July 28, 2011

Photo Challenge Week 1 : Self Portrait

Challenge time! I do so love a good challenge. Especially one that involves my camera because I love him/her. It's genderless, if you'll recall. This weeks challenge from A Step in the Journey is self portrait. Not to brag on myself (except that I totally am...), but I was the QUEEN of self portraits with my little point and shoot. Any time you turned around you might catch me cheesing it up for my own camera, but since acquiring my DSLR self portraits are a no go. They're hard work!

I finally set the camera on a table and used the timer. I don't look fabulous, but that could have something to do with the fact that I've been up since 3am and on an airplane for 7ish hours. Please ignore my shiny face, my tired eyes, and my bad posture. Thank you.


Whoa Nelly! Am I ever looking rough, and yes, I'm sitting in a hotel room. I've gotta share it all, man, and that's just where I'm at right now. Ha!




After I shot the pic of myself I used my Cheez-it's as a model. They do exactly as they're told. I think I'll eat them for a snack to show my appreciation. I also think it's funny that most of the picture is completely blown out except for the deliciously cheesy crackers. That must be why they rule the world of crackers.


Up next week: what makes you smile.

July 27, 2011

New Challenge!

I am a challenge accepting fool, I tell ya! I hope I'm not starting to resemble Barney Stinson...I don't wear suits so I should still be good.

I came across this blog today called A Step in the Journey and she's (Laura Beth) hosting a 20 week photography challenge. Who am I not to jump on that bandwagon?

Anyway, it starts tomorrow, and here is the list:

A Step in the Journey Photography Challenge

I'm super pumped! Especially since I have a week to accomplish each task. I'm a bit of a procrastinator if you'll recall...






July 26, 2011

I Heart Faces : Water

The photo challenge this week is water and who loves water more than my sweet little friend, Corinne? No one that I know!

This is from her 2nd birthday. She played in this water toy all afternoon. Isn't she a cutie?


Splish Splash!



I <3 Faces

Challenge Day 9: Favorite Restaurant

I'm sure no one has to think too hard to know what I'm going to put here after reading eleventy million posts about McAlister's tea. :-)

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Mmmm... yummy. I'm getting hungry and thirsty just thinking about it. And I just ate lunch!


Guess what this Thursday is?

Free Tea Day!

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But...

I'm going to miss it because I'll be on my way to New York for my first ever stint as Maid of Honor! I guess I can miss a free tea day for that...Ha!




July 25, 2011

Challenge Day 8: Pet Peeves

I've gotten a bit behind in this blog challenge...oops. I've had this particular post written for days, but have been putting off posting it because I think it makes me sound equal parts insane and complain-y (that is totally a word). I was also going to take pictures so there would be visuals of my craziness, but then I decided words are definitely enough when it comes to my complete and utter weirdness.

I guess everyone has pet peeves, though. I'm sure even Elmo, the happiest being on Earth (even though he's a puppet, he still totally counts, right?) has some pet peeves. I mean, who can enjoy having a hand stuck up their back for hours on end?

Here they are...my pet peeves. And yes, I'm aware some of them don't make a bit of sense. But I don't make a bit of sense so I'm ok with it.

I have three HUGE pet peeves. So huge they drive me to the brink of insanity, make me grind my teeth, and cause me to want to rip out all of my hair one strand at a time.

The first one is when people shorten Stillwater to Stilly. I can't explain it, but it makes my skin crawl.

The second one is when people come over to my house where they proceed to walk around touching and picking up everything I own after which they place the items back on the shelf or cabinet or the refrigerator (magnets) in a sloppy fashion that is not anywhere near to the way I had it. (Can we say anal much? Yes, I know I have issues, but seriously, don't be so touchy!)

