#texasstrong

God Bless Texas! 

Watching the news coverage of the flooding and destruction along the gulf has been difficult. It is going to take days, weeks, months, and years to get back to "normal." What has been so impactful is watching the lengths people are going through to help strangers! I have seen people load up their boats (or even buy one) to help rescue people. People have loaded up trailers of supplies to deliver. A furniture store owner opened his showroom as a shelter. Some hospital workers haven't left for days.Teachers are coordinating across the internet to "adopt a classroom" to help fellow teachers. This is just a small sampling of the acts of generosity that are prevalent throughout the gulf region. (Because it's not just Houston that needs the help, despite what you are seeing on the news.) It doesn't matter the political leaning, the race, the gender, or the religious belief. What I've seen is people walking in love, helping other people. We hear so much about how divided this country is, but what I've seen is an incredible display of unity! Texans have truly shown the country what it means to be a Texan, and an American! God Bless Texas! 

Movie Theater Popcorn!

I love movie theater popcorn!!! No, I don't mean the kind that you microwave from the box at home. I mean the GOOD stuff from the actual movie theater.

One day as I was walking out of Best Buy I caught the unmistakable smell of popcorn from the theater and had an idea! You don't have to actually go see a movie to get the popcorn! You could just walk in, buy it, and walk out with it. Sure you'd look a little weird, but who cares?? You have a tub of delicious movie theater popcorn!!! So that's what I did. I walked in, bought a popcorn, put butter on it (duh!), and walked out. I also bought a Cherry Coke, because I love fountain Cherry Coke! Yes, it cost me like $15! I don't do this often, and have only done it a couple of times!

I've been ridiculously behind on my summer favorite...Big Brother! 

Who's with me here? I can't help but like it! I had three episodes that I was going to watch, and what goes better with a mini-marathon than movie theater popcorn??? (Spoiler alert...nothing!)

So I before I started my mini-marathon, I went to the theater to buy my popcorn and Cherry Coke. When I walked in I saw this sign:

I saw that a large popcorn was $3.00, and large drinks were $2.00! I was slightly confused, because it was SUCH a deal!!! I thought maybe it was part of their $5.00 discount Tuesday, so I asked the cashier if it had to do with that. She said it was actually a promotion that started last Friday and runs to this Friday (9/1). I bought a large popcorn and soda for just a little over $5.00! Heck yes!

What do I suggest today???

1. Go take advantage of this deal! I went to the Cinemark in Mansfield. I don't know if it's a Cinemark thing, or just a Cinemark Mansfield kind of thing! You could do what I do and just go get a snack, or be a normal person and go see a movie! 

What Do You Enjoy Doing?

One of the first things I do at the beginning of the school year is let my kids ask me random questions. I tell them they can ask me whatever they want to know about me as a person. I always hold the power to veto any question because....middle schoolers! :-) One of their questions was, "What do you enjoy doing?" I thought about my answer for a second. I had multiple things I could say, but what came to my mind was enjoying a good meal with good people!

It doesn't matter if it's one friend, multiple friends, or couples! I just feel like it's good for your soul. I've shared multiple good meals with good people over the last week or so, and it has really left me refreshed! 

Courtney and I got a wild hair and decided to go to Del Frisco's (Yay Restaruant Week!) on a Tuesday night, because we are WILD AND CRAZY LIKE THAT! Just kidding...our reservation was a 6:30. We were in the car by 8:45, and I was in bed by 9:30. That's how teachers roll, especially at the beginning of the school year. (Am I right?!)

Most recently I went to Del Frisco's Grille with a phenomenal group of ladies!

Me, Abby, Erica, Whitney, Faith

These girls have been such a blessing to my life over the last couple of years! I feel as though I have always known them. They are supportive, encouraging, and all around good Christian women! 

It was Erica's big 3-0, so we had a girl's dinner to celebrate!

Our steaks, salads, and sides were (of course) fantastic! We ate all of our food, and were totally stuffed when we realized we had twelve cupcakes to share! Whitney brought a variety of cupcakes, but when I saw the strawberry one I wasn't exactly interested in the rest. It was calling my name! I didn't take a picture of any of them...blogger fail!

 Whitney and Abby

We sat around and visited for several hours. We shared A LOT of laughs with each other! There was a moment where I had to dry my eyes from laughing. By the time we were leaving I had a full belly, and a full heart!

