Author: Big Mama

  • Fashion Friday: Edition no one can hear him now

    This has nothing to do with fashion, but I just need to tell someone. P came home yesterday and informed me that his cell phone had officially crossed over the line to unacceptable.

    Of course it had. He’s still carrying a flip-phone that I’m almost positive he’s had since 2002. It might even have an antenna that he has to pull up to get good reception.

    But now the screen has completely cracked. And even though P isn’t one to quit on a cell phone just because it’s a candidate for the Museum of Technology, he told me to check online to find out his upgrade options.

    So I pulled it up and showed him that he could get an iPhone 3 for .99. NINETY-NINE CENTS. Not even a dollar. But he said he just needs a phone that will call and text. And I tried to sell him on the benefits of a smart phone because ALL THE APPS! I LOVE THE APPS.

    He doesn’t want apps. He doesn’t want a phone that talks to him. He wants to make phone calls and text. Which is just so 2004.

    Then this morning I walked into the kitchen and asked if he’d made a decision about his phone. To my surprise, he informed me that he decided he didn’t need a new one after all. He’d managed to fix his old one.

    With scotch tape.

    But it’s the matte finish gift wrap kind so it’s super classy. And apparently a better option than getting a brand new phone for less than a dollar.

    Here are some cute things I’ve found this week:

    1. glamour power to you crimson dress

    I couldn’t wear this dress because the cut of it is terrible on me. But I still think it’s really cute if you happen to be in the market for a fun dress. And it comes in navy.

    2. rock of ages cuff in turquoise

    I saw this bracelet in a variety of colors at Francesca’s the other day and fell in love. They are so pretty in person and the pictures don’t do it justice.

    3. monterey bay top

    Y’all know I like a pretty white top.

    4. braid away necklace in turquoise

    This is just so pretty. I can totally see it with a white shirt or a great coral colored top. Or maybe a bright yellow top with white jeans.

    Basically, I can see it with my entire spring and summer wardrobe.

    5. hunter rain boots

    I already have a pair of rain boots and can’t justify buying another pair. Especially since I live in a state that’s been in a severe drought for the last two years. But I ADORE this pink color.

    And Hunter boots almost never go on sale. And you’ll have them forever.

    Unless you throw them away.

    But I don’t know why you’d do that.

    6. stripe trench coat

    This is a little pricey, but I love it so much. LOVE. All caps.

    And they are offering 30% off all new merchandise in honor of President’s Day. Which kind of makes me feel like I should buy it in a grand show of patriotism and love for America.

    7. Timex originals easy reader

    I always love the look of a watch. Yet I rarely wear a watch.

    8. capri chandelier earrings

    I saw these the other day and deemed them to be everything that is good and right in an earring.

    9. bcbg white cotton-silk blouse

    Yes. Another white shirt. Not to mention all the turquoise I’ve linked to.

    It’s beginning to look a lot like spring time around here.

    10. lace up tunic

    This is really cute. And perfect with leggings and boots.

    That’s all for today. Rumor has it we’re heading to the AT&T store in just a little bit to see about upgrading from the scotch-taped ghetto phone.

    Y’all have a great Friday.

  • Sugar and spice and antlers

    Last week Caroline got home from school and P announced that he had a big surprise for her. She was totally excited and maybe even shrieked a little when he gave her the hint that he picked it up at the taxidermist earlier that day.

    I think it goes without saying that I was equally excited. My love of items in our home from the taxidermist is well-documented.

    And so they disappeared into her bedroom to figure out where they would hang this treasure while I hid in the kitchen and put my head between my knees and tried to pretend like the whole thing wasn’t happening.

    Ultimately, I heard the sound of hammer and nails and then Caroline led me into her bedroom to show me the new stunning addition.

    Almost nine years ago I ordered those sweet swirly letters with the hot pink bows and my daddy hung them carefully on the wall for me. Then we stood back and admired the sweetness and femininity of the nursery I’d decorated.

