A Day Late and a Dollar Short

     A day late....and by "day" I mean months (3 to be exact). And a dollar short....and by that I mean dollar(s) (too much shopping). SURPRISE! I'm back! I feel like I'm experiencing a little bit of deja vu...anywhoooo I have been neglecting this little space of mine for some time now, and given the fact that I'm wasting away my Easter weekend taking naps and eating chocolate bunnies, I figured this would be a prime opportunity to update you all on my life.
    January and February were a blur. A typical hot-cold Louisiana winter that was filled with rainy days and (after the wonderful holiday known as Valentine's Day) delicious half priced candy. My school goes on a junior/senior trip every two years to Europe, so planning and prepping for that excursion consumed the rest of February. Many trips to Target, shopping for warm clothing, and packing for a whole week made me feel like I was truly prepared for my European voyage. I have never been so wrong in my life. Paris was as cold as (insert funny pun here) and I about died. The three coldest days of the year took place while we were in the city, and thank God we left! You will never know cold until you are standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower at night, in the snow. Snow is only pretty when you are sitting in a warm bubble bath, looking at the white flurries from your window. At least that's my philosophy. And that is pretty much what Europe consisted of. Bubble baths. Post to follow... And then came March! Rain rain annnnd more rain. Tests tests annnnnd more tests. Shopping shopping annnnd more shopping (but hey, what's new?) The highlight of this month was my college visit to Ole Miss. I am absolutely in love with Ole Miss and I cannot wait to (hopefully) be a student there! I feel so at home when I'm there and know that Oxford is my future home.
     So that brings me to the present time, Easter weekend. My lovely parents decided to take a trip to the Florida Keys without their precious children, so my siblings and I took a little trip of our own; to the big city of Oak Grove, La. Home to the best frosty coke and to the new Chinese buffet down town, the biggest happening since the refurbishing of the theatre a few years ago. As one could imagine, there isn't much to do. The biggest news that happened today was that I topped my nap from yesterday, sleeping a total of 3 hours and 12 minutes. Oooeh Oooehh. Also, my sibs dyed Easter eggs for the first time ever (poor babies; 14 and 11 and never dyed eggs.....). So I guess you could say this has been a successful weekend. I have to end this post now because the fam is beckoning me to come and play Phase 10 with them. YAYY. I hope the Easter Bunny hop hop hops over to your neck of the woods!
  Until next time (Lord knows when that will be) XOXO,
      Caroline

If I die young

     "If i die young bury me in satin, lay me down in a big tee shirt and leggings" Okay, so not the exact words, but when I die (ETD: sometime between now and Wednesday) I want to be comfortable. The cause of my morbid song rendition is.... midterms. The most awful thing in the world, only second to frizzy hair and smashing your finger in a door (did this yesterday and I still can't feel my fingernail). Yes, it is inevitable, but why must they be so hard? And WHY must it be 20% of your grade? What if you make a bad grade on it (me)? What if you don't know the material well enough because your teacher sucks (me)? Well, too bad, so sad. The teachers do not care one bit about you or your helpless soul as you prepare for these horrid tests; they think, "the more questions that are on the test, the fewer points each are worth!!!" Haha no. We like having fewer, easier questions that will guarantee us an A. But you know what would be even better? NOT HAVING THEM AT ALL. This may be my last post because I am about to study physics (A.K.A fall into a pit of misery and despair) because my test is tomorrow. And let's face it; I just may not make it out of the classroom. Do we get points for writing our name? HOPE SO!
XOXO, 
Carolineee

Clean up on aisle 4!

