Monday, October 29, 2012

Monday Mantra...

Here's mine...
 

What is your Mantra for this Monday?

New Lilly Arrivals

Omg!! Katelyn and I are dying over the new Lilly stuff!!

Here are some of my favorite new things!! I knew there was a reason I held onto my Lilly GC!!

 Are you a Lilly Girl? Are you loving the new stuff?!

xoxo,
Sammie Joe

Alabama. LSU.





Yep.. That's happening this weekend.. Get pumped Bama Fans!! And LSU fans... It's always a great game!!


Weekend Recap...

It's truth time people.  Sometimes.. I do phenomenally stupid things.  Sometimes.. I make really bad life decisions.  This weekend.. I did that.

Friday afternoon I took the Praxis.  I did pretty well, unless you consider the essay that I wrote, that could go either way.  I know it's more about the way you write rather than the actual content, but in hindsight, going on a political rant in an essay graded by three unknown judges... Not my best plan.

Friday evening, I was celebrating with my favorite Republican Guys  (Ben & Ted).  The original plan was to go out, but my inner recluse won out and I went out and got two 6 packs and we drank. It should also be mentioned that I'm kind of insanely ticklish.  Not necessarily all the time, but I have been known to freak out if someone is even THINKING about tickling me.  I can tell.  Yeah.. I'm a weirdo.  So Ted tickled me for probably an hour and I was pretty sure I was going to die.  Our impromptu party broke up around 2:30 or so. Sober Sammie texts some pretty random/awkward/funny stuff... Silly Intoxicated Sammie texts pure ridiculousness.

I sent this text around 3am...


How Charming..

Pants first!
And Last.....



So Saturday was awkward.. I was totally a big girl and owned up to my ridiculousness, but still felt like a jerk none the less. The story behind all of this is that I like a boy, and I told him so in a tipsy text which was such an amateur move.  I'm still kicking myself for it. 

Sunday, I got into a political debate with my sunday school class and can I just say that my little kiddos are amazing.  I love how opinionated they already are, making decisions for themselves, not just based on what their parents have to say.  I love my 5th grader who knows pretty much everything and wants to be the first independent female president (and run her cupcakery from the White House Kitchen).  The 4th grade twins who are pretty sure that "Republican's are the only TRUE American's". I really love the time I get to spend with these little people.  Especially the boys who are obsessed with walking around in my high heels.


Today is a typical Monday and I hate Monday's... Blah..

xoxo,
Sammie Joe

Friday, October 26, 2012

High Five for Friday!

Shhheeeessshhh...

This week has felt like 5 days of Monday's in a row. If this week were a scary movie or story it would be "The Week of the Never Ending Monday's". I could not be more excited that today is Friday.

But let's find some good in this week...

H54F!!

Praxis
I'm not really excited about this.. but around 6:30 this evening I will be done with it and I won't have to take it again.. hopefully.

Good Friends to Celebrate with!
My two favorite Republican guys and I are going out to celebrate how awesome they are doing for the Victory Campaign.. and me making it through the Praxis alive. I get super excited about celebrating things and in my head I feel crazy adventurous but the end result will probably be more like me drinking two beers and passing out.  Though.. there has been talk to shots.. just not of Tequila.. Bad things happen when tekillya is involved.

Red Lipstick
I got some red lipstick this week to go with my Halloween costume (Snow White) and found out that I can totally pull off a matte blue red lipstick.  Also.. Holy crap there are a lot of red lipsticks out there!!  Now I just need to find a good lip primer so I don't have stained lips for days afterwards.

I got some cute new pretties this week!!
My Kate Spade and Swell Caroline orders came this week and I'm in love! I love me some cute jewelry!! Who doesn't?! 

Biology Lab Practical
Yeah, that happened and I'm stoked about it! I was dreading it and pretty sure I'd do horrible, but I actually feel pretty confident about it.  Mostly though, I'm confident that it's over! I started the semester HATING biology with a passion, but I can say now that I don't hate it that much now and I've made some awesome friends!!

