Addictions

I am addicted to the Dollar Tree. I have to go at least once a week. Do I need things from there, no...but I still go anyways! I love watching youtube videos of others that haul stuff from there, and then have to go on the hunt to find the things at my DT's! Its crazy I tell ya, just crazy! I have to stop at any when we are out and about, even in different cities! My hubby is the same way with Guitar Centers, he seems to find all of the guitar center locations as easily as I do the DT's! I know he has been itching to go to the one in our city, but his stop would be way more expensive than a stop at the DT is for me!

As soon as he finishes up my kitchen, then maybe, just maybe we can have a date night out that way and we can stop in for him to just browse for a while! It will be a reward for making my kitchen all pretty and function able again!!

Daybook

The Simple Woman's Daybook is back at it's original home, The Simple Woman's blog. REMEMBER if you are linking up you will need to change your link from the old one to the new one. Thank you!

(If you are new to the daybook you can go to this link to read over the guidelines.)

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For Today... August 24th, 2015

Outside my window... Blue skies, with big puffy clouds


I am thinking... that I need to get my butt up and moving, as none of the housework is going to get done sitting here.

I am thankful... for fellowship time with the ladies from my church. We had an awesome time last night.

I am wearing... black capri yoga pants, a black tshirt, a coral tank top and this pretty infinity scarf


I am creating... still working on the craft show stock pile - rice heating bags, cup/mug cozies, towels/dishcloths and doll clothes.

I am going... to Dollar General, Family Dollar and the Dollar Tree to search for some more Fall decor!

I am reading... nothing at the moment

I am hoping... to have the kitchen project done this week!

I am learning... that I just need to go with the flow, with how my hubby does things. Even if it sets my cleaning/clutter free style into a tizzy!

In my garden... I have lots of weeding to do. I haven't done a thing outside all summer and it is really showing. Ugh!

In my kitchen... Menu for the week:
Monday ~ baked ziti, garlic bread and a salad
Tuesday ~ ham/egg bake
Wednesday ~ leftovers
Thursday ~ pizza
Friday ~ nacho deluxe
Saturday ~ burgers, fries and fruit

A favorite quote for today...


One of my favorite things... Finding new things for my Fall decor (on the cheap ~ this is all from the Dollar Tree! I have more, just not pictured)


A few plans for the rest of the week:
Monday ~ laundry, sweeping/mopping, vacuuming, prepping the kitchen walls
Tuesday ~ hopefully painting the kitchen walls!
Wednesday ~ work
Thursday ~ work
Friday ~ groceries, going to the beach with friends, then home to work on the kitchen
Saturday ~ the hubby is going to a gun show with our oldest and his dad, me not sure yet
Sunday ~ church and maybe out for a drive.... if the weather is nice

From the board room... From my Fall ~ My favorite season board. photo credit ~ the link that this was directed to, led to no where

To read more Daybooks, please stop by THE SIMPLE WOMAN blog.

I was nominated for an award!

My new Canadian friend Ellie from Honeysuckle Hollow nominated me for this awesome award! Thank you so much Ellie!!

What is a Liebster award? you ask. Basically, a Liebster Award is given to small bloggers (usually with less than 1,000 followers) by other small bloggers. It’s kind of like paying it forward. It’s where small bloggers give each other recognition (by way of nomination or Thanks) in hopes of gaining more followers by nominating other small bloggers and getting mentioned on their blogs.

Those who are nominated for this award must also follow a few simple rules. These are as follows:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and link to their blog


• Display the Liebster Award badge on your blog.


• Answer 11 questions about yourself.  These are provided by the person who nominated you.


• Share 11 random facts about yourself  if you wish.  This is optional but fun.


• Nominate 5 or more bloggers with less than a thousand followers who you believe deserve this reward.


• Create a new list of 11 questions for your nominees.


• Notify your nominees.

