An Ode to John...

It's Oscars night and I was thinking back to my first celebrity crush. It started in the 6th grade and I even have a scrapbook to prove it. My crush was on John Travolta. Yeah, he was the business back then.

My crush started while watching a show called "Welcome Back Kotter" and then intensified when I watched "Saturday Night Fever". This movie was all the rage back in the disco days. Man, I really wanted to be able to dance like those in the movie. I think I still secretly do. I wanted to be Stephanie, never Donna. (You'll know what that means if you've ever seen it) I'll never forget the day that my mom said it was okay to see the movie. We were only 12 and it was rated "R". She dropped us off at front of the movie theater and yelled from the car "it's okay for them to see it" and they let us right in. When I look back now, that movie was a VERY adult movie, but in my 12 year old mind, it was the best day ever!

Let's see, I can't forget to mention "Urban Cowboy". I think I was in 9th grade by then and I think I wore out that soundtrack on cassette. I wanted to be Bud's Sissy. A few years back I made my daughter watch Urban Cowboy with me. I couldn't wait for her to see the part where Bud puts Sissy's name plate back into the window of his truck. She wasn't moved like I was.

The last two that I will mention is "The Boy In The Plastic Bubble" and "Grease". Grease is the word! I'm thinking Lifetime should have a John Travolta movie marathon soon. I would gladly stay in my pj's and watch all day long.

It seems like John has done okay for himself over the years. I'm glad to say that I've been a fan since the beginning.

Speak now.....

I am a straight shooter and loud mouth. Rarely do I mince words..........unless it is with people I love.
But shouldn't it be with the people you love that you are the most honest with?
I found myself recently keeping what I really wanted to say inside. I think for me, it shows how much I care about someone when I actually keep my mouth shut. It means I care about their feelings more than unloading my issues, preferences and opinions on them. It is a fine line to walk. Putting your thoughts and feelings before someone elses, yet taking the chance that if you do not say something, you may one day wish you had.  What I finally realized is that speaking now or forever holding your peace is probably the best policy. When you care about someone and vice versa, it can only be taken as a way of making the relationship stronger and healthier. This goes for everyone we care about..our kids, moms, friends, lovers, spouses.
I am thankful for the people in my life who are honest with me and listen. Glue talked me off the ledge when I was having an ugly day. She picked up the phone, told me the zit on my face wasn't as bad as I thought it was and encouraged me to meet my man for lunch. She gave me the confidence I needed and I was glad to hear it and glad I listened. I am so thankful for the man in my life that puts up with the thorns in anticipation of the rose. We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.  Oh...and he always says the zits on my face aren't as bad as I think they are. Now THAT is love!

-Sand
Happy Valentine's Day* Everyone!!  *That is another blog for another day!

Okay here is my recommendation of the week:
As I honestly admitted above, I suffer from adult acne. No sense in hiding from it, EVERYONE can see it. I have been to dermatologist after dermatologist, all with short term fixes. As a teenager I used this stuff called Lulu lotion. It was the magical cure, but it went off the market, similar to checker board ice cream. Remember that??  Anyway, I found an ad for Mario Badescu products. I purchased the acne repair kit and it did what Pro-activ could not!!! It has a product that is exactly like Lulu lotion. So far....so good. If you have a teen ager or know ANYONE who suffers from acne..I feel their pain...but please recommend these products!! 

P.S. The Social Network was a phenomenal movie!!! Aaron Sorkin did not disappoint!! Love him!

Friday's Gotta Have It Item

I'm in some serious need of some Vitamin D.  Happy Friday!

--Glue

Are you on Crack??

That is one of my favorite wise cracks. Usually said, when something off the wall is said.

Today, I write about things I have learned this weekend.

Two of my all time favorite t.v. shows are Sports Night and West Wing. Turns out Oscar nominated Aaron Sorkin was on crack when he wrote those shows. What does that say about me? I must be on crack. Watched an early morning interview with him and Leslie Stahl this morning. I have not seen the Social Network yet, but I bet I am going to like it. For the record, Aaron has been off all drugs for 10 years. Good for him!
Watching the Kennedy Home Movies on TLC this weekend, I learned many things that I never knew. I guess I am finally too young for some things. One, I never knew Jack and Jackie had a third baby that died. I did not know Bobby Kennedy had 11 kids, one that was born after his death. When you watch the documentary of their movies, you will hear that it is narrated by Stockard Channing who was the First Lady on the West Wing.  All roads lead back to Aaron Sorkin. I do know I am going to read more on the Kennedys.

So here is a to do, challenge for you...and report back if you do:

Watch The Kennedy Home Movies. Have kleenex ready, it is heart wrenching.
Watch West Wing if you have never watched.
Try and rent Sports Night on Netflix..I was lucky enough to get the box set as a gift.