    And I thought to myself that the only thing missing was the skull of a dead animal mounted on a wooden plaque.

    Well, my friends, I’m happy to say that dream has been fulfilled.

  • Every breath you take – FitBit giveaway

    Listen. I feel like over the last six weeks or so that I have never paid so much attention to all these aspects of my fitness. I’m watching what I eat, exercising more, taking care of my skin and popping vitamins and fish oil like they’re candy. I am a stranger in my own body.

    The good news is it’s all starting to feel a little more natural and becoming part of my daily routine. I wake up in the morning and know that I need to eat breakfast even though I really don’t enjoy breakfast. I carry around almonds and little bags of granola so I can have a healthy snack and eat every three hours because it’s supposed to help my metabolism. I put on my running shoes so I don’t have time to talk myself out of working out. I weigh myself once a week. I think about portion size. I have a watch that tells me how hard I’m working out. I’ve become a laboratory rat.

    The point is I’m doing a lot of new stuff. All at one time. And sometimes I wonder if any of it’s working and if there are ways I can work harder or do more. The most recent product I received from Best Buy is the FitBit. This Fitbit Ultra FB102P wireless activity and sleep tracker measures steps taken, distance traveled, stairs climbed and calories burned for efficient monitoring of your workout progress.

    It also tells you when you’ve sat on the couch all day watching all the shows you’ve recorded on you DVR. And I don’t like it much on those days. But it makes me aware of how much I’m moving, how well I’m sleeping, and if I need a little more physical activity. In other words, it’s like a conscience you can clip onto your bra or your belt or the waistband of your shorts. And you can create a personal account at Fitbit.com to keep track of all your information and track your progress. The only thing it doesn’t do is pack Caroline’s lunch in the morning. Which is too bad because that would be a revelation.

    You have the chance to win your very own FitBit. All you have to do is leave a comment letting me know if you try to park far away or take the steps or other proactive things to increase your physical activity during the day. Here are the rules.

    Rules:

    No duplicate comments.

    You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

    a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

    b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

    c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

    d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

    This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

    Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

    You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

    The Official Rules are available here.

    This sweepstakes runs from 2/15- 2/21.

    Also be sure to visit the Inspiration to Fitness page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews, get great fitness tips and find more chances to win! You can also roll over the Best Buy image at the top of my blog to view a calendar of all the Inspiration to Fitness content. Good luck!

    Best Buy does not sponsor, endorse, approve, or have any responsibility for this promotion.

  • Inspiration to Fitness – Week 6

    Welcome to this week’s Inspiration to Fitness post. I’m so proud of all of you for following along with Ashley and me for the last 6 weeks!

    There’s only one week left in the whole inspiration to fitness program. Which means I’ll have a week to work off all the bites I’ll take out of various Valentine’s Day chocolates trying to find the best ones.

    But I’d also like to think that some of this has stuck with me and I’ll carry on a healthier lifestyle and fitness regimen for the rest of the year.

    One can hope, right?

    Even though the rodeo is in town, and I’m sure I have a few more corn dogs and gorditas in my future.

    But that’s the great thing about committing to a workout plan. I don’t feel as guilty when I eat those things because I know that I’m exercising and somewhere it all balances out. Right? It’s like drinking a diet Coke while eating a Reeses peanut butter cup. They cancel each other out.

    Let’s just believe that’s true.

    I’ve also discovered that I enjoy the strength training portion of my workouts more than the run. Yes, there are moments mid-lunge when I want to cry or yell some type of profanity, but I actually kind of like the feeling of sore muscles the next day because I know I’m doing something.

    The running is fine, but it requires being outside. And some mornings it’s been really cold. And wet. And that doesn’t make me a happy camper. Or runner. Or whatever.

    But I get out there because I know how I am. If I stop now, I’ll end up lying on the couch with a heart-shaped box of chocolates and might not ever get up. Exercise works for me when I really make it a habit. I have to be a little obsessed about it or I’ll give it up completely.

