Have you checked out the blogs that I follow lately? You haven't? Well, let me take this time to tell you that you REALLY need to check out Peggy Ann Design. She is having this C-R-A-Z-Y giveaway in honor of her birthday, that in reality won't be happening until next year but she is celebrating today. She is a leap year baby.
A LOT of good posts have been posted about the giveaways, which end Wednesday at midnight. PLUS the best news of all is that ellebeeTee Originals will be featured and have a giveaway! yay!
So check out Peggy Ann Design and get to commenting. Be sure you check out her store too. It is fabulous!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
getting it over with...fast
Why do I hate it so much? I dread doing it. I always have and always will. It is the worst part of the new year. ugh, tax season!
This year is the latest that I have waited to file for taxes. I know that it is just the end of February and I have a whole month and half left. However, I like getting it over with...fast.
In previous years, my co-workers and I would have races to see who could file their taxes the fastest. I mean we got down to the minutes, because as soon as Valmont sent our W-2 forms it was on! You know as soon as we got home we were plugging away numbers and looking to see what time we clicked "file". I think the "highest" ranking I ever got in our work tax race was tied at third place. We also played the "who got more back" game. I never won those since I didn't (and still don't) have kids. Were we lame? Probably. Nerdy? uh, yes. But there's no arguing that this definitely gave us motivation to get our taxes filed and returned in a hurry.
And I can't lie when I say that I am glad that my co-workers motivated me to to file my taxes. It made it kinda fun and less painful. So a HUGE thanks to Whitney, Lisa, Greg, Ed, and Jason for giving me the motivation to file my taxes over 2 months before they were even due.
(and I miss those good ol days at V-N.)
This year is the latest that I have waited to file for taxes. I know that it is just the end of February and I have a whole month and half left. However, I like getting it over with...fast.
In previous years, my co-workers and I would have races to see who could file their taxes the fastest. I mean we got down to the minutes, because as soon as Valmont sent our W-2 forms it was on! You know as soon as we got home we were plugging away numbers and looking to see what time we clicked "file". I think the "highest" ranking I ever got in our work tax race was tied at third place. We also played the "who got more back" game. I never won those since I didn't (and still don't) have kids. Were we lame? Probably. Nerdy? uh, yes. But there's no arguing that this definitely gave us motivation to get our taxes filed and returned in a hurry.
And I can't lie when I say that I am glad that my co-workers motivated me to to file my taxes. It made it kinda fun and less painful. So a HUGE thanks to Whitney, Lisa, Greg, Ed, and Jason for giving me the motivation to file my taxes over 2 months before they were even due.
(and I miss those good ol days at V-N.)
Sunday, February 20, 2011
because I can
Have you been to ellebeeTee Originals lately? As in today? There's a lot happening over there. Ideas GALORE are being birthed. (a little gross...probably.) Well, what I am trying to say is that a lot of new ideas are being created and hopefully executed this week! I have already posted and blogged about the newest wreath designs. There is also a new hair accessory line called Hair Blooms. Get over to ellebeeTee Originals to check out the latest products and blog posts.
And I know I said I would talk about our personal lives/happenings on this site, but it is my blog. I felt the need to comment about the exciting times happening in the business.
Hope you like it!
And I know I said I would talk about our personal lives/happenings on this site, but it is my blog. I felt the need to comment about the exciting times happening in the business.
Hope you like it!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
my pre-season ritual
The start (or should I say before the birth) of every new season (ie spring and fall) I buy a new purse. Always. And. Forever. This is how it is. So there shouldn't be any "big" surprises (at least to Daniel) that I am getting a new purse somewhere around February/March and August/September.
Just finding the RIGHT purse is never an easy task. I find myself saying this a lot: "I like the style, but if only it was in another color..." Or how about this phrase "I like the color(s), but if it only was a little bigger". I can pretty much find something wrong with just about any purse to talk myself out of buying it. I always know when I have met "the purse of the season". Daniel says that I get REALLY excited and a special "glow" comes over me. I guess he must know firsthand since that is how I am every time that I see him. (I know...gag...gross...barf.) But all I can say to that is ;)
Anyways back to my purse of the Spring/Summer 2011 seasons. This might be the first time in the HISTORY when I really like TWO (yes, 2) purses. Take a gander......
Purse #1
Meet Juicy Couture Dots Tote. It's hard to tell but it is pink (not red) (not in one MILLION years red) polka dots. It's very flrty, fresh, and fun. Kinda like me (again, I know gag, gross, barf.) I love it's simple style and shiny texture. It is very neutral even with the tan straps. Another great thing is how big it is. It is definitely the bigger of the 2 and the bigger the better. (That's what she said.) These days if I can't carry an umbrella with ease inside my purse with all of the crap, then it just isn't making the cut.
