Four Eyes

It all began in 1988. I couldn't see the blackboard during school. Two weeks later I walked into second grade sporting some clear framed glasses...yup, they had pink and hot green stripes. They were also too big for my face. I ended up looking like a cross between an Easter colored hard candy and a bug. The perm didn't help.

In 1996 I got a job as a lifeguard. The number of children that I pulled out is seriously impressive. That job made me realize that you don't actually need to SEE the kids face to know that they are sniffin the bottom of the pool. In fact, when wearing glasses or contacts, your rescue speed can increase substantionally. I only lost little Billy...I thought he wanted to try to french me...again :)

Fast forward through time.

The year was 2008. My boyfriend noticed that I squinted a lot, had frequent headaches and was a horrible night time driver. When I told him that I couldn't tell the difference between regular and high definition television, I thought I might have to rescitate him. Memories of little Billy flooded back.

Basically I need glasses.


This is me. What?! That is my normal face :)


And this is the visionally enhanced me...sorry it doesn't improve your view...just mine. I loved our eye doctor. My boyfriend picked him out. He was really helpful, explaining each test and what he was looking for, telling us what to look for in frames and even recommended some tips on when (and when not) to throw on my extra set of eyes.


Jeremy picked the frames out. I think he did good. And now, I can see all the pores on Randy Jackson's face as he grooves to those excellent Idol auditions. Literally. I think I could count them.


So do you wear glasses? err...corrective lenses? Do you love your eye doctor? Are you a full-body contact kinda person? Do we have any colored contact peeps in the house? Let me see (heehee) your vision situation via comments please!

The New Loo

Our first floor bathroom view (from the mirror reflection) before:

Yup - that is our archaic washer and dryer hanging out in the first floor GUEST bathroom. I had a constant fear that I would accidentally leave a load of laundry in there. Then a uber-nosey guest would go in there...shut the door...and check our undies for skidmarks. It was terrifying. At first chance, we moved that sucker to basement - away from the prying eyes of panty peekers.

Now when you peer into the bathroom mirror, the reflection looks a little more refined with my newly painted cabinet! YAY!

Before the cabinet was dark, dated and pretty depressing. After a little TLC, I brought this baby back to life.

All my beast needed was a couple coats of primer and paint. I used a roller for all the flat parts, a foam brush for the crevices and a regular brush for the spindle-y legs. The primer was actually Zinsser's oil-based primer - which is fabulous for furniture because it seals and is a stain blocker. This hand-me-down didn't have any visible stains but it was an extra measure that ensured that no hiding blemishes would peek through my white top coat. Two coats of primer (three is special spots) and two coats of Benjamin Moore's base paint in Pastel White gave the dark veneered wood a traditional, clean, and time-lasting look.


Ya'll voted for the color of the inside and I listened. Since the vast majority chose the blue-gray smokiness of Benjamin Moore's Atmospheric for the inside of the cabinet and the inside of the drawer, I made a mental note that the next time I was out I would get a pint. But when Jeremy was making a trip to Lowes - I decided that I probably could find an alternative color that was screamed Atmospheric. Enter Valspar's Winter Flannel. Immediately, I was totally crushin' on this color. A little less blue and a little more gray than the Atmospheric. And is it just me or is this not as punchy but more cozy? Or am I just taking cues from the name?


We definitely splurged on the hardware. Usually I have a three dollar limit for each knob or handle. But when I saw these brushed nickel pull cup handles - they practically danced their way into my buggie. I got them at Ace Hardware - but for an online version, check these out.


I also moved some of the existing art in the room. The two black and white pictures that flanked the window now live above the cabinet. I got them at TJMaxx for $5 each.


I told Jeremy that when I bought this art that they were an interpretation of us. He is the one on the left....orderly, stable, transparent. Me - I am the right hand photo...messy, romantic, and sometimes I fall apart. I knew I was meant to own the b&w prints. Plus now I have a clear view to ponder the balance my boyfriend brings to my life as I do my bid'ness. Two thousand points go to interpersonal art.


So that is it folks. The tour of my new bathroom complete with new-old cabinet is finished. But now that I spent so much time in the loo, I found about seven more things I need to add to the to-do-list. Does that happen to you? It's like chores only lead to more chores. Maybe we should all just leave it as-is and quit, that way we would have tons more time for more important things...like reality TV :)

The Bathroom Beast

Ya'll remember the wooden beast?

Yup, it was a hand-me-down from my boss (dinner went great by the way! YAY! And a huge bear hug to all of you praying for me!). I just knew that this soon-to-be-fab-cabinet would be perfect for storage in our first floor bathroom. At first I was totally inspired to paint the beast a nice clean white just like Eddie Ross did his fantastic secretary.

First, I popped off the flowery wooden emblems on the drawer front. Since they were ornate and the bathroom is sort of simple, they just had to go. A chisel, a hammer, and some screwdrivers to remove the drawer pulls made it a snap. Althought it was easy - the front veneer sustained some damage.

To be quite honest - it isn't a high class antique piece of furniture. Obviously the veneer was damaged but the overall quality of the cabinet is not high. But it was free. And personally I don't look a gift horse in the mouth (can you believe I just found out what that saying means?!?!).

Enter Pro-Bond. I love this stuff. Shmear some on sanded wood for a new finish. Fill holes. Smooth gnashes. Then let dry...it'll bond to the wood and harden up. Then sand it with medium sandpaper till smooth. Paint over and wahLA!

And here is me - on the coldest day that Atlanta has seen all year - and I am freezing my patooties off painting the beast. Yes, I am wearing three pairs of pants...and three shirts plus a sweatshirt. scarf. hat. And no makeup. That's right folks - I am going el naturel...and posting for all to see. When I show up on uglypeople.com I am going after that blasted Anonymous. He has had a bone to pick with me since day 1 :)

And here she is after priming. She is drying in our garage. I can't wait to move her into the bathroom and put all the chotchkies and towels and extra toilet paper in it. It really will help complete my need for extra storage in there.

Ok - but now I need your help. Desperately. The walls in the bathroom are a grey with a hint of blue (represented by first paint color). The plan is to paint her a plain white (represented by the second paint color). And I got to thinking that maybe the inside of the cabinet should be a punchy color. But I don't know. So in true Bower Power fashion - I am gonna put it to a vote.

Vote for one of these three options. And remember - you are voting to see this color on the INSIDE of the cabinet. It's an accent color - like a sexy James Bond accent color.

Word Vomit and my Boss

Sometimes I open my mouth without control of what is coming out. It's kinda like throwing up but less chunky. It's word vomit.

Case in point - I word vomitted my boss. His name is Rick. He is a great boss. And I definitely love the almost four years I have worked for him. However on a personal level - he is a bit like Michael Scott. Ya know...OCD sometimes. Thinks of his employees as family. Excessively clean. Politically incorrect most of the time. It's great. And it makes for a very fun workplace.

Let's set the stage for the barf. Obviously, I work in the Atlanta area in the main office. He has a huge house here. But he lives in one of his two houses in Grand Cayman. And in the winter he goes to his house in Keystone, Colorado. Ridiculous right? So with his choice of beach or mountains, Atlanta usually doesn't win out - which is fine because with telecommuting, we can reach him day or night.

Last week Rick was here and he said something about eating sushi alone. That's when the projectile started...'why don't you come eat with Jeremy and I on Thursday?' It came out before I had a chance to swallow it back down. It's not that I don't want to spend time with the guy - it is just that my house is ridiculously messy and dusty, I am not the best cook, and I don't want him to get the impression that I am a poor hostess. I would just really like for him to believe that I can excel at anything...that's not weird, right? The desire to impress your boss? Sure this might not seem like a big deal to you. But just to put this in perspective - I am one of four ladies that work for him. We all are very tight. And he hasn't ever been to anyone's house. This is new territory.

Last night - I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. My boyfriend and I painted the piece of furniture that Rick gave us with another coat of primer (so that he can see we appreciate it and are eager to use it). And I did all the food prep I could so that tonight I can just go home and pop it in.

Also, I set the table. Here are some photos (I thought you would prefer to see our island inspired tablescape over the before and afters of the bathrooms - eww!)



I decided on the island theme because I thought it would make him feel at home. The flowery table runner was under $4 at Pier 1. I thought that it didn't look completely out of place in our more traditional dining room because of its neutral colors. What do you think?



The centerpiece was uber-easy and has a bit of sea-inspired decor with the woven textural balls. Four balls placed in a red bamboo bowl and wahLA! - instant centerpiece. Easy to do, easy to move come eating time. I flanked the bowls with two brown mercury glass votives to add a warm glow.



