Wedding Photos!

Meg's photographer sent her a sneak peek link to her New Year Eve's wedding photographs!

They are gorgeous!

Meg & Dru's Wedding Photo Link

Things That Make You Go Hmmm: To Trap & Enslave

Actually, it's more like, "Things That Make You WTF?!"

We saw this car on our way back to work from lunch this afternoon.

Talk about your pimp-mobile: two (hopefully fake) skulls, a divider inside (probably bullet proof, so his would-be victims can't hurt him), a silver-plated bones and red-eyed skull license plate holder, and a decal on the side that reads, "To trap and enslave."

At first, we thought maybe he was a taxi.  But, seriously, if this dude pulled up in front of my house I'd tell him never mind.  I'd rather take my chances with hitchhiking. 

So then we thought maybe he was a coroner.

Or maybe a chiropractor.

Either way, I'm afraid if I continue to make fun of him, he will hunt me down, trap me, enslave me, and then turn my head into dashboard decoration.

Stonewall's Sony Reader Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to everyone who participated!

In honor of my handsome hubby's new job (he started this week!) I'm having a giveaway!  I've been itching to giveaway the Sony Reader I was sent back in January.  I was holding out for a good occasion and Stonewall starting his job seems like the perfect reason.

So between "Publish Post" and March 6, 2010 (which also happens to be Stonewall's birthday!) at 11:59PM EST enter win a Sony Touch Reader! 

If you aren't familiar with the Sony Touch Reader you can check out all the details at my first Sony Reader giveaway. (DO NOT leave comments on the January 17th post to enter Stonewall's giveaway!)

This giveaway is open to EVERYONE!  The rules are pretty simple.  Do the things listed below to receive entries.  I'll put everyone's name into "The Hat", pick one, and announce the winner on Monday, March 8!

For one entry - Mandatory

Leave a comment on this post and let me know what book is an absolute must download when you win the Reader.

For additional entries:

(Don't forget to leave a comment letting me know you earned additional entries!)

One Entry Each (For a total of 2)

Become a follower of my blog and/or on Twitter (or if you're already a follower let me know)

Three Entries

(Re)Tweet or Facebook about this giveaway
(To answer a question: Your first (re)tweet/facebook is worth 3 entries (You only have to tell me about your first tweet ONCE and you will get 3 entries).  And (I'll probably hate myself for doing this as I'm entering everyone into "The Hat") any additional (re)tweets/facebooks are worth 1 additional entry each. Tweet as many times as you like, just be sure to comment me for each additional tweet, so I know you're playing by the rules.)

Five Entries

Vote for me as the Hottest Mommy Blogger over at the Bloggers' Choice Awards
(To answer a question: You can only vote once, so 1 vote equals 5 entries.  You only have to tell me ONE TIME that you voted and you will receive 5 entries.)

Five Entries

Blog about this giveaway on your blog

Two+ Entries

If someone says they found this giveaway by reading about it on YOUR blog, you get 2 additional entries per person you send my way.

Good luck everyone! And thanks for playing!

My Ten Guilty Pleasures

I have more than ten, but a girl shouldn't give away all her secrets.

1. Ranch Dressing...on everything!  Pizza, french fries, popcorn, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, BLTs, veggies, hot wings....check out the list because there's more!

2. Pretty socks.  I know people usually can't see them, but they just make my feet feel so pretty.

3. Dancing Queen.  Everytime I hear that song I dance.  It would totally be my theme song if I had one.

4. Dreaming about renovating/decorating my house.  We can not afford nearly half of the stuff I want to do to our house.  However, that doesn't stop me from dreaming about tearing out walls and buying all the expensive chandelliers that I love.

5. Writing.  Okay, so I guess this one is pretty obvious.  I love writing.  Stonewall makes fun of how much time I'll spend on the computer just writing.  Does anyone out there want to pay me to write for them?  I'm totally available.

