Question 1: Where were you five years ago?
1. In college at George Mason University
2. Living with three sorority sisters in a townhouse off campus
3. Working at a mortgage company in Tysons
4. On a break from Tyler, and dating a (I see this in retrospect) complete loser
5. Getting ready to celebrate my 21st birthday
Question 2: What is (was) on your to-do list today?
1. Finish the Baby Bingo cards for my sister's baby shower
2. Walk the dogs
3. Happy Hour with my best friend Sarah
4. Doctor's appointment
5. Pick up some groceries
Question 3: What five snacks do you enjoy?
1. Popcorn
2. Cheese quesadillas
3. Bagel Bites
4. Chips and salsa
5. Carrots and ranch dressing
Question 4: What five places have you lived?
1. With my parents in Alexandria, VA
2. On campus at George Mason University
3. With sorority sisters in Fairfax, VA
4. With friends in Centreville, VA
5. With Tyler in Bristow, VA
All within 40 miles of each other...and I love it :)
Question 5: What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
1. Travel the world
2. Quit my job and start my own business
3. Finish everything in the house - stone patio, custom built office furniture, the works :)
4. A ton of shopping
5. Give a large chunk to charity
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Finally organized my closet
I don't know about you, but I love closets. I love peeking into other peoples, I love rearranging my own, and I love everything inside of them. Since I'm such a shoe and clothes horse, I was SO excited to see that our Master bedroom in this house had two equal sized walk in closets. Of course, I still have all my formal gowns in one of the spare rooms, and I have two dressers in the bedroom, but its still nice to have extra room :)
I FINALLY have my closet arranged the way I want it. It took me a while to clean out everything I don't wear, determine how much space I needed for certain sized/length garments, and figure out where they'd all best fit.
Step two was to buy all wooden hangers. They aren't cheap, so I'd buy one box each time I went to Target, and I finally have enough! I have a LOT of clothes, even after donating several large bags to Goodwill.
And step 3 was to put everything back in!
Looking into my closet from the room:
To the left you see this:
My derby hats are on the top shelf. You just never know when the occasion might call for a wide brimmed hat ;)
The top rack holds sleeved dresses, from skinny straps to long sleeves. I've also included tunics in this rack.
The bottom rack holds spaghetti strap and strapless dresses hung on pants hangers. Beneath them I have extra shoe storage for shoes that I don't wear as often. You can't see them, but to the right are all of my sweaters.
And the corner has a bag that holds clothes that I need to hem, fix a button, etc.
Since there was an open hidden space to the right of the dresses, I put a basket there to hold all of my flip flops:
The top rack holds two white storage pieces - one drawer has casual summer tops that really can't be used during the winter, and the other holds my bikinis. The storage piece to the right holds my purses and clutches.
And to the right of that, I have all of my boots. Wondering how I keep them standing so tall? Wine bottles (empty, obviously. What kind of person do you think I am, wasting perfectly good wine on my shoes?!)
I LOVE shoes...can you tell?!
I have so many, I have to store extras in clear plastic bins on the top shelf to the right:
The racks beneath that hold casual tops and my cardigans, and the two pink bins hold my belts and pashminas.
Beneath that I have two racks with my hats and extra shoes, extra hangers for items I am wearing or are in the wash, and stand up totes or purses. I also have all dressy camisoles and sleeveless blouses to the left.
And the long rack down my closet holds maxi dresses, jeans and pants...
As well as my work blouses, then suit jackets...
And in the back corner, I have all of my skirts:
I think that I finally have this space perfectly configured for everything I want, including a little room to grow :)
BUT - this space isn't quite finished yet!
Left to do:
1. Paint the walls a soft baby pink.
2. Install crown molding. Yes, its a closet, but I LOVE MOLDING, and so gosh darn it, I'm going to put some in my closet, too.
3. Paint the shoe racks white.
4. Move the necklaces into a jewelry box, and make a photo gallery wall of all mismatched white frames, of my girlfriends, sorority sisters, and all those nights you wouldn't remember if it weren't for a camera that you thanked GOD the next morning somehow made it home in your purse, even though your credit card is still only at who-only-knows what bar, and you wish you'd left your cell phone there too since the outgoing call log is to all your ex boyfriends.....
Oh, sorry, where were we?
and 5. Replace the ugly light fixture with something fun - think a small crystal chandelier will fit?!
And then...time to go shopping again ;)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
I got a new computer!
