Happy Halloween!!

Happy All Hallows Eve everyone!  May your night be filled with adventure and magic.  An if you believe may you be reconnected with the spirits of your loved ones past!  Sorry all its my heritage I was always taught to respect the dead and tonight is the night were the veil is the thinnest!!! Below are some of my favorite Halloween fun quotes-- Thanks Pinterest!

Have a safe and happy All Hallows Eve be safe and sound and see you all in the morning!!

Living Christmas On a Budget!!!

Well everyone I don't know about you but this is the time of year that as Halloween nears some people are starting to think about that Holiday just a few weeks away.(tick tock here for time left). So are you one of those people that want to make everyone feel special but are living on a budget that is so tight it screams when you mention extra expenses.  That is where the wonderful store the dollar tree comes into play.  Now most budget conscious people know you can score some seriously great deals at the dollar tree.  But as I have found you can make some amazing crafty gifts that do not suck all from the dollar tree.  So here it goes I hope these ideas help you as much as they help me... Thank you to all the great Pinner's at Pinterest. I am putting direct links to these amazing Pinner's so you can see all their great pins and ideas.  Or you can follow me here and come see all the wacky stuff I find through Pinterest.

The Snowflake Christmas Wreath

Because getting a awesome wreath you can use all winter not just Christmas is a great idea.

Have a friend that just moved into their own place?

How great of a friend would you be if you helped with a few Christmas decorations!!

If you know what that special someone likes a few of these could make you a champion.

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This one I have actually made a few times but this picture explains it all.

Mason jar gifts are wonderful.  I love this one with the nail care products, you can do bath items, hair items. The only limit is your imagination.

I myself am a geek for Christmas, I also love candles so this is a great idea for me. Also it gives you a chance to be creative and again personalize what you want to make for those special someones in your life, Also this idea is great not just for the Christmas holiday but you can do this for any holiday year round.

So here are just a few of my favorite Dollar Tree Christmas gifts.  How ever you can find this items and many great ideas here!

Diets, headaches and life!!!

Well all I know we are getting ready to start the holiday season. You know the time of eating with good will, and no control. Which is why this mama has to do the hardest thing ever and push her diet a bit.  But before I digress let me make this clear I am not doing this for my husband. I am not doing this for my family. I am not doing this for my friends. Although they are all amazing reasons to be doing this,  I AM DOING THIS FOR MYSELF AND MY HEALTH. I have had a problem lately and have felt the pounds on me. I feel how out of shape I am and it makes me sad.  

Now i know people are going to say you were doing so well last year.  Yes, I was then I lost the baby I was carrying. Miracle in itself I got pregnant in the first place when I had my tubes tied (i had a better chance of being hit by lightening) but losing the baby damaged me physically and emotionally. I think that was the moment last year I gave up on the diet I know I lost weight but I still gained a bunch back.  So here we go round two and so much in my life is different this time.  My husband has been a huge support he wants me healthy, he loves me regardless of my weight but as he said I want you around so we need your health to be OK.  

So here we go I am going to say I am around 248 again only because that was what I was at when I weighed myself at Publix this past week.  My goal is 10 pounds to start. Little by little. So ladies and gentleman I know how hard it is but your not alone in the struggle of the number or bulge. We are no longer looking at it as a number war we are looking at it as long term health battle.

There will be no judging because I will still be cooking and baking but I will be doing so in moderation. Changing my life and waist one goal at a time.  You are not alone and please feel free to contact me if you need a cheer squad I have your back.

My love and best wishes!!

Angie

PS if it doesn't work we always have cake

Joys of cooking.

There is one place that I can say that i am truly happy  and that is in my kitchen.  I love cooking, baking or to put it mildly creating. As soon as I get a chance I will be posting a link to all my favorite recipes because lets be honest who doesn't have that 1 recipe that everyone loves to death.  I know I have about four go to recipes that I can make blindfolded and hopping on one foot.  Some of these recipes I made up and some I found and changed it.  Why not right? My Grandma Rose taught me two great things which I cherish to this day...crafting and cooking.  My Grandma raised a large family and she taught me with a little ingenuity you can stretch those tiny amount of ingredients to a huge spread.  She literally cooked for a army sometimes (ring any bells Uncle Steve? Grams told me some amazing stories about you.)  Food is something that brings people together and holds in it memories that we might have forgotten. Till next time people remember try something new or go cook something!!!

Slowing down to smell the turkey!!!

