Redecorating

I get to do another review for CSN, yay!  CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish furniture, modern bedding, or great cookware!

We have been working on our house hardcore lately: new roof, new gutters, new windows, finishing our basement, and re-doing just about every room......sheesh... so I've definitely been browsing CSN lately.

In fact, we are re-decorating our bedroom.  I'm painting my walls a dark charcoal color, and my furniture is going to get painted a very high gloss white.    But... I can't decide what to do for bedding.  Here are few options I found on CSN:

I don't know though... this might be too much grey.

I like this one.  Maybe just accent with colorful pillows?

What do you think?   Maybe I should just go with solid white bedding and add color in the pillows?

Decisions, decisions.

I just received some fireplace tools from them that I'll be writing a review on in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Daydreaming and Reading.

I started a new book today, “The Glass Castle.”  Anyone read it before?  I’m only a few pages in, so I hope it continues to keep my attention!
In other news…
Today was a very busy, but exciting day!   I do sales for my parent’s printing company, and today I got a call from one of my customer’s, a popular hotel chain that we do printing for, and they asked for a quote on 500 vehicle wraps!!!!   I’m trying to not get too excited, but I’ve already been dreaming about what I’d do with that commission check.   I can’t help it!   If I get this job the first thing I’m going to do is hire someone to finish our basement, because after 3 years of “working” on it, it’s clear that me and my husband are NEVER going to get it finished!   So I’m holding my breath that I can just hire someone to do it for me, haha.
I’m so proud of my parent’s.   They started the business out of our family room when I was 8 years old, and now we handle national accounts.    It’s really amazing.   I witnessed from a very young age how to be an entrepreneur.  And that is why I am a horrible “employee,” haha.   I have to work on my own time and schedule.  I’m so fortunate that I get to do that, because I would get fired right away if I had to be somewhere at 8 AM every morning!
Anyway, tomorrow I start with my personal trainer.   So, I’m eating a bag of M&M’s as I write this.   Real productive huh?     I should never allow them in my home, they are addictive.   I need to tell my personal trainer that, maybe he can hang them from a string and dangle them in front of me on a treadmill.  …I bet it would work.

Oh yeah, don't forget to enter my Arbonne giveaway! 

Water for Elephants

On monday I bought the book "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen, I finished the book Friday night.

It. Was. Fabulous.

 I couldn't put it down.

The story is written from the perspective of Jacob Jankowski, an old man who is reflecting back on his days as a young man in the circus during the great depression era.   It's a wonderful story that touches on the difficulties of the time, the complexities of the circus, and his impossible love for the ring master's wife.  This book has everything: action, romance, even murder.

If you haven't read it, go get it today, I promise you won't be able to put it down! 

Plus... the movie comes out soon, starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon.  

I can't wait to see it!  View the trailer below.

Oh.... and don't forget about my giveaway.

Stay Classy

My brother came up with this so that the employees at my family's company would remember the quality and environmental policy.  I think it's hilarious!

Arbonne Ginger Citrus Giveaway!

You all know by now that I love Arbonne!   

Arbonne has pure, safe, and beneficial skin care, cosmetics, nutritional products, and more....   

Each year they come out with a holiday catalog in September, and every year I wait in anticipation until I can order their "Ginger Citrus" line.  It smells soooo good and is only available Sept-Dec.   

Because I love it so much, and I love you all so much, I'm giving it away!   One very fortunate reader will win a mini Ginger Citrus Body Wash and a Ginger Citrus Body Butter.   

Here's how to enter:

1.  Be a follower of my blog and leave a comment telling me. (1 entry)

2.  Visit my website and tell me something you learned about Arbonne or a product you'd like to have. 

(2 entries) 

Return to Oz

A wonderful lesson of leadership from Oz.... 
and Michael Clouse.  

Return to Oz

We're off to see the Wizard... The wonderful Wizard of Oz... He truly is a wonderful Wiz, if ever a Wiz there was...

Seems "We're all off..." to find something. Searching for answers ... Sometimes for people ... Whatever it takes to get from where we are to where we want to go.

