Did you survive thanksgiving? Have you come out of your food induced coma? lol

I have been “window shopping” again online and thought I would let you in on a few deals that are out there. Yeah I know, I am super nice. Below are a few promo codes that will get you free shipping on your orders. I think humanity is at its worst during the holiday season…. Keep your sanity and stay out of the stores.

Sephora- free shipping on all orders thru Monday, November 30. Enter SHIP4FREE at checkout.

SallyBeauty-Save 20% on all orders Monday, November 30! Use promo code 555945. Also free shipping on all orders starting now.

Alloy-20% off all orders for 2 more days. Use code CYBR20

E.L.F.- 75% off cases and elemnets. Use code EH75CE, 75% off minerals. Use code EHCMM. Plus get free gift wrap!

There are lots of these deals out there, these are just the ones that were in my InBox this morning! Happy shopping everyone!!

I have two new babies! (No we haven’t adopted more animals)

So some of you know I have been busier than normal. “But she doesn’t have a job, what could she be busy doing?” Glad you asked. With the help of my tech savy BF I have started two new websites. Yes, two! So without further ado, let me introduce you to my two new babies….

SweaterFood- because you can have your comfort food and eat it too

I started www.sweaterfood.com because like most people I crave comfort food, but dislike what it can do to my hips if made traditionally. This site will show my attempts at making cozy, comfort foods in a healthy way. By substituting healthier ingredients for old standbys the dishes can be just as good, if not better.

CookingSchoolDropout- you don’t need to go to cooking school to be a great cook

While cooking school was a great life experience for me, I didn’t finish it. Life and money got in the way. But I have continued to educate myself since then, and believe that anyone can learn to be a better cook or baker with the right knowledge. www.CookingSchoolDropout.com  will focus on techniques and methods that can be used in many ways. I will have articles on cooking styles, methods, techniques, and foods. I also plan to showcase different cooks out there from TV and even YouTube that are showing everyday people that they can be a chef in their own home.  

They both are a work in progress but I am very proud of them and have been having blast getting them started. So check them out. Tell your friends and family; especially the ones that are scared of the kitchen.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

I am Christmas shopping!!! Just like last year, the bulk of my purchases are being made online. I have come across soooo many great gifts for my friends and family. The hard thing about browsing online….you find entirely too many gifts! So below are some of the favorite things I have found, but won’t be purchasing for a lack of recipients.

 I adore This bowl!!! Check out her other items on Etsy!

 For that friend with a sweet tooth there is nothing better than handmade treats. You don’t have to even get your kitchen dirty. This fudge looks wonderful doesn’t it?

Neices, Nephews, kids with friends, who am I kidding….even grown ups would like these!

Personalized gifts are always a hit, and this price can’t be beat. This would be perfect tied around the neck of a bottle of wine with a nice bow. Gift, done! 

This ring is so romantic! Statement rings are like a great handbag; they can MAKE the outfit!

 This cup makes me smile!

Dont forget the stocking stuffers!

Never in a million years would I have thought I would see this. They even have bacon and cupcake flavors!!!

Friend request accepted? Click Here

An action figure for a grown up, this is tacky and fun.

So there you go. 

Hopefully you will be able to gift these since I can’t.

I ran across a link to THIS site today and had to pass it on. It is a well written post by Patrick Maguire on his site I’m your Server, NOT your Servant. I am writing about this mainly because in this small town at the typical home cooking style restaurants, kinda food your mom used to make, I see people pull this shit all the time.   The way some of these people treat their servers is disgusting. And it must be pretty routine and common because I have never seen a server put them in their place. One of the many, many reasons I was never good at being wait staff. I was better in the kitchen, hidden away….

I wish this list could be posted around town so maybe some of the rude assholes would take note. Yes, this is for upscale dining but I am of the mind that manners (and simple human decency) should be used if you are eating in a five star place or eating a sandwich and chips in the park. I have seen chimps at the zoo with better manners than some of the people around here. It’s shameful , really.

Friday night I was minding my own business reading in the bedroom when my usually quiet house erupted in loud barks and snarls followed by cried of pain. Half a second later Bleu was crawling in my lap like a little kid that fell off his bike. He kept pawing at his eye. I couldn’t see anything wrong with it, but could tell he was hurt. I waited until he calmed down to examine the eye a little better with Adam’s better vision help. His eye was bleeding. More specifically the upper eyelid was split! Horrified I went to check and see how Piper faired in the little brawl and saw that he had a nice bleeding gash under his eye. Geez, Kids! What do you do?
Thing is it made me think. The dogs had a big blow up and then it was over. They were friends and brothers again. I’ve never been a violent person; just never understood the whole physical fighting thing. I preferred verbal battles. But just as the dogs fight has left them with scars so too can the verbal variety. A few phrases can leave a wound that lasts years. Proof? “You will end up and old maid with 100 cats, you’ll never get married”, “Do you really think you are mother material?” Those two zingers have stuck with me for years. And as I have mentioned before if you hear things enough you will believe them. So I did. I decided I would never get married or have children.
When I was young my dream was to be a mommy. I wanted to grow up and get married and have a family. I wanted a house full of boys, the perfect husband, picket fence; the whole nine yards. Fast-forward a decade or so and my reality is not quite what I had always dreamed of. Because I let those hurtful words dictate my life. Marriage was for suckers. And kids? Are you kidding? I decided I didn’t have the maternal instinct.
Friday night my childhood dreams came back to me. And I FINALLY took my own advice. I believe in superheroes and believe I can be one. Not tomorrow, but someday.

