I Think I Have a Problem.

I went to CVS yesterday because I desperately needed mascara.  I got two new Covergirl Lash Blasts (the orange one!) and came home to put them away.  I discovered that I may have a mascara addiction.  Shown are the ones that were already in my make-up bag.

Eh.  At least it's a healthy addiction that comes with coupons.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

pictures of my Halloween will be up tomorrow.

P.S. New friends from The Shine Project - don't forget you can also enter my giveaway until 11/9/2011 for another chance to win that Starbucks gift card and Shine necklace!

Pork Chops w/ Apple Cider Gravy and Home Fries!

Pork Chops w/ Apple Cider Gravy and Home Fries

- 1 lb Pork Chops

- 3 packets Swanson Chicken Flavor Boost

- 1 cup Apple Cider

- 3 tbsp Flour

- 3 tbsp Butter

- 1/2 - 1 cup Vegetable Oil

- 5-8 Small Potatoes

**you can sub 1 cup of Chicken Broth for the Flavor Boost and use only 1/2 cup Cider

Pan fry your Pork Chops in a little EVOO and remove from pan.  In the same pan, melt Butter.  When Butter is melted, add your Flour and wisk constantly until just browned.  Stir in your Flavor Boost and Cider and wisk until desired thickness is reached.  Remove from heat, serve over Pork Chops.

To make the Fries, cut your Potatoes into really small slices.  Add about 1/2 - 1 cup Vegetable Oil to pan on Low/Medium heat.  Allow Oil to get hot before adding Potatoes, but be careful because it will splash a bit.  It takes about 5-10 minutes for the Potatoes to brown and soften, depending on how many you put in the pan.  Transfer to a dish with paper towels (to soak up the oil) and sprinkle salt.  Yummmmmy.

Awkward & Awesome Thursday.

Awkward:

- The cold sore coming in.  I can't see it, but I can feel it and I have the weirdest mannerisms when I have a cold sore.  I generally begin all conversations with people like so: "Hey, I have a really big cold sore and it sucks."  Then that makes the person I'm talking to really uncomfortable.  Cold sores are the worst.

- My stomach feels really sick.  I'm not sure if the cereal followed by brownies w/ Reeses in the center and Cheetos had anything to do with it...

- I used to think 'Cheetos' were 'Cheese-tos.'  Until I was like 24.  In my defense, that would make much more sense.

- My hair is kinda rorange colored.

- Getting a 20% on a Pretest for my Math class.  Please tell me when I will ever need to graph x and y intercepts when I become a Nurse.

Awesome:

- In case you didn't notice, I am wearing a UPenn shirt to represent my little sister's college.  I really don't care about the college that much and don't really like Philly - I've never been, but I hate the Eagles (naturally.) - but I do sure love my Rachy.

- Not spending lots of money for this rorange hair.  I've decided to color it myself because I am cheap and I just can't justify shelling out $200+ for something I will likely change my mind about in less than 2 months.  It's actually really close to the color I want, so we're making progress!

- After the 31st,  I will get a 2 month break from classes!  Just in time for the holidays :)

- LADIES NIGHT tonight at The Melting Pot.

- Look out for my debut over at The Shine Project this weekend.

Ps.com - Don't forget to enter my first giveaway!

That Just Happened...

No, that is not my Halloween costume in the works.  I somehow got caught on the bathroom door and ripped my shirt!  Granted, I got this poorly made shirt at TJ Maxx years ago and it makes me look upwards of 5 months pregnant, but I love it!  R.I.P. Cheap-a Shirt.

I know how to fix this...

Pizza FTW!  Oh, pizza, you always come through for me.



'Tis the Season.... GIVEAWAY CLOSED :)

...to drink Starbucks and G I V E.

Which brings me, folks, to my very first giveaway!



{via}



Let's be honest.  Everyone loves Starbucks.  Even toddlers.  See:

So, what better way to make you love me than to give you a $25 Gift Card?  BOOM!

AND, I want to give away one of these super adorable Shine Necklaces:

Not only are they cute, but they are for a good cause.  Ashley over at The Shine Project has dedicated her life to giving to others.  She is a fresh breath of optimism and joy; I can't get enough of her!

The contest will be open until November 9th!

Rules for entering:
1.  You must be a Semi-Homemade Suzie follower on one of the following:
 Blogger, Facebook, Google, or Networked Blogs.
2. You also have to follow The Shine Project if you aren't already.
3.  Leave me a comment telling me you are following - if you are following in more than one way, leave a comment for each way you follow so you enter the contest for more chances to win!

Ready, set, GO!

Oh No She Didn't.

I will not torture you with a photo of myself today for two reasons:
1.  I am at work and this is a quick blog.
2.  I look like a steaming pile of ... 

To give you a little bit of an idea, here is something similar to what I resemble:

{via}

And I'm offically grossed out...

So, this day starts off with me forcing my near-death self to get out of my disgustingly comfortable bed; I was feeling a little woozy, but chalked it up to some Nyquil from last night.  I proceeded to get ready - which, incase you're wondering, did not include washing my hair - and fell backwards into my bathroom door.  Wait a second - does Nyquil make you black out?  Since when?

I had to wake my poor boy up (which I was TOTES happy about because this means he might start sleeping again) and sent him to the sitter in his racecar jammies because he refused to take them off.  NBD.  But, I got a call from Mrs. L not long after I got to work telling me that he's got the big D.  Welllllllllllllllll, it looks like Stevie and Mommy will be down for the count tonight.  Here's hopin' Daddy has a good day at work.

All of this is fine because these things happen.  What I am not okay with is the B I got in my Psych. 202 course; I did significantly better on the tests in this course than my Psych. 201 course got an A in that, so I emailed my teacher.  I wonder if begging works as well on her as it does on Big Steven.

I know you're thinking a B is good, but I am taking Chemistry and Microbiology simultaneously starting in January.  This is going to be time consuming, stressful, and difficult to juggle, so I've decided I'd be okay with a B in one of those courses.  I have no wiggle room based on the competitive nature of the nursing program I want to get into.

YIKES!  Tomorrow is Friday.  Let's take that in...

This Kid.

It starts every night.  I tuck him in and leave the room, followed by him crying for Daddy to tuck him in, followed once more by wanting Mommy to come give kisses.  It was cute at first...

You know what else used to be cute?  When he'd wake up when Daddy left so he could sleep with Mommy.  Only he doesn't go back to sleep anymore.  It's "milk, mama" or "tv!"  This morning, it started at 4:30am.  I went in to tuck him back in and find the tag on his blanket, then madness ensued.  So, Daddy did as Daddy does and walked in the room, said "lay down" and the child went back to sleep.  Pardon me, but WTF?  When did I become chopped liver?

Then he woke up again at 5:45 relentless.  I went in there about 3 times from 5:45-7:15 with no luck of getting that child to go back to sleep.  Finally, I just yelled passed the door (as not to torture the child with my presence) for him to lay back down.  I begged, really.  Then he started saying "MOMMY?!  WHERE ARE YOU?!" 

I love this pain in the butt. 

And I died laughing...literally because my throat is significantly worse today, so the laugh was pretty painful.  Feeling pretty grateful today for being able to spread out my working hours so I can try to kick this thing.

Happy day, people!