I didn't sign up for this.

25 Manners

2011-05-11T14:13:00.003-05:00

I have a lot of fun stuff planned for this summer. However, I just can't let my kids slip and slide through summer without learning something. So, we will be working on our Manners.

Don't worry, even if you don't have kids, this is a great refresher course for adults too.

Remember, children learn by example.

25 Manners Every Kid Should Know By Age 9

Manner #1 When asking for something, say "Please."

Manner #2 When receiving something, say "Thank you."

Manner #3 Do not interrupt grown-ups who are speaking with each other unless there is an emergency. They will notice you and respond when they are finished talking.

Manner #4 If you do need to get somebody's attention right away, the phrase "excuse me" is the most polite way for you to enter the conversation.

Manner #5 When you have any doubt about doing something, ask permission first. It can save you from many hours of grief later.

Manner #6 The world is not interested in what you dislike. Keep negative opinions to yourself, or between you and your friends, and out of earshot of adults.

Manner #7 Do not comment on other people's physical characteristics unless, of course, it's to compliment them, which is always welcome.

Manner #8 When people ask you how you are, tell them and then ask them how they are.

Manner #9 When you have spent time at your friend's house, remember to thank his or her parents for having you over and for the good time you had.

Manner #10 Knock on closed doors -- and wait to see if there's a response -- before entering.

Manner #11 When you make a phone call, introduce yourself first and then ask if you can speak with the person you are calling.

Manner #12 Be appreciative and say "thank you" for any gift you receive. In the age of e-mail, a handwritten thank-you note can have a powerful effect.

Manner #13 Never use foul language in front of adults. Grown-ups already know all those words, and they find them unpleasant.

Manner #14 Don't call people mean names.

Manner #15 Do not make fun of anyone for any reason. Teasing shows others you are weak, and ganging up on someone else is cruel.

Manner #16 Even if a play or an assembly is boring, sit through it quietly and pretend that you are interested. The performers and presenters are doing their best.

Manner #17 If you bump into somebody, immediately say, "Excuse me."

Manner #18 Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and don't pick your nose.

Manner #19 As you walk through a door, look to see if you can hold it open for someone else.

Manner #20 If you come across a parent, a teacher, or a neighbor working on something, ask if you can help. If they say "yes," do so -- you may learn something new.

Manner #21 When an adult asks you for a favor, do it without grumbling and with a smile.

Manner #22 When someone helps you, say "thank you." That person will likely want to help you again. This is especially true with teachers!

Manner #23 Use eating utensils properly. If you are unsure how to do so, ask your parents to teach you or watch what adults do.

Manner #24 Keep a napkin on your lap; use it to wipe your mouth when necessary.

Manner #25 Don't reach for things at the table; ask to have them passed.

PRINT ME!

Helping your child master these simple rules of etiquette will get him noticed -- for all the right reasons.
By David Lowry, Ph.D.

sink or swim

2010-12-15T08:14:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I look at people and think "wow, you're really out there following your dreams and making it happen, good for you." I wish I could get 'out there' but I can't get past this pile of laundry and dirty dishes. My ultimate dream is to be a wife & mother, so I got that one covered,,,,but I still have other dreams....and I hate that sinking feeling I get when I think of them, because they seem so far out of reach. If I make a list of all the things that have to happen to make those dreams a reality,,,I get completely overwhelmed.
Thanks for listening, I'm done whining now.

2010-12-06T07:43:00.000-06:00

It's HERE!

ONE week ONLY!

It's ALIVE!

2010-11-02T15:41:00.003-05:00

Turn your child's art into a toy!

Supplies: markers, paper, kids, fabric markers, light colored fabric, sewing machine, stuffing.

I instructed Emma to draw a person who was a big as the paper.

Apparently what she heard was: draw a sailor with hands like Edward Sissorhands and make sure he is flipping everyone off!

Tape picture to window with light colored fabric taped on top

Trace the picture using fabric markers.

(if your child is skilled at drawing, you can skip these steps and let them draw on the fabric directly)

Layer drawing on top of second piece of fabric.

Top Stich around entire drawing , leaving an opening to stuff it.

Pink around the drawing.

Let the little fingers stuff it.

Top Stitch the opening closed.

Watch your child LOVE their creation.

This all started with Aidan. When Emma saw what I was doing with his art she wanted to make her own.

Here are two other ones that I did for Aid for Aidan. I loved the Frankenstein one.
( I did Aid for Aidan's monsters digitally and printed them from my computer with high quality ink and Bubble Jet Set, hence the better quality)

Getting SOOO close!

2010-11-02T11:49:00.000-05:00

Okay, so here is the deal, I need some of you to buy some MONSTER BUTTONS!

We are very close to a $1000.00 from Aidan's Friends and I would really like to see that happen.

I know we can do it, we just have to pull together!

Cheese Bear

2010-10-22T07:38:00.000-05:00

This is my brown sugar bear. I wasn't using him and felt bad. So I looked around my kitchen for "things that attract moisture" and viola!
He lives inside of my Parmesan cheese, because I hate breaking up lumpy little balls of cheese.
He loves it there!

Bed Bath and Beyond has them for super cheap!

H is for Help

2010-10-21T10:43:00.000-05:00

Did you know that you can fight cancer with MONSTERS?

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For more information on Aidan and his story

www.AidForAidan.wordpress.com

Living a charmed life

2010-10-19T08:44:00.003-05:00

I'm trying to live a charmed life and I need YOUR help.
What do you do to live a healthy life?

Share it with me, be specific!
Do you make time for friends, have a really healthy recipe you cook, do a devotional, have you eliminated something nasty from your life, have a great workout plan, take a certain vitamin, have a beauty secret, work with a charity, ect...?

Let me hear you!

Harry and I doing yoga in the park!

Beki's Barn Sale

2010-10-08T13:03:00.000-05:00

I recently participated in my FIRST barn sale.

I had an absolutely splendid time!

Thank YOU Beki for hosting this lovely event, I can't wait for next year!

Even my key-chain got something sassy to wear!

2010-10-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

GIANT SALE

VINTAGE GIRL!

Get them before they are gone!

I hope they remember

2010-09-23T14:05:00.002-05:00

My kids will not remember if i wore make-up everyday, or if my fashion was the latest trend.
They will not remember if my house was spotless or if each meal was gourmet.

With any luck, they will remember:
I was always there with a morning hug and kiss goodnight.
I was always there when the thunder boomed and the lighting crashed.
I always knew where the other shoe was hiding.
I knew just what blanket would keep them cozy at night.
I was always willing to rock them just a few minutes more.
I loved them more then life itself.

My kids will not remember how my husband stressed about providing for our family.
They will not remember what car he drove, or what kind of cell phone he had.
With any luck, they will remember:
He was always available to be a human jungle gym.
He was the ultimate tickle monster.
He knew how to scoop them up after a rough tumble.
He knew how to do all the coolest tricks on the scooter.
He knew the precise way to shew away monsters at night.
He was always willing to make popcorn and dance with them.
He loved them more then life itself.

9-11 thoughts

2010-09-11T06:44:00.000-05:00

All my thoughts are right here!

Lite Berzerka Bars

2010-08-26T15:15:00.002-05:00

I love Barefoot and Baking!
Here is my lite version of Bezerka Bars
Bezerka Bars

2 cups oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds
1/8 cup flax seed
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 sticks of butter, melted
1 t vanilla
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup applesauce
fresh fruit*

*My favorite is fresh peaches and raspberries but just about anything works, be creative!

Mix all the ingredients, except fruit, together and press into a greased 9x13 pan. Put fresh fruit on top and press lightly into crumb mixture. Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes, until they look dry on top and lightly brown on the edges. These are good warm, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but tend to fall apart easy. To set, let them cool completely. We love these as breakfast bars too.

Inspirational CRAP and such.

2010-08-18T11:32:00.000-05:00

When I saw this chalkboard I knew I had to make it mine. Trouble is, it hangs in my kitchen and stares at me. It taunts me daily with it's relentless whining and desire to be written on.

Since clearly I'm not writing on it, I thought maybe you would like to.

Give me some quick quotes, words of inspiration, funny sayings.

ANYTHING that will fill the space and I'll throw it up there.

It's a GIVEAWAY!

2010-06-08T13:02:00.000-05:00

The awesome and incomparable Wichita Handmade is hosting a fabulous giveaway for the next two weeks!! It begins today and a winner will be drawn on Saturday, June 19th. The prize is a lovely, summer-inspired lemonade, linen, & lace wristlet created by Folk.etsy.com. It really is a little cutie!

All you need to do to enter is head on over to Wichita Handmade's facebook fan page, become a fan (or "like," as they're calling it these days), and leave a comment on the giveaway status!

Rock, Chalk, Wine

2010-05-24T08:36:00.000-05:00

I discovered a new "game", it has quickly become my second favorite game. (I adore "put mommy to bed on the couch" game, Emma loves it too. She is so nurturing.) I urge you to try this game when you are tired from having a garage sale for 3 days.

Supply List:
Sidewalk Chalk
Rocks
Wine

Step One: Throw rocks onto patio

Step Two: tell little kids to trace all the rocks

Step Three: Grab that glass of wine, sit back & enjoy how content, quiet, & cute your kids can be.

Faux Wonder Under & Foil?

2010-05-22T19:11:00.001-05:00

Ironically as I was working on a costume for a parade I'm going to be in this next Saturday... I ran across this little statement:

Oh MY!

You have no idea how happy this makes me. I want to try it NOOOOWWW!