My husband is a loud and proud computer geek. He works with computers for a living, and for fun, loves to game. He has a crazy huge computer monitor that is bigger than most people's TVs, and all of his files set up exactly how he wants.
I may have mentioned this before, but when Tyler and I were waiting for this house to be built, our storage unit was emptied of all of our belongings. Including my desktop computer and my Mac PowerBook. So I've been sharing a computer with Tyler for two years, and he'd finally had enough. He ordered himself a new one, reformatted the old one for me, and bought me a fancy pants huge monitor as well. I've been spoiled on his - I can blog on one half of the screen and watch TV or movies on the other, and I am so glad he thought to get me a large one as well! Its only 24", but its plenty for me :)
Since this was unexpected, its currently on a large folding table. And why yes, that is a Snow White coloring book being used as a mouse pad. The rest of the room looks like this (picture the table on the left hand wall):
And so I think we all know what that means....time to decorate a new room! I know EXACTLY what I want it to look like, and you can expect a mock up of this room very soon. As soon as I can get Tyler to install the Home Design Suite software, that is. I just love new projects :)
I may have mentioned this before, but when Tyler and I were waiting for this house to be built, our storage unit was emptied of all of our belongings. Including my desktop computer and my Mac PowerBook. So I've been sharing a computer with Tyler for two years, and he'd finally had enough. He ordered himself a new one, reformatted the old one for me, and bought me a fancy pants huge monitor as well. I've been spoiled on his - I can blog on one half of the screen and watch TV or movies on the other, and I am so glad he thought to get me a large one as well! Its only 24", but its plenty for me :)
Since this was unexpected, its currently on a large folding table. And why yes, that is a Snow White coloring book being used as a mouse pad. The rest of the room looks like this (picture the table on the left hand wall):
And so I think we all know what that means....time to decorate a new room! I know EXACTLY what I want it to look like, and you can expect a mock up of this room very soon. As soon as I can get Tyler to install the Home Design Suite software, that is. I just love new projects :)
Foot In Mouth Disease
I am a long-time advocate of always leaving the house looking put together. You just never know who you are going to run into, and for that, its important to always look your best. You'll never see me in sweats at the local stores, because it takes such minimal effort to change into jeans, heels, and a cute top. And yes, I totally judge the women in flannel character pants at the grocery store. Sorry.
However, in the comfort of my own home - I'm just as comfy and sloppy as everyone else. I said on Monday that I have an awesome job, and a big part of that is my flexibility in working from home. Yesterday, I took advantage of that, and buckled down in front of my laptop around 7am. Wearing a pair of brown cropped sweatpants, and a black and pink plaid flannel pajama top. I still hadn't showered, so had yesterday's make up, and a messy ponytail.
Lets just say that its something that only my husband and my best friend have seen me in - I even get dressed up for family. I was NOT at my best!
The doorbell rang at noon, and my two Bichons and my best friend's pit bull that I'm dog sitting were going nuts, so I answered the door by slipping outside and pulling the door shut behind me. And instantly realized I knew exactly who the guy was ringing my doorbell. Crap.
He was looking for someone who happened to live two doors down, and I pointed out the house. He didn't recognize me - I was in the clear. But, OH NO, I couldn't keep my mouth shut. Talking before thinking is a HUGE problem of mine, and it took over yesterday.
As he's walking down my front steps, I said, "Hey, I know you." He goes, "Oh?" And I asked his name. When he told me, I thought yes, I knew that, and then it clicked. Tyler and I took a break for a year in college, and for like two months I was talking to this man I met who was a regular at the bar where I worked. All of the cocktail waitresses and bartenders called them the Redneck Boys, due to their affinity for big trucks, camo, country music, boats, etc etc etc. They were a fun group of guys, and I hung out with them quite a bit, several years ago. At the time, I had a pretty huge crush on the man I was talking to, and was disappointed when it didn't work out. It was the first time a relationship ended that I hadn't walked away from, and I didn't like the fact that someone was into me less than I was into them. And yes, I realize I had issues back then ;)
So to pull the story back together, the guy at my door had been close friends with this group of guys. For whatever reason, I blurted out, "Oh, you were friends with the Redneck Boys!" He looked at me, since this was probably not a common nickname. They might have liked it back then, but now it sounded crass and mean as I said it, and I immediately regretted my words as I then started naming them, so he knew what I meant. I unintentionally trailed off after naming the man that I'd liked, and then I'm sure he picked up on who I was.
