Okay, so it’s actually Pink Lemonade flavored Emergen-C. But I’ve got a mean recipe for lemonade that’ll make you slap your grandma.

Uhh.

I didn’t know I knew that phrase until I typed it. And then I looked it up to make sure that was the appropriate use. Never second guess a country mind.

• Can’t wait to take part in Offering Hospitality’s Recipe Swap next week! The theme this time: POTLUCKS! And trust me, this girl (the one that wanted a potluck wedding reception…oh hush up.) has got plenty to share.
• Zen Habits: a brief guide to life
• I know all the lyrics to “California Love,” but that’s pretty much unrelated to this link (except for the whole Tupac thing). Unrelated and not nearly as fabulous.
• OMSH’s schoolroom makes me want my four bonnet-wearing children RIGHT NOW so that I can start with all this homeschooling. And I’m pretty much kidding about the bonnets. Pretty much.
• We’re finally watching the LOST epilogue tonight! That means I can read JOpinionated’s analysis of it right after! And I’m linking it before I’ve read it because I already know it will be great.
• And to bring the subject back around to my wedding again — The Beauty of a Mason Jar. I really wanted to incorporate these into the decor at the reception, and we did, but things didn’t get quite as rustic as I wanted them. Oh well. Too late to start complaining.

• I got married and got a longer name. It never even occurred to me, mostly because my new name has the letter “L” in it and a lowercase “L” is pretty skinny. But what was already a long name is now one letter longer. I’ve got a post to write about this name writing business.
• This review covers my EXACT feelings on Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love. In short — I don’t think it’s a masterpiece, it didn’t change my life, I don’t believe full devotion to God and devotion to carnal pleasure can occur at the same time, and YES, if you hole up in an apartment having sex for a month you will get a UTI. Ahem. Interesting, but I don’t find Ms. Gilbert’s work to be authentic. If you paid me to go on a trip and “find myself and God”, consume all the carbs I want, and practice yoga all day (I am a practitioner) I’m sure I could wax epiphanic as well.
• Today Ronnica is asking a question over at The Ignorant Historian: What’s your favorite school supply to shop for?
• Waiting Without Worrying
• The reports mentioned here do not make me feel good about the well-being of children in Oklahoma
• Walgreen’s “Friends and Family” coupon!
• “The remarkable offspring of Jasper and Alice” — Mama, make it go away!
• Things You Might Be Mistaken For In This Hoodie
• Huxley was right: “Amusing Ourselves to Death“
• Hand it over and everyone will be safe. (I may have a problem.)

It’s a strong cup of French roast this morning. I have never tasted a light roast that I enjoy. Very few mediums. Any coffee drinkers out there have suggestions for me?

• We have a dehumidifier now! It’s as close as I’ll ever get to living in Arizona and I’ll take it. Feels great.
• I wish I was this good with a welder. Or, you know, that I knew how to use one PERIOD.
• On second though, it’s probably best that I stay away from the metal arts. Did you see that she mentioned setting the pasture on fire?
• Does blogging make you feel small? Don’t let it.
• How to Make a Gift Bag from Sofia’s World. I think even I could do this. And I’d rather make a gift bag than wrap a gift any day.
• I find this story terrifying. It’s about breastfeeding and one of the “on the job” hazards. Which means my brothers and my husband need to avoid this link altogether.
• Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. – Mother Teresa
• I really can’t begin to explain my love for dips, sauces, condiments, etc. So I’m just going to leave you with this link to a bazillion yummy “Cold Dips for Warm Evenings.”

Now I’m going to go scrub baseboards or something and live in complete denial that I go back to work the day after tomorrow.

I have no idea how many ounces this thing is, but it’s too much, too late at night.

Pretty sure the rules of blogging say that 10:38 on a Tuesday night is the worst time to publish a post, but I’m doing this for the people. Not for whoever makes up those rules.

• How much do you spend on groceries each week? One Week of Food could put that into perspective for you.
• Very interesting essay on the manipulation and reuse of images in culture.
• The Calorie Police (Do you think the ACLU would defend my right to consume calories in whatever form I please? Just asking.) There’s a double standard here, folks.
• Micah’s post discussing “slow parenting” was eye-opening for me. It’s exactly what I hope to do someday. My parents raised us that way, to a certain extent. While it was not always on purpose (I know that much), I do appreciate that we were allowed to pursue our interests within reason and that we weren’t on the road every night of the week.
• Mango Slaw with Cashews & Mint (This is a recipe for you, Heather)
• Chagrin chagrin chagrin. Chagrin? Chagrin. CHAGRIN. Chagrin. (thanks, Rammi )
• I’m linking this post because Misti is talking about guys named Make Time and Cob.
• “Because I think the world knows just how much NBC, home of Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, among others, has been in the tank for George W. Bush for lo these many years. Their relentless cheerleading for the former president, his domestic initiatives and his foreign policy has made them a laughing-stock among serious news organizations and a network no serious-minded person would admit watching.” – The Friar

Oh, and Clare got a haircut!

