Five Fandom Friday- Favorite Songs to Get Me into the Holiday Spirit

Happy Holiday season everyone! It has been a very long time since I have done a Triple F, but I do love Christmas music, so I couldn't pass this one up! (Even though I'm posting this on a Monday...better late than never!)  Here are my five songs to get me into the holiday spirit. (And if you look at the one I did back in 2014, you may see a familiar face or two. What can I say, I like what I like!)

1. Don't Be a Jerk (Its Christmas)- Spongebob Squarepants

Sure this little yellow guy can be annoying sometimes, but this song sure is the truth! Just because you're busy this holiday season doesn't mean you have the right to be a jerk to everyone else. This video is the shortened version of the song, the full length is just about a minute longer and I'm sure they'll be playing all the Christmas Spongebobs on Nick this month, so look for those if you're interested :)

2. Christmas Eve/Sarajevo- Trans Siberian Orchestra

To me, TSO can do no wrong in the Christmas song department. They remind me of Christmases of my youth so much that I just love them. And this is one of my favorites.

3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen- Pentatonix

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs. Its one of the first I learned to play on my violin and that just made me love it that much more. Also, Pentatonix reminds me very much of Christmas now (just like TSO), even though they aren't just a Christmas accapella group, so they'll be on my Christmas playlists for a very long time.

4. The Whole Soundtrack of A Charlie Brown Christmas

When I was younger, I would pop this into my CD player before bed, and fall asleep to it every night. I think its one of the best soundtracks ever created.

5. Jingle Bell Rock

(Apologies, the video above doesn't just show the dance, but its all I could find *womp womp*) This is a new one, because one of my little nephews just loves this song and listens to it over and over. I told my sister it reminded me of Mean Girls, which is why I posted this video and didn't try to find the actual song.

Bonus songs!
Coldest Winter- Pentatonix

So this isn't a Christmas song technically, its a cover of a Kanye West song. But look at this video! And its winter themed, so......yeah. It totally counts.

Hallelujah- Pentatonix

Be prepared to feel all the feels. I blame it on movies always playing this song when someone dies and the fact that this group is amazing. The song is wonderful. Grab a tissue.

So there they are- my go to holiday songs this year (and mostly every year). I also a deep love for Carol of the Bells  and Troy and Abed's Christmas rap from Community (which I mentioned in the 2014 Triple F). And here's a playlist I made just for Christmas last year (because I really feel like sharing Christmas music today!).

What songs get you in the holiday spirit? Let me know in the comments!

Merry Christmas!!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas or just a wonderful day if you don't partake in the Christmas festivities.

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Here's a playlist I made for the day, I hope you like it. And side note, I think the whole Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack is fabulous, I would've put the whole thing on here, but I think that defeats the purpose of a playlist :) Also, Ariana Grande's Christmas and Chill EP is a pretty fun. I'm not much of a fan of hers, but its a quick listen and holiday-esque. 

What are you listening to right now to get you through the day? 

Monday Mix Up #23 (Not Entirely Suitable for Work)

Hey! Its the first Monday Mix Up since some time last year! I'm still deciding whether or not I want to keep this, but for now, today's list is all about hate mail** disguised as April Fool's pranks. Now, we're pretty close to April Fool's Day, so having these shipped now might be too late, but you can totally replicate some of these at home! So if you have a frenemy, or just someone you just straight up don't like, use April Fool's Day to release some of your pent up dislike in the form of snail mail hijinks.

Shipyourenemiesglitter.com
Glitter is the herpes of the art world. Let glitter be the herpes of your rude co-worker's cubicle, so they can be reminded for weeks that someone doesn't care for them. For $9.99, this company will send an envelope of glitter, along with a note telling them why they're receiving it. Ships worldwide, and they have an April Fool's Day shipping option. It's anonymous, so the only way that person will know that you sent them the glitter is if you tell them, or tell someone else that can't keep a secret.

Dicksbymail.com
Someone posted the Refinery29 article that talked about this site on my husband's Facebook wall the other day as a joke, but I bookmarked it for a rainy day lol. Actually, there's this girl that's trying really hard to get my husband's attention (when she should be focused on her own husband), and I don't like it. She's the type of person I would totally send this to, except she commented on the post about how much she wanted a bag! So I can't send her one because it would make her happy, but I want to, because shes a...not nice person. Anyway, for $15 (and probably some shipping and tax), you can send a bag of gummy dicks anonymously to whoever you feel needs one.

