As I mentioned before, Flight of the Conchords is one of my new favorite shows. I found out at the last minute that they would be in town this week, and I HAD to go. Stephanie went with me, which was funny because when I invited her to go, she had only heard the name but knew nothing about them. She went on YouTube, saw the video below, and decided to go based on that. I'm so glad she did, so I didn't have to go alone.

There's not much to say about it except that it was great and that they are just as funny in person as on TV.

Here is a video someone took from last night. It's kind of lame because they just recorded what was on the screen, but at least you can hear a little of them talking and singing one of my favorite songs, Hurt Feelings.



One of my other favorite songs by them is called Business Time.



I'm so excited that I got to see them live.

And speaking of excited, I just need to say that it is extremely frustrating to have friends who are never excited about anything, or who think everything is annoying or stupid. If I told my friend Whitney (who hates country), "Whitney, guess what? I'm going to see Sugarland in concert!!!!" The appropriate reaction would be, "That's great!" Not, "Ugh, I hate country" or "They're so fricken annoying."

Thank you to Whitney, who pointed out that a negative reaction in this situation is abnormal. I've gotten so used to it, I didn't even realize.

In the style of Chandler, could tonight BE any better?

I got three new books from Amazon today:

"God Was in This Place and I, I Did Not Know"

"Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels" which is freakin' hilarious. I'm actually laughing out loud and just can't put it down. I don't know if it's so funny to me because I've been reading romances for 16 years, or because it's just brilliantly written, but I highly recommend it. Even if you are not a fan of romance novels, it is worth reading because of sections like this:

"Behold our new Smart Bitch line of "Holy Crap, I Raped a Virgin!" greeting cards. (Because that's what happened all the time in old school romances.) With sentiments like:

• "Sorry I Raped You... Again. And Again. And Again.
• "I Thought You Were a Whore, Not a Real Person... Please Forgive Me?"
• "Mom Was an Evil Slut and I Assumed You Were, Too... But Your Hymen Proved Me Wrong."
• "Sorry I Raped You. I Thought You Were Your Mom."

I want to be best friends with Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan (the authors).

Finally, I got the new book we're using for small group. It's called Colossians Remixed. It looks like it is going to be intense and totally different from anything we've done before. I can't wait.

So in addition to having all these books in front of me that I'm dying to read, I'm watching last night's Gossip Girl. After Gossip Girl, I'll be watching Love Finds a Home, the latest in the Loves Comes Softly series. I loves those movies, even though I think the first one was the best one, and I was really mad when Missie's first husband died in like, the third one.

And to top it all off, I'm about to enjoy a Kashi frozen pizza for dinner.

Life is good.

It has been the perfect weekend.

Friday night I drove down to U of I to hang out with my cousin Katie. I've always wanted to go to a frat party, and I realized that pretty soon I'll be too old to do it. So Katie graciously invited me to a party at her frat, and I was so excited. The party was fun, and we both drank a lot, but the best part was actually hanging out with Katie. I love that girl. It was also fun to meet some of her friends, who all seem like really nice people.

We slept in on Saturday, then walked over to Flat Top Grill for lunch. Then, because it was such a beautiful day, we hung out on the quad and I worked on progress reports. Here's a pic of the quad:


Notice the guy on the right who is just wearing underwear. Normally, I would think this was pretty inappropriate. But his body was amazing. Seriously, he could be an underwear model. So I had no problem at all with him playing football in his underwear.

After enjoying the beautiful weather, Katie and I walked over to the new frozen yogurt place, which I liked even better than Berry Chill. But then, sadly, it was time for me to go home. I had such a great time though; I can't wait to go back next year!

This morning I went to church, then stopped at Whole Foods on the way home, where I found some vegetarian yogurt. Now I'm watching the Cubs and thinking about getting started on my homework and imagining how nice life will be when I'm done with school. The perfect Sunday.

The past few days at work have actually not been so bad. On Tuesday we watched West Side Story (to build prior knowledge before reading The Outsiders, and also because it's a movie everyone should see), and my kids were enthralled. Yes, there was a little complaining during songs such as "Maria," but overall, they were silent and attentive. Yesterday, they were still talking about it and acting out scenes and walking around snapping. It made me so happy.

Then on Wednesday, the weather was beautiful, and the kids really wanted recess, so most of them behaved very nicely. K, one of the boys who usually has the most trouble behaving, was so excited to have recess that he asked me to play football with them. I kicked off my shoes and ran around barefoot in my skirt, blocking and catching passes and even running for a touchdown. It was great. One of the boys was like, "Dang, Ms. B, you got stats and yards!" And I noticed a change with the boys yesterday; I was one of them. It's so fun. I'm looking forward to many more games before the year is over.

Last night I went to see This American Life Live, and it was amazing. It's playing again in theaters on May 7, so if you missed it last night, go see it then! I laughed and cried, and I love Ira Glass.

Tonight I'm heading down to U of I to go to a frat party with my cousin. I can't wait!

