Happy Halloween!

HaPpY HaLLowEeN

It's rainy here in the South, but the rain is supposed to clear out by late afternoon. I hope so. Trick or Treating in the rain would not be fun! We decided against going to Clemson, mainly because it's raining and we're broke :) I've spent most of my morning and afternoon keeping the house clean, and drawing on a Bree's doodle board...

BUT the thing I am most excited about today is the Ghost Hunters marathon on SyFy ALL DAY!!! I am super excited, because I am completely obsessed with this show. Yesterday I was stuck with a "Ghost Adventurers" marathon on the Travel Channel, and hated it! Ghost Hunters is way better. Haven't watched it? Then check it out today, all day, only on Syfy!

Have a sPoOktAcuLAr Night!

Staying In Tomorrow Night?

If I didn't have a two year old, who is going to LOVE trick or treating, I would probably be staying in the house for Halloween. I'd order a large pizza, and pull out all of the scary movies! If you are staying in on Halloween, and are looking for some good, "scary movies", I have compiled a list for you. I have yet to find a "scary movie" actually scare me, but the movies I have listed below, did kind of creep me out and are listed as my Top 12. Jot these down!

12. The Wicker Man
11. The Birds
10. Secret Window
09. Misery
08. The Sixth Sense
07. War of the Worlds
06. Pet Sematary
05. Final Destination
04. Poltergeist
03. The Mothman Prophesies
02. The Ring
01. The Shining

The Wicker Man was not scary, but very strange and definitely did not have a wonderful ending.
The Birds is only creepy if you are afraid of flying things, and if you're not afraid of flying things such as birds, you will be when you finish this one.
Secret Window is one of my top favorite movies of all time, as Johnny Depp is awesome in it! It's a Stephen King movie, so you do the math. It's kind of weird.
Misery is yet another Stephen King movie, and it'll make you hope that you never get picked up by an obsessed stalker.
The Sixth Sense is a pretty awesome movie. It's kind of strange, can be a teeny bit graphic, but altogether kind of creepy.
War of the Worlds kind of scares me. I'm not sure why, but the creepiness level is a 10 in this one.
Pet Sematary is another Stephen King movie. While the book is creepier, the movie is pretty creepy itself too. Final Destination is another one of my favorites, and the whole concept of the movie is creepy in and of itself. Poltergeist is a good movie too, a little strange, but I think I may have laughed more in this movie than actually feeling creeped out.
The Mothman Prophesies is just a strange, strange movie, but oh so good! It's definitely a must!
The Ring is super creepy, kind of scary, and really freakin' awesome! If you haven't seen it already, I'd definitely get it!
The Shining actually scared me. Not as scared as I could get, but it's pretty freaky, creepy, strange, weird, and scary. You have got to check it out!

If you haven't seen any of the movies above, make sure you rent them for tomorrow night! It'll be a suspenseful, creepy night! Happy Halloween everyone!

Last Minute DIY Halloween Costume Ideas...

If you are anything like me, you may be behind on getting some Halloween costumes together for your family and kids. Well, while watching The Today Show this morning, they had some great ideas for last minute, DIY, costume ideas. I was actually more fond of these ideas, than the silly, expensive ones you buy in the stores! Click the here to see what Today Show Style Editor, Bobbie Thomas suggests to help you out!

Long Night...

I had a little bit of a headache before I went to bed last night, so the hubby suggested I take an Excedrin. I didn't really want to take any medication, because I really just don't like to. Knowing that most headache medication has heavy amounts of caffeine in it, I asked him how much was in it. The Hubs says, "It's caffeine free." It didn't sound right to me when he said it, but I figured he had just seen it on the bottle. So, I complied and took ONE Excedrin. About 30 minutes later I felt this tiny explosion in my stomach, with severe nausea following after. I rolled around in bed for about an hour, very uncomfortable, not sure if I needed to throw up and completely jealous of the Hubs because had already fallen into a deep sleep. I finally got out of bed around 12:30, and went to the bathroom to see if I could make something happen. I got nothing. I decided I would go read the label on the Excedrin bottle. Once I realized I was very dizzy, my heart was racing pretty fast, and I felt a little light headed...I knew the Excedrin was to blame.

Here is what the Warning label read:
Reye's syndrome: Children and teenagers who have or are recovering from chicken pox or flu-like symptoms should not use this product. When using this product, if changes in behavior with nausea and vomiting occur, consult a doctor because these symptoms could be an early sign of Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious illness.

Allergy alert: Aspirin may cause a severe allergic reaction, which may include:
• hives • facial swelling • asthma (wheezing) • shock

Liver warning: This product contains acetaminophen. Severe liver damage may occur if you take:
• more than 8 tablets in 24 hours
• with other drugs containing acetaminophen
• 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using this product

Stomach bleeding warning: This product contains a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which may cause stomach bleeding. The chance is higher if you:
• are age 60 or older
• have had stomach ulcers or bleeding problems
• take a blood thinning (anticoagulant) or steroid drug
• take other drugs containing an NSAID (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or others)
• have 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using this product
• take more or for a longer time than directed

Caffeine warning: The recommended dose of this product contains about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. Limit the use of caffeine-containing medications, foods, or beverages while taking this product because too much caffeine may cause nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, and, occasionally, rapid heart beat.

Reading all of this made me wonder why in the world do we take stuff like this? I was on the internet at 1:30 this morning re-searching Reye's Syndrome and all the bad stuff that could be wrong with me! Had I started throwing up, I probably would have called a doctor, because my tummy was hurting that bad! Once I got up, came in the living room, and sat up for a while, my tummy eased off. I headed back to bed around 2:30 or 3:00 a.m. The Hubs had spread out completely across my bed, oblivious to everything that had been going on with me for the previous 4 hours. I crawled in the bed, closed my eyes, waited for my heart to stop racing, and finally went to sleep.

I still don't feel "right" this morning. I probably won't be worth much today. It's cloudy outside anyway. Perhaps I'll take a nap. I need to be well rested for tomorrow. We are going to Clemson for the first part of the day, and then brining Bree back home to go "trick or treating". I've been working with her on saying, "Trick or Treat" but I haven't had any luck. I think she can say it, she just won't to spite me. She's been doing that a lot lately; giving me a hard time just to be mean. Anyway, Bree is going to be a Clemson cheerleader for Halloween! It was an outfit she got for her 1st birthday, and she is just now able to wear it. It saved us money on buying her a costume this year, and she is super cute in it.

