"Behind These Hazel Eyes" - Kelly Clarkson (Live Acoustic)

I adore Kelly Clarkson; her voice is absolutely amazing! This is my favorite version of this song, because it really allows her vocals to shine through. Enjoy!

The Fire Detector From HELL!!!!

Exhibit A.: The Fire Alarm From Hell

***Please Read***

Warning: Unlike my typical filming, today's vlog involves lots of strong language and cursing! As a matter of fact, my swear jar is now filled to the top! Yup, I'm that fed up. This early in the morning, I am doing good and practicing quite a great deal of self control only choosing to curse instead of using this alarm as target practice! 

Video: 

The Some Detector from HELL!

Fire Alarm, Fire Detector, Smoke Detector...whatever you like to call it, lets preface this by saying: I am at my wits end! 

My realty company has yet to fix this issue, the alarm is on a vaulted ceiling that my 4'11.5" self is nowhere near the capabilities of reaching, and I have thrown everything (phone books included) in an attempt to silence this defective piece of crap into submission. NOTHING has worked! I've even stood on a step ladder and beat it with a Louisville slugger and a grabber thingy. Not only was I unable to make it quit chirping, or knock if off the wall to silence it....it is apparently ATTACHED to the blasted wall and wired quite intricately into a system throughout the entire house. Just peachy! No matter how much you beat it with a baseball bat, it still keeps on truckin! Nothing I've tried is working to silence it. This fire alarm is like the Energizer Bunny....it just keeps going, and going, and going! Well, I've had enough! As far as I'm concerned, this alarm can just chirp its merry way straight to hell this morning!

My swear jar is overflowing. I have Pleurisy. I haven't slept in a week. My dogs are going crazy from the chirping. And this STUPID alarm will not shut up! Ladies and gentlemen, I'm only moments away from quite literally turning this thing into range practice if this alarm won't quit squawking! 

 This reminds me a bit of the episode of "Friends" when Phoebe has a similar predicament with her smoke detector.

 Maybe, at least one of you will enjoy a laugh at my expense and find a bit of humor in this, since I am all out of ideas on what to do! At this point, I've decided that my next step will involve calling the fire department (non emergency) to see if they will come out fix it if this isn't resolved today. My realty company is absolutely on the "naughty" list this year! This incessant, ear-piercing chirping has gone on for nearly a week. Did I mention that I've had an ear surgery on both ears and that high pitched noises absolutely pain me? Yup! I am NOT in a peachy mood this morning. I have turned in a written notice for repair that the realty company has yet to respond to. I've also called every single day to check on the status of getting a repairman out to fix it....nothing, no response! So I've devised a plan that I will implement later today if this is not resolved asap. I've decided that if this isn't repaired today, I will be calling and emailing the realty company EVERY SINGLE TIME this thing chirps. EVERY SINGLE TIME! Then maybe, just maybe that will light a fire under their tails and make them send someone out to fix it. 

On a more serious note, not only is this annoying, it's also dangerous and a safety hazard to not have a working fire alarm. 

So, that's how my morning's started out so far. I'm thinking a little retail therapy is in order later today to calm my nerves! ;) Hope you are all having a bit of a better morning than the one I'm currently experiencing. Have a great day, my lovelies! 

Cat-Friend vs Dog-Friend

This cracked me up today! Since I own both cats and dogs, I love how I can relate to this! 

John Legend - Jesus, Oh What A Wonderful Child

Hope you are all having a wonderful week so far! Today I'm trying to motivate myself to get a little decorating done, so I thought it was appropriate to listen to Christmas music. This particular song is one of my very favorite Christmas songs. I thought I'd share it with all of you today to get you into the Christmas spirit! One of my favorite memories of college involved singing this song in our Gospel Choir at Christmas time...so much fun! :) 

PetFlow's "Spoiled Rotten Box" - Reviews!

I was recently contacted by PetFlow to see if I was interested in sampling items in their new monthly subscription service for dogs, the "Spoiled Rotten Box". I'm quite happy that I took them up on the offer! After taking the time to research each item and let my dogs test them out, I was very pleased with the quality of the products chosen for their box, as well as the customer service. The "Spoiled Rotten Box" is $24.99 a month, and they have a box for dogs and box for cats, which I think is a nice since I own both. The products included in each box add up to around a $40 value, and I appreciated that the ones included in this box were made in the US. 

