Music Monday

I've been thinking about writing a music post for a while.  Ever since Casey wrote this post in September, I kept thinking it would be fun to write a post like it.

I have a 30 minute commute one way to work.  Listening to music can sometimes make it go by a little more quickly...especially when it takes me on a trip down memory lane.  This happens most often when I start listening through my CD collection.

Yes, CDs.

That's why it takes me down memory lane.  Do you know how long it's been since I actually bought a CD??  I've downloaded entire albums.  Although, last November, I did grab Lady Antebellum's Christmas CD off a display at a gas station on a whim.  Lady Antebellum AND Christmas music all in one?  I couldn't resist. 

I digress. 

Here are some songs that send my mind on a journey through time.

Authority Song by Jimmy Eat World

 

I first heard this song during my sophomore year of college.  My friend (and roomie) Brooke and I still call this our "Roomie Song".  It's so fun, and I usually have to listen to it twice so I can sing the melody one time and the harmony the next.  :)

 

Sadie Hawkins Dance by Relient K

  

  This one is both good and bad.  It reminds me of the first boyfriend that I was really, truly in love with.  He is the one who first got me listening to Relient K.  That's actually the good part.  We had a lot of fun and good times together.  But this song also reminds me of my freshman year of college.  When two other girls and I were put together in a room the size of a closet, and thank goodness they became my "evil ex-roommates."    Shiver by Coldplay    

This one is another college memory (lots of them are).  A guy I was dating during my junior year let me borrow this Coldplay CD.  I don't know what it is about this song, but it reminds me of him every single time.

 

For Good from Wicked

 

 

Let's note that someone took this video who probably shouldn't have, but what's better than Kristin and Idena on stage together in this show???  Truthfully, the entire album from Wicked reminds me of college.  We performed these songs in recitals, and my friend Becca and I sang them at the top of our lungs in my car.  This song pretty much sums up my entire college experience, I think.

 

Crush by Lila McCann

 

 

Anyone remember her?  I have her CD.  This one takes me back to high school.  My cousin, Jaime, and I used to sing through this one!

 

 

Song for You by Chicago

 

This reminds me of playing Burger Time on the Intelevision with my dad.  He would put on records, and we would play video games together.  I specifically remember this song playing.

 

Honestly, I could probably go on and on, but I think I'll stop there for now!

Are there any songs that remind you of specific times in the past??

The 2nd Annual Great Pumpkin Swap! (REVEAL)

I am so glad that Kristin agreed to host this swap with me!  I just want to thank her for all the work she did for this since it was my first time hosting a swap, and I was completely clueless!  Thanks, Kristin! :)

So I got paired up with Rachel from The Ross Family.  I have enjoyed reading her blog and getting to know a little more about her since we became swap partners!  Be sure to check out her post today to see what I sent in her swap package!

Here's what she sent me:

(From left to right)
1. Treats for my kitties, Allie & Abbie :)
2. Purple animal print scarf
3. Starbucks gift card
4. Pumpkin popcorn (from her favorite place in Omaha)  And yeah, it's SUPER yummy.  I had to make Scott stop eating it so there would be some left for my picture.
5. A set of purple Halloween dishtowels with ghosts
6. A little note explaining my gifts

Thank you so much for my great gifts, Rachel!! 

I'm so excited to see what others got in their swap packages!  I hope you all had as much fun as I did.  (Scott even thought it was a great idea.  He asked what I got and why, and I explained the whole swap idea to him.  He was like, "You should do one of those every month."  lol)  Link up below to share your reveal posts! :)

My Harry Potter Fix: Week 37

Just a reminder, that My Harry Potter Fix is no longer a link up, but I wanted to take a few weeks to finish up topics that we were planning to discuss.  Last week, I finished our "Would You Rather" questions.  Today, I'm discussing my thought on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Remember, even though this isn't an official link-up, you are still welcome to write a post and share it in the comments.  :)

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Likes:
~I really enjoy that Harry starts spending more time with Dumbledore.  I love that he gets to "go back in time" by viewing the memories in the Pensieve. 

~I am particularly fascinated that we learn more about Voldemort's background in this story. 

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~I like that we start to see the relationships between Ron and Hermione and Ginny and Harry develop.....even though Ron is breaking Hermione's heart for most of the movie with Lavender Brown.

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~One of my favorite parts is when Harry uses the liquid Luck to get Professor Slughorn to give him the modified memory about the Horcruxes.

