A Little Christmas for Friday!!!

TGIF!!!

You Had Me at Monday

Blazers to Black Friday to Big Snowman

This weekend has been a wild ride but as always fun! 

Thanksgiving involved a yummy dinner eaten after Jordan got off work.  Friday morning equaled sleeping in - no Black Friday for us.  Michael and I later pried ourselves out of bed, cleaned up, then made our way to Portland.  First stop was the Adidas Employee Store with the 50% off coupon - picked up a few things for Christmas along with some new sneaks.

We then made our way to the Rose Garden for the Blazer's game against Minneapolis.  Big lines, rowdy crowds, and was it me or were the seats smaller than I remember?  This may have been due to my free tickets being far up in the nosebleed section.  No complaints, mind you, as in the end it was still free.  We were also able to have some breathing room as two seats next to us were empty so we weren't squished next to drunken fans.  As always the odd ones kept us laughing.  Across the aisle was a middle-aged man, bald on top but long hair in the back.  He had a striped sweatband across his head and wore a sweat jacket in which he carefully had written "Rip City" across the back - with duct tape.  Nothing was stopping him from showing his team spirit, including his ability to bellow "deFense" (note the accent) at odd times during the game.  In the end the Blazers came from behind to beat the Timberwolves; we were thankful to have left at the fourth quarter, easily avoiding the crowd and hitting the freeway for home.

Saturday meant grocery shopping at Walmart.  Along with eggs and dishwasher soap, we browsed a few of the left-over Black Friday sales.  We loaded up the cart then made a pit stop at the price checker to determine what prices would be charged for our holiday goods.  Several prices had increased so we dropped those off at the nearest aisle. Michael then grabbed the dressing room clerk to determine what the exact price was of sweatshirts on sale.  The box said $4, the balloon said $6, but the price rang up at $7.96.  Receiving clarification from the nearest "ZSM" (Zone Service Manager for those of you not in the know with Wally's lingo) we were able to score the items at $4.

This is why Michael and I get along so well....we aren't afraid to get silly in stores as well as in front of the camera!!

Finished with Walmart, we then hit Big Lots looking for, of all things, whole nutmeg.  I like to use this for baked goods but most especially for fettuccine alfredo.  No nutmeg at Walmart, we wandered around Big Lots in search of this spice, which I ended up finding (ground not whole) for $1. 

Arriving home, we put away the groceries then watched some of Michael's favorite movies - "Krush Groove" with Run DMC and Sheila E and "Gridlocked" with Tupac Shakur.   Both entertaining and it was fun to see the rap fashion from the 80's and 90's.

Today was dedicated to Christmas!  I wrangled Sam into climbing up into the attic to grab the Christmas decorations, the tree, and my Mr. Big Snowman.   Michael and I tag-teamed on the tree to get it not only set up but achieve all lights glowing.  After he departed for home, I then cleaned off the front porch then added some Christmas cheer.  Jordan kindly volunteeered to place ornaments on the tree while I added a snowman here and a Santa there until we ended up being 90% set for the holiday.  Adding outside lights will be the finale to our holiday efforts but that will have to wait until next weekend!

Mr. Big Snowman

TGIF!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Here's to no burned turkey on your Thanksgiving!!!  Enjoy and many blessings!!!

 

 

No Kidding!!

Time to Buy a Lotto Ticket!!!

Today was my lucky day!!  After work Michael, Sam and I were on our way to the grocery store when we passed by the Hostess store.  On Saturday when we stopped, there wasn't a Twinkie or a Suzy Q in sight.  However, a shipment must have arrived because the store, although far from full, was packed with Twinkies, Zingers, and Donettes!  No Suzy Q's in sight but plenty of Hostess supply for the freezer!!

Grocery shopping done, we came home, ate dinner, then I hopped onto Facebook to see what excitement there was in the world.  Last week Dick Hannah was having a contest for Blazer tickets - tell a joke and you could win.  Of course I couldn't resist so I used my standard "How do you make a Kleenex dance? You put a little boogie in it!".  And guess what....I won!!  Tickets for the Blazer game this Friday.  Yee Haw!!!  

As the cherry on top of this, yesterday at work we received coupons worth 50% off all items in the Adidas Employee Store in Portland.  Michael and I will be making a pit stop to check this out before we hit the game on Friday. 

