Just who is Saint Patrick?

For most of us living in the United States in the 21st century, St. Patrick's Day is seen as a widely celebrated and Americanized holiday. We may go to an Irish pub and drink green beer, feast on traditional Irish fare, or spend the day avoiding that dreadful co-worker on "pinch patrol" if you forgetfully (or intentionally) walked out of your house without wearing any green.

But why do we really celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Undoubtedly, most won't question any holiday associated with drinking brew, but I was curious. I wanted to know who St. Patrick was, and why he gets a holiday associated with eating and drinking. I turned to my trusty 'ol pal, Google, and here's what I found:

Most of the stories and legends about who St. Patrick was, are completely false. The Irish way of life is based on oral legend and myth- so there are many wrong assumptions that promote the uncertainty of the life he lived. A story that is widely accepted, though is that Saint Patrick, (the patron Saint of Ireland) landed on Ireland when he was captured by Irish raiders who attacked his family home when he was only 16. Supposedly, he spent 6 years there, and became a devout Christian after turning to religion from being scared and alone. After his escape, Patrick had a vision to to return to Ireland and become a missionary. Some believe that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.



While there is no certainty of St. Patrick's life, St Patrick's Day is believed to be the date of his death (460 A.D) and remains a National religious feast holiday for Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church. Worldwide, it is celebrated with parades, wearing green, feasting, and promoted with icons like the clover and the leprechaun.

Now, you know. Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

It's 1 o'clock in the afternoon...

Is it too early for a glass of wine? No? I didn't think so either.
This week, I made a new discovery: wine in a box. My husband and I have been wine drinkers for quite some time now, but I never knew just how convenient wine in a box could be. Perhaps I also had a slight preconception of box wine tasting like cardboard? (forgive me- I never knew that the wine was actually in a bag inside the box) So anyway, I have been seeing these commercials for Fish Eye's new award-winning wine in a box, so I give it a try. My first thought (besides the great taste) is how I've managed to never try box wine before this occasion. There's no cork. With the turn of the tap, I can enjoy the equivalent of 4 bottles of wine that stays fresh for up to 6 weeks. The secret? Its revolutionary wine cask keeps the air out. Pretty darn convenient if you ask me.
Box wine may not be as much as a discovery to you as it was to me, but take my recommendation and try Fish Eye's box wine. It tastes wonderful, and is inexpensive. I tried the Pinot Grigio and was quite impressed. If you find something better, let me know! I'm always on the hunt for new wine.

2008 Garden Show

I took Friday off from work, and my wonderful husband and I had lunch at a great local brewery, and then headed to the garden show. The temperature outside barely got above freezing; but inside was a show full of lush plant life, waterfalls, blooming trees and flowers. It made it hard to believe that spring really was just around the corner when I showed up in a puffy coat and winter hat. Anyway, I wanted to take quite a few photos for inspiration in my own landscaping, but I was less than impressed with the quality of photos I shot. Turns out, convention center lighting isn't really that great for photographing beautiful flowers. And, you would think that with the average age at the garden show being 60+ that the old farts would take their sweet time observing the walk-through exhibits. Nuh-uh. They were pushy old farts. Makes it hard to set up a good shot. Anywhoo, here's a few of my best:




see the bluriness? That's what happens when peeps get behind you and try to rush you.




Ack... Enough of the bluriness already. These pics don't do any justice to the beauty I saw!

I have been TAGGED!

Kari tagged me!

Here are the rules:

Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Share seven random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog.
Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
Leave a comment on their blogs so that they know they have been tagged.

Random Facts:
1. I HATE french fries/mashed potatoes/baked potatoes-- any form of potatoes. I usually don't throw the word "hate" around lightly (except when to referring to car washes- I HATE those) but in this case, it's vital.

2. I have an alligator named "chomp". Yep, he's the type that can get up to 25 feet in the wild. No worries though, Chomp is fairly small, and wouldn't hurt a fly.

3. I want to be a back-up singer for Justin Timberlake. Can I sing? Nope. But could I sway from side to side while swinging my arms and snapping my fingers? You bet. Something about doing that while synchronized with other back-ups facinates the heck outta me...

4. I'm from Kansas, and I can surf.

5. Me and my husband are the silliest people. We find humor in everyday life. We have a thing where we like to take tons of silly pictures when we are bored (usually at the in-laws) and we laugh and laugh until we run out of poses.

6. I'm obsessed with Pizza Hut. I probably eat it twice a week. Sometimes more.

7. A few nicknames I have received over the years: Lester, Lester the molester, swirly (from being bi-racial) and UPS (what can Brown do for you?).

And to tag a few peeps... CeeCee, Mush. And I'm out!

First signs of Spring!

I am SO glad this brutal winter is almost through. As I pointed out in an earlier entry, it's nice to get a taste of winter and snow, but after Christmas is over, I'm ready to see it go. Today is the first day in March- which, in my book marks the first day of spring. And since today has brought gorgeous 70 degree temps, I decided to dig deep into my closet and break out a pair of trusty Havaianas flip-flops.

