I'm a Lazy Butt Face

GUESS WHAT?!?!

It's my birthday week. I have a bunch of super amazing bloggy friends who have oh, so generously decided to give of their time and talent for you guys, but I was too lazy to come up with a week of giveaways (read: I forgot about it until 11:00 Sunday night and didn't want to spend an hour putting together a post for today), so you will have one big day of giveaways galore.

That day will just so happen to fall on my birthday. Also known as this Wednesday. 

What can you expect until then?

Oh, the usual. 

-A picture of me holding some fruit or vegetable and complaining about headaches and back pain and becoming a psychopath.

-A list of 25 things that I want to do before I turn 25.

-Probably some story about how awesome my parents and husband are for allowing me to live to the ripe old age of 24.

Actually, that is a lie. There is only one day between now and Wednesday, so I will not write about all those things, because you already know how lazy I am. I'll probably just pet my cat instead of writing blog posts, because you all know how cute and lovable he is.

He loves me. Obviously. 

And now I'm just going to leave, because this was the most pointless blog post you've ever read. But just for fun... Let's have a vote, shall we? 

What are the Garners going to have?
	Boy
	Girl
	Who cares - it'll look like an alien either way!
	Giant
pollcode.com free polls

PS: Speaking of votes, the book for November is "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn. If you're checking it out from the library... good luck. I'm number 97 on my library's waiting list (and that's for the ebook... the hard copy has over 100 patrons on the waiting list).

Do Your Cats Bathe You?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

How far along are you? 12 weeks

How big is Baby? A little over 2 inches long - the size of a plum! 

Weight Gain? Maybe about a pound...

 Gender? Who knows? Feel free to make bets - we find out on Dec. 21st. 

Maternity Clothes? Nope - I use the rubber band after I eat, but any belly I've got is from bloating. 

Stretch Marks? Nope!

Sleep? Ugh. I used to be able to sleep through anything... but not now. 

Symptoms? Crazy psycho lady mood swings. Exhaustion. Headaches. 

Movement? None that I can feel, but I know the little rascal is probably kicking away. 

Food Cravings? Spinach salad and... tacos. Are you surprised? Tacos are a never-ending craving. 

Labor Signs? None. 

Belly Button in or out? In. 

What I miss? SLEEP!!! Having the energy to go to the gym, and my pants not being super tight. 

What I am looking forward to? Having a baby belly! 

Best moment of the week? Waking up to Mike kissing baby and telling it how much he loves it already. 

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If you're interested in participating in book club and haven't gotten your email on the list, sign up below! 

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As for the blog title? My cat grooms me. He does the same to Mike - I feel like this is not normal. 

Favorite Things Friday

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!! 

I'm a little bummed because it's my Saturday to work, but I won't have to work another one till January, so it's all good. So. Time for my favorite things this week, and I have to apologize, because it's mostly centered around books. I'm a nerd, I know.

1. The Blogger Book Club Video Chat. You guys. You should all feel like you missed out, because you did (but don't worry, you have the chance to redeem yourself tomorrow at 1:00pm central time). Kaylee, Kim, Kristen, Amanda, and I all got to chat face to face and spill our feelings about The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  I would tell you the general consensus, but I'll wait till the link up on TUESDAY to spill it. 

2. The Book Club I went to last night. Yes, a real, live book club with real, living people. It was a group of women from church, and I mostly went so that I could attempt this whole "socializing" thing. Did I read the book? Heck no, but I got some delicious pumpkin cheesecake bread out of it. And I laughed - a lot.

3. Michael Connelley. You guys. My dad has been reading this dude's books for years, and he never recommended them to me. I'm actually a little offended - does the man think I don't know/appreciate good literature? Whatever - point is, his books are awesome and you should read them. All of them.

4. My cat. I'm running out of favorites, but you all know how I feel about lists of five, so here I am telling you how awesome my cat is. This is what happens when I get desperate - I turn into a crazy cat lady.

