20

20 random FACTS about yourself that may surprise people.

These are my favorite things to do - Thanks to my blog friend on Facebook for posting it so I could play along.

1. Do you make your bed everyday? YES! Forever! - https://youtu.be/KgzLzbd-zT4 and I am in good company. 
2. What's your favorite number? 8
3. What is your dream job? Being Chrissy Hynde - ha ha.
4. If you could, would you go back to school? I just finished in 2010. No, but I like to learn.
5. Can you parallel park? Yes, I used to be excellent at it - going to the U will do that to you.
6. A job you had which people would be shocked that you did? Bakery line worker for McGlynn's factory.
7. Do you think aliens are real? Probably.
8. Can you drive a stick shift? Yes, my first BRAND NEW car was a Mazda Protege and I purposely bought a manual transmission. :)
9. Guilty pleasure? Floating in a pool with wine and good friends.
10. Tattoos? Two - want a third, but it will be tiny.
11. Favorite color? Green or blue, depends on the day and the shade.
12. Things people do that drive you insane: Not fully reading an email before they reply - bad driving - leaving socks everywhere...
13. Fear? Drowning or suffocating.
14. Favorite childhood game? Whatever my grandparents would play with me - Old Maid, 500, Yahtzee, Scrabble. It was fun to play with them. Grandma would not let us lose until we started playing 500 - then she was out for blood.
15. Do you talk to yourself? I worked in a radio studio by myself for 9 years, of COURSE I talk to myself.
16. Do you like doing puzzles? Yes, especially with other people.
17. Favorite music? It's hard to say so I will say Christmas because I am that person who got excited this morning when she heard the ad on Sirius that HOLLY IS BACK 11/1.
18. Tea or Coffee? Coffee, unless I am sick.
19. The first thing you remember you wanted to be when you grew up? Lawyer
20. One place you've been to that truly amazed you? I love San Diego and Napa/Sonoma. But I don't want to live there...

You can play along... copy and paste it onto your blog, post the link below! 

Memories of a Mommy Blogger - Revenge of the Fifth!

At one point during the month I went to my local Heartland Chevy Dealer and they talked me through EVERY DARN FEATURE OF THE TRAVERSE.

Riveting if you don't have one....



Your Chevy Heartland Dealer Can Teach You Cool Stuff! from Lisa Scherber on Vimeo.

#ThowbackThursday works for Blogs too, right? #TBT

I saw this picture and it made me think of Boo Boo!

So you get this old blog post from March 6, 2010 when I was still a fledgling blogger.

***********************************************

Thing one:  I had been noticing a lot of url's that matched the names of the blog vs. .blogspot.com and asked my favorite St. Paul/Chef/Wild Woman blogger Mrs. VonPartypants if she felt this was worth the $10 to GoDaddy.com.  Her final comment in her reply was, "I say go for it- it's only $10 and then at least no one else can have it."

Touche!

I took my url .wordpress.com too, just in case!  And BTW if you like bloggers who dress up, talk about poop, animals, general drunkeness, food and mayhem (not necessarily in that order) and if you are impressed that you can GOOGLE "f***ing awesome chocolate chip cookies" and get the top results linking you back to HER...follow her blog please!

and the cookies?  f***ing awesome!

SO If you have a spare moment and can change the URL that guides you to me it is now...

http://www.mommysnest.com/  Go ahead, I will wait...

That was easy, right?  If you don't do it blogger will still get you here from the old url, they promised!

Thing two:  I had not written a funny story about Boo Boo La La lately...the whole point of this blog is to embarass her when she is twelve...so I am promising now to have some sort of fun story about Boo Boo La La from the recent (or not so recent) past to share each Saturday.  This will be easier since I won't have school anymore starting March 19!

Yeah Mommy will graduate with honors!  Whoo Hooo!

I have a pretty good one today.  If you like fart stories that is....you don't?  Well, you have not been here for the poop stories then, huh?

