Hair Bows & Guitar Picks

TGIF - IPHONE PHOTO DUMP

2012-05-18T17:28:00.001-02:00

Thank God It's Friday....

The weather here has been absolutely perfect so I have been taking full advantage of trying to spend as much time as I can outside.... so this past week was all about going to Sunfest, hanging at the beach, drinking beer and chilling with all my favorite peeps in the world.

DAY BY DAY IS HOW IT GOES

2012-05-16T15:53:00.000-02:00

I haven't been around the blog world much....because well I just got burnt out on it.

See my life has been in such a total downward spiral that I didn't want to read about everyone and all their fluffy happy lives. You know what I mean? Sometimes it seems, to me anyway, that people use their blogs to brag, or to well maybe not tell the whole truth. Yes I will admit I once did that to but no more...cause it's kinda sick and twisted and it's not life.

Over the past couple months we almost lost our home and because of that Dominic and I have not been in the best place of our relationship. We are always at each others throats and wanna kill each other....well I wanna kill him!

And because of all this term oil I have not felt like blogging or sharing what's really going on. I have been really distant with a lot of people and have just kinda put myself in survival mode. I have just kinda made it my motto to "just get through this day and move onto the next"....day by day that is how I am living right now.

On top of all this I cut back my meds (with the help of the doctor) because I didn't like the way they were making me feel. She had me increase my dosage a couple of times and I think we had gotten it too messed up and I was starting to always feel dizzy and my head felt foggy so we started lowering me back down which I think is working pretty good right now.

So yep this is were I'm at right now and this is my life....no fluff no fun just life. I just felt the need to share today, maybe I will again tomorrow and maybe I won't.

HOUSTON I HAVE A SWIMMER

2012-04-04T13:48:00.002-02:00

It's been a while since I have been around here and guess what it's ok. I have been so busy with life that I really don't have a minute to sit down and write. Once the kids are in bed I am just exhausted and drained that all I want to do is sit down and listen to music and unwind. But that doesn't mean I don't have fun and exciting things going on in my life because I do I just can't find the time to even start telling you about them.

I will share one really exciting thing that happened this week...well it's exciting to me and really that's all that matters right? Noel has the most amazing and patient babysitter ever and she has been working hard with her and her swimming and it is sure paying off!

Look at her go.....

IS THERE A WEEKEND CLOSE?

2012-03-22T17:35:00.001-02:00

Someone please tell me that there is a weekend approaching?

I feel like I am sinking and fast... this working two jobs, taking care of three kiddos and just life is catching up with me. Most days my head never hits my pillow until well after midnight only to be up early just to do it all over again. Don't get me wrong I am not complaining I'm just tired....and I need a break from life...even if for only a little while.

I need to sit on a beach somewhere drinking a couple of beers and listening to my favorite music....totally uninterrupted!

Ahh now doesn't that sound amazing?

ANOTHER WEEK IN PARADISE

2012-03-06T12:32:00.001-02:00

Another week has flown by....faster then a car on a Nascar track....but we keep pushing along and here we are into March already.

March means my baby girl will no longer be a baby. This Friday Noel turns five years old. FIVE years old already...I still can not believe it. This fall she will start kindergarten. OMG did I just say that...wow tears are already building up in my eyes just thinking about it. So I am going to pretend for now that that is a long way off and that I will still have my baby girl for a little bit longer.

This week, like many others, has been so crazy busy as the kids are all into so much and I feel like we are running around all the time just chasing our tails. Luke is really into fishing and has been out every chance he gets...including the other night when he and Dominic stayed out until 4 am fishing....which mommy was not happy about. Kyle is busy in band and getting ready for high school and Noel is just her busy self.

But I will say that when times are crazy like this I like it....I like it because one day I know I will miss it.

MUSIC MONDAY

2012-03-05T15:16:00.003-02:00

It's Music Monday...woo hoo!

It's the little things in life like this that make me happy....can you tell?

This is my song choice of the week. These two sing so amazing together. Dominic and I saw Sugarland in concert with Matt Nathanson opening for them and Dominic even found a way to get his picture taken with Matt.

Sugarland & Matt Nathanson - Run

WINE WEDNESDAY

2012-02-29T23:18:00.001-02:00

So this is what we are drinking tonight....not really sure who gave it to us or when. Shit not really even sure if I like it yet or not, we'll have to see.

THINGS I'VE LEARNED WHILE WORKING IN A PIZZA JOINT

2012-02-28T19:37:00.001-02:00

Sometimes waiting tables can be more stressful than waiting in the dental office knowing you've got to get a tooth canal. Really. As a waitress for going on something like seven years (on and off), I'd like to share some of the Things I've Learned While Working in a Pizza Joint.

1. It is not an easy job...it might look easy to you sitting there barking out orders to me but it's not. Let me say that I have a damn good memory and a table of 10 can walk in and sit down and I promise you I will not write one thing down and I will get your orders right ever time. So if I can remember all your drinks (with ice, without ice), what kind of salad dressing you want and your pizza toppings then I think you might be able to remember to tip me...and by tip I don't mean the left over change from your bill.

2. Shaking your empty glass of ice at me as I walk by will NOT get you a refill any faster. So keep shaking your glass and see what happens.

3. I do not make the food so getting all pissy with me that it's taking longer then you would like is not the answer I promise.

4. Walking in and just sitting down at a dirty table is not cool....actually it really pisses me off. Give me a minute to get over there and clean it...I promise I will not let someone steal your table from you.

5. If you are talking on your phone I will not come over and take your order....I just won't. Hang up the damn phone and place your order, once your order is placed call who ever you want. I just hope they don't mind hearing you chew in their ear.

6. If you need something, like the parm cheese, ask me I don't mind. What I do mind is you asking me for the cheese and once I bring it you now need the crushed red pepper, and then once I return from getting that you now need the garlic salt....really?

7. People are RUDE. Some people just are....but my question is why do you go out to eat and then expect us not be rude back to you?

8. If I ask you what you want to drink and you look over at you kids and ask them what they want to drink and it takes 20 mins. for them to decide....maybe you need to just decide for them because they may be damn cute and all but I don't have 20 mins. for them to make up their minds sorry.

9. And if you ask them what they want to drink and they say Pepsi (or whatever) why do you then tell them no you can drink water tonight? Why did you even ask them in the first place?

10. All restaurant's are cold, they just are, bring a jacket in with you and stop complaining to me about how cold it is...there is really nothing I can do about it...I swear.

Stay tuned for more: Things I've Learned While Working In A Pizza Joint

MUSIC MONDAY

2012-02-27T15:52:00.002-02:00

I loved that a friend text me today to remind me about Music Monday...totally makes me feel like someone really wants to know what I am listening to, or well maybe it was just to let me know that she was playing along, but whatever it is, it made me happy!

I finally saw Twilight Breaking Dawn last weekend, which I loved by the way, and realized this song was in the movie....and I am so digging this song right now.

WINE WEDNESDAY

2012-02-22T14:07:00.004-02:00

So I told you last week that I tried a Chianti and I liked it, so this week I thought I might try another one just for the Hell of it, that and I did promise Dominic that I would....even though he totally did not keep up his end of the bargain.

Anyhoo, moving along, I really really loved this one. Loved it so much that I am totally running back to the grocery store tonight to get a couple more bottles. It was only about $12 a bottle and really really good (but I think I already said that right?).

This is a must try if you like Chianti, in my book anyway....and shit really who am I to tell you what to try?

WHAT I LOVE TODAY

2012-02-20T18:53:00.001-02:00

Some things that I am kinda diggin this week....

It's so hot here in Florida this week that I am trying to hit the beach when ever I can....even if it's for a quick walk just to take in the sights and the birds. I am also loving my new jeans and hair color along with a couple new things I bought for myself here in this past week.

Happy Monday!

MUSIC MONDAY

2012-02-13T16:16:00.003-02:00

It's Music Monday and this past we have been listening to such a variety of music it's insane...we can go from pop, to country, to jazz, and even into some 50's music, it really is crazy around our house...but this one is the one that Noel and I have stuck in our heads this week, probably because she makes me play it every morning on the way to school.

