Suddenly I See

Pinned it, Made it two times

2012-01-31T16:28:00.000-05:00

I waited over 6 weeks for my sweet table console to come in and I must say, I love it! I had the mirror and sewed together simple felt circles for the garland. {My walls are actually a golden/wheat color but this picture does not represent that}. I see the felt garlands all over the internet so I supposed it is Pinterest inspired too.

Close ups...all photos taken with my iPhone and Camera+ app.

I laid out the LOVE printable in photoshop. I used an alphabet from CatScrap Designs {Short Notes by Kitty Designs}. It was inspired by this design found on Pinterest

{source here}

Below is my attempt at Cake Batter Bark. If this is wrong, I do not want to be right. It is that good. I am sharing this treat with the teachers tomorrow at school as dessert for the Catholic School's Week luncheon.

Below is the original photo from Pinterest, and the recipe can be found here: Cookie Batter Bark.

I just realized that I used crush oreos as my base/crust. I did not re-read the recipe, just did it based on memory. My version is delicious and I am sure this one is too!

Please join in and share what you have pinned and made!

- Posted using BlogPress from iPhone

Meal Plan Monday - January 30

2012-01-30T09:55:00.002-05:00

Review of last week...
I did not make the Tortellini Bake but instead made this mostaccioli . So fast, easy and really good!
The Tortellini Soup was a success. I forgot the garlic and it needed it. I was impressed at how creamy it was. I only had a 5oz. can of evaporated milk so I subbed 2% for the remaining 7 ounces.
I also did not use my sirloin for the recipe listed, instead we marinated and grilled it.

On tap for this week: {took an inventory in my freezer so choices reflect that}
Monday: Smoked Sausage and sauteed peppers and onions. I will make Olivia a burger and I think Shelby may eat the sausage if she dips it in ketchup.
Tuesday: Stuffed Chicken Breasts (frozen premade) and nuggets for the girls. Mashed potatoes and a veggie.
Wednesday: Tortellini Bake, salad, garlic knots...we had those last week and they are so good!
Thursday: Baked pork chops, baked potato and veggie. Ramen noodles for girls (a new fave)

Friday: Spaghetti Dinner at school

Join other Meal Planners {HERE}.

Stay tuned this week, I have lots of Pinned It, Made it items to share :)

A product recommendation & Pinned It, Made It

2012-01-25T13:27:00.000-05:00

After years of reading about this type of paper on craft and scrapbooking blog and sites, I finally bought a pack at the end of last year. I feel it is my duty to tell you that this paper is absolutely WORTH the price! In the past, any of my wonderful digital items would print out BLAH. So blah on regular paper or cardstock and it was always a disappointment.

Now feast your eyes on the cute freebies I printed as a test:

They are perfect! The color and saturation are spot on. Visit Miss Tiina for the link for these cards...along with many more adorable items available in her shop. These cards are sized for Project Life and this is just one more reason for me to feel a tad of regret about not participating.

I also printed some personalized Thank You cards (grey chevron, my name in navy) from the Wedding Chicks. This takes some manipulating but I eventually got mine right by right clicking and saving the image from their site. Then I resized and laid out the two cards side by side on an 8.5x11 document in PhotoShop. This photo is the sample from their site:

And just to keep things real and my Pinterest hobby justified, both of these items were found there : )

Wonder if I should start a linky party for Pinned It, Made It? Yes?

Meal Plan Monday

2012-01-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

Last week went well.
Moving on...

Monday: Burgers, Chips and Fruit
Tuesday: Tortellini Bake {one of my favs!} ( I will use Spaghetti instead of tortellini), Salad, Garlic Bread
Wednesday: Crockpot Tortellini Soup (from Pinterest)

(photo from WW)

Thursday: Beef Stir Fry (from Pinterest)
Friday: ???

Pinned It, Made It - delicious dinner!

2012-01-22T21:05:00.001-05:00

Sweet & Spicy Bacon Chicken. Wow! I made this on the grill tonight {it was worth standing in the rain and cold}. I absolutely recommend it. And I am proud to add this to the Pinned it, Made it list :)

Insta Friday

2012-01-20T14:52:00.000-05:00

Joining Life Rearranged with another week of Insta Friday photos.This is a recap of my week using nothing but my phone's camera.

I uploaded this week using the Blogger App instead of the BlogPress App. Well, it is not nearly as user friendly so I cannot get captions between my photos. Argh. But here goes: Shelby's basketball game shot with my FishEye lens. Next, crazy hair day at dance class. Yes, those are birds in Olivia's nest of hair. It was also bring a friend day so the next photo includes sweet Emily. The next one is Shelby and her friend Audrey having a sleepover on Sunday {no school on Monday}. And last, my parents sent me a Cookie Bouquet yesterday. So bright, cute and tasty too.

Pinned It; Made It

2012-01-18T08:37:00.000-05:00

I saw this idea on another blog so I thought I'd make an attempt to share what I have actually made a reality from my 1000+ pins. {oh my!}

Here goes an easy one, a recipe. Black Bean and Corn Salad from All Recipes.

Super tasty. I added about 2 tbsp. of honey to the dressing. This was even more delicious after about 4 hours in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Pinned it; Made it banner created using Erica Zane's Amused kit from CatScrap Designs.

monday meal plan: 1/16/2012

2012-01-16T16:50:00.004-05:00

To review last week...the chicken dish I was excited about which was a Pinterest find...the chicken itself was delicious but I was not a big fan of the taste of the Philly Creme.

Monday: Making Grilled Citrus Steak from this cookbook with mashed potatoes, corn and burgers for the girls. Its about 45 degrees so I figured it's a good time to take advantage and grill.
Tuesday: Mac n Cheese for kids, Sandwiches for us, veggies and dip for everyone
Wednesday: Tacos with the fixings. (prepared ahead of time on Monday)
Thursday: Grilled Cheese, Chips and fruit
Friday: School fundraiser at a local restaurant

You can find more meal ideas from others HERE.

still recording 2011

2012-01-14T09:54:00.000-05:00

First, I must do this public service announcment. On Thursday, I picked up about 40 printed layouts from Costco. PRINT YOUR LAYOUTS DIGITAL SCRAPPERS! It is wonderful to see them in this format and to be able to share your work with those around you. That is all. Thankyouverymuch.

Last night, my girls' school hosted a Scrapbook Night as a fundraiser. I packed up just my laptop, a few flash drives of photos and a short list of remaining layouts I'd like to complete to round out 2011. I got 4 completely finished and ultimately would like to do about 6 more. If I can do this before the end of the month, I will. If not, I will probably call 2011 good and move on with beginning 2012 pages.

OVO

Hip Hop

Soccer

And finally, Elf on the Shelf.
I made the collage in Picasa. Pretty impressed that I ended up with 15 photos out of the 24 days Tony was with us. Every one of them was taken on my iPhone. Sometimes simple is better.

Do you print your layouts? Do you prefer photobooks or placing pages in a scrapbook?

Insta Friday: our week in iPhone photos

2012-01-13T14:24:00.001-05:00

Prompted by InstaFriday at Life ReArranged, here are my shots. By the way, I am finding this is a good exercise b/c when I need to look back for details for scrapbooking, these jog my memory.

My basketball star made a basket!

New (to us) car purchase. It's a Subaru. Very cool and quite similar to our Highlander actually. No more minivan. Seems odd. End of an era?

Special little girl who made her First Reconciliation on Monday night (a sacrament in the Catholic faith).

SNOW. Huge flakes. It only lasted about 15 minutes and then pretty snowflakes were replaced with COLD temps and fierce winds. Boo.

Not sure which child's artwork this is. I found it in my Photo Stream on my phone but I am sure it came from the iPad. We are in the cloud you know...
Fun surprise. And another reason to {heart} technology.

Click to join in or view others Insta-Friday pics.

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Let's see if I can get back in the groove! Nothing special but at least a few meals at home together I hope. I am really anxious to try the new recipe on Tuesday.

Monday: dinner out quickly before Shelby's First Reconciliation
Tuesday: Crispy Chicken with Italian Creme Sauce

Wednesday: {crazy busy night}reheat chili for the bigs, hot dogs and fruit for the littles
Thursday: chicken sandwiches for bigs, chicken nuggets for littles, salads on the side
Friday: dinner out at a school fundraiser for me, pizza for the rest of the fam

As of Sunday afternoon my brain is starting to clear. I am really hoping for a "do over" on starting the new year fresh! {see the previous post for an explanation. hint: i have a concussion}

Instafriday 1.6.12

2012-01-06T13:30:00.001-05:00

As is my habit, I upload these directly from my phone. This is especially helpful today as I am supposed to be resting after being diagnosed yesterday with a concussion. I "concussed" myself on Sunday (in the words of the doctor) when I stood up under my parents' freezer door full force. I suffered from a headache, mostly severe and non stop, for four days before going to the doctor yesterday. I do not suggest this. Bad news: I have a moderate concussion. Good news: the CT scan revealed that nothing further is amiss. Now I need to rest (after spending the past 4 days of not really doing that at all). I am being aided by some strong medication whose goal is to break the headache. Let's hope it works although each day they are lessening a bit already making living a little more tolerable :)

Shelby after 24 hours+ at the Great Wolf Lodge with a friend.

Post Christmas mantel. Large canvas of my girls arrived last week and it is temporarily resting there. The canvas is gorgeous. Photo by the lovely and talented, Carla Essen.

Stuffing a Build A Bear (kit purchased from my Michaels by MaMa). This required A LOT of hand sewing. You have been warned.

Mama, Olivia and pet...with stuffing still on the table :)

On Thursday, Olivia graduated from the schools' 14 week DARE program. Officer Petrocelli has been a big hit and topic of conversation at our house. After hearing him speak, I can see why. This is a great, dedicated guy.

InstaFriday originated at Life Rearranged. Visit there to read more or to participate.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

checking things off the list-2011 scrapping

2011-12-30T19:12:00.001-05:00

In an effort to get in my hands, things that I have completed, I am now in the process of uploading my Week In the Life project from July. I think this rounds out at 18 pages. I was waiting for a Shutterfly deal but instead chose to upload at Costco and print the 8x8 size for $1.49 each. I already have an album to house the pages. That is good enough, and better, it will be done!As a reminder, here is one of those pages.

To see more, refer to this and this.

Revisiting this project and loving the simplicity and the structure, gets me excited to approach all of 2012 in a similar fashion.

digi scrapping

2011-12-28T14:17:00.000-05:00

Over the past few days I have produced two new pages!

And yesterday I uploaded 17 pages from 2011 to be printed. Do these 19 layouts accurately tell the story of an entire year? No. Do they give a glimpse into our lives? Yes. Is 19 a whole heck of a lot more than 0. YES!

I hope to grab a few photos from stories that I want to be sure are included in my books and memories and complete an additional handful of pages. For 2012, I plan to return to doing a monthly summary layout and if I am lucky and inspired, throw in a few others for good measure. I did this in 2009 and 2010 and love the result.

