An Unstyled Life

Life in Photos: Week Two

2012-02-13T12:06:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday, lovahs! I hope y'all had fabulous weekends, and an even better Monday morning! (Ha!) It's cold and rainy here, and it was even colder over the weekend. Which translates to us having a lazy weekend at my mom's house.

Wanna see our February Photo a Day pictures?

Of course you do, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this, right?

Day 6: Dinner. I forgot to get a picture of our delicious fajitas, but I did get a shot of my "dessert"!

Day 7: Buttons. I'm surprised these aren't more worn out than they are.

Day 8: Sun. Partly sunny afternoon.

Day 9: Front Door. A little Lone Star pride.

Day 10: Self Protrait. Me and my mini-me on the way to Gan's house.

Day 11: Something that makes me happy. She makes me pretty happy.

Day 12: My Closet. I have a bit of an obsession with cowboy boots. Araits in particular.

What else did we do last week?

Well, M drove her jeep for a lot. And when I say "drove her jeep" I mean she played her "try your best to run the dog over" game.

She got to sleep with me since we were staying at Gan's for the weekend, and she rocked her jacket and sunglasses most of the time, even though we were inside.

And we got to see the people with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo ride through my mom's town. They ride to Austin every year to hand deliver an invitation for the rodeo to the governor, it's pretty cool to see it in person. M loved it.

Overall, we had a pretty laid back week. M's been working on potty training, and (knock on wood), it's been going incredibly well. I plan on posting about it later in the week for all of you mommas out there!

I hope your weekend was as good as ours! And if you're doing the February Photo a Day Challenge, and I'm not already following along, let me know!!!

Saturday Sensationals

2012-02-11T04:00:00.000-06:00

It's Saturday, which means time for another Saturday Sensationals!
One of my new favorite bloggers, Erin, taught us some blogging lessons.
Lindsay made this adorable polymer cut out heart bracelet.
My favorite musician's wife, Mallorie hosted an amazing birthday giveaway.
I signed up to sell mark. (You know I had to throw that one in there!)
I found out what Lindsay Lohan does all day And last but not least, I realized how much I miss Saved by the Bell

Hope y'all have sensational Saturdays! And Sundays, too, for that matter!
See y'all on Monday for my February Photo a Day catch up!!

Amber from Glitter & Dirt

2012-02-10T12:10:00.000-06:00

One of the girls that inspired me to do the button swap thing was Amber. She had the same idea as I did, so we jumped on the bandwagon together and traded blog buttons right away. Let me tell y'all that I absolutely adore this girl! She's funny and oh, so very sweet. Plus, she's a fellow twitter addict, and she introduced me to mark., which I'm kind of digging.

Hi y’all! I’m Amber!

I blog over and Glitter and Dirt.

I’m the Glitter and my son’s the Dirt. I know, so nice of me right? It’s more like I love all things sparkly (diamonds, hot “I just broke asweat” men and 4^th of July sparklers) and my kiddo, CJ (or otherwise affectionately known as goob or child), loves all things dirt. Unless it’s onit’s hands, then he must wash them ASAP!

I blog about random things like the crazy things my son says to me that makes me laugh at inappropriate times, bad dates, good dates and even why I’m holding undies that say “trouble”.

I also like to voice my opinion about things that many people may not care for, like my idea of paying forward.

But it was my idea of paying it forward that landed me heretoday! Thanks J!

Anyway, I'm a marketing genius in training. You can read that as I'm a student and I'm hoping to one day graduate and become a marketing guru that everyone will be like "we need her". I'm also a mark. Girl. No, mark. is not my boyfriend (I found myself single on Wednesday afternoon, ya know, just in time for Valentine's Day), but mark. is my job. Rather like, mark. feeds into my shopping addiction. I get to play with makeup and help others find their go to makeup pieces. Really, it's more like I get to play dress up rather than work!

Anyway, I hope you all take a second to read through the pay it forward post and stop by to say hi!

It's a Swap Thang

2012-02-09T04:00:00.000-06:00

Y'all? It's Thursday. One more day closer to the weekend!!

Here's to today going much better than yesterday!

So, let's talk, shall we? Lately I've seen a trend going around the blogosphere, and I'm kind of digging it. Blogs have been taking sponsors for ages, but here recently I've seen a new way of doing it.

Instead of paying to sponsor a blog, you simply swap your button with someone else's button, and you're done. Tah dah! Now, I personally think this is a fantastic idea! In fact, I've already started! See that button right over there ------ >

That belongs to the lovely Amber. She and I swapped buttons, so I guess you can say she's sponsoring An Unstyled Life now!

So, if you're interested in swapping with me, shoot me an email, or just leave a comment that you've grabbed my button (right over there ------ >) and leave me a comment letting me know that you grabbed it, and I'll head over to your place and get your button!

I'm still working out the details, but you will for sure be able to do an introductory post and team up with me for any giveaways that I may do.

I look at this as a good way for my readers to get to know my other readers, and for a chance for me to get to know y'all. It's a win/win, right!?

Pee Ess - I'm guest posting over Jess' place today. Come check out my must have make up for spring in Texas!

Cheese With My Whine

2012-02-08T11:50:00.000-06:00

Ever have one of those days where everything is slightly off kilter?

You can't quite put your finger on it, but something is causing everything in your life to turn to shit for a day?

I'm having one of those days.

Lately it seems as though I've been rushing through life, just running around with no particular destination in mind, and it's slowly killing me.

via

I can feel the stress in every inch of my body. From the tips of my toes, all the way up to my eyeballs.

via

I want to go home, I want to crawl into bed, and I want to sleep, uninterrupted, for days.

via

Basically, this is what I want:

via

That would be perfect.

But, as you know, I have an incredibly active toddler. And, as you may not know, because of The Hubs' work schedule, I'm pretty much a single mother 5 days a week.

So, my friends, I need your advice. What do you do when life just gets to be too much? How do you relax and de-stress? Please, please let me know!! Because if I don't get some relaxation tips soon, I just might lose it. Start flipping tables and calling people prostitution whores, or something.

Life in Photos: Photo a Day Challenge Week One

2012-02-06T13:41:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday, lovahs!! Hope every one's weekend was spectacular! Did you watch the super bowl? More importantly, did you watch the puppy bowl?

I didn't watch either. We spent the day cleaning house. Yes, seriously. M has gotten to where she loves to sweep, or "fweep" as she calls it, so I take advantage of it and let her pull the swiffer around and pick up any stray dog hairs that I missed. It's never too early to teach her about child labor!! I kid, I kid!

Anywoodles, we didn't watch the game, but I did follow along on twitter and I apparently missed some pretty good commercials. Like this one:

Too cute.

But, now it's Monday, the Giants are the champions, and everyone is hungover at work.

Whomp, whomp.

And with Monday comes my February Photo a Day wrap-up!

I've got days 1-5, today's theme is dinner, which I obviously can't take until tonight, so you'll have to come back next Monday to catch days 6-12!

Now, without further adieu, here are my photos:
(If you follow me on Instagram, you've already seen these. Sorry.)

Day One: My View. We spent most of the day on the road. Have I mentioned how much I love the Texas landscape?

Day Two: Words. Keeping it classy with alcohol in a pouch. Don't judge me.

Day Three: Hands. Little hands love Dora cereal.

Day Four: Stranger. The only strangers we saw that day were driving by our house. Lame.

Day Five: 10am. For some reason M decided to sleep in on Sunday, so at 10am, Dixie and I were the only ones awake.

And for more of a peak into our lives, here's a random phone photo dump. You're welcome.

Oh, you know, just breaking it down at the laundromat. Keepin' it gangsta.

Laundromats now fascinate me. Our mattress protector has to be washed in a commercial size washing machine, or dry cleaned, so we ran it up to our small town laundromat last week when I needed it washed in a hurry. Let me tell you, there are some.... interesting people who hang out around there. And M apparently wanted to fit in.

She's killing me with this outfit. She normally wears black flats with this, but for some reason she insisted that she wear her "pink kicks" that day. And who I am to squash her creativity??

She absolutely refuses to sit in a high chair anymore. Boosters are all the rage now.

Although, I think it's so she can do this.

And this.

And definitely this. She's just too much.

Have a wonderful Monday y'all!! And if you're doing the February Photo a Day Challenge, let me know!!

Saturday Sensationals

2012-02-04T17:05:00.001-06:00

Happy Saturday, lovelies!

I wanted to stop in and share a couple of things that I found over the week that I absolutely adored. These are my Saturday Sensationals.

Jenni wrote about True Love

Mandy finally accepted the fact that her daughter is a Sour Patch Kid (I know the feeling)

This is my new favorite website, and I've spent far too much time perusing it this week

On a related note, this has become my second favorite website. Particularly this post. Clearly I'm a conspiracy nerd.

Kristen Bell needs to stop being so ridiculously adorable.

And last, but not least, Lindsay wrote this post and reminded me of the power of prayer.

I'll be catching up on my February Photo a Day pictures on Monday, I hope y'all are having a fabulous weekend!

Life In Photos

2012-02-01T03:00:00.000-06:00

So, all of you have heard of Fat Mum Slim's Photo A Day Challenge that she did for January, right? Well, I just found out she's doing one for February also! I didn't hear about the January challenge until it was too late, so I'm glad that I found out about this one in time. Here's the list for February:

I'm so excited to do this! Here's how to play from Chantelle's blog:

1. Use the list above as inspiration and take a photo everyday. For example for number one on the list, 'your view today' you'd take a shot of whatever it is that you can see today. This would be a wider shot of your office space, where you went for a walk, or whatever it is that you can see!

2. Share on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, your blog or where ever it is you want to share. If you're sharing on Instagram or Twitter use the hashtag #FEBphotoaday so everyone can find them. There's a great community around the photo sharing, so do share!

3. Check out everyone else's pictures. I do it before I go to bed each night and it's so fun to see how different everyone's photos are. There are people from every corner of the world playing.

I plan on posting them to my blog once a week, but you'll also be able to find them on my Instagram (@ohheyitsj) and my Twitter. If you're planning on playing along, please let me know, because I'd love to follow you!

And if a month long commitment is a bit much for you, there's also a Quick Challenge that I'll be participating in sometime soon!!

Hope y'all have a sensational Wednesday, here's to being one more day closer to the weekend!

Why Do You Blog?

2012-01-31T04:00:00.000-06:00

I've always kept my little corner of the interwebs private from my family for the most part. It's not that I care if they read what I'm writing, it's just that I knew that wouldn't get it. They wouldn't understand the urge I get to put the words in my head out into the world. It would be a completely foreign concept to them.
My little blog was brought up in a conversation with a relative and she reacted the exact way I thought she would. "You blog? Why? What's the point of it?" And I found myself wondering what was the point of it.
I realized today that I've been blogging for over three years now. If you've followed along from the beginning, you know that I blogged for a long time, and then ended up deleting everything I'd written and took a bit of a break. Looking back, I regret deleting everything. Those posts had chronicled my pregnancy, and now I don't have them to look back on. But, the past is the past, and there isn't anything I can do about it. I started blogging again after M was born because I missed it so very much. But, over the last two years, I've forgotten the reason that I had started blogging in the first place. To empty thoughts out of my head, to be able to look back and have my life chronicled, and to make a connection with people. Then, when I came across this the other day:

it was like a kick in the teeth. I suddenly remembered why I had started blogging. It wasn't about the numbers, it wasn't about the free swag (although I do love it!), it was simply about writing just to write. When I redesigned my blog a few months ago, I wanted it to reflect who I was, so you can imagine my delight when I saw that in the manifesto. At least I was headed in the right direction!

I want to get back to blogging just to blog. Just to empty my thoughts and to chronicle my life. Mind you, that doesn't mean a review of something won't show up here or there, and I'll definitely still do giveaways every now and then, I just don't want to do this sugar coated blogging anymore. I want to make a connection with y'all, and I want to do some good with my blog.

So, I hope that y'all stick around for this. I'm going to try my best to stick to this manifesto. I definitely don't want to go back to "sugar coated blogging"! I can't promise I'll write everyday, simply because there are some days where M and I do nothing but lounge in our pajamas (or, as M calls them, "ya-yas") and watch Yo Gabba Gabba, but on the days where we actually do something, or I've got something of substance to blog about, I'll write. And obviously there will be some days where I just post adorable photos or videos of M, because, let's be honest, the girl is too fabulous not to have her mug posted all over this place!

Happy Tuesday, folks.

Daycare Cuties

2012-01-27T16:10:00.001-06:00

It breaks my heart to admit this, but my sweet baby girl has a.... boyfriend.

They are in the same class at daycare and are absolutely crazy about each other. They're stuck like glue whenever she's at school, and when she isn't with him, she's talking about him. So, even though I hate it, I knew I had to do something cute for Valentine's Day, so you can imagine my delight when I got an email from Tiny Prints about their Valentine's cards. Let me tell y'all, these things are adorable. Now, I saw this a few weeks ago, I immediately loved the idea, so when I saw this print,

I knew it was the card we needed to hand out along with the "bear hugs" to M's class and her little sweetie. But, Tiny Prints has many other designs to choose from, and their prices are extremely reasonable. Plus, you can find them on Twitter, Facebook, and even Pinterest! So if you're in the need for any Valentine Cards or any Valentines Day Greeting Cards, or really any kind of card, be sure and check them out! *Obviously, this is a Tiny Prints sponsored post, and I'm receiving 50 free classroom Valentine's cards in exchange for my post. But, I should also tell you that these opinons are strictly mine, and I've worked with Tiny Prints before and loved them, so why wouldn't I order M's Valentine's cards from them!?

I Love Rednecks

2012-01-24T13:56:00.001-06:00

Wait, wait, wait, let me explain, m'kay?

All of you know that I'm from Texas. My roots are purely southern, and I'm damn proud of it. I drink sweet tea and talk with a touch of twang and a dash of drawl. However, just because I talk slower than say, a New Yorker, doesn't make me stupid. And I'm not a redneck. But, boy, do I love the rednecks.

Now, here's the thing, being a redneck, in my opinion, has nothing to do with where you're from, it has to do with your upbringing and your lifestyle. I fully believe there are rednecks living in Ohio. And last I checked, Ohio wasn't a southern state.

Anyhillbilly, last Saturday CMT premiered a show called Bayou Billionaires. And it's pure, redneck gold. I'm so in love.

