Arizona Bound.. AGAIN!

So, today I booked my flight to Arizona to see my love. I haven't been to Arizona since last year and I fell in love with it. Yes, it is desert but there is just something about it. I guess because it is so different from Alabama.  I leave Atlanta on April 6th and get to spend 2 amazing days with him. I am so excited I could pee! I haven't seen him since February 2nd, and even then it was just for a few hours so this trip means so much and I can not contain my excitement. However, I would've rather found a different means of transportation for $600 if I had more than just 2 days. My piggy bank is very skinny now. But, it will be worth it! I miss him so much. I am still trying to get used to this Army thing. Do not let anyone tell you it's easy being an Army spouse because it isn't. There isn't anything "easy" about it. Waiting, as simple a word as it sounds, is the hardest thing I have ever done. But, when you're completely in love with someone, you do things you didn't think you were strong enough to do and I will wait for him as long as it takes. Praying all the way.

Oscar Night!

I am sure all of you are up to speed on the latest Oscar Academy Awards best and worst dressed. Now, I may have missed something but I didn't see anything bad this year! A couple of my favorites were Emma Stone (obviously), that red Giambattista Valli gown looked absolutely stunning on her!

My next favorite is the always astounding Angelina Jolie. Who stunned everyone with not only her nice stems (or stem I should say) but her gorgeous black velvet Versace dress!  Dressing Stars: Versace gets it right!

Then, there is Octavia Spencer, who not only looked gorgeous in a Tadashi Shoji  boatneck gown, won an Oscar for best supporting actress for The Help, but also represented her home state of good ole' Alabama! I love the way this dress fits her! The rouching in the center is definitely an eye catcher! We're proud of you girl!

Let's not forget our leading lady from last year, Natalie Portman, who wore a fun yet elegant Dior gown with subtle polka-dots. She is one of my favorite actresses, always stunning and beautiful.

Let's take a break from the favorites and talk about the "not so favorite". One of my least favorite dresses would have to be Kristen Wiig. Now don't get me wrong, I love her as an actress, but the dress she chose was way to close to her skin tone. You would think she was naked from a distance.

And then there was Stacey Keibler. Lord, bless her heart, she is trying so hard. "When female wrestling doesn't get you noticed, date a very hott actor." The Marchesa gown she wore made her look a little disproportionate. Its a gorgeous color but I think the giant flower on her hip was a bit much.

Next I have Rooney Mara. Now, I have not seen The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo but I have heard so much about it and it is so hard to think something as dangerous as her can come out of such a sweet and innocent looking Mara. However, I did not know what to make of her dress. I wasn't a fan of the bust area. Modern day Madonna.

Back to the favorites. According to twitter (and my own personal opinion), Jessica Chastain awed onlookers and fans alike in her Alexander Mcqueen gown that was draped in over $2 million worth of Harry Winston yellow diamonds.

How amazing did Michelle Williams look in her Louis Vuitton gown?? With her pale skin tone the red really popped and made her look flawless!

Then we have the always gorgeous Penelope Cruz who veered away from the seemingly popular fit-and- flare, with a beautiful lavender A-line, off the shoulder Armani gown. 

There were so many gorgeous men and women at the Oscars last night! I  wish I could post them all! Congrats to all the winners! They are truly deserved. What did you guys think of the Oscars? Who was your best and worst dressed? 

Friday Funnies

I need to stop slacking no my Friday Funnies! Hope you enjoy guys!

I feel I need to explain this first one. I have worked in an insurance office for 5 years, and truer words have never been spoken.






This picture cracks me up everytime

I love this!

 Have a GREAT weekend!

Banana Bread

I will be the first to say my cooking isn't always the best. I struggle with scrambled eggs but can cook mean home-made fajitas or stir fry. Bread wasn't even a question for me. I didn't want to waste the ingredients nor the time. But, I gave it a shot anyway and turns out I can bake mean banana bread! I am really surprised and proud of myself. I even shipped some off to my hunny. Hopefully it won't be hard or bad by the time it get's there. I have listed the recipe below. Enjoy!

