K is for Keurig

I was never a big coffee drinker until my mother-in-law purchased a Keurig for us.  I'd grown up on tea at my mother's house and to this day at least of the stove burners is reserved for a tea kettle.  If my mother's around, we'll easily go through two to three cups of tea just chatting away in the kitchen.  Since options for the Keurig have not expanded to include various teas, I've now turned her on to the Keurig as well.  Aside from the convenience, the variety available is wonderful.  Not to mention it's less wasteful because I'm not brewing up a whole pot.  Plus, Justin's a decaf guy so the ability to make something different for each of us has certainly been a perk.  We're a little hesitant, however, to buy new types because we're not sure if I'll like the whole box.  To date, these are our favorites:

TV Time

We all know that Superbowl Sunday is known for its awesome commercials.  Yes, I am aware there is a football game involved as well, but I today I want to focus on commercials.  I want to commend advertisers on stepping up their game to provide entertaining commercials year round and not just on Superbowl Sunday.  There have been some real laugh-out-loud ones that I dare say may be my favorite commercials of all time.

Allstate's Mayhem Series.  OMG.  Not only do I think Dean Winters is easy on the eyes, but these commercials are downright funny.  My favorite would have to be the one where he plays a raccoon.  "I've already had like four babies" - that line gets me every time. 

E*Trade's Baby Commercials.  I love the commercial where he's put in time out and sarcastically asks the dog for a warning bark. 

Geico's Rhetorical Question ads.  The best one yet I think is the "Do Woodchucks Really Chuck Wood?"  It cracks me up when the old man yells out "hey you wood chucks, stop chucking my wood!"

There are also commercials that just plain creep me out.  Burger King's "Big King" ads, which thank God have been discontinued, seriously gave me nightmares.  The newest ad that creeps me out is Toyota's People Person ad about their Prius.  It contains a bunch of contortionists hanging on to each other awkwardly to make up this huge creepy person.  I just get the heeby-jeebies watching it.

Let's share some laughs.  What are your favorite commercials and are there any you can't stand?

Moves Like Jagger

Have you missed me??  Sorry for the no-show on 8/16, things got a little hectic.  We're prepping for the return of students and faculty so my days have been jam packed.  All I can say is thank god for www.pandora.com.  It really helps in crunch times like this.  "Moves Like Jagger" has been playing quite a bit and I think it's a real pick-me-up.  I feel energized when listening to it.  It could easily be the top song of 2011's summer.

Here are some of my favorites from past summers:

• 2010 - Bulletproof, Meet Me Halfway, and California Girls.  These songs make me think of our trip to Ocean City, NJ.  
• 2009 - Calle Ocho & Party in the USA.  Anything by Pitbull makes me think of my friend Danielle and as much as I don't want to admit I liked Miley's song, it was a fun summer-type song.
• 2008 - Don't Stop the Music, Paralyzer, and Summertime.  Who doesn't like a NKOTB song??
• 2007 - Beautiful Girls, Last Night, and Bubbly. I think Justin still has Sean Kingston's cd in his car... may have to swipe it from him and jam out to it.
• 2006 - Buttons and You're Beautiful.  I was in love with James Blunt for that entire summer.  It just spoke to my heart.  What can I say?  I'm a hopeless romantic.

Ok, I think that's enough.  I can't think much farther back (sucky part of getting old...memory loss). What are some of your favorite songs from prior years?  Do you prefer to work in silence or with some form of music on?

Heaven on Earth

I've decided to shake things up and expand my list of favorite foods and YoCrunch Fruit Parfaits are to blame.  They are Oh My God good.  That's right - they are OMGG - I'm coining this acronym Jersey Shore style.  They are so good, you almost forget they are good for you!  At only 170 calories with 35 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of protein, these little boogers are pretty stinking good.  Not to mention they include 15% of your daily intake for both Calcium and Vitamin D and 4% of Iron and Vitamin C.  They will be making a daily appearance in my life for breakfast, we've decided we're going steady.

Here are some other foods that make my Heaven on Earth list: