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All The Tears for Parenthood

Let me start out by saying, I originally thought I was going to hate Parenthood.

In fact, Husband and I started watching it a few years ago and couldn’t get over the “realness” of it. The son is diagnosed with Aspergers in the first episode. And there was drama, and crying, and intense relationships. All things I normally love in a TV show, but for some reason it just felt too real, and I didn’t want to watch that when I was already living real life.

Fast forward to Christmas, when all my shows were on hiatus and I decided to give it another chance (sans Husband and his complaining) because a) everyone just looooves it b) Lorelei Gilmore’s in it c) I read a buzzfeed article talking about how many Friday Night Lights characters are in it d) Jen Hatmaker’s posts about binge-watching it.

So, I started. And here I am 4 months later, after watching 6 seasons, and I’m pretty sure I’ve cried more than I ever have watching a TV show. (Something Husband just doesn’t understand. Why would I want to watch a show that makes me cry?? Men.)

In honor of all my tears, good and bad, and all of yours that you definitely shed watching this show, here are my top 13 crying moments: (Of course, I cried at least once an episode, so this is 13/103)

  1. When Amber got in the life-threatening car accident, and Zeek set her straight, and we all cried in the junkyard and wished Zeek was our grandfather.
  2. When Christina found out she had breast cancer and told Adam in the parking lot, while Max was looking at puppies.
  3. Christina’s videos. (all.the.tears.)
  4. When Julia realized she wasn’t taking home Zoe’s baby, and lost it in the hospital. (like I lost it in my living room)
  5. When Victor hit the baseball, and the entire family was there, and it felt like he was really part of the family now.
  6. When Victor was officially adopted into the family. Happy tears!
  7. When Julia begged Joel not to move out and he was stone cold, and she was trying so hard.
  8. When Joel met Julia and the kids at the ice-rink, and we knew it was all going to work out.
  9. When Max told his parents his classmates peed in his canteen and said he was a freak. (Oh.my.gosh. How can I ever be a parent if I was this upset over a TV show?!)
  10. When Zeek met great-grandson Zeek, and everything was right in the world.
  11. When Zeek walked Sarah down the aisle, and everything was right in the world.
  12. When Camille found Zeek in the chair, and everything was not right in the world.
  13. The entire.final.scene at the baseball field. So amazingly perfect. May God bless you, and keep you always.

Photo from the episode "May God Bless And Keep You Always"

 

And, I’m crying again just thinking about it. I’d say that’s the mark of a great show.
What was your most cry-worthy moment from the show?

xo xo

Posted by  |  March 17, 2016 | Categories: Pop Culture, Television | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Picturebook: Birthday Week + NYC

B I R T H D A Y  W E E K 

IMG_9825[kinky boots + bordino’s with the family]

IMG_9842[birthday tradition: hostess cupcake in bed]

IMG_9850[the best surprise at work!]

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IMG_9899[drove a van to downstream casino, ate, drank, gambled, danced, partied like I was 27]

N E W  Y O R K  C I T Y
(work trips can be fun too)

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[it may be touristy, but I still love times square]

IMG_9990[dinner at serafina]

IMG_0008[meetings at hearst tower – dreary day, but still amazing central park views]

IMG_0028[lunch at carnegie deli – pastrami + pickles]

IMG_0013[our hotel was right next to colbert, so we might have hung out near the talent access door a few times to have a celeb sighting, which we did – bernie sanders!]

IMG_0014[dinner at greek restaurant uncle nick’s – I will dream about this fried cheese!]

IMG_0023[obviously couldn’t leave without a bagel (or two)]

IMG_0048[had to wear my favorite shirt from shop written – new york, los angeles, bentonville]

IMG_0062[it sure was cold, but can’t leave NYC without a walk through central park (especially for levain cookies!!)]

xo xo

Posted by  |  February 21, 2016 | Categories: Travel | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine

My dear friend Erica Keller passed away this morning.

And it’s hard. It’s so hard. Death will always be hard.

But I am rejoicing and celebrating in the life she had because it was truly incredible. Erica was dealt a difficult hand early on, diagnosed with cancer at 14 months. Her parents were told she probably wouldn’t make it to age 2. Today, she passed away at 34 years old.

