Honey Do's

I'm getting a late start to my busy Saturday and I am losing more time with this post. I'm okay with that though. Here is what is going on this wonderful, beautiful, Autumn Saturday.

Sparky is currently taking an 8 hour long exam. That's right. 8 freaking hours! E to the U (EW)! The last few months have been stressful and frustrating with 2-5 hours of studying almost everyday. Frustrating for me because I knew how frustrating it was to him and me no likey unhappiness in anyone's life. Also frustrating to me because I've had to deal with these books and several others scattered about the house; in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in the living room, in the sauna, in the bedroom. I'd find a book in a different place everyday! If you know me, scattering and not putting things back where they are supposed to go is a huge issue for me; so keeping my mouth absolutely shut and not moving them was very frustrating! I persevered. I don't think Sparky even knows how much it irked me.



But as of 5:40 pm later today, the first round of frustration will be all over. If he fails this test, I'm mentally prepared to support the second attempt.

I was up and at 'em at 5:09 this morning to cook Sparky a nice scrumptious breakfast before his big exam. I did go right back to bed after my duties were done. I left Sparky to feed his tummy as well as his mind with some additional last minute studying and strategizing. He had to report for test taking at 7:20 am! More E to U!

So, I slept and wandered out of bed just before 8:00 am and I have been contemplating all the wonderfulness of a day to myself.

Feed the dogs. Check
Cup of coffee or two. Check
Watch a little Rachel Ray. Check

I have quite a bit to accomplish today before 4:40 in the afternoon. Sparky and his brother have a cross bike race tonight, so his brother is picking me up at before-mentioned time and Sparky is meeting us there.

Sparky and I are hosting a big Halloween bash next Saturday, so I have quite a bit of preparation still to accomplish. We have only just started our front yard cemetery but still have some ghoulish items to add.





Our big front window is creeping with a spider, but I need the perfect web to create the perfect welcome.


I'm all about the funny and original Halloween costume, so Sparky and I came up with the perfect couples Halloween costume for us. With all the decor, food, and beverages we're planning on dishing out for this spooky shin-dig, Sparky and I will be saving a lot on our costumes; which all of you know is right up my alley. Our only purchases necessary to perfect our costumes are a wig (which we got in the mail last week), a t-shirt, and two handfuls of cheap accessories. Everything else is right in our closets. YES!

So, on this gorgeous Autumn day, I'm Halloween party costume and decor accessorizing. The t-shirt is key so I have to find it. Wish me luck!

Do you have any special plans this Halloween?

Keep on Keepin on.

Playing Around

So, I'm playing around in photoshop trying to create a new banner. Above is what I have come up with so far. It's definitely not a keeper but it's a start.

What I'd like to incorporate:

My dogs
My love for food (cooking, baking, and eating)
My love for simplicity
My love for home decor
My love for anything beautiful
My love for writing
My love for fun
My love for nature
My love for pictures
My love for inspiration

Do you have suggestions?

Keep on Keepin on

Wierd-O Alert

You know you have issues when you're sitting at work in your cubicle with your co-worker/cousin trying to figure out if you can lick your own elbow...ISSUES I tell ya! Issues.

Wierdo-O Alert on steroids...I CAN lick my own elbow.

Just sayin.

Keep on Keepin on.

Good Times: I Heart U2

Last night was the night of the long awaited and anticipated U2 concert in Oklahoma. I heart U2 and I was so ecstatic that I finally got to see them live; because face it...how many times do we really get the chance to see U2, especially in Oklahoma?

I'm so happy that a humung-go crowd turned out for the concert. Sparky and I did not realize what 70,000 people really meant when we set out for the drive to Norman. We were all smiles and jazz hands (literally) in the beginning of our adventure.

****Side-note: I was not happy about Sparky's mustache. He thought it was hilarious to sport the mustache ALL weekend. I absolutely do not endorse the mustache unless you are Kip from Napolean Dynamite. Luckily, the stache was shaved off this morning.



Then we hit traffic. Then we took a detour. Then we didn't get to eat because everywhere was a two hour wait. BUT...we did park for free and we got a work out with the walking. So, I'm all good.

We finally made it to the concert while the Black Eyed Peas were doing their thang. It was good.

The "mother-ship" was huge, magnificent, and really just a bad-mamma-jamma. It was definitely a site to see. My phone doesn't take good pictures in the dark. So this is all I got. Super sad.




I got to hear "With or Without You", which is one of my most favorite songs of all time, so I was an uber-happy girl.

With the exception of someone around Sparky and me passing nasty gas every 15 minutes, the concert was super duper uber amazing. I am so happy I got to see them live and I am so happy that Oklahoma turned out such a humung-go crowd!

Keep on Keepin on.

