Category: Family/Fun/Fashion

Family/Fun/Fashion

The Simple Things

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autumn-leaves-smoky-mountains

I admit I am a very simple person; I don’t need much to make me happy so when the fall arrives

I look forward to:

1.       Peppermint mocha coffee creamer

2.       The leaves in all their glorious colors

3.       Pumpkin eggnog, oh man so great

4.       Turtle neck sweaters

5.       Boots

6.       The fireplace on a cold night

7.       A super-hot bath

8.       Hocus Pocus (the best Halloween movie ever)

9.       A new winter coat (already got it, purple Columbia parka)

10.   The smells of fall (cinnamon, spice)

11.   Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes

12.   The electric blanket on the bed

13.   Christmas music

14.   Car seat warmers

 

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Family/Fun/Fashion

It’s a dogs life

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How naïve I am, I was certain once my son’s had left the nest that my life would consist of the man (who I call Daddy (don’t judge) and I being able to just pack up on a whim and go, ugh WRONG. And yes I am referred to as Momma to my kids, dogs, and the man.

My little rescue dogs, Daisy and Peanut have put a kibosh on that idea. Daisy is a 12 year old dachshund/terrier with a whole lot of energy and no clue that she needs to not rip and run like she’s a puppy or her arthritis will flare up.

Peanut is a Pug/Chihuahua who is afraid of her own shadow (someone was mean to her) with a heart murmur and rotten teeth, can you imagine. She is the sweetest little girl but not very bright.

So this week Daisy has been running up and down the stairs like a racing dog and of course began limping on her right leg, so off to the vet for some anti-inflammatory meds and glucosamine, good lord. The huge glucosamine tabs I crush up and mix in with half an egg for her (so spoiled) twice a day. We were going to have peanuts teeth pulled but no Bueno because they can’t put her under due to her heart murmur so stinky breath will remain and I guess they will eventually fall out, yuck

We also travel to our youngest son’s college football games every weekend and thank god my oldest lives close or we would have doggy travel companions on every road trip. They love their boy sitter because he lets them sleep with him which is not allowed when we are home.

I have decided that I want a dog’s life. Let me eat, sleep, and have someone clean up my mess. If I don’t like you I can bark at you or pee on your leg and it is all good. Guess who’s who

Family/Fun/Fashion

Shoe Fetish

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Yep I am addicted to shoes, I admit it and need help ;0)

I just got my new Adidas Ultra Boost X in the mail and I may never be able to wear another pair of tennies without comparing them to these. COMFORTABLE does not begin to explain these kicks. I have an arch that is ridiculous and these shoes hold it up in all the right places, not to mention the color is fantastic. No I am not being paid by Adidas to talk about this shoe but I wish I was because it is GREAT…

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Family/Fun/Fashion

Hair updates

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image

If you follow my blog you are aware i am in the process of going blond to blend the wonderful skunk patches of white that keep appearing. If it was all white I would love it but its not so as a licensed cosmologist (not my profession however) I just go to the beauty supply to get bleach.
Last weekend as the man golfed and the pie baked I bleached (multitasker right) and my hair just sits at canary yellow because it is the most resistant hair in America. Can you say burn, burn, burn. My scalp has now demanded coconut oil nightly. Recommendation, do not put bleach close to your scalp, I do it because i can but this is not the proper way and it will burn the crap out of you. Here is stage 2 and 3, man my nose looks long and i need botox but color is good 

Hair adventures
Family/Fun/Fashion

Hair adventures

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I went to beauty school almost 20 years ago and swore when I started that I was not going to be the hairdresser who always changed her hair, well I was dumb and the career in a salon was short lived but I did develop an addiction to changing my hair. Nothing crazy like purple with shaved sides but the color changes at least one a month and when I was in college and a full time mom I developed some natural blond (white). This month for my 49th birthday I am going back to light because it’s now impossible to cover the natural blond but there’s still enough dark to not be able to go platinum (I’m dreaming of this day). Since my hair is short I try all kinds of different things, this hair color was a 2 step process, first high volume peroxide with a light brown last month to lighten the dark roots and then today a beautiful batch of purple bleach, twice to get it to a strawberry blond. Luv the color. 

