Midgees

Did anybody else use to sort their Halloween candy? You know, like all the skinny tootsie rolls in one pile, all the midgees in a different pile, then the tootsie roll bars in a separate pile? Suckers and lollipops went together, as did Dots and Now "n" Laters. There was a sacred pile of the really good stuff - like Kit Kats or Three Musketeers. Then there was the pile of those candies that are nougaty and wrapped in orange or black wax paper, meh. And believe it or not, I would have traded you all of my Reece's Peanut Butter Cups for your Junior Mints. Mmmmm. I miss trick-or-treating.

But anyway...it's no secret that I love Hungry Girl. In case you don't subscribe to her emails, I have done my good deed for the Halloween season and posted the calorie count for all your favorite trick-or-treat goodies. (And if you have any leftover Tootsie Roll Midgees, send them my way!)

No stats on the back of your bite-sized Halloween goodies? Don't stress! Check out our new HUGE guide to the calorie counts and fat contents of your favorite candies, and then forward this to all your hungry pals!

Guilt-Free Classics! Tootsie Caramel Apple Pop - 60 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Charms Blow Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Dum Dum Pop - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Lik-m-aid Fun Dip 0.5-oz. Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (3 Pieces), Original - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Jolly Rancher Lollipop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Laffy Taffy Miniature - 32 calories, 0.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Pixy Stix (7 Straws) - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Smarties Candy Roll - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Tootsie Pop Miniature (3 Pops) - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Tootsie Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Tootsie Roll Midgee (About 1-Inch Long) - 23 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Tootsie Roll Snack Bar (0.5 oz., About 3-Inches Long) - 50 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Twizzlers Strawberry Twists, Snack Size (3 Minis) or Individually Wrapped Twist - 30 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Chocolate 101: Size Matters! Before you chew, know the difference between Snack Size, Fun Size, and Miniatures... Miniatures/Minis are the square-shaped morsels -- those babies are each about a quarter-ounce in weight. A Snack Size or Fun Size chocolate treat weighs in at a little more than a half-ounce and is usually about 2 inches long. Not all size-categorized treats are created equal. We've found seemingly identical Fun Size bars on shelves -- same brand, same flavor -- with varying weights and calorie counts. If you want to be extra-careful, we recommend going by the higher set of stats listed below.

Choc-O-Licious 3 Musketeers Mini Bar - 24 calories, 0.7g fat (POINTS® value 1*) 3 Musketeers Fun Size Bar - 63 - 70 calories, 2 - 2.25g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*) Almond Joy Snack Size Bar - 80 - 85 calories, 4.5g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Butterfinger Miniature - 45 calories, 1.75g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Butterfinger Fun Size Bar - 100 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Hershey's Kiss, Milk Chocolate - 25 calories, 1.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Hershey's Kiss, Pumpkin Spice or Candy Corn Flavor - 23 calories, 1.3g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Hershey's Mini ature Bar, Any Flavor - 42 calories, 2.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Hershey's Milk Chocolate Snack Size Bar - 67 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Milky Way Mini - 40 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Milky Way Fun Size Snack Bar - 75 - 80 calories, 3g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Nestle Crunch Miniature - 30 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Nestle Crunch Fun Size Bar - 60 - 70 calories, 3 - 3.3g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*) Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cup - 44 calories, 2.6g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Reese's Snack Size Peanut Butter Cup - 90 - 110 calories, 5 - 6.5g fat (POINTS® value 2 - 3*) SHOCKER! Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkin - 170 calories, 10g fat (POINTS® value 4*) Snickers Miniature - 45 calories, 2g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Snickers Fun Size Bar - 80 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Twix Mini Caramel Cookie Bar - 50 calories, 2.6g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Twix Fun Size Peanut Butter Cookie or Caramel Cookie Bar - 80 calories, 4 - 5g fat (POINTS® value 2*) York Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Pattie Pumpkin - 60 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Goodie Bag (or Box)! Dots Mini Box - 75 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Junior Mints Snack Size Box - 80 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Life-Savers Gummies Pouch - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) M&M's Fun Size Bag - 63 - 83 calories, 2.6 - 4g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*) Peanut M&M's Fun Size Bag - 67 - 90 calories, 3.3 - 5g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Mike and Ike Snack Size Pack - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Milk Duds Snack Size Box - 53 calories, 2g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Nerds Mini Box - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Runts Mini Package - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Skittles Fun Size Pack, Original - 53 - 80 calories, 0.5g - 1g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*) Sour Patch Kids Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Starburst Original Fruit Chews Fun Size Package (2 Chews) - 40 calories, 0.8g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Swedish Fish Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Sweetarts Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

can a brotha get a taxi-cab?

Did I ever tell you about leaving ACL the first night? There were literally thousands of people all leaving at once, and we all needed to catch a cab. ACL had a special "taxi-cab" line, so we headed that way. It was one of those Disneyland/ Six Flags type of set-ups - you know, where the fences are set up to make you zig-zag? Hopefully you know what I'm talking about. Well, I'm not lying when I say we stood in that line for about an hour, maybe 1.5 hours. Not sure. The intentions were good - you wait in the long line and then there are constantly taxis driving in. Except.... the taxi drivers didn't know about it, so instead of lots of taxis, it looked like this:
The entire crowd started cheering when one or two cabs would pull up, like this:

So anyway, we were talking back and forth with the pretty couple in front of us:
For example, a mom asked a security guard to take her little boy to the bathroom. So the security guard and the little boy went off to the bathroom together. We were all... "Are you kidding me? You just sent your 4 year old boy to the restroom with a stranger!?!" Or when a really drunk guy was trying to break out of the chain link fence, we all thought he was cutting in line. (Turns out he just wanted out so he could use the restroom.) But we started yelling for security so that he wouldn't cut in line, and the guy pictured above said, "Yeah, AND he said he hates cops!" Which was pretty funny. So anyway, since the guy was tall, I asked him to take a picture of the line for me, and he kindly obliged. Here it is:
You don't get the full effect, but trust me.... it was a looooooong line. We finally caught our cab and went on our way.

