Summer Movie Review: BRAVE

The temperature has been in the 100's here in Birmingham this past week. Not too many summer activities are fun outside when it's that hot! (Except maybe what Hubs and youngest daughter got to do on Thursday.)


Oldest daughter is out of town at a basketball clinic, so Hubs and youngest daughter decided to go see the new Disney movie, BRAVE.


Now, I don't usually watch commercials, because most everything I watch has been recorded and I fast-forward through the commercials. Surprisingly, I had seen a preview for Brave and thought it would be cute. Youngest daughter is a ginger (red-head) and part Irish, so I think that's why she related to the main character, Merida. (Or it coulda been Merida's fiesty attitude!) 

See a resemblance? ;)


In the movie, Merida defies her parents and the tradition of marriage and searches for a way to change her fate. When a witch gives her a spell, she encounters more changes than she bargained for.


It's a great movie for young and old, especially moms with daughters.


Have you seen the trailer yet? Check it out here and leave me a comment on it or the movie.

Stay cool!

It's Okay Thursday #4

Linking up with Neely (from A Complete Waste of Makeup) and Amber (from Brunch With Amber) forIt's Ok Thursdays!

It's Ok...

-that while I'm at work today, Hubs and youngest daughter will be at the lake in our new boat for a wakeboarding clinic by this lady, 

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pro wakeboarder Cathy Williams.

-to keep 6-7 tabs open in Internet Explorer or Google Chrome at once

-to not know where horseradish comes from

-to be counting down the days to the concert I'm going to next month: Journey, Pat Benetar, and Loverboy!! 

-to want an iPhone only for Instagram

-to be excited about going home from work at noon today because there's no air conditioning in our building

-to be annoyed by the loud sound of fans blowing hot air in my office

-to eat only fresh guacamole and chips for lunch

What's okay with you?

Title IX and Women's Anthem

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Title IX. For me personally, my story is similar to how Kerri sums it up in her blog post... Title IX is something that just was.


I was taught to always remember the women and girls who went before me, the ones who fought to create a place in the world where women would have equal opportunities, and I was taught to continue the fight especially now that I have daughters.


Although Title IX applies to every aspect of federally funded education programs, I'm most familiar with it's impact in women's athletics.  

Even though my mother tried to talk me out of playing sports, athletics is what paid for my undergraduate college education (and where I learned leadership, life lessons, teamwork, persistence, loyalty, and more!). Without Title IX, there may not have been an opportunity like that for me.


I realize it's still not all equal. I want the message to be loud and clear to my daughters that they can be and do anything they want and they're not limited by their gender. 


Check out this video Nike created called Women's Anthem. 

It. is. awesome.

What does Title IX mean to you (and/or your daughters)? 

I would love for you to tweet this blog post and share this video with others! 
And I made it easy! Just copy this message and paste as your tweet: 
Happy 40th anniversary #TitleIX. Without it, many girls wouldn't be where they are today! http://bit.ly/N3xBPc

You can read more stories HERE and also get involved.

Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently

I think that being a mom (especially a working one) is a rewarding, scary, stressful, fulfilling, daunting, wonderful, overwhelming responsibility. I also think that for me to be the best mom I can be, I need to be the best person I can be. By best I mean happiest and most successful.

I recently read a book by Marcus Buckingham called Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently.

In it, he asks readers to take the Strong Life Test at StrongLifeTest.com, where it will measure the answers against nine life roles and indicate to a reader/test-taker what her Lead Role and Supporting Role are.

I took the test, and as no surprise my leading role was TEACHER. Here’s what the test said about that role:


TEACHER
You begin by asking:
‘What can she learn from this?’


Your best quality:
Your faith in the others’ potential


Your smartest career move:
Any job where you’re paid to facilitate the success of others.


My supporting role turned out to be ADVISOR. Here’s what it said about that role…


ADVISOR
You begin by asking:
‘What is the best thing to do?’


Your best quality:
Your ability to find a solution


Your smartest career move:
Any job where you’re paid to be opinionated


Wow! Right on target! And, this is stuff I’ve always known. Some of my unhappiest days were in my past when I was in a position where my employer at that time wanted me to be a different person… to be more of a “Caretaker” or “Weaver” by Buckingham’s test. I actually thought that my personality was flawed. The pressure was on me to try to be like someone else. 


As most of you know, I have two daughters. Their personalities are very different, and I don’t try to change them. I appreciate their differences and try to build up their strengths rather than try to change them to conform to my own desires or to be like each other. That's because I want them to have their happiest and most successful life, too.

What about you? Are you currently in the role that is best suited for you in order to bring strength and satisfaction to you? Try taking the test at StrongLifeTest.com and find out more. 

During the 17 years that he spent at the Gallup Organization, Buckingham extensively researched the nation’s best leaders, managers, and work places. He has written four bestselling books, First, Break All the Rules , Now, Discover Your Strengths, The One Thing You Need to Know and Go Put Your Strengths to Work. Find out more at MarcusBuckingham.com.

What color should I paint my coffee table?

I need your help with a painting dilemma! 

My mom gave me a great coffee table, but it needs a paint job.  (Yes, she actually gave me her blessings on painting it!)


I told you my house is light brown, dark brown, beige and neutral... {all except my beautiful entry way with the board and batten treatment.}


Here's the table:

I love the heavy iron base, but the BROWN top is too much in my already-brown house. 


Question is..


What color should I paint the top???

I'm in love with this blue I saw over at Thrifty Decor Chick...

Here's a white coffee table. 

(I wouldn't paint the iron legs, though. Just the top.)

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Ombre is hot right now. These cool beachy colors might look good on my coffee table.

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Here's the "Before" again...

Can you help me get to the "After"????  

Leave me a comment with your favorite.

Meeting Mary Kay Andrews

If you've been reading my posts for a while, you know that I'm a huge Mary Kay Andrews fan. 

I've read every one of MKA's books. The first one I read was The Fixer Upper.

I really don't even know how I stumbled onto this book... but I was hooked.

My favorite book by MKA is Little Bitty Lies. 

I just re-read it again this summer and couldn't put it down!

Most recently (like, June 5th), she released Spring Fever. It's a love story, full of family secrets and scandal, and it's set in the South. Perfect!

I found out in May that MKA would be in town for a book signing this summer {today, June 19th}. I put it on my calendar immediately! I've never been to a book signing before, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  


The Alabama Booksmith was the host, and boy was it the perfect setting for her visit. 


I wasn't sure what to expect walking up...

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But when I got inside, it was so charming....

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{I was so excited to see MKA, I forgot to snap pictures of the store myself!}

Mary Kay was so sweet... you'd think she was an old friend of everyone she met. 

She just signed and signed...

And of course I had my picture snapped with her!

And, yes, I only have in one earring! Hahaha! Mary Kay is the one who noticed. I had been on my cell phone just before coming in, and those big red earrings clank against my cell phone. Oh well!

I also forgot to challenge her to a game of Boggle! It's one of my favorite games and I'm the champ at my house.... I bet MKA would be good competition! (Just let me know when you're ready, MK!)

My friend Susan is a huge MKA fan, too. She's out of town and couldn't go with me. I can't wait for her to get back in town. I've got a surprise for her. Shhhhh!

DIY Chalkboard Mirror. Finally!

I finally made a DIY Chalkboard Mirror! 

I've been seeing these all over blogland, and I really wanted one for my house. I never really found the mirror I wanted to transform until last weekend! My parents were having a huge garage sale, and I think I went home with more items than I took there to sell. 

One of the things I brought home was this beauty:

I don't know what it was....  it just spoke to me!

So... I loaded it up and brought it home. My mom has a thing about painting wood, so I wasn't sure what she would think about my painting a mirror. She was all for it! (I think she was just glad to get rid of this thing. I actually don't ever recall seeing this hanging anywhere in my parents' house.)

The first order of business in the transformation was removing the back. I simply took out the screws, popped out the staples and removed the back. (I removed the staples, too, so that I could re-staple the back on when I finished.)

I've read a ton of tutorials, and some say to use primer and some say you don't have to. This is such a large mirror, I didn't want to have to re-do it, so I used the primer. I used Rustoleum brand primer and paint. Isn't that stuff the best?!

I don't have any fancy setup -- I just put the mirror on old beach towels in my backyard and sprayed. I used 1 coat of primer and 4 coats of the chalkboard paint. It turned out great!

For the frame, I used 2 cans of flat white paint and 1 can of white gloss! (I had the flat on hand, I never use it, so I decided to use it kind of like a "primer.")

Notice the yellow in the middle of the box? I had been spray painting candlesticks so that I could make a tiered stand. I found out that I am not a good candlestick painter. 

I let the two pieces dry overnight, then reassembled. 

I'm trying to add white accessories to my home {right now it's light brown, dark brown, beige, and neutral} and I am loving this mirror!!

Here's a shot of it with my $5 lobster pillows I found at my new favorite consignment shop. Aren't they cute?

I'm excited, too, about being able to change the message on the chalkboard. I'm hoping that one day I can have a countdown to an exotic location written on there!! 

I would love to hear what you think of my new chalkboard!

I'm sharing here:

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The Easiest {and Yummiest} 4-Ingredient Artichoke Dip Recipe

Yesterday, I got together with a few friends from high school to chat and catch up. I call them my "summer buddies" because that is when we usually get to visit with each other due to the busy-ness of school, work, kids' extra-curricular activities, etc.


It was all very laid-back and comfortable... perfect for a summer afternoon/evening in Alabama. {Thank you, Susan, for hosting!} I'm already looking forward to our next get-together!


I took my 4-Ingredient Artichoke Dip to the shindig. It's always a hit, and was yesterday, too. My sister gave me the recipe years ago, so I don't know who to credit (she got it from a friend who got it form an aunt. It's one of those recipes....) I had to share it with you - it's so easy, it's perfect for a summer afternoon get-together, family reunion (make a double recipe), game night with friends... just about any occasion!


It's not low-fat, but we don't eat it very often. It's an indulgence I feel I can make. I serve it with Triscuits... that I learned from Lisa over at 100 Days of Real Food are a "real food" (only 3 ingredients.)

Not my picture, but this is about what it will look like. Yum!      Image Source

The Easiest {and Yummiest} 4-Ingredient Artichoke Dip

• 1 C Mayonnaise
• 1-1/2 C Parmesan cheese
• 1 6oz jar marinated artichoke hearts (drained and chopped. I usually stick my knife in the jar to "chop")
• 1 7 oz can green chiles

Mix all of the ingredients together and spoon into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve with crackers, chips, baguettes, pita chips, etc.

Do you have an artichoke dip recipe to share or other ingredients you add? Let me know in the comments. 

Enjoy!

I'm sharing at

I'm a Winner! True Story!!

I'm sooooo excited!!

Here's how it started today...

Then I saw this...

I'm in loooove with Wholly Guacamole products! I found Grishma's blog when I saw this on Pinterest:

Isn't that a great looking Mexican dip?!?!

When I checked out her blog to get the recipe for the yummy looking dip, she was hosting a Wholly giveaway... so... I thought I would give it a shot, even though I've entered other giveaway on various blogs and never won.

Now I've won 3 coupons for Wholly products! I can't wait to try her dip recipe.

Once I'm finished with my 10 days of no sugar, I think I'll try her

No-Bake Chocolate Pudding!

Yum!

Thank you Grishma for a wonderful blog and giveaway!

You've made my Monday!!