It comes with the job

One of the perks (the only perk?) of working in academia: presents. Don't get me wrong. I'm not really that shallow. It's just, a few times throughout the year a faculty member surprises me with a gift; and it's really nice when it happens. Taking me out to lunch. An amazon gift certificate. A box of chocolates.

The cutest professor in my department (he's 80ish, grew up in The Netherlands and has an adorable accent) gifts me and my colleague with Belgian chocolates. Every year. He gives them to us after the school year has ended with a simple nod and a smile. And they are delicious! It just makes me smile.

What little things make you smile?

Get out of here

 (Don't be fooled by the word "sell"; we couldn't sell any of it)

Over the weekend Neal & I did some purging. I'm embarrassed to say that 1) I've had those white bags full of clothes sitting in the bedroom for well over two months and 2) most of the things we donated we've had since we moved in together over 1 1/2 years ago. I guess it doesn't help that while we were going through things we kept stuff after Neal said to me, "Do you want to keep it until the next time we go through it all?" For this trip we took a Honda Accord's worth of random stuff to the local Salvation Army. Fresh Basil & BAL, you would be so proud!

In light of cleaning up, we decided to go to The Container Store to help us organize our guest room closet. Once and for all. Twelve containers and one 10% off coupon later and we're ready to tackle the illusive closet. You know the one. The space in your house where you just put things and you never revisit it. Well, all that's about to change. Right after we move the containers from the living room where they've been sitting since we got home on Saturday. Baby steps, right guys?

Have any of you taken the joyous trip to donate unwanted/unused things lately? Isn't is a great feeling? I should do this more often. At least that's what Neal tries to tell me.

If you look closely you can see Neal peaking around the giant pile of crap stuff (upper right-hand corner).

True-ly too brief

(Source)

About two years ago, right around this time, I was in Best Buy getting some new cds. (Side note: yes, I still buy actual cds.) I came across True Blood season 1 on DVD. Best Buy was having a sale and I had been hearing great things about the series. Let's face it, anything vampire was hot. So I got it and Neal & I started watching.

The first episode of season 1 is intense; I wasn't sure if I would like the series. But as any fan of the show knows, each episode ends with a climatic moment. Neal & I were hooked. These were the days of wedding planning, so True Blood was a nice distraction from phone calls and decision making. These were also the days of separate apartments. Neal would come over (my tv was larger) and we'd settle into my brown couch and crank up the volume. My old apartment lacked air conditioning, so the windows were open. And the noises of Clark Street tended to assault us as we watched tv.

HBO makes great series. But it is a cruel company. Not only do they have only one season per year. The seasons have only 12 episodes each. And the DVD is released a year after it originally airs. So we are forced to wait, wait and wait some more. All the while trying not to hear about spoilers that will damage our viewing.

On June 3rd we received True Blood Season 3. The wait was over! Four days later we had watched nine episodes.  

Neal: How did that happen? Me: We wanted to find out what happened.

This weekend we knocked out two more. So we're down to the season 3 finale. True Blood, I love you. Truly I do. But why do your seasons have to be so short and come only once a year? I guess it's like Christmas. Was the Sopranos like this?

Love letter to the (Evanston) farmers' market

(Source)

Dear Farmers' Market,

Thank you for returning. I admit, the winter months seemed longer with your absence. But that's behind us. Now that you're back I get to enjoy your bounty each week. I look forward to your sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, crisp apples, tart blackberries, fragrant peaches, tangy cherries, plump blueberries and many more treats. Thanks for making room for the bakeries; I'm a big fan of Bennison's monkey bread. I'll meet you every Saturday morning. Deal? Be kind to my potato guy and the pepper man. Also, thanks for not allowing pets; keep up the good work. I'll try to work it out so the weather stays nice, but I can't make any promises. See you tomorrow. I'll be the one with a satisfied smile on her face.

With love,
Bryn

Extemporaneous Date Night

(Source)

 

I finally get to see Bridesmaids tonight! I've heard great things about it for weeks. And I'm even a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's wedding next month, so it seems fitting. Plus, my brother even this about it after seeing it:

"Just saw Bridesmaids. Funniest movie you never saw, unless of course you have seen it. Then it's just the funniest movie you never saw with me. Unless you're my wife, then none of this applies to you, except the part about seeing the movie, because you were there." -J.W. Porter

 

Wouldn't you want to see it after reading that?!  

