Tell About It Tuesday: Dry Shampoo

Back before Christmas I wrote a post (in my head) that I titled: Four Things That Will Change Your Life. They changed my life so surely they'll change yours, right?

I decided that claim was a bit dramatic (and the post never moved from my head to my computer) so I moved on. BUT, the truth is that I really have stumbled upon some things that aren't necessarily life-changing but they're too good not to share. So, I'm introducing "Tell About It Tuesday". And I can only guarantee you 3-4 Tuesdays worth of posts. 

Today's topic: Dry Shampoo

I remember a friend mentioning this to me several years ago and while I found the idea intriguing, I couldn't find the product. Last summer, Leslie mentioned dry shampoo in a blog post and reminded me that I wanted to try it! I finally got around to it a mere six months later...

Here is the product that she steered me to buy--Batiste Dry Shampoo

Y'all...this stuff is AMAZING.

I typically wash my hair every day. Not because I want to, but because my scalp is oily. Not only do I wash my hair every day, but I blow dry and straighten it too. You can imagine how dry my ends are in the land of no humidity. I really have tried to go a day between washings because I know it's best for my hair, and I can totally pull it off, but by the end of the second day of unwashed hair, it starts to get gross--oily and *ahem* stinky.

Enter Batiste Dry Shampoo. I spray it on my hair (it turns my hair whitish-gray), wait a few minutes, massage it into my scalp, then brush it completely out. My "shampooed" hair is shiny, smells good, and has amazing body with NO residue from the shampoo. It actually looks better on the days I use the dry stuff than it does on the days I go through my whole wash/dry/straighten routine.

I've been using this stuff for about a month and WOW. It really has changed my life morning routine. Now I live for days that I can get ready in fifteen minutes or less!

Seriously...you MUST try this product!!!

Here's what you need to know.
I found it at Sally Beauty Supply, but I *think* it might also be sold at Ulta. I know it's available at Ulta online but I'm going to see if I can find it at my Ulta store because then I can use one of the endless coupons I get from them! You can also buy it from Amazon.

I like the blush scent the best. The original scent is okay, but it's a little funky. I tried that scent first and was glad I also had the blush scent to try. I haven't tried the tropical.

It retails for about $7.50-$8.00 for a 5.5oz can.
I actually bought two smaller (1.5oz) cans instead because they were on clearance and I wanted to try the smaller size before I was "fully" invested. I'll be buying the big one from now on.

I also picked up a can of this at Walmart last week to compare. It's Salon Grafix Dry Shampoo and it's slightly cheaper (around $5 for a can).  I used it over the weekend and didn't love it. It left my hair feeling slightly sticky and like it had (even) more product in it. I think the Batiste shampoo makes it feel cleaner. I will say that the Salon Grafix shampoo smells really good though. I hate to waste things so I'll finish the can and then buy more Batiste!

So, there you have it! Let me know if you've used dry shampoo and if you have another one that you love! I've heard Bumble and Bumble is good (but pricey) and I've heard the one by Tigi is good too. Tigi's is called Dirty Secret. I love how they name their products. I think I like the price tag on the Batiste dry shampoo best though! Let me know if you try it!!!

"Smiling's My Favorite".

Last week I spent some time pulling out Christmas movies and adding others to my Blockbuster.com queue. We have lots of seasonal favorites that we love to watch every year and I thought I'd share my top ten favorites with you.

1. Elf. 
We watched this last night and I laughed just as much as I did the first and second and third and fourth time I saw it. Very funny.

2. Auntie Mame.
I guess technically this is not a Christmas movie (though there is a Christmas scene!) but it's one we watch every single year during Christmas break. One of our pastors referenced a line from this movie in a sermon last month and asked for a show of hands from those who had seen it. I was proud that all five of us had our hands in the air.

3. Miracle on 34th Street.
We like both the old and the newer version. I think the little girl in the new version is just adorable but then again, so was Natalie Wood.

4. The Nativity Story.
Beautiful.

5. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

I actually bought this last year (because it's HILARIOUS) and watched it with the kids before previewing it. There's quite a bit of language that I'd forgotten about. I think it is one of the funniest Christmas movies around but wish there was a cleaner version for families. 

6. A Christmas Story

This is another of the funniest movies around. And after watching our "VHS taped-from-television" movie for many years, I bought it on DVD only to realize that the television version had most of the language edited out. There's so many funny lines from it though. Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra. The last scene gets me every time. 

7. The Polar Express

8. Holiday Inn

Years and years and years ago, a family friend told us about this movie and it was instant love for my mom, sister, and me. I've seen it dozens of times and I still adore it. The girls watched it with me last year and I believe we launched a new tradition.

9. It's A Wonderful Life

I cannot believe we don't have this movie on DVD. That must be remedied ASAP. 

10. A Charlie Brown Christmas

I know, I know. It's not a full-length feature film but it's a MUST-SEE Christmas favorite around here. I always always always cry at the end when they sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing. 

Runners-Up:

The Bishop's Wife

Bells of St. Mary's

The Family Stone

Love Actually

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

What are some of your favorites?

10 on the 10th

I'm generally a pretty content person. It doesn't take much to make me happy. I have everything I need, and a lot of what I want. That said, I thought I'd share a few things on my "wish list". These are things I'm either saving for or that I'd buy for myself if I didn't have such a hard time spending money. I suppose that's a good problem to have though, right?

1. Ugg clogs. I'm not one to spend a lot of money on clothes or shoes BUT these just look so warm and comfy--like slippers I could wear out of the house. Love 'em.

2. Bose SoundDock. I started saving for one of these last year and somehow lost track of my goal. It's on my Christmas wish list!

3. Fiestaware. John and I have been married for twenty years and our everyday dishes are showing their age. I've bought cheap, lead-laden sets throughout the years, but we're ready for some better quality plates and bowls that are solid, fun colors. I found out that Dillard's sells open stock Fiestaware so I'm saving for the pieces I want!

4. BookBook laptop bag. Actually, I'd love to buy this bag for John so that he'd give me his booq bag. The reality is that we have no need for more than one laptop bag. I just like the BookBook's clever, unique design. It's not something you see all the time.

5. A down comforter/duvet. Honestly, I can't believe we've lived in Colorado this long without one. Especially since I'm the most cold-natured freak on the planet. Or at least in our house. 

6. A bigger stock pot. I used to have two but I burned something a few years ago and ended up giving the burned one to Goodwill. I like the one I have but my family is outgrowing it! I'd love to have a really nice, big, heavy one. Maybe this brand?

7. A steam mop. Do any of you have one? Do you love it? Hate it? Tell me! I think the germaphobe in me would love the sterilizing feature!

8. A new hoodie. I love this hoodie and I love this brand. I have an older one that has thumbholes so I can pull the end of the sleeve over my knuckles--it's awesome! I keep waiting for these to go on sale because I rarely pay full price for clothing!

9. A DVR. I know I'd love this for sooooo many reasons. 

10. SmartWool socks. Okay, this is one thing I don't have a hard time spending money on. It's so worth it for me to have warm toes in the winter. I don't own a single pair of plain cotton socks. SmartWools are all I wear...and that's why my current pairs are sporting holes. 

Anything fun on your wish list?


Feel free to link up with your own list of ten things. Tomorrow (I'm posting this on Saturday because I try to unplug on Sundays) is actually 10-10-10. Cool, huh? Wish I'd thought of that before I wrote this list. 

Loves of late

Things I'm loving of late...

Basil plants sprouting up. I finally got tired of buying fresh basil and bought some seeds so I could grow my own. I use lots of fresh basil when I cook. Love it.

Emeril's Kicked-Up Tuna Melts. Oh my. We love these. The recipe is from Everyday Food magazine and I've never made a single recipe from that magazine that wasn't wonderful.

I love this quote from Annie Proulx:
"I read omnivorously, I always have, my entire life. I would rather be dead than not read. So, there's always time for that. I read while I eat, and our whole family did. We all had very bad manners at the table. All of our books are stained with spaghetti sauce, and that sort of thing."
I love even more that my husband sent that quote to me with a note that said: This reminds me of our family.

I love the rhythm that our weekends have developed over the last year--they feel almost sacred to us.

Our dairy delivery service. After taking a break for a year or so, we started it back up again this summer. It seems so quaint to open our front door and retrieve milk and eggs and bread and lots of other things from our dairy box. The only thing I don't love is that the eggs come in styrofoam cartons. I haven't found any place that recycles styrofoam.

I love that it's almost football season. Specifically I love that it's almost SEC football season. Twelve more days, and yes, I'm counting. I've been excited about college football since all the pre-season SEC chatter started in July! I love that the Hogs are ranked #17 right now. And love that I get to go to a Razorback game this year! Go Hogs Go!!!

I also love that my sister's due date is almost here. We can't wait to meet her little guy! She's due in less than two weeks.

Trader Joe's Joe. It's my very favorite. Thanks to my friends, Julie and Lane, I have enough to last me for awhile!

Mondays. I really have grown to love the fresh start to my week! Hope your Monday is a really great one.

Wednesday Happies

1. My kids make me happy. Yesterday Sarah and I went shopping. She had some gift cards from her birthday that she wanted to spend and we had a fun afternoon together. We were at the mall (I've given up on my resolve to stay away. Been more times than I care to count.) and she spied the toys that her brother and sister were on a quest to find last weekend. She used her OWN money to buy one for each of them and surprised Will and Abbey with them after dinner. She had more fun doing that for them than she did buying stuff for herself. She was giddy with joy. It is a beautiful thing when your kids love each other and show it in tangible ways.

2. I also found a new comforter set that I am in love with! It was on sale for $19.99--for a queen set--that's my kind of bargain! I've been wanting to re-decorate our bedroom for awhile but I'm not one to spend a lot of money on that kind of stuff. Finding the perfect comforter set on sale is a happy thing!

