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Here’s a free lesson.

When you inadvertently share a toothbrush with someone and they have a cold? There’s a good chance you’re going to catch it.

I felt it settle into my head around 9:30 last night when I crawled into bed. And, sure enough, when I walked into the kitchen yesterday morning P told me I looked like I’d given up on life. I couldn’t even argue with him because I totally did.

I was a train wreck.

But then I took a 12 hour Sudafed and spent the rest of the day feeling like Jessie Spano on that episode of Saved By The Bell where she takes drugs to stay awake and ends up yelling “I’M SO EXCITED, I’M SO EXCITED!” until she collapses.

Which is about where I am right now.

Before I go, here are some cute things I found this week. Also, I need to confess that I’ve seen every episode of Saved By The Bell and I particularly loved Saved By The Bell: The College Years.

Judge me if you must.

1. pleasant chevron top

Every week I think I’m not going to post anymore chevron stuff and every week I am lying. I can’t help it. I’m a fan.

2. honey mustard criss cross sweater

This is really cute and I love the color. It would look great with a bunch of different colors and is perfect to transition outfits to the spring.

3. mermaid in love top

I love a little sparkle. This would be good with some white jeans and a denim jacket over it. Or under a black blazer.

4. forever zigzag dress in laguna

See? BIG FAT LIAR.

(I have no idea why this picture is so small. I blame Jessie Spano.)

5. turquoise chunky necklace

You know I love a turquoise necklace.

6. sunset sail dress

This is just really pretty. I love the colors and the way they fade into each other. If I were going on a tropical vacation to anywhere besides Port Aransas this summer, I would totally buy this dress.

7. old navy boyfriend cardis

Another great piece to transition into spring. I love all the bright colors.

8. golden apple printed blouse

This kind of reminds me of something Jane Fonda wore in Nine to Five. Which may make me love it that much more.

9. silk button down blouse

I love cobalt blue.

10. suddenly skinny leggings

Last week I forgot to tell you about these leggings at Target. I haven’t tried them yet, but I hear they are really good.

That’s it for today.

Y’all have a great Friday.

I’m so excited.

The good news is I don’t have a cold as of this point.

The bad news is I slept one hour last night.

And I don’t mean that in a “ha ha I’ll exaggerate and say I only slept one hour” kind of way. I mean it in a “I really only slept one hour” kind of way.

I could list all the reasons why but then you’d die from boredom and I’d feel bad.

Earlier today I walked into CVS and just wandered around the store aimlessly. The manager started eyeing me because I think he was worried I was casing the place.

(Casing the place? What is this? An episode of CSI?)

But the truth was I was so tired I kept forgetting why I was there.

In case you’re curious, I’ll tell you I was there for Burt’s Bees body wash, an Amazon gift card, and Cetaphil.

My life is very exciting.

And now I’m off to bed.

At 9:15.

Try not to be jealous.

See you tomorrow for Fashion Friday.

Well we made it home from Bryan yesterday afternoon after a delightful birthday lunch with Nena and a road trip that almost involved one child being dropped off somewhere around San Marcos.

Names will be withheld to protect the not so innocent. But let’s just say that there are times you should think before you declare something your mother does to be THE WORST THING EVER.

And now I’m fast and furiously playing catch up on a million emails and other deadlines that I neglected while I was on semi-vacation. I also feel like I’m racing against time because I have a feeling I may be about to come down with a cold.

I know this because Caroline woke up with a cold yesterday morning. Her throat was scratchy and she has that heavy congestion that you can hear every time she breathes. And my first thought was “Poor baby, I hope she isn’t getting the flu” which was shortly followed by my second thought of “I really hope I don’t catch it because I don’t have time to be sick right now”.

Then, later that morning, I was packing her suitcase as we got ready to load the car and noticed her toothbrush was totally dry and still tucked in the little toiletry bag I’d placed in the inner pocket. So I walked out of the bedroom and said, “I just found your toothbrush in your suitcase. Have you not even brushed your teeth one time since we’ve been here?”

And she replied, “No. I’ve been brushing my teeth. I’ve been using your toothbrush.”

Kids are gross.

And also spread more germs than a pack of monkeys.

If you need me I’ll be stocking up on the good Kleenex with the lotion built in. And buying a new toothbrush.

Well.

I didn’t blog yesterday because it was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Which means we didn’t have school. It also means we didn’t get mail and the banks were closed.

Just in case you didn’t know that already.

So Gulley and I decided to take advantage of the long weekend to make a trip to Bryan with the kids because today is Nena’s birthday and there was a big family birthday party for her on Sunday.

We loaded up the kids on Saturday night at 6:00 after a day of basketball games and birthday parties with the thought that making the trip at night in the dark would be totally worth it when we woke up at Honey and Big’s house on Sunday morning. And we were right.

Although our theory that the kids would be quiet in the car because it was nighttime and they’d had a full day of activities was totally wrong. They still had plenty of energy and volume especially on any topic involving any type of bathroom humor.