Turns out, he plays for the Spurs. He is probably used to people asking him if they can take a picture WITH him, not if he can take a picture FOR them. Oh well. Next time you're watching basketball, root for Matt Bonner. He's a nice guy.

what to do when the patio umbrella breaks

Hypothetically speaking, of course.

1. Since the wind might be pulling the umbrella quite strongly, don't try to grab it. It might feel as though your shoulder is dislocating.

2. Wear shoes. And a bra. And bring your cell phone outside. You know, just in case you managed to lock yourself out of the house.

(Crisis averted - we have a lock-box on the back door for situations such as this. In that case, just make sure you remember the code to open it!)

7,479

7,479 miles = 12037 kilometers

I just realized that's how far away my good friend Amy is going to be, and I got really sad. I'm excited for her and her family to go experience living in Okinawa and all that, but it isn't like I can catch a good deal on Southwest and fly out to see her when she has her twins. (!!!)

I met Amy when I was in college - she was the roommate of my good friend Lana, and we all went out together when I came to visit for a football game. Then, when I moved to Austin, I lived with Amy and Lana for several months. 3 girls sharing one bathroom was pretty impressive! We had many good times in the house (the "grand prize") and I'll never forget the magnolia tree that was in the front yard. Mmmmm....it smelled so good.

We typically make most of our really good friends when we are young and in school. It can be hard to make friends once you get older. But not with Amy. I knew the minute I met her that I loved her and that we'd be friends.

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) I didn't have a digital camera back in the days when we would sing country songs at the top of our lungs in middle of the warehouse district. Nor do I have any evidence of the late nights spent talking, laughing, stalking boys or crying over boys, laying out in Port Aransas or floating the river. However, I do have pictures from one New Year's Eve when we went to a random house party (I think somebody was house-sitting at this sweeeeeet house) and then went downtown:
Of course, I can't leave out the White Trash Birthday Bash.... Amy drove all the way from New Braunsfels in her Nascar tank top and top-of-the head ponytail... thank goodness she didn't get pulled over!
I was lucky enough to be a part of her wedding in North Carolina, as well as the "mini" reception she held here in Texas for those who couldn't attend the big one:
We had a blast in California, and made enough memories there to last for a little while. "Is anything bothering you?" "Yes, my lips hurt."
I'm thankful for the couple times I got to see her this summer...especially now that she has her adorable belly full 'o' twins! (I think the picture below was like the last time I got to drink margaritas with her!)
My prayers will be with Amy, Alan, Adam, Baby A and Baby B as they move across the world. And I know that even though she'll be far away, all I have to do is put some SheDaisy on full blast and it will be like she is in the same room.

Can't wait to meet halfway in Hawaii!

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart." - Eleanor Roosevelt

ACL recap

I'm very glad we went to the Austin City Limits festival this year.

I'll admit that I was surprised I was able to convince the Magical White Guy to attend with me, since he isn't really big on crowds. And, well... ACL is basically just a giant crowd with some stages set up along the outskirts. (This picture does not do it justice, but you'll have to trust me. Just imagine people as far as the eye can see.)


Day one was absolutely gorgeous. The weather was perfect, the music was great, and the 2.5 million dollars worth of grass was amazing. It was seriously like dark green carpet or grass at a high dollar golf course. Pay close attention to this picture so that you can compare it with the last one. I was very happy with all the day one bands we saw: Avett Brothers, Dr. Dog, Raphael Saadiq (who might have been my favorite show), John Legend and Kings of Leon. I'll tell you about the taxi debacle some other time.

Day 2 started great - it was overcast, but not too bad. We saw the Sam Roberts band, and then........... it started to rain. Not sprinkle. RAIN. We toughed it out for the end of Grizzly Bear and Citizen Cope, but then decided to call it a day. I was okay with missing the Dave Matthews Band since I had gotten to see them up close and personal at the ACL taping. Instead, we went to a bar and had some dinner and drinks.


We had to psyche ourselves up to go on day 3. It was still pretty nasty outside, and the ground was already pretty muddy when we left on Saturday night. But, we decided to tough it out since there were quite a few bands I wanted to see. When we got there, it looked like a totally different place. Remember the picture of Larry lying on the grass on day one? Well, he wouldn't lie down, but this is what the exact same spot looked like:

Not only was it sloppy and gloopy mud, it was smelly. Apparently it was something called "Dillo Dirt," which is a combination of composted yard clippings and treated sewage. ew. However, it was still fun. We had to be really careful walking so that we wouldn't slip and fall, which made Larry's already bad back even worse. As a result, we only stayed for the Deadweather, Ben Harper and some of Michael Franti. Then we had to go. I wanted to stay for Pearl Jam, but since we "saw" Eddie Vedder with Kings of Leon, I was okay to go leave and go get cleaned up.

As a recap.... here was day one:
And here was day three:
Wristbands for next year go on sale Tuesday morning. We'll be buying ours, hope to see you there!

does this mean I've made it?

Work provided me with a Blackberry. I can now check my work email 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Not sure if this is a positive thing, and I can see why people call them crackberries.

This should at least satiate my desire for an iphone for the moment.

Hopefully I will be able to tell you all about ACL soon.