The Lying Game

Did anyone else catch The Lying Game on ABC Family?

[yes, I'm a tween]

It's a new series based on The Lying Game book series by Sara Shepard

[the author of the Pretty Little Liars]

I just might have a new guilty pleasure.

I am uber tempted to read the books...

What would you do if you had a long-lost twin? What if she disappeared the day you were supposed to meet? How far would you go to find out what went wrong?  In Sara Shepard's bestselling Lying Game series, Emma Paxton assumes her twin sister Sutton's identity to solve her murder. It's a dangerous game, and Emma is playing with a killer…

The pilot is still on hulu until August 23,

you should definitely check it out if you haven't already!
[that is if you have the taste of a 13 year old girl in TV like I do]

sick days.

so the past few days have been pretty ridiculous... Monday I came home with the chills and a fever, Tuesday I sucked it up and went to work since we had the Dispatch concert that night [the was amazing, but a story for another post] then Wednesday I woke up and had enough with feeling like crud and called the doctor... they were jam packed but said if I got there by 9:15 they would squeeze me in [my doctor is amazing] so I went and after some poking and prodding it turns out I may have strep throat.... ugh. 


I gargled with lidocaine yesterday every two hours [and it made me barf, yup, awesome] and woke up today still feeling terrible and went to pick up my penicillin to "kill the strep" - so here I am on day 2 out of the office.... still feeling like pretty gross but I have faith that tomorrow I will feel better and be good to go [I mean, it's friday, I will feel better for the weekend].


I also realized this morning, I had a meeting with a student yesterday that I didn't show up for.... I didn't even tell her I wasn't coming into the office, no call, no email, nothing. major fail on my part. oops. I hate when people don't show up and/or are late [especially without notice] and I am huge in instilling that into my students... way to role model early. oops. I'm going to email her today and take her out to lunch next week to make it up to her. [bribery, I'm not above it]


anyways, as ridiculous as I feel the upside to being sick is being able to be sloth-like for the past two days [aka sweatpants only, no brushing my hair, cuddling with the pup and watching plenty of trash tv] here are some prime examples...


I watched this weeks episode of PLL... I'm so interested to see where they take the story line, it almost makes me want to reread the books... I know, I'm such a tween it's pathetic.

I watched the 1998 Lindsay Lohan version of "The Parent Trap" - seriously, she was so adorable before she turned into a crackhead. DJ tried to delete it off the DVR after I finished watching it. Clearly after he saw my face he realized that was NOT going to happen. Come to think of it, I just may watch it again today... 

I watched Extreme Makeover Weightloss Edition - now, I have a huge love/hate relationship with this show. I love it, but I hate that it makes me cry like 35 times... seriously, I start crying when they do the intro... and pretty much don't stop... but it is so inspiring and you just find yourself so invested in the people and their journey. I definitely suggest watching it if you haven't already - just get the kleenex ready, especially if you're a crier like me! ALSO, I am starting to have a serious crush on Chris Powell, he's unreal and such a good guy [he is also quite easy on the eyes, if you're picking up what I'm putting down]

I felt like I was back in college yesterday eating ramen noodles for lunch, yes they were just as tasty as I remembered... 

I got plenty of cuddletime with this guy...

I watched The Voice with DJ... it's weird, he loves the show - I think it's okay. The one thing I do like about it is the coaches - I mean, Adam Levine is just well, yeah, he's pretty. very, very, pretty. Then there's Blake Shelton, he's such a teddy bear, aahh I just want to hug him.  You can tell they're all so invested in the people they're coaching - it's pretty adorable.

then I finally [I know I watched a lot of TV yesterday] watched SYTYCD.... aah. so good. I don't know who is going home tonight [especially since 4 are going home?!], I am starting to fall in love with a few of the contestants though [melanie and miranda, aahh they're amazing!]

I may or may not currently be watching "My Future Boyfriend" [I DVRed it like a month ago thinking it was perfect mindless tv for a sloth day]... yes, it's as cheesy as it sounds and I LOVE it.

oh and today is the last day to get free shipping on $25 or more at Victoria Secret and it's their semi-annual sale... hmmm.... I might see some online shopping in my future [cross your fingers I've hit "purchase" before DJ sees this... I love you honey, let's go buy you some software and call it even!] 

in other news, I think the penicillin and coffee mixture going on in my stomach is making me a little loopy... getting dizzy... must lay down... no seriously, feels like I drank a bottle of wine and chased in with a pack of ciggs... gross. back to the horizontal position for me. too bad someone is hogging the couch...

hope you're all feeling better than I am!

got a secret... can you keep it...

do you miss hearing about my wedding? I know, you must. 

clearly, you all lived for it, just like I did.... 

well guess what? It's being featured on "Life After the Aisle: Wedding Wednesdays"  

go check it out... and thanks to Ashley for featuring me!

okay, back to your regularly scheduled cheesiness...