Here's the story line, this family from Shreveport is gas rich. That's kinda like oil rich, but with a gas well. Duh. There's a husband and wife, and they have four kids who are all married and have kids themselves. So, after hitting the natural gas money pot, they did what any true American would do, they went and bought stuff. A bunch of stuff. Vehicles, a pool, a hot tub, horses, and one even got new teeth. Yes, new teeth. And she *loves* her new teeth. And yet, despite being filthy rich, a couple of the kids still live in 1987 model trailers. That's a mobile home for all you folk who don't speak redneck. They just don't want to forget where they came from. Or, so I would imagine, because that's the only reason I could think of as to why you'd stay in an old trailer when you could afford a new house. Or at least a new trailer.

So if, by chance, you find yourself at home on Saturday night, and there's nothing to watch around 8pm CST, flip on over to CMT and check out this family. Just don't blame me when you start talking with an accent and putting creole seasoning on everything.

When Did This Happen!?

2012-01-20T10:18:00.000-06:00

Y'all?

My kid is two.

I'm not sure how it happened so quickly, but suddenly, my baby isn't a baby anymore. She's a full fledged kid. It seems like just yesterday that we were welcoming her into this world. How could it have gone by so quickly!? I now have an opinionated, independent toddler living in my house. She wants to pick out her own clothes, she wants to give kisses when she wants to, and she has no problem giving me the silent treatment when I tell her that she absolutely cannot have leftover birthday cake for breakfast.

I look at her and see that she's growing up right before my eyes, and I don't even realize it until it's nearly too late. My heart swells with pride, but breaks at the same time every time she learns something new. Parenthood is going to be the death of me. "J passed away this morning at 8:45 am. Cause of death was a broken heart brought on by a child who grew too fast."

Don't look at me like that, I am not being over dramatic.

Anywhoodles, I just thought I'd drop in and share some of the photos from her Rhinestone Cowgirl birthday we had last Saturday. Thankfully, I only cried once during the entire party. Go me!

M and her favorite cousin, Cade

Blowing out the candle

M and her two favorite cousins, Cade and Reese

See? I told you she's a stinker.

Pawpaw and M

Rocking her pettiskirt and pistol boots

"WANTED: For crimes of cuteness and random bouts of sass"

Her party wreath

This one kills me.

And now you know my child's name is Mylee. Don't tell anyone, m'kay? We like to keep our secret identities.

Overall, the party was a huge success. There were a few other things that I would have liked to have finished, but no one missed them.

And I'm already planning next year's party. But if someone could figure out how to make her stop growing, we'll cancel those plans and just freeze her in time.

*I'd like to thank my friend, Misti, for the amazing photos of the party! She does all of our photos, and having her there to shoot the party made it so much easier on me!!

An Explanation

2012-01-15T18:08:00.000-06:00

Happy new year, y'all!
I know it's a little late, but I fell off the face of the earth before Christmas, and I haven't had a chance to ask how everyone's holiday was.
I just wanted to drop in and let everyone know what happened.
The week before Christmas, I was checking my stats, and found a disturbing search term that led to my blog.
As all of you know, my blog is covered with pictures of my daughter, and sometimes my niece. When I read the search term, my heart sunk. I am so very, very careful about what I write on my little blog, because I know how the interwebs work, and I am extremely protective of my daughter, so I try to be extra cautious. But, one word slipped through, and it led a pervert to my blog.
Now, I'm sure that once the person realized they were on a personal blog, they clicked out, but just knowing that someone like that saw pictures of my daughter, shook me to the core.
So, I took a sabbatical. I made my blog private, and I took a break. I put it in the back of my mind so I could enjoy Christmas and New Years with my family. Then I started the process of weeding through old posts and deleting any other key words that could pull my blog up in that type of search.
I've really missed the blogosphere, so now that my blog is cleaned up, I figured I'd go public, and start blogging again. Thanks for all of you who stuck around, hopefully I won't have to go through all of that again!!
And just in case I do, you can find me here or here!
Happy belated new year, lovahs, here's to a great 2012!

Week of Wish Lists: Day One

2011-12-12T04:33:00.001-06:00

I'm sure you've seen those gift guides floating around the blogosphere, but I wanted to take it a step further. I wanted to do a week of actual blogger's wish lists. So, An Unstyled Life's Week of Wish Lists was born. I've got some amazing guest posters this week, so without further adieu, let's kick this off, shall we?

Up first we have Lil' Woman. I love this girl. She's funny, her blog is the cutest, and she's on the Twit. Which everyone knows, makes someone 10x cooler. Plus, her wish list and mine look pretty similar this year!

*******

Hello Loves...
I'm Lil' Woman from Little Woman, Little Home and today I have the pleasure of sharing my wish list for Christmas with all you ladies, and J has been gracious enough to let me hijack her blog to do so. : )

I will probably post about it sometime on my blog but my game plan is to spread the word throughout the interwebs, in hopes of starting a petition for Big Man (the hubs), errrr, Santa, to bring me this one teensy weensy little gift. I've tried leaving notes in his gaming magazines, ala Ralphie from A Christmas Story, but it seems to be getting me fudging no where.

So, I'm reaching out to you ladies and asking that we all band together to try to mind control Big Man into getting me this pretty for Christmas...

via weheartit

I know it is a bit pricey but this is the only gift I want to for the next year and beyond. I would gladly forgo any future Christmas, Birthday, Easter, Halloween, and Anniversary presents if I could get this bad boy in my hands this year.

I have a passion for photography but my camera phone can only take me so far. It's a decent camera for a phone but this mama wants to step her game up and get those beautiful shots that I see so many others getting.

And it's multipurpose gift....I can:
Take much better pictures of us
Do family portraits for my family and friends
Document our upcoming big honeymoon to it's fullest potential
And just overall get better pictures to post on the blog.

I will need many tutorials and lots advice to get to the level I would like to be at but I'm willing to put in the effort and work to do this, if only given the chance *wink wink*

I begged for years to get the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer and finally got one last year, so let's hope to keep this streak alive and hope for another 'win' this year. I know the holidays are not all about the gifts and we should be concentrating on the more meaningful parts and I fully intend to but if we're being honest...

This Little Woman wants this camera, and she wants it baddddddddddd!!!

**Now put your index and middle fingers on your temples, focus real hard, and mind control the shizz out of my husband**

Where My Heart Lies

2011-12-09T04:00:00.001-06:00

Today I am off to watch my brother graduate from college. This has been a long time coming, and I'm so proud of him for accomplishing this!!

So, since I'll be gone all day, I figured I'd leave y'all with these adorable pictures from our adventures last weekend! Between wearing the wheels out on the jeep, visits with Santa, shopping all day, and a night spent at Lights of Tejas, we were exhausted come Sunday night. But, I love the time that I get to spend with The Tot and Princess R, so I'll gladly take the exhaustion that goes along with it!!

Are you ready for some major cuteness?

I hope all of you have a fabulous weekend, and I'll see y'all back here bright and early Monday for my Week of Wish Lists!!

Rosy Cheeks and Exhausted Bodies

2011-12-07T13:53:00.000-06:00

Y'all? It's cold down here in Texas. Like, really cold. Like, freezing cold. Now, maybe that's not cold for some of you, but that's cold for us.

And I'm not complaining one bit!

Unfortunately, it means that, after spending way too much time in the chilly outdoors with The Tot and Princess R the last few days, I need to thaw out. So, you're getting this crappy post today, with a promise that after many mugs of hot chocolate, and after I buy a new pair of wool socks to defrost my toes, I'll be back with some adorable pictures from our few days of fun!

In the mean time, you can find me here, here, or maybe here.

Stay warm, lovahs!

Man Candy Monday

2011-12-05T04:27:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday, y'all!

I figured I'd keep Man Candy Monday going this week, since it was such a good way to start last week!

Now, listen, today's hottie has caused me a lot of grief.

Why is that, you ask? Because he made it big when he was a minor. And I still thought he was good looking, even though he was like, 16. I felt like a major Pervy McPerverson.

Say hello to Mr. Zac Efron.

Hello, Fancy Face.

Isn't he gorgeous!? Plus, homeboy has mad acting skills.

Also? He has better hair than The Beibs. Yeah, I said it.

And those eyes! Ohmygah, those eyes! I could stare into them all day long.

Or, you know, I could stare at his perfectly chiseled abs. Oomph.

I really am a sucker for a bad boy, and he just oozes cockiness.

But in a totally non-jerk way.

To be honest, I'm not even sure this kid has feet, because I can't take my eyes off his face. Or, ya know, his abs.

So tell me, what's your stance on Mr. Efron?

Have a great Monday, lovahs!

{Images Via}

December Goals

2011-12-01T04:00:00.001-06:00

Back at the beginning of November, I set some goals. Remember them?

Well, I didn't finish them all. But, I finished most of them, so if I were grading my progress, I'd give myself a solid B and a pat on the back.

And now, here we are in December. I guess it's time for new goals, huh?

Finish my Christmas shopping. Yes, you read that right.
Finish any DIY decorations that need to be done for M's birthday
Finalize the birthday party guest list
Mail out invitations
Mail out Christmas cards
Pray everyday.

I don't have that many goals for this month because the few that I have take up all of my time. And yes, pray everyday was on last month's and this month's because I don't feel like I do it enough. I'm so busy that I forget to pray and be thankful for all that I'm blessed with.

Now it's your turn. What are a few of your goals for this month?

Sparkley and Bright

2011-11-30T04:00:00.001-06:00

The Christmas season is in full effect in the M house! We are decking our halls and knocking back the peppermint hot chocolates.

B is putting the lights on the house today, and I'm putting the finishing touches on our indoor decor. Now, if you remember a few weeks ago, I was talking about decorating our tree with a peacock theme. I have since changed my mind a million and one times. I've considered doing red and aqua, then back to the peacock theme, then red and lime green, then red and gold, and now I'm thinking of doing a western theme, since our dining room (where the tree is) is decorated in chili peppers.

What's a girl to do when she can't make up her mind and needs some inspiration?

Hit up the Pinterest, of course!!

Here's a few lovely things I found:

{via}

and last, but not least, the peacock tree

Source: flickr.com via J on Pinterest

But, after searching for hours, I'm still not sure how I want to decorate our tree.

Tell me your favorite, and maybe it'll help me choose?

Studly Wish List

2011-11-29T12:46:00.001-06:00

Happy Tuesday, lovelies! I had this post scheduled for earlier today, but Blogger decided to delete it, so I'm having to start all over.

Today, I'm enlisting your help. I'm going to finish my Christmas shopping this weekend, and seeing as how I've bought absolutely nothing for The Hubs, I should probably get on that.

Now, his style is more along the lines of Casual Chic. Which means he normally wears polo shirts and jeans, which I'm cool with, but I'm thinking he needs more than just striped Ralph Lauren pull-overs, ya know? He needs more swagger, but not too much. Think a casual Jake Gyllenhaal. (See, I told you yesterday that these posts were related!)

Kind of like this:

Or this:

Yup, that's exactly the look I'm going for.

So, here's what I'm thinking,

Dark jeans are a must.

{Gap 1969 Standard Fit}

A button down with the sleeves rolled up.

{Gap Dobby Striped Shirt}

A simple, yet sophisticated jacket.

{Old Navy Men's Coated Military Style Jacket}

He's a die hard Longhorn fan, so this is perfect.

{Fossil NCAA University of Texas Watch}

A good cologne tops it all off.

{Victoria's Secret Very Sexy for Him}

He already has a killer pair of shades and the perfect boots to tie it all in.

So, what am I missing? Will my man be perfectly stylish in these, or am I waaaay off base? Help me!!! Please?

Man Candy Monday

2011-11-28T04:00:00.016-06:00

I've seen this idea of Man Candy Monday over at Melissa Blake's and I thought it was such a cute idea! What better way to start the week than by checking out hot dudes!? Plus, it kind of ties into tomorrow's post. (Which means you should come back tomorrow too!)

Who's today's Man Candy?

The amazingly handsome Jake Gylenhaal.

That smile.

Those eyes.

That swagger.

That body. ("Girl, look at that body... I work out")

If you know me at all, you know that I have the hots for Jake Gylenhaal. Like, badly. I may or may not be stalker-ish. And his role in Love and Other Drugs only made my obsession worse.

Well, I hope this helps y'all have a fabulous Monday!

{Images via}

Sunday Confessions:

2011-11-27T09:44:00.000-06:00

I'm spending the day at the office because our weekend guy is sick.

Today's confession: I'm blaring LMFAO as loud as I can. And I'm eating cheetos for breakfast. My keyboard is covered in cheese.

Happy Sunday, lovahs!

Mad Style

2011-11-25T10:57:00.000-06:00

Have you seen this!?

This little girl has insane style! She has more style in her tiny pinkie finger than I have in my entire body!!

I may be slighty obsessed and jealous at the same time.

A Bunch of Crazies

2011-11-25T04:00:00.001-06:00

Well, here we are.
Black Friday.
Did you venture out into the cold this morning to join the mobs of people at the department stores? Maybe you've been out since midnight? Or, even worse, ten o'clock last night?
For the record, if you did, I think you're bat shit crazy.

Crazy Bishes
Now, listen, I love y'all. I really, really do. But there is no way in hell I would have spent my Thanksgiving night running through a store like a kid hyped up on pixie sticks. That just ain't happenin. And I love the warmth of my bed waaaay too much to get up at 2 in the morning just to hit up Target for the "It": toy of the season. I'm all for saving money, but that's just crazy to me. So, unless you spent all of last night in the comfort of your bed, (or maybe someone else's, I'm not judging!) then I think you are certifiable.
With that being said, let it be known that come Cyber Monday, my clicking finger is ready to fire!
I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Thankful

2011-11-24T04:00:00.001-06:00

Source: somewhatsimple.com via J on Pinterest

From my family to yours, many blessings as we celebrate this Thanksgiving.

The Matchbook Girl's Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T11:21:00.001-06:00

I saw this over at Julie's blog, who found it here, and I just had to post it!!

