Showing posts with label three things thursday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label three things thursday. Show all posts

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Three Things Thursday- A Halloween Confession!

Truth? I strongly dislike Halloween. Or I mean, I strongly dislike certain parts of Halloween. I loathe dressing up, or when people try to make me dress up. NO THANKS. I think the only time I've ever dressed up past the age of 13 was once. In college. The only reason my roommates convinced me was because I was well into my bottle of Riesling. And by "well into" I mean I had taken it to the face (sorry mom)! Ughhhhh. And don't even get me started on how Halloween is just an excuse for girls to dress like a total Skank-o-saurus Rex.

Maybe I don't have the fondest feelings toward Halloween because people have never really bought what I was selling in the ole' costume department. When I was in 3rd or 4th grade I dressed up as....A CARROT. I remember my mom making the costume out of orange and green felt. ORANGE FELT FOR DAYS!! I was basically an orange triangle with a green stem. And I was proud. Mama Nixonsleeve was proud. But much to our dismay, no one seemed to get it. I remember knocking on one lady's door and she said, "Awww, what are you supposed to be? A deformed pumpkin?" Ummm excuse me madame, I most certainly am NOT a deformed pumpkin. I happen to be one of the most delicious and crisp root vegetables in all the land, athankyou.

Fast forward to 8th grade when a friend and I dressed up as cats. I will admit, it was a sub par effort on our part. We wore all black, threw on some ears, painted on a pink nose, whiskers and called it a night. BUT at least we were dressed up! My friend Katie and I went trick-or-treating in her neighborhood (some houses gave out FULL SIZE candy bars. Score!), and everything was going swimmingly until we hit one of the last houses. We knocked, a woman opened the door, "Trick or Treat!!", we said. She smiled, looked at us and said, "Aren't you alittle OLD to be trick-or-treating?" We were crushed. Yet flattered. I remember  simultaneously thinking, "I'm only in eighth grade!! But I need to hang out with this lady more often because she obvi knows I'm going places." We told her how old we were and she says, "Well looks like this will be your last year then, huh?!" WOAH, OK PUSHY McPUSHERSON. WE GET IT. We are past our prime. Our trick-or-treating biological clock has expired. JUST HAND OVER THE FULL SIZE REECE'S CUPS AND NO ONE GETS HURT.

(Wow. Sounds like someone is riding the Bitter Bus that they are preggers this Halloween season..............) But seriously. Let's take a look at some of my options:


Anything that suggests wearing white pumps= no.


I'm pretty sure this would make me the least appealing Geisha on the block. Although the socks are a plus.

Oh please. I would never insult Lady Liberty like that!

She's trying to cover feeling like a loser with a big smile. I applaud her.  (P.S. That bun looks super questionable)

I'm also annoyed by the people who try to rep Halloween like it's a real holiday. I mean it is in that it's nationally recognized...but it's not. Because when you're competing with holidays like Christmas (the Supreme Holiday in my opinion) and Easter, trying to justify the day people dress like fools and tools is just sort of redic. I sound so negative BUT ALAS, here are three things I LIKE about All Hallows Eve...

1. Kids dressed up.







Ummm...amazing. Next question.
 2. Halloween decorations.

Pottery Barn could possibly turn around this whole, "Halloween is for the birds" thing I have going on. They have the best, most sophisticated, Halloween decorations around.

 






3. Candy!!!


This is pretty much an open and shut case. Everyone whose anyone likes candy.

I hope I don't sound too blah about Halloween. Truth be told it's probably because the thought of getting up every time a little one knocks on my door is just too much for my old pregnant bones to handle. (Joel you have door duty. Kisses!) However there are some Pros. And despite the strong emotions Halloween conjures up in me, I do hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!!

If you need me you can find me at home. I'll be going as the-uncomfortable-pregnant-woman-who-refuses-to-change-out-of-her-bathrobe-even-though-it's-4 o'clock-in-the-afternoon. Cheers!

Have fun & be safe! :)

-Charlie

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Three Things Thursday- The Jose Edition!

Time for some Three Things Thursday!

1.   Sorry I haven't posted recently! We have been in full Mock 10 Status (I don't know what that means but it sure makes everything sound serious) with the baby preparations. I feel like every free moment I've had has been spent laying on my bed watching marathons of Teen Mom at a doctor's appointment, baby prep class, or hospital tour. (By the by, we keep getting these total Milktoast McGees in our baby prep events. I will tell you about them all at another time.) We also pretty much finished the nursery this weekend, and I'm so excited to get someone with a legit camera to take pictures of it! Joel and I feel proud of the results. It's still missing a few essential pieces like, ohhhh I dunno....the crib mattress but everything else is in order. I can't decide if I want to put up pics before or after the baby comes. It would be a really nice effect to have a baby physically in the room for pictures. Am I only thinking of how I can use my baby as a PROP for the nursery photoshoot, and not how it will bring joy to this dark dark world? Yes. I am already a bad mom.
A lot of THIS happening in the NixonSleeve house
2. In other news, I met the smartest man in the world a very nice gentlemen yesterday. In window #1 of the Wendy's drive-thru. His name was Jose, and I think I love him. (Sorry Joe-L.) As he was reaching for my money he said, "Should I congratulate you yet?" and I was like, "For what? Downing a largo #10 with Diet Coke?" And he says, "No, for the baby! Is it a boy or a girl?!" Now secretly I was thrown off because I didn't think he could even see into my car that well. But who am I kidding, the belly can probs be seen from the space shuttle at this point. (Sidebar: I now weep thinking of all the times I've worn my bathrobe through the drive-thru because I was too lazy to change for my late night fast food run. And I thought, ohhhh they don't notice, they are too busy asking me what kind of sauce I want. Right? Wrong. They saw me. And they judged me.)
Employer of Champions. Judger of bathrobes?
So anyway, I told him the gender. (Sorry to all my friends who we haven't told, but if I say, "It's a secret!" to strangers they look at me like I'm a loser. And I'm OK with that because it WOULD sort of make me a loser.) And he says, "Well congratulations! You're baby is going to be magnificent!!" Oh Jose. You slyyyyyy dog. I loved this on so many levels. One- I could tell he didn't use the word magnificent for just anyone. He said it with such GUSTO...I was so happy to be The Chosen One. Two- Magnificent is an extremely under used adjective. Jose and I are going to bring it back...right after our candlelight dinner. Three- He is right. My babe IS going to be magnificent. Truthfully the whole interaction was super precious and I just wanted to rip his little head set off and plant a wet one right on him! Wendy is looking down on you Jose, and she is proud.

3. This is a two part process....

One- WATCH THIS it's called The Hair Petting Game and it's the most hilarious/disturbing thing ever. It's not gross or bad disturbing, just weird and awesome disturbing. I found out about this YouTube video a few years ago, but randomly thought of it yesterday. I watched it again, and it does not disappoint. Get out there and pet some hair!!

Two- Tell me if I'm loco for wanting these...
Juicy Couture- $100
They just look so warm and inviting and water resistant!!! I feel as though $100 is a good price, but I could be wrong. I need your help ATOTS readers!!

Tonight is the second half of our baby prep class. If all goes well we will score a seat next to the Russian Mail Order bride and her albino husband. That always makes for a good time.

xo,

Charlie

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Three Things Thursday

Hello! Even though my ankles and feet resemble those of Frodo Baggins, I am in good spirits because it is so beautiful outside! I walked to Starbucks this morning, and dare I say I was chilly in the shade? SO EXCITING. Plus tomorrow is Friday (TAIF!), AND my birthday so that brings joy to my heart as well. :)

Time for Three Things Thursday:

1. So the brownsugar crockpot chicken I made yesterday was....GOOD. Not amazing but good enough, you know? OK. Full disclosure? I have a thing against chicken. I never think it's cooked! Ask Lulu, ask Joel, ask a hobo on the street...I always ask the person I'm eating with (yes, I eat with hobos. Don't judge), "Does this look done to you?!" So I'm probs biased when it comes to reporting on chicken recipes. However I know the general population doesn't have this neurosis quirk, so I'll go off of Joel's opinion of the dish.

And he said it was really good! He had two helpings! I served it over brown rice and I think it got the job done. If I made it again, I'd probably make it into a stir-fry. I'd do the chicken in the crockpot like normal and then toss it in a skillet with some veggies. It definitely has an oriental taste to it (the soy sauce laid the smack down on the Sprite, I guess). In the end, I would make it again! Make it and tell me what you think.

I also made something else yesterday. Just for funskis! Oreo Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes. I found the recipe linked on a blog (I forget which one, sorry!) but it's from My Sweet Life. And go-go gadget deliciousness...these are GREAT!
No I cant take credit for these pictures. Even though I really want to.
The recipe is so simple! Really! I mean I of course messed it up by accidentally baking them at 250 instead of 275, but that didn't do much. They were a little softer then the picture makes them look, but still cooked. Plus you put them in the fridge overnight so that hardens them. I made two muffin tins worth, and had Joel bring them in for his fellow teachers (he teaches sixth grade at an all boys school)! Hopefully they were a hit. :) MAKE THEM. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!! (Images via My Sweet Life)

2. I was over at Piperlime the other day catching up on all the non-maternity trends that will be happening this season, and I must say I am excited about most of them! Below is their list of trends, and the ones I really love. For the sake of brevity (this post is going to be so long!) I won't comment. I'll let the pics speak for themselves.
All images via Piperlime


3. Last but not least, Meg over at My Two Cents (...Before I Spent It) (Cute name! Cute blog! And she has great hair!) gave us a Blogger Award! Hurrah!

Woop woop.
We are pumped! Thanks for thinking of us Meg :) Part of the deal is we are supposed to write 7 things about ourselves, and pass along the award to someone else. However, I am going to save my 7 rando facts about me/us for tomorrow's post. Thank you thank you!

Remember to enter our giveaway! It ends tomorrow at 5 pm. Are you feelin' lucky!? Just enter. All the cool kids are doing it!!!!!

Holla Fo A Dolla,

Charlie

Thursday, September 2, 2010

3 Things Thursday (excuse the bad language please)

1. Today is mom's birthday!! She is the BEST. We'd celebrate today but she's headed down to NC with my dad to visit Brother Nixonsleeve and fam for the Labor Day weekend.

Mama Nixonsleeve and Lulu


2. Try not to laugh, my twitter account was hacked yesterday. What, you don't believe me? Ladies and gentleman allow me to present Exhibit A:
These are screen shots of Charlie's phone...
And this



Ummmmm...HOLY SMOKES can you even BELIEVE the crazy stuff my twitter account was sending out!?!? Yep, that's me @ONeillLaura sending out insanity to the universe and they are only funny when you READ them out loud as you cry laughing. I got an email from someone telling me I was sending out weird, scary, SEXUAL links!!! And Charlie reports she got 80 texts from my twitter account. Be careful about allowing access to your twitter from random apps. Meanwhile, problem is now fixed.

3. What were you like in high school? I just found an old pic of me
I miss the old times.

xoxo
Lulu

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Three Things Thursday

Hello all! Yesterday's doc appointments went well. They took forever, (the glucose test and the RhoGAM shot), but I lived to tell the tale. Unfortunately, we had people over for dindin last night and since the appointments took so long I ran out of time to make anything. BOO!  So I ended up buying a frozen lasagna which was good, but there's nothing like making a meal for your guests. Word? Wahhh anyway, all is well that ends well because I think everyone had a good time!

Now on to Three Things Thursday.

1. I really really want a dot.mine planner. These planners are seriously THE BEST. There are three types: Life_time.mine, Family_time.mine, or just Time.mine. I had a time.mine planner in college and I have never been more mentally organized. The planners are so colorful and lovely and they have week/month views. AND they are inexpensive! (Who doesn't love a good deal!) With a babe on the way, I've decided I need to [wo]man up and get the family planner.
This is the one I want!


Look at some of the cute designs!


2. I think we've finally come up with The Name.

After much debate we may have finally settled upon the baby's name. Hurrah!!! Rejoice! It's not totally set in stone yet (and I guess won't be until the baby's birthday?), but we love it. I'm pretty sure Lulu was the one who threw out the name to start, and I kinda forgot about it until Joel the other day was like, "Hey remember when Lulu suggested [redacted name]?! I LIKE IT." and I was like, "Oh em goshhhh, Joel, I LOVE IT!" So that pretty much means it's been decided. It does lower my blood pressure considerably just knowing there a name we both really agree on. But you'll have to wait two and half more months (not that long ahhhh!) to find out ;)

3. This is what I did when I got home from work:

Before


After

And now I have the will to live again. THANK GOODNESS FOR ORGANIZATION!

OK tomorrow is Friday, I've just eaten a corndog, and Real Housewives of DC is on in 20 minutes. Things are lookin' good my friends! Enjoy the evening!!

-Charlie