Seriously.  Is this the worst you’ve ever been at blogging?

Yep.

Is there a reason for this?

Yes.

And. . . ?

None of yo business.

Wow.  This is making for an interesting read. . . :\  What’s new?

I discovered that my allergies are year round this year.  Yep, even when the snow falls, I’m sneezing.  This awesome new adventure started last March. . . and has never stopped.  It looks like I’ll be on Flonase and Claritin for the rest of my life!

Any other earth-shattering changes?  

I’ve started taking Citrical petites. . . and I have curtains above my kitchen sink.

Really. . . these are your big news items?  No wonder you haven’t been blogging.  How are you doing on your resolutions?

1.  Working out. . . has taken a downward spiral.  I was good for. . . ~five weeks?

2.  Cutting back on bacon. . . good.  I probably only have it once a week now.

3.  No pop. . . which really wasn’t even much of a resolution. . . VERY GOOD!  I have only cheated twice since January 4th.  That’s fairly huge.  I have started my day with a quick pop a few days at work the past few weeks. . . because some mornings, my stomach cannot handle mochas.  I’m doing a great job on that one though.

4.  Every other item is fairly sucky because they are suffering due to success in another area.  Hey, something’s gotta give, right?

Do you have your next trip planned???

Actually. . . My BFF and I are in the midst of planning our next adventure. . . it is. . . *drumroll*. . . SPAIN AND AMSTERDAM!  :)  We have our flights but are working out the other details.  It’s been slightly disastrous from a flight standpoint so let’s hope everything else goes smoothly.

Is your passport and stuff going to be okay?

Well, funny you should ask.  I think it will. . . but there are a lot more regulations around this stuff than I thought.  You may think, hey my passport doesn’t expire until three months from now!. . . but for some countries, that’s not enough time.  Some countries also require you to have a free page on your visa section.  One of my friend’s co-workers sent her this site to check requirements. . . Very helpful.  We learned our lesson.  Hard.  :\  www.cibt.com

Have you done your taxes yet?

YES. . . and for the first time. . . I did them myself!  You may think that’s stupid. . . but I’ve moved around and bought and sold houses like it’s nobody’s business.  I never wanted to deal with this crap.  Seeing as I’ve lived in the same state for all of 2011, I thought that this would be the year to start doing this myself.  I also might add that the guy who did my taxes in NH and for three years in TX was way cheap. . . cheaper than Turbo Tax.  The guy who did my taxes here last year was more than double that.  I am excited to not have to go to an appointment and be able to do this on my couch while watching TV.

What are you doing with your refund?

Um. . . it will mostly go towards my trip. . . but I did do a teeny bit of online shopping after I filed.

Where?

My favorite store (other than The Limited). . . BODEN.  I seriously love Boden.  Don’t everyone shop there though.  I would like to remain original.  Thank you.  ;)

What is your most exciting Lenten activity?

One of my cool friends started a fish fry group that goes to a different fish fry every Friday.  This is a HUGE thing in my state.  HUGE.  She emails the group where we are going each week.  She chooses a combination of bars, supper clubs, churches, etc.  I went last Friday and had a great time meeting new people and sampling delicious fish!

What’s your favorite fish fry fish?

Duh. . . perch!

Have a good week!

So on Friday, one of my friends told me I was strange because I said that I slept with the TV on all night every night.

I think much of this is because. . . I tend to get creeped out at night with no noise.  I think the only time it keeps me awake is if I happen to hear something creepy on the news in the wee small hours of the morning. . . like a story about someone abusing kids or a house burning down with people in it.  Otherwise, I can generally go back to sleep even if I wake up and hear something on TV.  That being said, I keep my volume very low.

My friend had a follow-up comment. . . and I’m curious about this, too. . . but I don’t know if all the people in this column will vote again.  I had five votes for option C (keeping the TV on all night). . . and one of those votes was mine.  For those of you who voted that way, do you live alone?  If you voted for another option, do not vote in this poll!

Regardless, with four other people voting in my category, I think it’s safe to say I’m not entirely weird. . . (in *this* respect, at least).

Yes, my sis and I LOVED Whitney as a kid.  LOVED.  Her cassette tapes were probably the most frequently played on my pink and Sarah’s purple little tape players.

The time that she was really getting popular. . . happened to be the time my sis and I were OBSESSED with MTV and VH1 and literally watched it all summer long (pretty much all day). . . and yes, this was the time when these shows played nothing but videos.

I was completely hooked with “How Will I Know” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”. . . They were such fun videos to watch as kids (lots of dramatics and costume changes), her voice was amazing, and she was so beautiful.

I loved so many of her songs. . . and have forgotten about so many of them until I heard them on TV and the radio today.  You could often hear me belting her tunes from the shower in the 80′s and 90′s.  (I will admit that her voice was slightly better than mine though.)  ;)

I think I need to download some of her old stuff so I can sing along with her on my trip back to Illinois next weekend. . . RIP to one of my 80′s favorites.  Hearing her stuff takes me back to being a kid on the swingset with my pink jambox.  :)

I was told last night that I am weird. . . I am trying to prove that I am not (yes, I know. . . probably a lost cause).  I will tell you what I do later as to not skew the results.  :)

This is how I parked this morning.  I guess my coffee had not yet taken effect. . . :\

 

I got a call from the lady at the Lancome counter to tell me about a huge free gift that’s coming.  I wanted to take advantage of that. . . plus, I needed a few things at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. . . and these things inspired a shopping trip that was way longer than intended.

Um, it’s cold here. . . and I don’t like the way fleece feels.  Thank you, Patagonia!  I own four of these in different colors. . . They are expensive, but I got these on sale at an outlet store.

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/patagonia-womens-better-sweater-jacket?p=25541-0-349

Sweatery with a fleece lining

I am ALWAYS loving Fossil. . . but let me share my wish list with you, my friends. . .

I bought this today:

I already have this in gold and bright jewel tones. . . but I am loving the black, too.

My wish list:

http://www.fossil.com/en_US/shop/women/jewelry/necklaces/blue_beaded_necklace-ja5360p.html?parent_category_rn=30006&departmentCategoryId=30000&N=0&Ns=p_wsc7%7C0%7C%7Cp_weight%7C0&pn=c&cm_vc=211511&rec=7&imagePath=JA5360797

http://www.fossil.com/en_US/shop/women/jewelry/necklaces/baby_boyfriend_necklace-ja3676p.html?parent_category_rn=30006&departmentCategoryId=30000&N=0&Ns=p_wsc7%7C0%7C%7Cp_weight%7C0&pn=c&cm_vc=211511&rec=27&imagePath=JA3676040

I was trying to decide what shirts I could wear this with. . . but I couldn’t decide what I had that would look good with this. . .

http://www.fossil.com/en_US/shop/women/jewelry/necklaces/heritage_double_pendant-ja5188p.html?parent_category_rn=30006&departmentCategoryId=30000&N=0&Ns=p_wsc7%7C0%7C%7Cp_weight%7C0&pn=c&cm_vc=211511&rec=42&imagePath=JA5188797

I love crossbodies. . . I’m not in love with as many this year, but I’m digging this one. . .

http://www.fossil.com/en_US/shop/women/handbag_silhouettes/crossbody/vintage_re_issue_flap-zb5187p.html?parent_category_rn=30005&departmentCategoryId=30000&N=0&Ns=p_wsc4%7C0%7C%7Cp_weight%7C0&pn=c&cm_vc=211505&rec=1&imagePath=ZB5187073

Ca-UTE!

http://www.fossil.com/en_US/shop/women/wallets/multifunction_wallets/emory_multifunction-sl3158p.html?parent_category_rn=249509&departmentCategoryId=30000&N=0&Ns=p_wsc5%7C0%7C%7Cp_weight%7C0&pn=c&cm_vc=249514&rec=9&imagePath=SL3158895

Ok.  Bottom line, I love Fossil.  :)

I had a great weekend. . . I hope you did, too!

I am not a big fan of politics and am usually an equal opportunity hater of candidates from both parties.  I feel as though I can trust NO ONE (that’s the former Illinois girl in me coming out). . . and there are major things about both parties that irritate me.

But let me make this extra clear.

I cannot stand the State of the Union Address. . . when ANYONE gives it.

There’s the:

• Greeting
• Applause
• More stupid applause
• How about an standing ovation?
• More pointless applause
• Grandstanding
• Pointing out how great you are
• Political posturing
• More applause

This is not a knock on the President, as I am irritated every year I attempt to watch. . . and usually change the channel within five minutes. . . because it’s nothing but a long and painful political ad.

If I truly want to find the state of the Union. . . I will look for other sources.

An old awkward moment I’ve never blogged about. . . I was texting with my friend Kevin today, and he always makes me think of moments like this:

~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the day. . . at one of my places of employment, two employees named “Dick” had gotten themselves into trouble within a matter of a few weeks.  I could never remember which one did what. . . . and was just having a moment where I was struggling to remember who was who. . . and came out of my office, saying loud enough for the entire office to hear:

“I CAN’T KEEP MY DICKS STRAIGHT!!!”

<Insert the entire office laughing hysterically and me falling over laughing when I realized how it sounded.>

~~~~~~~~~~

(Please forgive the crude language.  It certainly wasn’t intended to be crude.  My dad has this name, for crying out loud.)

That my house was being built, and I made an offer on it.

It would have been a risky thing for me to buy a pile o’ sticks under normal circumstances. . . but I had seen the finished product of my house in another town and really liked it. . . just didn’t like the location.  I’m still really happy I made the decision I made, and I will never forget how fun it was to watch the house being built (or how difficult it was for me to get the damn combination lock on the front door unlocked). . . I just realized that I never posted the pictures of progress from start to finish. . .

The first day I looked at it!

Windows and a little siding. . .

A little more siding. . . (and some snow)

Garage doors, lights, and other details coming together. . .

Some brick. . .

All finished. . . with grass (but I can't find my pic with all landscaping!)

And let’s take a look at the living room. . .

Framed up!

Starting to look like a house (kind of)!

Now, really looking like a house. . . This is the day my friend Katie toured, and I made the executive decision to get hardwood floors instead of carpet (thanks to her for convincing me it wasn't too late!).

Fireplace is coming together. . .

And I have a mantel. . . (yes, the light is dumb in this picture.)

Soooo happy with the hardwood floor decision. . . love the shade I picked, too.

Almost finished. . . still doesn't have all my decor (I guess I don't have a picture with all of it!)

What the hell, let’s do the kitchen, too. . .

Pantry in the right corner. . .

Not many changes. . . just some insulation and wiring. . .

Made some choices. . . This was SO MUCH FUN!

Coming together. . .

And we have drywall!

Patio door. . .

Oooh. . . cabinets, floors, lights! (This was a super exciting night!)

Countertops!

The backsplash day was also an extremely exciting day. . .

And some appliances are in. . .

And all appliances are in. . . complete with the blue film on the stove.

And here's a finished product with my "stuff". . .

It’s been really fun.  It’s been really weird not to have to do much around my house.  I’m used to constantly having something to paint or work on.  It’s nice that I haven’t had to do any major repair work either. . . but then there’s been a lot to BUY with a new house.  All window coverings, landscaping, concrete, deck.  It all adds up, my friends.  Not sure I’d want to do it again unless it was my “forever” home. . .