Keeping up with the Jones'

Oh tax time, the love-hate relationship

2012-01-29T21:14:00.001-07:00

This time of year is awesome and stressful at the same time. Tax refunds are awesome and I am always excited to receive it, but my goodness..... The FORMS!!!! How many forms are really needed?? Add buying a home, moving, changing jobs, Buns in school and new medical bills and there is a whole world of tax forms that I didn't know existed.

Anyone have tips on taxes? Care to share?? When Buns becomes a CPA, I look forward to the day that he will do all this. Until then, I am trying to develop my talent in this area. At least I don't have stats tax on top of it! Geeez was that a pain in Utah.....

Life

2012-01-22T19:08:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking about my life and I have made 2 decisions.

1. I work a lot.
2. I want to go to Europe.

Are they related?????

Need ideas!

2012-01-01T21:43:00.001-07:00

I am needing some help with getting ideas for my small laundry room area. It's not very big, and I am not positive if I can stack my washer and dryer because of the connectors so I need ideas for both side by side and stacked.

My dream would be to have shelves with doors, bare shelves and a bar to hang things on to dry, plus I would like something to help utilize this for a "mud room". Like maybe shoe take or something.

I need suggestions please???? Help!!! I have attached old pictures to assist with ideas!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-31T18:19:00.001-07:00

Do you do New Year's Resolutions??

I do. Although it is hard to keep them all the time, I think resolutions are a great way to keep yourself on track and to motivate to be better all around.

I'm going to share mine today....NO judgement okay? :-)

1. Work out 4 times/week - schedule it into the week so there are no excuses.

2. Keep PRN work to 2 times a week. - I need to not let work over take my time.

3. Start couponing again - I have a good collection of food and such, but I'm aiming at being frugal.

4. Attend LDS Temple once a month.

5. Save ______ by the end of 2012. If I make this goal, we are going to Europe!! :)

6. Sod Yard and make a garden (I want carrots, tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, and zucchini)

Now it is your turn! Make some New Year's resolutions and see what happens! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Projects at the Jones'

2011-12-31T17:58:00.003-07:00

Buns has 4 weeks vacation between the Fall Term and the Winter Term. He has taken this opportunity to do things around the house that we have been meaning to do...pretty much since we bought the house.

First off....finishing the baseboards!! When we bought the house, we ripped off the old baseboards and cut and placed new ones. However....since we did not have an air compressor or nail guns, we were not able to actually nail them to the wall. Although most of the boards stayed up or were propped up by furniture, there were several boards that kept falling down and that got annoying after a while. :(

So...Buns used his new Christmas present to nail the boards in, and then he caulked all of them. The boards on carpet he caulked the top and sides and in the kitchen and bathroom he caulked the top, sides and bottom. Here are some photos (taken with my phone before I got my new camera):

Nice right?? I think he did a great job and he wouldn't really let me help him so he is getting all the credit. I came home one day from work and it was all done.

I am proud of the work he did with the baseboards, but I am even MORE proud of the next project he did!

Behold.....THE ATTIC.....dum dum dum....

First the door.....

And open......

The BEFORE picture....The rafters are really low to the ground and so I have to duck to get around, but in between the rafters Buns and I can stand upright. To the left, you cant see it, but there is a whole other space around that corner. He also installed lighting for both the doorway and the back area.

The AFTER!! Buns put in extra supporters for all the floor below laying it all down. At first I was not comfortable with standing up and putting my full weight on it, but now I feel better and the whole thing is really sturdy.

With ALL our crap in it. There is still A LOT of room left.

The baby furniture is all packed up in there now along with the mattress. Those mattresses are twins so this should give you an idea of how much room there is. Again, there is a whole section to the left around the corner that we can use too. Pretty much everything except the Air Conditioning units is up there now and we still have room to spare up there and now our home is so much cleaner and more useful. We actually have a guest room now and my office has only the commonly used stuff in it!

What a great way to start the New Year!!

Life in the fast lane....!!

2011-12-31T16:37:00.000-07:00

Wow....what a past few weeks... Christmas was incredible! My hubby is amazing and I am so excited to show you all the greatness that is my husband.

I took off the Friday before Christmas and the Monday afterwards. We stayed in town and had our own little personal Christmas. Here are a few pictures of that day!

From Ashley!! Perfect for me! I placed it above my TV. It practically sums up my life motto.

Buns got this from his dad. It has been such a fun toy!

My new toy, a space heater. :) May seen funny for some, but I have been wanting one of these forever! It gets SO cold in the morning since we keep the thermostat almost off at night.

Buns' new toy! He has been asking me for an air compressor for a long time. I found a great one at a great price on Black Friday and so I snatched it up for him. He has found a ton of uses for it and has used it a ton the past couple of weeks.

Santa got me this! It looks pink, but it isn't. It is red and LOVE it! It is big and the hook handle is so classy to me. :)

ALSO, Santa got me a NEW CAMERA! Unfortunately Santa is on a budget and so it is not a DSL camera, but I got a new small digital camera for blogging and documenting anything I want. I love it! All the pictures you will be seeing from now on will be taking from that camera.

After opening presents, we went to the Christmas Day sacrament meeting and then the afternoon was filled with talking to family on Skype and playing with our new toys. We then went to Christmas dinner at our neighbors home. It was such a nice dinner and the family is such great neighbors and we are blessed to have them as neighbors.

So that was our Christmas! Nothing fancy, but a fabulous Christmas for us!

One more day!

2011-12-24T13:49:00.001-07:00

Just one more say until Christmas! Life has been going by so fast this month, I can't believe it. Tomorrow is going to be lovely and I will make sure to blog all about it afterwards. :) Until then, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!!

Holidays!!!

2011-12-10T22:12:00.001-07:00

Can I just say that this time of year is my absolute favorite. It makes me smile! The best part is the food AND.... presents! So.... Here is a recap.

Thanksgiving:

I had to work that day at the hospital. It was actually a really busy day. Buns and I were invited to our neighbor's home for dinner and I almost didn't make it. :) They made a wonderful dinner and it was great to spend time with their family.

Afterwards Laurie (neighbor) and I went Black Friday shopping!!! It was fabulous too! We left about 8 and were back before midnight! AND we got everything we went for. It was actually one of the best BF experiences I have ever had. I got all the Christmas presents I wanted plus a little something for myself that I tucked under the tree. Not going to tell! :)

And now it is CHRISTMAS TIME! My pretty tree with all the sentimental ornaments on it is up and in front of the window. We have lights on the house (ghetto-stylish) and presents are all packaged and ready to be shipped, and my days off are all planned.

Buns just got done with school and so he has a 4 week break. We have projects for the house that need to be done before January. Bun's dad is hopefully coming for a visit after the first of the year. Excited to share! Happy holidays!!

Dear Santa

2011-11-27T18:40:00.001-07:00

I would like a brightly colored large umbrella with brightly colored polka dot rain boots to go with it! Thanks!

Noralee

Oh how I love projects!

2011-11-20T18:29:00.001-07:00

So I did a project today! Not huge, but it made a significant difference in the room. I re-covered the cedar hope chest that is now in the living room. It use to be a light blue that my mom put on it after getting it from my great aunt but I don't like the blue. So I changed it! Do you like ??

Me!

2011-11-20T12:53:00.001-07:00

I got complaints (Mckenzie) that I do not show enough pictures of myself so here are a couple self pictures using my phone! Maybe buns will take others for me that are better, and I wish these braces where gone.... :)

New editions to my family!

2011-11-20T12:44:00.001-07:00

No, not a baby, and not a puppy, but new editions none the less!

First up is my new elliptical! Well new to me. I have always wanted something to work out on at home, but I have horrible knees and ankles and so I would need an elliptical. So I have been looking and I found this baby on Craig's list for a great price and got it! I love it! It has a music port so I can plug in my iPod! What do you guts think?!

Second up.... My new washer and dryer!!! Oh my gosh I have always wanted to have front load stackable washer and dryer and I finally got it!!!
I am so super excited. Right now we can stack them due to the shelves, but I think that will be coming soon! Any suggestions on how to maximize this space???

My husband loves me

2011-10-30T10:25:00.001-06:00

So I hate frost. I really do. On windows, endearing. On trees, memorable. On my car windows.....evil! So now that winter is coming, frost is showing up everywhere. We have a garage with our home, but we have been unable to use it due to not having a garage door opener, and do we have been parking outside. In the summer, that is no big desk, but now winter, and the evil frost, is coming.

So this week, we had some cold mornings and I get up early for work and so I would either end up running my car to want up for 10-15 minutes or I would spend that long scraping my windshields. Both I hate. On one of these mornings I texted Buns and told him that I was sick of doing this every morning.

On Thursday, I came home to find my husband installing a garage door opener for me! He was working hard to get it all done before I got home, but I must have caught him in the act. Lol he is the best! I had to post pictures, but keep in mind that he has not finished with the wires yet when these pictures were taken.

I love him! He is so thoughtful!

Interesting...

2011-10-23T12:54:00.001-06:00

Did you know that if a product rings up incorrectly at Albertsons, then the item is free? Yes yes!

I went to Albertsons to pick up a few things and there were some coupons for B1G1 free for shampoo. So I got two and went up. Well they rang up wrong and the cashier says, "you get both for free then!" I was shocked! I had no idea and it was a pleasant surprise for sure!

Any situations like that for you??

I have a great project coming up and I am already planning for christmas so keep posted!

My trip today

2011-10-17T22:54:00.001-06:00

Here is my trip this morning:

2 Sarah Lee apple pies
1 Sarah Lee pound cake
1 Sarah Lee cheese cake
2 Kleenex hand towels
2 energizer batteries 10 packs
2 Finish dish washer soap gel packs
4 lbs butter
3 bags lays potato chips
4 shampoos and conditioners
2 bags of candy for halloween
1 Philadelphia cooking cream

Original cost: $97.67.....seriously?
My cost: $32.73

So.....I saved a lot! Oh, and I still have a 5 buck Catalina to spend on my next shopping trip at Albertsons. I am thinking of going back tomorrow. Good times! Try it!

Step two

2011-10-17T22:40:00.001-06:00

So after you find the motivation, it is time to work. This is how I do it. Keep in mind that I spend about 2 hours a week planning and organizing and then depending on the week.... Another hour or so shopping.

1. Make your ground rules. I use to run all over town to get the deals and I would end up wasting a lot of time with nothing to show for it. So I chose to keep it to only the stores near my house or on my routes.

2. Find your way to organize. I chose to use a three ring binder and the clear protectors that you use for baseball cards. I then divided the coupons into categories. I used the method from the Krazy Coupon Lady. She organized everything by the isles in the grocery store.

3. How to get your coupons? I get my coupons from the newspapers and the Internet. I happen to like getting the newspapers and most of the time, if they are online, then they will be in the paper soon after as well. It is up to you, and however you prefer, keep in mind that clipping will be required by all.

4. How to find the deals? I utilize two main websites: couponconnections.com and frugallivingnw.com. These websites are awesome but only for the northwest do if you live in a different part of the country, you will have to do some research to find the couponers out there that are posting this sort of information. These websites post, by store, what the deals are, what coupons to use, how to get these coupons, and how much you will spend on the items. VERY user friendly and really takes the guesswork out of couponing.

5. Try it!!!! Come on! Do it! What got me started was I did ONE deal. Thats it. Pick one thing from the website, maybe something where you can print the coupon, and just try it. That is then it clicked for me. I was able to go from there. Just do it!

Step one

2011-10-09T22:18:00.001-06:00

So couponing.... I can only give details about MY experiences, so bare with me.

So when we moved into our house, I was so excited to have a space if my own. Then I went to an activity at church focused on preparing and being frugal. I went home and told buns that I had a strong feeling that we should start saving money and storing food. Not a the-world-is-coming-to-an-end kind of feeling, but more of a I-want-to-be-more-prepared kind of way.

However, nothing really came of it at that time. THEN my friend and neighbor Laurie gave me a nudge. "You should coupon!" she said. I figured, "But everything is cheaper at winco or Walmart." Boy was I wrong.....

When I use to think of couponing i thought of going to Safeway or a different store, and using a manufacture coupon and get maybe 50 cents off a $8 item. This did not seem like it was worth my time. So the Laurie introduced me to a different way of couponing. I started by looking at two main websites focused on couponing in the northwest: Coupon Connections and Living Frugal NW. There are others across the country, if you don't live in the NW. These sites focus on informing everyone on what stores are having sales, and what coupons to use in conjunction with the sales.

The point of couponing is to take a sale item and tag teaming it to a manufacture coupon and/or stir coupons, along with possible Catalinas (cash back) to get things free it close to free! My mind was blown!

So there is the first step. Motivation!

My shopping trip

2011-10-03T22:18:00.001-06:00

Before couponing I would spend 60-75 bucks a week on groceries for the "normal " stuff: milk, toilet paper, bread, etc. Maybe 1-2 boxes of cereal if lucky to stay in budget. NOW? Check this out. Keep in mind that this was using coupons.

8 boxes cereal
8 cans pringles
2 red baron pan pizza
2 frishetta pizza
3 packages Tyson frozen fully cooked chicken
2 roasts - one not pictured because we made it tonight. :)
3 gallons milk- only one pictured
1 1/2 dozen eggs
1best life butter spred
Bananas
1 loaf French bread
2 boxes fruit roll ups
1 box granola bars
4 bottles dove hair shampoo/conditioner
2 boxes carpet refresher
4 bags steamers veggies
1 package Jennie O turkey burgers

and how much????

Less than 60 bucks: 59.24 to be precise and look at how much I got!!! To put it in perspective, the roasts were 15 bucks each regular price....yeah. Really.

To be precise I saved $101.51!!! Seriously!!

People have been asking me to teach them to coupon.... Well I am taking you up on that offer and posting a series of posts focused on how I coupon and how I got started - plus how you can too! I am no expert but I can at least share what I know and have learned.

Excited?! I am!

Poor Buns.....

2011-09-30T08:13:00.001-06:00

Buns is getting his tooth extracted this morning..... I remember how that feels....not fun at all!

Keep him in your thoughts! Hopefully he will sleep it off!

The reveal of the sign UP

2011-09-24T22:41:00.001-06:00

You wouldn't think it would be that hard to get this thing up, but sometimes things take a little while. But it is totally worth it!

Food storage and couponing

2011-09-24T22:09:00.001-06:00

I am really excited to share this post. I have always wanted to coupon and have food storage but I have not felt that I had the money or time. But with a little help from my neighbor and some work... I have found my passion in life.

And so I am posting from my phone these pictures in hopes that you will be as impressed as I am of myself.

Comment please!!??!

The list.....

2011-09-18T20:38:00.000-06:00

Being sick, I have had some time this weekend to think. Think about what I want to do with this house. Buns and I have decided to wait to redo the lawn until spring. So, I am going to want to spend some of that time and money for some good Fall and Winter items to spruce up the joint. :)

Things on my list:
1) Fall foliage/garlands
2) Fake Pumpkins
3) Fall flowers for Vases
4) Tin Vase for outside

Also I have a couple new projects I would like to do.

1) Washer/Dryer Pedestal/Shoe holder: the idea comes from here
2) Garden Box (yes it is not planting time, but might as well now when not everyone and their fifth uncle are doing one.
3) A Baking dish carrier like this one seen here.

Yep. Not a huge list, but a list non-the-less. I have already begun the prep for the projects and I have begun exchanging the summer things for fall, so right now my house is in a transitioning phase...no judgement.

Oh, and my jobs are keeping me busy. :) Hence the lack of posts.

Have a great weekend!!!

The Flu shot

2011-09-18T19:52:00.001-06:00

This is not always the case but I have developed an adverse reaction to the flu shot this year. Doctors always say that when you get the flu shot, you may experience some "flu like symptoms" such as low fever, and being achy However, my reaction was insane. Within 5 hours of getting the shot, I was unable to fully stand due to pain, I had bloodshot eyes, a bad headache, and a fever of 101.8. I felt like I was going to die. Thankfully, the next day the fever just hovered around 99.0 - 99.5 and today it is pretty much gone.

I am never getting the flu shot again. Period.

lost phone.....

2011-09-05T20:31:00.001-06:00

I lost my phone.....so....if you ever wanna hear from me again....find me on facebook or email me and send me your number again!

Laundry Room

2011-09-02T22:40:00.002-06:00

I have been trying to get my house in order, as well as complete projects that I have been meaning to do... SO, time to get out the Cricut and craft, craft craft! I have always wanted a sign in my laundry room. I found this great chalk board sign at Craft Warehouse about 6 months ago and not is the time to use it!

I LOVE this machine.....LOVE this machine!! I makes crafting so fun and easy, I don't know how I lived without it for so long.

Here are the signs I wanted.

I saw the second sign there and I fell in love with it...I thought to myself.."Nora....you can make that. Not as pretty..but good enough for you"...so I did.

What do you think??!?!! I am super happy about it. I have asked Buns to hang it and I will post once it gets hung. Now I need to come up with something for the bathroom now. Any suggestions?!

I give full credit for the idea to Wonderfully Wordy and I am just going to put out there that her stuff is AMAZING! I got my vinyl decal for my Kitchen Aid from her and I couldn't be happier. So look at her stuff!! I get nothing for it other than joy that you get to enjoy her hard work.

My current typical day....

2011-09-01T20:17:00.002-06:00

Wake up: 6:15-6:40am....depending on how many times I hit the snooze button.

Leave house: 7:15am - kiss husband while he is still asleep and try not to wake him up

Drive 45 minutes

Arrive at work 8:00am

Work, work, work....

Lunch at 12:00pm

Work, work, work....

Off between 4:30 and 5:00pm depending on day and caseload

Drive 45 minutes....

Some days....like today:
go to old job...arrive 5:15-5:45pm

Work work work....

Leave at 8:00pm

Get home around 8:10pm

Other days:
get home 5:15-5:45

Cook dinner, eat, spend time with husband, watch TV

Go walking...hopefully... 7:00-8:00pm

Kiss husband, Eat (if applicable), get things ready for next day, shower, dishes, clean-up...etc...

Bedtime: 9:30-10:00pm......

Not to mention....make and set appointments, call about bills, pay bills, do budget, laundry, grocery shop, couponing, keeping my home clean, and trying to have a relationship with my husband....

How am I going to do this again?????

Disclaimer: I DO have a wonderful husband, who, not only completely understands the stress of my current load, but also is willing to clean the house, do laundry, cook and basically help me stay sane. This rant is due to a rough day and lack of sleep. This in no wise should be taken as a pity party or to say that my husband is a lazy bum.

Pinterest?....

2011-08-29T23:16:00.004-06:00

What the heck is that?!

You can read all about it here, but basically, I am picking things I want to do that I have been too lazy, scared, or poor to do before, and I am DOING them! Then I blog about it. My dear friend Mari talked to me about it, and I thought it was a wonderful idea. : )

I am copying her pinterest #1 (sorry mari) but it was so cute, I couldn't resist! So here goes!

Pinterest #1 Newspaper nails!

Thats right! Newspaper on my nails (no these are not my nails..) I forgot to take before pictures, but I borrowed a couple from Mari to show the prep and then I have my after photos. :)

First I painted my nails this awesome green called "Green with envy". Make sure whatever color you pick is relatively light or otherwise the newspaper will not show.

Then get rubbing alcohol and small pieces of newspapers. I would recommend getting even some super small print, it seemed to show up better.

Then, dip your finger into the rubbing alcohol and while your finger nail is still wet, lay and press the newspaper to your nail. I held it for about 15 secs and then peeled off. It is super hard to see....my camera sucks...but it worked!! I was super excited. A little clear coat and presto! Make sure when you put the top coat on that you are careful not to smudge it.

Cute idea right?! Okay...so here is the challenge. Although I do not have a ton of people following my blog and although I am not the best at doing this myself, I am sending a challenge to all of you to DO! Pick something every day that you have been dying to do and just do it. Then post about it! I am going to try really hard to do it this week. Join me!!

Our New Baby!

2011-08-23T17:20:00.003-06:00

So, for my new job.....did I mention I switched jobs? Oh...okay, backing up....I switched jobs! I will be working full time at a hospital out-patient pediatric setting, and starting new programs at that hospital. Also, I will be working a few hours a week at my old place doing neuromuscular electrical stimulation.....blah blah blah....

ANYWAY!!!! So....this new job is a little of a pay decrease (nothing too bad) and also a commute. Why do it? The number one reason is because I have a pay-back agreement with my grad school to work with children for 2 years....so....before I have kids, I am getting that done.

SO....as part of the hiring program....they gave me a sign-on bonus to assist with the commute and decreased pay...

So Buns and I got a new baby....

YEP!!! NEW CAR!!! Well.....new to me! We got it today and I am so relieved to have a second car. The good news is that the actual price for the CAR will be free to us. :) All we have to pay out of pocket is the licence, tax and fees (which will be a bit, but still...cheaper than an entire car.). Clean title, no wreaks and drives awesome!

Now we have to think of a name.....any suggestions?!

My man

2011-08-13T15:43:00.004-06:00

I am in love with and married to a mysterious, sexy and multi-faceted man.

A man who cleans bathrooms like he is back in boot camp. A man who will make the bed every morning, just because he knows it makes me happy. A student. A man who will watch The Bachelor and So You Think You Can Dance. A man who holds infants like they are fine china, but who uses his tools like a burly man. A man who speaks Spanish when I have trouble with English sometimes.

A creative man. A man who is beating me over-all in grades in school and who consistently corrects my pronunciation of works like "ridiculous". A man who, just the other day, made me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants, but also hold me close when I just need to cry. A man who loves me no matter what stupid thing I do, but is still able to tell me when I am being stupid.

A man I have been married to for 3 years now. 3 years! I am so grateful to be married to this man. He is my man.

Happy Anniversary Buns!

Coupons!!!!

2011-08-11T17:53:00.002-06:00

So, if you have been wondering where I have been lately....I am sure you all have been checking my blog daily right??? RIGHT??? I have been super busy and lots to catch you up on.

I have found a new passion.....COUPONING! Yes, it is a word. :) I got hooked seriously in a matter of days and have been going non-stop since. I have a good friend and neighbor here and she said to me "You should come couponing with me sometime." I figured "Yeah right, I can hardly figure out the cheap way to eat my normal food, how am I going to figure out how to coupon to". It just seemed like way too much work for me. But one weekend (4th of July weekend) I gave it a try. I bought the paper, clipped, sorted and then searched for deals. I found two websites which helped me break down where the deal are and how to get them and the next thing I knew I was hooked.

