Do the Time Warp

So, in Dayton every year, they have this thing called the Time Warp Prom. It's basically prom for the 25 and over crowd- (I've also heard it called "second chance prom").
One of our friends at work has wanted to go to this as long as I've known her, and we've always put it off. This year, the "prom" falls on the Saturday of her birthday, and all she wants for her birthday is to go to the dance, so we're going to take her.

There's about 8 or 10 of us girls who will be going together...complete with updo's and a limo, and a prom queen tiara for the birthday girl. It's not until April, but we just found out the date this week, so it's on my mind. Plus, I've got to find the perfect prom dress!!

I've been looking on eBay and have found a few potential dresses, but most are over my $20 budget. Plus, all the dresses in the 'vintage' section that I like have a 22 inch waist. What's that!?? Who wears that???? I think I'll have to cruise through the local goodwill formal section. Here's what I've found so far, for shopping inspiration:

bleach!

I spent my Sunday cleaning...deep cleaning both bathrooms. Not fun, but they're all nice and sparkly-clean now and they stink like bleach. Mmmmm....clean. :)

Holidays, Part One

Here are some holiday photos; Part Two is below this post.




This is what happens when you tell Rylee to "SMILE!"

















Awww...someone give this guy a grandkid! (Just kidding!!!!) Maybe a puppy though...what? No?? hahaha
















Joe got out of his sick-bed for some family photos.
(This is what happens when you tell Jeremy "SMILE!")

















These are the "real" LaValleys.

Holiday Parties, Part Two

Salon Christmas party (can you find the 5 hairstylists mixed in with all the receptionists???)
















Joe and I; Christmas at the lake

















Jenna, coming down off an easy-bake oven high.

















Nancy thinks it's a b.b. gun!

















Jake, playing "Where's Waldo?"

Call me Joan Rivers: Harsh critiques of last night's "entertainment"

So it's 2007 already! How did everyone say goodbye to 2006? Joe and I went out to dinner with mom, dad, and Grandma- good food, good company, good time! Then the 2 of us watched movies at home and watched the ball drop, and Dick Clark's Rockin'New Years Eve.
I just ate my yummy leftover prime rib from last night for lunch ,and watched yet another movie this morning. I think I'm catching up on a years' worth of DVDs this holiday season!
A few Rockin' Eve thoughts, for those of you who watched it:

1. Why don't they get better talent for the Times Square deal?
2. Dick Clark just made me sad. His wife was even sadder! (She makes me sing "greeeen acres!" Girl needs to tone it down a little.)
3. If *I* was going to "perform" on tv, on a major holiday show, I would probably practice my lip-sync skillz first. Rhianna sucks.
4.Yay to Natasha Bedingfield for actually singing, and singing well, at that!
5. Joe thinks Fergie looked pregnant. I said she probably just ate too many cookies.
6. What's with that Latin pop group?! It's as if the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys collaborated, in Spanish! Pathetic. Yet, oddly catchy tunes....
7. WHY is Meatloaf allowed to still perform in public? Who likes him? To his credit he DID sing. He's one who should have lip-synced (lip-sanc? sync'd?) Anyway, the man can't sing on key to save his life, and he needs to back away from Punky Brewster, or whoever that girl was who was singing with him. He's got to be 3 times her age! He kept getting up in her face. Dirty old man... He makes Ryan Secrest and his fake teeth look good.

Other random thoughts:
.Google is too cute, they made the 'oogl' of google look like 2007. Awwww.....
.For anyone who thinks the Michigan mitten-map is funny, check out my friend Aaron's blog to see a funny, pitiful holiday card. www.webbweweave.blogspot.com
.I can't wait for good tv (new episodes)to come back! I'm in serious Grey's Anatomy withdrawal. Seriously. (heheheh)
.I wish I knew how to make my blogger font different colors. That would be cool.
.I am in serious need of a scrapbook day!!! Any takers?? I'll host...I promise to have heat this time! =)
.I didn't make a New Year's Resolution. Last year I resolved to learn to like shrimp, and I think I did fairly well. I can't eat it cold, but I can do grilled/seasoned shrimp.
.I'm off to check out some new songs on iTunes, and then watch more movies!!
.Happy 2007!

just to clarify

It wasn't BAD oyster dressing that made Joe sick.
I just think Joe and oysters don't get along.
(I tried the dressing, and I was fine.)
Didn't want to give unnecessary bad press to Sudsy's cooking! :)

My twelve 'days' of Christmas!