So, everything could have ended there, but I HAD TO KEEP TALKING! So as I stretched out my mouth to fit my other foot in, I said, "Yes, I used to bartend at __. But, that was a million years ago before I bought a house and started working from home, wearing my pajamas in the middle of the day..."
Oh yes, I said that out loud. Dude, I should have stopped while I was ahead. He thanked me again for pointing out the house he was actually looking for, and I went inside to kick myself for sounding like an idiot, and when I retold the story to my husband, he just laughed, because I do this all the time. ALL THE TIME.
Anyway, guess who immediately put on make up when she woke up this morning, and got dressed, before even letting the dogs out in the yard? Yeah.
Do you have a filter, or do you blurt things out? Do you have any stories of opening your mouth when you shouldn't have?
And because all posts should have a picture - in the bar where I used to work, with some of my co-workers. Sometimes I miss those days, we had a LOT of fun!
Out in DC with one of the other cocktail waitresses, who used to hang out with the "Redneck Boys" as well ;)
However, in the comfort of my own home - I'm just as comfy and sloppy as everyone else. I said on Monday that I have an awesome job, and a big part of that is my flexibility in working from home. Yesterday, I took advantage of that, and buckled down in front of my laptop around 7am. Wearing a pair of brown cropped sweatpants, and a black and pink plaid flannel pajama top. I still hadn't showered, so had yesterday's make up, and a messy ponytail.
Lets just say that its something that only my husband and my best friend have seen me in - I even get dressed up for family. I was NOT at my best!
The doorbell rang at noon, and my two Bichons and my best friend's pit bull that I'm dog sitting were going nuts, so I answered the door by slipping outside and pulling the door shut behind me. And instantly realized I knew exactly who the guy was ringing my doorbell. Crap.
He was looking for someone who happened to live two doors down, and I pointed out the house. He didn't recognize me - I was in the clear. But, OH NO, I couldn't keep my mouth shut. Talking before thinking is a HUGE problem of mine, and it took over yesterday.
As he's walking down my front steps, I said, "Hey, I know you." He goes, "Oh?" And I asked his name. When he told me, I thought yes, I knew that, and then it clicked. Tyler and I took a break for a year in college, and for like two months I was talking to this man I met who was a regular at the bar where I worked. All of the cocktail waitresses and bartenders called them the Redneck Boys, due to their affinity for big trucks, camo, country music, boats, etc etc etc. They were a fun group of guys, and I hung out with them quite a bit, several years ago. At the time, I had a pretty huge crush on the man I was talking to, and was disappointed when it didn't work out. It was the first time a relationship ended that I hadn't walked away from, and I didn't like the fact that someone was into me less than I was into them. And yes, I realize I had issues back then ;)
So to pull the story back together, the guy at my door had been close friends with this group of guys. For whatever reason, I blurted out, "Oh, you were friends with the Redneck Boys!" He looked at me, since this was probably not a common nickname. They might have liked it back then, but now it sounded crass and mean as I said it, and I immediately regretted my words as I then started naming them, so he knew what I meant. I unintentionally trailed off after naming the man that I'd liked, and then I'm sure he picked up on who I was.
So, everything could have ended there, but I HAD TO KEEP TALKING! So as I stretched out my mouth to fit my other foot in, I said, "Yes, I used to bartend at __. But, that was a million years ago before I bought a house and started working from home, wearing my pajamas in the middle of the day..."
Oh yes, I said that out loud. Dude, I should have stopped while I was ahead. He thanked me again for pointing out the house he was actually looking for, and I went inside to kick myself for sounding like an idiot, and when I retold the story to my husband, he just laughed, because I do this all the time. ALL THE TIME.
Anyway, guess who immediately put on make up when she woke up this morning, and got dressed, before even letting the dogs out in the yard? Yeah.
Do you have a filter, or do you blurt things out? Do you have any stories of opening your mouth when you shouldn't have?
And because all posts should have a picture - in the bar where I used to work, with some of my co-workers. Sometimes I miss those days, we had a LOT of fun!
Out in DC with one of the other cocktail waitresses, who used to hang out with the "Redneck Boys" as well ;)
Monday, February 22, 2010
Top 2 Tuesday - TV Shows
This week's topic is Top 2 Favorite TV Shows.
1. I just discovered this show 2 or 3 weeks ago and I am already obsessed - Modern Family! It is the first show I've ever seen that keeps me laughing hysterically the entire time - I love it!
2. This year is the Bachelor's 13th season I think? And goodness only knows how many Bachelorettes. And I never saw any of them - until this year. And I am OBSESSED. I love tweeting with two of my closest friends during it, and we are even having a finale viewing party next Monday. Can't get enough of that DRAMA!
OOTD: Suit Fancy
I really do have the best job ever. I can work from home pretty much whenever I want, I can set whatever hours I want, and I can wear jeans, sneakers and a sweater to work every day if I want to.
For the most part, I dress pretty casually for the office. But sometimes, I miss all my old work clothes! When I was at my last job, I had weekly meetings at huge government agencies downtown, and I really miss wearing a suit. So sometimes, for fun, I wear one anyway. I'm sure some co-workers suspect I'm out interviewing, but really, I feel so much more productive and put together when I'm dressed up!
This was my first "grown up" suit. Tyler bought it for me from Banana Republic in 2005. What a testament to their clothing - it still looks classic five years later! It is a bit shorter since I now have to wear it at my natural waist instead of low on my hips (stupid post-wedding weight) but since I'm not interviewing or anything formal, its perfect for daily wear for now.
I didn't realize that you wouldn't see the details, but my black Ann Taylor Loft blouse has black rosettes all around the collar. I love the little feminine touch! I also slicked my hair back in a tight bun. Partly because it looked more professional, but mostly because I didn't feel like blowdrying it today. Hey, its Monday!
And, of course, leopard print heels. Would you expect anything less from me?
I firmly believe in the adage "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have." And so I try to err on the side of fancier. But in an office where the president wears shorts and hiking boots to the office...I think I'm okay in jeans and heels for the time being. But it was still fun pulling out an old favorite suit!
What do you wear to work every day?
Suit: Banana Republic. Blouse: Ann Taylor Loft. Heels: ShoeDazzle.
For the most part, I dress pretty casually for the office. But sometimes, I miss all my old work clothes! When I was at my last job, I had weekly meetings at huge government agencies downtown, and I really miss wearing a suit. So sometimes, for fun, I wear one anyway. I'm sure some co-workers suspect I'm out interviewing, but really, I feel so much more productive and put together when I'm dressed up!
This was my first "grown up" suit. Tyler bought it for me from Banana Republic in 2005. What a testament to their clothing - it still looks classic five years later! It is a bit shorter since I now have to wear it at my natural waist instead of low on my hips (stupid post-wedding weight) but since I'm not interviewing or anything formal, its perfect for daily wear for now.
I didn't realize that you wouldn't see the details, but my black Ann Taylor Loft blouse has black rosettes all around the collar. I love the little feminine touch! I also slicked my hair back in a tight bun. Partly because it looked more professional, but mostly because I didn't feel like blowdrying it today. Hey, its Monday!
And, of course, leopard print heels. Would you expect anything less from me?
I firmly believe in the adage "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have." And so I try to err on the side of fancier. But in an office where the president wears shorts and hiking boots to the office...I think I'm okay in jeans and heels for the time being. But it was still fun pulling out an old favorite suit!
What do you wear to work every day?
Suit: Banana Republic. Blouse: Ann Taylor Loft. Heels: ShoeDazzle.
Answering some questions...
I have received a few random questions in the comments of recent posts, and since its always hard to go back and contact everyone, I thought I'd just do a post :)
Katie F said...
Nocona said...
Heather said...
Rissy said...
CableDawg said...
We share the same bday!!! Yay for being 26 on the 26th. Any special plans? I left you a little something over at my blog
Hi Birthday twin! I am going out to dinner at a really fun restaurant in DC with my best girlfriends, and then bar hopping at some of our favorite spots. I am SO looking forward to a girly, trendy night out on the town! What about you?
That is the kind of dog I want. They are so cute. What do you do with them when you get them to foster? Do they find other homes for them? I want to look into that spray shampoo.
Bichons ARE so cute :) We foster through a local rescue organization, and we are responsible for their care, training, and overall well-being. We get a lot of support financially for big vet bills and emotionally, for advice and suggestions! We do have final say over where all dogs are placed, thank goodness! I couldn't let my babies go to just anyone.
What fun! I have a stupid question. On the days you don't wash your hair, do you wet it? Condition? Keep it dry somehow when you shower? I have always wondered this. I should not be washing mine as often as I do.
