Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year!!

I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year!!!


Wednesday, December 30, 2009

New Year's Resolutions

The new year is approaching fast and as I run around my house this evening doing chores and making muffins for our morning breakfast I can’t help but think ahead to what the new year will bring and what changes I can make to make this new year a wonderful one for my family and I.




As a homemaker I sometimes find myself feeling like I’m not contributing to life. I often watch my husband with his career and feel like he is actually doing something for the world as I sit here. Sometimes it can be easy to feel like the countless hours spent mopping, sweeping, dusting; baking and everything else that goes into taking care of a home are a waste. Especially when the next day the house seems to become a mess again and I’m back to where I started the day before. I guess that brings me to my new year’s resolutions:

Appreciate. This year I’m going to try to appreciate the blessing I’ve been given of being able to take care of my family in the way that I do. Being able to be home with my child, making my family home cooked meals, keeping our home warm and full of love are just a few of the things I’m going to appreciate more.

Joy. I’m going to find joy in the little things in life. A clean kitchen. Folding laundry. Time spent with my family. I’m going to try to find joy in the things that I do everyday.

Embrace. I’m going to embrace my life and remember that what I do is valuable to my family and to myself. I’m going to learn not to find self worth in what people think I should be doing but in the fact that I know I’m doing the right things for the people I love.

There is so much to look ahead to for us this year with our upcoming move that I’m sure will bring on many life changes for us. I’m excited to take on whatever life brings my way in 2010!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Winter Photo Shoot

Since getting home from his deployment the hubby has taken a recent interest in photography which I think is a great thing. He is such a creative person I love to see his ideas. There is a local photography group that he joined up with that does group photo shoots and mentor sessions and I got to be a model, well one of three anyway! It was a lot of fun running around pretending to be a model even though it was absolutely freezing outside! Here are some of the shots...








This is a good shot of me being a model for the hubby. I like it!



Thanks to Kim Kravitz Photography, Photos by GI and Nadja Peery of Mutt Shots for their great work! They are all very talented!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Looking Ahead.

How was your Christmas? Mine wasn’t bad! Despite being sick Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I managed to get through it (with the help of DayQuil), make a yummy Christmas meal and enjoy a great Christmas with family and friends. Snuggle Bug made out this year with tons of gifts from the grandma’s, mom & dad and of course Santa. She didn’t fully understand the concept of opening the presents but she isn’t even two yet so I imagine next year she’ll figure it out. She did enjoy watching mommy and daddy open her gifts for her and showing her what she got.

Now I’m in the process of finding new homes for all these toys and preparing for the coming of the New Year which brings about lots of new adventures for our family! Between now and April I’ve got to get this house in top shape because in just a few short months we’re moving to Colorado. I’m so excited for our move and ready to April to get here! After our trip to see the area back in October I’ve been more than ready to pack up and head that way. The area is just beautiful! But until then I’ve got more than enough things on my to do list to keep me occupied all the way into spring. Speaking of that to do list….I should probably get off the computer and start some of it!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Holiday Baking

I absolutely love holiday baking! I must go through bags of flour, sugar, eggs and milk this time of year. But there is something so special about turning on some Christmas music, putting on my apron and spending time baking yummy treats for the people I love. Tonight I made the classic Christmas treat, Gingerbread….yum!

Here is Snuggle Bug decorating her very first gingerbread cookie! Its in the shape of a Christmas tree but she decided on yellow icing.
But she decided later on to add in a little green for good measure.
That cookie is looking pretty good! As you can see by her face she had to take a little sample of that green frosting. Gotta make sure it tastes good!

Here are the finished cookies and the hubby and Snuggle Bug decorated. Aren't they cute?
The hubbt decorating. Not too creative but at least I got him to help a bit!
Here are the rest of the finished decorated cookies. I made even more but decided to save the rest to decorate later, closer to Christmas. But these here are for eating NOW! After we were done I sipped some egg nog (no one else likes it but me) and we watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas together before Snuggle Bug went to bed. I love Christmas moments like these!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Seasons Greetings!!