6. Online shopping and Target.  It's an obsession I have trouble controlling sometimes.  There are just so many cute things out there in web land for me to buy!

7. Turkey Hill Iced Tea.  It is loaded with so much sugar, but drinking a glass of THIT is like drinking a glass of sugary sweet tea-flavored heaven.

8. Bill paying. Wierd! I know, but it relaxes me for some very strange reason.  Oddly, I find myself looking forward to the 1st and 15th of every month.

9. Using Q-tips to clean my ears.  I realize that this isn't highly recommended, but Oh My God! There is just something toe-curling about cleaning out my ears after a shower.

10. My Dr. Grip ballpoint retractable pen.  I've used this pen since I was a freshman in college.  In college it was a blue Dr. Grip pen.  Now it is a pink Dr. Grip pen.  I don't like the gel-ink version.  It has to be the ballpoint version.  I have more than one in case one gets misplaced.  Pilot, if you would like to send me a lifetime supply of Dr. Grip ballpoint retractable pens, I will give you a lovely review.

So what are your guilty pleasures?

Our New House

Stonewall and I have found our new house.  We were looking through all the real estate websites the other day and when we clicked on this website the most perfect of perfect houses popped up.

It was built in 1801.  While it doesn't look like a fixer-upper it could probably use some updates here and there which we would enjoy doing.  It sits on 3.5 acres and we really want a yard for Lil Mootz and the pups.  It has a lovely garden and gazebo.  I don't have much of a green thumb, but Stonewall likes working in the yard.

It has 9 bedrooms, so we'll have plenty of room for more kids.  There are over 17 bathrooms, so we'll never have to fight for a toilet or shower.  And the best part it has a ballroom!

And it only costs $39,500,000.  (I wonder if the sellers are willing to cover some of the closing costs?) (Okay, and I messed up the price the first time I published.  It's million!)

So, yeah, party at our house when we move! 

And if you're thinking that's a bit pricey, the amenities of the house include the fireplace mantels.  I was a little iffy about the price, but now that I know the mantels are included, I realize they're practically giving that house away for that price.


PS.  That first picture is the guesthouse or shed...something like that.  Heck...even the shed of this place is probably out of our price range.

Lil Mootz Monday

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Stonewall is off to a week of orientation for his new job (Yay!)(…"Yay!" for the new job, not that he is gone for a week).

Just to start the week off right I thought I would share some of my favorite Lil Mootz videos.

For Christmas we gave Lil Mootz a “cell phone” because he LOVES to play with our phones. He thinks cell phones are for talking and laughing aimlessly to yourself. He mocks us quite well! The fact that he thinks this is what we adults look like when talking on our cell phones has made me quite self conscious.




Lil Mootz has such little chicken legs. He’s so funny looking when he walks! I love it!

Happy (Anti) Valentine's Day

Don't let my title confuse you.  I HEART Valentine's Day!  It's a day all decked out with pink, flowers, and kisses.  All things that make me smile.  Plus, I always get a handful of phone calls from my favorite people calling just to tell me they love me.  If that doesn't make a person's day I don't know what does. 

And this year, Stonewall and I are going to the Melting Pot!  Fondue yummy-yums!

I thought I would re-post one of my all-time favorite posts that I wrote back in oh-eight.  Enjoy! And Happy Valentine's Day!

I don't understand the whole anti-Valentine's Day sentiment. I'm aware that some people don't like Valentine's Day, just like some don't like other holidays such as Christmas, St. Patty's Day, even their own birthdays. These people don't like these holidays because they are usually associated with a memory that is particuarly painful at that time of year. I completely understand that. I, for example, was dumped on Valentine's Day one year. I hated Valentine's Day that year, but it had nothing to do with chocolates and flowers.

What I don't understand is the people who hate Valentine's Day because, according to them, it is a "consumer-oriented with the sole porpose of making all unattached persons feel bad about themselves and their lives" holiday. Umm....sure.

