Archive for May, 2009

Today Could Be The Best Day of My Life. Or It Could Be Pretty Crappy.

May 26th, 2009

Yeah, I just tweeted that.  I figured it’d be a good working title since I’m not even sure right now what this post is going to be about.

I guess I could explain the title/tweet.  That’d be a start.  The Shoe family has been in what I call “hurry-up-and-wait” mode for a long time.  A few weeks ago, that shifted to “what-the-heck-is-going-on-can-we-please-get-some-closure” mode.  And that’s still where we are.  Today is the day we’re supposed to get some answers.  Of course, Friday two weeks ago had the same promise.  Today could be pretty darn uneventful. 

I’ll bet you are feeling super duper clued in now, huh?

Let me help get your mind off of all that.

My dear sweet, potty-trained in days (I know, that’ll get a post of it’s own once I’m not so put out) Wog has been replaced.  Living under my roof is a perpetually dissatisfied, contrary litle boy.  He wakes up mad and goes to bed highly ticked off.  The span of time in between finds him pushing his sister, throwing his toys, and  hitting his mommy.  Disobedience and defiance are his super powers. 

And Bug… dear Lord, please let it be more teeth coming in and not just a personality disorder.  I’m just sayin’.

I’m really not sure who cries the most each day.  I’m pretty sure it’s me.

Yeah, sure, there are little bright spots when the two make each other laugh.  Or Wog tells a joke or does an impersonation– I so love seeing his sense of humor develop.  Or Bug tackles me for a kiss– that little chunk has some strength and likes to use it to spread love. 

But right now, all the drama is just draggin’ me down, man. 

Maybe it’s just the rain.

Which I am SO over, by the way.

My Multitasking, Self-Serving Top Ten

May 19th, 2009

Because I love Oh Amanda and because What Mommies Need is giving away a Vado, I’d like to show off my mulitasking skills and share a completely selfish Top Ten.
toptentuesday

Hey, I’m only human.

So, here are the Top Ten Reasons I Need to Win a Vado, People:
1.  It comes in pink.
2.  It would fit in my small diaper bag (and since Wog is progressing quite nicely in the potty-training, I’ll be sporting my small diaper bag soon enough). 
3.  Heck, it’d fit in my pocket & I’m ALWAYS sporting those.
4.  When Bug took her first series of steps, HH had the video camera at work with him — that would never happen if I won a Vado (see #1).
5.  I might post a VLOG or two or eleven.  (Not that I’m that interesting but my Southern accent is QUITE entertaining.  Seriously, when I go to Montgomery, I get “say that again” quite a lot.  If you’re not familiar with Alabama, Montgomery is our capital.  It’s a place where they say “MONT-gum-ry” and “th’ guv-nah”  — and they ask *me* to repeat myself.)
6.  My my life is $100,000 waiting to happen.  (I’m pretty clumsy.)
7. 
bug1

8.
wogtrombone

9.  We’re working HARD to get into a house of our own, with a yard, neighbors,  and a good school system (see #7 and #8), so we sure as heck can’t BUY one.
10.  Did I mention I could win it in PINK?

Thank you for indulging me in pimpin’ out my blog for personal gain.  Let us never speak of it again.  Unless I win.  Then, I’m afraid you’ll grow nauseous with all the speaking of it that will be done.

For more Top Ten Tuesday fun… visit Oh Amanda.

Because I Know I’m Not The Only One

May 14th, 2009

Have you ever felt someone lose respect for you.  Like physically?  What about a room full of people?   Well it happened to me several weeks ago when I, in a total whatintheheckwereyouthinking moment, announced to my Sunday School class that I had just finished the Twilight series and was currently watching the movie every stinkin’ night while I rocketh the Bug-girl to sleep.  And that I thought the vampires were hot.  And that I painted my nails black for three months after watching The Craft back in college.

Yeah, once I start, there’s really no way to stop the flow of randomness from my mouth.

This also may explain why I don’t really have many friends.

All that to say, like a few other cool chicks I won’t name (but will certainly link to) I bigfatpuffyheart Twilight.  The books.  The movie (while not cinematic genius- the cast is spot-on and, well, hunky).  The soundtrack.  Love.  It.  All.

My new fave thing– TwiMamas.  It’s all you need to feed your Twilight addiction (what, I’m the only one addicted?) — pics, news, contests, even links to Etsy shops that sell Twilight themed stuff.  (Feel free to get me this for my birthday!)

My other fave — my new candy and my Sunday School bff who, while doesn’t have one iota of respect for my choice in literature, thinks I deserve cool candy.

sweethearts

Oh, and if anyone in my Sunday School class asks, I’m totally reading C.S. Lewis now.

Top Ten Drugstore Finds…So Far

May 12th, 2009

toptentuesday

If you’re fairly new around here, you should know that when I worked full-time, I worked for a department store group.  My job was to keep the cosmetics counters of each store properly assorted and fully stocked.  And while the discount was sweet, the vendors were even sweeter.  They kept me swimming in the fanciest of eye cream, lip gloss, and fragrance.  They pretty much turned me into a cosmetic junkie. 