My typical hair routine is to wash, condition and dry my hair. I then run my Chi through the roots, my bangs, and the crown of my hair to smooth it out, and curl the ends with a 1.5" barrel curling iron. I rarely use products unless I'm going out for the night. Day 2, I can put it in a low ponytail or half up and have no problems. By Day 3, I need the help of my favorite Ojon spray dry shampoo. I spray it into the roots of my hair and my bangs, blast it with a blow dryer with my head upside down, and usually do a low chignon or a ponytail.
how many dogs do you have? We have one and he's enough of a hand full without little friends... but I want another!
We have two dogs, and I think that having two is just as easy, or easier, than one! They are BEST friends, and are completely miserable if not together. I especially love that when I am working and can't give them my full attention, they can play together happily for hours! When we foster, we typically only have one foster at a time, but last fall went several months with two - and had FOUR dogs in the house! That was pretty crazy. Right now, we're dogsitting our friend's sweet pit bull, and so its a bit crazy (but fun!)
Did you really mud the dry wall, or did Tyler do that for you? I have a few bathrooms I'd like to redo as well...
I love picture frames too, but I worry about photo overload. There is a fine line between classy and cluttered when using personal photography.
I love picture frames too, but I worry about photo overload. There is a fine line between classy and cluttered when using personal photography.
I answered this one in the comments, but not sure if he saw it! I did all of the drywall and mudding myself. And it sucked! I can't imagine doing a whole room. But, I also had quite a bit of trial and error (such as when I thought I bought bad tape since it wasn't sticky...sigh) so once I figured out exactly what I was supposed to be doing, it made everything so much easier!
I love getting questions! If you have any more, I'm happy to answer them ;)
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Getting to know you Sunday
Another Sunday sponsored by http://www.mannland5.com!
The questions..
1. How often do you wash/change your sheets?
At minimum, twice a week. Ideally, every other day. Our dogs sleep with us, and the idea of their little dirty paws on my clean sheets just grosses me out!
2. When is your birthday?
Next Friday, on February 26th - my golden birthday! 26 on the 26th :)
3. Have you ever met a bloggy friend in real life?
Not yet, but I am completely open to the idea if anyone lives in DC!
4. Brad Pitt or George Clooney?
George Clooney!
5. If you could change one thing about your body what would it be?
I wish I could always be in awesome shape and never have to work out! Otherwise, I'd ditch my widow's peak hairline, I hate it!
6. How often do you wash your hair?
Umm, this is bad, maybe 3 times a week? I swear by the Ojon dry shampoo spray for days in between.
7. Do you have pets?
Oh yes! Two little Bichon Frises, Holly and Kimchi. We also foster Bichons, although right now we don't have any (which is very weird!). And currently, we are pet sitting our friend's pittie, who is pretty much a part of the family anyway :)
8. How many social networks do you belong to..if you had to give up one, what would it be?
Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, Yammer, Linked In, 20sb, TheNest.com, Google Buzz...gosh there are probably even more.
I would give up Yammer, I HATE it. I use it for work, and am considering deleting it anyway.
Sunday Brain Dump
First, I wanted to thank those of you who entered the MagnaPods giveaway! I used random.org to generate the winner...
And it was Christy at The Best is Yet to Be...The Monfort 3. Christy, I will email you today to get your address :)
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My birthday isn't until next Friday, but Tyler and I usually celebrate it the week between Valentine's Day and my birthday. His work schedule is so crazy, that I take anything I can get :) He proposed 2.5 years ago with the most stunning custom ring -
There are diamonds all around the sides of the band, so I knew we had to get a custom wedding band, and so I've just gone without for the past year and a half since our wedding! We used my engagement ring for the ceremony, and thats all I have worn.
Yesterday, Tyler surprised me with a trip to the goldsmith where this ring was designed, to design two custom diamond bands to go on either side of my ring. To say I am excited about the new bling is a severe understatement!
They have to keep my ring, but I should get everything back in three weeks! I'm having all three pieces soldered together into one, and am dying to see it :)
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Today is my Rite of Election with the Catholic church. And not a single Catholic I have talked to knows what this is. The best explanation I could find was at eCatholic.
And it was Christy at The Best is Yet to Be...The Monfort 3. Christy, I will email you today to get your address :)
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My birthday isn't until next Friday, but Tyler and I usually celebrate it the week between Valentine's Day and my birthday. His work schedule is so crazy, that I take anything I can get :) He proposed 2.5 years ago with the most stunning custom ring -
There are diamonds all around the sides of the band, so I knew we had to get a custom wedding band, and so I've just gone without for the past year and a half since our wedding! We used my engagement ring for the ceremony, and thats all I have worn.
