Missing Mardi Gras...

Folks. I lived in New Orleans for two and a half years; enough time to experience three seasons of Carnival. Now, I really liked living in NOLA except for the distance from our families and the TERRIBLE customer service (I'm looking at you Cox Cable and always broken Icee machine at every Burger King in the city). It was just a unique place to live. One of the best parts, though, was Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras was introduced to us accidentally in Jefferson Parish (aka "county") on Valentine's Day. We went out to eat only to get caught by one of the early parades. A lovely woman and her family offered to teach us what to do to get beads. She and her husband were having a grand 'ole time with their cooler of ...*ahem*... "drinks" and their kids. They were kind enough to catch a bead bag and give it to us while yelling at the people on the floats that we were Carnival Virgins. Lovely folks. We actually had a really good time as we watched these insanely ornate floats pass by.

A few days later, Lauren Ball asked if we wanted to go to a Sunday afternoon parade in Orleans Parish. (After checking her car- approximate words were: " ...baby bag, shoes, gun, camp chairs..." Yeah. We had a double take too.) We met some new friends from church and experienced our first true Mardi Gras parade. All in all, in our first Carnival season, we went to 15 parades. And they all rocked.

Honestly, our first year was definitely our favorite for a variety of reasons. One of those being able to sleep out on the sidewalk of St. Charles trying to beat the crowds on Fat Tuesday. Yes, our mothers both freaked out... After we had already done it. Oh yes. We are smooth like that.

Anyway, all this to say that I miss this time of year in that region. Being through three years may not be as long as other people, but I'm so glad to have been able to experience so much in that short time.

Happy Mardi Gras y'all!

Oh, look! I have a blog!

Totally almost forgot I had this thing!

I took December off because it's ridiculous to keep up a blog if I can't even keep my house straight. Any who, recapping December: my friends got married, Christmas, saw some old friends, cabin and and a disappointing football game. There, that was simple and to the point.

So, here's the deal. I'm attempting to keep up the two blog per month thing. And I'm totally counting this one as the first even though it's short.

I'm looking forward to entertaining you people this year. I'm sure it'll be an interesting one since the Mayans tell us that we probably won't survive it. So, I'll try to "live it up" ( as the gangstas say) a bit more then previous years. And by "live it up," I mean that I will risk the stomach ache and not take a lactaid pill before I eat ice cream!

No, that's a risk I'm not willing to take...

I almost missed November!

Holy cow, folks, it's past mid month. I haven't written a post. I KNOW, I KNOW, you are all terribly sad and totally disheartened, but it is the way it is.

I'm totally lost on what to write. And you know what that means...

RANDOM INTER-WORKINGS OF A RANDOM PERSON'S MIND WHOSE NAME HAPPENS TO BE KATE AND SHE IS TOTALLY AWESOME, THOUGH SOME OF YOU MAY NOT THINK THAT BUT IT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW ME THAT WELL...YET. AND THEN AT THAT POINT MIGHT FIND ME TO BE A "NICE PERSON WHO IS A LITTLE STRANGE BUT QUIRKY IN A GOOD WAY, BUT LET'S NOT PUT SMALL CHILDREN AROUND HER BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT WHAT SHE'S GOT TO RUB OFF ON THEM."

a.k.a- Here's what's in my head

- Yes, when I used all capitals on that "title"/"short story," I was talking very loudly.

- I have an egg ball that helps my chapped lips. It's blue and smells like a sweet minty gum.

-I hate those Chevy commercials where the dad gets his old car back. Why is he crying? Why did his kids search for FIVE YEARS instead of just buying him the Matchbox Car toy version and paint it the same color as his real car? Why do I think that it's a nice commercial and that I should probably lay off of the fictional characters in a commercial?

-So, water is good, I guess.

- Why are iPhone covers so expensive? I really want a Kate Spade one, but it's like, $40 for her cheap one! What the heck, Kate Spade? Why do you happen to offer the cutest covers at the most unreasonable prices?

- I found a HomeGoods Store in Knoxville! Whoot whoot! (Basically, a HomeGoods store is the same as T.J. Maxx but it's all the home stuff, duh!) AND I WAS EXCITED. And bought...nothing. And I was sad.

- My husband had the craziest trip to the grocery store- He was on the phone with his dad and bought stuff without knowing what he bought until after he hung up. Turns out, he bought kiwi, a pineapple, and iTunes gift cards among other things. Weird, right? Here's what the weirdest thing is: iTunes gift cards at Walmart come 3 $10 cards in a pack. I only got one of those cards. Brent got one of those cards. You do the math.

- I've been jipped.

- One day, I'm going to hire a professional hanger-upper. When we move from where we are now to where we'll be in the future, I'm going to hire someone to hang all my pictures around my house. I'm not kidding. Banging nails in to walls is hard.

- My dog's teeth are falling out. It's normal for a puppy but it's sad because he's so needy and wants us to hold him. And it's really creeping me out. My puppy is not a 5 year old child. I don't want to even help my own children when their teeth start to fall out. It's just weird...

- I'm going to be a bad mother.

- I'll be that mom who attaches those small Bath and Body Works anti-bacterial things to their child. Because kids are gross.