    This explains why I’ve watched entire seasons of television shows in one sitting. I’m an all or nothing kind of girl.

    So here’s hoping that I stick with the all from here on out.

    Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all.

    * Have you checked out my review of the? Polar FT7 Rate Monitor Watch yet? Leave a comment for a chance to win!

  • And they call the thing rodeo

    Well I got to eat a corn dog this weekend. And it was delicious. Even though it was thirty degrees outside at the rodeo and I kind of felt the pressure to eat it before it froze solid.

    And then I couldn’t even think about eating a funnel cake because it was just too cold to stand in line. So apparently I will choose not getting frostbite over a funnel cake. Of course later I discovered that they were selling funnel cakes inside the AT&T Center but it just seems wrong to order a funnel cake inside. Everyone knows the real funnel cakes are the ones being sold outside next to the roasted corn and the chicken fried bacon.

    That’s right. Chicken fried bacon.

    That’s either a new high or a new low.

    No one in our group ate it. Mainly because we tried it last year and it was kind of delicious but you can’t help but feeling like you’re eating a heart attack in crispy form.

    Anyway, we all went to the rodeo because that is what Gulley’s youngest son, Will, wanted to do for his seventh birthday. And he wanted Caroline and I to have a sleepover at their house. You have to admit that is WAY better than Chuck E. Cheese.

    So after Caroline’s basketball game, we got dressed and packed up for our big night on the town and headed to Gulley’s house. But before the rodeo, Will had to open his presents.

    He was a little excited.

    And then there was a pinata. Because this is San Antonio and a child really can’t turn another year old without beating the heck out of a papier mache object.

    It took them 3.2 seconds to destroy that cowboy boot.

    Finally it was time to leave for the rodeo. But I wanted to get a few quick pictures of Caroline and the boys.

    Poor Caroline. I hope she overcomes her fear of the camera.

    And then Will jumped in.

    And finally I got Jackson to get in there with Lloyd and Harry.

    By the way, this is what they looked like four years ago before we left for the rodeo.

    Time. It flies.

    Our plan was to walk around the stockyards for a couple of hours before the rodeo began, but we didn’t realize the temperature was going to drop into the vicinity of miserable and I can no longer feel my toes. Even so, we persevered long enough to go through the Wildlife exhibit so the kids could see the vast display of venomous Texas snakes while I made plans to pack my bags and move somewhere that isn’t full of reptiles.

    They took their time viewing every single snake for as long as possible but it worked out because there was a man in line in front of them drinking a Corona tallboy who was even more enamored of the snakes than they were. He stopped at every display case and took a long sip of his beer as if pondering each snake thoughtfully.

    After the wildlife exhibit we decided it was time to grab some quick rodeo food and get inside. I can’t tell you how happy I was that Caroline decided to order an ice cold lemonade and then ask me to hold it for her. I’m sure I’ll be able to use the fingers on my left hand again someday.

    We all sat and ate our various assortment of corn dogs, sausage on a stick, and Texas twister chips while we shivered violently. And in the end we were all finished with our food and waiting on Caroline.

    Granted, it takes longer to eat your corn dog when you eat it like it’s corn on the cob.

    Finally we went inside and waited for the rodeo to begin. Gulley and I decided to get a glass of wine and learned a valuable lesson. It’s best to not drink wine when the choices you’re given include “red” or white zinfandel. It was akin to drinking grape juice with a splash of vinegar. Of course that’s probably why people in the know drink Corona tallboys at the rodeo.

    Then right as the steer roping competition started, someone texted Gulley to let her know Whitney Houston had died. And Gulley and I discussed how weird it is that Madonna is really the only pop icon of our growing up years who’s still alive. Which is probably a big commentary on success and having everything in the world and still not finding real contentment and peace.

