NAF (Not a Fan)

I received an email from Madden shoes for their new footwear! The oxford....wait - isn't that a guy style? Am I the only one not loving this style?? Payless is even carrying them!

Photo Credit: Steve Madden

Photo Credit: Steve Madden

Photo Credit: Payless

For me, shoes need to be beautiful and stunning.  These scream "MAN" to me. =/  The heeled ones ALMOST get to the girl stage but still very masculine...kinda like the gorgeous Sandra in her pre-makeover attire in Miss Congeniality:

Thoughts??? Hey, you know, maybe I'm just not very trendy....who am I kidding, I'm not! hahaha! As always, to each their own, I'm just saying - "Not a Fan". 

Tuesday Obsessions

A list of things I am currently 'addicted' to:

Sugarland and their new single: "Stuck Like Glue".  Their latest album, The Incredible Machine, releases October 19th and I CAN'T WAIT! Check out the latest video -- it's so funny and she is so darn cute!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iDPw_qjhtM

---Kit-Kat minis---

America's Got Talent -- I just discovered this show and can't stop watching it, even if the grammar of the show title is a disaster.

---Prince Poppycock & Michael Grimm (2010 AGT contestants)---

---A new house and redecorating it -- Thinking maybe this is how I want the bedroom colors to work, thoughts?---

---Several pairs of shoes that I can't stop thinking about and have found myself constantly thinking "if only I had those shoes" (guess what is on my Christmas list this year)---

---Blue Bell's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (but when am i NOT loving this!?)---

---Dr. Pepper (recurring obsession -- but hey, I'm down to 1 a day!)---

DIY Pencil Skirt

This weekend I had high expectations of what I would accomplish.  I did get my mini shopping trip in - and J spoiled me!  I needed these things, for sure, with the upgraded dress code at work, but I had hopes of getting 2 maybe 3 new tops.  I got a few more than that - thankfully everything was on sale so the price wasn't bad either! 
I spent Saturday with family and doing some shopping.  Sunday I cleaned. a lot.  My closet is small-ish.  It's deemed a walk-in closet but it's the smallest walk in closet I have ever seen.  Because of space issues in the entire house, we only have one dresser - that's where J keeps all his work clothes, unmentionables and board shorts.  This takes up the ENTIRE dresser.  SO my workout clothes and towels and shorts and unmentionables are all in my small-ish closet.  I had gotten lazy and pretty much created a happy little land of chaos in the closet.  I set out yesterday to correct the ordeal and separate my work clothes from my fun clothes.  It looks awesome and for the first time in months, I can actually walk all the way into my walk-in closet.  yes it's sad but we're so limited on space...not that I need to make excuses to you, you don't have to deal with the mess =)  I have decided when we move, regardless the size of our new closets, we are getting me a dresser and another night stand =)
I also did all the laundry and in between that went grocery shopping and cleaned the house! WHEW! Busy day while J was out working.  I know I promised a skirt tutorial but it just didn't happen.  I attempted writing one up, but it didn't work out with the skirt.  So I scrapped that project for the moment and attempted a second skirt using a new method of making a skirt without a pattern. It worked out nicely: it's high waist and knee length.  I'll make another this weekend, I'm sure, and I will create a tutorial then =)

In the mean time, I am very much looking forward to the upcoming three day weekend.  J has promised to take Monday off with me at the very least - so looks like I'll be getting lots of husband time - WOOHOO!

J&A Chronicles: Being an Adult

I think the first thing that happened that really made me feel like an adult in a real relationship was when my little sis came to stay at ...our...was it our house?...J's house, where I lived.  She brought her boyfriend along and we went to Islands of Adventure and really just hung out for a few days before they drove back to our parent's house to visit.

I'm not really sure why this made me feel like this relationship might be real.  Perhaps it was because he wanted to spend time with my family just like I did.  He wanted to get to know them, and never made it seem like it was out of the ordinary to spend time with family.  He has a very similar family situation -- they are close, like my family is close.  This really makes a tremendous difference -- if you have some similarity in how you were brought up and your family situation. 

Over the next few months we had some great times!  We hosted my birthday that year at our house.  turns out, at the time I didn't have many friends....so one of our friends invited a TON of people...a lot of whom I didn't know but it was still a great time

 

Then he took me on my very first off shore fishing trip!!!  I caught my first and second dolphin (Mahi-Mahi)! It has been one of my very favorite trips off shore! 

J has gone out of his way over the last few years to teach my so much about various things, including his hobbies: hunting and fishing.  He does his best to include me as often as possible, and never once has he made me feel like I was out of place hanging out with the boys. =)

*Next Friday: KJ's Wedding

I Enjoy Being a Girl

"I'm strictly a female female

And my future I hope will be

In the home of a brave and free male

Who'll enjoy being a guy having a girl like me"

-"I Enjoy Being a Girl" from Rodgers and Hammerstein musical: Flower Drum-

I learned this week that beginning September 1st (really why couldn't it just be starting Monday?!), my company will begin enforcing a dress code. It's called 'business casual'...now what this even means is beyond me. I checked wikipedia.com and it states "there is no generally accepted definition of business casual wear". Oh great, so basically the description is arbitrary, perfect. My company says "we want our employees to look professional in a casual manner". So why can't I keep wearing my long pretty jeans, heels and a nice top?? What it means is no. more. Jeans. WHAT?! Many ladies would say this isn't a problem at. All. The reason it's a problem for me is because for the past two years, I have bought nice long jeans to wear with heels and semi-casual tops that I wouldn't pair with dress pants. So this weekend’s plans include a mini shopping trip to pick up some cute (read inexpensive) tops to start wearing to work. Also included in said plans, will be sewing -- dresses, skirts and MAYBE a top. We'll see how adventurous I am in the early hours of the morning.
Speaking of adventurous, J had to be up extra early this morning to do some work, so I was up. I know what you are all thinking, "Why don't you just go back to bed?" Right, well the thing is, once I'm awake I have a very hard time getting back to sleep. So instead of lying there unproductively, I get up and do something. This morning, that something was making a new skirt to wear to work! =) Yep, free hand business skirt. I'm pretty proud of it and its super comfy!
PS Please excuse the mirror picture -- I didn't realize how badly I need to clean it!

There is a slit in the back that makes it a little, dare I say, Sexy. *GASP!* Don't worry, it's work appropriate and doesn't show off anything.  I wore it to work today because I have to get use to not defaulting to my happy jeans.  Hopefully we can convince the boss to approve casual Fridays.  Until then, it's skirts, dresses and pants, oh my!

*Stay tuned this weekend for some tutorials! =)

Sparkle

To keep myself occupied during my lunch break, I brought along some jewelry making supplies.  I figure keeping myself busy is better than wandering around Target or Michael's, spending money that doesn't need to be spent.
I made two simple necklace and bracelet sets.  One is big and chunky but I LOVE the colors together.  The other seems a bit more modern to me.

Now to pair them with that perfect outfit =)

Express Yourself

Last night, I went for a run as part of my half marathon training.  I ran 4 miles!  These long distances require some music to distract me and keep me motivated. I have my ipod PACKED with upbeat and fun music to keep be interested while I am running; I have everything from Halestorm to GLee to Avenged Sevenfold to Carrie Underwood.  The song playing when I ended my run was "Express Yourself" performed by the ladies of GLee.

Anywho, so I am singing 'Express Yourself' last night and J blows me away by asking "Are you singing Madonna?"  For those of you who know him, he doesn't remember names of...well, anything, to be honest. 

Here is an actual conversation we have had:

(we just met a guy and J turns to me and says:)

J: "He reminds me of that actor"

Me: .... "OK, which one?"

J: "The one in the funny movies"

Me:....blank stare....