This was the first weekend in a long while that I have had off.  I will be honest its nice to just sit down and smell the turkey cooking....literally.  With the start of the fall holiday season I decided that today I would cook the first turkey of the season.  Which works out well considering I am preparing the house for the fall.  I am thankful for this time of year not because its getting closer to Christmas, but because I am truly grateful for what I have and the fact we have a home to get ready for the fall and winter,  

Things sure have changed in the last year and I am truly grateful.  My children are for the most part healthy and happy... Megan just has a bum knee I will take that for what I can get.  My husband and myself are continuously working on us and i won't lie he holds my heart he always will.  I wish that I could say that I absolutely love all aspects of my life but I will take what we can get, because to be honest as long as I have my kids and husband that's all that matters.

Well for now guys and gals I have laundry calling my name so stay safe and well and enjoy this beautiful fall weather.

X-ray's and immobilizer'S oh my

Well as most working moms know a day off really is a dream. Our days off normally consist of chores, errands and that just starts the list.  I do not know why for the life of me I thought that today would be any different.  Last night my amazing 14 year old texted me at work and says her knee is hurting her bad. Well she has a history with her knee so I call the doctor and make a appointment.  I figured today would be a go to the doctors visit, take her to school go home and tackle the mountain of laundry at home. Well that and work from home.  Nope! Now not to worry anyone she is OK and being treated by her fabulous pediatrician. But she had major tendon/ knee swelling and a bit of fluid forming around the knee. So we had to go to get her a knee immobilizer and then a field trip to the local radiology place to get X-ray's just in case. We get a recheck in 3 weeks. Not including a few extra errands... I am wiped. I had such a headache the words lord have mercy crossed my mind a few times. But Megan is immobile now and resting. However she has now been grounded no physical activity for 3 weeks. She is heartbroken because she has been training for ROTC competition and now it's a no go. She does understand her health comes first and she can go cheer her group on.

On the otherside of the coin. Today 20 years ago my beautiful, amazing, Intelligent, awesome, talented daughter Autumn came into this world kicking and screaming.  She stole my heart and I am extremely proud of what a amazing young woman she is. She awes me daily. I wished she lived closer.

So that's the latest and greatest from my crazy life.  I hope your days are full of adventure and love.

Retail and faking that smile... sometimes!

Well I will be the first to say that working retail can be a huge adventure.  By huge I mean.... OK here is a good way to put it have you ever read a comic book where the characters thoughts are captured in the bubble cloud but only so you can see them.  Well if I ever get fired from my job I cam almost guarantee with 95% certainty that my bubble cloud got broke and those thoughts and words came right out of my mouth.  The other 5% was my numbers were not the best or some other corporate related reason....

So I hear the question now so Angie why a work post?  Well funny you might have mentioned that.  At work tonight while I was cleaning my department I had some lady destroy the department and then snap her fingers at me like I was a dog.  Snapping.....Well I was so busy cleaning up that I did not hear her snapping.  Then after a few minutes of snapping she came over to me and said, "can't you hear me?"  To which i replied with my biggest smile "Oh I am so sorry I didn't hear you say anything!"  Listen we retail folk are human and if you want to snap at us like we are dogs I promise you that we will pretend we didn't hear you plain and simple.

So let me give you all a crash course in what really is going to happen when you say certain statements.

• Yes we work here!
• No we don't care that its cheaper at Walmart.
• Oh sorry the item you wanted at the really awesome price that is listed as while supplies last really meant while supplies last!
• What we are losing a customer because you are trying to either return stolen merchandise, return something that is well outside the return policy, something you broke and want a new one, or my personal favorite you just want to act like a self entitled snob who thinks the world belongs to them
• You want a manager.... I am the manager on duty but sure let me get another manager who will tell you the same exact thing.
• You want corporate phone number OK!!! this is my personal favorite you call them and i don't have to deal with you.
• Oh yes we are going to give you such extreme customer service if we believe your stealing and no you can't get us into trouble because guess what we are protecting the store.
• Oh I am so sorry that ad ended yesterday... read the dates people.  To be serious for a second though we have been known to help out a customer if  the sale ended to be nice but don't come in with a attitude because you forgot about the sale because then you will get a reply of  " Oh I am so sorry but we have to adhere to the ad."
• If you are being rude and awesome I can guarantee you that the whole store knows who you are and will take the longest time finding a solution.
• Oh and I am smiling because if I don't i will punch you in the face.

I will admit working retail can be very entertaining especially when customers fight over items.  But there are always chances such as  the cheating spouse gets caught, a shoplifter gets busted, or simply you are in your own department making your own adventure.

Self Entitlement

I have come to a conclusion people are very self entitled.  No, I am not being the pot calling the kettle black I know I am selfish sometimes. But as we go into a time of year where we are supposed to be thankful for the little things....OK HOLD UP.  We should be thankful for the little things year round. I mean seriously people....but back to the regularly schedule blog.  I work retail... I see people struggling looking for deals and bargains.  I see parents going without so their kids have what they need... that's a true parent.  I see Grandparents helping out their kids getting their kids but also the grand-kids what they need.  You see the gratitude in some but then you see the opposite side of the coin.....