The Matchbook Girl's Guide to the Holidays

Oh, How Pinteresting!: Giving Thanks Edition

2011-11-23T04:00:00.002-06:00

In case you don't know her, Michelle is one of my favorite bloggers. She's also a fellow H-town blogger Hottie! Anywhoodles, she hosts OH, How Pinteresting Wednesdays, and I'm not sure if I've ever linked up! So, here I am, doing just that. Here's what I've been pinning lately in preparation for Thanksgiving!

Source: womansday.com via J on Pinterest

These? Are adorable!

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via J on Pinterest

Perfect for an appetizer!

Source: thestir.cafemom.com via J on Pinterest

I printed these out yesterday!

Source: littlebitfunky.com via J on Pinterest

Should I make these, or stick with a pumpkin or chocolate pie?

Source: culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com via J on Pinterest

Maybe I'll just make a bunch of these, and we'll skip the turkey all together!

Source: whatkatieate.blogspot.com via J on Pinterest

Juice for the adults is a must!

Source: impression-obsession.com via J on Pinterest

A prayer to say before you start cooking!
And last but not least, definitely remember to keep calm!

Source: agapelovedesigns.blogspot.com via J on Pinterest

Source: birthdaygirlblog.com via J on Pinterest

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via J on Pinterest

I hope all of you have a fabulous Thanksgiving, and you "Gobble 'Til You Wobble"!

Fabulous

2011-11-22T19:12:00.001-06:00

I am probably so late to this party, but I was perusing my new favorite blog, and came across a post about this site.

I've spent the last hour reading about these lovely old folks, and let me say, they are the epitome of fabulous! Check it:

This is Ruth. She's my favorite. Want some style tips from Ruth? Of course you do, who wouldn't!?

100 year old Ruth's Life and Style Tips
1."I never go to bed with my makeup on. that is number one. At night you must let your skin breathe."
2."I use a lipstick brush to paint on my lipstick--It stays on longer that way. I can also use a lipstick longer than anyone else because I can dig into it."
3."Every night before I got to bed I use Elizabeth Arden's 8 hour beauty cream on my lips. You must keep your lips moisturized."
4."When it comes to fashion you must be aware of your skin tone. You don't wear orange lipstick with a red dress."
5."I make myself go out everyday, even if its only to walk around the block. The key to staying young is to keep moving. You are never too old to exercise."
6."Invest in quality pieces, they never go out of style."
7."Don't look at the calendar, just keep celebrating everyday."
8."I dress up everyday and I don't wear blue jeans. I dress up even to mail a letter, you never know who you will meet along the way."
9.I have been active my whole life. An old Elizabeth Arden Ad said,"If you want to look like this when you are 40 start when you are 20."
10.I wake up every morning and say, "This is the day the lord has made."

See? I told you, pure fabulousness.

Today Is The Day

2011-11-22T04:00:00.001-06:00

Tonight I will make a trip to Austin. I will join B for a night of good food and most likely, good sangria.
We will sit in a venue with dozens of other people, watching a movie I've been waiting a long time for.
Yes, that's right.
We're going to see Breaking Dawn.

Source: breakingdawnmovie.org via Amanda on Pinterest

Excited does not begin to describe my feelings about this.
I know, we're a little late, seeing as how it premiered nearly a week ago, but we're both really busy, and this is the first chance we have had to go see it! So, we're just going to act like it's opening night, m'kay?
Now, should I run out and buy a Twilight shirt before I leave, or is that too over the top??

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!!!

2011-11-21T11:04:00.001-06:00

Just so we're clear, I'm not giving away a chicken dinner. I'm giving away a Scentsy warmer and some bricks. That's it. No chicken.

Anyway, I have a winner!!!

Before I announce who won, I'd like to thank Celia for sponsoring this giveaway!!

And all of you are winners in my eyes. Or something like that.

OK, now, the real winner!!

Congratulations, Kara! Send me an email, and we'll get the ball rolling so you can get your warmer!!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered, I really am thankful for all of you! And leave before checking out today's post, An Ode to Katie!

An Ode to Katie

2011-11-21T04:00:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, as I was trying to decide what to blog about today, I asked twitter for a little inspiration, since I was staring a big ol' writer's block right in the face.
And this is what I got.

So, without further adieu, here's my ode to Katie. No, not that one, this one.
K is for ketchup loving*A is for awesomeT is for terrificI is for immaculate tasteE is for energetic*
All of these words describe Katie perfectly! In other words, if you aren't following her blog and her twitter, we can't be friends anymore cause this girl is the shiz.
*Disclaimer: I have no idea if Katie likes ketchup. Or if she's energetic for that matter, but, I think it's a safe assumption.
Pee Ess - I'll be announcing the Scentsy giveaway winner later on this afternoon!

Sunday Confessional

2011-11-20T12:17:00.000-06:00

Source: hankandhunt.com via Charity on Pinterest

I often do.

Giving Thanks, Giveaway Style

2011-11-14T09:23:00.001-06:00

I cannot believe that my little ol' blog has reached 105 followers! I am so glad to have y'all follow along on our journey, and since it's the season of giving thanks, I wanted to show y'all just how thankful I am for all of my followers.

So, to thank y'all for being so wonderful, I'm having a "Thankful for my Followers" giveaway! And the lovely Celia has so generously offered to be the sponsor! One of my lucky readers will win any full size Scentsy warmer and any two bars of their choice from Celia's shop!

Ok, here are the rules:

You must be a follower of An Unstyled Life in order to win!

You have until Sunday, November 20th, at 11:59pm CST to enter.

Now, here's how to enter:

Head over to Celia's shop and have a look around. Then come back here, and leave me a comment about what you'd pick if you won. Be sure and let me know that you follow the blog, too!

That counts for one entry.

Want extra entries?

• Follow Celia's Blog - 1 extra entry
• Follow me and Celia and tweet about the giveaway: "I wanna win @Ohheyitsj's "Thankful for my Followers" giveaway sponsored by @UHgirl! Http://Ohheyitsj.com" - 2 extra entries
• "Like" An Unstyled Life on Facebook - 1 extra entry
• Make a purchase from Celia's shop - 5 extra entries

That's a total of 10 entries! Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

I'm so grateful to have such fabulous followers, and I hope y'all are as excited as I am for this giveaway!

Now, what are you waiting for, head over to the shop and have a look around!

Sunday Confessional

2011-11-13T17:32:00.001-06:00

This post is only somewhat of a Sunday Confession. I saw this over at Neely's place, and I thought it was such a good idea!

Here are 25 things that you probably didn't know about me.

1) I've always dreamt of living in New York City (who hasn't, amirite?)

2) I consider spaghetti to be the potted meat of Italian food

3) But I still cook it because it's the only pasta my husband will eat

4) I married my husband when I was 20 years old

5) I hate the taste of coffee

6) I drink hot chocolate year round

7) I have 2 half siblings and 4 adopted siblings

8) My laptop crashed so for the last year I've been using my iPhone for everything web related

9) I love to bake

10) I'd love to start my own party planning business

11) I fully believe some days are best spent in pajamas

12) I love scary movies and television shows, but I'm too much of a coward to watch them alone

13) If you don't like sweet iced tea, I think you're crazy

14) I own two Disney soundtracks

15) I refuse to see the new Footloose or the new Dirty Dancing

16) I cry at some of the silliest things

17) I listen to Christmas music year round

18) I had reconstructive knee surgery when I was 23

19) I have no desire to have anymore children

20) The CDs in my car are a mixture of country, top 40, and jazz

21) I'm a diehard Alabama fan (Roll Tide!)

22) I've never read the Harry Potter books

23) I haven't seen the movies either

24) I still own all of my childhood barbies. They now belong to my daughter

25) I sometimes laugh when people fall. I know I shouldn't, but I just can't help it

So, there you have it, my Sunday Confession, 25 things about me. You now know more about me than you probably ever wanted to know! Hope y'all have had a fabulous Sunday!

Oh, Christmas card, Oh, Christmas card...

2011-11-10T22:11:00.001-06:00

I am one of those annoying people that plays Christmas music year round. I love the Christmas season. I love the decorations, the food, the music, but mostly, I love the feeling that you get around this time of year. It definitely is my favorite time of year.

Now, unless you've been living under a rock, which I'm almost positive you have not, I'm sure you've heard of Tiny Prints and their amazing christmas cards. But, not only are they a greeting card company, they also carry stationary, announcements, invitations, calendars, and photobooks. Plus, their stuff is really pretty. And I like pretty. Anyway, I've been thinking about our Christmas cards ~~since July~~ for awhile now, and I've narrowed it down to a handful from Tiny Prints, which is a big deal since they have such a large selection. I decided to go with a religious Christmas card, but I can't decide on my final one out of these five. Think y'all could help me?

These are definitely my favorite. I always try pick a card that I feel has meaning, and these just stand out to me. I love the sayings, and the color choices are great for me because I'm still not sure what we're going to wear in our family Christmas picture! I should probably get on that.

So, tell me what you think. What card do you like best? Then, head over to the Tiny Prints site, and check out the rest of their holiday cards! There are filters on the side of the page that make it easy to narrow down the selection.

By the way, I am being compensated for this post. Tiny Prints is offering me free cards, but I promise that the opinions in this review are all mine. And, if you'd like to get in on the campaign for free holiday cards, email me (Ohheyitsj @ gmail) and I can get you the link to fill out the form!

Now I'm going back to decking my halls. Yes, already.

{Semi} Wordless Wednesday: Cruisin'

2011-11-09T04:15:00.001-06:00

We bought M this jeep about a month ago. It was used (we try to be frugal most of the time!) but in great condition, it just needed a new battery. So, once we bought it, charged it, and popped that bad boy in, M was addicted. Once she figured out how to push the gas! Although she still doesn't get the concept of steering. We're working on that.

It's just a matter of time before she's asking for my keys to cruise around town.

Also? Her pigtails kill me.

Just a Friendly Reminder

2011-11-08T16:52:00.001-06:00

It's my birthday and I haven't received any presents, ponies, or emails. Y'all should get on that, pronto.

Xoxo, lovahs!

Target Tuesday: Christmas Decor Edition

2011-11-08T06:00:00.001-06:00

If you don't know who Tara, from Fabulous But Evil, is, we can't be friends. She is one of my favorite people in the twitterverse and blogosphere. She's funny and she's a Texas girl. Need I say more?

Anywhoodles, every Tuesday she has a Target Tuesday link-up, and I decided to join in this week. What are we shopping for this week? Christmas tree decorations!! I can tell you're ecstatic.

We just so happen to be redoing our theme this year. Last year we did Dr. Suess, and this year we're setting up a mini tree in M's room and decorating it in the Dr. Suess ornaments, which means momma gets new decor! Our theme this year? Peacock. Silver, blue, green, and purple. I can't wait! OK, enough chatter, let's look at what I'm lusting after this week, shall we?

I'll take 100 of these, please!

If you have a toddler, you know that shatterproof ornaments like these and these are a must!

And finally, no tree is complete without snowflakes.

There are many, many more things that I'm wanting, but we'll save those for another day! Now, head on over to Tara's and check out the other Target Tuesday linkers!!

Happy Shopping, Y'all!!

My Messy Moment

2011-11-07T06:00:00.001-06:00

If I've learned anything from being a parent, it's that poop happens. It doesn't care what time of day it is, or how cute the outfit that you or your child is wearing, or even if you're out in public. Poop is the honey badger of bodily functions. And trust me when I tell you, I've had my battles with it.

So, when I heard that the SITS Girls were teaming up with Clorox for their Bleach It Away campaign, and wanted to hear about our messiest moments, I knew I had to write a post about mine!

Let me start this by saying, if you're eating, have eaten recently, or have a queasy stomach, this post probably isn't for you. Just head down to my last post, or click the "X" in the top right hand corner of your screen.

Now that that's out of the way, let me take you on my little journey with poop.

We started potty training M about 2 or 3 months ago. Now, we haven't pushed it very hard, so she isn't potty trained fully yet, but she knows when she has to go, she just doesn't want to take the time to go. "Why sit on a toilet when I can just go while I'm standing here?" However, she can't stand the feeling of a dirty or wet diaper, so the minute she's finished, off come the clothes and the diaper. Needless to say, this has led to many messes. The story that I'm about to tell you happened shortly after M started wanting to pull her diapers off.

One bright and sunny morning, M was running around the house like her usual ~~banshee~~ self, and I was cleaning up from breakfast. The tv was on in the playroom, and I could hear Dora singing something about going somewhere. It was a normal, peaceful morning. Then it suddenly took a turn for the dark side. I realized that M had been quiet for a few minutes, which is very abnormal for my kid. Her mouth runs a mile a minute, and the only time she isn't chattering is when she's meeting someone new, or when she's sleeping. Now, our house has a pretty open layout. From the kitchen I can peek around the corner and see all of the playroom. We normally hang out in there during the day, and I know that M is safe by herself if I need to be in the kitchen doing something. But the quietness had me concerned. Not for her safety, no, I was concerned that she was up to something. She may be adorable, but she's as sly as a fox. Do you need proof?

Completely Innocent

Pure Trouble

See what I mean? Anywhoodles, I knew something was up. So, I quietly snuck around the corner to peek in. I was not prepared for what greeted me. Apparently, M had pooped, pulled off her diaper, and decided to paint with it's contents. It was everywhere. All over her toys, all over the walls, all over the bay window, all over the couch, all over M, and even all over the dog. How she "painted" that much surface in a matter of a few minutes is beyond me. I shudder just thinking about it.

Once I got her cleaned up, which was harder than it looked, she was hungry (how she can eat at a time like that, I have no idea!), so I had to make her a quick lunch and let her eat while I bathed the dog. Nap time is right after lunch, so I knew I'd be able to clean the playroom while she napped. This gave the "paint" about an hour or so to... dry. Which is disgusting all on it's own.

After I got M down for her nap, I went back to survey the damage again.... Believe me when I say that anything she could touch, she did. So, I set out to clean it all up. Stuffed animals went into the hot cycle in the washing machine, the couch and walls were scrubbed with vinegar and water, and anything that had a hard, non-porous surface was scrubbed with bleach water. Nearly three hours after starting, the playroom was clean again.

After that ultimate messy moment, I've learned my lesson. I go running if M gets quiet while I'm in the other room, and we've bought a potty watch to work on the potty training.

Parenthood is full of messy moments, but I pray that I never have one that messy again!!