- I feel like I need to have some endorsement money coming my way since I've been dropping names... I'll be waiting on my check T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods, and Bath and Body Works.

That's what I got tonight folks.

Have an awesome day.

Whatcha Listening To?

So, music is fun!

I don't know if  y'all know this, but I LOVE music. LOVE. Like, LOVE music.

I honestly believe that the hours and hours I have spent in the car listening to music heightened my love. Every weekday morning, Daddy would have the oldies station (Fox97.1 for you Georgia people who remember it) on as me, my sister and brother all got dropped off for school. Because they are much older than me, Jay and Erin started to drive themselves, leaving me and Daddy. I love listening to those old songs. Sometimes I would ask for Star94, an alternative/pop station, but eventually, when I started to drive myself, I always had it on the oldies. Mama also helped this love by listening to Star94 occasionally. Actually, I remember her singing "Every Morning" by Sugar Ray. Oh yes. My MOTHER sang THAT song.

Anyway, I'm kinda on a kick tonight with the most recent songs I've added to my collection of iTunes.

And I wanted to share.

Feel lucky people. Just as Oprah doesn't give a car away everyday (anymore- RIP Oprah....not the lady, the show...I just felt like I should explain that. Or not, really, since I never really watched the show considering that I was doing better things with my life. Ok, enough.), I don't always share my lists of music. It's just too many songs.

But here's what keeps rotating on my iTunes (these are all YouTube):


Ray LaMontagne, Beg Steal or Borrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6a_1R3w5i4

Two Door Cinema Club, Something Good Can Work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxu02vp_Vm0

Rusted Root, Send Me On My Way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LSR72zy9eE

Feist, Bittersweet Melodies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhK0-o-rLwI

Otis Redding, (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzrXc68gNjQ

The Civil Wars, My Father's Father: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F1yGzbelRU

Chicago, Saturday in the Park: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwryFOYTKac

Peter Gabriel, Solsbury Hill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMwn_hnoS5Y

and of course, what playlist of mine would be complete without a little Coldplay?

Coldplay, Paradise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ZWlDks0nQ



So that's what I got right now.... I wanted to add Thomas Newman and maybe a little John Coltrane, but I got lazy.

Music is fun.

So whatcha listening to?

PS- And I will accept Facebook comments, though it is sad to see "0 comments" under my post in the blog world. Just sayin'.

Well, Hello October...

...You snuck up on me!

I'm also pretty sure I just made that word up. Snuck. Sneaked? Snocked? Snuck just seems wrong.

Anyway, WELCOME OCTOBER!

I love fall.

SO anyway, I'm trying this thing where I'm trying to type without looking at the keyboard.

Here's how it's going: the quick dfon husdmd ober the from dog.

That was supposed to read: the quick fox jumped over the brown dog.

It's not going so well.

When typing an email at work of, oh, let's say three sentences, it takes me 5-10 minutes. And apparently, that is not a good thing? Like apparently, people are suppose to type faster than that? And APPARENTLY, pecking the letters like a chicken is not acceptable in normal society unless I'm over 70 and wasn't a secretary in the '50's. I can't be blamed for the fact that I missed that one semester of typing in seventh grade, DANG IT!

(Waves fists in air) WHHHYYYY CAN I NOT TYPE?! WWWHHYYY???


In other life tragedies, my purple toenail polish is coming off. I am sad.

To sum up this post:
-YAY FALL!
-Boo lack of typing skills.
-Sad loss of nail polish.

The Biggest Loser...and Ice Cream.

Ok, so watching The Biggest Loser makes everyone feel pretty good about themselves...until they start to get to your weight and say things like, "I'm so proud of myself, but I still have 30 more pounds to lose." And then the contestants are all disappointed when they are at the weight you are and they only lose eight pounds.

Well, that's a kick in the head.

Today starts the new season of BL (oh yes, I'm on good terms with the show to where I can nickname it) and I'm feeling REEEAAALLLLYYY good about myself.


Why, hello 440lb man eating ice cream and crying. Yes, I am basically 200lbs, less than you. What's that? In 8 weeks you'll be smaller than me and I'll be the one crying? Dang it.


We used to watch BL with our friends back in New Orleans and it was AMAZING. Clay Rowe, Josh Waybright, and my husband commented throughout the whole show; most comments were terrible, most comments were terribly funny. Eventually, as the contestants got smaller, we started to make less fun and felt more respect for them losing the weight.

I know that Brent and I are starting to watch what we eat as well as exercise and we have friends who have already lost weight and are in the process, too. BL is a great show to feel good about and eventually, make yourself do what you can to feel good about yourself.

It's great to watch, then they reach your personal weight, and it makes you feel motivated...but only after you finish your second bowl of ice cream.

Mmmm...Ice cream sounds good.

Angry Birds= Angry Kate

Angry Birds is a terribly, terribly addictive game.

It saddens my heart to write this because I hate jumping a bandwagon...but it's crazy game that I can't quit.

Well, technically, I delete the game from my phone and then a month later download it. For the third time.

Stupid Birds. Stupid Pigs. Stupid Monkeys (on the RIO version).

I had a lot more to say about it, but my original post didn't save and I lost it.

Stupid Blog Too.

Ok, rant over!