contest

All of my blogger friends have had contest... so I have decided to have one to. I have several gift exchanges coming up for the holidays and I am all tapped out of ideas. Post your best $30 gift idea for the "dirty santa" game. You may enter as many times as you like. I will have a drawing on November 25th. I am not sure what the winner will get yet- but I will think of something awesome to mail you. The more you enter, the better your chances. Be sure to put your name on your post.

It's a birthday

Today is my hubby's birthday. I won't tell you how old he is, but just know it is way older than I am. We are going out with some friends tonight to a cool place up the road. There should be lots of sombrero wearing and singing.

confessions of an addict

It starts every year, sometimes earlier and sometimes later... but this year it happened today. I went and purchased my vice for the winter. It is Lip Balm. I love the stuff and I can't get enough of it. I found a 4 pack today called Blistex Fruit Smoothies. I have Melon Melody, Orange Cream (which I am wearing now), Triple Tropical, and Berry Explosion. I will put one in my purse, my school bag, my car and my nightstand. I should never be without... but don't be fooled, I will probably buy lots more as the cool weather sticks around.

new kind of survey

I give you money and send you into the grocery store to pick up 5 items. You can only pick one thing from the following departments.. what is it?
1. Produce: red grapes
2. Bakery: bread
3. Meat: sausage
4. Frozen: Smart Ones Meal
5. Dry goods: toilet paper

Let's say we're heading out for a weekend getaway. You're only allowed to bring 3 articles of clothing with you. So, what's in your bag?(besides under garments, right?)
1. jeans
2. a shirt
3. shoes

If I was to listen in on one of your conversations throughout the day, what 5 phrases or words would I be most likely to hear?
(at school)
1. "please choose a lesson"
2. "does anyone need to use the restroom?"
3. "did you wash your hands?"
(at home)
4. "can I use the laptop"
5. "Brady, get off of the bed"

So, what 3 things do you find yourself doing every single day, and if you didn't get to do, you'd probably be in a pretty irritable/bad mood?

1. sleep- I love sleeping!
2. eat- If I don't eat- I get grumpy
3. check the blogs

What are 3 things that you have in your room that have been with you for the longest amount of time? (I am currently in the living room)

1. My hubby.. not really a thing, but I have been hanging out with him of a LONG time
2. There is a picture on the book shelf that is 8 years old.
3. My engagement ring is even older than that.

If you were only allowed to listen to 5 of your CDs for the rest of your life, never adding anything else, which 5 could you listen to & be content with?
1. Jessica Simpson's Christmas CD (I am still heartbroken over her divorce from Nick Lachey)
2. Alanis Morissette's Greatest hits
3. Eagles Greatest Hits
4. Beyonce
5. Colbie Caillat

You're driving down the road, and suddenly you're hit with this sense of road rage. What 3 factors probably contributed to it?
1. people who drive up the side of the road when traffic is stopped like they are more important than the rest of us.
2. people who wait until the last minute to merge over when a lane closes and then expects you to slam on your breaks to let them in.
3. Kids without car seats

Sweet, you just scored a whole afternoon to yourself. We're talking a 3 hour block with nobody around. What 5 activities might we find you doing?

1. napping
2. watching TV
3. surfing the net
4. getting a manicure/pedicure
5. Shopping

We're going to the zoo. But, it looks like it could start storming, so it'll have to be a quick visit. What 3 exhibits do we have to get to?

1. pandas
2. elephants
3. tigers



You're hungry for ice cream. I'll give you a triple dipper ice cream cone. What 3 flavors can I pile on for ya?

1. vanilla
2. butter pecan
3. pralines and cream



Somebody stole your purse/wallet…in order to get it back, you have to name 5 things you know are inside to claim it. So, what's in there?
(thank goodness I have cleaned it our since my last purse entry)

1. Drivers license
2. insurance card
3. NO CASH!!
4. assortment of ponytail holders
5. Bobbi Brown Lipgloss



If you could go back and talk to the old you, when you were in high school and inform yourself of 6 things that you should or should not do what would it be?

1. It is o.k. to quit a job just because you hate it.
2. don't collect clutter
3. save more, spend less
4. go with your gut feeling more and don't be afraid of the consequences
5. don't let anyone make you feel inferior or second guess yourself
6. meet a girl named Karen the MINUTE you get to college

the plan... and the plan revised

Last month, I went to the SupperThyme USA with my pals. It was super fun. Since then I have been thinking about how much time I spend going to the store and cooking. I knew there had to be a better way. So I surfed the net and found this concept of once a month cooking. Well, I didn't really want to do that as much as I wanted to do once a month shopping. So, when the hubby came home with a great cook book for me last week I decided to implement this concept. I should be able to figure this out- I mean I was president of the Future Homemakers of America in high school. First I made a calendar for the month of November. I wrote in there all of the dates that we would be out of town or eating out. From there I took the days that were left and simply filled in the recipes I chose from the new cookbook. Then I made a list of all of the ingredients required. I took the list into the kitchen and marked off anything I already had. I made two list, a grocery store list and a Costco list. Then I organized the list by the layout of the grocery store for faster shopping. Yesterday I went to the market.. but I was limited on time. I bought as much as I could in the hour that I had before I had to pick Brady up from the pet resort. Thus- the plan revised. I am actually going to have to go to the store twice, but still this is going to be better than the weekly trips plus all of the stopping for this and that during the week. We are going to be eating some incredible and easy recipes. I am pretty excited about the whole concept.

another big catch

I am back from the fun filled weekend in the Georgia mountains. Here is a picture of the fish I caught on the lake. We were told to use marshmallows and corn as our bait and voila! Here is the fishie I caught on the 1st cast. I must admit- it was the only catch we had all day. The company on the boat was great. The scenery was breathtaking- what more can a girl ask for!

Thursday 13: thirteen reasons I am excited about going on vacation

Tomorrow, we are headed to the mountains for a 3 day weekend "rated R for relaxation". Here are 13 reasons as to why I am excited about it.

1) I love fall and there is no better place to spend fall than in the mountains.
2) The ride there and back- 6 hours of fun filled one on one time in the car.
3) I get to see lots of fun people.
4) I get to eat food that other people have prepared.
5) rest rest rest
6) lots of laughing
7) pontoon boating/fishing
8) outlet malls with the shopping fairy
9) sleeping in- no letting the dog out at 6:30am
10) sitting on the porch in the cool fall weather bundled up in a blanket
11) There is a pumpkin farm nearby with a corn maze
12) Hiking
13) Birthday cake!!!!