Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist.

Oh Hi, I DO have a blog, I didn't forget really, just I'm not at a place right now where I have time for anything, and this blog suffers. However, today I have 5 minutes while I finish my "lunch" and I'm a bzzagent and have a product to review.

Disclaimer: I received a coupon for a free one of these, however, the opinions are all mine baby.



So I have NEVER used a spray air freshener in my home, but I got offered this Bzzcampaign and figured, oh why not, especially since a scented oil diffuser (which I have used, and have loved using in the past) was also included. We also have a few home odor problems that we're dealing with at the moment (OMG! SO another post) so I accepted the campaign.

First of all, these products? CRAZY hard to find. Went to several stores, and could only find the Pineapple Mangosteen fragrance. First of all, Mangosteen reminds me of langosteen and who wants their home to smell like lobster. However, I got over this thought and sprayed/smelled it in store. I HATED it, so yeah, not bringing that in my house. No one had the oil diffuser at all. Finally, my local pharmacy had the spray in 2 scents, the pineapple, and the Lavender and Juniper Berry. I love both of these so I was happy. (Although this time of year, I would have preferred the apple one.).

I brought the spray home, planning on using it in my "Mudroom" as the ag center next door smells so bad and the smell gets into the house every time the door opens. I liked that the holder thing is white, and that it is discreet. However, it's a bit hard to squeeze to get the fragrance out, and even if you spray it high and in short bursts, it gets on your skin and in your nose and feels yucky. The reason I dislike sprays in general is that you can feel it in the air and on you when you spray it, is overpowering at first, and doesn't last long/isn't subtle. I like my home to smell like a candle or oil is lit, gentle, non invasive, just a pleasant hint of something. I found this had many of the same characteristics. It was hard to spray, after spraying you felt like you had too much, then 5 minutes later it's completely gone. I would NEVER have it in my main house as I don't want that stuff in my baby's lungs and the wetness was pretty extreme. I felt it on myself for much longer than the scent lasted. Yuck.

As for the way it smelled in general, it was pretty. A very complex blend of the two herbs. I think that I would have loved it if it were the oil thingie. I am glad I got it for (almost) free, because I never would have paid for it.

I give it a 3/10. The fragrance is pretty, the container was ok, but the spray was even worse than a traditional one.

Sorry Glade, you still need to work to win me over.

I will amend this review if I ever find the oil diffuser thing.

Ten List -Tuesday?! - Mommy

I'm not really back, I will make a grand reappearance though..eventually. But somehow I needed to write this post, right now. Inspired in part by Kelle Hampton.

Ten Mothers I want to be:

1. The one who doesn't use lack of a spare/clean/dry outfit as a reason to miss an adventure.

2. The one who teaches her children to react to the world (good and bad) with grace, class, dignity, and a great sense of humor...by example.

3. The one who knows how to be a mother, but doesn't forget how to be a playmate.

4. The one who doesn't laugh at her child's temper tantrum (no matter how funny) because it's not funny to her child.

5. The one who listens to everything the children tell her, and remembers that if she listens to the little things now, they will tell her the important things later. (And remembers that, to them, it was always important)

6. The one who will spontaneously take a day off of work, take the child out of school, and have a mommy child adventure day.

7. The one who offers love and support even when she doesn't agree with their choices.

8. The one who knows when to offer advice and when just to listen.

9. The one who remembers to think before she speaks because sometimes a passing comment which didn't mean much to the parent can hurt a child for years.

10. The one to whom the child and child's friends confide in no matter what and know that she is there for them.

I didn't forget I had a blog.

I'm just really swamped with 2 jobs, motherhood, wifehood, and housework right now. I have several posts have started and they are pretty dismal, and while I don't really edit my work, I also don't want to put crap on this blog either. So I'm putting The Sarah Lady on Hiatus until after the show.

See ya'll on March 12th with something special.

Until then Anything Goes! (Meaning, that's the show I'm working on hahaha)

Ten List Thursday - Men's Fashion

Here are ten things that I drool over when a man wears (well). Things I like to add when I'm costuming (guess what inspired this) and want someone to look extra nice (or that Pat wears/I wish he would that make him even more handsome)

1. Waistcoat (AKA vest), it has to be fitted well, but oh man! does it make me weak in the knees (I think this may be part of my mini character crush on The Mentalist. That and the angst.)

2. Tie tack/clip. I don't like men who wear a lot of jewelry, but I understand wanting to inject a bit of personalization/sparkle into something like a plainer tie. Plus, I love any detail that completes a look.

