I love those J-I-N-G-L-E Bells

I believe every year I get more into the Christmas spirit. It's getting dangerous really. I think one year very soon I may just combust, and all you will see is a cloud of mistle toe and holly.

"Oh by gosh, by golly..."

My family (the whole mess of 'em) came to my house for Thanksgiving. It was magical. Eleven people, five dogs and a cat under my little old roof was insane, and we loved every minute. We had air beds and pallets on the floor and babies crawling everywhere and food to feed a small country. My brother made his annual triple decker after-Thanksgiving day sandwich (it's a spectacle, really). We went shopping at ungodly hours. We watched our team win Friday (barely). We sat around and laughed and stayed up way too late.
Now my house is quiet and still, and I'm a little sad. BUT my sweet husband made it up to me by getting all my Christmas decorations out last night so I could go crazy getting my house holiday-ified. We finished up by watching Home Alone and drinking hot chocolate.

And now Frank is crooning his Christmas music to me in my living room. Today we're going to get a Christmas tree and decorate it with all our Saints ornaments. Speaking of our boys, Happy MNF - AKA Saintsgiving tomorrow! WHO DAT SAY (gon' beat dem Saints)!

Turkey Day Countdown

As far as holidays go, Thanksgiving is definitely a family favorite. Of course, my fam will use any old holiday as an excuse to party. We have even been known to make our own holidays.

But yes, Thanksgiving is wonderful. So wonderful it shouldn't be real. It smells like my mom's cajun turkey and dressing, sounds like leaves falling (I love when they get all noisy when you step on 'em), and feels CROWDED - but the good kind of crowded, where there are so many people you love in one space that you don't mind the close quarters so much.

I'm just so in the Thanksgiving state of mind, I gotta hear what y'all have to say.

Any favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

We have a family football game on Thanksgiving (The Gobbler Bowl). Fun way to expend some of the eleventy-billion calories from eating all day. Although everybody in my fam is competetive (to the extreme), so it can get crazy. Funny crazy, though. I love going Black Friday shopping with my mom the next morning and then coming home and dragging out the Christmas decorations. We also usually pack everybody up and go to Grant's Tree Farm that weekend. Okay, now I've definitely worked myself into a holiday frenzy...hurry, next week!

The List - Favorite Songs

My list, subject to change. I know there are some I forgot, but this is my first at-bat. They aren't in any order. If you don't know some of these, may I please introduce you?

• “Moon River” – Henry Mancini
• “If You Leave” - OMD
• “Tiny Dancer” – Elton John
• “23” – Jimmy Eat World
• “Just Like Heaven” – The Cure
• “Please Come Home for Christmas” – James Brown
• “Take it Easy” – The Eagles
• “Romeo and Juliet” – Dire Straits
• “Les Filles de la Ville” – Wayne Toups
• “Shelter” – Ray LaMontagne
• “Good Feeling” – Violent Femmes
• “Float On” – Modest Mouse
• “Let it Be” – The Beatles
• “Season of Love” – Shiny Toy Guns
• “D’yer Mak’er” – Led Zeppelin
• “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” – Frank Sinatra
• “Like a Rolling Stone” – Bob Dylan
• “Interstate Love Song” – Stone Temple Pilots
• “Sunshower” – Chris Cornell
• “Hallelujah” – Jeff Buckley (Rufus Wainwright version too)
• “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” – Dean Martin
• “Song of the South” - Alabama
• “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” – U2
• “A Lack of Color” – Death Cab for Cutie”
• “Forever and Ever, Amen” – Randy Travis
• “Take My Hand” – Wayne Toups
• “Home” – Marc Broussard
• “A Lifetime” – Better Than Ezra
• “Fortunate Son” - CCR
• “Fire and Rain” – James Taylor
• “New Slang” – The Shins
• “Simpler Things” – Jolly Napier
• “For What It’s Worth” – Buffalo Springfield
• “Danny’s Song” – Kenny Loggins
• “Crazy” - Aerosmith
• “Georgia on My Mind” – Ray Charles
• “Bye Bye Blackbird” – Joe Cocker
• “Ice Cream” – Sarah McLachlan
• “Hey Jude” – The Beatles
• “Don’t Worry Baby” – The Beach Boys
• “By Your Side” – Sade
• “When You Say Nothing at All” – Keith Whitley
• “Kashmir” – Led Zeppelin
• “Two Step” – Dave Matthews Band
• “Bohemian Rhapsody” - Queen
• “White Flag” - Dido
• “Folsom Prison Blues” – Johnny Cash
• “Before the Throne” – Sonicflood
• “Your Song” – Elton John
• “Always on My Mind” – Willie Nelson
• “Blowin’ in the Wind” – Bob Dylan

