The Town Lake Chicken


Yep there is a resident chicken at town lake - I have no idea why - oh because it's Austin.
So I believe this company runs this dollar makeup often or all the time - haven't quite figured it out. But it's ok cause I made out like a bandit!

If you're looking for suggestions - from what I bought so far I love
Eh on the chapstick - it's chapstick - nothing that special, I've had better.

Funniest thing about all this - I see on their website they carry this at Big Lot's - guess where I am reluctantly going tomorrow.

Dollar makeup - yes please, I'll take it all

Bless you Miss Nobles for blogging this.

So ELF cosmetics is selling out their stock for $1 most items, some items are $2. I just hit the mother load!!!!!!!

Rumor is they did this last year as well - or they have been bought out and changing their packaging - or I really don't care just give me that lip gloss because it's a FREAKING DOLLAR!!!

And men, they have great gift stuff so this blog's for you too.

Ps - spend $30 or more - put in FREESHIP2008 as your coupon and your $7 shipping charge is waved.

ELF Cosmetics Website

Adopt adopt adopt for Christmas!!!

Ok let's be honest - we're all cutting back this Christmas and by cutting back I mean we eat out twice a week rather than four - yes?

So I'm in charge of Keller Williams Angel Tree this year. I was told adopt three senior citizens, well I was actually told two but I fanagled one more in there. It's because the tree is a mix of refugees from war torn countries, Keller Williams families etc. But I knew once I looked at the bureau's list it was going to be hard just to stick to three.

Many of these seniors want things like a blanket, an electric can opener, and that's it!

So sure enough I look at the list today, families, disabled and seniors - tears streaming down my face! I wanted to take them all. People on there were saying things like "I have to choose between rent this month and the electric bill so I don't have money for gifts".

So I'm using all my internet pull at this moment to beg (not ask) but beg you to adopt an individual or family this Christmas. Even if your church or work is doing it - grab an extra etc. Take the money for one night of eating out and use it towards this. Please!

Austin Christmas Bureau Website http://www.cbofaustin.org/

Not a cheetoh fan I suppose

Splenda Pumpkin Pie


I'm usually the pie maker, not because I'm fantastic at it but because no one else wants to do it but everyone wants the pie! Some of you may know I'm not a huge fan of white sugar, I prefer brown sugar - it tends to be better for you and in my opinion bakes better. But I've gotten my mother hooked on Spelenda Brown Sugar - 1/2 c equals one cup of regular brown sugar. I love it and even use it in my coffee and oatmeal.

So this Thanksgiving I made the pie with Splenda Brown sugar. It called for 3/4 cup regular sugar so I used about 2/3 I think (I'm not big on precision with cooking or baking if it's something where I know what I'm doing).

At first it was still good - but I could detect a tiny amount of aftertaste which bothered me. So I left it in the fridge over night and had a slice today...

A M A Z I N G !!!!!!!!!!! Probably one of the better ones I've done. According to the website I used too much, so trial and error there - but yummm - and much healthier for us! yay!

I highly recommend. Other recipes here.

The airport marathon

Getting ready to fly these days is similar to preparing then running a marathon - for one simple reason, airport security.

The entire packing process has a whole new element - what will security allow me to take on the plane - and how will they insist I organize it.

Ok so packing issue number one - what has to go in the big bag and what can go in the small bag. Check.

Issue number two - what can I wear that I can make it through security without any major issues (emphasis on major not the word issues, we will all face issues in this process) and when I'm require to strip down then I have to get re dressed - what will be easy to put back on. So that leaves out...
  1. Boots of any kind
  2. Anything that requires a belt
  3. Anything lace up
  4. And make sure you get a pedicure if you care. And no holy socks!
  5. Also light on the jewelry - can't set every alarm off with that great necklace I just got at Francessca's.
  6. Oh that jacket's going to have to go - no way am I keeping track of that AND my shoes.
  7. Oh laptop, ok put that up front so I can easily take it out and put it in the tray WITHOUT a bag or security will have a coronary
  8. Small bag with liquid items - make sure that doesn't get buried or I will surely be strip searched.
  9. Where is my ID?
  10. Where is my boarding pass, he's looking right at me!
Ok I'm ready here we go - through the security line - I can do this - I will be successful, I have planned and prepared for this event for days now - they will not get me.

Then once you make it through you have to HUSTLE to get all your stuff back together and get dressed again because the line is still moving behind you. ARGH if I can just get myself somewhat together so I can find a spot to put my laptop back in it's bag, my liquid items back up, my shoes...where are my shoes? Ok got the shoes, I can see the light - the gates are right there I'm almost home free. Wow look at that poor woman she even had to take her scarf on. And that poor guy he's going to be there for a while. They should have gone into training like I did, learned my lesson last time I practically got arrested for having a Pierrier bottle in my purse.

Dressed, re packed and ready to go - wow I did it, I made it. All that training was worth it...really glad I did a dry run at the house with my airport security trainer - now I can go to my gate and...and....uh... sit I guess. I need some water.

Obama Memorbilia - really?

This country loves them some crap memorabilia. Elvis, Princess Diana, even Jesus figures - the one with the most crap wins hmm?

Throw poor Obama in with it now too - in Austin there are even Obama stores now (not permanent but still)

No wonder Japan makes so much money off of us - we'll buy anything!


...have a beautiful fall.
My non partisan, non socialist, non communist crystal ball had it right all along. All the freak out (by the middle class mind you) during the election for a whole lada nada! People, the entire ship is sinking and we were worried he was going to start charging higher passage prices for first class!

Obama's tax hike for the rich may be delayed...

