SUNDAY SWAG

Oh how I've missed you guys. I feel like I haven't been here in a month of Sundays. But I'm back. I been working y'all; a lot. For the past week I've been working till 7 almost every day. One of the attorneys I work for has been inundated with filing deadlines for the past week, but because she's always late getting started and has never met a brief she can't revise, we (the paralegals) have to suffer the consequences. On the bright side, more hours/more money for me. On the not so bright side, when I do finally make it home I'm usually exhausted and feeling a little guilty cause I haven't seen my babies all day. So, instead of getting on the laptop I spend time with my family; and I don't feel guilty about that at all. 

Good night.

HUMP DAY QUICKIE

What is a Hump Day Quickie you ask? Well, one thing's for sure: it's probably not what you naughty invisible readers are thinking it is. To the contrary, the Hump Day Quickie is a segment I'll be hosting each week in an effort to share with you some of the many random thoughts regularly running through my head. Hopefully, it will encourage you to share some of your random thoughts with me. So, without further ado, I present to you the inaugural Hump Day Quickie.
 

As I was getting dressed the other morning:

 

Lord, please don't let me be put in a situation

where my underwear area will have to be breached today.  

 

 

 

Your turn. 

BACK AT IT

 

 

 

Y'ALL!! I'm tired. It's my first day back in the workforce since October 2012 and it was rough. To say I'm rusty would be an understatement. Today was like I was fresh out of school and had never worked a real job a day in my life. Let me just say this, 13 years experience in state government is like nothing in a private practice. I expected it to be a little different but I had no idea I would feel so incompetent. When I tell y'all I just wanted to get back in my car and go home......

I don't want to seem ungrateful, and I feel really bad for saying this, but I have come to the realization that I just don't want to work for anyone else. I want to have my own business, I want to make my own money, I want to be my own boss, I want to have dinner ready when my kids and husband get home, I don't want to spend 40 minutes in traffic for a job that's only 10 minutes from my house. I just don't. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for this job but just know I won't be making it a habit. I'm working towards getting my own and I feel good about what's to come. Until then, I'll be at someone else's business, waiting on them to pay me, letting them boss me around, cooking dinner after I get home (after everyone else is already home), and spending 40 minutes in traffic for a job that's only 10 minutes from my house.

Tomorrow will be better though.

Goodnight.

                                                                    

WELL...............

..... (my invisible friends) your good luck wishes worked. I (kinda-sorta) GOT A JOB!! I start work tomorrow and I've put together my first week's worth of outfits. I haven't been in the workforce in over a year so I'm a bit nervous, but looking through my closet helped calm me.

 

I may do a little twerking to the line up but these are pretty much the basics for the week. I keep thinking I need a blazer to pair with the tan outfit. What do you think? The black slacks and gray sweater are a bit casual but that's my casual Friday outfit. I was told jeans are allowed but I don't want to jump right in before I actually observe a Friday. My plan is to do an outfit of the day each day this week but that really depends on how my mornings are running. I mean, I'm a lot more concerned with getting up and out on time than anything else.

 

Anyways, see you tomorrow. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comments. Goodnight.    

SUNDAY SWAG

Tunic: Target (similar) 

Pants: JCPenney (similar)

 

 

I really enjoyed today's service. It was a much needed respite for my spirit. The sermon was about waiting on the Lord, walking by faith, and not growing wearing in your well doing. The reading came from the book of Isiah which contains one of my favorite scriptures:

 

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles; 

they shall run, and not be weary; and

they shall walk and not faint.   



Isiah 40:31

 

I hope everyone had a wonderfully blessed weekend and I pray you have a peaceful, productive, and prosperous week filled with only good surprises.

I NEEDED THIS

via (date of post tied to this pic is my birthday; didn't know this when I saw it just knew I loved it)

I had just become frustrated from arguing with my daughter about her hair when I threw my hands up in surrender and returned to my bedroom. As I closed the door, I continued to fuss to myself about her stubbornness while, simultaneously, telling myself that I needed to let it go -although I'm right and know what's best, and blah, blah, blah. This went on for a few seconds until these words stopped me in my tracks:

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Philippians 2:14-16 KJV   

I had just clicked the link to BibleGateway and was immediately convicted by the first line from their Verse of the Day. This conviction was not just about the argument with my daughter, but about my tendency to fuss in general. I am a fusser. I do a lot of back and forth with the kids and the husband when they don't do what I think they should, when I think they should, or how I think they should. Don't get me wrong, I don't go around nagging and screaming all day, but if I'm honest I do it way more than I should. I used to think it was everyone else but over the years I've slowly (and painfully) come to realize that it's mostly me. You would think at my age I'd be in a place where I'm not so easily roused but, I'm just not there yet. Why is it I can't be more gracious towards others when God is always so gracious towards me? The Bible says that we are to be merciful so that we may have mercy and be gracious so that we may obtain grace but that's hard to remember when I'm picking up behind everyone after I've cleaned the kitchen and cooked a huge meal. I suppose this is why God commands us to study the Word. He knows we will need its instructions to help pull us back from the brink when things start to bubble over. Clearly, I don't have these instructions down pat, but I really need to make a more concerted effort to study the Word daily. Although I know I'm too old to completely change and too human to be perfect, I won't stop striving for either.

I SHOULDN'T BE HERE

I hope the title didn't scare you. This is not a post about a near death experience; not even close. Nope, just wanted to tell you about my Wednesday. Each week, my church has prayer on Wednesday nights. We begin with a prayer lead by our pastor, then we have testimony, scripture reading, prayer requests, and finally a group prayer before we wrap up. I should be there now but instead I'm here, at home. One reason is because my car is not working and my husband had a service call to make tonight after work (he's an electrician). Another is that I'm not feeling well. I've had an annoying headache all day and more than usual, my nose has been running and my eyes watering. Although the weather has been pretty cold the last few weeks, I think I caught this bug last night but, more on that later.

