Weekend Life In Wisconsin

With the weekend forecast of a 25 degree high, I can relate Sutton.

Please note: It is not my intention to poke fun of nor discredited the cause and effect of global warming, which is a very REAL issue. This cartoon is for humour purposes only regarding how freakin COLD it gets in Wisconsin.

Strangers on Film

Have you stopped by the blog, A Cup of Jo? If you haven't you should. I am just warning you once you are there, you are sure to become a follower.

I truly adore this blog and find it so appropriately titled because just as sure as I have a cup of coffee every day, stop by Joanna's blog for a lovely dose of fashion, photography and other random musings.

Today's "dose" brought a wonderful fun-filled story that lead to images such as this:

Disposable cameras were left out on random park benches in NY with a note attached: "Good afternoon, I attached this camera to the bench so you could take pictures. Seriously. So have fun. I'll be back later this evening to pick it up." You can read the full article and see more pictures HERE.

I love the "realness" of these photos. In the age of technology, it seems so much of life is lived through a computer leaving less opportunity for "in-person" interaction. This disposable camera project is proof that there are people out there interacting and living life.

Supermodelquins

Old Navy just launched a new advertising campaign - a jest on celebrity magazine featuring celebrity mannequins. Fun, right?

Hometown Headline

I have to say, I am definitely not proud of my hometown this morning:

Fond du Lac Couple Accused of Making Children Live in Feces-Filled Rooms

I am sure it goes without saying but this is just sick, wrong, and heartbreaking.

Of course, this is the first question comes to mind:

Why were these children living in crap filled rooms?

Well, according to the husband, his wife has always had a problem with keeping the house clean so to help "encourage" her he decided to "simply stop cleaning to see if his wife would get the message and start taking more responsibility for the house".

Ummmm, okay, this might explain the 2" of dust build up and the dirty dishes but this doesn't explain the feces.

Last time I checked children who are 7, 8, 10, and 12 use a bathroom instead of their bed or bedroom floor as a receptacle for eliminating waste?

Something doesn't smell right here.

Say YES

So, an update on Tuesday's Date Night. I did opt to stay with the "date" concept and see Yes Man with hubsters. Somehow it just felt wrong to hang out with Edward in a theatre while my husband was watching a movie in a different theatre on date night.

Yes Man, was, in fact, a surprisingly GREAT movie. The perfect mix of comedy plus a darn good message. Jim Carey was perfectly cast as the lead and Zoey Deschanel was simply beautiful.

The premise of the movie is simple. Carl (Jim Carey) is stuck in a life rut including a non-existent love life and a stale career when he gets drags to a convention called "Yes is the New No". At the convention, Carl takes an oath to say Yes to EVERYTHING for a whole year which paves the way for a plethora of opportunities (some good, some bad). His new mantra, Yes, forces him to start experiencing life instead of just watching it pass him by.

As a self-proclaimed homebody and not-one-to-attack-social-activities-with-gusto (though when I do...I have a blast!), the message of "Yes is the New No" resonated quite strongly with me. So much so that I plan to use the word YES much more often to make sure I am taking advantage of every opportunity in life.

With that I leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but rather by the moments that take your breath away"

My Economy Stimulus Plan

I purchased this lovely wrap style top yesterday from Chicffon Intimate. As a jewelry designer "quit-my-day-job-hopeful" myself, it feels good to give back to the "homemade" community.


Just so we are all clear...I do plan on wearing this over pants.

Is This Think On?

On my walk into to work, a gentleman held the door for me while commenting…”Wow, you have a lot of stuff in your hands” – I was carry my typical “work” load which includes my coffee, car keys, lunch bag, tote bag (holding a book and a change of shoes), and my purse (which is oversized leaving enough room for my water, planner, and coffee thermos).

I know bring a lot of baggage into work…literally.

So, I smiled and responded jokingly, “Believe it or not, I only plan on staying the day”.

You know, as if the amount of stuff I bring it to work everyday could appear to be enough for a mini-trip. Ba-dum-da.

Just trying to do my part by bringing a little humor in to brighten the day.

“What?”, the gentleman replied, clearly confused.

Sigh…some people just don’t get me and my sense of humor.

The Decision

It's Tuesday Date Night at the Boo-jay Theater.

Hubsters just called and dangled this little carrot in front of me...

That's right, my Edward Twilight has made it to the boo-jay.

Hem-haw...what to do. Do I go with hubsters to see Yes Man or spend an hour and a half drooling over this fine specimen...

The jury is still out...stay tuned until tomorrow.

Rock, Paper, Silver Shout Out

Feedback like this makes my day...

"This was my first purchase using Etsy. I was very pleased with RockPaperSilver during the entire transaction. There was excellent communication throughout and the item was received three days earlier than promised. The necklace was beautiful and I was especially delighted with the packaging."

