Thanksgiving and Car Shopping

Hi blog friends!  Sorry I've been neglecting the blog lately....I really do have so many stories to tell.

(Uh-oh.)

I feel like I always say that "such and such month is killing me."  And December has turned out to be the worst of all.

(It has also turned out that I'm not very good at time management.)

Not only have we had something every night, I'm kind of concerned that AG may start calling her babysitter "mommy."  It's been THAT bad.  Add a new job, Christmas shopping, and getting sick in the middle of it all, and it's a wonder I've been able to keep up at all.

Okay, actually I haven't kept up. AT ALL.  I'm literally sitting here SURROUNDED by clean (yet unfolded) laundry, wads of used up tissue, and piles of unwrapped Christmas presents.

But at least it's not dirty laundry, am I right?  I can give myself props for doing the bare minimum of moving clothes from the washer to the dryer.

I'll take it.

But, Thanksgiving.  I was going to tell you about Thanksgiving.  It was awesome y'all.  We went to Nashville to see my in-laws, ran our traditional 5 mile race on Thanksgiving morning (very helpful for consumption of large amounts of pecan pie later in the day), and we even got the boys into aprons.  A good time had by all.

Oh yeah. This happened.

On Black Friday, I tried to bribe different family members into going to the mall with me.  They were all too smart too tired for that, so instead, John, his dad, and I went to test drive some cars.

(Why purchase a shirt at the mall, when you can purchase a car at the dealership?  Isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about?)

(NO.)

Really, we had already planned on looking at cars, since my precious Big Red just turned TEN YEARS OLD. My amazing parents gave her to me for graduation from college, and she has been everything a girl could want.

Until that girl added a baby and a RATHER LARGE dog to her family, and now when we go anywhere, Jackson has to ride on top of a suitcase.  And if we were to add another carseat at some point, Jackson is in danger of having to ride on the roof.   I feel not one iota of guilt, though, after having driven my car for 10 years, including many trips to the shop, breakdowns at the pediatrician's office (with a crying baby in tow), and calls to AAA.

It's time.

We arrive at the car dealership, and John kindly issues his standard reminder about NOT ruining anything by talking.  Because I may or may not be prone to statements like "oh, what's that price on the window?  Well, that seems fair to me!  We'll take it!"

Ahem.

I learned a few things that day, though.  For instance, when you've driven a car for 10 years, you may be surprised to learn that cars no longer come with tape decks.

Also, when searching for where to plug in the headphones your child will use to watch movies (yep.  Movies.  Plural.  On long trips, all tv rules go straight out the window, people.), it may surprise you to learn that "oh, those headphones are wireless, ma'am."

(And who are you calling, Ma'am, guy helping us, who cannot possibly be more than 2 years younger than me?)

(Let's stop that now, m-kay?)

You also may find yourself calling all the cars "space cars" while your husband silently laughs at you.  Which now that I think about it, probably doesn't help with the whole "ma'am" thing. 

John's favorite car of the day was the freaking huge very manly Toyota Sequoia.  I may or may not have caused all of the sales guys to go into fits of laughter as I tried to park it.  Several times.

AND NEVER SUCCEEDED.

And eventually had to let our ma'am-calling sales guy do it.

Needless to say, it's probably not making my short list.

Then we moved on to my favorite car of the day, the Buick Enclave.  Which is when this conversation happened:

John:  Babe.  A BUICK?  Did you suddenly turn 85, and I didn't notice?  You're freaking out about this guy calling you ma'am, and now you want to drive a BUICK?  Come on, now.

Me:  What?!  Maybe I can help Buick re-brand themselves to the young (ish) mom scene.  And would you please stop laughing and calling me Gladys???? Besides, it's like I'm driving on AIR.

One might even call it a space car.  

The Closet Project-Week 3

Hey guys!  I'm blogging over on the Edit blog today; Week 3 of the Closet Project is up!

(Also known as Week 3 of "Why Did I Not Think About How Painful it Would Be to NOT Shop During Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sales?")

Or possibly called, Week 3 of "Embarrass Myself Publicly on The Internet."

You're right.  We all know it's been a few years of THAT.

Go check it out!

Dry Shampoo and a Panic Attack

A few weeks ago, AG had her very first dentist appointment.  And, as one of my Facebook friends so appropriately inquired, "did she like the dentist better than you do?"

Well, it really wouldn't take much.

Y'all.  I totally had a clever strategy. I basically spent the 2 weeks prior to her appointment talking up the dentist, until AG believed him to be something of a cross between Woody from Toy Story, and her favorite Backyardigan.

(Because that wouldn't be super creepy.)

(Also, you may have noticed that I ascribe to the "fake it til you make it" parenting philosophy.  A.k.a. the "blatantly lie to your child so she never develops your extreme phobia of flossing" philosophy. If you want to read more about that little nugget of child-rearing wisdom, I'm sure you can find it in all of the good parenting books.)

Since we were in a little bit of a rush, I decided to throw some dry shampoo into my slightly sort of, okay fine, heinously dirty hair.  I figured it didn't much matter what I looked like, since my main objective was to prevent a toddler panic attack.

Or a mommy panic attack.

(Which may have been more likely.)

We get there, and AG is SUPER excited.  And she did great, y'all.  I could see that she was a tiny bit uncomfortable with the suction-y thingy, but can you really blame her? It could definitely double as a torture device.

Check it out: She is the picture of confidence.
Maybe she can start attending my dental exams for me.

At any rate, she has her cleaning, picks a treasure from the treasure chest, and we head out. (Side note: Adult dentists should totally have a treasure chest.  Filled with Amex gift cards, and spa treatments as the prizes. Who's with me?)

On the way to the lobby, I decide to make a pit stop at the restroom.  Because my bladder clearly isn't up to the 5 minute drive back home.  As I'm washing my hands, I glance into the mirror and see that my hair is completely white at my hairline.

I am not going to lie, y'all.  I freaked the heck out.  I was all, when did my hair turn white?  And more importantly, why has no one told me??? 

(I mean, I totally plan to rock some white hair one day, when I'm significantly older.  I also plan to rock some sassy cowboy boots and a cute maxi skirt with my white hair, but that's another story entirely.)

After some deep breathing and a speed dial to my hair colorist, my logical side kicks in and whispers, Hey, wait a minute, Rash Sherri.  Your hair is white EXACTLY where you applied the dry shampoo.

Why, yes.  Yes, it is, Logical Sherri.  I can now discontinue my panic attack at the pediatric dentist's office.

Which is not only embarrassing, it is a whole new level of sad.

Later, a friend of mine who's done some acting hears my story, and is all, oh yeah!  We always use dry shampoo to "gray people out."

And that is the story of how my dry shampoo went to live in the trashcan.

You're welcome.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know in the past, I've done long, mushy drawn-out posts about all the things for which I am thankful. And all of those still stand.  But today, I'm just going to sum it up with one word:

Jesus.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

P.S.  I know you're surprised by my lack of wordiness over here today.

Rude.

And the Winner Is....

It's winner time!  Seriously, if I could give each one of you a free wardrobe edit, I totally would, because I LOVED ALL YOUR COMMENTS!  Wow.  It's so easy to think that no one ever reads my random postings, so it was super exciting for me to get each of your comments.  

(Like, so exciting that I would have literally been embarrassed for anyone to see me reading them.)

Since I'm not super fancy or technologically advanced, I used the good 'ol "draw a piece of paper from a bowl on my kitchen table" method. And for those of you who wrote blog posts, or liked my post on Facebook, you got your extra entries. Promise. 

So now.....drumroll please.......and the winner is..........

Keri Ninness!  Woo hoo!  Congratulations, Keri! Side note: her comment was awesome, and made me laugh out loud: 

"coveredinbabyspitup." That or "easytopopoutaboob." Everything fits into that category. Sigh. Congrats to you! Confession time: I love your clothes but I love love your hair :) I have forever had Sherri hair envy. Can you include hair "how-to" in a wardrobe consult.

: )

Ha!  Love it.  And, can't WAIT to come "edit" your closet, girl! 

(Also, go read her blog. One of my faves!) 

I also want to give a shout-out to someone who left probably the best comment of the day:

Van Baird said...

I'm a newlywed...of over 19 years. My Bride would love (and would tell you she NEEDS) a wardrobe consultation. Her 17 & 13 year old daughters would BEG for her to let you go on a shopping spree with her. I would tell you that I think she's smokin' hot no matter what she wears.

Great site. Great concept. My great wife would be a perfect fit. I'd Facebook this and tweet it out, but I would love to surprise her with this instead. Hopefully that's worth a few extra additional entries.

Y'all.  This is so precious.  If I had decided a winner based on my favorite comment, Van, you would've won HANDS DOWN.  And I actually did give you two extra entries.  Calling your wife "smokin' hot no matter what?" You definitely earned them. 

(Now bring her by, and show her your awesome comment.  And then email me to book an appointment for her anyway!  I would love to work with you guys.)

I seriously can't thank all of you enough for your support, for blowing up FB and Twitter on my behalf, and for just making me laugh with your hilarious comments!  

Happy Friday!

Thank you!

Hi friends!  Thank you, thank you for all the wonderful comments and support from yesterday!  I'm so excited about this new job, and it's SO FUN to know that you are excited with me. : )

I was told that some people had a hard time posting comments yesterday, so try again today!  I'll keep the giveaway open a few more days, and I'll let you guys know who won on Friday. 

Today was the kickoff my new series on the Edit Blog, The Closet Project.  Go check it out!  I would LOVE to know what you think. 

Again, many, many thanks for the support and encouragement!  I so appreciate all of you!

Announcement and a Giveaway!

I have a big announcement to make today, guys.  And no, it doesn’t involve an ultrasound, a big sister t-shirt, or any “bump ahead”/”bun in the oven” jokes.  

(Just need to put that out there, since I know that's where your minds went. Admit it.)

As many of you know, I’ve been working as a Realtor for the last six years.  It’s been a true adventure, and I have (mostly) loved the challenge of growing my business during a down economy. I learned quite a bit about being a business owner, not to mention, gained some wonderful clients and friends in the process.  

