Tell Me Man- What Do YOU Put On Your Mantel?

Hey there, hi there, ho there!
How are you this fine morning my friend?
Whoa, whoa, whoa......WAY too cheery for a Monday morning.
Dude, what up?
Better?
A couple of things:

I made a list last week.
And I failed.
Check it out here.

Secondly, if you are thinking of attending Blogher 13 this year, I have coupon codes on the right side bar of the blog that will save you 20%!!
I really think you need to go.
Because I will be there.
And there may or may not be fake mustaches, rum and Real Housewives involved.
Oh and if you use the codes below, make sure to tell them you were referred by A Grace Full Life.
Go here to register today!

Thirdly (is that even a word??), I wrote a sponsored post over at my alter ego blog, A Grace Full Life Reviews here.
It is all about Invisalign!
If you have any questions about clear braces for you or a teen you know, head on over and check it out.
By the way, just found out that my 13 year old needs to see an orthodontist last Monday.
It was nice knowing you, gotta get two part time jobs and wont be able to blog.
Kidding!
I hope.


I have a confession to make.
I haven't done a crafty or décor-y thing in my house in.....well, I don't even remember. 
This makes me a little sad for many reasons:

1- I used to be so creative. Always making cute little things for the home, for the kids birthdays yadda yadda and I am slowly noticing that I am losing my funk. My mojo. My "thing".

2- This is why I started this blog to begin with. To share my creativity for little things for the home, for kids birthday parties yadda yadda. I feel like I am letting all of you down.

3- I like making lists and there is usually always a #3. So I added this one for effect. OK. I haven't lost all of my creativity.

Truth be told, I love to write about my life, my peeps, and tell little comical stories.
So that is what you have been experiencing more of as of late on the blog.
I hope you are OK with that because that is what I feel like I do best.
But I still love me a macramé project here and there.
No.
I don't do macramé.
Again, added it in for effect.
See?
Still have it.


So I have this mantel.
On top of my fireplace?
You might have one too.
It is boss.
Seriously.

My brother.
MADE this.
And now you can see that I am not the talented one in the family when it comes to décor.
I don't even know how to operate a drill.
Or a power screwdriver.

He made this for us as a wedding present and I am eternally grateful for this mantel.
Because before he made this?
There was nothing.
Not even a ledge.
Just stone.
Stuck to a wall.
And if he hadn't made it?
I would have gone to Target or more realistically, Goodwill and bought some of those ledge things and nailed it up there.
And it would have sagged and fell off and left holes in the wall.
Then I would have painted and spackled over it to make the holes go bye bye.
And then I would have tried to fashion something else.
Then it would have gotten really ugly.
And I would have started drinking Mad Dog.
Or Wild Turkey.
During the day while watching Judge Judy.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.

So he really saved my existence by making and installing this mantel for us.
And a trip to rehab.

When I first got the mantel in 2006, I was all, " I am gonna do this mantel up right".
And decorated it for each and every holiday, government observance and birthday.
It was the piece de resistance of the family room.
I loved it and it loved me back.
Then sometime in 2011, I stopped.
Oh sure I would decorate it for Halloween and Christmas but the rest of the year it looked the same.
Candles, maybe a metal star or two, and a PRAY sign.
FOR TWO SOLID YEARS.

OK, I know some of you are all, "So? I am lucky if I dust my mantel."
And that's all good.
But my mantel is special.
Made especially for our little family.
It needs love and care.
And more than just a candle.
That isn't even real.
And that we never, ever light up.

It was me hosting a Tastefully Simple party in my home that motivated me to change things up a bit.
I do this.
Are you like this?
I need to have company come to my home in order for me to move the furniture around or dust under the couch.
Or the mantel.
I hadn't dusted my mantel in three months.
Because that would require me to move the PRAY sign.
By the way, I just vacuumed under my couch for the first time in a year.
Do people really do that?
I am a self proclaimed neat freak and even I don't do it.

Here is my newest mantel creation:

I know what the "old timers" are thinkin'.
This looks exactly like it did in 2010.
Do I still have readers from 2010?
My mom.
Rebecca.
Kristy.
My cousin Linda.
That might be it.
If I am forgetting someone, please let me know and I will publicly rectify that.
Rectify.
What an ugly word.
Anyhoo, yes, it looks very similar to that.
I am calling it a "retro" look.
Circa 2010.

Everything on this mantel I owned.
Nothing bought to create this.
Well, nothing bought in three years or so.

The key sign I made in 2011.
OK so the mantel is circa 2011.
Sorry.
This is why I will never be on the Huffington Post.
Its called research and editing.
Two things of which I know nothing about.

Whoa whoa whoa wait a second.....
Here is what my mantel looked like in 2011.




The lemons were a nice touch.
If it were a kitchen mantel.
And stars.
I have a thing for stars, apparently.
You can read my blog post that went along with the picture here.
I was a lot less chatty back then and more "get to the details".
And picture quality apparently wasn't on my radar yet.

The book page wreath was something my mama made for me.
I love that so much.
The rattan spheres (not gon' say balls.....d'oh!) I got at a little store in Geneva, Illinois back in 1998!
I have a memory for useless info like a steel trap.
Now just ask me where my social security card is.