My Favorite Songs

I have made a list with careful consideration, hesitation...and probably some other -tation words I can't think of. Meditation? Every time we go on a long trip (more than a couple of hours in the car), I go crazy on the iPod, scrolling through songs and quizzing Alan on who's singing. I have said 100+ times, "I can't believe you don't know who this is; it's one of my favorite songs!" Alan has good taste, but he could care less about who the artist is, the background of the song, etc. Me, I'm another story. I am a self-proclaimed audiophile. I can appreciate anything from classical to hip hop to outlaw country to blues to 80's to zydeco to 90's grunge to malt shop to...ya heard?

My friend Aaron and I have a game where we hit the scan button on the radio in the car and see who can yell out the artist first. It gets ugly. We are both the sorest of losers. And I looove music trivia. Rock & Roll Jeopardy is the only trivia game I'd ever have any shot at winning.

I believe I can trace my music-lovin' roots back to a few people and places. My daddy's truck: I think of Willie Nelson, Hank, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and lots of country gold. I think of my aunt Connie introducing me to Led Zeppelin records (among others) starting in the 4th grade. I think of riding around in my best friend's big brother's van (it was only the coolest van ever) listening to everything from Queen to Rancid. I think of a shoe box full of mix tapes (still got 'em) from a rock and roll boyfriend.

So, all that to say, it was difficult for me to make this list. It'll be making its debut soon. In the meantime, what's on your list?

Throwback Thursday - Favorite Toys Edition

I had tons of toys as a kid. We had all the good stuff. And it really wasn't because we were spoiled. It was because my dad loves to play with toys.

I went through a rock-tumbling phase when I was little. Yep, my daddy bought me a rock tumbler, and I would search for HOURS for rocks that would shine up real pretty. My pockets were always heavy. I think my parents thought I was going to become an archaeologist. This might sound like a boring hobby, but I'm here to tell you it was not only fun, but a brilliant move on my parents' part. Seriously, how much trouble could a kid get in while she was crouched over in the driveway sifting through gravel? Chuck and Toni - 1, Misti - 0.


I had another toy that might have consumed me more than the rock tumbler. Maybe more than Super Mario World, and maybe more than Legos. Okay, maybe not as much as the Legos. But still, how, how did this contraption keep me so busy? It's a piece of black paper with holes on it. Covering a lit screen. With colored pegs. And whimsical designs to follow. Are you kidding, it would still keep me busy! I seriously loved this thing. I was really a very social child, I swear, I was class president and had slumber parties and rode on floats in the Christmas parade. But I was also known to spend entire evenings in my room...alone...

with my Lite-Brite.

Date-a-versary

I love November. Not only is it my birthmonth (woooot!), but it has a few other special days. Thanksgiving. My pawpaw's birthday.

And today. I started dating a boy with a killer grin and the biggest heart on November 3rd 6 years ago today. It was a day that looked kind of like today. Cool weather, blue skies, rainbows, birds chirping...Or maybe not the last two, but it sure felt like it. Awwww I'm a sucker. But it's my date-a-versary. And I've got a vase of roses on the table in front of me to prove it. :)

My favorite picture of my piece!

I stole this from some of you guys who did it a few weeks ago...

♥ What are your middle names?
Dawn and Reynolds - although I kept my maiden name as my middle, so technically I'm Misti Harrington Walker.

♥How long have you been together?
Today is 6 years since we started dating, and we've been married for 3

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Hmmm...couple of months

♥ Who asked who out?
He asked me...and our first date was during an Auburn/LSU game. My mom said "Aww, true love!"