I remember it like it was Thursday morning, because it was Thursday morning.  Boo Boo and I were ready to leave and I went around the house ensuring lights were off and no dangerous articles were left burning somewhere.  I got back to where Boo Boo was in the dining room and she was leaning against the table and making funny faces...upon seeing me she said,

My butt itches, so I am trying to fart.

Hmm-mmm, farting makes it stop itching?

YES MAMA, you know THAT!  (more faces and butt sticking out)  I can't fart and my butt itches!

Maybe you will fart in the car like Daddy, come on let's go.

Okay, that might work....

Ahhh, yes.  Imagine the joy of a pre-teen Boo Boo when she hears she tried to learn to fart on command to releive butt itchiness.

I would say my work is done here for today.  Have a farty-party weekend!

P.S. from Aeropostale - GIVEAWAY!

So - WE LOVED the P.S. from Aeropostale store!

When I arrived with Boo Boo La La at Mall of America P.S. from Aeropostale store, I KNEW we had been there before.  Just this summer we had stumbled upon this bright and friendly store - when another store had disappointed by not having the Avenger's t-shirt Boo Boo wanted in her size.

P.S. from Aeropostale had PLENTY of DIFFERENT Avenger's t-shirts in Boo Boo's size - and p.p.s. they were less expensive.

P.S. from Aeropostale caters to mom's like me.  Why?

• Their clothing is cute and trendy, but not too "grown-up".  
• They have lots to choose from in the size you want because they are aimed at kids ages 4-12.  
• They are not trying to be the store for all with just one or two in stock of each size.  
• OMG the sales people - the SALES PEOPLE are awesome.  Not pushy, just really helpful and show you all the cool features of items in the store.  Metallic nail polish?  Who knew that was what was in that cute bottle?? The cool sales girl wearing the polish, that is who.

And hopscotch and photo booth wall and tic-tac-toe and hula hoops!  Oh My!

Boo Boo La La loved spending some time in this store and really?  She wanted everything.  Including all the cool Monster High sketchbooks, erasers and stuff.  I may need to go back for the boots.

P.S. from Aeropostale really is a hit for kids and parents alike.

It made us Happy.   We had so much FUN.  And the clothing we ended up with?  Way Cool.

Even the blue streaks came from P.S.

Now it is your turn to discover P.S. from Aeropostale.   <-hop br="br" nbsp="nbsp" on="on" over="over" the="the" to="to" website.="website."> What is one item you would DIE for your kid to have in their closet.  I dare you to choose one thing because I love it all.

What then?  Comment with that item, link me to it so I can see.  You are now entered to win a $50 P.S. from Aeropostale gift card.  Cool, huh?

Want another entry?  Follow @PSFROMAERO on Twitter and leave me another comment with your @Twitter handle.

Please sir may I have another?  Yes.  LIKE P.S. from Aeropostale on Facebook - leave me a third comment.

That is all - except, they have a discount code for you to use right now thru November 11th.  The code is PSMOMSMN and gets you TWENTY PERCENT OFF!  Such a deal.  

Can you see why this store is a hit with the whole family?

Contest ends at 8 am Monday, November 5th - Winner announced later that day.

P.S. from Aeropostale gave me a $50 gift card to shop and one to share for this post - but the opinions are truly mine.

What Makes You Smile? - @psfromaero

  I got invited to a pretty cool event.

I thought I would take the most STYLISH person in my home.           The Cowgirl.  The Super Model.  Huggy Bear.  

The one who loves Tinkerbell and Yoda equally.

I got invited to bring My Girl, My @Iambooboolala to design a shirt.

What makes you smile? 

Can you draw it? 

Not only do I think this t-shirt design contest is a great outlet for creativity in the Elementary School Set.  It benefits their SCHOOL too.  Yes, $500 gift card for each grade winner First to Fifth.  And $1000 to their schools.

I don't know if you are familiar with what is going on in the world, but most schools I know could really use that money to benefit their students.

