Dessert Help!

So I have some dinners coming up that I need to make desserts for. hubby hates dessert. boo. hiss. so i need help from ......YOU! what's your favorite dessert? is it holiday-ish? i heart all seasonal food. the more you tell me it won't be there in a month. the more i'll buy. Now let's get down to biz. What should I make?

You know me

And how I can't resist a good people.com survey! And about Tiger Woods? It's kinda like Christmas= combining all my fave things (Jesus, family, and materialism!)

And because I'm never bashful of my vote. (Voted for W twice. More and more proud of it.)

I don't mind sharing that this time I voted for John Edwards as the Year's Worst Cheater.

I know. Tiger is now up to something like 11 women. But at this point. He has major issues. But he's a golf player. Sadly prob giving his wife some "germs", but overall not really hurting me. Yes he might have cheated on his pregnant (HOT) wife, BUT

John Edwards cheated on his DYING wife! are you kidding me? In the mean time he was trying to convince the American voter (who we all know I don't put a ton of stock in) that he could run our country.....lead us......protect us.....defend liberty.......but this is not the kind of freedom I'm looking for! Hence why you get married. A different kind of freedom.

When hanging out with high schoolers we often talk about the "rules" in the Bible. The legalism that so many cling to or fear. But people don't realize that it's not a "do or doom". It's a guide book. From a parent. On how it can be better. There is freedom in rules. Even for people like me. Annoying rule followers.

And I heart David Letterman. And I wouldn't even want John Gosselin to know I knew who he was.

Update=Make convo like cream cheese and spread the word

Important things I need to relay.

1. The Carmel Brulee Latte is nasty.

2. Drinking a skim/no whip latte is not worth the $4 :( I will try different variations to try to find something that works. However, if you have only ever ordered this brown water. Please don't judge Sbux addicts on your bad ordering.

3. Tiger and his wife are in the middle of the ocean. Yeah I don't know if I believe it either. But this guy I work with insists it's truth. He says he's tight with a guy who's tight with a guy, that knows. And that the knowing, know that they are on their yacht.

4. Jake Gyllenhaal dropped the G-word. (i do love the drama in that one sentence. and the weird feeling of hope I felt when I read the article.) The only people who hate them are people who wish they were them. Or were with them. I know a few of these.

5. Peppermint Bark Haggan Daaz is back. But you won't find any if I beat you to the store. But does anyone know why it's twice as unhealthy as other ice cream? Mac smartly asked "why didn't they just add peppermint bark to ice cream?" he's so wise.

Happy Friday! Going home to watch a lil TGIF..........

Judge On

So the stories on Tiger won't stop if I have anything to do with it. I read someone comment about how it's his personal life and we should stop reading the magazines selling the stories. But I swear. I might not give them a penny. But if they're following me, they'll keep writing. Cause I'm following them. (I don't think they follow me? I don't think......) I do feel really dirty after I read the stuff. Or listen to the VMs. Or relisten. Or turn up the volume and listen again. But I also have a slight female crush on his wife. And am interested in (potentially) the largest divorce settlement in history ($300 million!!!!)--though I hear there is a pre-nup that is being revamped--not sure why you would make deals for money to stay married--anyone? So perhaps this is made up. I for one, am cheering for her to stick with him. That the marriage counseling is a slow success. And that they can raise the super duper cute kids as a family (though I heart Parnevik's article). I am also hoping he is humbled. That he's broken and realizes that there is more to lose in life than a game of golf. But as we break our chalk tallying the girls coming forward and Mac repeats jokes like "Tiger's a Cheetah" (you know you laughed), I quickly swore off television the second I hear that Roger Federer has an affair. For real. Dramatic times=dramatic threats. I also wouldn't mind if some great researcher (pick me!) did a Census on cheating. Just how normal is it? Are we desensitized? If Brangelina isn't married is it still cheating? If Sienna Miller was cheated on, then was the cheatee and is now crawling back to Jude Law, has she just succumb to being "one of many"? Once a cheater always a cheater? Does the idea that you thought about cheating with someone of the same sex (read: Fergie) really distract from the fact that your husband slept with a stripper? And is there anyone left that is looking to any of these people as role models? Just say no. To drugs. All kinds of affairs. And celebrity heros. I'll stick with my mom.

Things We Like: Sbux

Though the doctor recently told me to lay off the Starbucks. (how did she know?) This is really the only thing I can come up with for my Xmas list. It's the one thing I wish I had more of. And really feel treated when I get. This week. In the midst of the biggest recession of my generation, my neighborhood Starbucks increased their prices. Did yours? Give me some numbers. How much is the new Carmel Brulee latte? Cause that's clearly what I'm after. Even if it's skim/no whip. I think it's still worth the almost $4. Ok, I don't really know, BUT I will know after my Sat. morning coffee date! Counting down the hours! (42 aka The reason I babysit on Sat. nights.) I LOVE Starbucks.

And so I wonder. Is the rise in prices a sign of a turning economy? Or a sign that Sbux has become an inelastic good. (Defined as "Addictive goods such as tobacco, alcohol, gambling and Super Bowl tickets, because the addicted consumer will buy them even at higher prices.") Am I an addict? There's part of me that also wonders if when times are tough. And people are cutting out the expensive clothes, the extra vacations, if a small little pick-me-up doesn't help bring on a smile. Is that justification for rising prices?

How much is your Starbucks? I "think" our holiday Tall Lattes are $3.55....Peppermint Fraps are an even $4. But you can practically call that one a milkshake. Right?

Worth every penny.

Still Road Trippin

So the "blog trips" have taken a longer pause than planned. I forgot my camera when I went to Nashville! and who wants to hear about my trip without seeing pics of the lil faces? No one. One day I will share that trip. Until then. Congrats to Nashville for getting their first Chipotle. I will visit you soon. Promise.

For now. Enjoy some lovely pics of our "I Heart NYC" adventure. With CARLA! I know you've all missed me talking about Carla. But she was there. And it was awesome. Highlights include, but probably won't win me any fans:

1. Shake Shack: Which (though Mac says I throw around the word) is NOT my favorite. Please visit us in DC for some Elevation Burger.

2. Billy Elliot: Again. Not a fave. (I promise the trip was awesome!) But if you get the chance to see something on Broadway. Trust Julie, not Tony. You'll thank me.

3. Sharing my fave city with 5 special friends and 38,000 kinda friends, running the NYC marathon.

4. Sharing my fave city with 6 fairy tale princesses and CARLA on Halloween. Pic included.

5. Going into the men's restroom at Norma's. Assuming CARLA was in the stall. Fixing my hair in the mirror. And running out after the large (stinky) man emerges. Pic included.

6. It was awesome.

Too Pretty

Honestly I can't get enough of young Hollywood girls crying out bc their looks have gotten in their way of success. They are TOO pretty. The latest (and yet perhaps prettiest) to cry pretty-wolf is Megan Fox. I mean, is that even her last name? Bc if it is. She had a leg up from birth. I will give her that when I talk about her (yes, i know, why am i talking about her), but when i do. it's never super nice. poor girl. BUT it's not bc she's too pretty! I'm not jealous of her looks. I'm jealous that she's famous. And I'm pretty sure it's her looks that got her there. They aren't the thing holding her back. Or Jessica Biel. Or Jessica Alba. Or Jessica Simpson. Or Jessica Megan Fox. (It just seemed like they were all Jessicas.) Perhaps Jessica is synonymous for high self esteem. Or low. Poor girls. Poor poor pretty girls. If only they could act.