Show Us Your Life - Dinner Recipes

Everybody's got a go-to dinner recipe, right? One that everyone in your family loves? The Sasha Family Favorite is Taco Cornbread Pizza from the Kraft website.

I modify slightly, so here's how I do it.

What you'll need:

• 1 pkg. (8.5 oz.) corn muffin mix (I ONLY use Jiffy! 44 cents!)
• 1 egg
• skim milk
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning mix (I typically get the low sodium McCormick)
• shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare corn muffin batter as directed on package using egg and skim milk; spread into well-greased 12-inch pizza pan. Bake 8 to 10 min. or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, cook meat with seasoning mix as directed on package.

Spread meat mixture over the crust and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake an additional 4 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top as desired with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, etc.

There's just something about taco meat and cornbread together that is so yummy!

Family Portrait by P

It's kind of hard to see, but P used the grey crayon for his dad's hair..... how funny is that?

The hubs didn't think it was nearly as funny as I did. He's been salt-and-pepper since he was about 16.

On another note, I am digging my pink shoes and bleached-blonde hair. So cute!

Not What I Planned

When I was pregnant with The Wild Child and found out the baby was a girl- I was taken aback! I was so sure it was going to be another boy, and hell, I'd saved all the baby clothes! The bargain hunter in me was disappointed that I'd need new nursery bedding and clothes... but wait! I'd need new nursery bedding and clothes! Fun fun fun.

So of course I started dreaming of a little girl who'd let me curl her hair, do all kind of fun hairdos, and dress her in beautiful frilly clothes- and since football is such a big thing around here, I could just envision the Sasha family at tailgate parties outside the stadium.... how cute our family would be! Of course, I'd dress in her things like this:

Yeah, it's not going how I planned. Try as we did to get her in a cute little cheerleader outfit, this is what she wore to the game:

She was still very mad at me right here because I was trying to convince her that the jersey she dug out of her brother's drawer was way too big.....


But once I gave in and said she looked "cool" (oh-so-important to her) the smile came back and we were off to the tailgate party.

Oh, it was muddy. But they had a ball and when WC was her muddiest and looked so happy and carefree, my friend Gina said, "It's like she's at her own little Woodstock!" How right she was.

WC is going to be one to march to her own drummer.... she's going to dress how she wants, stereotypes be damned, and she's going to have the best time doing it. Shouldn't we all be like that?

Happy Sunday! Hope you are enjoying the day like the Sasha family is!

It's Sure a Shame

I'm not a better photographer, but I sure as hell am going to look chic when I get my new camera strap I ordered from mod for my Rebel (which stays on auto, shut up).

My friend Michelle from college knows the owner and her stuff is so so so cute! As soon as I can get home and post a pic for you I will- I have a new version of IE here at work and it's killing me! Can't upload photos to blogger and it also shuts down my window each time I send a yahoo email! The horror...

At any rate, if you can't wait, you can go see for yourself. I picked out the charlotte strap, which is on the second page of straps at the top.

Happy shopping!

Fabulous News!

My doc thinks I had some random viral infection, similar to mono. And it messed up my liver, which in turn messed up my gall bladder.

But I am feeling much better and he says I will continue to feel better everyday and all should return to normal. And I'm not contagious!

Thanks for all your prayers!

I Do NOT Have

• a parasite (verified with two separate tests)
• Hepatitis A (verified with two tests)
• Hepatitis B or C (one test)

I do have:

• elevated liver enzymes, although my last test shows them going down a bit, but not to a normal level
• sludge in my gall bladder detected via abdominal ultrasound (they think that's an incidental finding and unrelated to my illness, yet still want me to have a HIDA scan tomorrow)
• a hemangioma on my liver (although that's not an issue, just interesting given WC's hemangioma history

I am waiting to find out about:

• the abdominal CT scan I had last Thursday

I also have a cold, which is pissing me off royally. Srsly? Now??????

At any rate, I hope to be back to myself soon. I haven't exercised in an entire month! (Or drank a beer, but I suppose that's neither here nor there since I haven't felt like it.)

Thanks for your prayers and get-well wishes!

An Explanation of Sorts

So sorry I haven't been myself, and posts aren't as usual.

But I have been sick, sick, sick, for almost a month and we just can't figure it out.

