Saturday, March 31, 2012

My Thoughts on Foster Care

Because lots of you have asked questions about foster care/what I think of being a foster parent/why I decided to be a foster parent, I decided to dedicate a post to your questions. 
Keep in mind this post is based on my experiences and opinions ONLY. These are not necessarily the beliefs of DHS or other foster homes. 

I am the youngest of three kids and ever since I can remember I have loved babies, so after years of begging my mom to have another baby with no avail, I convinced her to be a foster parent. When I was around 13 or 14, we opened our home to kids. As I watched child after child come through our home (ranging in age from 2 months to 4 years), I fell in love with foster care. From that point on, I always knew I would someday open my home to foster kids. 

Fast forward a few years: my mom leaves sperm donor and we move in with my grandma to take care of her. Because she was constantly giving the children whatever they asked for (and we were scared she would drop a pill, that could be swallowed by a small child), we made the decision to close our home. At that point in time, 13 children had been through our home. 

When I turned 21, I immediately started the paperwork process.  In order to open your home, you have to basically write a novel telling your life story, complete a home study, take parenting classes, and you have to get approved.  Six months later (December 2010), my home was opened and I was placed with a baby. I currently have my 7th placement, and am fighting for my 8th. 

I did not get in this to adopt, and have no plans to (at least not in the near future). My heart just goes out to these children. 
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." -James 1:27
Knowing that these innocent children have experienced more in their short lives than most people experience in their entire lifetimes, breaks my heart. These children have been abused and/or neglected, some have seen things that nobody should ever see. Some of these kids have been in multiple foster homes and even shelters. These kids need stability and love more than anything.

Foster care is, by no means, easy, but it is ALWAYS rewarding. To know that you have provided these kids with the only safe, loving home they may ever see (even if they're too young to remember you) is worth it. 


Question time...

Do you get paid? Technically, no. You get a "reimbursement" each month, but after buying diapers, clothes, shoes, and food, you're not really making a profit. (Which should never be the reason you decide to care for a child in the first place). This reimbursement is based on the age of the child and whether or not special care is involved. Although it doesn't make a whole lot of sense (considering the extra care needed and high cost of baby accessories and diapers), you actually get more money with older kids.  So...if you take in a teenage foster child (who's in school all day long), you are provided with more money than a foster home who takes in a newborn baby. Kinda backwards, right?  Furthermore, you are "paid" less money to keep the child for 24 hours than a daycare is paid to keep the child for 8 hours. Foster care is, BY NO MEANS a way to make money; however, it is a full-time job. 

Do you get WIC? Yes, every ward of the state gets WIC (which includes formula/milk, baby food, milk, bread, eggs, cereal, peanut butter/beans, and cheese). And yes, you do get looks of shame from people when you use the vouchers in the store. 

How do you punish the children? You may or may not know this, but foster homes cannot spank the foster children. You have to be creative with your punishments, and at times it proves to be very difficult. 

Do you have to deal with the birth parents? Yes! I would say this is one of the biggest misconceptions of people going into foster parenting--you are not merely caring for the children, but you are also "mentoring" the parents. You are essentially showing the bio family how to be good parents.  Some caseworkers go so far as to give your phone number to the birth parents while you have their child--I DO NOT recommend this.  We once had a bio mom who would call EVERY night and talk for hours about her life, not even bothering to ask about the child. If your caseworker asks if she can give the bio family your phone number, it is okay to say "NO," never do anything you are uncomfortable with. We learned our lesson the hard way.

Do you keep the kids until they get adopted? In some cases, yes. In most cases, no.  Out of our 20 foster children, only one of those children is currently in an adoptive home.  The goal of DHS is reunification, and in most cases, the children return home or to a kinship placement (a family member or family friend).  If you become a foster parent in hopes of adopting, guard your heart (pssh, like that's possible); odds are, you will be placed with many, many children who you will fall madly in love with and will then be returned to their bio family.  

How do you give the kids up? Our standard answer to this question is: "you love them while you have them, then you let them go."  You have to understand from the minute these children are placed in your home until they leave, that they are only in your home temporarily (but will be in your hearts forever). I GUARANTEE you will get your heart broken when you first foster child leaves your home, but, as with any broken heart, it will eventually heal and you will move on to your next love. Just remember that, in some cases, your love will be the only "true love" this child is ever shown. 

