Second Letter

I GOT INTO GRAD SCHOOL! Waaaa hooooo! :-) Now, I must meet with my advisor. Sweet, sweet, sweet escape!

I want to kiss whoever discovered the "Dollar Menu"

Can you guess what this is? This is my lunch. E-v-ery day. Some think it is strange that I eat a snack wrap *grilled w/ honey mustard* for lunch. C'mon it's just $1 and it's not that bad. Admitting that it is delicious is a little far-fetched. But, my savings account thanks me for it. A weeks worth of lunch is $5 opposed to $24 for ordering a combo of McDonalds menu. AND the saved calories. Some laugh, some say I'm being too frugal, some make jokes about "where ya gonna eat lunch today?" but that's OK. I am still breathing and my belly gets just enough to get me to suppertime. It may be a little extreme to only go to McDonalds vs. Burger King...but now it is a habit and part of my daily routine. The window workers would miss me and miss the little chuckle they get when they see me at the drive through. Hey, a gals gotta do what a gals gotta do right?

Need a New Dress

I attended my first belly dancing class today. It is going to be a very unique experience. My arms and legs were burning! I will continue through this month and will hopefully continue.

I need your help! I must find a fabulous dress. Art on the Rocks is coming up in a few weeks. It is a fashionable night and I must look snazzy. Not over the top. Prom dresses are not welcome. Just something modern and classy. $$Money$$ wise it doesn't need to be outrageous - but it does need to be made from a well-know designer or from a well know store. I would hate to be interviewed and asked where I bought my dress, shoes, and jewlery and have to answer 'ROSS' or 'KOHLS'! So, let me know if you see or think of something hott!

Ciao,
Shakira

Aahhhh! Got a Letter in the Mail

I come home from work and check the mail - of course to see if I have been accepted to Grad School. And I see this:

Ok...deep breath. It's not an admissions letter, but it does let me know that they have received my request and it also tells me which pre-reqs I will have to take once accepted.

Not too shabby. Look at all of them A's and B's! :) Well, except for the C in MIS...that was my lazy semester and it was well worth it.

All I will need is 4 hours of science and an ED410 class (Teaching of Reading) to start Grad School. Whew! I was thinking that I may need more. Now I just have to stalk my mailbox for a few more weeks until I receive an acceptance letter!! One step closer....one step closer...

My Second Job

This is my 100th post! Whoa. I just realized this.

I also realized that I have a HUGE second job. That my friends, is keeping up the house. You can chuckle all you want to. But this is serious. See what happens when everyone is gone during the day...and droves of people hang out on the weekend...what you are about to witness is not pretty. My second job is a toughie. This beast of a house is ridiculious. Considering that we are fairly clean, and clean up after ourselves DAILY you wouldn't think it would become a big deal. Welp - here is what I get to work with just tonight...

First I must celebrate!

I brought this African Violet back to life using leftover coffee. I wish I had a before picture. It was completely dead. Dead brown flowers and leaves. Now look!

This is the clean laundry

This is the dirty laundry

The room is completely broken in

The jungle

The house is spotless one day. The next a train wreck. There is no such thing as just clean. I had to forgo walking to tackle this.

My brother and I have struck a deal. I will wash and fold his clothes, and he will fix my car! My battery is corroded and it will not start. I thought it may be the starter so I called the car shoppe. Come to find out it would cost $450ish to fix! Dad says that the battery just needs to be cleaned! YES! So, my brother is going to do that tonight. Done deal :)

Cobbler is the bomb

How nice it is to have a few off days from work. I actually have a little time to get things done and so things that I love. Otherwise, I don't have a lot of time to enjoy. My friend Jamie brought some pears from her tree. Pears are not a fruit that I just eat to be eating them. They were about to spoil so I decided to make a Pear cobbler! Yuuuum. I have never tasted one, nor attempted to make one before. Well, I did. And it tasted GREAT!

Ok, Ok, so it's not the most beautiful thing in the world. But looks are deceiving. Dont'cha wanna bite?

Recipe: You should know by now that I don't really measure...but here goes...

What you'll need

6-7 pears peeled and sliced

Syrup or Karo

butter

sugar

brown sugar

vanilla

Cinnamon

Bisquik mix

Flour

Make the fruit filling by adding about 1/2 flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1tbsp vanilla, a few squirts of syrup and 1/2 cup butter. Mix and add fruit.

Put filling in bottom of a pan in oven on about 375 for 10 minutes

Mix Bisquik according to box. Roll out on floured surface. Cut into strips.

Get filling out of the oven, and layer with strips of bisquick.

Pop in oven for about 30 minutes or until browned.

Add sugar and melted butter on top once out of oven.

Top with vanilla ice cream or pet milk for a tasty treat! Quick, Easy and fun!!

The Closet Studio Design

Inspired by the cluttered disaster of my closet and a day off from work came the idea of doing a makeover! Clutter, clothes, and hangers have always stressed me out. I thought it would be fun to actually design my closet. It is an inexpensive way of creating a getaway and getting organized!

This is the canvas. No form of organization what-so-ever. My clothes are all over the place. No wonder I can never find anything and I want to stay as far away as possible!






Here are my Pizazz tools!



$1 Vinal Tablecloth

My favorite scrapbook cardstock pages

Cute Stickers

Thumbtacks

Ribbon

3 Woven Baskets

3 Tin Cans

3 Glass Jars

Ceiling Hanger Hooks

Labeling Tags

Metal Shower Curtain Rod

Pizazz Project #1: Picture Box Makeover

Adding Scrapbook pages, ribbon, and labeling tags adds character to the once drab black box.

Pizazz Project #2: Cute Jars - Ribbon always does the trick.

Pizazz Project # 3: Art - Just because I like it!

I found some old picture frames. Inside a put a glittery bird sticker in the center of a scrapbook page and wa-la.

I have a shoe fetish! It is crazy. I ran out of room to store all of my shoes...sooo...it was time for a little creativity. I tacked scrapbook art on my walls. Next, I added wall hooks to hang some of my wedges and heels. And, my stilletos found a new home hanging on hemp string that was hung under my shelving. On the otherside I added my mirror for a backdrop and used an old closet shelf for more heels and it works perfectly.

The metal showerod was used to hang my skirts above the dresser. Hemp string and clothespins hang items that I love, but don't get a lotta lovin' for a display and ease of use. The vinal tablecloth was tacked along the back wall for a pop of color. The nester would be proud of this mis-mistreatment.

A green handbag houses wires, cables, and cords neatly. The picture boxes, tin, and a basket hold odds and ends.

AT LAST! The final masterpiece! The cute jars sit on a white shelf, extra clothes are in the woven baskets, and 'office' supplies are in the tin. Yes, my bras hang on my door - so they are in the way of the picture :)

Before & After Full-Effect