It's Easter Monday

...which means that I am not at work today (reason #376 it's good to work where I work). The weekend was grrroood. Friday was Jaime's bday celebration (complete with Tinkerbell hats). In the picture- Katie, me, Jaime, Ryan, Holly, and Cora. We had a potluck (mmmm!). Saturday we went to see Cory Brannon at White Water. The show started off pretty rough (he is definitely off the proverbial wagon now- whoops!), but once he got warmed up, it was quite enjoyable.

Easter Sunday consisted of sunrise service and a quite tasty breakfast with the folks. It was awfully early, but very nice. :)

I have less than one week to prepare for the GRE now. It's the psychology GRE, which means it is 220 questions on everything I ever learned (or didn't quite absorb) in college. I have a study guide, and about 400 notecards. I will be studying every night this week. My goal is to not have much to do Friday so I don't have to cram and can go to bed early. It's in C-town on Saturday morning. So be thinking of me... I will be consumed by Freud, Jung, and the whole gang this week. That's a whole lotta theories!
Wish me luck. I'm a little scared.

My inner geekiness is happy.

When we got in from Florida, I saw what I've been looking for... the R2D2 mailbox! Have you heard about this? It's to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of "Star Wars," and Little Rock has 3 of them. One of them apparently is at the airport! I had been keeping my eyes peeled for them...
ALSO my "Twin Peaks Season 2" has come in. CAN'T WAIT to start watching it. Yes, I'm a happy girl. My sister got me season 1 for my 21st birthday, and it took this long for the second season to come out. It's about dang time. For reals.
And a HUGE huge happy birthday to my lovely Jaime, who celebrates this weekend. Happy birthday!! :)

Wine o' the week

This week's wine is Viansa's 2004 Athena. Here's the description: crafted with 100% Dolcetto grapes, a varietal native to northern Italy, our "Athena" Dolcetto is a fruity delight and a friendly spring and summer wine with notes of raspberry, strawberry and sweet cherry. This wine has an inviting high fruity-ness and low tannin, with a soft and supple mouth-feel, making it ideal for early consumption. This is a remarkably food friendly wine as well as a good "bridge wine" for those just learning to appreciate red wines or even of white wine aficionados. We recommend chilling "Athena" slightly before serving for added enjoyment. "Athena" is an apt symbol for Viansa and this Viansa wine. She is the Goddess of many of our virtues. Our ancestral mythology honors her as the symbol of wisdom and victory for her efforts toward making the world a better place. Many people associate red wines with aggressive characteristics, but this fruity and deceptively friendly wine is, like her, not to be judged by its exterior.
It costs about $20, and it is quite tasty- not at all heavy. Good for this time of year!

Visit the website here.

I love a mixed tape.

I'm about to sound like an old lady here, but I gotta tell you, I'm a little skeptical of this whole iPod thing. I won't lie. I agree they're convenient. They're easy. They're tiny. They hold a lot of songs.
Whoo hoo.
I miss mixed tapes. Those days when you sit by the radio, waiting for Casey Kasem to play your new favorite jam. Tape in the deck, record button AND pause pushed down so you can catch it right when it starts. You could also dub tapes. Which means you sneak into your sister's room, steal her Samantha Fox, and put it in your fancy dual-deck tape player to copy it. Ahhhh the good ol' days.
I have to say, Karl made me my first mixed CD. It was freshman year of college (he was so high-tech), and I believe it included some Tim McGraw and if I'm not mistaken.... Kid Rock's "Cowboy." I was in awe of this new technology and knew I HAD to have it. The next year, I get a new computer with a burner (I was the cooooolest), and Napster quickly became my new best friend. I downloaded every song I ever knew. I burned cds for everyone around me. Themed cds, random cds, best hit cds.
No one beats Chandle with a themed mixed cd. No one. She should enter competitions.
Now, it's 2007, and I haven't had my own computer with all my stuff since senior year of college, and even then I used Chandle's most of the time (she had the most music). I am completely behind with the technology of music. I have not BOUGHT a cd since Radiohead's "Hail to the Theif," and I did that purely out of novelty. How does one download music now? Is it Limewire? iTunes? I don't know how to do it. And I don't own an iPod. For some reason, they highly frustrate me.
Cody tells me I'm wrong and should invest. I'm resisting. HOWEVER, Cody did make me a fantastic mixed CD (archaic, I know. Shut it.) last night, including but not limited to: Justin, Christina, Brittany, Ace of Base, the Cardigans, Fergie Ferg, and Sinead O'Connor. I love it. I shall listen to it till it plays no more. Which it inevitably will, cause it's a CD and not in a little iPod.
I love a mixed tape.