Let's tear that definition apart, shall we? Valentine's Day is "consumer-oriented." Well...DUH!! If it wasn't consumer-oriented it wouldn't be called a holiday, it would simply be a day. Should we stop celebrating the birth of Christ because the local Toys R Us will rake in the dough? Or maybe St. Patty's Day is a bad idea because the bars certainly make out well. Better yet, how about no more birthdays because Hallmark is the work of the devil.

Every holiday is consumer-oriented. People get excited about celebrating holidays and when they're excited that want to share that excitement with their loved ones. Most times that means going out and buying cards, presents, and lots of good food. What I find immensely funny is that anti-Valentine persons are now creating their own products, like these found here, to be sold to...you got it: consumers. Now we're not only selling to the Happy Valentine's Day consumers, but the Anti-Valentine's Day consumers. Anti-V Day people: I believe that is called hypocrisy.

Now, what is this about Valentine's Day's sole purpose is to make unattached persons feel bad about about themselves and their lives? If a naked baby with wings and heart shaped arrows is enough to make you feel miserable about your life, I'd say you have bigger problems than V-Day.

The purpose of V-Day is to be able to express your love for others in a way you might not normally express yourself. As a celebrator of V-Day and love, in general, I'm not signaling the unattached out. I think V-Day is a day for anyone and everyone, whether you're single or part of a duo, to show the ones you love that you appreciate them. The only ones who are intentionally trying to make the unattached feel bad about themselves are those who have jumped on the Anti-V-Day bandwagon and are pointing out that, "You are alone and therefore V-Day is not for you, so buy my Anti-Love shirt."

Should you celebrate love everyday? Yes, absolutely. Every single day you should say, "I love you," at least once to your husband, your boyfriend, your sister, your mom, or your best friend. Valentine's Day, is a day though, when you can go out of your way and say, "In case I don't say it enough, I just wanted you to know that I love you and I appreciate you and thank you for being in my life." Show your appreciation in a way that isn't normal for you. Buy flowers for your wife, take your mom or dad out for a date, send your best friend a funny valentine to make her laugh, or cook your favorite dinner and put in your favorite movie and tell yourself that you love you.

Don't hate Valentine's Day because you don't have a significant other. That's like hating Veteran's Day because you're not a vet. Just because you aren't a part of the quintessential V-Day "couple", doesn't mean you can't celebrate in other ways and with someone you truly enjoy being with. For our first V-Day together, Stonewall was deployed. So for that V-Day my mom made lasagna for my sister, my dad and me. She decorated the table with candles and we had wine with dinner. We certainly weren't the typical Valentine's Day scene, but the dinner was awesome and we were able to be with the ones that we loved and we celebrated the holiday of love together.

That is what Valebtine's Day is about. That is it's sole purpose.

Quadruple Bypass Update & Guest Blogger

Thank you so much to everyone who offered their prayers and thoughts to my pap while he underwent quadruple bypass surgery. I am very happy to tell everyone that the surgery went very well. My pap was moved out of ICU this morning and was able to walk to his new room. He was tired, but when we visited this afternoon he was talking and laughing with us. He's expected to be in the hospital for a few more days, but he is doing very well!

*****

If you haven't already, check out my Nursery Rhyme Baby Shower post at Create My Event.

I've also posted about an amazing blog at i love the way she blogs that anyone who is looking for a new blog design should check out.  Blogs For A Cause donates 100% of their blog design proceeds to charities and humanitarian work.

*****

I hope everyone has a great weekend and an awesome Valentine's Day!

Quadruple Bypass & World Peace

My pap is having quadruple bypass surgery tomorrow.  If you have the time and you think of it, please say a prayer for him.

Thank you.



*****

Thank you so much to everyone who offered up some advice on my last post.  We have a lot of research to do before we make any decisions on where we'll be moving.   I'll be sure to keep you all posted.