Let me give you an example of how good I have done:

In 6 weeks I have spent $150 on couponing....give or take...and here is what I have:

8 bottles Gillette shower gel

24 boxes cereal

10 boxes pop-tarts

8 boxes granola bars

4 bottle V8 fusion

7 boxes tampons/pads/liners

8 deodorant for Buns and 10 for me

2 new razors

44 razor re-fills

4 bottle Crest Pro-health mouthwash

8 crest toothbrushes

5 tubes of crest toothpaste (2 are for sensitive teeth)

4 packages of Oral-B floss

3 packages of 12-pack toilet paper

4 bottles spray n wash

3 bottles Soft Scrub

2 bottles Windex

3 bottles of dish soap

4 boxes of Zip-Lock bags

3 gallons milk

2 Freshetta pizzas

2 Family size shampoo

4 regular size shampo

1 icecream

5 bandaid boxes

etc, etc, etc, etc

I can't even keep track of everything I have gotten. Most of these items were either less than 1 buck a piece or free. FREE!!!! Seriously!!!!

I am blown away with how couponing works. Buns is super excited and encourages me to go for it. :) I have been quite proud of myself. :)

For example: I went to Safeway today, they has Gillette Body wash on sale (Buns loves this stuff) for $2.99, I had a coupon for $2 and then Safeway has a doubler (they will double a coupon up to $0.50). SO....that makes it $0.49!!! So I got 4! 2.56 with tax. Simple as that!

Does anyone else have couponing stories?!!? Please share!!

I have 3 other posts I am going to post in the next two days. Lots to say and show!!

Ghetto?…….yes.

2011-07-05T20:51:00.001-06:00

So, my husband and I are wimps. We hate being too hot at night in the summer. Our new place does not have central air yet, and so we decided to use our window units from last year….however, we ran into a problem. Our old windows opened up and down, but our new ones…side to side. So the window units were not made for these windows. Did this stop us, you ask? NOPE! Buns is handy and so we ended up with…..this.

The bedroom first, the smaller unit. Nothing to really hold it in place, but Buns is smart and I came home to this.

He built the stand from scratch to hold the unit up. We also got plexiglass to make a “window” for it. AND got silicone and calked the edges to seal it all up. No bugs for us!

Now the front window! The big one!

You can see how we had to score the plexiglass, cut it ourselves and piece the whole thing together.

Is it ghetto?….yes! Do we care?…no! Well…not for the summer anyways. We are just happy to not have the whole house be over 80 degrees at night while we try to sleep. :)

Wedding Weekend!

2011-07-05T20:26:00.001-06:00

Joshy got married!!!!! We are so happy for him. Here are some pictures from that day!

It was so lovely! The bride look spectacular, the groom looked love-struck and everything worked out wonderfully. The only thing is that Buns and I didn’t get a picture of the two of us on our camera. The lady doing the wedding photos took two of us together, but who knows if we will get those or not (mental note to ask Josh)….

I also got to see my friend ASHLEY!!!! AND meet her daughter for the FIRST TIME! The girl is going on a year old and this was the first time her meeting Aunt Nora. Thankfully, Ash and I have this relationship where it doesn’t matter how long ago we are apart, it is like we have never been apart.

Me and baby Callaway!!

Mom Ash and baby girl!

All together now! Shout out!!!

It was such a great but fast weekend. Shout out to AWESOME cousins who let us stay with them! Thanks Cara, Gordon and the kids!

Weekend in Portland

2011-07-05T20:16:00.001-06:00

So a few weekends ago, right after Buns ended his last term, we went to Portland for their annual Rose Festival and also to the OMSI museum. It was a blast!

The first thing we did was go see the Coast Guard ships in the Fleet show.

Did you guys know that ships can have awards and badges? This one had quite a few!

This one was similar (although smaller than) the one that Buns was on for several months. They would pull out and repair/replace this HUGE things. Really dangerous if a person got caught under one of these.

The tour did not allow anyone on the bridge, but after Buns asked why I told the nice man that Buns is ex-military and the next thing we knew, we were on the bridge! Nice controllers right?! Way to many things for me to screw up in that place.

Next we went to the OMSI museum! It was like being a kid again!

We had tons of fun! I am so glad we brought our camera. More stories and pictures to come!

Coupons!!!!

2011-07-03T13:55:00.002-06:00

I don't think I have had this sort of "high" before until now. :) I went "couponing" yesterday with a friend of mine and had a blast. I got 4 tooth brushes, 5 12-packs of Minutemaid lemonade, 2 packages of crab meat and shampoo for practically nothing. :) I was so stoked. I am going again tomorrow morning before work...maybe after work to do a granola bar deal where I should be getting catalinas and free milk along with tons of coupons which will make all that practically free!

However....due to me being totally new to this whole thing, I need some assistance. Calling all help!! Anyone have suggestions, ideas and such on how to get coupons, organize coupons and such?! I am up for anything; websites, organization tips, "couponing" tricks and deals you have found!! PLEASE share!

Baseboards and a shout out!

2011-06-20T21:38:00.007-06:00

Buns and I have been "planning" on installing our new baseboards in our home for about.....2 months and now...we DID IT! Well....mostly Buns did it, but I was the best moral support ever, AND I held things and got things when asked. Plus I made lunch.

Anyway....I came home from my workout to find buns in my living room with this:

Yes, the saw is in the middle of my living room. Not my first pick, but I figured...."whatever, at least I can vacuum it." Oh boy....I am STILL vacumming it two days later! Never again! :)

HOWEVER, totally worth it!

Perfect right!? Love it! It is so sharp and clean and really brings the room together.

Also, I wanna give a shout out and show off an awesome thing that my friend Ashley gave me for my birthday! I have it hanging in one of my living room windows!

SO cute right!? I am loving it! It brings a "spring" to the step of my home. Thanks Ashley!!

Well this weekend we are going to Josh's wedding in Logan UT! I am so excited to be able to visit such a dear place in my heart and spend time with family. I will be sure to post LOTS of pictures. Plus I got a new outfit that is AWESOME!

My new nephew

2011-05-27T20:48:00.003-06:00

May 26th 2011 at 7 lbs. 10 oz. Marcus Percy was born!

He is so cute!!!....and looks JUST like his dad, except for his nose.

He is the 4th boy grand child of....4 boy grandchildren! Two are my oldest brother's and the other 2 are my other older brother's.

Nooooo pressure for me to have a girl....none at all....none...... *crickets chirp*

Anyway! Marcus is a dream! I wish I was in Memphis right now to hold him!

Parenting....

2011-05-21T09:48:00.003-06:00

I am NOT a parent yet. I am not even going to try to say that I know anything about being a good parent. However, I saw something yesterday evening while at the grocery store, that I feel is a sad reflection of what NOT do to.

I was bagging my groceries and I see this boy, about 5 years old. He was a little hyper and jumping around and introducing himself to those shoppers around him, including me. From out of nowhere, his mother (or maybe grandma) came up to him, grabbed his arm and started yelling at him. She was saying things like "You stupid boy! You are so embarrassing! You are just a useless child! and don't forget the swear words coming out to. Right in the middle of Winco! I was shocked. I felt like an episode of "What would you do?" was being taped. I had no idea what to do. When his mom left to pay for her groceries, swearing under her breath, as I was walking out, I told the little boy I liked his shirt (which had superman on it) and said that I bet he was as strong as superman. He smiled at me and I felt better about leaving him.

Now, like I said. I have no idea what it is like to be a parent and maybe those actions are more normal that I may know, but it saddened me and I hope to never resort to those sort of behaviors when I am a parent.

Labels

2011-05-15T15:04:00.003-06:00

I love making labels.....Buns thinks I am silly, and he teases me that someday I will label our children. :) I don't believe I am that bad, but I do tend to label things to keep them organized. With the move, I felt an urge to make sure this place stays organized. I may not be able to label everything, but there are a few things I can.

In the office I have these two plastic drawer sets and one I have painted black, but the other is still white. I may paint that one eventually…….anyway…they hold 90% of my craft, paint, and beads and sometimes I felt that these items were EVERYWHERE. I got to work yesterday and cleaned house. And with the help of my handy dandy label maker (I got it for myself for Christmas) and my Cricut, I got to work.

See how many things I have?! This is just one of the drawers too, just to give you an idea.

Then I went to the laundry room:

Remember how I told you that I needed either more shelves or cabinets or something? Well at the local Wallie World there are shelves for super cheap and it was just what I was looking for.

That along with $1 plastic containers, I have my more organized laundry room.

Sooooo much better. I left like someday everything was going to fall all over me if I was not careful. Now all the basic things I need for the laundry and life is all in arms reach.

Then…..I went to the fridge. That’s right, the fridge. I hate not being able to find what I need, and I hate throwing away food because it goes bad because it was in a spot that I could not locate.

All organized!!! I put all the bread (English muffins, biscuit tubes, tortillas, etc) in one of the $1 containers I got from Wal-mart. Simple and effective.

How do YOU organize? Do you label?

LOTS OF PICTURES!!!

2011-05-14T17:12:00.002-06:00

Did I use all caps….why YES I DID!

I have tons of pictures of things I have been up to with the house and all. Not to mention…My birthday! I never have been able to post the pictures due to being busy with the house and work. So…although it was exactly 2 months ago…here they are!

We went to Red Robin with some great friends: Sarah and Bryan and McKenzie and Jesse. I promised that some I would not post, but the rest are up for grabs! As the birthday girl, I was forced to wear two balloons around my neck and sang to. It was awful. lol Not really.

Now….for the house.

The living room WITH furniture…and a studying husband with his school books EVERYWHERE.

This is right by the front door. A place for our keys and other notes along with a mirror for last minute touch ups. I hate leaving the house and realizing I had something on my face for a couple of hours.

From the other side. We have SO much more room than we did before. Although the house is considered small, we are not use to this kind of room.

Right above the couch. Buns made sure that they were even on both sides. The middle is the great canvas picture we got that I spoke about here, and the other two are frames I got at Time out for Women for I think 4 bucks each. So cute.

Not sure what else to do with this corner…..any suggestions?

Now the kitchen. It is not normally this dark, but I am refusing to turn on lights unless we have to. So forgive the dimness.

The dining nook. The kitchen table fits perfectly and we even got some awesome bar stools (Thanks Jasmine!) for the bar right next to it.

Now the other way! I am in love with the counter space, but it is hard to reach everything sometimes….suggestions? What has worked for you?

Closer look…

The menu board is now over the stove. It was a nice way to use the space and keep it functional.

I got these canisters from IKEA. I wanted to find things that would hold the small items and still look good on a counter top. Super cute right? I love the etched glass look and I am going to put labels on them to make them more functional. We keep everything from cereal, to our candy jar.

The hall way…

This is a random nook in the house. I figured for right now it will hold our wedding and family pictures. I AM looking for suggestions for this spot though. Really tough space to make functional. Suggestions?!

This is a picture that I found with a friend of mine. We were in Craft Warehouse and saw it was on sale for half price ($50). We both loved it, but neither of us were willing to spend that money. So, we left empty handed. About….2 weeks or so later, I went into CW and saw it again for $35. I was not in the house yet and not sure where I would put it so I passed, but called her to tell her the lower price. We went that day and got it. Great deal I thought. Well…..about 2-3 weeks later I was in AGAIN to CW to return something and I saw it AGAIN. This time….$20. SOLD! Buns thinks it is a silly painting, but I love the simplicity of it and it gives a calming feel. I was going to put it in the bedroom, but went with something else, so currently, it resides in the hall.

So do my dominoes. Right between the 2nd and 3rd bedroom.

The 2nd bedroom is currently the office/craft/sewing room. I have my sewing desk, the computer desk and all the books in this room. We wanted to make a space where we could work on pretty much anything and it would be separate and quiet from the rest of the house. I LOVE this room. I love the paint. Not too crazy about how boring it is….not a lot of fun going on. Suggestions?!