Have you ever done this does it work?

Life is Sweet, Literally!

2010-05-11T09:49:00.000-05:00

This morning in my sleep deprived state I poured coffee into the sugar bowl and not the coffee cup. Maybe someone could hook me up to a caffeine IV about 15 before I get out of bed. That would really help with my morning routine.

Mother of the bride

2010-05-07T07:07:00.002-05:00

I made Emma a wedding veil headband She thought it was useless without a dress.

Dancing in her new veil and ~~my tanktop~~ wedding dress!

Harry kept wanting me to take his picture. He was so proud of himself for wearing one of Big Sister's Crocs. He kept posing for pictures.

Things are not so swimmingly

2010-05-05T14:47:00.002-05:00

Lately I feel like I'm always on the verge of a meltdown.
I have a sense that everything is closing in on me.
I can see the light, I just keep tripping over toys every time I reach for it.
Even If I have had 6 cups, I feel like I'm one cup of coffee away from feeling awake.
I'm always one load of laundry away from being caught up.
If Harry slams one more door/cabinet I'm just going to take them all down.
I'm one "Hey Mommy" away from cutting my own ears off.
I feel like I'm dredging along at the bottom instead of swimming at the top.
My patience level is dangerously low.
I'm tired of trying to find foods my kids will eat.
I'm in a viscous cycle of my kids being upset, thus I'm upset, thus they are more upset, thus I'm more upset....
It's like one of those dreams where you're running but not making any progress.
So, what do you do to recharge your batteries, and bust out of a funk?

Beer For Breakfast

2010-05-05T08:51:00.003-05:00

I pass this sign everyday, I can't decide if I think it's funny or sad.
whats your vote? Funny or Sad?

Bedhead Baby

2010-05-04T07:16:00.000-05:00

On the count of three shout it with me!

1..

2..

3..

BEDHEAD!

BAHaaahaa this kid is hilarious!

Big Spoon = Quiet Dinner

2010-04-30T09:53:00.001-05:00

At dinner Mike played a trick on Emma. She asked for a spoon and he brought her a large wooden spoon just to be silly. Turned out to be spectaular. She thought it was hilarious and we never once had to tell her "eat your dinner!"

Lesson learned: next time your kids are wearing you out at dinner, give them something silly to eat with!

1 Hour Easy Bunting

2010-04-28T08:17:00.006-05:00

I have seen several tutorial on how to make some really fabulous bunting. This is not one of those tutorials. This bunting is quick and cheap! No pinking, NO double sidedness, NO meticulous mathematics, NO bias tape. If this project takes you more then 1 hour you are doing something wrong.

Step 1 : Make a triangle template out of scrap paper/cardboard
Step 2 : Find scraps of fabric/felt/paper/denim and cut out triangles.
( i used my rotary cutter and did 5 at a time)
Step 3 : Choose ribbon (any length & width you want) & cut it in half. Pin the ribbon together about 12
inches from edge. ( these ends will be used to tie the bunting to objects as pictured above)

Step 4 : Use your zigzag stitch and start sewing at the pin.

Step 5 : Add more flags at intervals you prefer.
I used the edge of that metal plate as my guide.(pictured left)
You could also use your Painter's Tape Guide (pictured right).
Step 6: ENJOY YOUR NEW FABULOUSLY CHEAP BUNTING!

Painters Tape Guide

2010-04-26T07:44:00.001-05:00

Did you know?

You can use painter's tape as an extended guide on your sewing machine. You can move it around as much as you want and it never leaves a sticky residue. So go raid your husbands garage and never struggle with wide seams again!

Emma's FIRST sewing project.

2010-04-22T14:30:00.000-05:00

Recently I was inspired to not just take my kids to the fabric store, but teach them to LOVE fabric. Hmmm I never thought to do that. So last Friday Emma and I left the boys at home and headed out to find her very own piece of fabric. I made a point to not look at anything for myself and only purchase her stuff. I was so busy talking to Emma and exploring the store through the eyes of a 4yr old that I forgot to take a lot of pictures. Sometimes just being in the moment and not trying to "capture" the moment is much more memorable. She picked out a lovely pink and purple fat quarter and some matching purple broadcloth. I think she has fabulous taste. The whole experience cost me a whopping $1.56! Who knew fun could be so cheap.When we got home I asked her what she wanted to make and she said a pony and a purse. I hunted down a great Pony Tutorial and we went to work. She helped me place the pattern, cut out all the yarn hair, and even sat on my lap while I sewed it together. It was a perfect 1st sewing project!

Emma also wanted a purse. I'm so glad I asked her what she wanted because she had very specific ideas. A big pocket on the outside and Two handles that need to be long and skinny. And while it's nothing like I would have made her, she loves it, and that was the point of these projects. "Teach Emma to Love Sewing"

Handsome Harry

2010-03-30T19:23:00.002-05:00

2010-03-30T12:31:00.000-05:00

Sunshine is HERE!
Everybody CHEER!

words to ponder

2010-03-29T13:58:00.001-05:00

Making the decision to have a child- it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body. -Elizabeth Stone

Roach Coffee

2010-03-27T08:37:00.000-05:00

Once when I was in Venezuela there was roach in my coffee. It was GROSS!

Thanks for all your NOT!

2010-03-25T09:19:00.003-05:00

I follow several blogs, I love them all. However, I rarely take time to comment on them, and it occurred to me that these bloggers may not know how much I love them.

Dear Gina,
Thanks for all you're not.
You are not a creative crafter who make me feel lazy for not crafting daily.
You are not a super chef who makes me feel guilty for feeding my kids Mac & Cheese.
You are not a whimsical wife who caters to your husbands every whim.
You are not a woman who owns 3 home businesses.
You are not a woman who inspires me to make crap for my house.
You are never trying to "one up" other moms

You are ordinary in the most spectaular way.
You inspire me daily to be a better wife and mother.
You have taught me about Cream of Onion soup....SO GOOD!
You remind me that something as simple as hunting for spectacular pop can be a declaration of love
You are a woman raising her children to love God.
You remind me it's okay to enjoy playing in the dirt with my kids.
You remind me that at the end of the day my kids will not remember what craft I made, but perhaps they will remember what book I read, song I sang, or game I played.
You have taught me "when your hubby never tells you what he wants, sometimes he gets what he doesn't want." Words to live by!
You inspire me to find adventures in the everyday life of my kids.
You have taught me to praise God for dirty bathrooms.
And last but not least you always make me laugh. You paint wonderful word pictures on your blog
Thank you Gina!
Your faithful reader and un-commenter.
*********************************

Raise your root-beer floats and say "Cheers to Gina" for reminding us to slow down and live life a little more ordinary(in the most spectacular way)!

Rock-a-baby

2010-03-24T23:11:00.001-05:00

It's 11:09pm in the Stout home, everyone except me has been in bed a few hours now. A moment ago Harry randomly woke up and started crying, so I rocked him. He fell asleep and I kept rocking and rocking and rocking. He would have been fine to put back to bed after just a wee moment of love...but that little stinkbut is so intoxicating to me I just had to take advantage of the free snuggle time. While I was holding him all I could think about was how much I love the smell of sweaty hair, dried snot, dragon breath, and hot pee. I know I know GROOOSSS, but the upside is, it means I have a baby sleeping on my chest and that my friend is the greatest feeling EVER! Somehow the good Lord guarded my nose and just let me adore every ittybitty inch of my son in that sweet moment in time.
Now that moment is gone, but trapped in my heart forever.
I'm going to bed and all I can think about is how much I want to smell dried snot.
Goodnight

Meet Pete

2010-03-23T06:01:00.018-05:00

This is Pete the Porcupine.

He wanted quills of copper, but decided they just weren't flashy enough to attract lady porcupines.

Pete enjoys sewing, dark beer, walks in the grass, rice, and staring out the window.

If you know any lady porcupines looking for love, Petes' available.

10 Favorite Words

2010-03-22T06:59:00.000-05:00

I have no idea what the logic is behind some of these words, but they fill my life and I just love them.

Slickery (slick and slippery)
Stinkbut
Freezerator (Freezer & Refrigerator)
Ringaroom (Living Room)

Wobbly

Collapsey (sometimes biscuits go collapsey)

Woller (roller skate)

Silly

Crims (Sam's Club)

CrackCrack (cracker)
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What word fills your life? Let's here em!
ps. My spell-check hates this post :)

Ten Dollar Tent

2010-03-19T08:54:00.000-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T08:50:00.001-05:00

A letter I'd like to send,,,but won't

2010-03-15T06:41:00.004-05:00

To whom it may concern at my OB-GYN's office.
Please stop selling my name. I get that you probably get quit a few perks from this business, and most of the time I too enjoy the perks. However this time is different. I have been perpetually getting formula for 5 years because eveytime I get pregnant, you put me on "free crap and promotional junk mail I don't want" list. While you may think this is a lovely list to be on, I beg to differ. Please take a moment to pull my medical file from the shelf....I'll wait...okay got it? Now open it up,,,, and count how many times i have had a miscarriage. Whoa I bet your ran out of fingers. What you have failed to do is take me off of your "free crap and promotional junk mail I don't want" list when this unfortunate event occurs. This results in me getting lots of painful reminders that I don't have a baby. And thanks to the thoughtfulness of the baby company's, they send me all these reminders about 8 months from my miscarriage. Just when I have put it behind me and moved on. Geee i'm a lucky girl, and my poor husband, OIY! He has to put up with a roller coaster of emotions from me for about a week. So please, take me off you list.
Sincerely,
Shelly

List of items I DON'T need because I DON'T have a baby right now:

The art of Feeding Booklet

Two cans of formula

A letter welcoming baby

$20.00 of formula coupons

Dad's survival guide

I will be giving the formula to a friend, but if anyone can use the coupons let me know. I'll be happy

to send them to you, just Email Me

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Looking for the GIVEAWAY? It's over HERE!

Color the COMICS duh!

2010-03-14T09:15:00.002-05:00

I get a coloring book delivered to my house everyday, why did I not realize this sooner! DUH!

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

2010-03-12T09:31:00.000-06:00

I adore making these biscuits.

When I make them, its as though anything can be fixed in the world. I think they posses super powers. Of course I'm bias because I think anything with a stick of butter in it is magical.

These are the biscuits I think every woman should know how to make.

So here is the recipe I use. Happy baking friends!

Buttermilk Biscuits by Peter Reinhart

8 oz. (1-3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed for shaping the dough
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
2-1/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. (8 Tbs.) very cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup very cold buttermilk

Heat the oven to 500°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven
Put the butter in the freezer until you are ready for it
Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl and stir with a whisk to distribute the ingredients evenly.

Cut the butter into small bits and toss with the flour.
With a sharp knife, cut the cold butter lengthwise twice. Rotate the butter a quarter turn and cut twice again. Then slice into small squares. You should create 9 small bits of butter per slice. Toss the butter bits into the bowl with the flour mixture. Use your fingers to separate the butter bits. Don’t rub the butter too hard with your fingertips or palms, as this will melt the butter. You’re just trying to break the butter pieces apart, not blend the butter into the flour.

When all the butter is evenly distributed, add the cold buttermilk (do not place your buttermilk in the freezer) and stir with a large spoon until all or most of the flour is absorbed by the buttermilk and the dough forms a coarse lump, about 1 minute.

Dust a work surface with flour and dump the dough onto the floured surface, cleaning out the bowl with a spatula or a plastic bowl scraper. Dust the top of the dough and your hands with flour, and press the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Sprinkle a small amount of additional flour on the top of the dough. Fold the dough over on itself in three sections, as if folding a letter. With a bench knife or metal spatula, lift the dough off the counter and dust under it with flour to prevent sticking, if necessary. Dust the top with flour and press the dough out again into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and repeat the tri-fold. Repeat this procedure one more time (three times in all).

After the third tri-fold, dust under and on top of the dough, if needed, and roll or press the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick oval. Dip a 2-inch or 2-3/4-inch round biscuit cutter in flour and start cutting biscuits, dipping the cutter in flour between each biscuit. Press straight down to cut and lift straight up to remove; twisting the biscuit cutter will seal the sides and interfere with rising. Place them on a baking sheet or stone about 1/2 inch apart.

Gently gather any scraps of dough, pat and roll out again, and cut more biscuits from the remaining dough. You can gather and roll the scraps two times total and still get good results (the more times you roll out, the tougher the biscuits will be).

Put the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the temperature to 450°F. Bake for 8 minutes; rotate the pan 180 degrees; continue baking until both the tops and bottoms of the biscuits are a rich golden brown and the biscuits have doubled in height, revealing flaky layers on the sides, 4 to 6 minutes more. It’s all right if some butter seeps from the biscuits. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a cooling rack, leaving the biscuits on the pan. Cool the biscuits for at least 3 minutes and serve them hot or warm (they will stay warm for about 20 minutes).

some photos: Scott Phillips

Fine Cooking 85, pp. 49

April 2, 2007

Lovely Stash

2010-03-10T08:08:00.003-06:00

My Aunt recently gifted to me her lovely stash of sewing notions. This is by far, my favorite type of gift. I love digging through other peoples' craft supplies. I adore seeing all the specialty items and thinking of all the fun things they made. I love seeing all the abandoned projects that never got finished. The process of sorting someones fabric is very personal. I often feel like I'm betraying all the forgotten projects who are blissfully unaware that I too will never complete them. On the flip side, my shelves are now filled with lovely vintage items that are no in production, I have ideas busting out of my head, and I feel more connected to my Aunt. I find it so amazing how much notions are like kids. I can tell you exactly when, where, and who from I obtained every piece of fabric, button, zipper, ect.

Emma loved helping me sort the buttons!

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Go HERE for the GIVEAWAY!

Catch a COOTIE!

2010-03-09T08:48:00.000-06:00

For my 30th Birthday my lovely friend Leanne over at Folk Craft made me a Cootie Catcher. I loved it so much I wanted to share some of the fun with you. So, here is your chance to win your very own Cootie Catcher. Guaranteed to predict your future accurately!

I have made three uniquely individual Cootie Catchers.

Enter for your chance to win today, and predict your future tomorrow!
3 Winners!
How to ENTER!

Follow this blog
Already are? Just leave me a comment letting me know.

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Want even more entries?

You will receive five entries for the following:

Post about this giveaway on your blog with a link.

Leave a comment here after your post is up, including a link to your blog to receive your five extra entries.

3 GIVEAWAYS to WIN!

Giveaway will be open until midnight on March 20th.
Do leave your future to chance!

9 Questions with Zig-Zag

2010-03-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

Laci
Full time mom, crafter, sewer, writer, cooker, crocheter
Zig-Zags handmade This N' Thats

What is your "Go-To Meal" when you have forgotten to plan anything for dinner?
(I plan meals??) Well, what I like to cook is a simple recipe that is honestly ADDICTING that my mom has made for me since I was a kid, and recently she gave me the book that it is in. (The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook) Its called Roberta's Good Soup, and it is literally made up of water , onion, spices, tvp, egg noodles, and some brewers yeast... it sounds gross, but it is so simple it's GOOOOD!

Where have you always wanted to travel to?
Caribbean.... AND thanks to a nice little tax return I do believe that this summer me and my hubby might just get to go!!!! SQUEEE!!!

What is your number one time saving tip?
Don't Eat. (*whisper* there won't be any dishes that way ;)
LOL, no my LEGITIMATE tip would be, before you go to bed make sure everything is set out for the next day, be it clothes, packed lunches, important papers to look through, whatever....so that you wont be in a major rush the next morning.
What do you to to treat yourself?
Take a really LOOONG hot shower, BY MYSELF. The water blocks out all the noises, and a really great smelling soap completes the experience. mmmmm,peppermint and tea tree oil soap........*sigh* (IS THAT MUFFLED SCREAMS I HEAR??? oh well, *LALALALAA!*)

What piece of advice would you give to a fellow mother?
"Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise." The Duchess- Alice In wonderland (I couldn't. have said it. better.)

Do you clean your own house?
Clean? Heck no- that's why I have the kids! (Child labor is so wrong, but it feels so RIGHT!)
Yes of course I clean, or try to clean...when the laundry ninjas aren't wushing by while I blink adding to the mountains of clothing in my hallway. (pesky laundry ninjas, grrr!)

What was your first job?
I worked at a pizza buffet. I was a busser, but they let me do dishes (oooh!) and chop veggies (ahhh!) and after a while they even let me roll some dough (WOW!) but hey it was a job, and I rode that dang bus EVERY DAY to and from that place. What would have taken me 5 minutes to drive to took me over an hour in waiting and riding.. all for $6.50 an hour! AHH, the memories... (*shiver*)

What one item in your kitchen could not live without?
A toaster. I NEED my toast. (are you looking at MY toast??? you are arent you...GRRRR, back off, its MINE!)

If you only had one day left to craft, what would you make?
Something that I could hide in so that no one would take me away from my crafty-ness...(they won't find me in HERE muahahahah, I will show THEM!)

9 Questions with Red Planet

2010-03-04T08:27:00.000-06:00

Mandi
expert
Red Planet

What is your "Go-To Meal" when you have forgotten to plan anything for dinner? Pizza Hut delivery saves my life. I don't even like it that much but some days I am just to lazy to mess with anything else.

Where have you always wanted to travel to? Australia. I don't know why, it just seems nice. Unfortunately, I have a fear of flying over the ocean so I stick to traveling wherever the travel channel takes me this weekend.

What is your number one time saving tip? Why would I need to save time? I have all the time in the world. Ha. But to be honest everything I do goes in the most time efficient order. Even my shower routine. But I will spare you the details.

What do you to to treat yourself? I used to shop and drool over fabric at Joann's but now that I have a baby on the way I'm trying to save money. So I daydream of beautiful fabric, fill my shopping cart at Fabric.com with no intentions of ever checking out, and eat chocolate.

What piece of advice would you give to a mother? Technically I'm only a mother to a puppy and an embryo so I don't have advice yet but ask me in a year and I bet I would have tons of useless advice.

Do you clean your own house? Yes. Give me Clorox Clean Up or give me death!

What was your first job? I worked at the Movie Machine selling popcorn, scraping gummy bears out of the carpet, and chasing off hoodlums. (Some days there was the unthinkable but, again, ill spare you the details) I would go home smelling like a tub of butter. To this very day the smell of butter makes me gag.

What one item in your kitchen could not live without? It is a toss up between the dishwasher and my cheese grater. When I cook I can go through and entire drawer of silverware. I have a bit of OCD about reusing silverware after I have stirred or poked something with it so I generally throw it in the dishwasher and get a new one. I seriously couldn't wash all those dishes on my own! The cheese grater is self explanatory.

If you only had one day left to craft, what would you make?

