'Tis the season!

Ladies & Gentlemen, it is officially the holiday season, GET READY! Its the most wonderful time of the year and I can't wait to decorate my house! And just as soon as Adam gets home long enough to pull the things out of the attic, I'll get right on that! (Just a side note, I have always been unable to get into an attic, not really for fear of the attic, but more of a fear of plunging to the floor from the rickety ladders attached to them). I've got my Christmas music and I even went shopping yesterday!

After my shopping experience, I now understand that this is also a season for drinking.


Heavily.


Yesterday, I ventured out to Best Buy to buy a few gifts. It took me over an hour to purchase one item. I pressed on! I then went into Micheals, assuming that I could make some gifts this year. Pfft! Yeah right! Micheals lures you in with the hopes and dreams that YOU TOO can paint glass and it look professionally done! I get sucked in every time! Last year I decided I could "bake cute cakes", which ended up with crumpled, burnt, un-edible items with somehow uncooked dough and a seriously messy kitchen. The year before, I thought scrapbooking was soo cute, easy, anybody can do it! I have $200 worth of scrapbooking stuff and no one is scrapbooking in this house. Its sooooooo easy that I just keep putting it off and besides that, it would actually mean that I'd have to print out the photos I want to "scrap", and that ain't happenin'. I've also tried the whole stamping thing. I mean, any idiot can stamp, even children can do it! And last year for Valentine's day, I stamped away on some homemade stationary to send to all of my friends. Valentine's day came and went....and I never sent them.

So this year, YES, I vow to complete my holiday venture. I vow to at least use the paint I bought yesterday at Micheals and put it to good use!


I also vow never to enter the K-Mart on River's Ave. ever again. Yesterday to end my shopping adventure, I stopped briefly at K-mart for some Martha Stewart wrapping paper and such (apparently she does still sell there too, hmmm). Thats when, out of freakin' nowhere, a strange man thought it appropriate to stroke my hair like an animal and tell me, "I just have to say that you have the most gorgeous hair! Just the way it lays, its beautiful! I love the cut!..etc. ". Now, don't get me wrong, I'm used to people commenting on my hair. I DO work in a salon for pete's sake! I just have never had anyone go to such lengths to touch it before. I was fearful he may try and swipe a locket of my hair to perhaps fashion his own wig later, (I swear I felt a tug!). I was on the cell phone with my dad at the time of the incident, so I wasn't able to say what I WOULD have said in this type of situation. Also, does anyone else think its weird that his wife was standing with him? Yeah. She's probably plotting my death as we speak. Perhaps a voodoo sort of doll with my hair strand on it.


I also stopped at Bath & Body works. A staple for me every Christmas. I don't know why I go because I usually just end up buying stuff for myself. Which is exactly what I did. New soap? yes!! Now antibacterial hand wipes? yes!! New peppermint sugar scrub? Why, don't mind if I do. *hangs head in shame* - I'm such a product whore.

I'm now reminded why I did all of my Christmas shopping online last year. No lines. No people. No waiting. Free Shipping and Handling. And it already comes in a box!

SO, just remember this... When you're out shopping for Christmas presents with the rest of the crazies: just say NO to crafting, its more work than its worth!

when it doubt, pack your own flask and drink your way through the holidays!

AND most importantly, retail therapy is the best kind of therapy there is...so merry shopping! oops, I mean, "Happy Holidays!"

I'm NOT McLovin' It.

Oh, don't get me wrong, McDonald's has the best damn fast food French fries known to man, but its not worth it to deal with this crap. To demonstrate my love/hate relationship with McDonald's, I must first go back a few years.

On a random trip to Wilmington, NC, Adam and I stopped at a McDonald's in Myrtle Beach for dinner, just passing through. When we showed up, I ordered my "usual" McDonald's treat, chicken nugget meal with French fries, sprite and plain honey for my dipping sauce. The girl on the other end of the speaker yells back, "We ain't got no honey here, we got honey mustard." Pffft!!! No HONEY?! What the hell?! I then tell Adam to just leave, we're not eating at a McDonald's with no Honey! (Plus, I had conveniently remembered there was another one about 5 miles down from where we were and we'd just stop there). Meanwhile, the whole way to the other Mikey D's, I was explaining how worthless the customer service in this country has become and how honey is a staple of McDonald's dipping sauces and its a travesty that they have taken it away!

