Wish List- from the Cosmetic Aisle

I need to stop trying to keep up with those Kardashians, because they're causing me to want to hire a makeup artist and spend hundreds of dollars (that I don't have) on cosmetics!  They may be crazy, ridiculous, and immoral- but their makeup sure does look flawless.  So yes, tonight's episode and a trip to Target inspired this post.

Wish List:

1.  Sonia Kashuk Brush Set- I do know enough to know that eye shadow application is all about the brushes.  I pretty much think I want need these.

2. Nude Lip Gloss- Again, I do think Kim K's makeup is impeccable.  I love the shade she wears on her lips...not that I watch the show much or anything. ;)

3.  Fake Eyelashes- My eyelashes just simply aren't  up to par.  They are actually a decent length, but they stick straight out and will NOT cooperate with an eyelash curler at all.  I've tried it and they will stay curled for a few minutes and then nothing. I'm totally open to tricks and tips on making your eyelashes look longer, fuller, etc.  I've tried different mascaras and nothing has worked.

4.  Self Explanatory

I realize this post is pretty much superficial, but what girl doesn't dream of the perfect product or cosmetic to make her look like a movie star?  Call me weird, but I do. No shame here.

Minnesota

As I mentioned in a previous post, I just returned from a great trip to Minnesota.  It was my first visit there and I came home with the conclusion that the south has met its match as far as hospitality and kindness.  Everywhere we went people would ask how we were, how our day was going, open doors for us, offer to carry our food to the car, etc.  They are some of the most genuine people I've ever been around.  It was so encouraging and just outright heartwarming to know there are still many nice people in the world...even up north! :)

I visited the Mall of America, which is insane!  It's ginormous and has so many roller coasters and rides in the middle of it.  I'm not a fan of roller coasters, so I watched as everyone else rode...other than the kiddy one I rode with Ryder.  It was just my speed.  Ha!

I got to go to a lot of Twins games and see Josh play.  He hit three home runs while I was there, so I'd pretty much say I brought him good luck.  Target Field is so pretty.  We got to go on the field and watch fireworks in honor of Memorial Day.  I got to go in the Twins' dugout, which was really neat.  One observation to add- this team is made up of some really good looking men!  Wow.

We also traveled to Kansas City, in which I got to drive through Iowa and cross over the border into Kansas.  Iowa was nothing but corn, flat land, corn again, and these windmills/wind turbines/whatever they're called.  I had never seen anything like it!

I got to add the Royals stadium to my list of those I've visited.  It was pretty, too.

I'm so thankful to have had this opportunity and to have visited several states I had never been to before. I flew back to Birmingham and got to spend a few days with my favorite one year old and my sister and brother.  LOVE them!

Her new beach hat.  She's ready!

I'm home now but will be leaving to sing at a youth event next week, AcaFest in Nashville the week after that, meet up with some girlfriends for a weekend of fun, and the family beach trip in mid July.  I love me some summertime!

I'm Lovin' It!

Now that summer is here and my travels are over for the moment, I've had time to sit down and play around with Picnik's replacement website PicMonkey.  I actually think I like it a little better!  It's very easy to use and the best part is...it's FREE!  I made my new blog header and did one for my sister, too.  It's SO much fun!  Not only do I have a new look, it motivates me to blog more.  We'll see how long it lasts...

Life List Re-visted (and yes, I'm still a blogger)

Each summer, it is my goal to work especially hard to check things off my life list.  I copied and pasted this from a post I wrote last summer.

My Life List: (in random order)

1. Visit Los Angeles/Hollywood/Laguna Beach
2. Visit New York City
3 Travel to (or at least through) all states in the U.S.
4. Ride a gondola in Italy
5. Take a cooking class
6. Go to Paris
7. See Gavin DeGraw in concert
8. Go on a mission trip
9. Get married
10. Have children
11. Buy a house 
12. Be debt-free
13. Attend a taping of a daytime talk show (Oprah, the View, Regis and Kelly, etc.)
14. Learn how to drive a stick shift
15. Go camping
16. Go to the Mall of America
17. Visit Washington D.C. again, and this time appreciate what's there


One of my goals is to visit every state in the country.  I just returned from a great trip to visit friends in Minnesota.  We took a road trip through Iowa to Kansas City (which is right on the border of Kansas and Missouri if you're geographically challenged like me).  On my flight home, I had a layover in Texas.  I count that.  :)  I can now mark off Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas.  That's huge and call me a geek if you choose, but I'm excited!  Who wants to take me to Hawaii?  Any nice, rich, handsome man out there dying to go??

I can also check off number 16, which was visit the Mall of America.  Wow!  That place is insane!  Pictures coming soon of that awesome experience.

Happy Summer to all of you! I can't wait to read the exciting things you do and document. :)

Ding Dong, the SNAKE is Dead...and Updates

You read that right, folks.  That blasted snake (and yes, I'm choosing to believe it was the same one) is DEAD.  I've been inside sick for several days the past week and my precious mom came over Sunday to deliver lunch.  As soon as I opened the door she slid inside with a squeal and informed me it was back.  Just sunbathing in the yard at almost the exact spot it was before.  Let me inject here that the moth ball myth is a hoax! I had the entire neighborhood smelling like a nursing home and this little trickster didn't mind.  We called my precious uncle immediately and he came to the rescue...broke his hoe and all while planning the exact and proper execution.  Hallelujah!  Now, if I see another one- the "For Sale" sign is going up.

