Sunday, February 27, 2011

5 Things I Can't Live Without

I've been tagged & I am so excited!!! My FiRST tag ever! My girl Jess over at Polka Dots, Pearls, and Pink...Oh my! {what a cuuute blog name, right?!} tagged me! I have loved getting to know this girl through her blog... We are so similar it's ridiculous! Every time I read something she's posted I think "OMG... Me too!!" Check it out because she is the sweetest!! & much better about posting than me! ;)

So here we go! The 5 things I cannot possibly live without:

#1.


My iPhone... I am completely obsessed! I really don't know what the hay I was doing before I got my iPhone. I literally would never need my laptop if I could print from this little baby! I'm sure writing papers on it would be kind of tough, but it's possible at least! Apple has got some serious game... I'm currently debating on whether or not I want a Macbook or an iPad next!
& I have a lot of fun accessorizing it! Take a look at these ridiculously cute cases that are completely impractical but that I would totally have if they didn't cost an arm & a leg!



{Sugar Daddy?! Are you out there?!}

#2.
I don't think I have to justify this one! I think I know a few girls who can't live without our fave, Diet Coke! I seriously am addicted to it!! I really need to cut back & am trying to alternate DietCoke-Water-DietCoke-Water here lately, but sometimes, nothing hits the spot better than an ice cold Diet Coke!

#3.

My Lilly planner & accompanying supplies!
I am nothing if not organized... Check out this post & definitely this post for further explanation!
I am at a complete loss without a planner... This is the one I chose for this year, & I have to be honest, I'm not in love :( It's too tiny!! I love Lilly Pulitzer, don't get me wrong, but when I ordered it I failed to notice in the description that this was the 'pocket' size. I ordered it from a seller on eBay that doesn't take returns! How rude!! Anyway, I'm workin' with it the best way I can but will be ordering the larger size {from Lilly P's website this time!} as soon as it's back in stock! Trust me, I've been checking regularly. But! I'm making the best of it & am writing small!

Now let me briefly explain the rest... I love love LOVE office {& school} supplies! & because I failed to read carefully before I ordered my planner I use these little babies to further stay organized.
The large black & white polka dot notebook is used mainly when I'm subbing... I keep it near me at all times because when I get a sub call I have to write it down quickly! I also keep a {very cute} folder in there with all of my sub-stuff {school phone numbers, addresses, start/end times, FCPS office personnel & numbers, etc!}
The pink notebook with the white swirlys is what I use to keep my finances/expenses straight. I rely heavily on a checkbook & OnLine banking as well, {that I obsess over} but since I'm the one in the house responsible for paying all the bills I take it very seriously & like to stay organized! I keep bills that are due in here & an up-to-date list of when each is due & the amount. It's just a quick little at-a-glance list to keep me on track!
The black notebook is for almost everything else... To Do Lists, Grocery/Shopping Lists, etc!
Can you tell I'm a liiiitle compulsive about my life? But in my defense, these routines & ways of doing things, while odd & weird, totally keep me on track & make me feel calm!

#4.
Oh my gaaahhh... Please tell me y'all feel me on this one. I don't know what I did with myself before I found Hobby Lobby. Their prices are aaalways right, & I can find just about anything there!
& since we're on the topic.....

Target also holds a special place in my little shopping addicted heart!

#5.
Ok, ok... So I know we're doing 'things' here, but it's my blog & I can do what I want! So for numero cinco I'm going to say my closest friends & family! They are truly a support system for me & I don't know what I would do without them!!
I could write/post pictures for hours about that, so I'll spare you!

I spent today doggy-sitting a sweet little girl named Sam! I make up nicknames for pets all the time & will rarely call them by their given name... Why, I don't know but Sam's is Samalama, {Samantha if she's in trouble!}
She's been right by my side all day & I've loved it! We're going for a walk tomorrow if the weather turns out to be nice!

One other thing before I go...



Emma Kate {remember her from here, here, & here?} is growing up so fast I can't stand it! & in my opinion, getting cuter every single day!! Her momma sent this picture on Sunday & I just had to share! I think Boski & I are going to stop by on Thursday! Eee! I can't wait!!

XOXO

Friday, February 25, 2011

Noteworthy Items... Just a Few!

I know, I know... It's been a while since I've posted. & I was getting so much better there for a little while! It's not really that I've been all that busy, but for some reason I haven't really felt that I had much news to share! But I guess I have a feeew noteworthy items!

First of all, the dress & cute little floral top in my last post?
{Exhibit A & B}
Yea, complete crap. They don't fit right! & the top just looks cheap. You girls know what I mean. Thus, the downfall of shopping online. I bought a size bigger in the dress, than I normally would have, because I looked at the sizing chart on the website & it was still too small {& a tad shorter than I anticipated!} I guess I could have sucked & tucked more, but I knew a full day of Keeneland could have possibly been ruined due to discomfort. This girl gets a little cranky after a long day of sucking & tucking. Combine that with a cocktail or two {ok, ok, maybe three or four...... ALRiGHT! Five or six!} & you might want to take cover. After a day like that, I am liable to finish out my day of Keeneland fun by ending up at the bars in yoga pants & a tee. Not kidding. & can I just say I absolutely refuse to go up a size. Call me delusional, call me annoying, call me whatever you like, but I simply refuse.
This is me going up a size:

Seriously... Y'all don't wanna go there.

I've had a couple interviews this week for positions as an administrative assistant! I'm just looking for something a little more stable & predictable. Subbing is getting much less sporadic, but still... Not as often as I need or would like! & just something easy & part time to get me through school. & something that allows me to really focus & spend time on my schoolwork. My schoolwork is where my head needs to be! Not to mention, summer is coming up & subbing will be a complete no-go! Don't get me wrong, a life of luxury by the pool is fine, but unfortunately the sugar daddy I've always searched & longed for is non-existent!

But really... Sitting out last semester & now this semester has seriously taken a toll on me. I hate not being in school... I feel so unproductive. I feel like my progress in life is on constant pause. Since I started school, {with the exception of one or two semesters,} I put myself there. Paid my own tuition, books, parking passes, everything. & I just can't afford it. I was at BCTC (formerly LCC) & I got my Associates Degree there, but now I'm at a point in my academic career that I need to transfer to a University. I've literally taken all the classes BCTC offers for my major & am in the 'major-specific' phase. But, as I said before, I just can't afford it! I plan to start at UK in the fall, but how I'm going to pay for it is a complete mystery to me. Hellooooo student loans! {I currently have one small one, & I was hoping to keep it that way, but honestly, I'll do just about anything to get back to school! Again, sugar daddy is non-existent!}

Let me just say though--- Putting myself through school has been the most gratifying & the greatest growing experience I could have ever asked for. It's called being an adult. When you 'grow up' you don't have your parents there as a safety net at all times & you have to learn to pay your bills & take care of business on your own. I credit my mother for instilling this strength in me... & I know if she could, she would foot the bill all day long. I actually think she hates that she can't. But she's given me a much greater gift; the strength, confidence, intelligence, & perseverance to get where I want to be & to do it on my own two feet. That, to me, is priceless.
Just an interesting tidbit though, since we're here! My first semester in college was paid for partially by my father. {For more background on him check out this little diddy I wrote a while ago.} I have to laugh, simply because the check he gave me was so appreciated, but was also followed swiftly by a nice lil' 1099. I'm serious.

When I worked as an administrative assistant in the Cheddar's corporate office, I really put a lot of time into it & honestly, put it before school for a long time. I really thought that's where I wanted to spend the rest of my life... Looking back, how delusional was I. But, in my defense, for a while I was truly gratified by my job. & lemme tell ya, I am so the type of person to thrive on that. It empowers me & makes me feel confident & secure in myself. {I know. Weird.} I was able to help & contribute to a common goal... In whatever small way I could. &, for a long time, I felt like I truly made a difference & was appreciated. I grew so much while I was there... I look back on the 4 {really} short years ago that I started there & compare it to where I am now. I truly don't think I could have gotten here without my time in that office. But of course eventually, I started hating it. The 'small-company-growing-by-leaps-&-bounds' thing was exciting, but also difficult to deal with. We'll play nice & go with the term 'growing pains' to describe the last year or so of my employment there. It was such an exciting time for the company but it was also incredibly difficult to walk into every day. & I'll be totally honest, I hated the fact that I was 22, already in a full-time situation, {keep in mind, still trying to do well in a full-time school situation as well,} & not acting my age. All my friends had part-time, easy-breezy jobs, & I was so tied down, stressed, & overwhelmed by mine. It sounds silly, but Thirsty Thursday was a complete pipe dream for me. All I wanted was to have fun & yet, I was completely miserable. Don't get me wrong, I'm a serious person, but I had been entirely too serious since I was 18... I was ready to get out & be a typical college kid. Not a stuffy old lady!
& looking back, I honestly believe it's because I'm just not meant for that kind of work. If that makes sense. I throw myself into things that I believe in wholeheartedly, & in that office, I was giving up what I needed to experience. Basically, I would have stood on my head for three days straight for that company, but was constantly being told I wasn't doing it right, it wasn't enough, etc. & I eventually made the {very tough} decision to leave. It took a lot of bravery, honesty, & hemming-&-hawing, but it has honestly been the best thing for me. Not only am I in a much better place personally, but I'm in a much better place professionally. Substitute teaching is for me. I love it. LOVE it!!
{& can I just say how disappointed I am in the women I worked alongside? I kid you not, the cattiest women I've ever encountered. & none of them were remotely close to my age. How sad. Don't get me wrong, at times they were like mothers to me, but as far as my professional experience with them? I have no words for it. I really don't. I can't stand women tearing each other down in the workplace... I digress, that's a whoooole other post!}

