By Popular Demand..I Give You..Yellow Door!!

RARRR!!!

Okay...a few of you have expressed interest in seeing the incredibly "obnoxious" door as Brad  has so aptly named our door.


Here we have it in all its glory..one coat in!! I am happy to report I left it looking like this for a good day because..that's how I roll kids!

This is when he first expressed interest and a comedic take on how the door looked and how we should leave it like this to bug one specific nosy neighbor.

Before you feel sorry for said neighbor I'd like to let it be known that she is quite obnoxious. We are now nearly five years into living near her (but just far enough away, thank GOD!) where she notices everything, comments on it rudely "Why can't so and so take care of her damned plants? Is it that hard to water them?"  Direct quotes as she complained about various people. Anything and everything seems to bother her. She mows  her lawn twice per week at least..obsessively and has the lines down the lawn.  Last year after Brad's hip surgery, she walked down to our house and asked "What's going on down  here?" Me: "What do you mean?" She pointed at some weeds in my flower bed, I sighed, clearly annoyed and said "You know what...I just don't give  a damn about that right now. Brad just had surgery and can't move. We do home exercises daily and physical  therapy every other day. I've got bigger things going on."  I share this with you because A) she's an extreme irritant!! and B) to show that we don't just randomly try to irritate our neigbhors. If my yellow door annoys her,  that makes me kind happy!!

"I love it, Mommy! You have great  ideas!"

BAM!! In your face!! I just added a fall wreath to it today that I believe grounds it A BIT.

My baby. Watching all that painting really wore her out.









What I'm working on now. These. Was going to sell them in my Etsy shop, decided to instead do a wall of frames behind our couch. Pics coming soon..I think I love it!!

Before!

 

 

 

 

After!

 

 

 

At least it's not orange..YET.

 

I've had the same fly in our house for three days now. THREE! Any tips would be welcome! I've tried wine in a glass, some other "home remedies" thanks to Brad..but it's still living and harrassing and yes..we all know..pooping on everything..microscopically or not, it's gross. And rude!

 

Have a great extended weekend!

 

xoxo

T

 

Yellow. Yam. Fall Color Inspiration and Ignoring Rules.

Just wanted to let you all know...I am MOVING things around in our house again! And none of it follows the rules BUT...some of it is working.


Job One: I have always disliked our dining room. It's just "eh" no matter what we've done simply because there's no natural light. Yes, I have a large mirror on the wall reflecting light from the window in the opposite room, but it's always been dark and dreary. So I moved the table into the sunroom a few days ago and bliss! I'll take some photos tomorrow to share. It's sunny and warm. I have begun working in there and using the table to make my creations. Very. Happy. The point? Why do we bother following the rules? We have hardly sat at the table in four plus years! Now I'm at it everyday and we had a rousing game night with Emerson on said table last week. His first try at Balderdash and he did very well. Was even judgemental at a certain point as he "the dasher" silently read the answer I gave to him, shook his head and said 'NICE, Auntie Tina!"


I'm also in the process of painting our front door yellow. I was going to do an orange but remembered being inspired by pumpkins back in 2005 and painting the living room of my townhome  a color called "yam". Big mistake. But see? I am victim to the changing seasons! So I settled on yellow and..damn it's bright! I'm painting over a black door, so anything will look too bright..but...as a fan of "too many  neutrals" as those close have told me..this is kinda big. Pics in a day!

image via art-paints.com. Trust me. Just say no.


TEASERS! We all need cliff hangers to make life interesting, I think.

In other news: Curtis our puppy found and ate a whole cucumber in the tall grasses beyond our backyard tonight. I could NOT get that thing out of his mouth, that kid is fast! As I researched it with fear in my gut, I read that they are non toxic. One possibility is diarrhea as he's never eaten them before. Praying for that to NOT happen tonight during my slumber! He also found a hot dog bun on our walk yesterday. I think I'm fairly quick with him and with watching..but geez! I may have had the nerve to look up at a cloud or something for three seconds...

I'm currently researching natural alternatives to ibuprofen as Brad my cute hubby is nearing his surgery date and the constant ibuprofen for pain is taking a toll. I would sincerely appreciate any help from anyone and everyone!

Rock this Tuesday, Kids!

xoxo~

T

AmazeBalls! Who Loves Cake?

That's what my BFF would say about this below.


Thanks to Pinterest for having so many fine foods, crafts, inspiration and fabulousness!

Brad's at work and I'm off to email him this recipe! Yep, he worked at a bakery in high school and still refers to certain baked goods as "Oh my god, tastes like wedding cake!"  the first time he said that I responded with  "How many wedding cakes have you HAD?"

I digress.

He loves baking.

Recipe here: http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/pumpkin_gingerbread_trifle/


Oddly enough, he finds Paula Deen annoying. I think she's beautiful and funny. Does her (former, I guess..) overuse/abuse of butters and all things fine and clogging scare me? Yes! Yes it did! I just never thought of the way she ate as everyday eating or food. I WANTED to, but common sense told me no. And I guess diabetes told her the same thing.



Can you ever really plan too far ahead? I mean, I make lists. I lose them. I don't get through the lists I am ABLE to keep, so they get longer and added to new lists. The point: I've gotta plan for all of this now or we all know it's NEVA going to happen!

Recipe: http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/monster-munch-recipe.htm\



Pumpkin love!

Recipe: http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2011/09/14/pumpkin-roundup/

I'm not exactly sure why I'm all UP in Fall's behind. Normally I am sad at summer's end/close. I fear the darkness of winter here in Minnesota. This year I'm planning on painting my front door orange, have bought mums in mid August and am dusting off my fall wreath. I don't get it either!  Then I go back and think "I should have swam more this summer. Yes, it was too damned hot, but I will regret not doing more cannonballs come January!"

Where am I going with this? I don't know either. Seems I'm off course!

Anyway...have a fabulous weekend everyone! Brad and I were busted at our local McDonald's drive thru after the girl making and giving cones/working the food window smiled and Brad said "you see us here almost everynight!"  I started to laugh, she smiled and then said "See you guys tomorrow!"

Busted! 

I'm off to eat a piece of carrot cake. I told you I LOVE cakes!

xxoo~

T

Last Year's Lamb and Hot Dog

It's a bit early, but I am currently gathering ideas for the sweet doggie costumes for Curtis and Daisy this year.

Last year, little six month old Curtis was a lamb. He was NOT happy. But my god..he looked adorable! This costume stayed on him for maybe 5 minutes before he tore it off.

On the other hand, Miss  Daisy was a largish hot dog and seemed almost..happy in costume! She was the one I thought was going to give me problems. But she walked around in it for awhile and seemed almost proud. Curtis is next to her in a little pumpkin costume here. Didn't like that one either and somehow shoved his little front arm and paw out of it in two seconds flat!


So the question is: how do you get your dogs to go along with this? I just think it would be fun to keep them in character (if you will!) for ten minutes..a stroll down the street as the kids are heading out to trick or treat. Suggestions?

Emerson is here and I think I hear ice cream cones calling our names!

Happy Wednesday!!

xxoo~

T

Madison Turns Twelve!

My sweet little niece Madison turned 12 last week! Sunday was her family bday party and it did NOT disappoint!

M-Dog is her nickname. It's what we yell at her gymnastics meets. Don't DARE call her Maddie! ;-)




In true bday party form, we all got on her trampoline for some fun. Sadly, I took a lot of the photos so you won't be able to see me rocking some serious moves! I have to be honest and say that it's A)Scary to be the heaviest person on the trampoline. At times I was WAY too high in the air for my own comfort and B) I realized after jumping for a bit and feeling winded "Wow..I think I may be out of shape and need to turn up the mph on my treadmill workouts!"

Emerson, Andrew and Nick (all of my nephews) on the trampoline...

Man Down!!

