Another on bites the dust: Part II

So, a couple weeks ago I posted about breaking my glasses here

This is my guide to buy glasses online

Well, I did some research and I looked up a few glasses sites 

I really liked the styles at Zenni Optical and the price was tough to say no. 

A few tips:

1. Your optometrist has to give you your prescription

2. Make sure you get your pupil size; you literally can walk in and get it in 2 mins for free

3. Make sure you measure your face

FRAME SIZE

All frame size dimensions measured in millimeters

Lens Width: Horizontal measurement of one lens from the widest point to the widest point.
Lens Height: Vertical measurement of one lens from the lowest point to the highest point.
Bridge: Measurement of the distance from the inside edge of one lens, across the nose to the inside edge of the other lens.
Frame Width: The full width of the frame as seen from the front
Temple Length: The length of the temple arm from the front of the frame all the way to the tip at the end of the earpiece
Frame Weight: Overall frame weight in grams with a 1.50 index lens

This is information from the Zenni website. Each pair of glasses is categorized at small, medium, and large. Than has the sizes for each category to give a snigger fit. 

4. Don't be cheap! These are your eyes, pay extra for anti-glare or smaller frames, etc. It is worth it

I ordered the Tortoiseshell glasses # 256325 and I love them.

I am blind and usually require very thick lenses which come free, I could never afford the thin lenses before but with the extras my glasses were still under $50, which is awsome in my book.

Where do you buy your glasses? 

This is not a sponsored post and 100% my opinion.

Another one bites the dust: part I

Glasses, that is.

I have been wearing glasses since I was 4, I need them to see. 

I can't see past my hand otherwise. 

When I moved to Illinois I needed a new pair of glasses. 

It was the first time I had to go buy them on my own and I didn't have insurance .

I went to a local retailer that advertises good deals a lot and ended up spending a lot more money than intended. The glasses I did buy also gave me a head ache if I wore them for too long.

After many adjustments I was told there was nothing they could do, really?

Well, come to find out they adjusted the glasses so many times improperly they cracked the frame.

So one day while at work my glasses broke. 

I had to go to home, unsafely to put on my contacts. 

I have learned my lesson on where to buy glasses and the importance of insurance. 

Part II coming soon.

The birthday party: 2013

 If you remember from last year I was burnt out and overdone with holidays, by the time my birthday came around I through this pitty party

So, this year was different. I wanted a BIG party.

I knew I wanted red and teal as colors

These were the invitation I made using an embossing pin to write out you are invited, my little cricket for the cupcake teal washi tape and red polka dot vellum for the flag. I used flat scalloped red cards from paper source in teal envelopes.

I

I really like the way it came out.  

I found some inspiration on pinterest, of course. 

1. I love the fad  of the DIY food stations

this is an ice cream/ hot chocolate bar

(source) 

2. I love this wine and cheese pairing

(source)

3. Love the instructions on kraft paper

(source)

This was my rendition:

(sorry I have no pictures of the actual party) 

Wine pairings table

This was the hot chocolate and ice cream station

Both were a hit. 

We also had cupcakes from a local bakery, that did our wedding cake, that I absolutely love

Onto decorations:

The kitchen, I made red and teal tissue paper pom poms 

In the dinning room there were pom poms and these vellum hanging mobiles

 next to our themed window

What was your last party theme? Try anything new? What do you think?

This post will be linking up here

Another year

Today, I passed my yearly skills test.

I guess its another year of derby for me!

Woo hoo! 

Very excited to grow this min-season and kick some butt.

The dying art of hand written cards

Happy friday guts, i hope you had a great week.
Wow! I am on a roll this week of personal information.

**I would like to start by saying if you don't write thank you cards this is isn't aimed at you, don't be offended**

I was born in a home where my mom will get her calendar at the beginning of the year and start by putting in every birthday, anniversary, and death (with anniversary date). We are not talking about just 10 dates here the whole calendar is full of names dates, ages, etc. Every time there is a reason to send a card whether it is a get well soon, thank you, birthday, sympathy, it is being sent.
This stems from her 90 year old mother who does the same. Her mother, my grandmother, knows (without looking) the birthdays of her 50 grandchildren and great grandchildren, 14 children and there spouses. Pretty impressive, right? And you guessed it, she also sends a card to all of these people too.