Some music please.....

• Mom I know little Johnny needs shoes and we can't afford them but he only wears the $150 Nikes. 
• Oh gee Grams I know I can't afford cloths but I want the $50 jeans instead of 3 pairs of $10 jeans when they are the same quality.
• Or mom I know I need to pay my electric bill but I really need to pay for the kids to go  to the concert I promised them.
• Why yes I can't afford to put food on the table that's why I need to borrow the money I had to pay for my 8 years old cell phone bill.  WHat does a 8 year old need with his or her own phone are you kidding me.
• Or the grandmas that tried to be nice and purchased $250 plus of really nice cloths and come back heart broken because the grandchild told them it wasn't good enough....this one broke my heart personally because we had a grandma buy her 2 granddaughters some really kick butt outfits for no other reason but to spoil the grand-kids  One granddaughter was head over heals thanking her grandma  and one literally threw them aside and said i don't were this crap.  Grandma was devastated.  One granddaughter has it right the other needs a reality check.
• My personal favorite I make homemade gifts. I put a lot of effort into making things an people just throw them aside or away or re-gift it.  I actually made a throw for someone close to me took me 3 weeks of crocheting every night.  I went to a mutual friends house three months later and the throw I made for someone was re-gifted to the mutual friend as a birthday gift one week after I gave it to the recipient. I never again made that person another gift ever again.
• Or when you have people take things from you without permission and then they say its mine I had it forever,  No i have the receipts i just purchased it a week ago.... Or no matter what you do for someone its not enough.

The reason I say all this is because I have seen so many people with the self absorbed ungrateful attitude lately.  I seriously can't believe that so may people act like this. I admit I can be selfish but I give so much as well, there is very little I ask to keep for myself...some makeup, lotions. my laptop....

I guess my rant ran out of steam.. But remember to treat others as you want to be treated,,,Be thankful for the little things. I for one miss all the little handmade things my grandma used to make me. My first Christmas without her was devastating when I had no new little Christmas decoration from my Grandmas very own hands.,, Don't ask others for stuff you really don't need and if you have to swallow your pride be thankful enough to accept what they are giving you and not ask for more.

Peace and love this soon to be holiday season and until next time give someone you know a hand. a hug, a kiss.

Hernando County's New School Zones!!!

First off I would like to say how angry I am.  My teens just informed me that they were moved to a new highschool via the new zoning.  Now the wonderfully intelligent people with the zoning committee stuck my kids in a school 9 miles from my home. When our current school is 3 miles from my home. A rival School. A school that my husband and I both participated against.  A school that is substandard and not as good as the one they attend now (in my opinion).  I was informed my junior next year could possibly go to the school via school choice "possibly". Then my daughter who is embedded in the Springstead ROTC program will have a minimal chance of getting in with school choice. So now my husband and I have a choice.  Fill out the paperwork and hope both teens make school choice.  Pull our kids out and put them in virtual school. Or move back into Springsteads school zone which is most likely what's going to happen. Sorry I am venting but seriously 3 miles or 9 miles it's ridiculous.

I was also asked why I didn't go to any if the meetings.  I was never given a notice on them.

Happy Fall You All

Its that magical time of the year!! You know what time I mean.... well for us people who live in the wonderful oven named Florida.  Today started our fall like temps.  I am so happy I plan on opening all the windows tomorrow when I am off and getting some fall cleaning done.  I love the fall. the colors the smells, the hopefully cooler weather.  So here is the why I love fall list, be aware they are not in any particular order.

1. Its my Autumns Birthday season... Oh my sweet girl you have no idea how much I love you and how very proud of you I am. I have watched you grow up into a fine young lady and my heart swells with pride.

2. The hopefully cooler weather.  I know in Florida its a hit or miss but I can hope.

3.  Pumpkin...  I love pumpkin scents, smells and tastes...yup

4.  Apples... When I was a kids all the fall events that were at farms always had apples I guess its a great memory.

5. Halloween.... Dressing up, Pretending to be someone your not.

6. It gets darker longer... I love it getting darker who knows why I just do.

7. All the pagan lore.... OK this is where my being a geek comes in.  I love the fact that a bunch of mythology and rituals falls in the fall.

8. All Hallows eve... i believe without a shadow of a doubt that ghosts exist..Go ahead mock me now.  I also have a firm belief this time of year the veil between both worlds is at its thinnest,  Meaning there is a better chance of communicating with our dearly departed.

9. How things seem to get more cozy in the fall. They just do. I love it.

10. It means Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner.

Did I forget anymore to list feel free to reply and tell me!!! This list is meant for interaction as well as my blog i love conversations and hearing everyone's point of view

Or if you are on Pinterest come follow my Fall Board!! I love those seasonal pictures!