Category: Blogging

general blog fodder, blog talk, admin related posts

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Love me… Want me… Pick me!

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I’ve done some house cleaning.

No…not that kind of house cleaning. I didn’t do any of that today. I was a lazy girl, sitting on the couch with a numb hiney. I only spent the better part of ALL DAY looking, searching, cussing, and fussing on my blog.  NINE HOURS. That’s not too long is it?

Jon has been an angel about helping get it just the way I wanted it to look. He is sweet like that. Did I mention patient?? Whoooboy that man is patient.

Anyway…this is what I have come up with.  (see above)  I modified it from another template and tweaked it here and spanked it there to suit my ever-changing moods (which include bouts of anger and frustration at inanimate objects and people under the age of 7 who dare to ask for lunch) . Seems like it’ll do for a while…until my tastes needs change again. Might not happen until WordPress comes up with some more  artsy 3 column templates I can live with that doesn’t look like crap.

For those of you who followed my link from Facebook…WELCOME! and THANK YOU!! and you really do like to click every link you see, huh?  Let me know what you think…cuz I’m needy like that and you’re nice.

Go on…you know you want to!

DO IT ALREADY!

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This is right up my alley!!

I was running around the internet this morning when I happened upon a Goodwill party over at Thrifty Decor Chick. I have never done a carnival before, so I am not sure I am doing this right, but I’ll give it the ‘ol college try!

Those of you who know me well, know I love to shop. I am an equal opportunity shopper. I love big box store, little shops, flea markets, second hand shops, and antique stores! Today I want to share with you what I think is the best bargain I have ever found at a second hand store and the story behind it.

I was feeling inspired by all the dollar store decor ideas I was reading on the web. Sometimes when you get inspired, you just have to get up and go do something about it that very minute. Such was the case about a month ago when after reading about Dollar Store birds, I made a “wish” list of things I wanted to find either at the Dollar Store or thrift stores and headed out in search of cheap treasure! I didn’t have any luck at our local Dollar Tree where I like to do a “little” shopping here and there ( you know I am totally lying right?) so I headed over to a local Thrift Shop that happened to be the very same place I found two crystal lamps for $2.48 each that have graced my nightstands for about 7 years.

While I was walking around looking for any kind of single bird to spray paint and add to my home decor, I spied a lovely blue wing back chair. I walked back and forth trying to get a good look at it. My only obstacle was not the price or condition, but a woman sitting in it talking on her cell phone! I didn’t want to be rude and ask her to “move it lady, I want to look at that chair!”, so I tried to act casual. You know, glancing back and forth, lingering around it to get a feel for the best time to approach said bargain. Instead I probably looked like I was stalking her. Creepy image I know.

During one pass by, I noticed the price tag on the chair. It said, “1818”.  I wasn’t sure what that meant, but after using logic and questioning one of the workers there, she confirmed my suspicion that indeed the chair was $18.18!  I felt a flood of adrenalin.  I’m sure I’m not the only shopper who gets that heart thumping feeling when she comes upon a truly awesome deal? I got brave and asked the lady if she was buying the chair. She said she wasn’t and got up so I could look at it. I didn’t need to pour over it to know that it was in excellent condition with no stains or rips. It was a solid chair with no issues. So what did I do?

I bought it of course!! I immediately said, “I’LL TAKE IT”  and started pushing it down the aisle toward the register. I knew it was time to high tail it out of there before someone figures out what a find I had!

I paid for it and carried it out to the parking lot. I opened the car door and wham! I couldn’t get it in my car. I suspected I might have a teensy problem with getting it to fit. I was determined though to shove that sucker in there if it was the last thing I did!

No success except for a little bead of sweat on my brow.

A mini-van pulled up behind my car. A lady rolled her window down and offered to help me. She offered to take my chair home for me! A stranger. Someone who I had never seen before in my life. An angel!  I was taken aback.  I didn’t know what to think. She explained that she was on her way home and saw me struggling to get the chair in my car. She said, “I just wanted to do something nice for you and I hope someday when I am trying to shove a chair in my car, a stranger will offer to help me out too!”
She  hoped I would accept her offer. I hesitated at first and offered to call my husband with our mini-van to come and rescue me. She promised she wasn’t a weirdo who steals chairs from women in thrift store parking lots and gave me her name and cell phone number. I kind of had no choice but to call Jon and wait for him after he picked the boys up from school, so I accepted her help.  I did tell her that if she tried to make off with my chair, she wouldn’t get very far with it because I have the cushion. Teehee.