Dorothy just wanted to get back to Kansas. And, lest we forget, the friends she met along her way were searching, too: for brains, a heart and courage.

The Wizard of Oz is a classic metaphor for leadership. Dorothy discovered that leadership begins with knowledge in action—"Just follow the yellow brick road"—and ends with the realization, "There's no place like home."

Because from time to time we all need to be reminded, that if we just stay the course, we will reach our goals. Yet, the real wizardry of Oz is more subtly intertwined throughout the movie.

Remember, Scarecrow believed he didn't have a brain, but he masterminded Dorothy's rescue. Convinced he was without a heart, the Tin Man tried, repeatedly, to contain his emotions. And when it mattered most, the Lion, still searching for courage, was absolutely fearless. Each one possessed exactly what he had been searching for all along.

And yet concealed in Oz's last scene is perhaps the greatest leadership lesson of all:

Dorothy: Can you help me...

Good Witch of The North: You don't need to be helped any longer. You've always had the power to go back to Kansas.

Dorothy: I have?

Scarecrow: Then why didn't you tell her before?

Good Witch of The North: Because she wouldn't have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.

Dorothy believed the Wizard had the power—turns out he was just the little man behind the curtain.

Dorothy had the Ruby Slippers—the real power—all along. And that's what true leadership is about. Helping people see their power, helping them bring out the greatness that was really there all along.

Because the dreams you dare to dream really do come true...but only when you decide it's time to wake up and live them!

"Oh Auntie Em, it's you..."

-Michael S. Clouse

Open Your Eyes

"What is any life without the pursuit of a dream?

My dreams are a cruel joke.  They taunt me.  Even in my dreams I’m an idiot…who knows he’s about to wake up to reality.  If I could only avoid sleep.  But I can’t.   I try to tell myself what to dream.  I try to dream that I’m flying.  Something free… it never works.

Open your eyes. 

The little things…there’s nothing bigger, is there?  

This is a revolution of the mind.

Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.

I want to live a real life…

I don’t want to dream any longer.

Forgive me, I’m blowing your mind."

-Vanilla Sky

What great lines!

Calling all bookies...

I need a new book.   It's been a while since I've read a book I could really get into.  Right now I'm reading "The Girl Who Played With Fire."   It's pretty good, but I just can't seem to get into it as much as the first one, "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," which I loved!  Earlier this year I read "The Time Traveler's Wife,"  "Memory Keeper's Daughter," and my favorite.... "April and Oliver."    So, what next?   I keep picking up my Twilight books and reading them over and over because I just haven't found one lately that really captures my attention.   I like books that are character rich, where it's more about the people then the action.   Have any suggestions?  What books have you read lately that you couldn't put down?

The sun has gone to bed and so must I

Alert the media......

It's 11:00 PM, and I'm going to bed....

For the second night in a row.

Come to think of it, I've been going to bed earlier and earlier lately. 

Uh oh....

Am I growing up?   Or just getting old?   

....I think there's a difference?

Either way, it feels kind of nice!

"See ya kid."

Memories, light the corners of my mind

Misty watercolor memories of the way we were.

Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind

smiles we give to one another

for the way we were.

Can it be that it was all so simple then

or has time rewritten every line?

If we had the chance to do it all again

tell me would we? Could we?

Memories, may be beautiful and yet

what's too painful to remember

we simply choose to forget

So it's the laughter we will remember

whenever we remember

the way we were.

I sometimes picture my life like it's a movie, or better yet, a music video.   Like somehow me just driving down the road could be set to music and it would instantly be more interesting.    Doesn't music make everything more interesting?   As overdone as it's been, I must say that "The Way We Were" brings up those photographic images in my mind.   Every time I hear it I think of my own memories and the people, places I've left behind.  What a wonderful movie to go with the song.  The ending in my opinion is one of the best.    It brings me to tears every time.    We all have our own cinematic moments in our lives.   Some we look back on and smile, and some we'd rather forget.    But I guess it's the good and the bad that make us who we are and who we were.  

"I can't come Katie... I can't."

"I know." 


Sigh..... what a great movie!