I wanted to make sure that the dogs and I both had a chance to really review the quality of the products, so I decided to do four mini-reviews that go into more details on the specific items. I've linked all of the videos below for those of you who are interested in ordering a "Spoiled Rotten Box" for your furbaby! Their website is: http://www.petflow.com/spoiled

Items included in the November "Spoiled Rotten Box":

-Etta Says Roasted Duck Meat Treat for Dogs

-RoadRageous Seth th Skunk Toy

-Nuts for Knots Dog Toy

-Waggers "My Little Wolf" Turkey Treats

-Pure Love Sweet Pea Ear Cleanse

-Lickety Stik Braised Liver Lickable Dog Treat

-Merrick Natural Beef Dog Chews

-John Paul Pet Waterless Foam Shampoo for Dogs

REVIEWS

Spoiled Rotten Box by PetFlow (November 2012)

Tutorial: John Paul Pet Waterless Foam Shampoo for Dogs (SpoiledRotten Box product review)

Mini-Review: RoadRageous Seth the Skunk Toy & Nuts for Knots Rope Dog Toy (SpoiledRottenBox)

Treat Review: Waggers, Etta Says, Merrick, Lickety Stik (Spoiled Rotten Box)

Tutorial/Review: Pure Love Sweet Pea Ear Cleanse for dogs and cats (SpoiledRotten Box)

Why Doesn't MTV Play Music Videos Anymore?

This is absolutely hilarious!!

Salt-N-Pepa - Shoop

Don't lie...you KNOW you love this song! 

"Shoop", is one of those songs that makes me want to get up and dance around in the kitchen every time I listen to it! I proudly know every singly word to this song by heart lol! I remember being a kid, dancing around singing it with my step brother and sister when we would horse around...we also listened to a lot of Run DMC and Ace of Base....good times!
 (I defiantly had no clue to the meaning of the lyrics when I was that little, but even as an adult I still find it hilarious and LOVE this song!).

This is just genuine 90's awesomeness right here, folks!

Pain

Ten Things Thursday:

1. Currently debating how much I REALLY want to go to Starbucks right now for a pumpkin spice latte, and if in fact it's worth getting up, putting a coat on, driving there, driving back, and ........there we go....just talked myself out of it!

2. This has been a LOOOOOONG week! I'm looking forward to the weekend's arrival, and a bit of down time.

3. My Christmas orders have been flying lately; which is terrific. That being said, I'm finding it a bit impossible to keep my nails freshly manicured and my hands cut-free! It just goes with the territory. (If you want a custom design piece for the holidays, it's not to late to order one; send me a message!) 

4. I finally had my court hearing on Wednesday over the injury I sustained to my lung and Phrenic Nerve during my heart procedure back in 2010. It's been such a long, long time coming, but I think it went very well. I've honestly just committed it to prayer and am hoping for the best. This injury has really changed my way of life entirely. Please pray I get some good news in a few weeks when I get the final decision in writing. 

5. There is a fine line between having patience with someone, and letting someone walk all over you/take advantage of your kindness. Too often I find that people do the latter to me. The older I get, the more I'm learning that I really can't allow people to just walk all over me. Some people don't mind immediately stepping out and standing up for themselves...I'm a little more laid back in general, so it's not exactly second nature for me to call someone out on their behavior, but I'm learning to set my foot down in an appropriate way.  It's still one of those things that challenges me on a regular basis though. Just an observation from this week. 

6. I feel like Green Day has betrayed my trust in music by allowing their song to be in the upcoming Twilight soundtrack. Kill Me Now! Seriously, what were they thinking?! I mourn the loss of dignity from my favorite band...I've lost all respect for them at this moment.

7. It is so difficult to find a good dog groomer in my city that doesn't charge an arm and a leg, but does quality work. I FINALLY secured an appointment with a lady I've heard rave reviews about....but get this: She's booked up until AFTER Thanksgiving! I was literally able to book my hair appointment (for Tuesday) before the grooming appointment for my dogs. I'm not sure how I feel about that lol...

8. My house is a bit ridiculous when it comes to heating/cooling efficiency. (Bear in mind that I live in a single story). When I turn the heat on to warm my house up, only the front part of my home gets warm...my bedroom stays in a current "igloo" state. So frustrating, especially at night! 

9. Nothing sounds more terrific right about now than a fantastic bubble bath,music, candles, fresh nail polish, and a facial mask. I think I shall make that happen! It's been a long week, that seems like the perfect way to unwind a bit. 

10. I got such an exciting package in the mail today! The expression, "like a kid in a candy store" accurately described my reaction to seeing the box on my porch. I can't wait to catch up on my video/blog reviews and post on the goodies that arrived inside of this box! 

All hell will break loose if....

This about sums it up!

