I'm Rooting For These Two

Report:  Emily Maynard is moving to Austin to be with Brad.  She is moving into her own condo and she even took him to church.  That's my kind of girl!  I hope they can make it work!  {Source}

To Splurge or Not to Splurge?

If you have a Clarisonic brush, I need to know what you think about it!  I have been debating this purchase for a while but feel that this might be the time to purchase one.  I've read that it gets rid of grime and makeup 6x more than just regular cleansing alone.  I'm having some, ahem, hormonal issues with my skin and I would love the Clarisonic to give my face a really deep clean.  The only downside is the Mia's $149 price tag.  I have some money left over from Christmas, so tell me, is it really worth the splurge?

Spring Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Jacin of Lovely Little Details!  You are the winner of the Silver Living Decor Mum Necklace!  Please let me know which color necklace to order for you {elassiter13@gmail.com}. Hope you love it!  Winner was chosen at random via Random.org (comment 18/57).  Thanks to everyone for entering!  Happy Spring!

A Face Only a Mother Could Love

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know I love my cats.  I brought my cat, Mia, into the marriage and Justin brought his cat Molly.  We are a nice happy blended family.  Ha!  Justin's cat is practically perfect and mine is, well, keeping the vet's office in business.  

A few weeks ago she had a major eye flare up.  I had the flu and was too sick to take her to the vet, so I continued putting this ointment in her eye that I had from the last infection.  She healed and we moved on.

On Sunday morning I noticed Mia was not a happy camper.  Her entire left side of her face was puffy and red.  I ended up taking her to the vet yesterday.  She had a huge ulcer on her entire eye.  The diagnosis the doctor gave her?  

Herpes of the eye.  

Say what!?!

My first question was, "Can humans get this in their eye?"  He said no, but I find myself washing my hands 400+ times a day.  He said it's chronic and she'll just keep getting these flare ups.  He even asked me where I got her.  

Um, on the side of the road.  Is that a problem?  Who knows where she came from, but it's too late to give her back now.  I've been warned by hubby to never bring a stray home again.  

So now she's on {four} medications.  Four.  That's more than I had for the flu.  

Crazy cat.

Happy Spring Giveaway

Two posts in one day, this must be a record!  I am so excited that Spring is finally here, so to celebrate I am giving away {One} Mum Necklace (color of your choice) from my friend Rachel's Etsy shop, Silver Living Decor.  I own one of these necklaces (in tangerine) and I just love it!  I'm sure you will love it too!  It's the perfect Spring accessory!  (Necklace measures 5/8" across mum and 18" long vintage chain)  Giveaway ends March 24th at 12 pm EST.  Winner announced Friday!  

To enter:

{1st entry:  mandatory}  Follow this blog and tell me what color you would choose!

{2nd entry}  Follow Rachel's blog Silver Lining Decor and leave her some love!  

Happy Spring!

Pampered Chef S'mores

I went to a Pampered Chef party at my friend Amanda's house yesterday and she seriously did it up in the dessert department!  Holy cow.  She made trash mix (you know the chocolate/sugar/chex mix heavenly mixture, only she added Heath bar bits too), mini cheesecakes on a stick, brownies and these Pampered Chef s'mores.  This recipe is too good not to share.  They were delicious!  Thanks Amanda for all the yummy food (and did I mention she has triplet's...whew!).  I think I may need to make them today (sorry Weight Watchers).  

Ingredients

• 7 whole graham crackers, finely crushed
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp butter, melted
• 4 bars milk chocolate candy
• 12 large marshmallows

Recipe (copied from Pampered Chef site)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag. Finely crush into crumbs using Baker's Roller®;. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter in Small Batter Bowl. Using Small Scoop, place scant scoop of crumb mixture in each cup of Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan. Press crumbs to form shallow cups with Mini-Tart Shaper. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling. Meanwhile, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven; place one rectangle into each cup.
2. Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using Professional Shears dipped in cold water. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are just slightly softened. Remove from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool 15 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan. Cool completely.
3. Break remaining candy bars and place in (1-cup/250 mL) Prep Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute-1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Dip the top of each marshmallow in melted chocolate. Turn top-side up and let stand 40 minutes-1 hour or until set.

