Friend Makin Monday - Spring Love

Happy Friend Makin' Monday!

Thanks to Amber at {aefilkins} for hosting!

1) Favorite thing about Spring?

The beginning of daylight savings!

2) What am I doing for Spring break?

My "Spring break" days are long gone! I don't even know when Spring break technically is. The crowd at Disneyland last Friday said it was then but Easter isn't even for another two weeks. Anyway, whenever it is I'm certain I'll be doing the same things I usually do every other week!

3) Favorite Spring flower?

I really love ranunculus - they are so beautiful!

4) Do you have a garden?

We have a lot of trees, shrubs, and flowers around the front and the back of the house. It's not what I would consider a garden to be and it certainly isn't what it "could" be. In time, I guess.

5) If so, what do you grow?

We have several hardy bushes mixed with camellia shrubs, iceberg roses, and sea lavender. It's a total mutt of a garden - except for the front yard which was professionally landscaped and everything beautifully coordinates. Additionally, I'd love to plant a vegetable garden but we have a lot of rabbits in the area and I'm afraid they'll eat anything we plant!

6) Do you do Spring cleaning?

I adore Spring cleaning! I wish I could have a full day to myself to clean the house from top to bottom. It's a sick, sick dream - I know!

7) What is your weather *really* like right now?

Warm days, cooler nights. We live about 2-3 miles inland from the ocean and today the haze rolled in making for a humid day.

8) Snapped any weather related photos lately? Share them.

I took both of these today - randomly, with my iphone - while walking the dog. They were just so beautiful!

9) What's your favorite thing to do on a sunny afternoon?

Hang at the beach - hands down! I love the way the sun reflects off the ocean at that time of day! Planning on doing lots of that this Spring and Summer!

10) Favorite T.V. shows from the Spring line-up:

Parenthood. I'm also really excited to see Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

Friend Makin Monday - Super Bowl Edition

Friend Makin Monday presented by Amber at {ae filkins} asks: Did you watch the Super Bowl?

If so, who were you rooting for?

Yes, I did...well, sort of. I didn't make it to the Super Bowl party until after halftime because I was at home waiting for my sick two-year-old to take a nap. As she played in her crib, I watched a Lifetime movie (one that wasn't very good...you'd think they'd have some kind of great marathon on for women who didn't want to watch football). Anyway..

I was rooting for the New Orleans Saints! I like rooting for the underdog. And I like that the Saints were almost undefeated this season. I also like Drew Brees because he seems like a totally normal stand up kind of guy. Plus, I think the city of New Orleans really, really needed something to celebrate! And, we're USC homers and Reggie Bush went to USC.

I was a little torn though because in addition to watching "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" I also watch "Kendra" and I think Kendra's husband, Hank Baskett - an Indianapolis Colt - is quite charming and really likable. So, I wanted to root for the Colts too - for his sake, but found it more fun to cheer for a team that had never even played in the big game before today!

Where did you watch it at?

The House of Fettig. They've hosted the last couple of years and we're always thankful to be invited!

What did you eat?

Yum...home made chili (I ate around the meat), various chips and dips, and a cookie! I passed on all the yummy chicken wings, pigs in a blanket, cupcakes, and wine.

Favorite Super Bowl Commercial?

I didn't see one! Well, that's not true. I kept seeing the one with the baby sitting at the computer but couldn't hear what was being said. So, I guess I missed out on the funny. Or maybe the funny is a baby sitting at a computer. I don't know. Also, I kept seeing Barney from "How I Met Your Mother" holding up a sign with his phone number. But I don't know if that was a commercial for his show, or CBS, or something else.

Least Favorite?

I guess I don't have one since I didn't see many of them!

What did you think about Halftime?

I only saw a few seconds of the Who perform. And it was the "CSI" theme song - I'm sure the CBS executives were loving that promotion!

Who do you wish would have been on the Halftime show?

I haven't really watched a Halftime show since Prince performed four years ago (he played Foo Fighters' "Best of You" and it was fantastic!). Um, Lady Gaga (but too risky, another wardrobe malfunction perhaps), U2 (safe), Bon Jovi (safe and a crowd pleaser - who doesn't love "Livin' on a Prayer?"), Taylor Swift (I don't know about mass appeal though), Gwen Stefani (again, wrong audience), Kid Rock, oooh...Pearl Jam (but would that be considered "selling out"? Nah, Target used one of their songs in a commercial a few months back), or maybe Jay-Z?

Now, pop on over and check out what Amber's got going on!

But before you do that, please know that I'll be back later with "Why Not Try it This Week?", a review of my six-month visit with my radiation doctor, the hassle of buying a compression sleeve and what I need it for, details from our night without a toddler (it's PG, folks, settle down), a look into what kind of mom I want to be, and I hope to participate in Mama's Losin' It Writer's Workshop this week too!

Friend Makin Monday -- or, Wednesday!

Does it really matter that it's already Wednesday and I'm just now getting to Friend Makin' Monday? Never mind that I also haven't posted "Why Not Try it This Week" yet either.

Anyway, this week Amber asks: What is inspiring you right now?

Chocolate floral toile printed on crisp spa cotton blend from Ballard Designs.

Our bedroom is SCREAMING for a makeover and I think I'm leaning this way!

I love this adorable Valentine project found at Tatertots & Jello!

I'm currently working on my own interpretation!

Martha Stewart has her own line of green cleaning products.

I love Martha. I love cleaning products. I love to clean.

You would think I'd do it more!

The husband and I actually agreed on putting an outdoor fireplace in our backyard!

We're inspired by something like this but maybe not as tall.