I think p.s. from aeropostale is doing one fine thing with this contest.

Making Mommy Smile Daily

So go to the contest website at www.pswhatmakesyousmile.com and download your t-shirt template.

Get your kid excited to create a design.

Upload it.

Come back November 1st, 2012 and get your friends and family to vote!

Remember their will be FIVE winners.  So amazing.

Oh and p.s. I am getting a $50 p.s. from aeropostale gift card to show up at MOA for their live event tomorrow night. (Watch for our @mommylisa @iambooboolala tweets around 5pm) and tell you about this cool contest.  I wonder what great find Boo Boo La La will encounter at the store?  A hoodie?  New jeggings?  

p.p.s. I got invited cuz I know cool people like AntiSupermom - go ahead I dare you to read her blog.

Have another cocktail! The Pete is here today!

His Birthday is Monday!  So here is his gift...he gets to guest post for me!  Ha!

The Sis (Mommy Lisa to you all) has asked me- The Pete to slide a little Holiday cocktail story your way. Well I have spent many a holiday enjoying many different libations (as my High School English teacher called them)

 

Some of my favs are-

• "Ho-Ho-Tini" 2 shots of your favorite Vodka, 1 shot of Peppermint schnapps. Slide a candy cane in it for a fun garnish.
• "Christmas in your Mouth" 1 part GoldSchlager-1 part vodka- add cranberry Juice 
• "Black Santa" 1 part vodka, 1 part Kahlua, 1 part peppermint schnapps

 

Now all of those are great but do not have a story- I have a cocktail I invented on a holiday- New year’s Eve-Eve (12/30) it’s called "The Bluto"

True Story- this was 1991- My friends and I wanted to party in a hotel for new years- we found out they jacked the room rates on new year’s eve so one of us said- "let's just do it on new year’s eve-eve!" Since we were all young and just wanted an excuse to get together and drink, we all said- "let's do it!"

So we booked two rooms and a hotel and got A LOT of liquor and started in about 6pm on 12/30. We had several folks drinking and staying but a few that came and went during the festivities.

At the midpoint I could not decide what to drink next. I stared at the table o' booze and just started pouring- I added a couple slashes of soda and drank- IT WAS DELICIOUS!

I had to quickly piece together what I made- as to not forget because of drunkenness. It was 2 shots each of vodka-rum-gin-whiskey with coke and sprite to fill the glass.

As I was enjoying my THIRD one- someone asked me what I was drinking- I looked at the TV and "Animal House" was on- it was the scene where Belushi- as Bluto- is downing the bottle of jack

 

I looked at them and said- "it's a Bluto and it's delicious!"

And so The Bluto was born!
Now later that night- due to the jibber jabber of some folks who had left- our festivities were busted and we were booted from the hotel. That gave birth to our now group famous exclamation- "DRINKIN'!"

 

But that is another story!

 

The Pete

Today I am loving two blog friends with one post - because you need to give some love to Iris today at

I FREAKING ROCK YOUR WORLD!

And I have a guest post from one of my favorite MN Bloggers - Cathy!

Whoo-hoo!  It IS a fabulous day...let's read it together shall we?

Hello friends of Mommy Lisa!! It's holiday party time and what's the one thing that can take a party from drab to fab? A great cocktail, of course! Lisa asked me to review a holiday cocktail, so I did a little research and found a recipe that is quite fitting for this time of year. I bring you the Poinsettia Cocktail! The recipe I used can be found by clicking here(or just keep reading).

Poinsettia Cocktail
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup champagne
1/2 cup cranberry juice
crushed ice
2 strips orange zest, each about 1/4" wide and 2" long

Mix vodka, champagne and cranberry juice in long stemmed wine glass. Add ice, stir until mixture is well chilled. Twist orange strips over glass, drop them in and serve.


This cocktail is easy to make, and I would assume if you're having a large gathering it would be easy to make a big batch slightly ahead of time.

