YouTube is my new best friend

Ok maybe I should say AppleTV is my new best friend. I love it so much I had to tell the Disney Store guy. He asked! Apparently the tv is helping my little one learn to talk more fluently because after seeing Aubie the Tiger shake his tail over and over in six differnt skits or montages, he now can sing War Eagle and an chant Badda- Getta-Bah. So adorable. Twitter is my other fascination http://www.twitter.com/mariettamama check me out. Follow me if you like. I'm also taking part in the twitter experiment on facebook. Its kind of fun. Random people twitter to each other and amongst the love-fest of social marketing we give away stuff like independent music cds, sunglasses, twitbitchery etc. I will have to snap a pic of our Christmas tree. So pretty. got it this weekend at Pike.

Yay its Snowing! , ok. . DON'T. PANIC!

That the general reaction around here when Snow starts to fall like it's doing today.

Ooh Pretty! Oh shit, stop by Publix and get all the bread and milk we can store!
Of course then there's the bedlam of traffic accidents and silly people in the aftermath but at least we get to enjoy a little mid day distraction before everything goes hay wire.

Happy Thanksgiving!

There are a ton of freebies at CVS! I guess this weekend would be a good time to stock up. soon begins the marathon visit of west side, east side. His parents, my parents. Kiss kiss, Hug hug, eat eat.

Pre birthday weekend

We celebrated my husbands impending birthday by buying him an Apple TV. He's been pawning over it ever since Steve Jobs announced it a year ago and he's so happy now that we are a fully mac'd out house. Two macbooks, three ipods, an Iphone( an old airport router) and an Apple TV. Now we can watch Youtube in big screen happiness and endlessly entertain ourselves with trailers over and over again. Yay.

Election Day!

For better or worse, someone new will be in the White House come January. The big question today is, who will it be. I voted, I'm happy i went. Somehow I feel like celebrating with a nice dinner of baked chicken and noodles. Maybe prep the pot roast for the crock pot tommmorow.

Mojo Crock pot chicken

Romantic weekend and a bunch of great deals at Publix is going to keep my crock pot busy this week!
Pot Roast Tuesday, Mojo Chicken Wednesday. Easy clean up thanks to crock pot liners from Reynolds. Yum.

Wedding Weekend in Auburn, AL

We finally made it to potentially the biggest wedding weekend of the season, my husbands brother Marc is getting married to his Katie love. We are taking off for Auburn today at lunch and my mom is taking our lil pumpkin and staying with him so he can see all the trick or treaters this weekend. This should be a lot a fun and a lot of romance!

Facebook and a little self adulation

Ok. I know I can turn off those silly applications that remind that people care, but come on! I am so used to ignoring myself that it shocks my system when people either tell me I'm pretty or memorable. Lately my thoughts have been so icky and shy that I can't stand any extra attention without giggling like a school girl!
On a totally different note I am loving this trend of small and microwaveable lunch options like the Healthy choice fresh steamers, or the easy mac, or Ronzoni Bistro pasta meal in a pouch. Basically if it fits into my little purple Bento, its kawaii!

YouTube has so many uses!

I was clicking through rather haphazardly and found myself on a series of language labs for toddlers and babies. Punkin was interested so I let the video play. This is like the lazy version of flash cards and he thought it was so cool to see pictures and words. I guess this means I should shop for flash cards for him.

Gas Prices in Atlanta, and who has it.

Following my bliss

Its another of those not-so-rare days when I am just blissful out my ears. I can't seem to contain my good mood and everyone I talk to seems to rub off on it. Which is nice, since its easier to get a no with a smile. I found the perfect dress to wear to my brother in laws wedding next month, now i just have to buy it. My only worry, well not really a worry is if I will sporting a bump yet or not. Little butterbean is less trouble than Preston was and I'm still looking forward to all the excitement of the second trimester.

Here we go again!

So another long week meets a weekend. Its family night at the Water polo match and smiles all around:) who knows what the weekend holds other than book reading and laundry. fun. whoo.

see more puppies

Fighting a cold, or what not to do at work.

I should have brought soup, but like the lazy Monday morning I am used to, I decided to just grab a snack and throw caution to the wind. Of course come about 11 am my body decides I am now pooky headed and I am in a serious jonesing for Carbs. 3pm swings around and I give in and honey bun up. magical, those carbs!
I'm thinking garlic butter noodles and maybe broccoli for dinner something easy like that. I doubt little one would object since he does love all things pasta like and nummy. Mom also tells me that the stray my brother took in had eight little siamese kittens and half are tailed, the other half not. Preston is going to love seeing them! This of course had me in the habit of texting and messaging in LOLspeak from my repetitive habit of checking Icanhazcheeseburger.com I do love the kittehs!

same song, different spit

My sinuses are ooky for the illionth time. I'm trying to avoid losing my voice, but I was sick like this about a month ago and missed a day of work because I felt icky. Poor little one is recovering at home with his Daddy today. apparently the urgent care doc put him on an antibiotic that also makes you squishy. So his regular doc got him un-squished. Of course on the plus, this means Daddy gets an unscheduled bonding day with his son and momma gets to work without worrying about daycare for a day.