Privacy

My dogs think that privacy is an over-rated, disgusting practice that should be abolished! This "trio of trouble" reminds me a bit of a nosy old lady that likes to spy on her neighbors lol! They also don't believe in personal space. ;)

"Hi, we noticed that you were watching, "The Voice" instead of playing with us."

"Hi, we noticed that you were in a different room than us we're very concerned about your well being!"

They also do not believe in "sleeping in". This is the cute little face I wake up to EVERY SINGLE MORNING. Mykelti likes to wake me up by staring at me until I open my eyes. Little creeper!

Smile!

Sometimes, it's great to just take a few minutes out of your hectic day and appreciate the small things that put a smile on your face! I thought I'd share a few of mine with you today (In no particular order):

1. Having my EKG come back normal today at my doctor's visit. Yay!
2. Enjoying the beauty of the changing leaves while I was driving today.
3. The owl pajama pants I'm currently wearing.
4. Teen Mom 2 Season Three Premiere tonight!!! YAY!!!!
5. My silly puppies when they play with their dog toys. They even share!
6. Warm fuzzy socks!
7. Ice water with lemon
8. People who smile and hold the door for you, out of genuine kindness.
9. Spending time with someone I care about.
10. Shopping! 


What made you smile today?

Kianna's Baby Shower!

Yesterday, I threw a baby shower for my niece Kianna and her little one on the way, RJ! I thought I'd share a few pictures with all of you! :)

Sock Monkey Themed Baby Shower: 

Tricycle Diaper Cake!

Me with my sweet niece, Kianna.

Family fun! 

Kianna enjoying all the baby shower goodies

Kianna with her aunt and cousin

The cute cupcakes our friend Cassie made for the shower!

 (Sorry the picture is a bit blurry)

Blessing Jar: Everyone wrote down their hopes, prayers, wishes, and dreams for Kianna and baby RJ

Candid

They're all glowing! 

Desiree, Kianna, and Kianna's sweet aunt.

Some of the baby presents

We wanted to make the late night diaper changes a little more fun for Kianna!

Preggos!

Measuring their bellies!

 Kianna with the grandmas: Grandma, Her cousin Brandi standing in honor of Kianna's mom, and soon- to- be Grammy Kim!

 Kianna with all of her aunts! 

 Happiness!

 Shower decorations

 Kianna with her diaper cake

Desiree's sweet brother got in on the baby bump pictures too lol!

 Opening up shower gifts!

 Adorable little baby outfit for R.J.

R.J. is due on January 24th! We can't wait to meet this sweet baby boy and shower him with lots of love. If you think of my family in the coming weeks, please pray that Kianna and the baby stay healthy and have a save/easy delivery when the time comes! 

Funny Friday!: "Things I Don't Understand About Girls"- Jenna Marbles

Every time I watch a Jenna Marbles video, I tend to laugh so hard that I cry! I thought her new video this week would make for a great "Funny Friday" addition! I especially find it hilarious that every single topic she mentions, sums me up exactly.Especially when it comes to lip gloss, "goo hoarding", and purses! (I have yet to count all of my lip glosses, but I have a strong feeling that they would outnumber my eye products. That's saying a lot! ;) ) And the purse topic....oh...lets just not even go there!

That awkward moment when...

Sometimes, I feel like life presents me with a bit too much awkwardness on a fairly regular basis.I'm always THAT girl who bumps into things, walks into walls, laughs/smiles when I'm trying to keep something a secret, drops things, and so on. Yes, sometimes grace eludes me!

Take last night for instance: after grabbing a late dinner with my best friend, I came home to walk my dogs and then decided to go to the gym for a bit. Why did I want to go that late at night? Well, I think part of the notion for me was just the idea that I COULD if I wanted to. (Yep, I'm one of "those" people!)

So, I hoped in my car and off I went to get a little cardio in. Once I got back home, I walked my pups and then got my things out to take a shower. No sooner had I turned on the water and changed out of my clothes, than ALL of the power went out in my house. (Cue creepy slasher music!!!). It took me a few minutes (and a few bruises later) to find my towel and flashlight, but eventually the dogs and I made it to the window to see that all of the power was out throughout our entire neighborhood. Since I do not fancy slasher films or cold showers in the dark, I decided to wait it out a bit until the power came on. Needless to say, I was waiting ALL night because it didn't come back on until this morning. I'd also like to add that while my power was out, my smoke detectors decided to beep every few minutes throughout the night, thus alerting my dogs...who in turn alerted me that they didn't care for the high pitched noises! So needless to say, tonight I'll have some catching up to do in the sleep department. But, I was quite thankful this morning when the power came back on! Sometimes, it's the little things like utilities that we take foregranted! :)

Now, if only I could get my cable to reset without having to make an awkward phone call to Xfinity to fix  it every single time my power goes out.... 

