Quiche Woman in a Barbecue town

Getting to Know You Sunday

2010-04-18T17:38:00.001-07:00

The questions..

1. Mens chests..hairy or hairless? Hairless…some hair is good but not full fur! ;)

2. How often do you run red lights? Never
3. If you could raid any celebrity's closet..whose would you raid? Um…that is a hard one! Reese Witherspoon!
4. Would you rather have more followers/friends on Facebook, Twitter, or your Blog? My blog
5. What makes you feel sexy? When I actually get time to dress up, go out and spend time with just my husband.
6. I get excited when...........? I get excited when I get new clothes, time with friends, vacation…
7. Are you the "outdoorsy" type or more "indoorsy"? Probably more indoorsy although I love to garden, camp, fish…
8. Would you rather have your dream home or a million dollars? I would take the money! I could design my dream home for way less than a million! :)

Your turn! Head over to Mann Land for some more fun!

Built In Bookcases

2010-04-04T18:06:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe I forgot to take before pictures of these shelves! These are the built in bookcases or shelves between our living room and kitchen.

They were painted all off white including the backs when we moved it. I have always thought about changing them but was not really sure what I wanted. Finally it hit me the other day. I painted the back of the bookcases the same color as our walls and stenciled the black design. I LOVE it! So much better than it was.

Missing

2010-03-23T12:04:00.001-07:00

I did not intend to disappear for such a long time. Things have been crazy around here. My computer had to be wiped clean and now I am beginning to get back to “normal”. :)

Hope some of you are still here…

Knock off Wood

2010-02-15T12:23:00.000-08:00

Have you seen this blog??? Knock off Wood

Ana is amazing! The photos, the plans, the ideas...I LOVE it all. She takes ideas from Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Land of Nod and makes her own building plans. The best part of all is she gives you the plans for FREE! Yes, free!!! I have some wonderful things picked out for my husband to build for me... :)

Here are some things to peek at. I love this table!! I really would love one of these for my kitchen.

And this for the kids...

And this for all their books and games...

This one I really love. I think the kids would have a blast with this in the playroom.

Mom in a Minivan

2010-02-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Mom in the minivan with scratches and dents on your bumper who cut me off this morning,

If you could so kindly pay attention to the road you are driving on and stop looking in the mirror we would all appreciate it. Yes, I realize you needed to fix your mascara. Yes, I know you were brushing your hair while at the stop sign and of course could not drive with only half your head looking beautiful. Yes, I realize that your phone was ringing so of course you had to let go of the steering wheel and rumage through your pocket book to find it before the oh so important caller hung up. I understand you did not mean to cross over the yellow line more than twice while I was driving behind you. I am sure those frightened people on the other side had a clean pair of underwear handy to change into when they arrived at their destination. I am thinking (with all the scratches and dents in your car) that this was not your first time swerving all over the road. I am also thinking you should probably focus on driving more and multi-tasking less. You are not very good at it.

Sincerely,
A Quiche Woman

Bedtime and Kids

2010-02-02T06:45:00.000-08:00

My little princess has never been an easy going child. She is...stubborn, determined, strong willed and sensitive. She is very much like me so I understand her. That is until it is bedtime, I am tired and she will not go to sleep.

Every single night we play the "go to Sleep" game.

The routine runs smoothly with bath, pajamas, brush your teeth, we read books and then say good-night. I go down stairs and 5 mins later yell up for lights out.

Thirty seconds later I hear "Mommy"

"What Princess?"

"I can't sleep."

"You haven't tried yet. Lay down and close your eyes."

"Mommy"

"Yes?"

"My legs are itchy."

"Scatch them and go to sleep."

"Mommy"

"WHAT?"

"My legs aren't itchy anymore but now my arms are itchy."

"Well, scratch them and GO TO SLEEP."

"I cannnnnn'ttttt! I'm not tired."

"You need to try. Lay down and close your eyes and sniff your blankets."

(My husband laughs. Yes, I just said sniff your blankets. She has two small blankets that she sleeps with at night and she puts them under her nose. Funny I know but this relaxes her.)

Every single night we go through the same thing. Sometimes her head hurts, she has to go to the bathroom, she hears a noise or her covers are twisted. Sometimes I can handle it fine but other times I end up yelling up the stairs..."GO....TO....SLEEP!!!!!"

I have tried to put her to bed later, earlier, all sorts of things but it is still the same scene. Every...single....night.

My son goes to sleep without a peep. Very rarely will he get up to go to the bathroom or he will have a bad dream. Two children, same parents and yet oh so different.

Getting to Know You 2010

2010-02-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new 2010 edition of getting to know your family and friends. Here is what you are supposed to do...copy and paste then change all the answers so that they apply to you. Have fun and be truthful! I want to see your answers!!