It aint Caturday but its a dreary Friday. how bout some silliness?

more animals

Funny Huggies commercial

too funny. http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1571931/huggies_inside_the_diaper/

more cat pictures

I'm with stupid

"Points to self." Apparently its ok to do something dumb, but not ok to admit to it. I hate it when I email to apologize for something and then that gets passed around to see how stupid I am. oh poo. Life goes on.

Just got back from NC

Summer is over at our house. We celebrated the last weekend by taking a trip to North Carolina and toured Biltmore House as well as went to see Thomas the train in Dillsboro. It was the first time Preston ever stayed in a hotel and predictably, it was not easy on him. Hindsight is always 20-20 and I realize I should have brought swim gear, dvds and whatever else he is used to to settle down. This did predicate a planned fall trip to see the nantahala river on the great smoky mountain railroad. Three hours, after all isn't really that far away. I will post a few pics to the flickr album when I get home. We have some on the website my husband tells me, but I didn't see them. Our family blog is at web.mac.com/haonfamily

Coming soon! A podcast to go with the blog

I was playing around with GarageBand this weekend and forgot completely that I had the ability to create and record my own podcast. I might record one this weekend just to see if I can. I suppose its also to help me figure out how to speak french better. Since I'm doing my best to improve with every call(did I mention I call quebec every day?) I'm told its best if you record yourself and hear it played back. Lucky me I have a temponic memory and remember by sound better than anything else. I think that's why I remember so many different foreign words better than recipes and directions, because I relate to the sounds more than sights, smells and tastes. To those who are reading this from a sandier, dustier place, thanks for keeping America safe and I will keep you posted!

quilting

I admit it. I love to craft. I'm not a diligent finisher though. As much as I love to start something I get about 85% through and i hate just making it the final 15% of the project. This is why quilting seems so ideal to me. You can sew a few pieces and put it down. Pick it up again and quit when you have enough rows done. I think I might make a bob the builder quilt for Preston this weekend or at least sketch it out stuff wise. My sewing machine is getting way too dusty.

Get a Voki now!

Pot Roast and Roof repair

I was chatting with my co worker yesterday about the six week body makeover program that she's on. It's working fabulously for her. she just eats protein and every meal and eats five times a day and already she's dropped seven pounds the same as me. ( it took me a month and that was me eating sensibly and play-working on the wii fit almost every day.) Fun either way. This lead to the idea of using the crock pot to have protein rich foods ready more frequently and how I love how easy it is. So I now have a lovely roast soaked in pineapple stewing while I forget about it. yay! i only recently discovered how fab crock pot - pot roast is. I love it almost more than a crock pot chicken. its so easy and so tender and tasty. Yay meat! This almost helped me forget that findley roofing is coming next month to give us a new roof. The hubs says we can manage it, so yay!

Get a Voki now!

my crock pot is a calling

its summer, and that means I dont want to cook. so my crock pot is the next best friend i have in the kitchen. I just look in my freezer and throw in what i can find with assorted crock pot veggies and some liquid. yum easy. dinner is done and I didnt have to think about it.

get your fiber, drink it even!

it seems one the secrets of healthy weight loss is getting those high fiber foods back into your diet and loosing all that overprocessed fake stuff. but it makes things more interesting when you look at all the water mix-ins that have fiber to fill you up through that 10 am or 3pm sluggish spot. I like crystal light but I want to try the all bran or maybe the Dextrim stuff. I'm thinking again about diet pills used in moderation as a sensible addition to a low maintenance way to drop pounds. i guess I'll take my help where I can get it!

My personal treasure trove(via Ebay)

I felt like no-beard the piratesse this Saturday when I got my latest and greatest purchase from Ebay. Just for fun I bid on a lot of bulk jewelry in addition to a few shirts and a sweater. When I opened my box a cluster of pretty jewels and chunky fun jewelry awaited for me to pick through. Thankfully i had the morning to myself since we had just got back from the farmers market and the little one was napping. All in all I think I ended up with five brooches, about twenty pairs of earrings, ten bracelets and maybe fifteen necklaces of all shapes and sizes. Of that I had two matched sets of earrings and necklaces. It was all pretty and sizeable stuff too! Arrgh! there be treasure in that laptop mateys!

I'm getting excited again about weight loss!