Purse #2
Just finding the RIGHT purse is never an easy task. I find myself saying this a lot: "I like the style, but if only it was in another color..." Or how about this phrase "I like the color(s), but if it only was a little bigger". I can pretty much find something wrong with just about any purse to talk myself out of buying it. I always know when I have met "the purse of the season". Daniel says that I get REALLY excited and a special "glow" comes over me. I guess he must know firsthand since that is how I am every time that I see him. (I know...gag...gross...barf.) But all I can say to that is ;)
Anyways back to my purse of the Spring/Summer 2011 seasons. This might be the first time in the HISTORY when I really like TWO (yes, 2) purses. Take a gander......
Purse #1
Purse #2
Meet Fossil Key-Per Shopper. I actually own this EXACT style purse except in fallish colors. I absolutely fell IN LOVE with this style. It does have a slight drawback: it looks really roomy, but it is hard to fit all that I have PLUS an umbrella. I really love this print/pattern as well. It is very neutral and yet not really. It does have a nice "new" feature" from my current Fossil style: the zipper on the front. Now that is nice. Plus I know my wallet will match since it is salmon-colored. :)
So I need your help...Which one should I get?
Friday, February 11, 2011
June 10, 1994 to January 15, 2011: 16.5 years of great doggie living
Saturday, January 15, 2011 is a day that I will never forget. It is the day that I knew would be coming for some time now and always dreaded its arrival. Whenever my dad called, I always prepared myself for the sad words., the words that would change my adult life. What words are those? "Bandit passed away."
You might find it silly that I have let a dog take a position of a person in my life. The truth is that Bandit was more than a dog. He was my little "miracle" brother. I could go on and on about him and our memories together, but there just isn't enough time unless you have the next 16.5 years free to listen.
Bandit was born Friday, June 10th, 1994. I will never forget the morning of Saturday, the 11th. That morning Mom, Sis, and I were standing in the kitchen after I got up (so it was probably more like lunchtime instead of the morning) when Mom gave us the news. She said, "Something happened to Webby."
Webby Gail was our first ever dog. We got her in '87 or '88 as a small pup. Sis and I were TERRIFIED of dogs before Webby came along. Mom even tells the story of how we (Mom, Sis, and I) were getting loaded up in the car to go somewhere one day. I think Sis was still a baby so I would have been around 2 years old. Some how or another as I was walking to the car, I became surrounded by 3 large dogs all barking and growling at me. Mom said that she was pretty much panicked and I was crying. Ever since that moment, Mom said that I have been deathly afraid of dogs. Until Webby....
I miss her too. I hope one day to do a post about her and Rocky, our other "backside" (aka backyard) dog. Rocky was part lab and rottweiler and would never hurt a flea. Well, except for that one time that he almost killed Bandit by picking him up by his throat and slinging him around. Yeah, not a good Bandit memory of him running up the house with blood gushing out of his throat onto his white chest. scary...
And moving on... Back to "Something has happened to Webby." Sis said, "She is DEAD!" But I knew better. I could feel it. I quickly said, "No, she had PUPPIES!" And she did. We started asking a MILLION and one questions about the puppies like where they were and could we see them and how many there were and could we hold them and could we keep one? The list goes on...
This was Webby's second litter. She had 2 puppies in her first litter when I was in the first grade: one boy and one girl. "My" puppy was the boy and "Sissy's" was the girl. We didn't keep them, but those were the specific ones that we played with. So Sis had told me the next time Webby had pups that she wanted a boy one, which was fine by me because WEBBY HAD PUPPIES!
Bandit was the only boy out of 3 in Webby's second litter and apparently he was a miracle. The morning of the 10th when Dad found Webby and her puppies he placed them in the pen by the red barn behind our house. He called Popa (his dad, who lived next door to us) and instructed him to "get rid" of any puppies that needed to be "gotten rid of". After finishing his task, he called Dad at work and told him that there were 2 girl pups left. After work Dad went down to see Webby and her precious little girls only to find there were 3 puppies instead of 2. And there was 1 boy with 2 girl pups. How did this happen? Did Webby hide Bandit from Popa's prowl? Did she know he was a special dog from the beginning? We aren't 100% sure how Popa missed Bandit, because he was sure that 2 girls remained. Just like any other protective parents, it wasn't for se-eh-veral years later (like I am talking about 10+) until Mom and Dad told us the story of Bandit's miraclous escape from Popa Huell's death grip. Sis and I were shocked beyond belief to hear of Bandit's survival. He truly was a miracle dog.
