“Despite all new inventions and modern designs, fads and fetishes, no one has yet invented, or will ever invent, a satisfying substitute for one’s own family.” ~ Dr. Stuart E. Rosenberg

I love Etsy.com and could spend hours just wandering through each seller’s pages. It always makes me happy when I can find something but functional and fashionable. this has to be my favorite kitchen item that meets both of those criteria… a measurement conversation magnet! It’s ok to be jealous.

It always amazes me as I grow up how completely and differently my mom and dad contributed to and fostered this musical obsession I have. Burt Bacharach is definitely music I love because of my mom. Her gravitation toward songs with clear, strong melodies set to piano made his songs prevalent in my childhood, and unlike many of her other musical likes, I think my dad actually liked Bacharach’s music. (However, Neil Diamond and ABBA is a different story.) With over 70 Top 40 hits, Bacharach with lyricist Hal David created classics that have been sung for over 35 years by musicians as varied as Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, and Elvis Costello. For those of you who equate this American icon with Austin Powers only, let me share some of my favorites with you. I’m betting you know way more Bacharach tunes than you think you do.

Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick singing three of the songs they made so famous together. I have always loved Dionne’s voice, and together they racked up hit after hit on the charts. Click To Continue Reading…

Today is Valentine’s Day, and while I’m not overly thrilled about the day in general, I couldn’t help but spend a huge portion of my Sunday afternoon and evening making Valentine’s Day gift bags for my 30 student employees.  These bags are filled with goodies galore… play dough, Valentine’s pencils, and enough sugar to make even the shyest geek bounce off the office walls.  Plus, each bag has a personalized Disney Princess valentine with a glitter tattoo.  What college kid wouldn’t love that?!?!  Exactly.

Great musical minds think alike and thanks to Heather this song has been in my head for the past week. I’ve talked before of my love for Miss Sara Bareilles and am working to find a way to see her live. Her album “Little Voice” is phenomenal, and I’d recommend it to any and everyone. This particular song is like so many of my favorites… emotional and raw.

“Set me free, leave me be. I don’t want to fall another moment into your gravity.”

It’s late at night. I’m at Safeway getting the last of the Vday candy that I need. The checker is barely post high school and quite talkative.

Checker: Good evening. Buying candy for your boyfriend?

Me: Uh no.

Checker: Oh, sorry. Your girlfriend, then?

Me: Still no.

Checker: Sorry, I’m sure you’ll meet her soon. Need help out with your bags?

Me: No, thanks.

I exit the store shaking my head in disbelief that this kid is not sorry for mistaking me as a lesbian but because I haven’t found ‘the one’. 

Cory hooked me up with this web gem last night. Apocalyptic Times, Greek Warriors, and Charles Barkley… life can’t get better than this.

Click to download and join the madness.

Finally unable to stand it any longer, I called a nearby salon and scheduled an appointment for this evening to get my hair trimmed up and hopefully back under control. While I was chit-chatting with my stylist as she went to town on my hair, a mother came in with three kids all under the age of 10. After describing in great detail how she wanted her eldest son’s hair cut to the lone male stylist, she disappeared with her stylist to the washing area. A few short minutes later her youngest, the most adorable lil girl with red hair, pigtails, and glasses, realized her mother had disappeared and started to panic. I watched the scene quickly unfold behind me through the mirror in front of me and was quite surprised when out of the no where the small girl started running toward me. In what seemed like an hour but was less than two seconds, she was hugging me and burying her head in my side with a sigh of relief. Eventually, she looked up at me as I was looking down at her in surprise. A look of pure terror overtook her face as she screamed at me (and half of Northern Arizona), “You’re not my mommy!” Apparently, I must have looked like her mom from behind, and in her panic, she had mistaken me for her. The rest of the stylists and patrons of the salon had a good laugh as her mother came around the corner to see who was harassing her daughter. Luckily, her son’s stylist explained before I could be accused of any wrongdoing, and the mother politely apologized for any embarrassment I might have endured. Even though I was the molestee, I have a feeling I won’t be going back there any time soon.