She made it to my house minutes after I did and carried to to the curb for me. I was super appreciative for the kindness of strangers and their willingness to enable my thifting habit. It was a great shopping day! Yay for the kindness of strangers!

So…after all that, do you still want to see the chair??!! If I were you, I would be thinking by this point in the long winded story, it should be gold encrusted and studded with jewels. Nope, just a blue 18 dollar wing back.

But it’s mine!

wingback-chair

And that’s my Goodwill Party contribution! I have more…you know I do! But I will have to take pictures. Until then, Happy “Goodwill” hunting! *snort*

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Dear Flabby,

See I have this friend.

She is a great person. She listens patiently, has a special way of asking how you are and really meaning it (which sometimes that makes me burst into tears), and always ALWAYS comments on my blog posts.

But I’ve let her down.

How do I say I’m sorry to the one person who has never let my blog down? Who is always there to cheer me on when I am down, who calls me to see how I am doing when I don’t keep in touch, and who sets such a real life Godly example of how to be a woman and Mom?

Do I send a card? Flowers? Shoes or jewelry?? Please help!

Signed,
Blog Blunder Betty

Dear Blunder,

You really can’t aplogize enough for the hurt and pain you have caused your friend. If you were really her friend, you would have sent a fruit basket with two plane tickets to Aruba or a backpacking trip thru the Ozark Mountains or something! You should be ashamed of yourself. You call yourself a blogger. You call yourself a friend!

Go pack your blogging bag and get the heck outta here. Go on!  Shoooo…

Signed,
Flabby

Dear Flabby,

That was really mean. I am a good friend. I am a better friend than I am blogger, I’ll grant you that, but really? Pack my blog bag? What kind of advice columnist are you? I know what I’ll do. Thanks for nothing!

Signed,
Blogger Flogged Betty

Dear Debbi,

I’m sorry for not including you in my last blog post. It was wrong. You read my blog also. Also, you comment regularly and I always look forward to what you have to say. Let’s make each other a deal: You blog more and I will too? What do you say?

Love ya,

Angie (aka Blog Blunder Betty- I couldn’t think of anything that ryhmed with Angie)

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For all you do. This post’s for you.

So my Sister thinks I owe her a blog post. *sigh* OK…she’s right. I do owe a blog post.

It’s been 2 weeks since my last post. Forgive me internet for I have sinned. I’ve ignored you. I’ve had hateful thoughts about you. I read other blogs and not left comments. I’ve been cheating on you with my iPhone. Please forgive me. I beg you. I’ll do 3 memes and a IQ survey as penance. Amen.

In the fashion of Amalah, I would like to do some updating for y’all, although I’m thinking I’m a lot wordier than she it. Not by much.
I quit my job. I haven’t mentioned it here, because most of my readers know about my Dad’s cancer already. 2 weeks ago he was diagnosed with stage IV squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer. We are all praying for a miracle that he’ll make a full recovery. In the mean time, Jon and I both agreed that now was the right time to open my schedule and be fully available for him whenever he needs me I need him. The time we can spend together is more precious to me than all the money in the world and nothing can replace our relationship, so the decision was easy. My last day is the 20th.

—

Michael Jon and Dan had their open house last Thursday. That happened to be on the same night as Brenna’s Schoolhouse Live concert and Jon’s movie night.  Needless to say, we spent a lot of time planning and re-hashing who would take who where and who was staying home and who would save seats and who would charge the camera and who would tell us sumpin’ a million frillion times like, “Is it time to go yet?!”.