3. I bought these flowers and this vase early in the summer and they still make me happy every day!

4. John has been working from home a lot this summer. I didn't like it at first which really surprised me, but I've grown to love it. Just knowing he's around and can join us for lunch or I can find him and give him a smack on the lips makes me happy!

5. Reading makes me happy too. Not long ago, a friend recommended The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and I'm almost finished with the book. It's fascinating. And challenging. Anyone read it?

6. Laughing makes me happy. Or does being happy make me laugh? I think it works both ways.

7. The mountains make me happy! So does living in Colorado in the summer. I ran to the store last night and the temp sign when I was driving home at 7pm said 71 degrees. I know you guys in the South (everywhere, really) are SWELTERING. And I'm sorry. Come visit!

8. Lists of ten things make me happy but I'm going to have to end on a discordant note because I'm out of time!

Hope your Wednesday is a crazy-happy one.

Food Chain

Here are a few food links I've been wanting to share.

Links.

Chain.

Food.

Food Chain.

Get it?

Okay, never mind.

Last weekend I made Kellie's Roasted Corn and Tomato Tart.
It was AMAZING! Especially with my farmer's market loot. You've got to try it!

I also rediscovered a recipe that I'd forgotten I loved for Greek Pasta Salad. Oh my word. I think I could eat this every single day.

I think I've linked this before, but this is my new favorite way to dress up strawberries. Tangy and tart and pure deliciousness!

I was flipping through Sarah's old photo albums this week and came across some pictures of her making painted toast. It's a super easy, super fun idea to use with kiddos at breakfast.

We grill burgers almost every weekend during the summer months. My favorite thing to eat with them are sweet potato fries. Someone asked me if I make my own. Nope. I just buy this brand. They are DELICIOUS. So are the onion rings! And so are the oven fries. Yum.


Do you make homemade guacamole? I do sometimes, but I usually end up eating the avacados on a sandwich (or just sliced with some salt)  before I can get the guac made. I've been buying this product for as long as I can remember and it's perfect when you need guacamole in a flash. It's great straight out of the packet, but it's even better when you add tomatoes, onion, garlic, and lemon juice. This spring I discovered the 100 calorie snack packs. I love the smaller size not so much for the calorie count but because there is less waste! I'm picky about the tortilla chips I use with my guac though. These are my favorite. These are a close second. And these come in third.

I think that's enough links for now. Happy Thursday to you guys.

Cheery

Every time I walk in my kitchen these days a grin spreads over my face when I see this.

The kids and I went to Hobby Lobby the other day and I found the funky vase on clearance for $4. The daisies and the greenery were all on sale too. Grand total: $12

I helped host a reception for all the confirmands at our church back in May and came home with a beautiful, leftover bunch of fresh flowers. They were so cheery that I told John I was going to add a fresh flower fund to our budget and he readily agreed. Practicality won out though. This arrangement is equally cheery and permanent. What is it about flowers and bright colors that stimulate happy feelings?

Don't look too closely at this pic. I don't have spectacular skills when it comes to arranging flowers. 

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Just a few unrelated things to share:

I finally slept past 5:30AM. In fact, I've slept until almost 7AM the last two mornings. It feels decadent!

We really liked The Karate Kid. I think Jaden Smith is adorable. And talented. Wow. We hope to see Toy Story 3 in the next week or two and then I think our summer movie budget will be depleted! 

My girls have been Crafty lately. That's crafty with a capital C. I'll post some pics soon of some of their creations. By the way, did you know that Michael's sells American Girl craft kits and supplies? They have some cute, cute stuff! 

I'm getting really excited about the 4th of July! It's my most favorite holiday. This year we're planning a neighborhood block party and it's going to be F-U-N!

I can't remember the last time I blogged four days in a row. I guess I've been feeling rather chatty lately.

Cheerio, peeps.

Random Observations

(Emphasis on random)

We have exactly 18 school days until Spring Break. I think I can, I think I can.

February is a busy school month. I can't wait to flip my calendar over to March on Monday. In fact, I might just rebel and flip it over on Friday. Take that, February.

There is really no use in mopping the floors when there is snow on the ground. No use whatsoever. I cannot keep our kitchen floor clean these days anditmakesmecrazy.

Black Sharpies make me happy. Black Sharpies with a chisel tip make me extraordinarily happy. They're perfect for crossing things off my lists with a big, bold mark. Accomplishment. Ahhhh.

The Olympics make me cry. The human story is peppered with such agony and such triumph.

School projects (aka homework for parents) make me cry too. Make me cry...and curse.

Roasted brussel sprouts are delicious, but I still can't entice my family to eat them, much less like them. More for me!!!

Evidently the re-make of the 1978 movie, Ice Castles, is pretty good. I haven't been able to find it (to rent) on dvd, but I've heard the story line and the music are pretty much the same! 1978? Really? Repeat after me: We're not old. We're not old. We're not old.

Books and Movies

I'm on a reading kick again. It's not like I never read, it's just that sometimes I enjoy it much more than others. I'm in one of my "enjoying it immensely" phases.