 

Today I'm in the mood to have a good laugh. So Neal & I set up an impromptu date night. We're going to grab a quick bite and then head to the theatre. I love weekday dates! They feel so luxurious. And definitely make the work-week go by faster. Tell me about some of the best weekday dates you've had.

Sixth time's the charm

(Roland Garros)

Yesterday Rafael Nadal won the French Open for the sixth time. Yes, sixth. His record at the French is 45-1. Meaning for six out of seven years he's entered the tournament and won it. Rafa's my favorite male tennis player. There are so many great things about him, but what I love most about him comes from his coach, his uncle, Toni. Uncle Toni has said that he taught Rafa how to be a good person, not just a good tennis player. And that if Rafa ever starting acting cocky instead of humble, or ever let fame, money or winning change him, Uncle Toni wouldn't coach him anymore.

So congrats, Rafa! A well deserved win for one of the best tennis players ever. And also one of the best people ever. Looking forward to watching you defend you title at Wimbledon is just a couple short weeks!

I thought it was supposed to be Spring

 In honor of Memorial Day & Spring

Who gets a cold in May? Oh wait, I do. And apparently my old roommate. Can we possibly still be sharing things after seven years? Room, what are you thoughts?

I am pretty much the worst at being sick. I whine about how awful I feel. And repeatedly ask Neal why this is happening to me. He is endlessly patient and wonderful. Always asking what he can get for me and telling me that I'll get better. He also suggests that I call my mom because she will undoubtedly be sympathetic. I did call her. She was.

Fortunately for the rest of the world that are neither my husband nor my mom, I keep my pathetic-ness (yes, I made that a word) to myself. Well, to myself, Neal, my mom and now all of you. So I guess not to myself at all. But I'm not moaning and groaning to every stranger I see on the street. So that's something, I guess.

In the midst of asking Neal why this is happening to me, I usually start asking him how I got sick in the first place. Because obviously he knows the answer. Inevitably, it sparks a conversation that I think we've had at least 30 times. It goes like this.

Me: How did I get sick?
Neal: Everybody gets sick sometimes.
Me: I guess so. What do you think I have?
Neal: Well, I think it's a cold. Or...maybe it's allergies.
Me: No, I don't have allergies. I've never had allergies.
Neal: Okay, but your body chemistry changes every seven years, so maybe you've developed them.
Me: That's ridiculous. I don't have allergies.
Neal: You're the one who told me that a person's body chemistry changes every few years.
Me: I know. Still, I don't have allergies. I've never had them. Could allergies make me feel this bad?
Neal: Yes.
Me: I don't think so.
Neal: Okay. (shakes head)

End scene.

I'm never a fan of being sick. Just ask Neal. But especially in May. It was 80 on Sunday and 90 on Monday. And I spent both days inside. Granted I did watch a lot of the French Open and episodes of Law & Order: SVU - tell me, is there a better show? I also worked hard developing my 30-year smoker cough. Trust me, it sounds authentic.

Here's hoping no one else gets a spring - or even worse, summer - cold.

5 Stars

 (Life)

I was chatting to a friend the other week about fun clothes shopping websites. I told her about my slight obsession with ModCloth (read: I restrain myself from going there weeks at a time so I won't buy anything). And she introduced me to EmersonMade. But online shopping is a tricky thing. Mainly because you can't try anything on. I've ordered a dress from my beloved ModCloth that I sadly had to return because it didn't fit.

But the greatest thing about online shopping: the reviews. People get really excited, use too many exclamation points and really rip into an item if they hate it. I think it's the anonymity; they feel like they can say anything. Another thing I love? When reviewers state a problem they have with an item, but state they're keeping it anyway.  Umm, what?

In truth I have become recently enthralled with online shopping. It's so easy. Why didn't I jump on this bandwagon sooner? It usually seems like a much better alternative than spending hours getting to and from the store(s) and trying things on. Which by the way, is an exhausting process. But I would miss some things about in-person shopping if I gave it up cold turkey. The instant gratification of having the item in your hand. The smell of clothes in the store. (Weird? Sure. Probably just me? Absolutely.) The occasional helpful, but not too pushy sales associate; gems that are hard to find. Not paying for shipping.