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~And this isn't in the book, but I'm totally ok with it being in the movie because it cracks me up every time.

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Dislikes:
~Though I know and agree that it is important to the story line, it is incredibly sad that Dumbledore dies in this book.  Especially because there is so much more that he and Harry could have accomplished before he has to set off with no clue what he's doing or where to look for the Horcruxes.

~Ron (or should I say "Won-Won"?) and Lavender.  Really?

There's really not a lot that I dislike about this book.  It is one of my favorites of the series. 

Do you have any thoughts about The Half-Blood Prince?

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

So for starters, let's not assume that this is a "breakfast" food. For me, sausage has nothing to do with my breakfast....and it pretty much never will. Scott loves sausage gravy and biscuits. So I did what any girl in the 21st Century would do: I Googled it. While it is not as good as the kind that can be found at Whataburger in Texas, (according to my Scott, I never ate it there.) it is quite yummy. Here's how to make it:

Biscuits & Sausage Gravy
Original recipe from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 lb sausage (I use Italian sweet sausage.)
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• 8 prepared biscuits*

*I used Pillsbury Grands biscuits, but if you feel lead to make them from scratch or use another kind, go for it!

1. Crumble sausage and cook over medium heat until browned.
2. Stir in flour.
3. Gradually, stir in milk.
4. Cook gravy until thick and bubbly.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve over biscuits.

So easy, right?! I'm not a huge fan of sausage, but this was really very yummy.

So here I go...

If you've been around here for awhile, you know that Scott and I started Insanity in March.  We did really well, and we almost made it to the end of the 2nd month.  We only had 4 workouts left during my last week of school, and Scott spoke these famous last words, "Let's take a break."

That break turned into ALL summer.  The time of year where I actually have all the time in the world to exercise.  We turned into big wastes of space.

BUT we've started back up again. 

I think the hardest thing about the Insanity workout is that it's supposed to be 6 days a week with a day off.  Sometimes that's just a) exhausting or b) not possible.  For example, if I have to go do a party for Celebrating Home after work, I don't have time to work out before I go.  And it's usually too late to work out when I get home.  And I'm sorry, friends, I am NOT a morning person.  So getting up before work is out of the question. 

The plan this time is to make sure we're working out 2, 3, or maybe 4 times a week.  I am going to my workout class on Wednesdays after work (we call it "Get Moving" since the person in charge isn't certified in Zumba).  It's so much fun, and I don't feel like I'm working out.  So if Scott works out that day, I'll pick up with him on the next video on Thursday.  You see?  We just ordered Hip Hop Abs, too!  That will be fun! :)

I don't like feeling bad because I'm super tired, or I don't have time for the workout.  I think, though, that as we work out more, we'll miss less.

I also started using My Fitness Pal.  My username is rebeckann2.  (IF you know how to find people that way...I don't.) 

This is from Sunday 10/13.

I like that I have a goal for calorie intake.  I have NO clue how many calories I consume each day.  I look forward to seeing some progress. 

What are your fitness goals?

Here Comes the Sun...

Last week, Susannah from Simple Moments Stick nominated me for the Sunshine Award!  :)  The award is for bloggers who bring sunshine to the blogging world.  I'm so honored that she thought of me!

Here are the rules for the award:
1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger
2. Answer 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you
3. List 11 bloggers that deserve the recognition and love
4. Post 11 questions for the nominated bloggers to answer. (They cannot nominate the blogger who nominated them)

These are my questions from Susannah:
1.  What's your most embarrassing story (yep, starting out with a hard one!)  When I was in 8th grade, our class got to do a lip sync contest.  Being totally above such things as a singer, I agreed to host the show along with my friend, Anissa.  We were totally the worst MC's ever.  I still cringe when I think about it.  We kept saying the same things, and we were totally boring.  I was so awkward at that age, too.  Ugh.  It may not be my MOST embarrassing story, but it still bugs me.

2.  Who (living or dead) do you admire most and why? My stepdaughter, Amber.  For those of you who don't know, she passed away 3 years ago from complications due to a severe form of epilepsy.  Amber was a fighter.  She was a happy, loving girl who loved shopping, Scooby Doo, jewelry, and purple.  I was and still am amazed how she managed to fight so hard and be so happy despite all of her hospital stays, surgeries, and difficulties.  I could only hope to fight with as much grace as she did. 