Spring Registration
I registered for my spring classes this week. I was lucky because even though I forgot to register when it first opened I was still able to get all the classes I wanted.  Now, I just want to be done with this semester and start those classes, they sound way more fun than my current ones.  Ask me in the spring if I still feel that way though.

As always, I'm linking up with Lauren From My Grey Desk for H54F!!

Hope y'all have a fabulous weekend!!

xoxo,
Sammie Joe





Thursday, October 25, 2012

If you don't like feet... Don't look at this post.

I clearly have no shame this morning..

I'm training for a half marathon right? Well I went to the running store and had them recommend some good (better than mine) running shoes.  Of course they were out of my exact size and they had to order them but they should be here today.  I had a decent, but not great, pair of Brooks already.  They were good, but not great and if I'm going to be running a hundred and some odd miles over the next few months, I wanted great.  I ran this morning, even though I shouldn't have.. and now, check out these beauties..

My new shoes


Note the skin peeling off right under my nail bed.


The blister that is bigger than my thumb nail


My other blister



 I have a feeling I'm going to become quite accustomed to having gross feet covered in blisters. Oh! and if anyone is interested my nail polish is Essie "raspberry" (two coats with "no chips ahead" and "good to go" over it).

xoxo,
Sammie Joe

This is me.. without makeup.

Does this look like the face of someone who cares today?



I actually went to bed much earlier than I usually do considering I get up at the buttcrack of dawn.  I went to bed around 10:30, and got up at 4:30.  Lately I've been going to bed between 11:30-1am. Somehow I function better on like 3 hours of sleep, or 8.  Any more or less and I'm completely thrown off kilter. I used to be so good when I opened at work. I would go to bed at like 8:30-9pm, get up at 3:15 am, put make up on, fix my hair, put some thought into my wardrobe even though I'm going to a gym.  Enter a promotion to manager, working now 40+ hours and taking 5 classes and this is what you get. A baggy t-shirt, and sweatpants.  I'm still wearing my flip flops for the love of coffee (though that has more to do with the fact that I have blisters the size of quarters on my feet and it hurts to wear real shoes). 


Super attractive right? I can't believe I just posted this on the internet. My grandmother is turning over in her grave right now.  I do however have my makeup and curling iron with me.. we'll see if that gets used.

xoxo,
Sammie Joe



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Bible Love...

Do you ever felt lost, scared, confused, hopeless, or any other (often negative) emotions, and you open your bible to the most perfect page and read a verse or chapter that is exactly what you needed to be reminded of? For me, this happened yesterday. I opened my bible and read the words. I felt like God was speaking directly to me. My throat got tight, tears welled up in my eyes, and I felt like it was okay to cry, and it was okay that I felt upset, and scared, but that at the end of the day that God had my back. He was there and he had helped me get out my a bad situation and that he would continue to love and guide me.

Yesterday was a spectacularly bad day. Just one of those days that leaves you mentally and physically exhausted. Smack dab in the middle of this exhausting day I got some awful news that shook me to my core. I found out that my ex-husband had put his current girlfriend (probably the woman he'd cheated on me with) in the hospital. 4 broken ribs, ruptured spleen and bruises around her neck where he had tried to choke her.

Why did this bother me so much? Because we haven't been divorced for 6 months. I was supposed to move in with him right before I filed for divorce. After more than a year apart due to his military career. Our relationship was never great, but I kept saying and thinking it would get better once we moved in together. I finally figured out that it wouldn't have and left. I felt guilty, like there was something I personally should have done, but I know that there wasn't anything that I could have done. I felt scared just to think about how close that came to being me. I'll make a more detailed post soon about my abusive relationship (if anyone cares to read it).

Hearing this news, I started crying and shaking and thankfully I had a great friend nearby to comfort me. I started to calm down and turned, as I often do, to the word. These were the two verses that made me feel the peace I so desperately needed.

Proverbs 3:5 (MSG)
5-12 "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all."