I am a firm believer that there is no right or wrong way to do this thing. I just know for me, whatever I do manage to complete and record, I thoroughly love looking back on. And more than that...my girls love it too.

All products used above are from CatScrap Designs. For 2012, I plan to rely heavily on Ju Kneipp's My Project 365 products.

Swoon worthy, right?!

Joy Bauer's Food Cures

2011-12-27T14:28:00.001-05:00

This post is long overdue as I received a copy of Food Cures months ago!

Over a year ago, I embraced the Joy Bauer slim down plan which was being promoted by Family Circle. Sadly, I did not stick to the routine but while I did, I loved it and saw results. With January approaching, it is a good time to revisit what has worked for me and get motivated to get moving and eat better.

Because I was familiar with Joy's ideas, this book was a natural. I find the information to be no nonsense and educational with facts such as these:

Did you know:

Pistachios help lower cholesterol
Ginger is a potent anti-inflammatory that can that may help relieve arthritis pain

The book is broken down into useful parts, that address different areas that can be affected by the foods you eat. Topics include skin, hair, vision, memory, weight loss, mood and migraine headaches.

With a new year approaching and mental and physical health topping many of our lists for 2012, Food Cures makes an excellent resource. The book has been recently revised and updated making it even more comprehensive and relevant.

Is improving your overall health on your 2012 resolution list? It is on mine and I wish us all success!

***this book was provided to me at no charge by the publisher but the review and opinions are my own.

InstaFriday

2011-12-23T21:39:00.001-05:00

It's late but here goes...

Last Saturday was Cookie Day.

One of our handmade gifts: Grinch Pills.

Tony the elf

Super beautiful girl

Delivering gifts to a local pet shelter

An early gift for Dave

Two girls heading out to sing carols

Have a great weekend. For more InstaFriday fun, visit Life Rearranged.

- Posted using BlogPress from iPhone

december craftiness

2011-12-19T18:55:00.000-05:00

Many of the projects that have been in the works awhile are now being completed and given to the proper recipents.

Olivia made "grinch pills" for her three main teachers. This was a great project for a 10 year old. Once I described it, she did it all herself. You can fine the original Grinch Pills blog post here. It also links to the attached tag. This is the original:

These doughnut treats were a Pinterest find. It took me NO time AT ALL to do this. I used cello bags and then made the faces with Sharpie markers. It seriously does not get much easier than this!

And finally, 4 of the 6 "just add snow" snowman kits have been delivered. I must boast and tell you, I am quite proud that I produced these hats. Sewing circles is typically way beyond my comfort zone but the directions were spot on. I am also proud to say that beyond buying black felt by the yard, a bit of orange felt for noses and black rocks at the Dollar Store for faces, I used all materials that I had on hand. Go me! This idea was spotted originally on Pinterest too.

I know my posting and sharing has been sporadic but I am pleased with the number of homemade/handmade gifts I was able to churn out this year and those that include my girls are that much more fun and special. Hopefully in a day or two, I will share the 20+ dog toys that Olivia has made for delivery to the SPCA. She refuses to let me off the hook so I hope to produce 20 more catnip pillows to take along too. Well 20+ because we have a few kitties on our Christmas list who need treats too!

Weekending

2011-12-11T22:21:00.001-05:00

Although we had plenty to do by many people's standards, for me this was a fairly low key weekend with fewer than usual commitments. Because of that, I got some projects checked off my to do list.

Desk calendars for my family. Check.

Christmas printable printed and framed. Check.
Yarn wrapped letters. Check. (Helpful hint: paint the letters/numbers to match the yarn. With so many curves, you cannot fully cover the wood.)
The picture and numbers will go on my new console table which I hope arrives this week.

I also completed 6 Snowman kits. I will share those this week.

Still on my list: more catnip pillows and braided fleece dog toys. The girls will help with these and we want to deliver them to a shelter before Christmas.

Tony and his huge mess...I mean snow angel.

Olivia's fabulous gingerbread house that she created at a birthday party today. It is a masterpiece. She raved forever about how great this party was.

Lots on tap for the week. Only 12 more days!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Making Snowman Kits

2011-12-06T09:49:00.001-05:00

Just bits and pieces of gifts I am making for a few friends. I promise to share when it all comes together and I manage to delightfully package them.

Carrot noses

A row of hats and a few scarves

A close up.

Thank you to Pinterest for the inspiration and hat tutorial. Click on my Pinterest button on the right, visit my "to celebrate Christmas" board and find full details there.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Insta Friday: life in review via cell phone photos

2011-12-02T09:27:00.001-05:00

Cousins

Tree

Tree

My friend Amy is having a baby!

Our Elf on the Shelf appears

Couch shopping

How we found Tony the Elf today

Join others for Insta Friday at Life Rearranged.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

December: Ideas for Giving

2011-12-01T09:24:00.001-05:00

As I said on the post before, giving really feels good! I am determined to do some nice, unexpected things during this holiday season. I hope to include my girls in many of them. I (we) have a few ideas so far:

+ deliver a gift card to our neighbors who unselfishly maintain our neighborhood sign and decorate it for each season

+ tomorrow I am meeting a small group to plan a classroom party and I am treating them to Starbucks (yeah!)

+ more pet presents...additional catnip pillows and hopefully some braided dog toys...maybe even fleece pet beds/pillows

like these:

+ I found a brand new pair of snow pants and matching winter coat that I bought at a deep discount last year for Shelby, however, I just bought her that same thing about one month ago. I am on the look out for a deserving size 7/8 little girl who needs this.

+ make a delivery (or mail) the few things I have for the Ronald McDonald House

+ send more notes and thank yous via the US Postal Service

PLEASE share your additional, practical, ideas.

our good deed: Petsmart delivery

2011-11-27T14:28:00.000-05:00

Olivia has been collecting money for a long time to donate to an animal shelter and one day last week we started talking about actually getting that money in the right hands.

Out of that discussion came the idea to begin small, so we talked about making some catnip pillows and taking them to our local Petsmart where they have cats available for adoption. Friday night, I created fabric pillows and yesterday she filled them with stuffing and catnip and I sewed them shut.

Today, both girls and me went to Petsmart in Milford. When we told the 3-4 staff members at the cash registers what we were there to do, they all were excited and so surprised we had come with a donation like this.

Funny, there were only 3 cats there today but that means they are being readily adopted, which is good. The Petsmart staff allowed the girls behind the cages to give each cat it's gift. And we left the remaining 5 catnip pillows behind for new tenants :)

It did not take long for the cats to go WILD! They were batting them around and rolling around like crazy. It was an instant mood lifter...for the cats and for us.

This was the perfect reminder that it's the little things that often mean the most. It inspired us to make more of these little treats and perhaps deliver a larger number to a bigger shelter. Along with some handmade dog toys or beds too.

In addition, we are making a short list of other small things we can do that brighten another being's day. We are so blessed and it's nice to pay it forward. As the guy at Petsmart said: I beleive in Karma.Me too. Me too.

Family Outing: Entertainment Junction

2011-11-22T08:08:00.001-05:00

Not only was this a fun time because we all committed to being in the same place at the same time, but it was a great opportunity to break out the iPhone fisheye lens again!!

This was at breakfast/lunch beforehand. I am wowing them with my new lens :) But look, it fit everyone in with ease...

Here are 4 people who top my list: My mom, Jim, Tyler and Shelby.

This is a cool one of the train display. This area had tiny replicas of Cincinnati as it would have been in the past. There was a yellow trolley circling in there too. My sister said: Oh look, Mr. Rogers. Tell me YOU know who Mr. Rogers is because most of the people around us did not. Hmmph.

Farther down, there was an observation deck so this shot is taken from above. The detail is unbelievable in the displays. They provide scavenger hunt type sheets which really made it fun for Olivia and some of the big people. Shelby...not so into that.

But about 2/3 of the way through, she took over the camera (not a fan of the Fisheye, she chucked that immediately!). She took so.many.photos but it kept her interest and she captured much of the detail. Doesn't this one above look realistic?

The requisite family picture :)

Along with the requisite group photo :) It was a great way to spend a Sunday. All of us give Entertrainment Junction 2 thumbs up. And oh yea, we scored a super Groupon on Friday that saved us tons on admission.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Fisheye Lens for the iPhone camera

2011-11-10T14:47:00.000-05:00

I think you have to be a pretty big photography geek to even consider buying add on lenses for your phone's camera.

This is me, raising my hand as a card carrying member of the geek squad.

A fisheye lens for a DSLR is a big investment, one I have not been wiling to make as just a "mom with camera"/hobbyist. But I have always LOVED the rounded look of the fisheye lens.

For a very small investment, I got one for my iPhone from PhotoJojo which could not be a cooler place. Even my invoice is clever. So, the quality is not that great...but the effect is spot on. I love it. And I highly recommend it. Wanna know how the lens attaches? A super strong magnet. Like I said, just an all around cool gadget.

(image from photojojo)

And a few more shots from yesterday:

Meals, without a plan

2011-11-09T18:27:00.000-05:00

I had good intentions of sharing a Monday Meal Plan post and then Monday ran away without me and a quick glance at my calendar late in the evening revealed we'd be lucky to even eat this week! Last night I did make dinner and the pork chops on the grill were so good. Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce is my new favorite.

I also made the simple pumpkin muffins that I see being shared on Pinterest over and over. I added one single serve portion of apple sauce and one can of pumpkin puree to a yellow cake mix. Next I added cinnamon and chocolate chips. The mixture is very thick. I filled about 18 muffin liners and baked for 25 minutes. Oh, I sprinkled the tops with cinnamon and sugar too. They are really tasty! Very moist. They are sweet, more like a cupcake thanks to the premade cake mix. I shared them last night at the PTO meeting but still have plenty leftover for snacks and breakfast. Olivia liked them, Shelby did not even try one.

As for the rest of the week, tonight we will enjoy pizza at the Football and Cheer banquet. Tomorrow will be dining on the go between dance and basketball practice (and a funeral for a dear friend who left way too early).

Thursday is actually not looking bad so something may get prepared at home. Strangely, the Stouffers lasagna keeps calling to me from the freezer.

Insta Friday

2011-11-04T18:20:00.001-04:00

Whoa! Can you tell someone got a new, much more demanding job? The blogging has fallen way off. No worries. I am slowly finding a groove. Today, it is InstaFriday, the brainchild of Life ReArranged, a wonderful blog that you should click over and read. What is InstaFriday? Share what you’ve been up to all week using nothing but cell phone pictures!

A recap of our week via iphone pictures:

Shelby (salt) and her classmate (pepper).

Monster Eyeballs

Costume Parade at school

Mega amounts of candy

Before school on Spirit Day

Art on the wall finally. Pictures surrounding are just place fillers for now. Waiting on our new family photos to replace those.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Family Picture Day

2011-10-26T15:43:00.004-04:00

I had prepared the family for official picture taking. Everyone was on board and promised to be dressed in coordinating attire and cooperative. And then life happened...
First issue: I buy a bouquet of balloons and before I exit the parking lot, one pops and scares the "you know what" out of me. I turn the car around and get that balloon replaced and acquire 2 more for back up.

