Archive for the ‘Happy Alli’


Love Thursday: Found Love

Fuller has been really into playing with play dough this week. At the end of one of the seesions I was diving up the clumps to put back into the containers. And this heart just presented itself to me. “Take my picture!”

What a great way to represent Love Thursday and Valentine’s Day, the love I have playing with (and sometimes cleaning up after) my son.

Love Thursday: Found Love

Love Thursday is hosted by Shutter Sisters.

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Self Portrait Sunday: On being a handler

Oops. I guess I relaxed a little bit more than I intended. Here I am! Still at Lake Martin with the family and in-laws. We will be packing up and going home sometime after lunch.

Self Portrait at a very sad gameThe main purpose of this trip is so my husband could attend two Auburn Basketball games. I tell people I am an Auburn fan by marriage, since I never really got into sports in any fashion until I met Damon. And even then I have had to grow into my enjoyment of the various sports, learning more about football then I ever tried to learn when I was a cheerleader in grades nine and ten.

When Damon began creating his Auburn Elvis alter ego, I embraced it with some timidity. But the first time someone stopped him to get a picture, it made me feel good to stand by and watch. And somehow I grew into the role of Auburn Elvis’ handler.

Damon started this crazy thing with the goal to get on TV (and he did!), but I love supporting him in it because the fans really get into seeing him in all his Auburn Elvis splendor. Last night I got a kick out of how many kids were kind of in awe over him. There was a little girl sitting in front of us who kept turning around to stare.

I haven’t been to all the games Auburn Elvis has, but Damon tells me he has more fun when I am there. I love taking the pictures and making sure anyone who wants a photo op gets their turn. I hand out business cards and talk to folks learning things like it is someone’s birthday, someone loved Elvis when she was a girl, or someone saw Auburn Elvis at another game. I tell the fans how Damon made his own suit and bought his wig on the internet. And I explain we don’t go to a lot of games since we actually live in Chattanooga. Of course I tell folks to look for us in March when we head to the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament.

It really makes the games more fun by tagging along as Auburn Elvis’ handler. In addition to the role of wife, I really embrace the role of handler as well.

Have a self portrait to share? Post it on your blog and leave a comment over at DigiCass! We want to see you!

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Love Thursday: Mommy Puppy Love

The new photo-centric blog, Shutter Sisters is the host of Love Thursday, where you post a picture every Thursday you think embodies a definition of love.

Actually, Shutter Sisters has lots of themes and assignments for folks like me dabbling in the fun arena of digital photography. I don’t participate in them all, but if I happen to have a picture in my recent picture folder and it matches something going on, then I like to share!

Mommy puppy love

My friend Esther has two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels she breeds about once a year. And last week Kaiser and Tori became the proud parents of three healthy puppies. Fuller and I went to visit on Tuesday and I was able to get a bunch of pictures of the puppies. There are two girl pups and one boy. And they haven’t even opened their eyes yet!

I love this one because Tori is just loving on her baby (I named her GRRRRL, and the other girl is Girl). I thought it was a perfect Thursday Love picture.

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A review of mustard, my favorite condiment

There is a story from when I was dating Damon. It’s the potato salad story. It goes something like I was supposed to make the potato salad for Easter lunch and I did. But apparently I made it wrong. My version of potato salad is heavy on the mustard and has no eggs in it. The version almost everyone else around the table wanted had eggs and more mayo than mustard. Todd’s Mom, the parental unit at the Easter dinner (and whose table we were gathered around), got up boiled eggs and revamped the potato salad to everyone else’s liking. Except me. I wanted mustard.

When I make sandwiches, they are heavy on the mustard. So much so, my husband had to give me a little talking to and now I am careful to be easy on the mustard when I make his sandwiches. And he still likes my sandwiches, so I must be doing something right.

All this is to say: I like mustard. When I was in college I would make a snack of cheese and mustard. Nothing else. I was heavenly.

I’ve been given two samples of new Grey Poupon mustards to try and give my review. My honest review.

Do you have Grey Poupon?First up we have the Harvest Coarse Ground, which is not new to me. I have had coarse ground mustard in Europe and like the solid punch of flavor it gives. The seeds give it amazing texture.

The second mustard is the Hearty Spicy Brown. This was equally as good. The texture was smooth. The spicy nature drew a nice sweat above my upper lip. It was the kind of kick that clears out your sinuses. If I were eating brats I would be drawn to this mustard.

On the evening I tried the mustards, our family dined on turkey tenderloin, a pasta salad, and cold sugar snap peas. Both complimented the turkey without overpowering the poultry. Of course mustard can overpower anything when you eat it by the teaspoon full. Which is how much I like mustard.

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Preparing for the next holiday

The colors and signs are everywhere: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. I have something very special in mind for my Valentine, and must admit I hope he has something special in mind for me.