It's definitely festive; the red color and champagne give it a good holiday vibe. This is one of those drinks that tastes innocent enough-light, fruity, bubbly-but will knock you on your ass if you're not careful. The vodka tempers the sweetness of the champagne and cranberry juice, making it easy to drink.

If you're planning a holiday get together this year I'd say the Poinsettia Cocktail is an excellent option for a fun and festive drink. Easy to prepare, easy to drink and, really, can you go wrong with champagne at the holidays?! Cheers!

At least I had a BLAST! I couldn't be happer...

I recognized everybody...We hugged...we talked...we ate really pretty well...and I think there was at least one cocktail. 

and our waiter was kind of cute...Cathy, Lesli, and I just giggled

when he asked us what we were up to last night; hopefully that made us "mysterious".

In attendance were the following lovely women:

Cathy @ Antsy Pants
Lesli @ Pretty Random Thoughts
WhiskeyMarie Von PartyPants @WhiskeyMarie
& MNMom @Happy To Be From Iowa, who brought Twin Two to take pictures! 
I cannot wait to see those and this is one lovely young woman - good job Mom!
OH - and me.

We talked about a lot of things - mostly how amazing social media is for bringing us all together to realize how much we have in common.  That most people are not extreeme - and we have very similar tastes in blog reading (and unfollowing) AND views on giving credit where credit is due in our own posts. 

I cannot wait to dig into their blog rolls for some of the bloggers they talked about - and I know there are a couple of bloggers I recommended.  (psst.  They were The Daily Dose of Reality & That's Why - but MNMom and Whiskey know about Lisa!  Oh and I would also recommend Rants From Mommyland...)

But these are just a few of the bloggers I shared with the group...

And the stories! 
Twitter Kidney and Radio Boobies? 

I cannot wait to read what the other ladies had to say - of course I feel like I talked to much and was a huge dork...but that is me with people I have known for twenty years; let alone those I have been reading for a few years to a few weeks. 

It was nice to know I was not alone in a lot of things - like feeling overwhelmed by my Google Reader - and let me tell you what I noticed:

MNMom is one of the happiest people in her own skin I have met.  Can I be you when I grow up?
Cathy has great insights - and very mischevious eyes (in a sparkle good way)!  She took notes!  I really wanna know what she thinks- we also share A LOT of the same taste in blog reading!  Loved meeting you!
Lesli is so very sweet, thoughtful, and I can't wait to see her pictures too!  And could you BE any cuter?
Whiskey?  Well what can I say?  Everytime I thought about trying to find her when I was working downtown St. Paul I now wish I had...she is what you imagine, but more in a Meg Ryan than Courtney Love kind of way.  (That IS a compliment - it means you are fun and cozy to be around-my dad would approve & FYI, yours is the only blog he reads besides mine...)

If we don't do this again we will only have ourselves to blame...and I would be disappointed. 

and if you are in MN and did not join us,

you missed out. 

just sayin'

join us next time!

Boo Boo La La knows about stuff...

Do you ever wonder just HOW your child knows about something?  You never told them about Hannah Montana, but you walk through Target one morning when she is almost three and she sees a shirt and says, "Hanna Tanna!"

What the...?

Okay fast forward and we get a birthday invitation - at the top is a photo and Boo Boo exclaims:

CHUCK E. CHEESE!!!

we have never been, I have never talked about it, I don't even LIKE it.  how in the world?

But we went...and she was more interested in the climbing thing than the games or prizes.  Which is good because really?  Those games make no sense to little kids.  Drop in a coin and hit something so you get tickets? 

Really Chuck E.?  Really?  You can't make more actual GAMES?

But, Boo Boo says she loves you...here is your proof.

Jordan's sister helped her take this because she said she loves you...

Mommy MIGHT be forced into decide to have Boo Boo's party there...

Anyrandompartynews.  Tonight is the NIGHT!!  If you are in MN and are free tonight you should join us! 

