Unadulterated Shivaree

Getting Ahead.

2012-02-12T20:36:00.000-08:00

Money. It sure is a stressful thing. It's the kind of thing that can cause alot of happiness or a lot of anger. It's the kind of thing that is always in the back of your mind no matter what you are doing. It is the kind of thing that can cause fissures in even the strongest of relationships. I see this every single day. As a banker, I spend 40+ hours every week helping people sort out their financial issues, offering advice, and putting people in better situations.

Now... here's my dirty little secret. I haven't been very good at practicing what I preach. I've come out and said it... and it doesn't make me feel any better. We live in a society of "buy it now and pay for it later" (Hello Visa AND 0% financing). It is so easy to dig yourself a hole. It is much harder to climb back out. I dug myself a hole. I have been trying to climb back out of it and FINALLY... there is a hint of light at the end of the tunnel. Our vehicles are now paid off as of this month which adds some extra money to our monthly budget.

Now this is where it gets tricky and it got me thinking...

Where to put the extra money... towards the outstanding balance on our credit card? Into our savings account? Spend it on something fun? I know what I would say to one of my customers, and I need to follow my own advice. I need to do ALL of these things. I need to put a majority of this money towards paying off credit cards. I need to set some money aside for something fun so that I don't feel deprived and go on a spending spree...(hmm, sounds a lot like dieting) and I need to build up our savings account so that just in case something were to happen, I don't turn towards my credit card for help. I need to take a look at my budget and my long-term goals. I need to set what amounts I will allocate where and stick to it. I would tell my customers to think of each of these things as a bill. Pay your savings account as you would pay a bill. Make it a priority, don't skip it. Building a savings is important. Pay yourself for all of your hard work so that you don't get frustrated and quit. Give yourself an allowance. Sometimes you need to spend some money on you. And when it comes to credit cards... throw everything else at them. Interest on credit cards will eat you alive.

I know its February and its it a little late for New Years resolutions but it is never too late to commit to a change. I am committing to following my own advice. Here's to a new plan and a new budget!

Chicken Noodle Soup

2012-01-29T07:54:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been a long one... and not in a good way. Andy is sick. Very sick. I won't go into details because it wouldn't be pretty. Just know it is bad. Really bad. In hopes of making him feel better and warding of this flu myself, I made chicken noodle soup.

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com It is called Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup and that is exactly what it is! The great thing about this recipe is that it's fast but still has the freshness that the canned stuff can't hold a torch to!

I mean... the chicken. You control the quality. I used the run-of-the-mill boneless skinless chicken breasts...

The veggies, also fresh and they smell so darn good as they are cooking.

The big cheater moment is the canned chicken broth... I wish I has the time to make it from scratch... actually, I take that back. Even if I did have the time, I wouldn't. The canned stuff is so easy.And the even easier part of this soup is the finale. Throw everything in the pot an let it cook.

It takes a real culinary genius to make this soup ;) Someone wise once told me, don't reinvent the wheel. I didn't. So far, no flu for me and Andy is on the mend.

Let's get real ladies....

2012-01-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

I have been accused of wearing granny panties.

I don't think I wear granny panties. I think I wear cute, yet comfortable and practical undies.Like the ones pictured below.


Photo from Victoria's Secret

I guess I was under the impression that these were granny panties...

Photo via Jennifer at thegloss.com

So when they hubby accused me of this, the next sentence that comes out of his mouth is "you should wear more thongs". Hmmmm... I decided to try the thong thing out because of the super awesome wife that I am. I mean, of course I have worn thongs... but not as every day undies. Only for special occasions or with really tight pants. but I figured I had permission to go buy some new underwear so off I went.

Alright ladies. Help me out here... I have made a pros and cons list for thongs... the list speaks for itself.

Pros

Andy likes them...

Cons

They make it feel like I have a massive grundie ALL day long... OH WAIT! I do!
They make the car seat feel colder when I get in
They cost a lot of money for such a small amount of material
I just don't think a girl my size should be wearing underwear like this... I mean, who wants to see that?! Certainly not me!
I just don't understand the point! Why even wear underwear at all?!

Help me out here! Am I missing some of the pros?

Honestly, I think Andy should call it a good day if there aren't any holes in my undies. I mean, seriously... we are married and I stopped caring about the state of my under things 4 years ago! Plus, I don't see him going out and buying sexy boy underwear! In fact, I buy his underwear for him... and I go for comfort. Why are the expectations for girls different?

Happy Birthday!

2012-01-21T06:35:00.000-08:00

I just want to give a big happy 5th birthday to my furbaby Capone! I know you hear a lot about Dillinger because he is so naughty, but Capone is his mama's baby.

Capone is a true man's man.

Capone is a lap cuddler... and just incase you didn't know. If he had the choice Capone would leave his Mom and Dad in favor of Grandma and Grandpa... I think its all the good food Grandma gives him ;)

He is a thug.. aka guard dog.

'He's a chewer.

He's a lover of belly rubs.

Happy Birthday to Capone!

Button Bracelet

2012-01-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

Today I present the button bracelet and a tutorial so you can make these super easy, adorable bracelets as a gift or for yourself (I won't judge... I'm keeping mine!)

Here are the materials you need to make these bracelets:

1 Toggle Clasp and Ring, 2 crimp beads, string ( I used paper jewelry cord), buttons, scissors, and a pliers.

The first thing you want to o after you decide which buttons you'd like to use is put your toggle clasp on one end. To do this, slide one crimp bead on one end of your string. Slide your toggle clasp on and secure the loose end of the cord in the crimp bead and pinch the bead shut, locking your toggle clasp right on the string.

Start adding your buttons... there is really no rhyme or reason to this. You are just stringing them on! Easy peasy!

Something you might want to think about it as you put your buttons on your string is that you can make each side of the bracelet look different by using different colors! You can see this in the pictures below!

Once you have your bracelet to the length that you are looking for, you need to attach the other end of your clasp. Start by adding a crimp bead, loop the string through the ring, secure with the crimp bead (same process as before!) Cut off the extra string.

GUESS WHAT?! You are all done! Wear it and be the envy of the block! :)

A short rant...

2012-01-17T19:24:00.000-08:00

I know hearing me rant is probably the highlight of your day. Isn't that why you are reading this post? HAHA.
The long and short of it is... I don't know who I am more mad at to be honest... my dog (who is 2 years old... old enough to know better) or this boy who lives with me who's last name I happen to share.
Seriously. Can't I go to the gym without coming home to a living room floor that I can see? Seriously. My dog dragged an entire bag of garbage from one room to another... ripped it open and devoured it... along with some other random things that he grabbed off of our kitchen table. How do I teach him that this is naughty when yelling at him doesn't help?

Why was there a bag of garbage sitting on the kitchen floor you ask? BECAUSE Andy took it out of the garbage can but was too lazy to bring it outside. Why didn't I bring it outside? TO PROVE A POINT! Well, that bit me right in the ass didn't it?

Where was Andy when all of this is happening? 1 guess... oh yup! you got it! Playing video games. Do they ever grown out of video games? What if we have kids... will it stop then? Or will I come home to a toddler playing with knives in the living room? Ok. I realize I am jumping the gun and being dramatic. But SERIOUSLY!