Guest Bathroom. Simple.Functional. Enough said.

Oh, except that I found a great thing for under the cabinets.

I found these 4 baskets at Joann’s for 50% off. I had nothing for them at the time and so I threw them in my trunk. That was about……5 months ago. Obviously I need to clean out my truck because I found them two days ago and they fit perfectly. I will label them sometime soon, but everything fro towels to vitamins to my hair dryer fit. 2 for each bathroom.

The master bedroom.

Yes, that is a teddy bear and No, that is not a bunch of laundry on my bed. I was lounging today and pretty much had 4 blankets on me, along with magazines and my coupon organizer….more on that later.

What do you think about the color?! I LOVE it! It is probably the best color for a bedroom. Although in Washington it rains, I think this is such a calming and soothing color. Perfect for sleeping. PLUS, it happens to go perfect with….

My grandmother’s painting. She painted this way before I was born and when she died, I got it. It just so happened to match perfectly and really complements the room. Any other suggestions for the room?

I am refusing to document the 3rd bedroom right now. There is hardly anything in it and until we have a use for it, it will remain that way.

Outside.

We have a great deck and the yard photo is from the deck looking down. As I am writing this, it has begun to POUR down rain outside. But when we have sun….this backyard is going to be fun. We are trying to figure out how we want to do the “landscape”. It is small, but has potential. Suggestions are welcome.

Last but not least…the laundry room…. Yuck…

Does anyone else notice how HIGH the shelf is? Like I can really reach that….? umm….NO. I even got a stepstool because I am having trouble with reaching some shelves in the kitchen too, but even then…awkward. I was thinking of putting another set of shelves lower than it, but part of me wants to put cabinets. They are just so expensive….Has anyone found something that may work that won’t kill me in my wallet?

Well for now that is about it! :I am REALLY trying to make this house a home and if anyone has a suggestion, I am all ears!

Happy weekend! I am off to try to be productive. It is hard when Buns does homework on weekends….I am on my own. :)

Love

2011-05-13T23:38:00.003-06:00

There are so many things going through my head. I have such an overwhelming feeling inside of me that I am having a hard time putting into words.

I am very grateful to be a wife

I am grateful for my husband

Currently I am working full time...I have been for almost a year now. I am doing this not because I want to be a career woman (although I enjoy continual learning and becoming a better therapist) but because I am helping my husband fulfill his dreams and gain his education. I love that I am helping him do that.

I get to not only work and pay the bills, but I am continually trying to maintain my role as a wife and a future mother. I cook, clean, do laundry and grocery shop. I balance the checkbook, pay the bills, meal plan and update the budget regularly. I enjoy cooking, organizing, having food storage and building a home. I want to be a mom someday.

I believe that the role of a woman is sacred. It is the most important role a person can have and I am thankful for the opportunity that I have to fulfill that role now and in the future.

I always wonder why I have this blog. At first I thought it was because I am a talker and I needed to be able to just get all my thoughts out. Although that is probably true, I feel that this blog is my way of sharing. Sharing food, crafts, news and just me. :)

I hope that soon I can begin to craft again. I have so many ideas for my new home. I actually just took a few pictures of areas in my home that I feel need a little love and also a few of things I have found that I am loving.

What about your life do you love? Comment and tell me!

Things are happening....

2011-05-08T21:43:00.002-06:00

So, work has been really stressful and I have been contemplating finding another job. I have even wondered if this job was worth it in the first place. I have even put out a couple feelers.

However, some good news has happened. The woman who has been making life so difficult at work is now gone. Fired actually. I guess they all finally figured out the chaos and crap she was causing and she is now gone.

So I will be staying at this job for a little while. The woman replacing her temporarily is suppose to be really good at fixing broken buildings. I am hoping for the best! Keep me in your prayers!

Why I love a house....

2011-04-26T21:50:00.002-06:00

Things I love about having a house:

1) A garage!!! Storage, storage, storage!

2) No noisy neighbors that share a wall - I always hated trying to sleep when all of a sudden, I hear the teenager next door blaring music...

3) More space!

4) Putting holes in the wall - nail holes that is. :) Being able to hang pictures, decorations and clocks without the fear of losing a security deposit is really nice.

5) A YARD! I LOVE having a yard to call our own. We can grill out, have picnics, lay out, garden and basically do whatever we want, because, it is ours.

6) Having such a good investment. We have always been investment oriented. Pretty much every big item we have bought, that has been our mindset.

7) Roots. We now have a place to call our own. We have roots and a home, not just a place we rent or stay in temporarily.

These past two weeks have been wonderful and slowly we are making it our own. :) I will keep everyone updated!

Before and After - Finally!

2011-04-23T21:18:00.007-06:00

So, here are the pictures of the house!! Keep in mind that I took these pictures with my camera which is no fancy thing and so they are not good. Don't give the house justice. First we must start with the outside.....

Cute right? Nice and small, but cozy. :) Next, the living room. This after we pulled off all the baseboard. We are now replacing all of them with 3 in wood baseboards. Before, there were these nasty thin plastic looking ones. We hated them. They HAD to go.

Now, the kitchen! TONS of cabinet space, almost too much actually, plus a dishwasher, range and a fridge. Of course, a much needed paint job was in order. Color!

And the bedrooms....pretty much they all looked like this. Fake wood trim and dirty white walls.

Also... florescent lighting....

Now bathrooms! Full tubs with showers in both.

And the utility/mudroom. I love this...heated, but separate from the rest of the house. I always hated having the washer and dryer in the hallway.

NOW! After the painting and trim work and hours reaching up those high ceilings....the AFTER pictures!

The living room! The walls are pale honey, the top part is cork and the kitchen is....

RED!! I LOVE IT! the accent color is the same cork that also goes into the living room. We wanted to tie it all together.

The hallway

So, for the bedrooms, we left one of them alone completely. We want to wait and see if it will end up being a nursery. :) However, the master bedroom, we went with a dark pewter color. Hard to imagine in this life, but it is such a calm soothing color, especially for a bedroom.

We painted all the trim white. We wanted it to pop.

And the office...green! It looks too yellow in this picture, but that is because of the horrible florescent lighting. Since then we have changed the light bulbs to daylight ones. MUCH better.

So there is is! We left the bathrooms and laundry room alone. Although we will put a new coat of paint on there this summer. We also want to change out the sink in the kitchen and hopefully tile the bathroom and kitchen floors. I can dream right?

Notice a problem?

2011-04-09T00:34:00.002-06:00

So, something is wrong with my blog. First off, the tabs are now gone....I have no idea how that happened....now the side bar on the left side has shifted and it is randomly way down at the bottom of the page and halfway out of sight....

I have no idea how to fix this....Any suggestions would be appreciated!

p.s....tomorrow I am MOVING INTO THE HOUSE! So...you should be getting Before and After pictures on the next post!

Wish me luck!

Okay…I am failing miserably at this

2011-04-03T18:52:00.002-06:00

So I was reading an article about how to make your blog a statement….the biggest thing it kept emphasizing was the importance of consistency with blogging regularly…lol…I obviously is failing on that part. HOWEVER, I have something to blog about today…

SEATTLE!!

Our friends the WARDS (who rock) and we decided to go to Seattle for a quick weekend trip. We left last Friday afternoon and came back Saturday night. Super quick but totally fun!

The first thing we did was go to Red Mill Burgers…YUM!

This burger place was featured on Man Vs Food as one of the top places to go in Seattle. Good burgers and the thing that made the burgers top notch to me? Bacon! Their bacon was perfect.

We then checked into the hotel and then got up to the next adventure.

Pike Place Market

Tulips!

Fish!

The famous Fish Market! This is the market when the fish men throw the fish when people buy it. We didn’t buy, but we did see them throw fish. Fun!

Cheese making factory. Their homemade mac and cheese was great!

Next stop: The Crab pot

Good seafood, but too pricy for me.

Next?

Seattle Aquarium! Tons of fun!

By that point, we were super tired and so we headed home. Thanks Wards for a great weekend!

Beef Stew

2011-03-15T18:56:00.003-06:00

I have this great recipe for beef stew that I always gone to and it has never failed me. It freezes well, it is easy and it is a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients

2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons margarine
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups water

Directions

Dredge beef cubes in flour until evenly coated.
Melt butter in a skillet, and cook coated beef cubes until evenly browned.
Transfer beef to slow cooker and add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, cloves, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Pour in water and stir.
Cover and cook on LOW 10 to 12 hours or on HIGH 5 to 6 hours. Serve hot!!

Birthdays....

2011-03-14T10:27:00.002-06:00

Birthdays are a funny thing....you are one year older, and yet some people are happy about it and others are not. Me? I am a "happy" birthday type of person. I love to give gifts...receive gifts...eat cake...and over all have a party! Of course, I don't ever consider myself old. You are old as old as you feel right?

So here's to being 25 (a quarter of a century) and on to the next quarter!!

SOLD!!

2011-03-12T17:09:00.003-07:00

We are official home owners!!!

Now it is time to paint, and figure out how we want to fix the house! Wish us luck!

My weekend routine...Meal Plans!

2011-03-06T11:26:00.006-07:00

I want to share a trick that I have found to be extremely helpful, not only to eat at home and to avoid fast food/pizza, but also to stick to a weekly grocery budget.

First of all...I want to put this out and publish this so I can continue to work hard and motivate myself. I decided to get on a scale today..... and....

My starting weight was 159...EEKK!!!! At 5"4'....not a great weight....did not feel healthy, had muffin tops, and just felt like a slug...

Now....145! much better, although I have not quite reached my goal weight yet. I feel healthier, have more energy and I just feel better about myself. :)

Now, getting down to business. Weekends are busy for me. Buns always seems to be doing homework (this term is busy) and so I keep busy myself being a "wife". hehehe....seriously...

I am not very good at making dinner every night. Hence the reason for some healthy lifestyle changes. I feel overwhelmed when I get home from work and think about what I need to do at home. So dinner needs to be taken cared of a head of time. That is where the weekend comes in.

So here is what I do:

1) Make a list of meals that you enjoy eating. Our list this week includes B-B-Q chicken, Beef Stew, Meatloaf, one pasta dish, 2X4 soup (I am going to share this recipe), tacos, etc.

2) Figure out what you have at home already. I knew that I already had some frozen chicken and canned veggies, but pretty much was out of everything else.

3) Make your shopping list for missing ingredients and shop! Make sure to buy things in bulk if it is cheaper. I grew up in a large southern family and it is difficult for me to just make enough for Buns and I. So I think big and save money in the long run by buying bulk. You will understand how I save in a bit.

4) Cook! This week I made 2X4 soup first, then washed the crockpot and made the stew and while that was cooking I made chicken, meatloaf (I use my kitchenaid mixer to keep the mess to a minimum) and Manicotti.

5) Separate into containers. There is no way that Buns and I could or SHOULD eat a 2 lb. meatloaf before it goes bad, and so I break it up into 4 sections, wrap in aluminum foil and then three of the sections went into a freezer safe container while the other section went to the fridge. I also took the stew and soup, divided into 2 freezer safe containers each. The chicken was cooked, some with b-b-q and some not. The plain chicken was cut up into chucks, divided into small plastic freezer bags in 1 cup servings and all the bags were placed in a large freezer safe bag. The B-B-Q chicken was put in the fridge. Ground Turkey was cooked and stored in 1 lb. sections for future tacos, spaghetti, etc. The manicotti was stored in the fridge.

Fridge Food: Manicotti (2-3 meals), B-B-Q chicken (1-2 meals), meatloaf (1 meal).