Here's my countdown, Christmas style:

12 hours in the car, (Urbana to Huron, to Michigan, back to Urbana!)
11 hours of sleep every night of the holiday weekend- yay!!
10 Christmas cookies eaten per day (estimated...probably more in reality)
9 holiday meals
8 hours of Lifetime Christmas movies watched on Christmas day!
7 hours after I woke up on Christmas, until I finally changed out of my p.j.s!
6 plates of Christmas cookies in my kitchen- guess I'll freeze 'em.
5 days off work over Christmas
4 days off work over New Years weekend
3 magazines read, cover to cover, while in Michigan
2 days that Joe didn't get out of bed due to sickness. (Darn oyster dressing!)
1 Christmas mid-day nap

Holiday Sugar Buzz!

Since my holiday diet has consisted of taco bell and Christmas cookies (mostly the cookies) I'm running on a constant sugar high, and dressing up my dog sounds like a FABULOUS idea!! (Cissi begs to differ....) Thanks for the suggestion, Brenda!
(Cissi is currently hiding from me- she hates playing dress up.) I think the Santa hat pose should be next year's Christmas card. :)

I like to photograph my dog.

I love this picture!!

I saw this a couple weeks ago, when I was driving home from work. It was so funny, I had to circle the block and pull over so I could take a picture with my phone. (And THAT is why we need cameras on our phones!)
I think it may be the funniest thing I have seen this Christmas season.
I believe this calls for a good neighborly round of "We've got spirit, yes we do; we got [Christmas] spirit, how 'bout YOU?!" (Obviously, they don't...)



(In case you can't tell, it's half of a double lit up, half with NO holiday spirit!)

Happy Holidays!!!

I'm Bringing Eighties Back!!

So we're starting a new movement at work, trying to bring back some old slang. We figure if side ponytails and leggings can make a comeback, so can 80's words!!
So far, so good. We use these in conversation at the salon (people crack up, really!) and we've got a representative to OSU, a scattering of local high schools, Tiffin University, Springfield City, Urbana, even the elemetary schools.

But now, we're taking it to the next level, and this is where I need YOU~
Between all of my faithful readers, I've got representation in Michigan, Texas, most of Ohio, Virginia, and Kosovo! (Yes, we're taking this international!)

All you have to do is insert a few old words back in to your vocabulary. It's fun, and funny too! You'll get a good laugh, others will too, and eventually when they're saying "I'm Hip" on Laguna Beach, we can say we brought it back.

(Yes, we often entertain ourselves at work in this way...just go with it.)

Here's your list:
I'm Hip
Sike!
Word, Word Up, Word to your mother; any combination of these is fine
and if you can pull it off: "Gag me with a spoon"!

Any other suggestions are welcomed.
Thanks for helping to bring a little fun to others. :)

What, another survey?

Here's a holiday-themed survey I swiped from Amy's blog:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped!

3. Colored lights or white lights on tree/house? I like white inside, colors outside.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but I have some.

5. When do you put up your decorations? Um...I should probably do that soon, huh?

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? stuffing, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, cheeseball

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Kara and I in our room at our 'old' house, listening for Santa's sleigh bells; riding home from Grandma's at night in the van, listening/singing Christmas music, looking for christmas lights; thinking that the flashing light on the top of the radio tower was actually Rudolf's nose!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? early- maybe first grade- I remember mom telling me not to tell my friends!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, growing up, mom let us open one (usually the underwear!), then when we were older, my sisters and i opened ours on the 24th; now, joe and I open one each on Christmas eve.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Um....just white lights. :)

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love watching it.

12. Can you ice skate? kind of

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? probably my Cabbage Patch! :)

14. What's the most important thing about Christmas for you? family time

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? pie, cookies, candies, peanut brittle, basically all of it!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Driving to see the lights

17. What tops your tree? nothing

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum, definitely.

25 days until Christmas!

Today's list: Things I like/Things I don't like. It has nothing to do with my title and I don't care. =)

Things I like:
1. iTunes and finding great old and new music! Songs I bought today include Still Cruisin' by the Beach Boys, Stuck in the Middle With You, Chains Hang Low (yes! I did!) and my fav of the day, the new Gwen Stefani song, Wind It Up. It samples the Goat/Marrionette/Yodeling song from Sound of Music!!!

