i discovered...

a tombstone with monkey’s middle & last name on it...weirdness.

yet another phone app to become shamelessly addicted to...vine.

chocolate really does make me feel better. ooh, & cheese...but, not at the same time!

i stay up incredibly too late.

i have more faith in others than they do in me...& that's okay!


not sure who snores louder...the hubs or the hound.


everything squeaks in this house!


i have managed to cry a bazillion times over the course of the last month…i believe i’m good for awhile (hopefully).


that this really does work. 325* for 25-30 min for "boiled eggs." (cool in cold water for 10 minutes.)

the best new recipes lately, from sweet to savory…excitement!

i’m super ready for warmer weather.

maybe i secretly want to be a burlesque dancer...eh?

soap tv airs old episodes of ‘beverly hills, 90210’…yes!

i squeal every time i see itty bitty baby animals. 

this hilarious easter picture of monkey from 2006. (how scary is this bunny rabbit?)

shushing up the poor mouth...

this time of year is always a little wonky…financially…for everybody. & unless you’re a bazillionaire or just hit the lotto, the couple of months after the holidays, amidst tax returns (if any), & planning summer vacations can make folks crazy (okay, maybe just me on the vacay part); seems like quite a stretch until that happy bank account appears again. soup & pb&j days, perhaps? (especially with the economy so stupidly unpredictable.) you know, it really doesn’t have to be though. yep, i said it, i believe it! it’s actually pretty simple to save here & there when you plan for it. don’t think of it as being cheap or doing without the “finer” things. think of it as a lifestyle that betters your environment & your pockets; leaving some nice leverage to splurge when you want to! **disclaimer: i am not a money or economic or statistics expert…i repeat, no expert! these are just a few things that i have personally explored or found to be beneficial to our family’s income, livelihood, & sleeping a little better at night-lihood!

1. it's okay to coupon. for reals. you don’t have to stock pile or buy 20 tubes of toothpaste in one swoop, but you’d be surprised how a few trips to the grocery following a list with clippings in hand, each trip, will add up. & who cares about the person rolling their eyes behind you in line when you present your magic money to the clerk. i’ve had this happen before, & when the cashier told me that i’d saved over 40 bucks off of my total (with in-store savings & coupons), i heard a “holy crap!” from the lady behind me…ha! *other times have left me speechless having spent 50 smackers on over $120 shopping spree…all things that were needed & regularly bought!
2. 2nd hand is always new in my closet. be it thrifted or consigned or found at a girlfriend closet swap, there is always something fun waiting to be discovered (& recycled). not to mention, it’s incredible what a box of rit dye can do to refresh an oldie but a goodie. *need ideas or tips on how to get the most bang for your buck (…literally!), then check out refashionista.net!
3. cool on the cheap. there are a million & one free things to do around your area if you are looking. picnics in the park, visiting local playgrounds, scavenger hunts around the city…plus, most museums have a free day at least once a month. & there is almost always a festival of sorts going on. you’ll be amazed at what activities are out there.
4. invest in things that make a difference in the long run. from the simplest reusable water bottle to changing your air conditioner filter every month to slowly replacing all of the household light bulbs to the ecofriendly variety. even using cold water to wash a load of clothes or turning the water off when you brush your teeth; i swear this saves energy & money around the homestead…you will see a difference after awhile.
5. just because it's on sale doesn't make it a bargain. are you guilty of having tagged items hanging in your closet because you’ve never worn them, but it was 75% off? i am. i used to be notorious for this or only wore it once! what the heck? ah, yes…sales. but did you fall in love with it, had to have it because it filled an ensemble void in your life? if not, let it be. it’s not saving shitake at the end of the day if it’s hanging around not being worn slap out. just…let it be!
6. kid's nights. a ton of restaurants offer a kid’s eat free (or at a discount) night with the purchase of an adult entrée. i love this for the simple fact that my child has healthy options besides fast food if i’m away & the hubs is in charge of dinner. (& it’s cheaper)
7. these aren't your momma's leftovers. i have spent countless eons (seems like) trying to predict how much of one single meal will get eaten up entirely because my boys really don’t do the  whole leftover thing. it’s a pain. but, i have discovered the lovely sandra lee on food network (plus, her book) to save me from total food waste. one meal into 2 with a little planning & creativity. her recipes are feasible, economical, & 2^nd day transformational! you’re gonna love her…& she caters to all food lifestyles, little ones, etc.
8. free literature! i don’t want to even think about all the years, pre-monkey, that i went without a library card…*cringe! no holdup necessary…um, free. it’s an all-access to travel, food, adventures, drama, chaos…endless possibilities, people! i’m a huge lover of tv, the interwebs, & “hellooo” book store-a-ramas; however, the library makes me so happy. & my monkey lights up at the thought of even visiting it (seriously!). books, magazines (which cost a bazill anymore), audio books (a la no time for hitting the big ole paper weights, but plenty of time in the car), free downloads for you kindle, nook, etc, movie checkouts; even internet access, if you’re without at home. it really is a shame to not take advantage!
9. DIY or barter. costs can be cut when you dissect a project & figure out that you can do-it-yourself! really, you can. & the accomplishment is very rewarding. but, if you feel that you can’t reach the desiredness of a certain feat, i bet you know someone who can. do you knit, but hate to paint…know a painter who needs a scarf? (see where i’m going with this?)

