Oh, the pressure...

It's been a while since I retired my "Goodwill Gal" blog.  In fact, October 2010 was my last entry.  I'm still shopping at Goodwill and Salvation Army and STILL finding amazing deals all of the time.  But, I think I put too much pressure on myself trying to find an amazing deal to write about on my Goodwill Gal blog.  So, that's why I retired it.  Who needs unwanted pressure?

But, still... from time to time, I find myself wanting to blog about my really cool finds! So I would like to start a blogging segment about it again.  It may be once a week... it may be once a month.  HECK, it might just never get off the ground...  (sigh...)

So, without further introduction...

Here's my latest really cool find at the Salvation Army.  I was doing my weekly walk through of the local Salvation Army when I came across this chair.  I sat down on it and immediately phoned Randy to tell him I was buying a chair and to not be alarmed when he got home and I needed help unloading it.

The price?  $160.00  

Y'all, this chair is awesome.  It's firm, the frame is sturdy, the leather is in great shape and the style is timeless.  There are no markings on the chair to indicate the brand, other than this horse head on the base.  (If anyone knows this brand, I'd love to hear from you!)

Bonus... it matches our leather sofa in our living room.

Pretty awesome deal, wouldn't ya say?

(We also purchased Elisan's bedroom furniture from the Salvation Army.  The S.A. is a great place if you are in the marked for gently used furniture.)

All it takes is vision!

Y'all, Randy has requested that I update the garden planters I blogged about back in January.  He accused me back then, that I didn't see his vision. 

Guilty, as charged.

But y'all, look what I had to work with.  Would you see raised garden planters from this?  I mean, c'mon... I don't normally lack vision.  I'm a visual person.  

So, today, I submit to you... the finished raised garden planters... ready for a Spring garden.  Randy is clearly proud of his handiwork... or proud of my lack of vision.  Whatever the case may be, his raised planters turned out pretty well.  He even has some neat features that will come in handy.

See the metal poles sticking out along the sides of the planters?  Those not only hold the wood in place, but they will also serve as means to stake up plants or create a green house effect.  Imagine taking a flexible piece of plastic pipe and bending/attaching it to the pole on the opposite side... making an arc shape.  He could do that all the way down each planter and drape plastic over the planters (green house) or tie up plants that need a little bit of extra support.  Pretty nifty.

He also created a drip line irrigation system that extends to each planter.  As you can see, each section has an irrigation soaker hose around in.  Beats having to stand there with a water hose... plus, the slow drip will ensure a good soaking when needed.

He planted a little bit of everything!  Squash, spinach, red onions, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, herbs, carrots, etc.  And some of it has already begun to sprout!

The added bonus... I think Kyla may have inherited Randy's garden green thumb.  She's taken a big interest in the garden and is excited to see the new growth each day.

I think Randy did a great job with the planters and I can't wait to reap the benefit of the fresh veggies!

The post about drinking

Y'all, I didn't intend to comprise a post about drinking, but as I was snapping photos of the things I wanted to talk about, I noticed a theme.  Quite remarkable that I would actually have a theme and not some random blog brain dump.

But, first things first.  I updated my blog design.  I like this design so much I wanted to show you (feed readers) what you were missing.  I like the simplicity of this design and the colors.  It makes me happy.

 
So, I was at Goodwill the other day and I happened upon a juicer.  It was $5.00.  It was a no brainer and I bought it.  Okay, let's just state for the record... I don't think I'll ever be a full-fledged juicer kind of person.  I like to chew my food.  It's who I am.  But, I've seen a lot of juicing recipes on Pinterest and some amazing "before/after" pictures of people who were on juicing diets for 30 days and I can't help but admit that I was intrigued.  I have a friend who is on a totally exclusive juice diet and she says that while the first 2-3 days were hard (I'm assuming difficult on many levels... emotional, physical, gastroenterally...) but that she feels great now... more energy, healthy, etc.

Anyway... the juicer I bought (for $5.00 baby) works great and I have used it twice.  Today, I made a glass of a multitude of fruits found in my fridge and counter... a pear, papaya, lime, oranges and grapefruit.  Let me state for the record, that if you are NOT a grapefruit person, then just skip this one... because the grapefruit is very over-powering.

I'd love to read about your experience with a juicer and any great recipes you have tried.