What are you dressing your kids/family up like?

I hope you all have a spooktacular weekend, and BE SAFE!. Try to not to eat a lot of candy. Remember that the average American Woman gains 10 to 15 pounds over the Holiday season, and it all begins with Halloween. Damn those "Fun Size" candy bars! :)



P.S I made a Facebook page for this blog, so if you want to go and "Be a Fan" click here & join!

Try This! Thursday - Pumpkin Nut Bread

Halloween is almost here, which means soon, you'll be guest and host to lots of Fall and Thanksgiving dinner parties! Over the last month, I have shared with you many recipe ideas for those moments when you need to make something for those dinners. You can find all of those recipes, here. If you are anything like me, you want to make something different. Something that will stand out. Something that will make everyone ask where in the world they can get that recipe!

Growing up, my Grandmother always made banana nut bread and I have always loved it. Each and every time I take a bite out of banana nut bread, I feel like I am eating it for the first time! That's why I got pretty excited when I found this Pumpkin Nut Bread recipe! Plus, it's really simple. Hardly any labor involved!! So, make sure you jot this one down. It'll be something to take for those Fall/Thanksgiving dinner parties!

Pumpkin Nut Bread


Ingredients
-1 Duncan Hines nut bread mix
-1 egg
-3/4 c. water
-1/2 c. canned pumpkin
-2 tsp. cinnamon
-3/4 tsp. nutmeg
-1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Directions
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour bottom only of a 9"x5" or 8"x4" loaf pan.
Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Stir with spoon about 60 strokes until all ingredients are moistened. Pour into prepared pan.

-Bake 45 to 55 minutes. Bread is done when toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

-Cool 15 minutes, remove from pan. Let bread cool completely before slicing or wrapping. Store wrapped bread in refrigerator. To freeze bread, cool for 3 hours, then wrap securely and keep in freezer for up to 3 months.

Note:For gift giving, bake 3 loaves, since 1 (16 oz.) can of pumpkin will yield 3 1/2 cups. If you do not choose to bake 3 loaves at once, the extra pumpkin can be pre-measured and frozen for later use.

You can find this recipe, along with others here.

Wordless Wednesday: I Take That As a Hint

Whenever the commercial for the Dance with Me Dora doll comes on Nick Jr. in the mornings, Bree shouts "Look!! Mama!!" I think that this is her first attempt at hinting. Perhaps she knows Christmas is near? Too bad the thing costs 50 bucks...



Picture found here along with product information

I'm Having Flash Backs...

Remember when I blogged about how Bree was potty training herself? If not, you can click here and read it.

Well, she's not potty training anymore. Bree is back tracking. I have heard from a lot of mothers that this is normal, but nonetheless, it is very aggravating. For about a week, she was doing so good when wearing her "big girl undies". She was going to the potty every time she needed to, and then all of the sudden, she stopped going. She stopped telling me that she need to potty. She just stopped everything.
BUT it's not just potty training that she has back tracked on though. Bree is obsessed with being naked, and has begun throwing her food on the floor when she's done with it. Both of these things she did quiet a bit, nearly a year ago. So...I'm kinda frustrated.

If this is, in fact, normal...how long will it last? Is there anything I can do, or should I just let it all play out? "Letting it play out" is a method I have always adapted and used with Bree. I think for a baby, that's kind of what you have to do. You can't force them into anything. When she was 16 months old, and not walking yet...I tried not to push too much, and then one day she just hopped up and started running! I made transitions from bottles to sippy cups easy, and from baby food to regular food easy. I only made those transitions when I knew she was ready. So, when she started going to the potty by herself, I was ecstatic. I didn't have to push, or force her into it. She just started on her own, which lets me know that she has the concept down. She knows when she has to potty. Why back track? Why stop doing what she knows is right and good? I rewarded her every time she went to the potty. I did a little pee pee dance, and made her feel super special for being a big girl.

What did I do wrong?

Let's Talk About S-E-X...

Disclaimer: Sex is not usually a topic I choose to blog about, so if you are a first time reader or the talk of sex makes you uncomfortable...I swear to you...that this will never happen again. You can still visit my blog every day :)

After spending an entire day chasing your kid(s) around, your bed has never looked more inviting. You can't wait to dive into the sheets, pull the blanket over your head and just sleep. As your head sinks into the pillow, and you close your eyes, you feel him turn towards you and immediately you realize that he is in the mood.

It's the last thing you want to do at the end of the day. Especially when you have spent your day cleaning crayon off the wall, mopping spilt milk up off the floor, picking countless amounts of toys up in every room of the house, cooking supper, cleaning up after both the kids & the hubby, and countless other amounts of work you have done in a day. Sleep just looks more appetizing than sex.

I have found a solution. Afternoon delight. If you can't manage "afternoon delight"...then try "late-afternoon-delight".

Why?

Because, if you get it done in the afternoon or when he comes home from work...then you can go to sleep at bed time and not have to worry about...it. This way, you're happy, he's happy...and you're both getting some sleep.

Coupon Savings Monday!

The coupons in the Sunday paper have more or less stunk over the past couple of weeks, but somehow this week I was able to do pretty well with what coupons I had. Bloom is still tripling coupons, and I hear that they will continue to do so until the end of the year. I hope they continue into 2010 too, because when you've got the coupons, you can get stuff nearly free (if not free) at Bloom. That's crazy!

Anyway, here is how I did this week...

