Friday, March 29, 2013

Happy 18th Birthday Kit-Kat!

Today is the "baby's" 18th birthday.
From the first time I laid eyes on her, she stole my heart.
 
 
 
From the very first picture I ever took of her
  
 
....to the annoying teen aged years, filled with drama and angst....

 
...through tragedy and triumps...


Thank you for let me me be your mom =)

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

What I Wore Wednesday ...New Hair Edition



Okay....so I cut my hair this week.

I was kinda getting tired of the "one trick pony-tail" so I went back to an old favorite.

Aside from my new hair, I am also wearing my new rosette tee from Cato and my company logo-ed sweater.  Necklace from New York and Company, earrings are Premier Designs.

~EnJOY

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Thinking about your Professional Appearance

I've been posting outfits most every Wednesday, but I've found that I really need to pay more attention to what I wear to work.  I'm going for comfort, but I also need to think about what looks most professional

I hit upon the video here, and it really got me thinkgin.

Belicve it or not, I do know people here at my office that dress this way (SCREAM!!)

~EnJOY!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Stick a Needle in Your Eye



Nothing irks me more than having tried and true products suddenly, and without warning, becoming discontinued.

Equally as disappointing is when something has a "new and improved formula" (which usually means that they've added some thick, heady fragrance). That has happened to me more often than I care to discuss, other than what is mentioned HERE.  I am a "creature of habit" (read: OCD) and would rather not have to think about somethings. When something works, it works. Why change, right?  But no, they can't leave well enough alone.

And thus it has happened to my favorite mascara.

This is nothing new. I used "comb on" mascara in high school. The comb was half the size of the typical applicator brush and was easier to manuever around my eye. It reached all of my lashes and I could coat them several times for the perfect eye-framing effect.  Then, sadly, it was discontinued.

When it was discontinued, it was as if I had to learn how to apply mascara all over again. The big, bushy brushes only touched the middle-most lashes. It would clump miserably, despite my best efforts. Forget using the end of the brush to do anything. I usually wound up poking myself in the eye and having to start over from scratch.

The moment I saw the first add for my favorite mascara I rushed right out and bought a tube.  Literally. For this reason, I am thankful that Walmart is a 24 hour establishment.

The small, round, applicator brush was exactly what I was looking for, for many years, to apply product to my blonde eyelashes, ever since "comb on" mascara went the way of the dinosaur.  Standard mascara brushes, and worse, extra thick mascara brushes, tend to make a huge mess of ones eye make up as one tries valiantly to get it on all of their lashes. Every___blonde__lash.

While there was a short learning period, as I adjusted to the tiny, round brush (cocklebur in the eye anyone?) soon I was getting the lash look that I loved once again.

I am a firm believer in only keeping mascara for the optimum three month time period.  I learned that  mascara begin to harbor some nasty bacteria long before I even wore mascara. The "Pink-Eye Episode of  Spring 1982", made me even more skittish when it came to the care and keeping of my eye makeup.  I would not let friends (and later, even my daughters) "borrow" my liners or mascara for fear of rotting my eyes out.  If I even went one day with an itchy eye, I'd throw out my mascara first.

So three months ago, when I bought my last tube of micro-brush mascara, I never dreamed that in just three short months, I'd be scouring the shelves for a new mascara.

Imagine my horror as I viewed the new display of the "new and improved" mascara formulas.
When an OCD person has to make changes, no matter how insignificant, a certain amount of panic sets in.

At first, I wasn't certain I had the correct brand.  I wandered the make up aisles, checking out everyone's mascara. I knew that I could not use the Cover Girls or the Maybelines, but I checked just to be certain. 

I went back to the area that my mascara was supposed to be. Several times. I read each product tag. I pulled several off to make sure someone had not stuck one on top of it. 

 I looked across the aisle at the other big name brand and then returned to the same four-foot section of mascaras I had been disecting. I sat down in the floor to inspect the area closer.

Twice.

I realized that I was talking to myself...aloud. Where was it, where was it.... A woman next to me commented that it had appeared that they were "resetting" the section. (Store-speak for rearranging the section...a term I was familiar with from my seven years in retail). I looked at her as if she slapped me, (which clued me into the fact I was muttering) but I knew that could very well be the case.

I was making such a spectacle, that suddenly, out of no where, a woman wearing a name tag appeared and asked if I needed help.  I stood up, a little sheepish, but visibly sweating.

 "No, just trying to find my mascara."

 I answered, meanwhile eyeing the "eye-in-the-sky" (not so hidden bubble shaped survellence camera) over her head. As I turned my attention back on the mascaras, I could see another out of the corner of my eye. I was apparently being televised on two monitors. I can only wonder what they thought in the security office as they watched me, walking in circles and squatting.

I settled on the mascara I had used back before this little miracle. I got the only non-waterproof package left. I hate waterproof mascara. By the end of eight hours, it felt like there were needles sticking out of my eyes.

I am sure the "eye-in-the-sky" people were relieved to see me go.

When I got home with my purchase, all I could think was how enormous the brush looked. I went without mascara the next day, and everyone asked if I was okay.  Said I looked tired.

So that option is out.

I'm going to poke my eye out.






Wednesday, March 13, 2013

What I Wore Wednesday


When I was trying to come up with an outfit to wear to work but also for WIWW today,  I had to revisit some great pieces from past WIWW posts

Of course, there are my classic, black slacks, that I paired with this cute tank and my grey sweater with rosette and turquoise pin detail.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Brush with Greatness

Today I was fortunate to attend the Birmingham Area Boy Scout "American Values" luncheon.
The guest speaker was none other than Bo Jackson.
 
We had FABULOUS seats.
 
This is the view of Bo Jackson's table from my table. I know it's kinda blury, but directly across from the gentleman in the charcoal suit is Bo.
(and my boss's boss is here at my table, in the grey sweater and pearls)
 
 
Well this is a little better view. Bo Jackson is the bald guy in the light grey suit.

 
We were told "no photographs" so I was trying to sneak and get them on my phone.
It wasn't until I got this posted that I realized a guy at the table in front of us was taking them too.


 
When Bo got up to speak, he first called a Cub scout, who had been on stage earlier with his mother, back up to the stage. He met him at the edge of the stage, and spoke to him for nearly two full minutes.
Bo is cool like that.  
 
Then the little boy left the stage and Bo came back to the podium.
 
"And don't none of you ask him what I said....it's a secret!"
 
The little boy, seated at a table across from us, smiled and nodded in agreement. Later news reports, confirmed that the boy kept their secret.
 
The next thing he did, was ask all the ladies in the audience to stand up. Even though it was a Boy Scout luncheon, there were quite a few ladies in the audience. When we all stood, he told the menfolk to "give us a hand" and "appreciate all the beautiful women" that had joined them.
 
'Cause Bo is cool like that too.
 
For the next 30 minutes or so, he spoke about how he was one of ten children. How he would have gone farther in the Boy Scouts if his family could have afforded it. How one of his favorite memories was a Boy Scout camp out in the park. How the Boy Scouts and sports had kept him out of trouble.
 
He joked often.
After being named "ESPN's Greatest Athlete of All Time" he said there was 8 inches of snow on the ground outside his Chicago home. His wife turned to him and said
 "Oh Great One....that snow is not going to move itself."
 
He told of his children's accomplishments. All were at Auburn (of course). His sons firm in their majors, but his daughter was still on the fence. When asked what his daughter would be when she graduated, he responded
 "About 35...."
 
He spoke about how his mother was his hero and his role model and that when he had finished his education, it was to fulfill a promise he had made to his mother.
 
So there he was. The GREATEST ATHLETE OF ALL TIME, but still every bit a Mama's boy.
 
And Bo was cool with that. 

Dashed Against The Rocks

I was so excited about my luncheon opportunity to meet Bo Jackson today

...until...

they sent the directions to the luncheon and "the rules"

which read

"ABSOLUTELY NO AUTOGRAPHS"

and with that, my hopes of getting another Heisman Trophy Winner to sign my Pat Sullivan football (thus making it my Heisman football)

were dashed upon the rocks.

Boo


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On a related note, Happy birthday to my Numero Uno Favorite Auburn Fan
My Darling Hubby!

I love you very much

~En-JOY!