3. Cuff-links. What is it about french cuffs that look so suave? I have no clue. As in the above, I just think cuff-links add just the right flair without being gaudy. I think because they are on the wrist and not on the chest they can be a bit more whimsical. I've seen lego cuff-links (adorable as long as they're in the right color), D20 cuff-links for your geek (again...don't get bright yellow or something, but can be fun), or the classic onyx square. They are also cheap, you can always find cool vintage ones at estate sales, or custom made on etsy.com. They can be done wrong, but that's usually a scale issue. It's all about scale when dressing up. Also, you don't want them to catch on everything you walk by. This is why all of Pat's tux shirts now have french cuffs.

4. Blazer over a mock turtle neck. Now, I have seen this done wrong. Done right though, it's chic and sophisticated. Blazers/sportcoats in general are a good idea. Not only do they look good, but if you're cold, and your boyfriend/husband etc puts his over your shoulders to keep you warm, it's just a melt moment. *swoon*

5. Newsboy hats. I don't even know why. I just love them. (As a matter of fact, I like them on me too. I have a hat head though)

6. Well tailored suits. People say that suits are easy to wear, brainless even. I agree, but for the love of Pete people, get them tailored. No one is an off the rack size. Suits are designed to be fitted, often the shop will have the tailoring included in the cost of the suit. Fitted suits=hot, off the rack suit=sloppy.

7. Argyle. Socks, ties, sweaters, it's all good. Maybe it's my highland ancestry, but this Black Douglas(s) LOVES her argyle.

8. Pinstripes. Ok, pinstripes just look good on everyone. Lengthens legs, slimming, classic. Win.

9. Fitted leather jackets. Cool, yet sophisticated.

10. Peacoats. I don't need to elaborate on this one at all. Just do it.

Ten List Thursday - Baby Gushing

In honor of her turning 18 months old, Here are ten (of the hundreds of things) that currently enthrall me about my daughter.

1. The little chipmunk laugh she does because it makes us laugh. If only I could get it on video. It's a cross between Alvin (of the Chipmunks) and Woody Woodpecker.

2. Her vocabulary which increases every day (and its converse, when she can't say, or doesn't want to try to say a word, she demures, shakes her head while grinning, and buries her face into something)

3. Watching her dance. My girl has moves.

4. The way she asks for "Anne?, Annie?!" when we get in the car because she's hoping we're going to see baby Anne. (Also, happy 6 months today Queen Anne, SB Auntie loves you!)

5. Her singing. She especially loves to start a song so that I'll finish it for/with her.

6. Hearing "Mommy" in her sweet little voice when she wakes up and wants me. Melts me every time.

7. Tickling her til she laughs so hard that she can barely breathe.

8. The way she has of sticking out her tongue halfway and then twisting it in her mouth so it's vertical.

9. That she wants to feed us bites of whatever she's eating. She is very generous and is always sharing.

10. Watching her play with the kitten, and when she's tired of it, she presses the cat wand into my hand and says "Help?" so I'll do it and she can just watch him jump.

18 Months old

My baby girl is 18 Months old today. One and a Half. She's the joy of my life, and I feel like the luckiest woman in the world when I hear her call "Mama" or "Mommy" in the morning and see her entire face light up with I walk into her room, or to pick her up at the end of the day. I bought her some cookies at Insomnia Cookies today to celebrate with her and her daddy tonight. I am so lucky to have such an amazing husband, and daughter. Sorry about the gushing. I just get overwhelmed by it sometimes.

Project Organization - Upstairs Bathroom

I finished the first 2 weekly projects for my Project Organization. Monday (1/3/12), after work, I took myself, my camera, and one of my new label makers up to the bathroom. I was embarrassed to realize that, as my husband uses the downstairs bathroom for his toilette, the mess was mine. The fact that the bathroom needed a good cleaning was both of ours, but the disorganization was all me. Well, now it's organized and pretty, and I am mid-good old fashioned complete scrub down of it, followed by re-caulking the tub and re-painting the ceiling.

Under the jump is my progress.

Admission

So my goal of one organizing project a day? I have realized that with everything else I have going on, especially with the show til March, then with a certain wedding coming up after in which I am a bridesmaid (YAY Mindy), it isn't feasible.

So I'm going to edit it to be one organizing project a week.

I'm also taking a cue from Melissa and am going to make a nightly/weekly schedule to try to help me accomplish what I need to do every day. Maybe it will help with my overall 2012 goal of increasing my self discipline (not to be confused with my New Year's Resolution which is to cut out fast food, which I have already slipped on once, but I don't believe in all or nothing with resolutions.).

More to come.

Ten List Thursday - Other blogs

Looking for something to add to your reading list for 2012?

Here are 10 blogs I follow and particularly love (back to no particular order folks) Also, there are WAY more than 10 blogs that I think are awesome, so there will be more ten lists like this for ya'll.