With that said, I’ve been given the opportunity to change directions, and do something so awesome, that when I first heard about it, I thought, "how do I find a job like that?!"   You may remember my post last year about my friend Lauren, and her wardrobe consulting company, Edit By Lauren.  She came to my house, edited my closet, and we had SO MUCH FUN.  Well, you can imagine my excitement when Lauren recently offered me a job with Edit!  My role will be to help manage and grow her Atlanta office, and assist with Edit’s expansion into the Nashville market.

There are many ways in which this job is perfect for me:

1.  My friends and family have asked me for years to go shopping with them or help them create looks, because, somehow, I’ve tricked them into thinking I’m stylish.   

2.  I am borderline obsessive about purging junk from our house, and the closet is my specialty.  When I was pregnant with AG and went through the “nesting” phase, I never actually came out of it.  I feel that I should use my insane organization compulsion for the greater good, and not for, say, getting rid of John’s stuff simply because it’s been scattered across the closet floor for the last 3 months. 

You know. Hypothetically.

3.  Perhaps I can now turn my love of clothes and shopping into something other than a reason to A) get in fights with my husband, or B) hear the phrase “now, WHY did you need that again?"

4.  This will probably be the push I need to dress like, oh I don’t know, a responsible adult, instead of wearing gym clothes all day, every day. Don’t hate, people.  I actually have some really cute outfits. But would YOU rather run up and down your driveway 10 times in a row just because your toddler thinks it’s fun, while wearing  heels or while wearing tennis shoes?  Exactly.  Either way, I’m excited to join the ranks of Women In Real Clothes everywhere.  


Although I may need lessons on running in heels.

Now.  I know what you’re thinking.  “Wow Sherri, this sounds great!  What exactly will you be doing?” 

I am SO glad you asked! Here’s a snapshot of the services I’ll be offering:

• Wardrobe Consultation
3 hour consult, after which you will walk away with tons of new outfit options from pieces you already own.  Husbands REALLY like this.

• Personal Shopping
We’ll hit up the mall, Starbucks in hand, and visit stores you like, that are within your budget. I’ll be the shopping buddy you always wanted, and will tell you the HONEST truth about whether you should purchase those camouflage hammer pants.  (I'm just kidding.  I'd never actually let you get near any camouflage hammer pants.)

• Virtual Styling
Styling Consultation via Skype--Even though I know I look like a total goober on Skype, I’m game if you are!

• Custom Packages
Styling for a special event, packing for a trip, or picking out some killer outfits for your high school reunion.  You know....the one your ex-boyfriend is also attending.  Things like that.

Awesome! So how can I help support you, Sherri?

Aw, you’re so sweet.  Spread the word!  And listen, I know you guys would do this because you are all kind and awesome, but here’s some extra incentive:  For each new client you send my way, I will send you a $50 Amex gift card!  

Oh yeah.  Now you’re talking.  Anything else you want to tell us?

Yep.  You know it.  I’m offering a deal exclusively for new clients who schedule an appointment between now and December 31st, 2012 :

• Introductory Special: $195 for a Wardrobe Consult (regularly $295) through December 31st. My shopping services are also discounted to $50/hour (regularly $100/hour) for this limited time. Tell your husbands to book a session as a Christmas gift!  Or buy a gift card for your mom/mother-in-law.  Edit has plenty of male clients as well, so don’t leave the men in your life out!  *The special price applies to all services scheduled before the end of the year; they can be redeemed at a later date.

But, Sherri, what if we’re a little nervous?  I mean, we’ve seen you at the park, and we know you wear spandex. Not to mention, you apparently think cowboy boots can be worn with almost anything.  How do we know that we can trust your fashion judgement? 

Well, you don’t.  Yet.  But here’s the deal:  Beginning tomorrow, I’ll be kicking off a weekly style segment on the Edit blog, called The Closet Project.  Essentially, I’ll be conducting an “edit” of my own closet, and pulling together outfits using items I already own; an Edit specialty, and one of the primary goals of our wardrobe consultations. There are going to be some hardcore rules and I’ll be ruthless about what stays and what goes. 

Ruthless, I tell ya.

Mark your calendars and be sure to check it out on the Edit blog tomorrow. I’ll be posting outfits to Instagram and Twitter (@sherridickens), so make sure you follow me on those sites as well.  And while you're at it, you should definitely follow Edit By Lauren on Facebook and Twitter.  Definitely.

Wow, Sherri, you're getting kinda bossy. 

I know, I know. Sorry about that! But it's for your own good.  You'll thank me later.

Alright, we'll trust your judgement.  What else should we know?

Just one more thing.  I’m giving away a free wardrobe consultation!  All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment describing your fashion style in one word (or two or three, I’m not picky).  For additional entries, tweet this post, like it on Facebook, or mention it on  your own blog. (And make sure to leave a comment telling me you did!).

By the way, feel free to tell me that you think this is awesome, you’re so excited about it, or that you can’t wait to read The Closet Project.  

(Sherri, you’re kinda putting words in our mouths, okay?)

Well, I  have been writing your questions for you.  

Rude.