Here's some of what I've read/am reading/want to jump into lately.

Have read:

The Road by Cormac McCarthy. This was a book club selection which we discussed last week (over bagels and coffee at Panera--yay!) I really liked it which came as a surprise, even to me! One of the things I like about this particular book club is that they push me to read things outside of my norm, and this book was no exception.

Habits of a Child's Heart: Raising Your Kids with the Spiritual Disciplines by Valerie Hess and Marti Garlett A friend suggested this book when I asked her about some Lent resources for kids and I remembered that another friend had given it to us a few years ago. It's based on Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline and honestly, I can't say enough good things about it. The authors include ideas (for children as young as four) on disciplines such as Prayer, Simplicity, Solitude, and Service. Y'all, this is an excellent, excellent book.

Everyday Food, March 2010. I pretty much devour this magazine the day it arrives in my mailbox. Every issue has easy and delicious recipes--like roast pork with squash and onions. One of my favorites. EverdayFood has an awesome website too!

Am Reading:

Photoshop Elements for Dummies This program is awesome, but the learning curve is steep. This book makes it feel a little more manageable for me. In retrospect, I probably should have bought this book which is more along the lines of what I hope to use Elements for. My friend spent four hours with me at Starbucks one day this week giving me a private tutorial. It took me four hours to make this one page but I think I'm off to a great start!!!

The Message Remix by Eugene Peterson I'm still on track with my read thru the Bible in a year plan. Started Leviticus this week and that makes me even more thankful for The Message translation. There is a group of us doing this together, and if you're super motivated to catch up on almost two months of readings, you can join us! I'm using this plan.

Going Rogue by Sarah Palin This isn't included in my photo because I haven't bought it yet, but it's the selection for next month's book club. Have any of y'all read it? [I'm really asking you, Lisa!]

Want to jump into:

Patched Together by Brennan Manning This book released earlier this month and my husband helped the author work on it, so it's top on my list right now.

The Family Cloister by David Robinson When I was looking for that Valerie Hess book last weekend I stumbled upon this one on John's bookshelf. Looks interesting. Same with Keeping the Sabbath Wholly by Marva J. Dawn. If they're worth the read, I'll let you know.

Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian I've never read anything by this author but I've heard he's great. John brought this one home to read for himself, but as soon as he's finished, I'm next in line. Bonus: I think my other book club might choose this selection for next month.

And movies? I love movies. Period.

I watch an episode of Glee pretty much every day. Not sure what that says about me. It's not a movie, but that's what makes it even better. I can barely stay awake for an entire movie after my kids go to bed, but I CAN stay awake for a 45 minutes television show. Win-win.

Bruce Almighty. Seriously one of my favorite movies EVER. I've been searching for it on the $5 rack at Walmart for two years (not even kidding) and when I was in Walmart last week I caught sight of it while walking past. I literally stopped my buggy/cart and said out loud: NO WAY!" I backed my buggy up and tossed that dvd in my cart faster than you could say "Alrighty then", smiling the entire time. My kids aren't allowed to watch it but I may or may not have watched it twice this week while doing things around the house. LOVE it.

The dvd teetering on top of Bruce Almighty in my stack of books/movies is The Brady Bunch. My kids are working their way through Season 4 and they love it. Last night we ate pizza and watched the episode where Marsha gets hit with the football --"Oh, my nose"--and hunky Doug breaks their date because "Something suddenly came up". I can pretty much quote The Brady Bunch line for line. If you're my age, I bet you can too!

This Just Makes Me Laugh!

Just walked past some folded laundry that I need to put away and noticed this.

My aunt gave Will this t-shirt for Christmas.

Makes me laugh every time I see it.

Evidently, the guy who created The South Butt is being sued by The North Face. Gee, I can't imagine why?

Anyway, maybe this logo makes you smile today too.

By the way, thanks, J, for helping me catch up on laundry this week! I love you!

AND if you want to buy a t-shirt like this one you can click The South Butt link above and it will take you to the online store. You're welcome.

Did you know?

Did you know that today is...

I didn't know until I saw my friend, Stephanie, mention it on Facebook.

So, in honor of the day, I'm sharing my handwritten to-do list with y'all. I make a list similar to this one almost every single day.

I also love Sharpies. And these Bic markers. (I use the Bic ones to write on this plate!)

PS: I finally posted a new menu plan on my recipe blog. I'm trying to get back into the swing of that.

PPS: John just told me that today is also National Pie Day. I think I might send him by the VI for P later. I'm allowing myself a little sugar these days. :-)

Shallow? Who Me?

Time to answer another question, this one from Gretchen, who asks:

What is your make up regimen/product line? Because honestly, your face looked so flawless and beautiful when I saw you. And because I'm shallow, I want me summathat. Please don't tell me it's your natural genes. Because I'm shallow, and I want me summathat.

I got to see Gretchen when she was in Colorado visiting family for Christmas. I honestly don't know whether to laugh at her comment about my flawless face, or be thankful that Chili's was dimly lit and/or she forgot to put her contacts in that morning. It's hard for me to take a compliment, but thank you, Gretchen.