Isaiah 43:5-8 (MSG)
5-7 "So don't be afraid: I'm with you. I'll round up all your scattered children, pull them in from east and west. I'll send orders north and south: Send them back. Return my sons from distant lands, my daughters from faraway places. I want them back, every last one who bears my name, every man, woman, and child Whom I created for my glory, yes, personally formed and made each one.' "

I use The Message version of the bible because I find it easier to understand, but whatever version of the word you prefer is great...

What are some verses that cheer you up? Or encourage you? Pick you up when you're down?

xoxo,
Sammie Joe


Saturday, October 20, 2012

Pinterest Privacy...

Does anyone else pin when they're bored?

I am a serious multitask-er.. to the point that I can't stand to just do ONE thing at a time.  Even when I write blog posts, I'm probably chatting on Facebook, googling stuff, working and doing homework all at the same time.  When I make phone calls at party headquarters, I'm probably also reading book or a magazine, or I play Temple Run on my phone until it dies and then I'm panicky because my phone is dead and then I'm pretty sure I'm going to be abducted or something (I watch a lot of SVU).

Last night I was spending time with the guys at our Republican headquarters, playing endless games of Words with Friends, and Song Pop. I got bored waiting for them to play, so I started pinning.  It's a reflex/security thing.  So anyway, One of the guys starts looking over my shoulder and commenting on my pins.  At first I was like "I have 17,000 boards and over a million pins" real proud like.  I was showing off all 670 of my boards like my "Sinful Sweets" board, and my "Passport Required" board, like I was the master of all things DIY, Cooking, Travel, Adult beverages, not to mention the hottest thing to hit Pinterest since all those pictures of Ryan Lochte from the summer Olympics. Then all of a sudden I started to feel like I was sharing this really personal thing with him, which is crazy considering: A- my boards are public, B- I have an insane amount of followers (most of whom I don't even know) and C-It's not like he was forcing me to show him my Pinterest.  In fact I was more than 80% sure he really didn't care (though in my defense he did take my phone and scroll through my pins and boards by himself).  I have pins for future babies, my future classroom, places I want to travel, clothes I wish I owned, and things I'd like to do with/for the man in my life one day.  I really felt like I was sharing my hopes, dreams and innermost thoughts with him. Though in reality I wasn't really saying much other than "Yes, I am crazy about Alabama stuff", "Who wouldn't want a house like that?!", and "Don't judge me!".  It was kind of like showing someone your messy room (which mine is.. almost always) or letting someone read your diary.
Screen Shot of my Pinterest App

I think part of my pin induced insecurity is because I'm kind of OCD and I like to think that my boards are pretty organized, but sure enough he found double pins, and things pinned in the wrong place.  Don't get me wrong this guy is the sweetest guy ever, but I really was kind of freaking out sharing this stuff with him.  It was kind of like showing someone your messy room (which mine is.. almost always).

Do you share your pinterest? Do you feel like people judge you for your pinterest? Am I the only person who feels like this?! 





Friday, October 19, 2012

H54F

Happy Friday Friends!!

I'm linking up with Lauren From My Grey Desk again for another H54F!! 

Can I just say.. It takes me an embarrassingly long time to get this post done.  I seriously started it around 6am.. It's now almost 10.  The internet is crazy full of distractions. Oh yeah.. and I'm working.. so that's part of it as well.



1. Last night my friend Katelyn from A Wife's Life texted me about the Kate Spade Friends & Family sale.  Shut the front door!!  I was dying! I'm also a poor college student, so I had to be reasonable this morning when I was shopping. I love Kate Spade so much.. I would literally buy everything she had if I could.. but I can't, so I got some cute earrings and a ring that I've been in love with since forever.
My Pretty new Earrings




The bow ring I've been lusting after forever.
2. Weddings... I have been in love with love since forever.  Tomorrow I get to go to the wedding of a high school friend.  My dad is my date (Don't judge me!).  I'm really happy for her and her fiance.

3. I made it through week 2 of training for the 1/2 marathon. I've been sore, and generally while I'm running I'm thinking to myself "Why am I doing this? No one is chasing me.."  But I am doing this to prove to myself that I can.

