"Roid Ragin" - Female Style

I'm PMS'ing like nobody's business today.  I mean seriously - this is by far the worst case of PMS I have had in over four years.  I just can't explain it - but I want to hit someone.  This is what "Roid Ragin" must feel like.  Unfortunately a great deal of that anger frustration is being taken out on hubby today.  I keep telling him it's PMS - but he just doesn't seem to get it.  So I have nothing positive or happy to say today.  Instead I will leave you with a re-post of one of my favorite posts....because it's exactly how I am feeling today.  Today - I hate being a woman!  (PS - the original post can be found HERE)

HAVE A HAPPY PERIOD

Caveat: If you are a man, you might not want to read this!

I saw the most offensive commercial I have ever seen in my life last night. The catch phrase of this commercial was so appalling that I had to rewind and replay it twice just to make sure I heard it correctly.Always – the tampon/feminine product company – is apparently trying to revamp its imagine and has created a new slogan. The commercial did contain very alluring information – a panty liner that doesn’t budge!?! A woman in an all white dress was performing gymnastics, acrobatics and contortionism in order to prove that this “all new” panty liner was the most durable product on the market. I mean really, really!?!? Who would actually wear an all white dress on her period? I don’t care how amazing your panty liner/tampon is. You’re just looking for trouble!

But okay – it’s a panty liner. How dazzling can an advertisement really be? I’ll give them credit for trying to glamorize one of the most disgusting products in the world (Think about the purpose of those things!). It wasn’t until the last line of the promo that I thought I was going to come unglued. As the beautiful, energetic woman in white faded into the background with a smile on her face the announcer read “Always – Have a Happy Period!”

I’m sorry?? Did you just tell me to have a happy period?? You’re trying to sell me a panty liner and have the audacity to tell me to have a happy period? Well this just proves that men really did invent panty hose, tampons & high heels because no woman in her right mind would ever say “Have a happy period!” It’s like telling an actor “Good luck!” Only a man would have created this ad campaign as well. A woman would know that by saying, “Have a happy period!” the company loses all credibility with women world wide. How can you claim to know how to engineer the perfect panty liner that absorbs everything and eliminates leaks when you obviously have no freaking clue what a period is!!!

We’re not just talking blood here people. If only that were the worst of it. I can deal with the bleeding for five days. Granted, the constant bleeding does cause you to feel a little faint and possibly queasy majority of the time, but that’s just part of the territory. I might even be able to handle the insane breakouts that come during that special time of the month. I mean who doesn’t enjoy looking like they are 15 again? What I can’t deal with are the intense mood swings and horrific cramps.

This is just something that men can’t seem to understand. If I have told him once, I’ve told him a hundred times. “Yes, Steven, I am being completely unreasonable. I am crying at the commercial with the puppy. And now because you are laughing at me for crying, I am furious. I’m not just furious, I am irate. You are the most insensitive man in the world. The only thing that will remotely make this situation better right now is if you run to the store and bring me a Coke icy and Snickers.” You would think month after month he would just learn not to laugh at me when I start crying at the puppy commercial… And here’s the thing: It may be unreasonable, but we just don’t care! Our emotions are out of whack - our hormones are off the charts! Men will always be wrong and women will always be right during that time of the month!
Onto the cramps. Even though most birth controls temper the pain of menstruating, most women still experience at least one day of mind numbing cramps. It feels as if someone has my uterus in their hands and is trying to give me an Indian burn. Simultaneously, it feels as if someone else is dragging a knife up and down my lower back. My legs feel like utter jello – which at this point may be a blessing in disguise because I don’t know if I can handle another aching part of my body. The worst part is the cramps generally wait to hit at the most inopportune time: at work, at church, during a workout, during a night out. So not only am I in excruciating pain, I’m also in uncomfortable clothes and sweating profusely all while trying to act like everything is “A-okay”. This is why women are better than men. Every man I know gets a little head cold and he turns into a child again. Women deal with true illness every month and the world keeps spinning round.

So please – Mr. Director for the “Always” commercial – don’t tell me to have a happy period. I will NOT being buying your product, because you have insulted me beyond belief. It’s as if you are mocking me. Have a Happy Period. Enjoy those cramps ladies. As a matter of fact welcome them. Embrace the bloating and fatigue. You’re a woman – it’s your blessing. Grr!!!

Consider yourself lucky that you aren't at my house today....I'm off to find a piece of chocolate! :)

I'm Telling You - They Are Spoiled!

Happy Friday - Amen and Hallelujah!  I swear I thought this much needed long weekend would never get here.  Bonus for me - I'm taking today off so I have a FOUR DAY WEEKEND to celebrate Memorial Day.  Hopefully the weather will play nice and allow the sun to shine so I can work on my tan today & tomorrow!

That's all going on here.  Just wanted to pop in and say hello - oh and leave you with just one more example of how incredibly spoiled my children puppies are....Apparently pillows are no longer a comfort reserved for humans.....

I'm trying to rest here.....

Queen Dixie watching TV

And just in case you are wondering - these aren't some super cute photos that I just happened to capture.  This is an every day occurence at my house.  We have three throw pillows in the livingroom - one for me, one for Dixie & one for Bauer.  Poor Steven just gets left out!

Happy Friday!!

CSN Store Giveaway

Happy Thursday!  Is it just me or does today feel like Friday?  Maybe I'm just super excited about the long weekend we have coming up!

I'm so thrilled to announce that CSN Stores has contacted me to host a giveaway in which one lucky reader will win a $40 gift certificate which may be used at any of their 200+ online stores.  They have home decor, furniture, houseware, pet, baby, and shoe stores just to name a few. 

I personally am in love with their lights store.  I would love to add a beautiful chandelier to our entry way and this site has SO many great possibilities!  You could easily apply your $40 gift certificate towards one of these beauties....

Lights

Or what about....

Lights

Or if your husband is a sport enthusiast  like mine you could get him a gift from his favorite team.

Lights

And for all you expecting mothers, they have some great lamps to complete a nursery.

Lights

Or you could use your gift certificate at one of their other 200+ stores.

So here are the details:

- The giveaway will close at midnight on Thursday, June 3rd.

-A winner will be chosen at random via a random number generator.

-The winner will be announced Friday, June 4th.

-There are multiple ways to enter:

1) Be or become a follower.

2) Add my button to your blog (if you already have my button - just let me know and I'll give you credit!)

3) Blog about this giveaway

4) Visit the Lights Store and tell me an item you would purchase with your $40 certificate.

*Please list each entry as a seperate comment so that I can make sure to give you credit for each!

Good luck to everyone!  Hope you're having a great day!

So Long Untrained Housewife

(Source)

I’ve been feeling really “domestic” these days. I use quotations around the word “domestic” because well – I’m feeling my version of domestic which may or may not fit Webster’s description. It may be that my baby fever continues to sink in and I figure if I can’t work on being a nurturing mother, I might as well work on my housewife skills.

Can I please say how much I love the yummy recipes I find through other bloggers? Saturday night Steven had a few buddies over to watch the All-Star race so I decided to try a new recipe D.A.R. suggested. These lasagna roll-ups were to die for. At first Steven turned his nose up when I mentioned lasagna roll-ups for dinner and moments later began the questions that always come when I say I’m trying something new around our house….

Steven: Just where did you get this recipe?
Me: Oh you know – from a friend. She said her husband loved it.
Steven: What friend? (The smirk on his face anticipating my answer)
Me: (Not wanting to admit the truth) A.F.R.I.E.N.D.
Steven: How do you know this friend?
Me: A blogger friend – okay – a blogger friend.
Steven: (Sigh) Here we go again.

You see, while hubby enjoys reading my posts and appreciates that I have an outlet for my “feelings” – he sometimes just doesn’t get that I actually have friends through this crazy blogging world. So in his mind I was cooking dinner for two of his best friends based off the suggestion of a total stranger. Luckily the dinner was a SUCCESS! This recipe is relatively easy and completely worth taking the time. You must try it!

Yesterday to my dismay I realized that I bought way too many bananas last week and 5 were about to spoil. My savvy housewife skills kicked in and I decided to try from scratch banana bread for the first time. I googled a recipe and THIS is what I came up with. SUPER EASY! Seriously – why do all women thinking baking has to be time intensive and exhausting? This was a piece of cake and a huge hit with the hubby.

I think Steven has been pleasantly pleased with my sudden burst of domestic abilities. Now if I would just learn to fold my laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer he just might put me up for Wife of the Year. Yeah…who am I kidding??

Top Two Tuesday - Date Night

It’s time for The Undomestic Mama’s Top Two Tuesday again and this week Taylor wants to know about your Top Two Date Nights (or days!)

By far my favorite date with Steven would be our first Valentine’s Day celebration. It was our freshman year of college and I not to subtly made it known that I expected big things. (Hey – I was only 18!) Steven told me to be ready that afternoon and he picked me up at my dorm. We just started driving. I should have picked up by the fact that we were headed East that we were going to the beach – but somehow that escaped me. 3 hours later we arrived in Wilmington, NC. It was incredibly romantic. Steven took me to one of his favorite restaurants on the waterfront where we had dinner by candlelight. After dinner we walked around downtown Wilmington hand-in-hand. He bought me a rose from a street vendor and blind folded me to our next destination. I knew he was taking me to the beach, but I was more than willing to play along. Unfortunately, he got lost and a policeman pulled Steven over as his driving was a little erratic. Imagine the policeman’s surprise when he found a blind folded woman in the car! After a brief explanation, the officer pointed us in the right direction and Steven lead me down the boardwalk to the beach. It was my first time at Wrightsville Beach. Despite the freezing cold temperatures and the darkness, we danced on the beach under the stars and the moon. It truly was magical.

My next favorite “date” was actually an all day affair. It was my favorite day from our trip to Jamaica. Almost every day we had some tour planned or something big to do.  But on this day we did absolutely nothing of importance.  We woke to breakfast in our pj’s on the patio. Spent the entire day being lazy on the beach and enjoying one another’s company. After dinner, we headed to the piano bar and spent hours requesting songs and singing along. Somehow the night ended with us singing karaoke with complete strangers. It was one of those days you wish you could video tape to be able to replay over and over when times get tough – a reminder that life is good and you are blessed to be sharing it with your best friend. It was the best day.

All smiles in the sun

(Yes we were both reading Harry Potter!)

I'm in Jamaica!!

Piano Bar

Purple Rain...Purple Rain....

Go check out The Undomestic Mama & play along!

I Believe

I’ve mentioned before how I find music inspiring and thought provoking. This weekend I heard Eric Church’s Before She Does and Third Day’s I Believe multiple times. Both songs are declarations of principles the artists believe in. So it got me thinking – what do I believe?

I believe coffee with a girlfriend the perfect cure for a heavy heart.

I believe the overweight “Plane Jane” who devotes her time and resources to bettering her community is far more beautiful than the pageant queen and supermodel who only thinks of herself.

I believe that being Southern is a privilege – a privilege only other Southerners can truly appreciate.

I believe dogs are better than cats.

I believe the farmer, carpenter, soldier, mechanic and small business owner are the hope for America’s financial future not the politician, aristocrat or corporate CEO.

I believe in miracles – specifically the power of prayer because I believe in a great God who hears the call of His children and wants to work miracles on their behalf.

I believe holidays are best when spent with family and friends.

I believe the love of a good man is the greatest gift a woman could ever receive. If that woman is fortunate enough to start a family with that good man – well, she’s blessed beyond measure.

I believe in American traditions such as Thursday nights spent at the baseball field, summer vacations at the beach and weekend barbeques with the people you love.

I believe the man who works from sun up to sun down for minimum wage in order to provide for his family is worth far more than the millionaire who has never worked a day in his life.

I believe that I’m a sinner saved by the grace of God and that nothing I could ever do on this earth could be enough to repay the debt I owe to my Savior.

So now I want to know – what do you

My Man Is....

My man is like my favorite pair of sweat pants – comfortable, relaxed and the first thing I reach for when I enter the door after a long day at the office.

My man is my version McDreamy, McSteamy & Mr. Big rolled into one delicious package – handsome, Southern, charming, intelligent and funny with the slightest touch of “bad boy”.

My man is like an old school homemade “Weekend at the Beach” soundtrack – a little bit country, a little bit rock-n-roll. Nothing too serious, lighthearted and full of possibilities. I could put him on repeat and never get tired.

My man is everything I dreamed of when I was a little girl – my prince charming with a Yukon in lieu of the horse.

My man is just a good ole boy – with a college degree and a better since of fashion, that is.

My man is like a fabulous seersucker suit – conservative, well mannered and full of Southern charm.

My man is 1 Chorinthians 13 amplified in our marriage – he is patient and kind. He is not self seeking. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. Though he’s not perfect, he tries so hard to be the for me. When he fails, he’s quick to apologize and seek forgiveness. His love for me never fails.

My man is God’s best for me.

Kindred Connection Party - Vacation Style

Kristin over at Windy Poplars is hosting another Kindred Spirit party.  This week she wants to know about your vacation style!

1. What is the most recent vacation you've been on?
Vegas Baby! We traveled to Las Vegas the beginning of March to celebrate my 25th birthday. For a recap of the trip click here.

2. What is the destination of the vacation of your dreams?
Asia – all of it. Steven and I visited Hong Kong and the surrounding islands four years ago. It was unbelievable. The culture, the people, the beautiful mountains and oceans. My dream vacation would be a three week tour of all the major Asian spots: Bejing, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia.

Bejing

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Thailand

Tokyo

3. Do you have a favorite place you vacation to regularly?
Destin, FL. In my opinion – it is the best beach in the coastal US. The water is crystal clear like the Caribbean and the sand is perfectly white. The locals in the area really care about the beach so it is well kept and clean but not overpriced. Steven’s family has a condo in Destin and we vacation there every summer. Hopefully we will be headed there mid-June!

4. Vacation preference: beach, city, or mountains?
Do you even have to ask? Beach for sure. Put me in a chair on the sand with a drink in the cup holder and a book in my hand – that’s as close to heaven as I’m gonna get here on this earth.

5. Have you ever vacationed with a group of people (other than your family)? If so: How did you coordinate it, and would you do it again?
Our trip to Hong Kong was coordinated through our university with about 25 people in attendance. It was a lot to keep together that’s for sure. I also went on a cruise my senior year with about 15 of my sorority sisters – that was nuts. It’s difficult to keep large groups like that happy because everyone tends to want different things. I wouldn’t mind vacationing with a smaller group – maybe 2-3 couples – but I think that would be it.

Great Entertainment - Budget Edition

Everywhere I turn it seems as if people are trying to save money these days (including me!) Wedding season has hit and so many of you (like me!) are spending big bucks on gifts for showers and receptions, dropping bigger dough on hotel stays and bride’s maid’s dresses (like me!) and some of you may even be saving for a wedding of your own (thankfully not me!)

Others are on a strict budget to prepare for the birth of an upcoming child. Maybe a career change or job loss has caused a financial pinch for your family. Whatever the reason, it seems like I keep reading and hearing that many people are trying to save a buck or two.

That’s certainly the case at the our house. Hubby and I have been pulling in the financial reigns over the past few months. But how do you save money without living like a hermit? I mean life can’t be all work and no play – that would just be torturous!

In an attempt to save money, I signed up for Netflix. I figured for $15 a month I can rent two DVD’s a time and rent as many DVD’s throughout the month as a I like - sounded like a pretty good deal. But you generally have to wait 1-2 weeks before the newest releases are available – so that kind of stunk.

That’s when Steven and I decided to start renting seasons of TV shows that we have heard were good but we did not watch when they originally aired. For example – we became hooked on Criminal Minds by watching reruns on A&E. We ordered the entire 5 seasons through Netflix and watched the series from start to finish without interruption.  It was pure bliss - no waiting to see what happened - hours upon hours of entertaining TV at our fingertips!

We have now moved onto Lost. I kept hearing all the rage about the final season and how amazing the show is – so I figured might as well. (We’re half way through the first season and I’m already addicted! Disc 3 of Season 1 arrives at my house today and I can’t wait to start it up!)

It’s honestly so easy. You manage your “queue” online and add all the DVD’s you want to rent. Netflix will send you 1 or 2 DVD’s at a time – depending on your membership. Once you are finished with a DVD, stick it in the prepaid envelope provided by Netflix and send it back to the warehouse. Another DVD should arrive within two days. For example, I placed Disc 1 of Season 1 in the mailbox on Monday and I will receive another DVD today.

Steven and I really have enjoyed watching seasons start to finish together. Because you can watch the shows back to back it’s much easier to get “addicted” to them. It’s a great way to spend a Friday evening or Saturday evening – especially if you are trying to save money.

I can recommend plenty of shows to watch if you’re looking for suggestions – even some that you and hubby might enjoy together!

PS - Netflix did not compensate me in any way for this - I just thought I would share a budget friendly entertainment idea with my lovely readers!  :)

Think Happy Thoughts

Do you ever watch a show just because it makes you feel better about your life? I recently watched an episode of "Wife Swap" that was BIZARRE! One of the wives firmly believed in one's ability to manifest their dreams and desires. She claims that she was raised in poverty and had a strong desire to be wealthy and successful. She cut out pictures of homes and cars that she wanted and "thought happy thoughts" about those things and WHAM - she got them.

Can you hear my skepticism? If I could just wish my dreams into existence I would quit my job right now and spend all day daydreaming. But I'm not so sure that would turn out too well for me and I wouldn't suggest you do so either.

But, I am a person of faith and I do believe in seeking God's wisdom and direction in your life. I also believe in the power of positive thinking - not so much that your thoughts can impact your circumstances in a tangible way (like making a house appear out of thin air) - but your thoughts determine your attitude which determines your actions - which can have an impact on your circumstances.

You know my love for all things Post It - well I thought I would put this "Happy Thoughts" idea into practice. So I gathered a few of my favorite inspirational and motivational quotes and have placed them in strategic places in my office, wallet and car as a reminder to myself to remain positive and hopeful and to believe that God wants to bless me.

What about you?  Any inspirational quotes or mantras that get you through your rough days?

I hope you're having an inspired Tuesday morning and that you keep your head up no matter what life may throw you today!

Who Needs Kids....

When you have the most adoreable dogs in the world??  Okay - so maybe I need kids - but that's not happening right now so I'm counting my blessings as they are.  And right now those blessings = Dixie & Bauer!

My dogs are piglets - seriously.  Dixie will eat anything and Bauer will do anything that Dixie does, which means he too will eat anything.  Last week I made corn on the cob for dinner.  As always, Dixie and Bauer watched Steven and I eat our meal with puppy dogs eyes and watering jowls. 

Midway through our meal Steven commented, "You know...I was watching this episode of 'America's Funniest Home Videos' and dogs can eat corn on the cob - they are actually pretty good at it."  Not to be outdone by some family on "America's Funniest Home Videos", Steven grabbed a piece of corn and put Dixie and Bauer to the test.  It looked a little something like this....

Sniffing it out - what is that??

Oh that's good stuff...

My little piglet

Yes - Dixie is eating the crumbs off the floor....

After a meal like that, I need a nap Mommy!

LOVE THEM!!!!

Friday Full Of Post It's

If you could see my office - you would laugh. Post it notes of every shape, size and color litter my work space. Who needs a planner when you have 20,000 sticky notes as a reminder? As I look ahead to this weekend everything we have on the agenda, I realize, I need to jot this all down or I will forget!

Thanks for letting me organize while blogging!  Hope you have a Fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!