And, true to form, before the three hour drive was over we had to warn Will not to drink anymore water because we were not making anymore bathroom stops. And I had to tell Caroline I was going to make her walk the rest of the way if she didn’t quit hollering. And Gulley and I rolled our eyes as Jackson filled us in on some facts about something because almost eleven year olds are experts on A LOT of things in case you didn’t know that already.

But we made it to Honey and Big’s around 9:00 p.m. and it made the trip worth it when we were greeted with homemade chicken salad and brownies. Honey and Big had eaten a few of the brownies but they had cut them in a strategic geometric formation to ensure they saved me all the edges because they know the edges are my favorite.

I think this is my new definition of love language.

On Sunday we woke up and stayed in our pajamas until it was time to go to Gulley’s cousin Ashley’s house for a combination baby reveal party and a birthday party for Nena. Ashley is pregnant with her first baby and we all found out she’s having a girl. And then the family surprised Nena with a birthday cake for her 89th birthday.

Nena had just gotten all our attention a few minutes before the cake came out by declaring, “Well, y’all won’t believe who I got a birthday card from today. SHELLY AND DWAYNE!”

We all looked at her, expectantly waiting for the rest of the story, when Nena leaned in and asked, “Does anyone know who that is?”

And not one person seemed to know Shelly or Dwayne.

It’s too bad they wasted $3.99 on a Hallmark card.

But the party was fun and Nena was thrilled to be surrounded by a sea of gift bags. She exclaimed, “Oh, this is SO MUCH! I LOVE IT!” Frankly, I appreciate her honesty.

I brought her a bracelet and one of the first copies of my book. She even asked me to sign it for her.

This is where I need to explain that Gulley’s cousin Ashley and her husband live in the house that belonged to Nena and Grandaddy. They’ve renovated it and made it their own, but it still feels so much like the house I remember visiting for almost twenty years. And there was something so sweet and kind of full circle feeling about signing a book for Nena in the the dining room where we gathered for so many meals and where she used to store all her garage sale finds and would occasionally bring you in to see if there was a crockpot or a prairie skirt you might be interested in owning.

Anyway, we ate way too much barbecue and the kids ran around the backyard and then we eventually made our way back to Honey and Big’s house where we basically crashed in front of the T.V. for the rest of the night.

On a side note, I have to tell you that last Thursday I brought Mimi and Bops a copy of my book and Bops called me the next morning to ask if they could have another one that they could actually read because Mimi had declared the one I brought them a “display copy” and it had a place of honor on their bookshelves but he’s not allowed to actually read that one because he might bend it. Which may be the sweetest thing ever.

(I also need to say I promise I’m not going to talk about the book incessantly. In fact, I won’t mention it again until release day.)

Then Monday was full of excitement. It seems the kids have all contracted some sort of cold. But we still made a quick trip to Academy, bought lunch at Chick-Fil-A, and then laid around and did nothing. Which is just fine with me. I appreciate a day that doesn’t involve much more than eating breakfast and then eating lunch and dinner. Sometimes it’s just needed.

We also watched The Bachelor last night and there appears to be an epidemic involving girls wearing shirts as if they’re dresses. Poor Kacie B. even had on a dress so tight and short that it was reminiscent of a Body Glove swimsuit I owned back in 1989.

And here is where I confess we’re letting the kids skip school today since it’s Nena’s actual birthday and we’re going to take her to an early lunch before we leave town. That’s the nice thing about having kids in 5th, 4th and 2nd grade. It doesn’t seem like anything that crucial is going to be missed if they are out of school for a day here and there.

Unless you count a new joke that relies heavily on bathroom humor.

And there’s a good chance they’ll learn that on the car ride home later today.

I know.

I’ve always had a complicated relationship with stripes. But right now I am on Team Stripes. Of course I didn’t realize this until I looked over the majority of things I chose this week and went “Huh, that’s a lot of stripes”.

So I want to tell you about a new cool thing I found. It’s a site called StyleUp. You sign up and fill out a questionnaire that asks where you live and what your everyday style preferences are. And then they email you every night with a picture of an outfit idea you can wear based on the next day’s weather forecast in your area with links to where you can buy the items to make that outfit.

And you can rate the outfits they send you based on whether you like them or not so they can figure out your taste and send things that are your style. It’s like a personal stylist. I felt that you should know.

Now for what I’ve found this week:

1. vida stripe top

Piperlime has a ton of stuff on sale right now including this cute Ella Moss top. It also comes in a cream and tan combo if the red freaks you out. I tend to like red for a while and then don’t wear it again for five years.

It’s kind of the same way I deal with Chinese food.

2. gypsy lace top

I think by now we all know that I am a big fan of the lace top.

3. rain dance dress

This is really cute. And I love that it’s versatile. You could belt it. You could wear it with a denim jacket over leggings. Or you could be twenty-five years old and wear it with a great pair of sandals.