Also, how great is it to online 'window' shop? Well, I don't know about 'great', but it is a good way to waste some time. Looking at all the items you would love to have in your closet but you can't justify buying. Oh to dream.

What are some of your favorite online shopping sites? Please send them to me so I can lust over clothes I probably can't buy.

The search (and everything else I ended up with)

(Flowers & cake from Neal's & my wedding)

Neal & I jetted off to Maryland for his cousin's wedding this past weekend. I had the hardest time finding a dress. The ceremony was scheduled for 6:30 pm. But I just found out a week before the wedding that it would be outside on a deck. Evening suggests formal. Outside suggests casual. Oh the dilemma. I went shopping the weekend before the wedding for six hours. Seem excessive? Well, maybe. In my defense the mall is ginormous. And I also tried on approximately 874 dresses. So that slowed me down.

My first stop was Macy's because I had some gift cards left over from wedding gift returns really nice people. What a strike out. I did mange to get a top from INC I fell in love with (picture not available) and an entire spring outfit courtesy of Lauren by Ralph Lauren. However, no dress for the wedding. Moving on.

L: Darey Short Sleeve*

R: Tessi Printed

My next stop was Gap because they have good sales. I wasn't expecting a dress for the wedding, but hey, sometimes magic happens. It didn't happen that day. But I did find a final sale summer dress for $14.97. Score! And moving on.

Textured bubble dress

Next I bee-lined for White House Black Market. Although I wasn't thrilled with the idea of wearing a black dress - does anyone else find that slightly depressing? Just me? - I've had good luck with their sales in the past. Unfortunately, their sale section was lacking. And I wasn't about to pay $300 for something they just got in. On to the next.

Banana Republic, how I love thee. I have had the best luck with their sales sections. Mind you, not every time I frequent the store. But enough times that it warrants a mention on this here blog. I collected at least 11 dresses to try on. And I'm not exaggerating. I scored this cute party dress (L) and this work dress (R). The party dress was not right for the wedding, but it was on sale with an extra 25% off in addition to the sale price. At this point I think I should mention that I haven't been shopping in about nine months.

L: Monogram crinkle crossover dress
R: V-neck sheath dress

After such great finds at Banana, I was hopeful as I approached AT Loft. Apparently Loft is in full summer mode. Ironic considering my shopping day included 45 degree temperatures, rain and high winds. There was nothing even remotely close to wedding attire. Highly disappointing.

Ann Taylor wasn't much better. I thought I might have luck with their bridesmaid dresses. But apparently you have to get all of those online. I didn't need a suit to wear to the wedding, thank you.

My last stop was Nordstrom. By this point I was exhausted and running on the almond pretzel I woofed down at least two hours earlier. I was trying to avoid Nordstrom all together because their prices are ridiculous. But with my resolve low, I was willing to negotiate. I picked no less than 14 dresses to try on and preceded to veto every single one of them.

So here I was, three dresses, a skirt and a shirt richer, but without the illusive 'wedding' dress. I had searched all my regular stores and I had to leave dress-less. I had three options:

1. Wear a bridesmaid dress I already had in my possession.

2. Go shopping. Again. BLEH!

3. Shop online and pay the expedited shipping fees.

I decided for option #2 & #3. I checked out my local Marshalls. I don't know why I bother with it anymore. It's a dump and always disappointing. Never again. Then I checked out The Limited, based on a recommendation from my coworker. When did the Limited become so great? I haven't been in one since High School because they used to suck. Well, not anymore. I came away with these two gems - one of which included a contender for the wedding (the one on the right).

L: Stripe 2-in-1 Chambray Dress

R: Draped Strapless Dress

For option #3 I scoured the internet: Ideeli, Gilt Groupe, Nordstrom.com, Macys.com. Nothing. Also, here's a tip, don't buy from Ideeli or Gilt in a pinch. They have to wait to ship things to you because it's coming from a designer. Usually it takes at least three weeks. Finally, I remembered Modcloth. I don't know how I overlooked it. And they do overnight shipping.** I found a dress I had actually tried on in Nordstrom. But Nordstrom didn't have my size. Thank you, Modcloth, for having my size.

