LEOPARDED

Our zoo got some new babies recently and HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING CUTER OMG OMG OMG I DIEEEEE

They are so squeaky! They sound like tennis shoes!!! I want one?

LIONELED

Today, Lionel Richie's new album Tuskeegee came out. I saw three mini performances of tracks off of this album back in November at the CMA Awards. Why they made us wait so long to get our hands on the album is beyond me. But it came out today and I bought it first thing when I got home from work!

It's so good! Full track listing here. My favorites are "You Are," "Stuck on You," "Deep River Woman" and "Dancing On the Ceiling."

Funny story: tonight I was texting a girlfriend who shall remain nameless. She saw my Facebook status about loving some Lionel... here's what transpired:

Me: "I didn't know you liked Lionel!"
Her: "My dad was a big fan so we kind of grew up listening to him. I used to have 2 or 3 of his CDs."
Me: "This album is all duets to his classic songs. So good!
Her: "All I have to say is you are 3 times a lady! LOL"
Me: "I'm stuck on you!"
Me: "All night long!"
Me: "Eeeeeeeeeeeeesaaaayyyyy"
Her: "Yesterday... All my troubles seemed so far away..."

....

Me: "That's Paul McCartney LOL LOL LOL"

Funny stuff. I think I will keep her anyway.

POPPINSED

I went to see Mary Poppins last night! I bought these tickets a month ago with my fingers crossed that this girl
would come up and see it with me. Oh, and bring her adorable baby and husband. Alas, it did not work out this time.

But I still went and had a blast. Aforementioned sister had really talked this show up, saying it was one of her favorites, and she was right. Keep in mind that I have not seen the movie version in years. I did not even recognize half the songs that were in the musical that were originally in the movie (cough "Feed the Birds" cough).

They really pulled out all the stops with the classic songs: "Jolly Holiday" was great, "Supercalifragilistadskfjaasdfascmme" was even better, but my favorite number was "Step In Time." I am a sucker for some tap dancing; no secret there. Bert takes the tap dancing a step further when he attempts to go "over the rooftops." This is a video of the Broadway production (start at 1:00).

I would tell you all to make sure to go see it, but I think the only one of you that it is coming near to anytime soon is Eric. Regardless, see if if you get the chance. You might say the show is "practically perfect in every way!"

GONE

What have I been doing since Jay-Z left the stage, you ask?

Last Tuesday night, I went to the Gavin DeGraw concert. It was held in a neat venue that I have never been to before - a former automobile factory near downtown Nashville. The space has been gutted and renovated and turned into a music venue. Opening for Gavin was David Nail. Opening for David Nail was Gabe Dixon. Gabe did a short set, then David did a longer set and finally it was time for Gavin. He had his Dancing with the Stars partner Karina Smirnoff there and brought her out for a song and a quick dance. I'm sure I would have been positively titillated if I watched DWTS. It was a good show! In addition to being my second time to see Mr. DeGraw live, I really like his new album! So, it was a good night!

I threw some stuff in a bag and the next day, left for Birmingham to visit with my family... ALL FOUR OF THEM. That is so weird to say. I stayed with my sister and brother-in-law, but since I took a whole extra two days of vacation, I got plenty of time with Mom, and of course, plenty of time with Bug. Hard to believe he is a month old already, but he sure is cute! I changed his diapers, rocked him to sleep, pushed his stroller, carried his carseat... it's safe to say that I cannot get enough of him!

Also, I went home because I was asked to sing in the wedding of a dear family friend. No Show Sam's little sister, my friend Rachel, got married this weekend. Funny story about their family: my grandmother introduced their parents. Set them up on their first date, even. So between that an Auburn football, they have always been family friends. I was so honored to be asked to be a part of Rachel's big weekend and spend time with this precious family!

Luckily, everywhere I've gone I've had great weather and lots of fun! Hope you had a great weekend.

STREAMED

I have sung more karaoke in the past week than any other week since I've lived in this town. What can I say? The warm weather got me out and about.

Tonight, however, I will let someone else do the singing altogether:


Jay Z is streaming his show from SXSW live to YouTube and I plan to watch. That clip I included is from his two-night run at Carnegie Hall last month, which judging by the video, was a phenomenal show, professionally recorded and therefore hopefully available on DVD soon! I want to see more!

Take it away, Hova!

BLONDEY

I don't know if blondes have more fun, but they sure can sing! I bought tickets this week to see some of my favorite blondes tear up the stage this summer.

In May, this little lady will be in town:

And I get to see this REALLY little lady the night before my birthday! I'm already brainstorming ways to get her to sing me "Happy Birthday"... may require some extra effort at the stage door.

WOMENED

Today was women's day, or something like that, and I know this because the Google logo changed to this
and Happy International Women's Day was a trending topic on Twitter all day. So I put two and two together.

In light of that, I want to celebrate my two favorite women just because I can!

I heard a song recently by the Avett Brothers called "Murder In the City." Stay with me please. The song is basically instructions of what to do and not to do if the singer was to be... well... murdered in the city. Sometimes I think my mom and sister are worried I, too, will be murdered in the city but that is not the point. The point is the last few lines of the song: "Make sure my sister knows I loved her. Make sure my mother knows the same. Always remember there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name."

I am glad I share my name with you two. Happy Women's Day to my favorites! xo

BROOMED

Is it just me, or does all this stuff about being able to stand your broom up during the Equinox, like this:

remind anyone of this:


Sadly, this clip cut out my favorite part of the scene: "Who left the mop running!?! Stop, mop!"

RANCHED

Why is RANCH so, so good? On my salads, I am a devoted Thousand Island girl who has a wild fling with Caesar every once in a while. On everything else, I will choose ranch. I will admit that in one lonely, dark hour, I was sitting in my apartment eating carrots dipped in ranch and I spied some pretzels. One thing led to another and next thing I knew, I was eating pretzels coated in, licked clean, then once again dipped in ranch dressing for dinner. Don't even get me started on Outback ranch dressing. There just aren't words to describe how good that stuff is. What do they put in it, crack? Either way. Father, forgive me.

So I won't pretend like the pretzel thing was my best idea ever. But this might be:

Take a large tub of some plain yogurt - low or nonfat, even:
And stir in a packet of ranch dip:And prepare to jump in head first.

I do believe I first read about this on Pinterest, but it could have just as easily been in the Bible somewhere because a healthy ranch dip has got to be a byproduct of the heavenly host. Besides, isn't it in the Constitution by now that we're supposed to have a certain amount of Greek Yogurt every day? Don't mind if I do! PS - is yogurt always an acceptable substitute for sour cream?

Try it and let me know what you think! That dry dip mix is in the dressing aisle, btw.