Bloom
- Nestle Chocolate Milk: On sale 10/10$ = 1.00 for one
- V8 Splash: On sale 2/5$ + 1.00 off of two = 4.00 for two
- Sargento Shredded Cheese: On sale 2/4$ = 4.00 for two
- Betty Crocker Fruit Snakcs: On sale B1G1 + .50 off of two x 3 + .50 off of 2 x 3 = 2.56 for four
- Orbit Chewing Gum: On sale for .69 = 1.38 for two
Total: 12.94
Total Savings: 13.45

Publix
- Quaker Chewy Granola Bars: On Sale B1G1 + .75 off of two = 2..24 for two
- Cinammon Toast Crunch: On Sale B1G1 + 1.00 off two = 3.99 for two
- Pringles: On Sale 3/4$ + 1.00 off of 4 = 4.32 for four
- Scrubbing Bubbles: On sale 2/5$ = 2.50 for one
- Publix 1/2 & 1/2 : On sale for 1.69 = 1.69 for one
- Publix Evaporated Milk: On sale for .79 = .79 for one
- Excedrin Extra Strength: On sale B1G1 + .75 off of one = 2.75 for one
- Motts Applesauce: On sale B1G1 = .98 for one
- Pork Cubed Steak: 1.95
- Tombstone Pizza: On sale B1G1 = 2.90 for one
Total: 24.49
Total Savings: 21.54

Bilo
- Joy Dish Detergent: On sale for .88 + .30 off coupon x 4 = .56 for two
- Sargento Cheese Slices: 2.99
- Crystal Farms Shredded Cheese: On sale for 1.98 = 1.98 for one
- Southern Home Milk: 3.09
- Pictavegetable: On sale B1G1 = 1.14 for one
- Bananas: 2.01
Total:11.84
Total Savings: 3.50
(The milk & the sliced cheese threw me off, but no one had these two items on sale. That tacked on an extra 6 dollars to the total.)

Grand Total: 49.27
Grand Total Savings: 38.49

Had a Glimpse of Baby Fever...& Then Watched It Pass On By...

This morning I had the pleasure of attending my first cousin's (Jessica of The Richey's Three) baby shower. My Aunt Deborah (Jessica's Mom) had asked me to take pictures for the event, and of course I said yes! I love taking pictures, and I love nothing more than to take them for my family. I took pictures of family, and friends, but when it came time for her to open all of the gifts...I got kind of sentimental. I remember when I was Jessica. Sitting there, opening all of my gifts, trying to picture what my baby was going to look like in all of the new clothes and playing with the new toys. For a second, and I mean a second, I thought about how exciting it would be to have another baby.

It didn't take long for my brain to talk some sense into me.

I can't picture myself with more than one child, and I can't help but think how hard of a time I had delivering Bree. After two hours of pushing, the epidural not working (natural birth would be a piece of cake if the baby comes out when they're supposed to), my doc decided that I needed to have an emergency c-section. The problem was that Bree's head couldn't get pass my tailbone. There were two reasons for this issue. Number one, she was face up instead of face down. Number two, I had a really bad car accident four years ago, where I was rear ended by a Ford F150 going 55 miles per hour when he hit me. The doctors said they couldn't blame my tailbone being pushed forward on the car accident, but I know (judging from the constant pain I have in my lower back), that Eugene (the driver of the Ford F150) was the cause of my emergency c-section. Nevertheless, my Mom has assured me that the next time I have a baby (Ha!), a c-section will be scheduled, and I will be a-ok. Well, then, here is my other problem...when they gave me the spinal block, as routine when having a c-section, it moved up instead of down. Err go, the spinal block paralyzed me and my lungs, and I found out what true suffocation felt like. I don't care to experience that ever again. They had to knock me out, and I woke up four hours later. Everyone and their mother had already seen Bree, and me...I can't even remember the first time I held her.

I know that the chances of any of that happening again are slim, but it's still scary to think about.

I think Bree is doing pretty well being an only child. She isn't too spoiled, and definitely does not get her way. I'm pretty firm with her. Besides, I kind of want to prove a point. An only child doesn't ALWAYS have to be spoiled. I am told that the chances of me proving that point are very slim, but we'll see.

Anyway, here are some pictures of my beautiful cousin Jessica at her beautiful baby shower:

Someone Must Hit the Fast Foward Button...

Most weeks tend to creep by, but this past week seems to have sped by! I can't believe it's already Friday. Not that I am complaining...pay day was yesterday.

This past Tuesday, I had my Tupperware Party. There has probably been a lot of speculation as to how it went. I decided to wait to give an update today, because I really wasn't sure. I guess I did okay, but I could have done better. I think that had there not been four people who said they could come, but then couldn't come at the last minute...I may have been able to make enough to get my kit. Unfortunately, I didn't. I did make about 75 dollars though. I have been debating on whether or not to take the 75 dollars and add some out of pocket change to get the kit. The kit is 119.00. I don't know. I haven't decided yet.

We have to go tonight to get a new lens for my camera. We finally have enough money to at least be able to afford it. I will at least get half of the money back in the next two weeks, but I am still having second thoughts on getting the lens. Why does it have to be 400.00? I have issues with spending that much money at one time, on one item.

So, what's going on this weekend?

Not much for us, actually. Paul is on call again, and that leaves us very limited as to what and where we can go. I have my cousin's baby shower tomorrow morning, and then was supposed to take my first "couples" shot on Sunday, but something happened there and we may have to postpone.

I wish I would win the lottery.

Try This! Thursday: Toasted Pumpkin Seeds!!

We just carved our pumpkin for Halloween, and I wanted to keep the pumpkin seeds to do something special with them. I had a recipe last year, and my seeds didn't turn out too well, but this recipe sounded pretty promising. So, if you have any left over pumpkin seeds...try this!

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

INGREDIENTS
-One medium sized pumpkin
-Salt
-Olive oil

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.
2 In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a half tablespoon of salt for every cup of water (more if you like your seeds saltier). Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
3 Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 10-20 minutes. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed (a lot of work and in my opinion, unnecessary) or eat whole.

Recipe & picture from Simply Recipes [dot] Com

Wordless Wednesday: Have an Extra Tampon Lying Around?

Someone posted this on Facebook, and I thought it was pretty creativeThis craft idea came from here

So We Carved a Pumpkin...

We were a little late getting a pumpkin this year. Usually we have had a pumpkin (or two) carved by the 1st of October. I guess, judging by the warm/hot temperatures at the beginning of this month, we forgot we were supposed to be celebrating orange (dead) leaves and pumpkins!

Finally though, the air got cooler and we realized that we didn't have a pumpkin yet! So, last night we went and got ourselves a pumpkin. The Hubs looks forward to getting a pumpkin, because he has mastered carving his favorite college football team's logo into the pumpkin...

