Childhood Memories

Got an awesome blast from the past today when I went to clean my closet out. One of my friends told me she was taking some of her old clothes to donate, so I thought, "Hmm, I bet I have a bunch of junk I could get rid of..." Plus with my dad moving in about a month, it certainly wouldn't hurt to get unneeded things out. And so it began...

I made an absolute mess of my room trying to organize things into stuff to keep, stuff to throw away, and stuff to donate. But it was a pretty fun process! And I ended up finding some wonderful gems from my childhood, like:

Banana bear!

Beanie Babies!

Underwear wallet!! (Hahaha I used to love this!)

Teeny tiny barrel of monkeys!

The iBrick! (world's oldest iPod hahah) I actually used that thing!

And my beary best friends from elementary school! Haha, this brings back so many memories.  I used to take Aqua everywhere with me! My friends and I would play with these little guys all the time. So glad I found them!

And I ended up with a HUGE pile of stuff to give away.

More than three garbage bags filled with clothes, shoes, toys, and more. My room seems a lot less cluttered and it'll definitely make my dad's move easier. And it's just nice knowing that all this stuff is going to someone who actually needs it rather than sitting in my closet collecting dust. Feelin' pretty good!

And yesterday was a good day, too! I spent most of the day with some high school friends. We baked cookies and watched the Olympics and just spent some time catching up because it's been so long since we've all seen each other!  This is the recipe for the cookies we made. We wanted something simple, and they said they were the best, so we had to try them haha! And I don't know about the best but they were really good!

They were so gooey and sweet. Even this morning they were still nice and soft! We accidentally got dark chocolate chips though, which aren't my favorite, but they were still good! And it was a very easy recipe. Definitely will try them again! Maybe with M&Ms or butterscotch chips instead! Mmm

Now it's time for some supper and then getting together with the girls again for some more Olympic fun! Have a good night, everyone!

- Jamie

Sweet Home Chicago

I made it! 4 days and 630 miles later, I'm finally back in the burbs. It was a nice drive; I like road trips. But the best part of the journey up here was being able to visit my loving boyfriend for a bit before making my way home.

Patrick is the absolute best. We've been together now for almost two years, and every single day with him has been amazing. He's so wonderful and so much fun to be around. And he's a farmer! Which makes visits to his house super exciting haha and of course BEAUTIFUL!

Yeah, don't try and tell me you don't wish this was your backyard haha! It's so pretty and there's so much to do! Quad riding, fishing, shooting, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun! Here's some pictures from our weekend:

And Patrick's going to be embarrassed when he finds out I'm saying this, but I out-shot him so good! I guess I'm just a natural hahah. No, but I did learn from the best!

And then we took a ride on the quad and he showed me this 10-foot high corn! It was so tall! I guess that's what happens when you don't plant anything there for 15 years; you get super-soil capable of growing ginormous crops haha.

And Patrick found this old chair for only 99 cents at a thrift store and we are working on refurbishing it for me to use as a desk chair for my new apartment! Before and after pictures will come later when it's totally finished, but this photo taken from the work in progress:

Haha, I didn't want to get any of the paint on my clothes, so I borrowed old flannel to create a faux-apron. The chair's looking so good, I can't wait to see it back at school when it's all done! And Patrick and I really enjoy fixing it up, so perhaps more of these projects to come!

And on our last night together, Patrick, Nickolas, and I went to this dirt race track in Kentucky. I really wasn't sure what to expect and didn't know if I'd like it, but we ended up having a lot of fun! There was dirt flying everywhere; you had to wear sunglasses even after it got dark just to keep it from getting in your eyes! Haha. Nickolas knew some of the drivers from work, so that was pretty cool. One of his old managers actually won $5000! And there was an 11-year old driving! I don't know how they get away with that- he could barely see over the wheel! And of course people-watching was good at a place like this haha. Oh, we had a good time.

