Love Her? Or Not??

I am about one inch away from being sick of Rachel Ray and I can't explain why.  I am fully aware that she has legions of fans so I am prepared for whatever criticism you throw my way...I just have to voice my opinion on the subject.

I was once a huge fan myself.  I faithfully tuned in for 30 Minute Meals (which I can still accept) but then there was $40 a Day, and another traveling food show of hers.  Then she came out with her own cookware and now she has her daytime "talk show."  When will it end??

I used to understand her appeal but now I find her awkward and somewhat crazy.  Does she smoke?  Not that it matters but her voice has REALLY changed over the years.  I will give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that she just gets hoarse while taping her multiple shows. 

AND, did anyone see the pictures she did for FHM (I think it was FHM)?  I give her props...IF she ever really looked like that.  The RR I remember was not someone I would picture in a men's magazine.  I will stop now...I just cannot figure out what is so cool about her!

Fill me in! What is your opinion on the whole thing??  Are you a fan??  Did you USED to be a fan??

Solar Power

I am amazed...I got a ton of comments/emails about solar nails!  A lot of people had never heard of them and they are definitely one of my beauty faves.  I know these exist in the North but they are way more prevalent in the South.  Now for my "Solar Nails 101."

*Solar nails are an updated version of acrylic nails and are usually a two step process (which makes them a tiny bit more expensive).  Most of the time, I leave mine with French or American manicure and skip the paint...for this, BOTH pink and white powder are used so no need for french paint.  Goodbye paint peeling!

*Acrylic nails are more opaque and less natural looking and can yellow over time.  It is usually best to paint acrylic nails after your first set for this reason.  Solar nails dry crystal clear and do not yellow with sun or tanning bed exposure (perfect for summer).

*Solar nails are much more durable than acrylic so unless a freak accident occurs, you should not expect any breakage.  Depending on how quickly your nails grow, you could wait almost 3 weeks before needing a refill - I go every other week but my nails grow super fast.

*Solar nails are much easier to shape.  I like mine square/round and usually keep them relatively short.

So there you have it, Solar Nails 101.  I thought I would throw it out there for those of you that asked.  DO NOT be fooled by the hideous pictures on the web...they are so EXTREME and nothing like what good nails should look like.

XOXO

Rascal Flatts Winner(s)!!

It is time to pick the winners for the RF giveaway...that's right, WINNERS!  I let Random Line Picker pick two lucky winners this time.  The CD comes out on April 7 so once they go on sale, I will snatch a couple copies and send them your way!

And the winners are...

Memphis Mama and Meg!!

Ladies, feel free to send your address to shleeblog@gmail.com.

Thanks to everyone who entered!!  XOXO

I'm Such an A-Hole!

Grenade...mid-meow

So obviously Martini Monday did not happen but it was due to my own idiocy!!! Last night, I let Grenade out on the porch because he was begging to go outside…and then I forgot about him!!!! I am horrible.

I don’t know what spurred my memory but all of a sudden it hit me that he had been out there for over an hour. I opened the screen door and he was gone. Initially, I wasn’t too scared but when he didn’t come when I called, I started to get a little worried.

Drew and I looked all around for about 20 minutes with no sign of Grenade! I felt so horrible…if something had happened to him it would be MY FAULT!! My next strategy was to get the food bag and shake it, hoping that he would come running. No Grenade. We called him for a while longer but still no Grenade.

Just when we were getting ready to go back in, I heard a faint meow and I knew it was him. We couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming and it wasn’t getting any closer so we started to think the maybe he was hurt somewhere and couldn’t get to us.

We kept following the meow and FINALLY…there he was. Where was he you ask?? He had climbed to the THIRD floor of the apartment complex and was sitting in the corner soaking wet (it had been raining) and basically crying in the corner!!!!! Nothing was wrong with him; I just don’t think he knew how to get down.

Relief! I felt so bad that I gave him some tuna (his favorite). He went immediately to sleep. I’m a bad mom!!

I’m STILL Mad at J. Crew.

*I have already received 9 emails asking about the wedding!! haha..a hot topic, I suppose. Hope I don't dissapoint!! XOXO*

Remember the travesty of a dress that J. Crew sent?? I don’t – I have blocked it out of my mind for good. I am still planning on taking a picture of the hideousness that was “the dress” but unfortunately, my camera seems to be dead for good. I guess it was time for a new one anyway!!

I spent ALL of Saturday morning shopping for a “springy” outfit to wear. I shopped until the last possible minute, put the outfit on in the Express fitting room and peeled out to the wedding. You can take a look at it above! I loved Drew P in his pink tie…

The wedding is over and they are…well…married. It was an interesting experience to say the least but I’m afraid to put too much of it in writing since you never know who is looking around at the old blog. If you want to know more, feel free to email me at shleeblog@gmail.com. ;)

OK…back to work. Have a fabulous day!! Martini Monday to come…

I've Made Up My Mind About Summer Time!

OK ladies, it is soooo time for me to get going on the "bikini preparation."  Summer is right around the corner and I refuse to hit the beaches while worrying about how I look in a bathing suit...I want to be comfortable and healthy!!

*You may have noticed the new addition to the top of my blog - I decided to put it FRONT AND CENTER so that I am forced to look at it and hopefully it will help keep me accountable as well.  Feel free to send some heartfelt and STERN encouragement my way as it is much needed.  :)

*Time for honesty - last year with the help of Weight Watchers I lost 17 pounds but have gained 5 of it back since Thanksgiving of last year.  I am now 12 pounds away from my goal weight (hence the tracker above).  I feel like this is very attainable before summer!

*I will continue to do my WW, but today I started the 30 Day Shred to help jump start this whole endeavor.  It.kicked.my.butt.  THE END.

I will post updates on Tuesdays (this is my weigh-in day) and I will hope for the best!!  I know I can do it, I just have to start NOW.

Thanks for supporting me on this and let me know if you are doing the same so I can cheer you on!  

J. Crew...I will kill you!!!

J. Crew you better run for your life!!!!  The dress I ordered is NOT, I repeat IS NOT, the dress that came in the mail that I was supposed to wear to the wedding TODAYYYYYYYYY!  You lied to me and must be punished.  The dainty little yellow dress that I saw on your website is a far cry from the 1980's NEON yellow/green reptile-esque print that I opened this morning.

You will receive a roundhouse kick to the head...

I blame myself almost as much.  I should have known that the sale couldn't have been that good AND I should have opened the dress before now!!!!!!  I got what I deserve, I guess.  I will put on the hideous dress later and post a picture but it will NEVER be worn!  Ever!!  

I am outraged, can you tell?!?!  Now I must peel out to the mall for a dress....

XOXO

A Little Bit of Everything!

A couple of things…

#1. I have this (in black)…

But I want this (in black)!! Donations?? I do love my Mustang, though! Ford – please don’t question my loyalty! I don’t even know why I want it – I have always had a thing for cars that look “modernly vintage” if that exists…

Dodge Challenger

#2. Last night we took Drew P on a shopping spree. It was so cute. He got some new work suits, shirts, ties, etc. He looks great in bright colors which I would usually think were weird for men but he somehow pulls it off and looks totally handsome. He even got a pink tie that I am in love with! I think he is going to wear it to the wedding which is TOMORROW so I will try to post some pictures if my camera cooperates.






#3. TONIGHT is the rehearsal dinner and the weather is looking pretty horrible right now. I hope it clears up before the evening begins or else I will have to go to the dinner with hair like Alf. Haha…that made me laugh out loud…Alf. Wish me luck!





OK, I guess that is it for now. I will check back in after the wedding tomorrow to let everyone know how it went. Have a great FRIDAY!!!!

Deflated...

I now fully believe that anything that claims to plump your lips is a complete scam!!!  Sure, it may make your lips FEEL bigger (enter tingly feeling) but it sure as hell does not make them LOOK any bigger.  I guess my lips are average size and don't need plumping but shouldn't products actually DO what they SAY they say they will do??

Anyone ever come across one that actually works?

What to Wear??

Update:  Dress it is!  I think I will wear a royal blue dress with a black cropped jacket thingie from Express.  Thanks for the advice!

So the wedding is this weekend which means tomorrow night is the rehearsal dinner. Wait – before I go on I should probably mention one tiny detail…

The person getting married in this post is my STEP-BROTHER! Makes things a little complicated, huh?

Anyway, that part has already been decided so I will move on to what to wear for the rehearsal dinner?!?!?! It is at a nice Italian restaurant downtown, Grotto Ristorante, and usually I will wear a dress of some kind. Should I go more on the dressy side or should I wear slacks and a cute top? I am never good with these things so I need your advice.

Whatever I wear, I just hope it all goes well. My step-mom and step-sister have been wonderful and have planned an absolutely fantastic evening that I am very much looking forward to.

Let me know what you think on the outfit dilemma.

XOXO

Drunken Rollercoaster Rampage

Some how I got signed up for local news alerts (???) via my work email address so every so often, I get a little email filling me in on the day’s events. Well, I’m glad this particular story was grouped in with the “Breaking News” section.

Effective this weekend, Six Flags will begin selling Beer. Radical headline, huh?

#1. Is this really considered breaking news? NO.

#2. Who wants to ride roller coasters and such after consuming numerous beers?

I don’t know about you but I do not want to INCREASE the chance several times over that I will become violently ill on the rides.

Six Flags, how you’ve changed…

Giveaway for my Country Girls!!

OK, so this may not appeal to everyone (or hardly anyone for that matter) but if you are ANYTHING like me...you kinda, sorta LOVE Rascal Flatts.  They have been my favorite for years and they finally have a new album coming out in early April!!!!!!!!  They have the kind of songs that you can put on full blast and can get you through almost anything!   

I know I'm definitely buying the CD ASAP but I want to give one away too!!

Leave a comment to enter and tell me your favorite RF song while you are at it!!!  You don't have to be a follower or anything unless you just want to!!  I'll throw in one of my favorite martini recipe books too!!

I'll pick the winner on March 31...stay tuned!

XOXO

Impromptu

I love this picture and of course, I take NO credit for it.

You know how sometimes you don’t realize how long your hair has gotten until someone tells you or you see a recent picture of yourself?? This just happened to me today! My hair has gotten SOOO long and I didn’t even realize it – I feel much better about it than usual though. For the FIRST time since I was 16, I have absolutely ZERO color/highlights/lowlights in my hair and it feels awesome. I always loved having my hair highlighted but never realized how much damage it was doing to my hair in the long run. My hair is happy with me for once!!

I finally broke down and got my nails done, too. Sigh. I always end up kicking myself for submitting to the solar nails but they are so easy and convenient. I haven’t had “nails” since my wedding in 2007 but I have been keeping up with the whole manicure ordeal. How frustrating is it to get a manicure and have your nails painted the perfect color, only to have it peel off IMMEDIATELY! Solar nails are my friends, ladies…no excuses.

My J.Crew dress came today – the one I will be wearing to THE wedding that I spoke of earlier. Hopefully, my yellow dress will send some cheer everyone’s way and there will be no arguments, embarrassment or falling outs of any kind.

What a random post/picture. Yay for random!

Jerk!

NOT my cat and NOT my bed - same idea, though!

Every morning he strikes like clockwork. I am unable to sleep until my alarm goes off because of this sly attack and am rather rudely awakened if you ask me. He begins from the bottom of the bed, burrows his way under the covers and makes a beeline straight for the top of the bed. He somehow manages to pull the ponytail holder out of my hair and then sticks his paws into the pillowcase and bangs on my head.

Who could it be? GRENADE of course. Why has he decided to do this? At first, I thought he must be hungry, thirsty or some voracious combination of the two but this morning, I discovered the REAL reason he wants me out of the bed so badly! After pestering me until I finally just got out of the bed, he turned around and WENT TO SLEEP in my place. What nerve! If this cat of mine was not so cute, I would have exiled him this morning.

I think I’m gonna make him get a job…what do you think? :)

An Introduction!

*First of all - thank you to everyone for all the advice on my earlier post.  It is greatly appreciated and I think the right thing to do is to keep it all to myself as much as possible!  What a crazy situation!!*

And now for a quick introduction!

A friend of mine that I met through work recently discovered my blog through Facebook and has really enjoyed reading the great blogs out there and after MUCH persuasion, has decided to become a blogger...AGAIN!  Yay!  She told me she used to have a blog way back when and it got a little too personal for her after some creeps took things a little too far.  This time around she is going to be her same sweet, funny self but with a little less detail.  I wish her the best of luck and look forward to keeping up with her new adventure!  She started her new blog TODAY!

Check her out at In My Pink Paisley Boots!!

Honest ADVICE Needed!

So…I hope this is not taken the wrong way – I had to put it out there to see what everyone’s opinion would be. I would usually not even question my thoughts on this, but this particular situation is a bit out there.

Here we go. A LONG ONE but hear me out…

Say someone in your circle of friends/family is getting married (very soon) to someone that is not right for them. Their fiancé is not just a little wrong for them but completely wrong for them on several levels. Nothing is good enough for this person, she dislikes most everything, she is selfish, causes arguments in public for no good reason, puts down her husband-to-be in front of his family/friends and is generally hateful towards most everyone. She can beat out even the most demanding of women and does it all with no remorse.

I hate to even THINK it, but what if he is making a huge mistake by going through with this. I know of several people in his close circle that think this is a mistake but only because they love him and want the best for him. I think the husband-to-be has some idea of what he is in for but I wonder if he thinks it will change once the wedding is over.

Now, I am no saint. I fully admit that I have been and will continue to be difficult sometimes but I would like to think that these times would only occur here and there. AND I fully understand the power of unconditional love and the commitment it takes to overcome hard times. BUT what if the whole relationship has been nothing but hard times and it looks certain that it will continue on this path. Can she really love him (LOVE HIM with her whole heart) when she acts this way? It is one thing to playfully joke about someone’s less than desirable characteristics, but isn’t this different from putting someone down (along with their family) incessantly when they are trying their hardest to take care of YOU?

The wedding is soon, and I mean SOON! What would you do?

*Would you say something while fully knowing the person may not listen and therefore be willing to make it worse*

Or

*Would you let it go and hope for the best?*

The question of the century…I hate this!!

Yum to the Max (on a healthy level)!

OK, so I have made it known before that I am *loving* the Crystal Light on-the-go packets BUT I have a brand new favorite flavor – Pomegranate Lemonade! Ladies, this one is delicious and is solely responsible for the boost in my water intake.

The best part of it all is that this flavor is a member of the “enhanced” series. They have recently added the energy, metabolism and skin essentials flavors, this one being the new skin essentials version. Very yum! You should try it!

XOXO

A Shortie...

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Sunday.  Texas couldn't have been more beautiful today - I went plant shopping with Drew P today and came home with some beautiful flowers for the porch.  We got an encore azalea in coral and some impatiens in pink - why this excites me so much, I'm not quite sure.  ;)

I hope you ladies got to do some fun things this weekend with your hubbies/families/friends - whatever makes you happy!  Have a great evening and I'll talk to ya'll tomorrow!

March Madness Idiocy

Yesterday at work, I may or may not have entered an office pool related to March Madness (OK, I did, idiotically). I did this with absolutely no, ZERO, knowledge of basketball or which teams are any good, or anything like that – I literally sat at my desk with a co-worker picking whichever team names sounded the most radical.

This morning the results after day one were sent out. I was afraid to open the email because I was sure I was doomed to be the name on the list lucky enough to be sitting in last place. BUT…I am tied for 2nd place!! HAHAHAHA! I almost died.

I know this will change almost immediately but can I not revel in the success for just one minute? I found it pretty comical to say the least. I will have to keep ya’ll updated – look forward to my March Madness demise…

XOXO

Oh, and one more thing, Gig’Em Ags! Whoop!!

Just Say NO!

This is not something I really WANT to know, but rather something I NEED to know.

Why, in the name of all that is right, do people feel compelled to pick their nose while driving on the open (and fully visible) road? I see it everyday without fail and it is beyond me as to why this would occur. There is no magic shield that keeps us innocent drivers from observing the horrid seen of someone picking their nose so why then, do they think a seat surrounded by glass, is private?!?!

One thing I do know…boogers do not discriminate!!

Men.

Women.

Kids.

People in Mercedes’.

People in Geo’s.

I have witnessed all of these instances in the recent months and I am outraged. Yesterday, a woman in the lane next to me drove for what seemed like miles and miles while picking her nose! What was in there that was so extreme?

The one I hate the most is when you are stopped at a light and you just so happen to glance in your rearview mirror only to see someone picking their nose! I am almost positive that the person in question knows that I have seen them committing this act and then I wonder if they even care. Should they be embarrassed or should I?

HAHAHAHAHA! This is too funny…hopefully ya’ll can relate to my horror!

XOXO

A Virtual Scolding from "Anonymous"

So I have once again fallen victim to the “anonymous emailer” that seems to have a problem with anything and everything I write about. This time I am promoting a false sense of hope and making women feel that in order to be “complete” they must have a man in their lives. This must be the same person that protested Martini Monday…it makes about as much sense as the first debacle.

Oh well…who gives a damn, right?

Ladies, to be clear, I do NOT think that you MUST have a man in your life to be considered complete and whole and in fact, I fully understand that there are women (and men) out there who are not necessarily seeking love at this very moment. It was a simple post (on MY blog by the way) and it really referred to me more than anything else.

My question is this – If you hated bananas, would you still eat them everyday while sitting around complaining about how much you hate them? I think not. Then why take time out of your day to read a blog that you hate…move on and do something that you DO enjoy!

Sometimes you just have to laugh it off!!

XOXO

Nice Neck, Ashley!

A small mistake has been made and my neck will pay the price for my night-time lotion lathering.

I have mentioned this before (who am I kidding? I devoted an ENTIRE post to this before) but I HATE, HATE, HATE dry skin of any kind, especially on my face/neck. Once I get the notion to lotion, I will stop at nothing until my mission is complete. Enter hilarity…

Last night I couldn’t fall asleep for whatever reason and I noticed that my neck was feeling a little dry; it was very cold for a few days over the weekend which always seems to dry out my skin. Anyway, I peeled myself out of the bed and roamed through complete darkness to grab the face lotion (or so I thought).

I meant to grab this...

but instead, I grabbed THIS!!

When I woke up my neck looked similar to an oompa-loompa shade of orange. I quickly figured out what had happened when I saw the damn Jergen’s out on the counter – I really slathered it on (and rather unevenly) hence the unnatural skin tone that I am now sporting at work! I tried to scrub it off as much as possible and I did make some progress. Oh well…

Here Comes Goodbye...

OK, am I nuts or what??  I have had this post written for a week but have been too SCARED to post it and very SCARED of the comments I might receive because of it.  Hey, it was on my mind and it is important to me to be real with ya'll.  I want people to know the real me, even if it makes me looks CRAZY!!!  Haha!  It will make sense if you read it all.  Feel free to skip this one if you want - it is just a random, yet personal look into my life!

XOXO

Do you remember the first time you had your heart broken - the very minute it was happening?  It happened to me during my Junior year of college...I can still picture that exact moment.  It was a horrible rush throughout my body, immediate tears, it felt like my "heart" was falling apart from the inside out.  I was scared, mad, hurt, confused...I was everything, all at once.  A chill comes over me when I think of that moment.  I remember laying in my bed at night trying to bargain with God - I would say, "Please, please don't let this be it.  Please give me one more chance with him."  I had no idea...

I had been with him for four years and he was all I knew.  My mom and dad got divorced when I was young and it left me looking for something.  Anything.  He was what I found.  I had no idea that four years later he would be the source of every regret in my entire life - I guess he changed his mind about me after four long years.  We said we loved each other but we didn't.  I liked the feeling of having something constant in my life and I never considered whether or not we were right for each other.  We were so obviously wrong for each other.

It was my 21st birthday and he had recently ended it.  My mom surprised me with a trip to New York City...I should have been happy, why wasn't I?  I tried my hardest to have fun all the while hoping and praying that when I went back to school, he would be there and he would be sorry and we would be...together.  I sat on the plane to NYC next to my mother and blasted my iPod to help me forget what I left behind in Texas.  She knew what was on my mind but she let me be.

We made it to New York and thanks to my mom, we were staying in the most incredible hotel.  I stood in the lobby wishing the week away - all I wanted was one more chance to make it work.  I had almost convinced myself to let it go but then came *the* text..."I met someone" it said.  Crushing.  That was it...it wouldn't be me.  Not this time.

You might wonder why I would ever write something like this.  That was the most incredible heartache I had ever felt, why relive it?  This is why...my perfect Drew P.

Do you know that I would go through that kind of hurt, that exact rushing moment, for years on end to be with him for even one day.  That is love - not the needy, hollow, conditional "love" that I thought I knew all those years ago.  That was just a filler.  Drew is my heart, my soul, my happy ending, MY LIFE.  If I didn't have him - talk about hurt.

I know that many of you reading this will think I am insane for spilling so much of myself into this random post but I needed to do it.  I know how real this is for so many of us but we never share the real, down and dirty things that made us who we are.  So...this is me.

I am a happy, thankful and totally IN LOVE girl and I thank God that this happened to me.  How else would I have known who I am?  Things aren't always supposed to be easy...but they will even out in the end.

To a few friends on my mind - it will happen when you least expect it.  I promise you.  He will come along.

Me - Stripped Down

There is something so incredibly freeing about driving down an almost empty freeway while the sun sets on a beautiful day.  I love to drive the Mustang on days like today with the windows down and the music waaay up...I don't even care how loud it gets...it just feels good.  I will *always* be a Texas girl - I love it in every single way.  It is just "me" if that makes any sense at all.

It is so easy to get caught up in life and to convince yourself that some things are SO important when they really aren't.  I am tired of justifying things and I am ready to say out loud that it is OK to hate work sometimes, and to be overly tired sometimes, and to be so sick of everyday things sometimes...but not all the time, not even most of the time.  

How quickly life goes by, almost in an instant it seems.  How the heck did I get to be 25 years old and when did I forget to appreciate the little things in life?  All of us can count a million reasons why we are incredibly blessed - when will we focus on those things?  

I love the new Taylor Swift song Fifteen.  The lyrics are so powerful if you really think about it.  On the surface they refer to a first love but that's not the thing I like about this song.  I like that when you strip it down it is really about how you think you know it all when you are young and you make mistakes because in reality, you don't.  I look back on those days and I am OK with all the mistakes I made - I wouldn't take ONE THING back.  It made me, me...

"Cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you, your gonna believe them, and when you're fifteen feeling like there's nothing to figure out, well count to ten, take it in, this is life before you know who your gonna be."

Have an incredible night and do something fun - live it up!!!!  Be free!

XOXO

Flower Power

Lately I have really been wishing for a flower garden but living in an apartment doesn't allow for much garden space.  I don't know anything about gardening but in a dream world, I know exactly which flowers that I would have right outside my windows!  

My absolute favorite flower is the Stargazer Lilly - I think it is perfectly made in every way.  This was the main flower in my wedding arrangements and I would have never picked anything different!  I have these growing in a garden in my mom's backyard so at least I can enjoy them when I'm over there.  They only bloom once a year in Texas (Easter) and I have had the same plant for 15 years!!

My second favorite is the Tiger Lilly (can you tell I love lillies?).  These are just so pretty to me.  So random, but they remind me of an episode of Sesame Street where Burt and Ernie wanted to buy Maria flowers - her favorite were Tiger Lillies.  I make myself laugh...

Another favorite of mine is the tulip.  The best thing about them is that they come in millions of color combinations.  They look so dainty and fab!

Someday I will have a house with a BEAUTIFUL garden no matter what it takes!  Those of you with gardens may feel the urge to talk me out of it - I see how much work my mom has to put into hers.  What a rewarding hobby though!!  

What is your favorite flower??

Martini Monday - St. Patty's Day Edition!

*Do you Twitter??  Let me know if you do so I can follow - I was finally convinced to join!!  Check me out at Ash9999*

So this week's Martini Monday post is geared toward St. Patrick's Day so of course I chose three beautifully green cocktails!

This first one is so pretty because of the little garnish that accompanies the martini.  This, ladies, is the Guava Martini!  It is another delicious, yet very sweet, little drink but I am in love with it because I drink guava juice even on its own.  This one takes vodka, guava juice, a little raspberry liqueur and some fresh lemon juice.  Garnish the glass with a slice of star fruit if you can find it.  I always find them at places like Whole Foods.  Yum and so pretty!

Of course I couldn't pass up the Apple Martini.  There are a few ways to make this one depending on your taste:

*If you like a Sour Apple Martini - 1 part vodka, 1 part sour apple Pucker, 1 part apple juice (sometimes I add some sprite/club soda to thin it out and add some fizz!)

*If you like a more natural apple flavor - 1 part green apple vodka, 1 part melon liqueur, 1 part apple juice

*If you like extra sweet (and are BRAVE), you can try the Baked Apple Pie Martini - equal parts apple Pucker and vanilla vodka - add a little Goldschlagar, a little ButterShots and garnish the rim with cinnamon and sugar - like I said, it takes a brave soul!  Consume responsibly, haha!!

Last, but not least, the Pear Martini!  I have had several versions of this one but there is one that I always revert to according to my own taste.  This one is a little bit more specific than most of the martinis I post, but I think it is worth it! 

 - For multiple martinis - 

*4 ounces Grey Goose La Poire vodka (this is about the one and only time that brand matters.   There are others out there but this one is THE BEST!)

*2 ounces apple juice

*1 oz Disaronno

*1 oz simple syrup

Important step - don't mix the apple juice with the other ingredients in the martini shaker.  Instead, pour the juice into your glass first and then strain the other ingredients (after shaking) over the already poured apple juice!  

You can add in a little pear syrup (from the can) if you have it.  Garnish with sliced pear and enjoy it!

I hope you have a wonderful evening and an even better St. Patrick's Day tomorrow!!  Don't forget to wear green!!

XOXO

Dishwashers Gone Wild!

One time I heard a story where a man thought that since one bag of fertilizer made the grass nice and green, then surely several bags of fertilizer would make it even greener.  I laughed and thought to myself that this was the stupidest thing I had ever heard.

Well, today I became that man only on a different level.  I blame the Jet Dry.

It was nothing I hadn't done before.  Load dishes, insert soap pack...pour in the monthly bottle of Jet Dry...start dishwasher.  I guess I didn't realize that the bottle we recently bought was a little bigger than usual and I poured in the entire thing.  I guess it was too much...

This is what I came home to.  Not my actual dishwasher - but same exact scenario.

I am STILL trying to clean it up...damn.  I was just trying to be cool.

My *Fab* Weekend

I had such a wonderful weekend.  Even though it was super cold and it has rained for three days straight, I feel so blessed to have had such a perfect couple of days.  Friday night we got our new mattress delivered and I am already in love with it.  It feels so luxurious - you wouldn't believe how much a mattress can make or break your sleep.  I love this new one times 1000 - this is just one of the perks of my job!

My mom was nice enough to take me shopping this weekend - I have the best mother in the universe and not because she takes me shopping but because she is an incredible person.  She bought me clothes, shoes, makeup, Bath and Body Works stuff...you name it.  I love her and am so very, VERY thankful.  They have a really cute free gift thing going on at Clinique right now so that is always fun!

While at the mall with my mom and Drew P, we ran into a friend of mine that I hadn't seen in years!  Not just a friend, but my childhood *best* friend.  It was incredible to see her - I almost had tears in my eyes!  It was so fun to see her all grown up with her own little girl.  My mom and I talked about it all day long!

So this is the dress I got at J Crew waaaaay on sale.  I'm going to wear it to a daytime wedding in a few weeks.  I am in love with yellow at the moment!

I love this one too!  It is from anthropologie - all of their stuff is to die for if you ask me!

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend and that you did some things to make you happy!  Have a relaxing evening and I'll talk to you soon!

XOXO

I am Doomed!

I am really in trouble now, ladies.  A brand spankin' new Charming Charlie opened up in my area and I can already tell that I am going to be doomed beyond belief!  It opened ONE week ago and I have already been TWICE.  This is the ultimate store for any type of accessory (10,000 square feet worth) - jewelry, bags, belts, scarfs, shoes, martini and wine glasses...they even sell tampon cases.  I didn't even know those existed but I guess there is a need for them out there.  (???)

The thing that I absolutely love about this store is the fact that it is color coded.  You can walk in with a specific outfit in mind and know just where to go to find the perfect accessories.  I have already hit up the yellow, red, turquoise and black sections...I have a problem, I admit it!  Yellow is one of my spring faves this season.  In fact I just bought a yellow dress at J Crew that was originally $98 - on sale for $29.99!!  I am so excited.  It should be here just in time for me to wear it to an upcoming daytime wedding.  

I hope all of you ladies are having a fabulous evening!  I will post a weekend update later tonight if I can get around to it!!

XOXO

There's A Counter On This Ball...

OK, another blast from the past! Remember the Skip-It?? I spent thousands of hours on my driveway with my best friend and our trusty Skip-Its – I want one now!!! I wish I could remember my highest score…

What was your favorite “radical” toy from childhood??

Wa-Wild and Crazy Kids

I don’t know about you, but I used to love me some Nickelodeon when I was a kid. I had a few childhood dreams about being a contestant on some of the most radical shows of all time (in my opinion). Daily I wished that I could compete on Global GUTS all the while fully knowing I would fail miserably at all obstacles. I would have been the one to get eliminated immediately. I just wanted a taste of that Agro Crag and what it would have been like to race to the top and win a piece of the legendary mountain. Maybe it’s not too late?!?!

Another one of my faves was Double Dare – I wanted to be slimed so badly. What made that so appealing?? In all actuality it was disturbing green gak spilled all over your body/face/head…it couldn’t have been THAT cool. That didn’t stop me from wanting to go on that show!

Wild and Crazy Kids anyone?? I remember this one episode that I recreated in my own backyard and then competed alone like a champion. I was pretty damn cool back then.

What was your favorite Nickelodeon show??

Swoozie's Winner!!

Yahoooo!  It is time to announce the WINNER of the Swoozie's themed giveaway and I couldn't be more excited!!  I just used Random Line Picker to choose the winning entry; I have been anxiously awaiting this moment for two weeks now!!  We had an incredible 78 entries and I thank you all for entering!  I wish I could send everyone something and I hate having to just pick one.  

Drum roll please...

The lucky lady is Mrs. Newlywed!!  Yay!  Congratulations!  I'll use what you told me about yourself and what I know of you from your blog and hopefully, I can put together some goodies that you will love!  Send me your address when you can to shleeblog{at}gmail{dot}com

Thank you all again for signing up - ya'll are awesome!  Here's to the next giveaway!

XOXO  Have a great evening!

Answers Round One!

Alright, so I am ready to fess up and start answering some of ya’lls questions! I will try my best to be interesting and avoid making this the most boring post in the history of the universe. Here we go!

d.a.r. asked:

Q: What is the most embarrassing moment that you and the hubby have shared?
A. This was a hard one!! I have had a ton of embarrassing things happen to me but Drew P rarely experiences the horror of public embarrassment so it was difficult to think of something that involved both of us. Here is what I came up with – In college, I lived with two other girls in a house and on weekends Drew would usually come stay with us (he went to a different college). One weekend we devised a plan to scare Drew in the middle of the night with the use of a ridiculous, yet somewhat scary (not really), Halloween mask. We had it all planned out – we would wait for Drew to fall asleep, I would scream from the living room and he would come running. As soon as we saw him come around the corner, my friend would come out in all black with the mask on and he would undeniably be scared, right? WRONG. It did not go as planned! He was scared but only for like half a second and then I was the one who looked insane for performing this ridiculous stunt. I am happy to say though that we used the mask on a few other people (most hilariously on our own roommate) so all was well on Magnolia Drive.

OR

What about the time my Step-Dad performed the ENTIRE Thriller routine at our wedding reception?!?!?! That one is too funny to be embarrassing.

Q: Is there anything you wish you could change about your wedding?
A: Unfortunately, yes! I will preface this by saying that my wedding dress was beautiful and that I absolutely loved it…in theory. I fell in love with it the second that I tried it on and in fact, it was the very first dress I tried on. It was made completely of lace which for some reason made it *extremely* heavy which, for me at least, didn’t make for a perfect fit. As I have mentioned before, I am a little bigger on top (so funny to type) so a heavy dress with no straps made for a night of tugging at the dress to keep my boobs from falling out! I had it altered several times and made it as snug in the waist and ribs as possible – I thought if it fit well there it would kind of hold the rest of it up. Didn’t happen. Ladies – when you pick a dress, make sure you can move in it, dance in it etc. without having a wardrobe malfunction!! It was so bad that the photographer even snapped a picture of me while tugging on my dress – I almost had a full exposure!

Q: What is the one thing your friends do that drives you crazy?
A: This one is hard for me because I have such great friends that are pretty perfect if you ask me! Maybe I can alter this one a little and steer it toward co-workers rather than friends. Let’s see – one of the things that bothers me the most is *constant* complaining. I understand that everyone needs to vent once in a while, but if it gets to a point where ALL the person EVER does is complain…I will snap. I would rather live out on the streets than be subjected to a chronic complainer. We all have so much to be thankful for that I just can’t justify anyone’s need to complain about such small things – I want them to be happy, at least about SOMETHING! Just typing about it kills me…lol.

Q: Do you get along with your mom? Have you always, or has it changed as you’ve gotten older?
A: I do get along with my mom – she is a fabulous and incredibly strong woman. I struggled a lot with her growing up because I am her only child and she felt the need to always protect me (of course) which meant constant supervision and little to no freedom. I understand why she did this now that I am older and think about one day having kids of my own. She has such an extreme love for me that she just wants to take care of me the best she can. I will admit that I went a little wild in college but I think it was good for me. I was finally away from home and even though I had changed a little, I still knew my core values because of what she instilled in me. I have calmed back down now of course and really value my relationship with my mom. She only lives about fifteen minutes away from Drew and I so I love the feeling that I can go home any time I want but that I can still have my own space as well.

My mom and step-dad (probably right after his Thriller performance)

Q: Where do you hope to be in 10 years?
A: This, again, is a hard question for me. I have never been one to know exactly what I want at any given time. These are the things I know for sure – I want Drew in my life forever and EVER and I hope that within ten years we will be blessed with kids of our own. I want to be a successful person in the sense that I have done something in my life to serve my family and others rather then simply living for me. I want to follow God’s plan for me (whatever that might be) and I want to be happy while making those around me happy as well. I want to ALWAYS keep in touch with my college buddies and especially my *best* friends – it is hard to lose friends, for whatever reason. I still miss my childhood best friend every day!

Q: What is the biggest mistake you are afraid you are going to make in your life?
A: I am afraid that I will not be a good enough mom someday. I know that things fall in to place and you learn as you go but I am so afraid I will not be the perfect mom. Is there such thing? Maybe not. I realize more and more that parents have so much to do with how their children turn out when they are older – the values you choose to instill in your kids will shape the rest of their lives. Talk about pressure!!


xoxo sarahbeth asked:

Q: If you were a fruit, what would you be and why?
A: How do I pick just one?!?! I will be a few…I would either want to be a strawberry or a coconut! I would be a strawberry because they are small and sweet and because you can dip them in chocolate, of course! I would MOST want to be a coconut because I could hang out at the beach endlessly and I would be the main ingredient in one of the most delicious drinks of all time. Wait…if people eat me, does that mean I’m…dead?

Q: If you were a tree, what would you be and why?
A: I would be a magnolia tree because they are totally southern and I think their flowers are amazing!

jane in the waiting line asked:

Q: What’s your favorite memory from your wedding?
A: I have two that really stand out in my mind so of course, indecisive me, I couldn’t pick just one! The first one is the very moment that I reached the bottom of the staircase and looked up to see Drew standing there at the altar. He looked like a perfect angel to me I had waited so long to become his wife. I was bawling from the first step I took…
The second one happened during the reception. Drew has an amazing group of friends and at one point the DJ played “Sweet Caroline” by request and all the guys got in a circle and lifted Drew up in the air. It was so strange yet so funny! They had the whole place laughing!

Q: What is your favorite thing about married life?
A: I love, love, LOVE the fact that I get to see Drew everyday, any time I want. We went to separate colleges and then afterward I moved back to Houston with my family and he lived in Dallas with his. It was not until we got married that we were finally able to live in the same town! It feels so good to know that every night we will come home from work and see each other – we don’t have to wait for the weekend or a holiday…nothing. I think this is why we never get sick of each other! ;)


Alright - that was harder than I thought!! I will answer more later!

XOXO