*****

I'm very excited because I'm guest blogging over at Create My Event for the next few weeks every Thursday!  Be sure to check me out!

*****

If you haven't heard we're getting pummeled...again...with snow today.  I have no idea how much we're up to now, but it's a freakin' lot.

*****

So last night I finally caved and let Stonewall teach me how to play "Risk."  Yeah, I know, but whatever.  He's been asking me to play for awhile now and being the cool wife that I am I obliged.

While the game was kinda boring and took forever, one good thing came out of it.  I figured out how to solve world peace.  That's right, so listen up world leaders.

From here on out, whenever there is a need for war, the Presidents, Kings, Queens, whoever is the head honcho of the warring countries should gather in a room with their dice.  They should then take turns throwing for the offensive and defensive.  Three dice for the attacker, two dice for the defender.  "Risk" rules apply.  For every throw of the dice that you lose, your country loses a soldier.  Obviously soldiers are based on your normal military.  Soldiers don't die, they just get to go home for now. Last country with soldiers remaining, wins. 

Pretty easy-peasy lemon-squeezie if you ask me.  Wars get fought and won and no one dies.

World peace achieved.

Location, Location, Location

So the Yummy household needs some advice from all of you!

Stonewall spoke with HR of his new company yesterday and we have one year to use their relocation package.  We don't want to miss out on that because it is a really nice package.  We're not looking to move tomorrow, but we only have one year before we're on our own with a move.

A problem we're being faced with is where to start looking for a new home.  Our home has always been in good ol' PA and we have no idea where to begin looking.  So PLEASE give us some advice!

We're looking to move to the Baltimore/DC area.  Ideally, we were thinking somewhere between North/Northeast of DC to Southeast of DC.  Anywhere in that little half-circle area would be nice, but we're not set in stone with that because we know nothing about the area.  We've  started searching different real estate sites just to start giving us an idea of prices.  What areas have good schools and are nice communities?  We'd prefer a single-family home, but we'd be open to a condo or rental apartment if it was a really nice community and worth the more crowded atmosphere. 

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!      

Mommy's Healing Powers

Lil Mootz is sick.  We're taking him to the doctor's office this afternoon.  The poor little man has very bad diarrhea, his tushy is so sore he cries when we change his diaper, and he has a fever.  Add to it that he didn't sleep very well last night and he's just a sick little boy today.  I feel so bad for him.

You know, I don't like when my child is sick or hurt.  My heart aches for him when he is unwell.  However, I've got to admit that I do love being his comfort zone when he is sick or he's hurt himself.

When he's hurt, that moment when he cries and I open my arms and he comes toddling towards me as fast as his little legs can carry him and he lets me envelope him in a hug while laying his head on my shoulder is pure love.  He lets me kiss his finger or his toe, where ever he's hurting, before wriggling free, a happy boy once again.  My heart grows a little bigger every time he reminds me that I have the special healing Mommy kiss now.   

When he's sick, I feel more helpless.  A kiss and a hug can't make it better this time.  However, when he reaches for me and snuggles his little body into mine and looks at me with his big blue-green eyes, I remember what it was like as a child and knowing that Mom can make any sick moment better.  I didn't realize until I was a mom that I was capable of stopping tears and subsiding tummy aches with a kiss and a cuddle. 

They must have slipped me something in the hospital when Lil Mootz was born because I can't figure out how else I've acquired this trait.

Stonewall has his own theory.  He says it's the boobs; a comfy built-in pillow, plus arms for hugging all in one. 

I wish he would never hurt or he never had to be sick, but I know that's just a part of life.  I only hope he always knows he can come to me and I will do everything in my power to make him feel better.

Makes My Mouth Happy

I know I already posted today, but I was just overwhelmed by Twizzlery deliciousness that I had to blog about it.

Twizzlers are my absolute favorite non-chocolaty candy.  I can eat a whole bag during a movie.

One of the best parts of my job is we do business with the company that makes Twizzlers.  On rare occasions they give us bags of Twizzlers freshly bagged.

