Airing My Laundry, One Post At A Time...

Book Gift Ideas From Rifle Paper Co

2026-03-04T18:08:00.001-07:00

If you are a book lover or have one in your life, Target has this fabulous line of gift options. It's from the Rifle Paper Co, and I adored everything. I found everything on an end cap. It was NOT in the book section as I thought it would be, so search around and if you cannot find it, ask a worker.

The colors were beautiful, and these note pads with a pen would be perfect for writing down books you want to be sure to read.

Or, if you'd prefer to keep a list in a journal, there's one of those:

This candle smelled incredible--I'd burn it while curling up with a book. I'm currently reading Remain by Nicholas Sparks. (It's also with M. Night Shyamalan, so I know I'm in store for a twist.)

There were pens and this marvelous tote bag:

And yup, there are other pen options. This one had classic books all around.

Need larger note pads? Here you go! And I'll be honest, I have not read all the classics. Some of them bored me. Wuthering Heights? Yeah, pass. I hear the movie is good though. But I could not get through the book, try as I might. Jane Eyre? Eh. But Anne of Green Gables? Yes!

Need a hat with books on it?

Finally, cuddle up with books while you read one:

Do you have a favorite classic book?

Hey, It's Okay

2026-03-02T18:00:00.001-07:00

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

.....to have celebrated Tommy's 24th birthday over the weekend. He picked McDonald's and Texas Roadhouse as his meals.

......to be happy that both kids will be home for Spring Break next week. We are just staying in the area.

.......to hope everyone in Texas goes out and votes. In this day and age, it's important.

......to be glad that Natalie had fun at a Heated Rivalry party over the weekend. She said they played clipped from the show, along with music from the 2010s. She screamed so much she was hoarse when she came home. If you don't know, Heated Rivalry is this show based off books about hockey players who secretly love each other. It's become extremely popular. I loved the show and so did Natalie. You can watch on HBO Max.

.......to have enjoyed the Scrubs reboot. It was nice to see all the characters again. The show is still a wonderful blend of amusing and touching.

......to have picked this shirt up at Walmart for Tommy's birthday. They had an entire area set up with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie merch. He's looking forward to the movie in April.

Tommy Turns 24 At Texas Roadhouse

2026-03-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

Tommy is 24! And as I always say when it's one of my children's birthdays, no, I cannot believe it.

I was glad he was able to come down from college to celebrate.

Having him home always makes me happy. He's always been my happy guy. I always thank him for being a wonderful patient baby--because as I've said before, I had him at 19, and I had no idea what I was doing. He had (and still has) the prettiest blue eyes.

He wanted to celebrate at Texas Roadhouse, one of his all time favorite spots. I asked if he wanted me to tell the waiter it was his birthday--it would mean he'd be put on a saddle and sung to--but he declined, saying he just wanted "to eat his food." He did not want to be interrupted.

He was so happy to get the rolls.

You cannot beat the rolls from Texas Roadhouse.

Afterwards we went to the house for cake & presents.

Tommy loves the chocolate bundt cake from HEB, so I picked that up.

He got a lot of tshirts and a video game for his birthday. We're all procrastinators, so I had to get him this shirt:

He said he had an amazing birthday. I am so lucky to have him. He's not on intelligent, but he's also a kind human.

Happy Birthday, Tommy!

Disney Princess Collection At Bath & Body Works

2026-02-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for things that light up.

Or play music.

I am the annoying person who presses all the buttons in the toy aisle. I am sorry. But not really.

Bath & Body Works released another Disney Princess collection and yup, there were things that lit up. There was even a music box, but I didn't need another one of those.

So they had Aurora, Tiana, Mulan, Snow White, Belle, and Life Is A Fairytale.

And yes, I got the Pocketbac that lit up. I mean, I had to! I had a coupon and everything.

My daughter is obsessed with Rapunzel, so I had to get her this Pocketbac.

AND IT LIGHTS UP!

So were the scents any good? I mean, they aren't spectacular, but they all have that unique scent. I picked these up during the $5.95 sale. I would NEVER pay full price.

My fave scent? Aurora. I like the floral vibe going on. Plus, I sparkle when I spray it for extra fun. I can fill like an extra in Twilight.

I picked up these hand sanitizers to go in the Pocketbacs:

I also picked this up for my daughter's room. It truly is beautiful.