Enjoy your Name Game Necklace tmize!

Weekend Musings

1. The Lord of the Rings Movies are just as good the 3rd time around.

2. I am officially over snow and definitely could have done without the 5-7" I had to watch come down on Saturday morning/ early afternoon (though the snow made #1 possible...what else are you going to do during a blizzard?).

3. The snow day on Saturday also made this and this possible.

4. Shoveling is good exercise but I am still so over it (see number 2).

5. Hubster's got his "game on" and took 3rd place in a poker tourney.

6. I honed my card shuffling skills (I love poker but the buy-in was $25 bucks so just one of us played).

7. Lake Winnebago is breathtakingly beautiful when it is frozen over...particularly when seen from 200 feet off the deck (due to a sight seeing flight compliments of hubster's and my dear pilot friend).

8. Nothing beats warm home-made apple cranberry pie.

Shopping IS a Science

I came across a very interesting book today...

As much as I love clothes, make-up, shoes, housewares, books, and DVDs...I do, at times, feel ashamed for being so "consumerized" and definitely have felt the pull of guilt of spending money on "WANTS" instead of "NEEDS". Especially now. I just read today that up to 1/3 of Americans are in immediate danger of loosing their job...GULP.

Do I really NEED another sweater? Do I really NEED fantastic smelling vegan lotion?

This book breaks down why we spend and how we spend. Leaving no stone unturned, the book explains even the craziest of shopping habits (including the psychology behind them). I love the title of the third section of this book:

Men are from Sears Hardware, Women are from Bloomingdale's

So, my shopping habits can now be deciphered but I am still trying to figure out how it is possible to have a closet full of clothes but still have nothing to wear...

Tranquility

The color blue is often associated with tranquility and calmness. These rooms look so peaceful...a perfect place to escape on a Monday!

Up, Up, and Away

As the weekend approaches...I start feeling like a colorful floating balloon...2 days of freedom from the 9-5 grind. Days that start with "S" are my favorite!

Have a fab weekend!

Fridays Now Equal...

Just announced by the company I work for today...starting this Friday, every Friday is a Jeans Day.

Sweet!

Somehow wearing jeans makes a work day infinitely more palatable.

What Coorporate America Has Forced Us To Embraced...

Some mornings I feel like this is my motto...not by choice but by the realities of being a working gal in Corporate America.

This is one of those mornings. Bring on the caffeine.

Chic Idea - Non-Model Models

I love the concept in the new Liz Claiborne ad campaign thought up by none other than fashion powerhouse Isaac Mizrahi.

Not only does the new ad campaign feature women with ages spanning across five decades -- it is time people realize that beauty is not defined by age -- but only one of the women in the ad is a professional model.

Real women and real beauty is a winning combination. Bravo.

What I Am Loving Now

The fly-away cardigan, the epitome of blissfully fabulous easy carefree style.

This particular one from Express is PERFECT.

Why?

1. Meets my criteria of warmth and comfort

2. It is work appropriate

3. It is brilliantly bright cobalt blue (hubster's favorite color)

4. It is on sale for $19.50

5. Express has a "save an additional 20%" when you use coupon code 6386 through February 19

6. The total price after discount and shipping and handling was $24.92

Somethings Are Just WRONG

Bringing a whole new dimension to baby daddy.

It is just not right.

Weekend Musings

1. Hubster’s makes the best scrambled eggs and sausage breakfast EVER.

2. I thoroughly enjoyed a impromptu deep discussion with friends regarding the complex inner workings of relationships. If I could “do it all over again” I would seriously consider becoming a Psychiatrist. Human emotions, behaviors, and interaction simply fasinate me.

3. He’s Just Not That Into You was a great Valentines day movie. I so know people like almost every single one of those characters. On a side note: I would love to have Jennifer Aniston’s wardrobe.

4. The Crock Pot came through for me again and yielded a delicious meal: Garlic Chicken.

5. American Pie is a hilarious movie even if you are watching it for the 7th time.

6. Shopping at Costco can save you serious amounts of money as long as you don’t mind stocking “army-sized” portions. Plus the pizza in their food court is just plain yummy and at only $2 for a mother-load-slice it makes for an extremely budget friendly lunch.

7. Indoor soccer games are a blast!!!! I went to my first Wave game on Sunday and will definitely be back for more!

8. Eating almost a whole bag of Conversations Hearts will leave you feeling a little sickly.

What A Treasure

...to be featured in a Treasury!

Katie from KtMotif convo'd me to let me know that my White Lightning danglers are featured in her recently snagged treasury: Posh Meaning....Elegant and Fashion.

Happy Monday!

Happy Weekend...

Love, Love, Love by Chistina Velina Ion

Sometimes Things in Life are FREE, Literally!

