And the Winner is......

Well although I didn't get the entries I had hoped for I went ahead and

used the random number generator and the winner of my lovely

Scentsy giveaway is.... 

drum roll....

The one and only Brian Miller at waystationone

yes that's right... he's always (almost always) the first to comment on my posts and

therefore I am thrilled he won the scent warmer and two scents which my good

friend Courtney will pick out for him based on these facts.....

 a) she doesn't know the first thing about him

 b) he's a dude......

So thanks to all who left comments and followed me and blah blah blah.

Let's do this again sometime shall we????

Last Chance Work Out.

Well not so much of a work out but last chance to get your comments

in on my fabulous giveaway. 

I will be checking all the comments in the morning and using some kind of 

techno gadget to pick a winner. 

So head on over here and leave a comment... 

SCENTSY ROCKS!!! 

This has been one hell of a week and I hoped to get more posts in but

somehow with all the drama of the Royal Wedding it has gotten away from me.

On a high note... I found a bunch of Kim Klassen textures that I had downloaded and

couldn't find until now when I was rootin' thru "my documents"!!! 

I was soooo happy!!!! Thank you Kim for all your inspiration. 

See you in the AM when I'll have somekinda real post for you!!! 

and the announcement of the big winner!! 

cheers!!!!!!!

So Royal Wedding fever has finally hit in our house! Looks like is gorgeousness will be tuned in whilst raising a brew to the happy couple. The girls and I will be sporting different little touches to show our support for Kate and Wills such as little flags painted on our faces, red white & blue nails and our coveted England shirts.

This will be the fourth big Royal Wedding for me but a first for the kids. I vaguely remember Princess Anne getting hitched to Captain Mark Phillips, of course I was fully engaged by the nuptials of Charles & Di and again captivated when that train wreck Fergie married the most handsome of the Royals, Prince Andrew. (Andy drove by me in a Jag once in London, he mouthed "I love you" throught the bullet proof glass).....true story. Another true story...all of the above marriages ended in divorce....just sayin'.

So....fellow expats and pats....how are you marking the day...oh and if any of you kind peeps over there happen to snag a newspaper on the day please send me a copy...there's a love....'preciate it.

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It's review and GIVEAWAY time!!!!!!

My God!!! it's been so long since I did a review and giveaway it's like I forgot how

to do it!!!!!! hang with me peeps there's something in it for one lucky reader.

Spring is in the air and so what better excuse... let's make someone happy shall we?

Have you heard of Scentsy????

It's the latest and greatest way in which to fill your house with lavish aromas 

without having to A) cook something fabulous or B) break the bank. 

both of which are reasons enough for me thank you very much. 

here's mine... 

I know.. you're loving it aren't you.. well i have one to for you... if you would just follow the rules.

Head over to check out my friend Courtney's site...HERE. 

come back and tell me which scent you might like or which of the 

lovely burners appeals to you most. 

One entry.

Follow me on FB! 

200 entries... ha just kidding but you really should follow me on FB, it's pathetic how few followers I have. 

If you find something on Courtney's site that you can't live without, and believe me you will... take it from me these things are da bomb! 

you can place an order under my online party(to the left of the page .. Ali McKay)... she ships direct to you no matter where you are in the USA!! order a ton so I can get a deep dish discount for my next shipment of glorious goodness! 

For my friends in the UK you too can get in on the act now, just go HERE. 

click on the flag in the top right hand corner if you're somewhere else in the world... they're everywhere! 

All you do is drop the little wax cubes into the warming tray on top, flick a switch and wait for your nose to be flirted with... yes.. flirted with. They smell so adorable... The lucky commenter will be set for life.. well a couple of weeks... with a new full size burner (Morocco) and two random scents. Tell me which you'd like and if she has them in stock, they're yours. If they are not on hand Courtney will substitute something similar, all in the name of getting this out to you Tout Suite!!!! Bon Chance mes amis!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

The giveaway will close on Friday at Midnight!!! ooooohhhhh spooky!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Shiny Happy People!

I love Easter, don't you? I have no idea why it's always been one of my favorite

times of year, maybe I'm a sucker for all that lilac and lime? 

I was confused at first when I moved to the States because Good Friday and 

Easter Monday are not recognized "holidays" as in... gettin' a day off work.

What??? sacre bleu... I know!!! 