Well, if I only had one day knowing me I would probably spend that time procrastinating and get nothing finished.
BUT If I were in a productive state I would like to do something meaningful. I keep meaning to look into making therapy dolls for sick children....maybe knowing I had only one day would light a fire under my....rear.

9 Questions with Ikat

2010-03-03T07:30:00.000-06:00

LiEr
Gratefully unemployed mom of 3
ikat bag

What is your "Go-To Meal" when you have forgotten to plan anything for dinner? Pasta anything. Like chicken alfredo, or ham-and-peas alfredo. If I didn't feel
like cooking, we'd do pizza take-out.

Where have you always wanted to travel to?
Belize. To scuba dive.

What is your number one time saving tip?
Do not fold the laundry.

What do you to to treat yourself? Eat nutella.

What piece of advice would you give to a fellow mother?
Pizza take out is not sinful.

Do you clean your own house? Badly, but yes.

What was your first job?
Teaching Chemistry to a pair of 15-year old twin boys who didn't understand
English.

What one item in your kitchen could not live without? Oven.

If you only had one day left to craft, what would you make?
Whatever my children wanted to make with me.

9 Questions with A Feathered Nest

2010-03-02T09:19:00.000-06:00

Abby
Momma, Crafter, Chocoholic
A Feathered Nest

What is your "Go-To Meal" when you have forgotten to plan dinner?

haha! Good one! Um, that's pretty much EVERY DAY here at my house. Dinner time is the worst for me - it's more of a matter of "what can I feed my family with as little exertion as possible??" I always have supplies on hand for certain things and one of those things are my 'gourmet grilled sandwiches'. Sounds fancy, but in my fridge there's always deli meat, good cheese, store-bought pesto spread, good bread, and sandwich fixin's. Always. So here's what you do:

*Butter two pieces of bread on one side (French bread works best); grill on your flat iron skillet or whatever skillet you have until it's golden but not hard and will turn your mouth to meatloaf.

*Let the bread cool a little; open up to un-grilled sides, spread a little mayo and pesto on both pieces; layer your sandwich fixin's - meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, thin cucumber, avocado slices, whatever you like.

*You'll feel like you're in a fancy sandwich shop with this little number! The secret to making it look like you've slaved all night is to arrange it really cute on a plate with a side of sliced fruit or something. Your family will have NO idea how really lazy you are!!! (just kidding...but seriously...)

Where have you always wanted to travel to?

Oh, hands-down, EUROPE. I want to see everything over there, particularly the Sweedish villages, Italian countrysides, small French villages, World War II landmarks, the art museums, the ancient streets, the Mediterranean coastal areas of France & Italy, etc. I could go on and on. Um...so pretty much EVERYTHING across the Atlantic.

What is your number one time saving tip?

Keep stuff on hand all of the time. Random things that you cook with like the pesto spread I mentioned above, good bread, cream cheese, tortillas, frozen chicken, chocolate chips, etc. It's amazing how much time you can save by just having random supplies. Example: yesterday morning I had enough sense to know how tired I would be (I'm 100 months pregnant) and I had the sense to put some frozen chicken in the crock pot with a pack of Italian dressing, a can of cream of chicken soup, and a block of cream cheese (all blended together first). Dinner was done by the time everybody was ready to eat and all I had to do was cook up some rice and throw together a quick salad. I saved myself SO much time and effort and patted myself on the back really good for it!

What do you to to treat yourself?

I keep a stash of Dove milk chocolate with caramel in my cupboard! I also don't over-commit myself, which is a treat, because I'm not stressed out all of the time. I'm grateful that I have learned that I can't do everything, I shouldn't TRY to do everything, and that if something is going to interfere with my family then I'll back out. This keeps me sane and I don't feel worn out so much.

Also, I make sure I have time for my hobbies. Some people tell me that they don't know how I have time for all of it, but my answer is that if you don't MAKE the time for it, you'll never do it. For me to be happy, I have to create and have hobbies, so it's not a question for me on whether I'll do them or not - I make the time and it keeps me happy!

What piece of advice would you give to a fellow mother?

haha! I don't know if any good mother should ever listen to me!!! I would have to say, though, that my advice would be to keep things SIMPLE - you don't have to be the PTO president or Bunko Queen; and keep a JOURNAL! Enjoy life and the little things - and WRITE THEM DOWN. This is one thing I've practiced since I've been married and I can't tell you how joyful it is to read about having my first baby, moving across the country, etc. I haven't been very diligent lately, but once a month or so, I'll write about the kids, what they're doing, qualities that I love about them, what we're doing as a family, etc. What a treasure for them to have when I'm an old lady and they're changing MY diapers! You don't have to have an elaborate scrapbook, just hop on the computer, create a "journal" file, and type away. Add to it every chance you can get. It really helps you as a mother keep things in perspective and evaluate how you're doing.

Do you clean your own house?

OY...yes. My husband offered once to get some outside help but I was so offended that he's never brought it up again!!! I do wish I had someone to come do my floors and bathrooms once a week, but that will have to wait until we can afford that luxury!

What was your first job?

OH, this is a good question - my first job was FASCINATING! My aunt and uncle ran a funeral parlor in our small town and I worked for them! I took care of office work and helped with viewings and funerals. Being around the deceased doesn't faze me - I'm perfectly comfortable vacuuming the funeral chapel with a dead body lying in a coffin! My friends could never understand that!

What one item in your kitchen could not live without?

My Cutco knives. They ROCK. You've GOT to have good knives in the kitchen or else cooking can be rough! (and my Dove chocolates - can't live without them, either.)

If you only had one day left to craft, what would you make?

WHAT?! Oh goodness - I have no idea!!! I'm a sucker for baby stuff right now like cute blankets and dresses, but I'm in LOVE with photography so I'd probably go out and take pictures all day if it were the last thing I could ever 'create', so to speak. Taking pictures and turning them into art is the most soothing, gratifying thing to me right now.

9 Questions with Homemade by Jill

2010-03-01T08:23:00.000-06:00

Jill
Full-time momma, Part-time crafter
homemade by jill

What is your "Go-To Meal" when you have forgotten to plan dinner?
This happens frequently, as I am not a great meal planner. My go-to meal is usually some kind of pasta, but I'll make a cheese sauce or pesto from scratch to go with it.

Where have you always wanted to travel to? Italy

What is your number one time saving tip?
You're asking the wrong person ... I'm more of a "procrastinate now, panic later" kind of gal.

What do you to to treat yourself? get some frozen yogurt

What piece of advice would you give to a fellow mother? relax!

Do you clean your own house? yes

What was your first job?
In my 'tween years I engraved name tags for a fast food restaurant

What one item in your kitchen could not live without?
my dishwasher (which less than a week old ... I vow to never hand wash again!)

If you only had 1 day left to craft, what would you make?
something for myself. :)

9 Questions with Folk

2010-02-28T09:15:00.000-06:00

Leanne
Nerd, dancer, seamstress extraordinaire
Folk Craft

What is your "Go-To Meal" when you have forgotten to plan dinner?
Ahh...I have an immense love of frozen foods, taquitos and chicken nuggets being among my favorite items. I find that they both pair nicely with a tall glass of pop. Homemade pasta is also great in a pinch, if I haven't forgotten to stock up on the semolina.

Where have you always wanted to travel to?
Rhode Island. Not the most exotic of places, but my uncle lives there and I've never seen it. I've been west but not east and think the ocean would be quite a thing to see. And if you're talking a little more exotic, Ireland.

What is your number one time saving tip?
Stay away from the facebook!!

What do you to to treat yourself?
For me, everyday is kind of a treat so this is hard to answer. I have been trying to save money, so a treat right now would be new crafting supplies, e.g. yarn or spinning fiber. Fluff is expensive.

What piece of advice would you give to a friend?
Although it would depend on the situation, a piece of advice that I find myself giving quite a bit is to NOT WORRY ABOUT IT!!! I have to tell myself this, too. People too often get needlessly worked up about things because they are either taking it too seriously or just being impatient. It will be okay.

Do you clean your own house?
Is this a trick question?! Well, when it gets cleaned, yes. But that is a rare thing...

What was your first job?
Office help at a ceramic mold company: filing papers, keying in numbers, folding things, assembling catalogs.

What one item in your kitchen could not live without?
The sink!! That or the stove. I'm not much of a gadget person and usually end up doing things the old fashion way.

If you only had one day left to craft, what would you make?
Ooooh how horrible! Hmmmm....I would want to go out in a blaze of glory, so something really big and spectacular. And I have so much fabric....maybe some kind of outdoor art installation involving giant patchwork wind sails.

9 Questions with The Rusted Chain

2010-02-27T09:14:00.000-06:00

Beki
Wife, blogger, jewelry designer
The Rusted Chain

What is your "Go-To Meal" when you have forgotten to plan dinner?
Burritos. (I C instant rice cooked for 5 minutes, 1 C salsa, 1 can refried beans, 1 can chili beans, taco seasoning, cheese and tortillas. I always have the stuff for these on hand.)

Where have you always wanted to travel to?
Lots of places. As I'm looking at the snow outside, I'm thinking the Caribbean sounds pretty darn nice.

What is your number one time saving tip?
Don't open an email unless you have time to answer it right then. Otherwise it'll get pushed off, then further and further, then you forget about it, then find it again and become overwhelmed... Not that I know this from experience or anything. *ahem*

What do you to to treat yourself?
I'm pretty easy to please. Love a smelly good shower product, or a nice hair cut.

What piece of advice would you give to a fellow mother?
Laugh more than you lecture.