And when I say freshly bagged, I mean the Twizzlers are still warm and gooey when we open the bag. 

It is warm Strawberry chewy heaven in my mouth.

A Wintery Weekend!

We're supposed to get snow this weekend!

Actually, we're supposed to get LOTS of snow this weekend.  As in 12 to 24 inches of snow!

And it's already started.  I'm looking longingly out of my office window wishing I was already at home snuggling up on the couch with Stonewall and Lil Mootz in front of the fire.

I love getting snowed in.  There's just something incredibly fun and toasty about being stuck in your house because you can't get your car out of the driveway.  There's no pressure to be out running errands or getting things done.  It's just Stonewall, Lil Mootz, and me tucked away in our house.  Our house always feels more cozy to me when we're surrounded by snow. 

The world, actually, feels more cozy to me when it's covered in snow. 

I know tonight, after Lil Mootz is in bed and the world is darker, I'll take our dogs outside and the snow will be falling and it will be peaceful and almost quiet.  Normal sounds are muffled, yet everything feels so clear and open.  The only time it feels or sounds that way is when it is snowing or about to snow.

Who else is getting snowed in this weekend?

I hope everyone has a good one!  Enjoy the Superbowl, whether it's the actual football part or the commercial part!

He Got The Job!

In case you don't follow my Twitter updates (which I don't know why you wouldn't), Stonewall is employed!  He had to pee in a cup! WOO-HOO!

We are both so psyched.  This is a huge weight off of our shoulders.  We've been living off one paycheck and savings since the end of November, so this is just....wow!  It's wow! He has a job!

He starts at the end of February.  The only part that's up in the air at this point is where he'll be working.

The job interview was for a job in Maryland, about an hour and a half from where we live now.  After the interview Stonewall was pacing back forth in the lobby, drinking lot of coffee (getting ready for his pee test) and his contact came out to get him and said, "You did good.  You did really good.  In fact, you did so good they want to talk to you about a different job."

So Stonewall went back in for interview number two.  They told him right off the bat that he was hired, however, they felt that with his experience he would fit in better with their primary staff in Virginia.  They told him that they were going to try and pull some strings and get him a position in Virginia.  So after orientation he'll be in either Maryland or Virginia.  Either way he got the job!

Of course, another major aspect of all of this is whether or not we'll be moving.  With the Maryland job, we'd already decided that Stonewall would commute and we would keep our house in PA for another year or so.  Hopefully, by then the economy would be better and we could make a quick and profitable sale.  Then we would move about an hour or so South.

However, if he gets the Virginia job, we'll probably be moving much sooner rather than later.  A commute that far just wouldn't be very feasible. Plus, living separate from my husband for long periods of time when it isn't by force because of a deployment doesn't work so well for me.

So there you have it.  He got the job!!  And we may be moving!  But most importantly, Stonewall got the job!

A Job Interview & A Pee Cup

Tomorrow is the day we've been impatiently waiting for since December.  Stonewall has his big interview tomorrow at 11:00.  This is the job we're desperately hoping he gets.  Stonewall's chances of getting the job are really good, so we're trying to stay positive that everything will work out.

Stonewall spoke with his contact yesterday and the guy told him, "After the interivew you'll wait outside while they make their decision.  If you're hired I'll come out and hand you a piss cup for the drug test."

Stonewall later told me, "I've never been more excited for a piss test!"

So everyone keep your fingers crossed for Stonewall and if you see any shooting stars tonight wish for a pee cup for Stonewall!

Honest Scrap Award!

Many moons ago Hannah at "That [Officer's] Wife" passed on to me the "Honest Scrap Award"!  And I have been waiting to get this award for awhile! I'm jealous when I see it on other blogs, so I was psyched to see my name on the list!