Who: Minnesota Bloggers
When: Saturday June 5th, 6pm
Where: MOA Napa Valley Grille
Why: Why not! We read each others blogs, so it would be fun to meet in person, no?!

Here are the ladies of hotness who are IN!

Cathy @ Antsy Pants
Mommy Lisa @ Mommy's Nest (but sorry - I am leaving Boo Boo home with T-bone.)
Lesli @ Pretty Random Thoughts
WhiskeyMarie Von PartyPants @WhiskeyMarie
Tarah @Eyeglasses & Endzones
MNMom @Happy To Be From Iowa
We will update the posts as new people RSVP - so comment today!

Cool Car Tales - 4th Trip!

I am planning a WAY cool event with this lovely blogger.  If you are in MN and free on Saturday you should join us! 

Who: Minnesota Bloggers
When: Saturday June 5th, 6pm
Where: MOA Napa Valley Grille
Why: Why not! We read each others blogs, so it would be fun to meet in person, no?!

Please Meet Cathy!

An Anniversary Road Trip

Last summer my husband and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary by renting a car and exploring the coast of Maine. We had a fab time driving along the coast, staying at cute Bed & Breakfast's, eating fresh seafood and enjoying time together.

There's just something about exploring the country by car that is so fun! You can take the back roads if you want, or cruise along at top speed on the interstate. You can throw your luggage in the trunk and just move along to your next destination. You don't have to remove your shoes to get through airport security, instead you remove them to stick your feet in the sand of some beach you discovered. I find it freeing and spontaneous. I hope to take many more road trips to explore the country.

I'd like to share some of the sights we saw from our rental car last summer.

One of the first things we ran into was this intersection. I think there were 5 or 6 streets all coming together here. I looked at the stoplights and thought....this is crazy!



We drove across this bridge, which truly made me feel small.



Of course we stopped at a drive-in! This one was a classic. You flashed your lights to get the waitresses attention and they brought the food out on the tray that hooks to your window. We were loving it! Plus it was called Fat Boy, which we thought was hilarious!



We even drove up and down a mountain; Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.



We ended our week long road trip by heading in to Boston to visit some friends.




It really was an excellent anniversary. Not sure yet what we'll do to top it, but I'm sure we'll think of something!

Boo Boo Takes the Backseat Today...

This Boo Boo Saturday has been interrupted for a really good reason.  Sorry Shell - I repurposed YOUR post for mine...I was crying & was having a hard time putting it together...




This tiny 16 month-old precious little girl now has to fight for her life. She could be your child. 
She could be my child...

It makes me cry to think about how this could change your life so quickly...

I want to grab my Boo Boo and hold her tight and cry my eyes out...especially when I know that that isn't enough to keep her safe from something like that.

Are you ready to help?

First of all, pray for Monkey. Pray for her family. Pray for strength, pray for healing, pray for her doctors, her nurses, her technicians, just pray.  A Lot!

Next, go follow Mama's Pixie Dreams. That link will take you right to the post about Monkey's diagnosis.  Just follow and tell her you are keeping them in your thoughts and prayers.

A few weeks ago I first ran into Ian, at The Daily Dose of Reality here in the blogosphere...he is THE MAN! 
Ian is organizing a fundraiser to help this family. Because as if this isn't enough of an emotional nightmare for this family, it will also be a financial nightmare.

Now go FOLLOW IAN...look for his post next Wednesday, explaining exactly how donations and a raffle are going to work. 

But, for now: can you help?

Do you have something that you can donate?

Maybe you can work your magic on a company and get a big ticket item.

Or maybe you are a company who can donate. Make a big donation and I'll blog about how fabulous you are, tweet about, etc. And there are other blogs that would do the same thing for you!

But, it doesn't have to be something big.

Do you have an Etsy shop? Can you make something?

Do you have a blog? Can you donate a guest spot on it? Ad space on the side of your blog?

Do you do blog design? Can you make a button?

Anything at all would be helpful.