Now, they are both hiding out... Andy in the basement (playing video games no less) and Dillinger is in his hiding spot.

I DON'T CARE HOW CUTE HE LOOKS. THIS DOG IS ARMED AND DANGEROUS.

A Simple Reminder

2012-01-15T18:08:00.000-08:00

As you know, I have been doing Weight Watchers which has already been quite a journey and I have only just begun! I think going to the meetings is something that is really helping me stay on track. Going to the meetings gives me support, meal ideas, and tips. A couple of weeks ago at a meeting some one said something that really made me think and continues to make me think every day since I have heard it. It has become my mantra. I have turned it into a little picture to hang on my wall to help remind me to check why I am in the kitchen... is it because I am hungry? Or, is it because I am bored, or feeling emotional? This helps me to stay accountable.

Bottle Cap Fridge Flair

2012-01-14T22:53:00.000-08:00

So I actually made a bunch of these in the Christmas variety for Christmas presents this year and then I realized that I didn't keep any for myself and I think they are really cool so I made myself some Valentine's Day! I need something to pin up all of those Valentines on my fridge.

These are very simple to make and you only need a few materials: ModPodge 3Dimensional Magic, Bottlecaps, Magnets, Paper, and glue.

Ok. So cut out little circles to fit inside of the bottlecaps. I used my Cricut, but you could also use a punch to get the perfect circles as well. After your circles are cut out, hot glue the paper circles to the inside of your bottle-caps (I got my bottle-caps from beer that I drank... lots and lots of beer). But gluing the circle to the inside of your bottle-caps you are making sure that your circles won't float/move when you add the ModPodge.

Once the circles are all glues inside your bottle-caps, add the ModPodge 3Dimensional Magic to the bottle caps. Fill 'em up!

Ok. Now you have to be patient and wait for this to try. It takes about 6 hours to get firm. When they are ready to go, they will look like this!

Once the bottle-caps are dry, you can attach your magnets. Now, you can definitely use hot glue to do this but I have noticed in the past that sometimes the hot glue doesn't hold the magnets as firmly as Tacky Glue. Thus, I recommend putting your magnets on with the Tacky Glue.

Let the glue set on the back of the magnet and there you go! You just made yourself some new fridge flair!

Peanut Butter Granola

2012-01-09T20:42:00.000-08:00

Ok, first of all, I want to start out this post by giving myself some props. As you know, I am doing Weight Watchers and I had a pretty big week this week! I was done another 4.2 pounds! YAY! I am almost to my 5% (3 more pounds to go) I am hoping that I can hit that milestone with the next two weeks. With all of this losing and exercising I have also been trying some new recipes that I am pretty excited about sharing with you. This one is only 4pts+ for 1/4C. Woo-hoo!

Here is a yummy, yummy recipe that I found somewhere (I'm sorry, I can't remember where) and I have tweaked to yummy granola perfection. This granola is amazing mixed with yogurt, with milk poured over or on top of a bowl of ice cream. Yup. I am pretty sure that's not good for the weight-loss ;) Anyway, let's begin!

The stars of this recipe include: old fashioned oats (4 C),sunflower seeds(3/4 C), honey(1/2C), vanilla extract (1/2 tsp), cinnamon (1/2 tsp) and peanut butter (1/2 C)

In a microwave safe bowl combine the peanut butter and the honey and put this in the microwave for one minute.

Add the cinnamon and the vanilla extract to the peanut butter and honey mixture and stir this all together very well.

Now take a big whiff. Seriously, is this not the best smell that has ever happened past your nostrils? Ok. I am done foodgasming.

Slowly add the oats and sunflower seeds until all of the oats and sunlower seeds are covered... this takes awhile. This also works out the muscles in your forearm (double bonus!)

Spread out this granola mixture evenly on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Put this in an oven that has been preheated to 325. Bake this for about 10 minutes, stirring about halfway through.

Notice the amazing golden color? This is the color you want. Brown is not the color you want. Brown means it is burnt, and I will tell you that I have made burnt granola and it is bitter and disgusting, and it isn't even good on ice cream!

Enjoy!

Caramel Popcorn

2012-01-03T19:54:00.000-08:00

So I just finished one of the most amazing books called the Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I must say that it was one of the most fantastic love stories that I have read in a long time. It was also one of those books that has descriptions that are so beautiful and so realistic, you can close your eyes and picture the scenery. It also describes a place that I would pay any amount of money to visit. I mean seriously... the first words are
"The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not."
Magical... simply magical. At one point in the book it describes how the circus smells of caramel corn and apple cider. Ever since i read that delicious description I have been craving caramel corn. I am a sucker.So I made some!

Here is what you need to make it:

1 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Corn Syrup
1/2 C (1 stick) of butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
popcorn

So make your popcorn.... mmmm. I love the smell of popcorn, don't you?!

Next... add the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt to a pan.

Stir this constantly until melted.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Do not stir and let it boil for approximately 5 minutes.

While this is boiling away, spread your popcorn out evenly on a cookie sheet.

So now that you have patiently waited 5 minutes... add the baking soda to the caramel and stir. Pour the caramel over the popcorn on the cookie sheet.

Next, quickly stir the caramel and the popcorn together. It will not evenly coat the popcorn... its ok. I promise. It is still amazing. It should look a little something like this...

Break it apart. Take a small portion. Put the rest away in an airtight container.

OK... who was I kidding? Get back up and get more. Repeat this process many times. At least you are doing some exercise while you are eating all that delicious caramel goodness. And seriously, read that book.

Bird's Nest Necklaces

2011-12-28T18:49:00.000-08:00

Finally! I can begin to post some of the things that I have been making. I don't know who reads this thing, but I was making Christmas gifts and I didn't want anyone to know what they were getting! I think these were my favorite gifts that I made this year... and they were super simple!

You need:
Wire,
beads,
wire snippers,
loops(I'm sure that's not the technical term...),
chains

Ok. First step. Take three beads. I used pearls (fake of course, seriously... my name is not Kardashian) and string them on to one end of the wire. Twist the short end of the wire around the long end to secure the beads to the wire.

Then take the wire and wrap it in a circle around the beads. It should look like the beads are eggs sitting in a nest.

Once your "nest" is as thick as you want it to be, snip your wire leave approximately 6-8 inches of extra wire to wrap the nest together. Take the loose end and wrap it approximately 4-6 times in each of the three spaces left between the beads. You will cross from one part of the nest to the other from the back.

From here you simply attach your loop to the wire and string on the chain and voila!

Lately.

2011-12-13T18:30:00.000-08:00

Lately. I have been busy... and I have had things on my mind. I know I keep saying that, but I keep adding more things to my list of things to do! Do you ever feel that way?