Yesterday, Tyler surprised me with a trip to the goldsmith where this ring was designed, to design two custom diamond bands to go on either side of my ring. To say I am excited about the new bling is a severe understatement!
They have to keep my ring, but I should get everything back in three weeks! I'm having all three pieces soldered together into one, and am dying to see it :)
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Today is my Rite of Election with the Catholic church. And not a single Catholic I have talked to knows what this is. The best explanation I could find was at eCatholic.
You have been sent from your parish community, and the Bishop will “receive” you in the procession as you walk forward into a new life with Christ. The Book of the Elect will preceed you into the church as a presentation of your intent to continue your journey. At this moment in your life you are affirming your earlier promises to know, love and follow Christ. It is also the time which your sponsor, godparents, team, and the community of Catholics will say, “Yes these Catechumens and Candidates are ready to move into their final preparation period. They have experienced true conversion of heart, mind and soul.” It has been a conversion experience not only for you, but also for each person who has traveled this road with you. Each of us has been truly blessed and touched by the Spirit of God this past year. We have grown in our personal faith experience with you, and we have each encountered Jesus within this group assembled in His name. He has moved us to a new level of perception in His Spirit.
During this part of the Rite, one of the team members will come forward and call your names for enrollment to the Easter Vigil Rite. The bishop will ask a few questions of you, and shortly after this your sponsors will be asked to stand with you as they are recognized. Their testimony is the final affirmation to the bishop. You are now the 'Elect of God'. Returning to your parish as a disciple ready to say “yes” to all Jesus, asks of you. Soon you will be joining us at the Eucharistic table and proclaiming your “Amen”. This is the Body of Christ with whom I am in communion!
I have a little over a month left until my confirmation on the Saturday before Easter, and I cannot wait! These classes have really gone by so quickly.
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I am still getting ready for my sister's baby shower that is now next weekend. Since it was pushed back due to bad weather, I have had time to come up with a few other special touches, and plan to spend tonight working on them. I have my friend Joe who takes fabulous pictures coming out to document the whole set up. This is step one to my dream of building out a portfolio to start my own business in events consulting. So I am very excited to see how it all turns out!
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And, lastly, of course, comes back to fashion ;) I am going out for dinner and drinks with my girlfriends next Saturday night, and need to figure out what I want to wear! I may have a virtual fashion show tonight and see what all of you think :)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Confession...
I have a serious addiction to Farmville. That stupid game on Facebook? Oh, I can't stay away.
I do make sure to never publish any of my updates on my newsfeed, so unless you play as well, you probably don't know. I find the "Lost Cow" updates littered everywhere annoying as hell, so try to never do the same. But, I'm addicted nonetheless. I can't tell you how many times I've had to bribe my husband or best friend to harvest my crops when something came up and I can't get to a computer in time.
So, I decided to give it up for Lent. I also gave up some other things, and I've also added things - I want to spend more time praying daily and reading scripture, as well as working out more often and eating better. Not playing a stupid farm game will certainly free up more time for that!
See you in 40 days, pretty farm.
I do make sure to never publish any of my updates on my newsfeed, so unless you play as well, you probably don't know. I find the "Lost Cow" updates littered everywhere annoying as hell, so try to never do the same. But, I'm addicted nonetheless. I can't tell you how many times I've had to bribe my husband or best friend to harvest my crops when something came up and I can't get to a computer in time.
So, I decided to give it up for Lent. I also gave up some other things, and I've also added things - I want to spend more time praying daily and reading scripture, as well as working out more often and eating better. Not playing a stupid farm game will certainly free up more time for that!
See you in 40 days, pretty farm.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
MagnaPods! (oh, and a giveaway)
I got an opportunity last week to do a review on my blog of a line of products called MagnaPods. These things are VERY cool. They are clear plastic organizers that are backed by strong magnets, and you can hang them inside your medicine cabinet. I am a freak for all things organization - The Container Store is one of my favorite places on earth. So I jumped at the chance to try these out!
This is what my master bathroom counter looks like:
Hahahahahaha. My best friend and my husband are laughing their asses off right now, because THIS is actually what my master bathroom counter normally looks like. Just keeping it real ;)
Anyway, like pretty much all master bathrooms, I have a mirrored medicine cabinet. If you saw this post, you know I dislike medicine cabinets. Obviously - I ripped one out. I think they look horribly dated. But, they are functional as all hell, and if you are going to have one, might as well make the most of it!