♥ Who made the first move?
He did

♥ How old are each of you?
I'm 26, he is 28

♥ Did you go to the same school?
We both went to the same college

♥ Are you from the same home town?
Nope, I'm from a little town about 3 hours south of his

♥ Who is the smartest?
He's an engineer...and wayyy smarter than I am

♥ Who majored in what?
I was all over the place: art, English lit, art education...nutrition. He stuck it out in chemical engineering.

♥ Who is the most sensitive?
I am, but Alan has the softest heart of any guy I've ever known.

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Fox's pizza or Papa Joe's poboys...we really don't eat out at other places here.

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Our honeymoon in Florida...but I'm trying to convince him to take me to NYC this year! We also have some penciled-in Europe plans...anybody wanna go? :)

♥ Who has the worst temper?
Probably equal...and we mellow each other out which is always a plus!

♥ How many children do you want?
However many we get. I mean, not like the Dugars or anything. Maybe 2 or 3.

♥ Who does the cooking?
Definitely me. Alan can make blue-box mac & cheese, but other than that I don't believe I've ever seen him so much as butter a piece of toast. He is darn handy on the grill, though. Which cancels out the toast comment.

♥ Who is more social?
Me by a landslide. He's not a hermit or anything, but is very introverted.

♥ Who is the neat-freak?
Ohhh, me. Call me Monica. I clean behind maids.

♥ Who is the most stubborn?
Probably me again...I can be a real jerk.

♥ Who wakes up earlier?
We switch off...but on weekends, Alan will sleep like the dead unless I wake him.

♥ Where was your first date?
Dinner and a movie

♥ Who has the bigger family?
Mine's a lot bigger and growing more every day it seems.

♥ Do you get flowers often?
I'd say so...and I love 'em. I have heard so many people say they would rather get something that doesn't die, like chocolate. Well, I love chocolate, but flowers are gorgeous and don't make your arse bigger! My heart melts every time I open the door for Alan and he has a handful of flowers.

♥ How do you spend the holidays?
We try to split it up. It's always hard for me to be away from my family though. We spent our first Christmas with his family and I cried the entire car ride there and back!

♥ Who is more jealous?
Neither of us really gets jealous. But I have a short fuse, and it probably wouldn't take much before I clocked a hoe...haha

♥ How long did it take to get serious?
Maybe 6 months? I told Heather I loved him after 3 months. Took him over a year to tell me.

♥ Who eats more?
He does, but I can hold my own when we eat pizza...for some reason when I eat pizza, all rules of being lady-like are off.

♥ What do you do for a living?
I'm a director (clinical nutrition) at a hospital. Actually, not for long. I've got a couple of other plans though. He's an engineer for a local firm.

♥ Who does the laundry?
I do, but if he gets tired of waiting, he will :)

♥ Who’s better with the computer?
Probably him, I'm always calling and asking him how to do stuff. I even suck at Microsoft Word.

♥ Who drives when you are together?
He does, but sometimes when we're going to my parents' I have to - I get carsick when he makes that drive. There is this one gas station on the way that I know I've had to stop and yak at like three times. I bet when our jeep swerves in the guy is like, there's puke face.

♥ What is "your" song?
We don't really have one song. We danced to "Shelter" by Ray LaMontagne at our wedding, and we both love that one. We think Brad Paisley wrote a song ("Then") about us. And we can both sing all the words to Gangsta's paradise.

A few pumpkin recipes

For my little holiday business venture, we added these - only a little more spiced up - to the lineup.

We are trying to think of creative, cheap, packaging ideas. So far we've thought of grocery store paper bags, raffia and my stamps. PLEASE share ideas if you have any!

I love anything with pumpkin in it, except...are you ready for this...pumpkin pie. I think it's gross. How un-American is that? I'm Still searching for a pumpkin pie recipe that will change my beliefs.

I really like Giada's recipe for pumpkin ravioli (minus the sage - ew). This one is definitely worth a try.

Spiced pumpkin seeds are unbelievable. You can do this same recipe for pecans or walnuts.

Happy Fall!