The Good Stuff Rocks

Fun Faux Finishes

2012-01-26T11:09:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of why I started this blog - to share some good stuff - I have to share something that may not be in my blog's best interest. Pinterest. If you have not discovered it yet it is time to join the party. Loads of fun for everyone and every interest. It is also so addictive you will probably never return to this blog again. You will also find entire days and nights spent sitting in front of your laptop while chaos, famine and mountains of laundry grow all around you. I apologize to members of your immediate family that will soon become victims of this latest time suck on your attention and ability to care about them and their needs. They thought Words With Friends was bad....nothing and I mean nothing compares to Pinterest. I think I'll get ahead of the curve and start a treatment center for Pinfiends to come to for rest and recovery. I think we are going to need alot of these. So check it out with the warning that it is a gateway to lots of lost time well spent...

I have become obsessed with decorating my house...I blame it on Pinterest and Donna Decorates Dallas on HGTV...check your listings and set your tv to record this wonderful show. She and her daughters do amazing decorating transformations in real homes in the Dallas area every show. So much fun and no matter what your personal style is - you will learn something that will work for your home. My new fav thing to do now is pause the tv and take a pic so I can remember something she has done or an idea I want to try. If I ever win the lottery I know who is coming to my house!! I made a trip to her store during Christmas break and was thrilled to meet her daughter Ashley who runs the store and helps with the decorating end too. She was AMAZING and excited to start working on season 2. I can't wait!!

I finally did a faux finish in my dining room this weekend and was thrilled with the results. I used Annie Sloan Soft Wax, paintable wallpaper and a little oil rubbed bronze metallic paint. I'll be posting pics to my NEW facebook page for the blog - I KNOW! Fancy!! I got this fab idea from my friend Madonna who also started a really fun blog for old people. I haven't read it yet cause I'm not old. Heard it was really funny though. It's called oldenoughtoknowbetter.com -anyway, she has a fb page for it so of course I had to have one too! I am also excited cause I can upload pics to fb but not sure how to do it here. Sad but true. I'll post pics there and plug my blog at the same time :)) And yes, I've read her blog cause I'm OLDENOUGHTOKNOWBETTER and YOUNGENOUGHTODOITANYWAY. So check my page out on fb - thegoodstuffrocks.blogspot.com - just give me a day or two to work out a few kinks.

Here are some of my fav products that I have been using to faux finish my face :)
1. Cannot tell you how important moisturizers are to older, soon to be older and never wants to get older skin. I've got so many people hooked on Pond's Dry Skin Cream. Wonderman loves it and his rosacea has never looked better. I also love Olay Regenerest UV Cream SPF 30 for daytime. And I finally got hooked on my little brush cleaner by Olay. I have friends that love the Clarisonic one but I can't make myself spend the extra for that one. Olay's really has made a difference.

2. Thanks to a sample gift from Sephora I am crazy about Laura Mercier products now. LOVE THESE - tinted moisturizer spf20 Illuminating in bare radiance. I just mix a dot with my Revlon Age Dyfing creme makeup and you get a soft glow without too much shine or glitter. And we ALL need a little glow. I also love her eye base product in Wheat. It really keeps my shadow on all day. And her mascara is fantastic. Sorry Stiletto - you are still the best priced mascara!! And my new fav lipstick ever is Brown Sugar. Perfect for everyone.

3. Maybelline has a new eyebrow pencil out and it is fantastic. It is called Master Shape and I love the dark brown. Remember they frame your eyes and make such a difference. As we age we lose them and they also fade in color. Give them a little faux finish and erase years from your face.

4. And the best faux finish for your face is your smile. Keep one on and you will look 10 years younger. As long as you are not smiling with a mouth of dull dingy teeth. EEEWWW. Crest makes great whitestrips that really get the job done. My fav way now though is their AMAZING toothpaste. I haven't needed the strips in months. Crest Complete with extra white & Scope Outlast is the best toothpaste and whitener ever.

So go discover the world of Pinterest if ya haven't already, check out OLDENOUGHTOKNOWBETTER, thegoodstuffrocks.blogspot.com on fb, Donna on HGTV and keep coming back here for more Good Stuff.

Girls Gone Wild

2012-01-03T06:14:00.000-08:00

Have you been watching TV lately??? Is it just me - or have you noticed that we the female population seem to be spiralling out of control. And it seems to start fairly early...We have the Toddlers in Tiaras, Pregnant Teenagers, Those I'm 16 and deserve the World Party Brats, Bridezillas, All of the Housewives, Bachelor's choice contestants and don't forget the Moms of the those Toddlers or any female with the last name Kardashian(or as I like to call them KarCASHin)...Joe Francis must be in shock - these women make his original Girls Gone Wild seem boring and tame. I think he is in jail anyway.

I was glued to my TV last night for the start of the latest Bachelor season of train wreck/guilty pleasure TV. I understand that Fairy Tale TV Love has a 99.9% failure rate. What I don't understand is first of all - Where do these women come from? What is their real life like when they get booted off this show after they have shown their CRAZY to God and everybody!! Are the nutjobs truly this crazy or are they "acting"? And if they are just playing crazy what is the end game of that? When and why would any girl want to be the crazy crying bathroom chick? AND she is a BLOGGER!! Fantastic. Of course, we all knew something was a little off from the get go with this chick. Carrie Bradshaw copy cat? I'm sure by the end of the season we will find out that she thinks she IS Carrie Bradshaw.

I'm not sure how many seasons of these shows I've watched but I'm just waiting for the Celebrity Bachelor Show...We've got celebrities dancing, working with the Donald, swapping spouses, in rehab and starring in their own this is my life shows. Why not Celebrity Bachelor?? Bachelorette? Every week we'd get to watch Jake, Ryan, Ryan, Bradley or Derek date crazy women looking for love. Kind of like a tv version of reading the tabloids. Can you imagine the line of people trying out for a chance to find true love with Jennifer( neither have a ring on it)Chelsea, ScarJo, Cameron or the previously mentioned boys?? I'd even be okay with just Celebrities Dating Celebrities...lots of them are single and worried about where have all the Good Parts gone...

I think the reality is people are crazy. Some are crazy enough to get on TV and share that with God and everybody. Some are crazy just to sit home glued to their tv watching and wondering why people are so crazy. Which one are you? Got to go watch my shows....

Happy Soup Day from the Christmas House...

2012-01-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year...some of us have reached the age where the years are flying by so fast it really will be Christmas again before we know it. I had a big case of that this Christmas. By the time I wrapped my mind around the fact that it was here again it was gone. So yes, I'm ringing in a new year and squeezing a few last days out of Christmas inside my house. I know most can't wait to get it all down and put away. I'm never in a hurry to do that until the morning I start. I'm still trying to figure out a way to just keep it all up all year. So far there are a few snags in my plan. Like Halloween. I go all crazy on the decorations for that too. I'm thinking I need a couple of houses. One could be the Christmas House. We will live there from November 25th. til January 2. Then we will move to the Not Christmas/Halloween House and stay there until October 1st when we will move to the Scary House. We can just stay put til time to move to Christmas House. Wonderman is beyond thrilled with my plan. I don't really see the problem with it beyond the fact that it will take gobs of money.

Today is New Years Day and I always look forward to a day of just hanging out and reflecting on the year gone by and the exciting one ahead. And soup. So happy we had a week of beautiful weather with a little cold snap overnight. Soup is just a little bit better when it is chilly outside. I know we are all supposed to be thinking about working out and hitting the gym to work off all the Christmas goodies we've been enjoying but you have to have your greens and peas today for luck and wealth. I like to make ours into a soup. It's fairly healthy - just a little bacon juice to add flavor...I thought I'd write it down and pass it on before I forget what I did. Kind of like my tequila soup - promised that recipe a few blogs back. Been so long not sure what I threw into the pot (blaming it on the tequila) cause that is usually how I make soup. Just dump whatever is available into chicken stock/broth and it is usually delicious. I also made a really great beef stew last week from a Rachel Ray recipe and I'll pass it on too. Might as well post several favorites - we are all going to become gym rats soon so lets feast and store some energy for these future workouts.

New Year's Day Health & Wealth Soup
5 slices of bacon
andouille sausage
1 bag of frozen turnip greens or mustard greens - for wealth in the new year
1 bag of frozen black eyed peas - for luck, good fortune and health in new year
1 carton of vegetable stock
1 carton of chicken stock
1 can of Rotel
salt, pepper, garlic, cumin to taste

Brown bacon in soup pot. Remove bacon and all but about 1-2 tablespoons of drippings. Eat bacon. Chop up andouille sausage and add to drippings - brown on ends. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil for about 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Enjoy :) tastes better if all items are purchased in advance. That way you can wake up - put the soup on - and enjoy in your jammies while watching football/chick flicks. Remember to share with any friends that stop by.

Here is the Beef Stew Recipe - Thanks Rachel Ray!!

2 bulbs garlic

EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling

Salt and pepper

1/4 to 1/3 pound bacon (not too smoky in flavor), cut into lardons (fat matchsticks)

1 stick butter, divided

2 1/2 to 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes

Flour, for dredging plus 2 tablespoons

3 carrots, sliced in 2-inch chunks on an angle

2 apples, such as Honeycrisp, peeled and chopped

2 to 3 ribs celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 fresh bay leaves

2 to 2 1/2 cups cloudy organic apple cider

2 cans beef consommé

Herb bouquet, a few sprigs each of thyme, parsley and sage tied together with kitchen string

2 1/2 pounds (about 5 potatoes) russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 to 3 large parsnips, peeled and cubed

1 1/2 cups sharp white cheddar, shredded

1 cup whole milk

Freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup chives, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut ends of garlic bulbs to expose cloves. Drizzle with EVOO, season with salt and pepper, wrap in foil and roast to tender, 40-45 minutes. Remove garlic and reduce heat to 350°F. This part does take preplanning but it is so good!! Roasted garlic is much sweeter and you can use this in other recipes. It is also fantastic smeared on bread with olive oil...

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO and bacon. Brown and crisp bacon then remove and reserve. Pour off some of the fat out of the pan and add a couple of tablespoons butter. OMG - bacon juice and BUTTER!!

Pat meat dry and season liberally with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and add to hot pot in batches. Cook to crispy and deep brown. Add more butter as needed, 2 tablespoons at a time. Reserve browned meat with the bacon.

Add carrot, apple, celery, onion, bay, salt and pepper to the pot and partially cover. Cook to soften vegetables for a few minutes then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour. Stir a minute then add cider, consommé, the roasted garlic cloves and stir to combine. Add reserved beef, bacon and herb bouquet to pan, bring to a boil then cover and transfer to oven *. Braise meat for 2 hours, until very tender and the sauce has thickened. Let stand 20 minutes while you cook potatoes.

Boil potatoes and parsnips in salted water until tender. Drain and return to hot pot; mash with 2 tablespoons butter, cheese and milk. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg; stir in chives.

Serve stew in shallow bowls with potatoes alongside. Got to admit this one is more complicated than the one I made up but it is worth the effort. *I also added some red wine to the meat after I brought it all to a boil. During the making of this stew we had a game plan change that involved a movie and dinner out - no worries, we just put it in the fridge and had a great dinner ready the next night. It just got better everytime we reheated it over the next week. Just add more beef stock as needed to keep it going. We actually never even bothered with the potatoes either. Just soup in a bowl = yum! I do want to try the potatoes soon.

All this talk about food is making me hungry - time for more soup! Check back in a day or two for a delicious breakfast casserole that is super easy and really good.
Hate to run but - the soup is on!!!

Time for Christmas - AGAIN!!

2011-11-29T17:39:00.000-08:00

Well, I had big plans to share all the fun things I did for Halloween with you...parties, recipes, costumes, etc....Then Thanksgiving happened and it was fabulous - Fried turkeys for three days and there is nothing better! And now I am in Christmas Crazy Mode. I don't leave the house unless there is something I can't live without as in it is necessary for decorating purposes. You should have bought stock in Michaels and Hobby Lobby. Too late now. We were home for Thanksgiving this year and it really threw me off my game. I will call it Christmas Denial. Usually, we fly back to Georgia and South Carolina for Thanksgiving and I try to decorate the inside of my house before we go. Works like this...take down all the Halloween crap and clean then put up all the inside Christmas crap. Invite no one in and no one will know you have Christmas up mid November. We will have a lovely normal Thanksgiving in South Carolina - come home and enjoy having the house ready for Christmas. Works for me. This year since we stayed home it went more like this. Halloween - awesome!!! I live for Halloween. The decorations, candy, costumes, candy, vampire movies, books, shows, candy and big adult costume party blowout...100% totally in to it. November 1, it all comes down. This is when I normally start putting up Christmas - kinda relaxed and slowly...I am calm and really enjoying Thanksgiving at Cindy's and just hanging with all my Atlanta friends & Family...I've got 90% of Christmas done. Lots of time for baking and shopping and wrapping when I get home.

Back to THIS YEAR. Halloween rocks! Blah, blah, blah, lots of candy, zombies and scaring cute little kids in amazing costumes. Not only were they the cutest ever they were also the nicest most polite children and teenagers ever. We take great pride in having the scary house in our neighborhood. I really get into it and so does the hubs. We have the scary music rocking the street and the car with dead people all in and around it. I let the kids get close enough to look in then I hit the car alarm and they LOVE IT!! Gets them every time. Due to a malfunction this year the music almost didn't happen. Great neighbors loaned us their boom box and then we realizied it was a blown fuse problem. Anyhoo - got the scary tunes going and passed out all the candy.

Next, day all zombies returned to storage and it was time to think about Christmas. Except we were staying home for Thanksgiving. I think we've stayed in Texas for maybe two Thanksgivings now. Very weird. We have always gone to South Carolina. Always. Bye Bye Halloween and hello Turkeys!! I turned those jack-o-lanterns around and brought out my meager little Thanksgiving collection of pilgrims and Indians and started working on my Thanksgiving Feast Menu. Borrowed a friends turkey fryer and OMG! Talk about the best Turkey ever!! If you have not had fried turkey you are missing out. Super easy. First - ELECTRIC turkey fryer is your FRIEND. You must buy one. Key word - ELECTRIC!! As in won't burn your house down. No scary propane tanks. That just freaks me out. Not to mention who wants to sit outside babysitting the frying turkey - not me. I plugged that baby up in my dining room - we hardly ever eat in there so it was nice to use it for a change. Gave the oil an hour to heat up, injected my thawed turkey with garlic butter sauce, rubbed the outside with a Cajun dry rub and fried that baby for 48 minutes. Since this was my first time frying a turkey (myself) I got a 12 lb. turkey. Plenty for just the four of us. NOT!! We almost picked the bones clean standing up in the kitchen while John tried to carve it. It was amazing!! The skin alone was my favorite. Along with the sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, creamed corn, stuffing and cranberry relish followed by pecan pie with Blue Bell Pralines n'Cream ice cream and punkin pie (my kids love punkin pie)- no one went hungry. Since we barely had enough leftover to make leftover sandwiches (our fav thing about Thanksgiving) I ran an got another turkey breast to fry and one to fry and take to our tail gate party for the A&M vs. UT football game on the actual day. We did family dinner on Sunday before. That is why I fried three times. One big turkey and two breasts. The whole thing makes a pretty presentation but honestly, we only eat the white meat so in the future I'll just fry the breasts. So here I am all fat and happy on turkey skin. As for Christmas - I was way behind and starting to freak just a little. Especially when we got back from A & M game - nevermind who won - on Friday and instead of shopping and helping the economy like everyone else I was looking at a house full of not Christmas. Total denial. More like panic.

So here I am - day four of Christmas Crazy mode....about 75% done. I am thankful to be celebrating another one with all my friends and family. That is the important part. Not the food, decorations, presents or parties. It's the people. And as I get all caught up in the whirlwind of it all I just needed a little moment to stop and think about the people that make it all worth it. Thank you! And Happy Holidays :)

I'm Just Saying...

2011-10-07T16:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, if I had a twenty dollar bill(inflation)for every time I've SAID that...been trying to think of a way to write about a whole bunch of stuff that is on my mind but not really connected in any way. Pretty much what comes out of my mouth on any given day. Trick is to tie it all in and keep you reading. Here goes!

1. Stick with me on this one - It is October and as we know by all the pink it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I can't imagine anyone on the planet that hasn't been touched by cancer. One in four either has it, has had it, has a loved one with it, or is no longer with us because of it. All four are scary. And WE ALL want to wipe Cancer off the face of the earth. We are getting closer everyday. Research is making amazing breakthroughs and we all pray to see a cure in our lifetime. Here is my thought. I know the pink campaign has raised a lot of money, attention, and focus on finding a cure. But, we still don't have a CURE. People are still getting and dying from cancer every minute. Don't we have enough pink stuff? Can we just put all the money into research for a cure and a way to make this miracle drug available for everybody???? I really don't want or need another pink hat, sweater, watch, lipstick, fancy dinner with auction items, or walk a thon. Let's just put the money on the cure. At the least a more humane way to detect breast cancer. I'm just saying. Money on the problem and not going to the business of raising money. Just imagine if ALL the money went towards fighting cancer. I'm just saying...

2. Now, I've either lost you or not - hopefully, either way you are scratching your head and still reading. One of my favorite things about October is the return of regular tv. Reality tv VS. Real tv...wait that is confusing me and I'm writing this. Reality tv VS. Tv with actors. Scripted doesn't really work cause even reality tv is scripted. Come on!! YOU knew THAT. I admit I have my little train wreck reality shows and yes, I need a 12 step program for all the other shows I tape and follow. THANK YEW sweet baby Jesus for Direct TV or whatever you use to record your shows. Second to a cure for cancer in my lifetime. Amazing. By the way, in case you are freaking about me leading with cancer - let me tell you this. THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS F'ING DISEASE IS TO FIND THE FUNNY! Gonna go off on a tangent here...laughter really is the next best thing to a cure for cancer. Pity party should last about a minute and finding a way to laugh will get you through it. When Wonderman and I spent about 18 months in Cancerland along with the amazing support group of friends & family that carried us thru it with meals, rides, walks, & calls...what got us through the daily grind of cancer treatment was the amazing staff, patients and humor. We decided that if we were going to have to be there everyday for treatment then let's get this party started. We made the most amazing friendships while we were there. Staff, family and patients. Everyday. Somebody laughed. Most days even the sickest person there felt like they too were at the party. Steve Jobs just left the party. He was there and he did amazing things. I guess I'm saying no matter where you are, what you have, make everyday a party. Find something to laugh about. If you can do that in a cancer ward with an IV into your heart you can do that anywhere. Back to the funny...

Train wreck tv/reality tv - Toddlers and Tiaras - wow THIS is real tv with real people that actually spend the hard earned dollars they don't have to dress their little precious baby girls like Las Vegas Strippers. For a cheap crown I'm SORRY TIARA that cost about $2. Yes, I have watched it. I think my hell on earth would be living next door to someone on this freakin show. How do you pretend to relate to these people??? Here is the show I want to see - Toddlers to Teenagers with Tiaras...can you even imagine what is in store for these children. And their very disappointed moms when they don't go home with the Tiara or happy future??

Real Tv - with real actors, scripts, wait what is the difference again? Lots of new shows this fall. Some have quickly bitten the dust - Playboy Club anyone? Call me crazy but I thought it was very tame by tv standards(snicker) today. I read that "people" were outraged by it's offensive material. Guess they weren't watching American Horror Story. Or anything with the word Jersey or Housewife in it...We consider True Blood family viewing at our house - our kids can drive so cut us a little slack. Yes, It does make us all cringe most of the time. I guess if they are old enough to drive and almost go off to war we kind of slack off on the whole vampire porn scenes. Got to tell you though even our almost 17 year old son decided he probably won't watch any more American Horror Story, but if he does he won't with us around. Far enough. Totally get that. I loved Jessica Lange's character and her creepy daughter...but Coach Eric Taylor is ready to hit someone in the head with his very much deserved Emmy for what is happening to our beloved Tammy - I'm sorry this is real tv...Connie Britton is doing her thang and even though this is light years away from her role on my ALL TIME FAVORITE TV SHOW EVER YET...If you did not watch Friday Night Lights you are a MORON...stop reading this blog - go buy the entire series and thank me later. I'm just saying...love Connie Britton and want to love her new show but me and Wonderman will be watching without the boy child. Maybe.

Other new funny shows - Happy Endings, New Girl and Two Broke Girls. Is it just me or are we finally getting that Lucy, Marlo and Mary weren't the only funny women on tv that kept us all watching. Why is it taking so freakin long for the Hollywould Hotshots to realize WOMEN are funny and people love watching funny women. We will even pay MONEY to go to see movies with funny women. Funny. Who knew. I'm just saying...Bridesmaids, Horrible Bosses & anything with Kristen Wiig, Martha Plimpton, Betty White, Tina Fey, Kathryn Hahn or Melissa McCarthy in it?? Gilmore Girls shout out to great TV...another one to go buy the entire series and watch it with your girl children instead of spending money chasing 2 buck tiaras! I'm just saying!! And did she rock Saturday Night Live or what???

As usual I'm on a roll and someone is begging for food - Dinner again??? All I do somedays is feed these people. Speaking of food and feeding people - I promised to share my AMaZing Brownie recipe...and Tequila Soup. Only have time for one so here are the brownies and just keep coming back if ya want to know more about Tequila Soup...Blog Blackmail :)

Best Ever Brownies So Far - confession I use a box mix. Do whatever let's you sleep at night. Life is short use a box, except for wine - that is just wrong. I am finally getting over my cork only snobbery. Don't push me with the freakin box stuff. Back to brownies:

Box - I prefer Ghiradellis's (you know what I mean - do not make me go to pantry to get correct spelling...fancy chocolate place in San Francisco - brownie mix at Sam's in big box. Use two bags for 9 x 13 pan. Just double your box mix of choice. Thicker & bigger is better. Brownies people - focus.

Add to whatever mix you use 1 tbsp of Expresso Powder. Finally found it a Williams and Sonoma. No it is not instant coffee. That will not work. Trust me. Mall, W & S. $10 worth it. Then pour into pan and sprinkle Fluer de Sel salt - fancy sea salt FLAKES -good luck finding that - took forever. Go to fancy grocery stores or online. Again worth every penny. Use it on anything chocolate. Delish.

After salt add any topping of your choice - I used caramel candy corn this time and let me tell you. Major hit. Feeding frenzy. Don't worry when they disappear into the the brownines. They are there. And people go crazy trying to figure out what makes these brownies so good. This is also an excellent time of year to use leftover Halloween candy on top of brownies. Obviously, not the crap no one wants to eat. That is just nasty and should be thrown out. Use the good stuff. Life is short. Chop it up and after salt sprinkle it on before you bake.

Then undercook your brownies by at least 5 minutes. Allow to completely cool before you cut. There ya go...the goodstuff of life - I'm just saying!

Help Is On the Way!!

2011-09-21T05:56:00.001-07:00

I am so excited!! I've been asking friends to recommend landscapers and pool maintenance companies and have collected several names and numbers. I am seeing a professionally manicured yard and sparkling pool in my not so distant future. But that is not what I am so excited about...I have "help" for the laundry situation coming too!!! Now before you think I am one of those spoiled, bratty, Real housewives let me explain. I am actually doing this to help someone else. She is bored with HER life and looking for a change - this is not a joke cause I read it in the newspaper people. If you can read it someone said it, right? Back to my story - and I quote, "I often dream of quitting acting. Walking away and becoming a laundress or a sous chef or maybe writing other people's love letters for a living." Have I hit the jackpot or what! She is going to wash and fold my clothes and cook too???? Now, Wonderman doesn't need any help writting me love letters/texts, not really sure what the hell she is talking about there. Hollywood hoohoo if ya ask me. She can do that in her spare time as long as all my shit is clean, folded and most important -PUT AWAY!!! So, you can see Michelle Williams slaving away at my casa any day now. Just don't interupt her from folding and cooking to pester her for autographs. She is so over all that. I am all about making her dreams come true.

Speaking of help & Hollywood - I've gotten some other really good little helpers lately. I finally decided that I was really not having fun with all the hotflashes, loss of sleep and mental fog that had become my life. With the help of an amazing Dr. I am now on the Happy Hormone Bandwagon...and I am not alone. Just listen to Suzanne Somers and Rosie - they too are happier and hotflash free. Find a doctor that will listen to you and help you get your life back to normal.

I also have struck gold at Mike's Health Collection. The staff is so helpful and I can't say enough about how great they are. Two face products - one I read about in magazines, by MyChelle Dermaceuticals a Vitamin A Plus Serum. It is gentle enough that sensitive skin that can't tolerate retin A can use it and give you all the benefits of Retin A. Vote is in on Retin A being the miracle drug for aging skin. Now I can finally use it. Mike recommended HyaGlo a Hyaluronan Skin Serum for advanced Moisture Retention. First one at night before regular moisturizer and the second in the morning before moisturizer w/sunscreen. Remember - I only recommend what I have tried and love. These are fantastic.

At 50 we need all the "help" we can get...here are just a few more for you - Revlon Age Defying makeup. Love this product. It smooths and covers without looking heavy. Remember you can mix two shades to get the one that is just right for you. Tiny little squirt of each on the back of your hand, mix and dab where needed. Just where needed. Keep it light and by all means check in real sunlight. And hands down the BEST concealor I have ever used - Instant Age Rewind by Maybelline. This is even good enough to use alone. It covers everything and I know cause I just had about 6 places on my face frozen for sun damage. (why do they call it freezing when it burns like a &^%$*)I was good to go with a dab of this wonder product. And last but not least - the best hair treatment product I have ever used. One time and my hair looks like it did in my not 50's :) Thicker, shiny and bouncy!! Treat Me Right by Bed Head. Amazing, smells fantastic and it's a quick trick in your shower. Five minutes on and wash off - my hair still looked the same the next morning too!!

Hope & Help - just spreading the love to all today! Help me help you...keep sharing the Good Stuff! I've got to go make some phone calls and get my yard, pool and laundry taken care of...And if you haven't seen or read The Help - Do!!!

Good Bye to Summer 2011

2011-08-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

Normally, I would be sad and crying now...but due to the unbelieveable frickin heat -and no, in my head I am not thinking frickin but that other little F word that when used every once in awhile makes you feel better when something just aint right. And if ever anyone has a reason to drop the F bomb on the weather/heat those of us living thru this summer in Texas DO....Go ahead and think it/say it with me - it is F'ing hot and we are over it!! Good bye Summer 2011!!! Here are some of the things that made it better for me and a few of my friends on fb - hope you like some of them too!

1. Things to do to get out of the fu'ing heat....MOVIES - Crazy Stupid Love!! Go see it and don't hesitate to buy it if ya miss it in theaters. Horrible Bosses & The Help were also great....Planet of the Apes and Fright Night were worth the air conditioned time...Still want to see Sarah's Key and One Day (read both books and loved them) and also Idiot Brother. Not that I have one of those....idiot never reads my blog. Also Bridesmaids made the list....

2. TV at home in air conditioning...Franklin & Bash - witty & very easy on the eyes with fantastic music and stories = great tv. Necessary Roughness, The Glades, Memphis Heat, White Collar, True Blood, Rizzoli & Isles, Happy Endings, etc...and for God's sake get Direct Tv, Universe, or whatever and record and watch on your time schedule...there is nothing better than being able to pause while watching tv except maybe forwarding thru commercials. And some of those are really funny now too.

3. Vacay places - we loved Crested Butte and check out this link to our fav condo there http://www.mtcrestedbuttecondo.com/, Hawaii is always a winner, cruises and anywhere cooler than here seemed to be a hit. We also loved Santa Fe and Taos on our drive to Crested Butte.

4. Books - mine were One Hit Wonder, First Husband, One Day - want to see that movie too!, Cutting for Stone and The Last Werewolf. Some of my friends loved...Secret Daughter, The Tenth Song, Shadow in the Wind, Unbroken, Night Road, Silver Girl, Pictures of You and Touch by Alexi Zenter.

5. Recipes - great brie appetizer:
1 round of brie - trim off rind and chopped into chunks, topped with chopped roma tomatoes and green onions. 3-4 dollops/tablespoons of pesto. Toss in dish and heat at 350 until cheese melts. Throw in a spoon and stand back ...serve on crackers and bask in the compliments...thanks, Suzanne!!

Great easy dinner - Just had it tonight :)

roasted beets with hot pickled okra and cucumbers : wash and trim ends off of three beets. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Place in covered dish and cook in oven @ 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool and peel, season with salt - toss with several chopped hot pickled okra (check pickle section at grocery store - grannies shelf if lucky) and I love to add Rick's Picks The People's Pickle - a garlic dill pickle...If you can't find that, no worries just add your fav dill pickles and a little chopped garlic. Splash it with red wine vinegar and stir it all up and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Delish....

Pork chops on grill - grill hot, chops room temp with evoo, salt, pepper, lemon pepper, garlic on both sides....grill about 4 minutes each side if one inch thick...cover with foil and let sit...

fried rice - Birds Eye frozen rice in a bag with carrots and peas and corn...follow directions season with toasted seasame oil & butter & then "fry" or reheat in pan over medium heat, stirring until hot

roasted fresh okra - oven at 450. Okra washed and dry. Chop off ends and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon pepper... single layer on a foil covered pan - roast until charred. Black is good. My oven took about 25 minutes...don't be afraid to burn it. Better for you and better tasting than fried. Burn it. Trust me. YUMMMMM. Works with broccoli too. Just make sure vegetable is dry before oil and seasonings are added and spread in single layer in pan. Burn it...

6. Desserts - Freakin hot summer calls for ice cream...or as I like to call it Ass Cream...cause that is where it seems to go. And if you are going to grow a big ole Kardashian Ass this is how to do it....Blue Bell can do no wrong...worth every penny every time...but, try Kroger brand Private Selections chocolate chip and my new fav - Sea Salt Caramel...truly are no words for this..Just eat and embrace your curves.

7.Alcohol - Read the following responsibly...Whipped vodka - buy it and keep it in the freezer and sip carefully :). Bacardi's Frozen Margarita mix in the orange juice frozen section at grocery store follow directions with Tequilla and add one beer - 90 calories and yummy!! Bella Sera Pinot Grigio big ole bottle. St. Germain is delicious with Fresca. And Flora Springs makes a great chardonnay.

8. Friends and Family - mix them all up and enjoy!! And for the ones you missed - that is what Fall is for ...plan another get away to catch up and share the good stuff!

Fifty Fabulous Things to Share

2011-07-27T14:51:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy/lazy enjoying my summer that I have fallen off the blog wagon. As of July 14, my new favorite number is 50...I had a great birthday and even though I was really looking forward to a good reason to eat cake nonstop I was slightly shocked by the number of candles on top. FIFTY candles take forever to light and not to mention they are a fire hazard. Hubs was all worried and feeling the pressure to plan some big secret surprise due to the fact that I was turning 50 before him. He really enjoys the bragging rights that go with being 9 months younger. At the last minute (Sunday 7/10) I came up with the perfect solution...instead of all the focus being on the big FIVE-O...I decided to send out an invite to my wild and crazy girlfriends and ask them all to come over the night before my birthday to help me celebrate and say goodbye to 49! We had a blast and trust me there was lots of celebrating and I enjoyed my last night of using my 40 Something Lolita wine glass. I'd been using it for months leading up to this night. I decided to find out who was turning 50 next and the lucky winner got to take my glass home and enjoy it until it was time to pass it on on her birthday in December. I just love fun traditions. So in the spirit of embracing 50 here are 50 things I'd love to share....

1. Whipped Vodka - it was a huge hit! Delicious sipped frozen or splashed with Limoncello (I prefer Villa Massa) keep both in the freezer.

2. Toasted Angel Food cake - it has always been my favorite and requested on every birthday as long as I can remember. Slice it and toast it and let it almost burn. Yum!!

3. Toasted marshmallows - do it Texas style...due to intense heat we prefer to use a fondue fork and toast that baby over the gas stove flame in the air conditioned comfort of our kitchen. Temp is right AND it is bug free. Seriously it tastes the same and they even have flat marshmallows now to make smores even easier to smash together!! Genius!!

4. - 25. Books!!! First a list of some of my favorites - Cutting for Stone (finished this morning and LOVED it!!) South of Broad, The Help, City of Thieves, all Janet Evanovich, Laurel K. Hamilton, The Tender Bar, Harlen Coben's Myron Bolitar series, Sarah's Key, The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon, Peachtree Road by Anne Rivers Siddons, The Room,and all of Chelsea Handler's books ....I could go on and on....