This is what mine actually looked like inside. I did tidy it up a bit, but everything in here was in here before I received the products. You can see the clear plastic organizer I already owned for my lipsticks ;)
So anyways, here are the MagnaPods. I liked the packaging, since I was able to open both without scissors or my teeth. Its the little things that make me happy, I tell ya.
I already have a place for my toothbrush on the counter, and even that is a waste since we usually have them in the shower. So this is how it is supposed to be used:
But I decided against that. The cosmetics package came with three organizers, so I had four total, and played around with what would be most effectively housed here. I finally realized that my daily make up is always on the bottom of my make up bag, or under the sink, and impossible to find. I spend so much extra time in the morning just tracking down my basics. So I made it my goal to put everything I needed in these four containers - foundation, a stipling brush, powder, blush, a blush brush, eyeshadow, eyeshadow brushes, eyeliner, eyebrow brush, and mascara.
Luckily, all of the sectioning parts of the organizers were easily removable, so I could adapt everything the way I wanted. Basically - I only used one of them.
Are you ready to see what I did?
I used the toothbrush holder to hold my blush and powder brush. I used the 3" x 2.75" x .5" divider to hold my stipling brush (used to apply foundation) and an eyeshadow brush. I'll add my other favorite eyeshadow brush in the middle hole as soon as I find it. If thats not a testament to needing this product, then I don't know what is...
I used the 4.75" x 1.5" x 1" to hold my foundation (uhhh, lost the lid, oops), face powder, and my favorite neutral eyeshadow.
And I used the 4" x 2.5" x 1" to hold my eyeliner, mascara, brow brush, blush, and two more eyeshadow brushes.
It took some quick pushing and adjusting to move all of the organizers to spaces where the doors would close, and I didn't have to adjust what was actually inside the cabinet, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it actually worked. Both the husband and I had major doubts. Well...wow.
The only thing that didn't fit in here that I decided I wanted included were two more neutral eyeshadow pallets, but I was able to put them on a shelf just fine.
I am SUPER excited about the fact that everything I need is all in one place. I know it is going to make my mornings so much easier.
So, here are more details -
The website is www.magnapods.com. They currently carry both the items they sent me, as well as another version of the cosmetic organizers that don't have the removable dividers. I think its completely worth getting them though, to adjust everything as you want.
The prices are super cheap - $2.99 to $7.99, and this is something that I would buy myself in a heartbeat if I saw it while out at Bed Bath and Beyond or something of the like.
They only sent me one, for my use, but I think its worth the price, so I'm willing to buy ONE set of the three cosmetic organizers for one of my readers.
So, here we go!
1. Become a follower of my blog through Google Connect (look to the right!)
2. Leave a comment telling me what YOU would store in these organizers!
That's it! Make sure your email address is in your blog or in your comment so that I can contact you.
I'll run this through Saturday, February 20th at Midnight - so make sure to enter before then. I will use random.org to randomly select a winner.
Disclaimer: I was put in contact with MagnaPods thanks to an awesome partnership with Business 2 Blogger. They sent me the two above mentioned products free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. My raves are because I loved this product, not because they asked me to. Aside from the organizers, I was not compensated for this post. The giveaway will be paid for by me.
This is what my master bathroom counter looks like:
Hahahahahaha. My best friend and my husband are laughing their asses off right now, because THIS is actually what my master bathroom counter normally looks like. Just keeping it real ;)
Anyway, like pretty much all master bathrooms, I have a mirrored medicine cabinet. If you saw this post, you know I dislike medicine cabinets. Obviously - I ripped one out. I think they look horribly dated. But, they are functional as all hell, and if you are going to have one, might as well make the most of it!
This is what mine actually looked like inside. I did tidy it up a bit, but everything in here was in here before I received the products. You can see the clear plastic organizer I already owned for my lipsticks ;)
So anyways, here are the MagnaPods. I liked the packaging, since I was able to open both without scissors or my teeth. Its the little things that make me happy, I tell ya.
I already have a place for my toothbrush on the counter, and even that is a waste since we usually have them in the shower. So this is how it is supposed to be used:
But I decided against that. The cosmetics package came with three organizers, so I had four total, and played around with what would be most effectively housed here. I finally realized that my daily make up is always on the bottom of my make up bag, or under the sink, and impossible to find. I spend so much extra time in the morning just tracking down my basics. So I made it my goal to put everything I needed in these four containers - foundation, a stipling brush, powder, blush, a blush brush, eyeshadow, eyeshadow brushes, eyeliner, eyebrow brush, and mascara.