White dinner plates are a standard around these parts. Top them off with any decorative accent plate for a huge variety of different tablesettings. They are so versatile, everyone should have some. I layered plain red plates on my dinner plates for some drama. Add one napkin with a dark napkin ring and one red mini drink umbrella and I got me a tablescape that puts the WOW in luau. (I crack me up!)

Adding personalization is always a plus. My Southern Living Dress-me-up plate got a red ribbon to add some crimson flavor to the buffet and a message especially for Rick.


So what do you think? Does it look fit for a king...err...a boss? And I definitely wanna know if you have blown word chunks at your boss, or tossed some verbal cookies with a coworker, or hurled some random stranger! Spill it...err, spew it :)

Bower Power Reality TV Picks

I love, love, love, my DVR. I love that I can fast forward through commercials. And skipping the bits I don't care for. It makes watching twice as many shows in the same amount of time possible. That's how I do TV now. I DVR everything. And when I fast forward through the insurance commercials and the junk food ads, I try to go as fast as possible and stop it perfectly when my beloved reality TV starts back. It's like a contest. Me versus the machine.

And speaking of games, I have made my picks for two of my favorite reality shows - The Biggest Loser & The Bachelor. So here they are:

I really love Jen. I love the positivity. I love the fact that she wants to win. She is one competitive cookie. And I love the fact that Jillian can't break her spirit (yet). Not only is she in it to win it, but it seems like she is sensitive to others. Plus she is hot. Like oh-my-gosh-the-producers-didn't-have-to-really-imagine-the-weight-loss hot. Maybe when she loses the weight, she will hook up with Bob. You know you thought about it too.

Dane is a logical pick to me to win the whole kit-n-kaboodle. He weighs a ton, he loses weight quickly, he used to be a college athlete, and he has the support system at home. If the black team doesn't walk away with any money at the end of this, I will be shocked. Simple math shows that if Dane gets to 200lbs (normal weight for a man his height), Dane will be thanking Jello for his cash money.

Lastly is Daniel. Daniel is the fattest kid at fat camp. He is my redneck buddy. Basically I just feel bad for the kid - I can imagine he has been called Jumbotron his whole life...or Blimpie...or Mr. Tubbee. One time he ran - he went 7 miles an hour. That is impressive. I can't imagine how much chaffing that can cause. And I really worried for the treadmill...that is just a joke, NBC can afford a new one :) Seriously though, I really want him to lose a ton of weight...I want him to change his life...and I want to be his friend.

Here is a quick question. I watch this show every season. And every season, the contestants take off their shirt and we expect to see everything from ghetto booties and spare tires to back hair and man-boobs. But for some reason, season 7 is producing some pretty funky looking mid-regions. My question is this...that giant fat pocket located above their waist...in Atlanta, people call it a "panis"...do you think that the NBC doctors find stuff under there? like chicken bones? If I had a panis, I would keep my keys there. I always lose them.

Moving on.

The Bachelor is Jason Mesnick. I loved him during the Bachelorette. Obviously, I wasn't the only one.

My boyfriend thinks he looks like a young George W. I can see it a little. In the nose. They both are pretty darn handsome men.

Ok - on to my picks for the lucky lady.

I hear that the cheerleader - Melissa - aka Deanna Part 2 - is the winner of Jason's heart. I am perfectly ok with this so far. She hasn't had an emotional breakdown, or been ridiculously catty or mean, or said that she lights her Casanova candle each night before bed to attract Jason. It could be creative editing but I like to imagine that she is just a regular nice girl. My favorite Melissa moment? "I got a breast reduction at 17. I used to be double F". They aren't kidding when they say everything is bigger in Texas...well, not anymore I guess :)

I personally do not prefer Nikki for Mr. Mesnick...not after this past week. She is too serious. I love this Nikki line though - "I know I am pretty. I know I am smart. But that isn't enough anymore." Actually Nikki - just the first one is enough for most guys. Don't you worry your smart little head.

My Canadian hotdogger is great. I would totally jump on the bed with her...and I love mustard. Does her theory apply to girls? Oh wait, I am straight...and married. Jillian - come to my house...we can be BFF. 500 million points to Jillian for being an interior designer...I wonder if she blogs?!!?


That's it folks - my Bower Power Reality TV show picks - what about you? Who did you pick?