Ruindays.com

If you want to one stop shop for your prank/hate mail, visit this site! They have gummy dicks, glitter bombs, and apparently, realistic poop in a box. Yuck. I can visualize myself sending people edible appendages, but I don't think I could stoop so low as to send feces (even the fake kind that just smells real). But maybe you can :) And I won't judge you for it. Because people can wrong you in so many different ways, and maybe your person deserves poop. You also have the option to make the poop glittery, in case the object of your mail rage is a real butthead. There are also boxes filled with sand and butthurt care packages. And just like the others, this site also sends anonymously.

Honestly, I'm not a fan of April Fool's Day. I've always been pretty gullible, so a whole day devoted to pranks and jokes is not good for a person like me. But hopefully this little list put a smile on your face.You probably won't ever have the need to utilize these services, but isn't it nice to know that they exist?

**I don't support the act of hate mail in any form, and these are relatively harmless things (except that poop, that's just gross). You can even send them to friends if they have that type of humor (and you warn them first).**

Merry Christmas :)

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Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all have the happiest of days today. I hope you get everything you asked for, make people happy, and eat lots of delicious food. Share laughter and joy, and please, be safe. 

Five Fandom Friday- Must Watch Christmas Movies

Thanks to Megan and Kristin for coming up with these prompts! 

Christmas has some of the best movies and teevee shows around, don't you think? I like that they all have snow, since I don't live in a place where the term White Winter applies at all. 

1. All I Want For Christmas. This was one of my favorite Christmas movies growing up. Tiny Thora Birch is just so cute! And I had a mad crush on Ethan Embry lol. I guess growing up with divorced parents, I could relate to the story. Although, and this is mega harsh, I never wanted to pull crazy schemes to get my parents back together. They split when I was just a baby, so living with my dad was the only thing I ever knew. I've always wondered if anyone has ever tried to do that though.

2. Home Alone. "Kevin!!" So many quotables in this movie! And Macauly Culkin was living the dream in that  movie, well, until the burglars showed up. 

3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Its hard to have a movie live up to its predecessor, especially a family comedy. But this one did. And because of this movie, I obsessively hunted for turtle dove ornaments lol. I found them too, at an antique store.

Derpin' through the 90's

4. A Charlie Brown Christmas. I don't think this is technically a movie, but this is a must watch every year. I love Charlie Brown's sad tree, and "Hark! Then Harold Angel starts to sing." Not to  mention it probably has one of the best soundtracks ever. 

5. A Christmas Story. "You'll shoot your eye out with that thing!!" If you have seen this movie, I really don't think I need to explain it. Its great. Its probably the first Christmas I watch every year. 

I also have to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon version), The Santa Clause and all those teevee specials with Rudolph and Frosty. The Christmas episodes of Family Matters and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air are also some of my favorites, if I can catch them on. 

What are your holiday must watch shows and movies? 

Casual Costume- Person In An Ugly Holiday Sweater

I wanted to write about ugly Christmas sweaters, but it just felt wrong to make it a gift guide, so its a Casual Costume instead. Call it, Person Wearing an Ugly Christmas Sweater Unironically, or something. I think its great that stores intentionally make ugly sweaters every year. I don't have the occasion to wear one, I don't know anyone that throws Ugly Sweater parties. I'm always grateful that Target makes sock versions of their ugly sweaters, I usually just buy those. This year I did buy the Feliz Navidad sweater from Target thats down below though. I just couldn't resist those smiling cacti! I'm hoping that I'll have somewhere to wear it soon.

Ugly Christmas Sweaters by krystellemt 

Gingerbread Pullover-Modcloth / Santa pullover-Modcloth / Elf pullover-Modcloth / Mossimo Supply Co. Men's Gnome Sweater / Mossimo Supply Co. Men's Cactus Sweater / A Christmas Sweater-TeeFury / Holiday Mix Vol. 1-TeeFury / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Snowflake Sweatshirt / Vader Lack of Faith Sweatshirt

These came from Kohls, Target, Modcloth and Teefury. Some of these sweaters and sweatshirts are men's, it seems like they get the ugliest sweaters lol. The Modcloth sweaters are female, and the Teefury ones have the option to be bought in either men's or women's sizes.