In conjunction with Wednesday night prayer, we are also supposed to fast beginning at midnight. However, I'm not always obedient. Mainly because I have a hard time remembering what day it is since I'm not working anymore. So, I end up eating some crap I'm not supposed to before I realize it's Wednesday. Today I did go though. I remember today because this month we're doing a 21 day corporate "Daniel Fast" from the 11th to the 31st. During the fast, we don't eat meat, diary, or sugar and we pray every 3 hours. I'll have to do a separate post on this later so I can tell you about the first time I participated. 

Today, I really didn't have to remember it was Wednesday, I knew it was the 15th and that's all I needed to know. For breakfast, I had egg whites (is this diary?) with red bell peppers, red onions, and tomatoes added. I seasoned with the usual suspects- salt, pepper- but also added smoked paprika. It gave me life. It took the taste to a whole other level. I also had a vegan "chicken" patty from Bocca and carrot/orange juice from Bolthouse. The entire thing was delicious and very satisfying.

Lunch was good too. I made a salad of baby spinach, mandarin oranges, red onions, tomatoes, and red wine vinaigrette. It was both pretty and delicious. 

I also had hummus and tortilla chips (don't judge me) for a snack and another veggie "chicken" patty for dinner. The fact that I wasn't starving or craving junk all day was a sure sign that I must be sick. Fasting is usually a very hard thing for me to do without a million snacks to keep munching on between meals or without cheating by acting like I can't cook for my family without tasting the food to see what it "needs". But I had no desire to do that today even when the ingredients looked like this:

 

 

I made a combination of two recipes: this one from The Pioneer Woman and this one from BeautyFash. I initially planed on making the Pioneer Woman's recipe but I didn't have any whisky and I dropped my bottle of Worcestershire sauce last night trying to bring all my grocery bags in at once. This is how I believe I got sick. I ended up spending about 20 minutes or more outside in the cold sweeping up glass and washing the carport down with soap and water.

The combination of the two recipes was a hit. I know both recipes called for chicken but I didn't have any and the main thing was the sauce anyway. I think this sauce could be used on just about any meat. I made white rice and broccoli as sides and everyone loved it. I tasted the sauce before I poured it over the meat in the crock. Oh yeah, did I mention I let everything meld together in the crock for a few hours? Well I did. The result was fall-off-the-bone tender meat. Anyway, the sauce was savory, smoky, spicy, and sweet; always a great combination. The husbster loved it and even my picky eaters cleaned their plates. That was enough for me.

 

How was your Wednesday? What did you have for dinner?

 

 



 

 

 

 

INTERVIEW 'FIT

I had an interview today. While trying to decide what to wear, I realized I don't own any suits. I used to many moons ago but they have dissipated over the years. While I'm sure the lack is mainly due to weight gain, my 15 years in state government probably played a role too since formal career attire is rarely required, e.g., khakis and a button up is considered dressed for work. Now, I mostly own separates. Today, however, my interview was at a corporate firm with leather door handles so a dressier approach was in order. Since I didn't have a suite I opted to wear a dress and blazer.

 

 

This is always a great alternative since it only requires two main pieces and you don't have to worry about trying to mix and match separates perfectly enough to make something that's not a suite look like it is. I'll wait to do that once I get the job.

 

 

Blazer: Express (similar)

Dress: Target (similar)

 

Wish me luck!!



 



I NEED A JOB. STAT!!

Cause I really, really need want to go shopping.  Getting an email with all the new goodies from Piperlime this morning really didn't help. Have you all been on the site lately?  Le sigh.

I CONCUR

@sjblife

 

 

I'm a southern gal, and this right here:

 



is NOT my swag. I know for some of you this is nothing, but for a girl who can count on both hands the number of times she's seen snow in her 40+ years of life this is freeeezing!!
But what can you do?

Oh, I know......................

 

jcrew

Wear a cute coat!!

SUNDAY SWAG

 

Plain black and white

 

 

 

with a lil somethin-somethin on the side

 

I love these pants from DKNY. They are old but they are so well made and they fit wonderfully. In fact, there's nothing new to see here but the items are classics and well made. This means they're built to last and never go out of style. The top is a wrap from Ann Taylor and the shoes are BCBG. Since it was my birthday and also the first Sunday service of the New Year, I thought a little bling, bling was in order.

 

Lippi combo is dark brown liner by Ruby Kisses and NYX gloss in Natural (22)



 



 

 

Show me your Sunday Swag. It doesn't matter if you attended service, ran errands, hung out with friends, or just stayed in bed- PJs count too!!



 

 

 

 

GO SHAWDY...........

.................IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I turned 41 today and like every other women around the world, I'm trying desperately to hold on to any slither of youth I can. I really wanted to be cute for my birthday but this was happening........

                                                           really?

Yep, I'm gray; and not the 50 shades kind (which I may or may not have read) but the "you look way older than you should" kind. It's nothing new, I have been dealing with this for some time now, starting in my 20s. Anywho, I needed to color the gray to achieve ultimate cuteness for my bday so I used Clairol Beautiful Collection semi-permanent for gray in midnight black.

The color took okay but not as good as it used to. I've been using this brand forever but recently it's like my gray has become immune to the stuff. In fact, over the years my gray has become more and more aggressive and stubborn. Why the hell hasn't a cure been found yet? But I digress.
The goal was for my hair NOT to be a dirty snow white in the front on my birthday so I guess I achieved that at least. Here is the end result.

Overall, my hair turned out pretty good. I don't know why I'm not smiling in this photo, but, I do know I need to add another item to my 2014 To Do list: find new/better hair color.

Any suggestions? I prefer semi-permanent.