It's Getting Hot In Here

Since most of the continental US is experiencing official Autumn weather and the sneaky greediness of Winter is trying to take over Autumn's spotlight, I've decided to post about something HOT!



NO!

Not that kind of HOT...although he is uber scrumptious.

You know how most people save their money and can't wait to purchase that great luxury item they have always wanted? In the category of "relaxation" at home, I would normally think hot tub or swimming pool or personal masseuse. But in Sparky's world, his luxury item is....a sauna. Yup. You read it correctly. A sauna. He has always wanted a sauna. It must be a guy thing...or a European thing; even though Sparky is not European. I don't know. What I do know is that Sparky saved and got his dream luxury item. Yay!

Oh, dear. This is what I came home from work to one day.


Ruby thinks she's got it all figured out.


So far so good. It only took us an hour to figure out where to put the dang thing.


Choo Choo just making sure Sparky has got it all handled.


Oh, the life of a spoiled chihuahua.


Someone is at a loss. I think this is the "what did I get myself into?" look...HA! HA!


Directions! What a concept!


I know, Choo Choo. He never listens to me. You don't have to tell me. But thanks for agreeing.


Hot sauna in the Autumn!


Keep warm and

Keep on Keepin on.

Pumpkins, Hay Bales, Mums, Oh My!

A crisp air and sunshine on my mums is enough to make my heart warm. And of course a hot cup of coffee.

Autumn!! I love decorating my front porch in Autumn!

Hay bales. Check.

Pumpkins. Check.

Mums. Check.

Blissfulness. Check. Check.



Our little corner of Autumn. Of course we had to throw in those random things of grass in the back...I think we were shooting for "modern"...and definitely got the "what the heck are those?" feel going on. But for some reason, they have grown on me and I kind of like them there. The white pumpkins are definitely my ultimate favorite and I think I might splurge on a few more and place them sporadically.



I heart mums. The wooden box was a $5 purchase at an estate sale a few weeks before. They were the perfect home for a couple of Autumn mums.



I heart these little minis!



I heart them so much that they totally deserved a close-up.



I never thought I'd heart warts so much.


The "fairy tale" pumpkin. You have to get one. It's just wrong not to.


And this is too much. Who can resist a man that lets her call him Sparky and he waters her plants for her? I mean, really??!! It's just too much. Blissfulness deserves a few more "checks"....CHECK! CHECK! CHECK!


Keep on Keepin on.

She Whispers To Me

The following little diddly poem is what happens when I'm bored and it's cloudy and chilly outside...I get all giddy for her arrival. Can you guess who??????

She whispers to me
To let me know she is almost here.
I know it’s her; I can feel her gentle chill in the air.
Is that her over the cloudy horizon I see?

My blood thickens in anticipation of her undoubted arrival;
And I search for stored away additions for warmth.
While remembering to tuck away signs of her absence
I hear her again; her siren call.

I call out to her, “Come quick! I am waiting!”
As my patience starts to yield to my overjoyed soul.
Will she stay long? I can only hope she does.
Her visits are normally so short lived; but breathtaking.

My neck is covered in knitted love and protection
And my boot covered feet tap with anxious curiosity.
My pumpkins sit on their hale bales knowing her presence is encroaching on us.
Can she feel all my affection?

She is so beautiful and strong.
Her rustic and golden colors consume the dead ground; giving it life.
She always brings her distinct scent of cinnamon; her presence is known.
To hate her would be wrong.

BTW, the poem belongs to me. No stealing. It's wrong. Not that it's a great and wonderful poem and all; and not that you'll love it enough to steal it; but it's still mine, so no copying and pasting!

Keep on Keepin on.

My New Fave

A friend introduced me to the blog, "Life in the Fun Lane" and it is definitely my new fave. I heart white and have been inspired by this "do-it-yourself-er" to attempt giving life to my own guest bedroom set. That transformation will definitely be something to blog about in the near future.

In the meantime, check out the blog and the furniture. The transformations from tacky furniture to one-of-a-kind whites are divine.

Keep on Keepin on.

Can You Make It Out of the Parking Lot?

About 1 1/2 hours from the OKC area (1 hour if Sparky is driving) is Mt. Scott and the 59,020 acre Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. In the past, I have enjoyed getting away to the "Wichita's" to partake in hiking, camping, rock climbing, photography, getting stung by bees (a whole blog within itself), and being allowed to experience close up views of bison, longhorns, and white-tail deer...to just name a few.

This past Sunday morning, rather than sleep in, Sparky, Sparky's brother, and I decided to wake up before the sun probably even started to think about stretching it's rays and drive to the "Wichita's" in order to ride our bicycles up Mt. Scott.

Keep in mind that I am not an experienced cyclist. At all.

As for Sparky and his brother...they are.

