The Office Floozy

Note 2 Self: 

Check for spider bites before putting your hair up and leaving for work.  I was overly tired this morning when my alarm sounded and I did something I almost never do…I hit the snooze button.  I know exactly how much time it takes me to get ready in the morning and I usually don’t allow time for myself to mess with the snooze button often. This morning was an exception. I was exhausted. On days when I hit the snooze button I usually throw my hair up in a pony-tail or a messy bun. It saves me time from having to blow dry and straighten it. When I got to work I went into the restroom, glanced in the mirror and noticed that I had a huge spider bite on my neck. Really attractive. NOT!!! First of all…it’s disturbing to know that one was in my bed. Second of all…if you refer back to one of our previous blog posts, we mentioned that we heard a statistic that on average people swallow approximately 8 spiders a year in their sleep. This was probably 1 of my 8. Heck, it’s already the end of July…it could be 3 of 8 by now.  And third…any sort of red marking on the neck can easily be confused for a hickey. I had at least 4 people at work ask me if I had a hickey on my neck. When I told them it was a spider bite…I saw the look of disbelief on their faces. So now I probably look like the office floozy. (Not something I want to be mistaken for!!) I spent the rest of the day with my neck kinked to the side trying to hide my spider bite. I will probably have to go to the chiropractor after this day is over.

What Chaps My Cheeks:

It chaps my cheeks when girls wear big jewelry with a swimsuit.  Lets be real here…you’re at the beach or pool.  Is a GIANT necklace and earrings the size of your head really necessary at a time like this?  Don’t get me wrong, I love fun trendy costume jewlry…but I don’t wear it while swimming.  It’s so annoying to see a girl try THAT hard to be noticed.  Do you really need 20 pounds of make-up, enormous jewelry, platform flip-flips, designer sunglasses and a fedora to go to the pool?  I think not.  I feel you’d be better off wearing a sandwich-board over your shoulders that says “I’m single and desperately seeking a mate!”

Kids:

July 23rd was Ella’s first birthday.  For her birthday party we decided to go with a beach theme since everything beachy matched the bright colors of her tutu.  Yes, every one year old girl needs a tutu.

I was trying to come up with party favors that could be used as center pieces as well as something fun and practical for the kids to take home with them.  Since it was a beach theme I decided to buy a beach bucket and fill it with cray paper.  Then I added a pack of Gold Fish, fun shaped sunglasses, a shovel and a fish bath toy.  To add a little spunk to the outside of the bucket I wrote each kids name on it and added some fun fish stickers.  Wha-la!  A fun party favor!

Recipe:

To keep with the beach theme I decided to make a fun side dish that could also serve as a center piece on the food table.  I made Dirt Pudding using Vanilla Oreos to make it look like sand.  I found this recipe here.

1 to 1 1/4 lb. pkg. Oreo cookies
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3 cups milk
1 (12 oz.) tub Cool Whip (can use chocolate)
2 (3 1/2 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla or chocolate pudding
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 gummy worms and/or other critters

Crush Oreos. Put 1/3 of the crushed Oreos into a new, clean flower pot. Set aside.

Mix butter, cream cheese and sugar and vanilla together. Set aside.

Combine milk and pudding mix. Fold Cool Whip into the pudding.

Fold together pudding mixture and butter-cream cheese mixture.

Layer this mixture (about 1/3 of it) onto the crumbled cookies in the pot. Next, add another layer of the pudding mixture, then another layer of cookie crumbs, continuing until all ingredients are used.

As you’re layering the ingredients, decoratively place several gummy worms and critters in the “soil” so they will be seen emerging. If you have a toy (clean) garden trowel, a plastic daisy, or some edible flowers, these can also be used creatively to embellish the presentation.

Chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before serving.