I always love to read about tried and true products and I wanted to share with you my new favorite energy drink. I know, I know... I go from healthy to NOT so healthy in 5 seconds flat.  But you know... I like to drink an energy concoction before I hit the gym.  It just WORKS, okay?

I really enjoy ROCKSTAR Recovery and Hydration.  It's 20 calories (for the entire can) and it is not fizzy/carbonated, which is what I don't like about those huge monster sized energy drinks. It really tastes yummy and I have a ton of energy at the gym.

Have you seen this?  HEB had Starbucks coffee on sale this week and it ended up being the same price as the coffee we drink everyday, so I decided to buy a bag.  This morning as I was opening the new bag, I noticed this...   Yes, all of you Starbucks junkies out there... you are welcome.

 

 During the same trip to Goodwill when I bought the juicer (for $5.00 baby) I also found TWO Camelbak Hydration Backpacks (without the hydration reservoir inserts.)  I was able to snag both of them for $2.00/each.

Y'all.  This was a phenomenal deal!

Camelbak sells the complete unit (with the 70oz reservoir included) for $68.00!  And bonus: Randy had an extra 70oz reservoir because he recently upgraded to the 100oz reservoir.  So, total score for me!  Now, everyone in the family has a Camelbak hydration pack.  Perfect for our next road trip in June as we trek Yellowstone National Park.

I've been asked by Randy to update the raised planters situation in our backyard, where I praised him for his rednecking abilities.  But, it will have to wait.  I need him here with me so I can accurately explain what all he's got going on out there.  Let's just say... he was not impressed with the "before" picture I took of the planters.  He is insisting upon "after" pictures.

1,200

Wow, this is blog entry number 1,200.  Crazy that I've kept up with this for 1,200 entries. You could say that I have "stick-to-itiveness" issues, especially when I look at Randy and sometimes say, "I can't believe we've been together for (blank) number of years!  I've never done anything for this long!"  Same holds true for the blog.  So, yeah... yay me.

What would really be cool if I were one of these bloggers that actually got PAID for my mad blogging skills... but it's not to be.  (Sigh...)  Because it would really come in handy right about now, seeing as we're living out of ice chests.  Why ice chests?  Well, our refrigerator decided to quit on us yesterday.    It's always fun coming home to mint chocolate chip ice cream oozing from the bottom of the freezer... just sayin'.  It was 14 years old and we knew it was one ice cube away from dying, but I still had hope it could be repaired by my genius handy man.   Nope.  It's not repairable.  So, a new fridge was ordered.  And there goes our tax return refund.

Oh, and it won't arrive until tomorrow. (Yes, I know... 1st world problems.)   It's like a camping adventure, but not really.  Let's just say, I'll be glad to have milk that is cold, rather than room temp.

So, I recently bought a Hot Fix Wand.  No, it's not the latest in essential hair appliances.  It's a crystal bead applicator.  You know, the crystal (blingy) beads that set/glue when you apply heat.  Well, it's a tool designed especially for intricate bling detailing.   Y'all.  I'm for the most part AGAINST the excessive blingy-ness found in clothing stores, but because you pretty much cannot buy a tshirt without bling on it for girls ages 9-12, it has come in handy as an easy way to replace missing blingy-ness.  I even added blingy-ness to one of Elisan's sweatshirts.  As a mom of two girls, I'm really sad that I didn't have this tool sooner.  I mean... I could have been using this thing for years.  I've even decided to make myself a custom blinged out cap to wear to soccer games.  I flat our refuse to wear anything that says "soccer mom", but I don't mind wearing clothing to support the team's colors and/or name.  So, I'm gonna bling out a cap that has the girls' soccer team name on it.  I'll keep ya posted on how it turns out once I get started.

Next week is Spring break and my head is literally spinning that it is already time for Spring break.  Not to mention the fact that it's freezing outside right now.  Isn't Spring break traditionally in Spring?  And shouldn't it be a tad bit warmer?  The girls will be at indoor soccer camp for the entire week while I.... while I enjoy spring break without them.  I'm kind of bummed that they won't be "off" for their week off of school.  But, they love it and I don't want to deprive them of fun... heaven forbid... because sleeping late and hanging around the house with mom truly IS NOT fun.

And that's all for now.  I'm going to bask in the glow of my 1,200th post and leave on a high note.

Why I loathe Craigslist

This is my mean face.