Part of my list of new things is that I have (re)joined Weight Watchers. I have a lot of reasons for doing this. Here are a few: I was just recently diagnosed with PCOS (I guess that could be an entirely different post... lots of emotions going on with this right now), I need help with losing weight, I need to be accountable to someone other than myself, and most of all I just need the support. So far so good. I'm just starting my third week and so far I am down 5lbs. I have been experimenting with some new recipes and figuring what a portion really is. I have never felt more ready to do this. There is a lot on the line for me... that number one thing is my health. So wish me luck and stayed tuned for some "better for you" recipes... for example... Peanut Butter Granola. yum.

Other than that, Christmas is right around the corner. I have practically all of my shopping done. Thank goodness. I also made quite a few gifts which I will post soon!

Speaking of Christmas... I bought myself a pretty amazing present. A DSLR. (finally!) so I open the box, pull out the camera... and I have no idea where to start. It took me a pretty long time to even figure out how to take a picture. I am looking or help. Any tips or good websites that you know of? Show me the way!

Things I am grateful for...

2011-11-23T23:00:00.000-08:00

It's officially Thanksgiving! Happy Gobble Day!!

On Facebook this year many people were doing the 25 days of thing they are thankful for and though I didn't participate, I think it is really important to take some time out and think of the things I am thankful for.

Here are a few things I am thankful for this year...

Family. All of it. Every single person. We are blessed with wonderful parents and siblings, grandparents, cousins, and aunts. Not everyone is lucky enough to have such a great support system!
My Husband, Andy. Even though he is the one person that literally makes me want to bang my head into the wall sometimes, he is also the guy who will make me laugh when I have had a bad day and loves me despite all of my quirks
Capone and his silly face that makes me smile. The way he cuddles up to me on the couch. The excitement he has when I walk in the door.I am thankful that he is such a good big brother to Dill as he tries to enforce the rules and keep his little bro out of trouble.
Dillinger and his spunky personality. I am thankful that he reminds me that I need to wake up to each day with excitement. I don't know what I would do without all the hugs he gives me.
My job and the company I work for. I have been provided many wonderful opportunities to grow within my career this year and I am thankful that I work for such a great company that treats its customers and employees like they matter.
My Friends. I am grateful for those near and far... I am thankful that I have people in my life that I could trust under any circumstances
I am thankful to those in the military who serve our country and make this a safe place for me to live.
One word. Siri. How would I ever know what the temperature is, or when I should wake up from a nap without Siri.
Books and the people who write them. I am thankful for the places they take me when I need to escape the real world and the characters I meet along the way.
I am thankful for all of the people who read the garbage I write on here. :)

Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub

2011-11-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

We are expecting snow tomorrow. This makes me sad. As magical as the first snowfall is, it is the start to a very looooong season.

I guess it is officially winter and with winter comes dry skin. I am a huge fan of pampering myself. As wonderful as the spa is, this girl is on a budget and cannot afford some of the pricey services a spa can offer. This recipe is something that makes your skin so soft that it even rivals on of those pricey scrubs... and only for pennies with things you already have in your kitchen!!

Here's what you need:

Brown Sugar
Vanilla
Olive Oil
Vitamin E Oil (optional)

Start by adding your brown sugar. This is your base so it determines how much scrub you will be making. I used 1 cup.

Next, add a teaspoon of vanilla and a teaspoon of vitamin E oil if you are using that. The vitamin E oil is not necessary but it will add another layer of softness to your skin.

Lastly, you will add the olive oil. I used about 1/4 Cup of olive oil for this scrub. You can add as much as you like based on the type of consistency you are trying to achieve.

Stir this all together until the brown sugar looks like it is wet.

Put this mixture in a pretty jar and use it when you feel like you need some pampering, or give it as a gift, or use it every day to ward off the winter scales!

The scrub should store up to 3 months if you don't get any water in the mixture. Also, the oil will separate from the brown sugar while in storage so it will need stirring before use. ENJOY!

Fall Fest

2011-11-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

I linked up at Fall Fest and I thought maybe I should post a few of the reasons that I love fall...

1.I love cinnamon. I love that its socially acceptable for my house to smell like cinnamon because my house smells like cinnamon all year.

2. Starbucks has the most yummy drinks this time of year... and though I have always been a fan of the pumkin spice latte, this year I haven't had a single one. I tried the new salted caramel mocha. 3 words. TO DIE FOR. I will never look back.

3. I love pretty leaves. I even don't mind raking them up.

4. I love being able to wear jeans and hoodies again.

5. I like to start shopping for Christmas. I like to start early. I am not ready though to see Santa in October. Can we wait until at least mid-november to start that shenanigans?!

6. People are generally happier. I think they may be coming off the summer high and the realization that 6 months of winter is around the corner hasn't quite them yet.

7. Fall is cheaper for us generally... no summertime trips, only a few birthdays, less itchy to get out of the house and do something.

8. You don't have to mow the lawn anymore and unless you live on the east coast, you don't have to shovel any snow either. (for the record, I don't do either of those things anyway. Andy does. I do the laundry... which isn't seasonal)

I wish I could've gotten to 10.... but I'm losing focus and ideas... so you only get to read 8

Happy Deviled Egg Day

2011-11-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

It is national deviled egg day! SOOO in honor of this amazing holiday, I made my first ever batch of deviled eggs and brought them to work!

Not gunna lie... they are craptastic. But my co-workers are eating them (I think they don't want to hurt my feelings!) The next time I make deviled eggs I will allow the eggs to cool completely, using measuring utensils, and be a little more careful with the paprika.

Check out my new toothbrush!

2011-10-31T19:12:00.001-07:00

So I know that I may be the only person on the planet that uses the free toothbrush the dentist gives you. I mean, why not? I get a new one every 6 months and I get pretty colors. However, this past dentist visit (actually the past 5 visits...) the hygienist suggested that I invest in an electric toothbrush.

My initial thoughts went a little like this "Whatever crazy tooth lady! Easy for you to have perfect teeth! You get free dental floss and toothpaste and in between patients you floss your teeth! Plus you never get messy with toothpaste spit because you have that cool sucker thingy". So instead of following her advice, I amped up the flossing... determined to make the crazy tooth lady proud of me. I was doing it about 3 times per week (which was a huge improvement for me) so I was expecting a perfect report card this time around. This, unfortunately, was not the case. Again she told me how much build up I had and how an electric toothbrush would really help. Then she hit a nerve. Literally.

Apparently my sever addiction to diet Pepsi and lack of tooth brushing skills has made my gums move away from my teeth exposing roots. I guess my gums are the cool kids and my teeth are the kids with cooties.

So I sucked it up, did some research and bought myself this beauty. Its a philips sonicare flexcare+. Please don't google it. It was expensive... more than anyone should pay for anything...especially a toothbrush. I really don't want to be judged. So I know you just googled it because you aren't good at listening to directions... but I am really good at justifying the purchase of anything. Here goes this one. I had a coupon. And another coupon. And there was a mail-in rebate. And I've never paid money for a toothbrush before, so i kind of having a toothbrush savings account. It will last a very long time (hopefully forever). Are you feeling better about his purchase? I am.

Then I used it and found about 20 more reasons to justify this purchase. It times how long you are brushing and reminds you to switch to different parts of your mouth. It has a uv cleaning station to get rid of nasty germs. It ramps up to full power for newbies like me. There are like 4 different settings depending on what my tooth brushing mood is. It stays charged for 3 weeks before needing to be charged again. Yup. Like I said before, totally justified!

I've already used it once and holy moley! It feels like I just got back from the dentist. I don't know if its worth every penny but its worth a majority of them.

All I have to say is that my teeth better be happy.

Are you missing me?

2011-10-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

Every night I mean to post on here, but I've got so much going on right now!

Work has been crazy! As you may know, I work at a bank and last week I was in training for a new fandagled machine called a cash recycler that we just went live with yesterday. As a supervisor, this turned into a pretty consuming project and my brain has been hurting. Everything went well, so hopefully now that it is installed and everyone is getting trained it will be smooooooth sailing! :)

Last weekend some friends of mine from high school tied the knot and I was helping them celebrate their marriage. The bride was beautiful and Andy and I had a very good time! It was great seeing some friends that I haven't seen in years and catching up with everyone was surreal. I swear, everybody has babies!

This weekend my baby brother is getting married to a fantastic girl so we've been busy with all of those wedding things as well. I love bachelorette parties... just saying! I am looking foward to a gorgeous wedding and I will be posting some pics next week.

I just wanted to let you all know that I do have some craft projects to post and I haven't forgotten about all of you. Thank you for sticking with me! <3

Pumpkin Wall Art

2011-09-26T13:23:00.000-07:00

Just a quick look at some new art I have added to my wall! It is pumpkins!!!!

This project took me longer to hang than to make! :) I just cut out 4 pumpkins on different designs of scrapbook paper and then mounted the pumpkins on a different paper that was used for another pumpkin and then framed them.

Easy peasy but uber classy!

"Boo" Rag Wreath

2011-09-25T06:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know about all of you, but I am totally getting in the mood for Halloween. I ~~already have~~ want to decorate my house! Now, I have loads and loads of decorations for Christmas but hardly any for fall! I know this is something that I must change. And so I have. BEHOLD... the Halloween rag wreath!

I got really excited about this project and didn't take any photos along the way, but I can give you the run down. To make this wreath you need: 1/4 yard each of any five fabrics of your choice, a wire frame floral wreath, wooden letters, spray paint, hot glue and ribbon.

Cut the fabric into strips about an inch wide and 6 inches long. You simply tie these is knots around the frame. I found it easiest to tie them on in a pattern so that the colors were evenly placed among the wreath. This took me a couple of hours to do, but luckily it doesn't require much concentration so I did that while watching Glee and the Big Bang Theory this week. (Have I mentioned how excited I am for the fall TV season?!)

Next spray paint your letters and let them dry. Move your fabric to make a empty spot on the frame and attach the letters to the frame of the wreath with hot glue. you may need to do a little fluffing after the letters are on the wreath. Tie a ribbon and hang up! I hope you enjoy this project as much as I did!

Fall TV-- What are you watching?

2011-09-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

I realize that it is a Saturday night and I am sitting around watching DVR's TV in my pajamas alone, but I can't confidently say that this has been a pretty perfect night! I have been feeling a little under the weather lately, I think it is allergies or a cold or something, but whatever it is, I NEEDED a night like tonight. The hubby is gone up north and so I can watch all of the amazing shows that he thinks are terrible (without listening to him complain) If you have met my husband then you know that he can be quite the whiner if he isn't getting his way, or if he feels sick, or if the TV is tuned into anything other than ESPN or those stupid survival shows. OK. I am ranting... anyway, here is what I am watching (and loving) this season

New Girl
Up All Night
X Factor
Bones
House
Glee
Big Bang Theory
Greys Anatomy

Just to name a few! Thank goodness for my DVR!

WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING AND LOVING THIS YEAR?

Bridal Shower Recap

2011-09-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

Hey there strangers! Last weekend was my soon-to-be sister's bridal shower. I gave you a sneak peek of the centerpieces, but I am sure you are all dying to see them on the tables!

In addition to the decorations, I also created a book for the bride that has words of advice for a happy marriage from all of those who are near and dear to her. A friend of mine did something like this for my wedding and I think it is still fun to go back and look at and so I thought I would pass on this idea. To make this project you simply need blank 3x5 notecards, a binder ring, a piece of ribbon, and a computer. I chose a title for my book and printed that on the front page along with the bride and groom's names and wedding date.

On many other cards I created pages for their family and friends to write words of advice on. This is one of my favorites... after a wonderful year of marriage, I totally agree with this bit of advice!

Monday... er... Tuesday Check-In

2011-09-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

Last week... oh last week. I did well and met my exercise goal as well as my goal of writing down everything I ate, until the weekend. Those holiday weekends are little buggers. Anyway! I stepped on the scale this morning and was down 2.8lbs. Not a huge vicotry, but a victory nonetheless!

My goals this week:

Exercise 3 times
Record everything I eat
Include at least one vegetable with dinner every night this week (french fries don't count!)
Try one new "healthy" recipe

Gallery Wall

2011-09-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

Whenever anybody comes over to our house that hasn't been there before, there is almost always a comment about this wall in our living room. It is my favorite wall in our house... and let me tell you, I have a lot of cool walls! I love having a way to display some of my gorgeous wedding photos (taken by Rachel @ RBuckley Photography) that remind me of the day that I said "I do" to my best friend. I centered my wall around a quote (BIG shocker there!) and chose a variety of frames in different colors and sizes. And the super great thing??? You can just change around the photos as you create more memories. If you are looking to create a wall like this here are some of my tips...

Choose your favorite photos and decide which ones you want BIG and which you want small
Get your frames on the cheap... you will need about 10 of them for display like mine.
Lay this out on the floor before you start tacking them up on the wall. It is a lot harder to fill in nail holes later.
Though using 3M hanging strips seems like it would be easier, it is not. Use nails. TRUST ME.
Look at it everyday and pat yourself on the back. Tell yourself how awesome you are. Who needs Pottery Barn anyway?!
Use a level. I know these look crooked from the pictures, but it is because I don't take good pictures, not because they aren't straight. I promise.

Ahhh! Fall!

2011-09-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the first weekend that felt like fall. Fall is my favorite of all the seasons. I love being able to wear jeans and sweatshirts, I love cackling campfires, I love changing leaves, I love apple cider, I love pretty much everything about fall. This fall will be even more special because my little brother is getting hitched to a beautiful lady that I can't wait to formally dub my sister! With weddings come the pre-festivities... ie: bridal showers, bachelorette parties an all that jazz. I volunteered to head up the decoration department for Miss Aimee's shower. I toyed around with center piece ideas for awhile but I settled on this fall beauty. I do believe that this centerpiece is not only beautiful for a bridal shower but also, for a dining room table. It is a simple mason jar filled with candy corn and flowers. I used artificial flowers and leaves because mine need to last a while, but real flowers would be an elegant touch. It is perfect for bringing the feeling of fall into your home as well! Enjoy!

Refocus

2011-08-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

Generally I am a happy person. This time of year is always hard for me... school is starting and another year is going by that I am not a teacher. I found this quote via a little Pinterest stalking... I think it is a good reminder.

