Link up your guest blog posts today and get em' Exposed!

It's the first link up for "Exposed"!
This is a link up for everyone who had a guest post on their blog this week. Why not introduce them to the rest of your readers! So go down below and link up!
 

Today I'm exposing Mallory to all of my bliends.
 She blogs over at From California to Kansas.
Mallory and I have become blogging bffs. You know the kind that you text and don't tell anyone who it is because they think that your weird because you talk to your bloggy friends? 
 

Mallory is a gluten freebie, wine drinking, dog loving, say it as it is kind of girl. You can find anything on her blog. I mean anything.  

So go ahead Mal, and tell them something good! ............

Hi! 

I'm Mallory!

Jess has already agreed to do the above for me, should my shenanigans ever require a wanted missing poster.

Now if that's not a great introduction, I don't know what is. 

So Jess asked me to come in, kick off this EXPOSED guest post link up, which I must say, I was honored she asked me to be first, because I am an only child and believe I should always be first, but apparently that's not true. Who knew??

But I must say, I was a bit confused as to what she meant by EXPOSED...

Did she mean this?

I quite honestly can't believe I am putting this on the Internet, but have justified it because this isn't my blog!

Or did she mean something more like this?

I know, my face is ridiculously white, but this was like Day 8 of a 10 day trip in Jamaica at the end of December. I didn't bring enough bronzer to counteract that tan/sunburn thing.

What do you think she meant by EXPOSED?

So I'm basically just your everyday, average, wine drinking, trash talking, wife, pretend blogger kind of girl!

I also live in Kansas.

Yeah. I know. "Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore" 

Except when you live in Kansas and hear that, the first thing that pops in your head is, are you messing with me right now? Is this a joke? Are you testing my aggravation limits?

I also have a bull terrier, named Deuce.

I've determined she is exactly like a toddler. 

A really annoying toddler who drives mommy to drink. 

Like today, she will not stop whining. For the love, I have been home for two hours and she has been whining for 1 hour and 45 minutes of that! Mommy drinks because you cry!!!

Don't let her cuteness fool you either.

As I pour myself another glass of wine...

So basically, if you're looking for a blog to read who rambles, EXPOSES herself online, drinks wine just as much as Jess, well, hey, come say hello. 

And bring wine cause I'm about out again.

So grab a button and please link back up below with the linky tool and your guest post! Let's get these guests exposed!

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Taste of Tuesday Sangria!!!

Linking up with Ashley and Jessica 

for a Taste Of Tuesday!

Every party that we have at our home, from celebrating the 4th of July, Christmas Eve, and random get togethers, I always make a red sangria.

Sangria can be as festive as you want it and as strong as you want it and to all of you ladies that have retail parties with your friends at your house, I promise you that they will buy more stuff after consuming a few glasses!

 *this means more free stuff from your consultant, Duh!

What you will need

2 Large bottles of red wine. 

Any red will do but I usually chose a blend to enhance the flavor with the different types of grapes. They do not have to be the same either!

1/2 bottle of any fruit flavored vodka (1/2 of a 750 ml sized bottle)

2 ounces of peach or apricot brandy

(feel free to omit this if you don't like it, it does have a strong flavour)

1 cup of simple syrup 

(1 cup of sugar brought to a boil with 1 cup of water)

 

1/2 gallon of OJ 

I usually use the Tropicana 50

1 large can of pineapple juice

lemons, limes, oranges, strawberries, blueberries etc. The sky is the limit, but I don't recommend using pineapples. They usually break apart and clogs the spout on the dispenser. Then you have to bust out a ladle and it just makes a mess.

You can also add a can of Ginger Ale right before serving it, to give it some fizz.     

Cut up all of your fruit and add it to the bottom of the dispenser and then add all of the liquids. Try to make this at least 24 hours before hand, it will take any bite of the boozy taste out.

Chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve this over ice and garnish it with whatever you want. I like mustache straws or little umbrellas. 

 

With the weekend only being 4 days away, get this brewing NOW! And by summer time everyone will be asking for it! It's so good.

Happy Tuesday!

Emotionally draining Weekend Recap

This weekend we had Josh's 10 year Army reunion. His first deployment was in 2003-2004 and I met him shortly after he came home. 

For some reason I was nervous to go to this reunion. 

I'm not sure why.

Most of his Army events make me emotional. Possibly because I am extremely proud of him or maybe because I know how much stress deployment effects ones family.

At any length, I am walking around at this thing, browsing collages of photos and holding back tears. He looks so young in these pictures. Most of the men look like teens. These photos are of them in Iraq, the day after the war started. They are smiling and goofing around.

Then the inevitable happened. We are asked to be seated and one of the soldiers has a speech prepared.