in a nutshell, treat yourself! you work hard, don't feel like you can't enjoy it! but, seek out the resources that are available (& awesome & remorseless) so that you aren’t overwhelmed when the unexpected dollar amounts tend to knock you upside the noggin...you know, when you’re least expecting it. 

bucket list, anyone?...

so…within the last two weeks i have received devastating news regarding two deaths…both on tuesdays…both so shocking…both breaking my heart into pieces. the first, one of my cousins, who was killed under a most violent & tragic circumstance (24). the second, a dear friend & fellow classmate who exuded light, laughter, & love, gone suddenly (35…just celebrated a birthday). anyways, i have been kind of in a fog emotionally & mentally. i can never really make heads or tails of these situations.

then, there was a weirdness that the universe sent out the other day as i was straightening up around the house. under a stack of papers (monkey’s schoolwork, drawings, & the like), i came across a steno book buried at the bottom. i flipped through it to see if it could be of any use; enough empty pages or filled up, etc. as soon as i opened it, it fell open towards the back where a list stared back at me. apparently, i had started jotting notes down in this little spiral-bound notebook back in 2005 (perhaps when my insomnia first began) & i had completely forgotten about it. it’s filled with poems, a few pages of a short story i was writing at the time, guests/food/party supplies needed for monk’s first birthday, bill totals added up with a frowny face nearby…but this list is what intrigued me the most. it was a “things to do”…a bucket list, if you will. would you like to know what I had rattled off? (i’m going to share it, but you already guessed that, didn’t you?) p.s. **denotes the already haves or the ooh, so closes.

-run a 5k, 10k, marathon. **run? ha. i’ve walked a few smaller, similar type engagements.

-learn to climb.

-learn to ride a bike. **& check (seriously!)

-obtain a passport. **yep!

-go snorkeling.

-go white water rafting.

-read all of the classics. **i’ve made an earnest attempt…that is, relying on the definition of literary “classics.”

-attend a taping of ‘saturday night live.’

-go back to chicago. revisit the second city.

-travel to at least 2 other continents.

-vacation on a beautiful island. **st. lucia in 2010 & it was ah-mazingly gorgeous…so want to go back!

-visit every state in the u.s. **east coast i’ve got about covered & then a couple, but maybe only 18 out of 50 so far.

-audition for a play. improv? standup?

-make my way back to school for a specialized art course. **kind of doing that right now.

-learn how to cook for real & not from boxes. **all hail food network, foodie blogs, & my fascination with cookbooks, but still a work in progress!

-refine my french & learn a 3^rd language. **trying!

-join a sports team. **uh-huh, roller derby (best time of my life)

-go to a broadway show in new york. **i’ve been to ny & seen several “off broadway” productions, but not the combo just yet.

-write a children’s book.

-see the mona lisa, la pieta, the sistine chapel, john lennon’s grave, the gum wall in seattle, seven wonders…all in person.

-purchase a rosary in vatican city.

-stay in a castle in scotland.

-jump out of an airplane.

-go up in a hot air balloon.

-play the slots in vegas. **does atlantic city or harrah’s in cherokee count?

okay, i’ve hardly crossed them all off, but now that i am seeing it again, maybe i can. & add some stuff? is this a sign to stop jotting down to do’s & start living? i think so…i hope so. a most pleasant sign. thank you, universe, for reminding me that i still desire acting out these (maybe to some) silly, yet attainable dreams!

what would be on your list? you know what? go for it…every day is a chance to draw that line through or give it a big check! besides, i never want my epitaph to read that i didn’t at least try.