The metal stars I got at Goodwill years ago and they have been spray painted at least 10 times.
And no, I am not exaggerating.
I believe they may even be a different color by the publishing of this post.
The geraniums are fake and are from a craft/decor store in Peoria, Illinois.
You are either a fake flower lover or hater.
There is not really any gray area.
Although, I am not a fan of using fake flowers in gardens or flower beds or flower boxes.
You know.
OUTSIDE of the house.
Where real flowers grow.
That would be my mother in law.
Oh yes.

So my mantel is happy.
Very happy.
And I am happy.
And I truly think there will be less dust on my mantel.
Because my mantel is happy.
But I won't know anyway because it won't be getting dusted until August.

Yeah.....About That "List"........

Hello friends and family!
How are you?
How was your Mothers day?
Mine?
Started out well and went downhill fast.
I am not going into detail but lets just say that all those sweet family photos and comments about how great your man is and how he spoiled you on social media were lost on me.
Long story.
Will save it for a blog post I am sure. 
You can read about my take on motherhood here.



Back in October, I made a list.
Because we know how much I love lists.
About 25 things I wanted to do before my 25th reunion?
Remember that list??
Yeah.
Ummm.
Well, it isn't going as swimmingly as I had hoped.

First off, I would like to establish that no one in my graduating class seems to know of any 25 year reunion going on.
None.
Not one soul has any clue if it is even happening.
This is what stymies me.
They had a five year reunion.
Yes.
Five years.
NOTHING HAPPENS IN FIVE YEARS!!!
Some people aren't even through college in five years!
Balding hasn't even happened!
Beer guts aren't yet appearing!
Who wants to see your classmates after five years?
I sure didn't.
But 25 years?
Hell yes.
Bring on the receding hair lines, stretch marks and camaraderie about peeing when you laugh.
I want it all.
So I hope something is in the works soon.
Because it is really putting a damper on my list.

So in honor of my 25th reunion possibly not happening, here is my somewhat failed list.

1- Go whitewater rafting. What was I thinking??? First off, my parents had told us about this great place near them in Tennessee where the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 held their rafting events. Who even knew rafting was in the Olympics?? So I was stoked! When we were there visiting over Christmas, the hubs and I went on a little adventure looking for this whitewater rafting site. Only to get lost in what became a scene out of Deliverance and we skedaddled outta there. So something tells me that if I can get lost, with the help of GPS and maps, I have no business going rafting to begin with.
List- 1, Kari- 0

2- take an airplane ride all by myself. This you need to know about me. The hubs and I have an agreement: we will not go alone together anywhere on a plane until the girls are older. Think in their twenties older. It may seem odd to you but I just don't want them to be orphans because we needed an adult "getaway". Morbid- totally. Realistic- possibly. I am going on a plane with my oldest this June and this is way out of my comfort zone. Am I going on a plane totally alone? Whoa whoa whoa.....don't get cray cray. But I am going on a plane with only half of my little family, so this is a huge thing for me.
Kari- 1, List-1

3- run a 5k- check! Did this in September and am running jogging crawling another the end of May.
Kari- 2, List-1

4- eat sushi. Yeah, the more I thought of this one the more I realized I don't like sushi. And eating sushi has no business being on a bucket list if you never care if you ever eat it. So nope. Not happenin'. Although, at the writing of this update, bestie Rebecca is still trying to get me to a sushi place. If you see someone hanging onto the door frame at a sushi restaurant near you, yeah. HI!
 Kari- 2 List- 2


5- Follow through, in everything I do- OK, I am proud of myself. I used to be a habitual canceller. Not to be mean or spiteful but I would make plans and over schedule myself constantly so much that I was also cancelling regularly. Now I make sure that I don't over book myself, follow through with friends and if someone asks to get together, I do. I am proud of myself for this change and have found that I have more plans with friends than I ever did because of this.
Kari- 3 List- 2

6- drink a tequila shot. I am still planning on doing this. Plus I have a blogging convention in July and am rooming with four of my blog besties. I can guarantee this will be happening then.
Kari- 4 List- 2

7- get a spa facial. The hubs bought me a gift cert to a spa for Valentines day this year and I coulda got a facial but I opted for a massage. Why? Because I didn't know when the next time I would get to go to a spa would be and I love me a massage so I took the safe route and now I feel guilty that I didn't go outside my box and try the facial. I am hoping to go on Groupon and find a spa nearby to try out a facial for under 30 bucks. So I am still holding out but for now, this was a loss.
Kari- 4 List- 3

8- bikini wax. I must have been high when I wrote that list. This isn't happening. Nair it is. Next.
Kari- 4 List- 4

9- become a more patient parent. This has been happening as I write this. I don't know what it is but as of the past several months I just don't have to be in such a hurry anymore. I don't know if it is because I am seeing how fast the kids are growing up or if the Xanax has kicked in....kidding! I do know that I don't need to be in such a rush everywhere I go and I am starting to see things from the girls perspective more. Now talk to me when it is that week of the month but for the most part, I schooled this item.
Kari- 5 List- 4