26. - 36. Here is a list on books I can't wait to read - Say Her Name,The Last Werewolf, Sentimentalists, Homecoming of Samuel Lake, Folly Beach, Iron House, Ten Thousand Saints,To Be Sung Underwater, Long Drive Home, Silver Sparrow, and again I could go on and on!!! Melinda these were for you!! Thanks for being my biggest blog fan!!

37. Movies - Horrible Bosses, Something Borrowed (add this to booklist too), The Switch, The Eagle (okay anything with Channing Tatum)

42. TV - My new fav is Franklin and Bash!!! Really miss Boston Legal and this helps. Plus they are really cute. The Closer, In Plain Sight, Necessary Roughness after one show it is looking good, True Blood (Add the books to top of that list!!!), Vampire Diaries, Modern Family, Raising Hope, Game of Thrones (read first book thought it was good but kinda slow), Memphis Heat, Good Wife and anything with Bethany Frankel and her cutie patootie husband and baby!!

50 plus. Music - After an amazing get away to Austin and Barton Creek we are crazy about this band. We got to hear them live and found out they are brand new. Brad Dunn and Ellis County. Ranch Cat is the name of the CD. Southern Rock at it's finest. Jamming right now while hubs/Wonderman is cooking and wooing me. Does life get any better than that? And to think I was worried about coming up with 50 fab things to share - here goes the girly girl stuff!

fave body cream - This one I mix myself - Start with CeraVe cream. I love this cream but it needs to smell better so I add my favorite scented body lotion from Bath & Body then it also needs sunscreen so I add Hawaiian Tropics Shimmer Lotion sunscreen. Mix it all up good and use daily and before bed. Amazing how much better your skin will look, smell and feel. Dare ya.

Secret deodorant with minerals is amazing - stands up to the Texas heat the whole country is getting to enjoy.... trust me if it works after playing tennis here it will work for you.

Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion is amazing...and their Naked Collection of eyeshadows is great and almost impossible to find so run to Ulta and cross your fingers after being sold out for months it is back. Primer really works even in Texas heat! For a really pretty plum/brown that makes all eyes really pop try Cover Girl 530 Abrgnon(sorry that is all I can get off of label). If age, allergies or life is giving you extra baggage under your eyes here is the best remedy ever. Even Dr. Oz recommended it along with some wonderful "older" women from my past life in cosmetic land - Preparation H CREAM...trust me cream is what you want. Do not use the ointment. Just that word is reason enough. Smell is awful. Find the cream. Odor free and feels like any eye cream. Except it will shrink your eye bags. Follow up with moisturizer. And the miracle facial moisturizer is Pond's Cold Cream. Trust me! Face and neck will thank you!! Even hubs is addicted to this because it has cured his chronic rosacea and all the meds he used never helped.

Lips - start with the Fresh Sugar lip balms with Spf 15 - some have color all are the best ever. Use daily and at night. If your lips are fading keep a nice natural color with Revlon's Just Bitten Stain...I like Beloved. Let it dry before using the balm that comes with it or your gloss of choice. As for gloss my new fav is Smashbox Aura.

And to end this never ending list - YOU!! Everytime you say, " Hi, love your blog!" It makes me happy just to know someone is smiling somewhere. Sharing the good stuff!! Keep reading and please don't stop sharing with me!!

Finding the Good in ANYTHING

2011-06-07T07:06:00.000-07:00

Keeping in spirit with why I started this blog could have been a challenge today. I try to keep it all positive and about things I LOVE...when I want to go dark about something I usually do it on my other blog - girlygirl.pnn.com. But I decided to challenge myself today and find a way to make this season's Bachelorette show a positive experience. The challenge is I am going to attempt this on caffeine instead of my beverage/funny juice of choice- it is 9:00 am and even I frown on wine for breakfast. Maybe a bellini or bloodymary...we'll see how this goes on coffee.

I could easily rant all day about all that is wrong with this season, this girl, these guys and the producers for allowing this assault on all that is good in this world. So here is my version of - ARE YOU %&^*(*% KIDDING ME!!! Rules are simple. Every time one of the things below happens next week as you are watching (and you know we will be!! Even Kelly Ripa won't be able to NOT WATCH AGAIN...) follow the rules.

1. Every time she touches her bangs - slap yourself in the head. This will keep you awake. It will also help you break the annoying habit of picking up her annoying habit of constantly touching her bangs. People that do this should not have bangs. Or hair. Bald people can't annoy us by touching their bangs. If there is a bald person watching with you kiss them on the forehead and score 3 extra points. 1 point for every head slap. Yes, you will need paper and pen to keep track of all your points.

2. Every time she climbs someone and bumps uglies while that person is standing - you must thank your mother out loud for raising you right and take a small sip of your beverage of choice (BOC). This is going to happen a lot so small sips are important. We must game responsibly. If you find yourself monkey climbing every man that says hello to you - subtract 5pts. For any men watching and playing with us - I know a few - if this has ever happened to you and you had naughty feelings down below subtract 5 pts. Hugging someone with 4 feet on the ground is fine. If you want to have sex standing up with your significant other go for it. If you are saying hello to someone stop humping them like a dog in heat.

3. Every time she thinks she is right cause she is following her instincts, her heart or her new outlook on life - Shout "You are an IDIOT" and take a small sip. If you think she is WRONG add 3 pts. Just add 100 pts. to your score and refill your glass. She is wrong, wrong, wrong.

4. Every time her voice grates on your nerves - blow a loud horn. Kazoos are fine too. If you have a bag of party favor blow thingies even better just pass those out. If everyone is blowing something (careful boys - naughty thoughts down below WILL cost you 5pts.)then hopefully we won't be able to hear her screechy voice. If you don't have any of these things handy then just mute the tv every time she says anything. You won't really be missing much. Keep sipping - blowing things makes you very thirsty.

5. Every time she "dances" apologize to dancers everywhere for the insult. Did I miss the show last season where they talked about her being a "dancer"? Thought she was a "dentist"...this season she is a "dental student" and a "dancer". Note to producers - not everyone that dances is sexy. Hitting poses to music is not dancing. Every time she poses/dances pause the show and bust out your favorite dance moves. Don't worry if you get into it and forget about the rest of the show. You are way more entertaining and you will not really be missing anything. Keep sipping sexy!!

6. Pick your favorite guy on the show - then google him. Find a way - anyway to tell him to RUN!!! There are so many better ways to be famous. To find TRUE LOVE. To spend 6 weeks. Then again they are all hanging out in California, living in a cool house, doing fun exciting things, never mind - let him stay. If he makes it to final rose ceremony give yourself 5pts. He if ends up the next Bachelor you get bonus 10 pts. If he gets sent home (lucky dog) score 2pts. If she monkey humps your guy shout "Get off my man you MONKEY GIRL!" You'll feel a little silly but take a sip and you'll get into it.

7. Speaking of the guys - every time one of them does something gross - yell the name of the game and take a sip. Whenever one of them pretends to be happy about getting a rose - yell "bullshit" and take a sip. Better yet, pause the show and find a deck of cards and play Bullshit. Again, don't worry if you forget the show. Cards can be fun. This is a great game. Kate Hudson played it in that cute movie with Matthew McHunky (can't spell his last name) even better just go watch that movie and forget this show!!

End of show/end of game - tally your pts. If You are doing something/anything more fun and did not finish this show YOU WIN!! If you are still watching to the very end add 5pts. for making it thru the whole thing. If someone is sitting on the toilet reading the paper - I swear I could not make this stuff up - add 20 pts. That does not count if that is happening in your house. Then again that counts for doing something more fun. If you are still reading this blog add 10 pts.

And in closing...in honor of all the poor roses that have been sacrificed for this stupid show...wear a red string around your wrist - no that weird religion does that already. Around your ankle - no Mama thinks those are trashy. I know - around your head!! Red headbands!!! In honor of all the roses...SAVE the ROSES!! Show your disgust for this show and support of our new cause - Save the Roses. Wear your red headbands proudly. And remember stop touching your bangs and hug with your feet on the ground!!

Favorite Stuff

2011-05-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Here is an update of some of my favorite things...Don't forget to pass on some of your favorite things for me to try and add here for everyone to try. You can either leave a comment if you are a follower or send me an email kmshelnutt@yahoo.com and I'll pass them on. Had a great girl gab fast last week and here are some things shared there and some I've been wanting to post...

Eye products - I tried two really good ones by Clinique :All About Eyes Serum - cool roller ball product that helps get rid of early morning puffiness and bags. Been coming in handy during allergy season. I put it on before coffee and then before concealor I use Clinique Repairwear eye cream. I still love CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless concealor. Shade 210 is great under eyes and 220 covers whatever you don't like on the face.

Skincare - Love, Love, Love Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night - it's one of their newest and I'm going back to get the daytime one with sunscreen.

Foundation/Base - Revlon Age Defying Makeup - natural coverage and spf 20. Tip when choosing shade: don't go to light even try a shade just a little bit darker than skin on your face. Most of us have more sun on our necks and a slightly darker shade blended carefully will warm up your complexion.

Blush & Powder - Physician Formula is my hands down fav for these...the blush with the happy hearts on it is great and I'm hooked on all their powders and bronzers.

Mascara - New fav!! Almay One Coat Get Up and Grow....Great job without clumps and it stays put. Needs a little remover to wash off but not as much as waterproof ones. It is also supposed to help them grow longer. I'm still loving my Latisse but happy if this keeps them growing too.

Lips - I'm addicted to Sugar Lip Treatment spf 15 and Burt's Bees tinted lip balm

Nails - NYC in a New York Color Minute quick dry nailpolish. This is so easy to apply and dries super fast. Clear top coat gives a great shine and helps it last for days. If you like dark colors try Chinatown it is awesome!! I also love One Minute Manicure Scrub Tropical Coconut smells amazing and your hands and feet will thank you. Go to oneminutemanicure.com to order. Also great for summer sandals rubbing blisters is Band-AID friction block stick - use it as soon as you think a shoe is rubbing a blister and you won't get one.

Hair - For when you want to stretch out wash days or just add volume to thin, oily or even clean hair that you want to fluff up, try TRESemme FreshSTART Dry Shampoo for oily/straight to normal hair. Love this stuff!! Great for bangs that look droopey. For curly days when I'm too lazy to blow dry I love Got2b Kinky curling mousse. Just scrunch in and let hair air dry. Try to keep hands off after putting it in to keep frizz down.

Wish I had a way to index all products in previous blogs but so far cannot work that out. Don't forget to let me know what you like and want to share!!

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

Wow - can't believe it's April...finally everything is green again and that is good. Unfortunately, here in Texas that does not mean that it is time to start planting yet....cause it can be 80 degrees yesterday and 50 degrees today with monster winds that feel like 40....and we are expected to play tennis and other sports in this. Until you have stood face to wind with our wind just shut the hell up. YOU have no idea...unless you live in Chicago. I HEAR the wind is crazy there too. But you have ginormous buildings to block and hide behind. Just step onto a frickin tennis court without a hill in sight much less a mountain or tall building. Then try to find the little yellow ball and make it go where ya want it to go...hubs and his amazing partner did that this past Sunday!! Great match and I had the best seat in the house - sidelines with her hubs going "Great job!! Where was that shot when WE were with you!!" Seriously, sideline hell on earth. You WANT them to play well and win. Just NOT that well. UNLESS THEY ARE PLAYING THAT F'ING WAY WITH YOU. I am already planning my snack tray for next week if and only if hub's new tennis wife is going to agree to play with him again. Trust me - I have WAY more fun watching and cheering him on with her playing ....hopefully she feels the same way.

Along with spring cleaning which is the only thing to do when tv goes into rerun mode...omg!! Ya'll know I love my tv and right now it is all reruns... except for the best of all time and my new favorite ever reality show!!! I've tried to be a faithful Real Housewives of...fan - and I do love just looking at all the amazing homes we've been invited to. I just can't keep watching all the nasty girl drama between the should be friends. Drives me crazy. Can't stand girl bashing. But I have watched almost all of these shows for at least the first three episodes. Without a doubt the only one I can proudly recommend is a spin off show called Bethany Ever After. She is from the New York wives show and always a favorite of mine just because she seemed so real. Flaws and all. AND WE ARE ALL FLAWED. Most of us just don't have the courage to show these flaws to everyone. She does and you love her for it. Missed her whole wedding show season - only cause I got bored with all the crazy drama of all the other housewives shows. Not sure how or why I even watched her new show on her own. I am soooo glad I did. Please - give this show a try. If this is not for real and they are ranking our chain I am going to be so upset. Great reality tv. Husband is the absolute cutest thing ever except for the baby. Then you throw in the nannie and her whole church episode and all the others it is just great tv you can relate too. Bethany has the courage to say all the crazy shit you want to you are just to chicken to do so. Then there is the week she goes home AGAIN with hubs to see the grandparents...It is the best reality tv episode of all time. To my amazing inlaws - I love you!! I am so lucky to have you in my life and my children's life. They adore you. To my family you know I love you too as do the kids and John -guess this episode just showed all the dynamics that go into making our extended families work. It really made me think of all of you - inlaws, parents, and tennis wives/husbands and friends...life is good - cause you are a huge part of it!!

As for the title of this blog - well it is spring and I VACUUMED today...that counts for spring cleaning right???? Just watch - Bethany Ever After on Bravo you won't be sorry!!

Which Came First the Gaga or the Egg...

2011-02-23T14:35:00.000-08:00

Now just relax all you little monsters, I am not going to trash/bash your leader - Lady Gaga...I actually like her music and her message of love one another for who we are. At least I think that is what she is saying...sometimes I just get a little distracted by all the crazy. And I'm calling her crazy with love. Bless her heart.

Last year when she burned the piano on tv I was entralled and I loved that song. Problem is - I don't really remember the song. Just the piano burning. I know I loved the song and her voice was amazing. But that burning piano really got my attention. That, I remember. And then there was the meat dress and purse. Who could forget that!! Wowzer!!No one, cause it went viral fast and the comedians - they had a blast. She can rest assured no one will ever forget that. Or the Egg entrance this year at the Grammy's - already the song is kind of a distant memory. But, that may not be all her fault. My memory is pretty selective these days. But if shock value and "fame" is what she's going for then she is living her dream. I just think it is a little sad cause her real talent is her voice. But I don't think I'm the only one that is easily distracted from that.

I was watching Wendy Williams this morning and she was interviewing the lovely Roberta Flack. Talk about an amazing voice!! Wendy got her to sing one of the most beautiful songs ever - Killing Me Softly. I couldn't believe that I remembered all the words. I couldn't help but wonder if one day in the future, say 30 plus years from now - if Lady Gaga will be on a talk show singing one of her songs from today. And if so, what will she be wearing??? I just hope she lasts and let's us focus on her voice and not all the crazy. She's got our attention now - let us enjoy the music.

Speaking of the Grammy's, I was shocked in a good way when the girl that most of us had never heard of won Best New Artist...how cool was that!! Isn't that kind of the purpose of "New" ? I love Gaga and I've got Bieber Fever too but at this point I don't think of them as new. They are everywhere. I am so glad the Grammy's recognizied someone we need to know more about. Someone without all the crazy - just an amazing talent. I bet she'll be around in 30 years.

Stupid Cupid

2011-02-17T17:45:00.000-08:00

Now that you are confused and I have your attention....of course, I don't think Cupid is Stupid. I want (and expect) my flowers, candy, cards and sparklies just like YOU do...some years are better than others...LOVED this year. If you are one of my two offspring now would be a really good time for you to go look at porn or something else on the internet. This will totally gross you out. (Of course, now they are glued but they have been warned...)

Times are tight for all of us. Sad to say and trust me - I don't say it often but Hubs is off the hook - thru the years he has wowed me and spoiled me and it pains me to say it but - I really do have it all. Okay, like maybe ONE of each. There is only so much joolree (jewelry for those that are new to blog - like to mispell to give it humor) a girl can wear, EVEN in Texas without looking crazy. Don't worry - Gypsy is still my middle name but he has covered that department and I love him up for it. He has also rocked my world in the shoe and handbag department. Thanks to my devotion to Sex and City - the show uncut on tv please! - he (bless his little man heart) went on Ebay years ago and bought me a fantastic pair of Manolos...yes, they are real. He was thrilled to realize that shoes and handbags are crazy expensive but still less than the sparklie things. Thanks to a really good job in the 90's he pretty much covered the joolry. Fastforward to moving to Dallas and my first Louis. My first Louis baby was an anniversary gift while we were in New York. Smart man had it shipped home to avoid tax. Hope that was legal - whoops. Second one got him out of a major birthday jam when he had no idea what to get me. Love them both. Third one was our oops baby. Adopted over the internet from China and unintentionally prolly not real. Freakin cute and really good deal and hardly ever leaves the house cause we are not down with fake crap.

I know I said one of each - but Hubs totally gets you can rock clothes from Target and Kohls as long as you don't skimp on the shoes and handbags. So, I have a few really awesome bags. And only one pair of the most coveted red sole shoes in the world. Best day ever - hubs says cancel your girlfriend plans. I'm taking you shopping for a pair of red soled shoes and then lunch at the Mansion on Turtle Creek. It was a close call, but hells yes! I blew off my girlfriends so fast you could see the smoke. It was our 20 something anniversary, so I played that card and they still love me. Crazy bitches - think I am actually going to let them borrow my shoes.

So at this point in our life - Christmas, Valentines, Anniversary and birthdays roll around and I'm like whatever. Got all I need. Just don't forget it totally and as long as I can buy books and mags I'm a happy girl. This is where the offspring really do need to go do something else - WARNING!!! YOUR PARENTS STILL HAVE SEX. NOT AS MUCH BUT STILL....MORE THAN TWICE. Feb. 14th rolls around again. I make the promise of not this morning but you hurry home and I'm going to rock your world. (Hey, sometimes they fall for it...feed them big dinner w/ wine and it's not your fault if they fall asleep)I've already got a great card (even though he thinks they are a huge waste of money) and stuff for boy offspring. Baby girl got a great giftbag of all her fav things this weekend when we were lucky enough to be see her while boy offspring had a lacrosse tournament where she is in college. How cool is that?? As we are leaving after fantastic weekend with her and lacrosse the Hubs makes the super cool Dad move and gives her the most BEAUTIFUL dozen roses you have ever seen...yippee for her and she is thrilled.

Vday rolls around. Boy offspring totally blows off and ignores all the darling girls that text him like crazy. I make the big promise to the hubs that big things are going to happen when he gets home and future lax star is at practice. Fast forward to end of day...I've gone to store and have all that is needed for fantastic steak dinner. After 4 major snow storms and no grill action we are thrilled to grill at home. Hubs calls to ask if I need anything from store...answer is no got it all and hurry home ;;;))) He comes on in .... a hurry to change and go for a run. As he is changing and we are catching up on the day - I realize he is empty handed and he realizes that it is Vday and while I didn't need dinner from store he was SUPPOSED to stop and pick up MY flowers....not only am I not getting crazy no kids home sex - I AM NOT EVEN GETTING FLOWERS. On Valentine's Day. No flowers. No card. No candy. Cupid IS stupid.

But, he was fast on his feet(going running afterall) straight to the grocery store!!! Made it home with the most amazingly beautiful dozen roses you have ever seen...and he even tried to listen when I said no candy...six chocolate covered strawberries instead. They were awesome!!

Dinner was fantastic. Flowers were beautiful. Boy offspring survived lax practice and wrath of cute girls. Girlfriend enjoyed first Vday without boyfriend in four years. And as for us, well I'll just close with My Cupid is not Stupid.

I Phone is the New Crack

2011-02-01T16:34:00.000-08:00

This is a health alert....If you currently own an iphone - my personal drug of choice - or any of the other smart phones I'm betting you didn't read the tiny fine print either. If you had to stand in line for hours to even get yours you weren't worried about any of the warnings buried in the instruction manual. I barely bothered reading that. I just watch the commercials and download any cool apps advertised there. Or hand it over to my teens and they hook me right up. Here is what they don't tell you.

1. You will find that you cannot be more than 5 ft. from your phone at anytime. Makes getting a shower tricky but I manage. Just barely. If you find yourself in one room and the crack device in another you have 25 seconds to retrieve it before your head explodes.

2. First sign you have a phoneaddiction - you no longer use your computer. Because you can check your emails 4,658 times a day FROM YOUR PHONE. And you will, you just won't answer any of them. This will drive your friends crazy. You will mean to do it when you get home but you won't. Because you will be too busy with the next part of this dreaded addiction.

3. Second sign - texting. You only have a contact list in order to text people. The art of an actual conversation is a joke. I predict mankind will forget how to speak in the next 10 yrs. we will just stand around with our phones texting each other face to face. Don't worry rap will never go away.

4. Third sign - Facebook - now some of you think FB is the devil's book. All two of you are so smug that YOU have never done it. Come on - who are you kidding??? Even Bill Clinton has facebooked. Facebook is the gateway to more phoneaddictions. And once you own an iphone - you have truly descended into hell. You won't care about eating, your kids, feeding your kids, reading or even watching a movie. You won't even be able to watch tv without checking your fb...and then you will have this uncontrollable urge to text someone. WHILE you are supposed to be watching your favorite show. It is so dangerously addicting they even warn you that texting is not allowed during movies!!

5. Fourth sign you are going to end up homeless and on the street living in a box - Words with Friends...Yea! Some friends - these shady characters just want to get you addicted to feed their own nasty little habit....they suck you in with smiles and promises that it is fun and will increase your vocabulary - not so!!! You won't even know what half these words mean!! You won't care as long as you get the points and crush your former friends with a big word!!! Trust me just SAY NO!!!

6. Fifth sign - That sound...you know the one. The glass, the bell, the horn or whatever cute little sound you set your phone to make everytime you have a new message, text, or game move waiting. You won't eat, sleep or bathe...you will jump for your phone, trade your children, You will even play your children and try to crush them to get your phonefix....

7. Sixth sign - Angry Birds...this is the mac daddy drug of all - I am currently in phonerehab and am fighting the urge to try this one. But, I keep reading and hearing about how great it is. How much fun I'll have doing it. I am trying to be strong. Plus, I hear there is a possible tv show in the works. I will wait for that.

8. Dressing your phone. I am guilty of bling stickers on mine. Shoot me.

9. If you are still reading this you know you have a problem or know someone who has a problem...you should text them and tell them to read this. There are prolly more signs we are all hopelessly addicted but I need to stop now cause my phone is calling - did I mention I fell off the recovery wagon today and actually am now a Twit???

10. Twitter - I was holding out and refusing to try this Twitter drug but I saw Regis do it this morning and he looked like he was having so much fun. Everybody is doing it. I'm not going to do it everyday. I can control it. Really. Oh, who am I kidding!! Follow me @girlygirlrocks - hope I did that right. Seriously, be careful and whatever you do whenever you do it - NEVER FEED YOUR PHONEADDICTION WHILE DRIVING...and it is RUDE to do it at the table in front of friends (unless you are texting them - still prolly rude). And never ever text in a dark room - you will be looking down into the light of your phone and trust me it will age you by at least 20 yrs. Especially if you are squinting and frowning at your phone. Not a good look. Don't do this.

Back to the Real World

2011-01-19T18:11:00.000-08:00

I have returned to the land of the living. I am still wearing real clothes and it is 8:10pm...I have had them on almost all day!!! In case you are not a faithful reader I am sharing this proudly because I have been living in pj's for the last 3 months. Okay, that is slightly exaggerated - it just seems that way because it is January and I am perfectly happy staying inside - in my comfy clothes for days on end. Eventually the madness sets in and neighbors and friends may start to wonder where I am....they seemed like such a happy family. You get the idea. I could so be a happy hermit. Yesterday everyone finally went where they were supposed to be...hubs at work, kids at school (college & high school) and I had the day at home. Except for one little favor the hubs asked for....bunch of suits in town for big important company meetings - husband speak for I will be very busy with very important things all week and out every night eating really good meals. Which is wife speak for "Dang, you mean we get to eat junk food and wait for Dad to come home?" Everybody is happy. Then came the favor part...one of the suits brought his wife along. Which is wife speak for "Partay!!! Hotel living - room service, hotel sex and no one yelling Mommy!" Of course, our hubs are worried we will be bored or shopping so mine asked if I would mind taking strange wife I've never met out to lunch. ON MY FIRST DAY OF THANK GOD EVERYONE IS WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE. Which means I am doing whatever it is I do that makes me happy. I know I have a very good life. I am very very thankful for that. He doesn't' ask for much or ever really complain when the bed is not made up so - I said "Of course, I live to get dressed (in real f&*^()N clothes) and take out a strange woman to lunch". I am thinking - "Oh, buddy this is going to cost you big time. BIG TIME."

Fast forward to me driving nervously to her hotel to pick her up and here is the worst part...he is RIGHT AGAIN!!! She is awesome and amazing and it is the best blind date lunch ever!! We have so much fun and talk each others ears off....I even forget to tell her to pretend we hated each other so we can buy new shoes as our husband's punishment for asking us to go to lunch together!! Can't wait to meet her husband and visit our new best friends in California...

Each day and each person we meet is such a gift - I am so thankful that I got dressed and made a new friend and remembered why we are so lucky to be here in the real world.... To 2011 - new friends, current friends and to Facebook friends I stalk daily - I am thankful for all of you and that you are a part of my real world...

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-12T09:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Almost Valentine's Day!! Okay, I know it is still January...but not for long. And I know Christmas is gone and I really never blogged about that and here is why. I am EXHAUSTED...who knew it was so much work. Well, all of us crazy moms that go to town for weeks with the decorating, shopping, wrapping, cooking, cards, parties and all the other stuff we do nonstop all year long. Yes, I am a touch cranky. I am still in my jammies cause snow is on the ground for the third or fourth day (feels like weeks) I've lost count. This is Texas not Vermont so cut me a little slack here. I know the roads are fine and have been clear all along but the kids lost a day of school which means I am now way off schedule. My world has still not returned to normal after the holidays and snow days are enough to send me over the edge. I just got Christmas down last week which was worth a blog all it's own titled - WHO SIGNED ME UP FOR THIS - but before I could find the time to whine/wine about that we got slammed with a big ole snow storm. When I said I was ready to hibernate for a couple of days to recover from the Christmas takedown/letdown I meant I wanted some just for me alone time....not hibernation due to snow storm/school cancelation!!! And to top it off this is finals week which means yes, we still get up at 6:30 but they get out of school at 11:30!!! What is the point??? Trust me teenage brains are not at their peak at 7:30...they would test so much better from 11:00 - 2:30!!! Did I mention there is still snow on the ground and it is 22 degrees in TEXAS!!!

Now I love a beautiful snowy day - and this has been one of the prettiest snows ever, a true Winter Wonderland. I'm just WONDERING:

1. How long can puppies survive in the snow? Cause mine are begging to go out and I'm begging them to come back in.

2. How many soup bowls do we have? I think I've washed about 62 in 3 days.

3. How do you get teenage boys to wear a coat? Jacket? Hat? Gloves? I gave up he had on pants. Luckily, he came back in before the puppies.

4. Is it okay to add a little mommies little helper to hot chocolate? Normally I drink my coffee black but did I mention the snow and all the extra work involved? Guilt over leaving puppies out in the snow?? The time and effort to get two coats on puppies...at least they are wearing a coat.

5. Can we really eat and survive on all the crap in the pantry? Is it okay to eat the frozen mystery meat in the spare freezer? Is it a good idea to make black bean soup instead...think about it.

6. If I'm not leaving the house do I really need to wear anything but pj's? Does changing into a clean pair count? Speaking of clean - do I really need to shower?

7. How does anyone live with snow on the ground for months??

8. If I don't want to cook and the roads aren't safe to drive on is it really awful to expect the delivery boy to bring us dinner??? Or would he be happy with a big ole tip??

9. Where do they get all the crazies for all the crazies shows my kids have been watching???Have you seen Toddlers and Tiaras, My Strange Addiction, Extreme Couponing - I'm not kidding these are all shows on tv just ask your teens. Did I mention that these are reality style shows full of wackos??? I wonder have we always had this many loonies or do we just know about them now cause they are all on TV??? Warning - you will not be able to stop watching either. I wonder what that says about us normal people...?

10. If and when my life returns to normal will I even recognize it? When will this snow melt? Where is Molly's coat? Did Gman pass his finals? Can we go out tonight for dinner? Can I wear my pj's if we do???

My Favorite Things 2010!!

2010-12-10T15:26:00.000-08:00

I know 2010 is not over yet and I sure hope I get some more amazing things for Christmas to share with you (Wonderman, are you reading? More important do you need any ideas or hints??? Ask Babygirl....she knows!!) But, I'll have plenty of time in 2011 to share all that with you...right now I feel the need to to make a list. You know I'd LOVE to give stuff to you but - wait!!! I have an idea...I will give the first person that reads this blog and let's me know - something from my list of favorite things!!! Everybody loves a contest and I love hearing that you read my blog. Now, as usual this list will be all over the place in no particular order...that's how I roll. And since I love a bargain you can go buy most of it yourself!!Drumroll please...

1. Parties!! Any kind - once I get there. I can be a bit of a hermit and sometimes in order to get me out of my house the host has to allow me to come comfy - slippers and sweats with makeup and joolry!! Just cause I like comfy doesn't mean barefaced and drab!! Speaking of joolry - Chicos has some really great stuff...

2. Any excuse to decorate!!! Tie between Christmas and Halloween. Some of my fav Christmas ornaments are the really cheap glitter ones. Glitter makes a real mess but Good Lord is it pretty on a tree!!! Walmart has some amazing ones for $1!!! Hello!! That is easier than spraying glitter on pasta shells but go ahead if you are feeling crafty.

3. Glee...Great gift idea!! If you can find someone that hasn't been watching already. I really like the last CD that just came out too. So much that I ordered the first season vol. 1 & 2 cd's from Walmart. Save your money. They are not so great but the latest one from season two and the Christmas CD are awesome!!

4. Girl tricks stuff: Sally Hansen Insta-dri nail polish!! Easy to use and it stays as long as salon stuff does. Yes, I miss the hand and arm massage but if I do my nails myself a couple of times that pays for a whole body massage...which is another of my favorite things. Covertox face powder by Physicians Formula is awesome - blogged about it already so go read up on it...face primers - two I've tried are Covergirl Serum Primer and L'Oreal Studio Secrets...great around the eyes and anywhere you are "starting" to look crepey...if they'd only make this for the body!!

5. Two favorite books - City of Thieves by David Benioff and Stupid and Contagious by Caprice Crane. Totally different but loved them both. City of Thieves is a book I'd recommend to ANYONE and I laughed so much reading Stupid and Contagious that everyone around me at the infusion center wanted to know what I was reading...if a book can make you laugh out loud when your husband is going thru chemo trust me it is worth reading.

6. Target - we could be here all day. I LOVE this store which I am going to rename My HAPPY PLACE. I can buy books, boots (got a GREAT pair and saved a boat load of money when I returned a pair to MACY's...) clothes and groceries in ONE STORE!!! See I figure up all the gas money I'd spend driving all over and that helps with the BOATLOAD of money I spend in Target. Hopefully, Wonderman stopped reading earlier and is shopping with Babygirl for my Christmas surprises. Prolly at Target!! They love it too. I also just got the best bra ever there!! I've been telling ya forever to save your money on your undies and shop here for all of it!! My new fav is the NEW! SELF expressions i-fit bra...so comfy I could sleep in it. What I call Soap Opera Sex...have you watched daytime tv lately??? Lots of pretty bras and pretty people having lots of sex.

7. I could write a whole blog on lipstick and gloss but you'd prolly stop reading. Here are my two tips - forget about lip liner unless you are using it to fill in your whole lip and put chap stick on top. Just lining your lips looks silly when the lipstick wears off and slightly scary when it doesn't. The girls at the makeup counter love for you to buy it cause it boosts their sale. Even when I was a makeup girl I never suggested liner. Tip #2 - if you are over 25 you will look 15yrs. younger if you lighten up your color!!! I know big dark red lips are in style on young starlets, models and people that have been airbrushed. But, unless you are being airbrushed go lighter. If you like red soften it with a little gloss. Better yet, go with gloss. Not all are sticky and gooey so find one you like and remember everyone looks younger when they are smiling!!!

8. Words with Friends - love it when I am bombing someone with a big ole word...hate it when I have either all vowels or all consonants and no big word to play.

9. Facebook - LOVE keeping in touch with friends from the past and family far away...

10. Sleepy puppies!!

Hate to stop here but the boys are home and begging for food. AGAIN.

