Becoming Miss Kenosha: A Guest Blog Post

It's been day three post-"the big move" and there has been a blur of commotion.  I'm filling out paperwork, going to appointments and meetings and by the time my head hits an ever so soft pillow and sheets, I feel like I'm getting up and doing it all over again.

The internet here is shoddy and because of that, I could not properly adjust my margins to my last guest blog post- for this I apologize profusely but the internet here is that bad.

We recently signed the lease to a house that is lovely but its previous owners basically did jack-squat to keep it in pristine condition.

Brittany and I spent the evening stocking up on things for the house, doing a pre-home inspection with very detailed (and probably negative) notes on the condition and quality of everything and then finally ran around to spray the carpets with water and white vinegar.  

I need to dedicate a full blog post to home repairs and cleaning tips- so that I will save for later.

Due to my level of exhaustion and probably a plethora of grammatical and spelling errors, it's not time to introduce one of my amazing best-friends, Becca.  She is currently Miss Kenosha and a fabulous one at that.

“I don’t think the whole ‘crown thing’ is for me…but thanks.” was my initial response to Laura Kaeppeler, who was not only my childhood friend but our Miss Wisconsin (and soon to be Miss America), when she asked me if I would ever be interested in competing in the Miss Kenosha Pageant. When talking to Laura that night in June 2011, she brought up valid points of why I should run in the pageant. I knew Laura was a down-to-Earth, hardworking, wonderful person but I still held a negative stereotype of a typical ‘pageant girl’ in my mind. Flattered, but not at all convinced to try and be the next Miss Kenosha, I left her house that warm summer night.

Throughout the following months, I followed Laura’s journey as Miss Wisconsin. The seed Laura planted back in June began to blossom with each time I would hear a story or see a Facebook post about all of the community service and platform-related appearances that Laura was doing. She was making such a noticeable, positive impact in our state. It was only then I realized the Miss America Organization was not about a sparkly crown or a fancy, expensive dress; rather, about giving strong women a voice and an outlet to be an advocate for education and their personal platform in their communities.

With the help of the Miss Kenosha directors and supporters, blessings from my family and friends and - of course - Laura’s inspiration, I decided to compete for the title of Miss Kenosha. Before I could say, “Miss America” the last week of January 2012 approached and day of the pageant had arrived!

My only goal going into the competition was to place so I could walk away that night with scholarship money to help finish the degree I am earning at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. I felt that I did all that I could to prepare for the competition. However, when they announced the 1st runner up, I put my head down, closed my eyes and thought ‘The judges either loved me or didn’t like me at all.” To my total surprise, not only did I place but I was the last one standing to be crowned Miss Kenosha 2012.

Being crowned as Miss Kenosha was an unforgettable moment! Between the lights, clapping, cheering, flowers, hugs, pictures and autographs, it was everything I could have wished for and more! But, being crowned Miss Kenosha and doing the job as Miss Kenosha are two different things. When the lights go down, the auditorium empties and you un-pin your sparkly crown from your head for the first time-it becomes real. Even though you are fully aware of the job requirements before the competition, it is only afterwards that you can truly grasp that you have the ammunition to serve your community in a way that you could not have done before.

As Miss Kenosha 2012, I have been given many opportunities to become involved with volunteering for organizations which, beyond doubt, make a difference in people’s lives and communities. From helping shave heads at the St. Baldrick's Foundation to speaking at the Walkin' In My Shoes Annual Gospel Concert, and introducing the honoraries and speaking on the behalf of the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network at Kenosha's Relay for Life, I know I have gained more love and inspiration from the people I meet than I could ever give to them. My personal platform as Miss Kenosha is 'Pay It Forward-Spreading Random Acts of Kindness'. Kindness is contagious and I have been able to promote the simple lifestyle of helping - and not judging - others to over 2,500 people within my community. Children and adults alike have grasped onto the chain reaction/domino effect which can occur by just being kind to three different people each day. I believe the feeling of community and love within society is what we so desperately need in this age to create a sense of worth and compassion within people. I have started a Facebook ‘like’ page which posts inspirational quotes and ideas of random acts of kindness along with a non-profit fund which donates anonymously to those who need financial assistance within the Kenosha community through 'R.A.K.' bracelet sales. There are other kinds of appearances I have as Miss Kenosha such as TV interviews, being on radio talk shows and throwing out the opening pitch at the Milwaukee Brewers game. Even with the more relaxed appearances here and there, overall, Miss Kenosha is a job as a role model, not a super model.

