Blond Archives - Page 37 of 87

Nerd Herd Thursday – Christmas Wish List Edition

December 18, 2008/1 Comment/in Blond, Gimme, Nerd Herd /by Megan

This was not originally meant as a Nerd Herd post, but then, the day I was planning on posting this very exciting Christmas wish list (which I had been working on for a while), a certain famous blogger that I tend to emulate posted something so similar, it was eerie. Then I realized if I posted my wish list, I would seem like a total d-bag, copycat, idiot, dummyhead.

Due to all of this, my wish list now officially qualifies as nerdy.

I originally put this list together for the husband, who claims I’m way to hard to shop for (Directions: Enter Anthropologie. Pick up any item. Purchase said item. Happy wife. How hard is that?!), and then decided to post it here in case there is a rare chance that any guys reading this need some ideas for their somewhat dorky, bordering on stylish, mid-twenties, former space camp attending girlfriends/wives/sisters/whatever.

And so…dun, dun, daaahhhh! This list.

1. Apartment Therapy Presents – a decor book I truly need if I’m ever to finish my house. Or just one room in it. 2. Flip Video Recorder – I’m always missing the best moments, and with this teeny thing, they could be immortalized forever. Great to torture Lulu when she’s older. 3. Pickle Ornament – For good luck. 4. Unicorn – Magical. 5. Hunter Wellies – In high gloss yellow. I think looking at this list will somehow give you an idea of my favorite color. 6. Jeweled Cady Dress in Pumpkin– ON SALE IN MY SIZE, $100 OFF, BUY ME!!! 7. Arrested Development the Complete Series – Perhaps the best show of all time. Ever. 8. A Jet Pack – Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Totally! 9. A Dutch Oven – I need one. And this one’s orange. 10. Atomic Earrings – Totally my style, and from Etsy, the best website of all time. 11. A Puffy Coat – All of my coats are either work fancy or make me look like I’m going to ski school. I need something in between. 12. Rink Roller Skates – To practice for my inevitable turn as a roller derby champion. 13. Funkalicious T-Shirt – I think this one’s pretty obvious. I’m starting a tradition that every year Trent, Lu and I will get funky t-shirts in our stocking. This one is mine.

OK, now that you know what I want, get out there and shop, people!

Roadtripping

December 17, 2008/1 Comment/in Blond, Fun, Happiness, Tunes, web /by Megan

In a few short days I will be packing up the kid and the dog and the bearded husband to head to my hometown for the holidays. I have been promised by one red bearded man that this is the last year we will travel over Christmas, so I’m making the most of it. If you need to find me, I’d check any of the bars in Manhattan, Kansas between Moro Street and Blumont Street. Yes, Aggieville, where 21-year-olds drink their sorrows away and I can attempt to breakdance with the thrilling possibility that the guy who sat next to me in my freshman earth science class will see me. And probably post pictures on Facebook. Yipee.

If you can’t find me there, try looking at Vista. I’m known to frequent that establishment as well.

I’ve been looking for some new music to take with me on the drive (though, if it was up to me I’d listen to Paramore the entire time…too bad Trent’s not in to girlie emo-rock) and have found some great stuff. First up, my favorite mix tape maker, Bobby of Kitsune Noir. He’s put up quite a few mixes since the last time I downloaded, but my current favorite is one called Sweedish Fish. You can download it here. Bobby always posts the most amazing art pieces, design, architecture, entertainment tidbits (he recommends this amazing movie here, I can’t wait to see it, incredible), and Kitsune Noir is a site you should definitely check out.

Friends, if I get my crap together before the holidays, you may get Sweedish Fish on CD….but I wouldn’t count on it. I’m not to good at getting my crap together these days.

Here are a few of the songs included on the Sweedish Fish mix tape, just a sample to encourage you to go over to Kitsune Noir and download it for yourself.

And as it is the holiday season, once more my good buddy Bob Boilen over at NPR’s All Songs Considered has completed their show’s listing of the Top 100 Albums of 2008. The bands were chosen by the show’s listeners, and going through the top 25 picks I realized I must be their main demographic. Quite a few of the bands have been featured on my previous playlists (Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekend, Coldplay, Kings of Leon, Sigur Ros, Death Cab, TV on the Radio), but I’m very happy to share them with you again. Because they are totally awesome.

One of the songs on this playlist is also my featured song of the week. It’s called “Manhattan” by the Kings of Leon, and you can bet I’m currently sitting at my desk, rocking out way too loud, and daydreaming of summer beers with friends and eating the best beans and rice I’ve ever had.

Happy holidays!

Who Says I’m Totally Random?

