Taking things in a new direction...

I can now be found over here.

--Lissa

Weekend Where: Football Fun!

Hope everyone is having an awesome weekend. I am on a double date with D, my sister and her husband. We are at a New Orleans Voodoo arena football game. It's my first arena football experience, but we are having a blast! A girl's got to get her football fix somehow. ;o)

Friday's Funny: My week in cell phone pics...

Found in Toot's pockets while doing laundry last Thursday.  

(BTW, that is my senior class ring right here.  My kid is nuts!)

Had to have a 5 min conversation to convince her that her drink umbrella could NOT actually keep her dry.

My new nail polish scheme.  Combined colors suggested to me by Andrea and Andrea.  Thanks, gals!

Toots dressed herself in every shade of pink possible on Wednesday.

Leave my phone unattended for 3 minutes and this is what I find the next day.  Lawd have mercy!

Taken and sent to a friend for motivation.  He'll be sporting one of these on his truck in the near future. 

 

Last night's pre-laundry, pocket-emptying treasures.

This has been a crazy week and I'm so glad that it's over and in 2 hrs and 10 mins, I'll be on the road and heading to see My D and spend the weekend with him and my fabulous family!  

I'm just literally living for the weekends these days!

I plan to have a wonderful one and hope you do too.  :o)

--Lissa

P.S.  We have fun plans tomorrow night, so stay tuned for a "Weekend Where" post.  Yay!

Wednesday's Wear: Sunday Best!

Growing up we went to church every week, so dressing up was like second-nature.  Unfortunately, I got away from church...and dressing up for quite a few years.  Well, let's just say that it feels GOOD to be back! 

Here is this past Sunday's church outfit:

My Lovelies:

Tank - Target

Shirt - Charlotte Rousse - thrifted

Skirt - Banana Republic - Swap 

Heels - thrifted

Here is me and my D:

Not too shabby, huh?  ;o)

--Lissa

Tuesday's Tunes: My heart is happy!!

My brother in law recently made me a "mixed tape" (actually it's a CD, I just like to say mixed tape because it's funnier..and reminds me of Eat, Pray, Love...and 1987) of Christian Country music.  

These two songs were on it.  I had never heard either of them before and am now loving both!!
Beautiful songs from two of the most talented women in country music!
Enjoy!  :o)

Don't they both just make your heart happy?!   I know they do for me.
The Allison Krauss one gives me chills every time I hear it!!  :o)

What song does that for you?

Happy Tuesday, y'all!!
--Lissa

Monday's Motivation: I love Mondays!!

(source)

You catch my drift?  lol

Today has been a day!!  I am ready for it to be over and to start over fresh and new tomorrow.  :o)

Hope everyone has a great Monday!

--Lissa

Friday's Funny: Father's Day Edition

I want to start off with a Toots "funny" real quick, then will share what has been making me LOL all week.  :o)

After leaving a nice lunch with my whole family, celebrating my dad's 50th birthday, she tells me:

"Hey, Momma..did you realize that we just had a three-ring meal?!?"  

Seeing the puzzled look on my face, she says "You know we had salad, then lunch and a dessert..that's 3."

Then, I realized that she had gotten "three-ring circus" and "three-course meal" mixed up!  LOL!!

I really do try to not bust out laughing when she says unintentionally funny things, but I so couldn't hold it in this time!!!  It was the two things that she mixed up that was so funny to me.  Because, if you know my family and know what we are like when we ALL are together...it really was an ironic mix-up!  

Complete craziness ensues every time we are all together, so she actually hit it head on rather than making a mistake.  Love my family...and my funny kid!.  ;o)

Now on to the other funny stuff.

For those of you who are not already familiar with him, this is Tim Hawkins, a Christian Comedian.  

He is absolutely hysterical with his good clean comedy!!

I let the man in my life pick this first video.  The fact that he picked this one, indicates to me that he is definitely a keeper!  Good choice, D!  ;o)  

For those men that read my blog...listen and learn...and take a few notes.  lol

This one was my pick.  :o)

Love me some hand sanitizer!!  Seriously!  ;o)

Special shout-out to the most important Dads in my life:

My Daddy

My Peepaw

My D

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!  Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

Happy Friday, y'all!

--Lissa

Thursday's Thrifty: I got nothing!

I really don't have anything to post about, y'all.  We are so busy at work this week and I am temporarily back on my spending freeze, so no thrifting this week.  

I will be in NOLA this weekend so I'm hoping to stop in at my favorite thrift store there.

(That place is totally worth lifting the freeze over.) Seriously!

