Christmas Trees 2011

We finally got our Christmas trees up and decorated. Yeah...we have two. In our last house, it was a very small house, so the tree we had was teeny but looked huge in that house. So whenever we moved into a house that was bigger with higher ceilings we decided to get a bigger tree but to keep the older one. So we have the big tree in our living room and the smaller tree in our dining room.

Tree #1 (original tree):

Tree #2 (newer, larger one):

Ta-da! So purty.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

Our outdoor autumn porch scene.

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. Its been kind of a crazy one for us/me.

About our porch scene: this is what it looked like in tact a week ago. Now the squirrels have started in on the corn. I find that appropriate though, and am thankful they waited until we were getting ready to put up our Christmas decorations. We got the whole kit and kaboodle for $2.90 at the pumpkin patch so not bad at all.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving dessert? Mine is pumpkin roll---yum. Its always my job to bring the pumpkin roll and chocolate mints--so easy to make, too. I will have to share the recipes I use sometime.

Project complete: Repainting bathroom cabinet doors

Happily, we have a ton of storage in our main bathroom (very good for people like me who have a beauty product addiction). I decided we needed to change things up in there though and make it look classier and I think I succeeded. What do you think?


Before: 

After:

Good day!

Good day, all! It's been a busy couple of weeks. I have been working on finishing up some projects around the house for the year so that I can enjoy the holidays and have more time to do what I enjoy most--holiday baking and crafting, oh my!

The time change this AM was perfect. Although I wish the cats knew what DST was because they tried to wake me up to feed them at their regular routine time. Oh, vell. Posting pictures later on of something I have been working on. Got some chores to work on and am working on clearing out my email inbox first.

Finally getting things done feels SO good.

Why I buy my toilet paper online now...

Is this a weird post or what?? TMI, maybe? Oh, vell.

So if your hubby is like my hubby, he uses an abnormal amount of TP. I think this must be a guy thing because I've heard countless other ladies mention this issue. So early on in our marriage I hunted around forever looking for a good TP that was low cost enough to feed his addition (seriously, one year for his birthday I just gave him a big box of TP and peanut butter--he was thrilled.)

I finally tried the Wal-Greens version:

Love it! So this is the only brand we've been purchasing for the past year or so. But I was getting aggravated because people were catching on to me and lately anytime I go in there they are sold out. So I thought, hey, maybe I can order it online and have it shipped to my house? Great idea, right?! Lol..well I went to Walgreens.com and as of press time, they don't sell their TP online (or anyway, everytime I check it states "out-of-stock"). Hah! But drugstore.com does! So I promptly ordered 10 packages to be sent to home--same price--free shipping + MyPoints points--yay!

Apples today

Working on using up the rest of a peck of orchard apples today. Going to make these Glazed Apple Cookies:

Recipe found here.

Also finishing up a few projects--will post pictures later.


HaPPy CoLumBuS DaY eVerYoNe!


**UpDatE: cookie pictures**

Preppin' my apples

Oven-ready.

Voila!

 

 

Show n tell..?

I made this! Well...no....not really. I purchased a "blank" one from Michael's and colored 'er in--hah! It's one of those photo holders.

Okay, the end. Goodnight!

Lazy day

My day thus far:

Yes, thick men's socks. Don't hate. Its cold here today!

One of my favorites!

Mmmmm coffee.

I picked up a few Halloween easy-breezy crafts at Michael's a few weeks ago and I think I will "work" on those today--hubby's grilling later---and I need to get outside at some point and do some fall clean-up in the yard but other than that I am taking it easy today!

Pioneer Village

Hi everyone--today me and the hubby and the folks went to the pioneer village in our area. Yes, we have one of those. Nope, no pictures--sorry! It was rainy and kind of cold but it was still a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. They had craft vendors out but we hated to really buy anything that had been out in the rain. Tried kettle corn for the first time--okay so now I get why people walk around with big bags of kettle corn--its addicting!

I have tomorrow off from work and am planning on doing some indoor painting. Nothing major, just touch-ups on some kitchen cabinets and a wall in one of our bathrooms and I will be repainting our main bathroom cabinets--the paint on them is not only chipping off but peeling--its awful. Pictures will probably follow.

100 Days of Holidays

I signed up for Better Homes and Gardens' 100 Days of Holidays newsletter recently and have started getting some great emails with some tips, recipes and crafts I just can't wait to begin. But I get so caught up in my daily to-do's that I often miss out on the hobbies I enjoy and the things that actually make me happy (which means I'm often a grumpy-pants). I'm reminded of this fact all the time, especially days like today when my hubby is relaxing in his home office watching football all day and I'm left with a big to-do list. So jealous! There is absolutely no (real or good) reason why I can't find the time to enjoy my hobbies, too. So I'm really going to try to make an effort to make more me time. One way I'm planning on doing this is making a regular schedule for getting routine things done. I stole a pretty calendar from my hubby's office (this is in girl colors--I have no idea why he even had this?!!) and I'm going to figure out the best days for doing which tasks and try to space things out so I'm not constantly frantic and reminded of all the things I need to do yet.

Pretty calendar!

Another way I'm going to try to achieve this is by making myself more accountable by posting some fun to-do's on this blog. So probably more posts from me soon!


You can sign up for the newsletter I mentioned in this post and others at the Better Homes and Gardens website here.

HitPredictor

I've been a member of this website for years. It used to be called "PromoSquad". This is a great website where you get to listen to some new/some older songs and rate them. This helps record producers/execs figure out what songs are going to work, which need some work, etc. For each song you rate you get points and in return, you can redeem your points for prizes such as books, make-up, CDs, DVDs, etc. Sooo much fun. And its all FREE to you!

Join me on HitPredictor!

Blog Thief :)

Trying to cheer myself up today so I'm blog stalking. That usually does the trick :) Oh, and I'm canning more tomato juice for chili this winter. Its in the final step so now I am back to blog stalking...and here's a little survey thing I found that I decided to fill out:

I can't:

•  hula hoop. Dunno what happened, I just can't do it anymore.
• dance. Maybe that's why I can't hula hoop?
• speak another language.

I can:

• sing fairly well
• bake
• skate (roller and ice but my favorite is ice, even though I hardly EVER get to go)

I won't:

•  eat junk food tonight
• worry about watering my plants tonight, because it finally rained and cooled down here!
• make dinner tonight because we still have leftovers from my hubby grilling last night

I will:

•  more than likely be grumpy in the morning
• try to go to bed early tonight
• cuddle with my kitties tonight

I shouldn't:

•  always hit the snooze button in the morning
• drink so much soda
• run late to work every morning

I should:

• go on a walk because its so nice out
• go sit under the gazebo and read while its still light out
• go give my hubby a hug

Happy Labor Day

It is absolutely beautiful outside today---very fall-like, which is my favorite season. And I have the day off. So I should be ecstatic.

But I am down and out today. The fact that I have to get up and go back to work tomorrow really just makes me want to cry. So I am just blue today and don't feel like doing anything. And I hate the fact that I am letting tomorrow ruin my today.

"Fried" Apples

Look what I made!

Anyone ever have the fried apples at Cracker Barrel? Yum. I found a crock pot recipe for them online here. I found one that is actually fried in a skillet, too, but I decided to laze out and try the crock pot version first. Glad I did! Very good! And sooooo easy to make. I just cored my apples and threw them and the rest of the ingredients in the crock pot and set it on low for 6 hours and stirred it every now and then. My house smelled amazing, too! Hubby kept asking why it smelled like Christmas in the house. Anyway, here's the recipe from that link. I did make a few changes, though. I used 6 Golden Delicious apples and I did not peel them--just used an apple corer on them. And instead of cutting the butter in small pieces I just melted it in the microwave and poured it in the crock pot with the other ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of fresh grated nutmeg, optional
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter, cut in small pieces

Preparation:

Place apple slices in the slow cooker/Crock Pot; stir in remaining ingredients and dot with the butter. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, or until apples are tender but not mushy. Stir about halfway through cooking.
Makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups.

Don't get sherbet in your eye!

...Because it hurts! Last night I was eating some of my "comfort sherbet" (mmm...raspberry--perfect!) and some of it popped up into my eye. Which I'm not sure how that happened because I was wearing my glasses. But ooh that burned! When I went and looked into the mirror it looked like I had blood gushing from my eye and down my neck (because it was raspberry).

I am sooo klutzy.

Canning tonight

First canning of the year! Making tomato juice--yum! Using fresh tomatoes from the box garden my hubby grows every year:

Yikes! Someone needs to do some weeding!

Last year our homemade tomato juice lasted us all winter. (Mostly I just use it for chilli). I got a food mill this year but its kind of a pain. I think I will stick to using my juicer for that part of the canning process.

Yay--fall is coming!!!!!

'Serving Time'

I didn't get to moving around too well this morning, but I did catch the end portion of a documentary on OWN called 'Serving Time'. Sooo good. I will have to try to watch the entire documentary some time. Its about prison inmates volunteering for a hospice for other inmates who are dying. Very touching and humbling. With my job I am seeing more and more people in hospice or on the verge of it, and it really gets you thinking about things. This past spring I sat vigil for the first time at a family member's passing and its really life-changing. This person lived a life, and touched so many people, and now here these people are with you in your final moments. I can only hope that I touch enough people's lives that they will want to be with me in my final moments.

1) Tonight I'm going to attempt to make home-made chicken pot pies for dinner. Wish me luck! I'm needing to use up some Bisquick before it expires and potentially kills my husband, lol. Seriously, I'm not the only one whose heard that can happen with expired Bisquick right?

2) So I've started this new thing where I'm trying to get in shape before I get pregnant. My husband and I always said we wanted to be married for 5 years before we started trying to have children, and it'll be 4 years in October. I figured if I really start working at it now I *should* be able to get there. Though I may get a little depressed if I get in shape and then get knocked up and chubby? Oh well--either way, I really think it'll help my body out and hopefully ease my pregnancy if I'm in good shape beforehand. I hope.

Happy is as happy does...

"You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace." ~~Ernie Banks

With the 4th of July past us now, I've been thinking about how next month is AUGUST. Can you believe it? The kids will be going back to school soon. (Yay! And I don't even have kids yet lol.) This year has really flown by. In about 3 months I will officially have been at my "new job" for a year. This past year has really been such a blessing in so many ways for me and my little family.  I am ever so amazed at the good that can happen in your life if you just have faith in God and put your life in his hands. In the past year both me and my husband have left behind old, unsatisfying jobs and come into new jobs that we are very happy in and hope to stay long-term in. These new jobs have given us so much more time together, too, so our relationship has even grown. We had such little time together before (we worked separate shifts for as long as we were married).

My family went through a few tragedies this past year, too, but we made it through. The biggest lesson I have learned this past year is that God won't throw anything your way that you can't handle. So anytime I feel like I'm being handed something that I don't think I can handle, I know that either I can handle it, or it will be taken care of in another way before I even get a chance to take care of it (and yes, that's happened to me recently!)

I know I'm not the only one who feels this way: when August starts coming around I still feel like a kid--time for fresh beginnings and time to tackle the world and all those projects I've been wanting to do. Its weird that I still think of August as this time, and not New Years. Is this something that changes with age?

With autumn comes some of my absolute favorites: scarves, sweaters, corduroy, beautiful falling leaves, long walks in the woods, fall festivals, the sweet earthy smells of autumn, cooler weather, pumpkin pie lattes...oh, I could go on and on. I am looking forward to doing  a lot of crafting this autumn (I want to make more Christmas gifts this year), and spending time with my family.

4th of July

Photo credit

Did everyone have a good Independence Day?