5. Promoting you guys. You have no idea how much I love coming up with silly raps or games to promote you guys and help you grow your blogs. I think you're all pretty awesome, and I enjoy getting to know you! That being said... I have one large ad and some small and medium spots left for November. Be advised that November is my birthday month, so things will get pretty crazy over here.

That's all. Have a fabulous weekend, and don't forget about the book club link up on Tuesday! 

PS - if anyone is interested in promoting their blog with a giveaway during my birthday week, that would be awesome. I'm allowing anyone to participate in a giveaway, rather than just paying sponsors this month. I hate to do it, but I'll be limiting how many "free ad spaces" I accept, so just keep that in mind. 

Favorite Things Friday

FINALLY. HALLELUJAH! 

It's Friday, beaches. Hahaha, sorry guys. You aren't sandy beaches. I love you all. I'm just a little bit too excited for Friday. It's pathetic, really.

Anyway. Moving on like Donkey Kong. Or something like that. Time for my favorite things this week.

1. Food Day. Yep, part of the reason I sound like I'm on crack right now is because I'm wildly anticipating the smorgasbord at work. It's food day, and I'm ready. Be jealous that you don't get any of the crock pot spinach and artichoke dip that I'm making.

not the recipe I'm using.

2. This commercial. Am I the only one that thinks it's the best thing ever? Because it is.
3. My new shoes! I'd been wanting these shoes for a while, but couldn't justify spending the money. Then I went to Target, and what do you know?! They were on clearance for $7.50! And that's how you win the game of life.

4. My cat's new bed. I woke up this morning, walked into the bathroom, turned on the light, and was greeted by a kitty in the sink. He's found a place to call home.

5. Free money. Too bad I can't win it. But you can - $50 straight to your Paypal account, courtesy of this beautiful lady.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And... a special shout out to my little brother - today is his 19th birthday!!! 
Happy Birthday, Ryan! We love you!! 

PS - All you ladies in UT, he's tall, dark and handsome! HA!

WIWW. Crazy Cat Lady. Shoes. Vlogs. Other Stuff.

Linking up here.

shirt: walmart (3 for $7 - mens section, refashioned to fit snugly) sweater&belt: c/o sugarlips apparel (purchase here) pants: walmart shoes: ebay

You guys. I think I'm a real blogger now - I got this sweater from Sugarlips Apparel, and I am soo in love with it - it's lightweight and incredibly comfortable, plus it came with this adorable belt. It just doesn't get any better than that. If you're looking for a new store to spend all of your hard-earned money, well, then... go here. 

In other news... I have compiled a list of Three Ways to Know You are a Crazy Cat Lady [it would be 5 but I'm running late on time]: 

1. You put your cat on a leash and take him for walks. I think this is self-explanatory.

2. You talk to your cat. I'm talkin' full-on conversations. Like the one I had with Zeuss this morning, when I ranted to him about how difficult finding a balance is. He understands - all that napping, stalking, and eating is hard work, you know.

3. You take family photos with your cat, and put them on your christmas cards. Make sure he is appropriately clothed, though. 

ANYWAY, it's now time for the What's on Your Feet? vlog linkup. Watch. Enjoy. Make fun of me. Watch others. Enjoy them. Make fun of them. And then go link up your own vlog!

And FINALLY.... I have a giveaway for you all... mostly because you are amazing. And cool. And all that other stuff. Here's what you can win - enter in the Rafflecopter form below, one winner takes all this time (YES! IT'S OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Favorite Things Friday

Happy Friday, everyone!
Wow, it feels like it's been forever since I've done a Favorite Things Friday post, but here I am, on a Friday, with a post all ready to go! Be amazed. 

1. Midwestern sunsets. You can hate on the hills and prairies all you want, but I promise that the midwest has some of the best sunsets I have ever seen. Hands down. 