Monday Check-in

2011-08-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

I will be checking in every Monday during this journey and setting new goals for myself each week. I've heard that writing your goals down makes them more real and it makes you more accountable... which is exactly what I need.

I weighed in this morning and was the exact same as last week. I did very good staying on track with eating last week (until Friday when I had a serious date with ~~a pan of brownies~~ junk food) but I didn't make it to the gym.

This week I commit to:

Exercising 3 days
Drinking a minimum of 6 8oz. glasses of water
Write down everything I am eating

Holy Zucchini Batman!

2011-08-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

Check out that zucchini! It is huge... and it's mine. all mine! One of my customers at the bank brought in a bunch of veggies from his garden and this beauty was in the bag. I literally pushed one of my co-workers out of the way to grab this. It was worth it. I made the most delicious *healthy* zucchini bread/muffins!

Yummy! I did a few substitutions and additions to this recipe but the guts and glory was found on all recipes.

Here is what you will need for the bread:

3 eggs
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. applesauce
2 C sugar
2 C. grated zucchini
2 tsp. vanilla
3 C. flour (I used whole wheat flour)
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

I started by preparing my zucchini and because I am far too lazy to grate a human-baby sized zucchini, I cheated. I peeled my zucchini and then cut it into chunks and threw it in my food processor.

Ok. So now you can begin to mix together your eggs, oil, applesauce and sugar. Mix well!

Add your zucchini and vanilla! Then add all of your dry ingrediants.

Your batter will look like this! You can then pour the batter in to a greased loaf pan or into lined muffin tins.

Now this is the secret weapon, a crumbled topping! To make this delicious crumble you will mix 1 C of brown sugar, 1 C flour, and 2 Tbsp melted butter. Sprinkle this over the tops of your muffins/loaves of bread. Now pop them all in the oven at 325. The muffins took about 20 minutes and the loaf of bread took about 45 minutes.

This recipe made 1 loaf of bread and 10 muffins. I like to make both because the bread is yummy but the muffins are a good option for ~~someone who is perpetually late~~ a girl on the go!

Today... actually yesterday

2011-08-09T17:09:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I decided that I was going to make a big change in my life. I am going to take control of my body.

I'm not sure when it happened. In college, I was healthy, active, comfortable in my body. I graduated from college, couldn't find a job, got depressed, ate to make myself feel better. I also met my wonderful husband. We went out to eat A LOT... restaurants are such a great place to get to know one another! My hobbies changed. I began to enjoy cooking and baking. I began to eat what I was making. I became less active.

Now, you'd think the wake-up call would be the climbing numbers on the scales, the scariness of how difficult physical activity was becoming, my wedding, looking at myself in pictures, my clothes not fitting correctly... but no. It was none of these things. It was a stretch mark forming on my arm.

I guess whatever the reason is, I am doing something about it now.

My goals for Week 1:

Write down everything I eat... even those pesky BLTs (bites, licks, tastes)
Exercise 4 times this week
Find one new "healthy recipe" and blog about it for you all to see (and try!)
Drink water!

GO TEAM KIM!

Word.love

2011-08-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

Fabric Covered Drawer Pulls

2011-07-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

You may or may not have seen the dresser that I prettied up and you may or may not have noticed the fancy pulls on those drawers. AND I may or may not show you how I did that.

STOP BEGGING! Jeez. I can't believe you though I wasn't going to show you how I made them!

First get all of the supplies you will need:

Wooden Drawer Pulls
Fabric of your choice (you'll need enough to cover the drawer pull... I got half a yard and only used about 1/3 of that... so lemme do some quick math... you won't need very much!)
Tacky glue
Scissors
Rubber Bands
Clear Spray Paint (Optional)

Once you have all of your supplies collected, cut your fabric into squares that are big enough to completely cover the knobs that you are updating!

After your fabric squares are all cut, apply the craft glue all over the top of knob and on the sides. I spread it around with my finger, but I don't mind getting messy. If you want to stay as clean as possible, I suggest using a small paintbrush.

Once you glue is evenly applied over the entire surface of the drawer pull, apply your fabric! Make sure it is smooth on the top and as flat and evenly smoothed as you can along the sides. Secure the fabric with a rubber band while your glue dries!

Complete the rest of the knobs in the same fashion and allow the glue to completely dry.


Sorry about the fuzzy picture!

Once the glue is dry, remove the rubber band and cut the excess fabric as close to the edge of the back as you can. This will allow it to lie flat against the surface of the drawer
** The first time I tried this, I wrapped the fabric around the back of the knob by the screw. This didn't allow the knob to be flush against the drawer as I would have liked**

Then spray the knobs with clear, high gloss pray paint. It helps to make it shinier and the the fabric more stiff. It also will help to protect your new knobs from monsters.

Last but not least, apply your new knobs to your drawers, cabinets, stand back in awe of your amazingness... I sure did!

I am linked up at:

Dresser Re-do

2011-07-26T19:31:00.000-07:00

So, I will preface this post by saying that this dresser was the reason that I kept my first and only secret from my husband during our marriage (ok... so it's only been a year... so I've got time to keep more secrets... but this was a biggie!) If all you want to see is the before and after, here you are...

BEFORE

AFTER

And even better yet, this dresser was like a box of cereal. It came with a prize in the drawer! FREEBIE!

If you want to find out what happened with my husband read on!

It started as any innocent day of rummaging does... cash in the purse, empty trunk, my husband carefully keeping track of all of the "junk" I am buying (One man's trash is another man's treasure!)

We pull up to this rummage sale that is pretty dismal, old tools, garbage, old magazines all piled up on two tables. My husband doesn't get out of the car but I've got my wing-men (my parents!). So we are poking around and I notice that these two tables happen to be 2 dressers... i almost peed my pants! I ask the old lady how much she would want for those two beauties.. she says $50 bucks... i hem and haw and offer her $30... she says ok! THEN Andy jumps out of the truck and says no. So alas, I leave the rummage sale, my trunk still empty and my money still intact. (Does anyone need to go get a kleenex? It's ok to cry...)

My heart was broken... apparently, it also broke the hearts of my wing-men because we dropped Andy off and my mom informed me that we were going back. (GOING BACK?!) Luckily, when my mom and I get back to the rummage sale, the dressers are still there... so of course I buy them. and i don't tell my husband. In fact, my parents bring the dressers to their house, where I continue to not tell Andy while I am prettying them up. It's D-Day. I need to get them moved back to my house so gently tell him what I did... and BOY WAS HE MAD. Yup. but I think he doesn't hate them as much as he is acting like that because how can you hate something so beautiful?! He keeps referring to them as "firewood"...but I think he means that these dresser lit a fire in his heart rather than him using them as actual firewood.

Ugly Tray Upcycle

2011-07-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

I took a little trip to my local thrift shop and as I was perusing the the aisles I saw this.

Totally ugly right? I am sorry if you were the very talented artist that painted this, but obviously, since it was at Goodwill, you weren't really diggin' it either. So you will have nooooo problem with how I upcycled it!