My year as Miss Kenosha concludes in about 5 months and the search for the new Miss Kenosha contestants starts now! The Miss America Organization is based off of Service, Scholarship, Style and Success which is why our crowns all come to four points. So, to any young lady between the ages of 17-24 who is a full-time student in an accredited college/university or a graduate who wants to compete for a local title, go on to their state competition and who knows…maybe become our next Miss America, my advice would be to get in the mindset of representing an organization now. Reach out to your local Miss America Organization title holders/directors, become active in community organizations, begin building your personal platform and form strong opinions on current issues. Look for the dress last. Although your wardrobe and presentation is important, YOU are the one who will shine. The sparkle on your dress isn’t enough to win you the title – just like the sparkle of the Miss America crown isn't really what the job is all about.

Many thanks to Becca for guest blog post.  I can tell you now that whenever I see her, I always think she looks so put together and I want to steal all of her clothes but in all sincerity, she is doing amazing things as Miss Kenosha.  Our hometown has an awesome representative!

Thrifting Tips for DIY: A Guide by Laura from Beauty&Beard

I'm super busy and a wee bit tired after the long day of moving.
But do not fear! Here's Laura to spread some cheer.
I know, I'm cheesy, but my butt is numb from driving and I have blisters on my toes.  Empathize please :P

Hello lovelies! 

My name is Laura and I'm the lady behind a little old blog called Beauty & the Beard. I was so happy when Kim asked me to stop on by today! As you've clearly realized by now, Kim loves to make her own art, and I'm right along there with her. I've DIYed just about everything, from monogrammed recipe boxes to collage coasters to neon jewelry. My favorite projects by far are ones I've done with thrift store finds. Buying something vintage or broken down and turning it into something beautiful is beyond gratifying!

Today I thought I'd share some tips for thrifting for DIY projects!

1. Imagine each item with the other ways it could be used in your home. Old trays or baking sheets can be used for displaying jewelry or a coffee table vignette, and glass ashtrays can be the new place you throw your keys at the end of the day!

Post: Purple Ombre Tray

2.  Imagine everything you see with a fresh coat of paint. A lot of things you'll find in thrift stores will either be funky retro colors or dirty dark wood. It's just a fact, people. Before you look over those items, just remember there's nothing a white paint can't fix!

Post: Book It- Kelly Green Book Ends

3. Go to smaller, local thrift stores over places like Goodwill. Not only will the prices be lower, but there's much less traffic, which equals more hidden gems!

Post: Kate Spade Inspired Jewelry Tray

Am I the only one who loves thrifting for a good project?

Thanks for having me today Kim!

Hope you all stop by Beauty & the Beard soon!

xo, Laura

Always.Sometimes.Never: Moving Edition

Gimme summa dat  

always. sometimes. never.

this week's edition: moving

I always have the best intentions in prepping early for moving.

Sometimes I forget that the U.S. military has this obsession with Internet Explorer.

Little does it realize that no one on Earth uses it, especially anyone with a MacBook.

Oh and online paperwork with the good ol' Uncle Sam actually never works with a MacBook

...

I'm being serious, it physically doesn't work with my incredibly expensive computer.

the joys of attempting to move.

I would always regret my shopping habits back home whenever I needed to pack to leave a location.

However, with my move to California, I only packed a few suitcases.  Sometimes I miss all of my kewl stuff back in the Sconnie Nation, but I never will miss having to back all of that crap up.  Yes, I did own a Polar Bear mask at one time during my senior year of college.  This is why packing becomes problematic.

I always over-pack for any trip and it probably will be no different for the driving/hotel portion of my upcoming trip as I head to my new military base.  Sometimes the amount of underwear I own can fill the entirety of a carry-on suitcase.  By sometimes, that may have just happened.  I never will go without clean underwear (there are worse things in life).

I always think that I will need to plan for activities during my downtown of any trip, whether it's a stay at a hotel during a move or vacation.  Therefore I sometimes bring a book for a flight/car ride, buy two books at the airport/stop at a local bookstore, realize I should be buying books off of my Kindle Fire and then end up with two digital versions.  I never read all of them.  

I'm usually lucky to get through one.  

I've always been big on "researching" an area in advance for good deals on 

comparison shopping for living arrangements.

Sometimes I end up calling over 20 different apartment complexes and had two houses fall through.

This process made me never want to live off of a military base ever again, however, I know I will probably end up doing this again.

Related-

I always am against breed bans of dogs.  Sometimes I get enraged whenever an apartment or rental complex tells me that large dogs are accepted except for "restricted breeds."  My dog is considered a restricted breed by many apartment complexes' insurance companies, but not on military bases.  She has never hurt anyone, always loves people and sometimes has an obsession with licking toes.  Not allowing a dog to live somewhere based on their genetics is not doing justice to the animal in general.

W-O-O-F

Well now we're Benjamin Button-ing it up

and I'm trying to attempt running a restaurant and humane society via phone apps.

Have a good night and peace out SoCal (in a few days)

Friday's Letters: Moving Edition

Dear TMO*, 

As annoying as you were to work with, I was delighted to have movers show up at our house today and finally pick up our things.  It was the first time I had ever worked with military movers and it was a cool and fairly quick experience.  Additionally, I am thankful that we don't have that much stuff because I loathe moving.

*That's a military acronym for Traffic Management Office aka how you move with the military.

Dear Husby,

Today we have been married for 1 year and 3 months.  Despite our arguments over a limited budget and the usual newlywed issues, I love being married to you.  Thanks for being my best-friend.  I am superrrr excited for our photo shoot on Sunday.  Thanks for doing your very best to make me happy.

Dear Roomie,

You are officially in the state of California!! Soon, we will be making the 5+ (God only knows with traffic) trip to our new base.  We've stuck together through three house attempts and things are finally starting to work in our favor.

Dear Craigslist,

You are uh-mazing.  Your resourcefulness has provided us with three major appliances for a very cost effective price.  I bow down to your greatness.

Dear Appliance Rental,

You're batsh*t crazy if you thought I was going to pay over $200/month for three appliances.  You've lost another customer to Craigslist.

Dear CP Friends,

I have loved all of the memories that we've made together on this military base.  I have learned, laughed and gotten to know all of you in such a wonderful light.  Continue to have a strong faith and be amazing Marine wives.

Dear Living Room,

You are very much naked right now.  It is making me realize that sitting against the wall-slash-floor is actually really uncomfortable.  Benjamin Button made it look way better.

Dear Pacific Ocean,

You are beautiful.  The sunsets with the palm trees here, along your beach shorelines are breathtaking.  I hope I'm always stationed somewhere with water. Fingers-crossed :)

Dear Holly,

Thank you for peeing on our bare mattress this morning, right before the movers arrived.  You have never ever done anything like this and so your act of rebelliousness will be forgiven this one time.  Little one, your bladder needs to become better at this.

Multiracial Cinderella & My Mother's Pregnancy Talk

Roger & Hammerstein's Cinderella is quite possibly 

my most favorite version of Cinderella.

1. The songs are awesome.

2. Genetically, it doesn't make sense at all but it's fantastic!

3.  It features actors who represent different ethnic groups in roles 

that are typically cast to white folks.  That's not typically seen, therefore I love it even more.

4. Whitney is the Fairy Godmother!  You know shit's real when "The Bodyguard" 

actress can all of a sudden turn pumpkins into stagecoaches.
Have y'all seen the reviews for the new movie, "Sparkle"? Basically if you're a Whitney fan, you will love her role in the movie but otherwise it's kind of a mediocre movie...sad day.

I love musicals!

So while I'm comfortably enjoying it on TV, I thought I would bring up a conversation that I had with my mother on Skype.

A little background info, she's Filipino and wonderful.

She also has certain personality quirks.

 That's her, she's a cutie.

To start off the story, it's pertinent that you watch this video:

 Keep this in mind while reading the rest of this story

Here are my parents (back in the day)

As you can tell, my mom = thebombdotcom

She's still super pretty but back in the day, that would be considered a "thrilla from Manila"

I'm totally joking and have no idea what I'm talking about.

She has been called a MILF before, in which she replied, "I don't know what that is."

After several references to the "American Pie" series, she finally understood.

She giggled, blushed, dismissed it and I bring it up often to torture her.

My husband appreciates the MILF factor because we all know,

mom = daughter

I got it from my Momma

What was particularly entertaining about our Skype conversation was about my cousin who recently moved in at ASU to start his freshman year.  Before he left, my parents took him out for dinner and my mom laid the speech on him.

