I’m a little disappointed that my cleverness was unappreciated in my last post…

So we were at Sam’s last night eating supper. From Sam’s Cafe you can see most of the store and I happened to glance over to several aisles on the far side of the store. 

Nothing exciting, right? But one in particular caught my eye.

Now, I’m not one to complain if Sam’s Club finds it appropriate to devote an entire aisle to the heavenly goodness that is Peanut Butter. But I thought it was a little out of place. The other aisles were much broader categories like “Breakfast” and “Candy” and “Baking/Spices”. Then— “Peanut Butter”. So I decided to check it out – and see what vast array of peanut butter Sam’s Club must carry.

I turned down the aisle and didn’t immediately see any peanut butter – very disappointing. So I kept walking. No peanut butter. I was beginning to think Aisle 19 was a complete scam when I came to the very end of the aisle and saw this.

And that’s all folks. Two sad, half-empty pallets of Jif. The photo above warranted its own aisle indicator. Other products in the “Peanut Butter” aisle included coffee (mind you that Aisle 18 – above – is labeled “Coffee”), creamers, sweeteners, jelly, honey, maple syrup, and various other “condiments”. Perhaps “What Not” would have been a better name for this aisle.  

Lately, I have paid a lot more attention to people’s names. I think it’s fascinating just how much a name can predetermine your fate in life. For example, do you know any Supreme Court Justices named Britney or Joaquin? Do you know any pop stars named Wilbur? How about school teachers named Juice?

Once it was determined that our baby is, indeed, a boy – most people then want to know if we have a name picked out. Truth be told, we had both a girl name and a boy name picked out since about day 6 of the pregnancy – and we really never found anything we like better. There was no great debate, no “compromising” and no internet ”baby name finder tool” employed. I feel for the couples that argue until the last second and, instead of making a decision, give their baby 5 names that will never get used and will only make filling out forms difficult…

However unpopular it is with some, we have decided to keep the baby’s name a secret until June. (Actually- and this may come as a shock – I am the one who doesn’t want to tell his name – not Jeff.) I want it to be a fun surprise. You can go ahead and rule out Robin – for obvious reasons. Though I do think it would be great to name a baby girl Scarlet and see how many people get it.

This morning I was quite hungry and we are out of both Poptarts AND Granola Bars at home – so I decided to stop through Chick-fil-A on my way to work. It’s strategically placed between home and my office – and really between anywhere and my office – so it is easily my most favorite quick breakfast/lunch.

Well today, I drove around like I have a hundred times before and ordered my Chicken/Egg/Cheese biscuit, fruit cup and chocolate milk with no problem. As I pulled around to the window, the girl inside leaned out and instead of handing me my food she rang the little white (and VERY loud) bell in my face!! Hoorah! I was the 100^th customer!! Despite the loyalty I have to this place – I have NEVER been the 100^th customer. For those of you who aren’t Chick-fil-A fans – every 100^th customer eats for free. It has happened a dozen times while we were eating in the dining room – but never to me! So I decided today would be a good day and I drove to work.

Upon arriving at work, I settled in at my desk and unpacked my bag of breakfast as I babbled on and on to my cube-neighbor, Nicholas, about my recent good fortune. He is also a fan of Chick-fil-A and has also never been the 100^th customer. After going on about how much I love the place, I reached inside the bag to find yet another surprise. Not only did I get free breakfast – I got additional breakfast! There were two wrapped biscuits in there! Nicholas overheard my surprise and I gladly offered him my extra biscuit. Could this day get any better?!

I had just turned back to my monitor and started sifting through email when Nicholas called me over and asked what I thought I had ordered. He was sitting at his desk staring at a wrapper containing a biscuit with egg and cheese – no chicken. What? I went back to my desk and opened mine. Egg. Cheese. No chicken! What the hell? After I had just babbled my head off about the great and powerful Chick-fil-A – of all things, no chicken?

So I finished my fruit cup and chocolate milk – and grudgingly ate my egg on a bun. And tried to remember that it was all free…

Holidays are usually the times that make me thank myself for keeping a blog. I absolutely love looking back and reading what I was doing on this date a year ago – or two years ago. I love the photos, I love the comments, and I love that I have this written (though public) record of my thoughts and rants for the last (almost) 3 years.