Many of these items are sold out, but they periodically come back in stock on the website. There are still hand sanitizers in many stores if you were curious what everything smelled like.

So, are you a sucker for things that light up?

Hey, It's Okay

2026-02-23T21:17:00.003-07:00

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

......to be celebrating Tommy's birthday over the weekend. He's real birthday is Monday, but he has class, so he is spending the weekend at home. He picked Texas Roadhouse for his birthday meal.

......to have had a blast at the Children Of Horror event over the weekend. Natalie got to meet an actor from the It movies!

......to hope everyone on the East Coast is doing okay with all the snow. In Texas, it just dropped from the 80s to the 60s.

......to truly hope Nancy Guthrie is found unharmed. I can't imagine how frightening it must be for her family.

.....to be excited for the Scrubs reboot. It returns February 25th. It picks up 16 years after the last episode aired. I was thrilled to find Scrubs Funko Pops in a store:

Meeting An Actor From It At The Children Of Horror Event

2026-02-22T20:30:00.003-07:00

Good gracious, my daughter has always been drawn to evil clowns. I do not know why. I am not a fan, but she loves them. She dressed as one for several Halloweens.

And of course, she was Pennywise.

She watched the It movies when they first premiered. She was around 11? I thought she might be afraid, but no, she was an instant fan.

She has made it her goal to meet the actors from the film.

She was able to check one of that list over the weekend.

There was a Children of Horror event, so she decided to tug out the Pennywise costume and go.

She was nervous to meet the actor, so before we went over, we checked out the booths that were set up. She was thrilled to find some original LPS toys.

She was one of the few people who dressed up for the occasion, she many people asked for photographs with her.

We ran into Art.

And Jessica the Nun.

Natalie spotted the actor set up from afar, and screeched. She had to wait to calm down before she said hi.

We looked at more booths and she freaked out when she saw a signed Billie Eilish vinyl. It was $350. Way out of her price range.

She took a deep breath after and said she was ready. She was ready to meet the actor.

And who was the actor?

GEORGIE!

Well. Jackson Robert Scott, who played Georgie in the It films. And he was so kind and sweet. Natalie was able to tell him that she loved the movies and enjoyed watching the videos he would post from the set.

(You can see the video of meeting him here.)

Natalie brought her It book for him to sign:

She's still excited over the meeting. She keeps looking at this page in the book. And as I mentioned, she's hoping she can get the autographs of other actors in the film. Will be she anxious to meet them if they do come to town? Of course. But she'll gather her wits and eventually make her way over.

Oh, and we stopped off at a booth on the way out and look who we found? The mailbox from Blue's Clues. He was made by Andie, who runs queer_hercules, and she said she had him for over a year, so she lowered the price to $20. He'll be well loved with us.

Have you seen the It movies? Or read the book?

Hey, It's Okay

2026-02-18T20:42:00.001-07:00

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

......to have had the best time meeting Gilmore Girls actors over the weekend. We were talking to someone and they were saying since the gathering was popular, it will most likely return next year. Yay!

.....to be returning this weekend to meet Jackson Robert Scott, who played Georgie in the It movies. There's a Children Of Horror con. It was supposed to be earlier in the month but was rescheduled due to freezing temperatures. My daughter is obsessed with all things It and cannot wait.

......to currently be reading The Other Brother by Tierney Page. It's about April, who is set to marry Lucas. Then she discovers a terrible secret. Betrayed, she turns to Lucas' brother James. James is different from Lucas. And maybe he's the brother April should have been with all along. I just started the book and I'm wondering how it's going to go down. You know there will be drama!

.......to be excited that the Shamrock desserts are back at McDonald's. If you like mint, you'll enjoy the treats. You can get a Shamrock Shake or an Oreo Shamrock McFlurry--I always add hot fudge to mine to make it extra chocolatey.

Meeting Gilmore Girls Actors In San Antonio

2026-02-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm talking about Gilmore Girls again.

It seems I do at least once a month.

I mean, we just went down to Burbank and got to see some of the actors from the show. In Stars Hollow.

And then I saw they were coming to San Antonio. Here were all the actors:

They called it A Stars Hollow Valentines since it was occurring over Valentine's Day weekend at a local mall. It was put on by KingsOfHorror, who have run many cool events. (We are going again next weekend for the Children Of Horror one!) We decided to go on the 15th. And by we, I meant myself, my son, and my daughter. They all came home from college for the weekend.