That my friends, is a Clemson Tiger Paw! I must say, it is a pretty good looking Paw too. The Hubs does a really good job with it. I leave him alone, and let him work! He was so proud of it last night, as he carried it out to the patio, stuck a candle in it and then lit it. He even went downstairs to see what it looked like from the road. I thought about "A Christmas Story" when the Dad gets that Leg Lamp. The Hubs just marveled at it.

This morning I sprayed it down with Pam cooking spray to keep it from rotting so fast. I plan to show it off tonight at my Tupperware party! Which, by the way, I probably should have rescheduled, because I went from having around 10 people coming...to six. That's kind of disappointing, because this party is my first party and I was hoping to make enough to buy the Tupperware kit that I need in order to book my own parties and make money! Hopefully it'll be a good party tonight though.

I have an afternoon planned of toasting pumpkin seeds, baking brownies, and spot cleaning the house. Sounds exciting!

Wow! What a Weekend...

It has been quiet the little weekend, and I can't wait to tell you all about it, but first...I got an award!! Yay!
"Deal" lightfully Frugal was so generous to grant me with the Honest Scrap award! Thank you so much!



Like any other award, there are some rules to follow and they are as follows:
1) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.
2) Tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award.
3) Share "10 Honest Things" about myself.

So...here are the 5 (7 is hard to come by) blogs I'd like to give this award to:
1. Becky of In the Trenches
2. Helene of I'm Living Proof That God Has a Sense of Humor
3. Chell of Nicely Composed
4. The Crazy Baby Mama
5. Neva of Mostly Flummoxed

& here are 10 honest things about myself:
1. I tend to be very insecure
2. I have become addicted to sprinkling cinnamon, and pumpkin spice into my coffee grounds in the morning (its good, you should try it)
3. I find Doctor House incredibly sexy
4. My name is Samantha, and I am a Facebook addict
5. I'm wearing a hot pink Piggly Wiggly shirt over a long sleeved gray shirt with polka dot pj pants this morning :)
6. I really just do not like the cold
7. I have recently become very, very, very addicted to Desperate Housewives & now am requesting the seasons on DVD
8. I really love and put my family above anyone else in this world
9. I like chocolate a little too much
10. I mentioned being addicted to something 3 times in this list of 10...maybe I have a problem?


...Okay, now on to this past weekend. You may want to go back and read Friday's post to better understand the rest of this one :) Click here to go.

I found a pair of shoes! I walked right into Rack Room Shoes and found the pair of shoes that I have been wanting, AND they were on sale! I was very excited, and wore them all day Saturday! I imagine that they aren't as comfortable as a pair of Danksos (what I was originally wanting), but the price on these were alot more do-able then that price of a pair of Danskos (118.00).

Saturday, the Mother In Law kept Bree as planned, but she did not stay home with Bree. She took Bree up to the mountains where she lives, and it's like 40 degrees. I was none too happy. Nevertheless, we went to Clemson where it was cold and rainy! I was bundled up pretty good, but my face was pretty cold and I wouldn't have been in the least bit surprised if the steady drizzle had turned into snow. It was not fun football weather!

My face was freezing!

We had pouty lips because it was raining

The Clemson University football stadium! It's the most beautiful in all of the land

We did get to leave the game early, however, because my Grandmother's 83rd birthday dinner started at 5 o'clock Saturday night. We were late to that, of course, because being on time is not something that is easy to accomplish with a crazy MIL who wouldn't get my baby back to me, and a hubby who plops down in front of the tv to watch football as soon as we get home! Nevertheless, we did finally get there and I must say, my Grandmother had a pretty descent birthday! If I look half as good as she does, when I am 83, I'll be happy :)

This is Nanny with most of her Great Grands (Bree is in her lap)

Simply beautiful
So, that was my weekend. It was a good one for the most part, but it was very busy. How was your weekend?

Coupon Savings Monday!

The honest to God truth is that I didn't really need to spend much on groceries this week. We spent over a hundred dollars last week, and have more than enough food in the house, but then I look at the sales, and I can't help but jot down everything I see! My thought process during this time is, "That's a really good deal. I don't need it. But what if it never happens again?!" So, then I get, whatever it may be. Here is my lists of things that I didn't need, but got any way, because it was a really good deal!

BILO
-Natures Own Bread: On Sale for 2/4$, got one = 2.00 for a loaf of bread
-Green Giant Rice/Brocolli/Cheese: On sale for 10/10$ + save .50 off of 2 x 2 = 1.00 for two
-Bananas: 1.59
-Shallots: .82
Total before Savings: 8.48
Savings: 3.08
Grand Total: 5.41

Publix
-Sargento Shredded Cheese: On sale 2/4$ = 2.00 for one
-Stouffers French Bread Pizza: On sale B1G1 = 1.60 for one
-Perdue Boneless Chicken Breast: On sale for 2.49 lb = 3.41
-Aussie Shampoo & Conditioner: On sale for 2.49 a piece + 2.00 off of 2 = 2.98 for two
-Lysol Disinfectant Wipes: On sale B1G1 = 2.50 for one
-Publix Chicken Broth: .75 x 2 = 1.50 for two
-Healthy Harvest Pasta: On sale B1G1 = .90 for one
-8 O'clock Coffee: On sale B1G1 = 2.49 for one
-Publix Evaporated Milk: .93
-Ramen Noodles: .18 x 2 = .36 for two
-Publix Elbow Macoroni: 1.15
Total: 20.45
Savings: 15.27

Bloom
-Scott Mega Roll Paper Towels (8 count): On sale for 4.99 + 1.00 off coupon = 3.99 for 8 (roughly .50 a roll)
-Apples: On sale B1G1 = 2.00
-Bloom Half/Half: On sale for 1.99
-Birds Eye Corn: On sale 2/5$ + .50 off of 1 = 1.00 for one
Total:9.27
Savings:6.19

Grand Total: 35.13
Total Savings: 24.54

I'm not so proud of this grocery trip, and kind of tempted to take some of the things back, but I don't guess I will. I'm thinking my head was all the way in this, as it usually is. Last week was just such a wonderful week, this week was kind of depressing. I've should have just stuck with the things I needed to get and not add anything extra.

