SIMPLYMARA

christmas decorating

2011-12-20T11:49:00.010-06:00

tis the season to take down the thanksgiving decorations and put up the christmas ones. okay, so i'm a little late on doing a blog post about this topic because I'm sure most of you have had your christmas decor up for awhile now. forgive me. this has been a very ~~stressful~~ adventurous last few weeks for me. lots of changes, trials and opportunity for growth. more on that some other time and post.

let's start with my favorite, decorating the mantle. if you don't have a mantle to decorate then just hang up a large shelf and pretend that's your mantle. it will still look really cool and you can change up the decor for each season...or whenever you feel like it!

isn't this little guy cute?

i love silver (as if you couldn't tell) and i put in splashes of green. most of my decorations came from hobby lobby and michaels.

hanging christmas cards from a jute string gives the mantle a nice rustic touch.

and, of course, the main piece...the christmas tree!

a friend of mine gave me a trimming from her fresh cut christmas tree (i still use my fake one from years ago that i purchased at walmart. don't hate.) and i came up with this card holder.

and i LOVE this rosemary plant that I got from trader joe's. it looks like a miniature christmas tree and smells delicious. who knew?!

here are some other odds and ends that i have put together.

there are two things that i love about decorating my home for the holidays and any other time of the year. for one, it allows you to be creative. all of us have a creative side and it feels so good to get in touch with that part of yourself. and two, a warm and inviting atmosphere is created when you put your special touches to your home. people enjoy coming to your home and experiencing it.

so, there ya have it! my christmas decorating for 2011. i hope and pray all of you have a safe and blessed christmas and may we all remember why we celebrate this season. the birth of our sweet jesus. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

pumpkin patch

2011-10-21T15:13:00.000-05:00

today was decidedly a field trip day for school. i rounded up a couple of other homeschool moms and we headed to one of my favorite places to go during the fall, the pumpkin patch. it was super cold out, but then it wouldn't have been the same if it would have been warm outside at a pumpkin patch, right?!

we climbed hay bales and slid down slides.

and played in corn. i think this was the girls' favorite part of the whole trip. notice the corn and other foreign things in maleah's hair that took a lifetime to pick out. ugh!

a couple of the girls spent time shucking corn. silly girls!

we ended the day with "picking" the pumpkins.

despite having to leave a little early because it started raining we had a fabulous time. i love field trip days!

It's Fall Y'all!

2011-10-12T22:22:00.000-05:00

This is my absolute favorite time of year. There are so many things to love about Fall. The crisp coolness of the air, beautiful colors of the changing leaves, football, pumpkin patches and any type of food or drink with pumpkin in it. I LOVE all things pumpkin.

I also enjoy decorating my home for Fall. It makes me feel all cozy and happy.

It's always fun coming up with new and creative ways to show off the new seasons and holidays with decorating the fireplace mantel. Notice the the vintage books. I found those for 25 cents a piece at a thrift store. Score!

Here are a few other odds and ends. One of the easiest and least expensive way to add some Fall'ish deco to your home is to add mini pumpkins and gourds throughout the house.

I love this little guy. So cute! It's called a miniature pumpkin tree. I found him at Trader Joe's. I seriously doubt that those are real pumpkins but they sure look like it.

I made this wreath a few weeks back at a friends' wine and craft party. We all made wreaths to take home. Super fun!

And what would Fall be without all of the gazillion leaves that fall into your yard, especially in my neighborhood with all the old trees. Mike told Maleah he would pay her to rake up the leaves, but I actually like how they look.

This is a shot from my street in front of our house. I LOVE all the trees!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Letting go.

2011-09-12T20:58:00.003-05:00

I knew this day would come. I mean, I can't hold on to him forever. I knew he would turn into a young man one day. I just didn't think that day would come this quickly. My first born is 19, almost 20.

Jarod has always wanted to travel and experience the world. He has been saying for the last couple of years he wants to take a road trip, but he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. That would mean quitting his job--the only job he has ever had and that paid him well. That would also mean putting his Bible college studies on hold. He wrestled with this for quite some time, but finally came to realize that if he didn't do it now he would never do it. So the decision was made. He put his two weeks in at his job, he told his school that he was putting his studies on hold, and he got a dog. Yep, a dog, because he has been wanting one for awhile (unfortunately, his parents have not had this same desire) and he figured now would be a perfect time. The dog's name is Kota, as in Dakota. He is the sweetest dog I have ever met. He is totally attached to Jarod and cries and barks if he can't be by his side.

Jarod has been gone for a couple of days now on this journey. He doesn't know how long he'll be gone. Maybe 2 weeks...maybe 2 months. His travels will include South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, California, and Texas. I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous. I wish I would have done something like this when I was younger, before kids and marriage. That's okay. I can live vicariously through my children.

Even though I miss my son, I am excited for him. I know this will be an amazing, life-changing experience. He will meet new people, see new places, and find things out about himself that he doesn't already know.

It's hard for me, not being able to know exactly what he's doing. Or know that I can see him whenever I want to. Or call him and tell him to bring me home some Chocolae Haagen Dazs ice cream. He isn't even staying in hotels. Just sleeping under the stars in his camping gear. Oh Lord protect him. Make sure he is eating enough. And brushing his teeth. And washing out his ~~underwear~~ clothes, even if it is in a river.

I'm so proud of Jarod. He has turned out to be a fine, young man. He is a deep thinker. He is compassionate. He is gifted in music and art. He loves nature. He has a tender heart. He loves people. And most importantly, he loves God. What more could a mom possibly ask for. I'm so proud of him. I love you, son! See you when you get home.