10- save at least a grand in a savings account no one knows about. Nope. Life has gotten in the way and life has been a b@#$ to our family this spring. So not happening. At. All.
Kari- 5 List- 5

11- relive my love of snow skiing with my oldest. What do they say about best laid plans? Well, we did have a Saturday set aside to ski together then an ice storm hit and skiing on ice is a huge no no ESPECIALLY when you are a beginner. Then winter soccer started with middle of the day games. Then we had no snow, or too cold, or too much snow, or illness.....it never materialized. And I am sad because I really wanted her to experience this but I am gonna do it with her next winter. I started skiing when I was in 8th grade so I definitely want her to experience it for herself too.
Kari- 5 List- 6

12- go on a mom and me overnight trip with my tween. We are doing this! In June, we are going to Disney together with my mama and dad so this will be checked off. This is also the trip I was referring to on # 2 about the plane ride. So two items checked off with one trip since she and I will be flying together alone.
Kari- 6 List- 6

13-pay off a 1/4 of my debt. Refer to #10.
Kari- 6 List-7

14- lose that extra 10 pounds. Umm, this winter was a hard one because I think I gained 10 pounds but I wouldn't know because I stopped weighing myself on a scale one dreary Saturday in March. Because it ruined my entire day and made me cry.......on the way to Smashburger and ruined my whole burger experience. Since April 1, I have been back to watching what I eat and running again so we will see. My pants fit so I am happy.
Kari- 7 List- 7

15-Write something meaningful on the Facebook walls of my 120 friends. Umm well see now I have 180 friends because I gained a lot of friends this winter mostly from blogging. I went to a blogging overnight in Chicago in December and met a TON of amazing new friends. Then I went to a blogging lunch in January and met a few more besties. And they have friends, and they have friends and so on and so on.....anyway, I have been trying to write meaningful birthday wishes on my friends walls and I have been more aware of what I put out there on FB as well. No negative stuff....unless it is celeb bashing which is totally acceptable....and trying to lift friends and family up. Also, if you write a status update and no one "likes" it? I will. Because there is nothing worse than putting your hand up for the proverbial high five and everyone leaves ya hanging. I wont let it happen if you are my friend. Chest thump!
Kari- 8 List- 7

16- try and meet a new friend in every arena of my life and don't give up after the first try. I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote this because I have enough amazing friends in my life. Maybe I wasn't in a happy place in October? The friends I have now are enough and they fulfill me completely. If I meet a new friend, I happily welcome them into my world but I am not busting my rear to find them. So I consider this a check for me since I feel like I am in a good place.
Kari- 9 List- 7

17- learn to sew. Thanks to bestie Rebecca, I did do this! She taught me how to sew this fall when I was making Ella's Halloween costume. I even have pictures to prove it:

I so look like I know what I am doing.

I so don't know what I am doing.

Thank you Rebecca.

Loves you friend. :)

 

Kari- 10 List- 7

 

18- eat a Chicago style hot dog. This is the thing......I have had PLENTY of opportunities to eat a Chicago dog but every time I end up getting a Polish (Polish sausage), or a cheeseburger or a Beef (Italian Beef). Here is why- I don't like poppy seeds. Which is what the bun is basically made of if you have ever seen a Chicago dog. In fact, you can't order any kind of dog without the poppy seed bun in these parts. They look at you like you like this if you ask for "a bun without poppy seeds":



source

So I am sticking to my hot dog made on the grill.
Without poppy seeds.
Kari- 10 List- 8 


19- volunteer in a soup kitchen or a food bank. Was supposed to do this in the fall with a friend but it fell through. I am going to burn in Hell. I will. The path to Hell is paved with what?? Yes. So I need to be on the lookout for this. The church we attend now doesn't work with a food bank but we are changing churches this summer so hopefully this will be something I can work with soon. I know what you are thinking. Kari? Goes to church?? Yes. It amazes me too at times.
Kari- 10 List- 9

20- redo our master bath under 150 dolla. YES! YESSSSS!!! We did do this one! Phew....I was starting to be all Down With Kari until this one came along. Here is the before and after:

 

Before

After

 

Kari- 11 List- 9

21- go on an overnight getaway with the hubs. I must have been on cold meds when I wrote this list. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? This is a huge challenge when you don't have family close by and we just don't have those resources. We get away as a couple and for our anniversary this year we are getting away for ......wait for it....an entire afternoon!! I know, right?!!? Sorry. Sarcasm. A girl can hope but this isn't happenin' any time soon.
Kari- 11 List- 10

22- Read the Bible. Cover to cover. Going. To. Hell. I haven't even lifted the Bible since I wrote this post. If you are a devout Christian, I can hear you shutting your laptop. I am sorry. I had the best intentions......yes, I know. I hear the flames flappin' at my feet. But I can barely get through an issue of People or Us without being interrupted or falling asleep. Ask my bestie Jen, it took me a month to read Andy Cohen's book.
I know....burning....
Kari- eternal damnation    List- first in line at the pearly gates

23-Run three times a week. Rain, snow, cold or shine. I think I actually stopped running the day after I wrote this post. And didn't start up until the end of March. I am running three times a week now but didn't do it all winter. I did workout with Jillian Michael's all winter. That counts. RIGHT??
Kari- 11 List-12 

24- Watch less TV. WAS I UNDER THE INFLUENCE WHEN I WROTE THIS????? Going into winter, THIS is what I decide needs to be on my bucket list?? Really????? I probably watch the same amount of TV I did when I wrote this. Which isn't a huge amount, I only watch TV in the evening so prolly an hour and a half a night. Is that bad?
Kari- 11 List- 13


25- learn how to grill. (hanging my head in shame) I think we all know how this ends.
Kari- 11 List -14

OK.
So I only accomplished 11 things on my list.
That's like, what?
Half my list!
Right?
And there won't even be a reunion anyway.
So really, I am winning.
Yes.
I am.