I started out with a bit of spray paint primer ( a couple coats all over... those ugly flowers were tough to erase!) and then i spray painted with one of those colors that keeps popping up all over my home.

**Side Note** My favorite color is pink, however my entire home has turned into a sea of blue and green and brown. weird! The only room that has any pink at all is my bedroom. My poor husband.

Anyway, after my paint dried, I added a little decor... courtesy of my Cricut! Modpodged that all on, finished up with a couple layers of modpodge all over and.... voila!

Swimming Dudes

2011-07-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

The forecast for today ( and the rest of this week in Wisconsin) is HOT. Flippin hot! Luckily, I gots me a pool!

Ok. I admit, its a kiddie pool... and when I say kiddie, I mean baby. Its tiny... but i can dangle my feet in it, or sit in it (as long as no one is watching!) However, my furbabies got one look at that pool and they all but pushed mama out! Being the good mom that I am, I gathered up all of their balls and frisbies and nylon bones and threw them in the pool. One by one my pups dragged each toy out until the pool was empty and they stared at me... basically begging me to do it again (which of course, I did!)

At first Capone wasn't too sure about this...

The water is fine!

Dill needs a pair of sunglasses

Look what Capone found in the pool!

Call me sentimental, but this reminds me of when I was a kid. My little brother and I made up "tv shows" that we made our parents watch for hours... they normally starred my brother and I accomplishing impossible feats such as holding our breaths under water for 10 seconds or crossing the swingset without ever touching the ground. We not only thought up the shows' concepts and starred in them, but we also directed them, named them and came up with rocking theme songs. I still remember them just as well as I remember the "Saved by the Bell" theme song! Seriously, we should have won an Emmy or something!

Basically, I just wanted to show off pics of my babies playing in the water. Yup. I am sick!

"Fun"nel cakes!!!

2011-07-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

I am a fan of fair food. I'm not gunna lie. Deep fried anything is good. Actually, it's better than good... it is phenomenal. But, unfortunately, that yummy food is expensive!!! Since my hubby and I are on a budget I decided that I would pass up the $6.00 funnel cakes and make my own with ingredients I already had around the house! So not only was this free ( kind of!) but it was also a lot of fun to do!

The first step is heating up your oil. I used vegetable oil heated up in a frying pan...and I didn't measure it but it was probably about a 1/2 inch of oil in the pan.

While your oil is heating up, mix up your batter... I just used a basic batter recipe. Just mix together in the order you see here

1 1/2 Cups Milk
2 Eggs
2 Cups flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

You'll also need powdered sugar to sprinkle on top... but we are not there yet!

Once your batter is made and your oil is hot, load up your batter... now, I know that these delectable treats are called funnel cakes because the batter is put into the oil through a funnel... and I tried! ATTENTION: the funnel method failed! I ended up using my cupcake icing device.... I also believe a pastry bag would work well or a plastic storage bag with the corner cut out of it.... but, whatever tool you decide to use, now comes the fun part!!!

Drizzle, Pour, go CrAzY! Put that batter in the pan!

Now, the hard part.... let it cook! After the bottom side is cooked to your liking, go ahead and flip it over!

Let the other side cook!

Now, you can take your funnel cake out of the oil (careful! It is really REALLY hot!) and put it on top a plate covered with paper towels (to sop of the excess oil). Then remove the paper towel, and sprinkle on your powdered sugar!

Ok... Now you can eat it!

How about that for some yummy fun?!

Linking up at:

Monogram

2011-06-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of picture frames. When I say a lot, I mean like big plastic bins full of ones that I am not using. It's pretty sick. For a long time it was my belief that only pictures could go in these frames. Now, since I am all mature and grown-up, I've realized that it doesn't just need to be pictures in those frames! This little darling is just an example of how I used one of those frames!

Eat, Drink and Be Merry- Silverware Kitchen Art

2011-06-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

Since my Momsie and Popsicle bought a new place in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, I have found myself frequenting garage sales and Goodwill more and more as we outfit there new place. I have made some terrific finds! I may have found a new obsession! (YIKES!) My husband says not to worry because my attention span lasts about 45 seconds! However, I have recycled some pretty neat finds. Below is what I did with some old mismatched silverware I found at a garage sale and a neat shadow box from from Target!

.10 cents each!!


Target Frame!

All I did was cut out some words using my Cricut...

Glued them on to a pretty piece of 12x12 scrapbooking paper...

Hot glued my pieces of silverware to the paper using ALOT of hot glue...

Put some pretty little bows (also hot glued)...

Inserted the paper in to the frame and VOILA!

It was super easy to make (took me about 10 minutes!) and VERY cheap! The frame was $12, the paper I had on hand and the silverware was .30 cents!

Linking up @...

THE DARING BAKERS’ MARCH, 2011 CHALLENGE: YEASTED MERINGUE COFFEE CAKE

2011-03-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

So... this is my first challenge with the daring baker's and even though it took me all day, I think it turned out our pretty darn good!

The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.


The Ingredients (for the yeast coffee cake dough)

Start by mixing up the dough.There is YEAST yikes!


Dry ingredients first!!!

Combine milk, butter, and water and heat over warm until the butter is melted

Once the butter is melted pour the heated milk mixture into the flour mixture. THEN.... stir, stir, stir, until it forms a dough that holds together.

Put dough on to a floured surface and knead... knead... knead

Place dough into a lighly greased bowl. Cover and let the dough rise for an hour.

Near the end of the hour, make your meringue and set aside!

Halve the dough because this recipe makes two coffee cakes. Roll out half the dough

Now... spread the meringue evenly across the dough leaving about an inch on all sides... believe me... if you don't do that, it gets a little messy when you start rolling! On top of the meringue put your topping on. For one of my coffee cakes I used a cinnamon/sugar mixture and a chopped up Hershey's bar... the other one, I used cherries and sugar. Then roll it up like a Swiss Cake Roll and then turn into a wreath. Cut into the wreath with a kitchen scissors. Let the cakes rise AGAIN (dang yeast!) Then bake!

Here's the final product!

It was challenging. it was yummy. I can't wait until next month! :)

RECIPE!

FILLED MERINGUE COFFEE CAKE
Makes 2 round coffee cakes, each approximately 10 inches in diameter
The recipe can easily be halved to make one round coffee cake
Ingredients
For the yeast coffee cake dough: 4 cups (600 g / 1.5 lbs.) flour ¼ cup (55 g / 2 oz.) sugar ¾ teaspoon (5 g / ¼ oz.) salt 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons / 7 g / less than an ounce) active dried yeast ¾ cup (180 ml / 6 fl. oz.) whole milk ¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fl. oz. water (doesn’t matter what temperature) ½ cup (135 g / 4.75 oz.) unsalted butter at room temperature 2 large eggs at room temperature
10 strands saffron for Ria’s version (Saffron might be hard to find and it’s expensive, so you can substitute with ½ - 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom or ground nutmeg. Or simply leave it plain like Jamie’s version)
For the meringue: 3 large egg whites at room temperature ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla ½ cup (110 g / 4 oz.) sugar
For the filling:
Jamie’s version: 1 cup (110 g / 4 oz.) chopped pecans or walnuts 2 Tablespoons (30 g / 1 oz.) granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup (170 g / 6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate

Thunder... lightening... and snow! OH MY!

