I'm Okay...

I love reading blogs. Not so sure if anyone reads mine....

However, the one set back to this is feelng like the blogs I read all display the lives of really talented ladies. They are actually making use of their talent. They are moving forward in their life. They are actually selling things on Etsy. People know they exist.

They have lives that are interesting to blog about. Me on the other hand, not so much. I work (a lot), I exercise (sometimes), I sleep, I cook, and clean (sometimes), and that's it. I love crafts, but don't have time (or money or space) to make them. I love new recipes, but I have picky hubby who cannot eat cheese or spicy foods and doesn't like veggies (I know! What?). I wear cute clothes sometimes, but not cute enough to take pics of everyday (plus, I don't have the time!). Sigh...what's my niche? It seems like I should be know since I will be turning 29 in a couple of months. But, I don't.

I'm just mediocre right now, and I have to learn to be okay with that.....

and wait on the Lord for what He has for me, which I know will be something great...

I Can Dream About You...

Ok, I know it's still January, but I'm already thinking about it---Spring! Especially Spring shoes!

Like these...
(They also come in a black and white stripe with green lining---so cute!)

Or these....
(They come with a cute green lining, too!)

Or these...
I am really getting into yellow this year. It used to be my least favorite color, but I'm coming around...

Or these....
These are limited edition--you think that's a good enough reason for my hubby to say I can buy them? :)

Or these...
Maybe for a special occasion??? Super cute!

Or these...
Ok, I would probably never buy these, but they are really fun...

Or these....
These are more my speed (and they look like they would go with anything!)

And last but not least....
(Just in case I'm feeling really preppy one day...)

Ok, that's enough daydreaming for now...back to work!

Me A to Z

Facts about me A to Z...I'm such a dork (Bonus fact. You're welcome). I love doing lists like this!

As soon as I get to work in the morning, I make coffee before anyone else has a chance to do it.

Before I start a task, I have to make sure the area I'm working in is neat and clean.

Chances are, I will eat pizza again before the week is done. My hubby and I have been on a huge pizza kick lately!

Dogs. Love them! They're like little people. And I want one! Particularly a Rat Terrier or a Westie ♥

Eggs. Never liked them. Never will. However, I will eat them if I have something to mask the taste.

Frances. This is the name of the only living grandparent I have and I cherish every moment spent with her. I could write a book about this wonderful lady!

Germany is where my maiden name, Kornegay, comes from.

House. I want one. Bad. We plan on trying to buy one next year, hopefully!

I just found out today that I have insulin resistance and have to start taking Metformin.

Jesse is my sweet hubby's name :)

Kelley is our last name.

Love. I am truly in love with my husband. There are no words to describe how wonderful this is.

Money. I have made some mistakes  in the past 10 years, but feel I am growing smarter and more cautious everyday.

Nothing can seperate me from the love of Christ! (Romans 8:35-39)

Oreos and milk are one of my favorite snacks :)

Pregnancy scares me. But, hopefully I will get to experience this at least once in my life...

Questions. I don't know why, but it kind of annoys me when people ask me a lot of questions...not sure why???

Red is one of my favorite colors. I have lots of red in every room in my apartment!

Sarah is my only sister's name. She is 2 years younger than me, but now that we're "grownups" that doesn't really matter...

Tea. Sweet tea. Favorite thing to drink ev.er.

Uggs. Never had a "real" pair of them, just some cheap knock-offs, but these have GOT to be my favs! So comfy.

Vehicles. I bought the one I have now all by myself. No co-signer. No hubby. First time ever, to God be the glory!

Wonderful is the only way to describe chocolate. I probably eat a little of it everyday.

eXtremely loyal. I try to be the truest bluest friend I possibly can!

Yellow used to be my least fav color, but I'm slowly coming around to it. In fact, I'm wearing a yellow tank today.

Zesty. I like "zesty" foods--or foods with strong flavors. I like my coffee strong, too :)

There you have it. What are some fun facts about you?

Colbie Caillat - Brighter Than The Sun

Ah, such an upbeat song ...Happy Friday!

Randomness

My hubby and I have an inside joke about going up to someone with a really nice small car, such as a BMW Z4 and saying, "I like your Miada". LOL

Now, I don't know if you think that's funny, but we think it's hilarious.

I sooooo wanted to say that to this person in front of me going 10 MILES below the speed limit THE WHOLE WAY into work this morning. Although, I think it really was a Miada...oh well, if I had a chance to speak with this individual, I could have come up with something else that would have made them as mad as they made me.....