Simple, Easy, Best Salad Ever!

2011-08-04T22:19:00.003-05:00

I like salad. It's so versatile and can easily be a used as a complete meal. The combination of veggies, fruit, nuts, beans, etc. are endless. I have made many salads over the years. Some of my favorite toppings are peas, sunflower seeds, feta or goat cheese, cucumbers, beets--just to name a few. I must have variety in my foods because I get bored very easily. I guess that's why I am always trying something new in the kitchen. And I can't eat a particular dish too many times in a short period of time or I get tired of it...that is until I tried this particular salad. Let me first just say that this salad is ridiculously easy. I love that. And the homemade dressing that goes with it is to die for (not really, but I like the added dramatic affect). I have had no other salad for weeks since my friend turned me on to it. I can't take credit for this one. Nope. I owe it all to my BFF, Traci.

I love having friends that share a passion for healthy cooking like I do!

Okay, so now that you are all wondering how the heck to make this simple yet glorious salad, here it is:

INGREDIENTS

start off with spinach

then add feta, walnuts, and raisins

Toss these ingredients with the following homemade dressing:

Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
pinch of dried oregano
pepper
freshly crushed garlic

Don't worry about the measurements. Just play with it and adjust it to your taste.
One of my favorite ways of eating this salad is with grilled chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano, lemon juice and whatever other seasonings you like; along with quinoa mixed with sauteed onion and mushroom. Are you hungry yet? Good. Now get to cooking up this deliciousness and let me know what you think.

Chicago Vacation

2011-07-06T14:51:00.003-05:00

We had a great vacation in the windy city of Chicago. This is my first time visiting this amazing city and I loved it. And what made it extra special was my in-laws met up with us. Can I just say, I have the best in-laws! They are tons of fun to be around and are just darn good people.

As soon as we checked into the hotel I knew it was going to be a good vacation-simply because I liked the hotel. You see, I have this thing for hotels. They basically gross me out, and if they are not super clean and up to date then I have a hard time staying in them. This hotel was very modern and nice and had lots of amenities. But, of course, I still brought my own bedding and my super-duper-homemade-germ killer spray (aka vinegar and essential oils) which I use to douse everything upon immediate arrival of the room.

We woke up Sunday morning and I made a quick run to Trader Joe's. This was my first time in one of these stores and I am counting down the days (9 days) until we get one here in KC. Then all of us took the train to downtown. This was quite the experience trying to figure out which one to get on, which one to change over to and where to get off. I'm sure it was quite the site watching all 14 of us maneuver our way through the city.

You know, I thought I lived in a fairly big city. Whateva! KC ain't got nothin' on Chicago. There is so much to do and see in Chicago. And please forgive me for saying this, but I noticed right away that people are much more in shape here. There were so many bike riders, roller bladers, boat riders, walkers, etc. It made me wish I lived in a more walkable city.

We visited the Navy Pier, which is one of the city's biggest attractions. I loved seeing the beautiful lake. It was huge. We got to take a fairy ride to cross the lake. We also rode rides in the carnival area and played a game of miniature golf. Maleah and Jarod had a great time. I think it made Jarod want to move to a bigger city.

Maleah and Uncle Charlie

Michaela, Mike's daughter, also flew in from Mississippi. We don't get to see her very often so it was nice that she was able to be with us. Maleah loves her big sis.

Maleah and Michaela

My bro-in-law, John, took us to eat at this AMAZING vegan/vegetarian restaurant in an area of the city called Lakeview. What a funky, artsy fun area. The food at this place was crazy good. It was funny watching the non-vegetarian family members try to order something off of the menu. I kept hearing, "What the heck is that?" and "I'm not eating that!" But everybody ended up really liking what they ordered. I thought it was so great that everyone ventured out and tried something new.

And, of course, if there's an Ikea in the city I'm going! I simply cannot understand why we don't have one. Maybe that's a good thing, though, because I would have to practice the art of restraining, something that doesn't come easy to me.

grubbin' at Ikea

Here we are saying our good-byes. I hated having to tell them good-bye. Once a year is just not enough time to spend with loved ones. But I am super grateful that we got to take this trip and am looking forward to doing it again.

me and Mom Grigsby

In the Garden

2011-06-07T16:01:00.006-05:00

I love to garden. I have been doing it for a few years now. I'd like to think that each year I keep getting better at it but the jury is still out on that one. For some reason I am not producing a gorgeous, lush garden with copious amounts of produce. I keep running into obstacles. Last year I did a square foot garden on my front brick patio. Because the brick under the garden bed and surrounding it got so hot I think it burned my plants. Two years before that we had deer in our backyard that cleaned us out. I didn't get one darn tomato or anything else for that matter because they basically ate the entire plants.

This year I have decided to keep it simple, and cheap. After figuring out how much money we would need to spend to make a raised bed, fill it with good soil and compost, and build a fence around it due to all the critters we get in our backyard, I opted to do a container garden. Container gardening is a great way to save space, decrease weeding to almost none and makes it possible to move your plants if need be. I already had some compost and quite a few pots to work with , which meant I only had to buy the plants.

Now I admit, it's not the prettiest of gardens, but I'm not trying to be pretty, ya'll. I'm trying to get some good, fresh, organic produce up in here.

I planted two tomato plants this year in 5 gallon buckets, which is a popular way to grow tomatoes. I also planted a couple of pepper plants, spinach, basil and a few other herbs.

Here is a pot that was designed to grow strawberries but I am using it as an herb pot thanks to my friend, Lori.