Yield: 24 cups

Nutrients per serving: (1 cup) Calories 100, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 3.5 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrate 11 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 60 mg, Fiber 0 g

Cook's Tips: Dipping the Professional Shears in cold water before cutting the marshmallows helps minimize sticking.

The time it takes the chocolate to set varies depending on weather conditions and room temperature. You can refrigerate the cups briefly until the chocolate is set; store them at room temperature.

Store the cups in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freezing is not recommended.

For a richer chocolate flavor, substitute dark chocolate candy bars for the milk chocolate.

Amanda's S'mores....YUMMY!

For Your Viewing Pleasure

I must say I'm happy that The Bachelor is over.  My obsession with wanting Brad to choose Emily was shamefully unhealthy.  I'm so glad he chose her, but, I don't feel like she is in love with him like he is with her.  He is smitten with her!  I wasn't sure if she would win since they built it up so much this season, but obviously he was really digging her all along.  My mom doesn't think Brad is good enough for Emily, and she hardly even watches the show.  Um, and could she be any prettier if she tried?  Geesh!

And Ashley H. has been named the newest Bachelorette, that will start in May.  I for one will not be watching.  I have never been able to get into the Bachelorette for some reason.  Let me know how it goes.

Our new favorite place ever is the Cine Bistro.  This place knocks my socks off.  You choose you seats before you get there, are served food at your seat (and really delicious food may I add), and eat while you watch your movie.  The seats are large leather rockers and if you sit at the front you get a foot rest.  Classy!  And my most favorite part is that, drumroll please, no one under 21 is allowed.  Read:  no annoying children or obnoxious teenagers ruining the I-paid-$10-per-ticket-and-you-are-driving-me-crazy experience.  Did I mention how much I just looove this place?

We saw the new Liam Nieson movie, Unknown, and it was so good.  Just don't confuse it with a "unknown" movie slot as one of hubby's friends did.  It's truly the movie title.  I highly recommend it!

Speaking of movies, hubby wanted to watch Due Date this past weekend.  I may have fewer brain cells after watching this train wreck of a film.  It was a no go.

And......

I've started my own photography blog!  It's a huge work in progress but it's a start none the less. Won't you head over and visit?  I used a pre-fab template from Fabulous K Creative and I looove it! Come see me!

Cat Nap

(phone pic)

It's been a long day all around (for everyone in this house).  Have a great Monday everyone!

Katherine Heigl

If you haven't seen Life As We Know it with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, I highly recommend it!  We rented this week on a lay-low night (don't you just love those) and Justin and I both just loved it. It had such a sweet story and wasn't one of those really trashy movies like they are prone to cranking out lately.  But have those tissues hand because it is indeed a tearjerker!  

I just love Katherine Heigl.  She is one of my favorite actresses because she seems like a "real girl", down to earth and just a whole lotta fun.  I think she is gorgeous and not in a pretentious Hollywood way.  Sometimes I feel like she looks like me a bit, but really only on her worst days and my best days. Ha!  It must be the face shape or something. 

Anyways, I went onto People's website and was shocked that Katherine has cut all of her hair off!  I can't say it's my favorite look of hers, but she always looks so cute!  What do you think?  Love it or hate it?

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner

And the winner of the Shabby Apple L'Ete dress is...

Comment #5 - Miranda @ All About Ella

Congratulations Miranda!  Please email me at {elassiter13@gmail.com} to claim your prize!  Thank you to everything who entered.  I appreciate each and everyone of you for supporting my blog!  I'm looking forward to partnering with other businesses to promote products through giveaways.  If you have a small business and are looking to spread the word about your products, contact me about a possible giveaway!  

My Thoughts on Lent

Disclaimer:  My blog, my thoughts, my opinions...

I don't really understand Lent.  Or maybe I should phrase it like, I don't understand the motivation behind many of the people that observe Lent.  I see the premise behind it, that you give up something you're tempted by because Jesus spent 40 days in the desert being tempted by Satan.  But, to give up chocolate, sweets, salty foods...these are seriously things people sacrifice?  Sounds a bit selfish to me.  What is someone doing for the Lord by giving these things up?  It sounds like it's more about you than Jesus.  Instead, maybe long Sunday morning sleep-ins could be sacrificed by getting up and going to worship the Lord.  Maybe silly chick flick novels could be tossed aside and instead the Bible is read and studied.  So many people who practice Lent don't even know the Lord. Maybe it would believable if there was a genuine relationship formed with Jesus, not just giving up something during Lenten season.  If the right motivation is behind it, then by all means do what you need to do, but I encourage those that truly don't know Him to seek Him and you will sacrifice more things than you ever imagined possible out of your love for Him!