Family/Fun/Fashion

Birthday Month

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happy
August is birthday month for me and as a teen I never could have imagined I would ever be turning 48. Every year I look at my life and it is amazing as I age the things that become important, none of them being material possessions. I read this morning that Sandra Lee (one of my favorite food network stars and author of semi homemade cooking) was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago and is in the hospital with some complications from surgery. This really puts into perspective that you have to live your life to its fullest as you never know when you might not be able to. We all work so hard to make a living that I think we miss making a life. So here it is, I have several things (these are not resolutions) but rather actions that I will take to enjoy life just a little more:
• Sock every extra penny I get to paying off the few items of remaining debt
o If you have no debt you can choose to work hard not be forced to work hard to survive (thanks Dave Ramsey)
• Travel more with my husband
o We have never taken a real vacation
o We go visit family and have made lots of road trips with our kids when they were growing up but nothing for us just to relax and enjoy doing NOTHING together
• Realize my children are grown and that as there momma I have to let them become men all by themselves
o I cannot fix everything (this is the most difficult one for me)
• Spend more time with the few girlfriends I have
o Plan road trips with my friends atleast once every couple of months since we are only a few hours apart
o Even if it is meeting for dinner and drinks, make it happen
• Purchase some Oprah and Deepak cd’s for meditation, I love love love his teachings and need to take some time out each day just for me and my peace of mind
• Dress up for no reason
o I have a million cute maxi dresses and heels that I need to put on and be cute in just for fun
o This may include me letting my hair grow out some (but no guarantees on this one, ha)
In closing I am posting a few recipes from Sandra Lee I hope you enjoy
BARBECUE SHRIMP and GRITS:• 4 bacon slices
• 1 pound large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on)*
• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted
• 4 whole cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons Creole seasoning, Tony Cachere’s®
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper Creamy Cheese Grits (recipe follows)
• Chopped green onion, for garnish
FOR GRITS:
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 1⁄3 cups chicken broth
• 1⁄2 teaspoon hot sauce, Tabasco®
• 1 1⁄3 cups instant grits*
• 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon until crisp, about 12 minutes. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Crumble bacon.
2. In a jelly-roll pan, place shrimp in a single layer. Drizzle with reserved 2 tablespoons drippings and butter. Add garlic, Creole seasoning, and pepper, tossing to coat. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and firm.
3. Serve over Creamy Cheese Grits, and sprinkle with crumbled bacon and green onion, if desired.

Avocado Caviar
Ingredients
Makes: 6 cups
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 (11-ounce) cans shoepeg corn, rinsed and drained
• 2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
• 2 Avocados from Mexico, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 3/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Tortilla chips
Directions
1. 1. In a large bowl, gently stir together black-eyed peas, corn, tomatoes and green chiles, avocado, red onion, salad dressing, lime juice, and salt. Cover and chill, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips

Family/Fun/Fashion

So so funny

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  as you all know we moved from Idaho where starting in June the temp hits 100 everyday (which I luv) and this temp stays until at least the end of August, so now that we live in Portland Oregon I have laughed the entire week because Saturday it is supposed to hit 100 and they have heat warnings and it is the top story, really.. Drink some water, put on some shorts, wet yourself with the hose and enjoy the sun, it doesn’t show up often so take advantage of it. 

Because we love the heat (well I luv it, my husband, not so much) our Saturday project is to lay a new 10×10 paver patio. We have this useless area that gets no sun and is a mud pit off our patio that needs to be made useable so let the grass digging, rock dumping, sand leveling, paver laying begin…… I already capped 6 sprinkler heads in this tiny space, yes I dug the heads up and capped them, there’s nothing like doing it yourself and saving TONS of money, no sprinkler guy required, this girl has got this. 

