What a character

I looked through some old pictures of my daughter, trying to decide how much I think my children resemble each other, and I found this:

This was her response to a cat at my sister-in-law's home on her first birthday. Pretty sure she'd never seen one before.
She's so goofy. She's always making funny faces. Bauer is more serious. His looks are "cute" and "smug." Like when he thought he was getting to come downstairs while his sister had to go to bed. He had this smug look on his face that he's been perfecting since about 6mo old. Well, psyche, he had to go to bed too. Haha. He also has a pissed-off-throaty-yelling face. ;)

Honored

Over the weekend, Kish from Me, Myself & Style bestowed me with a Best Blog Award! How exciting! My first blog related award!

I've just started following more blogs, so I only have a few that I'm pretty familiar with and would like to pass the award along to:
Of course, Me, Myself & Style, I love her cute sense of humor and stories from the future of raising a boy!
Autism is a Trip: I've known this mama for a long time and her perspective is almost guaranteed to make you tear up or fall out laughing.
A Bowl Full of Lemons: I like the inspiration to be more organized, as well as her decorating style because it's different from my own and gives me ideas!
Blacktating: for encouraging women of color to breastfeed and spreading breastfeeding news.
Bluebird Vintage: the What We Wore posts with her entire family dressed in adorable, unique items are just awesome.
Kendie Everyday: inventor of the 30x30 challenge and have-er of a delightful sense of humor.
La Vie Petite: this tiny stylish lady actually went to high school with me, and even being in the same class, I didn't really know her! I just stumbled upon her blog through another one (i seem to have an affinity for Mormon fashion blogs, despite not being Mormon or even particularly modest!) that I follow and I've enjoyed seeing all her sewing prowess and how she deals with the opposite issue from me (shortie versus jolly giant LOL)
Notes She Wrote: I just started following this blog, but I love the concept of sisters all contributing to a blog. 4x the cuteness!
Your's, Mine & Ours: Meredith is just adorable and inspires me to embrace my inner cheapskate (and that's a compliment, I swear!).

Seven Random Facts about me:
1) I was born in Alaska.
2) I knew I would marry Damon when I met him. Psychic and cheesy!
3) At 5'11" I'm still shorter than both my parents.
4) My little sister is even shorter than I, but has bigger feet (ha, ha, cruel universe!).
5) I worked at a box and shook factory for 3-1/2yrs. That's pretty random.
6) I procrastinated on (chickened out of) going to South Africa to model. Lame.
7) I have freckles (I don't think you can tell from my poor quality blog pics, can you?)

Favorite song:
Salt Shaker. That was my jam for the longest. And I'll still break it down if it comes on in the club LOL

Favorite dessert:
Black and Tan from Leatherby's Family Creamery. And pecan pralines. And really any baked good made with plenty of real butter.

What is pissing you off right now:
My daughter's bedtime shenanigans.

When you are upset you:
Get snappy and f-wordy.

Favorite pet:
I had a siamese-mix cat named Angel who was a real character. Most notably he was OCD about cleanliness. he cleaned up around the food bowl. Cleaned up our other kitties' litter mishaps. Did NOT let me go to bed with makeup on.
I also had a white miniature schnauzer who was very protective of me. Unfortunately, he growled at my little brother and sister if they approached me while I was petting him, and eventually bit my little sister in the face when he thought she was trying to get her food. He was adopted by a single, childless woman and felt less threatened there.

Black or White?
Black

Biggest Fear:
Losing a child (any loved one really, but especially one of my children)

Best Feature:
Physically, nose or collar bone. Those are the two that I've never had issues with in my lifetime!

Everyday Attitude:
Optimistic Cynic (I hope for the best, but generally expect the worst)

What is perfection?
My daughter's smile. I'm biased, obviously, but omg, it can really challenge me to be upset with her.

Guilty pleasure?
Okay, this is really gross, but if I don't have any "real" dessert in my house, I've been known to just cream some butter, brown sugar and vanilla together and just eat it. It's really delicious. I think my husband laughing disdainfully at me as I indulge makes it even better.

So, according to the rules, the blogs I mentioned should play along and award 15 more and answer the same questions. But I can't make you (or can I?). And I didn't even really follow the rules since I didn't have 15 blogs, if you wanna make excuses... LOL

DIY Tray Table Makeover

I've finally finished something that I can link up to @ A Bowl Full of Lemons!

We had these rather awful tv tray-tables that my husband just refused to let me donate/throw away. So, I asked if I could paint them. He said yes!
All I did was spray paint them with primer, then the bold burnt orange color I'd chosen, and finally with hi-gloss lacquer. They aren't as perfect looking as I'd imagined, but still soooo much improved.

Old table

After a coat of color

Final result
{next project; new throw pillow covers. I'm tired of that print.}

Falsies

I recently read in a magazine about a woman's mascara-free beauty routine. She simply put falsies on every day. I thought, great idea!! But really, not so great. I tried it, and even after a week of practicing application, I still find it way easier (read: time efficient) to just put mascara on and wash it off at the end of the day. So for me, false lashes will remain for special occasions only.
I know it's really lame that there's no pictoral evidence of this blunder, but this experiment occurred during that dark, shudder-upon-remembering, time that I did not have a functioning camera. Sorry.

Envy

While searching out inspiration for my Pinterest, I kept coming across editorials featuring Arlenis Sosa, a Dominican model. She really makes me wish for browner skin and thicker brows :D
That is all.

Happiness is

We were in the bay area last weekend for a wedding and the spirit of the weekend and the beautiful weather had me reflecting on just how blessed and happy I am.
Happiness is

my daughter wearing my earrings
Happiness is

trying to force my children to be still long enough for a snapshot in the pretty dining room of my long-time coworker and friend after hours of chatting and merriment. Yes, I said merriment.

I'm overwhelmed with gratitude.

The other bib

I'm really into the bib necklaces these days. I like being weighed down with jewelery!
So while I was snapping a bib on the bub so that he wouldn't ruin his clothing while demolishing his red velvet birthday cupcake, I was donning a bib necklace :D

Necklace $12 and vest $16, NY&Co
Top $13 and pant $18, Target
Belt $4, F21
Shoes $45, Aldo
($108)

Belt placement caused some unfortunate flair of the top (or maybe it was my cupcake??), but I'm not expecting LOL