Tori

Tori is the niece of my sweet friend, Jennifer. She was bad accident on Saturday evening/Sunday morning. One of her friends didn't make it. Tori is still in the ICU and making improvements. She is a fighter! Help give her strength through prayer! Stay strong, Tori!

It's Shutterfly Time!

*Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All the Way....."

Are you feeling the holiday stress yet? Just walking into the store this time of year, we're reminded that CHRISTMAS is coming!!!! If your ready or not...the count down begins! I love this time of year, although I admit, I wish I had a little more time to prepare this year.

We did get something checked off the list last week....FAMILY PICTURES! I'm so excited to see the finished products. This is our first family picture with Nicholas. He wasn't so cooperative, so I'm hoping we at least got one or two cute shots. *crossing my fingers*

One of the greatest holiday time savers (especially for Christmas cards) is SHUTTERFLY! If you haven't had the chance to use their services, you're missing out. They do a wonderful job and have fabulous customer service! You can order photo prints, photo books, cards, calendars...the list goes on and on. Last year, we ordered our holiday cards through Shutterfly and they turned out so cute!! They have adorable Christmas photo cards this year! I'm so excited to make our card this year and Shutterfly makes it a super easy and pain free process. You simply choose your favorite card format and upload your photo of choice. I love receiving Christmas photos in the mail from my family and friends. They go straight to my refrigerator where I can enjoy seeing all those cute smiley faces!

And if you're still trying to come up with Christmas ideas....who wouldn't love a wall calendar filled with pictures of your cutie pie??! It's a great idea!

Of course, those of you who will procrastinate and miss out on sending your annual Christmas Cards.......Shutterfly even has NEW YEARS CARDS!

I'm sure you'll love Shutterfly as much as I do! Happy Holidays!

Gearing up for next week

Hello Blog!

I don't have anything specific to say, but wanted to drop in and try to keep up with the habit of blogging. Nothing much going on lately.

My daughter, Joy, has been in Missouri visiting her best friend for the past two weeks. Tomorrow I'm headed to Dallas to pick her up from the airport. We will also be bringing back my little nephew (who will be 2 in Oct), to stay with us for a week. I'm super excited about this next week, having Joy home and Nelek (my nephew) visiting!

Also, my younger brother is moving back home after living in VA for over a year. He is homesick and missing Texas. Boy do I understand! So, next week we're having a welcome home dinner for him. I'll be SURE to post pictures of the next week, because they'll be plenty of photo opportunities!

Well, thats about all for now. Peace out.

Checking it twice

Ahhh, the bucket list. A list of the wants and desires of our heart in this lifetime. Have you started yours? Lately I'm working on a new beginning in my life. I figure, hell, I'm 30! I'm an adult. I have made mistakes and learned from them (and probably still will), but now is as good a time as any to clean the slate. And why start your list when you're an old lady/man, with one foot in the grave? Of course, we never know our hour of departure, but I figure the earlier I start on this....the more I can get done! Seems like me and the hubby are inspiring each other, so we're both working on our lists. I just hope we're not the couple shown here! haha! I'll keep you posted on my progress towards said list. Meanwhile, what about you????

The Parting Glass

'The Parting Glass' is a traditional Irish folk song, normally sung at the end of a gathering of friends. These days we normally don't sing with our friends, unless you count the drunk karaoke nights...lol! So, I'm dedicating this song to my friends. The lyrics are alluring and this girl has a magnificent voice. Enjoy!

READ THE LYRICS

His Words are My Words

"Women are made to be loved, not understood." ~Oscar Wilde

If you personally know me, then you know I love quotes. There is something reassuring when I read the words of others, and can see the meaning in my own life. I have a notebook where I write my favorites, and when I go back through it, I can remember the reason I wrote certain ones down. It's like a trip down memory lane. Much like thumbing through a photo album, but of words of the heart. I've always believed there is such power in words, sometimes more powerful than anything physical. Words are the mental effects of our lives. You cannot take them back, once said. Even after asking forgiveness from a regretted statement, the other person is likely not to forget. Words mark our hearts. They can make us feel adored or tear us down. Be careful with your words. Your thoughts are the only thing that are private, but once verbalized, it is out there for the world to hear.

