Words of Wisdom and Musings

So we made it through the storm, our little part of the south faced some tornado producing winds and thankfully we came out at the other end unharmed. We live around a lot of trees so I felt sort of like Indiana Jones hopping over all of the downed limbs and random yard debris. I don't know about you but I would take debris over a downed home any day of the week.Here are a few things on my mind.

1.If you have a new baby and the only thing you talk about are the amazing accomplishments and milestones that he or she is hitting then I will be mentally hitting you. Seriously...you're gonna be that mom? I get being proud, I posted the first laugh that came from my little angel's lips faster than you can say get the camera, but come on man every breath shouldn't be about your junior Einstein child who will solve world hunger by the time they are a year old.

2. Why would someone ever feel it was acceptable or appropriate to empty their pockets on my counter and leave it there for me to clean up? Thanks for the gum wrappers, tissue, and wadded up receipt I really appreciate it.

3. NEVER say never when you are pregnant, as in " I will never....". I said that I would never feed my infant formula, never let her sleep in our bed, and never even think of homeschooling. Guess which one of those I broke. Here's a hint: it's all of them.

4.Beige paint on top of green paint will give you a yellow bedroom. yellow. Yellow/beige is the hardest paint color in the world to decorate around.White is basically the only color that looks remotely decent with it. The problem is my kid isn't even walking yet and already really messy, but nowhere near as messy as my husband so...white may be an issue here.

5. When returning a USED nose hair trimmer please for the love of God have the decency to put it into a zip-lock or sealed container. Thank you.

6.  Thank you guy checking out at my register who felt the need to not only tell me all about your wife traveling to New York, but also felt compelled to pull out your phone showing me the current weather for New York I really don't know what I would have done without that valuable piece of information. Seriously I do not care about why she is traveling, where she is traveling or when she will be back. I don't know you. Just pay for your tools and leave. Thank You, sincerely me the cashier and everyone else in line waiting on you. 

7. Everyone who has joined my blog, who reads these posts, follows me on Twitter, and has voted for me on Circle Of Moms I love you. Seriously from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head I love ya! You have made my whole year by supporting me and I could never thank you enough. Seriously. You make this worth doing.

Seriously?! Fake Butt Injections?

I'm not sure if you guys are aware or not, but apparently there is an epidemic in Florida of bad butt injections. Yes, I said butt injections. The newest is of a Florida man who posed as a doctor and injected silicone into at least two patient's butts at a friggen motel room. I get the fact that you wanted to boost up your assets (haha) and hey I am all about saving money but c'mon man! The minute that guy tells you to meet him in a hotel room and he pulls out a plastic cup of "silicone" get the heck out of there! What did you think was happening? He was saving money with the overhead and passing the savings to you? NO.

Oh I almost forgot...the man sealed up their injection site with Krazy glue and charge them $200.00 per injection site. I don't know how much butt injections are going for nowadays, but to be stabbed by someone in a sketchy motel room for $ 200.00 seems a little high. I wouldn't have been dumb enough to get it done, but if I would have I probably would have haggled with the price a little. The horrifying part is that nothing was sterilized and of course the victims ended up being hospitalized due to infections ( they are both ok by the way...I'm funny not a monster geesh people).

 If it was just these people then I might give Florida a pass on this one but it's not. According to the article this is just one of a whole series of arrests.In one case a woman was injecting people with cement and fix-a-flat. While I can appreciate the comedic value of pretending to "boost" someone's rear by injecting a substance used to fix flat tires...that is how people get killed. What are you thinking?

I know that being in Florida is rough if you have a bad looking booty because it's so hot you can't really cover it. It's like bathing suit season 24/7 down there and I really feel your pain on that one. However seeing a seedy dude in a motel room is not the way to go people! Go buy yourself a personal trainer with that money or invest in some REALLY awesome spanx ( which sell bathing suits by the way! Score!). I'm worried about you Florida, if it was just one case I could forgive the mistake, but after all these reports I just can't let it go. I feel it is my duty to bring awareness. This is for your benefit Florida, you'll thank me in the long run.

Full Story Here

Reading List Update

Well, I have been off work for a few days in a row and munchkin has been fairly cooperative so I got a lot of reading done this past week. Here is my updated list from my original Current Reading List Post:

First up: Matched by Ally Condie
I honestly didn't enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would. The story itself is so similar to other dystopian books that I felt myself constantly comparing them and this one wasn't as great. The love triangle wasn't that interesting, it was apparent after a few chapters who she was going to want and the other guy ended up being almost non-existent therefore taking away the love triangle altogether. I also didn't really like the main character Cassia...I felt at times she was a little annoying which is rare of me to say for a character. The ending was a little interesting though,and with all that said I'll probably still buy the next book in the series: Crossed just to see where she takes the story and if it becomes more interesting.

Second: Divergent by Veronica Roth
This book was the other dystopian book that was centered around virtues. I liked the concept, and I thought it was fairly original though there were a few times when it reminded me of certain other books. The main character Beatrice is likable and you find yourself figuring things out with her. There is a small love plot in the story which is interesting enough but as the story goes on you slowly find yourself becoming more and more wrapped up in her world. The end was awesome. In fact the end was so great that I went ahead and bought the second book in the series which brings us to....

Third: Insurgent by Veronica Roth ( Divergent Series # 2)
This book was amazing. I fell more in love with the series as I read this book. There are so many twists and turns that I had a hard time putting it down. Beatrice becomes so much more of a powerful character that you instantly are cheering for her, and when hear heart breaks yours does too. You start to get more involved in this world and all of the traits that rule it. It also brings up a few questions concerning people and how we view ourselves and relate with others. The ending was so unbelievable that almost the instant I finished the book I got online to Veronica Roth's Website to find out when the next book will be available ( sadly not until fall 2013). Amazon also has a mini video preview of the book and its pretty cool to watch before you read. I don't know if they plan on making this into a movie but seriously...they should.