I got us fast passes, which meant we didn't have to wait in Scott Patterson's (Luke) line for hours. I had heard on the 14th some people waited four hours. No thank you. Scott was set up in his own area since he was the most popular. We also got free t-shirts, posters, and stickers.

The other actors were here:

Sometimes it got incredibly crowded, other times there was a lull. I wish I had the budget to meet everyone, but alas. I did not.

We did meet Kirk, aka Sean Gunn. I meant to tell him I loved when he posted his cats on Instagram, but when I stand in front of an actor I admire, my mind tends to go blank.

Instead, I passed over the picture for him to sign and muttered, "Can you please write "can't. These aren't my pants."?" It's a line his character said on Gilmore Girls that my kids and I quote often.

He chuckled and was like, "Is it cannot or can't?"

"Can't."

And he wrote it.

He truly is a kind man. I did tell him I always get excited if he makes a cameo in his brother's films. Like in Superman, we all cheered when he popped up.

There were also booths set up where small businesses sold items, so it was neat to check those out in between seeing the actors.

We also got to take a picture with John Cabrera aka Brian and Todd Lowe aka Zach from the band Hep Alien. They are also sweet. I'll be honest, while most people loved Gil and Zach from the band, I always had my eye on Brian. Natalie agrees.

They found it funny when we went "Ahhh ahhh ahhh ahhh ahh ooo ooo ooo." Real fans get it. I wasn't sure if they'd remember the line, considering Lauren Graham has stated she has forgotten a lot of what she said on the show so when fans quote them to her, she's like, "What?" But they knew.

And even sweeter, John saw us on the stairs and asked what were the good stores in the mall. Natalie told him it's filled with mostly "nerd stores" and that she liked them because she plays D&D. He was like, "YOU play D&D?" and she said yes. He told us to follow him to his table and he drew this robot! Bender from Futurama! There's a scene in the show where Zach moves his Futurama figures.

We were so thrilled that he took the time to talk to us. And he started remarkist, where fandoms can come together and create and bond. There will be an app soon. You can sign up to be notified when it's available.

Oh, outfits! Tommy went with the Luke theme:

Natalie was going to do a Gilmore Girls theme, but decided on a pretty dress instead.

We always love going to Gilmore Girls events because you run into the best fans. Sharing memories of the show is an incredible feeling.

We liked all the decor around the mall as well.

We met Scott last, as we knew it would take the longest, even with the fast pass. There were always huge crowds gathered.

Scott is at so many Gilmore Girls events--he popped up at Holidays Made Here in Burbank daily. I know it has to get overstimulating! Heck, I was started to get overstimulated surrounded by all the people. But he's always nice.

We had him write jam hands on the Funko Pop. (You can get a Luke Funko here!) It's a quote from the show that we also say often. Mostly when we have to be around small kids. "I don't have the patience for jam hands!" is Scott's full line.

I know many of the actors are traveling around the US for different cons, so you might get lucky and get to see them as well!

New Marvel Oreo Stuf Of Legends Cookies

2026-02-15T21:37:00.001-07:00

I always like to try the new Oreos! And I love Marvel, so when I stumbled upon these Oreo Stuf Of Legends cookies, I was thrilled.

There are 4 different packages. I went for the one with Spider-Man on the front. The cookies had different designs on them. Here are just some of them. Yes, there were more!

And yup, there is color-changing creme.

It goes from like white to blue to gray. And yes, your tongue and teeth will be dyed that color, so I wouldn't go out after eating them. Otherwise people might assume you are diseased and it's like, "I swear, I'm not, it's these superhero cookies!"

I might pick up another package to see what other designs I find.

These cookies are available in most stores now!

Last Minute & Affordable Valentine's Day Gifts

2026-02-11T18:36:00.001-07:00

Valentine's Day is Saturday. And if you're panicking because you haven't bought a thing yet, I have ideas! Affordable ones, I promise. We're all broke right now, I get it.

If your Valentine enjoys love AND spooky, this ghost is a perfect gift. He is at Target for only $6!

Books are always a win and never overly expensive. I just finished Happy Wife and it was a fantastic read. It's about Nora, who is only 28. She marries Will, a wealthy man 20+ years her senior. They live in Winter Park, FL and people talk. And oh, do people talk when they get married. Then Will goes missing, and all eyes are on Nora--did she kill him to get the money?