Miss me?

Wow...I had such good intentions with this blog thing, and then April happened...I turned 30 and it all went downhill, haha! Ahhhh! At least that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

So, where should I start? I will first tell you that I fell in love. Yep, head over heels...in LOVE. My love is for the book, "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. A good friend of mine suggested this book to me, as a summer reading assignment. I wasn't too "thrilled" when I picked the book up at the library and it weighed more than my child! Whew. After reading the first 100 pages I was assured that it would take me all summer to get through it. I started to hear through the grapevine, from people who have read it, that the first 200-250 pages were the hardest to get thru, but once you get past that, you're hooked. I took their word for it and continued to read. Boy, were they right! After 250 pages, I was a goner. I feel in love with the meaning, the characters, the author. I was just disappointed that it had taken me so long to come across such a wonderful read. Afterall, the book was written in 1957, WAY before I was even born. History or not though, this book was eye opening. It is just as valuable today as it was in Rand's time. Her writing is nothing if not eloquently accurate and deeply valuable. She is the basis of Objectivism, of which I am learning more about. I realize there is something to be said for empathy, only when it is deserved. Acquiring your happiness is not evil, it's a necessity. It's a political read, but there is so much more to it than just a political story. It is a story about life. The good and the evil and how with strength and courage of conviction, prevailing will be the outcome. I highly suggest it. But, remember...you have to bear with those first 250 pages!

The following are just a FEW of my favorite quotes from this book:

"Contractions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong."

"Run for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper's bell of an approaching looter"

"I swear by my life and love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."


Like I said, these are just a FEW. I could go on and on with her powerful words of enlightenment. I will, no doubt, reread this book in the future. It's already on my Christmas list. ;)


This summer has been a bit more of a challenge than I expected, but with commitment to making our lives better, we're riding the roller coaster of life.

My kids are my strength. Joy is spending some time in Missouri for two weeks, with her best friend, Leah. I'm so thankful that they have remained friends since pre-school! She told me last night on the phone that it's like they "picked back up, right where they left off" and I know that feeling. I'm blessed in my life to have several of those types of friends myself and those friendships are special and treasured.

Nicholas is growing like a weed. When did my baby become a little boy??? He is such a BOY! He's rough and tumbles through the house non-stop. He loves his trucks, balls, dirt, water and currently his favorite toy is his tractor. His new and favorite word is "go" and he says it ALL-THE-TIME! I love watching him discover and learn new things, but I miss the days of that little sleeping bundle on my chest. =(

As for me, I was soooooo looking forward to a summer break, but as soon as it got here, I was done with it. I'm ready for class to start back. Of course, you can remind me of this statement when I'm posting "ughhhhh, I'm sick of studying" on my future blogs!

Anyways, that is all for now. Promise to write more soon.

My new Find!!!

Today, I stumbled across a wonderful thing......the school library!!!! Yep!!! Who knew the campus library was my sanctuary? It's full of adults, studying in peace and quiet . . . yep, peace and quiet!!! I had no idea. I've been struggling to get studying done all semester and who knew, all I needed was to head to the library. Of course, this depends on having Nicholas taken care of, but it's definitely something I need to do more often.

Hoppy Easter Everybunny!

Wow, I was super impressed with Nicholas's egg hunting abilities, considering he didn't practice! LOL! Today we went to church with my parents, ate Easter lunch and then Nicholas participated in the egg hunt. He seemed to know exactly what to do, for the most part. Of course, his big sister helped him hold the basket, to keep his hands free. He did seem a little confused that his sister wanted him to "put them in the basket", while he wanted to play with them....which, I think is why he kept looking for more.....LOL! After about 10 minutes of that, he was d-o-n-e with that game! All in all, it was a wonderful Easter, surrounded by people we love.