You want the truth?

I was tagged by my friend Amy over at Handprints of the Heart to do this "truth" survey.  So here goes:

Can you fill this out without lying? You've been tagged, so now you need to answer all the questions HONESTLY. At the end, choose at least 3 people to be tagged.

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth?   A gluten free chocolate chip cookie... and it was delicious.

2. Where was your profile picture taken?  My friend Mary took it at her house.

3. Can you play Guitar Hero? I've never played.   But I have played Rock Band (same thing) and I love it!    I hate all video games except for Rock Band.

4. Name someone who made you laugh today?  Jake, my mom

5. How late did you stay up last night and why?  Till around 2:30.   I had to work until 1 and then it took me a while to wind down once I got home. 

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you?  Probably not at this point in my life, unless my circumstances changed somehow.   Though I would love to live somewhere else.  Top on my list would be New York, California, or even London....  but at this point in my life I probably will end up staying where I'm at.  

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?  I can't remember specifically if I have or not.  

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you on FaceBook?   Jake, my husband.  He's my friend on facebook and he lives with me!

9. Do you believe ex's can be friends?   Not really.   I think it always gets complicated. 

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?   I used to love it, now it seems gross.  I haven't had it in probably 10 years.

11. When was the last time you cried really hard?  I cried twice today actually for dumb reasons!  Once while watching "Oprah's Favorite Things" and once while listening to a song.... haha!    But cried "really hard,".... it's probably been a while, and I can't remember exactly the reason. 

12. Who took your profile picture on fb?  Mary Green

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?  Jake with Yoda

14. Was yesterday better than today?   Yes, I got to go to the UofL game, though I did have to work last night.  But today we worked on the house all day, so that was boring. 

15. Can you live a day without TV?   Sure, though I usually don't.  I usually watch at least an hour every day, unfortunately.   I love too many shows!

16. Are you upset about anything? Nothing at the moment, other than the fact that my shoulders really hurt from painting earlier. 

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?   sure

18. Are you a bad influence? No, or at least I hope not.

19. Night out or night in?  Night out definitely.

20. What items could you not go without during the day?  Make Up and my Cell Phone

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?  my Papaw when he had his stroke.  

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?      "Hey, what are you up to?" 

  

23. How do you feel about your life right now?     Pretty good.   

24. Do you hate anyone?  No

25. If we were to look in your FaceBook inbox, what would we find?   lots of messages, mostly about Arbonne 

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?   Of course.  I've never done drugs a day in my life!

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?  My mommy, and my husband....before he figured out the truth.  haha

28. What song is stuck in your head?   "Angry all the Time" by Tim McGraw, it was on the radio earlier.

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., whom would you want it to be?   A friend in need, or who wants to talk.  I'm probably awake anyway.  

30. Wanna have grandkids before you’re 50?   Um no.  I don't even have kids yet so I'm definitely not planning grandkids. 

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow:  Go to Ikea with Wendy, yay!

32. Do you think too much or too little? Too much.....way too much!

33. Do you smile a lot?   yes I think so

I tag Amber @ Musings of Amber Murphy, Erika @ Consistently Random, and Jennifer @ Unedited.

Guest Blogger

Well we've been planning for weeks a wonderful blog post to be written today by my baby, Yoda.  But I'm very sorry that he will not cooperate.    Next time I have a guest blogger I'll be sure to steer clear of the divas.

What a brat.  

Yeah, I'm boring.

I feel like I haven't written a real post in a while.  I guess because I haven't had anything too exciting going on.   We've been working on our house a lot, trying to get it all painted before it gets too cold.   It looks SO much better!  We have a brick home but we've been painting the trim and doors and it's made a big difference.   Also we're getting new windows, yay!  

Anyway, enough of the boring stuff.   Did I mention that I've been taking hip hop classes?  That's right, I'm hardcore.   Jake's been taking them with me.  It's been a lot of fun.  We have our concert coming up the first week of December, I'm excited for it!   I'll have to try to post a video when it's all said and done so you can all laugh at me trying to be gangster.  ; )  

Sorry I'm so boring these days.   In random news, I have been totally obsessed with this song lately.  I don't even like Pink usually, but I love this song, and I cannot stop watching her grammy performance... it was amazing!