A Congested Baby, Mother-In-Law Woes, & Shoe Shopping

It all started Wednesday afternoon. Stuffy nose, and incredible irritability. I hate seeing my little Breezy sick. I decided to go ahead and act on the congestion, try and stop it before it turns into much else. Paul bought some Baby Vapo Rub, and we got some Children's Tylenol. It doesn't seem to be getting any worse, but it's not really getting any better either. I guess that's a good thing. As long as I can keep it from getting worse. She's still eating, and drinking normally, so that's good. Generally, when she's sick, she doesn't want anything to do with liquids or food.

We're supposed to go to Clemson tomorrow for the football game. My Mother-In-Law is set to keep Bree (not sure how I feel about that). The hubs needs to make it pretty clear to his Mom that Bree is sick, and she doesn't need to be drug all over the upstate (like she usually does). It really wouldn't hurt to just stay at home with her, but I think there's something his Mom can't stand about my house...because she hates staying here when she keeps Bree. Seems to me, that would be the easiest thing to do because all of her stuff is here. I really just don't think it's necessary to take Bree all over town, especially when she's sick.

My Parents are at the beach. My Mom called specifically last night to tell me that she misses all of us. Since we're all usually there with them, things are just a little too quiet for them all by themselves. I offered to come down, but she said that wasn't necessary. Hey, I tried. I will just have to occupy my weekend with trying to find a pair of shoes. I need some clogs, but I don't want to spend 80 bucks for a pair. So far, I haven't come up with anything any less than 80 bucks. It's so hard for me to shop for shoes. I wear an 8 or 8.5, wide. I also have a flat foot (no arch), so I have to have something pretty comfortable. At the moment, on this particular episode of "Max & Ruby", Max & Ruby are shoe shopping, and they are having better luck than me. How sad that a bunny can find shoes easier than I can. Oh well.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Be safe, and I hope to see you all back here on Monday! Love you all!!

Try This! Thursday - Mini Pumpkin Cakes

It seems over the last few weeks, I have featured nothing but recipes on Thursdays. So, I decided to deem Thursday, "Try This! Thursday". "Try This! Thursday" may feature arts and crafts, or recipes, or something completely random that I think you should try!

Today I am featuring "Mini Pumpkin Cakes". The pictures of the "Mini Pumpkin Cakes" on the cover of "Southern Living" is the whole reason why I bought the magazine in the first place. So, if you have a Halloween party coming up, these would be the most perfect desserts! Get a pen and a piece of paper & jot this recipe down!

Mini Pumpkin Cakes


Yield: Makes 8 pumpkins

Ingredients
-3/4 cup butter, softened
-1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
-2 cups sugar
-2 large eggs
-1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-Caramel-Rum Glaze*
-Or Vanilla Glaze
-Caramel Stems, Leaves, and Vines (optional, instructions below)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla.

2. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Spoon batter into 2 lightly greased pumpkin-shaped muffin pans, filling three-fourths full.

3. Bake at 350° for 24 to 26 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).

4. Cut rounded tops off muffins to make them flat. Invert top muffins onto bottom muffins, forming pumpkins. Drizzle Caramel-Rum Glaze over pumpkins. Decorate with Caramel Stems, Leaves, and Vines, if desired.

*Vanilla Glaze may be substituted.

CARAMEL STEM:
Press 1 caramel between fingers, lengthening to 1 1/2 to 2 inches to form a stem. Curl stem gently.

CARAMEL LEAVES:
Roll caramels into 2-inch squares on a flat surface, using a rolling pin. Cut into leaves, using a paring knife. Gently press tips of leaves to flatten, if desired. Score leaves, using a paring knife. Pinch bottoms of leaves together.

CARAMEL VINES:
Cut 1 caramel into 3 equal pieces. Squeeze each piece gently to flatten, and roll between hands or on a flat surface into a long thin rope. Twist ends to curl.

Note: We tested with Wilton Dimensions Multi-Cavity Mini Pumpkin Pans. Only have one pan? Bake batter in two batches, washing and drying pan between batches.

Picture & Recipe courtesy of Southern Living [DOT] Com

Wordless Wednesday: Bree & Dora the Explorer

Dora the Explorer was at Chick-Fil-A this morning. Was it worth driving 30 minutes in the rain just to see her? Not for me, but to see Bree have fun made me smile :)

Because I'm Curvy...

I don't know why I continue to read the headline news on AOL's website. They can be misleading, and they can piss you off before you even read the article. This particular headline read, "Famous designer blasts curvy women." I clicked on the link and breezed through the article. I read a quote by the designer, Karl Lagerfeld, who called curvy women "Fat mummies, sitting on their couch, eating their crisps and saying that models are ugly. They are just fat and jealous."

I probably wouldn't have thought much else about that (besides he's just a lonely bastard who gets love from watching skinny women with no boobs bounce down the runway wearing something he created) if I hadn't read what I read last night. While in the grocery store, standing in the check out line...I scanned over the covers off all of the magazines. I'm not sure which magazine it was, but there was a picture of Khloe Kardashian in a bikini. Beside the picture it read "Don't call me fat". If you know who the Kardashians are, you know that there is not one sister that is ugly.

And the Hubbs wants to know why I stay so paranoid about my weight.

I will never be a size 0 model, nor do I want to be, but I do want to be a sexy, beautiful, healthy woman. Right now, I am in a size four jeans and I see no reason to get any smaller than that. But, if (for some deranged reason) I woke up one morning and decided that I wanted to be a model...I would be considered plus size! How freakin' crazy is that? Since when, did we let these designers and models decide what is beautiful and what is not? I remember back in the Summer reading "Curves out, Rectangle shape in." How can you have a body style in or out? A person is born with their shape...they can't change it.

Me? I'm short and curvy. This is why I have to be a little more conscious about my weight, because it can pack on fast and quickly become unhealthy.

This designer must have never ever really loved a woman. He must have forgotten about the TRUE & ORIGINAL models like Marilyn Monroe, who was a curvy woman. In today's society Marilyn Monroe would be considered fat. If you've ever noticed the bodies of the ancient goddesses, that have been drawn and passed down through the years; They were always curvy, and never, ever skinny.

I am learning to embrace my curves a bit more. I've learned that I'm not built to be super skinny, but I have the potential to be super fat. I'm healthy, and I want to stay healthy. I think that's what every person, man & woman alike, should strive to be. Healthy. And if God gave you curves, then you are beautiful. If God made you naturally thin, you're beautiful too.