Do you clean your own house? Yeah. Sort of. With help from my family.

What was your first job?
My first job was as a live window mannequin in a mall. I worked for free, but got a discount on the clothing in the store. My first paid job was waiting tables.

What one item in your kitchen could not live without?
My Pampered Chef stones. I use them every single day.

If you only had one day left to craft, what would you make?
Jewelry! I could crank out a lot of jewelry in a day. I'd make it personalized with my family's names.

9 Questions with PerryJayne Handmade

2010-02-26T09:00:00.000-06:00

Melissa

Momma

PerryJayne Handmade

What is your "Go-To Meal" when you have forgotten to plan anything for dinner? Green Chili & Cheese enchiladas. I keep everything on hand for these and they can be ready in 25 minutes.
Where have you always wanted to travel to? Hawaii
What is your number one time saving tip? Lay out everyone's clothes the night before church or any morning appointment. I'm shocked that if I don't do this, we will be running very behind.
What do you to to treat yourself? Eat ice cream or drink pop while looking at blogs during the kids naptime.
What piece of advice would you give to a fellow mother? Try to focus on the big picture. My true calling in life is to raise my children to be loving, compassionate, and responsible people. Taking time to instill our families values in the littlest things throughout the day will ultimately be what shapes who they are...not the projects I made or keeping an immaculate house.
Do you clean your own house? LOL. Yep, if ANYTHING is clean in this house it's because I cleaned it.
What was your first job? Babysitting
What one item in your kitchen could not live without?
I found out during our last move because I seemed to not find some of my kitchen boxes for awhile. That the only things I needed were one pan, one pot, and a spatula. I was able to make almost anything with just those. Now my FAVORITE kitchen gadget would be my pampered chef chopper. It's fabulous.
If you only had one day left to craft, what would you make? I'd love to finish the quilt I started for my little baby due in June.

9 Questions with AlyGatr's Everywhere

2010-02-25T08:25:00.000-06:00

Alyssa
Stay-at-home-mom
AlyGatr's Everywhere

What is your "Go-To Meal" when you have forgotten to plan dinner?
For the kids ...I hate to admit it, but Tyson frozen chicken nuggets. Pop those babies in the oven...pair them up with a fruit or veggie and some kind of rice or pasta side...and we're good. For my hubby and I...baked boneless chicken breasts...a rice or pasta side and a veggie. I know I need to come up with a better "in a pinch" meal for us so I don't have to hear "baked chicken...AGAIN???"

Where have you always wanted to travel to?
Ireland...hands down. I love the accents...I want to see castles...maybe go fairy hunting...and of course, there's the scenery. Someday...SOMEDAY I'll get there.

What is your number one time saving tip?
Take two seconds to put it back where you found it! I see people waste tons of time tearing up the house trying to find misplaced things...not to mention making more work for themselves cleaning up the mess afterward. If you put things where they belong, you always know where they are :)

What do you to to treat yourself?
What is this thing you call "treat myself"?? I don't get to do it often, but occasionally The Man takes the kids out for the morning on a Saturday and I do things like go to the salon and get my haircut, then go to Barnes and Noble near the mall, drink some Starbucks and rifle through the crafting books and magazines. I'm sure the bookstore people are glad I don't do it often...since I rarely buy the things I look through. I'm sure they're thinking "Go to the library you deadbeat. It's less than a half mile away!"

What piece of advice would you give to a fellow mother?
Even though it sounds like a good idea sometimes, don't sell your kids on eBay. Hold on to them, they might be useful someday...possibly even worth something. KIDDING. I have a great piece of advice...but it's one I'm guilty of NOT following myself :) Cut yourself some slack if you don't get it all done every day. There are few things if left undone today that can't be done just as well tomorrow.

Do you clean your own house?
Until I hit the Power-ball...sadly, yes. Do I do it well...depends who you ask. We did have Merry Maids in last week to do an early "spring cleaning". It felt weird to sit here while other people cleaned my house...though, I'm sure in time I could get used to it!!!

What was your first job?
UGH...do I need to relive that?? My senior year in high school I got my first job at...Taco Bell. I have four words for you...brown...polyester...double...knit. Oh and one more...hairnet. BARF. After one day I went home and begged my mom to let me quit. My dad's comeback...until I found a different job I was SOL (OK, so he didn't use those exact words!). Two weeks later I got hired at Sears in the mall...where I worked until I graduated college. I was so scarred I refused to step foot in a Taco Bell for three years...until the tacos called me back...or maybe it was the cinnamon crisps.

What one item in your kitchen could not live without?
My dishwasher. I'm not even sure there's anything in my kitchen that's a close second. Well...maybe the nuker. Yeah...I'm that lazy.

If you only had one day left to craft, what would you make?
OK, that question is not easy peasy!!!! Hmm..............if, on that day, I could get a hold of a metal smith to show me how to do real metal work, I'd make some bitchin ring...maybe something that could have my kids' name on it.

9 Days, 9 People, 9 Questions

2010-02-24T19:58:00.000-06:00

I have chosen 9 of my favorite blogs and asked their respective writers for interviews.
9 Days
9 People
9 Questions
Let the fun begin!

Red Planet

Zig-Zags

So grab a button, follow along and have some FUN!


<br><center><a href="http://shellystout.blogspot.com/"><img src="<a href="http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i86/stouty24/?action=view&current=Picnikcollage-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i86/stouty24/Picnikcollage-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>"/></a></center><br>

I can't see the charging station

2010-02-23T08:23:00.000-06:00

When my husband bought me this lovely Charging Station for Christmas, I don't think this is what he had envisioned. I'm positive he had grand ideas of organized phone chargers and such. But alas, it has become the dumping ground for everything that really doesn't belong anywhere in particular.

Quotes to Live By

2010-02-22T07:25:00.000-06:00

"Smile with your face mom, not the camera" Emma, age 3

"This isn't the zoo!" Husband

"When your hubby never tells you what he wants, sometimes he gets what he doesn't want." Gina Entz

"Forget about what people think and do what works for you" Tyler Ramsey

"Instead of following my dreams, I'm just going to ask them where they are going and catch up with them later" Mitch Hedberg

"Justh ignore them Iris" Ira, Friendship Fields

"Cupcakes are the Devil" Abby, A Feathered Nest

"it's POOP!" My Momma

"But I don't want to use my time wisely" Anna Marie Horner

(referring to Jersey Shore) "I can't get enough of those charming little tool bags" Emily Santos-Silva

WOW! I get to give birth AND change diapers! Anne Taintor

I'm a GROWN-UP!

2010-02-19T11:57:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I want to shout at the world "Leave me alone, I'm a GROWN UP". But, the very fact that I want to scream this at times, just solidifies the notion that I am in fact NOT a grown up. This concept works in many ways: If you have to tell people how much power you have, chances are you have very little. If you have to tell people how much money you have, chances are you don't have much. If you have to constantly convince others how smart you are, you probably aren't a smartie. If you spend time trying to act spiritual, you probably need to talk to God a little more (ouch that one hurt) Oh the list could go on and on and on....But I will step off my soap box now. For now I will go on as a child masquerading as a grown up. And like any real grown up would do, when frustrated with life, I grabbed a pair of scissors and took it out on my hair... Oh wait, that is what a child does....

Easy Peasy $3 necklace

2010-02-16T10:59:00.000-06:00

Calling all crafters and NON-CRAFTERS!

This is the easiest and cheapest necklace to make, I promise!

NO SPECIAL TOOLS OR EQUIPMENT REQUIRED!

Here are the supplies you need to make a 40 inch necklace.
Supplies:
50 inches of fishing line
100 inches of ribbon (approx 8 ft)
1pkg of bead (When I went into Hobby Lobby all the ribbon and beads were on sale!)

Thread your fishing line into a sewing needle and

start sewing. Leave approx 5-6 inches of both the

fishing line and ribbon on the end. You will use
this at the end to finish your necklace with a bow.

Then start alternating beads and ribbon until you get the desired length you want.

When you get to the end tie the fishing line ends together in a secure square knot and then finish by tying the ribbon into a knot or decorative bow.

Now Go and look fabulous with your delicious new bling!

Here is a yellow one I made,,,,,makes me feel like i'm wearing sunshine!

That is a LOT of effort, my love.

2010-02-12T10:45:00.000-06:00

I recently woke up to find this waiting in my fridge. And I just had to laugh and grab my camera. If I had to guess, the original milk carton got damaged. (I never asked, didn't really want to know.) There are so many things that are funny about this picture.

My husband put so much effort into labeling the milk.

First of all let me say, our Whole milk and 2% milk NEVER switch places. I don't have to look at the label to know that the Whole milk for Harry is ALWAYS on the right side of the door. But, they are labeled and not with just a sharpie as perhaps I would have done. Not with just a post it note, but a half of a post it note. And it's not just stuck on there to later fall off, it is loving bound with a rubber band.

It makes me feel special to know he put so much effort into this project, it also makes me giggle just a little too.

So, my love, thanks for the unexpected giggle every time I open the fridge.
xoxo
Wife

Bad egg

2010-02-10T08:48:00.000-06:00

Maybe I'm just slow,,,but I never knew how to tell if my eggs were old. So when I saw a lady on T.V. tell me that if an egg is over three weeks old and you suspect it my be old, see if it floats.
Sooo, I tried it and VIOLA it worked.

