Pick My Hairstyle

Easter pics will come soon - for now, we've got something more pressing to discuss.  I have an appointment for a haircut this Wednesday afternoon (T minus 2 days!) and I don't know what I want to do with my locks.  I think I'm ready to lose some length, but that's all I've decided.  Thus, I need your help. I've googled images for you.  I seached for "above-the-shoulder haircuts."  Look at them carefully.  [Disclaimer for my male readers (all three of you): these pictures will probably all look the same to you, but trust me, they're not.  And, getting my haircut like any of these will not magically make me look like the celebrity from the picture.  Sorry.]

Things to consider: 1 - I have very fine, very stringy hair. 2 - My hair has zero body and does not hold curl well. 3 - I don't do much styling.  My go-to right now is to throw in hot rollers, shake it out and go. 4 - After the initial fix in the morning, my hair gets no more attention throughout the day.  No touch-ups, afternoon brushes, or re-dos.

Option One - The Anne Hathaway           Cut just above the shoulders and mostly all one length.  No framing around the face.

Option Two - The Heidi Klum           Also cut just above the shoulders, but this time with long layers and some shorter pieces around the face.

Option Three - The Jessica Simpson           Shorter layers than Heidi's.  Ignore the bangs.  I don't do those.

Option Four - The Eva Longoria           Layers all around.  A little face-framing, but not too bang-ish.

So that's it.  Which celeb do you think makes the cut to be my inspiration photo: Anne, Heidi, Jess, or Eva?  Or should I just show up empty-handed and let my hairstylist have at it?

Last Weekend

I was just uploading some pictures from my camera and realized I never posted any from this past weekend with the kids.  I didn't take many because we really didn't do much...just a typical weekend. Friday night we ate at home.  Wyatt asked if he could prepare an appetizer for us so Doc let him.  We each (minus Anna, who doesn't like fruit) got a creatively cut strawberry.

I was actually pretty impressed with his design, but I think next time he needs to figure out how to do it with more than one strawberry!

After dinner the boys headed upstairs to play wii.  Anna brought down a kit she got for Christmas and was finally ready to take a look at it.  It's a kit for her to make her own needlepoint bracelets (at least I think it's needlepoint).  I was thrilled because this is the exact kind of thing I loved to do when I was her age.  I happily helped her get started.

It took her a few minutes to figure out which way to pull the thread through, but once she got the hang of it she was smooth sailing.

She didn't get the bracelet completely finished (she likes to take breaks) and it's all I can do not to go upstairs and finish it for her.  My ten-year-old self really wants to go get her kit and make my own!

Saturday morning was pretty low-key.  We took a long walk to a park and spent the morning playing.  Doc has recently joined a tennis league and had his first game on Saturday.  Since I had a bridal shower to attend, the kids went with him to cheer him on.  I can't wait to go watch him myself!

Sunday after church we stopped by my parents' house and ended up staying for pizza.  I had my camera with me and took this picture of Anna.

I really liked the lighting in the picture so I told her to go grab her brother so I could try to get a good one of them together.

I think the picture of them together turned out well but Doc doesn't like it.  He says they look like they're 18 and 19 years old.  While I don't think they look quite THAT old yet, I do agree that they're definitely growing up.

As if reading our minds, right after that picture was taken Anna jumped on her pogo stick to remind us that she's still just ten.  Phew!

That was about the extent of our weekend.  The kids had to go home early on Sunday so Doc and I spent the afternoon working in the yard.  We got a lot of work done, which is good, except that Monday morning my body hurt all over!  I guess I'm not in summer-yard-work shape quite yet.

All Wrapped Up

When I have the time, wrapping gifts is something I actually enjoy doing.  I love getting creative with it (again, if I have the time and the supplies).  Plus, I think even the most perfect gift is ten times better when it comes in a pretty package. By now, you all probably know how much I love things that match.  So it's probably no surprise then that my favorite way to wrap is to make all of my packages coordinate.  This is especially true at Christmas time because I love for all my matching gifts to be displayed under my tree.  This past weekend I was lucky enough to be invited to a bridal shower for my good friend Kendra, and since three of us went in together for our gift, there were lots of boxes to wrap.  Allison did the shopping for us so I, of course, volunteered to do the wrapping.