It may have been Monday, but it was a very lucky day!!! 

Just Call Me Red

As always, it was an activity-filled weekend.  The theme for this weekend was "Diva Makes a Budget!"

Friday involved revising a few payroll deductions (i.e., tax, 401(k), etc.).  Then I moved on to cutting back on the cable channels.  Right now I'm usually the only one who watches the majority of TV.  In the spirit of saving money, I significantly reduced our cable channels but kept the Internet, which results in $75 monthly savings.  In addition, my beloved Bravo, Style, and Lifetime shows will still be available On Demand for free, along with a ton of movies, so nothing will really change in my viewing habits.

Next up - the car.  Although I truly love my Chrysler 300, it was time to dig in and get a more fuel efficient rig.  Michael surprised me by showing up Friday night so Saturday morning we hopped in rig and cruised into the Vancouver Auto Mall for a look-see.  The first rule of our investigatory efforts - Michael does all the talking.  He knew what I had in mind along with trade in and financing requirements, and he also plays the car dealer game with steel.  I simply sat back and watched the show. 

First stop was Mazda - nice but not me.  We then moved over to Dick Hannah Kia.  My original choice was the Soul (yes, funky looking but that's my style); however, the Forte offered much better MPG.  There was a Forte EX on the showroom floor - red, spoiler, tinted windows, and 36 MPG on the highway.  The salesman Mike gave us the scoop on the Forte.  Michael then did a little back and forth with Mike but in the end, we were unable to make a deal so we left the Auto Mall and headed to Kia in Gresham. 

After a lovely lunch at Heidi's of Gresham, we stopped off at Weston Kia to explore their inventory.  Michael had already browsed their dealership on Friday so I was already aware of what they had based upon his reconnaissance efforts.  Denny met us at the door and was eager to meet my needs.  He could get me any car in any color - he could even get me the red car from Dick Hannah at an even better price.  He was about a 6 on the Slick Willy scale and I didn't have a real good vibe from him.  I ended up test driving a black Kia Forte, without all the bells and whistles.  It was nice but not as nice as the red one in Vancouver.

It became apparent Denny could not obtain any color in the Forte nor could he obtain the red one I so desired.  He also wanted to charge me the same price for the black model as we saw for the red one with more features.  After plenty of bantering, back and forth, and game playing, it was finally too much and we called it a night.  It appeared slick Denny was not being honest or forthright about what he was able to offer; another salesman jumped in, trying to salvage a sale but it was not to happen.  We made our way back to the Chrysler, disappointed with Denny's dishonesty, and hit the road to home. 

Sunday morning we awoke refreshed and renewed.  I pulled out the laptop and we began crunching numbers to determine how we could achieve my goal - getting top dollar for my trade in and low dollar for a new vehicle.  We made a plan, checked it twice, then Michael called our Dick Hannah salesman.  He outlined a new deal, in which they had to meet our original trade-in amount from Saturday.  Mike the salesman got off the phone to receive verification from his boss and the trade-in amount was approved.

We then hopped in the 300 and made our way back to the Auto Mall, where they had the red Forte all ready to go.  Following the test drive, we went back and forth on the final details before finalizing the transaction in under two hours.  The red 2013 Kia Forte, with spoiler and tinted windows, was mine!  With Michael's negotiation, I received an excellent trade in and a super reduction on the new vehicle price.  There's no leather, but this new vehicle will give me significant cost savings in gas ($200+ per month) and my monthly payment is staying virtually the same.  In addition, I'll be saving an additional $10 per month for my car insurance!

Thanks to my Michael for his excellent negotiation skills, inability to put up with salesmen B.S., and for keeping my best interests at heart.  I love you babe....let's go for a ride!!!

TGIF and Farewell My Sweet

The news this morning is that Hostess Brands Inc., the maker of iconic treats such as Twinkies and traditional pantry staple Wonder Bread, is shuttering its plants and liquidating its 82-year-old business.

Forget the Twinkies.  Forget the Ho-Ho's and Ding Dongs.  What will really be missed is my most favorite, nutritionally empty treat - the Suzy Q!! 

Such a sad day. 

Going French for a Day!

