Just another Manic Monday...

....Wish it was Sunday!

I just realized that I have not posted in 2 weeks and felt a wave of disappointment wash over me! Just a quick note to break up the Monday! I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving!  For those that went shopping on Black Friday, well, you have way more ambition than I do!

What'd I do instead of getting my turkey over-dosed butt out of bed at 2am to go shopping? I bought my Christmas present from my husband to me online! It was much more conducive to my Thanksgiving laziness and I got a pretty good deal!

What did I get?! I'm getting there... be patient! :) First off, I always said I would officially feel old when I got excited about receiving household appliances. Well... call me Granny because I ordered myself.....

... A lovely KitchenAid Stand Mixer!

I'm so excited for it to come so I can make all sorts of yummy things! But first let's talk about the deal I got.  First, I googled to find out the difference better the Classic or the Artisan mixer (other than the $100 dollars). I decided Artisan would be the way to go based on some reviews I read!  Then I googled to see what stores had the best deals.  I checked out Bed Bath & Beyond, Macy's and Kohl's.  Kohl's was the winner with a $30 instant rebate and free shipping.  Next, I googled "Kohl's promotional codes," and jackpot: an additional 20% off. Nothing makes you feel better than a putting in the online promo code and having it actually work! So... my original $299.99 mixer will be mine for $215.99.  On an even better note, I just went to Kohl's and  they are either sold out of the one I bought, or they raised the price because the least expensive one I can find is $442.99!!  I was pretty darn proud of myself, and my hubby was super excited that I found the deal and basically did his Christmas shopping for him. 

Now, if you have totally found this post to be boring, I apologize.  Here are some yummy snacks that I will be making with my new BFF Mr. Pistachio Mixer:

These fabulous cookies that I made in Halloween colors last month will be much easier now!

Cookie dough bar? Yes please!

Once I get the pasta attachment it will make it sooo much easier to make homemade pasta! 

Anyway... that's my little diddy to break up the day!  Can't wait until it comes!! :)

It's a Leap of Faith

I'm posting today to honor someone I love and miss very much.  I'd like to start by saying that I started writing this post on October 13, as I knew it would be an extremely difficult thing to put into words.  In my adult life, I have never attempted to write about her.  So that's my story.... and this is hers:

Renee was my best friend.  Slightly older, much more mature than I... she was my world.  The two of us would spend hours upon hours driving around in her red Cavalier pondering the meaning of life (or at least the meaning of life according to two teenage girls.)  Talking about friends, parties, boys, parents, and on the rare occasion, death.  Neither having guessed that it would be in that very car that my best friend would lose her life.

I cannot count the number of times I've pictured what life would be like for her now.  Would she be married? Would she have kids? Would we still drive around and ponder the meaning of life, only now according to two young woman.  Would we be talking about our husbands, or whether or not we were ready to have babies?  To lose a friend, a best friend, at any age is an unimaginable nightmare.  It still sometimes feels like a dream.  Did this really happen to me?  Did this really happen to her?

As goes with all unexpected "accidents," I never saw it coming.  However, I often find myself wondering: did she?  Did she have this feeling deep in her gut that things just weren't right?  I tend to lean towards yes.  On the night my best friend lost her life, she saved mine. I was angry because she wouldn't let me ride with her.  She wanted to get home and to bed, and I was upset because she wouldn't allow me to go along. Here's a few things I've always wanted to say, but never had the chance:

Renee,
One thing I never got to say: Thank you.  Thank you for telling me that I couldn't ride along.  Thank you for saving my life.  Thank you for bringing me a group of amazing people that have helped me cope with losing you.  Thank you for giving me Kaylan, and thank you for giving me my first "Big Love."  Thank you for being such an amazing person and friend.  For always telling me the way it is and for never being afraid of making me mad or hurting my feelings.  Thank you for being real.  Most of all, thank you for being you. I will never, ever stop thinking of you or stop thanking you.  I will always miss you.  It's been almost 9 years, and sometimes I still have to stop and catch my breath.  You will live on.... Through your parents. Through your brothers.  Through your niece.  Through your friends. Through me.

I will forever be grateful to have been a piece of your life.  I will forever be grateful for you. Happy Birthday Renee...

I love you,
Brandi

Well isn't that Pinteresting!

For those of you still in the dark: Pinterest is the coolest thing since sliced bread.  If you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about go here or here and join.  It can sometimes take forever and a day to get your invite once you request it... so if you need me to email you one just comment on here or send me a message on facebook with your email.

That being said.... i'm going to share some gloriously inspiring photos I've found on Pinterest to date:

I want a pew like this one for my mud room so much!  Maybe a cute little child as well?

I'm obsessed with these old farm sinks... it is a must when we renovate our kitchen!

For those who have been to my house.... you know I've got a chalkboard wall similar to this one. 

If you can't tell by now... I'm obsessed with anything chalkboard!

Only in my sweetest of dreams.... but oh la la, I love this Wine Cellar idea!

Sorry... I couldn't resist a little Mcsteamy action! Who am I kidding, I'm not sorry.

Zakynthos Shipwreck Bay, Greece.  This is my Happy Place.

Soooo buying this for Nathan and our first child! :)

Such a fun and brilliant way to serve veggies instead of on a boring platter!

Ahhh... that Winnie The Pooh.... so wise. :)

So that is it for now! Please take my word that Pinterest is probably my favorite website.  

It's so amazing to store inspiration. 

But why male models?

A couple weekends ago Nathan and I went up to Josh and Rose's house for the night.  During this wonderful trip we decided we would go outside to "play" in the leaves and have a little impromptu photo shoot.  :)

The next day we woke up to this....

 

I put the Pro in procrastinate.

I have a confession: I could probably win an award for the amount of procrastination I've accomplished in my life thus far.  I'm not proud of it, but I can't escape it.  

As a high school student I went to school all day (and by that I mean I showed up about 30-45 minutes late every morning and then went to school all day), had Dance every afternoon, and by the time I got home I was spent. If I was lucky I could stay awake long enough for dinner, and then I'd immediately fall asleep.  But when did I do my homework you ask? Oh, I'd usually start that around 10pm ish and stay awake until maybe 1 or 2am, then I'd go to sleep and start the vicious cycle again. Yes... it sucked.  I never figured out how to make it all work.  In case you are wondering, I did make it through!  :) I graduated and then off I went to college to see if I could be better.  Hahaa... ya, right.

I'm in the middle with the glasses and the impressive medal (HA!):

This fine looking group of individuals is the "Newport Town Crew."  I cannot possibly talk about them in a couple sentences, so I've been working on their very own post which will be coming soon!

Anyway, getting back on track here... why am I all of a sudden confessing my deep dark secrets?  I had a procrastination flashback tonight.  I'm out of town for work.  I got done dinner with co-workers around 7:30pm tonight and was so exhausted that I came back to my room and almost immediately fell asleep.  I woke up just 30 minutes ago (around 10pm) and thought I'd check the facebook scene (insert stupid line about being addicted to facebook here). Well a friend started a new blog that I was checking out and saw that I was on the list of blogs she reads along with when my last post was. EEEEEK.  1 week ago.... ruh roh.  I'm slacking.  The rest is history:  I'm writing a blog post about my lack of writing a recent blog post.  

I shall be crowned the Queen of procrastination and I shall rule procrastination land.  Please, no autographs.