Author: Big Mama

  • Until June Winner

    We have a winner.

    Heather at Life as We Know It was lucky #16 in the comments.

    Heather email me your address and I’ll get your Until June CD in the mail. You’re going to love it!

    Have a great weekend.

  • Edition 2: Fashion Friday

    I’ll go ahead and level with y’all. This week has wiped me out.

    Between a head cold and trying to keep up with all my DVRed shows…a girl only has so many hours in the day.

    Oh, and I also had to bathe and feed my child. And P is kind of funny about wanting food to eat.

    They wear me out.

    In spite of my certain pneumonia, I’m forging ahead with Fashion Friday because there are questions that must be answered.

    Questions that have kept me up at night. Much like my 4 year old.

    And a skunk that is living under our backhouse and is very afraid of our dogs.

    Do y’all want to know what irony is? The fact that I wrote all of the above just moments before I heard the retching sound coming from the baby monitor.

    I just thought I had reached my limit.

    What a sweet kid.

    Enough of my tale of woe. Let’s get to the questions.

    1. Elizabeth asks: “What kind of TJ Maxx has designer jeans?”

    A good one.

    I had long heard rumors that TJ Maxx sold designer jeans, but had never actually seen them for myself. I imagined it was a figment of people’s imagination, much like the sasquatch or a child that eats brussel sprouts.

    Or anyone who eats brussel sprouts, for that matter.

    Then one day I spied a section of my local TJ Maxx called “From the Runway”. It’s set apart from the rest of the store as if to quarantine the fine designer merchandise from the irregular sweaters from The Limited.

    Look closely, it may be there in your store and you’ve just missed it.

    2. Candace asks: “Is walking in heels something that can you can learn to do- or is it something you either have or don’t have the ability to do. I want to walk heel-toe, but with heels that high it’s hard. Should I buy them and practice around the house? Here’s my question- did you have to practice to learn to walk in high heels?”

    I think walking in high heels is like any valuable skill. It takes some practice, especially if you’ve spent years walking in flat shoes.

    So yes, practice around the house and equip yourself with perseverance and band-aids for the inevitable blisters. That’s my recommendation.

    Bottom line, heels are your friend. Get to know them.

    3. Jess asks: “Would you mind answering a hair question? I have shoulder length blonde hair – layers, typical. I’m constantly wearing my hair pulled back because I’m in a rush to get the kids to school. I’m thinking about either cutting in some bangs to just give my face a little softness when I do pull it back OR thinking about getting a short trendy cut which might be faster to do in the morning. Any thoughts?”

    I realize this isn’t a fashion question, but hair is really one of our most important accessories.

    I had an unfortunate incident with bangs earlier in the year, so bangs are dead to me right now. I know they work for some people, but those must be people who don’t have cowlicks in the middle of their forehead.

    I’ve also noticed that more people stumble upon the blog by searching “Reese Witherspoon Bangs”, which tells me there are some women out there looking for hair answers.

    Ladies, do not be fooled by Reese Witherspoon and her cute hair. I have decided her bangs have supernatural powers that most of us do not possess.

    I’m a fan of the ponytail, but if you decide to get it cut short the best advice I can give you is to make sure it’s a time of the month where no hormonal surges are involved.

    PMS + haircut = NOT YOUR FRIEND.

    4. Leslie asks: “Fashion question for you. I am in need of cute fall tops to wear with jeans. I am in Houston so they need to be short sleeved. I also don’t want to look like I think I’m still in my twenties, nor do I want to spend more than $30ish each because I know by this time next year I’ll want something else. Any suggestions?”

    Oh, do I understand this dilemma. You have the desire for fall type things in your wardrobe, but lack the fall-like weather.

    I think the key is to find some cute, short-sleeved shirts in fall colors or patterns. Here are a few I found.

    This one is from Old Navy and it’s on sale for $20.00.

    on528190-02p01v01.jpg

    Here’s another one from Old Navy.

    on524406-04p01v01.jpg

    Here’s one from Banana Republic. It’s a little pricier, but oh so cute.

    br526651-01p01v01.jpg

    Plus, it comes in green. Which I love.

    And here’s some animal print goodness from Nordstroms.

    _5446247.jpg

    Target is another great place to look for inexpensive fall shirts. I would love to link to some of them, but I just don’t want to right now.

