The Top Five–Episodes of The Simpsons

Today’s “Top Five” list focuses on my favorite episodes of The Simpsons. There are so very many to choose from (over 700!) that it was a bit of a struggle to narrow it down, although I will admit that the first three came quite easily.

  • “22 Short Films About Springfield”–I guess it’s cliche, but this is my very favorite episode. My children know that they can convince me to watch The Simpsons just by suggesting we turn this one on. We quote the “steamed hams” short constantly!
  • “Hurricane Neddy”–The best part of this episode is, let’s face it, Ned’s rant. When he gets to “Do I hear the sound of butting in? It’s gotta be little Lisa Simpson, Springfield’s answer to a question no one asked!” I absolutely lose it. The rest of the episode is good, too, but that’s my favorite scene.
  • “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire”–Who here is surprised that a Christmas episode made the list? The fact that’s also the very first episode of the show just makes it better. The part where Bart imagines Marge being impressed by his tattoo is absolutely hilarious, and really sets the tone for the series.
  • “Bart vs. Thanksgiving”–If it isn’t a surprise that a Christmas episode made my list, it also shouldn’t be a shocker that a Thanksgiving episode did, too. “Mom, it’s broken” has become a catchphrase around here, but I really love the sweet moment at the end where Homer and Marge are eavesdropping on Bart and Lisa on the roof.
  • “Treehouse of Horror”–The first of these annual episodes is my favorite, and it’s all thanks to “The Raven.” I’m pretty sure this is the absolute best performance of that poem out there, partly because James Earl Jones (duh), and partly because of the crazed manor in which Homer plays his part. And “eat my shorts” inserted into it is just funny.

Do you have a favorite episode of the long-running show?

Mani Monday

Today’s manicure was inspired by the Disney 100 celebration. I was so excited to visit Disneyland earlier this year and be part of the festivities. It was particularly special to get to see all of the decorations and character costumes in the anniversary color scheme of silver and a lovely shade of purple. I don’t know why it took me until now to plan a mani reflecting the “100 Years of Wonder,” but once I did, I realized I had the perfect polishes for it. I used Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in “Anything is Popsicle” and “Hi Ho Silver” with a splash of glitter on the thumb thanks to “Deep Sea Diamond.” I also did my best attempt at a not-so-hidden-Mickey on my ring finger, and honestly, while it’s not perfect, I think I did a pretty great job!

Quote of the Day

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn’t it?” Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Sartorial Saturday–Stripes and Tartan

Time for a look at another piece from the Miss Candyfloss “Exquisite” collection…the Ottilia-Sadie swing dress! It’s a beautiful style that looks like a suit. The bodice has my favorite row of asymmetrical buttons, but this time, they’re decorative, not functional. It has a lovely high collar and subtle stripes, which go really well with the tartan skirt and belt.

Because the colors are so neutral, you can accessorize with just about anything! This time, I went with my favorite camel hat, grey, cream, and burgundy Splendette Duchess Bangles, an Erstwilder brooch, and black gloves.

The skirt is lovely and full, perfect for twirling!

I’m really excited about wearing this dress in the cooler months…it’s versatile and so, so pretty!

2023-24 School Year–Week Six

Ladybug read about Origen and Clement of Alexandria and their differing views on pagan philosophy in religion. She worked with angles of elevation and depression in pre-calculus. In physics she started solving problems involving two-dimensional motion. She learned about mental illness in health. We finished The Hound of the Baskervilles…the Divine Comedy is up next! She finished the second section of US history, focusing on the establishment of the colonies. In grammar she moved on to punctuating with quotation marks. She read about Henry II and Thomas Becket in world history.

Chickadee started reading about Moses in religion. She continued to work on long division using estimation in math, and reviewed giving back change. In science we started a unit on the digestive system. She continued to learn about the spread of the Islamic faith in history. In grammar she worked on subject-verb agreement. We continued our study of Anne of Green Gables, and made three more recipes from The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook…Creamy Butterscotch Pudding, Thick and Creamy Vegetable Soup, and Orange Angel Cake (just in time for our Michaelmas celebration today!):

Maybe next week it will actually cool off…we’d really like to get outdoors for a change of pace!

Chickadee Thursday

We went to St. Charles Oktoberfest for the first time, and it was so much fun…Chickadee especially loved seeing all of the dachshunds that were there for the “Wiener Takes All” Wiener Dog Derby!

Grin and Bear It

After all this time, I finally have a new neighbor!

I have been looking for Tutu and hoping to welcome her to my island FOREVER. Maybe even FIVE-EVER! She is such a cute bear…I love her heart sweater, her ear bow, her little handbag, and her darling pink feet. And since she’s a white bear (I think the only one in the game), she must be a polar bear, right? And the idea of a polar bear living on my island, which is predominantly a home to penguins, really tickles me. But the best part? In the German-language version of the game, her name is Mandy, which definitely makes her my bear! I was super excited when she showed up at my campsite, and it was worth the game of musical villagers I’m playing to have her call Gloriana home!

Mani Monday

Just in time for Oktoberfest season, the last of my manis inspired by the flags of my heritage…the German flag! I used Sally Hansen Miracle Gel “Stilettos and Studs,” Bésame Cosmetics “Holiday Red,” and Sally Hansen Miracle Gel “Sunbrella” for the colors representing the stripes of the flag, and Sally Hansen Miracle Gel “Hi Ho Silver” to bookend the look.

St. Charles Oktoberfest

Yesterday we went to St. Charles Oktoberfest for the first time, and it was so much fun! I really loved the location at Frontier Park right on the banks of the Missouri River…it’s the perfect place for a festival!

There were lots of tents, and we got to hear several bands:

There were also German dancers, which I absolutely loved!

The dancers were from the German Cultural Society of St. Louis, and they also had a booth where they were selling cookbooks (I added one to my extensive cookbook collection) and Schwarzwälderkirsch Cupcakes (very tasty!).

Speaking of food…is it even Oktoberfest if you don’t have a pretzel?!? We also tried the schnitzel sandwich, which was served open-faced on rye bread with sauerkraut and mustard…so delicious!

We didn’t get to see the “Wiener Takes All” dog derby, but we did see tons of dachshunds everywhere we went!

And we weren’t there for the glockenspiel performance, but it was cool to get to see the clock!

With apologies to Belleville, this was the best Oktoberfest I’ve been to!

It was almost everything I hoped for in an Oktoberfest…lots of people, lots of tents, German music and dancing, German food, and even places to buy various German items. I think if I want to get my souvenir clothespin, a beautifully decorated Lebkuchenherzen, and a Steckerlfisch, I’m just going to have to plan a trip to Munich, though!