Not the luckiest charm

This is a pic I took on my walk today - this is Lucky Foods - which was a 24/7 convenience store former 7eleven - it closed a few months ago - guess no one went their for luck - not even the owners.

Maybe I should read to the blind...


... but they have to let me read what I want to read!

Well Stephenie Meyer has thoroughly taken over this country - at least the Twilight series is better than some of those other book fads like The Secret (so glad I refused to read that one!). And what's even better the all mighty O did NOT tell the world to read this book - the world did it somewhat on their own!!! Ohhhhh happy day, ohhh happy dayyyyy!

You may recall my recommending these books this past summer - though if you chose to wait till the last one was out to jump on the bandwagon you were smart, waiting between book 3 and 4 was brutal.

But I must remind you that she has also written an amazing book that I also recommended called The Host - I actually read that one first and then discovered Twilight series, backwards girl aile one. (little secret, if you want to read the unfinished version of Edward's take on Twilight go here, ps this may be all we ever get of it too.)

At the moment I have just read book 5 of an 8 book series called The Outlander series. These have taken over my life!!!! Worst part - only SIX of the books have been written. And she is not a speed writer, she started these in 1991 - people, that's when I was in high school for crimeny!!!

So I am taking a break to read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - suck it O - I picked this up months before you commanded the world to read it!! It's similar to Leif Enger's Peace Like a River which I devoured, it's a great story, but it's more about the story telling than anything else.

Next up - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. And then #6 of the Outlander Series; Breath of Snow and Ashes, I'm holding out since I have no idea when #7 will be finished! Maybe if I stalk her she'll hurry up....

The birds and the bees - Or who's oven are we using?

Time is flying by at a speed I am having a hard time keeping up with. The other day my sister and I were discussing surrogacy, she has a friend that was one for two families.

My 11 year old niece has always been the ears of the family, she listens to everything we say! So of course ears over there pipes in with "what's a surrogate?"

Uhhhh - and for some odd reason I start answering?!! Then I realize shoot what if this isn't an ok discussion - you know how parents are... So I look over to Julie with this question mark on my face and she says it's fine Ave knows where babies come from. Ok but in my mind I am now questioning the terminology for things. I'm not sure what words they use (sperm and egg, or are we talking flower and pollen lingo here) so the conversation proceeds into something like this.

Well it's when you take a woman's egg and a man's sp..sp..sp...
(uh oh panic moment why can't I say sperm?)

sp..sp...sp... the man's seed (oh yea seed is MUCH better, now I've thoroughly confused her) and you put it, well you place it, uh.... (geeze what am I doing here, she's going to ask how they get it in the other woman, I'm crashing and burning)

It's like baking your cookies in an oven - except your oven doesn't work so you use someone elses oven.

She actually got it - my face was beat red, it was hotter than Hades in there - and when I looked over, Julie was hiding the biggest grin in the world behind the laptop - jerk!

I'm not ready for teenagers.

Cyclamen


The cool weather flower - they make me happy.
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What do we do now?

So now there is nothing left to argue about, no Palin gaffs to cringe at - what shall we do now? Well turn to the Onion of course!


Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

State by State Results

I found this website because I was curious what Alaska did this year - givin that, after all, their bulldog lipstick hockey mom Governor cause quite the stir this year.

Well Alaska is historically a strong Republican state - with a wide margin between Democrat and Republican - but this year though the margin was still strong I thought it was interesting that it wasn't as wide as it was in the previous two elections - I know I'm a nerd.

But if you like seeing what each state did this is actually a pretty fun site.

Ps I was watching a Presidential historian today - did you know that when Jackson and Adams ran against each other the Adams camp put out rumors that Jackson was an "howling atheist" and that rape, incest and murder would be taught in our schools - a Connecticut paper reported on it helping spread the rumors even further. And we thought our current elections were nasty - I guess being called a terroirst and socialist is nothing compared to that! History does repeat over and over...

America's First Blackish President

I say that being a fellow Mulatto myself - yes I doubt many of you knew b/c I don't look half black just like President-elect Obama doesn't look half white. But I personally think it's very funny that he's being labeled the first black President - I say blackish - I mean if he was like me and looked more white than black then what would we say?

Website back up and running...

... kinda. Until malitajones.com can be bought back my site will be at http://curlsz.webs.com

Yeah I know not the same, but better than dead, ya? Some of the pages aren't showing pics - so it's being fine tuned - but a new site design which actually shows one of my shots (well a glimpse of my shot) in the logo design.


I just received this fabulous bedding for our annual KW auction - I am so excited that my friend Crystal was able to donate and really get her name out there - she is incredibly talented!!

If anyone is looking for some custom bedding, babies to adults check out her website - below is what she donated.

Pins & Pillows.com

Alas the perfect lariat


Ok so sometimes I will compose the perfect item such as outfit, purse etc in my head then beat my skull against every boutique wall looking for it. So I've been wanting a long chained simple lariat for soooo long - and every one I see is so bulky. Well one of my favorite designers on Etsy had some great lariats, however none of them were the perfect image I had in my head.

So I gave up and finally contacted her describing best I could what I wanted and asking her if she had anything similar - turns out what I described was basically what she was currently working on. Bada bing bada boom I got the perfect necklace!!! So I told her I loved it, she uploaded it, three people marked it as their favorites I beat them all away with a stick and bought it!!! Yay, thank you luxedeluxe for putting up with this lunatic!

And no she will not copy one for you - because I forbid her too!!! No copies no copies no copies (face red fists clinched). But feel free to browse the many other lovely selctions and find one to your liking ;-)