So here were my contenders. Ironic that two are black, no? Also, the Limited dress is really pink, not red as it appears in the picture. Thank you, comments section on thelimited.com. Don't you love the comments section whenever shopping online for clothes? More on that in another post.

Left: Cotton Sateen Strapless with Ruching & Pockets

Middle: Draped Stapless Dress

Right: Style Seeker Dress by Max & Cleo

Drum roll please....I ended up with the Max & Cleo dress. I loved its simplicity, the bow detail and the length. I paired it was light grey chandelier earrings and these.

Rocket Dog Own it Pump

I ended up with an awesome outfit. There, I said it. It's probably going to make another debut for a fancy date night with Neal. In the mean time, I need to get my dress dry cleaned. I may or may not have gotten chocolate fondue on it at the reception.

*Actually the shirt I bought is slightly different, but I couldn't find an image of it.
**If you purchase before 10:00 am EST - important to remember

Duped

So I'm sure you all remember my prideful post yesterday, boasting that Elon was named the prettiest campus in the US. (And I was pretty excited that my family and friends had attended a lot of the other universities on the list.) This isn't the first time Elon has landed on a rankings list. But it was really exciting that Elon was ranked #1. Elon, a small liberal arts school in the middle of NC, in the town of Elon, no less.

Well, it turns out, that list is probably bogus. I know. I'm heartbroken, too. I have to say a few details about the list seemed odd; but I was so proud of Elon that I didn't analyze them too closely. Here are some suspicious aspects.

For one thing, they mentioned Elon was the spot of a botanical garden before the school was built. In actuality, the original site was wooded land surrounded by farms. And it became a registered botanical garden in 2004. Another odd thing, they showed four photos for every school. But for Elon, they duplicated one of the photos. And it was ranked #1. Lastly, the title of the article was "The 50 Most Amazing College Campuses." But the actual website address had "most beautiful campuses" not amazing. And in Elon's write-up, they declared it the prettiest. It's a little strange that an official ranking would be so inconsistent in their wording.

Prof. Megan Squire, who teaches in the Computer Sciences Department at Elon, shed some light on this list. She writes a blog and wrote a post this morning about her impromptu investigation of this ranking and website. Since it was being passed around Facebook like wildfire yesterday, it caught her attention. You can read her blog post here.

Basically, it seems like the list was generated from other rankings and put on this website as a way to make money. I'm pretty sure it did make money. And lots of it. 47 of my friends shared the article on Facebook. I checked today and it was shared from the original site more than 16,000 via Facebook. Someone is cleaning up.

I'm a little bummed though. My small University, which I love so much and am so proud to have attended was finally getting some big recognition. And now it turns out it's a hoax. At least everyone who went to Elon or currently goes there knows it's a beautiful campus. It's still #1 to me.

The Prettiest

 (Elon University)

Today The Best Colleges put out a list of The 50 Most Amazing College Campuses. To no one's surprise - at least no one who went there - Elon University was ranked #1. Elon is a registered botanical garden, has green grass even in the height of winter and plants 26,000 pansies a year. Can you tell I used to be a tour guide?

I adore Elon and love the campus. It's gorgeous. When I came to Chicago I was thoroughly under-impressed with the college campuses here. I'm a sucker for brick, what can I say? And limestone happens to be a big hit here. I was a little surprised that Northwestern made the list (#47, but still on the list). It's a great school, but aesthetically, eh. Students are allowed to tape posters to the sidewalks to advertise for groups or upcoming events. I can't get over that. It makes the campus look trashy. And I know Elon would never allow that. I guess NU has the lakeside going for it. Oh, and my husband's getting a degree there.

Here's to all the beautiful campuses out there, even if you can't be #1 like Elon!

Shout outs to:
#8 College of William & Mary (Go, Craig!)
#14 University of Chicago (Yay, Mar!)
#15 Indiana University-Bloomington (Indiana cousins, yeah!)
#17 University of Virginia (Lizbeth & Matt!)
#18 United States Naval Academy (Woop, woop, Temple & Jen!)
#23 Gettysburg College (Woo hoo, Jenn!)
#26 Cornell University (Way to represent, Ashley!)
#27 University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (Huzzah! Jill & Corty!)

I guess my friends and family have really good taste.

Still or Sparkling

Neal & I just got this SodaStream. It carbonates water. And it's a-mazing! I was not always a fan of sparkling water. In fact, I'm a recent convert. For Lent this year, I gave up soft drinks, something I have done almost every year since I was 17. In the past, once Lent was over, I went back to my beloved Coke. (As my HS & college friends will tell you, I love Coke. In HS, I was given coke as a present from my Big Lantern (essentially my Big Sister). And for my birthday freshman year at Elon, my hall-mates got me a Coke body pillow. True story.)

This year, once Lent was over, I waited almost a week before I had a sip of Coke; I wasn't really missing it. And to my surprise, it tasted a little sweet. But I love carbonation, so I was craving the bubbles. I decided to give sparkling water another try. After one sip, I was in love.

I was able to use my sister's SodaStream during the birthday bash weekend and I was sold on getting one for myself. Luckily Neal, who has loved sparkling water since forever, agreed. It's really the easiest thing in the world. Fill the carafe to the fill line, refrigerate water, load carafe into SodaStream, pump the lever a few times and voila - you have carbonated water.

Come on by and I'll give you a refreshing glass. I can't tell you how excited I am to use this for parties!

Monstrous Birthday Bash

Two weekends ago Neal & I were in my hometown of Virginia to celebrate two milestone birthdays: My mom's 60th and my grandfather's 90th. Unfortunately, due to a tractor accident (see details here), my grandfather, known to me as Poopa, couldn't be at the party. He was still recovering in the hospital. We did, however, give him birthday wishes via a video camera, and for the last 45 minutes of the party, those who were still around were able to talk to him via skype!

Hat ladies skyping with Poopa.

The party was a hit! We probably had somewhere between 85 and 100 people. My mom had a great time visiting with everyone and got to see a lot of relatives she doesn't see that often. It was a lot of work on our end, for we were the caterers. The menu included: ham biscuits with a choice of either country and city ham (salty and honey baked) and five different condiment options, potato salad, coleslaw, chick pea salad, fruit platter, cheese platter, vegetable patter with spinach dip and of course cake! The rolls and cake were from Ukrops. But we made or chopped up everything else. We also had tea (sweet and unsweet) and a raspberry punch. 

From left:

Cracker basket, veggies with spinach dip - in a bread bowl!,

cheese platter, chick pea salad, fruit platter, coleslaw, potato salad

The cakes were decorated with special colors. For my mom, her favorite color: red. And for Poopa: Virginia Tech colors! 

My mom brought Poopa's cake (we had the entire cake left over!) to him once he was settled into the skilled nursing facility; he moved there from the hospital the Monday after the party. I think he liked the colors.

About a month before the party, my mom made butter mints and decorated them with at least five different vibrant colors. (Butter mints freeze well.) You can see them on the cake table.

It was great to spend time with family and see people I rarely see. Also, we had a gorgeous day! 74 and sunny. I couldn't have asked for a better day. Oh, except to have Poopa there in person!

Clockwise from left:
Neal & me with my grandparents; my niece, Susannah; the brother, J.W., with his youngest, Emily; Emily & me

Happy Birthday, Everyone

(Sprinkles)

Today Neal & I are jet-setting to the great Commonwealth of Virginia. We're heading there to throw a dual birthday bash for my grandfather, Poopa, and my mom. Poopa turns 90 on May 5th and my mom turns 60 on May 3rd. The party is on Saturday, which actually happens to be Neal's 27th birthday. (I gave him his gifts last night; more on that in a post to come.) And Sunday is my brother-in-law's birthday. Needless to say, we have a lot of taureans in the family.

One wrench in the plans that all of my siblings and their spouses have been putting together since January: last Monday (April 18th), Poopa got into a tractor accident. More specifically, he was tinkering with his tractor, it jumped into gear and ran over him. He was in the ICU for six days and then transferred to a step-down unit. He'll be discharged to a skilled nursing facility with a rehab center either at the end of this week or the beginning of next week. Unfortunately, it looks like he'll miss the party. Sad. But I think there are plans to skype him in. Hooray for modern technology!

Naturally we invited 250 people to this party. If that seems like a lot, you haven't met my family. Since everyone loves Poopa and knows about his accident, we're expecting a mighty turnout. It'll be a spectacle for sure. I'm personally looking forward to the yummy Ukrop's cake. Too bad we couldn't get a Costco cake, right BAL?

Here are so awesome photos of Poopa and my mom at Neal's & my wedding. Enjoy the weekend and see you next week!

Welcome to the world

 
On Monday morning, my good friend Ronnie gave birth to a beautiful baby girl: Betsy Lily. (You might remember a certain trendy mom-to-be at the bridal shower I attended last month.) I had the privilege of visiting the new little one and her parents at the hospital Tuesday evening. Precious Betsy is such a sweet baby. I was lucky enough to snuggle with her for over an hour. And she slept in my arms while her parents recounted the story of her arrival. Look are her tiny hand!

A good friend of both the new mom and me gave this cute blanket to Ronnie. And little Betsy seemed to be loving it. It was amazing to see how instantly maternal Ronnie was with Betsy. I had just had a lunch date with Ronnie the previous Friday, and so many things have changed since then! I really enjoyed the time I had with the whole family and feel blessed to have held Betsy when she was only 2 days old.

The new mommy loves cupcakes, so naturally I had to stop by Sprinkles before my visit. Don't these cupcakes look delicious? It was the perfect way to say Congratulations to the new parents. And Happy Birthday to the new baby!

 Clockwise from top left:

Lemon Coconut, Peanut Butter Chip, Black & White, Dark Chocolate

Happy Easter

 (Photo courtesy of Neal Dugre)

Neal & I had a lovely Easter. Our church plays special music on Easter Sunday before the service starts, so we arrived at 10:00 am to get a good seat. As I mentioned before, the music minister is retiring, so I was expecting the music to be over-the-top. Jerry did not disappoint. He had an eight-person brass section with trumpets, trombones and french horns. The choir sung two songs and used handbells - all before the service started.

The service was great, with some of my favorite hymns: Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Thine Be the Glory, Up From the Grave He Arose and Now the Green Blade Rises, (which, little known fact, is also the same tune to Sing We Now of Christmas, a popular Christmas song). And we got to visit with some friends afterwards. We also stopped by the fellowship hall to snack on some delicious bread that a church member makes every year for the Easter Vigil service. It was great to tide us over before our Easter lunch.

Master chef Neal prepared a honey baked ham with a bourbon glaze, peas sauteed with scallions, butternut squash puree, apple sauce (from last fall. Thanks, freezer!) and homemade oatmeal bread. We had our friends Jenn & Dan over and it was a lovely meal. Unfortunately, we wanted to dig in when it was ready, so I don't have any pictures of the feast. But trust me, it was delicious. We also have enough ham left over to last us awhile. So we'll be enjoying this meal for some time!

I hope your Easter was just as wonderful!

A very blustery day

(Winnie the Pooh and the blustery day)

Tigger: "A stormin' good storm!... with loads of lightnin'! And thunderous thunderin'! And windiferous winds breaking everywhere! Hoo-hoo-hoo!"

Winnie the Pooh: "... Oh, bother!"

Narrator: "...the blustery day turned into a blustery night. To Pooh, it was an anxious sort of night, filled with anxious sorts of noises. And one of the noises was a sound that had never been heard before."

Coming Soon

 (Chick-Fil-A)

That's right people. Your dreams have come true. Or maybe just my dreams. Chick-fil-a is finally coming to Chicago. The actual city of Chicago! None of this "Chicagoland area" business (read: suburbs at least an hour away). Articles announcing Chick-fil-a's pilgrimage to Chicago originally said it was coming this fall. Then rumors were swirling around that a Water Tower Place location was opening.

But this just in: Chick-fil-a is opening June 16th at the corner of Chicago and Wabash. Right on Loyola's campus! Close to Water Tower Place, but still a few blocks away.

I saw this wonderful sign last Sunday and I literally jumped up in excitement. My friend Christina can vouch for that. I might start a countdown; I am that excited!

Happy weekend to all!

Swamp People

(History Channel)

My new favorite show is, of course, Swamp People. What, you haven't heard of it? Craziness. You need to start watching. Immediately. It's only one of the best shows currently on television. Probably not everyone will agree with me. But I am in love.

Swamp People (awesome name, yes?) is about "swampers" aka, people who make their living from the swamp. Most make the majority of their yearly income during alligator season, in which they hunt alligators in the swamps of Louisiana. Sound crazy? Well, yes, it is. Do no try this at home.

The show follows at least nine different swampers and their various hunting partners - sometimes family members, sometimes hired help - as they hunt alligators. A few swampers actually hunt alone, which as it sounds is extremely dangerous. They have 30 days to catch the number of alligators allotted to them by the government, thus helping to keep the population of alligators in check. If alligators weren't hunted with regulations set in place, they would either become overpopulated, and a danger to humans, or risk extinction.

There are so many things to love about this show. Like the fact that the narrator regurgitates the same five facts over the course of the season until they no longer sound interesting. Or that Bruce, a man who wears jean overall cut-offs, with no shirt, hunts alone, save for his dog, Tyler. When he catches a gator, he rewards Tyler with Zebra Cakes. Why? It's anyone's guess.

My favorite is Troy. He gets so excited when a gator is on the line that he says, "Choot Em!" instead of 'shoot him." It's become so popular they even sell t-shirts with that slogan. Troy is entertaining to watch. But part of the reason I love him is because he's so nice. He hosts a big party to celebrate the start and end of gator season. He invites all his neighbors and talks about the way of life "in the swamp", which includes helping people out when they need it. All his friends and family members say if you need something, he would give you the shirt off his back to help you. People like that just make me smile. Also, he's hilarious. Here he is posing with a gator he killed which he named "Big Head".

 (History Channel)

Oh yeah, another awesome thing about Troy, he names the gators he goes after.

The new season of Swamp People started two weeks ago; it airs on Thursday nights. But don't worry that you've missed season one and the first two episodes of season two. You can catch up online. Trust me, it's worth it. I'm looking forward to these guys. History Channel, when are they debuting?

(History Channel)

Something to make you happy

On this cold and dreary April day, I keep thinking of the cold and dreary days of November. The days get a little bit shorter with every sunset. The temperatures drop a few more degrees every night. It's still dark when the alarm goes off. It gets to be a little harder to get out of bed in the morning. But these days in November are bearable because the holidays are in the air. Everywhere you turn you are reminded that a feast is coming up and soon after that, everything is red and green.

It's not November - thank goodness! But I thought it would be a good time to remember things I am thankful for. Because after all, aren't we always saying we shouldn't be thankful only that one day in November?

I am thankful for...
1. A productive and relaxing weekend. I did four loads of laundry, shopped for some new workout gear and cleaned the kitchen. I also watched Who Do You Think You Are on Demand, the final men's and women's matches of the Sony Ericsson Open and took a nap.
2. The promising weather. We have a forecast this week that includes 60 degrees!
3. Easter right around the corner. Easter is one of my favorite holidays. And this year, I think the program at church will be especially fantastic. The music director is retiring after many years of faithful service. This is his last hurrah and I know the music will be spectacular.
4. A fun surprise in the mail. The youth pastor at my church, whom I work with every week as we wrangle the youth group, sent Neal & me a night out (just to say thanks!): a gift certificate for dinner, a gift certificate to the movies AND coupons for local businesses. Such an unexpected and lovely surprise!
5. Time with friends. This weekend Neal & I get to hang out with a very special couple. We always have fun with them and can't wait to celebrate their wedding in July!
6. The L man. Most mornings and afternoons I ride the L and the same conductor is driving. His name is Rodney, I think, and he says awesome things like, "May the force be with you", "I'm a little crazy sometimes, but I'm still a nice guy" and "Good luck in school, Loyola". He also waves and smiles to everyone as he's pulling into the station. How can you not like that?
7. I can walk to work (soon). Since it's finally getting warmer, I can start walking to work. I am really looking forward to it. 
8. It's not November! I am so excited it's Spring.

This list just made me really happy. What are you thankful for this April? I bet if you make a list, it'll make you smile!