Twitter revelation!

Twitter. WTH. I cannot understand this thing! I get the concept, and I am really not that dense in the technology dept., but what with all of the '#' and '@RT's', I just get lost. The most time I have ever spent on Twitter was when I was following Jeff Probst's live tweeting during Survivor. Even then I was getting lost trying to figure out where the comments were that he was responding to. But one thing that stuck with me, and actually brings me great joy, is the '#'. I had someone explain it to me and apparently, if you are searching Twitter for something in particular, like comments about chocolate souffle', you would type #chocolatesouffle and those comments will appear. If you want other people to be able to search your comments about chocolate souffle' you would type #chocolatesouffle after you reviewed a recipe, visited a restaurant, jumped on the scale. "I gained 4 lbs this week! #chocolatesouffle". :)

Let me tell you, lots of fun to be had with '#'. #thisisahoot. See what I just did there? :) Why does this bring me such joy, I ask you! #wherehaveyoubeenallmylife. I just can't stop. #Shariisabouttogetannoying. Try it. You'll like it! #Don'tknowwhatyouaremissing.

It is kind of like the subliminal message that you want to convey but don't want to come right out and say. For example, you are at the soccer field and Gossip McGossipson is running her mouth. So you tweet, "People need to grow up and stop gossiping. It isn't nice and sends the wrong message to our children. #bitchgonnagetafootupherass." :) Aaaaahhhh, that feels good, doesn't it?

The Search is OVER! ~cue angels~

For YEARS, and I do mean YEARS, I have searched for a Christmas Tree topper.  Unlike my success w/ antenna ball toppers, the perfect Christmas Tree topper has eluded me.  Year after year, I feel unmeasurable joy when I'm decorating my tree, until...Topper Time.  Ugh.  Freakin' Star Topper w/ it's 4 inch cord!!  What am I supposed to do with that?!  Anyone?!  And then there's that clip that will snap your finger right off, if you aren't careful!  Of course the star is too heavy so after clipping, you get to watch in horror as it starts to leeeeean.  Double UGH!  And what about the height?  Why is it the tree always goes right up to the ceiling so the topper won't fit (even if you COULD get it on!) without dinging the ceiling?!  I don't know about you but I'm NOT A FAN of dinging my ceiling!  So all of my happy happy, joy joy of decorating the tree is ruined in the last 5...ok, who am I kidding...30 MINUTES of trying to wrastle (it's a word) with the topper.  This is about the point where I consume 2 1/2 lbs of the fudge I've made for Christmas.  Ughtothemax.

Ok, so today...this year...will be different.  I have found the answer to my prayers!  Yes, I have actually prayed for this.  Although it comes out more like, "Oh my GOD, PLEEEEEZE fit, you MOTHER%&*%^!!  If we can put a man on the moon (and why is it the man on the moon is always brought into it?!  Thank God for him.)  WHY can't someone make a freakin' TREE TOPPER that FITS and isn't completely USELESS!?!".  Those days are over, kids.  And speaking of kids...those days are over just in time so that I don't scare my children. (any further.)

Gaze upon all that is wonderful and glorious.  All is calm...all is bright...

Why the FRICK didn't someone think of this sooner?!!  The angst I could have avoided over the last 15 years!  Aaaaaahhhh...this little gem is mine!  And for only $16!  Thank you Pottery Barn, for anticipating my every need and providing me with free shipping.  I shall sing your praises every Christmas from this day forward, til death do us part.  Amen.

Btw (By The Way, get with it!), click on the title of this post and it will take you to Pottery Barn Kids where you too, can purchase your own tree topper!  Aren't I fancy?  :)  (and not getting paid by PBK to do this...yet!)

It. Must. Be. Mine.

Be still my heart.  The excitement...so intense...I can barely breathe. 

When a friend posted a picture of her cute Halloween Cupcake Cookie Jar, I literally think my heart stopped.  INSTANTLY, I had to gurgle it and there it was...cute as it wants to be...at Kohl's.  "Ferb, I know what we're gonna do today!"  Cut to...me and 2 kids at Kohl's within 20 minutes. :)  Best part?  It was on sale AND I had $10 Kohl's giftcard.  $30 cookie jar = $7.99, BABY!!

Look at this preciousness!  Can you stand it?! (If only I could remember the Ode to a Candy Corn that I wrote last year, I would insert it here.)  :)  Instead, let us have a moment of silence to reflect upon this treasure.

I mean, really.  Its cuteness cannot be measured.   

Now some would chastise and say, "Shari, have you nothing better to do on a Thursday afternoon than go in search of a cookie jar?"  My answer?...No.  No I don't.  I see a shoppertunity and I grab it, mister!  And it isn't JUST the cuteness in all its glory...let's take a moment and gaze, shall we?...it's the adventure, the search, the hunt!! ~cue Miley Cyrus~  "It's the cliiiiiiiiiimb!" 

To the critics, those who do not understand,  I say, "Good day.  I SAID GOOD DAY!"

My clicky pen...

Needed a little retail therapy today so I ventured to Target Fine Imports.  As I am perusing, finding tons of crap that I don't need...except that I DO...I remembered a little bug that my sister planted in my brain.  It was something she said brought her great joy.   I searched and searched, and there it was...feast your eyes...

Do you see this, because I'm not sure that you do.  Yes, it is the 4 color clicky pen, big whoop, but wait...look at the fine print...

That's right, FASHION COLORS!!!  Purple, pink, turquoise, and lime green!!  I bought 2. :)  Now I can share in that joy, too.  I shall die happy.  Oh what to write...what to write??!!  Except that I type...oh well, details!   I must now excuse myself to go caress all that is...the clicky pen. :)

Unbridled JOY!

Just needed to give a shout out to all that is ...The iPad!!  This contraption has given me complete and total joy all the days of my life!!!  Well, since June at least. :)  He/She is my buddy, my pal, my love.  She is with me daily, when life is good, when things are tough, letting me know that 'Hey Shari, it's all gonna be ok.  I'm here for you.'  We read together, listen to music, play games, watch movies, chat, you know...all that stuff that bff's do.  She has changed my life, and for that I am grateful.  Thank you Apple gods for creating my special friend.  If I had the money, I would give one to every stay-at-home mom I know!  She completes me.  (I guess I've decided she's a "she".  Now if only I could think of a name.)  To be continued...

I have a problem.

Like I have to tell YOU that.  But seriously, I think there is something screwy in my brain that I can get so much joy from dishes.  LOVE DISHES!  Love them.  Love.  And yesterday while perusing Pier 1 Imports, in a purely supportive role (my sister was shopping), I ran across THIS...

Are you seeing this??  It is a cookie jar!!  COOKIE. JAR.  And it's a CUPCAKE!  (Note the wine in the background.  I could have moved it aside, but it too, brings me joy. So he stays.)  And you may have noticed that this cookie jar is no longer in the store.  That's my counter.  In case you didn't know.

I think for you to fully understand the depths of this joy, I must take you back.  A flashback if you will.  Think LOST, without all the angst...

Two or three years ago I ran across THE cutest dessert plates at Sur La Table.  They were SO cute that I had to have 2 sets!  Well, technically 3 sets because I felt that my sister needed one.  Well, technically I ordered like 6 sets because some were chipped & I became obsessed w/ unchipped plates.  It was quite the process (similar to the Soup Cookbook incident of 2010 that I won't get into right now.) SO CUTE that I bought this gift for her 3 months before her birthday and saved it!  You should know that I am not good at saving gifts!  But this one was so worth it.  Are you ready?  :)  (I'm not feeling your excitement.  Step it up, please.)

TADAAAAAAA!!  :)  Can you stand it?!!  Cuz I almost can't STAND IT!!  And did you notice?...Did. You. Notice?  LOOK!...

