Just Because He’s Cute and I Needed a Smile Today

Once upon a time, Frog was an a-DOR-able toddler in a toy box:

Fast forward about a year and this cutie patootie is looking more and more like a real boy:

Pretty soon, we’ll be packing him up for college.

sniff

Blast from the Past

Nini received an envelope from a friend the other day.

 Inside was a rather lovely magazine called TABLE.  It’s published in Western Pennsylvania and features food culture and recipes of the area.  Per their Facebook page:

TABLE is your magazine dedicated to celebrating food culture and lifestyle in Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania.  What we “bring to the TABLE” as a community is what makes our region and each of our neighborhoods, traditions, lives and stories so unique. TABLE is where we come together to share our passion for food, life, quality and good health.

 The editor, Christina, was my childhood friend from the years we lived in Idaho.  Christina’s family and my family were both originally from Pittsburgh.  Both families moved back to the Pittsburgh area, hers has remained there.

Lo and behold, when my mom opened the magazine, there was a picture of Christina, me and our other friend:

That’s me in the center, circa 1980, rocking the Powder Puff Big Wheel and Dorothy Hamill hair.

A closer look:

Cute, huh?

Maybe this is a magazine in which The Non-Cook Named Mandy needs to subscribe.

To find more info about TABLE Magazine, go to their Facebook page.

Just Because He’s Cute and I Needed a Smile Today

Check him out…

…it’s a Frog in a box!

 

 

Day 7: A Photo That Makes You Happy

Every photo has a story behind it.

A simple photo of my husband and I tells a happy story of a night we will never forget.

(Forgive the grainy picture.  Apparently my scanner stinks, too.)

My brother and sister in law were married on September 22, 2001.

11 days after 9/11.

Most of the wedding guests who lived many states away canceled their airline reservations, but drove the distance (many, many hours) to celebrate.

And celebrate we did.

We had so much fun at this wedding and reception.

Everyone felt relief, as if it were finally OK to breath and let loose after a very stressful week and a half.

We celebrated love.

We celebrated life.

We celebrated freedom.

Day 6: Quotable Quips

We were on our way to a graduation party.  Frick was worried about meeting new people.

Frick:

I am not meeting people from other states because they may speak Spanish.

BP:

But Frick…you kinda speak Spanish (thanks to Dora and Diego).

Frick:

Yeah.  Uno.

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30 Days of Me

Day 1:  Your favorite song
Day 2:  Your favorite movie
Day 3:  Your favorite television program
Day 4:  Your favorite book
Day 5:  Your favorite quote

Day 5: Favorite Quote

I am not sure who said this (I Googled, but couldn’t find it–if you know, please tell me in the comment section).  I read this on some blog, some Facebook page, heard it from a little old lady in Publix, etc.

“The days are long, but the years are short.”

Every time I hear it said, I stop in my tracks and REALLY think about how quickly my life is passing.  How many days have I wished, hoped, and prayed to just make it to nap time, to bed time, to ANYTIME other than right now?

Then I am slapped in the face with a glimpse of two little boys who are not chunky toddlers any more.

And the fact that I have a baby who is SEVEN months old today is befuddling to me!

My sweet, roly poly Frog is:

…going to be sporting some brand new tubes in his ears!  After ear infection #4 (diagnosed on May 28), his doctor and I made the decision to go ahead and contact our otologist.

…weighing in at 20lbs, 10 oz as of May 28th.

…still in stage 3 diapers, but not for long.  As soon as we use this last pack up, it’s on to stage 4!

…growing out of his 9 month clothes.  Hey BP!  I need the 12 month tub of clothes!!  OK?  Thanks.

…eating every fruit, every veggie, and a whole lotta cereal.  This kid loves to eat!

…drinking apple juice from a sippy cup.

…not sleeping the way I WANT him to sleep, but he is sleeping the way he NEEDS to sleep.  In other words, his long stretch is from 8pm to 4am.  Yay for him, sucks for me.

…laughing all the time.  I mean ALL THE TIME.

…still rolling every where and trying to scoot here and there.

…loving the pool!  He sits in his handy float and laughs as his brothers swim around him.  Yes, I actually take all three boys to the pool.  It’s been an adventure, folks.

…shrieking like a pterodactyl in the most inconvenient places.  Like church.  And doctor offices.

One Month

Two Months

Three Months

Four Months

Five Months

Six Months

Day 4: Favorite Book

I don’t have a favorite book.

I have favorite authors.

Dorthea Benton Frank writes about Lowcountry South Carolina.  I just read on her website there is a sequel to her book Plantation coming out in two weeks.  Guess I am headed to the library to reread Plantation and then the sequel!

Nicholas Sparks pretty much writes the same theme each time, but he manages to reel me in anyway.   Three Weeks with My Brother was the only nonfiction one he wrote and it was fabulous as well.

Emily Giffin writes Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Baby Proof, and Heart of the Matter.  All hilarious and easy reads.

Sohpie Kinsella writes the Shopaholic Series and Twenties Girl.  I just discovered there is a whole other series she writes under the name Madeleine Wickham.  Off to get those reserved, too.

I sure am glad I did this post…

I found my summer reads.

And a Dorthea Benton Frank book signing in my area.

SCORE!

 

 

 

Day 3: Favorite Television Program

When I was growing up, my brother, Uncle B, and I would watch our favorite TV shows upstairs in my parents’ bedroom.  Their 13 inch black and white TV was lacking in many ways, but we didn’t care.

MacGyver (Swoon!) on Monday nights

and

The Cosby Show on Thursday nights.

Fast forward 25 years….

what are BP and I watching each and every week?

Cougar Town.

So witty.

So hilarious.

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30 Days of ME
Day 1:  Your favorite song
Day 2:  Your favorite movie
Day 3:  Your favorite television program
Day 4:  Your favorite book
Day 5:  Your favorite quote
Day 6:  Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 7:  A photo that makes you happy
Day 8:  A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9:  A photo you took
Day 10: A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11: A photo of you taken recently
Day 12: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13: A fictional book
Day 14: A non-fictional book
Day 15: A fanfic
Day 16: A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17: An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19: A talent of yours
Day 20: A hobby of yours
Day 21: A recipe
Day 22: A website
Day 23: A YouTube video
Day 24: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25: Your day, in great detail
Day 26: Your week, in great detail
Day 27: This month, in great detail
Day 28: This year, in great detail
Day 29: Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30: Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 2: Favorite Movie

My favorite movie of all time is Steel Magnolias.

With scenes like:

Drum: Ouiser, can we call a truce long enough for me to get a piece of cake?
[Ouiser slices him the tail piece of an armadillo cake]
The comment Drum comes back with is hilarious, but since we are somewhat PG here at …life’s about a dream, I’ll let you Google it.

Quotes like:

[about the new mayor's wife dancing]
Clairee Belcher: Looks like two pigs fightin’ under a blanket.

had me rolling.

This one too…

Ouiser Boudreaux: I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a very bad mood 40 years!

Don’t forget these lines said with a significant southern drawl:

Truvy: What are your colors, Shelby?
Shelby: My colors are “blush” and “bashful.”
M’Lynn: Her colors are “pink” and pink.”
Shelby: My colors are “blush” and “bashful” Mama!
M’Lynn: How pretentious is this weddin’ gonna get, I ask you?

M’Lynn: That sanctuary looks like it’s been hosed down with Pepto-Bismol.

You laugh.  You cry.  You thank God for your friends.

Best.Movie.Ever.

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30 Days of ME
Day 1:  Your favorite song
Day 2:  Your favorite movie
Day 3:  Your favorite television program
Day 4:  Your favorite book
Day 5:  Your favorite quote
Day 6:  Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 7:  A photo that makes you happy
Day 8:  A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9:  A photo you took
Day 10: A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11: A photo of you taken recently
Day 12: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13: A fictional book
Day 14: A non-fictional book
Day 15: A fanfic
Day 16: A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17: An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19: A talent of yours
Day 20: A hobby of yours
Day 21: A recipe
Day 22: A website
Day 23: A YouTube video
Day 24: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25: Your day, in great detail
Day 26: Your week, in great detail
Day 27: This month, in great detail
Day 28: This year, in great detail
Day 29: Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30: Whatever tickles your fancy

30 Days of Me: Favorite Song

My friend, Cassie, has this going on her blog.  As I looked over the topics, I realized a lot of them will tie into some of the posts I have already written and scheduled for this month.

30 Days of ME
Day 1:  Your favorite song
Day 2:  Your favorite movie
Day 3:  Your favorite television program
Day 4:  Your favorite book
Day 5:  Your favorite quote
Day 6:  Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 7:  A photo that makes you happy
Day 8:  A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9:  A photo you took
Day 10: A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11: A photo of you taken recently
Day 12: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13: A fictional book
Day 14: A non-fictional book
Day 15: A fanfic
Day 16: A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17: An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19: A talent of yours
Day 20: A hobby of yours
Day 21: A recipe
Day 22: A website
Day 23: A YouTube video
Day 24: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25: Your day, in great detail
Day 26: Your week, in great detail
Day 27: This month, in great detail
Day 28: This year, in great detail
Day 29: Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30: Whatever tickles your fancy

Here’s my one of my Favorite Songs:

Her performance at the Grammy’s this year was breathtaking.

The boys are really into this one:

Nothing but the classics here, folks.