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Happy Memorial Day!

Take a moment to remember all of our men and women serving for us today.

Remember all those families whose loved ones are not celebrating this holiday by their side,

as well as the veterans who have already given their time.

I hope you're able to spend some good time with your family today!
We're just hanging out, griling out & maybe having pool time.

Brain dump (and I reached 200 posts!)

I finally reached 200 posts! I didn't even notice it.

This is actually my 201st post, not that we're getting technical or anything. ;)

L-R: Allie, Taylor, Olivia

 Me, ready for Allie's graduation -- this shirt is my new favorite!

                 Miss Sara came out of her room and said, "Mama, I got my necklace on and I'm ready to go!" Uhh....not with that necklace, honey!

This past Thursday night, my baby sister graduated high school! Not only did she graduate high school, but it was also her 18th birthday. Because of unpredictable weather conditions, it was held in a neighboring schools gym. It was kind of sad that she didn't get to experience it at her own school, but you have to do what you have to do. Let me just say -- it was HOT and CROWDED and as special as that moment was for her and for us, I am very glad I don't have to do it again for a long time! Well, until next year anyway. ;) It was a little bittersweet for all of us because she is the very last one. *tear*

 Allie May, we are all SOOO proud of you! Keep working hard and before you know it you will have accomplished your dream of being a nurse at UAB. You can do it!

             

               I've already seen this around blogland, but did any of ya'll watch American Idol this week?!     

     HELLO, tan-legged Carrie Underwood! I don't know what kind of tanner/lotion girlfriend is wearing, but I wish MY legs looked like that! I also loved her outfit. It's no secret that I am a die-hard Carrie Underwood fan and have been since the beginning of her days on American Idol. I think I was 19 then and it was the first season I had ever paid attention to. We had bets going at work and she was my pick the whole season. I distinctly remember the finale night and whooping and hollering when they announced her the winner! I loved her whole entire outfit, makes me want to go buy the same exact thing! That said -- I thought Lauren Alaina did great & they had a great performance together. I am soooo happy that my boy Scotty won, but even more happy that he & Lauren seem to have a little thing going on! I'm crossing my fingers that they both make it big, because I'd love to keep hearing them!

In other news, I am slowly getting things together to start working on the house! We've experienced a small delay, so instead of starting on Monday we will be starting next weekend. However, until I am working full-time, what I am able to do will be a sloooow process -- but I'm still looking forward to it! I am slightly nervous to show before pictures because it really IS that bad, but I know that will make the "after" pictures that much better, so I'm going to suck it up & just do it.

Speaking of jobs, I have turned in so many applications but have not had a single bite! It's getting a little discouraging, but I know it takes time. Plan B is if I still don't have a full-time job by the time school starts again, then I will sub with the local school system. I'll be able to keep my current part-time job, and together it won't be so bad. Either way, I'm going back to school and am having the HARDEST time deciding between nursing and teaching. If any of you out there are nurses or teachers -- please feel free to share your pros & cons to each! Maybe it will help me make my decision.

I hope ya'll have a wonderful, long holiday weekend! My family & I will be celebrating by a family cookout, some time in the pool/lake, and lots of walks & play time at the park!

What I'm Playing Thusday (and a quick note!)

1. "Shake It For Me" -- Luke Bryan



2. "Rolling In the Deep" -- Adele

3. "Good Girls" -- Tim McGraw

I hope ya'll are having a great week! I've been busy getting June to her therapy, and I have a little part-time gig for two days a week until I can land a full-time job. I did find some GREAT finds last weekend at the yard sales -- I'll get that post up hopefully this weekend. My sister "stole" my camera & I haven't seen it in 2 weeks, looks like I'm gonna have to "steal" it back. :) I get the keys to my NEW HOUSE on Sunday, and then I will FOR SURE be crazy busy getting everything taken care of! My goal is to have it completely finished by the 4th of July.

I may or may not be crazy.

Out with the old, in with the new

With a divorce comes a lot of new things. A new city, sometimes a new job (in my case, anyway), a new routine, a new NORMAL...and in some cases, a new house.

Well, I'm the lucky one that gets to move. I am going to miss my old house...I picked it out, I spent countless hours decorating it to make it JUST the way I wanted it....but it's time to move on. The place that I am moving in to needs a LOT of work. I went by there yesterday and was a little overwhelmed at just HOW much work it's going to need. But -- it's nothing time, elbow grease, paint & a few other things can't take care of. Thankfully, I have three sisters, their families, and my parents who are more than willing to help.

I wonder if they'll still say that after they've helped to rip up floors, painted seven rooms, and landscaped? ;)

One of the good things about this home is that I can start over. Since we are remodeling 99% of the house....that means I get to pick it ALL out! However, I'm a newly single mom of two small children who is returning to work after being a SAHM for 4 years.

 It goes without saying that it'll HAVE to be done on a serious budget! But that's okay with me.

I loooove bargain hunting -- when I find a good deal for cheap, it makes me so excited!

Here are some ideas I've bookmarked to do when the new floors are in,

walls are painted, house is scrubbed down, etc.

I am in loooove with this simple fabric corkboard. I have plans to pick out great fabric & put it over the dresser in my bedroom -- or maybe in the hall, beside the front door.

I found this pillow tutorial and plan to use it to recover some cheap yard-sale or thrift store pillows to throw around different places.

Those are just a couple of the things I've found the past few days while searching the interwebs to death for cheap decorating ideas. My sisters & I are hitting yard sales and thrift stores in our area this Saturday in search of a lot of things, including but not limited to: pillows to recover, knobs for the kitchen cabinets (I'm picturing some pretty glass ones), curtain rods, cork board, random white plates to make an arrangement on the wall, and most importantly -- I NEED to find a dresser that has LOTS of character so I can paint it and put it in my living room to put the TV on. I'm worried it's going to be a bit hard to find, though. I want it to be sightly taller than a normal dresser, but not as tall as a chest of drawers. Just a tad wider than a chest of drawers, but not as wide as a dresser. LOL.

I can't WAIT to get started next weekend.

 I will definitely be taking before & afters and sharing thoughts & tutorials along the way.

I hope ya'll have a wonderful day! I am off to spend the day with my little sister & my brother-in-law who's turning 20 and 31 today! Happy Birthday Kayla & Kyle -- love ya'll so much!

*Oh CRAP...here comes the waterworks again. I cry at the silliest things since I became a mother!

Sisters and Morals

This is a really bad picture (hello....we're not even looking at the right camera!) but it's the only good one we got from my baby sister's prom this past weekend. L-R is Elizabeth (the oldest), Allie (the youngest), me (the second) and Kayla (the third). I think Allie looks sooo beautiful in her sassy red prom dress! My daddy surprised her with red roses when they were having their dance. I THINK she was the only one who got flowers....my sister Kayla was, too. My daddy loves to give some flowers out! Let me just say I can NOT believe she's graduating HIGH SCHOOL. I have to brag on her for a second. A year and a half ago, I didn't think she would even graduate. She wanted to drop out. Even though my daddy raised us with amazing morals, she got mixed up in the wrong crowd.....and, well -- we know what those will do to a beautiful young woman. Bad company corrupts good morals, you know? But somewhere, somehow, she let God change all those negatives into positives. She brought her grades up to A's, she's going to college, she wants to be a RN, she is just completely changed and....

 I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!

Okay, bragging over. Thanks for the kind comments & messages yesterday. I am so proud of Michael & myself for doing this peacefully so far. You know, life is not always easy. Sometimes it throws you big fat sucky crap, and how you react and deal with it definitely determines what your future will be like. I REFUSE to be one of those mom's who dog their ex-husband in front of their kids, or worse....use their kids as pawns to get what they want. TRASH. That's not me. But I've seen it over and over. So sad!

That said, I am sure I will have many moments where I vent, so I'm apologizing for all of that in advance. If I get to whining too much, just tell me to shut my mouth and remember the blessings. Really, I won't mind. Much.

One more day til the weekend! We can do this!

Because I'm honest.

Because I'm honest, I'm writing this blog. I refuse to sugarcoat anything. I'm probably too blunt sometimes. But that's me, and I don't plan on changing who I am for anybody.

There was a point in my life where I had it all. I had the beautiful home, I was able to stay at home with my baby, I had an amazing marriage -- and a lot of people envied the life I had.

People, I'm here to tell you. Enjoy what you have EVERY SECOND that you have it, because before you know it -- it could disappear. Today, papers were started to dissolve my almost 6 year marriage. This is absolutely heartbreaking. I did not get married with intentions to divorce. But, life happens. I still love him, and I always will. We are going to be able to make this life for our girls a positive one. WE'RE not the ones that matter anymore. THEY are.

I'd like to ask for your thoughts and prayers for us. For the BOTH of us. No man bashing, please. He's a wonderful man. And for the girls. They will definitely need it.