Woo weee. Made it to Tuesday! Good morning, readers! Yesterday I found myself stuck on the Army roller coaster - a very scary, crazy, emotional roller coaster that probably even has a few upside down loops and spirals for good measure! Uggh.
The past few weeks I've been having an internal battle over when to tell select co-workers about my husband's future travel plans. I decided that my game plan would be to wait as long as I could and if I felt like my emotions were taking over I would set up a meeting with my job coach and supervisor - just so they weren't throw off guard by a wreck of a Tina.
Given that this is what, week 4? I was hoping to wait until.. Thanksgiving? but my emotions had other plans.
Well said meeting happened yesterday. Fortunately I didn't have any crying hysterical spells in the ladies room, but it was comical to look in the trash and see how many tissues I went through at the end of the day! Sigh. Yes - please picture me awkwardly hiding in my cubicle checking my mirror every now and then to make sure my last tissue blow (blow with the tissue?) didn't leave gross booger remnants!
I'm hopeful that the hard part (related to work) is over and now that my direct supervisors know I'll be fine and at least capable of staying composed an entire day!
Ok this post will be the third post in this blog's lifetime that features a feminine product, and for that I'm sorry - but I was just reading my magazine and came across an ad and found it to be... worth sharing? strange? disturbing? dunno..
It's called the Diva Cup and an alternative to other feminine products. Apparently, if you want to be a "Green Diva" this is for you as it is a reusable product.. Apparently this can be purchased at places like Whole Foods for $32.50-$40.00. I won't go into more details, and will let you browse the website and FAQs for yourself, if curious to find more information. Also check out this hilarious review.
OK - now you can say "yes" when asked if you've heard about the newest product for feminine hygiene! ...great. I can tell that I'm gaining readers left and right after this post!
Mike made it in last night around 8:00!! It's so great to have him home!!! I get him for a full two weeks before he's off to the next part of "training". It's like we're actually married! Good times.
It's wonderful knowing that he actually gets to stay for an extended period of time so I don't have to worry about trying to plan everything so we do everything we should! Last night, for example, we decided that we would just be lazy all of today - can't remember the last time we truly got to be lazy together! Got groceries and snacks and are planning on watching football all day! No rushing around or going from place to place to fit in visits! I couldn't be happier! This way too, when we do visit with people it won't be as rushed as usual! Looove it!
I picked up a few magazines to look through and Mike is playing xbox before the game starts. The best part is we get to sit next to each other! I know this is silly, but man do I miss it! I like that we can be doing our own thing but still be together. It's perfect.
I came across "greige" for the first time last week. You guessed it - a blend of gray and beige. Maybe I'm just behind on this one? Apparently gray was way big last year and this year it's greige. Here's what I found online..
Apparently this all started from a $23 bottle of Chanel nail polish, Particuliere:
Since most of us don't want to spend that kinda money on a bottle of nail polish, blogger The Bargainista has some other alternatives. The prices she had listed didn't quite look right so I tried to update a few from what I could find online.
1 - Deborah Lippman Waking Up In Vegas - $16
2 - Butter London Fash Pack - $14
3 - Essie Chinchilly - $8.00
4 - OPI You Don't Know Jacques - $8.50
5 - OPI Brights Over the Taupe - $8.50
6 - China Glaze FYI - $6.50
Last year I picked up You Don't Know Jacques during a sale at Ulta. It's a great neutral and even though it's kinda muddy, I like that it's different from the usual pink/red. Me gusta mucho!
Are you familiar with the crazy accessory store Charming Charlie?? It is the most intense explosion of organized insanity in accessory land! I'm not kidding!! I've been in two different stores - Tuscaloosa, AL and Cincinnati, OH (the store just opened in Deerfield Towne Center!) and if you are a fan of cute accessories for a decent price (or even if you are curious and just want to be overwhelmed by many, many options!), checking out this store is a must!! I just made a purchase today, so I have no clue what the long term quality is like, and the rings may turn your finger green? dunno.. All I know is I've never been to a store with a better selection and variety of all things accessories (and they have clothes too!!).
So why is this store so intense? Well, it's ginormous but organized by color! Being the methodological person that I am (thanks for those genes, Dad!) I like to approach a store with a plan - and it's tricky at this store because despite the color coding, the store is filled with many round display areas and it's easy to get distracted!! And because many items come in duplicate colors, it's possible that you don't notice the perfect bracelet until you find it in orange, and think "gee I wonder if this comes in blue?" so back to the blue section you go!!
