One Sassy Momma

valentine DIY

2012-02-14T21:19:00.000-05:00

I love to create, because it fills a part of me that nothing else can fill. To look at something I've made is so fulfilling and this project was no exception. I came across this sweater DIY on one of my favorite blogs A Beautiful Mess and knew I had to give it a try. It was super easy because Elsie and her staff/co-creators give such clear and easy directions. I would suggest to anyone who loves creating and have sewing knowledge to give it a try. I had so much fun that I also created one using a black sweater. Oh and I almost forgot that the entire project (both sweaters and the red fabric hearts) only cost me $15.00. Sweet!

I just love it!

hubby's happy valentine's day

2012-02-13T22:33:00.000-05:00

A special Valentine treat for my wonderful hubby. Red velvet chocolate chip muffins and Udaman chcoclate bars. I gave them to him tonight (because I couldn't wait) and he said it was one of the best Valentine gift's I've given him because I really thought of him. Yea!

the birthday boy

2012-02-12T13:49:00.000-05:00

Our little boy Beaker turned one yesterday. He has been such a cool pet to have this past year. Every time I walk out into the living room where his cage is, he starts to squeak and 99% of the time he only does it for me. I guess he knows who feeds him! I just love that little guy.

Happy Birthday Beaker!

finally friday

2012-02-10T09:30:00.000-05:00

Here are a few Instagram pictures from this week. My favorite is the "chicken dinner" picture. That was such a good meal. Grilled chicken with sauteed grape tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms. Yum! Enjoy!

the hubby multi-tasking. iPod and iPad both goign at once.

imagine ~ create ~ live

yummy, yummy chicken dinner. it tasted as good as it looks.

"B's" art work from school

south jersey really needs self-service. waiting for a gas attendant ... ugh!

chocolate chocolate chip muffins

2012-02-08T12:15:00.000-05:00

These muffins are so easy to make and my coworkers absolutely loved them. Us need one (1) box of Devil's Food cake mix, one (1) can of packed pumpkin and two (2) handfuls of chocolate chips. Blend the first two ingredients together until well blended and smooth. Stir in your chocolate chips. I used a medium scoop, which holds about two tablespoons and filled my mini muffin tray, which I lined with paper liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 14 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Delicious and low fat!

t-shirt tuesday

2012-02-07T08:27:00.000-05:00

yup, that's me!

don't give up

2012-02-06T22:07:00.000-05:00

A little Monday inspiration.

saturday style

2012-02-04T15:33:00.000-05:00

I love clothes. It wasn't always like that, but as I've grown as a woman I've found that, it is important to look your best when you go out in public. Now understand, I would never go out in my pajama pants, but there were those occasions that I went to the store looking less than presentable.

I've come to realize that fashion is amazing and that you don't have to pay an arm and a leg to look fabulous. Saturday Style is going to showcase fashions that I would wear. I love the website Polyvore. They have everything you could imagine when it comes to fashion and style. You can either browse pages that other people create or set up your own page, which I'm thinking of doing. Every Saturday I will be posting either fashion ideas that I found on Polyvore or showing off some outfits that I've come up with myself. So here is the first outfit that I found and loved on Polyvore. Let me know what you think.

I love all the silver!

t-shirt tuesday

2012-01-31T12:35:00.001-05:00

In honor of this Thursday being Groundhog Day. I only though it be fitting to post this awesome t-shirt. Love it!

Happy Groundhog Day Punxsutawney Phil!

finally friday ...

2012-01-27T12:44:00.000-05:00

Here's my Instagram week ...

art 101 in my preschool classroom

my inspirational post to Pinterest

my husband took this photo on his way to upstate NY ~ had to share it

our first real snow, and it was only about 2 inches

"b's" first visit to a Lego store

my kind of heaven

my kind of heaven, part 2

one of my students having a quiet moment on the playground

hanging out on the couch watching OTH

t-shirt tuesday

2012-01-24T13:13:00.000-05:00

I found this shirt while walking in the mall this weekend. It seems so appropriate. I've recently notice that Facebook has become a personal dumping ground for people to trash their friend, family and spouses. I say that if you have a problem, confront it. Go to the person. Don't talk trash about them, while not mentioning their name. Really? Grow up!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

2012-01-21T14:50:00.000-05:00

This is the simplest and yummiest recipe ever. It's so simple my 11-year old makes them, with a little help from the momma! Two ingredients is all it takes. Hope you give them a try!

Ingredients: 24 Mini Reese Peanut Butter cups & 1 package of Toll House Chocolate Chip refrigerated cookie dough.

Take the 24 peanut butter cups and unwrap them. Once done put them in the refrigerator to keep them chilled until you need them.

Line a 24-cup mini muffin tray with liners.

Separate your cookie dough into the 24 squares and place one in each lined well.

Bake the cookies for the time stated on the cookie wrapper. When they are done, pull them from the oven and push a unwrapped peanut butter cup into each cookie. They willbegin to met a little.

Place the cookie (still in the muffin tray) into the freezer for about 20 minutes to quickly stop the cooking process and to chill them faster. *** yes, this picture shows them out of the tray, but trust me keep them in the tray to cool them.

Take them out and go to it. They are ready to eat, or in the case of my son, devour them!

t-shirt tuesday

2012-01-17T20:44:00.000-05:00

Can I just say that I love t-shirts. Whenever I get a chance, I'm in one. It's even better now that I've lost weight. There are so many more options and styles for someone whose lost 25 lbs.

Each week I'm going to post a favorite t-shirt that either I own or just absolutely adore and hope to own. There will also be weeks, where my son"B" is my muse. I will also be showing you some of my revamped t-shirts. With the weight loss, some are to big, but I still love them. so, I'm going to show you how I've revamped them to make them new again. I hope you come along for the ride.

Today's Inspiration

2012-01-15T16:24:00.001-05:00

This photo was taken on my way home from church this afternoon.

finally friday ...

2012-01-13T22:24:00.002-05:00

I'm going to try and post at the end of the week pictures that I've taken with my iPod using the Instagram app. You can follow me on Instagram ... my user name is 1sassymomma. OK, so here's a look at some of the pictures I've posted since 2012 began, and yes a few you've already seen in previous posts, I think!

These cows are on display at my parents house. Love them!

Painted toes make me happy!

No words needed ...

Nothing better than a diet Coke

These strainers are so bright and cheerful ... yeah!

This vintage truck is one that my husband played with as a child and the book behind it has his sir name in the title.

So yummy. I'll share the recipe in a future post.