Michael Jon Cowboy Mike did a great job showing us all his artwork. They can be seen on Facebook for those on there and for those who aren’t, sorry. We’ll work on that soon. I promise! Brenna was the star of the show (well in our eyes at least! they all did a great job portraying the schoolhouse rock characters we all know and love- it makes me want to go out and get the DVD’s again and watch every last one, especially during homework challenges!) and although she was nervous, she remembered every line and every note! She did a fabulous job! Way to go Bree!
Dan showed us his desk and his workbooks. We unfortunately had to take a very VERY short tour of the school. So short it took us 25 min total to walk across the park, around the school, back around to the very back of the school where the Kindergarten section was (MJ’s class HAS to be the very last one, huh?) and look around, take pictures, talk to his teacher, gather all his art and papers, walk back to Dan’s class, look at his stuff, talk to his teacher, be reminded Dan needs his glasses because he really can’t see, one last check at the lost and found, and then walk back across the park to the car. I’m tired just typing that! Did I mention we did all that walking in the 38 degree rainy weather? Um..yeah. Brrr. Got my excersise in for the day, that’s for sure! We made it to Brenna’s school on time and found great seats before the concert. From then on, it went really smooth. Until….

We were walking out of the parking lot and I tripped over a parking curb. Did you know they were called parking curbs? I didn’t. Now I DO! It’s not the first time I fallen because I’ve not paid attention to them, by the way. I was holding MJ’s hand so he got pulled down with me. Poor baby.
I tried to catch myself, but I’m sort of top heavy and have big feet, which in this case is a deadly combination. I kept falling forward and the only way to stop it was to just give in and land. Hard. On the ground. With a skid and a thud. You would think with the round belly I have it would cushion the fall like a beach ball bouncing effect, but no. My hands went out to brace the fall but before they got there, my left knee decided to get involved and be the hero. The right knee in a vain attempt to save the day went down too.
So there I lay, on the ground, in the parking lot, in the rain, face down, and stunned.

(Good dramatic image huh?)

My first thought was, “Oh no. Oh no.” My first words were, “Shit. Not again!” (whispered of course) Then my second words were, “Why do I always do this!?!” Jon and the kids were asking me if I was OK and I just sat there, trying to figure out if I could actually get up or not. If this was really time time I broke my knee or injured myself beyond what my body could take. Nope. I was OK. Whew!
I got up, hobbled back to the car, turned on the headlights and surveyed the damage in the rainy light. Bloody left knee; check. Bloody right knee; check. Scraped left and right palms; check. Ego damaged; check.
Pain and swelling; check. Kiss goodbye from Jon as he heads to the movies: check. The only thing left to do was get some dinner. We went to Burber King. I almost drove away without my credit card. Good times.

—

The kids have spring break next week. Lord help us all.

—

I spent all of Friday, literally all of Friday in bed watching movies and nursing my knee injuries. My whole body is sore and screaming at me with every move. I guess when you are falling, you tense every muscle in your body preparing for the impact. If it wasn’t so painful, I would fall all the time to work them out.

—

I’m putting off making my grocery list and menu because it’s cold outside and I want to stay in bed again today and watch movies and play on my computer. Is that so wrong? Ok…well it does seem a little depressive, but the lights are on and I’m not ignoring anyone’s needs. I made sure that Jon went and got lunch and delivered it to me in bed. See? Perfectly NOT depressive. Besides, I started on that new medicine and it is supposed to be helping. Except for the blank feeling, the sweating, and dizziness I’m good! Or at least I will be in another couple of weeks or so. Maybe.

—

I’m planning on going to see my Dad the week after next. If I can get my shit together long enough to make the reservations and buy a ticket, or decide if I am going to drive up there by myself. My Aunts and Sister will be there to visit as well, so it should be a good time visiting and catching up. I think I’ll drive. It would be cheaper and I’ll have more room for my stuff, like pillows and laptops and stuff. Yeah….driving. Just me and my tunes. Tunes….I need more muzak.

—

<racking brain for more updates I might have forgotten>

—

Um….that’s all I can think of for now. Until next week. or the week after. adieu.

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Not sure my life is so interesting…

I mean really. Who wants to hear about my back hurting? This subject gets old after a while. Seriously. Old.

Work is well…work. It’s been quite busy and somewhat stressful, but bearable.

With all the busyness at work, I sure have missed the daily going-on’s at home. I scheduled a Scentsy wick-less candle party which gave me an opportunity to really get the house in order. Oh sure, it’s not perfect. Those who know me best know what a miracle it is that I actually dusted. If I wasn’t so darn busy the week before my parents and sister came to visit, I would have dusted for them!! 😉 The party was a success. I had 7 girlfriends come and visit for a while and smell some good and not so good candle smells. I mean really? Eucalyptus? I think that should be left for the great outdoors!

