Boo-tiful Halloween

Happy Halloween, Y'all! Hope everyone young and old has a safe, fun and memorable All Hallows Eve!

Pssssst....Guess Who's Right Next Door?

Today I came to work and our building was surrounded by a swarm of police cars, vans and bomb squad personnel. Because Barack Obama is right next door!! Scroll down a couple of posts and you will see photos of my Office With a View - well that hotel you see there in photo one and two - is where Barack and his entourage are hanging out right this minute. He held a rally here last night that drew a record crowd of 22 thousand people. Yesterday about lunchtime I noticed people starting to line up - the doors opened at 7 pm and the rally started at 9 pm and folks were staking out their spots nice and early - and let me tell you - baby, it's cold outside. This created a traffic nightware for those of us who would rather watch such events in their sweat pants on a cozy couch with some hot chocolate. My 15 minute commute turned into 45. I am ready for this presidential madness to end. And whatever your political affiliation might be, I wager we can all agree on that - stopping the madness!

Baby Shower Bliss - Got Games??

In a couple of weeks, I will be hosting a baby shower for my sweet sister-in-law, Jenny. I am so excited and have been collecting my thoughts and ideas for months. See, Jenny is having a little baby girl. Now as a mom to 4 boys, I need some baby girl goodness in my life. Yesterday, I read Lula's post about her Sweet Caroline and I got even more excited, because you see, my new niece will also be named Caroline (Rose). I love how Lula in true southern style incorporated a family sir name as her baby girl's middle name - go read all about it, k?

Any hoo, I have decided on a French theme with black and white and baby pink as the color scheme and matching fancy french food to boot. But the one hitch in my giddy-up is shower games. So who better to turn to than the wealth of blog knowledge out there. I love parties, but I loathe silly party games - I know that sounds like a party pooper, but I just don't like them. I have thrown a lot of parties in my day and seen a myraid of party games, but no ideas I really like. So ladies, gimme some!! Puh-leez, because I already bought the most adorable game prizes!

An Office with a View...Sorta!

The office building where I work (10th floor) has an amazing view:



Of course, this is the view from my office. Not as spectacular, but it ain't no cubicle either! Thought y'all might enjoy scouting out my new diggs.

Blogging on Empty

I have been so busy this week that I have been neglecting my blog. This will be my last week of working two jobs, so I am hoping on a little free time.

On another note, my son, Caleb, has officially left for Iraq. I am very sad and I covet your prayers for his safety and the safety of all the brave men and women he serves with. More on this later.

National Bus Drivers' Week

Don't forget to reward those patient and kind bus driving folks that transport your little treasures back and forth to school.

I DID NOT get caught up on a thing this weekend because I was working and Little Chief had birthday parties and school carnivals to attend. Geesh, throw a girl a bone. I need some rest! :)

Hope you all are having a happy Monday - here's to hoping mine is productive - and yours too!

Flavorful Friday: Bacon Tomato Bites

I made these bite sized savory morsels for Boss' Day yesterday at my new office. They are simple and delicious.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
Ingredients: 1 can of flaky/layer biscuits
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes
1 jar of real-bacon bacon bits
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup mayo

Mix together diced tomatoes:

Add bacon bits:

Add cheese:

Add mayo:

Mix well:

Seperate each biscuit into three layers. This can be tricky at first, but you will get the hang of it. That little tool is a tart maker from Pampered Chef, if you don't have one, you can use your fingers coated with flower. The tool just makes them look prettier.

Flour your tool before each use:

Shape your bites:

Fill each mini biscuit with the bacon-tomato filling:

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Yummo!

Busy as a Bee

I have been kinda busy this week getting in the working groove again. I hope to catch up on blogging and get back to some interesting posts this weekend. The blogathon was a hoot. Congrats to all the lucky winners! Wow - SITS was blowing up over there! Happy Hump Day Folks! (I always think that phrase sounds a little vulgar, don't you?) But hey, a little vulgarity in the middle of the week never hurt anyone, right?

SITS Blogathon!!

Hey y'all!! Today is a super special day in the blogosphere. SITS is having a blogathon with prizes given away every hour. Go here and check it out:


I was lucky enough to literally stumble upon the SITS site the week they were launching and I have visited every single day since then. Being a fairly new blogger, I was unsure of exactly what this blog world was all about. But I lurked a while and then joined right in. Through SITS I discovered Shannon who designed my blog and turned my spot from drab to fab in two days flat. I simply adore my design and have gotten so many compliments.


I have been "introduced" to so many cool, fun, talented, compassionate and funny women through SITS. Women whose ideas, recipes, tips, trials and tribulations inspire me daily. Women like: Kat, Lula, Melissa and Lizzy. I feel like my day is incomplete if I have not checked in on my chicas! Thank you Heather and Tiffany for coming up with and implementing such a saucy little networking tool that has become a popular and ever increasing SITStahood!! Saucy SITStas Rule!

Working 9 to 5 (or er...5:30)

Well, I join the ranks of the working crowd again today. I am a little nervous and excited to start my job with a private law firm. I have been a paralegal for the Government for the last 3 years, so it hopefully will be a welcome change. I know I will not get as many paid holidays though. I will continue working for Pier One throughout the month of October on the weekends, but I don't think I will have enough family time if I work both jobs for the enitire holiday season.

So wish me luck and I will share with you all how it goes today. Happy Monday, everyone.