Gift Guide- Subscription Boxes Pt.2

I had so much making the first gift guide about subscription gift boxes that I thought I would make another one! The thing is, there are a ton of subscription boxes out there. Its so difficult to choose just a few a great ones, because there are a lot of great ones. But there are also a lot of crappy ones floating around out there too. So please do your research and make sure that you're choosing boxes that fit what you're looking for and know that they are a gamble.

For the kiddos-
Kiwi Crate. These boxes come in a variety of age appropriate choices starting from three years old and going all the way up to sixteen years old. Each box contains enough materials to complete a project, and some other fun stuff depending on the age group. Subscriptions start at $19.95/month with free shipping.

Little Passports. For the world traveller in training, this box has everything. Its a great way to help a child explore different parts of the world without breaking your bank to actually take them there. There are different plans for different age groups, and each age group seems to cost different amounts, so check your prices accordingly. The first month in the first two age groups, the child will receive a suitcase and passport with their first lesson, after that its letters, etc.

For the cat lady-
MeowBox. This box is expensive, but if you love your kitty kitty then its worth it! A monthly box is $32.95 here in the States, but they are shipping from Canada. Each month a little box of treats will come for your cat, and a small portion of sales from these boxes goes to animal rescue.

For the makeup enthusiast-
Ipsy. This fun little bag comes with a few different beauty finds for just $10 a month. You take a quiz to determine your beauty style, and samples are sent based on that quiz. If you like what you receive in your bag, you have the option to buy the full size product at a discount.

Julep Maven. This box is similar to Ipsy, but it comes with two price options, My Maven ($24.99), and Maven Deluxe ($34.99). Each box comes with beauty items tailored to your style profile (yep, you get to take a little quiz to start this subscription too!). These are full sized products though, which is why the subscription price is a little high.

For the hero supporters-
HeroCrate. A bit like Loot Crate, except each month is dedicated to one specific hero! And, you don't have to have a subscription to get the box. You can buy your boxes as you want at 29.99 a month (although, there is a three month bundle at 27.99/month if you prefer). A teeshirt is guaranteed in every crate, plus four to six other items. And rumor has it that a VillianCrate is in the works.

So I'm sure there are still many more amazing boxes out there, but I am running out of time!! What are your favorite subscription boxes?

Five Fandom Friday- Gifts I Want Santa To Bring Me

Christmas is so close, its crazy! Today's Five Fandom Friday is about the presents I'd like Santa to bring me. To be honest, I had a difficult time thinking of things. I'm more of a gift card person, you never know when those things can come in handy :)

1. A Range Rover. Santa will need to park this one in the garage, not under my tree! My poor, beloved Honda Accord is on her last legs of life. A new car for me isn't a stretch, but that new car being a Range Rover probably is. I like SUVs because they're higher off the ground and have room for my kids and all their kid stuff. They aren't super great on gas though, which sucks when I'm trying to convince my husband to buy one. My first car was actually a truck (an old Silverado), so that kind of ruined me on cars forever.

2. Canon Selphy CP910 Printer. One of my goals for next year is to try a version of Project Life that I think I can stick to. This printer would help me so much because I would be able to print my pictures at home as soon as I need them, instead of having to order them from some online place like I've done in the past. And this one is blue, which is my favorite color.

3. A gym membership. I have tried to work out at home, but it just doesn't work for me. I get too distracted by things here and then the workout never happens. Plus, I get motivated by the fact that money is being spent on the membership, is that weird? Like I don't want to waste the money, so I might as well go....This year has been a particularly rough one in terms of my health, and I know that part of it can be cured with a little (okay, more than a little) weight loss. Maybe Santa will feel my pain and put a gym membership in my stocking. 

4. Razer Black Widow Chroma Keyboard. I hope I get a new computer soon, since my laptop is also on its last legs (whats with all my stuff deciding to crap out at the same time?). If I do, I really want this keyboard. Its designed for gaming and its so pretty! It has a rainbow colored backlighting, and I've never had a keyboard thats been backlit before, so I might as well start off with a bang!