Holidaze!!!

2010-12-01T20:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, we went HOME for Thanksgiving - which means flight from Dallas to Atlanta, drive to Lexington, S.C. then drive to Atlanta and flight to Dallas...and it ALL was so easy and amazing!!All the security hype had me a little nervous. Dallas to Atlanta was a non event. Love our airport!! Wonderman and I had a Fabulous day in our native city on Wednesday - due to family traditions the Grans take our kids to S.C. on Wednesday and John and I drive up on Thanksgiving Day...lunch at Antico Pizza Napoletana started us off. He read about it in a mag...Atlanta Best New Restaurants. While service lacked a little on the friendly ( WE are BIG on friendly :))) They made up for it on the most amazing pizza We HAVE EVER HAD..ANYWHERE!!! Can NOT rave enough about this place and the food. Just take your own wine/beer. See even totally, sadly sober we LOVED THIS PLACE!! I'm just saying. And if that wasn't enough, that night we went with our Uncle Fab Ted to Miller Union. Stop reading now and jjjjust go book your reservations for these two places and GO EAT IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE IN ATLANTA!! Or close enough to drive!! If you love pizza You will love Antico and if you love southern cooking with a Posh British accent you will love Miller Union...We did!!! Then on to Lexington for family and food and fun!! We had it all!! Catch Phrase is a blast!! Play it and give it for Christmas...To Aunt Sherril - we are so glad you are here and inspiring us all to work out and be the best we can be!! Cindy - you are the most amazing hostess!! The Grans & Ted for making Atlanta the home we remember and miss!To John and my kids for just being you and making my everday a special holiday - I love you all!!

Strangest Night of my life...

2010-11-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

Ya'll know I am usually about the good and funny here...but, tonight was kinda strange. It all started in the driveway...son going to lacrosse practice which is normal - I'm riding shotgun there and bringing his truck home, cause next week is his sixteenth birthday and then Mom's Taxi Service is over...keyword driveway - then girl screaming (me) due to snake in the driveway. Anaconda in my eyes as all snakes are. Lots of drama - Dad tosses snake into yard, saves the night, I drive son to practice, blah blah blah. Get back home - freakin out about gigantic reptile in yard and decide grilled chicken is yummy in oven too. Can't face possible outdoor critters again alone. Hubs is now at tennis courts and I am all alone.

So to recover and ignore all laundry, I decide to open wine and catch up on girl shows...love my direct tv. On multiple tvs inhouse....so I start with Private Practice...THE EPISODE where one of my favorite tv characters is brutually attacked. Last season I watched another fav girl on this show answer her doorbell to crazy patient who then cut her child out of her BELLY and left us hanging until this season. If I didn't like this show so much I think I could find one less upsetting. One bottle of wine later - give me a break, I've had a really rough night!!! - the strongest, bravest, out there woman on tv is lying about the fact that some asshole brutally raped her. Putting her friends in a bad place pretending they don't know what really happened. While her great, but whussy husband, wigs out cause he didn't protect her. AND he doesnt even admit he knows she was raped. Hint to all guys - we love our stuff and bags but if some asshole wants to steal it, we will give it up. True, I'd fight for my cell phone (pics hello!!) but my wallet???? Wedding rings? OKAY, All bets off. Still, very gut ripping tv. Then that ended with no real solution yet, and I thought what did that just teach young girls??? You are brutally violated without cause and YOU feel shame and cover it up??? Hope the show fixes this. Not what I want my daughter to feel if ever in this spot. My girl better nail the bastard. And you can only do this by standing up for yourself and telling what happened.

After this happy hour, I decided to watch Saturday Night Live...just happened to have the episode with Rihanna and I'm sorry but the song just broke my heart...dont even know the real name just the words "Oh, Nana what's my name" made me sad.. really hope it wasn't something else but she just seemed lost. We all know what she went thru with Chris Brown. When and how do our girls learn this is never, NEVER okay? If you are a doctor, singer, mother, sister or prostitute? THIS is never okay!!

Then, desperate for something better I watched Robin Roberts special with Leanne Rhymes - OMG!! Get she had it hard being a successful child star and all but, please does that make it okay to cheat on your husband and steal another woman's husband??? Is he really that much of a catch??? Don't think so!!Just once, I want to hear someone like her or Tiger say, " I couldn't help myself! I know in my heart this was wrong and that it would hurt other people - but, couldn't stop cause I am a selfish bastard/whore and you know what? DIDN'T CARE - DID IT ANYWAY!!" Then, I just might believe them when they realize and say, "OMG - I really did just cause all this pain in so many lives." No one wants to admit they did anything wrong...even when they didn't. Charlotte did not deserve what happened to her on Private Practice. Neither did Rihanna. As for LeAnne, well - just admit you couldn't help yourself. But, don't cry victim. Say, "I am human and I am sorry." I know none of us are perfect and we all make mistakes. Sometimes we do everything right and life still turns out wrong. Life is hard and wonderful. Just stand up for yourself when you are right and stand up and admit when you are wrong. That's all...

The men in our lives should care if they can't be there to protect us. They should never ever be the ones hitting or hurting us. And if they do - WE SHOULD NEVER ACCEPT IT...OR COVER IT UP!!!

Wiggin Out

2010-11-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

I am wiggin out!! It's the beginning of my favortie time of the year - Halloween has come and gone. Which means it is practically New Years already!!! Don't blink cause Thanksgiving is here and the big one will be nothing but scraps of ribbon and pretty paper before we know it. That is why I call this my WIGGIN OUT time...I am a nonstop decorating fool from the last day in September (Halloween goes up) til sometime in February, I've been known to throw a couples Cupid party and that is a whole other blog. I've already warned my houseboys (Wonderman and Gman) that I would truly appreciate their muscles this afternoon bringing down the Christmas Sparkly Crap. All of it. Got to get it up and ready due to a few little trips this month. Since we hit the Thanksgiving Jackpot (someone else will be slaving over this meal - can't wait!!) I can go ahead and get the inside all ready for Santa. I will hold off on outside of house to keep the homeowners association happy. That will all go up last day of November.

Back to Halloween - my personal fav holiday - and wigging out. Here is another shameless shout out to WENDY WILLIAMS - love you and love your show!!! If I have to be anywhere before noon I just have to leave the tv off cause her show is so fun to watch I can't stop and then I'm late for anything before 1:00. I am the master of piddling away the time in the morning. Anyway, I love WW and all her fabulous wigs. So for Halloween this year my costume came second to the wig I wanted to wear. Had my heart fixed on a Sookie wig (Have never ever watched that show and don't plan to cause I am already addicted to enough car wreck tv - you know you shouldn't look but you can't help it and once you look/watch it you can't stop) but all the good ones where gone so I had to make do with a Amy Whinehouse wig. Now every year I go all crazy with the Halloween decorations inside and outside. I know I have a problem but it isn't hurting anyone and my family secretly loves me for it. This year I made sure we got a Halloween Costume Party on the calendar. Want to every year and before I can send out evites it is freakin Christmas. So we had a Paparazzi Celebrity Costume Party - come as your favorite celebrity...person or character. They could be sports, tv or movies or just someone in the news. Lots of possibilities and something for everyone. The crazies like me that love a good laugh and costume and the shy ones that prefer to just come laugh at everyone else all dressed up. Told them not to worry they could show up dressed normal and we would call them contestants on Wife Swap.

Back to wigs...Snooki was obviously going to be a big costume this year so I decided it would be more fun and age appropriate for me to dress up as Snooki's mother and of course Wonderman would be Snooki's dad...he got to wear a great Situation costume with a wig like Pauly (the other boy duffus on the the show). As the Dad he can mix it up...we had so much fun and we had two Snookies and several Situations in the house. The scene stealers were Amy Winehouse and Slash,Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne,Hannah Montana and Billy Ray, and Kat and Jesse James. Talk about great wigs!!! Who knew they could be so much fun!! Wendy Williams that's who. And Raquel Welch and most of the men on soap operas!! Trust me the boys are not all genetically blessed with amazing hair over 35...they are rocking some man hair wigs. And why not? Not fair for us to get the special effects tricks of make up AND great hair all to ourselves. So on that note it is time for me to stop rambling and get to the Good Stuff!!! Here are my latest and greatest favorite things that I wish I could give you like Oprah and Wendy do. One day when I am rich and famous I will make that my life mission...while others are feeding the hungry, adopting all the orphan children, and saving our canine friends - I'll be giving away all my fav good stuff!!! Spread the word about a great mascara and the world will be better for all.

Been awhile and I'm overloaded with stuff to share...will keep it to face stuff today:

My biggest problems are age spots and patchy dry skin that will not stop peeling. After weeks of trying lots of moisturizers I finally scheduled a derm appt. for next week. Which I don't even need now due to the brilliant idea I had to try an old faithful standby...

Pond's Dry Skin Cream. I love the cucumber cleansing cream and accidentally bought the dry skin cream by mistake one day. Noticed it in the cabinet sitting unused and thought worth a try. Dry patchy skin is GONE....then I started using it on my neck and dry crepe wrinkly skin looks instantly better!!! I am going to start buying this stuff by the vat. Will post if I find it supersized somewhere - good news is it is cheap anyway.

The other miracle product is Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Corrector. I would love to get a fancy laser treatment but since I am chicken and cheap that prolly won't be happening. Next best thing with no pain and a lot better price is waiting for you at the Clinique counter and it made a huge difference in just two weeks. I really couldn't believe it.

I also love Clinique's new Redness Solutions makeup. There is a great little sample of it in the latest magazines. I just dot it on where needed to cover any redness, veins and my much lighter age spots.

I am also a big fan of Revlon's Age Defying Face Illuminator. I use the Bare Light shade to just give a subtle glow and it really does make your pores disappear. It is great around eyes too to help concealer cover dark circles.

Now my next fav thing caught my eye one day and after I stopped laughing at the ridiculous claims on the packaging I decided to buy it and try it and then return it. No way it could work. It is Physicians Formula CoverToxTen Wrinkle Therapy Face Powder. Stop laughing and listen. Yes, it actually claims to reduce over 50% visible wrinkles in 10 MINUTES all the way up to 90% visibly smoother skin in JUST 10 DAYS!! After you stop snickering run as fast as you can to CVS drugstore and snatch it up. Once this secret stuff gets out it will fly off the shelves. I was shocked and knew I had hit facial jackpot when Wonderman took one look noticed something different and panicked thinking I'd had "some work done"...seriously, who's laughing now???

And my final face secret weapon is Stila Illuminating Finishing powder in Gold.It just gives a little glow to keep your face from looking to flat and matte. Just brush it lightly over cheekbones and nose.

Now some of you may be thinking "That's a lot of face crap...no wonder she can't get out of the house before 1:00!!" Not true...I honestly do all this in ten minutes and that includes eyes, blush and lips. Maybe 15 -20 if WW is on and I'm distracted watching her show. It is the time I spend blowing out my hair that eats up my morning which is why I think I might start rocking my Amy Winehouse wig year round. What I really want is the wig my friend Sharon Osbourne wore to my party!! Time for me to WIG OUT for real!!! And a big hug and kiss to my unpaid much loved personal publicist - Mrs. Bedgood (real name too!!) for telling everyone to read my blog and helping me share the GOODSTUFF!!!

It Gets Better

2010-10-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

I had so many great things to share tonight cause it has been awhile. I had amazing new beauty stuff (and you know we all need that) delicious recipes (okay, we prolly didn't need those but dang they are good) and don't even get me started on the books, tv and movies you just have to see can't live without....but, before I started on this I got sucked into that black hole of time I love to call Facebook...and no, I have not seen the movie yet but I can't wait!! JUST too busy on FACEBOOK to go see the MOVIE ABOUT FACEBOOK...that might be a problem for them, ya think? All us FB addicts can't go see the movie cause we are home on FB. Just a thought.

But, FB has lots of really good things happening too. Not just Betty White's career boost. She is AMAZING an prolly was gonna ride this wave all on her on. But, FB did get her on SNL. And, my original FB post tonight was about how great SNL was last Saturday with Sue Sylvester...LOVE HER LOVE AND THE SHOW GLEE...but, again that is not what I am writing about now. Now that I watched something my friend Robert from high school in the small southern town of Thomaston, Georgia shared on Facebook.

I don't think he will mind me sharing with you that he is gay. He is also several years younger than me but I knew him in high school because his oldest brother was in my class. There was also a middle brother and all three were without a doubt the cutest things ever. All the girls were crazy about them. That is how I remember them. Loved them then and love them now. Two youngest are more flattered by attention from the opposite sex. That is silly southern for gay. I don't care -you shouldn't - just means they are awesome. Robert shared this video on Facebook today and it really is a wake up call for ALL of us. I am soooo proud to say an amazing man from my new adopted home state of Texas shared something so personal and brave with all of us. I just hope those of us that need to hear it most - do.

Do listen and honestly, take a moment to think about your kids, your family, your friends...does it really matter who they want to love and marry based on sexual preferences??? If their choice is a good person that loves them back, does it matter if they are the same size, race, or sexual orientation? Is it worth children killing themselves, starving themselves or living alone? If Jesus loves us all, shouldn't that cover everything? I may not be in "church" every Sunday, but I do believe in God. I do believe he made us all. I do believe he is ready for all of us to trust him and that. If he made it, all we need to do is respect it all. ALL. Not just what looks like us. We are all human and flawed and He loves us still. Watch the video - just google Joel Burns It Gets Better...it should be there. Grab a box of tissues first and open your heart and MIND. You just might help us save ourselves...or at least our children.

True Blahhhhh

2010-09-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

Well that sucked...and sometimes sucking is not a good thing. Ya'll know I'm all about my vampires. Books, tv and yes even those annoying to some but loved by most - vampire movies. Why? Good question. I have decided I am partial to handsome vampires. So that rules out all of Anne Rice's boys/girls. They are just brutal and mean. At least as far as I got in her series. Not far. I even tried the artsy one Let the Right One In...or something like that and well call me a whimp but - yuck. Didn't finish and won't go see the new movie out either. Creepy little girl bloodsuckers just have zero appeal for me. Now, a hot guy with serious issues and reasons why it shouldn't work with the troubled female, blah, blah and blah...yea I'm all over that. Make him hot, bad, sarcastic, and crazy too - even better. Throw in a really hot and troubled but good guy brother and you have Vampire Diaries. Hands/vangs down the best vampire thing going. If you are not watching - DO - go buy the first season. I promise you will love it. PROMISE. If you don't, well you prolly won't like my blog either. So just stop reading now and have a nice boring life.

For everyone else...don't bother reading the book series of Vampire Diaries - kind of dull after watching the show which does not follow the books. If you want to read a series that is wayyyy better than the show then read Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series...just go to Amazon and start at the beginning. The show has been alot of fun but the books are so much better. As you can tell by my title I thought the season finale was kind of blah. As in True Blah.

True Blood has so many things going for it. It just has a bad habit of killing them off. Like the crazy funny boyfriend of the King of Louisiana. Good plot line but dang he was sooooo fun to watch. Hate that. And the KING!!! Please don't kill him...or Eric...and for God's sake don't screw it all up by killing off Pam. She is awesome!!! Kill Soukie before ya kill off Pam. Seriously. Now I've read all the books and the show is not following them for the most part. Some good some bad. But, keep watching. It's worth it.

The End of Summer 2010

2010-08-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the night for my family....I know our friends in Georgia have been back to school for about three weeks. Wow, that really sucks for you. Tomorrow morning will really suck for us. You have adjusted and are prolly in your groove right now. We will lay awake tonight thinking about tomorrow and stressing cause we are still awake. Until about 28 minutes before this really LOUD SHRILL NOISE wakes us up. And trust me those 28 minutes will feel like the best sleep we've had all summer. Even though at some point during them we will be dreaming about showing up the first day without any pencils and naked. Again, this will suck for us. You've already recovered and realizied the wisdom of going to bed before 1:30am and that you were just dreaming bout the pencils and lack of clothes. We will feel like zombies for the next week or so. Then we will be so overwhelmed by the projects due and tests to study for, that it will be Christmas before we know it. And before we can unwrap the presents it will be summer 2011. It's no joke that time is flying. You know you are old as dirt when your kids get that too. When they start complaining about how fast time is going - then you know you might need to be making some final plans.

The only thing saving me from feeling my real age (besides the wrinkles and rolls and crap that is happening to my body - and the number of times I've heard "Mam" lately) is that my baby is not yet 16. Time is dragging for him until 11/14/2010...The DAY he will turn 16. Then I will also age another 100 yrs. INSTANTLY. Even though I know how fast the year flies by once September gets here it will drag for him and hopefully for me. As much as I am enjoying watching my children grow up and mature - it is scary to know that they are not the only ones growing older. Happens to us all. Our friends, pets, parents and yes, that face we see everyday in the mirror.

So to all my dear McKinney friends getting ready for the first day of school tomorrow - whether it's kindergarten or 6th grade or sophmore year of high school/college...time is flying by for all of us, kiss and hug your loved ones and send them on their way tomorrow. And for those of us with kids away at school, send them a text! Thank god for texting and facebook - it almost feels like they are still home. And for those of you with kids off to college for their freshman year - don't forget to "take" your family Christmas card picture by Thanksgiving break. I learned the hard way last year that it is really hard to get a good one on 12/17. Even harder to get it developed and in the mail by 12/25....just a thought.

Denial

2010-08-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

Let's start with Denial...I am not really ready for summer to be over. So we are just pretending that this is not the last Wednesday of summer '2010....that would make me sad. Right now, I am still giggling from watching the first episode of Weeds Season Six. This is even more fun cause I just watched it on this really cool website - hulu.com. Now stop laughing. I KNEW about Hulu. This was just the first time I actually sat down and watched something on it. AWESOME. If you don't mind them bleeping some of those creative words (except for bitch - funny that, kinda made me mad that was okay but other creative choices weren't. Sexist, I say.) Otherwise it rocks to watch shows on Showtime. We pay for HBO but not Showtime. So excited about watching stuff on Hulu!!! Due to major power outage and transformer blowing in my side yard and hot cute firemen coming on the night of Desperate Housewives season finale last spring, I missed the last show and that is why I tried to find it on Hulu. That episode won't be available till the end of August but I can wait a few more weeks. AND watch Weeds!!!LOVING THAT!!! Almost makes up for it being the end to summer.

Back to Weeds - please tell me you have been watching!!! If not - run to Blockbuster and get started. Warning - YOU will become addicted. I am pretty sure there is crack in it. Cause one show and you are hooked for life. It is just a touch racy so you might not want to view with anyone from your church. Nancy Botwin is my hero. Not because she deals pot to save and support her family. That is just wrong - and I along with Bill have never inhaled anything. Funny if you knew me - that this would be one of my favorite shows. I love her because she always does whatever she needs to do to take care of her family....and WHATEVER just doesn't even begin to cover it. Plus, she is just so cool about it all. True role model.

Won't give away any major plot secrets but, will say I loved seeing all the Vera Bradley piled in her car as she was fleeing off to her next adventure. For those of you that think Vera isn't cool - HA!!! If it's good enough for Nancy B. it is good enough for me...yes, all that Vera Bradley gave me a good giggle. Can't wait to tell Babygirl about it. She might have walked in during a few episodes over the years so she will giggle too. We also are huge Vera Bradley fans. I'm guessing she has provided pretty well for her family too.

As for providing for families - tonight we are having our favorite Chicken Marsala w/ Marscarpone. John will be teaching Tyler how to make it since she will have an apartment with kitchen this year at school. Griffin already knows how and he will be joining us after lax practice. We are under strict orders not to eat it all. I did all the shopping and prep work and will be supervising from a safe spot with a glass of wine...the fact that it is almost 8:00 and we haven't even started yet tells me that it is still summertime. Got to love that! Back to Denial...and Hulu. Monday morning will be here before we know it, but for now....STILL SUMMER 2010!!! Enjoy!!

A Toast to July

2010-07-31T17:12:00.000-07:00

All good things must come to an end and so it is with Birthday Month...HBD to two friends that share today and the end of the month. Although, if someone calls and insists, I am always willing to continue my celebrations into the next month. Us summer babies are adaptable that way. Have to be when your entire friend base is all busy with summer vacations and what else. I've had a fabulous BD Month with TWO trips to Atlanta - both were quick so if I missed you don't think it was on purpose -these trips were fast and tight on schedule!! Reunions with John's high school friends (30 yrs - dang my boy toy is OLD) and my cousins that have reconnected on facebook/the blackhole of my life....now just kidding, I LOVE facebook. THAT is the problem. I have to force myself to remember I have a life and it is flashing by while I sit reading about everyone else's!!! How cool is this!! Next to Words with Friends on my iphone it is a miracle that I remember to eat. I wish. Somehow I always manage to not forget to do that.

The last day of July is always sad for me and not just cause I loove my BD month but because it usually means it is almost time to go back to school. And the part of that I really hate is that it is not okay to be serving dinner around 9:00. Unless you live in Europe. They eat really late and that is about time to start the appetizers. I'm pretty sure in America I could be arrested for being a crap mom by keeping my children hungry until then.But since I let them sleep til about 1:30 I figure they shouldn't be that hungry....

Here are some Things that made the list of Good Stuff this month:

1. Time with family and friends!! Here, Atlanta, Hawaii ( I know!!),the tennis court,on facebook, my backyard or yours it doesn't' really matter where. It is always who you are with. To all I was with this month it has been fabulous. Even in a hospital room with a dear friend from Arlington, it is all good. Make the most of every minute with all your favorite people. Time is flying by.

2. Homebody that I am - of course, I'm going to talk about tv shows. A couple of new favorites you shouldn't miss are : The Good Guys - OMG, non stop laughs and two cop characters to rival Andy and Barney in the hall of fame of cops!! Memphis - which is another cop show set in duh, Memphis and who knew Jason Lee was smokin hot rockin an Elvis do (that is a talent all on it's on) and he can freakin sing. Least, I think it is him - keep meaning to Google that and check it out cause he is really good!!!. And the last cop show is The Glades - very catchy and fun. Who knew cops were so hot and funny!! Last time we got pulled over I'm thinking not so much!! Actually, I did have some really hot cops one time and they were all on motorcycles...seriously, this really happened and my kids were in the car an will back me up. THank God it was not my fault and prolly why this is a fond memory for me....which reminds me I need to pay Wonderman's ticket for running a red. He's been a bad bad boy...

3. This one deserves a paragraph all to it's self....GLEE!! I told them they would LOVE IT AND IT TOOK A BIRTHDAY DEMAND TO GET THEM ALL HOOKED!!! Gman is still holding out but he watched it that night. Wonderman is a GONER. He actually got his MAN CARD pulled the next day at work when he tried to share with everyone how great it was. That is one of the many reasons why I LOVE HIM!!! He even took it on our road trip to Hotlanta to watch it in the car....and Tyler and Cory are addicted now and dying to get the second season!!! YES, I TOLD YOU FREAKIN SO!!!!! GREAT SHOW!!! Sorry, I know that was obnoxious but you have no idea how hard it was for me to get them to just try it!!!

4. I have lots of girl stuff to report on but, I am exhausted already and the pups are dying to get out of laundry room and run around pooing an peeing everywhere so I better wrap this up tonight...so come back next time for some good product scoop and why I think I am a Mascara Slut. That should cause some interesting Google ads...have you noticed my ads -which I have nothing to do with other than whatever I blog about causes them to pop up....the whole vibrating mascara blog really got some "interesting" ones!!! And I've found the PERFECT BATHING SUIT for everybody and I mean everybody rocks this one!! It is so amazing - I will even post a picture of me in it...if I can figure out how to post pictures. Next time!!!

Best Birthday EVER

2010-07-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

In case you are just coming to the partay, here is something you may not know about me....I LOVE BIRTHDAYS!!! How could you not??? It is your day and it is okay to expect it to all be about YOU! If you go around acting like this on any other day you will just tick everyone off and they will prolly gossip behind your back about what a total pinhead you are...So here are my favorite things about birthdays - mine and yours - I love them all so by all means if it is your special day I want to know about it too and help you celebrate it. If there is cake involved I am so there. If there is cake and party liquids - even better!!!

FAVORITE REASONS TO SHOUT OUT IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!

1. Obviously to force everyone that loves you into being your own personal slave for the day. ALL about you people and it starts with breakfast. EAT whatever you want and if you can get them to make it, bring it and clean it up - wow. You don't need me for this you are on track all by yourself. My breakfast of choice was an amazing cupcake made from scratch by my precious Babygirly (new name but she is still The most amazing college student home for the summer but that name is waaay too long)and yes, we will pass along the recipe cause that is how we roll. We share all. Here is a cupcake tease so come back for the recipe blog...chocolate, coffee, coconut and granache, marshmellow...heaven!!! Breakfast of champions!!

2. birthday cards!!! OMG - I love cards...already told you I am the crazy lady standing in the isle laughing outloud - sometimes I buy the really funny ones just for me...keep a stash and just read them whenever I am sad/sober and need a little funny. Got some really funny ones this year from my awesome in laws!!!

3. FaceBook Birthdays!! If you are one of the two people on the planet still not on FB - shut up and just sign up. Even if you are a complete computer nincompoop it is worth it for the birthday love alone!!! Yes, it was the highlight of my day to check all day long and see who was sending me a HBD message!!! It was my own personal Sally Field Oscar moment - "You love me, you REALLY love me!!" So to all my FB friends for life - "Thank you for all the love and for taking the time to be a part of my day!!!" - This is especially great for those of us that have summer birthdays when all your friends are on vacay and not around to help you celebrate...elementary days totally sucked too cause you never really got to have your mom lug in 28 frosted cupcakes on YOUR day to share with your whole class...yes, that scarred me for life. Now some teachers tried to make up for it by having a day for all the summer birthdays at either the beginning or end of the year but we all knew that was lame. Christmas BDays prolly suck too. Kind of gets lost in all the green and red wrapping paper and who wants to compete with Jesus.

4. Birthday lunches...what are friends for!!! To take you out to lunch and celebrate!!This is a win win for all...perfect reason to ditch the office/housework/kids and go hangout with your friends in the middle of the day!! Take a little refresher nap and you will be ready to celebrate with birthday dinner.

5. Birthday plans...mine was genious this year. I'd been trying for months to get my stubborn family to watch my new fav show on demand. As in I demand they watch it too. For some silly reason they were not cooperating and this makes me crazy. Until, I realizied that they HAVE to do what I want on my BD!!! When I told them we would be eating in (pizza on grill - directions on earlier blog) and all watching something in the media room they started to sweat and worry. OMG the whining and beggin and worrying about "WHAT are we going to have to sit thru???" When I finally told them "just one episode" the lightbulb went on and they guessed it and groaned and complained but laughed and knew I HAD THEM cause it's my birthday!!! Ha!!

Yes, we all boyfriend son included watched the one episode of Glee that I knew would get them all hooked - Glee is like crack you can't just watch one episode - The Beyonce one where Kirk joins the football team!!! OMG - even Wonderman was laughing OUTLOUD!!! A lot!!! This is truly huge cause he is one of those people that can watch Modern Family and I can't tell if he is awake or not cause he doesn't laugh out loud!!! Yes, Opposites attract - I take personal pride in laughing the loudest. And I think lots of stuff is funny. Pulp Fiction cracked me up!! Back to Glee - I lost count of how many episodes we watched last night!! Best Birthday Ever!!!

Birthday Week

2010-07-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

This is the BIG ONE... Who am I kidding? The family is all freakin out about the big one...But, seriously, even though I am the little girl that cried WOLF for the last five years this time I mean it....On Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 I will turn my last time at 40 SOMETHING!!! Pause and give this moment the respect it deserves...THANK YOU. Now, give me a moment to stop crying and shamelessly milking it for all it is fucking worth....HONESTLY PEOPLE, SHOW SOME F'ING RESPECT FOR YOUR FREAKIN ELDERS -PLEASE. THINK I'VE EARNED IT NOW!!!

Liquid diets and all aside, this is truly the big one leading up to next year - when you will all really need to be here to celebrate with me and keep me from bodily harm....as I eat lots of cake. Got this year covered and it is just going to be really good for me. Told the family tonight to clear Wednesday and Friday nights for me....Wednesday is a secret (will blog later) and Friday we will all be at Gold Coast Cinemas to see Inception - hope Leo doesn't disappoint!!

Wonderman covered all his bases two months ago in Vegas with a nice ring to celebrate our anniversary and my birthday - love him!!! And, he sent me happily to Hawaii for a girlfriend get away this past week so I am coasting into birthday week with no complaints and feeling fine!! They are all freakin out over the secret Wednesday night parteyyy...trust me they will love it!! KNOW I will...and I'll share later.

So, no matter who is celebrating their birthday - to all of us celebrating another year - to us!! Wear it well!! Cheers!!

11 hours and 5 minutes...

2010-06-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

In case you missed the most amazing tennis match in history...A six foot nine tennis god from UGA defeated another tennis god from France in an 11 hour and five minute match during first rounds at Wimbleton...whether you are a tennis fan or not - can you think of anything you'd want to do for that long??? Sleep maybe. But, after that I don't know...that is a freakin long time and it was hot and humid and neither one ever gave up. I was starting to think they just might be there for ever. There are lots of things I love to do but I don't think I could or would want to do most of them for that long. I couldn't even shop that long and - wow - that is shocking!! I love to read but I don't think I could even do that for 11 hours. I might could enjoy non stop movies at Gold Class Cinemas for that long - if bathroom breaks were included and I guess the tennis gods did get those. Don't forget the little button and movie slaves just waiting to make you happy....

Speaking of happy - I took Baby Girl/The world's Best College Student that is home for the Summer - to get our special occasion mani/pedi treat today. First of all, I am always shocked at how much this costs!! How does anyone do this every other week??? We stretch ours out for about two months. Maybe they are charging us more cause our feets are all grody. Who knows. I can paint my own but I just go for the foot sex. I mean massage. Is it just me - or do you ever feel like you are getting a little more than what you thought you were paying for??? This is not the first time I have kind of worried I might be a foot massage slut. Bingo - NOW I KNOW WHAT I COULD DO FOR ELEVEN HOURS AND FIVE MINUTES!!!! I could sit back and let someone rub my feet!!! OMG!! That is it!!! Screw tennis - just rub my feet!! I love that line from some movie or cartoon - can't remember where it comes from - "...come rub Sugar Mama's feet!" I LOVE that!! Everyone at my house just freaks and runs out of the room when I say it. Hate that. But, go to your local nail salon and for 15-20 minutes...heaven on earth. Now, I absolutely HATE the rest of it. The clipping and scraping and all that. JUST RUB MY FEET!!! Now that would be a wonderful 11 hrs & 5 minutes.

Adult Movie Heaven

2010-06-21T18:28:00.000-07:00

I have died and gone to Adult Movie Heaven....now that I have your attention - not necessarily THAT kind of movie just that kind of Movie PLACE...for grown ups!!! I'm talking about Gold Class Cinemas. Wonderman had a great idea today when he got home from golfing in 102 degree heat...I thought he'd be jumping straight into the pool but NOOOOO. He wanted to go see a movie in AIR CONDITIONING. Since I'd been floatin all day anyway this seemed like a good idea to me too. Somehow we ended up at the Gold Class Cinemas and let me just tell you - worth EVERY penny more. I am talking top of the line movie experience. From our little wait in the lobby/nightclub to the amazing movie seats themselves!!! OMG talk about heaven - so comfy and they recline. And like pool service on vacay you have a little button you push and the cutest movie slaves come running to bring you whatever you want...Did I mention the wine and beer list??? You name it they have it cold and most on TAP and all you do is push a button and they come very quickly and quietly to wait on you!!!Now, I've already mentioned it was freakin hot outside today and let me tell you it was meatlocker cold in there too...no worries!! Just push the button and you have a blanket and PILLOW!!! I KNOW!!! Too cool!!

The food looked amazing but I already had everything marinating at home for a big ole cookout so we just had the gourmet cheese popcorn and it wasn't that much more than regular movie popcorn but it was so delicious. Bout half way thru the movie all I could think about was the chocolate, carmel marshmellow popcorn so I just pushed that magic button and poof there was my movie slave with the best popcorn ever and another round of beers for the two happiest movie goers on the planet. Now, if you know me - I like to stay home and watch movies in my own home movie theater and yes, we have those amazing reclining seats and I can eat my favorite stinky popcorn (parmesean cheese and cumin with a touch of garlic salt) and I have beverages of the adult variety too. I just do not have the magic button and movie slaves bringing me stuff!!!Not to mention real food if I want it and let me tell you - I want it and can't wait to go back and see another movie and eat dinner there too!!! As a matter of fact Wonderman and I are planning to just vacay there instead of flying anywhere this summer!! Just think no security hassles or extra baggage fees!!! See ya at the movies!! Oh, and go see Toy Story - just take some tissues if you are sending someone off to college this summer!!