I'm someone who lives in flip flops, but can't wear a lot of those cute, paper-thin styles I see everywhere, thanks to shin splints from being a runner and a long-jumper. So, when I discovered my first pair of Havaianas flip flops, I quickly realized that I could wear them ANYWHERE for hours without painful shins and heals. You'll find when you slip a pair of these on and take a few steps that they are bouncy and ultra comfy, thanks to a 46-year old secret rubber formula that these flips are crafted from. While they aren't super fashionable, you'll see them in trendy magazines and on the hottest celebs. They are, in a sense, the epitome of island lifestyle which I'll gladly accept, seeing how I live in Kansas. I love that they come in a bazillion different colors and patterns, all the more reason for me to collect the new ones they put out each year. The best part: All 25 of the solid colors are just 15 bucks.

If you're in the market for new flip flops (and who isn't?) be sure to check out Havaianas website. Though this flash website isn't super navigable, listening to the catchy island music kept me looking around for awhile. Happy Spring!

Greatest Hits: Britney Spears

These days in Hollywood, when you hear the name "Britney," it's 99.9% likely that it's regarding something she wore (or didn't wear), one of her personalities, her latest stint in rehab or a slew of bad parenting allegations. But let's pretend (close your eyes if you have to) for a sec that the girl behind the mic isn't that trailor-trash, bi-polar-drama-magnet celeb the papparazzi can't seem to get enough of, cause Brit can sell a record.

I'm saying it now-- I like Britney Spears' music. It's catchy, upbeat, and on a sunny, warm day like today, I like to roll my windows down and blare it so that everyone else can hear too (no need to thank me). Now don't think that just because I'm a fan of her music that I'll give her the parent-of- the-year award or anything-- cause we all know that's CRAZ. But underneath those pantyless fishnets is a girl who's music I can't get enough of.

I think we're all in agreement that Brit isn't going to be making a comeback anytime soon in this lifetime, so I'll jam to her tunes while I can. Here (in no paricular order) are a few of my faves:

1. You Drive me Crazy
2. Oops! ...I did it again
3. Gimme More
4. Piece of Me
5. Baby one more time
6. I'm a slave 4 U
   
7. Toxic
   
   

saturday night sleepover: success!

Oh, to be 13 again! The sleepover I had for 5 of my nieces couldn't have gone better--they had such a great time. Every bag of potato chips and candy I bought were inhaled. They polished 3 large pizzas. We played games, danced, got manicures, and watched tons of girly movies. I came to the conclusion that, the Hannah Montana "obsession" is a mere understatement-- and something I wouldn't be able to understand with just one sleepover.
The girls were awesome though, and it brought me back to my teenage memories of secret crushes, note passing, first kisses and endless phone conversations discussing "do you really think he likes me?" Those were the days...
I'm so glad they had a great time. As promised, here's a snapshot of my young and carefree nieces!

Here here to Friday!

::All raise their toasting glasses::

I've got a pretty full schedule this weekend! I'll spare the boring details (like tackling 8 loads of the smelly, overflowing laundry in our closet) and jump straight to the highlight: A Saturday night slumber party for 5 of my nieces. That's right, a night full of pizza and tooth-rotting candy, teeny-bopper movies, glitter manicures, and all that is Hannah Montana (see exhibit A). Speaking of the latter, I'm not exactly sure what encompasses the HM "obsession," but I'm willing to bet I will find out everything I never wanted to know about this cutie Nickelodeon-inspired character.

exhibit A: Miley Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana

Have a truly blissful weekend! If you think of me, say a little prayer for my sanity, and be sure to check back-- I'll post a few pics of all the slumber party fun!

5 things I need want right this second.

At any given time I have a list of things I have my eye on. My list changes all the time, and dang it, my wallet can't seem to keep up. (This is where my nasty spending habit comes to play.) Nevertheless, here are my top 5 must-haves this week:

1. I'm loving this sleeper sofa from Crate and Barrel right now. We are going to be furnishing our basement soon, and I love the idea of a sofa that doubles for sleeping space.

2. This one isn't so practical to purchase anytime soon, but I've had my eyes on it for a long time. What's cool about this Chimo fireplace from Lekker Home is that its clean burning fuel is organic (made from goods like potatoes, wheat, and other veggies) making it enviornmentally friendly. Bonus: it mounts directly to any wall.

3. A new pair of jeans just in time for spring. Adriano Goldschmeid is one of my favorite jean designers-- these jeans last forever and I love that they are manufactured in California.

4. I've been dying for a new camera like this Digital SLR by Cannon. I'm really into photography, and want to learn more. Until I can afford it, I'll continue faking my photographic skill by being a whiz at photoshop. =)

5. Alas, my obsession for decorating has brought me to another home item must-have. I absolutely adore this outdoor patio set from Heal's. I frequent the website of this European furniture company often, but only for inspiration because they don't ship to the U.S. (I imagine if they did, shipping would be outrageous.) That fact doesn't distract me from loving their amazing furniture design and quality-- and I'm on the hunt to find something very similar to theirs.