Gym Faux Pas

Is one of your new year's resolutions to go the gym more often? It is for me. And because tonight is the night that I am crossing off my goal of "hitting the gym more than 5 times this month" - I thought I would share with you some of my thoughts on exercise etiquette. So here are some big ole fat DON'Ts when it comes to your local workout facility...cause after all, if you get shunned there, your weight loss goals are down the crapper.

KATIE's TOP 10 GYM FAUX PAS

#1 Do not leave sweaty equipment.

Go ahead - get your sweat on! Drip that salty perspiration all over the elliptical. We don't mind. But please do not get off the machine and walk away forever. Nobody wants to climb all over your wet treadmill and gag while trying to ignore the puddle you left. We see where that sweat has been and we don't want anywhere near it. Grab a paper towel and wipe it off the machine. Sure, we know slopping it up isn't the same as applying anti-bacterial (or buckets of bleach) but not slipping when we grab the side bars makes us feel a little bit better.

#2 Do not stare people up and down.

This is not the time to evaluate whether your butt is as big as a fellow exerciser...sure, a quick glance is fine but do not try to count the cellulite pockets on the back of a person's thighs for comparison purposes. People are in the gym to lose weight and get fit, not so that they can feel intimidated by the masses. Stop staring.

#3 Do not sing along with your ipod or talk loudly on your cell.

You would think that most people know that ears still work even when legs are moving...but still, it happens. I am jamming out to Britney...please don't sing Justin out loud. Not only are you butchering the song, but it's a painful reminder of their breakup. And when the phone rings, hit ignore or run into the locker room to talk...I bet you'll burn like ten calories on the way there. Some people gotta get a certain mojo going to offset the box of girl scout cookies they inhaled at lunch and hearing the conversation about your recent gynecology visit is a sure fire way to unhealthy calorie loss...aka bulimia.

#4 Do not wear a thong on the outside of your clothing.

Never is this ok. Never. It is time to move on. The 80's are long gone. The cold war is over. Ronald is not the president. We all miss the Cosby show. Denise Austin put the leotard thongs away - so should you. I swear you'll barely miss them. Bonus points - it'll make bathroom breaks so much easier.

#5 Do not leave the free weights on the machine.

Leaving your six hundred pounds on the leg press is just rude people. Not only do we have to pull a muscle to remove the weights but you are reducing the amount of time we can watch reality TV. And that is a punishable offense. Men are generally the guilty party for this one...so girls, try to remind them that it is a good thing to clean up after themselves. Try "Wow - I noticed your arm muscle really pops out when you lift free weights onto the machine - could I see that again?" It works like a charm :)

#6 Do not disrespect my personal space.

Know that little hook that holds the optional five pounder on the hamstring machine? Yea...it's not ok to reach over me while I am bent over in the downward facing dog position to grab that weight! And when you get on the treadmill for the first time in your life, it is not ok to lean over into my treadmill space to see my settings. I almost fell. And when I am doing sit ups on the mat, do not grab my shoes to help hold me down. Anything that is attached to my body, that counts as my personal space. Including but not limited to shoes, shirts, hair, Ipod, earphones, and waterbottle (do not even think about me sharing!)

#7 Do not go topless or wear clothing that sags or that is too small or too short.

Boys and girls - shirts are a good thing...keep them on. I don't care if you have chiseled abs and a great rack. I don't care if you kept the sports bra on. I don't care if you wanna make sure your upper delts are bulging correctly. We don't wanna worry about a stray boob or the possibility of back hair falling onto the equipment - keep the shirt on. Also, girls, look in the mirror before you go to the gym...if you can see the cottage cheese (I have it too) through your clothing...it's time to change your outfit. And please do not wear short shorts on the abductor/adductor machines. Flashing cootchies are for drunk celebrities and for places called "Vaginas-R-Us".

#8 Do not forget to trade your bling for deodorant.

Don't wear your chains and your rings and your four-pound earrings into the gym. Maybe it's because I live near a city that appreciates a gold covered and diamond inlaid grill but when possible it is better to leave the bling at home. Primarily because then I don't have to worry about whether your Ethiopian inspired earlobes are going to tear under the great weight of your jewelry. Secondly because it will be much more comfortable than having your platinum pimp tags bang repeatedly on your chest while you run. Also, while you are stashing your clocks and dollar signs away, grab your antiperspirant. Wipe it on. And no, organic deodorant is not the same...

#9 Do not hit on people in the gym.