One of the greatest things about having Patrick as a boyfriend is having his twin brother as one of my best friends. Nickolas is fun, funny, and easy to talk to. It was just as much fun being able to spend time with him this weekend as it was with Patrick! Their whole family is great - I always feel welcome when I stay with them. And their mom makes some of the best food I've ever had! It was sad to leave this morning, though I am happy to finally be back in Chicago. I can't wait to see all my friends! But first thing's first- I need a nap haha. Can't wait to crawl into my old twin sized bed and catch up on some sleep!

Lots of love from chi-city!
- Jamie

Bittersweet goodbyes

It's hard to believe these three months went by so fast! And although I am more than excited to go spend some time with Patrick and see all my friends from home, saying goodbye is always difficult. I have had such a great summer. Being able to spend this time with my mom, my step-sisters and Gregg has been amazing. Getting some OT experience has been a lot of fun, and I learned a lot more than I thought I would from it. And working at Pier 1 here has allowed me to meet some truly wonderful people.  It was my last day there today.  I walked into the back to get my apron, and I saw this lovely surprise waiting for me on the breakroom table:

This was so unexpected and soo sweet! That wrapped up thing in the corner is a candle that one of my coworkers made for me! It was so thoughtful! And she knew that I loved vanilla and the color pink, so it was just perfect! So many of these girls have given me their phone numbers and emails to keep in touch. I've just never felt this much love from any of my coworkers anywhere! I am really going to miss them. If everything works out, though, I really plan to go back, so I hope it's not goodbye forever!

And as if that wasn't enough, I came home to find this sitting on the kitchen table:

A cute goodbye cake from my mom and Gregg. Really too nice! I'm tellin' you, I am feeling the love hahah! I've really enjoyed staying with them. It's definitely hard for all of us to say goodbye! It's rough going to school so far away because visits are inconvenient. I imagine the next time I come down won't be until around Christmas. Again, it's just sad.

I'm going to miss the South in general. Everyone is so friendly down here, the weather has been nice for the most part, and it's really just beautiful!

And I am going to miss passing ponies on my way to work! And the low gas prices! And Cheerwine and Moon Pies! And the pool! The list could go on and on haha. But as much as I am going to miss everything and everyone down here, I'm still super psyched to go spend some time with my friends and loved ones up North! And before I know it I'll be back at school, and I'm excited for that too!

If all goes well (meaning if weather permits), I'll be making the trip up to Patrick tomorrow! I can't wait to see him and his family! I love staying with them on their farm. It is beautiful! I will have to take some pictures to share. But for now I should be getting to bed so I can be well-rested for the big drive tomorrow!

Lots of love!
- Jamie

Be thankful

I just got a text from one of my best friends telling me that she got into a car accident on the highway on her way back from Colorado. A semi-truck's tire blew out and hit her car. She says the entire front and underpart is damaged. I have yet to actually hear the whole story because she has been talking with the police about it, but I am just so thankful that she and her mom are okay. I am thankful that the tire didn't hit just a little bit higher and go through the windshield. Yes, it's terrible that her car is wrecked, but cars can be repaired or replaced. You only get so many best friends. Be thankful for them. Be thankful for everything you have because you never know how fast it can all slip away.

Wacky Weekend

I had quite a wild Friday night to celebrate the completion of the GRE. You know, partying until the sun came up and everything. The usual.
...
HA.
What really happened is so unexciting it's almost a little embarrassing. I actually ended up spending way too long on Taaz.com giving myself a personal makeover and trying out all kinds of funky hairstyles:

Hahahah tell me I'm not rocking those bangs! I found this website on Pinterest and couldn't stop playing! You can give yourself almost any celebrity's hairdo (even Lady Gaga!) and do your makeup however you want. Haha, seriously, go try it.

Then Macy and Leia came, as they do every Friday night, and we watched High School Musical (and although I wasn't the one who suggested it, I will admit it is one of my guilty pleasures). But we actually didn't even watch the whole thing. Macy got bored and put on Hannah Montana. I've never seen the show before, but it really wasn't as terrible as I had anticipated...Hahaha, I can feel everyone's judging eyes. I'm just going to stop talking. Here's pictures of the step-sissies instead:

Leia looking adorable as always and Macy reppin' her "I'm too cool" attitude...pretty typical haha.