Ditto taddaaaaaaaa!  It is exactly the same as...the...cookie...jar!  I've had these plates for over 2 years and the cookie jar was at PIER ONE, of all places!! You can't find these plates or this cookie jar anywhere online!  It's like they were made just for me and now they are gone.  I walked around the store holding it, caressing, petting, smiling.  The employees kept asking to hold it at the register for me.  No thank you.  We are fine.  :)

Now let us have a moment of silence and gaze upon all that is...Cupcakeville...

As if my heart could take any more, imagine this cookie jar and these plates on top of my birthday table runner I made for the kids...

Have you ever been happier than you are at this moment?  I know, me too. :)

Everybody FREEZE!

STOP RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE...look around you...and tell me...do you see THIS? (minus the rip.  How did that get there?  It's all a blur.)

 Here...take a closer look...

Do you see that?  What that says?  It's manna from heaven, that's what it is.  And I cannot find them!  Well, I found this one.  But it was in a mall kiosk and it was the last one!  Target doesn't have it...Albertson's doesn't have it...VONS doesn't have it.  I'm throwin' myself on the mercy of the court!  SOMEONE SEND ME SOME!!

Please excuse me while I go hide my head in shame.  ~mustn't let the crazy show...mustn't let the crazy show...~

Here's what greets me every Saturday...

I know it doesn't look like much, but this is my organic box of produce I pick up every Saturday!!  I can't tell you (what a dork I am) how excited I get when I get home & open it up to see what lovelies await!!

Farmer Vern always includes a little note to talk about what's up on the farm, as well as 2 recipes for items that may not be too familiar.  Today I got garlic something-or-others.  Look kinda like green onions. I guess you use them the same way, too.  Chop them up, add to stir fry or dips, salads, garnish.  Feelin' kinda dippy w/ it being the holiday weekend and all.  OH!  That's right, they are garlic SCAPES!!

All these items were in the ground or on the tree on Thursday, and we get them on Saturday.  Ffffrrrrrrrreshhhhhhhhh!! :)  So much nicer looking that grocery store organics, and cheaper, too!  One thing I've learned...if you get lettuce in Saturday's box, you're having lettuce for dinner!  That stuff doesn't keep long at all!!  And towards the end of the week the extras end up in soup, usually.  Ok, but look at all this!!  All for $19 and ORGANIC! (don't know if I've mentioned that it is organic. ;)  )

And they even tell you what farm your stuff comes from!! :)

Have I lost you yet?  Cuz I feel like I've lost you.  Almost done, I swear!
Now I collapse my little box and put it in the back of the car, waiting for next week!! :)

So there it is in all it's glory!




And in an effort to further reduce my family's consumption of HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), I'm going to attempt this...

I'll let you know how it goes.  I think the deal is you make enough dough for 4 loaves at a time and freeze the other 3.  The bread looks really good and so we'll see.  I may have to sit down w/ Adam and explain the importance of homemade bread and the deadly effects of HFCS so he will let go of my leg long enough for me to do this.  Wish me luck. 

Woo-to-the-flingity-flangin'-hooooo!!!

Kitchen backsplash is DUNZO!!!  Yay!!  Aaaahhhh, you have no idea what a relief this is!  First, because it took us close to a year to decide on a design.  Call me crazy, but wasn't going to pay the kitchen installers $1500 just to DESIGN the backsplash!  Hubby and I know what we like so it was just a matter of time until we found something we liked...lots of time...but still.  Problem was, we had such a huge space above the cooktop.  Didn't want just squares, but didn't think I was a mural kinda gal.  Until...

So here's the old cucina before...

and here's the afterrrrrrrrrrr...

but wait...there's more...

just one more, I swear...

Please to enjoy the detail around the window sill!  Mitered corners!  My quilting sistas will tell you that is NOT easy!

Ok, you may return to your previously scheduled lives.  Thanks for listening!  :)