So we stop down the street at McDonald's 2.0. I ran off to the bathroom, letting Adam go ahead and order for me. I walk out of the bathroom and Adam and the little guy behind the counter both look like I'm about to hurt them. Adam cautiously tells me that they don't have any honey, but that the guy heard my story and felt so bad that he didn't charge us. Fine. WHATEVER. I'll EAT THEM PLAIN!

Two weeks later, Adam bought me my own bottle of honey to keep in my purse/car just "in case". I wrote a letter to corporate and several months later I got an email explaining that honey is no longer that popular, so they had cut back. Did they send me a "sorry coupon", no, they sure as hell didn't.

But even before that, when I was rooming with my ex-roommate, Angela, we had an experience with the elusive McDonald's. Which ended up with us going to 4 McDonald's within a 10 mile radius JUST to find one that's ice cream machine wasn't broken. And P.S. why the hell do we need 4 McDonald's that close to each other anyway?! No wonder we're an obese nation.

Now....lets forward to this week. On the way back from our Thanksgiving trip, we stopped at McDonald's. Chicken Nugget Happy Meal please. Drove around to the front, and what sauce would you like? "Honey, please". NO HONEY! wtf? Adam drove off, I'm sure I looked like there was a bee in the car my arms were moving about so furiously!

Then today, I wanted a "pick me up" after shopping and thought, ooh a McFlurry would be on point! We stopped. The ice cream machines are broken!

Its a conspiracy against me, I swear it is! I mean, doesn't anyone else eat plain honey on their chicken & French fries?! Doesn't anyone else eat ice cream!? what the crap!

Also, by the sounds of this post, it looks like I eat a lot of McDonald's, but I really don't...especially now. If I'm going to eat fast food, its going to be Chick-fil-A, where they are actually nice and know how to treat customers! I would boycott McDonald's, but I think we all know that won't be happening. haha

Cheesy 80's movies....

Today as I was prancing around the house, I turned on the tv to see what was going on in the world of boring Sunday tv. One of my favorite 80s movies was on, "Teen Witch" and since I haven't seen it in such a long time, I figured I better stop what I was doing and tune in to what I used to love!

I was quickly reminded that Louise (the main character), is the sole reason I wanted to get a perm!! She went from a dorky nerdy girl, to finding out she had magical powers and wanted to be "the most popular girl..." so she could get a guy. Of course, all they really did was get rid of her glasses, change her wardrobe to the super funky 80s-ness that it needed to be and topped it off with a frizzy perm and a perky side pony tail and VOILA! POPULAR!

And apparently being popular also has its perks for breaking out in random rap whenever needed. Below are the cheesiest clips I could find. I never realized how incredibly cheesy this whole movie is, until now:





And I LOVE Louise's sidekick in this one, her little "Blossom" hat and all! haha


"Look how funky he is..." (gosh, with scenes like this, how did this movie NOT have a sequel?!)

and PS, can I just say.... the perm did NOT make me popular. If anything it hindered my social status right until college. thank. you. very. much.

Boy Meets Girl

And here ya have it... the story of me and Adam. Well, sort of anyway:



ps. I LOVE this program on my computer! I'm now obsessed with making musical picture stories! haha

During my afternoon trip to Wal-Mart today, I have finally figured out why Adam doesn't like for me to go there alone anymore. Here are just a few reasons why I should never enter the axis of evil (aka, Wal-mart) by myself:


- I get lured in by the "scrapbook" section. Stickers, glitter, glue guns, ribbon, paper and more oh my!


- I can spend a solid hour circling the same area trying to decide if I really DO need the $3.00 picture frame since its at a "rolled back" low price.



- Spend the next 30 minutes deciding if I need the 5x7 frame or the 4x6. Hell, their only $3.00, I throw caution to the wind and buy both!


- Go to the makeup section, "must get concealer, must get concealer, must get, oooh!! Maxfactor's new highlighter mascara!!!!! and whats this? a newly packaged purple eyeshadow..."


- I also have a knack for picking up several different languages while in Wal-Mart. For instance, "oye mamá caliente", to which I reply, "papi! Que lastima, Soy comprometido y usted no es mono".


