I LOATHE spiders. The rational side of me fully understands their important role in keeping the insect population under control. But, the very frightened side of me would like nothing more than for the freaky arachnids to be wiped off the face of the Earth.

I don't know why I fear them. Other bugs and insects don't bother me, not even June bugs and earwigs. But, even thinking about spiders has me shivering as I type this.

To demonstrate my irrational fear, I'll point to three embarrassing situations. The first happened last summer.

I HATE dangling doorway spiders the most, especially the ones I encounter on my way to work in the morning. They make my heart race. So, I got me some "Spider Blaster" -- you spray it on the outside of the house and doors (don't recommend inside -- it's SUPER strong in smell!), and it keeps the creepy little ...

It's getting some expensive to make a sandwich.

Over the past two years, bread has skyrocketed. A sale is now $2 a loaf. But, it's been the prices of things we put on that bread that I've been shaking my head at lately. Have you noticed how much peanut butter is? It seems to have jumped big time over the past couple of months. So much so, that I'm scraping the bottom of the jar almost to the point of it being recycling-bag clean, just so I don't have to buy another jar until it goes on sale.

And, Cheese Whiz -- forget about it! My hubby LOVES his Cheese Whiz, but, he refuses to pay over $6 for jar of the brand name spread, and almost as much for the generic kind.

Even bologna is too pricey. Remember, when it was dirt cheap? Oh, those were the days! Granted, ...

I love trying new things, seeing new places and meeting new people. And, I love taking lots of pictures, and even doing video blogs for the Rod & Mandy page on the website. So, I kinda need your help. If you know of a really cool, fun, quirky local event, or even a hobby, I would love to hear about it, so I could possibly check it out and maybe do a little video of my experience. I can't make everything, but, I'd certainly try to get to as many as possible!

If something comes to mind, just send me a quick email with some deets: mandy.wood@astral.com

Can't wait to hear from you!

I can't believe we're already over halfway through April. It feels like 2012 just started. I find the older I get, the faster the years seem to slip by. Maybe this feeling is made worse by some sibling birthdays. One of my sister's turned 28 in February, while the youngest gal in the fam turned 24 last month, and the baby in my family has a baby of his own, and turns 23 tomorrow. I'm very proud of the people they've become, but, especially true for the youngest ones, I can't believe they're grown-ups.

Sometimes, I can't help but look at my sister Cheryl, and remember the clumsy eight year old who would not stay off my too-big-for-her bike. Memories of a grade school Steph wearing a walkman and screaming song lyrics at the top of her lungs still makes me smile. And, Ryan will always be the little guy in PJs, ...

It's no secret that I ADORE Blake Shelton. But, you might not know I also ADORE Lionel Richie. I know, I know -- he's not country. BUT, he does have a new album out, featuring country crooners, who've teamed up with him for duets of some of his classic tunes. And, if you missed it on the 2012 ACMs, here's the video of Lionel & Blake performing "You Are" 

I also enjoy other tunes on the "Tuskegee" album, like 'Dancing on the Ceiling' with Rascal Flatts, 'Lady' with Kenny Rogers and 'Easy' with Willie Nelson. So, if you like country, and like Lionel Richie, the album is worth a listen. I enjoy the country spin on his classic tunes (the banjo on "Dancing on the Ceiling" is AWESOME!). If you do get a chance to hear some of the tunes, please, don't hesitate to share your thoughts with me!