Calligans

Tuesday afternoon Wes and I found out that Dawn (his sister) was going to be playing in Mobile at an Irish bar called Calligans. Well, you all know us and know that we will take a road trip anytime. So, after work we headed to the birth place of Mardi Gras.

It was so much fun!! It was also my first time to see Dawn LIVE! She was amazing, and it was great to catch up with some of the people we met at her wedding. For those of you who don't know, Dawn is kinda famous. She has several albums out, tours the world, and has songs on a few commercials. The most popular one in the U.S. being the Chrysler Town and Country mini van. It is the one were the family is running on the beach.

For more information on Dawn visit http://www.myspace.com/dawnlandes.

In other thoughts, I am excited about the Super Bowl tomorrow! Who Dat! Also, I can't wait until next weekend because I will be celebrating Mardi Gras for 5 days straight. Woo hoo!

Until next time....

XOOXOXOXXO

And the winner is.....

Taylor Swift...... Taylor Swift...... TAY Lor Swift! I just have to say it, SERIOUSLY! I can't be the only person wondering how this is all happening. I have yet to see a live performance at an awards show or a talk show where Taylor Swift performed well. I can understand one or two times maybe the mics weren't working properly or something, but certainly not every single time she opens her mouth to sing.

Clearly, her albums are being altered in the studio. I will admit, I enjoy hearing Taylor on the radio. I even catch myself singing her songs when doing things around the house, but I am appalled that she is rewarded by the fans and the academy over and over. And may I just say, poor Stevie Nix. Taylor was singing too loud and just being hideous during that performance.

At the VMA's when Kanye stood up and said Beyonce's video was better, I thought he was wrong for doing that. I still do. It was unprofessional. However, I am beginning to to think that maybe Kanye is just the only person brave enough to call it for what it is, not the best by a long shot.

Time will tell if Taylor is one of the greats of our time, or if she's "PUNKED" us all.

I know there are lots of Taylor fans out there. So, let me know what you think. Please help me understand this craze. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time.....

XOXOXOXOXOX

No Phone Zone

You've seen it... the SUV driving really slowly on the interstate, the sports car weaving slightly into your lane and on to the shoulder of the road, trucks flying by with no regard to others. A quick glance into the vehicle and YEP, they are on the cell phone!! We all think we can do it, but honestly, we can't.

"I pledge to make my car a No Phone Zone. Beginning right now, I will do my part to help put an end to distracted driving by not texting or using my phone while I am driving. I will ask other drivers I know to do the same. I pledge to make a difference." Go to http://www.oprah.com/questionaire/ipledge.html?id=4  to make your pledge public.

Oprah, once again, is doing her part to bring awareness to the dangers of texting and talking on the phone while driving. I know that I am guilty of this pleasure, even though I try to make a conscience effort not to spend too much time on the phone while in the car. It only takes a moment for an accident to occur. Please do your part. Statistics are showing that texting and talking while driving are more impairing than drinking and driving.

Until next time....

Nutty Cocoa Banana Muffins...

I made these this afternoon to explore a new recipe. The muffins look wonderful and taste even better. Just in case you want to try them, here is the recipe.

2 bananas mashed

2/3 cup of sugar

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla

6tbsp melted butter

2 cups of all purpose flour

2tsp baking soda

1/4 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Combine bananas, sugar, and eggs. Mix well. Add vanilla and melted butter. Stir. Add flour, baking soda, and buttermilk. Mix with a fork until well blended. Add chocolate chips and nuts. Stir. Line a muffin pan with liners. Fill liners to the top with muffin mix. Bake for 20 minutes or until brown.

Enjoy!

Until next time ......

XOXOXOXO

My top 20 memories of 2009....

20.Moving my kitty cats from inside to outside for good. This necessity broke my heart.

19. Attending my first boat parade.

18. Discovering the recipe for our new favorite dessert, Blueberry Apple Cobbler.

17. After watching Julie vs. Julia, ditching the Country Crock and cooking with "real" butter.
16. Seeing the lights at Bellingrath Gardens.
15. Going to see Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time.

14. Eating oysters. Yes, they were raw the first time. :)

13. One disaster after another at our 99 year old house when we were trying to sell it. Yippie!
12. Learning how to re-plumb a toliet.
11. 10, 000, 000 mosquitoes covering my body and Wes' at Crater Lake.

10. Discovering Mignon Faget.

09. My first Mardi Gras parade, The Bacchus Parade.

08. Being close enough to touch a baby sea lion on a beach on the Oregon Coast.

07. Going to the Grand Ole Opry.

06. Lounging by a pool that I own!!!!

05. Getting a job at a wonderful school with a fantastic, established library program.

04. Meeting the awesome people that work at that school that I now call my FRIENDS!

03. Living 5 miles from the J. Crew outlet and the BEACH!

02. Going to the Jewel concert with my sisters and mom.

and finally.....

01. The grandness and stillness of the Redwood Forrest.

2009 was a great year that blessed Wes and I with many things. I am welcoming 2010 with open arms, and I am hoping that you are doing the same.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dear Santa,

Thank you so much for my gifts. I am, especially, thankful that you brought them a few nights early so that I could look H.O.T. while taking photos of the fam and snacking on some popcorn. I love, love, love all of my gifts. You might want to know in the future that worms are harder to tame, than you might think at first. They are like prisoners just waiting to escape, and they are good at it. ;)

I am looking forward to hearing from you again next year. Keep checking out those fashion magazines. You are doing a great job!

(Back story: Santa brought me wormery this year. I was sooo happy because you all know I am into recycling and such. Now, I can make my own compost. That is if all the worms don't escape.)

Here are a few photos for you to share with Mrs. Claus.

Much love,

Brooke

I'm dreaming of a....

Morehead Christmas.

Oh, what fun it is to open PRESENTS!