The Good Stuff

2010-06-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I shared the good stuff...I don't even know where to begin. It is officially summertime. That is always GOOD STUFF. I love summer more than any kid and that is saying alot. Everyday feels like a vacation day to me. Silly cause I haven't had a real nine to five job in many years but there is just still something about summer that feels like the best days ever. I still do the stuff I do all year long but summer makes it better. So here are a few of my favorite things and this will be all over the place.

Glee - OMG...I am late to this party but I am catching up!! I own but have not watched the first season. Started watching the week of Madonna and haven't stopped since. What an amazing show!!! Forget American Idol...if you want to watch amazing kids sing and enjoy an even better story with great lines...then just try this show!!! Between this and Friday Night Lights - high school rocks!! Two totally different shows but still!! Great TV.

Also just watched The Good Guys....loved it!!Filmed in Dallas, Collin Hanks (Tom's son) and Bradley Whitford are hilarious!! And Drop Dead Diva is back on LOVE THAT!!

Just saw Killers and it was GREAT!! Go see this movie!! Screw the critics and while you are there go see Sex in the City Two!! I am shocked by all the bad press...Great chick flick!! And bite me all critics blasting this movie... It is SUPPOSED to be over the top. GET a LiFE people...do we really want to see the girls wearing clothes from the Gap/Old NAVY and going to the beach in Florida????NEW FREAKIN JERSEY??? THAT would be a Situation. And no I refuse to watch that show. I am not even watching the Housewives ANYWHERE anymore. Why??? I just can't stand to watch women BASH each other. So not cool. It is time for Women/Girls EVERYWHERE to lift each other up and make the world a better place. Tearing each other down gets us no where.

Products...here are my latest favs...Neutrogena Oil free Acne Wash (pink Grapefruit facial cleanser) OMG not sure whether to wash with it or drink it...smells amazing and it seems to be keeping those annoying little over 40 something breakouts at bay...pimples and wrinkles are so not fun...just a fact of life for us 40 somethings...

Garnier Skin Renew Anti Sun Damage - this promises to take care of sun damage and age spots. Will keep you posted. Love how it makes my skin look and feel and it has spf 28. Will let ya know next month how the age spots are fading.
As for the best EVER sunscreen that also keeps the shine away - Colore Science Sunforgettable SPF 30 Sun Protection is AWESOME. Best of all it is a powder. Use your regular products and then this and it will cut the shine and give you sunscreen protection too.

Hair - BioSilk - shampoo, conditioner and Therapy...Allure magazing rated it number one. It is great. Found a really good deal at Target. All three 12oz. products for 26.00 - crazy!! Just the Therapy 12 oz. was 41.00 at most retailers. Run to TARGET!! My hair looks and feels thicker and it is lasting for days...I liked the Morracan Oil products but had to wash my hair more frequently. If you are washing yours everyday - STOP!!! Or at least don't blow dry it everyday. Very damaging to your hair.

Food. Baby girl is rocking this at home - Pillsbury Cresent Rolls and Tollhouse Chocolate chips...just wrap them up together and bake and OMG...so simple so good!!Not bikini friendly but who cares!!

Hobby Lobby...love that store!! If it is not on sale - wait a week and it will be!

Facebook...connecting with old friends is always a good thing!!! Cousins even better.

Puppies. Are truly a blessing when you have to say good by to the BEST GIRL DOG EVER...R.I.P. our sweet Lucy girl. Pets are more than just a part of the family. They are the glue that keeps us all together. If you don't have one for any reason...think about it again. Just do it. Your family will be closer for it. Can't explain it just know it. Trust me on this one - unconditional love is what the Good Stuff is all about.

Best Dream Ever!!!

2010-05-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes my best sleep happens after the alarm clock goes off....you know, when someone else needs to get up and you don't. That alone is awesome but just getting to lay there an extra hour is pure heaven. Having a really fantastic dream too is just better than birthday cake. That happened to me this week. Now I know you are all just dying to know what and who I dreamed about. This will also be a test to see if Wonderman is reading my blog. I've been feeling a little ignored here lately. Pretty sure he is not keeping up.

Back to dream world. As usual George was there. I am convinced he is refusing to get married because I am already taken and he is just waiting patiently for that to change. Being the gentleman that he is and the lady I am we are just not available for each other at this time. Wonderman is breathing a sigh of relief (IF HE IS READING HIS WIFE'S BLOG!!!) I am sure George is reading - this is my dream world story afterall...so back to my dream. Well, George is being all Clooney on me and that is fab but here is the BEST part of my dream. As if GC isn't enough!!! I am a much younger and better version of myself too!! WHA HOOO!! We all know he likes his girlfriends slightly younger but still classy. AND in my dream I am rocking a smoking body in the wonderful age zone of nothing saggin or baggin!!! My hair is super long and full and fab!! I don't even need bangs (my version of botox - call mine bangtox) cause my forehead is still smooth...I am so excited about this all that poor George is feeling ignored. I swear - I can't stop looking at myself long enough to even think about him!! Now, that things have started to change in reality I can really appreciate the chance to enjoy a smoking hot body in my dream world. So I am not ashamed to admit that I was just not that into him right then...I was having way more fun in my dream world closet trying on all that cute stuff that I am too old to be wearing now in reality world. Needless, to say George was feeling a wee bit ignored and being the movie star that he is this is not a normal feeling for him. That was when the doorbell rang and guess who came strollin in??? Those two cute vampire brothers from my favorite TV show. This is also when the alarm clock went off again and POOF there went my smoking hot 30something body ...back to reality. You know you are really getting older when you are more excited about dreaming you are younger than dreaming about George...

I Don't Get It...

2010-05-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know this sounds too easy...but seriously. I just blogged about what I know for sure so here are a few things well...I'm sorry - I just don't GET.

1. Jay Z. I do get he is successful. I do get he is married to Beyonce and we LOVE her. Therefore, we must love him. And I could - if he just wouldn't pick up a microphone and "sing/rap" live on SNL. Sorry, but I thought it was a skit about how bad rappers can be. Guess it wasn't. A SKIT - but it was SH*&. Sorry. Shoot me. Okay, didn't mean that literally MR. Z. Stick to "bidness deals" and leave the microphone to Miss B. All I'm saying. And, for the record I happen to love rap. Most of it anyway. As much as I can listen to without Gman in the car cause he just freaks if he hears his MOM singing along. And yes, I know the words and what most of them mean. Sorry but I like the beat and it is fun to dance to. As long as Mr. Z. isn't doing it live on SNL.

2. Larry King. Where do I even start? How about there is not enough money EVER that he or anyone could give me to even think about lying in a bed with no clothes on with THAT man. Much less having sex with him...seriously. And her sister too??? Whatev. I think both of them are mental. And he is just a really OLD man with a lot of money. Just not enough for me. EVER. Sad, but I could have at least respected them a little if the whole he slept with my sister thing had not happened. I mean the hot, cute, coach??? Come on!! Like that was a surprise?? Hello??? Larry King???? What are these people thinking???

3. Getting old...speaking of Mr. King - what are the odds that MOST men lose their hair at a certain age? And what are the odds that certain men never do??? LIKE men that sing rock and roll for a living? I'm sorry - I LOVE Bon Jovi and I've seen them live at least 2 or 3 times and I'd see them again in a heart beat. But, as I was watching them tonight on American Idol I couldn't help but stare in amazement at their hair. How lucky are they to still be performing and rockin and living the life and still have ALL that FREAKIN hair? I know it is "shorter" but, come on!!! Really??? I'm pretty sure the hairy guys on our soaps and tv shows are rockin some good fake hair and I just bet our rockers are too...by the way, I thought Daughtry was smokin hot with his bald head.

4. Before I watched this really funny video my sister in law sent me today I didn't really understand/get how men and women think differently. I don't mean think about issues I mean actually THINK differently - as in their brain works in different ways. And I'm even talking about the brain in the men's head that sits on their shoulders. We ALL get how the other one thinks differently (see Mr. King and the sister in #2.) Check out Mark Gunger on youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuMZ73mT5zM if that doesn't work try Mark Gunger Men's Brain Women's Brain Extended ...and if you've never tried Youtube...I DON'T GET THAT EITHER!!! GET WITH THE PROGRAM AND GET A LIFE ON FACEBOOK TOO WHILE YOU ARE AT IT!! Back to this hilarious video - men think in little boxes and their favorite box in their head is the nothing box. You see where this is going? Go check out the video!!

5. Last but not least - I don't get Twitter. I mean I know what it is in theory. Everybody blabs whatever is on their brain 24/7. For everyone to read. Like we care. Here's the part I don't get. Obviously, EVERYONE but me does care...and reads it all and twitters. I don't even really understand or know how or where you twit. Do you do it/twit on your computer or on your phone? And if phone do you need an app for it or a special phone? Sad. I know. But hey, I at least do FB and I BLOG so there.

6. I'm sure there is a lot more I don't get. I just don't remember it all right now. That is a wonderful thing about getting older and like most of us losing our hair and our memory. You can't miss what you don't remember...you just get older/just don't get it.

May Day May Day ALERT!!!

2010-05-02T14:56:00.000-07:00

MAY DAY!!! Crap it is already May 2nd!!!! Only 15 days until I have to come up with something WONDERFUL for WONDERMAN'S birthday....WHY is it so hard to buy presents for guys??? Girls are so easy. JEWELRY, perfume, handbags, red soled shoes, you name it - we like it. But guys like cars. Cars cost lots of money and frankly, I just hate dealing with car salesmen. Even if I had gobs of money I'd hate going to buy a car. Guess I could do it online. But, since I don't have gobs of money I won't be buying a car so why am I still talking about it??? Cause, I am stalling and have no freakin clue (as usual) what I'm giving Wonderman for his birthday. He really liked the Victoria's Secret stuff I got him last year - heh heh...but it would be really lame and selfish on my part to do that again. Prolly, did it at Christmas too. Can't help it - shoot me for liking pretty underwear stuff. He wasn't complaining - trust me. And just to be clear here - HE was not the one wearing it either!!! So anyway, got to come up with something to wrap up for him.

His birthday also means that for the next two months we are the same age. He cannot call me his OLD WOMAN and I can't call him my boytoy....which also means that MY birthday is almost here and then I really will be an OLD WOMAN with her BOYTOY!!! Which reminds me it is time to start my Girly Girl Liquid diet....you will just have to check out one of my very first blogs on this site if you too want to lose a few pounds a really fun way. I always say it is okay to get a little bit older as long as I'm not getting a little bit fatter. I can do old but FAT makes me crazy....I pretend to embrace this whole "Love my junk in my trunk" mentality but the reality is FAT freaks me out. Now I'm not a big fan of tooo skinny either but wouldn't hurt most of us to lose about 5lbs. And right now - I'd be okay losing about 9.5lbs. - sounds better than 10. This is very hard to do with birthday season being upon us too....Wonderman is all about his birthday cake. He loves to request some really fancy made from scratch cake. His favorite is good ole fashion pound cake. Sounds simple but do not get me started on it. First of all, if it is made in a bundt pan THAT IS NOT FREAKIN POUND CAKE!!! Nothing wrong with Bundt cake - love it better than pound cake myself but it is his cake we are planning not mine. He likes the real southern kind like my neighbor B. Rush makes. HERS is soooo good. I would be soooo lucky if she had a burning desire to just whip up one of hers and if she would also drop it off sometime on or very near the 17th....Wow!! That would be awesome. Now, I asked and she gave me her recipe one year so I could make sure he got his favorite cake. But, frankly it is a pain to make it and mine truly did not taste as good as hers did. And if I'm going to all that trouble to make a cake from scratch it better have some CHOCOLATE in it by God!! HONESTLY - what is he thinking??? Boring. I'm thinking an ice cream cake sounds good. Ben & Jerry make yummy ones too. Crap now I'm thinking about cake and ice cream and I NEED to lose a few lbs. before July rolls around. Hard to lose lbs when SOMEONE wants a lb. cake!!! So now I've got two things to worry about for the next 15 days....on top of trying to lose some junk that is migrating from my trunk to my waist...or I could just go read another book!! Just finished Harlan Coben's newest - Caught - really liked it. Got more to read than time to read them in right now too! Also, don't miss the latest in the series that started True Blood - Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books. If you haven't read them DO!!! I really love using Amazon Books to get the order right in series. Makes me CRAZY to read things out of order. And fyi...just noticed that if you are a Barnes & Noble member they have FREE shipping now on all books. Kind hard to beat that!!I really like the free app for my phone too that let's me buy and READ books right on my phone. So I'm off to read, shop and bake....

What Do I Know For Sure?

2010-04-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

Love this question and I am borrowing it from Oprah...which makes sense if ya read the beginning of my blog. My original goal was to get lots of readers. Was hoping that IF Oprah ever called and said,"Girl, you are funny!!" I would say, "Why thank you!" And then she would fly me and any of my followers to her show. Trick was you had to sign up as a follower to go to Oprah. All I really wanted was to know who was reading....truth is - WE prolly ain't going to Oprah...she is about to hang it all up anyway. And ya'll are reading but not all are signed up. That's ok too. I hear ya. Now I still want to go to Oprah and Wonderman is working his connection...but it will prolly be just us and a hotel room in the Windy City and nothing wrong with THAT!! HA!! As for what I KNOW for sure....here we go.

1. There is only one perfect food - bacon. SHUT UP...I didn't say it was good for you. It is just perfect. Extra crispy to burned for me. Just did a lb. in the oven for book club tomorrow night. Making quickies/quiches with bacon and one with smoked ham and asparagus...Quick story - Book is fantastic...City of Thieves by David Benioff. Short version two guys have a reprieve from Nazis' firing squad in Russia if they can find a dozen eggs for Big WIG's daughter's wedding cake...now there are no freaking chickens alive within hundreds of miles much less a dozen eggs. Amazing story!!!Wouldn't mind if you stopped reading me right now and ran out and bought this book...you WILL NOT BE SORRY!! Anyway, lots of food with eggs for book club. That's why my house smells like bacon and I'm trying really, really hard NOT to eat it all right now. Relax, I am not stupid and I have a backup lb. just in case I do. Just like to do somethings ahead of time. So I KNOW FOR SURE - BACON IS MY PERFECT FOOD.

2. Life happens and you just have to roll with it. Normally, I am freakin out the night before ANY party of any kind at my house. I am great once the party starts - you just do NOT want to be here 24 hours prior. Ask my family. Now, after adding two adorable puppies to my posse - let me just say that I have a whole nuther attitude to par-tay giving. SHIT HAPPENS. A lot. That is just how puppies roll. They don't really care bout nuthing else. If they need to do it. They WILL DO IT. So hopefully, tomorrow night all will go smoothly. And if it doesn't - well that is what Dominoes is for and by the way - if you have not ordered the new improved Dominoes Pizza - shut up!! Perfect food and delivery #2!!! Key word there is DELIVERY!!!Fo Show!! You really have to try it....and order online cause it is so easy and the doorbell is ringing before you even log off!!

3. Puppies are really cute for a very good reason...none of them would ever survive if they weren't...or let me rephrase that... none of them would have homes if they weren't so freakin cute...They are a lot of work and none of it smells good. Except for little puppy breath and that is amazing. So are little puppy kisses and that little look they have when they KNOW FO SHOW they have done something wrong...love that little look. Really hate whatever it is that they have done and yes, it usually smells really bad. I like good smelling things. I really love for my house to smell good. Which is why I love my Orleans Candles. Creme Brulee. That's it - all I ever burn. Cause I Know For Sure this smells good to me. And I love my puppies. And don't forget the smell of little puppy feet. They smell good too - unless the little feets have stepped in the something they are giving you that cute little puppy look for.

4. And I know for sure...I can't sing. That really sucks for me. And you - if you are ever in my car and the radio is on. Cause I WILL be singing. I just won't sound very good. That is why I do not need an ipod. I'd be loving all my songs and singing along. WHILE I had on the little ear thingies and yes, YOU would be going, "OMG, somebody pull her plug and shut her up!" So, I know I can't sing and I know all that dancing they do on that tv show is a lot harder than it looks. And, yes the refrigerator/Kate needed to go home to her children. Cause, I can't sing and SHE can't DANCE. At all. PERIOD. NUFF SAID. WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP AND THAT GIRL CAN'T DANCE. These very important things I know for sure. Oh, yea and one thing more. I am blessed.

How to Cure Puppy Fever

2010-04-14T08:44:00.001-07:00

This is for all my friends that I have infected with Puppy Flu/Fever...that would be just about everyone that has seen and or held my TWO (yes, just shoot me now) new little bitty precious nonstop pee and poo machines. Or as my hubby likes to call them - Gerbil One and Gerbil Two. I'm off to the vet (again) today for round three of their shots and I'm really hoping they've gained an enormous amount of weight in two weeks and that the vet will recommend a severe diet. As in - if nothing goes in then maybe NOTHING WILL COME OUT!!! Sounds like a really good plan to me...I told you in another post about my new idea for an exercise video "Puppy Poo Squats" for anyone with puppies...everytime they poo/pee you SQUAT with good form while you pick it up and spray with cleaner. That should count for two squats. I think I am doing this at least 2500 times a day. Then again, I'm the dumbass that let my TEENAGE DAUGHTER TALK ME INTO BUYING TWO PUPPIES!!! If you have any brains at all - stop at one adorable little bitty pee/poo machine. That should be good for at least 1250 squats a day.

Did I also mention that my daughter is off at college right now and that this second poo machine is supposed to go off with her in the fall??? AFTER I do all the work/squats trying to potty train it??? Again - WTH was I thinking??? I'm telling you Puppy Flu is powerful and you need to innoculate yourself immediately. Just invision your house with pee and poo EVERYWHERE and that should do the trick. As for me, I am hanging in there. I still enjoy the cute little moments with the pups. God makes them really cute for a reason and yes, it is a trick. They are really cute when they are playing together in their playpen - their days of freely roaming the house are over. And they are even cuter when they are all cuddled up sleeping. They are really cute when they actually GO on the "potty pad". They are not so cute when they don't. And yes, they are silly cute when we dress them up in silly dog clothes. They are hilarious when we put their doggy diapers on them too. This really does help with the pee problem, not so much with the poo. TMI ya think?

Right after "WTH where you thinking?" the question I am asked the most is, "How are you going to let her take one of the pups to school in the fall?" Some days the answer is "ARE you kidding me - she can take BOTH of them to school in the fall!!" Even scarier was when she came home this weekend and actually got to spend more than 24 hours with them. (She had to leave the day after they first came home) Within 45 minutes and 325 squats her eyes were tearing up and their cuteness was wearing off. She actually had the nerve to say, "WOW, they are a lot of work!! And hyper too. I think I'll just take poor Max (one of our older dogs - yes, we have 4 total) up to my room to give him a break from the pups." Screw Max!! What about POOR MOMMY??? What about me??? I only wanted ONE puppy - WHY do I have TWO??? And OMG - am I gonna still have 4 in the fall??? Shoot me now!!

Even better, it seems next fall she and her roomates are planning to have their own pet store/apartment....Baby girl will have Gerbil Two and one roomate is planning to bring her dog from home (already housebroken) and her other roomate is planning on going to night school, working 9-5 and WAIT for it....buy her own NEW PUPPY!!! Somehow I'm thinking this is not a really good idea. Puppies are cute - but, OMG they are WORK people!!! Just don't tell Baby girl cause I really need her to take Gerbil Two to school...my thighs are killing me!! So again, if you feel Puppy Flu/Fever coming on think of your floors and thighs. And for God's sake - just get one!!!

TGIF

2010-03-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

'Kay....now I know I brought this all on myself. Hate to whine when it is really my fault. Thank F&*^ it is Friday. Yes, it has kinda been that kinda day. Not all week. Just day. No real reason (cept maybe 4 dogs and pms week all in one...??? ya think) On paper this day should have been fabulous. Sunny and breezy but beautiful compared to the total tennis f&*) that yesterday was when of course we had a match that mattered. Guess who didn't win??? Bingo...not that I let that bother me cause that would be silly and a waste of all the blessings I do have. Mad tennis skills in gale force winds are just not one of them. EVIDENTLY. Onward. Today is after all Friday and since Thursday is my very favorite tv night ever - although Wed. is a very close second due to Modern Family and Cougar Town - I am usually in a fantastic mood just because of Thursday night tv alone. Yes, it doesn't take a lot to make me happy!! Today is really easy - hubby coming home (YEA!!!) - lunch for a girlfriend turning 50 but not looking it!! AND not me turning 50 - even better!!! Then house and dog stuff....ya know basic quick pick up and fluff and because of Puppy Flu I now have two puppies that I have to pretend to housetrain. Pretend is key word cause THEY are having none of that....it is waay more fun to just pee and poo whenever and wherever the mood stikes. Pollyanna that I am - I am just pretending this is all okay and that I am actually working out as I SQUAT and pick up and spray with cleaner all their good intentions. And wine is very important at the end of the day. THIS is work people!!

Anyway, for some unknown reason I was a touch cranky today....so when my best girls called and said "Happy Hour??" I said, " Hells, yes!!" That my friend is the beauty of crate training your puppies!! Even when they are the cutest things that ever walked the earth at the end of a day of nonstop pee and poo - time in the crate is truly a beautiful thing. So to all those negative Nellies that say "OMG, puppies are worse than babies!! What are you thinking???!!" I say, "I'm pretty freakin sure it is illegal to stick a BABY in a crate but there are books out there saying it is BEST to put your puppies in one!!" So there. Then again babies wear diapers and don't pee and poo everywhere. And that my friend is where doggie diapers come into this story. IF you want a real chuckle just check out this website (trust me - even if you are allergic to animals you will get a kick out of this!!)Pantsfordogs.com - Not only do they make pants/diapers they make and have pictures of THONGS for dogs!!! Warning this is not for the faint of heart. It does sort of look like doggie porn. Not that I would KNOW anything about that - if it even does exist. Just saying...nevermind. Check it out for yourself. Speaking of which my little ANGELS have been running around doing God knows what God knows where. Good news is it is very, very little .....bad news is they do it alot....you do the math. Meanwhile, I think my thighs are actually getting firmer from all the puppie poo/pee squats I'm doing. I think I see a work out video in my future!!! Come on there have been a lot of crappy (pun intended) ones out there and somebody bought them!!

So ...at the end of my day - Happy Hour with some really amazing girlfriends is the perfect end to my week...followed by lots of puppy kisses, hubby kisses and the best Chinese food delivered to my door - Chopsticks Asian Cafe - Orange chicken and Imperial Shrimp - OMG that is soooo good!!If you are lucky enough to live in McKinney, call 972-542-6969 and have them deliver!! Tell them I said so!!

Latest Health Alert

2010-03-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest flu alert...I've warned you about wine flu and tennis flu(see girlygirl.pnn.com)...both are extremely contagious and potent. However, this latest flu alert could be THE ONE. The one that could rapidly spread and infect us all. PUPPY FLU!!! Cute but deadly...VERY cute but not to be taken lightly!! People this is serious. Stop and listen - it could happen to you. IT HAPPENED TO ME AND NOW I HAVE FOUR FREAKIN DOGS!!! YES,,, FOUR DOGS!! Even scarier two are PUPPIES/POOP & PEE MACHINES with fur. Good news I am not totally stupid. They do not shed - but they poo and pee every ten minutes. Wherever they are AT THAT TIME. And usually NOT where you are desperately trying to train them to go.

Now that I have your attention and you are freakin and wanting to know how this happened to me and more important how to keep this from happening to you!! I KNOW!! I am now officially the crazy dog lady. Thank god, I'm married and it's puppies and not cats...that is a whole nuther problemo folks...one step away from stuff that you do not need stacked all over your house. Has it's own tv show called Horders...do not go there my friend. So back to me and my sweetest baby girls...puppy baby girls.

Yes, I was only looking for one puppy. I've even tried to wait until something horrible happened to the two wonderful dogs we already have. Lucky for us they are going to defy all odds and live to be 2000 in dogie years. And that is all good for us. I just want a little itty bitty dog before I DIE. So, shoot me for going ahead and falling for my friend Laura's Coton de Tulear puppy....This was when I got infected. All I did was show up for a Super Bowl pre party with some dip and chips. Next thing I know I am totally obsessed with her little dog named Bing. I know how cute is that. Bing Crosby is so proud. And I fell in love. Perfect dog ever. Under 10lbs. and doesn't shed and doesn't even smell. Sold.

But not so fast...this breed is rare and hard to find. Also in the very pricey range for dogs. Being the smart girl that I am I immediately told Wonderman that this was ALL I wanted for Valentines. Since this was in January and he had no freakin idea what he was going to give me for V- Day he thought this was a good idea and getting him off the hook and out of a jewelry store. Silly man...love him anyway. As I mentioned these pups can cost a whole lot and that is just getting them home. After weeks of searching and no luck/under 2000$ range (even I wouldn't pay that) I found someone that had a litter of pups. And they were waaaay under priced. Why? I don't really want to know. Cute and healthy and I'm good to go. So long story short. I asked Baby girl to come home from college and help me pick out my newest pup. Big mistake. She picked out hers and mine. And that is how I ended up with double the loving and trouble. Plan is in the fall Lacy will go off to college with Baby Girl and Layla will be all mine...we'll see how that goes.

Now the part you really want to know...how do you keep from getting Puppy Flu? Well, do NOT come to my house under any circumstances to see me or my sweet itty bitty girls. Once you do and see and hold them it is All OVER FOR YOU MY FRIEND!! All it takes is one minute and you too will be infected and next thing ya know you too are trolling the internet looking for your puppy fix. Looking at pictures on my iphone can be dangerous but not instantly infectious. But they are pretty dang cute and the seed can be planted. And once you actually see and hold them it is game over my friend. You officially have Puppy Flu!!

More fun ways to waste time....

2010-03-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

As if this blog isn't enough of a time vacuum...OMG! Thanks to ya'll that keep telling me how funny I am - here I am again...wanting to please and trying to be funny. Some days the funny feels flat. Like a bad hair day. Why does that happen anyway??? WTF is a bad hair day? Well, duh, we know WHAT it is...I mean HOW does it happen??? We pretty much do the same frickin thing to our hair everyday. Some days it is all fluffy and shiny and you know you are rockin it. And then you do the exact dang thing and it looks like someone put NAIR in your shampoo bottle...I am pretty much all about routine...hair and makeup is quick and easy cause I do the same thing all the time. That is why it totally shocks me when the hair falls flat. Usually when it matters the most - as in I am going somewhere where someone else will see me. If I am staying home and Wonderman is out of town on VERY IMPORTANT BUSINESS...my hair is freakin fabulous. I should just call everyone I know and say,"Hey, I'm having an amazing hair day/night/30 minutes...hurry over and come see and ooh and ahhh...I've got wine. Really, it will be fun!" Bet you wish you were my BFF right now!! I am fun time...

Okay, I totally feel a ramble coming on...but the whole bad hair thing made me think about something else. This is important and I think all us white chicks need to pay attention to our black sistas...we all know our fannies are flatter and we are so freaked out about the size of them and that is sad....smaller is not always better and we need to learn to Love our curves and try to get some more junk in the trunk. That is old news. Thanks to J Lo and Beyonce we are learning to love the curves - and we should. There really is nothing sexy or healthy about a bag of bones. Now, the other thing the black girls know about is WIGS!!! We are getting there with hair extensions, but how freakin easy would it be if you are having a bad hair day to just slap a wig on!!! OMG it could be long or short or a totally different color. We really need to look into this. My new best friend in my head is Wendy Williams and her tv show is soooo much fun!! It keeps me on my treadmill when I am beyond ready to stop and go do something way more fun. She is dishy and fun and very proper and classy too. AND she knows how to rock some hair and curves!!! Not all natural but at our age a little help can go a long way. I'm just saying hats are great for hiding bad hair days but wigs could rock our world....

Now back to what I was really going to blog about today....Remember ramble is my middle name...time vacuum but fun - Words Free or Words With Friends - app for iphone. THANKS so much to my friends that thought I needed something besides Facebook, my blogs, tennis, books and monthly mags to keep me busy. Not to mention all my favorite tv shows -THANK You SWEET BABY JESUS - for Direct TV!!! NOOOOOOO, now I am playing this freakin FUN word game - sorta like scrabble but not so they don't get sued for copyright infringement...on my phone. I remember the good old days when I didn't even have a charger for my phone cause I left it in my car all the time and it prolly wasn't even on anyway. NOW I am not only carrying my phone around from room to freakin room all day I am constantly checking to see if it is my turn to play my next word...I honestly don't know why I am doing this cause I totally suck at it and all my frenemies are totally kicking my ass at this new FUN WAY TO WASTE MORE TIME I DONT' HAVE!!! So if you have an iphone you HAVE to get this app....I think I read somewhere that people that use their brains for word games have a better chance of not getting.......what's the word....dementia. And I also read that red wine is good for your heart or something healthy...so go boost the economy - buy more iphones, apps, wigs and red wine!!! And best of all - Words Free App is FREE!!!Loving that!!

New Flu Strain Alert....

2010-02-26T11:27:00.000-08:00

I know the media is keeping us all updated on the latest health scares floating around. And every drugstore is pushing flu shots to keep us safe. I also warned you about Wine flu on my other blog - if you missed it check it out at girlygirl.pnn.com - Wine flu is a lot of fun to get but the recovery can be a real kick in the head. And not in a good way...now some people believe in tequila shots to help speed up the recovery from wine flu but you be the judge of that. Today, I have another warning for all my friends but especially those that play tennis. Tennis flu....

This particular strain of flu strikes the morning after a match where you and your whole team takes a spanking....This is not to be confused with wine flu - unless, there was some serious wine consumption involved in order to forget this demoralizing team loss...Tennis flu is diagnosed when for whatever reason your opponents manage to kick your ass on the courts...or make you seriously consider trying badminton as your new team sport. You could still wear all your cute tennis clothes and that little birdie can't hurt much if someone tries to take your head off with it. Now that I think about it...badminton is sounding better and better - but, this is prolly just the tennis flu delirium and fever talking. Which goes along with all the body aches and painful memories of all the points you'd like to play over and see the ball actually go where you had big plans for it.

I recommend that if you find yourself waking up with tennis flu that you stay home. Pray for a rainy day. Stay in your jammies. Resist the urge to spend a kajillion more dollars with your favorite pro on more lessons. The first kajillion is obviously not working so hot for ya...recover first then next week when you are ready to face your next opponent by all means throw your money at the pro, buy a new outfit cause the one you wore this week is cursed for all time now and by all means inoculate yourself before the match. Some teams find a really good warm up before can prevent a reoccurance of tennis flu. Some go with bloody marys. I'm thinking since we just warmed up this week and look what happened that maybe we should go with an order of bloody marys this coming week.

As for the recovery time at home in your jammies, I find I play much better while watching lots of tennis on tv. I am at my best on the sofa watching others play. This also happens when I am just sitting court side watching my friends play. I have no problems figuring out which shot to go for and why the opponents just won another point. So after any good tennis spanking you need to just chill and boost your confidence by watching. You will know you have recovered and are ready to PLAY when you can go to the bathroom without pain. I am talking about the pain in your fanny (from the spanking) and your screaming thighs. This is the real reason I recommend staying home. It is impossible to leave the house when you might need to "hover" somewhere. As in a public restroom...it is not a sure thing that you will be able to hover long enough while suffering from tennis flu. Since it seems to affect the whole backside area and can in extreme cases cause arm and shoulder pain and back spasms. In extreme cases of tennis flu I have even known and heard of people having to give up their tennis career in favor of golf. Which would be a really big waste of lots of cute tennis clothes. So, until next week's drills and match...stay home and sit on the sofa - sit on your own clean toilet until you can safely hover in a public restroom - and watch tennis on tv and drink lots of fluids. And don't forget to eat your veggies - that celery stalk is not in the Bloody Mary just for decoration!