This week I've had quite a bit of testing done (I'm a giant pin cushion right now) and hopefully the GI doc will have a solution for me soon.

I also imagine I'm setting a record for the first person sick for this long who isn't losing any weight. Boo!

So just a small request for some prayers for relief and answers. I would really appreciate it.

Finally: My Anniversary Present

Coach Parker

I've been meaning to post this forever!

In CO, due to my carcolepsy, I of course fell asleep driving from the airport to Manitou Springs. The hubs woke me up at an outlet mall and handed me a Coach gift card! Fun!!!!!

I already had the Parker in Violet and I love love love this purse. Absolutely perfect. I love it like I love the Carly, but this is lighter weight and I adore the side pockets, where I can store my cell and easily find it.

I found the Cream Parker on sale, and I even mentioned to the salesperson that I had a 20% off coupon at home, and she went ahead and gave me the discount, so I scored this baby for a little over $100. Amazing! I also picked up that cute little scarf and a scarf for my Violet Parker too, which I'll show you later.

It was a perfect present- of course the hubs knows me so well!

A Dessert Update

Well, seems like lots of folks from here in the (south)west do call them Neiman Marcus Bars. But Chess Cake? That's a new one for me. That came up in the comments and by chance I stumbled upon a blog who mentions them.

And Slim? She's on my list. Fo sho. She had the nerve to email me this list and now I can't wait to be well so I can make the last one on the list......

Pumpkin Gooey: This variation has to be at the top of my list, especially around Thanksgiving. For the cake part, I sometimes use a spice cake mix. I have even used a chocolate cake mix, but I think my favorite is the basic yellow cake mix. Follow the original recipe, adding a 15-ounce can of pumpkin pie filling and an extra egg to the cream cheese filling. Bake as usual, remove from oven, and allow to cool. Cut into squares and top each square with a pecan half. Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. I promise you'll never want pumpkin pie again!

Pineapple Gooey: Add a 20-ounce can of drained crushed pineapple and an extra egg to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

Lemon Gooey: Use a lemon cake mix in place of the yellow cake. Add the juice (approximately 1/4 cup) and zest of 2 lemons to the cream cheese filling. Proceed: as directed above.

Carrot Cake Gooey: Use a spice cake mix, and add 1 cup chopped nuts and 1 1/2 cup finely grated carrots to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

Peanut Butter Gooey: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter and an extra egg to cream cheese filling. You can sprinkle the top of batter with 1 cup chopped peanuts if you like. Proceed as directed above.

Chocolate Chip Gooey: Use either yellow or chocolate cake mix. Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped nuts on top of filling. Proceed as directed above.

Banana Gooey: Use a yellow cake mix. Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas and an extra egg. Proceed as directed above.

Nutty Gooey: Use a yellow cake mix, and add 1 cup chopped nuts to the cake mixture. Proceed as directed above.

Chippy Gooey: Stir 1 cup white chocolate chips, peanut butter chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, Heath Almond Toffee Bits or Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits into filling. Proceed as directed above.

Would You Tell Me About

your experience with what I call "Neiman Marcus Bars"?

Last week I squeed in delight when one of my favorite blogs, CakeSpy, had a feature on a dessert that seemed identical to my all-time favorite (and prize-winning) dessert, Neiman Marcus Bars. Only Head Spy Jessie called it "Gooey Butter Cake."

I left Jessie a comment and said: Here in OK, we call them Neiman Marcus bars and store them in the refrigerator... delish!

To my delight, I found an email from Jessie in my in box the next morning: Sasha,
So I am SO curious--how did you come across that Neiman Marcus bar recipe? It seems that they have a few recipes attached to their name (and in some cases, it's urban legend rather than them having actually invented it!). I'm curious about pinpointing the connection between Neiman and sweets! thanks again for reading the site. Yours is wonderful!! jessie

My first experience with theses little pieces of heaven dates back to high school- sometime in the late 80s I recall eating these at a drill team function. Someone's mom was famous for these and made them for us quite a few times. I just can't remember exactly who!

Of course, since I was concentrating on beer in college, I didn't think too much about these again until after I graduated and moved out into my own home, complete with a kitchen and oven just waiting to bake some goodies. Only I couldn't find the recipe! And remember, the internet back then wasn't what it is today. No myspace or facebook to reconnect with all my high school friends and Nancy Drew the recipe.