The kids get home from school and are excited.
Issue 2: while cutting the tag from Olivia's shirt (closer and closer b/c it was scratchy!) I make two holes. And it was still bothersome. Deep breaths.

Issue 3: Skipper manages to get a black stripe of grease down his back only moments before Carla arrives. (think skunk).

We travel up the street, to the neighbor's yard, uninvited, to make use of their beautiful setting.

Issue 4: moments into posing for the above shot, Skipper gets loose! Olivia falls while chasing him and has a muddy stain on her knee. Dave captures him but only after becoming very irritated.

Carla (of Carla Essen Photography) manages to guide us through an hour long session with a smile on her face which trust me, could not have been easy. Although we were losing the sun quickly, she indulged everyone with their specific requests and then we all headed to Mios for pizza.

No sooner was Shelby out of the car then she announced...

Issue 5: Dave had lost his glasses out of his shirt pocket. Probably in the neighbor's yard filled with leaves, that was now mostly dark. Even better, he was sure he lost them when he was chasing Skipper. The dog. And guess what? Those glasses are about one month old and cost...wait for it...$500!

Well, he retraced his steps immediately and returned to the restaurant about 15 minutes later with the glasses ON. We all did a little cheer at the table :)

So, although this was not a painless procedure by a long shot, it was worth it. And I have so far only seen one official photograph...the one of us all, together, above.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

one contest, 2 winners

2011-10-19T15:25:00.002-04:00

So I have read the very cute blog SEW THIS IS MY LIFE for going on two years I'd guess. {I began reading when Baby Eli was still in his Momma's belly}.

Cristin has great style, is a wonderful quilter and makes darling items for her Etsy shop.

Last week she had a contest for a Go Baby! fabric cutter. The voice in my head first said: you will never win. But then I recalled how much my Mom really wants a fabric cutter. She wants to make uniform squares and other shapely shapes and she is after all retired now, so...she should have a fabric cutter. Because of this, I took the time to leave a comment and enter the contest. In my blog comment, I said something along the lines of "I'd give this fabric cutter to my mom and just borrow it if I were to win".

Fast forward to Friday evening. I open my email to see a note from Cristin. I had won! I won! I right away called my Mom who said: I've always dreamed of owning one of those.

So, I made my Mom's dream come true. Cristin made my mom's dream come true. AccuQuilt? You made my mom's dream come true. Thank you. Very sincerely, thank you.

Insta Friday

2011-10-14T22:29:00.001-04:00

From a wedding last Saturday. Beautiful church in Dayton.

Oktoberfest dessert table

Cheer

1st day at new job

Great package from Klout perks and Chiquita

In progress Welcome Home banner

Insta Friday is a recap of my week using only cell phone pics.

View more Insta Friday participants at Life Reaaranged.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday Meal Plan plus...

2011-10-10T08:34:00.001-04:00

First, two crockpot reviews. Both two thumbs up! Beef Stroganoff and Pulled Pork. Visit Kelly Noel's blog b/c she shared both in one post and her family liked them too {which prompted me to make both in just one week}.

Monday: Bagels & Cream Cheese for the girls, Turkey Sandwich for me, fruit for all {Dave is working late and we have soccer + dance}
Tuesday: Baked Chicken Casserole {chicken, cream of chicken soup, topped with prepared Stovetop Dressing}, chicken nuggets for the kiddos, and a veggie
Wednesday: Hamburgers and Sausage on the grill, sauteed onions and peppers
Thursday: Pasta {I have to make a dish for the Teachers' Conference at school so I will reserve a bit at home for us, most likely a version of Baked Tortellini} + salad and garlic bread
Friday: ??

Dan, a wonderful gentleman from the Primrose Schools asked me if I would be willing to share an article about cooking with children. My girls love to cook with me, especially to help prepare baked items like cupcakes and brownies but they also enjoy preparing the batter for pancakes and other items. Oh, and pudding. They are expert pudding makers :) I still hesitate to allow them to do much on the stove top but honestly they seem content in the prep department for now.

From Dan:

FamilySafety: Cooking with Children

Submitted byDan Gilbert on behalf of Primrose Schools. For over 25 years, they have helpedindividuals achieve higher levels of success by providing them with anAdvancED® accredited, early child care services and education. Through anaccelerated Balanced Learning® curriculum, Primrose Schools students areexposed to a widely diverse range of subject matter giving them a much greateropportunity to develop mentally, physically and socially. Dan has written a numberof articles on topics varying from bilingual learning to teaching theimportance of volunteering.

The kitchen is a fascinating yetdangerous arena for a child’s curiosity with its activities and aromas. Howeverthe threat of potential hazards lessens when children are taught to be aware ofthe dangers and risks posed in the kitchen. There are many kid-friendly recipesthat can be used when cooking/baking with your preschool child. Children do notneed to be swept out of the kitchen when you are cooking. Instead engage yourchild, no matter what age he or she is, and teach them something new whilespending time together that might otherwise be lost.

Dr.Mary Zurn, vice president of education for Primrose Schools, says time spent in the kitchen is a great way for families toshare their day and thoughts with each other. Children develop a sense ofresponsibility and family by sharing in daily tasks. They earn a sense of selfworth when taking part in helping to prepare meals.

Not only can children learn basicskills in the kitchen, they can also begin to learn the importance ofnutrition. It may seem a bit early to be teaching a toddler about nutrition,but it is never to early. The earlier on in life children learn to eat healthythe more of a habit and less of a struggle it will become. For example, allowyour child to take part in preparing his/her lunchbox. This will give youryoungster a sense of accomplishment. When he or she opens the box at lunchtimethey will feel proud of what they created, nutritional value aside.

1. Plan meals with the children’s capabilities in mind. Begin by assigning themsimple things to do. Bringing a pot holder to the cook shows them the need forit. Think about what needs to be done each section of the meal. Opening boxesand pouring ingredients into a bowl are satisfying to a little one. Layingbiscuits in a pan, adding sprinkles to sweets or shaking parmesan cheese ontopasta are other safe, satisfying tasks children can easily accomplish.

2. Set some ground rules as they learn to be aware of their surroundings.Children need supervision but even more so when they’re in the kitchen. Teachchildren to wash their hands before and after handling food to prevent illness.Remind them not to touch their face, hair or family pet while cooking. Tellthem why handles of pots and pans are turned inward on the stovetop whilecooking. Show them how to pour over the counter or sink so it won’t end up onthe floor. Keep kitchen drawers closed so food doesn’t end up inside them.Simple rules but it’s the little things that mean so much.

3. Build up skills step-by-step. Increase their involvement of food preparationas they grow, teaching them how to read recipes and hone their math skills withmeasuring ingredients. Checking the flame or temperature in the oven areessential tasks in the kitchen. Knife handling should only be done by olderchildren with proven coordination. A potato peeler or cheese grater is aneasier task but still can be dangerous if not handled correctly. As theyincrease their knowledge and talents, they become more comfortable with thecooking process and may want to complete a dish or meal on their own!

4. Keep it fun. By giving them tasks in the kitchen they can do and do well,they’ll want to help instead of wandering off. A rushed meal is not fun, ordersissued during cooking is not fun. Remember you are the adult, they are stilllearning. Setting the table can be daunting and overwhelming. Give themexamples. Create menus with the children in mind. Every-so-often bake a cake orwhip up cinnamon buns on a whim and invite them to help. Most importantly, giveappreciation to your child by remembering to thank them for their contribution.

Meal Plan Schmeal Plan

2011-10-05T08:57:00.002-04:00

When you have a week that is full of the norm turned upside down, you just have to wing it. And that goes for a lot more than just meals! There was no Monday post b/c who really wants to see McDonalds listed as kick off for the week?

Since Saturday, a dear family member has been hospitalized so much time and prayers have been spent encouraging his recovery. And yea, he is home now!

My little Olivia is fighting some kind of sickness since Friday. It comes and goes but as of yesterday at noon, a call from the school nurse indicated it was most definitely back. My girl is on antibiotics for some yucky coughing and a noisy chest. Currently, she is back asleep on the couch approximately one hour into another sick day.

Caring for all of these details is my job but wow does it make it hard to do the other jobs outside of my home!

I have a headstart on today though. Dinner is going into the crockpot.

Insta Friday

2011-09-30T16:30:00.003-04:00

Insta Friday, uploaded entirely from my i phone.

My new i phone wallpaper. Free download available at CatScrap Designs.

My girl home for a sick day {today} enjoying a $5.25 Cold Slab cone.

That's my Shelby in the goal at practice.

And my sweet beautiful girl prior to dance class. Love.

My friend Kim turned 40 this week and I created this gift that I saw originally on Pinterest.

Deep intake of breath when I look at this one. Is she a beautiful girl or what?

The house update.

Join other Insta Friday peeps by clicking HERE.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday Meal Plan

2011-09-27T13:16:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday. {sigh}

Monday: Chicken sandwiches and Ore-ida Fast Food fries. {My kids ate these fries! They never eat fries that I make at home}
Tuesday: Burgers on the grill, chips and fruit.
Wednesday: Pasta with Chicken and Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cooking Creme {first time trying that}, salad and garlic bread.
Thursday: Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes and green beans. {kids will eat chicken nuggets, Shelby might eat the pork chops}

Next week I am making at least one crock pot meal. I have seen two beef stroganoff recipes where the reviewers raved. I have never made or eaten beef stroganoff so this is a departure from the norm. My kids will likely just eat the noodles with butter and parmesan cheese. Here's the recipe I think I will try first.

As always, for more meal ideas and recipes, visit the Organizing Junkie.

Insta Friday at Suddenly I See

2011-09-23T09:32:00.002-04:00

Some of the blogs I frequent have been playing along in this little round up of sorts and sharing their Instagram photos (or simple phone pics). I have a few this week so I thought I would share:

Yikes! A bit up close and personal of me.

My nightstand. I updated to the new version of Instagram and was having some tech difficulties so I quickly shot this one to see if the problem had been fixed. Yea, the troubleshooting instructions on the site worked! and all the subject matter here is BLAH, I like the tones and highlights of their b/w.

A love note and doodles I found in the family room yesterday courtesy of Shelby.

It's spirit day at school today. Titan #1.

Titan #2.

To view more insta Friday players, visit Life Rearranged. Click around and read some posts there too. Sweet family.

A note:
Dear Mom, these pictures are made to look this way via an App. It is not because I am a bad photographer or that my cell phone takes odd quality photos. Love, your daughter

what's been cooked and eaten around here

2011-09-21T13:49:00.000-04:00

Aside from all of the wonderful meals and treats my Mom provided last week, I have done some cooking myself over the past few weeks and even in recent days.

Awhile back I mentioned I was going to try the Chicken Helper meal. It was good! I cannot do prepared meals that include any kind of canned meat so the fact that I was adding my own chicken breast made this A-OK for me. We had the fried rice version. I recommend it.

Next, I think I also shared that I wanted to make homemade granola found via Funky Vintage Lovely. I made that on Sunday and oh.my.gosh. This stuff is addicting. Even Olivia ate it and she is the picky palate in these parts.