- I browse over to the sewing section. My last attempt at sewing, I recall my Granny throwing a ball of yarn at me in frustration. All the pretty fabrics have me thinking, perhaps I'll pick up the art! If Stella on "Project Runway" can sew, then "sew" can I! hehe



- I skip over the shoe section. Lets face it, while I like rolling back prices, you do get what you pay for in most cases.



- I then head over to my favorite section..... office supplies. Its really my mini Mecca in the compounds of Wal-mart. I'm like a kitty with catnip at back to school time. I stare at all of the stationary longingly. I look over the pretty printer papers, the different types of envelopes, the clean, crisp notebooks! I quickly grab pink paper for my "pink polka dot confessions" - newsletter that I write my bridesmaids and of course.... the pink envelopes to match!



- Today I also found a new favorite section. Apparently, Martha Stewart has dumped K-mart and started hocking her Wedding Stuff at Wal-mart! ooh I love it! I'm contemplating getting the bubbles in little containers.



- To complete my trip, I glance at a few People-esque magazines.


- Look in amazement at how on a Saturday afternoon that there are 32 registers and only 2 are open.


- Look at the two bags I bought and wonder how the hell I just spent $60!



- Walk to car very quickly, I swear Papi is following me!, glance all around the car crazily, have key out and ready to gouge anyone that dare get in my way! - get in the car - lock the doors, start the car, leave parking lot, SHOOT!!! I forgot what I went in to get!!! Oh ..I'll just get it next time.


- Get home, see Adam, yell out, "como estan bitches?!"
Adam: "I see you've been to wal-mart..."

TV THEME MONTAGE

Whats your favorite tv show theme? I have so many that I love, its hard to choose just one. Lets take a trip down memory lane and you can listen to some of my favorites I found.


"Just the Ten of US" - OMG, I loved this show!!!! Now it seems a little silly, but back in the day it was the best!


"Ally McBeal" -Another show I greatly miss



"Reading Rainbow" - I'm seriously heartbroken that they've changed the old theme to something "rappier"



"Greatest American Hero" - I'll be honest, this was a little before my time, but who couldn't love this song? Especially since George from Seinfeld copied it for his answering machine. haha



"You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have, the Facts of Life"



and my top three?

3. The Wonder Years



2. The one EVERYONE knows by heart.... "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"



1. And the best theme song ever? (in my opinion) The Golden Girls!!! "and the card attached would say, thank you for being a friend!"



Whats YOUR favorite theme song? :)

Beau's New Tricks

Beau can now: Sit, shake, lay down, high five and show me his "Buddha Belly", I'm so proud.

Bad Decision Friday

Woah, I found my old "community webshots" website... and look what I found!

Scene: Me looking at OLD.. and I do mean OLD photos of myself on the computer


me: Look honey!! I don't look like that anymore!

Adam: you look like your mother there.

me: *silence*

Adam: what?

me: *death stare*

I'm so embarrassed to share this photo, but I feel I must. The over plucked brows, the dark, super boy short hair, the *gasp* tan!, what was I thinking? Clearly I wasn't. Seriously, why was my hair so freakin' dark?! And total lack of make-up.

And my fiancee said I look like. my. mother.

Hehe, spell check is trying to make me change the word "Fiancee" to "defiant" - go figure.

My job and why I love it

Why do I love my job? I believe the below clip can answer that question for you. Plus I have bizarre stories to tell. I have been trying to compile all of them so that I will eventually be able to put together a book of all of the crazy stories I have!! Until then, enjoy this...

Yesterday at work, two women walked in to be spray tanned. One was a bride that I had previously met and the other was with her to get spray tanned as well. The bride decided to go last, so I took back the second lady first. I kept talking to her as though she were the mother of the bride, going in detail about every little thing about the wedding. However, I made a huge mistake when I said, "and how do you feel about being the mother of the bride, are you excited?". *Insert Foot in Mouth Here* she is NOT the mother of the bride, oh no, she's the maid of honor! And to make matters worse, she was just her friend, only 6 years older! There was no recovering from that major mistake!!!! And to make matters worse, this woman was an all out beyatch to begin with. I felt like an idiot, but inside I giggled, just a bit.