In 2002 or 2003 I spied them again on a plate at a Junior League function and hunted down the baker. She shared her recipe for "Butter Puffs" with me and it was just as I remembered! I've been baking them frequently ever since, and sharing the recipe with anyone who wants it, but I've been calling it the name I remember from high school, Neiman Marcus Bars.

I posted a plea on facebook last night asking high school friends if they remember the dessert, and I did have one friend who shared the identical recipe with me and also titled hers "Neiman Marcus Bars", so that's one vote that I'm not crazy!

So tell me, are you familiar with these? What do you call them? Where did you get your recipe?

GDA: Free $10 GGP Mall Gift Cerfiticate

Local gals, our mall is a GGP mall!

Shop Smart Look Fab, presented by Bank Of America & Express stores, offer a Free $10 Gift Card to your local GGP Shopping Mall. Follow the instructions below.

Click Here
Enter Zip code and click "enter information"
If the name of a Mall is displayed at the bottom, click on it
Click "get a free gift now, limited time offer" (2nd tab at bottom of the box)
Enter email in the box and click "sign up fast"
An email will be sent to you with a confirmation code to print out
Present the print-out at your Mall between Sept 17-19 to get your GC

GDA: Crocs BOGO Free Sale

That's a little hard to see, I know, but I just scored 2 pair of Crocs for WC for $14.99 with free shipping! They are having a BOGO free sale on some of their shoes. After the fact, I read you can use code slx8797 for an additional 25% off. I may try to do another order!

Happy Shopping!

GDA: Winter Coats for the Kiddos

Great deal on 3-in-1 jackets from LL Bean.

They are marked down from $69 to $29.99.

Remember to go through ebates for 2% back and use promotional code 3011901 for free shipping.

I got the Bright Navy for P in little kids large 6X-7 and the Pink Lilac for WC in little kids medium 5-6.

Happy shopping!

And I Am More Alive

but still not back at it.

No parasite, so that means the super-duper antibiotic they gave me Saturday wasn't needed and most likely made my stomach sicker. Nice.

So I'm on nothing (yay!), munching on some mashed potatoes and G2 waiting for the magic moment where I say "I'm Back!!!".

Stay tuned.....

I Am Alive

but barely.

Either in Mexico, CO, or who knows where, I've picked up some illness that has wrecked my stomach and it's been going on for two weeks. I haven't mentioned it because, well, that's not why you come here!

At the urging (insistence actually) of the hubs and a good friend, I finally went to the dr Saturday for various testing and got started on antibiotics, which I am afraid may be making it worse. Hopefully today the tests will come back and we shall know what's going on. TG for my work's generous sick leave!

O M G Worst Mom Evah

Yeah, we'll have to recreate the First Day of School tomorrow because this is the only shot I got.

I would have said "You'll never believe this..." but that would be pointless since you all know me and probably think this is very believable, and most likely, predictable.

We were running late this morning and had to drive WC clear across town to her preschool and then by the time we made it back by our house to P's school, it was right at 7:52, which is 3 minutes before the bell rings and school starts. So I spent about 45 seconds in the classroom before I realized it was time for the parents to leave.

So this is the one shot we got. And he looks a little goofy in it.

I am most upset that I didn't get the planned "P and his backpack shot" showing his full body.

So we shall set the alarm for 10 minutes earlier tomorrow and try again.

And I suppose we'll laugh about it later, one day when he's an adult and we are looking through his School Days album and I tell him the picture on the K page of his first day of school is actually his second day of school.

But I'm sure by then, he'll be used to stuff like that.

Buzz Light-ner

WC wants to be Buzz Light-ner (Note: not Lightyear) for Halloween. She's been asking me if I've gotten her costume for about 5 months, and slacker mom that I am, I haven't.

And no, she's never seen the movie. I'm sure she has no idea he's a character in the movie.

She just loves the costume. There's one in the Busy 3s class and she's wearing it about 3 times a week when we pick her up from school. Outside sometimes. Please note that it's August in the (south)west and 100 degrees.

Better Late Than Never: The 10 Years Post

I was married before digital cameras were mainstream.

And my photographer has disappeared, I think, so all I have is this somewhat mangled picture. It used to be in a pretty silver frame on the mantle, but our cat Phil (God rest his feline soul) knocked it off the mantle and onto a set of weights and the glass shattered and dented the picture in several places on my dress, as you can see above.