What to Expect When You Become a Mommy

When I was pregnant, I read a lot of material.
Books, magazines, pamphlets about what I should expect for the next nine months.
I shopped in the maternity section, I stocked up on folic acid, I bought sensible shoes.
But no one can really ever prepare you for being a mom.

So in honor of Mothers Day this Sunday, here are my observations of pregnancy and motherhood that I would put into a book.
That will be in the back of the bookstore.
On the 80% off bin.

- Don't watch A Baby Story when you are pregnant.

- Don't talk "shop" with your Labor and Delivery nurses. Using words like "station" or "bloody show" will just make them not really like you. And realize you watched way too much of the above.

- When at a play date, don't start out any sentence with, "I make my own......".

- If you had the easiest and fastest delivery in the record of deliveries, that should remain a secret. Only shared by those who were in that room on that day.

- You will be wearing your maternity clothes for longer AFTER you give birth.

- "You are blessed" is much different than "You are lucky". Especially when referring to colic.

- Put a dry erase marker in your shower. Trust me.

- Pay extra for DVR.

- No one is going know if your child was breast or bottle fed when they are in college.

- Don't be in such a rush for your child to start talking.

- Or walking.

- Sometimes its OK for your four year old to safely cut her entire coloring book into little pieces so you can get a 30 minute phone conversation with your mom.

- The shower will become your happy place.

- Buy stock in the following companies: baby wipes, Resolve, string cheese and Vaseline.

- Ice cream for dinner will make you mom of the year.

- Magic Eraser was God's gift to moms and will also give you an another additional 30 minutes on the phone with your mom.

- Instead of saving for college, start a DisneyWorld savings account. Before you even find out you are pregnant.

- Those ballet classes and soccer programs are more for your sanity than for their "enrichment".

- Brownies and Us Weekly will become the equivalent of dinner and a movie.

- Play dates are proof that Satan wants us to be unhappy.

- Yelling their full name does work.

- Mothers Day is the one day of the year that they will ALL want to be with you. And you will want to be anywhere but with THEM.

Happy Mothers Day to all of you and to my mom, I love you so much.
Thank you for keeping me alive.
And letting me color on the walls.
And teaching me how to be a Mom.
Miss you.

Listen To Your Heart and Blog Like a Maniac

Do you want to know a little more about how crazy weird I am?
Check out my latest post in which I tell you how I can smell cat from a mile away.

So here I am posting.
Twice.
In one week.
Don't be afraid, a robot didn't take over my blog!
Its me silly!
I just had such a busy Sunday that I really wanted to share it with you!
And yet, I still chose the cat smell post before this one.
This is certainly why I am not Sarah from Thrifty Décor Chick.


I got to experience something pretty great this past Sunday with my bestie and fellow blogger Jen.
Have you ever heard of Listen to Your Mother?
Its a show where real mom's, not actors, but moms just like you and I stand up on a stage and bare their souls.
About being mommies.
Or being a product of mommies.
Or knowing mommies really well.

 

First of all, I want to tell you that I am friends with some of the cast members this year.

So I had an "in"...wink wink.

I also am friends with the two co-producers as well.

Well, I consider them friends, I don't know how they feel about me.

I haven't paid them off.

Yet.

 

 

My friends Marianne, Melisa, Shannon and Tracey were amazing.

AMAZING.

I laughed, I teared up....I didn't cry.

I was warned that I might but I didn't.

Some of the stories were funny, some were heart wrenching and some were just plain awesome.

 

This is the gist, each year and in each city there is a different cast.

Once you have been cast, you will never get a chance again.

                                           Kind of a once in a lifetime gig, if you will.

As to keep it fresh, new, exciting and different.

So if you go to Chicago in 2013 and then to Indiana the same year, it will be two different casts.

AND if you go in 2014, it will be an entirely different cast as well.

 Kind of like SNL or Menudo.

                                                    Except without the ten year contracts.

Or the green room backstage.

Oh and they don't get paid.

OK so nothing like SNL or Menudo.

                                                                                  Bad comparison.

 

If you live near a city where this show is playing, I beg of you GO SEE THIS!

And bring your mom.

                                                                   And your bestie.

And some tissue.

And mints.

Especially if you had mac and cheese with onion right before coming to the show.

 

Can I tell you something random?

Do you know what made me get major mist in my eyes the most?

Looking around the theater at the dads, grammas, moms, aunts, sisters, daughters, sons and friends who were there to see their loved ones bear their soul on that stage.