(where to find the recipe and the photo credit belongs to them too)

And I got on the bandwagon and made Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich.

(photo from The Pioneer Woman)

I guess all the hoopla resurfaced because it was featured on Food Network on Saturday (cute episode btw Ree, b/c I am so sure you read my blog). Let me start by saying, I have never eaten cube steak before nor have I ever prepared it. Now I understand why Ree could slice it into strips, the outside looks like ground beef but inside it is still a more solid steak like texture. Just sharing this for other new to cube steak chefs. I went ahead used nearly all the butter she called for and by gosh, the sandwich was delicious. My only regret was using a sad hamburger bun instead of getting a nice sub roll.

As you can see, calories are still apparently of no concern around here. This must change but in the meantime, I am enjoying every tasty bite!

meal plan monday - sep 19

2011-09-19T07:27:00.000-04:00

Attempting to return to regularly scheduled programming! First, since this post is on the topic of food, I want to thank my Mom for bringing me lots of good things to eat while I recovered from a minor surgery over the weekend. One of the dishes is a favorite of mine, Chicken Divan, which I have made often and shared the recipe here before. Chicken Divan Recipe found ::HERE::.

Monday: Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad, Garlic Bread
Tuesday: Beef Barbecue (another dish my mom delivered and it's waiting in the freezer) Beef Barbecue Recipe, chips and coleslaw
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken, Rice and a veggie
Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner
Friday: dinner out?

I hope to also make this granola. I got a bunch of yummy ingredients at Trader Joes over a week ago. While there, I also got their granola, which I cannot find on the website. Trust me when I say, it was the most delicious granola that I have ever tasted. I polished off the bag in no time, eating it as a snack.

Interested in more meal plans and recipes? Visit Organizing Junkie.

dinner with neighbors, recipes courtesy of pinterest

2011-09-10T12:23:00.002-04:00

Pinterest. Pinning. Do you know about it? It's like an online pinboard, a bulletin board to store all the great ideas you find online. I have a Pinterest button over there -------------->, click it to see what I collect and FOLLOW me if you'd like.

So, in order to justify my time {although I typically do this at night from my i phone} I thought I had better implement some of these great ideas.

First up, an appetizer, Blooming Onion Bread, from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

{photo credit}

This was delicious. Indulgent, yes; but very tasty. I added onion powder to my melted butter otherwise I followed her instructions exactly.

Next up, Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes from A Big Mouthful.

{photo credit}

This was so tasty. I served it room temperature at dinner but have already eaten it cold today for lunch. Yummy. I added some green onions only because I had extra cut up from the bread above.

Moving on to dessert, Olivia assisted me in making S'more Croissants from Northern Cottage.

{photo credit}

Next time, I would do some tweaking to this one. I would brush the outside with butter and sprinkle with sugar before baking so the whole thing had a sweet, pastry taste. Also, the marshmallows seem to have heated and escaped so I might try again but work to seal the contents inside better. Despite all that, the center with the melted morsels was divine.

In addition to these recipes, we had grilled beef tenderloin, baked coconut shrimp, Sister Schubert's rolls and an additional dessert of strawberry shortcake. I cut up the strawberries, covered them in about a half cup of sugar and let them sit on the counter for the afternoon which results in a sweet sauce. For my shortcakes, I dredged grands biscuits in sugar and cinnamon and baked them. I served those warm with the strawberries and whip cream.

It was a great night.

using a 35mm lens on a digi slr camera

2011-09-07T15:23:00.000-04:00

This is NOT news, but just getting by day to day is expensive. I am a mom who loves to take pictures and this year, more than ever, I found myself wanting a zoom lens that would help me capture my girls better doing their thing {s}...soccer and cheer leading.
I poked around online to price a Canon DSLR lens and on the low end, I was looking at around $150 but for a better lens, $300-400+.

This is not in the budget. But, back in the day when I used a Canon 35mm camera, I had a Sigma 70-300mm lens. I guess when I started out as a photographer I had deemed this one necessary. {funny b/c my all time true love is at the other end of the spectrum, the 50mm lens}.

Years ago I tried this on my digi camera and without getting at all techy, it simply just magnifies the zoom. Back then, my kids were smaller and moving more and in unpredictable directions, so it was not a good fit. FF to this weekend and I took a few test shots at home and then gave it a whirl at the football game. The result? I am extremely happy with the pictures! It is not a perfect solution but a great work around for a mom, and amateur photographer. The only real downside is to focus the lens, I had to be pretty far away from my subjects, well beyond 5 feet.

What do you think?

meal plan monday + continued sharing of The Hour That Matters Most

2011-09-05T16:22:00.000-04:00

Monday: family birthday celebration for my nephew
Tuesday: grilled hamburgers, baked beans + fruiut
Wednesday: fajitas with leftover steak from Sunday, mexican rice and chicken nuggets for the girls
Thursday: BUSY {pto and meet the teacher for me, golf for dave and soccer practice for shelby} we will all be eating on the go
Friday: grilled beef tip, coconut shrimp, salad and more {having my neighbors over for dinner to thank them for caring for our house and pup while we vacationed last month}

As I poked around a bit more after sharing my thoughts last week on The Hour That Matters Most, I realized they have a dedicated website for the book. I absolutely encourage you to visit and click around. I especially like the PDF downloadable files, for Conversation Starters. I even included a few of these in my girls' lunches last week thinking that would be a fun way for them to make small talk with their friends.

Again, the authors are the duo who began Dream Dinners, which is a concept I LoVe! I have only visited once for a fundraiser but the one dish I came home with, was wonderful. Someday, I would like to attend a full session and have a freezer full of go to meals simply waiting in my freezer.

**sharing my meal plan monday at Organizing Junkie.

photo tools

2011-09-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

I moved back upstairs today to my desktop, and my full version of PhotoShop. The photoshop elements on my laptop does the trick but what I miss most are my actions. Particularly the Pioneer Woman freebies.

Anyone can crop a picture and I did that first. But look at the the photo on the right with a color boost, slight lighten and a sharpen. I am pretty sure I will print this as an 8x10.

And for posting purposes, I made a collage using Picasa (it's free) and added the text on there as well.

I also dusted off the 70-300mm lens from my old 35mm camera. I took some test shots today and I think it is going to work just fine as a zoom lens on my Digi Rebel. Watch out soccer and cheer, mama's got a new lens in her bag!

Insta Friday

2011-09-03T10:16:00.003-04:00

I take a lot of photos with my phone. Actually, most of my photos. I love the look of the Instagram and Hipstamatic pictures. (some of my family members do not prefer this look: my mom, my child...). First, let me say I know it is Saturday. Second, I will add that I am linking up to Insta Friday with some other very cool, internet people. My first foray into this game has only a few entries but I like them.

Sunday. First official game. My cheerleader.

Captured on Thursday at her soccer team picture taking session. It was 100 degrees. The kind coach dismissed us after pictures but prior to any physical activity. Thank goodness.

Skipper the dog. In Olivia's bed. Dude usually sleeps in the kitchen and often in his crate. He had a spa day at PetSmart so he brought his clean self to bed time. Is he smiling? I think he is.

He may get used to this life. Note: O's hand on his bottom and the way he is wedged in next to me. Ignore the lumps and bumps on my reclining body.

Interested in more InstaFriday? Visit Life ReArranged.

Meal Plan Monday + Review of The Hour That Matters Most

2011-08-29T13:05:00.001-04:00

For me, meal planning seems to work best during the school year. This week will be our first full week of school and many extracurricular activities. Admittedly, it gets a bit trickier to eat at home but for a host of reasons, we simply cannot eat out continuously. These may not all be gourmet dinners but they will fill our bellies and keep us around the table together (er, in our case, the countertop!)

Monday: Chicken with Rice (trying chicken helper boxed meal, not a fan of hamburger helper or many prepared dishes in that style but the chicken variety looked more appealing, stand by for a review)

Tuesday: BLT's for the bigs and bacon with buttered toast for the littles

Wednesday: Frozen pizza bread, salad or carrots with dip

Thursday: dinner out

Friday: Grilled burgers and corn on the cob

I was lucky enough to be contacted and asked to review a copy of The Hour That Matters Most. I thoughtfully read it over the course of last week while sitting at dance classes and sports practices, which I am sure is nearly the only free time many of us busy moms have.

Funny, I was under the impression I would be receiving a cookbook, as the authors are the co-founders of the successful Dream Dinners, storefronts where all the ingredients are available for you to assemble a month full of healthful freezer meals for your family. Granted, there are some recipes in The Hour That Matters Most but more than that, it is about the philosophy of sitting together for meals. The approach and discussion in the book reminded me of the importance of spending this quality time together with my family and also really made me want to commit to being more purposeful with our own meal times.

Here are a few more details from the back cover of the book:

Dinnertime—It’s More Than Just a Meal
Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott have discovered the surprising impact that something as simple as sharing a meal together can have on a family. And they aren’t alone. Researchers across the board are finding that an hour around the dinner table can really tether a family together and help you raise up healthier, happier kids.

Featuring the inspiring story of Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna, the founders of Dream Dinners, The Hour That Matters Most shows you how to nourish and nurture your family through regular meal times.

An inspiring, practical book packed with everything you need to help you make the most of the dinnertime hour, The Hour That Matters Most includes

never-before-published recipes
expert cooking tips and ideas
color photos of family-favorite meals
dozens of conversation starters to get your kids talking around the table

If you’re looking for ways to bring love and laughter to your home, rediscover the remarkable power of the family meal in The Hour That Matters Most.

Over the next few Mondays, I will talk more about the book, share my takeaways and also link to more recipes.

Sharing at: Organizing Junkie. Visit for many links to recipes and meal plans.

this weekend i am...

2011-08-28T09:36:00.001-04:00

enjoying a cup of coffee
enjoying sifting through my google reader at a leisurely, guilt free pace
enjoying the evolution of a sweet soccer player

enjoying girls {temporarily} playing quietly in the basement this morning
enjoying a visit with cousins who I very rarely see

{photo taken by Shelby on my phone}

enjoying a Sunday that includes my girl cheerleading

enjoying the happiness of an online only friend who welcomes her solider home today

a blurb from my other blog...

2011-08-22T13:55:00.000-04:00

Perhaps this is news to you but I have established a business blog: Simply Social Media to highlight my consulting work in social media for small businesses. Today I am going to share my blog post from there in it's entirety but in the future, please add Simply Social Media to your blog reader of choice!

Welcome to my newest client: Dare To Dance

Today I can officially announce that Simply Social Media has signed a new client, Dare To Dance.

Dare To Dance is a fabulous dance studio located in Blue Ash. In their own words:

Conveniently located in the heart of Blue Ash, Dare to Dance has one goal in mind: offering the best Cincinnati dance experience possible, at affordable prices. It is a place where everyone can learn to dance, relieve daily stress, and improve their self-confidence in a social and relaxed atmosphere. No matter your level of dance knowledge; from beginner to advanced, Dare To Dance offers something for everyone and for every budget.

I can personally attest to the fact that Marco and Connie are a joy to work with. Look for frequent updates and slight changes on their Facebook page and also the introduction of an email newsletter. Your first class is always free at Dare To Dance so if you have an interest in ballroom, Zumba or learning a new dance for your upcoming wedding day, please visit the Dare To Dance Facebook Page and LIKE them.

Would you like help in the areas of Facebook, Twitter or email database management? Contact me for a consultation.

week in the life-almost complete

2011-08-21T07:18:00.004-04:00

Slow and steady wins the race, right?! It's nearly the end of August and I am almost finished with my documentation that began at the end of July.

All the weekdays are done. My next goal is to do a single page for each of us {including the dog} so two of those are done, 3 to go. And then with my remaining, can't stand not to use photos, I am going to do a few collage pages with brief notations.

Excuse the look of this post. While uploading multiple photo using the Picasa/Blogger combo, things went wonky.

FREE Quickpages from CatScrap

2011-08-20T19:11:00.001-04:00

It's a very good time to join in at CatScrap as their 5 year Birthday Celebration winds down. Above are just a handful of the free quickpages available during the blog hop. Sales, contests and challenges are still in progress. I still need to do a few week in the life pages before I call that project done and then I plan to drop a few photos into these templates and get a few more milestones and memories recorded lickety split.

The past four days have been blah for me. Not sure if I am fighting a cold or sinus infection or if I am just being greatly affected by the Midwest humidity and weather flucuations. I do know that the only place I really want to be is inside in the AC. Not an easy task with soccer practices. football scrimmages requring cheerleaders, the school festival this weekend...

trying to bring back meal plan monday...

2011-08-16T17:20:00.000-04:00

...food made mostly at home that includes a fruit or veggie!

Monday: Grilled chicken (marinated in Italian dressing), Bob Evans potatoes and steamed broccoli
Tuesday: Carry Out from Skyline Chili
Wednesday: Burgers and/or Beef BBQ
Thursday: Pizza after Soccer practice
Friday: Hot Dogs and Grilled Sausage

I wanted to do better and eat more at home but I have to go with what the schedule dictates. With school starting next week and the sports + activities already underway, it is about to get complicated :)

the posting drought

2011-08-13T17:07:00.002-04:00

I am pretty sure 10 days is my longest stretch with out a blog post. The past two weeks have been extremely busy but in such a very good, fun and family way. Last Friday, we left on a week long adventure. Stop 1: High Point to visit Dave's brother, his wife and their sons.

Rise and shine on Saturday morning and we were off to the beach for 3 nights (after a wonderful breakfast courtesy of our hosts).

This was our second visit to Ocean Isle Beach and it was just as great as last year. Olivia wants to make it our "every year vacation place". If the bank account agrees, I am in!

On Tuesday we took off for Columbia, SC. Note to self: do not select the shortest route on the GPS. Three hours into the trip when your husband realizes that and explains to you the difference between shortest and quickest you will be sorry. And you will wish you could get back the hour or so spent needlessly in the car, in the heat, with your two kids...you get the picture.

No matter, it was worth it because Wednesday morning led to our reunion with PVT Fischvogt.

The soldiers came out of the woods like this.

And then we got down to the business of hugging and oohing and aahing over our handsome soldier! We spent Wednesday on the base because Tyler was not allowed to leave. Without going into great detail, that was mostly a disorganized mess. But we were with Ty so that was good.

On Thursday, we headed back to Ft. Jackson at O' Dark Thirty for the official graduation. Afterward, Tyler and his friend Garcia were able to spend the rest of the day and night with us. Sort of. They had to be back on base at 4:30am.

I am so proud of Tyler. Attending his graduation and this experience ranks up there with one of the best for me. And I feel like it was a priceless opportunity for my girls.

So that's where I have been for the past 10 or so days :)

week in the life: tues wed + bonus page

2011-08-03T16:09:00.002-04:00

One of the products I was most excited to use were these Summer Tallies from CatScrap. In fact, they gave me the idea to record the mileage for the week.

My basic pages...one for each day of the week. I am getting quicker at putting these together. My goal is to complete these and then fill in from there. SO happy to have these photos and documentation. Had I been home, I would have filled out the journal pages for each day a lot more fully but using the pictures as prompts, so far I have been able to remember and recapture pretty much. Again, the week in the life project is the brainchild of Ali Edwards. Visit her.

week in the life: pages in progress

2011-07-31T20:11:00.000-04:00

Intro Page.

Day 1 Page.

Each day of the week will have one layout like this one with the 4 narrow photos (courtesy of a template from CatScrap). Depending on how much more of a story I have to tell or if there is a special picture to highlight, there will be additional daily pages. I'd like to also include one page for food/dining out and ideally one page about each of us that showcases additional photos from the week.With that as my goal, the album will just barely have 20 pages.

I am really trying not to over think this so that I can get it done. Today, I worked for about 1.5 hours in the car on my laptop as Dave drove us home from Norris Lake. I got the pictures for the pages like Day 1, shown above, dropped into the templates and have those complete through Wednesday.

As a reminder, A Week in the Life, is a project created by Ali Edwards. You can learn more on Ali's blog. In addition, nearly every digital product I am using is from CatScrap Designs.

Week in the life: day 2

2011-07-27T17:23:00.001-04:00

A small collage made on my iPhone using Diptic of yesterday's pics.

Going pretty strong on the photo taking front. I am getting anxious to begin my digital pages and hoping for a bit of computer play time.

If you are participating in a "week in the life" leave a comment and link up.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

a week in the life: day 1

2011-07-26T22:14:00.000-04:00

Here is a photo collage of just some of my photos from yesterday, all of these came from the iPhone. I would guesstimate I took at least 50 pictures and got at least a few good ones and a few more that help to tell the story of the day...like the waiting room of the doctor's office.

Looking forward to the rest of the week.

fonts--i love 'em

2011-07-19T12:09:00.000-04:00

I will see a magazine ad, or be reading a blog, or viewing a scrapbook layout and stop dead in my tracks because I love a font so much. It is not uncommon for me to begin a mission to find out the font's name and then download it for my personal use. Thankfully, so many great fonts are available for free!

Most recently, while visiting Kelly Noel's blog, Living the Dream, I saw a font I needed. That cute handwritten one across her toolbar.

Yep, it was love at first sight. So I sent her a message via Twitter and she responded that it was called Arsenale White. A quick Google search found it at Da Font, a great resource for FREE fonts.

If one free font is good, than many free fonts are better. Right? Right! So here is my list of new and great fonts. You can find them all at Da Font and download them for free.

on the menu tonight: recipes from magazines

2011-07-16T18:28:00.000-04:00

Wow, tonight I made two homeruns from my stash of torn out recipes from the pages of magazines.

First, 1-2-3 Salmon from Taste of Home.

Several things to note, I had never cooked salmon in my life and this turned out delicious. My husband literally gobbled it up. The marinade was perfect and not overwhelming. I cooked my large piece of salmon with the skin on, following the directions I read awhile ago on Lisa Russo's blog. My spatula slid right between the skin and the fish very easily and then I had just a big filet on the plate, ready to eat.

Next, I made Garden Veggie Linguine with Cilantro Pesto. The dressing is to.die.for. I preferred the dish room temp but I think I will like it even better cold. Next time, I will omit the carrots and since I grilled additional zucchini and corn on the cob, I threw those into the dish at dinner time. These flavors were even more intense and delicious. I also added cut up cherry tomatoes. I will definitely make it again but will plan it for a cold pasta salad dish. And if I have the time, I will grill the veggies and throw in any extras I have on hand.

Three cheers for summer grilling and eating!

I feel compelled to add that my kids ate neither of these and that Dave at the salmon but since he thinks he does not like cilantro, did not eat the pasta. And that is OK. More leftovers for me.

inspired to scrap

2011-07-12T19:13:00.002-04:00

It is honestly amazing and overwhelming to be part of the CatScrap Design team. Every week I am so blown away not only by what the designers design but what the creative team, and store customers, create with the digital designs. Although I am so incredibly busy and pressed for time, I have been taking a few minutes to make some pages. And I am so glad. Here are some recents:

If you click on each of these, you should be taken directly to them in my CatScrap gallery. If you are interested in the products used, they will be listed there. Thanks for taking a peek. Comments welcome!

visiting the 100 acre woods

2011-07-10T09:40:00.000-04:00

Me and the girls were able to view the new Winnie the Pooh movie a week in advance thanks to Dreamworks and Klout Perks. Some days, spending a ton of time on the internet pays off in an unexpected, but good, way!

{photo credit}

The movie was at 10am. Here is what my girls look like at 10am with plentiful movie treats:

Said treats barely got eaten. Now I know not go get so much at that time of day, if I ever go again at that time of day.

The movie was darling. I'd say this is a winner from age 2 on through adult hood. There were so many clever and unique things like how the text from the book was incorporated and also the story and how it reinforced a good lesson: friends are important. More important even than honey : )

In place of previews there was just one short film, the Ballad of Nessie. I loved that and it was a total winner. The moral of that story? It's OK to cry. So wonderful.

The Kuethes are giving Winnie The Pooh 6 thumbs up and we encourage you to see the flick.

Happy weekend.

cooking, eating, not dieting

2011-07-07T21:22:00.000-04:00

I think I fell off the Weight Watcher's wagon around spring break. I'd safely say I am now back where I started or possibly slightly worse off. Boo. There is really no upside b/c most every pound was re-gained eating J-U-N-K. There has been the occasional good meal and new recipe win though. Like yesterday, I made this...

Jalapeno Popper Dip. Easy, delicious and a great replication of an actual popper. Here's the recipe:

Jalapeno Popper Dip

(makes 4 snacks sized servings)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
1 (4 ounce) can sliced jalapenos (pickled)
2 jalapeno peppers (chopped, optional)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

Directions:
1. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, parmigiano reggiano and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a baking dish.
2. Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano and sprinkle over the dip.
3. Bake in a 375F oven until bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 10-20 minutes.

Photo and recipe credit at Closet Cooking.

Now that the clothes are ill fitting again and I altogether feel rotten about myself, I am going to re-embrace healthy eating. Sigh. It certainly doesn't help that both girls celebrate birthdays in July which equals at least 3 parties.

iPhone photography hits the big time

2011-07-05T14:21:00.000-04:00

This is a cut and paste from my other blog but I feel like sharing because it makes my heart that happy:

iPhone photography hits the big time

I am an avid photographer. I have a digital SLR camera and know enough about it to be dangerous. Same goes for PhotoShop but the iPhone 4 has really revolutionized things for me. I use it exclusively in place of my former pocket camera and it is my only current means of videotaping. Tack on some of the cool apps like Hipstamatic or Instagram, and I am a full fledged junkie. So I was more than pleased when I saw that the next issue of Martha Stewart's Every Day Food will feature a photo spread taken with an iPhone.

(photo credit)

Yes, this is affirmation that the iPhone + apps is very worthy. And that is a very good thing.

To view the entire magazine spread, go ::HERE::.

Do you have an iPhone or Smart Phone? Do you use the camera?

