I’m baaaaaaaaaaack!

I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Miss me?

Well, I missed you all, internet friends!

Sorry for not posting for, like, ever.  In the past few months I’ve moved, changed jobs, learned how to dye my hair myself, had a lot of family and friends visiting, discovered a new breakfast delight, replaced the brakes on my car and it’s been just crazy.

Just a little recap:

I’m Emily

I’m five.

Plus twenty.

But really I’m five at heart.

And stomach.

(what?)

A short time ago, I decided to start eating cereal again.  I had given it up on my gluten-free kick but decided that gluten was not my enemy, but that, in fact, diary is.  Unfortunate for a girl who grew up drinking milk almost exclusively, would choose cheese over almost anything (love me some savory), and thinks sour cream is a good addition to almost everything.  Except cereal.

Anyway, I was perusing the cereal aisle (I always forget that word has an A in it – thank you spell check!) at Kroger in search of a long lost childhood favorite, Berry Berry Kix. This was the closest I came to “sugary” cereal as a child and it holds a dear place in my heart, unlike Raisin Bran and Chex.  I would savor the opportunity to eat Lucky Charms or Trix when sleeping over friends’ houses, but I don’t recall ever being granted permission to put any of these delicacies into the shopping cart during my formative years.

Eager to hug a box of Berry Berry Kix, I searched up and down the aisle (I remembered the A this time!) probably 13-17 times, convinced I had somehow missed it among the hundreds of cereals.  I could picture the box as clear as day.  Purple.  An image of the cereal, mostly regular kix with bunches of “berries” scattered throughout in purple and maroon.  To my horror, it appeared that Berry Berry Kix had been taken off the market.  It was a sad moment.

Until I came across a new specimen of cereal: Oops! All Berries.

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Let me assure you, this was no oops.

Some brilliant mind took the best part of the cereal from Captain Crunch, which tastes much like the berries in Berry Berry Kix because, after all, they’re all berries (well, “berries”), and made a cereal out of them. Genius! I can’t tell you how many times I used to eat all of the regular kix out of Berry Berry kix, saving the berries for last.  I did the same with lucky charms, leaving all of the marshmallows for a few bites of pure sugary heaven.  Someone should invent Oops! All Charms because, let’s be honest, who likes those funky, somewhat sweet cheerio-ish things in Lucky Charms anyway?

No one.

The plain kix weren’t as bad, but this new cereal requires much less legwork with my spoon at 7:30 AM and provides a much more satisfying breakfast experience as each bite is just as enjoyable and indulgent as the last.

My life is forever changed.

There are, however, a few side effects: acute ADD and hunger in less than an hour.

And I think my teeth are going to rot and fall out of my mouth.

I have dreams that my teeth fall out all of the time.  It’s horrifying.

My Mom might have been on to something with that whole” no sugary cereal” bit.

I want some cheese.

I think eating salt after sugar cancels it out, right?

Oh, how I’ve missed you all.

Y’all hurry back and I will, too,

Sugarlump

Very Inspiring Blogger Award II

A gigantic thank you to the Meandering Matriarch for nominating me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.  I always enjoy your blog and I am so flattered that you frequent mine!

In accepting this award, it is my pleasure to complete the following:

  1. Link back to the blogger who nominated me.
  2. Post the blog award image on my page.
  3. Tell 7 facts about myself.
  4. Nominate 15 other blogs and let the nominees know they been chosen.

7 Things About Me:

  1. I love regional sayings.   One of my new favorites is “a hitch in your giddy-up.”
  2. I collect aprons.  I try to buy one whenever I travel to a new place as a memento.
  3. It’s on my bucket list to see the Northern Lights.
  4. I don’t like to exercise.  I like to have exercised.
  5. My favorite magazine is Real Simple.  The older I get, the more I like to keep it real and simplify my life.
  6. I love cars and have since I was a little girl.  I even collected diecast models in 1/24th and 1/18th scales for several years.
  7. I’m almost always hungry.

To my nominees:  thank you for inspiring me with your stories of all varieties.  You teach me new things, you make me laugh, and you help me to get more out of my day.

  1. http://whyilovewesttexas.com/
  2. http://samanthajuneblog.wordpress.com/
  3. http://littleblogontheprairie.com/
  4. http://workhomebalance.wordpress.com/
  5. http://wherethegreengrassgrows.org/
  6. http://hgriffin.wordpress.com/
  7. http://diaryofacookiecutter.wordpress.com/
  8. http://piewithsparkles.com/
  9. http://healthyeatsandsweets.wordpress.com/
  10. http://sweetspellbaking.wordpress.com/
  11. http://forkmeetspoon.wordpress.com/
  12. http://outtakesontheoutskirts.wordpress.com/
  13. http://awhiskandaspoon.com/
  14. http://mrspenpen.wordpress.com/
  15. http://gingymakesstuff.wordpress.com/

Y’all come back now, ya hear?

Sugarlump

“One Lovely Blog” and “Inspiring Blog” Awards

A gigantic thank you to the Unconfirmed Bachelorette for nominating me for the One Lovely Blog and Inspiring Blog awards.  You’re too kind. 🙂

In accepting this award, it is my pleasure to complete the following:

  1. Link back to the blogger who nominated me.
  2. Post the blog award image on my page.
  3. Tell 7 facts about myself.
  4. Nominate 15 other blogs and let the nominees know they been chosen.