Let me tell you 11 random facts about me to get you started:
1. I love thrift store shopping.
2. I am a neat freak. Nothing can be out of place, or put in the wrong place.
3. I hate winter, and would really, really love to move out of Michigan.
4. I am a reality TV junkie.
5. I dip my chips in ketchup.
6. I don't like to get ice in my fountain pop, and for some reason McDonald's taste the best to me.
7. If I can't get past the smell of something I won't eat it. This drives John nuts.
8. I love wearing flip flops! I have a very large collection of them.
9. I am obsessed with infinity scarves.
10. I love to crochet an knit, its very relaxing.
11. I love to bake and cook.

Here are the questions that I am required to answer:

1. If you could get rid of one of your habits, what would it be? my quick temper

2. What sound do you hate hearing? whining

3. What is your favorite fragrance? Right now its White Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor that my hubby got me for Christmas.

4. What is your favorite season and why? Fall - I love all the smells, wearing hoodies, pumpkin pie...mmmmm

5. Name 3 things you want to learn how to do. piano (in progress), how to sew and paint (those canvas paint thingy's)

6. What was your favorite toy as a child? my Barbies

7. What character traits do you value most in people? honesty, caring, loyalty

8. What is your favorite dessert? cheesecake

9. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Italy

10. Do you have a favorite saying? Put on your Big Girl Panties and Deal with It!

11. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Black Cherry... and from Coldstone Creamery (love this place, just a little pricey - Apple Pie ala Coldstone

Here are my nominees. I hope you enjoy visiting their blogs as much as I do.

1. Danielle at Finally Finding Me.
2. Jessy at Our Side of the Mountain.
3. Becky at Sweetly B Squared
4. Willow at Willow's Wishes
5. Donna at Daisypoet..the words behind the life


1. What inspired you to start a blog?
2. How did you come up with the name for your blog?
3. What is the biggest challenge when it comes to your blog?
4. What is the best and worst meal you ever made?
5. Where do you find the inspiration for your posts?
6. What do you do when you try a new recipe and it doesn't work out?
7. What regional food do you enjoy cooking the most?
8. What 3 words describe you best?
9. When you dine at a restaurant do you order something you would like to make or an old favorite?
10. When you have a bad day, what normally makes you feel better?
11. Other than blogging, what is your favorite hobby?

The reveal

Its time!! Time for what, you ask. Well, the reveal of my craft room makeover! This has been a room in progress since Christopher moved out, moved back home and then back out again! When he moved back home he was told that he would have to live with the purple walls, as I was not going to let him repaint them.

What the walls looked like before I started, and then primed


With the purple paint, and the tables I was using at the time; the rocker before and after redoing the cushions (I still have to paint this white, and possible redo the cushions, to add more padding)


Yarn storage area (some of my yarn)


My window seat, that I am in love with!!! (I still need to add the hardware)


The curtains I made and a close up of it




Sign above my door




A picture my friend Cari made me.


My desk and peg board, and a close up of the peg board (this will be an ever changing look, as I know I will add, and rearrange things to this board)





I love my new room! Now I am off to do some crafty things!!

Decisions

Countless times I had looked at clarinets at antique shops, trying to decide if I wanted to get one and start playing again, or get a keyboard and finally learn that. So many of the clarinets were missing the mouthpieces, and the prices on those alone were the same as what I had found for the whole instrument at vandoren clarinet mouthpieces dot com. That it made the decision for me to just get the keyboard.

It has been a few months now since I have made the purchase, and it now just sits there, unplayed. Sigh. I need to find a place to go for lessons. I would like to be able to sit and play that with my hubby as he is playing his guitar.

Topic of a Monday night convo

So out of the blue last night John starts talking about being a computer dj again. Usually this comes up after we had been to a wedding, so I am unsure as to why he has brought this up again. The last wedding we had been to was last year for his nephew.

He was looking up different equipment he would need for us to do this. Between the boys, we should have a vast array of music so that would help with some of the cost. Oh who am I kidding! We would have to do lots of weddings, and other parties over the next year, just to break even! So this will just be his "I can dream" job. (like the many I have for me!)

Mercury Outboard Parts

I am so thankful that we didn't get hit with all the rain that Texas has received over the last week. All that flooding has things at a stand still. Those that have boats, may have to look into L&M Marine Mercury Parts what this is all said and done for them. One of the sadder stories I read about was that of the death of a young girl. She was on her way home from the prom when she had some car trouble and got caught in the floods. Lots of prayers to her family and friends.