I'm telling you...good food and good friends make for a full belly and full heart! 💜💜💜

What do I suggest today???

1. Get together with some good people and enjoy a good meal! I'm not saying it has to be Del Frisco's, but chose somewhere that you love! Spend some time with the people that make life what it is! I promise, it's worth it!
2. With temps in the mid to upper 80's in DFW for the next week I'd suggest checking out a patio! Have that good meal with good people on a good patio! I'd suggest Woodshed and Press Cafe in Fort Worth!

Solar Eclipse and a Makeup Must Have!

Unless you've been living on a rock, you're well aware that Monday there was a solar eclipse that was visible all over the US! My dad told me that the last time a partial eclipse was visible here I was four. I know he's right because....he's my dad...he's right about EVERYTHING!!! 

(Seriously. When it comes to dates...he always knows. You could say, "dad do you remember when that helicopter landed on the soccer field? What day was that on?" He could tell you almost the exact day of the week and the year! I seriously just asked him this question just to see what he'd say. His response was "oh that was the Saturday of Labor Day weekend in 1990." Then he walked away, and returned a few seconds later with, "it was September 1, 1990!")

I digress...

I had to go over to my parent's house during my off period to grab lunch. (Because I had been in school four days and had forgotten my lunch three of those days...😂) He had left out his wielding shield so we could use it to check out the eclipse. Mom and I took turns checking it out!

I was pretty excited to check out an eclipse at an age when I'll actually remember it! I thought it was going to be interesting, but I didn't expect to be in such awe! I was sad I had to run back to school, but was happy that I was able to see what I had.

When I got to school I saw a pair of eclipse glasses at the front desk.

A teacher had left them at the office for people to use, so I promptly went right back outside to check out the eclipse again. I ended up staying outside, with a group of others, until right before it hit it's peak at 1:08! 

There were about 15 people out front doing exactly what I was doing. There were teachers, our campus police officer, UPS delivery men, lawn care men, and some parents who had checked their kids out so they could watch it with them. Everyone who looked echoed the same sentiment I shared. It was just an awesome experience! 

I seriously was not expecting to geek out the way I did! I definitely have my nerdy moments, but this was above and beyond! Seriously. I couldn't stop geeking out!!! I'm already looking forward to the full eclipse that is visible in DFW in 2024!

After all my excitement of the solar eclipse, we had "Meet the Teacher." "Meet the Teacher" ended at 7:30 that night, so it was a long day! I talked to soooooooo many people. By the time it ended, I wasn't interested in speaking at all. Trust me, that's odd. When I got in my car I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I was shocked to see my makeup was still looking good! Seriously. After TWELVE HOURS my face still looked good! I credit that to a few fantastic products! 

I've used Urban Decay Quick Fix priming spray and Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray for a couple of months. It's fabulous stuff! Over the summer, I could swim after using these. I'd just blot my face with a towel after I was out of the water, and had perfect makeup! Crazy. (Helpful tip: Use the setting spray prior to your mascara. You can thank me after you forget the first time and have mascara run under your eye. I speak from experience!)

My friend Courtney (Hey Court! 💜) recently suggested that I get some of their eye shadow primer. I finally listened and WOW! She was right. It's marvelous!!!

What do I suggest today?

1. The three Urban Decay products that helped me stay pretty for twelve hours at school without reapplying my makeup! You will not go wrong with these products. If you're not ready for all three, go with the eye shadow primer! They carry it at Sephora and Ulta. It's also on Amazon if you'd rather it just show up on your door! :-)
2. One of my suggestions a week or so ago was to check out Coyote Drive-In. Well...I actually have TWO free tickets to see The Sandlot/Goonies tomorrow night at the drive-in. They are free to the first person to leave a comment and claim them! 

Weekend Update!

We finished the first "week" of school on Friday! My students were only at school Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. A short week for the kids is absolutely perfect, because back to school is quite an adjustment for them!

As soon as I got out of school I headed to the airport to pick up Matthew. His flight was delayed, so I ended up being a bit early. I settled in with the book I'm reading, and was happy to have a few minutes of downtime! 