Anywho, as time went along, I realized my initial major when I started college; teaching, was actually what I am meant to do. Unfortunately it took me about three majors to come back around to that realization! Can we say, waste of time?! I go back & forth from time to time on what grade I'd like to teach, & whether or not I have the strength to be a Learning & Behavior Disorder{LBD}/Special Ed. teacher, but I know & truly believe, whatever grade & emphasis I choose, that's what I'm meant to do. I can't wait to have my own classroom, my own students, & the chance to make a difference in my kids lives. I guess that's why it's so hard for me not being in school right now... I am so excited to just get in there & do it already! I feel like I've wasted so much time, bouncing from major to major, & now, taking time off. I want it so badly!

I actually subbed at Landsdowne Elementary today in an LBD class. Oh my word... Those kids are complete doll-babies. I am incredibly intrigued by Autism... It sounds sick but it fascinates me. Every experience I've ever had with an Autistic child has done nothing but make me love the child. I don't know what it is, but they are the sweetest, most loving children I've ever met! Autism is unique in the way that each child is incredibly different. Each child has their own little 'quirks', if you will. For example, one of the students today hated loud noises. Another loved to be loud. Hence, making the classroom an extremely difficult place for my baby Adrian. Poor little thing... God love him, it's like he lives on edge at all times. Guarding himself from loud noises that might occur at any time. The cafeteria, & a couple kids in particular, got too loud for him today & it was so heartbreaking to watch him struggle through it. But he's so amazing at the same time... He knows, quite possibly, everything there is to know about tornadoes & hurricanes. If we lived in Kansas or Florida he could steal Bill Meck's job! There were several autistic children in the class & the rest were a mixture of general learning & serious behavior issues. I guess I'm young & enthusiastic, & maybe a little naive, but I loved being there. I want so badly to help those kids, to make a difference in their lives, to take an interest in them & let them know I care... Ugh! It just pulls on my heartstrings because I know some of those kids don't have that at home... You can just tell. The only thing that makes me question being an LBD teacher is what I've heard from other teachers. Every time I sub for an LBD teacher, there are always collaborative teachers & I try to pick their brains a little. Subbing is such a small part of what an actual teacher does, & I need to know the ins & outs before I make a decision. It sounds to me like the paperwork is the worst part. Each day is a new adventure & a new challenge... Which sometimes can leave you exhausted & depleted, but then to have to do the pounds & pounds of paperwork on top of it? I have seen binders filled to capacity with paperwork for each student & was amazed these teachers had time to actually teach in the meantime. It's seriously obscene & I could go on for days, but it's a serious drawback for me. I feel like I might get burnt-out on administrative BS & just throw my hands up & move on to something else. Which is so incredibly common. But on the other hand, I was there only one day & one sweet muffin didn't want to leave me at the end of the day. Come on! How can you not want that every day?! That feeling I get each time I get a sub call tells me... "You're meant for this. This is your thing!" & to be honest, that's what makes me want to get through school so much. I have so much love for this profession & have seriously found what's meant for me. I've found my 'thing', my calling, my niche, & I can't wait to stop waiting tables & looking for stupid administrative jobs to pass the time. I'm ready for the real thing!!