IMG_1217[Me + E at the Memphis Zoo]

She lived 30+ years longer than the doctors thought possible. But here’s the thing, she didn’t just live. She LIVED. Whether you knew her for a minute, a day or a year – she could put a smile on your face, and she had the most infectious laugh. I’m seriously laughing now just thinking about it, and about how many times we got into giggle fits because of it.

IMG_1218[Me + E during one of her annual summer visits]

She taught everyone around her not to take life for granted and to live life to its fullest. What’s there to be sad about? What’s there to complain about? To her, there wasn’t anything. She was a beaming ray of sunshine on even the cloudiest of days.

I’ve always known E was a special person, but looking back on it now, I truly think she was an angel on earth. Every single person who knew her is better because of it, and they would tell you that. She taught me so much and brought so much joy to my life throughout the years – with our summer sleepovers, endless dance parties and days wasted at Locomotion with Pops.

IMG_9960[Me, E + Husband during an annual summer visit]

We will all miss her so very much, and it still doesn’t make this easy, but it is so amazing to know she is in a better place. She has no more pain. She’s laughing. She’s running. She’s talking my dad’s ear off.

She’s our angel, looking down on us all.

xo xo

 

 

Posted by  |  February 3, 2016 | Categories: Faith, Family & Friends, Inspiration, Life | Tags: , | 2 Comments

life lately

IMG_9622{watching this || Star Wars in IMAX 3D}

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{doing this || a lot of post-Christmas shopping
PS – Boots from Walmart.com for $32!}

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{feeling this}

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{reading (and sobbing over) this || more to come in my next set of book reviews}

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{drinking this || Onyx coffee in our new french press}

xo xo

Posted by  |  January 14, 2016 | Categories: Life | Tags: , | 1 Comment

Dolce Far Niente

Sometimes, you just need to decompress. Breathe. Relax. Let the busyness fade away. And not feel guilty about it.

Husband was away on business (VEGAS for CES, ha!) for 4 nights. 3 of those 4 nights I did absolutely nothing.

I came home from work and put on my sweats. I leisurely made myself dinner, blaring obnoxious pop hits Husband wouldn’t have liked. I watched several episodes of my latest binge Parenthood, again which Husband wouldn’t have liked. Then I crawled in bed, cuddling with the pup and read until I fell asleep.

Sounds great, right? And it was. It was so great. Usually I would get bored of doing that after 1 night, but I think after the busyness of the holidays this was exactly what I needed. Of course in the back of my mind I kept thinking – There’s so much I should be doing. There’s so many people I could be catching up with. Why am I wasting my time doing nothing?

But then I thought, I don’t think it is a waste. Your body and mind have to relax, sometimes longer than 1 day. Doing Whole30 is all about listening to your body’s needs, and mine was telling me I deserved time to do nothing.

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I also reminded myself I have a very busy month coming up – 3 baby showers, 2 birthday celebrations, a weekend in Vegas and a week in NYC for work. So I have plenty of time to be busy, see people, do things and long for time at home like I had this week.

So for now, I will enjoy “Dolce Far Niente” – the sweetness of doing nothing.

xo xo

Posted by  |  January 10, 2016 | Categories: Life | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Whole30, we meet again.

Okay, technically this time it’s Whole20: Jan. 4 – Jan. 23.

(Why Jan. 23? That’s the start of my birthday WEEK. Another post for another day.)

I went back and read my blog posts from my last Whole30 and remembered how amazing I felt while I was doing it. As I said in one post, I was a walking infomercial about clean eating – my cravings diminished, I slept better, I had more energy, I lost weight, etc. etc.

So, here we are again. 1 trip to Europe, 2 fattening holidays, and countless cocktails later, I need a cleanse. Meat, veggies, fruit, water, coffee. No grains, no sugars, no dairy, no alcohol.

Tonight I’m making Spaghetti Squash Carbonara for the first time, and can’t wait to try it. (Who knew it took spaghetti squash an hour and a half to cook though?!)

I’m currently on Day 4 and feeling good. I’m not joking when I say I’ve already seen and felt a difference in my body and weight.

The hard part will come tomorrow night, when all I’ll want is a glass of cabernet …

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But instead I will drink my Pellegrino and remind myself, nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.
Or some BS like that.

xo xo

Posted by  |  January 7, 2016 | Categories: Health | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

2015: My Top 5 Movies, TV Shows + Books

M O V I E S

Ex-Machina-Download-Wallpapers

5. The Martian: This was a great movie, and an even better book (see below). I put it as #5 only because there were a few things they changed in the movie that I didn’t like, but I still really enjoyed it.

