I like being a girl...

You know what? I like being a girl. Woman? Eh, I'm 36, we'll say girl, it makes me feel better. The point, if I have one, is that I LIKE all the stuff that comes with being a girlie girl. For example, makeup. LOVE makeup. Love putting it on, experimenting, buying new makeup and the whole nine yards.

I love looking through catalogs at cute clothes. I don't wear many of them because I'm a stay-at-home-homeschooling-Mom. It doesn't get more unglamorous than that. I try, though. There are days when you'll find me in jeans and a t-shirt but most of the time I at least try to wear a decent top. That's why I love sweater weather. It is so much easier to find cut feminine and comfortable sweaters that are practical enough to wear around the house.

I love girlie hair. I've always been secretly sad the perm went out of style. Oh how I'd love some curls pulled up in a barrette with a few tendrils hanging down. I'm totally guilty of hot rolling my hair or breaking out the curling iron a la Sanda Lee on Food Network. I still think the perm was more subtle though. I used to get a "body" perm on the big rollers and it was enough wave to be soft and slightly curled. *sigh* I miss the perm. Last week I pulled out my BIG crimping iron. It doesn't make those little 80s crimps. It makes big "beach" waves. Anyway, I was playing with it. It's hot and a pain to use. Jamie came home and said, "I LOVE your hair. It's SO sexy!!!!" And then again later he said it was so soft and pretty. So, I'm using that stupid crimping iron every doggone day. I'll probably fry my hair off but my husband called me sexy.

What I hate is finding cute, practical and comfortable shoes! This is where I confess I wear Crocs all day long and even walk on my treadmill in them. They have all but eliminated my foot pain. HOWEVER, they are not the most attractive shoes and when we are out I'd really like something cuter. I was faced with a dilemma today and had a limited budget and a deep shoe need. I wanted something cute, maybe suede, for Fall that I could wear with jeans but that wouldn't be sneakers. I ended up ordering these. They had my size and they weren't QUITE sneakers. I also wanted to order these boots. In Black. That's just a lot of money to spend on two pair of shoes so I didn't get the boots. I probably will end up getting them but I'll hold out until it actually starts to get cold.

I'm a total sucker for bubble bath, lotions and perfumes. I love a cute purse but I'm not into the name brands. I like to switch purses up too often to spend that kind of money on them. One Coach or Dooney and Burke purse could fund my entire winter wardrobe!

Before I had Nicholas I used to do my nails every single night. A blazing red with two coats of clear on top. They were perfection. I got so many compliments on them. I look a them now and they are ragged, torn and bare. I don't even own a nail file. But they are busy hands. Cooking, cleaning, washing, loving, hugging, teaching and helping. Still, if I could find a polish that would stay on for at least two days through all that, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

I'm a big girl and I have noticed here at the end of summer, I've gotten sloppy. I've lost a couple pounds and my pants are all too big and they just look baggy and messy. I've got a couple cute sweaters stashed in my closet and I'm dying to wear them with the new dark jeans I just ordered. Just because I'm not teeny weeny doesn't mean I can't still enjoy something cute.

The one piece of advice I'd give to anyone. BUY AN APRON!!!! It will save your clothes and keep them from getting stained. Ebay even has plus-sized aprons. Buy and apron and keep it handy. It's much better than stains on your shirts.