Then today, as the day was FINALLY coming to an end (I had been there since 7:30am), I had my last waxing appointment of the day. A full on Brazilian bikini wax (for those of you that don't know, thats mugging you of everything God gave you in the nether region). Everything was going normally, as I introduced myself to my new client and invited her back to the spa area for her waxing appointment. Little did I know that her husband would be joining us. I left for her to change and let him sit out in the spa area while I walked out to check my schedule. When I knockity-knocked to get back in the room, there he was!!!!!!!! STANDING IN THE ROOM with his wife, crotch naked on the bed! I was not taken aback. I simply did my job and got the hell out of there! Holy inappropriateness!! ....we're gonna need more wax!

So there you have it, and in honor of the love of my job, I'm posting the below video clip. Especially to all those girls I bikini wax, you know who you are. haha

Ode to Starbucks

How do I heart thee? Let me count the ways...

Every morning around 8am I yearn for my favorite cup of Starbucks coffee, a "grande, no whip, non-fat, vanilla latte", thank you very much. Starbucks can make the most extreme coffee hater become an addict in a matter of a caramel macchiato minute. With all of their foamy, frothy goodness, how can anyone resist stopping in for just a sip?

Ordering is an art form. Have you ever listened to someone make their order? You can definitely tell the difference between a coffee newbie and an addict. It actually aggravates me to hear people go back and forth on what they want; know what you want, then order.
I have only gotten flustered at a Starbucks once. I went to order my usual vanilla latte, when I was informed their espresso machine was broken!!! The travesty. I looked frantically at the board. Words like, "hazelnut", "chai", "tazo", and "frappuccino" were all blurring together. I wasn't sure WHAT I was going to get. Luckily, my local barista knew just what to do. She made me a cafe au lait with a touch of vanilla and it was the best drink ever! Since then, I've also branched into getting an occasional Cinnamon Dulche as well.


Sure it can get costly and you're definitely paying for the experience as well as the coffee, but its worth it. Hell, throw caution to the wind and order a coffee cake too! Or perhaps a cinnamon bun is more your style? Whatever the case may be, indulge yourself with some Starbucks! You owe it to yourself!
In fact, I may head there myself... Because lets face it, you want to go where everybody knows your name...

Last night, while finishing painting my woman-land oasis, Adam was watching the Cowboys vs. Eagles game on tv. I overheard this sound. This weird, off pitch sound. I haven't heard anyone sing the National Anthem this poorly since Roseanne Barr. I immediately started laughing and pointed out to Adam how horrible this poor girl was singing the anthem. Surely this was a joke! BUt when I looked up at the tv screen, she was still going strong, including a pointed finger to the sky motion (let me tell you honey, just cause you're pointing to the sky doesn't mean you're gonna be able to reach that higher note!). And everyone else must have had the exact same feeling b/c as she left the stage, there was loud booing.

I immediately went to look this girl up, I had never even heard of her before. Apparently I've been listening to country too long because she's been out for a while. Feel free to watch the You Tube video of her butchering the song, just don't say I didn't warn you!
Kat Deluna. The girl who will forever be known as the one that screwed up the National Anthem.
Well, I feel better about my day, don't you?

My New Oasis! "Woman-Land!"

Well, as you can see, I decided to do something about our plain, white, blah loft this week. It sits just across from our secondary loft, which we lovingly call, "Man-land" b/c of its massive flat screen and huge comfy couch, dominated only by those loving football, playstations, and salsa. The little loft has been empty since we moved in last August!! White walls, staring at me, taunting me. As most of you know, I like lots of color on my walls and these white walls simply would not do! One day last week at work, I had a vision of what I wanted to do with the room. I went out on my lunch break, bought a cute studio couch (also doubles as a futon!), and I bought some paint. A week later, TA DA!!! I finally got my room put together with Elizabeth Street Blue and Bermuda Stone paint colors. Do not be alarmed by the "orbs" in this photo. However, every picture that we took of the room seems to have these, as you can see below. Its very bizarre.

Needless to say, even though I have blue/brown paint all over my hands and somehow got brown paint on my face, I am very proud of my painting job!! Adam's job was to put the couch together because he's not much of a painter, bless his heart. And I assure you, I'm no Michaelangelo, only a Picasso at best. I also can not "color" inside the lines, I had blue paint bleeding onto my brown. And I threw caution to the wind by not using ANY painters tape! Nope. None. ... seriously! None! I got slightly distracted while watching Oprah and almost stepped in the paint as well. Damn you Oprah! (j/k, if you're reading, I really need a new car!).