4. Tonight is the first night of our church Supper Club.  There are 3 or 4 different groups and we go to a different person's house once a month.  The host provides the entree, the guests bring sides and dessert.  It promises to be a fun evening of food and fellowship.. even if I am the youngest person there by far.

5. My friend Jerrica (from Home is whenever I'm with you) and I have had a few discussions recently about politics and religion.  It's so nice to have another friend to talk about those things with because usually I just don't talk politics or religion with anyone. Don't get me wrong, I love my liberal friends, and my agnostic/atheist friends so very much, but it is so nice to have another friend to grow closer with while exploring the word of God and thoughts and philosophies about faith.  Thanks to our iPhone's and the "You Version Bible app" it doesn't matter that she's in Arizona (which feels a million miles away sometimes), I know she's a phone call or text away.  On another note I really love that app. I love it hard! You can enroll in devotionals. I'm currently doing Joyce Meyer's: The Confident Woman (14 day devotional) & Promises for your Everyday Life (1 year).  I don't want to come off as preachy, so take it or leave it, but if you're looking for a small, easy way to spend some time in the word, try an iPhone bible app.  Message me if you'd like any recommendations!!

Enjoy your Friday!! Happy Weekend!!






Getting to know you..

Hi!
I got the questions and idea from this post from Erin @ Fleur de lis and Football and I'm a sucker for some getting to know you questions!!
Tea or Coffee?  I am a new addict to coffee. It started when I was having to get up at 4am a million days a week (4) and not getting out of class until 9pm thus getting far less than 8 hours per night.  I liked the idea of something warm in my hands/mouth/tum-tum in the morning so I would get hot chocolate (cause I'm really a child). Then I started adding a little bit of coffee.  Now I'm up to almost all of my 24oz of coffee and my peppermint coffee creamer. I was also a crazy sweet tea drinker, like more than 32oz every day. I gradually started easing off of tea and now it's a very rare treat for me. Usually I take a sip and it's so sweet I feel like I just acquired diabetes, but that's what Lemon is for..

I Collect...Nothing really? I mean, I try to get something every time I go on a trip somewhere, but I haven't done much traveling recently. I need to work on this.  I used to collect Wizard of Oz stuff and at one point I had an entire room that was FULL of Wizard of Oz stuff, but I grew up and grew out of it. 


Favorite City? Charleston.

The Battery
Spring or Fall?  Fall, Always Fall..

Bloom of Choice? Peonies and Roses
Peonies & Roses



Style Icon?  Grace, Audrey & Jackie

Linens? Yes? I'm kind of a bedding snob, especially when it comes to sheets. The higher the threat count the happier I am.

China Pattern? I'm a big fan of Fiesta ware.  It's my favorite, I love the bright colors!

I'm lusting after... Shoes.  I want so many shoes! New Running shoes, some darling TB flats & wedges, Kate Spade flats, Riding boots.  I'm a shoe freak.




Most prized possession? A spoon ring that my grandmother had made for me with her old silver. I don't wear it often because it's a bit too big, but I do frequently hold it and rub it for luck during tests and stuff.


Girl Crush? Witherspoon.. Could she be any nicer, sweeter & cuter?! Probably not.

Boy Crush? Does it have to be a celebrity? Because short of one brief episode of lust for  Leonardo DiCaprio circa 1997, I've never really been one for a celebrity crush.. I do have a real life boy crush though <3
On Weekends... You can usually find me volunteering, working, doing homework and in the fall drinking beer and watching football. 

Friday, October 12, 2012

High Five for Friday!

Happy Friday Friends!!
This is just one of my very favorite quotes ever.

First and foremost, I'm am so very very very excited for one of my best friends, McKenzie who gave birth to a healthy, happy and beautiful baby boy, Drew!!! I'm so unbelievably happy for her, her husband, and Drew's big brothers, Ike & Geno.  Eeekk!! New Baby excitement was the perfect way to start my weekend!!

What a handsome little man!! My heart melted when I saw him!!

