Take #17

Hm, let's try again. I took a nice long break from the little bloggie-blog, but thinking about giving it another shot.

I will make zero promises this time. I have no idea how long I will stick with this or how often I will write, but I will try.

Unfortunately today doesn't bring with it any great stories so this first post back is a bit lack-luster. Sorry, readers (i.e., Morgan & Amber). I'll try to think of something good between now and the next time I remember to write again. Quite frankly, after messing with HTML codes and CSS and colors and image alignments for about 2 hours, I'm too tired and annoyed to write anything now. Hope you like the way the little blog looks right now, because it's probably going to stay like that for a while.

Check back in about 2 weeks (giving myself a nice big window to allow something even remotely interesting to happen) :)

Stories from Wal-Mart

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times- I am convinced that each and every horrible trip to Wal-Mart takes at least a year off of my life. I hate it. Unfortunately, a few things on my list today made a trip to Wal-Mart inevitable.

So, there were the usuals: rude shoppers, crying/screaming children, & understocked shelves, but a little out of the ordinary was the code call that came across the intercom.

"Code Adam" is the code that was given and it signals to workers and shoppers alike that there is a child missing. Today the little guy was a 10 year old wearing camo shorts and a lime green shirt. With this urgent announcement, you could see all the Wal-Mart employees become busy worker bees, looking for this child. Of course, my teacher instinct kicked in and I was looking for a little lime green shirt at every turn I made. I won't draw out the story to be some big dramatic thing, because it really wasn't. After a few "all-clear" calls over department walkie-talkies the kiddo was found in the, you guessed it, toy section. The main reason I wanted to share this story was not really about the saga of the lost kid, but because of something overheard directly after the incident.

In response to the happy announcement, most shoppers applauded and seemed relieved that the boy was safe... but then I heard the most honest words come from what could only be described as a truly Southern mama. As soon as the clapping ceased, this is what I heard come from one aisle over, "Glad that little stinker was found, but Lordy I would wear his bottom out. My kids woulda' got tore up over somethin' like that. Bust his butt."

I could not help but laugh! I am sure that is what my mom would have been thinking and what's scarier, I was thinking the same thing. I'll be honest- I'm glad some people still believe in the power of the spanking (within reason). I got a spanking almost every day of my life for about 2 or 3 years and I can tell you I am all the better for it. Thanks, Mom & Dad :)

Glad the kiddo was safely returned to his worried mom, but also hoping that he knows better from now on.

Bounce

I'll admit, I was skeptical and not so convinced that these dryer bars were worth the purchase, but let me just say...

Bought it.

Tried it.

LOVED it.

Just a couple of notes: First, I am pretty sure it will not last a full 2 months as advertised on the box, but that's okay. Second, the scent is nice, strong, and long lasting. And third, I have noticed a little bit less of that annoying static problem-o. Oh, and my personal preference is the Fresh Linen scent.

So, if you're looking for a new purchase to try out or your fabric softener isn't quite doing the trick, try this out! I love it :)

**Bounce Website

Spare change

Wishing I could find $145 worth of spare change right now...

Because these shoes want to live with me.

Why must I have champagne taste on a beer budget?

Michael Kors is proud of his things.

Unfortunately for me, his pride has a $145 price tag.

Stock Market Insider Tip

Dear friends,

You are in luck. I have such a fool-proof stock tip for you; can't fail. Ready for it? It's really simple. Start buying what you can in Burt's Bees, Inc.

Why, you ask? Because I can single handedly guarantee you that they are not going out of business anytime soon. Here is the explanation:

I don't know how it happened, I don't understand how it is possible, but I managed to lose 3 tubes of my precious Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil this week. A normal person probably would not fret or be adversely affected by this simple predicament... too bad I'm not normal. So after searching high and low for the first misplaced tube, I made what I thought was a smart purchase at good old Target and got the twin pack. Good thinking, right? One new one and one back up. Would have been wonderful if I hadn't lost #1 from the twin pack within two days. So now I am back where I started in this stupid cycle- one tube to rely on.