    Did I mention I got about 25 minutes of sleep last night?

    5. Jen asks: “What are your thoughts on shoes moving into fall? I wear sandals all summer, and I’m a Texas girl, too, so it’s still hot in the afternoons. Is it OK to wear shoes that expose my toes, or should I cover them up?

    As much as I love my boots, I can promise y’all I’m not wrapping my feet in socks until the temperature drops below 80 degrees.

    It’s just not right.

    Open-toe shoes are your friend, southern girls. Let them walk you through these times of intense heat.

    6. Jodie asks: “Is it just wrong to wear a jacket that is too small to close??”

    Yes. It is just wrong.

    7. Several of y’all asked: “What is a pashmina?”

    This is an example of a pashmina.

    _5478416.jpg

    Basically, it’s a fancy word for a wrap. Or a shawl.

    Because it sounds much better to say, “Let me grab my pashmina” than “Honey, will you get grandma’s shawl?”

    It’s all in the way you phrase things.

    So, that’s it for this week. I’m going to go crawl into the fetal position and attempt to recover from my night o’ stomach bug trauma.

    Oh, and catch up on all the treasure recorded on my DVR.

    Y’all have a great weekend!

  • Wretchedness

    I have spent the day feeling certain that I contracted some type of black plague from Kiddie Park. How else can you explain the fact that I can no longer breathe through my nose and would like nothing more to than to sleep for days?

    Everyone knows those are hallmark symptoms of the black plague.

    Or a head cold.

    Whatever.

    So tonight, P and I settled in and watched “My Name is Earl” followed by “The Office” and I felt the best I’ve felt all day.

    Shortly after the shows ended, I began to work on my Fashion Friday post, liberally dispensing amateur fashion and hair tips.

    Then, two things happened.

    1. I heard our dogs going crazy right by our bedroom window, then I heard a yelp.

    And then I smelled the unmistakable aroma of a frightened skunk.

    Did I mention it was right outside our bedroom window?

    It was so bad it made the dog throw up on the back porch.

    And speaking of throw up…

    2. About 30 minutes and 15 vanilla-jasmine scented candles later, I hear the sound of what can only be described as retching being broadcast over the baby monitor.

    Either Caroline has a stomach bug or the potato salad she ate with dinner didn’t agree with her.

    It certainly didn’t agree with her sheets.

    Due to all the foulness surrounding this house, I’m going to bed.

    Therefore, Fashion Friday won’t be ready to go until sometime later tomorrow.

    I hope.

  • We probably won’t have enough for seconds

    September in South Texas means one thing around this house…well, two things.

    1. It’s time for some dove hunting.

    2. It’s time for me to complain about how hot it is and ask repeatedly if it’s always this hot in September.

    Anyway, P took Caroline on her first dove hunt a few days ago because we learn ’em young around here.

    She loved every minute of it and had no idea that a successful dove hunt usually means shooting a limit of 15 birds.

    They pulled into the driveway and she came running up the sidewalk yelling, “WE GOT ONE, MAMA! WE GOT ONE!!”

    img_3199.jpg

    She was so proud.

    And so was I.

    That’s my baby holding a headless bird.

    It’s a moment I’ll always treasure.

  • I need a little help

    Okay, I have a huge favor to ask that involves some blog housekeeping.

    If any of y’all have me listed on your blogroll or link to me on your blog (for which I am forever grateful by the way, because seriously, the fact that y’all not only come over here to read some mediocre content, but also link to it? Love you for it.) would you mind changing the link to my new wordpress url?

    If the link still has blogspot in it, it’s the wrong one. I mean, it still gets you here because there is a redirect on the page, but eventually, I’d like to get rid of the redirect.

    So, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d love it if you’d change the link to http://bigmama1.com .

    And if you do mind, then nevermind.

    Thank you for your continuing support. Y’all are the best.

  • It’s a veritable sea of television riches

    About a week ago, Gulley informed me she had purchased the new special issue of TV Guide featuring the scoop on all the new fall shows. Her exact words the next day were “I was up until midnight trying to power through the fall schedule”.

    And I laughed.

    But that was before she loaned me her copy of TV Guide and I, too, had to power through it.

    This happens every fall. After the long television drought of summer, the promise of a brighter tomorrow in the form of quality viewing finally arrives. It’s such a hopeful time filled with much promise and anticipation.