Red Hot Momma - TUTORIAL

2010-02-08T09:32:00.000-06:00

Grab a simple shirt of your color choice

Use a disappearing ink seamstress pen to draw a heart. It is important to do this with the shirt on while looking in a mirror.
{to avoid have the heart on your boob :)}

Measure your heart and cut approx double the ribbon

ie: My heart is 10inches, I used approx 20inches of ribbon

Baste the ribbon

Holding the bobbin thread,pull your ribbon to the desired length

Pin the roused ribbon to your shirt

Sew it with a machine or just tack it down

VIOLA Your DONE and ready for Valentines Day!

Now go and be FABULOUS!

Don't forget about those Ugly Undies

GIRLS ONLY - Take the Ugly Undies Challenge!

2010-02-05T14:34:00.000-06:00

Challenge: Say NO to Ugly Undies
Time Frame: 7 Days
Goal: Purge your drawer of Ugly Undies!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This morning my underwear drawer had indigestion. It apparently has decide to revolt against all the ugly undies it is being forced to contain.

So, I have pledged to get rid of all the worn out undies that have faithfully severed me. I'm am adult and have no excuse for holding on to underwear with holes, stains, broken down waistbands and other random catastrophes. I have no grand delusions of replacing them with super expensive and uncomfortable lingerie,,, I found several very sensible, cute, and budget friendly pairs at Target.

Just say NO to Ugly Undies

Take the Pledge!

Repeat after me:

"I promise to say NO to Ugly Undies and purge my drawer of all things broken down. I will do this within 7 Days or suffer the consequences of being know as the Ugly Undies Lady"

Kids felt Cuff - TUTORIAL

2010-02-04T08:46:00.000-06:00

This cute Kids Felt Cuff is a perfect accessory for Valentine's day!

Make a bunch and give them away.

So easy and quick!

Supplies: Whatever you have just lyin' round!

Cut a piece of felt that will fit your child. My daughter is 4, so I cut it 7x2

Attach the No-Sew Velcro dots

Trim sides with patterned crafting scissors.

Attach embellishments of your choice.

The possibility are endless!

BE FABULOUS!

My daughter thinks that

if 1 is good, 3 is better,,,ummm,,errr, not so much baby girl.

I need YOU!

2010-02-03T11:36:00.000-06:00

I need your opinion!

I got these cutie little jars at the thrift store the other day. I have no idea what to use them for, I just knew they were too spectacular to pass up.
What would YOU use them for?

Hello February

2010-02-01T10:09:00.000-06:00

January 2010 is gone, and February is here. I love the end of the month when I get to wipe my calendar clean. I get satisfaction from wiping away all the chores that I had to do, and getting to remember all the play dates and fun activities. But then I get snapped back into reality when I have to fill in the agenda for February. Ugh it's already so full and we haven't even begun.

The best event of January 2010 Celebrating my 30th Birthday with a Girls Getaway!

Idea Board w/ Mod Podge Cereal Cans!

2010-01-29T11:57:00.001-06:00

I have been working on revamping my crafting room and making it more useful and appealing. I have had this mirror in storage for about 3 years.
It used to hang in my daughters nursery. It lovingly held binkies, toys and hair clips for us.
But now it is MINE!I covered the frame in some lovely Amy Butler fabric.

Exchanged the mirror for a piece of fabric covered cork.
Covered some old cereal tins with fabric, Mod Podged over them and hung them.

So completely useful and pretty.

As soon and my son finishes some more baby cereal, I will have more tins to hang.
I adore making stuff out of garbage!

chili + CUMIN!

2010-01-28T16:34:00.000-06:00

Anybody want a little extra cumin in their chili?

Too much chatter for talk

2010-01-26T12:10:00.000-06:00

Dear Talk Radio Shows, I want to thank you for your years of service to me during my morning commute to work. I loved you so much. You made me laugh, feel inspired, and I looked forward to our daily time together. However the times are a changin'. I can no longer get a moments worth of silence into my day and I have come to loath your very existence. I now have a 4yr old who feels the need to chatter constantly. I have too much chatter in my life for talk. When the two of you are going on and on at the same time I think my head might explode. So, Talk Radio Shows,,, I have to say goodbye. Maybe I will catch up with you in the future. For now I am going to hang onto my sanity and listen to just the chatter, and perhaps a little background music. Oh and if you could tell your friend Radio Commercial to quiet down, that would be spectacular. Much Love, Shelly

Thoughts and Theories

2010-01-20T08:41:00.000-06:00

1. For every hour you are up earlier then usual, you get an extra cup of coffee. 2. Poop can be washed off. 3. It's okay to treat yourself once in awhile. 4. You can always make more money, and lose more weight, so enjoy life today. 5. I'll sleep when I'm dead, for now I'm going to live life to the fullest! 6. I only have as much strength as God gives me,,,,I have more strength then I realize. 7. If you want to have more friends, you have to stick your neck out. 8. Being reliable is respect in it's purest form. 9. Mac & Cheese and Hot dogs,,,, Great lunch. 10. Learn to make biscuits, sew on a button, and build a fire. 11. Your children will wake up a little older tomorrow, relish every moment of TODAY. 12. Your home is only as happy as the grumpiest person it in,,,,don't be the grump. 13. If PBS would put a news crawl on the screen I would be more aware of current world events 14. Anniversary, Birthday, & Valentines Day's Cards to and from your spouse should be presented before breakfast.

Do you have a Button?

2010-01-19T14:14:00.000-06:00

Lately it seems like everything in my daughters world is a level 5 EMERGENCY worthy of a complete melt down. I'm talking simple everyday things. Here are a few example of phrases I am hoping to change:

"I don't have a drink, waa"................"May I please have a drink?" "I can't find the toy waa"........................"Can you please help me?" "I don't have a snack waa!"..............."May I please have a snack?" "Harry STOP IT, NO waa" ...."Can you please make Harry stop?" I decided to make a Happy/Grumpy Button. Basically every time she asks me a question/whines for something, I'm going to pull out the button. If she has not asked politely, she will be shown the Grumpy face and be allowed to ask her question again, using her happy face. Hopefully after a few days she will only get the happy faces. Find two random pieces of paper Trace and cut our circles in you size preference Draw your Happy and Grumpy faces Sandwich an old magnet piece in between Cover with clear packing tape on both sides and trim VOILA! Your done!

Wishing you a peaceful home, -S

Wrapping my body in sunshine!

2010-01-18T11:57:00.000-06:00

I must be craving springtime because lately I can't get enough yellow in my life. I have ridiculous amounts of respect for anyone who can live in the NW. I can't stand dreary days, I NEED MY SUNSHINE! Since it has been foggy and dreary here in Kansas, I'm wrapping my body in anything that makes me think of sunshine.

Romantic Ruffle Shirt

Here is where I found the Tutorial I based my design off of.

Charlie and Lola Hair Clips!!!

2010-01-13T14:33:00.000-06:00

30 wishes for my 30th

2010-01-09T15:47:00.000-06:00

I turn 30 is just 3 short days, For my Birthday, I wish: 1: The bag boy at the grocery store would NOT put all my produce in ONE sack. 2: For a nite out, with a purse big enough to only hold the essentials (no goldfish, diapers, or toys allowed) 3: Certain hockey equipment would be thrown away. 4: The walls would finish painting themselves 5: My kids would sleep past 5:15am 6: The laundry would do its self 7: I could get a pedicure 8: I could have lunch with Melissa 9: I had quilters pins 10: My kids would eat a big pile of veggies 11: For a giant stack of vintage sheets 12: Emma's desk would sand it's self down 13: I could go just one day without seeing a stupid Spangles commercial 14: All sinful foods would magically be fat free 15: My husband could find his dream job 16: We had a fence 17: I could eat potato Ole's 18: Nobody could post stupid forwards on their facebook pages 19; My Etsy shop would get a sale 20: I could go antique/flea market shopping 21: My sewing machine would never jam 22: That my gas tank was full 23: For knitted hand/wrist warmers 24: I was attending a giant surprise party in my honor,,,I wish to not be the one to plan it either 25: Harry would say "Momma" 26: For a big pile of antique buttons 27: For a nanny 28: I had a lamp for my sewing room 29: I had no late fees at the library 30: I was spending my 30th Birthday on an island with palm trees, sunshine, and margaritas!

A bit out of my league

2010-01-06T14:36:00.000-06:00

The holidays are whizzing by faster and faster every year. Birthdays are coming and going. Oh how I feel as though I'm about to be out smarted by my children. Emma is getting to be quit the pro at using my computer and I can't help but feel that in the very near future I will be asking for her assistance with technology. I think I'm on the verge of being out of my league.

squeezing joy

2009-12-22T07:35:00.000-06:00

As this year is coming to a close, I realize how much time I have wasted having pity parties for myself (mostly just in my head, but for those few friends who I have vented on, THANK YOU, you saved me from insanity)! While not all the problems in my life were cause by my personal decisions, some were, and I hope to remember and learn from those choices because I can't change the past. However, I can choose how my heart will react and I can choose to be joyful, I can teach my children to be joyful in all things. In the last few months I have been reminded (several times) of the hardships and joys that Job faced in his life, it always puts my life in perspective, so thanks Lord, thanks for making Job's life a little crappy too at times. For now I'm going to squeeze every bit of joy out of life that I can. I'm going to keep my eyes focus on God's future blessings and try to remember that this moment in time may be a blessing in disguise. I'm going to embrace my family, relish in my children's innocence, and savor every sweet memory.

JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME!

Baby it's cold outside

2009-12-10T09:47:00.000-06:00

Baby it's cold outside,,,,and apparently INSIDE too!