Almost 16 and a half years (that's close to 2/3 of my life!) Bandit has always been around. I had just completed my 4th grade year at Chalkville Elementary when Bandit was born. I always think back to the year (or so) after Bandit was born. I was in the 6th grade and Mom and Dad announced that we would have another brother or sister. He or she would be arriving in March. (The reason I can remember that is because I would lose my spot as being the first birthday of the year in my family. And I wasn't too happy about it.) I can't really remember the time frame...probably a month or so...Mom lost the child. It was a devastating and emotional time in the Brindley household. I still think about "what might have been". For some reason I have always had a gut feeling that if the child was alive today, I would have a younger brother. I can't see myself with another sister so I guess that is why I feel that way. And for that very reason, I have felt like Bandit has been my "lost" little brother. Bandit was close to the same age as the other child would have been. It's weird to think this way, but Bandit represents more than a dog to me. He represents my little brother (or sister) who is in heaven.
Bandit was always a cheerful dog. He loved playing with his toys especially rolling his ball back and forth to you. He was very smart because he made that game up by himself. One day he started nudging his tennis ball towards me. So I rolled it back to him. He could play for about 5 minutes as long as you said "Roll it". He was quite the barker too. Boy, did he ever have some pipes on him. He barked at and for anything and everything: for table scraps, if he needed to go out, if he saw another animal, if he heard something, if he was playing, etc, etc, and etc. Sis claims that I was the one to teach him to bark, but I just taught him to associate the word "speak" to his bark. Sadly, that was the only trick Bandit knew: speak, Bandit.
Bandit met many family and friends over his lifetime. He was loved by all who had the chance to know him. His last few years were his toughest, but I am so glad that I have over half of my lifetime (as of right now) to remember the happy memories of Bandit.
You might find it silly that I have let a dog take a position of a person in my life. The truth is that Bandit was more than a dog. He was my little "miracle" brother. I could go on and on about him and our memories together, but there just isn't enough time unless you have the next 16.5 years free to listen.
Bandit was born Friday, June 10th, 1994. I will never forget the morning of Saturday, the 11th. That morning Mom, Sis, and I were standing in the kitchen after I got up (so it was probably more like lunchtime instead of the morning) when Mom gave us the news. She said, "Something happened to Webby."
Webby Gail was our first ever dog. We got her in '87 or '88 as a small pup. Sis and I were TERRIFIED of dogs before Webby came along. Mom even tells the story of how we (Mom, Sis, and I) were getting loaded up in the car to go somewhere one day. I think Sis was still a baby so I would have been around 2 years old. Some how or another as I was walking to the car, I became surrounded by 3 large dogs all barking and growling at me. Mom said that she was pretty much panicked and I was crying. Ever since that moment, Mom said that I have been deathly afraid of dogs. Until Webby....
I miss her too. I hope one day to do a post about her and Rocky, our other "backside" (aka backyard) dog. Rocky was part lab and rottweiler and would never hurt a flea. Well, except for that one time that he almost killed Bandit by picking him up by his throat and slinging him around. Yeah, not a good Bandit memory of him running up the house with blood gushing out of his throat onto his white chest. scary...
And moving on... Back to "Something has happened to Webby." Sis said, "She is DEAD!" But I knew better. I could feel it. I quickly said, "No, she had PUPPIES!" And she did. We started asking a MILLION and one questions about the puppies like where they were and could we see them and how many there were and could we hold them and could we keep one? The list goes on...
This was Webby's second litter. She had 2 puppies in her first litter when I was in the first grade: one boy and one girl. "My" puppy was the boy and "Sissy's" was the girl. We didn't keep them, but those were the specific ones that we played with. So Sis had told me the next time Webby had pups that she wanted a boy one, which was fine by me because WEBBY HAD PUPPIES!
Bandit was the only boy out of 3 in Webby's second litter and apparently he was a miracle. The morning of the 10th when Dad found Webby and her puppies he placed them in the pen by the red barn behind our house. He called Popa (his dad, who lived next door to us) and instructed him to "get rid" of any puppies that needed to be "gotten rid of". After finishing his task, he called Dad at work and told him that there were 2 girl pups left. After work Dad went down to see Webby and her precious little girls only to find there were 3 puppies instead of 2. And there was 1 boy with 2 girl pups. How did this happen? Did Webby hide Bandit from Popa's prowl? Did she know he was a special dog from the beginning? We aren't 100% sure how Popa missed Bandit, because he was sure that 2 girls remained. Just like any other protective parents, it wasn't for se-eh-veral years later (like I am talking about 10+) until Mom and Dad told us the story of Bandit's miraclous escape from Popa Huell's death grip. Sis and I were shocked beyond belief to hear of Bandit's survival. He truly was a miracle dog.
