Shop Til You Drop

Yesterday morning Kipper, Momma and I loaded up and headed off to Canton for a jam packed day of shopping and fun! Plus we were going to meet up with Tammy, the girls and her parents so I was really excited to spend time with them as well!

Sometimes when we go to Canton I have a list of exactly what I am looking for, other times not so much. This month was sort of a blend...I knew I was not, repeat NOT leaving without a Beyonce for my backyard....but other than that I was just browsing for good deals to create my crafty magic with! :) I always love to see what kind of treasurers and deals we come home with!


I had a feeling it was going to be a good day when I found the first gem of the day within 10 minutes of being there! Kipper and I have been trying to figure out our costumes for Lauren's big 21st birthday Monster Mash. Tricia and I wanted to go Toddlers and Tiaras, but at the same time I wanted Kipper and I's costumes to go together too. Of course Kipper wanted to do something with a chicken. His suggestion to me was I could go as a farmer...really? Well yesterday it all clicked and I found a way to do both! I am going to do Toddlers and Tiaras with Tricia, but instead of doing a "beauty" dress I am going to do a "wow wear" costume. I am going as a cute farmer and Kipper is going to be my chicken! :)  I found this vintage petticoat for $20 and I can't wait for everyone to see my creation once I am done...it is going to be CUTE!!!!!!

Canton was CRAZY crowded this weekend since this is the first nice Canton weekend we have seen since the Spring. While the crowds made it a little harder to search for those hidden treasures, it was actually a good thing for negotiating. Since the vendors were having such a good weekend, coming off of a summer of bad ones they were willing to wheel and deal!  Like this adorable pink, hard sided suitcase that was marked $20, but the vendor said she would part with it for $15, but I got her down to $12! It was in perfect condition, inside and out, so this was a really super deal! I am always looking for creative, fun storage solutions and this suitcase is going to look adorable in my craft room/puppy room when I am done with it! :)

Even though I wanted to see what kind of hidden treasures I could find, my mind was focused on finding my Beyonce! Which didn't take too long! This lady even had Beyonce on a stick to put in a planter! I liked these, but I really wanted one a little larger and this was the first place we had seen with them and I really didn't want to tote it around all day either! lol The search continued!

The variety of things you see out at Canton always crack me up...but that is what makes it so much fun I think!  We were so busy shopping neither Kipper nor I took many photos but we did snap a few of some of the randomness. :)

Several hours later and right before we left I found it! The perfect Beyonce for our backyard, with a moving head to boot. Originally $50, but marked $40. After seeing the prices at a few locations I knew $40 was good, but I was still able to talk him down to $30! So in the words of The Bloggess, "That was like $20 worth of FREE chicken!" HA!

And of course Kipper was happy because 1) the search for the perfect stupid metal chicken was over and 2) he got to hang out with his little buddy, Lilyana, (aka the original Tutu Baby) all day!

Blame It On Pinterest

I have been the worlds crappiest blogger the last month or so. I could blame it on the fact I am getting ready to kick off the busiest 6-8 weeks of the year at work. Or maybe I have been slaving away on a really awesome project and I am getting ready to do a massive blog on it. While I am getting ready for the craziest time of the year at work, I cannot blame my blogging laziness on work (even though I do have some cool projects I can post at the end of October...) I blame my less than stellar blogging on none other than....

Some of you are probably thinking, "What is she talking about?" or "Did she forget to take her meds again?" Well my friends if you are in the dark let me enlighten you about the greatest invention since whatever it was that I was addicted to before this. :) 

Pinterest is a virtual pinboard - a place for you post collections of things you love and go back to for reference at any time! And it's social.... you can follow others, 'like' their pins, and repin their items so they show up on your virtual board. So basically anytime you find something online that your like, be it a dress you want to buy or maybe a project that you are interested in trying, you can "pin" it in one place so you can find it at the touch of a button! 


Since finding this new addiction, not only have been able to find lots of wonderful and new crafty projects and been able to catalog favorite links, blogs etc I have: 

• Planned Kipper and I's second wedding
• Designed enough nurseries for Kipper and I to have at least 15 kids
• Decided I am going to learn to cook because I keep "repinning" recipes
• Built at least 5 "dream" homes
• And started filling my dream closest for when I am finally a size 6 again

As you can see I really have become addicted! BUT I will say Pinterest has been super handy in planning things for Joy of Life at work...so my addiction can be all bad. Right?  Now you want to get in on the fun too? Well, when I joined it was by invite only and I had to wait like 2 months before I was able to login in after requesting an invite. Not sure if you still have to have an invitation, but if  you're interested, let me know and I'll invite you so you can get posting! If you're already on - let me know! I'd love to follow your boards!

A Toddler's..Errr Boston Terrier's Rules of Possession

I am learning that Toddler is code word for Boston Terrier....

Someone To Watch Over Me

Warning: Serious Blog Ahead!

I have an extremely busy and stressful 6 weeks ahead of me at work. That combined with everything going on in my personal life has been wearing on me for a while. Today I hit a breaking point.

Frequently when I am stressed or upset I turn to singing.  It isn't unusual for me to belt out my favorite tunes as I drive to work in order to clam my nerves or help me get into a zone for the day. I guess it goes back to when I first started singing and I was struggling with parts of a song. One day Momma told me to pour my emotion about a certain situation into my singing and pretend that it was the only way I could express my feelings about it. As crazy as I thought she was....it worked and from that point on when I am upset/nervous/scared etc I sing.

This morning I woke up on edge. Kipper had another interview with Cook Children's yesterday and the wait to hear if he got the job is so stressful since it feels like his layoff date is speeding at us. And to top it off,  I knew I had a looming to do list waiting for me at the office. I started singing one of my favorite Broadway tunes but it just wasn't working for me today. I needed something inspiring. There is a Martina McBride song, that my dear friend Cristie Kibler sings that always does the trick. But for the life of me this morning I couldn't remember the name of it or the words. I could hear it playing in my head but the words wouldn't come.

At this point I was half way to the office and just plain frustrated that I couldn't remember the song. In a huff I turned on the radio and there it was. Blaring from the speakers was the beginning of the song I needed to hear/sing - Martina McBride's Anyway. Somebody up there was watching over me this morning. And as silly as this all seems, it was just what I needed to take on my day.

Fast forward to this evening. I spent most of the evening working on something for work. When I finally finished up around 11:30 I was exhausted beyond belief. As I tried to lay down and sleep, I couldn't quite my mind of all the things I have ahead of me, emotions I am feeling etc.  The floodgate of tears opened up.  Poor Kipper has to be up at 4am so the last thing I wanted to do was wake him up (which I did) With my mind still spinning, I got up to let Gulliver out to potty.

While he played in the yard and did his thing, I checked on the peppers and then plopped down on the lounger to enjoy the great weather. I sat there and watch little Gulliver run laps around our yard with his bone. And suddenly my mind was quite for a moment. I was able to just sit and enjoy watching Gulliver be is silly Puppynami self. Again, as small as it seems someone was watching over me when they put this little guy in our lives. I wasn't sure I wanted to get a 3rd baby, but our lives feel so much more complete with him and he brings me so much joy.

After about 15 min Dutchess came out to join us. Gulliver was laying in the yard, chewing on a bone and Dutchess came and sat right next to me so I could scratch her head (like she always does) As we sat in the quite of the night (errr I guess really early morning) everything started to flood back into my mind and the tears started to flow again. Dutchess didn't leave my side, she simply just nudged me as if to tell me it was going to be okay. We have always called Dutchess, Nurse Bull, because anytime I am sick, upset etc she will stay glued to my side. Tonight was no exception.


Most everyone knows that Dutchess was an engagement present to me from Kipper. From the moment I picked her up from the kennel at Petsmart we have had a special connection, that has only grown stronger over the last 10 years. I honestly wonder if little Dutchess Bull knows how much she has changed my life, how  many times she been there to console me when talking to someone else was more than I could handle?  As silly as it may sound to some, Dutchess is one of my very best friends. She knows more about me than probably anyone (except God) because she gets to hear my raw ramblings when I am upset/scared.  I truly believe I was being watched over from above as the series of events that placed her in our lives unfolded.

As I write this I am beginning to think of all people who are there in my life. I am so blessed that God has placed all these amazing people in my life to be there to help watch over me when I need it most. I think that is something I have taken for granted in the past and today has been a glaring reminder of  how blessed I really am!

Call Me Farmer Allie

Okay well, maybe I haven't done any actual FARMING, but Kipper and I did take a fun trip to the Dallas Farmers Market this morning. We love to decide to go on spontaneous little adventures when we don't have a jam packed weekend schedule.  So when we both woke up around 7:30am on a Saturday morning (that NEVER happens unless we have to be somewhere) we decided it was the perfect day to head over to Dallas since Kipper had never been to the Farmers Market there.

Normally it is Kipper who has his camera in hand and taking photos for his photo blog Keep Calm and Snap On but today I was the one snapping away. The colors of the all the fruits and veggies were so pretty. And it is funny after helping Kipper grow his peppers this year, I have a lot more respect for farmers. Growing stuff is hard work!

 Since Kipper had lapband and I am trying to lose weight we have been TRYING to eat at home more, so we figured this would be the perfect place to get some goodies! Yet once we got there we might have gone a little over board for just the two of us, but never fear nothing went to waste - we split stuff my parents. But none the less, we had a lot fun picking out all the fruits and veggies!

But our little adventure didn't stop there! Before we headed home we took a few minutes to walk around the plan section of the farmers market and snap a few more pictures.

 We thought the highlight of the morning would be finding these flamingos. (if you are confused to why this would be a highlight feel free to check out the chicken collection Kipper got for his 39th Birthday)  

 But we were SOOOO wrong. The flamingos were only the beginning...we found Beyonce! I am sure many of you are thinking we are off our meds again, but that tells me you haven't discovered the amazement that is The Bloggress

It is okay, I was a little late to the Bloggress party too. But from the first post I read I felt like I was reading either my long lost sister's blog or a glimpse into the future of what is to come if Kipper and I ever have a baby!

Anywho, I am addicted and the story of Beyonce the metal chicken has caused lots of laughs between not only my girlfriends and I, but also Kipper and I! I totally threaten to bring a Beyonce home when he says I can't do one of my over the top crazy ideas. Which he has started firing back that if I bring a metal chicken home we are getting real chickens to raise in the backyard...which is NOT, I repeat NOT happening! (I have you met my 2 Boston Terrorists? The poor chickens wouldn't stand a chance!) 


So for now we are just having fun playing "Spot the Beyonce" when we go places! Plus we do have a small family of metal chickens from Kipper's Birthday! :)