4. Sisters: Husband couldn’t possibly believe I put this movie before The Martian (or Star Wars), but I laughed my booty off at this movie, harder than I have in a really long time. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler can do no wrong.

3. Still Alice: This one is hard to watch and really sad, but the acting is phenomenal. Julianne Moore absolutely deserved the Academy Award for Best Actress.

2. Inside Out: All the emotions! Seriously. I watched this on the plane to Europe and had to stop myself from full on sobbing. It was so sweet. This is the best Pixar in a long time.

1. Ex Machina: I was shocked by how much I liked this movie. I wouldn’t have even watched it unless someone convinced me, because the trailer makes it out to be a horror movie, but it’s not at all. It’s a little creepy, but so so good. Also, currently in love with Oscar Isaac.

Still on the list to see: Spotlight, The Big Short, Creed, Carol, The Room, The Danish Girl

T V  S H O W S 

Jane The Virgin -- "Chapter Fifteen" -- Image Number: JAV115a_0035.jpg -- Pictured (L-R): Gina Rodriguez as Jane and Justin Baldoni as Rafael -- Photo: Danny Feld/The CW -- © 2015 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.

5. iZombie: I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, this is such an underrated show! It’s a zombie comedy like you’ve never seen before, and you will fall in love with the characters.

4. The Jinx: This HBO docu-series was incredible. Husband was literally pacing the room during the last episode because it was so intense. If you don’t know anything about it, don’t read anything, just go watch it.

3. The Walking Dead: This show always makes my list of top shows, but I haven’t loved this season. It started out amazing and steadily went downhill, with kind of a dud of a mid-season finale. But still, of course, one of my favorite shows.

2. Pretty Little Liars: Guilty pleasure. Guilty, guilty, pleasure. But it continues to be one of the shows I look forward to watching the most every week. #HalebForever

1. Jane the Virgin: I don’t know how it happened, but I fell fast for this show and Gina Rodriguez. It’s hilarious, it’s dramatic, it teaches life lessons – it’s seriously so much more than you would imagine.

Honorable mentions: Hart of Dixie, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Making a Murderer

Editor’s Note: The below is my true #1, but not counting it in the 5 since it didn’t come out this year.
Friday Night Lights: I know I’m like 10 years behind on this show, but I binged it this summer and absolutely fell in love with it. Like, so much so, that I immediately bought a t-shirt and mug after finishing it (see below). Definitely on my list of top shows of all time.

 

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B O O K S 

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5. Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins:  I loved the way this story was told, through 3 different perspectives and in morning/evening narratives. It kept your mind reeling throughout, following different leads of what could have possibly happened to girl who disappears. Totally worth the hype, and I can’t wait for the movie.

4. The Martian by Andy Weir: I started and finished this on the plane ride home from Europe. I loved this book! It was fascinating. It was written so well and in such a unique way that you were hooked from the beginning.

3. Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling: Her second book wasn’t quite as entertaining as her first, but still a great, easy read that made me laugh out loud and gave interesting behind the scenes insight into the life of a comedy writer (and my celebrity spirit animal).

2. The Good Girl by Mary Kubica: Oh.My.Gosh. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It’s definitely one of my top books of the year. The character development was phenomenal, and it is so so suspenseful. Speaking of the ending, I did not see it coming at all.

1. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer:  This is a truly beautiful story with incredible writing. Though it’s a lengthy book, it kept me interested by switching perspectives chapter to chapter. I think I loved this so much because I’m not typically a historical fiction reader and this captivated me.

xo xo

[Catalog – 2014, 2013, 2012]

Posted by  |  January 4, 2016 | Categories: Books, Movies, Pop Culture, Reviews, Television | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

2015: my year in pictures

 

Screen Shot 2016-01-01 at 9.35.37 AM{January: celebrated my GOLDEN birthday with a #26shadesofgold blowout}

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{February: Vegas with my new sisters + celebrated Mom’s marriage}

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{March: chopped my hair + traveled to Pinterest and YouTube HQ}

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{April: went to our first crawfish boil + hosted our first dinner party}