Bentley- Well, things have been better with the little one.  He's learning to use the bathroom on his papers and has somewhat began playing independently.  It's still a struggle.  I appreciate all the advice you have given me.  JENNIFER- oh my.  I'm SO sorry I never responded to your fb message.  Between being sick and dealing with the above, it slipped my mind.  So, please accept my public apologies and thanks. :)  I'm not as desperate to get rid of him like I was a week or so ago.  I find myself just content to not make the decision right now.  I love him- mostly when he's asleep (HA), so will allow him to manage my life for a little while longer for now. 

Other than the snake and the dog, I have been battling the worst viral issues ever!  I started running fever and having a sore throat almost suddenly last Tuesday night.  I felt AWFUL and was waiting for my doctor's office to open Wednesday morning to get some relief.  He checked for strep and it was negative, but didn't check for the flu because he was confident it wasn't that.  He said it was viral, gave me a steroid shot, and sent me home with antibiotics just in case.  I felt much better that day (Steriod shots are such precious gifts.) and most of the next, but it started going downhill from there.  My ear completely stopped up on Friday, which is absolutey miserable.  My throat continued to bother me off and on, and I began coughing 24/7.  I called the nurse back and had them call me in some cough medicine.  Lesson learned: Do not take cough medicine with codeine.  It sure helped the cough, but a tornado could have come and completely removed my house from its foundation and placed it in a different state, and I would have had no idea.  The next day I was still out of it.  I went home early from school and stayed home yesterday, too.  I FINALLY feel like myself again today.  My ear is still totally clogged, but I feel much better.  I'm not convinced it wasn't the flu.  I don't ever remember being down for that long with a "cold."

Mom and I get to keep sweet Sarah Taylor this weekend while Cort and Trey go to the Opryland Hotel to celebrate his big 30th birthday.  We are so excited! 

What Was I Thinking?

I don't know what I've done.  It seems as if everything in my life defies all odds and my sweet little puppy seems no different.  Wow!  I knew to expect a lot of work and a lot of "accident" clean ups, but what I'm experiencing is nothing short of exhaustion.  Today marks two weeks I've had him.  He isn't anywhere close to being potty trained.  He thinks his puppy pads are toys and finds it very enjoyable to grab them and run around the house as if he's Superman and has just recovered his cape.  He chews on my one and only plant in the house and bites pieces of it off.  It stands almost four feet tall so there's nowhere for me to move it out of his reach.  He wants to do nothing that doesn't involve me.  His attention span with his toys lasts about 2 minutes before he runs to find me and whines until I give him attention or pick him up!  I feel like he's bored even though I play with him as much as I can and have bought him about ten toys.  I tried to take him out for a walk to release some of his energy and he would.not.have.it.  He didn't want to even get close to the street and I was having to drag him with the leash, so I gave up.  He claws on the couch with his sharp little paws, which I'm afraid is going to result in a rip or tear on my furniture.  I tried crating him and he completely and totally drenched the thing and relieved himself over and over throughout the night.  I feel like he needs me every second I'm home and there's never a chance for me to relax.  I would never compare a dog to a child nor do I think the responsibilities can be compared.  BUT, I feel like I've signed up prematurely to be a single parent and it's not sitting well with me! To top it all off, I'm paranoid I'm allergic to him.  I thought he was supposed to be hypoallergenic.  However, while I have allergy issues each year, it's really bad right now.  When I stopped to think about it, it seems like it started when I got him and has gotten progressively worse.  I woke up this morning with a sore throat and I just outright feel crummy.  What does that leave me to do?  I feel like a failure and I'm not typically one that gives up on something that I really want.  I guess either my dog is extra demanding or I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  Maybe it's the last of the two.  If I'd known it would be like this, I don't think I would have gotten him.  It makes me really sad because he's precious and I do love him.  He's just hyper and unless he's fast asleep, there isn't a time he will let me hold him and love on him without biting the fire out of me or striking at me like a snake! (And you know my issues with those!)  What do I do, friends?  I go back and forth each day.  I'm embarrassed to be honest.  I thought I knew what this would entail and I guess I just didn't.  I want what's best for him.  I really do.  If I'm not that, then I want him with a family with children that will love him and play with him like he deserves.  I guess the issue is to just figure out if that's me or someone else. :(

Finally...

I FINALLY got an iPhone this week!  After talking to Verizon hundreds several times, they finally realized it wasn’t ideal to send me Droid X #6 after almost two years of troubleshooting. Instead, they gave me an upgrade two months early, and I am one happy girl! This iPhone is nothing short of amazeballs.  I’m enjoying lots of new apps that I didn’t have the luxury of using before.  One of them is Instagram.  I know it’s old news to you apple veterans, but I’m just learning it for myself.  I was encouraged by my friend Haley to do the April photo challenge, where you post a photo each day in April of a specified person, place, event, etc.  Today’s challenge is someone that makes you happy.  I not only dedicated Instagram to this special person, but today’s blog post too.  It’s none other than my sweet Sarah Taylor, who has the ability to make me happy in a way that no one else can.  She is my light, my sunshine, and I love her to pieces.

                     

 If any of you "Instagramers" are interested in the April Photo Challenge, here's the list.  Find me and let's be friends. ;)