I received information about Clorox’s Bleach It Away campaign and am sharing my messy moment for the chance to win prizes from The SITS Girls. To learn more about the messy moment program, check out www.BleachItAway.com. Sharing your story on the Clorox fan page gets you entered for the chance to win $25,000 and daily prizes, and you can grab a coupon for Clorox® Regular Bleach.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-05T11:58:00.000-05:00

I stumbled on the Thanksgiving Challenge over at Leah's I knew I had to join in!!

It seems that at this time of year, we are constantly reminded to be thankful of our blessings, but I'd like to try to remember them more throughout the year. (Do I smell a New Year's resolution brewing?) Anyway, I'm going to be posting a new thing that I'm thankful for everyday over there

------>

on my sidebar, and since I'm starting this on the 5th, I've started my list with 5 blessings.

If you wanna join in, just head over to this post, grab the button, and join in!!

Many blessings, y'all!

November Goals

2011-11-05T11:05:00.001-05:00

I know that I'm a bit late writing my November goal list, but this blog has been offline since the first, so let's just pretend that I'm posting it on time, m'kay? Alright, on to my goals.

Get house completely unpacked.
Finished buying frames and hang pictures in the hallway
Start on our gallery wall
Replace Halloween decor with Thanksgiving decor
Get Christmas tree put up and completely decorated by the weekend after Thanksgiving
Make new Christmas wreaths for the front, back, and living room door.
Maybe even make a wreath for the kitchen?
Purchase pre-lit potted trees to do this
Purchase a small Christmas tree to put in M's room
Make a pumpkin pie, pumpkin cupcakes, and an ultimate fudge pie
Remember what I'm thankful for everyday
Pray everyday
Get all Christmas decor up the weekend after Thanksgiving
Finish Christmas shopping
Finish planning M's birthday

That's about it. I don't think any of these will be hard to complete, but I'll need y'all to hold me accountable!

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Pee Ess - My birthday is next Tuesday. I expect a ton of amazing gifts. Or emails. I'm not picky.

A New Perspective

2011-11-04T10:34:00.003-05:00

Well, lovahs, the deed is done. My blog is brand, spankin new. So fresh and so clean, clean.

I loved my old blog, but I needed something different. I wanted to simplify things, and I wanted my blog to reflect my life. There will probably come a time when I get the urge to shake things up again, but I'm liking the simple life for now!

As far as the new title, I figured I should probably explain it a bit. Basically, we live an unstyled life. An unplanned, spontaneous life. No matter what we plan, things come up, plans change. Life is messy. I can get up in the morning, get dressed, look my best, and between my daughter, pets, and life in general, I end up frazzled by the time I walk out the door. So, I've learned to embrace it. I love my life, messy parts and all, and I wouldn't change a thing. My unstyled life is perfect, just the way it is.

Pee Ess - The Big Texas To Do has been put on hold. I've decided to do a completely different blog dedicated just to it, and I'm hoping to have it up and running by the new year. I'll let y'all know once it's finished!

Hey, You Ghouls!

2011-10-31T05:25:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween, from the cutest pig ever!

I hope y'all have a safe and frightful Halloween! See y'all in November! ;-)

{Semi} Wordless Wednesday: Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-19T16:17:00.002-05:00

I apologize in advance for this photo heavy post, I just can't leave any out!

Last week we made the trek out to Frerichs Dairy in La Grange, Texas to visit their pumpkin patch. We had never been before, so we didn't know what to expect, but we ended up pleasantly surprised. There was a guided tour and a hayride, and we got to pet and feed all of the animals, and milk a cow!

Baby Butterbean loves things like this, so despite the crazy winds, she had a fabulous time!

Waiting to go on the guided tour!

"A cow, momma!"

She really didn't want to pose in the pumpkins.

We had such a good time! Plus we got a ton of pumpkins to take home and decorate with! This will definitely be our pumpkin patch destination from here on out!

I'm linking up with the lovely Daph, so be sure and head over to check out the other linkers!!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Sunday Quotable

2011-10-16T18:23:00.001-05:00

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing...

~ Albert Einstein

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!!

Hey Girl

2011-10-13T13:14:00.001-05:00

You may or may not know that I sometimes go tumbling and you also may or may not know that I ~~am obsessed~~ ~~stalk~~ kind of adore Ryan Gosling. With all of that being said, my day was pretty much made when I found this. You're welcome.

Dear Weekend,

2011-09-30T18:41:00.001-05:00

Please be good to me. This past week has kicked my ass. Between freak allergic reactions that left my face blotchy and swollen, and moving into our new house, and a sick and snotty toddler, I can't handle anymore. I've hardly eaten anything since Tuesday because of this nausea and stomach ache that I can't shake (no, I'm not pregnant) and my face looks like it's been run over and put through a meat grinder. I'm exhausted and every inch of my body hurts. To make matters worse, I *still* don't have everything moved from the old house. So please, Saturday and Sunday, I'm begging you, be kind. Don't kick me when I'm down, because I'm not sure I can handle much more. I'm going to take a hot shower, and go to bed early tonight. I hope that when I see you tomorrow morning, you've got a genuine smile on your face.

Love,
J

And to all of my fabulous readers, I love y'all! Hopefully you've had a better week than I have, and your weekend rocks!

Fun with Our Phones Monday!

2011-09-26T10:50:00.001-05:00

Why, yes, I *am* posting twice in one day! I wanted to link up for the Fabulous Fall Blog Challenge, but I also wanted to link up with Savanah and Erin for

because I'm pretty in love with these photos from last week. Look, it's my blog, and I'll post as much as I want, got it!? Sorry, didn't mean to shout. Aaaaanywaaaay...

Here's a glance at how we started our Monday:

We ride our ponies first thing in the mornings.

Then we strike a pose.

On Wednesday I found this little hole in the wall store in the town that I work in that has the most amazing Halloween and fall decorations! I picked up a few of these adorable bubble bath pumpkins for my niece and cousin's Halloween treat bags. They also had ghosts and skeletons, but these were definitely the cutest!

On Thursday Baby Butterbean decided to lose the bow and wear bunny ears to keep her hair back. She insisted on putting them on herself. She obviously nailed it. (Please excuse our messy playroom!!)

Later on that evening we went out to dinner where she discovered her new favorite food: ribs!!

Now, head over and check out the rest of the Fun With Our Phones posts!!

And, in case you missed it, I wrote a Where I'm From post over the weekend! Go check it out!

Fabulous Fall Blog Challenge - Day Six

2011-09-26T07:01:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday, y'all! Wait,... Is there such a thing as a happy Monday? Anywhoddles, I'm back from a weekend filled with packing and moving, (read: exhausting weekend) and once again, I'm linking with with these two fabulous ladies for their fall blog challenge!

Today's topic?

{Fall TV Shows}

If you know anything about me, you know that I'm a *huge* film and television buff, which leads to frantically searching movie bins at Target and my DVR constantly being full. So, once fall rolls around, I get so excited that all of my ~~friends~~ favorite shows come back!

I have many favorites coming back this season, but some of the new shows that are premiering look really good!

I caught "2 Broke Girls" and "New Girl" last week, and both of them were sooo cute!

And yes, even though it's a teem drama, I got sucked into Secret Circle a couple of weeks ago.

Last night was the Pan Am premiere, which wasn't nearly as good as I thought it would be, only because it had so many back stories! But, I'm sure I'll stick it out for a couple of weeks to see if it gets better.

I'll be catching The Playboy Club and Hart of Dixie tonight, and I've got high hopes for both!

Ok, y'all, now it's your turn! Are any of your favorites coming back this season? What new premieres are you excited about? Is there something else I should be watching?

Back Where I Come From

2011-09-24T22:15:00.001-05:00

I saw this over at Jessica's and I absolutely loved it, so I knew I had to write my own!! You can find the original prompt here.

I am from a football field on Friday night, from Lone Star Beer, and swimming in Cummins Creek on hot summer days.

I am from the two stop light town, with the old men sitting outside the barber shop, and with the water tower that welcomes you.

I am from the bluebonnets and the big oak trees.

I am from Sunday lunches with the whole family and German hips, from Delores and Doris and Bill.

From the over the top holiday decorating and weekly phone calls full of small town gossip.

From "always stand up for what's right" and "take pride in your family name".

I am from Sunday morning service in a country church pew. From reading the bible until it falls apart, and thanking God for all of my blessings.

I’m from Texas, by way of Germany, from chicken 'n' dumplings and my grandma's potato salad.

From the woman who met her true love at a 4H picnic, the woman who bent over backwards for her family, and the man who always stood tall for what he believed in.

I am from mantels filled with old photos, gun cabinets filled with family heirlooms, dusty old saddles, and knick knacks placed where all can see them.

I am from a family that's now broken, but somehow manages to not let go.

I am from a mom who would do anything for her kids, a dad who always hung the moon, and grandparents who loved us like there was no tomorrow.

Today I'm from a house filled with love. From "I lub you, momma"s, finger painting, and juice cups. I'm from endless laundry and movie nights on the couch with my soulmate.

Everywhere I've been has made me in to the person I am today, so I couldn't be more proud than where I'm from!

Fabulous Fall Blog Challenge - Day Five

2011-09-23T09:31:00.003-05:00

Blogger apparently hates me, because I tried to post yesterday and the day before (Fabulous Fall Blog Challenge Days 3 & 4), but it wouldn't let me! So, I'm trying again today to link up with Neely and Amber. Hopefully Blogger cooperates and I don't end up losing everything like I did on Wednesday.

Anyway, I'll do a mini post on day 3 & 4's topics.

{Day Three}

What do you do for Halloween/a Halloween memory

The first year that B and I were married, we threw a Halloween party, but the next year was my niece's first birthday, so that tradition was scrapped pretty quickly. Up until this year we always spent Halloween with her, but this year we'll see her a few days early, and since Baby Butterbean is old enough, we'll go trick or treating.

These are from Princess R's (my niece) birthday last year.

Halloween Baby

Baby Butterbean and her cousin

{Day Four}

Fall Decorating

Y'all, I looooove decorating for fall! And this year I'll decorate even more, thanks to Pinterest! Here are a few ideas I'm currently loving.

Source: capecodcollegiate.tumblr.com via J on Pinterest

Holiday Printables

Source: etsy.com via J on Pinterest

Painted & Monogrammed Pumpkins

Source: socialcouture.typepad.com via J on Pinterest

DIY Adorableness

OK, now on to today's topic!!

{Day Five}

Things You Look Forward to for Fall

-College Football!! You probably shouldn't talk to me during a Bama game!

-County Fairs

-Warm Apple Cider

-Halloween!!

-Sweaters, boots, and scarves

-My birthday!!

-And the best thing, the cooler weather! Granted, it's still hot as hades down here, but at least it doesn't feel like we live in the devil's armpit anymore!

So tell me, what excites you the most about fall finally being here?

Fall Blog Challenge - Day Two

2011-09-20T10:49:00.001-05:00

It's day two of Neely and Amber's Fabulous Fall Blog Challenge!!

Today's topic? Fall fashion. Aka, the second best fashion ever. The best is winter fashion, obviously.

As far as my fall makeup, I don't do much different. I only wear tuned moisturizer, a little concealer, and mascara normally, but I may do a bit of eye shadow in the fall and winter months. I do rock the darker fall colors on my nails though, and I have been known to dye my hair a much darker color once it starts to get cooler.

Now, as far as fashion, I'd love to say that my daily fall fashion is amazing sweaters, and scarves, and boots, but it's not really. See, it's still in the 90s down here during the day, so I can't bust out the sweaters until around November. I wear my cowboy boots a bit more once fall hits, because it's fair season in my neck of the woods. I also have a few lightweight scarves that I can pull off with tees when it's still warm out. I try to incorporate as much fall fashion into my wardrobe without passing out from heat exhaustion.

These are perfect examples of what I could wear here!

I add more darker colors back into my outfits, and maybe a bit of animal print here and there! And I put the flip flops away and bring out the flats.

Isn't this lovely?

And, since I have a little girl, I get to dress her in her fall fashion as well! She's very prissy, so she loves to wear skirts, so I pair them with tights and boots.

Last year's fall photo shoot. Skirt? Check. Adorable denim vest? Check. Tights and boots? Check check.

I also pull out my cardigans and boyfriend blazer. I really need more of those, because I lurrrrve them!

Alright, now it's your turn! Tell me, what is your must have fall fashion staple?

All photos (except my baby!) can be found here

Fabulous Fall Blog Challenge - Day One

2011-09-19T23:02:00.001-05:00

Um, I haven't blogged in nearly two weeks. How is that possible!? It seems like I just blogged yesterday! Apparently raising a toddler, working part-time, and painting, packing, and showing your house take up a lot of time. But! We will be moved in 10 days. Just one and a half more weeks, and we'll be in our new house! And then I'll breathe a sigh of relief.... but then I'll have to unpack. Shoot.

Anyway, I figured I'd drop in today because the oh-so-fabulous Amber and Neely are hosting a two week fall blog challenge, and I had to join in!

Today's topic is Fall Traditions.

We only have two fall traditions.

Our first one is decorating. We go all out on our fall decorations. We put out the fall themed things September 1st, and then put out our Halloween decor on October 1st. I fill my house with pumpkin smelling candles and bake all kinds of pumpkin flavored goodies. My favorite is my mom's pumpkin delight pie. It's the shizzy, y'all.

Our second tradition is heading out to the pumpkin patch to pick up a bunch of pumpkins and gourds. This is by far one of my favorite traditions. It's up there with picking out our Christmas tree.

We took Baby Butterbean for the first time last year, and she loved it!

That is, after she got used to the pumpkins that were bigger than her!

Picking out her own pumpkin.

She picked out the little yellow one next to her, and wouldn't put it down!

How about this one?

Taste testing.

Cheese!

There's also a petting zoo, which she went absolutely nuts for, and a hay ride that takes you around the farm. We love going to the pumpkin patch.

So tell me, do y'all have any fall traditions?

Ten Years Later: May We Never Forget

2011-09-09T20:42:00.001-05:00

I'm not going to ask you where you were ten years ago, and I'm not going to tell you where I was.

All I'm going to say is that my heart, just like many other Americans, is heavy this weekend. And that, for the last ten years, the 2,819 victims have never left my mind. They've been there, in the shadows, maybe out of thought, but never fully gone. My heart hurts for the loved ones left behind.

