Fun Pottery Day

Okay, today me and my BFF, Heather, went to Painted by U in Vestavia. She had gotten a gift certificate and I just thought that it might be fun so technically, I invited myself. :) She didn't mind though. I have never done this before and was feeling a little creative. We met up and I wanted to start kinda cheap just in case it looked like my niece painted it instead of myself. I am now a big fan of this store!!! They are moving across the street from the Galleria in a couple of weeks. If I had children I definitely think that this would be a good birthday party place, of course for the older ones. Pottery with a bunch of toddlers, not so much. I chose the small rectangular platter and Heather chose the sushi plate. I really think that they turned out really good and am excited to go and pick them up once they are finished. The paint turns a bit darker once it is fired and they put a glaze on it too so it looks all nice and shiny in the end. This is my almost blank canvas: Yes I used a stencil, I can't draw that good.

Here is Heather painting her masterpiece:

And here are our finished products:

Heather always wanted a picture that had this verse on it, but said all of the ones that she found looked to "grandma-ish." Solution: Make one for yourself...

Afterward, I went to the Galleria and used my free panty coupon from Victoria's Secret, and get this...I didn't buy anything else!!! I am so proud of myself!!!

Cheesecake Fun

Okay so like my previous blog states,yesterday was cheap cheesecake day at the Cheesecake Factory. I am incredibly glad that it was on my week off!!! There were 7 of us from work that went and we decided to meet at 12pm. Why we decided that on the busiest day of the year for this restaurant I will never know. I really wasn't thinking thoroughly when I planned this apparently. Erica and I got there at around 11:30 to put our names on the list and she said that the wait would be 60-85 min. That's okay I think, we are really supposed to meet at 12 so that would be around 30 minutes for the rest of us. Well, let me just tell you... It was HOT!!!!!!! I am not a big fan of being that hot unless there is a body of water around me that I can jump in when it gets overwhelming. Anyway, we decided to go across the street and look in some stores while we waited. Shocking I know, but I didn't buy anything, I am trying to save some money. So we went back over at a little after 12 to meet the rest of our group. And waited....and waited...and waited... We finally got to our table at around 12:45, which was actually in the time frame that she quoted me originally. I had not eaten breakfast in anticipation of this feast, so needless to say, I was starving. I ordered a Blackened Chicken Sandwich that was really good, and then the cheesecake menu. I ordered the Key Lime which I have never had before, and for $1.50 if I didn't like it, it would be okay. I was incredibly full at this point:

But I was going to finish it!!! While everyone else got to go boxes for their "bites" of cheesecake, I stuffed myself with the last of it:YEAH!!! Now I can't eat for like a week due to all of the calories that I consumed but it was totally worth it!!!

So thanks to Heather, Tangela, Erica, Jennifer, Jillian, and Courtney for a wonderful "all-day" lunch. We didn't leave until after 2pm. Sorry Trina, I hate that it was way too busy for you to join us. Maybe next time. Here are a few pics of our day:

Cheap Cheesecake!!!

On Wed for lunch a few of my friends and I are going to eat lunch at the Cheescake Factory. It's their 30th anniversary and the cheesecake is only going to be $1.50 a slice. WOW!!! That's awesome. If anyone else would like to go just let me know!

I did it!!!

Yesterday I got 6 inches cut off of my hair. It's been growing out for like over 3 years now. Let me know what you think!!!

CVS Shopping Trip

***Updated***

Okay so I am a newbie to shopping and saving at CVS. I went this morning after work and used my coupons and first ECBs. I don't exactly know how good of a deal what I got was, but I was excited.

Here are the details:

Sale items:

Loreal vive pro products buy one get one $4.99 each

Kotex 2/$11

Crest pro health mouth wash large bottle $5.99

I used $3.99 in ECBs from last weeks photobook and $3.25 in MC

OOP 16.18

Earned $3 in ECBs

saved $16.71

I am going to Walmart to see what the total would've been if I would've bought things there to get a comparison. I will update with the total when I get back.

Okay, so I went to WalMart to check out the prices. My total for all of these items would've been $24.78 plus tax. Therefore, I saved about $10. Plus the fact that I got $3 in ECBs for the next purchase. All in all, I am happy with my purchase!

Tag!!

I am going to try to figure this out. I will keep updating until I do. :)

Tag!

Here are the rules:

1. link the person(s) who tagged you

2. Mention the rules on your blog

3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours

4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them

5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.Here we go!