How long do you have the kids? Every situation is different. We've had children as short as a week, and we've had children for over a year. Typically (unless a kinship home is approved or a judge sees no reason for removal from the parents), you can expect to have the child a minimum of three months.  Parents are issued a parenting plan (a checklist, if you will) that they must follow in order to get their children back.  The shortest plan is 3-6 months, so if the parents are able to complete the list or show progress, the kids will be returned home. It seems as though, because the goal is reunification, that bio parents are given endless amounts of extensions and multiple chances.  It's so unfair to watch these kids "sit" in foster care as their parents (in many cases) do absolutely nothing to prove themselves worthing of getting the kids back, but refuse to sign their rights over to an adoptive home desperately wanting children. Life isn't fair, and foster children have to (unfortunately) learn that at a very young age.


I think I've covered the basics of foster parenting, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask! 


Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Awkward & Awesome Thursday

AWKWARD

Sneeze farts.
Don't act like it's never happened to you...


My oil change story.
Ya see, I was about 3000 miles a little overdue on getting my oil changed. In my defense, my change oil light hadn't come on yet. I was going to put it off a little longer...until I ran out of windshield wiper fluid. 
So, I did what any intelligent, independent woman would do, I weighed my options:
1. Go buy windshield wiper fluid, figure out where to put it, and do it myself.
2. Pay someone to do it for me.
OF COURSE, option number 2 was the logical choice.
So, I went to get my oil change. The technician showed me the dipstick (yes, I know what it's called) and told me my oil was way too dark (no surprise to me). 
 I smirked and told him the truth: "I'm a little overdue on getting my oil changed; I knew it was time to come in because I ran out of windshield wiper fluid."
You can imagine the look he gave me...
A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do; windshield wiper fluid is like mascara to me...A MUST!!



AWESOME

The first episode of 16 & Pregnant to take place in Oklahoma was a non-trashy (as non-trashy as a prego 16 year old putting her life on television can be), cute couple. Yay for us! Mackenzie, you made us...proud (I don't think that's the right word...)? hahahaha. I really hope she gets picked up for Teen Mom. 


Coming home to this after completely bombing my ECON test:


Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

March Sponsor Post, Part Two

It's Blog Hop time! 
Y'all know the drill : )









It's not too late to claim your button spot for April!


Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Sunday, March 25, 2012

MyMemories Giveaway Winner

The winner of the MyMemories software package is Mallory!
Congrats girl! 

For those of you who didn't win, you can still use the promo code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store (a $20 value!).
Just use code STMMMS14590 at checkout!



Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Awkward & Awesome Thursday

AWKWARD

Why yes, this was one of my homework questions...
Did I mention that I go to a private, Christian Grad School...?


Pulling an item off of the top shelf in a closet to have something fall in your eye, and the conversation that ensues:
Me: "Mom, a mouse turd just fell in my eye! I feel like I need to gouge my eye out now."
Mom: "Oh no! That means there's a mouse in the house."
Me: "Mom, you're completely missing the point of this conversation--THERE WAS A MOUSE TURD IN MY EYE!!"


You know it's gonna be an interesting day when you open the company fridge to find milk in the freezer--not just any milk, BREAST milk... ONE shelf above where your food sits...
I understand this is a natural process (blah blah blah),
but I don't find it natural to be in the company freezer...sitting on top of people's food...


AWESOME

Swapping buttons with me! *hint hint* Claim your spot for April, ASAP!


Making Baby C laugh by playing patty-cake. Baby laughs are so cute : )


McDonald's chocolate chip cookies. But only the fresh ones. I could live on those things...


Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Headlines

Lingerie aisle 2, Plan B aisle 4. 
How convenient! 


I'm assuming "HA HA HA" stands for hail, but would it have really been that difficult to spell it out?
I got a good laugh out of it, at least! lol


News to me! And thanks for providing a picture for me, as if the words weren't clear enough... 



Now that I've provided you with a few minutes of entertainment, go enter my giveaway!! 


Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Sunday, March 18, 2012

MyMemories Giveaway

You read that right, a GIVEAWAY at Life & Times of the Intelligent Blonde.  
No, the world isn't coming to an end...
Now, without further adieu, let's get to the subject at hand, what you've all been waiting for, the giveaway!!

