Summer re-run funny

I love Chris Rock. Scott and I just caught the opening of SNL which originally aired in March. I remember Juila Louis Dreyfus hosting, but I don't remember the opening with Rock talking about the next president. Lots of funny in that opening, but the finale made me laugh so hard I cried. "Is America ready for a black president? Why not, we just finished with a retarded one."

Oh my. Funny. I think I need to rent Bigger and Blacker one more time. It's been awhile.

Johnson's July

Seriously, where did this month go? A couple of July highlights:

** Jenny, Debbie, and Ryan visit at the beginning of the month

** Emily decided she wore big girl panties... a few accidents, but over all going strong

** vegetable garden completely ruined by lack of water (half me not watering, half drought) and squash bugs. Ughh

** seminar all week this week, and lots of upcoming planning for school

** Emily's big girl bed (finally) arrived this afternoon. Complete pictures with her new pottery barn bedding and drapes to follow. It couldn't be more cute, and she couldn't be more big. Wasn't she just born a couple weeks ago? Oh she's so big!

** Finally, an Emily quote. Daddy's painting her bedroom a lovely color of lavender. Emily walks in and says very articulately,
" Daddy, thank you for painting my room... it's a lovely color... I like yellow."

I could seriously squeeze her until she pops! I continue to be totally taken by her.

Best Places to Live . . . Where Homes are Affordable

Most people think we live in Columbia, SC but we actually live in a little suburb outside Columbia called Irmo. It's not a very big town but there is much to it since it is spread over quite a bit of land - the city planners did a good job of annexing quite a bit a land some time ago. Many of you have heard from how affordable the housing is out here. CNNMoney.com has rated Irmo as one of the top 25 Best Places to Live Where Homes Are Affordable. This is mainly due to the schools, Lake Murray (you can buy lake front property for cheap), and we're pretty central to rest of the state and other big cities (4 hrs from Atlanta, 1 and half from Charleston, 6 hrs from Tom, 8 hrs to D.C.).

Mary Poppins

This summer I will remember of being the summer of many things... the summer of the great disneyworld trip, the summer we went to Charleston four times, the summer we spent hours at the pool.

But this summer will also be the summer of Mary Poppins. We bought this movie as one to watch while in the car, but it has quickly become the favorite above all Disney Princess movies, cars, or little einsteins. Emily loves the dancing and singing, and I find I don't mind watching it over and over again. I wonder if we will feel the same way about Bedknobs and Broomsticks? We don't have that one, but maybe Emily will love it too. But like it or not, I don't think anything can replace her love for Mary Poppins.

Saturday evening T.V.

Lately I've been paying attention to the commercials that are during shows we watch. This evening Scott decided to show us this new t.v. show on the network G-4. The show is called Ninja Warrior. Think of it as a mix between American Gladiator and the Most Extreme Challenge. Emily loves to scream at the athletes "DON'T FALL IN THE WATER!!!"

The commercials during the show are hilarious. First of all there were the variety of video games rated "M for Mature," and then there was the male enhancement pills and finally the commercial for cheap student loans. Finally, totally not fitting, was a commercial with Lindsay Wagner for a sleep number bed.

HUH? I don't get it. Who is the target audience here? I guess this network wouldn't expect me to be tuning in either.

Tag . . . You're It!

Since Kelley ushered this little challenge (and to show her that I read her blog often), I (Scott) will respond to her tag:

What were you doing ten years ago?
I had just finished the teacher ed program and was living with Justin, Ed, and Slappy . . . Ed took me to get my tattoo . . . I was to begin my first year of teaching . . . I was single and not dating . . . that's about it.

What were you doing one year ago?
I was on summer break and was about to begin teaching my first course in the MAT early childhood program . . . I discovered poison ivy in the backyard and it took me two months and 3 bouts of steroids to get over it.

Five snacks you enjoy.
1. M&M's
2. Red licorice
3. Pretzels
4. Boiled peanuts
5. Cheese

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics.
1. Most of the songs by The Wiggles
2. Tom Sawyer (Rush)
3. Keep the Car Running (Arcade Fire)
4. Pyramid Song (Radiohead)
5. Upside Down (Jack Johnson)

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire.
1. Pay off all debt.
2. Make sure family is financially stable.
3. Purchase home along the lake.
4. Take a vacation once degree is completed.
5. Move my brother and mother to South Carolina.

Five bad habits.
1. Biting my nails.
2. Not being more affectionate.
3. Not making better use of my time.
4. Late night snacker.
5. Not admitting bad habits.

Five things you like doing.
1. Completing an assignment.
2. Sunday mornings with my family.
3. Snuggling with Emily while watching movies.
4. Reading
5. Watching brainless TV.

Five things you would never wear again.
1. Tighty-whities
2. Cavaricci's pants
3. White Levis
4. Knee-high socks while wearing shorts
5. Black heavy metal shirts

To repeat Lefty's idea of concluding his post, I would wear an earring again if I had more hair, I still think slip on checkered Vans are kind of cool, parachute pants around the house might be kind of comfortable, and I hear Underoos are next years lingerie . . .

Scott

Four things I'm happy about right now

1. Now that we're home, I'm back to cooking real meals, and not eating out. I really like to cook, and just tried some great new recipes. Friday night it was curry chicken with couscous, and last night it was chili verde casserole thanks to the RBC women's cook book (specifically Debbie Enns' recipe!) Both were a hit with the husband.

2. The new bedding set that we picked up for Emily at Pottery Barn kids. Lovely lovely! While shopping at the very upscale Charlotte Southpark mall ( Tiffany's & Louis Vuitton were some of the first stores we saw) I was waiting for Scott to come out of the Apple store and Hark! There was the Pottery Barn kids where the very set I wanted for Emily was marked down incredibly low. So low that I bought this set (http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/sw4660/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C16%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cjordan%20bedding&cm%5Fsrc=SCH) with these window treatments (http://www.potterybarnkids.com/srch/index.cfm?words=dragonfly+drape&search.x=0&search.y=0&search=search) with a green canvas drape over it. Lovely lovely. So of course Emily doesn't have a twin size bed yet, so that's what we ran out and did after we got home. She was ready. The new bed will arrive from Ashley furniture 7/16. Pictures to follow.

3. The neighborhood 7/4 party. Thanks goodness somebody organized it, because the past two years we have been able to see most of the fireworks that the neighbors down the street have set off, but we aren't the type of people to go out and blow $200 on fireworks. But we sure don't mind pitching in $10 for a big neighborhood show. This year everybody will now be at the pool across from our house for a cook-out and a firework show. There are really very few limitations on the purchase of fireworks (which you can buy at warehouse stores year-round) so it should be fun and hopefully not too dangerous. I like watching, but don't like my husband to be the one lighting the things off.

4. Marry Poppins. Bought this movie for Emily because she needed a new movie to watch in the car with all the driving. We never got around to it on the trip, but we all sat down to watch it last night. Scott had never seen it all the way through. We did a field show in high school to the music from the movie, and I remembered it well as we watched it. Emily loved the movie and I think it will quickly become one of her favorites, which is good because it's one of mine too!

Anyhow, happy fourth if I don't post before then!