So I hope you enjoyed this photo review of some of my favorite things from the last 13 days of 2012. If you didn't, well, I can't help that. Maybe next time!

creative kids

2012-01-13T21:06:00.000-05:00

I teach preschool and this week I had the opportunity to work with the kids in the art lab. Usually my assistant works in that lab, but she was sick which gave me some time to create with the kids. They are learning about all forms of art like ~ painting, sewing, using clay, making 3-d art and more ... I had shown them some art pictures that used different textures and colors and then we went to the art lab and created our own piece of art by layering and using all different types of art materials (paint, paper, tissue paper, yarn, foil and fabric). I love how it turned out so much that I may just have it framed and hang it in my house once it's taken it's turn on display in the classroom.

I LOVE IT!

Photo Editing

2012-01-08T13:25:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I'm addicted to photo editing lately. I can't get enough of taking and editing photos. I am also, still loving the photo mosaic tool over at Big Huge Labs. The other editing software I use are apps on my iPod. I love Instagram the most. Check out some of the stuff I've done recently.

Yes, I'm in my "happy place" and I love it.

Weight Watchers Yogurt

2012-01-05T09:51:00.000-05:00

I love Weight Watchers yogurt. My favorite is Amaretto Cheesecake ... yum! Well today I went to one of my local grocery stores to buy some and the store had them marked at $1.05. Seriously? Talk about price gouging. I didn't buy it and left to hit a different store. At the second store they were $.79, which was a bit better. I didn't have any more time to go to store number three, so I bought two cups at $.79 each.

This got me to thinking about how supermarkets can be quite the rip-off if your not careful. I usually don't shop at either of these two stores unless there's a sale, but today I was in a pinch. The first store was an Acme, which usually has higher prices that the other two, but if you find some good sales, you can definitely save some money. The second store was a ShopRite, which is usually better on prices and this week they are having great sales, so I though I would do better. The store I usually shop at is a Wal-Mart Superstore. They have great prices, take coupons (which the other two also do) an have good quality products, and there Weight Watchers yogurt is only $.50.

So what have I learned today? Know your prices. My plan is to save money this year and spend less. In order to do that, this is one area where knowing prices, sales and the best places to shop will. Also use coupons. They may take come time to cut out, but the end result of more money in your pocket is worth it.

What I'm reading ...

2012-01-03T19:54:00.000-05:00

I saw Marilyn Meberg at a Women of Faith event and was quite intrigued. Funny, entertaining and she opened my eyes to some every insightful revelations. Her book is no different. Defenitely a good read.

A New Year!

2012-01-01T23:15:00.000-05:00

you.

2011-12-31T18:47:00.001-05:00

"Today you are YOU, that is truer than ture. There is no one

alive who is youer that YOU."

~ Dr. Seuss

Welcome in January and with it a new word to explore for the month, YOU.

YOU are beautiful

YOU are strong

YOU are creative

YOU are brave

YOU are enough

YOU are loved

YOU are needed

YOU are perfectly imperfect

YOU inspire

YOU give

YOU shine

YOU ROCK!

Yes YOU

Share the beauty of YOU. All the lovely, quirky, silly, fragile, fierce, complicated, amazing pieces of you.

This month is gonna be good! I can feel it already. Can YOU?

2011 ~ A Year in Pictures

2011-12-30T21:39:00.002-05:00

These 16 images tell just a small part of the life and

times of One Sassy Momma.

1. B’s first ambulance ride

2. Beaker “the new dog”

3. “B” turns 11

4. My cousin Daniel came to town for our Cousin Johnny’s memorial service

5. “B” reconnects with his cousin Garrett

6. Road trip with “B” to South Carolina for Garrett’s Marine Corp Boot Camp Graduation

7. My nephew the Marine

8. Reconnected with my amazing cousin Cathy

9. Went to my first Phillies game in the new stadium and it was AWESOME

10. “B’s” first day of 6^th grade

11. My first tattoo ~ Patience Fortitude

12. My parents on their wedding day ~ 50 years ago

13. My Cali Cousins came in for my parents 50^th Anniversary

14. Loving the time spent with my cousin Cyndi

16. ONE SASSY MOMMA!

Hope Street

2011-12-30T10:44:00.000-05:00

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Psalms 62:5-6

My HOPE for 2012 is to ...

~ spend less and save/earn more

~ continue my journey with Weight Watchers

~ continue to strengthen my marriage

~ expand my photography business

~ stay more organized and not let needless clutter pile up

~ build 2 really good friendships

~ craft more

~ stress less

It's not a long list and some of the things listed I'm already working on, so attaining them or continuing to attain them is possible. If fact anything is possible as long as you believe! I do.

B & B

2011-12-28T16:27:00.000-05:00

This is a mosaic print I created at Big Huge Labs that encompasses pictures of my son "B" and his best friend "B". I gave it to the boys along with a video for Christmas. They have been friends since birth and have such an amazing friendship. They can agree to disagree, and it never gets to the point where they won't talk to each other. The best part about their friendship is that I've been able to see how it has grown and strengthened over the years. The past 11 years have been an amazing journey to watch. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for them!

That's a Wrap

2011-12-23T23:16:00.000-05:00

My night consisted of wrapping presents and entertaining a very excited 11-year old! I'm surprised he actually fell asleep. I can't imagine what tomorrow will be like?

B's First Christmas

2011-12-22T22:27:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that 12 years ago Aaron and I celebrated our first Christmas with "B". He was so tiny! It's amazing how time has just flown. "B" loves Christmas and as he gets older, he wants to participate more. This year he put up the tree and the few outside lights that we do. However, he's already planning on taking over the light decorating outside next year and I am trying with all my might to give in. Who knows what he may have in store. Well, at least I have 11 months to get ready for it.

A year ago ...

2011-12-21T23:11:00.001-05:00

     Today was hard for me. I know that Christmas is just a few days away and for the most part I have been in great spirits about all the upcoming holiday preparations and celebrations that I will be having with family and friend, but today was hard. The main reason was that a year ago "today" our house was robbed for the second time in less than three months and a lot of things were taken including the feeling of being safe in our own home. So forgive me for not posting anything jolly. It was hard enough getting through the day without thinking; "Is my house safe?" "Did I lock the doors?" "Did I hide all the gifts so they're not taken if the house is robbed again?"

     Well, the day is almost over and I survived. The neighbor parked his truck in our yard and I went a little crazy and pushed our iron picnic table against the back door. A few precautions and a lot of hugs from my great teaching assistant Mia helped me through the day.