5. R2D2 Ring from Her Universe. I love R2D2, hes just so cute! And this ring is fabulous! I would wear it all the time if I had it.

What presents are you hoping to get from Santa Claus? Are they mostly practical items, or are they for fun?

Carol of the Bells

Last Friday I posted about my favorite holiday songs and I mentioned that I love Carol of the Bells. I even had a whole playlist dedicated to it once! I received a comment asking to see it, so I thought why not? Well, I couldn't find all the songs I once had, because it had taken me years to find all the versions of the song that I loved. And with my computer crashing like it did, and me being the nar-nar that I was and didn't back anything up, all of it was lost. So I created just a little Carol of the Bells playlist on Spotify that I'd like to share with you guys today. If you know of any versions of this song that you love and I didn't put it on here, please share! I am looking to make an even better playlist this time around :)

Gift Guide- Subscription Boxes

I think subscription boxes are really fun to give as gifts because you have the option of sending them for more than a month, and its always a surprise as to what's in the box. There are so many boxes out there though. These are the ones that caught my eye.

For the Paper Lover-
A Beautiful Mess Happy Mail Its a monthly delivery of stationery created by Elsie and Emma and produced by Studio Calico, so you know its legit. Available for monthly billing at $20, the price lessens if you can make more than a month to month commitment. Perfect for the letter writer in your life!

Studio Calico Scrapbooking Kits Speaking of Studio Calico, they create their own awesome boxes of goodies that they ship out monthly! They have a scrapbook kit, cardmaking kit and a Project Life kit and prices vary depending on which kit you choose.

For the Nerd-
Loot Crate (starting at $13.37 plus S&H) Probably the most popular of the "nerd" crates, but thats because it does have good stuff. Every month has a theme, and they try really hard to stick to it. Its just hit or miss, mostly based on your preferences. December's crate theme is Anniversary though, and its supposed to have a few exclusives and lots of other neat stuff.

Nerd Block ($19.99 plus S&H)This is another fun one, and it always comes with a teeshirt. Its a little more pricey than Loot Crate if you live in the States, because they ship from Canada. But whats really cool about this place is that they have a ton of different options. There are Arcade and Horror Blocks that cost as much as a Nerd Block, and then there are Nerd Block Jr's that are meant for children ages 6-11. The Jr Blocks are gender specific though, so that's kind of a bummer. They do cost less ($13.99) than the regular Blocks, but I think thats because they don't include shirts.

IndieBox For the nostalgic gamer, this subscription box offers collectible editions of indie games, with some other goodies thrown in. Their motto is "bringing back the box!" Its a cool idea and prices are about the same as the other boxes in this category. The picture below is one of the past Indie Box games.  

For the Eclectic-

Graze I love my little snack boxes. They're very customizable, you just tell the people at Graze what you like and what you don't, and they're pretty good about sticking to that. They have a variety of options for those of us that have food allergies, and there's a regular box and a lower calorie box for those that are watching their weight. Use my referral code (95LLHF2NP) and get your first and fifth box for free! Plus, once you sign up, you can start referring people and earning your own free boxes. 

Quarterly Curated boxes of things by celebrities. I first heard about it when Bill Nye started doing boxes, but now I'm hearing that Wil Wheaton may soon be curating some! The boxes range from $50-$100, and are sent every three months (or you know, quarterly). There are all types of boxes to choose from, so you could probably even find a box for that one friend or relative thats so difficult to shop for.

Barkbox If you have an avid dog lover on your hands, Barkbox might be for them! You chose the size of the dog, what type of payment plan you'd like (prices start at $29 with free shipping for one month, but lessens with longer monthly commitments), and they send a few treats and toys monthly for the dog. Plus their website says that 10% of their profits go to various animal charities.

KawaiiBox This box is full of all kinds of cute! Every month they'll receive 10-12 snacks, toys, stationery or other goodies from Japan and Korea. Its a full on Kawaii explosion right out of the box! Its $18.90 a month and free shipping worldwide.