That day shaped the rest of my life. It's the reason I wanted to become an EMT. And the truth is, that day changed all of us.

We are all different than we were before that horrible day, even if it's just in a small way. The biggest change is that it has divided us as a country.

I won't go into my feelings about what our country has become, because that's not what I'm trying to do here. I just want everyone to see, that no matter your race, gender, religion, or political party, we are all Americans. We should always stand united. We should care for each other, and support one another.

I hope that as you hug your friends and family this weekend, you remember that day. That you remember what you felt when you heard the news, and that you remember the feeling that all Americans had for a few weeks after the attacks. We stood together, we were one. We were all brothers and sisters. And then, just like that, it was gone.

I wish, for my sake, for your sake, for my daughter's sake, that we could stand united once again. That we could stop bickering with each other long enough to realize that we live in an amazing country, one that we should take pride in, not be ashamed of.

So please, even if it's just for this weekend, put aside your political beliefs, put aside your religious beliefs, put aside your hatred for others, and love your fellow Americans. Because you never know what will happen in the next second. 2,819 people had no idea they would die on 9/11/2001, and you don't know when you'll go either.

May We Never Forget

"Revive From Ashes and Rise"

2011-09-05T14:49:00.000-05:00

Y'all, my beloved state is burning. There are fires all around Texas, including one in the county that I currently live in.

The worst is in Bastrop County, which is the county we lived in before moving to where we are now. Friends and family are being evacuated, I have some friends that have already lost their homes, and we have friends that are fighting the fires there.

via

My heart is breaking for everyone effected by the fires. I'm dying to help, but there's nothing I can do at this point.

Please, if you're the praying type, say a prayer for it to rain in Texas. If you aren't the praying type, just send some good vibes, or wish some rain our way. We Texans are a strong breed, and we can handle a lot, but right now, I think we're at our wits end. We need rain, desperately.

What Were You Born To Do?

2011-09-02T11:08:00.000-05:00

Y'all? Parenting is hard. Why didn't anyone tell me!? Apparently, people have known this for *decades*, but no one decided to tell me. Thanks for that.

I find myself saying things on a daily basis that I never thought I'd say. For instance, "stop sticking your hands down your pants" (remember, I have a *girl*), "don't yank on the cat's tail!", "don't put that in your mouth" and the grossest one to date, "we don't touch the dog's butt!!" I also say "no" and "stop that" eleventy million times a day.

Also? Potty training is going to kill me. Baby Butterbean gets the idea. She goes potty in her big girl potty very often. But, she'll say "I potty!" and we'll rush to the potty and then sit there for three hours. Five minutes after getting up, she screams, "I potty, I potty!!" and we rush to the potty, only to find that she was simply telling us that she peed in her diaper.

It's hard work, yo.

Plus? Those cute little babies turn into toddlers. And toddlers? Back talk. You tell them to do something, or stop something, or to go somewhere, and they look you in the face and tell you "No!" And for someone who needs to be in control of every aspect of her life, that shiz is hard!

They also go from being fabulous eaters, to eating nothing but fiddle sticks and blueberries over night. They will be perfect angels at home all day, and then pitch a fit the minute you go out into public for dinner. They want to sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider a billion and one times a day, and read The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round a billion and two times a day. They get obsessed with a certain tv character or two *cough, Olivia and Blue, cough, cough* and want to watch them all day, every day.

They obsess about coloring nonstop, and want to "help" with everything you do. Only, their helping isn't really helping. You end up having to fold the laundry three different times.

But, despite all of these things? Despite desperately needing an ice cold Shiner at the end of most days, I wouldn't trade this for any amount of money in the world. I love my little Baby Butterbean more than anything and she makes me beam with pride every day. One minute I'm pulling my hair out because she just. won't. listen, and the next I'm snuggling her and singing You Are My Sunshine. Motherhood is the toughest, most frustrating, most stressful job I've ever had. But it's also the most rewarding, and by far my most favorite.

And even at the end of my most challenging days, when I kiss my little girl goodnight, and she says "lub you, mommy", I know that all the blood, sweat, tears, and extra loads of laundry are totally worth it.

I was born to be many things, but above all things, I was born to be a mother.

Well Hello There

2011-09-01T03:54:00.001-05:00

Via

Hey there, September. It's been far too long, and you sure are looking good. Can I take you out sometime? *eyebrow wiggle*

Sorry, that got a little inappropriate.

Well, September is here, and even though it's still hot as hades here in ~~the devil's armpit~~ Texas, I couldn't be more excited for autumn.

I'm itching to decorate, but I know that would be a bit silly, seeing as how we'll be moving at the end of the month. But, if I can't decorate, I can at least put pumpkin scented candles everywhere! Plus there's the return of college football, and my beloved fall tv schedule. Not to mention (slightly) cooler weather, and boots and scarves!!

I absolutely love fall. It means the holidays are right around the corner, and that always makes me feel warm and snuggly. The holidays bring good food, and good times with loved ones.

So bring on the fall fashion, the nights spent snuggled up watching new shows, the Saturdays spent cheering for my Bama boys, pumpkin scented *everything*, and hot chocolates from Starbucks, cause this girl is beyond ready!

What about y'all? Are y'all just as stoked for fall as I am?

Black and White and French All Over

2011-08-31T17:55:00.001-05:00

Happy Wednesday, lovahs!

I have done absolutely nothing today but laundry and shop online for pretty things for our new house. What's that? I didn't tell you about our new house!? Well, long story short, I'm in love with it. I'll post pictures once we start moving in on the 29th.

Anymoving, my new kitchen is white with teal cabinets, and it's perfect. The only problem? My kitchen is currently decorated in chili peppers... Which obviously won't do. The solution? I get to shop!! So, I hit up my usual haunts today and found some pretties.

I decided to decorate in black and white, with a French country theme. Here are a few things I picked out today:

Via
Damask, always classy

Via
A seven pack on kitchen towels, a must have!

Via
Isn't this the cutest!?

Via

Via
Monograms are a must.

Via
Love.

Via
Yes, yes I am.

What do y'all think? Should I work in some silvers or grays??

How Not To Be An Asshole: Part Deux

2011-08-30T06:50:00.001-05:00

Some time back I wrote about not being an asshole. I would link y'all, but I'm too lazy to find the post. Don't judge me.

Anywhoodles, if you follow me on the twit, or if you know me IRL, you know of my love for Texas Women. I'm obsessed. It's a big to-do in my house. Anyway, last week there was all kinds o' drama! (which I love!)

The barrel racer Brooke Jeter was getting all fussy over the model/lazy bum Hannah and the bull contractor Anna, or HannahAnna, as I like to call them. There was almost a Texas Women brawl. Or, at least, it was *edited* to look like there was going to be a rumble in the Dee Eff Dubbya. Now, this week, Brooke decides she's gonna post some shiz about HannahAnna all over her facebook page. In fact, it was some pretty serious shiz that could destroy someone's life who has nothing to do with these ~~women~~ girls.

And in my opinion, that's not cool.

Now, listen, I'm all for standing up for yourself, and for defending your actions, but to publicly blast someone, and to drag an innocent person into it, just isn't right.

I'm a firm believer in always handling yourself with class, even in the event of a confrontation. Never make excuses for your actions, and you damn sure don't blame others.

Here's my point of this post. Don't talk shit about people on the internet, especially when you're making very serious allegations, and if you aren't directly involved in, or effected by someone's actions, you have no right to run your mouth. Plain and simple.

Also? Fighting with someone over the internet is completely ridiculous and makes the both of you look like giant asses.

Keep it classy folks, it pays off in the long run.

Weekend Wrap-Up

2011-08-29T12:11:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was a very special weekend. It was filled with love and laughter, and we got to spend a lot of time with our family, which is always nice.

On Friday I surprised my sister with dinner for her birthday. I love how excited she gets when we throw a party for her. We went out to eat and had cake and presents, and she even got to dance while the staff were singing to her. I am so very blessed to have such a special sister. She always manages to bring a smile to my face.

The Princess addressing her people.

It took all she had not to tear into the cake the minute it arrived!

Obviously Baby Butterbean was ecstatic about the celebrations!

My beautiful sister and I.

Then, after spending part of the day at work on Saturday, we decided to get out in the heat and blow some bubbles!

Blow!

Blow harder!

Even Aunt Charla got in on the bubble action.

Then we decided that the colored bubbles worked well as a lipstick.

We took it a bit far when we got some up our nose.

Sunday found us at G.G.'s house (my grandmother) where Baby Butterbean ran around getting into everything all day.

But, despite getting into trouble, G.G. and Gran always spoil the kids, so Baby Butterbean was rewarded with giant lollies.

And then she wanted to take silly pictures of herself until it was time to go.

I always love weekends like this. We laugh so much that our bellies hurt, and I always leave feeling closer to my family. I never met my great-grandmother, so I love that Baby Butterbean gets to spend time with her's. My heart just swells with pride every time I see them playing together.

So, now you've seen our weekend, tell me about yours!

Werd

2011-08-19T14:11:00.001-05:00

Jazactly.

Happy Friday lovahs, hope you have one hell of a weekend!

{via}

Soak It Up

2011-08-12T13:38:00.000-05:00

Well friends, summer is starting to wind down, kids are starting to go back to school, and moms are weaning themselves off of the xanax. And I couldn't be happier. I'm itching for fall to get here. Autumn brings cooler weather, college football, and fair time here in Texas, which just so happens to be my favorite time of year!

But, I have to say, I'm always a little sad to see summer go. I always feel like I didn't spend enough time in the toasty sun, or float the river enough, or drink enough beer with friends. So, I plan on fixing that this year. For the rest of the summer I will grill at least once a week, play in the pool often, and lay out until my skin tingles. We will send this summer out in style. And then we'll bask in the glow of this summer's memories all winter long. And when next summer rolls around, we'll do it all again.

I'm out until Monday, here's a few songs to set the mood for my perfect summer weekend. X's and O's lovahs!

It's Ok...

2011-08-11T16:08:00.001-05:00

Another day, another link up! Today I'm linking up with the wonderful Neely from A Complete Waste of Make-up and Amber from Brunch with Amber for their "It's Ok Thursdays" link-up!

Alright, here goes...

•It's ok to sometimes spend the day in sweats.

•It's ok to be so excited about fall that I literally squeal with excitement anytime I see something autumn related.

•It's ok to disown A&M if they make the switch to the SEC

•It's ok to be totally pissed about the remake of Dirty Dancing

•It's ok to not want to go to work tomorrow since The Hubs is off

•It's ok to start another blog, even though I barely keep up with this one (more on that later, I'm really excited about it!)

•It's ok to participate in a link-up every day of the week!

Happy Thursday, lovahs! Now head over to Neely's or Amber's and check out the other linkers!

{semi} Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T09:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Wednesday, y'all! I'm over at the lovely Daphne's today hosting {semi} Wordless Wednesday!! Come on over and check it out, and link up if you feel like it!

Hope y'all have a wonderful Wednesday and I'll see y'all tomorrow!

True Life: I'm a General Life Blogger

2011-08-05T06:00:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday, lovahs!!

I am so, so, so very excited about today's post! I'm linking up with the wonderful Mrs. Monologues and the lovely Tara from Fabulous But Evil today for their True Life: I'm a _____ Blogger series!

Here's the rundown: it's an eight week series that features a link up party every Friday. It's basically a way to showcase your blog and let people know what genre your little corner of the internet falls into.

I absolutely adore these girls, so there was no way I could pass up linking up!

Anyway, I figured I'd write a little about myself for any newbies that stumble over this way, or for any of my current followers who want to know more about me! So, let's kick this off, shall we?

I'm J, I'm 25 and I'm a tried and true Texan. I live between Houston and Austin in a little one horse town with The Hubs and our adorable daughter, Baby Butterbean, who has a personality as big as she is.

Spoiled Rotten

We have, what we like to call, a mini farm. We have rabbits, chickens, a rooster, a goose and two ducks. Plus two spoiled dogs, two lazy cats, and a gorgeous Appaloosa horse. I work a few days a week as a bail bondsman, but it's not something I want to do for the rest of my life. The Hubs and I lived in Alabama briefly after we got married, where I picked up a love for anything Bama related (Roll Tide Roll!) but I will always be a Texas girl. I have an ongoing love affair with Red Dirt and Texas music and have quite the gyspy soul. I suffer from a bad case of wanderlust and I'm a perfectionist down to the bone. I'm addicted to anything social media (the twit, the pinterest, the tumblr) and my iPhone is pretty much permanently attached to my hand. I drive like a maniac with my windows rolled down and singing at the top of my lungs.

I've blogged for about two years now, and I'm not the greatest blogger in the world. I don't blog as often as I should, and I'm horrible at commenting on other people's blogs, but I do read them every day, and I'm trying to be a better blogger!

Alright, there you have it, a little info about me. If there's anything else you want to know, just ask!

And, just in case you're wanting more, here's a few of my favorite posts from the past two years:

Really, Karma? Really!?

It's Tuesday, and You've Pissed Me Off

Trend Watch Tuesday Series

Mommy Moments

Mind Ya Business

Where Has It All Gone?

Oh, How The Mighty Have Fallen

Alright folks, that's it. That's the story of me. Now, head on over to Tara's or Mrs. Monologues' and check out the other General Life Bloggers!!

Someone Get Me My Pink Rhinestone Straightjacket

2011-08-02T15:35:00.001-05:00

Folks, momma's losing it. This week has made me it's bitch, and it's only Tuesday. I'm stressed out and exhausted from lack of sleep, so I may be slightly delusional. Please keep that in mind while you read the rest of the post.

My child is officially obsessed with Blue's Clues. It's gotten so bad, we even had to buy DVDs for her to watch when it's not playing on Nick Jr. Which has resulted in her wanting to watch Blue's Clues all day long and running around screaming "Due's Cues!" like a banshee. That, my friends, is not the crazy part of this post.

"Due's Cues!!!"

"My Due's Cues"

"That's Due, and Tickety,..."

A few years back, "Steve" left the show, and was replaced by his cousin. Joe, or Larry, or Eugene, or something. Now, to me, this cousin fellow seems a little odd, so we only watch the episodes with Steve in them.

In case you didn't know, this is Steve.

Ok, are you ready for the crazy part? In my stressed, sleep deprived state... I found myself.... thinking Steve.... was kind of.... ~~sexy~~ good looking.