Unfortunately at this time you are unable to shop online, so head to your nearest store and take a look-see!
This is what I purchased:
$5.97
$7.97
$12.97
So I was very excited to find the above bracelet. I've seen and heard so much about the Pandora style bracelets and seen many look-a-likes (Brighton, Biagi, Troll Beads, Chamilia, Donatella etc), but the price range is still WAY out of my budget no matter who makes the beads (you're lucky on average to spend less than $25 a bead! just one!! jeepers!!) Anyway, to find this similar style bracelet (even though I couldn't pick out my own beads like at the other places, which I admit is part of the appeal) for $12.97 I was pretty excited!
Looking forward to watching Grey's Anatomy tonight and cleaning up during commercials because THE HUSBAND comes home tomorrow (we think. and hope. and pray.)!
1) I heard this yesterday (I think) morning on the Bob & Tom show! Top 10 ranking cities (according to Men's Health) by category... sexiest cities- guess how Cincinnati placed!?
2) I learned today at a house visit for work (keep in mind I am working with adults 65+) that it's possible for a seamstress to sew in pads to help with incontinence issues? Still sorting this one out in my head how this would work/ be a benefit... but my job coach said "well it sure helps on having to wash your panties (I shudder at this word!) every few minutes!" ?????
hello google! We have, from the Seek Wellness online store, the Lady Dignity Washable Panty with Built In Protective Pouch for $10.95!:
And for your continuing education, the description: "Washable, cotton blend body fabric. Moisture-proof pouch holds pads in place and provides extra leakage protection. Attractive lace trim and bow applique. One brief. Pads should be purchased separately."
Not sure if the word attractive makes me want to chuckle or cry!.. Not looking forward to getting older!
3) David Hasselhoff was the first contestant to be kicked off this season's Dancing With The Stars! Now, I will admit, I don't really watch the show, but I only had 2 real things to share! So consider this a bonus..
Y'all know (or you do now!) I'm always on the lookout for another blog to subscribe to as I'm not finding facebook to be the huge time waster that it once was... and I found a good 'un today!: Kendi Everyday!! I'll add her link to my fashonistas links - check it out sometime!!! I love her About Me section: "People think that when you get married and move to a small town, that you should get pregnant. i started a blog. (it's a girl)" - cute!
And yes, I do feel like a stalker reading other peoples blogs that I don't know, but Kendi clearly has a following with 1,617 followers (as if it makes my stalking not as creepy??.. or just popular stalking?)!
So excited!! The other day I got a $10 off Kohl's coupon in the mail! I looked through the clothes and accessories and wasn't all that impressed (check out this confusing item! Greear - reminds me of shopping with you and finding that confusing top! haha! not so sure about this one either!) so I checked out the home decor and found a steal! I got the smaller pumpkin (actually a good size - 7inches)- it was originally $16.99, on sale for 40% off, and then with my coupon it was a whopping $0.20! YAY!!!
I'm always up for trying new face products as I never seem to find the right one that clears up my skin! Over the years I've tried Proactive, Neutrogena, Clean and Clear, Cetaphil, etc etc. After seeing In Style's Best Beauty Buys I went out and purchased Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer. In the past I've tried the Ultra Calming lotion from Aveeno, but never the Positively Radiant. I love that Aveeno's face lotions have SPF so I often go back to these products, but I'm not loving this new one. I've been using it for the past 2 weeks (at least) but the smell is just so distracting and unpleasant!
Curious if others found this problem, I did a quick google search. One reviewer said "I don't like the smell. It's like someone mixed soy sauce with honey and watermelon." Not sure if I would agree with that description, but it's certainly funky! Another stated "Curiously (though not intolerably) edamame-scented." Seriously? edamame scented lotion? Gross!! Honestly though, I liken it more to cat pee - so edamame may be a more positive description!
When I was at Sephora the other day checking out other face products, the lady introduced me to this product. I think it is such a cool idea!! It's a brush that has mineral powder with SPF in it - all in one!! I did not purchase it, but as the Sephora lady said, it's a great way to add SPF to your favorite moisturizer! Side note: apart from the Aveeno face lotions, it's very hard to find a regular daily moisturizer with SPF! Something to keep in mind, for sure!