I'm a mag hag

2010-02-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

I'm always amazed when someone tells me they don't like to read. I think reading is more natural than breathing to me. I think about reading all the time. I love book stores. Could spend hours in them. The only problem is - besides spending all that money there - I at some point realize I want to be somewhere else reading these books and then the stress sets in. To buy or read...there is only so much time in 24 hours. I don't just stop at books. I love magazines. That is why I love the mail truck. I love the surprise (well, not really a surprise...if you have subscriptions to almost every mag known to woman odds are THERE will be a mag in the box....) of opening the door and inside underneath all the junk mail - hate that almost as much as the pesky unsolicited phone calls ...really do need to get rid of that land line...is a thick stack of magazines....that is a worth the trip down the driveway in pouring rain.

The wonderful thing about magazines is that whatever you are interested in - there is a mag for that!!You name it, go ahead and try one topic and I can almost promise you there is a mag for that. So even people that "don't like to read" have to have interests in something. Grab a mag and take 20 minutes to just expand your knowledge and drink a cup of green tea while you're at it. That is another one of my fav things - hot tea and my new electric tea pot that gets the water super hot super fast without that annoying whistle blaring sound...I have a real problem with loud noises. THANK god neither of my kids wanted to play volleyball. I even tried to get baby girl to try it around 5th grade when we realized she was going to get her father's height. Little did I realize it meant sitting in a gym with bells and buzzers going off every 4 minutes and that you would be stuck there in buzzer hell for hours and days and every weekend for freaking ever. I am awed by my girlfriends that devote all their reading time to sitting and doing that. They don't even get "Sorry, weather is too hot, too cold or raining/sleeting/snowing" breaks. That is the bad thing about we can play in any weather sports. Prolly why my kids like tennis, golf and lacrosse. Good old outdoor sports that usually need dry good weather conditions to play. Most of the time anyway...

Back to mags and more hot coffee so I can focus and not ramble. This whole blog started because I was reading the March issue of O Magazine. I've already mentioned I read a lot...and what I consistently love about Oprah's mag is the writing. Every month I find my moneys worth in just that alone. I haven't even finished reading it and I just had to stop and share with you how good this issue is. I was blown away by the article by Zoe Fitzgerald Carter who wrote about dealing with her mother's decision to end her life. Lisa Kogan never disappoints... I am always laughing and most of the time thinking did I just write that or read/say/feel that. Only wish I had just written it. She is great and a staff member and there every month. Getting it right every time. She also has a book coming out and I'll be watching for that on one of my trips to my heaven on earth/book store. By the way, if you can still get a copy of Jan. issue do not miss Paige William's article "My Bra's Too Tight". Again very funny but also so inspiring for women everywhere that wake up and realize they need to make some major changes in their life. Major or small making changes means we are growing and getting better. We all need to keep doing that. Try a magazine - I really think we are all readers, we just need to find what we like to read.

As for me, time to get back to O - lots more to read and lots more really fab things to dream about that most of us prolly can't afford. Keep checking back in and I'll keep sharing the Good Stuff you and I can!! And if you're wondering if I just sit around all day reading - of course not!! I'm on stand by right now waiting for Gman to let me know if I can go watch him play his first JV golf tournament...for some reason he was not sure when I dropped him off if MOMS were allowed to be there. I was even willing to caddy for him. Imagine that! Thank God he sent me home to wait. Did I mention that it was 34 degrees and play was delayed due to frost??? Why the H&%$ does anyone want to do anything outside when it is cold? And no I don't throw myself off mountains of snow with little razor blades strapped to my boots either. I prefer poolside vacays with cabana boys waiting on me hand and foot while I READ a big thick stack of mags and finish at least half the suitcase load of books I brought.

A Perfect Day

2010-02-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

Let's make this easy and start at the beginning....okay, night of sleep - not great but at 48 yrs. old it was better than lately. Not Wonderman's fault cause he was out of town...just pesky little hot flashes waking me up every 45 minutes. Then about 7:ish..I started thinking about how good that coffee was going to taste so I got up, cracked the shutters and OMG!!!A freakin winter fairyland was in my own backyard!!!SNOW and I mean a lot of Freakin SNOW for TEXAS was all over everything. How cool is that to start your morning? Then I got online and found out the schools were still babysitting for the day and HELLO!! It got even better!!! Heh, heh, heh!! Drove Gman to high school bitchin the whole way while Mommie was doing Happy DANCE in my seat!! Then I remembered the house fairies/maids were coming and that kinda sucked the joy out for about as long as it took me to realize at the end of the pretty snowy day I was going to have an amazing CLEAN house - that someone else cleaned - so WOW!! How cool is that???

Morning kinda of dragged on as I got the house ready for someone else to come clean - and let me tell you that is WORK people....then I got the desperate, pitiful help me text from Gman begging me to spring him from boredom and high school babysitting...almost said no, but - I am fun mom after all so I said "Fine, 1:45 but no earlier." Plus that gave him time to take his quiz. And I needed to take him to get stuff for his lacrosse tournament this weekend.Then I found out hubby had landed during the snow storm and would be home for dinner....shift from macaroni to plan B. (Hope there was something that would defrost in the freezer - have you ever BEEN to the grocery store when it was actually snowing like freakin crazy??? And I'm not talking about the day before when the newsreporters are just gassin on about a possible storm...I'm talkin about snow everywhere already AND STILL COMING DOWN!!!Lucky for me Wonderman had gotten some free (I KNOW) chicken from Market Street this week and I thought - duh, slap something together with that and wha la...beats macaroni...Let me just say. Slap something - shit nothing...that was an amazing dinner. I think I could have put Gman's plate in the cabinet without water cause he licked it clean and said - I quote - "OMG MOM YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS AGAIN!!! - Score MOM!!!

Now, while this amazing feast was cooking I was cooking and watching my taped shows like: Cougar Town, which I hated the first week but, OMG LOVE it now....hate to be wrong but this show is so freakin funny now!!! LOVE it and I apologize to Ms. Cox for trashing the first week...still think it was weak but awesome now... then I watched the cutest thing ever on tv and that would be White Collar!!There is just nothing hotter than the prettiest man on the planet that would not in a million years want to have sex with me!! Weird - no, cause I am happily married to a Wonder(ful)man that would not like for me to be crushing on another super hot man - unless, there was NO CHANCE IN HELL THIS MAN WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ME...WINK WINK! And that too is okay!! THis man is so beautiful and NOT interested in me that the whole threesome thing takes on a whole nother meaning...;)Lookout Wonderman..all I'm saying is I LOVE this show...

And speakin of shows it just gets better and makes my perfect DAY cause at the end I get to watch Vampire Diaries!!! WHO HOOOOO...THURSDAYS ROCK!! Specially, every other when the house fairies come and every week when dinner rocks and Vampire Diaries is on!!Did I mention that I need to go pack now cause Hubby is taking me to Pebble Beach tomorrow to watch celebrities and pros play golf for the weekend...????? Perfect Day - I think so!!!

WTH Happened to January???

2010-01-30T09:42:00.000-08:00

I am really starting to feel like Rip Van Wrinkle (ha ha, I know the right name!!)... I was JUST enjoying all my crazy Christmas crap - which reminds me of something else, I LOVE funny cocktail napkins. Swoozies is like crack to me...OMG somebody needs to keep me out of that store. I could spend hours and waaay too much money (sorry WM) on funny napkins. Lucky for me two of my favorites were gifts from two of my fav girlfriends. One said,"Here's to PEACE and Joy and Lots of FAKE sparkly CRAP" I just loved that one at Christmas...might use that in my Christmas card next year!! And the one I have out now says,"Let's eat DRINK and pray our butts fit in our VELVET PANTS"...and after all the crap we ate over Christmas it is just perfect! Course any dumbass with a big ass knows NOT to be caught dead in velvet pants. But, the napkin makes me smile and that's what it's all about.

Back to the fact that it is January 30!!! I just recovered from Christmas let down/take down and January is gone...but that's okay, cause Feb.2 is a BIG DAY!!! I can't wait...it all starts with the Oscar nominations - one of my bucket list items is to one year just be there in LA LA land for the Oscars. Note I said JUST be in LA...not on stage thanking God and Everyone I ever Knew for my little man statue...that would be beyond exciting and hell on earth for me at the same time. Ya'll know if you have been reading since the beginning of this blog that I used to joke about going to Oprah one day...truth is I'd much rather be in the audience than on her sofa...plus the audience usually gets good crap. Wonder if the guests do too??? Just want to be clear on that wish...there is good - center stage not so much. You can imagine if I'm this excited about the nominations how crazy I get watching the actual show and all the fun red carpet shows before!!! HEAVEN. And the beauty of Direct TV has enhanced my life in so many ways...love watching delayed so you can fastforward thru the boring speeches. Unless the person boring me to tears is hot then ya just mute it and look at them.

Also, on this big day several new books are coming out so a trip to my favorite place on the planet is on the schedule too...the bookstore or anyplace that has books for sale - TARGET rocks people!! What is not to love except for the gianormous amount of money I keep pumping into that place...BOOKS, music, really cute clothes, home stuff, food & wine (one less stop to shop) and OMG the Jewelry!!! If you have been skipping the accessory section you are missing out...GREAT stuff. I get more compliments on my Target jewelry than all my real stuff. Even Wonderman is happy cause I told him several years ago to save his money at the jewelry store and just support my little Target habit...he prolly spent less back in the day when he was coming home with little boxes - shhh, hope he's not reading this one.... He's been to Target too so he understands - might not like my costly little habit - but he's been bitten by the Target Bug too.

Hopefully, a movie I missed is coming out on DVD on 2/2 - love it when that happens and I can't wait for Zombieland - very sad I missed it in theatres but will rush to buy it. Kids loved it and will watch over and over and over...need to go see Avatar - mainly cause it is winning awards and makin a boat load of money. Personally, watching a bunch of blue people does not appeal to me. Hope it proves me wrong. I'm just finally getting used to all the orange people. And they are everywhere and I finally quit worrying that my tv was going out when I realizied that was just the spray tan craze. All my vampires are a nice shade of white so I know the tv is okay. Now, I'm terrified of skin cancer so I get the message that tanning is bad for us. But, just not digging the orange skin either. Couple of weeks ago we had a sunny day and tennis called and I got dressed and almost passed out when I saw my white (skinnier and somewhat toned - thanks Reebox ReTone shoes!!)legs....OMG. Nothing worse. Except very white tummies. Soooo, I dug out a bottle of Jergens Natural Glow Express - medium to tan skintones - it was awesome!! Instantly better and not too orange, still smells and that is a major prob for me cause I am all about SMELLING good. However, smelly won over whiter than white legs. Then before I could get my newly tanned legs on the tennis court the Texas Temperature dropped 20 degrees and it didn't matter afterall cause I got to put my tights on!! Nothing hides lumps and bumps AND white legs better than good running tights. Wish someone would invent a fleshtone pair you could wear year round...that's my new mission!!Gonna bring back "panty hose"...makes me cringe just to say "panty hose" - NASTY...will have to rename my new invention too...so much to do and so little time!!! I've been rambling on so much today it's prolly already Feb!!!

Beauty Sale Alert

2010-01-20T09:28:00.000-08:00

I'm interrupting my own pajama day/read a good book time to bring you this info...forgot to earlier when I was on redoing my blog colors...speaking of colors and this ALERT rush to CVS today!!! Hope this sale is still on for you too...Revlon buy one get one FREE!!! Love that - now I do need to add I'm not sure if all products are included but the ones I got yesterday are and I love them!!!

Revlon AGE Defying (GOT to love that!!!Cause you know we are all defying and denying the fact that we are getting older. Not saying we aren't having birthdays -cause that with any luck means presents - just that we are getting older looking)Spa Face Illuminator - Okay, who did I lose on that one? Take out the stuff in the () and you will have the name of the product. Now if you are trying to find your youthful glow again and you would like for it to come out of a bottle or tube then this is for you!!! AND it has an SPF of 18 - bonus!! Now I used the 030 Gold Light today and it looks great(not braggin, talking bout the product folks...pretty is as pretty does and braggin is never pretty. Mamma raised me right) Goes on a little oompa loompa at first but don't panic is settles down to normal in a minute. If you are worried about what color you need -stop - that is the beauty of buy one get one free!!! Get the two closest to what you think. Hopefully, one works. If not, blend them. And you'll have light one for winter and dark one for summer when you accidentally get a little help from the sun. Don't forget to check it out in a mirror with nothing but outdoor light. Very important - please don't make me tell you it's not a good match. Also, the lighter one is good for under the eyes.

I also love my new eye shadows -polished bronze and brushed copper - great on all eye colors. I know the mags say "older" eyes shouldn't use too much frost or glitter but these are subtle and a little of that keeps it on our old crepe eyes which is what they really mean but don't want to say and lose a subscriber...

And remember - if you hurry and have a CVS card - two for one is a great time to try something new. And there may even be a coupon around that will make it even better. Yes, I love a good deal. But I love good products even better.

Now you all know I love Latisse - for lashes and brows - and I love, love, love Maybelline's NEW Stiletto Voluptuous Mascara...thick and long and who doesn't love that ;) ??? Mascara!! Hello!!! But, I have to call Bulls*&^ on their tv ad campaign. First of all - those eyelashes are freaky. I love long and thick but not only are these OBVIOUSLY not real they don't even look good. Sometimes bigger really isn't better. Wait - we are still talking about mascara right? Yes. So to the folks at Maybelline here is what I think. Stop that silly ad you paid waaay too much money to some ad genius for and just use a real person that uses your mascara and likes it a lot...I'm available and prolly cheaper too. Ya'll let me know if you like this mascara. I know Melinda does!! Heyyy!

So go beautify yourselves...nothing wrong with that. Just don't go all Heidi on me!!OMG. Is she for real??? Well, obviously not any more, but I'm talking about what is or isn't in her head. WTH is this poor lost soul thinking? I feel the most sorry for her poor mother. Babygirl, just go ahead and stab me in the heart if you ever EVER EVER...go on national tv airing all your crazy. Not that you have any crazy. Just if you ever do - think of your poor mama first and don't DO IT!! Instead of spending all that money (and boy, I really hoped she had to PAY for it) on the outside she should have found a really good shrink and worked on the inside. I know I said on my other blog I wasn't going to talk about her anymore but sometimes we learn the most from other people's mistakes...and whew, isn't that a lot more fun than when we make'em??

So back to jammie day and my good book and all my taped shows...by the way, I'm reading Beautiful Creatures - odd but no, it has nothing to do with today's topic!!!- I really like it, have no idea what is going on yet or where it's going and it's a good thing. Not that I'm stupid!! Just that it is so unusual and different and well done. You kinda think ya know but the suspense is really good so far. Will let ya know - now let me go read!!! :)

2010 Stuff I Love

2010-01-17T20:27:00.000-08:00

Wow, time - TIME is flying by so fast. Every day, every minute. It truly just takes my breathe away. What matters, what do you care about, what should I blog about??? It is truly overwhelming and with all that is going on in the world - I do have to stop and ask .... what the f am I doing??? I cannot solve the problems in Haiti right now. My donations are welcome - but really??? The logistics of making them MATTER are overwhelming. True. Shut up. Just send some money people... that is truly what they need to help get people on the ground. Pretty sure I'm not going, so I will do a little and send some money. You can too. Doesn't have to be a lot. 10 bucks. Now - on to the other stuff...

Just devoured the Golden Globes...call me shallow. YES, I love every minute of this award show....who is sitting where and who are they talking too...waaay more fun than who is on stage!!! Even though the host tonight was hilarious!!! I admit my Direct tv account is worked overtime... tape everything I can. LOVE Blockbuster online...I can never EVER get anything back when it is due...this service is amazing!!! They send you stuff in the mail and you can keep it for fin'g ever!!! I'm in heaven...I've had the second season of ARMY WIVES for about six weeks. THEY don't care!! LOve that. Love the show...just been a little busy with life and Christmas...Christmas is big at my house. Takes me awhile to put it up, enjoy, and take it down. Don't mess with Mama...decortating mode is not pretty. House all done is. And to all those sweet friends that thought I paid someone to do it - I LOVE you!! What a compliment!!!

So 2010 - the things I love and I think you will too!!! I'm going to start with just the products. Simple and you can decide and go buy what matters to you...

1. Fit Flops or Reebox Easy tone shoes - if your feet aren't happy - YOU aren't happy!! If they actually tone anything too - well that is just a big freakin bonus!! These shoes feel so good you really won't care about the other stuff. And, yes, I think they do work...you try and decide.

2. Latisse - yes!! Your eyelashes and eyebrows will grow...promise. Then try Maybelline Stiletto Voluptious Mascara!!! Best ever!!! LONG and FULL...don't forget Latisse. Worth every Penny!!!

3. Once you get eyebrows ( or if you don't and you just want them ) use Anastasia's Brow Pen to fill them in...I love the Universal Deep Shade. Thanks to Latisse I have eyebrows but they are still blonde. LIKE my NATURAL haircolor that needs L'oreal thank you very much to stay blonde.

4. From across the POND are several products - This one is available at Target - No. 7 Protect and Perfect Intense Beauty Serum --- lots of words in that one. Kept reading about it all over the place and yes, it is a cult item...finally, bought it, used it and yes, now I'm telling you - try it. I Really like it. MY skin seems smoother and better and brighter after using it. Remember - no one is paying me to say this... just my opinion...It's in the Boots line of products at Target..

5. Rimmel - another British line...everywhere - drugstores - the new polish French Manicure Pro line is great!!! Stays on and lasts - really like it.Eye colors in Lynx are really pretty for all color eyes - my hint is to always use the darkest color of the set CLOSEST to you your eyelashes....darkest color on the lids and lightest color at your brows....makes YOUR eyecolor pop. Everytime. And that is what you want - people to notice your eye color not your eye shadow....

6. Urban*Decay eyeliner - 24/7 my two favorite colors are Underground and gunmetal - if you are over 30...do not let the bright colors and all freak you out...These eyeliners last forever and are worth the money. Go to Sephora...be proud and stand tall and buy them...Check out girl told me the eye shadows were amazing too... haven't tried them yet but will let ya know.

7. Covergirl Olay simply ageless line - concealer and foundation - LOVE Ellen - so proud of CG for using her in their advertising - if you like her show you will love her books - watch and go buy and support smart, funny women everywhere!!!And this makeup is really good too!! The trick to all foundation is just put it where you need it....pat it on. Do not spread it like it's icing on a cake. That looks fake. Just where you need it. And just pat it on...

8. For just a little bit of color - but soooo important - bare minerals - rose radiance is the most amazing and natural blush ever....little bit will make your eyes pop and yours cheeks can lift up your whole face.

9. Last but not least - just remember this is all just paint on an old barn. And all barns look better with a little paint. All faces look better with a big ole smile... A really big smile that makes your eyes crinkle up - a smile that shows you really feel it. Really feel and enjoy life - every minute and every day... it is all flying by so fast...

Finally - what do I love....it's simple really. I love knowing that something I said or wrote matters to you. Because YOU are important. I could be writing to myself in a HIDDEN diary right now - but I'm not. I'm bloggin online and asking my friends and loved ones to read this. So, I really like it when you tell me something I wrote about made you laugh, made you smile or made your life better. I love really sweet friends that give me beautiful elf shoe wine glasses because she missed my girl party, girlfriends that call me to play tennis cause we found out at the last minute we are challenging in for another level - WTF?? - Amazing friends that introduce me to the sweetest dogs on the planet that I now just have to have ...and I'm thankful for my amazing daughter who shows me that she is smart and strong and able to take care of herself. I am proud of her little brother that is following in her footsteps and is willing and able to take care of all of us...and to Wonderman...who patiently waits while I spend extra hours just blogging about stuff...I am so thankful.

Happy Jan. 4th! Back to Reality Day!!

2010-01-04T19:44:00.000-08:00

Well, reality is relative I guess...but, today for me it was back to reality....just a tad bit cold here and everywhere else it seems and gonna stay that way for a week it sounds like. Why do all old people talk on and on about the weather??? OMG!! WTF!! Why am I talking about the weather???? Must be 'cause my roots are showing and I need to be taking down Christmas and I have wayyy more fun an important things to talk and think about - thank you all - very much. Really wanted to put the fbomb in there somewhere but that is just the hormones out of whack...plus don't want to shock anyone just coming to this blog that may be under the illusion that I am a sane, nice and normal person. It is wayyyy more fun to be the crazy, scary bitch. My children and hubby on the other hand are all locked together in a room away from scary mommy....silly me. Just feeling a little bit guilty about all the Christmas everywhere and my total lack of any desire to take it all down. I'm thinking, "Hey! I put it all up! YOU take it all down." Except then I'd be totally f&*G*& next year when I had to put it all up again....so, I'll get to it when I get to it. First, I need to take care of my roots. By the way...my hair is a very nice shade of blonde and not that crazy color in our Christmas card pics....naturally blonde hair is very hard to recreate out of a bottle and even harder to capture in pictures from Walgreens evidently...Even Griff's color was off and his is all natural.. Baby Girl's IS a gorgeous shade of red so she looked just fine. Wonderman doesn't give a shit what color his is - he's just thankful to have it again!!!

So today the boys had to go back to work and school and Baby Girl and I got to hang out and do fun stuff. That is why my roots are still growing and Christmas is still up....she goes back to college in a couple of weeks. I promise I'll do my hair, take down Christmas and at least get all the laundry clean. Even I won't promise to put it all away. Prolly not gonna happen in this life time. At least I'm honest. Crazy for sure but self aware and honest. Deal with it.

She spent some more of her Christmas money and we finally got to see the movie she's been begging to see. Have You Heard About the Morgan's?? Possibly the worst movie name ever...even the ticket girl had no clue what movie we were trying to see. Prolly, cause I couldn't remember the freakin name(not my fault) and I said "Two for the Morgans"...anyway, the critics have not been kind and even though I could watch Hugh Grant do just about anything (except have sex with a hooker - not proud of him for that but Hey!!! He manned up. Said he was very sorry so...still love him) and I was devastated when Sex in the City ended -so anyway we got our tickets and the theatre to OURSELVES!!! Don't ya just love that when it happens!!! I always think Wow, this must be what Katie Holmes/Cruise feels like everyday!!! By the time our movie finally started nine other people/paparazzi had crashed our private screening. Whatever, we were cool with it as long as they didn't interrupt by asking for our autographs.( They didn't)Let me tell you - sometimes the critics don't know nuthin. I personally got my money's worth. I laughed out LOUD every time Hugh Grant opened his mouth. Again - I love him. But for the price of a movie ticket??? So worth it. And I also heard other people laughing at times so I wasn't the only one out of ten having fun....then I came home to a fabulous pot roast dinner in the crock pot - I'd love to share the recipe - cause THAT is what I DO...but, I've been gassin on about food for the last three weeks and I don't want to bore anyone or make you fat. If you need a fab and easy dinner recipe let me know (kay, just love hearing you read my blog and this is cheap and easy plug for attention!!!) Then I watched the new episode of the Batchelor...let me just say - if you like a whole lot of crazy in your tv viewing you DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS SEASON!!! I know he is a Dallas boy and all but something is just a bit off about him and most of the chicks on the show this season. Ed and Jilly tried to help him out too tonight but I don't think he was listening cause I can promise you this - one or more of these girls will be boiling bunnies by the end of this season...then I watched the new show Cougar Town for the second time since it started. I KNOW...I told everyone I didn't like it and thought it was awful and was so disappointed cause I loved Courtney on Friends....HATED the first episode. Got to admit...not ashamed to say maybe I judged to soon...really liked it tonight. I still think she over acts sometimes but at least the writing was funnier to me than the first show. All relative I guess... So, to 2010!!! Hope you and all your loved ones had a wonderful holiday and that we will all be blessed and happy in this new year...

The Next Best Thing

2009-12-29T20:02:00.000-08:00

I know that is lame to start with...who the hell wants the NEXT BEST THING? We all want THE BEST THING EVER - EVERY FREAKIN TIME NO MATTER WHAT IT IS.... well, tough s&*^....sometimes you just have to be happy with the next best thing... and today it is the recipe for "Ms. L's Best Ever Green Icing Cookies"...IF you were at my best ever - Girls ONLY, PJ's Optional Christmas Party and you were smart enough to grab one of these cookies and forget about carbs for 5 seconds then you too will be jumping up and down right now hoping I'm going to tell you how to make some more...

But, this is the real world - so SORRY....if ya didn't grab one. And we are all SOL because Ms. L. prefers to keep this recipe to herself. So, she will be invited next year and we will all hope and pray she comes and brings some more again. In case she decides not too...based on all the shit I've given her about these cookies and her lack of sharing so far - we will just hope for the best next year and in the mean time make our own damn version of these awesome and amazing cookies. Wha freakin LA!!

Sooooo....here we go. And by the way - I am NOT the only FREAK online trying to duplicate these cookies...I have help. They prefer to remain nameless and therefore unable to be sued or beaten up by thugs....this is my best shot at these cookies and yes, I have gained 13 lbs. in the process - but it was worth at least 8lbs. Those last 5 will be a bitch to loose....cookies are good but are they worth it?...you decide, if ya dare...

Girly Girls Version of the Best EVER Freakin Cookies with Green Icing...
Cookies:
1 c. flour
3/4c. cornstarch
1 c. butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond flavor extract

mix butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extract until fluffy and combined
mix cornstarch, flour and salt

add dry ingredients to butter mixture & drop by small spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet.

bake at 350 - 10-12 minutes

Let cool and add icing:
2 c. powdered sugar
2-4 Tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. butter softened

cream all together and add food colorin if desired...frost cooled cookies.

Wait let me go get another cookie and eat it just to make sure this is all worth your time and trouble...and an extra five pounds for me to loose...be right back.

OMG - HELLS FREAKIN YES!!!! These are really good cookies and not even hard to make people - so I say, go make a whole bunch and call them New Years Cookies and don't worry about calories or anything boring like that cause it is a New Year and who know's what may happen - so eat lots of good cookies while you can an worry about it the hell later... Life is short so ENJOY and be five lbs.- over so what!!!!

Love, Hugs, Peace and Blessings to ALL!!!

You're the best!! Now go forth and share with all the rest!!! That is my motto!! If it's that good - then ya need to share it!!!! Why the hell not????

Love,

Girly Girl...The Queen of ALL Good Things!!! And all good things must be shared!!
Raise a glass to 2010!!!!

Recipe Time!!!

2009-12-21T20:31:00.000-08:00

While I'm on a sickening sugar high from being in the kitchen all afternoon and way into the night I'm going to push on through it and get ya'll those recipes from my Girls Only Pajamas Optional Girl's Got to Have IT!!! Christmas Party...right now I would kill for some Chicken Enchilada Dip to cut the sugar running thru my veins. This could be a long night for me!!!

So let's start with that:
Chicken Enchilada Dip
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts - don't skimp and use tenderloins either - big fat chicken boobies only...
2 (8oz.) packages of cream cheese softened
1 1/2 C. grated cheddar cheese
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin ( I prolly used a cup cause I LOVE - OMG we need to rename this spice,or at least change the spelling to queman)
1 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
3/4 c. chopped cilantro
4 green onions sliced
1 (14 oz.) can Rotel w/ lime or fresh lime juice
dash of hot sauce to taste
dash of salt & pepper

Now anytime I need cooked chicken for a recipe this is what I do and it smells so good you might want to throw in another chicken breast so you can just eat it while you're making the recipe...Tear off a big piece of aluminum foil and center the chicken - sprinkle it with garlic, salt, pepper, lots of cumin and just about any spice ya like that goes with the dish) wrap it all up tight folding all the edges over to make a pouch. Use more foil and double wrap it. Place on baking sheet and cook at 350 for at least 45 - 60 minutes. Unwrap carefully and save any juice if ya can - that is liquid gold - chop it up and wha la...try not to eat it all before you put it in the recipe. That extra piece is a really good idea next time...

So while that is cooling, mix the following together in a large mixing bowl - cream cheese & cheddar cheeses until smooth. Add next five spices and mix well. Add the chopped chicken, cilantro, green onions and Rotel. If you can't find the Rotel with lime juice add that too.

Season with hot sauce and refrigerate 4 -5 hours. Add salt & pepper and more hot sauce if needed before serving with chips or flour tortillas. Yum!!

White Chocolate - Cranberry Bread Pudding
* This one came from Sandra Lee's Slow Cooker Recipe Book
1 loaf of Texas Toast ( or other thick sliced bread) torn into pieces
1 (12oz) bag of white chocolate chips
1 c. dried cranberries or craisins
3 large eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. sugar
dash of salt
2 tbs. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
* I added one small airline size bottle of Kahlua- just cause :)

coat your slow cooker/crock pot with cooking spray
In a large bowl toss together bread pieces, white chocolate chips and cranberries.
In another bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, Kahlua and salt. Pour over bread mixture.Stir all together and put in slow cooker. Slice the butter into pieces and place on top and then sprinkle with cinnamon.

Cover and cook on Low for 3 - 4 hours!! Isn't that easy!!! Just wait... it is really good!!
Now Sandra ( we love her) is all about semi homemade and she used Hershey's Syrup over hers when she serves it...but I like this chocolate sauce better and it is quick and easy too.

Chocolate Sauce:
1 12oz. bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
4 tbsp. butter
1tsp. vanilla extract
In sauce pan over medium heat combine all except for vanilla...Stir constantly (or ask someone else too, Thank you Lisa W.!!! She saved the chocolate sauce cause I forgot all about it - party hostess duties called)When completely melted remove from heat and add vanilla. Set aside til bread pudding is ready - warm up if needed. Don't forget to stir it!!!

If ya really want to be fancy serve the pudding in martini glasses and cover with chocolate sauce...or just stand around crock pot with a spoon and dig in....I'm thinking some caramel might be good in there too next time...or coffee ice cream under the bread pudding...so many ways to eat it!!!

Dark Chocolate Key lime cups
This is really easy too - if ya can find the Botticelli rich dark chocolate Miniture Dessert Shells - recipe is on the back. If not here is the filling and it is so good you can put it in or on anything and it will be fab.
1 tsp. grated lime peel
1/2 c. fresh lime juice - I got tired of squeezing after three limes so I filled it to 1/2 c. with the green bottle stuff. So shoot me. I had a lot to do that day.
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Beat sweetend condensed milk with lime juice until combined - add lime peel. Done. If ya have the chocolate shells fill and sprinkle with green sugar or slice of lime. You can even add cool whip if ya really want to. I personally could just eat it with a spoon and skip the chocolate and whipped stuff. Actually, had about 1/2 c. left over and I'm still enjoying that little secret stash in the fridge. I've decided that next to heavy cream in a recipe my next favorite would be sweetened condensed milk....you could also make with lemon juice. Yum yum yum!!!

Now for those of you at the party last week - I KNOW...you want the Green Frosted Cookie Recipe. I've already explained that Miss L. does not share that recipe. This is a major bummer cause they are really good. So I spent a little time on this wonderful thing called Google looking up recipes and then several hours -the cause of my sugar rush - in the kitchen trying to make these freakin cookies. I've also been making a huge batch of sugar nuts, sand tarts and cream cheese candy (which tastes a lot like divinity but really easy to make) so my taste buds are shot tonight, but my taste tester who enjoyed several of the real thing the other night thinks these are pretty darn close. Cookie part is great it's the icing that is hardest...working on it and will let ya know as soon as I think I've got it. Good thing I'm going to dentist tomorrow cause I'm sure I've got sugar rot going on tonight...

Oddly enough, I'm getting sleepy so I better go brush my teeth about 10 times and double floss...which will wake me up again. Got about 10 magazines and more books than I can count to read so if I do stay up all night I'll have plenty to do. Might even get in a few more episodes of Army Wives!!! Love this show!!! Can ya tell the sugar is kickin in again????And "DAD" is out of town and I'm the boss of me tonight so I can stay up late if I wanna....pepcid might be a good idea too....maybe a dose of Nyquil....

I'm BACKKKKK!

2009-12-19T20:24:00.000-08:00

Give me a break....it's not only Christmas but I gave a big party - people. And as my dear friends and family know - when I give a party - I GIVE A PARTY!! I try to invite everybody (more on that later) and I really try to make it fun. And because I am anal, I try to make all of it JUST RIGHT. Which means I like to do it all myself. Until the two weeks before, when total PANIC sets in and I realize I need help. Specially if this is not a catered affair. This one wasn't. And I had to use EVITE because I was too late to mail invites. And I had to send Christmas Cards - a WHOLE other blogpost - so shoot me. Any hoo - Evites go out, my first time ever doing that and it took me five days to figure that all out (STRESS). Let's just say my computer skills are pretty much limited to emails and when I find the time, this blog and my other one at girlygirl.pnn.com - and both of these have been suffering lately. I always have to ask some poor soul to remind me how to cut and paste. Sad. I know damn it. But true. I think I have it now....anyway - evites go out to over 100 plus people.