So...she wants to know my makeup regimen/product line.

Prepare to be amazed.

Here is my make-up in my fancy-schmancy box.

I went a little over a year without buying any make-up and trying to use up the surplus I had. I'd heard good things about Bare Minerals and when my very last drop of foundation was gone, I splurged and bought this starter kit. I decided to go for the kit because it came with all the brushes, and was cheaper than buying it all individually.

I really like it. I wasn't convinced at first, but I finally figured out that the Skin Rev-ver Upper that came in my kit was causing my break outs so I quit using that and have only had the occasional, predictable outbreaks.

Here's a peek at the inside of my box and the rest of the stuff I use. If you're really curious, you should be able to click and zoom in on it.

I like BeautiControl blush and concealer. My lipliner, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and lipsticks are from Ulta. I like this mascara. I don't wear a ton of makeup, and I don't even wear it every day but I definitely look and feel better when I do.

As far as taking care of my skin--honestly, I'm pretty lax. I love Neutrogena facewash and moisturizer. I use the Estee Lauder one my wrinkly under eye area (I have one more sample jar before I have to break down and buy some). I really should be more diligent about taking care of my skin. I'm starting to notice a lot more wrinkles.

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Okay, one more question.

Carlee, my real life friend that I used to pound the pavement with, who started a blog and didn't even tell me!!! read somewhere on my blog that I loved SmartWool socks (I do! I do!) and now she loves them too. She asks: What else do you love?

Well, my list is subject to change on a daily basis, but here are some things off the top of my head:

Zambeezi lip balm

Larabars Key lime pie and Coconut cream pie are my faves! They're fruit and nut bars and are naturally sweetened so I ate one the other day when I was craving sugar.

James Avery Jewelry. My friend gave me the idea of starting a "faith bracelet" for my girls and giving them a charm for each of their spiritual milestones--baptism, first communion, confirmation, etc. I wish I had thought to do that for them at Christmas. I love James Avery because he uses lots of spiritual symbols.

Caribou Coffee. I drink lots of different brands of coffee, but this one is my favorite as of late. I like it even better when a bag is on sale for $5 and I have a coupon for $2 off!!!

Eddie Bauer curvy fit jeans. These jeans fit me perfectly, probably because I'm curvy. They retail for $60 (I would never pay that much for a pair of jeans!) but we have an EB outlet close by and I got mine for $30. I popped in there after Christmas and they were on sale for $19.99

Glee! And the Glee soundtracks! (Thank you, Heather!!!) John and I are halfway through Season I on dvd and we're hooked. I may or may not have a ginormous crush on Will Schuester.

I also love...

laughing

my crock pot (and the pork and black bean chili that it is cooking for me!)

my church and especially my mom's group there

my ratty Arkansas sweatshirt

Aleve for ridding my neck of it's painful crick this morning

guacamole(

and little girls who crawl up in your lap to snuggle and giggle while showing you their "art".

Saturday Love

Today has been wonderful.

Here are some of the things I've loved...

I hosted Bunco last night so I woke up to a very clean house. Love that!

I love this plate and all the fun things I get to use it for. Thank you again, Jill!

I love sleeping in.

I love that John had coffee ready when I woke up. And I love that he made me breakfast--fried eggs and toast--my Saturday favorite.

I love that my girls played dolls in their room almost all day. They were chummy from the moment they awoke until the time they went to bed. It's not rare, but it definitely makes my heart smile. I also love that Sarah is 11.5 and still enjoys playing with dolls. And her little sister.

I love football on Saturday afternoons. Not many more days of football left this year so I'm making the most of it.

I love naps on the couch.

I love popcorn. That I don't have to share.

I loved John being home with me/us all day. Loved joking around with him and sharing smiles over inside jokes. Also love that he's sitting on the couch with me right now.

I love this girl and the fact that she wanted to wear this jersey today to make my best friend smile. (She did!)

I loved that the Colts won too! Woohoo!

Loved the weather that was sunny and warm (for January!)

I could go on and on but I'm tired from all the NOTHING that I loved doing today.

John and I are unplugging again tomorrow (Sunday) and I'm also heading to Denver to spend time with one of my dearest friends who's in town visiting some family. See y'all on Monday. Or Tuesday. Or whenever the urge to blog strikes again.

Two things...

Two quick things.

1. I just read our community newspaper that comes out at the beginning of each month. My favorite feature is the monthly weather wrap. Want to guess how much snow we had in October? 29 inches. That is just crazy. High temp for the month was 77, low temp was 8. I'm a weather geek. I find those statistics fascinating.

2. Sarah and I had a fun girl day today. We went to see a local production of Pride and Prejudice. It was GREAT!!! The actors did an amazing job, and Mr. Darcy did NOT disappoint. If you live in the Co Springs area and want more info, leave me a comment. It runs through November 14, and tickets were very reasonable.