- 1 stick (8 t) butter at room temp
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour (all purpose)
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/2 t salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 t vanilla


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease 9x5 bred pan
2. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Sift all purpose flour, baking soda and salt together, stir in whole wheat flour and add to creamed mixture, mixing well.
4. Fold in bananas and vanilla
5. Pour mixture into pan, bake 50-60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then on rack.



before



after



Badly Stained Carpet? Read this!

I was "pinning my interests" and came upon a pin about a "magic stain removal". As I clicked on it, it lead me to a fellow blogger right here on Blogspot. Her name is Elizabeth and she is a busy wife and mom with a very busy schedule like most of us. You can read about it here. All I can say, is this stuff is AMAZING. I have a few of my own "toddler stains" and I am definitely going to try this out. It's basically clear dishwashing liquid and white vinegar. She also graces us with before and after photos and I believe this is the next best thing to sliced bread. Speaking of bread, on a totally non related topic, I have a recipe for Banana Bread that I am going to do a post on after I test it. Anywho, you should check out this blog for the stain remover. I'll post my very own tonight. I have never been so excited about stain remover!

Confessions of a REAL Shopaholic..

Hi, I'm Tiffany and I AM a shopaholic. Step one.

I realized this afternoon, on my way home from the mall, that I truly have a problem. Compulsive shopping is in fact a problem. I can't stop myself. It's hard to explain. A Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde reference should suffice. I get this overwhelming need to shop and then start thinking of all these things I just have to have. Then, im shopping and before I know it, I am sad and depressed thus starting the "retail therapy" shopping trip. It's a never ending cycle. When I shop, I literally have anxiety. That alone should make someone NOT want to do it, right? Well, I can spend an hour in one store going back and forth over one item. For instance, yesterday at Charlotte Russe, one of my favorite stores, they had this cute brown/navy blue pea coat on sale for $14.99. I looked at it, decided I wanted it, and walked around for a while. Then, I decided to put it back. I kept browsing and then decided I wanted the coat. So I picked it up again, walked around, set it back down. I repeated this process for a good 30 minutes.. over a coat. Then I started feeling overwhelmed and started talking myself into why I needed the coat and that it was a great deal and yada yada. So, at the end of the day, I left without the coat... annnd went back and got it an hour later.

My fiance' made a comment about hoping I wasn't this bad when we get married. SO, as I thought about it more, I realized I do have a problem and Shopaholics isn't just a movie. Do you know of anyone else who will get out of bed at midnight to make a run to Wal-Mart to buy nails to hang pictures they don't even have?? I don't either. Most people think that "oh you can just quit spending money." Just like any other addiction (although thankfully mine isn't as bad as drugs or alcohol) you can't just "quit". It's going to be hard but I am going to try my best. If I calculated correctly, I have spent roughly $1,200 in less than a month. Time for a change.

I did a little research and found that there is an actual center to Shopaholics/Compulsive Shopping.

Statistics Show:

• A recent study, published in the December, 2008 issue of the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that the number of compulsive shoppers/spenders may be closer to 8.9%, more than
  25 million Americans.
• 17 Million Americans are compulsive shoppers/spenders!
  - 2006 Stanford University Landmark Study
• Men and women compulsively shop/spend about equally
  - 2006 Stanford Study
• Arguments over money are the number one reason for relationship stress and break-ups (Psychology Today)
• The average credit card debt for a U.S. citizen is close to $10,000--mostly accumulated from unnecessary purchases (Time, Money magazines)
• Overshopping/Overspending is more than about poor budgetary or savings habits; many people need professional psychological help
  - 2006 Stanford Study

What is Compulsive Shopping?

We all shop for many reasons but the addict buys to relieve anxiety and over time the buying creates a dysfunctional lifestyle and more and more of their focus is on shopping and sometimes the cover-up too.

What causes it?