Selena Gomez - Love You Like A Love Song

At least it's a got a good beat and I can actually understand the words so it's a win win for the both of us.

HOUSTON WE HAVE A BIRTHDAY

2012-02-10T15:00:00.000-02:00

Dominic, you have a heart of gold and a smile that is so contagious...even when I am the most mad at you you can still somehow make me smile and laugh. You are good with the kids and have the patience of a saint, you balance me out and make me whole, and for that I love you with all my heart.

Happy Happy Birthday!

SIX MONTHS - TIME TO LET IT GO ALREADY

2012-02-10T10:00:00.000-02:00

It's been six months today since my sister passed away...wow...even writing that was hard, hard to believe it's actually been that long since I saw her, heard her voice or even knew that she was just there if I needed to talk to her.

But what I want to say, or maybe really just want to vent about, is that I hate that her husband has not taken her Facebook page down yet. Why should this bother me you ask? Well, first off it was her page not his (he doesn't even have one of his own) and she is no longer here and second you know how sometimes you log on to your Facebook account and it shows you recent activity? Well my heart sinks when ever I see her name pop up on there. I mean for a second I am like oh my god Niki wrote...and then it hits me like a hammer on my thick head, she wrote nothing because she is not alive. I kinda (but honestly not really) get that some people just want to hang on to every last thing of hers and they still wanna post things out there but really do they need to post it on her Facebook page...a page that is no longer hers. Post it on your own damn page if you feel the need but why hers?

It's just like when I was updating my contact list last month, or so, I had to delete her number...was it hard to do? Hell yes but it's not her number anymore....it's just not, so why keep it? I'm never going to call it...hell he probably hasn't even turned it off yet so shit he might even answer it and that would send me into a total hysterical fit. Why keep it in my contacts and have to be sad when I scroll past it? It's not that I am insensitive and don't want to remember her because I do and I have my memories and I have pictures of her all over my house but it's just not something I need to be sad about every single time I look at my contacts.

And while I'm on my rant let me tell you that Gmail can suck it! When ever I type an email to my mom or my dad this little box pops up on the top and says "you might want to add Niki Helmer in this email" REALLY? yes I sure would love to include her but I CAN'T!

So Gmail you can suck it!

I loved my sister and I miss her dearly but hanging on to little shit like this just bothers me to the core. There are 1,001 way you can remember her...but keeping a Facebook page of someone who does not live on this earth any longer is just freaking mind blowing to me.

Ok, there I said it and I feel better about saying it...and it's ok if you disagree with what I am saying because these are MY feelings and I am entitled to say how I feel!

WINE WEDNESDAY

2012-02-09T13:47:00.002-02:00

Oh my gosh please forgive me, I totally had a post all set for Wine Wednesday and I forgot to publish it. Yes, that's just me and where my head has been at lately...in a cloud some where. So it might be a day late but heck who really cares anyway....except for it's called Wine Wednesday for a reason right? Oh well it's here and that's all that matters.

I have never really been a Chianti drinker but Dominic is so I let him pick out the wine this week while I picked out a new wine glass for myself (fair trade I thought).

So he chose a 2008 Straccali (Tuscany) Chianti to feature and I chose a pretty pink and leopard pink wine glass to feature...this so tells you a lot about our relationship....he's all sophisticated and I'm all into pretty things. But we work just like the wine did in my new pretty pink leopard print glass....it just works, we work.

Dominic really loved this wine and I was like "it's ok but let me try another glass just to make sure" and well if you know me you know I really just loved holding my new glass because it made me feel all cool and shit, so after about two glasses I decided that it wasn't half bad and I might actually like it. Well, that or by then I had a buzz and you probably could have given me a shot of Jägermeister (which I HATE more then anything) and I would have probably liked it.

No, but seriously I did like it and I promised Dominic that I would even try another Chianti if he drank out of my new glass....

and well he promised that next week he would and I could even take a picture to prove it to all of you wonderful people who check here daily to read all of my boring and crazy shit that I feel the need to share with you.

THINGS JUST FLOATING AROUND IN MY NOGGIN

2012-01-31T17:47:00.002-02:00

I know I have said this time and time again but man oh man how time flies...I can not keep up.

So I am sitting here with 1,001 things floating around in my head that I want to share but I just don't know where to even start. So this might be an all over the place kinda post so hold on and let's see if you can keep up, shall we?

I am still on my meds. which is a huge feet for me because as I have told you in the past I usually give up on them...but this time around I am staying on them. My doctor did up my dose a little bit and also gave me something for these anxiety attacks I keep having. As I get older I seem to freak out way more easily, like the littlest things get to me, I will start breathing heavy and before you know it I am in a full blow panic attack...crazy shit.

I have not been running nearly as much as I would like as my knee gives out on me way to easy. I will be doing great and then all of a sudden my knee is in constant pain and swollen so bad I can hardly walk....then I rest it for awhile and start running again and the same thing happens again. I really need to get it looked at but with no health insurance that's a little difficult right now.

That's another thing...I hate not have insurance. It's funny how when I have it I never seem to go to the doctor much but then I don't have insurance and all kinds of things go wrong. I am suppose to to go back to the dermatologist for a check up every six months for my skin cancer but I have not been able too...I'm just praying that everything is ok and that I have no more spots pop up.

I had a really neat photo shoot a couple weeks ago and would love to share some of the pictures with you but since it's a gift I can't right now, not until after the gifts is given anyway....just in case. I mean I am sure they have no idea about my blog but you never know. Anyway, it was really fun and the kids were so amazing and so funny. I wish I had more opportunities to do this kind of thing because it's so much fun and I love finding new ways and new places to shoot.

Both of these photos were taking with my iPhone...I really love how they turned out and I like how I caught the rays of sunshine above the palm tree.

Oh how I wish I was out on that beach today....

IPHONE PHOTO DUMP FRIDAY

2012-01-27T16:12:00.002-02:00

I was looking through the pictures on my iPhone and had to smile because this week it was about my family. It was about birthday parties, making brownies together and just being a family. Kyle even surprised me and let me not only take a picture of him but let me be in it with him.

WINE WEDNESDAY

2012-01-25T14:54:00.000-02:00

Two weeks ago I featured this wine but in a red, so I thought this week I would feature it in a white this week.

Frei Brothers - Chardonnay

This 2009 Russian River Valley Chardonnay has hints of green apple, orange zest, and apple pie. It has a bit of a nutty finish to it which I surprisingly enjoyed.

I am not really a white wine drinker unless is summer or we are having fish, but let me tell you this wine was really good and very refreshing.

MUSIC MONDAY

2012-01-23T11:43:00.000-02:00

It's Monday which means it's Music Monday.

Adele - Set Fire To The Rain

I don't think this is the official music video for this song but I really like this video a lot.

IPHONE PHOTO DUMP

2012-01-20T14:09:00.000-02:00

Can you believe it's almost February? Where oh where does the time go? I seem to be asking myself this question more and more everyday.

I am back to posting my weekly iPhone photo pictures...mainly because I have a new phone that actually lets me take pictures again and because I think it's a fun way to show you what our week looked like in pictures.

As you can see our week pretty much involved....music, wine, food and kids...and I would not have it any other way.

So what did your week look like?

WINE WEDNESDAY

2012-01-18T16:43:00.002-02:00

I saw this wine featured in my Food & Wine magazine and it had a really good rating so I knew I wanted to try it. I finally found it at our local liquor store and snagged it for about $16.

Entwine - Merlot 2009

Food and Wine make a delicious pair; the Food Network has partnered with Wente Vineyards, America's oldest continuously-operated family-owned winery, to create Entwine.

It's juicy and mouthwatering - think midsummer plums and cherries with a hint of black tea....yummy.

This will definitely be a wine that we will be buying again and one that we will try to keep on hand for guests or who ever else might wanna pop over for a drink.

A HUNTING WE WILL GO

2012-01-17T17:51:00.000-02:00

Last week I posted about our new little beauty that we are so enjoying, but this week I wanna tell you what's even more fun then listening to our new records....finding them.

There are not many places around these parts that sell records, and old ones at that. So Saturday morning Dominic woke me up and declared that today we were going on a scavenge hunt for records. We hit a couple spots we thought for sure would have some but nope, but then we went to our local flea market and hit the jack pot, the mother load if you will. We found this guy who had tons and tons of records....the only problem was you really had to dig. Like you had to move boxes around and move stacks of crap just to get to them.

The guy was really cool and let us stay there for hours looking and digging and moving crap around to look through all the boxes (which we only got to about half of them - so guess where we will be this weekend?).

After we made a pile of what we wanted the guy would get out his book and look up all the prices and then would sell them to us for 75% off the book price...most of them were only about $1 or $2 which was totally cool with us. But see that Fats Domino record...well that one was listed in the book for $100 and the guys knew Dominic really wanted it so he gave us a great deal on it and let me tell you it made that whole day all the more fun for the both of us.

While walking around the flea market I spotted this old 1910 Whiskey box that I knew we had to have to store all of our new finds and I am totally in love with it and it looks so cool sitting next to the record player holding all of our new treasures.

WINE WEDNESDAY

2012-01-11T16:54:00.000-02:00

Gosh, it's been like forever since I did a Wine Wednesday and oh how I have missed it. This year I am going to try to get back in to the grove of it and hopefully you all will help me out, like giving me some suggestions on what I should try or feature here.

Frei Brothers 2008 Pinot Noir

"Our 2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is medium-bodied, with flavors of dark cherry and blue and black fruit. This wine has an earthy and robust character which is complemented by subtle hints of oak from French and American oak barrels."

We got this bottle of wine from some really good friends of ours for Christmas and let me tell you what, they so know me and what I like because this wine was so me and so very delicious.

LISTEN TO SOME JAZZ - IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND

2012-01-10T12:30:00.001-02:00

Check out this little beauty I bought for Dominic yesterday....

yes it's a record player and I totally blew my kids minds with this beauty. It's so funny to me that they have never seen one or heard one play...EVER. I had to explain to Kyle that when I was younger I had records and not CD's and iPods like he is use to and let me tell you I blew his mind with all my knowledge, or well I'd like to think so, maybe I just blew his mind with how old I am but whatever.

Dominic has been wanted one for a very long time but I was not all that into it until last month when we flew to Pennsylvania to visit some friends and while we were there we got to listen to their amazing collection of records. And amazing can not even begin to describe it...it was mind blowing really. While we where up there they took us to a cute little flea market kinda store where Dominic promptly bought about 10 records...to which I was all like this is cool but how the hell are we going to play these once we get home?

So for Christmas I was on a hunt to buy him a record player/turn table. I hunted and hunted and could not find the right one or one that was not so bet up and looked like once I got it home it would just fall apart and not play anyway. But then I found this beauty here at Target and headed out on Christmas Eve (because I love to shop under pressure and all) to get it and of course they were sold out but gave me a rain check and yesterday I collected. I picked it up, came home and got it all set up and had a record playing when he walked in from work....and let me tell you I swear I wish I would have had a camera because the look on his face was priceless!

Last night we spent hours listening to jazz...and OMG let me tell you it was truly amazing. I have such a new found love for Louis Armstrong....man that guy was so talented and the music coming out for the record player it truly awesome. If you have never experienced jazz though a record player - you must - it's just one of those things I can not explain you must hear it.

MUSIC MONDAY

2012-01-09T13:37:00.000-02:00

It's Music Monday and I am so excited to share with you a couple different version of one of my favorite country songs.

Many of you know and have heard Jason Aldean's song Dirt Road Anthem....this one here:

But did you know that Brantley Gilbert and Colt Ford really wrote that song and they have their very own version which I am so in love with right now...like I have been driving the house nuts playing it over and over again and this morning I had it on repeat while I ran my 2 miles....so yes that is just how much I love this version right now and I totally think Brantley Gilbert is HOT...shhh but let's not share that with Dominic Ok?

And then you have this amazing version with all three of these guys singing it together live which I just love watching...and I love all the extra stuff they throw in there too.

So there you have it folks one song done so many different ways and all three so totally awesome!