Email Ian at thedailydoseofreality(at)gmail.com to let him know what you can help with.

He will also have a paypal account set up by Wednesday so that you can donate directly to the Pixie family.

You can also grab Monkey's button at Ian's blog.

And once again, PRAY!

Peace, Mommy Lisa

Random Bits and Memories - or - I Remember Mama

So I got the idea from a fellow MN Blogger - Smonk You - and his blog yesterday...

No not the aliens.  I am almost as afraid of them as I am of The Real Housewives of New Jersey...
gawd, Don't Tell Theresa I said that!

Earliest memories; today you get a few of mine.

One of my earliest memories living in Blue Earth was the Tupperware...everywhere!  My mommy sold Tupperware and I had all the TOYS.  Perfect, cuz I was only 2.5.

Then we moved from that blue house in Blue Earth to an OLD house.  I remember getting my big girl bed complete with pink canopy & getting our doggy.  I recall my mother asking me what we should name him and I said in a very serious little voice, "Rufus."  Yes, I had another Rufus...

Then we moved to a farmhouse and I have a distinct memory here!  My mother told me NOT to drink all the pickle juice from the jar and my nearly four-year-old did NOT listen (pattern?) and I drank ALL the pickle juice in the jar, then proceeded to THROW UP a streak of pickles and juice from the living room - through the kitchen - into the bathroom.  poor mom!

There are many more.  Trying to poop in the dark in the potty in my room.  (stairs were treacherous in the old farmhouse.)  My brother needing the Vick's Vaporizor as a baby & PEEING at me when I was helping mom change him.  Walking home from school, getting picked on at daycare for only using the purple crayon on a picture - I VARIED the pressure and design to create my masterpiece. 

And I REALLY remember the Blue Earth Fairgrounds where:

• My parents put all of us kids in the back of a truck to shuck corn for the Jaycees booth in the grandstand.  (DADDY WAS THE PRESIDENT!)
• I played pick-a-duck and rode the Tilt-A-Whirl with my babysitter.
• We had my cool birthday party with the lemon cake with whipped cream frosting and plastic yellow flowers...that was my favorite!

I had a charmed childhood.  Summers with grandparents who doted on the only grandchild who lived within 1000 miles of them & parents who took me EVERYWHERE. 

Now, how about you?  What is YOUR earliest memory? 

Cathy posted this and I am RIPPING it off - Are you a MN Blogger? Join US! We will RULE THE UNIVERSE...or something like that.

Ohhhh, get excited all you Minnesota Bloggers!

Cathy @AntsyPants (she said me, I say her...) and I are setting up a Bloggers Night Out!

Who: Minnesota Bloggers
When: Saturday June 5th, 6pm
Where: MOA Napa Valley Grille
Why: Why not! We read each others blogs, so it would be fun to meet in person, no?!

Deets: Lisa and I (Or Cathy and I..) thought it would be fun to actually meet some of our fellow bloggers in person. If you can make it please leave a comment or email one of us. If this works for no one but me and Lisa we can try to find another date, but we are hoping we've allowed enough time to get a good group together. Once I know you are coming I will add a link to your blog so others can find you and hopefully we'll all "know" each other by the time we actually meet. Pass this along to any Minnesota bloggers you know who might be interested. All you non-Minnesotans, I know you are super jealous of our night out, but if you're going to be in the area you are welcome to join us! (I So AGREE people are jealous of us cool MN Bloggers!)

We can spend the evening eating, drinking, and talking about blogging, ourselves, and why MN rocks. Hope to see you there!

Who's IN!
Cathy @ Antsy Pants
Mommy Lisa @ Mommy's Nest (but sorry - I am leaving Boo Boo home with T-bone.)
Lesli @ Pretty Random Thoughts
WhiskeyMarie Von PartyPants @WhiskeyMarie
Tarah @Eyeglasses & Endzones
MNMom @Happy To Be From Iowa
We will update the posts as new people RSVP - so comment today!