Of course, when you lose the discount and 50% of the family income, the COSMETICS line item of the budget is the first to go.  I dreaded the day that all my freebies ran out and I would have to , *gasp*, shop at the drugstore.  Slowly, but surely, I have started running out of my necessities.  And slowly, but surely, I am loving the drugstore. 

Yes,  L-O-V-I-N-G  it! 

So, I thought I’d share my Top Ten Drugstore Finds (so far anyway):
1.  Caress Exotic Oil Infusions Cream Oil Bodywash - Keeps my skin SOFT even in the dead of winter with gas heat blaring!  
caress
2.  L’oreal Sublime Glow in Fair  This has a very subtle color for pasty folks like me and very minimal self-tanning smell.  It’s there, mind you, but very minimal.
loreal-sublime-glow-fair1
3.  L’oreal EverPure Moisture Shampoo  Sulfate-free, 100% vegan, preserves your hair color better…yay!  The best thing about it, though, is the smell.  Just like Aveda without the price tag! 
everpure-shampoo
4.  Clean & Clear Soft In-Shower Facial   OHMYGOSH!  My skin feels amazing after using this.  But it’s pretty scrubby and menthol-y, so if you don’t like that sort of thing, move along.  
steam1
5.  Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer – Fig  This is moisturizing, smells like peppermint and the fig color is a wonderful natural color!
fig
6. AcneFree Purifying Cleanser  I found this by Googling “Proactiv knock off”– seriously.  My skin was getting out of hand, but after two days of using this it was clear.  I kid you not.  It’s pretty strong and can be drying, so I use it for a week to 10 days and then switch back to a gentle cleanser for a few weeks.  What’s also great is that you don’t have to buy the whole system.  I found it at Ulta for $5.99 (plus I used a 20% coupon from the paper), but CVS and Walmart both carry the cleanser as a stand-alone purchase, too.
acne-free
7.  L’oreal Bare Naturale Concealer  This covers so much better than I was expecting it to.  After about a month or so I thought it started settling into the creases under my eyes a little, but I LOVE it for covering blemishes since it’s not at all cakey.
concealer
8.  Maybelline Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil  I credit Moriah (via Chic Critique) with this find.  It’s awesome… even if you’re not an artist!
brow
9.  Curel Life’s Stages Comfort Moisture Cream – Pregnancy & Motherhood  To be honest, I think Curel has discontinued this product.  I saw it at Wag’s seriously marked down (and bought every last cotton-pickin’ bottle they had).  So, if you see this, buy it.  You don’t have to be pregnant.  Or a mother.  You just need skin that wants to be soft.
curel
10.   Vaseline Petroleum Jelly Cream  Don’t bother with fancy foot creams, just slather this on and throw on a pair of socks before bed.  The creamy formula is much less messy than the regular Vaseline.  It’s a must for elbows too! 
vaseline1

 For more fun Top Tens, head over to Oh Amanda!

A Sharer of Words

May 7th, 2009

Even back in college when I used to write short stories and poetry (the cool kind that didn’t rhyme), I never fancied myself a writer.  It was more of an emotion dump for me.  Fortunately (and yet, strangely enough, unfortunately), I haven’t been dumped in eons so I don’t really get the out the old notebook for a daily or even weekly dose of alliteration. 

These days find me with feelings of pride over a dinner that’s turned out to be both delicious and healthy, elation that Bug is walking all over the place, nervousness about potty-training Wog, frustration with not being able to find time to do a simple exercise DVD, ticked off ( -edness) because Wog woke Bug up from yet another nap, hope that maybe we’ll be homeowners soon,  and sadness that I missed One Tree Hill yet again. 

So, I blog. 

Because, really, who wants to hear a haiku about pee on my couch? 

**chirp chirp**

That’s what I thought.

Musings on the Swineflu

May 1st, 2009

I certainly don’t want to make fun of the swineflu.  I imagine it’s a scary thing to have it or for your kids to have it.  What I am tempted to make fun of, though, is all the hype.

I was half amused and half angry yesterday when a caller on a morning radio show, who described himself as a “medical professional”,  proceeded to tell us the super duper how to keep yourself safe precautions to take:  wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, use a teaspoon of antibacterial gel several times throughout the day, and minimize your contact with sick people.

Ummm, hold on!  Let me get a pen so I can write that down.

Then, said “medical professional quoted his “reports” that this swineflu epidemic will end up affecting 90% of the population.  90%.  Seriously?

If 90% of the population are not washing their hands after they french-kiss as many sick folks as possible, we have some much deeper issues to deal with.

Of course, that’s only one side of it.  I have two little ones, one of whom hasn’t been vaccinated against the flu.  I don’t really want to treat the whole thing so casually.  To be honest, there’s a small part of me that wants to board my whole family inside the house until the whole thing passes.  But isn’t that how the whole thing starts anyway… a bunch of pigs wallerin’ in their dirty little spaces?

I digress…

The point of this whole swineflu post was really just a lame excuse to present you with the single best invention I’ve ever seen in my entire life.   Seriously.  The best.  Ever.

Ladies & Gentlemen….

THE BACONE

Anyone game for heading to the next Baconcamp.?   Or perhaps there’s a serious need for Baconcamp-Birmingham.