So this is a picture of a crappy picture. I do have some other pictures, but the ceremony pictures are dark and the pictures he took of me before the ceremony were ruined before being developed, so we recreated the scene a month later and it just wasn't the same.

Our 10th anniversary was August 14th and I'm in disbelief that it's been 10 years! Oh, I loved my dress! It was ivory (ivory went better with my overly-tanned complexion) and after they cut about 5 feet off the bottom hem and nipped the sides in a bit, it fit perfectly. I swear they probably made a whole new dress of out those scraps. I'm saving that dress in case WC is 5'2" and thinks a retro late-90s dress is cool.

Hopefully I'll get my act together soon and post about our trip to CO and my new Coach purse, but I've had a stomach virus and haven't been up to being creative or funny in about a week. We even had to cancel our dinner/movie plans on Friday and that sucked.

So as Scarlet would say, "Tomorrow's another day" and maybe, just maybe, I'll get around to it!

I'm Crazy for "Gown Crazy"

Last night I tivo'd Gown Crazy on TLC and just started watching it. I literally had to stop it and come and post how much I love Kayne and how much I've missed seeing him since Project Runway Season 3!

He's over the top and rhinestone-crazy, but that's what makes him fun! I really want to track him down and take him out for a drink- what a hoot that would be! I actually may do that. Would that be too stalker-ish?

But you totally need to watch! It looks like there is one more airing of it today......

Happy 6th Birthday P!

2 days old - August 15, 2003

a week or so later

6 years old!

Amazing! Where did 6 years go? I can't believe how much and how fast you've grown.

We certainly weren't ready for you when you decided to make your appearance a month early. No bag was packed, the car seat was still sealed in the box in the garage, and I had so many things left to do in those last few weeks I thought I had. And somehow I don't feel like I've been caught up or ready since... but it's not a bad or scary feeling. It just the feeling that we'll figure it all out together as a family.

I'm continually amazed by you. You are so eager to explore the world and learn new things. I'm excited for all the adventures ahead of us. I am so proud of you and so glad that I'm blessed to be your mom.

I love you P!

My Son, The Tradesman

Last week The Politician came home from school and showed me a pressed penny.

I asked where he got it, and he replied, "I traded D for it."

"What did you trade for it?" I asked.

"A cell phone."

Shred It Or Dread It Update

My eating has been out of control! PTO last night was at BJ's and I had 3 beers (light, but still!) and shared a Sweet Pig pizza and Pizookie with a dear friend and it was divine. But none of my pants fit today!

So I suppose I have no more excuses- today's the day! (Yes, I know you've heard it before, but I pinky swear I'm back on board with SIODI.)



I am loving my Hungry Girl emails and plan on looking for these today. How yummy do the Yoplait Delights look? Can't wait to try them all! (follow the link and print a $1 coupon!)

Mascara Review 1: Benefit Bad Gal

Benefit BADGal Lash ($19)

Boo. I didn't like this at all. It didn't do much in the way of lengthening or thickening. And, at the end of the day I'd have little smudgies under my lower lash line.

So that's a no-go.

But do you love it? Because I have a brand-new, unopened mini size of this, which retails for $9 on Sephora. I'll be glad to send it to someone who already uses this and knows they like it. That way it won't be wasted!

Email me at barelytogether at yahoo dot com if that's you!

Dear Food Network,

I am SO excited that Melissa won The Next Food Network Star!

And you guys work fast! I see her new show, $10 Dinners, premiers this Sunday at 11:30 am CST.

She's got a great personality, and is a busy mom just like me that I can totally relate to. I can't wait to watch and get some tips!

In Your Prayers Tonight

will you include the family in this blog post please? They just lost their little boy to leukemia and my heart aches for them.

Favor

Post a comment if you can see my blog today- for some reason, I can't! Google tells me it can't go there because it looks suspicous or something nutty.... can you see me?

Edit: I think it's fixed now... carry on!

Notes From School: 8-4-09

The Wild Child got in trouble today for emptying all her classmates water cups outside, with the company of three other friends. Please talk to her about her choices.

Sasha is Super-Fancy Now

How much do we LOVE my new design? I look so pro-fessional now! (And please say it that way- say PRO Fessional like it's two words, and then you'll be an honorary Okie!)