OK - on to beer! There are so many great fall beers out there (Samuel Adams Octoberfest, Jack's Pumpkin Spice, Shipyard Pumpkinhead..) but when Mike was home last we picked up two new ones that we hadn't tried before: Sierra Nevada Autumn Tumbler and Ichabod Pumpkin Ale from New Holland Brewing Co. If it weren't for the fun labels we may have gone with a familiar favorite, but I loved the pretty fall landscape and he liked the spoooooky Ichabod! They were both pretty good and unique! I think I preferred Ichabod and Mike liked the Sierra Nevada best. I love all the different components of fall beer - and for me there is enough going on that makes it interesting, without being too dark for my taste. Christmas beer is another story!! :)
Play Me I'm Yours, is an internationally touring work of art that has been in cities such as New York, Grand Rapids, London, Barcelona, Bath, Sydney, Bristol, and as of August, Cincinnati!! According to http://www.streetpianos.com/ pianos are showing up in parks, squares, bus shelters and train stations, outside galleries, markets and on bridges and ferries. The pianos are for any member of the public to enjoy and claim ownership of. Play Me I'm Yours has reached an audience of over 1,000,000 people worldwide, with over 300 pianos in 16 different cities so far! Amazing!!
There were 35 street pianos across the Greater Cincinnati area! I just think this is the coolest thing!! Have you heard of this??
Hello!! I'm in such a blissfully calm state and it's wonderful! I have a fall candle lit and am making coffee and I'm still in my pjs at 9:00!! YES! Work is going great, but man do I miss my lazy mornings!!
There is a sale going on at Bath & Body Works (not sure for how long!) on their candles - 2 for $10 for the 4oz candles! I have been waiting on a candle sale for awhile!! Even though the candles are pretty tiny, it was a great deal that I couldn't pass up! I purchased Leaves and Autumn Apple! Yummy!!
Not your typical leaves scent - more of a blend of all the yummy fall smells! :)
Haven't used this one yet!
I have Leaves lit right now and it's a great blend of outside and cider and cinnamon! It's a cozy wrap me up in a blanket and snuggle with husband scent, if that's possible! The sticker on the bottom describes the scent as "golden nectar, juicy mandarin and red delicious apple blend with toasted cinnamon, mulled cider and freshly harvested berries" - that's a lot going on in one candle!! After burning it for a few hours this morning I've decided to use my 20% off coupon and go back and get a larger candle because I loooooove it and am afraid they'll discontinue the scent!
So work - made it through my first full week! This past Monday I was all pumped and ready to go, but by Friday I was like get me out of here! Seriously! I felt like I could cry a few times throughout the day, but I think anybody could feel that way after a 3 hour Medicaid training!! AHHHH! lol. We survive. I really am still in training full time - our binder is one of those honkin' 3 inch binders!! It's amazing how much information we have to learn! It's a lot of policy and procedure and documentation stuff, so it's all good information that I need to know, but yikes!! My brain is ready for a mental health break this weekend!
The brother and I are going to Kings Island today for P&G day!!! I haven't been in town or able to go for years! The park is closed to retired and current P&G workers and their family members and we usually get a good pile of free products!! Very excited!
Got caught up on my movie reviews and posted a new song to my "Listening" page! SO peaceful! Check it out! Happy weekend!
Good morning!! I've had feelings for fall for the past week or so and decided it was time to change my background! Maybe this will inspire me to switch out my summer clothes for fall clothes!! Hope you enjoy your morning! and Happy Fall! :)
Afternoon Update: You may notice a few new tabs at the top of my page! I finally figured out how to do this and have been wanting to add these for some time! In an organized fashion (of course!) I have reviews/ thoughts from the latest books, music, and movies that I'm enjoying (or sometimes not so much enjoying). Lots of sharing on this blog! :) Check them out!
A former social work classmate shared this link from Time on facebook and I found it so very interesting that not only did I repost to my facebook but you are seeing it again HERE!
Time article states, "German toymaker Paraplush has designed a controversial new line of toys with an assortment of psychiatric disorders. The company advertises stuffed animals who suffer from a range of mental illnesses (bipolar disorder, depression, multiple personality disorder) and even come packaged with a personalized medical history and treatment plan."