1. A Vegas Girl At Heart. http://vegasnarcissist.blogspot.com/ (Full disclosure: Melissa is one of my best friends) I love this blog. It's versatile, full of inspiration for everything (except cooking haha), and also has handy dandy links, freebies, and tutorials. I especially love when a blog not only shows me something cool, but tells me how to do it in language I can understand. Also it's full of adorable pictures of her son, Austin. Who doesn't love cute babies?

2. Enjoy the Small Things. www.kellehampton.com This is a mom blog written in a lovely style by Kelle Hampton and chronicles her life with her husband, 2 adorable girls (one with Down Syndrome), 2 step-sons, and pets in Florida. She's from Michigan so her full on enjoying life in Florida is tempered slightly by a homesickness she expresses so beautifully that you want to go home with her. She has style, class, and a joie de vivre that totally inspires me to BE IN THE MOMENT more with my family. Someday I would love to meet her. I wrote her an email that probably freaked her out as it was so love-letter-y.

3. Not Always Right www.notalwaysright.com I like a good laugh, Not Always Right (as in the Customer is) makes me laugh. It also makes me VERY grateful that I no longer work retail. Someone with my temper doesn't work well in retail.

4. Home Baked Happiness. http://home-bakedhappiness.blogspot.com (again a closer personal friend of mine), I do love baked goods, and I love this blog because I know she's made this stuff, I know because I've eaten a fair bit of it. I also happen to love the way she writes, so check it out...then make some of it!

5. CakeWrecks. www.cakewrecks.com This is sort of the antitheses of the blog above. (Other than the Sunday Sweets), It always makes me cringe and smile and all sorts of things. It pretty much speaks for itself.

6. Must have Cute http://stuff.icanhascheezburger.com/ So this one is part of the Cheezburger network, and I love it. I do some much Pinning from it that it's crazy. I also find a lot of fun gifts here. Sometimes it's hard to track down where to get the stuff, but it's always sweet.

7. The daily Squee. http://squee.icanhascheezburger.com/ Ok, I guess this is now part of Cheezburger too, but it wasn't always. Full disclosure: I no longer look at this site because I get no work done at all when I do. It's that adorable. Plus the loud "AWWWWWWWWWWs" coming from my mouth are distracting. So no. But do I want you hooked on it? Hells yeah I do.

8. Tails from the Hart http://www.tailsfromthehart.com/blog (Again, friend), I LOVE RACCOONS. My first word was (a version of) the word Raccoon. (Shut up Pat). This is the blog of a Raccoon (and other animal) rehabber. It is really fascinating work, and well, has videos of Raccoons!!!

9. Hyperbole and a Half http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/ Don't have much to say here, everyone reads this blog. And well, it hasn't been updated in a long time. I used to HATE the art style, but the blog is so funny that now I drank the Kool Aid and love it too.

10. Shopafrolic http://www.shopafrolic.com/ So I'm not sure this counts as a blog, but I love hearing about these trends, even if I can't afford a thing on it. I love the way these sisters can talk about the same fashions, agree, disagree whatever and do it with such elegance. Yeah I love this.

Project Organization!

So Sometimes I get to the point in my house where it's so overwhelming that I don't even know where to start. It's there now.

I need and crave organization. I sleep like crap in a messy room. I lay awake and worry about my mess but am too lazy to get out of bed and fix it in the middle of the night. I make up excuses, I need to buy cute organizing stuff, I don't have a label maker (do now!) I don't have the space. I need to take before and after pictures. Excuses excuses. I make me sick. I do. (in more ways than one).

So I have decided to do one small bit of organizing a day until I can breathe (meaning forever! Haha not really). I'll still have regular cleaning and chores to do, but organizing one tiny piece at a time will do wonders for my psyche. I know it will. It won't be easy, especially with the show coming up. But seriously, if everything worth doing were easy it would already be done. In order to do this I need some ground rules for myself. Please feel free to make suggestions (don't be offended if I don't use every one though, not everything works for every person.)

Rules:

1. At LEAST one small organizing task a day. I say at least because if I get one a roll I don't want to limit myself.

2. No excuses. If I absolutely need to buy/make/accomplish something before the task can be handled. Write those things on a list, and do something else instead until I get those things.

3. Take before and after pictures (post them on this blog). I will feel a sense of accomplishment, and I will have some kind of accountability. Even if the before picture is hella embarrassing. If the camera is not available, use the phone...but don't let it become an excuse.

4. Laundry, dishes, much play time with Evangeline, and both jobs need to be worked on too. If you need to miss a day because of that. It's ok. However, don't miss 2 days in a row.

5. Maintain areas already done.

6. Small projects. If I have to make a bigger mess to organize a small one. Wait for a weekend baby nap.

7. Must be finished before I go to bed, otherwise I will obsess over it and not sleep.

8. Maintain a list of areas finished. (I was going to say of areas still to be done, but I don't want to get overwhelmed.)

