Do Y’all Think

I could make this (or a reasonable facsimile thereof):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using these?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love the look of that full wall of shelves, and since I cannot afford to have anyone custom make those cabinets for me…would the laminate from Tar-jhay look too cheap??

Thursday Randoms, Published on Friday.

• I did not accomplish nine random acts of kindness during my birthday weekend. Apparently one has to leave the confines of home and a stadium parking lot to be truly randomly kind.  I did manage three:  I taped change to a vending machine outside of the student union, I bought a McDonald’s gift card and handed it to a lady in line, and I went inside the neighborhood doughnut shop and handed a guy in line a few dollars and told him to enjoy.  Next year, I will plan better and get nine accomplished!
• Lovegirl’s class went to the pumpkin patch Tuesday.  The teacher told Lovegirl to hurry up and pick a pumpkin.  Lovegirl told her that she was searching for the crown jewel of pumpkins and that it might take a while.  That child…
• Mentioned this on Twitter…the D.ollar T.ree sells marijuana testing kits.  Yep, they’re right up front at the register.  Who knew??
• I scored an awesome mirror at Goodwill the other day for the low-low of $15.  I’m going to stain it a darker shade and lean it against a wall in our bedroom.  Way past time to replace our “temporary” cheap mirror that we’ve had for…9 years.  I’m all kinds of excited.
• Do you remember specifics from your childhood?  I was talking to Pserendipity last night and she was recalling things she’d done in the first grade.  What?!?  I can’t remember yesterday,  much less things that happened…a while ago 🙂
• The floor above me at work is being renovated for new office and library space.  I feel like I’ve been at the dentist’s office for the last week.  The constant drilling is working my nerves.  Not to mention one dude sings all the time.  I’m going to send him a request list ’cause I don’t know anything he’s singing and I’d like to hear some of my favorites.
• I told my pastor last night that I wasn’t enjoying reading the Bible as much now that we’re studying it.  Seems too much like a text book or something.  Yeah, that got me the side-eye.
• I really only want two things for Christmas this year – a stand mixer and a new oven.  I’m pretty sure one of those will not be happening.
• One of my latest goals is to learn more American history.  I picked up a couple of books at the library book sale which should help on that front:  A Voyage Long & Strange, and Nixon and Kissinger.  I always thought I had a pretty good base in history, but really, I don’t.
• I lost my keys at home Wednesday night.  I veered from my usual routine of walking in and immediately hanging them on the key rack.  Could not find them until this morning.  They were hanging one hook over from where I usually put them. 
• The football players from UAPB and Southern got into a post-game fight on the field last week.  Southern lost and one of their players refused to shake hands with a UAPB player after the game and swung on him – resulting in an on-field free for all.  25 UAPB players were suspended for one game, 5 were suspended for two games, 12 Southern players were suspended for one game.  Dizzamn!  Who’s left to play???  Guess we’ll find out what these sanctions amount to next weekend – this is a bye week for both teams.
• I’m back in the gym.  Somehow I just realized that I’ll be 40 next year – I cannot afford to let the temple that is my body fall apart.  Back to serious cardio, weights, and stretching.  Gotta keep it right and tight!!!
• Mmkay, that’s it.  Have a great weekend.  LG has one birthday party and that’s it for us!!  Whoo hoo!  I plan on puttering around the house, reading, and maybe staining the mirror.  That is all and I’m glad about it!  Be well.

Tell Me Who’s Your Housekeeper And What You Keep In Your House

Alright y’all – in my never ending quest to organize my house – and presumably my life – I’m going to be doing a little (a lot?) of rearranging over the course of the next few weeks (months).  So, I’ve got questions.  Y’all got answers, right? Answer as many – or as few – as you like!  Let’s begin…

• Do you have a pantry?
• Do you keep your food – snacks, spaghetti, cereal, etc. – in original packaging or do you transfer into storage containers?  If you transfer, what type(s) of containers do you use?
• How many of your kitchen cabinets are dedicated to everyday dishes?
• Where do you store your special occasion dishes, servers, etc.?
• How many extra sets of bedding do you have?
• Do you save any of your child(s) schoolwork/drawings/etc?  How do you store it?
• How do you store your shoes?
• How do you store your jewelry?
• On a scale of 1-5 how organized would you say your home is?  Are you happy with that number?
• Any storage/organizing tips you want to share with the class?