She informs us about the empty table that is set up when you walked in. It is set up in memory of 2 fallen heroes.

Josh's unit had lost 2 soldiers from that year. 

At this point I start fidgeting on my iPhone because my eyes are now filled with big wells of tears.

She describes the symbolism of what is at this table.

1. The place setting, representing your wish that the fallen could be with you celebrating.

2. A candle that represents the light of hope

3. A Long stem rose to represent the families who love and keep faith with the men and women who serve.

4. A yellow ribbon that represents loyal waiting for those that are serving away

and a red ribbon that is for those that are MIA.

5. A upside down champagne glass, displaying that this soldier will not be able to participate in the happy toast for this evening.

6. The lemon wedge on a bread plate, the bitter loss of life.

7. The salt that is sprinkled on the lemon, representing tears of the loss of life of this fallen soldier.

8.And an empty chair at this lone table, representing the missing comrades.

Now tears are running down my cheeks and I have a huge lump in my throat. I'm am embarrassed to look up as I don't know many of these soldiers and I am confident that these brave men and woman are listening with pride and courage. 

These marriages and families survived deployment. And it's ten years later, so they have also conquered the transition. 

There are only  a few men that are still in Josh's unit that deployed with him in 2010. Most of the others have retired.  I assure you that at his next 10 year reunion for his most recent deployment, I will be the same emotional mess. However, these men and woman I know. I skyped with them, sent packages to them and they helped my husband come home. They came to our wedding. This is family.
 I will be drinking heavily at this event.

In this very moment I am blessed that my soldier came home. Twice. 

There are days that I hate what he does, but this family and union that comes together to celebrate the values of the US Military and the bonds that go with it are amazing.

These men and women are best friends. It didn't matter that they hadn't seen each other in 10 years. 

These friendships didn't skip a beat.

To say the least, I'm happy that I went. It makes the day to day struggles that we have now look like peanuts.

It's humbling.

On a lighter note, don't forget to have a guest scheduled to post on your blog Thursday for my new link up, Exposed! Let's get these girls out there!

Friday's Letters

Dear Friday, thank you for blessing us with your presence.

Dear dog, I am happy to see that my electric throw blanket that I received as a Christmas present, has now become a necessity in your life,

(perhaps this is because I shaved all of your hair off in March, and it's currently 27 degrees and snowing). My bad.

 Dear weekend, I'm am looking forward to some good ol' fashion mother and sister bonding time tonight and also Josh's Army reunion on Saturday. Check.

Dear bank acount, YOUR GROWING! Thanks to #nospendmarch. Although this little gem will be ordered 4/1/13 at 12 am ET.

 

Dear Spring, Where the eff are you! Even my mother is cursing you!

 7 inches this morning!

Dear indecisive biological clock, what in the hell?

  But, that's today.

 

Dear new blog link up, Exposed.

I'm excited. 

Let's exploit them! New link UP!

I've been wanting to start a link up for a while now but I didn't want take away from the link ups that I'm obsessed with. 

 I love weekend updates, friday's letters, diy etc.
But I wanted to take a link up in a different direction.  That being said......

What gets you and your blog, out there into the bloggy world better than a good old guest post? New readers, new readees (I know that's not a word but you know what I mean) and more blog hopping.

 

So, starting next Thursday, I will be having a guest post on my blog weekly and I will be launching this link up for other bloggers to expose their guest bloggeettes!

                                   So get excited and get your guest bloggers.......

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Blog Lovin x 2

Linking up with Jen, Lisette, and

Rachel for all of these good ol' Blog lovin link ups

 So come and give me some love already!

 

 

 

St. Patty's Day O'shenanigans

Linking up with Sami for a smashing St Patty's Day/weekend recap!

Since the hubs is a ginger and about 80% Irish, he's pretty close to the real deal so this holiday is a celebratory must! He's freckly, has the fighting Irish tattoo and he goes from pale to pink when he has a tan.

Friday Night 

I worked until 6. Meh. We went out for some well needed sushi and I came home to this little surpise! Gotta love Alex and Ani.

 Saturday night was a girls night for me and a guys night for Josh. Unfortunately, I don't have any pics from either of these nights. Believe me, your not missing much, other than the 1 am bag o' taco bell that Josh brought home.

Sunday morning, I woke up early and when I came back into the bedroom, this. How cute right?!

 I made green iced coffees and breakfast.

I

 

We went out shopping and farted around the Christmas tree shop and tj maxx etc. With "no spend March" in effect, this was a waste of time to me! 

Around 1 pm our St Patty's Day festivities kicked off.

(photo dump)

 *barf

I hope that everyone had a safe St Patty's!

Big news for a Big Blogger!

