new hair!

this photo makes it look lighter &  more red than it really is.

I made an appointment last week with the intention to go back to my natural brown, which I don't even remember what that color is. I didn't want to dye my whole entire head & be one dimensional brown blah so I thought we could do low lights to mostly cover the blonde hi lights. She said we could do that... & then she asked how I felt about red.


We tried red once before & you couldn't tell. Like, at all. It didn't show up.


This time it did. & I have really, really dark low lights. It's so different but I really like it. At first I wasn't sure but it's growing on me. When I first left the salon I said woah I went from Aniston to Kardashian! Mom came over yesterday & didn't notice. If she noticed, she would've said something. & only two offenders at work have noticed. Or said anything. So it really must not be such a big change, but it sure feels like one.

hello sunshine.

Using Paper Smooches free digital stamps & the Little Red Scrapbook October 2010 kit fir the Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge.

happy birthday cupcakes.

I usedLittle Red Scrapbook's Oct 2010 main kit for this. I just love these papers; they're Crate Paper Restoration collection. Such pretty colors & designs. Also used {ippity} Life's Little Moments stamp set.

This photo is from TJ's bday last August. These cupcakes were so yummy!

I am still without a printer/scanner since mine took a dump & I'm still waiting on one of the ones I've picked out as a replacement to go on sale. I think one of them is on sale at Staples this week, but the problem is they never have anything in stock at our Staples. I could order it & it takes a couple days to get here but I have a problem with instant gratification. Anyway, I'm off today & going in search of a new printer/scanner. Wish me luck!

you & I.

Not sure how well I did at SC's weekly challenge but I keep wanting to add more so I think I must be halfway on track. I used {ippity} stamps sets life's little moments & because of you.

what happens in prison.

[where I work]

April 5, 2012

Inmate charged in prison guard beating

Gonzalez faces attempted murder, aggravated battery

By Mike Fletcher Tribune staff writer

Bunker Hill — A man serving 40 years in prison for aggravated battery now faces attempted murder after state police say he severely beat a guard at the Miami Correctional Facility.

The Feb. 29 attack was unprovoked, said Sgt. Tony Slocum, public information officer at the Indiana State Police Peru Post.
Ruben Gonzalez, 39, beat Rodney Gahl repeatedly in the head and face with a sock containing a pad lock, Slocum said in a news release.

Gahl, a 10-year employee, suffered a skull fracture, a broken jaw, arterial bleeding inside his neck and hearing loss, a state police news release stated.

Gahl was airlifted to a Fort Wayne hospital for treatment. He likely will face several months of rehabilitation in his recovery, state police reported.

After the attack, Gonzalez was transferred to the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle for safety concerns, police report. Police served a Miami Circuit Court warrant for attempted murder and aggravated battery on Gonzalez last week at the prison.

An automatic not guilty plea was entered on Gonzalez’s behalf at his initial hearing held last week by video conference from the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. He is set to appear May 17 for his pre-trial hearing, which also will be held via video conferencing.

Gonzalez is serving a 40-year prison term stemming from a 2000 Lake County conviction for aggravated battery. If convicted on the recent charges, he could serve an additional 50 years in prison for attempted murder and up to 20 years for the aggravated battery.

Calls made to Miami Correctional Facility were not returned Wednesday for comment.

...you already do card.

For this sketch challenge at Chick Challenges with {ippity} using The Right Words set & this kit from Little Red Scrapbook. I love using kits because they come with things I wouldn't try on my own & make me push outside of my comfort zone.

April sponsor!

Go check out Leigh Anne. 

She's a huge running inspiration for me. She runs 5ks like it's her job & just casually mentions "getting in 4 mile runs" like I take a shower or do a load of laundry. 

I wish I could run 4 miles.

She's pretty much awesome.

Hi Bloggers! I am Leigh Anne, from Hart to Heart!

I am a fairly new blogger, I only began blogging seriously
in Feburary of 2012.

My blog is truly a series of “heart to hearts”.  In all aspects of my life, I try to
promote healthy lifestyles and through my blog I try to reach out to each and
every one of my readers, in hopes that they will make a change for the better.
Along the way, I also blog about being an Army wife, living in Alaska, going through a
deployment, as well as quick and easy healthy recipes for you to try!  I’d love for you to come stop by and
say hello and while your at it, feel free to check out my Etsy shop! Happy
Blogging!

xo,

Leigh Anne 

Blog//Twitter//Facebook//Etsy 

winner winner!

My card won GHWI challenge #17! What a great Monday morning surprise!

we need a rock 'n roll show in the summer.

Kenny Chesney concert last summer

For a challenge at 2 Peas to use stamping on a layout.
I used SC metropolitan, {ippity} A Moment in Time, & {ippity} Music of my Heart.

box sale!

I read this post on Two Peas about a $45 box sale & I'm buying one right now. 


She posted some samples here. 


It supports a super great cause. & who doesn't like surprises?

new dining room rug.

B seems to like the new rug too.

We had to get a larger rug to cover the dining room floor. We polyurethaned the wood floors a few months ago, but Bentley still has left some scratches (which I believe are in the ureathane layer NOT the hardwood) & TJ is nearly having a stroke. 