That made me cry a little sitting there in that amazing theater.

And made me want to totally do this next year.

If I get up the nerve to audition.

 

 

 

My ensemble.

Polka dots, red, neon yellow and leopard print.

I didn't want to stand out.

 

 

The Athenaeum Theater.

So after the show, Jen and I had to scoot across Chicago to the loop where we were attending a Mini Bloggy Boot Camp at the Hotel Allegro sponsored by Invisalign.
First let me say that Jen did all the driving and played my "husband" all day.
Long story but lets just say if I needed a mint, she got it for me.
Anytime I needed to do something, she took my purse.
She graciously let me have the bigger bathroom stall.
Side note: holy hell the bathroom in the Hotel had stalls as big as an actual room. I even made jokes about echo's, room service and being lost in my stall....all while in my stall....to which Jen laughed. See? Only a hubs would get my humor.
Basically the Al Bundy to my Peg Bundy.
On the way to the hotel, we shoved McDonald's food in our mouths while driving from the theater to the hotel.
And then the day started to kick in.
I got a little slap happy.
While riding in mid afternoon Chicago weekend traffic.

Kari- OOOH do you see what they are doing to the Chicago river down there???
Jen- Um no Kari. I am driving.
Kari- Its so pretty, isn't it pretty??
Jen- I don't know Kari, again, driving.
Jen- Oooh that building over there is where I used to work!!
Kari- Which building?
Jen- That one right there.
Kari- The huge one with all the flags??
Jen- No the other one.
Kari- Ohhhh. That isn't very impressive.

Really. It was funnier in person. I guess you had to be there.
Then we pulled up to the hotel and proceeded to try to do valet parking as it was free for us because of the whole boot camp thing.
Studly city driver that she was, Jen just pulled up, double parked and got out to talk to the valet.....
when she got yelled at by a senior citizen while trying to pull out of their parking space at the hotel.
As I said on Instagram (where I shared the picture shortly after the "incident".... see, still slap happy), ah city life!!

 

 

I was invited to the Mini Bloggy Boot Camp by my bestie Jen.

I am gonna tell you this now fellow bloggers who are just getting started:

It will serve you well to have a friend who is well connected and will stick their ever lovin' neck out for you.

This person for me is Jen.

I just met her in January and she has been in my corner and vice versa ever since that cold day four months ago.

Every blogger needs to have someone like this in their life especially if you are looking to make blogging your career or your "thing".

I also have a circle of blog friends that I feel like have my back and I have theirs as well.

It is so important to lift each other up instead of putting down so if you have a blogging posse it makes it that much easier to ignore the bad things and focus on the good.

 

So in a nutshell here is what I learned at this mini Bloggy Boot Camp:

 

- that I am in over my head. And I mean this in the nicest possible way. I feel this way whenever I attend blogging events.....like, what the hell am I doing here anyway?? Majority of the bloggers at the event were typing on their laptops, ipads and phones. I could barely keep up with the notes I was writing on the notepad they provided with the pen they provided.

At one point I felt like I was in 11th grade math class looking around to see what everyone was doing.

Am I supposed to be tweeting?

Taking pictures?

WRITING SOMETHING DOWN???

I am getting the hang of these kinds of events but at times I still feel like the kid in the back of the class waiting for the lunch bell to ring.

 

- that I shouldn't feel guilty investing in myself. I love my blog so much, it has become a huge part of me. I actually get sad if I think about never blogging again. And I have worked tirelessly to create this blog, maintain, feed and nurture it but I haven't really spent a lot of money to build it up.

I want to do a blog overhaul sometime this year and take some steps to make it as nice as I envision it.

Do I love my personalized header?

                                                                                Yes.

Would I like a more streamlined look without losing the personalization?

Yes.

But to do that you have to spend a little money.

So I need to invest in myself, as they suggested and not feel guilty about it.

I have been doing this for almost three years so I think this is more than a hobby and I want to take it to the next level as far as blog design goes.

 

-Knowing my worth as a blogger. For a long, long time I would take any offer that came my way to promote a business and most of those offers involved no compensation.

And I would do it because in the beginning, I really wanted to grow the blog and honestly didn't have confidence in myself or my blog.

But now I realize that any time I take away from my family is time that I should be compensated for.

I work hard for this blog.

Yes, work.

It wasn't until the past six months that when I refer to the blog with my family I say "work" instead of "blogging".

Because as much fun as it is to blog it is also what I want to do when I grow up.

So starting today, I know what my worth is as a blogger and am for the first time not ashamed to admit that.

 

There was so much discussed and wont go into every detail but let me tell you the big news.....

I won something!

 

Squeeeee!!

First though, I need to backtrack.

After the Listen To Your Mother show, I met one of the cast members (who I have "known" via my other Chicago blog friends but never "met" in person....lemme just say I love her already) Samantha who was also amazing in this show.

So I was talking with her and Jen when Samantha mentioned something about a giveaway she heard about at this upcoming boot camp and that it was an iPad mini.

And I was all, "well, that's all fine but I just want to win the 50 dollar Sephora gift card".

To which she just laughed at me and I think probably thought I was a little nuts.

But it was a self preservation tactic.