Fourth: Betrayal ( Descendants #1) by Mayandree Michel
This was a .99 cent book that I saw while browsing books related to Percy Jackson. This book surprised me with how much I liked it. I love anything to do with greek or roman mythology so as the story went on I started to fall more and more in love with it. The characters were interesting and I really liked the main character Cordelia.You start to piece her world together as she does plus it goes through some twists and turns.When the end comes it completely knocks your socks off. The love plot that comes out at the end was enough to make me buy the second book....




Fifth: Sacrifice ( The Descendants #2) by Mayandree Michel
This one was .99 cents just like the former, and I have never hated a book this much. It frustrated me how she made such an amazing first book with these complex characters and then turn them into boring one-dimensional people who just repeat the same things over and over. The love story was pretty much given away within the first few chapters and it went downhill from there. The editing was absolutely horrid, and it honestly felt like she was pressured to get a second book out there so she just threw this one together. I was really, really unhappy with it.

Best flea market sign ever!

Our family decided to take a trip to the flea market yesterday and it was awesome. We packed the diaper bag as full as can be, picked up some Starbucks ( for me...Hubby thinks Starbucks is full of elitists), got the baby bundled and braved the masses. It wasn't as busy as it usually is during the summer, but there were enough people to keep it interesting. I found a pair of MNG Mango pants for five bucks in my size! There were also a few Vera Wang jeans and DKNY jeans for just five flippin' bucks, but they were WAY too small to fit me. The pair I got must have been her "post pregnancy" pants until she got back into her Veras again...oh well. Hubby got a few random tools and we also scored some boiled peanuts.However the BEST part of the afternoon was finding this sign:

I would kill to hear the story behind this because you know that cat had to so something pretty bad to warrant someone taking the time to erect a warning sign against it. 

15 BEST Party Recipes

 1.Tyson's (Crockpot) Party Meatballs by Cupcake Diaries Blog
Normally I would not drool over meatballs, but these look to die for. Seriously I think I could gobble them up by myself. The brilliant thing is that if any are leftover you put mozzarella over them and have meatball subs the next day!








2. Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls by Plain Chicken
I have actually made this before making this list and OH MY GOSH. Hubby and his buddies devoured this. It's so easy to make and is delicious, I promise....I mean c'mon bacon, ranch, cheese and bread..hello? Do I really need to say more? 







3. Buffalo Chicken Dip by About.com Home Recipes
I'm a sucker for anything Buffalo chicken. We could drink Frank's RedHot Wings Sauce straight out of the bottle in this household so this recipe is definitely a must try.







4. Brownie Batter Dip by Stick A Fork In It
You need sweets to balance out all that savory food and this dip is sure to be devoured. Instead of slaving over a stove and whipping up two or three boxes of brownies give this quick dip a try.

5. Mini Tacos by Quick and Easy Recipes
I LOVE this idea because it's so original and they are perfect for a party. You can whip up a bunch super fast and have them out before you know it ready to please those hungry guests.








6. Desser Kabobs  by The Inspired Collection
I love an easy dessert that feeds a lot of people and is delicious. I have never seen Kabob sticks used in anything other than savory foods so kudos to this lady for using them in an original idea! 

 7. The Marginators Crockpot Wings by The Feaux Cajun Kitchen
She puts these into the broiler to get the outside all crispy and then puts it all into a crockpot to cook and soak up all that bbq goodness! This recipe is technically a long one, but only because its a crock pot meal and you let it cook overnight so it counts as easy.

8.Cake Batter Cracker Dip by Tasty Kitchen
Ok, this recipe had me at cake batter. Do yourself a favor and only make this when you're having a party so you don't lick the bowl clean all by yourself.

9.Artichoke and Spinach Dip by Food.com
This is suppose to be a dupe of Applebee's Artichoke and Spinach dip which is my absolute favorite so it made the list easily. The cooking time is a bit long, but you just combine everything and bake so it's SO easy and doesn't require much attention.







10. Creamy Rotel Dip by Plain Chicken
I finally got to try Rotel with sausage a few weekends ago and I was in love. This is the BEST recipe I have found that incorporates the sausage. She really is awesome at coming up with easy, cheap crowd pleasing foods.







11. Mexican Dip Trifle by Comfy in the Kitchen
I am becoming somewhat addicted to trifles. They are usually found as sweets, but the idea of making a savory mexican one for a large group sounds awesome. PLUS it looks really pretty and it's super easy.








12. Baked Mozzarella Sticks by Skinny Taste
See? It's baked...so it's healthy...right? Seriously these look amazing, are quick and they are baked not fried so there's no guilt!






 13. Jalapeno Popper Dip by Simply-Gourmet
I'm not a HUGE fan of Jalepenos but this dip sounds awesome. You can never go wrong with cream cheese and peppers. Ever. Plus it's another throw it in and bake meal so of course it's a great crowd dish.

14.Caramelized Onion, Gruyere, and Bacon Spread by Elizabeth's Edible Experience
OK, I know this sounds really intimidating but literally the only thing you "cook" are the onions for five minutes. Everything else is thrown all in and baked, and you look like a culinary genius.

15. Parmesan Heroin Wings by Just a Pinch
If the wet wings aren't your style then check out these dry rubbed parmesan wings that make my mouth water just looking at the picture. I think the name really says it all...

BEST. DAY. EVER.

Alright, so I don't know if you guys are all officially aware or not, but I joined Twitter a few days ago. It's been neat figuring things out, and I haven't screwed anything major up so things are going pretty well with it. I had seven followers when I went to bed last night and when I woke up I had eight. That was pretty cool to being with, I'm so not going to lie I'm like a little kid with Christmas excitement when it comes to people joining me...whether that's my website, twitter, evil plots and schemes or for lunch. Joining me for lunch, not people for lunch...I feel like I should clarify that one.