1. What is your occupation right now? Stay at Home Mom
2. What color are your socks right now? white
3. What are you listening to right now? The View and my children playing with their friends
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Yogurt
5. Can you drive a stick shift? yes, but it has been so long I do not know if I would be able to pick it right back up again
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone: Mom
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? yes!
8 . How old are you today? 38
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? ugh...I do not like to watch sports on television. I like going to the games much better.
10. What is your favorite drink? coffee in the morning and juice in the afternoon
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes
12. Favorite food? Italian
13. What is the last movie you watched? Slumdog Millionaire
14. Favorite day of the year? Christmas
15. How do you vent anger? talk to a friend
16. What was your favorite toy as a Child? Barbies
17. What is your favorite season? Spring or Fall
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Yum...both
19. Living arrangements? My husband , my kids, 3 cats and 3 dogs
20. When was the last time you cried? Last week
21. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes
22. What did you do last night? Put the kids to bed and relaxed on the couch!
23. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? cheese
24. What are you most afraid of? Spiders
25. What is your favorite kind of dog? Sheltie
26. Favorite day of the week Saturday
27. Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds!!
28. What is your favorite flower? Gerber Daisies
29. What is your favorite blog to read and why? Oh I have SO many! I am addicted!

Valentine’s Day Heart Attack

2010-01-30T13:21:00.001-08:00

You must see this post over at 71 Toes. What a wonderful loving idea to do with your family. What a great keepsake they will all have if Shawni keeps all these hearts. The kind words, the thoughtfulness, the handwriting…I adore it. I am going to use this amazing idea with my family.

In college I shared a room with 3 other girls and it had its ups and downs…you become a “family” away from home. I loved these girls. We had an envelope on the back of our door to put “warm fuzzies” in. We would notice little things about each other, kind things we did for others, etc and write them down on a small piece of paper. It would then go in the warm fuzzy envelope. One night a week we would take out all the notes and hand them out to the each person. It was one of my favorite nights of the week. I loved reading all my warm fuzzies and seeing the faces of my friends when they read theirs. Sweet memories! I think I still have some of those notes tucked away somewhere.

Lantern Pom Pom Lights

2010-01-26T16:15:00.001-08:00

Is this not one of the cutest things ever?? I love it!! I am going to have to make some of these for my little girl. She would love some pink and green ones in her room. I would love some in my room too but I don’t think my hubby would like that too much! :)

I found the instructions over at The Creative Mama blog. I love her blog! She has some wonderful ideas.

Shower Wall into a White Board

2010-01-21T18:09:00.001-08:00

Technorati Tags: white board,homeschooling,home school,crafts

This is our second year of home schooling and I have been wanting a large white board to use with the kids. After shopping around I realized there is just no way I could spend that much money on a white board! Then I remembered when I was teaching I would use the large white laminate shower walls from Home Depot and have them cut into 12” X 12” squares for the students. (Home Depot will cut them for free!)
So why not have them cut them into large pieces?? Off I went to pick one up. I had them cut it into thirds. Perfect! Here is one of the pieces.

Since we are now homeschooling in our dining room I did not want to just attach it to the wall like this so my husband picked up some crown molding and made a frame attached right to the board. I LOVE it!!!
Here is the after shot. I had such a hard time getting my camera to take a photo with all that white so I had to include other “wall space” in the picture! :)

I am linking this to:

Strut Yourself Thursday

Poppies At Play

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Random Acts of Kindness

2010-01-18T16:55:00.001-08:00

Today the kids and I were rushing through the Dunkin Donuts drive thru on our way to dance class. It was a busy Monday morning but a very good one. After watching the news on Haiti and all the devastation I felt very blessed to be able to rush around our home, take a hot shower and get a coffee with donuts! My family is safe and together. The kids were giggling in the back seat and anxiously waiting for their frosted donut (yes I am that kind of mom).

As I paid for our yummy breakfast I told the woman at the window that I would like to pay for the car behind me as well. She gave me a very confused look and glanced up at the car in back of me. Then she looked at me again. I asked what the order was and if I could pay for it. The Dunkin lady said the car behind me ordered a hot chocolate and 2 donuts. I smiled and said ok, I would like to pay for that.

I don’t know if she was just confused or irritated but she closed the window and started talking to another woman who worked there. Now the other woman was looking out the window at me with a look that surprised me. I would like to think it was just confusion but I don’t know. Was I bothering them?? I smiled and waved. The woman nodded her head and allowed the other woman to ring it up. She coldly gave me back my change. I smiled again and said please just tell that woman behind me to have a wonderful day. She looked at me blankly and said, “I will.”

A random act of kindness. Nothing big but I hope it put a smile on someone’s face this morning. I would like to think it did but all I can picture in my mind are the scrunched up faces of the ladies working this morning.

When was your last random act of kindness?

Friday Follow

2010-01-16T05:18:00.000-08:00

I am joining in on the first Friday Follow hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades. What a great idea to get more followers on your blog but to also find some wonderful new friends and other blogs to read! I have already found some GREAT blogs out there that I have never read before!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

Poop Happens

2010-01-13T06:25:00.001-08:00

As I was sitting here early this morning, curled up on the couch, snuggled in my chenille blanket, computer on my lap, coffee in one hand and slowly waking up on this cold day…I heard these words, “Mommy there is poop on the stairs!”