Oh hay Friday Eve! SO glad you came around again because I missed you. I have the best story to tell yall so I'm just gonna jump right into this post...
     I have found my new calling in life. It is personalizing ornaments at the Muffin Tin, where I work. I'm evidently quite good at it, so I think I will just drop out of high school and paint Christmas decor for the rest of my life. Sounds good, right? Right. Anyway, my point hasn't been made just yet. I worked today, and I had a ton of ornaments awaiting my arrival at 3:23. YAY. But this precious "Congratulations on Graduation!" gift needed to have the girl's name in black and her alma mater in red. Well we didn't have a red paint pen. Sooo I travel down to the Walmart and proceed to find a red paint pen. FOUND IT. Check and done. Now let's go pay for it and I can get back to decorating the 10 million ornaments. Well...easier said than done. I finally found a decent line to join and then waited my turn. I observed that that the cashier was quite large, as in pregnant large, and thought to myself "omg she is about to pop!" and "there's gotta be twins in there" and also "what if she gave birth now?!" BINGO. I kid you not, as my one little red paint pen traveled down the check out thing (anyone know what that's called? I just googled "what's the thing called that your groceries ride on at the check out line?" and I got nothing.) this woman says "I thaank muh watah jus broke!" At first, all I could think was omg no freaking way this is insane NO WAY. Then the chick starts screaming so I was all like "SOMEBODY HELP!!!!! SOMEBODY HELPPP" and there were roughly 13 Wally employees surrounding her in about 2 seconds flat. 911 was promptly called and all was well. I hope the woman got to the hospital before she had her baby. But just think, if she delivered at Walmart she could have had a great name: Wally. Or if it was in the ambulance, Ambulance (am-bew-launce-say). Who knew having to get a red paint pen would turn into such an experience! And now I can say I have witnessed my check out lady go into labor. Check that off my bucket list! 

XOXO, 
CAROL

P.S. next blog post: list of baby names for the good, bad, and the weird 

The Babysitter's Club

This week has been super super busy. Besides working everyday, I had to squeeze in time for social events, like cookie decorating parties and christmas caroling. What a joy it was to see the peoples' faces when my group sang (horrendously might I add) "Joy to the World" or "Deck the Halls"! I can already see this post turning into some long and dull journal of the past week, so I will stop boring you in 3, 2, 1.....Now I will fill you in on the most important babysitting tips you will ever need. If you follow my rules and guidelines, you will be on the road to success. 

Rule Number One: Don't ever leave children unattended in the bathtub. 

     I left the kids I sit for, Hunter and Archer, ages 9 and 3, respectively, in the (full) tub for maybe 3 minutes one evening, as I had to go find a pull up and towel for the youngest one. 3 minutes. 3 minutes alone and the bathroom had become a war zone. You know those fun little tablets you put in the bathtub to make the water turn colors? Well the boys somehow got a hold of them and dumped them all (24 in total) into the water. "It was supposed to be like a wanbow!" Yea well, when you mix colors you get black. Along with the black water, they had turned on the water and poured bubble bath into the tub. So when I returned, big black bubbles were foaming from the tub and Archer was no where to be found. Panic set in. WHERE IS THE KID. "Hunter find your brother he could drown!" "OKAY! OH NO I CAN'T FIND HIM!" So I basically go swimming trying to save the baby. Then I hear a tiny voice come from the water closet (fancy name for a room solely for the big boy potty). "I went potty!" Well good for you Archer. You went potty. Hunter must have failed to see his brother get out of the tub in the midst of making the "rainbow bubbles." So, I had to deal with the horrific thought of a drowning child and cleaning up the wet floor. And you know what the best part of the whole fiasco was? I left for those 3 minutes and returned with no pull up and no towel. 

Rule Number 2: Clean up your mess.

     Every mother loves a clean house. And every mother especially loves a clean kitchen. Always clean up the mess you made and then some. If you feed the kids dinner, make sure you wash the dishes and put them away. Go the extra mile and even wipe down the countertops. Moms love that! You will soon earn the title of "The best babysitter award" from the mother, which will keep you on her top ten baby-sitters list for sure. If you want to stay on this list refer back to rule number one. 

Rule Number 3: Don't burn the tupperware. 

     If you are instructed to make the kids dinner, make sure you don't burn the tupperware. This can happen in many ways. Make sure you don't turn the stove-top griddle on instead of the oven. But especially make sure you don't turn on the stove-top griddle instead of the oven when there is a plastic tupperware sitting on top. I mean I've never experienced this but.....it's probs a good idea if you don't, because it's hard to get plastic off of stainless steel. 

I have MANY more rules and guidelines to follow, but those will just have to wait. I will leave you with these quotes from my fellow kids....

"I need to learn how to tie my shoes before high school because I don't want to wear those velcro shoes the rest of my life." - Hunter, age 9

"Hunter, you won't be the quarterback next year! You didn't even tackle anybody this year!" Archer- age 3

"I wish my mom didn't always dress so tacky. I mean nike shorts and leggings are SO unattractive." Sarah Beth- age 5

" Have you ever noticed the CHRIST in Christmas?"- Hunter

"I don't know how to spell diva, but I know that sass is in it!"- Colleen, age 7

XOXO, 

the babysitting goddess 

Where in the world is Sweet Caroline?

You may have been wondering in the past few weeks, "Where in the world is Sweet Caroline?" But, have no fear! I am here! No, I have not been on my death bed or inoculating babies in Taiwan (reference to Four Christmases). I have been in Funroe. Living and Luving Lyfe. I have been so super busy I can barely stand it. I may act like I don't like being so occupied 24/7, but deep down inside I really crave doing anything and everything ALL THE TIME. But like really. Along with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we have mid terms to cram into our social lives, which is like so UGH. Thinking about school can definitely put a damper on anyone's day. Let's all cross our fingers that I live through the next two weeks approaching exams, especially becaauuuseee I HAVE A JOB! Two actually. I work at the most precious and fun gift store in town and I just love it! I get to wrap cute little gifts all day, which I kinda suck at, but I'm learning. Also,  I am working at a family friend's jewelry store. I wrap their gifts too and come in whenever my little heart desires, so it's a pretty easy job. My first day there I sold a picky woman her wedding ring! I felt SO special! Anywayyy enough about that. The most important thing about this special time is it's CHRISTMAS! I love Christmas. Like no joke. I have been listening to Christmas songs since July. It doesn't really feel like Christmas though down here in good ole La because it was 74 DEGREES this WHOLE week. And it is December. Really mother nature? The weather doesn't stop us though. My friends and I are having a cookie decorating/caroling party tomorrow! SO EXCITED. But do you know what is almost as exciting as a cookie decorating/caroling party? My next blog! Stay tuned because the one person that is reading this, or maybe the bazillion of you, are going to love all of my fab babysitter tips and quotes!

Stay Fabulous...XOXO 

            Carol 

The Little Things in Life

     I don't even know where to begin with this post. So many great things have happened lately that I don't know what to say first! Isn't that such a wonderful thing? When life is so fabulous that you don't know how to express it in words? It's truly the little things in life that make it worth while. So that is what I will dedicate this post to. After typing all of that I have decided where to start....
     SOOO.....this past weekend the whole fam dam went to our camp. Fun, right? Although I felt like this would be the worst thing everrr, it was actually super fun and relaxing! I had the opportunity to bake my dad his favorite dessert, a pecan pie, for his birthday (which I forgot for an hour that morning. That part of my life was not fabulous), we went to our friend's camp down the road, and my sister DROVE FOR THE FIRST TIME. What has the world come to? Is my baby sister actually old enough to drive? The answer to that would be no. She is only 14, therefore that was not exactly legal, but whatevs, we were in the back country. Although my mom and I thought we scraped some trees and skid past mailboxes, my baby came out relatively unscathed (my baby as in my car of course). After the little excursion, the family all gathered inside the camp and ate dinner with neighbors, watched the Aggies beat Alabama, and played games. It was so fun. Like SO fun. There's nothing like fellowship, good food, and football with your family and friends!
     The start of the week was fairly meek, but today was AWESOME. One of my best friends, Haley (www.morrismemories2.blogspot.com), and my sister, Claire, and I went shopping for the perfect game day outfit for them. Did I mention we are all going to the LSU Ole Miss game this weekend? Well we are! It's Haley's first, which makes it all that more exciting! So I took my role as a personal stylist and picked out the cutest tops for the girls which they will pair with colored denim and gorgeous riding boots (pics to follow of course!). Following the shopping trip, we went to Orange Leaf where the three of us devoured holiday flavored frozen yogurt. YUM. So, in short, this week is obviously going to be great because my Monday and Tuesday have already been great!
     And if this day couldn't get any better, my mom asked me to take my little brother to his basketball practice (again). I of course groveled and complained (is that redundant?) but hopped in the car and off to practice we went. As Drake and I are singing along to "Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift (so tender, I know) I realize that these are the moments that make living worth while. Moments like these: driving with my brother, on the verge of tears at my overwhelming love for him, without even uttering a word besides T-Swift's sweet lyrics, riding in the backseat as my sister drives ME around for the first time, having great friends and sharing first time experiences and all that those entail, and lastly, spending time with my wonderful family. How blessed am I to live this life?
     I originally did not intend for this post to be so tender and heartfelt (I'm sure you are enjoying this right now, Haley), but I just felt like expressing my life with you all! As if this week couldn't get better, just remember that the last installment of Twilight comes out at midnight on Thursday. Whoop whoop. AND the Rebels play the Tigers this weekend. HOTTY TODDY! More to come this week but I think I have exhausted all of my stories for the night.

XOXO,
Kayroll

10 Things To Do Before You Go To Bed

Are you bored? If so, you are in luck! Here is a list (yay! my first list on here!) of 10 things you should do to pass the time before you go to sleep.

1. Eat something good with no regrets. Like seriously. Make it like a mini vacation (because there are no calories on vacation). Go to your pantry and get that cookie you've been eyeing for the past two days, or eat a bunch of Halloween candy! Because who doesn't love a Reese's in the shape of a pumpkin?

2. Watch your fave show. I'm sure that, like me, you have a ton of shows backed up on your DVR and now is the perfect time to watch last week's Modern Family (personal favorite) or Grey's Anatomy. Better yet, go on Netflix and watch a movie! But make sure you complete the other nine tasks while doing so.

3. Make a craft. If you have a friend that has been in a bad mood lately or is just having a no good very bad week, make him slash (yes I actually say slash in everyday life) her a craft! Everyone enjoys little happys in their life and this small gesture may speak volumes to the Debby Downer, Pitiful Pete, Negative Nancy, etc. etc.

4. Clean out your closet. I'm not talking like an extensive clean. Just a tidy little clean up. Straighten the shoes on the shelves, make all the hangers go the right way. If you're really OCD like me, consider color coding all of your clothes. It makes it much easier to pick out the perfect outfit depending on your mood for the day!

5. Fluff your pillows. That's right. Fluff those suckers. Nobody, or at least not I, like a squishy, delapidated pillow. If you are a princess, check for a pea under your mattress (Kate, this is for you). A fluffed pillow will ensure a great night's rest and an undisturbed beauty sleep.

6. Read a picture book. Go to your childhood book shelf and pick out your favorite book. Mine would be either Amelia Bedelia or the ever famous and sweet I Love You Forever. My mother read this to my brother and sang the song to him every night before bedtime up until 2 weeks ago. Just kidding, like two years ago. But still, I think it's one of the main reasons he is such a sweet heart and appreciates his mama. Whether you're 50 or 5, you should buy it tomorrow if you don't already have it.

7. Tell someone that you love them. "I love you forever, I like you for always, remember my baby, you'll always be." (Credit to I Love You Forever) Call your mom or dad if you don't live at home. And if you do, get out of bed and go tell them. Grandma, grandpa, sister, brother,your bestie. Whomever. You never know when you or someone else will breathe their last breathe. Sorry....I wasn't trying to be morbid.

8. Paint your nails. Maybe it is just me, but I feel like a much more complete and put together person when my nails are polished to perfection.

9. Think. I am starting to run out of things to do before you go to bed and I'm currently thinking "why did I even decide to write this post?" Soooo just sit back and ponder upon life. If you don't want to go that deep, just reflect on the eventful happenings of your day or about the things listed in your agenda. It is always good to mull over your day or week's plans.

10. Thank God.  And last, but certainly the most important. Thank God for everything he has given you and bestowed upon you and your family and friends. Forgive me for using this old cliche, but what if you woke up with only the things you thanked God for yesterday? Well yay for you (I say yay alot. like alot alot.) because I am reminding you right now to say your prayers and thank God for the life you have!

So there you have them. The first list in the history of this blog. If you didn't do all 10 I hope you at least did a select few. I am tired and need to get to bed. Oh wait....I have to complete this list! I think I will begin my painting my nails and read Amelia Bedelia while I let them dry. Then  I will do the rest of my list  I guess. This night is about to get WILD.

Night night. Don't let the bed bugs bite!
XOXO,
 CAROL

P.S. If you have bed bugs you should seriously consider calling the US bed bug detector.