I click on the names to see who it was and who do I see? THE FLIPPIN' BLOGGESS! I about fell out of my chair, and I wasn't even in a chair..THAT'S how excited I was people!!  I found The Bloggess after I had munchkin and she was the only source of humor that kept me going during those early morning, every two hour feedings. She is hilarious, honest, open and I flippin' love her. I have her book, Let's Pretend This Never Happened and I have re-read it over three times. She was the FIRST person I started following on twitter, she is just pure awesomeness and I was overly giddy with excitement when I saw that she was following me. I honestly don't think I could be this happy even if the Queen of England decided to follow me. Let's be honest what good advice or humor snippets could I get from the Queen? Nothing even close to this:

That's how I make most goodbyes. "you were lovely. Thank you for not decapitating me".
— TheBloggess (@TheBloggess) January 20, 2013

That's gold people. Gold. 

Suck it Death Wreath

Yup. That's my new wreath for February with a Valentine's Day inspired theme. I was a little hesitant to jump back into the wreath making world, but Munchkin fell asleep earlier than normal and I had  time to play around with some of my craft supplies. I started staring at ribbon and tissue paper and it sort of just fell together. 

It was really easy I just cut the tissue paper into various sized squares then pinched and fluffed them. I then hot glued them in the pattern that I liked and dug out my wooden letter H ( Michaels for less than 2 bucks). That one was a little tedious, I had to hand wrap the whole thing with white ribbon and then I rolled up little pink balls out of the tissue paper to make a polka dot pattern on it and hot glued them on. It's really simple with a touch of fun and flirtyness. I love it..take that stupid Death Wreath

Submitted to:

Lioness.

I don't know what it is about motherhood that has turned me into a person who just doesn't take crap from anyone. I use to be nice, really nice. I use to let people walk all over me if it meant keeping the peace and maintaining order. I didn't care if someone said something ignorant or if it put me or my views down. Couldn't bother me less if a salesperson was openly rude because it didn't make a difference to me if they thought I was a pushover or a wallflower. Then I became a mom.

Suddenly I'm hearing things like " She scares me now." Well..suck it up buttercup. If you start rambling on about things that either A. You have no business discussing  B. Are ignorant and offensive C. Something negative to say about me or my family then you sir will be put in your place I can assure you of that. If you are rude to me I will call you out on it before you can say " I am so very sorry and my don't you look attractive today". The obvious exception is work because I have a little munchkin that has grown use to those trivial things such as food and clothing. So I will be patient, nice and will hold my tongue at work....but don't let me catch you at Wal-Mart later that day.

The biggest issue I am finding myself being irritated about is the matter of homeschooling. My munchkin is not even a year old, but Hubby and I have researched and talked to a lot of homeschooled kids and parents. We are confident in the fact that we want to homeschool our child. I'm not getting into the stats, resources or quotes... this is our choice. If you don't like it then don't homeschool your kid. It is that simple, but do not dare tell me that my child will be any less smarter than yours or that she will be some sort of anti-social loser. I wont mock your choice, you don't mock mine or you will be in for a tongue lashing. ( not in a good way)

I think that somewhere deep down I know that it wont be long before my daughter will start to develop herself as she sees me. She will be the little reflective mirror of my actions and I am not ok with the world walking all over her. I want her to stand up for her choices, for her thoughts and opinions. I'm not ok with people making her feel dumb for thinking a certain way or acting as if her views are meaningless or God forbid using her. I'm raising a lioness because this world is a heartless jungle. She will respect her elders, she will remember her manners, she will be so smart and wonderful and she will also have guts and courage. She will speak her mind and she will not back down on what is right. Hubby calls me momma bear, but I think I like lioness better....as for me and my pride we will not take crap.

More idiot customer dealings.

Me: " Hello how are you to-"
Customer: (cuts me off) " Where is my cart I had brought up? That guy said he was bringing it up."
Me: ( pointing at cart in box) "Is it a welding cart?"
Customer: "NO, no, no mine is 'pose to be put together."
Me: "No sir, we don't have any assembled."
Customer: "Are you fricken kidding me?"
Me: "Sorry."
Customer: "I want one already put together, I'm paying for a fricken cart not a box"
Me: ( lightly laughs) " Sorry..sir, but it's actually just a few screws if that makes you feel any better."
Customer: ( IMITATES MY LAUGHING) " laughing wont get my damn cart assembled"
Me: ( no smile obviously).....
Customer: "Let me talk to a damn manager."
- Manager repeats what I say, customer then begins to loudly talk about how bad our customer service is...I kid you not. I seriously wish I was joking. -
Me: " That will be 38.57"
Customer: "I deserve a damn discount...can't you slip me a discount"
 Then SMILES at me, like we we're kidding and friends this whole time...HHHMMM after you insulted me, irritated me, made me call a manager and then started cussing at me. YYYYEEEEAA sure let me just hook you right up....
Me: " 38.57 sir."
Customer: "I'll tell you this, I'm gonna pay for it but y'all wont see me back in here I can guarantee you that."
 ------Promise?!?