     I now am looking forward to finishing up a few last minute gift preparations and having a great Christmas with Aaron and "B". See you tomorrow!

The Spirit of Santa

2011-12-20T19:34:00.002-05:00

I've always loved Santa. The "real" Santa and anything Santa related. Santa reminded me of all the wonderful things from my childhood Christmas's and what that entailed.

I remember when I was a child and someone told me that Santa wasn't real. My parents were so mad that they went to the child's parents and gave them an earful. Well, last year we told "B" that there wasn't a Santa. We didn't want to lie to him or for him to find out from someone else. We wanted to explain to him our thoughts about Santa.

See, I've always believed that there is a Santa, as in a Spirit of Santa. What that means to me is being of a kind heart and spirit. Have I always shown these characteristics ... no! Do I wish that I could have ... yes! Christmas is a time to give and not receive, but in the past I didn't feel that way. I felt that if I gave a gift, I should receive one in return. This mindset just set me up for a lot of disappointment and anger. I would get mad at anyone who I felt mistreated me and became bitter and I would close off from both family and friend who I felt didn't really care for me.

Well, lucky for me I have had my eyes opened by some very special people who have shown me that that kind of mindset was not healthy. This year I have come to realize that there are going to be people and I mean close people in my life who are going to disappoint me. It is my choice as to how I'm going to react to those disappointments, and they're not disappointments if I don't let them be.

Aaron and I didn't want "B" to be disappointed, so we told him that there wasn't a "real" Santa but Santa was in all of us in giving to others even when we don't receive the same in return. It took me 43+ years to learn this and we didn't want Brent to have to struggle with what I, and maybe my hubby also, had to deal with. We also want "B" to be a loving and caring child and soon to be young man who is genuine and cares for others no matter how he is treated in return. My hubby is famous for being genuine, kind and caring even when others treat him the wrong way and I love him for that.

I think Santa or the "Spirit of Santa" is a great tool in teaching children to be kind and caring and to show them that disappointment is only a part of your life if you let it. Trouble is going to be a part of your life, but it's how you deal with it that show your true Santa Spirit. I can still say that Santa is a big part of my life and always will be. Is he a part of your life? If not, why? How about this year, let the Spirit of Santa be with you. It may surprise you.

A Handmade Christmas

2011-12-19T12:57:00.000-05:00

I sometimes feel like I should have been born in another time and place. I love the simplicity of Christmas's past and love the idea of making handmade gifts. It just says something, when you give a gift you made. I have a friend, Liz, who does the same thing. She makes blankets and bags for family and friends and I like doing the same. She also makes her own laundry detergent. How cool is that.

This year is no different for me, in that I will be make something small for all my friends and family. I can't show you til after Christmas what it is, but I can show you the materials I'm using. If you leave a comment, I might tell you if your guess is right, but I may not. You'll just have to take that chance.

Holiday Spirit

2011-12-18T22:24:00.001-05:00

Just a quick post to say that it has been a busy weekend; purchasing and wrapping presents, spending time with a good friend, laughing with my son and enjoying a wonderful sermon at church. Hope your weekend was as filled with the holiday spirit as mine was!

Ice Christmas?

2011-12-17T23:42:00.000-05:00

I'm not dreaming of having ice on everything to soon, but it does make for some pretty pictures. These were taken a few years ago and they're just making me wish for a white Christmas. Unfortunately it doesn't look to promising this year. Oh the perils of living in South Jersey!

The Tale of Three Trees

2011-12-16T10:54:00.001-05:00

The Tale of Three Trees

For three little trees who dream of what they will be someday - a holder of treasure, a fine ship, a hilltop beacon pointing to God - life proves to have something rather different in store. They are disappointed that their lives are so mundane. And, as the years pass, "the three trees nearly forgot their dreams." Yet each eventually gets its wish, although not in the way it had foreseen. When that happens, each discovers that things turned out just the way they should have.

This is such a moving and eloquent story. It's illustrations are simple yet powerful. Anyone who reads this book will be reminded that God has plans for every one of his creations, that He never loses sight of any of us. Children will learn that when they don't get what they want, it may be because something even better is in store for them. Adults will understand the concept of true happiness comes when we align our will with God's.

Expectations

2011-12-15T13:27:00.007-05:00

In the past, I've had high expectations about the holidays and not just Christmas, but most holidays. In my opinion, an expectation, if not truly controlled, is an evil thing.

Expectation: (ex·pec·ta·tion) Noun: 1. A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future. 2. A belief that someone will or should achieve something.

I've been so guilty of having high expectations for the holidays and then being let down because those expectations aren't even remotely met. Well, in the past few months I've allowed myself to not have such high expectations and it has been such an amazing release of stress and anxiety in wondering if those expectations are going to be met. I've allowed myself to just enjoy the holiday season. I'm not nearly done my Christmas shopping and in the past that would drive me crazy, but not this year. I've been focusing on my blog, which you have seen, and that has allowed me to step back and take in the joy of the season.

I've learned to not really care or get upset with what may happen when I'm out with other people at holiday parties and social gatherings. This was such an issue for me that I didn't look forward to going at all and just wanted to stay home. But it seems that others also have their expectations ... of me. I'm sure there are times then I'm in the same boat as the others, in not meeting their expectations, but I've really just been trying to focus on me. This is how it is with me now. I'm the person God intended me to be, flaws and all! You may not like how I act, how I dress, how much weight I've lost or how much more I intend to, what I may say, and you may not like the choices and decisions I make, but I can't help that. I'm not going to change who I am to please you, just like you're not going to change who you are for me.
So in saying all of this, what I'm trying to say is that I have learned to limit my own expectation to lessen the stress, anxiety, and disappointment in my life and I encourage other to do the same. Like people for who they are... flaws and all and do the same with yourself. It's a very uplifting and fulfilling feeling.

I like this quote by Paul Rand ~ “Simplicity is not the goal. It is the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations.”

I'm actually looking forward to this holiday with modest expectations. To enjoy spending time with my husband, son, and extended family and friends.

It's A Wonderful Life

2011-12-14T13:06:00.001-05:00

Is my life wonderful? I wouldn't say my life is wonderful, but I would say that I have a good life. Do I have my struggles ... of course! Who doesn't? It's what we do when we are faced with those struggles that show who we truly are. I've had my struggles this year, I'm not going to lie. But, they have shown me that I am a woman who, even in the face of adversity, can survive. My father said that he doesn't worry about me when I'm having struggles or difficulties, because he knows I can get through anything. Well, he worries, but you know what I mean. Will it be hard? Yes. Will I want to give up sometimes? Definitely, but he knows that he raised a strong woman who won't give up. When he told me all of this, it made me realize that, I am that kind of woman and that's pretty cool. I'm "One Sassy Momma" and I like that!

So I ask myself again, is my life wonderful? Well, I am truly blessed to have an amazing husband who still loves me after 21 years despite our ups and downs and a son who means the world to me and I would do anything for ... so I guess my life is pretty wonderful! How about that?.

Advent

2011-12-13T18:58:00.003-05:00

Hope, Peace, Joy, & Love

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God.

I never really understood the meaning of Advent until I started going to my new church, Ramoth. I truly feel that I have been blessed by going to this church and have learned so much about myself and others. It's been very eye opening, just like this Advent series that my pastor, Bill has been giving. My favorite sermon was the first Pastor Bill gave about Hope. He said that Hope is, "anticipation & expectation of the unseen & future things that God has promised with firm assurance that He is able to fulfill His Word." What I heard was that we need to follow God even when we don't understand. We need to trust Him even with our darkest fears. God wants you to take the path that will show you the real you. It's not going to be the easy path, you may not always like what you see, but it will make you trust God completely! Deep stuff.

What's your Hope in today?

3 Phrases

2011-12-12T21:27:00.000-05:00

The three phrases that sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Men, and Batteries Not Included.

Reindeer line up

2011-12-11T13:46:00.001-05:00

This picture just makes me laugh. It looks like they were doing some graffiti art and got caught by the cops!

Norman

2011-12-10T15:20:00.001-05:00

If you're 40 or older, I would hope that you know about Norman. Norman who, you say? Well, Norman Rockwell. The 20th-century American painter and illustrator who is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine for more than four decades. I especially love his Christmas images, including this one.

Good Old Days

2011-12-10T00:03:00.000-05:00

Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money!

The Polar Express

2011-12-09T07:06:00.002-05:00

Yeah, yeah, so you've all seen the movie .. and if you haven't, what rock have you been hiding under? My question is, have you read the book? I fell in love with this story years ago. It is such a wonderful story that tugs at my heart every time I read it, which I still do every year. So ... you should read it! Go on ... put the remote down and check it out and remember, "Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

Vintage ornaments

2011-12-08T13:18:00.000-05:00

I just love vintage ornaments and these old glass ones are no exception. I remember my dad getting the boxes of ornaments out to decorate the tree and loving looking at all the old glass ones. I love how unique, elegant and fragile they are. Today, everything is so commercialized, generic and junkie. Yuck! I guess I'm just an oldie at heart, because I just love vintage and homemade ornaments Let's bring back some class to Christmas. I know I'm trying to!

"Elf"

2011-12-07T12:16:00.000-05:00

My son is dressing up like an elf tonight to help me with a holiday party we're having at my work. I will be taking pictures of all the children with Santa and "B" is going to be, well ... very cool looking elf!

"what Christmas is all about" by Linus

2011-12-06T08:09:00.000-05:00

This is by far, one of my most favorite Christmas moments on TV ... ever!

Oh' Christmas Tree

2011-12-05T20:43:00.000-05:00

This is the tree that my amazing elves decorated. You can't really see the ornaments, but 90% of them are either antiques passed down, made by my son, or have some sentimental reason. I was looking at it last night and it just made me happy!

Choices

2011-12-05T12:50:00.000-05:00

"It is not our abilities that show what we truly are, it is our choices"

~ J.K. Rowling ~

This quote, spoken by Albus Dumblebore in the second Harry Potter book just speaks volumes to me. We all have a choice and in making the choices that we do, we show who we truly are. Are you making the choices to show who you truly are? Do you like what you see? In the last few months, I have and in doing so, I have found out a lot about myself and about the people in my life. It's been very enlightening.

Christmas Elves

2011-12-04T20:35:00.001-05:00

Today's picture is of two awesome Christmas elves. Well, actually it's my son and nephew, but their still awesome. Today they were such big helps to me. They put up the lights out front, put up my tree and decorated it! One less thing I have to do. I think what is more amazing is that they get along so well. Their best friends and really love to be around each other. Sure they disagree, but it's usually over something small, and they get over it quickly. One bonus of them being together, is that you almost always can count on a laugh or two ... or three!

A Christmas Memory

2011-12-03T17:45:00.001-05:00

This Santa holds a very special place in my heart. Why? It's the same Santa that was in my parents house when I was growing up. I still can see it as plain as day, sitting on the landing of the stairs. Every night and every morning I would pass it and touch his head. I always looked forward to putting it up and lighting it every night. Now it has a place of honor in my living room and I am giving Brent the honor of turning it on every night.

Karma

2011-12-02T22:38:00.000-05:00

Karma doesn't mean to just expect good to come from your good deeds, but to be prepared for the inevitable low points of life. Good and bad exist on the same plane and it is our plight as humans to experience both. "Be still and know, because even in the darkest times, the light will find you." - Jackson Rathbone

Danc'in Santa

2011-12-02T11:49:00.000-05:00

This Santa just makes me happy. He's got a giant spring under his suit and when you touch him he jiggles around, hence "Danc'in Santa". Since taking these pictures, Santa has taken up residence in my preschool classroom. The kids love coming up to my desk and making him dance. Their little faces just light up. To cute!

Christmas Lights

2011-12-01T09:45:00.001-05:00

In the last few years I have lost my love of the holiday's. It's hard to explain why without hurting some other people's feelings, so I'll refrain from that for now. This year however, I am feeling more hopeful, which is a nice change. Since I'm feeling this way I thought I'd venture out and try and post a photo a day during December. I think my focus is going to be on images that are edited and ones that remind me of my childhood. This first one just makes me happy, so I thought it was a good one to start off with.

Tail Lights

2011-11-28T21:36:00.000-05:00

This is the view I get to see almost every day if I leave work on time. I would be a millionaire if you gave me a dollar for every time I got stuck behind this bus! The up side is that I ws able to try another new app on my iPod. It's called Lo-Mob and I love it! It let's you age and distress your images. Very cool!

The ugly truth ...

2011-11-27T15:42:00.000-05:00

"There's a lot of ugly things in this world, son. I wish I could keep 'em all away from you. That's never possible." ~ Atticus Finch

This book is unequivably my favorite ... ever. Everytime I read it, it hits me and hard. If you've never read it ... give it a chance. You won't be disappointed.