We have an over abundance of squirrels around here. And I have caught, on more than one occasion, a raccoon roaming around my backyard at night. I am desperately hoping they don't mess with my plants. Things could get a little ugly around here if they do. I mean, I like sharing my food and all, but come on. I'm trying to grow food for my family, ya know!

I will keep you posted on how things grow (ha ha)!

Rockin' it at the Hardbean

2011-05-23T10:45:00.008-05:00

Jarod had a singing gig at the Hardbean Cafe this past Saturday. We had a great time. My mom and dad went too. It's hard to explain the feelings I get when I watch my son sing and perform. There is just something about that boy's music. I'm not kidding. The words and the sound are so anointed. So deep. So moving. I have been moved to tears plenty of times. My dad actually got up at one point to excuse himself to the bathroom to wipe the tears.

And Maleah sure loves seeing her big bro perform. You can see the adoration in her eyes towards him. It's precious.

(my hunky hubby)

(my dad and maleah)

Jarod has such a tender heart for people. A gentle spirit. And it definitely comes through in his music. I pray that the Lord will continue to use him to touch others through his music.

I am one proud (and grateful) mama!

First photo session.

2011-04-25T22:03:00.010-05:00

I had my first photo session. My good friend (and neighbor) asked me to take her family's Easter pictures. I was a little nervous about doing it because I hadn't done anybody's family photos before, but I was up for the challenge. I am continually working on my photography skills and I knew I needed the practice. It was actually a really fun experience. And, of course, it helped that the family was great to work with. I wanted to share with you how the pictures turned out.

I still have lots to learn. I look at some of the professional photography blogs and wonder how the heck they get those amazing pictures, but I think (and hope) I am well on my way!

Maleah's 7th Birthday

2011-04-22T20:52:00.014-05:00

(artwork by Daddy)

My baby girl turned seven (sigh). It's so hard to believe. She is slowly phasing out of the little girl stage and into, well, I don't know, just older. I can tell she's getting older in the way she responds to things I have been doing forever, like pinching her tushy. I guess when you are seven it is no longer cool for your mother to do this. I get the ol' "MOM!" And when I kiss on her incredibly soft, mushy cheeks for too long I get, "MOM, that's enough!" Why does this type of behavior have to start so early?!

For her seventh birthday we had a Flower Power birthday party. So fun...so girly!

We had flower sandwiches...

and we played Pin the Petal on the Flower...

and we painted flower pots and planted flower seeds in them.

The girls had so much fun. And I was grateful for the perfect weather.

Maleah was truly blessed with the many gifts she received. I was impressed by how thoughtful and "crafty" the gifts were.

And I gotta give props to my awesome son, Jarod, who put up with 11 little girls running around so that he could fulfill his mom's request to take pictures. Jarod, you're the best!

Happy Birthday, my sweet Maleah!

Making Homemade Yogurt

2011-04-11T10:54:00.011-05:00

I bet most of you think that making homemade yogurt is too complicated or too time consuming to bother with, right? I know I did...until I tried. Had I known it was going to be this easy I would have done it a long time ago. The most time consuming part was pouring over recipes and blogs to find out exactly how to do it, and fortunately for you, I've already done that part.

There are numerous ways to make yogurt. You can purchase an inexpensive yogurt maker-which I didn't do because I don't want one more thing taking up space on my counters-or you can use your oven or you can use a plain ole stockpot, which is what I do. The key is you want to "incubate" your milk for a certain amount of time at just the right temperature. So here is what you will need:

EQUIPMENT
-stockpot with lid
-thermometer
-quart jar
-heating pad
-dishtowel

INGREDIENTS
-3 Tbs. of yogurt from a previous batch you've made OR plain organic yogurt (to use as a starter)
-quart of milk (4 cups)

Got your stuff? Good, let's get started.

Lay the dishtowel on top of your counter and place the heating pad on top of it. Fill your stockpot 1/4 to 1/2 full with 110 degree tap water. Turn the heating pad on to medium or whatever setting that will keep your water at 110 degrees. Place stockpot on top of heating pad. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of the stockpot.

Pour your milk into a pan to heat it up. Now, here is where things will differ depending on if you are using raw milk or not. I am fortunate enough to get raw milk from a local farmer each week. If you don't know the benefits of raw milk check out this site www.raw-milk-facts.com. This stuff is sooo much better for you than the pasteurized and homogenized milk you get at the store . A lot of people that are allergic or sensitive to regular pasteurized milk can drink raw milk with no problems. Anyway, back to making our yogurt. If you have the benefit of using raw milk than you will only heat it up to 110 degrees. This is very important because we don't want to kill the living and beneficial bacteria and food enzymes that are in it. If you are NOT using raw milk than you heat it up to 185 degrees and then cool it back down to 110 degrees. Now we need to add our 3 Tbs. of already prepared yogurt to our milk. In a separate small bowl, combine a tidge of the warmed milk (can't be hotter than 110 degrees) and the 3 Tbs. of yogurt. Mix together well and then add back in to the pan. Gently mix it in.

Take this mixture and pour it into your quart jar and place a lid on it. Put your jar into the water of your stockpot. Water should come up about 1/2 way of the jar. Place lid on the stockpot and then a towel over it to keep the warmth in. Now let it sit and incubate for 8-10 hours. Periodically check to see if water is staying at 110 degrees. You may need to adjust your heating pad accordingly. When time is up, take the jar and place in fridge for at least 8 hours to firm up. And you should have yogurt. YAY! Pretty easy, huh?

I will tell you that homemade yogurt is runnier than store bought because store bought uses thickeners such as pectin and gelatin. And if you are using raw milk it will be even runnier. But who cares? It still tastes yummy and is incredibly good for you. Speaking of taste, feel free to add in honey or fruit to your yogurt but only after it is prepared. Enjoy!

Playdate

2011-03-18T09:15:00.022-05:00

Maleah was out of school last week for Spring break. I wanted to make sure we didn't get bored so I scheduled lots of things throughout the week to do, one of which was a big playdate. I invited several moms and kiddos over to hang out and have a good time. It was a couple of days before St. Patrick's Day so I made green smoothies. It was so awesome to see the kids suck down these yummy drinks that were so healthy for them. To my surprise, not one of the kids asked me what made the smoothies green, and if they had then some of them probably wouldn't have touched it. It was spinach...glorious spinach! I blended it right into the drink and they never even tasted it. What a great way to get veggies into their diets.

We did a St. Patrick's Day craft...little leprechaun men.

And we all know that playdates are as much for the mommies as they are for the kids.

It was so fun seeing these adorable little girls playing together...

and one little boy.

It won't be long before these munchkins will be all grown up and off doing their own thing...so I embrace the craziness of having a house full of screaming little joyful children running all over the place--most of the time.

St. Paddy's Day in Sioux Falls

2011-03-14T10:58:00.022-05:00

We decided to go to Sioux Falls for Maleah's Spring Break and for a little get-a-way. This was my idea of course. Even though Mike and Jarod enjoy seeing my family in Sioux Falls, this is not one of their top picks of places for our family to vacation. It just doesn't hold the same sentimental values for them as it does for me since it's MY hometown. They felt the need (several times) to remind me that most people go South for Spring Break where it's warm. Whateva! I didn't care. We were headed to Sioux Falls.

The ride was really enjoyable. I love that my husband doesn't mind driving, and because of this I rarely have to, which means I get to kick back and read my favorite magazines and books...or sleep. I also love that Mike and Jarod and I always engage in great conversation while riding in the car. Maleah does pretty well too, as long as she has food and the portable DVD player.

We arrived late Friday afternoon. We pulled up to the hotel and when we got out I thought it was actually pretty nice out. 47 degrees...not bad for Sioux Falls...until the next day. I was excited to wake up Saturday morning and get out and about in my good ole hometown. I wanted to go shopping, eat lunch and go see the St. Patrick's Day Parade. I grew up going to this parade and was happy to be sharing this memory with my husband and kids. We ate our breakfast and got ready to head out. As soon as we stepped outside I was quickly reminded of the brutal winds that South Dakota gets. The temperature said 25, but with the windchill it felt like 9 degrees out. Yes, people, 9 degrees in the middle of March. MAN, it was cold!!! I didn't want this to get in the way of us having fun though.

After lunch and a little shopping we went to Sinful Things Desserts. The name says it all. OMG! This place has the best freakin' baked goods.

Maleah and I shared a piece of peanut butter chocolate cheesecake. Mike totally scored. He has been craving cheesecake and he LOVES Red Velvet Cake. So he was in heaven when he ate his Red Devil Cake layered with cheesecake. Jarod decided to abandon us and go hang out with his cousin so he didn't get to indulge.

(maleah took this picture of us)

Sinful Things Desserts is located right downtown on the street where the parade is held. I asked Maleah if she would like to stay seated at our lovely (and warm) little table nicely placed right next to the front window to where we could see the parade up close and personal. We wouldn't miss a thing and we would be warm. Yeah right! No such luck. She insisted we go outside. So we did. And we froze. The parade was every bit as good as I anticipated, but after 15 minutes we were all freezing, including Maleah, who informed me that she could no longer feel her toes. This is when I politely reminded her that she was the one that wanted to stand outside. We only stayed for about half of the parade but it was so much fun. It took me back a few years and put me in touch with my Irish heritage.

The other highlight of the trip was finding out that Sioux Falls FINALLY has an all natural, organic grocery store. Pomegranate Market. It was amazing. It had everything Whole Foods has except it is locally owned and the prices were MUCH better.

We ended up getting a few groceries and eating lunch at their salad bar, which was amazing.

I hate trying to find places to eat out when traveling because most places don't serve the types of food that our family likes to eat, so I was extremely grateful that this market was available to us. Seriously, I was like a kid in a candy store. Although, Jarod didn't partake in eating at the salad bar. We took him across the street to Taco Johns--he says he loves this place and doesn't get to eat it very often because we don't have one. He eats healthy for the most part but I'm still working him.

It was so good seeing family too. I got to see my new niece for the first time, but I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't get any pictures. Darnit!

All in all it was a good trip despite the cold. I really like Sioux Falls and find that I really miss it. I said several times that I could see us living in Sioux Falls but my husband (and son) says I'm crazy, it'll never happen and we have a great life in Kansas City. He's right, we do have a great life in KC and I am grateful for it. But that doesn't mean I can't daydream of all that Sioux Falls has to offer and the good memories that I have there.

2011 Valentine Decorating

2011-02-02T14:00:00.012-06:00

I have never really gotten into present buying or decorating for Valentines Day. I'm not sure why. But this year is different. I think it's a direct result from working at Paper Source and being inspired to create something every time I step foot in there. I even have gifts bought for my kids way ahead of schedule. Again...Paper Source. Maleah got in on the fun of helping mom make some Valentine crafts for the house.

You know me, I keep things pretty simple. We cut lots of heart shapes out. Look at the concentration.

The hearts were made from some cute Valentine wrapping paper found in Target's dollar section and also from pages of a book. We taped a piece of pink thread in between two hearts in a dangly sort of way.