So you see, since this chapstick circle of life is bound to continue, I feel confident that I am capable of being solely responsible for the prosperity of Burt's Bees. Okay, now go sell your Apple and AT&T stock since I have been so generous to share this ingenious plan with you. Like I said, you can't fail. You're welcome:)

{Please note silliness and sarcasm in this post. I do not believe I am actually providing you with a worth while investment plan and in fact, have no great understanding of the stock market as a whole.}

Pioneer Woman

Another blissfully wonderful blog! This woman is just great- so entertaining and such good stuff on her site. Thanks to my sweet cousin Sara for letting me in on this little secret :) Check out,
The Pioneer Woman.

Happy Monday!
Love,

Who doesn't love a bargain?

Just to share... here's a little gem I happily stumbled upon. It may be old news to some of you, but for those of you who haven't heard of it before, here is RetailMeNot.

Have fun exploring and searching through thousands of coupons codes and freebies! Personal fav: free Redbox codes! Enjoy :)

iPod Fun (Part Dos)

Okay so I have done this twice already, but you get different answers every time and each time it's still entertaining!

What does your music library say about you?
--------------------------
1. Put Your iTunes or I-Pod on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer. (And don't keep pushing the button until you get an answer you like. See the next instruction.)
3. You must write down the name of the song no matter how silly it sounds!

So yeah I tend to get bored often, but in my defense this is actually very entertaining :)


WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Waiting on the World to Change- John Mayer

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Set Me Free- Reckless Kelly, haha like that one :)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Best of You- Foo Fighters

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Such Great Heights- Postal Service

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Fearless- T. Swift :)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Washed by the Water- Needtobreathe

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
A Kiss to Build a Dream On- Louis Armstrong, sweet

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Love- Sugarland

WHAT SONG WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Who I Am- Wade Bowen

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Another Lonely Day- Ben Harper... wow, real depressing funeral song.

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Closer to Love- Mat Kearney

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Shattered- OAR

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Bennie and the Jets- Elton John... Perfect piano man song for Amber and Morgan and I!! :)

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Turn Off My Heart- Rich Price... interesting.

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Carry You Home- CCR... "One day Jesus is gonna' come back..." not a bad way to go!

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET
Lookin' For A Good Time- LadyA... hahaha

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
When I'm Sixty-Four- The Beatles

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Love Save The Empty- Erin McCarley

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Begin Again- Colbie Caillat

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Nobody's Girl- Reckless Kelly

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
I Don't Wanna Know- New Found Glory


It is so funny how some of these work out- and I promise, no cheats! Try it if you're bored- it's a pretty good time killer.

Wanted: Bug killer

Warning- this entire post is about killing big, nasty, crunchy bugs. If you choose to continue reading you will probably laugh at my expense, but you can't say I didn't warn ya about the content.

For those of you that know me, you are probably well aware of the fact that I am deathly afraid of roaches. And no, deathly afraid is not an exaggeration. I can handle a lot of things, but not roaches. I can kill spiders, get rid of lizards, even snakes don't quite get me the same way a gross cockroach does. And let me clarify, just in case anyone from up north reads this... I am not talking about the small, not as crunchy things you call roaches. No. I am talking about TEXAS sized, crunch when you kill 'em, could carry a small child on their back, waterbug roaches. I think it would be accurate to say that the ones that terrify me are usually about the length of my thumb. So anyway, the point is, I hate them.

Story time... yesterday I get home to an empty house, walk past the bathroom, and out of the corner of my eye I catch something moving on the bathroom counter that should not be. I take a couple of steps backward down the hall to get a second look and yep, my fears were confirmed- a big nasty one. I should have mentioned earlier that not only am I afraid of them in general, but I am also too scared to kill them. I can't handle the noisy crunch that happens when you smack them, but more than that, it scares me to death when they run towards you (usually when I actually do attempt to kill them, it takes me a few tries, so in the process they end up running toward me). I was immediately so aware and distraught by the fact that I was home alone. At this point I was left with two choices: 1. Pretend like I never saw it, let it go on it's way, and never know when it was going to show up again, or 2. Put on my big girl panties and kill it. Option 1 almost won, but instead, I started grabbing shoes. So here's how the rest of the story goes:

A total of 6 shoes were thrown, 2 of which actually made contact. 1 shoe delivered a debilitating blow so now the thing is moving a little slow and I have a chance to launch the second attack: hairspray. I sprayed the thing with some maximum hold, volume boosting hairspray. It was still on the go so I decided the hairspray wasn't as fast working as I would like, and then out comes the bleach. Yep, I sprayed the roach with bleach. Think of it as multitasking- I was killing a bug and cleaning up almost simultaneously. At this point, it's pretty lethargic and no longer coming at me and I can finally nail it with a shoe. It was down for the count. Whew.

At this point most people would clean the thing up and go on with their day... haha not this girl. I'm not sure which part is worse, the spotting, killing, or disposing of a roach. I tried to clean it up but was literally gagging so much that I thought I was gonna' lose it. I was feeling good about actually succeeding in the kill, so I decided I didn't have to be a hero and take care of all of it- I left the cleanup for dear ole' dad.

The end :)

Now, I would like to apologize to those of you still reading. I just wrote an entire post about roaches. You don't have to tell me how exciting my life is, I am all too aware. All that was basically to say that I need a personal bug killer. Hope the boy that is made for me is a manly, brave bug killer.

How smart is your right foot?

I usually don't like forwarded emails and I seldom actually read them, but this one was pretty funny- try it!

How smart is your right foot?

1. While sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and begin making clockwise circles.

2. Now, while circling with your foot, draw the number 6 in the air with your right hand.

3. Your foot changed direction!!

Before the day is over you are going to try this again, aren't you? I tried it with my 3rd graders and it drove them bananas! :)

They forgot me

This past Tuesday I had my annual doctor's appointment. Girls, you most likely know what this entails, and boys, I promise to spare you all the unnecessary details and you are welcome. I got off work early enough to make it to Tyler in time for my 3:45 appointment, with a little time to spare so that I could fill out the inevitable stack of paperwork they would have. Everything is good- I have checked in, filled out all my forms, and I'm thinking I will be out of there pretty quick because for once the waiting room was not super crowded... Wrong. Umm apparently they forgot me.

3:45 appointment and I did not leave the waiting room until 4:50. Now, you are probably wondering why I waited so long without saying something, so let me explain. I love my doctor dearly, and he has been my doctor for 10 years, but his customer service kind of sucks. A long wait is nothing out of the ordinary, which is why I didn't really make a big deal about it... until I realized that they had actually forgotten me. In a situation like this you have a choice: A. you can get mad, be irate and rude, pitch a fit and make everyone uncomfortable, and be unhappy or B. let it go. I went with option B. I mean, really, what good does it do to be all up in arms over a little mishap? Notta. It wasn't anyone's fault. Actually, they had been having trouble with their computer systems so I did not show up as "checked-in". No big deal, I just think it's a funny story.

But wait... wanna know the best part about the whole mix-up? Well, since no one knew I was there and waiting, my doctor went home. Yep, he was already at his house when the sweet little nurse called to tell him I was waiting. I was told that they were all to apologize profusely as per his instructions. I just laughed and told them it was fine. He stayed home and I was able to see his nurse practitioner, who I loved, so all's well that ends well!

Lesson learned from this incident? I should be a little more assertive. Probably should have thought to ask around 4:15 what the hold up was. Ehh, you live, you learn!

Liberry?

I think my profession is to blame for the recent increase of items on my pet peeves list. There are so many little things now that just drive me absolutely crazy- things that I probably never thought twice about before I was teaching. Today’s pet peeve: the word “library” and its all-too-often mispronunciation.

People, if you don’t know how to say it please, just take a minute to revert back to your first grade reading skills, and sound it out. The first ‘r’ is in there for a reason, it’s not silent. What on earth is a liberry? A fruit? No, I don’t think so. The word is library.

I think the real problem I have is when I hear education professionals refer to the liberry. It is understandable for the kiddos to mispronounce sometimes- that middle ‘br’ sound is actually kind of difficult to produce for some little ones- but really, adults, not okay.

Please & thank you :)

Less stress

I am a stresser. I am the girl that will almost always make a mountain out of a mole hill. It is just part of my nature and I deal with it. So, speaking of dealing with it, I came across a little article in an old Ladies Home Journal that offers 50 Quick Stress Cures. I won't regurgitate all 50, but I will share some of my faves...

Lose yourself in a good book: Find one that suits your mood of the moment and escape to another world for a few hours.

Play with your pet: It's virtually impossible to stay stressed when you're tickling your dog's belly.

Do someone a favor: It allows you to be a problem solver instead of a problem sufferer. And that, my friend, puts any stress you're feeling in perspective.

Break out the vino: Red wine is loaded with heart-healthy antioxidants. Ideally, it will force you to stop, sit and relax.

Crank up the music: It doesn't matter whether you choose the Beatles of Beethoven- clear the floor, turn up the volume and let it rip. Losing yourself in music- and, better yet, dancing to it- is a great full-body stress reliever.

Treat yourself: Whether you enjoy spoiling yourself with a haircut, a cup of coffee and your favorite magazine or sneaking in a midday movie, doing something that's pure pleasure for you is a great way to decompress and de-stress.

If you are one to stress a little more than you probably should, like me, take a couple of these helpful hints and try them out. I'm a pretty big fan of the vino and music ideas myself :)

*Note- these tips are all straight from the article:
50 Quick Stress Cures, Ladies Home Journal, April 2008

Signed, sealed, delivered I'm yours!

How long has it been since you got actual mail? I'm not talking about bills or bank statements- I mean real, honest to goodness mail... It's like letter writing and card sending has almost become a lost art. 

We live in a world of emails, ecards, and instant messages, and in this digital world nobody has the time (or more accurately, nobody takes the time) to simply sign, seal, and deliver. I think it's sad. 

However, I am lucky enough to have a few sweet friends that seem to agree with me. As often as a couple of times a month, I sift through the giant stacks of junk to find the precious 'just because' cards from one of the girls. & let me tell you, it is amazing how much one little card can change a mood! The bad from the day is almost instantly forgotten just by seeing that return address.
I love it. 

So, here's a thought- try to come up with {someone or someones} you can send something to. Anyone, anything. Mail a note on a piece of scrap paper it that's all you have. I know, I know, stamps are a little bit pricey... skip your morning coffee one day that week and your stamp is taken care of. And I know, we are trying to save the world and go green... okay, so buy some recycled paper.

I just think about how much it makes me smile to get that little piece of mail and it's nice to be able to pass it along! :) 

I will love the treadmill

30 minutes on the treadmill has reminded me why I am an elliptical kind of girl...

I enjoy running. I do. Put me outside on a gorgeous day, and I will try my very best not to whine at all. Put me inside on the treadmill and I feel like I am being punished. Maybe it's the fact that when I am running outside or even on an elliptical I have the option of stopping; nothing bad will immediately happen to me if I just stop for a few seconds. Not on the treadmill... if I stop on the treadmill, I'm a goner. So, maybe that's the problem- it's just a head game. Or maybe it's the fact that I am running but going nowhere. But then, I don't go anywhere when I am on an elliptical. 

Okay, so it's gotta' be that I am not a fan of not having choices. Step on the treadmill and I have no choice but to start moving, or there will be consequences. 

At least I seem to have figured it out. Now, if only I could just suck it up and get over it. I need a new mantra: "I will love the treadmill, I will love the treadmill"... 

Yeah, I'll be sure to let ya know how that little chant works out for me haha :) 

Friendly people & painted toes

Yesterday, at Wal-Mart, I was approached by a complete stranger.
It did not bother me that this man felt the need to talk to me,
but the topic of our brief conversation was a little bit odd...

Since yesterday was a beautiful day, I put on my little gold sandals with my freshly painted toenails (that word kinda grosses me out). Although not intentional, I guess I ended up color coordinating my top with the color of my toesies. No big deal. Well, what is no big deal to some is more noticeable to others- which is where the Wal-Mart man comes into play...

So, Mom and I are walking up towards the front, trying desperately to make our way out of the store with some of our life savings in tact and I see a man out of the corner of my eye. It appears that this man is not only walking in our general direction, but is apparently seeking me out. I politely smiled and thought that was all there was to that interaction, but that is where I was wrong. This man comes up to me and says,

"Wow, did you plan that? Your toes are the exact color of your shirt! I mean, you had to have planned that!"

At first I thought it was really weird. What would possess him to actually follow that thought through? Why not just return the obligatory smile? But then why would my thoughts automatically go to weird? So what if this man made this observation and decided to share. Why did it have to be weird? Maybe he was just being friendly. Sometimes I just need to change my train of thought... give people the benefit of the doubt. He wasn't weird, he was friendly, and there's nothing wrong with a little more friendliness.

And there you have it, a story of friendly people & painted toes.

I know, it's a riveting story. And You're welcome. :)

Crayon therapy

I don't know about you guys, but I am 23 and still love to color. Give me a little kid's coloring book and I will go to town. In fact, last year when I was living with my sweet Erin & Jordyn we decided to sacrifice a night out for a night in with one of my coloring books from an education class. Now those are memories. And I still have those pages. :)

Why in the world am I blogging about coloring? There's a point, I promise...

My little 87 year old granddaddy is currently in a nursing home/rehabilitation facility trying to recoup from pneumonia troubles followed by a little hit on the head. As I am sure many similar facilities do, this place has a monthly list of activities that residents can pick and choose from. As I was nosily looking at his March calendar this afternoon, I spotted a weekly activity I know I would be at every time... Coloring (see, there's the point). Call me crazy, but I think there is some sort of therapy to putting your box of Crayolas to work. Whether you like to color the pictures from coloring books or just doodle, I swear it's gotta' be good for you somehow. It always makes me feel better, anyway. So I told Granddad today, "Hey! You could go color on Wednesdays!"... sadly his response was somewhat lacking in enthusiasm. Maybe it would make the old toot feel better haha. Silly Granddad.

So, this post is for those of you who may have felt that you were now too old to color- I give you permission (I can do that, I'm a teacher) to go grab a coloring book and have at it! I'm telling you, when you are coloring a picture of a little baby elephant, it's hard to hold back a smile- or at least a little grin. Do it, I promise it's therapeutic!

I'm gettin' married in the morning

So obviously I am not really getting married in the morning, it just seemed like a fitting post title; however, if I were getting married tomorrow, or the day after or anytime soon, I'm pretty sure I know what I would be wearing...

I am obsessed.

If it looks familiar, that is probably because you have seen it in the movies. I just saw it in When in Rome -- insert sidebar here {Cute little chick flick! Josh Duhamel is absolutely gorgeous. If you hate chick flicks, watch this movie for no other reason than to just look at him for 2 hours. Trust me on this one, girls.} Anywho, I saw it in the movie and loved it. Now, I don't care how trite or overdone it becomes due to this movie, it has moved it's way up to the top of my imaginary wedding dress list.

I feel like I should add that I have not been bitten by the wedding bug. It seems that many of my posts involve either weddings or engagements or chick-flicky type things, but rest assured, I am in no hurry towards the aisle. For now, this picture will suffice.

One fine day :)

Shoe in the box

What did you get in the mail today? Anything good?

Well, I got these...



Thanks, Mr. Mailman!

Proof that good things come to those who wait: I had been eyeing (eyeing or eying?) these little babies for quite a while at every Tarjay store I walked in... but my cheap booty couldn't make myself spend the 20 whole dollars on them. {What can I say, I am my father's daughter when it comes to spending.} So anyway- the other day I was wandering through the Target website and searching through clearance when, surprise, my shoesies were on sale!! 10 Bucks. Bam. I am pretty sure they will be uncomfortable and blister inducive, but @ $10, I will suffer. :)

People will sell anything

This is funny, but a little bit ridiculous.
Now available at your local Big Lots store...

Grow your own boyfriend package details:

He always listens.
He is never late.
He smells good.
He doesn't watch too much TV.
He is always there for you.

I'm telling you, people will try to sell anything. Geez.