I have always been a fan of Craigslist, that is until recently.  In fact, I have listed many things on Craigslist lately only to end up at eBay because of the CL spammers and/or losers.  

But, I like to try to deal with people locally and this morning, I listed a Wacom Drawing Tablet (that I just had to have, but never got the hang of using it.)  As with all Craigslist listings, you add your location so people will know where the item is.  For example, I would not contact a seller for an item that is more than 25 miles away unless I really wanted it and was willing to make the drive to get it.  That's just me...

So, I get this email today regarding the tablet.  Read on:

First email / reply

• Danielle@maximus.com:  I'm interested in the tablet.  Please contact me if it's still available.

• Erica: Yes, i still have it.  I'm in Georgetown.  I can meet as far as round rock most afternoons around 3pm. You can pick it up in Georgetown anytime.

Second email / reply

• Danielle@maximus.com: If you can only come to RR around 3pm, I can pick up it up Saturday at one of the shopping plazas.  I could pick it up sooner, but I'm working long hours right now and Georgetown is too far.

(She did not specify which “shopping plaza” so I threw out Georgetown again…)

• Erica: Saturday works.  Around 2-3?  In Georgetown?  I pick up kids from school in RR, so unfortunately, that is a M-F thing.

(Meaning, I can meet in RR at 3pm ONLY on M-F’s.  Otherwise, here's a time frame to work with on Saturday...)

Third email / reply

• Danielle@maximus.com   I can't do Georgetown and I work 12 hours days.  If coming to Georgetown is a stipulation, you'll probably have to look for another buyer.

• Erica:  Ok, Thx anyway.

(This is where I expected it to end… but now, seconds later I get this email….)

Fourth email / reply

• Danielle@maximus.com   Cool, when you realize you're making a mistake by forcing people to come to Georgetown and if I haven't gotten my replacement pen for my other tablet, feel free to contact me again. I might still be interested, but chances are slim.

• Erica: I live, work and play in Georgetown and NOT that desperate to sell it.  I’d rather keep it for my kids than deal with buyers like you.

("Forcing people to drive to Georgetown..."  Really?  You contacted me.  So, yeah... I threw out the "buyers like you" sentence, but really... we were done... you are now harassing ME.)   

Fifth email

• Danielle@maximus.com Then don't waste people's time.  It's ignorant people like you who give Craig's List a bad name.  Don't e-mail this address again.

(Oh yes, like I’m going to further engage is THIS conversation... DELETE...)

Or, rather, "SAVE"... and publish on my blog... because I like to get in the last word. 

Seriously people.  You would not order something from Target and then expect Target to meet you halfway for pick up.  Nor should you expect it from a seller on Craigslist.  I was willing to meet her.  I was willing to work with her...what I was not willing to do was drive all over town to accommodate her schedule.  

Ugh.  Craigslist... I'm done with you. 

Wordless Wednesday

4 vs. 1...'nuff said

One proud mama!

I have to say, we've had an incredibly busy week.  Blah, blah, blah, I know... EVERYONE is busy.  But, for posterity sake, I must detail our last week (or so...)

First off, the big news is that I'm the proud owner of my very own MacBook (a.k.a. MacDaddy).  Randy surprised me with a laptop for Valentine's Day.  Now, don't go thinking that Randy is a big spender at Valentine's day, because in the 14 years that we've been married, he has never bought me anything like this before.  It's always been flowers or a card, or ONLY a card... maybe a nice dinner out... but never anything extravagant.  In fact, for Valentine's Day, I only asked for "Sparkly Green Earrings" by Melanie Shankle (a.k.a. Big Mama).  But, instead... I got a MacDaddy.

See, I decided at the first of the year I would do the 52 week savings plan, where you save a dollar for each corresponding weeks of the year.  For example, week 3 of the year, you would add $3.00 to your savings... week 25...$25.00 and so on.  By the end of the year, you would have saved a little over $1300.00... enough for me to buy a MacBook.  Randy knowing I wanted a laptop and his pure hatred for PC's, he decided to take the plunge and get the laptop for me.  So, I've been busy buying accessories, software, external disk drive, etc. for it.  Y'all, my husband must REALLY love me, is all I'm sayin'.  (Good thing, since I REALLY love him.)

This is me, typing up a blog entry at the soccer fields.  Sweet!