Thanks y’all!

Randoms…a Pictorial

It’s Sunday afternoon.  We just got home from church and Lovegirl and I are about to go through her toys (again) and clear some stuff out.  I’m not buying her much for Christmas, but we’ve got to get rid of some old to make room for some new.  Anything that we get rid of will be donated to the Children’s Hospital thrown away as it is all junk.

This a pic of Lovegirl I took at the MS State Fair.  As usual, she had a ball.  I so love my kid!

Fun at the Fair

Okay, the Orly top/base coat that TM recommended?  That stuff rocks!  I usually don’t paint my fingernails because I cannot stand – I mean I cannot stand – jacked up, chipped fingernails.  Tres tacky!  So I usually forgo fingernail polish and just rock a longer, buffed nail.  A nail broke, so I had to cut them all down.  Anyhoo, I realized that while dark colors look absolutely horrid on long fingernails, a shorter dark nail looks pretty darn good.  Below are my not-so-great pics of my nails (in Glossy by Sally H) freshly polished and a week later (after regular day to day stuff, cooking Thanksgiving dinner, washing a grip of dishes, raking the yard…..) While my nails did lose a lot of their shine, the nail polish still looked pretty good (no major chips, etc.) a week later and I probably could’ve gotten away with just adding another topcoat.  But that’s not how I roll. (Feel free to click and enlarge the pics for a better view of the nail colors/polish job)

Glossy – Day 1

Glossy - Day 7 or 8

Mmkay, so now I’m all into short, dark nails and will probably rock this look into the spring.  So I did my nails last night with a color I picked up at U.lta (where OPI colors are buy two get one free – so I did!)  This week I’m wearing Lincoln Park at Midnight a loverly dark purple that I am so enjoying!  See?

LPAM

What else?  Oh yes, my cheap-o black bookshelf.  I still need to put a knick knack or two on the middle shelf and find a coordinating lampshade for the lamp that I bought forever ago, but I’m really quite pleased with how my $19 investment has filled up a blank wall that drove me batty for the longest. I don’t know what’s going on with my plants, they used to be healthy and full and have just fallen way off…trying to nurse them back to lusciousness.  Especially the peace lily which is a funeral plant (is there a proper name?) from when Smoochy’s Mom died.  That is one plant I have got to ensure lives!  Any tips?

Okay, I’m off to work on Lovegirl’s room and her ridiculous toy collection.  Wish me luck!

Oh, in addition to the satellite radio Smoochy so accommodatingly purchased for himself last week – for Christmas – I am also getting dude a Phil Collins greatest hits CD.  I think there are a few floating around, so I need to narrow it down but it absolutely, positively must have “In the Air Tonight” on it.  Not sure what else Smoochy’s getting – if anything – but I’m pleased to have two gifts in mind for him even if he did buy one himself 🙂

Peace out!

So, so pretty

This weekend – in addition to sitting in the rain with Pserendipity and the kids at the Capital City Classic – I was all about beauty of one sort or another.