Me: ( answering the phone while store is REALLY busy and I have a line of people)
"Thank you for calling ____ this is Nickie how can I help you?"
Customer: "  Well you see I bought one of your drills and I like the drill, it's a great drill. My brother in law didn't believe how little of a price I paid for it. You know some of your stuff is crap, but a lot of it really is a good deal.That drill is worth its weight in gold. So I bought it during Christmas time.."
Me: ( thinking of committing suicide on the other end waiting for the flippin question)
Customer: "...and I never got to use it till a week ago, you know how Christmas time is. Anyways, I finally got to use it and that was when I found out that I liked it so much and I decided that maybe I should get another battery so I can use it all the time. You really wouldn't believe how many things I can do with this thing and it's so cheap I just can't hardly believe it...."
Me: ( ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME) " Oh yea, they are awesome, so you need mo-?"
Customer: ( cuts me off ) " Oh yea they are...I'm gettin' to that. So I really liked it and I wanted to buy a second battery for it, but now that I'm thinking of it maybe I'd like to get three or four and....
Me: ( stepping in here and getting glares of death from other customers who are waiting). " Well we do have those batteries in stock would you like me to put them on hold for you?"
Customer: " Well see I can't come in and get it because I bought it in your store while I was visiting. We like to travel down a few times a year you know and we wont be back for a while. I wish we lived closer, heck I wish we at least had a store near us, but we don't so we travel down with our vacation ya know....well anyways I know about the website which is pretty handy because....."
 This continued for another six minutes. SIX. I timed it. The kicker was that he already knew the website and was wondering if we had a parts number to get the product to him faster...which we do not. So basically I lost fourteen minutes of my life on hold with a customer who I could not help and basically called me for no reason other than to gab about our products while I was being mentally shanked by the other customers in line.

My Birth Story.

This is a post that I debated over and over about not writing. It's something that is very close to my heart, and something that I rarely share. It's the story of giving birth to my baby girl. This isn't a normal happy, lovey, birth story. My story is one that for a while shamed me, I kept it hidden for a long, long time. I had this expectation of how it was all suppose to go down and how I was suppose to feel and when it all happened it just wasn't that way.

My water broke in the early morning, and we excitedly hurried over to the hospital. I remember the feeling of that moment of knowing that I was finally going to get to see her, touch her, and hold her. I had so much love built up for her already, I couldn't imagine seeing her face for the first time. The pain hadn't kicked in yet so the first few hours were pure joy. We got settled into our room, and called our families.It wasn't long before the excitement turned to nervousness. I had a mortifying moment where I needed to use the bathroom and had to use it with the bathroom door open AND a nurse watching.

The pain started and within a few minutes it became unbearable. I got the epidural, and as family started to show up it soon became a waiting game.The hours passed and I wasn't dilating past 4cm. All during my pregnancy all of the doctors said she was a huge baby. They were worried that maybe she was too big for me to deliver. After seventeen hours of labor ( plus a little over 24 hours of no food or drink) and no change in my cervix my doctor said it was time for a c-section. We went from waiting around all day to everyone snapping into action. Within moments I was in the operating room, and Hubby was changing into white hospital clothes.

While in the operating room they said they were going to inject me to numb my belly, then they would start to prick my skin to see if they were ready to operate. Hubby was going to be called in when they started. The first didn't work and I felt it...they injected me a second time, and again...it didn't work....they injected me a third time...it didn't work. My anesthesiologist said they might have to put me under ( which would mean Hubby couldn't be in the room) when my wonderful doctor said she was going to try a fourth time. It must have worked because I heard her say " ok...bring dad in,"

The anesthesiologist put a breathing tube on me to help my lungs out and between having the epidural for seventeen hours, and four injections of whatever they use to numb you with a c-section my lungs were numb and although fully functioning I felt like I was suffocating. I remember Hubby standing by me, and then he said " there she is ". She didn't cry. She was a perfectly healthy baby, but she didn't cry...she just didn't want to. He walked her over to me and I got a glimpse of this tiny, tiny little person. Before I could even comprehend anything she and Hubby were out of the room.

I then vomited on myself and went in and out of consciousness while they were stitching me up. I was taken to a room to recover and by then I was no longer sleepy, I was...empty, just waiting. They had told me I would be taken to her in two hours so I just laid and stared at the clock. The first ten or fifteen minutes went by and then the numbness went away. The pain hit and for some reason made me cold to my bones. So there I was in what looked like a basement shivering with two blankets on me and crying to a nurse to please make the pain stop. I remember feeling my stomach and remarking about how strange it was to not feel her moving in me. When time was up I was taken to my room and it wasn't long that Hubby came in with her.

He placed her in my arms and she was so tiny. He said that the doctors told him the reason I didn't dilate wasn't because of her size...it turns out my hips aren't big enough ( go friggen figure). I remember everyone saying just wait till you see her, just wait you're going to fall in love, you will never imagine how much you will feel. She looked just like Hubbs. There was no trace of me in her at all. She was just this tiny little person that they put in my arms. I just didn't feel anything. I wasn't resentful, or hateful by any means but I didn't have that crazy overly motherly bond that this baby is mine and I love her. It was almost like they had just picked a baby and given her to me. I could barely even talk to her, I felt so strange.

I didn't tell anyone, I was too ashamed. What kind of mother doesn't feel a bond with the baby that she prayed months for to get? The first night she stayed in the nursery and while my husband quickly fell asleep I cried into my pillow. The next morning they brought her in to breastfeed and the nurse was grabbing my breast and placing it and tugging it towards munchkin's mouth. She took, but it was just so strange. Hubby was in love, I could tell. He was beaming, he didn't want anyone to hold her. I was sitting back watching. I remember having to feed her late at night while Hubby was asleep and holding her to me and thinking is this my baby? Why doesn't she look like me? Why don't I feel anything? What's wrong with me? It was all too much, I was recovering from the only surgery I've ever had, they were saying that she had a small issue with jaundice, and there I was torturing myself that I was already a horrible mother,  I broke down. I cried to Hubby when we were alone and being the perfect person he is, he assured me that everything was ok. He told me that it would come, and it was just a lot to get use to on top of being in and out of pain meds and drugs. He had total confidence in me.