One of my goals for this year was to try different foods, since I'm a really picky eater. (Although not as bad as the vegetarian who doesn't eat vegetables.) I really haven't done too well with this except for falling in love with falafel. When I was grocery shopping the other day, the yogurt section caught my eye. I've always wanted to like yogurt, but the last time I tried it (years ago), I was not a fan. But those commercials for flavors like strawberry cheesecake drew me in, so I bought a few cartons.

Tonight I tried the Key Lime Pie flavor and was in love. As I basked in the happiness of finding a great new food, I glanced at the ingredients label. Kosher gelatin? Seriously? How is yogurt not vegetarian???? I was so disgusted I couldn't even finish the carton. I looked online and found that's a common ingredient now because if you use gelatin, it's easier to make yogurt fat free. Apparently there's some kinds of vegetarian yogurt that I'm hoping I can get at Whole Foods. But I'm outraged. And I can't stop thinking, seriously? I'm so not happy about this.

I was listening to Rob Bell today and he said this:

"If church isn't the place above any other place where you can be as honest and raw about the actual junk in your life, then I don't want anything to do with church. If church doesn't lead the way in being the kind of place where you can be transparent and honest about your struggles, then it isn't church... If this time and this ritual with this tribe of people isn't the kind of place where you can actually reflect and you can actually go into the most dark, painful places, and you can have people come around you and carry you, then we're just pretending."

I had to pause my iPod and think about this. It's funny because church is usually the opposite of that; we don't want people at church to see all our mess. We want those people to think we have it all together. When I found out I was pregnant, I know my parents REALLY did not want anyone at church to find out. But we had amazing community, and instead of being judged we were surrounded with love. However, I think that's often not the case. In too many congregations, people are really judgmental. I like that Rob Bell says those people are just pretending. It's true.

I don't have a church home right now, although I have been going to a church I think I might like. But I do have this kind of community with my small group. It took awhile, but we are all pretty honest about our junk, and I love it. Once again, Rob Bell is so right.

Four of my friends are getting married this summer. Yesterday, wedding season kicked off with Abby and James' wedding. It was simple and beautiful and reflected their personalities. During the ceremony, Abby was literally bouncing with excitement. It was adorable and oh so Abby.


A few things I liked about the wedding: James started to cry when Abby came down the aisle. They had a reading from Blue Like Jazz. And their recessional music was the theme song from Indiana Jones.


I was also in love with this girl's hairstyle. You have to zoom in on the pic to see it well (my camera's broken, so all I have is my iPhone), but her hair is tied in a bow.


There was no alcohol or dancing at the reception, but Abby and James did dance to "At Last."


And all of the Incubators (and former Incubators) posed for some pics. (These didn't come out too well... when the other girls post theirs on Facebook, I'll post them on here if they're better.)




Actually, Abby is part of the reason our group is called the Incubators. One time at small group a few years ago, she was expressing her frustration that she wasn't doing what she wanted. She said that she felt like God had so much planned for her, but she didn't know what and was so impatient to find out. Carla wisely told her to think of it as incubating; God was preparing her for the bigger and better things he had in mind for her. We realized we were all kind of at that point in our lives, so that became our name. We have tee shirts and a mascot and everything. Our little stuffed chick goes with us on important journeys. It's been all over the world- Alaska, India, South Africa, D.C., etc. I love these girls, and I'm so happy for Abby and James. Christ is truly at the center of their relationship, and I have no doubt they'll have a long and happy marriage because of that.

Being at Disney World made me think of my favorite Disney movies. Here they are, in no particular order (because I can’t rank these; they are ALL my favorites).

1. Mary Poppins
I remember liking this movie when I was young, but it wasn't my favorite or anything. Then I saw it in high school and realized how brilliant and cleverly written it is. It is a great movie for both adults and kids. There are so many jokes that kids wouldn't understand. Like how Mrs. Banks is all about "Votes for Women!" but whenever her husband's around, she's all "yes dear" and does whatever he wants. Such irony. This movie has great music, a great story full of important life lessons, Julie Andrews, and Dick Van Dyke. What could be better?

2. Peter Pan

I think this is my mom's favorite, too. This movie came out when she was little, and she thought that all she needed was faith and trust and a little bit of pixie dust to fly. She jumped off the top of her basement stairs and ended up with stitches. Besides the beautiful choral music ("Second Star to the Right," etc.), I can't explain why I love this movie; I just do.

3. Beauty and the Beast

When this movie came out, my mom told me I was just like Belle, which made me soooo happy. I still want to be her. Just like Mary Poppins, I think this is a beautiful story for adults as well as kids. I love the romance and the lesson about loving someone for who they are on the inside.

4. Cinderella

I love the romance of this movie, too. When I was little, I used to act out the movie while it was playing. I would put on my apron and pretend to scrub the floors while I was singing. When I see all the little girls who have visited the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney and are dressed up as Cinderella, I secretly wish I wasn’t too old to go. I think she has the prettiest gown out of all the princesses.