The options are almost endless.

4. ocean mist top

This doesn’t look like something I’d normally wear and I’m not sure why I was drawn to it. But it just kind of looks like spring time.

5. magic leggings and famous camis

Okay. I’ve gotten a lot of questions about leggings. As in, are there leggings that help suck everything in and smooth things out?

The answer is yes. I bought these magic leggings (Why did I just say that in my head like Forrest Gump talking to Lieutenant Dan?) in the fall and I love them. They’re kind of spandex-y and suck things in and the material isn’t cotton so things don’t stick to them like they do with other leggings.

Spanx also makes leggings but they’re three times as expensive. I haven’t tried them, but it would be hard for them to beat the magic leggings.

And then the camis. It seems like everything requires a cami under it. And I like these because they are long, but can still be worn with short things. Plus, they also smooth out any lumps or bumps.

6. honeysuckle dress

I love this color. This would be so cute for spring.

Yes. I realize it’s just mid-January.

7. hatch handbag in emerald

Remember last week when I linked to this purse but it was sold out in emerald green? Well, it’s back in stock and I just thought you should know. I adore it.

8. earnestly striped tee in gray

This is just what appears to be a really comfortable striped tee in a longer length that could be thrown on with jeans. It also comes in other colors than gray.

9. green preppy pendant

Not only is this a precious pendant, but Heartstrings, the manufacturer, of this pendant is donating a portion of the profits to “Helping Honduras Kids” to help provide education and a home to children that have been abandoned, abused and/or neglected.

And Carol and Company is joining their efforts by also donating 10% of the profits from any of their behind the glass pendants to Helping Honduras Kids.

10. the cameron dress

Love this. Great by itself or with leggings or with jeans. And it’s from a store called The Impeccable Pig. How cute is that? They just opened one in San Antonio and they have some really good stuff at great prices.

And that’s it for this week.

Y’all have a great Friday.

My day got off to the best start ever yesterday. My friend Laura texted me a picture of a freshly baked chocolate croissant from Trader Joe’s around 7:00 a.m. And I jokingly texted her back “What time are you bringing one over for us?”

About ten minutes later there was a knock on the door and Laura’s daughter stood there holding a bag with two warm chocolate croissants in it.

I don’t really know that life gets much better than that. And y’all weren’t lying about them because I took one bite and was transported to a bakery in France.

Which is really weird when you factor in that I’ve never actually been to a bakery in France. But I have been to La Madeleine several times and that’s like France and this was better than that.

Okay, I just have a few quick things today, but the last one is a giveaway so make sure you read until the bitter end.

1. My book

Um. It’s less than a month until Sparkly Green Earrings is released. And I alternate between being excited and wanting to throw up. It’s kind of like pregnancy but without a good excuse to eat a dozen donuts in one sitting and wear pants with an elastic waistband.

So here a few book related things (Is this becoming an outline? It feels very fancy.)

A. I have a Facebook page for the blog and book stuff now. Please let’s not call it a fan page because belch. (I meant to type “blech”, but I’m going to leave it as “belch” because it seems equally appropriate.)

Anyway, I’m going to try to post all book related news there, so you can like my Facebook page if you want. It’s Melanie Shankle-The Big Mama Blog.

My publisher is also working on setting up a few book signings for anyone who wants to meet me and buy a copy of the book at one of the stores I’ll be visiting. Let me clarify that this is not quite a nationwide tour. As in, I’ll be in San Antonio and Houston. I’ll be driving to them in my 2006 Volvo station wagon.

As of now, I’m doing a signing at Barnes & Noble at San Pedro in San Antonio on Tuesday, February 12th at 7 p.m.

And one at Books-A-Million at Katy Mills in Houston on Saturday, February 16th at 1 p.m.

The good news is if you show up we can probably hang out and visit since it will just be you and my dad.

(You’ll be able to know it’s me because I’ll be the one sitting at a table reading Beth Moore’s book So Long, Insecurity.)

2. DotMom Conference

I drew the winner of the two tickets to DotMom in Frisco on February 22-23. So if you haven’t received an email from me that means you didn’t win.

But I really wish you’d still attend. It’s going to be amazing and I guarantee you won’t be sorry. Tickets are still available, but going fast. You can find out more here.

3. Lauren Chandler – The Narrow Place

My friend Lauren Chandler, who is married to Matt Chandler from The Village Church in Dallas, has recorded the most beautiful album called The Narrow Place.

I downloaded it about a month ago and have listened to it over and over again, especially while cooking dinner at the end of a long day because it takes me to a happy place. Even though it’s a Narrow Place.

(Get it? I made a little joke.)

Anyway, you can download it for only $5.99 on iTunes, but I also have three copies to give away today. All you have to do for a chance to enter is leave a comment on this post. I’ll leave it open until Sunday and then choose three winners.

Even though you’re all winners to me.

By the way, I think my finger is a little bit better. Just in case you were wondering.

See y’all tomorrow.