Yes, friends, Steve from Blue's Clues rocks my socks. I'm pathetic.

But, in my defense, he's not always as douchey looking as he is on the show. See?

He's not that bad, right?

Ok, so maybe he is a bit of a douche.

Don't judge me, dammit!! It's not like I can sit around staring at my love, Jake Gyllenhaal all day! He doesn't exactly have any kid friendly movies, so you gotta work with what you got! Let's just hope I don't start getting the hots for DJ Lance Rock.

Gotta go, it's time for the thinking chair!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday Musings

2011-08-01T09:05:00.001-05:00

Our weekend was filled with good people, good music, and good beer. And lots of laughter. I love weekends like that. Weekends where we get to spend time with family and not really have a care in the world, they're definitely my favorite.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of our good times this weekend, but I did get two pretty awesome shots.

See why I love Texas so much?

Hope everyone had a weekend as beautiful as mine!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday Confessional

2011-07-31T21:09:00.001-05:00

Despite being 25 years old, I still get a little excited when school supplies hit the grocery store shelves.

I may even buy a cute little something. What can I say, I love new supplies and anything organizational! Don't judge me.

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Come Find Me!!

2011-07-29T10:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday, y'all! I'm only here for a brief second today, just wanted to stop in and tell y'all to check out my guest post over at my girl B's place!

She's letting her hair lose out in sunny California this week, so I'm holding down the fort for today!

Head on over and find out a bit more about what's on my Big Texas To Do List!

I hope everyone has a Shiner beer filled weekend!

{Semi} Wordless Wednesday: Pinterest Edition

2011-07-27T14:15:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite bloggers, Kristy, from The Pink Owl is hosting {Semi} Wordless Wednesday over at Daphne's today. Go over and check her out!

Since I've been on my deathbed for the last week, we've had no new adventures, which means no new pictures. So today I'm giving you something different. I think I've talked before about my love of Pinterest, and my love gets stronger and stronger everyday, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite sayings that I've pinned lately!

To Do

True Life

Happiness is Ice Cream

Accept Only the Best

Truly Texan

Have a great {Semi} Wordless Wednesday, and swing by and check out the other entries!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Somebody Loves Me!!

2011-07-25T20:54:00.001-05:00

I know I've told y'all about Brandy before, but let me say, for the ten thousandth time, she kicks ass. She's pretty much as cool as Chuck Norris. I'm completely serious.

Anywhoodles, since she's mah boo, she gave me some sweet bloggy love the other day! Behold, the Butterfly Award!

Oh yes, she loves me

Ok, so, here are the rules:

1) Link back to the awesome person who gave you the award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Answer the following questions below
4. Award this to 15 bloggers

Ok, so here goes:

Seven things about myself:
I'm terrified of snakes and pigs (it's a long story), I graduated high school early, I drive like a maniac, I have a pet goose and two pet ducks, I'm addicted to sunburns (dumb), I have two tattoos (an infinity sign and a horseshoe around a four leaf clover), and I love the smell of leather and a horse's neck.

Questions:
Name your favorite color-
Pink and turquoise. Although not necessarily together.

Name your favorite song-
We covered this, remember? "My Texas"

Name your favorite dessert-
Homemade chocolate chip cookies

What wizzes you off-
I'm not sure I've ever thought "Now, that really wizzes me off!" I use pissed. Cause I'm gangsta. Anyway, people in general piss me off. No lie.

When you’re upset you-
Say horrible, mean things about the person I'm mad at. I know, it's childish, but that's what I do. I should really see someone about that.

Your favorite pet-
My favorite out of my current ones? There's no way I could choose just one. That's like me telling my children (if I had more than one) that I had a favorite! Although, I will say I like my dogs over all of the others.

Black or white-
Black in the winter, white in the summer.

Your biggest fear-
We've already covered this one. Snakes and pigs.

Best feature-
My kneecaps. For realz.

Everyday attitude-
"Get money." I left the first part out intentionally.

What is perfection-
A cuddle with Baby Butterbean.

Guilty pleasure-
Trashy reality tv. I seriously can't get enough. Bring the crazy!!

Now I'm suppose to award this to 15 ah-mazing people, so, here goes:

Aly
Becky
Heather
The Mrs.
Tara
B
Kora Bruce Bruce
Christine
Summer Athena
KS
Alicia
Melly Melly Dee
Katie
Collins
And last but certainly not least,
Jen

So, there ya have it. Those are 15 of my favorite bloggers. Go check 'em out, you'll love 'em too! And thank you so much, Brandy, for the award!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My Texas

2011-07-22T15:18:00.003-05:00

If you know anything about me, (which most of you don't) you know that I'm crazy about music. Any kind of music, really. But, I have Texas and Red Dirt music in my veins. The day that I can't hear either of those on my radio is the day that my soul dies.

Now that we're clear just how much I love Texas music, let me introduce you to one of my favorite bands.

The Josh Abbott Band

I don't think there is a single song that they've released that I haven't loved. Plus? Josh Abbott is kinda sexeh.

He's got that good ol' country boy look

Anyhot, this last Tuesday, their new song, "My Texas", was released on iTunes. Now, I've been waiting for months for this single to come out. I heard a sneak peek awhile back, and I was hooked from the get go. Here, let me show you:

If you aren't hooked after listening to it, you ~~ain't met my Texas yet~~ probably aren't from Texas, and there's a huge chance you've never heard of most of these things. However, I've heard of every one of these things, and, I'm sad to say, there's some that I haven't done. Take away my Texan card, because I can't call myself a real Texan anymore. So, I've decided to fix this. Wanna know what I'm planning on doing?

That's right, folks, I'm making a Texas To Do List! I plan on doing everything listed in this song, plus I'm going to be looking for more awesome things to do here in my great state!

The best part? I'm inviting all of my Texas followers to join me. There's even a button!

Over the next few weeks I'll be putting together a list of things that I want to do, or see, here in this great state. If you're a fellow Texan, and you want to join in, let me know! I definitely want to know what all you've decided to do. Or, if you have an suggestions, leave a comment or drop me an email! And, if you aren't from Texas, I'm really sorry. You should definitely visit one day!

X's and O's!

Update: The code in the grab box wasn't working but it's fixed now!!

Really, Karma? Really!?

2011-07-21T12:58:00.001-05:00

Dear Universe,

Piss off. I don't know what I've done to you, but I'd like to know why you've got a bone to pick with me. I didn't steal your boyfriend, I didn't make fun of your acid washed jeans and retainer, and I didn't tell anyone you stuffed your bra. So what's the problem? I smile and say hey when we see each other, and I even talked Stephanie Becker into inviting you to her party. Sure, we aren't the best of friends, but I thought we at least were cool with each other.

But, no. Here you go with your over dramatic self, making my life a living hell. I don't appreciate you giving me food poisoning, and I damned sure don't like you making Baby Butterbean sick. First the weird allergic reaction that resulted in that gnarly rash, and now you've turned my kid into an exorcist baby!? I cannot handle cleaning up anymore vom. Sorry if you're eating lunch while reading this.

All I have to say is you better back off. I mean, sure, I look all nice and innocent, but underneath, I'm really quite gangsta. And I will not hesitate to shank a bish, got it? Best watch yo back.

Word to ya motha,

J

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{Semi} Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T17:48:00.001-05:00

Friends, it's Wednesday again, which obviously means I'm joining in for {Semi} Wordless Wednesday over at Daphne's place!

What's on tap this week? Only the cutest overalls ever.

Ruffles and bows.

Yes, that's a poodle.

And ruffles on the butt.

Sorry I haven't been around the last week, we've been hit with a case of the sickies over here. I'm sure I'll blog about it later!

Hope everyone has had a fabulous {Semi} Wordless Wednesday, be sure to head over and check out the other entries on the blog hop!
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{Semi} Wordless Wednesday: Pinterest IRL

2011-07-13T09:08:00.001-05:00

Happy Hump Day, folks! How has everyone's week been? Mine has been fairly uneventful, but that's probably going to change today, seeing as how my niece, Princess A, will be here later this afternoon. She always knows how to shake things up!

Anywhoodles, I'm double dipping today. I'm linking up with the lovely Daphne again for {Semi} Wordless Wednesday,

But I'm also linking up over at Lizz's for Pinterest IRL!

Wanna know what I decided to make? Check it:

S'mores Brownies, y'all.

Now, let me start of by confessing that the picture above is not mine. It's from the original blog that I pinned the recipe from. I originally pinned it from Karly over at Buns In My Oven and you can find my pin here. Ok, now on to the yummy goodness!

For the graham cracker crust you'll need:

1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of white sugar

Combine crumbs, butter, and sugar, and press into a foil lined, greased 9x13 pan.

(Please excuse my crappy iPhone photos!)

Next, I mix the brownie mix. You can choose to make brownies from scratch, but, if you're like me, you really need to get back to the Real Housewives of New Jersey marathon, whip the shiz up straight out of the box!

The fudgier, the better.

Step one: mix it
Step two: stick finger in mixture and taste it. This is a *very* important step.
Step three: pour onto graham cracker crust

Bake as directed on box.

Now, after this you have a few different options. You can use large marshmallows or small marshmallows. If you use the large (like I do) you can either cut them in half or leave them whole. I cut mine in half. I also put them in a pot and melt them a bit. Makes them a bit stickier.

Ok, once your brownies are done, take them out, and layer the marshmallows on top.

Turn on your broiler, position the rack on the highest slot, and pop those bad boys in. Now, I've made these twice already, and let me warn you, you've got to watch them, otherwise your marshmallows will burn very quickly. We like ours almost burnt, so the first time I made these, I let them go for way to long and almost caught my oven on fire.

I should also say that I doubt your's will turn out as pretty as Karly's. Mine haven't.

But ohmygah, were they good!

So, there ya have it. I made a huge mess, and they aren't very good looking, but they're heavenly!

If you try them, let me know. But if your's end up being prettier, don't tell me!

Happy {Semi} Wordless Wednesday, and happy pinning!
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I'm Really Not That Vain

2011-07-12T12:18:00.001-05:00

Obviously I have no problem writing about how adorable my kid is. I will also write all day long about how I think The Hubs is really sexeh, but I doubt that y'all want to read that, right? Right. Anyvajazzle, my point is, I have no problem ~~bragging~~ talking about my kiddo or my better half. I do, however, have a problem when it comes to talking about myself.

Friends? I hate bios.

About me's, author info pages, whatever you want to call them. I despise them.

Anytime I sign up for something that has an "About Me" section, I cringe. And this whole "Tell Us A Little About Yourself!" business doesn't make it any better. It's a bio section. They want you to write about yourself. Tell the world all about you, but don't make it too long. And you've gotta be funny. No one likes a damp towel. (right, Kora Bruce?) So, whenever I see these little boxes of evil, I nearly have a panic attack. How am I supposed to make people like me/love me/think I'm funny in this tiny little spot!? I mean, sure, I could get drunk and write something, but mostly likely, if the reader isn't drunk, they aren't going to think it's funny either!

Now, sure, I could talk about how awesome I am, because come on, we all know I have a rather high opinion of myself, but that won't work either. That's just going to make people think that I'm conceited, which is clearly not right. I'm just awesomely confident. There's a difference.

So, for the most part, since I'm apparently allergic to this About me business, I tend to stay away from them. But I'm am currently faced with a problem. I've been asked to start writing reviews for a website (more on that later!) and not only are they needing an actual photo of me, but they're needing me to write a bio. Cue the hyperventilating. What do I do!? What do I say!? Hi, I'm J and I like cheese!? I'm a stand still folks. So, I'm turning to my lovely followers for help. Tell me, what do you normally say in your About Me sections? Leave a comment, email me, tweet me, hell, send a courier pigeon, something that will help me with this daunting task, because they're wanting it by this evening!

I'll just be over here in the corner, with my big box of wine, waiting for inspiration to hit.

Xoxo and Happy Tuesday!

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What A Weekend

2011-07-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday, y'all! I hope everyone's weekend was as wonderful as mine. We had my cousin's son's birthday party on Saturday, ya know, the one I made all the volcanos for? And it was so fun! The kids had a fabulous time, and the decorations ended up being so cute! Everyone told me what a good job I did, which did nothing but make my head swell. By the time we made it out of there, I could barely get my head through the door. We had to break out the butter.

After the party, Baby Butterbean, my niece Princess Aurora, and I, all went downtown to a street dance that was going on. Talk about a good time! The girls danced until their legs were dead tired. Need proof?

Ignore the crappy quality, I shot these with my iPhone.

Needless to say, since we partied so hard on Saturday, we all slept in on Sunday!

So how was your weekend??

Saturday Morning Scene

2011-07-09T11:27:00.001-05:00

I'm seriously loving the link-ups lately. Today I'm linking up with Katie @ Loves of Life for:

Check out my Saturday Morning Scene:

Five minutes in the (formerly clean) playroom, and it already looks like this. And this is only a third of the room. I'm too scared to show y'all the rest!

What does your Saturday Morning Scene look like?
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It's The Simple Things, Y'all

2011-07-07T15:23:00.001-05:00

Happy Thursday, lovahs!! I have spent half the day making paper mâché volcanos for my cousin's son's birthday this Sunday. I'm not even half way through. Needless to say, I needed a break, so I'm eating nachos and watching White Collar. Oh, Matt Bomer, you sexeh man, you! Oh, and I'm writing this!

Anywhoddles, I came across this link up, and I thought it was so cute, I just had to join in!

Here are some simple things I'm loving this week!

• Sitting on my porch in complete silence with a mug of hot chocolate and watching the sun rise.

• Reading a book to Baby Butterbean while she snuggles in my lap.

• Spending time with my family.

• Playing in the water with The Hubs, Baby Butterbean, and her ducks.

• Exchanging funny texts with my best friends.

• Finding not one, not two, but three adorable shirts that not only look good on me, but are marked down 75%!

Alright folks, I've got to get back to my volcanos, head over to Jesslyn Amber's and link up with your favorite Simple Things!! Xoxo, m'dears!
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{Semi} Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-06T00:22:00.001-05:00

Y'all? It's Wednesday! We're half way to the weekend! If you want to get technical, today is kind of my Friday since The Hubs works a rotating shift. He's off today and tomorrow, but I still have to work today and Friday. So, maybe today is my Saturday? Or is it my Tuesday? Or is it... Forget it. Back to the task at hand.