Now, if you live in McKinney and you are one of the 16 REGISTERED readers - lots more TELL me they read but just aren't listed - AND you did not receive an Evite - YES, YOU DID!!! Check your junk mail - actually read your email - ON A COMPUTER - and not your fancy iphone...I have one too and you can get into a lot of trouble reading your email at traffic lights (besides all the angry people with guns behind you blasting their horns cause you are into the middle of a really good email) Honestly, If I smile and say hello - anytime you see me - you were invited. If I ignore you and run - prolly not. Anyway, A really good time was had by all. Most really did trust me and wore their comfy jammies - a few even wore their VS jammies - and I'll tell you Victoria's Secret...they are all 14 years old, really tall, freakishly skinny girls with big ole BOOB Jobs!! 'Cept for Heidi and she's just not human. She is proof Aliens are alive and married to handsome black men with cool facial scars and lots of babies on our planet. Nuff about her. Back to me and my party.

I got it all together - friends brought some yummies and all brought extra wine and NO ONE went home hungry or sober. We had a lovely cut throat girls all want it gift exchange and no one lost any hair...girl fights can get nasty. There are a few pictures out there floating around on FB and I just want to say for the record - my eyes are blue. Not that weird silver/red scary color they look like in those pictures.

So if ya know me and ya think you weren't invited - you were. Maybe I had an old address or maybe it went to junk mail. Next year - come!! And for Goodness Sake - if ya open the Evite just check Yes, No or Maybe!!! Unless ya see me face to face - I'd like to know....Yes, No or Maybe!!! Lots less stress for the hostess if she isn't worried about 58 people showing up at the last minute....ya know who you are and by the way - just so you all know - evite shows the date every time you read the invite!!! How cool is that!!So People let your hostess know!!! Yes, NO or Maybe!!!

And for all the yummy recipes - I will be glad to share the ones I made that everyone wanted...mainly the Chicken Enchilada Dip, Key lime chocolate cups and the White Chocolate Craisin Bread Pudding with Hot Chocolate Sauce....as for the to die for Cookies with Green Frosting you are SOL...Miss Leslie does not share recipes. I KNOW...HOW DID THIS PERSON GET INVITED TO MY PARTY??? I am the QUEEN OF IF I HAVE IT AND YOU LIKE IT - I WILL TELL YOU WHERE I GOT IT AND HOW MUCH IT COST....That is why the blog is called THEGOODSTUFFROCKS!!!!!So I have no answer - SHE does not share the recipe. So to that I say, "Well, Leslie/Bitch bless your heart, we just love yoooou, but either just give us the freakin recipe or SELL the cookies already!!!" Cause seriously - I really hate to admit it, they are just that damn good. F*&^. So Miss L, you really do need to get off the pot and start baking cookies for the masses....or just come on over and visit and bring more. They are all gone. As for my recipes...it's getting late and Wonder Man has been an absolute SAINT these last few days while I spend all our money on Christmas so I better go play Happy Wife/Happy Husband and send ya'll those recipes next time!!! Remind me if I forget....cause ya know I LOVE TO SHARE!!! LOVE YA'LL!!!!

Hello!! Remember Me???

2009-12-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

I apologize...been waaay too long since I was here....so those that have been following this blog - hold on tight - it could be a long bumpy ride....got lots to say and catch up on and even I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING!! BUT I'M BACK! Ha...feels good. Which reminds me, it really feels good when I'm out and about, just doing my thing and you say hi and then that you too are reading my blog and you laugh and like it....sorta like finding your picture in US mag and it's a REALLY good picture that you didn't even know someone was taking. Prolly, don't want that. I am still waay to anal and want and need total picture control but, wow - I will admit - I do love hearing that you are reading. So what does that make me??? Flattered. Very, very flattered. And thankful - but that was last month. So, Christmas is here - when the hell did that happen??? ARE YOU READY?? Prolly not. Who ever is? I try really hard every fucking year to get a handle on this whole thing and WHAM! Here it is!!! Seriously - how do you do all the crap ya need to do - JUST to sit back and enjoy all the stuff you are supposed to enjoy??? And I don't even have a real full daytime job....other than being the MOM and CEO of all FAMILY business.

For those that know me - I have been working my fanny/ass off for the last couple of weeks transforming my lovely home into a Christmas Wonderland. Why? For who?? Well, ME!! Nothing gives me more pleasure than to walk around every DAY around 5:20 making sure that all the Dept. 56 houses/villages/amazing scenes on almost every table top in my house are all turned on...then the trees (just two - I have a friend with five trees, love ya but can't even imagine!!!! The Work the work!) Oh, forgot three outside that have to be switched on - but not decorated thank god!...just really freaking cold sometimes but I'm smart and the switch is easy. Yes, I could have an automatic timer but that would just be showing off. The lights on the roof have that. And I have the sweetest man that comes and puts up and takes down every year! Thanks - Luis.

So Back to now - and Christmas - if ever there was a time to be thankful, and to count my blessings, this would be it. I think that is what all the stuff: the trees, decorations, food, presents, cards (and don't forget Christmas stamps!!!)is all about. I am so thankful to have all this, to decorate all this and to just sit back every day and enjoy it. I do this every year. Because I am so lucky that I can. Please know that the important word in that sentence is "lucky" - not, "because I can". Lucky - for so many reasons. I am lucky for two parents that taught me what really matters in life and to avoid what doesn't. I am lucky for friends that shaped me along the way. For experiences in life, good and bad, that made me know who I was and what I wanted. For John/Wonderman for seeing only the good in me. My two precious children that put up with crazy mom and all her decorations!! And for all my friends that love me!

Nuff - almost getting sad and teary eyed...not tonight!!! My boys are freezing their asses off in Green Bay at a Monday night football game. Why? - because they can!! Ha! Yes, they are spoiled rotten, not me. I'm home - just working on Christmas and drinking wine!!! LOL, enjoying my big, ole, beautiful home with all the Christmas stuff on - ALL DAY LONG - cause it is rainy and cold and no sun today in McKinney.LOVING it....did I mention comfy clothes??? Even better!!! Don't ya just love sitting and looking at your Christmas tree and thinking about all the years and all the ornaments and stuff - and then, wait a minute??? What about the ornaments you spent a long time the year before you got married cross stitching by hand...yea! you know all 35 of those ornaments...where the hell are they???Not on the tree thank you very much!!!

So, out comes the ladder - again!! Read my facebook page and all the freaking drama with my smoke alarms...major ass pain. Been spending alot of time on ladders lately. Anyhoo, back to the closet and one last box and yes, there they are!!! Now, back safely on the tree...all is good in my world. Christmas is up and wine is poured (again)...dogs are snoring and boys are freeezing. Baby girl is studying for finals (right???) and all is good. So what do I do now??? Rewatch the last episode of Vampire Diaries - duh!!!!For the fourth time...why? Because I can and because it is the BEST SHOW EVER!!! Trust me on this...this is what the Good Stuff is all about!!! December 14th a week long marathon of the whole first season. Watch THIS show. On the CW channel....best dialog/acting/storylines...EVER. If you know me and like me - watch it. If for some reason you do and don't like it - don't tell me. I still want you for a friend. Might not if you don't like it. And, I'm not really worried. YOU will like it or you are just not right. So, make sure you watch it - and love it. And to Patty, Melinda, Leah, Tracy, Dee, Linda, Sharon, Luanne, Ashley, Margie, Kelli, Shirley, Lori, Lisa, thanks for making my day!!! And Merry Christmas to all!!!

Vampireholics Anonymous

2009-11-19T19:16:00.000-08:00

Hello, My name is ....... and I'm a vampireholic. It all started with a show called Dark Shadows. We were not allowed to watch it, which meant we sneaked and did, and that made it even better. We were seven. Years old. I am now a lot older than seven. 41 years older to be exact. Not sneakin anymore and the name of the show is Vampire Diaries. Thursday nights on the CW channel. Fear not, if you have not been keeping up with the hottest phenom in literary and movie and tv history...starting Dec. 14th the CW channel will have a week long marathon to catch you up. Honestly, do not miss it. All things Vampire are in it and worth watching. This show is amazing!!If you are a Twilight fan do not miss this!!! If you wonder what the hell is going on and why is everyone talking about vampires - watch this show!!!

Back to my problem. I read all the Twilight Books and loved the first two - last one was okay. The Host was just weird and long, and I bought it, so I read it. Nuff said. But, the whole fantasy of the vampire that has a heart and loves, is very powerful and there are a lot of books out there and now tv shows and movies that are cashing in. Don't miss out. Before all of these, was Moonlight, which for some unknown reason some di**hea* ( you fill in the blanks - my kids might read this) cancelled. You can rent or as I did buy the season and trust me it is a movie worth viewing. Such a good show. With a huge, crazy, angry following when it got cancelled. So, go watch it too.

After this show got canned, I happened to see a little book by Charlaine Harris, Dead Until Dark, in the bookstore and it was also about vampires. Read them all and was so excited to find out some genius had found and read it too and since he was a Hollywoood bigshot he decided to make them into a tv show for HBO called True Blood!!! With all the stuff I read, I think I have truly missed my calling...I should just read and tell people what movies and shows to make...instead I get to share and tell you my favorite followers. True Blood is a big hit and lots of fun - BUT go read the books too. Most excellent. My list of favorite vampire series just keeps growing. For the non-readers, I apologize and for the Oprah bookclub fans - get over it!! Try something that will make your heart race, your face flush and other parts of your body come alive. Or as Wonderman says - foreplay books. Sorry kids - Mommy and Daddy do it. STILL!! I KNOW...EEEHHWWW.

So, if you are still with me and want to read some really good stuff...try the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton - she is a character like no other in any fiction series. Next on the list, would be the J.R.Ward series the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Then Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress Series, Patricia Briggs series about Mercy Thompson and Karen Marie Moning's Fever series.

My final piece of advice is to look these all up on Amazon which will also tell you the order all the books are written in. Being vampireholic and anal - it is VERY important for me to read a series IN ORDER....not to mention you can also order them all online and not have to be embarrassed to actually buy them...in public. Call me silly, but some of these covers are fine to look at in private - but omg in the store!! I still find it hard to do...love it when the person behind the counter goes "OMG - best books ever!!!" Another vampireholic....Now don't forget - set your tivo or your direct tv or however you record to the Vampire Diaries starting Dec. 14 - and yes, I just bought but have not read this book series too!! I told you I am a Vampireholic....and we love it!! :)Now go read or watch!! And don't forget to tell me if you are now too a VAMPIREHOLIC!!!

Call Me Crazy...but....

2009-11-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

It all started about a year ago when the old feets started hurting again. This is not good for tennis, sanity walks, and wearing my sky high shoes. The problem, besides the gianormis bunions I inherited, was that I lived in flip flops. While cute and comfy they offer zero arch support. That is when I discovered Fit Flops...the most comfortable flip flop ever. Their claim to tone the legs and buttocks was fine but all I cared about was that my feet stopped hurting and all was good in my world. That fall when the weather turned colder I panicked because by now I was addicted to them. Wha la those super smart flopper people made clog style fit flops. Sorta like Ugg slippers. Sorta ugly but hey, ugly by day and sky high at night. Again all was good in my world.

Now with all my running around during the day in my ortho flops my feet are happy and maybe-maybe not the legs and buttocks were shaping up too. That is a touch and go deal. Prolly depends more on how much crap I'm eating vs. how much exercising I'm doing. Then I started hearing more in the media about studies done on these shoes and the benefits to the legs and buttocks (sorry that word just makes me smile - I still hear Forrest Gump saying it "I got shot in the BUTTOCKS")and then Reebox got in on it and did all these studies and came out with their version of a fitness sneaker that tones and blah, blah, blah. Well, yippie but theirs costs over $200.00 and it better damn well work! Little pricey for me for fugly shoes. But, it made me think that MAYBE these fit flop people are right and these shoes do tone you up.

So here is the crazy part...I've been doing my own scientific experiment. I've been walking on my treadmill wearing my fit flops. Slow speed (3.2), level 6 incline for about 20 minutes. Call me crazy but I can tell a big difference!!! I KNOW!! And I'm even down a few pounds on the scales - even better!!

So I am passing this little exercise info along and if you don't already have a pair of fit flops you can find them at Nordstroms or online at Sole Provisions.com My two favorites are the black sequin and bronze ones. I have also found that if the sole is darker they look better on. So call me crazy but my feets are happy and my buttocks are too!! And even better - it is finally cool enough to wear tights and leggings and omg all our legs look great in those!!!

That Time of Year Again

2009-11-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

I know it's been awhile...falling off the blog wagon. For those still reading - thank you. Don't forget to tell me you are - keeps me motivated and yes, I just like to know someone is reading this. I just spent a while on girlygirl.pnn.com blogging about Thanksgiving and why I am thankful. Go read it too - too late and my wine glass is empty so I won't repeat all of it. Just know that I am thankful for all of you and this little world that let's me write about whatever is important to me each day. Or at least right now. It's funny but I never kept a diary even though I tried. I just liked the whole locked book idea. I always loved to read. Even those speed reading timed books in the second grade. Read at your own pace, answer the questions and go on to the next level....OMG. I was in heaven and I didn't even know why. Not how I taught my first and second grade students to read when I was a teacher. I wonder where and how they are all doing now??? Funny, I haven't tried to find any of them on facebook...just old friends my age. That might be something I try tomorrow. I am thankful for those ideas that keep me going each day. What am I going to do tomorrow? This amazing world we live in gives us so much to do each day. No wonder we are sometimes just worn out and too tired to enjoy it. Really.

I am blessed to be able to stay at home each day and just try my best to make my little family of four happy. Okay, six counting the four leggeds. For the most part, they are easy. Lots of bones. Food & water and just bones/treats. They are good.

Clean house and clean clothes and something to eat and the two leggeds are okay. One has flown away and as long as I keep in touch thru texting and bank account she is fine. And as long as I am availabe to ride shotgun with the other one for just a tiny while longer he will be happy. I am thankful that I get to make them the focus of my day - everyday. That has always been such a privilege to me. How lucky am I - that I can stay home and just make this the best place for them to be. Never once have I been uncomfortable saying, " I am a stay at home - Mom." And never was I uncomfortable saying,"I am a teacher." Working in the home and/or out we are all working FOR our family. How lucky are we? I am so thankful to be working here and I'm so thankful that my husband is working there. Times are tough and our country is trying so hard to make it right for everyone everywhere. I am thankful for here. And all we have.

Thanksgiving is such an amazing time of year. For our family it was always spent at my sister in law's house in South Carolina. It was wonderful and each year we all looked forward to it. We haved missed the last couple of years and are sad not to be able to go again this year. I am thankful for all those memories of Thanksgiving past and I am thankful for the memories we will make of Thanksgiving future. To friends and family everywhere I am thankful for you. You make each and everyday the best place I could ever be.

Take a minute and think about all you are thankful for...now go tell someone that loves you and needs to hear it. They will be thankful you did. And so will you. That is what November is all about. The most amazing time of the year.

Why My Boytoy thinks I Have a Boyfriend

2009-10-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

As we all know the boyfriend trend is very in right now. I even mentioned it two blogs ago. Love my new bf blazer and jeans. Finally discovered the secret to the jeans - roll them up don't fold them up. Thank you J.Crew Catalog...I have also added a large face black watch which could be called a bf watch. And I couldn't help but notice a really cute black and grey sweater in the men's dept. at Old Navy when I was looking for some sweaters for Gman. I remembered back in my college days after I snapped out of my freshman year preppy mode (thank god!), I loved wearing long sweaters from the men's side of the store with jeans and boots (or clogs). For some unknown reason cashmere sweaters are always less in the men's department. Just like their dry cleaning bill....

Anyway, I noticed in this months onslaught of magazines piling up by my bed that this sweater look is in and that is fine with me. As we all know, anything that hides the whole middle area is a good thing. For some of us anyway. For those with flat tummies and tiny waists - just wait. You too will grow up one day. In the mean time, just put a thin belt on with it. Show off. Also in the mags are some shoes that are leaning a little to the men's look. This is where I draw the line. I am good with the blazer, jeans, sweater, watch and even hats. If you can rock the fedora go for it. But when it comes to shoes??? Hells,NO! This is the time for heels - that is what reminds them that there IS a girl under all the boyfriend stuff!!!

I also saved/snatched two flannel shirts from Wonderman's donation pile to a men's shelter for me to sleep in. Felt a little guilty about the men that probably needed them more than me, so I just added two more. Don't tell Wonderman. He is already eyeing all this stuff on my side of the closet that does not look very girly - until I wear it with the sky high heels. Usually, when he asks if something is new - which is man speak for "Oh, my God - how much did that cost???" I answer, "No, honey, I've had this for awhile" which is woman speak for "Drop it buster, if you want sex tonight". Well, you see the problem here...why would I have all these new items of clothes that obviously came from the men's department???? I'm working on that. Funny thing number two - Baby Girl and I have always shared if something fit both of us...whoever would have thought I'd be eyeing Gman's closet for things to share!!! I am sure Gman won't mind sharing sweaters with his mama...and that is what I can tell Wonderman!!!" What, this old thing? It's Griffin's and I don't know why it is in my closet. Now, let me show you my boyshorts underwear...."

Rained Out

2009-10-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

Thank God the sun came out again ...we have had about 3 weeks of rain. No, I did not move to a tropical rainforest but it was starting to feel like it. You'd think with all this time stuck inside I'd be blogging away...not so. Found out without my daily sunshine, I kinda lost my funny. By day four, I was clinical and needed a shower and fresh pj's. See, the first rainy day is always FABULOUS!! I ditch all my out of the house plans and stay in my jammies all day and do absolutely as little as possible that is not just fun. Which usually involves comfy clothes and a good book. This continues on to day two. By day three, I am starting to feel a twinge of guilt about all the junk food and lack of exercise. Day four and not only are the jammies feeling snug but I am too antsy to really enjoy my book and I'm all caught up on my taped shows. House is a wreck and it's not the week the house fairies are coming to clean. The lack of sun, fresh air and vitamin D is sucking all the funny out of me and I'm not in the mood to blog. Even my emails are boring.

Day Four becomes the day I finally snap out of it, hit the treadmill, shower, play Hazel and throw in some laundry. Now I am a big fan of clean clothes. I am not a big fan of folding and putting away clean clothes. When I run out of baskets to put the clean clothes in I finally drag them to the living room and pray there is something on tv to entertain me while I try to match all 289 pairs of Wonderman's black and navy patterned dress socks. And let me just tell you Oprah had better up her game cause there is a new fab Sista on daytime tv and her show is FUN!!! Wendy Williams is my new BFF "in my head" - her line....and she is rocking the wigs, hot shoes, accessories and she is all about telling it like it is. She dishes on hot topics and gives advice to audience members. Never a dull moment. Now, she is really into wigs and hers change every day. She had a male guest the other day from Melrose on and they are having a big ole time on the couch when she mentions her fab wig and he admits he is wearing "a piece" too!! I KNEW IT!!! See, on laundry day my usual tv game is turn on a soap like Young and the Restless - which I was addicted to in the 90's. Turn off the sound - I swear some of the story lines are still the same - and just look at all these people that are still on there after all these years!!!Oh, my!! If they haven't ruined their faces with too much surgery, they NEED to! And then there are the ONES THAT NEVER AGE...proof that vampires really do exist and they work on daytime tv. But for me, the most fun lately has been trying to figure out what the hell is on top off all the guys heads!!! Some of them look like Chia Pets...and some just have an unlikely head of hair for their age. Remember, they have been on these shows for the last thirty years. So this Melrose dude from the original show - admits to Wendy that yes, he is wearing a weave for men! She of course tries to touch it - but he was all "No touching the HAIR". Now, I am so distracted by trying to guess who's hair is real I can't even focus on my nighttime shows. I am almost positive Rob Lowe was wearing one on Brothers and Sisters this week. He is still smokin hot, but something was a little off with his do this week. By the end of the show, it had improved. If you still have it taped, go check it out.
I bet it is just a matter of time before Jessica Simpson jumps on the hair extensions for men!

So, the next time you are home and bored - check out Wendy William's show, turn on a soap and play "I Spy Fake Hair Guy", or read a good book. I was up til 3:00 AM trying to finish Destined for an Early Grave - book 4 in a series by Jeaniene Frost, great Vampire series. Got her done today, and started The Help by Kathryn Stockett for bookclub. Would love to know what Wendy thinks about this book. It really makes you realize how much has changed for black women in my lifetime. Keep rockin Daytime TV Wendy!!! And if you are a laundry basket queen like me you have got to get the Downy Wrinkle Releaser Spray!!! Just spray the wrinkled clothes and throw them back in the dryer with a clean, wet washcloth and dry for about 20 minutes. Now don't forget them - Go Hang Them Up!!!

The Boyfriend Craze

2009-10-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Unless you have been hiding under a rock or totally given up on staying current on all the trends in clothing, you know that you must have a boyfriend now. And he needs to be the right size so that you can steal/borrow his jeans and blazer. I know!! Who thinks up these styles??? Personally, I never ever wanted a boyfriend that was my size...I always preferred boyfriends that were bigger than me cause then no matter what - I got to feel dainty and girly. If his thighs or butt were smaller than mine, well, THAT was a definite deal breaker. Cause yes, my friends THAT does make your ASS look BIGGER!!! Cause it is!!!Which is probably why I ended up married for the last 21 years to a Wonderful Man (Wonderman), who just happens to be 6'7. Which is perfect for always making me feel small and dainty even if I'm wearing 5" heels. Okay, 4" is my limit but I could if I wanted too. So as far as shoe shopping goes the sky really is my limit.

Back to the boyfriend trend. You see my problem here???First of all, Wonderman would not be too understanding if I went out and got a boyfriend my size. And his jeans and blazers are out of the question. Hobo is not the look we are going for here. So then I tried my son's closet. Yes, that felt a little creepy due to the whole "boyfriend" part. But, hey - he has a practically unused blazer from NORDSTROMS that he got for his seventh grade cotillion class...perfect. Except it would fit me better if he'd gotten it in the eighth grade when his shoulders were a little bit wider. Dang! If I wore it with nothing on underneath it just might fit, but then we'd have another problem. Well, two actually. Crap - was really hoping that would fit me. Then I saw his jeans - Bingo!! Okay, I am not telling his size but in my head and a perfect world these should fit me too. And I did get them on. Just barely.

Let me just say, lycra is truly a miracle fiber and all us girls have gotten so used to it being in just about everything we wear that it is truly a shock when we slip/stuff ourselves into anything/especially jeans that do not have it. That last little inch/or 3 more between the button hole and the freakin button - well, there is no give at all. That sucker is not going to slip into that hole easily. No wonder guys are always messing around down there!! Some genius fashion designer needs to make men a pair of jeans with a little touch(naughty monkey!) of lycra down there...then when stuff happens...instead of all that grabbing (and by the way, YES - we can't help but notice when you get all busy down there!!) the magic jeans would just give a little and no one would have to know. Like when we have on our best jeans and we eat a little too much and those jeans just take care of that little extra food baby for us.

So hubby's closet and Gman's closet are not showing me the love - time to take this fashion hunt to the store. Now, being stubborn and fixated on this whole boy part of the trend that is where I headed - the boys department. I want a REAL boyfriend blazer and jeans - minus the real boyfriend. Plus, I know for a fact just like shopping in the junior department the boys's stuff is cheaper. And since this is a trend let's try that first. It was a good idea but again the lack of lycra was a problem. That and all the funny looks I got when I tried on a blazer. Even I was smart enough not to try on jeans there. So back to the girls department. Hello Pretties!!!

Save time - hit the girlfriend side of the store!! Lots of lycra and cute little blazers that are slightly fitted at the waist so no more hobo looks. And the jeans are just right too! While baggy and comfy they still manage to make your butt look smaller! Pocket size and placement along with a touch of lycra works wonders. So now I am the proud owner of a cute little perfect size for me boyfriend blazer and just the right amount of baggy without making my butt look bigger pair of boyfriend jeans. Without all the drama of a real live boyfriend. And best of all it's Saturday! Time to try it all on with some rockin heels - grab my boytoy hubby and call it a date night...we are going to see Couples Retreat with some friends - will let ya know how this latest trend works out!

The Best Ever Weekend

2009-10-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

Well, it's over but it was fantastic. Right now it's late and I'm trying to stay awake til I get THE phone call. Baby girl is back at school and all is cool. We just had the best ever first weekend home from college. I know over the next four (hopefully) years we will get used to this but since it was her first time home since she left six weeks ago for A & M it was a big one.

We'd heard all the horror stories of how they come back changed. Out of control. Disrespectful. Out all night. We were ready. And thankful - the girl we kissed good bye came home even better. She'd grown up but not away. She was sooo happy to be home. She kissed her boyfriend goodbye (they are at school together) and she was ours for the entire weekend. She gladly went to her brother's lacrosse game that lasted almost two hours and never complained. She insisted on helping in the kitchen even when I told her not to worry go work on your homework. Which she did after she stayed and helped. She did her own laundry that she brought home just like she had been doing at home since 7th grade. She took her brother to a movie on Sunday for some alone time together and she even woke up early so she could enjoy breakfast with us.

Yes, the weekend was all about her and we tried to do all her favorite things and cook all her favorite meals. But she really appreciated it all so much that it didn't even feel like we were spoiling her. Cause she is not spoiled. She is just an amazing young girl that makes us proud. We had a great weekend. We will all miss her so much these next few weeks until we go see her or she comes home. Again. We will be here waiting ....baby girl is flying!

Top this Martha Stewart!!!

2009-09-23T19:02:00.001-07:00

Here is my big tip for happiness in the kitchen....heavy cream. If the recipe calls for milk of any kind....just use the same amount of heavy cream. Fail proof best ever thing you will ever make. Mashed potatoes...OMG!!! Oreida frozen mashed potatoes (I KNOW) micro them according to directions and then just pile on butter, sour cream, HEAVY CREAM, salt & garlic powder and mash!!! YUM. SHUT UP. So GOOD!!! Just micro for another minute with all the good stuff and mash again and stick a spoon in it an watch out!!Feeding Frenzy....Will it make you fat? Hells. Yes. Will you care?? Hells. No. (If you feel the need to peel and slice your own potatoes - go right ahead - no worries. But, trust me, NO one will be able to tell the difference).

Now, after fat and happy on the above you will need to sit back and relax. With????My favorite best ever you have to go get one too - BLANKET. I found mine at Dillards in the shoe department with all their new Ugg boots. BECAUSE this blanket is like wrapping yourself up in a comfy pair of Ugg boots. But it is a blanket. And mine will go with me in my casket one day. Just me, my slippers and this blanket. Best part is it does not cost a freakin fortune cause it is not made by UGGS!! YES, you are loving me now!! It is made by Ponderosa - go figure - and it only costs $49.00!!!! Score...you will love it.

So, happy tummy, warm and fuzzy blanket, you supply the rest...what is your favorite book, tv show, movie on demand or thing to do in a blanket....?

Read the Fine Print

2009-09-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am still missing my black background for the record. Wonderman is happier cause he says he can read this easier now on his crackberry driving down the road on the way to his tennis match that he is 35 minutes late for...I KNOW not a good idea. If you only read this once a week you are screwed and lost and don't know what hell I'm talking about and that is your own freakin fault. Yesterday there were all these hilarious ads for vibrators attached to my site and now it all PG mascara ads!!! THEY really are reading and watching and it is starting to OOOK me out!!! I honestly think my phones might be tapped. AND I prolly should have actually read all the little printed words on the ad sense page before I clicked yes you can have my firstborn child if I violate any policies and rules. MY BAD - honey, I know you love your new life at A & M but now you have to go with the creepy,scary people in black that just tore down your door. Mommy loves you and I'll read the fine print next time!!! Promise....

I know I acted all OMG and all but secretly I thought those ads were kinda cool. Like tattos. As long as someone else has one - I'm cool with that....kinda like it. Scared to have/get one but hey, I'll look at yours. It's the whole good girl thing. I've walked a fine line but pretty much managed to not cross it too many times in 48 yrs. Lot to be said about that. And a whole lot more I prolly got away with cause I aint no dummy and it always helps to play the I LOOK LIKE A GOOD GIRL card. We all know Bad Girls have more fun - hells yes they do - but they also have to put up with all the gossip and stares and crap that would just totally freak me out. So, I'm just a bad girl in my head. With a boat load of chicken shit mixed in holding me back from my inner total bad girl...I'm the good girl that coulda woulda shoulda been a bad girl. And still managed to have a whole lot of fun without all the drama.

Anywhooo...back to fine print and ads!!! Not sure if I'm allowed to talk about this and I will go back and read the fine print on the whole ads thing but I'm really tempted to write about stuff just to see what kind of ads it would generate...this is so not like MAD MEN....that really sucks too. Cause okay, this is bad bad bad girl talking but come on!! Who wouldn't like a little one on one bizzznus meeting with Don Draper????(Poor Wonderman prolly just spun off the road right now!! Hunney - I done toll you to stop driving and crackin your berry!!!) I am sure Don would be able to advise me on the best ads for my writing style and content. And if not who really cares - as long as you get a little one on one with Mr. Draper. Have you even watched MAD MEN??? Do you know what I'm talking about...I mean not me but my evil bad girl twin sister that has a major crush on John Hamm/Don Draper....well, then stop reading me right now for jes a minute and go download MAD MEN...It's all about advertising in the 60's and even more about being baaaad. So ya'll go catch up on MM and I'll go read the freakin fine print...I'm coming Baby Girl - Mama loves you!And you too Wonderman!!!

I Hear You I Hear You

2009-09-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

Sniff, sniff...sorry I'm just missing my black background with white letters. I know it was harder to read that way but it was prettier. Sometimes we have to sacrifice for beauty. Like when I wear my sky high shoes out to dinner. Hells yes - I'd be more comfy in my uggs,crocs or fit flops but just not as pretty. I like pretty. I wish I knew how to make my background on this blog pretty - especially since I gave up my black and white zebra look...that is what I want - a zebra print border around all the words. Would somebody get back to me on that?

Now some of you know and for those that don't - now is your chance...not only am I spending all my free time here I found another world for blogaholics and I'm having a blast there too. I told you I'd share some of these really funny and amazing blogs so here ya go. Just don't forget who brought ya to the freaking dance. That would be ME. So keep reading me. And for those dear dear friends that still haven't even gotten around to reading ME yet, don't you even think about it! I catch you dancing with these funny ladies you are in HUGE trouble.

All you have to do is go to girlygirl.pnn.com and that is my blog. Read them and underneath you should see the comments made by all my new funny friends. If you click on their icon(name) it should take you to their page and you can read their funny stuff. I hear you - I hear you....you have a very busy life and all that. And I also know you spend a lot of your time sitting on your fanny in your car driving your kids around and waiting for your kids, watching your kids play sports or practice, blah, blah, blah. This is a chance for you to also have some YOU time and read some really funny stuff. Laughter is good for the soul. Just don't read these and drive! And for God's sake STOP all that texting and driving!!!

So look for the following:Any that I am following - here are a few
procomicdiva.pnn.com - don't miss the one about Johnny Depp in her basement!!
askthebloggess.pnn.com
hannahbanana.pnn.com

Also check out:
suburbanturmoil.blogspot.com
cheekylotus.blogspot.com
dadgonemad.blogspot.com
missdoxie.blogspot.com

Trust me - you will laugh, laugh, laugh!!!Enjoy and thanks again for all your support and encouragement - love you and your comments!