Speaking of soccer, I've got a lot of news, but I'll keep it brief... you know, because I tend to talk about soccer a lot.

Kyla was in a futsal tournament 2 weekends ago and her team got first place.  Futsal is similar to soccer played outdoors, but futsal is played indoors (usually on a court) and the ball is a weighted soccer ball.  This was her first time to play futsal and she had a blast.

In other soccer news, the girls played in a tournament this past weekend and were in the same bracket... which meant that their two teams played each other... in the finals.  Kyla's team beat Elisan's team to take first place (again).  Elisan's team got second place.  It was a nail-biter game, but I'm so fortunate and grateful that the girls are such good sports!  No one had hurt feelings and they handled the win/loss beautifully.

And finally, last Friday I drove Elisan to San Antonio to the Area Qualifier Competition for Math Olympics.  Math Olympics is hosted by ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International).   She placed 3rd in the surrounding Austin areas and was eligible to compete at the area "regional" competition in math computation (word problems).  

At the end, they brought each group up for awards and the final 5 kids left on stage were the ones that placed in the competition.  Well, as Elisan's group was being awarded ribbons of participation, there were 8 kids remaining on the stage as they began handing out ribbons for 5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd place.  That meant, there were four kids left on stage and Elisan was one of them.  YIKES!  What in the world did that mean?

Well, as it turns out, the announcer said, "I guess you're all wondering why there are four remaining students on stage?  That is because there was a 4-way tie!"  So, Elisan was one of 4 that placed FIRST place in math computation in 6th grade.  We were all shocked!  (Check out Elisan's face in the picture below when she learned she placed 1st.)

It was a great day for her!  I could not be more proud.  I'll be honest... the soccer medals are great, because I know they work hard at soccer and truly love it...but, the academic stuff... especially math, is just stinkin' amazing to this math challenged mama.  There is no doubt, she gets the math genes from her daddy.

And, I suppose that is all.  I've bragged... er, um... blogged enough for now.  Maybe now that I have a laptop, I'll be better at blogging... or perhaps I'll just get better at surfing the web or watching Netflix.  Who knows?

Wordless Wednesday

Okay, this really can't be a completely "wordless" post.  Check out this amazingly huge girl take a shot on goal.  Unfortunately, she's aiming at the bright orange jersey worn by my child.

By the way... Elisan stopped the shot.

Sharing the Love... iPad Screensaver

Here's a cute little background for your mobile device.

Enjoy!

Right Click on Image & "Save Image As"

My funny little dog

Y'all, I could write a blog entry entitled "My funny little dog" each week.  TJ is just so stinkin' cute, has a huge personality and is the best companion dog ever.  He literally wants to be with me every single moment of the day.

Here's what I'm talking about.  I was sorting through seasonal clothes yesterday... stuffing away sweaters and jackets and pulling out shorts and tshirts... (YES... it's February... YES, the high is going to be 80 degrees today.... YES, Randy laughs at me every year when I "think" winter is over...) and TJ decided that he needed to be in the center of what I was doing.  So, he just hopped into the storage bag and took a little nap.

But, I will say, there has been a down side to all of this "being with me every single second of the day" and that is, I have become "HIS" and he thinks he's the boss of me, aka. Small Dog Syndrome.  It had gotten so bad, that he was growling at Elisan when she'd approach me when he was sitting in my lap, etc.

So, anyway... over the last three weeks we've had to re-program his little brain into a more submissive dog role... which means... walking behind--not ahead (on the stairs), being invited to sit next to us on the furniture, crated or put outside when we eat, absolutely NO sleeping in our bed, etc.  Since then, he's back to his old self.

Being the "big dog in the house" is stressful for little dogs and essentially, the entire household.  We're just so blessed to have an easily adaptable dog.

Wordless Wednesday

Hello Cutie!

Y'all, I love, love, love Cutie Mandarin Oranges.  Don't be fooled by imposter mandarins either folks... CUTIE brand is THE only brand to buy.  They are hand's down our favorite fruit snack.

When it came time to sign up for party food for Valentine's Day, I knew I wanted to send yummy Cuties for a snack.  What kid can resist a Cutie, right?!

So, I decided to dress up the Cuties for Valentine's day.

A little assembly required, but this is where YOUR CUTIE comes in.  Have your child cut, punch, tape, assemble the decorations onto the Cuties.