I think maybe I did not hear that correctly. “WHAT?”, I yell from my cozy spot. Please be wrong, please be wrong, please be wrong I pray. “There is a piece of POOP on the stair! Ewww!”, yells my 4 year old.

DARN IT! So there goes my morning coffee.

I go to look and sure enough there it is!

I have to clean up the stair and not only that stair but I have to disinfect ALL of the stairs, the hall and every place around the poop that in my mind a germ may have floated. I have OCD. Just a little bit! ;) Now after all the cleaning and disinfecting of course I have to shower immediately.

So here I sit over an hour later having my morning coffee. Ahhhhh

In a house full of 3 dogs (was 4 until a couple months ago), 3 cats and 2 kids my life is full of poop. My husband always jokes with me that I should write a book about it. I am always cleaning up after someone! Now any mom out there has been doing something important or something relaxing and heard the words, “Mommy I’m done….” You know the voice. You know the words. You know what “done” means.

So there it is…My life of Poop. Now…off to write my book!

Banana Pudding

2010-01-05T16:35:00.001-08:00

This must be a southern thing. Banana Pudding (or banana puddin as my husband calls it) is delicious!!! I grew up with banana cream pie but it is not the same.

I have had a craving for banana pudding all day. My husband has a yummy recipe where he uses Nilla Wafer cookies. I found this recipe over at Spectacular Sidaway Spot. I have to try this!!! Doesn’t this sound YUMMY?

Ingredients:
1 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whip
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cup milk
1 5-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding
6-8 bananas, sliced
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
Directions
Line the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yield: 12 servings
Preparation time: 30 minutes

Wee Squeak Shoes Review

2010-01-03T17:31:00.001-08:00

My daughter received a pair of Wee Squeak shoes in the mail for review. They are ADORABLE. Very well made shoes. I am quite picky when it comes to children’s shoes. I want something that is well made and designed for a child’s foot at their developmental stage. Of course they are also growing so quickly that I do not want to spend a fortune on shoes either.

Wee Squeak Shoes has this to say about their products:

Children's Shoes - footwear that's fun to wear! Comfortable and stylish, these little shoes are great for any season. With a variety of styles and colors to choose from, these children's shoes are a great gift idea as well as a way to help children learn to walk properly without even realizing they're being taught. Children's tennies and sandals in several different colors and styles, as well as traditional Mary Janes and other kids footwear.

In order for the shoe to squeak a child must walk heal to toe. This encourages crawlers to begin walking and toddlers and young children to walk properly and not up on their toes.

Not only is the shoe functional and fun for children, but parents love the safety feature of knowing where their child is at all times.

For those occasions when the shoe needs to be silent, the squeaker can be removed by an adult.

Unique style, great quality.

Wee Squeak shoes are designed for children and parents alike. Our shoes actually make a fun squeak sound as the child walks. A cushion in the heal squeezes air through a tiny nozzle making the squeak sound.

The choices for both girls and boys are wonderful. Lots of different styles, colors and designs. My little girl received the camo sneakers with the pink laces. So cute!

She loves the squeak sound. I did too…at first. I have to admit (because I will always be honest when I review something) that the noise started to bug me. My daughter was not bothered a bit and proceeded to run all over just to hear them squeak some more! :) You can remove the squeaker from the heel of the shoe to silence them but my little princess would not let me touch it!

You can even hear the squeak they make on the Wee Squeak website before you purchase! How great is that??

The Marshmallow Experiment

2010-01-01T08:46:00.001-08:00

This is hilarious! You have to watch it if you need a good laugh to start your New Year!

New Years Resolutions

2009-12-30T06:14:00.001-08:00

Do you make a New Years resolutions every year? Do you stick to it? I have decided not to this year!

My goal last year was to send out real birthday cards to all friends and family members on time. I know not a life changing resolution but it really makes me smile when I receive actual mail. From the mailman. In my mailbox.

So many people wish you a Happy Birthday or send a little note through email and now Facebook but taking the time to send a card really means a lot to me. So…that is what I wanted to do last year. DID NOT HAPPEN! Why?? No clue. I am still going to work on that this year. Why do you think New Years resolutions do not stick? Is it the pressure? Is it the year long commitment that is so hard?

What are your goals for the New Year 2010?

After Christmas Decorating

2009-12-28T07:51:00.001-08:00

I love the white lights of the Christmas tree and my mantel. My favorite is to curl up and watch tv with just the white lights on. After Christmas when the tree comes down and the decorations get put away I miss the twinkle. I have been looking for some decorating ideas to keep the white lights up after Christmas but have not found much. Any ideas??

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-23T17:56:00.001-08:00

I Heart My Secret Santa

2009-12-21T14:22:00.001-08:00

This year I participated in the Secret Santa Soiree and I am SO glad I did!

Here is my package! It started like this…

Then…

I was SO excited! My kids kept asking if those were presents for them. Nope…these were Mommy’s presents!

A soft pink scarf and a green mug filled with mini Reese’s cups. It’s like my SS knew me in real life! ;)

My very favorite coffee in the world, pretty bead bracelets and a sweet Christmas card.