And then I hung a bunch of them from my chandelier in my dining room.

I also made a larger heart made from the paper of a book. I can't get enough of this look. I taped two of them together, punched a hole in the middle of it to hang up with the pink thread and gave it a little bling, which consisted of a little flower made of wrapping paper pieces I cut out and glitter glue in the middle.

We also put up some fun heart decals in the windows (sorry, no picture) and a string of heart lights all found, where else, in Target's dollar section! I love shopping that section of the store. You just can't beat the low cost of such cute things. Now I just need to figure out what to buy Mike for Valentines Day that fits our budget, that shows him how much I love him, and that is something he will really like. Now there's a challenge!

My birthday...and a time to reflect

2011-01-04T18:43:00.011-06:00

I came across something my husband gave me one day before my 39th birthday last year. He wrote me a letter. This is what it said:

So, you've got one more day before your 39th birthday. Here are a few questions to help you take inventory of the last year.

1. What was the most interesting book you read?
2. What was the more interesting movie you saw?
3. What was the most memorable place you visited?
4. What was the most memorable event?
5. What would you most like to forget?
6. What was the happiest moment?
7. What was the saddest moment?
8. What was the average price of gas?
9. What was the average price of a home?
10. Who was the president of the United States?
11. Who was a popular musical artist?
12. Who was a popular movie star?
13. How old were your kids?
14. What world events shaped/impacted society?
15. What was the newest technology unveiled?

(Still part of the letter) If you were to answer these questions each year and keep a record of it, you could look back on your life and get a really clear picture of the kind of life that you lived; and it would be an awesome record to pass on to your children. By the way, answering these questions usually works best if you give the first answer that pops into your head, rather than really trying to ponder them.

Happy almost-birthday!

What a thoughtful letter...way to go, babe. It's always encouraging (and entertaining) to look back on your life and see just how far you have come. And since I will be turning my blog into a book on a yearly basis, I figured blogging about it would be perfect. So, sit back and join me as I reflect on the past year of my life.

1. What was the most interesting book you read? Hmmm...tough one. I love to read. But if I had to pick one it would probably be Eat Pray Love. Even though I didn't agree with everything in this book, there were some pretty deep parts that really made me think about my beliefs, my relationship with God and where I'm at in my life. I enjoyed reading it.

I do have to give mention to another really good book I just remembered I read. The Path by Laurie Beth Jones. This book helped me decide what I want to do with my life and made me take a hard look at what my God-given gifts are and how I am or am not using them. Excellent book! I highly recommend it.
2. What was the more interesting movie you saw? Coincides with #1. Eat Pray Love. Made me think. Plus, it was just good a chick flick.
3. What was the most memorable place you visited? This past summer my husband's family had a family reunion in Tennessee. This was the first time I had ever been to those neck of the woods. It was beautiful. I also had a wonderful time with his family. They are so fun to be around.
4. What was the most memorable event? We bought our first house. I have been waiting so long for this to happen. My goal was to own my own home by the time I was 40. Check!
5. What would you most like to forget? Some pretty rocky times in my marriage, but God is faithful and works all things for good. Each year gets better. I am amazed how God uses the really tough stuff to make us stronger and more like Him.
6. What was the happiest moment? I could never just pick one, but my kids make me happy. They are amazing. Sometimes I wonder why God chose me to have such amazing children, but I'm so grateful He did. Don't get me wrong, this parenting thing is the hardest damn, eh hem, I mean darn thing a person will ever do. It comes with much heartache and sacrifice, but the rewards make it all worth it.
7. What was the saddest moment? Realizing how old my kids are getting. I wish I could stop time. Jarod is soon to be out of the house and Maleah is growing out of her little girl stage. Makes me sad, especially knowing that we are done having children-unless, of course, the Lord performs a miracle.
8. What was the average price of gas? $2.79
9. What was the average price of a home? This definitely depends on what part of the city you live in, but in my neighborhood it's around $220,ooo.
10. Who was the president of the United States? Obama.
11. Who was a popular musical artist? Well, the music I listen to consists of artists that have been around for awhile and have been popular for a long time. But for the younger generation, I will pick Justin Beiber.
12. Who was a popular movie star? Here again, the ones I know about and watch have been around for a long time. And can I say, I'm really bad with names anyway. Or maybe I'm just getting older and I'm not staying up on all the latest actors and actresses. Who knows. But the only names I can come up with are Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks. STOP LAUGHING! I don't care if they have been around for a million years. They're still good actors!
13. How old were your kids? 18 and 5
14. What world events shaped/impacted society? We hit a pretty big recession. Lots of job losses and people losing their homes. I feel very blessed that my husband was able to keep his job and that the Lord provided for our needs.
15. What was the newest technology unveiled? The Ipad, although, I can say that I really have no interest in one. I have my laptop and that's all I need. I think the "technology world" is out of hand. There are so many things being made that are just not necessary or that are basically duplicating things that are already made and already "fitting the bill". Yep, I must be getting old.

In two more days I will be 40 years old. It's pretty hard for me to believe, and everyone assumes that this scares me or that I'm dreading it. Actually, quite the opposite. I'd like to think I'm not only getting older but I'm getting wiser. I have done some pretty stupid things back in my younger years and have come a loooooong way and learned a ton. I am excited to see what's in store for me in this new season of my life-what the upcoming chapters of my story hold for me. So, here's to many more trials, victories, memories and being the best me I was created to be. BRING IT ON 40!!!

