facelift

First of all, I'm not sure if "facelift" is supposed to be one word or two. A quick Google search reveals that both seem to be acceptable. (Nerd alert that I even took the time to look it up!) I'm going with one word, though, because it's more efficient and, well, it just looks right. I promise I'll explain grammar and vocab better to my 9th graders in a few weeks.

Anywho, procrastination often breeds creativity, which lead me to give my blog a little facelift over the weekend. It used to have a more of a subtle brown motif--very simple and kind of antique looking. Nothing wrong with it, but it left something to be desired. So, out with the old and in with color, background, and interest.

I'm no graphic designer or layout extraordinaire, but I like it.

And I hope you do too.

I hope you like it so much that your face is pulled taut in a permasmile like Joan Rivers' (sorry Joan).

It's been a while...

since I got my hair cut. 

Like four months.

And it was a bad cut with a stray middle layer
that I was too lazy to go back and have corrected.

My new hairdresser pointed out how bad it was.

Oops. 

But today--today--I got a GREAT cut from this place that my sister-in-law recommended.

Short hair cuts start at $30 and long at $40
including wash, dry, style, and tip. 

Whadaya think?

Pardon the photo booth lighting.

It's also been a while...

since I last dusted my blinds.

To tell the truth, I'm pretty sure I've never dusted any blinds 

in any house I've ever lived in.

Quite a confession.

To my credit, I've only been in this house for a month

but

I'm pretty sure the people who lived here for 3 years before we got here 

didn't dust either. 

Shame on them.

So I went to trusty Bed, Bath, and Beyond today and bought an Oxo duster.

The best part? It goes in the wash.

Good thing, too, because halfway through dusting my blinds, 

it needed to go in the wash.

1.5 hours and lots of coughing later (I'm not exaggerating): 

my blinds pass the finger-swiping test.

I'm hoping it'll never be that bad again.

I've seen the error of my ways and will, from now on, be a duster of blinds!

Mine's not quite so crispy-white now.

And it's been a while...

since I've been hit on by a creepy guy.

I guess it's only been about a month. Remember this?

But today it was a face-to-face person.

In Bed, Bath, and Beyond. 

I was standing there looking through a 21-page wedding registry 

trying to decide what to purchase.

He was the third person to ask if I needed help. 

He stared a little too long.

And was a little TOO helpful.

And smiled a little too much.

Despite my clear please-go-away signals, he lurked. 

So I said thank you and walked away.

Then he walked up to my friend and I a few minutes later.

His words:

 "I just want to let you ladies know that you are very beautiful women." 

Insert fake smile and polite thank you as he walked away

followed by eye rolling and the word "creeper" coming out of my mouth.

Mean, I know. Really mean.

But seriously.

If he was that desperate, he should know to look for a rock on my left hand.

Maybe I should have been flattered, but I was just kind of creeped out.

Happy Wednesday to me!

Mel

I'm terrible at remembering friends' birthdays. Really terrible. So terrible, in fact, that I spent an hour with my friend Melissa today before I realized it was her birthday (and only then because someone else wished her a happy birthday)!

Anyway, in honor of Melissa's life, I want to give her a blog-toast. Clink!

I like to give my friends nicknames, and anyone who's my friend knows that. Melissa (lucky girl) was dubbed "Mel" early on in our friendship, and whether or not she likes it, it pretty much stuck. So, here are a few things about Mel that I admire/am fascinated by/am blown away by/am intrigued by (in no particular order):

• She is one of the most intentional people I know. For example, she decided that instead of getting a set of china, she'd like to have a piece from all her friends' sets to make a mis-matched collection that will remind her of the people she loves every time she uses them. She and her husband also only have art on their walls from people they know so that their house is full of unique talents applied & shared instead of generic pieces. Those are the kinds of things I love but would never think of. 
• She's creative. In addition to being a great writer (check out her blog!) and seamstress, she just comes up with unique ideas all the time. She's always working on interesting projects like this one to organize her jewelry. 
• She's confident. Not cocky, just sure of herself, of what she believes, of what she prefers. I like that.
• She reads. A lot. I'm not just talking classics, here, although she reads lots of those too. She reads everything. Harry Potter, British poetry, children's books, Jane Austin, Twilight, cookbooks, magazines, modern novels. You name it. One of my favorite questions to ask her is "What are you reading?" because I can't wait to hear the excitement in her voice when she tells me about the books.
• She's a great wife and mom. 'Nough said.
• She asks good questions. Mel always seems to know how to ask good questions--questions that will get people talking, questions that will get people thinking, questions that communicate that she cares.
• She runs...and likes it. Ever since middle school when the track coach tried to recruit me for the track team, I knew that I did not enjoy running. For practicality's sake, I do run (occasionally), but I really don't enjoy it (although a little "Soulja Boy" does give me a nice distracting beat). So, basically, I'm amazed by anyone who actually likes to run, which means Mel's love for running = an awe factor for me.
• She's thoughtful. She's the kind of person who makes chocolate chip cookies every time we go over for dinner because she knows they're my favorite. She's the kind of person who does remember friends' birthdays. The kind of person who opens her home, buys random gifts, and texts because she thinks of you. I'm grateful to know that kind of friend.
• She loves Jesus. And not just in a I-go-to-church way, but in a real God-in-the-grit-of-life way. She loves Jesus in a way that makes me know Him better.

So Mel, here's to you on your birthday! May you nap often, read much, and eat well! Cheers!

Ice Cold B's, Hot D's, and Base B

Confused by the title? Read this and take a gander at the picture I've included and you should be able to put it together.

America is tuning in to its favorite pastime tonight with the All-Star game, so Phil suggested a traditional baseball meal: hotdogs and beer (with a few extras thrown in). To his credit, he also suggested the title of this post.

After a week of working 13-hour days and us adjusting to extremely limited time together, Phil got off unexpectedly early today (only an 11-hour day!), so we were able to slow down a bit and enjoy some relaxing time together. Nothing like baseball and watermelon on a summer night. Can I get an AMEN?

I have to admit, though, that it feels funny posting about something so whimsical when others in my life are going through much more serious and difficult events. I have a friend whose van was hit by lightning the other day (and she and her kids lived to tell about it), another friend who's spent the last three days at the hospital with her four-week-old, and two new friends who just moved to Birmingham from far away and know almost no one. So, by posting about baseball and beer, I don't mean to be insensitive to those in darker, more complicated places.

I've been there too.

But I'm learning that it's good to record the whimsy too. Good to remember that all days are not dark days, that sometimes light breaks through and the burden eases and simple pleasures like hotdogs and baseball still exist.