Speaking of books, Michaels has the cutest line for book lovers. This cup is under $10.

If you have a Crumbl fan in your life, there is a line of washes & deodorant from Dove! And yes, they actually smell nice. Everything is under $10.

I did a blog post on unique flower options, so make your own bouquet! A fake bouquet is about $5 at Michaels. Or create flowers out of pipe cleaners, which are even cheaper.

And of course, food is always there. Bring home some treats! Many grocery stores have delicious ones out for under $20.

Are you ready for Valentine's Day?

Hey, It's Okay

2026-02-09T20:53:00.002-07:00

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

......to have watched the Half Time show at the Super Bowl. I might not speak Spanish, but I still understood the message. It was incredible!

......to be going to a Gilmore Girls event over the weekend! I have tickets for us to see Kirk, aka Sean Gunn. Other actors will be there as well. Luke, aka Scott Patterson, as well as Todd Lowe aka Zac. It's going to be incredible!

......to currently be reading Too Old For This by Samantha Downing. It's about Lottie, who was a serial killer when she was younger. She's much older now and considers herself retired. But then a journalist shows up asking questions about Lottie's past--and Lottie decides she must step out of retirement. Let me tell you, I would not want to make Lottie mad. I'm only midway through and it's been quite a read!

......to have picked up these deodorants for the Super Mario Galaxy movie for my son. They had a bunch of different characters. Luigi is one of my son's favorites--they all have a fantastic scent!

New Snacks To Try In 2026

2026-02-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

With the US how it is these days, I've been turning to food to cope.

Is it healthy?

No. But I figure it's better than reaching for the booze. I imagine my therapist would stare at me with thin lips and suggest I write in a journal instead of consuming copious amounts of sugar, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

I have always loved trying the new foods I spot on grocery store shelves. Companies never fail to create new concoctions.

I love Toaster Strudels. The icing is the absolute best. I'll have these for breakfast. For lunch. For dinner. Whenever. They come in a variety of flavors, but I mostly stick to strawberry. Then I saw this box and knew I had to try them. I am a sucker for all things with sprinkles.

Oreo is a cookie that always seems to have a new flavor out. Some are delicious. Others? Ick. And with each package getting more and more expensive, I need to be selective of what I purchase. I found this Cookie Dough flavor in the store and passed on it, but I was intrigued.

I've always loved Little Debbie treats. I spotted these, and I did purchase them, because yum. And they are pretty yum. Not as good as the original Oatmeal Cream Pies, but if you like banana, you will enjoy these.

McDonald's has the best fries ever, and I saw they had Hot Honey sauce, so I decided to order it so I could dip my fries. They also have a Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich, but I was just after the sauce. And yes, it tastes like Hot Honey. There's a nice kick to it.

If you love Spongebob, they have Kelpo cereal! The packaging is fabulous. It tastes like Corn Pops, so if you like Corn Pops, you'll like these.

I'm a book lover, so when I spotted these conversation hearts, I immediately tossed them in my cart. They taste like the typical conversation hearts, only with book themes on them.

Calling all Stranger Things fans! They have special ice cream cones. These had a good flavor and would be fun to lick while watching the show. (The first few seasons. The last one was meh.)

Speaking of ice cream, isn't the last bit of the drumstick cone with the chocolate in it the best part? You can get an entire bag of those! They aren't as good as the ice cream cones, probably since they aren't cold, but they are still a scrumptious snack.

I walked past these and did a double take. My eyes caught BUTTERCREAM and CHURRO CHIPS and was like, "Hold up," and abruptly stopped. I mean, I HAD to get them. I had to. And I'm glad I did, because those churro chips are amazing. The frosting was just okay. The churro chips are sweet enough to not need it. Of course I still USED it, because I'm not about to let frosting go to waste...

So, would you try any of these? Or have you?

Unique Flower Bouquet Options For Valentine's Day

2026-02-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

I mean, yes, a flower bouquet is a gorgeous choice. I love the smell of fresh flowers.

But then they die.

And you're left with cleaning up the dead remains. Not fun.

Picking up flowers that WON'T die is a fantastic option, because they will always be around. Years down the line you can be like, "*Insert name here* gave these to me!" Mind you, if that relationship ended poorly, it might not be as sweet. So in that case, you can film a TikTok of you destroying the bouquet with the title "He Broke My Heart. So I Broke His Flowers."

I dunno.

My daughter has created some fabulous bouquets. I am not crafty. But she is.

She made this Spider-Man bouquet. She went to Michaels and found a bouquet of red flowers. She drew the Spider-Man figure and then wrapped the bouquet in construction paper:

She drew and cut out eyes to hot glue to the top:

Know someone who likes Littlest Pet Shop? Natalie created this bouquet for a fan. For this one she picked up that wooden flower bouquet at Lowe's and then printed out LPS figures. She colored them and then wrapped the flowers with construction paper. She also glued hearts around the bouquet.

We did NOT make this flower bouquet, but Walmart makes them for $20 I believe. It's a delicious option if you do not want to have a bouquet forever.

If there is a musician in your life, make this guitar pick bouquet! Natalie purchased a bunch of picks, wire, and fake carnations. She got pliers to pull out the wire, and then used hot glue to put all the picks in place. She bundled them up with construction paper and added a few puff balls.

Lightening McQueen fans will like this bouquet! She picked up red & yellow flowers, drew roads, cut those out, and hot glued them on. Then she got a Lightening McQueen car and added that.

Walmart has bouquet plushes! There are different characters available: Snoopy, Star Wars, Marvel, plus many others.

Finally, flowers can be created from pipe cleaners! Natalie just twisted them around to resemble a rose. She added lights for added fun. She says this can be time consuming, but the results are beautiful.

Are you ready for Valentine's Day?

Things I Won't Be Doing On Super Bowl Sunday

2026-02-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

Who is watching the Super Bowl this weekend?

I'm not.

I've never found football particularly thrilling. It's just a bunch of men running around in tight pants to me. I'd rather read.

However, I do tune into the Half Time Show. And this year will be a fun one with Bad Bunny and Green Day.

Here are things I won't be doing on Sunday:

Cook.

Sundays are the day of rest. I'm always in awe of the women who are like, "My husband wanted to throw a Super Bowl party so I need to make a list on what I'm going to make!" My face is all:

Shout.

It drives me insane when people shout for no reason. So an overpaid padded player drops the ball? Big deal. I was more upset when the show Friends made us wait to find out what would happen after Ross said the name Rachel at his wedding to Emily. That's something to shout about. We had to wait like THREE MONTHS to witness the aftermath of that debacle. You don't shout over a fumble. You shout over cliffhangers and when things like this happen:

Rooting For A Certain Team

I generally pick who I want to win based on the uniform color. I'm not a fan of the US right now or any of their colors, so I am rooting for the Seahawks. Someone asked me the other day who I was rooting for and I was like, "the Seahawks, I guess," and then they launched into a story of players on the team and such, and I was like:

Go Online And Bash Moves That Players Make

I'm always in awe on how passionate some people get online. This one chick was all, "If you say a bad word about *insert football player here* I am UNFRIENDING you." Over FOOTBALL! I mean I'd totally understand if the person was like "If you try to get me to stop drinking Diet Coke I'll unfriend you" but football?

Run Through The Streets After The Game

I mean, I'd be tempted to run through the streets because FOOTBALL IS OVER, YAY! No more games interrupting my shows! So maybe I WOULD run through the streets.

------

So if you're watching the game, have fun! I have many people in my life who LOVE football and think I'm crazy for disliking the sport. I'll either be reading or watching 90 Day Fiance. I'll still be stuffing my face though. You don't need a football game to enjoy wings and cheese dips.

Hey, It's Okay

2026-02-02T21:04:00.000-07:00

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

......to think it's sweet that Natalie wanted to come home from college just so she could take a bath. She's been sick and has a build up of mucus, and obviously there are no baths in college. So she came home, took a nap, and a bath.

......to be glad Natalie was able to see Iron Lung before she felt too ill. She's been watching Markiplier on YouTube since she was small, and he directed this film, so she had to watch. She said it was really good! I would have no clue what it was had I gone, so I'm glad she went with friends. Tommy also got to see it and enjoyed the movie.

.......to have finished watching Heated Rivalry on HBO Max. I kept hearing about it and saw edits on TikTok so I thought, okay, I need to watch. And it will hook you! It's based on books, which I swore I read.

......to be skipping the Super Bowl. Football tends to bore me. I might tune into the halftime show though!