Alright, alright.... I'm done talking about teaching, kids, & my love for both! I've bored you enough already!!

In other news:
My sister & I are fortunate enough to have found out that Kathy Griffin is performing @ the Singletary Center THiS Sunday night!!

Ya know... That crazy, loud-mouthed ginger that is completely inappropriate?! Oh I can't wait!!!!! I've always watched her specials on TV {& her show on my fave channel, Bravo} & have always wanted more! She's completely hiiiigh-larious to me. Luckily my sister feels exactly the same way, so we're going together on Sunday!! It'll be GREAT!!! I get more & more excited every time I think about it! Can you believe it though? I seriously can't believe she decided to plop down & do a show right here in Lex! I honestly never thought the day would come! I had always diiiied to go to a show of hers, but never had the budget for the travel that would of course be involved. Because let's be honest, who in their right mind would come to Lexington, KY? Apparently my girl KG!!!!!!!
Bucket List Item #37- Check!!!

Y'all have no idea how excited I am. I'll be totally honest... If I didn't get tickets, I was showin' up anyway. Not sure exactly what my plan was, but I completely decided & owned the fact that I was going to be the creepy stalker if for some reason I couldn't get tickets!
{Repeat process if Justin Timberlake comes to town}
EeeeeEEeeE for getting the tickets legally & being able to show up in a legitimate manner!!!!!

That's all I've got... Sorry if I rambled! XOX Loves... Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

When Times get Tough, the Tough........ Go Shopping!

I often update you on my 'current state' when I happen to have a cute little view of my laptop, Lilly planner, pens/highlighter, & functional notebooks (used for my many lists!) & typically, a cup of coffee close by. But right now, this is me:


Pure shopping BLiSS!
Ohhhh yeaaaaaa :)

Times have been way too tough & heavy lately! & Lucky for my little broke hiney, I got my tax returns just in the nick of time! I know it's a horrible habit, but when I'm feeling down & out I shop! Bad for my wallet & emotions, but great for the economy! Right? Trying to justify here!

Don't worry, as irresponsible as I am I didn't take my tax returns & run off into the sunset. I did pay bills first. & yes, I paid all of them. All our accounts are current! & while that cheered me up (& de-stressed me,) it wasn't quiiiite what my little heart needed ;)
& I may or may not have made a payment on my student loan that wasn't due until APRIL... ThankYouVeryMuch!

Behold.... The fruits of my shopping labors!



A couple 'electronics'! Please excuse me blogging about a car charger, but I've always wanted one & I snagged this little baby for $2.50 on Amazon! Can you say Steal!?!



3 words... Oooh La Laaa!
I love, love, LOVE the blush tone of this shoe. I can already tell, it's going to be a spring go-to. & whaddya-know?! It goes perfectly with this!



I've always wanted a white dress with little eyelet details (hard to see in this pic!) & I think it's going to be perrr-fect for Keeneland this spring!! Now I just have to get going on my tan so my skin doesn't match this dress! Anyone have suggestions for a good place to get a spray tan? I'm really trying to break my 'bed' habit because I'm starting to get a little nervous about laying under those harsh bulbs! I love Louis Vuitton (more than my heart can stand,) but I don't want to look like one of their bags when I'm 30!

I also purchased this precious top which you may remember from this post!



I made all of these purchases online so naturally, the anticipation is killing me! I can't wait until these arrive & I get to play! I'm feeling mildly anxious because, of course, I'm worried some things won't be as great as I want them to be once they arrive. But part of me loves shopping online because of that anticipation. It's so fun waiting for things to arrive & so exciting when you see that box waiting on your doorstep!
I know, I know... That's a sure sign I need to find a Shopper's Anonymous meeting.
"Hi, I'm Austin & I have a serious shopping habit which I lean on in difficult & happy times."
Hiiiii Austin.

I'm sorry, but I've battened down my financial hatches in a serious way & once my tax returns came, I decided to have a little fun! Like I said, I paid bills & I even saved some of it! So frankly, I deserve the above purchases :)

XOXO!!

P.S. Thank you to those of you who commented/tweeted/etc about my previous post. It was incredibly difficult to write but the encouragement I got from you all made it so worthwhile... Just knowing people read it & appreciated it! Your thoughts, prayers, & offerings of support are so precious to me! I love you sweet girls! Kiss Kiss, Hug Hug!!
Seriously..... THANK YOU!! :)))

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Love You the Best!