Ten Things Tuesday

1. Today's was my Granny's 88th birthday! I had such a terrific time celebrating with her. She is such a wonderful blessing in my life! (I need to post pictures soon.)

2. Current CD in my car's player: Otis Redding

3. I absolutely LOVE that my gym has little TVs on every single piece of exercise equipment. I think it's terrific that you can plug your ear buds in and you have instant entertainment while you work out! So fun!

4. My cat Lucky, hasn't been feeling so "lucky" lately. Please keep the sweet fella in your prayers. He's around 15 years old now and in CRF, which means I might have to make a pretty tough decision soon if he continues to decline. He is such a sweet, sweet boy; I'm hoping he hangs in there a while longer and improves.

5. Rosie, the puppy is now bigger than Mykelti! She grew up like a little weed.

6. Tomorrow, my mom and I are planning to make the most fabulous diaper cake for my niece's upcoming baby shower! We found so many cute ideas on Pinterest!

7. I really need to get my hair done soon! I'm a firm believer that nothing makes a woman feel much more terrific than a great trip to the salon to lift her spirits a bit! :)

8. I got my flu shot yesterday. If you haven't had yours yet, consider going to get it done, especially if you live with or care for people with compromised immune systems. It protects against three strains of flu.

9. Currently reading: "The Eleventh Plague". It's pretty good so far; I will do a literature review on it once I've finished the book up. So far, it reminds me a bit of the TV series, "Revolution".

10. I am proud that it was announced the candidate I voted for just won another term (according to the electoral college votes thus far anyways). (Keep in mind that I am a Centrist.)  I voted early last week, but prior to that I took quite a bit of time to devote to researching all of the candidates that were playing a role in this election. Not only did I study up on their views, voting records, and such, I also felt it was important to pray for each of them, that God would guide whomever was in a position of leadership in our country. So, my prayer tonight (and for the next four years and onward) is that God blesses and guides our leaders at local, state, and presidential levels. I pray God blesses our nation and everyone works together to make this a prosperous and thriving nation. Whether or not you voted for or agree with the candidates who won in all of the elections, if you are a believer, I do hope that you will take the time to pray for the future of your country and the leaders who are working to  guide our future as a nation. 

Laughter

I love this. It's so true! :)

30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know By The Time She's 30

The list below has been floating around for quite a number of years now. I've seen re-prints of it in numerous places, but all credit goes to the original publication made by Glamour magazine in 1997 (Click this link to read the original). Even though it was originally printed 15 years ago, I think this list is so, so applicable to my life in numerous ways! As I find myself just a few short years shy of 30, I really do find it a bit inspirational. I hope you lovelies enjoy it as well! I think there's something amazing to be said about aging gracefully at any age.

By 30, you should have ...

1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.

2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.

3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.

4. A purse, a suitcase, and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.

5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.

6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.

7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age -- and some money set aside to help fund it.

8. An email address, a voice mailbox, and a bank account -- all of which nobody has access to but you.

9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.

10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.

11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.

12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.

13. The belief that you deserve it.

14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine, and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.

15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship, and all those other facets of life that do get better.

By 30, you should know ...

1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.

2. How you feel about having kids.

3. How to quit a job, break up with a man, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.

4. When to try harder and when to walk away.

5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.

6. The names of the secretary of state, your great-grandmothers, and the best tailor in town.

7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.

8. Where to go -- be it your best friend’s kitchen table or a yoga mat -- when your soul needs soothing.

9. That you can’t change the length of your legs, the width of your hips, or the nature of your parents.

10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.

11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.

12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or not flossing for very long.

13. Who you can trust, who you can’t, and why you shouldn’t take it personally.

14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.

15. Why they say life begins at 30

Dierks Bentley - Bad Angel (With Miranda Lambert & Jamey Johnson)GOOD Q...

"Bad Angel," is hands down one of my very favorite country songs! You just can't beat the incredible combination of the musicians who worked on this collaboration together! I hope you all were able to watch a bit of the CMA awards like I did last night; they were terrific! I was so excited when Miranda Lambert won her award. What made it even more amazing however, was just how humble she was in her acceptance speech; what an amazing lady! Even more reason to enjoy her music and the artists that preform with her!



(Stay tuned this week for some fun Halloween/Autumn pictures!)