Manor Managing: So much grass and sh*t!

Hey Rose Heads!   When we were searching for a house to buy, I looked at our house for about three months.  I knew it was the "one".  Two things piqued my interest with this home.  1.  The floor plan and 2.  The lush vegetation...

This doesn't even BEGIN to show all the yard!

Now, let's pause on #2 for a minute.  I love trees.  So many homes (in metro Atlanta anyway) are in subdivisions with little or no trees!  That shh cray (in my Kanye West voice)!  So, I craved a heavily wooded area to live in/around.  Well I got it and all the landscaping wonderfulness that accompanies it!  I never thought about how much work it would take to get this yard in good shape and keep it that way.  We are starting from square one.  There are unkempt islands around the oak trees in the yard (there are five very large ones...trees, not islands), a lot of hedges, monkey grass and large patches where runoff has virtually eliminated the grass.  Sigh...there's just so much grass and sh*t!

So, this weekend we bought all kinds of yard goodies like a spaded shovel (to dig up the HORRIBLE cactus in the front...who plants a cactus in Georgia?  WTF!), Round-Up for the weeds, shears, a nice heavy duty rake, etc.  I IMMEDIATELY went to work!  I mean...straight up...our yard is the bastard child of the neighborhood.  I'm light weight embarassed by it.

These are the hedges that line the sidewalk.  They're right under our bedroom window.  They had grown UP the doggone side of the house and into the walk way.  I trimmed those bad boys!

I had to rake all this up and bag it.  But, they look much better now!

So, needless to say, I have a sh*t ton of yard work to do but, I'm proud that we're doing it ourselves and it means so much to me to even have a yard to work in!

Getting Better at this...

I wanted to share what I wore today!  Shopping in my closet is the bee's knees and the tree's leaves! IJS!

I'm actually talking about something below these pics so, read on!

Hey Rose Heads!  My girlfriend told me something real today.  She said, you need to create a schedule for your blog!  She said I have good content (she's THEEE best EVER for saying that) but, that I need to have something consistent for my readers to check out.  She's right.  I think I have a pretty successful papercrafting blog here at Two Tears in my Bucket.  So, I felt like I was pretty well seasoned when it came to doing this whole "lifestyle blogging" thing.  Well, yeah...I'm not. 

So...

Here is the schedule:

Mondays - Manor Managing:  I call our home "The Washington Manor"  Doesn't that sound stately? No?  Well...moving on... It's going to be stuff about cooking, cleaning, decorating and home DIY projects.  I'll be showing off my housewares thrifted finds on these days.

Wednesdays - What I Want to Wear:  Photos of me in my clothes looking phenomenal (modesty is my strong suit). As well as any Polyvore boards I create or wish lists I have. I'll be showing off my clothing thrifted finds here too.

Fridays - Feeling Froggy: Ever heard that saying "If you're feeling froggy then jump?"  Yeah, well...it's akin to "just do it".  So, this feature is going to be about all the things I want to say during the course of the day/week but, can't because I have to be so "PC" in corporate America.

Sundays - Family Circus:  Me elaborating on how it feels to be a mama and a wife.  I'll be sharing how I navigate through this life belonging to the Washington men.

Alright...that's it y'all.  I'm going to do better around here!  You'll see!

Keep Your Head to the Sky,
Rochelle

Good In My Soul...Squash

Sunday was a laid back day at the Washington Manor.  Picard was taking his nap and Terence and I were sitting in the man cave on our laptops.  Since it was Sunday, I decided I was going to cook something good and make enough for left overs.  Something that I try and cook at least once a week is squash. It's easy, it practically cooks itself and it's healthy! That's what I call a win, win.  This time I used zucchini as well.

I don't use recipes when I cook.  So, that makes it hard to teach someone to make one of my dishes. So, bear with me as I try to break it down.

You'll Need This:

I'm cooking for FOUR (even though it's three of us)

3 small yellow squash

3 small pieces of zucchini

1 medium yellow onion (if you like a lot of onions)

1 teaspoon of olive oil

Sea Salt (I salt to taste but, if I had to guess, I probably use a teaspoon of sea salt)

Black Pepper (I use about a half of a teaspoon)

Garlic (A few dashes)

First:

Chop up all the squash, zucchini and onions.  (I try and make thin rings.  I don't know how thick you like your squash but, I like mine thin!)  Dump 'em in your medium pan. 

Then: 
Add all your seasonings.  This is what mine looks like after this step.

Finally:
Add your olive oil and mix everything up.  Turn the stove on medium heat (I cook with gas so, I don't know about those electric deals) and throw a top on that bad boy.  I use Bertoli...that stuff is EXTRA good!

*I stir occasionally and when the squash is transparent, I turn the heat up and sear it a little.  I love the flavor that adds!

Here is the finished product!

Keep Your Head to the Sky,
Rochelle

Thrifty Thangs...

Hey Rose Heads!  Sup?  Today I want to show you my "new to me" thrifted maxi skirt!  I found this at the Good Will on Fairburn Road in good ol' Douglasville, GA!  What I like about the Good Will is that they are UBER organized and friendly!  They even have a plus size section...which is effin' awesome.

Let me tell you what I love about this skirt.  It has a drawstring waist, it has an almost tie die multi-colored chevron pattern, and it's all light weight cotton!  I mean...who can go wrong with that combo?  Let me help you out with that...NO ONE! :)

The top and the belt are ancient.  Both thrifted items from long ago.  My husband bought me that necklace from Dillard's when we were first married...that's my baby y'all!

My earrings were made by an awesome lady named Denise.  She owns Cre8tivesoul.com and has an Etsy store HERE.  I've had them for like five years and to this day, they're one of my most treasured pair of earrings.

Better shot of the earrings....LOVE them!

I would just like to say that I feel so much more fulfilled when I've spent next to nothing on an outfit.  It's like finding a $20.00 bill in the parking lot or someone unexpectedly paying your tab at a restaurant.  Ahhh...thrifting...

Fit Facts:

Maxi skirt - Thrifted

Peach puffy sleeved tee - Thrifted

Wide brown belt - Thrifted

Earrings - www.cre8tivesoul.com

Necklace (oldie but, goodie) - Dillard's

Keep Your Head to the Sky,

Rochelle

Where the Hell is this Blog Going?

Hey Rose Heads.  My son has strep throat.  I have strep throat too.  So, needless to say, we're home today.  I've been visiting several blogs while he watches an unhealthy amount of Diego.  He's sick so, I don't feel bad about the endless kiddie show marathon.

I digress...

I absolutely LOVE to visit all the fashion blogs.  It's inspiring and motivating.  I enjoy DIY and crafting blogs too.  There is nothing like being inspired by all the creativity out there.  Fashion, Decorating, Cooking, Crafting, Sewing...they're all infinitely inspirational.

I started this blog to share my life through fashion, home improvement projects and mother/wife-hood.  Truth be told, I also wanted to push and encourage myself to be more cognizant of how I dress because I want to look like a 30 year old, confident and put together woman instead of a farm hand with fifteen kids.  I knew that if I had to take pictures everyday that I would push myself toward my goal.  So, I have definitely been doing my thing and I'm proud of myself.  I also wanted to start showing how I complete my furniture renos and talk about being a mother and a wife and working full time and going to school and crafting (Two Tears in my Bucket).

BUT...I'm going to have to start doing this MY way instead of comparing myself to other bloggers.

WHY DO WE DO THAT?  Why do we compare?  Why do dissect and examine everyone else's thing before we think about our own?  It's super freakin' insane!

So...first things first...I love fashion but, I'm ballin' on a budget...a tight one.  I'm not going to start spending all this money just so I can be a popular blogger.  I ain't got it like that.  I think it would be much more inspirational to see what I can pull together on a shoestring budget.  Now THAT's something I want to read. 'Cause I could give two damns rubbed together about your Chanel, Gucci, etc...'cause I ain't about to have anything like that in my closet.  Looks good but...it looks good on YOU! LOL! (Remember Bruce Bruce's joke?)

Second, I'm going to start sharing more recipes...hell, I'm always cooking something.  I like to learn how to make simple set recipes that aren't going to take a long time to create because time is one thing I'm short on. Plus, I'm just going to tweak it anyway.  BTW...I hate measuring things.  So, be forewarned that all these recipes are going to include approximations.

Third, I'm going to start showing some step out tutorials for some of my home improvement projects.  Since we moved into our forever home in the beginning of June, I've realized more than ever that money is finite...not infinite.  So, I've been thrifting for furniture and scouring Craigslist.  I've gotten some good pieces that I'm repainting and pseudo reupholstering.  I want to show you how I do this stuff.

That's the way I'm doing it damn it!

Videos are coming too.  Just ordered a new camera and I can't wait to get started with a whole new and fresh look/concept to this blog.

THE END! LOL!

Keep Your Head to the Sky,
Rochelle

2 Seconds Away...

What's up Rose Heads?  Today, I thought I would do something a little different.  Today  I'm going to first share my awesome sauce outfit that I wore yesterday...

I wish I had taken a better photo so that you could see my shoes!  They are almond toe, grey and white sling backs.  I got them from Nine West like five years ago.  They are so comfy and fab.  The necklace used to belong to my mama...I think she told me she bought it in '88.  The pants are from Forever 21+.  Let me tell y'all obviously they are the star of the show.  I tried to be more neutral with my top A: because I was at work and didn't want to give them too much sexy at once (lol) and B: because I think when the bottom is so busy you chill on the top.

So, that's that for this outfit.

Fit Facts:

Black Cardi - New York and Company

Black Cami - Charlotte Russe

Floral Joggers - Forever 21+

Almond toe pumps - Nine West

Necklace - Vintage

NOW I'm TWO (2) SECONDS FROM...

...buying THIS dress:

...trying to replicate THIS look in our living room:

...finishing our UPCYCLED kitchen table...

(It used to look like this...this isn't my kitchen btw...got it off Craigslist)

Now it looks like this...

I'm TWO SECONDS away from sexting this guy...

Don't worry...he's my husband...it's all good! LOL!

Enjoy your weekend!

Keep Your Head to the Sky,

Rochelle

I Used to Love Her...But now I don't...

I had Picard (yes, my son is named after Jean Luc Picard of Startrek Next Generation) almost three years ago.  He turned my world upside down.  I LOVE being a mother but, I wasn't mentally prepared.  I'm not going to front like I was the slimmest or the flyest chick before I had him.  BUT after I had him, my stomach drooped at the bottom, I got more hips (that's actually a plus), I acquired more back fat and I was depressed. 

I gave myself over to the homely and frumpy goons.  They were so easy and accommodating.  They didn't make me wear heels, or cute clothes.  They didn't make me arch my eyebrows or manicure my nails.  I was loving them.  I was loving not having to work for anything and anyone but, my husband and my son.

I would have moments of clarity (where I would pull off a cute outfit or two a month) that were spirited away by thoughts like..."I don't have money to dress like I want to", "I'm fat", "I'm tired"...blah and blah.
However, this year, I decided enough of that negativity.  Enough of living in a place that required me to only be a mother and a wife.

So, like the post title says...I used to love her...But, now I don't! She's tired.  She looks tired.  She feels tired. 

 After my self-assessment and reality check...ROCHELLE came back!  Damn I love Rochelle! :)

Okay, let met tell y'all...  I don't own expensive anything and I refuse to go broke for the sake of wearing a lable so, I feel damned good in my Forever 21 earrings and my Forever 21+ dress!  I feel REBORN!  I don't know what the hell I was doing all that time!

So, fast forward to today...I LOVE THIS ROCHELLE!  Confident, happy, fulfilled and inspired!

My face is beat.

My hair is moisturized and twisted (BTW..I have locs...not braids...not sister locs and not weave).

My outfit is fly.

My spirit is soaring.

I love this lady.

Fit Facts:

Turquoise Triangle Earrings - Forever 21

Orange Dress - Forever 21+

Blue Platform Pumps - Newport News

Fit Facts:

Nautical Blouse - Forever 21+

Black and White Stripped Dress - Calvin Klein

Gold Earrings - Thrifted

Gold Cuff Bracelet - Thrifted

Keep Your Head to the Sky,

Rochelle