Coupon Savings Monday

I apologize for posting this so late on Monday night (at least it's not Tuesday). I haven't been feeling too well today and it was raining so hard earlier today that going grocery shopping by myself with Bree was not an option. So, we went tonight. Now, we went the intentions of stocking up and buying a butt load of stuff, and we did. We spent about 40 more dollars than we usually do, but we got so much!!

Bloom
-Butterball Turkey Deli Meat: On sale 2/5$ + .45 off coupon x 3 = 1.15 for one
-Hillshire Farm Deli Meat: On sale 2/5$ + .55 off coupon x 3 = .85 for one
-Smuckers Uncrustables: On sale 2/5$ + .75 off coupon x 3 = .25 for one, .50 for two
-Bloom Texas Toast: On sale 2/3$ = 1.50 for one
-Yo Crunch Yogurt: 2.79 + .75 off coupon x 3 = .54 for one
-Chex Mix Bar: 3.19 + .50 off coupon x 3 = 1.69 for one, 3.38 for two
-Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough: 2.99 + .50 off coupon x 3 = 1.49 for one
-Jif Omega 3 Peanut Butter: 3.09 + .50 off coupon x 3 = 1.59 for one
-Barilla Pasta: On sale 5/5$ = 5$ for 5
-Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup: On sale for .59 + .40 off of 4 coupon x 3 = 1.16 for 4 cans of soup
Total: 18.02
Total Savings: 28.95

Publix
-Stayfree Maxi: On sale for 2.49 = 2.49
-Fiber One Cereal: On sale for B1G1 + 1.00 off of 3 coupon = 3.29 for 3 (I got 6 boxes for 6.58)
-Nabisco Graham Crackers: On sale for B1G1 = 2.00 for one
-Ronzoni Spaghetti: On sale for B1G1 = .70 for one
-Pillsbury Crescent Rolls: On sale for 3/5$ + .50 off coupon x 2 = 2.32 for 2
-Chow Mein Noodles: On sale B1G1 = .45 for one
-Red Barron Pizza: On sale B1G1 = 2.90 for one (got 2, and saved 5.00)
-Publix Chicken Broth: .75
-Classico Pasta Sauce: On sale B1G1 = 1.25 for one
-Publix Pancake Syrup: 2.39
-Townhouse Crackers: On sale B1G1 = 1.99 for one
Total:34.25
Total Savings:31.57

BILO
-Betty Crocker Warm Delights: On sale for 3/5$ + 3 coupons for .50 x 2 = 2.00 for three
-Nature Valley: On sale for 2/5$ + two .40 off coupons x 4 = 3.40 for 2
-Nabisco Nilla Waffers: On sale for B1G1 = 2.00 for one
-Natures Own Bread: On sale for 2/4$ = 2.00 for one
-Southern Home Creamers: On sale for 2/4$ = 2.00 for one
-Pampers Baby Wipes: On sale for B1G1 + .50 off coupon x 2 = .89 for one
-2000 Flushes: On sale for B1G1 + .50 off coupon x 2 = .89 for one
-All Laundry Detergent: On sale for B1G1 = 2.87 for one
-Surf Laundry Detergent: On sale for B1G1 + .75 off coupon = 2.36 for one
-Sunlight Dish Detergent: On sale for B1G1 = .68 for one
-Colgate Advanced Total: On sale for 2/5$ + two 1.00 off coupons = 3.00 for two
-Shedd's Country Crock Butter: On sale for 2/4$ + two .30 off coupons x 4 = 2.80 for two
-Activia Fiber: On sale for 2/4$ + 1.00 off coupon = 1.00 for a 4pk
-Sargento Shredded Cheese: On sale for B1G1 = 2.88 for two
-Sargento Sliced Cheese: On sale 2/5$ - 2.50 for one
-Breyers Low Fat Yogurt: On sale for 2/5$ + four .50 off coupons x 4 = 6.00 for 4
-Eggs: 1.29
-Uno Pizza: On sale for B1G1 = 6.48 for 2
-Cubed Steak: 2.40
-10 lb bag of Russet Potatoes: On sale for B1G1 = 3.49 for one
-Fresh Express Salad: On sale for B1G1 = 1.39 for one
-Bananas: 2.24
Total Before Savings:115.70
Total After Savings: 58.41
Total Savings: 58.22

Grand Total: 110.68
Grand Total Savings: 118.74

Wow! That's more food than the three of us could eat in a month, but we're stocked up and our grocery trips for the next month shouldn't cost us near as much! I can't believe that I got some of that stuff for just a few cents, and some stuff for free! It took me two hours today, to plan out my grocery list, but it was well worth it.

I hope you all had a wonderful Monday. I apologize for getting this to you nearly two hours shy of midnight, but this was a pretty exciting grocery trip for me! Go me!

Yay! Happy Saturday :)

Get up! Right now! This will only take 5 seconds (or more if you get carried away). I need you to begin jumping up and down, clapping your hands, and screaming "Yay!" over and over again (never mind the strange looks you'll get from your kids and hubby). Why? Because, I just got 30 followers today! Now, I know that's nothing compared to the blogs that have 6 and 7 hundred followers, but for me...it's a pretty big deal! A month ago, I only had 12 followers. It's because of you, my wonderful and faithful readers, that I have been able to expand my audience. You have kept me inspired, and have kept me coming back to blog more!

I want to personally thank my "original" readers. The ones who inspired me, and kept me from quitting. The ones who have given me awards, and gotten my blog out there to others. The ones who have helped me grow an audience.

Mrs. M of I've Changed My Name to Mommy
Mother Mayhem
Brandy of You Don't Know
Jenny of Our Nifty Notebook

It's a special thanks to you, for bringing me new readers! I feel like I need to let you, all of you, every one of my followers, commenters and readers, know how much I love and appreciate you. You're the best, and I hope to continue to expand my audience with you're help!



P.S.: I got another award!! It's called the "Breath of Fresh Air" award, and it was given to me by the wonderful Neva of Mostly Flummoxed! Thank you so much for the beautiful award! I have placed it proudly in my "Awards" column (to your right).

P.S.S: And don't forget to VOTE FOR BREE!! by clicking HERE! And vote for all three pictures!!

Vote for Bree!!!