Love thy neighbor...

If you reside in a residential neighborhood like most of the American population, you have probably observed things that your neighbors do from time to time, yes? If you haven't- or you just aren't the "people watcher" type, I would highly recommend doing so. Hear me out on this one: your neighbors watch you, so why not watch them? By watch I don't mean spy. So if you were digging out your binoculars, please refrain for a sec.

I've noticed a few things just by being observant, and when you live 10 feet from your neighbor on either side, you notice lots of tacky, odd, and downright weird people. Here's a look at some of your typical protoype neighbors, found in almost any neighborhood.

1. The tacky yard artist. No matter what type of neighborhood you live in, there's bound to be one of these. She is the woman with the ceramic geese with flowers planted in them. She may have fake deer prancing in her yard. Or, she might be the one who untastefully decorates to the hills for every. single. holiday.


2. The "weird" house. As long as you've lived in your neighborhood, this is the house that has had numerous mysterious tenants live there. They occupy the house for a short time, and (pouf!) vanish in the night. In my neighborhood, this particular house has seen an occupant that had Hummers on 24" rims and a convertible Mustang with with a Burberry top. The wife liked to threaten bashing her husband's car in with a baseball bat, to which the cops would show up and wake everyone who wasn't already awake by all the hootin' and hollerin'. They didn't last-- but to no avail, the current tenant likes to grab the Sunday paper in no more than a t-shirt and white undies. At noon. She then takes a quick scope around to make sure she is invisible. Newsflash: everyone saw you.


3. The "unexplained" neighbor. This one leaves you scratching your head. You question why they do the things they do. They are the ones who leave their Christmas lights dangling from their roof up year-round, but don't even bother to turn them on at Christmas time. They are the ones who, lay nice, new green sod on only half of their front yard, and proceed to let the rest of their yard grow new species of weeds. They are also the ones who let 5 days worth of newspapers accumulate on their driveway and finally pick them up after they've driven over them all week. I've got one word (two syllables) for this unexplained type: LAZY.

4. The "cool" neighbors. Why aren't there more of these? They are the ones who insist you drink a cold brew with them as soon as you pull into the driveway after a long day. They observe odd neighbor behavior too, and love to fill you in on the juicy stuff you missed while you were on vacation. They bring you cookies, and invite you to gatherings. Our only "cool" neighbor pondered moving (they have since changed their minds) and I told him that if he was serious, the potential buyer would need to set up an interview with us before signing a contract to make sure they fit the type of neighbor we were looking for.

Your neighborhood, whether rich or poor, has these types of neighbors in some fashion or another, I promise you! All you have to do is open your front door and observe.

Car washes. I REALLY don't like them.

Did that little groundhog (Phil, right?) see his shadow this year? I'm ready for this winter to end. The snow and ice is all fun and games until Christmas-- and then it's not funny to me anymore.

The winter can wreak havoc on a lot of things; not only does it make my skin pasty and my hair electric, it leaves my car filthy from all the sand and de-ice mix. And since getting out and handwashing my car during the winter months is out of the question, I found myself at the neighborhood car wash today. (You might be wondering why this deserves a blog entry, but keep reading). People have fears. Normal people fear spiders, heights, flying, etc., but I am not normal. I fear car washes. As I am pulling up to pay for the price of a clean car, I can barely stick my credit card into the slot because my hands are horribly shaking. The gate opens, and as I pull foward; I realize there's no turning back. I literally freak out as I'm going through one of these things. It's not that I'm clausterphobic. It's the fact that I'm stuck in my car for 90 seconds with huge brushes that look like octopi slapping their ugly little tentacles on my car. And those tentacles are powerful enough to actually shake and make my car rumble. Did I mention there's zero visibility while you're in these car washes? The light at the end of the tunnel can't come quickly enough, and as the car wash spits you out, you realize that you are centimeters from someone elses bumper (who proceeds to sit in neutral while you're blantanly honking for them to move). It's all very traumatic, really. Have you been through one? They're scary, right?

Another week has come to an end!

Here we are on a Sunday evening with the weekend coming to a close, and I'm thinking I didn't accomplish much this weekend. Aside from making some delicious homemade guacamole and chocolate chip cookies, I think it's safe to say I was pretty lazy. Ususally, I've got my weekends planned out by Thursday with laundry catch-up or some sort of home improvement project!
One of my many obsessions right now is getting my house beautifully decorated, thanks to the Nest. I get such great inspiration from the girls on the Decorating and Renovating board! I'm trying to get a few rooms in our house finished up, and today, my husband gave me the OK to start a guest bathroom redo! Here's what I'm thinking for the guest bathroom:

Even though our bathroom is no where NEAR this size, I love the soothing blue-green hues.


I would also like to change all the builder-basic hardware in the bathroom from brass to silver, similar to this fixture from Restoration Hardware.

To see my current house progress, click here, and let me know what you think!