After I picked him up we headed to Southlake to roam around their town square. I love their town square, and it has most of my favorite stores! We went to Kendra Scott, and I didn't end up with a single thing. I had noticed some earrings online that I had basically fallen in love with, but I ended up hating them when I saw them in person! #sadday 

I've been wanting seafood a lot lately, and wanted it AGAIN Friday night. So after leaving Southlake we headed to a seafood restaurant on Lake Grapevine that we were wanting to try out. From pictures on Yelp, we noticed you could actually see fireworks from the patio tables, which was definitely a win since that was our plan for after dinner!!! #winning

 The restaurant is Big Daddy's Ship Store

Because I have a new found love for oysters (cooked of course), I got their char-grilled oysters. I thought they were delicious! Matthew ordered one of their shrimp boil pot things. (I can't remember the name!) It came with potatoes, corn, shrimp, etc. Basically all the good stuff!

We didn't even have to leave our table in order to watch the fireworks! We stayed comfortably seated at our table, munched on our dinner, and watched fireworks! It was a perfect Friday night! 

This company offers a paddle board tour to the fireworks for $45. I have paddle boarded a few times, and really enjoy it. This combines fireworks (one of my FAVORITE things), and paddle boarding. I feel like that's a win win! It's on my list to check out soon! A group of them passed by the restaurant we were at and basically settled it. I have to do it!!!

Saturday night was our annual back to school date! We've done it every year since we very first started dating. When trying to determine what exactly we wanted to do, we decided on something we've talked about for a couple of years. We decided to take advantage of DFW Restaurant Week!! Some of the best restaurants all over DFW offer a special menu at special prices, and part of the proceeds go to the North Texas Area Food Bank!

We chose to head to Capital Grille, because it's just so yummy!!  

 I ordered the Porcini Rubbed Sliced Tenderloin because it's closest to what I order normally. The only difference was the weight of the meat, which was perfect anyway!

Creme Brulee...I 💜 you!!! 

On Sunday afternoons I like to focus on making sure I'm ready for the following week. So after church/lunch I start looking at the week ahead. One of the main things I have to do is get my groceries. I like to order my groceries online via either Walmart, or Kroger. It just depends on what I need. (Here's my review of both Kroger and Walmart!)

(Side note-I did my grocery shopping while standing in a ridiculously long line at Ulta Saturday afternoon. Seriously!!! It's the BEST THING EVER!)

I pulled up, check in via the app (yea...you don't even have to call them!), and waited! Last week at Kroger, I waited less than four minutes. This week I waited eleven, but that was okay with me because...

 I was excited for a few minutes to relax with my book!

I went home, put my groceries away, packed my lunch, and headed to...

I have the best masseuse...Kevin! I had planned it so my appointment was right before my first full week of school...let me tell you...THAT was a good idea!!!

Then because it was so tasty last Sunday, I headed to....

Braum's has the BEST SHAKES! I've wanted another one since the one I had last Sunday, so finally I just went with it. #noregrets

I had an hour or so before Matthew's softball game so I caught an episode of...

It's my favorite summertime show! I'm always SUPER pumped for it to come on, but by the time it ends, I'm ready! Three days is just A LOT to try and keep up with once school starts!

I've really enjoyed this season, but I'm starting to view it differently all of a sudden! Paul is just absolutely running this house. I applaud him for being able to basically control the entire house, but I wish someone other than Cody would stand up and try to take him out!!! (I'm like a week behind, so I'm trying to stay away from spoilers! Shhhh...don't tell me!!!)

Sunday night means Matthew's softball game!

The game before still had 20 minutes on the clock, so I pulled my book out while I was waiting for the game to start! The result this week wasn't as good, but there's always next week!

What do I suggest today???

1. Check out DFW Restaurant Week! Some restaurants are running the specials until August 26, so you still have time!!! (Anything on the list that is red goes until the 26th!)
2. Go checkout one of my favorite summer activities...fireworks at Lake Grapevine! Here's the website that will give you all the info you need! It even tells you were to go to view the fireworks! There are only two more opportunities to see them this year, so pick a restaurant for dinner and make a night of it!

It's the First Day of School!

Today was the first day of school! I'm the type of teacher who gets super excited about school starting back up again. Last night it was close to midnight before I finally fell asleep, and this morning I popped right up when my alarm went off! I was outside greeting kids as they walked in this morning and I'm pretty sure this was what I looked like!