For whatever reason, I didn’t sit down on 1 January this year to write my “Reflection of the Past Year” post. But, much like 2005 and 2006—2007 was a memorable one. I had 1-year anniversaries with both Jeff and my job at Saatchi, was selected for Jury Duty, switched from the Baby business to the Pet Food business at work (ironically), started back to school to finish my Accounting degree, turned the big 2-5, buried my big brother, and got to tell my parents that God had decided it is high time they become Grandparents.

We waited to share our news for a variety of reasons – but June 11 is getting closer and closer all the time. The doctor says everything is great and we will be welcoming a baby boy in a few short months.

Hope your Valentine’s Day was a good one. I got flowers today from my sweet husband and we are looking forward to being a party of 3 this time next year! I’m already looking forward to writing my “Reflections of 2008″ post!

Innocent Postal Worker: Does your package contain any hazardous materials, flammable liquids, yada yada?

Crazy Lady: No, (in a whisper loud enough to wake the dead) it’s just panties.

Innocent Postal Worker: (Blank Stare.)

Crazy Lady: They’re for my daughter. And my son-in-law. They’re for Valentine’s Day.

Innocent Postal Worker: (Blank Stare.)

Crazy Lady: See, when my daughter was a little girl, I used to call her “Sweet Cheeks”. And guess what I found? Valentine’s panties that say “Sweet Cheeks” on the back! They are SO cute – she’ll love ‘em.

Innocent Postal Worker: (Nervously glancing around the room.) Can I help you with anything else today?

Crazy Lady: Nope. Just the panties.

Lucky for the poor guy I was next in line, and all I needed was a Change of Address form.

So my friend Ross was in town this week, and she and I went to dinner last night. After dinner we both ran by Wal-Mart on the way home only to discover that Wal-Mart has (once again) been taken over by ugly and useless Valentine’s Day paraphernalia. On our way to the shampoo/hairspray aisle we were distracted by a (HUGE) bin of stuffed animals in various shades of red/pink/etc — gems like a tiny gorilla with “Don’t Monkey with my Heart” stitched across his chest and floppy-eared dogs reading “Puppy Love”. Clever.

One particular piece that caught my eye is below:

We stood for several minutes debating whether or not this should probably read “I love you this much!” We had a good laugh and decided that the people in China that make such ridiculous knick-knacks are obviously not big on grammar and “it’s the thought that counts” anyway, right?

So we keep shopping – looking for the office supply department (which is now in the back corner of the store, since the redesign) – and we pass yet another shelf of Vday crap. This time, however, we are greeted by this:

Same dog, but bigger (longer?).

Ok. A couple things. Clearly the same company produced these two dogs. Did they really create two different templates for embroidering these stupid things? Was it a space issue? The longer dog has enough space for a complete sentence? Sigh.

Not having been born in Arkansas – but claiming it (when appropriate and convenient) as home as I have graduated both high school and college here and lived here almost 17 years – I have almost as much pride in this state as those crazy people in Texas. But that’s a losing battle.

Seriously though, Arkansas is constantly overlooked on the national scene. We are written-off as hillbillies with no teeth and our former governor is ridiculed for living in a triple-wide trailer on the grounds of the Governor’s Mansion while renovations were taking place inside the house. Come on. When that kind of story makes it to Jay Leno – you’re done for.

But Mike Huckabee has persevered. Not a trailblazer, of course, as there has somehow already been a US President from this lowly state — but a brave soul nonetheless. He may not win the nomination and he may or may not run as VP, but I’m proud of him for the progress he’s made.

Without revealing my personal political views or voicing my endorsement — I have this to say from one Arkansan to another: Well Done, Mike Huckabee.

 Laura is always insanely jealous when it snows here – which should only get worse when she moves to Africa…. and I have pictures!

We ventured out for our annual Family Picture in the Snow – and had to take several before we got it right. Apparently, I’m not a good leaner. I tried to crop the pictures so my lack-of-leaning-skills are not as obvious…

Josh came over last night after supper and we were looking through some photos. He got upset that “we hang out all the time and there are NO pictures of it!” So we all got dressed and ventured BACK into the snow for a photo shoot with Josh.

So there ya go. Pictures of Josh. And the boys put me in the middle so I wouldn’t have to lean…