Because I never win.

                                                                     ANYTHING.

EVER.

Scratch off lottery tickets?

Never more than a buck.

Raffles?

Nada.

Stuffed animals at the fair?

Nope.

                Therefore, I was pretty positive that this iPad was not in the cards for me.

 

So at the end of the conference we were told to hop on our phones and go to this survey.

After taking the survey, we would submit it and then when all the surveys were in, they would do the random generator (all on the projector in front of us to be fair) to decide who the winner was.

 

I took the survey and hit submit.

Then went to Facebook to comment on my status update that I had written earlier to my aforementioned LTYM friends.

Shannon actually was the one I was responding to when they yell out, "number 21!".

So they counted down the list to figure out who " number 21" was while I was oblivious because I was busy thinking of something witty to say to Shannon on Facebook.

                                Because it takes serious concentration on my part to be witty.

 

When all of a sudden they say my name.

 

What the what?????

HOLY CRAPBALLS did I just win an iPad??????

Its all sketchy after that.

But this I do remember, my friend Jen high fived me and I said at least 10 times, " I am gonna cry".

I didn't.

I can't cry under pressure.

I would never make a good actress.

But inside I soooo wanted to.

 

 

Here I am outside the hotel holding my newly won iPad!
I was doing a little dance but had to cut my legs out because my belly was showing through my tank top.
See this is the honesty you won't get elsewhere.
Oh and while she was taking this picture, there were two small white dogs with leashes running away from their owners in the parking lot next to that Honda.
So I was excited and yet also apprehensive in this picture.
And tired.
And hungry.

Isn't she pretty?
She is all mine.
In all seriousness, I never thought I would ever possess one of these bad boys.
Really.
So this was truly a gift to me.
I wish they knew how much I appreciate this.

One last thing about that day.....I missed my family.
That was the take away of the day.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my day out with my friends and learning some new blogging tools but at the end of the day, I am a stay at home mom.
My kids and husband are my world.
So an entire day away made me homesick to be quite honest.
I was alternately texting my hubs and my 13 year old at the end of the conference things like, "whatcha doing??" and "I miss you guys terribly".


Speaking of family, Jen also gave me this amazing childrens book that she got autographed at a book signing!

 

I love this book's message so much.

I felt empowered after reading it.

 

 

Yeah it does.

 

 

 

It even came with a cape!

Ella loved this book so much that we read it three times within an hour.
And the cape was a huge hit.
She wanted to wear it to school.

People, take note of those words.
Truer words have never been spoken.

After a beautiful and inspring weekend, it was good to be back home in the role I love best, Mommy.

Beer Breath, Cat "Smell" and Big Hair; Why You Will Never Look at Me the Same Way Again

Before I get to the good stuff, check out my latest DIY project if you haven't gotten to the blog lately.
I am in love with my new green front door!!
And the neighbors tell me it makes them happy when they look at it.
I am all about serving the people, folks.

So this weekend, THIS WEEKEND!!!
First off, I won something.
Yes.
I know those who are following me on Facebook and Twitter are sick to death of hearing this but just give me one more shout out, ok?
I WON A MINI IPAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is a funny story behind this and I will tell it.
Tomorrow.
Because I am still in recovery from my AWESOME blogger Sunday.

But for today, enjoy some random pieces of knowledge about me.
That do NOT belong on our About Me pages, apparently.
Thanks to Tiffany and Francesca for this and more tips!
Will share EVERYTHING tomorrow peeps!!



- When I am alone in the house (which is RARE), I turn my iPod on full volume and dance. Like DANCE.

- I clean my bathrooms on Thursdays. I don't know why I picked this day but if this is your day too, I wave my toilet brush in your general direction.

- Speaking of Monty Python, I love The Holy Grail movie, thanks to my brother.

- I have never seen the movie The Princess Bride.

- I don't drink coffee but I love the smell of it.

-The smell of beer on my hubs breath makes me giddy. You know, GIDDY. Wink, wink.

- I have never roller bladed in my life but I can school you on roller skates. Especially when We Will Rock You by Queen comes on.

- I can smell cats in a house as soon as I walk in. Even if you NEVER had a cat but maybe the previous owner did? Yeah. I got their number. Realtors should hire me. I am like a savant when it comes to uncovering cat smell.

- I have big feet. Size 9.5- 10 big. You know what they say about women with big feet? They wear big shoes.

- Aspartame gives me headaches. And for that reason, I rarely chew gum.

- My name could have been Amy. If I were a boy, I would have been named Jonathan.

- My brother's girl name was Christy. My brother married a girl named Kristy. Freeaakkky.

- I love the smell of road tar.

- I marched in the Citrus Bowl parade with our high school marching band in 1987.

- I like to eat salt on my apples and watermelon.

- I also love ketchup on my cottage cheese and my youngest won't eat cottage cheese without it.

- My first car was a Chevette. Well, it was my parents car but the car I drove all through high school.

- My brother totaled that car two months after getting his license.

- I hate thunderstorms. So do both my girls.

- I have an irrational fear of tornadoes.

- I had to get stitches the day of my mom's 50th birthday while getting ready for the surprise party I was planning. I was cutting a watermelon and sliced open my finger. No one was home, so I drove myself to the ER.

- I am recently addicted to Candy Crush on my phone......and can't get past level 30.

- I took three years of French in high school and can only remember four or five words. Je m'apelle Kari.

- I had a chance to go to Quebec my freshman year in high school but turned it down because I didn't want to be away from my family.

- My entire family now lives within 8-11 hours away from me as I write this.

-  I won a blue ribbon at the county fair for cooking when I was 12 and in 4-H.

- I don't know how to swim.

- I was afraid I would die of Toxic Shock Syndrome all through high school.

-And also of Scoliosis thanks to the book Deenie.

- While all my friends ran out and got their drivers licenses the day they turned 16, I didn't go get mine until six months after I turned 16 because I was scared to death to drive.

- When I was in high school, everyone called me "Jenny" because I reminded them of Jennifer on Family Ties.

- My oldest daughter looked just like Dakota Fanning when she was little. So much that random people on the street would stop us and ask us if it was her.

- My senior year soundtrack was Def Leppard's Hysteria. On tape, of course.

- I am pee'd off that I can't buy any Def Leppard's Hysteria on ITunes.

- When I write a blog post, I can't have any noise, no music, nothing at all. 

- Therefore, I blog when I am alone or when the kids are asleep.

- I was told by my English teacher in high school that I would make a great writer some day. That same teacher gave me a C in her class.

- I was a cigarette smoker for 13 years when I quit before I got preggo with my oldest. Then started again for five more years before quitting for good in 2007 before I got pregnant with my youngest. I am 6.5 years "sober" and will never touch one again.

- Favorite high school class? Speech. Favorite college class? Microbiology.

- I have a blanket I sleep with every single night that I call my "wooby" and I can't sleep without it. My hubs even brought it to me at the hospital after I gave birth to my youngest.

- The night before I left the hospital after giving birth to Ellie, I had four maternity nurses in my room hanging out and talking all evening.

- I almost became a nurse. I got into the program and then turned it down. Biggest career regret of my life.

- I am freakishly strong but my 13 year old daughter is too. She can carry me piggy back and I am not light.

-My love for senior citizens has rubbed off on my kids. So much so that when my youngest sees a "gramma" or "grampa" in the store, she says "I wish we could take them home with us!!" Yes, I know that would be illegal.

- I secretly miss big honkin' 80s  hair.......

........which I kept on rockin' until 1992.

OK off to rock out to some Def Leppard and watch The Holy Grail with some senior citizens.
Wanna smoke??
Juuuuust kidding.......

Painting Our Front Door or How I Now Need A Liquor License

Don't forget to head to my bestie Jen's blog to check out her last installment in her three part interview with chef Jaime Laurita!
Annnnd she is giving away wine!!!
Which ties in perfectly with this blog post.
I scare myself sometimes.


This weekend was jam packed.
Like a suitcase over stuffed.
And I was the proverbial person sitting on top of the suitcase trying to jam everything in.

First of all, it was beautiful weather here from Friday to Sunday.
Like, 65-70 degrees and sunny beautiful.
So of course, we were outside all.day.long.all.weekend.long.
This is what we do in the Midwest.
When the weather is nice, we all run outside and stay outside until it gets not so nice.
Because we know it won't last.

Add in a soccer game, weed pulling, a door project, a neighborhood bonfire with 20 + adults and children, a birthday (that would be me!!!), a mini trip to Wisconsin and a massage (that would be for me!!!!), it was crazy busy.
So busy that we didn't even have time to frost or eat my birthday cake.
So Ellie frosted it this morning and we ate it for breakfast.

Our front door?
It needed some updating.
The houses in our neighborhood primarily have three different color doors: black, white and burgundy.
I gotta think that those were the only choices people had when they were building these homes.
Or else people just didn't want to go outside the box in terms of door color.
I have seen blue and brown doors sprinkled in here and there but mostly just the above.

Of course, I wanted to shake things up a bit.
I have been staring at the same front door color for eight years and burgundy wasn't cuttin' it for me anymore.
Plus it had paint scrapes, chips, dings and it was just looking, blah.

Let me back up.
This whole project started with this innocent little picture I found on Pinterest last October:


First off, let me credit Emily Clark for this picture.
Pinterest has made it ridiculous to embed a picture anymore.
It took me ten precious minutes before I finally gave up.
So go to Emily's blog, she is a designer and has amazing taste.


I saw this color and had such a reaction to it immediately, I knew I wanted it in my home.
Like yesterday.
Isn't it an amazing green??
And I literally wrote underneath the pin, "I want to paint a door in my house this green. Maybe my outside front door?"
The color is called "Paradise" by Sherwin Williams.

I pinned this last fall after I painted the interior doors black here:




See that cord there?
It makes me nervous.

Anyway, I had all this courage left over from painting those doors black that I thought I would try the exterior door.
But it was getting cold and I didn't want to start it until it warmed up again.
Enter April 26th.
Yes folks, that is the first warm day of the year in these parts.

Here is what our door looked like to provoke me into painting it in the first place:

Do you see the dings and scrapes?

                                                   Someone was my shadow that day.