Freezer Food: Plain chicken chunks, 2X4 soup (4+ meals), Beef stew (4+ meals), meatloaf (3 meals).

Total Costs: $ 55 (this includes EVERYTHING I had and bought for the meals)

Average cost per meal: $3.43

Average cost per meal PER PERSON: $1.71

SERIOUSLY?!?! WOW!

Days cooking? ONE!

Days of meals all done: 2 + weeks!!

Things that help make it better: Demarle, Kitchenaid, Pampered Chef, Ziplock, my Crockpot, my hand labeler which makes finding the freezer food a breeze AND Netflix, which keeps me company while I work!!!

Things that would make it even easier: A chest or standing freezer. A food processor.

There are way too many things going on in this house…..

2011-03-02T16:25:00.002-07:00

So, Buns and I have a lot going on….We are buying a house (which is suppose to close any day now), Bryan is in school, Bun’s brother is getting married…his DAD is getting married and finally…Buns and I are BOTH getting….. BRACES!

You thought I was going to say a baby didn’t you?…WRONG!

Yep, that’s right…braces….I got mine today…and here is the reveal!

Horrible pictures of me, but oh well (really bad cold and no sleep…hence the bags under the eyes). I got the “clear” ones on the top but they had to put silver on the bottom. They don’t hurt really, but there is pressure and tightness in my jaw and the braces are already rubbing my cheeks and lips raw. This will be a fun time! Buns will get his next week. They have to find out whether they will have to pull a tooth or not.

Well…I am off to the doc! Trying to keep this cold from getting worse. Happy Wednesday! No workouts for me…I need a break..

Lemon Chicken!

2011-02-23T17:11:00.002-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend McKenzie and we tried it this past weekend....AWESOME! It was super easy and oh so yummy!

Whole Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

•Whole chicken--cleaned
•1 T. Kosher salt--inside
•3 cloves of garlic--cut in half, inside
•2-3 sprigs of fresh Rosemary--inside
•2 lemons--roll, cut top off, poke with a fork, and put inside

•rub butter on outside and sprinkle with kosher salt.

•preheat oven to 425 degrees
• put in roasting pan with lid and cook for 1 1/2 hours - no basting required.

Gravy for mashed potatoes

-With tongs give one good squeeze to one lemon in chicken drippings.
-Poor drippings through strainer
-Add a little chicken broth or water and bring to a boil
-Make roux with cornstarch and water and add to gravy

SO SO good!!! It was a big hit with the men and Buns even said that the lemon in the gravy was the best idea. I love it when my food wins over the man of the house. :)

Week three

2011-02-19T11:33:00.005-07:00

Man, things are crazy around here. Did you know that there are about 500 pages of paperwork associated with buying a house? Well...I didn't....

So now that my hand is cramping from all the signatures, I am going to update a little.

First of all, in regards to recipes, I found this fabulous recipe for Cafe Rio pull pork salad!!

Go here and try it. I did and I swear it is exactly like Cafe Rio....Well, at least as close as it gets not living in Utah anymore. :)

Okay, so for workouts....I have been kicking trash! I am so proud of myself. I worked out 1 hour, 3.5 miles and 500 cals burned 5 times this week. I am exhausted....but happy. :) Still working on my weight watchers program (did I mention I was doing that?) and that comes and goes, but right now it is on and going strong. I can't believe the workout I found really works and it is so

easy and does not involve running! I will share it at a later date. Can't give everything away in one post, now can I?

On to thursday....organization....well to be honest, right now I don't have any. Moving sucks...packing sucks...and trying to keep my sanity? Nearly impossible. Oh well....HOWEVER, can I tell you my plans for some organization in the future? Okay...

Nice huh? Simple, functional, and a little boring, but I think I can fix that part. Ikea makes me happy, I am not going to lie and their Gorm collection is what I need. Can you imagine? An actual place for food storage....for organization of all the crap I have. *sigh*....love.

Now....that is about all I have right now. I am spending my Saturday packing, cleaning and cooking. Love! Now I need some shopping in with that.

Week two

2011-02-13T12:46:00.002-07:00

Week two didn't go much better than week one. :) Oh well. It may take a little while, but I will eventually get the hang of it.

In other words, Happy Valentine's Day! Buns and I spent our weekend romantically wrapped in each other's arms. We made dinner last night (steak, smashed potatoes and roasted asparagus and mushrooms and crescent rolls) and watched a movie with a fire going...

....man I am going to miss the fireplace....

Also....Buns bought be flowers! Surprised me with them actually. I love him. He knows the way to my heart. Especially when he did the dishes from last night without letting me help. Love....true love....

SO much to be done this coming month:

1) Moving

2) Paperwork to close on the house

3) Evaluation for braces (yes...buns and I are BOTH getting braces)

4) Picking out hardwood floors for the house

5) Picking out paint

6) Planning a baby shower for my friend McKenzie

Oh boy.....no wonder I never feel like I have time to blog!

HOWEVER, each update will be here! So please keep reading!

Well....I guess that went well...

2011-02-06T11:17:00.003-07:00

My first week with my new plan for my blog and it didn't turn out exactly like I planned. I guess I just don't have that much time after all. lol. Just a recap on my weekend, I was sick for some of it (bad cold) and for the rest of it, I organized, de-cluttered and packed a little. Mostly our guest room which is used for storage, books and my sewing table. I am SO excited for more room, and storage for items we don't use much. That is the beauty of having a garage. :)

Buns is working hard in school and is finally in a very brief break from exams; but not for long. It seems he is always working on school. I remember that time.

Well, here goes my last day of the weekend! Lots to do! Happy Weekend!

Organization Thursday - Big News!

2011-02-03T13:16:00.003-07:00

So, I wanted to share some big news with everyone....keep in mind that things can change in a heartbeat.

No, I am not pregnant...NOT pregnant.

But, Buns and I are....buying a house!

THIS house, to be exact. No pictures of the inside yet, but it is small but perfect for a 1st hosue for us. No kids, so basically...perfect. :)

I now get to pack, decorate, and organize all over again! AND IKEA is just over the river! :) Fun FUN!

Workout Wednesday

2011-02-03T13:09:00.003-07:00

A day late, but not a dollar short. I have been sick this week, so working out has been difficult for me.

I have decided to do Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. Has anyone else tried it?! Thoughts?

Tasty Tuesday Debut!

2011-02-01T18:28:00.003-07:00

Here is a recipe I found for sugar cookies and I am loving them! SO good!

Ingredients

2 whole Large Eggs
1 cup Canola Oil
2 sticks Butter, Softened
1 cup Sugar, Plus Extra For Sprinkling
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 cups Plus 2 Tablespoons, All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Cream Of Tartar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together eggs, oil, butter, sugars, and vanilla.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate dough one hour.

Using a cookie scoop, drop balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Smear a dab of butter all over the bottom of a glass, then dip the glass in granulated sugar. Use the glass to flatten each ball of dough, dipping again into the sugar each time. Repeat until all are flattened.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until cookies are just barely turning brown. Don’t overbrown!

Allow to cool before eating. Cookies are ultra crumbly!

I am having a love affair!

2011-01-29T20:43:00.004-07:00

Is it possible to be in love with something that...isn't alive?

I am in love....with two things....

1) Demarle

2) My Kitchen Aid Mixer

These two things make my kitchen and my heart happy. :) If you don't know what Demarle is, then here is a preview.

http://www.demarleathome.com/

The Blog plan....

2011-01-23T11:25:00.003-07:00

So I have given this a lot of thought. I have search for someone I trust to help me, I have made preliminary plans, changed them, and changed them again. Now I feel like I have a plan....

I have seen this sort of organization in other blogs and have fallen in love with it. It is simple, organized and easy to keep up with...hopefully...

Each day be something. So, here are my days...let me know what you think. ANY suggestions will be appreciated.

Sunday: Day of rest - I may not write at all this day and it will allow me to catch up on life.

Monday: Mental Monday - I will write about random things. It may be about rants, reviews, updates on life, anything I want to share.

Tuesday: Tasty Tuesday- Recipes! I want to try a new one every week and this will keep me accountable. They may be super simple, like a dip or appetizer or a full on meal like pot roast. Also, it will be the day to give cooking/baking tips, things I have found to work, things I hate etc.

Wednesday: Workout Wednesday- I have been off and on trying to be healthier, get a workout plan, etc, and now here is my place to keep myself on target. I have found a great workout already and I am going to try to 30 day shred and so here is your chance to get the scoop!

Thursday: Organization Thursdays - I know...it doesn't start with the same letter, but it works. :) This will be the day for cleaning, organizing, and keeping myself....a little OCD. :)

Friday: Frugal Friday - Deals, things I have found, coupons and money saving tips, and food storage! Some of my favorite things!

Saturday: Linky Parties! These will focus on Crafts, Sewing, Painting, etc and will highlight everything that everyone has done! PLEASE help me by participating! I will be super fun!

So....there are my plans.....any thought?! I am excited and it will all go down by Feb 1st(hopefully)!

Thanks!

My new year's blogger resolution...

2011-01-04T21:24:00.004-07:00

When I started this blog, it began as a place for me to vent and carry one, basically talk to myself and those in the void. However, I want to take my blog to the next level. This is going to take time, so for the month of January, I will not be regularly blogging and I will be revamping my blog.

Although I know that I don't have a lot of regular readers, those that are...be patient with me. I want my blog to be more organized, more focused and right now, it is not either of those things.

So, this is the time to make suggestions! What do you like to read about!? Exercising and eating right, crafting, reviews, or just my rants? Maybe a little of all! I love to talk, so anything I can talk about, I am all for.

So, happy new year everyone!!! This year is going to rock, and I hope to make this blog even better!

WOW….I am behind schedule….

2010-12-18T20:21:00.001-07:00

So, Thanksgiving was quiet and fulfilling. The in-laws were here (mother and step father) and we pretty much ate and hung out. I injected the turkey and it was the best turkey I have EVER had/made! We also went Black Friday shopping!!!! And boy did we get no sleep but lots of finds. We decided to keep the objects to a minimum and so we set our eyes on THIS baby:

Thaaaaat’s right! 42 inches of plasma fun! Not the most high end, but perfect for us! We have been wanting to upgrade from our 20 inch box for a while, and Black Friday was the best time.

So, on to Christmas;

I have been super busy! I finished the pajamas, made rice bags and coasters for presents, went shopping for my parents, Bun’s parents, my nephews, and of course Buns! Check out all the presents under the tree!

LOTS of presents…..I LOVE my tree!!! When I was growing up, my mom would buy an ornament for every year we are alive. This year, my mother gave me all my ornaments. So, they are all on the tree.

Hard to tell from the flash….sorry. Here is the tree all together!

So pretty!!!

Then….my mom is sending me a nativity but it has not arrived yet…7 days before Christmas….but it is AMAZING…I will totally post as soon as it comes.

Meanwhile my dear friend Lisa made me an advent calendar which doubles as a nativity!!! Here it is!

Isn’t it awesome!!! I LOVE all the work she put into it. It is perfect.

Mary and Joseph on their way to Bethlehem from Nazareth….

So cool!!!

All ready for Christmas!!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

I am thankful

2010-11-26T09:18:00.003-07:00

I figured that even though the holidays are crazy, in the true spirit of thanksgiving I am going to let you all know what I am thankful for.

1) My family: they are crazy, but I love them!

2) My husband: he is the only one on this planet that has stuck with me. He is smart, funny, sensitive, strong, sexy, loving, my provider, best friend and the man of the house.

3) My education: I am thankful for the opportunity I had to gain an education and become a better person.

4) My job: As much as I don't wanna go sometimes, it provides and pays off loans....enough said. :)

5) A roof over my head

6) Food in my mouth

7) My dear friends: everywhere I go I meet some amazing people. I am grateful for every one of them (you guys know who you are).

8) My faith: I am grateful for the gospel in my life and the impact it has on my everyday. I don't know where I would be without my knowledge of the gospel.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?!

CanvasPeople!

2010-11-20T10:17:00.002-07:00

OH. MY. GOSH!!

I am loving my canvas!!! Unfortunately, my camera sucks and so it is not nearly as nice to you all than it actually is.

Okay, so first of all, you need to read my previous post here. I was so excited by this deal, I wanted to make sure everyone else knew. Did YOU get one?! You should! who knows when this deal will end and it is such a great deal!

I got the 11x14 and with shipping, it was less than 30 bucks! What do you think? Sorry for the lousy pictures…

I have always loved this picture in my engagements. My dear friends who did our engagements did several different styles with this picture. I loved this one the best.

I hung it above our bed where we also have this sign. I think it is so fitting with the who train-tracks-no-endings-symbolism.

If you HAVE gotten this deal, please share! I love seeing others pictures and stories and I love a great deal!!

Count Down to Christmas!!

2010-11-20T10:05:00.002-07:00

Greetings everyone!!!

Things have been hectic here. And now that the holidays are coming up, who knows how busy it will get! Well.....let me at least share some things going on with me!

My new advent calendar!! I have been wanting one of these forever, but buying one is so super expensive ($30 average).

I am in love. Here are the materials I got:

1) small wood tray

2) 2 wood blocks

3) small stake

4) Sign with string (came pre-made).

5) 3 Christmas scrapbooking paper (I got the two sided, which gave more variety)

6) My Cricut

7) white vinyl.

8) Red and cream paint

I got all the materials at Michaels except for the wooden blocks. I got those at Craft Warehouse. The entire project cost less than 13 bucks and I got to actually make it myself! It was super easy to make! Took me about an hour while watching Everybody Loves Raymond.

The hardest part was figuring out what numbers to go where. You have to put 0, 1, and 2 on both blocks and make the 6 and 9 the same and then it all fits.

What do you think?!?

This is my man....to me. :)

2010-11-10T20:38:00.003-07:00

I read this today....and then changed it a little to suit my situation.

"I want someone who will be monogamous and nice to his mother. And I want someone who likes [dramas], but knows to just shut his mouth when I’m watching [Grey's Anatomy] And I want someone who thinks being really into cars is lame, and strip clubs are gross. I want someone who will actually empty the dishwasher instead of just taking out forks as needed - like I do. I want someone with clean hands and feet and beefy forearms, like a [freakin'] Disney prince. And I want him to genuinely like me. Even when I’m old. And that’s what I want."

I got him....yey!!

Great gift idea!

2010-11-08T11:34:00.002-07:00

Here is a site that I have found that you MUST go see!!

Canvas people is offering a great deal! Go here to find it!

This is a website offering $55 off of canvas photo artwork! If you are like me and the idea of canvas makes you feel sophisticated, then this is for you. $55 means that an 8X10 is free! Just pay shipping and handling and you are set! I personally ordered the 11X14 and only paid $10 + shipping. What a great deal!

I can't wait to see it! If you want examples, go here to see a fellow blogger who introduced it to me!

Just think of Christmas....family photo for the grandparents, new baby photo for a sister, etc. Only one per household, but all additionally ones qualify for 50% off and free shipping! Yippee!!

Enjoy!

wow....

2010-11-07T11:28:00.002-07:00

So, the linky party was a flop.....yep it was....oh well. I guess I won't be doing any more of those any time soon. I am not going to lie, I am disappointed. However, right this second I am sitting in bed after finding out I have two ear infections, a sinus infection, a fever, bronchitis and early pneumonia.....ugh...I think I will go back to bed...

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Happy November!!

Halloween Linky Party!

2010-10-30T15:24:00.002-06:00

Welcome!!

I am inviting you all to my halloween linky party!! This is the linky party where you can link up posts from your blogs about halloween! Anything goes....costumes, crafts, party idea, anything!

So please link up!!! This party will last a whole entire week and I hope that you will spread the word and link up. If you have questions on how to link up, then write a comment and I will explain better. Have fun and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

TELL EVERYONE!!!

2010-10-27T22:52:00.002-06:00

So....I am having a LINKY PARTY!!!

I LOVE these things and I want to start doing them too! PLEASE tell every blog friend you have! I would love to have many posts and although I know it may take a while for people to link up too....

Please?

I am having it each and every Saturday....so....please???? link????

Sewing, sewing, sewing!!!

2010-10-24T17:37:00.002-06:00

I have been super busy the past couple of weeks. I have been working over time all week and this coming week is not looking much better. I additionally have been working with the youth in our church and also the primary girls. I am loving it, but it is taking up a lot of time. This past weekend, I got to go to Yakima WA to visit my oldest friends and her family. They recently had their 4th child and I have been wanting to see then for a long time. The trip was fast, but super fun! One of the things we were able to do is....SHOP!! And not just any shopping.

Joann's Sewing Shopping!!

Some of the things we found:

I hate normal thimble and they never seem to work anyway...THIS thing WORKS. I have never found anything like it. A bit pricey (reg price close to 13 bucks) but add a 50% coupon and you have a good investment.

If you have not seen this thing, you have got to get it! You know those snags in your sweaters that not only look tacky, but you are afraid to mess with due to possible unraveling? Worry no more. This thing fixes the snags and takes those worries away. I think it cost me less than 3 bucks and it totally worth it.

I also got another one of these

I have used my other one and it has lasted me a couple of years. It is a must have it you are not using a pattern (such as hemming jeans or my pillows a made a while back).

So....did I find anything else??? Of course!!!

Thats right....my next project:

PAJAMAS! I have always liked the idea of getting pajamas for Christmas and so I am starting the tradition this year for Buns and I. This past weekend, all McCalls patterns were 99 cents and that is a deal I could not pass up. My plan is making the nightgown for myself and pajama pants for Buns (he is not a fan of sleeping in shirts) I got the cutest flannel material (also on sale; 60%

off!) for both of us. The total project will cost less than 15 bucks and I get to work on my sewing skills. :) Fun!

My next sewing projects after the PJs?

A wrap skirt (my favorite is the blue style)

An A-line skirt (I like the one with the tie; top right corner)

And a pencil skirt (I am trying to decide between just above the knee, or just below the knee). I have REALLY short legs and so it is important to have the right length.

What do you think? I am excited about all of them, of course, I have to do one project at a time. :)

What else have I been up to??? My next post tonight will tell you. I have already begun to plan for the upcoming Christmas season and presents for my family and friends. I have to be careful what I post (due to some readers on my list of receivers) but I am excited to share! I will be back later tonight.....

Signs of fall and resent projects completed!

2010-10-02T18:40:00.002-06:00

Fall….oh how I love you….:) So this week has been hectic, but thanks to some little work and a loving husband, I have been able to begin decorating my small apartment to make Fall come alive.

First, a festive wreath for the door! I made it myself and it was a pain. :) The good news is that I can use the same base, but change the extra things to make it match any season and any holiday!

Next, I finally found a place for my book wreath; in the dining room. I think it adds a rustic feel to the room, which I feel adds to the fall. I would like to add a bow or something, but have not been able to find the right one to this point.

My dining room table! I made the pumpkin from vinery and used this tutorial and I think it turned out great! Added some berries, leaves and a small lantern with a fall Yankie candle and presto! Fall kitchen table. All together now!

Small but simple and adds something to the room. Still need something for the windows….hhmmmmm….

I even added some fall flare to the kitchen sink! :)

On the coffee table I have a small long black tray for the coasters, but add some leaves and another small lantern and candle and there you go!

Now….for my favorite part…the fireplace!

First, the bottom….

I had a basket from before and I filled it with my apples I made here, more berries, small acorns and leaves. Tied a ribbon and done!

Now the top….

Awesome right?

So….I got these two candle sticks from Craft Warehouse for 5 bucks each, added the pillar candles and some jute wrapped around. Then, last month I got these two glass pillar “cake-holders?” with glass lids. I had no idea what to do with them. They are hand blown glass and SO awesome. So….I put leaves and small white pumpkins in them and it was perfect. I am saving the lids for the Christmas decor…I am already coming up with good ideas.

Now… for the sign…

This is a trick sign. I was just so tired of making 2 or three of everything for each season, and so I had an idea….why not reversible?! This is the one side…

This is the other!

What do you think?! I was so excited how it came out and it was super easy! Just tape off the edges and paint one side, then after the paint dries THOROGHLY tape off the other side and paint again! Then add lettering and designs as you see fit! LOVE IT!

All together now!

Again, small and simple, but I am loving it!

So there is my resent fall adventures….OH, except for the 1/2 cord of fire wood we dragged up a flight of stairs and onto our patio, but it will be worth it! I love fireplaces!

HAPPY FALL!!!

So....I guess I lied

2010-09-28T22:49:00.002-06:00

I was really hoping to be able to get back into the blogging land, but it has been tough. Non-stop things to do it seems! BUT...I did finish a project that I am super excited to share, AND I have some fun news to share. Many might not care, but I think it it awesome! :) But all for a different time! Stay tune!

What I have been up to!

2010-09-15T19:29:00.001-06:00

This weekend I had the flu and was in bed for 90% of the weekend. This week, I have been super busy and trying hard to work in some workouts along with work and crafting! Here is something I threw together this week so far!

I am a collector of plastic garbage bags. I usually store them under my sink, but it has gotten over the top and something needed to be done. Therefore, I made a garbage bag holder!

Here is how to do it.

First, pick out your fabric. You will need approximately 20X26. I like the canvas material because it is sturdier, but the type of fabric is completely up to you.

Once you cut it out, you will need to cut out some elastic. I used 1/2 in. width but you can use 1/4 in if you would rather have it thinner.

You will need two pieces, one 11 inches and one 6 inches The longer elastic will be the “top” so you can stuff a lot of bags in at the same time, and the shorter end will be the bottom so one bag will come out at a time.

On the SHORTER sides, fold under material 1/4 inch and then over again approx 5/8 in and then sew down. Make sure to sew close to the edge of the folded edge so you leave enough room for the elastic.

Next I use a trick my momma taught me. Trying to push elastic through a tube is difficult so I always take a safety pin and clip it to the end of the elastic and push that through. It give you something to hold on to and makes it easier to hang on to the elastic. One you push it through, sew the ends of the elastic to the ends of the tubes. You will have to bunch up the material to make sure to reach both ends. The finished product will look like this:

Once both ends are done, fold the material right sides together with the elastics on opposite ends and sew right along the edge.

The attach a piece of ribbon to the “top” so you can hang it

and tada!

A grocery bag holder!!!

It was super easy and fun too! Try it!

Little behind....

2010-09-10T18:06:00.002-06:00

So obviously I have not been the best at keeping up with this blog lately. Thankfully, I have 14 great followers, who I am hoping still love me enough to forgive. :)

Work and life in general has been hectic and there are some days that I get home till close to 8:30pm after being gone since 6:30am and I try to go to bed no later than 10pm. Therefore, crafting has been put on the back burner for a bit. Things are going great at work in spite of being hectic and a great program called PSFP (Progressive Self Feeding Program) has started all thanks to me. :) So, hopefully things will begin to level out once all the kinks are worked out. :)

I have several crafts and creates in the works so don't give up on me just yet. I am super excited about them coming up. I am also super excited about FALL!!!

