Double the Fun!

I'm feeling frisky today, so you all get a Double Post!! Wooohooo! (who am I kidding? I'm the only one excited about a double post, more proud of myself I guess) Anyway, I thought I would share a photo of my little bro that was taken while he was in India for training.

He's the marine (bad ass M.F.) on the right. Scary (but fun) stuff! Right now he's in his favorite (least fave) place 29 Palms, California (they call it 29 Palms, because that's how many total trees they have there...and that's all)! More and more training it seems, and sometime this summer or perhaps fall, he will be off to either Afghanistan or Iraq. I'm so excited for him and all the things he gets to see and do, but I also fear for him (for obvious reasons). That's why I thought it would be a wonderful idea for me to watch this movie, Taking Chance. Not, I cried during the whole damn thing (I'm an emotional cutter with movies)!

Anyone else have any family or friends in the military? I'd love to add them to my prayer list!

Just a Blonde's Take

MY PRECIOUS...

I can't lie any longer. I've been keeping a secret from everyone. I haven't been sharing something, because I've wanted to keep it all to myself (like Gollum in Lord of the Rings...sorry, I'm a blonde SiFi geek, I blame my dad). It's my little precious and I'm finally ready to share it with the world. I will now unleash the truth! I...LOVE...ETSY!!!! It's the most wonderful online store EVER! It's everything handmade by regular folks like ourselves! And this isn't your average DIY site! These are quality made items by professionals and passionate hobbyists (is that even a word, yeah, I'm sure it is...like lobbyists; right?); you can find almost anything on there...they have art, clothes, vintage, holiday, toys, home decor galore! And now I am sharing all this wonderfulness with you (my 2 readers)! There is a wide range of products and prices, for any style and budget. Go check it out, you won't be sorry you did (well you might, you'll be instantly hooked and spend all your hard earned dollars on there and you'll have no one to blame but me...I don't have tons o moola myself so I have to enable others in order to fulfill my shopping need)! Here's some info about Etsy taken directly from their site:

What is Etsy?
Etsy is an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade.Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers.
Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.

Where is Etsy?
Since our launch in June, 2005, over 100,000 sellers from around the world have opened up Etsy shops.

Happy Monday and happy shopping!

Just a Blonde's Take

WAL-MART FIT

You all will have to excuse my immature behaviour. Yesterday, I threw a Wal-Mart fit. You know the kind where you're shopping and you see a poor parent trying to control their screaming red faced kid. (Because apparently, they are the only ones that don't have the latest Hannah Montana Bratz doll) Yes, that was me, tossing things, yelling, wanting to hit whatever I came into contact with. All because of a culmination of bad fortunes and major stress. "Times are rough", and although I know they can be way worse, I had to let it all out yesterday in the most childish way. My poor friend Cycy...I'm so lucky that she's still my friend after witnessing the embarrassing display I made. Have any of you ever been witness to a "Wal-Mart fit"?


*Note that this "Wal-Mart fit did not take place in public, but in the confines of my home. At least I've learned one thing since being 5.

Just a Blonde's Take

AHHHHH...HE STRIKES AGAIN!!!

OK, I'm completely and utterly convinced that Pottery Barn puts some kind of magical substance in all of their bedding! My "Angel" Axel has made a meal out of another Pottery Barn Clearance buy. This time his appetite drove him to indulge himself in our master bedroom black and white crewel duvet. He helped his little self to one of the corners. Now don't get me wrong, we can probably live with the corner he chewed, but dang...I know that it's there and for this perfectionist that's utter torture! So I hopped on good old eBay again and searched for another duvet...ARE YOU KIDDING ME! They're like $200 bucks! Again I got mine on clearance and with a GC, so it was like $70 bucks or something ridiculous like that! So I guess I'm going to have to bear and grin it and live with this nasty chewed corner. I think I'll write the folks at Pottery Barn and ask them to please stop putting this tempting ingredient in all their fabrics. For my sanity and the sanity of all who have animals that can't refuse their deliciousness.

Just a Blonde's Take

PERHAPS A NEW VENTURE!

Spring is most definitely near. My closet is calling out to me for spring cleaning and there definitely seems to be a smell of Change in the air. Spring always seems to mark the start of a new season of change for me. I always get the "out with the old and under used" feeling around this time of year and this year has proven to not disappoint.

The drummer last week received news that he would be losing his job due to the economic times. He's in the oil and gas business and it's always been an unstable market. Week to week, day to day, he never knows if oil prices will tank and he'll be out of a job. Well, his small firm finally had to let everyone go. So instead of stressing and worrying about the loss of his income, we have been celebrating the fact that this situation has created an opportunity for him to embark on new ventures! I'm so glad he's now able to start playing more (the drums). He's already joined up with some new bands and is looking forward to rehearsals and gigs with them as well as with his regular band.