We went to lunch before the play and Sarah chose Panera. I love Panera and now I have a reason to love it even more. Six words: Vermont White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese. It was worth every single calorie. We both thought it was better than the mac and cheese at Noodles & Company which was our favorite until today. Go. To. Panera. Now. You can thank me later. If you don't have one close to you, then I am just so, so sorry.

Anniversary Week: Giveaway #3

Anniversary Week continues and I hope you're having fun because I sure am!

I absolutely love this ribbon plate that Jillian gave me earlier this year.

The one I have is from Southern Living at Home, but sadly it has been discontinued. However, I found a similar version at Michael's and that's what I'm giving away today!

Leave me a comment and tell me something(s) you're thankful for.

Today, I'm thankful for these three kiddos. John and I are crazy about them!

I'm also thankful for my husband who works hard so that I can stay at home, and for new SmartWool socks! I got some fun ones the other day--they make me smile AND they keep my feet super warm!!!

Here are links to some ways I've decorated my plate:

Valentines Day

Scripture

Summer

Happy Birthday

I usually use Sharpies or my ZIG markers. Just test an area first to make sure it comes off--sometimes I have to really scrub.

Anyway, the possibilities are as vast as your imagination. And I suppose you could use it as a serving piece as well!

So tell me what you're thankful for today and maybe you'll be the lucky winner of this giveaway!

The fine print: Giveaway will close at 10pm on Saturday, October 31. Winners will be chosen at random and posted on Sunday, November 1. Contest is open to US and international residents. You don't have to have a blog to enter, but you must leave a way to be contacted should you win.

10 on the 10th!

Wow, 10 on the 10th snuck up on me this week! It's been a busy week, but this weekend is looking to be wonderfully non-busy and

L-A-Z-Y. If you know me, then you know that lazy weekends make me happy, happy, happy!

Since October is the tenth month of the year, the theme of this month's list is the number ten. Brilliant, eh? It's probably more random than brilliant, so stay with me please.

1. 10AM Mountain Standard Time. That's the time that Arkansas plays Auburn tomorrow (10/10) in Fayetteville. Of all the SEC teams I like Auburn the least. Sorry, Lisa. Hoping the Hogs can pull out the win--Woo Pig Sooie! If you're not from the South and want to know what all this Woo Pig Sooie stuff is about, go check out Harper and Kelly calling the HOGS!

2. $10/month is what we pay for our basic cable. That basic cable does not include ESPN or ESPN2 which have televised almost every Arkansas game this season. Big Sigh. However, so far I've been able to watch all the games on ESPN360.com I'm so glad Al Gore invented the internet, aren't you?

3. I'm hoping to make good use of the $10+ that I spent at Archiver's yesterday and complete at least 10 scrapbook pages tomorrow. I have a six-foot table set up in my bedroom and all my scrapbooking stuff is out and ready for me to get some work done while I watch the game on my laptop! I did this last Saturday night with Abbey and we had so much fun together that we're planning a repeat.

4. Hey, I won a $10 Walmart gift card from Amber this week. I asked her what she thought I should spend it on and she suggested I buy the stuff to make some more of this.

5. I'll have to decline her suggestion though because we blew through our fall mix in a few days and it's going to take more than a few days to shed the 10lbs I gained from eating it. Truthfully, I didn't gain 10lbs from eating fall mix. It was more like five. I have however, gained 10lbs since 2007. That's the year that I'm currently trying to scrapbook and looking at pics of myself from two years ago is making me realize I need to lose some weight.

6. Wondering if Old Navy is going to have their jeans on sale for $10 anytime soon. Abbey only has one pair that still fits. We've rotated between track pants and jeans all week and I've got to go buy her some soon. I love those $10 promos they run from time to time. Guess I'll go check online.

7. Dinner tonight: Pizza. It will take me 10 minutes to go pick it up, will cost around $10 (gotta love Papa Murphy's and their prolific coupons) and it will take 10 minutes to bake. It will likely be the first time in the last ten days that I won't hear a hear a single complaint about dinner. Priceless.

8. I did a serious email inbox purge a few weeks ago and have kept no more than 10 emails in my inbox for THREE WHOLE WEEKS! (Wish I could keep with the ten theme here, but that would be a lie.) It is a beautiful, beautiful thing to have an almost empty inbox.

9. Shoot. I was going to try to have this posted by 10AM but I got distracted trying to come up with interesting things in tens. I'm running out of ideas and feeling a bit sluggish this morning after staying up way past my 10pm bedtime. It also isn't helping that the temperature outside is only 10 + 10 + 10. Need more coffee!

10. Okay, your turn. Here's a fill in the blank question for you. If you are so inclined, you can leave your answer in the form of a comment.

I would be thrilled if I had ten ________________.

(Children? Vacation days? Dollars? Nancy Drew books? Miles left to travel? Bears in your backyard? You fill in the blank!)

As always, you're welcome to join in the 10 on the 10th fun. Just post a list of 10 things on your blog--it can be any 10 things you can think of--and link to your post in the box below. Easy-peasy.

Because I like to share good things AND calories.

I went to the store last night.