While we don't need any parts, as we don't have a boat, I would love to have a pontoon boat, where as my hubby would love to have a speed boat. Looking at the different boats, I have seen some with bench seats as well as what looks like wood restaurant chairs. I personally would rather have the bench seats, as they look a little safer.

This has been added to your dream wish board! One day we will have some sort of boat, then we can browse the site for outboard parts.

Share a Song Sunday

My friend Danielle over at Finally Finding Me started this meme "Share a Song Sunday". If you join in, head over to her blog and let her know you are playing along!

A friend shared this on Facebook this week. I love her version of "It Is Well". So take a listen and let your soul be well!! Happy Sunday!

They get me every time

I need to stay out of the stores when they have their Stupid deals, as they suck me in every time! I spend way to much money when I see sales! At this rate, I will never get our savings built back up! I should have the hubby hide my debit card and then go to the envelope system.

I have been working on a budget and a way to pay off our cars. Once we do this, then I can put the extra money from those payments towards our house payment to get that paid off sooner! Then I won't have to worry about all those stupid deals that suck me in every time!

Chopped it off

I have been looking at short hairstyles on Pinterest for some time now. I have so many pinned, and they all look alike, just styled several different ways. Usually when I get in the chair, I chicken out and just get it cut the same old way. But not today! I was so glad that my favorite hair gal is back from Florida. I had all of the photos of the styles saved on my phone, and flipped through them, saying what I liked about each of them and told her to have at it!

I love what she did with my hair!!


I see that my friend Danielle just wrote up a post about making a change in her hairstyle as well. And linked up with this hair tutorial from A Cup Full of Sass, with exactly how I have been wanting to do my hair as well!

So now I need to go out and get some "Big Sexy Hair" products!

No worries here

John and I joke around about: http://www.theotherwoman.net, but there's no worries here! The "other" women in his life are: Flo, Corina and Chellie. Now don't jump to conclusions, Flo is the name he has for the waterjet at work. Corina is his guitar. And Chellie is his car.

Flo is the most temperamental one of the three. Corina is the sweetest one. And Chellie..... well let's just say that she and I don't really get along all that well! He sees each of them every day, well 5 days a week, but I get to see him every day! Love my guy!

Date nights

It never fails our date nights usually end with a trip to our local Grocery store or the guitar store. I have been putting off going to the guitar store, as I am extremely bored while there. John has to try out just about every amp he sees. He knows its not in the budget to get a new one, until he sells a few of the ones he has at home. He has been trying for the last few times to go, as he wants to try out this randall 15 amp. I am going to hold out for one more weekend, as this weekend is all about ME! It's my birthday weekend!!

We don't have much planned, but dinner to one of the many places I have received my birthday coupon's from, and maybe the video store so we can veg out for the remainder of the night.

Weekend in review

Weekend rewind. If you want to play along, grab the above button and tell me all about your weekend!

Friday ~ No work for me today!! Yay! I am hoping that I have only one more week of training left, so I can get to my 2 days a week schedule! I played catch up on things I have neglected this past week and a half. Groceries in the morning, did some baking, just wish I could figure out why none of my bread will rise.....I may have to go find a bread maker at the thrift store! Then it was off to the craft store to get supplies so I can make a new spring-ish wreath for my front door.


Then back home to play with the pup for a bit, make dinner, spend a few minutes with the hubby before I headed out for Robyn's for girls night and to work on my wreath.

Before I left, I was surprised by my hubby with these pretty tulips for our anniversary! The card was really cute too. It had two Boston Terriers on the front, one holding the others foot in his mouth, on the inside it said, "I love you, and I'm not letting go! Happy Anniversary!" Such a sweet guy I have!!


My friend Kim helped me (I should say, did most of the work) with my wreath! I love how it turned out! Right now the S is just sitting in the middle, just waiting for my hubby to help me with some fishing line to hold it in place!


Saturday ~ Slept in a little, then it was time to head out on a road trip with my hubby for our anniversary. No real place in mind of where we wanted to go.


Out of the blue, John says, "Isn't there and IKEA in Michigan?" So that's where we ended up!

I love this store, just wish its not so crowded!! It was fun to browse, we did get some pretty purple sheets for our bed (yeah I know, travel across the state to get sheets.. LOL), and a new floor lamp for the living room. We hit a couple of antique shops on the way back home, and then stopped at Logan's for dinner in Lansing.

Sunday ~ Church in the morning, then home to tackle the laundry, made dinner: baked pork chops, mashed potatoes, corn and homemade bread (not from scratch though...from a box). Vegged the remainder of the day, until it was time for Walkers!! Favorite time of night on Sunday's!

Let me know if you play along.

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Please don't wait

If you think you have a blood clot in leg please go get it checked out as soon as possible. One of my cousin's lost his life due to a blood clot. Some of the symptoms:

-Swelling in the affected leg or arm, which can include swelling in the foot or ankle.

-Pain and tenderness in your leg or arm. You may experience pain in your calf that feels like a cramp or charley horse. It may also feel like muscle soreness or joint pain.

-Skin Discoloration: redness is most common, but skin may also be blue or purple in color.

-The affected area of the leg or arm is warm to the touch.

I never would have made the connection of a charley horse with a blood clot. I get them every now and then, so I will be more aware.

So if you have any of these symptoms, go get it checked out, just to be on the safe side. The pain of losing a loved one is something I don't want anyone to have to go through due to a blood clot.

Small print

I never really pay attention to the small print on and deals I find. But now after going to purchase an item for Christmas, the said item was all gone. When I asked to get a rain check, it was denied due to the small print stating "Limited availability".

This really irritates me as I was going to use the Santa bucks this store had, as well as some of my reward coupons I had saved up. It was going to make this purchase a very "great buy". Now back to the drawing board to see if I can find it else where for just as good a deal if not better!

So make sure you read all of the small (fine) print on any deals you see, as you might get the "sorry, can't issue a rain check" senario!

The Finals

Next week is the finals for Dancing with the Stars. I haven't been this into the show in a few years. I really like all of the remaining dancers and would be happy with whoever is the winner. I keep telling John that we need to go take some dance lessons, as I think it would be fun, and a great way to burn some calories. He jokes that we would need to take th dance lessons from the dance doctor as he is too old and would need "medical attention" as soon as we were done! Crazy man!

Ideas

I love looking at sites to get ideas for possible gifts I can make for much less; always the "cheapskate"!! LOL I know that I have made jewelry for the inlaws for Christmas gifts, but I am thinking about making jewelry again this year and have been checking out joyjewelers.com for some ideas. Hopefully I have enough jewelry making stuff on hand so I don't have to go out and buy too much. Money is tight this year, so trying to come up with some lesser expensive gifts for everyone!

My Christmas wish list

One my list for Christmas this year: yamaha digital grand piano! I haven't been able to con my father in law out of his, so now I want one of my own! I have always wanted to learn how to play the piano. I have a little bit of knowledge in playing one, as I used to play around with my grandmas back in the day, so with the help of some lessons I should be good to go!!

Now is only Santa would be a sweetie and bring my my wish list!!!

Say what?

Have you seen the commercial for Sonic that the two guys are talking, and the one says "jenna said what" in response to "Je ne sais quoi". It gets me every time, and then that phrase is in my head for the next few hours! The next saying that will be in my head is clubman pinaud... only because pinaud is fun to say. I have no clue as to what this means, but saying it is fun.

What other sayings once you hear them, get stuck in your head for the rest of the day?

Bookshelf

With the re-do of our living room, one of the casualties was my bookcase. The bottom half of it was ruined with the darn dog peeing over in that area. Thankfully for her.... she didn't get any on the photo albums that were on the bottom shelf; that would have been the end of her as well! So I am now on the hunt for a book shelf. I can always check out Baker Furniture, but really don't want to spend alot of money on one. I am thinking a Wed/Fri thrift store shopping trip is in order for me and a friend. I need to get all of the books and other what nots off my dining room floor and table.

Let the search begin!