December 15, 2008/3 Comments/in Blond, Family, Fun, Photos /by Megan

Last week I was on the phone with a good friend and when I mentioned how frazzled I’d been lately, she stated “Yeah, I was wondering. Your posts on Crazybananas have been all over the place lately.” Well, harumph! I’ll prove you wrong, missy!

The theme of this Monday’s post is What I Did on Sunday. See, themed! Totally not random!

First I decided that I wanted to make treats for all of our new neighbors. Since we moved here during the crappiest time of year (today it was NINE degrees when I left the house, NINE DEGREES) we don’t see much of anyone on our street. By the time we get home from work in the evening, it’s dark and I’m crabby, so we hibernate. Weekends have been alternately packed with family stuff and work stuff, so other than a few waves and hellos yelled across the street, we haven’t had much contact with anyone living near us. So I decided to continue my tradition from our old house and make holiday treats for our neighbors to deliver with Lucy.

Look homemade cookies!

Here is a shot of my fabulous kitchen. Everyone has been asking me for new pictures of the house, so for those of you who care, here it is. The arrows are pointing to some household staples like a.) Open drawers full of crap, b.) Open beer bottles, c.) Stacks of dirty towels, d.) Packages of baby wipes [opened of course], and e.) Wrapper from Costco-sized tube of cookie dough.

Wait, scratch that last one. The cookies were totally homemade, I swear!

Here is the picture I took of my kitchen after I looked at the first one and realized how gross it was. This is what my kitchen actually looks like on a daily basis.

Speaking of my kitchen, it’s the only part of our new house that is somewhat finished. We’re still missing some things (like curtains), but at least we have a place to eat, right? This is my favorite part of the house so far, the family wall.

Also, Santa, I’d like a new flash for my camera. Mine sucks. Yours, Megan.

This is our living room. There is a matress in it. The dogs sleeps on it. We are high class.

This is a clock my friend Inger got me from IKEA because she is totally awesome. I love it. It opens to give you storage for keys, wallets and all of the other random crap I can never find. Now if only I had time to hang it.

This is where we keep our reindeer treats. What are reindeer treats, you ask?

Why, Bailey’s and hot chocolate mix, of course! Drunk reindeer are the best!

Hmmm…what else have I been up to? I made these books.

They are photo books that I compiled with all of our family’s photos from the Peters Family Reunion this past August. It took FOREVER to put together, but they are great Christmas gifts for everyone.

My favorite photo has to be a tie between the one above of the boys watching their dad play pinball, and the one below.

Dorks. [Both photos by Product E.]

This is the extent of my Christmas decorations. It’s all I had the energy to do. And yes, that is the same fake tree that belonged to my friend in college. I didn’t have time to get a new one. Lame, I know. Especially since I use that excuse every year.

Also, any ideas on colors for these walls? I’m stumped, but I hate the beige.

I think the decorations look better like this, don’t you?

As long as I’m being totally not random, have I mentioned how much I love this measuring spoon? It’s like four measuring spoons in one. Which means I only have to clean one item instead of four. Yipee!

And finally, here are the cookies for my neighbors, all wrapped up and ready to go.

See, the most totally not random post ever! Now I’m off to eat some cookies. God knows I need more sugar.

A Holiday Tradition

December 12, 2008/2 Comments/in Blond, Fun /by Megan

This weekend I shall crack open a fresh box of wine, get out the scissors, tape, and ribbons, light the fireplace that fills our basement with toxic gas and settle in for a few quiet hours of gift wrapping. For the first time in YEARS, I actually have all but two of my Christmas presents purchased early, however they are all currently sitting in our home office/trash dump waiting patiently to be covered in shiny red paper and topped off with satin bows. Kind of like the land of misfit toys, but without the very obviously homosexual Charlie in the Box.

Everyone has a holiday movie that, despite their Scrooge-iest intentions, will bring them a bit of the spirit of the season. For Lucy, that movie is Santa Claus is Coming to Town, the scary stop motion movie from the sixties. Which I get to watch over and over and over and over again. Lucky me.

For me, that movie, at least for the past few years, has been Love Actually. Sometimes I forget what a great Christmas movie it is, but everytime I watch it I find myself smiling. Below is the opening scene of this movie, which I saw for the first time in my gorgeous apartment in Italy. I sat on the marble floor with my roommate Anna (after a daylong trek to find a video rental store that would not only have movies in English, but would allow two random Americans to rent them) and watched, my eyes misting a bit as I thought about all the train stations and airports I had visited throughout Europe, and how I wished someone was waiting for me on the other end of those trips. And now, whenever I’m traveling, I always take the time to look for these moments, people happy, smiling, seeing each other for the first time in a while. Trent thinks it’s a bit stalker-ish and voyeristic (possibly true), but I can’t help it. I want to see that love is all around, in person, right in front of me. Just makes it all worth it, don’t you think?