Photo fun!

2011-11-26T10:56:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I downloaded a new app for my iPod. It's called Instagram and it allows you to age and distress photos you take with your iPhone and iPod. The photos are also square. That reminded me of old photos from my childhood ... which is a cool bonus. I'm having way to much fun! I can't wait to try it with some Christmas images and to download some more apps. Stay tuned!

One Amazing Kid

2011-11-25T16:15:00.003-05:00

Can I just say that I have the most amazing and patient son. I have been wanting for a while to take some photos of him. Well, today was his lucky day. We had off from school so I took the opportunity to get the job done.

I let him pick out what he wanted to wear, but he had to let me go where I wanted to to take the photos. We had a deal, until he said, "I'm only smiling the way I want to." I agreed, so off we went. He listened to my directions as we climbed over logs and through sticker bushed and mounds of leaves. Never once did I hear a complaint. Awesome!

Here are just a few. I don't want to post to many, just in case I use some for my Christmas cards. Wait a minute, who and I kidding. Of course I'm going to use some in my cards! Let's be serious, that was one of the reasons for taking the pictures. The other reason is that he's growing up so fast and I just want to preserve this moment in time. Enjoy!

Life ...

2011-11-23T11:45:00.012-05:00

Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I've last posted. I could explain, but I don't think my blog could take that much. Let's just say that life has been crazy, with me as it's leading character.

One great thing that happened since I last posted, is that I've been able to reconnect with some amazing cousins and continue to build an amazing relationship with my cousin Wayne. I struggle with relationships and to be able to open my heart to these amazing people has been such a blessing to me.

I mentioned that I have been able to continue to build an amazing relationship with my cousin Wayne. Wayne ... you are most amazing person and I love that you're always there to give me that needed "bear hug". How can I thank you for just being you? All the words in the world wouldn't be enough, so all I can say is, "I love you Wayne".

Cathy ... what can I say? You are truly a blessing in disguise. Your candidness is addictive, your humor contageous and your heart ... WOW! Your one of the best things that has happened to me in this crazy year, but like I've told you, "Your my kind of crazy!"

My Cyndi Lou Who! You are such a class act and a lover of life. I really enjoyed seeing you. It was way to long. I look forward to many more visits, both here on the east coast and out in Cali. I already miss you!

Daniel and Ginger, what can I say? I think this picture says it all. Daniel, you are one of the funniest people I know and I can always count on a laugh when your around (and a possible wrapped body part!). You're a great listener and have an truly honest spirit, which is rare in this day and age. Thank you for listening and for just being you. I can't wait to come out and see the Big Red Trees! Ginger ... I loved meeting you - finally! You are a breath of fresh air and a joy to be around. I enjoyed our talks and look forward to may more. Brent misses you both, too!

Mark, you are an amazing man and such a good model for what a good husband should be. You protect your family and I love and admire that about you. I also love that you can put Shaun in his place! What a bonus!!!

Wow, what a post! I guess it's time to get off my soap box!!! But like I said when I started this post ... I have had the unique opportunity to reconnect with some amazing cousins and needed to talk about them. I really appreciate the people in my life who make my life better and every person I mentioned is truly a blessing to me! Love you all!

Snow Day

2011-01-27T14:25:00.004-05:00

Well we're having quite a winter with several snow stormes. Most have been uneventful, but a few have had an impact, like delayed school opening and closings. We are now on our third school closing day, which is nice except for the fact that we have to make them up at the end of the school year. Yuck!

Here are a few pictures I took this mornng before 8:30.

What a morning!

Quote of the Day!

2011-01-05T17:35:00.003-05:00

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." — Dr. Seuss

Joy

2011-01-03T22:54:00.003-05:00

Joy: a - the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires; b - a state of happiness or felicity; c - a source or cause of delight

That is the the word I chose for this year to embrace. This word brings great challenges to me, because I don't feel that I have much joy in my life right now.

Let's see what a year can do though. I have some small goals and a few items on my Bucket List to acomplish this year and I think if I take my time, I can accomplish them and find the joy that is missing from my life.

One Roller Coaster of a Ride

2010-12-30T13:44:00.003-05:00

I love roller coasters, but the ride I’ve been on this year was way too much of a ride for me.

So much has happened that I’m not sure were to start and I'm sure I won't touch upon everything. I finished my second year teaching in June and then pretty much hibernated from everyone. It was one of my worst years teaching. I can’t even begin to explain. I was so emotionally and physically spent that I just had to crawl in a hole and hide for a few weeks.

It wasn’t pretty, but I was told by my pastor, Bill Clay, that it was my way of healing me. The up side of the time that this happened was that Eclipse was released and I saw it several times. It was a good release for me. I didn’t have to think and I could just escape or a few hours with no worries. Oh and when I say several time, I mean 10 times!

There have been other personal struggles that I choose not to delve into, but as I look back … this year was definitely a year of growth for me.

At the end of last year I posted some things I wanted to work on for this year and I can say that I may have accomplished one, maybe even more? Like I said I’ve been on one major rollercoaster ride with more downs than ups, but I can say I am very grateful for my job, especially in this economy and I find that speaking the truth can be very liberating.

I am truly looking forward to the new year and another fun filled ride.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Holiday Hats

2010-12-22T22:41:00.003-05:00

Brent has quite a collection of holiday hats.

Can you guess which one is his favorite?

Abbey

2010-12-19T21:26:00.003-05:00

I was asked to take some family pictures of a dear friend which was great. There were some really awesome shots, but this one stole the show.

You would never guess that she's quite the "wild woman".

Cinnamon Ornaments

2010-12-18T22:40:00.003-05:00

What do you do when you over plan and make 3 batches of cinnamon ornament dough for your class and only used a batch and a half? You bring home the extra and let your son go to town. It actually worked out well, cause we (Brent and I) always make ornaments for friends and family. Brent had a great time rolling and cutting out the ornaments. The up side is that the house smells great. The down side is that it takes 3 to 5 days for them to dry and your supposed to turn them every half hour so they dry right.

Oh the trials of ornament making!

The Torpey Family

2010-07-01T21:53:00.007-04:00

The Torpey family asked me to take their family pictures a few weeks ago. I had such a good time photographing them. They are so photogenic and just great people to know. There were so many pictures that I loved that I could only post a few. So here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

Wheelie Boy

2010-06-19T16:52:00.003-04:00

Here are some photos of Brent trying and succeeding in pulling a wheelie on his ATV today. He's really getting good!