I'll write again when I can think of something more interesting!

My Ode to Summer

Oh summer, dear summer...

where have you gone?

you promised to call,

but it's been way too long!

My tank tops are saddened,

my flip flops are too,

my skin is so white,

it almost looks blue!

I hate wearing sweaters,

and coats are for fools,

I just want the sun

and a day by the pool...

I know there are some,

who cursed at your heat,

but baby I love it,

You're SO hot to me!

I'll take heat over cold

any day of the week,

cause those who love winter,

are seriously freaks!

So please come back to me

and help me get tan

cause summer, I promise

I'm you're number one fan.

I can't decide...

CSN has asked me to do another review/giveaway.... so stay posted!  CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish handbags, to modern bar furniture or great cookware!   Now to decide what I'd like to review.... hmm.....

I'm thinking of getting me some outdoor lights for my garage...

Which one do you like better??

OR

Decisions, decisions....

Winter Veggie Bean Soup w/Pesto

Whenever fall comes around I start wanting "fall" comfort foods like soup and chili!   Due to my new diet, I'm forced to get creative in my cooking.  Here's a recipe that turned out pretty yummy!  It's vegetarian, Gluten Free, and can even be made vegan pretty easily.

Winter Veggie Bean Soup with Pesto

5 1/4 cups Vegetable Broth

2 medium Carrots, diced

3 medium Potatoes, peeled and diced (I left these out because I can't eat potatoes)

1 medium Turnip, peeled and diced

2 large Leeks, sliced

2 stalks Celery, sliced

2 cans white Kidney Beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Easy Basil Pesto (see below)

Instructions:

Place 1 3/4 cup broth, carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, and celery in a pot.  Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Reserve 1/2 cup broth for the pesto.  Add remaining broth, beans, bay leaf, and red pepper to the pot.  Heat to a boil.   Reduce heat to low.  Cook for 15 minutes or until veggies are tender.  Remove bay leaf.  Serve topped with Easy Basil Pesto.

Easy Basil Pesto:

Mix 2 cups backed fresh basil leaves, 3 T grated Parmesan Cheese (I used soy cheese), 3 cloves Garlic, and 1/2 cup reserved broth.  Place in either a food processor or a blender.  Process until smooth.

The soup turned out really good!  And it was pretty easy to make.  I had never cooked leeks before. In fact, I didn't even know what leeks were!  They look like big green onions.  I had to call my mom and ask her which parts I was supposed to use.  She said to use the bulb, and then a little bit (about an inch) of the leafy part.  But first she told me to fill up my sink with hot water and to soak the leeks for about 10 minutes to get all of the sand out.  I'm glad I did that!  Those things are dirty!  So just a little tip in case you too are new to leeks...soak those babies!

Hope you enjoy the soup!  I think it's pretty yummy!

Who do you think you are?

I know I can't take one more step towards you

Cause all that's waiting is regret

And don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore

You lost the love I loved the most

I learned to live half a life

And now you want me one more time

And who do you think you are

Running 'round leaving scars

Collecting your jar of hearts

And tearing love apart

You're gonna catch a cold

From the ice inside your soul

So don't come back for me

Who do you think you are?

-Christina Perri

P-Nut the Rapper

All you hardcore gansta rap fans out there are going to love the new kid on the block: P-Nut.   P-Nut is a 7 year old rapper from Memphis.  His newest single "You Might Be the One," is a compelling story of his love for a 3rd grader.   I personally like when he offers to be her "study buddy" and complements her on her hopscotch skills.

Oh my goodness, this is the best thing I've seen in a long time.  It is downright funny!

I know, I've posted twice today!  But I just couldn't help but share this. 

Oh cheese... how I miss thee.

So yesterday I met with a bio-chemist and had my saliva and urine tested.  (mmmm.... don't you just love hearing the words saliva and urine in the morning??!)    And it turns out, I'm allergic to the following things: Tomatoes, Eggplant, Green Peppers, Peanuts, all Potatoes, ALL Dairy Products, and Gluten... which includes wheat, spelt, rye, and oats.

