Happy Halloween!!!

Carved up my pumpkins last night and can't wait for the trick or treaters! Hope you all have a great Halloween!

Two in one day? Holy Crap!

Let me start by saying I love Chipotle! They have just about the best guacamole around and for this I can forgive the fact that they are owned by McDonalds. They apparently just ran a contest for a tv ad. Colleges around the US were asked to participate by sending in 30 second ads. There are some pretty good ones on, my ultimate favorite being Burrito Rocket from Chapman University.

Check em out at:

http://www.youtube.com/group/30SecondsofFame

By the way, if you go into Chipotle tomorrow dressed like a burrito, taco or bowl you get a free one. Break out the aluminum foil!!

Creepy and Delicious Delights

Made some yummy items for a Halloween supper last night. The pumpkin cake was fun to make and I was happy to see it turned out, although next time I won't try to draw pumpkin leaves! The jello shot brain was my favorite though. I had a brain mold that I bought a couple years ago, never really knowing exactly what I would use it for. I had an idea to make a jello shot in it and then everyone could slice away. It was fantastic! I used black cherry jello and black cherry smirnoff vodka. Let's just say everyone did alot of picking at my brain last night!!

Another find!

Finished Holder
Originally uploaded by pillworm1.

I found these at the thrift store the other day for $3.99. It's a set of two, but they were pretty ugly when I bought them. I decided to spray them the same color as the other candle holder I bought and hang them on the wall near it. This is what the holder looks like finished, but there are pictures documenting the whole process on flickr.

I just love thrift stores!

Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch

Pigs in a blanket
Originally uploaded by pillworm1.

Frances and I headed out to Woodland today to check out the Corn Maze and see how lost we could get. We managed to make it through in about 20 minutes and only witnessed one set of wet pants. I'm happy to say that those wet pants did not belong to either myself or Frances, but would also like to recommend that all parents let their kids pee before giving the corn maze a try!

After, we headed to Davis to pick out some pumpkins. They had a petting zoo of sorts on the farm and the piglets were just about the best thing I have seen. They were all snuggled together and snorting away. I think Frances thought I was going to tuck one in my sweatshirt and high tail it out of there. I was tempted!!

Lots of pictures on Flickr!!

Stupid Pants

To all of you "jean" creators out there, I know you are reading this. Why do you insist on placing a belt loop only in the MIDDLE of the backside of pants. I get two in the front?! This makes no sense considering all pants are now low waisted and I'm going to need some help back there keeping my butt crack from being exposed to the world. But noooo, you tease me with only one belt loop causing my belt to stay on my waist and the pants to just slip down on the sides of it. Please, I beg you, please give me a couple extra loops in the back!

Purse Night

Tonight was definitely "purse night" during my thrift store outings. First I ventured over to my favorite thrift store and found this great Kate Spade (knock-off I'm sure) bag for just $6.99! Then, just when I thought it couldn't get any better...I headed to my second favorite thrift store and found this AWESOME old black clutch purse. I love the classic style of the old purses, but sometimes it's hard to find them in good condition. This one was marked $7.99 as is, but I couldn't quite figure out what "as is" meant exactly. Then I took it up the register and was only charged $1.99 for it!!! Yippee!!! I can't wait to carry it to the next function.

Lego Man

Lego Man
Originally uploaded by pillworm1.

I've been collecting salt and pepper shakers for about 5 years now. I took on the challenge this evening of actually dusting all of them and figured it was the perfect opportunity to take pictures of them all in the process. This is the newest set that I have. I found them at the Lego store while in Los Angeles. They will snap together (go figure since they are legos) too!! I think I need to hang another shelf. You can see my entire collection on Flickr!

Burnt House

I came home today and the house next door is almost gone. For those of you that don't know, a couple months back there was a fire in the middle of the night and the house next door went up in flames and smoke. It was soo sad and quite the neighborhood event. The house has been boarded up ever since but before I left things started getting torn apart. I came home and all that is left is the frame. I can't wait to see what they build!!