Since the first time since I was about 16 the whole body change thing is really feeling like an accomplish-able goal. I have been doing some research as to starting Nutri-System again and I think I am going to do a mix of Big lots, ebay and the real thing. Since frugal is second nature to me now, I am going to source as much as I can locally and the rest direct from the site. I have a four weeks free( one week for each of four total orders) plus buddy bucks for 30$ off each order. I am thinking it all seems a little more reasonable.

Whales & dolphins contradict long-held engineering theories Just for us Pisceans

Biologists and engineers, applying biomimicry, have discovered novel designs for wind turbines based on whales and dolphins.

read more | digg story

Fun with My Virtual Model

Sometimes I forget I have an account with them and happen on sites that use it to show you who you would look if you changed your hair, tried on new jeans what have you. Over at good housekeeping you can try on hair styles, I think. It kept trying on new clothes for me. Really cute clothes mind you, but clothes not hair styles.

13 Things You Didn’t Know About 'The Office'

#2 - The exterior of the Dunder-Mifflin office in the opening credits is really the Penn Paper building located on Mifflin Avenue in Scranton, PA. Up until a few years ago a bar named The Office was located across the street from the Penn Paper building.

read more | digg story

Greener Plastics: CO2 Helps Reduce The Use of Fossil Fuels

Using carbon dioxide as an ingredient in plastics could help reduce the use of fossil fuels, and be another market for waste CO2. A Cornell chemist has started up a company that's now making plastics containing up to 50 percent CO2.

read more | digg story

Amazing! Van Gogh's "Starry Night" built in Second Life

This is genius.

read more | digg story

Keepin' it real fake,the Wiimote candy dispenser- Yes I saw this at Cost Plus and said the same thing!

This candy dispenser looks "exactly" like a Wiimote, except it fires candy out of the spot where the IR transmitter should be. Apparently the instructions suggest that you "Do not aim at face," so... it's kind of like the real thing.

read more | digg story

Dad convicted for feeding kids vegan diet (Dad convicted for feeding kids improper vegan diet.)

An Arizona man has been convicted of negligent child abuse and reckless child abuse for feeding his three children an extreme vegetarian diet.

read more | digg story

How to Lose Weight Watching TV

We are fast becoming a society of statues. A curious species who seem to have our collective asses permanently attached to a chair. Or preferably, a couch. We discovered that within a few years many of us will have identical movement patterns and daily activity levels to that of the oak tree. Oh come on! You needed a good giggle!

read more | digg story

Future Therapies May Be Found in Women’s Menstrual Blood

C’elle Enables Women to Easily Collect and Preserve Vital Stem Cells During Their Menstrual Flow; Potential for Future Anti-Aging and Sports Medicine Therapies There's a reason its called "A Gift"

read more | digg story

The 20 Healthiest Foods for Under $1

Food prices are climbing, and some might be looking to fast foods and packaged foods for their cheap bites. But low cost doesn’t have to mean low quality. In fact, some of the most inexpensive things you can buy are the best things for you.

read more | digg story

More Harry Potter 6 Images to Add to Our Growing Collection

Our fine friends at Warner Brothers sent over a few more photos from the upcoming film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth installment in the long running, multi-bagillion dollar franchise that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

read more | digg story

Teen discovers bat hiding in her bra

So many things you could find in a bra - bat isn't even in most peoples' top ten.Oh Lord! I dress in partial morning light too, but how could you ignore your clothes that much!

read more | digg story

The 6 Worst Things Harry Potter's Success Has Wrought

Of course, it also created a legion of retarded fans unheard of since the throes of Star Trek, dozens of lame knockoffs, and other weird shit. Here's some of the worst things the boy wizard's global success has brought to this already cold and dark universe.

read more | digg story

6 Giant Corporations That Own Everything on TV

Let’s take a look at who owns what on television - here are the TV channels owned by 6 of the largest companies in media, as depicted by their logos:

read more | digg story

The mindful dieter

An article today came out on yahoo news that people who kept a food journal every day and wrote down everything they ate would be more successful at accomplishing their weight loss goals. After reading the celestine prophecy its not a big jump to know that a mindful person is a self aware person.

Its a long day, living in the valley.

John Mayer just released a great new collection of music live on DVD. Hubs was playing the sample from the remake of "free falling" by Tom Petty. Its a nice interpretation. It also demonstrates nicely what it feels like to wake up early for no reason on the weekend and have a really long-or hour longer day. We got up about seven and got our selves dressed and breakfasted. At a quarter past eight we went to Target and went on a grocery hunt. We got all sorts of good stuff. We made lunch around 11 and by then with the sound of railroads singing quietly helped Preston drift off into his nap. Daddy was busy putting the swingset together by then so we amused ourselves at the mall for a little while. Bath and Body works was having a sale so Preston grabbed the first bottle he saw and wouldnt put it down so I got that and some little hand lotions in order to break a bill for cash for the carousel I Only spend fifty cents because I still had a gift card from my days at Dell. Preston of course loved the carousel and that was a nice way to end our visit that day. I decided to make Pizza for dinner and that ended up nice. The Chef Boyardee kits usually make a nice dough, nice and chewy. Now I'm wondering Whats on Tivo?