It's sort of a big day for my family. We *usually* start the day off with the 5k, but we missed that this year. Boo----no free t-shirt for me this year!
Then around noon we all line up for the parade. Some years I'm in the parade, others I'm an onlooker--this year I was an onlooker. It was a good parade this year, too. At the very end there was a couple walking a pair of donkeys, and on the donkeys' rear-ends were little signs that said "the end". Very cute and clever!
Then its off for lunch---they serve pork burgers and other foods in the park and they are a tradition for us. And then later once its dark we all meet up again for fireworks. Big day but so much fun. And it wasn't too hot this year,  nor did we get rained out again like some years. Thank you Lord!

Letting Go

Early this year I did something that I am so proud of. I let something go that I had been dwelling on for years .
I know people always say just let it go, don't dwell on it. But that's easier said than done. You can say "I forgive you" or, "I'm over it", but that doesn't mean it won't creep back up and haunt you. 
I can honestly say that I was able to let this go completely. It's been almost 6 months now and I don't regret it at all, and I feel like such a weight and sadness has been lifted off of my shoulders.
I confronted what I was dwelling on, and guess what? I may have had the whole thing wrong along!? Really?!! I feel so much better now!


Don't dwell on things. Confront your issues---more often than not, you'll find that there really wasn't an issue after all. Time doesn't always heal all wounds. Sometimes it deepens them beyond recognition.

Today I am grateful for...

**my husband, who has been amazingly patient and kind today.

**my home, that keeps me sheltered from these nasty storms we've been having lately.

**my family, who though extremely irritating at times, sticks around even when I'm irritating as well.


**my job, that gives me financial peace, gratefulness for what I have, and is teaching me patience.

**my kitties, for hamming it up at exactly the time I need a good laugh and smile!

Too many cat photos? Never!!!!

(I actually think all of these pictures are from our old house---they are just as cute in our "new" house, I promise! Proof to come, I'm sure!)

Summer: Official

Happy first day of summer everyone!
I don't know about everyone else, but I am SOOO ready for all this spring-time bad weather to be over with.

Peonies! My fav!

5 things I'm loving this week

1) This scent:

Photo courtesy Avon

Herve Leger--I got this through Avon but I think its available at some other stores, too.
Smells sooo good--and the pretty bottle and pink tint is a big plus, too! :)

2) This skin tonic:

Photo courtesy Bath & Body Works

I use Dr. Galen's Herbal Skin Tonic (from Bath & Body Works) as a toner after I wash my face at night. It smells and feels very refreshing--and I just love seeing what was leftover on my face after washing it come off on the cotton swab when I use this toner. Picks up a lot of extra gunk people! I picked up several bottles of this at a Bath & Body Works Outlet Store for way-cheapo. I was afraid they were discontinuing it but now I think they were just coming out with a new bottle design.

3) This healthy snack:

Sunsweet Prunes--Ones

 

 

 

Yeah, yeah---joke all you want. But these things are strangely addicting--and pretty yummy, too! I picked these up for $2-3 at Wal-Mart, but they should be available at most grocery stores. And I have a sad little confession to make...I have been hoarding the leftover containers because I just *know* I can make something crafty out of them. You just wait!


4) This face lotion:

Photo Courtesy

C.o. Bigelow's Oil Free Face Gel Shine-control formula: This is another one that just smells so d-i-v-i-n-e. I picked these up at a Bath & Body Works Outlet Store, too, but haven't been able to find them in their stores since. Just a little bit goes a long way and it makes your skin feel super soft. I have oily skin, too, and it definitely keeps the shine at bay.

5) This summer read:

Photo courtesy Amazon.com

"Tales from the Yoga Studio" by Rain Mitchell is my current summer read on the good 'ol iPad. I am about 2/3 of the way through this one. It follows the lives of a yoga instructor and a few of the people who come to her classes---there's the movie star, the recovering addict, the in-denial-addict-in-the-movie-business, and the dancer recovering from an injury. Its pretty good so far and I think its the start of a series.

Welcome to my blog!

So I've been thinking about starting a blog for quite awhile now. I've been following a few blogs for about a year now and I think I'm ready to tackle it myself. I'm a girl of varied interests so this blog will more than likely reflect those varied interests. Bear with me folks!