One year Damon got very creative and gave me a wheel of Wensleydale cheese, the kind Wallace and Gromit are so fond of. Another year he gave me a gift certificate for a spa in Atlanta for me to use on our trip to the SEC Men’s Basketball tournament.

This year, someone could point him in the direction of 1800Flowers.com just in case he thinks I need flowers, chocolate, or a valentines day teddy bear to express his devotion to me. I have to admit, opening the door to a surprise flower delivery is pretty exciting, especially on Valentine’s Day. 1800Flowers has a lot of variety in the gift giving arena, and their prices are comparable to buying from a local florist.

Do you already have something special planned for your loved one on Valentine’s Day?

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Something we should do everyday

How often do you really sit down and think of all you are thankful for? It’s easy to be grateful for the bare minimum (house, clothes, food) but am I truly thankful for it every single day? I know I take so much for granted.

I’m ashamed I don’t cry out in thanks for the food stuffed in my freezer. I am guilty of not pausing to rejoice for the roof over my head. I realize to need to recognize the blessing it is buy and wear the clothes I pull from my drawers (or in some cases, off the floor).

We struggle to instill an attitude of gratitude in our children, but I am struggling to remember it myself.

Having today, Thanksgiving Day, as a way to force myself to be thankful is something to be thankful for in itself. And I pray I remember to do it more every day.

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Weightloss Wednesday: Keep stroking my ego

Sexy AlliI don’t have a scale picture today (but the scale read 213, if you care to know). But I have to share one of the most unexpected and greatest things that happened this week and how it will be carrying me through the next phase of my weightloss.

I went to Las Vegas and I met some of my online friends for the first time. They had seen my avatar, my flickr pictures, and my Self-Portrait Sunday pictures. But now they were getting Alli in the flesh. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous.

Within minutes of us all meeting each other we were as comfortable as long life BFFs. I knew it was not a mistake to fly across the country to meet Colleen, Julie, Cass, Ang., and Jenn.

The most unexpected aspect of the long weekend was the ego boost these women gave me every day. “Alli, you are so hot!” “Alli, you are so sexy!” “Alli, you are so much more beautiful than I expected!”

It went on and on and on. (And is still going on. Keep it up gals!) And I didn’t pay them a dime!

Now, obviously since I am posting this it has given me a bit of a big head. But it has done something else for me as well…

It makes me want to lose more weight! I would think with as much affirmation as I received this weekend I would be happy with where I am. Obviously there are people who like how I look, so I shouldn’t put too much effort in it, right?

Wrong! I want to look even more beautiful. I know I can look even hotter at a lower, healthier weight.

And I have to tell you this all shows me how far I have come. I am happier and it translated into taking care of myself more. I care about my appearance and exude the “je ne c’est quoi” that turns my friends’ heads. And now that I am here, I am looking forward to achieving even more.

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Self Portrait Sunday: Leaving Las Vegas

IMG_1961 I took lots of pictures this week, and several have me actually in them!

I am currently waiting in the Las Vegas airport. My flight will begin boarding in the next twenty minutes, so I have to make this quick. I had an excellent time with my PayPerPost friends and the party at the Tao last night was a ton of fun. So much so, I have a headache this morning. Trying to drink lots of water to help… but I might need another shot of Excedrin before boarding.

So many posts are swirling around in my head. I want to recap my Blog World Expo experience, Postiecon, and Las Vegas in general. Have a great day and I’ll see you back in Chattanooga!

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Pretty in pink

I am no longer pretty, but I am pink! Thanks to BenSpark for the video so quickly!

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How long have I been gone?

I’m on day four of my Las Vegas adventures (and it feels like longer), and all the fun and revelry has been the stuff good memories are made of. Today is Postiecon and we are affectionately calling it “the day we get to sit around.”

All the walking has really taken a toll on our bodies, especially since I have sacrificed some comfort (no sneakers) for style. I want to give an air of confidence and I’m taking the saying “the clothes make the woman” and following through to the footwear. My precious boots were made for walking, but for only one night. I wore them at the club and will wear them again at Tao for the BCA’s.

Pain aside, I am still having a good time. Yesterday Jenn and I toured all the vendors on the Expo floor. Besides all the swag, I met some really cool people with awesome products (more on that later).

Last night the Posties had a meet up at the Bellagio for some gambling and a picture in front of the fountains. I look forward to going home and watching Ocean’s 11 just so I can point out where I have been and where the movie is wrong. I wish I spent some time in the art gallery, but I am sure someday I will return to Vegas and check it out then.

These few days have been a good beginner’s course in visiting Vegas. I hope I can come again when my attention isn’t divided between the city and a conference. But the pretty lights, noisy casinos, and fun people have really fulfilled the tourist in me.

The break at Postiecon is almost over. Time to pay attention, or at least look up from the computer every once in a while.

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