On Friday, February 11th, 2011 my grandmother, Bonnie Sue Vance Stallard, aka Nana, left this life for a much better one.

I hesitated to write this post but wanted to take some time to celebrate this beautiful woman!

Ever since I can remember, my Nana has been a huge part of my life. When I was little & learning to talk, I named her Nana, but pronounced it 'Nonny'. I'm not sure why, to this day, why I always spelled it Nana, but I did & she let me. For most of my life my mother, sister & I lived with my grandparents. I think at first it was a temporary fix, so my mom could get back on her feet after she & my father divorced, & we moved out once, but came back. Every time we talked about moving I could never wrap my mind around it... Living somewhere without my grandparents in the same house. Although this set-up tested everyone's patience at times, I think we all really loved it. I had the chance while I was growing up to be very close to my grandparents while many of my friends only saw their grandparents once or twice a year. We are, & have always been, a very close, tight-knit family & I am so grateful for that.

My Nana taught me how to love people no matter what, how to pray, & to over-use 'I Love You'. She always told me, as far back as I can remember, that our family will always stick together "through thick & thin." & we really have. My Nana was truly the type of person who fit in anywhere... She could talk to a bum on the street & make him feel at ease. But she could also meet a great like Muhammad Ali (which she did, along with many others,) & fit right in. She was also, truly, the classiest woman I've ever known (besides my momma!) Everyone who met her was immediately her friend, & like family to her. She cherished her family & friends above all else & she always told them what they meant to her. I never had any doubt in my mind that my Nana loved me with all her heart because she told me every day.

When I was little & got in trouble my mom would put me in time-out. It was in a sad little corner in a sad little wooden chair that was just my size. Nana haaated when I got in trouble because she always felt so sad for me! So every time she was there & I was put in time-out she would come sit in time-out with me. She was a source of Strength for our family; pushing us when we needed pushing, cheering us on when we needed cheering, celebrating our triumphs, & feeling our pain as if whatever caused us pain had happened to her too.

This past Thanksgiving I visited my grandparents in Eastern KY & after we were done eating I was sitting outside with my aunt & uncle, sister, & Nana. My Nana was having a pretty good day, as far as her Alzheimer's was concerned, & in a moment of clarity my uncle asked my Nana something like, 'what is life about?' She said: to be Kind to others, be True to yourself, & live Simply. I will carry these words with me for the rest of my life, because they are invaluable & exactly the way my Nana lived her life. I am making a promise to her that I will always try to live my life this way because it truly creates a beautiful life.

I will miss my Nana forever, as will our entire family & all those who knew her, but just like when I was little, I know she is right there with me. Whether I'm in time-out or not, she will always be by my side. Celebrating my wins, mourning my losses, & guiding me through the next phases of my life & I couldn't ask for a better Guardian Angel... I will keep her in my Heart, always.

Friday, February 11, 2011

My Wallet!

My life is so exciting I thought I would share! I switched wallets today & thought I would write a post about it! Ok, so I know... It sounds completely lame, but I realized when I was cleaning said wallet out & switching to an even more functional option, how much a purse or a wallet says about a Lady! So here we go!

The current wallet!
Mildly Flashy & Extremely Functional!
I have to say, I have somewhat of a wallet obsession. I am constantly on a mission to find 'The One'. I have yet to find a wallet to change my life, but I'm still hopeful.

Let's take a peak inside, shall we?


Please note my checks. I think the only reason I still use checks to pay bills is because they are just too freaking cute! As you may have noticed, the check pictured is a flyyy giraffe print! I happen to have zebra, tiger, & cheetah also in my repertoire. I may sound old, but I seriously prefer writing checks. I have no idea why. & believe me... I've tried to figure it out!

& let me just stop you right there... I know I have an obscene amount of cards. I am owning it. & frankly, it's alright with me because some of those cards save me enough money to make me feel like I am a financially responsible adult!
I am an easy sell though, really. If you say you have a discount card, I'm signing up. Even if I have no plans of returning to your store in the near future, I'll sign up.
[As a side note-- If any of you are trying to meet a 'quota' of this kind, I'm your girl. I'll sign up for anything as long as it's free!]

While we're here... Does anyone else wonder why Hobby Lobby can't get it together & create a customer rewards program? They may very well be one of the only places I frequent (& I mean frequent,) that I don't have a discount card for. & Target! I know, Target has a credit card, but I'm sorry... I cannot commit to financial ruin & sign up. I may still be mildly irresponsible, but I know when to stop myself. & a Target credit card is a world of trouble I just cannot bring myself to enter! I feel the same about Macy's!!

Ok, so let's explore the cards...
- Kroger Plus -- Typical
- CVS Extra Care Card -- I'm more of a Rite Aid kinda' girl, but like I said, I'm an easy sell.
- Wellness + (Rite Aid) -- I'm not sure what took them so long, but fiiiiinally my loves at Rite Aid created a card for us 'frequent shoppers'!
- G.B. Shoe Warehouse -- Seriously y'all. Seriously. If you don't have one, you must. I think it's 10% off any purchase if you use this card! I could be remembering my sign-up incorrectly, but I'm pretty sure that's the point of the card! & if you've never been to visit G.B. you need to. ASAP. Got a pair of $70+-something Sperry's for like, $30 or $40 bucks last spring. (I happened to hit a sale & had my rewards card!) Not to mention, they have a million other great brands to choose from!
(See this post for further explanation of my shoe 'habit'!)
- Library card -- Whatever. I feel like I'm not really a good person if I don't have one. I rarely visit the public library, although I L-O-V-E reading. I have this weird thing about buying books I love. I get my sights set on a book (after much research to determine that I will for-sure love it,) & just have to buy it. My dream home will have a library (& by 'library' I may or may not mean many shelves in a corner,) & I think buying books instead of 'renting' them from the library, is my way of contributing to this library so I don't have to buy a set of encyclopedias as a filler when the time comes.
- Speedy Rewards card -- Duh. I am definitely a Speedy Rewards points hoarder. I rarely redeem them, but will specifically choose Speedway for my quickie-needs over others because I want to accumulate points! I happen to have a coupon for a free energy shot stowed away, thanks to this card!
- Qdoba card -- I live right up the street from a Qdoba & the amount of free burritos I've earned, (thanks to this card!) is obscene. They also happen to be the only place, besides Cheddar's, that has ri-dic-u-lous chips & queso. I may or may not indulge in their insane guacamole from time to time as well!
- BHG Rewards card -- & last but certainly not least! Ohhh how I adore Bluegrass Hospitality Group! I'm sure many of you know, but BHG is responsible for Malone's, Sal's, Harry's, & Drake's! I so hope they plan to keep expanding because their concept is seriously business-savvy & they have a great market here in Lextown! Want a nice dinner out? Head on over to Malone's or Sal's! Want a casual night with great food/great drinks? Looking for an exquisite patio after a profitable day at Keeneland? Pop on over to Harry's! Feel like dancin' & sippin' some import beers? Drake's is just what the doctor ordered!
*Siiiiigh*

I love you BHG. With a BHG rewards card you earn points that earn you free stuff! You can be a points-hoarder like me, or you can use your points to pay your bar tab! I love it. I whip it out every time I'm there!!

& finally...

My Pop-A-Lock coupons!
Now let me explain... These are all expired. The sweet muffin who removed my keys from my locked car last time gave them to me & I'm utterly terrified to remove them from my wallet.
(Even though they're expired & annoying the daylights out of my OCD de-clutter instincts.)
I have an unfortunate disability that causes me to lock my keys in my car on a bi-weekly basis. I so wish I were kidding. Ok, ok... Not bi-weekly, but close! I actually locked myself out of my house this week... Since we're on the subject! But ever since I've had these coupons, I have yet to lock myself out of my car. [Knock. On. Wood.]
I think it's been like, 5-or-so months since I've done it! I know it's sad, but for me, that's a record! I really think irony has a permanent place in my life, based on prior experience, & I am convinced that if I take these coupons out of my wallet I will follow up with a locked-out experience.
Yes, I know... They're expired, so they really can't help me at all these days but I'm just superstitious that way!

So that's that! The wallet! I might have to think about following up with a purse post! Feel free to share any places that happen to sell a potential 'the one' wallet because I am always searching. So far it's been fruitless, but I have hope!

XOXO Lovies!!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Ca-uuuute!

I was perusing the few blogs I follow & found this little gem! I could wear one of these aaalll summer while I lounge by the pool in our backyard! How cute are these?!