  I'll let ya know how it goes.  :o)

I am linking up with Modest Fashion Sense's Thrifty Thursday with my $5.50 outfit I posted yesterday.

Go by and check her out and all the other thrifty ladies that are linking up too.  

Happy Thursday!

--Lissa

Wednesday's Wear: Jungle Fever

Last week, when I broke my spending freeze and stopped in at the Goodwill...one of the things that I bought was a dress.  It doesn't have a tag in it, but it looks vintage to me.  My Mom agreed...probably late 70's, early 80's.  It is made of a material that looks like terry cloth almost, but is so light and comfy, and is a beautiful color!  I felt fantastic in it all day and the best thing about it...it doesn't wrinkle!  Hallelujah!!!

My Lovelies:

Dress - thrifted ($4)

Belt - thrifted (25 cents)

Shoes - Burke's Outlet  (75 cents)

Necklace - yard sale (50 cents)

Bracelet - gift

That's a $5.50 outfit, folks!  ;o)

These pics were taken in a friend's back yard.  The night before Toots was playing back there and said that the plants made her feel like she was in the jungle.  Good thing they didn't have the same effect on me, other wise my outfit picture would've looked something like this:

Hope you guys have a blessed Wednesday!

--Lissa

Tuesday's Tunes: Don't let our love fern die...

I have had this song stuck in my head (and my heart) for about a week at least.  I posted it on my Facebook the other day, but thought I'd share it with you guys also.  

It's a fantastic song from one of my favorite parts from one of my favorite movies!
Do you know what I'm referring to?  :o)

I just love the message in this song!  Until recently, I didn't really understand what that felt like to have something "feel like home" besides being at my Mom's house with my family, ya know.  I now know that you can get that feeling being with great people at church  or wonderful friends or with that special someone.
It's pretty incredible!

Coincidentally, another one of her songs is from my favorite part in another awesome movie.  Any ideas?

I'd love to know what "feels like home" to you!  :o)

Happy Tuesday, y'all!!

--Lissa

Monday's Motivation: Muchos gracious, Juan Valdez!!

Honestly y'all, life has been so blissfully wonderful and busy these days that most of my motivation is coming from the bottom of my favorite polka-dot coffee cup.  :o)
Besides indoor plumbing, Facebook and football...coffee is probably my favorite invention! 
I'm totally addicted!   I just can't quit it!
Muchos gracious, Juan Valdez!!

(source)

Anyone else have a love affair with coffee?  If not, what is your vice?

Happy Liquidly-Motivated Monday!!
--Lissa

Friday's Funny: Scarred for life!

As I was driving to work this morning, I ended up behind (on a 2-lane road, of course) one of those log trucks that carries cut down trees to where ever they carry cut down trees.  Anyways, I was instantly on my way to a panic attack.  Once, I was able to pass it, I thought to myself "What in the world would make me be so scared?!" 
Then it hit me...FINAL DESTINATION 2!!!  Hello!!!  
Ever since I saw that movie and the logs were flying all over the interstate...I've been forever scarred!   

Which lead to me think about what else has been "ruined" for me by a movie.

Thanks to "The Bone Collector", I now know that all mice are not cute like Fievel.   

They will eat you!!

Thanks to "Stephen King's It", clowns scare the bejeezus out of me!   

They will eat you too!

Thanks to "Anaconda" snakes are the scariest things on the planet!!   

They will eat you for sure!!!

I'm thinking I might stick to Disney movies from now on...or else I'll never leave my house for fear of everything I've ever seen in a movie!  lol

Today I leave you with a joke that I heard a couple weeks ago, which is now become a "catch phrase" in my family.  Good times!  Good times!  The story goes like this:

A notorious pirate captain is standing on the deck of his frigate when a Spanish warship comes into view.

The captain yells to his first mate, “Bring me my RED coat!”

The man brings the coat, and the two ships engage in a fierce battle where the captain leads his men to a glorious victory.

Later, one of the crew says to the captain, “Sir, why did you ask for your RED coat?”

The captain explained, “By wearing my red coat, if I'm shot in battle, the color will hide that I’ve been wounded, and our men will fight on courageously.”

The next day, a shout comes down from the crow’s nest. “Sir! On the horizon, I see what appears to the entire Spanish Armada bearing down on us!”

The captain turns to his first mate and says, “Uhhh...Bring me my BROWN PANTS!”


Happy Friday, y'all!!!  Hope y'all have a great weekend!
--Lissa

Thursday's Thrifty: I love a good deal..but this is just ridiculous!

Last Thursday, I decided to break my "spending freeze" and took a trip to Goodwill after work.  I gave myself a budget of $30 and left out of there with 4 shirts, 1 skirt, 1 dress for me and 1 dress for Toots with a grand total of $30.37.   Not too shabby!  So, my plan was to share with you guys a few of my finds from that day for today's post, well that is getting trumped by the deals of the century that I got Friday evening.

I went to Burke's Outlet to see if I could find a pair of sandals or wedges to replace my worn out ones.
Of course, the clothing clearance section caught my eye on the way to the shoe department.  I looked around for a few and was excited to find a nice black blazer that was marked down 70%, so it was only $3.  Score!  Well, then I headed on over to the shoes where a pair of yellow sandals caught my eye on the clearance wall.  Original price was $14.99, but was stamped with a green stamp..which the sign showed as being representative of 95% off.  Say what?!?!  At the register she rang up my 2 finds, gave me an additional 15% off for being a member of their savings club.   
Grand total....(wait for it)....$3.42 including tax.   

The yellow makes me happy!  :o)

As if that wasn't enough..I walked next door to It's Fashion and scored some cute jewelry for 99 cents each.

THEN I stopped at Family Dollar to grab a couple things for the house, I got these cute shoes for $1.

Total for all my awesome finds...$10.86!!

I'm still in shock!  You can't even do that thrifting!  Craziness!! 

Happy Thursday, y'all!!
--Lissa

Wednesday's Wear: A Retirement Party of sorts...

My Lovelies:

Tee - thrifted

Skirt - thrifted

Belt - thrifted

Wedges - Payless 

Jewelry - all gifts except the cross (thrifted)

So, as of yesterday I retired these wedges.  I have had them at least 6 yrs.  They were super comfortable and versatile and I hated to do it, but they were just too worn out.  Of course, I didn't get rid of them without having something to replace them with.  

The "replacements" make their debut tomorrow on "Thursday's Thrifty", so stay tuned...  ;o)

Monday's Motivation: Where do I begin...

Here's the thing....I have been racking my brain all day trying to come up with something for today's "Motivational" post and guess what...I got nothing!  Actually, it's more like I've got so much that I don't even know where to begin.  I am the happiest and most inspired that I have ever been.  

I have so much joy and peace in my life.  I can only attribute it to one source...God.  

Thru him, I am indirectly receiving motivation/inspiration from others.  From the songs that others sing, from the kind words that others say and from the life-changing decisions that I'm getting to witness others making.  

It's absolutely incredible!

This verse has been my motto today:

Picture source

Happy Monday, y'all!!!

Lissa

Friday's Funny: Q & A...and some Hot Pockets!!

Yesterday, I was tagged by Tiff over at Breakfast with Tiffany (go check her out..she's one of my oldest friends, a devoted wife and mother and just a wonderful person overall) to answer a few questions and then tag 3 other bloggers to do the same.   

So, here goes nothing...

If you did another blog, what would it be about?  
Oh my goodness...I think possibly something craft-related, but I'm still new and working on learning HOW to be crafty so I'll just stick to random blogging for now. 
 
 If you could change your name, what would it be?  
I would prefer to change my last name if I must change it.  (No prospects lined up to do that yet, though.  lol  j/k)    I have always liked the name Melissa, there aren't too many of us around.  I like being kind of unique without being TOO unique, ya know.  (Like being named Apple or CoCo, or something)  lol

If you could be born again, would you like to be a man or a woman?  
 I like being a lady just fine and dandy thank you very much! 


If you could realize one wish, what would it be? 
To marry and have more children...if that is God's Will, of course!  I so long to be a Mother again.  :o)


If you had a power, which one would you like to have?  
To read people's thoughts, perhaps, but then I may not want to know what people are thinking.  I mean, you saw where it got Mel Gibson...he did get the girl in the end, though.  ;o)


If you had to buy a lot of perfumes from one specific brand, which one would it be?  
 I have tried atleast 3 of Britney Spear's and have loved them all.  She may be coo-koo for cocoa puffs, but she can make some pretty dang good smelling perfumes!  :o)


If you had won a holiday, which place would you like to go to?  
Ooo...some place along the coast of Italy or Australia.   I would love to be able to walk around all day and say "G'day, mate!".  How cool would that be?!  lol

Alright, Heather at H & K Style Journey....Viktoriya at On A Diet 'Till Lunch... and Shana at ColorBlind.

Tag, you're it!!  :o)

And since it is Friday's Funny, I give you one of my favorite comedic sets EVER!!!