Midterms are over and Fall Break is here!!!
This would probably be more exciting if I still didn't have to to work 40 hours next week, but whatever. Good news, I passed all my midterms! I was really only worried about Biology, but I got a 78 on that one so I was stoked!! I used to feel pretty intelligent.. then I took biology, and I felt dumb. My next big thing is the Praxis I, which I take two weeks from today!  I've been studying a lot so hopefully that will pay off. 


The Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon
I am officially training for a 13.1 mile race in the happiest place on earth.  I am so excited, and nervous, and pumped!! Stay tuned for training updates, whining and moaning about how sore I am because I'll running soooo much more than I usually do.  Also, to answer your question.. yes.. I will be running in a tutu and tiara.


Makeover Madness!
Yesterday I had sort of a mini-makeover. I got about 4.5 inches cut off my hair, bought some new tops from J.Crew, ordered a pair of my favorite jeans for super cheap and gave myself a mani courtesy of Essie's Plumberry. Am I the only weirdo who only uses dark colors when their nails are super short? Yes? Thought so..  Also, some super cute stuff I'd found on Etsy came in! It was a good day and I can't wait to show off my goodies!!
My face is red from tanning, and my eyes are bloodshot, so not the best picture, but my hair is shorter!!

Essie Plumberry with a stripe of OPI Excuse Moi

I make the best dressing room faces.



My adorable etsy find!
I Lost 5lbs!
Not a huge number, but hey! A pound is a pound, and five is four more than one!
I found this on Google images and the file name came up as "woman-sad-weight-scale".. I'm not sure why, but I found that hilarious.

I'm linking up with Lauren @ From My Grey Desk again for H54F!! Her blog is fabulous, but I love to check out the other bloggers who link up with her for H54F!!

Now I'm off to run!!  Enjoy your weekend!!


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The Hostess with the Mostess.

I love to entertain.  I don't think it's really a secret, but I really really do! It's rather fortunate that I do love it so much as my mom has a bad habit of volunteering me to do things.  This week I was  voluntold that I would be catering the Republican Women's Meeting and the Vice Presidential Debate watch party tomorrow.  No big deal.. I only work 40 hours a week and take what feels like a million classes.  Cater a party for 100+, pshh, piece of cake.  Not really, but I made it work.

On the menu for tomorrow we have (and since I'm such a sweetheart I'll include the links to the recipes I used as well! Keep in mind, these are close to most of my recipes, but some I've made up on my own):
Meatballs
Nutella banana bread
Peanut Butter cookie bites
Brownie bites
Skinny spinach dip
fruit tray and veggie trays
Olives (what? idk.. Mom's idea.  Just a jar of Olives )
Chili (seriously? I think we're over doing this Mom..)
My famous sweet tea (I don't give out this recipe, Sorry. I've given it to approximately 3 people in my life and one of those was her wedding present. I don't mess around y'all!)
annddd
Chocolate chip cookies

So seeing as I only have one morning off a week I had to be productive! I woke up at 8am and starting baking.  First up was the Nutella banana bread.. That stuff is crazy good. Then the PB bites and brownie bites, spinach dip, the fruit and veggie trays were ordered (to be picked up tomorrow), meatballs will go into the crock pot in the morning, and the chocolate chip cookies will be made when I get off work tomorrow afternoon. So now for your enjoyment, Food porn!
Nutella banana bread (seriously.. I die for this stuff y'all!)

PB Cookie Bites


Skinny Spinach Dip

Brownie Bites with Hershey Kisses

Since I was on such a roll, I also decided to make some egg muffins with ham and cheese (basically the SkinnyTaste version, but I didn't have any broccoli).  I make these every week or so because it takes the guess work out of stumbling around my kitchen at 4:30 in the morning before I leave for work. Grab them out of the fridge, pop them into the microwave, and you can eat them with your hands!! My dad likes to put them on English muffins, but I'm really not not an English muffin kinda girl.
Ham and Cheese Egg Muffins

Now I'm getting ready to leave work, pick up some take out, shower and get my butt in bed! Working in the morning, Spanish, baking, setting up, biology and then the watch party! So much to do tomorrow! Oh! and whatever will I wear?!