It’s the most wonderful time of the yearrrrrrrr!! I love this time of year! With the snow and lights and festive decorations it is such a happy season. It is also a very busy time of year! The hubby and I just got back from a week in Colorado and then two week long vacation in San Diego, with a little side trip to Las Vegas, and had such a wonderful time! We spent about a week in Colorado checking out the area we’re moving to and just seeing what the area has to offer. Let me just say I am so darn excited about this move I could burst! The area is beautiful being at the foot of a gorgeous mountain and the city has so much to offer. I really think our family could be very happy there. The post the hubby is being assigned to is also wonderful. Very pretty, small and clean. The entire week left us with a very good feeling about living there for the next 3+ years. We had about two weeks at home to rest before we packed up and flew to San Diego for Thanksgiving and two full weeks of lovely weather, family time and some yummy Thanksgiving food. The entire trip didn’t go without a minor disaster when Snuggle bug got very sick a few days after we got there. She started sleeping a lot and acting like she didn’t feel well then the fever started. Let me tell you seeing her temperature shoot up to 104.6 was so scary! Thankfully the doctors at a nearby hospital took good care of her and she was feeling better in no time. While we were in San Diego we took a quick side trip to Las Vegas while the hubby’s mom took care of Snuggle Bug. It was the first time since he has been back from deployment that we really got to spend some one on one time together. It can be nice to have some grown up time occasionally. As we were driving back from Las Vegas the hubby and I had a bright idea to stop at every tourist trap we could find and let me tell you we found some gems.
Now for some highlights from our trip…..

Here we have Alien Fresh Jerky. It is conveniently located right next to......
The World's Largest Thermometer! Nope, not joking. I'm standing in front of what is billed as the World's Largest Thermometer. They used to have a gift shop but sadly is was closed down :: sad face ::

Close up shot of the thermometer.

Then it was on to Calico Early Man Site.
Which apparently is closed on Tuesdays.
This was my personal favorite, Calico Ghost Town.
The hubby hanging out with the locals.


Sadly, this is the only picture of us in Las Vegas. We realized that on our way out of town and decided to snap one real quick, notice the car roof.

It was such a great trip and I've got so many more pictures to post in the coming days! I have been a terrible blog owner as of late I will admit. Once the hubby came home life got busy and my blogging has suffered quite a bit. But hopefully I can make a turn for the better and hop on here more. I've got so much more to share with you all!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Getting Back to Normal

He’s home! Well, actually he has been home a few weeks now but all the same….HE’S HOME!! It was a cold early morning when we went to the welcome ceremony but what an exciting morning! I was so nervous I was shaking a little bit getting ready to see him after such a long time apart. We’ve settled back into a routine so easily it is hard to believe that that we’ve only spent two weeks together out of the past 12 months.

Snuggle Bug is beyond thrilled at having daddy home. She had no issues getting used to him and knew who he was as soon as she saw him. Now whenever he comes home from work or walks into the room she yells “daddy!” and grins from ear to ear. She is such a daddy’s girl.

There is a lot going on over the next 6 months or so. We’re heading out to Colorado next week for a 4 day visit. Trying to find a place to live, tour schools and just look around the area. Then we’re spending Thanksgiving in California with the hubby’s family and 4 days in Las Vegas. Then Christmas comes which is always a time of year that flies by. Then New Years, Snuggle Bug’s 2nd birthday in February and my one year blogversary! Then we make our big move to Colorado! Wow! Lots lots lots going on.

BUT…..speaking of Christmas I found a great deal for those of you with younger children! Coupons.com has a $10 off coupon for the Playskool Musical Sit & Spin! That brought mine from $24.95 to $14.95 at my local Wal-Mart. Gotta love saving money on Christmas gifts!

I should get back to the housework but I wanted to post a quick update to say I’m still here, he’s home and life is great!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

I cannot believe this....