Five Fandom Friday- Songs to Spread Holiday Cheer

Happy Friday Everyone! Today's Five Fandom Friday is all about those Christmas songs that bring you joy, or you know, just don't annoy you. I feel really bad for anyone that's a Target employee, because I know that all four of my local Targets have been playing the Frozen soundtrack on repeat since the day after Halloween. I guess its beats the regular montage of Christmas songs, but its probably going to ruin that fabulous soundtrack for all those people. I could go nuts making Christmas playlists, I really enjoy Christmas music that much. There were a few years when Christmas music was ruined for me because I worked in a sandwich shop that played a work friendly radio station, and during the holiday season it played the worst renditions of Christmas songs ever, but I'm over it now!

1. Carol of the Bells- Pentatonix I've actually made playlists dedicated to this song. It is my all time favorite Christmas song. Ever. I even mentioned that last year lol. I guess I keep consistent :)

2. Don't Be A Jerk (Its Christmas)- Spongebob Squarepants Some words of wisdom from a sponge that wears pants. Don't be rude, its Christmas!

3. Troy and Abed's Christmas Rap I loved Community when it was this Community. *Troy and Abed in the Morning.* And its no secret that I love Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino.

4. Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer- Elmo and Patsy Probably not the best to listen to if you have children that still believe in Santa, but this song is kind of a stress reliever during the holidays. Its silly and fun. And if you're pissed off at someone, you can substitute their name in for Grandma's :)

5. Hark the Herald Angel Sings- A Charlie Brown Christmas This soundtrack was one of the first CDs I ever owned. And this song never fails to conjure images of Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang with their heads pointed to the sky, so all you see are mouths and noses, singing. Reminds me of being a kid, which is nice sometimes.

Bonus songs-

Carol of the Bells- Destiny's Child I told you this was my favorite Christmas song!! And I am a musical product of the late 90's early 2000's in some ways. I have the N'Sync Christmas album too. Shh, don't tell anyone.....

Mary Did You Know?- Pentatonix I really like Pentatonix. And super sad story about this song. My father-in-law's mom passed away last November, and this was her favorite church song, as they called it. The congregation sang it at her funeral, and my father-in-law's dad sang along the loudest, and it was just heartbreaking. I can't really hear the song anymore without thinking of that day, but Pentatonix sings it really well. 

What are your favorite Christmas songs? As always, special thanks to Megan and Kristen for thinking up these great Fandom Friday topics! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I loled when I Googled cornucopia and this was the first image that popped up. Figured I might as well use it. Google knows me too well.

Happy Thanksgiving! Today is the day when we get to eat way too much turkey and pie! I really am not big on turkey, to be honest. I'm more of a sides and pie girl. I like mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, olives (yes, they were presented to me as a side as a child, so I still consider them one), cranberry sauce (only the jellied one that looks like the can it came in) and pumpkin pie buried in whipped cream. Today is also a day to give a few moments to allow yourself to reflect on what you're thankful for. It doesn't have to be anything deep or meaningful. I am thankful for my family and the fact that I'm alive. But I'm also thankful that my cat tolerates me enough now that she'll jump on the couch with me sometimes, and that the Real Housewives of Atlanta and Beverly Hills are back on teevee. See, I have varying degrees of thankfulness, but it doesn't make any of them any less important to  me. And whatever you're thankful for this year is equally as important - no matter what it is.

I know that some of you may be planning to head out to Black Friday sales, or Thanksgiving Day sales (since so many stores are opening up right after dinner time tonight) to start on your Christmas shopping, and that's cool. I have never been one to brave those crowds, I am just not a people person like that. But before you go, I'd like to leave you with these links, and maybe you might like to donate to one of them today (or some time this holiday season). My grandfather believed that if you had even just a little extra to give to someone else, you should. He grew up during the Depression, so sharing with and helping out your neighbors was something that he experienced firsthand. Volunteering and donating has always been a big part of my life, and I try to pass that spirit on to others when I'm able.