Each and every year one of my guiltiest pleasures has always been the Grammy Awards. While the cast differs from show to show, there are always a few things you can be certain of… the performances usually are over the top, the fashion statements made tend to make you wonder, ‘what were they thinking?’, and the most of the big names never leave home without their mama and their ego. Tonight’s extravaganza was no different. So in case you missed it, I present to you my…

Top Ten Most Amazing/Painful Moments of the 2008 Grammys:

10. George Lopez introducing Brad Paisley: Thank God the Writer’s Guild Strike is over because Lopez’s political jokes were lame.

9. Herbie’s Big Night: Album of the Year and Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue highlighted a huge night for HH.

8. Kanye West: Yes, he talks too much and says things he shouldn’t, but his Stronger performance with Daft Punk and tribute to his mother tonight… got me.

Click To Continue Reading…

One of the best parts about being a CaresTeam in our apartment complex is all of the time we get to spend with the kids who are our neighbors. Each month we try and do one special event them. For February we took them ice skating today. I was very, very excited when our two favorite little girls came with us. Somehow, I lucked out today and got to be in charge of watching the lil ones when they were tired so skating and taking pictures while Keri and Wes skated with the older ones. After skating, we all had happy meals and ice cream at McDonald’. You just can’t tell me these are two of the cutest girls you’ve ever seen! Click To Continue Reading…

Work has been a bit slow this week so I took the time yesterday to completely clean my pseudo-office. Thought I’d take and share some pictures of the 9×7 foot area that has become my 2nd home. The Office paraphernalia, McFarlane figurines, and tons of Gary Larsen goodness provide the color and life that makes this place me. (Plus, it never hurts to have three monitors.)

Click To Continue Reading…

In an effort to build team relations and get to know all of our 30 student workers on a more personal, laid-back level, we asked each of them to send us a picture and three fun, random facts about themselves to be hung on one of the walls in the office. After spending most of the week pondering what my three facts would be, I gave up and called my brother for some help and a different perspective. This was both a bad and brilliant idea. While I didn’t receive a single good suggestion from him, the ideas I got had all of us in the office waiting for his next text message. I swear this boy’s brain is just too smart and clever.

Facts About Laurel (by Zac):

* You introduced Aunt Jemima to Uncle Ben.

* The Patriots taped you.

* You inspired the Mona Lisa.

* You ate your twin.

* Flavor of Love 2 reject.

* You shot JR.

* Chuck Norris originally endorsed you.

* 1980 Swim Champion.

* Favorite electronica cd is “While My Keytar Gently Weeps.”

* You were Tom’s first friend.

* You were the original voice for Chewbacca.

* You broke up the Monkees.

* You created the recipe for dog food.

* You helped bring down the Berlin Wall.

(Guess I’m gonna have to come up with these on my own.)

It always amazes me that no matter what is going on in your world everything disappears when you’re holding a sleeping baby in your arms. Click To Continue Reading…

Much of my week last week was spent trying to avoid and eventually succumbing to the dreaded bird-flu. Exhaustion and fever were the name of that game and despite the fact that the #1 recommendation for getting over the flu is tons of rest, I decided to make this past weekend a fun-filled, jam-packed three days of goodness. I mean, if the soul isn’t rejuvenated… does it matter if the body is well?

After returning to work on Friday for half a day, Matt, Cory and I decided to check out the new Daniel Day Lewis movie, “There Will Be Blood”. While none of us knew exactly what the movie was about, we had heard rave reviews of Lewis’s performance and knew it was loosely based on the oil boom at the turn-of-the century. It’s no wonder this film has received the praise it has. Lewis is phenomenal, and the story is intense and well-told. Without giving any more away… Let me just say, go see it!

Saturday began with a two-hour shopping trip to stock up on everything we needed for our Super Bowl XLII party before dropping by one of the kids club kid’s birthday party. After cake and the birthday song, I met Jeff to head to Phoenix for the Super Bowl Saturday Night celebration at Tempe Town Lake where Counting Crows were putting on a free concert. Despite the horrendous opening band, Boys Like Girls, the night was full of awesome music. Adam Duritz was enthusiastic and flawless as he gifted the crowd with classic CC songs. From Anna Begins to Holiday In Spain every CC fan in attendance left satisfied.

Needed a change so went darker and more auburn! Pics aren’t the best but I’ll try and take non-phone pics later.