Oh my. Let me tell you all it has been quite a time these last few weeks. The hubby was scheduled to get home on the 1st of October thus ending this awful 12 month deployment. That then was pushed back to the 3rd of October. He got to his first stop in Europe late Saturday which means you would think that today, Wednesday the 7th, that he would be home with his family. NOPE! Saturday rolls around and the landing gear on their plane breaks….but that doesn’t mean they get a new plane. That means they get to wait for the new part to come in. The part finally gets there, the plane is fixed and last night I was getting phone calls about the welcome ceremony that should have taken place at 5am this morning. I use the word SHOULD because last night I get a phone call letting me know that the hubbies plane as been turned around…..they lost one of their engines. Now they are going to have to wait at least 3 to 4 days minimum while the plane is fixed. They have other planes there but they are all scheduled for other missions. These are the only guys not home yet. Everyone else is back….and I mean everyone. I have no more friends because they are all with their husbands now. It is so hard to see everyone happily enjoying their families and here I sit alone. Every time I get my hopes up and believe that he is coming home he doesn’t make it back. Something always seems to happen. I feel like crap right now and I’m trying to stay positive but I don’t understand why they won’t find another way to get them home. I mean it may be a very small group but they still have families who have been waiting a very long time. At this point I don’t think this will ever end.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

ELF order came!

A few posts ago I mentioned a wonderful website called www.eyeslipsface.com which sells bargain cosmetics, mostly for $1 each.

I placed my order on the 2nd and it made it to me on the 12th, but I’m sure part of the issue with the shipping length was due to the Labor Day holiday. I have heard people say in the past that shipping has been has fast as a few days and as long and 3 weeks.


This is what I received for a grand total of $17.45……




That’s a lot of stuff! I used a coupon code, which they have tons of different ones, and got $7.50 off my order which includes

Blending Eye Brush
Smudge Eye Sponge
Eyeliner Brush
Eye Shadow Brush
Brightening Eye Color Quad (in Drama)
Shimmering Facial Whip (in Toasted)
(3) Duo Cream Eye shadows (in Black Licorice, Mocha Swirl and Butter Pecan)
(2) Mineral Eye shadows (in Socialite and Glamorous)

I haven’t gotten to try everything out yet but I can give a little low down on what I have tried….

Duo Cream Eye Shadows – They are great! The pigments are good, not too intense but still very pretty. They are creamy and smooth and go on really well and have decent staying power. I wore them out today and they were still looking good this evening.

Candy Shop Lip Gloss tin (in Frosting Fanatic) – This stuff smells fantastic and offers a slightly golden shimmer to the lips. It is thick but goes on smooth. It smells so yummy!!

Plumping Lip Glaze (in Ruby Kiss) – The color side is lovely and sheer. As far as the plumping side goes, despite the tingling feeling I didn’t see a lot of plumping in my lips. I think as far as plumping glosses go I am going to stick with my Sally Hansen Lip Inflation. The packaging is also a bit deceptive. From the side it looks like there is a good amount of product. But when you turn it over and look from the bottom you realize that there really isn’t very much. But at the same time when you’re only paying a dollar for a product I suppose you can’t expect to get extremely large amounts but I do wish there were a little bit more.

Overall the quality is pretty amazing for products of this price and I’m really happy with my purchases. I will definitely be ordering from them again!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Where is that chicken noodle soup?


Oh my! This week cold cereal tiredness developed into full blown sick. I knew something was up because I was just so tired and then Wednesday night I lay in bed all night hugging a trashcan. First came the tiredness, sore throat, sick feeling then came the fever, chills, sweating and all over awful feelings. It was one rough night. Thursday morning came and I lay in bed wondering how I would make it down the stairs with Snuggle Bug to make her breakfast and get her ready for the day. I managed to get up the energy to get her diaper changed a basic breakfast of cut up bananas and a cereal bar made before I collapsed on our couch. Thankfully I have been blessed with a friend who came to my rescue. As soon as she knew I was ill she was at my house with a gallon of Gatorade, crackers and a bottle of ginger ale. Thank goodness, because I had nothing in the house to drink except milk, soda and juice all of which would have been way too gross to drink while sick. She ended up taking Snuggle Bug out for a few hours so I could sleep and rest without worrying about keeping an eye on my ever precocious toddler.

Thursday night my fever finally broke and I when I would have probably gotten a decent night sleep I was up every four hours. Why? Because my poor little Snuggle Bug had a fever and congestion. I knew the instant she was brought home that something was up because the poor thing just looked pale and tired. But thankfully her fever has gone down and despite a grouchy day today she seems to be doing well. I’m still fairly tired at the moment but I’m hoping to be back to normal soon. I’ve just got so much around the house that needs to be done. Pheeewwwww…..what a week!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Cold Cereal

I have been out of it for the past couple of days. You know those days where all you want to do is sit somewhere in silence and stare….those sort of days. A cold cereal for dinner kind of day, that’s what today is and that is what I am having right now. I have been meaning to post the pictures of the rest of the onesies I did for Snuggle Bug but I have been lacking in the motivation to even get the pictures off my camera. So I think my plan for the rest of the night will be to take a shower and head to bed extra early so I can wake up in the morning with the energy to tackle all the housework that didn’t get done today. Night night!

Friday, September 4, 2009

Crafty Night! - Part Two

Tonight is yet another crafty night! I ran to the store today with a few ideas in my head and a small budget and I’m so pleased with the outcome!

Last week a friend of mine gave me a pair of shoes that had been sent to her. They were just a basic pair of white sneakers that had been bought from a garage sale. She didn’t want them so they made their way to me. They had a lot of potential!

After a swim in some pink dye and new laces….



Tada! Aren’t they adorable? For a grand total of $3 bucks for the dye and ribbon Snuggle Bug has an adorable pair of pink sneakers!

Then we move on to the basic white bodysuit/onesie….


I got a pack of 5 for $11 dollars. Three of them went into a dye bath (you’ll see those in my next post!) and two stayed white. With the help of an iron on appliqué…..


Simple and adorable! I went ahead and sewed the appliqué down as well just for added strength since this is for a toddler.

Then, after picking through a fabric remnant bin, I found some lovely lavender material and a polka dot material (you’ll see the polka dot in a later post because I’m still not sure what to use it for) and…..



Snuggle Bug got a simple pair of winter sweat pants! These are the pants as they are now and tomorrow I’ll be embellishing them with something girly. I still haven’t decided what…any ideas?

Well, that was tonight’s crafty journey and there is more to come!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Crafty Night!

Tonight that crafty feeling came over me and you know what that means...making things for Snuggle Bug!

Tonight's feature....Snuggle Bug's Bake Shop!



Felt food is so much to make and oh so easy! I grabbed my 99 cent felt and started working. The great thing about it is you don't need a pattern. Just an idea in your head and the stuff to make it. Hmmm, what should I make next?

Bargain Alert!!

Attention Bargain Hunting Ladies!

www.eyeslipsface.com

I have been turned on to the most fabulous cosmetics site! “Why?” You might ask….because everything is $1! Yes, just $1. I love makeup, I really do. There is something about stepping out of the house with a full face of makeup and my hair done that makes me feel confident and sexy. The only downside is that I don’t always have the money to run out and buy all the makeup I want... and trust me there is a lot that I want. But this site is wonderful! For a buck, okay some products can go as high as like 3 bucks, I can get all sorts of things and they always have new coupon codes for discounts or free stuff. I just made my first order so I’m anxiously awaiting my products so I can try them out. I’ll be sure to post my thoughts on these things but for a dollar who couldn’t afford just to try them, right?

I have been on such a bargain hunting kick the past few days! Snuggle Bug and I spent yesterday morning out and about running from thrift store to thrift store. Sadly, we didn’t find much. But I have not given up hope! Tomorrow we are going to go back out to a town about 30 minutes away and try again. There is a new antique store I want to check out and fingers crossed we find those gems we are looking for. Snuggle Bug is such a good shopping partner and she can spot those things on lower shelves that I wouldn’t see (usually toys, hehe). Wish us luck you bargain divas! I go to so many of your blogs and see all these wonderful things you all find….I hope we have the same luck but we will definitely have fun looking!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Sunday

I love the transition from spring to fall. I’ve had the windows open the last couple of days and the whole house just feels so fresh! The air is getting cooler and soon the trees will start changing. Then it is time for pumpkins and hay bales, apple cider and orange leaves and all those wonderful fall smells and feelings. Mmmmm….sounds cozy!

I’ve been going through closets, when Snuggle Bug isn’t bringing me a story to read, and getting rid of the clutter. I love the feel of a clean organized house. It makes me feel calmer like everything is in its place. Its something I learned from my mother.

I think I feel this motivation to get us ready for our move and just to get the house ready for the hubby coming home. I want to make sure everything is clean, organized and ready for him. Truth be told, the house could be a complete pigsty and he probably wouldn’t notice because he is just ready to be with his family again.

(Breaking to read the Dr. Seuss’s ABC book that Snuggle Bug has thrust into my hands.)

She loves to read and I swear we don’t go more than an hour without her bringing me a book to read. I love that she prefers a good book over a television show. It reminds me of when I was a child. A trip to the library was so exciting for my brother and I. We would run to the children’s section and just scan through all these wonderful books, looking for just the right story. Then we’d take our books home and lose ourselves in stories of Amelia Bedelia, Babar, Charlotte’s Web….oh the memories. The hubby is already talking about buying a copy of ‘Matilda’ to read to her when he gets home. We both want her to continue on with her love of reading. Speaking of, she is beckoning mommy to read her another book so that is my queue to get off the computer for a little while and get back to my reading and cleaning.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

GREAT NEWS!

I just got off the phone with the hubby and he had some good, great, wonderful news....

We're moving to Colorado!!!!!! Yay!!!

We are OFFICIALLY moving! I am beyond excited! He had been talking wit his guy about us being able to move and we had asked for Texas on the top of our list and the put down Colorado and DC/VA on the list as well but never thought either of those would happen. I am so happy! I have a friend there who I have to call and get all the info from and I cannot wait to get there. We won't be moving till the spring but I have go plenty to keep me busy till then. My goodness I can't believe there is finally light at the end of the tunnel and we're really going to be getting out of this state!

Lunch time....yummy!

I just popped my lunch in the oven, a mini veggie pizza, and my does it smells yummy!

1 personal size pizza crust
Baby spinach
Tomatoes
Fat free cottage cheese
Oregano
Basil

I didn’t put exact amounts because honestly I just toss whatever amount looks good and hope for the best. Then I topped it with a red wine vinaigrette….

Red wine vinegar
Shallots, finely chopped
Dijon mustard
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

I tossed in about a tablespoon of the vinegar, mustard and olive oil…maybe less of the vinegar depending upon how tangy you like it then I just chopped up one shallot and tossed some in to my liking.

So then assemble the pizza, drizzle on the vinaigrette and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. I’ve made a few variations of this with pita bread, adding chicken and using feta cheese. But I found the feta cheese to be a bit too tangy with the vinaigrette.

Today is one of those rainy, gray, stay at home and curl up with a blanket kind of days. We got a very loud storm last night. It didn’t wake me up by my dog nudging me in fear did. For such a big dog she can be such a scaredy cat. So I reassured her that everything was okay and gave her a little drink of water…sounds like I’ve got three kids rather than one. I’ve really got to shake off this rainy day funk and get to my housework so I’m sitting here sipping my pomegranate energy tea. I’m honestly not sure if it really does boost my energy but I figure it is worth a try plus it tastes really yummy! Well, with snuggle bug down for her nap and my lunch ready I guess I should skedaddle!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

I'm back in action!

Wow! I have been MIA for sometime now, haven’t I? I’ve been meaning to update and post but with school, Snuggle Bug and life in general the time has just gotten away from me.

I’m happy to report we’ve got a little more than month left until the hubby comes home…..yay!!! I feel like I’ve been waiting on this forever. So in preparation I’m looking for a new dress for myself and Snuggle Bug, trying to get the house ready and pulling out my recipes so I can cook up a welcome up feast soon. I have to admit it feels like the time is slowing but I had a feeling it would once we go this close.