1. I own a pair of Jimmy Choos that are too small.

2. I DO NOT like my husband's dog. Ever since she peed in my car-it's been war.

3. I could eat ice cream every meal.

4. I pretend that I am crafty and start many projects but have only finished about 3.

5. I absolutely hate to be rushed! If I am, it only makes getting ready longer.

6. When I was in the 6th grade I said that I was going to be a nurse and work at Children's Hospital. Well, here I am...



I was tagged by Trina @ fabulouslyfrugalicious.blogspot.com



I tag the following:

Heather @ http://lifeasafoshee.blogspot.com/

Jennifer @ http://praying4daylight.blogspot.com/

Ashley @ http://ashleymeetsblog.blogspot.com/

Blake @ http://thelindseylife1.blogspot.com/



Okay, so I only have 4 people that I can tag because I am not going to tag random people that I don't actually know. I don't want any restraining orders filed against me.

Happy (Very Late) Mother's Day!!

Last night I took my mom for her VERY late Mother's Day present. When you live 1.5 hours away from each other apparently it is very hard to find a time for both of us to get together. Especially during the summer when there is VBS, etc. Sunday is also her birthday so we were kinda celebrating both. We met up at the Summit so that she could spend a gift card and I got there earlier and bought her a beautiful orchid for her bday present. They now have a sunroom and I thought that would be a great decoration. Then we were off the The Melting Pot. I have been there once before and she had never been there. It is pretty pricey but I found a coupon in the paper so it wasn't too bad. We got the full 4 course meal. We chose the Fiesta Cheese to start with. MMMMM!!!! It was great! Then we had our salads. Hearts of Palm-I do not recommend! Nastiness!! For our entree, we had the Signature Collection cooking mojo style. If you have never been they basically bring you a fondue pot of cooking liquid and a large plate of bite size raw meat and a bowl full of veggies. Kinda weird but it is great. You then take your fondue forks and proceed to cook your own food. After that we chose the Cookies 'n Cream chocolate fondue for our dessert. It was AMAZING!!! Dark chocolate with marshmallow cream with crushed up bits of Oreos. WOW!!!! We decided that next time we could probably just get 2 pots of the chocolate next time and that would be just fine!!! We were incredibly stuffed and if you could gain 10 pounds in one meal, I think that I was successful! We had a great time!!!

Photo Book

Yesterday, I went to CVS (thanks to my new blogger friend Trina:)!!) and made a photo book of Aubrey's birthday pics. I did the 4x6 book that was on sale for $3.99 w/ card and then you earn $3.99 back in ECBs. I am totally new to shopping at CVS and earning ECBs, but hopefully I can figure it out. This was the first time I have ever made a photo book so I really didn't know what I was doing but it was incredibly easy. I will suggest that you only put like 15-20 pics in the 4x6 book. There is a max of 36 so I put like 30. Well, some of them are so small that you have to squint to see them. That's okay because it is still very cute and my mom loved it!!! I will probably go back this afternoon and make a 6x8 album. Hopefully I will remember to limit my pics!!!

Aubrey's Birthday

This past Saturday was my niece's first birthday party. WOW!!! It has flown by and I am only the aunt. I can't imagine how Kali feels! For those of you who don't know me I have two sisters. I am the middle child. My younger sis became a mom on July 10 last year. Aubrey has been such a blessing to our family!!! She is a total over achiever! She started walking at 10 months! Anyways, I could go all day but here are some of the highlights.

The party was at our parents house so that the other kiddos could swim. We ate some yummy hot dogs and hamburgers and watched Aubrey tear into her cupcake. How cute is that cake!?! This pic is when they had just sat it in front of her. She started barely picking at it and then mom gave her a fork which she thought was so cool! I never knew how many adults could be completely entertained watching a little girl try to eat cake for like 15 minutes. OOOHHH AHHHH! !!! You would've thought that the paparazzi were at the house from all of the flashes. LOL! After that the older kids got into the pool. Well, my dad and sister ended up jumping in clothes on to get one of them after being in for about 5 minutes. I took pics but Kali would kill me if I posted them here.
So, Kent and I gave Aubrey a Little Tikes slide. How cute is this!?! I remember having one when we were kids and loved it! Kent and my dad put it together so we decided to let her practice. She kept putting her feet down and she kept getting stuck. So how many adults does it take for a one year old to go down the slide you ask-3. 1- to hold her hands, 2- to hold her feet, and 3- to catch her at the bottom. It was a lot of fun! (I don't know how to rotate the pic so we will just have to deal.)