2. White Collar. Holy balls. I LOVE this show. And no, it is not only because Neal Caffrey  (aka Matt Bomer) is dead freaking sexy. It's an interesting show with a great story. But... just for you, here is a picture of Mr. Sexy-face himself. And no, I don't care about that stupid 50 shades of gray book, so don't comment about how he'd make the perfect guy character.

via

3. Finding old pictures of me strangling my cat. Mike got his iPhone fixed and we went through pictures and found this gem. It looks like I'm strangling my cat, but I promise I wasn't. He liked the cuddles.

4. Fresh salads. This one has a raspberry vinaigrette and poppyseed dressing, grilled chicken, strawberries, craisins, lettuce, and feta cheese. So. Good.

5. Awesome blogs. I love awesome blogs. And I have a bunch over there on my sidebar. I want to introduce you to some today! Of course I give you a little bit of background info on each blog (written by myself).

I found Alex's blog when we were both living in Germany, and have read it ever since! She's awesome, and I'm really sad that I didn't get to meet her while I lived there. She just got back from a trip to Turkey, and it looks like it was such a blast!

blog//twitter//facebook

I've been following Ashley at her blog After Nine to Five for a loonnnng time, so I was really excited when she told me she and her husband were starting a blog. They do all sorts of fun features, and I love their "Things I'm Grateful for Friday."

blog//shop//twitter//facebook//instagram 

I found Lori's blog a few months ago, and am so glad I did! She lives in Georgia, and I'm thinking she needs to do a vlog, because I really want to hear her accent. Anyway, she's absolutely adorable, has a great sense of style, and is such a sweetheart!

blog//pinterest

Bri is awesome (just like her blog). She used to work for Nascar in North Carolina, but just made the move back to Texas. She has the most adorable dog (who likes to go for the occasional swim and sit by the pool while sipping margaritas - she's a posh puppy) and is such a sweetheart! I've loved getting to know her!

blog//twitter//Instagram

What are some of your favorite things this week? 


PS: IF YOUR NAME IS AMY M., You won the giveaway. Email me within 48 hours, or I'll have to pick a new winner. 

Changes. Bikes. Cats. Nephews. Homework. Etc.

Yooooooo. 


If you haven't already, you should go check out (and join!) the Better Blogger Network. I'm one of their bloggers, and it's a pretty awesome place to network and find great new blogs to read!


So. Starting next month, there's going to be some pretty huge changes around these parts. In no particular order, they are: 


- we're going to be spending a whole lot of time with these. AKA I'm going to be getting my butt back into shape and making Husband come with me.

- I'm accepting sponsors again. Heaven help me, I decided to start sponsorship again. I have ONE feature spot, THREE medium, and TWO small left. Let me know if you want one. Don't worry, though - my blog will not be taken over by guest posts - it is my blog, and it will stay that way.

- we're going to be homeless and car-less. We have no idea where we're going to live. We thought we'd be moving to Buffalo, NY, but now we may not have to, so we're in the middle of a waiting game. 


- I'm going to be doing a whole lot of this. I have a feeling that grad school is going to kick my butt.

- I'm going to spend time with this guy. Hopefully he remembers me.

- and this guy. I will cry if he hates me/ doesn't know who I am.

- we will be sleeping on a bed big enough for two giants. Halle-freaking-lujah. I think I would have died if I had to sleep on a double any longer.

- a new blog design and some new bloggy features. When life changes come... so do blog changes.

So... I don't know if you caught on, but we're going home. It's about a month and a half earlier than we were supposed to, but we had some problems with our plane tickets, and I'm kind of really upset about it. I've avoided the topic here because we had some big travel plans that got thrown out the window with the news that we were headed home early, and it was really disappointing to me.

It's also hard for me because I have spent a total of almost five years of my life living in Germany, and I can see myself here for five more (only maybe with real jobs and not an 800 EUR a month salary). I am so torn, because I love it here so much, but I know that there are better things for us in the United States right now.

Basically... it's really bittersweet, and my poor little heart is kinda breaking. Mostly because I'm gonna miss the schnitzel. Okay, that was a lie - it's because I'm a big wimp.