Seriously, I 💜 Seinfeld!

I am really satisfied with the way my room came together. Even though it's middle school, I like my room to feel homey. I spend so much time there that I have to feel comfortable, but I also want my room to be comfortable and welcoming to my kids! I only use lamps for my lighting, and they definitely help it to feel warm, but I took these pictures with the lights on so you can see! Here's a look around!

Do all teachers act just like their students and take "back to school" pictures? My mom likes to have them. Just the other day she reminded me I'll always be her baby, even if I'm 29! (Shout out to you, mommy! 💜 Thanks for bringing my lunch to school after I forgot it this morning! 😀)

My "back to school" picture! 

It was a good day, but I was also ready for the end of the day by the time school let out. Talking ALL day long will really wear you out! My mouth was actually sore. We all made it through a successful day!

After I left school I decided I really wanted a sandwich. There's only one place that fits that requirement for me, Dino's in Arlington. It's an old school New York style sandwich shop. It used to intimidate me because Matthew told me I had to know exactly what I was ordering prior to getting to the front of the line, otherwise they would ask me to go to the end of the line. This is what I was expecting if I made any mistake in my order....

(Except "no sandwich for you!)

Apparently he was just trying to make sure I made a decision about what I wanted and wasn't trying to make a decision as everyone is waiting for me. At times, making decisions isn't exactly a strong suit of mine! 

Here's a peek at their old school menu!

I went straight home, grabbed my blanket, ate my sandwich, and watched one of my favorite movies!

How could you not love this movie??? Yellow is my favorite color, and I wanted a gown just like that for band banquet after this movie came out!

It's currently 8:45pm, and I'd be shocked if I'm actually awake at 9:30 tonight! All you teachers can understand where I'm coming from! 

What do I suggest today?

1. Go check out Dino's Sandwich Shop in Arlington! I get "The Big D" with "The Works" no onion, add avocado! It's crazy good! 
2. Go watch, or re-watch, "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days!" It still holds up as a solid movie! Can you believe it came out in 2003?????? Wasn't that like yesterday???  

Kroger ClickList Review

I really don't mind grocery shopping during the summer. It's usually a semi-leisurely activity, and I am able to do it when the store is not crazy crowded. Dare I say it's almost enjoyable??? 

The complete opposite is true during the school year. I despise it. I go on Sunday every week, because that's when I get everything in order for the upcoming week, unfortunately so does everyone else. Sometimes the store is out of what I need, and I have to go to yet ANOTHER grocery store. Who wants to do that???

Bring in Kroger ClickList!!!! It changed everything. 

It's super easy. When I go to Kroger I use my Kroger card. It keeps track of purchases, and all of those show up in ClickList when you log in. This makes selecting items very simple for me, because I tend to buy the same things over and over again. I just click "add to cart," select the quantity, and BAM! 

You can also type in the search bar for whatever you're looking for. In the picture above I was looking for an avocado oil mayonnaise. Super simple!

Once your cart is loaded, you proceed to checkout. During your checkout you select your pickup window. Today I picked between 5:00-6:00pm. A relatively recent addition to their service is same day orders. I made my order around 11:00am.

When you pull in, you park at one of the stalls. You call the number on the sign, tell them which stall you're in, pop the trunk, and wait.

A minute or so later someone comes out, reviews your items with you, and loads them in the car.

This service makes me SO happy!!!

You drive away, and your grocery shopping is FINISHED! Amazing!!! I set my stopwatch today as soon as I called to tell them I was there, and stopped it as soon as I got back in my car. (You don't have to get out of the car, but I don't know what else to do, so I always get out and either help or chit chat!)

It took me less than 4 minutes for the entire process!!!! #winning

A few things I thought worth mentioning:

1. ClickList is free the first three times you use it. After that it is a $4.95 service fee. I think for you mommies, $4.95 is a small price to pay to not have to schlep kiddos into the store!
2. You can allow for substitutions on items if you wish. When they come to the car to review your order with you they will tell you if there were any substitutions. If you are not okay with them, they take them off the bill! I do not allow substitutions (except on produce like tomatoes, avocados, bananas) because I'm picky about brands and such. When you put stuff in your card there is a box that you un-check if you don't want substitutes! 
3. You can give specific instructions about what you want. For example, today I said "I need avocados that are ready to eat," or "I want bananas with spots." (I told you I'm picky!
4. You Kroger card is linked to your ClickList account, which makes ordering online quick!