Orange County Swap Meet

I ventured to the Orange County Swap Meet on my trip to LA. It was fantastic!! Definitely beats the old Denio's Auction in Sac. This is the loot that I got and trust me I could have purchased so much more. I know it seems silly, seeing that there are two packs of razors and two bottles of sunscreen, but when they are half the cost you just can't pass it up. My favorite thing is the skull hat for sure!!

Wee little one.....

I got back to the hotel and was soo thirsty after work. Luckily they have vending machines in the hotel and I happened to have $1. I decided to get a bottle of water to quench the thirst. The water dropped and low and behold it was only 10 ounces. I can't tell you how tiny that is!! So, I figured you drink about 2 ounces at a time so that makes this water roughly 20 cents per sip! I felt so ripped after after those five gulps.

Have to admit though...it's a cute little stubby bottle!

Southern California

It never rains in Southern California!! Sometimes I love it down here!

Post From The Road

So, the first night in LA was quite eventful! I got to the airport...everything smooth. Got to the rental car...everything smooth. Visited my sights...everything smooth. Then I got to the hotel. It all started good enough. I got checked in, had a fluffy king bed in a non smoking room and good movies on hbo. Then I fell asleep. I'd say it was about 11pm (because I'd just finished watching 1 vs.100). I set my alarm for 8am, but I always wake up at 7am so I was just using it as a back up.

Suddenly, in a dead of sleep, I was awoken to the loudest alarm sound ever. It took me a while in my groggy state to realize that this was not the sound of the "wake-up" alarm, this was the sound of the FIRE ALARM. Shortly there after a recorded message came on saying, "There is a fire emergency, please exit the building immediately." I threw on slippers and a sweatshirt, grabbed my purse and went out the door. I limped down the 5 flights of stairs, didn't waste time putting my brace on, and joined the other hotel visitors outside in the lot. It was a sad sight! The hotel I stay at is minutes from Disneyland so here were these poor families carrying sleepy eyed kids in their arms. I would have loved to take a picture, but probably would have gotten beat down by the mob.

We were let back in the building and I joined at least half the mob at the front desk, because of course I did not take a room key with me. I then hobbled back up the stairs and noticed on the fourth floor a familiar smoky smell.....that of burnt microwave popcorn. Isn't it amazing how that smell is something that you can always identify?! Even more amazing is how it can neccesitate a "fire emergency" and empty an entire hotel!

What, no picture??!

I'm feeling so lame doing this, but this is my FIRST post without a picture. I don't know why a picture feels so important. Guess I feel like it's more exciting looking at something than listening to be babble! I'm off to LA tomorrow morning and will be there until next Wednesday. Unfortunately my laptop is on the fritz so no emails and no postings. So sad! The backlight keeps going out and causes me to become "The Fonz" and bang on the screen until it lights up. You can only do this so long before wanting to throw the laptop across the room. So, I will pile up exciting news in LA and post it when I get back.

Who knows really if anyone is even looking at this? Or reading it this time I guess!

Ciao for now!!

BIG OF THE YEAR!!!

So, I just got notice that I am nominated for "Big of the Year" with Big Brothers Big Sisters. There were 220 nominees and they dwindled it down to 6 males and 6 females. I just so happen to be one of those females! I will find out on November 3rd what the outcome is, but I never would have thought I would be so excited to be considered the "big" of anything!!! Thanks Frances!

Ode to Wendy

lobster hound
Originally uploaded by pillworm1.

Louie absolutely HATES when I try to put any sort of clothing on him. I've tried shirts and sometimes the occassional costume, but typically the scenario ends with him hiding somewhere until I remove the item. So, I've resorted to doing it when he's sleeping and then taking a picture really quickly.

I found this lobster hat at Target and had to get it. His ears are supposed to go in the slits, but since his dome piece is so large it didn't quite fit right. Oh well, at least I got one shot in!!