This is a big month for ME! I'm turning 30! The beginning of our festivities will actually be the weekend before my birthday. We're headed to Dallas. Baby will stay with grandparents and we're going out for an adult evening.....museum, dinner, drinks, hotel.....nice! Then, the following weekend, I'm kicking it old school with a slumber party. I was really hoping everyone would get all into it and come stay the night, drink and not worry about driving. But, it seems like there are alot of people who can't stay the night for various reasons.....oh well! It'll be fun, either way! I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to it! Then, at some point, I'll be going out to my mom's for her homemade spaghetti...mmmmmmmmm....MY FAV!

Well, thats all for now......I just started watching True Blood and I have an episode ready to begin.

Ta-Ta for now.

Are you doubting your mad skillz????

Haven't blogged in awhile...sometimes because it seems like there is TOO much to say and other times, because there is nothing to say. But, I'm up late, so I thought I would do something semi-productive. Wait, is blogging considered being productive? Idk...but, let's just say yes.

I started a lifestyle change last week. It's not a "diet" or a quick weight loss plan, but it's really a lifestyle change. I LOVE IT! It can be hard at times...but seems like it gets easier and easier and almost like second nature, the more you do it. I've lost 3 lbs total and I'm already feeling much better.

Nicholas is doing good. We started Kindermusik classes and he LOVES them! He has such a heart & soul for music. I know most babies love music, but he LOVES MUSIC! Every song, beat, commercial, musical, cartoon, radio, or tapping, makes him stop, listen and dance. I literally caught him dancing to the birds chirping one day, when we had the windows open. He hears music in everything and it's beautiful. It's even taught me to slow down and listen for the smaller things in life.

Joy spent spring break with my parents, in Terlingua, TX. When she came home, she brought back beautiful photos that she took with her iPhone! She has an eye and I'm wondering if there is talent there. She took some unique pictures. She did really good. I pointed it out to her and she was like "oh, I like taking pictures, because it helps me to explore." I've learned so much more about her this year. She's such a deep person, with so many layers. And everytime I see a new level to her, I love her even more....if thats possible, because I love her with all my being.

Hubby is same 'ole, same 'ole....which is good. No complaints. We're a good fit. 'Nuff said. LOL!

I'm looking forward to my 30th b-day next month. Yep, the big 3-0! So far, I'm not bothered. I'm in a good place. 30's a number and beats the alternative. Besides, how can you complain about aging, when terminally ill patients would do anything for one more day?! Puts things into perspective, huh?! Yep.

So, now I wanna spit some random stuff out:
-Lately, I hate my hair. I love the length, but what good does it do me, when I have it put in a clipie ALL day. I need a change.
-In anatomy we are dissecting a cat and it's awesome. It's frickin' smelly AWESOME!
-I'm thankful for the grocery store across the street, because I'm afraid...wait, TERRIFIED of rats...and my hubby told me that we don't ever have to worry about that, because a rat would never bother our home, when HEB is across the street. SCORE! I now sleep better at night. =)
-I need to continue sewing, before I loose the skills I learned this semester.
-Joy and I decided one of our summer projects would be to make soap.
-I'm super excited about the summer. I'm not taking classes and I'm going to just ENJOY my kids. Who knows if I'll get this chance again? I'm going to try and enjoy every minute of it, as much as I can.
-I really need a Wii Fit....oh, and an iPod.
-Maybe I should play the lotto?

Peace!

A Vow & An Appreciation

Today I vowed to never text while driving, because of THIS story. Please take the time to read this and consider. It's so true......is that e-mail, call or text worth YOUR life or someone else's life? When you put it like that, it's a no brainer. Please consider taking this vow with me.


On a different note, I've come to a new appreciation of motherhood this week. For those that know me, you know what I'm going through right now. And I've always believed that there is a reason for everything. You learn one lesson today, that you use later down the road. It's all one large path that we each walk everyday. I've always loved being a mom. I've been one for as long as I can really remember. I practically grew up being a mother, but I suddenly realized the feeling of being a MOTHER. When you have to trust in your skills and lessons that you've taught your child and send them into the world to learn more. It's scary....but suddenly, I realize what this means. I'm meant to lead my children, like all of us mothers are. All we can do is our best, and just recently, after a humiliating experience....I realized that I do just that! I've done my best. I will continue to do so, but it's brought a new feeling in my heart. It's scary, but promising at the same time.

I love my children. I love being their mom.

My Daughter, My JOY!

You can see it in their eyes,

in tender hugs and long good-byes,

a love that only moms and daughters know.

You can see it in their smiles,

through passing years and changing styles,

a friendship that continuously seems to grow.

You can see it in their lives,

the JOY each one of them derives,

in just knowing that the other was in there . . .

To care and to understand,

lend an ear or hold a hand,

and to celebrate the memories they share.

-Anonymous

My creative daughter is really getting into painting lately. This is her latest project. Her pink and zebra shelf. She actually did some touch-up work after I took this pic, so it even looks better than this! I thought she did an amazing job!

Can you tell that she likes the zebra print? LOL! I actually made her (sewed) a zebra and pink pillowcase for her birthday, which is Friday. I can't wait to give it to her. It's extra special since I made it. I'll have to take pictures when she opens it.

She has always been a "crafty" person. She is most happiest when she is making/creating something. I am most happy, when she is happy! I LOVE HER!

Index cards are my new BFF!

I feel so incognito lately, because all I do is study, study, study! The semester has really take off and it seems like every week I have a test...and sometimes TWO! I'm working very hard at not just "passing" but making GOOD grades. The nursing program is so competitive. I need everything I can on my side to get in. After this semester, I have one more ahead of me, before I can apply for the nursing program. Of course, you don't always get in on the first try, so I'll just keep trying. It actually works nicely, because meanwhile, I can be home with my baby boy. Once I get into the nursing program, Mister Mister here is going to have to go to a daycare/preschool program...OUCH! He won't like that. It'll be pretty rough on ALL of us, but that is the future. Right now, I'm focusing on the present.

My sewing class is also going well. I only have two more classes. During the last class, we made a tissue holder. It's a tissue holder for the mini tissue packs, that you carry in your purse or car, etc. I was giggling that I was soooooo nervous, but it came out good. I'm really hoping to keep up with sewing and learn even more. It would be nice to also be able to teach Joy.

Nicholas is doing great. He is almost solidly walking. If he falls, he even stands back up and starts walking again. Crawling is rare. He now only has one bottle when he wakes up and one bottle before bed time. Other than that, he drinks from his sippy cup during the day. He has gotten to a point where he WILL NOT let me feed him. So, we've pretty much done away with any sort of cereals, etc. He is strictly on table/finger foods. He loves a good grilled cheese...but HATES scrambled eggs. lol =) He has his one year check-up in the morning, so I'm anxious to see how much my little chubby boy weighs.

Joy is doing well. Her birthday is next Friday (2/26) and we originally had plans to camp out in Austin at their new Ren Fest with a group of friends. However, it looks like the weather might be raining that weekend and alot of people have backed out for all sorts of reasons. Sooooooo, I think we're headed to Galveston for the day. Joy wants to eat at the Rainforest Cafe and of course, we all LOVE the beach. It'll be nice to get out of town....especially to our favorite Texas spot.

Oh, hubby and I finally found a bar that we really enjoy together. It's called Downtown Uncorked and it's in Downtown Bryan. We love the atmosphere in downtown Bryan anyways, but this bar is very nice.....it's a wine bar, but they do carry some beers (thank goodness for hubby!). I've also found a favorite wine and mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....yeah, I can have too much fun there for sure! Sunday they are having a jazz player there and I think we're going to pop in for a drink. I'm excited! It does me and hubby good to get out of the house for an hour or two together. We're doing good with our New Years Resolution, to do something together at least once a month. It's definitely made us a little closer, which is extra nice, because lately we're on such different schedules.

Well, that's my update. Nothing too exciting to report....but that's a good thing!

Ta-ta for now,

Me

Kudos to Hubby!

This year hubby and I decided to make each other Valentines Day presents. And I have to say, I think we both did very good. We were both doubting our gifts, but in the end....I think we were happy! Yay us!

Hubby made me this Nursing Frame. I thought he did a good job! I can't wait to one day put my nursing school graduation photo in here. I also thought that this gift shows his support for my schooling, which is more appreciated than words or gifts could ever express. Good job, Hubby!

I made this tray for hubby. It's (of course) decorated with football theme. I sanded, painted, and decoupaged the scrap paper and decor.

This was the purpose I had in mind for this tray. We call it a "dump" tray....where he can empty his pockets when coming in from work. Currently, all these stuff (keys, knife, wallet, change, etc.) ended up in various places through the house. I thought this might be an easy way for him to have all his stuff in one spot. Plus, of course, it's a win-win for me!

After exchanging gifts, I ran errands for the day and then we headed to Downtown Uncorked for a few drinks. It was a little TOO much fun for me, but good times. I finally found a good brand of wine that I like and enjoyed several glasses....yeah...fun!

Overall, our "Love" day was just that....full of love! From the kiddos, to the hubby, to the wine! =) I hope all of you had a day of laughter and love, as well.

Giveaway: The Biggest Loser for Wii

Check this out! I could really use some incentive to drop some pounds. Maybe a FREE Wii game will do the trick?

Giveaway: The Biggest Loser for Wii

Beautiful Painting

The Light of the World
by William Holman Hunt

Rev 3:20

Christmas in February

For Christmas, my hubby signed me up for a 4 week sewing class (one night per week). Tonight was my first sewing class. I had no idea what to expect, so I nervously arrived at the class this evening with sewing machine in hand! The class was AWESOME! She went over all the basics and added in so many good tips on what the buy, where, etc. I'm SO happy that I'm in the class. I'm hoping to learn some awesome skills!

I haven't blogged lately, because school is kicking my butt this semester. It's great and I'm glad I'm going, but this semester is ALOT more work than last. I'm supposed to be studying 2 hours PER day PER class . . .4 hours a day?? Are you kidding me? When? LOL!

More later . . Peace!

Dancing

Well, I meant to post on Nickel's birthday, this past Tuesday, but the day got away from me and not in a good way. Unfortunetely, my little guy has been feeling under the weather and I'm working hard to get him better for his FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY THIS SATURDAY! I put this all in caps, because I'm super excited. Of course, his theme is "Yo Gabba Gabba"...because that show makes him smile and dance! I love to see my baby boy dance! We dance every single day.

One time I had a friend named Devorah. She was such an earthly and hippie soul and I loved hanging out with her. I was probably 16 and she was probably 20. She had a little boy, named Josh, and one day when I went to see her, she was holding her 1 mth old baby and dancing to Fleetwood Mac. She had such a free flowing happiness and I remember just watching her and her baby boy and feeling her love for him. Whenever Nicholas and I dance, I often think of her, because I feel that love. It's a special time we have and Nicholas has developed such a love for music.

I just thought I would share.

Red Bugs or Red Skin?

I notice frequently that there are ladybugs in my bathroom. Of course, we've all heard how ladybugs are good luck, so I never shoo them away. They don't bother me....I don't bother them. So, today I decided to look up a few ladybug myths. I didn't realize there were so many. I found this site and if you scroll down, you can read all sorts of ladybug superstitions from all over the world. Why can't a ladybug mean luck? It sounds good to me.

Also, here is a tip that I recently read:
"You should moisturize your skin after a hot shower, within 3 minutes of getting out of the shower. That is when your skin is most acceptable to the qualities of the lotion to lock in the moisture."

This made sense, but I had never thought about it. I often use lotion, but sometimes don't get around to it until after I've done the hair or make-up. Since I read this, I've been moisturizing as soon as I towel off and I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin! It's not drying out like it normally does. Of course, if you tend to have dry skin, you'll want a good lotion. I've been using Moisture Therapy by Avon. It's affordable and really works. I always thought it was too "heavy", but since I've been using it straight out of the shower, my skin soaks up the lotion and it leaves it feeling soft...not greasy.

That's my thoughts for the day. =)

The Ramblings of a Tired Woman

I felt like I should "check in" and write a little bit....although, I have not much to say.

Tonight, I made Chicken Fried Steak for the first time. It is very labor intensive. It turned out ok. Joy and Mike liked it, alot! But, you know...you're always your own worst critic. I see lots of room for improvement.....but somehow, I feel like I've earned a star or something for trying something out of the box for me and succeeding at such a feat. I remember when my idea of cooking was Hamburger Helper (which I know REFUSE to eat!)...or sausage, green beans and new potatoes (which is STILL a favorite of Joy's!!!). So, somehow Chicken Fried Steak, is a whole other level! Yea me!

I start back to school tomorrow. I'm taking Medical Terminology and Anatomy. I REALLY need to make good grades this semester to keep pumping up my GPA. I need it to be as high as I can get it, for when I apply for nursing school. After this semester, the only class I lack for nursing pre-reqs is Microbiology. I'm getting CLOSER!!

Nicholas is so super cute. Tonight, Joy and I were trying to coach him to walk and instead, he would rather dance! So, he just stands there and moves back and forth and up and down and dances! It's hilarious! He LOVES music. He ALWAYS has! Maybe it was the music we played in his room when we brought him home as an infant? Classical. He loves it!

This was a GREAT weekend. Real quality time with my kids and hubby. It was a good way to end my Holiday break (from school), especially since it didn't start out very good with medical stuff consuming my entire month of December.

I'm excited about this week, because I'm going to go shopping and finish up purchases for N's 1st b-day party and get his present.

Well, enough rambling . . . I'm sleepy . . .*yawn*

Goodnight!

Momma, Hold me all the time, please. - Nicholas (if he could talk)

Webster's definition of separation anxiety is = a form of anxiety by a young child (8 to 14 mths old) and is caused by the separation of the child and the significant nurturing figure in the child's life. Mainly a mother. And/or from their familiar surroundings.

MY definition is =

- when my child follows me from room to room like a puppy

- when my child pulls on my pants leg, as I'm standing at the sink, preparing dinner and/or doing the dishes and won't allow me to take a step without him clinging on

- when I'm sitting in church service and about 20 minutes into it, my baby beeper goes off. I go to the nursery, only to see my son SCREAMING....and when I pick him up, he immediately stops, looks the nursery workers and smiles

- when I get up to go to the restroom during the day and all of a sudden he realizes I have left the room, and has a COMPLETE meltdown


Nicholas's way of dealing with separation anxiety is even better . . . he just decides to glue himself to me and won't let me put him down at all. Unfortunately for him, this only works for brief moments during the day....because at some point, I DO HAVE TO PUT HIM DOWN!

Ahhh...the joys of motherhood!

I have been blessed by being able to stay home with my baby boy and being his care provider and I'm enjoying our bonding and one on one time together. But for everyone's sake (his future teachers included), he WILL be in a preschool program when he is the right age. He will benefit from a structured environment with socialization and will be better prepared for school, when the times comes.

And maybe by then, I'll be able to sit through the entire service at church or even get to go to the bathroom in peace every once and awhile. =)

A Day to Celebrate Love...aww or ugh?

After chatting with my friend, Britta, today and reading a few pages of my Feb. issue of Rachel Ray, I'm reminded....Valentines Day is coming. The day that men LOVE to show off when courting you, but as soon as you have the ring....the complaining begins. "Valentines is so commercialized......I thought you said you didn't like getting flowers.....I didn't think you would want chocolates, since your dieting......The restaurants are too crowded.....this holiday is just for women...blah, blah, blah." Come on, ladies...we've heard them all.

Well, 2009 opened my eyes alot on the important things in life. Kinda HAD to be creative with a tighter budget, one income and baby expenses. I can't remember what we did last Valentines Day. I know we didn't go out. Nicholas would have been less than a month old. I probably just asked for an hour of sleep.....haha.

Anyways, Rachel Ray has quite a few good tips in her magazine and I've been inspired. Yummy homemade dinners, love letters, love songs, etc. I think we will celebrate Valentines on a MORE CREATIVE NOTE this year....love letters, hand made cards, or favors for each other. After all, cards eventually get tossed away, flowers die, chocolates just add the pounds. I'm inspired to do something different this year. So, I think I'll challenge the hubby with a very low budget for each of us (just in case we need construction paper...hehe) and see who can be the most creative.

Sounds good to me! Guess all I need to do know is let the hubby know the game plan and start thinking about what I'll make/do/give hubby for the upcoming day of LOVE!

"I get by with a little help from my friends"

"A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg, even though he knows that you are slightly cracked."

-Benard Meltzer

I have been blessed with such beautiful friendships in my life. These are two people who are very special to me, My Jen Jen and My Head aka Heather. These girls have seen me cracked, splattered and squashed! Yet, they think I'm a good egg! I love you, girls!

Happy Plate!

Like I mentioned before, my blog will sometimes be pretty random. Along the way, I will share my love for cooking and new things I try. Since I married in 2007, I've become quite a good cook. If you need proof . . see pics of my hubby's tummy. . . lol! I LOVE trying new recipes. Over the past couple of years, I've inherited and bought several good cookbooks, but the best thing I've come across is this site. I have found some of the BEST recipes here! My favorite thing to do is to find a recipe and read the reviews, to know how to "tweak" it. It also has a search feature where you can search and narrow down recipes for what you have ingredients for. That feature has come in handy and time or two, when I didn't feel like making a trip to the store, but was at a loss of what to make for dinner. I also get ideas on creating my own recipes.

Tonight I tried a new marinade on some pork chops. It was delicious! I did make twice the amount of marinade and marinaded the pork chops all day. Then I added minced onions and garlic salt, cooked covered with foil at 350 for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I made a second batch of the marinade (doubled). After it cooked thirty minutes, I took them out, drained the juice, and basted with the new batch of marinade, cooked covered again for another 20 minutes. Then removed foil and broiled for about 5 minutes to help "attach" the marinade. It was WONDERFUL! I wish we had extra for leftovers, but the family ate it all up! Overall, I think this is a wonderful marinade for future uses as well....I'm thinking chicken next time! YUM!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

I told Santa Claus one of my goals for 2010 was to learn how to make soap. Fortunately for me, my Mother-in-law has a direct line to Santa....check out my loot! I'm SO excited about this new hobby! I've made a little list of things I need to get, which are mainly supplies from the dollar store. Kitchen type supplies that can JUST be used for soap making.

This was in my new book "Soaps" by Elaine Stavert:

Why we love soaps

Splashing with water, creating a lather
A natural soap; I know I would rather!
By making my own for family and friends,
A luxurious time I know they will spend.

With recipes fashioned to soften and soothe,
And exotic aromas, inspiring the mood
For an evening relaxing, an ideal aim
After working all day or a tennis game.

Present all your loved ones with gorgeous soap
And encourage the children to bathe (you hope!)
So that house in the bath may now be spent
With sumptuous bars in your favorite scent.

Use an artistic palette of imagination
To mould and to shape a unique creation
In the shades of a rainbow or kaleidoscope
You too will find out why we love making soap!


I'm also looking forward to including my fresh herbs in my soaps. Plus, we're going to a new Ren Fest Faire in February, where I can stock up on essential oils at a good price! Overall, I think this will be a fun and affordable hobby. I'll keep everyone posted when I begin and a look at some of my finished products!

For the Love of Books

Lately I've been contemplating the purchase of an eReading device (such as a Kindle or Nook). I've done my research and asked just about everyone I know their opinion on this new technology. It seems so cool to me to have all this information right at your fingertips! Anyone I know who has one, raves about it!

So, last night I'm laying in bed, curled up with my book and I started thinking about my love for books. To me, there is nothing more relaxing than being nestled in your warm bed with a good read. You drift off away from your reality and for minutes to hours, you're somewhere else....anywhere you want to be. You're a part of another story....one that isn't yours, but at the time you're so engrossed in the plot, you become a character or a fly on the fall watching it all unfold. It's magical.

Last year when I decided to stay home with my little one, my bookstore trips to Barnes and Noble and online with amazon.com, was one of the sacrifices (there were many) that I had to give up. I frequented the bookstore often and sometimes had very expensive trips. My husband had to "nicely" remind me we did have a library and if all else fails an occasional trip to Half Price Books was ok. So, I rolled my eyes, grabbed my purse and headed for the library to renew my long expired library card.

As soon as I walked into the library, I was captivated. I remembered the familiar smell of old books and musty air. I remembered how solitude felt in the peace and quiet. I remembered my love of a good book and I was surrounded by them.

When I renewed my card, I was told they have an online system for searching and requesting holds on books and I was excited. So, from my home, I can search a book and request it to be held for me. Then, when I am notified, I can swing by the library to pick it up. Take it home, read and return....at no cost. It's like borrowing from a friend. It's free. It's easy. It's like knowledge RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!

When I thought about this last night, as I was reading . . . I knew now was not a time in my life for an eReading device. How could I give up my bi-weekly trips to the library? How would I justify the expense when I currently read for FREE? How will I share my love for reading with my kids, by being hovered over a "mini-computer" reading....what looks to them like any other device...a phone, a laptop. They need to SEE me hold a book. They need to understand the joys of falling in love with a story/character and being so engrossed in a novel, that you can't wait to get back to it. They need to experience having all that information at their fingertips!!!

So, for now, I will continue reading my lovely, musty, comfortable books with spines and that makes me HAPPY!

So, I'm starting a blog . . . not sure if anyone is interested, but it might be a fun way to spill out my whimsical thoughts. I'm not planning on any sort of specific blog. Instead, I think I'll just write about my day/week or whatever is on my mind. Some days it might be a deep thought and other days it might be the most random thing you've ever heard, but in a nutshell, that's ME! I'm genuine and flighty at the same time.

For a bit of background, I'm a mother of two children (11yrs and 11mths) and one step-daughter (17). I've been remarried since June 2007. I'm a new stay-at-home mom, since my son was born. That was a tough decision for me, but in the end, it's enabled me to go back to school to pursue my long term goal of becoming a nurse. I'm lucky to have a supportive husband who believes in this goal and encourages and supports me to reach it!

Anyways....enough...blah...blah...blah....because I'm assuming most of you already know the details of my life and if you don't...then you can just ask.

Today I think I'll make a list of things that I'm looking forward to over the next couple of months (January thru February)

1. My son will turn 1 on January 26! Wow. Time flew. We're planning a Yo Gabba Gabba Birthday at my house for a few family and friends to come celebrate his big day!

2. The release of the movie, "The Lovely Bones". I'm currently reading the book and I'm interested to see how the movie relates. Of course, I've already heard that the book is SOOOOO much better (as is most of the time the case).

3. I'm anxious for classes to begin again. I would love to say I've enjoyed the break, but unfortunately health issues have eaten up all my down time....so, I'm ready for routine again.

4. I'm ready to put the Christmas stuff UP! I love the decor, but when it's over . . . it's OVER!

5. My daughter will turn 12 on February 26th! We'll celebrate her birthday at the new Ren Faire outside of Austin. It's the first year and opening weekend, so we're excited to "get in on ground level and watch it either succeed or fail" (hubby's words).
http://www.sherwoodforestfaire.com/index.htm

6. Date night with hubby. Our new years resolution (well one of them) was to go on a date each month, EVERY month! If money is tight, it's a cheap date...McDonalds or something....but we HAVE to go on a date every month! I think it's important to get alone time with your spouse and sometimes life gets so busy, that is something that gets pushed on the back burner.

7. I believe my son will be walking in the next couple of weeks/month. He already takes a few steps before lunging forward toward me. The other night, he took FIVE steps to his Dad. So, anytime now! When we're all feeling better, we're headed to Brown's shoe store for his first pair of shoes! He has Fred Flintstone feet, so far none of the shoes he got for Christmas fit him!

8. I'm planning on getting a Henna tattoo at the Austin Ren Faire. oh yeah.

9. I'm learning how to make soap.

10. .......hmmmmm...why does my list need a #10......it's ok to end with #9. haha


Well, that's it for now. I'll be back soon with an interesting story/topic or just random quirkiness.