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer PARTY!

2009-12-03T20:34:00.000-06:00

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer was on TV last night. I loved watching it when I was a child and wanted the same thing for my kiddos. So, I made a party of the whole thing. We wore Christmas PJ's, made Hot Cocoa Ice cream sundae's, and snuggled on the couch. Oh I was in heaven!

Sorry for all the extra photos, tis the season!

Single or Alligator

2009-12-02T18:34:00.001-06:00

I have been cooking a lot lately, which means I have have been doing massive amounts of dishes. When I took my wedding ring off to roll out some dough the other day, this is what I found. My finger was red and dried out. OUCH! It hurts every time I put water on it. I haven't been wearing my rings for 3 days, my finger still doesn't feel better and now I just feel naked. I think I would prefer to be in public naked with my rings, errr umm maybe not. I'm not sure if God wants me to be single or just part alligator.

Harry walks!

2009-11-21T18:23:00.000-06:00

Harry Walks! At 16months old, it's about time!

Warm up your Winter

2009-11-21T13:16:00.000-06:00

I recently wanted to try my hand at making a cute Coffee Cup Cuff. It was so easy, and turned out perfect on the first try. Since I currently don't have the budget to frequent Starbucks, I had to find a coffee lover to give this little cuff a good home. (It has been sent to my mother-in-law. I challenge anyone of God's green earth to find someone who loves their coffee as much as she does.)

I wanted to dress it up a bit so I scooted over to Starbucks and picked up a gift card, and a cup to tie it all together. I think it turned out to be a great idea for a quick holiday gift. Perfect for moms, teachers, co-workers, friends,,,, just about anyone. Tutorial from House on a Hill Road

I also discovered they work great on cold cups! I love plastic cups but hate the sweat, so thank you coffee Cup Cuff. I will be making lots of these for hot summer days!

Camera Stats make me feel sick

2009-11-19T09:41:00.000-06:00

I feel sick to my tummy everyday I look at my computer. It sits on my floor in pieces as a grave stone for all my lovely pictures. Currently I have no idea if we will be able to recover my photos. My pictures are my life literally. Weddings, births, birthdays, first steps, vacations,,,, the list of irreplaceable photos goes on, and on,,,,,, and on.

"Camera Stats" Years we have owned a digital camera: 4 Number of new cameras since the first: 4 New Photo editing programs purchased: 3 External Hard drives for storage: 2 Pictures taken : over 26,000 Pictures printed : less then 400 Pictures shared with family : under 800 Number of Brands I have used: two Number of Online photo sites I belong to: 5 Number of computes crashed: 1 Number of hard drives crashed: 1 Number of pictures I may never get back :26,000

Block Bag SCARE

2009-11-11T14:27:00.001-06:00

My daughter came to me this morning coughing and gagging, because her block bag was around her NECK! EEEk I freaked out. I was less then 15 feet from her and this happened. I immediately cut the draw string out and threw it in the trash! I could have just dumped the blocks into the toy box, but what fun is that,,,,so I made her a new block bag, with NO DRAW STRING! An easy fix would have been to just thread some elastic through the existing casing, but if I was going to change it, I wanted it to be pretty. Plus my daughter loves toting them around by the before mentioned drawstring, so I knew I needed a handle. Annnnyywho, here is what I came up with. I just laid out the existing bag and made a case for it, a Velcro closure, and nice SHORT and wide strap.

From one momma to another

Please, if you have a bag like this, take out the drawstring!

Ghost Toast

2009-10-27T12:49:00.000-05:00

I put a status on my facebook the other day about Ghost Toast. The response was unanimous and LOUD. Everyone wanted to know what Ghost Toast was. Say WHA??? I thought everyone ate this stuff. Turns out I had a really creative Momma growing up and she made the everyday a holiday. Around Halloween we would have this treat for breakfast. I was so excited to give it to my daughter for the first time. I love passing my childhood traditions on to my kids. So, here's what Ghost Toast is all about. It's buttered toast with powdered sugar on top, and chocolate chips for the eyes.

So make the everyday a holiday with this special treat!

Baby Legs

2009-10-26T18:32:00.000-05:00

I made my very first pair of Leggies today!

I love them and they were so easy to make. But, can we please stop pretending these are anything other then Leg Warmers. I watch my daughter dance around in them, and in my head I hear Olivia singing "let's get physical, physical....." Hope you find time to make some this fall. Here is the TUTORIAL I used.

Princess leia

2009-10-15T21:32:00.000-05:00

Okay so my daughter has never seen Star Wars or anything even close. However she must be honing her Princess Leia Persona today. She demanded braids that were tucked under for her hair do. Then to make matters worse, when I tried to put pink bows in her hair to match her pink shirt, she flipped out and demanded her sparkly gold bows.

I'm not sure if I have a future Diva on my hands or a Star Wars fanatic. Either way, LORD HELP ME!

Bad Idea Machine

2009-09-24T09:06:00.000-05:00

Someone is putting quarters in the "Bad Idea Machine" again. Man, I thought we got rid of that thing,,,,hmmm my husband must have hid it in the garage behind his childhood hockey crap. Knowing full well, I would never look there! But, alas there it was this morning, sitting in my basement, right in the middle of the floor. And wouldn't ya know, he left for work, leaving my kids with free run of the "Bad Idea Machine". Dear Husband, I know you think it's a good idea to leave your weights in the middle of the floor because you will use them tomorrow too.....however this is a BAD IDEA! Resulting in, pinched fingers, stubbed toes and sore arms from having to lug them away. Love, Sore Armed Wife Dear Harry, I know you think it is a good idea to drink milk at 5:30am.....however this is a BAD IDEA! Please know that we your parents love you, but man we're tired. Love, Exhausted Mom & Dad Dear Emma, I know you think it's a good idea to play dress up, by stripping down to you skivvies and taking your hair down....However when this occurs 2.5 minutes before we leave to run errands it is a BAD IDEA! Love, On a Time Crunch Momma Dear Mother-in-Law I know you thought it was a good idea to get my daughter a microphone because she likes to entertain us all so much,,,however this is a BAD IDEA resulting in the amplification of ALL noises in my house. Love, Needing ear plugs and aspirin Dear Harry, I know you think it's a good idea to smash crackers on the kitchen floor,,,,however, this is a BAD IDEA. Love, Tired of being a Maid Momma Emma, I know you think it's a good idea to take all the Tupperware out of the cabinet so we can put the clean dishes away,,,,,,,,this is a BAD IDEA. They will all fit without you taking them all out. Thanks for the "help" Love, Tired of double the work Momma

Here's to a Happy & Healthy Fall

2009-09-22T10:04:00.000-05:00

Summer has long since faded into the background. I no longer feel the need to jump out of bed and seize the day. I can say goodbye to my swimsuits and sunburns. Why you ask? Because FALL 2009 is HERE! While simultaneously sloughing off summer, I am whole heatedly welcoming fall into my life. I am giving myself permission to slow down, take time for one more cup of coffee, steal a moment more under the covers, read one more page in my book, grab one more snuggle from my kiddos, lounge in my pj's for just a moment longer, and steal my husband's covers for warmth because chilly fall air is wafting through the open windows. So, I raise my Spiced Pumpkin Latte and say, "Here's to a happy & healthy fall, slowing down a bit, and savoring the small moments in life" To properly welcome Fall 09 I made my apple cinnamon muffins this morning and realized I have never shared it with you.

If you make these muffins, be warned : your home will smell so delicious you may become delusional.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 3/4 c. white flour 3/4 c. whole wheat flour 1 1/2t. baking powder 1 t. cinnamon 1 egg beaten 1/3c. melted butter 1 chopped apple (about 1 Cup) I use granny smith, peel and all In lg bowl, mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Combine and stir with wooden spoon. Put in greased muffin tin or use muffin liners. Bake 18-23 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Nana stole my Fuel

2009-09-17T08:04:00.000-05:00

My tank was empty this morning and I didn't even know it until Emma and I had this conversation. Harry: girgle spit girgle da gergile dadada Emma: Mommy a is Harry happy? Me: Yes, baby. Are you Happy? Emma: Yup Me: Do you love Harry? Emma: Yes mom Me: Do you love Mommy? Emma: Yes Me: Can you tell Mommy? (I'm anxiously awaiting those sweet words "I love you mommy" I hear...) Emma: Mommy, I love Nana! Oh, my heart just sinks. I needed to hear those words so bad. While I could have told her exactly what to say, it just doesn't mean the same as when she offers them up on her own volition. Until Emma didn't say "I love you momma" I hadn't realized how empty my emotional fuel tanks were. I have been so busy dolling out the love and support, that I hadn't realized I was running so low myself. After a brief moment, I think, I'm so glad that Emma loves her Nana, she deserves it. SHE IS A GREAT NANA! From the moment Emma was born, Nana has been smitten with her "Darlin". I am blessed to be surround my so many loving people in my life. I am blessed to know that Emma is surrounded my so many loving people too. So Nana, here it is, you can steal my emotional fuel today. I hope you use it to bless the people around you.

Just as I am realizing all of this, the fuel light in my van blinks on. Thank you Lord for reminding me to fuel up emotionaly, spirtually, and physically.