OMG

2009-09-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

OMG - I am dying right now!!! Just signed up today for the google ad sense ...and I'm pretty sure all my ads are for VIBRATORS!!! DYING. AND I can't click on them to confirm cause that is not allowed. ADs are based on the content of my posts so I guess because of my mascara crap I am now naughty girl vibrator queen of the ad world. Dang. If that is true then I think I just may have to GET one. Ya THINK? If I am gonna be an ad hussy might as well KNOW what I'm bloggin about. Wonderman is gonna never let me live this down...Hope the kids don't finally read mamma's little fun day time job....or God for bid my MOMS!!! JAYSUS Who's idea was this anyway.....It was about eyelashes people!! Can't you read....and they weren't even all that happy....I just hope someone finally invites me to one of those fun naughty parties for girls only where ya buy all that crap....:)

The Rabbit Hole

2009-09-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

It's official...I am an addict. I have a problem and I prolly need some help. I'm a blogaholic. It is the rain's fault. It's been raining here for days and I've been planted in front of my computer and while I was trolling around the other day I fell thru this rabbit hole into the World of Blogland. Call me Alice in Blogland. WHO KNEW!!! I am not the one and only blogger out there...people have been doing this for YEARS! Crap - I thought it was just me and that Julie chick that likes to cook and got lucky and famous. Turns out we are not alone. Which kind of sucks cause that means WE are prolly not going to Opa anytime soon unless we purchase tickets and fly ourselves up there. Not a totally bad idea. Guess I can stop waiting for that phone call too. Whatever. Back to the rabbit hole - I discovered this whole other place called pnn.com where lots of really amazing people have been writing forever. So in addition to this fun little daytime gig of mine I decided to add on there too. I'll still yak here about all the Good Stuff and over there I'll just yak about whatever the hell I feel like!! The Good, The Bad and the FUGLY... sounds like fun to me! So check me out at girlygirl.pnn.com when ya get a chance. I will pass on the names of some of my favorite new blogs soon - it's the rabbit hole thing - not sure how you get there.

Got something else really exciting to report due to the rain - I told ya'll about the Moroccanoil hair stuff but what I didn't know then is that EVEN after being rained on my hair is still straight!!! OMG DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS??? There is a possibility that I can go to the beach and have normal hair!!! I am serious...this is BEYOND huge for me. My favorite episode of Friends of all time is the one where they all go to the beach and as soon as Monica steps off the plane her hair starts expanding...funny when it is her not so much when it is me. I sooo felt her pain. Always thought a beach wedding would be so wonderful until I grew up and realized that is not the look I'd be going for in my bridal pictures. Talk about Bridezilla. Wonderman would have run screaming down the beach when faced with a lifetime of that hair. See I was smart. I waited until the HONEYMOON until I let him see me with beach hair. Ha! Too late sucker you done bought this cow and her crazy beach hair!!Then a couple of years ago my family moved to freakin FLORIDA - hello??? Guess you know what that means? I don't go home very much. Now they know why...but wait - if this miracle oil(better name than Moroccanoil) works in the rain AND at the beach then YES, I can go home again!!! Right now I need to get out of the rabbit hole and off my fanny and pretend to do some housework or let the dogs out - wow it's almost lunch time!! WTH did the morning go??? Help me...will you be my sponsor...

The All Nighter

2009-09-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

Okay - let's get straight to the good stuff....what is the latest & greatest stuff I love and I hope you will too???Two new hair products - one to condition and improve shine and the other one is to freshen up your dirty hair. No brainer let's start with the one that makes no sense...wth would you WANT dirty hair? And if you do, why would you spend money on a product to make dirty hair fresh? Here's a thought why not JUST wash it??? Wha la. Clean hair. Well, for those of you not in the know...dirty hair is easier to style than slippery ole clean hair. You can tease dirty hair and get more volume. And then there is the laziness factor which is where I have this whole idea down pat - again waaay ahead of my time. See it is just a big ole pain in the ass/arm to wash and blow out my hair ALL the time. And without the effort of blowing out mine is one big mass of half curly mostly frizzy chaos. I'll pretend to like it this way but really I'm just too tired/lazy to spend the time needed to blow it out. And forget just aiming a blow dryer at it drying it...TRULY horrific. To blow it out involves a supersizied round brush in one hand and dryer in the other and both arms are about to fall off by the time each section has been brushed and blown for about 30 minutes. So back to me and dirty hair. Here is my secret - nothing makes me nuts more than going thru the hell of blowing out my hair to just have to go and stick a hat on it the next day to play tennis. So my wash/blow dry schedule revolves around two things: tennis and social life. When both are hopping this gets tricky. Just tennis for a few days is a no brainer. That's what hats are for. There ya go another favorite thing - cute hats. So just tennis for a few days = shower only no shampoo hair. Tennis and social = what can I do to make my naturally dirty hair look better without the trouble of blow out??? Here we goooo - THE ALL NIGHTER Styling Powder. You see real dirty hair is really gross. Greasy and oily is never a good look. The purpose of this product is not to really give you dirty hair but to fluff, freshen, preserve your blowout and build body, texture and volume. Just shake a little bit of All Nighter in and it fluffs your hair up and even makes it smell better. And you can twist it up and it will almost stay there by itself. Seriously, this is good stuff. I saw it advertisied on the Mike and Juliet Show - they had on several people trying to sell their products and then a panel of "experts" would either say the products worked or (ouch) they didn't. Talk about AWKWARD...but they all loved this stuff - the hair people raved about it. So you know me and my naturally dirty hair - well, I NEEDED this stuff. And I've tried the dry shampoos that are back in style now but they spray out of a bottle and folks - that just gets clogged up and is a big waste of time and money. All Nighter comes in a shaker bottle like baby powder. And why not use baby powder you might ask??? Well, you could but then your head would smell like a baby's butt and your hair would be kinda white so if that is the look you are going for go right ahead. Don't ask just trust me on this one...I got my All Nighter online at www.abeautifullife.com for $18.00 and I really like it. You can even get it in colors to match your hair color.Since I am a natural BLONDE I got the platinum/neutral shade.

Now my other new product is for giving your hair a shine boost and improving the condition. WE all know summer is tough on our hair. Sun and pool water really wreck it. Moroccanoil is all the rage and in all the mags right now. And one of my friends (LV)with the most amazing curly hair without any frizz just happens to use it. And it is great for all hair and it really does help with the frizz, drying time and the shine is amazing.This is sold in salons - ask me if ya know me or go online to www.moroccanoil.com to buy it. A small bottle is 14.00 and should last forever. This is very concentrated and only takes a tiny tiny little bit to work.

So from fake dirty to super shiny it is all about the hair. A good hair day = a great day. As usual it has taken me forever to tell you about two things...so I will save the rest for later but til then if ya go to the grocery store and you like key lime pie you will LOVE Yoplait new Fiber One yogurt - Key lime pie is to die for!! All that is missing besides the calories is the graham cracker crust. Delish. And good for you!!

Why Do I Blog....

2009-08-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

Trust me I have been asked this a time or two and usually by people that don't actually know what a blog is or how to go about finding one or even believe it or not how to read one. I'll mention it and say "Oh, you should read mine sometime - I'll send you the link." I do and they email/snailmail me back and say "Thanks - I really do want to read it but where is it?" SWEAR to God. This is starting to feel like work people...just click on the little blue part that says -thegoodstuffrocks.blogspot.com Close your eyes & make a wish and pat your head....and there ya go. Now back to why I write a blog. Raise your hand if you have a facebook page - some of you have no clue what that is either but no one pays me enough to walk you thru that -and if you do have a facebook page now raise your hand if you have kids. Kids that are shocked and appalled and not too happy that you have joined the Facebook Train or God forbid you even have a Myspace page (Okay, that one was waaay beyond me). Now just imagine those same little snots that snicker and call you a creeper or loser cause you are tooo old for FB....just picture their formerly angelic faces when you tell them NOT ONLY are you armed and dangerous with FB but you - thank you very much have a BLOG.... Talk about a total freakin power rush!!! You will actually see them start to sweat as this all sinks in...and let me tell you there is nothing they want you yakking about if it involves them and you and the rest of the world. This works waaaay better than "Just wait til your father gets home!!" That never worked in my house anyway cause he was always FUNDADDY and I was the one they were worried about. Quick favorite kid story - Fundaddy had them all excited one day about taking them somewhere to do something fabulous and they looked at him and ran to me saying "Mommy CAN we???" Ha - now we know who is the boss - who's having fun now???Oh, yea Mommy cause she has a blog and even with teenagers that think they are in control I'm finding that if necessary all I have to say is "Go right ahead - I can't wait to blog about that" or "Don't make me blog about this" works really well too. You prolly don't even have to write a blog you can just pretend you do and scare the crap out of your kids. Trust me it is power and it feels good.

Stilettos vs. vibrators

2009-08-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well....whatever YOU are thinking right now says a lot about you. And we'd all prolly get kicked off this site cause we have to keep this sorta PG32 - slightly racier than R but not X cause I think "they" would shut me down. And SOMEDAY my children might read this. But according to my stats ONLY 13 people are following so who really cares. What I'd really like to know is who has an idea about what this title means...which one is better? Well, I really love all my sky high shoes and as for the second if you've been reading this blog go back a few and you will see this is really just good ole PG 32. The only thing vibrating around here lately has been my eyelashes. Due to that fancy vibrating mascara. And as happy as they have been with that -Wonderman had a problem with it....well, he was the first to notice that while they might be happy they were not as long and fabulous as they had been. Dang if he wasn't right!!! I checked them out in the "big"side of my mirror - and ladies if you are not using one of those fab mirrors that flips from "I look great" to "OMG WHAT THE HELL IS THAT" you really do need to start. All kind of crap is happening and without the "big" side you just really don't know and trust me it is not always a good thing. Somethings just need fixing and if ya can't even SEE them then how can you fix them???? So, sure enough he is right (still counting on one hand though....female joke) and my lashes are definitely shorter. That is where the stilettos come in....Maybelline also has a slightly less newer mascara (what is up with that??? Every other month they come out with a NEW mascara. I've lost count how many there are...) called Stiletto and let me just tell you it may not vibrate but boy do your eyelashes look amazing. And it stays on forever. Only trick is do it one eye at a time - do not let it try between swipes. Keep putting more on until it is as thick as you like just don't let it dry in between each coat. That is old school. Read the directions on the newer mascaras and that is very important or you will not like them. So things have been quieter around here but the lashes are touching my eyebrows again. Thanks to Stiletto and Latisse. Okay, and Wonderman. He just loves my long eyelashes.
Food update!!! I have a new way to eat my favorite Tuscany Bruschetta stuff from Sam's....I was enjoying a sliced tomato sandwich the other day even after I almost sliced my finger off...when the idea came to me dang this is good but is it worth a finger - I think not - must be a better way. OMG instead of sliced tomatoes and all that work - just spoon a couple of spoons of heaven in a jar between two slices of bread with just a tad of mayo and if you have it a slice or two of bacon and it just doesn't get any better than that. Unless you could come up with a way to take all the calories out of food so that you could eat a LOT of these sandwiches and never gain any weight or run out of heaven in a jar. I have tried to go into Sams JUST to get this stuff and $365.42 later.....this is one very expensive jar of heaven. I don't think it can be done. My real problem is I have to have this from Sam's and then my frozen pizza and the best shrimp you will ever ever ever have come only from Costco....and it is the same vacuum hole as Sam's. I want two things and come out with a rear end load of stuff we just have to have. Back to the shrimp - those of you that have been to a party with us lately know all about the amazing shrimp appetizer we have been showing up with and let me just share with the rest it is making us VERY popular on the party circuit. Here is the kicker. Wonderman makes it...(now I can too but why????Even Gman makes it cause he is hungry and mom and dad are out partying) and that is awesome cause it gives me more time to make my eyelashes happy and get ready and stuff. But the shrimp comes from Costco - in their seafood counter not the frozen stuff. Black tiger prawns EZ peel and it is no joke very easy to peel and devein (specially for me cause he is doing it!!! Eyelashes aren't the only happy things in my house). Now I'd love to share the recipe but he'd have a fit....just saute it on the stove in butter, olive oil, garlic, white wine and lemon juice with a splash of worcetershire sauce( you know what I mean and can't spell and to lazy to go to kitchen and dig it out of fridge so deal. Brown bottle.) Til shrimp turn pink. Dump in more garlic and slice up some bread and stand back they will tackle you to get to it. Just be prepared for the angry ones that didn't get any....By the third party they are waiting at the street for us to get there and we are usually late but we do show up with this so all is forgiven.

Life Goes On

2009-08-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

Not to worry - no tissues needed tonight! Just Good Stuff and Happy Times!!! Just love the first week of school...especially the first day. Can't you still remember every first day of school of your life???? And the night before dream where you didn't have ANY pencils and OMG that was like the worst thing ever that could possibly happen on THAT day....what the hell was wrong with us??? I mean borrow a freakin pencil from that nerdy kid that always had them on the first day and you know every single class in the whole world had THAT kid in it. With all his pencils lined up on top of his desk. Just beggin to be borrowed...anyway I know I got a little sentimental last night but give me a break - Baby Girl is gone - so I can cry if I want to, but not tonight. Tonight I have Good Stuff to share and I just enjoyed a wonderful grilled pizza from my very own back yard so I am full and happy.( For any newbies to the blog now is a really good time to pause and go back to start do not collect $200...all the way back to the very first post - since we are celebrating the FIRST week of school you can start at the beginning and very FIRST blog. This will not only help you understand this whole process and me but even better you to will find out how to grill pizza in your very own backyard.) Not only do I have a freshman starting college I also have a freshman starting high school this week. Do the math - save time - I'm old as dirt. Best part is Wonderman is younger which makes me a Cougar!!! LOVE that...waaaay before my time on that one. Anyway, being a freshman anywhere is tough. Especially the first day - and I am happy to report that all went well. Everyone had their pencils. *****OMG *****just got a text from BABY GIRl.....and these are four words you NEVER want to read from your first born on the second day of her first week away "GUESS what I got?" Well, me I got Instant gray hair....you will all be shocked when you see me for the FIRST time tomorrow...total freakin white out...AND I said, "OMG - please not a tattoo or body piercing!!!" And she texted "Nope, a marshmellow milkshake!" Do I love her or what???? I think she may be the BEST COLLEGE KID ever. TAAA DAAA her new nickname...Think she will like it???Prolly not. Too damn bad. I'm gonna have to blonde all this gray before I go anywhere tomorrow. Speakin of which - good stuff alert - start blonding your own hair!! I do and it is so easy and you will save gobs of money and time....L'Oreal Preference is fool proof. Just pick out a pretty girl on the box with hair a color you like and wha laaaa...because you are worth it. Which reminds me of Mad Men (all about advertising) and guess what???I'm still in season two trying to catch up but there is now a skinny girl on the show. SHOCKING. And I am pretty sure she is after her boss who is after everyone but her and I think she is going to run off with another married boss. Now the main wife Betty is not fat. She is just so repressed it makes me crazy. Grow a pair. Laugh a little. She won't even talk with her girlfriends and that is just a sin in my book...anyway you watch - skinny one is going to be big trouble. Also check out Drop Dead Diva - new show just started so download and catch up...great twist on the whole fatgirl/skinnygirl thing...Back to Little Brother and his first week of high school. First of all, he ain't so little. 14 yrs. old until November 14 and 5'11 1/2. Today we bought a pair of size 13 shoes. For him. He's been so great with all the world revolving around Baby Girl (now to be known as Best College Kid Ever) for the last three weeks. But, She has been gone 6 days and in the last five I have seen a lot of dick flicks. WHAAAAt who said that??? Sorry I was trying to come up with a play on CHICK FLICKS and well, sorry but that kinda works. DEAL. Girl is gone and the boys have been going to the movies with me. In the last five days we have seen - Inglorious Basterds (my choice - hello!!! Brad Pitt) LOVED it and want to do it again. And District 9 - three votes and it was just okay....long & been there done that before. Must say Steve Carrell did an excellent job with the accent. I think GI Joe is next. Again my choice - Chan Tatum hello!!!!!See I am really getting the hang of this whole dick flick thing...wow - I think there was even another pun in that one! Which reminds me great new show on HBO - Hung...check it out. So I think I can go from girly girl mom to hangin with my boys and survive....just in case though I have another abandoned girly girl mom to go see a chick flick with this Friday and we can't wait. Movie got not so great reviews but it has Ashton (Mr. Moore) naked having lots of sex...who cares if the plot needs work??? Life Goes On....Wonderman is begging me to stop and come to bed now....life really does go on.

Back to School

2009-08-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

Wow... been awhile. Almost forgot how to login!! That would be embarrassing. Stop laughing it could very well happen...then what??? Better write this stuff down somewhere...been busy with Baby Girl. College. Lots to do and be happy/sad about. Won't know until YOU do it and then you'll go ,"Oh, that's why she went kinda a wonky for a while!!" Just yesterday she was this amazing little person that just filled my everyday with wonder just by watching her breathe. Trust me this was a HUGE part of my day. Then, I got to spend the day just dressing her up...and changing parts of her clothes that needed changing. Soon it was just watching her move around. Then sounds. Then words. Then steps. And all the million little things that happen every day when your whole world becomes this little person that you and someone special made. MADE. We all know how that happens, but when it does and you did it. Well, it all changes. And then the time just goes....flies and keeps going and before you know it - it is all happening and you love it but you want to slow it all down but you can't. You just hold on tight and try to make it last. And take lots of pictures and if you are really smart you will journal around those pictures cause you will not believe all the stuff you forget. And then one day... you realize you are done and it is time to let go......and it will be the happiest/hardiest/easiest/longest day of your life. And then you hug her one more time - really tight and walk away and get in your car and start driving home....ten minutes later you start texting her to make sure SHE is alright cause YOU are but you are just worried about her.... and that my friends is sending your first born off to college. Amazing and wonderful and so proud. Fly Baby Girl...Fly.
Okay. She prolly wants and deserves a new name now. Cause she is all grown up and flown away so she deserves it. And she is prolly gonna wanta kill me for getting all mushy. See, she thinks I didn't cry when she left and that really ticked her off. But, I'm just a tough old bird that doesn't like to do that in front of the little ones I have been guarding and protecting all these years. But, I am crying and using lots and lots and lots of tissues right now. And even though I was gonna write about some really important , amazing and new things I just love and can't live without - all I can think about is her. And how much she means to us and how much we will miss her and how very, very, very proud we are of her. Fly Baby Girl Fly....

Good Vibrations

2009-08-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

Ha! Prolly got your attention??? Here is how it all started...car load of us girls going to a PTA meeting...scratch that - prolly a tennis match. I'm in the middle seat with three other friends. Yakking away. Nothing important. Front seat conversation slightly more interesting....something was "amazing!!" "BEST ever - will never go back to the old way..." "Bigger and better!". Blah Blah Blah...all coming from the front seat. Then I overhear the word "vibrations"...SCUUUZE me! What are they talking about up there????Some kind of vibrating something that is life altering. Well, we all remember the best ever episode of Sex and the City....Charlotte and the wabbittt. yea - I can spell rabbit. Seriously...if there is something out there better than that well.....we need to know. So - it is my job to find out. What are ya'll talking about? And that is when I hear the word - mascara. WTF??? MASCARA? Really?? Of all the things that can benefit from vibrations someone comes up with eyelashes? Well. That is just silly. What a waste of vibrations. But, my friend is going on and on and on about her eyelashes and this Estee Lauder mascara that VIBRATES. Now I'm thinking not only is this silly but how much is this silly gonna cost. And let me tell you...about 15$ more than regular overpriced mascara costs. Now again, I've been there done that and sold and bought high end make up....liked it better when it was free. Since then I've been very happy with the drugstore variety...some more than others. So all this extra for vibrating mascara was not working for me. Not that there is anything wrong with things that vibrate...but happy eyelashes just don't seem worth the extra money to me...fast forward to about two weeks ago Baby Girl and I are at Walgreens and Maybelline has a brand new display case up for their newest and bestest mascara. Guess what it does??? Yep. It vibrates. Now Lauder's vibrates for about 35.00$ and this one will make your eyes happy for about 14.99....so I'm thinking -less than half price - does it really work??? MY followers prolly WANT to know. So we buy one. Felt kinda dirty. Never bought anything before that does THAT. YOU know what I mean. Now you know I already have crazy long fab lashes cause I've been using Latisse and yes, it works. So I can't wait to see if vibrating mascara gives me happy eyes. Next day I use it. Kinda scared to have something vibrating and all that close to my eyeballs and eye site but I do it.....makes a lot more noise than just plain ole mascara. Goes on nice and smooth and thick but not clumpy. Takes a while to get used to pushing the button that makes it vibrate....but all in all my lashes look good - and happy. Could be the Latisse. So the next day I use it on one eye with the magic vibrating button and the other eye without the vibrating button.Gotta admit - one eye looked happier than the other eye. So maybe things that vibrate work after all....So I would suggest trying the Maybelline version of happy eyes first...and remember "Happy is as Happy does..." I know that just sounds silly. But so does vibrating mascara.

Just another Monday

2009-08-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

Another Monday...prolly one of my favorite days. Usually follows a wonderful weekend no matter what. Sunday night is my favorite ever night of the week. This one was shared with fun neighbors - their treat for a fabulous dinner and company. Wha la. Morning rolls around and hubby is off to work and since it is summer/slumber time the rest are sleeping. 'Cept for me...I am in the middle of a really really good book. Heaven on EARTH when this happens...can't stop thinking about it. Just want to read it and finish it. AND just want it to go on forever. Sooooo. Pot of coffee is ready - dogs and kids are quiet. Book is in my hands....guess you would like to know what the book is??? Funny thing bout that. I tried to read this book about a year ago when I first heard about it and I am embarrassed to say I made it to about page six when I decided life is too short and I have a gazillion books in my to read cabinet by my bed and this one is just not grabbing me... To many names, places & things in Sweden with a gazillion letters . MY teenie tiny brain was thinking about all those juicy, nasty, fun, easy books I like piled up beside my bed. So I stopped. Over the next year this book never went away...top of the lists or someone raving about it and all the time I was like - yuk... hated it. And very happy reading thru my stack of nasty stuff...nothing wrong with that either. Hubby likey....

Anyhooo - not only does this book not go away but the sequel is published and dang if not God and everybody is raving about it too. Hate it when that happens and I'm being stubborn. Then one of my very dearest special friends chooses it for her bookclub selection. This is sacred in my 'hood. The chosen book is special to someone and therefore should be read. Even worse I had to miss bookclub for something even more important to Baby Girl. And all of this started to remind me of another book long long long ago that I treated the same way. Tried it, hated it, stopped it. KEPT seeing it at the very top of every single book lover's list of lifes best books. What was I not getting? Thank goodness for that one I went back the THIRD time and it grabbed me and to this day I can remember the names James Fraser and Claire Randall....brownie points and a free trip to Opa ( I wish...) if you know the book....Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. A Gazillion pages of wonderful and worth every one. For those of you that know me - you know I have onset Oldzimeres and can't remember shit.... but I will never forget those two characters... ever. Best of the best books ever.

So back to today - Monday. I NEED to be doing house stuff. Laundry (major problem), kitchen a wreck - whole freakin house a wreck!! And what do I do....cup of coffee and this book I can't put down. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo...now you that have read it are prolly laughing and thinking what a dumb ass...she didn't like this the first time? Well, have you read my fun, easy, nasty stuff??? Kay...so there I am torn between another five pages and cold coffee that needs refilling... and the freakin time is flying by....finally the restless leg thing kicks in and the only thing keeping me from reading 24/7. The need to get up and move. And Pee. I've had a whole pot of coffee by now. I just happen to notice that is not 7:00 am anymore it is 9:45. Should have done some laundry by now...oh, yea - put a load in when I made the coffee and it has been sitting dry so I go get it and turn on the tv. God just loves to get ya back for goofin off. Time 9:55 and the channel is Fox 4 here or as I call it - What amazing shoes is Kelly wearing today? More on her later. LOOOOVE her and her shoes!!! Want to be her in my next life. Four minutes left and just take a big guess who her co star host is today???? Not EEGIS... love him too. But - NOOOO the freakin show is almost over and it is - Ashton Moore. Otherwise known as Demi's husband and the most beautiful person on the planet. OMG. I love to read but come ON. How could I miss and hour of doing laundry and watching Mr. Moore be himself. Could he be any cuter??? I think not. Could he be any smarter? Married to a foxy older woman? I think not. I am dying and they are showing a clip of his newest movie ( can't wait) but still. It is over. And I missed it and I should have been doing my housewifely duties....so this is my punishment. I deserve it but I don't like it...and for the record I never ever watched that 70's show he was so famous for...honestly tried but had rather be reading my juicy, nasty books. Even when she married him I was like WTH?? don't get it.

And then he started dressing like a grown up. Like a very cool, rich, stylish grown up. And oh yea, wowser. I got it. She is no dumb chickie - and I loved Bruce too. Love me a bald man. Wonderman - you know I do! Semi private joke. But Mr. Ashton in a nice set of duds with the Mrs. on his arm and he is all - love her, love her kids, love her ex!!! Now that is amazing. Hotter than Bradgalina and all their little cute kids. Hot young guy with a slightly older woman over Super hot guy with scary hot woman and lots of kids - Ashton every time!! And I missed it... almost ruined my day. Till I realizied hey, wait a minute!!! I am a slightly older woman married to slightly younger hot man - that was bald for a short time -and while we don't have any ex's to love we do have two amazing kids and I just finished a fab book and I have a whole cabinet of still to read nasty ones... and some clean laundry - what could be better than that??? Wha la...hubby is playing tennis tonight and the kids are taking themselves out to a movie and dinner...and I get to start my next nasty, juicy, trashy book!!!

Another Day in Paradise

2009-08-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Let's start with the fact that we were below triple digits...and there was a nice breeze. Made 90 plus feel good. And I had nothing to do, nowhere to be - except floating in my pool. Stack of mags, a book, lemonade and float. Heaven on earth. Wonderman and Baby Girl were off having father/daughter day (lunch of her choice and shopping) while Brother was upstairs recovering from sleepover two nights before. All good and all happy. Why would I ever want to go anywhere else? We just had a great family vacay at Horseshoe Bay Resort and a good time was had by all but I have to say my heaven on earth right in my own backyard is waaay better. The resort was fun we played golf, tennis, drove to Austin for dinner and a fabulous show called Esther's Follies - if you ever get the chance to do this DO THIS....so much fun!!! Google it and go! We even went ziplining and that is worth the trip alone. Especially when three out of five are terrified of heights....hilarious fun watching them FREAK out - but when it comes to pool time there is just something about the peace and quiet of your own back yard. Minus the adorable little bitty children in swim floats screaming at the top of their lungs as they jumped into the deep end over and over and over and....for freakin hours. Ya see where this is going. And that was the adult pool. WTH....mom and dad were partying it up down at the shallow end while their spawn were "entertaining" us all at the deep end with nonstop high pitched screams as they cannonballed into the deep end and "cooled" us off with a steady stream of water - on us, our books, our mags and our HAIR. And for all you born natural blondes out there I know you are with me on this one...NEVER get your now blonde hair wet in a freakin swimming pool. Not only will it turn your beautiful BLONDE hair green but I had my children (that never ever once SCREAMED at a public pool) convinced that Mommy's hair would not only turn green but fall out if it got wet and that dog paddling was an excellent way to swim - thank you very much. But, I was on VACATION which meant I was PAYING for all this so I sucked it up and sucked some drinks down...and put my big girl panties on an delt with it. And speaking of big panties...here is the best part. I was so inspired and uplifted by all the BIG girls prancing around a public pool in little itty bitty bikinis... honestly - I felt very modest in my TANKINI that covered my belly while they were showing God and Everybody that they really loved their food and prolly a few bruskies....my favorite was the girl - at least 20 yrs. younger than me with several spawn jumping in the deep end - that had on a two piece bathing suit that a ten yr. old would have filled out. AND she had a belly like a guy that LOVED his beer and burgers every night or a Ten month pregnant woman. The only thing more shocking than that she was prancing around in this bathing suit was the fact that she was knocking back drinks all day like a sailor on a two hour leave with last call in five minutes.....soooo I'm just thinking asking her when the little one is due is prolly not a good question. About 6:00 Wonderman returns from golfing for the day and joins me for a drink by the pool...took him 29 seconds to zero in on our prancing boozing "pregnant" friend whose spawn by now are passed out in chairs from all the jumping and screaming they've been doing for the last five hours...he too thought she must be pregnant until he noticed she was out drinking everyone at the pool. And then I noticed all the men at the pool prancing around in their suits with their big ole bellies and I realizied...maybe she had the right idea. Rock on Sister! Life is short, summer is even shorter and why worry about the size of your belly. Now - I'll still prolly sport a tankini over a itty bitty two piece but...I think I'll raise a glass to all the big belly girls out there rockin a two piece with a smile. And as for pool time - nothing beats my own backyard where I can sun & read in peace and swim with my now blonde hair IN THE WATER cause we have a salt water pool and that folks does not turn beautiful blonde hair green. And not to brag but Wonderman and Baby Girl returned from their super fun filled day with a rockin hot cutie top for mom and a super cool shirt for Brother. Followed by a night out for Mom and Dad with friends at Sauce on the square in downtown McKinney....if ya don't live here just get here as fast as you can!! Heaven on Earth....or Another Day in Paradise. Oh and p.s. nothing yet from big famous author...she's prolly very busy with her fabulous life but don't you worry - you will be the first to know if she ever does read this blog....but only if she likes it. Why would I ever tell anyone if she told me to shut up?

Freakin OUT

2009-08-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

Okay - I know I said I was only going to blog after dinner/wine but after a really fun bigdinner/lots of wine last night I did something so exciting and crazy (my Wonderman is freaking right now - relax HONEY - I'm not sharing that part!! Let's just say last night was a lot of fun for a lot of people) that this morning I am about to jump out of my skin!!!There will prolly be lots of typos cause I am sooo excited and sweaty and my hands are shaking - jeeze I need to calm down. Back to the part of last night that I can share....I made two new best friends for life(love it when that happens - you can never have too many BFF's, books, shoes, lip gloss, etc. That is great idea for another blog!!! Sorry I am so nervous I am really going to ramble nonstop today) Anyway - I'm getting braver about begging people to read my blog and after they promised they would they told me about one of their fav blogs by one of my fav authors - Jen Lancaster...real name so you too can go buy all her hilarious books. And no you may not borrow mine and never give them back - go BUY them cause that is how she makes a living. So after bigfundinner/boatload of wine and after all that fun stuff I can't share I just couldn't go to sleep. I jes had to go read her blog for myself...and since I was awake and doing something fun I prolly had that one last glass to many after too many. At least I wasn't driving anywhere. Here's the good part - loved her blog and you will too (crap can't spell it so just google jen lancaster blog that is how I found it and I'd had a lot of dinner) so go read hers just don't go ditching mine to read hers cause she is already famous and I'm stilling dreaming about it. It must have been the wine talking cause the next thing I know is I EMAILED HER AND SUGGESTED SHE READ MY BLOG!!!! I know I know I know!!! OMG - this is like drunk dialing old boyfriends (relax again Wonderman I would NEVER and HAVE never done that) I am so freaking out with the possibility that she might that I don't even care if she doesn't. But God Forbid she did -please God let her chuckle just once....see this is HUGE cause she does not know me and could give a rat's ass about me or my blog. But if she did chuckle just once - that would make my day!! Just like when all ya'll that know and love me say nice things about my blog. But you sorta have to cause a) you know me b) it's the nice thing to do and ya'll are all so nice c) if there is any chance in hell that I do end up sitting with Opa one day then all ya'll want to go too.
So that is why I am about to stroke out today...that and it is Thursday which means another meeting of the Bored But Never Boring Housewives!!!! Oh and I almost forgot to tell you about the other most amazing thing that happened last night. First time in 21 yrs. of happily married bliss - relax Wonderman ...not that part!!! But it is about you - remember couple of blogs ago I mentioned the best pasta sauce ever...well the Mezzetta Napa Valley Creamy Marinara was so good that not only did my boys fight each other over who could lick the pan but my Mr.Man (that is what I call him when he is not being my Wonderman) who will not eat leftovers actually asked if I would make the same sphagetti (pasta - really have to get a dictionary) for dinner again. Cause trust me there weren't any leftovers just tongue tracks on all the plates...It is that good folks. Lucky for him I bought two bottles and I have more ground turkey - although I think if I chopped up some old shoes and poured this sauce on 'em it would taste so good he'd never know. So yes he gets it again tonight!! Right after I get home from my meeting...Hope to see ya there!

Lots of Good Stuff...