I ended up going to bed early last night because I had a work meeting at 7 AM this morning. That went well. It was nice to see everyone together one last time before I have to say goodbye to store #0412 :'(

After the meeting I came home, took a little nap, and started packing up my things. I can't believe I'll be leaving here in just a few days! It seems so unreal, like summer just started and I was just unpacking! It's crazy how time flies...But I guess I managed to find enough time to go shopping while I was here because it seems like I'm heading back with a lot more than I came down with! I don't know how I'm going to fit everything in my little bug! (And I already filled my boyfriend's truck with my stuff hahah.) Oh well, I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it!

The weather was so nice today, I took a break from packing and spent some time reading out in the sun. I would've liked to have gone swimming, but the storms brought so much debris into the pool, it looked too nasty to get in (of course that didn't stop Macy and Leia though haha).

It was really nice, though, because it was (I think) the first and only Saturday my mom and I both had off this whole summer, so the whole family was home. We were all just relaxing outside and having fun together; It was a wonderful day.

I think my favorite part, though, was when we were eating some chips and salsa, and Macy went to get some more salsa, and on her way back she accidentally dropped the bowl and it broke and made a big mess on the floor

Macy just froze and said "...I'm going to go upstairs to cry now" and walked away hahaha. It was so cute and funny. My mom and I just laughed. She came back, though, and everything was fine. She felt so bad, but once it got cleaned up she was all smiles!

Now it's storming AGAIN, so I'm just gonna get in my PJs and crawl into bed with some stuffed animals and a good movie. I lead such an exciting life, I know. Hahaha.

Good night, all!
- Jamie

Sure glad that's over!

Operation GRE: COMPLETE.

And I can't believe I survived it. This morning I was feeling absolutely terrible! I actually thought I was going to throw up! Looking back on it, I think it was just nerves, but you really can never tell with me. (My tummy issues are another story entirely). So I stopped at Walmart on my way to the test to get some Pepto, and by the time I got to the actual testing center I was feeling pretty okay.

But oh my gosh, just getting into the place was a process. There are SO MANY rules for taking this thing! I felt like I was going to jail or something! They made me take off my sweatshirt and my watch, spit out my gum, and turn my pockets inside out before they would even let me in the room! They take your picture before you go in and they video you the entire time. It was weird. Future GRE-takers, be warned. For me it was especially troublesome because they wouldn't let me take my water bottle in, and I take my water bottle everywhere! I feel naked without it! And a lot of times, especially during exams, when I get nervous my throat will get real dry and sometimes even feel like it's closing up, and I need water! So it was a little scary not having it. Alas, I survived.

The first section (writing) went well. I actually enjoyed the prompts and didn't have trouble coming up with things to write about. Then there was a quantitative section, which went fine, and then the dreaded verbal. I don't know what was going on, because this has never happened to me during any of the practice tests, but I felt rushed! I guess I just couldn't focus enough so reading the passages took me longer than it should have, but I glanced at the time I had left, and I felt like I had to hurry to get done! Then I was paying more attention to the clock than the actual test, so that section did not go well, at all.  Fortunately after that it was break time, so I walked around a little, got a drink, and was ready to go for the rest of the test. There were two more quantitative sections and a verbal, all of which went pretty well.  I guess they have one section that's ungraded for research purposes or something. I was just glad it was math and no more reading/vocab guessing haha.

Then, the scariest part, is that they give you your scores right away, and you have to decide right then if you want to send them to grad schools for free or wait and pay to have them sent. I wasn't happy with my verbal score (like I said, I choked during that first section), but I decided to have them sent anyway. I really didn't want to have to retake it. Plus, I got a 158 on the math, so I thought that was pretty good, at least.

I drove home crying, thinking I did horribly and that my studying all summer didn't even pay off, but I decided to call Milligan (my dream school) and ask them what kind of scores they were looking for. The admissions director for the OT program is so so nice (I've talked to her before) and she asked me what I got, so I told her, and she said "Oh, honey! Don't retake it! Take a deep breath, you should be celebrating your good scores!" Apparently, she thinks I'm qualified! I hope everything works out!

Milligan is actually the only school I'm applying to that requires the GRE, which I think is very strange, but I'll take it haha. My other schools (at least as of right now) are IUPUI, University of Indianapolis, and Saint Louis University. I actually didn't know that IUPUI didn't require the GRE until today so I ended up sending my scores there anyway haha. I hope that doesn't end up hurting me!

I am honestly just glad this is over. I've been stressing about it for so long. Now, I feel like I can finally enjoy my summer (good thing there's a whole 3 weeks left! hahaha). So that's what I'm going to do: get some peach iced tea and a book, sit by the pool, and just RELAX!

Hope everyone is having a great day!
- Jamie

Where has the time gone??

Summer seemed almost never-ending until about a week ago when the days started flying by. I can't believe tomorrow is the GRE! I am nervous out of my mind. I have this habit of gnawing away the inside of my mouth/lower lip when I'm anxious. I guess you could call it a nervous tic. I guess I've been chewing on it more than a lot because it feels horribly rough. I can't wait to get this thing over with!

I had the day off of work so I spent most of my time reviewing vocabulary words and skimming over my prep book for anything I may have missed or forgotten.

Fortunately the weather was nice, so I was able to sit outside in the sun. That made it a little more enjoyable! It was also nice to study in the backyard because Gregg was working in the garage all day building this shelving unit:

It's looking great! But all the sawing and the hammering could be heard very audibly even upstairs and it was very distracting haha. Thankfully you couldn't hear a thing in the back of the house, though, so I was able to get some last minute studying done.

I also took a trip down to ETSU (Kenny Chesney's alma mater! Hahahah) to make sure I knew where my testing building was and where I could park and everything.

I've seen the campus a few years ago when my mom took me and my sister to try and convince her to go to school here. It's a lot prettier than I remember it. Some of the buildings are really nice looking! Depending on the weather and my mood after the exam tomorrow, I may walk around campus and take some photos.

It's just now starting to storm again so I'm praying the weather lets up before morning! I hate driving in the rain, and that would just make my day even more miserable! As if a four and a half hour test isn't bad enough! Hahah.

Well, I'm off to watch some Boy Meets World and head to bed early so I can be wide awake for the GRE tomorrow! I'll be sure to let you know how it went if I manage to live through it hahah

Wish me luck!
- Jamie

Meet the family

For those of you who don't know, my parents split up when I was in high school. I've been staying with my dad for most of the time in Chicago, just because that's where I grew up and where all my friends were. My mom moved down to Tennessee just a few years ago and will be celebrating her 2nd anniversary with her new husband Gregg this summer. Here's a picture of me with them in Miami last year:

Gregg's a great guy, and you can tell they're both very happy together, which is really nice.
Along with this new step-dad came some step-siblings. Gregg had a few kids from previous marriages, two of which I have the joy of seeing every weekend when they come stay with him.

 Macy (on the left) is 8 and a bit of a drama queen. She wants things her way and craves attention. The other night she came into my room around 10 o'clock crying because she couldn't sleep; she thought some cartoon character was going to get her haha. She wanted to sleep with me, but I had to tell her she was old enough to sleep in her own bed. That didn't go well, and pretty soon she was getting yelled at for waking up everyone in the house!
Then, there's Leia. I think she's 5, but she may have turned 6 without me knowing! She is adorable. She's an adventure-seeker, and she's always got a smile on her face. She's usually laughing at nothing, which often causes me to giggle uncontrollably with her.  The two of them are just at that age where they want to play with you all the time and want to be just like you, so they're often in my room going through my makeup or my jewelry making me nuts

(like this hahaha) and even though I only see them two days a week, it's definitely enough to wear me out!

(like that hehe) But as rambunctious as they are, and as crazy as they make me, these little blonde-haired, blue-eyed boogers have been such a blessing. It's been a joy to spend so much time with them this summer, and I'm going to miss them. I've also been really lucky to have been able to get to know Gregg better and spend some much-needed time with my mom.

That being said, I am very excited to head back to Chicago in about a week and a half!  It's been a long while since I've seen my sister, my dad, and all my high school friends.
And ready for the big news??
My dad's getting remarried!
Or at least he's seriously considering it haha. He asked me what I thought about it - I told him if he was happy I was happy! Here's a picture of him and his (perhaps) fiance:

Her name's Irene. They met in Greece this summer when my dad went for a few months. Evidently she doesn't speak a word of English, but she's planning on coming to the states to stay with my dad for at least 6 months before they decide if they want to stay in America or move back to Europe. We'll see how that goes...I'm excited to see what the future has in store for them!
And my dad's also decided to move because the house he has now is so big and now that my sister is officially moving out, he wants a smaller, cheaper place. I guess he found an apartment he likes, so I'm happy for him. Although I'm sick of moving (we've done it about 5 times in the past 6 years) this should be a pretty good change. And I don't know how much longer I'll be going home to him until I have a home of my own (scary thought)!

And one last thing before I go, because this is too cute not to mention! Last night I missed dinner because I had to work the closing shift, but when I got home I found this note on the table:

So I went to the fridge, and what did I see?

A to-go box from Dixie just waiting for me! It's filled with pulled pork!! BBQ pork is one of my favorite foods. And Dixie BBQ is amazing! That cup there is filled with their sauce and there were containers of fried potatoes and baked beans, too! I think my favorite thing, though, was the lovely artwork my mom did for me hahah. This was just so nice to come home to! I wasn't hungry last night, but I can't wait for lunch today!!

Lots of lovin'!
 - Jamie

Oh, what a beautiful morning!

This day has been filled with so much excitement and it's only just begun!

I got up early to take my last practice GRE before Friday! I can't believe the real thing is so close! I wasn't feeling at all ready until after this one was scored; I got a 157 on both the verbal and quantitative sections! I know it's nothing to brag about, but it is in the top 25th percentile and that's about all I care about haha. And, I don't know why I was thinking that studying wasn't helping at all because here are my scores for all the online tests I've taken:

I went from a 317 to a 331 since I've started! So that's making me feel like a champ hahah I can only hope that the test on Friday goes just as well if not better!

After that, I walked outside to check on the kitties because we actually had some sun this morning! (It's back to stormy weather now) And while I was out there I happened to notice this thing swimming around in the pool:

At first I thought it was a mouse, but I got the net and scooped this little guy out

So I don't know if it's a mole or a shrew or what. He was so cute, though! It was even cuter when the kitties noticed him haha Brown Kitty was so curious!

He got a little too excited though and kept trying to pounce on it! Fortunately, the little thing was able to scurry under the deck before either kitty could catch him. I must say, I felt a little heroic for saving him! So between that and the practice test results, I'd say it's a pretty good morning! Haha

And as if that wasn't enough, my roommates and I finally got our apartment assignment today! We're on the first floor, which I'm not too thrilled about, but I'm just glad we officially have a place! We are all so excited to move in; I can't wait until August gets here!!

And I just got some big news to share, but I'll save that for tomorrow's post! Get excited!

Hoping everyone's day is going as well as mine is!
- Jamie

Storming on Sunday

I finally got my hair cut today! I can't even remember the last time this happened. My head was turning into a bird's nest! So, ready for this? Wave goodbye to old hair...

And say hello to my new 'do!

It's nothing drastic, I know. I'm always too scared to cut it real short, although sometimes I think the change might be nice. But I just love the look and feel of it long. I'm happy with how it turned out. I think just the way my fingers can actually run through it now made it worth the 40 bucks and 30 mile drive out to Ulta haha. So, naturally, while I was there I did a little shopping, but I ended up having to wait an extra 30+ minutes for my appointment because the woman in front of me didn't like the color they dyed her hair so she made the stylist redo it right then! Because of this and the shorter Sunday hours, I only had about ten minutes to look around after my cut, so I had just enough time to grab what I needed and get on my way. Here's the mini haul I came home with:

I snagged 2 eyeliners, blush, eye shadow, and a real pretty light pink nail polish (Baby Doll).  I put the receipt in the picture to show how low these prices were (like I said before, they were having a great sale!), but I guess it didn't turn out so well haha. The most expensive thing was the blush and it was only $3! Everything ended up being $10.95 (with tax!) The regular prices would've totaled over $38! Needless to say, I was pretty happy with my purchase :)

Right after I got home there was a big storm that hit; heavy rains, strong winds, loud thunder, and lots of lightening! I was thankful I didn't have to drive in it! The kittens still don't use their little house, so my mom went out in the storm to pick them up and put them in there so they'd learn haha. She came back in drenched! We ate dinner and the lights kept flickering on and off. I was afraid we'd lose power, but it never went out for more than a minute. Then the skies cleared up, so we went outside to check on the kittens, and this is what we saw:

Hahah, Brown Kitty just gave us this look like "What?" I'm not sure how long they were up there. My mom's still mad that they're not using their $100 house, but as long as they don't drown or get blown away I guess it's alright by me haha.

I just downed a big bowlful of apple pie and ice cream, so now I'm ready to climb into bed and read until I fall asleep.

Good night, all!
- Jamie

Those three little words I love to hear...

There's nothing like the feeling of knowing you're getting a great deal! I've come up with a list of things you can do to save some money when you shop:

1. Talk to the associates. It's our job to help you! Don't be afraid to ask where the clearance section is or if we know of any amazing deals going on. It's called clearance for a reason; the stores want this stuff gone; they will help you find cheap things!
2. Find out the markdown schedule. Got a favorite store? Ask one of the workers when they normally have their markdowns. I am almost certain they will let you know. And, at least at Pier 1, if you ask we will tell you if something will be going on sale or clearance any time soon!
3. Shop at the right times. Once you know the markdown schedule, you can obviously go the day prices are lowered, but keep in mind that at certain times throughout the year, more things will be going on clearance than others. For example, (most) stores do transitions for every season. That means that near the end of each season, they will be trying to get rid of most of their merchandise to make room for new things! For Pier 1, I'd say the best sale months are July, October, January, and April. I imagine other stores have pretty similar dates.
4. Double-check prices.  A lot of bigger stores now will have those price-checking machines (Target and Walmart do, at least). I know from experience that many things get missed when tagging clearance items. Be sure to check the prices to see if they've been discounted any more since the last markdown. Again, don't be afraid to ask the associates!
5. Two words: Price Adjustments. Almost every store I know of will do price adjustments up to 2 weeks after your purchase, so keep track of your receipts and check back with the store/website to see if the things you bought got any cheaper!
6. Don't spam every e-mail. And give associates your e-mail address when they ask! I know a lot of stores like to bombard you with junk, but once in awhile they send information about great promotions, free shipping, and my favorite: new markdowns! (I've noticed American Eagle sends particularly good offers!!)
7. 'Like' your favorite places on Facebook. A lot of stores and restaurants have coupons available for those who 'like' their Facebook page. Ex. Pier 1 is offering one coupon every day for the next two weeks if you give us a thumbs up! (check it out!) Some of them are really good deals! Better than our employee discount!

As far as grocery shopping goes, I would just say to do the obvious: keep an eye out for clearance and "closeout items", check for coupons in the Sunday newspaper, and shop by the catalogs! You may want to check out multiple stores to find the best deals at each and save the most cash! Stock up on things at particularly good prices that can be stored or frozen so that you won't have to buy them later when they're no longer on sale.

And to save a little bit of money at the gas pump, I would recommend getting the GasBuddy app if you have a smartphone. It's free and it's great! It'll tell you where the cheapest gas is in your area so you can plan ahead! Also, I've started playing a little game with myself haha; I reset my odometer every time I get gas and see how many miles I drive until I need to fill up again. Then I calculate how many mpgs I've used by dividing the total miles by the gallons I needed. Then I try to change my driving habits a little (don't accelerate so fast, use cruise control as often as possible, slow down more before stopping, etc.) to see if I can get a few more miles to the gallon! It almost makes buying gas fun hahaha!

By the way, if there are any ULTA shoppers out there, they're having a great sale going on; the entire Ulta collection is cheap, cheap cheap! Plus there are two coupons you can print or redeem online available on their website! And free shipping on orders over $25 if you're not near a store! I think I'm gonna head over there Sunday and see what kind of deals I can find!

I think that's all I've got right now! Hope this helped! Happy shopping!
- Jamie

Cards, cats, clearance, and creeps!

Reason #2938 why I love my sorority sister/roommate:

She sends me cute cards out of the blue! Found this in the mailbox yesterday :) It says "no special reason for this card...just hoping to bring a smile to your day" ...It sure did! Little things like this just make me feel so special and loved! It's been hard to find a time to chat because we're both always so consumed with work and whatnot, but knowing that she's still thinking of me despite her busy schedule means so much.

Yesterday my kitties got a little surprise, too. It's been raining a lot the past few days, and it doesn't seem like the forecast is clearing up at all any time soon, and my mother (who at first was not very fond of the idea of cats but now is obsessed) was so worried about the little baby kittens getting rained on. And so, she comes home with this:

Ladies and gentleman, I give you the cat cabin. This thing was flippin' $100! Haha, but I guess that tells you how much my mama loves these guys. That's Brown Kitty. Here's a picture of him and Black Kitty together:

Real creative names, I know. They were originally Walker (brown) and Texas Ranger (black), but no one seemed to take a liking to those, so this is just what we got to calling 'em haha. I got them from my boyfriend's farm when I was there in May. There had too many and his family wanted them gone, and these little ones were too cute to say no! Good thing I took 'em, too, because they've been having some problems with coyotes taking these babies for dinner! I like to think I saved these two :)

And while my mother was out buying things for the kitties, I was at the mall doing a bit of shopping of my own. What started out as a hunt for a new pair of heels turned into a regular shopping spree. Fortunately, I'm too cheap to blow all my money on clothes, but I did find this baby in the clearance racks at Vanity!

   

Snagged this beauty for 9 bucks and change (originally $32!) I'm obsessed with the lace sleeves/back. The belt is removable so I'm thinking it'll look super cute with some other outfits, and really for the best part?...IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE HAND WASHED! I almost didn't even pick it up because I figured with that fancy lace surely it couldn't just be thrown into the washing machine...but it can! So it's basically just an all-around win.  

If you know me at all, you will know I am a HUGE bargain hunter. I ALWAYS look for deals and almost NEVER pay full price for anything. My next entry will probably be some budget-saving tips/tricks/tad-bits, so check back for that!

And lastly, I will leave you a story, because so many people have been asking "Jamie, why did you have to call 9-1-1 at work last night?" Well, here's how it went down:
It was just my manager and I closing the store last night. At around 6:30 we had a gentleman come in looking for some outdoor furniture for his "screened-in patio" (a likely story hahah). As my manager, Sherrie, was showing him some options, he kept talking to her about his family, home, and hobbies, mainly horse-breeding. In detail. Too much detail. Then he decided he needed an indoor chair for the den, so closer to the back of the store they went, looking at indoor furniture. But of course, if you give a man a chair, he'll want some pillows to go with it. And so they traveled to the furthest wall from the front door to take a look at our selection. While looking at everything, he kept trying to get Sherrie to sit down on all the chairs and couches with him. To test them out, I suppose? I don't know. Odd. This whole time Sherrie was trying to get away from this guy (he was in the store for almost two hours), but he would not let her leave his side! Somehow she managed to sneak into the office, grabbed some box-cutters (just in case!) and texted some of the assistant managers about the situation. A worried coworker called the police to explain what was going on to try and get us some help. There were no other customers in the store, so Sherrie and I were naturally a little scared! Fortunately, though, we had some other shoppers walk in the store, and out of nowhere this guy yells about how there are too many people and leaves in a hurry. Oh, and at some point he was talking to an older woman who came in, but when Sherrie asked about her he claimed they didn't know each other. The whole time it was just very eerie, but thankfully everything and everyone ended up fine! No police really needed to get involved, but it made for a good story haha. And that was our night! I imagine this whole scenario doesn't sound nearly as creepy as it actually was...it might be one of those "you had to be there" kind of things. Regardless, I am happy we're both safe!

Hoping your nights aren't as creepy as mine was yesterday!
- Jamie