Description from the toymaker website, "The psychological dynamic of a group will challenge your analytic skills and leads to a complete new understanding of therapeutical treatment. Notice the relationships between different patients and discover the structure of a collective plush-subconscious."
Meet Dub, the turtle... "Being an animal more accustomed to a relaxed pace, life in the fast lane has caught up with our patient, sending him into a deep depression. Can you help him to come out of his shell once more and enjoy life on the outside? Help Dub to rediscover life - slowly this time!"
WOW! Not gonna lie.. pretty intrigued.. and can totally picture one of these guys sitting on my desk at work!! (Just started to personalize my cubicle! I have a flower pot pencil holder, one of those flip album picture book thingys and one text book! Progress!)
'ello there! Day two of work = success! As I told my mom earlier, I at least don't feel like the bus hit me as hard today! Yesterday was waaaaaay overwhelming and info overload and today was so much better! I actually get to go on a home visit tomorrow! Not for my own client, but it will be nice to do some non-orienting stuff!
Mike got to come home Monday night and left this morning. It was so great to come home to him from work on my first day!! The sweetie that he is, he bought me be-a-utiful fall flowers that look lovely on our kitchen table! They are gorgeous shades of oranges and yellows! Love! And he took me out to dinner for thai, which provided yummy left overs for dinner tonight! I sure do love that man (and not just because he buys me flowers and thai! haha!)!!
I'll try to post more later this week, but wanted to direct your attention to my favorite wedding photographer's most recent post on her blog! The couple clearly has their own sense of style and I think it's pretty fun!!
The other day I found the perfect recipe to use my new KitchenAid for the first time!! Today was the day that it all took place!! That's right, I made homemade vanilla cupcakes and vanilla icing!! As you will see, I took plenty of pictures to document the event! I found the recipe for another blogger, Veronika - check out her cute blog here. This cupcake recipe is from Magnolia Bakery in New York City, featured on Sex and the City.
You can also find the recipe here or read below :)
Pumped to bake!! Woohoo!
Cupcakes - Ingredients (makes 2 dozen)
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat(I'm almost positive I overbeat-ed.. easy to do apparently!). Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
Playing with the timer function! I think I look the part of a fancy baker ;)
Vanilla Icing - Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled. Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
As you can gather from the recipe, the icing is super sweet!! I used 7 cups for my icing!
Well I think it looks dang cute!! As you can tell I picked up one of those decorating bag kits for the icing - it comes with 20 disposable decorating bags and 3 different decorating nozzles and when those run out I'll just use a ziplock bag.. but the decorating nozzle things are reusable!
I had one cupcake without icing soon after it was out of the oven - and it was pretty yummy! Not really having much prior experience baking, I wasn't able to identify right away that "oh yeah.. this mix has been overbeated" but it seemed edible so I made the icing and baked the second batch! I had part of a broken cupcake with the icing, and I think it's pretty good! I would try them again and be more mindful of how long I'm letting the mixer mix!
I'm bringing these to a family dinner tonight and will let you know what they say! Regardless, now I can proudly say that my fabulous KitchenAid is no longer just decoration in my kitchen, but an actual appliance! Done and done.
There is something about the weather today - that beautiful sunny, warm, slightly breezy air that makes me think back to this time last year. I've been trying to process what it is that I miss about Alabama exactly and I think overall my time down south represents something comfortable, familiar and easy. While I was no doubt adjusting to new classes and professors, I had my classmates that were my friends and my comfort zone. I've kept in contact with some classmates (some better than others) but it's not the same.
This time last year, deployment was not on the horizon, and my main purpose was being a good student, fiance, and the occasional wedding planning. I'm not dissatisfied with my current situation but it sure is a little uncomfortable. I'm working through a lot of newness and still haven't found my swing of things yet. I miss knowing what's expected of me so to speak and what I need to do to fulfill that purpose.
I'm quite confident that starting a job will be greatly beneficial for my sanity, sense of self and overall well being. Like many people I like a least something that looks like it could be a routine. Too much routine becomes boring.. but if I'm analyzing myself accurately, I think I feel like I have all of these loose pieces and I'm not sure what to do with them or where they go exactly or how they fit together.
