Tail-Gate-ing

How do YOU define "Tailgating"?

Coming from TN, we used to tailgate in High School to all of the football games. We'd all meet at the Minute Mart (or was it Mini Mart?), right down the road from our beloved Clarksville High, and get in one LONG line to go to the football game.  We'd have our faces painted, ripped clothing on, posters made, hair up, horns honking, toilet paper/paper mache, painted cars, and lots of YELLING....we were ready to go to the game IN STYLE. Now...the tailgating happened just as it says...we rode in trucks, with the tailgates down, one behind the other.  We rode together, tailgate to tailgate until we arrived to support our team!  Now THAT is what true tailgating is...to me.

However, this weekend, I went to my first Mizzou Football game, and attended my first ever tailgating experience Mizzou style.  Let me tell you something...I was cracking up!  This is where we had to park, and we were 2 hours early:

Not even kidding...the stadium is about a mile in front of us!  And yes...they even had a bike lane for bikers...but I swear it's for game day...so people don't get ran over!!!  So...where does the "tailgating" part come in, you say? ...well, as we headed up the hill, every few cars or so, we'd see a small gap in between the cars (and no...I didn't bust out my camera for a shot or two). People had put out their lawn chairs, plugged in their radios, and busted out their coolers...full of sandwiches and booze!  ha ha ha!!!  I about died...the whole way to the game we heard, "Hi there!  How's it going?  Go Tigers! Go Mizzou!"  It was quite the site. So, they'd open up their "tailgate" or trunk, and eat outta their car, while enjoying lots of CARS passing them by....(hmmmm...doesn't sound like fun to me...am I missing something, here?) 

Anyway, we had on our walking shoes and kept heading up the hill, to meet Steven's work crew (at 10:30am), who'd been "tailgating" since about 8am that morning.  At 12:15, this is what they looked like, all drunk & hootin n hollerin all kinds of obscenities:

They were all parked up in the lot next to the stadium...their SUVs had brought all kinds of food & beverages, and everyone was just chillin!  You know you're Mormon when the first thing that come outta someone's mouth is..."Hey, Steve...how's it going?...aww, man...I don't think I brought sodas with me....there are just a few waters around here somewhere, though."  ha ha ha...at least someone was thinking about us!

Anyway, we went to the game & it was a LOT of fun!  We stayed until half time, and then we left.  Talk about a strange way to tailgate!  But it sure was a good time for good laughs, great fun, and lots of beverages!

New American Idol Judge

Well, I certainly was nervous about this one!

I REALLY thought Paula was gonna come back to the Idol stage, but it turns out...

I WAS wrong!

Ellen Degeneres....who'da thunk?

Not me.

Well, what kind of credentials does she have?  Check out this routine of hers here:

So, what did you think of it?  I thought it was really funny!  ha ha!  

Actually, I DO remember a night when she was a "guest judge" and she was very funny (or wait a minute...was that on dancing w/ the stars?  SYTYCD?  hmmmm...can't remember).  She actually had great things to say, and it was a "night to remember".  

This season, I'll certainly miss Paula!  BUT, at least we'll get some good laughs outta Ellen.

MY STYLE

I normally don't do QUIZZES, but in light of my recent & crazy experiences from HELL (with bugs, of course), I ended up taking a fun lil quiz (thanks, Beverly)

Go here to take the quiz.

(ps- if you want to post your results, paste them into a Word document first, then paste them here...just FYI).

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Tamara, you are an Earthy Casual

You're interested in creating a welcoming home where people feel comfortable and happiness flourishes. You appreciate the warmth and individuality of natural materials and handcrafted things and are inspired by colors and forms from nature. You love mixing up different textures and are sensitive to the tactile qualities of objects. Your style is grounded and solid, not flighty or frilly. And you are never taken in by the trend of the moment.

You value comfort. Your home is a warm and open friendly place, and you feel happiest when everyone is cared for and relaxed in your space. Elements like pillows, throws, overstuffed furniture, and good lighting set the mood. You may also enjoy layering different fabrics or mixing patterns to create a cozy effect.

Putting your style to work!