3.  If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why? Teleportation.  I hate being in the car.  I think I'm too impatient.  I just want to get where I'm going and be done with it.  At the very least, if I could fly like Superman, that would do.

4.  What is one quote that speaks to your heart?
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,  "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

5.  What is your favorite and least favorite chore?  My favorite chore is laundry.  I can do other things while I'm doing that chore.  My least favorite chore is dusting.....well, basically cleaning in general. :-P

6.  Where do you get blogging inspiration?  Sometimes it's from the types of posts others share, but it's often just random things that come to mind.  Hence, the "Random Thoughts" part of my blog title. 

7.  What is your dream job (that's AWESOME if it's the one you've got!)?  I would love to sing professionally as a recording artist or on Broadway.  Teaching is ok, but anyone can get a degree to do that! lol

8.  If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?  I desperately want to go to Europe: Ireland, England, Italy, Greece.....I've never been off of the continent of North America.  I want to see all of the things I've learned about and seen pictures of.

9.  What's your favorite TV show?  Oh heavens, there are so many.  Please see this post from Tuesday.  :)

10.  When and where do you blog?  I like to try to most of my posts written on the weekend.  Sometimes I sit at my dining room table, but most of the time, I grab the laptop and sit on my comfy reclining couch like I'm doing right now.

11.  What do you like most about my blog?  Haha.  Just kidding.  The real question is: What's your favorite thing about blogging?  Even though she was kidding, what I like most about Susannah's blog is that she is uplifting.  I admire her faith and that she shares it on her blog.  She genuinely cares about and encourages others.  For the "real" question, I do like writing.  So I like the chance to do that through blogging, but my favorite thing is reading others' blogs and interacting with them!  I've met people from all over the country through blogging.  It's great to have "friends" all over the place!

Here are the 11 bloggers I'm nominating for the Sunshine Award:

 

Ashley from Being Ashley

Amber from Brunch with Amber

Elizabeth from The Young Retiree

Casey from Everyday Adventures

Kristin from K. @ Life's an Adventure

Kristin from Kristin's kNook

Julie from Love, Julie Bug

Suzanne from Not Enough Chocolate

Tarole from One Haole Girl

Jane from The Pursuit of Poppiness

Chantal from Scattered Seashells

 



Now, the hard part.  Your 11 questions!

 

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. If you could relive any moment in your life, what would it be, and why?

3. What is your favorite movie?

4. What do you like best about fall?

5. What holiday do you like best?  Why?

6. If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

7. What is your favorite book?  OR Who is your favorite author?

8. What kind of music do you most enjoy?

9. Where is the most interesting place you've visited? 

10. What is your guilty pleasure?

11. Name three things you can't live without.  (I know that's technically not a question, but I got tired of questions starting with "what".)

 

 

 

I'm feeling Glanxious

Do you totally love how I just invented the word "Glanxious"??   Let me define it for you:

Glanxious- adj. A feeling of anxiousness in relation to the show Glee

I love making new words.

Anyway, if you saw my TV Addict post on Tuesday, you know that one of my weekly shows is Glee on FOX.  I know it's silly to be obsessing about a TV show, but whatever.  It is what it is.  This week's show will be honoring Cory Monteith.  Cory played the beloved character Finn Hudson on the show for four seasons.  This summer, Cory died unexpectedly.

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For some reason, his death really affected me....and it still does.  Maybe it's because he's my age.  Maybe it's because he played such an amazing character on the show.  Maybe it's because I had a bit of a crush on him/his character.  Who knows??

As far as the Glee story line is concerned, Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry (played by Lea Michele) is one of my most favorite TV couples ever.



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Seriously.  To me, they rank up there with Zach Morris & Kelly Kapowski (Saved By the Bell)...

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Cory & Topanga (Boy Meets World)...

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Lucy & Ricky (I Love Lucy)....

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Major Nelson & Jeannie (I Dream of Jeannie)....

I could probably go on.  I have issues.

My point is that even though they weren't together last season, there was always that hope, that...potential for them to get back together.  That can't happen now.  Even worse, Cory and Lea were a real-life couple.

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My heart just breaks for her. 

I know this episode is going to be difficult.  It's very serious subject matter, and it's just devastating.  I can totally accept that I will be a basket case, but I'm just glanxious about exactly how they'll be addressing his death.  As odd as it sounds, I'm glad they will be addressing his death and "killing off" Finn Hudson rather than just ignoring the whole event or writing him out.  I think the worst thing they could have done was write Finn out saying that he went away.  That would have still left hope for him to return, for Finn and Rachel.  I think they're doing the right thing.