More Trooper

2010-06-05T21:59:00.003-04:00

Here are the most recent pictures of Trooper. Enjoy!

Trooper

2010-05-30T15:22:00.004-04:00

"Trooper"

Meet the newest member of our family. He's only 4 week old so we don't get him until the end of June. If your wondering what he is, well, he's a mini dachshund. How cute is he? I mean really, who can resist that face? He is definitely going to be a spoiled puppy.

Lawn Mowing

2010-05-09T20:48:00.005-04:00

I had to share this picture of Brent mowing the lawn this weekend. Aaron was away and wanted Brent to mow the lawn. That's all well and good, except that the wind was so bad and everything was blowing in his face.

So what's the remedy ... a motorcycle helmet! Yup, you heard right. He put on his motorcycle helmet and finished the yard in no time.

Quite the smart one! Isn't he?

Brent

2010-04-27T20:27:00.005-04:00

I can't believe that your 10! Where has the time gone? It just seems like yesterday that you were born and now ~ you just amaze me with all that you have accomplished and overcome these past ten years!

Happy birthday my sweet and wonderful boy! I love you with all my heart!

A Day at Work

2010-04-22T20:49:00.011-04:00

Today was "Take Your Child To Work Day". I don't know if this is done nationally, but I do know that the area where I live does it. This was the second year the Brent came to work with me. He doesn't go to work with Aaron on this day because he is always there helping after school and on the weekends.
I think he had a good time, but I also know that my class is very demanding, difficult, and has "Energy" to spare. I have never had an easy day with my class and that was so evident today, so I can probably say that he did and didn't have a good day. I know he was exhausted when the day ended. He said, "Can we go home now!" My poor boy.

Here he is playing with the salt dough that we made today with the kids. This was definitely the highlight for the whole class including Brent. As soon as we made the dough, there was a mass exodus from all the other learning labs to see what we were doing. Soon all 13 students that were there wanting to play with the dough.

They all had so much fun playing and watching Brent make his creations.

It's never done ...

2010-04-07T20:39:00.004-04:00

Here is a lovely and glamerous picture that Brent took of me folding the seven + loads of laundry over the weekend. Seriously, where did it come from ... the neighbors?

The top ten things I couldn't live without

2010-04-06T15:23:00.000-04:00

1. God
2. Aaron
3. Brent
4. jeans
5. flip-flops
6. bracelets
7. my glasses
8. sleep
9. yummy dips
(like my buffalo chicken dip)
10. peace of mind

Happy Easter ...

2010-04-04T15:44:00.002-04:00

... to all my peeps! God bless!

Cousins

2010-04-01T17:49:00.020-04:00

Last Sunday we went to my brother and sister-in-laws house to celebrate my niece and nephews 12th birthday. It's always a great time when we get together and the kids have so much fun. This year was no exception. We had a great dinner and a yummy cookie dessert. As you can see by the pictures it was all smiles and a little chaos!

The whole clan: Jake, Jack, Chase, Brent, Cory and Dani

The Taraska Boys

Dani sporting some killer peace sign shades!

Cory and Brent.

I have another picture of these two in my house. I'll have to post them together so you can see how much they've changed. It's pretty cool.

One of the many group shot taken.

It took a few minutes and my sister-in-law Alli to wrangle them in!

This one's a keeper!

Refashioned Threads

2010-03-21T16:43:00.008-04:00

Last Spring I bought this dress. It's a size 12 and I couldn't pass up the clearance rack price. I was sure that I would wear it during the summer some place, but alas I did not.

Fast forward to this Spring. I still have the dress and it's still a size 12, but I'm not. I now fluctuate between an 8 and a 10. I love the print and still wanted to wear it, but it just didn't fit right, so ...

... I did some alterations to the dress and made it into a skirt. I had to take out the zipper, gathered the waist and sewed in some elastic. Not bad for an hours worth of work? I wore it today to church and got several compliments on it. I liked that! Cute huh?

What's Up?

2010-03-20T19:50:00.009-04:00

Wow, I can't believe that March is half over and I've only made done one post. So let's see, what's been up!

Things have been better at work lately. I've came up with a few new strategies for myself and my assistant to help us better manage some of our more difficult children. They seem to be working, but we did just start them this week. Brent was also in the emergency room right after Aaron.s birthday. Luck for us, it turned out to be nothing!

All the snow we had melted and then we had those torrential rains. Needless to say, the pond behind our house crested as well and the irrigation run-off pond. Can you say muddy waters? Brent is loving it though. We bought him new boots and he can't stay out of the water!

Brent's best friend Brandon turned 10! I can't believe Brent is going to be 10 next month. No more single digits! I told him this will be the last time that your going to be a single digit. He didn't seem to mind either way.

Brent and Brandon found a new way to fly a kite! They attached it to the back of Brent's quad and Brent drove it around the backyard. They were having fun until is got caught in a tree. It's still there today! Oh well.

Lastly I have to say that Brent has been such an amazing kid lately. He's always been a great kid, but lately he's been helping out more around the house and not complaining about doing things that he's asked, so I couldn't resist letting him buy some songs for his iTouch. He even found a great place to chill out and listen to them ... my bed!

Well, I think that about wraps up the past few weeks! This coming weekend looks crazy with a party for my neice Cory and nephew Jake who are turning 12, a birthday movie for Brent's friend Brandon, and I'm hosting a purse party ... so I'll try to post before then.

To Aaron

2010-03-07T11:49:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to my amazingly wonderful and handsome husband! Aaron, I couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone else. You make the world a better place just by being you. You're my everything!

Mail Anyone?

2010-02-26T17:51:00.001-05:00

Mod Podge Mail

2010-02-25T20:53:00.004-05:00

So I was trying to think of a creative way to make play mail for my classroom. Something durable and non-destructive. You know, the kind of toy that a 3-year old will touch and it won't disintegrate in their hands within five seconds!.

Well this is what I came up with. Mod Podge Mail.

[front]

They're made from cut up pieces of cardboard from one of the many boxes that came into my house, plus scrapbook paper, stamps that I uploaded from a website called alltheweb.com, mod podge and address labels. The address labels I actually made and printed on cardstock. They have funny names like Brent Bacon, Grandpa Grumps, Cousin Cookie ... you get the idea.

[back]

They took no time to make and turned out really cute. I may also make a batch and use plywood or something. We'll see how long these last in the destructive hands of a 3-year old.