Norris Lake Tennessee

2011-06-30T22:03:00.001-04:00

June visit to Norris Lake.

Four kids, a lake, a boat, tubing, plenty of southern red mud, a swimming pool, a dog, a marina with ice cream and slushies...pretty much the epitome of summer fun.

The tubing shenanigans were out of control and very amusing for the three adults in charge of this brood.

One last picture before we headed in on Wednesday before coming home. At first I got resistance and then I said something like we just had tons of fun for 3 days, you can't give your mother one smile for the camera? Guilt at it's finest. I am biased but are these two beautiful boaters or what?

So lucky for the opportunity to enjoy my sister's and brother's in law new lake house. So glad I took the girls and went.

A Parenting Win

2011-06-27T09:37:00.001-04:00

(photo credit)

About 2 weeks ago I came across this blog post about work boxes (geez, I am like the biggest Lindsey Cheney fan in the world!). She uses this system as part of her home schooling routine but it made a giant light bulb go off above my head because I thought it would be a great idea to get my girls to do some summer school work. Every year I set out dedicated that they will at least read over the summer and if I am really ambitious, practice math. This year, for Olivia, mastering the math multiplication facts is imperative so I needed to follow through.

My system is scaled down for just 2 kids and 2 boxes per day. Olivia is the shade of purple and Shelby is the blue (her fravorite color). Olivia especially is excited about this and if I don't have them loaded at the start of the day, she asks! Yesterday, she asked me to fill the boxes on Sunday.

After they have completed the task in each box, they close it back up, turn it around and the box reads DONE. These are at the end of the hall in our upstairs by their bedrooms which is leading to a great result, they are completing them in the morning. So far I have included math flash cards, printed times tests, workbook sheets with telling time practice, books to be read (or a card asking they read 1 chapter) and instructions to write letters to Tyler, my nephew who is away at bootcamp.

When I first introduced them, Olivia nearly immediately said: you never follow through with these ideas. And she is right. But this year we are all going to do better.

One last thing, I sometimes tuck a surprise in box 2 which seems to be a real motivator as well :) I am not too proud to beg...

Sharing at:

ali edward's a week in the life

2011-06-23T21:22:00.000-04:00

I am hoping by adding the button over there on the right, I will commit to doing this project! The first time I participated was back in 2008, nearly 3 years ago. I did the entire album digitally and it is one of my greatest treasures. You can see some of my 2008 week in the life pages here.

Would you look how my girls have grown and changed?!

I loved the challenge of taking everyday life photos. I loved trying to arrange them in a somewhat simplistic format. I love having this snapshot of what a typical week in our life looked like.

Thank you Ali for the challenge and inspiration.

on the table

2011-06-21T19:58:00.000-04:00

I just got my second issue of Everyday Foods. Today I had a variation of this for lunch:

Recipe and photo credit can be found at Martha Stewart. I ate mine on a toasted Arnold's Sandwich thin and it was SO tasty!

Tonight, the girls and I made Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins, which was a variation of a bread recipe I found years ago on Nora Griffin's blog.

Tonight we had Papa John's pizza in an effort to help raise money for a family who recently lost their father/husband. I applaud Papa John's for donating 10% of their store sales to the Dulle family.

Next up, I want to make rice dish with cilantro, grilled corn and black beans.

Father's Day

2011-06-20T22:57:00.001-04:00

We spent a few hours at River Downs with my family yesterday. No people photos but I did get a few of the horses and muddy track.

And 2 more of Dave with the girls.

Collages made with my Diptic app. I took the photos, created the collages and posted on my blog using nothing but the iPhone. Thank you Apple.

Posted using BlogPress from iPhone

good to great, photoshop magic

2011-06-12T10:29:00.000-04:00

First, let me acknowledge the ill placed shadow. I am going to overlook that b/c I love this photo of Shelby otherwise.

I liked it as soon as I saw it tiny in the camera display. And I still liked it once I downloaded it.

This is where I insert my "I love my digi SLR camera and really need to dust it off more often" plug.

With a few very simple photoshop actions, I think this photo goes from good to great. Especially my dear child's sparkly eyes.

Camera: Canon Rebel

Actions: Pioneer Woman Freebies. I used slight lighten, boost, edge burn and slight sharpen.

Introducing: Simply Social Media

2011-06-09T07:52:00.007-04:00

I am taking steps to make my business as a social media consultant more official. Step 1: new blog! Please visit, become a follower, add me to your RSS feed...whatever it is you do when you see and like something new on the web!

My target market is small businesses. I enjoy helping anyone, no matter how big or small their company is, to be successful and to use social media effectively. Please share my desire to help others and encourage them to contact me for a meeting and review.

Going forward, this blog will remain my personal blog and my new blog will be strictly (ok, mostly) business. If you are looking for ideas to improve your own blog, website or social media plan please visit often for helpful hints.

Thanks so much! Tracy

to make

2011-06-08T16:13:00.003-04:00

Trying to find some sort of balance between housework, kids, work (the kind I get paid to do!) and some free time for me. There are so many things I would like to make. Here is a very short list of a few of them.Ok, two of them :) I have been "pinning" great ideas on Pinterest like it's my job so visit me there for more ideas.

I also plugged in my Kindle today and recharged it. I would also like to find time/make time for a little summer reading. Suggestions welcome!

My dad gave me all three of the Stiegg Larsson series and I am going to attempt The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo one more time. Encouragement welcome!

winding down

2011-06-04T19:25:00.001-04:00

This was a busy week leading up to the last day of school.

On Thursday, I spent the day at the zoo with the first graders. That is Shelby in the very front in blue, petting some sort of reptile. She touched every creepy thing they had available for touching: cockroaches, snakes, dragons. Bleck! She did NOT inherit that from me but I like it.

The token elephant shot.

And Shelby and her bestie, Hailey. Hailey had command of that map like it was her job. A first grader with a sense of direction. I like that too.

And then Friday before heading out for 1.5 hours of school, 1 of which was spent at Mass, my now 2nd and 5th graders. What? How did that happen? As my good neighbor says: turn around twice and they will be gone. I am starting to beleive that.

Summer vacation...bring it on.

Gift giving

2011-06-02T17:28:00.001-04:00

The end of year gifts from all of grade 1 are inside of these bags!

To make: Hallmark bags from Kroger, 25 cents. Doilies by Wilton $2.39 for 20. Label is Dymo.

Easy peasy!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

updating the home...

2011-06-01T06:31:00.001-04:00

So I was under the false assumption that new paint throughout most of my house would equal instant transformation in those rooms. Yea, not so much. It has been a slow process to put things back together, disposing of some of the old, repurposing and also buying new.

So far, the one room that is "most done" is the dining room.
Paint: Martha Stewart Bedford Grey, Home Depot
Light: Overstock.com

Artwork: prints from Sprik Space, printed 12x12 at Costco, Ikea Ribba frames, 20x20 (more inspiration with these frames HERE, be warned they are big--the frames not the folks at Young House Love)(light from this angle is not good at all, truer colors shown above)

Curtains: Ikea
Rod: Home Depot Levolor brand

Full disclosure: I only have one pair of curtains b/c I was choosing between dark grey solid and this lighter print. Also, the pair that is hanging has yet to be hemmed. Our longer term goal for this room is to extend the hardwood but for now, the old carpet stays. Also, I would like to add more artwork to some of other walls and am open to suggestions that would bring a bit more texture into the room.

What do you think?
Next up, kitchen!

Sharing at:
Today's Creative Blog

10 on Tuesday...

2011-05-31T14:30:00.003-04:00

1. Tyler left today for boot camp. I do know that he arrived safely in SC already. And I cannot wait to see him in August.

2. I made this today because he is on my mind and in my heart
3. I am so glad this is the final week of school.

4. I love promoting CatScrap by writing on their blog and updating Facebook and Twitter.

5. Catscrap has good sales on Tuesday and Wednesday :)

6. It is so hot and humid here that it feels like August. This does not make me want to go to soccer practice.

7. At least our pool is open and in working order.

8. Hoping my Olivia does not have swimmer's ear already. Headed to the doc at 3:30p.

9. Planning on BLT sandwiches for dinner.

10. Headed to the dollar store to get paper doilies (hope to find some like this) for bag toppers for all my teachers' gifts. I will share photos later in the week.

Tomorrow...

2011-05-30T19:25:00.004-04:00

Shelby + Tyler

Tomorrow this guy will be gone. Off to boot camp and to serve in the Army. I will take any of your best wishes, or prayers if that is more your thing.

Olivia + Tyler

It's hard saying goodbye. I know, I know he is doing a good thing but it will not make me miss him any less.

Good luck Mr. T. Be smart and be safe.

Memorial Day

2011-05-27T14:53:00.001-04:00

(click photo for source)

This is always an emotional weekend for me. I have talked about it a bit before on this blog here, here and here but 11 years ago I had three little babies. Three babies that arrived far too soon and therefore only survived a few days. Max, Mallory and McKenzie. My babies. Early on, if I even heard one of those names it would unsettle me but time does have a way of healing. As does mothering two pieces of perfection named Olivia and Shelby. I guess you never know why, and I did question many things in those early days, weeks and months. But I did survive and I did not give up on being a mother, thank goodness. Well actually, thank God.

So I am tender. My emotions are right there. Combine that with the fact that my nephew is leaving for Army Boot Camp on Tuesday and I am a mess :) I wonder about the timing of things. Why is it that Tyler is leaving so near Memorial Day? I have thought a few times of declaring it unfair. But really it is a great thing. He is determined and proud and although it is very hard for me to accept that he may ever face danger, I am proud too. And the next 17 weeks or so are in reality only a blip on the radar screen. I have to remember that. Time has a way of moving swiftly when you need it to and also working magic.

Memorial Day.
Memories: recalling old ones and making new ones.
I will put one foot in front of the other and do just that this weekend.

Tonight's Dinner-Tomato Walnut Tilapia

2011-05-24T18:57:00.002-04:00

I did not get a chance to share a meal plan on Monday but this was on my list to make and we had it tonight.

Tomato Walnut Tilapia I left out the walnuts in the topping because my husband doesn't like cooked nuts but this still turned out crazy good. This is my first time ever baking a completely plain fish filet from scratch. I bought a bag of frozen, individually portioned, tilapia filets at Kroger and this worked out perfectly. I made four and was glad I did because I had no trouble eating two myself!

In other cooking news, during a bad storm last night, we lost power for 6-7 hours. As of this morning, my microwave turns on and sounds like it is working but nothing heats. So far we have not found anything else to be out of order but in less than 12 hours, I realize how often I used the microwave! Tonight's dinner was dramatically changed since I could not cook my baked potatoes (quickly enough, we did not get home from soccer until 6:15), or heat my corn or the girls' chicken nuggets in that fashion. Or melt my butter for the fish topping. And on and on. Looks like we will be buying a new one and I know it will not be inexpensive as ours is built in above the stove. Of course, compared to the devastation in Joplin, MO this pales in comparison. Heck, it does not even register a blip.

