Fan Friday: Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Ok my friends, no more excuses for watching a baseball game and saying, "Who is playing in the super bowl today?"

Here is your first easy to remember guide for what each national championship is called for the different sports. Print these off, put it in your pocket, post on the fridge, whatever, just memorize it. Let's start with baseball since pre-season started yesterday! (heck yes!)

Even though the name implies that it is an international championship where teams from all over the world compete to play, that is incorrect. It is only the teams from Major League Baseball, or the MLB, who are eligible to play.

Two teams compete for a maximum of seven games. So if a team is awesome and they win the first four games it's all over.

But, if both teams are closely matched, it can go all seven games and whoever wins the seventh game wins the whole thing. So next time you agree to watch the world series with someone, free up about 28 hours from your schedule.

The New York Yankees have played in 40 of the 109 World Series. They have won a whopping 27 World Series championships. Can we say Monopoly?

This makes me sad but it is the Chicago Cubs. I love this team and I think there is more tradition with the Cubs than any other team in baseball. BUT unfortunately they have not won a World Series since 1908. That is 106 years ago.

OMG Sick, 14% of homes had bathtubs?! So i guess this is what everyone looked like......

Let's just say, the Chicago Cubs are struggling....

 so....




Well, thank you for asking! I love the Texas Rangers, of course! I live in Dallas if you didn't know that.... so naturally I'm root root rooting for the home team!

Opening day is scheduled for.... wait, good question...

March 22nd- Dodgers and Diamondbacks open in Australia (wtf, mate?!) 

March 30th- Dodgers and Padres play “opening night” 

March 31- deemed opening day by MLB even though it comes after several regular-season games

 April 1 - Yankees and Astros finally play their first game 

Whatever, just go get your peanuts and cracker jacks now. They'll keep fresh until your team plays their first game of the season! Yay for baseball, y'all! 

A Throw Back

I accidentally stumbled on Shel Silverstein poems the other night after a glass (there were two glasses) of wine. My eyes filled with tears from many of the poems, I giggled at several and I just sat there thinking, dang this is more for adults than for a child.

As a child I would just laugh at the pictures and bounce my head along to the rhythm of the words. I didn't understand what was really going on. When I stumbled on these poems the other night, I was truly touched. I thought we could revisit them together... sans wine. Well, sans wine for me because it is 8am, but you do whatever you like! When in Rome. 

Ok, well I'm not sure that last one was much of a learning lesson but (as an only child) it sure was funny! It is amazing to me how many kid things are just as meaningful to adults. Whether that meaning be humor, or heart warming, or even quite emotional. I mean, look at the movie UP and Toy Story 3, no child will get the same out of those movies that I get out of them! I guess since I don't have any kids, it is eye opening to look back on things I adored as a child, and still adore them today. 

What childhood movies or poems or books do you still find meaning in today? 

I think that I shall never see...

When I was a little girl, just 4 or 5 years old, my dad would teach me nursery rhymes and little sayings. He would then parade me around in front of family and friends and have me recite the rhymes and sayings for everyone to ohhh and ahhh over how smart I was. 

There was this one poem called "Trees" and the first verse ---or is it a line? Whatever, that isn't the point, I'm not sure what poems are called but you know what I mean--- well the first verse goes like this....

"I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree..."

So line (verse) by line (verse) Dad continued to have me memorize the poem. Then one day, keep in mind I was just 4 years old, when all the family was over, and we were all socializing, Dad called everyone's attention to have me recite the poem for my audience. 

Dad would start me out by saying the first few words of the poem...

"Alright Sar, I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a..............."

MALL! 

I screamed out loud, excitedly for my audience. It was then that my parents probably realized they had a problem on their hands. It was then that I discovered a deep, undeniable love for poetry. And by poetry I mean shopping.

Have you ever seen that episode of Saved by the Bell when Lisa Turtle opens her locker and reveals a map of the Bayside mall? She goes, "I have a map of every mall from here to Tijuana!" That is me, except I won't read a mall map while in the mall, that is like raising your hand during Turbo Kick to admit to the instructor that you are new. Just keep walking, you'll find your way. 

If there is a mall near me, I'll find it. On my work trips, I usually have very little time to myself, but I almost always manage to find the nearest mall heaven to walk to and get my fix. In no particular order, because I will not play favorites with such a delicate topic, here are my top 10 favorite malls I've visited....

1. Short Pump Town Center - Richmond, Va

2. Sawgrass Mills - Sunrise, Florida

3. Tyson's Corner - McLean, Va

4. Fashion Island - Newport Beach, Ca

5. Toronto Eaton Centre - Toronto, CA

6. Lenox Square Mall - Atlanta, Ga

7. Plaza La Isla - Cancun, Mexico

8. The Mall at Green Hills- Nashville, Tn

9. Northpark Mall- Dallas, Tx

10. My last shopping excursion is for a place that I have never been before, Las Vegas. This is a dream of mine to visit Las Vegas, not just for the shows and casinos, but for the shopping (duh)! I've traveled so many places in the US and abroad, but I've never been to Las Vegas. I've partnered with Travel Associates to bring you a guide to shopping and traveling in Vegas!  Just hover your mouse over this image below to get the best outlet and retail shopping tips for Vegas. Plus, be sure to visit their site to find deals for holiday trips and vacation experiences all over the world!

So, what mall or shopping destination would you add to my list?