I am, once again, joining in the {Semi} Wordless Wednesday blog hop over at Daph's.

Yesterday, my mom had knee surgery, so Baby Butterbean and I spent the day at the hospital with my grandmother, GG. Let me tell you, my daughter loves her GG.

They have these cute little tricks and games that they play with each other.

It makes my heart swell every time I see them together. I'm so glad that Baby Butterbean will have memories of her great grandmother to look back on.

When we finally left the hospital, it was right at rush hour, so the normal 2 hour drive home took a bit longer. At least we had a beautiful view!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday! Come on over to Daph's and check out more {Semi} Wordless Wednesdays!

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It's Tuesday, and You've Pissed Me Off

2011-07-05T00:37:00.001-05:00

Before I get to today's recipients of the Pissed Off Tuesday awards, let me say that I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday weekend! And that you aren't too hung over. Ok, now on to today's bitchfest!

The Headache From Hell
Ok, seriously, knock it off. You've been going strong for nearly 2 1/2 days now, it's time to move on. Just pack up your undies and your Metallica poster, and GTFO. I'm sure someone else has a couch that you can kick it on for a couple of days, but your time here is done. This girl has far too much stuff to do to worry with you. And make sure you don't come back for a long while.

So Called "Clients" of Mine
Listen, I just bailed your sorry ass out of jail, I suggest when you come over to my office, you show a little respect. Our rules are simple, check in and go to court. That's it. My 1 1/2 year old can do that! If you don't do these things, I swear to sweet baby Jebus that I *will* turn you in. Bottom line. And then you'll be back and jail and I won't bail you out since you couldn't follow the rules the first time. Oh, and also? If I set up a payment arrangement with you, and you don't hold up to your end of the agreement, I will blow your phone up. I will also call every reference listed and come and see you at your job. I don't play around when it comes to money. Pay up. And while you're at it, pull up your pants also.

Texas Weather
Oh, Texas Weather, you're such a whore. Why couldn't you bring just a bit of rain so we could have had fireworks on the fourth? How are we supposed to celebrate USA's birthday without fireworks!? That's like cake without birthday candles, it just doesn't fit. I am willing to let it go this time, assuming that you'll hold up your end of the agreement and snow in the winter. But next summer? I want lots of rain and a big ol' fireworks show on the fourth. You should probably get a jump start on that now.

Ok, lovers, that's it. I hope nothing is pissing y'all off this Tuesday!

Update I know that this was supposed to be a light hearted post, but I can't help but feel like I need to say something about the Casey Anthony trial, seeing as how it's one of the biggest things that has pissed me off today. I was physically sick listening to the verdict this afternoon. I don't see how the jury could have found her not guilty on everything that pertained to her daughter's death. Caylee didn't get justice today, and that saddens me beyond words. All I could do after hearing the verdict was hug my little girl, and I hope that if any of you have children, that you'll do the same.
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What Would You Do?

2011-07-01T21:34:00.001-05:00

It's pretty rare that I do "deep" posts around here. I try to keep it light, but every now and then, I have the urge to write something a bit heavier, and tonight is one of those nights. So, fair warning, if you're looking for butterflies and unicorns, come back tomorrow!

Any Friday that ABC's What Would You Do? is airing, you can most likely find me glued to my television. I always find it interesting to see what people do in these situations. Well, tonight was no different. After I tucked Baby Butterbean into bed, I curled up under my blanket on the couch and switched on the tv. And within minutes of the second segment of the show, I was in tears, despite knowing it was all fake. The set up was a teenage couple fighting in a park. The boyfriend was being mostly mentally and emotionally abusive, but there were a few times when he put his hands on her. Most people walked by and stayed out of it, but a few good Samaritans stepped in to stop the punk kid.

This hit very close to home with me because before I met The Hubs, I was in that exact relationship. I know what it's like to be treated this way. I have never told my family, partly because I eventually grew strong enough to leave him, but partly because I've felt that it was somewhat shameful. Let me explain that statement. I've always prided myself on being a strong person. I've stood up for myself, and others as well. I've never wanted to be in the situation where I needed someone else's help. And then, I found myself in a situation where I needed someone's help, but since I had put myself in that situation, I felt almost like I didn't deserve anyone's help.

Everyday for 9 months I lived in pure hell. I was told that I was worthless, stupid, fat, a waste of life, and that no one would ever truly love me, among many other worse things. Now, I know that a lot of people who haven't experienced this would wonder why I didn't just leave. Just pack my things and go. The only way I can answer that is to say that I thought if I loved him enough, he'd change, but also, after hearing these horrible things over and over, you start to believe them.

My point of writing this post is not to get sympathy. It's been a long time since all of this happened, and I've gotten over this. My heart has healed and I've moved on. The point of writing this post is to voice my frustration in the people that see things like this occurring and do nothing. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should step in and stop the abuser, because not everyone feels comfortable confronting others, but you should at least notify the authorities. I'm a firm believer in living by the golden rule. Treat others as you would want them to treat you. It's our responsibility to do the right thing. We cannot turn away and act as though nothing is happening.

I would never wish what I went through on anyone, and I can't even begin to imagine what it's like for women in worse situations, but I do know that it made me a stronger and wiser person. It caused me to make sure I raise my daughter to stand up for what's right and to always help those in need, and I wish that all mothers would do the same. That's the least that we can do. Wouldn't you want someone to stand up for your child if they were in a similar situation?

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Party Planning Extraordinaire

2011-07-01T00:32:00.001-05:00

I have decided that my true calling in life is party planning. I'm not even kidding.

I'm neck deep in planning Baby Butterbean's second birthday already, and it's still 6 months away. And I'm loving it. Every time I come up with a new idea, I squeal like a 6 year old.

I wasn't much of an "artsy fartsy" kid when I was growing up, so this is all new to me. It's weird because since having my daughter, I've been so much more creative. Maybe it was a hidden talent and my pregnancy unlocked it? Who knows. Anyvajazzle, I am now constantly coming up with ideas for decorations, food, games, and party favors. I pretty much eat, sleep, and breathe party planning. I'm so addicted to it, I've even contemplated making a career out of it!* Plus, having a Pinterest account has really helped! I've found a ton of inspiration from there! So, without further adieu, here's a hint at the theme that I've picked!

Photos via Pinterest

It's a Rhinestone Cowgirl party! If you know anything about my little girl, it's that she's very prissy, but boy does she love her ponies and cowboy hats! So, I've got big plans for this back at the ranch birthday party!

That's all I'm letting out of the bag today, but I'm sure I'll be posting many updates between now and January, so y'all come back now, ya hear!

I am completely serious about making this into a business, so if anyone needs a party planner, email me!

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A Touch of Glitz

2011-06-30T10:08:00.001-05:00

Well, it's Thursday morning. Which means last night, I was sunk into my couch, wine glass in hand, glued to my all time favorite show.

Oh yes, you read that right. Toddlers & Tiaras. The glitz, the glitter, the glamour. The big hair and even bigger attitudes. I love it all. It's like my crack. Well, that, and shopping.

Anypageants, last night didn't disappoint. They brought the crazy. Hell, they even tied it up in a pretty, glitzy bow.

My favorite stars of last night's show were Alaska and Braxton. A brother and sister duo who compete against each other. Not only for the Supreme Title, but for momma's attention as well. Braxton is what his mom calls a "very pretty boy". She keeps his hair longer and even said she could put his hair in pigtails and have him compete as a girl. Someone's been sipping the crazy koolaid! Now, the daughter, Alaska, is a very pretty little girl. But her mom says she's very "cookie cutter" since she's blonde haired and blue eyed, and basically says her son would beat her daughter in a pageant any day. She even goes as far as saying she hopes Alaska "accepts defeat or failure” if she loses. Crazy momma say whaaaa!? She bleaches the kids teeth and tints Alaska's blonde eyelashes. She's pretty much the Gary Busey of pageant moms.

Even the dad dips his feet in the crazy pool this week. When Braxton goes in for a haircut the dad is the one who critiques the cut and Alaska chimes in and says the he's the "hair manager". At this point I was pretty much in love with this family for bringing such a hot mess into my living room.

Now, I'm not going to tell y'all what the outcome of the pageant was, just in case someone wants to watch the episode, but I will say that there is a ton of drama! Everything from crappy hair stylists to musical mishaps, and the crowing is sure to shock you!

Ok, I'm off to practice the pageant wave with my daughter. I kid, I kid. Mostly. ;-)

Xoxo m'dears!
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{Semi} Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T00:01:00.001-05:00

The world is a revolving door.

Dining with our adoring fans (i.e. Gran).
Seriously, the kid's a star, it's like she's coming out of the restaurant to greet the paparazzi!

Come on over to the lovely Daph's place for more {Semi} Wordless Wednesday, and maybe even link up your own!
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It's Tuesday, and You've Pissed Me Off

2011-06-28T14:33:00.001-05:00

No, not you. My readers never piss me off. Y'all are wonderful. Really, you all deserve awards. Ok, enough sucking up. Let's get to the people who do piss me off, m'kay?

I'm in Austin today, which means that my anxiety and my blood pressure are sky high. Don't get me wrong, I *love* Austin, however, I don't like most of the people who live here. So I've decided to bitch about them today. Aren't y'all in for a treat!?

Dude Who Parks Too Close
Listen, I know you think you're a stud in your big ol' pickup truck, but that's no reason to be an ass. You seem to be in perfectly good health, so why must you have the very front parking space? There's no logical reason. But, since you insisted on parking in the very first space, and your truck is huge, you parked so close to me that I had to move out of my space in order to let my mother into the passenger side. You, sir, are a douche. Why not park at the end of the aisle with the rest of the trucks next time?

Woman Who Hauls Ass Down The Freeway
I get it, you have a fast car and a rich husband. That, however, does not entitle you to tailgate and swerve through traffic like a mad woman. I understand that you're probably late for your appointment to get your Botox injections, but seriously? You're pissing me off. If you make me curse in front of my daughter, I will follow you and make you pay. Oh, and that snotty look you give people as you pass them by? Makes you look like a horse.

Austin Traffic in General
You people are freaking crazy! It's like all of you are bipolar! One minute your driving too fast, then everyone slams on their brakes at the same time. You change lanes without looking or signaling and you're all texting at the same time! Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not the world's best driver, and I do have a bit of a lead foot and a touch of road rage, but I like to think I'm pretty safe when my baby is with me. So please, hang up the phone, use your blinker, and at least go the speed limit. Maybe then my blood pressure will go down and I won't have the urge to shank every one of you.

Thanks for your cooperation,
J
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Monday Musings

2011-06-27T17:42:00.001-05:00

Dear Sweet Child of Mine,

You, m'dear, are so smart. Your vocabulary is amazing, you're doing things well past your age group, and you are making Mommy and Daddy so proud. Which, come on, who are we kidding, you're my child, everyone knew you'd be advanced! But, that's not the point. The point is, you amaze me everyday with how beautiful, talented, sweet, and smart you are. So why, my brilliant little child, can you not remember that when you pull on your earlobe, that it's going to hurt? Seriously, stop it.

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Must Be Doing Something Right

2011-06-24T11:42:00.000-05:00

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

By Maya Angelou

We, unaccustomed to courage

exiles from delight

live coiled in shells of loneliness

until love leaves its high holy temple

and comes into our sight

to liberate us into life.

Love arrives

and in its train come ecstasies

old memories of pleasure

ancient histories of pain.

Yet if we are bold,

love strikes away the chains of fear

from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity

In the flush of love's light

we dare be brave

And suddenly we see

that love costs all we are

and will ever be.

Yet it is only love

which sets us free.

Five years ago, on a hot June morning, I married my best friend. Five years ago today.

In five short years we've experienced so many things. We've moved around like nomads, traveled as much as we could, fought like cats and dogs, loved harder with every day, cried many tears and laughed so much our bellies hurt. We've lost loved ones and gained a beautiful daughter. We've built a wonderful life together.

There were some people who said we wouldn't last. I was all of 20 years old, and we hadn't even been together a full year. But we knew we were meant to be together. I remember that morning as though it was yesterday. I remember the butterflies in my stomach, and I remember the tears of joy that ran down my cheeks. I remember looking into my husband's eyes at the end of the ceremony and seeing nothing but love looking back at me.

He's been a wonderful husband. He's cared for me when I've been sick, he's held me when I've been sad, and he's busted his back to give us a good life. Not to mention, he's the best father in the world. Our little girl simply adores her daddy.

There isn't anything I'd change about the last five years. I love my life that I've made with the man I married 5 years ago.

I love you, B. Happy Anniversary.

The Good Ol' Days

2011-06-19T17:59:00.001-05:00

Wanna know how we spent Father's Day? We watched a Pop-Up Video The Big 80s marathon on VH1 Classic all day. I'm not even kidding. I'm also not kidding when I say that this isn't the first Sunday we've spent this way.

Anyeighties, since then I've had my hair pulled up in a high side ponytail and I may or may not have been rocking leg warmers and my off the shoulder sweatshirt. I'll never tell. But, I will admit that it has me thinking. I miss the 80s. I'm completely serious. I miss everything about it.

Everything from the music.

To the entertainment.

To the fashion.

To the hair. Oh, the hair.

I'm a girl obsessed, really. Granted, I was only 5 when the 80s ended, but still. I remember it. And it was a good time. But, unfortunately, we can't go back. We're stuck in present day.

So, until someone builds an effective time machine, I'll be dancing around my kitchen to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" in my best 80s get up and listening to the hubs walk around singing "White Wedding."

Until next time, keep it totally rad lovers!

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Sunday Confessions

2011-06-19T09:56:00.001-05:00

Actually, this isn't so much of a confession, because it's kind of obvious.

Friends? I'm kind of burnt out with this whole social media thing. I hardly blog anymore, I only check twitter out about once a week, and I've just about forgotten about facebook. I really think it's just gotten a bit too much. I follow too many blogs and too many people on twitter. I miss blogging, and I miss enjoying twitter. I think it's time to go through and weed out some things. Unfollow some blogs, as well as some people. Maybe then I'll feel inspired again and be able to get back into blogging more.

Hopefully all of you are having fantastic Sundays!