Taylor is guest posting today on my blog with really exciting and awesome news! And I may be a tad bit jelly that I didn't think of it myself!!!

Here she is..........


Hey y'all! I'm Taylor and I blog over at Pink Heels Pink Truck. I'm excited to be sharing with you all today a brand new dream that I've turned into reality. Meet Fabuless Wardrobe!!



This site is an online consignment shoppe. But not any online consignment shoppe. This concept is different. :)

At Fabuless Wardrobe, you purchase an ad spot for $1.00 per item. Each item is listed for 30 days for that $1.00. If your item sells, you will be forwarded the money (via paypal) without any additional fees (well, less paypal's original fees). The only fee you will incur is the upfront ad spot purchase! All items ship for free, so you build your shipping into your listing price. :)

This site is basically a place to list your gently used items (even maternity!), no more than 2 years old (preferrably..it'll only help you sell!). You might even have stuff you've never worn before or even still has tags on it. So why not put it up for sale and see if you can add some cash to your pocket! :)

There are a few items already for sale in the shoppe, so you must head over and check it out. And if you are ready to get to listing your own items, click on the Sell Tab to get started!! You'll tell me how many items you want to list initially, and I'll send over an invoice and then the link to where you can start uploading your stuff!

I would love for you to follow Fabuless Wardrobe's social media channels so you never miss a new item added to the shoppe!!
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

Thank you, Jess, for allowing me to share my brand new dream-turned-reality!! :) And I hope to see you all selling your items soon!!

Blog lovin

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So What Wednesday.

 Thanks to Shannon for this link up today!

 

 

 So What.....

1.  If my basement had aquarium amounts of water in it yesterday.

 

2. If I'm having the hardest time with "no spend" March and I'm making a list to over consume in April

 

3. If my computers crashed at work and now I have to work Friday, I still had a 5 day weekend.

 

4. If my little dog's nails are so long that I'm thinking of changing his name to Laqueesha. Seriously, though, they look like macaronis.

 

5. If today is going to be almost 60 and I'm working. ALL DAY.

6. If I ate a cookie dough sundae last night with hot fudge and peanut butter and the scale went up 1.5 lbs this am.

7. If I'm seriously thinking about reproducing. No big deal.

8. If the hubs took the car out Saturday night and there is a large fry dumped in my back seat, lettuce stuck to my passenger seat, and greasy finger prints everywhere.

 

9. If my St. Patty's day crafts are still hanging out in the craft room and have yet to be hung up.

 

Hmmmph, it's Wednesday.

Butler Please

Linking up with Tara for her weekly Nail Files!

I haven't been painting anything fancy lately because honestly, it all chips off. Unless I go with shellac but for realz, who's got time for that!

This week I used Essie, Butler Please and China Glaze, Sparkle coat.

It feels a little patriotic/sailor-ish for me. I had 3 other colors that I was going to use but after an instagram vote, the blue

cobalt won!

Oh and if you're wondering what your nails say about you? Head over to Helene's blog and check out her breakdown. 

Everyone has seen it.

"Do you like crittle gel?"

Feels good to be a Gangsta

Happy Thursday!

Mashed Potatoes? Oh Wurd. Dating linkup

Um yeah, this link up is brilliant.

When I was 27, I was a serial dater. I'm not proud to say that now, but I was proud of it back then. Moving on.

I had met this guy out, who was a friend of some friends. I wasn't super interested but I did like dinner and dates. 

We decided to go out for dinner on a Friday at 6.

Red flag #1 I had to pick him up.

So, 6 o' clock came and went and I wasn't picking him up until he confirmed the date. 

Around 8 o' clock I received a text that asked where I was? 

So he said he was sorry and asked me to come and pick him up.

 I got lost on the way to his house and I had to call for directions.

Red flag #2 he was kind of slurring on the phone, while telling me directions, but I just thought that it was bad service.

 I scooped him up and we went to a place 20 minutes away from his house for dinner.

As I was driving, I noticed he is hammered. However, this is entertaining to me and by no means makes me mad. 

Sicko. 

 

We get to dinner, he orders more beers (I wasn't stopping him, fuel on the fire) and we get our food.

WELL.......

As we are eating, he is only using his right hand. His left hand has now been resting in his mashed potatoes for about 5 minutes. And he's just chatting away and eating and drinking etc. Almost acting as if that hand isn't even a part of his body. Just picture it, EVERYTHING with one hand, from eating a steak tip to drinking his beer, while the left hand just sits there.....flaccid.

We get in the car to head home and he passes out.

Naturally, I then have to bring him by two friend's houses and have them come outside so that I can roll down the passenger window and show them my passed out date.

Weeks later, I saw him out again and he told me he wanted a re-do and that he owes me a date. 

Ummmm, negative ghost rider.