New Year...New Animals!

Animal prints, that is! Not real animals, My Sweet Sillies.

Y’all know how much I cherish my leopards. Cheetahs. Zebras. Giraffes. I need them. Seriously. I cannot live without animal prints in my life. I remain as surprised as anyone about this fact.

For Christmas, My Sweet Hubby (MSH) gifted me a new pair of Ariat Fat Baby boots and a Kate Spade purse. Both animals! Just thinking about them makes me smile.

Okay. Okay. I confess: I helped MSH locate the boots. (It was my pleasure...teeheehee...) I’d seen them somewhere—I think Pinterest. My Dooney animal print purse I’ve used for several years was looking shabby. TLC helped MSH order this FABULOUS purse.

I’m rather picky about my animal boots, shoes, purses and belts. They cannot be the “hairy” kind. I only like leather. Or leather-like materials. The animal on these boots is actually kind of suede-ish.

I sincerely tried, but I couldn’t get a good picture of the lining in the purse. Trust me when I tell you it is BEAUTIFUL. Charming. Interesting. Sweet. Unique! It has all kinds of words, phrases and sayings about the person who’s carrying the purse. Most (I’m saying “most”—not all, don’tchaknow!) sound very much like moi. Wink. Wink.

I couldn’t have been more grateful to MSH for these treasured gifts (and for TLC’s time and efforts to order the purse!) and for helping My 2015 start off with style!

Hope You Sweet-Peas have had a lovely week so far… It’s Friday Eve…Prepare yourselves for a Wonderful Weekend, Darlings!

New Year...New Week!

So it’s a New Week in January of 2015…and I’m determined to get some things accomplished.

Here are my (ELC'S) goals:

1. Drink more water.
2. Eat more fruits and veggies.
3. Walk/Move more.
4. Finish organizing and purging in the our Utility Room. (The Pantry is done. Fini. Complete! It's quite pretty—if I do say so myself.)
5. Read more. Out of a book. Not off my iPhone.
6. Get several recorded programs occupying space on our DVR either watched—or deleted. Some have been there for three or more months. (Am I really, truly thinking I’m interested in them? Hmmm...)
7. Say more prayers.

That's one goal for each day of this New Week. I'll try to keep you posted on how I'm doing. But right now I need to get up from this computer and go get a bottle of water. And an apple.

Happy Monday, Y’all!!!

New Year...New Tissues!

I think it’s interesting what we, as individuals, find important. To the quality of our lives. Our priorities, so to speak.

I was the eldest of my mother’s four children. I have a brother and two sisters. Growing up, we often got caught in the restroom without toilet paper. Well, you know, three girls/four females in the house…I think it’s understandable that toilet paper was hugely important/often scarce.

Also, we weren’t allowed to have soft drinks. Well, we did have them. Just not often. They were considered a luxury item and mostly bought for special occasions—like birthdays. Or if there was a super sale on them.

So toilet paper? Soft drinks? Important to moi. I must have lots o’ both o’ these items. And I do mean LOTS. I have inventories of them. Not braggin’. Being open, real and honest.

My third obsession seems to be with Kleenex/tissues. Why? Possibly the fact that I had horrible allergy issues. Asthma. My mother bought whatever was the cheapest. Even if it was ugly and rough. (Guess she thought I wouldn’t notice. Ha.) I’m not going to lie: I need pretty boxes of tissues. P.R.E.T.T.Y. Or what I perceive as pretty! Wink. Wink.

I’ve taken it upon myself to keep TLC and Little Leighton (LL) in pretty tissue boxes, too! I doubt TLC has had to buy her own more than five or six times in the past ten years. Like so many other products I have loved in my life, I’ve had to search and search for a particular box of tissues I’ve bought in the past and then had to, sadly, accept it is no longer available. Anywhere. Makes me nuts.

Oh...cost. Yes. Cost. I work at not spending a small fortune on my addiction to these products. If I can get them for a good, decent, fair price? I’m psyched. Truly. It’s a good day.

Here are two of my latest tissue purchases—designed by none other than Betsey Johnson! (Don’t you positively adore Betsey? Did you watch her as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars? She was precious. Unbelievable. Such an inspiration. Such a love. She’s been in my life for at least 45 years. Maybe more? Not technically in my life. Where I live. In my imaginary wheelhouse.)

Not only are they Betsey, but they’re animal! Wwhhhaaaattttt?????? Yes. Animal. Of course they are—Betsey loves animal prints. Duh.

Wish I could tell y’all where I found these boxes. Target? Hellmart? Brookshire’s? HEB? No clue. I’m all over the place between TLC's home and my casa. I could purchase only four boxes wherever I was—two for me and two for TLC. There were six Betsey tissue boxes on the shelf. One was a design I wasn’t fond of (sorry, BJ) and one was bunged/beaten up. Another rule of mine: I don’t buy damaged merch. Period. Not happening. Pretty and in good shape is important to me. Silly/stupid? Maybe. I won't argue. Of course I realize there are more critical issues in this World than worrying about a dented tissue box. Still...

Maybe you’ll love these and maybe you’ll be able to locate them without spending a lot of time and trouble. I haven't seen them anywhere else since I lucked into finding them a couple of weeks ago. I know this: They’ll jazz up your nightstand or powder room vanity. Jazz them up with style and sass!

Hope Y’all have a WONDERFUL week—wherever in the World you are!

Smooches and Hugs…

New Year...New Lattes!

My name is TLC, and I'm addicted to Vanilla Lattes. Y'all know this.

I have a little routine:  after I drop Little Leighton at her preschool, I head straight for Starbucks. I order my "Tall, Decaf, Skinny Vanilla Latte" and enjoy every. last. drop. The Starbucks closest to my house and LL's school is always busy--like, line-wrapped-around-the-building-twice busy. LL goes to school two days a week. I try so hard to only visit Starbucks on those days, but, I'll admit, most weeks I fail. You will probably find me there in line, in my jammies, on most Saturday and/or Sunday mornings.

My Husband loves coffee. He drinks one cup each morning. It's strong--he adds nothing frilly, like flavored creamers. Just plain ol' coffee. That's just not my jam. Over the last six months or so, I've switched to straight decaf. I was getting funky headaches and it seems to help. So, even though he would graciously share a pot of his coffee with me, I always politely decline.

One night, probably 4 or so months ago, we were watching TV and a Nespresso commercial came on. I exclaimed, mostly to myself, "How fancy! And how convenient--lattes at home anytime you want!" I didn't think much more about it, until Christmas morning. One of my gifts from My Husband, LL and Henry was--my very own Nespresso machine!

I was mildly intimidated when I first pulled it out of the box, but it could not be easier! I'm able to store whatever milk I don't "froth and foam" in the fridge. It's a breeze to clean. It makes a delicious and smooth Vanilla Latte. (I add about one teaspoon of the Sugar-Free Vanilla Torani Syrup--I've found it tastes very similar to whatever Starbucks uses.) It has really perked up my mornings! I feel like quite the barista. If you come and visit me, I'll whip one up for you and even spell your name right on a cup. I just adore it! (And I adore my "Latte Mug" I ordered for myself from Pottery Barn using a gift card I received for Christmas. Isn't it cute?)

My motto? "Life begins after coffee."

Cheers and happy weekend, Friends!