There ya have it!

If you want to dress up a Cutie for Valentine's Day, click on the image to the left, save as, and print.  NOTE: You might have to adjust the print size prior to printing.  Print on cardstock for best results.

Blog Brain Dump (Edition 2, 2013)

Y'all, I'm just so upset about Downton Abbey and Lady Sybil. And if you are still living under a rock and have not watched Downton Abbey, get thyself a Netflix account and catch up for goodness sakes.

I would have been HAPPY to see Mary go, but Lady Sybil?  And speaking of Mary... when Edith was extending an olive branch of peace at Lady Sybil's bedside, Mary just pish-poshed her to the wayside.  No wonder Edith can't stand her... I can't either.  Mary is my least favorite character, and sadly, Lady Sybil was my favorite. 

Look how cute my girl looks here!  She was asked last minute to fill in a 3x3 soccer tournament this past weekend.  They got third place.  And I'm proud to say that Elisan got the game winning GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!  Such a proud mama moment.

So, I've kicked up my workouts again.  Oh?  You didn't know I was slacking in the gym?  Well, yes... yes I have been.  Don't get me wrong... I'm still going to the gym as often as I can, but lately, that's only been about 3x a week and I've mainly focused on cardio.  Sadly, it is not nearly enough because I enjoy eating.

Anyway, so I've begun lifting weights again.  And writing stuff down to keep track.  I always thought I was the biggest nerd in town when I kept a gym record of my lifts, etc., but you know what?  I really like looking back and seeing how much I've improved over the course of a few months.  Sadly, though... it also lets me know how  much muscle mass I've lost since I began slacking off... which is a ton.  (For example, I used to be able to bench press 95lbs.  Now, I can barely bench press 70lbs.  That's what slacking will get you... flabby muscles.)

If anyone is interested, here's my workout log.  Try it out, see what you think.  If there's an exercise you aren't familiar with, just look it up.  Below is my upper body workout.  I have it set to do every Monday and Thursday -- both days have different exercises.

Below is my lower body workout.  I have it set to do every Tuesday and Friday -- again, with different exercises on both days.

Disclaimer: I'm not a trainer and I don't pretend to be.  All I know is that when I was doing these weightlifting exercises I was strong and I felt awesome. 

I have recently added a must-buy item to my weekly grocery list and it's FAGE Plain Greek Yogurt 2%.  I love to use it as an ingredient for cooking, making salad dressings and dips, including fruit dips.  But, I'll be honest... by itself, it tastes like sour cream, so I could never imagine eating it as a snack.  That is until I decided to mix in a teaspoon of brown sugar and what do you know?  It's super yummy!

I especially love the fact that the 7 ounce container of FAGE Greek Yogurt is only 150 calories and a whopping 20 grams of protein.  That's a huge amount of protein y'all.  (And adding a teaspoon of brown sugar only adds about 15 calories to the container.  Of course, you may want to add more, depending on your taste.)

Anyway, definitely give it a try... Especially after a long hard workout, hint, hint!

How to foul in basketball.

(My child is wearing the turquoise headband.)

This is how you foul an opposing player in basketball.  You relentlessly pursue the other player and when that fails, you throw your body on top of the other player.  And then, you get a stern talking to by your coach because this is your THIRD foul in the first 6 minutes of the game. 

Spain Goalie Training

Both girls were invited to attend a private session with a goalie trainer from Spain.  Aside from the brief translation gaps, the girls had a great time and learned so much! 

Blog Brain Dump ed.1 (2013)

It's been a while since I posted a brain dump so here goes.

Let me first say, that I love my husband.  But, sometimes we don't see eye to eye on projects around the house.  He says I'm more red-neck than he is and most time, I'll agree with him.  But, sometimes his red-necking skills surpass even my wildest imagination.

Take this for example.  This is what will become an elevated garden.

I say... let's build something like this.  He says I'm crazy if I think it will hold up.

See, the problem with where we live is that we have a huge drainage ditch that run through our backyard.  It's not pretty.  We've never pretended to like it.  That's why we got such a great deal on our house.  But, because about once every 4 years when we get a torrential Spring rain, the ditch will flood.  So, in effort to utilize more of the space in the backyard, Randy decided that he'd build elevated planters in the off chance there comes a flood.  In other words... my idea of a an elevated planter will wash away, while his elevated planter will last through the apocalypse.

I'll keep ya posted on how the final product turns out.  He said he's dress it up a bit to make it not such an eye sore, but his "dress it up" is well... not my idea of "dress it up."  Either way, we will have fresh fruits and veggies in our future.

I recently finished up a small project that I think turned out pretty cute, considering I spent $6.50 on it.  I use a stool to sit on while I am at my kitchen computer.  I picked this stool up at Goodwill several years ago and just last month the cushion on it ripped.  So, I decided it was time to give my little stool a makeover.  I found this sample can of paint at the Home Depot for $.50.  (Yep... fifty cents.)  I was looking for black, but when I saw the red paint and the price well, the rest is history.  I found the fabric on clearance at Hobby Lobby for $2.00.  It is corduroy and just shy of a yard, so there was plenty to work with AND some left over pieces for scraps!  (I love fabric scraps!)  And finally, the foam cushion was $4.00 at Hobby Lobby.

I mixed the paint with Plaster of Paris to make chalk paint. I love using the chalk paint because it applies easily, there is not need to sand/prep wood, it dries quickly and is very forgiving.  Plus, it sands nicely, leaving a nice smooth finish.  I definitely recommend trying it on a small project first though.  I sanded the paint to give it a more vintage/shabby look and I finished it up with some Minwax Paste Finishing Wax (which I already had on hand.)  This stuff is awesome!  Just buy it to have around.  It's amazing!

And there ya go.  My stool is a pretty little accent to my kitchen. 

In recent news, I've taken on some volunteer responsibility with our church.  I'll be updating their website and doing graphic design on a "need-to" basis.  I'm happy to be using my gifts and talents in a way that glorifies God.  I had stepped away from serving at our previous church because I needed a break.  So, now that we are at a new church, I knew it was time to get involved again. I'm excited to see what God has in store for me in this new role.

Well, I had another bad eBay experience last week.  To make a long story short, the buyer said my item was damaged when she received it, blah, blah, blah.  However, it wasn't.  And I have multiple pictures to prove it that the jeans were not damaged or ripped. Truth be told, the tear in the denim fabric looked fresh and the rip was at a stress point... i.e. interpret that to mean... the lady ripped the jeans when she tried them on.

But, I have since learned that buyers have the upper hand in all things eBay related (that was a hard lesson to learn...) and my only recourse was to chalk it up to the cost of doing business, issue a refund and go on down the road.  The problem is... that it left such a bad impression with me, that I want to give up all eBay selling and not mess with it anymore.  But, I want to buy a laptop.  So, press on I must. 

And for the record... I cannot stand dishonest people.  And there are so many levels of dishonesty... some not so blatant, but still deceptive all the same.  Just be forthright and honest people.  Is that so hard? Really?

So, how's that for a blog brain dump?  You also got a bonus soapbox too!

Y'all have a good Monday.

Printable Freebie: Valentine's Day Candy Bar Wrappers

Y'all.  I love Valentine's day despite the fact that it is a manufactured "holiday" perpetuated by greeting card companies and chocolate makers alike. Blah, blah, blah... I get it.

But, in the spirit of full disclosure, I'll be honest here... it's really about me.   Mama likes to send cute holiday stuff to school.  The girls could care less.  If they had their way, they'd pick up a box of Vday cards at the Dollar Tree and pass those around.  Luckily for me, I've been creating their Vday cards since they began school, so they don't really know any better.(Score one for mama!)

Anyway... so this year, I went a different route.  I decided to go whole hog and create a candy bar wrapper, rather than a treat bag, etc.  Yeah, in the grand scheme of things, purchasing 20 candy bars, rather than buying 2 bags of assorted candy will be more expensive, but we all know who really gets to eat the candy.  It's the mamas and pappas.  And who doesn't like a nice chocolate bar, right?  Sure beats a box of sweet-tarts any day. (At HEB, you can buy 6 Hershey bars for less than $3.50.  Not bad.)

So, click on the image below to download my printable files.  I've set up the download link to either download the entire set, or you can download each file. Y'all have fun!

Our Weekend

 Elisan and I did this....

While Randy and Kyla did this...

We survived 2012!

Isn't it interesting how we survived 2012, despite the numerous proclamations here and there stating that the end of the world was upon us?  Just goes to show you that no man will know the day or the hour...

Randy went back to work this week, but I have to tell you... I love having my man home.  I mean, there's nothing better.  And, it's for pure selfish reasons, of course, but I have to say, he loves being home with us girls too.

While he was off, we (mostly he) remodeled the downstairs bathroom.  We replaced the pedestal sink (hated it because there was no room for even a soap dispenser!) and put in a sink cabinet (with drawers!  whoohoo!) and a sink with a counter top (love it!).  We also ripped out the cabinet over the toliet and put in a HUGE medicine cabinet over the new sink.

We also primed and repainted the bathroom to a more neutral color... tan.  I know, boring, right?  But the color before it was deep purple... NOT boring.  I was ready to be boring again.

Anyway, Randy was really impressed with the ease of assembly of the IKEA purchases.  The faucet especially... no weird contraptions or hoses that he's seen when he's purchased non-IKEA plumbing stuff.   The cabinets were a cinch to assemble as well... AND, it's not cheapy particle board, but real actual wood.  Who woulda thought?

Here's a few before and after pictures.

While Randy finished some outdoor projects, the girls and I were busy decluttering their bedrooms and closets.  Elisan threw out ONE FULL-SIZE GARBAGE BAG of  TRASH from her room.  She is a squirrel when it comes to her stuff.   Yesterday, we went through their toys and discarded quite a few Barbies without limbs and/or heads.  They swore they still played with the limb-less Barbies, but I forcefully demanded they be thrown out!   We also tossed out a few other toy items, but not nearly as much as I had hoped.  It's true... they do play with all of their toys and as long as they do, I can't get rid of it.  (Heck, I'm still glad my oldest plays with toys!  Sure beats spending fruitless hours texting friends all day!)

There was a lot more going on at our house the week after Christmas, but I'll spare you the boring details. Needless to say, I'm still loving having the girls home and will be sad when they go back to school on Monday. 

So, with a new year, I suppose you're expecting some sort of New Year's resolution or proclamation and honestly, I wish I could say I have a neat list of things I want to accomplish or resolve to do.  I want to do what everyone else wants to do, which is eat better, exercise more and be more intentional in my Bible reading/studying.  I want to do all of these things.  I want to be a good steward of my time, talents and treasure.  I want to be the best wife I know how to be and the best mom to my two precious girls.  I want to be the parent that each of them needs... which is vastly different and I pray that I can work towards that end.  These are things I know that will enrich my life and the life of those around me and I know that it's hard to do these things and do them well... continually.  But, all I can do is try... and pray when I fail.  Because at the end of the day, I'm just me... trying to be the best me I know how to be... a wife and mother.

Finally, in this new year, I'd like to set out to be a better friend.  Because I'm not on 'social media' I tend to not keep up with my 'friends' the way I used to.  And because of that, I have to be more intentional in reaching out.  This past year, I was bad about that.  I need to be a better friend, because let's face it... I need friends and I have a lot to offer as a friend.

So, that's it.  Welcome 2013! 

Merry Christmas

December 24 - 25 Days of Christmas Blogging Challenge

The weekend was spent with my family!

 Now, it's time to get ready for Christmas Day!

December 22 - 25 days of Christmas Blogging Challenge

I made these antipasto skewers for a party!  They were so easy and yummy!

• Cheese tortellini (cooked and tossed with Italian dressing)
• Green and black olives
• Salami
• Pepperoni
• Tomato
• Wooden Skewers

December 21 - 25 Days of Christmas Blogging Challenge

Elisan is done with "phase 1" of orthodontics treatment!  Just in time for Christmas!

December 20 - 25 Days of Christmas Blogging Challenge

Found another cute idea on Pinterest the other day. 

You take one dollar bills and roll them up, tie 'em with a ribbon and stuff them in a bag to make a big ol bag of "dough".  However, the cutesy little poem about a ginger man would be kinda weird to give to my 18 and 16 year old nephews. 

So, instead... I'm made them a Moustache Cash Stash. 

I'm sure you remember my family's addiction to "The Regular Show" right?  Mordecai, one of the main characters, has been known to say, "moustashe cash stash" on occasion.  It's funny, it's catchy.

It would have been really great to have bought the t-shirt for them, along with the cash stash, but I don't think that far in advance.  So, they will have to settle for the wad of cash instead.

Just what a teenage boy always wanted.