2011-03-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

Right now there is lightening, thunder and snow. I wonder, on a daily basis, why I live in the state of Wisconsin. I am hoping that after Winter Storm Francesca (how exotic, right?!) blows on through that we will finally enter the fabulous season called SPRING! But... in the mean time I think I might be snowed in or iced in... I'm not sure which. So tomorrow (since I have off) I plan on doing some baking and crafting. I am in the middle of a project that I would like to finish and I've got some bananas that are overly ripe on the kitchen counter. Here's a tidbit you might find interesting... Andy sometimes hides bananas until they are black so that I need to make banana bread for him! Devilish huh?? I'll post pics (of both?) when I am finished!

Curly Girl

2011-03-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

I love Curly Girl Design. It is probably my most favorite art of all time. If you've been to my house you will see many displays that prove my love. She is just releasing some of her new spring things and I LOVE this one. I love many of her pieces.... they speak to me and I feel like they say the exact thing that I am thinking. Take a look at Leigh's beautiful art and become obsessed too!

Dillinger

2011-03-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

Meet Dillinger. He is my baby. He is a cuddler. He gives hugs. He kisses alot. He is a bed hog and a begger extrordinare. He is mean brother. He is naughty. He chews up important papers and steals food off the table. He ruins every new piece of furniture we buy. He's been a part of our family a year and we still can't let him be home alone. However, its been a year where I sometimes would rather be home cuddling, getting kisses and watching his antics than doing anything else.

2011-03-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

Happiness is... A new playlist

2011-03-13T16:37:00.000-07:00

I love making new playlists... it is one of my very favorite things to do. But today I created a playlist that is all of my old favorites. This is the kinda playlist that sounds really good with me singing along at the top of my lungs. It the kind of playlist that every song evokes a memory. Its the kind of playlist that reminds you of who you are and where you've been. It makes me think of some very special people who have played important roles in my life. This playlist is wonderful and fantastic and I can't stop listening to it....here are a few of the picks!!!

Far Away- Nickelback
She's Everything- Brad Paisley
Chasing Cars- Snow Patrol
Gravity- Sara Bareilles
I'm Movin' On- Rascal Flatts
In Terms of Love- SheDaisy
The Older I Get- Skillet
Stay- Lisa Loeb
Marry Me- Train
You're That Way- Jon Troast
People Change- Rockapella
Stay With You- GooGoo Dolls
There it Go- Juelz Santana
Smack That- Eminem
Tim McGraw- Taylor Swift
Remember When- Alan Jackson
So Far Away- Crossfade
Prayin' for Daylight- Rascal Flatts
Bad Day- Daniel Powter
Goodbye My Lover- James Blunt
Best Days- Matt White
Take Me or Leave Me- Rent Soundtrack
Defying Gravity- Wicked Soundtrack
Low- Flo Rida
Watch Me Shine- Joanna Pacitti

Is this thing on?

2011-03-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

Umm... is this thing on????

Holy Moley! Has it really been a month since my last post? I am baaad! See? Another resolution hits the dust! :)

Well, here's an update for you. Work has been kinda crazy. The dogs are always crazy. My house has been even crazier! Plus American Idol is sucking my life away! :)

Speaking of American Idol... These are my two faves.

Lauren Alaina who is hands-down the best girl they've got and Scotty McCreery with his ultra-low countryfied voice! mmmhmmm! I do have a couple other boys that I have crushes on as well! Hopefully they all make it into the top 10!

Crepes

2011-02-05T07:59:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning for a hankering for something different than normal for breakfast. Seeing that this was my first Saturday morning not working in three weeks, I decided to indulge. Strawberry Cream Crepes.. mmm

There are two parts to making this delectable morning meal: the crepe and the filling...we will start with the crepe!

To make the crepes you need

                                                            2 Large Eggs
                                                            1 Cup Flour
                                                            1/2 Cup Milk
                                                         1/2 Cup Water
                                                           2 Tbsp Butter
                                                            2 Tbsp Sugar
                                                               1/4 tsp Salt

For the crepes... there's nothing to it.... just throw all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together!

At this point I made the filling so that I could put the filling right in the hot crepes. However, I'll continue showing you how to make the crepes.

Pour the batter onto a hot, greased griddle or pan.

Spread the batter out along the bottom of the pan. Let the crepe cook for about 2 minutes on one side until it is slightly browned--- then flip, flip it good!

Allow the other side to cook and Voila!!! Crepes!

Now for the filling. The beautiful thing about crepes is that they are as unique as you are!! You can use anything you want to fill them... I made a strawberry sour cream filling this morning. Other great ideas are nutella and bananas/ strawberry cream cheese/ apple spice/ cheese... the possibilities are endless!

        5 large strawberries (stems removed and cut up)
        1/3 cup sour cream
        3 Tbsp sugar
        1 Tbsp lemon juice

Take the chopped strawberries and sugar and throw them in the food processor to puree them up

Then throw this mixture into a mixing bowl and add your sour cream and lemon juice and mix everything together!

Now let watch the two worlds collide! Put a couple spoonfuls of your filling on the crepe.

Fold it up... throw some whipped cream or powdered sugar on top and ENJOY!

Currently Reading: Shadowfever

2011-01-18T18:21:00.000-08:00

Resolutions

2011-01-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

That is exactly what my New Years Resolutions were... this cartoon really tells it the way it is.

Last night, the hubs *gently* pointed out that I have failed at every New Years resolution I had set. I think a major part of that failure was due to my not writing it down (notice that I am not mentioning how my failure could be due to my severe lack of willpower). I am reading a book right now that says the most important thing about setting goals is writing them down.
.
So these are my ~~NEW YEARS~~ Resolutions

Cut out fast food (I will not let KFC's mashed potatoes biscuits make my mouth water... dang, mny mouth is watering!)
Blog more regularly. I have already put this into action and am succeeding... I think! I can't promise that everything I blog is interesting, but I am blogging!
Be a more adventurous cook and baker... I just joined the Daring Kitchen. Right now I am just doing the daring baker challenges, we'll see how that rolls before I add more to my plate.
Exercise. any type of exercise is more than I am doing now, so I would like to improve in that aspect. When the hubs and I look into our future, we know that we want to have babies (real ones... not furry ones) at some point. Before that happens, I need to be a healthier person...we need to be a healthier family.
Do the household chores before they pile up on me. This includes: laundry, dishes and dusting...
Put money from every paycheck into savings... even if sometimes its only $10
Be a better friend.

WHEW! What a list, I have a lot to work on!

the BEST monday ever!

2011-01-17T08:01:00.000-08:00

Today is shaping out to be the best monday ever for a few reasons...

#1. banks are closed. so this may be a Monday for you, but it isn't one for me. I have decided that I would be a much happier person if I had every Monday off.
#2. i am home alone. even though the hubs pretty much keeps to himself in his "lair", he's still here. breathing my oxygen. ok, I'm kidding about the oxygen thing. I'm sure their is plenty of breathable air out there that I can share with my wonderful hubby.
#3. its snowing outside, which renders me house bound.I seriously hate driving in the snow. more than anything. have you seen that insurance commercial where all the cars are sliding into other parked cars/trees/ inanimate objects. it gives me a mild panic attack just watching that commercial.
#4. I can do whatever I want... except laundry. I'll have to do that even if I don't want to. I'm out of clean undies :)

Here's what I am doing today


mmm... caffeine


my dirty secret... daytime talk shows (I've been known to fake sick to watch Sylvia Browne on Maury)

Cuddling on the couch with Dillinger (notice the pjs?? mmmhmmm)


Reading a book

WAIT! That's not all... this afternoon I booked myself a massage and facial. Now that is something that I will brave Wisconsin roads for... Just because I don't like driving in the snow, doesn't mean that I won't... c'mon. I am a seasoned winter driver. I live in friggin Wisconsin. I also may bake some cupcakes or possibly scrapbook. I dunno. Now you must excuse me. Rachael Ray is on... my hero.

He is We

2011-01-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for some good music with some super awesome lyrics, may I suggest He is We. You can listen to their whole album for free on PureVolume or you can purchase it on itunes for like $10 bucks. I promise, it will be well spent. He is We is kind of mix between Colbie Caillat and Taylor Swift and I am utterly in love... enjoy!

"horror"scope!

2011-01-13T18:12:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the latest on the zodiac? If you haven't... please read this article from msnbc before reading my rant...

Apparently, my whole life as I know it has been a complete sham!

As a Gemini i was always described as quick, clever, impulsive, restless, changeable and highly intellectual. I crave novelty and variety, and grow bored easily. yup... pretty much sums me up...

Now I am a Taurus... lets see that means I am not described as practical, reliable and stubborn. They possess great physical strength and endurance, and are inclined to be financially successful in the long run. pretty much the opposite of everything I am.

So now what do I do?? read both horoscopes everyday and decide which one fits my life better? Do I jump the Gemini ship because the stars are aligned differently... or do I keep on pretending I'm a Gemini, because, lets face it (as a Taurus) I am very stubborn?

UGGh...

2011-01-12T19:59:00.000-08:00

I obviously am having shopping withdrawals. I need these boots. I live in Wisconsin. My feet are always cold. OK, I admit, I have boots that I don't wear because they aren't cute... but these... I think my feet would always be toasty. I would always be fashionable. so, they are both functional and fashionable! I cannot think of a better way to spend money...

a girl can dream, can't she???

Shoulder Candy

2011-01-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

I am jonesing for some new shoulder candy. shhh! don't tell the hubs!
Here are a couple that make my heart ache with need... donations are welcome! hahaha!


Kate Spade Nylon Tate


Coach Mia Signature

French Onion Soup

2011-01-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

So I made this for the hubs one night a month or so ago... and I am sorta craving it. Its got that "OMG I've gotta have more" quality to it.... I swiped the recipe from the Pioneer Woman. What did I do differently?? Used a cheaper cheese and had a way more giant bowl of it! Kinda crazy though, my soon-to-be sis made a pretty yummy version of her french onion soup in a crockpot... just a little something something to think about!

WARNING! If you look any further, you will gain 5lbs

mmmmmhmmmm.... and you ain't seen nothing yet! The next shot will be the one that makes you scream "I'll have what she's having!"

Yup. you're are drooling and your pants feel a little tighter don't they? It's ok... that's what they make sweatpants for :)

Word of the Day

2010-12-28T19:16:00.000-08:00

Moxie: The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage

I want moxie... i think i've got moxie. Call me MOXIE GIRL!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

2010-12-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

Oh my! It is only 3 days until Christmas.... and I think I am ready. Almost. I just need one family photo in front of the Christmas tree... it is tradition after all... and it our first Christmas in our house and our first married Christmas we even have a new member so it is extra important that we get this one done! (and no... I am not pregnant I am talking about Dilly)... I have a ton to be thankful for this year.

Tutoring

2010-12-15T07:46:00.001-08:00

This is where we can write!!!

A-Choo!

2010-12-09T11:27:00.000-08:00

All of the dust on this thing is making me sneeze!!!! I am dusting it off...and polishing it... and loving it again. The holiday season never seems like a good time to begin something that can ultimately be time consuming, but you know me!!!! I am not happy/productive until I have too much on my plate :) Soo I promised pictures of the finished kitchen... I am still undecided on a backsplash, but I can show you what it looks like thus far...

Kitchen Renovations

2010-07-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

What is it about house projects that bring out the best in your house but the worst in your relationships? Ok... maybe that doesn't happen for everyone or every house project, but it definitely happened for this one... and no, we aren't totally finished, and yes, I was a little hasty when I pulled down a whole bunch of wallpaper, but my cheapity cheap cheap kitchen reno has started off to be productive. Though I am pretty sure that if I begin something like this again, my husband will really leave me and not just threaten it ;) My once bland kitchen is now BLUE! I will be making new curtains and tiling a pretty amazing backsplash, painting my cabinets and getting a new countertop. Overall, it will be one of the best rooms in my house ( until I get rid of the fake fireplace wall :) ) I will post before and after pics, no worries.

BiRtHdAyS!!

2010-06-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to the most amazing husband I've ever had....

ANDY.

He didn't want anything for his birthday so I made him home-made doughnuts for breakfast!

Passions

2010-06-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

This week was my first week at my new job. It's different being a supervisor and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I've got a lot of work to do and I'm sure a lot of learning is going to happen on the way. I'm kind of glad that I got this new job when I did... there is not much out there for teaching jobs in the area and I think this may help the annual depression that sets in about this time each year and last until mid-September. It's hard not doing what you are passionate about but I think that I could definitely make a career out of banking. It's not my first choice, but it wouldn't be my last choice either.

On a brighter, not so depressing note... I received my new Nook (the BN ereader) in the mail on Thursday and I have already read my first book. The Nook is different than I thought it would be, I think I expected it to be a little more like the iPad but with a better screen for reading and less of the other gadgets. It sure isn't something I'd want to surf the internet on, but in terms of buying books and reading them it is everything I wanted it to be. Since I just got it, I'm sure there are a ton of features that I don't know about yet. So far, I'm not missing the feel/smell of a book...The Nook makes me excited to read!

Ahh! Married Life

2010-06-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

Andy and I just got back from our honeymoon a couple of days ago and it was absolutely blissful! The details shall remain to a minimum, but I will tell you that we ate some great meals, read some great books, spent some amazing time together! We stayed at the Eagle Harbor Inn in Door County (which I would highly recommend to anyone and everyone!)

Just to rewind a bit. We want to thank everyone (again) who made our day so special! The wedding turned out beautifully. We had a great weather and a great group of people celebrating with us. The food was good, the music was great, and the dancing was a sight to be seen! Quite a few people left very early, but we were glad that they were able to come out for parts of it! :) Hopefully I will be adding some pictures in the near future (though most of them are already on facebook)!

"You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her."-- Anon.