I'm a huge homebody, but being quarantined all week with swiney children started to take it's toll on me and I knew I needed a sanity break. [Note: Going to Walmart isn't really a sanity break, but following a Walmart trip with a Pumpkin Spice latte will get you back on track rather quickly.]

I was wandering the aisles of Wal-Mart and happened upon the candy corn. Oh my, MY. I love that sugary-yellow-white-and-orange-triangular-shaped-candy SO much. It's probably a very good thing that it's only available seasonally.

I couldn't resist putting it in my buggy (that's a cart for all you non-Southerners).

And then I remembered the Fall Mix that my friend, Tracy, brought to our scrapbook-fest last weekend--the Fall Mix that I could not leave alone because I have no willpower and gained four pounds from inhaling nibbled on all weekend.

It's a mix of candy corn, Reese's pieces, and peanuts. The combination of flavors is WONDERFUL, and the colors just scream fall!

The memory of it's deliciousness was enough to make me turn my buggy-cart around and head to the back of the store for some peanuts (roasted, salted or unsalted) and then to the candy aisle to find the Reese's pieces.

I don't really think there is an exact recipe. You just dump it all in a bowl and mix it up. I used about half a bag of candy corn (because I have some purists in my house who haven't become Fall Mix converts...yet), half a bag of the Reese's, and maybe 3/4 jar of the peanuts.

It is SO pretty and SO good.

Especially with coffee.

You're welcome. Happy Friday.

PS (for the grandparents)--Sarah went back to school today, and we're both dreading the make-up work she's going to be bringing home! Abbey's school was closed for a teacher workday so she's home with me. They've both been fever-free since yesterday morning. Woohoo! We may even go for a drive to see the aspens this weekend.

10 on the 10th!

10 Things That I'm Enjoying These Days...

1. Reading. I love to read. But sometimes I go through spurts where I can't read enough, and other times I don't even want to pick a book up. This summer, I really wanted to read but found that I couldn't stay focused long enough to finish anything I started. Thankfully, that is no longer the case. I'm loving it again. I have just a few more pages in this book, and it is the best book I've read in ages. I finished reading this one and enjoyed it, but it was a tad depressing.

2. New Hand Soap! I'm a bit of a hand soap snob. For my kitchen & bathrooms, I buy the antibacterial pumps from Bath & Body Works. Last weekend I bought this scent and this scent, and they are making me all kinds of happy. They both smell so...fallish!

3. Redbox free rentals. I've had two free rental codes this week. Who can pass up free movies? We subscribe to Blockbuster.com and get to swap our mailers in for free rentals, but the stores recently changed their return policy and it takes sweetforever to get a new movie in the mail. Redbox has remedied the in-between wait time for me (for this week, anyway)!

4. Walking with my neighbors. Several of us have been meeting to walk each morning. It was as simple as throwing out an invite--"Who wants to walk in the mornings?"--and we have a nice little posse of friends hitting the trail for exercise and conversation. I love it. Because I really love my neighbors.

5. Trader Joe's Roasted Gorgonzola crackers. Oh my gosh--yum! My aunt (who is lucky enough to live close to a Trader Joe's) introduced me to these crackers last month. She also gave me a ton of TJs loot, including four boxes of these. We're down to the last box and there might be some weeping and gnashing of teeth when we finish it. I love them with a wedge of this cheese and an icy cold Dr. Pepper--which is what I've had for lunch every single day this week.

6. New mascara. I'm usually a loyal L'Oreal girl, but I bought a new kind/brand last weekend and I'm loving it! It's this. The wand is super flexible and the mascara doesn't clump or wear off. It was cheaper too. Woohoo!

7. Our fall schedule! Everything from school to church to home and homework is just falling into place beautifully. 

8. Pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks. Oh dear. I have such a weakness for these. I had two last week and I've had to steer Minnie-the-van away from the Starbucks drive thru every morning this week so I don't go broke on skinny-2pump-no whip-Pumpkin Spice lattes! (Oh dear, I've turned into one of those people.)

9. Arkansas Razorback football! It might possibly be the best thing about fall. I love it so much. My husband doesn't share my affection, but he loves me so it's all good.

10. Speaking of my husband, I'm enjoying him these days. He just finished up a huge freelance project that consumed so much of his spare time. The extra income was nice, but we're all glad he has more time to spend with us. He and I are going to watch a movie in a little while (the free Redbox one!) so I'm trying to get this post wrapped up.

Ya'll wanna join the 10 on the 10th fun? Just post a list of 10 things (anything your imagination can come up with) on your blog and link up here. Easy-peasy!

10 on the 10th!

10 things that have amused me lately:

1. I overheard my kids talking complaining last week while doing their chores. Their enthusiasm for the chore chart started waning a few weeks ago. One of them huffed and said, "We need a maid." What am I? Chopped liver? 