Choosy Bloggers Choose GIFs

It is time to meet my ESPN2 sleepover buddies! Last month, I was thoroughly entertained by reading your votes for whose GIF you liked the best, so lets do that again. Vote for your favorite GIF by leaving a comment. The blogger with the most votes will win ESPN2 Ad Space. Also, one person who votes, by leaving a comment, will also win ESPN2 ad space!

******** This giveaway is now closed ********

The winners were Jackie from Jade and Oak and Hima from Hima Hearts !! 

Communikait
Start Here::: Our Love Story (awwww) // My Happiness List 
Get Social::: Twitter // Pinterest // Facebook // Instagram

What GIF did Kait choose?!

Jade and Oak
Start Here::: Rob Kardashian vs. Anderson Cooper vs. Pugs // Why I'm A Nerd
Get Social::: Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram

What GIF did Jackie choose?!

Sleepy Single Girl 
Start Here::: How to transfer a single MAC eyeshadow to a palette // A transvestite did my makeup
Get Social::: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Pinterest

What GIF did Justine choose?!

Ricci Explains it All
Start Here::: Rock Up // Chevron Burlap Wreath Tutorial 
Get Social::: Twitter // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest

What GIF did Ricci choose?!

Hooah and Hiccups

Start Here::: The Week I Almost Lost My Boys // Bubba Has A Big Secret

Get Social::: Instagram // Pinterest // Bloglovin // Facebook

What GIF did Samantha choose?!

So, whose GIF is your favorite?

Comment and leave your vote for your favorite blogger's GIF and you could win ESPN2 ad space. Plus the blogger with the most votes will also win ESPN2 ad space! 

Freebie: Home is Where the Pups Are

Download for iPhone HERE

Download for Desktop HERE

Download for Print HERE

**Note** Remember that with the iPhone5, your wallpaper will get distorted if you don't have "reduce motion" turned on.
To turn "reduce motion" on:
Settings ---> General ---> Accessibility ---> Scroll down and click "Reduce Motion"---> turn that ON

The Venus Hijack

Hi, I'm Venus. Or you may know me as Vee, or perhaps Veenie, or sometimes my mom sings in the shower, "Veenie Veenie bo beenie, fee fi fo feenie, Veeeeeenie". I'm not quite sure what to make of that, I think she is just bored. Needless to say, I'll respond to anything you call me. Actually, 98% of the time, I'll even respond to "General Neyland", especially if there is food involved. 

Well, lookie here. Mom left her iPad at home today, and her computer unlocked. You see, my puppy brother has taken over the blog in the past, and won't stop bragging about all the comments he got on his post. Every day, General is all, "Ohhh I am so well liked, ohhhh I got so many comments, everyone likes me and no one likes poopy face, Veenie" yada yada yada. 

I mean, it isn't my fault that Mom left all of her stuff at home today, and her computer unlocked. That is just straight up errisponsible. Since I don't follow anyone's rules but my own, I'm going to take over this blog today. I'm going to take over mom's instagram account today, I'm going to hijack mom's day holding the blog baton account, and, if I can figure out how to catch that bird on the home screen of twitter, then I'm going to take that over too. 

Mom thinks I'm a dummy, that isn't true. I just don't listen to her ramblings. I'm actually brilliant. We are talking Albert Einstein brilliance. How else would I know I could get away with not listening to her blabber on? Everyday she is all, "Stop jumping, Venus." "Calm down, Venus." "Stop peeing yourself, Venus." Hah, jokes on her. Clean my pee up, woman. 

I'm so smart that I even know on Mondays, we talk about our weekend. And what a weekend I had. It was the best ever. Even better than that weekend I built the fort out of Mom's shoes, some of her socks, expensive down pillow stuffing and the man-made moat filled with my pee. 

Saturday morning my brother and I woke mom up at 7am. We both know how much she just hates getting to sleep in on her day off. She neglected to set her alarm clock for a sunrise wakeup, so we took the liberty to cock-a-doodle-do her with kisses until she got herself out of bed. She always worries we will pee on the floor if she doesn't get up, I'm not sure why she would think that. We are very refined puppies.  

Up first on the agenda was a trip to our favorite place in Dallas, Mutts.  

After the dog park, we went home to eat some lunch because my belly was growling at me. Or was I growling at it? I'm not really sure. Right as I was about to settle in for a little nap, the strangest thing happened. My mom asked me and General who wanted to go for a long walk. This was General's answer, so I was chosen for the adventure. I pooped myself I was so excited.

So off mom and I went on our walking adventure through Downtown Dallas! 

When we got wherever it was that we were, guess who we saw?! My friend, Helene! I was so excited my tail nearly broke off. 

Mom and I patiently waited for some yummy sliders from Helene, then we dug right in. By we I mean, mom, I'm not allowed to have people food. But there is no harm in looking right?

I resorted to the sweet puppy dog face, but the begging still didn't work. Mom is a tough cookie to crack. With one of us having a full belly (rude), we headed home. That night, we even rented a movie. Mom never, ever ever rents movies. I think it may just be because she didn't know that she could even do that on her television. Dummy. She rented the movie Spring Breakers. I didn't think much of it...

But my brother got all worked up over it...

I guess it's a guy thing? I'm not really sure. So that was my best day ever. How was your weekend? 

Don't forget to follow mom me on Instagram and on the Blog Baton so I can win bragging rights over my puppy brother for most loved pup. You know you love me more, right?