So, my mom insisted we do the same. There are times where she will call, at least me, to remind me to send this or that card. I try to do the same, but I am not very good, especially when it comes to birthday cards. It is so easy to write happy birthday on facebook these days and call it quits.  Thank you cards, however have a special meaning to me.

The one thing i have learned over the years (especially when you make things) is that there is nothing better than receiving a thank you card. It just makes the effort, the thought and time that went into thatvitem worth it. My mom, who also crochets, has discussed this with me. She makes a blanket for every new baby born into the family and than some of my sisters friends as well. That is a lot of blankets. The numbers above are just for her side of the family FYI. So to her (even though she is retired) all she wants is a thank you card and that makes it all worth it.

After my lack of christmas cards this year and then later followed by no thank you cards, I did some research and found this  article talking about the dying art of writing. The article talks about the dying art and why hand written thank you card just mean more. The article also has a section about the do's and don'ts of writing.

Do you write handwritten thank you's? 

Dear hubby

Dear hubby,
Today is your birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY P! You have become quite the gentleman, even though you do not own a tuxedo, yet! You still look dapper in your mustache and tie. You are currently doing/ training to do what you love and it is so exciting to see you so happy.
It is only appropriate to write you this letter, to think that 6 years ago tomorrow we went out on our first date. To think back that far, I never thought we would be here. Our lives have definitely changed as we decided to slowly grow up.
I wanted to let you know that I appreciate you being there for me and supporting me, especially as of late. I really appreciate all the love and support you show me. I know you are not around physically all the time, I know that I can trust you.
Dear hubby, thanks for being you.

Let's get real: disappointment

Let me preface this post with this: 

I am not writing this post for your sympathy, hymns or ha's. 

I am writing this post to get it off my chest.

If you have any of the above to say, please keep it to yourself. 

I don't want to hear it, thanks.

Warning: This is a big long rant. So if you don't want to hear it, don't read it. 

So anyways, back to disappointment. 

I would say I have been in a funk, easily since thanksgiving if not before. 

I wouldn't say I am depressed, I would say that I have been disappointed. 

See the above quote, it is a perfect representation of how I feel.

In my adult life, especially in Illinois, it has been very difficult to make good adult friends that I can call my own. This has been a big struggle for me and has been a big part of why I think I got as home sick as  I did. 

Well, lately it just feels like the friends/family I do have, have been bailing on me. I am sure they don't realize how much it hurts me or what it means to me because I don't have the guts to tell them. 

I keep all of those wonderful emotions inside to fester until it eats me from the inside out. 

I don't enjoy this feeling and so here it is out and proud. 

At halloween, when you say you will make an appearance I expect an appearance. I don't expect you to rub another party in my face or say it was the best party ever. That hurts. 

I grew up celebrating christmas with family, it was a big deal. It was a family holiday, it was about being together. So when you don't show up because of some excuse it feels like I don't matter. 

When I was younger, my sister and I had a joint  birthday party. It was pouring rain, a bunch of kids were suppose to come. We put on our best party dresses, they were matching white dresses with black polka dots with big black bows. We hung things on the wall and got ready. Only 2 people showed up, my parents friends Bob and Kathy. They played pin and tail on the donkey with us and ate cake. It was fun, but when you go back to school and have to tell the kids at school you had a birthday party in which they were suppose to attend, it sucks. 

Well, this year I had a birthday party and from all the people who bailed on me, it felt like that. I understand that  unforeseeable things happen, and they did, people died and mourning is a big deal. I also understand when other plans were made and responded accordingly. I understand having to be there, but when other plans are made after the fact or something gets chosen over you, it hurts.  I am not going to go into details or singling out specific circumstances. Thats all I am going to say about that.

As for the people that showed up to the parties I have thrown a great big thank you for showing up is in order but that is coming at a later more private date, so hang on to your shorts.

Things are very different when you are an adult. We are suppose to forget about being hurt or forgotten and keep going. I don't work that way. 

Even though I am getting this out there, it is in no way a forgiveness of you and your choices. 

I feel like this is the basis of where my disappointment is stemming from at this time. 

I know this sounds a bit harsh, but please I just need to say it and be done with it. 

Thanks for listening/reading.