nope. if you want some of those great ideas go visit brenda. she's given me some good ideas these past two holiday seasons that i've known about her blog. she's kind of a martha in hiding. b/c she's totally normal, but she's just full of good ideas. my aunt claudia should start an idea blog. she's like that. come to think of it, my mom should update her blog *ahem* and post some craft ideas. she's all sorts of crafty.
ok, my brain's a-wanderin'. what i really wanted to tell you about was what i saw on television the other day. now, i am in NO WAY an oprah fan. i know lots of people that watch her show and i just can't get into it. i even tried. when i was teaching i would come home from school and read the mail during oprah. after the mail was opened i was usually bored, grossed out, or irritated by her. i just don't like the way she looks at people ..... or doesn't. it just has always seemed to me that she is so driven to run her show that she isn't actually listening to the people on stage. i'm sure this isn't totally true of her personality, but it always seems that way to me. but again i'm wandering.
so here's the real story. i turned on the tv while dinner was cooking and flipped past oprah. it just so happened to be her favorite things episode. i've always heard so much about this particular deal, but i don't remember ever watching one in it's entirety. so i decided to give her a shot. this year she transported her show down to macon, ga and had a local crowd gathered for the affair. when she announced it was her favorite things episode those women (and men!) went NUTS! i saw jumping, screaming, fanning of the face, and lips mouthing, "thank you, Jesus!" yeah, that's when i thought, "oh, come on people! what IS this? look at yourselves!" apparently, for one woman the screaming started before she actually heard oprah SAY what they were there for b/c she turned to her friend looking around confused. she very well may have been hearing impaired.... i don't know. her friend then grabbed the woman's shoulders and yelled "OPRAH'S FAVORITE THINGS!" then of course, they both were so happy they did the dance of joy. there was an elderly woman that the camera kept panning past.... i seriously thought they were going to have to call an emt for her.
but even after all that insanity, i decided to see what the favorite things were. at first i wasn't too impressed. a video camera, some boots, watches..... all very nice things. all things i would have said, "thank you" for and run out of there before she could change her mind. all typical things that tv talk shows are handing out lately. no doubt thanks to oprah's mega-star likeness and years of favorite things shouting "take that!" to all the loser shows that gave guests a mug or t-shirt with the host's picture and autograph slapped on it. but there was one gift that particularly caught my eye. she gave away some very nice mixing bowls and measuring cups and i thought, "now, there's a very nice thing that i'd enjoy." i was starting to get sucked into the swirling vortex, but i was still resisting. having connor sitting in my lap kept me fixed on reality, but he's only two, he doesn't have that strong a grip yet. by the time she flipped the box off the kitchenaid mixers...forget about it. i was totally hooked. it just got more outrageous from there. panini presses, lounge around comfy clothes, a $250 target gift card..... i was on the edge of my seat! when the big dog came out i was so excited..... are you ready for this??.... the brand new lg side by side $3000 fridge with the built in tv!!!!!!! by then even I was jumping and dancing and i'm not getting the fridge!!!! see how she sucks you in?? it has taken me three days to forget that excitement. there were tons of other favorite things: an amazing dvd collection of classic flicks, a dvd collection of the most amazing nature moments you'll see on film, a facial scrubber that i would love, a set of super nice soaps and body butter--designed specifically for oprah, it was ridiculous. then she had josh groban perform at the end and everyone got his christmas cd. by that point connor and i were singing along and dancing. he didn't care why, he just knew he got to be goofy.
it was insane. i couldn't believe all the things she gave away. i'm curious (not that much) as to how it works. i know she said she had all their addresses so she would be shipping the fridges, but i wonder if they really do get all those things before they leave.