Mean Girls Reference

Now clearly, my male cousin cannot get pregnant but the conversation was along those same lines.

It lovingly reminded me of the conversation that I had with my mother about the birds and the bees.

It was less of a conversation and more of threatening declaration.

Kimberly Rose, if you get pregnant, I will kill myself.

Growing up in a Filipino family, I basically accepted that as more of a dramatic exaggeration.

I don't think my parents ever talked to me about sex ed but they never really had to because I've always been inquisitive in nature.  Plus, I researched at some point, I'm sure.

don't worry, I am well educated on the birds and the bees.

Nevertheless, in the back of my mind I always had my mother's voice chiming in that little phrase and so I had zero babies (just to be on the safe side).

and I still don't... ka-ching!

My mom... obviously playing hide-and-seek in a rose bush

I have plenty of incredibly entertaining stories from my mother.

She's a hoot and a half.

I also learned how to line dance from my momma as well as have an affinity for singing karaoke.

I know Carpenter's songs like no one's business.

The original "Fernando" by ABBA has been performed for me since I was like 5.

Despite my mom's great dislike for driving by herself on interstate roads or for long distances, 

she has taught me a lot about life and to be fiercely independent.

I originally wrote this post a few days ago but as always, my mom remains the angel that she is.
Even though I live on the coast now, I know I can text her at anytime and she'll get back to me.
I sent her this short novel in texts and of course, she sent me the equivalent, filled with love and support.

Love you Momma =]

Christmas back in college

1 Week Left at MCCP!

Countdown: 1 Week Left

I'm super excited and this Friday will be the first time that I have ever worked with military movers.  I can't wait to start this new chapter in my life and I am so ready and anxious.  We finally have a rental property up my base, have a washer and dryer on hold via Craigslist and just need a refrigerator.

It's all a very "grown-up" adventure...complete with all of the stressors.

As I have garlic & herb chicken drumsticks marinating and waiting to be popped into the oven, I thought I would do a re-cap of my recents.

Ryan and I watched, "No Impact Man," last night and it was inspiring.  It's a documentary on the life of a family trying to leave virtually "no impact" on the planet and they did a great job.  I found myself cheering for them as they went through the different phases of the project and found myself disappointed at different media outlets and how people wanted to bring them down.  People don't want to feel guilty about their contribution to the trash on the planet or if they recycle or don't.  The documentary allowed Ryan and I to have a discussion on what we wanted to change about our habits to be a little more eco-friendly.  This can be as simple as using a different detergent and cleaning products.  That's not just better for the environment but better for you in general.  A little extra effort can also be very cost efficient.  Now I don't think I would go as far as stopping my use of toilet paper or electricity but I could definitely do more to be a little eco-friendly.

In other politically charged news...

So the brightest candle on the cake, Representative Todd Akin (R-MO), said late Sunday that he "misspoke" when he claimed that women who are victims of "legitimate rape" have biological defenses that fend off a pregnancy and therefore do not need legal abortion rights.

There are so many things wrong with what he said but the most concerning aspect is his mentality.  He said it.  At some point he thought it was perfectly ok to make that statement.

What medical practitioners is he talking to about a woman's reproductive system?  This man has the capability of making political decisions for women's rights.  Say whaaat?

It's disturbing and wrong.

He even used the term, "legitimate rape."

Because ya know, some are just pretendsies.

President Obama held a news conference and in this article he says,

"Rape is rape. And the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we are talking about doesn't make sense to the American people and certainly doesn't make sense to me. So what I think these comments do underscore is why we shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women."

 Todd Akin's statements were completely out of line.  He had no medical reasoning in the statement and it was just straight up offensive.  I appreciated President Obama's statements because he said exactly what needed to be said in this situation.  The Romney-Ryan campaign has done everything to distance themselves from Akin (understandably so), but quickly threw out the statement that their campaign would allow for women who were raped to have access to abortions.  Mind you Paul Ryan has supported several bills, including the Personhood Bill.

None of his ideas support women's rights.

 Moving onto a less controversial topic

(my apologies if you're not political...not everything on my blog is 

but it is important to address the lack of women's rights). 

We had a walk through with our military housing office and everything looks great!

I pride myself (and by myself, I should probably give more credit to my husband) on our house not smelling like "dog." There's like a $250+ charge if your house ends up smelling like a pet...yikes!