Many many thanks to Karen at Simply Amusing Designs- she is fabulous to work with and "got" me so quickly! Be sure and visit her if you are in need of a redesign- I know you'll be another one of her satisfied customers.

Notes from School: Friday July 31

I am so sorry to tell you this- during art time, WC and her friend took a pair of scissors from the art table and went back by the cubbies. Before we could stop them, the friend cut a piece of hair on the back of WC's head. It is very hard to see the piece that was cut, but we are still so sorry it happened. We put away the scissors for the day and explained that we only cut our art projects.

Looks like WC is headed for a Dorothy Hamil cut. Twice in one week!

I Have Mascara Coming Out My Ears

Last month I told you guys I was ordering a fabulous new mascara sample kit from Sephora, and planned on doing reviews of each one for you. Of course, I never need a reason to buy new makeup, but doing it for my blog readers make pressing that order button so much easier!

Sephora Favorites Lashstash Mascara Deluxe Sampler- samples sizes of 11 of Sephora's most popular mascaras for only $39.

Sit down.

I have to admit that I haven't tried a single one yet.

Why? Because I can't put down MAKE UP FOR EVER's Smoky Lash ($22)! O M G - seriously my new HG mascara. Thickening, lengthening, it's one fabulous package.

This weekend the mister and I are headed to CO for our 10th Anniversary Trip and I plan on taking one of the cute little sample mascaras to try- so I'll let you know what I think.

(This probably goes without saying, but remember to go through ebates and don't forget to use one of the fabulous Sephora codes for extra goodies! Plus this week Sephora is offering 5 free samples with each order rather than the usual 3.)

And a question for you.... do you use an eyelash curler? Which one to you use? I have been thinking about getting the shu uemura one but want to make sure it's worth it. I just started using one this year because my mom brainwashed me and told me if I used one it would break off all my eyelashes, and it took me 35 years to make my own decision on the matter.

Mom Agenda School Years Book

Oh, I love momAgenda! (click on graphic above to check them out!)

I just ordered two of the School Years books for the kids- I got aqua for P and rose for WC. Adorable! I'd love to scrapbook my way through their childhood, but let's get real. I'm not going to have the time to do that!

My mom did a book like this for me and I absolutely love looking at it. I love seeing my signature change through time! And those haircuts... oh lord, it's was certainly the 70s!

Through August 2, you can use code MOMNOW to get 15% off.

And if you haven't checked out their free downloads, be sure and do that! They are adorable and so functional. Just what us busy moms need.

Dior Addict Lip Glow

Dior Addict Lip Glow ($28- shut up, I know it was expensive)

What it is:A color-awakening lip balm with SPF 10.

What it does:Dior Addict Lip Glow responds to the color chemistry of your lips to create a shade that is uniquely yours. Smooth it on to moisturize, add sun protection, and enhance your natural lip color.

Yeah, not so much. Crazily enough, it absolutely did not change color on me at all. I have had great luck with Too Faced Mood Swing- I get a gorgeous hot pink with it. But my luck with the Dior Addict Lip Glow was about the same as my luck with Smashbox O-Gloss- no color change there either!

So back to Sephora it went.

The Two Children That Reside At My House

were grounded from TV last night.

Because they brought me this while I was cleaning up the playroom.

That's WC's hair. Cut by P, stuck in playdoh. He claims she asked him to do it.....

Report: Cancun

Well, first I want to admit to you that I only took 14 pictures, and half of them are of this little guy. For some reason, after about 5 Miami Vices, I was sure that The Politician would think this was so cool, so I took 7 pictures of him. And not one single picture after that.

Luckily, Cory shared her pics with me this morning so you can share in the fun (and the insanity).



Before we landed in Mexico, we were given some paperwork to fill out. Notice anything strange? What the hell is a "leye"? Maybe your left eye? And what is "Nasal flux"? We weren't sure, but checked no for good measure. We certainly didn't want them putting us on the next plane back to TX!

Cory, me, Steph, Jodie, and Heather

We checked in when we arrived around lunchtime on Thursday and changed and headed straight to the pool. The weather was gorgeous and the drinks were flowing. Jodie and Steph played a never-ending game of Tequila Volleyball and we knew we were going to have fun.

After spending the afternoon outside, we went in to clean up and get ready for dinner. We decided to try the steak house on the resort.