money doesn't buy happiness, but it sure does create a frenzy at the oprah show. i don't regret watching that episode... it was fun. and funny. but i definitely won't be catching up on lost time with oprah. i'm just glad that at the end of the day i can look around my house and just be thankful for what i have. i mean, true, who wouldn't want to win all those nice things? but when you know there's so much more to life it just makes those moments seem so much more fleeting. maybe it's just my old age talking. when it comes right down to it i'm sure that most of our favorite things lists would look more like this:
17 comments:
You are cute. I actually read that whole thing. I saw some of that favorite things show. I remember Oprah giving everyone a car once and she kept saying this year had the most expensive thing in favorite things history. The fridge came out...still in a box and I thought...what could be more expensive than a car that would fit into that box. I guess the car didn't count b/c the fridge was a real letdown to me. I liked the bowls and cups too! my girls and mikey are on my favorite things too...right above this new turkey sandwich I just made and am LOVING!
i was wondering about the cars too, but they weren't on a favorite things episode were they? is that why the fridge was the most expensive favorite thing so far? i can't believe the fridge was a let down to you! A FRIDGE!!! WITH A TV IN IT!!! you're just like dad. we would be wheezing laughing at stuff on a stupid tv show and he would barely crack a smile. it does make me laugh though that your sandwich is making a favorite things list... you didn't eat brefix this morning, did you? :)
I did eat an egg and toast...which I usually share with ava but today they had cinnamon rolls so I got to have the whole thing to myself. I didn't eat lunch until 2:30 though. I put turkey on a delish bun and had white american cheese, tomato, s+p and some olive oil...it was seriously so good. I don't remember what the car was on. I was wondering that as I waited for the fridge to come out. Obviously it was not a fav thing. yeah, the fridge was not impressive b/c I think you could put a TV in your kitchen if you really wanted one that bad. I mean...who has seating already facing the fridge...and when you are cooking that door is opening and closing all the time. sounds like the solution to a non-existent problem. But I digress...what's up with not mentioning about the babe...are people supposed to guess the sex by the ultrasound?
You got me rolling and nodding "uh-huh" with the chin hairs thing. Even though we've been married for 5.5 years now I still get super embarrassed if Matt spots a chin hair on me!
I'm with you about Oprah. We never ever watch her but my mom is a total fan. She even taped this episode for me about understanding baby cries (which I still have yet to watch). Those goodies sound incredible! No wonder those people were going so nuts!
Btw, did you find out the gender of baby #2 or is that a surprise?
I am not an oprah fan either although I occasionly check what her topic is for the day - like I watched the one where all the people lost over 200 lbs but I was cleaning church this day - Mike actually watched it and told me about it. I am so thankful life is not all about things! About the car thing - I think I heard they were donated whereas she actually bought the fridges? Not sure it's true. last year was the coolest she gave a vidio camera and 1,000 so everyone else could give to others and see how nice it is to give (it wasn't allowed to be family and they video taped how they spent it - some were so nice and others very random, like tipping your pizza delivery guy with a $100).
nicole-
my apologies for not announcing the babe's gender. you know i'm a horrible "announcer". i actually put it on the side bar with her countdown.... so there's the answer to alicia--- it's a girl! so they tell me. :~)
carrie-
i never heard that about the cars. but i do remember hearing about the cameras and $1000 now that you mention it. boy, what a tip that would be! :)
I SAW THAT!!! about the babies cries. I even wrote them down b/c even though I was not yet pregnant with #2 I thought I might one day use the info...and I have them...written down...somewhere in my house.
I confess, I watched it, too! And got sucked in, too! And LOVED the fridge, too! UNTIL.... I stopped and realized that my fridge does not have the option of having a chair anywhere near it, and due it's location I would also have my back to it the whole time I was standing! The part I thought was great, though, was not the TV, but the fact that the weather in your town showed, complete with the forecast! The BEST part was the screen with the pre-programmed recipes! However, I'm with you, I'm grateful for what I have - - - besides, just picture a fridge that spiffy at my old house in the 'dale! ha ha ha!
yeah, brenda- i liked that aspect of the fridge... pretty amazing what they can do these days. but in my "hallway style" ap kitchen the screen would also go to waste. :~) of course, connor's high chair is stuck in a corner directly in front of the fridge, so i guess he could watch it. in our old house we wanted to get a side by side after our first fridge died..... we couldn't fit it in our kitchen. :) it was pretty funny going to the sears with EXTREMELY specific dimensions. sure made that decision easy though. but i LOVE my fridge now. freezer on the bottom. it reminds me of the fridge we used to have at the cabin. that was the first reason i wanted to buy it.