The day we left the hospital and brought her home was the first day that I noticed it clicked. We had just walked in the door and she was acting like she was hungry so I brought her to mine and Hubby's room and laid on the bed and fed her. There was something about being in my own bed in our own home that made me realize that she was mine. Family were in and out of the house for the next few days and it was again..a lot to deal with. However as the days went on I started to get stronger and stronger feelings towards her. I knew her cries, I knew her smell, I knew her little face.  I knew her. I think it was about a week after we left the hospital that I finally developed that strong iron like mothering bond. She was mine, and there was no doubt that I loved her. I would take a bullet for her, I would give her my last breath.

I love my baby girl more than life itself and I dare anyone to accuse me otherwise. For me, it just took some time. I didn't like to tell this story because I feared that people would think I wasn't a good mother or that I didn't love her. I was afraid that they might think something was wrong with me, or her. Then I started to realize that maybe I'm not the only one. Maybe there are other women out there who are going through this, or have felt this way. We need to be honest. Sometimes you don't feel that bond immediately and THAT IS OK. There is nothing wrong with you, there is nothing wrong with your baby and you are going to be an amazing mom, hell you already are. You just went through a life altering event and were drugged all day, give yourself some slack, let your hormones balance and then you will feel the love that all those other women talk about times a million. You will feel it more because you will know what it's like to not have it.

 I urge women to read this and don't expect your pregnancy to be like the movies, give yourself some slack and it will come. I promise you. Just have faith in yourself and know that as you heal and start to experience this wonderful new life she will be right there with you and before you know it you won't be able to spend one second not thinking of her. She will consume your heart and you will be so happy. I promise.

The 15 BEST: Home edition.

 I have scoured the world of Pinterest to find the most easiest, cheapest, quickest DIY home projects. These are so fun, and can update a room almost instantly. I love these projects, and I adore the fact that they are little to no cost to make so without further ado here is my top fifteen:




 1. Paint Chip Wall Art by How About Orange
So easy and there are SO many options when it comes to colors and designing it to fit into your decor. If you have a frame already then this project is free.









2. Fridge Frames by Smile Monsters.
I love anything that makes a boring fridge seem more put together and chic. Plus the options on the paper colors are endless. You could even change them out with every holiday!

 3. Fabric Floorcloths by East Coast Creative ( Featured on I Am Momma Hear Me Roar)
This one I adore because of the shear amount of possibilities! You can make one for your entryway, your kitchen, under a highchair, in the bathroom. It's so easy and looks so great!

4. No Sew Pillow by Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom
I never in a million years would have thought it would be this easy to re-do my throw pillows! Now I have an urge to visit some home decor stores for some cheap and cute table runners!!








5. Stenciled Decorator Tins by Dollar Store Crafts
OK this woman is a genius, nobody would guess that you up-cycled old ugly tins to these beautiful, chic decor pieces. She also gives a great tutorial on the stenciling!

6. Wool Dryer Bars by One Good Thing By Jillee
She shows us how to easily make these wool balls that cut your drying time in half and completely replace your fabric softener. I plan on making these soon and adding a few drops of lavender like she suggested to make the clothes smell heavenly...can't wait!

 7. Spoon Mirror by Craftaholics Anonymous
I love this easy craft because of how simple it is, and because of how easily you can convert it to match your color scheme. I'm thinking a bronze color would look AMAZING in my living room.








8. Framed Knob Coat Hanger by Two Girls Being Crafty
If I didn't have my amazing pallet coat rack I would have this in my living room. I love how beautiful and simple it looks. Although I could always use it in my bathroom for towels.







9. Confetti Tumblers by Radical Possibility
I would have never thought that something from the dollar store, and ten minutes worth of painting could come out so adorable. I can't even explain how much I love these. I plan to make some for myself and some for a friend's birthday!







10. Mason Jar Soap Dispenser by Our Lovely Bungalow
I have seen a lot of these out there in the world of Pinterest, but this one struck me as different and beautiful. I love the colors she chose and I also love how she breaks the process down and demonstrates how easy it all is to do.











11. Hemp Wrapped Wine Bottle by Fave Crafts
I would call this twine wrapped, but whatevs. The bottle looks flippin' amazing, and fits into our beach theme. Plus I saw someone do this around a coffee canister and the affect was amazing so let your imagination run wild people!








12. Thumbtack Vase Fillers by Landee See, Landee Do
Ok....these gold balls (haha) look like you got them from a very expensive designer store and you paid out the tail for them! I love that they look so expensive and are so easy to make. Plus if gold and silver don't fit into your decor just paint them a different color.





13. Silhouette Dish Towels by Cottage and Vine
Here you go people... something so cute and personalized and so easy to make. She shows you exactly how to get whatever image you want as a stencil and then how to make the towels. Def. another gift idea;.....











14. Scrapbooking Paper Canvas by Jessica's Musings
This is another simple project that you can control the color scheme, is so beautiful and it's so easy that a caveman can do it. She uses ModPodge to seal which I have heard can be expensive so Clever Nest has a Homemade Version which compares her recipe to regular ModPodge and gives pros and cons.











15. Painted Cork-Tile Pinboard by The Happy Home
I love this idea because you can always find those mini corkboards for less than a dollar at most craft stores or walmart and I never would have thought of a cute use for them. This DIY paint trick is so pretty and now you have a use for those cheap boards and a nice way to display kid's artwork.

Strangers insulting my child....mother trucker....

If you visit this blog to get your daily dose of literary genius( ha!) you may want to go somewhere else for a few moments because this is not a real post, it's basically me just ranting. Here goes:

MY CHILD IS A FRIGGEN GIRL!

She is in a PINK carseat, there are PINK toys hanging from the bar, there is a DOLL in a DRESS on the bar, she has a zebra print hat on,  she is wearing a PINK onesie, she is sucking on a PINK pacifier, she is in a PINK carseat with a PINK blanket on her.

