drab to fab

Getting ready is an everyday* chore.

It is time-consuming, takes a lot of energy, and leaves me hot and sweaty.

I thought today I would chronicle the typical process it takes to get me 

from hot-mess to work-ready.

Here is a picture timeline of me getting ready for work.

Prepare yourself.  It starts out scary and ends fabulous.

Enjoy.

no makeup/wet hair

mineral powder + blush/wet hair

eyeliner/wet hair

full make-up/wet hair

blow dried

 hair straightened

back-combed

smoothed + detailed

add a flannel.

Wow.  

Thank the Lord above for make-up and hair product.

*Everyday - yeah right!  I'm a mom of two little girls.  Who has the time?  I have been better about it lately however.

fashion flashback

Lately things have been a little too dramatic for my liking.  

But I think everything has settled down quite a bit and I apologize for my last post being so melancholy.  Seriously not like me.  

So let's have a fun post this time!

I have a feeling the 90's are about to make a comeback in the fashion department.

I'm not a fashion guru, but I try hard...sometimes.*

I'm on a hunt for a good pair of boots.  Actually I have been on this hunt for a couple years.

I have a problem, and that problem is being 5 foot 10.**

Literally every year I look for boots and just haven't seen any that I like.

Due to my height, they can't have a heel.  I know, I know.  You're going to tell me, 

"Be confident.  Even a tall girl can rock a heel!"  

Hey, I know!  I've heard it.  I don't want it.

My husband isn't exactly the tallest man.  I'm taller than him by an inch flatfooted.

So adding any height at all makes me much taller than him, and let's be honest - that's just not cool.  

So now you're going to tell me, 

"Oh c'mon, look at Nicole Kidman - she towers over Keith Urban."  

I've actually been compared to Nicole Kidman in the past (more so in my young, thin, pre-children, college-cheerleader days.  But I still get it from time to time), but still I am not comfortable with the height difference. 
Get over it.

All that to say, I can rule out any boots with any amount of heel.

This year's collection of boots is blowing my mind however.

There are so many pairs of boots without heel that I can't decide between them!  

I currently have four pairs in my virtual shopping bag and am trying to narrow them down.

One pair that I for sure want is totally reminding me of the movie,

"Hocus Pocus".***

Do you remember the character "Allison" who was "Max Dennison's" love interest?

That's the best picture I could find of Allison.

Just watch the movie sometime and watch for her boots.

Do you remember what she wore?

Yeah, totally the boots I want.

Don't they scream 1993?!

So cool!

They actually come in three other colors.  Which do you like?

I'm not a fan of the white.

Anyway, don't really know how to wear these, but I want them.  And I'll figure it out.

I've got a fashion expert friend that will teach me the ways of the boot.

Would love to hear your thoughts and comments. 

Love'm? Hate'm?

Actually, if you hate them, keep it to yourselves. ha.

*I am a mom of young children.  And that usually translates to disheveled, unwashed hair, a t-shirt or sweatshirt, jeans, and a little too much pudge around the middle if you're pickin' up what I'm puttin' down...

**Yes, I'm a tall woman, and proud.  But that makes it difficult to buy clothes and shoes.

I have to buy tall jeans, but they're usually a bit too long so they get frayed from being dragged under my heel.  And of course, I'm too lazy (or just don't have enough energy to take my girls with me) to get my pants hemmed.  No excuses - I just need to do it!

***I can't help but to love that movie.  Especially this time of year. Squeal!

When I was little I remember renting that movie and I watched it on repeat for a couple days.

We went to church on Sunday and somebody told my parents that it was an evil movie and I shouldn't be allowed to watch it anymore.  

For real people?

I totally own it now, and watch it religiously during this time of year.  Don't mind the pun! ;)

therapy blogging

Today is one of those days where everything seems stressful.

No, it's not just me being a woman, because today it seems like everybody else is stressed.

I guess I'm just along for the ride (stupid facebook).

I've wanted needed to blog all day, but haven't done it yet because I don't really have a topic.

Just an array of thoughts flowing through my head that need to come out.

This blog post is stress relief.

I'm wondering (and maybe some of you could comment with your thoughts on this) at what point does somebody intercede in a situation (or do they at all)?

Say something is going on that you completely don't agree with.

Maybe you think it could hurt somebody else or is just plain immoral.

Let's say this is happening to a friend or family member.

DO you say something?  

DO you intercede?  

How serious does it need to be before you step in?

Or do you not step in ever because it's "none of your business".

This seems to be happening all over the place right now.

People are lashing out at each other - and in my opinion, not going about things in the correct way.

What would God want us to do?

Anything?  

Nothing?

Earlier than later?

Better late than never?

My head is confused.

Topic #2.

How long is it okay to be mad or upset with somebody?

At what point does staying mad at somebody become holding a grudge?

I know there are some people that severely struggle with this.

I know multiple people like this, and I believe that grudge holding is a poison.

It can become obsessive, even causing health problems due to the stress.

At what point does one say, "This isn't worth it" and throw in their grudge towel?

There was a point in my life when I was mad at somebody and then I let it go.  

I let it go for them and for me.  

There is a point when you're just not really that mad anymore, and the grudge has become more of a habit than actual reality.

I understand that sometimes the reason you hold said grudge is that the reason you were upset with this person (or group of people) persists.  They continue to do something that aggravates you, so you just can't get over it.

But if their "sins" are over and done with, FORGIVE AND FORGET PEOPLE!

Thank you guys for listening to my thoughts.

I sometimes get too emotional about other people's problems.

I get caught up and can feel my blood pressure rising.

I would love to hear your thoughts on these topics. So please, feel free to comment.

broken ground

Finally!

Since we officially broke ground yesterday, I can finally tell you guys...

We're building a house!

It's been in the works for a while now, and I just didn't want to jinx it by telling everybody about it before things actually get started.  It seems like Murphy's Law hits a lot when dealing with real estate.  You know, Murphy's Law, what can go wrong will go wrong.

After months of searching, offers that fell through, and just no luck, we decided on building.

The perfect lot in the perfect location fell into our laps at the perfect time.

We were able to pick out a house plan that we looooove and found a builder who is great.

We can't help but feel that God helped us out and pointed us in this direction.

We had made a couple offers on a couple different houses and they just kept falling through.  We really got our feelings hurt a couple times when we were pretty sure we had found the perfect house and then it didn't work.  

We probably looked at 20-30 houses and just didn't like any of them enough.

It was getting frustrating.

But like I said, it all worked out.

And to top it all off, after we decided on the lot we found out that we will receive a 7-year tax abatement for building in this particular area.  

7 years tax free!

That's around $25,000 dollars we'll save!

Somebody upstairs was watching out for us.

Progress has seemed slow because we've had to wait on the city to approve our house plans, but our builders are also building the house next door so we've had something to look at while waiting for our house to begin.

I still obsessive-compulsively drive out to our lot to see if something has started.

And yesterday, it had...

Might not seem like a big deal to other people, but that's our hole right there.
Our hole, where OUR house is going to be.


We told Haven that our house was going to be built there and she said, 
"Do we need a ladder to get down there?"
Oh, sweet child.


Wanna see the house we picked?

 I know what you're asking yourself, and the answer is:  
Yes, it seriously is that cute.


I think we should get the white picket fence. Don't you?

losing my mind

Today is one of those days that tests my limits.

I fully intended on getting some reading done today, but my girls are all over me.

Normally, Haven watches a show or two while Parker takes a nap and I get a little me time.

Today Parker had a hard time falling asleep (probably partially due to Haven trying to sit on my lap while I was nursing Parker - that's multi-tasking), and when she finally did fall asleep Haven wanted her nails done, and just when I was finishing up Haven's nails Parker woke back up all too early. I got her back to sleep. Twice.  For 10 minutes a pop.

Then Haven and I needed lunch,

while Parker was awake,

and I needed a break.

Now Parker is asleep.  

And Haven is watching a cartoon about a talking dog, while kicking me as I type this.

So I am going to seize the moment before I lose my sanity and take a shower.  

At 1:33 p.m. I remind you.

At least our nails are rockin'.