5. Winnie the Pooh

I don’t remember seeing this movie until I was a little older, and I just love it. I love the book, too; I read it to Jacob when I was pregnant with him. It is so witty and just adorable and sweet. I know all the songs, and (I really shouldn’t admit this) they frequently go through my head. Like when it’s cloudy and windy, I think of the blustery day song. Or when it’s rainy, I’m singing “The rain rain rain came down down down” in my head. For 8^th grade graduation, my parents took me to breakfast with Winnie the Pooh. I got into a long conversation with Eeyore (my favorite) about his pessimistic attitude and told him he needed to cheer up. He wrote “Thanks for noticin’ me” in my autograph book, and I was over the moon. My other favorite character is Piglet. I think Tigger is overrated.

What are some of your favorites?

I don't really have anything too exciting to say, but I figured I should post about Florida. It was a pretty typical trip. I worked on my tan, drank cherry limeades, hung out with my family, and went to the Magic Kingdom. This time I actually went on Big Thunder Mountain, which I think is the root of my roller coaster phobia. My mom took me on it when I was 5, and I think it was just too much for me. 22 years later, I finally worked up the nerve to try it again, and I loved it. It was the perfect amount of scary for me.


Another highlight of the trip was watching Flight of the Conchords with Faye and my Uncle Joel. Season 1 came from Netflix right before I left, so I brought it with. That show is freakin' hilarious. We were laughing so hard we were crying.

Finally, I really enjoyed the food on this trip. I had some avocado spring rolls at Mai Tais that were amazing. And we went up to St. Augustine one night to see my friend Liz, and the restaurant had delicious peanut butter pie.

See, not very exciting, right? But definitely enjoyable.

One time Brian said to me, "You always have some crazy story." This was after hanging out like, three times.

Today, I signed onto my bank's website to check my account balance, since I leave for Florida tomorrow. -$34.80? What? Then I looked back at the transactions. There were ten that were not mine. I remember having my debit card at the Taco Bell in Homewood yesterday. I thought I put it back in my purse, but apparently not.

So I got on the phone with the bank, and I guess I'll be getting my money back in about 2 business days. Meaning it could take until Monday. So I'm getting on a plane tomorrow night for vacation with no money. I have no cash either, so I have to borrow $2 from a coworker so I can take the L to the airport.

It's not quite as bad as it seems. I do have a credit card with like, $100 left on it. And my dad was worried, so he is putting some money in my account tomorrow. But I definitely got yelled at since I was going to Florida with less than $200 in my checking account in the first place.

I suck at life. Well, money anyway. But the beach is free, and I can't wait!

It's my favorite week of the year. I love the emotions of this week- the triumphant entry on Palm Sunday, where we all have palm leaves and sing Hosanna; the somber mood on Maundy Thursday, when the Last Supper occurred, and Jesus said some of the most beautiful things in the Bible and prayed and suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane; Good Friday, when Jesus gave his life so we could have eternal life; and the joy of Easter Sunday, when we celebrate his resurrection. Easter is my favorite holiday, and I feel like this Easter is even more meaningful to me because of the Lenten devotions my small group has been doing. I'm more aware than ever of my sinful nature and how selfish I am, but that makes God's grace even sweeter.

I hope you all have a blessed Holy Week and joyful Easter.

Tonight was my friend's personal shower. My friend at work suggested making them a mix cd of songs to listen to during intimate moments. I wasn't sure what my friend would like, and she might not know either, considering she and her husband will both be virgins on the wedding night. So I just made a playlist of stuff I enjoy. It starts off romantic, then gets into the good stuff. Here's what I ended up with:

1. "Moon River" by Andy Williams
2. "The Very Thought of You" by Nat King Cole
3. "At Last" Etta James
4. "Come On Get Higher" Sugarland
5. "Eyes on Fire" Blue Foundation (from the Twilight soundtrack)
6. "#1 Crush" Garbage
7. "On and On" Erykah Badu
8. "Red Light Special" TLC
9. "Just a Lil Bit" 50 Cent
10. "Candy Shop" 50 Cent
11. "Closer" Nine Inch Nails
12. "Crazy Bitch" Buckcherry
13. "Caress Me Down" Sublime
14. "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" Celine Dion (Total joke)

Can anyone think of anything I left off my list?

The shower tonight was different from what I'm used to. There was talk of purity rings and a prayer for the bride, who was frequently blushing. Me and one other girl were the only "fallen women" there; all the other girls were either virgins or married (and had been virgins on their wedding nights). Which I think is really cool; just not for me. There was a little part of me that felt sad I would never have that. But I don't regret the choices I've made; I can't imagine being a 27 year-old virgin. And my experiences have made me wiser, and I wouldn't trade that. Sometimes I just wish I had done it the "right" way, like I had planned on doing in high school. Anyway, I was glad my friend was there. When we chatted afterwards, we found that we'd been having the same thoughts throughout the shower. It was nice to not be alone in that.

Tomorrow morning I have Anne's shower to go to, and tomorrow night is her bachelorette party. I will miss most of it because I have tickets to RENT, but I have a feeling the tone will be very different from the shower I was at tonight. I'm looking forward to meeting up with the girls after the show.