Monday night before bed I was brushing my hair and decided to put it into a french braid, which I haven't done in quite some time (mainly because it's been too short.)  It looked really cute!  I decided to wear it that way to work on Tuesday.   Getting ready in the morning, I braided it once again then hairsprayed the living *&%$ out of it to keep it together.  Normally always wearing bangs, it was weird for me to have my hair completely off my face.  I finished getting dressed then had to rebraid my hair because some had fallen out during my morning fashion show.  At that point I wasn't thinking it was so cute anymore but it was too late - with so much hairspray and product, there was no going back.  Pinning a flower in my hair, I called it good.

Despite my misgivings, everyone at work thought it was a cute style.  In addition, they were very impressed that I could actually french braid my own hair!  French braid was good for a day but this morning I'm so looking forward to washing my gunk filled hair!

Back view...look a that little tail!

Oooh, looking like cranky Diva here!
See my new purple sequined lanyard from Michaels??

For a Chuckle

Gettin Smelly!

My car air freshener

Michael's (the store) was my destination last night, stopping by to pick up some beads and fragrance oil in order to make one of the car air fresheners I saw at one of the bazaars over the weekend.  The store was packed with holiday crafts and home decor; what was supposed to be a quick trip turned into over an hour as I browsed, wandered, and shopped.  Along with the beads and oil, I also returned home with some very fine colored glitter to creatively use on my nails, two parachute cord bracelets for the boys for Christmas (the bracelet unwraps to 10 feet of cord for emergency situations), and a tiny snowman ornament with "Michael" (the man) scripted across the front.  Once home, I whipped together the air freshener, inserted pieces of sponge, then dripped vanilla fragrance oil onto to the bead openings.  It smells divine and the rhinestone accents should sparkle plenty in my 300. 





Tis the Season!

Saturday found Michael and I browsing through a few Christmas Bazaars.  First off was the Red Lion bazaar, which I remember being large and filled to the brim with a variety of gifts and decor.  My friend Jan had a booth there so I was anxious to view her wares.



Jan and her friend Connie
offering their wares

The bazaar, which wasn't as large as what they've had in the past, was filled with knitted hats, jewelry, hair clips, quilts, and Christmas wreaths.  Jan was selling handmade jewelry, which keeps her busy in her retired life.  Newer items for sale included duct tape headbands and rolled older book page wreath.  A few $2 holiday ornaments along with an Avon catalog was my score from this bazaar.

We then ventured over to the Longview Christian School, which was holding a Christmas Store bazaar.  There was live music, hot cider and coffee, and happy atmosphere.  We ran across friend Amanda, who was selling recycled goods - bowls made from vinyl records, earring holders made from chicken wire and frames, and blackboards using older cabinets as the base.  One booth held a multitude of hanging, beaded chains; inside one of the wired baubles included a piece of sponge used as a receptacle for scented oil.  Thus, a car freshener was born!  These were way over-priced but provided me with inspiration to make my own, which I may just do on this soggy Sunday.

After lunch at our hometown favorite, the Cow Deli, we made a final bazaar stop at the Cowlitz Expo Center.  More wreaths, more jewelery, and some commercial booths but nothing to write home about.

These Christmas bazaars made me long for the Portland Expo World's Largest Christmas Bazaar, which begins the day after Thanksgiving.  Tons of booths, chocolate samples, and rum cake make for a much more memorable event than what Kelso/Longview offered yesterday.

Giving Thanks to a Very Wise Man

Regardless of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I must simply state that I am very thankful to have such a wise boyfriend.  Tonight one Sam's friends (we'll call him Larry) and his mother stopped by to discuss a situation regarding Larry.  What originally started as a conversation ended up being a therapy session with Larry and his mother, as guided by my Michael.  He made Larry think; he enforced the mother's rules; and he made my sons feel valued all at the same time.  He has a way of outlining situations, breaking them down into easily understood parts, then reiterating points home so everyone has a greater understanding of the choices available to them.  All this he does in a calm, cool, collected tone.  He has a way of explaining events that make you want to listen further.  The bottom line is, he impresses me.

When Larry and his mother left, I know their experience with Michael opened doors for them to better be able to communicate.  And it made me love him that much more.  Thank you, Michael, for being such an insightful and wise person - you are so very much appreciated.