*WoW Mom- This Kickstarter is for a documentary about a lady named Terry who has a very serious form of cancer, and uses World of Warcraft to cope with it. Cancer is a subject near and dear to me, and Terry using WoW to deal with what is going on with her health is interesting to me. Backer perks range from online screenings of the documentary to a Skype call with cast members of The Guild. Chris Hardwick is a supporter of Terry and her daughter Andie, and there are Nerdist perks available too. This Kickstarter ends on December 11, 2014. They are hoping to raise $45,000 and as of press time they have raised $23,387.

*Game and Gab for Good- Created by Mariko McDonald of Gamerwife, this event is aiming to raise $2000 to give to Love146, which is an organization that's helping to stop child trafficking and exploitation. The event is December 9th, 2014. Mariko and others will be discussing the evolution of female protagonists in the game industry while playing Contrast in a live stream. You also have a chance of winning some really neat prizes depending on your donation amount, so thats pretty awesome.

*Extra Life and Play Live- I haven't been able to stream much lately, as my laptop is hanging on to dear life, but I am still raising money for these charities. Play Live is ongoing, Extra Life will go until December 30, 2014. Both are great causes that help children dealing with life changing events. Play Live specifically goes to helping St Jude hospitals- for supplies, research, and to make sure that any child there for cancer treatment never receives a bill for their care. Extra Life supports Children's Miracle Network hospitals. The money raised is given to those hospitals and they can use it as they need it. Meaning they can use it to pay for more training, equipment, whatever the hospital is lacking at that time. And there is a giveaway going on here for an in-game pet if you donate to these.......

*Operation Supply Drop- This organization donates games and gaming consoles to the US military. They also hold a gaming marathon once a year, similar to Extra Life. My brother is currently serving in the Army, and while we have been so lucky that he hasn't been sent overseas, we have known so many other servicemen that have. These "supply drops" help the men and women serving our country get a little fun and relaxation in an otherwise harsh environment. If you click on the link, it will take you to my donor page. I would like to announce here that I am also looking to form a team for this cause! Click on the Team KMT part of my profile and you should be able to register if you'd like :)

*Samaritan's Purse- This organization has been in the spotlight recently because they had some of their volunteers in Africa contracted Ebola. I know Samaritan's Purse because of their Christmas Shoeboxes though. My stepmom's church does them every year, and they're a lot of fun to make. You get to choose the gender and age of the child you'd like to make a box for, then fill it will some fun things (small, yet age appropriate toys) and some practical things (soap, toothpaste,etc). The boxes get sent to Samaritan's Purse, who then sends them to countries where the boxes are needed. Their website shows the many ways in which you can donate, including building a Christmas Shoebox online!

And here is a list of sites that the IGGPPC compiled during our camp this year. Its all about donating books. The list is mighty, and doesn't just cover the US.

So these are just a few things that I think are great causes to donate to. But even if none of these causes tickle your fancy, I do hope that you'll find something that does this holiday season, and give a little to it. Whether its time, money, or supplies- anything helps, truly.

Have a safe and happy day!

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July to all my American readers out there! Be safe, drink responsibly, and don't set too many things on fire :) And to my non American readers, happy regular July day!

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Currently/Recently

Watching-

Firefly! Its about damn time, right?! Its been sitting in my Netflix queue forever, but my husband and I have finally made the time to start watching it. Its pretty freaking awesome. 

Reading-

Lumberjanes! Well, not really. I have been desperately trying to secure a physical copy of issue number one that doesn't cost a million dollars and have had no luck. I did get number two and added it to my comic subscription list, but I am hesitant to read it without reading number one first. I have been keeping up with the other comics in my subscription though (Ms. Marvel, Sex Criminals, Rat Queens, She-Hulk and Deadly Class), so that makes me happy. I am also getting ready to reread The Fault in our Stars. All the pictures of that book blowing up my Instagram feed lately has made me want to read it again. 

Listening- 

Ed Sheeran- Sing

The Lonely Island ft Pharrell Williams- Hugs

I have been listening to this song since The Wack Album was released, and was excited to see that they made a video for it to play while Andy hosted SNL's season finale last week. The song in the video is a little different than the song on the CD, but its still good. 