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{May: worked (and played) at Bentonville Film Festival, drank lots of beer at Fayetteville Foam Fest + had a wonderful weekend in Little Rock with friends}

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{June: enjoyed time with an old friend in town, hiked Hawksbill Crag + ate our weight in food at the NWA Food Festival}

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{July: tried for the first time – aerial yoga, lip syncing + paddle boarding}

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{August: celebrated this 80’s born gal + hosted the FIL}

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{September: #AldermansGoGlobal – London, Paris}

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{October: Munich/Oktoberfest + Halloweening}

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{November: cabin weekend with these favorite people}

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{December: a lot of Star Wars, a lot of amazing family time + the best NYE a girl could ask for with my two loves}

xo xo

[a catalog – my year in pictures] 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010

Posted by  |  January 1, 2016 | Categories: Life | Tags: , , , | 3 Comments

12 Days of Christmas [Picturebook]

IMG_9401[Husband’s company Christmas party at Barn at the Springs]

IMG_9443[First of several holiday movies watched – Love Actually]

IMG_9422[Team Christmas party, with our very own Snapchat filter!]

IMG_9474 (1)
 IMG_9472[Night on the Fayetteville square + dinner at Tiny Tim’s]

IMG_9498[Friend Christmas party with photobooth fun + telephone pictionary]

IMG_9540[Christmas Eve with the in-laws]

IMG_9547[Early Christmas morning || Very full hearts, indeed]

IMG_9561 (1)[Christmas Brunch at Mom’s || Have yourself a merry little cocktail]

IMG_9559 (1)IMG_9563IMG_9568[Christmas evening at the Aggus’]

IMG_9592[Sadly, our final Christmas shindig got cancelled thanks to rain/flooding/tornados the day after Christmas. Instead of a Family Christmas Cocktail Party of 20, Husband and I ate the prepared food, drank the purchased booze and had a perfect little party for ourselves.]

Other wonderful Christmas celebrations not pictured: 
Annual Community Group favorite things party at Fred’s Hickory Inn
Weekend in Little Rock visiting two amazing families

xo xo

Posted by  |  December 29, 2015 | Categories: Family & Friends, Holiday | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Book Reviews: Mindy, Mars + The Undersea

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Why Not Me? – Mindy Kaling: In my humble opinion, Mindy Kaling can do no wrong, and if you follow my blog this comes as no surprise to you. Her second book wasn’t quite as entertaining as her first (which I gave an A+), but still a great, easy read that made me laugh out loud and gave interesting behind the scenes insight into the life of a comedy writer (and my celebrity spirit animal).
Grade: A

The Martian – Andy Weir: I started and finished this on the plane ride home from Europe. I was sick of movies and magazines, so I grabbed husband’s kindle and this was the only thing that looked remotely interesting. I loved this book! It was fascinating. It was written so well and in such a unique way that you were hooked from the beginning. The only reason I didn’t give it an A+ is because it got a little too scientific a few times, but you could easily skim those (as I did) and still understand what was going on.
Grade: A

From This Day Forward – Craig and Amy Groeschel: This was our latest couples Bible study read, and I think we were all disappointed. This book was SO cheesy. Let me say it again – This.Book.Was.SO.Cheesy. It literally made me cringe at times. There were some good points of discussion, but they could have easily been shared in an article (or a pamphlet, as someone in our group suggested). There were no marriage revelations, but we had some great group discussions on basic marriage principles, and so for that, I gave it a passing grade.
Grade: C+

(City on Fire – Garth Risk Hallberg: I started reading this and stopped about 100 pages in. I wouldn’t say it was bad per se, but it wasn’t great either, and it was 900+ pages, so I wasn’t going to waste that much time on something I wasn’t really interested in. The debut author is definitely a talented writer, but took too long to get the story going and could be a touch superfluous.)

Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel: This book has been on my list for a while and I’m glad I finally picked it up. As a post-apocalyptic story, it’s very different from my typical read, but I enjoyed it. I was a little bored at the beginning, but about mid-way through it takes on a whole new life weaving in stories of pre- and post- apocalypse and you see how they will all come together at the end. And it was, a terrific ending.
Grade: B+

Next Up: Me Before You – Jojo Meyes 

You can read all my book reviews here.
xo xo

Posted by  |  December 19, 2015 | Categories: Books, Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment