Adi and Aspen: you can teach old dog's new tricks

Mom taught me how to do this a while ago, I just really wanted to show grandma and grandpa what a good girl I am and that I can be calm...even if its never at their house. I can't help myself, those chucker birds are so fun to chase!

Maybe if you bring a good enough treat when you see me next I'll do my play dead trick. Maybe.

The snow has come

and I am so glad. This means I am can comfortably wear sweaters all day long, comfy shoes and boots. One of the few downfalls is the possible ice and therefore...falling on my behind. But since that hasn't happened yet, I am glad for the snow.

Since Aspen was born in April, this is her first snow! And boy did she like it. They played outside for hours. It was wonderful except for the dirty paw prints all over my newly cleaned kitchen floor.



And of course with all this snow all I needed was a nice steaming cup of hot cocoa. And only Stephens will do. Roasted Hazelnut is of course the best.

What did you do on this lovely snowy day? It wasn't quite enough for sledding or a snowman, but I look forward to that.

A little handbag love

Yesterday I had an incredibly busy full day of just cleaning and organizing. It appealed to my OCD tendencies that have been going crazy this past week or so because I've been unable to clean since I've only had time to work, go to school, and sleep. Midterms always equal a messy house. Has anyone else noticed that? Another reason why I can't wait to graduate, I won't have stressful school weeks that are ridiculous since all your professors decide to test you within a three to five day period of each other.

Along with seven loads of laundry to run through the washer, I had a couple additional from the week before that needed to be folded: making a grand total of about five heaping hampers needing to be put away. Plus a whole sinkful of dishes and a dirty floor that needed to be mopped, the chores list was almost unending. But I couldn't help but stick in a little project of organizing my purse.

I'm the worst about keeping my recipts, and things just magically gather in my purse that my husby fondly refers to as a 'Mary Poppins' bag. If I don't clean out my lovely Coach about every two or three weeks it gets so full I feel like I'm carrying around the kitchen sink. Lotions, pills, markers, pens, recipts (lots of them crumpled in the bottom), tampons, pads, lipstick, lipgloss, chapstick, a spoon (for yogurt of course), tons of free hairties and bobby pins, nickles and dimes, kleenex, baby wipes, and even an un-deposited paycheck! All these things rattled around my purse and made it an all out war to find my phone or keys when needed.

Before:

After seeing a nifty little to-do idea on Pinterest I went to the store and got travel size's of lotion, sanitizer, a nice small container of q-tips, and a mini size sanitary wipes package. Plus I went to the school supply section and got two pencil cases with zippers and a see-through front. In these two carriers separate papers, recipts, coupons, and those embarrassing tampons and pads into one. In the other put all the lip-wear, kleenex, baby wipes, hairties and bobby pins that you can easily find.

It is amazing how much space I now have, and how easily I can find exactly what I need like my keys or phone! Doesn't it just look pretty?

Any fun cleaning or organizing projects that were a new concept for you? I love organizing websites like this: I Heart Organizing.

p.s. you can see my Coach has given a good five years of service but a new one is definitely on my Christmas List and my Bucket List.

Utilities denial

We're good about having our rent in on time. Same with our car payment (of course we pay that to my parents but it's still a real bill). So why is it that it's like pulling out my hair, or selling a kidney to pay the utility bills? Yes, as one of my wifely duties I have taken it upon myself to manage our bill along with the dishes and laundry. Because I'm organized but also because if I left it to Jared the power would be shut off and our internet would stop working. Ok, maybe not. But it's pretty darn likely.

But when it comes to paying our power and gas bill I honestly wait till the last minute on the day it is due. I just can't bring myself to pay it early. Of course it doesn't really matter because either way we pay it now or we pay it a couple days before and we're never that close on money that we can't pay it etc. but I just emotionally...can't do it. How weird is that? I don't understand my own subconscious fear regarding it, maybe it's the procrastinator in me I just have to wait until the last minute for, "the thrill of it all" just like the movie 'He's just not that into you' suggests. Or is it more that dark scary feeling that comes from doing super adult things I'm still not used to?

Whatever it is, I definitely need to get over it because I don't want to risk having to spend a day in the dark...or cold. Any suggestions of how to get over my issue of denial?

p.s. check out how much we spent in July using our 'energy saving swamp cooler'. I think not! Stupid swamp cooler.

Merchandise breaks the Monotony

Don't you feel that increasingly more as an adult that each day starts to blend into the other. Especially working in retail because of working five days a week and the always working the weekend: my life tends to become rather monotonous.

Wanna know how I break the boredom (which really ISN'T boredom but pure constant busy-ness)? Great fashion finds like...

Ugg boots for $50 (regularly $250)

Joe's skinnies (I could live in these) $40 (regularly $80)

And a Tory Burch dress for a killer $45 (regularly $425)

And yes, I drive my husband nuts with my closet growth. And even worse I drive him insane by pointing out people-EVERYWHERE we go-wearing Nordstrom's clothing that I can guarantee I've put away at least three times each day. But my husband loves how all of his coworkers comment on how "hot" his wife is, and "how did you get a woman like her?" I think it definitely makes up for...everything...shopping wise.

p.s. doesn't shopping just make you feel happier about your day? Anything to make me feel better about my habits.

Brazilian review

actually turned out to be a good experience! I went with my best bud/roommate from college Sasha to a quaint little spa and salon in Murray area. Of course I was soooo nervous before because we'd both heard absolute horror stories about others experiences. So I think the start was more painful because I was tensed and anxious. But once I relaxed it honestly didn't hurt. Of course, this is coming from someone who has quite a high pain tolerance. So take that as you will.

Besides the painful aspect of it, most people who knew about my appointment were secondly worried about the privacy aspect of it. But anyone whose ever gone to an OBGYN for a pap smear or yearly checkup have had to be naked like that before and it isn't that bad. Plus as the girl who did mine said, "[they] see it all day, everyday and [they] don't care."

Honestly it was an experience I plan to repeat frequently. Because let's be honest, shaving down there is not a pleasant habit. Once you start you have to continue with quick return of hair, ingrown hairs, and razor burn. I think no longer!

p.s. If you ever see groupon's or living social deals GET IT. Best deal ever!