I've also used Walmart's online grocery pickup service. I love it almost as much! They are very similar from start to finish. The online ordering process is just as simple for Walmart. Here is information for Walmart: 

1. Walmart's service is free, but you have spend $30 or more. For families, I know that's basically nothing.
2. You can allow for substitutions the exact same way as with Kroger. If you don't want what they bring you, they take it away. I don't typically allow for substitutions unless I'm buying the items mentioned above.
3. You cannot give specific instructions. This is the biggest complain I have with Walmart's service.
4. Walmart does not do same day pickup. You have to do it the day before. Which is okay for me when I'm ordering for my school week!
5. You can save items as favorites so ordering them in the future is simple!

What do I suggest today???

1. Try one of these grocery services! I've suggested it to multiple people and none of them have never turned back!!! You won't either. Remember Kroger waives the fee the first three times!
2. Up until last summer I hated avocados. After being pressured to try guacamole, and liking it, I realized that maybe I could eat an avocado and actually enjoy it. Fast forward to today, and I'll put avocado on just about everything. What's my suggestion here you ask??? Try something you've always claimed to dislike. You just might surprise yourself!

Weekend Update

Last week my life was an abundance of activity. It was my first week back to work, and at night I was either working VBS or attending our Revival services. For a teacher with summer brain, all that going had me dragging a bit by Friday morning! Thankfully we had a work day all day Friday, so for a couple of hours this was me...

I was sitting at my desk wrapped in a blanket (I love being wrapped in a blanket!), drinking coffee (Made the exact same way I always do!), watching the Real Housewives (We all have a guilty pleasure!), cutting out laminating! I had what I refer to as "Happy Cards" to cut out for my "Happy Wall" in my room. I was happy to be completing this task, while relaxing!

At some point our principal came over the announcements, and told us they would be testing the fire alarms. She informed us if it went off, we did not have to evacuate. About 10 minutes later it started going off. Of course I had already forgotten about it, and practically jumped out of my chair! 

This happened many times throughout the day. Every time it started going off again, you'd hear someone around you screech because it startled them! It may, or may not, have been me. Okay...it was me. I like to think it wasn't just me! 😀 

Saturday morning I met my mom, LJ, Campbell, and Nancy in Bedford for 101 Dalmatians at the Artisan Children's Theater. 

Nancy, LJ, Campbell, Me, Mom

Is Cam's dress perfect or what??? She's seriously the cutest!

As we were walking in Mom said, "I think I'll get popcorn for everyone to munch on." I said, "I'm not going to eat any, but go ahead and get some. I'm sure Cam will eat some." Approximately five minutes later...

Did I eat that whole bag of popcorn??? Yes. Do I regret it??? Nope. Popcorn is a weakness. Why does it have to be so delicious? (Side note: I've been known to go to the movie theater just to buy a large popcorn and a Cherry Coke. There's just nothing better!)

I digress...

The children's theater was so fun! I thought the play was adorable! I didn't know going in that all the actors/actresses were played by kids! The older kids were teenagers, but there were no adults.

Cruella was not scary at all. (I remember being a little frightened of Cruella as a child...though no one played a better Cruella than Glenn Close...even if I hid my eyes when she was on the screen!) The run time on the play was just under an hour. LJ took Campbell to see Madagascar a few months back and said it ran right at an hour. I feel like that length is absolutely perfect for the little kiddos! Just about the time you're about to lose them...it's over! 

101 Dalmatians runs until August 19th, then it's Snow White from October 6th-November 4th. Not only do they have a Children's Theater, but they have shows for grownups too! Currently Sister Act is playing on the "Main Stage." Click here for all the info! It would be fun for a date night, or an outing with the kiddos! 

After the play, I met Matthew to get a new desk chair! It is going to be so pleasant to have a comfortable chair when I'm sitting at my desk for hours after school! For dinner I was craving seafood...