Pretty Little Liars came back on TV last night. Although I missed the season finale [wtf, I know I'm angry at myself] I think was able to catch up.... I can't lie I'm thrilled my guilty pleasure is back [let's be real, one of my 10392 guilty pleasures!] and had a great time watching last night.  DJ joined me and watched the last half hour with me, which I love, it was just really hard to try and watch and answer his questions [who is that? who died? did they kill her? wait someone else died? why aren't they upset these people are dead? who is that?... you get the point]. In other news, "Ezra" was trending on twitter last night.... and if you watched you know why... I mean, can he be shirtless more often? And I don't know about you, but none of my teachers ever looked like that! 

After PLL we watched The Voice... does anyone else watch this? It's DJ's guilty pleasure [his only one... weird, huh?] and I'm unsure what I think about, it's okay and a couple of the people are really good but overall not too impressive.  I'm just really happy whenever Adam Levine gets on screen [swoon] but let's be real for a minute: Carson Daly is the WORST host in the whole world #realtalk. Seriously, he's awkward as hell and I was yelling at him all night. ugh, makes me annoyed just thinking about it... It also makes me realize how pathetic I am that I can compare hosts [Cat Deeley, aka my girl crush is so much better].

Speaking of Cat Deeley and Summer TV - I'm excited for the top 20 to perform on SYTYCD tonight, I'm excited to watch them dance in pairs and see them experiment with other styles - my current favs are Jordan, Melanie, and Robert.... let's be real, I love them all right now [but I kinda want Jess to take a ritalin and calm down]. Was anyone else relieved when China got cut?  If you haven't been watching and want to catch up - check out the past episodes here!

Lastly, don't even get me started on the Bachelorette....  I haven't watched this week's episode yet but I can only imagine the "greatness" that I'll witness based on reading some of your blogs and all I've seen on twitter... maybe I'll post my thoughts on that later! I know, you're on the edge of your seat....

sweet valley confidential... what? what???

did anyone else obsess over read the sweet valley high series?

seriously. I owned all of them. every. single. book. 

I changed my mind daily over if I wanted to be Elizabeth or Jessica... seriously. I almost want to reread that series [remember, I'm a tween].

and then there was the tv show...

which I also loved.

and now -- there's a NEW Sweet Valley book! Sweet Valley Confidential...

 "Now with this striking new adult novel from author and creator Francine Pascal, millions of devoted fans can finally return to the idyllic Sweet Valley, home of the phenomenally successful book series and franchise. Iconic and beloved identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are back and all grown up, dealing with the complicated adult world of love, careers, betrayal, and sisterhood.  WANT MORE SWEET VALLEY RIGHT NOW??  Become a fan of Sweet Valley Confidential on Facebook or Twitter." [Amazon] 

what's that you say? the sweet valley twins? all grown up?

I can still pretend to be them?

the book hit shelves [and kindles] today. 

run, don't walk to buy [download] it now, you know I am!

what I'm loving wednesday...

happy wednesday! hope you're having a fabulous week and that it's flying by... mine is - I thought for a moment it was tuesday this morning only to smile and realize it's WEDNESDAY - which means my work week is halfway over! 

here's what I'm loving on this beautiful spring day...

I'm loving.... that last night DJ and I spent like thirty minutes laughing hysterically and "fighting" aka roughhousing... it's so much fun being married to your best friend [even if he does steal my iPhone and put up random facebook statuses... watch out buddy, I'm coming for you] - here's the picture I took of the little devil when he was harassing me...

I'm loving.... that I went wedding dress shopping with this sweet girl this weekend, she's going to be a BEAUTIFUL bride and I can't wait to watch her go down the aisle in November!

I'm loving.... that we're going to Medieval Times to celebrate DJ's birthday this weekend, I haven't been in forever - it's going to be hilarious and messy so much fun!

I'm loving.... my sweet pup and his snuggles

I'm loving.... being a tween and watching Make it or Break it on ABC family, I didn't realize how much I missed it until it came back on... I don't know that I'll ever "mature" to finding that stuff silly... it's just who I am.

I'm loving... The Hunger Games series, I finished the first book and am halfway through the second book, seriously, I don't want to put it down, EVER. I know, I know, I really am a tween.

I'm loving....  even though he's a colossal pain in my ass - I am so thankful that I have such a loyal and caring partner... My Danny J truly makes me so happy and really is my soulmate. I'm so thankful that he's mine and I'm his...

happy wednesday!

what I'm loving wednesday...

happy wednesday! so happy this week is flying by - I'm having a great one, hope you are too!


here's what I'm loving this wednesday....


I'm loving... that in THREE sleeps I'll get to see some of my favorite people, I'm so excited to go to Indiana [even though it'll be freezing] so spend some QT with three of my closest friends! 

I'm loving... SPRING! It's beautiful in Atlanta, hope it is wherever you are too!

I'm loving... jamming out in the car to my new Glee CDs!

I'm loving... that I got to spend time with two of my nephews this weekend!

I'm loving... that I made DJ watch Twilight last night... bahaha

I'm loving... my sweet puppy, I just hope he feels better soon!

as always, I'm loving... my soulmate - he's my best friend and I'd be lost without him, my sweet sweet Danny J...

what are you loving on our first spring wednesday of 2011?

28 books down... and a B&N rant...

{image via here}

yes. I read the entire Pretty Little Liars series.

yes. that is a Harper TEEN book.

yes. I loved every second of it.

22. Pretty Little Liars Series Book #2: Flawless by Sara Shepard

23. Pretty Little Liars Series Book #3: Perfect by Sara Shepard
24. Pretty Little Liars Series Book #4: Unbelievable by Sara Shepard
25. Pretty Little Liars Series Book #5: Wicked by Sara Shepard
26. Pretty Little Liars Series Book #6: Killer by Sara Shepard
27. Pretty Little Liars Series Book #7: Heartless by Sara Shepard
28. Pretty Little Liars Series Book #8: Wanted by Sara Shepard

so awhile back my amazing [enabler] friend Sarah sent me a care package with the first Pretty Little Liars book in it... I'm a tween-wannabee so clearly, I watch the PLL tv-show on abc family... [aka tween-crack].

um, the book was good - so good I clearly got on the internet and started searching for the books... now the practical side of me looked on our library webpage first because let's be honest these are not literary works of art that I want to reread every year, just fun in the moment books... alas, these books were not in the library system!

so I searched online to buy them [I know, I know - not in the budget but a girl needs to read!]... I found that Barnes & Noble was cheaper [for once] than my trusty Amazon so I went out on a limb and bought them there... a week passes and no books. I won't go into details but it took TWO WEEKS to get B&N customer service to resend the books, what crap. I was VERY unsatisfied with their customer service and will not be buying books from them again.

I'm sorry Amazon - I won't every doubt you again. Screw you B&N and your shit customer service [this makes me sad because I used to love them].

Anyways, back to the books... um, they were heaven, in fact they were so good I packed them up and mailed them to my best friend Lindi to read ASAP. They are really witty, capture teen drama and really kept me on my toes... I also feel like the character development was really good, you watch these girls go through some crazy shit and for being a teen book I was very satisfied. I couldn't wait when one book was over to start the next one... I finished book #8 and now I'm kinda depressed... [though my checkbook isn't] - what do you mean there aren't any more???

Oh well, on to read a classic [also from the lovely sarah] to make myself feel better about reading teen smut for the past two weeks!

happy reading penguins! :)

21 books down...

...79 to go...

in only 4 months... eeeh, oh well - you never know! :)

So I've read two more books... which were quite different from each other, on other ends of the spectrum you might say....

20. The Dead Lie Down

The Dead Lie Down by Sophie Hannah was definitely a dark novel... it took me a little while to get into it, but once I did - I was hooked. I swear I was on edge the last 50 pages of the book just reading as fast as I could so that I could get through it and see what was happening - were my hunches correct [they were] and how on earth was this going to be wrapped up? If you're in the mood for a dark novel with a slow start then this is your ticket - I'd give it 3.5 out of the 5... not great, not bad.

21. Pretty Little Liars

Don't judge me. It was good. Also, I was aided by an enabler [I love you Sarah]. Let's just put it this way... I have ordered the rest of the series.... Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard was a quick read [few hours] and a guilty little pleasure.... I can't wait to read the rest of the series... I'm proud of my tween-wanna-be status. I just wish they had these at the library [not a selection I think I want forever] but just want to read quickly and move on... though now I can mail them on to Lindi when I'm finished so that she can enjoy them as well! :)