Nosh Night = Success

The first Nosh Night was a complete success. It is a tradition that I feel will really catch hold.

I had an epic fail when it came to taking pictures of dinner last night. I always get too excited, and then I don't take the pictures.

On the menu last night:

Caribbean jerk grilled chicken, quinoa stuffed mini peppers c/o Fit Foodie Finds' Lee, garlic bread, and better than sex cake. All of the food was amazing.

We also exchanged gifts, part of the Nosh Night tradition. And each of us got some kick-ace items.

The gift I gave the roommate.

Body Glide, two Luna Bars (my new obsession), Chomps and a Stinger waffle.

The gift I gave Logan.

Fredericksburg Farms Raspberry Peach Chipotle Glaze, two Luna Bars, Sports Beans and a Stinger waffle.

They got me...

A really cool dish towel, a fancy oven mitt, ladybug measuring spoons, and a R coffee mug (because the roommate nicknamed me Robin).

It was an awesome night with food, presents, and cd making. Logan needed some new tunage so we made her a compilation of different things, the new Kings of Leon, a Needtobreathe compilation and Mumford & Sons.

Aside from the Nosh Night pleasantries, I've got some awesome news.

I'm helping some 4th graders start a blog about the summer camp affliated with my office. So exciting. I can't wait to see what they write and how their creative juices flow. It's going to be really cool to interact with the kids as they learn about something I love so much.

Once the blog gets populated with some of their posts, I will link to it so you guys can have a look-see.

One more thing before I sign off for the day:  The Do Life Tour is coming to Little Rock July 6 at 6:30 p.m. in Murray Park. For more information about this Official Unofficial 5K Tour, check out Ben Does Life.

I will be there, as will my Mom and four of her running buddies. And I am trying my best to get the roommate, Logan and Lindsay to come out, as well.

The 5K is not race. According to Ben's blog, people can run, walk, jog, ride bikes, roller blade, etc. It's just about being active with other people who want to be active. And it's totally FREE. No sign-up fee. But you can buy a t-shirt or something like that. And there will be a "party cookout thing." So you get to eat, too.

You should totally come. It's going to be awesome. Hopefully, I will see each one of you there. Bring some people. The more, the merrier.

Slowly Killing the Roommate

As most of you know, my birthday is coming up very soon...as in Sunday. I am getting pretty excited about it. I love an excuse to celebrate something, and this time it just happens to be my special day.

My roommate MT has been been begging me for the past couple of days...I should say at least a week now for me to open my gift from her. It started on the 28th to be exact. And I told myself I had to wait because it was more than a week until my actual birthday.

For those of you who don't know MT, she has a serious problem when it comes to waiting to give a gift. For the past three Christmases, we have exchanged gifts at least two weeks early. Because 1) she hates waiting, 2) the excitement of giving the gift literally is painful to her and 3) she is always concerned she won't actually see me on Christmas day, which is normally true. So we usually open Christmas around December 10-15.

I want to say that all my birthday gifts have been opened early due to the same three reasons listed above. But this year I had to be strong. So last Friday when she asked if I wanted to open my present (which she had just finished making/wrapping), I said no. "It's not my birthday MT. Not for another week."

We had a little friendly tiff, but she dropped it. Only for it to resurface on Sunday and again on Tuesday. Tuesday was the worst so far. Let me just tell you a little bit about her.

MT is one of the funniest people I know. Most people thinks she is quiet and sweet, which is true apart from the fact that she talks all the time. But you do have to get to know her for a while before you get the good funny stuff out of her.

Unlike me, MT does not cuss. Sometimes when we drink, I try to use peer pressuring tactics to make her say shit or damn. So far I have been unsuccessful.

But the other night while we were arguing over when was the best time to open my birthday present, she made me an offer I almost couldn't refuse.

After five or so minutes of persuasive raised voices of "Open Your present!!!" She looked at me and said, "If I cussed, would you open your present?"

I said, "Depends on what word or phrase you use."

She said, "What about 'Open your dang present', but without the dang...you know what I mean?"

I laughed a little and said no. I told her if she was going to cuss she better string together all the profane words she knows, otherwise it was not worth it.

You would have thought I had killed her. I mean she made me an offer I almost couldn't refuse. But I held strong. Tonight after class, I will put her misery to rest. I am going to open her gift, which I am sure I will love. And she will be happy. And all will be right with the world. Yay for birthdays and gifts and friends that offer a cuss word as an incentive to open a present.

Until next time...