Nick and Em! They did this move as a joke because when Emerson was smaller, he loved the trampoline but ONLY If Nick ( or me or his mom or another cousin) was holding him while jumping. So he essentially enjoyed I guess...a trampoline "ride" back in the day! I was teasing him about it before the party, so they yelled "Tina! Look!" and I got this! Hilarious!

She's staring at Andrew like this because he had just shoved two pieces of birthday cake in his mouth, at once. True "Andrew Style!" and his little face was blue as was his left eye area for unknown reasons. How did the cake get THERE? Picture here does not do the actual look justice!!

Me and my niece Kirsten. She is lovely! Smart, kind and just returned from Costa Rica. She's about to begin her final year of college and she'll be a teacher when she's finished.

Happy 12th Birthday, Sweet Madison! You are good, kind, smart and very loved!!

HOLLA!!

xoxo~

T

Hilarious Pinterest Finds!

Thanks to my lil charmer and best pal...Kim San for forwarding me these hilarious and fabulous Pinterest finds!

Get ready to giggle!

Who hasn't slapped their mother with pizza while trying to save her?

Ahh...the excitement of the young!

Dream house wishes, Harry Potter Style:

I'm off to eat large quantities of something! Sadly, it will probably be salad although I would prefer another Belgian Waffle! Had one this morning with my nephew. He is fantastic and very, very fun. Also..I'm exhausted. His excitement is both  motivational and very tiring!

Wine and Salad! Living Large!

xoxo~

T

Why Are We All So Tired?

Seriously?

Miss Daisy "I can barely keep my eyes open."

Curtis. "Good God, I am exhausted after breakfast."

I feel the same way!  Two cups of coffee into this day and Mamma is still overly tired!

Sidebar: When I run out of coffee and/or creamer I'll hit either the drive thru Caribou OR McDonalds.  Sadly, their coffees and espressos are just not as strong as what I make here. I think I may make ONE crazy cup of coffee with enough coffee beans for five people. It gets me going! But I forget that when I run out, I should order two or tell Caribou "Please moose the CRAP out of this one!"

These two are so funny because they nap (to me) at the BEST times of the day! Between Noon and 2- 3PM both are exhausted. I always feel like that's the best hang outdoors time/walking time unless it's crazy hot. The point: They're RUINING it! Kidding. They know what they like...and they like a good nap!

In other news..I will be hanging with my nephew Emerson for the next few days. Who knows what we'll do? One thing is for sure: No more Minecraft! I am happy he loves the game and can build rollercoasters and cities, but he gets wayyy too involved to the point where you're asking "Are you hungry? Thirsty? You haven't peed in hours!" So today...Crafts! I"m kidding..but something different.

Rock this Tuesday, Peeps!

xoxo~

T

Possible Halloween Costume!

Just the other day Brad and I were trying to plan out some possible Halloween costume ideas.

I think I came up with a winner for this year...and here he is!

Photo via http://www.jackfroot.com/2011/02/the-hangover-madness-of-mr-chow-aka-ken-jeong/


Mr. Chow from the Hangover movies! LOL!

Brad said "How will we get you to look asian?"

Instead of answering the question I responded with "I understand that he's much more petite than I am, but I think with the right white jumpsuit, heels, sunglasses and wig, I can make it work!"

Just the idea leaves me extremely excited!

Not to mention, there are only a few lines I need to say from the first movie..something along the lines of  "All you mother$$$$$$s!"

Happy Sunday!

xxoo~

T

Honey Boo Boo Show?

Hola Compadres!

Just last week I was minding my own biz...watching "What Not To Wear" on TLC when..lo and behold...a commercial for a show with Lil Miss Honey Boo Boo came on. I was horrified. I was intrigued. I have never watched "Toddlers and Tiaras" and I can say with absolute confidence that I never will.

The point?

Who WAS this Honey Boo Boo? I watched. Intrigued.

Scared.

Horrified.

I may have giggled uncomfortably.

I hit the rewind button to watch the promo again.

I send Brad a text while he was at work "Who IS Honey Boo Boo? Do you want me to record this for you while you're working? Discuss."

