TO THE VICTORS GO THE SPOILS….

It's been just a few short weeks since Lentertainment came to an end, but doesn't it kind of seem like forever? I know…I miss the fun, the excitement, the deadlines, the captions, Karla and Judy's entire posse.  I have delivered all of the prizes except yours, Kiki…please let me know where to drop it off soon, because Posey McKeon asks me EVERY day whose box of candy that is…I can only hold her off for so long.  Also, huge thanks to Jan for donating her box of sugarfina to the McKeons.  It's long gone, but not forgotten. And yours, Sue E, but we will discuss this once you return to the US from Turkey...And in other candy related news--the 5 lbs of sugarfina Swedish fish I ordered the week before Easter were totally consumed (yes, mostly by me) in approximately a week--which averages out to about there quarters of a pound of Swedish Fish a day…or more, which sounds about right...And I still want more….yes, I realize I have some sort of candy addiction, but admitting it is the first step, correct??

Just to prove to the entire cyber world that I'm not a fake, cheat or liar, I've posted a photo of all the Letertainment prizes for your viewing pleasure.  Check out the huge amount of booty awarded in this awesome blog contest--I know, it's pretty impressive--this is for sure a full service blog that always comes through:

I had a slightly difficult time explaining the many purchases on this month's VISA bill to Dave McKeon…This may come as a bit of a surprise, but Dave McKeon is really not all that interested in buying stuff for the followers of my blog…He's really not all the interested in buying stuff for his own kids, so I never fully came clean on the large charges from Tory Burch and sugarfina (though the sugarfina charge did not come as a total surprise. It's getting to be a monthly expense. I'm an addict)….What happens on the blog stays on the blog. so, please, let's just keep these awesome blog prizes on the down low from Skinny Dave, because it would just upset him and make everyone's life (ok, mostly my life) ugly, small and miserable.

Here is the Tory Burch tote (at least I sure hope it's in this beautiful package…I was afraid that I would be unable to recreate that Tory Burch bow, so I never opened this bag…) I delivered not one, but two of these bags of joy. Linda and Judy, please send a photo of the tote so we can all covet it and once again be reminded of your absolute domination in Lentertainment.

Here is the second place prize, scored by a well deserving John Heinzman. That's the "Bringing Home the Bacon tasting box from Sugarfina. It actually has little gummy pigs in it.  I could eat that whole box right now (as you can tell, I am going through sugarfina withdrawal) John, please send a picture of your new lawn mower or whatever you put that $100 toward--or just send a picture of you eating those bacon flavored malted milk balls--just send some photos--I like to see you all in your natural habitats :

Here is the lovely gift won by our third place winner Rob Fredrickson. He got some super sweet sugarfina candy (The Bringing Home the Bacon Bromance tasting box like John AND the cocktail sampler, which frankly, I could use right about now) AND those very useful Chipotle gift cards.  His co-workers can thank his captioning prowess for their lunches and they can also thank me, by checking into this blog on a regular basis.  C'mon. I need to get some traffic flowing again.  (point of interest--Did you know that you can get Chipotle gift cards at Sam's Club for a nickel or so under face value?? I know--I was quite surprised, but pleased.  I am fascinated by Sam's Club and spend more time there than you would think.  And they have that really big, big bottle of Grey Goose at a pretty nice price, so between that, their microwave bacon and now these bargain gift cards--who needs to go anywhere else?  Well, me…because I still need many, many other things, like boots, totes, and dresses.)  Rob, please send a picture of you and your co-workers--preferably Jessica--enjoying the always delicious burritos and such from Chipotle

 And finally, here are all the parting gifts that our  many, many funny friends received.  I LOVE every single one of these sugarfina tasting boxes--just on pure looks alone.  (Do you think if I insert the word sugarfina enough times in this blog they will send me some free candy??--they really should. I am the sugargina--hahaha--ambassador of the midwest, I truly am. And I am going through Swedish Fish withdrawal in a very big way). Below you will find, in descending order: 1. The Sugarfina Faves tasting box, full of a wide assortment of their candies--note the blue caramel robin's eggs--they are both beautiful and delicious, 2. the Cocktail tasting box--those are beer flavored gummies in the shape of beer mugs on top, and a bunch of other cocktail flavored candy as well.  The Champagne bubbles--the white ones toward the back are excellent and 3. The Kid at Heart tasting box--this one is chocked full of different kiddish treats, and this is the box that is sitting in my pantry right now, waiting to be delivered to Kiki.  (it will happen today or I may just eat it myself).    Jessica, I left your candy in the capable hands of the Fredricksons,  If you do not get it, get after Rob…He and Jean got their own candy, so there is no reason for them to poach yours…and sometime ask Jean about the robin's egg caramels…they've pretty much been keeping her alive.

While these prizes are terrific, great to see and fun to read about, the best parts of Lentertainment were the cleverness of the captions, the delightful comments, the crazy "wrinkles" in the angels robes, the "kid in the bag"/fish that some of us saw and others did not, the anticipation every time I posted a photo,  and especially the friendships, camaraderie  and good will the contest inspired.  You all are the best.  (and thanks, Joann, for the note--LOVED it). We have many more moments of fun and joy to share.  Keep reading the blog and I will keep posting.

Today's Top Ten:

1. Sugarfina--I just really, really, really want some free candy. You know they have to google their own name all damn day, so they HAVE to see my shameless promotion.

2. Jean Fredrickson--for many, many reasons

3. The American Panthems at Bonobos. I really love these pants for some reason. If all goes well,  plan on seeing a bunch of them this summer…. on my sons…if they are good…and make the dean's list….or earn them in some other important way….Do you hear me, McKeon brothers?? You know you want these pants.

4. Shotgun Lovesongs-- very good new book by Nicholas Butler. I saw that the Lake Forest Book Store was recommending it, but by that time I HAD ALREADY READ IT…of course I did, because I am at the front end of many, many up and coming trends.  Don't make me mentions Stan's donuts again, ok?


5. Julia Louis Dreyfuss--I really think we would be friends in real life, if we lived in the same town.  ( I have these same delusions about a bunch of people--from Jen Lancaster to Richard Russo…but I really mean it with JLD--as I would call her, in our BFF relationship) The GQ spread on her was hilarious.

6. Hydrangeas--check these out. I bought them at the infamous Sam's Club and have managed to keep them alive for almost three weeks in the fake spring we are having.  Soon I should be able to reintroduce them into the wilds of my front porch in my lovely pots…

7. Sam's Club--full of wonderful surprises at times….(however, I do fear that I may just come home with an enormous bouncy house or something, as I can often get caught up in a strange sort of Sam's Club fever--which I'm sure they count on from others, too)

8. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer. You should be able to tell by now that I spent my two weeks off from this blog reading books.  It's totally true and I will not deny it.  I will not, though, tell you just how many books I read or you would know what a total, nerdy freak I really am…

9. The Blackhawks--super fun to watch. I am almost afraid to mention them, because I, like the Sports Illustrated Cover, have been known to jinx a team or twenty.

10.  Mother's Day--the most important holiday of the year.  Children, husbands and all related parties need to pay close attention to this special, special day.  It can make or break the rest of your year…..Again, McKeon progeny take heed.