If I wanted to go to a meat market, I would have hit up Al's Butcher shop. I am here to work out. Please do not come up to tell me that your friend wants to know whether I am single or into Thai food or likes a 'good time'. I am married, I obviously eat only chocolate covered food and my idea of a good time is sleeping in a big bed...alone...till noon. Pleasant conversation is fine. A comment about the emblem on my tshirt is ok. Friendliness is welcome. But please respect the fact that I am not in a club or a bar or a single's activity group. I am here because I wanna be skinny to impress my girlfriends...ok?

#10 Do not use profane language.

For heaven's sakes - there are kids in here! And I think it is great that these fat children are there with their chubby parents trying to lose weight - and when I have kids, I will get their fatty butts in there too so please, please, please cut the foul language. Even if there is no kid around, and your ligaments feel like popping, it isn't nice to drop the F-bomb at the top of your lungs. Sure, I have been there. I feel like cussing when I am doing squats and busting blood vessels. But then I remember that I am there to get hot...and cussing is not hot. It can be ridiculously humorous in the right situation...but I just can't imagine Audrey Hepburn saying "mother-effer" upon finishing a jazzercise set.

So there you have it. My top ten DON'Ts for going to the gym. And I know that there are probably eight hundred more that could make the list. Can you tell that I am more irritable since I started working out? Or maybe it's the diet I have been thinking about starting...just the idea that I will have to go on one makes me cranky :) So what about you...what are the things that just drive you batty in the gym? Nakedness in the locker rooms? How about spitting in the pool? Spill it you guys...it might be something that I have been doing at LAFitness and need to fix!

(hope you enjoy my little past-life's sports modeling photos! Aren't they a hoot?!?!)

Yet Another Reason...

...why I love my boyfriend.



We have light in our basement! YAY! My handsome dear lover took the initiative to install the recessed lighting. It probably is because I complained that we didn't get anything done in the house this past weekend. He reminded me that we built a closet for our friends who were having an appraisal done for their re-finance deal. The appraisal-boosting closet turned their extra bonus over-the-garage room into a bona fide bedroom. I retorted that 'it wasn't our house' and I am pretty sure I did a 'z' style snapping sequence...am I stinking selfish or what?!?! Lord, forgive me for my pissy tude. And please bless my BFF hubbie for having the patience to deal with his four year old wife.



The recessed lighting was an obvious choice for the low ceiling and we decided to do five lights in the room and two in the closet. The placement of each light was decided for us by the beams, crossbeams, gas lines and joists in the ceiling. We didn't want to go through the extra work of moving things around up there...so we chose locations for the lights that required little to no "bonus renovations".



And just for all you peeps that like renos and the quirks of DYI...we do our plans on whatever happens to be lying around. In this case, it was the light box. Unfortunately, this particular unit that comes in this box was the wrong size. Now we have marked our ceiling measurements marked and this light (and the box) will be returned to the store :)


oh - and one other thing...

(WARNING: Single ladies - just give up because nobody can compare if you read this story. If you proceed, a long, miserable, uncontent life will be inevitable!)

my boyfriend can do...

the most. amazing. thing.

with a round brush and a blow dryer.

Yes, girls, my boyfriend can give a blow-out better than my hairdresser.

I showed him one time. He picked up the brush. my hair is now ridiculous. It is like I am Jessica and I have my own personal Ken Paves. best part - my husband isn't even gay.

Animal Kingdom

This past weekend, I went Goodwill Hunting...of course. And I spied me a small white ceramic bird that just needed to fly that coop and come home with me. For. One. Dollar. It was amazing....well...not amazing at first. Initially it was sort of scary.

I first saw it in the dishware section. I stood there. Staring at the thing. Thinking that maybe it had a scowl on its face. Or that the void in it's eye was some demonic possession symbolizing a cruel evil heart beating deep within it's ceramic belly. The lighting was just right to make me believe that somehow this feathered fiend would attack me - my daydream-mare was a weird combination of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds and Childs Play's Chuckie. As I was staring into the face of this glossy albino sparrow (literally, I am four inches away from its beak), I see a hand reaching up toward it...so without hesitation I quickly snatch the fowl off the shelf, stash the wee bird in my buggy and move to the next aisle. No time for the usual boogie dance...just grasp and go. The hand belonged to some old guy who was grabbing a Jeff Gordon mug...go figure. But it was just the motivation I needed to make the chick mine-o-mine.