Congratulations! I thought I saw something on the side once but never read anything that mentioned you being pregnant - wow am I behind the times! Yeah I love the favorite things episode but totally missed it this year b/c I thought nothing was new on tv since the strike.
I don’t watch Oprah either, but I really like Dr. Phil. I hardly ever get to watch him, but I did one day last week. He was giving away all kinds of stuff to his audience. I was cleaning the house while watching, so I didn’t catch everything he gave away, but I did catch these cool gifts: a big screen – flat screen TV, universal remote, cell phone, laptop, half-karat diamond earrings, pajamas, skin care system, tennis shoes, video camera, a watch, $300 Lowe’s gift certificate, $250 mastercard gift card, and a bunch of other stuff I can’t remember. Because he was giving these gifts to EVERY member of the audience, I found myself feeling like I was being ripped off. I know – that’s a bad attitude, but I was getting somewhat jealous to be sure. What’s with all these give aways? I mean, is it a strategy to gain the best ratings or what?
By the way congrats on the little girl – I’m shocked. I imagined you with two boys. The ultrasound tech must be wrong, because I rarely am. :)
jen-
thanks! don't worry, you're not that far behind. i'm just really bad at telling big news. i tell some people and think i've told everyone i know.
kelly-
let me tell you i secretly hope you ARE right. i am freaked out of my mind about a girl. i know once i have her in my arms it will be a totally different story, but for now all i know is boy mothering. i LOVE having a boy. i always imagined myself with all boys.
and i know what you mean about the jealousy. i spent a lot of time wondering how you get picked to go on the favorite things show. it would be so amazing to experience something like that. crazy, yet fun.
Nic and Christina, You girls really need to learn how to talk on the phone like normal sisters!!!!!! :)
As far as the girl baby.... That's what the sidebar announcement is for!!!! :) Yeah, yeah, if I hadn't seen it, I would have been whining too!
Hey, where do I sign up for a cool fridge? :) Where's Oprah when I need her? That would be great in my kitchen. My counter stools (no kitchen table) face my fridge. How cool would that be!
HELLO! We do talk on the phone...And when we stop by to drop things off and our cars are running for 15 minutes...and at our parents...and we send cards on occasion...and on facebook....sisters are the BEST!!!
I'm glad my girls are sisters. I love it when Ava tells Liela, "and YOU are my sister...and no one elses. and only I am you sister...and I love you." Sounds just a bit selfish but I am trying to teach her that daddy isn't her sister...which she on occasion thinks. anyway...
ro-
yeah, the worst part is the fact that we live two blocks away. we still talk on the phone and go to each others houses and email... it's like one long never ending conversation. what did you expect from us though? :)
and THANK YOU!!!!! you are the first person that hasn't wanted to hang me for not "announcing" this little girl! i knew it would take someone extra special to actually LOOK at the sidebar. :)
hey, ps.... welcome to the non-stalker blogosphere. i've got to play catch up on your posts. i'm behind already!
I really don't expect any less:) from you two - but it's awfully fun to twit you about it!
Hey Everybody! Christina said I am special!!!!!!!!!! :)Did you all catch that?
So get caught up! I've only posted everyday - sometimes twice! Whatcha waitin' for? :)
Congratulations!! I check your blog periodically and I am not sure how I missed the announcement of the news, but it is definitely clear to me now!! How far along are you--I don't notice you showing in any pictures yet, or are you one of those who never looks pregnant until you are ready to pop?!:) Congrats!
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