If you're anything like me, you're over a year behind on scrapbooking (I know, I'm a slacker...).  It's just so time consuming and expensive to go print your pictures, buy the supplies, and then TRY to be creative.  Whew, it makes me tired just thinking about it.  So, when I found out that there's digital scrapbooking software that enables me to do all of that on my computer, without ever leaving my house, I was ecstatic! 

I tried the software and loved it! It was a great way to unwind after working all day, getting the kids in bed, and finishing homework. Plus, it was super easy!! This is an example of what I created in a matter of minutes (without any further downloads than what initially came with the software):





There's lots more you can do with my memories suite (like blog designs, headers, calendars, and postcards), I just haven't gotten around to designing anything else.  I like to do one thing on my to-do list at a time, and scrapbooking was at the top of that list. 

MyMemories.com has graciously offered to give one of you the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software! In addition to that, they have given you a promo code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store (a $20 value!).
Just use code STMMMS14590 at checkout!


 Please leave individual comments on this post for each entry. The winner will be announced next Sunday (3/25).

1. Mandatory: Follow Life & Times of the Intelligent Blonde  (1 point)
2. Like MyMemories on facebook (1 point)
3. Follow @mymemoriessuite on twitter (1 point)
4. Blog/tweet/facebook about the giveaway! Make sure you leave a url for your post! (2 points)
5. Go to MyMemories.com and pick your favorite scrapbooking kit.  Make sure to let me know which one you pick! (3points)



Until next time,
 The Intelligent Blonde

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Awkward & Awesome Thursday

AWKWARD

Taking a bite out of my bean burrito only to discover that it was COVERED in onions.
Don't believe me? See for yourself...
Have I mentioned I HATE onions...?
This is the pile of onions I picked out of the burrito.
I mean, I couldn't NOT eat the burrito...there's starving kids in Africa (wait...that doesn't justify it...hmm)

Being told that I should wear my hair down all of the time because I look better when it's down. In a perfect world, that would have been a compliment. But seeing as my hair was up at the time, it was clearly not intended to be a compliment...which leads me to believe that the world is not perfect...


AWESOME

After many, many attempts, I got my broom to stand on end!


My amazing seats at the hockey game:
And to top it off, those were FREE tickets : )

This video:


Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

It's Okay...

Because I have a lot of random things to share with y'all, and they have no correlation whatsoever, I decided to turn my post into an "It's Okay..." Post. 

It's Okay...
That I wore my hair like this for four a few days in a row. 
As in, I didn't take it down, I just added hairspray and adjusted bobby pins each day...
Gotta love Spin Pins!! 
I'd say my hair looked pretty dang good for not having been washed in SEVERAL days...

It's Okay...
That I don't have my textbook for my class that started two weeks ago.
Did I mention that I have my first test in a few weeks & have NO idea how to do half of the crap?
I always wait until the first class session to decide whether or not the book is absolutely critical to getting my A. Upon finding out that this particular textbook was critical, I ordered it.  Only to find out that the book wouldn't arrive until AFTER my first test. WTF? So, I cancelled the order and found a new one...yesterday...hopefully it will arrive this weekend!


It's Okay...
That I creepishly take pictures of things that I want to share with y'all. 
Take this photo for example, I wanted to show y'all how unappealing smoking is...
Look at her holding her cigarette out of the car like she's SO cool...

It's Okay...
That I had to do everything in my power not to get out of my car and give this guy a piece of my mind.
Look how he weaseled his way in and cut us to get ONE car ahead of us while
we were exiting waiting for an hour to exit the parking garage.

It's Okay...
That I go weeks without hanging up clothes. 
They usually stay on my floor until I can't handle the mess anymore...


It's Okay...
That I was slightly angered by the fact that I was tripping over kids at Dave & Buster's.  
I mean, really?!  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that was supposed to be a Chuck-E-Cheese for GROWNUPS...


Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Sunday, March 11, 2012

March Sponsor Post, Part One

Because my Blog Hop was such a big hit last month, we're going to do it again!
You know the drill...click the button, take a few minutes to look around their blog, leave them some love, and click that little button that says "follow," if you heart so desires (which it will).








Photobucket



Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Awkward & Awesome Thursday

AWKWARD

The sound of saliva in microphones. Seriously, how hard is it to swallow your freakin spit? The sound, legitimately, makes me cringe.


Conversations with old acquaintances.
I went up to my old college last week and ran into several former classmates.
The conversations all consisted of something similar to this:

"How have you been?"
"Great. U?"
"Good."
"Where are you working now/what are you doing?"
blah blah blah blah

And then we were out of things to talk about...
I HATE small talk.


Being thrown up on. One of the many joys of having small children/babies...
Not only did she throw up down my cleavage, but she also covered my backside.
Luckily, I had my hair up in a ponytail, or it would have been covered!
It took everything I had not to follow her suit and throw up...


AWESOME

Spin Pins. 
If you don't have them, go buy them.  It's seriously THE best hair product out there.  Plus, it's under $10! 
They are so simple to use and you can create multiple kinds of buns with them.  I use these more than ponytail holders.  They also have mini spin pins now, but I haven't tried them (since my hair is so long and thick). 


Spring Sing. 
This is an annual show that Oklahoma Christian (my old school) puts on.  Every "club" (because it's a private school, they don't do sororities/frats) spends the first two months of spring semester creating a show.  Basically, they re-write popular songs and come up with choreographed routines.  Clubs LIVE for Spring Sing. 

Here's one of my favorite shows from this year:

This is the winning club's show:

The clubs also have to create a video that is shown prior to them going on stage.  Here's my favorite video from this year.

Well I could waste hours of your time by showing you other videos, so I'll stop. hahaha



**And last, but not least, I have an awkwardly-awesome moment (a first to this blog): the fact that mom and I spent 5 minutes trying to get a broom to stand on end. We couldn't get it to stand more than a second or two, so I'm convinced it's a conspiracy (or that our house isn't level). 


Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Guest Post by Bonnie

Bonnie and I decided to swap blogs today, so you're going to get a break from me! 
(let the sad faces and disappointed "awws" commence)
If you haven't already stumbled across her blog, shame on you!  
AFTER you're done reading this post, you should go check out her blog!
So without further adieu, I'm going to hand it over to Bonnie!


Hello to the readers of Life and Times of the Intelligent Blonde!  I am also an intelligent blonde, except for my name isn't Alana.  And I'm not always blonde.  I change my hair color about every nine months.  I'm also not always intelligent- only most of the time!
My name is Bonnie.  This is me.
I used to have pink hair before I got a real job.  Now I have a real job.  But I don't have pink hair.  You can't have it all, people.

I write over at Life of Bon. If it weren't for blogging I would have long been driven to insanity by now.  That's because I spend my days in the company of punk seventeen year olds.  Mostly I try to teach them how to write thesis statements and how to tell the difference between your and you're.  It's a lot harder than you'd think to get that rule to stick, I tell you.  Even though those high schoolers can be a bunch of bratty ingrates they have somehow completely stolen my heart.
Ain't that always the way it is with bratty ingrates?!?!
I'm not exactly sure why I love these teenagers so much. I think it might have to do with the ridiculous things that are always flying out of their mouths at 100 miles an hour.  Sometimes those things are funny, sometimes those things are surprisingly insightful, and sometimes those things are wildly inappropriate. 
For example:  The other day I needed to make a quick run to the bathroom.  Instead of trekking across the high school to the faculty bathroom while all hell broke loose in my unattended classroom, I decided to make a sacrifice and use the gross student bathroom around the corner.
Upon entering, I noticed three girls just a-gabbing away, doing their makeup (At this point you may have two questions.  1. Why weren't these girls in class?  2. Why were these girls doing their makeup at noon?  Unfortunately, I do not have the answer to either question.)  I brushed past them, into the stall.  

Oh, but wait. Wait.  These girls weren't just talking, I quickly discovered.  They were talking dirty.  Crazy gross naughty inappropriate talk. 
I was shocked. 
Okay...I was a little shocked. 
Okay... fine... I wasn't shocked at all.
I work full time at a high school,  for crying out loud, I expect this kind of behavior out of the students.  Will my mom be disappointed in me if I said I wasn't even phased?
I was finishing up when suddenly the dirty talk came to a screeching halt, to be replaced with frantic whispers.  I didn't know why.  Nor did I care. I exited the stall, washed my hands, and noticed that the girls were in what appeared to be a chicken frenzy- chucking opened mascara bottles and cheap red lipstick into their backpacks and flapping out of the bathroom. (And if you don't believe that high school girls can flap, believe-you-me, they can!)
At this point, I was done with my bathroom business, so I followed them out.  Apparently, in their complete panic mode, they failed to notice I was right behind them.  This is what I overheard: 
"...... oh my gosh that was a teacher???......... but she's like four feet tall......... thought she was a student..........oh my gosh is she going to report us to the vice principal?............I thought she would never leave, she was in there for like seven minutes!!!...........  so embarrassing........ do you think she even knew what we were talking about though?.............. are you sure it was a teacher?...........If they call my mom I'm screwed......what a perv! she just stayed in there to listen us.........."
To whom it may concern: my acutal height is 5'4 1/2, I drank a whole can of diet coke which is why I was in there for longer than normal, but it wasn't a whole seven minutes, yes, I did know what they were talking about, and no, I am not a perv.
I thought about telling these girls that I didn't care about their naughty conversation, and I certainly didn't care enough to report it to the administration.  Their dirty secrets were safe with me (Unless you count blasting it all over the internet!) and they could stop their frantic worrying.  But then I thought, nah, better to keep those little perverts on their toes!
That's what a good teacher does, if you ask me!


When I'm not overhearing dirty conversations in bathroom stalls, I try my best at being a wife- a gig that is new to me this past year.  I guess you could say I've got a small crush on this guy.

Ahem... the one without all the hair...
If you're wondering why my hubby has got a giant teddy bear on his shoulders, it was an experiment to see if we are ready to have babies.  We are not.
If you're wondering why the walls are lime green in our apartment, it's because I made a terrible, terrible mistake.  It's fixed now.

And because I just couldn't resist, I recently got a new haircut and have therefore spent a lot of time lately flipping my hair around.  I mean, what else do you do when you get a new haircut besides flip?!?
I figure by now I have rambled long enough about my life.  I'm sure you're patience is long gone.  Unless of course, your patience is NOT long gone, and you want to hear more.  In that case you should definitely hop on over to Life of Bon and say hi.  I promise you won't regret it, and if you do Alana has promised you a year's worth of free ice cream!
Ain't she the greatest?
Come on, Alana, just go with it....  You know your freezer is full of ice cream...


Isn't Bonnie great?  I knew you guys would love her!
I'm so glad she spends her days trying to get people to understand the difference between "your" and "you're."  I'm hoping that she's teaching those little hood-rats the difference between "two," "to," and "too" while she's at it, because poor grammar is one of my biggest pet peeves. 

And just to clarify, don't go check out her blog in hopes of receiving ice cream, because if my freezer was, in fact, full of ice cream (which it is at times), I wouldn't be sharing.  
Just go check out her blog because I told you to : )


Until next time,
The Intelligent Blonde

Saturday, March 3, 2012

A letter to my younger self

Wouldn't it have been so nice to have had a letter 
"guiding" us during our younger years?


I've decided to do a "letter" link-up, so after you read mine, go write your own and link it up  (if you've written one in the past, you are more than welcome to link it).

Here's what my letter would say:

You meet one of your best friends in Headstart.  Kelly is the absolute opposite of you, but that will make ya'll grow even closer.

Right after 9/11, you will almost be arrested in an airport for saying the "b-word." Lesson learned: don't say bomb around Airport Security. You didn't know better--you were just mad because they made you take off your shoes. It proves to be a funny story, later.

Your dad will get girlfriends on the internet when you're around 13. This is about the time when he stops being a "dad" and becomes a mere, sperm donor.

Your parents will open their home to foster kids when you're a teenager, and over the span of a few years, you will have more than a dozen babies come through your life. These babies will touch your life forever.

Your oldest brother's fiance will be killed by a drunk driver before you're old enough to drive. This will be your first experience with drinking and driving, but not your last.

Your parents will split when you're 15.  It will be the worst thing (because of things that are said) and the best thing (because you'll get rid of destructive people in your life) that's ever happened to you.

You will get your first kiss when you're 15. You will think it's the most awkward thing ever and giggle like a little school girl.

You will meet your other best friend when you're 16. Oddly enough, you have known her your whole life but ya'll will become close when you start working together. Lisa is exactly like you and the two of you will become inseparable. 