7 things about me:

  1. I realized at age 19 on an amusement park ride that I am somewhat claustrophobic.
  2. I don’t have a favorite color as I prefer different colors in different contexts.  As a designer, I’d like to think I could make any color appealing with the right companions.  Except mauve.  I really don’t like mauve in any situation.
  3. I’ve never broken a bone. 
  4. I love wholesale clubs.  Especially ones that carry 5lb bags of Ghirardelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips.
  5. There was a period in my life when I shopped almost exclusively at Gap Boys.  Thank goodness that phase is over.
  6. On a semi-regular basis, I have dreams (nightmares) that I am late for high-school lacrosse practice and don’t have athletic clothing, a lacrosse stick, a mouth guard, goggles or my locker combination.  I don’t know what this means, but I’m sure it’s serious.
  7. Two of my favorite TEE-vee shows are Reba and Dexter, which could not be more opposite.  I think that just about sums me up.

 And, now, for my nominees:

  1. http://thecountrychick.com/
  2. http://silvermoonfarm.wordpress.com/
  3. http://apronhead.wordpress.com/
  4. http://beautifulsimplemeaningful.wordpress.com/
  5. http://undertheskysofark.wordpress.com/
  6. http://seasonsgirl.wordpress.com/
  7. http://twocatsviews.wordpress.com/
  8. http://lynettemia.wordpress.com/
  9. http://blog.humbleabode.com/
  10. http://emsbytes.wordpress.com/
  11. http://barbellsandbuttercream.com/
  12. http://threepointskitchen.com/
  13. http://thisbountifulbackyard.com/
  14. http://goodlifefarm.wordpress.com/
  15. http://finickydesigner.wordpress.com/

A lot of the blogs I like have the same theme that I do.   I wonder: Do I like these blogs because I like the theme? Or do I like these blogs because the writers like the same things that I do and therefore I feel a connection?  Seriously, like half of the blogs I nominate have the “forever” theme.  It’s so warm and nostalgic.  So informal and yet tidy looking.  It’s how I like things to be.

Y’all hurry back,

Sugarlump

Super Sweet Blogging Award

A big ol’ thank you to Texas and Carine over at Texas, a Cat in New York for nominating me for the Super Sweet Blogging Award!  You are so sweet to nominate me.  I am very touched.  🙂

1.       Cookies or cake?

I’m big on texture and I love the fluffiness of cake against a nice, rich icing.  But I really like cookies, too.  This is hard.

2.       Chocolate or Vanilla?

CHOCOLATE.  ALL.  DAY.  LONG.

3.       What is your favorite sweet treat?

Rainbow cookies from Roma Bakery in Bluebell, PA.

4.       When do you crave sweet things the most?

At all times.  I have a big, bad sweet tooth.

5.       If you had a sweet nickname, what would it be?

That’s easy:  sugarlump!

Now, I would like to pass along this award to a baker’s dozen of sweet blogs:

  1. http://catbird365.wordpress.com/
  2. http://observetal.com/
  3. http://aikoyoshida.wordpress.com/
  4. http://kaitlynkirby.com/
  5. http://splashofsomething.com/
  6. http://ramblingsfromjewels.wordpress.com/
  7. http://countrygirllifeonthefarm.com/
  8. http://the-dairy-maid.com/
  9. http://westeastern.me/
  10. http://ninagarden.wordpress.com/
  11. http://homeon129acres.wordpress.com/
  12. http://kathyschronicles.com/
  13. http://crazycowboywife.wordpress.com/

Thank you for sharing your sweetness!

Sweet dreams y’all,

Sugarlump

One Lovely Blog Award

This has been an exciting week for the Sugarlump! Thank you to LubbyGirl at http://remissionary.wordpress.com/ for nominating me for the One Lovely Blog Award!  I am so honored that you thought of me for this award.  Thank you, thank you! … Continue reading

About Me

Hi there,

I’m Emily.  I love the South.

Although I was born and raised in the Northeast, the South has always felt like home to me. All of my family is from and (mostly) lives in Kentucky, the place where I have spent every Christmas and a few weeks every summer since my birth.  What amazes me is that even though I only see my grandparents and extended family two or three times a year, we are very close.

I have come to the conclusion that there must be something special and Southern going on here to allow such a bond to develop and I have an idea of what that might be: great stories, sayings, food, and care (always served together, at all times and by great people).

So, in the spirit of sharing great stories, sayings, food and care, I have decided to blog about the sweet morsels in my life, the things that make me smile.

And why is this blog called “the sugarlump”? Because one of my grandmothers used to call me “sugarlump” when I was little and I think it captures well the intention of this blog (to compile the sweetness in my life) and is extremely Southern.

Side note: When I told my grandmother I was thinking of starting a blog and calling it “the sugarlump,” she was quick to reassure me that “sugarlump” was a term of endearment.  It had never occurred to me that she meant it otherwise, but I suppose she was just clarifying that she wasn’t calling me plump, which I was not even borderline close to as a child.  In fact, my level of nutrition was questioned a time or two due to my extremely spindly physique.  As evidence, I have provided a photo of my knobby knees (pictured right, sporting my tap recital ensemble):

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Some other things about me:

1.  I do not enjoy tap dancing.

2.  I’m a residential interior designer.  Helping people create a home is very important to me.  I decided to make a career of it and started my own business quite young.  Here I am on my first day:

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3.  I consider myself a private person and am mildly allergic to all of the oversharing of mundane details of one’s life via social media.  I also surprise myself sometimes.  I suppose I have justified sharing my life in blog form by 1) giving it a specific purpose/flair and 2) only sharing things that are meaningful/noteworthy/extremely profound/absurd.

4.  Oh, and did I mention that I don’t really care for writing?  I would rather complete an entire SAT II prep book of Algebra problems than write a five paragraph essay.  So I’m going to keep this informal and more conversational; however, I will try to use correct grammar for the sake of coherence.

5.   I don’t like odd numbers, except when arranging accessories or making points.  And this one makes five. Ha!

I hope these posts make you laugh and rejoice.

Y’all come back now, ya hear?

Sugarlump