......to have tried the new snacks from QuikTrip. They have mozzarella sticks and apple pie! Both were delicious! The sticks were $3.99 for 4 and marinara sauce, the apple pie was $1.89. These are perfect if you need something to tide you over until the next meal.

It's The Last Day Of Dinosaur In Animal Kingdom

2026-02-01T17:12:00.003-07:00

I cannot believe Dinosaur is closing in Animal Kingdom.

It's this ride in the dark that jerks you around as you sit in a jeep. You're supposed to be finding a certain dinosaur and it's just...well, okay, it's a bit cheesy, but we love it. It opened in 1998.

And now, today, February 1st, is the last day. An Indiana Jones ride will be replacing it. And yes, we did enjoy the ride in Disneyland, but it's just not...Dinosaur.

We visited Animal Kingdom over the summer and made sure to experience the ride one last time. In fact, my daughter even dressed up as the paleontologist that speaks to everyone before the ride, Dr. Grant Seeker. He wants everyone to search for a specific dinosaur that went missing called the iguanodon.

The outside of the ride has dinosaurs, and it's sad that it's going to be GONE. We liked checking out all the fossils.

We are going to miss all the photo ops.

We've been seriously taking pics since the kids were tiny:

Plus, there are actual artifacts inside. Natalie would actually take the time to see what they all were.

We ended up going on the ride twice so we can remember it the best we could. It's going to be sad not hearing "THEY'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT!" at the end and then hearing the relieved, "They MADE it."

I guess we won't be making it anymore.

Natalie had to purchase a dino hand puppet in the store. She named him Barnaby. He's stamped with Dinosaur so we'll always know where he came from.

I picked up this magnet. I wanted a pin, but they sold out. I guess the ride is truly in the past now. *Sniffles*

I am sure we'll enjoy the new Indiana Jones ride. But ugh. Poor Dinosaur.

We took one last look at our beloved ride as we walked away. Farewell, Dr. Seeker. Farewell, jeep that made my back twist. Farewell, that certain smell that could only come from the ride.

Farewell, Dinosaur. You will never be forgotten.

Rent Movies At Be Kind Video

2026-01-28T18:23:00.003-07:00

Remember back in the day where you could go into Blockbuster and rent movies?

It was fabulous.

And exciting. You never know what you'd find. Occasionally what you wanted to watch would already be rented so you'd have to search for another pick.

It would be incredibly thrilling if the video you wanted in the first place was RETURNED as you walked around the store. Score!

I miss those days.

It's nice to have the streaming services, but there's something magical about RENTING a video.

It's why we love Be Kind Video in Burbank.

The store is filled with VHS tapes, plus DVDs. If you have a favorite movie, odds are, you'll find it there. You'll find stacks and stacks of them.

Plus there are retro toys to check out.

And as I mentioned, YES, you can rent movies as well. If we were local, we'd so be doing this.

Since we are not, we just make sure to pop in whenever we're in town.

We were lucky the last time we came in: we were given this prop from Gilmore Girls! The guy noticed my Gilmore Girls backpack and said someone from the show had dropped it off. It looks as though it was used in A Year In The Life judging from the 2016 date. We were beyond thrilled!

(Natalie ended up buying the VHS of Grease and West Side Story.)

If you're in the Burbank area, be sure to pop into Be Kind Video! Please note they are closed Mondays.

They are located at:

3601 1/2 Magnolia Blvd

Burbank, CA 91505

You can learn more about Be Kind Video at the following:

Hey, It's Okay

2026-01-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

......to be happy Natalie was able to stay all weekend, PLUS most of Monday. She came to pick up makeup she had ordered for her stage makeup class. Then the storm hit and her Monday classes were canceled, so she was able to stay longer. Oh, and the Children Of Horror event we were supposed to attend was rescheduled for next month.

......to need the warmth to return. It'll be chilly the rest of the week though. Boo.

.......to be so happy the show Shrinking is returning to Apple TV. It's such an incredible show. If you've never seen it, you must. It's created by the same guy who created Scrubs, so if you like that, you'll probably enjoy this.

......to hate how messed up TikTok is now. It was recently purchased by a Trump-ally, so everything is wonky now. 0 views on videos, strange algorithm, same videos popping up. I do hope it improves, but so many people are leaving the app now, so perhaps it won't ever be the same.

......to love that Natalie is so happy with her guitar. It was an early birthday gift from my parents, and she's been teaching herself how to play.