With your style and needs in mind, here are a few tips to make your home a little happier: 

1. Your Design Challenge: UNIFY The good news is, you probably have many things you love and have collected, and no one would ever say your home is boring! You've done the hard part; now you just need to pull it all together. If your furniture seems like a mish-mash, unify it through similar upholsters or slipcovers. When grouping objects, try to find something they have in common. If they share a shape, color or material, they will look like a collection. A tray is every decorator's secret weapon for making groups of small objects look purposeful and sculptural. If your accessories are all over the map, try subduing the upholstery or wall color, so your small items are the stars.

2. Your Happy Place Make this room as comfortable and inviting as possible by bringing in some real furniture like an armchair or a sofa if you have the space. A little lamp on the counter or decorative hanging light can set the mood. Stools are great perches and can easily be moved around. Don't forget to bring your personality and style into this room: hang some art or display a collection of family photos in mixed frames. Consider bold, happy colors in the kitchen as well, like brightly colored pots and pans, big bowls for corralling fruits and vegetables, and trays for spices, oils, teas and pepper mills.

3. Be Party-Ready All the Time! Food: Devote space in your pantry or on a shelf for go-to party essentials: crackers, dip, chips, nuts—whatever you like to serve. Keep on hand a collection of attractive bowls and cocktail napkins, and you'll be able to set a spread—instantly!

Drink: The simplest and chicest thing is to have a drinks tray or table always set up. Include a mix of pretty glasses, an ice bucket, a lovely pitcher, and bottles of soda and water. When the bell rings, just add ice and limes.

Mood: Nice, flattering light makes us feel good. So nix the harsh, direct light from overhead fixtures in favor of the softer glow from floor and table lamps. Also, keep some votive candles and a couple of hurricane lanterns for setting around the room.

Scent: The first thing you notice about a home is how it smells. Use naturally fragrant cleaning products. If you find a scented candle or fresh potpourri you love, stock up on it. Any scent you like, whether perfume or linen spray, can be used on upholstery, bedding or just spritzed into the air.

You know your style.

oh. mY. GOsh. GROSS!!!

It is a three day weekend.

All is supposed to be nice & relaxing.

RIGHT?

Well, mine didn't start out quite so nice:

Imagine waking up to a nice, cool morning.  

(*ahhhhhh*)

I thought to myself...I should open up the windows and let some fresh air in as I work on my lesson plans and school work I need to get done this semester.

To my surprise, I went to the computer room and found not-so-cute BUGS crawling all over the curtains, blinds, WALLS, everywhere around the window, in the window, on the sill, everywhere!  

GROOOOOOOSSSSSS!!!!!

So, I go downstairs and get out my can of RAID and sprayed the crap outta them!  *die, sucka...DIE*...I was literally yelling and getting so excited to kill the dern things, yet I was completely grossed out by the fact that there were literally hundreds of these things infesting my cute lil apartment!  

So, while Steven was at work, I decided to drown them in RAID and leave the hideous sight for my husband to see when he got home (I needed some sympathy for seeing such a disgusting site, and taking care of it myself...right?!?!). Well, I just couldn't stand it any longer...I just cleaned it up a few hours ago and found MORE pouring out a small hole in the right hand corner of the window!  I couldn't believe it!!

So, for your viewing pleasure (or...just in case you don't believe me), here are the soon-to-be-famous-pics of my not-so-great comedy-tradgedy this morning:

First, the ziploc bag where the "winged ants" will remain, as proof of what I encountered this morning.  Apparently, when bug men are called, it's helpful if they have a specimen to work with.  Nasty!  Whatever...I just did my job.  You can thank me later.

Second, the few that came out, risking their lives and mourning the loss of their amigos who had just been put in the ziploc...here are the last brave few who ended up drowning and joining their amigos in the ziploc:

I did it again...

My hair is almost ALL GONE!

SOOOO..I decided to get it cut & colored before school begins.

Here's how it all started:

ME: "Could you do it like you did last time, only make it a bit darker in color?"

Her: "Well, what was it exactly that I did last time?"

ME: "You know, kind of A-lined, stacked in the back, not TOO short, but longer in the front, and a little off-the-shoulders-ish."