She also said our carpets looked fantastic but the final walk through involves looking over it with a black light. Tehehehe little does she know that we have our own and I've already gone on many an adventure searching for puppy accidents.

Alright drumsticks are flipped over, so time for a new update.

While the chicken was cooking, I came across the show, Bunheads.

Love it! The main character is so sassy!

Of course the husby has bogarted the television for his Battlefield 3 needs, therefore I need to find it on Netflix because I need to catch up.

Earlier today I had an eye appointment.
P.S. I love going to the Optometrist (even though this one was kind of weird)

Have you ever heard of the company, Warby Parker?  They're gaining a lot of popularity for their reasonably priced glasses.  They also do the buy one, donate one program.  Buy a pair of glasses and they'll donate a pair to a child in need.

They have awesome customer service.  You can try out five pairs of glasses for five days to see what kind of frames you like.  I did this while Ryan was deployed and here were some of the pics I took.

I really like the Huxley Whiskey Tortoise and after my eye appointment today, 

I can officially get a pair.  

Wahooo!

Last night I finished Fifty Shades Darker via my Kindle Fire.

I have this bad habit of not finishing a series because I don't want it to end.

For example, haven't read the last Twilight book, waiting to finish Hunger Games,

not sure if I ever actually finished the Harry Potter series and voila now it's this.

I just get complacent about finishing books...it's weird.

I am now fairly determined though to finish these series because...

the movies have already come out

the show must go on!

Despite the criticism this series has received, I think people forget that it's a trashy romance novel.

Duh.

Therefore it cannot be compared to something with actual literary merit.

It's supposed to be a literary fantasy and that's what it does.

Christian Grey is not a realistic man...he's a dreamboat.

That should have been your first tip off, literary critics.

It's to play up on the fantasies of women and men and that's why it's so deliciously good.

One thing that I really liked about the series, so far, is how Christian Grey communicates the concept of consent with every aspect of their relationship.  That's something that you don't see in real life as often as needed or even in novels.  We need more communication in our relationships.

I've also been on the edge-of-my-seat with my fandom as I await to hear who the cast will be.

I've got a few ideas of who would play the characters amazingly well but we'll see what happens.

I was on Pinterest last night and saw a re-post of the photography from Barbie's wedding.
I know, totally random but it was amazing photography.
So that got me started on trying to find similar work.
Strangely enough, this is not the first time I've done this.
Nevertheless, I came across Mariel Clayton's work and it is beautiful and thought-provoking.
Not something you expect from a Barbie doll photoshoot
Some of it was really dark and a little morbid (just so you're warned).
I definitely think it's worth taking a look at all of it and just seeing how you feel about each piece.
Here are a few that really caught my eye:

Home Economy - Mariel Clayton Doll Photography

Supply - Mariel Clayton Doll Photography

Demand - Mariel Clayton Doll Photography

  What's even more interesting is that Clayton is entirely self-taught in her photography.
Her work ranges from every topic on the planet and even in her "about" section, she says that she can't explain how her ideas come to her but I think they're amazing.
All the photos are her original work and are from her website so go check them out.
These ones are from her 49/Rooms collection.

Well it's one day closer to the big move and I've had fun discussing my recents.

Be sure to check out my very first guest blog about living as stress free as possible over at Glam Hungry Mom!

xoxo,

Friday Letters

I know, it's Saturday.

But I was busy, and by busy I found these awesome iPhone games and I just..

COULD.NOT.STOP.

Dear Diner Dash, Cooking Dash and Hotel Dash, your iPhone app trifecta is turning into a serious addiction.  This is not healthy.  I cooked up delicious virtual meals at a rapid speed until 3 am this morning...why dear god?  It must be in this need I have to be a people pleaser of customer service.  

Clearly my hotel service, virtual waitressing skillz, and culinary talents needed to be expressed.

Dear Neighborhood Swimming Pool,  Thank you for existing.  You are conveniently located right down the road and my husband and I have enjoyed some serious mawwaige time together while swimming.  We even bought goggles at the MCX today because clearly, diving for rings cannot be experienced properly without the use of sight underwater.

Dear Husband, You are super adorable.  Thank you for surprising me with a milkshake.  I seriously have loved our super affordable stay-at-home dates as of recently.

Dear F'real Milkshake, You are the best fast food invention of mankind.  All I have to do is insert my little milkshake cup of choice and from there I select of thickness of my soon-to-be shake.  It was scrumptious and I plan on purchasing more of you in the future.

