The Progression of The Jelly Sandwich

Conner's been eating PB&J's for a week now. Every night, after I've cooked a meal for the rest of the family, mind you, I get a whiney 4-year-old, houls of hunger pains and a truckload of drama. Conner is hungry, and I am to make him food.

He wants apple jelly, smooth peanut butter, no crust and the sandwich cut in 4 triangles, as would any normal child.

But every night, it seems, his requests are growing more and more strange. He wanted less peanut butter, then more jelly, and as of last night, all I found on his plate once he finished were scrap pieces of bread. He had licked them clean of the small spoon of peanut butter and the glob of jelly.

It was no shock to me when today, at lunch, (or better yet, an "early dinner" because someone refused to eat the corn dogs I made for lunch...) Conner made a special request for his PB&J - no peanut butter.

I told him I'd let him in on a little secret. "Apple jelly tastes so good because it's mixed with a little peanut butter. How about I just put a tiny bit?" I plead. He hesitated, but agreed.

I made the sandwich, nothing I'd eat for sure (then again, I also hate smooth peanut butter) only to find Conner licking the jelly side mere minutes after I placed it in front of him.

I could save bread, and peanut butter I suppose, if I just handed him one spoon and the jar of apple jelly.

(omg! do you not HAVE TO HAVE chocolate covered peanut butter bar now?!!)

Baby... It's Cold Outside

An artic cold snap in the South means that I've had to become a penguin and learn to deal with lows in the single digits and highs not above freezing. I'm adjusting to putting on more clothes when we need to do errands, and could handle it if it weren't for the few gusty moments (then it's just TOO MUCH!). However, having the heat on indoors is doing a number on my face, lips and hands.

Here's just a few things I'm doing to beat being an ashy snow-woman.

First up... an impulse buy from Wal-Mart, Nivea A Kiss of Moisture with SPF 4.

This was quite the find! It goes on so smoothly, has no weird taste and keeps my lips super moisturized for longer than the average lip balm.

I'm prone to chapping because of the wind, but this stuff has kept my lips from harm.

Next up is a product I've not only mentioned before on this blog, but is also a staple in my skin care regime. Typically, I use Cetaphil Fragrance Free Moisturizing Cream for any rough, dry area that's giving me extra trouble.

But with the heat on nonstop, combined with the wind and bone-chilling air, my entire body has had it! With the Cetaphil cream, you get a no-nonsense, fragrance-free (therefore sting-free and perfect for senstitive skin), thick moisturizer that, once absorbed, leaves no sticky/slimey/just nasty feel.

I also put this on the boys' hands, cheeks, arms and legs to protect their skin from the same harsh elements. Your husband won't mind it either, since it doesn't smell of "Candy Apple Custard" or "Warm Sugar Cookies". Michael might be addicted to this stuff!

With all the extra heat and no outdoor humidity, you might of noticed your hair is SCREAMING at you in the form of unruliness, flyaways and static. Without humidity, your hair is dryer and therefore, more prone to damage. Make sure to use a conditioning treatment (I use one once a week). For a cheaper alternative to salon brand treatments, I use Garnier Fructis 3 Minute Deep Conditioning Masque.

Simple to use in the shower after your normal shampoo (obviously, skip your regular conditioner when you use this). It smells great and helps whip my hair back in line.

Lastly, I might be addicting to cashmere - ON MY FEET!

Cashmere socks are unbelievably soft and keeps those piggies warm! I have several pairs from different places. Also, just as awesome to thaw your feet are "house boots" or extra soft, thick socks.

I have a pair of "house boots" from Old Navy that I might need rehab for. I keep trying to wear them out of the house, and when I fail, I take all of 2 seconds to put them on once I get back home.

LOVE!

How are you staying warm(er)?

Roll Tide

Game Day Jerseys and a Roll Tide

2010 National Champions

Focal B&W

Raising Boys in the Religion of Southern Football

Michael and I are both alumni of the University of Alabama, the same team that will square off tonight in the BCS National Championship game in hopes of bringing home our 13th national title.

We both spent the Friday nights of our respective high school years engrossed in football games. Him, on his high school football team as a starting defensive lineman, and me as a member of my high school's colorguard (stop laughing, it was awesome).

We both attend a few 'Bama games each season, spending pre-game, or any game we don't have tickets to, at Michael's fraternity's house (Phi Delta Theta), in the literal shadow of Bryant-Denny stadium. So close, you can hear the roar of 92,012 stadium fans in the living room.

The white arrow in the top left points to the Phi Delta Theta house, the two on the right point to the Office of Student Media (where I worked on the Corolla staff) and Reese Phifer, the College of Communications, where I spent a copious amount of time, especially my last 2 years.

We would attend more, but our boys are young and we hope by next year, Chase will be able to handle a full day in Tuscaloosa.

That doesn't mean we don't celebrate and cheer our team on at home, not in the least. Along with watching the games and celebrating victories, this football season I began to dress Conner in his #8 UA jersey each Friday for school. It became part of his Friday wardrobe when we won those harder games as a touch of superstition caught hold.

Conner might not be able to feel it himself, but he sees it in his parents - the love for the best football team in the nation. He doesn't understand yet what it means to wear his Sunday best to the student section, or how you could (and I have) cry to the sound of the Rammer Jammer after "The Rocky Block" by Mt. Cody (which I've only viewed a million times on YouTube).

He can't fully appreciate a Homecoming Bonfire, or getting up at 6 am like his father did to participate in the parade. Neither of our boys know what it's like to watch your beloved and famed Alma Mater rise from a few dusty seasons and claim another national title.

But maybe, after tonight, we can tell them they watched it all happen from their living room while they wore their Crimson jerseys.
Roll Tide!


photo courtesy of CrimsonTider.com 

Playing With The New Camera and Picasa3

Low Saturation - Toy Cars

High Saturation - Toy Cars

Focal Black and White - Conner and Football

Focal Black and White - Come on... Who doesn't have "artsy" pictures of their fake floral arrangements?

Untouched - "How YOU doin'?" Conner

Untouched - Chase's favorite thing to say, "I am MAD!"

Unedited - WHO DOESN'T HAVE A PICTURE LIKE THIS AS WELL? Thought so.  

Fiscally Minded, We Are

Last week, we (as in all 4 of us) dragged ourselves to the local Portrait Innovations and had, yet another, family session and individual photos made of the boys.

We weren't there 5 minutes before Michael looked at me and said "I really hate doing pictures".

I could not agree more.

Don't get me wrong, I love Portrait Innovation, but having the same backdrops in all of our photos (as in, all of the photos from the last four years) is frustrating me. Equally as aggrivating is seeing the same 10 or so poses repeated in a different order by a varying amount of photographers. Then, of course, there's also the issue I have with them looking too staged. What other time are either of my boys sitting still, facing a wall with an angelic gleam about their rosey cheeks, prim and proper in a lovely (read: ironed) button down shirt? With socks on?

Never.

Ok, maybe Christmas and their birthday (maybe).

Of course, there's also the price. Twice a year, I go into panic mode looking for outfits that don't necessary match, but at least belong to the same color palette. Of course, this results in me hauling us to the mall to find a missing neutral long sleeve, or a pair of khakis that don't fall off my tiny-waisted children. All of those things being less than cheap. 

The actual price of the pictures isn't "department store" high, but it's also not "do it at home or at the local drugstore" cheap. For this particular trip, our bill tallied at exactly 200 dollars. But that doesn't factor in the $70+ I spent on clothes since Chase would have otherwise modeled the same outfit as Conner's did in his photos at Chase's age (in the act same pose with the exact same backdrop. See my problem here?)

The pictures are lovely, I'll admit that. The photographer was kind and amusing (aside from the fact she needs to get a better "trick", the one she was using became old after the 10th time). They are surely memories I'll cherish forever.

I wanted to break this rut though, and I've long wanted a nice (niceish) SLR camera so I could take better photographs and need a professional studio less often. Honestly, however, I underestimated the power of a good financial sense and never presented this desire to my husband.

Until, it is, we came home that day after busting our butts for these pictures, simply drained from Chase's run-on tantrum and Conner's incessant proclamation for a bowl of ice cream, and a friend of Michael's mentioned that a nice camera could, possibly, eliminate the need for the biannual Portrait Innovations merry-go-round.

He, having a profession in the financial sector, was sold. For the same price of two of these sessions, the camera would be "paid for". 

This is the part where I introduce all of you to our new, money-saving, less-headache-producing, thank-god-because-seriously-matching-outfits-for-pictures-makes-me-want-to-cry, Nikon D60.

Someone teach me how to use it?

My Nail Polish Obsession

I might have a small addiction to nail polish of of late. It makes me feel less frumpy, no matter what I'm wearing, just to have my nails filed, primed and painted.

Here are a few polishes I'm either eying or am already in love with.

My first is 'Dear Santa' and 'All Abordeaux The Sled!' both from OPI's Winter Holiday 2009 collection.

I own the 'All Abordeaux The Sled!' (got it at Ulta this week for 60% off!) and 'Dear Santa' was totally sold out. I used it for my Christmas Eve manicure. A perfect Christmas red with gold sparkles.


Next, is the China Glaze 'Up & Away' Collection for Spring 2010. This should be in stores sometime this week and I hope to snag a few.

Temptalia has an outstanding blog and she frequently reviews some of my favorite polish. All of these colors look so amazing! I doubt I could rock the bright green or bright yellow, but I love the mint and softer yellow as well as the peachy color and the red.
Here's Temptalia's review of the Up & Away collection from China Glaze.

Also part of the new collections coming out in Spring 2010 is OPI's 'Alice in Wonderland' (obviously tied in with Tim Burton's remake of Alice in Wonderland with Johnny Depp which will be in theaters this spring!)

I do love the shade of this blue, but I'm more drawn to the Madd as a Hater (appears purple in this photo):

Review post on this collection can be found here.

If you are interested in a "true red", may I recommend 'Big Red Apple' by OPI? It's bright, not too orangy or blue, and show stopping.


Next on my list (one that I don't own nor have I tried), is by China Glaze - 'Emerald Sprakle'. I found this through StephsCloset and you can read her review of the entire collection (including this dreamy green) on her blog.

For some of the more bold colors (I also love OPI's 'Midnight in Moscow'), I recommend a good base and top coat. I use OPI's Start-To-Finish. It's super easy to use and it protects my polish, gives it extra shine and makes polish removal easier.

I'm not a pro yet, but I do have a few tips for making polish go without a headache.

• Trim your nails and buff away an excess skin.
• Use cuticle oil.
• Wait about half an hour or so (more if you can) before applying your base coat (just make sure you've rinsed off your cuticle oil).
• Apply a thin, even coat of Start-To-Finish on all nails and wait about 20 minutes (must have patience!)
• Apply a thin, even coat of your polish. Make sure to start at the bed of your nail and pull towards the tip. Only go one direction. Even if this coat is streaky, it's ok. That's typical.
• WAIT 30 MINUTES! If you can not wait (this is the most critical wait in my opinion), try dipping your hands in ice cold water for 5 minutes. It will help set that first coat of color.
• Now go in for the 2nd coat. Not too think, not too thin and make sure you are going in the same direction. This coat should "erase" your streaks.
• Wait a bit for this coat to dry and apply a thin layer of top coat. For high-glitter polish, I like a thin 3rd coat and then the top coat.

What are your favorite polishes or brands? Is "polishes" even the plural for "polish"? See, this is why I'm not a nail polish blogger. I don't even know how to properly cite a brand, line or color. OH WELL!