Another Furniture Makeover

2011-01-04T10:37:00.010-06:00

I friend of mine gave me this bookcase a while back. I love how it has that antique, distressed look. Unfortunately, when I put in my home something was not quite right. I left it like it was for a couple of months but every time I walked by it I kept envisioning how to make it better. I realized it was the color that was bothering me. It was too drab for my surroundings. So, I finally decided to paint it. (Notice the testing of colors on the side of the bookcase.)

I started out sanding it with a small block of hand sandpaper and then quickly realized this was too much darn work. My arm was sore after 2 minutes (of course, this is no indication that I need to get in better shape). So I decided to just slap on some primer.

After priming I gave it a very light sanding to make the paint adhere better. I picked out a turquoise color, Jamaican Sea, to match the colors in my living room. I applied two coats of paint. I wanted a distressed look so after the paint was thoroughly dry I sanded down parts of the bookcase to have a worn look, mostly on the edges.

I took Ralph Lauren's Faux Glaze Tint and added a bit of dark craft paint. I painted this mixture on the bookcase and then wiped most of it off. There were lots of grooves and crevices for the glaze to settle into, which made it look even more worn. Voila! This is the finished piece.

I apologize for the fuzzy pictures. I think it was because it was cold (more like friggin' freezing) in my garage and I don't think my camera liked that.

Christmas Decorating 2010

2010-12-03T13:43:00.010-06:00

I learned something about myself while decorating for Christmas this year. When it comes to decorating I am a minimalist. (I think that applies to a lot of other areas in my life as well). The less the better. If I start accumulating too much "stuff" I feel unbalanced. That goes for having too much going on my life too. Anyway, I have quite a few decorations that I have used over the years, but they just didn't seem to fit our new home. They are mostly red and green and countryish, so I didn't use them, except for the ornaments on the tree. I couldn't change those up. Too many memories. Ya know, the ones that your kids make you in preschool and kindergarten that only you yourself could love and appreciate.

But for the rest of the house I did very little. I'm loving all things silver this year so that's basically the color I used most. My wreath that I put above the fireplace was super simple and inexpensive. I bought a grapevine wreath for $3.99 and wrapped garland around it, which was only $3.50. And then I draped some garland on the ledge above the fireplace. I will also put up Christmas stockings but haven't bought them yet.

And then there is my little tree I put on our dining room table. You can't really call it a tree. Mike chopped off a branch from a tree in our front yard and I stuck it in some pebbles in a glass jar. I hung my handmade ornaments on it.

And that's really it. I will probably put a few more things up here and there, but I am definitely keeping it minimal. I ~~need it~~ like it that way.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-27T01:03:00.009-06:00

Had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This year felt a little extra special since this was our first Thanksgiving in our new home. I love knowing that we are making new memories in this house. It was a pretty low key day. Just Mike and I the kids and my mom. Mom kept me company in the kitchen while I cooked the dinner. Yes, she offered several times to help, but, of course, I had to do it all myself. Ya know, MY way. But I really do enjoy cooking so it was all good. Sharing good conversation and a good glass of wine was all I needed to keep me going. Thanks, mom!

Jarod, Maleah and my mom were getting their groove on in the kitchen to Christmas oldies. Jarod would pick out a Christmas song from Chris Brown (look it up if you're not in the know) and mom would pick out the Temptations. Can we say generation gap?!

And here I am stuffing my bird. I used an awesome recipe from Giada De Laurentiis of the Food Network. The recipe is here. It was super yummy!

And what would the holiday season be without a picture of your honey next to the fireplace.

As a lot of you know, this has been a tough year on the homefront, but I am so grateful for the Lord's faithfulness and provision. I can look back and see just how far God has brought me and just how much He really is at work in my life. I'm a blessed woman!

Christmas Craft

2010-11-24T22:13:00.007-06:00

So, I was reading my friend's blog today and and totally got inspired to get my craft on. She showed how to make a super cute bird ornament. As most of you know, I LOVE the whole bird theme...still. I even shucked my housework duties to run right out to Michaels and get my supplies. This project was super easy and inexpensive and I absolutely love the way it turned out.

If you want to know how to do it, check out Jami's blog at www.thenatos.blogspot.com. I also made glitter pinecones (glue and glitter on tips of pinecones). How fun!

I'm officially getting into the Christmas spirit and I am planning on doing plenty more Christmas crafts. So stay tuned...

Working Again.

2010-11-17T10:00:00.009-06:00

I have not worked in 7+ years. That is so hard for me to believe. I used to work my tail off back in the day and knew no other way. I was a single mom raising Jarod and was the sole bread winner. I always dreamed of being a stay at home mom. That is why I am so grateful I married someone that has strongly supported me in being able to stay at home. If it wasn't for all of his hard work I wouldn't have been able to do it. Thanks babe!

BUT, things have changed. Jarod is soon to be out of the house (sniffle sniffle) and Maleah is in school all day. It made me have to think about what I want to do with myself. What do I like to do? What is my passion? Who the heck am I? Yeah, there has been some serious soul searching goin' on in my world. Soooo, I decided to get a job. Not only for the money, which is pretty much needed these days, but for myself. I decided since I love to be creative and get my craft on, I got me a job at Paper Source.

Now, for those of you that don't know what Paper Source is, shame on you! Get to your nearest one and check it out. It's such a great place. They have everything you can think of having to do with paper, and then some. You can get holiday and birthday cards there, your wedding invitations, gift wrap, etc. Or make your own cards. Christmas is around the corner. They have all the supplies you'll need and our staff can give you easy and fun ideas to make them. They also have fun, quirky gift items that are hard to find. Or you can go to one of their workshops that teach you how to do all kinds of fun, crafty things. I am learning new things every time I go to work and I love it.