Why would you feel the need to say " oh what a handsome boy"  or " he looks just like daddy". You make me want to hit you. NO parent wants to hear you say that their daughter is handsome. If you can't take a hint from all the pink clues then for the love of God just say " oh what a precious baby". There, that isn't hard.Good Lord! This is our conversation with a waitress at IHOP:

Waitress: " Oh look at that handsome boy."
Me: " Yes, She sure is beautiful" ( speaking very nicely)
Waitress: " How old is he?"
Me: " She is 5 months" ( slightly less nice)
Waitress: " He is so well behaved"
Me:  " Yep..we got lucky with her" ( strained)
Waitress: " What's his name?"
Me: Staring at her
Hubbs: "She's a baby girl, a female baby...girl."
Waitress: " Oh....."

 

 Excuse me while I go bang my head on the wall for a few moments.

I have no business being in a Belk store

I received a gift card during Christmas for Belk and I was so excited to finally get to use it. Hubby, munchkin and I set out yesterday for the mall and made a bee line straight for Belk. Have you been inside a Belk store lately? The cheapest shirt that I could find ( on clearance PLUS an extra 40% off ) would have eaten up the whole card. I was flabbergasted ( totally DID spell that one right the first time). There was no way that I was spending a whole forty dollars on one single shirt. To some people that may seem like a great deal, but not this girl. I usually shop at Marshals, TJMAXX, Catos or Walmart. I couldn't even begin to fathom spending a whole 45 dollar gift card on one shirt.

We walked around giggling like little kids over the prices in this store. The clothes were very chic but WAY too pricy. I'm getting spit up on me...not walking the runway. I like to look fashionable but I can get designer clothes cheaper at discount stores why would I pay these ridiculous prices? Eventually I gave up with the clothes and decided to look elsewhere. My first stop was the Clinique counter, where I was quickly informed that a small face regiment was $ 60.00, but and I quote " It wont last you long so you might as well get our large set for only $ 90.00"...ok...thanks...and promptly walked away. I decided to go to their purses section and look at wallets. Surely there was a new wallet that I could find. My eyes landed on a sleek looking lime green one and I was getting a little excited when I saw a Clearance tag on the display. I flipped over the wallet and the price was $178.00 I literally gasped the words " holy crap" and hubby then said " put it carefully down.". That was when we left the store. 

I mean c'mon...we're in a recession people! Who can afford those prices? I definitely felt out of place, and I could almost see the salesladies snickering at us when we walked out, but you know what I'm ok with that. I will never own a shirt that I paid more than fifteen bucks for nor a pair of pants more than twenty-five bucks...it's just not going to happen, designer or not. So I still have the card, maybe my relative was trying to class up my wardrobe I don't know. The truth is you can't take a cheap girl, put her in an expensive clothes store...even with free money and expect her to spend a lot of cash...it just doesn't happen. Oh well, I plan on looking online and seeing if they have anything there I can stomach spending the card on maybe half of a pant leg or something.....

Musings of My Mountain Man

Here's a fun fact about me: I married a country boy. He isn't redneck...he can mingle with the best of 'em if he chooses to and he is a lot smarter than what you might think based on his beard, but he is definitely rooted in country soil. He hates electronics or social sites, he craves being outside and working with his hands. He loves hunting, fishing and camping. He is an awesome, wonderful guy, but there are some things he says that just make me shake my head. Without further ado here are" The Musings of My Mountain Man"

1. Guys can't cry. Not unless it has something to do with their daughters, the military or Old Yeller. period. I don't care if you get shot....you are not allowed to cry.


 2. If you don't pee outside at least once a day, you're not living right.



3. A shower is the only time that it is acceptable to not have a pocket knife on your person.


4. There's "Preptober" where halfway through the month you quit worrying about shaving for " No Shave November" which is pretty self-explanatory. Then comes " Decembeard" and "Manuary". "Manuary" finally leads up to "Februhairy"
Me: " So...then you shave?"
Him: " No."
Me: ?


5. Always carry an Ax in your truck



6. You can put a RoseArt crayon on a piece of paper, and press down in a line and there will be gaps! Gaps! THAT'S why I never won any coloring contests.

 

7. She's about ten pounds of crazy in a five pound sack.

Pictures Credit  HERE this girl is flippin' talented!

My February Live Your Best Life Challenge Goals

Well everyone if you read my Cosmo Post you know that I prefer magazines more attuned to my needs. What I like to think are the average woman's needs ( God let me be normal). Magazines that help make your day a little brighter, uplift you, make you laugh and teach you something actually useful. I received my Oprah magazine and started reading through it while Hubbs was giving me some " Mommy Time ".

There I was with my coffee by my bedside table at 9:00 at night ( I can't be the only one who does this) and my laptop near me with my O mag in my lap. I never thought I would like it because honestly I wasn't that much of a fan when it came to her show, but as a person she is AWESOME and her magazine delivers people. Seriously. While reading I came across a little thing she is doing with Daily Feats called the " Live Your Best Life Challenge".

 It is where you log onto Oprah.com/LYBL sign up, and take the challenge. Basically you look through badges and find ones that you want to start doing more of. Things that you want to start incorporating into your life. They range from money management to simply breathing in deeply or talking to your neighbor. You add these goals to your list and you create a plan on how your going to incorporate them into your day to day routine. When you "check in" and click that you did it for that day you receive points which can be earned for discounts, B1G1 coupons, and gift cards.These are mine :

1. Daily Reading
I read a lot, but I have been a little dissapointed in myself with how little I read my bible. I don't really know why, it usually makes me feel encouraged and hopeful but for some reason I just always seem to forget to take the time to read it. So my routine will be to read a page or two every time I lay munchkin down for the night so I know I can totally focus.