I try to tell him a few scratches give it character. He doesn't want toenail scratched character. 

Anyway. We found a rug we agreed on at Menards of all places. It was $200, it's 96x120 inches, it covers almost the whole entire dining room floor now, & TJ is much happier. When TJ is happy, I'm happy.

how does your garden grow?

This post brought to you by Scotts®. All opinions are 100% mine.

I bought two trellises this weekend with the idea of planting some morning glory to vine up them. I think it will look really pretty once they grow up the trellis and along the fence. I’m thinking it will also provide us a little bit of privacy. We don’t get much of that living on our downtown intersection where cars are always stopped for the red light. Lucky morning glory are pretty hardy but to help them really take off, they could use the added benefits of Miracle Gro Expand 'n Gro concentrated planting mix.

Miracle Gro Expand ‘n Gro concentrated planting mix grows up to three times the flowers & vegetables compared to native soil. With that, my trellis & fence will be covered with gorgeous flowers & vines in no time! It also feeds for up to six months so my flowers & vines will be set well into fall.  

The weather has been so great here already – 70s & 80s the last couple of weeks – that our flowers & plants we planted last year are already blooming! The neighbor’s tulips are beautiful. The great weather is what inspired me to get started already this year. It’s not too early for you to start either! & with Miracle Gro Expand ‘n Gro concentrated planting mix, your flowers & gardens will look beautiful in no time!

Another great thing about Miracle Gro Expand 'n Gro is that you can use it in pots too - not just in the ground. We have two huge planters we put in front of TJ's office every spring filled with several different colors & kinds of flowers. The natural fibers in Expand 'n Gro hold up to 50% more water & it's water activated so it expands three times when water is added.

You can learn more about Expand 'n Gro here:

Expand ‘n Gro™

Socialpunk Blog Tour.

Author:
Monica Leonelle is a well-known digital media strategist and the author of three novels. She blogs at Prose on Fire (http://proseonfire.com) and shares her writing and social media knowledge with other bloggers and authors through her Free Writer Toolkit (http://proseonfire.com/free-writer-toolkit).

Description:
Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what’s beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.

Links to Purchase the Book:

Amazon: http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkA
Barnes and Noble: http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkB

mantle done!

mantle 3.23.12

Mom came over last week & helped me sand & paint my mantle. I bought it a few months ago & have been waiting for nicer weather to take it outside & fix it up.


Today mom & Rick came over to help install it. I am in love. They changed my mind from my original plan of placement in the living room & mounting the TV over it. Instead we put it on a side wall (under an ugly piece of artwork that's TJ's & I'm not allowed to get rid of). I actually think it looks ok with the ugly art. Almost makes the art tolerable. Anyway, still have to figure out how I'm going to decorate the top so for now I just grabbed some random things from around the home.

mantle 3.26.12

I cut Bentley off (what's on his nose?!) because I didn't want to show the bottom of the mantle. I have the baseboards taped off with painter's tape because I plan to paint all the trim this week. & I think we're going to install beadboard in the center of the mantle or... I'm not sure what we're doing in the center yet. I'm going to look on Pinterest for some ideas.

It's so pretty. The detail is great. It looked a little rough when I got it but I think I got it for like $110 & after a coat of flat black paint + satin black paint, it looks really great!

They also helped (& by "helped" I mean they entirely did it) me hang my mirror in the entryway. For a year I've been waiting to hang this mirror. The walls are stucco/brick like the outside of the building & I wasn't sure how to drill through it & what to use that would be strong enough to hang the mirror. It's antique & really heavy.

& it's not actually entryway. You come in to a little landing entryway but you walk up the stairs to this little landing entryway that's much cuter. Anyway, mom gave me the mirror & I think it looks SO good in this spot.

Friday/Saturday in Chicago

Navy Pier

Got a great deal on a hotel (king suite!) in Chicago via livingsocial with a free bottle of chardonnay, which was gross but we downed anyway. We drove up on Friday, hit the Lincoln Park zoo, had dinner at El Nuevo, went to Navy Pier & got some Garrett popcorn. Saturday we had pizza for lunch at Renaldo's that was so, so yummy, hit some consignment shops where I found a JCrew dress for $15 that's a size six, black, & fits amazingly & a pair of Express jeans for $12. Walked to the theater where John Dillinger was shot (did a lot of walking), got cupcakes (Ron Bennington, mixed berry, chocolate chip, & chocolate decadence) from Molly's Cupcakes that were delicious (& by delicious I mean we ate 3 in about 10 minutes), stopped at the Galway Pub & drank a pitcher of Miller Light for $10, drove back home & picked up B. He stayed with Mom & Rick & she said he was very good. He spent all Saturday outside & was exhausted. So glad they are able to keep him for us. He likes it there, likes Ally & Hunter, & it saves us big time on boarding. We brought them back some popcorn (cheese & caramel) & a cupcake (cookies & cream).

It was our one year anniversary celebration. It went by quickly - one night is not enough for Chicago! The weather was cool & rainy. We got soaked at the zoo. But overall we ate a TON of good food & we had a good time.