I've also encouraged him to really think about starting his DJ business with his brother like he has mentioned doing in the past! What better time than the present? I truly believe in karma and the vibes you put out into the world come back to you 10 fold. To me there is no reason why we can't look at this incident in the best possible way. What does dwelling on the bad and most depressing parts of life help anything? I have found my life so much more enjoyable over the last few years, by just having a pleasant attitude, seeing the good in everything, and looking forward to the challenges that life has ahead. I'm so excited for the drummer and all the possibilities that this opportunity brings. I know he'll make the most of it, and great things are ahead for him. Plus, I'm looking forward to getting to spead some more time with him. So with the changing of the season, we also find ourselves changing jobs, changing attitudes, spending habits, and closet spaces. What change/changes are you looking forward to? Happy Changing Everyone!!

Just a Blonde's Take

I'M REALLY A BLONDE SOMETIMES

So you all know that I previously talked about ordering some new shams to replace the one my "Angel" Axel chewed up. Well I've been patiently waiting for them to arrive and I started to wonder where they were the other day. So I jumped on my email and found the message about, clicking on the link to track your order. Well, I did and to my surprise it said that it had already been delivered. As a matter of fact it had been delivered 4 days ago (2 were the weekend). So I'm just absolutely puzzled, until I notice that the city of delivery was different than the city I live in??? Hummm...ok, why is that? I mean I work in this other city and used to live there, but...OH CRAP! I scroll down in the email and find that I had the shams shipped to a house I haven't lived in in probably about 3 years. Great! Now how am I going to get them? So I coax one of my male co-workers to go over to the house that the shams mistakenly got delivered to, so I can see if the current residents are home and hope that they still have my package and are willing to hand it over. No such luck, go figure they're the only people who still have a job in this economic crisis. So I leave what can only be the most confusing note about how I used to live there, I had a package delivered there by mistake, I'm really sorry, please call me if you have it...yada yada yada. So then I waited, hoping to hear from them; in the meantime I send an email to the seller informing him of my blondness and how if it gets returned to him that I'm really sorry and have the correct address. Alas, a bit of luck. The residents call and say they have my package and they'll leave it outside for me to pick up. I can put your worries to rest. I have the shams safely stowed in my car and am waiting to take them to their new home. Mini crisis avoided!

Just a Blonde's Take

HAPPY FRIDAY INSPIRATION

I love finding new inspiration, and today I stumbled upon what I can only guess will be a new favorite place to visit...Absolutely Beautiful Things. It' s quite lovely and my muse for this post. What better way to be sent off to your weekend than with a little inspiration.

I absolutely love peonies. I think Meg Ryan was wrong...daisies aren't the most happy flower peonies are! With spring seeming to be upon us I'm hoping to plant some peony bushes at the old homestead. They're so full, soft, and feminine. What's your favorite flower that just gives you that warm happy feeling? Happy Friday everyone, I hope you find yourself inspired this weekend!!

Just a Blonde's Take

HERE A SHAM, THERE A SHAM, EVERYWHERE A SHAM SHAM

I believe I have previously mentioned that one of my best friends is coming to stay with us from Paris, France at the end of the month; and that I've been busy (in between plumbing issues) getting her room ready (our guestroom). Well, back in December the Drummer and I purchased some bedding from good old Pottery Barn. Well, this bedding that we'll call Ogee (that's the style name given by the folks at PB) was on clearance when we bought it. Now it resides on our guest bed. Well, as can be expected with most clearance items that there is a limited supply and they were already sold out online; with no future plans of bringing this Ogee pattern back. Well, this weekend when the Drummer and I were in the shower, our little "Angel" Axel chewed a corner off of one! REALLY?? Are you JFKing me? Apparently there's something that tastes so good in Pottery Barn's organic cotton bedding that it just makes my otherwise "Angel" Axel, become the devil reincarnate and eat a corner off!! So instead of murdering him (too many witnesses) I hopped on ever faithful eBay to see if anyone was selling just the sham. Thank God someone was. So now, I have a standard and Euro sham on it's way to the house (sold as a set I guess, now we have to buy another Euro pillow), and of course since it's sold out everywhere else I had to shell out $54 bucks for a sham I already purchased for $10! I love our dogs, but sometimes I wish they would get jobs and start paying for their own way.

Just a Blonde's Take

Bridget

BREAKING OUT, FALLING APART, AND SWELLING UP

Due to recent stressors, my face (and body) have taken a toll. I'm breaking out, my left eye won't stop twitching, and I have a lovely fat cold sore on my lower lip. I look like Rhianna after a Chris Brown beating. And to not help the situation, I haven't been getting enough sleep (can't seem to catch any Zzzz's before midnight). So to take matters into my own hands, yesterday I washed my face, got some medicine for the cold sore, and got some sleeping pills for the insomnia. And today, I still have acne like a 17 year old McDonald's worker, an even more swollen lip, and my eye is still twitching like crazy. So any suggestions on how I can get myself de-stressed? I've been trying not to worry too much, but I guess I can't even fool myself this go around. Maybe I need to blog some more? Exercise? I'm desperate at this point, so any real life suggestions would be awesome. I'm holding on by a thread.

P.S. I went ahead and got the shower curtain and rug, and they go perfect in our bathroom! Finally some color other than tan, white and black!

Just a Blonde's Take
Bridget