So, I entered Bree into the Gap Casting Call & it all relies on you to vote for her!! So please, click here and here (I entered her twice, with two different photos) and vote for my baby girl. You can also just go here and vote for both pictures at one time!

20 finalists will receive:
- a 500.00 gift card redeemable for babyGap or Gapkids
- a Professional Gap Photo Shoot

4 Winners will receive:
- Their photo features in babyGap & Gapkids windows in February 2010
- 500.00 giftcard redeemable for babyGap and Gapkids
- A VIP experience for 4 at Disney's The Lion King in New York or Las Vegas

So, please, please, please, go vote & if it's not too much trouble, post this on your blog too so your readers can vote for her!

I'm Too Old for Halloween

We have a Halloween party coming up next Tuesday, and the Hubs has informed me that we HAVE to dress up. Why do we HAVE to dress up? Because it's our apartment complex/Hubbies work place, that is having the party. I have a problem with dressing up.

Number one:
It's only cute to dress up for Halloween when you're 5 years old and wearing a bumble bee costume.

Number two:
If you're a woman, adult costumes tend to be a bit slutty...and I'm just not interested in being slutty.

I have no interest in being a slutty nurse, or a slutty Dorothy from Wizard of Oz, or a slutty baseball player, or a slutty bunny, or a slutty Mobster lady, or a slutty referee, etc...

So, what am I to do? I guess I'll figure it out, or maybe I'll just skip the party and go see a movie instead...like I've said before, I'm not very sociable anyway.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Hoping to get my camera fixed tomorrow at no cost *fingers crossed*. See you all Monday (maybe before then).

Pumpkin Cheesecake - Sex on a Plate

Last night we went to eat at Olive Garden for my Sister-In-Law's birthday. As we flipped through the menus, I sneaked the dessert menu into my view and spotted the most delicious looking dessert I have EVER seen! Pumpkin Cheesecake. I started salivating at the thought of it, and I knew right then that I would HAVE TO HAVE THIS!! After a wonderful meal, I was hesitant at ordering this dessert. It took me a long time to get back into a size 4 jeans, and I was about to blow it if I ate this cheesecake. I cast my concerns aside and we ordered it. I took the first bite. Everyone at the table watched me, waiting on my re-action. The first bite was followed by a slight moan, then my eyes rolling into the back of my head, and smile spread across my face. It was absolutely one of the BEST desserts I have EVER put into my mouth.

Guess what? I found the recipe! This is a copy-cat of Olive Garden's Recipe. It's alot to take in, but I think I may attempt it. I know. I must not have learned my lesson from the Birthday Disaster but this is too good to pass up!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS
Crust
1 -1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts -optional
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
3-8 ounce pkgs cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
1-1/4 cup pumpkin puree
5 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream

Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of salt

Sweetened Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish
1/4 cup gingersnap snap cookies, coarsely crushed for larger crumbs than used in crust.

DIRECTIONS:
Crust:
Lightly butter a 10x2 inch round cake pan. Combine gingersnap crumbs, nut, and butter in a bowl, and mix well. Press mixture firmly into prepared pan, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Filling: In a bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugars and spices,
beat until light in texture. Add pumpkin puree and mix until just blended.
Stir in eggs one at a time, scraping sides of bowl after each addition. Stir
in cream. . Pour batter into crust, and put cake pan in a roasting pan. Add
hot water to roasting pan halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake in center of
oven until cheesecake is firm to touch and slightly puffed, about 50
minutes. Let cheesecake cool on a wire rack for about 45 minutes. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When cheesecake is completely chilled,
lower pan into a hotwater bath for 2-3 min. to loosen the crust. Invert a
large, flat plate on top of cheesecake; invert pan, and remove. Put a second
plate on bottom of cheesecake, and turn it right side up.

Caramel Sauce:
Put all ingredients except vanilla in small saucepan with
heavy bottom. Bring to boil over medium heat. Boil 4 minutes.Remove from
heat, let cool approximately 5 minutes then stir in vanilla extract. .
Sweetened Whipped Cream: Whip cream an high with an electric mixer. When
cream begins to thicken and form soft peaks add sugar and vanilla. Mix until
cream has firm peaks. Fill decorating bag fitter with #22 star tip with
whipped cream and pipe rosettes onto cheesecake.

Garnish:
Pipe sweetened whipped cream on top of cheesecake. Sprinkle top
with reserved crumbs. Drizzle with caramel sauce.

- Cheesecake will keep for 4-5 days in refrigerator and 2 weeks in the
freezer.

Freezing Cheesecakes
To freeze cheesecakes remove from baking pan when
chilled. Do not add any toppings or garnishings before freezing. You will
just be freezing the cheesecake. Transfer to a cardboard cake circle or
small round flatpan or freezer safe plate. Place in freeze until the
cheesecake has frozen firm. Remove from freezer and wrap in a double layer
of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty foil. Be sure to seal
completely. For the best quality do not freeze longer than 4-6 weeks. Lable
and date your wrapped cheesecake. To thaw, place the wrapped cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve add toppings, whipped cream and or any garnishes.

Wordless Wednesday: The Coolest Pumpkin EVER!

I got this from Southern Living magazine's website & thought it was a pretty awesome idea to do for a Fall or Halloween PartyGet more pumpkin carving ideas here

Coupon Savings Monday...Except it's Tuesday

I am supposed to post my Coupon Savings on Mondays, BUT I was lazy distratcted and didn't make it to the grocery store until today. I did really well on groceries today, and I didn't have alot of coupons. So, I thought this would be a good demonstration on how you will do if just shop the sales, which is what I did today! Of course, you don't do as well if you don't have coupons to go along with the sales, but you still do pretty good. So, here it goes:

Bloom
-Texas Toast: On sale for 2/$4; Got one = 2.00
-Hillshire Farm Deli Meat: 4.99 + .55 coupon x 3= 2.34
-Barilla Whole Wheat Pasta: On sale for 5/$5; Got two = 2.00
Total:6:34
Savings: 4.02

Publix
-Campbells Soup: On sale for 10/$10; Got two = 2.00
-New England Coffee: On sale for B1G1; Got one = 2.90
-Cheeze-Its: On sale for B1G1; Got one = 2.00
-Shallots: 1.49
Total: 8.39
Savings: 5.71

BI-LO
This receipt accidentally got thrown away, but I'm going to try and remember the key items that I got
- General Mills Cereal: On sale B1G1 + 1.00 off of 2 = 2.00 for 2 boxes of cereal
- Birds Eye Vegetables: On sale B1G1 + .50 off coupon x 2 = FREE
- Magic Eraser: On sale 2/$5 + B1G1 coupon = 2.00 for 2
- Pillsbury Flour: On sale 2/$3; got one = 1.50
- Clearvalue Sugar: 1.88
- Bananas: 1.68
- Southern Living Magazine: 3.99 + 1.00 off coupon = 2.99
- Orbit Gum: On sale for 10/$10; Got one = 1.00
- Kraft Shredded Cheese: On sale for 2/$4; Got two = 4.00
I spent 19.00
and I'm not sure of the savings...but I know that original total was around 30.00.

