M&M's and love languages and a giveaway

I know every last one of you is on the edge of your seats wondering what I think about the M&M's with pretzel. I won't hold you in suspense any longer. They are fine. They ain't no Peanut Butter M&M, that's for sure. I usually love the sweet and salty combo, but these fell a little flat. I'll admit: a big part of it is texture. Closely resembling a malted milk candy (excuse while I go dry heave) it put me into a mild panic attack over what was actually in my mouth. The chocolate was more crunchy than the pretzel- a huge NO! in my book. Vote (over there on the side) for which M&M flavor is your all-time fave. Mine? Peanut buttah. MMmmmmmm. Or dark chocolate. Mmmmmm.

Do you speak my love language? I just read "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman. Excellent, I say. I had a major epiphany. I've meant to read it ever since Julie mentioned it a while back. (Read her post- it's worth your time.)

Turns out, I'm bilingual in the love language department. (Well, I took two different tests. The first one said I was bilingual, the second showed only a difference in one point.) My two love languages? Verbal affirmation and gifts. This book explains why some people really don't feel it necessary to (gasp!) receive gifts from their spouse. Also, I don't need to have a guilt complex over wanting verbal affirmation anymore. No, I don't have some inner self esteem issue, it's my love language. I was really sure that my husband's love language was also verbal affirmation. Wrong. After a little kicking and screaming and sulking, he took the test. He scored a big, fat zero on gifts. It's not even on his radar screen. Apparently. So I am even more thankful for the flowers he shows up with from time to time. And for the Verbal Affirmation I receive. *happy sigh* He was on to something unknowingly...

*Love languages can also be applied to anyone around you: friends, family, kids, etc. So bffitwww: you really did make my day. I feel so loved!

What's your love language? Tell me your love language and I'll automatically enter you into a drawing for a random prize. Even if you don't do the whole gift thing. Drawing on Friday, February 4th. (And for crying out loud, read the book! It's almost February, the month of love.)

TY, BFFITWWW!

OF COURSE I KNOW WHO MY BFFITWWW IS! Why wouldn't I? Seriously, bffitwww! I cried. You made my day. And that says a lot. Because I woke up with a migraine today.

I have the bestest friends in my life. I'm so blessed. And giddy.

Thank you, again.

*this just showed up~I don't actually know who my bffitwww is~how fun is that?*

soon to be short and stout

I've made it a tenth of the way to Boston. Did you notice? At this rate, I'll make it in time to Trick-or-Treat. I can't wait. I might dress up like a teapot.

In other news, I just printed off five, yes five, of PW's recipe. I know. I won't be able to step on the scale for 100 days, but I'll be in heaven while the food lasts. It's worth it. My best friend in the whole wide world is buying me her cookbook- I collect cookbooks. I don't know who my bffitwww is, but I will find out soon enough. Won't I? Won't I? Right? Doesn't anybody love me? Or maybe y'all love me enough not to. That's what I'll tell myself if I don't get the book. Which'll probably be the case.

And last but not least: I almost missed the Superbowl. Are you kidding me?! I love Superbowl Sunday. If for nothing else except good company and sinful food. I usually have concrete plans one month beforehand. And it's in like, what? Basically a week? Breathe thru it, Mindi, breathe thru it. Whew! You can do it... Seriously, people. Warn me about such things. I hate emergency situations like this. You know I need to be prepared.

It just goes to show how much is on my plate these days, and I ain't talking about PW's food or football food. Yet.

Bringing up the rear

I want a caboose. And not a honky-tonk-badonkadonk/baby's-got-back type of caboose. Well, I mean, I do work out for a reason... I won't lie- I do so enjoy it when my husband comments on my caboose. Oooh-eeeee! Did I just say that out loud? Oooh. It was a bit sassy, wasn't it? But I don't take it back, because it is true. And keeps me motivated at the gym. I just hope my dad doesn't read this post, as he does read my blog from time to time.

Anywho. I want a railroad type of caboose. Ever since I was young and I read "The Boxcar Children". That was before they went and ruined it by adding a whole series. I refused to read past the first one. But I fell hopelessly in love with the thought of having my own caboose. And now as an adult, I still have that childhood dream. Where does one find a caboose? I realize that I can't get one until I decide to settle down at least semi-permanently. And you know us. Heh.

What would I do with it? Good question. Children's playhouse. Guest house. Storage shed. Sauna. The options are endless. And fun... dreamland...

I will get that caboose. Both of 'em.

Wise words.

Stolen, er..ah.. borrowed from my friends Ami & Wendy on FB:

"If you can't flatter them with brilliance, baffle them with b.s."

"Kid, life's hard. But it's harder if you're stupid."
(Sounds like it came from the book "Sh*t! my Dad says." Which, like the title, is a little rough. But funny.)

16 things I've learned in 30 days.

I was in Jimmy John's yesterday and I love all of the signs they have for your reading enjoyment. They had a "16 things I've learned in 50 years". It inspired me. What have I learned in the last month?

1.) When you use the gas at the dentist, it makes paying your bill easier after the appointment.
2.) However. You shouldn't text while under the influence of nitrous gas.
3.) I win when I play bumper cars with mailboxes. That'll teach them mailboxes to get in my way.*
4.) January is good for something: clearance racks.
5.) After hitting the clearance racks, I have a hard time paying even 70% of the original price on clothes.
6.) Jimmy John's is freaky fast.
7.) I am 100% addicted to coffee. I paid more for a cup of coffee than most of my clearance items.
8.) I need a tropical vacation.
9.) Never take a laxative and sleeping pill on the same night. (Okay, I'll admit- I learned this one from the sign at Jimmy John's. But it's worth repeating.)
10.) Adults wear their pajamas to Walmart. For realz. You'd hate to get dressed for the day.
11.) I can count on Izzy to lift my spirits. After playing bumper cars, she promptly asked me if I still have bruises from falling at the bowling alley. Thank you, Isabel. I love you too.
12.) I'm not feeding her supper tonight. **
13.) My van is super tough. My pride, however, is somewhere between the van and those mailboxes on the toughness scale.
14.) Sometimes you really do have to just take life one day at a time.
15.) My husband will not wear the "Kenny Chesney" jeans that most stores sell these days.
16.) I need another pair of shoes. But then again, who doesn't?


*Not bad. First time in all of my years of driving that I went off the road.
**Don't take me or life too seriously.

Kaija-bearsy

All that's going on in this world and my world starts to give me a little anxiety if I think about it too long. So I'm going to give my mind and heart a break and post about my beautiful baby who has is officially ONE. Oooh, I love her.

My babies.

It's unreal that it's been a year!

Like her, so much in my life has changed.

I'm still coming to grips with some of it, I won't lie. But her? She makes my sun shine.