Monday in disguise

2009-09-08T08:59:00.000-05:00

It's Tuesday Morning. But lets call it what it is, "Monday in disguise" . It's 6:34am . . . . . . The Coffee is made . . . . . . . . . . .The first born is up and in full motion. . . . . . . . . . . . . .and my newspaper is stranded at the end of the drive in a torrential downpour

Reversible Ribbon Headband TUTORIAL

2009-09-01T15:24:00.000-05:00

HERE YE, HERE YE, FREE TUTORIAL Here is my tutorial for a super easy reversible ribbon headband. Feel free to Email me if you have any questions!

Supplies: 2 pieces of coordinating ribbon 2 inches wide 2 pieces of solid ribbon 1/2 inch wide ALL PIECES ARE 14 1/2 inches LONG STEP 1: Make a sandwich with the pretty sides together with 1 piece of the solid ribbon inside. (you might need to pin the solid ribbon in place so you don't catch it in the side seam.)

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Step 2: sew the end of the sandwich

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Step 3: Sew the sides together (be careful not to catch the solid piece in the side seam) ********************************************

Step 4: Snip the ends of the sewn sandwich (so when you turn it, it will be more square)

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Step 5: Pull the solid ribbon out of the sandwich, thus turning the headband right side out

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Step 6: Insert ruler(or any object of your choosing) to help straighten out headband, iron flat, turn in the raw edge and insert last remaining ribbon and sew shut.

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You're finished! Yeah for you! You did it!

This is the same headband! It looks great on both adults and children! **********************************

My Food Processor is DRUNK!

2009-08-30T21:20:00.000-05:00

With Summer comes all sorts of cooking experiments waiting to happen. I love when my husband can fire up the grill and we can try new things. My parents came over for dinner a few nights ago and I wanted to give them a "Stout Burger", so my creative juices started flowing and this is what I came up with. It ended up be quit the crowd pleaser despite my concerns about the smell of the marinade. This would be a perfect recipe to use for a guys night!

********************************************** Puree all ingredients together 1 Cup red onion 2 Garlic cloves 1 Bottle Dark Beer To make my burgers extra tasty, I mixed in a few tablespoons of marinade into the beef.

Grill burgers as usual, liberally basting with the marinade, while cooking. Serve on toasted RYE bread with a thick slice of Cheddar, some lettuce and enjoy!

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My handy husband also made me some Salt and Pepper shakers out of the used beer bottles (cleaned and dried of course)

This made a great little caddy for taking the silverware, napkins, and salt and pepper shakers wherever we needed them.

Love that smile

2009-08-24T15:10:00.000-05:00

My husband, age 2

Penguins say "Yak Yak"

2009-08-19T07:20:00.000-05:00

Well, as promised I taught Emma a little about penguins last week. We went to the Zoo, we painted pictures, read lots of penguin books and watched some movies.

This is what weekends are for

2009-08-17T08:47:00.000-05:00

Daddy and his helper!

I'm a Super Smartie!

2009-08-15T16:39:00.000-05:00

So my 3yr old has been driving me a little nuttos lately. She asks "Why Momma?" about a hundred times an hour! This morning, as I was relishing in the joy of having two children......no wait, scratch that and lets try again. This morning as I was going crazy from all the questions, I knew I had to find a solution. So, I asked Emma if she wanted "Special Closed Door Time". She isn't allowed to close her bedroom door, because she does it with such force that I know she would chop of Harry's tiny little fingers if she did. So, I got out an alarm clock and set it for 10 minutes. I stated that once the buzzer went off she had to open the door. I also told her that if she did anything naughty, she would never get "Special Closed Door Time" again. Well, it worked! She played so well, that even after the door was opened, she kept playing. THIS IS GREAT NEWS FOR ME! This was a huge accomplishment for Emma because she hates playing by herself. I was so proud of her and can't wait to try it again tomorrow.....perhaps for 15 minutes :) I olny wish I could have a peephole in her door to see what she was doing.

************************************** I put Harry in the Exersaucer to watch Dora, and I actually got my hair and Make-up done in peace!

This is what I found when I went to get her. She had made a bed for all her babies. Sooo sweet!

Fingerprint Friday - Frazzled

2009-08-14T12:29:00.000-05:00

To say this week has been stressful is the understatement of the century. I haven't slept much, I haven't eaten much, and I feel helpless. I knew that at some point I was going to have a meltdown, but I have been doing my darnedest to push it away. Well my emotions got the better of me this morning and I had minor breakdown at the grocery store. I couldn't locate the Chick-Peas and I began to cry. Shouldn't they be next to the regular peas? Well, they are not. Thankfully a kind grocery store clerk helped my locate them before I had a complete meltdown. And as I was standing in line to check out I was trying to gather myself a little. (to avoid more starring strangers) Then I looked up and staring at me straight in my face was Oprah.

Thank you Lord for the gentle reminder that you are always with me, and that with your help I can make it through any situation that comes my way. Thank you for telling me " You're stronger then you know". It's exactly what I needed.

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Fingerprint Friday was created by Beki as a way for us to be reminded of God's presence in our lives.

Toy Round UP!

2009-08-13T05:57:00.000-05:00

IF YOU SEE THESE TOYS: BEWARE, THEY ARE ARMED AND ANNOYING!

CHARGE: Runaway VERDICT: GUILTY Mr. Hammer Toy has runaway from his tool box home to pursue a life in the TV bashing industry. He is known for his banging and bashing abilities. He may seek work in construction. (may be wearing a disguise and posing as a Mexican)

CHARGE: Vandalism VERDICT: GUILTY Miss Baby Stroller is guilty of vandalizing my home. She is know for her artistic marks on my walls. She may seek work in the demolition industry. (be advised :suspect is very fast and may be on the move)

CHARGE: Public Disturbance VERDICT: GUILTY La Guitara is a violently annoying toy. Most likely to be found in a bar using the pick up line "I play my guitar, who will sing in my band?" Is fluent in both English and Spanish.

CHARGE: Reckless Abandoment VERDICT: GUILTY Funny Farm has abandoned it's Duck, thus leaving the sensor exposed to light. Funny Farm is not so funny at 2:00 am when the sensor is going off because the duck is missing. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you see any of these toys, please be advised: These toys are extremely addicting to children and extremely annoying to adults.

Being Cheap is the mother of all inventions!

2009-08-12T10:20:00.000-05:00

Emma needed a super cape, and as most momma's do, I got to work creating. Necessity is the Mother of all Inventions. Well, Okay so I didn't invent the cape, I'm just too cheap to go buy one. So maybe that statement should be "Necessity and being cheap is the mother of all inventions" I couldn't bare to watch her run up and down the hall with her brothers blankets anymore. So on about the 319th time Emma asked for a cape, I delivered. She now ZOOOMS proudly around. I can even get her to help with chores more...."Emma, can you zoom theses dishes to the sink?" "Sure Momma, ZOOOM!" Yes she makes the noise.

Pamper Your Piggies

2009-08-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

We had a really girly party yesterday morning. Emma and I invited all of our friends over for a pedicure party. We had a lovely brunch and painted our piggies.

The girls went nuts for their pedicures. Three of the girls had never had their toenails painted.

I made each of the little girls a glamor stash.

Mini Golf and Sonic make me happy

2009-08-10T13:19:00.000-05:00

Last Friday night Mike and I had a date night ,,,,,, well sorta. We got a babysitter for Harry and took Miss Emma to play Mini Golf for the first time! We had a blast! Mike and Emma ventured down the twisty slide and played some arcade games. Emma won a Chinese Finger trap, that was hilarious to watch her play with. After we were finish, we headed to Sonic for our favorite cool down treats. Sonic always makes me happy. Emma tried a Cherry for the first time and decided to just lick it instead of eating it. All in all, a great evening with the family. I had forgotten how much fun my 3yr old can be, I'm usually too busy taking care of the 1yr old.

Fingerprint Friday - God made Zebras

2009-08-07T09:04:00.000-05:00

This past week I was doing some painting for a friends daughter. She requested Zebra Stripes on her bedroom wall. Wooozer! So I got to work. It took me a couple of day, and somewhere in the process God used it to teach me a lesson. Funny how that happens :) As I was meticulously painting and designing these giant zebra stripes on the wall, I was thinking about how God lovingly created us each individually "flaws" and all. Each stroke of my paintbrush was intentional. I believe when God created us, each brush stroke was and is intentional. I loved watching the wall come together and I think God likes watching us grow in his flawless design too.

Fingerprint Friday was created by Beki as a way for us to be reminded of God's presence in our lives.

I'm getting Plastic Surgery!

2009-08-05T14:25:00.000-05:00

I'm getting back into the routine of going to the gym. Blek, I hate working out. My iPod battery was low last night and I realized how much a good song can motivate me. So without further ado,,, here are my top ten motivational songs for working out. These songs can always get me to move a little faster. Stronger - Kanye West Pump It - Black Eyed Peas Whoomp! There it is - Tag Team Disco Club - Black Eyed Peas Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani Glamorous - Fergi Wind it up - Gwen Stefani Damn Girl - Justin Timberlake Hey Ya! - Outkast Get the Party Started - Pink

I need more motivation, what is your favorite song to get you moving?

Freckle Face

2009-08-04T14:53:00.000-05:00

When I was little I used to curse at my ugly freckles! I hated them. I hated the teasing and attention they brought me. I have learned to live with them as an adult (thanks to Clinique). However, now as a mother I am learning to appreciate them. My daughter is following in my footsteps whether she wants to or not. A few moments in the sunshine and all sorts of lovely little freckles sprout up on her sweet face. I love them! I'm starting to think God knew what he was doing when He created me with freckles. I like to think of God enjoying my freckles as much as I enjoy Emma's.