Here in Washington, I have come to learn that there are two main seasons.....spring, in which it rains....and fall, in which it rains..... Now, I LOVE the rain, probably more than most people, and the good news is that everything is green in the spring and we have colorful falls! That is my favorite...all the color!

So, in honor of the fabulous colors of fall, my next couple of projects will be fall/Halloween in nature. :) Let the fun begin!!

Menu Board

2010-08-15T19:53:00.002-06:00

I saw a tutorial of this somewhere, but now looking for it, I can’t seem to find it…sorry for whoever thought of this first, and thanks for the great idea!!

So, anyway, my husband and I decided that it would be easier, cheaper, less annoying and all around better for us to have a meal plan for each week. It would keep the whole what-is-for-dinner conversation down and it would make it so if I needed to work late, or he had a late class, either of us could fix dinner.

Well, a meal plan requires a display board…don’t you think?

Enters…materials:

Pretty basic right? 12X12 frame and a 12X12 piece of scrapbooking paper to go in it. I found these at Craft Warehouse, but any hobby/craft store should have them. This frame is usually $7 but it was on sale for $5 so it was a no-brainer for me. :)

Next, you add a die cut machine. I own a Cricut myself, but you can use Silhouette, or any other. Make the letters in any shape and size, but I preferred a 1 in from the Cricut cartridge: Opposites Attract.

Tada!!!

Pretty Huh?

I am very pleased with how it came out. I was worried that the lettering would be too small or too big, but it was perfect.

Add some Velcro to a dry erase marker and your menu for the week and presto, a menu board!

I hope you guys get to try this; super easy and really practical – my two favorite things. :)

Do you have a menu board? Have you found a meal plan helpful?!? COMMENT PLEASE!

Finally! A post of my crafts!

2010-08-08T18:00:00.001-06:00

So….a couple of days turned into a week, but this wee has been eventfully, busy, annoying and long, so when the weekend came I was happy to finally be able to do my crafts and relax. :) Here they are!

First off, I made some watches for some friends!

Purple first!

Then Lime Green!

Then a blue and white one made with only glass beads (one friend is allergic to almost everything)

So fun!

Next is a steal I got from this place called Craft Warehouse. It is the BEST crafting store I have ever been to. Then have EVERYTHING but yet they are small and personable. :) LOVES!

I found this truck there.

Then I added “This and That”

Check out the detailing! Love it! It was on clearance from $100 to $20. That a steal!!

I then found these canisters there too. They were on sale, 3 for 5 dollars.

Add my Cricut and presto…

…canisters for the guest bathroom!

Next find was these!

2 for 3 dollars! Love!

Add a couple coats of paint and my Cricut again….

Can you imagine some cute guest towels wrapped up with a ribbon and one of these clipped onto them? Cute!!!

Now…here is when I need help from you all…

When I inherited stuff from my grandmother, I got china, silver and these too small vases….I have no idea where they came from, what the V and the O stand for or who made them. My question is this….

I personally think they are ugly but yet I would hate you ever get rid of them since they were my grandmothers, but at the same time, I don’t want to display them in their current condition….so…

..should I redo them? I was thinking spray paint black and then do a vinyl V and O in white on them. Commemorate then, but stylishly….you know!!??

PLEASE HELP! COMMENT! I am torn…

in other news…my 2 year anniversary is tomorrow!!! Yeah baby!

Happy weekend!

I have been awarded!

2010-08-01T17:29:00.002-06:00

When I started this blog, it was at first a way for me to journal my life. Over time, it became a place for me to not only journal my life, but also a place for me to journal my projects, crafts, goals and the like. But it was always just for me and if other people liked, the more the merrier!

But I have recently been inspired! I was given an award! Check it out here! I feel so honored and now I will have to make sure to keep up with it from now on. Thanks Staci!! I love your blog!!

Speaking of which, I have some projects in the making....so excited!

Here are some key words: canisters, trucks, clothes pins, watches and much more. I have been working so much that crafting is a little slower, but I should be posting pictures in the next couple of days! I hope you guys are having a great weekend!

I am off to finishing preparing for Monday....oh Monday....

Cleaning....where to start....?

2010-07-25T09:47:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, while Buns was studying... I was cleaning. Saturdays are great days because I can get a lot done during the day, instead of being at work. So....what did I do?

1) Clean and organize refrigerator

2) Clean and organize pantry

3) 3 loads of laundry

4) Vacuum

5) Dishes

6) Clean toilets and sinks

7) Wipe down cabinets, walls and doors

8) Dust

9) Organize guest room

10) Sweep kitchen

I think that is all I did....maybe I did more....who knows at this point.... lots of cleaning!

I did it!

2010-07-22T17:31:00.003-06:00

Due to the loving pushing of my dear friend Jackie....I RAN a 5K. Not walk, not skip, but actually jogged it. It was hard and I cursed the world the entire time, but I learned somethings:

1) I can do it.

2) It won't kill me

3) I ran wrong till now....I finally learned how to run properly

4) It feels good to do it...eventually

and finally...

5) A strawberry lemonade from Panera is exactly what picks me up afterwards!

Cheers!

What a fantastic weekend!

2010-07-18T16:55:00.002-06:00

No projects this weekend….sorry guys. HOWEVER, Buns and I got to spend some quality time together before he starts back up with school tomorrow!

We went to the COAST! awwww!!!!

Here are the pictures from that day: First stop, Lincoln City, OR!

It was such a beautiful day!

These kites were HUGE! and they really moved like octopuses with the wind so strong.

It was SO COLD! The Oregon coast is so different than other coasts, but just as fun!

With the huge kites in the background

I found a pretty shell there!

Pretty panorama shots!!

There were a ton of people building sand castles and other things there. *my apologies to the poor lady with her butt in the air, but I thought the kid was so cute building!*

Tractor!

Airplane!

The beach is really rocky and full of creatures!

LOVE!

Next stop: Newport OR

We went to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! I have ALWAYS loved the show and I remember watching it when I was a kid all the time. the museum was really dark so we were only able to take a picture of the outside.

Next we went to a butterfly house. So fun!

A little fun fact for you all!

Being goofy!

Next we went to an underwater aquarium and show. It was dark there too, but we were able to salvage a couple of pictures.

We then went back to Lincoln city and ate some yummy seafood!

It was a little too pricy for what you got, but we figured that we would experience the authentic stuff this go around.

Here are some awesome signs we spotted while there:

We had a blast! It was nice to be able to spend time with Buns and it was a perfect little day trip. :) My cheeks are rosy and my heart is full!

What did you all do this weekend!? Please comment and share!

My project…all fixed!

2010-07-11T00:57:00.002-06:00

So, in a previous post, I ~~vented~~ discussed a paint project I was working on that….um….wasn’t working out so good. if you are confused, read here.

Well, the good news is after an hour of scraping and sanding and several thin coats of ivory paint (using a can that did not cause a mess), I have a finished product.

I used these items:

After the scrapping, here is the state of the wood:

Not so pretty….oh well! Nothing some fabulous paint can’t fix!

It is a utensil and napkin holder! I love these. I can’t stand to set utensils on the countertop when company comes over. It almost seems….dirty, you know? Anyway, what a cute find at GW for…2 bucks! Yippee!

So, a craft would not be a craft in my house without some love from my Cricut!

The utensil side!

The napkin side!

Love it!!!

Totally worth the pain and time of having to redo this! Everyone give it a try! Tell friends! Crafting and DIY projects are awesome!

The Lion King!!!!

2010-07-10T11:08:00.002-06:00

O.M.G! It was incredible! I wish I could have gotten more pictures, but there were vultures at this thing stopping ANYONE with a camera or a phone. HOWEVER, I get get a couple before the vultures made their way over to me. :) Enjoy!

A little fuzzy, but this was the stage right after we sat down. The decorations in this thing was amazing and the singing? Oh my….did my heat soar! So many harmonies and the music was fabulous!

Buns and I! Again, fast photography on my part. Needed to be fast so they wouldn’t catch me! :)

The free program. Basically just the informative side of the performance, such as the actors and such. They had a program there for sale (20 bucks p.s….eek!) that had pictures of the performance and cool info about the costumes and such.

p.s…..the costumes were incredible! So unique and innovative. I have never seen anything like them before.

And here is the super sneaky one on my part. This was from the final song (Circle of Life) and I couldn’t resist all the costumes and such. My favorite was the giraffes. :)

Anyway, it was incredible and if it comes to your towns, I highly recommend seeing it. It is AMAZING!

p.s. I need the soundtrack. If anyone knows where to buy it, let me know!!

Oh videos….you make me sad…

2010-07-07T19:47:00.001-06:00

So, the video does not work, so here are some pictures of this weekend!

p.s. I have a new project in the making (not the one that exploded). Can’t wait to show you all!

Sometimes things don't quite work out....

2010-07-06T20:43:00.002-06:00

I have had a project in the works for a little over a week. Not a big project, but one that has become a thorn in my side. When I started it I thought...."super easy! Small item, paint, and my Cricut and I would have a prize!"

Nope....

I was wrong....

I still think it will be a prize, but let's just say, it is taking longer than I thought. First, my can of paint ran out, so then I used some paint I had lying around for the top coat....not a good idea. That paint streaked and the two colors were opposite (one was warm and the other cool). So by this time the paint needed to dry significantly before attempting to paint again. I got another can of spray paint of the original color (hoping to cover everything up) and just my luck....

...the can exploded. Not kidding! All over my hand, shirt, the can, AND my project in this ivory mess. ick! I was so frustrated that I had to take a break from this project. SO, this Saturday I am planning on stripping the paint, sanding, and starting all over. THAT is when I will walk you all through my creation! I hope you guys are as excited as I am!

In other news:

1) Forth of July was AMAZING! We didn't get any pictures, but we did get video when I will be posting later tonight. :) Washington does some awesome stuff!

2) Buns and I are going to go see..... THE LION KING - Broadway!!! I am STOKED! We are going Friday night and I will be taking a ton of pictures, so stay tuned!

3) Buns is all set for school now! We are really excited to get the ball rolling again here in Washington. AND the school took a lot of credits, so not much of a setback. :) Don't you love tender mercies like that?

Have a great rest of the week! More to follow soon!!

Painting!

2010-06-22T19:12:00.003-06:00

I painted my book shelves this past weekend! Buns was gone to visit family and I had a lot of time on my hands. :) Here is the process….

First, take all the books off the bookshelf…enough said.

This was the color of the book shelves before hand. I hated them. Ugly plywood…

Lots of sanding of the plywood!

Not it is time to paint the primer! I used regular paint in a cream color as by primer so that I could cut the expense of the project.

Lovely!

Next came the crackle glaze. You put this stuff on in a nice even coat and then let it dry for between 1-4 hours.

Next, I decided on a nice dark black paint called “india ink” for the top coat. This is how it turned out…

Does that look like black?….nope! It looks like blue to me….I was so upset! I wanted the black to be on the top and the cream to show through….sad day…stupid Wal-mart.…word of the wise…NEVER buy your paint from Wal-mart! NEVER!

The crackle top! At least that turned out!

Happy Father’s Day!!

2010-06-20T10:02:00.002-06:00

I have the best dad. He is hard working, honest, funny, and he loves his kids.

Things I have learned/gained from my dad:

1) Education is extremely important. Although he does not have a collage degree, he supported me in getting good grades, scholarships, and finally, my Masters.

2) You can never have too many jackets! :) He is currently in the search for the perfect jacket and therefore in the meantime he owns probably 20 different jackets, over half of which are black. :)

3) Teaching me to be compassionate and understanding.