2. Thursdays, because it's Grey's Anatomy night

3. Good hair days

4. Christmas parties- our work party is Sunday

Things I don't like:
1. Broken computer keyboards

2. Rain on a good hair day

3. knowing that it's going to snow tonight and I don't know where my window scraper is

Time for some quality time with the TV.

vacation, part deux

You can't post a blog with the title "part 1" and never do the sequel, so here it is, another installment of vacation photos!!
I realize this first one is on its side and you will have to tilt your head to see it, but I forgot to edit it. Anyway, it's our hotel. The rest are pretty self-explanatory. Enjoy. :)

turkey day, etc etc etc...

I have been a lazy blogger! I guess I've been too busy in the 'real' world or something. I haven't been online much this past week or so. Anyway, if you care (which obviously you do, if you're reading my blog) here's what I've been up to in the past weeks- in no particular order:

~Working like a mad-woman, makig up for vacation week off, and a half week this week!

~Went to Canton to hang out w/ Lisa: we shopped and ate, and shopped and ate, and ate and shopped...oh and she taught me to crochet!

~I've now crocheted (is that a word?) something that resembles a slightly askew potholder. I still need practice.

~Joe and I have been shopping a few times. We bought his-n-her puffy vests! (Mine has a furry hood, Joe's does not.)

~debated buying a puffy vest for Cissi; decided on no, for now, at least until the price comes down a little bit. ($30 for a dog coat is a little much, no?)

~thought about decorating for Christmas. Did other things instead.

~Watched a couple ep's of 90210

~this is for Nancy: GO BLUE!!! (they're still winners in my eyes!)

~I bought skinny jeans. Yes I did.

~Found 2 pair of 'lost' boots in my "attic" (the bedroom upstairs that we use as storage space). Yay for found boots!!!

~Went to lunch w/ my friend Tina and her new baby. Too fun!

~Had a birthday dinner for dad at our house.

~Thought about scrapbooking my vacation photos, thought about all the work that would take, and instead threw all the pics into a mini album.

~Went to the movies with Joe, saw The Departed- very good flick, if you don't mind a little (OK, a lot) killing. But Leonardo DiCaprio makes up for the blood and guts. He's pretty.

~One of my clients brought me shoes at work today!!! I have the best clients EVER.

That's that...and some random stuff thrown in there. Notice, nowhere did I mention cleaning my house, doing laundry, or anything of the sort. :)
We're going to Michigan for turkey day- have a ton of fun everyone! I'll miss the crew in Stow.

gobble gobble.

Roll call...assignments are due!

OK, for those of you who haven't sent me your 8 song choices (you know who you are), go ahead and send them to me already!
I might add....no stress, no one but me is going to see your lists, I'm using it for my own personal use, for song ideas.
If you're too busy, I understand, it's a busy time of year.
But if you've got the time.....

I know I said I wouldn't.

wear leggings, that is.
But I did.
(Under a denim mini skirt)
Complete with flat/ballet style shoes.

Find me a scrunchie, I guess I'm headed back to 1984.

Vacation, part 1

I'm sure this will be too much for one post so I'll split it into 2. St Thomas was wonderful. They call it the American Paradise, and I can see why!!! Our hotel was gorgeous, the staff was great, food was excellent...everything was just great. I'm ready to go back! There's just way too many stories, so I'll just pick and choose some photos and tell it that way:

We watched a fire-eater. She also walked/jumped on a pile of glass. Then we all danced with her!


















Andi, Vana, and I with our favorite waiter Lawson. He was the best- he knew what we wanted before we even asked for it! He got up and danced with us one night- that was the same night/place as the fire-eater.













This is the five of us who went on the trip: Vana, Tracie, Christina, Andi, and me. We took this on our last day there, waiting for our cab to the airport; don't we look well-rested??? (And yes, this is what we wore on the plane. And yes, we were freezing when we arrived in Ohio at 11:15 p.m.!!!)













Tracie and Andi getting off the "cab" we rode into town to shop at the open market.












This is Tracie with one of the jewelry ladies in town. She was great- all the local people were very friendly and funny!














This is the view from the breakfast room

5 Things

As a web challenge, I'm listing 5 random, unknown things about myself:

1. I get sucked into obnoxious late night TV, mainly infomercials and religious programming (Benny Hinn, and PTL, etc.)

2. I could eat Taco Bell for every meal and be happy. I love it!

3. I can't leave my toenails unpolished, even in the winter. I just can't.

4. I can remember random people's names, who I meet on vacation, etc., but I will forget names of people I see all the time (clients, friends' spouses, Joe's coworkers)!

5. I wish I had an accent.


I'm back from St. Thomas- I'll post on that soon, probably tomorrow.

Leavin' on a Jet Plane!