"The Honest Scrap award comes with a caveat or two. First, you have to tell your readers ten things about you they may not know, but that are true. Second, you have to tag 10 people with the award. Third, let all the people you've given the award to know that they've gotten it (comment on their blogs or something). And finally, make sure you link back to the person who awarded you."

("A caveat or two"? Try a caveat or four. I guess the original writer of this award couldn't count to four.)

Anyway....ten true things. Here goes...

1. I believe in karma. That doesn't completely stop me from doing bad/mean things, but it does help lessen the amount of those things. When someone does something bad/mean to me believing in karma helps me feel better about the situation because I know eventually that person is going to get a nasty paper cut or flat tire.

2. I can make a meal out of just the skin on a rotisserie chicken. Stonewall caught me doing just that one weekend when he came home unexpectedly during a drill weekend about two years ago. I still haven't lived that one down. I can't resist the crispy rotisserie deliciousness!

3. The pink park bench blog background was inspired by "Forrest Gump," one of my all time favorite movies.

4. In general, I am not OCD.  However, there are certain things that must be done in certain ways or I can't handle it.  Milk must be shaken before poured into my glass or it freaks me out to drink it.  When showering I have to wash my hair before my face.  If I wash my face before my hair, I'll wash my face a second time. I have to put my deodorant on AFTER my bra.   

5. Before Stonewall deployed last September we had a Daddy doll made for our soon-to-be-born Lil Mootz.  However, I refused to give it up to Lil Mootz in December and slept with it every night until Stonewall came home a couple months ago.

6. I use sunscreen like it's going out of style. Every day I put 30 SPF on my face (which is the highest SPF in a moisturizer that I can find and afford). If I know I'm going to be out in the sun for a longer period of time I use no less than 45 SPF on my body. I prefer 55 SPF or higher, but not all stores sell SPFs that high (which I just don't understand). I intend on looking at least 10 years younger than what I really am for the rest of my life and always using sunscreen and not burning (or barely tanning for that matter) is the way to go.

7. I have four small tattoos. I have a daisy on my right shoulder/back that I got when I was 16. Right now it's (faded) white and I want to get it re-done in pink. I got my second tattoo for my 20th birthday and it is a pair of shooting stars on my right foot. I got my third tattoo during my junior year of college. It is on the middle of my lower back and it says "Beautiful" in Arabic. (I know for a fact that it does say "Beautiful" because a random guy came up to me at a party and said, "Do you know your back says beautiful?" and because Stonewall sent me a drawing of the word beautiful in Arabic during his first deployment.) My fourth tattoo is on my left inside wrist. It is a four leaf clover. My mom and sister have the same tattoo.

8. I love good brie cheese. Especially on crackers with apple slices or grapes when its all melty and warm. I think bad brie takes like semen.

9. I once wore a white dress to a formal wedding. I figured if I had to spend the money on a formal dress I was going to get one I loved and I didn't care what color it was. Plus, I was not fond of the bride, so I really didn't care what she thought. I now regret that decision. The bride still isn't one of my favorite people, but it was her day and I feel incredibly remorseful for wearing white to her wedding.

10. I love teen movies.  I'll never get tired of watching movies like The Princess Diaries, Ella Enchanted, 10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless, Can't Hardly Wait, Bring It On, etc.  I also love watching any and all Disney movies.

And now I have to tag 10 people. (If you already did this and don't want to do it again, let me know and I'll pass it along to someone else.)

Lisa @ Quest for Success
Ashley @ Raising Brats
Alison @ One Lucky Monkey
Wifey @ Wife of a Sailor
Penny @ The Winter of Our Discontent
Alicia @ It Ain't Easy Being Cheesy
Jessie @ What You Wish For
Amanda @ Life in the National Guard...As A Spouse
MG @ Magnolias and Mimosas
Rae @ Us In Tejas

I always hate that part because I don't want anyone to feel left out and I did another list thing in December and I don't want those people to feel like I'm overwhelming them with questionnaires.  So if you're not listed and you're like me and you really want to participate in this award, but feel a little weird about just jumping in without the "invite", slip me an email on the sly and I'll add you to the list.

