Friday Favorites - My Favorite Guests No. 1

I'm not really here today.
I mean, it must seem like I'm here because you're reading this right now and maybe think that I'm sitting on the other side of your computer screen type type typing away as you read, but I'll let you in on a little secret. I wrote this three days ago. 

Here's the deal. I'm swamped today (Friday...which is actually three days from now but for the sake of your sanity let's just call it 'today') and for the next two as well (which would actually be Wednesday and Thursday, not Saturday and Sunday. Although now that I think about it, I am swamped on Saturday, but that's not really important). And although the reasons I'm swamped are full of Favorites that I'm sure I could write on and on and on about, I just simply don't have the time. Which stressed me out at first, but then I had an idea. A fabulous, brilliant idea! I'll have other people write my Friday Favorites for me this week! 

I asked a few of my Favorite people (who just so happen to be bloggers...and see how I threw in a Friday Favorite even though I'm technically not writing a Friday Favorite's post today? Bam) and after plying them with promises of free drinks and foot rubs if and when I ever meet them face to face, they both said yes.

Just got myself out of writing a blog post!

I think I like this idea so much that I'm going to make it a regular thing. And by regular I mean every couple of months. But today is Guest Day Number One, and my guests are seriously two of the nicest and funniest people I've had the good fortune to become virtual friends with over the past year.

Amy from Funny is Family is up first. Her contribution to the Favorites list may surprise you. But like Amy, it's heartwarming and true with just the right touch of sarcasm. 

My second guest is Teri from Snarkfest, or as I like to call her, "Snarky." She's likes to talk like she's one tough mudder, but she's all soft and squishy on the inside. I hope I didn't just blow her cover. 

Enjoy the guests, check out their blogs, and I'll be back here Monday. 

I already miss you. 

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Funny is Family

When Michelle asked me if I would like to share some of my favorite things for her Friday Favorites, I said yes faster than if someone offered to watch my kids so I could get a mani/pedi and then go out with my girlfriends or on a date with my husband. Honestly, it wouldn't matter who I was going out with, as long as I got a drink or two and some time at a restaurant that didn't offer crayons with my vodka soda. Michelle is busy planning parties and celebrating milestones, and I'm over here with nothing happening but that laundry that's judging me from the dirty basket. Or is that basket clean?

Then something did happen. My Papa, who has been slowly and peacefully declining for months, passed away. A quick trip home was planned, and I found myself flying 6000 miles in three days, so I could bid farewell to a man who, with his amazing wife, raised 9 children, was a force in his community, and was a role model to over 40 grandchildren. I spent time with some of my favorite people, family who I haven't seen for almost two years, because living across the country really cuts into the kicking it with the cousins time. I got unexpected snuggles with my nephews, and I got to hug my momma and see my best friend. I got to laugh with my brother and my sister-in-law, because that's what we do, even when we're sad. It was wonderful, and I feel terribly blessed to have had the chance to be there to send off my Papa with my family and our community.

In keeping with the favorites that mix joy and tears, I give you this video. It's short, and it's worth it. Watch a son, who was struggling in math, show his father his most recent report card.

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Thank you, Michelle, for allowing me to share my favorites. I'm sure you expected those favorites to be Oreos, Swedish Fish, vodka sodas, Guinness, and Doritos, and you aren't wrong. I do love those things. Especially this time of the month.

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Snarkfest

So I'm cheating just a little and including LAST week in the list of My Favorites for this week. I'm a rule breaker, a real rebel without a clue.  You're just lucky I can't remember many of the details about my last birthday or I'd be bringing THAT up too! So here goes.

1. Pee Alone Night Out 

Photo courtesy: Denise Caruso (who is awesome)

How cool is it that one person started this last year (Jen from People I Want to Punch In The Throat) and it's blossomed this year into a NATIONWIDE event?! I think it's awesome! And I hosted my event at a cool little bistro in my little town called Domestic. The staff was phenomenal, the food was yummy and the booze! Oh the BOOZE!!! It flowed like water! 15% off bottles of wine, so you KNOW my ass was taking advantage of THAT special.  I'm lucky enough to have such a cool group of friend and 30 of them showed up for my Pee Alone Night out. I had some books, wine and chocolate to give away, and Domestic gave me a $20 gift certificate to give away as well. I had a blast, my friends had a blast and I also was able to raise $200 for Shepherd University's Relay for Life! If that doesn't count as a favorite thing, I need to re-think the definition of 'favorite'.

2. Tough Mudder Mid-Atlantic 2013

Photo courtesy: David Westfall
(Check out this old fossil running through live electric wires. And fear me!)

I am, once again, a Tough Mudder. I am a BAMF! I completed my second Tough Mudder this weekend. I did it with an amazing group of folks ranging from neighbors to best friends to people I had just met. And let me tell you, those new people become old friends really quickly. As soon as they put their hand on your ass to push you over a wall, or grab your hand to lift you out of a pit of mud, they are your good, good friends. This year our team, Team Fossil, was smaller than our last team, also Team Fossil (shut up, we like the name), but no less determined to get through this race and get our free beer. Make no mistake, my friends, free beer is an AMAZING motivator. Don't ever underestimate the power of the free beer. And we enjoyed the hell out of that free beer after running through almost 11 miles of the hilliest hills I've ever run, accompanied by 20+ obstacles. You can see the list of obstacles we faced here, and then puke in here:

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Thanks so much, my friends!

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