    Of course, for every “Friday Night Lights” there is a “Vanished”.

    What’s “Vanished”?

    That’s exactly my point.

    So, after spending way too much time perusing the T.V. guide, while perhaps even using a highlighter, I believe I have come up with the shows I will watch or, at the very least, give a whirl.

    Monday night is always a banner night. 4 words.

    “Dancing with the Stars”. This year, they are using the term “star” loosely.

    Although there will never be another Emmitt, this season features Wayne Newton, Marie Osmond and Jane Seymour. We’re bound to either see some good dancing or watch someone break a hip on national television. I am fired up.

    Yes, I realize it came on yesterday, but I haven’t watched it yet. It’s waiting for me on the DVR because I’ve only had time to watch…

    “The Bachelor”.

    My enjoyment of “The Bachelor” has increased 100 fold since I’ve come to the realization that none of these couples will ever last. I just sit back and watch the drama unfold. Watching “The Bachelor” is the equivalent of eating 100 Kit Kats at one sitting, you know it’s too much, but it’s so good you can’t help yourself.

    This season’s bachelor is from Austin, Texas. He owns a bar called The Chuggin’ Monkey. It’s obviously upscale.

    And classy.

    On Monday night, one woman even showed off her webbed toes in an effort to make a good first impression.

    Webbed toes.

    That’s all I’m going to say about that.

    Well, except for this. Ladies, if any of y’all are single, do NOT show off your webbed toes on a first date. Webbed toes should be saved for at least the 11th date.

    Or perhaps even marriage.

    Tuesday nights have nothing to offer in my opinion. Which is a relief. It will give me time to read a book or something.

    Although, let’s be honest, I’ll probably need this time to catch up on all the hour long dramas I am attempting to fit into my viewing schedule.

    Wednesday nights present a huge dilemma for me. There are way too many shows I’d like to check out, but alas, I can only record two things on my DVR at one time. And that’s only if P isn’t home.

    Because if he’s home, there is no way he’s going to sit around and not watch T.V. so that I can record “America’s Next Top Model”, “Private Practice”, and “Bionic Woman”, otherwise known as the Estrogen Fest.

    Not to mention, he may want to record something like “Babe Winkelman’s Guide to the Outdoors”.

    I wish I were kidding.

    So, if I had to pick (It’s like Sophie’s Choice, how do I make this decision? Here have an arm. No, have a leg.) I’ll choose “Private Practice”. And truth be told, I can catch up with all the future top models on some kind of VH-1 marathon at some point.

    Here’s a little secret. I don’t believe any of them have really gone on to be America’s Next Top Model, although one of them married the guy who played Peter Brady.

    Not exactly a threat to Gisele Bundchen’s career.

    I will be sad to let go of “Bionic Woman” because I have a glimmer of hope that it could fill the void in my heart that’s been there since “Alias” went off the air. No one will ever rock some hot pink hair like Sydney Bristow, but I feel like television is ready for another female that can kick some boo-tay.

    This brings us to Thursday night.

    Oh, Thursday nights. You have always been my night of must-see T.V. and you don’t disappoint. Once again, the DVR will be going at full steam. I’ll record “Ugly Betty” and “Grey’s Anatomy” to watch at a later time, while P and I will watch “My Name is Earl” and “The Office”.

    Best of all, the first four episodes of “The Office” will each be an hour long.

    God is good, my friends.

    Last, but certainly not least, is “Friday Night Lights”. I think my love, bordering on obsession, for “Friday Night Lights” has been well-documented at this point. If I had to pick only one show to watch (and I think this post proves how hard that would be) I would choose “Friday Night Lights”.

    Seriously.

    Like I tell P every week, it’s the best show on television.

    And that’s saying something because you have to work hard to be better than a cheesy reality show starring a bar owner who will date girls named Sheena and McCarten. ($50.00 says they made those names up to be memorable, which is a far better strategy than demonstrating your ability to be a human pretzel while on national television)

    So, tell me I’m not the only one who seriously thought about charting out the fall T.V. schedule. What shows do y’all have to watch? Any new shows you’ll be giving a try?

    And if you don’t watch T.V. and only read books, what’s that like?

    I used to read, but then I had a child and now I have the attention span of a gnat, but not as many brain cells.

    T.V. is my friend.