Dear Florida Georgia Line, Thank you for making the song, "Cruise."  Both my mother and father, texted and Facebook messaged me with their insistence that I listen to the song and I love it! I plan on listening to it obsessively.

Dear Wisdom Teeth, We are not on speaking terms.  I will continually whatever the hell I want but I will just brush you on an obnoxious level.

Dear Daily's Beverages, You are like an adult Capri Sun.  A little sugary, but I've also bought a few different brand versions and I am excited to taste them all!  Ahh adulthood + marketing, you never fail me.

I hope y'all are enjoying your weekend.

Always, Sometimes, Never

 

I've been a following a few of these link-ups and this one is just a fun, daily rant on what you've always, sometimes and never have done.  If you're looking for a hilarious blog, check out Taylor at The Daily Tay.

She's even composed an "adult" children's book and that's something I've always wanted to do.

Case of envy...probs.

My lovely Holly will always follow you into the bathroom and watch you.  Yep, even if it's number two.  Feeling a little bathroom shy?  You'll have to get over that quickly or shut the door before she finds a way in. What's extra adorable is that she'll check on you while showering.  From the curtain you'll see this little puppy nose trying to see what you're up to.  Oh hey Mom, just wanted to make sure there wasn't a door to Narnia in there.  She sometimes steals tissues and other articles out of the bathroom garbage.  I'm sure you can imagine that this can troublesome at times.  You can find them ripped to shreds in her kennel.  She's never not peed in the house...but she's a puppy and so darn cute!  Plus, that's why we have a black light and urine destroyer.

I always check my Blogger account on the daily, it's an addiction.  I sometimes debate deleting a few of the accounts that are on my blog reel but you have to go to your settings and then scroll through so I end up never deleting them.  Laziness at its finest.

I'm always hungry. Sometimes I don't tell my husband that I'm smuggling chocolate into our house. 

I never ask him if I can make cookies...I just do it.

He's a health nut- so he's not fan of that behavior either

Before buying anything that's pricier or considered an "extra" at a store, I always continue my shopping with that item in my hand or on my mind.  Usually a few aisles later, I'll come up with the deciding factor on whether or not to get it.  It usually ends up being a no, but sometimes I just straight up impulse buy.  My husband never likes this.

I will always be a proud Badger. Sometimes I get irritated by how the partying nature that's portrayed in the media can overshadow that's it's recognized as the 19th best university in the world.  I would never become too mad at the students for enjoying their college experience, whether it's partying, studying abroad, or simply being a friendly Badger.

xoxo,

Neighbor Notes

As I get ready to move with the Air Force, I am always wary of what type of living situation I'm going into.  Our next rental property is part of a Home Owner's Association.

The last time I lived with one was while growing up and living with my family back in the Midwest.

This leads to memories of incredibly friendly neighbors, who were particularly nosy and loved knowing more about your business.

"Martha, you know you can't have your travel trailer there."

It's been in her driveway for an hour.

"Jim, why haven't you purchased a flag pole?"

Well one, because you sell them and I'm sure your already three existing sports cars can do without another one added. Plus, flagpoles are expensive.

On a sad note, after we moved out of that house, 

the new inhabitants painted parts of it this hideous, gawdy red.  

The shame!

This leads me to the ever notorious "neighbor note."

Well when I saw this on Pinterest, I couldn't help laughing.

I love neighbor notes. I have yet to receive one or give one (hopefully that never happens for either party), but they are hilarious.

I'm hoping our new neighborhood likes us and we tend to keep to ourselves so I don't predict us having any problems like these neighbors:

Source

 

It's Ok Thursdays

It's almost Friday and I have to say that Thursdays, apart from Fridays, are one of my favorite days of the week.  There's a lot of build-up for Fridays and it's exciting!

It's Ok...

to go to the dentist and get your teeth cleaned (even if you haven't gone in awhile).

my teeth feel uh-mazin' today!

to stock up on 10 for $10 Snack Packs because of the sale

that means we have 40 38 cartons of pudding.

to get your second wind at 10 p.m. while hunting for puppy pee spots with a blacklight

it was exciting and I felt sneaky outwitting military housing!

to complain in a professional manner in order to get great customer service.

to lie on the couch to watch the entirety of the Today Show...everyday.

to run the garbage and recyclable carts out as soon as the garbage trucks drive onto your street

I  forget every time

Wisdom Teeth

Via

Right around the time that I went off of my parent's dental insurance and got married,

my wisdom teeth decided to be more present.