Well, I'm off to watch my new obsession, "Gossip Girl", and bask in the glory of my new room! And stay tuned for more updated photos as the room transforms into my own personal oasis! Maybe I'll even turn it into a scrapbooking room!!!! (Somewhere Adam just groaned....).

xoxo, Bec

I'm engaged!!!

So, we went on our vacation and we came back engaged!!! Adam asked me with breakfast in bed. :) It couldn't have been more perfect! I am so excited about planning the wedding for next fall, October-ish, we think. Its going to be a medium sized wedding, almost on the "small side".

OK, more on that later.

I'm in love...

So, I'm in love. Yes, its a new love. I discovered my new love while at work the other day on the cover of Brides Magazine. There they were, the most beautiful pair of Italian made, bright pink satin high heel sling backs with a red sole. *sighs* So what if they are $795? Christian Louboutin is a genius! His shoes are like little masterpieces for your feet. Here they are in all their glory. Also, he has a bridal collection too that was in the magazine that have blue soles!! How cute is that?! (no, I'm not engaged, why do you ask?) One day....I will have a pair!!! eventually. when I make more money or temporarily lose my mind in Bob Ellis downtown.

Take Steps for Crohn's

Yesterday, Courtney, Jane (Adam's mom), Esther (Jane's friend), Adam, Beau and I went downtown for the "Take Steps" Crohn's & Colitis Walk for a Cure. It was 100 degrees and we didn't really make it the whole way during the "walk". I'm just glad that my family & friends donated to the cause and helped support me and thousands more like me with Crohn's disease. :) Maybe now they can find a cure!

(You can't tell from the photo, but we were sweating profusely and it wasn't pretty!)

What a Day!

3 brow waxes
1 back wax
1 bikini wax
2 facials
no a/c in my vehicle and the heat index is 113 degrees.

= one tired Esthetician.

PS> Lots of excitement for tomorrow though...after work, my boyfriend's Mom and her friend are coming down to visit, PLUS Courtney (my old roommate from college) and one of my all time best friends is also coming to Charleston! I can't wait!

44 Days until my US Virgin Islands Va-cay!

In an attempt to feel somewhat closer to my St. John's vacation with Adam, I ordered a few bathing suits from Victoria's Secret. I was feeling daring so I decided to go with a few "bold" choices. Definitely out of my comfort zone. I also bought a big black floppy hat to go with these designer suits.

SCENE: me tearing open & trying on my new bathing suits

Me: "ooh honey, come look at my new scandalous suits!" (One had a bikini who's top was backordered, so I only had on the bottoms, plus the hat).

Adam: "um, yeah, we're only going to US Territory, honey."

HAHA! Needless to say, the back of one of the bathing suits is a little "cheekier" than I had originally thought. Check them out for yourselves below:

Bathing Suit one: (please keep in mind, I will not look like the model below)

also, note to self: sticky tape.

Here's the "cheeky" one, notice from the photo on the bottom, it looks like boy shorts, the "back" view wasn't available when I ordered. haha Meanwhile, while I'm getting my "sexy" bathing suits for our trip, my boyfriend goes out and does this: (I'm soo proud) haha

a Turkey leg, beer, racing and headphones.... what more could a girl ask for? haha

Beau - our new addition

I figured I'd start out my blog with the new addition to my family. My life is now complete with our dog, Beau. He's part Rhodesian Ridgeback and part Bloodhound. But mainly he's my heart. Adam and I completely adore Beau (formerly known in the pound as Cisco, which quickly had to go). He is completely spoiled and is adjusting well to his new life with us.

Beau just had his second visit with the Vet today. 1 hour of waiting, they finally took us back, where we waited another 30 minutes or so before even seeing the vet. argh. Luckily, he's alright and will be hopefully be a great pet! He's only 5 months old and already weighs a whopping 51.5 pounds!!! He's going to be massive!!


More on Beau later I'm sure. He's super entertaining and we're soo excited he made his way to our home! :)

At the Riverdogs game... Beau's attention span lasted about 6 innings!

Give me "Shoulder!"