Corny Valentine

2010-02-18T20:27:00.005-05:00

With this year maybe being Brent's last year to give Valentine's, I thought I would go out with a bang when it comes to craftiness. I had seen an old-time Valentine with the phrase, "To a Pop - Pop - ular Teacher" and thought of how I could change it for kid Valentine's.

I came up with this ~

It says, "Not to sound 'corny', but Happy Valentine's Day!"

I made them using popcorn boxes that I cut into 4's. The saying was made on my computer and after printing them out, I mounted them on red construction paper. Then I attached the saying card to the popcorn box with some white curing ribbon. To finish off the project I used packing tape to attach a mini bag of popcorn to the back.

I really love how they turned out and Brent can't wait to give them out tomorrow. Why tomorrow? Well, with the snow days that we had, his Valentine's party was postponed.

Big Sky Country

2010-02-15T19:29:00.011-05:00

I found this picture on the internet and just had to share it! How I would love to be there right now! What beauty.

Chicken Wing

2010-02-08T18:16:00.009-05:00

This is Chicken Wing. That's not his real name, but it's the nickname his family came up with. His parents say it's from a song, but I've never heard it. CK is such a happy little boy. Every time I pull out my camera or he sees it lying on the table - he'll make his little baby words or will motion to the camera. I ask if he wants me to take his picture and his answer comes in the form of a big smile.

He's such a little poser. CK's mom, April is helping me start my photography business, by letting me use her children as practice. If all the people I photograph in the future are as good as CK, I'll have no problems.

Another Talent

2010-02-08T14:38:00.006-05:00

So, I love to scrapbook, take photos, sew, and cook, but now I found another talent that I have - beading! It's a lot of fun and quite easy to do. There are two types of beading. One involves wire and different types of pliers. The other uses elastic cord and tying a knot. Guess which one I like better? Of course, the elastic type. Now don't get me wrong. I can wire, but using the elastic is sooo much easier.

I recently made two bracelets using these beads and a 1mm elastic. You can find beads at most craft stores and there's also "Bead and Glass" in Pitman, NJ that you can go to and make jewelry. I decided on my pattern and off I went.

This is what the finished product looks like. Very fancy! I kept one for myself and gave another one to my friend April for her birthday. She liked it so much that she's going to start beading. It's very relaxing and I find myself making mine while watching TV.

I think that the next few I make will have matching earrings and geared more toward Spring. We'll see!

Marble Bag Makeover

2010-02-03T21:54:00.012-05:00

Tonight I decided to make a new marble bag for Brent. The one he had was plastic, he lost the cord for it, which was junk, and it was starting to fall apart, as you can see in the picture below.

Now came the tricky part, what to use. I've been trying to purchase less and reuse what I have so when I saw this old Slip-Cord backpack that had a busted seam, (I never really used it, Brent used it more) I figured that would do. Just trying to be more frugal!

First Brent and I decided how big he wanted it to be and then I cut the material.

I then sewed the bag together, while Brent took the pictures. He's commented on how much better he's getting and I agree.

After I finished sewing the bag together, we used some of the cord from the original bag, feed it threw the bag and tied knots on each end . Brent couldn't wait to load it up with his marbles. I didn't realize how many he really had!

Here's the finished product. It's not really fancy, but very functional and Brent loves it, so that's all that matters to me.

New Spec's

2010-01-30T22:11:00.003-05:00

Part of my Christmas present from Aaron were two new pairs of glasses. Well, I finally got my butt off the couch and picked some out. These are my favorites, but Brent likes the other pair better. I'll show them off later. What do ya think?

Birthday Bash

2010-01-30T21:58:00.011-05:00

Last night the Ladies Ministry at my church (Vineland First Church of the Nazarene) hosted a Birthday Bash. The concept is that everyone comes with a $15.00 gift. They have dancing, games and light refreshments. As the night progresses, your aloud to go up to the gift table and pick a gift - not yours. I had such a good time! I went with some great friends. The only downer was that we all couldn't sit together. I vote for bigger tables next year.

A New Look

2010-01-26T23:00:00.008-05:00

I like how my style is slowly changing, but not too much. I guess you could say that it has a little bit more flair! I like it!

This look consists of:

t-shirt - Target $9.99

necklace - Wal-Mart $3.99

boots - JC Penney $30.00

skirt - had for years and just shortened

Total cost is under $45.00 and the best part is the mix and match options.

What'cha Reading?

2010-01-25T20:40:00.004-05:00

I love to read and have just recently started to read with a furry. Every night I get a bath and then snuggle into bed with a good book. These two books were pretty easy reads, but were also very informative.

The first book is called "Handmade Home" by Amanda Blake Soule. It is an instruction book on how to use old fabrics and some other materials to create new family treasures. There are mostly sewing projects in the book, but there are also some non-sewing projects. Now since I have also started to sew again, I was excited to see that the projects are relatively simple.

The other book that I read was "Kirtsy Takes a Bow" edited by Laura Mayes. This book is like the woman's dictionary of blog sites. Kirtsy is actually a blog site that has likes to the most amazing blogs created by women. If you love blogging or surfing the web for great articles and information, check out this book and the website www.kirtsy.com . The blog covers a ranges of topics like entertainment, design, home, food, travel and so many more. I promise you won't be disappointed.

So now that I've stepped off my soap box, I have only one question for all of you? What'cha reading?

Sewing 101

2010-01-21T21:39:00.015-05:00

I've been using my sewing machine a lot lately and Brent wanted to give it a try. I had let him try it out over the summer on some scrap fabric and he had fun trying all the different stitches, so when he asked to use it again after seeing me alter a black skirt, I figured why not!

So tonight while Aaron was at a meeting we went to Jo Ann Fabrics and purchased some fleece to make frilly scarves. Brent picked out different combinations of fabric colors like - light and dark pink, orange and brown, and a fuchsia pink and yellow! I know, I can't wait to see what that one will looks like. He asked if we could make some tonight when we got home and I of course said yes!

When we got home I cut and pinned the fabric pieces together. We used three pieces of fabric with two of them being the same color.

Once I finished pinning, I gave Brent a quick lesson on sewing and off he went. He was very careful to sew slowly and to keep his fabric in line with the guide I tapes down for him. He sewed two scarves tonight and plans to sew the other four tomorrow night. I'm such a proud momma!

Once he finished sewing I cut the fabric to make the frills. Here's Brent sporting his completed creation. I think they turned out real cute.

You have to love a man who can wear PINK!