Once I got it home, it wasn't scary at all. In fact, after a quick bird-bath, it looked downright pleasant. I love the texture of the feathered back and sides. and it appears that the scowl turned into a bit of a smile. Maybe she just didn't like living in the Goodwill...I can understand...it does have a weird smell in there.

And I thought that since I am introducing my new little sparrow to you, that I would share the rest of our pets as well. And believe me, we practically have a zoo! Not of real live animals, mind you, but of decorative figures of creatures big and small.


A giraffe and it's baby live currently on our fireplace hearth. They came to us from a Pier 1 clearance store during my "lets-decorate-Jeremy's-apartment" days. I thought that their rugged metal texture and dark brown color looked manly and invoked impressions of 'world-traveler'. Of course, Jeremy had never been outta the good ole US of A at that point but any apartment visitor wouldn't know that :)


Another creature that was originally for the adornment of a then-only-a-boyfriend's abode was this squatty elephant. He currently resides on the bottom shelf of our coffee table. He is solid wood and (unbelievably) matches the coloring of his home. Maybe he is a special breed? Like a chameleon elephant...hmm...well, whatever his hue, he was a steal at the clearance price of $3.


Our living room bookshelf houses the fifth and sixth members of our wild kingdom...the Moroccan horses. Sure, they may look like high maintenance equine but surprisingly, they both are extremely supportive (pun intended), hardworking, and apparently bookworms...I mean, they are ALWAYS around the hardbacks :)


And speaking of horses, all of you know our stud-ly horse head that currently calls our coffee table home. We adore our white ceramic colt bust that adds some regal flair to our living room. I can't get enough of his sleek and smooth texture and his creamy color.



Lastly, our fish. Our scale covered friend is made from hammered metal on a metal stand. He lives in our guest bedroom above the television unit. I also got him in attempt to add some 'man stuff' to Jeremy's bachelor bedroom. Yes, that was many moons ago. And no, I am not an expert on masculine decor. I just figured guys go fishing so a metal fish is automatically manly.

So that's it. Our animal kingdom minus the fleas, pet hair, fish food, sqwalking, barking, and barn. And although I would just DIE if Jeremy surprised me with one of these, I am quite satisfied with having a collection of God's creatures immortalized in my home. Not only are they fabulous home decor but also a great reminder of one of God's most lovable gifts...wildlife.

I know that many of you have some uber lovable and adorable pets (real live ones too) so I wanna know...do you have a Spot, a Nemo or a Tabby? What's their name? Do they do any tricks? Mine hold up books and can hold very, very still :)

Vote for a Coat

I need a new coat. All my others are either too light weight or I got in college (which usually means that they are one to three sizes too small). I never gained the freshman fifteen...I lost weight when I went away to school. The food just couldn't compete with mom's...plus there were other funner things to do - like follow cute boys around and hope they spit out their gum so I could peel it off the asphalt sidewalk and stick it in my collection...it was alphabetized...and in chronological order...and sorted by flavor...go ahead, ask me how I found out what was peppermint :)

Back to the coat issue - the cold weather finally hit Georgia...which is nice because now the winter actually feels like winter (minus snow or anything remotely romantic like that). And then my friend Vicky - most people know her as Victoria - sent me a great code to knock an additional 50% off my coat purchase. Gotta love Vicky!

So now I need your help - vote for one of the following to let me know which coat I should get. Oh and fyi - I need to know what color too!!! I don't have a black one - so keep that in mind.

Option #1 - comes in black, winter white & cobalt

Originally $150 - on sale for $100 (only $50 after discount)

Option #2 - comes in black, winter white, red & charcoal heather

Originally $140 - on sale for $90 (only $45 after discount)

Option #3 - comes in black, winter white & lipstick red Originally $170 - on sale for $80 (only $40 after discount)

My current coat conundrum has certain requirements to be fullfilled...the coat must meet the following standards:

• Single-breasted. Double breasted makes me look like a linebacker for the GreenBay Packers.
• Slit pockets. Bulky, obvious or square pockets located directly on my pelvic region make me look really hippy and not that flashing-peace-signs-and-tie-dye-my-bell-bottoms-kinda hippy.
• No belts. I really don't have much of a waist...it's like my ribs end and my hip bones are half an inch below them...doesn't leave a whole lotta room for a slim midsection. Belts are just wasted on me...they don't make me look like I have a waist...they just add additional fabric and make me look wider in the midsection region. yikes.