Ballard Designs Knock Off Bulletin Board

2011-05-22T17:13:00.002-04:00

Slowly, after painting the walls in every room on our lower level, we are returning to some semblance of order. One key was getting our kitchen shelf back in place and functional.
Good news:

I love it's new grey and yellow paint job. Bad news? The paint will not adhere solidly despite everything we have tried. So...this may only be a temporary solution.
Moving on, today I knocked off the Ballard Designs Sisal Message board. Their price $139+.

Granted, their version is larger BUT

I made this using a 16x20 frame I already had and a rug from Target.

The rug was $12.99 and actually big enough to make 2 boards. I simply placed the cardboard backing from the frame on the rug to use as a cutting template. I placed it inside the frame, minus the glass and voila:

I got this. Start to finish, it only took about 15 minutes.

What do you think? I need a few more straight pins for fasteners and I hope to make a few decorative push pins as well.

My project is linked with others here:

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I believe...in blogging

2011-05-20T10:13:00.002-04:00

I have met {virtually, via the internet} more friends then I can count. The WWW is full of women with great ideas, passions, products and stories and they are succeeding professionally through blogging. Many of these independent business owners do marketing, social media and branding better than some of the biggest and most well known companies. And guess what? These BIG companies have noticed and are harnessing these female bloggers reach through promotions like these:

House of Smiths - new appliances and a trip to NYC
Gussy Sews - Singer sewing machine giveaways
Kayla Aimee - Home Goods shopping adventure

These are big ones, but daily I see promotions for photo albums, cereal samples and much more. And those are more than great too. Last week, I received two boxes of Quaker Oats cereal in the mail, along with coupons, and in exchange I have tweeted about the cereal {and I am writing about it here}. Kudos to Quaker Oats. And an even bigger pat on the back to the Clever Girls Collective for making this promotion, and many more, happen. {click on the button in my sidebar to learn more about the extraordinarily clever, Clever Girls}

I guess this is my ode to the internet. A thank you for all the opportunities it has brought to me and my family. And also an "atta boy" to all the ladies making a living in this unconventional but very real way. I am proud to say I am a blogger and pleased to be in such good company.

scrapbooking: telling our story

2011-05-17T08:09:00.005-04:00

Lately, I have been moved to begin making scrapbook pages again and telling our story. I credit some of the motivation to my new role at CatScrap Designs. It's lovely to have access to such great product :)

Thanks to the motivation of a Groupon expiring on May 18, this gem is on it's way to me.
Our 2010 Family Album. You can view mine and many other masterpieces HERE. The past two years, I have taken this approach: to write a monthly summary and add in other pages as I wanted. I primarily used the same scrapbooking products throughout each album and it really did simplify the design and I love both albums. {view 2009 album here}
But...this year I am going back to scrapping individual pages with whatever products I want to use at that moment. I have not decided if i will set a deadline and print them in an album or add pages into the existing books I have (family, Shelby, Olivia, Sisters) or just put individual pages into a designated 2011 album at some point. It doesn't matter to me right now...I just want to keep scrapbooking and I will organize them later.

So happy and lucky to have a sweet family and memories to document.

Monday Meal Plan - May 16

2011-05-16T17:02:00.003-04:00

Monday: Dave's Birthday -Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Veggies and Brownies with Icing
Tuesday: School Restaurant Fundraiser at Shooters
Wednesday: Frozen Pizza and Salad
Thursday: um, such a crazy night that this will be a drive thru evening for sure!
Friday: 5:30 soccer game. I'd love to say we will come home and grill out by sadly, this will likely be dinner out again.

I kinda hate when I have a schedule like this one, that nearly dictates dinner on the run. I am glad we are eating at home tonight instead of going out to celebrate the birthday because it is looking like the only decent, home cooked meal of the week. Sigh. You just gotta roll with it, right?

To visit women with much more on the ball than me, go HERE!

More weekending

2011-05-15T22:18:00.001-04:00

Olivia's class pet, China, came for the weekend.

Shelby's crazy snaggletooth finally fell out on Friday.

No tooth fairy visit though because she has not placed it under her pillow yet?!

I am looking forward to discussing a great business opportunity tomorrow. Cross your fingers and wish me luck!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

weekend: in progress

2011-05-14T19:31:00.000-04:00

Many, many soccers games to make up after the wettest April in the history of the world. (Ok, that's what it felt like). In fact it rained before Friday night's 7:30p make up game and for most of today's afternoon match. I caught a few good pics in the overcast weather before having to pack up my camera. And can I say, it feels good to look at crisper images NOT from the iPhone. And no, the one above is not in focus but I love my girl in action...in the red tie dye socks :) I am feeling a big need to get the Rebel out of cobwebs, attach the 50mm lens and start capturing the world around me again.

Tomorrow, my nephew makes his First Communion. A card and check will accompany this sign I made.

It is a 5x7 which I had printed at WalMart and placed in a wooden frame. I saw something similar on Etsy via Pinterest. Are you on Pinterest? Love.It.
Script-y font: BP Script. Love.It.Too.

The cutest carrot...

2011-05-12T13:42:00.000-04:00

...in the patch. Oh my. This was the cutest play EVER. How can you go wrong though with 1st graders and costumes that are veggies, flowers, animals and weeds?! Shelby was the carrot. I know, I am the master of the obvious. She has been excited about this for weeks. Not only did she know her lines and the songs she participated in, but I think she knew every word of the entire play.

Awesome.

Appreciation Gift

2011-05-10T20:39:00.004-04:00

I have so many to thank in the coming weeks as my kids' activities wind down for the year. Today, Shelby gave these picture frames made into dry erase boards, to her Brownie leaders. After taking this photo, I attached a dry erase marker to the picture frame using velcro. A Starbucks gift card accompanied them. Shelby wrote their names which you can see in the photo below.
I used digital scrapbook supplies from CatScrap to design the 8x10 insert. I printed the 8x10 at Costco, put it in a Walmart frame and done!

I was totally inspired by this idea:found HERE.

meal plan monday

2011-05-09T20:20:00.004-04:00

Sunday: We had meals at both parents for Mother's Day. I brought strawberry shortcake using my neighbor's method of splitting a grands biscuit in half (peeling the layers apart so it is still round) and tossing that in cinnamon and sugar before baking. This makes the tastiest little shortcake. I covered my cut strawberries in sugar and let them rest on the counter most of the day and they make the best and sweetest juice on their own (just like my Mom does!). Add whip cream and done.
Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: Chicken Stir Fry, Rice and extra veggies. Nuggets for the girls.
Wednesday: Cheesy Mostaccioli. I will leave some cooked spaghetti on the side for the girls to have with butter and parmesan. Garlic Bread, Carrots with Dip.
Thursday: busy night so the girls and I will get take out or pizza
Friday: something on the grill if the weather cooperates!

For more meal plans, visit this blog.

iNSD-{inter}National Scrapbooking Day

2011-05-07T14:53:00.010-04:00

If you are a digi scrapper, the internet is full of good things today! Start here:Click the image above to visit the CatScrap shop. I am in the process of downloading some very cute things right now...

I have run errands and grocery shopped all morning and now I have to face the inevitable task of sanding and repainting my kitchen shelf.

The shelf is the hub of our kitchen. Three hooks on one side hold book bags, jackets and lunchboxes. It holds all of my cookbooks and many other things. Oh, and shoes are in 3 bins on the bottom shelf.{please excuse photo resolution while i tinker with my blog settings}

The kitchen painting was completed on Tuesday. Without the shelf in place, all of life's daily essentials remain scattered throughout other rooms in my house. I'd like to simplify and do without but the last 4 days have taught me, I need that additional space. I will just need to be more creative in how I use the shelf which means seeking out baskets and boxes to hide some of the crap.

So, I think the shelf is going to be the same warm yellow as my newly painted kitchen walls: Blonde by Sherwin Williams. I am toying with grey on the inside and on the shelves and yellow on the exterior but I have a feeling my patience will not ultimately allow that to happen.

The painting is complete

2011-05-04T22:32:00.001-04:00

Between preparing the house for the painters to come and now trying to put the rooms back together, blogging fell off the radar. Add in a ton of teacher appreciation week activities and you have me running in circles in search of a nap!
So a quick remote update is what you get for now but I have so many home decor ideas swirling around that pictures and projects will soon follow.

My newly painted, upstairs hall.

Fun gift idea from eighteen25.

Friday night wallpaper removal. Good riddance!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

my heart

2011-05-01T16:07:00.004-04:00

I have a very sad heart. A father of one of Shelby's classmates died on Tuesday night. We just returned from the visitation and seeing his two young children broke my heart. I surely do not understand. They had a photo montage playing on two TV screens and Dave noted that this man's birthday was exactly 10 days before his and they were born in the very same year. It is impossible not to feel the weight of that.

Pictures, scrapbook pages, telling my story... they always feel right and worthwhile to me but never more than at an occasion like this. I can imagine this family is grateful for every one of their photos and stories that have been recorded.
I am so thankful for the many memories I have been able to capture and record. I am thankful for the girls and people playing the starring roles in my life.I am grateful for technology (cameras, smartphones, computers, photoshop, digital scrapbooking) and my ability to own and use those resources.

Today, there are plenty of other things needing my attention in our home but today, I made the above two layouts. And my time was well spent.

Layouts and product credits can be found ::HERE::

If you are the praying kind, we currently have SO MANY in our circle of friends and family facing struggles. If you can offer up a prayer, I'd appreciate it :)

on painting

2011-04-27T14:59:00.006-04:00

Seriously, any other time I have ever set out to paint I just pick from a swatch, put it on the wall and live with it. And in all honesty, that has worked out well for me.

Then came yellow.
And grey. Or is it gray? 8 pots of tester paints and I think I finally have it narrowed down.
Thanks to Facebook (thank you Colleen and Teressa) I tested Blonde from Sherwin Williams and I love it. Just the shade I was in search of. It is shown, but not well, on the right.

The grey is from Home Depot and is Martha Stewart Bedford Gray. It is the bottom right on my top sample. In my larger living room, I may use the darker shade (not the ugly darkest one!) which is MS Grey Squirrel.

(photo credit: Jones Design Co.)

I have been spending loads of time on the internet looking at color combos and funny, this one showed up today in my google reader and is pretty close to what I am going for. (Totally wish I had the vaulted ceilings to do this trim work).

So, the loose plan: Yellow in the kitchen, down the first floor hall and foyer + the upstairs hall too. Greys in both the living room and dining room. I might use the same shade for both or a different shade in each. The family room is also in for a shade of yellow. I may use Blonde in here or I also like Behr Biscuit.

So is your head spinning? Mine is. But I am excited and inspired. Also for the first time ever, I may hire out some of the painting. Sounds like a dream...

Meal Plan Monday - April 25 2011

2011-04-25T14:01:00.002-04:00

First, a report on good stuff I ate and made during the past week.

Angel Lush Cake, 2 thumbs up for sure. Next time, I might make it in a trifle bowl and add some other fruit.

Tortellini Bake. Man, I love this stuff but last week I made it for a friend and they enjoyed it too.