And I....will try and catch The Social Network.  Thanks to Facebook, I have finally found my last long lost friend, and kept in touch with many others. Everything comes full circle. May it be unbroken.

-Sand

Friday's Gotta Have It Item

Today I was introduced to a new app for my IPhone. If you don't have an IPhone, please stop reading because you will be really sad that you can't participate in this new found awesomeness. Still with me? Okay, good.

Instagram! It's kinda like Facebook, but not so wordy. It is fast, free and fun. Really, what more do you want out of life?!

If you download this app, let us know. We'd like to follow you.

Happy Friday!

Gaga for crockpot

Before we get started, this post is not about Lady Gaga dressed as a crockpot. Sorry to disappoint you. Although, if she ever appears on Fashion Police in that outfit, remember, you heard it here first.  


Okay, onto my obsession. Over the last few months, I've become obsessed with my crockpot. Not just with the crockpot itself, but the use of it. I always feel like super mom/wife when I come home from work and I can say "dinner will be ready in 5 minutes". Now, I've had a crockpot pretty much all my married life (25+ years, thank you very much). I would use it occasionally for a roast and I have ventured out and made enchiladas in it once, but that was the extent of it......until I found this website: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/.  This woman named Stephanie made a New Year's Resolution to use her crockpot everyday in 2008. She seriously has a recipe for everything. I figured, if she could use it everyday, I could at least use it once a week for something besides a roast. I try to use it weekly, but you know, sometimes life gets in the way and we have to eat out or I will actually have to pull out a pan and whip something up. I've pretty much decided that you can just throw anything into a crockpot with some seasoning and liquid and it will be pretty good.

Here's a few things that come to mind when I talk about easy:

• 3 chicken breasts (frozen)
• 1 jar of salsa verde
• Cook it on low all day long. Shred it up and put it in tacos, tostadas or even make enchiladas.

Another recipe comes from Flint. It's for crockpot French Dip:

• 1 chuck roast
• 1 packet Au Jus (dry)
• 1 packet ranch dip (dry)
• 2 cups water
• You can add onions or peppers if you like.
• Cook on low all day. Shred it up and put on a bun. Delicious.

For dinner tonight, we had crockpot beef stroganoff.  It's not from Stephanie's site, but it was delicious and easy. Here's the recipe: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/main-courses/slow-cooker-beef-stroganoff/.  The picture below is what was left after 3 of us ate. Yay for leftovers! I'll try my best to post my weekly crockpot recipe.

So, what are your favorite recipes?

-Glue

Here's to 2011

As the first "real" weekend of 2011 ends, time to review on 2010 and all that can lie ahead in 2011.

The holidays this year were nice. A week in Palm Dessert for Thanksgiving, a long visit in Fresno for Christmas. This year I was able to actually have one on one conversations with family members, which in itself was a nice gift. The new year was brought in with my "other" family and a nice time was had, playing games, watching silly t.v. and catching great sales at Borders on the 1st. Although I could not be with my daughters to ring in the New Year..and that makes me always a little sad...I was able to enjoy the time I had with my "other" kids. Thankfully Glue and Flint kept me included in their festivities 200 miles away.

Flint, Glue and Sand are the nicknames to three good high school friends who drifted apart, but thru divine intervention...and Facebook...were reunited.  Flint's name is because she likes to get the fire started..i.e. plans, ideas..and everyone else executes them. Glue's name is because she keeps everyone together, keeps everyone included, and never lets us drift apart for more than a day or so without communication. Sand is me. I am like warm sand on the beach, wonderful to feel between your toes, something missed and under appreciated at times, but unfortunately...in the wrong spots can become an irritation. I accept that. I am not for everybody and all situations. I can be abrasive, but really only want to be appreciated and missed.

Flint and Glue were out to dinner on NYE and then playing games at Glue's house. During that time we exchanged voice recordings via a new app that Glue discovered. Hey Tell is the app for you app-aholics. It is a fun way to send a verbal text versus typing them out. It is fabulous..and I give it two thumbs up! It took me a few times to learn to "hold down the button when you are talking". It was fun!

Anyway, 2010 was not quite the best year, that is only because 2011 is going to be better.
I hope to shed a few pounds, manage my finances better (where does my money go?!), try not to detour off the high road- no matter who tries to flag me off it, and take more time to smell the roses..and the variety that I like. I guess to summarize: Wag more, bark less.

I plan on giving a thumbs up each month for various products out there. We all get sucked into advertisements. If I can save someone dissappointment and money, I'm all for it.

Some of my  "Loved it" products for 2010:
Yoplait Smoothy Mixes
Covergirl Color Stay Lip Color
Bounce Dryer Bars (love not putting sheets in and then having them stick to the laundry after!)

Hated It items:
Falsies mascara by Maybelline..(It did not make my boobs look bigger at all-kidding, but it was too gloopy)

Happy 2011.
-Sand

Hopefully Glue and Flint are soon to follow with a post too!