I was temped to pack up my crap and move back to the UK where such an important

occasion in the Christian calendar is given the respect and dignity it deserves.

Time off work, chocolate, picnics, overflowing beergardens , chocolate,

hats and Royal Weddings, chocolate, hot cross buns, chocolate and beer gardens.

Hmmmm maybe there are some clues in there as to why it's my favorite holiday.

Anyhoodles... this post isn't particularly about Easter as much as what is making me feel 

all shiny happy people today... here's my top ten shiny happy things.

1. The weather when it's lovely and sunny, warm breeze on my bare arms and legs, and 

the way it's cool in the morning, darn hot in the afternoon and back to bearable in the evening.

2. There's a sense of having accomplished something at this time of year; big kids are

graduating, little kids are taking part in Sports/Field days, I am glad to have made it 

through another school year as a deadbeat parent without the teachers noticing (too much!).

3. Pandora Radio... (you folks in the UK are missing out; but I think you have Blip?)

I have Pandora set to Corrine Bailey Rae radio this morning and it's AWESOME dude.

Smooth sounds wafting through the entire house making me feel ten feet tall and 

as beautiful as Sade herself. Don't mock !! 

4. My Scentsy Warmer, yes a whole new way to make your house smell delightful..

and guess what??? I have a giveaway so come on back tomorrow and

get in on the action... a must have!!! 

5. Driving with the windows down... nuff said. 

6. A Royal Wedding.. yes I know... had to put it in there because although not a 

die hard monarchist I do like a good Royal Wedding. I'll be setting my alarm for shit thirty so

I can blearily watch it on TV. I may even DVR it for future street party purposes.

7. Spritzers, oh my it's the best time of year for them, lovely ice cold

sparkley spritzers in pretty glasses. A Gin n Tonic is also an essential Spring drink. 

8. White capri's and bermuda's. Love 'em even though technically I'm probably 

a little large for white pants but you know what.. I like 'em. Shut up!! 

9. Flip Flops... the more the merrier, bedazzled, adorned, plain, flat, a little wedge

whatever, they are the BEST!  I love them! I know they are considered a 

fashion faux pas in certain circle.. not mine sistah!!! 

10. Last but not least, 'tis the season for lovely salads and fresh yummy fruits and veggies. 

I decided to grow my own tomatoes this year and it's making me all 

horticultural and nurturey.  I'm going to add some rosemary and mint plants to the 

back yard in pots too... could be the start of something "meh". hahahaaa.

OK lovely shiny happy friends... share your SHP stuff if you like.. I want to 

know what's making your eyes sparkle today. Besos! 

The 90th Annual Rose Cluster...

This is the week that my lovely little town has it's annual Rose Parade & Festival, the highlight (yes another one) of the social calendar in SW Georgia. It's also the week the schools choose to give the kids their annual "what did you learn this year" test and the week before His Gorgeousness's birthday and therefore the week before the week before Syd the Kid's birthday.

Keeping up? no me neither.  What with Easter this weekend and the decision still to be made whether we travel to spend time with family in Florida... and the kids being excited about the upcoming celebrations I don't know how I can fit it all in. Seems like we just fly from one hectic activity or holiday right into another with not so much as a reflection or a stop to take it all in. What's the damn point in that, where's the ebb and flow??? seems like it's all flow... someone please slow this ferris wheel down before I puke!!!

That's the thing about this Rose Show, it's a lovely event and well worth a visit but why the heck it has to be on this specific weekend I don't know. I don't have one  moment to properly plan and even envision us out there in our lawn chairs watching the parade go by. We tend to wait 'til the last minute, drive downtown and squeak into a pretty shitty parking spot, clamber to what may or may not be a good vantage point, forget to take cash for the cotton candy, drinks and snacks. Inevitably someone has to go to the bathroom or has a blister, or whines about being hungry/hot/uncomfortable etc etc etc. I will forget my camera or better yet remember the camera and forget the batteries/memory card and be pissed I can't record this joyous family occasion. The parade will pass by followed by hoards of teenagers etc getting on my nerves barging past us as we trundle back to the car, the kids will want to go eat somewhere and I will need a very, very large Martini!!!! But oh what a lovely memory we will have.

