@gmail.com) to confirm your shipping address.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

The family is throwing my grandma a 90th birthday party this weekend.  Her birthday is technically on Monday - and I'm sure that she'll get plenty of love and attention all weekend long, straight through to her actual birthday.

I can't wait to see my aunts, uncle and assorted cousins, second cousins, etc!  It's going to be a wonderful weekend.

As part of my grandma's party, I'm organizing a photo/memory book as well as "grandma trivia".  It's been such  a blessing getting to put together her memory book.  There are some wonderful stories that family members have submitted!  I just wish that more of my cousins had participated...  Who knows, maybe once they show up, I can nudge them into writing something. Ha! :-) {Side note: My mom has named me the human spell check and grammar check. I wish some people wrote in full sentences!}

This party has also had a few depressing moments. I asked my grandma one day who she wanted to invite, only to realize that so many people that are important to her have already passed on. But I'm so glad that she gets this party! I want her to live many more years... but at 90, she has lived a full life. I feel so grateful for the time I've gotten with her. God forbid, but if she happens to pass away soon, I would feel at peace that she's has gotten a last hurrah and knows how much people love her.

Here's what I'm contributing to the memory book:

When I was two or three, grandma decided to teach me how to eat Oreos, and not your typical “dunk, nibble, repeat” either.  She taught me to twist the Oreo open, eat the cream center and throw away or “give away” the chocolate cookies.  I still prefer the cream center to the actual cookies!

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 Not many of the grandkids will remember grandma driving.  I also have the distinction of recalling her missing part of the driveway and ending up in the gulley by the well grandpa had dug. Oops…

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Even as a little girl, I knew that my grandparents thrived on socializing and throwing parties.  I loved year after year of Thanksgivings, Christmases and 4^th of Julys packed with family, fun and food.  They both loved being advisors for Rainbow and Demolay too!  Getting to be present for a few of their pool parties with the teenagers was so much fun.  Those kids must have really admired grandma and grandpa to let me bother them so much. Watching her through the years taught me a lot about party planning, food prep and being a good hostess.

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Grandma has inspired my love of shoes.  Or…I could say that I blame her for passing on the gene for hoarding shoes.  J If you find a shoe you like, buy one in every color!  Having traveled with her, I also learned moderation in packing those shoes.  The summer I turned sixteen, we (mom, Josh, Lori, grandma and I) did a tour of England, Scotland and Wales.  I kid you not that there was an entire suitcase of hers dedicated to shoes!  I wish all the shoes she brought made it back.  Sadly, there were casualties…or as she said, “a reason to buy more shoes”.

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She’s also provided some useful observations:

·         No matter how dainty you look…some women can, in fact, snore loud enough to shake the walls. 

·         Sleeping and knitting at the same time is an art form!

·         Smiling and nodding can get you through most situations.

·         You never get too old to play “beauty shop” with your grandma.

·         There’s always room for dessert!

·         If there’s a fire alarm in a foreign country in the middle of the night – she WILL stop to get fully dressed (including make-up).

Blog Star - Hi, I'm Cole

  The fabulous Mrs. Monologues and her co-hosts are leading their monthly round of Blog Star.  I slacked last month and didn't link-up...but I'm ready this time around!

A little bit about me:

• I'm a dog momma.  I have four miniature dachshunds.  Here are my girls - Meadow and Paisley.
• Don't stand between me and my caffeine.  I'm not picky though... I'll accept any offers of Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Mary Lou's News (a local chain) and Honey Dew.
• I love to cook, and have a weekly recipe link-up (Tuesdays at the Table).
• I'm an insomniac.  So, if you can't sleep - come find me on twitter. :-)
• It's uncommon that I don't read 2-3 books a week.  Any good recommendations, gang?!

I hope to see you again!

Summer "Must Haves"

I was helping the adorable Mrs. Jones find a dress a few weeks ago via the tweet. She suggested that I put together a list of ten summer "must haves".  I can do that!