And my BIGGEST pet peeve in the whole entire world? When someone uses my bathroom and does not shut the lid. Any time I walk into my bathroom and the lid to the toilet has been left in the open position I want to scream. Literally. I don't know why this bothers me so much, but it really, really does. So much so that I now follow my own simple list of rules which I like to call "Bathroom Etiquette." Ok, really it's just one rule. I leave a bathroom exactly the way I found it. Meaning if I use someone else's bathroom and the lid was open when I went in then I leave it that way. I think it's the only polite thing to do.

After that most of my pet peeves are trivial so I'll make a top 10 list (I realize having a top 10 list is probably a bit extreme and therefore negates the fact that I called them trivial. I need help. I really, really do).

1. The look I get when I tell people, "no, thank you I would not like to have a salad with my meal."
2. Towels folded in squares.
3. Being called Mandy.
4. When my shoes squeak.
5. My neighbors not mowing their front yard.
6. My hair flipping out on one side when I'm hot.
7. Toilet paper that rolls over.
8. My ear getting hot when I have to talk on the phone.
9. Open potato chip bags.
10. Press 'n Seal Saran Wrap stuff. I can not tear that junk off the roll to save my life.


I know...I'm crazy with a capital C, but it's part of my charm. :-)






July 24, 2011

Waiting

Warning! This is a live, happening this instant blog post!
I'm stuck in my friends house and I can't get out. I could leave. It's not like I'm chained to the couch or anything, but I don't think it would be kosher to leave their door unlocked just so I can go home. That would be rude, right?
So, while I sit here pondering the meaning of life, who discovered bacon, and why anyone thinks I believe them when they claim to like lettuce I thought I would share a photo.
I don't remember where they post on these mobile posts, but I think it's at the top so scroll back up for a second and check that baby out!
First, I would like to say "WOW!" Second, I wonder how many bottles of wine someone had to drink to make that monstrosity, and third, why didn't they call me to help?



Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

July 21, 2011

100th Post! and an Auction

I can't even believe it! When I started this blog I didn't think I would ever write anything past the first couple of posts, but here I am at 100. Crazy! I wonder if I'll make it to 1,000?

Look out! Subject change ahead! I hope you're wearing your seat belts! (pronounced seat bayult if your name is Amanda and you speak your own language. *wildly waving hand in the air*)

So...last weekend after my sweet cousin Deitra's wedding mom, grandma, and I went to an auction. I love auctions! Other people's leftover junk is totally my treasure.

This auction, however, turned out to be a tad bittersweet, but we didn't find that out till much later in the day when one of my grandma's gabby friends (are all grandma's and their friends super gossipy or is it just mine?) told her that ALL of the items at the auction had come straight out of the house onto the lawn and that none of the children kept a single thing. Incredibly sad. I don't know the details behind the story, but giving up everything from my past would be really hard to do.

Nevertheless (who invented this weird word?), we still had a good time checking out all of the hidden treasures.


I've always thought naming a town Corn to be way funny.





Totally scored this wooden fruit! Mom thought I was nuts for wanting it, but I think it's fantastic. I've already painted the wooden stand they were sitting in emerald green which if you read yesterday's post you know I've been painting everything that color. I wasn't too psyched about the naked dancing cherubs, but hey! That's how an auction goes. You get what you want with a bunch of stuff you don't.



I really wanted these buttons, but they went to some other lovely lady.



These TVs make me laugh.



I really, really, really wanted this butterfly pin, but another bidder got it. I found out later that the lady who bought it was buying it for the daughter of the lady who had owned the house (man, that was confusing). That made me happy so I'm glad my bid didn't win.



A woman who had to have been from an antique store (she was buying practically everything) bought most of the stuff on this table. Except for the dark green bowl and the little crock next to it. Mom and I took those home.



Is this the weirdest lamp you've ever seen or what?



But this lamp? I wanted this one. Bad. But it got way too hot before they made it around to this so I said goodbye. Goodbye lamp! I'll miss you forever!



Metal chairs are fantabulous.