This was my baked potato (that's my hand for size reference)! We laughed for 20 minutes, especially since they gave me a container of sour cream that was bigger than the baked potato itself. Way funny. Do they only have mini potatoes in Mexico? Someone please explain.

After dinner we headed to the club and singled-handedly turned it into a party. Really. We were one big Julie the Cruise Director and had every person in the bar up and dancing with us.

However..... look at my feet! I had to kick off my flip flops to really get down, and I later realized how dirty the floor was. The night ended with me washing my feet in the sink before bed.

Not nearly as bad as this guy's feet, huh? He was a golfer with a serious sock tan, and I guess he didn't apply any sunscreen the first day. His poor feet were swollen and one big blister, and of course I whipped out the camera to take a pic after telling him he needed to go to the hospital. But he seemed to be numbing the pain with alcohol.

At one point I almost drowned, and here's the pic to prove it. Steph and I were frolicking out in the ocean and I got knocked down by a big wave. Each time I tried to stand up, I got knocked back down and got all scratched up. Steph kept trying to help me, but we were both dying laughing (and I was swallowing salt water) and we just couldn't get it together.

But I finally got out and lived to tell the tale!

I had a fabulous trip with my girls and loved every minute- even when the AC went out and our room flooded the last day.

But if it wasn't for Carlos the Immigration Worker I might not have made it out out of the country. Seems that they give you a little piece of paper upon entry into the country that you have to have in your possession to leave the country. Yeah, I don't know what happened to that.

So PSA: Don't lose anything that they give you when you enter the country! I had to wait on the Immigration office to open and sweetly ask Carlos to help me get the paperwork I needed in time to get my boarding pass and ticket. He was super-nice and didn't charge me the $45 fee since it was my first time and since "hopefully you learned a lesson." So thanks Carlos!

Stayed tuned for more updates and the other girls upload more pics to our Snapfish group room!

I'm Home

Safe and sound!

Watch for an update post later today to include, but not be limited to, discussion on sunburned feet, dirty feet, small potatoes, iguanas, immigration (!!), and the one of the best vacations I have ever had!

Dear Wild Child,

Have I told you today how much I love you?

Have I told you how grateful I am that our mother/daughter relationship is heading towards what I've always wanted it to be?

Have I told you how much it meant to me this weekend when you patted the couch next to where you were sitting and said, "Come snuggle with me!"?

Have I told you that I know there are great things in store for you in life? Your drive (stubborn-ness?) and outgoing personality are going to take you so far. Once a woman stopped us in a restaurant and said, "She's going to be the president of something someday." I'm pretty sure she's right.

I know we've had some challenges and I am so sorry you had to go through the pain you went through as an infant. So sorry I couldn't get the help we needed for you then. I think that led to your sensory and sleeping problems, and if I could turn back time, you can bet I'd do things different.

But I am so glad that we are where we are today. You've led me to learn so much about parenting and how to be the mom I've always wanted my kids to have. I've learned how to ask for help and how to relax just a little. I've learned that sometimes it takes a village and that I don't know everything. I've learned that's there no one book or method that's catch-all. I've learned that each child is an individual and I have found that taking small pieces of different philosophies has been the answer for us.

As I see your personality develop, I feel pride in my soul- we made you! What a sweet little thing you've become! I think you're going to be a little tomboy, but I was pretty excited this weekend when you wanted me to paint your nails. That's my girl!

So if I haven't told you today, I love you. I'm so lucky to be your mom and I can't wait to watch you grow.

Love,

Momma

Shred It or Dread It: FAIL

Yeah, I leave Wednesday night for my Mexico trip. And I only managed to lose that 4 pounds I lost in the first week of my failed Shred It or Dread It plan. It's not that I didn't try. In fact, I worked my ass off and worked out a lot. A whole lot. With weights. And cardio. I mixed it up, sure that would do the trick. But alas, there was too many holidays and parties and too much beer I suppose.
But I'm over it. I've decided I'm having a good time whether I have any jiggly bits or not.
So I've purchased the swimming costume (tm Holly) above and I'm going to rock it. (Top here and bottom here from Lands End. Super cheap.) Sure, I look a 35-year-old mom of two who works full-time and can't quite get her act together to get in the shape she wants to be in, but if that's who I am, then so be it.
I'm going to have fun, not worry about holding in my stomach, and enjoy some fruity drinks and Mexican beer with my dearest friends. I can't wait!