Here is their website: www.paper-source.com

If you have been wanting to be more "crafty" but have felt like you don't have what it takes, stop thinking that! You do have what it takes. It's not hard. Everybody possesses creativity within them. Tap into it people! And get to your nearest Paper Source for inspiration and guidance.

Learning Photography

2010-10-11T20:53:00.020-05:00

One of my favorite things to do is read blogs, and I realized that one of the things I enjoy most about a good blog is its pictures. But not just any pictures. I'm talking about the pictures that pop out of the computer screen with vibrancy, telling you a story. I came to the conclusion that the person behind those pictures actually knows what they are doing when it comes to photography, and that they probably have a nice camera. And they probably have a good editing software. So, I decided to teach myself photography. And let me tell ya, it is not an easy feat, people-but I am enjoying it immensely. I have been reading a few really good books, spending tons of time on the internet (thank God for youtube tutorials) and practicing, practicing, practicing. I am fortunate enough that my son took photography classes and invested in a really good camera (Canon Rebel xti) a while back. He has been so gracious and kind to let his dear mother (who can't afford this camera) to use it like it's her own.

I took a few shots this past weekend of Mike and Maleah at the park for practice. Now, I will tell you, I did not have the intentions of sharing these pictures with the world. And I am certainly not sharing them because I think they are of a professional stature. I have a whole lotta learnin' to do still. I'm just kinda proud of the way they turned out given three weeks ago I hardly knew anything about photography. I'm looking forward to learning lots more!

And here is a couple of pictures I took of Jarod. He was actually teaching me how to shoot in manual mode. Whew! It's like riding a bicycle for the first time without the training wheels. Thank you, son, for your patience with your mother. I know it can be challenging.

Organized Craft Closet

2010-09-17T14:14:00.019-05:00

We have been in our new house for about four months now, and, of course, there are a gazillion different projects I am wanting to tackle. You see, I have this thing in me where I can't rest or feel "complete" unless I have done something during the course of the day that has to do with cooking, cleaning or organizing. Maybe that's OCD. I don't know. Anyway, we have a closet in our dining room that I have designated for Maleah's crafts, such as paints, crayons, papers and any of her "artsy" things. This closet has taken a back burner to getting other things put away and organized, but I finally got tired of Maleah not being able to find the things that she really enjoys doing. So I got busy. Here is a before shot of the closet. I forgot to take a picture of the closet with everything in it. Believe me, it was a mess. Everything was just thrown in there.

I pulled everything out.

I painted the inside of the closet (okay, my husband painted it) and hung up a couple of shelves (again...husband). And that's pretty much it.

I am thinking about adding some fun decals or painting something on the inside of the closet door, but for now, this is good. Now Maleah is able to go into "her" closet and get what she is needing without digging under a bunch of boxes and papers and I can feel good about completing another project. Yay!

Elephant Onesie

2010-08-30T21:37:00.018-05:00

After seeing my friend Jami blog about this craft, I knew I had to take a stab at it. It's so cute and easy, not to mention, it's the perfect gift for a new mom. I LOVE looking at fabric. All of the colors and patterns makes me, well, happy. So I thoroughly enjoyed going to the fabric store and picking out fabric for this project.

I googled an elephant template which, of course, brought up several. Pick your favorite. You will then need to use "Heat and Bond" or "Steam a Seam", which you can get at your local craft store, and follow the directions. This will make your fabric stick to your piece of clothing. And if you want to take it a step further and make it even cuter, if that's even possible, you can get out your sewing machine and sew around the edges. If your like me and start to have a panick attack even thinking about operating a sewing machine, just make a nice hand stitch around the edges. I think that's much quicker and easier anyway.

You can really get creative with this project because of all the choices of fabrics and patterns to choose from. And people will love the fact that it's handmade!

Shelf makeover.

2010-06-15T19:06:00.013-05:00

I redid a shelf for Maleah's room when she was a baby. It was an unfinished wood piece that I got at Michael's and I painted it a "country" green when "country" green was in.

Now, six years later, it's not workin' so well. I am over-way over-the country green look. I was going to get rid of it, but I reminded myself that almost everything is salvageable and almost everything can look brand new with a coat of spray paint. I also remembered I had a super cute folder that I got at Target a while back. I didn't know what I was going to do with it but I knew I would someday use it in Maleah's room because the colors matched and it had birds and owls on it. Actually, the bird and owl thing is not restricted to Maleah's room. I am addicted to both and will use them anywhere and everywhere. So this is what I came up with. I spray painted the shelf with Rustoleum's Ultra Cover spray paint in Blossom White.

I then cut a few of the square pictures out of the folder and put Mod Podge on the back of each one and glued them onto the shelf. I also put a little Mod Podge on top of the squares.

And that's it. Quick and easy. Just the way I like it.

Blue window.

2010-05-29T09:49:00.008-05:00

The color turquoise. It's EVERYWHERE. People are going crazy for this color-including me! I have decided to do lime green and turquoise in my living room, so my new fireplace mantel addition seems to fit nicely. Awhile back I found several old windows on the side of the road. I was thrilled that I was able to find them for free. People actually pay pretty good money for these things at flea markets. Anyway, I took it home, painted it using acrylic craft paint in turquoise and then sanded it like crazy. It gives a nice pop to the mantel. Not sure if I want to add anything to the mantel or not. Also not sure if I'm set on the dark wood candle holders. I'll give it a couple of days (more like a few hours) to see what I think.

Maleah's first tooth.