2. Last Sunday, I nicked the back of my ankle while shaving my legs before church. I try to shave occasionally.  In an attempt to stop the bleeding, I stuck a (rather large) piece of tissue over it. Completely forgot about the tissue until I happened to glance down right before walking up to communion and saw it sticking to the back of my ankle. Nice. No telling how many people were snickering behind my back and not telling me it was still there. Good thing I've learned to laugh at myself. And to forgive others for the sin of omission.

3. You guys familiar with word verification on Blogger? I came across the word "fartio" while leaving a comment on Lisa's blog. Fran had a contest a while ago where she gave a prize to the person who made up the funniest definition for word verification words and used it in a sentence. Talk about f-u-n-n-y stuff. Anyone wanna give "fartio" a go? So many possibilities for that one... 

4. You might be a redneck...if your van looks like this:

I had my windshield replaced last November, and a couple of months ago, the stripping at the top came loose and was flapping around and driving me crazy. Believe it or not, the guy who replaced my windshield told us to do this until the silicone glue dried. However, it has since come unglued and is now sporting the blue tape sans glue waiting for it to be repaired yet again. SO redneck, and SO embarrassing.

5. These pictures made me laugh out loud.

6. Do you guys watch Wipeout? Seriously, it is THE funniest show on tv. My entire family stops what they're doing to laugh together for an hour each week. We've also been known to say "Goodnight and Big Balls" quite frequently. Cracks us up. 

7. Jack-the-beagle has pooped in the laundry room three times in the last three days. Oh wait, that's not amusing. That's annoying. 

8. My toenails have been sporting a lovely shade of orange lately. I'm not one to deliberately paint my toenails orange (or blue or black or purple for that matter) because I'm an au naturale kind of girl. The orange toenails are rather amusing though, and it's all because of these shoes that I got for my birthday. Kelly told me that they scream Colorado. I don't know about that, but they definitely scream "hey, wear these and your toenails will turn orange". They're super comfy though and I love them despite the orange issues.

9. My husband saw the optometrist this week who told him that he's soon going to need bifocals. I'm pretty sure I laughed out loud. Wasn't laughing so much when he told me he was thinking of this look:

I haven't seen the frames he picked out. Let's hope he was kidding. 

10. Nice pic, huh? I dropped my camera on the concrete (yikes!) and when I picked it up to see if it was okay, I accidentally took this picture of myself. A-M-U-S-I-N-G. Glad there aren't any "friends" in my nose since you can see straight up my nasal cavity.

Hope some of this made you laugh. Laughter is good medicine, ya'll!

Okay...so if you want to join in the 10 on the 10th fun, leave a link to your post below!

1. Mollie 2. Tiffani 3. Kendra@Kendra's Keepings 4. Elizabeth @ Finding Him Bigger 5. Michele @ Mama in High Heels 6. Angie 7. stephanie 8. Mary @ Simple Things 9. Tami 10. Gretchen (Jewels in my...)

11. afamiliarpath 12. Janet @ Engraved 13. Jackie@ Our Moments, Our Memories 14. Amber@Raising Rascals 15. Amber@ Raising Rascals 16. Alison 17. Carpool Queen 18. Christen 19. care-in 20. Robin

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A Broken Record

I haven't blogged in two days. That's rare for me.

No, I haven't contracted the over-hyped swine flu (thanks for asking though, B) I just haven't had anything interesting to say. 

Do I ever have anything interesting to say? 

Shhhh. That is a rhetorical question.

This isn't a weather blog, so I didn't feel like telling you about the snow we got on Monday. Or how soupy and cold it was here yesterday. However, I did take this pic (while driving) for our third grade friends in AR. Flat Stanley was the only one at our house loving the late April snow. 

I also didn't feel like telling ya'll that I'm having another crazy-busy week. It seems like almost every blog post in April has been about me being busy or about weird spring snow. I'm like a broken record.

Here are some snippets of a few things going on in between snow and busy-ness.

• Still waiting for my new debit/credit cards. I hate writing checks. But I hate carrying cash even more because if I have it, I spend it. Hoping my replacement cards come soon.
• Seeing some light at the end of my project tunnel. My deadline is Friday. I feel like I might have a life again after that.
• LOVED my alone time on Sunday afternoon. Did a little eating (Pei Wei), did a little shopping (TJMaxx, Whole Foods), and did a little driving/exploring. Wasn't gone too long, but it was quiet and it was perfect. 
• Sent my kids to school in shorts and capris in anticipation of 70 degrees later today. They were thrilled. I'm afraid to tell them I heard the "s" word again for Friday. There I go with that broken record thing again. Sorry.
• Counting down the remaining school days. Including today, we have 16 more fun-filled and jam-packed days. I'm giddy about that. I LOVE summer and I am SO ready to have days where I have absolutely nowhere to be. I mandate rest for the first week of summer, because after the whirlwind finish, the kids and I are exhausted.
• Been embracing my inner curly girl and letting my hair do it's own thing. Yesterday was the first time in 10 days I dried and straightened it. I still prefer it straight, but the curls are growing on me. What I'm really loving is how quickly I can get ready in the mornings when I go curly.

That's all I have time for today! My to-do list is calling. Bye, peeps.