Xoxo

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Mean Girls Have Nothing on These Women

2011-06-08T19:30:00.001-05:00

Friends, let's talk for a minute. I'm gonna get a little "mommy blogger" today. There's something that's been bothering me for awhile, and I think it's time that I say something about it. Just get it off of my chest.

What is the deal with the Mean Mommies nowadays? Why is everyone so competitive with each other, and who gave anyone the idea that just because they have successfully raised a child for a year, that they've become an expert?

Now, maybe I'm a little naive, but I thought once I had Baby Butterbean, that I would instantly have a connection with other moms. I thought that I would be able to turn to my fellow mommies and ask for opinions or advice. Boy was I wrong. It seems that if you ask a mom for advice, she snubs you for not knowing the answer to the problem and then snickers about you behind your back to her Mean Mommy friends. Or, if you want to share your child's latest accomplishment, she feels the need to one-up you. A "my child is smarter/prettier/faster/better than your child" type of thing. And that? Is total crap. All children grow at different rates. Baby Butterbean didn't walk until after she was a year, but she was sitting up and crawling before she was 5 months. I promise that there are things that your kid can do better than my kid just the same as there are things that she can do better than your kid.

Then there's the whole "oh my, you don't breastfeed/co-sleep, how horrible!" nonsense. Or the "oh my, you vaccinate/let your child cry it out!?" judgment. Guess what ladies, some women aren't able to breastfeed! And some women don't want to breastfeed a 2/5/10 year old. Here's the thing, every parent is entitled to raise their child the way that they please. You think I'm weird for not breastfeeding or not co-sleeping? Well, maybe I think you're weird for breastfeeding and co-sleeping with your 3 year old. That doesn't mean that I should ostracize you because you do things differently than I do. My husband and I have reasons for raising our daughter the way we have. The only time that she has slept with us is whenever she's ran a high fever, and the time when we were on vacation and our hotel didn't have an extra crib. And guess what? Those nights that she slept with us were the nights that she slept the most restless. She tossed and turned and only slept about 7 hours. When she's in her own bed she sleeps 10-12 hours a night. And that whole cry it out thing? When we first started letting her put herself to sleep she cried for no more than 5 minutes and then drifted off to sleep. After the fifth night she didn't cry anymore. She now puts herself to sleep every night and at every nap. I can even ask her if she's ready to go to bed and she'll go to her room and stand by her crib. So, tell me, what have I done wrong? Did she ever doubt that we loved her because we let her cry for a few minutes? No. Absolutely not. She has turned out to be one of the most outgoing and well behaved children I've ever seen.

So, my advice to any Mean Mommies is this: chillax. Climb down off of your high horse and get your nose out of the air. Because there will be a time when your co-sleeping, breastfeeding, supposedly smarter child will throw a fit in the middle of the cereal aisle and my well behaved, independent, whole milk and sweet tea drinking daughter and I will stroll past you and smile. Maybe if you hadn't been such a Mean Mom, I'd offer my sympathy.
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Trend Watch Tuesday: Kora Bruce from Dixie Lust

2011-06-07T10:13:00.003-05:00

Hey Y'all -

It's Mizz Kora Bruce over from the newly revived Dixie Lust. Lady J asked me to stop on by let give you guys a little post on my style. But before we get to that, lets take care of some business.

J, JGar, & Moi the night we all met IRL

January 2011

I just want to, for a moment, tell you guys how much I adore this lady. We've been "blogging buddies" since 2009 or so but this past January we took the much over-due next step and met in real life. Oh. My. Goodness. She's too much. I absolutely can not get enough of her. With countless inside jokes, made up vocabulary, daily gchats, and trash talking that would make Joan Rivers blush, we've got a lady-romance like no other.

*ahem*

In short, I kind of love her.

*cough*

So yeah....

STYLE.

When J asked me to do this post, I thought for a while what I'd show you guys - My work-wear? My saturday night dresses? My netflix-and-napping sweats? But I've come to realize style's such a unique and personal thing. I don't want to come here and tell you need these heels and this bedazzled brooch when you're a Nike Dunks kind of girl. I don't want to show you 15 sleeveless dresses when your workplace strictly enforces "no bare arms."

What I want to talk about is giving yourself the freedom to create. I can already hear some of you whispering "I'm not the creative type...." and I say "Psssssh whatevs..."

For me, fashion is all about finding pieces that you're innately drawn to and making them work with everything else thats made its way into your closet. Its about closing your eyes in the morning, gauging your mood and wants, then diving in to your closet and finding something that reflects exactly what you feel.

So here's a few ideas on getting your fashion-artistry on:

MISE EN PLACE

For all those who aren't as obsessed with cooking as I am, "mise en place" is French for "everything in place." Before chefs create a meal, they take out every ingredient they're going to use, pre-measure it and set it next to their work area.

I've always been under the impression that because I label myself "a creative person" that my surroundings need to reflect that and be just as unpredictable and free as what I create. Wrong. I've done a little business training and life coaching in recent years, and through that I realize that when I'm at peak "mise en place"-ness, then I do my best creating - whether its work, blogging, or even my closet.

For me, it's been about visually knowing whats available for todays outfit.

Hence my closet looks like this:

THINGS THAT AREN'T IN MY CLOSET

Items that pinch, pull, ride up, sag, and just plain don't fit.
Items that are torn, have a broken zipper, missing a button, etc
Items that are trendy but don't flatter. Hello, leggings. I refuse to look like an ice cream cone.

I'm not saying you have to throw it out, just move it to a different spot where you'll remember to have it fixed or altered. Nothings worse than being in a rush to get dressed, only to pick items that dont fit, don''t zip, or make me feel like a fatty.

FIND INSPIRATION

I know fashion bloggers are everywhere these days, and they're great for inspiration but don't let be your lone source.

One of my biggest sources of fashion inspiration is graphic design. Companies pay designers and focus groups tons of money to find color and texture combinations that "work."

Find a logo, a website, a billboard that jumps out to you - one that you're instantly drawn to aesthetically - and try creating a look using the elements that drew you to it.

CONVENTIONAL USE IS MERELY A SUGGESTION

A shirt isn't always a shirt. Sometimes it's a skirt.

And sometimes a dress can be a shirt. or skirt. or a head wrap.

Sometimes those earrings are hair charms.

(oh yes. I've done it)

If you see something in your closet and think I wish that _______ was a _______ , make it happen.

GET OUT OF A RUT BY GIVING YOURSELF A CHALLENGE

Sometimes you simply need some guidelines to get your creativity flowing.

Some of the challenges I've seen happening online:

Black Out → try a week with no black

Apparel Diet → set a time frame for no new purchases

Remix 30 → pick 30 pieces to wear for the month & remix them

$100 summer - Set aside $100 limit for summer purchases

Try following one of the above, adapting it, or creating your own!

Alrighty folks,

That's all I've got for you today. Hope it gave you guys a few ideas!

Make sure to come visit over at Dixie Lust!

My Southern Heart is Heavy

2011-06-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

I just saw Daph's post on Social Media Silence for the South yesterday, so I'm a bit late to the game, but I definitely wanted in. The South is my home. It's in the way I talk, in the way I dress, and it runs through my veins and pumps through my heart. It's a part of me, and I ache for the people who have been devastated by the recent storms. I love what Daph has come up with, so I never even had to think twice about it. For the rest of the week, I'll be taking a break from social media. No tweeting, no blogging, no facebook. Whenever I find myself picking up my phone to do something social media wise, I'll put it down and say a prayer for the South. If you want to join me, you can grab the badge over at Daph's.

See y'all next week.

Tasty Tuesdays

2011-05-31T06:00:00.002-05:00

Ok, lovers, I won't shout, because I'm sure that some of you are still hungover, but happy Tuesday, and I hope your weekend was lovely.

Now, like I said yesterday, I'm slacking on this week's Trend Watch Tuesday, but I totes had my doctor write me a note, like he used to for junior high gym class, so we're all good. Anyvajazzle, I figured I'd bring in this lovely mini segment to briefly take TWT's place.

Drum Roll, Please (quietly, remember, hangovers!)...

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays, where I throw a few links atcha with some savory food! Now, there's too many for me to make it all and then post the results here, so I'll just cut out the middle man and send you straight to the source. Got it? Good, cause here we go!

How about we shake things up, and start with dessert?

First there are the Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Jen over at Food, Love, & Life.

Then we have a few delicious recipes from Karly over at Buns In My Oven:

Brookies

Peanut ButteR & Banana Pound Cake with Nutella Glaze

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Now we can move on to the main course!

How about Daph from Flip Flops & Pearls' Creamy Pesto Shrimp?

Or, how about the Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Cream Cheese and Chives from the 4sisters over at Crumbs and Chaos?

Or, what about the insanely amazing Pork Loin with Cranberry Sauce from the Pioneer Woman?

And lastly, to wrap it all up, you gotta get your drink on, right!?

You have your choice of alcoholic:

Blackberry Thyme Margaritas from Josie at Pink Parsley

Or non-alcoholic:

Speedy Strawberry Lemonade by Mary at Deep South Dish

So, there you have it, friends! A few of my favorite recipes. Now, eat, drink, and be merry!

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-30T13:53:00.000-05:00

Hello Lovies!!

Firstly, lemme say, that I'm very sorry for the lack of posting lately. I promise I'm trying to get better at blogging, but, between sick babies and sick me, it's hard. Which is also my excuse for there being no Trend Watch Tuesday tomorrow. I've been on my death bed with an evil Ebola/Bubonic Plague mutant virus since last week and don't have anyone lined up! But, no worries, it'll be back in full swing next week!

Now, I hope that all of you are having a wonderful three day weekend, and I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day! I, unfortunately, am stuck behind my desk at work. The work of a bail bondsman never stops, apparently! So, I will let all of you get back to your barbecues and your beach frolicking, and I'll get back to calling criminals.

Happy Memorial Day, y'all!

viz

I thank God for my life

For the stars and stripes

May freedom forever fly,

Let it ring.

Salute the ones who died,

The ones who gave their lives so we don't

have to sacrifice

all the things we love.

Trend Watch Tuesday

2011-05-24T06:52:00.001-05:00

I am so excited about this week's Trend Watch Tuesday featured blogger! She's a local gal from Austin, which you know I adore! She got great style, and her confidence is through the roof! I love her blog, and she's also on the twit, which, as you know, gives her extra brownie points in my book. Ok, I've made y'all wait long enough, please welcome the lovely Cathy!

Hi lovelies! I’m Cathy from Austin Slave to Fashion, and I am absolutely honored to be here on Mrs. J’s blog. She cracks me up both on her blog and her brilliant Tumblr. She sort of gave me free reign *evil grin* to talk about style and fashion and such. So I want to share with you the three things that I think of when I get dressed. I apologize in advance for the mayhem and foolishness that is about to ensue……..

1. Don’t be afraid to get a little bold. I love my neutrals as much as the next girl; I’m pretty sure I own more little black dresses than most of my friends combined! But I always remember to add something. Whether it’s bright shoes, a cool patterned scarf, or even just a bold red lip- I like to have a dash of the unexpected. Just one unexpected twist can take a grouping of clothes and make it into a polished outfit.

2. Style does not equal discomfort. There is nothing more I love than to get all fancied up for some grand event. But let’s be honest ladies- that takes a lot of work and usually a lot of discomfort! For my everyday outfits, I like them to be fun, a little unexpected and a whole lot of comfortable. I know we are constantly bombarded with images of women in body-con dresses and sky-high heels. But for the majority of us, that’s just not feasible for our crazy lives. I’ve invested in many a pair of cute flats (and more than a few pairs of funky Vans!) and have no problem admitting that I wear dresses because they are comfortable and easy. Just because you want to look great doesn’t mean you have to feel bad.

3. It looks better when it’s me. I read a million fashion blogs, fashion magazines, and style articles. It’s awesome because I get so much inspiration from what I see. But I always remember that it’s just that; inspiration. I don’t want to copy someone else’s look- I want to take that and make it my own. Sometimes it’s just the feeling a look evokes; other times it’s a brilliant color pairing that I’d never thought of. No matter what it is, there is always a way to take it, adapt it, and make it into something that says something about me.

So, to make a long story short (too late)* I choose to wear what makes me happy, what makes me look my best, and what says the most about who I am. Each and every one of us has something different and unique to share with the world. Let’s all make sure that our clothes show those brilliant differences and amazing qualities. Keep it classy and fabulous ladies, and a HUGE thanks to Mrs. J for inviting me to be on her sweet blog!

*If you can tell me what movie that’s from, I’ll give you a hug……or a puppy…… or some cheese whiz. Your call!

Trend Watch Tuesday

2011-05-17T10:47:00.000-05:00

Y'all are in for a special treat today! The blogger who is featured in this week's Trend Watch Tuesday is none other than the lovely Summer from Athena in the Middle. Not only is this lady stylish, she's incredibly sweet, amazingly gorgeous, and insanely talented! She is basically living the life that I would live in an alternate universe. She's originally from Louisiana, but now lives in NYC with her equally adorable husband, and is currently attending The French Culinary Institute in NYC. Glamorous, huh? I'm so lucky to call her a friend, and I'm so excited to feature her today! So, without further adieu, please welcome, Summer!

Hey Butterbean Readers!

Summer here from Athena in the Middle.

I just adore Mrs. J, so when she asked me to be apart of her Trend Watch Tuesday, I jumped at the chance (even though, I did send it to her at the last minute)!

I would never be good in publishing!

Deadlines. ;)

Love ya, J!

I don't necessarily think I am trendy or stylish; I just wear what I feel good in.

There are three things that I absolutely love and would consider major players in describing my style.

♥♥♥♥♥

Dresses

I have a closet full.

Some are vintage, from H&M and F21 or even some major designers.

If I like it, if it fits and I can afford it -- I buy it!

Hair and Make-up

(I count them as one)

As you can see, my hair has changed in color and length!

Right now, I have a longer, platinum blonde pixie cut.

I have an appt. tonight and who knows what I will do.

HA!

Confidence

I know it sounds cheesy, but it is something that took a long time for me to learn.

You most beautiful style/trend/etc. is when you are you!

AND

I shall leave you with the outfit I will be wearing for the next 9 months - forever!

ha!

Thank you so much for reading!

Stop by my place, say hello so that I can check your blog out!

XO,

Summer Athena