Isn't this dresser gorgeous? There's a sad tale to go along with it. You might need to grab the Kleenex...

This dresser is part of a suite which was the first major furniture purchase the woman who owned the house and her husband bought after they were first married. When the auctioneers finally got around to the furniture one of the woman's daughters showed up to bid on this bedroom suite. The battle was between her and one other person. An antique dealer. Needless to say the antique dealer outbid her and the daughter was unable to keep something that she had always known.

I love auctions, but I don't think I'll ever be able to go to one again without thinking of what's going on behind the scenes. I can't even imagine why this family had to give everything away.





I thought this would be fantastic on the front porch as a planter, but it's another one of those things we didn't stick around for.







These babies came home with me. I don't know why I needed them, but I NEEDED them.



The homeowner had been a quilter her whole life. Grandma said she made some of the most beautiful quilts she had ever seen.


See that one in the bottom middle? She's at my house now. And the two on the right? Those are at my mom's house. We have problems, I know.



I wanted this salt shaker so bad I could taste it, but the auctioneer stuck it in a box with a bunch of silverware so it went too high for this girl.





Jell-O molds!


On that note, I shall end this rather lengthy 100th post. I'm sorry if I made you cry, but I hope I didn't make you scared to check out an auction. They really are pretty fabulous.

Ya'll come back now! Ya hear?






July 20, 2011

Challenge Day 7: Best of Blogs

Besides this one?

I kid, I kid! Ok, really I don't. I love this blog.

But, I'm sure this challenge really wants me to share OTHER blogs I enjoy reading so here goes.

My all time favorite blog in the whole wide world is:

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None other than The Pioneer Woman! I actually didn't know anything about her until a few months ago which is all kinds of crazy since we're both Oklahoma girls, but what can I say? Sometimes I live quite comfortably under a rock.

I can not wait for her show to premiere on Food Network! August 27th man. I'll be glued to my TV like it's my skin.



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I love this lady. She gives tutorials for the COOLEST jewelry. <3



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Jasmine Star rocks the entire world! She's incredibly awesome and talented and funny to boot. This, folks, is my favorite times a million photography blog besides PW's (above) photography page. Check it out. Seriously.



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The reason I have the sudden urge to paint everything in my house emerald green.

And this is why...


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If I could have figured out some way to get this baby to Oklahoma from Arizona without spending a fortune I would have done it in a heartbeat, but since I didn't find a way I now want to paint anything and everything I can get my hands on.

Did you know spray paint and 100 degrees don't go together the way cheese and bacon does? One should be bubbly and one should be smooth. I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this...



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I love visiting The Quiet Life. Miz Boo takes wonderful photos and shares them daily. She also shares great tips on PW's photography blog.

I can't get enough of photography!



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You can never read too many romance novels. Jill shares great book reviews that make me want to read a million books! She hasn't been posting much lately, though. Perhaps it will give me time to catch up.


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This girl is a total hoot! She's super funny and shares some amazing tutorials on just about anything you can imagine to decorate your home. I love her. Plus her name is Mandi which is practically Amanda. It just makes sense for me to like her.



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Joy the Baker makes me hungry regularly. Like all the time. Even when she makes weird vegan stuff.



I also like to check in with my friends Tienna and Kelsey on their blogs.



There are at least 30 more blogs I read regularly, but these are my absolute faves. The ones I couldn't possibly live without. Ok, fine, I could probably live without them, but my world would be a sad, sad, and lonely place. At least I would still have bacon with bubbly cheese. It just wouldn't be the same.






July 19, 2011

Challenge Day 6: What Would You Do With $100?

I could buy the world a Coke.

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I guess it would be more like 50 people after I take into consideration the amount of inflation over the years.



Or I could treat about 20 people to some Starbucks.




Or 3-ish people to dinner.

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 But honestly, today I would most likely just use it to put a dent in what I'm sure is going to be a disgustingly high electric bill.

Or possibly an ice bath.