Jim Gaffigan is hysterical!!!    Hoooooottttt Pockets!!!  

Hope you guys have a fabulous weekend!!!

--Lissa

Thursday's Thrifty: Thrifted "scores" revisited!

So, this has been the craziest week at work and I've put myself on a little spending freeze for the past couple of weeks, so I haven't thrifted anything in a while.  I've done really good so far.  Besides the obvious paying bills, buying gas and groceries, all I've really spend money on is nail polish.  Seriously!  I'm kind of addicted to color-blocking nails right now.  It's ridiculous!  lol

Anyways, I thought I would share or re-visit a few of my favorite thrifted items in my closet. 

This maxi skirt is one of my favorites.  It's so versatile and most importantly..comfortable!
(I'm actually wearing it right now.  lol)

Gap denim skirt...can be dressed down or up. 

Black wedges.  Probably my favorite shoes in my closet...not the most comfortable..but still my favorites.  ;o)

Belts!!  They were 25cents a piece..that in itself is AMAZING!

I know this isn't the most exciting post.  I promise to have something better to share next week.  I might have to halt the spending freeze just for a day so I can score something awesome!  :o)

Happy Thursday!  Can you believe it's Thursday, already?!  Gotta love the week after a 3-day weekend. :o)
--Lissa

Wednesday's Wear: Wrinkles!

This is what I wore to church on Sunday.  

It was a cool, comfortable outfit for our lovely 90 degree weather, but still church-appropriate.  

The pics were taken later in the day, hence the wrinkly dress.  

(I think the wrinkles add character anyways.)  ;o)

My Lovelies:

Dress - Family Dollar

Shirt - The Limited - thrifted

Belt - thrifted

Wedges - Cato - thrifted

Jewelry - gift

Monday's Motivation: Happy Memorial Day!

What does Memorial Day mean to you?  We all know that it is a day to remember those that gave their lifes for our freedom and those that are fighting to maintain it at this moment.  I'm sure we all know someone that has served or is currently serving in our military. 

 I just wanted to share with y'all my personal interest in Memorial Day. 

Toots' dad is active duty in the Navy.  He is currently in training in Texas.  In July, he will leave for a one year deployment to Iraq.  This will be his second deployment.  He went to Iraq once before when she about 4.  Thankfully, he returned safely and of course we pray for another safe return.

Before he left for his training a few weeks ago, he bought her a bracelet.

I wanted to share it with you guys.

I know it's hard to read because of the reflective surface.  Sorry!

The dog tag reads "The Navy has my Dad for now, but I will always have his heart."

Is that not the sweetest thing ever?!  Plus, he got it in her favorite colors (Geaux Tigers!)

I hope everyone has a wonderful day! 

We will be enjoying a picnic, softball, volleyball and other fun activities with the church.

Thank you to all of our Veterans, Active Military and special rememberance to those that sacrificed their lives for our freedom!!

--Lissa

Friday's Funny: Be careful what you wish for....

My child is a PLETHORA of funnies!  Most of them are unintentional.  Things just fly out of her mouth and they're so sincere and soooo comical (atleast to me)! 
Of course, sometimes she'll "loud cap" me in public and that is NOT funny!  ;o)

So here are a few of her most recent ones:

While sitting at the table enjoying our lunch on Sunday.  The subject of "Heaven" came up.  She asked me if Heaven was white and covered with clouds.  I told her that I wasn't sure, then asked her what SHE thought Heaven was like and she says (most sincerely, of course)...

"I think Heaven will look like our house that we live in now..because I really like this house.  But in Heaven we'll have no school and no work...we'll just be relaxing in our wings!!".

(How can you not chuckle at that?!)  :o)

I clean a small business office as a side job.  I'm beginning to make Toots "help" me some to try to teach her some work ethic.  While putting new bags into the trash cans, she tells me in her most whiney-iest, pitiful-est voice possible...

"Why do I get the boring job of putting in the trash bags and you always get the COOL, FUN jobs...like cleaning the toilets!!". 

Well, let me just tell you that I almost peed myself laughing!!  I try not to laugh outloud when she says "unintentionally" funny things, so as to not hurt her feelings, but this time I just could not help it!!

Well, your wish is my command, sweetheart!!

"Yay!  I FINALLY get to clean a toilet!"

"Mommy..this blue cleaner stuff is stinky!!"

"This is what I think about cleaning toilets now!"

The moral of the story....be careful what you wish for!!  ;o)

Happy Friday, y'all!!!
--Lissa