2. Deep Breath
This one is something that sounds so simple, but think about it: how many times a day do you just take a moment to close your eyes and breathe in and then out? Just taking a small moment to breathe I think makes your mind instantly clearer and calmer. My routine will be that every time I put munchkin down for a nap I will take two long deep breaths in and out.

3. Destress
This one is so basic and so tricky. I usually don't realize I'm under stress until I'm beyond stressed. A few little things will happen and I'll think no biggie, but then before I know it Hubbs will find me with a margarita in one hand and scrubbing the dishes in my sink like they owe me money with the other. Then of course answer with " nothing. I'm fine" yea...ok. My routine is to try and stop it before it gets to that point. When something stressful happens no matter how big or small I will write it down physically on paper and look at it. Then I will doodle on that page and answer these questions: Can I control it? Can I help it? How does it affect me? Will it matter in ten years? I think that will put things into perspective and help me cope with stress a little better...it wont hurt to try.

4. Confidence
I think most people can relate to this. I have moments, but I do not consider myself confident and I want that to change because I have a daughter and I want her to be confident and the only way she will learn to love herself and exude confidence is through me. My routine is that everytime I glance at a mirror I will pay myself a genuine compliment and actually truly believe it.

5. Workout At Home
Ok let's be real...I'm not going to a gym, I'm not going to workout to an exercise video in the few moments I get to myself when the baby is asleep. What I will do however is a small walk once a day and my new challenge routine: I will do 20 sets of whatever exercise move I choose whenever I get done feeding munchkin. I might do 20 pushups, lunges, sit-ups, etc...whatever strikes my fancy in that moment.

6.Purejoy
Lately I have felt myself becoming more and more serious as the weeks go on. Sure I laugh and smile but I think sometimes I get so caught up in taking care of the baby and worrying over things that need to get done that I don't appreciate how wonderful and full of happiness my life already is. So my routine will be that I will shake my booty like Luke Bryan himself asked me to do it and let myself be goofy and silly for at least one song halfway through my day. Maybe right before lunch so I don't feel guilt about eating two bowls of Lucky Charms....

7.Yoga
The only type of Yoga I have ever done was the P90X version and it wasn't really geared towards relaxing, but I know that yoga can be. There is something beautiful in waking up before the house is crazy and taking time to relax and get myself centered. My routine will be doing 20 minutes of Yoga when I get up in the morning. I really like this website with TONS of free videos you can cater to your level and time that you have to work out.

There it is. My January list of things to better my life. I don't really consider these resolutions because I think resolutions are more negative and you feel horrible when you break them or slip. This is more uplifting and encouraging plus you get rewards for helping yourself! Anyway, I thought I would share my goals and spread the word on this awesome challenge. Let me know what your goals are if you choose to do this!!!!

Drum Roll Please.....

There it is ladies and gents...my new pallet coat rack. Hubby came through on this one and I have to say that I am happily impressed. He made it, and I painted it then we scuffed the crap out of it together (romantic, I know). I heard a tip that said sanding was the best way to go when it came to distressing furniture but it didn't work for me. I was hunched over scrubbing this thing with the sandpaper back and forth like some sort of deranged person and it never made a hint of change.What I did find that worked was his metal brush that he uses to clean the grill...well....did use to clean the grill. Hubby also found a stick and started scuffing a few places on it. 

So there we were, on our porch...hubby with a stick in his hands hitting the coat rack and me right behind him with the metal brush just scrubbing away. I'm sure this creeped out the neighbors a bit, but then I remembered the Death Wreath and I figured who am I kidding these people think we're deranged already. We have dead things displayed on our door, we beat furniture with sticks like cavemen, and our dogs randomly bring shoes and toys into our yard that we didn't buy so I'm fairly certain they take them from people like a furry little gang...our reputation is beyond repair.

Anyways, back to the coat rack. We got it up and I love it. The pictures don't show how well it pulls the room together. It has a good distressed look going and I added a few things to fit into our beach theme. I'm happy it's up and that it fits in with everything really well. My living room is red and I adore it by the way. I have a red/brown/dark tan/white/black theme going on and I think it makes the whole room warm and cozy. Well, one project done about ninety zillion more to go. Hope your 2013 projects are coming along! 

Real Housewives Dreams & Baby Initiation

Everyone said it would happen. They all warned me and I just didn't listen. I'll be honest, I just never thought it would happen to me. It started out as such a lovely day. I had a weird dream about Kim Zolciak from the Real Housewives of Atlanta.

She apparently had invited me to a pool party. I was really uncomfortable and wanted to leave, but her daughters were there and begging me to stay. I felt really bad for them and I told them they could visit me whenever they wanted which did seem to placate them. I was getting an awesome tan and I remember thinking heck yea a tan in winter! Then Kroy came out and they started having an argument and I was trying to get out the pool really quiet and then KJ started crying so  I was like "It's cool..I'll get him, ya'll carry on". Then I felt bad all over again for the poor kid so I offered to take all of the kids home with me and then I woke up before I found out her response.

It was strange and sort of awesome to be near a D list reality star...even if it was only in my subconscious. I don't allow drama in my life so watching all the housewives shows are my sources of small drama that doesn't concern me or my family in the slightest which really is the best kind of drama. So I'm really doing my family a favor but just watching it and not ever being involved in any...at least that's what I tell them.