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A great dress.  One that you can dress up for a garden party/cocktail party or dress down and it works for a beach bonfire.

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Wedge espadrilles.  Sweet summery shoes that are casual but versatile.  Plus, the wedge gives a little more ankle stability than a standard heel - quite useful if you've had a little more sangria than normal.  :-)

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Flip flops. For most of us, beach time (or pool time) is inevitable.  A colorful pair of flip flops are fun and useful all season long!

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A short sleeved cardigan.  There's no hiding that cardigans are one of my fashion staples.  They are great for layering, providing a little warmth on a cool summer night and giving a pop of color/a little visual interest where needed.

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A multi purpose moisturizer.  The summer dries out your skin, ladies! Between warmer air, more sun exposure and the glistening that results {hey, at least I didn't we sweat!}, I need something to not only keep my skin moisturized but provide some SPF too.  It's an even bigger bonus if I find something oil-free.  :-)

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A good mani & pedi.  Some of you lovelies get mani/pedis all year long, which is great.  Some folks take care of their own nails all the time with is pretty cool too.  My theory is that if you get a great mani/pedi at the beginning of each season, it makes it easier for "at home care" on a regular basis.

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Sunglasses.  I don't take my own advice enough on this...but wear sunglasses!  Save yourself from wrinkles around your eyes caused by squinting into the sun.

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Cute camis.  Summer clothes are supposed to be fun!  This cami has great detail and is adorable!

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Great shorts. Find some that fit your body, please - I'm begging you!  Last year I saw lots of too tight, too droopy and buns hanging out.  Please don't bend over and make me look at your bum again this year. 

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Fun accessories!  Lots of color; beachy accents; just FUN!

What are your summer must haves?

Friday Funnies

Every time I see this video of the Harvard baseball team, I laugh!  LOVE IT!




In other news, my class has spent a lot of time on end of life care this week.  We've resorted to potty humor to relieve the tension.

99 Things

I've seen a bunch of people do this, and thought I'd play along!


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightening storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child {only if I can count my pups!}
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (presuming a fish counts)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Fifty nine of ninety nine! Not bad. How about you?!

A Dose of Random...Or, How I Spent My Weekend

Happy Monday!  My brain is a smidge fried, so I'll be employing bullet points to keep from completely boring you (hopefully). :-)

• Thank you all for the support that you've given me in changing careers.  Tuesday I'll be doing the final exam for the Home Health Aide portion of the class.  Any quick prayers that I don't have a brain freeze will be appreciated.
• The remainder of the week I have skills labs, where I'm going to get paired with the person either before me or after me alphabetically.  That means I either have someone who is afraid to touch people...or doesn't speak English.  I apologize in advance for any venting that may be sited here later in the week.
• Saturday I did my class project on Cancer.  It's fabulous people...believe me on that. :-)
• While that was happening, I had a plumber come and steal all my money!  Well...he did replace the faucets in my kitchen and downstairs bathroom, but it wasn't fun paying that bill!
• Then, I got to hang out with Kristin to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. 

Mixed berry Margaritas!

• Sunday Meadow & Beckett enjoyed sunbathing at my parent's.  They also spent some time scavenging the back yard for dandelion greens.  I think I might have miniature goats instead of dachshunds...
• If you follow me on Twitter, you already know that I'm a bit heart-broken.  I've learned that I either won't be getting a new puppy from the rescue I volunteer for, or it will take at least another two months.  I don't blame them at all...it's totally the state of MA.  They are making it very difficult for people here to adopt from out of state.  Never mind that "my" puppy is no more than 50 miles away from me! Just thinking about it still makes me teary.



Sunbathing puppers!

This week's 3 on Thursday question:

 Share three secret single behaviors (Remember the SATC episode? Things you do you wouldn't want a man to see you doing)!



Happy 4th of July!!

Happy Independence Day!!  The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays.  Fireworks, cook-outs and friends!! (Plus, it means there's only a week before my birthday!)

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I'm having a really fun weekend. Saturday was an impromptu gatherering at Kristin's.  Sunday I had to stay home and clean (a story I may share with you all later), and Monday is another fun gathering at Queen H's. 

I already had S'mores brownies ready for Sunday's shin-dig, so they're going to be served on Monday instead. 

Then, I think I'm going to make these...

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And if Queen H has room in her freezer, I'll bring ice cream and homemade magic shell topping.

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What kind of fun are you having this holiday weekend?

Flip Flop Swap Partners

Time to announce swap partners, ladies!  I used the uber-scientific method of putting everyone's names in a hat and picking two at a time.  :-)  I think we should do a linky party to unveil our packages. I really want to see what you get! Maybe on Wednesday, April 27th? Thoughts?


Quick reminder of the rules - budget is $10- $20 (not including shipping) & I ask that you please ship to your partner by April 20th. 

Pair A: Mrs. Jones @ Keeping Up With The Joneses
            Cajun Cowgirl @ When In Doubt, Add More Salt


Pair B: Jennifer @ For Such a Time as This
            Debbie @ Love The Decor

Pair C: Kristin @ Lady Kirstren
            Jane @ Dissecting Jane
            
 Pair D: Kathie @ Like A Box of Chocolates
             Heather @ Life, Love, Laughter

Pair E: Faith @ In The Kitchen With Butters
            Me :-)

Please reach out to your partner soon to learn a little about them and - most importantly - their shoe size! Have fun!!!!

It's Good For A Laugh...

Have you signed up for my flip flop swap?  I'm so excited for it!!  You have until Friday at midnight to join in, and I'll post swap partners over the weekend.  :-)

I saw this video during a meeting today, and being a Red Sox fan - just had to share.  Let's not think too much about why I was watching a video during a meeting.  Mmmkay?


Who can say no to a doxie commercial?


And finally...a video of one of my high school friends (Nate) and other actor/comics lip-synching to The Flight of The Concords. (And watch Nate on Harry's Law!!)


What makes you laugh?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

What?  Too early to start talking about gardening?

I've already plotted out where my garden will be next year.  Along the back of my property line is a raised place that the old owners used as a parking spot.  The dirt is too compacted for me to fix it up this year...but next year, it will look gorgeous!

Or I'll just take the empty lot next to my house by eminent domain. I'm joking!  Maybe.

In the meantime, it's container gardening for this girl!  My parents have always maintained a garden, and it's become quite the tradition for me. :-)  I can't wait for the weather to warm up and to start harvesting some yummy home-grown veggies.

Wanna see what I've ordered for this year?

Biggie Chile Peppers... Hot.  But not too hot!

Cubanelle Peppers... Sweet and good for stuffed peppers.  Plus, they freeze well.

Jalapenos! I do them every year.  And every single one of them gets used or given away to others that swear they'll use them!

Golden Rave Tomatoes... about the size of a quarter and slightly oblong.  Everyone RAVED (pun intended) about these last year.  So yummy and the color livens up a salad.  :-)

Heirloom tomatoes.  Something about them just tastes better!  And I love not knowing which of the varieties I've been blessed with until they start growing.

Red and yellow Pear Tomatoes.  Super sweet; cook well and are just fun in general. Love them!

Dwarf Meyer Lemon Trees.  These lovelies lived until I had surgery in February.  Then they died a swift painful death.  Not casting blame on anyone *ahem*, but my brother doesn't have a green thumb. I ordered two more and I'm sure they'll live a long, happy life!

Dwarf fig tree! I saw this and just had to order one.  Who knows if it'll grow...but trying to grow new things is always fun.

Have you started thinking about gardening yet?  If so, what'cha gonna grow?

BTW, you still have time to enter my mystery giveaway & join in on the flip flop swap!