    I just know that there was a time in 1987 that I played that Whitney cassette in my Honda CRX until the tape broke and no amount of pencil erasers in the world could have helped it.

    (If you were born after 1985 you have probably have no idea what I’m talking about. The CD made the cassette obsolete.)

    Anyway, the kids had a great time and cheered loudly for all the bull riders and barrel racers and steer ropers. Then it was time for Keith Urban to play and Caroline decided she was tired and ready to go home and spent the last hour sitting on my lap trying to go to sleep in a very loud arena while I wondered if Nicole had made the trip with Keith and if they were going to eat Mexican food after the show.

    By the time we got in the car everyone was on the verge of a full meltdown. Will’s tummy didn’t feel good and I feared that if he went down with the carsickness I was going to be right behind him. But he made it and I was spared the horror of repeating my Ecuadorian bus exploits.

    Then we all got home, crawled into bed and Caroline announced she could feel that she was on the verge of getting sick and she definitely felt warmer than usual to me. So I worried about her all night, afraid that the flu was on its way.

    But then Will popped his head in our room at 9:30 Sunday morning to see what kind of donut she wanted from Shipleys. Caroline yelled, “CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES” and then didn’t even look at me as she hopped out of bed announcing, “EVERYONE’S AWAKE! I’M GETTING UP. PEACE OUT, SUCKER!”

    Which I think is a sign that she felt just fine.

    And that I thought she felt warm because my hands were still so cold from holding her lemonade.

  • Fashion Friday: Edition blue door boutique giveaway

    Y’all.

    There are few things in life that make me happier than finding a great store with cute clothes at reasonable prices. Well, except for maybe baked potatoes with cheese and butter.

    And wine.

    Which is why I was so excited when I first discovered The Blue Door Boutique last fall. They have the best clothes and are constantly updating their inventory. And I love that it’s unique stuff that doesn’t feel uninspired and unoriginal and possibly recycled from 1992.

    I’m looking at you, Gap.

    And so I became a fan of The Blue Door Boutique on Facebook because that’s the best way to know when they get in something really great. And the good stuff sells out fast. I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent filled with regret because I contemplated too long before pulling the trigger on a cardigan only to discover it was sold out.

    (Pulling the trigger on a cardigan? That’s not a phrase you hear every day.)

    Anyway, they emailed me and asked if I’d like to give away three (THREE!) $50 gift certificates. If you are interested in a chance to win, just go to www.facebook.com/thebluedoorboutique and fill out the new fan referral form and then leave me a comment. If you have already liked Blue Door and filled out the form then just leave me a comment.

    I’ll close comments at noon on Monday and choose three winners using Random.org.

    Good luck.

    And may the force be with you.

    (I don’t really know that the force will help.)

    You know what might help? If I show you a few cute things I’d be tempted to buy if I won a $50 gift certificate.

    1. jenny tunic

    2. collision cardigan

    3. side slit maxi

    4. slouchy dolman tunic

    5. cloud 9 cardigan

    And then here are just a few other things I saw this week from various places that I thought had potential.

    1. sheer floral tunic

    Can I tell y’all something? I saw this yesterday and thought it was cute. And then I kept thinking about it. Then I tried it on.

    And I bought it.

    The best part? It really was only $15.00. And it comes in a pretty teal color, too.

    2. wrap around good works bracelet

    I saw these bracelets at a local boutique the other day and thought they were so cool.

    3. faux stones necklace

    Maybe it’s because it’s rodeo time or maybe it’s just because it’s Friday, but I can’t get enough turquoise.

    4. diagonal stripe maxi skirt

    I have a skirt that’s similar to this that I bought at Nordstrom Rack last fall and I adore it. It’s like walking around in pajamas. But cuter.

    And more socially acceptable.

    5. daydreaming earrings in turquoise

    See? Turquoise.

    Obsessed.

    That’s it. Y’all have a great Friday and don’t forget to enter for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to The Blue Door Boutique.