So there is my coat info. And there are a ton of outerwear available at Vicky's, ladies - so if you are in need, check it out today...but vote first...nobody wants me to get all CRAZY up in here :)

Ought to be Wrought

Faux wrought...Faux real :)

Remember the three tiered plate stand I got from Goodwill for Christmas? I finally got around to giving it a quick sand and coat of spray paint. The makeover magic with a can of spray paint can be unreal. This subtle change from a traditional gold colored plate stand to a black wrought-ironed inspired version fits in with the rest of my decor and has a more contemporary feel.

BEFORE : OLD AND GOLD

AFTER : NOT WHACK in BLACK

Sure, it isn't a ginormous jaw-dropping transformation. It is really subtle actually. But the fact remains - the new color matches my other 3-tiered plate server - and anytime I can achieve matchy-matchiness, I am happier than a giraffe in a necklace factory. Plus, I only paid four bones for this handy dandy appetizer serving station/stacked plate holder versus paying twice as much at BB&B :) Sure, it ain't much but I think that it's bust-a-move-worthy...go on girl. Show me your best sprinkler! Or in leiu of the moonwalk, you could send me some before/afters of your makeover so I can brag on your spraycan skills - your choice!

Two Goals One Night

Making resolutions is pretty easy - keeping them, not so much. So I am pretty stoked about the fact that I am crossing not one but two (2!!!) monthly goals off the list.

Cook Jeremy a special meal
Make a treat for firemen

The special meal menu was EASY CHILI & CHEESE FRIES...if you want the recipe, email me and I can send your way!




Our very nutritious appetizer...Dean's dip and chips. Nothing says let's get ready to watch some football like Dean's dip and chips. Have you tried this? It is like so good. It's bad...but oh-so-good.




The best part about this chili is that it isn't just meat and cheese. I have the hardest time getting Jeremy to eat tomatoes. It is like getting an ADD kid to sit still. But with this hearty combination, not only does he get a man's meal full of lycopene but he really enjoys eating it. He even will go so far to ask for it. And being the sweetheart that he is, he rarely asks me to DO or MAKE anything! It must mean that he loves it :)




This goal isn't easy. It requires me to plan ahead. I don't want to make his special meal each month consist of a steak and potatoes...not that he'd mind. But I want each menu to be appropriate for the month and consist of one of his favorites. Seeing as how it is January, comfort food is in order. So cheese fries...while the chili is simmering, I threw some bacon on.




Then the fries. yowza that's hot... and yes, I added some canola oil right to the bacon drippings. This is not going to help my #1 resolution.




Check on the chili. Yup, looking good! Chunky, meaty, tasty!




Layered the fries with cheese and the yummy chopped bacon, served it all up on a tray, and WAHLA! A special meal fit for watching this:

Needless to say, he couldn't finish. But I got a big thumbs up! I mean, just look at all the chunky heartiness!




And then came dessert. Dessert for our dear firemen. Firemen who so honorably sacrifice time with their families so that they can risk their lives to keep us from danger. Nothing I could ever make would be enough. So what I try to do is induce a momentary coma-like-state via chocolate to say thanks. The recipe is SUPER easy...and has only three ingredients (which I love!) and requires absolutely no baking. Can this be true? Oh yes, yes it can!




OREO Truffles

These little balls of hypnosis can help anyone forget that they are running into a burning building or firey accident scene or getting clawed by Granny's kitty stuck in that tree. They are absolutely 100% divine. I made the full-fat version and the reduced fat version...just in case a certain firewarrior has their own New Year's resolutions!

And because I know you ALL want to make these, here is the recipe:

MIX together:
3 cups finely chopped Oreo cookies (can substitute reduced fat Oreos)
1 package cream cheese (can sub fat-free cream cheese)

Roll into 1-inch balls - stick in toothpicks for easy dipping - then pop into freezer to harden up.

MELT:
16 oz semi sweet chocolate or 8 oz vanilla/8 oz chocolate
Coat all balls with chocolate - decorate till your heart's content :) Pop back in freezer. Serve cold in uber-cute box.




I figure that everyone has a fantastic easy-peesy-lemon-squeezy recipe out there...and I need five more recipes for five more months of Firemen treats. And I want your best...I want something that will cause seizures, fainting, dizziness, loss of hearing, and intense bravery. My hope is that if I ever have a house fire (probably caused by bacon), the firemen will recognize me as the girl who makes those ridiculously delicious desserts and hurry :) Sound that alarm!