And seafood is what I got! I had grilled oysters for the first time in San Fran a few weeks ago, and I've been wanting them since! We went to Pappadeaux and were NOT disappointed! Matthew loves raw oysters. I've tried them a handful of times, and I"ve decided they are just not my thing. Cooked? Heck yes. Raw? No thanks. We also ordered their Shrimp and Crawfish Fondeaux! Seriously I had one happy belly after this meal. I was also ready for bed. #foodcoma

Last week when Krolick and I went to Braum's for lunch I really wanted a milkshake, but chose not to get one. Apparently I had some unfinished business, because I still had that craving...so Sunday evening I fixed that! 

It was delicious, and I regret nothing. Life is short!

After grabbing a milkshake, I headed to Matthew's softball game. Every Sunday night he plays along with some men from the church. I enjoy going out to watch them play, and fellowship with some of the ladies that also go! During the school year I don't usually go if they have a late game (which is like 8pm in my book), so during the summer I go no matter what!

The boys won 14-12! I think they actually beat a team they've never beat before, so they were pretty happy! That's them out on the field. Their team name is "Mighty Men," and that's Matthew on first base! 

We have one more work day tomorrow, then my kids join me Wednesday! I'm so excited to get to know a new group of kids! 

What do I suggest today?

1. Check out the Artisan Theater! Either for a children's play, or a grown-ups play! I've also been to the Circle Theater in downtown Fort Worth. It's a small, intimate type theater too! Perfect for a date night! 

2. Go to Pappadeaux and get the Shrimp and Crawfish Fondeaux! It's an appetizer, and more than enough for 2-3 people. 

3. Think about the things (not electronics) that make you happy no matter what. Take extra time and focus on whatever that thing is! Life gets busy, especially this time of year. Don't get so busy with the things you have to do that you forget the things you enjoy doing! 

Teacher PD day #3

Convocation for our district was today. For all of you non-teachers out there, convocation is basically one big pep rally for EVERY employee in the district. We are driven, via school bus, to the Performing Arts Center. My mom is a bus driver for our district and she happened to be one of my campus' bus drivers! She was pretty pumped about it! Most people in my school know her as "Momma Couch." I work about a mile from her house, and she routinely drops by with little treats for me! (She says I'm spoiled, I say blessed!) 

Mom and me!

We share ZERO similiarities. None. Pretty sure I was adopted! 😉

As you can imagine, it takes a while to get every employee in the district into the PAC. As everyone's walking in, there is always a DJ playing the latest hits. (Is it possible to even say that without sounding like you're officially pushing 30 and are just assuming they're considered "hits" at the moment??? Answer...no.) There are ALWAYS brave teachers dancing up on stage. Am I one of those teachers? You know it!!!

Totally kidding. I have NO rhythm. I can't dance and look normal at the same time. I'm okay with that. I'm basically like Elaine from Seinfeld. 

Have you seen this episode? Hilarious!!! That is definitely what I look like.

Our convocation speaker this year was BY FAR the best speaker I've seen at a convocation! She was so funny, so engaging, and so riveting! Her name is Dr. Bertice Berry, and I linked her website! She was simply amazing. One specific phrase hit me upside the head and I couldn't let it go. She said, "walk with a purpose, collide with destiny." Wow. There is such power in those words. I checked out her website earlier, and she has a few books. I've already put them on my reading list! 

After another wonderful hour long lunch went went to a RIVETING training over...

And all the teachers laughed out loud because they know. T-TESS (we LOVE acronyms in education) is our NEW (because we also love changing EVERYTHING) appraisal system that was introduced to us last year. It took the place of PDAS. (Yet another acronym! 😂)

(Side note...most of my friends are teachers. At dinner one night three of us were talking about school, and decided to try and think about all the acronyms we could name. We lost count. Yes, we're lame. We own it!)

We then headed into department meetings...yay math people! We talked about some housekeeping stuff so we can make sure we are all on the same page. Then I had a little "free" time before I could officially leave so I did some (online) training.

We are doing a lot of different trainings online now. The first round of them are due in September, and for some strange reason I am getting started early. I was able to knock out four today, and have six more to go for the section that's due in September. Typically, I'd be the person panicking the day before they are due, so for some strange reason I started early. There is still a chance I'm that person at the deadline...but at least I've started out correctly! 

What do I suggest today? 

1. Watch season 8, episode 4 of Seinfeld! It's called "The Little Kicks." All episodes of Seinfeld stream on Hulu! Another solid episode is season 9, episode 4 titled "The Blood." These are two of my favorites, but the entire series is worth watching!