Fun!!! A bow maker, candle, folders, a binder, pencil case and a Creativity book.

Thank you, Thank you, to my Secret Santa. I cannot wait to find out who had my name! I really had a lot of fun with this!

Our cat Oreo was so excited she had a new box to play in. Cats love boxes!

Another Wonderful Giveaway!

2009-12-17T05:45:00.001-08:00

OMG! I NEED to win this Oreck vacuum. I really really need one. In a house with 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 kids and 1 husband, I vacuum every single day. I have to. I have OCD and maybe that is part of it but I cannot stand the thought of dirty floors. My kids love to play on the floor with cars, games, everything. I have a steam floor cleaner but I had no idea a vacuum could do all this….take a look at this post over at Trying to Stay Calm! She has one to give away to one lucky reader!!!! I am sooo hoping that lucky reader is me.

Some Fun

2009-12-16T16:28:00.001-08:00

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com
My Stick Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Romantic Snow Globes by WiddlyTinks.com

WiddlyTinks.com has some FUN things to do and to add to your blog. Seriously I played on the site for over a half an hour. These are just a few of the things they have. If you are pregnant or wedding coming up….so many cute count downs. You have to take a peek at this site! :)

HP TouchSmart Giveaway at Mckmama

2009-12-13T06:20:00.001-08:00

Mckmama is having a FABULOUS giveaway!! She has a HP TouchSmart for one lucky reader!! I actually gasped when I read about this computer. I really really hope to win….but you can enter too if you would like! ;) All you have to do is click here for all the details.

Cinnamon Clay Ornaments

2009-12-10T17:42:00.001-08:00

We made cinnamon clay ornaments the other day. The kids really enjoyed making this craft. The smell in the house was heavenly! These are very easy to make and really you can use any cookie cutters to make shapes. We of course used our Christmas cookie cutters. My thought is to tie ribbons on the tops and use them as gift toppers. They would also look great on a garland.

Here is the recipe I used in case you are interested in making these with your family. These are NOT edible.

You will need:

water

cinnamon

flour

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of cinnamon. Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, stirring constantly. Knead the last 1/2 cup of flour. The mixture should be warm, not sticky, and have the consistency of Play-Doh.

Roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to make shapes. I used a straw to make the hole on the top for the ribbon to go through. You could also use this dough to make beads. Pierce each one with a toothpick so they can be strung on to a necklace later.

Let the shapes air dry (this may take a day or two). These can also be painted after dry.

Handmade Bows

2009-12-09T11:53:00.001-08:00

My Mother-in-law saves all the bows, ribbons and bags from gifts to recycle them on future presents. A great idea to save money on gift wrap. Then I saw this tutorial over at At Heart for Home. Handmade Bows from recycled magazines! How fun is that??

New Pirate Wall Art

2009-12-07T15:59:00.001-08:00

My newest painting I have been working on. This is on wood and not canvas like I have done before. I am planning on personalizing this with a little boys name is red or if someone does not want personalization maybe “Ahoy Matey” something like that. What do you think?

Can you see his gold tooth?? :)

Family Rules Canvas

2009-12-06T18:53:00.001-08:00

After seeing quite a few of these family rules on painted canvas around other blogs I decided to try one myself. I am pretty happy with the way it turned out. The background is brown with white dots. The “rules” are on different scrapbook paper. I used ModPodge. I love this stuff!

It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

2009-12-04T15:17:00.001-08:00

I LOVE the holidays. I love to decorate for the holidays. My favorite part is sitting in the living room with only the Christmas lights on. It is so peaceful to me.

Here are some of our holiday decorations this year. I have not taken any outside photos yet but I will get to those. My wonderful husband put the outside lights up for me.

This is our mantel without the flash on. In the middle is the word “believe” in black. You really cannot see it very well in the photo.

This is a close up of our tree….see the black in there? See the black furry tail sticking out between the branches??? That is our cat Oreo. She loves the tree.

Here she is again, mad that I disturbed her sleep in there! :)

My Christmas dishes. I change out the dishes every year and put all my Christmas ones in to use. Even the kids use the pretty holiday dishes. They love it!

Hope you enjoyed the little peek into our holidays!

Gingerbread House

2009-12-03T18:32:00.001-08:00

Today we decorated our annual Gingerbread House. Last year we decorated a train not a house but you get the idea. Every year I buy one of the premade kits and the kids decorate it. I have always picked up extra candy because really the candy that comes in the kits is…not very appealing. What fun is decorating a Gingerbread House is you can’t sample the frosting and the candy, right?

The kids are getting pretty good at the decorating! :)

Manage Your Time Wisely

2009-12-01T17:52:00.001-08:00

Are you a stay at home mom? Do you work from home? How do you manage your time?

I am a stay at home mom. I also home school our children. I also run my own business from home. Do you see the pattern here? Everything needs to be managed from home, in my house, with everything else going on.

There are always distractions when you are at home. You may be home with your children all day or you may be working from a home office. There are always distractions. How you handle them is key.