Spring Break '07 (whoooo!) has drawn to a reluctant close

The spring break '07 extravaganza which was Florida is sadly over. We got back yesterday afternoon, exhausted from staying up all night the previous night (we gave up the hotel the last night because our flight left at 6 a.m. and the airport's a good 30 minutes away). I'm fully recovered now, however, and wanted to share these fabulous photos.
We stayed at the Sandestin Resort, which was seriously amazing. It was very nice. A tram drove you around everywhere because it's stinkin' huge (they'd even take you to the grocery store. And the bar- yes). We stayed near what's called "The Village" (pictures 11-13), which had a bunch of restaurants and places to hang out. The streets were closed, so everyone just walks around. We had access to a grill on the pool patio (right out our door), a fridge in the room, and a blender. Everything we needed!
Turns out they didn't start the snorkeling tours till April, but they told us where to go, so we bought our own gear and ventured out there. I have to admit I was a little terrified, due to the whole breathing under water thing and the fact that there were little jellyfish all over the place. And yes, of course, I got stung by one of those little suckers. Not too terribly bad, but not enjoyable either, ya know? So that brought the whole "underwater adventure" thing to a close for me, but it sure was fun while it lasted! Doesn't mean I wouldn't fight the waves at the beach. :)
The sunsets were gorgeous every night. The pina coladas were plentiful. It was (honestly) one of the best vacations I have ever been on. And the company wasn't too bad either (thanks for letting me tag along, baby). It was awesome.

Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it!!

Seriously?

















I can't believe this is happening.

Oh, good Lord. 7 hours till SPRING BREAK '07!!

Will I make it? I think I just might....
*We found a place that does snorkeling and dolphin watches for $17 (for 3 hours). I have never done either of them, and I really want to. Did I mention it has free beer and wine? Kat says the restaurant is good too, so who am I to think it's too good to be true?? We will check it out. Visit the website here and tell me what you think.
*Slight change of plans.... Pooty is too little bitty and could fit with ease thru Melissa's fence openings. So she's staying at Camp Annie. Thanks a MILLION, Annie. I feel good knowing my Pooty's in good hands.
*I am in the process of studying for the GRE for psych. It is a large, large undertaking. My brain hasn't held this much info in a long time.
*Leah made the BEST salad last night for us Wednesday-walkers. She said she'll post the recipe. Mmmm.
*We are doing 3 days of a business thematic unit this week where the kids make a paper airplane business, come up with marketing, a business plan, apply for loans, and present to "REAL" business people (people like many of YOU) on Friday. It's lots of fun. Yesterday I taught them about advertising. Today I am selling them all their supplies for their planes and presentations. Fun.
*I will be gone a whole week, guys. Think of me around 11 a.m. tomorrow when my flight takes off. I don't like flying a whole lot. Many many many pictures to come of SPRING BREAK '07!!!
*Catch ya on the flipside, ya'll.

Wine o' the week

Since I won't be here (you can't see me, but I'm holding my hands up and saying, "SPRING BREAK '07!! WHOOOOO!"), I will post the wine o' the week today. My selection is Campo Viejo's Tempranillo Reserva. Here's what it's like:

Aroma:Fragrant nose in which fruit and also floral aromas dominate, over a background of toasted wood and aromas of vanilla, coconut and spices.
Palate:Smooth and balanced palate. Its lovely, persistent finish is an invitation to continue enjoying it. Food Pairing:It goes well with a wide range of pairings: charcuterie, rice dishes, vegetables, mushrooms, white meat and roasted or grilled red meat.

Read more about Tempranillo in this article. It's really quite good. This one retails around $10. Mmmm.

What do you guys want to see more of in the wine o' the week.... more whites? More expensive wines? Let me know and I'll do my best!

Yes, you.

toothpastefordinner.com

3 days....

Everybody's Irish on St. Patty's Day

Awww... thanks for the pics, Leah! To see more, go here and also here. I have such good friends...!

And the countdown begins.