The Winter Storm In Texas

2026-01-25T17:54:00.001-07:00

When it drops below freezing in Texas, people panic.

We're not used to it.

We're used to warmth.

Not ice.

And yes, I know it's hilarious to other states when you hear about the panic and the clearing of grocery store shelves. I lived in Wyoming for 5 years. I dealt with this:

Wyoming did not shut down easily. You could be snowed in and Wyoming would be like, "Okay, see you later. Just shovel your way out. We'll wait."

Texas?

It's 30 degrees and people are like, "AHHHH!" and race around with hangs wagging above their heads.

So lots of businesses DID shut down over the cold, since ice would be present. No one knows how to drive in general in Texas--add frost, and everyone just falls apart.

Did we get the freeze?

Yup.

Were there accidents?

Of course.

Did Texas marvel at the frozen water? Naturally! (Posting this made people in Montana laugh at me.)

Since no one knows how to behave properly in this weather, both of my children's colleges were canceled on Monday. It's going to be in the teens in the morning and that's just too cold for anyone.

I am not a fan of winter weather. I do prefer the heat.

I worry about the stray cats I feed. I always try to let them in, but they're like, yeah no thanks. But I do have houses out for them, and they all seemed okay even though their homes had icicles.

We will get through this. When I'm shivering, I just think that it'll be warm again soon.

What's the weather like where you're at?

Stranger Things Valentine's Day Cards

2026-01-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

So, okay, the last season of Stranger Things wasn't the best.

But prior to that, I did enjoy the others.

When I saw these Stranger Things Valentine's Day cards, I had to pick them up.

I mean, guys, Will the Wise is on the front. I had to! Plus my daughter was excited to see them. She wants to pass them out to friends. (She even had a Stranger Things themed birthday party when she turned eleven.)

This one made me giggle:

Eddie fans will love this one:

Aw, how sweet:

Erica cracks me up, so this is one of my faves:

Fabulous, another Max card:

This one gave me a chuckle:

One of my favorite scenes in the show is when Dustin and Suzie sing The Neverending Story, so I was tickled to find this card. Natalie is keeping this one for herself, as she loves Dustin.

And finally, the winner of them all:

It's Will the Wise. This would be perfect to give to Dungeon & Dragon fans.

I found these cards at Target, but I would imagine they are available in most stores. They were only $4.

Do you pass out Valentine's Day cards?

Hey, It's Okay

2026-01-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

......to be headed to a Children Of Horror event over the weekend. Natalie is going to meet Jackson Robert Scott, who played Georgie in the It movies. She is debating dressing in her Pennywise costume.

......to have enjoyed the new Game of Thrones show called A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms. It's on HBO Max or HBO if you wanted to watch. (Warning: you will see poo.)

.....to hope Tommy has a great week of classes. His college started a week after Natalie's--he'll be graduating in May!

.....to be proud of communities for gathering together to protect those being abused by Ice. Unfortunately they are in my area, but it doesn't seem like they're having a smooth time.

......to think it's cute when my cats stretch out on their personal couch. My Mom got it for them for Christmas and they love it! They can relax on it AND bonus, it's a couch they CAN scratch. (Want one? Get it here.)

Drowning My Sorrows In Chocolate Cake

2026-01-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

I mean, can you BLAME me for turning to this when I was feeling sad?

But let me back up.

Why was I bummed?

Well, both my kids have returned to college and I miss them.

Don't get me wrong, I am so happy they are thriving in their dorms. But I still miss them. We had the best time during winter break, so it's always tough to say goodbye.

I thought, oh, Nothing Bundt Cakes has a new chocolate cake out. I will boost my mood with that.

(Dr. Now from My 600 Pound Life would be like "Dis Is Not Smart." Sorry, Dr. Now.)

So this is a classic yellow and chocolate cake topped with chocolate frosting and chocolate pearls. It's the first time Nothing Bundt Cakes has used chocolate frosting.

Oh, and behold what is in the middle:

More crunchy chocolate pearls!

If you're a chocolate fan, you will love this. If you're feeling sad, you'll be in a state of bliss as you munch on it and your mood will be lifted. I guarantee it.

If you want one, hurry in, as it's only available for a limited time.

Peanut Butter Burger At Killer Burger

2026-01-14T17:57:00.000-07:00

When I first saw Killer Burger had a peanut butter burger I was like, huh? What?