Sunday Inspiration Station

" No mean woman can cook well, for it calls for a generous spirit and a large heart." -Anonymous

Relinquishing the Crown

I would like to thank those who made my year(ok...day) as Miss America(er...Featured Blogger)one of the most momentous occasions of my life. It is with pride that I look back and recount my glorious adventure. The blog love has enriched my life allowing me to feel more confident in my abilites and my sense of style (demonstrated by the popularity of my blog layout). This experience has restored my faith in humanity and their love of country, kitty cats, Maksum and cake. It is with trepidation that I relinquish my reign as SITS Featured Blogger and pass the crown to today's fortunate contestant.

Teeheehee!

I had an amazing day as featured blogger with over 300 comments from my awesome SITStas. Thank y'all so much! It may take from now till Christmas (with my two jobs and 4 kids), but I will visit each of your blogs in return and thank you personally for stopping by. Come back often. I am planning a giveaway soon for all you sweet love muffins. I am not quite sure what it will be, but let's just say Pier One Employee Discount - that ought to amount to something nice, right?

Tickled Pink

Good morning, Y'all!!! I am just way to thrilled to be the SITS featured blogger today. Now come on in, make yourself comfy and let's get to know one another. I am fairly new to blogging, only 5 months young. My hubby is an active duty Navy Chief referred to as "Chief" here and our little boy "Little Chief" is 7. I have three older sons that are up and out of the house. My oldest son, Caleb, is also active duty Navy and will be heading off for a second tour in Iraq on October 15th - so prayers are needed.

This must be my lucky week because I am the SITS queen for a day and I got a job yesterday!! I have been looking for a paralegal position since we relocated. So now I went from no jobs to two jobs. I recently started part time at Pier One for holiday help. Sounds like I'm going to be busier than a bee on a honey biscuit.

I am so happy to have you here and I promise to respond to each and every one of you even if it takes a while, cuz my Mama raised me right! Y'all come back now and visit, don't be strangers.

Wordless Wednesday: Some of my Recent Handiwork

Mourning Maksim

Just because Misty May Treanor had to go and blow her Achilles tendon, we all have to suffer the loss of Maksim for the rest of the season. I thought you were an Olympian, MMT? Can't you handle a little ballroom boo boo? Life is so unfair.


Maks, I'll miss you, my little Russian stud muffin!

Paperback Swap

To all my fellow bookies out there, if you don't know about Paperback Swap (PBS), you need to. I have recieved so many books from them and saved a ton of money by doing so. I LOVE books and the ones I really like, I keep forever and ever, amen. But sometimes if the book is a dud, or I get multiple copies, I will post them for swap on PBS. The way it works is you basically recieve books for the price of postage. The site is amazing and keeps track of everything for you. It is very simple to get started too. Sometimes I pick up titles at yard sales and thrift stores that I know will be swappable and trade those as well. If you get a book that is not to your standards, you don't have to accept it and you can put restrictions on the books you are willing to recieve (such as smoke-free environment). I have swapped hundreds of books and have never (knock wood) recieved a bad one. You can also set up buddy lists, swap "boxes of books" (sort of like grab style) and buy credits if you run low. It keeps track of books you've read and books in your TBR (to be read) pile. You are not restricted to paperback books only - there are hardbacks and audio books as well. They have also recently started CD and DVD swap, but I haven't gone that far yet. Oh, and the best part of all, it is FREE! Um-hum, you heard me - won't cost you a dime. Check 'em out!!

TMI about UTI

Ouch! That's all I can say. I am feeling a little under the weather. It started yesterday when I had to go pee every 2 minutes then quickly escalted to a fire down below when I did go pee. I swear I thought I was going to have to leave a fire hydrant in the bathroom. Then began the nightmare of trying to see a doctor. Since we have recently PCS'd (military lingo for moved our @sses again) we have to register to see a new provider. So I called to take care of that and the Tricare lady kindly told me that the registration involved downloading a form, faxing it and waiting 10 days. OK - so I have a UTI and I need help pronto - like now! So the lady, who barely spoke English and I'm willing to wager was sitting at a computer terminal somewhere in India, suggested I go to an urgent care facility and of course not to forget to call Tricare within 48 hours so not to be charged for said visit to the doc-in-the-box. Maybe the pounding of my kidneys was making me delirious, but wasn't I indeed talking to Tricare at this moment? Thus began the Google search for the nearest urgent care facility because, remember, I am new to the area. Then I hobbled to the car, gingerly took my place behind the wheel and was greeted by the gas light. Oooops, I did forget to gas up, didn't I. I am sure the folks at the gas station thought I was strange pumping gas while laying my head on the trunk. What I really wanted to do was grab my crotch and jump around like a three year old doing the pee pee dance, but I restrained the urge to do so. An hour later I was calling Chief from a parking lot, crying because I had been to not one, not two, but three urgent care facilities who refused to accept Tricare!!! Listen, it takes a lot to make me cry - so Chief knew I must have been near death. I was carrying on and it sounded something like this......"Is this the thanks we get for serving our country and moving all over creation? I can't even see a friggin' doctor?" I don't get sick often, so when I do I admit that I can be a little cranky. Of course, my calm, cool and collected, hubby took control, made some phone calls and found out that I needed to go to the nearest emergency room because most urgent cares are phasing out of Tricare (Thanks a lot, Tricare Lady in the sky!) By then I was too exhausted to go and sit at an emergency room for an indefinite amount of time. I was suddenly plagued with visions of myself writhing in pain on the floor, being overlooked and then going on a mad rampage, on the hunt for antibiotics, taking hostages as I went. In the end I came home, called a family member who is a nurse and proceeded to BEG for antibiotics, I did not have to resort to taking any hostages, but that option is never off the table.

Oh and today is the first day of work at Pier One (my holiday job) they are going to think they hired a real winner when I am running to the bathroom every few minutes - I'll try real hard NOT to do any pee pee dancing.