So there I was, weird but cool dream and a great day. Then the evening came and I decided to play with munchkin. I was picking her up, holding her, and rolling around the bed with her. We were having so much fun. I decided to lay on my back and hold her up over me bringing her out and then in towards my face. She was laughing, I was laughing then I held her above me again and she spit up. In. My. Mouth. Which was completely open by the way. We also have her on soy formula. Let that soak in for a minute

Have you ever just been around a baby who gives off a soy burp? It's enough to knock you out. Now imagine that same vileness being spit up from above you and land directly into your open mouth below. I did not vomit, but I did gag and washed my mouth out about four times. Every one warned me... they all told me not to, but I didn't listen. I didn't ever think my sweet little baby girl would spit up in my mouth like a screwed up, backward, feeding mother bird. I thought about not sharing this golden little nugget, but there are already enough websites out there glamorizing motherhood and ya know what...it's not that glamorous. Don't let Heidi Klum convince you otherwise! I will admit that there are some days that are sunshine and giggles, but the others are spit up in your mouth...that's just how it is. Now excuse me while I go call my mom and get a good dose of " I told you so".

Bacon Wrapped Pepperoncini Pepper and Steak Kabobs

I know we haven't known each other long, but I feel that I can be honest with you guys...I don't really like bacon. I know, I know....unheard of...but it's true. I will eat it in the morning if it's REALLY crispy and even then only a few pieces. I don't really like to cook with it or add any to meals. I do however....LOVE these kabobs. I was skeptical, but once I tasted them I ate all my kabob stick and some of Hubby's too! Seriously...it is that good. The Pepperoncini peppers are not hot, they're more of a spicy-ish, sweet-ish flavor ( I know...it's like listening to bobby flay himself with all these technical terms) and we marinade the steak at least two days in advance and once you grill and char it to perfection the result is pure heaven! So here it is, just do yourself a favor on this one and make these soon. 

* Thin Strips of Steak( or fatter steaks cut up into thin strips whatever works for you)

* Pepperoncini Peppers ( one jar or two depends on how many you want to make)

* Bacon ( we buy whatever is cheapest, and thin NO thick cuts)

* Kabob sticks

First you want to start out with the marinade. We usually get the marinade together in a zip-lock, throw in our steaks and let it sit in the fridge at least a day in advance, usually two. The following is a list of things that we put into our marinade. We never really measure we just taste as we go, but this is everything we add and "basically" how much of it we add, but like I said if you like more of something add it, just taste as you go...you can't go wrong. 

1 Cup Dale's Steak Seasoning              2 Tbs. McCormick Grill mates Montreal Steak

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar                           1 tsp. of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

3 Tbs. Soy Sauce                                  1/2  tsp. of  Garlic Powder    

3 Tbs. Worchestire Sauce                     Pinch of Salt       

After the steak has been marinating for a day or so you line up them up with the peppers,bacon and kabob sticks then get ready to assemble. Cut the bacon strips in half (one whole strip of bacon is WAY too big). First take the steak and wrap it around the pepper, then wrap the 1/2 strip of bacon around that. Hold it all together and skewer it with the kabob sticks and repeat until the steak runs out. After you get the kabobs assembled you're ready to grill. When grilling, start them out on the top rack or away from the hottest part of the grill. The steak will cook slower than the bacon so slower cooking is best, but right before you take them off put them on some direct flames and let the bacon get a few places of char on it. Be sure to spoon the leftover marinade onto the kabobs while you're grilling them. This started as a ballgame favorite and now it's a must have dinner meal at least once a week, we LOVE this stuff!! It takes a while to explain but this is SO easy and delicious I promise you're gonna love it!!!!!

Why Cosmopolitan magazine is NOT for new moms

I was talking to a friend of mine and happened to mention that while Hubby was at the grocery store picking up a loaf of french bread for supper he grabbed a Cosmopolitan magazine for me. I had smiled and said thanks, but honestly...I haven't read a Cosmo in years they just don't appeal to me anymore.If I pick one up for myself it's going to be OK, Oprah, Women's World or All You. I'm more into DIY decorating and cheap healthy ideas. She had began to laugh and we talked about how different things were after you get a little older and have kids. When you're seventeen and eighteen life is all about Cosmo and Vogue, it's daring and hot. When you get older you're daring yourself to stay up past eleven and you're hot from entertaining and chasing around your kids all day. We were cracking up at some of the titles and headlines on their magazine and website and I quote:

 1. What your Hooha is trying to tell you.
Yay! Congrats on the baby...man we really did a good job there! I'm going to reward you with like twelve weeks of seriously bad bleeding and cramps, how does that sound? Great! 
 2. Why Some Men Cheat
They're assholes. boom. I just saved you like six bucks.
3. Texts that Make Him Eager to Come Home Tonight
Dude, pizza is ordered and a new episode of Duck Dynasty comes on tonight.
4. Celeb Bikinis on Parade
Actually I already got my daily dose of feeling crappy about myself today thanks.
5. Brown-Eyed Men Are More Trustworthy?
Yeah...ok and blonde haired guys are more likely to make excellent chicken carbonara. 
6. Sexy Hairstyles to Rock on Rainy Days
Most days I'm lucky if I get a shower and brush my teeth before noon and let's be honest here the only thing I'm rockin' on rainy days is my snuggy.
7. Why You Should Drink More
Ok...I'm listening......
8.Seven Things You Don't Know About Your Man
HA! Look I have seen this man in situations that might make nurses blush, and he is the same way with me. More conversations then I'd like to admit begin with " Hey...will you look at this spot here...."  trust me on this one...we know all there is to know whether we want to or not.
9. What He Really Thinks About Your Lingerie
Wow the hue of those sweatpants really sets off the color of her eyes.
10. Would You Do Him Outside?
Good Lord! Really!?! Have you not heard of sunburns? Or maybe the fact that it's winter and we all know that when it comes to mommy and daddy time cold weather is NOT working in our man's favor. 

Now if new mommies ran the mag.:
( p.s. I would have a year's subscription before you could say mommy needs a vacation, can I get an AMEN!)