I find myself getting into a pattern and slight sense of normal and then something happens and it feels like all of that changes and I have to readjust. Mike has shared an expression with me that they use in the military, super gumby, meaning always flexible and ready for change. Turns out, this applies to military wives as well. I love my husband and am so glad we're married and I'm thrilled at every chance I get to spend with him, but right now I'm just kinda a day to day, super gumby girl.
This past Wednesday I hosted a birthday party for the mother-in-law! It was my first ever dinner party in the new apartment! The menu was super easy and there were just 5 of us, so it was no big deal, but I feel like I accomplished something and will be more likely to host more get togethers now that I have successfully completed the first one!!
For an appetizer I used my mom's red pepper jelly over cream cheese - can't give you the recipe for that.. but it's always a hit!
I made a salad with inspiration from an appetizer in this post. As cute as the watermelon, tomato and basil toothpick appetizers are, it takes a bit of time! So instead I just put everything in a bowl and voila - "salad"!
Excited to use my new Wilton Armetale bowl too!
For main dish I tried a new pulled pork crock pot recipe! My previous go to pulled pork dish was just toss a pork loin in a crock pot and cook it for 6 hours and shred and add your fav bbq sauce. Obviously that is super easy and works well - I just wanted to try something with a few more ingredients = "fancier"! I searched a bunch of crock pot recipes and ended up with a variation on this one.
Sorry it's such a bad quality picture!
Ingredients:
4 lb pork roast (shoulder or butt)
1 large sweet onion
1 1/2 cups ginger ale (regular, not diet!)
1 bottle favorite bbq sauce - I went with local favorite Montgomery Inn
bbq rub
8+ potato buns (you could use whatever kind you wanted, but I find this style to be extra light and fluffy and yummy.. I used "Private Selection Country Potato Buns")
Directions:
Ideally, you should trim fat off roast and sprinkle roast with bbq rub the night before. I was lazy and waited until the morning.. so yeah. I used Famous Daves Rib Rub.
The onion I found was rather large and that made me nervous so I probably used 2/3 of a big onion? Chop that up into smaller piece (not really super fine, just small-ish) and layer bottom of crock pot.
Add roast on top of onions.
Pour the ginger ale over the roast.
Cook on low for at least 9 hours (yes, 9 hours! The original recipe suggests cooking it for 12 hours... but I was not wanting to make this the day before.. 9 hours worked just fine). I know you aren't supposed to touch anything when it's cooking, but I'm a curious cat and couldn't resist so I rearranged and stirred and flipped the roast probably twice.. After the 9 hours, remove roast and shred using 2 forks. Drain liquid, but keep onions.
After roast is shredded put pork and onions back in crock pot and stir in bbq sauce. The amount of sauce you use is totally to taste! The original recipe suggested 1 18 ounce bottle. The bottle I had on hand was 28 ounces and I used almost all of it to get it looking the way I wanted (surprisingly, it really wasn't all that extra saucy though).
After stirring in sauce, cook on low for at least an hour. The original recipe suggests 4-6 hours, but again who has that time! I ended up cooking it for close to 2 hours. I read some of the comments on the recipe and some reviewers suggested stirring it to make sure it wasn't burning - I probably stirred 3-4 times within the 2 hours, but more because I like to stir - nothing looked like it was burning! Serve on bun!
That's it! I was surprised that it didn't taste onion-y to me. I think the flavor just blended in well and worked great! So far there has been enough for 8 sandwiches but I still have left overs! You could definitely freeze some pork too - I would take some out before you add the sauce though!
My mom scored a ring organizer for me at a garage sale this past weekend. The original board was ginormous* so I cut it down and put it in a smaller gift box - perfection!
Having my rings all in one place brought up the issue I have with my necklaces. Right now I probably have 5-8 necklaces spread out on my dresser so they don't tangle. This is SO not ideal! I have a hanging organizer like this one, but with longer necklaces, this just doesn't seem to be the best option.
I've seen a few ideas recently in blogs or magazines and couldn't find the original source that gave me this idea, but there are plenty of sites that offer DIY solutions for this very problem!
This means craft project with the pops! I love the idea of using drawer pulls.. not sure how pretty or crafty I will make this as right now I'm really just wanting a functional solution, but as you can see there are many options!!
What are your jewelry organizing tips? Does your method need updating too?