I'm half way through the week and feeling pretty exhausted already, I had a major breakdown in sense of humor last week following a rough bout of bronchitis. This week I'm trying to get back to my normal self but it's taking some effort. I'm trying to avoid an utterly messy melt down in front of the whole town on Friday night when it all just becomes too much for me.  Should we just skip it?  Oh do you really think the little Misses are gonna let that happen??? Oh well ... better grab the one a day multi-vitamins and make a plan. If it's gonna happen, I better prepare for it so I can come out on the other side unscathed.... watch this space.

p.s.  Anyone know when we can stop attending these things???

The Big Oak, Downtown Thomasville taken by yours truly.

Tuesday Morning thoughts...

I had wanted to do a couple of Tuesday projects like Random Thoughts

or Texture Tuesdays but I'm just not prepared. I have been super busy lately 

with projects of my own that I will reveal soon. 

Look at this... 

and this... 

Looks delish right?? that's because it is!!!! 

I have signed up to get recipes sent to me by text every day by Martha Stewart. 

Yes... Martha texts me every day. 

That was the Tuna Cakes from Friday, served with a lovely green salad, cherry 

tomatoes, a fabulous vinaigrette and of course a crisp white wine. 

Such an easy recipe and took only a few minutes to throw together, even His 

gorgeousness enjoyed it. So get over there and sign up for the dinner tonight text. 

Unless of course you have a wonderfully imaginative array of recipes already at your fingertips.

I don't. 

I need all the help I can get in that department. 

Have a lovely day peeps.. come back soon ya hear!!!  

Macro Monday.

Joining in again with Macro Monday to get back into the swing of things. 

Head over to Lisa's Chaos to join in and see what other teeny tiny things people 

have found to add to this project. 

Here's my offering... 

While we were at the zoo in Tampa the girls spotted this guy. Now ordinarily I 

would have let him crawl on my hands or something but honestly you never know down here

in the South which of these creatures are safe to touch and which are not. 

So, I just snapped a quick pic instead and told the girls it would be great 

for Macro Monday. 

To which Ash replied "oh well come over here and see this lizard, it would 

be great for your Mayhem Monday!!"

Mayhem Monday.. that's what it should be called when I'm spending time with them on a Monday.

So that's it for me... check out the other Macros.

Taking a well earned break!

Hey peeps....we have been on a mini vacay in South Florida, visiting with family and generally having a ball! So for now Im taking a little break from the blog, trying to edit and organize some of the shots I took. I need a sabatical I think to be honest but can't see that anywhere soon in my future. So please check back in a week or so when I can post some lovely photographs from our travels and there will be so little ditties to share too.
Im pretty exhausted right now but will try and get to some blogs in my reader this week too....miss my blogger buddies! Hope you are all seeing signs of spring and enjoying warmer weather! Besos¡!

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Texture Tuesdays with Kim Klassen...

Phewww finally able to link up to Textures Tuesdays.

Things have been so hectic around here I haven't had a chance to link

to some of my favorite posts. 

I know, I know it's Wednesday but it's better late than never. 

This week Kim issued a challenge, to use a specific one of her textures. 

Warmsun.

I love the look I achieved with this vintage door knob. 

Fun times!!! There are already a gazillion links up so go check out the fantastic

work of other Texture Lovers!! 

p.s. this was taken with the new camera... you know... the one I purchased

from the lovely Kim K. herself!!! 

and relax..........

OK...I am at peace once again and can relax into taking some pretty picures. If you are an enthusiastic amatuer/novice like me I strongly recommend you check out Ken Rockwell and inwardly digest every tiny detail of what he has to say. The learning curve of photography is huge and when you are a kinda A type personality (as apparently I am) it can be a challenge.
This mornings aha moment was more like a mallet to the head for me when I read this passage fon Ken's website (which I can't link to because I'm coming to you live from tinytown) which goes like this......"keep following your own natural direction in photography, and the technique will follow. Stop and ask for help when you need it, but don't ever let yourself get hung up on technology for its own sake. Explore technology only when needed to accomplish something deliberate, otherwise, equipment just gets in the way."...he then goes on to say that women make better photographers than men, of course we do! Women make better fishermen than men too.
I needed to be reminded it's all about the art...the vision..the interpretation and emotion of the piece. Somewhere in the competitive (and somewhat snarky) world of todays photographers I was being sucked into the race for the best kit...and ultimately its the results that matter.
The thing I peronally love about Nikon as a brand is the clarity and the vivid colors produced in camera...little need for enhancement in photoshop or lightroom unless of course you're aiming for a particular look in the finished product. As I get to know my new friend I realize I have to step back a little and spend time looking at each picture and appreciating what it is I am achieving, concentrate on the art and not the tools. Not everyone has a good eye or can see the art in everyday objects but if you do happen to have that gift its also useful to be able to utilize the tools available as a means to an end. Its all relative, remember the pile of bricks they called art at the Tate gallery?
If I like my pictures that's all that matters, and if someone else likes them too then its a bonus. Art and photography are becoming increasingly important in my life and I am very lucky to be able to indulge in the way I do. Maybe now I have learned something this morning I can stop with the tantrums and get on with the fantastic process of picture making!
Soul searching done, happy again! Looking forward to going to the zoo this weekend and getting some great subjects to practice on. Whoop whoop!