Then we went inside so that she could open up the rest of her presents. Well, so Kali could open up the rest of her presents while she chewed on her new book and tried to drink out of her new-empty- sippy cup.

All in all it was a great day!!! Happy Birthday to the cutest one year old in the world!!!

Becoming Better

I work night shift and at times there really isn't a lot to do. My friend Heather knew someone with a blog and we started reading it. Then we clicked links to their friends, and then their friends, and so on. (Don't act like you don't do it too.) I have read more things about people that I have never met in person in the past month that I ever thought possible. I have read complete histories on some blogs that I have found absolutely interesting and inspiring. Therefore I am choosing to take what I have read and let it help me to become a better person. I have made a new pact with myself to become better. Here are a few things that I have chosen to become better at: I will become better at saving money. I will become better about organization. I will become better about cleaning my house. I will become better a keeping my car clean. And most importantly: I will be a better Christian.

Dogs are expensive

So this past weekend, we went to Daytona. We needed to find a new vet, since I was still driving 1 1/2 hours to board our dogs when we went anywhere. We found a new one close to our house and when I went to pick them up they had these cute little bandanas on.

I grew up on a farm in Holly Pond where we weren't allowed to have inside pets. We always had outside dogs and we took them to the vet when it was necessary. I have never given my dogs hearworm pills for prevention or flused out their ears. I never really thought about it. Well, now that they are all current with their shots, their ears are clean and we are starting on heartworm prevention even though they tested negative. I was completely baffeled at how much this stuff costs. I called my mother and told her that I signed over our first born child in order to get our dogs back. She thought that was quite hilarious. I am making a concious effort to keep our dogs up to date on their health status even if it is expensive. I have resolved myself to the fact that is costs money to keep it up. And I am going to do better!!! FYI, the first time that I flushed out their ears for cleaning it went really well. Me sitting on the couch holding them down yelling "Quit!" They really loved me after that. Then they proceeded to shake their heads and get the stuff all over me. Fun times!!

The worst show ever!

Seriously!?! Why on every season of the Bachelor/Bachelorette do we hear these sentences over and over again? I never thought that I would fall so fast. This is the hardest thing that I have ever had to do. I am falling in love with 2/3/4 guys and I don't know what I am going to do. The most dramatic season yet. The most dramatic rose ceremony yet. Blah, Blah, Blah..... BOOOOO!!!!!!!!! I wanted Jason to be "the one"

4th weekend

Our 4th adventures started out on Wed night going to our church program. We went inside and experienced a wonderful worship service. I had invited my parents and the Hilliar girls from back home in Cullman. In the first picture you see Brooke Hilliar. I take A LOT of credit for the way that Brooke has turned into such a wonderful young lady :) During the summers after I could drive I would "babysit" Brooke. Honestly, we really didn't accomplish anything except eating ice cream and watching TV. I would drive us a few blocks to Dairy Queen and buy a pint or quart of chocolate ice cream. Then we would come back to her house and eat it straight from the container. On occasion we would have some left over and keep in the freezer for the next day. Her mother got it out to eat one night and proceeded to get a bowl out of the cabinet, Brooke informed her that that was not the way we ate it and grabbed a spoon and started eating it straight from the container. (Life lesson-why dirty a dish when you think you will eat the entire thing?) I really hate to handwash dishes! We would then proceed to watch TV like all day long that included Full House reruns and the ever popular-Days of Our Lives. Brain TV for sure. We totally got a lot accomplished. She also taught me a lot too. Like eating peanut butter and sugar sandwiches and also putting peanut butter on toasted waffles. Really good!! So, Brooke and I had some really great summers that I will never forget. I'm pretty sure her mom won't either-Sorry Sherri! Love you girl!

I digress, the service was completely awesome and we totally had about 3 times the amount of people that were there last year. Then we were off outside to enjoy the best fireworks display in B'ham! Church of the Highlands is absolutely amazing. Come check it out if you are in the area.

The next pic is of two of my resp girls from work. Courtney and Jillian came over to the "loser pavillion" after the fireworks display. Jillian said she wondered who had set up all of their stuff over there since it was totally away from all of the chaos that was set up on the front lawn. We brought out the pop up tents and tables and brought a ridiculous amount of food including homemade ice cream-MMMMMMMM!!!!!! We had a great time of fellowship and Kent played frisbee with the kiddos.