I sure hope Kendra liked my wedding colors because that's the theme I went with!  I have enough of this wrapping paper to last me forever.  Seriously, why did I think I needed to much at the time?  The green ribbon on the package to the far left (the bow that's a slightly different shade) is a ribbon that I saved off a gift that Doc and I received when we got married.  I knew I would be able to use it again, and I'm glad I was able to pass it along to Kendra.

Besides making my gifts match, my other favorite thing to do is to think outside the box and get creative.  I like to use things other than ordinary wrapping paper and curling ribbon.  When Allison invited us over for a birthday dinner a few weeks ago, I had several gifts to take with me.  I still had my felt yarn out from Kersten's bedroom makeover and, wanting to do something different, decided to use it instead of ribbon.  I also had a box of cardboard letters that I found in a clearance bin at JoAnn's a long time ago.  I thought they could work for gift tags.

This package was for Chris.

"S" is for Sarah.

Since I already had a "C" gift, Charlie got his first and last name initials.

I was pleased with how these turned out, especially considering I had no idea what I was going to do when I started.

As much as I like wrapping and enjoy giving (and receiving!) pretty packages, sometimes things don't work out that well.  My most disappointing wrapping jobs are the ones where I'm already running late for the birthday party I'm headed to when I realize I still haven't wrapped my gift.  Unfortunately, that happens more often that I'd like for it to.  Then there are also those times where your faced with wrapping an odd shaped gift with no box to put it in (I personally prefer not to use gift bags).  In those instances, like this past weekend when I was wrapping my sister-in-law Erin's birthday gift, you just have to flash your biggest smile and tell the recipient, "Well, I tried."

It did not take her nearly as long to get that tissue paper off as it did for me to get it pieced together and all bundled up like that.

So what about you?  Do you like to wrap?  What's the most creative thing you've used to decorate a gift?

2011 Reading List

I didn't really make any real New Year's Resolution this year, but I did make a reading list.  Actually, People Magazine made it for me. You see, I got a new kindle for Christmas (which I love) and was looking for some new books to download and read.  While on the plane to visit Doc's folks for the holidays, I flipped through People Magazine's last issue for the year.  You know, the one where they sum up everything that happened that year and rank everything on their Best and Worst lists.  Alongside the Best Hair and Worst Dressed was their list of Top Ten Books from 2010.  Just like their movie list, I hadn't even heard of most of the list, let alone actually read any of them.  But I decided right then and there in my aisle seat that "ya know what? I'm going to read all of these books this year."  And that's the closest I got to any kind of resolution.

I've made a little bit of headway on the top ten list, but it's nowhere near complete.  I'm not gonna lie, some of them I dread reading.  But I'm gonna do it, dang it.  Maybe you'd like to read some of these with me?  I will try to come back and update this list as I finish reading each book.

[Everything in blue is straight from People Magazine.  They are not my words.]

Room by Emma Donoghue           It's a ripped-from-the-headlines scenario: Kidnapped and impregnated by her captor, the heroine of this mesmerizing novel must raise her son in a garden-shed prison.  Who could possibly relate?  The way the peerless Donoghue handles it, anyone who's ever loved a child.

Status:  Complete Verdict:  Good, but not great.  I enjoyed reading it even though there are some gross parts.  The story's told by a five-year-old so it was interesting seeing things from his perspective.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot           A poor southern farmer, Lacks died of ovarian cancer in 1951.  Her tumor's unusually hardy cells, harvested for lab use, have helped lead to countless medical advances, yet her descendants remained too poor to buy health insurance.  Skloot's nuanced investigation is an eye-opener.

Status:  Complete Verdict:  A really good read, and educational.  It was like watching a really good documentary.  The book kinda flip-flops between the story of Henrietta's family and their lives now and the scientific research being conducted with her cells.

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen           Impressive and engrossing, Franzen's zeitgeist-capturing tale of love, family, and the search for meaning lived up to the considerable hype. 

Status:  Not Started

Life by Keith Richards           The much-anticipated memoir from rock and roll's Rasputin proved well worth the wait.  "Believe it or not, I remember everything," Richards declares, and so it seems, from the Rolling Stones' beginnings to his drug-fueled heyday (and beefs with Mick) to the lovely women along the way.  But it's his smarts and passion for music that shine most brightly; fan or not, you'll love him by the end. 

Status:  Complete Verdict:  For me, it was torture to get through.  I'm sure any avid Rolling Stones fan would find lots of it entertaining, but I have zero interest in sex, drugs, and rock and roll.  I felt like it was incredibly long and took forever to finish; I'm sure that's just because I wasn't into it.

I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron           At 69, she's just two years older than Keith Richards, but to hear her tell it, Ephron's recall's far worse.  Luckily some synapses are still firing:  The follow-up to I Feel Bad About My Neck includes chapters on her youth and career and drily hilarious musings on the trials of aging.  If we have to grow old (and as they say, consider the alternative) there's no better guide.

Status:  Complete Verdict:  Meh.  Honestly?  I don't know how this ended up on the top ten list.  I didn't think it was that great.  It was about nothing at all and seemed like it could have been written by anyone.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan           Much was made of Egan's experiments with form in this inventive novel (there's an entire section written in PowerPoint).  But it's the characters-record exec Bennie, his assistant Sasha, his childhood friends and the poignancy of their shifting fates that make Goon Squad indelible.

Status:  Complete Verdict:  I was easily hooked from the first chapter, but midway through I lost interest.  I forged on, though, and by the end I was back into.  Each chapter is written from a different character's perspective, and the time periods jump around a lot.  There were a few chapters I coud've done without, mostly because I don't think they added to the story a whole lot.  I won't go into too many details in case anyone wants to read it, I'll just say it wrapped up nicely.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand           She was gathering information for her smash '01 bestseller Seabiscuit when she came across Louis Zamperini in the sports pages.  Intrigued, Hillenbrand made the Olympic runner and WWII prisoner-of-war-camp survivor her next project.  As painstakingly researched and evocative as its predecessor, Unbroken is a triumph. 

Status:  Complete Verdict:  LOVED this book.  I dreaded reading it because I'm not into history/war books, but my mother-in-law recommended it and told me I'd enjoy it, so I dove in.  Oh my gosh, it's so good.  You don't have to be into war stories to appreciate this true story.  Seriously, if you only read one from this list, pick Unbroken.

Just Kids by Patti Smith           Reading rocker Smith's account of her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, it's hard not to believe in fate.  How else to explain the chance encounter that threw them together, allowing both to blossom?  Quirky and spellbinding. 

Status:  Gave up Verdict:  My kindle says I made it through 36% of the book, but I think my mind checked out around the 20% mark.  I could not get into this one at all!  Every sentence was chock-full of capitalized words that I didn't know - I'm assuming artists of all kinds of varieties.  I couldn't follow, or maybe I just didn't care.  Either way, I quit without finishing it which is something I rarely do.  I hate to give up on a book, but this one was torture for me.

Autobiography of Mark Twain, Vol. 1           Open this book to any page, and you'll happen upon a gem.  ("All over the world there seems to be a prejudice against the cab driver...")  Published on the 100th anniversary of Twain's death, as he stipulated, this memoir brings him gloriously alive. 

Status:  Not Started

One Day by David Nicholls           After a one-night hookup, newly minted college grads Emma and Dexter agree to meet on the same date, July 15, every year.  Will they end up together?  Their deliciously witty love story keeps you reading and looking forward to Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess in next year's movie. 

Status:  Complete Verdict:  Took a little while to get into, but then just like that, I was hooked.  I enjoyed it.  It didn't end the way I thought it would, so it was nice to have a little twist.  I think a movie is in the works...should be good.

As an Honorable Mention, People Magazine listed Stieg Larsson's Millennium crime trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest).  I plan on reading these, too.  Fun fact from People Mag:  Last summer (2010) the books from the trilogy were selling one per second in the U.S.  The books have sold 50 million copies worldwide, and a film starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara is in the books. 

So, have you read any on the list?  Which ones are going to be better than expected?  There are definitely a few I'm dreading...

Birthday Loot

Can I be completely materialistic for a minute and just say that I totally RACKED UP on my birthday!  Seriously, birthdays are the best.  Especially mine.  :) Please allow me to show off some of the super cute stuff I got.

First, from my friend Jenny, this cookbook holder.  She brought this same gift to our girls' weekend gift exchange and I was major bummed that I didn't get to take it home with me.  Now I have one of my own!   I especially love how the ball-and-chains hold the pages down for me.