Moving on…

Let’s see…what’s next on my agenda?? I would really LOVE to paint the kitchen and move some more stuff around the house. Ya, know…tweak it a little. Make it even cuter than it already is! I need to pull out the sewing machine and make some pillows for the couch and add some cute fabric to the kitchen curtains. I see some furniture painting in my future too. I think my dresser needs a new coat of black paint to jazz it up. Jazz it up? Who still uses that word? Hah, I guess I do!

This week I’m looking forward to a couple of things. American Idol night with my gals, LOST, and grocery shopping. Grocery shopping?? Yeah, cuz then I can actually do something other than work and sleep!! Plus, I need new yoga pants, Dan needs new glasses, and Jon needs new jeans. Shopping and me don’t get along very well anymore because I apparently become laid up after a few hours of standing or walking, but if some things just have to be done, I guess I’ll do it. <insert sarcasalism here>

Sorry Mom it’s take me so long to post something. I know you still come here everyday looking for some nugget of fun from your daughter! I will try harder to post more often. Not sure if you saw the flowers I bought for the party on Facebook, so here’s another look.


So pretty! These flowers make me happy. I think everyone should buy themselves flowers or whatever it is that makes them happy. It’s the little things in life people.

Have a great week!

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Today is a new day…

I feel better today than I did yesterday, so that’s something to be happy about. My wise husband made me take some Advil and after a yummy dinner of egg sandwiches and biscuits and gravy, I felt a whole lot better. I guess I should listen to my husband more often. Shhh..don’t tell him that though!

Tonight is Ladies Night Out. We aren’t meeting for dinner at a restaurant like we normally do. Instead we are going to meet at a local church for a “Cents-sible Celebrations” and dinner. This speaker will show us ways to get ready for the holidays without spending too much money or time. The tag line was “Get us thinking INSIDE the box for the Holidays”.  I’m looking forward to seeing what ideas she throws out because I tend to do the opposite during the holidays by thinking outside the box as far as menu’s and decorations, all at the expense of my sanity and bank account. I have a lot of neat stuff tucked away, I hope they come up with creative ways to use what we might already have in our homes for the upcoming holidays.
Speaking of holidays. I vow to put up my Fall decorations this year and not let another year go by with those pretty decorations sitting in my closet collecting dust. It’s my promise to myself to pull out the things that make me smile and bring out those warm touches that usher in Fall and make me feel cozy inside.
Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler…70 degrees! Can you believe it?? Here in Texas, we get so excited when the temperature falls below 75! That means Fall is here and soon after Winter!! And no more mosquitoes and sweaters and hot chocolate (like this one! OMG I’m in love!!) and fuzzy warm socks!! Can you tell I love Fall?? In fact, I think I’ll go put my Fall door bucket up right now!!

I might even post a picture or two after I’m done! Stay tuned…

**edited**

Here are some pictures of what I did on the front porch. I didn’t take a full shot because I have to find a place for all the crap the kids leave at the step, so I didn’t want to show you that part. Isn’t it pretty??

Happy Fall Y’all!!

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CSS code is for nerds…so glad I have one of those!

What do you think about my new look?? I needed to change things up because my WordPress software was waaay out of date. Funny thing about changing the look of your blog, it can be very frustrating! Well that’s not so much funny, but unless you know how to write code and have an expensive photo editing program, you are pretty much at the mercy of the internet and their free wordpress themes and templates. I searched far and wide for a SweetBippy worthy template. I like this one because it has an iPhone in it, which I have, it has a desk look that is worn and fun at the same time and I like the paperclip and taped paper. I was going for a scrapbook page sort of look, but like I said before, unless I design it, I gotta pay for it!