Luckily, all of the sectioning parts of the organizers were easily removable, so I could adapt everything the way I wanted. Basically - I only used one of them.
Are you ready to see what I did?
I used the toothbrush holder to hold my blush and powder brush. I used the 3" x 2.75" x .5" divider to hold my stipling brush (used to apply foundation) and an eyeshadow brush. I'll add my other favorite eyeshadow brush in the middle hole as soon as I find it. If thats not a testament to needing this product, then I don't know what is...
I used the 4.75" x 1.5" x 1" to hold my foundation (uhhh, lost the lid, oops), face powder, and my favorite neutral eyeshadow.
And I used the 4" x 2.5" x 1" to hold my eyeliner, mascara, brow brush, blush, and two more eyeshadow brushes.
It took some quick pushing and adjusting to move all of the organizers to spaces where the doors would close, and I didn't have to adjust what was actually inside the cabinet, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it actually worked. Both the husband and I had major doubts. Well...wow.
The only thing that didn't fit in here that I decided I wanted included were two more neutral eyeshadow pallets, but I was able to put them on a shelf just fine.
I am SUPER excited about the fact that everything I need is all in one place. I know it is going to make my mornings so much easier.
So, here are more details -
The website is www.magnapods.com. They currently carry both the items they sent me, as well as another version of the cosmetic organizers that don't have the removable dividers. I think its completely worth getting them though, to adjust everything as you want.
The prices are super cheap - $2.99 to $7.99, and this is something that I would buy myself in a heartbeat if I saw it while out at Bed Bath and Beyond or something of the like.
They only sent me one, for my use, but I think its worth the price, so I'm willing to buy ONE set of the three cosmetic organizers for one of my readers.
So, here we go!
1. Become a follower of my blog through Google Connect (look to the right!)
2. Leave a comment telling me what YOU would store in these organizers!
That's it! Make sure your email address is in your blog or in your comment so that I can contact you.
I'll run this through Saturday, February 20th at Midnight - so make sure to enter before then. I will use random.org to randomly select a winner.
Disclaimer: I was put in contact with MagnaPods thanks to an awesome partnership with Business 2 Blogger. They sent me the two above mentioned products free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. My raves are because I loved this product, not because they asked me to. Aside from the organizers, I was not compensated for this post. The giveaway will be paid for by me.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Leggings as pants...
Oh yes, I did ;) This is a trend that is pretty hard to pull off. The most important rule is that your top must cover your butt and crotch. And then you're all set!
We went out to DC for my friend Joel's birthday on Saturday night. We started out at Iron Horse, then scooped some DELICIOUS cupcakes from Red Velvet, then had dinner at Jaleo, and finally ended up at Bar Louie. I wanted to be comfortable and fun, so leggings were the obvious choice!
Both the blazer and coral top are from Forever21. I just love the tiered chiffon-esq ruffles on this blouse, and can't wait to try it with a white pencil skirt, nude pumps and gold jewelry for summer.
Blazer: Forever21. Blouse: Forever21. Leggings: Target. Heels: Merona.
We went out to DC for my friend Joel's birthday on Saturday night. We started out at Iron Horse, then scooped some DELICIOUS cupcakes from Red Velvet, then had dinner at Jaleo, and finally ended up at Bar Louie. I wanted to be comfortable and fun, so leggings were the obvious choice!
Both the blazer and coral top are from Forever21. I just love the tiered chiffon-esq ruffles on this blouse, and can't wait to try it with a white pencil skirt, nude pumps and gold jewelry for summer.
Blazer: Forever21. Blouse: Forever21. Leggings: Target. Heels: Merona.
What to wear to a baptism?
A dress, obviously, since that is most of my wardrobe. But my sweet niece has an affinity for large flowered headbands and bows, so I decided to pay homage with a large flowered bow of my own ;)
SO cold, so bundled up for outside with a black trenchcoat:
I get bored of the tie it came with, so I added a skinny black leather bow belt in its place:
I wore a black sheath dress (also seen on me here). Between the swiss dotted tights, bold hair piece, and patterns in the dress, I felt it best to stick to the same color. And I think all of the different textures really made everything more interesting!
Do you remember me swooning here about swiss dotted tights? I finally picked up some of my own and I la la la love them!
But, my favorite part of the outfit was definitely the hairpiece. So fun!
Dress: Merona. Tights: Express. Heels: Merona. Coat: Merona. Belt: Gap. Headband: Forever21.
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