9. Remember that I can always go back and re-do with prettier things. This doesn't have to cost money (or much of it).

Any other suggestions?

Ten List Thursday - New Year Hopes

3/3 of late posts! Whoop!

Ok, so here are Ten Things I'm looking forward to in the New Year.

1. Weddings! At least three of them!

2. My baby's second birthday in July. Here's hoping she's not a terrible two. Not that I think my sweet girl could be, she's proven me wrong before.

3. Several other FIRST birthdays!

4. Lots of cool science things at work. I have faith that my hard work and stubborn attitude will make my work well....work!

5. Achieving my weight loss goals. I didn't lose any more in December, but the fact that I haven't gained anything thought it all makes me confidant that if I continue my lb a week goal through Liz and Erik's wedding I'm actually going to make it this time. I am happy to be getting healthy for me AND my girl.

6. Having an organized home. More on this later.

7. Project Life. I'm a wee bit behind on it now, but I plan on fixing that and working to keep it updated. If I can maintain my much hated lab notebook, I can maintain my much loved Project Life book.

8. Starting a photoblog. I think this will hopefully help towards my long term goal of no Facebook at all by 2013.

9. New Babies! I'm gonna be an "Aunt" this May, and other dear friends are expecting too. I love babies.

10. Adventures. No official ones planned yet, but I'm gonna be changing that.

Ten List Thursday - Holiday Traditions

Post 2/3 of Late Posts!

Ten (mostly family specific)Christmas Traditions I Want to Pass on to My Daughter.

I think that a strong family tradition is a wonderful thing (unless it’s fighting, in which case I’ll pass thanks), and should be passed on. I’m also totally cool with traditions evolving (naturally, in an unforced way) because change (like death and taxes, although unlike those, can possibly be positive) is inevitable (kind of like me other using parenthesis and run-on sentences with too many commas.). Here are 10 that I want to not only continue but hope that my girl will do as well.

1. Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra Christmas CD’s. I want her to know the classics. I’m fine with others in there, but I want her to feel what I felt every time I heard these tunes.

2. Having root beer floats, caramel corn, and watching Merry Christmas Mr. Bean, while (and after) decorating the Christmas Tree. My Daddy’s family had root beer floats, my mother added caramel corn when they had us, and I added Mr. Bean (because I was worried about adding yet more food). I hope Evangeline keeps this and adds something of her own when she grows up and leaves home.

3. A star on top of the tree. Ok, I have no problem with Angels. I like them, even the scary biblical descriptions of them. I have a small collection of Willow Tree Angels and a bigger peace Angel (named Marissa) that I happily display. However, I grew up with a star on the top of the tree, and as a pre-teen I heard a joke about a year that God was really stressed out about Jesus’ Christmas party and was at the end of His rope when a little tiny Angel comes up to Him and asks where she should stick the tree. And He tells her! Soooo, when a 13 year old hears that joke, it kind of ruins Angels on top of trees for her. Seriously, I have the hardest time keeping a straight face seeing Angel tree toppers.

4. Driving around to see the lights. I know almost everyone does it. But I love it, especially with either really soft carols playing or in silence.

5. Going to Midnight Mass. So it won’t be possible for many years to start doing this again, but I plan to A) when she’s old enough and B) when we find a new church. It’s just magical for me.

6. Baking together. I know it’s clichéd but I want to do this. I had her sit with me while making the spice cookies this year, gave her some dough to play with. It was awesome and it’s only going to get better. I want to make her a Christmas apron to wear next year.

7. Project Angel Tree. I want Evangeline to know that it’s more blessed to give, and I want her to know the joy that comes from doing so. I can’t support the Salvation Army anymore and I loved Project Angel Tree as a child so I want to do that. It’s like a lot of charities where you select a child to buy gifts for (a clothing item and a toy), only with Angel Tree it goes to the child (or children) of inmates. I always feel horrible for innocent children who suffer because their parent(s) did something wrong so this one fits me well.

8. Watching Christmas Specials snuggled together with homemade hot cocoa and blankets. Maybe while writing Christmas cards

9. Cutting down a Christmas Tree. Last year my parents watched the baby while Pat and I went out to cut our tree, this year we supported boys cross country and bought one from them as baby is too little to go out in the woods, driven there in a rickety old pickup truck with no seatbelts. Hopefully next year we’ll get our Concolor Fir (They smell like oranges and are the best tree ever!) And all will be well. I have the most wonderful memories of doing this as a child/teen. Colin and I even (mostly) got along on tree cutting days.

10. Santa. Enough said. We actually have a key for him that hangs on the door as we have no chimney and he has to get in somehow! ☺