Happenings-

Currently, I am sick. It might just be really bad allergies, but either way, it blows. I am sneezing nonstop and my throat is so itchy and hurty! Bummer that it has to happen right before I have more dental work done (the past few weeks have involved a root canal and a deep cleaning, I just need to get a crown and a filling and I should be good to go). To me, there's nothing worse than having to have your mouth open for long periods of time when you're not feeling well, its like asking to vomit (or is that just me?). Its also my son's last week of school. I can't believe the school year is over already! I am relieved though. I have really been hating on his school this year. Its like they don't even care about educating the kids....but that's a rant for another day.

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I went to see Jay Mohr perform his stand-up with my sister-in-law and her boyfriend. She'd actually purchased the tickets as a birthday present for my husband and as an anniversary present for her boyfriend. Not going to lie, we all came in with expectations kinda low. The role I could most easily place him in was moderator for BlizzCon's costume contests. Ouch. But I guess he does a sports radio show, so there were a lot of dudes in the audience. There were also a lot of old people there, which was surprising. I think they were surprised too, because most of them were visibly offended by Jay's act (and really offended by his opener- Dean Delray). The show was dirty and vulgar and pretty awesome. When we went to see Aziz Ansari, it was good. He was funny, but it all felt really rehearsed and scheduled. Dean and Jay were both really out there, and actually responded to hecklers in the audience....it just a little more natural. Also, they took the time to come out to the front of the venue after the show for pictures and things, which was pretty cool.

Around that time, we found that the kittens had returned to our backyard (have I mentioned the kittens here? I know I have on Instagram). I was determined to keep them here this time, so I put more food and water out for the mommy kitty in hopes that she'd stay. I checked on the kittens constantly, as she had placed them in a shed this time (my mother-in-law left it full of junk...we rent from her..). Things seemed to be okay, but after two days we noticed that the sickest looking kitten had disappeared. We thought maybe it had wandered off, since they were pretty mobile by that point. Well....sadly that was not the case. A few days later the other kittens were making horrible cries that had drawn the attention of our neighbors. I went to check on them and saw that another kitten had gone missing, yet I could hear her. We moved a bunch of stuff around and found her stuck in a box. And upon removing her from the box, my husband found the sickest kitty behind the box...dead. I was devastated. The kitties were looking rough, one was dead, and I hadn't seen the mommy kitty since we found the kittens in the shed. So we called the cat rescue people and they finally agreed to take the remaining two kittens. They were both very ill with upper respiratory viruses and fleas, so the chance of them surviving I was told, was slim. I haven't had the nerve to call them and find out, but I do have a claim on the spotty one if she makes it :)

The orange one in the middle is the one that passed away. The white one with spots is the one I'm hoping we'll get when/if she recovers. Also in backyard news- this cat:

I feed this one, since it pretty much lives in my backyard now. I think he/she has some relation to the kittens. I've named it Oreo, just because I hate just calling it Kitty. 

I also got caught up in the parking pass drama related to SDCC. I managed to get parking passes late that night, but boy was it a pain! Maybe next year they can use a different parking company? Or maybe that parking company can use servers that can handle that type of traffic? But on the good side of San Diego Comic-Con (besides the fact that I'm going), I did get tickets to see Nerdist Podcast Live! Super excited for that, I really love Chris Hardwick. Anyone know of anything else that's going on that Saturday and Sunday? Those are the only con-related days I'll be there.

So that's it for me right now. I hope everyone has a safe Memorial Day weekend, and while you're out there B-B-Qing, please remember to take a second to reflect on all that the Armed Forces has done and will continue to do for us as a nation. 

Monday Mix Up #17

Happy March Everyone! Its birthday month here (my children and I are all March babies), so I happen to like this month quite a bit :) My grandma was also born in March (her birthday is the day after mine), so this month is also really hard for me because it just highlights how much I miss her. I also found out that the International Geek Girl Pen Pals Club will be celebrating their first birthday this month as well, so its birthdays all around!

*March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb.

*Loving this California tee from Stately Type.

*I need this notebook from Denik up in here, up in here.

*Ladies Against Humanity (not for the faint of heart or politically correct)

*Speaking of Tumblr.....KMT is now on it! Follow along if you like :)

*Hot chocolate sounds so good right now. Looks good too.

*A fun St. Patrick's Day care package to be sure you or your loved ones don't get pinched!

*Any excuse to show my age and use a disposable camera.......