Friday

I washed Lovegirl’s hair with the usual products – Creme of Nature detangling shampoo to wash and some cholesterol to condition.  And then.  Oh, and then.  I used the Qhemet Biologics samples on her hair.  I. Love. This. Stuff.  The Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee was used to detangle.  It didn’t make the comb “glide” through as I’d read in various reviews (and maybe on the website itself), but I gotta tell you – I was able to style Lovegirl’s entire head with nary an “ouch” from her.  I’m sold.  I applied a bit to each section of her wet hair, combed it through and twisted as usual.  I also used their Amla and Olive Heavy Cream for moisturizing.  Her hair seems softer  without being greasy as it had a tendency to be after I used Liv cream.  I did about 16 two-strand twists and probably won’t take her hair down until Tuesday night, but if her hair is still detangled and soft then?  I may order cases of this stuff.  I ordered the sample sizes which were 2oz and $5 each.   A little bit goes a long way – I’m anticipating ordering the full sizes maybe 2x a year.  I’m hoping that using these products will help me in encouraging Lovegirl to stay natural and just flat iron or blow her hair out when she wants to rock a straight look when she’s old enough to make that decision.

Saturday

After the game Pserendipity, the short people, and I went to U.lta in search of the nail drying spray that TM mentioned.  Didn’t find it, but I did find some delicious smelling sugar scrub from Tree Hut.  I cannot begin to tell y’all how much I love the way this stuff smells.  It’s not the best exfoliating scrub I’ve ever used, but it smells so good I’ll give it a pass.  It’s Brazilian Nut and to me smells like vanilla and carmel.

After our trip to Ulta, I painted my nails a deep, deep burgundy (Glossy by Sally Hansen).  I don’t usually paint my fingernails, but they’re so short that I just needed to do something to them.  I can’t vouch for the base coat/top coat (Top 2 Bottom by Orly) yet, but I’ll let you all know at week’s end how well my nails did, or did not, hold up.  Still on the hunt for the nail drying spray….

Sunday

Sunday I worked on beautifying our living space.  I went to Tarjhay and bought a cheapo black laminate bookself for 19 whole dollars.  It took me about 30 minutes to put together with Lovegirl’s “help.”  I put it in the entry way, decorated it with a lamp, some books and a few knick knacks.  I think the entryway looks much better.  The study is next.  I’ve got to find someone who can lay a tile floor for me on the cheap – but right.  Wish me luck!

Thursday Randoms

• I am in a delightful mood.  And hope that you are too.
• My brother and his girlfriend are not coming down for the holiday weekend.  I’ll miss them, but I’m cool with just we three chillin’ out.
• Tomorrow is our anniversary.  We have been married for 10 years y’all.  Ten years.  Wow!
• I still don’t have a gift for Smoochy.  I am officially the worst gift-giver ever.
• I bought two storage cubes for the rest of Lovegirl’s toys in the living room.  Amazing what a difference two faux-leather boxes can make!
• I did my situps this morning.  Did you?  This is soooo much easier than the pushup challenge.  And I should have at least a half of a six pack before July!
• I’ve spent so much time on Facebook today that I actually feel bad.  Not very bad, but there’s definitely some guilt in there somewhere.
• I’m eating purple-hull peas and sauteed spinach for lunch today.  Can’t wait.
• I love this song – and I have no earthly idea what they’re talking about:

• Happy Thursday.  Go Lakers!!!

Rate My Room

Okay, really, I don’t want you to rate it.  I’m just letting you know what I plan on working on over the next few weeks while on my mini break from school.

I don’t believe in unused rooms in a home.  I say if you’re paying for the space – use it.  When we bought this house it was listed as having a dining room.  Well, we’re not really dining room type people – we’re pretty casual and we take our meals in the breakfast nook.  So I decided to use the dining room as a library/office instead.  We get plenty of use out of the room this way.

The office is currently a putty-gray color with a floral border.  Yuck.  So, I plan on warming up the walls with the same tan paint that’s in our entry-way, hanging a few pictures on the short wall, buying a few new pillows for the couch, etc., etc.  I’m hoping Smoochy will hang a few floating shelves for me too.  I’m thinking this room will look considerably better with a little elbow grease and less than $40 worth of paint.

Behold, the before (scroll over pics for my “commentary”) :

Stay tuned for the after.