Anyway, also wanted to show you the one and only plant I have in my office, which I bought like two years ago and have almost succeeded in killing.

I like to think of it as "mostly dead"....









(sorry for the Princess Bride reference...I'm in a really random mood, if you couldn't tell.)

Hmm...instead of blogging, maybe I should be looking up gardening tips online???

Anyway, it's really pretty outside today--total contrast with al the rain we had yesterday and to the cold weather we have coming in this weekend.

Speaking of this weekend, my sister, who is a hairdresser, is putting highlights and lowlights in my hair...so excited and I cannot wait!!!

Before and after pics to come....

Yeah, I warned you in the title that this post was going to be random :)

blah...

It's a very blustery and windy day today...don't feel like working. Don't feel like working out. Don't feel like going to the grocery store (which is something I really need to do). Don't feel like doing anything...

and it's raining....Feeling very blahhh

Best Cookies Ever!!!

Well, at least in my opinion....The little tweaks I have made to this recipe make the cookies light and fluffy and chewy and a little more "spicy" if you will. Okay, now I'm drooling....

Here's what you need:
1/2 cup butter (I use "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" Sticks)
1 cup sugar (you can also sub granulated Splenda)
2 eggs (or egg substitute)
1 tablespoon milk (I use Silk Almond milk)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour (I use wheat flour)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pumpkin Pie Spice to taste

Here's what to do:
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add half of the flour and baking powder, stir in Pumpkin Pie spice, milk and vanilla, then the remaining flour mixture. Mix only until combined.
Drop cookie dough by the spoonful approx 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet .

Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon sugar, or grated nuts, if desired. (I use a little sugar and cinnamon on top of mine--makes it taste more like a snickerdoodle.)

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden on edges of cookies (depends on size). Decrease oven temperature if cookies are browning too quickly.

They will look something like this when they come out...

(image from quickcookierecipes.net)

Voila! Perfectly wonderful cookies!

(My recipe above was adapted from this recipe on cooks.com.)

Happy New Year!

Happy 2012 Everyone! My hubby and I didn't do anything for New Year's Eve. In fact, I fell asleep at 10:30 on Saturday night. LOL So sad...I'm not even 30 years old yet!

But, because I didn't stay up so late on Saturday night, I was able to do lots and lots of stuff on Sunday! I had a cleaning/organization day of sorts...

First, I organized my coupons and picked out the ones I will need to make my grocery list for this week.

I did SEVERAL loads of laundry.

(Yeah, sorry about the stock photo, my laundry is really not interesting enough to be the object of a photo shoot!)

I got a cheap-y plastic shoebox and made myself a manicure kit (which is what I am the most excited about)! It's the little things, ya know...

And, I got my thank you notes written to my family for the Christmas gifts they gave me (and I made sure to include coupons in their letters that I know I would not use before they expired).

Yesterday, I was superrrrrr lazy and I love love loved it! I got up at 8:30 and had breakfast and coffee with the hubs, then after watching some Monday morning TV, I went back to bed for a long nap.

Then, all I did all day was shower and make my weekly grocery run...

Now, back to work...Yay me.

very blessed

We had a wonderful Christmas visiting with family, giving and receiving gifts, eating, and laughing. I didn't take not even one single pic because I was too busy having fun!

I am so blessed to have the wonderful friends and family God has placed in my life.

Now, onto thinking about my New Year's resolutions....more to come on those later!

Hope you and yours had a very Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

My Thoughts on Christmas: Let's Be Real for a Sec...

This post will probably totally burst your cheerful, cozy holiday bubble...it's not warm and fuzzy-just matter of fact and real...so don't say I didn't warn you...

The older I get, the less I like "Christmas". By "Christmas", I mean the American Traditional Version (of course, I love celebrating the birth of Jesus....aka: the real Christmas).

1) The house too crowded to put up a tree (we live in a 1 BR apt with four bookcases that are stuffed to the brim, if that gives you any idea...). Plus, my hubby has been having a super busy semester and I have not been wanting to make too much of a distraction for him by dragging all the decorations out. Also, I just didn't feel like it.
2) We never send Christmas cards because A) stamps cost too much and B) we don't have any kids yet, so what's the point? Everyone knows cards without kid pics get put in File 13.
3) We are too old to do "Santa presents" with my parents anymore and as I mentioned, we don't have kids, so we wait until the day after to open gifts with my immediate family. Which is totally fine with me--that's not the meaning of Christmas.
4) I don't start listening to "Christmas" music until I am basically forced to (and I refuse to listen to it until after Thanksgiving at all costs). I start listening about 2 weeks prior to try to get in the "Christmas mood"...
5) I hate the mall....(when I was a teenager, I never thought I would feel that way!) Seriously, though. It's too expensive, too crowded, and too overrated.
6) I hate all the light up, blow up santas and penguins and crap people put in their yards. Two words: TAC.KY. I'm ready to see those things come down.
7) One day I will actually get brave enough not to buy gifts for anyone and to tell them not to buy gifts for me. Giving gifts to people simply because it's what you're "supposed" to do this time of year is in no way celebratory of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I like what someone told me a couple of days ago, "...I'm ready for Christmas to be over. It's too expensive and stressful and you have to be nice to people you don't like..." LOL Except for the last part, I agree. I'm ready, too.

So, as you are indulging in your "Christmas" traditions this weekend (which I will be doing the same thing, so I'm truly NOT holier than thou, trust me), keep this in mind...."...the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ~Matt. 20:27 He was born to die. For you. For me. To pay for our sins.

That's the real meaning of Christmas.

Merry CHRISTmas one and all.....

sparkles

I think I love sparkles as much as any eight year old girl.......who cares if I'm 28?

Ahh, so pretty!



Winter....



It's right around the corner....

Time to:

snuggle with the hubs

hang out with family

drink lots and lots of lattes, chai, and hot chocolate

wish for a house with a fireplace

wear cute scarves

wear boots everyday

put all of the blankets in my house on the bed at the same time

crochet my little heart out

buy sweaters on sale!

wish for Spring

make changes for the new year

did I mention snuggling with the hubs? :)

Dear Santa

With Christmas coming up, it's really hard not to see things that I want. I know that's not the meaning of Christmas, and I don't want you to think I'm being selfish in ANY way. It's just that when you go to stores more often, you're gonna see more stuff you want!

Dear Santa,

I've been a really good girl this year and I want....

1. These really cute knee socks...I don't care what color or where they come from...I just want need some!

(Sources: For Bare Feet, kohls.com, littlemissmatched.com, and Absolute Socks)

2. Handmade coffee cozies....as many travel mugs as we have, these are a great idea! (hmm...maybe I should DIY some?!?!?! I mean, unless Santa brings me some, of course) LOL

(all cozies found on etsy.com)

3. Chocolate! Well mainly, Moose Bites....BEST. CANDY. EVER. (I can see why they're sold out...)

4. Toms...one each in all of these styles, please. (Since you're Santa, you already know my size...) :)

5. And last, but not least....a very nice purse....not neccessarily a Coach, but hey the elves usually have good taste...I love this bag (hint, hint)...................oh who am I kidding? I haven't been good enough to get it this year! LOL



Oh, well. Maybe some day.....

xoxo,
Stacey :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Ok, Thanksgiving is officially over. Now, I can concentrate on Christmas :)

(wreath I made last year)

First, let's talk shopping. I wasn't feeling Target-lady crazy enough to hit up the stores on Black Friday, but my sis and I did go out on Saturday afternoon, and it wasn't nearly as crowded as I suspected. My mom sent us the mall with her credit cards (best. mom. everrrrr.) and let us pick out what we wanted for Christmas. I know this doesn't sound like fun, but it totally is! We have been doing this on and off for at least 12 years now...

(source: google)

I only picked out some nice black leather boots (that I cannot afford to buy right now) to replace the cheap ones I had, a hoodie, and t-shirt, and a bra (which, just in case you were wondering, will not be opened in front of the fam or anything! LOL)

(boots from jcp.com)

I picked out some stuff for my hubby, too, but I'm not telling what it is in case he happens to read this post ;) (He loves surprises and I don't want to ruin it!)

Next, decorations...I found these lights that I want sooo bad!

I want to put a tree outside this year with the star lights or either decorate the camellia bush/tree at the corner of our house with them :) So fun, right?!

I haven't been feeling well lately and all I did yesterday was take down my fall stuff and hang the Christmas wreath on the front door, so I hope to do the rest of the decorating this weekend. (Pics to follow!)

And last, but not least, COOKIES! I for one, happen to love making (and eating) Christmas cookies and Real Simple magazine sent me these 50 cookie recipes...check it out! I hope to try at least 10 of them this season....yummmmmmmm