4 days and counting till our faaaabulous vacation to Destin! Jeremy has a work conference down there next week, and it just happens to also be my spring break. So I am tagging along. We're staying at the Sandestin Resort (pictured), which looks massive and full o' fun. While Jeremy's in meetings, I will sit on the beach and perhaps go to the outlet mall (I have a ridiculous obsession with them- even the crappy ones). Leaving on Friday & Melissa is taking care of Miss Parker (thanks, Missa!). Hoooooooooray! This will, undoubtably, be the longest.week.ever.

The weekend was awesome. Went over to Kat and Karl's to watch the second half of the Hoggies play (ouch). Saturday we went over to Leah's for her St. Patty's Day Extravaganza (but I forgot my camera- whoops). It was LOTS and lots of fun. Carbombs all around! Oooh, and I saw Jaime's wedding dress, which is beauuuuutiful. Also had the folks over for some bbq-ing yesterday (and actually sunburned in the process!). Great weekend!

I want that gold.

I forgot all about this piece of video treasure. Oh, Lord. I hope it's real. Happy St. Patty's Day. My great-grandpa is Irish, too, man.

The real wine o' the week

This week's wine is Don Raphael Reserva's sauvignon blanc (I haven't done any whites yet!). This one is from the Aconcagua Valley in Chile, made by Conde de Valazquez. Chilean wines are becoming more and more popular, and I've like almost every one that I've tried.
This sauvignon blanc has notes of "fresh lime and floral aromas." It’s from the foothills on the Chilean side of Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere. It’s the only Chilean region north of Santiago, cooled by the mountain’s glacial breezes at night, warmed by the nearby Atacama dessert during the day. That makes the grapes very fragrant. Also it’s very lightly oaked (Source). Visit the website here.
Pinot grigio used to be my favorite white, but I really like sauv blanc more now. It's not at all sweet, but that lime flava is great. Very good for warmer days! The best part about this one is that it's under $10 (somewhere around $8, actually)! Good choice when you want something different that is cheap.
Have a great weekend, all. Do something Irish.

Hmm. What do we think, folks?

It's that time of year again. The time when I fight with myself and try to decide if Memphis in May is worth it this year or not. See the lineup here. Things worth seeing:

• Three 6 Mafia. I went the last time they were there, and it was the most hilarious, entertaining, ghetto, slightly scary but at the same time thrilling show ever. There's that one song, "Push a.... (bleep)" during which I thought I might die. But laughed the whole time. Wear steel-toed shoes.
• North Mississippi Allstars. A southern music festival staple. Wear flip-flops and skirts.
• Allman Brothers? Aren't you supposed to see them once or something? I don't know....
• Old Crow Medicine Show. I hear they're great.
• (gasping) Counting Crows?! I've never seen them. And ps, I love them. Really, I do. Many many high school and college memories. There's a song about Elizabeth.
• Barenaked Ladies- I don't care that they got a little cheesy around '99. I have liked them from the start. They're Canadian, and they have a stand-up bass. And they do a rap medley which is always fun. I saw them at my first Memphis in May when Melissa was at Christian Brothers. I was a mere 17, and it was super cool.
• Project Pat??? The one that says, "bwok bwok, chicken chicken bwok bwok, chicken heads (boy please whateva) bwok bwok, chicken chicken bwok bwok, chicken head
  bald-head scala-wag ain't got no hair in back
  gelled up weaved up
  yo hair is messed up

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, no. What do you think, guys?

Wine o' the..... several months to come

This past weekend we bottled our brand spankin' new cabernet sauvignon that my parents gave us for Christmas! It is from Winexpert's Selection Series, which is better quality than the ones we had previously bought. It is a "noble California red grape. Rich in tannis, it produces a deep, full-bodied wine with intense aroma and flavour. A robust wine, perfect with red meat or wild game." It's VERY oak-y (yummy). Thanks to my parents for this awesome gift!
If you're interested in brewing your own wine and are in the LR area, go to Fermentables in North Little Rock. They're really helpful there and will point you in the right direction of what you're looking for. They also sell beer and cheese-making kits. Mmmmm mmmmm!
Of course, while we were at Fermentables, we couldn't help ourselves from buying a NEW one to brew, so we picked out an Australian Grenache/Mourvedre (Gren-ash Moo-vedd):
"Overland Corner, on Australia’s Murray River, is made up of long open plains and sloping hillsides. With beautiful vineyards and ultra-high quality grapes, it’s hard to believe the vineyard development has come about only since 1960. A classic blend from France, Grenache produces ripe purple fruit with dense, lush aromas of black cherry, jam, pepper and liquorice. Mourvèdre, deep blue and thick-skinned, has high sugar, acidity, colour and tannin, and dense structure, working especially well with Grenache’s lush fruit, for a blend of length, power, and fruitiness and above all, balanced intensity of flavour. With strong flavours and aromas of black fruit and bold tannins, this wine will develop impressive finesse and complexity after a year in bottle, improving for three to five more, and will pair wonderfully with ribs, filet mignon, and lamb chops. Sweetness Code: 0."