A New Favorite

2010-01-18T12:12:00.005-05:00

I can honestly say that I am a Caffeine Free Diet Coke girl. Ask anyone who knows me and they would agree. I'm rarely seen with out one in my hands, so I can truly say that I was pleasantly surprised when I tried this.

How yummy. Now I never really cared for the regular Diet Dr. Pepper, but when I saw the Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry on sale last week I thought I'd give it a try and I'm glad I did.

Caffeine Free Diet Coke is always going to be my favorite, but it's nice to know that there's at least one other great tasting diet soda out there.

Best Ever Banana Bread

2010-01-16T16:56:00.009-05:00

I've tasted a lot of Banana Bread recipes in my 42 years and most of them were pretty good. You may even think you've had the best banana bread, but I can assure you you haven't until you try this recipe out.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup mashed bananas
1 & 1/2 cups white sugar
1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Spray one 9x5" loaf pan with cooking spray.
Blend together the eggs, buttermilk, oil and bananas.
Sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt.
Add banana mixture with dry ingredients and mix well.
Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
If more time is needed cook longer in 5 minute increments until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack .

Now I don't want to toot my own horn, but I think that this is the Best Ever Banana Bread recipe!

Random Thoughts That Can Provoke Truth

2010-01-14T17:59:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine e-mailed me this list of random thoughts and I had to share them. So, sit back and enjoy some good laughs.

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this --ever.
15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer, drop the phone and run away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..

So what did you think? Leave a comment and let me know.

Misty Morning

2010-01-10T18:56:00.004-05:00

This picture was taken last Friday morning after we received about 2-3 inches of snow the night before. I was on a 2 hour delay from school, don't ask, and had already taken Brent to school when I looked out the window and saw the morning mist in my backyard. The sun had been shining just a few minutes earlier so I was taken aback with the sudden change. It just looks so peaceful.

Cousin's at Work!

2010-01-10T18:43:00.005-05:00

I just love this picture of Brent and his cousin Cory. It was taken last weekend when we went to visit my brother's family. Brent's little cousins got scooters for Christmas that were still un-assembled. Brent decided to put the scooters together (my brother isn't the most handy when it comes to tools) and Cory was right there with him helping. They got most of both scooters put together, but they did need Bobby's brawn to finish the job. Good teamwork!

Here a Crack, There a Crack ...

2010-01-06T19:30:00.005-05:00

Have you ever had a doctor's appointment that you actually looked forward to? Yes, no, not sure? Well I have to say that I truly look forward to my chiropractic visits. I just recently started going and can't wait for each visit. It's probably because my back is in such disarray. My upper back and neck area are all tight and misaligned, which the doctor can crack. Don't you just love that sound? My lower back however has a degenerative disk that we are trying to save with stretching movements. All in all I feel pretty good when I leave, it's that next day that I don't look forward to. So needless to say, my new best friends are ICE and ADVIL! But seriously, if you ever need a good chiropractor check out Dr. Ron James ... he's amazing! Crack!

Manic Monday

2010-01-04T21:48:00.007-05:00

Today was my first day back to work after an unscheduled two week vacation. What I mean by a two week vacation is that New Jersey had a blizzard the weekend of December 19th and we got 2' of snow. Since so many roads were impassable our school closed for the 3 days before Christmas break, thus the two week vacation.

Now don't get me wrong I really appreciated the time off, but I'm crying at the having to go back to work. I really wish I didn't have to work and could stay home and craft and take care of my family and home full time, but alas I can not! I have to say though that my students were very well behaved and nap time was a breeze - that isn't the usually. My class does not like to nap, even better they don't like to rest, so today was a sweet treat.

Once school was done, I had to go to the chiropractor, Wal-Mart, Wawa (for gas), Walgreen's, come home and make my Buffalo Chicken Dip and then go to my Financial Peace class at my church. Manic!

I do have to say that I have some great friends who helped me out with Brent after school. Thanks April and Tracy and I do have to say that I did look good through the whole afternoon! LOL!

I love this outfit. I have been trying new looks and will hopefully be sharing some of them with you. Brent loves to help me so he took the picture.

Today:
Jeans - American Eagle (sale)

Blue Cardigan - New York and Co (sale)

Black tank

Belt - Fossil outlet

Black boots - Target (sale)

The Contract

2010-01-02T10:07:00.010-05:00

Brent and I thought that we needed to make a contract about how we are going to treat each other at home. So the three of us wrote a list of things we think we could do to make this year better at home. This is what we came up with:

Look's simple enough, doesn't it? We'll with that all said and done, Aaron and I had a little argument yesterday and all Brent had to say was "Well you're already breaking the contract!" To funny! This may take a little work! We just need to make a conscious decision to try.

Home

2010-01-01T16:21:00.008-05:00

Last year I chose a word that I wanted to focus on and chose the word "Me". It was something I needed to do. I worked on my inner self by becoming more aware of what I needed in my life and what was truly important to me. Due to the choices I made this year, I lost two good friends, but I also gained the knowledge of what true friendship is in the process.

This year my word is "HOME". I want to focus more on the inner workings of my home this year ... to make it a place of comfort, nourishment, love, peace and soul for my family and friends.

If you had to choose a word to focus on for this year what would it be? It's not an easy question to answer. It took me a few days to really come up with the right word for me. Let me know if you take the challenge and choose a word. I'd love to know what you choose.

A New Beginning

2009-12-31T09:52:00.010-05:00

With the year coming to an end, I look back and reflect on the ups and downs of the year. Are the decisions I made the right ones? Would I have done things differently? Yes and no. I have found out this year that I have to live my life. Some may not like all the choices I made, but I’m okay with them and that’s all that matters. For some time, I felt that I had to make other people happy before making myself happy. Well, not anymore! Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a selfish person and will always be there for family and friends, but on my terms. I have my own needs and I also need to be there for Aaron and Brent before anyone else. These choices will ruffle some feathers, but I can’t care anymore!

This coming year I have some things that I want to work on. Some are easy to do and others will take longer, but I look forward to the challenge.

1. Create a more peaceful and nurturing home for my family

2. Become a calm and patience driver

3. Be grateful that I have a job and accept it for what it's worth

4. Get out of needless and avoidable debt permanently

5. Choose caring and loving friends who will add to the quality of my life and not hurt me

6. Start my own incredibly wonderful business that I have been dreaming of for some time now

7. Speak the truth ... even if it hurts the feelings of others

8. Live the life I was given on my terms

Wow, now that's a list, but I look forward to the challenges it brings in 2010 and speaking of 2010 ... I want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year! May you and yours have a fruitful and blessed 2010!