When do we lose our can do/be anything mindset?

As children we didn’t think about HOW we would become what we wanted. We only thought about what we wanted to be. We dreamed we could be anything. The world was ours. We were going to be great people and do great things. Whether it was being a teacher, the president of the USA, a mommy, a doctor….even a superhero we only knew that was what we were going to be. The thought of how we would become that probably didn’t enter into thought. And then someone comes along and says “this is reality”. I think that’s the moment we lose that mindset. The day someone tells you that you can’t do something without doing such and such…. Or maybe you were told superheroes don’t exist…. you can’t be a mommy, you have to get a job…. a doctor has to go to school for a LONG time, you aren’t smart enough for that…. All of these negative thoughts are pushed on us. And we believe them. The moment we start to think about the how, we lose the “I will”. Even as adults we are told we can’t do things. When you are told something enough you believe it. And the moment you believe it, you give it the power. It will never be. But what if we decided to think like a child again? What if today we decided that superheroes DO exist? If we decided that the how wasn’t as important as the what. Ask what do I want? What brings me joy? And then decide to do it. It doesn’t have to be a huge change; something as simple as painting your nails could bring you joy. It’s really the simple things that can bring the most happiness. And those few moments of joy can override a bad day in an instant.

Remember your smile may be the only one someone sees today….

I have been growing my hair out for two years with plans on donating it to Locks of Love when it reached the desired length. Well ladies and gents its almost there!! And it could not have happened too soon. It is driving me nuts. It’s just too long; it just hangs there. So I am on a mission to find the perfect cut. And I need your help. Below are a few inspiration pics I have found. Let me know what ones you like. Better yet if you find a photo of a great style you think will look great on me, send it my way.

Yesterday Adam and I went to Oklahoma City. It was a gorgeous day!  We got to watch his sister’s high school band march for their state competition. After their performance we spent the afternoon hanging out with his mom. It was nice getting to just hang out and talk. We usually are on such a tight itinerary that it is hard to just enjoy everyone. Before we left that morning I used the secret’s teachings to think about how the day would go; Lots of positive thoughts and hopes.  I also decided to test it a bit. I wanted to see if I could get a free coffee.  Silly, but the small things can make you smile just as well as the big things. Well I didn’t get a free coffee but I did get a free tea! Actually we all got free drinks from the little place. SCORE!  We later had a nice dinner with his mom and then we were back on our way home. I am usually horrible on road trips.  But I am learning to really enjoy my trips with Adam. I find that we talk more in the car and usually will talk more about topics that wouldn’t otherwise come up in our daily conversations. I always end up learning something new about him. We talked about some of our goals and dreams for the future. Its conversations like these that make me realize what a great team we are. I am one lucky girl!

I had to pass this on as it will be the only time ANYONE sees Adam dance!!!

If you haven’t been to JibJab, go take a look. They have some seriously great ecards!!

Yes it’s been a long time. I haven’t been myself lately. Ninety some odd days ago I accepted a job. Looking back I knew it wasn’t the best decision for me. But I wanted to have a job so badly I ignored my instincts.  NEVER again. I spoke about this previously, click here to refresh your memory. I can not stress enough how strongly I feel about following your instincts. They are given to us for a reason.

Today I took back control. So while I am once again unemployed, this time I am happy about it. I had become so unhappy I didn’t feel like myself anymore. Every day when I woke up I immediately started to feel anxious. I hated being at work. I cried at the drop of a hat. To be honest I felt like I was losing it.

One thing that helped to calm me down was a book I had been reading. You may have heard of the movie The Secret. I’ve yet to see it, (it’s on my Netflix list!) but the book is so inspiring. I won’t spoil the surprise but I highly recommend it. Seriously, every home needs one. So I started following some of the techniques I learned in the book. Ya know what? My mood began to change. I noticed that more positive things happened. I began to think clearly and see what I needed to do. So I did. And because I believed it would end in a good way, it did. I am so lucky. I have a wonderful boyfriend and family that love and support me. I caught myself crying in my car today, which lately hasn’t exactly been a rare occurrence. The difference today, I wept tears of joy; Of relief. My mother said the smartest thing today. When I told her I made my decision because I wanted to be happy again she replied with “that’s all that life is about. Living life to be happy and hopefully sharing your happiness with others.” So smart, that lady!!  

So, I hope to be back on here more, spreading a little happiness. Maybe a lot!

Have you seen The Secret? Have your read the book? What changes have you brought to your life because of it?!