It should be ready in a couple months....!

A bear two times over?

For those of you who didn't know (and for those of you who DID, now you can talk about it!)....
I am officially applying to two full-time grad school programs, and I will be entering one of those two programs (keep your fingers crossed) in the fall.
My first choice is the school psychology program at UCA. I have to take a summer class that I missed in undergrad, and I have to take the GRE for psychology (YIKES) in April. It's a great program, and totally worth it. However, I won't know anything definite till August (cuttin' it awfully close).
Second choice is the social work program at UALR (the same one Miss Brooke and Senor Ryan completed). I have completed the whole application process, and I think I should hear something in the next month or so.
So there you have it. Career changes are terrifying, but I am very very excited about it. I love being in school, and there's no better time to go back than now! So, be thinking about me, and I'll keep you updated.

Teachers vs. Students

Just got done with the teachers vs. students vball game. Result:

Teachers- AWESOME.

So much fun. Aaaaaaaaand now I need a nap. That was exhausting. :)

Wine o' the week

This week's wine selection is Cline's 2004 Cool Climate Syrah (see the website here). It has a "deep color, rich blueberry and black pepper characters combined with a cedary-smooth finish and bright acidity. It pairs well with seafood pasta dishes."
It has a pretty spicy taste (the pepper), but the aftertaste is really cooling. It has a fantastic flavor. It retails around $16.
Reminiscing.... here's a pic of us at the Cline Winery. That's not the wine o'the week we're drinking in the photo, but it's the right location!

Yay!

Perhaps I've seemed stressed lately?

Look at what one of my 8th graders gave me today. Now that's genius. And yup, it says it in Spanish. And yes, it DOES somehow (strangely) make me feel better. Ahhh... I just hit it now. If you give it a little punch that helps even more. Facil. Yes, indeedy.
Well, it's funny nonetheless.

Weekend fun-ity

Neil Diamond says...

Happy Birthday to my Papa Bear!

A very very very happy birthday to my Pa! Thanks for always taking care of all your girls. You're the best. I hope you have a great day, and a RELAXING weekend! LOVE YOU very much!!

Oh, happy day

Ready for a happy post from me? Here we go!

• Pooty has recovered quite nicely from her surgery. She's still upset that we stole her womanhood, but she's getting over it. She still loves us.


• I get to go to a play today for a field trip- hooray!


• I've been exercising more now- Wednesdays with Kat & Kristen (DESPITE torrential downpour, ha ha) & the elliptical. Yeah, me.


• I am taking my bloggity blog in a new direction once a week (spun from Kat's "Corners"), and I'm going to talk about something I know best... wine. So I am going to recommend a wine of the week for you guys- something I've tried and loved. Or liked. First post follows....


• Yearbook is O.V.E.R. and is my last "official" huge time commitment for school- I start to get my afternoons back now!


• Mission accomlished for camping- we're going to Petit Jean this weekend.


• Jeremy finishes his first grad school class this weekend- wish him luck on his final! Hooray for baby. Gettin' that education. Makes me proud.


• I get to go to Florida this month for Spring Break '07!!! This is when you squeal and throw your hands up in the air and yell, "SPRING BREAK '07!!!!! Whooooooooooo!"


• Things are good. Very, very good.

Wine o' the week

For a cheap-o wine, this one is quite tasty. Even though it's called just a "red," it's a GSM mix (impress people at wine stores and toss this term around), which is a Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre combo. It is described as "a complex blend of Rhone and Bordeaux varietals, exhibiting blackberry, boysenberry and black cherry fruit flavors along with blueberry, smoke, vanilla, nutmeg and anise on the nose. Frontier Red is designed to be the perfect complement to the foods found at most backyard cookouts and barbecues."
It costs around $10. Mmmmmmmm good! Don't be thrown off by the twist-off cap- it's the newest thing in wines. No more cork! The % of alcohol (see label) doesn't hurt the flava' either. You will enjoy.
Go try it today.