4) Teaching me to always be honest, no matter how hard.

5) Shaping my social and political views. I look forward to brainwashing my own children in similar ways. :)

My dad is fabulous and I am privileged to be his daughter. Happy Father’s Day Daddy!!

Glass etching!

2010-06-16T22:15:00.002-06:00

I am SO glad I did this!

I decided to etch our name as well as some cute designs on my glassware. Don’t you just hate it when you make something really delish for someone and you want it to be warm and so you keep it in your glassware and then….you never get your pans back. I miss my pans and I love my glassware and so I wanted to mark it as…mine!

My tools of the trade

1) My Cricut! I used the Simply Sweet cartridge

2) Vinyl – the ones from Provo Crafts with the transfer backing

3) Transfer Paper

Last but not least…

4) Armour Etch

This stuff is amazing and expensive! Be careful with this stuff, it is acid and will eat through pretty much anything. I accidentally spilled this stuff on our countertop and I had to very quickly clean it up with soap and water. Thankfully…nothing was ruined!

Once you cut out your vinyl, follow the instruction on your transfer paper and transfer the stencil to your glassware. Once that is done, apply a nice thick layer of the etching cream.

I let mine sit for between 8 and 10 minutes, but a couple times I applied a second coat for a couple extra mins. Follow the instructions on the etching cream bottle!

Presto!!

I did my 9X13 pan, my 9X9 pan, my matching mixing bowl and my pitcher. I didn’t do my pie pans yet, that will have to wait until the weekend.

Love it!!!!!

So easy too!

Been a while…I know

2010-06-16T13:36:00.002-06:00

So one minute I am a blogging fanatic and the next….nothing. Oh well. Things have been crazy around here and working full time is so different than what I am use to, that I sometimes…plain ole do nothing when I am home. HOWEVER….I have new projects in the wake and pictures to post today!

We bought a charcoal grill!!!! I am so super excited and we are loving it and using it ALL the time!

My handsome Buns putting the grill together!!

He is not always the biggest fan of the camera…. ;)

Lots of meat!!!!!

Perfect for us! It all tasted so good!

In other news: My lilies are growing!!

Even since this picture, it has grown even more and a flow has popped up too! I am so super excited! More pictures are to come!

Bryan is leaving to go visit his family this weekend. I can’t go because he will be leaving on Friday and back either Monday or Tuesday and I have work. Which sucks, but oh well. :) Therefore….I have the house all to myself and that means…..CRAFT TIME!!! I am super excited!

Plus! Virgin drinks!

Yeah baby!

No really, I have two great crafts planned for the weekend, one huge, and one smaller. Pictures to come, promise. :)

Work

2010-05-25T19:50:00.002-06:00

Okay....so being a Speech-Language Pathologist is an interesting job. At my work, I come across some really interesting clients, and I work with a wide variety of people. Here is something that really bothers me though. When people feel that Speech Therapy is not important.

My case load is not big at all, which is good in the sense that I can ease my way into it, but bad in regards to productivity. So, I went to work with the idea that I would look for new clients. I went to the head nurse in each station to see if they had an patients that they were concerned about. How many did I find? 5! 5 new potential clients just through asking the nurses. Why don't admitting just send them to Speech and let me figure out whether the clients actually need therapy? It would really help the patients as well as the therapists.

I am going to have to work hard....but I am LOVING it!

Weekend Projects and Catching Up

2010-05-24T21:57:00.002-06:00

Well this weekend was not too eventful, but I got a lot accomplished.

First: Buns and I got our Washington Driver's Licenses as well as sent off for the registration for the car. I am sad to have to get yet another of all that, but it will help Buns obtain residency as soon as possible which will be great for school.

Second: We were able to make a short, but worth while drive to Powell's Books in Portland OR......*longing sigh*....what a wonderful place that was...

Here are a couple pictures just to give you an idea...

The Outside…looks small right?

Oh no…you are wrong…

First of all, there are 7 rooms each with many many MANY different subjects to choose from. The ENTIRE place is floor to ceiling books and the place was packed.

There are signs everywhere telling you where everything is. Here are the facts from the website:

68,000 square feet packed with books
we buy 3,000 used books over the counter every day
approximately 3,000 people walk in and buy something every day
another 3,000 people just browse and drink coffee
our parking garage provides space for 40 cars (ok, so there are bigger parking garages)
we stock 122 major subject areas and more than 3,500 subsections
you'll find more than 1,000,000 volumes on our shelves
approximately 80,000 book lovers browse the City's shelves every day, in Portland and via the Internet. So is our mother ship the world's largest bookstore? Heck, it may be bigger than your whole town.

AND….they even have a map to help guild you through THESE

Am I drooling?

Anyways….I got this beauty:

O. M. G. I started reading it the next day, right after church (noon) and I was done by 8pm. That includes a break to cook dinner (which included steak and baked potatoes). It was AWESOME! I was going to buy both this one and Catching Fire, but I just bought the first one and now I am kicking myself for not buying both. I am hooked and will have to order the second one ASAP. SO GOOD!!

Third) I did a couple of projects! Unfortunately, my camera died so the final picture of one of them is unavailable, but you will get the idea.

Found this beauty at GW for a whopping….

…5 bucks!!

Oh yes….HAD to get this! It is hard to tell from the pictures, but it is a very light straw color and I was looking for something a little more rustic. SO…

My leftover wood stain to the rescue!! Of course, straw that has been treated is hard to stain, but after removing the leather straps and about 3 coats of the stain, I got THIS:

About….2 shades darker….that’s all…BUT, I did get it darker and so I was happy. Now comes the fun part: the inside!

I took some leftover fabric and my hot glue gun and created a clean place for food and such to go into.

Other side please?

Added a ribbon on top and I get this!

So cute! and much more rustic and yet chic than when I started. The last thing was to put back on the leather straps, but that is when my camera died. Oh well, you get the idea.

Next one!

I had a Memory Board from when I was 16 when I made it at church. I forgot to take a pic of the before, but I laid the original materal on top of the new one so you can get the idea.

Yeah….as much as yellow is my FAVORITE color….it was a little childish for my house now and so using these,

I made this

Close up!

What do you think? I had the material, staples, glue and board for both these projects and so both of them combined cost tell that 8 bucks! Not bad right?!

Now…last, but not least, I started my job! I technically started on Friday, but that was a day of HR paperwork and boring quality control videos…TODAY was the real day at work. I thought I was doomed. I walked in with the feeling of anxiety, and although this day was packed and I immediately had an evaluation of a new client, it was amazing! My office is all organized, I have met all my patients and now I feel like I can tackle therapy with vengeance. Let’s hope I am right!

I am off to sleep, I am a working woman now! Night!!

p.s. I really need to work out….can we add 2 more hours to the day?

Summer Grillin'

2010-05-20T14:25:00.003-06:00

Here is a link where you can download the Martha Stewart SUMMER GRILLING COOKBOOK.

Such a great book, and best of all, it is FREE!! Enjoy!

Oh….fabric…how you warm my heart and soul…

2010-05-19T19:27:00.001-06:00

I posted a picture of some fabric and stated how I wanted to make this from it….Well I DID! Among other things! Let me just say that the tutorial was perfect and gave clear directions on what to do. I highly recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a fabulous window treatment with no sewing involved (unless you want to embellish on your own).

Here are the results!!!

“Beginning” materials: Fabric of choice, cheap mini blinds ( I also used a fabric glue called Fabri-tac, which worked perfectly. However, it does dry fast, so you have to be quick.

“After” project:

Start to finish took me about 4 1/2 hours: that included having husband hang up the blind’s hardware.

Here are pictures of the finished products!

2 more to go!

Finished products!!!!

They look so great!!!!

I even cut a small whole to allow the pull string to hang on the outside of the shade, instead of having to reach my hand around it to pull it open.

They look so FABULOUS!!! I am in LOVE!!

In addition to the Roman Shades, I also made matching pillows for the couch and chair. Same material to match the shades!

The material is so amazing! And it is not black and white; it is a black and cream, which ties in all the colors on the walls, the carpet, and the couch set.

What do you think?!!?

PICTURES!!!!

2010-05-17T23:08:00.002-06:00

Finally, some pictures to go along with resent things in my life. Additionally, I have some future crafting ideas in mind that I would LOVE to get some feedback on! Here goes!

1) GRADUATION!

What an insane time in my life. Not only did I finally graduate from grad school, but I did it with some amazing ~~people~~ fellow colleagues.

Me and ASHLEY!!! She is fabulous and I will totally miss her with all my heart. No more late night Double Cheese!!! :( However….LOTS of visits and pictures!

Oh Taylor….How you amuse me… :)

Kaity!!

Kim and Marge…. SB fellows!!!!

Stacie! Quiet yet a ROCKSTAR!!

The two Prego girls!!

All hooded and happy!

Me and Marge!

Brittani, Kim, Nicole and Taylor

Stacie, Tiffany, Laural and Carmen!

Oh fellows….how I will miss you all!

2) MOVING!!!

Here are pictures of our new place! Please forgive the messes and Buns is playing Nintendo as I snap pictures so ignore the cords and stuff in the way.

As you walk in….out new couch and recliner!

The three large windows in the living room. I am going to may Roman Blinds for them in the next week or so. :) More on that later.

Across from the couches….the wood burning fireplace! LOVE IT! We even have a little nook that the TV and such goes on. Again…ignore the cords…Buns is playing Nintendo.

Close up on the mantel. I want to do something more with this, but for now, this is what we have.

My center piece on the coffee table. Once again, I want to do something more, but I found this black tray at Goodwill for 2 bucks, so how could I resist.

My new basket! How cute is the chalkboard!

The kitchen! Excuse the mess….

My Dominoes!! Yes….I finally was able to make them, thanks to Liz, and now they are displayed in my home. I wanted to hang them somewhere better, but I am sure I will move them around a few more times before the perfect spot is chosen.

Dining Room

Balcony

Small Pantry…. :)

Guest Bathroom!

Master Bath!

My sacred corner…

Laundry room! We have a WASHER AND DRYER!!!

Our room from the doorway. Our new 4-poster bed is up and proud!

Our bedroom from a different corner.

Our guest bedroom has been converted into a craft room/library….Can you see why?

My sewing desk. Goodwill find for 15 bucks!

More pictures of the house I am sure will follow, but for now this is it.

Oh, and here is the material for the Roman Shades I will be making…

Thoughts? I am LOVING the off-white with the black and I am going to do a off-white stripe along both sides to lighten it up. So excited!

I am off to dinner! Have a great Monday!!

New home!

2010-05-14T10:23:00.002-06:00

It has been a while since my last post...between graduating, family in town, and moving, I have barely had time to sleep, let alone post. I have missed it!

So pictures will have to come later, but here is a quick update on the Jones family:

- My mom, dad and little brother got in Thursday May 6th and stayed with us till Monday the 10th. We had a wonderful visit with them!

- Graduated on Friday the 7th!!! I was able to sit right next to my bestie Ashley and we had a blast finally putting grad school behind us!

- We moved Tuesday the 11th. It was a LONG drive (13 hours), but we made it without any problems. I drove the car and Buns drove the rental truck. Nothing broke and we were actually able to unload the truck that night when we got in.

- As of today, we are completely unpacked and 99% moved into our new place. :)

- We are getting Washington driver's licences and new tags for the car today.

- I get a room for crafting, sewing and all my books!! LOTS of pictures to follow. My friend Jackie (who lives here in Vancouver) is going to help me "crackle paint" two bookshelves and a desk for my room. :)

Thats about it for now! More to follow soon!