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Taylor Swift fan!

Taylor Swift fan!, originally uploaded by McGillicutty1.

That's all I have to say about that. I'm a little frustrated at the getting to know you stage of my relationship with my D90 although I know once we blossom we're going to get along just nicely. Someone tell me it's all going to work out... please!!!!!
Lets just say Ken Rockwell may be the man of the hour if I can ever get through his app... yes... an app for my Droid all about my D90. Mindblowing I know!!!!
That is all.

My evening..... of frustration.

Well today was one joyous occasion ... I got me a big girl camera. 

A really big girl camera. 

Which I can't freakin' use!!!!!! Well I can, but it's not as easy as a point and shoot even 

though one should be able to use it as a point and shoot. 

I can't wait to get out in some good natural light and take some fabulous shots. 

it went a little like this.... 

digging through online suggestions and manuals. of course that involves a new 

version of Adobe reader... have you ever NOT had to download a new version???

Auto settings with flash in the kitchen lit by two incandescent fixtures. 

Not bad, particularly like the skin tones and the clarity of her eyes in such a setting. 

Very point and shoot... not exactly the Pioneer Woman...

FYI... she's looking totally like her Daddy right now... no denying that one! 

finally, I can't remember, think this was in P mode without the flash. I didn't 

adjust the white balance at all, literally just turned it to P and clicked.

By this time I was resigned to the fact that I'm tired and need to be outside looking at 

something beautiful!!! 

In other news. I'm dealing with super fatigue, super pissed offedness that it's 

spring break and everyone I know is at home enjoying a week off... (including husband).

I'm having a crazy bout of homesickness and it's lovely weather yet I have the

pastiest of pasty legs!!! and not a lottery win in sight!!!! 

the link there is that if I won the Lotto i would be outside soaking up the sun instead 

of slaving away in an office all day! 

Hope your day has been better than mine and I'll be back soon with some super shots

after I have wrestled this camera to the ground and forced it into submission!!

A beautiful Quiche.... .

I know.. only a nerd would entitle a post that way... so be it. 

but I think you'll agree it's a beautiful quiche non????

I made it last night and was in awe when it came out looking as good as it did and 

tasting like the best freakin' quiche EVAH!!!! 

I don't cook something like this all that often but I guess I really should, I'm back 

on my "trying to get a healthy meal on the table every night" kick. 

Back on SparkPeople.. if you're trying to lose weight check out the site because

it's really awesome and when you check back in with me at Christmas

I will be 2 thirds of the person I am now. That's all I'm saying. 

I won something last night... I know you're excited for me aren't you?

I won a cookie and a drink at my local bookstore for commenting on their FB page. 

I never win anything, I was thinking of donating my winnings to charity but that would be

rude of me. So I'm going to head down there today and claim my prize with 

pride. Didn't you just say you're losing weight?? Yes I did... so I'll have 

to calculate the calories from the cookie and deny myself something else later

in the day; I did walk a little over a mile this morning on the treadmill so that 

has to count for something too right? See always negotiating with my inner Fat Kid.

I think I'll have to reread Jen Lancaster's books and take her lessons on board about

growing up and taking responsibility for this body of mine... urgghhh who wants

to do that??? seriously?????

I'm off to take a nap now because you burn more calories sleeping than you do

watching TV or blogging.... it's true because I said so. 

Toodles my dears.. come back soon I have a little surprise for you!!!