Oddly enough, my hubby had seen the previews as well.

I guess her big catchphrase is "A dolla make me holla!"  and the constant combo of  Mountain Dew and Red Bull brings out her "sassy side". It's just bizarre to me.

Photo via: http://www.andersoncooper.com/2012/06/01/honey-boo-boo-gets-her-own-reality-show/





Does anyone else find this horribly depressing?

Image via http://memegenerator.net/Honey-Boo-Boo-Child


And..I'm off!!



Happy Saturday, Kids.

xxoo~

T

My BFF

I'm off to see my lovely girl today...Kimster..Paduwan..Shazzeriffic... I'm sure I will have "legendary tales" to share after today!

The things we will do!

"Oh! The places you will go!"

She lives an hour away, so once I make the drive I like to tell her "I'd like for you to drive me around your hood a la Driving Miss Daisy! Think of me as Jessica Tandy and YES..I'll be riding in the backseat!"

I can FEEL the envy!

Have a great day everyone!

xxoo~

T

Latest Obsession. Mc Cone Crazy!

Not sure if it's the heat, the hormones or WHAT..but I can't stop eating these:

Photo credit via: http://withsummerlove.com/2010/06/27/mcdonalds-ice-cream-cone/


I honestly think I've had at least one a day if not TWO somedays (GASP!) because..well...Brad forces me to go for nice, summer-y car rides with him and we just end up there; ;-)



To make the whole situation crazy messy, I've begun ordering the chocolate dipped. I ordered it once, I was driving. One never gets enough  napkins (ARE there enough napkins? It can hardly survive the 5 minute drive home.) and it turns into this:

So Brad and I laughed at the mess and I said "I'm going to stick with the regular one."

Fast forward to a few days later and I ordered the chocolate dipped one AGAIN while he asked "but I thought it was too messy?" and I said something akin to "It now seems like something I must master."

And..drumroll please....

I made it home without a drip or chocolate chunk ON me!

What did happen instead: I took the garbage out and got egg shells and egg goo all over my foot and new skirt! It was gross. The skirt was new..from the Goodwill. I was there to buy frames and saw it and had to have it. At $3.99 it was a bargain AND the best part: A comfy knit! If you've read this blog for a bit, you know of my deep affinity for comfy knits. It is made of SWEATSHIRT material! Has a little cute "flip" at the end of it..and again..it's a SWEATSHIRT, but a skirt! "Looks like a pump, feels like a sneaker!"

Does it say "Mildly dressy yet ready to party and/or spill a cone or egg on this?" It DO!

Yes..I will photograph it. It needs to be washed first.

Yes..when Brad touched the fabric yesterday and realized it was a sweatpant, I do believe he may have been just a WEE bit jealous.

Unrelated sidebar: He has to have hip surgery again next month. :-(  He's only 40, so it's a genetic issue that he didn't realize he had until he was in tremendous pain last year and we found out. Has to do with the way his hipbone and socket connect together, the cartilage and the shape is incorrect so eventually the bone gets "stuck" as it's rotating. Last year it was his right, this year it's his left. Please if you can..send prayers for his left hip,love and light. The kid deserves a break. He'll have to get the surgery, but I am hoping for an easier road to recovery this time that is far less painful than 2011. So..if you will..bring it.

I will do my part by feeding us cones over here.

Happy Monday!

Holla!

xxoo~

T

How I Roll

This will be quick...this here idea was spawned from yes...Pinterest folks! I actually followed through and created a little area for our many orphaned socks...

What I love: The juxtaposition between the pink of the sock holder and Brad's man socks.

