Before and After - Part Deux

So, a well-known secret of women is that we color our hair. So it's not gray. But, shhhhhhh, it's a secret! The key is to keep it as natural as possible in order for only other women to know that we're coloring it.

So, you know the comedian (and I use that term loosely) Carrot Top? That was the "natural" look I had going yesterday. When my hair guy told me he was going to make it "pop" a little more, I think it's safe to say that we were on 2 different pages (perhaps even books!)!!!

So, today I lost a little of the orange-red, and went more for the darker brown-red.

I think I'm back in the safe zone.

Things that make me happy today

• Wireless internet
• Multi-tasking - blogging, checking Facebook, watching Iron Man, and eating simultaneously
• Friends that work together at a church potluck to find out who made what (so we don't eat gross things!)
• My pasta salad
• Pumpkin muffins
• My family
• Not having church tonight (that sounds awful... I love going to church - it's just nice to have a break tonight!)
• A 2.5 day work week this week!
• I have already bought all my ingredients for Thanksgiving... no fighting grocery store crowds!

Dazzling and Crowded

Let me start by saying that I've NEVER gone to a movie on opening day... never! But last Friday, I did. For Twilight. I've read all 4 books (as well as part of her unpublished manuscript that the author has on her website). The series was technically written for teenagers, but a lot of my friends have read it as well. So, a group of 11 of us went to the 4:00 p.m. movie on opening day (there was supposed to be 12 of us, but one of my friend's sisters - another friend - had a baby during the movie, so she missed it! FAR bigger deal than a movie, even THIS movie!).

Here's Kristin, Lindy and Gilly. Notice all the Twilight shirts. Kristin's says: "I'm not easily distracted. I... Hey is that guy SPARKLING?"

As crowded as our theater was, this was what we saw when we came out of the theater. These were people waiting in line (?) for the 7:00 and 7:30 shows. I talked with another adult who was at the 7:30 show, and she said that teenage girls were screaming during the movie. Now THAT would be annoying!

Now, don't get me wrong. I liked the movie. But I was REALLY excited to go out to dinner with the girls afterwards! Here's Kristin and I at the restaurant (no, I'm NOT wearing a Twilight shirt!!! And yes, my nose was bright red... I've been SICK, people!).

Here's Sonia and Christy. Funny story: I saw Sonia walk in, and recognized her from church camp when I was a teenager. Then she sat down with our group. We were both confused as to why the other was there! (She works at the school that a lot of my friends teach at or their kids go to.) It was a lot of fun catching up with her!

Amy and Kelly

Here's the whole group of us at the restaurant.

All in all, it was a great Girls Night out!

Get your feet out of my nose!

As I sit here blowing my nose nonstop, I am reminded of Sis's funny term for Kleenex when she was little.

Apparently, a pre-school teacher or someone called them tissues (instead of kleenex, which is what I always called them).

She got mixed up, though, and would ask for "tennis shoes" to blow her nose.

It made me chuckle every time.

Face it

So, let's say you're a 7-year-old boy, just sitting around on a Friday afternoon watching "Drake and Josh"

Hanging with your sister...

Let's say you've seen this episode before, you're getting antsy, but you don't want to stop watching it. You get an idea...

Maybe you could watch it a while on your head.

But that's been done before. You do THAT all the time. It's time to come up with something new...

Let's call it a face stand!


It's important to get a running start

Then you need to make sure your face is planted firmly as you raise your legs

Then, and ONLY then, should you focus on straightening your legs

And always, always keep your face buried.

p.s. Yes, he is missing his jeans... it's a regular Friday evening at our house!

Thankful Thursday

You thought I forgot, didn't you??? Well, I did!!! This is the problem with setting up any sort of patterned behavior... I'm ALWAYS going to break the pattern!

So, here are three things I'm thankful for:

1. I'm thankful there is no such thing as Blog Police... they might be offended that I keep posting Thankful Thursdays on Fridays.

2. I'm thankful that Bub's Royal Rangers outdoor activity tonight was canceled. Not sure if my sneezy, coughing family could have handled the wet, cold outdoors all night!

3. I'm thankful for antibiotics. Z-packs, to be specific.

What are you thankful for??

Interview

So, Don was nice enough to let me interview him for the Young Families blog. You can read it here. Please try not to be jealous of my stellar interviewing skills.

A new look

So, as you may remember, my office was flooded while we were in Florida. So, since that time, I've gone basically without a floor. I mean, I have had a sub-floor kind of thing, but it's not a real floor. I had carpet that was gross to start with, then after the flood, they pulled it up. So, it's been a bright yellow sub-floor with writing all over it that I've lived with since them.

So, today I got a new floor.

It's an industrial-looking, brown, construction-grade tile, but it's still a new floor. And I got new baseboard.

It's amazing how different my office looks and feels now. It makes me notice that I need to water my plants.

It feels more professional.

So much more so that maybe I'll step it up and wear makeup to work tomorrow.

Probably not...

Fancy This!!!

So, have you ever been to a Fancy Nancy party? Better yet, do you know who Fancy Nancy is??? Well, yesterday we went to a VERY Fancy Nancy party for my 4-year-old niece! I mean, look at the HOT DOGS!!! Have you ever seen such fancy ones???

I'm sure my sister will post more about the Fancy party, but here are some pictures to start with. Here are Cara and I being VERY fancy... and notice how fancy my dad is in the background!!!

Here's my Grandpa and Little Buddy. Aren't they cute (and fancy)???

Here's my mom and Little Sissy... also glamorous and very fancy!

Here's my very handsome, although maybe not so fancy, hubby.

And the gorgeous, fanciful, FANCY birthday girl... Big Sissy.

And Fancy Sis, cheesing it up!

And Fancy Bub... doesn't he look a little like a mad scientist here??? The only way I got him to get all dressed up was by agreeing to make his hair all crazy!

Here's my fancy look!

Here's Bub and his cousin, S.

Sis... she looks so grown up!!!

Rock on, Little Buddy!

Here's all my siblings, my parents, my kids, my nieces, and nephew... all so very fancy!! But let's take a closer look at the 2 siblings on the left in the back. That's my brother and me... he put up a challenge to see who could be the fanciest... I'm pretty sure I STOMPED him!!!

Thankful Thursday -- one day late

So, I've had an awful week this week. There was an awful, awful tragedy that happened at my workplace. Having to deal with things is a not-so-great part of my job. And it's not over.

In spite of this, or maybe even more so BECAUSE of this, I want to focus on things I'm thankful for.

1. I am thankful for both of these Bible verses. They have both been in my head and heart this week when I didn't know what to do, what to say, how to feel...

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave
you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy
31:8

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

2. I am thankful for those that love me... friends, family, and "work family" have all pulled together this week for me and for whomever else needed it.

3. I am thankful that I have something fun to look forward to tomorrow... A Fancy Nancy birthday party, no less. I'm going to Fancy the rest of those Nancies right out of there!!!

What are you thankful for???

Living in a Small Town has its advantages!

I got to my polling place at 8:20 a.m.

The cute little ladies at my polling place talked about how busy it has been today.

I waited for literally 2 minutes for one of the 4 booths to open up so I could vote.

As I put my ballot in the machine, it logged me in as voter #116 today.

Do your duty... GO VOTE!

A gypsy, a boxer, and a frazzled suburban mom

I came down off my sugar high long enough to sit still and post these...

Here are my gypsy and boxer on Halloween night...

Gypsy Rose


Showing off all her jewelry and makeup...

Boxer Joe showing off his moves...

And looking mean and tough...

And their frazzled mom... (with no makeup on)

Walking down the dark street to beg for candy!