I got my "little circus bike" a few months ago...probably around May. I ride it every once in a while...about once a week. More experienced cyclist...like Sparky, clip into their pedals. I never knew this before Sparky. You have to purchase special fancy cycling shoes and special fancy pedals which viciously lock your feet into the bicycle. When I first got my "little circus bike", I vowed that I would never clip into my pedals because the thought of it was just too scary and I just knew that I would never ride my bike enough to even want the chance to clip in to my little circus bike. Plus, the shoes are pricey and I'm way too frugal.

Fast forward to this past Saturday, and I found myself crushing over some adorable girlie but not too girlie women's cycling shoes that were on clearance (my favorite word). After we left the bike store the first time without the shoes, I decided a few hours later to go back to bask in my clearance heaven. I now own my own pair of girlie but not too girlie women's cycling shoes.

So, of course, I thought I just had to try to viciously lock myself into my bike on our Mt. Scott excursion.

Well, I thought I was doing awesome in practicing clipping in and out in the parking lot. I was doing well and we were ready to head off out of the parking lot to head up Mt. Scott. Then, it happened.

I came to a close stop. I clipped out of my right pedal to lean down on my right foot. Somehow, I leaned to the left and my left knee found the gravel pavement. It found it hard.

I didn't even make it out of the parking lot.

After the surprise of what I had just done to myself and the realization that my knee filled with gravel was not going to stop bleeding, I asked Sparky to please get me a bandage. Of course, we didn't have anything to bandage my knee with, so Sparky had to drive about 5 minutes to a gas station to buy something to patch me up and make me all better again.

I sat there alone. I sat on the gravel of the parking lot with two bicycles by my side. I sat there on the gravel of the parking lot with a gravel filled and bleeding knee which was going numb. The thrill was gone. My excitement was gone. My cute girlie but not too girlie new cycling shoes were all of a sudden not worth the clearance. I was discouraged. I wanted to bandage up my knee when Sparky got back and sit in the car while him and his brother cycled up the mountain 2 or 3 times with so much ease. I was pissed.

Then I sat there and contemplated. I was out on the animal refuge on a cool Sunday morning and it was silent with the exception of a car passing by every couple of minutes. I sat there alone on the gravel of the parking lot that had damaged my knee and I asked myself this question, "Am I a person that can't even make it out of the parking lot?" I thought about that for the little while that I sat there alone. Did I want to be the person that didn't even make it out of the parking lot or did I want to be a person that got passed the fall in the parking lot and continued on to finish out the purpose of coming here in the first place?

Sparky returned with Triple Antibiotic Ointment and bandage in tow. He patched me up, wrapped my knee, and tied my bandage in a bow. He asked me if I still wanted to ride my bike? I looked at the car, then looked at my pretty bandage tied in a bow, then looked at my adorable girlie but not too girlie cycling shoes still on my feet, then to my bike.

I decided I wanted to make it out of the parking lot.

After Sparky put my regular training wheel pedals back on my little circus bike, I hopped back on my bike and pedaled my cute girlie but not too girlie cycling shoes out of the parking lot.


and.....

....I also made it up the mountain.

So, the next time you fall in the parking lot, ask yourself what kind of person you want to be: Either a person that gets up and makes it out of the parking lot or a person that gives up while everyone else continues to climb the mountain without you. Because you might just end up making it up the mountain after all.


And...Of course I have pictures to document my hour of knee throbbing torture.

I have to ride my little circus bike up that???!!!!!


Whoa!


My bow bandaged knee needs a break!


My little circus bike and the view.


Seriously. I don't know if I can do it.



I made it to the top! Of course I had to take a picture of my feet!


Keep on Keepin on.

Autumn Anyone?

As September begins to reveal itself, I am filled with excitement for this Autumn. Autumn is my absolute most favorite season and living in Oklahoma seems to always cheat me out of my perfect Autumn. Oklahoma weather normally seems to skip Autumn and jump from Summer to Winter fairly quickly. Boo to that. Every year I hope this will change and that hope keeps my Pollyanna perspective jumping the Autumn gun.

For those of you around me on a daily basis, I am sure you are exhausted from my Autumn rants. I have declared this year the year that everyone will use the beautiful word "Autumn" rather than "Fall"...you wouldn't name your child "Fall" would you? Autumn is just more colorful; and isn't color one of the first things you think about with Autumn? You think of bright burnt oranges, apple reds, and yummy mustard yellows. The word "Autumn" probably triggers your amygdala into producing memories of apple cinnamon scented candles burning throughout the house, making caramel & candy apples, and carving pumpkins.

For me, the warmth of big nit sweaters, dainty dresses, and tall boots make me long for Autumn. My love for Autumn had me scouring the stores & internet in August for "Modern Autumn" inspirations and decorations. My boots have already been pulled out of their dark summer hiding corner and have been worn a couple of time in hopes that their re-emergence might coax Autumn to come quicker.

As the temperature reached into the upper 80's and lower 90's today, the random small rain shower got my big Autumn hopes up even more. Although I love the Summer season as well for it's own great reasons, I am ready for my Autumn. I can feel it getting closer. So, I of course perused the internet for Autumn inspirations and decided to share just a few of my finds.















Keep on Keepin on.

Green Goodies by Tiffany: My New Fave

Picture from Green Goodies by Tiffany blog

I haven't quite figured out the new cupcake craze that has hit the nation, but I'm jumping on this cupcake bandwagon finally.

You see...Babalou doesn't much like cake. At all.

But a new place in the OKC area has got my cake buds sparked. It's Green Goodies by Tiffany. And why am I all of a sudden on this band wagon? Because this bakery is the first "peanut free" bakery in OKC AND they serve Organic, Vegan, Gluten Free, and Diabetic friendly cupcakes!!!!!!! Can you freakin believe it?! OKC is catching up with the world...at least with cupcakes it is.

So far I have had the pleasure of tasting the "Green Hostess" which was Vegan. The "Green Hostess" is chocolate chip chocolate cake filled with madagascar bourbon vanilla buttercream and topped with chocolate ganache. It resembles the little chocolate Hostess cakes you can buy at the store, except these are Vegan and super uber deee-lish!!!

I also had the pleasure of tasting the "Red Velvet" which was organic. Oh my stinking heavens!! I fell in love with the light chocolate cake topped with rich organic cream cheese frosting.

Below is directly copied from the Green Goodies by Tiffany website.
Cupcakes for Everyone!

Green Goodies by Tiffany is a peanut free cupcakery that offers cupcakes for everyone! We are located in the Oklahoma City & Edmond area. We specialize in organic cupcakes made from scratch and baked in small batches. We also offer delicious cupcakes to those with special dietary concerns (gluten free, dairy free, nut free, egg free, vegan, etc)

Our cupcakes offer you a unique way to celebrate and share all life's occasions; birthday parties, corporate meetings, or anywhere you want cupcakes.

Our cupcakes & treats are "Clean", meaning we use only the highest quality ingredients such as organic dairy & eggs, the finest chocolate & vanilla, no artificial colors or flavors, no trans fats, no high fructose corn syrup, & absolutely no preservatives.


Picture from Green Goodies by Tiffany blog

So, for a co-workers birthday tomorrow, I purchased a dozen of these little tasty healthy beauties in hopes they are as much of a hit there as they are in my household. Sparky really loved the Hostess cakes too. It is torture to have them sitting in my kitchen right now!!

But it will be all worth it tomorrow.

So if you live in the area, be sure to check this cute little place out and support the local business! Everyone I have met working there has been super uber friendly and helpful also, which makes spending my money on cupcakes even better. Go ahead...treat yourself to something sweet and healthy!

Keep on Keepin on.

Sushi Night!

We heart ourselves some sushi. Not only because it's duper dee-lish and healthy but it's also super simple to make. Plus, since Sparky is a vegetarian, we can control what we put into our sushi while still changing it up everytime we make it. There are so many options with sushi. Next time we make sushi, I'm going to try shrimp and crab. I normally have salmon in the house, so I might try some salmon in there too. Not all at the same time, though. One of these rolls is pretty filling even though it doesn't seem like there is much in it!!

What you will need:
Bamboo mat
Nori (sheets of seaweed)
Sticky rice
Cream Cheese
Avocado
Green Onion (stalks)
Soy Sauce
*You can always use your own choice of vegetables or meat.

Instructions:
Lay your mat on the counter or on foil or whatever suits your Asian sushi making fancy. Lay one sheet of nori (sheet of seaweed)on the mat. Spread your sticky Asian rice (not that American instant minute rice stuff...ewww) over the seaweed. Notice my super uber cool rice maker from the Asian market in the background. You're jealous, right?


Cut slices/strips of cream cheese.


Lay your strips of cream cheese longways on the rice.


Add slices/strips of avocado.


Add a stalk/strip/whatever you want to call it of green onion. Begin a really tight roll. Make sure you don't tear the nori/seaweed but give it a nice tight tuck with each roll.


Voila! Wrong language, I know. But still. Voila! All wrapped up but not quite complete.


Slice into pieces that you think you can fit into your mouth. 1/2inch-1inch...whatever works best for you.


We enjoyed some wine with our homemade sushi. Use a small dipping plate or bowl for your soy sauce. Too bad we didn't have some sake!


Give it a shot and let me know how your sushi turns out!

Keep on Keepin on.

Organizing Guru

Yay! I have a new post over at Organizing Guru! My very soon to be up and coming vacation has inspired me to share some of my organizing travel finds.

Be a doll and head over there and check it out!

Keep on Keepin on.