Erin Akin Carroll

my fantasy dinner party

Jun272012

Sometimes I like to play fun little games like, “What’s your personal theme song?” or “What’s your strut song?” Or “Who would play you in the movie about your life?”

Today’s fun game is “What 10 people would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?”

Here’s my list. And no judgment for any of my choices… these are just the people that I think would be fun to have at a dinner table. Also… it’s just a given that Todd and my parents would be there, too.

1. Kristen Wiig- Goodness, she’s funny.
2. Matt Lauer- Matt is so quick and so dry. But just so funny. He is the reason I still watch the Today show.
3. George W. Bush- He will always be one of my favorites. Just so down to earth and he so obviously loves to have fun and laugh.
4. Carrie Underwood- duh.
5. Jimmy Fallon- One of my favorite things about Jimmy Fallon is that he’s funny and he laughs at himself.
6. Steve Martin- Just a classic.
7. Hoda Kotb- I think Hoda is so much fun. She knows every word to every song and loves to laugh.
8. Simon Cowell- I’ve always had a thing for Simon. Despite the tight t-shirts and odd haircut, I think he knows what he’s talking about and if you can get him to laugh then you must be pretty funny.
9. Billy Joel- Because someone has to sing to us, and I can’t think of a better entertainer. He is the entertainer.
10. Kate Middleton- Because she’s Kate Middleton

I tried to find room for Prince Harry in here, but at my fantasy dinner party, Prince William would be unable to attend and the Duchess of Cambridge would bring Prince Harry as her stand-in date, so I’d really have eleven guests at my fantasy dinner party.

So, play along. Who would attend your fantasy dinner party?

how you can be a park advocate

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Jun262012

A few days ago, I told you about a campaign sponsored by Coca-Cola called “America Is Your Park.” Coca-Cola is encouraging everyone to get to their favorite local park this summer. Then they want you to vote for your park to win $100,000!

Last year’s park winner was from the small town of Minot, ND. Anyone can win this!

Coca-Cola and I believe that parks are the anchor of our communities, providing a place for friends, family, and neighbors to be active and enjoy the outdoors together. With two boys in our family, we spend lots of time outside and really appreciate ways to have some good, old-fashioned outdoor fun. We’re so thankful to have access to some wonderful parks. I am really excited about the opportunity to help improve our park.

The great thing about this campaign is getting to spend time outside at your favorite park and earn points for your park to win the contest in the process.

With just the click of a button, you can become a park advocate and vote for your favorite park here.

What is the secret to winning this contest? Community action! You have to get your friends, family, and neighbors involved.

What are some ways that you can become a park advocate and encourage others to do the same?

1. Start Online

Vote online from now until July 15, 2012. You can help spread the word by clicking “share” to spread news of the program with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

2. Gather Together at the Park

Just get active! Run, push your stroller, walk your dog, play games, have a picnic, attend a concert. While you’re there, check in on Foursquare and encourage your friends and family to do the same! Each check-in from the park earns it 100 more votes!

3. Get Out the Vote!

You can write letters, emails, and tweets to community leaders, park groups, and local celebrities telling them about the campaign and asking for their support. Visit LivePositively.com/parks to find flyers and more information on how to vote. Print out the flyers and post them around your park. Show other park-goers how they can cast their votes on the spot!

Now that you know what you can do, I hope you’ll get out to your park and start enjoying the outdoors!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Only legal residents of the 50 U.S. (and D.C.) who are at least 13 years old and reside within the U.S. at the time of participation are eligible to vote for a Park. Participate on behalf of a Park by: July 15, 2012. The 3 most popular Parks will be offered a grant and there will be 1 Wild Card drawing at the end of the Contest to award an additional grant. To participate, for Official Rules, and complete details including grant descriptions, visit www.LivePositively.com/parks. Void where prohibited.

just a little gratitude

Filed Under: Faith

Jun262012

Gratitude.

That’s a tough one to remember to focus on. Not because we’re not grateful. But because everything around us tell us to want more. Every time we turn on the television, we’re reminded of something that we want that we don’t have.

Every time we flip through a magazine, we see clothes that we want that are more beautiful than the clothes in our own closets. Or we see a beautiful woman with a body that we’d die to have.

We watch movies with beautiful homes or log in to our Twitter or Facebook accounts to see photos of a friend’s new home and it all comes rushing back. The wanting.

I’ve been reading along with #SheReadsTruth and the community of bloggers and readers that are doing the “Living the Surrendered Life” daily devotional. (I’m still reading Jesus Calling daily, but this is great, too!)