Then I thought, okay, that could be good. It'll be that sweet and savory combo. And I love sweet and savory.

Don't worry, if a peanut butter burger grosses you out, there are other options. There is an extensive menu.

Need a close up?

You'll notice the Peanut Butter Pickle Bacon burger--this is what Tommy and I ordered. It had bacon, peanut butter sauce, Killer House sauce, mayo, grilled onions, and pickles. We ordered a single, but there are also double & triple options.

Plus there are chicken choices if burgers are not for you.

Sadly, it's Pepsi products, BUT their sweet tea is delicious!

There IS a military discount as well and if you download the app, you can earn free food.

We ordered up front and the food was brought out about five minutes later. We were excited to get the peanut butter burger.

We also ordered the sharable fries. It came with two sauces, and we opted for the Killer House Sauce (it has a spicy kick to it!) and the Spicy G (kind like a sweetish mustard.) They also had Killer Ranch, Honey Mustard BBQ, and a Bender, which was described as a spicy BBQ. The fries came out fresh, with salt chunks on them, and we gobbled them up.

Oh, and the vibe was cool inside. They had television screens with sports, and I loved the mural. And did we LIKE the peanut butter burger? Yes! It had a nice spice to it, and the peanut butter sauce meshed well with everything. I'd order it again.

Naturally we'd return to Killer Burger. There are other burgers we want to try. There was one called the Fun Guy with bacon, swiss cheese fondue, mushrooms (I'd pass on those), killer house sauce, mayo, grilled onions, and pickles. I'd have to take a lactaid, but you know, worth it.

On the way out I tried their strawberry lemonade (they also have regular!) and it was delicious and fresh.

There are many locations, so check to see if you have a Killer Burger near you!

To learn more, check out Killer Burger at the following:

Hey, It's Okay

2026-01-12T17:41:00.002-07:00

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

......to hope Natalie has a great first week of college classes! We got her all moved in over the weekend.

......to be taking Tommy to eat at Killer Burger before he heads back to college. It sounds like a tasty spot. There's a burger with peanut butter on it--sounds odd, but I'm going to try it!

......to have watched a little bit of the Golden Globes and appreciated the celebs speaking out over the current state of the US. Some were even wearing anti-Ice buttons. I need to get one of those.

......to be excited that The Pitt has returned to HBO Max. It's such an incredible show--and it's been winning many awards. It's about one full day in the emergency department so you'll see all sorts of people coming in, and learn more about the nurses & doctors treating them. And, fun fact, it's filmed at Warner Brother Studios, and when you go on tour, you might spot actors and crew walking around in scrubs. We did! And we passed trailers for some of the actors of the series and I was thrilled.

.....to know Ruby is going to miss Tommy when he returns to college. He is her fave. Whenever he goes, she gets extra sassy and leaves turds around the house so I understand how disappointed she is.

And She's Back In College (With More Than She Came Home With)

2026-01-11T17:58:00.001-07:00

Ah, Natalie.

My daughter isn't what you'd call a light packer.

She always thinks of all the scenarios where she might need a certain item and decides, you know what, I'll bring it.

And that.

And THAT!

Which is why her pile to return to college looked like this:

She did not have this much when she came home for Winter Break. It grew. Why?

Well, it's finally getting cold in Texas, so she had to bring all her jackets. And she has several, thanks to Goodwill finds.

Then she has cute pajama sets, because she's in a communal bathroom and needs to be seen a matching ensemble. She has clothes she wears when she bloated. Dresses. Skirts. Shoes. Boots. Purses.

When we carried everything up to her dorm, it looked like this:

She insists she'll find space for it all. Thank goodness her roommate is understanding and knows how Natalie is.

I am going to miss her but I know she'll do amazing.

If you think Tommy is saying something encouraging or sweet, you are incorrect.

He was making sure she didn't want her leftover pizza. We had gone to Mod pizza to get energy before we moved her in. She didn't eat all her pizza and took the pieces to her dorm to have later. Tommy was making sure she truly wanted them. (She did.)

Tommy's college doesn't start until next week, and I'll move him in Wednesday. He has an orientation for his work study job Thursday and then he's acting in a short film Friday. So it'll be back to a quiet house.

But it's okay, because my daughter especially likes to pop back home when she's missing me. So I'll see them again soon.