J: "he's kind of goofy..?"
Me: ....More blank starring....

So the fact that he knew WHO the artist I was singing was, really blew me away.

Maybe he knew because he watches GLee with me -- it's his guilty pleasure second to Cougar Town.  

 GLee had an entire episode dedicated to the female pop icon, appropriately titled Power of Madonna.  The cast performed Express Yourself, Borderline/Open Your Heart, Vogue, Like a Virgin, 4 Minutes, What it Feels Like for a Girl, and Like a Prayer. 

Now I have to be honest, I was never a huge fan of Madonna.  Perhaps it's because I was young when she made her huge entrance to the stage, maybe it was her overly blond hair, whatever it was is gone now.  I am obsessed with her!  I have a new respect for the woman and I think GLee has done an amazing job, as a whole, to dust off some of the older classics and give them new life, introducing them to younger generations.

While Madonna is currently NOT touring, my fellow GLeeks out there will be excited to know (but I'm sure you already do) that GLee returns September 21st! T-Minus 20 days!!!!  YAY!

I'm a Meat Eater

There. I said it.  Ok I just had to get the meat eating thing off my chest - whew! I know there are people against it, and I applaud you for your dedication to a belief.  I just don't share that same belief. 

I have discovered that I don't eat like enough fruits or vegetables to go without meat.  I would be a HUGE Carb-Cow.  No, seriously.  I eat so many carbs -- thank goodness for my 1/2 marathon training!! I kind of did a little experiment today, we don't have lunch meat at home, so I settled for fruit and some light carbs.  I didn't eat until 3:30 because I wanted chicken or beef SO bad I couldn't bear the thought of eating boring ol' fruit.  I pulled through it though and am proud to say I had a relatively healthy lunch. =)

I really do love a yummy steak!  J has really mastered a fabulous steak for me.  While he enjoys lots of seasonings, garlic, salf - I require less maintenance when it comes to mine; simple and MAYBE a little marinade.

For years, I had an aversion to chicken -- I don't know if that was derived from lots of chicken eating in my childhood or because of an ex.  Either way, I have started to love chicken again, especially grilled! YUM! I'm so lucky that J is a man's man and does manly things  like cook on the grill(enter Tim-the-Tool-Man Taylor grunting noise). =)
My newest love is fish!  J has taught me to fish and encouraged me to go offshore with him.  We take our catch home and freeze it until we are in the mood to eat it; grilled, fried, baked. YUM! I think my favorite is yellow-tail sapper.  It's pretty much AMAZING!
Tonight's menu: Mahi-Mahi! YUMMY-LICIOUS!

DIY Weekend

On the weekend days that J has to work all day, I try to get my crafting in.  Part of my craft time includes watching various Disney movies and chick flicks that I don't want to force J to have to sit through or that he won't watch (IE: Disney). 
Today was one of those days.  Don't get me wrong, I take care of laundry and cleaning on these days too but when that is done and out of the way, crafting takes over =)
Here are some projects I completed this weekend:

Cute, fun little wallet

Bracelet and earring set.  I wore to our friend's engagement party and then later to my BIL's birthday party.

Super Cute purse! I LOVE it! and am actually really proud of it =)

I didn't use a pattern or instructions for any of my projects this weekend.  This meant a little luck and a lot of guess work went into some of the projects -- especially the purse. =)  I made another bracelet and necklace set but I don't have clasps for them...therefore, I'll have to post those later. Although I don't look forward to the days that J has to work, I am already looking forward to my next craft day. =)

Happy Birthday Larry!

Today is my BIL's (Brother-in-law) birthday.  Today he is my age =) We will be celebrating later tonight with him at Friday's -- which has become tradition with him over the last few years that I have known him.
Happy birthday to my favorite BIL...ok so he's my only BIL but he's awesome! =) Hope you have a great time tonight!

 *Pictures from 2008 birthday