Back home with my coffee. But I haven’t been to the grocery store yet so we don’t have any cream *pout*

• Have you seen Juvenile Justice starring Annabel?
• Honestly, I’m not sure that I think it’s too far out of line to threaten to kill someone with an ax for playing the vuvuzela. Just sayin’. I mean, I could see myself doing that. Threatening that, not actually going through with it. So far in my life, empty threats have been enough.
• How To Tell When Meat Is Done (Brilliant!)
• Brownies! Bars! …Battlestar Galactica!
• Number 11. Read #11 and try not to cry. (And then read The Bwue Neckwace for a good giggle)
• A Royal Seal of Approval (h/t @jennifrwhite)
• Need a Peace Retreat? from True Woman
• Stories like this make me realize why I never would have made it in the armed forces. I would have fallen in love with my commander (à la the video to “The Heart Won’t Lie” by Reba McEntire & Vince Gill, see below) and then he would have made me cry.

• Edward Mariohands

Rose tagged me to answer a few questions so I thought I would include them here.

1. If you had to wear one color every day for the rest of your life, which would you choose and why? Green. It’s visually pleasing and I own a lot of it, so I wouldn’t have to do too much shopping.
2. What’s your favorite not-for-profit? Autism Speaks
3. You’re at the Farmer’s Market. Which veggies are you most excited about? Squash, tomatoes, and potatoes.
4. Share the city you most want to visit and why. I don’t like cities. I would prefer to visit the highlands of Scotland.
5. I’m a HUGE cheater! Read this entry of mine. What are some of the things you’d take with you if you moved across the world? Hmm…shall we have a list?
   • MacBook – There’s no way I’m leaving this behind.
   • Roku Player – We don’t watch a lot of TV that we keep up with on a regular basis, so having the Roku has been nice for watching what we want, when we want to. I get my BBC serial comedy and period drama fix this way!
   • Blanket – Enough said.
   • My parallel Bible
   • Pillow mist - I use a few different scents depending on how the day went and they really help me fall asleep. It would be nice if I could have the same scent to go to sleep with half a world away.
   • Calphalon cookware – It’s too good to give up.
   • My library – You know I can’t part with my books.

• Aww, shucks, Matt. I don’t think anyone has ever said anything so nice about my husband and I.
• THIS. Exactly. “The best part about Facebook scam pages is that it helps announce to you which of your Facebook friends are dumb.“
• Say “I Do” to the name change
• The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15 — read it!
• Burger King Crafts: Twilight Edition
• Colleen’s brief thoughts on the LOST finale
• Man, a baby hippopotamus looks like a great pet.
• The Traveling Red Dress, from The Bloggess
• 45 Things To Do With Fresh Sage – If you’re in the situation I was in a few years ago (planting one tiny plant of sage and having it stay forever and ever and multiply everywhere) then this will be really helpful.

On this, the last day of LOST, I thought I’d share a few show-related links with you. Tune in later today for my list of the “10 Questions I Would Like to See Answered Tonight” and tomorrow for a “How I Got LOST” post about how I got into the show, why it meant so much, and how I feel the finale wrapped up the series.

This is it, folks.

• As a child of the ’80s and a fan of both Perfect Strangers and LOST, I have to say that this is fabulous. Go watch it now.
• This one isn’t so bad either.
  
• LOST 365 Project: A new piece of LOST art everyday.
• Jorge Garcia’s last day on the set
• A LOST playlist
• “LOST devotees need a little faith”
• “The key to understanding LOST? Religion and spirituality” (Some good stuff here, but don’t listen to any of the talk about Chris Seay’s “in-depth” book on the series, The Gospel According to LOST. It’s garbage.)
• The cast says goodbye

And in case all of this “farewell to LOST” stuff is getting you down…

• 11 Reasons to be Cheerful
• Letting Go of Attachment, from A to Zen (I don’t completely agree with this, as I think there are things that are good to be a little attached to)
• Some LOST “Cake Wrecks” (and not-so-wreckish ones as well)
• Cake versus Pie: A Scientific Approach (for the record, I have been pro-Pie my entire life)

Last night I went to my first baseball game. Ever. In my life. I didn’t really watch any baseball. What I did do was eat popcorn, nachos, and 3 hotdogs. Mission accomplished. (We had all-you-can-eat tickets.)