: (   BIG SAD FACE!

The first thing he said when he came back in the room is "wow, you do not get enough sleep."  How he can tell that from my pee, I have no idea, but he is right, I don't!   He said that my body is severely lacking adrenaline, my blood sugar is low, and my progesterone levels are low.   It's weird because I haven't necessarily been feeling bad.   In fact, I would venture to say that I probably eat healthier than most people that I know!  I eat hardly no sugar, I'm vegetarian, I exercise, and I use natural products.  I mostly went because I figured I had some sort of food allergies because my skin breaks out when I eat certain foods.   But anyway, he thinks that if I start getting more sleep and get my hormones balanced, that some of the food allergies will go away.   

And because I am really committed to bringing cheese, potatoes, eggplant, and tomatoes back into my life... I went to bed at 11 PM last night!  Seriously.... that's like a record.   I never go to sleep before 2 AM. I'm also starting on Arbonne's natural progesterone cream tomorrow.   So... we'll see!

I'm hoping to lose the 10lbs I've gained over the past 2 years, and keep my skin from flaring up.   I've done gluten free before, so I don't think that will really be a problem for me.   But life without cheese and potatoes will be hard, and tomatoes.... eggplant.... okay it's all going to be hard.   

I'll keep you posted.   

Day 1.....

Life as we know it

Tonight we went to see the movie "Life as we Know it."   It was really good!   I've been wanting to see it for a while now, but ya know, you never know how movies like this will turn out.   Thankfully, it was as good as I had hoped.   Jake even said it was "better than expected."   I would definitely recommend it.  

The best part?  

  

Josh Duhamel

Um.... yes please!  

Not on the list

One of my oldest friends is getting married this saturday.   We've been friends for as long as I can remember.   Our families have been friends for decades, and we were always together as kids.   She was my first best friend.   She's 2 years older than me, so I always have looked up to her.   We moved away to Michigan when I was 5, but we still stayed friends.  She came to visit me and I of course came home to see family and got to hang out with her along the way.    Through the years, we were never the kind of friends who spoke all of the time, but we always could catch up where we left off, like family.    

When I got married, she of course was a bridesmaid in my wedding.    She spent the night with me the night before, and we stayed up talking about how my life was about to change.   Then, shortly after I got married, she moved away to California, which is where she's lived since.    Now, she's never been very good at keeping in touch, but that's just kind of how she is.   But through the years, I've tried to keep up with her through emails and the occasional phone call.    The last time I saw her was almost a year ago.   She came in town to visit and we went to lunch.  We had a great time catching up, and it seemed like no time at all had passed.   Not long after that, she went to Paris on vacation, where she met a guy.  We spoke a few times through email about this new guy, and how the relationship was developing.   And then......  that was it.   I haven't heard from her since.    

It's been about 9 months since we've spoken.   The last email that I sent to her got no response.    News came of her engagement through the grapevine.   After I heard, I called her and left her a voicemail telling her congratulations and that I wanted to hear all about it.   No response.   Then, I sent her a text saying the same thing about a week later.  No response.   Then, I sent her another email.  No response.   

And now, the wedding is Saturday, and I'm not even invited.    The wedding is here in Kentucky, and no doubt she's already in town, getting ready for the rehearsal which is probably tomorrow.    Lots of my friends are traveling in for the wedding, and even some of my family members are going.   But not me.  

I don't understand.   I don't understand how she could just forget about me.   We never had an argument, or a falling out of any kind.   The last time we were together was great!    And yet, here I sit, with no response in over 9 months.    

She's my oldest friend.   She was IN my wedding, and I'm not even invited to hers.    I'm a little bit angry about it, but I'm mostly just sad.    Sad that I mean so little to someone who means so much to me.   I've never even met the guy she's about to marry.   

I've always tried to be a good friend to my friends.   I try to be there for them, to be supportive, to show that I care.   And so little of them have returned the favor.    