This posting is "Ode to Wendy in Maine!" Hope you are having a grand time and the California Cows and I miss you. You do know they are the happiest cows right?

Thrift Store Adventures

My most recent find, this little cow creamer. Not sure what to do with it, doubt I will be using it for cream! I thought it looked like a cute collectible, and is in great condition. Just looks like it had it's tail glued on once, but done very well. Once again...only $2!

Charlotte

Tonight was an evening race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and we went over to Jeff Bacon's house to watch the race. Most of you are probably thinking to yourself, "Has Stacey lost her mind, she's actually watching racing now?!" Well, let me tell you something....when there are boys that look like this you will pretty much watch anything!!

Go Kasey!!

Street Band

street band
Originally uploaded by pillworm1.

So tonight Bill and I swore that we kept hearing a band. We couldn't figure out if it was live or someone was cranking some heavy tunes. Then it would stop and you'd hear it again in a different place. Eventually the band was walking right down the middle of our street. It was a highschool band doing a fundraiser. They even played "Louie, Louie." I told Louie they were playing it just for him of course. I wish I had gotten a better picture and I wish there had been MORE COWBELL!!

Good Read

I picked this book up today at Tower Books (which is going out of business by the way in case someone out there didn't know.) I was a HUGE fan of Wendy's first book "I'm Not The New Me" and consider it a must read for anyone that has ever been on Weight Watchers. This is her second release and I'm surprised I made it through it without wetting myself. If we ate the kind of things that are pictured in this book, we would be extremely thin! I highly recommend checking this book out!!!

New Shoe

So, clumsy old me took a tumble down the front step today! This is the new shoe that I get to wear for the next couple weeks. Cute and stylish huh?! This would actually be the third fall in two months. If I didn't know better myself, I'd think I started drinking!

Changing Faces

So, as most of you know I'm on the big weight loss plan right now. I'm dropping the lbs successfully and really noticing a difference. I just noticed though how much my face has changed! Apparently alot of that weight was stored in the amazing second chin that I had. I think I could have stored nuts in there for the winter!! Here's a little before and after shot. Keep in mind that in the before picture I had already lost over 10lbs so who knows how bad it was before. Luckily I don't have many head shots!!

Louie in the Trunk

Louie loves car rides. It gives him a chance to hang his head out the window, and another perfect opportunity for sleep. His favorite thing to do is climb into the trunk. Problem is, the trunk is not always empty for him to sleep. Today he made use of what he had to work with and found a great substitute for a pillow. In case you can't make it out, those are coffee filters that he's resting in!

Thrift Store Find!

So, I've been really into thrift stores lately (ode to Mom.) I keep finding all kinds of cute things....for sooo cheap. My most recent is this candle holder, only $2. It was originally white and cheesy looking, but I whipped out my can of spray paint and voila cuteness! Will look perfect for a fall table setting. I really need to start working on before pictures!!

Halloween Table

I decorated the table for Halloween! Halloween is by far my favorite holiday, even though I don't really do a whole lot :o) There's just something about all the skull decorations and kids in costumes that is just so much fun. Boy, now I feel like combining kids with skulls in that sentence is so morbid!

Cafe Chairs

Cafe Chairs
Originally uploaded by pillworm1.

So, I've had these cafe chairs that my mom left me when she moved to Florida. Although I thought they had a cute shape I found them VERY ugly. They were a forest green with green check covers (should have taken an original photo.)

I was just about to put them out for trash day last week when I thought I would try to refresh them. So I put on new cushion fabric that matches my dining chairs and painted them cappuccino brown. Now they are fantastic!! I made a little cafe corner for the two chairs and plan on doing the mirror frame on the wall next so it will match. Boy, you can have alot of fun with spray paint!!

Lost

Well, tonight is the big night for the new Lost show. This is by far my favorite show, but I have to say I'm a little worried about this season. I feel like it's a make it or break it for me! I will keep my fingers crossed that it's good. In just two and a half hours we will know for sure!!

Nap Session

And sometimes, Louie and I like to share the couch.