Almost 16 and a half years (that's close to 2/3 of my life!) Bandit has always been around. I had just completed my 4th grade year at Chalkville Elementary when Bandit was born. I always think back to the year (or so) after Bandit was born. I was in the 6th grade and Mom and Dad announced that we would have another brother or sister. He or she would be arriving in March. (The reason I can remember that is because I would lose my spot as being the first birthday of the year in my family. And I wasn't too happy about it.) I can't really remember the time frame...probably a month or so...Mom lost the child. It was a devastating and emotional time in the Brindley household. I still think about "what might have been". For some reason I have always had a gut feeling that if the child was alive today, I would have a younger brother. I can't see myself with another sister so I guess that is why I feel that way. And for that very reason, I have felt like Bandit has been my "lost" little brother. Bandit was close to the same age as the other child would have been. It's weird to think this way, but Bandit represents more than a dog to me. He represents my little brother (or sister) who is in heaven.
Bandit was always a cheerful dog. He loved playing with his toys especially rolling his ball back and forth to you. He was very smart because he made that game up by himself. One day he started nudging his tennis ball towards me. So I rolled it back to him. He could play for about 5 minutes as long as you said "Roll it". He was quite the barker too. Boy, did he ever have some pipes on him. He barked at and for anything and everything: for table scraps, if he needed to go out, if he saw another animal, if he heard something, if he was playing, etc, etc, and etc. Sis claims that I was the one to teach him to bark, but I just taught him to associate the word "speak" to his bark. Sadly, that was the only trick Bandit knew: speak, Bandit.
Bandit met many family and friends over his lifetime. He was loved by all who had the chance to know him. His last few years were his toughest, but I am so glad that I have over half of my lifetime (as of right now) to remember the happy memories of Bandit.
Aww, the sweet head. Bandit had lots of nicknames including sweet head. Look at his cute curls.
Football Season 2003
me with Bandit
Football Season 2003
Bandit on my 21st birthday!
He was wearing his "happy birthday" bandana. He was always wearing a bandana.
"Was he wearing a bandana?"
Christmas 2007
He was shivering so Sis and I covered him up. He loved to snuggle.
The first Christmas card with all 3 dogs: Paris, Jackson, and Bandit.
Christmas 2006
Dad was Bandit's favorite person ever. They were the best of friends.
Christmas 2007
Celebrating Christmas and our engagement with the sweet head. Secretly Bandit loved Daniel too and all of the pickin' that Daniel did to him as well.
Christmas 2007
Sis and Bandit
Easter 2008
The last picture I took with Bandit
Christmas 2008
Move-in weekend in our first home and guess who came to help paint.
Bandit!
May 2009
The last picture that I have of Bandit. He loved wearing his bandanas, especially wearing shirts. This hoodie (that I bought him from the AU Bookstore) was one of his favorites.
Football Season 2009
RIP Bandit Coco Nuts Brindley. I will miss you always and forever. Thank you for being the best little brother that God gave me.
really, it's not funny
All I can say is "WHOA, Nelly". This past week I have done nothing but live, breath, eat, and sleep crafting materials. It has been a crazy ride so far with ellebeeTee Originals. I have so many ideas that it isn't funny.
I started a blog just for "ellebeeTee". You can check it out at http://www.lbtoriginals.blogspot.com/. My goal is to rarely comment about the business on our personal blog (aka this one). So if you want to know what is happening in that area of our lives, then you will have to check out its own blog.
In the meantime, I have so many unfinished blog entires that it really isn't funny. I want to attach some pictures to the unfinished entires, but every time I get home I am just not focused on updating this blog. I will try to do better this weekend. And I need to give an update on the first month's resolution of "saving more than we spend".
See. There is so much to do and so little time. No wonder I went to bed last night at 11pm on a school night. ::sigh:: Here's to getting some good rest this weekend during the "weekend of love". I know that is what I would love: sleep.
I started a blog just for "ellebeeTee". You can check it out at http://www.lbtoriginals.blogspot.com/. My goal is to rarely comment about the business on our personal blog (aka this one). So if you want to know what is happening in that area of our lives, then you will have to check out its own blog.
In the meantime, I have so many unfinished blog entires that it really isn't funny. I want to attach some pictures to the unfinished entires, but every time I get home I am just not focused on updating this blog. I will try to do better this weekend. And I need to give an update on the first month's resolution of "saving more than we spend".
See. There is so much to do and so little time. No wonder I went to bed last night at 11pm on a school night. ::sigh:: Here's to getting some good rest this weekend during the "weekend of love". I know that is what I would love: sleep.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
ellebeeTee Originals
Yesterday I launched my newest idea, ellebeeTee Originals. My primary craft right now is yarn wreaths. I hope you will join me for my first crafting adventure.
Please check out my website at LBTOriginals.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)