By more present, I mean all hell broke loose.

I've got a smallish mouth

and BIG teeth.

Like Beaver gone done git sum bizness done
Yes...all up in that vernacular

I've never had a small smile.
I've attempted but they usually end up like

Which makes me feel more like this

So it was no surprise that my wisdom teeth are fricken monstrous.

Small mouth + big teeth = impossible to clean wisdom teeth.
I was a college girl fricken teething. It was awful.

But since I do have big teeth, I'm usually pretty good about dental hygiene.

They're big and noticeable, might as well make them nice.

But when Ryan deployed, I got busy with school, and those bad boys came in...I started slacking.

Now I'm paying for it.

They should have been extracted a long time ago

and I could give you an endless list of excuses 

but I won't.

Instead I thought the above cartoon was appropriate.

I wish I could just pull these suckers out myself.

Oh and then I also have a few cavities.

Fail sauce.

I went to a new dentist today- Diamond Dental

That was the first experience I've had where the entire staff was just gorgeous.

All the female staff that I worked with today were so nice and friendly.

Of course, my wisdom teeth were awful, my cleaning took extra long, 

and I forgot to shave my knees and I was wearing a dress.

Do you ever get embarrassed at the dentist?

This is the first time and I seriously was mad at myself.

For one thing I know what those wisdom teeth look like
and would create reactions like

hangs head, I'm not proud

So I've got the x-ray technician, dentist, and hygienist oogling over my teeth
Don't forget, they are like oober beautiful

while I'm more like

This is my "getting x-rays done" face. I hate those little plastic pieces in your mouth. They hurt!

All for a 2-hour appointment
yeah, those wisdom teeth were that bad

So in conclusion,

Get rid of your wisdom teeth

otherwise they could get pretty funky

ughhhh

This is what I imagine I will someday look like, post-wisdom teeth removal

xoxo,

And there was no one left to speak out for me

In terms of political perspectives I can range from an extreme moderate to a Liberal.

It often just depends on the topic.

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me,   and there was no one left to speak out for me. 

This was said by Martin Niemöller, a German pastor who initially supported Hitler's rise to fame.  Now the above quote is very rough, different groups are often replaced within the text here but within the same idea.  It's talking about how the Nazi regime was taking people and outlawing things one-by-one and the excuse that the rest of the country was using was, "it's not me."

It's one of my favorite quotes because it was later used in the civil rights movement and it means a lot to me.  It's talking about how if you don't stand up for people, whether or not a situation directly applies to you, what is going to stop a government or political group from focusing on you later on?  

 

This morning I read an article from Time that featured Chef Art Smith and his views of the Chick-Fil-A controversy called Take Hate Off the Plate.  I think the article is great and touches on a lot of wonderful qualities of folks who want to see that they receive the same rights as anyone else.  What was ugly were the comments that followed the article.  These are comments that are consistently used by people who oppose gay marriage and gay rights in general.  The entire article promoted love but they still prospered in hate.  

What I found really interesting was their protest against being called "bigots" and "haters."  That's probably one of the few times I've heard someone use "hater" in their arsenal of political rhetoric.  I'm just going to throw this out there and say that I think 15-years old tend to use that vernacular but hey, I could be wrong on that one.  However, the word "bigot" is often used and there is a lot of animosity that would be built up because of it.  The definition of bigot is:

a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance 

For all people who get riled up when they see that word in posts and commentary, that's what it means and that is the behavior that you are displaying.  It's used against you because that is what you are expressing.  Don't all of a sudden act surprised.  Through adamant behaviors, attempting to deny other people of rights solely on who they are, that would be hatred and intolerance.

It's a huge pet peeve of mine.  With the internet or the fact that every U.S. citizen has access to public education, you should some semblance of a vocabulary and being able to cite a vast array of sources.  Now that may be harsh but historically people of color, women, and gay people have had to defend every aspect of who they are and some more than others depending on the time period and political circumstance.  If all of a sudden you get a little uncomfortable because you get called a bigot, well my advice would be to stop being one (oh I know, it's the same argument bigots use for gays- full circle).

In saying that the gay community spreads more STDs through their multiple relationships- that's just not remotely true.  The gay community is very active in promoting sexual health education, unlike many stringent heterosexual communities.  Because of this, states like Texas have some of the highest rates in high school drop outs, rates of sexually transmitted diseases, and teen pregnancies- in comparison to the rest of the U.S.  They're not the only ones but again, this is basically proof that abstinence-only education has done very little in actually preventing any of the above.  So saying that the gay community is responsible for all of this is completely wrong and I've seen this argument a few times.  Those same people using that as a basis for their intolerance need to reflect on their own communities first.

This other gem of an argument from one of the posts said that she hadn't seen any crimes committed against the gay community.

You have got to be kidding me.

Unless you're living under a rock or completely unaware of just basic news (but then again ignorance is bliss), you would have seen that people who are deemed as being other are bullied, harassed, punished, tortured, etc. every single day.  Many of which are completely illegal acts.  

There is the case of Dhurvan Ravi, where he used his webcam to film his gay roommate having sex and then posted it online.  His roommate, Tyler Clementi, committed suicide and Ravi was found guilty.  The jury found he used a webcam to spy on his roommate Tyler Clementi in Sept. 2010 and that he did it and told others about it because of a bias against gays.

 

I realize that I have so many privileges in writing this post.  I'm a cisgender woman who is married.  That in itself gives me so many easily attainable rights than so many others I know.  Whether or not I have friends in the gay community is not important here.  What is important is that I know the treatment of people in the U.S. has been wrong for a long time and want to do everything within my power to make that change.

Look at everything I've written, because sometimes all I have to say is, "what the hell is going on?"

We should not be treating other people with such hatred, intolerance and disdain.  

We should be following the type of things we learned in Kindergarten aka the Golden Rule.

treat others how you would like to be treated

 

DIY Silhouette Canvases

One of the first blogs that I first came across when I started blogging was, The Chronicles of Ruthie Hart.  She is super adorable and looks like a brunette Kristen Chenoweth.

I absolutely love her home decor and her little French bully named Ernie.

The canvases that she made were one of the first things to catch my eye.

You can find her DIY Silhouette Canvas Tutorial here

She was clever enough to use old canvases to make hers.

I purchased a multi-pack of five canvases from Michael's using a 40% off coupon.

Their iPhone and Droid App is completely free and you can even show your digital coupons off of your phone at the register.  Pretty simple!

Using an additional 20% off coupon, I purchased two, $3.99 acrylic paint tubes.  Again, that app came in handy more than once.  I used a grey tone and then an "arctic" white.

If you go to Ruthie's blog post, there's a link for an awesome site where you can upload pictures and it prints them off in a poster format. 

I chose a picture of HollyDoll (our adorable German Shepherd), a moment from Ryan's homecoming, and our home state- Sconnie Nation.

Once you have those images printed off, you can cut them out, tape them together and start tracing.

Depending on how you want your canvas to look, you may need to paint it first.  Mine took three coats of grey on the canvas to create the desired shade of grey that I wanted.

(only 3 shades of grey, instead of 50-hardy har)

 I traced mine in pen and then started painting it in with the white.

I initially outlined it first to create a "boundary."

(coloring inside the lines takes practice)

This also took several coats, so just have patience and make sure each coat dries.

It was super easy and I love how classic it looks. This is something that can go up in any of our houses, no matter where the military sends us.

xoxo,

  

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Sunday Social

This Week's Questions: All about food!!

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

I love chicken with Mac n' Cheese and topped off with bread crumbs.  The noodles have to be pretty thick with a delicious blend of cheeses.  I always want need an additional protein so I love it with chicken.

What's your guilty pleasure/comfort food?

Currently it would be deli slices of Honey Ham.  I love having it around and it's super tasty to munch on.

What's the weirdest/craziest thing you've ever eaten?

I guess it's all relative but probably squid (?)

What foods do you avoid at all costs?

Things that are super-processed or having a lot of sodium.

What meal reminds you of your childhood?

Definitely not a specific meal, but in the summers my mom would put together lunches with Cokes and we would eat on the back patio.  I just remember pretending the ice cubes were whales in a Coca-Cola sea.  My mom is also fantastic at making delicious meals so anything she makes is super good.

Share one of your favorite recipes and the story behind it.

Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread because it was a recipe that I found off of Pinterest, tried it out and our little FamBam loved it right away.  I felt proud making something that my husband would end up requesting several times over in the future. 

Have a happy Sunday, y'all!

xoxo,