Is it a problem that I'm already picturing myself in one, or all of these? Along with the perfect poolside outfit that I would probably wear while hosting the perfect poolside party? Oh my LANTA! I need Spring/Summer here immediately. I'm already picking out outfits for things that aren't happening yet. But that right there is a need for a mental note if I've ever seen one! ---Plan the perfect pool party so you can pick out the perfect outfit (complete w/ floppy hat, perfect new flippy floppies, & sunglasses!)

I cannot wait to wear all kinds of fun colors, hang out outside for no reason, bake in the sun by the pool, be in a great mood while I'm running nonsense-errands just because it feels amazing outside, & have a great time with great friends this Spring & Summer!

Listing & Lusting!

With Spring on it's way (yes, I am staying positive & doing every no-snow dance I know!) yours truly has been shopping for fun things to make spring even better! Because I'm a massive nerd I tend to make lists. My number one list happens to be a To-Do List, but the 'Things I Must Have' List is a close second & happens to be never ending. Here are a couple of my recent items :)

How sweet are these?! I'm obsessed!!


Let me just say, I LOVE shoes. I quite possibly am a shoe hoarder. What a tacky nick-nack is to a hoarder, a shoe is to me. I can't help it, I see a pair (or two or three!) fall in love, & have to have them. There have been times I blatantly chose a pair of shoes over other obligations... Like bills, gas for the car, food, etc. Irresponsible as it is, I can't help myself. I have a problem!
& let me just be completely honest here... Shoes always fit. No matter what size I am everywhere else, my shoe size stays predictably the same... I. Love. It. Subsequently, there is a massive overflow of shoes in my closet. Well, most of them still fit in there! I think I own more shoes than anything else, actually.

I went to Vegas this past summer & this was my 'Definitely Going to Vegas' pile.
[There are 13 pairs in this pic... For 4 days & 4 nights, just so we're all on the same page.]
(Sorry for poor pic quality.. That was before the iPhone entered my life!)

Problem? Some think so, but I just cannot help myself! I sent the pic to my boo, who was living & waiting for me in Vegas at the time, & he helped me narrow the selection!

Alright, back to my List!

I'm thinking these would be kind of perfect for Keeneland's Spring Meet!!

I also just looooove this!

Personally, I think this is seriously PRESH! If done the right way, it could also be perfect for Keeneland! This top just looks so fresh & lively to me. The exact opposite of ho hum winter-wear!

& as always
THIS sweet baby will always be on my List! Until I have one in my possession of course! I think that just about everyday I send a little style prayer in hopes that the price will drop momentarily so I can buy one! Or that one will just fall into my lap! ;)

& thanks to this stylish chica I've also been looking here for a few spring-y Keeneland options!

Oh Spring, how I love you & wish you would make an appearance in all our lives very soon!

Meanwhile, this is my current state:


:)
Being productive & I love it! Responding to e-mails that are in response to resumes I've sent out! Eee!
Also-- Please note the pink UK coffee cup I am sippin' from! Gotta` support my boys in blue!! They've got a big game tonight & I KNOW we can win it! Unfortunately we all have to look at Bruce Pearl the biggest tool of life in that hideously tacky TN orange blazer. Ick.

Have a great evening my loves! GO CATS!! XOXO <3!!>


Sunday, February 6, 2011

Leading a Charmed Life

I ventured to Eastern KY, despite my apprehensions, to visit my grandparents this weekend! My grandma's condition is pretty much day-by-day & is incredibly difficult for all of us. The goal this weekend was making sure she was comfortable & in absolutely no pain for this last leg of her journey here on earth.

While things were incredibly tough, my Faith has grown & my Love for my family, if it was possible, has grown even more. My grandpa, as I'm sure I've mentioned before, is the strongest person I know. He truly perseveres through everything. He has all his life & is such an inspiration. He is amazingly strong & through all the pain has shown his amazing ability to Love.

I pulled out an affirmation book my mom had given me years ago & started reading it. Right now I'm afraid I don't have enough in me to wake up positive every day... I just don't. But I don't want to be a Negative Nancy all the time! Finding something to read every day to just lift my spirits from the start has been so helpful. & I couldn't help but think... How Lucky am I? How Blessed am I? I mean really! I know I'm on a journey right now & I can't foresee the end of it yet, but I know I am truly leading a Charmed Life. <3.