Today was great- Joe and I went to Bob Evans for brunch(where we ran into one of the girls from work- that was fun!), then on to Beavercreek to go shopping. Didn't really buy much; I did find a cute sweater on clearance at the Gap, but that's about it. We killed time there until we were hungry again and then went to Steak & Shake (I think that's my new favorite place to eat!!)
Then we came back home, I went to Kroger to buy my last minute vacation things, along with a new paperback for reading on the plane and I finished packing for St. Thomas. I leave Tuesday, but I'm working all day tomorrow and half day Tues., and leaving from work, so I needed to pretty much be packed tonight. I'll grab the last minute things tomorrow, but I think I'm ready. I've probably got enough for 4 weeks, rather than the 4 days I'll actually be spending there, but that's OK. And I tied a lovely yellow ribbon on my suitcase to make it easier to spot on the luggage carousel. Yup, I'm ready to go!!
Think happy airplane thoughts for me.....

SiLLy GirL

Kara and Rylee came over tonight so Rylee could pick up the new slippers I bought for her today. (She's modeling them in the photo!) She is SO funny!! That kid makes me laugh so much!! I've never met a wittier almost-three-year-old. She's got the quickest come-backs.
Rylee helped me mix cookies, and in true Rylee style, was sneaking cookie bites every chance she could- I'm pretty sure she was on a major sugar high by the end of the evening.
She's just great! Definitely my favorite neice.





(it's not the best photo quality, this picture was taken w/ my phone.)

More Birthday Photos

1. The paparazzi
2. Grandma on the phone with Jill
3. Grandma and me
4. Cake table

Weekend

Our weekend was fun: I spent Saturday night at Lisa's and then Sunday at Grandma's 90th birthday party; Joe went to game 1 of the World Series with his brother. Too bad the Tigers lost, but they made up for it last night, at least.
I don't have photos yet of Joe's weekend, but here's some of mine:
Happy b-day Grandma, Kara, and Payton!

My name was Lola...

Here we are, all dressed up for Halloween!

Go Tigers

So, the Tigers are playing in the World Series. Yes, it's true, I'm not a big sports fan, but I am a big Detroit fan, so GO TIGERS!! We tried to buy tickets this morning...we did get ONE ticket to game 7, if there even is a game 7. If so, we'll probably try to buy another one on e-bay before then or something. Or joe will go alone and I'll save a couple hundred dollars. :)
Anyhoo, I have some Halloween pics, but they're not yet developed. Maybe tomorrow?
We'll see. Happy Monday.

another rainy wednesday

It's raining again, so I'm doing my favorite rainy-day activity- watching it rain, drinking a coffee, light a couple candles, turn on some rainy-day music (Sarah McLachlin, today) and blogging. Joe's at his first guitar lesson ("Guitar for teachers: bring the joy of music into the classroom!" or something like that)
so I'm just hanging around with the dog.
When I'm done with this, I am going to go find some karaoke music on iTunes to download for this weekend's Halloween party.
Of course, Copacabana is right up there in the top 5 to find.

I had an odd dream the other night, for all you dream interpreters out there:
I was dreaming that my friend and I were walking down an old-time movie kind of a street (like our downtown, but back when it was booming) and we walked by the real Xanadu; it was a 2-story club, and my friend wanted to go in, but I said no, because the actual dance part was upstairs, and the first floor was all caved in and it was too dangerous to go over the caved in floor to get to the stairway to the second floor. Plus, I knew that Xanadu was inhabited by ghosts, and not real people.

Huh???

My, How We've Changed

I dug up a photo of my friends and I as seniors in high school to compare to one ten years later. I think this would make a great scrapbook page!

10 years

Here's some pics from last night: I'm glad I went. It was really fun! In fact, we had to leave the restaurant by 10, and we were having such a good time we all left there and went to the Mexican restaurant until around 1:30. Good times. I'd definitely go to another one. Oh, and I won for "most changed since 1996"!

Reunions are....

...so fun! I had a blast! More tomorrow.....

It's awfully quiet in Bloggerville.

I haven't blogged in a while; I've been elsewhere, running around like mad. So rather than go on and on about the mundane craziness (what an excellent oxymoron!) that is my life, instead in the interest of saving time, I'll sum it up in nice, neat haiku:

Busy and hectic;
I hate reunion planning;
New black scrunchy boots.

OK, I will offer one bit of a dilemma: I found a chocolate brown sweater, which I've been looking for to wear on Saturday. (To THE reunion.) However, I also found new black boots.
I feel like the brown is a prettier outfit, good color on me, etc.
But I feel....sassier, for lack of better words, in the black.

SO: what do I wear?!