Monday: Leftovers! Turkey, Ham, Salad and plenty of Easter desserts.
Tuesday: Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Sandwiches (or chicken patty on a salad for me)
Wednesday: Beef BBQ for the bigs, burgers for the girls
Thursday: Drive Thru or Pizza
Friday: Baked Fish, Mashed Potatoes and a Veggie

**Before I could even press publish, I am already moving plans around for the week!!**

Spring Break 2011

2011-04-23T14:22:00.007-04:00

We are still rolling along, although rowing along is a more apt term. It has rained non stop and in buckets full. Despite that (and a whole lot of spending money) we have had a really good time. Since I last checked in, we have:Attended the Cleopatra exhibit at the Museum Center
Enjoyed an Easter Egg hunt with friends
Gone to the theater to see Rio

Enjoyed dinner (and a margarita for me!) at Acapulco along with Kacie, my niece. Their veggie quesadilla was super delish.
Today the girls and I have made Easter Cupcakes and this heavenly Angel Lush Cake which I cannot wait to dig into tomorrow. This is made with all low fat ingredients but still tastes incredible (at least the pineapple/pudding/cool whip combo does!) . I need to confess that I have fallen very far from the Weight Watcher wagon over this past week. I will be back on track Monday. Sigh.

I also made my extended family's favorite potato casserole for tomorrow's lunch. I am trying an asparagus & mushroom dish for dinner at the in laws from my new Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook.

As I write this, thunder rumbles yet again in the distance. Here in the Cincinnati area, we are many inches over our typical rainfall for April. Boo-Hiss.

Have a great weekend and Happy Easter.

Monogrammed Onesies

2011-04-21T22:36:00.001-04:00

Over the past few days I have made two little onesies for two special little girls. Both S's - Sidnee and Scarlette. I hope to get these in the mail soon but not before I craft up matching headbands!

*my first snafu...it appears I can only insert one photo per blog post :(

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A remote post

2011-04-21T17:54:00.001-04:00

I finally enlisted the help of an app so that I can post on the go. So, testing 1-2-3...

If you can see this post and a picture of soccer practice, leave a comment.
Thanks!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday Meal Plan - April 18

2011-04-18T21:31:00.002-04:00

Monday: Mett, Trader Joe's Sausage, Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Carrots and Dip. (Grilling on one of the few days that look decent in this week's forecast)
Tuesday: Baked Salmon, Mashed Potatoes, Veggie, Chicken Nuggets for girls.
Wednesday: Night out for me!
Thursday: Mio's Pizza for me and the girls
Friday: Spaghetti (no meatballs), garlic bread and salad

(photo credit: Olivia's iTouch)

Day 3 of Spring Break and we have:
attended the circus
colored Easter Eggs
the girls went to the Newport Aquarium
the girls got fancy manicures with my Mom today and had lunch at the mall

Still on the books:
Cleopatra Exhibit at the Museum Center
Movie in the Theater
Easter Egg Hunt x2

saturday with time on my hands

2011-04-16T15:19:00.005-04:00

Another Saturday, another day of rain and crazy wind and another day of canceled soccer. So instead of using my time constructively (cleaning the house) I have been in front of the computer enjoying my new Catscrap goodies and making a few layouts for this year. (Layout credits and details ::HERE::)

The pic of Olivia is from last night at the circus. Here are a few more of those, all from my iPhone.
As of yesterday at 3:20p, my girls are on Spring Break which means no school (or homework!) for 10 days. Giddyup!

thankful for...

2011-04-15T14:59:00.005-04:00

...a few spare moments to update my blog :)
...a week of true happiness for my girl who sang for several nursing homes, sang at church and acted out the stations of the cross...all this week
...a friend who I only know through the world wide wide web, whose baby girl finally came home after a 5 month hospital stay
...for medicine and advances that will hopefully make my friend well who was newly diagnosed with cancer (this is definitely me trying to view the cup as half full b/c truly my heart aches over it)
...today being the last day of school for 10 days!
...free tickets to the circus tonight...for miraculously seeing the scale tick downward this week as I veered pretty far off my diet for pretty many days

Happy Weekend.

CatScrap CatWalk + Social Media Consulting

2011-04-13T14:44:00.003-04:00

So, one of my newest and finest gigs is helping out with the blogging, facebooking and twittering at CatScrap-A Digital Scrapbook Company.
About once per quarter they have a fabulous event called the CatWalk where the designers all make kits and items based on the same color scheme but all of their products are sold individually. You really should visit CatScrap and check out the cool stuff.
And if you like freebies and quickpages, follow along on the blog hop and download yourself some scrappy goodness...for free.

Not only is this a talented bunch of ladies creatively but they are super organized and goal oriented. It is an absolute pleasure to be on their team.

If your small business could use a social media boost, please contact me for affordable rates to help maintain your business blog, facebook or twitter accounts.

a rainy saturday check in

2011-04-09T13:16:00.003-04:00

Instead of heading to a soccer double header for Shelby, I find myself with the luxury of a few unplanned, unscheduled hours at home due to a thunderstorm. So nice to relax a bit and catch up.
I am hoping to begin repainting our downstairs living area soon. This old house is in need of a makeover pretty badly and my hope is to begin with paint, a bit of new carpet and *maybe* refinishing our hardwood floors and extending that into our dining room. Here are a few of the gray and yellow rooms I found on Flickr. (all photo credits can be found in my Flickr Favorites). I love gray but since all of our window trim is oak, I am not sure I will like it as well. I absolutely prefer white trim and this oak has been my chief dislike in our house since Day 1.

I love this room too but you will have to visit Flickr to see it.
Also on my wish list, a gray couch.
What do you think?

There is more to life than just food...

2011-04-05T05:00:00.000-04:00

The girls enjoyed playing a few pranks on us on Friday.
Shelby returned to the soccer field and played quite well despite the cold and cRaZy wind.

This was our view from the car on our way home from soccer, big white fluffy clouds with beautiful light streaming through.

Monday Meal Plan - April 4

2011-04-04T10:14:00.002-04:00

Gosh, my only recent blog posts have been about food...which I am supposed to be eating less of!

Sunday: Dinner at my Mom's (grilled sirloin burgers, baked beans and lots of snacking that I should NOT have been doing!) My neighbor also brought me a plate of strawberry shortcake. She covered canned biscuits in cinnamon and sugar before baking and used those as the shortcakes. Um, hello YUM! Again, way off the diet but really tasty. My girls have been very into waffles from the waffle maker ever since they had the made to order kind at our fancy brunch. I bought the light version of Bisquick and made those at lunch time per their request. I even ate one of the lighter version with a ton of fruit on the side.
Monday: Turkey Cordon Bleu Cutlets (recipe from my new Taste of Home Comfort Food diet Cookbook) Shelby will hopefully eat a plain turkey cutlet and Olivia will have chicken nuggets. I will probably serve fruit on the side.
Tuesday: Pork Chops (will likely use a recipe from the new cookbooks, I got two versions)
Wednesday: Pizza for the Girls, Smart Ones frozen meal for me, night out for Dave
Thursday: Dave begins golf and lots of activities = drive thru meal
Friday: Fish Fry at the school

I shared my meal plan HERE. Visit for lots more recipes and ideas!

Weight Watcher Wednesday

2011-03-30T08:27:00.003-04:00

My focus (and praises!) for this week go to Trader Joes! TJ's is not super close but I always love going but this time I was looking for healthy options and was not disappointed. The organic cherry tomatoes (a blend of reds and yellows) were some of the best I have EVER eaten. I ate them by the handful as a snack (more like candy) and also added them to everything thing I could. The sliced fresh pineapple was also delicious. I think I ate that in less than 24 hours.

Last night, I made a Rachael Ray recipe: Creamed Chicken with gnocchi dumplings. Trader Joe's gnocchi is $1.99 per pkg and as far as I know, I have never seen them priced this low. And they are good. And surprisingly not a terrible diet buster. For this recipe, I used 2% milk instead of half n half. I did not figure out the points value, and I am sure it was pretty high, but oh my word, this stuff is delicious. I ate a half of can of green beans on the side for balance :)

I also purchased a frozen Chicken Fajita Burrito at Trader Joes but have not yet made that. This was a sound choice points wise so I have high hopes it will be tasty. I also bought a loaf of the most incredible Sesame Semolina Bread. Each slice was 4 pts, but I toasted it and made open faced sandwiches.

And last, the biggest win of the trip: Chicken Sausage with Sundried Tomatoes and Basil. 3pts. 3pts! I ate this grilled served with sauteed (in cooking spray) onions, peppers and mushrooms and it was so crazy delicious, I was amazed. I even used a real hot dog bun (just 3 pts) but in the end only ate half of that. I know this is going to be a summer grilling staple because it is the healthiest option I have come across. But without compromising on flavor.

Three cheers to Trader Joes!

Monday Meal Plan: March 28 2011

2011-03-28T15:21:00.003-04:00

Sunday: Hot Dogs, Metts and Chicken Sausage from Trader Joe's (the sausage was delicious and only 3 WW points) I sauteed peppers, mushrooms and onions for mine.
Monday: Grilled Hamburgers and Baked Beans
Tuesday: Chicken (either this or this)
Wednesday: Kroger Meals Made Simple Meal with Rice
Thursday: carry out or pizza
Friday: Shrimp or Fish

For more meal ideas visit here.

Weight Watcher Wednesday

2011-03-23T13:12:00.003-04:00

I begin today with a disclaimer. During my one month on this plan, I have lost 3.8lbs total. I am not an expert. With that said, I am following the rules (and points allotment) fairly closely and still plan to share my hits and misses. The week I lost the most, I used none of my 49 extra points. When I have either gained or stayed the same, I have had a big weekend "occasion" where I allowed myself to splurge. Big time. So, there is hope for the method. Just don't invite me anywhere with great food or tempting alcoholic beverages. Just kidding. Kinda.

Moving right along to tasty food finds.
This little number was delicious and only 5pts. I ate it for lunch with half of an english muffin sprayed with 0 pt butter. I will buy it again and right now I think they are on super sale at Kroger.
I also ate these for breakfast one day. Pretty good. 5pts for two and you get two packs of two in the box. The main reason I prefer the other is because of the side of potatoes and veggies. I am all about the sides.

Next up, the Chipotle Nutrition Facts Calculator. So super cool. I was able to quickly determine the points of my Burrito Bowl before I even went to Chipotle for lunch. I ate half for lunch and will eat the other half tomorrow making them each 5.5pts based on my selections. For lunch today, I ate a half portion of Special K crackers with Salsa too.

Sonic. Oh, how I love thee. Although placing yourself in the drive thru is placing yourself in the face of temptation I do suggest getting their Route 44 Unsweetened Tea with lemon or Diet Coke. The styrofoam cup keeps the contents cold all day long. Last night, I threw mine out and there was still ice in the cup at 8pm. I view these drinks a "free" treat so I am happy on the days when I have one around. Today is a happy day :)

Any suggestions from fellow points counters out there?! Leave a comment.

And don't forget to register for my Handmade Kindle Cover at the Vintage Sheet blog.