My employer gets free advertising on MSNBC

I saw today that MSNBC saved a segment recently on the Today show with Matt Lauer where he was talking about Advances in Dentistry and he shows a patient getting scanned in PA using the ICAT and then a surgeon with the dental guide that the ICat creates. I geeked out a little bit when I saw this and couldnt stop giggling this afternoon when I was doing my call backs. Hah. who knew?

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free shipping at the bug

Get free ground shipping when you spend $75 or more now through July 31. Just enter promotion code 776225302 at checkout.

At Fashion Bug

Happy surprises

That's always a great way to start the day. Get baby off to Pre school, get free gas and a bagel. Get a free CD. Its not often that get a free loaders trifecta. I had my BzzAgent points cashed in for gift cards at BP and Target and that made breakfast taste so much better. That should come in handy when we are bopping along with Willie Nelson. It always surprises me what gets a two year old grooving. Since one of his favorite things he has learned to say is bye-bye he was singing along with Mariah Carey the other day. Awh. so sweet!

I've got a Crush on Lush

My friend Robin and I decided to do a Mommy playdate this Saturday because shes a devotee of Lush and I just discovered it when she gave me one of thier bath bombs as a birthday treat. They follow my whole inner Granola girl mommy philosophy and if I wasn't washing my hair with a bar of Ivory Soap this would be the next best thing. They make shampoo bars with yummy oils and luxurious conditioner in bar form too. I"m not sure how that would store, but it all sounds very earth friendly and intriguing. Of course this makes me wonder, since i have made my own glycerine soap in the past if i could whip up my own shampoo blend and stop buying the stuff. Apparently Lush makes a soap that when applied to the hair you naturally blonde like you would if you put lemon juice in your hair to high light it like I did when I was a little girl.

credit: http://www.lush.com

Take a day.

We went to the vine garden railroad today.   Lil' one and daddy loved it!  The rest of the gardens were spectacular!      pics  to come.  it's always nice when you go on a daytrip and be back by midday.

Woo Hoo! Go Greased Lightening!

Updated Movie night stuff at the Park

Movie Night at East Cobb Park
Friday, June 27th from 6pm - end of film

• Grease will be shown this Friday. Special thanks to Commissioner Joe Thompson for sponsoring this event!
  
• Music begins at 6 p.m., accompanied by an inflatable moonwalk courtesy of Jumpy Fun.
  
• Be sure to bring a picnic, cold beverages and chairs or blankets.
• Cheesesteaks from The Mad Italian and water bottles from Friends for the East Cobb Park will be available for purchase.
  
• The film will begin at dusk (approximately 9 p.m.).
  
  
• Please note: The Center for Family Resources will be collecting notebooks & pencils at this event. Thank you for your donation items!

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East Cobb Park 5th Anniversary Family Picnic & Playdate
Saturday June 28th from 11am-2pm

Enjoy your Saturday afternoon at East Cobb Park!

• Big Daddy DJ will play music and lead games for the kids.
• Children can ride a trackless train around the park and bounce in inflatables.
• Local leaders including Sam Olens and Commissioner Joe Thomspon will drop by to visit with attendees.
• Free hot dogs and barbecue will be provided by Williamson Bros.
• The Coffee Park will have free smoothies and iced coffee.

Fun things to do this weekend in East Snob

Free Movie night at East Cobb Park, 1 sno cones and popcorn with live music until sun down or supplies exhaust.

75 cent movies at Merchants Festival

Several Estate sales going on as well as garage sales for us early birds
( a great way to scope out Limoges, Wedgewood and Bacarat!)

Take hubs to get his mane shortened at American Barber? in Roswell, got a cool write up in the paper and makes him feel as special as a day at the spa for mommy- not that I would know:( just kidding!
walk around the neighborhood!
Hunt Costco for deals, and best of all they now have the Batter Blaster!!! Only place in Atlanta that does! I know I want to see what five dollar organic aerosol pancakes and waffles taste like.

The Hubs finished his train!

As of last night, my husband's grand opus finally met fruition. He has been building a garden railway in our front yard over the last two summers. Of course little one is just over the moon about Daddy's new toys! His latest burst of learning is his ability to repeat choo-choo! excitedly and follow the train around the track. I had a lesser spree of creativity this weekend and thought of new and interesting stuff to eBay. I don't know why I never thought to accessorize with eBay but its turning out to be ridiculously useful!