Mary Elizabeth not only reads my blog, but she also reads my mind.  See, when I added the dish towels from Bed Bath and Beyond to my birthday wish list, those weren't the ones I was really looking for on their website.  I saw some dish towels at Allison's house that I thought would go great in my kitchen but they weren't listed online.  Assuming they were no longer available, I added different ones to my wish list.  Well, Mary Elizabeth ended up giving me the ones I was looking for!

Beth, my oldest brother's wife, emailed me way in advance and asked what I'd like for my birthday.  I told her I needed a neck wrap to soothe my aches and pains from sitting at a desk all day.  She came through with this awesome neck wrap and eye mask set that can be both heated or chilled.

I could feel it's healing powers before even taking it out of the package.

Erin, my other brother's wife, knows that baking cupcakes is my thang.  First, she got me the coolest cupcake carrier that has a built-in display stand with it.  I can now take my cupcakes anywhere I want and then pop up the stand and display my mini cakes as soon as I reach my destination.  I am super excited to use the cupcake batter dispenser that came along with it.  I currently use a tablespoon to spoon my batter into the cups - at least 3 spoonfuls per cup - but this hand dispenser is not only going to make this step so much easier, but it's going to make it go much faster too!

Also in my package full o' goodies from Erin was another set of dish towels.  Once again, not the ones on my wish list, but even cuter ones!  I'm starting to think you guys know what I like even more than I do.

At this same party I opened a box full of cute clothes from my mom and dad.  Two cute spring tops, a cardigan, and a summer dress all from Banana Republic.  I love them all and really want to show them off since they're so cute, but I forgot to take a picture.  Whoops!

On my actual birthday, I got to have lunch with some of my girlfriends.  Even though I insisted it was not a birthday party, my sweet friend Kendra still showed up with a present.  She bought me the Ann Taylor Loft shirt from my wish list!  Yay!

On a semi-related note, last weekend I went to the Loft to finally purchase the oh-so-cute yellow skirt to go with the striped shirt above.  They didn't have it in my size at the store so I decided I'd just order it online.  Yesterday I got my coupons out, went to their website, clicked on the yellow skirt, and saw that, due to popular demand, it was no longer available.  NOOOOO!!!  Seriously?  How could this happen?  Major sad face.  (If any of you see it in your local Loft store, snatch it for me!)

Doc's parents sent me two presents in the mail (yay, snail mail!).  I waited until my birthday to open them.  Inside I found a hand-beaded necklace and matching pair of earrings.  Right up my alley!  The pictures Doc took of me opening them are still on my camera, but I just so happen to be wearing the jewelry today so, just so I could show them off, I had  a coworker take a picture of me.  You really can't see the earrings in this picture, but trust me, they're super cute!  (And apparently my blog is cropping off part of the necklace, too.)

In addition to sweet Lollipop, Doc also got me a new pink cover for my iPhone.  The cover is soft and smooth like buttah in my hands.

And, because he is such a sweet husband, he sent me flowers to work.  I love a fresh bouquet at work and especially love his thoughtfulness, but this particular arrangement has made me laugh.  Doc ordered the arrangement through FTD.com.  On their website, you can pick the bouquet you want and then choose the version you'd like delivered:  good, better, or best.  (Obviously the size and price go up depending on which version you order.)  Doc sent me this picture of the arrangement he chose - this is the "better" picture but he ordered the "best" version of it.

A beautiful spring mix, right?  Well, after you make your purchase on FTD.com, they send your order to a local florist so they can prepare the arrangement and have it delivered.  I'm not sure how the florist is chosen, maybe it's just the luck of the draw?  If so, we did not get very lucky.  A florist called Blooming Gardens got Doc's order and by that afternoon, this was on my desk:

 

Hmmm...at least they got the colors right, I guess.  Half the flower stems weren't even in water when I got it because the water was so low.  And the "bow" looks like it might be the end of the roll since it's just tied in a knot and the right side has the creased fold under that rolls of ribbon have at the end.  I think they may have also gotten the size proportions between the vase and the flowers in the original picture backwards.  I hesitated to tell Doc about it but when he asked me if they were pretty, I couldn't lie.  I wanted to make sure he didn't spend more money at this florist in the future.  He was pretty hot when he saw the pictures of it and left a bad review on their site, but in the end, it's the thought that counts and I love that he thought of me.  I, for one, am able to laugh about it and the bouquet does make me smile every time I look at it, so it's serving its purpose.

Thank you, friends and family, for all of my goodies and for making me feel so loved on my birthday!