Who's Yer Daddy????

Hi everyone!  I know its been awhile...I apologize..but my head is still not in the right frame of mind yet. I'm giving myself the rest of this week and then gonna smack myself into gear. Its all just been tough and so I've been just letting myself have the time to grieve, cry, laugh, read and catch up on household stuff.  I have a few posts I started typing up but couldn't finish because I was boo-hooing while typing...LOL...yup I really was.  So I will save those for next week when I think I can get them out of my head and onto the 'puter.

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Today I just have a fun little post and item that I wanted to share because I love it sooooo much!  My mom got me my first one last year after complaining about cleaning my awesome Dutch Oven pot.  I usually use baking soda paste and a cloth but it wasn't getting everything off.

So she sent me this lil' cutie---

Scrub Daddy

And it is GENIUS!  Have you tried it out yet?  Well we went from a family of 1 Scrub Daddy to a family of 8 hahahaha!  (I wish they came in different colors though...I should suggest that huh?)  I keep two in the kitchen, one in each bathroom and James has one in the garage for outside use.  It works on all kinds of things and really gets the yuckies off of everything.  And they are safe to use on so many household & outside objects.

Now the reason it has a smiley face...other than being cute, duh...is so you can insert objects and clean them on both sides really well.  For example you can run it over your sink faucets, sticky spoons, greasy tools, etc. You can also stick your fingers thru the holes to protect your manicure or to get a better grip...so cool right?  It also fits in small jars and such as well to really get them clean.  I also use one to clean off my produce...gets them clean quickly w/o damaging the veggies/fruits.  I keep the pot scrubber & fruit/produce ones in different places so I don't get confused...hence why I want different colored ones LOL.

They run about $5 and I've seen them everywhere from Home Depot, Target, Walmart to my local grocery store. But you can order them online as well.  

I just love them and for $5 its like a mini-cleaning miracle and who doesn't like those??

Wrecks......

Soooooo I'm a bit of a wreck this week..yup yup I am. 

It is beyond crazy with to-do lists and dinners with friends and last minute things as we pack up Alexa to leave for college on Friday.  So I've slacked from the blog to spend time as a family and get all our stuff done before we get on the road. And with Alexa sharing an apartment with 3 other girls we had to outfit her with a lot of things that you wouldn't get for just a dorm room. So we've been busy and its all good busy and spending quality time as a family.

So please bare with me while I get this crazy girl settled at the Univ of South Carolina and muddle through my own emotions. I promise to get some posts up late next week when I'm somewhat back to normal. This has been pretty hard emotionally so I'm struggling as is the hubs...but its all good and we are proud of her and so excited for her new journey the next few years.

But I'm a momma....you know what I mean...its hard.

The Dean 4-pack is shrinking to a 3-pack and I'm not so thrilled about it!

So have a wonderful week & I will get my head screwed back on and butt in gear next week for you all. I have lots of pictures and things to share :)

TGIF......

HAPPY TGIF!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  We don't have much planned which is nice...some downtime and catching up on outside chores and grilling out about sums it all up.

Last night we saw Guardians of the Galaxy which was a lot of fun and I definitely recommend seeing it.  We saw it in 3D which I don't really like but the teens insisted...it wasn't too bad but I ended up with a migraine, in my old age I can't take that 3D stuff very well LOL.  The movie has a killer soundtrack too and my new ringtone is "Hooked On a Feeling"...yeah I couldn't help myself ;)

Thought I'd share this pic that I had up for Throwback Thursday on Facebook in case you missed it.  I promise to have vacation pics up next week when I have some more time.  Hard to believe they are both so grown-up now........

Enjoy your weekend!

A Few Faves....

I know, I know....I've been on vacation for 2 weeks and I still haven't done a picture post.  I promise its coming..but I only have 2 weeks left with my daughter before we pack her off to college and I'm trying to make the most of my time.  Once that is done I will have LOTS of time to post all sorts of things here on the blog...you can't get family time back and that has always been my #1 priority.

But I thought I'd pop in here with a few of my newest favorite things...in case you want them to be your newest fave things too..hahaha (or not)!!

BTW...I ordered this bag this week...thanks for all those that commented and voted on this post here...I ended up with the red but a different pattern.  I think I will love it!! You can make your own bag combo here too if you want ;)

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I like to use some eyeshadow that has a bit of shine or sparkle in it on the middle of my eyelids, the corners and on my brow bone....makes me look more awake (thank god) and gives your eyes a lift..without the surgery $$.  I bought some of this CoverGirl Bombshell shine shadow while on vacation and I just love it!  It goes on like a balm...light & smooth and never too heavy and the color lasts, so its great for summertime.  I got the Ice & Copper colors but it comes in others...nice for days when you need a quick pick-me-up too but don't feel like putting on a full face.

If you follow this blog you know I have a slight obsession with dry shampoo because I have fine, dry hair that goes a few days between shampooing. I've tried many and love few let's put it that way.  I read a good review on this new Herbal Essence Dry Shampoo for colored hair and figured I'd try it...plus I had a $2 off coupon...bonus!  And you know what....its pretty darn good. Lightly smelling of roses but not overpowering, comes out in a nice wide spray and does a good job of soaking up oil.  So I definitely like it as a cheaper alternative to some of those more expensive versions.

EveryDrop by Whirlpool Water

Have you seen these?  They are pretty darn cool I tell ya...it fits over most containers (cups, water bottles, pitchers, etc) so makes it very versatile.  You can keep it near your faucet and use it whenever you'd like or carry it with you while you are traveling...save you money on water bottles that's for sure! I really like it and the design was ingenious. 

If you love nail polish like I do...you may want to try this?  A lot of the new glittery, textured nail polishes are a PAIN-IN-THE-A$$ to get off...literally my hand cramps up trying to get it off and that's with using a base coat.  So OPI came out with this base coat called "Glitter Off" and its AMAZING (hear me singing)!  So you put it on as a base coat, let it dry and then apply your textured nail polish on top. When you are ready to take it off...it PEELS off pretty easily...GENIUS I tell ya..just genius!

Hollywood Hip Hugger

Ever have a gap in your pants in the backside...does it make you crazy...you've tried everything to no avail.  Then let me tell you about this cool product I discovered...it makes it go away.  I have a couple pair of pants that I LOVE but they gap in the back so badly that I don't like to wear them when I have a tucked in shirt or a sweater that may rise up a bit.  And I don't want anybody seein' down my pants LOL!  These come in different colors but they work like magic, are under $9 and easy to put on...so if you got a back-gap (hehehe) these are a quick solution.


Just a few things I thought I'd share........

I Want...You Want??

Oh the Decisions.....

So today we've left at 6 am to make sure we are down in Columbia, SC before 4 pm.  Alexa has to take her foreign language placement test at University of SC at 4:30 that day.  Then the next 2 days are orientation and registration for classes.  She actually has to spend the night in the dorm one night with fellow students (hehehe) and James and I have our own schedule of events to do as well.  Then Saturday we head down to Orlando thru the 24th for the REAL vacation at Disney...Mickey has missed me y'all ;)  Gonna get my lil Olaf and I will be posting him all over the place on Facebook and Instagram...stay tuned.

OK SO I NEED HELP...well I need lots of help most days..but truly I do....

I have been looking at these bags and drooling, clicking on them, changing them, adding them to my cart....I'm pretty sure if they keep track of site-clicks they are probably laughing at me right now.  I really, really want one but can't decide which one I want....so I will keep clicking till I get back from vacation hehehehe!

So in case you want to customize, personalize and have fun clicking to make your own bags too....check out Barrington Bags HERE!  (PS..I'm not affiliated with them so I don't get any free or discounted...just a fan of the bags sharing with you)

Here are my top 3 picks for ya....can't decide on color or pattern. I need like 10 but I'm pretty sure the hubs is NOT on board with that decision LOL!  OH and you can get them monogrammed them with your initials too...bonus :)

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Here's it in a fun chevron navy pattern:

Or in Red...my fave color:

or in a neutral camel/tan houndstooth pattern that goes with anything?

So many options...oh the decisions......

What do you all think?  

Did you play and make a favorite? What is your fave?

Hello..Again!!

CATCHING UP......

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.....I've not been 100% healthwise and some days I just haven't had the heart to work on projects right now.  I am knee deep IN projects though...although none are finished enough to share but one...which I will share this week with you all. 

So bear with me please....this spring and summer are a bit crazy.  With graduation (that's done thank goodness), summer vacation and then getting Alexa settled in college....there isn't a whole lotta down time to work on things.  

MAYBE by fall it will settle down again? Yes? LOL!

Anyway this is just a catch-up post in case you don't follow me on Instagram or Facebook where I post often.  

I won't be posting much the next 2 weeks since we leave Wednesday for University of South Carolina for Alexa's orientation for 2.5 days and then down to Disney World for the rest of the time.  A much needed BREAK for everyone that's for sure.

Aren't these snowball hydrangeas gorgeous?  Mine haven't blossomed yet but these were at the outlets and just too beautiful to not take a picture of.

I may or may not have done some shopping at the J.Crew, Banana Republic and Gap outlets last week.

Lots of awesome sales....sundresses for $29, tank tops for $15 and shorts for $15...I stocked up!

I went for happy colored flowers in my table centerpiece that my Dad made me...love the bright colors.

You can read more about the centerpiece HERE if you missed it.

One of the Father's Day gifts I got the hubs finally came....a signed baseball by Ian Desmond of the Washington Nationals.  It helped benefit a great charity so it was a win/win for everyone!

I took the kids down to DC on Thursday to watch the USAvs.Belgium FIFA Soccer game...always fun to watch those in a big crowd. We got a great table surrounded by TVs early and ate a few appetizers while waiting for the hubs to get there. Unfortunately TeamUSA lost but it was fun anyway. Then we mozied on across the street to watch our Washington Nationals play a game (2nd time that week lol).

Lots of lettuce coming out of my garden lately....I've been giving it to everyone LOL!

Tomatoes are pink so I should have some before we leave....told my neighbors to take whatever they wanted while we are gone on vacation to enjoy.

Thank you Hurricane Arthur for the FABULOUS weather we had on Friday for the 4th of July....in the mid-70's with a breeze & bright blue skies...gorgeous!

We celebrated at our fave crab shack Lowry's for some yummy steamed MD Blue Crabs covered in Old Bay for lunch...so good!

I was actually chilly enough by 4 pm that I had to change into jeans...so this was my 4th of July style.

Abercrombie skinnies, Gap t-shirt and Gap white jean jacket.

We went to see "TAMMY" at the movies and it was pretty good...definitely funny but with more serious moments.  NOT as funny as Bridesmaids, The Heat or The Other Woman...but good.

Then we had a late night dinner at our local IHop...for some of our Dean antics...I'm sure they groan when they see us come in because we always are acting goofy and laughing loudly LOL.  Naw, they love us there...I think ;)

Alexa snuggling with Winston....I think he's ok with it this time...somedays he's not LOL!

Tonight we are off to see the fireworks at our neighborhood Golf Club and then I'm down at my mom's tomorrow to drop the doggies off (sniff sniff). The boys will be at a Nationals Game and Alexa at a friends so mom is on her own ;)

Have a great weekend!