I guess I just have to realize that she obviously doesn't care to be my friend.    And I guess there's nothing I can do about that.    So.... I wish her well.   I hope that she has a beautiful wedding, surrounded by all the people she cares about.      

It's kind of a funny story

So a few months ago I was heading to my brother's house when I got pulled over.    The road to his house drops suddenly from 55 to 35, and wouldn't you know it, as soon as I passed that sign there were lights flashing behind me.   : (   He gave me a ticket for speeding and because my tags were expired.  

I had fully intended to go to court and fight this one!  The signs are really unclear and the sign where the speed limit drops is actually on the OTHER side of the street going the opposite direction.    So, on my court date, I went in to argue my case.   But, of course as soon as I got in there, the police officer asked if I wanted to contest it.... and I lost all my nerve (clearly intimidated by the badge) and said "no, I'll pay it."   So... that's what I did.  They dismissed the charge for my expired registration since I showed them that I had renewed, and then I paid my ticket.  End of story.   Or so I thought....

Fast forward to last Sunday.   My family and I head to Frankfort, (about a 45 min drive) for a one day Bible convention.   Jake and my dad left early in the morning because they had to be there by 7:30 to help. My mom and I arrived together later that morning.   And boy am I glad I wasn't with Jake!   He got pulled over (we should really buy stock in law enforcement.... oh wait... that's called taxes), and got a speeding ticket.   But after the cop runs his license, he comes back and says "by the way, are you aware that there is a warrant out for your wife's arrest?"    Um.... what!??    No, it's safe to say neither he nor I were aware of that.

My first reaction when they told me that was to laugh, only later to find out that he totally would have taken me to jail if I had been there!    Can you imagine me getting hauled off to jail on the way to a Bible convention!?  Now that would have been a story to tell!   Since I haven't committed any crimes lately, my only guess was that they somehow didn't post that I had paid my ticket.    Of course I had to wait until Monday to find out, so until then, Jake refused to let me drive, convinced that I would get taken to jail if I got pulled over.  He toted me to and from work saturday, and drove like a snail, afraid that HE would get pulled over again.

First thing Monday I marched myself to the courthouse decked out in the cutest outfit I could find, complete with my black ruffle high heels and coach purse (if I was going to jail, I was going in style) and announced "I'm here to turn myself in, I hear there's a warrant out for my arrest."   Haha, I couldn't help it.  The cop looked at me like I was crazy, and then finally went to run my license.    The result?   There was no warrant out for my arrest.  Never was.   They had no idea why the police officer said that.  I don't know which made me more mad, the fact that the one officer said there was, or that the other said there wasn't!   I mean.... I'm glad I didn't go to jail, obvi, but it's really irritating that it was all for nothing!

As I was leaving the police officer said "sorry, we can't lock you up today, but maybe another day!"

Sigh.... I kind of liked having the street cred.  

Look what Faith can do

I feel like I have been playing catch up since we got back from our trip.   I haven't even completely unpacked yet and we've been back almost 2 weeks now!  I know.... poor me, I got to go to Europe.  Trust me, I'm not complaining!  It was definitely worth it, I just have a lot to do now between work, and stuff around the house.    

Yesterday we started painting the outside of our house.   Wow, I did not know how big of a job it was going to be!  It's a brick house, but the trim all around it desperately needed to be repainted.  Right now it's cream, with green shutters.   We're painting the trim white, and the shutters black.   It's going to look great when it's done, but there's still a lot left to do and we're running out of warm weather.   Hopefully we can get it done over the next few weeks.  I'll be sure to post pics when it's finished!

On an un-boring note, did anyone see Oprah today?   I love a good animal story and the show was full of them!   

Meet Faith, the 2 legged dog who is truly an inspiration!  

Faith was born deformed and she only has two legs!    

This little dog was taken in by a loving family and learned at an early age to sit up like a bunny and hop.

Here she is today, a healthy and happy dog who gets around just fine!  

She stands up on two legs like a person, walks, hops, and even runs.

She is really an inspiration!  

 She had to learn to get around with only 2 legs.... 

kind of makes my long to-do list look pretty pathetic.