100 Calorie Packs

Is anyone else out there a 100 calorie pack fiend?

I love the 100 calorie packs. My favorites are the

Milano Cookies,

the Oreo Cakesters,

and the Fudge Stripes.





I realize that some people just don't understand the idea behind the 100 calorie packs.  I frequently get the, "Why don't you just buy the regular pack and only eat 100 calories at a time?" question.

For a few reasons, actually.

1) The little packets are exactly 100 calories.  Which is what I want: 100 calories.  Have you ever looked at the Nutrition Panel and the information reads "about 25 chip" is 135 calories?  First of all, how do I count out "about 25"? "About" was not a fraction I learned in school.  Second, so 100 calories of these chips is equal to...well, y=x and 25=135, so x divided by y is 5.4...then....math was never my strong point...umm, I think 100 (which is z?) divided by 5.4 and you get 18.52.  Right, so 100 calories is "about" 18.52 chips.  Great.  Let me just divvy that s#!t up.  Finally, by this point I figure I've worked off enough energy I can just eat all of the "about 25 chips."

2) If I had enough energy to do all the crap I just figured out in #1 and enough self control to only eat the 100 calories out of a normal bag, don't you think I would be out exercising and buying carrot sticks instead?! I like non-healthy, sugary, sweet snacks, dammit!  At least, this way I'm controlled.

3) A little foil pack the size of my hand causes less guilt.  And less guilt means less stress.  And less stress means a higher metabolism.  Suh-weet!            .....(I actually have no idea if this last part is true, but it could be.)

So there you have it.  Why I love me some 100 calorie packs.

Kindle Cover, Gone With The Wind, LBDs, & Bath Time

Mondays are bad enough, so I thought I would start off the week with some things that have brought me great joy as of late.

For my birthday, my mom and (step) dad bought me an Amazon Kindle! I think I may have mentioned before that little technology gadgets get me all excited, so every time I pick up my Kindle I get a little thrill and I feel all cool. I've been on the hunt for the perfect Kindle cover since January 4. Let me tell you, it hasn't been easy. There are a ton of options out there, but I'm picky, so just any ol' cover wasn't going to cut it. After dozens of websites, hundreds of reviews and one discontinued disappointment I found the perfect cover at Bobarra.

It's even prettier in real life!

Recently, I started collecting Gone With The Wind books.  I have four English editions published during different years, so I decided I might as well make a habit of buying one of my favorite books.  My most recent acquisition is a German edition.

Actually, in German, the title is, Blown Away By The Wind. 

I don't know if any of my versions are worth anything, but I highly doubt it.  They are all later editions.  However, when I do finally score my first edition I'll let you all know. :)

One of my favorite reads is Carrie at Tinkering L8.  She makes awesome layouts!  I totally covet her mad paper skills.  A couple of weeks ago she posted some pics of little black dresses she made for her daughter's room and I thought they were awesome! I (half-jokingly) asked her if she would make me some and she totally surprised me by saying, "Yes!"  I received them in the mail over the weekend and words cannot explain how excited I am to hang them in my room.

I haven't bought the frames for them yet, but if you head over to Carrie's site you can see how sweet they look with frames and mats.

Bath time is one of our favorite times at our house.  Lil Mootz is a little water baby.  He loves splashing around and playing with the bubbles.  However, he also likes trying to stand up in the bathtub which gives me a mini-heart attack and sends me into a panic that he is going to fall and cut his head open on the water spout.  I was at Target the other day and I found this:

A rubber ducky spout cover! (Stonewall's grandfather was a firefighter, so I love when I find cute firefighter things for Lil Mootz.)  I was so excited to get it home and put it to good use.  Lil Mootz has fallen into it twice now and no trips to the ER!

That helped brighten up my Monday! I hope it brightened up your Monday also!