In times of a tough economy, a girl has to get thrifty.

Guess what I got yesterday…for FREE.

That’s right FREE.

How, you might ask?

Three words for you my friend, Walgreen EasySaver Catalog.

For those who are not familiar with the EasySaver Catalog, it is a monthly catalog exclusive to Walgreens full of coupons and rebates. The best thing? Every month Walgreens offers a handful of items that are FREE after rebate. Most months there are some very nice items like makeup, shampoo, and vitamins. Plus, the rebate is super easy to redeem…basically you just have to create an EasySaver account and upload your receipt reference number online. Bada boom, bada bing…a few weeks later you get your rebate in the mail.

Check out February’s Easy Saver Catalog by clicking HERE. You will be glad you did.

Four Christmases

Hubsters and I saw Four Christmases last night at the Boo-jay Theatre (Budget Theater).

Loved it. Absolutely loved it.

Reese and Vince were hilarious.

The content was so relatable. Reese and Vince play a very well-matched, happy, adjusted couple who are just enjoying the relationship they are in. A big tribute to their happiness is the reality that they avoid their families and the drama associated with them. So, every Christmas, they plan a trip -- Fiji, Hawaii, the Bahamas – which forces them to "miss" all the family holiday gatherings. Well, one Christmas their flight gets cancelled so they end up visiting their families...all four of them. Drama ensues.

A couple of my favorite quotes:

"Mistletoe"

"You can't have families without lies"

The movie got hubsters and I thinking: planning a vacation right over the Holiday season, especially some place tropical is a fantastic, very appealing idea and could very well become a tradition.

Oh, Is That What Those Lines Are For

Every morning I park my car in the company's parking garage...typically without issue.

I will admit in the parking garage the spots are a little more narrow than your typically parking lot space. I am sure this allows the parking garage to maximize the number of spaces available therefore maximize their revenue. Still, while the spots are narrow, there is plenty of space to "fit". I see it happen all the time.

I make it happen all the time.

Apparently, the responsibility of lining up one's car BETWEEN the lines is too much responsibility for some people. I saw two cars parked like, well, crap this morning. This is is so annoying to me. Can't people put a little effort into life anymore?

I Think I'll Pass

Hubsters ran to the grocery store for us the other night to get a couple of things, including a bag of pork rinds as an "impulse buy". Generously, he offered me some.



Blech...fried pork skins?!?!?! I will definitely pass.



Blech (definition) - to find something wholly offensive as to want to throw up to purge the sensation from the mind and/or body; often used as a response by someone when offered a pork rind...hmmmmmm, interesting

When Hubster's Away...

1. Set up my checking account in a software program.

2. Painted my nails "Steady Ready" (a mauvish pink) last night and got to thinking...who comes up with nail polish color names? A side note: Sally Hansen's NO CHIP 10-day Nail Color RULES!

3. Surfed Etsy.

4. Fell in LOVE with The Patricia Top by Ureshii. The swoop of the neck, the slight romantic poof of the sleeves, the soft dove grey color...swoon!!!!

5. Watched the "extras" on Sex in the City The Movie. I am so ready for the next one!

6. Read Breaking Dawn. Count me as the 6,566,998 female who is head over heals with Edward. OMG...drool, drool.

Beware of the Doghouse

With Valentine's Day looming it is officially, "Doghouse Prevention Week".

This interactive website allows you to put someone "in the dog house" (virtually speaking of course), browse who is in the dog house, or watch a video of what it's like in the doghouse.

The video is hilarious.

Go. Watch it now and have a smile or an all out roar!

While you are there…check out some men that have been sent to the doghouse. Like Max who is now in the doghouse because he gave his girl a toothbrush or Jimmy who was admitted for being a lazy bum.

A nice break from the Monday blues…

The Game of Life

Hubsters found a life expectancy calculator online and promptly called me at work to let me know the news:

Hubsters (in a sarcastic, teasing tone): "I found a life expectancy calculator online, I just wanted to let you know what you signed up for...I am estimated to live to 90. Guess your stuck with me for a while, huh?"

Of course I had him send me the link so I could try it out for myself. The results are in:

See you in the year 2077 at my 97th birthday party. It will be one heck of a party!

You can check out the link yourself HERE.

Who Would Have Thought?

I came across an article today titled "28 Uses for Everyday Items".

Some of the alternate uses for Post-It Notes turned out to be solid take-aways (or entertaining at the very least):

Clean a keyboard by running the sticky side between the keys to collect crumbs and bits of lint. Sounds like a fun sort of "dirt" treasure hunt.

Navigate the roads. Write directions on a note and stick it to the center of your steering wheel for quick reference. Ummm, Does this sound questionably safe to anyone else? I think I will stick with my GPS.

Play tic-tac-toe. Use a sheet for each X and O. Peel them up and play again until they lose their stickiness. Or you lose interest..whichever comes first.

Dumb and Dumber

The hubsters and I watched this classic again last night. I had forgotten how funny this movie is.

Full of hilarious, dumb witted dialogue sure to split one's sides. One of my favorites:

Harry: I can't believe we drove around all day, and there's not a single job in this town. There is nothing, nada, zip!

Lloyd: Yeah! Unless you wanna work forty hours a week.

Harry and Lloyd form the perfect dysfunctional friendship and their fashion sense just adds fuel to the "comedy fire":



Who could forget the orange and powder blue tuxedos? I can't even tell you how many times I heard a request for these tuxedos while working in the tuxedo industry for 5 years of my career.

Hope you have a fabulous, laughter-filled weekend!

Battle of the Wits...and Dumb-Wits

Last night we played a game called Wits and Wagers with some friends. The concept of the game is quite simple. A player reads a question with a numerical answer – a percentage, year, number. All players record their guess on miniature dry erase cards. The cards are then laid out lowest to highest on the board and each player bets on the “right” answer, or the closest with out going over (kind of like the Price is Right). It was a blast and extremely interesting.

Did you know...

1. Maine is known as the “Pine Tree State” – 90% of Maine’s land is covered in forest. Not surprisingly, at one time 95% of all wooden toothpicks are manufactured in Maine.

2. Only 7 countries have won the FIFA Soccer World Cup Championship since it began in 1930: Brazil, Italy, Germany, Uruguay, Argentine, France, and England.

3. Walmart’s record single day sales tops off at $1.52 billion (cha-ching!).

4. In 1800, only 16 states were established: the thirteen original colonies plus Tennessee, Kentucky and Vermont.

…because I sure didn’t!

How Convenient

Every Tuesday, pending a half-way decent looking movie choice, hubsters and I enjoy a movie date night at the Budget Theatre (pronounced by us as “Boo-Jay” to “class it up” a bit) where we can enjoy the big screen for a mere $3.50 (that’s for both of us). The movies that are shown are a couple of months behind the “real, $9.00 a person” theatres but it’s still a great time!

Last night was movie date night and we were planning on seeing Four Christmases with none other than Vince Vaughn (one of my “married woman” crushes). **Sigh** Hubsters was well aware that there would be some inappropriate thoughts involving Vince running through my head at the theatre yet he was still game (I wonder if that decision had anything to do with the fact the Reese Witherspoon plays the female lead?...huh).

The movie was scheduled for 7:40 p.m. (hubsters had checked the times himself on Monday). So, imagine my surprise when we logged in at 7:00 p.m. last night just to double check the start time…Four Christmases showing at 6:40 the schedule read. How convenient.

“But, er, ah, but it was scheduled for 7:40 as of yesterday”, hubsters stammered.

I can’t believe he tried to get between me and my Vince.

Oh well, there is always next Tuesday.

No More Sick Days...

Did you know that Vitamin D3 is one of the most nutritional tools we have at our disposal for improving our health?

Well I didn't either until hubsters and I met a doctor last week over dinner (a friend of a friend).

Some how we got on the subject of vitamins and Sarah (the doctor) was sharing with the group some fascinating information on vitamin D3.

Adequate levels of D3 are linked to improving your immune system, reducing your risks of neurological disorders (like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's), and many forms of cancers including prostate and breast. And, Sarah said, the list of health benefits linked directly to D3 just keeps growing and growing with every new D3 medical study she reads.

D3 is produced naturally when our bodies are exposed to sunlight. However, the amount of sunlight exposure needed by our bodies to naturally produce optimal levels of vitamin D3 has been estimated at 25 minutes of full body exposure (obviously not a real option in Wisconsin due to weather and indecent exposure laws). So, instead, hubsters and I have added the vitamin to our "dailies".

Here's to a long and happy life!

Burn Baby Burn

The hubsters and I splurged a little this weekend at Boston Store on some Yankee Candles to make our home smell pretty. Seriously, does any other candle smell as fantastic?!?!?!

Having troubles deciding on the perfect living room scent, we compromised by breaking up the seasons.

For our living room during the Fall & Winter, Home Sweet Home. A devine blend of cinnamon and baking spices. I just LOVE this scent. If warmth, love, and family had a smell this would be it:

For our living room during the Spring and Summer, MacIntosh. This candle smells just like the Mac apple tastes: crisp, clean, sweet and tart. LOVE eating MacIntoshes, LOVE the scent of this candle:

For our bathroom year round we instantly fell in love with Coconut Bay. The smell of this candle takes me on a tropical vacation at the fraction of the price. However, I did remind the Hubsters that this candle does not replace actual said tropical vacation: