New Year's Resolution Anyone???

Holy Toledo Batman!!! Can you believe that half the year has passed us by already? So do ya see where I’m going? It’s time to take a check back on our goals. (Dun Dun Dun)

Well? How are you doing with your New Year resolutions? And by the way it really is never to late to start working on them. Over the last three months, I have continued to juggle my many hats as you can see. (You can take a look at the first 3 months of the year here) Over this last quarter, I used these blog posts to show my perspective as a…

Occupational Therapist~ Handwriting

Jewelry designer~ Lariat who, Earrings, She won!, Mosaic, Busy, Purse photo, Girls night in

Mom~ Easter bunny I’m a Stalker Mosaic More feet Purse photo craft for teacher Dad’s shirt Organizing toys

Homemaker~ Spring, right? Hubby reads my blog Vignette Chair What’s cooking Organizing toys

Friend~ 25 things about me Filled a bucket Girls night in

Wife~ 16th 7 year anniversary

Woman~ ??? What the … ????

Ok, my role as an OT is small but I’m not currently practicing in a clinic so keeping my feet wet is good enough for me. Most of the other areas seem to be somewhat balanced. I know, the wife role is a little weak but at least we are still working on our marriage so I’m good there, too. Now here’s the part where I really start to freak out. ME! What the heck!?! Nothing? I know I overlapped in a few areas and wore more than one hat at a time. That’s the name of the game right? I guess I could say that the “girls night in” was “Me time” too. But I really planned that event to socialize with my friends and sell some jewelry. Clearly I’m not finding a whole lot of time for just me. I know, you’re shocked. Well, at least I’m not alone. But as a thereapist I do feel it is important to give to your self. I mean, that is why I started this year out with the goals I choose. So I could find a healthy balance and still get all my duties accomplished.

To be honest, I’d have to say I lost my focus for a while but then jumped back on the wagon again. I try to remember my initial goal and I try to address all the areas of my life as much as I can but reality slides in and tosses a curve ball at me every now and then. I’m going to keep trying to achieve my goals and make adjustments along the way to my expectations so that I don’t go nuts in the process.

How have you been doing with your goals?

Did you toss them out the window?

Are you working on any new goals for the year?

What kind of self-improvement interests you? Or do you think life is busy enough, to hell with personal goals?

Outside Toy Bin

Here’s another one of those quick and easy tips for around the house. Summer time play means dragging the outside toys out and then dragging them all back in at the end of play. Especially when you live on top of a windy hillside. After my first few summer days of running back-n-forth into the garage for a ball, then a Frisbee, then side walk chalk (witch I keep in a wippie bin…remember all those wipe bins?) and on and on to get all the other toys needed to make play time fun, I was exhausted. (I thought this was to make THEM tired) Hummm, I need something to make this job easier…

I’ve got it! Laundry baskets! No, I’m not planning on hanging out the wash too. A laundry basket makes the best toy bin for all the outside toys. You can find them tall and skinny or short and wider depending on what type of storage space you have. Get a strong plastic one with comfortable grips and nice size holes. Pay a few extra dollars for a sturdier one and it will last longer. They are so easy to clean with a hose and will air out quickly in the sun. Toss in all the trucks, balls, horseshoes, golf clubs, bubbles and other back yard toys.

Come play time, carry them out and dump. The kiddos have immediate access to their stuff and clean up is so simple for them to help pitch in. We have one with regular toys and another for all the “wet play” toys for the pool and sprinklers. They fit nicely along the wall of the garage all year long.

What are your easy organizing tips?

Plan B

Several nights ago, I had all the ingredients out and was ready to start making Gorditas. Just then the hubby called to say he was on his way home. I told him of my plan for dinner and then I heard a slight grumble on the other end. “What!? (sigh)” “Ah, I just had tacos for lunch…I don’t want Groditas tonight. Can you make something else?”

So now, I have to come up with Plan B. He’s on his way home, He’ll be hungry; I have a pound and half of ground meat out….Agh! What to do?

A quick look in the pantry and I decided to make a pseudo stroganoff.

I pulled out the Worcestershire Sauce
A box of Fettuccine
A can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
And I was on my way.

I browned the ground meat in a skillet and then added some Worcestershire sauce to taste. Then I stirred in the can of cream of mushroom soup. You can thin that with a little water or some white wine. I added a little white wine. (To the skillet and to my glass).

While this was going on I was cooking the fettuccine (I like it a little al’dente).

By the time the hubby made it home I had plan B ready to move to the table.

What do you fix when you’re in a pinch to get something ready fast?

We Interrupt This Blog...

I was trying to get a new post up for today but there just is no time for that right now. I’m busy celebrating my anniversary. Today marks seven years of wonderful marital bliss. The hubby took the day off from work so we could be together. So I’m off to hold hands, rub noses and make googgly eyes with Mr. Wonderful.

Blogging will resume soon. Thank you for your patience.

Happy Father's Day

To all the great Dads, Grandfathers, Godfathers, Dads in waiting, Soon to be Dada and the wonderfully loving Men who are “like a Dad” to so many, I wish you all a super Father’s Day weekend!!!!

Our Big Daddy is getting this lovely hand painted T-shirt and some scrumptious homemade cookies with a poem, that my friend showed me, about how sweet dad is to them. My disclaimer, I can cook but baking… um, not so much. If the cookies don’t come out good, I’m so blaming the kids. ;-)

Now lets just hope this isn’t one of those times that the hubby reads my blog.

What do you have planned for Father's Day?

Happy 16th

That’s a sentence we say here every month. It may sound like a strange sentence at first but wait until you here why.

Once upon a time, there was a handsome prince. At the time, he was living in New Jersey (don’t fault him for that). He was visiting a neighbor/friend so they could brew some homemade beer together. While there, he noticed his friend Ralph had a photo on the refrigerator of his daughter and her friend. “Who’s the brunette?” said the prince. Just then a light bulb went off in Ralph’s head…”Hmm, that’s a friend of Jen’s, she is single…you two should meet. So they called Ralph’s daughter Jen and Jen called her friend. After a short discussion, the “OK” was given to pass the girl’s phone number along.


The girl was very busy and dealing with many things. At first she said no, the timing just wasn’t right. He asked again and finally a third time. She checked her schedule and said “Yes”. So the prince invited the girl to meet him at a sushi bar for a half blind date. (He was working from a picture). That was November 16th 1997. They hit it off so well, they decided to see each other again. After several more dates, they wanted to celebrate the joy they had found in each other. Their journey started with sushi; why not celebrate with sushi???

So for the next ump-teen years they would have sushi on the 16th of each month and wish each other a “Happy16th”. Their wedding even included a sushi toast right after the champagne toast. The girl, turned princess, would of coarse have veggie sushi during the months she was L’prego but they celebrated none-the-less. What bliss.



“Happy 16th my Love!” (for the 139th time).

Girls' night in

We could all use some “me” time and there are few things that “charge my batteries” more than hanging out with my best gal pals. So, why not combine the two? Have a girls-night-in party.

Every now and then I need to have one of these parties. It’s kinda like a grown up slumber party…with out the sleeping over part. A night with your best girl friends, your most comfy clothes, some yummy snacks and a little girly pampering and you’ll feel good as new.

This time I combined the girly party with a jewelry sale. I set up some jewelry in one room with really low sale prices and then got the rest of my space ready for some pampering and camaraderie.

The hubby entertained the kids upstairs with some snacks and a movie in Mommy & Daddy’s room. That is such a treat they were more than happy to stay up there for the evening. A quick run down to say “Hi” to the guests and then they were gone for the night.

I pulled out all the pampering items I could find. I lit some candles, got out the special lotions, nail polish, hand scrubs and other “taken care of you” things around the house. I happen to have my own paraffin bath and some hand warming mitts. Check around, you might have some friends that can lend you theirs. I set the table up with all the things needed to do a simple manicure.

I had another area set up with the paraffin bath and the warming mittens. Over by the sink I have some wonderful smelling soap, a nailbrush, some soft towels and a nice lotion. There was a chick flick playing in the background or you could pull out some music from your high school years. (The 80’s were super cool dude!)

I had a drink tub filled with a variety of canned soda (or as we say here…“pop”)

I had some lemon slices floating in a pitcher of water and another pitcher with some iced tea and fresh cut mint.

All the fix'ns for some "happy" coffee.

Make a few of your favorite appetizers and you’re ready to go.

Send out a note to let everyone know what day and leave the time frame open for a “no stress” “get here when you can” atmosphere. Tell your guests to come dressed in their favorite cozy clothes; sweat pants, PJs, oversized T-shirt, flip flops or slippers, anything goes.

Now go pick out a date that works for you and start calling your friends.

What do you do for "Me" time?

What helps you to "charge your batteries"?

Last day of School!!!

Another school year is coming to an end. If you’re looking for a cute gift idea for your kiddo’s teacher, here’s an idea I found. I saw this on someone’s blog several months ago (Sorry I can’t remember where). Anyway, I tried it on my own from memory and it turned out pretty good.

Supplies:
Mat board with 8 x 10 opening
Card stock
New box of crayons
Tape
Sharp scissors or utility knife
Hot glue gun (White glue will work too but take longer to dry)


I had two to make so I used a 64-count box of crayons and had plenty left over. Each “Teacher Award” took me about 30 minutes to make. I used “word” to create the writing at the top and to put the teacher’s name along the side. I also had an outline of the initial that I wanted to fill in with the cut crayons. Start laying out your crayons to fill in the letter on your award. Cut each one to fit within the shape of the letter. You might want to stager the crayons to get a more artistic look. Once you have 4 to 6 cut, start to glue them down using the hot glue gun. If you use white glue you will have more time to work at getting everything in place but the project will take longer to dry and be finished.

Work in groups of 4 to 6 crayons at a time until you have filled in the letter. After all the crayons are glued and the glue has set you can attach it to the mat board. Hold it up to the light to make sure the cardstock is centered behind the mat board. Use some masking tape along each edge on the back side of your project to secure the cardstock to the mat board.

What ideas do you have for teacher gifts????

Like Mother, Like Daughter

It’s not unusual for the kiddos to see me staging a photo of my jewelry or something else I have made. A few weeks ago I was taking some pictures of this purse I had finished making.

My oldest then asked if she could “borrow” the camera. Only half listening I said yes. (OK, so I know, I wasn’t fully paying attention and I should know what I’m saying "yes" to and I should know what the kiddos are up to at all times but come on…)

So I go to down load pictures and save them into folders and as I’m looking through them, I see a few that I did not take and I'm pretty sure the hubby did not take them either. Hmm, I wonder where these came from????


(Beaded play purse)


(Hannah doll)

What do ya think?

I just might have a budding young photographer on my hands.