You know what else was accomplished? Tummy ache. UGH.

• This past week (April 24-May 1) was National Infertility Awareness Week. Over at the r house there were a number of guests post and in my opinion, the best of the week was “The Trick to Surviving Infertility.” This issue touches the lives of so many people I know. I wanted to put these links out there, especially for those of you who may feel that you are suffering alone. You are not.
• The Friar took the creator of “Boobquake” to task this week. For that, I’d like to offer my thanks. (Also, tune in next Wednesday to hear Jolene and I share our own opinions on the event.)
• There is so much going on in Oklahoma City right now!
• Also, note to people who are not from around here: NO ONE calls it “oak (or oke) city.” No one. And I may personally lobotomize the next person I hear say it.
• This may be the creepiest thing I have seen on Regretsy. And the request comes from Nunavut. I’m now a little concerned that Nunavut may be the Scandinavia of Canada. It’s about the same level on the creep-o-meter for me.
• The Trustworthiness of Beards – This would have been helpful to me as a child.
• Ziplist, where have you been all my life?
• Aura recaps her day at the Dustbowl Arts Market.
• I’ll be implementing The Blue Jar very soon. What a great idea!

You guys know I can get crazy with the water consumption.

I just finished jogging and I still need to get a few more steps in today. We (Kevin and me) are in a competition at our work place against other teams around the community to see who can log the most steps over a 6 week period. So far, we’re doing really good. But it’s 10:46 and I’m tired and I don’t know if those additional steps are happening.

• Why I’ll never think of Nicholas Sparks the same way again. It’s bad, guys. Real bad.
• Amy has made a pretty serious confession about tomatoes. I’m right there with her.
• Pasta Machine Giveaway at The Happy Housewife!
• A good argument for having boys. Not that any of us have a choice in the matter.
• Double Wide Mom’s touching tribute to Dixie Carter. What girl/woman raised in the South didn’t look up to this lady?
• Tasty Kitchen has some yummy sounding leftover recipes they are highlighting this week. I hope I can find something that my husband might enjoy (he’s not a leftover eater).
• 9 Great Ways to be Exceptionally Boring – I feel like I am fulfilling most of those requirements. Okay, folks. I need some more detailed advice on how to be interesting.
• How Much Does Adoption Cost? – Looks at just about every different kind of adoption.
• Sadly, there was a point in my life where I might have purchased a Barry Manilow body pillow.

Edited to add:

• BooMama! I want to learn the dance, too! I skipped out on the Hanson fangirlishness the first time around (by choice; I was exactly the right age), but ever since college I have LOVED them. They are sure enough talented musicians.

Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’

HANSON | MySpace Music Videos

Are Vitamin D withdrawals possible? Because I may be suffering. (Doubt it’s a deficiency. Nothing that serious.) I love the rain and the snow and all of our crazy weather that places a barrier between me and that great big blazing ball in the sky, but I’m really hurtin’ for the sunshine right now.

Dear hubby and I are both still on the mend. Myself more than him as his lungs sound clear now and as of 12:24 AM he can almost sing falsetto again. The Falsetto Test is his way of knowing how sick he is. If he can’t sing “The Way You Make Me Feel”, he’s ill.

• Some Irish recipes for you over at Tasty Kitchen
• “Academy Award Winning Movie” Trailer. Love it.
• The Daily Caller is counting down the 100 most conservative-friendly counties in America. Interesting stuff.
• People sleeping in libraries
• Operation Beautiful: transforming the way you see yourself one Post-It note at a time
• We’re Americans.
• 11 Simple Ways to Avoid Burnout
• What does your favorite Sonic drink say about you?
• Yo, lady. Your kid is naked and VOMITING. Okay, so I was going to link this awesomely bad Etsy item that was featured on Regretsy, but it’s been removed because people were sending the seller nasty emails. Nasty emails are never nice, but the lady was modeling her dress in a photo while her kid was standing next to her, outside, NAKED, and VOMITING. It could be a lot worse than emails. I saw a Lifetime movie about a woman who was prosecuted for taking (innocent) halfway naked pictures of her kids and trying to get them developed at a Wal-Mart (not recommended). She wasn’t posting them on the INTERNET. Where the SCARIES live. Yipes.
• BookSeer.com — what I have been waiting for since 1997 (you know, when I first used the Internet). (H/T Reading the Greats)