So, I shopped the sales pretty good this week, and I think I did pretty well considering I didn't have very money coupons, and I really got alot of stuff! I hate that my BI-LO receipt got thrown away, because it was awesome!

Rain Makes Bad Things Happen...

If I wrote to you today, everything that happened to me yesterday, it would be the longest complaint list you have ever seen! I'll spare you the details, but I will tell you about the most dramatic thing that happened yesterday. My camera (yeah, my new Canon Rebel) fell/dropped/had-a-seizure and hit the floor. I went to take a picture of Bree (she had her pants on her head, wearing them like a hat), and as I picked the camera up off of the table, the strap caught the corner and literally jerked the camera from my hands. Well, of course, I let a few cuss words slip as my heart raced and I retrieved the camera from the floor. I quickly switched it on, and much to my relief it came on with no apparent defects. Next, I tried to take a picture. That's when I cussed some more.

Turns out the AutoFocus (AF) was damaged during the fall. I can manually take a picture, but not automatically. Thankfully, Canon placed the motor for the AF inside the lens instead of the body of the camera, so if need be, the lens is the only thing that I will have to replace (still 200$). Not the whole body. I did sigh with relief when I realized that. Still, I laid hands on the camera and prayed that God would fix it. I know He can. I haven't checked it this morning, but I hope that by some miracle, it will be in the perfect condition it's been in since I bought it (just 2 months ago).

The day was pretty crappy after that. UNTIL...I cut up a Granny Smith apple, got me some peanut butter out of the cabinet and watched 2 hours of Desperate Housewives. I've become addicted to that show :) Somehow, the day turned around at that point. I was thankful for that, because my Dad called and invited us to go out to eat with them for my Mom's birthday. So we did. I missed "House" last night, but I can watch it online. Nothing can replace time with family!



P.S: Next time you make yourself some coffee, sprinkle some Pumpkin Spice in the grounds. It's delicious!

A Birthday Disaster.

Okay. So maybe that's being a little dramatic, but yesterday's birthday dinner that I cooked for my Mom and Dad didn't go AT ALL how I had planned.

Problem number one:
No one told me how difficult and time consuming loaded twice baked potatoes are.

Problem number two:
You would think that I would have learned by now, to stop sending the hubby to the grocery store to get stuff. He spends too much money, and instead of "medium russett potatoes" he gets the biggest freakin' potatoes he can find.

For some reason, everyone is always hungry on Sundays. That's why eating is the first thing on everyone's list when they get out of church. Knowing this, Paul and I left church about 15 minutes early in hopes of having lunch ready by at least 1:30. Ha! Try three o'clock. I figured out at about 1:30 that this was going to take a while, and then I got pretty upset. I'm a perfectionist, and I had already had it in my head how I wanted this to go. When it started going in the complete opposite direction, it upset me. I had nine people waiting on me to get their lunch cooked. I can't handle that kind of pressure, especially when it's not going the way it was supposed to.

We finally ate around 3 o'clock, and everyone commented on how good it was. Still, I couldn't help but be upset at how long I made everyone wait to eat. Never EVER EVER EVER will I EVER do anything like that again. Food Network [dot] Com lied. They put the difficulty level of that particuar recipe at "Easy". It definitely was not easy. For that reason, I will not share the recipe here (unless you want it), to spare you the extremely difficult time I had with these things. It is no fun at all.

Today, it is 50 degrees and rainy! How does it go from being 80 degrees on Saturday to 57 degrees today? We live in the most bipolar region in the States I do believe. I wish I could just sit around in my sweat pants and hoodie, drinking coffee all day, but unfortunately they stopped delivering groceries years ago. I think I'll petition to get that back. You can get pizza delivered right to your door, why not groceries? Having grocery deliveries would definitely help out a lot of households all across the United States. It might even change lives!

I want to wish my Mother a very happy birthday today! I hope it's the best birthday ever & forget the fact that you're only 5 years away from being half a century old :) Love you Mama!

Changing My Style.

I have come to a point in my life where I need to change the way I dress. I could easily be mistaken for a high schooler in the clothes that I dress in now. I have Hollister shirts and American Eagle jeans. I'm in style...just not for a 21 year old. It's going to be hard to depart from my American Eagle jeans, when that is all I have worn since I was in the eighth grade. Being short (5 foot even), I have always found that American Eagle's blue jeans always seem to fit me best. I know though, that there has to be another jean out there that fits me just as well. A jean is a jean right? I used to think so, but I don't think that is true any more. I am a Mommy now, and I am no longer in high school. It's time to do something. "What Not to Wear" would be all over my tail if they got a hold of me.

Here's what a typical outfit that I normally wear looks like:


& here is what I want to switch my style too:


That might not look like a drastic change to you, but it is to me. I want to be comfortable, but yet I want to look fashionable and like my age. I can't wear Hollister stuff anymore, and as much as I hate to say it...I can't wear American Eagle anymore. It's a brand I have been wearing since I was in eighth grade, and it's time to change. I've never been a fan of change, which may be why I have waited to so long to do this, but it's got to be done. I'm not in high school. This is a major step for me, but I'm excited about it. I want to look respectable. Not like I'm baby sitting my baby sister for the day.

Have any of you young mothers, like me, had this problem? I want to hear your input, just to make sure that I'm not crazy or having some strange "mid-life" crisis. I hope I'm not "mid-life", but you know what I mean. What did you do when it came time for you to stop shopping in the Junior's Department and buying your first set of clothes in the Women's Department?