Let the "hurry up and wait" period begin!





Todd Joyce/Mira Images



So, I just finished up the online Teller Assessment for Trustmark. Hopefully, all went well. I was pretty confident about it. I hope to be able to report back with good news soon!

This would be a great job. Why, you ask? Because it is no more than 15 minutes from home, and I wouldn't be working into all hours of the night. I'd be off by 1:30 or so every afternoon, leaving me lots of time to spend with my precious family! Plus, guaranteed to be off on Sundays and holidays! I'm trying not to get my hopes up too far or "count my chickens before they hatch," but I really hope I get this job!

I don't mean to gripe, but...

Today has been one of those days I haven't felt like getting out of bed. I tossed and turned all night last night because I couldn't get comfy. It was very cold, and the heater never quite made up for the chill in the house. Plus, the kiddo kept stretching out and pushing me near the edge of the bed. Apparently, what sleep I did get, I slept crooked. My back and neck have hurt so bad today. So, I have sat in the bed with my computer alllllll day. Kiddo has been in and out from his room to mine, either playing with his trains or watching kid movies. His being occupied (most of the day, hubby was home and took care of feeding and hygiene) and now napping, has afforded me the opportunity to reconnect with my examiner.com account and updating my blogger stuff.

It's time for me to get up and away from the computer for a bit. I think some awesome mac n' cheese is in order, and maybe a batch of cupcakes. Later folks!

I would love to host a giveaway and give YOUR site some traffic!

If you are interested, simply email me at dasmybaby@gmail.com or comment below and I will get in touch with you!

New Deals! 12/28 - Kmart, Melissa & Doug, Sears, TOMS Shoes, Lane Bryant, Skechers and more!

Online Only! 25% off Craftsman Handheld Spreader $6.74 on sale 1/2-1/29

$100 off Craftsman 260-pc Mechanics Tool Set w/ 3-Drawer Flip-Top Chest $199.99 on sale 1/2-1/8

60% Faster, 350% More Power! Crafsman NEXTEC Right Angle Drive only $99.99 at Sears.com 1/2-1/8

Online Only! $300-$400 off featured Craftsman Wide Cut Lawn Mowers 1/2-1/29



Cacique Semi Annual Sale

Save up to 50% on Select Denim

$20 Off Your $100 Footwear Purchase From SKECHERS! Use Coupon Code: GIFT200. Expires 12/31/10

$30 Off Your $150 Footwear Purchase From SKECHERS! Use Coupon Code: GIFT300. Expires 12/31/10

$40 Off Your $200 Footwear Purchase From SKECHERS! Use Coupon Code: GIFT400. Expires 12/31/10



"$5 Off All TOMS Shoes Using Coupon Code: AFFTM5" Expires 12/31/10

Get the inspiration "For Tomorrow" DVD FREE with your purchase of a $50 Gift Card from TOMS Shoes!





And finally, if your Christmas was anything like ours, it's time to store some stuff! KMart is running a storage sale til 1/1!
Storganization Event! Up to 50% off Storage & Organization including Bins, Hangers & more 12/26-1/1

Of course, I can't resist posting a link to my AVON website for the great after-Christmas sales! Click here to visit my Avon site!

Happy Shopping!

Strange Days...

Today was just weird. Not that weird is bad or anything, it just didn't go the way I planned. I got a call out of the blue today from Human Resources at one of our state's banks. I did apply for a job there a while back. I am excited about the possibility of working there. This is the "preferred" job of recent facebook posts. I will be taking their "Teller Assessment" tomorrow and see where we go from there!

Separately, my inlaws gave me a Books-A-Million giftcard for Christmas. While I was in Hattiesburg today, I used it to FINALLY buy myself a copy of Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) and New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2). I've been wanting to figure out exactly what is going on that isn't in the movies. I am looking forward to JD playing with his train table so I can get some reading time!

I'm gonna relax from today's strangeness with The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Two-Disc Special Edition). Goodnight!

Test email post

I think I'm about to get all my posting methods configured...just bear with me! And if it posts, enjoy a random finding in my fridge!
Lora Toney
AVON unit leader
http://youravon.com/ltoney

My Christmas haul excites me :)

I got some pretty amazing stuff for Christmas. I got some Juicy Couture, which I am in love with! I also got Fairy Dust by Paris Hilton and Nikon Coolpix S3000. By far, my favorite gift was Chicken Poop Lip Junk. I almost died laughing reading the package. "Grandpa said "If you have dry lips, put chicken poop on 'em so you won't like 'em." Wow. Also got some Catwalk Fashionista Spritz & Shine and a few other cool items from Hoof.

*I got these items as gifts from friends and family. No compensation has been received from the companies.

My best guess at the recipe for today's meatballs

2.5 lbs ground chuck
1 medium sweet onion
1 glass bottle Heineken
4 T Bacon Salt
2 T Parsley
1 T Black Pepper
1 T Hamburger Seasoning
1tsp Garlic Powder
2 T Minced Onion

Place thawed ground chuck into a large bowl. Add everything but the sweet onion and beer. Mix together well by hand, squishing the ingredients into the meat. Pour beer into a large (12") skillet on medium heat, cover. Make approx 12 meatballs from the mixture and place carefully into the boiling beer. Top with sliced onions. Boil 5 minutes with lid on, reduce heat to simmering for 30 minutes. Cut off heat. Meatballs are ready to serve, but I went the extra step to make a gravy out of the sauce left in the skillet by adding cornstarch to the drippings. The beer will settle to the top, so pour it off (or leave it if you wish) and pour over meatballs and mashed potatoes.

I called it "Ghetto-Fabulous Beer-Boiled Tear-Jerker Meat-Balls." The onions did a number on my eyes as I was slicing. But it was marvelous! Hubby was happy, toddler loved it, and I did, too.

another test post

just another test post to see if my posts syndicate to twitter and facebook properly.

Christmas Recap

We hope you had the merriest of Christmases! Our Christmas started on Christmas Eve with last minute shopping after I picked up my final paycheck. I ran and shopped until most stores closed at 5pm. Thankfully, I just had to run and pick up gift cards, so I wasn't looking for that "hot, out of stock" toy or anything I would've had to fight anyone over. After finishing up shopping, it was time for dinner at the inlaws'. Talk about some Christmas miracles. My mother-in-law (who has relatively advanced MS) stood up from her wheelchair and danced with her hubby! And Alison came, too. This is still a hard time for her, but Micah is making improvements. I heard today they have successfully taken him off the ventilator and he will be moving into a regular room next week. It's the little things really...

JD played so hard at the other Toneys' that he was asleep before we pulled out of the garage at 11pm.  We came home, picked up his train table from my mom's house (in her truck, a Christmas present from her) and headed onto our house; we share a driveway. We laid the sleeping boy in our bed and headed to his room to make a space for the train table and a small folding WALL-E table and chairs that we got him. We had almost finished assembling the tracks on the table when we heard a small child come toddling to the living room at 2:15am, upset by a bad dream. He was crying, yet amazed at all Santa had brought! He REALLY needed THAT train. Rather than try to fight with unpackaging a bubble-blower train, I guided him to his room and his new table with Cranky and the gang. HE WAS THRILLED to say the least. We stayed up and played til 3:30 and he decided he could "go back to nap." We went back to our bed and stayed asleep till 10:30, got up and had sausage and gravy biscuits, opened presents, and got dressed to go see Grandma (my mom)  where we opened more presents. After opening presents with her, we loaded up presents and food to take to my sister's house and ate a late lunch. Then, we all opened more presents. JD loves his Discovery Toys from Kelly Day, particularly his Sunshine Market!

We have loved watching the amazing smiles come from this little face this year, and watching him really rip the presents open by himself for the first time. God is really blessing us.

Again, Merry Christmas to you and yours from me and mine. :)

Bacon Cheese-Burger Loaf Recipe

Bacon Cheese-Burger Loaf Recipe

I found this recipe while looking for meatloaf recipes. It looks pretty delicious, and I don't want to have to search for it all over again when I get ready to make it! Enjoy!

12.22 Wordless Wednesday!

Two-year-olds and Johnny5

My precious two-year-old has been obsessed with "Short Circuit" the past few months. He just can't get enough of his "yobops (robots)!" It occurred to me recently that toddlers have a lot in common with Johnny 5 in his "newborn" state right after the malfunction takes place.

• Misunderstanding "euphemisms" or "colloquialisms"
• Constant need for input
• Unbridled honesty

Today in the leaves

It struck me to compare the two the other night at church. JD was sitting between my mother and myself (DH was at work) "reading" a hymnal. He starts flipping the pages, very similarly to the manner in which Johnny 5 skims through the encyclopedias, and says "need input!" DING DING DING! I've watched Short Circuit a million times the last two months, but the next time I watched it with JD, I watched it thinking "what would JD do?" And it's amazing to me how newborn Johnny 5 is so much like a toddler! Or is JD so much like Johnny 5?? I don't know for sure which is the case, but it's true: they are alike!

Ch-ch-ch-changes, family, and Season's Greetings!

Tis the season to be....

a SAHM.

I'm loving it right now. I went to church with my kiddo for the first time in quite some time last night. You learn all kinds of things when you go. For example, our new(ish) pastor has a blog. And that his wife is a musician. I think I like these folks. Looking forward to going more often now that I'm not working on Sundays!

Yeah, I said "not working." That would be a euphemism for "Ross can give that job to someone who will put up with the crap better than I." Six months waiting on a raise that was supposed to be on my "next check." Yeah, that was only told to me about 10 times. Not buying it. Not to mention, they can NOT stick to a schedule! It's just not possible! And to tell me, my babysitter, and my ride to "get over it, we're swamped, it's Christmas, blah blah blah," just doesn't cut it. It wasn't worth the drive financially. And there's no way I can finish school and work there at the same time. It's junk. Still my favorite place to shop though...

Anyway, I needed to get that out of my system.

By now, most people know that my Sister In Law is going through a very difficult time right now. Her husband has been dealing with MRSA and its' complications for a handful of months now. They thought he was getting into the clear, but a second infection took hold. Bacterial Meningitis. He coded in the hospital, and was out for about five minutes. It's done some significant damage, and the extent of it is unclear. Only God can fix this, and it's going to happen on His time, according to His precious will. Keep Micah, Alison and the doctors in your prayers.

I'm finding that I have more "free" time lately (since I don't work outside the home anymore) and will be posting here more frequently. There are new ventures in store for me, old friends to reconnect with, and music to work on. And I look forward to making more positive changes in my life in addition to some already made. Friendships have ended, responsibilities have changed.....I guess I'm just re-prioritizing my life. I need to focus on what is best for me and mine.

Christmas is coming swiftly, and the new year is right around the corner. I wish you and yours a very Merry Chrismahannukwanzakuh. Whatever your faith, nationality, or personal preference, I hope you have a wonderful time with your family lying ahead of you. Personally, I wish you a Merry Christmas from the Toneys.