Five for Friday - vol 14.1.10

Here are five pictures from our wonderful trip to southern California!


1. Our first night in SoCal

2. Downtown Pasadena



3. Outside Rose Bowl Stadium waiting to cheer on the Noles!

4. Inside Rose Bowl Stadium

5. National Champions!  Go Noles!

Five for Friday - vol 14.1.3

The excitement of the new year has not faded on me a bit yet. In its honor, here's a Five for Friday about things I am looking forward to or hoping for in the new year, in no particular order.

1. A trip to Cali with my love to see FSU win the BCS championship. I am looking forward to the trip. I love to travel period and love to travel with John. He's such a good travel partner. I am hoping FSU wins the game. Even if they don't, however, I still believe this will be a once in a lifetime experience that I will cherish forever -- the last BCS game, my team playing for the title, at Rose Bowl stadium. But let's be real..they're [hopefully] going to win.

2. One of my BFFs, Patty, having her baby boy. I am looking forward to my friend becoming a mommy and hoping to meet him sometime in 2014.

3. John getting a promotion. This is more so a looking forward to; it's just a matter of when. My hope for him is that it's sooner in the year.

4. My mom moving near me or my brother. This is a total hoping for. It's all going to depend on if she can get a civil service job in either of our areas to continue working toward her retirement. *fingers crossed* Even if she doesn't move where I live it would be so nice to go visit her and have my brother and his family (my niece!!!) close enough to visit when I'm in town.

5. Speaking of my brother and his family, I hope they have another baby in 2014! Obviously I am so in love with my niece I want them to have another one for me to love and play with. Good thing they hope for this too, it makes it a reasonable hope for the new year.

2014, I think you are going to be golden. I look forward to everything you have in store for me, my family, and my friends!

Random Writings - Thankful Thursday

• Mama's still sick but she's doing ok.  Leedie has been visiting with her for a few days so I know that's giving her some happiness.  I firmly believe a happy patient is a healthier patient.
• Roxy's also doing good too.  In fact, I went home Monday afternoon and it was like nothing had ever been wrong with her.
• UK has a new head coach, FSU's defensive coordinator.  I was excited to link two schools I love but then rumors started that Stoops is trying to take a lot of the other staff.  I like Seminoles football way better than Wildcat football so I don't appreciate this.  I won't be much of a Stoops Troops if he keeps this up.
• Today is my Friday and for that I am SO thankful.

Weekend Recap

Mother daughter weekend was a huge success.  Shortly after my mom got into town on Friday we went to get a couple's massage.  This was my mom's first massage ever and now she wonders what took her so long.  For her it was the highlight of the trip and it made me feel so good that she kept bringing it up and the fact she really enjoyed it.  We closed out the night with a quick stop to a store and some Mexican food.

The next day we left early, got some Starbucks, and enjoyed the hour and half drive to Cincinnati with some good conversation.  After that the day was pretty much filled with non-stop shopping, talking and wonderful mommy and me time.  It really was a great day and though I bought some things I didn't spend a ton of money.  The night ended watching the last quarter of the FSU game which was a major killjoy.  (Granted it was our first loss of the season but it really shouldn't have been a loss at all.  Between refs calling plays for NC State and Jimbo not bringing in the field goal team I was not happy with what I saw.  That being said, it's our fault it was that close anyway.  Boo.)

Sunday, we headed back after one last shopping stop and cleaned out my coat closet - to get a little productive mom and daughter time in there.  I dropped off the stuff I took out of the closet to Goodwill, did some groceries for the week, made dinner, and then enjoyed catching up and cuddling with Mr. Woo and the pup. 

This weekend was a great success and just what I needed without even knowing it.  Now I'm ready for a good and productive week.

Happy Monday!

Random Writings - Books

• It's Friday!  Woo hoo!!  I am happy about this fact.
• The Monthly Menace Express finally left Funkytown and it's now stationed in Normal City.  Thank goodness.
• I recently made a blueberry cake from scratch loosely following my Berry Natural Strawberry Cake recipe.  The result was an outrageously cookie-monster-blue cake with purple whipped cream frosting that was just as delicious as it was odd to look at. 
• The blueberry cake was only made because the thing I tried to make, a blueberry roll, failed miserably.  John did eat it and said it was good but I still consider it a fail since I tried to follow a recipe and it did not come out as it was supposed to.
• I am going to the library to return some books and am really excited to check out new ones.  I do find it a bit overwhelming though to try and figure out what books I want to read.  I am interested in so many things that finding the right book is a bit daunting.  As of late my current choices in books have been non-story books.  I've been in the mood to learn.  To improve.  To do.  Story books, fiction and non-fiction, are great but lately I've wanted to take action.  On my list of books to pick up today are two self improvement/motivational type books and two cookbooks.
• This weekend shall consist of things such as cleaning the house while watching college football.  That combination sounds delightful at the moment.
• I still have to post the last day of the photo challenge I started in April.  Maybe I'll do that this weekend too.

How do you pick which books to read?  What is a non-story book that you love and recommend?

The Return of College Football

Thursday marked the start of college football and the beginning of my favorite time of year. 

The start of college football doesn't just mean I get to cheer on my Seminoles and CATS while wearing my garnet and gold or blue and white.  The start of college football means Pumpkin Spice Lattes, fall, my birthday, and the holiday season are just around the corner. 

The fact that three of the four guys on College Game Day are picking FSU in the BCS title game doesn't hurt my excitement either.