2009-08-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, yesterday I was feeling a little sad and blue. August can be like that for me. Birthday month is over. It is a real bitch coming off the sugar rush of "Yes, it IS my birthday and I'd love to see and eat ALL of the dessert menu!!!!" Summer is ending and school is starting. My First and ONLY BABY GIRL is going off.....to school. We are not talking about a school bus ride. We all KNOW how tramatic that was....BABY Girl is going AWAY. To. SCHOOL. Since this is supposed to be fun and funny. We will stop talking about that. And my BABY BOY is going to high school - nothing funny bout that neither. Just means Mama is old as dirt. Dad too. WHO is laughing now. So back to August and summer is over - which means we all have to get up early. ALL of us. ME. See my teenagers aren't the only ones in this house that like to sleep late...they come by it honest. I can sleep like crap all night but from about 6:30 on.....wow. I'm ready to rise and shine about the crack of 11:17. am. Not proud but that is the truth. This has been the strangest summer ever for me. Most days I am wide awake by 6:45 (actually it starts more aroung 3:15 and just goes from there). Finally about 6:45 I just give it up. My brain is going - I am coming up with the most amazing funny stuff ever for ya'll but my computer is in the other room. So this is what you get - much later....This a big secret cause all those dearest to me know - 1) I love to sleep 2) I hate to be woken up by the phone ringing 3) I love tennis but not before 9:00 and I prefer 10:00. 4) I love to sleep - so I have been secretly enjoying the early morning hours - just piddling. That means doing only that which pleases me. Coffee, paper, computer (ya'll), watering the flowers...just quiet happy time stuff. Sorry forgot this was supposed to be funny and entertaining for you. So back to the good stuff....I have lots of favorite stuff to share - I promised face stuff so here ya go. In case you didn't know I've done my time selling and using some of the most wonderful and expensive facial products you can buy. Nothing wrong with them....loved them all. They worked. I'm just cheap. Rephrase. I have found everything I need for less money and excellent results. If you have lots of extra money and you only want to go spend it on fancy products go right ahead. They are fabulous. So are mine. First of all - you have to clean your face every night. No excuses ever. EVER. Don't do it. BIG ZIT. Very simple. All you need is Pond's Deep Cleanser & Make Up Remover. Rub it in wash it off. Go to sleep. And never ever discuss or even THINK about the big zit you saw on someone else's face. It is no joke. You will wake up the next day with the biggest honkin EVER monster zit known to man/woman/teenager ever. My kids come to me with the " Mama, I have this big ...blah blah blah on my blahh blahh blaahh blah and I am running screaming from the room!You do not want to see it or talk about it ever...just tell 'em wash it and use ProActiv ( another very good product and worth every single penny...just order it and show them how to use it and steal their Refining Mask when needed) Every other night after Pond's use Alpha Hydrox 10% Glycolic AHA Anti - Wrinkle - I've had several pre cancerous spots frozen off and this helps keep all that under control. On the other nights I use Olay Regenerist micro sculpting cream...read the ads and use it. Why pay more? Daytime - in the shower St Ives Apricot scrub every other day. And most important - Sunscreen every day.... I really like Olay Pro X age repair spf 30 followed with Colore science sunforgettable spf 30 powder. I know that doesn't equal spf 60 but it doesnt hurt. I do live in Texas and I play a lot of tennis and my face is not tan. For that I use a blend of Bare Escentuals bareminerals Faux tan and mineral veil - just mix a little of both together and wha la...perfect skin color. You can too - do the math. If you neck and body is fair more mineral veil...if you have a nice tan more faux tan. Opa's dr. said by the way... tan is not necessarily bad. Burn is. So use your sunscreen and don't burn. Nut brown is not good but a little color is prolly okay. Just see your dermatologist for yearly skin/mole checks - I go every six months. And use your sunscreen. And for your body try Eucerin Everyday Protection Body Lotion spf 15....skin cancer is not a joke. But laughing is good so let's get back to some of that...Onwards...stuff I love and You might too!!! Okay, I know I went on and on about food yesterday but one more thing. I promise this is the big one...Mezzetta Napa Valley Bistro. Any sauce. Doesn't matter buy them all. We have tried them all and there is not a single one we wouldn't sell one kidney for...Puttanesca, Nonna's Secret Sauce (only EVER found at Walmart), Creamy Marinara ( big first time hit tonight!!), Arribatta, Basil, etc. - seriously the only thing you have to worry about is A)does your grocery store have it and B) can you get the top off. If they don't - tell the store manager (they live for this) and keep one of those little rubber circles handy to get the top off. email me if ya don't know what I'm talking about. And if you ever find their Vodka Penne Sauce - buy it and send it to ME. I'll owe you big time - I'll FLY you to Opa....Almost forgot...most of my fav skin care stuff you can find at Walmart - best price in town...I KNOW...I have been a big TARGET/TARJAAAY fan and still am. But sorry times are tight. Money matters and my money is going were the best deal is. So hit Walmart first. The Alpha Hydrox stuff is at Ulta and don't go without your Sunday coupon. Sorry but 3.50 off is 3.50 off. Colore Science is sold in Dermatologists offices so google it. Now ya'll know why my skin looks so good and I can afford those amazing shoes!!! Some things you can "skimp" on and some things are just not up for discussion...and if you are lucky enough to live in McKinney, Tx go to Serenity Nails by Market Street ( which has a great 20 % off on all services at Serentiy Nails right on the back of your receipt) and ask for Andy....best foot and hand massage ever - EVER -I mean ever LADIES.And that is not up for discussion - unless you come to Thursday nights meeting of the Bored but NEVER Boring Housewives...and that is how I'll know who has done their homework!!! Wha la!!! Keep reading and for all our sakes - we want to go to Opa's!! - sign up as a freakin follower!!!Top of the page just click on it! Love ya'll!

Back to Basics

2009-08-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

Been awhile...been on vacation and for the last two days I've been trying to lie low and recover from vacation. Need a staycation to follow vacation....So I stayed at home today and watched Mad Men while doing the laundry. Kind of torn about that show...the men were pigs - good looking and great suits but OMG - PIGS. As for the women - the only good thing about being them is that there isn't a skinny one in the bunch...curves were in and muscle tone not important. Of course, they had on industrial strength bras, girdles, hose and slips so that would be a buzz kill. Guess that is what made all their fat look like curves...and the drinking!!! These people drank hard stuff nonstop! AT WORK and then on their two hour martini lunches and the very minute they walked in the door at home or the home of whoever they were cheatin with. I was so disturbed by watching all the alcohol consumption today that I decided not to have my own glass of wine/dinner tonight. So I had a diet coke, a fresca (almost put that in a wine glass but didn't feel like washin an extra glass), and now I'm working on a razberry green tea. I also had my new favorite food - carrot fries. Yum and no I'm not crazy they are good and good for you. Turn oven on to 400 peel several large carrots and slice them to look like fries - I know there is a fancy word for that but I'm tired and a little cranky and not so funny without my wine/dinner. So work with me here and just slice the damn carrots. "Julianne" them. Then coat them really good with olive oil (good for you) and sprinkle heavily with salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon pepper, italian seasoning, and make a single layer on a foil covered cooking sheet. I prefer a jelly roll pan cause the little sides keep them on the pan better. Put them in hot oven close to the top - I like them really close and almost charred black. 25 minutes but watch them unless you like them black. Then roll them on paper towels - even though it's good for you, you don't need all that extra oil. Wha la...carrot fries. I was feeling so skinny after this good for me dinner and watching all those really curvy women all day on Mad Men that I decided to treat myself to a big bowl of popcorn my way. I prefer to call it Italian Popcorn. My kids call it Stinky Popcorn and run screaming from the room when I make it....fine with me. More for me. Hate other hands in my popcorn anyway. Just pop your fav brand and dump in a big bowl and cover with parmesean cheese and for this I prefer the green can stuff. No need to go all fancy and use the snobby good kind. This is popcorn people. Kraft green can sticks better. Then add salt, garlic powder and italian seasoning. I like the kind that you use with oil for dipping. Stir it all up and enjoy! Now I like popcorn all to myself and peace and quiet during my shows but you prolly should floss and brush really good afterwards. Now you'd think I'd be full by now but NOOOOO. Now I need/want/have to have something sweet. Like candy bar brownies!! Good thing I made those last night. Good friend gave me this recipe and since she is a follower of my blog I know she will be honored that I am sharing her recipe with you too. Take your fav brownie mix - any box kind will do just change the amount of oil to ONLY 3 tbsps. Same everything else on the directions. Then pour batter into your pan. Cover top of batter with one can sweetened condensed milk. Then chop up several of your favorite candy bars and spread over the top. Follow baking time on your box. I've made them with almond joys and added extra coconut, snickers, butterfingers, and kitkats. All delicious. No complaints from anyone. So just chop up your fav candy bar and wha la - Candy Bar Brownies.
Okay, now to be honest with you I'd prolly feel better if I took a minute to go stick my finger down my throat. Just kidding...I prolly gained 5 lbs. by starting out healthy with those yummy carrot fries. Should have just had my glass of wine/dinner. Might have to go on my Girly Girl liquid diet. AGAIN. Did I mention the out of this world Dairy Queen marshmellow milkshakes we fell in love with on our vacation??? Just what I needed - another way to eat marshmellows!!
Next blog I promise not to yak on and on about food. Since I am the ripe old age of almost not even freakin forty something...I'll share my fav skin care products.

A Work in Progress

2009-07-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday morning house is quiet and I'm enjoying a nice hot cup of breakfast while I try to figure out the basics of this whole blog format stuff. I've been playing with font size and colors the last couple of days. It seems that with another birthday I am beginning to notice that small print has gotten smaller and harder to read. And while purple on black is favorite color combo of mine lots of little pretty purple words were starting to get blurry as I rambled on....so now they are white and I think easier to read. And I love that whole zebra - black/white look as well. Good news is my sweet baby girl is coming home tonight and she is a computer wiz and she is going to help me make some cosmetic changes to my blog. Most important I am hoping she will help me fix the follower prob too...I know for a fact that I have a HUGE following of at least 8 BFF's and every single one of them has said "You are so funny!! Keep blogging!!! And yes, take me to see Oprah when she calls you". But not a single one of them or me can get them on my follower list. Now if I were the only one having a prob doing this I'd say well, its prolly the wine or I am just truly STUPID....but all of us???We can't all be Stupid....notice I didn't say we all couldn't be drinking wine...these are my BFF's afterall and I know my girls. They are not stupid but they do love their wine and they are all on my Girly Girl Liquid Diet too now....we are all gonna be so cute and skinny together in rehab with all the celebs. Forget going to LA on the hopes of seeing a celeb up close live and personal - jes drink up and head to rehab. Does insurance cover that?

Someone smarter than me also suggested that I break my ramblings up into more of a paragraph style so I am going to try that too. And this a good time to explain exactly what my writing style is and that most of the grammatical and spelling errors are done ON PURPOSE. (I have spellcheck people so when a word looks funny and I am not trying to be funny I either correct it with spellcheck or I use another word. That explains why this is prolly written on a third grade level...) I am sure by now you have figured out I just ramble on and on which means all my sentences tend to ramble on and on all together. My apologies to all my English teachers - you did your best and this is not your fault. I do it on purpose to make me happy and trick my readers into thinking "Oh, she's not an idiot - she's just funny and doing it on PURPOSE to be funnier." So there, all you smarty pants...until I sign a book/movie deal and some important person in charge of me is saying I have to stop and fix all that or they will not be giving me that big ole fat paycheck I am going to save my sanity and not worry about where the periods and commas really should go. You are smart enough to know that. So it is a win/win and everybody's happy. And hopefully laughing. If not maybe you need to read this blog with a glass of wine/dinner. I personally think I am WAAAY funnier around dinner time. Right now is breakfast and I'm a little worried that I'm not as funny now on caffiene/coffee - see the word caffiene looks "funny" to me and I do have spellcheck but I jes realized I don't know how to make it work and I don't know another word for it so I feel the need to explain. Time to have a dictionary handy. Now if this were dinner time/five o'clock somewhere I would not be so worried about any of this. So I think in the future I will only blog after dinner/glass of wine. You should prolly only read this after your dinner/glass of wine too.

Anyhoo...please keep reading and coming back and I'll keep trying to make it funnier and better and a good time will be had by all. And yes, I'll yak about more of my favorite things that you need to run out and buy. Just remember - Opa gives and I just share the info folks. So if you want to go to Opa with me one day keep reading my blog so that when she calls and says "Oh My Her!!! You are soooo funny and I just can't wait to meet you and all your followers/BFFS - I'm going to fly all of you to my show!!!You too will be on my list and off to see Opa!!!

Don't Worry....

2009-07-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

Did I really write/say this out loud....where is this coming from and what am I going to say next? Everyone says "Oh, you're funny you should write a book - love your emails!" But, how do you do that and not write about something or someone you shouldn't??? Kind of like the morning after a REALLY fun night when you think to yourself - "OH, Her(name change) what did I do or say last night?" Not that THAT has ever happened to me. But, see my kids could/prolly will read this so you see the problem with writing about what and who you know. So here is the plan. Not only will I change the names - hopefully, by now you've caught on to that! But, I will also change some of the details of all the events. So in fact, this is all just made up stuff/shit and it is just meant to be funny. So, yes, I did not want to be fat on my birthday. That is a rule of mine which usually involves freakin out about my weight and not my age the week before the BIG day. See this keeps me from focusing on the fact that I am getting effin old but hopefully not effin FAT. Focus on fat not age. Whatever, it seems to work for me. I can be fat after my birthday and that freaks me out about being fat but not old. After a few weeks I forget that I am getting old and I just keep shopping in the Jr.'s dept. and that takes care of that. Cause it still fits. Thank god for fat teens. Makes all us old hags think we are young just cause we can still wear clothes from the Jr. Dept. No, seriously, the real reason I like to shop there is cause it COSTS a lot less than the same style clothes in my department. WHAT THE HELL is up with that??? Honestly, next time you are at the mall just check this out. Shop/look at stuff in the part of the store for hip/cool moms. Then walk over to the Jr. section for the hip/cool teens. Same stuff. Top for teens $26.00 - top for women $128.00. SAME THING. And 6months from now no one is going to be wearing it anyway so why pay the difference. I know I am 48 yrs. old and not 17. AND I'm not stupid. Why pay more for the same thing as long as it fits and my whoha is not hangin out. If some body part that should not be showin is showing then that is an entirely different situation. One you are old enough to know better so don't buy or wear it. And if you are embarrassed to shop in the teen stores or departments just tell that cute little 98lb. 17 yr. old behind the counter that you sure hope your daughter will like it and sure hope it fits her. Whatever you do - DO NOT try it on in the store....They will prolly laugh at you. Take it home to try on. If it doesn't fit - take it back and tell them your daughter has an eating disorder and she's having a fat week. So - all that is true...as for the parts that aren't you decide. I'm just letting you and Opa (name change) know now that some of these stories are stretched jes a bit to make it funner to write and hopefully funner to read. Yes, I KNOW how to spell funner....on purpose people!Funny stuff. It worked for Forrest. GUMP keep up. So, this may or may not be actual events, names, places, etc. WE all know what happened to James Fey and his book on Opa...she was TICKED. I personally, loved that book and his sequel which no one read or bought (My Friend Leonard) prolly cause OPA was ticked at HIM - big time. So Opa, this blog is all about being funny. This stuff did not happen. I do eat food everyday. And worry about being fat and old and not funny. And all the sober kids in ........joke people.

Birthday Addict Help Line

2009-07-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

I know I know I know! Birthday has come and gone and birthweek is almost over as well but thank goodness it is still BIRTHMONTH!!! Now you are all probably thinking "Oh, that poor girl...see I still think I am a GIRL not a freakinalmostfiftyyearoldhag(it is really hard to leave out the space between that many words cause you just naturally want to type one in there. Except when you want a space then you runthemall together without meaning to...) Focus! That poor GIRL prolly blew her GG Diet and woke up fat on her birthday and was all bloated, cranky and in a good pout. That's why she hasn't blogged all week.That is so sad for her." WRONG - My GG Liquid Diet worked and I woke up looking fab - and then I stood up and again not so bad but I just had to go an ruin it by sitting down. I swear to Her(name change plus it ticks some people off to use Her name in vain - even though I don't mean it that way) my scale is not broken anymore and it is so sorry it will never be broke again. So how come now the scale is back on track, lying down and standing up looks okay WHAT THE HELL happens when I sit???Don't be acting all like you don't know what I'm talking about either. (Unless you are under 45 or weigh 118LBS.) And if you're an embryo just wait...one day you to will discover an unwanted and unexplained personal inner tube under the skin of your body right around your middle. I would not joke about this people. I am personally a little shocked that I am even sharing this. I go to a lot of trouble to remain standing - which can be hard to do cause I am fond of high heeled shoes and it is hard work sometimes on the old feets - and dressing to disguise this certain area. Good thing NO ONE knows who I am cause I just know you'll be staring at my middle tube wondering WTH is THAT!! All it's missing is a cute little duck head and I'm ready for a pool party/hell on earth. Who's idea of fun is that???Some skinny bitch in a bikini that's who...RSVP no to that invite. But all in all I woke up another day older - fine YEAR older - and not that I would be braggin things weren't totally hopeless. So the REAL reason I haven't blogged all week is cause I've been so busy being the Birthday DIVA and celebrating non stop with all my fabulous family and friends that I am exhausted!!! This is fabulous but very hard work and it is not over yet neither!! WHA HOO...more to come next week!!! I think in all my spare time I am going to write THE BIRTHDAY DIVA'S GUIDE TO A FABULOUS BIRTHMONTH. See DIVAS like all caps all the time cause it doesn't have to be their birthday for it to be ALL about them. And one day is just not enough. Too many friends and not enough time so we just work it all in and if some friend keeps begging to throw one more party lunch or dinner the next month for you that is allowed too. Just smile graciously and say "If that would make you happy"...see it's a trick. It is really cause you love parties all about you. Make them think it is to make them happy. So go eat some more birthday cake for all the people that don't have nonstop birthday/week/month parties and tons of fabulous friends. Oh and run get on Facebook and don't be afraid to let it out there that it's your birthday...you will feel like a rockstar on your day. Keep the number a secret if that makes you feel younger but just feel the love in all the birthday greetings....gotta go help Wonderman buy my birthday present...yes, Girls just put the poor men out of their misery and TELL him exactly what you want, what color you want and where he can go to get it. I find just telling him to stay on the golf course a little longer and I'll just go get it works really well too. He's so happy to hear"Go Golf" his eyes and ears glaze over and he forgets to ask the two most hated words EVER.."How Much?" I just love that man!!!! Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me...

Monday noon

2009-07-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Whew - what a weekend! I've discovered the perfect way to eazze back into the real world on Monday. Stay in bed until at least NOON...didn't quite make that but I'm still in pj's so that helps. Dog is up but kids still down so not too bad so far. I have never understood why some Parents freak and make such a big deal when their teenagers want to sleep late. Really?? I say let 'em sleep all day. That's just a little more me time without someone demanding a - let's make a list shall we?
1. ride somewhere - usually involves you taking and picking up.
2. non stop food service - as in I'm hungry feed me something else - again and again and...
3. money for them to go somewhere/do something - give it to them so they will go away
4. help finding something that they left laying around - that you picked up and put away...
5. hogging the tv that all my shows are taped on - they don't demand that they just beat me to it.
6. You get the idea...how does Letterman come up with 10 every night??? I know I left something out but you get the idea. Let them SLEEP people!!!

Diet report ALERT - It is working and all looks good for the big one tomorrow - not only did I follow the plan with as little food intake as possible I had an excellent chance to dance my fanny off Sat. night thanks to the amazing performance of MR. KEITH URBAN and friends!! Best concert ever...had to eat a little to have the energy to dance my boots off. My apologies to all those folks sitting in the box -really appreciate the tickets and food/booze spread - but I guess I'm really a floor ticket kind of girl...and remember we all look better in tight jeans standing up!!! It was dark too and I just kept dancing and jumping around (like all the cool kids) so no one touched me around the waist....that Wonderful Man I married (let's just call him Wonderman) assured me I did not look STUPID and that he was enjoying the show -(me shakin all God gave me) and Keith and the boys too. Smart man. I didn't marry no dummy. Do not try to stop or control me - wait if he is Wonderman can I be Wonderwoman? No, we have one already and I hate that costume...Wonderwife -not feeling that either sounds like I should be really into housework...never mind I'll think of something else. Focus. Do not try to stop or control me when I am having FUN. Just sit back and enjoy or get up and join in. A great time was had by all. And those really nice people behind me said "No, really we can see just fine" so I do mean all.
And then to top it all off we had even more dancing and fun at church on Sunday...we have a really fun church where everyone is encouraged to dance, sing, clap and praise Jesus the whole time. More on that another time. This week we had the best church band ever - Royal Tailor - that is the name of the band & a dry cleaning place apparently. They were great and we danced and sang along the entire time. Not used to needing a shower after church but I did. And honestly, we were raised in a quiet church but we are loving this fun church and are starting to loosen up a little and really get into it. This church is awesome and the kids love it. Nuff said. Check out the bands site Royaltailoronline.com and go buy their cd - I'd give ya one but remember I'm not Opa(names have been changed so I don't piss her off and blow my chance to sit with her when I'm rich and famous).
Crap kids are up and starving -cause they slept thru breakfast & midmorning meal and almost lunch so I need to go feed them and let the dog out again. Dang and I was on a roll too.....

Girly Girl Diet part 2

2009-07-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

Well I am happy to report so far so good. One day on the GGDiet and I am down a pound. Not bad. A pound a day sounds good to me. However, I think I need to tweek it jes a bit...I did great with breakfast and lunch and before I knew it was 5:00(dinner time). And I really wasn't hungry yet. May have been due to the heatstroke from walking 4 freakin miles at 12:00 in the triple digit heat....and no thank you my car is running just fine - I was walking on purpose to help sweat out all the extra "water" weight I've gained from eating sunflower seeds. Now I still think my scale is broken but that extra 7 lbs. might have come from all the salty sunflower seeds I've been enjoying lately. A lot. So I did not touch a single one yesterday. I also did not have a single roasted/gassed marshmellow sandwich cookie either thank you very much. If you do not know what I am talking about - stop, scroll down to the first blog entry and start at the beginning like a sane normal person would. Then you will be up to speed. Back to me. One pound down so that is not the problem. That happened around dinner time ...which believe it or not got delayed until after 6:00ish (kinda like real dinner when I cook food around 8:00ish) and I was only a few bites/sips into my first helping/glass when I noticed my hands and arms were feeling kinda shakey. Now normally this happens much later so naturally I was a little concerned - what with the early heatstroke an all this did not seem like a good sign. Also don't forget GG Liquid Diet means no food and I had not had a single solid anything all day. This is also about the time I realized my head was also starting to pound and not in a good way. Enough that my dinner did not look so good anymore and that is when I knew it was something serious. Now I think it was dinner - My favorite chardonnay by the way Fat Bastard. Seriously, can't help it I didn't name it but I just love it!! - on top of lunch and breakfast all sloshing around in there without anything to hold it all together, like bread!! Or any kind of carbs. So I carefully made a spot in my freezer for my glass of dinner which was getting lukewarm while I was all shakey and not sipping. This happens alot in Texas with the triple digits all day and yes, even in the evenings. Do not be tempted to put ice into your drink in public...very tacky. You know who you are and yes, I still love you. Just poor a little less each time and keep the bottle in the coldest part of the fridge. Drink up and get UP and go pour a little more. See diet and exercise all in one. Sorry back to dinner last night...well feeling too sick to enjoy dinner was really bumming me out so I took some Sudephed sinus stuff -Love it/Live on it- just to be safe and decided one little piece of low fat Sargento string cheese prolly wouldn't be a bad idea. And I didn't even have the crackers I love to go with it - yet. I was still all into the diet self control mode. By now dinner was nice and chilled and I felt much better. I some how managed to clean my plate/finish the glass cause we all know there are starving children in the world/sober kids somewhere I hope. Let's all just try to do our part and this whole world will be a better place. Even I know world peace is probably pushing it. Back to me. Time to tweek the Girly Girl's Liquid Diet...

Breakfast - keep it the same coffee & hot green tea - add one grapefruit. Rumor has it grapefruit is good for your metabolism and it is almost a liquid anyway.

Lunch - same - Crystal light lemonade and green tea mixed - no food yet fatty!!!

Dinner - Okay, on time eat one piece of that string cheese above but be careful with the
cracker part. Like Lay's it's hard to eat just one...the cheese should help with the shakes. Better yet don't do the walking in the heat part and that will probably take care of the headache and shakes. Eat the damn cheese anyway. And don't forget to clean your plate/drink your wine. It's all about the children. Just do it. For them. And the world.

Wish me luck on day two.

Birthday Alert

2009-07-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I started this as a chance to share all my favorite stuff so you to could go buy some - remember Oprah gives it away and I just tell you so you to can go BUY it...I know it sucks. Well, it's harder than it looks people to keep coming up with stuff all the time that I love. Sooner or later you will get really bored reading about my favorite lipgloss - Cover Girl Wet Shine (Crush is the color) not the mint tasting stuff either. Tastes good but colors need some sparklies in it. Sorry, see probably lost a reader right there....So I'm just gonna yak on and on about whatever cause all my friends keep telling me my emails are HILARIOUS. See this is what happens when you encourage people...they fall for it and actually think you're telling them the truth. Believe it or not I've just started this an someone (my very first follower) read it. Thank god they didn't say anything mean like "SHUT UP!" That would suck and probably hurt more than I'd ever admit. Can they even do that if they think I'm stupid and boring? Will worry about that one later. Today I have something bigger and HUGE to worry about. Huge is Paris Tilton's (names have been changed to protect the innocent...never mind Paris Hilton) new word for hot. Wait that means I misused that word because I want it too mean really big. Wait - it does!! ANd I'm not even drinkin folks...this is all natural! It IS only 4:00 afterall. Back to the problem. I have five days before I turn not 30 anymore(again). My only rule and way of dealing with getting closer to not even 35(again) is to be reasonably happy with my weight on the day I turn another year not even in the 30's and OMG almost not even in my freakin 40's. You see where this is going????Some how some way for some UNKNOWN reason the scales are broke and keep saying I'm about 5 lbs...okay, 7lbs. over the number that is reasonable. I'm not kidding. Now I can still wear my daughter's jeans but it just involves some suckin in and makin sure NO ONE touches me anywhere near my waist. And sitting down isn't such a good look either. Standing up with one of my super cute (i.e. too young) tops on and some kicking high heels -well, girlfriend is workin it...lowlighting helps too. Whatev...Again people the key word today is "reasonable". Still with the big one coming up in 5 days I am a little desperate...do not want to be all cranky and a party pooper at my own party. Sooo. ...I am now officially on my liquid diet for the next few days...now we all love Oprah and not just cause she gives stuff away - but because she too has had this very same problem a time or two(wink wink - we love her). Now her liquid diet worked we will give her that cause we all saw her skinny little self pulling the wagon of yucky old stuff to celebrate. See the problem with liquid diets is you just can't keep that up forever. But wait!!! I have one you can and so far it is working....I now it is only a little past 4:00 but this is one we can do!!!
The Girly Girls Liquid Diet (think Skinny Girl Margarita)
For breakfast -one pot of coffee and hot green tea
For lunch - more green tea mixed with Crystal Light Lemonade -really helps the cold green tea taste better, trust me..
For dinner - any white or red wine will do...whatever is your favorite. We could be here all day if I start listing favorite wines...just remember and this is the most important part of the diet. If you have made it this far without eating any food...keep drinkin until you forget you are hungry.

I know brillant right?? Why hasn't anyone written this diet book yet...crap...wait I call copyrights!!! I just wrote it so don't go rippping me off and copying my idea!!! Just go buy your lemonade and wine and watch the pounds disappear...five days and counting and it is almost "dinner"time...will keep you posted.

fireworks, tennis, marshmellows

2009-07-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

Another 4th has come and gone...nothing beats fireworks from your own backyard - or a close neighbor's - lots of friends, cold beer, good wine & food. Our new favorite summer treat - an old faithful made a new way....s'mores! The night we ran out of wood was a good thing cause my brilliant 14yr. old decided to try "roasting" them inside on the gas stove. Duh, hello?? Quick, easy and safe as long as you remember to turn it off. And no bugs!!! We are finally using the heck out of those fondue forks...perfect for gassing a marshmellow!! And even better than graham crackers - try the Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer cookies - OMG!!!Slap a charred marshmellow between two and just wait. Delicious. Be right back...with sticky fingers.

Okay, I'm also suffering from Wimbleton Withdrawals...nonstop tennis for two weeks - What a way to end it!!! Love my Roger and ANDY either way a win for all tennis fans. Time to get off my fanny and go put all I've learned watching the pros to use playing my frenemies...

And finally...one of my very favorite things - shopping online. All the stuff you need but sometimes just don't want to hand over at the check out counter to the cute young boy like the best thongs & bras ever - Target!!! - Or any embarrassing personal products -Beauty.com - and I'm not talking about anything "NASTY"...although I think you can get those there too. Not that I have. But could.

What is the good stuff???

2009-07-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

My favorite things. Who am I? Well, the good news is I'm not Oprah. Not that I don't LOVE OPRAH...she is awesome and she gives away a lot of great shit. Bad news is YOU can't afford it. AND you are not on OPRAH. So you do not pass go and collect lots of great stuff. NO SHIT. Now for some good news. Okay, slightly better news....my favorite things you can afford. Because for them to be my favorite things - I HAVE them and no one GAVE them to me (yet anyway... that will come a little later). And I too like OPRAH like to share - I just can't give them to you. But, I can tell you about them and if you like - you too can go buy them somewhere. And hopefully that will lead to more people buying them and then some body that makes them will get to keep their job and so on.... Important news - not good or bad - there is no random order in what I like or why I decide to share my favorite things...so some days you may likey and some days you may not. Too bad. I will try to make you happy but if not TOO bad. Here is what I like - things I can afford without making my husband too crazy (what he doesn't know won't hurt him, dang he just came home and read that. May have to do some damage control - don't ask) That was close but I am back and ready to go....good stuff??? Where to start? Who am I??? Female - almost 48 years younger...born blonde (key word born)...former teacher now stay home mom/driver/home CEO/BOSS. Won't get me very far on a future job resume but that is not my problem today. Here are a few things I love today:

Latisse - yes!! It does work...my eyelashes and eyebrows are longer, thicker and even darker. Not sure which one makes me happier but yes! It works. Now, how am I using it? With my own eyeliner brush and I only squeeze ONE drop into the top of the itty bitty bottle that COSTS $100.00. My bottle has lasted over 4 months...again - my brush and ONE drop will do both eyes and eyebrows. I KNOW!! How cool is that. Very cost effective my way. Side effects for me - ZERO. And yes, people have noticed and asked me if I finally learned to apply false eyelashes. Answer is no.

Food stuff - run to Sam's and buy the Tuscany Brushetta ...sold in a big jar with all the pasta and cheese. Amazing stuff - eat it with a spoon (that good) or over pasta, on sliced bread or my very favorite way on top of pizza on the grill. How do I do Pizza on the grill??? You will never call Papa Johns again...sorry Papa. But if I do that is who I call. If I have my favorite pizza in the freezer here is what I do. Any thin crust pizza will work. I prefer either California Pizza or Primo's (Cost Co has this at a great price)...turn your gas grill on high. Get it as hot as it will go. Rub olive oil on the bottom of your frozen pizza and season will a little extra garlic powder. ( I do). Then put it on the grill close the grill and turn it OFF, and leave it closed for 10 minutes. Just set the timer and don't mess around with it. And don't forget to turn the grill off. Pizza will be delicious. If you are using a white or margarita pizza top with the Tuscany Brushetta sauce. YUM. Any bottle of wine of your choice will work.

Books - I told you this would be random stuff. I like books that make me laugh, crying is okay as long as I'm not too depressed. I have lots of self confidence so self help books bore the crap out of me...as do most that try to enlighten me. Scary is okay as long as I can sleep and not freak myself out...but mostly I just want to enjoy and be happy. So my favorite books are:

City of Thieves - David Benioff - Big thanks to Mr. Benioff for sharing this amazing story and Borders for telling me I just couldn't leave their store that day without buying it.

All Janet Evanovich - Stephanie Plum novels and I am on number 15 right now...hurry up with the next one!!! And Whatever happened to the Movie????

Loving all things Vampire...started with the Twilight series...and Moonlight the tv show that some Idiot cancelled. Read all Charlaine Harris Sooky Stackhouse series which led to True Blood on showtime. Love them. For those that like it even darker and with way more sex try Laurell K Hamilton's series with Anita Blake...hot hot hot...nuff said.

Pat Conroy's Prince of Tides is still my all time favorite book ever...hated the movie. Can't wait for his newest book to come out this fall.

Harlan Coben's Myron Boloitar series is great and so are all his stand alone books. But dig up his original series.

TV - just go buy any system that allows you to record what you want to watch when you want to watch. We will discuss programs later....No live tv....slow and boring.

Time to log off - getting sleepy and sloppy....hope you come back!