Bottom Line:  We are saved by grace, not the things that we do!

Flu Blues

Hiya friends.  After an entire week on the couch (AUGH!), I ventured out yesterday with my parents for lunch at Cracker Barrel.  The place was So.Darn.Loud.  I sat there and felt like I was in the twilight zone, seriously.  After not having set step in public in over a week, it can be very overwhelming to re-acclimate yourself to the outside world.  Even looking at the computer screen surely induces a headache!  

I went back to the doctors office on Friday and not only did I have the flu, but a massive sinus infection too.  So, the flu has mostly left, and now I have an awful, painful sinus infection!  After this round of antibiotics, hopefully I will be back to my old self!  Being sick is awful!

Bottom line:  You ain't been sick until you've had the flu.

Lesson learned:  Get a flu shot!

Disclaimer:  If you can get up and go to work, it ain't the flu!

You Need to Read This Post

Okay so not my post, but this post at The Life We Love:  Let's Build Other Women Up, Not Break Them Down.  I just read it and it's so true, girls can be mean!  I try to surround myself with only people that build me up but that definitely does not happen all the time.  Even when you are sick on the sofa for a week, you can tell who the people that really care about you are!  Let's build each other up ladies and also remember the second greatest commandment!

Giveaway Alert

My sweet friend Sarah over at Sheek Shindigs (an adorable party blog) is hosting a great giveaway from Sweetharts.  Up for grabs are {FOUR} items from the Sweetharts shop including a Personalized Pendant Necklace, a Modern Bottlecap Necklace, a Sweethart Wrap and a Sweethart Rosette.  If you're a mom, an aunt, a sister or a friend, this giveaway is perfect for you (or give as a gift)!  Go enter today and leave Sarah some love!

I will also be announcing the Shabby Apple giveaway winner at the beginning of the week, so stay tuned!

Fix-It Friday

Today I am participating in my first Fix-It Friday at I Heart Faces.  I was calling today Flu Friday because I don't know if I'm ever going to get better, but Fix-It Friday just seems way more positive!  The photo is not mine, so the premise is that everyone uses the same photo and then edits it to their liking.  Here is my best stab at it...

Before Edit

After Edit

I opened up the photo in PSE 7 and ran the Coffeeshop Color Pop action.  I used the Color Pop Vignette and Decaf Pop parts of the action and upped the opacity.  I also upped the sharpness within the action.  I think the photo has a lot more depth and brightness.  I don't know, just my take on it!

Pixel Perfect: Before and After

First off, yes I'm still sick.  I am so tired of daytime television that I could roll my eyes (but I won't because it hurts too bad to roll them).  Luckily my hubby has had his string of off days this week and has taken great care of me (with the daily dose of love from my mom too).  We may even take a little ride this afternoon so that I can get out of the house.  The flu is just no fun!

While catching up on my favorite blogs today, I came across Pixel Perfect's Before and After Blog Hop.  I love seeing photographer's edits!  I'm finally getting more comfortable with editing and wanted to share how I accomplished this shot.  I've posted the shot before but not the details...

Before

After

(Disclaimer:  I think I may need to re-size my images for the web.  When you click on them to make them larger, they truly look better.  The blog sized image looks a bit distorted.  On my Flickr account they look so much better.  Professionals...help!)  

Camera:  Nikon D90

Lens:  50mm 1.8

F/1.8

SS 1/400

ISO 800 (a little high)

The SOOC (straight out of camera) shot is dull and flat.  I opened up Photoshop Elements 7.0 and ran MCP's High Definition Sharpening Action which is one of my favorite actions ever.  And the best part is that its it's FREE!  It makes everything pop a little more.  

Next I ran Noel Joy's Picture Pop Action.  I'm so sorry but I've looked for the link but cannot find it.  Picture Pop really brightens up the photos and makes them look so good!

Nothing too fancy here and all of the actions were FREE!  I love how "real" this image is.  The photo was so impromptu and I had to beg Miss A to join me outside before the sun dipped below the fence line.  Look at her sweet little nose and how innocent she is!  So sweet!