Convertible Eye Color

Stila Convertible Eye Color ($22 at Sephora)

Recently I ran across this product in Onyx in my makeup bag. I had gotten this in a set I purchased last year. I've never worn black eyeliner before as I typically stick to brown and plum with my blue eyes.

But I went ahead and gave this a try, and although I found the black to be a little dramatic for day wear (and when the hell do I have a night on the town that calls for a dramatic eye?), this made me recall my love for this product.

The next time I placed a Sephora order I ordered this in Stone and I am so glad I did! Basically this is 3 products in one. First, a fabulously soft and smooth eyeliner. On the other end is a smudger, which saves me from using my finger and having to wash my hands. Hidden in the middle is a coordinated eye shadow shade that is perfect for me to use in my crease. I apply Stila Kitten (go enter the giveaway!) as my base color and then use the stone convertible color in the crease and blend with a brush. Fast and easy, and perfect for work.

Don't forget that ebates.com offers 4% back on Sephora orders, and of course, here is the link to see all the official coupon codes for Sephora.

Here's just one of their great deals right now.

FREE Lip Polish! Get a FREE full-sized Bare Escentuals Buxom lip gloss in Charity ($18 value) when you buy a Bare Escentuals Get Started Kit. Enter code BECHARITY at checkout.

Today

I am plum tuckered out.

I'm not sure if I can even make it through the work-day.

I made it through four nights of VBS OK, but yesterday's PreK field trip did me in.

I bet you're wondering how Shred It or Dread It is going... let's just say not well. Damn holidays and parties. And I love beer too much to completely cut it out. Maybe I can make good decisions for the next few days and lose a few pounds before next Thursday. Yeah, probably not.

Off to get my second Coke of the morning... I suppose that's part of the problem huh!

Stila Eye Shadow Giveaway!

Head over to my giveaway blog- I'm giving away a Stila eye shadow in Kitten!

What?

The other day we were driving down the street and The Wild Child said, "Look, there's one of the Jonas Brothers!"

What? There are no Jonas Brothers here, my dear. And how do you even know who they are? You are 3 1/2!

Damn Disney Channel.

Dear Jillian,

Oh, Sweetie. I am 99.9% sure you made the wrong decision last night. I think you are too.....



I mean, how cute is he? And genuine, and realistic..... I don't blame him one bit for wanting to take it a bit slow. The track record for Bachelor/Bachelorette pairings aren't too good, my dearie.

(By the way, Reid, if you happen to google yourself and stumble upon this, I don't think your official ABC pic did you any favors and I didn't want to use that pic. You are so much more handsome than that so I did a little screen cap that captured your cuteness a little better. Next time, exercise the Power of Veto if you aren't feeling photogenic on Official ABC Picture Day.)

Jillian, I just don't think that Ed or Kiptyn are right for you. Ed stole my dad's swim trunks from 1978 and that's a problem. There was also some mysterious bedroom issue. That's can't be good. And Kiptyn's mom...... oh lordy. She'd be a fun mother-in-law.

But I will keep watching and see how things go. Maybe you'll pull a Jason and end up with someone you let go (Reid!)? We shall see.

Yummy Find at Sam's: Golden Grahams Treats

Golden Grahams Treats: Chocolate Marshmallow

O. M. G., these are beyond fabulous. 3 points, and pretty big. What a great way to start my day! I picked up a giant box at Sam's because I knew just from looking at the picture I'd love them.

I think these are a product re-work, becuase I remember eating these in the past, but they weren't this yummy back then......

The Big Brother 11 Office Pool

Kevin

Yes, I drew Scarfy McScarferson in the office Big Brother 11 pool.

Knowing my track record with who I draw in the office pools, I was sure he'd be a nitwit and was destined to go home first.

But I really liked him! He's funny and not at all annoying.

So maybe the streak is broken.....

Giveaway: Buxom Lips

Head over to my giveaway site, Sasha Says Giveaway!, for a chance to win a BE Buxom Lips!

Question

Does anyone currently use Bare Minerals foundation in Light? Email me if so. barelytogether at yahoo dot com

I had an unused jar of this to pass on to someone who would use it, but Clemson Girl has claimed it! Thanks for emailing me!