2010-05-27T22:35:00.011-05:00

Maleah had been patiently waiting for one of her teeth to become loose. A lot of her friends have been losing teeth and she kept asking when she will lose one of hers. A couple of weeks ago she said that one of her teeth was loose. I felt it, and sure enough, it was. Needless to say, she was extremely excited and she kept asking me every hour (s0 it seemed) if it felt like it was getting looser. We were riding in the car yesterday and she kept messing with it until it was hanging by a thread. I told her to stop messing with it because I had one more stop to make before getting home and I didn't want the tooth to come out until we got home. So, we were walking around T.J. Maxx (love that place) and all of sudden the tooth literally falls out of her mouth and she catches it! We promptly headed to the bathroom to wrap the tooth in toilet paper. I think this is the proudest I have ever seen my daughter . She was grinning from ear to ear. She proudly announced that she is a big girl now because she has a missing tooth, and, of course, I congratulated her.

That night, we wrapped the tooth in some toilet paper and placed it under her pillow for the tooth fairy. This is what she found when she woke up. A note from the tooth fairy (aka daddy) along with 50 cents.

The next morning I was still sleeping when she busted into my bedroom to show me what the tooth fairy had left her. I started cracking up. On the side of her face, by her temple, there were two red outlines left from the two quarters she had slept on. She had woke up very early and found the note and money and then had went back to sleep before coming to tell me about them. After I showed her the marks on her face she started laughing and said, "I was wondering where that money went." Silly girl!

My princess turns 6.

2010-04-25T21:00:00.014-05:00

It really amazes me how quickly time flies; especially when you are watching your children grow up. It's hard to believe Maleah is turning 6. She is slowly getting out of the "little girl" stage and becoming a "big girl".

We started her birthday party out at Kaleidoscope, which is such a fun place for kids to get their creative energies flowin'. They get to make whatever their imaginations can think up using paper, markers, paints, fun cut outs and all kinds of crafty things. It's owned by Hallmark, so all of the materials are from Hallmark's discard or overstock. We then headed over to crown center to enjoy D'Bronx pizza (my fave), cupcakes and present opening. We had such a good time. And I have to say--bragging really--that my friends have some of the cutest darn kids ever. A big thanks to all of you who came to Maleah's party despite the down pouring of rain and the crazy crowds. It was worth it!

Desk redo

2010-04-18T20:55:00.006-05:00

Awhile back I got this great little desk at a garage sale for Maleah. We use it occasionally for when we homeschool. I have been wanting to "cheer it up" a bit since it was rather plain. So, here is what I came up with.

This picture was taken right after I put the primer on. I apologize for the bad lighting. It was dark outside.

I lightly sanded the desk and then applied primer. I then painted the whole thing with folkArt acrylic paint. The kind that comes in those little bottles for around $1 at a craft store. The color is Jamaican Sea. I had some fun wrapping paper that matched perfectly so I Mod Podged that to the top, although, that is where things got REALLY tricky. I put the glue on the desk top first and then carefully laid the paper on top. It bubbled up and wrinkled pretty badly. I waited until the next day to see if it got any better after drying. Of course it didn't, so I had to take it off, which was not an easy task. I tried it again, only this time I used a little less glue on the top of the desk and laid the paper down more slowly, starting from the top and working my way down to the bottom. It still bubbled and wrinkled a little but nothing I can't live with. I realized it's the paper. I think scrapbook paper is much easier to work with because it's thicker and not as flimsy as wrapping paper. After getting the paper on top I Mod Podged twice (letting it dry in between coats) over the whole desk, including on top of the paper, to create a nice sealer.

Here is the finished product. I love how bright and cheery it looks, and even better, Maleah loves it!

Stink be gone.

2010-04-09T17:23:00.026-05:00

One of the biggest complaints I hear among people (including myself) who use all natural skincare products, you know, the ones without all the nasty chemicals, is that they can't find a natural deodorant that actually works. It's so frustrating. I have been using the Crystal stick for a few years now, which gets me by, but it doesn't work as well as I'd like. Wetness and odor still rear their ugly heads at times. And I refuse to go back to using the conventional kind because of the horrible ingredients that are used in them, namely aluminum. Here are some quick facts about
Aluminum.

1. Aluminum may impact breast cancer risks.
2. Aluminum mimics estrogen.
3. Aluminum is linked to Alzheimer’s.

Yikes! No thanks. That's why I'm so thankful that I found something that actually works. And not only did I find something that works I whipped it up right in my own kitchen with only four ingredients. Here's the recipe:

1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup of arrowroot powder
4 Tbs. melted coconut oil
10 drops of essential oil (I used Lavender but Grapefruit would be luscious too)

Mix the baking soda and arrowroot powder together. Then add the coconut oil and essential oil to this mixture with a fork, stirring until you get a creamy consistency. Put into a glass container such as a baby food jar or something of that nature. Let the mixture firm up a bit by leaving it sit on the counter (which works in the colder seasons) or place in fridge for a few minutes. To apply, just scoop up a bit on your fingers and and place on the skin to let it melt and then rub it around.

This stuff really works! It even feels like regular deodorant. And I love how it smells.

Here's to no more stinky pits!

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T18:54:00.011-05:00

Today was a very relaxing Easter for us. We went to church and heard a good message and then hung out with awesome friends. I'm so grateful we don't have to walk out this journey called life alone.

We started out with lunch in the back yard...

and what would Sunday brunch be without Mimosas?

we then hid eggs for the girls to find. The dads hid the eggs so they were found rather quickly.

we ended our day with a 2.5 mile walk on the walking trail. What a great way to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord!

here are a few pics we took before church: