Tube-ular ;)

The last show I was hooked to was the "Glenn Beck Program" (well actually...pretty much Fox News in general). I had it on everyday. Practically all day. Which you can imagine what it did to me. I became a tea party lover, anti-Soros supporter, eager to learn history, concerned about my country, the world and the future for my family. But don't worry, I've calmed the Fox News and Beck obsession dramatically. I just watch here and there now! :)

Anyhow before that, I don't think I've been really hooked to any television series since I was a teen. I was obsessed with 'Felicity'. I could not miss an episode. I had to make sure to set it up to record on the VHS, hehe! I was smitten for Scott Foley. I loved the show mostly because, I was a hopeless romantic.

The last few years, besides watching stuff on HGTV and other random shows of interests and whatever my hubby was watching. I didn't care that I didn't have a show to be hooked on. I tried to watch a couple popular shows I heard were good, but found most of them distasteful or not my cup of tea. So, I was fine with watching, "Are you being served?" and "Seinfeld" reruns. I love those.

But this past fall, I decided to DVR some new shows that looked fun and just give'm a go. So my hubby and I have been watching, "New Girl", "Up All Night" and "Whitney". We really like them so far. There's a couple thangs here n' there, that are not favorable. But all-in-all, they're not too distasteful that I feel evil for watching (haha!). It's been kinda fun to have something that my husband and I get to look forward to enjoy and laugh at together. {While cuddled up on the couch holding hands..}

The other show I'm truly hooked to is, "Parenthood". It's not "trying too hard," if ya know what I mean. There's interesting plots throughout it. And the way they film and direct it, I find tasteful. It makes me laugh outloud. It makes me bawl. I even posted about it on Facebook confessing that "now it's my mom's turn to spy and laugh at me if I'm crying at any given moment about anything. It's the automatic default once becoming a mom. And deeply embracing life's moments." I'm fine with turning into my mom, in other areas that I swore I wouldn't. Because those things she did that I laughed at, are normal, when your a woman and a mom. :)

I also like, "Ringer" with good ol' Sarah Michelle Gellar. It's just a fun soap-opera like plot, but it's just fun and can't help but be hooked it.

Now that I have shows that I enjoy. I can't let them prioritize over things I should be doing. Believe me there's always times when I'm reeeally sick of the tube being on and just want it off for a long while and enjoy music or silence. And indeed when sports takes over...haha! (my man deserves to watch his sports of course, I just hate when it takes up so much time and then I get needy and want quality time together. I'm a typical needy wifey, I know.) But I know I'm married to a man...and to his love for sports. They go hand-in-hand. And I accepted that, haha!

Back to my point, I never want to get too sucked into the tube and let it consume too much of my time. Especially the time I should be reading my scriptures. But I don't feel guilty finally having some shows that help me unwind, give me some good laughter in at the end of the day. Hopefully the shows will remain good. Otherwise, I will turn off the tube. And wait another decade and try again. Haha.

Forget the turkey mom, I want pumpkin pie!

She was dancing like a cute lil' 'Peanuts' character, it was so cute!

e had a nice quiet Thanksgiving as a family at home. Taylor helped me do a small turkey breast and I found a yummy marinade recipe for it, and it turned out so moist and delish! I admit I cheated and used instant organic mashed potatoes and stuffing, which they both tasted amazing! But I made my own sweet yams, deviled eggs and Paula Deen's Pumpkin Pie recipe and used Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee pie dough (Taylor loved the pie!) We ate in the early afternoon and Keira only ate a roll and some pumpkin pie, then she went out for a nap. So it was just Taylor and I enjoying our feast. I thought for sure she'd go crazy over the yams. Oh well, she's in a picky faze though. Taylor had his football game on...of course! And after Keira's nap we played some of our own toss football outside and I gave her a piggy back ride. She looooves piggy back rides! It was a perfect cool and cloudy day! :) Then I made Keira a turkey feather hat. She made the cutest lil' turkey eVer!

I decided the last week before Thanksgiving I'd post some things I'm grateful for on Facebook. Here's what I posted:

"I'm grateful for the amazing things I learned at church today. I love feeling the spirit."

"I'm grateful for my daughter. Her smile, laughter, silly personality and when she gives me running hugs. It's the greatest gift and bliss ever."

"I'm so grateful for my amazing husband. He's one of the hardest workers I've ever known. Always proving me that you can do anything you put your heart & mind into. And his crazy innate ability to truly have me figured out and knows how to always make me laugh, especially when I need to. There's not one day I don't feel lucky to be his wife. ♥ "

"I'm grateful for the many appliances that make life easier. I forever praise the women that did e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g before they existed. I'm reminded especially when one breaks...I'll never take them for granted! :D "

"So thankful for the Lord and all He's given me. Happy thanksgiving!"

We got our Christmas tree and house lights done over the weekend. And I pretty much got all my gift shopping done, even before black friday! Hah! :D

Keira & The Sugar Lollies!

Keira gettin' ready to do a rock star jump off the ledge...not really of course, but someday! ;)

~Don't even think of taking her lollipop!

eira LOVED being a Rock Star for Halloween. Like I said before, she just loves saying,"I Rock!" at random moments. Just a few days ago she yelled it out loud in the grocery store, it was so cute and funny! She gets so excited to put her costume on! And she still has a boot fetish, she loooves her boots!

Rock Star is ready to pass out even before even trick-or-treating! not for long...

Rock Star is alive & kickin' after her sugar rush now! she loves lollies & chocolate!

I'm so thrilled with how her costume came out, it's exactly how I imagined it. For months I searched for the pieces I imagined for it. So I found the darling skirt and tights on Etsy, the skirt was exactly what I wanted, gray/black houndstooth with chains! They're both slightly big on her, but at least she'll now just get to wear it longer! :) Which makes it more worth the money too! You always think making your own costume will be cheaper...but nope, not for me this time...hahaha! I had fun designing her shirt myself! I hand-cut and embroidered the guitar, used an iron-on star and hearts for the tuners, and I used fabric silver glue and free-handed the words. And I made the bracelets.

I've been obsessed with sugar skull/day of the dead makeup. So I had to try doing my own! When Keira saw me she said,"Tiger! Rawr!" Hahaha! it was so funny! (I want to try doing some more versions...a scary one especially). And ya'll know I gotta have my fake lashes! I love these ones with rhinestones on each end! And I busted out my gothic wig again, it just went with the look so well ;)

Mr. Kitty perched right next to my pumpkins just as I clicked the picture of them ~ Purrr-fect timing! Haha! I carved a Jack Skellington design in the big pumpkin, and then did a cute lil' pumpkin face on Keira's pumpkin.

It took awhile for Keira to finally say, "Trick or Treat," while gettin' candy, and when she did, she yelled it loud and drawn out and made us and the neighbors all laugh! And then after that she would only say it cute and quietly!...haha! such a funny girl. I love her to pieces! Anyhow, hope your Halloween was spooktacular!

There's no such thing as fall in Arizona, in case ya didn't know.

ast weekend Taylor and I went to the Evanescence concert, they have a new album out and I'm soo digging it. I begged Taylor to let me go as my early Christmas gift, plus we hadn't been on date in eons...and we love going to rock concerts and it'd been forever since we went to one. So he gave in! :) The opening bands playing were The Rival Sons, and the dude can sing! Definitely a nice & fun 70's rock feel...

And the other band was, The Pretty Reckless...Be ready to blown away by a natural born rock goddess...I couldn't wait to hear her live and indeed, she was AWESOME! Nice band choices Amy picked to tour with her!

Taylor Momsen's bluesy rock voice is sultry, sincere and enrapturing. She was in the TV series "Gossip Girls," (which I never watched) and now she's doing what she's always wanted to do, which is to sing. As we all know not many actors/actresses can pull off the singing thang...but Holy Mother of Rock-N-Roll...SHE CAN! She's only eighteen, which makes her talent even more incredible. So eat your hearts out Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale, and all the rest of the annoying wanna-be gal actor/singers...haha! I can't wait to see her music evolve and hopefully keep real rock alive and burning. I wouldn't, of course, ever want my daughter, if she were older, to idolize her clothing style and raw melancholy lyrics, but I just can't resist rocking & working out to her! (And my husband too!)

"What you Want" ~the new single from Evanescence~

Amy Lee looked so thrilled to be back on stage and she sounded fantastic. I loved when she sang with just the piano. And her new band players sounded so good. I can't wait to listen to the new album! I didn't try to bring my camera into the concert, but I should've...Grrrrrrr! It was such an awesome concert.

Anyhow we also got to finally take Keira to a Pumpkin Patch for the first time. We went in the late afternoon and it was still in the high 90's!!!...how lame and unharvesty is that?! But Keira still had fun, she liked playing in the "Three Little Pig" houses they had. she was so cute dancing in them. And then we went through the small corn maze, which was actually fun and tricky (it'd definitely be fun at night). Keira didn't have any interest in the animals. And we saved the pumpkin patch for last, we had only been there an hour, and we were all hot and tired ,and Keira was very pink and awnry, hahaha...I knew I should've taken Keira's pictures by the pumpkins first...but luckily I gave her some food and she then was happy again and played around the pumpkins, so I managed to get a few pictures...none of which she looked at the camera, of course...

I was SOOO exhausted all day from staying up late after the concert, but I just had to take Keira to the pumpkin patch this year. I just get super pumped after concerts...but sheesh, I can tell I'm getting old...oh well, I'll always be a concert junkie.

Alas, my cute new fall weather boots and sweaters still sit stagnant in my closet....until this wretched hot weather goes away...~Sigh~

She Totally Rocks...

lright...how sad is it that the entire month of August I was having fun brainstorming costume ideas for my lil' cutie pie, instead of swimming or doing something fun & summery? Seriously, I hate that I can't love summer ALL because it's too hot where I live! I tried to make the most of it with my girl, but ugh, summer here is just too darn hot! Instead, I was just giddily counting down when I could get ready to bust out fall decor. I think I could deal with this brutal nasty heat better if it'd at least cool down at night. I won't ever get used to the hot weather, staying well into sometimes even October...it really just seems like a crime in nature, even though it's the norm here. Anyhow, enough digressing! While having fun debating what to dress up my girl as for Halloween. I had decided on one, when suddenly I had to change it. Keira just loves watching the cartoon "Bubble Guppies," especially the episode about rock music! After watching her dance to it all summer and shouting daily, "I rock" into her pretend microphone, I realized...Hell-ooo! She has to be a ROCK STAR for Halloween!

Keira Totally RoCkS!!!

Isn't she adorable!!!!

(I had to upload the last video on youtube, since blogger wouldn't for some reason)