I love logging on to Twitter and Instagram to see the other women that are participating and what they’re learning each day.

Today’s devotion focused on prayer (timely, right?) and praise. Yesterday’s devotion was all about gratitude. Three very important themes for me right now.

When I think really hard, am I truly grateful for our house? I spend so much time wishing it was different and fit our worldly needs better, but I’m not spending much time just thanking God for our shelter and the good fortune that we have for being born in the United States. Am I thankful for the memories here? Coming home here after our wedding and after the birth of our children?

Do I realize how very much we have to be grateful for? Do I show the Lord all the gratitude I feel?

Do I really recognize how often I should be praising Him for my healthy children? And because my husband has a job? Do I praise him for the opportunity that I have to be at home with our kids?

Even though they try my patience, do I stop and show gratitude for the precious boys that are mine? Just because they’re mine and that God trusted me with them? And they’re wonderful and adorable and so, so precious to me. They lose a little of their innocence every single day and that makes my responsibility even bigger. To be thankful and to show an example of gratitude.

It’s so easy to focus on all that we don’t have. Everything about our culture has trained us to do that.

And back to last week’s post… I need to be in constant dialogue with the Lord just rejoicing in every single thing He has given me. And not just material possessions or my family. His beautiful creation that I so often take for granted. If I’m thinking of Him all throughout the day and constantly talking with Him, then He’s constantly with me. In my thoughts and in my words. In my interaction with friends and strangers.

Today, I am making a list of 10 people or things that I’m thankful for. I’m going to try to journal this exercise every day.

1. Todd
2. Hudson and Hayes
3. Our parents
4. Our home
5. Todd’s job
6. Food
7. Wonderful friendships
8. Religious freedom
9. Our family’s health
10. Our church family

What are you thankful for today? Will you be reading along with #SheReadsTruth?

"this must be just like living in paradise!"

Filed Under: Every Day

Jun242012

We had a great weekend. On Friday morning, we met my friend Anna and her girls at the zoo. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… our zoo membership has paid for itself about three times already. I’m so thankful we have such a wonderful zoo in Columbia.

We got to the zoo at 10:00 a.m. and it wasn’t too hot yet, but it got hot quickly. The boys were excited to be there and we made the rounds looking at all of our favorite animals before stopping to have some pizza there.

We saw this little sign next to one of the cages and Anna and I just laughed. She told me to make sure and get a picture of it. Can y’all even imagine? Older siblings helping the father care for the newborn. While the mother does what? Sleeps, probably!

We had a great time at the zoo. Hayes is always just kind of along for the ride- smiling at everyone and having a good time. Hudson, on the other hand, was not happy about leaving the zoo and if we hadn’t had the stroller he probably would have just stayed there watching the bears play.

On Friday night we watched the Gamecocks play Arkansas in the College World Series. It was a nail biter, for sure, and we were up really late. College World Series week always comes with really late bed times. But the Gamecocks won and we’re so excited to be playing in the finals!

On Saturday morning we went to Hudson’s classmate’s birthday party at the park. Todd and I saw a lot of our friends and their kids, which is always fun in the summer time when we’re not seeing folks as often.

He is such a cute little boy and always has on a red cowboy hat. So, he naturally had a cowboy party.

Hudson was very excited about seeing his friends and more excited about the cookie and cupcakes.

We had a fun, low key day around the house. The boys took naps and I did a lot of reading and a lot of laundry. My allergies have been getting the best of me again, so I liked having some time to unwind at home. And no baseball!

Before Todd and I went out that night, I tried to get some pictures of Hayes and me, but he never would look at the screen and smile. He’s always checking out the ceiling fans!

That night Todd and I had a little date night. We just went to Moe’s and then to a movie. We joked that on the night when we don’t have any kids with us we still choose to go to a kid-friendly restaurant. But it was fun!

After Moe’s, we went to see Rock of Ages. I had seen the stage performance a while back, so I knew a good bit about the show, but I was still excited. I really liked it! It wasn’t my favorite movie of all time, but it was so much fun! I wanted to get up and start singing along.

We thought Tom Cruise did a great job. We just kept laughing at him. And Catherine Zeta Jones was fantastic! Loved her in “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” So great!

And I loved all the cameos from the former rockers during “We Built This City/ We’re Not Gonna Take It.” Have y’all seen it? Did you see Debbie Gibson? And the cameo from Constantine was neat, too. I’d definitely rent this one and see it again so I can sing along at home!

Have y’all seen Rock of Ages? Did you enjoy it?

Are you watching the College World Series? Go Gamecocks!

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