Who says it has to be perfect? I'd say at least...six or seven pairs of socks have been saved because of this architectural gem! I do have to admit that JUST FOR FUN yesterday...I put one of Brad's socks matched with one of Emerson's socks (our nine year old nephew) because it made me laugh. I know it annoys him at times, but I find it funny. It's also my way of getting back at him when I'm the solo laundry attendant (when he works nights and 5 in a row, he basically works from 7pm-7:30am, comes home, sleeps, goes to work.) and he throws every t-shirt he's ever owned into the laundry. The man has MANY shirts. Scuba diving shirts, shirts from Jamaica, Mexico, Bahamas, The Great Ball of Yarn in the USA (gotcha!)..you get the idea. So many, that one day while folding shirts, I am not embarrassed (nor am I proud) to share that I threw one while yelling "How many F-ing t-shirts can you HAVE? Huh?" Not at him. That would have been rude. Plus, he wasn't home. Just yelled that into the air/ether.

Put that one in your cap.

Spending the day working on work projects and then am going to hit the backyard with these two. Currently on hour two of their afternoon fiesta.

These are their Turn Down Snacks. Fill them with goldfish crackers and peanut butter. Freeze for a few hours. Keeps them busy before bedtime. Curtis then steals Daisy's, takes it with him behind the couch where Daisy is too big to fit..and then brings them both back angrily at my feet. I think he comes back demanding more peanut butter. How rude! ;-)

Have a great weekend!
xoxo

T

I'm Still Alive And Other Things

I'm still here!!

I've been a bit ill this week. Without going into too many details, a lot if it has to do with cramps, weird crying jags, eating lots of donuts, red velvet (mini!) cupcakes from our friends at Target...and watching some Lifetime television in between "sleeps".

For those who are interested: The generic "Twinkies" that they sell at Walmart are "eh". Not so good. They do not have the full/chemical Hostess Twinkie flavor. So it let's you down. Down. Down.


This photo is from Monday. I felt fine then. Hey! My roots are black! So I did this: I flipped my part to the opposing side! Worked for a good day! Look at the falls! Look at my Starbucks frappuccino! Jealous?!

Brad was supposed to have a CPR class for work in Minneapolis and I went with. No time like the present to practice on a dummy for future scary situations.




No. We decided we'd have lunch and do fun stuff in and around the city after his class. So we went to visit the Minnehaha Falls near Lake Nokomis. Bradders had never seen them.

Look! Another one of our famous self shots! The best part here? Afterward I said "I don't think we even have the falls behind us here. We could be anywhere..."

Here they are!!


It was a very beautiful and very hot 90 degree day. I'd say a good ten degrees cooler in the shade!


During my illness Brad made me breakfast in bed, took care of the baby dogs, did tons of laundry but what we both forgot? Garbage day on Thursday morning! If you don't get it out there by 6:30AM, you're stuck with your steaming garbage for another week. The best part? Wednesday night we drove to get ice cream cones. On the way back, I passed judgement on our neighbors saying (as I have many times before as they are only two people and their motto is "go big or go home") "Good god! How can two people emit so much damned garbage?" as I saw their huge and overflowing garbage can, with added garbage on the side and all over.

Why this is funny? It never occurred to me "oh..that garbage is out because tomorrow is garbage day!" so we have now spent the last day making fun of OURSELVES. That's what you get for being a judgemental bastard (me!)..dirty garbage. It smelled so bad (food items, etc.. lots of cooking..or "Hunger Me Cookin" for Kim! Special sauce! Special message!) we had to move it out of the garage and on the driveway.

Anyway..doesn't make the neighbor less douchebaggy..maybe it just makes me douchebag jr.? Who knows? Jury's out. Whenever Brad tells me "You're so nice" I always say "Opinions vary, Kid." For the most part I am kind. I want to be. There are certain people I've realized I just don't like. These are the gray areas that make a lot of us uncomfy. It is what it is. I take solace in the fact that the few peeps I don't enjoy here...well..my dogs seem to naturally feel the same way without any prodding from me. They pick up on energy and other things that we humans aren't good at. So..I can't be that off.  Both dogs go out of their way to TRY and attack said man. They never get to his house. But they have tried...

Where am I going with this? I don't know.

On to other things..I DID try and buy the doggies a small kiddie pool at Walmart last week. They stopped selling them weeks ago! Lesson: you snooze, you lose!!

I"m off to run errands and to see the world again!

Have a lovely  Friday!

xxoo-

T