Give Me Da Bunny George!

Much in the same way as you all have experienced, I often overhear random people talking on their bluetooth while at a store.  You could also refer to this as eavesdropping but it isn't intentional although the conversations overheard can be mighty entertaining.  Unfortunately, I've become one of those people.

For a very long time I would use my cell phone via the standard mode - held up to my ear with my hand.  Which isn't practical or even legal during my commute.  For my safety, Michael encouraged me to get a bluetooth, which has been a lifesaver (probably in a literal way.)  Conversations on the road are much more enjoyable and the possibility of a ticket is out of the way. 

However, with bluetooth in place, I frequently stop by stores, usually the Chehalis Walmart, before continuing on home.  In most cases I'm conversing with Michael.  Such was the case yesterday.  We were deep in discussion so I left my bluetooth in as I wandered the Walmart aisles, picking up necessities.  And I became "one of them."

As always, Michael and I were talking about everything under the sun and laughing together.  I forgot my bluetooth was in but perhaps I should have taken all the stares in my direction as a sign that I was being a tad bit too loud.  Which is par for the course - talking loud.  It wasn't until I began my imitation of Lenny from Mice and Men, whom Michael incorrectly (in my opinion) refers to as Elmer Fudd, that the stares began to grow.

As I browsed through the chicken sausage section, I uttered "I wub the bunny George, I wanna pet da bunny.  Oh give me the bunny George."  I realized my voice may have been just a tad too loud when Michael said "honey, don't forget you are in a store full of people."  Uh, right, but to be honest, I didn't care.   Stares and odd smiles from the Walmart regulars were frankly entertaining!  I threw in a few more "I wanna pet da bunny George" before we changed the subject.

Here's to all of us having a little Lenny aka Elmer Fudd in us! 

TGIF....and Happy Birthday!!

Happy birthday today to my brother and sister Jay and Julie.  And a belated happy birthday to my BF Lynn, who celebrated her birthday on Monday!  Have a wonderful weekend all!!

Congrats Jordan!

Yesterday my allergies overcame me so I took a day off from work in order to battle dripping nose, red eyes, and sneezing.  However, my day off turned in to a blessing for son Jordan.  He got a job!

Yep, on Monday he informed me he had filled out 11 applications and was determined to obtain a position in the working world.  Winco called on Tuesday and set his interview for Wednesday.  One of his buds dropped him off for the interview; he then called an hour later, needing a ride to the drug screening facility, which I knew meant a job was at hand!  Thankfully, due to my allergy attack, I was at home to be able to give him a ride.

Grabbing my Kleenex,  I picked him up, drove to the lab, and waited outside while he did the pee test.  Inside, he had a conversation with a Brazilian transfer student; her stateside mom encouraged them to exchange email and numbers because she needed friends.  It was Jordan's lucky day - not only did he get a job but a Brazilian girl's number as well! 

The young man was on cloud nine!  It was so exciting to see him so stoked over getting this job on his own.  Kudos to you Jordan and I'm hoping for your great success!!

Vote Today!!!

Lovin the Real Housewives Pink Lipgloss!

The new season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta premiered tonight.  While I painted my nails, I caught up on last season's reunion show before the new episode began.  One thing about the Atlanta girls....I love their makeup!!!   Nene Leakes wears a fabulous pink lip gloss; Phaedra Parks always has a rosy eyeshadow that's to die for; and most of them have awesome hair, er, extensions. 

I was trying to find a website for the RHOA but it was a tiresome task!  I finally found the website for the Bravo makeup artist, Tony Acey, which had a treasure trove of makeup and makeovers.  Although the site had no step-by-step tips for Nene or Phaedra's face makeup, it still provided tons of inspiration.

Impressive Revlon Offerings for the Makeup Obsessed

I was in Walmart the other day when I ran across the following Revlon Nail Art nail polishes.  They were grouped as Moon Candy, which is a base with glittery top coat; Neon, with two different neon colors; and French, with a base color along with a sparkly tip color.  They were pretty cool looking but not enough for me to shell out $6.99 per bottle.