Her: "Oh yeah! Ok, that will look good. Now, you said you wanted to go dark, right? How about a little red in it, too? That will look great!"

ME: "Sure! I love reds! I trust you, so just do whatever you think would be best!"

So...here you have it! 2 hours and 2 1/2 inches later...not exactly what I expected, but nonetheless...
So what do I think about it now?

1. I AM still getting used to it, so I'll let you know in a day or two.

2. Little darker than I expected, although I like the redish tones in it!

3. WAAAAY shorter than I expected.

4. It'll grow out fast...always does!!

5. I HATE the way it smells after it is freshly colored! yuck!

Wonderful time of year

This is one of my favorite times of year...and no, it's not because of the weather!

I like it because...

school is over

spending time with friends & family

peaches (and other fruits) are in ripe & yummy

SunShine

swimming

Beaches

Getting a tan

Memories of one of my favorite days

Loads of beautiful lily pads

Visiting Historic Nauvoo

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Yes, Steven & I recently celebrated our 2nd Anniversary. It's our little tradition to go to Nauvoo, attend the temple, see the sights, get eaten by bugs, and just sit and "get away" in a small town.

We did a few things for the first time on this trip:

-eat at the most talked out buffet of the Nauvoo Inn. The salad bar is pretty shabby, but the "hot bar" was something to speak of...fried chicken, lobster, fish, delicious cinnamon rolls, casseroles, and freshly cut meats...yummy yummy!

- we drove down Parley Street and read through lots of the names of the pioneers that died on the trek out west. It was amazing to see that there were literally thousands of names!

Well, we didn't take lots of pictures, but I'll post a few to share of our trip. Most of these were made by my "auto-pilot" function on the camera, so they aren't great quality or anything, but hey--they are pictures, right?!?!?!

1. Here we are, relaxing at the Hampton Inn, in Keokuk, Iowa. We had just checked in, and decided to snap a shot before heading up to Nauvoo to do some shopping!

2. I told you...I LOVE lily pads. Seriously, they are my favorite plant. I'd never seen them in person before, until I went to Nauvoo. The road to Nauvoo is right by the river, and you can see these lining the highway for about 10 miles or so. So beautiful, and well worth the trip!

3. Ok, so this area was roped off, and there were bugs EVERYWHERE! Steven was getting nervous that someone would come by and we'd get in trouble (I don't know if you were really supposed to get up in the wagon), but I needed a picture of me in one. So, here it is! Vio-la!

4. Seriously, it took us 10 minutes to get this shot! It was so hot outside, and I didn't have a great place to sit. So, this is the best one...please ignore the messy hair and rolls. Gotta love pics by the river!

5. Souvenirs. Every year, for our anniversary I wanted to get something memorable. Something that would be useful...something that wouldn't rust, die, or collect dust just sitting on a shelf. This has become one of our favorite traditions in Nauvoo--shopping from store to store, trying to find the "perfect" gift for ourselves. Last year, we couldn't find one BIG gift for us, so we decided on two separate smaller gifts, and this year we did the same.

For me, I bought the above...three little iron stars. I will use them to decorate the walls of my home. Haven't decided exactly where yet, but I'm excited to put them some place special. As for Steven, he purchased the book below. He LOVES reading, and has already been caught flipping through the pages.

And there you have it...for better or for worse, our weekend in a nutshell (or blog post, if you will). Hope your weekend was fun!

New Shampoo

Introducing....

Aveeno Natural Shampoo & Conditioner.

I really enjoy trying new Shampoos.  Maybe I'm even addicted. It seems like everytime I get a new haircut (which I need to do soon), I try a new shampoo.  The kind I just finished using was Bath & Body Works.  I REALLY like their hair care products as well, but they were not on sale this week, so I went to Wal-Mart to check out their selection.

I browsed the isle for quite some time, sniffing and smelling the many varieties they have. This one was the first one that caught my attention, and it's the one I ended up purchasing. I've been using it for 2 days now, and my hair has NEVER been so soft and luscious looking!

The smell...refreshing!

The before & after...amazing!

Try it!  You won't be disappointed!