You will not fit in during High School. You will have friends, but you will never be one of the "popular" kids, because you don't drink or sleep around.

You will date many, many boys, but will fall hard for an awkwardly clueless boy from another school. You will have a crush on him from the first time you meet him. You will creepishly find his phone number in a phone book (back when people still used home phones) and you will call him. Ya'll will call each other every week for a year, talking about everything from your love life to life goals. You will eventually start dating and become quite smitten (he'll be your first love).  For the next year you guys will go through a lot, but in the end, the two of you will be forced to end your relationship and, unfortunately, your friendship, and move on.

You will go to six proms throughout high school!

You will go to the college you always dreamed of. You have your first dorm-life experience and absolutely love it. When they say your best friends are made in college, it's so true. While you still remain best friends with Kelly and Lisa, you add to that list Cassie and Erin.

You will do some very unexpected things, like jumping out of an airplane and getting a tattoo.

Your best guy friend, Justin, makes the mistake of drinking and driving and gets into an accident. This accident has a very big impact on your small hometown and everyone has to live with the consequences. You will make one of the hardest decisions of your life when you decide to stand by his side and support him, even though you're so against drinking and driving. Speaking of the accident, remember to give Bryson a hug and tell him you love him when you see him on New Year's Eve...that's the last time you'll ever see him.  While Justin is in prison, you will write him more times that you can count and you will even send him money to buy a television because his girlfriend will be too busy whoring around to do it herself.  Instead of being appreciated, you will be stabbed in the back; however, in the end, it will all work itself out.

You go on to date MANY guys throughout college--mainly losers. You have some very unhealthy relationships, which make you realize exactly what you want don't want.

You will rush club, with Cassie, your Sophomore year of college.

After some drama involving alcoholism and suicide attempts, Erin and Cassie will both leave college before Spring Semester, and you will be left to make new friends.

You will end up transferring back to USAO, before Junior year, and will change your major for the third time.

You will date an older guy who teaches you a lot:
1. ALWAYS trust your friends when they tell you a guy is a worthless cheater.
2.  People cannot change unless they sincerely want to, no matter how hard you might try to help them.
3.  Some people can look you in the eyes and blatantly lie to your face.
4.  If a guy is that old and still single, there's probably something wrong with him...

You will open your own foster home when you turn 21. You will have your heart broken worse than any guy could ever break it when your first foster baby leaves your home.

You will graduate college and start a big-girl job and your MBA.

Ultimately, know that you will be hurt many, many times--mostly by the people you are closest to; you will be taken advantage of and you will be treated worse than you deserve. Remember to keep your head up and not to let people get you down.

Life is what you make it. Learn to roll with the punches, laugh when you wanna cry, do crazy things you think you'll regret, and most importantly, take care of the ones you love.


P.S. When people tell you that you need to figure out your life plans while you're young--don't listen to them.  When you're 22, you still have no idea what you want to be when you're a grownup and that's okay. You have the rest of your life to figure it out.



Now go write your post and link-up!


Until next time,
The Intelligent Blonde

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Awkward & Awesome Thursday

AWKWARD

When people ask the unavoidable question, "are y'all together?"
Umm...well...no...I mean, we haven't really discussed it...thanks for calling us out.


The strange people you see in airports/airplanes...


Opening facebook to see (at the TOP of your newsfeed) that your first love is engaged. 
Con-freaking-gratulations!
(I realize that is a completely made up word--but it is the best descriptor for my thoughts upon seeing the news)


Finding Waldo during the jousting event at the Medieval Festival



AWESOME

Rolling over 50,000 miles on my Jeep on Leap Day!
That's gotta be good luck, right?
Okay, let's be real...Leap Day in and of itself is awesome!
Since the possibility of me being a Leap-Day baby is out of the question (seeing as I've already been born), I have decided if I ever get married I should get married on Leap Day--I mean, how cool would that be? 


Making a better-than-perfect grade in Finance 


When your boss comes in and says "It's a nice day outside; y'all should be outside enjoying it.  Y'all can leave at 3."  SWEET!!


My power tools skills...
Doesn't everyone use nail guns in their pajamas?
which allowed me to make this awesome chair rail:
Ignore the baby doll bed...
Who needs a man? Just give me some power tools (preferably pink) and I'll get 'er done! 


Until next time, 
The Intelligent Blonde