• Emotional deprivation in childhood
• Inability to tolerate negative feelings
• Need to fill an inner void
• Excitement seeking
• Approval seeking
• Perfectionism
• Genuinely impulsive and compulsive
• Need to gain control

Types of Behaviors:

• Compulsive shoppers – shop to distract feelings; “when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping”
• Trophy shoppers – find the perfect accessory for outfits, etc. High class items will do.
• Image shoppers – pick up tab, expensive cars, highly visible stuff
• Bargain shoppers – buy stuff they don’t need just because it is a good deal. Out for the hunt.
• Codependent shoppers – to gain love and approval
• Bulimic Shoppers—buy and return, buy and return (similar to actual bulimia)
• Collector Shoppers—have to have complete or many sets of objects or different colors of same style of clothing

Suggestions for change:

• Avoid people or places which tempt you to shop/spend
• Cut up plastic; close charge accounts; rip up credit card offers and home equity applications
• Make lists before going to the store; buy what you need only – call support people, take a trusted friend
• Wait a good period of time before you make an impulsive purchase
• Ask yourself: Do I need this or do I just want it?
• Develop better ways to manage difficult emotions
• Develop fun things to do to fill in your time better
• Seek out specialized counseling, medication, support groups, read books about compulsive shopping/spending
• Be aware of events that trigger urges to shop
• Cancel magazine subscriptions or e-mail subscriptions and block certain Internet shopping sites or TV shopping channels

For more information, you can visit the page I received my information from,  here.

If anyone else has the same issues as me, any advice would be helpful. Thanks!



For the Love of Smashbox..

I received my goodies in the mail today! I am absolutely in LOVE with Smashbox! Everything about Smashbox (except their prices of course) makes me happy! I first discovered Smashbox about a year ago ( I know, I know,  WAY behind the times) when my ( I hate to admit this) very fashionable Grandmother gave me a few of her makeup brushes she doesn't use or really just didn't take to. One of them being a Smashbox blush brush. I LOVED how this brush felt and how smooth it was and instantly fell in love with it. So, I decided to do a little research and find out where I could get more like it. For about $20-24 a pop, I could have them all... total disappointment. So, I began to look into other products they had. Everything seemed to be out of my price range at the time and with my OSD (Obsessive shopping disorder, this should be a real medical problem because it is definitely an issue with me) I figured paying my light bill was more important than foundation... but I did consider it for about 20 minutes. Anywho, a few days later (it was a sign from above I swear) my best girlfriend called me up and was like "Smashbox on QVC!" I turned instantly and you would think we were two old women talking about who was having an affair with who on The Young and the Restless. She then began to tell me that her aunt had given her a eyeshadow box for Christmas and she wanted to know if I would be interested in having it (she isnt much into bold eye colors.) So, after picking my jaw up off the floor I took her up on her offer and she delivered it to me that weekend. I am in love with this also =) Their eyeshadow doesn't have much fallout like the others I use and the colors are so pretty. Anywho, thus began my obsession with Smashbox. Now, not to long after that, I received in my monthly Birchbox a sample size foundation primer for Smashbox (I just keep getting lucky!) and instantly fell in love with the smoothness and how amazing this product really is! I have large pores and my smile lines are very noticeable but this definitely makes my skin look smooth under my foundation. I plan on getting a full size tube when my little sample runs out. Anywho, back to my goodies from today. I went online to their website and they were having a Valentines Day promotion. You could send a virtual Valentines card and receive a promo-code for a free tube of their lip gloss (valued at $22 a pop) for free with a $25 purchase. Now, when you order online, you also receive a free sample of something else and if your a "Pretty Points Member" you receive ANOTHER free sample! So, I decided I could spend $25 to get all of this free stuff and I needed some more mascara anyway! So I purchased the Full Exposure mascara which I am SOOO in love with (im obviously infatuated with Smashbox) which I ALSO received a sample of in my little monthly box before. So I bought a full size tube for $19. Ok great, so only $6 more to go! I decided to try a different face primer they have (they have a bunch!) which made my total about $36. They also have free shipping! So, in addition to my mascara and face primer, I received a free baby buki brush, the full size lip gloss, and a sample of their foundation. I am so excited to use this! I'll update you and let you know how it turns out!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentine's Day! I hope your blessed with flowers, candy, and nice goodies from your significant other! Sadly, I will be spending Valentine's Day alone this year. My love is accross country for some training. I am taking this quite well I think... avoiding TV, Facebook, and all stores. I did wake up to a Happy Valentines Day text from him and that was good enough for me!  Tonight, I plan on spending time with Ben and Jerry's and an action movie... staying far away from chick flicks. What plans do you guys have?