However, good luck smiled upon me when I was at Target picking up a prescription.  Next to the pharmacy was a clearance basket, which included all sorts of lip gloss, foundation, lotion, and Revlon Nail Art!  Score!  I picked up three duo bottles (two French and one Moon Candy) for $2.24 a piece!!  So tonight I will be experimenting with one of the bottles to determine which color combination will enhance my short little nails.

Although I passed up the nail polish at Walmart, I did pick up two new Revlon eye shadow quads.  They are shaped like an eyelid, including lid coat, crease, and highlight shades.  In addition, it include a shade they refer to as "primer" but which is really a neutral shadow for all over the eye.  Also included is a small, glitter access shade for when the occasion calls for additional sparkle (which is every day in my case.)  I wanted to include an on-line picture of the shadow but apparently it is so new there is nothing available, not even on the Revlon website. 

I used the eyeshadow quads all weekend and am very impressed.  I even followed the directions for primer/lid/crease/highlighter/glitter and all of it worked amazingly well.  My hairdresser even mentioned how great the shadow looked so there just may be a few more quads in my future.....perhaps for Christmas!!!

Estatic to Start a New Week!

Here's to a new week starting - the last seven days were a combination of stress, anxiety, and tears with a few blessings thrown in for good measure.

Jury duty and a doctor's appointment for Jordan occupied my time on Monday. 

Tuesday while driving to work my single contact filmed over; despite numerous cleanings, I was forced to drop it in the garbage when I arrived to work.  This meant walking and driving through the day in a near-sighted haze, hoping the street I cross included a green light, not red.  That night at home, Stubbs jumped on me with a wet dingleberry hanging from his nether regions, which meant he needed an immediate bath.  I spent over an hour shampooing, brushing, scissoring, drying, more scissoring, clipping nails, then primping the little guy.  Although he now looks divine, my nose filled with dog hair was not appreciative.  I also learned my brother-in-law's mother had passed away, only a few short months after his father had passed.  Such sad news, especially since the loss of a mother is so very relatable for me.

Wednesday was Halloween.  I was happy to learn my pumpkin Lorax had earned third place in the contest, missing out on second by only one point.  At home that evening, it was trick or treat time, which meant up and down, up and down, answering the door while scarfing dinner on the side, and listening to Stubbs bark with every single knock.  It was far from a relaxing evening.

Thursday was my mother's birthday.  Although she has been gone since 1996, I think of her every day.  Add to that, my Michael and I were in a dispute so I was down in the dumps.  Upon arriving home, I collapsed on my bed and had a good cry.  It was simply not a good day.

Friday finally arrived.  My wonderful boyfriend and I made up and, although we are apart this weekend, we are back in simpatico with each other.  Friday evening found me wandering Ross, spending over an hour investigating what deals or treasures were buried under the shoes, clothing, and home decor departments.  It was wonderful retail therapy.

After awaking first at 5am on Saturday, I fell asleep until 9:30, which is so very unlike me.  Dinking around at home, my gray roots began mocking me so I made my way to the hairdresser, 50% off coupon in hand, for a color.  Freshened up, my next stop was Fred Meyer's for groceries then home, where french dip sandwiches were on the menu for the evening.  Michael and I then spoke on the phone, comparing notes as to which TV shows we were viewing, before I drifted off to sleep.

And now it's Sunday.  Here's to a more easy-going, less stressful week ahead of me.  And the same to all of you!

It's Friday! It's Friday!!!

Surviving the Day After

I survived another Halloween!  Last night was noticeably lighter compared to past years but we still received numerous visitors - probably around 350 this year.  The first one arrived around 5:30 and the last one rang the bell about 9pm.  Lots of Marios, Disney princesses, and babies being held by adult parents with their bags out to be filled.  One little girl trick or treated with no coat or shoes - yes, she was barefoot!  I couldn't believe her parents let her walk around like that in the dark of night filled with rain.  As the hour grew later, the teens arrived- a mix between guys with no costumes, just regular clothes, and girls wearing Playboy brand getups.  The highlight of the evening was the reactions Stubbs received when all the visitors saw his dinosaur outfit!  He was having a grand time because, due to his incessant barking each time the doorbell rang, I held him for most of the evening. 

P.S. Happy Birthday Mom!!!  You continue to be greatly missed - wish you were here to share our Halloween bounty!!!