I am working on this. My phone rings constantly some days. All day long. Friends, family, telemarketers it really does not matter. What matters is how to handle it. During our home schooling time I do not answer the phone. I use to. I have realized that not only does it distract all of us from our work BUT it was sending a message to my children that the phone was more important than their schooling. Not the message I wanted to send to my children.

I also do not answer the phone if we are curled up on the couch reading, watching a show together or playing a game. I want them to know that the time I spend with them is valued.

Some people do not respect that decision. Some people get upset and mad that I did not answer the phone. Ridiculous. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard, “I called you this morning. Why didn’t you answer the phone?”. I HOME SCHOOL. I try to run my own business from home. I have 2 children who NEED me. I know these years are going to fly by and I am trying to savor every moment. Some people just do not understand that. They get MAD. Seriously!

What do you do to handle your time?

What Sam Needs….

2009-11-27T18:42:00.001-08:00

There is a wonderful and funny post over at Atlanta Mothers. All you have to do is do a search on what you need on Google. For example Sam needs…
1. Sam needs to make a cake and some cookies. Now that is a good one…I could do that.
2. Sam needs a job! Well, no, not really. I am a homeschooling stay at home mom and that is a job in itself.
3. Sam needs jeans. Yes, most definately I do. My favorite jeans has a hole…well a few holes…small ones but in not so good areas!
4. Sam needs time. Always…I always need more time. :)
5. Sam needs a shower! LOL Ok that one is just funny!
6. Sam needs a playful and loving home. This I have already!
7. Sam needs a holiday in Spain. Oh yes please that sounds lovely.
8. Sam needs to tone her aggressive tone. YIKES! ;)
9. Sam needs your number’s. Well, ok…if you really want me to have them.
10. Sam needs to get to work. Enough already with the work and the job thing! Jeez!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T14:38:00.001-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving full of friends, family and laughter.

I am thankful for…

my wonderful family, our health, my children’s laughter, smiles and hugs, a warm home, food on the table, a bed to sleep in, comfort, love and life. So many things we take for granted in life. Look through the eyes of a child this year and see all the precious things life has to offer.

Christmas Advent Calendar Give-a-way!

2009-11-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

Have you been over at Tatertots and Jello?? She has an adorable give-a-way going on right now. Take a look at this advent calendar.

She made this herself!!! Is it not the cutest thing ever??? I love polka dots and this would be PERFECT in my house! I have to win this. If you want a shot at winning click here. Of course if you win...you must send it to me! :) She also has a couple for sale.

I need one!!

Favorite Things

2009-11-20T13:53:00.000-08:00

I am linking up to 320* Sycamore's Favorite Things! I am a day late but I am sure this one will be going on for a long time. What a wonderful idea to get more holiday gift ideas!!

My favorite things:

1. My Keurig Coffee Pot! http://www.keurig.com/ This is one of the best things. No more wasted coffee left in the pot and it tastes delicious. They have so many different coffees to choose from.

2. Painting! I love to hand paint personalized items for friends and family. These will be personalized with names and initials. So much fun!

3. Monogrammed or Personalized Magnetic Dry Erase Boards. I found this one by Monkeyseeboutique on Etsy and I LOVE it! I do not know her but she has some adorable stuff!!!! Great for Christmas!

4. Hand made pillows - found this one by LilacAve on Etsy. How cute is this????

5. Yankee Candles! I have one for every season and love the way they smell. Such a homey feeling when we have these burning. My favorite for fall is Pumpkin Spice or Harvest.

Good-bye to an old friend

2009-11-17T15:11:00.001-08:00

Today we said good-bye to Tucker. It was a very peaceful good-bye and we were able to do it at home. I love our vet! She is wonderful, sweet, caring, compassionate and truly loves her job.

The kids said their good-byes which was terribly heartbreaking to watch. Then they went upstairs to play with grandma. My husband and I sat with Tucker right in his “spot” next to our couch. He was always at my feet. A little heartbeat at my feet no matter where I was. :) So that was the best and most comfortable spot for him.

Putting a dog to sleep is one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make. Thank you for all your kind words. I am going to feel the loss for a very long time. He was full of life and made a big impact on our house.

We are animal lovers in a big way. I once volunteered with a sheltie rescue group (I had 4 shelties and now 3). A little over a year ago I volunteered as a foster mom for an animal rescue group and now we have 3 cats too. I admit I am softie and end up falling in love with the animals.

Rest in peace Tucker Mans…you will forever be in my heart.

Heartbroken

2009-11-16T10:09:00.001-08:00

We are having to say good-bye to one of our fur-babies. Our dog Tucker has been sick for a long time now but hanging in there. He has many issues but most having to do with his thyroid and seizures he has. He is only 10 years old.

This is Tucker last year. Look at that sweet face. He is the most loyal dog I have ever know.

Tucker chose me when he was a puppy. I had gone to look at the sheltie puppies with an “ideal” look in my mind. Tucker had an almost all white face as a puppy and was adorable but not what I had pictured. So after lovin on all the puppies and watching their little personalities this little dog kept coming over to me and sitting right on top of my feet. Every time I would stop walking there he was perched there looking up at me.

He knew.

He knew I was his person. Finally I laughed and said, “I think this little guy picked me!” and I was right. Tucker has been such a joy to have in my life. He LOVED to run in the sprinkler just like a little kid. He would run and jump through it barking and enjoying life to the fullest. He LOVED tennis balls and would always have one in his mouth. Tucker would play ball until your arm just could not throw it any more. He was sweet and gentle when I had my children. Content to take a backseat for awhile and let me be a mommy. Then when the kids were old enough…he had playmates and loved them with all his heart.

Tucker is a good soul.

Tomorrow I will have to put Tucker to sleep and I am hurting. I always told the vet that if he was in pain and did not have a quality life left to let me know…even if I was in denial. Well, last night Tucker had a really hard night. He has had them before but then always seems to get “better”. Today he has not. The vet gave me some valium to ease his pain a bit and make him more comfortable through the night.

I am spending the day with my furry little guy and letting him know how much he has brought to my life.

Holidays with Paula Dean

2009-11-15T07:32:00.001-08:00

I LOVE Paula Dean so I was super excited when I found this FREE download of her Holiday Guide. It is WONDERFUL!

Is that her kitchen?? Seriously…who would not love to have a kitchen like that!

This is beautiful! This would look great on our table this Thanksgiving.

And then for Christmas….

I think one of the reasons I picked this is because of my love for polka dots and checks. Anyone know how to find those plates?? I love the white with the little bubble ridge around it.

Apple Squares - YUMMY

2009-11-13T12:58:00.001-08:00

My children and I love to bake. Every fall I make Apple Squares. I made a batch a couple weeks ago and they disappeared all too quickly soooo we made some more today.

My little girl loves to help Mommy in the kitchen!

She snuck a few apples to eat as we were peeling them….so cute!

This is what is in my oven right now and I cannot wait to eat one. They smell wonderful!

Here is the recipe:

Apple Squares

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

8-9 apples peeled and sliced

1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon

(Mix apples with sugar and cinnamon and set aside)

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time. Sift in dry ingredients. Press half of dough into the bottom or a 9 X 13 greased pan. Spread apple mixture on top. Make patches with remaining dough and place on top of apples, overlapping.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 mins.

Freezes well

This only makes one pan of them and I have found that is not enough! :) I love these and love to share them with friends.

Let me know if you make them and how they turned out!! :)

Technorati Tags: cooking

Thanksgiving Kids Table Ideas

2009-11-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

Over at Alpha Mom, Cindy posted some adorable Thanksgiving ideas for the kids table. I will definately be using these this Thanksgiving. She included free downloads for us to print! A crayon holder, placemat, napkin rings and center piece. Wonderful ideas to keep them busy while everyone is coming in and saying hello. Being part of the holiday decorating always makes my kids feel special. They love it! :)

Drop Cloth Curtains

2009-11-08T18:43:00.001-08:00

I am sure you have seen these by now. They seem to be everywhere. I LOVE them!! They are made with painters drop cloths. The have the look of linen and remind me of the curtains in Pottery Barn. I bought mine at Home Depot. Painters drop cloths are all different so you have to look at them.
I washed mine several times and dried them with dryer sheets to make them softer. They also have a terrible smell to them when you first take them out of the package so you have to wash them.
I already had the black curtain rods so all I needed to purchase was the black curtain rings. I am so happy with them!

Craft Room

2009-11-05T18:09:00.000-08:00

Over on the Martha Stewart site she has posted a "Show Us Your Crafts Room". I am jealous of all these craft room photos that people have posted! One I like the most has slat board on the walls with all her items held up there with clips. This is a great idea! You are able to see everything you want to use. My one problem finding the time to scrap / craft / make cards is having to get everything out in order to use it. I spend more time setting up! My dream room would have all my "stuff" neatly organized, a long work table and room for friends to come over and work along with me. Do you have a craft room in your home?

Holiday Gift Ideas

2009-11-04T17:53:00.000-08:00

What do you do with all your Halloween candy?? My kiddos have so much loot that there is no way they are going to eat it all. People do not give only one piece of candy these days. The kids were getting 2-3 pieces per house. Crazy!

Now that Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is quickly approaching...it is time to think about holiday gifts this year. I love homemade, from the heart gifts and with money being tight for everyone this year they are even better! So I am looking for some great ideas!

Last year I made these of the kids for the grandparents and a very special aunt.

Everyones set was different in some way. I tried to match their personality or their house style with the frames and background. These are in our house and I LOVE them. Pretty, thoughtful and cheap!

Interested in making some of your own?

I took a profile picture of each child and enlarged them. I carefully cut around each profile and traced the cut out on black cardstock. I used nice cardstock - non fading, acid free, etc. Then very very carefully I cut out the profile on the black cardstock.

Using scrapbook tape I adhered them to scrapbook paper and framed them. Easy! :) My mom actually teared up when she opened them. That was thank-you enough.