And please notice the stocking cap on.

In April.

The last week of April.

 

 

 

So it wasn't a horrible color or anything, I was just over it.

And it really needed to be painted anyway because it was scraped and the front door is the first thing people see when they enter your home.

 

Why greet them with "Hi, see these scrapes and dings? Yeah, this is just a teaser for what you are in for. Enjoy your visit and I hope you aren't wearing white pants."

 

When I could greet them with "Hi! My front door leads you to believe that the rest of my house is painted immaculately. Look closely. Its all a ruse. Enjoy your visit!"

 

 

                                                              The first step in my plan?

Go to my local Sherwin Williams and get a swatch of this lovely color I was intending to paint.

I do feel a little guilty going in, asking for the color swatch and then ditching them to buy it cheaper somewhere else.

I have a feeling they get this a lot but I still get a tinge of guilt.

Which goes away as soon as I realize how much money I save when I buy it at a home improvement center.

 

I then went to Home Depot and worked with the handy fella there in finding me the right paint for this project.

 

I didn't see his name on his shirt.

So we can call him Hayward.

For the sake of this post.

 

I told Hayward this:

 

- I need a paint for the exterior of the front door.

- It has a storm door in front of it.

- I have kids. Who slam this door, put their hands on this door, kick soccer balls that randomly fly and hit this front door, that take their hands with a mixture of bubbles and chalk and write love notes to us on this door.

-I don't love to paint so am looking for something I don't have to paint more than two coats of.

 

So Hayward pointed me in the direction of this:

 

 

 

Marquee.

It just came into the stores on Monday.

And I came in on Friday.

Kismet?

Yes.

Yes.

I think so.

 By the way, I am not being paid by HD or Behr.

I should be but I am sadly not.

This stuff isn't cheap.

It was 20 bucks for this small can.

BUT I did not have to purchase primer so that with the paint would have cost me 20 dollars.

This paint is dirt resistant, stain resistant and blocks UV rays.

                                            So basically, the super hero of exterior paints.

 

 

Then I bought these tools to help me with my job as per the suggestion of Hayward.

 

 

A small roller (for most of the door) and a small paint brush (for around the door knob, deadbolt and the panels of the door).

Then after some taping, I got started!

 

I should say "we" got started.

My 13 year old just got off the bus when I was starting and wanted to help.

I love her so much.

It should also be noted that said 13 year old BEGGED me not to paint the front door green.

And I quote, "Ewww Mom that is gonna be ugly".

 

No faith in me.

 

 

Then after a coat, she loved it.
She was all, "wow that looks so cool".
Suuure.
Now you are on my side.
By the way, I did some painting too.
She just got all the glory.

When it first went on, it looked a little more Kermit green.

                                                And less interior decorator green.

And when I took pictures on my phone to show family and friends, it looked more St Patrick's Day than Summer Day.

 

In fact, one of my blogger friends likened it to a pub in Chicago.

That I guess has a green door.

I likened it to an Irish pub.

Which wouldn't be at all inappropriate.

I am part Irish.

The hubs is ALL Irish.

We do like to kick one back now and then

And our house is full of merriment.

Here and there.

Maybe more there than here.

                                                                                       Whatever.

So I went to bed that night knowing I liked it but that it definitely needed a second coat of paint.

And was also a little concerned a drunken Irishman would stumble into my foyer.

 

 

Here is what it looked like after the second coat the next morning:

 

 

Ok, better!

It was finally starting to look like the Pinterest inspiration!!

 

 

There is that pretty sun we had all weekend shinin' on my brand new door!!

Squeeeee!!!

 

And here it is.

Our new door.

Brand new and improved.

Better than evah.

 

 

Whats that, you say?

Its looking all spring up in here??

Yes.

Yes, it is.

 

 

 

My daughter said, "wow, our house looks trendy".

I still don't know how I feel about that comment.

 

 

 

Come on in!!!

The bar is on the left!!!

No, no its not.

Just another Irish pub joke.

I will stop now.  

It makes our plain old off -white house pop.
I had so many comments on this door just in the past 48 hours.
All good.
I swear.

                                         Even guys were making comments about the door.

And they usually don't even notice stuff like that.

 

 

I love how it looks in the mirror in the living room!

 

 

Look at my spring-y door!!!!

 

 

Total cost to makeover my door?

$34.00

That includes the brushes and the paint.

Not a bad investment, I would say.

 

Here is the before and after side by side.

 

 

And the outside view:

 

 

 

Here are the details:

 

Paint- Marquee by Behr- 20.00 at Home Depot

Paint color- Paradise by Sherwin Williams

 

Brushes- small roller for smooth surfaces and a small-medium regular brush. The roller cost four dollars and some change; the brush cost about $5.00.

 

Tip- For a drop cloth I used a ripped up trash bag. Did the trick and just threw it away when I was done!

Also, make sure you use some sort of tray for your paint.

 

Total time for this project- I started the first coat while the youngest was at school and it took about 30 minutes to coat the entire door with the first coat. I finished the next morning and took about 20 minutes for the second coat.

So less than an hour to transform the front door!

 

Whew!

                                                        Off to get a drink at the bar!!

Never gets old......