Hmmm, I’d love to give an update of all the wonderful fun things I’ve been doing this summer while I haven’t posted. But honestly I don’t know that I’ve got many interesting stories at this point. Snuggle Bug and I have been enjoying a quiet and peaceful summer to ourselves really. She took her first steps…..finally……a few weeks ago. I was beyond excited! Of course she hasn’t taken anymore since. I talked to her doctor last week and she said she wasn’t worried and that it sounded like she was just waiting on her daddy to walk given her history. She waited to stand and cruise until he was home on his R&R and I’m pretty sure she is waiting to walk until she gets her daddy back. Kind of a toddler protest I suppose.

I haven’t been too terribly creative as of late. But I did do an abstract work not too long ago…..





I was feeling a torrent of emotions while doing that one. It kind of represents my anger and frustrations that transform into enlightening and then peace. It makes sense to me anyway lol. There has been talk of a move in the works and I’m so ready. We’re just waiting to find out exactly where. But the point is…..we’re moving!! Yay!!! I’ve been doing the happy dance ever since I found I was no longer sentenced to years in a Midwestern exile. It has brought a lot of peace to my life I have to say.

Well, I suppose that will have to do for now but I promise to start posting more regularly with all the details of getting our wonderful soldier home!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

What a nice day!

I am loving the weather today! We’re at 75 degrees right now and we’re only supposed to get up to a high of 80, yay! The sun is shining and it’s a beautiful day here. I’m thinking Snuggle Bug and I should go out and do something but I don’t know what. Maybe we’ll make a trip to the park or something; it just seems a shame to not enjoy this kind of weather!

In other news we’re in the deployment home stretch. I am so ready to get this done and knowing that we’ve got just a couple of months left is relief. At the same time it is still far enough away that it feels like time is dragging by as slowly as it possibly can. It’s been a long year and I’m just ready for life to be normal again. I know the hubby is more than ready to get home to me and his little Snuggle Bug. I’ve started my to do list so I can make sure I have enough time to get everything done that I want/need to before he gets home. I know half of it is stuff that he won’t care about, like cleaning out the car and finding a new comforter for the bedroom, but it will make me feel good getting it done. But we’re just going to keep counting down and soon this will all be behind us!

In other news, Snuggle Bug seems to be making some progress towards walking….finally! We’re still not there yet but hopefully soon since she is 17 months as of yesterday. She is using her push toy stroller to walk and getting about on all fours on her feet rather than her knees. I’m so ready to see her walk but I honestly think she is waiting for daddy. She refused to stand up for months and then in the two weeks he was home for his leave she was up and cruising like nothing. She and her daddy just share a special bond and she really trusts him. So I hope she’ll walk soon but it wouldn’t shock me if she waited on her daddy….stubborn little girl she is.

My blogging has suffered recently due to my current class and I’m sorry. When I get a spare moment in the evenings it’s generally devoted to getting my coursework done then the housework after that so by the time it is all done I’m just ready to stare into space on the couch before falling asleep. But with luck my life will get more interesting soon and I’ll find the time to update more because I love blogging!

Oh yeah! I can’t forget to add these adorable photos of Family Day on post last weekend. Snuggle Bug just looks so cute with her little ponytail and she finally has long enough hair for me to do it!



Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Little Update

Snuggle Bug is growing up so fast! She pulled herself onto the couch today for the first time. It took some effort and time to figure out the mechanics but low and behold when she figured out she could use a pillow on the floor to boost herself up that seemed to help quite a bit. Oh and her newest word? Cookie. I bought some Kashi chewy oatmeal dark chocolate cookies and gave her a bite of mine. After one bite she showed herself to be an absolute cookie addict, just like her daddy. I know I’ve been a bit slow on my posts lately. I’m in school and one of the classes I’m taking turned out to be a real butt kicker. The instructor seems to be purposely making the course harder than it should be just for the heck of it. Makes it hard for me when I’m already trying to balance things with the hubby gone and Snuggle Bug getting into everything she possibly can. I’ll definitely be trying to update more often though! But for now I need to go and get some more work done for class. Night!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Ben Green Films

Jack Knifed Wolves coming soon....






Disclaimer: As a proud sister of a very talented filmmaker I've got to support my big brother! His ideas are amazing and his dedication is an inspiration to anyone working towards their dream. Keep it up big brother, you're awesome!