Please share your posts of any holiday ideas you may have. Please post in your blogs and direct some more friends over here. Hopefully we will get some wonderful ideas!

Give-a-way!

2009-11-02T15:09:00.001-08:00

Melissa over at Melissa’s Heart and Home is celebrating her one year of blogging! She is having a wonderful give-a-way for her readers. You have to go take a peek and enter (even though I hope to win!).

What Are You Afraid Of?

2009-10-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

Personally I have a phobia of spiders. Let me make this very clear...a PHOBIA - not a fear. Not a simple I do not like them or think they are creapy. I am TERRIFIED of spiders. I have no idea where this irrational fear came from. I start off screaming. Then it leads to irrational screaming and crying. THEN comes the hyperventilating. Then it feels as if my throat closes off. The gasping of air comes pretty quickly after that and then in the past I have passed out. There it is folks. A phobia.

Anywhoooo...here in NC there are some BIG ass spiders. This here fella is now living in my backyard. That is until tonight when my brave hubby comes home and I tell him to remove the spider from the premises. Now I will not make him kill him. I know they are good and kill insects. I actually feel sorry for this little guy. Do you notice anything about him?? Spiders are suppose to have 8 legs. This beauty only has 6. Two are missing. I do not even want to think about what happened to them. Yick!

Now you are probably thinking how in the world a girl with a phobia like mine was able to take this photo. I have a great zoom lens! LOL

Another thing that NC is blessed with is fire ants. This is the third big mound that I have had to tackle this fall. I sprinkled the crystals/poison on the mound yesterday so today I went to check on it. Again...yick!

Looks small right now. Poison must be working! Wait....see all those dark pits? Those are not pits of dirt. They are piles of dead ants. The ants that are still alive are removing the dead bodies from inside the nest. Once again....yick!!

Dinner Last Night

2009-10-28T12:58:00.001-07:00

Last night for dinner I made Rachel Ray’s Individual Beef Pot Pies. OH MY! They were so very yummy!! I did not even think to take photos of mine because honestly they did not look like Rachel Rays! LOL

Here is the link and the recipe Rachel Ray

I used ground beef instead of the skirt steak because that is what I had on hand. It was SO good. My husband loved it. It was easy to make too! :)

Halloween Party Fun

2009-10-26T13:40:00.001-07:00

We all gathered at a friends house today for lunch, fun and Halloween cupcake decorating. It was a wonderful day fun of lots and lots of kids. I am EXHAUSTED!

Lunch was “mummy hotdogs”. The kids loved them! They were so easy to make. Hot dogs wrapped in strips of raw refrigerated crescent dough. Bake them in the oven until dough is cooked and puffy. Add eyes with food marker or even little bits of olives. Perfect!

(My daughter bit her mummy before I could get the photo)

Then for the Halloween cupcake decorating!

The kids and the parents all had a great time!

Some creations….

Hope you had as much fun today as we did….

How many hours til bedtime???

Test

2009-10-24T15:25:00.001-07:00

I am testing out the Windows Live Writer….finally figured out how to get into it. Whew!

Now to learn about all the fun things you can do with it!

Look at that! Very cool!

Windows Live

2009-10-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

I have heard how wonderful Windows Live is for blogging and how much easier it is so I downloaded it today. Now...I cannot figure out for the life of me how to blog with it...anyone that can help??

Halloween Costumes

2009-10-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

What are you going to be for Halloween this year? Every year our friends have a Halloween party and it is so much fun to get dressed up. The kids are invited too so there is a big crowd. They have a costume contest for different catagories with prizes. Tons of fun!
This year my kids have decided they want to be characters from Star Wars....even my daughter. They also want my husband and I to dress up with the Star Wars theme BUT have you seen the prices on the adult costumes?? Crazy!
Here are a few ideas from the costume contest over at HGTV. These are photos that people sent in. Some great ideas!

This last one of the Simpson's is SUPER! I have never been a big fan of the show but this costumes are great! What a wonderful job they did.

Halloween Crafts with Kids

2009-10-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

Today we are working with Crayola Model Magic. It is a wonderful soft clay that is easy for kids to mold and shape. Air dries so there is no need for the oven. Only problem is the kids love playing with it so much that it starts to dry after a couple hours of play! LOL :) It does not dry rock hard but you are able to paint it if you choose. When I was teaching elementary school we used this all the time for projects. Now I am using this with my kids! I am making ghosts...my son is making hammerhead sharks and my daughter is making "potions". The camera battery is charging but here are some neat photos of other Halloween crafts. This one is from Family Fun magazine (which I LOVE by the way). Here is the link for these adorable little guys.

I did this one with the kids last year. We put them around the tree in our front yard...not as easy as it looks. My ghosts kept falling down in the wind. Oh and the rain...forget it! These are also from Family Fun Magazine. Click here for directions.

And as usual Better Homes and Gardens always has wonderful ideas!! Here are a few...Click here.

Very cool and look easy enough to make without a lot of money spent! :)

Homeschool in the Dining Room

2009-10-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

Where do you homeschool? We are lucky enough to have a guest room upstairs that I though would make a wonderful school room. Being an elementary teacher in my previous life...I have a lot of "stuff". I had these fairy tale dreams of going up to the school room every day with my kiddos, happy and ready to learn. Yeah right! Between the crying, whining and finally yelling to get up into the school room I realized this was not working the way I had dreamed it would.

Now don't get me wrong...having a room to keep all your ~~crap~~ educational materials out of sight is wonderful BUT not practical. I needed to be in the heart of our home just as much as the kids did. I wanted to be able to pour a 3rd or 4th cup of coffee without having to run downstairs. I wanted to get lunch or dinner ready while they were finishing up their work. That does not happen when you leave the kids upstairs to finish on their own...at least not in my house.

SO...I am moving a lot of our things into the dining room for a trial run. I am torn. I love my dining room. It is my pretty place. I love that it is neat, clean and NOT full of toys. In all honesty we use the dining room about 2 times a year. Really? A room that I keep neat, clean and pretty to be used 2 times all year long??? What a waste. I am not ready to put the posters on the walls or move everything down there just yet but we are giving it a try. It has only been a couple days but it is working so much better.

So...where do you homeschool??

Amazing Dolphins

2009-10-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this video?? This is amazing. One thing I have always wanted to do is swim with the dolphins. I love them...always have. They are intelligent animals. This video proves it. Watch!

Halloween...cookies??

2009-10-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

This is what my husband did with my "Halloween cookies" and posted it on Facebook.

Candy Corn Cookies

2009-10-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

Attempting to cheer myself up today with some Halloween cookies. Have you seen these adorable Hershey kisses that look like candy corn? Too cute!

One of my favorite cookies are peanut butter cookies with a chocolate Hershey kiss on top. I decided I would try these cute little kisses with some sugar cookies. My kids LOVE sugar cookies.

I lit the Yankee Candle Pumpkin candle and turned on the oven.

The smell has filled the house and the cookies are warm and gooey. Perfect! You have to try these. So yummy. Comfort...it is what I needed today.

Random Thoughts

2009-10-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

I am grieving. Someone from my past that I was very close to for a long time passed away unexpectedly a couple days ago. At 38 years old. No warning. It is like a bad dream. This cannot be happening. This should not be happening. I do not understand. My heart is hurting.

I am new to blogging so every little comment left on here so far has been treasured. To think that someone out there will be reading my blog is amazing. :) I am excited to begin this new adventure in my life. If you have any kind words, advice, cool things I could do/change on my blog or any other blogs you think I should read I would appreciate the advice. Thank you for commenting!

Tell Someone You Love Them

2009-10-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

Did you do that today? Did you tell your friends and family how much they mean to you? Please do. Please take the time to let your loved ones know how they make a difference in your life. Take time to laugh with your children and enjoy the small things with them. We often forget or take these things for granted. We think we will do that tomorrow....there is too much work to get done today. Do not put it off. Tomorrow may never come.

I am mourning a loss today and my heart is hurting...

Decorating for Fall

2009-10-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

I LOVE pumpkins! How about some pumpkin decorating for Halloween?

All these wonderful ideas are from Goodhousekeeping. I love the simple ribbons around the tiny pumpkins. Perfect!

Here are some more ideas from A Storybook Life.

Looks like I have some new projects to add to my list! :)

Feels like Fall

2009-10-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

I am a New England girl who moved to the south over 12 years ago. I LOVE the south. I love everything about it. Well, mostly everything. Every year when fall rolls around I miss New England. I miss the "feel" of fall. The leaves crunching under your feet, the smell of the pumpkins, spices and leaves. The sound of people raking in their yards, kids jumping in leaf piles and giggling. I miss the COLORS of fall in New England. The beautiful reds, golds, yellow, orange and even the browns. Fall is the best season in New England. Apple picking, apple cider and cider donuts...sigh. Every year I get homesick for the place I grew up. Today feels like fall here in North Carolina and I am loving it. We certainly do not have all the colors out there on the trees but if I close my eyes I can see them...and smell all the wonderful scents of fall.

Hooked on Vintage Handkerchiefs

2009-10-10T18:59:00.000-07:00

I am participating in Hooked on Fridays over at Hooked on Houses for the very first time. I have been reading the blog for years and loving all the different links every week. Sadly this is my first time participating but also the last time for Hooked on Fridays. I am sure there are many more exciting things to come over there!

I am hooked on vintage handkerchiefs! This is a photo of the window in my laundry room. I use the term room lightly. It is more of a laundry space...but it does have a small window and I thought this look was perfect. They are hung on the line with small clothespins from Michaels. I am sure they can be found at any craft store.

Now be sure to leave a comment and introduce yourself. :)

Welcome

2009-10-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of my new blog! Yay Me!

I am a stay at home, homeschooling mom of 2 adorable kids. I have followed other blogs for years and just finally decided to jump in....so here we go!

Welcome and I hope you visit often.

Testing my new blog

2009-10-07T09:25:00.001-07:00

I love it!