But apparently a group of people that work with someone I know that used to come see my old band DID. It’s kinda like that scene in Ferris Bueller…

“My best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who’s going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night.”

Those inglorious bastards. They took my ticket. Oh well… guess I won’t be starting my own recording studio , investing in my child’s future or paying off my mortgage anytime soon. But at least I won’t lose any sleep thinking about how to spend the money…

I read something today in a random blog I follow that struck me as pure brilliance… so I thought I’d share:

And don’t be afraid to talk to the person next to you at a bar– we could all destress a bit when travelling by just being nice, for a few minutes, and do as the Irish do: drink a pint, talk to your neighbor, and let the hours pass you by.

How perfect is that? And to take it one step further — why only do this when traveling? How about at the grocery store, or in line at the bank? Granted, throwing back a pint while at your local supermarket may get you some strange looks (not to mention a possible trip to the pokey), but you get the idea… right?

OK. I admit it. I like trying new beers… There are a bunch of places to buy single-serve bottles around here, including our local grocery store. They have quite a selection. A lot I’ve heard of, but some I haven’t. Occasionally I try one that really, really works for me. Usually it’s suggested by Sarah — she has this uncanny ability to pick a good beer by looking at the packaging. Weird, I know… but it works a good bit of the time. I think there has only been once or twice where I didn’t like what she picked out for me, and that was before she really knew my taste.

Well, there’s a new beer in town — Backdraft Brown by Hook & Ladder Brewing Company. Let me tell you, everything about this is spot-on in my book. No, it’s not fancy or brewed with all kinds of crazy spices. It’s just GOOD. Nice mix of bite and smoothness, with a slight hoppiness that finishes off smooth. Love it.

Until I looked it up, I had no idea this brewery was based in Silver Spring… so all my DC peeps better go check it out and have one. Or three.

So, if you like a good beer but don’t go for all the fru-fru Belgian stuff or the beer so thick you can chew it, this might be the one for you. Try it and let me know what you think. 

PS: Their seasonal Ember Amber is quite tasty as well!

It’s that time again…  luckily it falls on a weekend where we didn’t have much going on church-wise. I’ve been trying to keep on top of all the payments, budgeting, and finding ways to make things stretch. So far so good, and I must say that Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover has made a big difference. There’s still a long way to go, but at least now we have a plan and are spending with a purpose. And the nice tax return that’s coming has already been spent… Now all I need to do is figure out a way to spend my share of the upcoming Mega Millions jackpot.  :-)

Made our big Sam’s Club run for the bulk items and Sarah got the menu together. This month is gonna be a little tight cause we’re visiting Benji & Liz for the first time since Christmas. Really looking forward to seeing little Eli and actually getting to hold him this time (I was sick this past winter when he was a newborn)!

Got some yummy recipes picked out for the coming week(s) — one I’m really looking forward to is the Goat Cheese & Grilled Corn Quesadillas that Sarah found in her Cooking Light magazine… my mouth is watering already!

Sarah and I are going to start videotaping Ethan again… she’s been reading a great book designed for parents of gifted kids, and we’re thinking that since Ethan’s already well on his way, maybe we should start documenting some of the things he’s doing now so that if we have the opportunity to get him enrolled in a gifted school or program, we’ll already have the ammunition/proof. Look for videos coming soon… I’m gonna try to figure out how to get them in this little side-bar over here to the right. If not, you can always go on YouTube and do a search on “rezerfam“.