Thank god for the help of my strong, young 21 year old son, he did most of the heavy lifting but here’s the finished product. Grateful as always and now it’s time for a beverage. 

  

Family/Fun/Fashion · Misc Rambling

We have arrived

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It’s been awhile but we got our house in Vancouver Washington and are all moved in. I truly believe everything happens for a reason and getting 20 day notice pushed us to buy which has been great, this house is quiet, not on a busy street, plenty of room for our 4 leg kids and yep our house also sold in Idaho. We close June 12th so no more renters for us yeah. On another note, let me just say I will never lift another bed or dresser, EVER. There is a reason you hire movers and I now get it. 

Other random things, 

1. portland is cleaning up the homeless camps on the waterfront and the people who live there are mad, really? Do they feel it is a right to throw trash, go to the bathroom anywhere they please and have the city clean up needles to keep people from getting infected with God knows what. If I want to walk or ride in this area should I be forced to wonder what I will encounter, here’s an idea how about you get a job and work like the rest of us. There are always exceptions and I know some people don’t choose homelessness, it could of been me last month but the people they interviewed on tv certainly were ridiculous. 

2. Where did all the real men go in this country? I had a lady buy a sofa the other day from us and she said her husband said he was too busy to help her load it, WTH. Is he not gonna sit on it when you get home? I would of gave him some feedback he may not of liked, ha

3. If you stand on the corner with a sign you should probably not be smoking cigarettes at 7 bucks a pack! I’m just saying

4. Everyone who drives an old police car look like they should be in jail

5. Do you still mow the lawn when it’s been raining for 3 days? 

6. Why every time you get a cute pedicure you do something dumb like drop a rock on your toe and in a few weeks you’ll have no nail, not cute and summer sandal season

Family/Fun/Fashion

Moving again

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When we relocated to Portland we leased a townhouse that we thought we would live in until we were ready to buy, ha surprise. We were told this week we had 20 days to find a new place to live, yes you heard me 20 days now how in the hell are you supposed to do that? The lady who owns the town house wants to sell it, ok it’s not sold yet as a matter a fact it’s not even listed. Then she wants the realtor to come in and take photos with our stuff staged in the house, really. Let’s talk move in costs, if we want to rent again we have to come up with deposit, first, last and pet deposit, in 20 days. I think we might be living under the bridge in a tent. In all seriousness what if we didn’t have somewhere to go? Thank god we have friends who we can stay with temporarily but other people may not be so lucky which makes me mad that this lady is so unfeeling she doesn’t give a rip.
So me being the strong willed woman I am, I called a mortgage guy submitted my paperwork the same day and got a preapproval letter to buy. We went looking this weekend and made a offer on a house. The market is certainly a sellers market but we should know tomorrow if our offer was accepted..
Our house we own in Idaho is leased but we are putting it on the market this month also. The realtor calls me and says you may want to wait to list it because every room in the house looks like a toy store with crap everywhere. I flat out told her you tell the renters they need to pick one of the four bedrooms and make it the frickin toy room. When did people become so stupid? I’m just sayin

Family/Fun/Fashion

Wow December

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changes
I cannot believe that it is almost Christmas and for the first time in 20 years we are not in Idaho and my mom and dad won’t be at my house for dinner. It has certainly been a year of huge changes which you know if you follow my blog. My oldest is getting ready to start a new job that will actually allow him to live and pay his bills, my youngest is home for break from college and turns 21 this month wow do I feel old☺️. The job has worked out fantastic and they are trying to convert me from a contractor to a permanent employee. That would be a major relief because of the whole insurance considerations and being able to begin looking for areas we might be interested in buying next year. We did lease our house out for a year so that is great but will mean I need to take a trip back next year and see the condition of the house once we are ready to list the house again. Let’s hope these people aren’t hoarders, ha. This year Xmas will be quiet with stockings, new Jammie’s, but no wrapped gifts. The best thing about Xmas are the smells, songs and being with family I am truly grateful. I can hardly wait to see what the new year brings..