And just in case anyone thinks that I may be exaggerating...just watch this preview:

 

I'll leave you with that.

 

My Harry Potter Fix: Week 36

So before I begin, I want to share some sad news.  My Harry Potter Fix will no longer be occurring as a link up.  Kim has decided to make her blog private for reasons pending on her future career as a lawyer.  I'm so sad to see her going from the blogging world, but I completely understand her reasons, and I'm behind her 100%!

I am going to continue posting for the next few weeks for a few reasons:
1. I need things to write about.  ;)f
2. I want to finish the "would you rather questions".
3. I want to discuss my likes and dislikes of the last two books of the series.

If you want to post about those remaining topics with me, feel free to share the link to your post in the comments.
Would you rather...

...fight the basilisk or a dementor?  Snakes FREAK ME OUT.  Ever since I had to hold a python at an assembly in front of the students, it's even worse.  SO extra large snakes would totally not be on my list of things to take on.  I'd absolutely pick the dementor because Patronuses are cool.  :)

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...spend a weekend with Dudley Dursley or Kreacher the House Elf? While Dudley is nothing more than an oversized bully, I would pick Kreacher simply because if I were with him, I'd be in the magical world. 

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...be a Quidditch Keeper or Beater? I honestly don't know....I was never good at sports, so I'd probably be bad at both.  BUT I think I'll pick Beater just because you'd get to participate in more of the action!

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...receive a Howler in front of your friend or eat a vomit flavored Every Flavored Bean?  Embarrassing though it might be, I'm totally picking the Howler here.  Sure, the vomit flavored bean might be over and done with quickly, but since I hate anything and everything associated with being sick, I can't choose it.  IN fact, the act of eating said bean might cause actual vomiting to occur.  I'll pass.

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...have Severus Snape as your father or Delores Umbridge as your mother? SNAPE, SNAPE, SNAPE, A MILLION TIMES, SNAPE!!  That one was too easy.  Yes, Snape isn't so nice to Harry.  Yes, he makes you mad over and over again in the books and movies, but ultimately, we know that he was truly good and had the capacity to love.  I would have deep pity for any spawn from that evil woman!

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Again, this will no longer be an official link-up, but please feel free to share your thoughts (or the link to your post) in the comments! :)

TV Addict

Hi.  My name is Becky, and I'm a TV addict.

Don't get me wrong.  I still love an appreciate a good book.  But I love TV.  I watch a lot of TV.  I get stressed out because I don't watch most of my shows live, and the DVR starts filling up....

Since TV is a big part of what I do, I decided to write a TV post to share what I'm watching (or getting stressed because I haven't watched) each week this fall. 

Sunday
The Amazing Race (CBS)

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The Mentalist (CBS)

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Monday
The Voice (NBC)

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Tuesday
The Voice (NBC)

NCIS (CBS)

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NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)

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Wednesday
Criminal Minds (CBS)

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CSI (CBS)

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Law & Order: SVU (NBC)

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Thursday
Glee (FOX)

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Ok, this picture doesn't feature nearly enough cast members as I want, but I had to finally stop and just pick one.  Google yielded too many pictures including, season 5 promos, that still feature Cory Monteith (aka character Finn Hudson).  I'm still so sad about his untimely death this summer.  :(  This week's episode is going to be a farewell to Finn.  I will need a box of tissues.  Seriously.

Friday
What Not to Wear (TLC)

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This is the last season of What Not to Wear, which is a bit sad.  :(

Blue Bloods (CBS)

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Saturday
The Pioneer Woman (Food Network)

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There are some more shows that I watch regularly that either haven't started yet or aren't in season right now:
Big Brother (CBS)
Mad Men (AMC)
Psych (USA)
Rizzoli & Isles (TNT)
Sister Wives (TLC)

The Last Day of Skirtember

Although there is no official link-up today, I still wanted to share my last outfit for Skirtember.  I'll be honest, I had difficulty figuring out what to wear for the rest of the week since I didn't "have" to wear a skirt.  I'm really glad that I took on this challenge with Kristin & Chantal.  It was a lot of fun!

Day 30- Monday, September 30th

Dress & Tights: Old Navy // Boots: Target.com // Let's Dance Necklace: Penelope Ann

In case you missed any of my Skirtember Posts, feel free to click the links below:
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4