Funny comic time!

Is this our society today?

It's Friday, and as I was doing my usual "rummaging trough magazines and wasting time" ritual, I came across something that had me astounded and completely grossed out at the same time! A model who literally has a 20 inch waist and claims to not have an eating disorder by eat chocolate and big meals 3 times a day. I'll let you form your own opinion. This is the type of "woman" our society is idolizing. The "you can't model unless your freakishly tall and freakishly skinny" society.. yes, you know what I am talking about. Now, I know first hand that to make it in the model world you have to be a certain height and weight. I have been to numerous model scouting events, waited in line for hours, just for them to look at my sheet (not even ME mind you) and say "were looking for some one with a little more in some places and a little less in others." Now, what 15 year old girl wouldn't run out of the room crying and thinking she is fat and ugly? It's sad that this is what our society looks up too. I don't know of a single teenage girl who does not have self-confidence issues and it breaks my heart that these young girls think so badly of themselves. Alot of times, issues with self- confidence can turn into bullying other girls to make their own issues "go away." I have seen this too. I grew up being one of those girls who was so insecure that I would bring down other girls who I felt were "less" than me. Do I regret it? You bet. Did I get the same treatment from other girls who felt I was "less" than them? Absolutely. It's like a never ending cycle and my fear is that it is exactly that, never ending. So, I have joined up and became a part of the We Stop Hate Anti-Bullying Organization. This organization was formed by the beautiful Ms. Emily Anne, a 17 year old who has learned very early that she can make a difference and she is doing an amazing job! I have ordered numerous wristbands and given them out trying to spread the word that everyone is beautiful and NO ONE is better than anyone else. If you think you are better than someone else... you need a wristband. Below is a link to the YouTube and a link to the Seventeen Magazine article on this organization. Also is the twitter account. Please check it out.

Youtube- http://youtu.be/YLqtZM19ARU

Seventeen- http://www.seventeen.com/health/peace/we-stop-hate

Twitter- @WeStopHate





Dont become this to be beautiful.



She is proof you don't have to be abnormally skinny to be beautiful.



For Confidential Purposes.. This Entry is Short.

This has been one crazy, hellacious, week. Tuesday, I set out on an 8 hour drive to Ft. Jackson, SC. My love's BCT (basic combat training) group was graduating. See, there were a whole bunch of SIT's (soldiers in training) who apparently had an issue with following direction and decided that they would take it apon themselves to sneak into the drill sargeant's office and steal their cell phones to call home. The thing that gets me is it was their LAST week of BCT! They went 6 weeks without it, came home for 2 weeks, went back for 4 weeks and on that 3rd week, they pull this mess. Now this is just a thin layer of what these SIT's did. Some of them bought "contraban" (which could be anything from magazines, to candy, to dip even). A few select ones decided to name my hunny in their escapades when they got caught. My, totally innocent, honey was then in a heap of trouble. They threatened him with restarting at week one. He was devestated.  He said that he could still participate in "Family Day" (self explanitory) but couldn't graduate. So we drove the 8 hours to see him for only a few hours. After a long, drawn out, will not go into detail for confidentiality purposes, everything was dropped and he was able to walk. He called us with the good news an hour after we left headed home and we turned around right then and went back.  I really wish I could go into greater detail because I am SURE you would have the same "this is crap" mindset as I did. Heck, Im not even sure if what I have said already is going to cause a problem. Oh well, it's not like there aren't a million other people who haven't heard already. After graduation, we were able to spend a few hours with him before we headed back home. That 8 hour drive put me getting home at 2 AM and crying the whole way.

Anyway, he was allowed to graduate and he is now on a plane to his AIT station across the country! I sure am going to miss him!



Graduation day!




Family Day