How Did This Happen?

It seems that I have fallen for one of the newest pop culture marketing ploys. Yes, I am IN LOVE with Silly Bandz!!! I think that it may have something to do with the fact that I was queen of the Jelly Bracelets, when I was in high school (thankyou very much, Madonna!).

So, the Silly Bandz have rekindled my love for colorful, rubbery, cheap bracelets. What can I say? They are a great pool accessory too! They are jewelry that you can swim in and not get bent out of shape, if you lose one! I really had NO idea how insanely popular they are, until recently. News articles are comparing them to the Beanie Baby craze. Kids and teens collect them and wear them up to their elbows! Schools are banning them, because they create academic disatractions!! Kids are trading them. Certain colors have certain meanings to them. The company holds contests. Designs are retired and new designs come out. The whole objective is to collect every design released. I just had no idea...BUT I do now!! Bring on the bandy goodness!

My Silly Bandz.

2010 Bedford County Dog Show

We all had a PAWSOME time at the dog show last night. Thanks to everyone who came out and nearly melted to attend. Special thanks go out to Cort Huffman, our show announcer, and Kim Ralston, our cashier. Here are some scenes and video from the show. If you see yourself in the pictures or videos and would like a copy, you can e-mail me at moodyrichardson at yahoo dot com!

PUPPIES at play!

Best In Show Winners

Girls Pool Day

Yesterday I had a great, long day at the pool. I got there around 1 p.m. I got in a 2000 meter workout. My flipturns are really coming along now. For some reason, last week I got a new case of wall fear. I started having trouble judging my distance. I'm happy to report that I've gotten over that.

After the workout, I went to the outdoor pool. Two friends, Amber and LaKeithea, met me there. We hung out until nearly 6 p.m. We had a GREAT afternoon just hanging at the pool. It's such a treat to just have an afternoon at the pool with friends. I'm usually at the pool to workout and practice. I hope to have a girl pool day again soon!

LaKeithea, Cheryl, and Amber.

American Girl

It's been nearly a week, and I'm still totally wowed by the American Girl store in Atlanta. Even though I'm a grown woman, that store is so mind blowing that my inner 8 year old came out. That store is INCREDIBLE!!! I can't imagine how mind boggling that place is to young girls! The store itself is 12,000 square feet. Absolutely HUGE right? The detailed items and clothes they have to go with the dolls is incredibly detailed. They really have thought of everything. The furniture is all made out of metal and real wood too! All of the little drawers and details are functional too! The store even has a restaurant in it. They serve the girls and their mothers and friends, breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. You can also get sweets there. The store even has a doll hair salon in it. UN-BELIEVABLE!!!! Those folks are marketing geniuses! That store actually made me want to start collecting the stuff! Anyway, here are some shots that Casey and I took in the store. Everything they have on display you can buy, including the tree house!! First two of the total side windows of the store. Second set of side windows. The doll hair salon.

Whirlwind

My life has just been a whirlwind, since last Saturday. It all started with a Scorpions show last Saturday night. Casey and I saw a stop on the Scorpions farewell tour in Nashville. They were Casey's favorite band, back in high school. One of our very first dates, twenty years ago, was at a Scorpions concerts. So, they have a very special place in our hearts. We both had such a blast! It was a great show, and the Scorpions were such showmen. They performed as well as they did 20 years ago! Their sound was terrific! In front of the Bat Building in downtown Nashville. We just kept talking and talking about the show. We had decided earlier to take Wednesday and Thursday off from work to get some things done and spend some time together. On a whim late Tuesday night, we decided to take a look at the Scorpions tour schedule. We saw that they were playing in Atlanta on Wednesday night. We already knew we had time off, I happened to have a gift card for a free hotel room in my wallet, and there were still GREAT tickets left. So, we decided to go for it. Our hotel was REALLY nice. They even had a nice sized pool. So, I did get a little swimming workout done yesterday afternoon. We had time to kill, before the concert started. Just a mile or so from the amphitheatre was Northpoint Mall. Casey and I grabbed a quick Japanese meal at the mall food court. We noticed all the kids had American Girl bags. I discovered that Northpoint Mall has one of only 8 American Girl stores in the country. I'd always wanted to go through one, so Casey and I went in and had a look. That store was awesome with a capital A!!! It made me want to buy everything in there! Casey was really impressed too. So impressed, that he took a bunch of pictures. As soon as I get them off of his phone, I'll post them. Anyhow, we got to the venue just at the right time. It was an outdoor amphitheatre and the weather was just perfect! We got there between the opening act and the main show, found our great seats and got ready! Our seats at the Atlanta show. The show totally rocked!! It was great! After the show! It was one of the best little last minute trips, I've had in a long time!! It turned out to be one of those

Wordless Wednesday On Thursday

Happy 4th of July!!!

I hope that everyone's having a terrific, long holiday weekend. So far, mine's been pretty good. I got to go to the pool for the afternoon. I got in a really good swim workout, around 2000 meters. Afterwards, I moved to the outdoor pool to soak up the sun, and watch the kids come down the waterslide. I also got to eat a wonderful swimming pool snowcone. I know that I'm and adult, but I STILL love snowcones beyond belief. Mine was cherry today and only 75 cents!! How great is that?

Tomorrow morning is church and afterwards a 4th of July lunch there. Casey's doing all the cooking for the event. After we get home, I'll head over to the pool to spend the afternoon again. I'll either go to the city fireworks tomorrow night, or ride into work with Casey and watch Eclipse. I'm not sure what's up for Monday yet. Probably all day at the pool...

Whatever you're doing this holiday weekend, please take time out to remember all the soldiers from the past and present, who have fought so hard to give us this wonderful life! Have a very happy and safe 4th of July!!

Goggle Cleaner Review

Last week, I posted a review on the TriSwim products. The same company, SBR, Inc. makes the Foggle goggle cleaner towelettes.

The Foggle product is made not only for de-fog and antifogging purposes. It also cleans your goggles. I've used a few antifog products and have only had temporary results with them. I used the Foggle towelette last Saturday, I've put in nearly 9,000 yards, so far this week. I'm happy to report, there's no sign of foggy lenses. That's saying something since, I've been swimming in the outdoor pool and the goggles have gone from the air temperature of 98 degrees with a heat index of 105 to the water temp of 90. As far a clean goes, it left my goggles VERY clean. There were no spots left from the evaporation of the cleaner either. Spots on my goggles ANNOY me to the Nth degree!!! In fact they left my goggles so clean, that I used the same towelette to clean my sunglasses too! The towelettes are good for around 6-8 uses, which makes them super economical too! It seems you just can't loose with Foggles!!

Again, another big plus is that SBR does not do animal testing, which makes me even happier with their products!! So, if you're swimming and looking through those foggy lenses, visit the SBR, Inc. website and pick up some Foggles. Foggles come in packs of 6 for $6.89 or in giant boxes of 48 for $34.56.