I do wish it had a third column so I could put more widgets, but I only have what I have and I’ll just have to make do. I would like to put another tab at the top and do a weekly, if not daily “What’s on the menu” type feature. I made my list of things I wanted to cook in the immediate future and last night I crossed one off my list. I made the Creamy Carrot Soup and ended up substituting a few ingredients because I didn’t have basil on hand. I used fresh dill that I got last week. I also love the sweet/salty thing, so I sprinkled Feta cheese crumbles all over the top. So fabulous! I ate both big cups of soup! By myself. I won’t think about how many calories were in the half and half I used! The rest was healthy, so I’m going to just go with that! I could try using plain yogurt next time. I’m thinking that it will taste slightly more tangy and less mouth round fullness because it won’t have that fat in it. I love me some fat!

Anyway, now that I totally went off on another tangent, I will just say, I love my new look…hope you do to! Look for more cool things to come now that I’m all updating and wordpress likes me again.

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Sorting is for chumps.

Not really. It can be fun if you know how to do it right. You know, with the 80’s music playing in the background while you do the 27,000 fling boogie?
We have done two rooms and will work on 2 more tomorrow. I won’t say which rooms just yet. I’ll reveal that when I put the after pictures up. I also won’t show you the before pictures because well, I didn’t take any so I leave you with this. Draw what ever conclusion you wish.  Isn’t Jon cute??

messy


Ok, so…how was your weekend?

Wow….sorry…it seems like I am not really explaining the whole sorting thing. Yeah well, for those that know me really well there needs no explanation because they already know what my organization/cleaning habits are and it would just be a moo point and I don’t like cows anymore. Mooo-ving on. Ahem.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLwYpSCrlHU[/youtube]

Ok, so I am sitting here trying to think of something to write. I got nuthin’. I’m too busy staring at the teevee while an episode of Psych is on. It’s such a cute show. Sean is so random and Gus is well….so Gus. Ha! Ok…still got nuthin’.

Oh wait! I got something. I was tooling around the internets and found a website called Bakerella and I want to make these. I didn’t even know what cake balls were until I read this. OMG! I so want to make these, whose with me?? I think I will try making some this week in my clean kitchen. I’ll be sure to eat them all because unfortunately my wonderful Mother In Law can’t have any wheat or dairy and I think cake balls with frosting might fall in either of those categories. It will be a struggle, but I think I might be able to overcome it…yeah right after I polish off that fudge I plan making too. But this time I think I’ll just put marshmallows in there and not walnuts, cuz the walnuts harshed my mallow dude. Get it? Mallow?? Hahaha…I slay me.

I think I may end up staying home with my sick oldest baby girl Lauren. She is feverish and has a nasty cough and sore throat. I might even be taking her to the pediatric after hours clinic too. Poor baaaaby!!

What are your plans for Sunday?? Church? A nap? I vote nap. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Chuggin’ along like an out of control freight train….

Is there no rest for the weary?? Me=weary. I still am not 100% recovered from my bronchitis. I go and see the Pulmonologist tomorrow for a much needed exam and baseline for my chronic respiratory issues. I am ready to do everything he asks me to do unlike 4 years ago when I stopped seeing him because I didn’t record my daily resp. stuff. I mean how dumb is that thinking, “I won’t go back because I didn’t do what he told me to do. I don’t want him to be mad at me.” At least now I am willing to do it, and if I don’t or miss some of it, I have the balls to be upfront with him about it.

Only 2 more weeks left of preschool. Lots of things to wrap up, decisions to make, and if I want to be there to make them. I am feeling very led to walk away and look for greener pastures, but not entirely ready to wash my hands of it. God and I have some sessions planned to talk things through. You would think he’d be booked and His co-pays expensive, but He always knows how to fit me in.

The kids are good. Lauren is working hard at school to wrap up some projects, Brenna is eagerly waiting for the Wax Museum Night for 5th Graders to be here, so she can show off her Belle Boyd character. She gets to wear a hoop style period dress and  everything. Danny can’t WAIT for his 9th birthday to get here. He is chomping at the bit. 9 years. I can’t believe how fast it has gone by. Michael Jon asks me everyday if he gets to Graduate yet and when he get to go to Kindergarten. He isn’t ready at all huh?

Jon the hard working bread winner, or is that the winner working hard bread, or working hard winning bread? I can never remember. Anywhoo..he’s still alive and he actually wants to come home every day. Go figure. He must love me.

Just a quick update on us all. More next week when my first born boy turns 9. Hasta!